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Saint Etienne
Words And Music By Saint Etienne
About this item
''Words and Music by Saint Etienne' is the band's first new studio album for 7 years. The album refers to the "strange magic" of pop. About the special alchemy that transforms even the most mundane of experiences – walking home with the headphones on at night, sitting in a bedroom with your friends in the day, getting ready to go out on the weekend – into a lingering moment of seamless enchantment, one that resonates for the rest of your life.
1. Over The Border
2. I've Got Your Music
3. Heading For The Fair
4. Last Days Of Disco
5. Tonight
6. Answer Song
7. Record Doctor
8. Popular
9. Twenty Five Years
11. When I Was Seventeen
12. I Threw It All Away
13. Haunted Jukebox


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"Now clearly, if people are going to head to Facebook for their daily dose of real-world news then mankind has got itself some massive problems. But if people are going to Google for news and are still only seeing a one-sided view of the world which just so happens to coincide with what they already believe is that really the 'best' result? On the face of it, it might seem to be a 'good' result from the user's perspective – but is it for the greater good?"
Stuff I like (all)
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- Photoset via notationalPhotoset via notational
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- Photoset via gutewerbungPhotoset via gutewerbung
- Video via theawesomefarmVideo via theawesomefarm
- Photo via petit-chou-chouPhoto via petit-chou-chou

subset: commoncrawl


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Controversy about the possibility of steroid users being voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame loomed over this year's ballot. And, for at least another year, no suspected steroid-using players will be enshrined.
It was announced Wednesday afternoon that nobody will be getting a call saying they will recognized with what is considered to be baseball's biggest honor — election into the Hall. A winning candidate did not emerge from the Hall of Fame balloting conducted by the Baseball Writers' Association of America and verified by Ernst & Young.
Suspicion of steroid use was the reason first-year candidates Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa were denied, and probably figured in the rejection of Mike Piazza, as well.
However, all four did receive enough votes to keep them on the ballot for next year.
There were 569 ballots cast, the third-highest total in the history of the voting, but none of the 37 candidates in the 2013 vote received the required 75 percent.
Craig Biggio, who had 3,060 hits and was a seven-time All-Star while playing three positions (catcher, second base, outfield), led the ballot with 388 votes — 39 shy of the 427 needed for election. He gained the votes of 68.2 percent of the electorate, which consists of BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive years of Major League Baseball coverage. Other players named on more than half the ballots were pitcher Jack Morris with 385 (67.7 percent), first baseman Jeff Bagwell with 339 (59.6), catcher Piazza with 329 (57.8) and outfielder Tim Raines with 297 (52.2).
Five blank ballots were among those submitted.
"The standards for earning election to the Hall of Fame have been very high ever since the rules were created in 1936," Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson said in a media release. "We realize the challenges voters are faced with in this era. The Hall of Fame has always entrusted the exclusive voting privilege to the Baseball Writers' Association of America. We remain pleased with their role in evaluating candidates based on the criteria we provide."


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Yosemite XC Coupons
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Every national park will give a free admission on April 19-20, 2014 (opening weekend of National Park Week).
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Yosemite XC Coupons 2014
Yosemite XC offers coupons and specials for its products and services on a regular basis. Sometimes you can find daily deals for Yosemite XC or printable coupons or promo codes found online. It is important to check for opportunities to save any time you plan to visit Yosemite XC. Yipit makes it really easy to stay on top all Yosemite XC coupons by searching the web everyday and bringing all Yosemite XC deals into one convenient location. Sign up for Yipit to get notified any time Yosemite XC or any other local business that you like has a special available. Enjoy all the best for less with Yipit!


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Flight canceled after pilot curses at passengers
(CNN) -- Northwest Airlines canceled a flight with 180 passengers aboard after the pilot began cursing at passengers while the plane was being prepared for takeoff in Las Vegas on Friday, airline officials and witnesses said.
The cancellation disrupted Easter travel plans for many of the passengers.
From the moment the captain stepped aboard Flight 1190 to Detroit, passengers reported hearing him use "animated" language while talking on his cell phone, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor told CNN.
"He was having a fit, swearing up a storm," a passenger on the flight said. "He was saying 'F this' and 'F that.'"
When confronted about it by passengers, the pilot became "obscene" and began cursing at the customers, she said. "He made a big disturbance."
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and the local FAA flight standards office were notified, Gregor said. Police arrived on the scene, pulled the pilot aside and interviewed him.
He was not administered a field sobriety test. CNN was unable to immediately contact the police officers involved.
The FAA officials called Northwest Airlines headquarters. The airline decided to remove the pilot from the aircraft and fly him to Detroit for further questioning.
Northwest Airlines then canceled the flight, apologized for the delay and offered hotel accommodations and penalty-free re-booking on the next available flight out of Las Vegas, a spokesman for the airline said.
The airline said "a review of the matter" was being conducted and the decision to cancel the flight was made "due to reports of inappropriate language by a crew member."
Mike Fergus, an FAA spokesman, said the FAA's flight standards investigation unit was looking into the incident. According to Fergus, the FAA has the authority to send a "letter of admonition" to the pilot or, in the most extreme cases, revoke a pilot's FAA certificate, which would ground the pilot.
"I had to call and cancel two family dinners and we're stuck here an extra night," a passenger said. "We've been at the airport for six hours waiting -- it's chaos. It's Easter weekend...we want to be home."
Re: Flight canceled after pilot curses at passengers
Sounds to me like this pilot watched that Saturday Night Live skit with Will Ferrell and Toby McGuire as pilots one too many times.
You know the one where Will Ferrell kept getting on the intercom and cursing at the passengers and then gets a baseball bat and has "quiet time".
Go Vikings!
Re: Flight canceled after pilot curses at passengers
Yikes....that would suck to be the people who got stuck there.
Thanks Josdin00 for the sig!
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Don't-Miss Web & social Stories
Twitter adds genre search to #music iOS app
Twitter is hoping to make it easier for people to discover new music on its #music iOS app with the addition of genre search tools, released Thursday.
Yahoo News gets a redesign aimed at personalization
In its continuing efforts to woo users with new products and services, Yahoo is at it again, this time with a redesign of its News Page.
New AOL Reader product teased just days before Google Reader's shutdown
Once-mighty America Online appears to be working on a new RSS reader product, with about a week to go before Google pulls the plug on its own Reader.
How LinkedIn's three newest features can work for you
LinkedIn launches two-step verification, a redesigned 'Who's Viewed Your Profile' and adds the capability to upload photos, video and documents to your status updates. Here's what you need to know about the changes.
Internet visionary Cerf proposes 'digital vellum' to preserve Internet data
Vinton Cerf, one of the computer scientists who turned on the Internet in 1983, is concerned that much of the data created since then, and for years still to come, will be lost to time.
Mac Gems: Swing for App.net makes it easy to share files
All App.net accounts come with free online file storage. Swing makes it simple to use that storage space to share files with other people and on social networks.
Gmail will sort your email for you with new automatic labeling
Google announces a new kind of inbox for Gmail that automatically sorts messages into categories, or "tabs."
Flickr's new interface emphasizes social media, but will anger long-time users
Flickr's new upgrade showcases big, bold images, but many do not like the change.
Prevent a hack attack with Twitter's new two-factor authentication
Twitter on Wednesday rolled out two-factor authentication to step up account security in the wake of several high-profile hackings.
Hands-on: Flickr gets a stunning new look, but still feels incomplete
After years of languishing mostly unchanged, Flickr—the one-time leader in photo-sharing sites—finally got a major overhaul. Is it enough to get you back? Maybe.
Yahoo overhauls Flickr with one free terabyte for every user
Yahoo may have just spent more than $1 billion to add Tumblr to its portfolio, but changes to Flickr grabbed much of the focus at a Monday afternoon press briefing.
Google+ becomes an attractive network still without a niche
Google added a slew of new features to its fledgling social network, Google+, but can any new network compete with the power of Facebook?
How Google's I/O moves measure up to what Apple offers
At Google I/O, the search giant showed off a slew of updates for developers and customers alike. How do Apple's products and tools stack up?
Google Wallet makes payments possible through Gmail
Google is integrating Gmail with Google Wallet so that users can send payments as a mail attachment, even if the recipient doesn't have a Gmail address.
Tech Tip: Advanced Google search functions
Searching Google is a quick way to find information, but more advanced functions can help users find more helpful information faster.
Web & social ArticlesNext Page


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A to Z with Deshawn Roland
Thu. September 13, 2012 at 8:45 p.m. | By Paul Kardasz
(Photo by Olga Brahollari/ Correspondent)
SCHOOL: Chiefland
YEAR: Junior
HEIGHT: 5-foot-7
WEIGHT: 160 pounds
A rea football team I would pay to watch play? Gainesville High School. I like their style and how they play.
B est movie I've ever seen: "Project X."
C hiefland is the last area team to win a state title (1997). Is that something that is ever brought up around school or out on the field? It is brought up at times, but mostly just around the community.
D ay of a game, I do what to prepare myself? I try to stay focused, stay off my feet and listen to a lot of music.
E arliest sports memory? When we won a championship back when I was in middle school.
F avorite thing about living in Chiefland: We can all get along together. We fight one day and the next day we are all friends again. Chiefland is where I have lived all my life. I like it here.
G ame-winning touchdown or game-saving tackle? Game-saving tackle.
H oisting the BCS national championship trophy at the end of the season will be? I like Florida, but they aren't doing so good right now. Honestly, I am going to have to say either Alabama or LSU could win it all.
I nteresting thing about me away from football: Pretty simple, I just like being around my friends. I just like to hang out.
J oker on the team? It would have to be Josh Smith. He is always clowning around, always making jokes and stuff. He is always trying to make people laugh.
K ey differences in this year's Chiefland team opposed to previous years during the long 23-game losing streak: We are more focused now this year. We want to win and feel we can do it. We want to make the community around here proud of their football team.
L east favorite Chiefland sports moment: Probably during my freshman year when we were introduced to the 120. A 120 is where you sprint from the back of one end zone to the back of the other — and do that 16 times! We don't do those anymore! Now we just run gashers.
M usic I enjoy listening to: I listen to all kinds of music. In the weightroom, I like listening to country. But I like all kinds of music and my favorite artist is Lil Wayne.
N ickname? They just call me D or D-No.
O ne person in my life who inspires me most: My mother, Tammy Jenkins. And, actually all these people here on this football team inspire me a lot too.
P otential college major: Sports medicine or business technology.
Q uirky habit: I wear a lot of different pairs of socks. I like to wear different colors, sometimes two or three different colors at a time.
R eading newspapers or browsing the Internet to get my high school sports information? I kind of do both. If I am on the computer and I see news there, I will read it. If the newspaper is out, I read the newspaper.
S tarting off the year 2-0 means what to me and my teammates? Every game we have won so far this year feels like we won the state championship.
T witter or Facebook page status posts? Twitter.
U nderrated positions on the football field? Either center or nose tackle.
V acation spot I love: We just like to go to the springs down here.
W hich teams I enjoy playing against the most? Dixie County and Trenton. Dixie County because they are our rival. Trenton because they come in here thinking they can beat us every time, and I can't wait to play them again.
X box, Playstation or Wii? Xbox. "NCAA Football 13."
Y ear I was born: 1994.
Z oo animal I like most: The tiger. I just like the way it looks.


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Samsung Galaxy S4 is now available in Seven Colours: An Overview
Samsung is a huge spree of extending its Samsung Galaxy S4 family. There are been several carrier models of the Samsung Galaxy S4 already in the market, even then the company plans to put more in the pack of the rest.
S4 Overview:
You are aware of the fact that Samsung Galaxy S4 is one of the best models released by the company yet. This smart phone has only led the company's shares to reach the heights that the company has never imagined. The Samsung Galaxy S4 is still popular among the masses, the smart phone is kind of expensive but then again it worth the price it is tagged at for the Samsung Galaxy S4 is power packed with features and specifications that are just too good.
Samsung is just raising its bars when it comes to shares in the stock market. There are several smart phones available in the market that the company Samsung is releasing in the market, besides the other models like the Galaxy Note III which is a hybrid between a smart phone and a tablet, the Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom which is a hybrid of the Samsung Galaxy Camera and the Samsung Galaxy S4 mini, now Samsung is putting up a new idea of releasing its most successful Samsung Galaxy S4 in five more colors making the whole series a vibrant range of seven different colors.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 sales have already crossed 100 million units and the smart phone also topped the list of the most number of smart phones sold in the market. Samsung has made use of the best of technology for its Samsung Galaxy S4, the smart phone houses really great feature that distinguishes it from the other smart phones in the market.
New Colours:
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is now available in the following colors:
- Blue Artic
- Red Aurora
- Purple Mirage
- Brown Autumn
- Pink Twilight
- Black Mist
- White Frost
And then you have already come across the White Mist and the Black Frost colors that the smart phone that was launched with. Therefore the Samsung Galaxy S4 now comes in seven colors therefore you have more options to choose from.
The features that the smart phone is equipped with are quite note-worthy, there is no doubt that or the smart phone would not sell in the market as much.
Here is a highlight of the features that smart phone sports a neatly designed 5 inch full HD screen with a resolution of 1080 pixels and the pixel per inch density that the smart phone comes with 441. The Samsung Galaxy S4 has the best of specifications for the display there is no doubt about that.
It is quite clear when you notice the pixel per inch density, the clarity that the smart phone delivers is just amazing and the Galaxy S4 also offers sharp and clear image quality therefore you would have no problems if you have to watch a video or images. What you see is what you get, the quality of the images id just unbeatable.
The smart phone is power packed as well, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is mounted on a 1.6 GHz Exynos Octa-core processor with a 2GB RAM powered by the Android 4.1.2 Jellybean from Google, the operating system especially designed for smart phones. Just think about the power that the smart phone houses under its hood with an Octa-care processor just powers the smart phone and moreover the performance becomes all smoother for the Samsung Galaxy S4.
There have not been any complaints from the consumers with regard to the performance of the smart phone, no lags, no hang ups; the only thing the Samsung Galaxy S4 offers is smooth performance.
Samsung cameras have always been the best among the cameras for mobile handset, the cameras that the company has been manufacturing for smart phones and mobile phones as always been the best and moreover the lens and the output that the smart phone delivers is just out of the box. The Samsung Galaxy S4 features image stabilization, geo tagging, auto focus and dual LED flashlight. Moreover the Samsung Galaxy S4 sports an incredible 13 Mega Pixel camera as the primary camera and then a 2 Mega Pixel front facing camera.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 features dual shot, a feature by the smart phone that allows you to use both the front and the rear camera simultaneously at the same time but then again that is not all, there is more than the smart phone is offering. Samsung has never let it customers down when it comes to features and specifications. The Samsung Galaxy S4 also features eraser shot where you remove the photo bombs from the pictures you have snapped and there is also Cinema Photo another feature that gives a cinematic look to your smart phone.
Game Plan:
The recent reports from the market spoke of the smart phone losing down on the number of units sold and that is the reason the company tried this plan of launching the smart phone is different colors.
This drop in the number of units sold would not affect the company's shares for there have tremendous sales for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and now the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom and the ruggedized version of the S4, being the Samsung Galaxy S4 Activ there would be no issues with the shares that the company has to handle.
To add on to it, as a cherry on the cake, is most awaited Samsung Galaxy Note III that is coming up soon, this phablet has been on the most anticipated list among the masses. The release of the phablet is would make a change in the stock market for sure as the rumored specifications seems really fascinating and then it carries the brand name called Samsung, the brand that has created a whole new trend in the market.
People are now waiting for the release of the smart phones and the phablets with bated breath and the Samsung Galaxy S4 and its carrier models will surely shake the markets again.
The article is contributed by Sanjay Kumar Negi. He works at 91mobiles.com, where users find the lowest price to buy phones like Galaxy S4 in India.


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RICHMOND, VA—Memorial Day is less than a month away, and if you're planning to get out of town, now's the time to book your flight.
The Memorial Day getaway will cost a little less this year, according to an article printed in USA Today.
But to snag the best deals, now's the time to buy.
The online travel agency Travelocity lists the average price for Memorial Day weekend flights at around $300. For $272, you can fly from Richmond to Orlando. A trip to New York City, the top destination on Memorial Day, will cost you $343.
While prices are low now, they're expected to increase as the holiday weekend approaches.
On Travelocity, the average price for a round trip domestic flight from May 23-May 28th was $341, a two percent dip from the holiday last year.
Travelocity's senior editor says the price change is due to a decrease in demand for airlines, causing companies to slash prices to keep planes full.
If you're looking to snag a deal, you need to act fact. Prices have increase $10 since last week.
Copyright 2013 by Young Broadcasting of Richmond
301 Arboretum Place, Richmond
Telephone: 804.330.8888
Can't find something?
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2014 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. A Media General Company.


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Mo. Court Allows Class-Action Suit Against PM USA
Lower-court ruling appropriate, it says
Published in CSP Daily News
ST. LOUIS -- A Missouri appeals court has ruled that a lower court appropriately certified as a class-action case a lawsuit accusing Philip Morris USA of misleading smokers about the health risks of its so-called "light" cigarettes, the Associated Press said.
Tuesday's ruling by the Missouri Court of Appeals was cheered by attorneys who pressed a similar lawsuit in Illinois against the cigarette maker, which in that case was ordered to pay a $10.1 billion consumer-fraud judgment. PM USA has appealed that to the Illinois Supreme Court.
The ruling upheld St. Louis Circuit Judge Michael David's decision last year to let the Missouri lawsuit's original plaintiffs represent potentially thousands of other smokers of light cigarettes. Both Missouri rulings essentially found a class-action format appropriate in dealing with claims that PM USA misled smokers into thinking light cigarettes were less harmful than regular ones, violating Missouri's Merchandising Practices Act.
William Ohlemeyer, the Richmond, Va.-based tobacco company's vice president and associate general counsel, said in a written statement that the company will ask Missouri's Supreme Court to review Tuesday's ruling, saying that "for a variety of reasons, the company believes the law doesn't allow cases like this to be treated as a class action."
Messages left Wednesday by AP with attorneys for the Missouri plaintiffs, who filed their lawsuit in St. Louis Circuit Court in February 2000 were not returned.
Among other things, that lawsuit accused PM USA of engaging in unfair, deceptive trade practices by falsely representing that light cigarettes, when smoked under normal use, contained lower tar and nicotine than regular cigarettes.
David originally ruled in 2003 that the class of Missouri consumers who could be included in the lawsuit were those who bought Marlboro Lights in the state since 1971 but who have no smoking-related injury claim. Last September, David limited the class to those who had bought the cigarette brand in the five years before the lawsuit was filed.
It was not immediately clear how many Missouri residents may be included in the lawsuit.
In Illinois in 2003, Madison County Judge Nicholas Byron sided with the customers and ordered PM USA to pay $5 billion in compensatory damages, $2.1 billion in interest and $3 billion in punitive damages.
Unlike many other high-profile cigarette lawsuits, that case did not accuse PM USA of harming customers' health. Instead, it accused the company of committing consumer fraud by leading customers to believe they were buying a less harmful kind of cigarette.
Last November, attorney James Thompsona former Illinois governor representing PM USAtold the Illinois Supreme Court that smokers who wanted lighter flavor got it and smokers who wanted less tar and nicotine could get that, too. The company is not to blame, he said, if a smoker ended up canceling any health benefits by taking deeper puffs or smoking more cigarettes. Thompson argued that case should never have been granted class-action status because each person smoked differently and had different reasons for choosing a particular brand of cigarettes.
But attorneys representing 1.1 million light cigarette smokers in Illinois argued that PM USA knew when it introduced light cigarettes in 1971 that they were no healthier than regular cigarettes. The attorneys said the company hid information, including the fact that the light cigarettes had a more toxic kind of tar.


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A pinky away from being Dr. Evil?
Whatever your stance is on the CIA director thing, don't you think CNN could have spared him the Dr. Evil picture?
sharks with lasers!!
the image is prob true. Hayden was quoted in a 2001 issue of Playboy, and I quote the article : "INFORMATION IS NOW A PLACE. IT IS A PLACE WHERE WE MUST ENSURE AMERICAN SECURITY AS SURELY AS SEA, AIR, AND SPACE"
and the only way to do that is ?


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T-Mac is a goner. The AP is reporting Monday night that McGrady is requesting a trade. Houston is not going to play him the rest of the season. They need a Center. Brad Miller plus Salmons or Jerome James works on the trade machine.
1- Lose Salmon's uncertainty re opting out
2- If, a big if, T-Mac regains his ability to play we could make a nice run to end the season and go into the playoff with momentum
3- T-Mac can open up the floor for Rose
1- Losing Miller makes us vulnerable if Noah goes down.
2- I think Rose is really progressing and having T-Mac want to dominate the ball can mess up his development
3- The team could collapse if T-Mac cannot play which is definitely a possibility based on his history.
Does this make sense for us?


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(Testing Procedures for Drivers)
In accordance with Board policy, the following procedures apply to drug and alcohol testing of
For the purposes of this procedure, the following terms are defined:
Driver -- Any person who operates a commercial motor vehicle. This includes full-time, regularly
employed drivers; casual, intermittent or occasional drivers; leased drivers; and independent, owner-operated contractors.
Safety-Sensitive Function -- Includes responsibilities such as time on duty waiting to be dispatched;
driving time; assisting or supervising loading or unloading; and repairing, obtaining assistance for
or remaining in attendance upon a disabled vehicle. All time spent providing drug and alcohol
samples, including travel time to and from the collection or testing site as needed to comply with
random, reasonable suspicion, post-accident or follow-up testing will also be considered safety-sensitive functions.
Alcohol -- Intoxicating agent in beverage alcohol, ethyl alcohol or other low molecular weight
alcohols including methyl and isopropyl alcohol.
Drug -- Any controlled substance listed under section 102(6) of the Controlled Substances Act as
specified by the administrator of the federal department of transportation.
Substance Abuse Professional -- A licensed physician or certified psychologist, social worker,
employee assistance professional or certified addiction counselor with knowledge of and clinical
experience in the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol- and drug-related disorders.
Reasonable Suspicion -- Specific, contemporaneous, articulable observations concerning the
appearance, behavior, speech or body odor of an individual.
Qualified Supervisor -- An employee or driver supervisor who has completed at least 60 minutes of
training on alcohol misuse and at least 60 minutes of additional training on controlled substance use.
Program Coordinator
The Human Resources Director-Classified shall serve as the program coordinator to implement the
alcohol and drug testing program of the district.
Pre-Employment Tests
The district will not allow a driver to perform a safety-sensitive function for the district unless the
district has a verified negative test result for the driver. The district will not consider for
employment any applicant who refuses to submit to drug testing and/or refuses to release information
as required by the district.
The district may not require a new test if the driver has participated in a drug testing program
required for operators of commercial vehicles within the previous 30 days or has participated in a
random selection program for the previous 12 months, provided that the district has been able to
make all verifications required by law.
Post-Accident Tests
Alcohol and drug tests shall be conducted on a driver as soon as practical after any accident
involving a district vehicle if such driver:
► Was performing safety-sensitive functions with respect to the vehicle and the accident
involved loss of human life.
► Receives a citation under state or local law for a moving traffic violation arising from the
accident if the accident involved bodily injury to any person who, as a result of the injury,
immediately receives medical treatment away from the scene of the accident.
► Receives a citation under state or local law for a moving traffic violation arising from the
accident if one (1) or more motor vehicles incurs disabling damage as a result of the accident,
requiring the motor vehicle(s) to be transported away from the scene by a tow truck or other
motor vehicle.
All post-accident alcohol and drug testing shall be conducted within the required time periods. If
a test is not conducted within the appropriate period then the test will not be given, and the program
coordinator shall prepare and maintain a file documenting the reasons the test was not promptly
administered. Tests for drugs must be administered within 32 hours following the accident and tests
for alcohol should be administered within two (2) hours and must be administered within eight (8)
hours following the accident.
A properly administered post-accident test conducted by federal, state and/or local law enforcement
officials meets post-accident testing requirements as long as the results of those tests are provided
to the district.
Random Testing
Alcohol and drug testing shall be conducted on a random basis at unannounced times throughout the
year in accordance with federal regulations. Tests for alcohol shall be conducted just before, during
or just after the performance of safety-sensitive functions. Drivers shall be selected by a
scientifically valid random process, and each driver shall have an equal chance of being tested each
time selections are made.
Reasonable Suspicion Tests
Any qualified supervisor who has reasonable suspicion to believe that a driver has violated the
alcohol or drug prohibitions of the district shall require the driver to submit to the appropriate
Alcohol testing is authorized for reasonable suspicion only if the required observations are made just
before, during or just after the period of the work day when the driver must comply with alcohol
prohibitions. The person who determines reasonable suspicion exists to conduct a drug or alcohol
test will not administer the actual test. If an alcohol test is not administered within two (2) hours of
a determination of reasonable suspicion, the qualified supervisor shall prepare and maintain a record
explaining why this was not done. Attempts to conduct alcohol tests shall terminate after eight (8)
hours, and the qualified supervisor will state in the record the reasons for not administering the test.
Drug and alcohol testing shall include documentation by a qualified supervisor who makes a finding
of reasonable suspicion. He or she shall create and sign a written record of his or her observations
leading to a reasonable suspicion test within 24 hours of the observed behavior or before the results
of the test are released, whichever is earlier.
Employment actions up to and including termination may be instigated in accordance with Board
policy and law for any driver who tests positive for prohibited substances.
The program coordinator shall notify the director of the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) of
any driver who has failed to pass any drug, alcohol or chemical test administered pursuant to Board
policy and these procedures. Notification shall consist of the driver's name and any other relevant
information required by the director of the Missouri DOR. Such notification shall be made within
ten (10) days of discovering that the driver failed to pass such tests.
Return-to-Duty Tests
Any driver who is not terminated as a result of a positive test must receive an evaluation from a
substance abuse professional at the employee's expense and successfully pass an alcohol or drug test
before the driver will be permitted to perform safety-sensitive duties. The substance abuse
evaluation must be conducted in accordance with federal law and by a properly credentialed
substance abuse professional.
Follow-up Tests
A driver who violates the district's alcohol or drug prohibition and is subsequently identified by a
substance abuse professional as needing assistance in resolving an alcohol or drug problem shall be
subject to unannounced follow-up testing as directed by the substance abuse professional in
accordance with law. Follow-up alcohol testing shall be conducted just before, during or just after
the time when the driver is performing safety-sensitive functions.
All testing will be conducted in accordance with federal law. The district will use only qualified
collectors and testing facilities certified or approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. Drivers will be drug-tested for marijuana metabolites, cocaine metabolites, amphetamines,
opiate metabolites and phencyclidine (PCP). Alcohol testing will be conducted by qualified
collectors at facilities that meet federal standards.
The program coordinator shall ensure that all drivers receive written materials explaining the
district's drug and alcohol misuse prevention program, including copies of or access to applicable
policies, procedures, handbooks or other resources that include:
1. The identity of the program coordinator, who will have knowledge of the materials, policy,
administrative procedures and the Omnibus Act.
2. Categories of employees covered.
3. Information about the safety-sensitive functions and what period of the work day the
employee is required to be in compliance.
4. Specific information concerning prohibited conduct.
5. Circumstances under which drivers will be tested.
6. Procedures used in the testing process.
7. Requirements that drivers submit to alcohol and drug tests administered in accordance with
federal law.
8. Explanation of what constitutes a refusal to submit to a drug and/or alcohol test.
9. Consequences of violations (e.g. discipline up to and including dismissal, removal from
safety-sensitive functions as required by the Omnibus Act, referral to substance abuse
professional for evaluation, treatment and follow-up testing as required).
10. Information on the effects of drug use and alcohol misuse on personal life, health and safety
in the workplace.
Drivers shall sign statements certifying that they have received the materials.
* * * * * * *
Note: The reader is encouraged to review policies and/or forms to related information in this
administrative area.
Implemented: 12/13/2005
North Kansas City School District, Kansas City, Missouri
Link to Missouri Statutes
Link to Missouri Regulations
Top of Page
Portions © 2005, Missouri School Boards' Association, Registered in U.S. Copyright Office For Office Use Only: GBEBB-AP2.NKC (09/05)
The translation feature for this site is provided by Google Translate. The district does not guarantee the accuracy of the translation. Please call the district for clarification of board policies and administrative procedures.


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Health hazard in Karnataka
It is sad to know that there are certain people around the world that seems not to value their natural water systems. Unfortunately, such a case exists in Karnataka, India; where residents do not see a problem with allowing their wastewater and sewage drain into the Tungabhadra reservoir.
However, what is most saddening is the way in which the City Corporation, Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Sewage Board and the Irrigation Department have turned a blind eye to the violations carried out by these residents.
Nonetheless, pressure from the news reporting of such conditions have encouraged the facilitation of a wet well for these residents; where they are now being encouraged to drain their waste appropriately. These wet wells will then safely pump the sewage to the main underground sewage lines.
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I you know me, you know I want this team to win. Even when the fan base succumbs to a defeatist attitude, I will never. If there is every a last line of a DolFans defensive, bet your ass I will be there. Bottom line,...I mean business !
What about the rainy weather ? I couldn't bring me down. I was like a kid on Christmas, seeing as I had a package to open. What could it be ?
Mothertrucker,....it's Mini OFF4L !
Thanks Bill Moody ! I owe you !!
Of course, we had some more Phinsiders make the party. Here's Seminolephinatic , his lovely Wife, & M.O. !!!
It was a true blow out party, and from here on out M.O sat it out over on one of the tables.
Seminolephinatic,....I liked his style. And I think it's a safe bet he'll be back at our tailgate again.
This tailgate was a classic. Now I know we have a fair amount of military here on our little site and I think this part of the story will lift your sprites even higher. You see, this was a the 2nd game in a row The Phin Addicts invited about 20-30 members of our military to our tailgate for some free grub. It was oh so apparent they were very grateful. but, I've said it once and I'll say it again,....to me and all of us in The Deep End everyday WE are the ones who are truly grateful !!!
What they did next blew us all away. The Sargent ordered them to fall in, then ordered Fro, Stripe, & Joshua front & center.
A short ceremony presenting them with certificates of gratitude. Classy group of soldiers. We couldn't be prouder !
The love fest continued as the soldiers were all given a Fighting Phin T-shirt. Something The Phin Addicts sell as a way to raise money for charity,.....today there was no money exchanged for these shirts. I knew there was something more than our common love for the Dolphins that I liked about these guys. They get it !
I had my own personal lovefest to attend to as well. Dwight & Renata, who came to the game from NJ, got a special gift too. I always throw $15 down on the Dolphins charity wheel each week, some prizes are pretty good ( signed cleats, helmets, and the such ) and some are nothing more than trinkets ( keychains, stickers, pennants ). One of the prizes i won was some game worn socks. Since I already have a pair ( or two ), I passed them along to Dwight. You would have thought I gave him the suite tickets. But no,...just some socks.
I will not lie,...if you don't have a good time at one of our tailgates, you got issues.
The good times continued on into the stadium. Let me talk about our seats for a moment. The view,.....well, it's pretty good !
Where was I ?
I remember now,....Dolphins vs Bills. Ya know,....there is always one dick in the crowd. And this guy was him.
Not long after the Bills went up 3-0, this guy decides he whats to taunt the crowd. And not just the folks by him, he decided he wanted to a piece of The Deep End. This as it turned out was a bad decision, a very bad decision.
Let the beat down begin.
Reggie Bush,....come on down !
Bills fan still taunted,....
Anthony Fasano. Get your ass,....TO THE HOUSE !
We scored on a blocked Fg, a couple goal line stands. You bet your ass I let that dickhead hear about it. I've got a quick wit and a sharp tongue when provoked. And most of the time I'll just let it go, but not on this day. I rode that prick hard. And to my surprise, that little shit tried to call me out on a physical level. I just laughed. I looked up there with 5 minutes to go and he was long gone. I guess he wanted to get a head start on his walk of shame,.....lol.
Buffalo,......fuck them !


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Under Construction - Thank you for your patience...
Desk Clocks
Desk Clocks (CD) are generally about 6"x6"x3" deep, but actual sizes and shapes vary. Individual clocks are handcrafted and no two are exactly alike. These clocks are designed to sit on a flat surface and are not designed to hang on the wall.
Wall Clocks
Wall Clocks (CW) are generally about 11"x11"x2" deep, but actual sizes and shapes vary. Individual clocks are handcrafted and no two are exactly alike. These clocks are designed to hang on the wall; although some will sit on a shelf, many will not.
DIY Picture Frame Kit
An excellent gift for the DO-IT-YOURSELF type.
This kit is popular with children and adults.
Working together can be a great opportunity for a child to have some one-on-one time with an adult or older child.
A-Frame & Wall Photo Frames
A-Frames are designed to be free-standing. They open to sit on a flat surface: table, desk or shelf.
Wall Frames are similar but will only hang on a wall.
Both styles will sit or hang horizontally or vertically.
Standard sizes are available to hold 4"x6" or 5"x7" photographs.
Other sizes and variations are available as a custom order.
Certificate Frames
These frames are available in a standard size to hold a typical 8 1/2" x 11"sheet of paper. Perfect for most certificates, diplomas and children's art work
Horizontal is the usual orientation but vertical hangers are available, upon request, at no extra charge.
Additional sizes and frames with recycled window glass are available as a custom order.
These box style lamps are generally sized to sit on a table or are scaled down to fit on a desk.
Not intended to provide bright illumination but will provide a warm accent as the light shines through the window.
Game Boards
A wonderful family gift!
Over the years I have created a variety of chess boards and backgammon sets.
A beautiful game board sitting on the mantel or hanging on the wall is an excellent invitation to make some popcorn and enjoy a friendly game or two.
Jewelry Displays
Boxes, Baskets & Bowls
To see the current selection available at my Etsy shop, click on this image:


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At that stage in the race, it was about celebrating the small victories. A couple weeks before, the campaign's email system sent out hundreds of emails, all addressed to "Gerry." Even now, some of Cook's closest friends sign of their emails to Adam as "Gerry" in eternal memory of the gaffe.
But on this particular Wednesday morning in September, the campaign sent out a fundraising email highlighting Cook's trip. The "ask" was minimal: "$25, $50, $100 or whatever you may be able to afford." Soon after, Cook arrived in Charlotte with his manager, Ali Chalupa, and his mother, who would pull double duty as the official photographer.
As a first-time candidate, Cook knew he would need someone with experience, so he coaxed Chalupa out of political retirement. The two actually met on their first day of law school at the University of California-Davis and had stayed in touch over the years. Chalupa was a veteran of the Democratic National Committee and past conventions but stepped away from politics to spend more time with her two kids.
Soon, the energetic Chalupa arrived at the food court and whisked her candidate away on a journey for support. Chalupa navigated the maze of nondescript hallways and ballrooms, connecting Cook with an eclectic group of supporters along the way. First it was James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, then Bel Leong-Hong, a Maryland delegate and Asian American Pacific Islander DNC Caucus Chairman known as "Belkis," who barely came up to Cook's elbows.
At the end of one hallway, Chalupa cornered California Rep. Mike Honda (D), introduced him to Cook and confidently asked for a $2,000 contribution. When Honda hesitated, Chalupa endearingly recited his cash-on-hand numbers ($380,000) of the top of her head. The congressman smiled and agreed to help. He followed through a week later with a check.
"Our only limit is time right now," Chalupa explained.
She knew that contacts made in Charlotte mattered most if they could be quickly translated into campaign cash for the two-month sprint to Election Day. Cook raised over $92,000 through June 30, which seems like a lot of money in almost any situation, but was dwarfed by the $624,000 Wittman raised. Through the second quarter, the congressman had $640,000 in the bank to just $6,000 for Cook.
When Chalupa saw Fox News reporter John Roberts in the hallway questioning attendees about Democrats' decision to remove the word "God" from the party platform, she assertively nudged her candidate in front of the camera. Cook talked deftly and confidently.
He voiced his disagreement with the decision while weaving in his family background (he is the son and grandson of pastors) and talked about the need to respect all faiths. It was a solid, impromptu answer, which was in stark contrast to national party officials, who stumbled over the issue for more than a day.
"Did you talk about running for Congress?" Chalupa immediately asked Cook after the interview.
The candidate smiled, knowing that he had not. He was still evolving as self-promoter in a role that requires it. But even though most viewers wouldn't know Cook from Adam, his grandparents were shocked to see their grandson later that night on their favorite channel as they sat 300 miles away. Cook's conundrum was to get his own party leaders to recognize him. In an interview two levels of the convention center below where Cook was gathering support, former DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen explained the harsh realities of establishment support.
Like any party committee, national strategists are looking for candidates with a strong organization, grassroots support and the ability to raise the resources necessary to win.
"It's always useful to have a poll that shows it's working," Van Hollen added.
Of course the challenge for most candidates is trying to reach those benchmarks without outside help. As Wednesday afternoon dragged on, Cook sat patiently along the wall inside the Veterans and Military Families Council meeting. The program ran long, but once it finally came time for Cook to speak, the normally low-key candidate gave a fiery stump speech. He talked passionately about the lack of veterans in Congress and received an ovation when he talked about the need for reconciliation, all while his mom sat in the front row taking pictures. Cook came of the stage and connected with retired General Claudia Kennedy, now a Democratic activist who party officials recruited to run against Sen. John Warner (R) in 2006 in Virginia.
Chalupa had a brief conversation with Jon Soltz, director of VoteVets, which boasts 220,000 supporters and is the self-proclaimed "voice of America's 21st Century Patriots." Soltz's group finally endorsed Cook the day before the election. In the back of the room, a woman asked Cook to autograph her hard-bound Barack Obama book.
"He's dynamic, intelligent and dedicated," said Lisa Fricke about Cook. "He's a true hero."
As the mother of a daughter and son-in-law in the military, Fricke could relate to the Virginia Democrat, but of course she was from Nebraska. The next day, Cook got his moment in the national spotlight, but then it was back to Virginia and back to the lonely grind of running in an obscure race.
The Lonely Sprint
The campaign outside of Charlotte was less glorious, but still memorable, including a Veterans Tour featuring General Kennedy in the days before the election. But one of the biggest struggles throughout the campaign was money — specifically the lack of it.
For at least eight months, Cook's primary function as a congressional candidate was fundraising. With the help of three "callers," finance staff or interns who would dial the phone numbers, Cook would ask people for money for up to eight hours a day. And it was challenging to persevere with sometimes little return.
"All those weeks and months, to try to go through the same pitch and sound excited over and over again," Cook said in a post-election interview. "No one can prepare you for that."
Making 150 calls a day to see a yield of a few hundred dollars was normal. It would have taken Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren (D) two days, on average, to raise the same amount that Cook brought in over the course of the entire election.
"We had sophisticated donors getting a lot of calls," Cook explained.
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Currently viewing articles tagged with Labour.
Tony Benn – educator, radical, champion of democracy
Labour's longest-serving MP, who has died at the age of 88, had an unshakable belief in democracy and Labour.
Dreaming of What Might Be
Illustrate! Educate! Organize! The Graphic History Collective (GHC) is pleased to announce the launch of their new comic book about the Knights of Labor in Canada called Dreaming of What Might Be: The Knights of Labor in Canada 1880–1900.
Beyond the Economic Crisis: The Crisis In Trade Unionism
Discussions on the left about the economy might be summarized as warning that things are going to get a lot worse before they get…worse. This is not just a matter of the sustained attacks on the labour movement but as much a reflection of the crisis within labour.
Wall Street Take-Off
On July 16, 2013, Goldman Sachs, the fifth largest US bank by assets announced its second quarter profits doubled the previous year to $1.93 billion. J. P. Morgan, the largest bank made $6.1 billion in the second quarter up 32 per cent over the year before and expects to make $25 billion in profits in 2013.
The Crisis of Extreme Capitalism
For years many assumed that the smart people who ran the system and benefitted from it would find a practical way to fix it. The problem is that the solutions are all framed within an ideology that makes that extremely unlikely.
The Motor Force for Historical Regression or Advance
The future lies in building bridges within and between the millions of exploited, excluded and dispossessed who have lost everything and have finally recognized that only via the class struggle can they recover their humanity and a dignified standard of living.
Modern Day Slavery
More than 300,000 temporary foreign workers were in Canada in 2011. This number tripled since the year 2000. Few laws assist these workers and they are often unaware of their rights.
Stompin' Tom Connors: An Alternative Appreciation
Stompin' Tom Connors tried to "lift up" the "soul" of his country and, through upbeat and often humourous songs, he sang about the working lives of the people who make it run. As a result, Connors carved out a place, however controversial, for himself as a voice of working people in Canada.
Organized Labour and New Social Media
It is fair to say that Canadians are increasingly using New Social Media for personal and professional networking. But what does this mean for organized labour?
The Temps
This abuse of temporary workers, in the name of good business, has perhaps been the most insidious and effective corporate move against workers over the last two decades. North American corporations have succeeded in seriously undermining unity among labour where it counts most, on the shop floor. If workers are to restore a better work environment for themselves, and be stronger in the fight against managers for a fair portion of the fruits of our economy, then the abuse of temporary labour must be eliminated.
- Page 1 of 12 1 2 3 > Last »


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The Cageside Live podcast is back, ladies and sirs, and we -- Geno Mrosko, Sean Rueter, and Matt Roth -- are going to be invading your ear holes tonight (Wed., Feb. 12, 2014) at 8 p.m. ET talking all the latest and greatest in professional wrestling.
On today's show we will talk about the following:
- Undertaker's WrestleMania streak; should it be broken?
- The possibility of WWE pulling Daniel Bryan from the Elimination Chamber match
- The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family and how WWE can still make stars and book them well
- Why pairing Emma with Santino Marella is a bad thing
- Lita in the Hall of Fame
- Cagesiders call in
Plus, all your questions, comments, and concerns!
Below is the player for the show, which will auto update when we go live. So be sure to refresh at 8 p.m. ET!!
See you then!


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Halloween (1978, dir. John Carpenter) (via)
Gene Wilder & Peter Boyle in Young Frankenstein (1974, dir. Mel Brooks)(via)
Henry Fonda in The Long Night (1947, dir. Anatole Litvak) Photographer: Alexander Kahle
Fredric March in Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1931, dir. Rouben Mamoulian) (via)
Cary Grant in None but the Lonely Heart (1944, dir. Clifford Odets)
"When Grant was awarded his honorary Oscar, he requested that a clip from None but the Lonely Heart be included in his film composite. Gregory Peck, who was going to leave the scene out of the assemblage, says: '…Cary cried on the screen, and he wanted that in. I didn't think it was one of his greatest moments. But he insisted. He said, 'Well, I didn't do much of that kind of emotion, but I think that was rather good.'
Grant: 'I thought the picture showed a successful bit of acting. I was usually cast as a well-dressed, sophisticated chap.This time I was an embittered cockney. In many ways the part seemed to fit my nature better than the light-hearted fellows I was used to playing.'"
Käy tämä sivusto blogin kirjoittamiseen myös, vaikka päätarkoitus sivustolla on kai kerätä muiden mielenkiintoisia kuvia ja tekstejä omaan "luetteloon" :)
Fluid on the Behance Network @behance.net
As Chief Happiness Officer, Ginni ensures that iDoneThis is helping teams and companies stay connected, enhance productivity, and improve their inner work life. Every so often, a team leader will reach out to ask why some team members just aren't getting on board. It hasn't been a straightforward…


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The firestorm over New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's staff closing the world busiest bridge as political playback has ignited discussion over his political future. Surviving scandal has become a pastime for many in public office and until the public uses these events to begin discerning what they say about an individual's core values, we will continue to see rampant misbehavior among our elected officials
We may never know if Governor Christie ordered the lane closures, was aware of it and turned a blind eye or was truly caught by surprise. What we can do is access two key components of what this situation reveals about his leadership:
Whatever Christie does, ultimately it is up to us, the public, to do our part and closely examine if our elected officials are truly walking their talk or if they are hoping to talk fast enough that we will become bored and focus our attention elsewhere. Ultimately, if we want better leaders, we need to become better citizens.
Views: 25
Nice post, you may find this interesting as well from Pew, Christie Story Attracts Little Public Interest: Recent Opinions of New Jersey Governor Are Largely Unchanged
© 2014 Created by GovLoop.


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For months I have been posting that three coaching issues have bothered me for the past few years: O-line coaching, specifically a lack of development and the 2-coach system; special teams coaching, seemingly resolved with a new coach and more depth; and strength and conditioning. With special teams playing better I have moved play-calling into the top three because it seems to be an issue – not so much with me – due to Joe's age.
I have argued in the past that it all goes back to the coaches, one way or another. They evaluated, then recruited, then developed, then played the kid. They chose the style of offense and defense, drew the plays, and chose the specific play for the situation. In the case of coaching, shit rolls uphill, not down.
Today I will play the devils advocate to my own beliefs and prove that PSU's coaching staff is doing and has done a good job in terms of recruiting, development, and play-calling. The following information and stats should be taken with a grain of salt, and there are obviously holes in the data due to a small sample size…..but it fits the argument for today.
Recruiting: I included "top schools" based on people's impressions and tried to include at least one from each conference, with the exception of the Big East. I also added Illinois since they just beat us. Included schools in this analysis are OSU, Iowa, scUM, Illinois, 'Bama, Florida, OK, TX, Oregon, USC, Miami, FSU, Boise St. and ND.
Looking back from the '06 recruiting class through the most recent, PSU has had classes ranked (by ESPN, again, take it for what it's worth) 9, 21 NR, 16, and 11. Of the above schools in those same years there were six higher ranked classes in '06, nine in '07, eleven in '08, ten in '09, and six in '10. On average 8.4 schools in this group had a better class and 5.6 had a class that wasn't as elite. That puts us in the 40th percentile of this elite group. Over the five years, we had one class not ranked in the top 25; the same number as OK and two less than Oregon – the top two schools in the country.
I didn't include every school in the top 50, but this gives us a good idea that Joe's staff is recruiting well. We had the #16 and #11 classes in '09 and '10 and I would tack this year – a "poorer year" – up to a small class size with a currently large under-classmen population.
Note: Illinois had the #12 and #16 classes in '07 and '08. Those guys are now somewhere between redshirt Sophmores and Seniors. It is no wonder they are playing better than expected for a Zook team. We had the #21 class in '07 and weren't ranked in '08.
Development and S&C: So, we got good recruits, but what did we do with them?
From a macro view I can tell you that from '06-'08 our average recruiting rank was 20. Those years are important because the '06 class are our Super Seniors and the '08 are Juniors – big time contributors - and that group got us a top 10 finish, at #9 last year. So, the recruits came in as the 20th ranked class on average but yielded a #9 finish, I would say that was a nice return.
Looking closer, what have we done with the individuals? Man, Iowa's and 'Bama's players looked like men compared to our boys….really? The 2-deep depth chart shows that our O-line averages 301 lbs while Iowa's is 287 and 'Bama is 306.
RB - 212 for PSU, 218 for Iowa, and 220 for 'Bama
WR - 200 for PSU, 208 for Iowa, and 192 for 'Bama.
DT - 308 for PSU, 279 for Iowa, and 304 for 'Bama.
DE - 259 for PSU, 273 for Iowa, and 291 for 'Bama.
LB - 234 for PSU, 229 for Iowa, and 242 for 'Bama.
They are bigger in some areas, but we have them in others.
When comparing +5 lbs and -5 lbs to OSU, Iowa, 'Bama, OK, Oregon, and Boise, only one school has an O-line more than 5 lbs larger, but 4 have lines that are 5 lbs smaller. Looking at the same figures for the other positions we find that at:
RB - 2 are bigger and 3 are smaller
WR - 1 bigger and 4 smaller
DT - 0 are bigger and 5 smaller
DE - 3 bigger and 1 smaller
LB - 1 bigger and 3 smaller.
Our size is on par with these currently great teams.
So, we can feed them and make them bigger, but are they becoming better athletes and more productive at the next level?
Well, starting with a macro view again, I think they are; according to ESPN, PSU has 27 players on current NFL rosters. The top 10 schools are: TX 40, Miami 38, USC 36, LSU 35, OSU 34, UF 33, UGA 33, Tenn 33, Cal 31 and, scUM 29. We're in the top 15 overall.
Looking at the last four drafts, PSU has averaged 4.25 picks per draft. Our friends in the above example have: OSU 5.5 per, Iowa 4 per, 'Bama 3.5 per, OK 4.75 per, Oregon 3.75 per, and Boise 1.75 per. Only OSU and OK have averaged more draft picks per year than PSU out of that group. I'm happy with that. Based on current NFL players and recent drafts, I would say we are doing very well.
Strength and conditioning is hard to quantify but I think it shows up best when you look at the 7 events of the NFL combine. In 2010 our six guys were a "top performer" in their position in 2 events on average. That number is better than all of the above schools: OSU 1, Iowa 1.14, 'Bama 0.10, OK 1.78, Oregon 1.5, and Boise 1. That says to me that we are either recruiting great athletes or making average athletes elite.
Injuries (ACLs) aside, I think overall our coaches have done a good job coaching up and building our kids.
Lastly, there have been a lot of complaints this year with play-calling. I don't have the time to evaluate each individual play – run inside vs. outside, pass to the middle or screen, etc. But, I did look at what type of play we called on different down and distances.
For the most part, it is very difficult to guess if we will run or throw the ball on a given down and distance. The numbers below are for the first six games this year and do not account for having to mount comebacks or run out the clock:
1st down – Run 52% of the time
2nd short/middle – Run 63%
2nd long – Run 46%
-as you can see, we are pretty even on 1st and 2nd down. That makes it hard for the defense to guess. Now, of course they get keys from formations and personnel, but again, I don't have enough time to look into all of that.
3rd down is a little more obvious and I would like to see us work on 3rd and short to get it closer to 50/50 as we run 77% of the time. 3rd and middle/long you have to throw, and we do, 85% of the time.
The actual plays called aside, I think our coaches are doing a great job of mixing it up.
I hope this was entertaining if not enlightening. It made me reconsider some of my opinions and I hope it does something for your opinions, whether strengthen or cause you to reconsider.
Supplement - PJS32000 made a good point below that the larger play calling issues seem to be in the redzone
I think our troubles start closer to the 30 yard line vs. the 20. If you check the stats we kick a lot of FGs when we stall out between the 20 and 30.
So, the number below are from the 30 yardline going in and are the % that we ran:
Overall inside the 30 = 59% run - not bad given a young team
Against Iowa and 'Bama = 39% run - surprising against 2 good/great teams
On 1st down overall = 66% - a little high
On 1st down against Iowa and 'Bama = 29% - again, surprising against these two
On 2nd down overall = 76% - that becomes obvious
On 3rd + 4th down overall = 33%


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COLUMBIANA, Ohio - Surveillance video lead police to suspects accused of stealing $3,500 worth of heavy-duty cable from a sub station.
Detective Wade Boley tells 21 News that video was able to help police confirm the identity of 27-year-old Jonathan Cook.
He is accused of helping another man, 28-year-old Michael Nagel use a handsaw to cut and remove the copper lines on two different occasions.
On Thursday, Nagel was caught in the act and arrested near the scene by authorities following a foot chase.
He remains in jail.
Authorities are encouraging Cook to turn himself into police.


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PLATTSBURGH — For five years now, Michael Bowyer has had his heart set on climbing the Himalayas.
The SUNY Plattsburgh senior will scale Manaslu, the eighth-highest mountain in the world, next fall.
"I started off doing long-distance backpacking in the New England area," he said, describing how he came to become a climber.
"A lot of my climbing has been done in Maine in the past five years to do technical climbing."
Last May, on an expedition with a SUNY Plattsburgh class, he rock- and ice-climbed in Scotland and Wales. From there, he went sea kayaking on a multi-day tour.
After that trip, he went to Holland to recover from the adventure before taking some courses at the International School of Mountaineering in Switzerland.
His next challenge was the Swiss Alps.
Mountains he scaled there include the Weisshorn, Breithorn, Riffelhorn, Rimpfischhorn and Mont Blanc.
Climbing mountains is a journey beyond the actual excursion, Bowyer said.
"It's about the process involved. I'm attracted to all of the byproducts of climbing."
He was drawn to SUNY Plattsburgh by its expeditionary studies program, his major. His specialization is ice- and rock-climbing with a supplementary degree in sea kayaking.
Bowyer has found the discipline of climbing has improved his writing and self-awareness.
He practices yoga, cycling, strength training, running, swimming and meditation, all of which help make him a stronger mountaineer.
For his Himalayan adventure, Bowyer will go with a Romanian team; he met member Vlad Capusan when climbing in Switzerland. And then he established a relationship with the team through email and Skype.
He leaves for training with those climbers in August and sets out for the peak in November.
"I've been training for this expedition since February," Bowyer said.
"I'm on a regimented schedule."


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they have it in Singapore, Malaysia, Bur-Dubai, Abh dhabi, Kuwait, South Africa and San Francisco so on. In India they have in Tamil nadu, New delhi, Vishakapattinam, Maharastra, Hydrebad, Bangalore. Nalli silks are very famous for Kanceepuram Silk sarees. They have Mountain View of collection in Silk sarees with lot of varieties. They are providing their service which covers all age people from teens to pattis. As the competition is high in the market like Pothys, Sri Kumaran, Chennai silks, RMKV they improving their designs and patterns to the attract the teens and the saree buyers, they came with bridal collections, party wear, designer wear, casuals wear for women. The service in Nalli is very traditional the sales men are very energetic and never gets tired to show their collections. For ladies they have range of dress according to their budget.
9 Nageswaran Road,
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Phone : 91-44-24344115, 42604567
Fax :91-44-24343062
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Nalli Silk Sarees
100 Usman Road, T. Nagar.
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Phone : 91-44-24314900
Fax : 91-44-24314919
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Nalli SilkSarees
City Towers,
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Phone : 91-44-42027772-74
Fax : 91-44-24452200
Email : firstname.lastname@example.com
Nalli SilkSarees
AA-13, II Avenue,
Chennai-600 040
Phone : 91-44-42606661-64
Email : firstname.lastname@example.com


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South Banks Songs, Videos, & Albums
South Banks - Superwoman [Stream & Download]
These days genres and labels mean less than ever. For example, is South Bank's new song Superwoman a rock track featuring rap vocals, or a rap track featuring a rock instrumental. Who cares? All that really matters is... Read More


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This one seems like a perfect fit...
Earlier this month while wandering around online, I found the blog all buttoned up. Melissa is a local Portland sewer/blogger, and she was inspired by the challenge posted by Zoe of 'So, Zo...' to choose a level of wearing handmade clothing for a month that is a stretch, that pushes your personal envelope a bit further. (Zoe clarifies the challenge a bit more here)
The initial inspiration seems to come from Natalie of MakeShift, a Vancouver artist who spending a year wearing only what she makes herself, from the skin out, everything from undies to shoes. I've been looking back through her archives and really enjoying the very distinctive personal style.
If I do this, the exemption I would grant myself is that I won't include shoes, my feet would never forgive me. But everything else, yes. So one big challenge would be socks/legwear. I am a slow enough knitter that handknit socks won't happen quickly enough for a month of wearing, so maybe cloth hose are the way to go for May. Since I mostly already wear clothing that I make, this just might get me to finish up my SWAP, which I've somehow lost the mojo for.
I still definitely need dresses and jumpers, but perhaps would best be served by making a raincoat. I currently have a Goretex jacket, rather shabby after almost ten years of wear, but it doesn't fit well either, being made for a person with much smaller hips. I have a pattern for a nicely flared princess seamed coat that would make a great raincoat, and some black London Fog raincoat fabric that has been aging in my stash for about twenty years. Could be an opportunity to learn to use a tripod to take self timed portrait pictures too, which is on my list of learn to do things.
Well, back to housecleaning and making stuff for the sale this weekend...
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
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Taking their beauty from the big screen to the pages of a magazine, Scarlett Johansson and Lily Collins feature in the September 2013 issue of Harper's Bazaar.
Photo Credit: Harper's Bazaar
With her upcoming film "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" nearing its anticipated premiere, Lily Collins amp'ed up promotions by covering the September 2013 issue of ELLE Canada.
Photo Credit: Max Abadian for ELLE Canada
Taking care of some promotional duties, Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower attended a book signing for their latest film "The Mortal Instruments" on Friday (August 2) in Philadelphia.
Stylish in black and red, the 24-year-old English beauty and her actor boyfriend took questions alongside author Cassandra Clare.
Photo Credit: AKM-GSI
Continuing their impressive promotional stint, Lily Collins, Kevin Zegers and Jamie Campbell Bower showed up in Miami, Florida to greet their fans yesterday (July 31).
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Showing some love to their American fans, Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Kevin Zegers showed up in Bloomington, Minnesota for a meet and greet to promote their new film "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" on Sunday (July 28).
She's gearing up for the premiere of her highly anticipated film "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" and during promotions, Lily Collins graced the cover of Seventeen magazine's September 2013 issue.
Photo Credit: Kenneth Willardt for Seventeen
Preparing for some weekend travel, Lily Collins arrived at LAX Airport in Los Angeles on Saturday (July 27).
The "Mirror Mirror" star looked cute in a pastel multi-colored blazer and ripped jeans as she smiled for photographers on the way through security.
Photo Credit: PacificCoastNewsOnline.com
Taking part in one of the biggest events of the year, Kristen Bell, Minka Kelly and Lily Collins all attended Comic-Con International on Friday (July 19).


text: I read that Jason Williams was considering coming back to the NBA. I was just wondering if the Clippers have any claim to him if he returns. Did we sign him to just the one year? Is there an option on his contract for either him or the team? Is the contract void because of his retirement? Just wondering. I think we could use him if we can somehow get him back. 73 74 75


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NFL Fan Rankings - Submit Your Own on NFL.com
So, depending on who you read, there are always weekly/biweekly/monthly/quarterly NFL rankings all over the web. NFL.com is letting users submit their own rankings which they'll then reveal on NFL Network's Total Access. Here are my rankings, I had the Niners in the top half, barely, at 16. The Cardinals are ranked 17th only because I think they'll slip this season and finish below the Niners despite their young talent. Submit your own rankings or post your own...or don't, I don't care.


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Quotes & Info
|DORM > SEC Filings for DORM > Form 10-Q on 2-Aug-2013
|All Recent SEC Filings
Quarterly Report
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this document constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While forward-looking statements sometimes are presented with numerical specificity, they are based on various assumptions made by management regarding future circumstances over many of which the Company has little or no control. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those relating to future business prospects, revenues, working capital, liquidity, and income, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that would cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: competition in the automotive aftermarket industry, unfavorable economic conditions, loss of key suppliers, loss of third-party transportation providers, an increase in patent filings by original equipment manufacturers, quality problems, delay in the development and design of new products, space limitations on our customers' shelves, concentration of the Company's sales and accounts receivable among a small number of customers, the impact of consolidation in the automotive aftermarket industry, foreign currency fluctuations, timing and amount of customers' orders of Company's products, dependence on senior management and other risks and factors identified from time to time in the reports the Company files with the SEC. For additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the information contained in this report, reference is made to the information in "Part I Item 1A. Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2012. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Such statements speak only as to the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, regardless of future developments or availability of new information.
The following discussion and analysis, as well as other sections in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, should be read in conjunction with the unaudited consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto of Dorman Products, Inc. and its subsidiaries included in "Item 1. Financial Statements" of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and with Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and the audited consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2012.
We are a supplier of automotive and heavy duty truck replacement parts and fasteners, and service line products primarily for the automotive aftermarket. We market approximately 133,000 stock keeping units ("SKU's") many of which we design and engineer. Approximately 85% of these SKU's are sold under our various brand names and the remainder are sold under our customers' private label brands, other brands or in bulk. We believe we are the dominant aftermarket supplier of original equipment dealer "exclusive" items. Original equipment dealer "exclusive" parts are those parts which were traditionally available to consumers only from original equipment manufacturers or salvage yards. These parts include, among other parts, intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, oil cooler lines, window regulators, radiator fan assemblies, power steering pulleys, harmonic balancers, tire pressure monitor sensors, and keyless entry devices.
We generate over 90% of our revenues from customers in the North American automotive aftermarket, primarily in the United States and Canada. Our products are sold primarily in the United States through automotive
aftermarket retailers (such as AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts and O'Reilly Auto Parts), national, regional and local warehouse distributors (such as Carquest Auto Parts and NAPA Auto Parts), specialty markets and salvage yards. We also distribute automotive replacement parts into Europe, Mexico, the Middle East and Asia.
The automotive aftermarket has benefited from some of the factors affecting the general economy, including the impact of the recent recession and continued high unemployment. We believe vehicle owners have become more likely to keep their current vehicles longer and perform necessary repairs and maintenance in order to keep those vehicles well maintained as a result of these factors. According to data published by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association, the average age of vehicles was 11.3 years as of January 2013, up from 10.3 years in January 2009. Another important statistic that impacts our business is the number of miles driven, which has decreased slightly since 2009.
The overall automotive aftermarket in which we compete has benefited from the conditions mentioned above. However, our customer base has consolidated in recent years. As a result, our customers regularly seek more favorable pricing, product returns and extended payment terms when negotiating with us. We attempt to avoid or minimize these concessions as much as possible, but we have granted pricing concessions, extended customer payment terms and allowed a higher level of product returns in certain cases. These concessions impact our profit levels and may require additional capital to finance the business. We expect our customers to continue to exert pressure on our margins as the customer base continues to consolidate.
We rely on new product development as a way to offset some of these customer demands and as our primary vehicle for growth. As such, new product development is a critical success factor for us. We have made incremental investments to increase our new product development efforts each year since 2003 in an effort to grow our business and strengthen our relationships with our customers. The investments are primarily in the form of increased product development resources, increased customer and end-user awareness programs and customer service improvements. These investments have enabled us to provide an expanding array of new product offerings and grow revenues at levels that exceed market growth rates.
In 2012, we introduced a new line of products to be marketed for the medium and heavy duty truck aftermarket. We believe that this market provides many of the same opportunities for growth that the automotive aftermarket has provided us over the past several years. Our focus here will be on Formerly Dealer Only parts as it is on the automotive side of the business. We launched the initial program with a limited offering, but have made additional investments in new product development efforts to expand our product offering. We currently have over 250 SKU's in our medium and heavy duty product line. Revenues from this product line were less than 1% of our net sales in the twenty-six weeks ended June 29, 2013 and fiscal 2012.
We may experience significant fluctuations from quarter to quarter in our results of operations due to the timing of orders placed by our customers. Generally, the first quarter has the lowest level of customer orders. The introduction of new products and product lines to customers may cause significant fluctuations from quarter to quarter.
We operate on a fifty-two or fifty-three week fiscal year period ending on the last Saturday of the calendar year. Our 2013 fiscal year will be a fifty-two week period that will end on December 28, 2013. The fiscal year ended December 29, 2012 was also a fifty-two week period.
Results of Operations The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the percentage of net sales represented by certain items in our Consolidated Statements of Operations: Thirteen Weeks Ended Twenty-six Weeks Ended June 29, June 30, June 29, June 30, 2013 2012 2013 2012 Net sales 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % 100.0 % Cost of goods sold 60.3 63.1 60.5 62.9 Gross profit 39.7 36.9 39.5 37.1 Selling, general and administrative expenses 20.7 19.1 20.3 19.1 Income from operations 19.0 17.8 19.2 18.0 Interest expense, net 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 Income from continuing operations before income taxes 18.9 17.8 19.1 18.0 Provision for income taxes 7.0 6.6 7.0 6.7 Net income from continuing operations 11.9 % 11.2 % 12.1 % 11.3 %
Thirteen Weeks Ended June 29, 2013 Compared to Thirteen Weeks Ended June 30, 2012
Net sales increased 13% to $162.3 million for the thirteen weeks ended June 29, 2013 from $144.2 million for the thirteen weeks ended June 30, 2012. Our revenue growth was primarily driven by strong overall demand for our new products, especially those new products introduced in the preceding 24 months.
Cost of goods sold, as a percentage of net sales, decreased to 60.3% for the thirteen weeks ended June 29, 2013 from 63.1% for the thirteen weeks ended June 30, 2012. A favorable change in sales mix towards higher margin automotive products, the positive effects of price increases in select customer segments, lower transportation charges and lower provisions for excess and obsolete inventory of $1.2 million contributed to the improved gross margin during the thirteen weeks ended June 29, 2013.
Selling, general and administrative expenses were approximately $33.6 million for the thirteen weeks ended June 29, 2013 compared to $27.4 million for the thirteen weeks ended June 30, 2012. The spending increase during the thirteen weeks ended June 29, 2013 was primarily due to higher variable costs associated with our 13% sales growth, approximately $1.3 million in additional investment in new product development and $1.2 million of depreciation and other related support costs associated with our enterprise resource planning system implementation. In addition, in January 2013 one large customer changed the way it distributes our product through its network. As a result, our selling, general and administrative costs increased by approximately $1.5 million in the second quarter of 2013. The additional costs were offset by a higher net selling price for our products.
Interest expense, net, approximated prior year levels for the thirteen weeks ended June 29, 2013.
Our effective tax rate was 37.0% for the thirteen weeks ended June 29, 2013 compared to 37.3% for the thirteen weeks ended June 30, 2012.
Twenty-six Weeks Ended June 29, 2013 Compared to Twenty-six Weeks Ended June 30, 2012
Net sales increased 14% to $316.7 million for the twenty-six weeks ended June 29, 2013 from $279.0 million for the twenty-six weeks ended June 30, 2012. Our revenue growth was primarily driven by strong overall demand for our new products, especially those new products introduced in the preceding 24 months.
Cost of goods sold, as a percentage of net sales, decreased to 60.5% for the twenty-six weeks ended June 29, 2013 from 62.9% for the twenty-six weeks ended June 30, 2012. A favorable change in sales mix towards higher margin automotive products and the positive effects of price increases in select customer segments contributed to the improved gross margin during the twenty-six weeks ended June 29, 2013. In addition, lower transportation costs were partially offset by $0.8 million of higher excess and obsolete inventory charges in the 2013 period compared to the same period in 2012.
Selling, general and administrative expenses were approximately $64.5 million for the twenty-six weeks ended June 29, 2013 compared to $53.5 million for the twenty-six weeks ended June 30, 2012. The spending increase was primarily due to higher variable costs associated with our 14% sales growth, approximately $2.3 million in additional investment in new product development and $2.0 million of depreciation and other related support costs associated with our enterprise resource planning system implementation. In addition, in January 2013 one large customer changed the way it distributes our product through its network. As a result, our selling, general and administrative costs increased by approximately $2.7 million in fiscal 2013. The additional costs were offset by a higher net selling price for our products.
Interest expense, net, approximated prior year levels for the twenty-six weeks ended June 29, 2013.
Our effective tax rate was 36.6% for the twenty-six weeks ended June 29, 2013 compared to 37.3% for the twenty-six weeks ended June 30, 2012. The effective tax rate in the twenty-six weeks ended June 29, 2013 benefitted from a fiscal 2012 research and development tax credit of $0.3 million which we recorded in fiscal 2013 due to the passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 in January 2013.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Historically, we have financed our growth through a combination of cash flow from operations, accounts receivable sales programs and our revolving credit facility. At June 29, 2013, working capital was $306.9 million, while shareholders' equity was $371.5 million. Cash and cash equivalents as of June 29, 2013 was $39.7 million.
Over the past several years we extended payment terms to certain customers as a result of customer requests and market demands. We participate in accounts receivable sales programs with several customers which allow us to sell our accounts receivable to financial institutions to offset the negative cash flow impact of these payment terms extensions. Without these programs, these extended terms would have resulted in increased accounts receivable and significant uses of cash flow. Pursuant to these agreements, we sold accounts receivable in the aggregate amount of $192.1 million and $154.8 million during the twenty-six weeks ended June 29, 2013 and June 30, 2012, respectively. If receivables had not been sold, $225.6 million and $180.5 million of additional receivables would have been outstanding at June 29, 2013 and December 29, 2012, respectively, based on standard payment terms.
We have a $30.0 million revolving credit facility which expires in June 2015. Borrowings under the facility are on an unsecured basis with interest at rates ranging from LIBOR plus 75 basis points to LIBOR plus 250 basis points based upon the achievement of certain benchmarks related to the ratio of funded debt to EBITDA, as defined by our credit agreement. The interest rate at June 29, 2013 was LIBOR plus 75 basis points (0.95%). There were no borrowings under the facility as of June 29, 2013. As of June 29, 2013, we had three outstanding letters of credit for approximately $0.9 million in the aggregate which were issued to secure ordinary course of business transactions. Net of these letters of credit, we had approximately $29.1 million available under the facility at June 29, 2013. The credit agreement also contains covenants, the most restrictive of which pertain to net worth and the ratio of debt to EBITDA.
On September 21, 2011, we announced our plan to exit the international portion of our ScanTech business which was headquartered outside Stockholm, Sweden. The business is presented as a discontinued operation in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Cash Flows Below is a table setting forth the key lines of our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows: Twenty-six Weeks Ended June 29, June 30, (in thousands) 2013 2012 Cash provided by operating activities $ 21,310 $ 23,411 Cash used in investing activities (8,983 ) (9,454 ) Cash (used in) provided by financing activities (344 ) 1,066 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents - 27 Net increase in cash and cash equivalents $ 11,983 $ 15,050
Cash provided by operating activities in fiscal 2013 decreased by $2.1 million compared to fiscal 2012 primarily due to a $9.1 million increase in working capital needs in fiscal 2013, partially offset by a $3.1 million increase in net income in fiscal 2013 compared to fiscal 2012 and a $3.0 million non-cash foreign exchange gain in fiscal 2012. Accounts receivable increased in fiscal 2013 due to higher net sales. The year over year increase in accounts payable was lower in fiscal 2013 compared to fiscal 2012 due to lower inventory purchases and the timing of payments to vendors.
Investing activities used $9.0 million of cash in fiscal 2013 and $9.5 million in fiscal 2012. In the third quarter of fiscal 2010, we began a project to replace our enterprise resource planning ("ERP") system. This project is expected to cost between $29 million and $32 million for capitalized software, installation services and internal costs through 2014. We have spent $16.6 million on the project, of which $1.3 million was spent in the twenty-six weeks ended June 29, 2013 and $4.0 million was spent in the twenty-six weeks ended June 30, 2012. The installation of the new ERP system was completed at one of our subsidiaries in January 2013 without any disruption to our operations. The remaining capital spending in each period is related to tooling associated with new products, scheduled equipment replacements and other capital projects. Additionally, during the twenty-six weeks ended June 29, 2013, we used approximately $1.9 million of cash on hand to acquire certain assets and assume certain liabilities of a remanufacturer of automotive parts.
Financing activities used $0.3 million of cash in fiscal 2013 compared to providing $1.1 million of cash in fiscal 2012. The sources and uses of cash in each period result from stock option activity and the repurchase of common stock from our 401(k) Plan.
Based on our current operating plan, we believe that our sources of available capital are adequate to meet our ongoing cash needs for at least the next twelve months.
During the twenty-six weeks ended June 29, 2013, we experienced no material changes to our contractual obligations as disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2012.
Foreign Currency Fluctuations
In fiscal 2012, approximately 80% of our products were purchased from vendors in a variety of foreign countries. The products generally are purchased through purchase orders with the purchase price specified in U.S. dollars. Accordingly, we generally do not have exposure to fluctuations in the relationship between the dollar and various foreign currencies between the time of execution of the purchase order and payment for the product. To the extent that the dollar decreases in value to foreign currencies in the future, the price of the product in dollars for new purchase orders may increase.
The largest portion of our overseas purchases comes from China. Since June 2010, the Chinese Yuan has increased approximately 9.0% relative to the U.S. Dollar. A continued increase in the value of the Yuan relative to the U.S. Dollar will likely result in an increase in the cost of products that we purchase from China.
Impact of Inflation
The overall impact of inflation has not resulted in a significant change in labor costs or the cost of general services utilized. The cost of many of the commodities that are used in our products have fluctuated over time resulting in increases and decreases in the prices of our products. In addition, we have periodically experienced increased transportation costs as a result of higher fuel prices. We will attempt to offset cost increases by passing along selling price increases to customers, using alternative suppliers and by resourcing purchases to other countries. However, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in these efforts.
Critical Accounting Policies
Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon the Consolidated Financial Statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent liabilities and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses. We regularly evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to the allowance for doubtful accounts, revenue recognition and allowance for customer credits, inventory reserves, goodwill and income taxes. Estimates and judgments are based upon historical experience and on various other assumptions believed to be accurate and reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates due to different assumptions or conditions. We believe the following critical accounting policies affect our more significant estimates and judgments used in the preparation of our Consolidated Financial Statements.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts. The preparation of our financial statements requires us to make estimates of the collectability of our accounts receivable. We specifically analyze accounts receivable and historical bad debts, customer creditworthiness, current economic trends and changes in customer payment patterns when evaluating the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts. A significant percentage of our accounts receivable have been, and will continue to be, concentrated among a relatively small number of automotive retailers and warehouse distributors in the United States. Our five largest customers accounted for 86% and 83% of net accounts receivable as of December 29, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. A bankruptcy or financial loss associated with a major customer could have a material adverse effect on our sales and operating results.
Revenue Recognition and Allowance for Customer Credits. Revenue is recognized from product sales when goods are shipped, title and risk of loss have been transferred to the customer and collection is reasonably assured. We record estimates for cash discounts, product returns and warranties, discounts and promotional rebates in the period of the sale ("Customer Credits"). The provision for Customer Credits is recorded as a reduction from gross sales and reserves for Customer Credits are shown as a reduction of accounts receivable. Actual Customer Credits have not differed materially from estimated amounts for each period presented. Amounts billed to customers for shipping and handling are included in net sales. Costs associated with shipping and handling are included in cost of goods sold.
Excess and Obsolete Inventory Reserves. We must make estimates of potential future excess and obsolete inventory costs. We provide reserves for discontinued and excess inventory based upon historical demand, forecasted usage, estimated customer requirements and product line updates. We maintain contact with our customer base in order to understand buying patterns, customer preferences and the life cycle of our products. Changes in customer requirements are factored into the reserves as needed.
Goodwill. Goodwill is reviewed for impairment on an annual basis or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of the goodwill may be impaired. In regards to the annual test, we have the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If we determine it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary.
Income Taxes. We follow the asset and liability method of accounting for deferred income taxes. Under this method, income tax expense is recognized for the amount of taxes payable or refundable for the current year and for the change in the deferred tax liabilities and assets for the future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in an entity's financial statements or tax returns. We must make assumptions, judgments and estimates to determine our current provision for income taxes and also our deferred tax assets and liabilities and any valuation allowance to be recorded against a deferred tax asset. Our judgments, assumptions and estimates relative to the current provision for income taxes takes into account current tax laws, our interpretation of current tax laws and possible outcomes of current and future audits conducted by tax authorities. Changes in tax laws or our interpretation of tax laws and the resolution of current and future tax audits could significantly impact the amounts provided for income taxes in our consolidated financial statements. Our assumptions, judgments and estimates relative to the value of a deferred tax asset takes into account predictions of the amount and category of future taxable income. Actual operating results and the underlying amount and category of income in future years could render our current assumptions, judgments and estimates of recoverable net deferred taxes inaccurate. Any of the assumptions, judgments and estimates mentioned above could cause our actual income tax obligations to differ from our estimates.
New and Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
Please refer to Note 12, New and Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements, to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.