text:
Tag Archives: advertising
Aug 14, 2012
Advertising as Seen Through The Eyes of an 8 Year Old
Well, she's only 8 and she already thinks the advertisers are lying.
Apr 12, 2010
Why I Don't Like The New Tiger Woods TV Ad From Nike
Thanksgiving 2009 was not your ordinary Thanksgiving weekend! It was around that time that we found out that formerly bulletproof, always laser-focused, all-time-best golfing luminary Tiger Woods was actually leading a double life. And the description "double life" is positively limp when trying to convey the depth and breadth of his dalliances. He was on a somehow-secret Olympic-caliber raging sex bender that blew TMZ's site metrics out of the water, disappointed his fans, and probably left a few guys secretly just a wee bit jealous.
Here's the problem from a consumer perspective. We're already fast-forwarding over TV commercials, using Firefox ad-blocker plug-ins to crush banner ads, and squinting to read all those tiny ads on the very bottom of the front quarter panels of NASCAR vehicles (unrelated in-post mini-rant: don't roll up on me and question the ROI of Social Media engagement, because the use of Social Media is infinitely more measurable than those clusters of tiny ads all over race cars. Even if you could read one of them as the car is approaching 200mph, they're all bunched together worse than a website's tag cloud. What a waste of money!).
Consumers are weary of advertising. At least we're trying to come up with new ways to advertise (Facebook targeted ads instead of crappy banner ads). I believe this is where Tiger actually does owe us all an apology. For years, we've been consuming his ads, and consuming the products he endorses. Companies are convincing us with highly-paid spokespeople and beautifully constructed ad campaigns that they are the go-to solution for shoes, razors, sports drinks, etc. When the branding tool turns out to be a 12x philanderer, we all feel a little betrayed. I don't feel the least bit guilty for feeling that way.
Granted, I think the general public has an unhealthy appetite for trash news like this. But The Basement Entrepreneur and a bunch of experts positing this theory is not going to change a damn thing. Hence, Tiger cheated with 12+ woman, and The National Enquirer and TMZ made sure that all 12 were extensively reported on. (people hate on The National Enquirer, but they rocked the John Edwards story, and now Tiger too.)
Post-scandal, we heard nothing from Tiger. Not a damn word. How did the guy avoid being photographed for 3-4 months? How in the hell did he pull that off? He was the #1 paparazzi target (Paris who?), and not a single shot of him? He would have had to keep every shade of every window in every room he was in drawn shut for 3 months straight. Simply amazing. This was a herculean effort to keep him out of sight. Then, his robotic performance back in February (uhhhh, I could not have done much better). Then his two 5-minute interviews, where he refused to answer some questions. And then his Masters news conference, where he was maybe 50% candid, but still pretty scripted – he was "on." While he did admit to doing "horrible" things, he still wouldn't say, "I was in sex rehab." Throw us a bone!
All the while, I think many people are wondering if he and Elin are going to stay together. We worry about his kids. Everyone has problems – we want to see if Tiger and Elin can work out this huge problem, because if they did, it would give all of us married people a little hope. However, we're not getting that side of the story from Tiger. That would be fine, except for……..
This ad, as read by Tiger's deceased father Earl:
"Tiger, I am more prone to be inquisitive, to promote discussion. I want to find out what your thinking was. I want to find out what your feelings are. Did you learn anything?"
It's a well-made ad. I am impressed. Looks good, sounds good, makes you think. Nike always has great ads.
1. Nike and Tiger are raising Earl Woods from the dead to help them out of a jam. This isn't a dead Fred Astaire dancing with a Hoover vacuum (1997 Super Bowl ad). This is ten times worse! Dead Earl Woods has no say in the matter! He can't not participate, because he's dead! No choice, old man, my marketing buds at Wieden and Kennedy need to "re-engage" my audience, so start talking.
2. "Did you learn anything?" Tell me if I'm nuts, but Earl Woods is asking Tiger the question, but we are left to answer it. And the implicit answer is "yes." We are not left to think, "We'll see how the next few months go" Or "Nope, didn't learn a thing, I'm going to Hooters." We silently in our heads answer "yes" as the Nike symbol hits the screen, commercial over. And that leaves us feeling 10% better about Tiger. The ad worked! At least Tiger didn't nod "yes" to the question! I'll give him that. I don't want to answer this question for you, Tiger. You need to answer it by being faithful over time, and if you want to use this stuff as a marketing tool, then Elin is fair game – let's hear her side of the story.
3. Remember why we brand, why we market – to sell more stuff. That is what it comes down to. That is always what it comes down to. Nike, Tiger, and Wieden and Kennedy are throwing Tiger & Elin's problems directly in the mix here to, in the end, sell more stuff. Is that OK with Elin Woods? From Tiger's wife's perspective, she's in one of four places: 1.) She wants more money upon divorce, so go get back with Nike and get to work, and go win the Masters too, 2.) Elin is privately in anguish over Nike's ad and everything else too, 3.) she's already resolved to divorce him, but is still working out the details, so none of this really matters, or 4.) She has forgiven him and they're moving on. Wouldn't it really, really help Nike if the answer was #4? Yes it would. And isn't Tiger clearly willing to help Nike? Yes, and airing this ad now proves it. Therefore, if the answer truly was #4, we would know about it. That awesome bit of information would be made public, because it would be good business. However, we are hearing nothing about this from Tiger Inc. Therefore, the answer is not #4, so they still have problems (not a stretch to think). That makes this a really distasteful time to air an ad that alludes to his hyper-infidelity. (I made up a new word!)
4. "Well, that ad…… people are talking about it." I can go on a multi-state shooting spree and get talked about. Why is this the measure of success here? We're talking about a man's marriage – one in which husband and wife are ostensibly in the throes of trying to save. Is it really time to "re-engage" and "reposition?" I guess this is how marketing people have to think. You're paying Tiger Woods so much money – if you're not featuring him in ads, he's dead weight. I just feel the timing is off here – too soon.
So in a nutshell, using a dead father to reposition a philandering son during an extremely tumultuous time in the man's marriage is just weird and creepy. What do you guys think? Does the general public just not understand marketing well enough to see the genius here, or are Nike and Tiger pushing this repositioning and re-engagement on us a little too soon?
Mar 17, 2010
It's OK To Be A Business On Twitter
I recorded this video back in December 2009 in response to some hating I was witnessing on Twitter. I saw people reacting negatively to the presence of businesses on Twitter, and not just the MLM teeth-whitening jerks. As a business, it is true that poor marketing in any form can and should backfire on you – this includes Twitter. If you yap yap yap about your business, never join the community, never help others…. you will meet with adverse results, and you might even have a few people tell you how they feel about your business.
That aside, my point in the video is that there are many small business entrepreneurs out there that live their business – the business is them, and they are their business. This is their life's passion. So if you're on Twitter and you're passionate about the TV show Lost, and someone else is passionate about their startup business, there really is no difference there – it's just two people rapping about their passions in life. Respect the entrepreneur!
Mar 3, 2010
Rory Sutherland's TED Talk on Perceived Value
I stumbled across this TED Talk featuring Rory Sutherland, ad man from Ogilvy. Above all, Rory is a gifted public speaker. The guy is just awesome to listen to! I especially appreciate his use of humor – I like to employ funnies whenever I can, and he's got great material and even greater delivery.
If you're an entrepreneur with a product to market, listen to what he says about the Eurostar – did anyone think to use supermodels instead of faster trains to improve the journey from London to Paris? Aside from whether or not you agree with this wild notion, the takeaway is to dive deep inside your product and find imaginative ways to show people that it's worth buying.
Personally, I took an even more important message from his talk – your life, your problems, your challenges …. they are what you perceive them to be, and often nothing more. If you can change people's perceptions, you can literally make their problems go away! If you think your flat tire is a bummer, at least you're not in the crossfire of a civil war. If you think you're hungry, at least you ate a few hours ago (and not a few days ago). If you think your kids are insufferable brats, at least your kids are still alive. Everything is relative in this world – your entrepreneurial challenges are tough for you, but they're not nearly as tough as trying to start a business in Kabul or Baghdad. If we can change perceptions, we can change the world.
Best line from the video: "Saving money is just consumerism needlessly postponed."


text:
The Gonzo DIY Builds of Red Bull Creation 2011
This weekend Popular Mechanics went behind the scenes of Red Bull Creation, where 16 teams from around the country gathered in Brooklyn for 72 straight hours of extreme DIY. The teams had to build something that fit the theme "energy in motion"a human transporter that didn't use fossil fuels for power. Each team had access to a variety of tools, a junk pile provided by Red Bull and up to 200 pounds of materials that they could bring from home. Then it was time to get down and dirty.
By Mary Beth Griggs
NYC Resistor
PM met the Resistor team as they were throwing plastic tarp on their equipment before the rain came and drenched the entire build site. The team was building an old-fashioned pump trolley on bicycle wheels that they planned to finish off with steampunk aesthetics. This team certainly has a home field advantage coming from New York, their resources included a wall back at their home base called "Thingsgiving"essentially a giant communal space where members bring anything that they believe could be used in the future.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
BBQ project
BBQ project
Every year our 'International Night and BBQ' supports a worthy cause in Scouting somewhere in the world. Whenever a guest books the BBQ a CHF 2.- donation goes from the payment to the project. Direct donations can also be made through the Centre to the project.
In 2007 the Lebanese Scouts Association received CHF 13,700 to help them rebuild their country through the 'Rebirth of the Phoenix' project. In 2008 the project donatated CHF 7,000 to build a permanent climbing and abseiling facility in the Philippines for the 11th National Jamboree in Clarkfield Pampanga in 2009. In 2009, CHF 5,000 was donated to Scouting in Favellas in Brazil, which helped to continue the development of Scouting and education in under-developed areas of Brazil. 2010 donations went go towards the Operation One World Project, providing Scouts from around the world the opportunity to experience the World Scout Jamboree in Sweden in 2011. In 2012 and 2013 we raised over 13,000CHF to support Scouting in East Timor - the money was used to purchse land for the countrys first Scout campsite and training centre.
In 2014 and 2015, we are proud to be supporting Kakani International Training Centre - a Scout Centre situated at 2000m in the foothills of the Himalaya in Nepal. The funds will go towards building a new camping area on their site to double the camping capacity and give more Nepalese Scouts the oportunity to spend time at this amazing site.
By donating to this project you are joining thousands of Scouts who, every year, get together at KISC to share their cultures and help Scouts around the world to Create a Better World.Back
Welcome to the KISC Shop
For the online payment we use the Swiss Post Finance system. You will be redirected to their site at the end of the payment process. At the very end you return to the KISC website.
You can click on a picture to see more details!
Major Credit Cards are accepted for payment as well as the Swiss Post Card.
Your basket is empty


text:
So this is what it looks like!
I really like this pic:)
I had a marvelous time at the ELLE Summer Party yesterday:)
By midnight I was under the sheets, so it wasn´t that bad.
My feet still hurts after walking around in pumps all evening and I am tired!
Thank God for caffein!!!
I took a few pictures and I will share them tomorrow.
Stay tuned;)


text:
Ellen DeGeneres made our list of America's Top 10 comediansDeGeneres, whose career seemed all but kaput a few years ago, has earned back adoration simply by being her affably dry self. (Daytime Emmy voters agree -- ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' just reaped a whopping 12 nominations.) Whether it's her circuitous monologues, her deadpan celebrity interviews, or that vocal turn as Dory in ''Finding Nemo,'' she remains one of the cleanest, coolest funny ladies around.
We laughed at Dory's attempt to speak ''whale'' inside the mouth of a humpback.


text:
Minds That Matter | 14221 Metcalf Avenue, Overland Park, KS 66223 | 913-912-7054
Thank you for submitting your question. Dr. Khanna will respond to your question shortly.
The information you find on MTMKC.com is for educational purposes only. If you have questions about specific medical advice, diagnosis and/or treatment, please consult Dr. Khanna or another medical professional.
1 (913) 912-7054


text:
Get ideas and inspiration, find easy to use patterns
and tutorials for your next sewing project.
by laurafm
by gerganas
by gerganas
by danii97
by keifu
by Renee AdamsFor Sale
by Lulu AraujoMake it
by Delliag
by melodym
by milkywayFor Sale
by cynthia-1
by Haystack
by Delliag
by syrenmuse
by caje-une
by Sarah Kopec
by zoaki
by ramonanita
Pattern of the Week
The oversized shape has a cool bell shaped silhouette with a wide body and fitted sleeves
Editor's Pick
Stock up on our favorite BurdaStyle patterns sewn in white!
Web Seminar
Learn How to Sew Knits Successfully With a Sewing Machine
Online Course
Join Meg Healy in this 6 Week Course, we have just re-opened enrollment for a limited time!
Meg's Magazine Mash Up 2014
Take a look at Meg's 2014 Mash Ups, and get the special pattern bundle that includes them all
You must allow our "request for permission" request to login to Burdastyle with Facebook.


text:
Select () or exclude () categories to narrow your recipe search.
As you select categories, the number of matching recipes will update.
Find exactly what you're looking for with the web's most powerful recipe filtering tool.
Sort by: Date | Rating | Most Helpful
"I wondered about using this recipe on a turkey cooked in the oven, so before Thanksgiving I tried it for a dry run to see if we liked it. It made the turkey very moist and flavorful. Worked perfect!!!
Thanks for posting."
"This is the TRUE southern recipe for giblet gravy, the one and only for my family!!
I have been making this for years and it is always well received. The only thing I do different is boil the giblets with a small amount of onion then drain the onion off before starting the gravy, I
also use turkey broth sometimes. The onion seems to add..."
"I have been making this cake for over 30 years, it was my father's favorite. I use the juice from the pineapple for part of the water and add chopped walnuts to the batter instead of on top of the cake, otherwise recipe is the same. I have an older tupperware rectangular cake taker that I simply place on top of 9x13 pan and flip.Wonderful cake, ..."
"I have made every one of the mac & cheese recipes on the zaar and this one is my favorite with just a couple of tweeks. I added just a tiny bit of dry mustard, about 1/2 cup shredded cheddar using the full amount of milk. I topped with buttered ritz crackers for baking.The butter and flour mixture has to cook long enough for the flour to cook bef..."
"I make my turkey salad the same way, with the exception of never had added poultry seasoning, we like it!! I also add boiled eggs. Thanks for posting, it's a keeper."
"This recipe is wonderful!! I have 5 other batches of different kinds of fudge made for Christmas and to me this flavor is best.To keep the orange extract from having an alcohol taste, add it after mixture has been removed from heat but still boiling. It will bubble up some but sure makes for a better flavor.After it set up and was sliced, I ma..."
"Could someone let me know if this recipe uses instant pudding mix or the kind you cook???"
"If your looking for REAL cornbread and not the kind that taste like yellow cake, this is the one. It's even better if you use the course ground cornmeal like Sam's Club sells.Excellent!!"
"This was so good, my family and I all enjoyed it, and so easy to make. Great for a quick week night meal usingleftover cooked chicken.Thanks for posting!!!"
"I couldn't tell you how many times I have made these and everyone loves them. I like making them with orange cake mix, using orange juice, my family is especially fond of the pineapple ones I make using pineapple cake mix and the juice from crushed pineapple. I always add the zest to the wonderful glaze..I think the oil in the galze is what sets t..."


text:
Training treats were created for dogs like Tillman who can't resist a healthy treat. Your dog big or small will love the tasty meat and fresh vegetables. Great for using as a training treat or an everyday reward. All natural with no corn, soy, wheat, artificial flavors or preservatives.
Ingredients:Natural Balance Tillman's Training Tips Chicken & Vegetable Dog Treats
Guaranteed Analysis:Crude Protein (min.) 15.0%, Crude Fat (min.) 9.0%, Crude Fiber (max.) 2.0%, Moisture (max.) 30.0%.
Internet Price: $7.49 Today's Price: $5.99 (Save up to 20%)
Shop All Products By Natural Balance
Usually Leaves Warehouse the Next Business Day
6 oz.
Chicken & Vegetable
6 oz.
Lamb & Vegetable
Here's How it Works:
*Valid on Repeat Delivery eligible products, products subject to change.
|Store Prices Vary
Bil-Jac Original Chicken Liver Dog Treats
$4.40 to $34.03
Natural Balance L.I.T. Limited Ingredient...
$6.99 to $29.98
Natural Balance Beef Formula Dog Food...
$1.99 to $12.99
Natural Balance Bear Biscuits Dog Treats
$4.99 to $19.96
Zuke's Mini Naturals Dog Treats
$5.09 to $13.59
Crazy Dog Train-Me Training Reward Dog...
Natural Balance L.I.T. Limited Ingredient...
$4.99 to $6.99
Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Dog Training...
Natural Balance L.I.T. Limited Ingredient...
$7.99 to $16.99


text:
Alliance Boots is a leading international pharmacy-led health and beauty group delivering a range of products and services to customers.
Working in close partnership with manufacturers and pharmacists, we are committed to improving health in the local communities we serve and helping our customers and patients to look and feel their best.
Our focus is on growing our two core business activities:
…while increasingly developing and internationalising our product brands.
We also have around 600* optical practices, of which around 180* operate on a franchise basis, and hearingcare services in around 430* locations.
* Figures are approximations as at 31 March 2014, with the addition of Farmacias Ahumada data at the date of its acquisition on 11 August 2014, and include associates and joint ventures.
** Countries where Boots products are available for purchase or there are Boots franchises (other than those countries where there are owned businesses, associates or joint ventures).


text:
Hi does anyone have any pics or vids of pierced cocks?
Plz post!
Hi does anyone have any pics or vids of pierced cocks?
Plz post!
Nice looking guy just relaxing
Some skater types for you:
1. Kyler Lachlan from Boyride with a 0 gauge prince albert
2. Another pic of Kyler
3. Nate from Boyride
4. Jason Fury
5. Nate Bater ( yes, beleive it or not that's his screen name )
Here are three shots of Aaron from Boyride. He has an ampallang ( running horizontally through the glans ) and a reverse prince albert ( pierced through the top of the glans ). The last pic is a little bit o' rough trade for you, complete with maxed-out ear lobes ( he has only two frenums on the underside of his penis ).
Some fine looking pierced men ( I love the face on the guy in pics 2 and 3 )
Two more: (1) "Big Roger" and his 00 gauge pa, (2) A very hot German
These pics have been floating around the internet for ages. Still...
A few more:
Anyone have vids of guys getting them pierced?
Nothing downloadable. I do have a male genital instructional piercing guide put out by the San Francisco Gauntlet. It was made around 1995 with lots of cute nekkid boys getting guiches and apadravyas etc. Since BME is out of bounds, I would search Xtube.com for "pierce" or "piercing". Their search feature is pretty awful, but heck...it's free.
Thanx guyz these r all hot x
Some more pierced guys:
1. "Angel" has been featured before in JUB galleries.
2. A hot Aussie named Simon.
3. A closeup os his nipple rings and apadravya.
4. Pete Ross and his shiny bits.
Three shots of Brent Dupuis and an unknown model:
ps. I added the ass shot of Dupuis because he has a nice one.
Oh, man, Aaron from Boyride is amazing. Seriously makes me consider getting those piercings myself.
while it's not mainstream porn here's mine:
Knowing is half the battle.
Courtesy of Fratmen.
Some Prince Alberts:
Here are two more shots of Aaron from Boyride. The last shot is of pierced Billy Cochran from Hot House.
OMFG! These are soooo hot! Fuck im gettin hard....
Here is mine.. 4 gauge PA
ebony and steel:
Some more prince alberts. Pic 2 is a closeup of the uncircumsized dick of the Brit in pic 1.
I luv P.A's
I think they're hot
Is it safe to assume that pierced cocks are still exclusive to the gay community? One site had "straight" men being sucked by men, but I think the "straight" men were role playing.
doest it hurt?? i mean how can y'all fuck with piecred cock?
Two more guys with excruciatingly painful piercings:
pierced cocks are hot...
but just the thought of that going thru mine makes me shiver.
I dream about make love with pierced cock
A pair of pierced Germans go at it:
Close up of a P A:
Knowing is half the battle.
Some prince alberts and frenums:
pierced amateurs and pornstars:
HOT pics boys!!! keep em coming!!!!
Colt's Tom Lee and two shots of 90's star Jim Buck.
A pierced hottie for you:
mine... wanna play?
Some more pierced guys:
1. Boyride model Keefer has an apadravya.
2. Closeup of a P A and frenum.
3. Another P A.
4. Another shot of a guy from a previous post.
5. No, it's not a dick piercing...but who's complaining?
Some more prince albert piercings:
Thats what i luv 2 c !!! X :-D
Some pics of Hot House cutie Dillon Crow. Dillon has a prince albert piercing placed unusually low due to hypospadias.
Hot House model Kyle King might just be the hottest pierced man in porn:
1. A shot of Kyle's beautiful face and beautiful ass.
2. A Hot House portrait of Kyle.
3. A close-up of his piercing.
4. Kyle with his jewelry in place - from a photo set called "Night Visions".
5. A completely unnecessary and gratuitous shot.
Pornstar badboy Matthias Von Fistenberg:
Some more PA'd men:
Still more PA'd men ( the last model has a pa/ampallang combination ):
More genital piercings - including Colt's Jake Tanner ( pic 1 ):
Any more pics? Mishima75 ur cock rocks! It looks yummy :-D x


text:
|Name: _________________________
|Period: ___________________
This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Act 2.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What does Larry ask Chris when he orders a glass of wine?
(a) "Well, who's the blond?"
(b) "When did you start drinking wine?"
(c) "Is this small enough?"
(d) "Let me know if you need anything else."
2. What does Larry suggest that Chris do after he arrives at the bar?
(a) Drink some water.
(b) Go to sleep.
(c) Go round the corner for some beef stew.
(d) Have another drink.
3. Where does Anna live after her mother's death?
(a) Her cousins' farm.
(b) Sweden.
(c) California.
(d) A relative's city condo.
4. What is Anna's reaction when she first sees Burke seated on the deck?
(a) Attraction.
(b) Delight.
(c) Unimpressed.
(d) Repulsion.
5. What is the playwright's description of Anna when she first enters the bar?
(a) Tall, handsome, and run-down in health.
(b) Brown hair and vibrant.
(c) Dressed like a nurse.
(d) Short and redheaded.
Short Answer Questions
1. How does Chris react when he sees Anna and Burke talking?
2. What harbor was Burke's steamer headed to?
3. Why does Anna want to stay out on the deck at night at the beginning of Act 2?
4. What does Burke say about Anna when he first sees her?
5. What is the name of Chris's barge?
This section contains 245 words
(approx. 1 page at 300 words per page)


text:
Under The Hood
In July 2004 a billboard appeared in the heart of Silicon Valley posing a complex mathematical problem. The billboard was completely anonymous and read: "{first 10-digit prime found in consecutive digits e}.com." The answer was 7427466391.com which led the mathematically minded to a Web page posing another equation to solve. Solving the second equation would lead someone to a page on Google Labs which stated:
One thing we learned while building Google is that it's easier to find what you're looking for if it comes looking for you. What we're looking for are the best engineers in the world. And here you are.
As you can imagine, we get many, many resumes every day, so we developed this little process to increase the signal-to-noise ratio.
The point is, search engine algorithms are unbelievably complex, written by eggheads and understood by eggheads. Under normal circumstances using a search engine is a bit like driving a car - you don't need to know what's under the hood to get from point A to point B. Nor do you need to be a member of Mensa or hold a degree in mathematics to realize that a search engine is 'misfiring'.
A Caffeine Injection
In December of 2009 Google launched Caffeine. Caffeine was Google's new indexing system geared to meet rising user expectations and to better cope with a web that had evolved to include much more than text documents. While indexing did increase, huge amounts of low quality pages, spam and scraped content made its way into the index and some of it ranked prominently.
In an interview with top Google search engineers Amit Singhal and Matt Cutts published by wired.com, Amit Singhal had this to say about the situation:
"So we did Caffeine [a major update that improved Google's indexing process] in late 2009. Our index grew so quickly, and we were just crawling at a much faster speed. When that happened, we basically got a lot of good fresh content, and some not so good. The problem had shifted from random gibberish, which the spam team had nicely taken care of, into somewhat more like written prose. But the content was shallow."
Source: wired.com
The Panda Farmer
This resulted in heavy criticism about search quality being pointed at Google. To address the problems created by Caffeine, Google rolled an algorithmic update named Panda. Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Land later renamed the update to "Farmer" because it targeted content farms.
Note: Panda is different to previous updates in that pages that are judged to be of poor quality or 'shallow' are not punished on their own, the entire domain on which they are hosted takes a hit as well.
Panda was specifically aimed at sources of low quality content i.e. content farms and open publishing platforms. The general shuffling of results has seen winners and losers as far as rankings are concerned, but as far as quality goes, nothing has changed. Spam, scraped and spun content are still prevalent. Furthermore, while sites like eHow and HubPages have taken a big hit, Google's own open publishing platforms like YouTube seem to be real winners.
Running the Numbers
Matt Cutts insists that things are much better than they were, well that might be for the benefit of shareholders more than anybody else. No matter how you try to slice and dice it the hard facts are that Google users are switching allegiances to Bing and Yahoo. Google's market share is down 10% from August 2010, when it owned 71.59% of the search market. Microsoft which powers Yahoo and Bing now control just under 30% of the US search market.
Yahoo! Search and Bing achieved the highest success rates in February 2011. This means that for both search engines, more than 81 percent of searches executed resulted in a visit to a Website. Google achieved a success rate of 66 percent. The share of unsuccessful searches highlights the opportunity for both the search engines and marketers to evaluate the search engine result pages to ensure that searchers are finding relevant information.
Further Reading
Is it any wonder that Microsoft powered Yahoo and Bing are gaining market share when only 66% of Google searches result in a visit to a website? The lowly number is a direct result of the poor relevance shown in Google results these days and a major reason why more and more users are switching.
Try Bing For A Week And Tell Me What You Think
For those of you who never look past Google results, try Bing for a week or two. You might be pleasantly surprised.


text:
Evil consequences
Week 49 of the occupation
By Shea Howell
Special to the Michigan Citizen
This week Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr visited the Michigan Citizen.
We had a wide-ranging discussion about his role as emergency manager, his understanding of the development of the city, and his hopes for the future. The Citizen staff developed questions, intended to give our readers an opportunity to hear from Mr. Orr. We chose not to debate him, but to guide his conversation into areas that affect all of us.
Mr. Orr offered little that was new. He spoke confidently and competently about city finances. He insisted he is focusing only on the numbers and that Mayor Duggan and the City Council are being left to deal with development.
He said he is more concerned about the effects of his decisions than people give him credit for. He emphasized banks are especially upset with his treatment of them. They feel he is favoring pensioners.
Once he gets to the end of this bankruptcy, he has no desire to continue as emergency manger of Detroit or anywhere else. Seven months, he said, he has remaining to complete his work here.
As I reflected on this interview, an old essay kept coming to mind. Philosopher Hannah Arendt wrote it in 1963. Arendt had fled the Nazis in Germany in 1933 and ultimately came to the U.S. She was a brilliant and controversial thinker. Her works on "The Origins of Totalitarianism" and "The Human Condition" are classics and offer insights valuable today.
In 1966, as Nazi war criminal Adolph Eichmann went on trial for his role in the effort to exterminate the Jewish people, Arendt wrote an article for the New Yorker based primarily on her interviews with him in prison. It was called "Eichmann in Jerusalem: A report on the Banality of Evil."
That is the phrase that kept running through my head as I listened to Mr. Orr: The banality of evil. In Arendt's words, Orr seemed to me "terrible and terrifyingly normal." He did not talk of grand schemes of dispossession. Instead, he talked of numbers and debts and blight and streetlights.
Arendt captures this kind of conversation. She says, "The longer one listened to him, the more obvious it became that his inability to speak was closely connected with an inability to think, namely, to think from the standpoint of someone else."
This capacity, to think in a logic that excludes the consequences of your decisions on the lives of others characterizes much of what we saw in Mr. Orr.
This was most evident when he talked of pension cuts. Here he stressed, "There are only 20,000 pensioners in a city of 700,000." This is just a few people. A sacrifice for the many.
This kind of numbers game is chilling.
The impact of a 34 percent cut in pensions is catastrophic to people who are barely getting by now. The pain of people is absent from Orr's view.
He does not see the woman who told me at a community meeting last week that she will now face $30,000 in medical bills because of the loss of benefits. "I feel like we have been thrown to the wolves," she said.
He does not see the woman in her early 80s, who came to Women Creating Caring Communities, with her concern she has to choose between medicine and mortgages.
Mr. Orr does not consider the moral implications of asking people who have worked all their lives to live an entire year on what one of his clerks makes in less than two days.
Mr. Orr has developed a habit of mind that seems to have given up an essential part of himself. He speaks of numbers, not people.
That is why it so important that those of us who understand decisions have consequences in the lives of people need to file our objections to this horrific effort to protect banks and assault pensioners. It will take a loud outpouring to break through such evil.


text:
Resource centre > Developing a Policy on Access and Benefit Sharing
Developing a Policy on Access and Benefit Sharing
A number of networks and groups of botanic gardens have been working to develop harmonised approaches to implementing the access and benefit-sharing provisions of the CBD. Two voluntary approaches have been recently developed, the Principles on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing (the Principles) and the International Plant Exchange Network (IPEN).
An institution can choose both to endorse the Principles (as they were designed to cover different kinds of collections, commercially- related research, and the exchange of material not covered by IPEN) and join the IPEN to be able to use its exchange mechanism for exchange of living material for non-commercial use only.
Find Out More
Intellectual Property Guidance
Explanatory Guide to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
The Herbarium Handbook
This is a standard reference for all botanists, herbarium managers and technicians involved with the making and maintenance of herbarium collections. It's published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.


text:
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940)
Description: The German scientist develops a cure for venereal disease.
Movie summaries and listings powered by Cinema-Source
Sign up for our free email newsletters and receive the latest advice and information on all things parenting.
Enter your email address to sign up or manage your account.


text:
Page 1 of 4
MYSORE: Buoyed by victory at Periyapatna assembly segment, Congress is now focusing on retaining power at Mysore City Corporation.
What could aid Congress is JD(S) thinking that it should not move closer to BJP apprehensive that it could affect its poll prospects in the forthcoming Parliamentary polls. But it has kept its options open and looking for the announcement of the reservation for the post of mayor and deputy mayor, which is expected to be announced by weekend after the end of legislature session.
In mid-March when the MCC went to the polls, it threw up a fractured mandate with Congress emerging as the single largest party. With 22 corproators in a 65-membered House, some of its leaders were averse to trying to hold on to the power. Now, with the Congress ruling the state, the dynamics have changed. It wants to continue its winning streak in the Mysore given that it is CM Siddaramaiah's home turf. "We were not inclined to contest the mayoral polls given that we were short in numbers. But we are now working out strategies to retain power since three city constituencies have voted for Congress increasing our tally. We'll hold a meeting this week and decide," the City Congress chief C Dase Gowda told The Times of India. According to him, Siddaramaiah will decide the future course of action. Mysore MP Adagooru H Vishwanath said they are woking out strategies and district minister V Sreenivasa Prasad is tasked with the job.
During the March polls for 65 wards, Congress managed 22 seats while JD(S) won 20 and BJP 12. The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) won two seats and KJP and BSR Congress one each. Seven Independents have won. With legislators (MLAs and MLCs) and Mysore MP having voting right, the effective strength of the house goes up to 75. There are three Congress MLAs and one MP taking its tally up to 26 while JD(S) has 3 MLCs and 1 MLA taking its strength to 24. BJP's two MLCs add to its figure taking it to 14. The seven Independents, two SDPI and KJP and BSR Congress corporators will have a major role during the mayoral polls. However, it is not essential for the candidate to cross the half-way mark like at assembly or parliament to ascend power. The mayor is declared elected on the basis of majority votes a candidate secures on the floor of the house.
Dasegowda indicated that they are not looking to continue the alliance with JD(S) like during the last five years while JD(S) district chief and MLA S Chikkamadu said they will discuss the poll strategy. Asked when they are thinking to partner with BJP to keep Congress out of power in CM's home district, Chikkamadu said, "We've not taken final decision yet," indicating they are open to the idea. "We're waiting for the reservation list and decide."
Sources in the JD(S) said the party high command is wary of striking poll alliance with BJP given that polls for the Lok Sabha is months away. "We could be asked to stay neutral," they stated.
Stay updated on the go with The Times of India's mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.
Interest Networkitimes | Email


text:
Contains the keyword School management and organization--United States--Case studies
Leading technology-rich schools : award-winning models for success. New York: Teachers College Press; 2012.
School leadership : case studies solving school problems. Vol 2nd. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Education; 2011.
Improve learning by building community : a principal's guide to action. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin; 2010.
Driven by data : a practical guide to improve instruction. Vol 1st. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass; 2010.


text:
Front Towards Gamer Radio
Shanghai Six
Washington DC
Description: Stephen "Shanghai Six" Machuga, relentlessly stalks various gaming luminaries across the Interwebs for interviews…
Now Playing
Front Towards Gamer Radio, Episode 32: The Married Gamers
Shanghai Six sits down with Mr. and Mrs. Lefty Brown from the Married Gamers and discuss how video gaming saved their marriage, Lefty's special Christmas gift idea for Mrs. Lefty Brown, and how they apparently live in a particularly bad neighborhood.
As for intro/outro, Nico is AWOL this week, so we hijack FTG's PC editor Bedivere to take his place. Del and Shanghai make fun of Bedivere's terrible connection while they listen to him gobble on about PC titles from a decade ago. Finally, there is talk of more Call of Duty: Black Ops for the PC and Del's thoughts on Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.
Like what you hear? Subscribe here on iTunes!
Intro Bumper: Christopher "The Voice of Vegeta" Saban from Okratron5000
Got a message or feedback? Send it to email@example.com
Released November 26, 2010 Comments »
Subscribe & Follow
- Arts
- Business
- Comedy
- Culture
- Education
- Entertainment
- Gaming
- General
- International
- Lifestyle & GLBT
- Music
- Religion
- Sports
- Technology
- Travel
- Health & Science
- News & Politics
- Show All


text:
Andover Sister Towns Association
From Andover Answers
(Difference between revisions)
|Line 23:
|Line 23:

--[[User:Eleanor|Eleanor]] 11:43, July 25, 2006 (EDT)
--[[User:Eleanor|Eleanor]] 11:43, July 25, 2006
back to [[Main Page|Main Page]]
back to [[Main Page|Main Page]]
[[Category:Andover Answers Index]]
[[Category:Andover Answers Index]]
Revision as of 19:27, May 17, 2013
The twinning agreement between Andover, Massachusetts and Andover, Hampshire, England was signed on June 2, 2000 at the Garrison Theater in Tidworth, England. It was the first formal agreement between the England and the United States.
The Friendship Bridge in the "Park" at Chestnut and Bartlett Streets in Andover, Massachusetts commemorates the sister cities agreement. The bridge figuratively represents the River that runs through the town of Andover, England.
A statue of Chief Cutshamachie (on the Andover, MA seal) erected in commemoration of the sister cities agreement in Andover, England.
- "From Andover to Andover, an offer of friendship," Andover Townsman, October 7, 1999.
- "Andover folks to visit sister city," Eagle Tribune, June 2, 2000, page 1.
- "Andovers seal 'twinning' agreement," Eagle Tribune, June, 12, 2000, page 9.
- "A little bit of England," Eagle Tribune, September 26, 2000, page 11.
- "Town leaders again unite: Andover and Andover," Andover Townsman, September 29, 2000, page 6.
- "A Tale of Two Cities: Andovers Seal Twinning Agreement" from the Andover Townsman, June 15, 2000, page 5.
- "Andover voices to rise in England: Sunrise Singers anxious to perform for their sister city," Eagle Tribune, July 8, 2004, p. 9.
- "Sister cities share grief," Andover Townsman, July 21, 2005.
- "Roundabout highlights from the other Andover," Andover Townsman, November 6, 2008, p. 13.
--Eleanor 11:43, July 25, 2006 (EDT)
--Kim 15:32, May 17, 2013 (EDT)
back to Main Page


text:
This website is an independent campaign, hoping to raise funds and awareness for cancer research. This campaign, website, and all media associated with this campaign and website have no affiliation with Candy Crush Saga and/or King Ltd.
This campaign is a solely independent endeavor, and is not affiliated with the Cancer Research Institute. The Cancer Research Institute is the sole beneficiary of all donations


text:
TrusteesOur board of trustees make up the Management Council, along with our director Judith Moran. We have recently welcomed several new members who bring a wealth of experience and skills - welcome to Colin, Laura, Peter, Sandie and David Robson.
Joycelin Dawes (Chair)
Joycelin is passionately committed to practical action to bring about a more equal society, particularly in ways that enable and empower people to find solutions to the impact of social on their life. She has been Chair of Trustees and clerk to the Management Council since January 2010. Joycelin has wide experience as a researcher in political, social and economic affairs, as a writer, in education and facilitating workshops. She is a Quaker at Winchmore Hill Local Meeting and represents North London Area Meeting on QSA Council. Joycelin is an Associate Tutor at Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre; she is also a Trustee of StreetGames and Findhorn College.
Colleen Stretch
Colleen moved to London to study in 1998, and now calls the city home. She has lived in different parts of the capital, although having recently moved to the Borough of Hackney, she hopes that she will be able to increase her knowledge of the areas in which QSA works. Colleen joined QSA as a trustee in December 2008, and quickly saw how the organisation expresses the values she seeks to nourish. Colleen has worked as a subtitler for a UK news channel and now works as a freelance translator and researcher. She enjoys reading, urban photography and cycling. She is also interested in the counselling field and volunteers weekly as a children's counsellor.
Gillian Ashmore
Gillian has mostly worked for government on policy development, legislation and management and in leadership and trustee roles for third sector organisations, such as Metropolitan Housing Partnership, Refugee Housing Association, Rich Mix and the Fostering Network. She has never specialised but has always been motivated to work on issues of equality and social justice in whatever field she has worked in. She is a Quaker and a trustee of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, an anti-poverty organization. Now retired, she travels frequently whilst working on an Open University degree.
Colin Kinloch
Colin is a policy manager working in the public sector on the commissioning of debt advice services. As a volunteer, he co-facilitates workshops and conducts risk assessments for a charity focused on changing the behaviour of domestic violence perpetrators Colin has also worked as a Policy Lead for the debt advice programme at Money Advice Service, and as a Parliamentary researcher for the Rt Hon John McFall MP.
Peter Rivers
Peter has spent most of his working life in the voluntary sector and lived for about a quarter of his life in Tower Hamlets. He was a Franciscan brother for twenty years and he has a deep commitment to the relief of poverty. He sees being a Trustee of QSA as being a continuation of this. He is currently a Senior Consultant with C F Appointments which specialises in sourcing candidates for senior posts for Charities. Peter now lives in Upminster, at the end of the line, where he particularly enjoys the creation and upkeep of a lovely garden and is a member of the Romford Meeting.
David Robson
David worked as a consultant physician in the NHS in south east London for 30 years. As well as direct patient care he also helped manage hospital services including a period as Chief Executive of an NHS Trust. He is currently Chair of a hospice charity. David has attended Blackheath Meeting since 2001.
Laura Roling
Laura holds a long term commitment to the Quaker values of peace, justice, equality and integrity and is a passionate supporter of a range of charities and organisations, particularly within the human rights field. She has an MA in Understanding and Securing Human Rights and is proud to have worked as an intern with the Prison Reform Trust on their campaign to secure the right to vote for sentenced prisoners. In addition to working part-time at Comic Relief as their Mental Health Programme Manager she also shares responsibility for the primary care of her three year old sons with her partner and attends at Croydon meeting.
Sandie Finn
Sandie is a teacher with experience working in secondary schools. More recently, she has been training people to become teachers in referral units and in the lifelong learning sector. Prior to this, she was employed by The Depaul Trust as a Project Worker and supported street homeless young people to rebuild their self esteem and develop the personal and practical skills to find training or employment. In her spare time, she likes keeping fit, visiting bookshops and going to the cinema. She currently lives in east London.
Caroline Tisdall
Caroline was born in Pakistan, somewhere she still considers her 'emotional home', however, she has lived and worked mainly in the UK. As a chartered psychologist specialising in coaching, facilitation and group work, she is intensely curious about people and uses a strengths-based approach to partner them in their development. Caroline has a commitment to social justice although struggles with living a more simple life; the refugees she has met and worked with in Azerbaijan and Pakistan- people of other faiths and none- have continued to help her on this journey. She is a member of Norfolk and Waveney Area Meeting, and also a Quaker Spiritual Healer.
David Hickok
David is a retired partner of the international law firm Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, where he was active in the firm's mergers & acquisitions and private equity practices. He is also a trustee and treasurer of North West London Area meeting and a member of Friends House Local Quaker Meeting.


text:
A Piece of Peace
| Yoga Classes in San Francisco California
|A Piece of Peace
|Yoga Style: Kripalu Yoga, Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy
San Francisco, California
|Contact:Katy Dreyfuss
|Send Message
Kripalu yoga, bodywork services (yoga therapy and massage) and A Piece of Peace stress management seminars at your office or mine. A Piece of Peace is designed to be presented as a series of one hour seminars or as an intensive full day workshop. A Piece of Peace offers yoga-based stress management information and techniques that deliver immediate and long term relief.
|Update listing
|You also might be interested in...
Searching by USA Zipcode
California Yoga Retreats
California Yoga Workshops


text:
Last year it was the Blaster Virus. This year, Mydoom is causing problems for many organizations.
Protect your system from whatever comes along by taking these precautions:
Loss Control Insights is changing to a monthly electronic-only newsletter. More timely, more direct, more interactive. Make sure you don't miss a beat—sign up today!
EMC Insurance Companies
717 Mulberry Street
P.O. Box 712
Des Moines, Iowa 50306-0712
© Copyright Employers Mutual Casualty Company 2014. All rights reserved.


text:
CHADDS FORD, PENN. — Weathervanes have a long history of adorning buildings around the world and offering guidance on wind direction. They get their name from the Old English "fane," which means flag or banner. Weathervanes are among the oldest forms of weather prediction, with mentions in ancient writings from Mesopotamia more than 3,500 years ago. The Chinese talk about strings or flags used to read wind directions in Second Century BC writings. Today, weathervanes are increasingly prized collectibles.
Weathervanes have simple designs, but in order to function, they must be perfectly balanced on their rotating axis and need an unequal area on each side against which the wind can blow. As the weathervane spins to reduce the force of wind on its surface, the end with the least surface area turns into the wind, thus indicating the wind direction. Vanes also must be located on the highest point of a structure, away from other buildings that could affect wind direction.
The first true weathervane is considered to be a bronze structure erected atop the Tower of the Winds in Athens in 48 BC by Greek astronomer Andronicus. The vane, depicting the Greek god Triton, had the body of a man and the tail of a fish and measured between 4 and 8 feet long. The octagonal tower featured a wind deity on each of its eight faces; with a change in wind direction, Triton signaled which god would control the weather that day.
Over the years, Greeks, Romans, Vikings and others employed weathervanes atop structures and on ships. Their popularity exploded when papal edicts defined the cock (rooster) as "the most suitable emblem of Christianity" — resulting in roosters being used as weathervanes on church steeples — and in the Ninth Century decreeing that the figure be placed on every church steeple. It was a symbol to remind Christians of Peter's betrayal of Christ: "I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shall thrice deny that thou knowest me" (Luke 22:34). Although not originally intended as weather predictors, rooster vanes were easily visible as communal weathervanes, creating the familiar object common today.
Another form of early weathervanes were banners and flags that lords and noblemen flew from castle towers in medieval Britain, France and Germany. Their purpose was not to predict weather, but to help archers calculate wind direction when defending the castle. Over time, cloth flags were replaced by metal structures.
Perhaps following European ecclesiastical precedents, rooster weathervanes were prevalent on early American rooftops and continue to be popular today. A dizzying variety of forms and shapes followed, with craftsmen and cottage-industry manufacturers vying with one another to produce an abundant array of appealing sculptural forms.
This utilitarian yet whimsical American folk art form is the subject of "Which Way the Wind Blows: Antique American Weathervanes," a fascinating exhibition on view at the Brandywine River Museum through July 28. Organized by Amanda C. Burdan, the museum's assistant curator, the show comprises 28 weathervanes, ranging in date from early Nineteenth Century through early Twentieth Century.
Early American settlers adapted weathervane designs to their new land, adding wooden arrows, copper Indians and other forms. By this time, wrought iron had replaced copper as the favorite material for making weathervanes, especially with flat designs. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Paul Revere were among the first users of weathervanes.
The oldest documented weathervane maker in the United States, Deacon Shem Drowne, created a banner-shaped vane that has stood atop Boston's Old North Church since 1740. His energetic Grasshopper vane installed above Faneuil Hall in 1742 was later imitated, mass-produced and offered via mail-order catalogs. An 1880s version, possibly made by L.W. Cushing & Sons of Waltham, Mass., is exhibited. Some consider this the best known vane in the country.
The oldest object in the show is a Stylized Peafowl, dating to the early 1800s, a rather static sheet iron form by an unknown maker. It has the distinction of having once been in the collection of Edith Halpert, a pioneering proponent of American folk and avant-garde art. She promoted American Modernism in her Downtown Gallery, while her American Folk Art Gallery, founded in 1929, exhibited weathervanes like Peafowl. Halpert "drew attention to weathervanes as works of art comparable to modern painting and sculpture," observes Burdan.
Several omnipresent rooster vanes are displayed, starting with a simple two-dimensional vane cut from a single sheet of iron and with a painted surface and punched-hole eye constituting its modest decorative quality by an unknown maker and dating to the first half of the Nineteenth Century. The standout is a Black Hamburg Rooster made by L.W. Cushing & Sons in the 1880s. It is the full-bodied result of a sculptural carving, making molds for each side of the form, then two halves of copper pressed into the shape and joined together by welding. Burdan notes that Cushing hired a talented "sculptor in wood," who carved detailed wooden models that elevated the company's weathervanes to the "realm of fine artists."
Folks living along the coasts, particularly New England, enjoyed seafaring weathervanes depicting codfish, whales and even sea monsters; examples of each are on view. Farmers, on the other hand, favored vanes of bulls, goats, pigs and sheep; handsome examples of each, mostly late Nineteenth Century, are displayed. Made of wood, copper or wrought iron, many had unusual or whimsical designs.
A broader audience developed for another animal — the horse. Racehorses were all the rage in the late Nineteenth Century, both trotters and thoroughbred steeds. They provided a popular subject with wide appeal to weathervane makers.
"Trotting, or harness racing, became especially popular in the United States," notes Burdan, "as the belief spread that any horse, not just those bred by aristocrats, might rise to the top of the trotting world." To meet the demand for racehorses, some makers offered a variety of vanes of famous horses by name.
Two of the most intriguing of this genre are the copper and zinc Harness Racer, in which horse, driver and sulky all appear to levitate in full stride, and a more sedate Morgan Horse with Sulky, also made of copper and zinc.
Printmaker Currier & Ives created portraits of many popular racehorses, making them national celebrities, and providing models for weathervane manufacturers. Promoted in a print as "King of Trotters," the horse St Julien achieved folk hero status in the 1880s, his record-breaking feats touted in newspapers coast-to-coast. St Julian with Sulky, capturing the famous steed in full stride, is one of many weathervane portrayals.
In addition to racehorses, late Nineteenth Century weathervane manufacturers created images of all sorts of horses. The exhibition includes examples of mounts jumping and prancing, both with and without riders.
"In terms of the beauty of its form and the elegance of its equestrian lines," says Burdan, "one weathervane surpasses all others." Known as the "Index Horse" because it was included in the prestigious New Deal era Index of American Design, it is attributed to J. Howard & Company of Bridgewater, Mass., around 1850. Howard and his small shop are "known for constructing his vanes with a combination of cast zinc — for the heavier front — and hollow copper — for the rear — as well as for its extreme stylization of forms. The Index Horse appears almost Byzantine in nature, with an emphasis on the high arch of the neck, sharp curve of the cheek and geometric patterning on the tail." It is a handsome piece, indeed.
For architecture and history buffs, the most interesting object in the exhibition may be the weathervane that once crowned the Chester County (Penn.) Prison. The prison was designed in 1840 by Thomas U. Walter of Philadelphia specifically to implement a reform program that encouraged solitary confinement for reflection and repentance of prisoners. Later, as federal government architect in the 1850s and 1860s, Walter added the House of Representatives and Senate wings to the US Capitol, and completed the elevation of the central dome.
The large weathervane atop the prison is in the bannerette style of medieval flags that flew over the property of nobility. This more modern version, says Burdan, "features hearts cut from sheet metal, a distinctive heart-shaped arrow tip pointing into the wind and six delicate metal scrolls." She adds that although this is "hardly the kind of symbolism that one might expect to find atop a prison," it is actually consistent with the innovative nature of the structure, built to carry out the "Pennsylvania System" of solitary confinement, championed by the Quaker's Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons. In light of the goal of returning reformed prisoners to society, "the weathervane surmounting the Chester County Prison — a Pennsylvania System prison with Quaker roots and benevolent intentions — is indeed a fittingly compassionate symbol for the function of the building."
In an interesting sidelight, Jennifer Mass, senior scientist at Winterthur, examined weathervane finishes, finding "much…that goes against conventional wisdom." While many think vanes were continually stripped and refinished, under a microscope she often found "between five and ten layers of finish…, similar to what you might see on a piece of brown furniture." Mass adds, "The weathering of these gilding and painted layers, combined with the soft verdigris corrosion that forms on the copper base, gives these pieces the rich and variegated finishes that we all so admire."
All in all, this is a rewarding and revelatory survey of a large swatch of American weathervane history. Appreciation of weathervanes as works of art and desired collectibles has been growing since the 1920s and has accelerated dramatically in recent years. This exhibition documents why so many collectors are drawn to this facet of American folk art tradition, with notable examples fetching in the high six figures.
Today, vanes are considered classic examples of the finest American folk art, with rare and individually produced examples being most highly prized. In modern society, homeowners rarely use their weathervanes for predicting the weather, but they remain highly popular as adornments. In addition to classic styles, new and interesting weathervane styles are always popping up, sometimes using nontraditional materials. Investing in an old or new high-quality weathervane is a fine way to continue the tradition of this special folk art that has its origins in the world's oldest civilizations.
As Burdan concludes, "Whether in the Sixteenth Century or the Twenty-First, weathervanes serve as literal indicators of which way the wind is blowing — with no expert or outside guidance needed. In a more allegorical sense, a weathervane, especially in America, is a reminder of an individual's ability to navigate his or her own course even against a gale of metaphoric winds."
Burdan's perceptive and informative essay is available in the museum shop.
The Brandywine River Museum is at 1 Hoffman Mill Road and Route 1. For information, 610-388-2700 or www.brandywinemuseum.org.


text:
Horizon Bancorp Announces Record Earnings For 2012
(NASDAQ: HBNC) – Horizon Bancorp today announced its unaudited financial results for the three and twelve month periods ended December 31, 2012. All share data has been adjusted to reflect the three-for-two stock split paid on November 9, 2012.
- Horizon's net income of $19.5 million for the twelve months ending 2012 surpasses the $12.8 million earned in the prior year and represents the highest annual net income in the Company's history.
- Fourth quarter 2012 net income was $5.2 million or $.56 diluted earnings per share, a 22% increase in diluted earnings per share compared to 2011. In addition, this represents the highest quarterly net income in the Company's history.
- Horizon's net income for 2012 was $19.5 million or $2.30 diluted earnings per share, a 52% increase in diluted earnings per share compared to the same period in 2011.
- On July 17, 2012 Horizon completed its acquisition of Heartland Bancshares, Inc. ("Heartland"). On that date, Horizon recorded $229.5 million in assets and $218.7 million in liabilities.
- As a result of the acquisition and organic growth, total assets increased to a record $1.8 billion at December 31, 2012, compared with $1.5 billion at December 31, 2011.
- Total loans increased $207.5 million during 2012, consisting of $92.9 million in organic loan growth and $114.6 million net loans acquired from Heartland.
- Total deposits increased $283.7 million during 2012, consisting of $72.5 million in organic deposit growth and $211.2 million in deposits acquired from Heartland.
- Net interest income, after provisions for loan losses, for 2012 was $54.7 million compared with $42.8 million for 2011.
- The provision for loan losses decreased to $3.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2012 compared to $5.3 million for 2011.
- Net charge-offs in 2012 were $4.1 million compared to $5.5 million in 2011.
- Substandard and 30 to 89 day delinquent loans in total decreased by $1.9 million during 2012 from $60.8 million at December 31, 2011 to $58.9 million at December 31, 2012 including $21.5 million at December 31, 2012 acquired from the Heartland merger.
- Return on average assets was 1.13% in the fourth quarter of 2012 and 1.19% the year ended December 31, 2012.
- Return on average common equity was 13.70% in fourth quarter 2012 and 14.72% for the year ended December 31, 2012.
- Horizon Bank's capital ratios continue to be well above the regulatory standards for well-capitalized banks.
Performance Highlights
Net income for the fourth quarter of 2012 was $5.2 million or $.56 diluted earnings per share, which reflects a 22% increase in diluted earnings per share over the $3.5 million or $.46 diluted earnings per share in the fourth quarter of 2011. Net income for 2012 rose to $19.5 million or $2.30 diluted earnings per share, which reflects a 52% increase in diluted earnings per share over the net income of $12.8 million or $1.51 diluted earnings per share for 2011.
Select the service that is right for you!COMPARE ALL SERVICES
Action Alerts PLUSTry it NOW
Jim Cramer and Stephanie Link actively manage a real portfolio and reveal their money management tactics while giving advanced notice before every trade.
Product Features:
- $2.5+ million portfolio
- Large-cap and dividend focus
- Intraday trade alerts from Cramer
- Weekly roundups
TheStreet Quant RatingsTry it NOW
Only $49.95/yr
Access the tool that DOMINATES the Russell 2000 and the S&P 500.
Product Features:
- Buy, hold, or sell recommendations for over 4,300 stocks
- Unlimited research reports on your favorite stocks
- A custom stock screener
- Upgrade/downgrade alerts
Stocks Under $10Try it NOW
David Peltier, uncovers low dollar stocks with extraordinary upside potential that are flying under Wall Street's radar.
Product Features:
- Model portfolio
- Stocks trading below $10
- Intraday trade alerts
- Weekly roundups
Dividend Stock AdvisorTry it NOW
Jim Cramer's protege, David Peltier, identifies the best of breed dividend stocks that will pay a reliable AND significant income stream.
Product Features:
- Diversified model portfolio of dividend stocks
- Alerts when market news affect the portfolio
- Bi-weekly updates with exact steps to take - BUY, HOLD, SELL
Real Money ProTry it NOW
All of Real Money, plus 15 more of Wall Street's sharpest minds delivering actionable trading ideas, a comprehensive look at the market, and fundamental and technical analysis.
Product Features:
- Real Money + Doug Kass Plus 15 more Wall Street Pros
- Intraday commentary & news
- Ultra-actionable trading ideas
Options ProfitsTry it NOW
Our options trading pros provide daily market commentary and over 100 monthly option trading ideas and strategies to help you become a well-seasoned trader.
Product Features:
- 100+ monthly options trading ideas
- Actionable options commentary & news
- Real-time trading community
- Options TV


text:
Experience the difference at FIT U!!! The minute you step into our performance based facility you will realize that we are not a typical gym. Here at FIT U you will find an environment that focuses on the athlete in you, with programs delivered by results-oriented trainers whose goal is to inspire, encourage, and help you strive to be your very best!!
FIT U is a 10,000sqft performance facility located in Leonardtown, MD.
The goal of FIT U is to help people of all fitness levels achieve their maximum potential by getting 1% Better Everyday.
We offer adult fitness, sports performance, large and small group training, personal training, program design, and nutrition.
22630 Gregory Dr., Leonardtown, MD | 240-298-1762 | email@example.com


text:
The Falcon | Volume 83, Issue 53
Tarantino's latest work pays tribute to westerns
By , Staff Reporter
Published: January 9 2013
While most were unwrapping presents and enjoying time with their family over the holidays, others were out watching Quentin Tarantino's latest film, Django Unchained.
Django Unchained stars Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson and Walton Goggins.
It tells the story of Django (Foxx), a former slave who becomes a bounty hunter with Dr. King Schults (Waltz), another bounty hunter, who uses his former profession as a dentist as cover. What starts off as the dynamic duo collecting bounties turns into a hunt for Django's wife Hildy (Washington), who is being held on a plantation by the psychopathic Calvin Candie (DiCaprio).
With this film, Tarantino was able to make a film he has wanted to for a while now, having always been a fan of spaghetti westerns. Django is essentially Tarantino paying homage to the films he grew up with. Whether it's Sergio Leone, or Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles," the inspiration from both of these directors can be seen clearly in the film.
Along with Leone and Brooks, Tarantino cites Sergio Corbucci's 1966 film Django as another inspiration for the film. Not only does he use the same theme song from the original film for Unchained, but Franco Nero, the star of the 1966 film, has a brief cameo.
Film critics around the nation have lauded Django Unchained, calling it classic Tarantino and one of his best films in an already impressive filmography.
However, Django hasn't been without its disapproving critics. Most notably, director Spike Lee, who criticized the film despite not having seen it, and claimed that he had no intention of ever seeing the film.
While these critics have their opinions, Django has nonetheless scored five Golden Globe nominations, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Director and two Best Supporting Actors, (one each for Waltz and DiCaprio).
If you know Tarantino films, you'll know exactly what you're getting into – a super-violent film that sprinkles in witty humor along with bloodbath, some great acting and ultimately, a memorable story.
The opinions represented here do not necessarily represent the views of The Falcon or Seattle Pacific University.
Mixed emotions on Day of Silence
University discourages Communion
The Falcon Refrains from Presidential Endorsement
Fremont Market fills streets every Sunday
Seattle skeptics criticize SPU's Urban Plunge
Times article receives over 200 comments
Bettering the World Through Art
A student passion brings healing to many


text:
Aroa Kainga Vacation Home Rarotonga
Official Contact Details - Aroa KaingaPhone: 00682-22-246 Fax: 00682-22-246
Aroa Kainga bungalows - a perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle. A couple of minutes from the beach, perfect sunsets. Just right for relaxation Accommodates a couple, two person with a max of three people...
- Price from 95 NZD / Day
- Capacity up to 3 people
- 1 bedroom & 1 bathroom
(click on a photo to view it)
Last updated: 05/11/2006
This is your property ?
Aroa Kainga is approx two or three minutes walk to sand beach that stretches as far as eye can, fantasic romantic sunsets and swimmable lagoons in low and higntide...
Prices & deals
- Lowest Daily Price:
- Cleaning fee:
- Charging Method:
- Payment Types:
- Cash
- Credit Card
- Cheque
- Travellers cheque
- Paypal
- Wire Transfer
Location & area
Aroa Kainga bungalows - a perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle. A couple of minutes from the beach, perfect sunsets. Just right for relaxation
Our location has hillside views, is a secluded and private garden property on a level gradient from the coastal (ringroad)main road. Each bungalow boasts a large deck for your private inside/outside relaxation.
- Address:
- Aroa, Arorangi, 0000, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
- Accommodation located in:
- close to resort facilities, coastal, near cultural interest, near diving spot, near historical interest, near restaurants & bars, near tennis courts, near the beach, village!
Amenities & services
The bungalows are fully furnished, includes sheets, duvet, towels (bath and beach), changed by agreement or as required. The kitchen is fully equipped with the exception it has no stove but an two plate electric hob. We have a selection of snorkels, masks and swim shoes available for guests to use
Service is just a visit away as the owners live on the property.
# of Units: 2... and each unit includes:
- Bedrooms: 1
- Bathrooms: 1
- Single beds: 0
- Double beds: 1
- Baby cots: 0
- Single sofa beds: 0
- Double sofa beds: 1
- Bath:
- Hair Drier:
- Shower:
- Towels:
- Washing Machine:
- Work Desk:
- Bed Sheets:
- Bikes:
- Cable/Satelite TV:
- Internet Broadband:
- Internet Dial Up:
- Ironing Board:
- Stereo/Radio System:
- Library:
- Telephone:
- DVD Player:
- Fax:
- Butler Service:
- House Chef:
- Local Guides:
- Local Transportation:
- 24h Concierge:
- Tours & Excursions:
- Fridge & Freezer:
- Crockery & Utensils:
- Dish Washer:
- Microwave:
- Oven:
- American Kitchen:
Living room
- Fireplace:
- Sofa Bed:
- Table & Chairs:
- Private Beach:
- Barbecue:
- Sauna:
- Garden:
- Shared Bathroom:
- Spa / Jacuzzi:
- Swimming Pool:
- Lift / Elevator:
- Disabled Facilities:
- Tennis Court:
- Terrace:
- Parking:
- Pets Welcome:
- Safe:
- Sea View:
- Central Heating:
- City View:
- Daily Cleaning:
- Air Conditioning:
- DVD/Music Collection:
- Ensuite Bathroom:
- Balcony:
Review - Aroa Kainga
Aroa Kainga - Contact the owner
Important Notice : Avoiding Fraud
It's rare, but some helpful hints to watch out for with regards to fraud:
- It is important to NEVER wire funds or use/employ other fund transfer mechanisms such as western union: Always use a credit card to protect yourself against fraud. If owners pressure you into providing a deposit or refuse to accept credit cards, there is a high probability that this is a scam.
- If at all suspicious of fraud, ask to see their website, or any other literature they can provide or send to you. Ask them for contact details for guests who have previously stayed on their property insisting on telephone numbers. Be suspicious of emails that originate from free email services (yahoo, hotmail, gmail, etc)
- Research the property thoroughly on the internet to see if there is any history or mention of scams associated with the property.


text:
Updated: November 23, 2012 9:52PM
When Californians voted to outlaw same-sex marriage four years ago, one factor -- both revealing and alarming to the civil rights community -- was African-Americans' support for the ban. Proposition 8, which passed with a 52 percent majority, had 58 percent support among black voters.
It was a different story Nov. 6 in Maine, Maryland and Washington state, where voters endorsed marriage rights for gays and lesbians, and in Minnesota, where state law already prohibits same-sex marriage but voters rejected a Prop. 8-style ban in their state constitution.
Surveys show a majority of African-Americans now support those rights, said Ben Jealous, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which campaigned hard for same-sex marriage. In Maryland, where blacks make up almost 30 percent of the voters, their backing was crucial.
"We're talking about it as a civil rights issue," and people are listening, Jealous said in an interview last week during a visit to San Francisco. He also said President Barack Obama's endorsement of same-sex marriage rights in May, followed shortly afterward by an endorsement from the NAACP, was a "game changer."
If the issue reached the ballot again in California, "we would see majority black support," Jealous said. "I'm very confident that ... we would win."
San Francisco's NAACP leader, the Rev. Amos Brown of Third Baptist Church, agreed. "People are enlightened," said Brown, a member of the NAACP's national board who took part in the Maryland campaign.
A different view came from the Rev. Maurice Scott of Oakland, one of many African-American clergy members throughout the state who vocally supported Prop. 8.
"People of African descent are very religious people," said Scott, pastor at the Great St. John Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church. "I think that many are supportive of the president but not supportive of homosexuality."
Even today, he said, all the parishioners with whom he has spoken "would not vote for (a) man-and-man, woman-and-woman relationship."
Not all analyses of the Maryland vote agreed with Jealous' assessment of African-American support of same-sex marriage. The NAACP leader said surveys just before the election found majority backing for the measure among blacks, but the Washington Post said an exit poll pegged support at 46 percent, compared with 52 percent of all voters.
The surveys agree, however, that attitudes toward same-sex marriage among African-Americans and other racial minorities have changed even more rapidly than the views of the general population.
The Pew Research Center said a Nov. 6 exit poll found that 51 percent of African-Americans nationwide endorsed the right of gays and lesbians to marry and 41 percent opposed it, slightly higher than the support level among all voters. A Pew survey in 2009 had found only 26 percent support among African-Americans, compared with 39 percent for all respondents.
Other recent polls have found Latino support for same-sex marriage as high as 59 percent, compared with just less than 50 percent for non-Hispanic whites.
In Washington state, where gay rights advocates campaigned for support in minority communities, "we saw very little opposition aside from a few very conservative black preachers," said Andy Grow, spokesman for Washington United for Marriage. California's experience with Prop. 8, he said, was "the grand model for all of us" in showing the need for outreach.
Jealous said Prop. 8 was also a wake-up call for the NAACP. He said the civil rights organization and its allies evidently took African-Americans for granted and were beaten to the punch by clergy who mobilized much of the black community in support of the measure.
They realized afterward, he said, that "if you want (blacks') support you've got to ask for it, ask for it early and build relationships."