text:
Fall/Winter Commencement 2014
Ceremony Dates/Times:
Thursday, December 18 - SECU Arena
Friday, December 19 - SECU Arena
Still Interested in Participating in Winter Commencement?
If you are interested in participating in the Winter Commencement then you may place your academic regalia order at the University Store customer service desk during regular store hours.
Please note that guest tickets are no longer guaranteed and should be considered first come, first serve. Orders placed December 8 or later will be charged an additional $25 processing fee.
Online ordering is no longer available.
The deadline for previous gown/hood approval was November 21. Approval will no longer be granted.
Student Regalia
The graduation regalia consists of a gown, cap, tassel, and degree color hood. All gowns are black with the Stephen's Hall logo in gold on the lapel and mid-calf in length. Mortarboard caps and tassels are black. The caps are elasticized; one-size fits all.
Bachelor's Gown-The gown has a pointed, full sleeve.
Master's Gown-The gown has a distinctive sleeve design that is oblong in shape, and the sleeves are open at the wrist.
Doctoral Gown-The gown has bell shaped sleeves that are fitted at the wrist. The upper sleeve has three velvet-flocked bars or stripes. In place of a mortarboard cap, doctoral candidates will wear 4-pointed tams with a gold tassel.
Degree Hood-The degree level, as specified by the Academic Costume Code, determines hood dimensions. The gold and white satin lining represents Towson University colors. The velvet band color signifies the degree earned.
Student Regalia Pricing
Complete Bachelor's & Master's Gown: $65.00 + tax
Bachelor & Master Hood or Gown only: $32.50 + tax
Doctoral Gown, Tam & Tassel Rental: $40.00 + tax
To wear previously purchased regalia for the Fall/Winter 2014 Commencement, it must be approved by the Customer Service staff at the University Store and must meet the specifications set forth by the Office of the Provost. Approval must be granted by Friday, November 21 in order to be registered for & guaranteed guest tickets to the Winter ceremony.
Members of the military may wear their military dress uniform and members of religious orders may wear their religious attire in place of the academic regalia. To wear military or religious attire, notify the University Store at email@example.com by Friday, November 21 to register for the ceremony and receive Commencement tickets.
Faculty Regalia
The University Store will begin accepting rental orders for faculty regalia for the Fall/Winter 2014 Commencement on Monday, October 6.
Faculty will be notified by phone or email when their rental regalia arrives.
For more information regarding the rental of academic regalia,
please email: email@example.com
Owning your regalia enables you to:
Faculty interested in purchasing academic regalia online:
Additional commencement information may be obtained at the following websites:
University Store
University Union Bldg., 1st Floor
Phone: 410-704-BOOK
Fax: 410-704-3482
Email: email@example.com


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Show me hotels in nearby cities:
|Uday Suites Karthikeyam Beach PO,Shanghumugham, 695007 Trivandrum, India (0.4 miles from Chalai)
Score from 128 reviews: Very goodSituated just 300 metres from Shanghumugham Beach, Uday Suites houses an outdoor pool and a gym. It features complimentary parking and has a restaurant which provides 24-hour room service. More…
" Everything. The room was wonderful with a balcony and wifi was good. A very clean hotel and the staff was wonderful. They even let me have breakfast before their opening time for me to catch a flight. ... "
$59 Average price per night
|Residency Tower Press Road, 695001 Trivandrum, India (2.4 miles from Chalai)
Score from 39 reviews: GoodHotel Residency Tower is in the heart of Trivandrum in the state of Kerala. It offers a rooftop pool and 4 dining options, including a 24-hour coffee shop. More…
" The affordably Luxurious Comfort, cleanliness, relaxing atmosphere. Value for Money, Good Location also. "
$63 Average price per night
|Hilton Garden Inn, Trivandrum Punnen Road, 695039 Trivandrum, India (2.5 miles from Chalai)
Score from 56 reviews: Very goodOffering an outdoor swimming pool and a fitness centre, Hilton Garden Inn, Trivandrum is located in Trivandrum. It features 2 dining options. More…
" The staff members were polite, friendly and very helpful. The hotel itself has a nice atmosphere. There is a good restaurant and the pool area is a perfect place to relax. "
$59 Average price per night
|HYCINTH By Sparsa Manorama Road, Model School Junction, Thampanoor, Trivandrum, 695001 Trivandrum, India (2.6 miles from Chalai)
Score from 52 reviews: GoodOffering an outdoor swimming pool and a restaurant, HYCINTH By Sparsa is located in Trivandrum. Free Wi-Fi access is available. The Malayala Manorama Press is 300 metres and Napier Zoo is 1 km away. More…
" Great new proporty. Real valu for money & centrally located. Staff very obilizing. Keep it that way. All the best. Will return soon. "
$62 Average price per night
|SFS Homebridge SFS Homebridge, Near Police headquarters, Vellayambalam Vazhuthacaud Road, 695010 Trivandrum, India (3.5 miles from Chalai)
Score from 24 reviews: ExcellentOffering an exclusive Indian restaurant, SFS Homebridge is 2 km Napier Musuem and the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo. For any assistance guests can approach the 24-hour front desk. More…
" Its one of the best Place to stay. The ambiance, the facilities. Excellent "
$59 Average price per night
|Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel & Spa GV Raja Road,Samudra Beach, 695527 Kovalam, India (6.8 miles from Chalai)
Score from 71 reviews: GoodUday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel & Spa is a luxurious 5-star property on the popular Kovalam Beach, 8 miles from Trivandrum Junction Train Station. More…
" Great hotel with a lovely atmosphere. Good facilities - 3 pools and plenty of sunbeds. Nice location, right on the beach with a small selection of restaurants nearby. Lighthouse beach only a short tuk-tuk ... "
$97 Average price per night
We've negotiated with thousands of hotels to get the very best deals. We call them Secret Deals and they only last for a limited time.
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subset: commoncrawl


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|Living with Adult ADHD
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Stacey Turis, an adult living with ADHD and giftedness for 35 years, decided it was time to hug it out and accept her differences for a more peaceful existence. Turis's ADHD enables her to engage the universe in ways that don't meet the eyes and can't be explained.« Recent Blog Posts
Archives: September 2012
posted: Friday September 28th - 11:17am« Absent-Minded Superhero's blog
Say Yes to Yoga for Kids with Attention Deficit
What does yoga give my kids? Some of my favorite things: focus, confidence, and calm to ease ADHD symptoms.
Yoga may bring to mind visions of arms and legs entangled and strange noises emanating from the mouths of strangers. The first time I heard an "Om," I giggled. I had no idea that there was a physiological reason for making that strange humming noise I had heard so many times on TV and in the movies. There is. It vibrates the vagus nerve, which calms...
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Please use this discount coupon for an
additional 5% off during checkout:
Style out while shredding to your highest capacity with the Anon Hawkeye Premium Goggles. The Hawkeyes are truly one of a kind, and their rigid but elegant look prove that more than anything. Don''t forget about their top performance though, as they feature some of Anon''s best goggle technology, like Full Perimeter Channel Venting for breathability when it counts. Add a super lightweight frame and some Dual Layer Face Foam on top of all that and you''ve got something special here in the Anon Hawkeye Premium Goggles.
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Michael Fairbairn Cordova
About Michael Fairbairn CordovaMichael was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He and his family resided in Albuquerque until 1984 when they moved to Arizona. Initially they relocated to Tucson and in 1986 settled in Phoenix. His family still resides in the Phoenix metropolitan area. He began college at the University of New Mexico. Upon moving to Arizona, he transferred to the University of Arizona where he attended for 2 1/2 years. At the University of Arizona, he was the recipient of numerous scholarships. In 1986, he transferred to Arizona State University. He was accepted into the School of Accountancy in the Business College. He graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He also received numerous scholarships while attending Arizona State University. While enrolled in Arizona State University, Michael decided that he wanted to practice law. He was accepted into the Law School at Harvard University. He entered Harvard Law School in 1988 and graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in Law. During law school, he performed volunteer work for The Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest during his summer break. Upon graduating, he returned to Phoenix and worked with the law firm of Lewis and Roca. In 1994, Michael founded his law firm. He began representing accident and injury victims the same year and has been doing so ever since. He has limited his practice exclusively to personal injury, including catastrophic injury and wrongful death. He is a member of the State Bar of Arizona, and the Maricopa County Bar Association. He is also a member of the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association and the American Trial Lawyers Association.
Practice Areas
- Personal Injury
- Arbitration & Mediation
- Elder Law
- Insurance Claims
- Medical Malpractice
- Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect
Additional Practice Areas
- Car Accidents
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Visa, MasterCard, and Debit Cards
- Free Consultation
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
|Harvard Law School
|Juris Doctor (1991)
|Arizona State University
Professional Associations
|Member, Arizona State Bar
Website: Website
Blog: Michael Cordova's Blog
Komen – Phoenix Race for the Cure Hope and Healing for those Suffering from Grief Law Offices of Michael Cordova Scholarship Winner
"Every strike brings me closer to the next home run." –Babe Ruth #Quotes #InspirationalQuotes #MyAZAttorney http://t.co/oylC6wZOqc— Michael Fairbairn Cordova (@mcordovalawphx) October 20, 2014
Happy birthday to Elizabeth, Francisco, and Lillian. We appreciate you guys very dearly! http://t.co/WRTHS24a0P— Michael Fairbairn Cordova (@mcordovalawphx) October 16, 2014
Arizona gas prices have recently dropped below $3.00. Downward trend is expected to continue. http://t.co/Zki3mMNKfV http://t.co/jJyIz7ifbO— Michael Fairbairn Cordova (@mcordovalawphx) October 16, 2014
Make sure the haunted house you're visiting http://t.co/KEnVJ5siqB has the proper permit and is SAFE! #Halloween http://t.co/EAWOoY8zaB— Michael Fairbairn Cordova (@mcordovalawphx) October 15, 2014
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.Emerson #quotesoftheday http://t.co/nloYnvRjTT— Michael Fairbairn Cordova (@mcordovalawphx) October 13, 2014
The 2014 Arizona State Fair https://t.co/KqBaMlpVEB is here! Can't wait to taste the food! #AZStateFair #MyAZAttorney http://t.co/F8SsB5iY2m— Michael Fairbairn Cordova (@mcordovalawphx) October 10, 2014
Have an accident http://t.co/L2AtgOXBzV caused by a government agency or public entity? #Liability #MyAZAttorney http://t.co/yO9vMDiGNz— Michael Fairbairn Cordova (@mcordovalawphx) October 9, 2014
We are so excited to participate in the 2014 Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness Walk/Run. Only 5 days to go! http://t.co/duK57GvLDg— Michael Fairbairn Cordova (@mcordovalawphx) October 7, 2014
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. - Abraham Lincoln #Quotes http://t.co/xrRJG42Rst— Michael Fairbairn Cordova (@mcordovalawphx) October 6, 2014
Phoenix Oktoberfest is here http://t.co/pBPleMH1TE Oct. 4th from 12-9pm! #OktoberfestPhoenix #Festival #MyAZAttorney http://t.co/5qUmVOZvUJ— Michael Fairbairn Cordova (@mcordovalawphx) October 3, 2014


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Intellicheck Mobilisa Signs Licensing Agreement With Leading Hardware Manufacturer
Intellicheck Mobilisa, Inc. (NYSE Amex: IDN), a leader in ID Verification and Wireless Technology, today announced that the company has signed a software licensing agreement for Intellicheck Mobilisa's ID Check software with a prominent hardware manufacturer.
"We have been working this licensing agreement for quite some time," stated Steve Williams, CEO of Intellicheck Mobilisa. "This hardware manufacturer is well known worldwide. The licensing agreement now enables our patented software to be bundled with its hardware solutions, which we believe provides a tremendous opportunity for the company."
Intellicheck Mobilisa's ID Check technology scans the bar code or magnetic strip on the back of a driver's license and uses the data to automatically fill in the information on a digital form. The entire scanning process takes about 1 second. Intellicheck Mobilisa maintains the ability to process this data accurately for all 50 states and Canada and holds patent protection for its technology.
About Intellicheck MobilisaIntellicheck Mobilisa (ICMOBIL) is a leading technology company that is engaged in developing and marketing wireless technology and identity systems for various applications, including mobile and handheld access control and security systems for the government, military and commercial markets. ICMOBIL's products include the Fugitive Finder system, an advanced ID card access control product currently protecting approximately 100 military and federal locations; ID Check, a patented technology that instantly reads, analyzes and verifies encoded data in magnetic stripes and barcodes on government-issued IDs from U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions, designed to improve the Customer Experience for the financial, hospitality and retail sectors; and Aegeus, a wireless security buoy system for the government, military and oil industry. For more news and information on ICMOBIL, please visit www.icmobil.com. Safe Harbor Statement Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. When used in this press release, words such as "will," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "encouraged" and similar expressions, as they relate to the company or its management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the company's management identify forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from the information presented here. Additional information concerning forward-looking statements is contained under the heading of risk factors listed from time to time in the company's filings with the SEC. We do not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information.
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HP Photosmart C4795 prints web pages blurry
Product: HP Photosmart C4795 All-in-One Printer
OS: MS Windows 7 Home Premium 64
Connected via Bluetooth
I recently installed the C4795 printed to my HP G60-535DX Notebook. Documents and photos are printing beautifully, but website pages are printing blurred. I have printed the same website pages from my PC which is connected to another printer and the sites print just fine, so I know it's a problem with the C4795. I have realigned the print cartridges and checked the paper tray to no avail. I have also spoken to HP tech support and they have not been able to find a solution to date and are researching the matter. Does anyone out there have a suggestion for a solution to this problem?
Re: HP Photosmart C4795 prints web pages blurry
I am trying to print brochures. It seems the front page prints ok, but then when I try to print on the back, the print is very blurry....actually seems to be printing info twice, slightly off. I have printed many brochures prior to this, with no problem.
I did align the cartridges and cleaned the cartridges. No change.
Can anybody help?


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Virginia, Minnesota
For population 25 years and over in Virginia:
For population 15 years and over in Virginia city:
132 residents are foreign born
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2012: $790 (0.8%)
Nearest city with pop. 50,000+: Duluth, MN (54.7 miles , pop. 86,918).
Nearest city with pop. 200,000+: St. Paul, MN (179.4 miles , pop. 287,151).
Nearest city with pop. 1,000,000+: Chicago, IL (459.5 miles , pop. 2,896,016).
Nearest cities: Midway, MN (1.4 miles) , Mountain Iron, MN (1.7 miles ), Leonidas, MN (1.9 miles) , Eveleth, MN (1.9 miles ), Gilbert, MN (2.0 miles ), McKinley, MN (2.5 miles) , Iron Junction, MN (2.7 miles) , Kinney, MN (3.0 miles) .
Single-family new house construction building permits:
Number of permits per 10,000 residents
Average cost (in $1000s)
Latitude: 47.52 N, Longitude: 92.54 W
Daytime population change due to commuting: +3,860 (+44.3%)
Area code: 218
City-data.com crime rate counts serious crimes more heavily. It adjusts for the number of visitors and daily workers commuting into cities.
(click on a table row to update graph)
Crime rate in Virginia detailed stats: murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, arson
Full-time law enforcement employees in 2012, including police officers: 19 (18 officers).
Virginia, Minnesota accommodation, waste management, arts - Economy and Business DataUnemployment in July 2013:
Unemployment by year (%)
Historical population
Historical housing units
Population change in the 1990s: -290 (-3.1%).
Work and jobs in Virginia: detailed stats about occupations, industries, unemployment, workers, commute
Average climate in Virginia, Minnesota
Based on data reported by over 4,000 weather stations
Tornado activity:
Virginia-area historical tornado activity is significantly below Minnesota state average. It is 69% smaller than the overall U.S. average.
On 8/6/1969, a category F3 (max. wind speeds 158-206 mph) tornado 12.3 miles away from the Virginia city center injured 9 people and caused between $500,000 and $5,000,000 in damages.
On 8/6/1969, a category F3 tornado 23.0 miles away from the city center caused between $50,000 and $500,000 in damages.
Birthplace of: Daniel Berrigan - poet, Chris Pratt - Actor, Jack Carlson - Ice hockey player, Jeannette Hamby - Airline attendant, John Gruden - NHL player (Washington Capitals, born: Jun 4, 1970), John Harrington (ice hockey) - Ice hockey player, Matt Cullen - NHL player (Carolina Hurricanes, born: Nov 2, 1976), Matt Niskanen - Ice hockey player, Robert Mondavi - Food industry businessman, Shawn Rojeski - Curler.
Hospitals/medical centers in Virginia:
Political contributions by individuals in Virginia, MN
Airports and heliports located in Virginia:
See details about airports and heliports located in Virginia, MN
Local government website: www.virginiamn.us
College/University in Virginia:
Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Virginia:
Public high schools in Virginia:
Public elementary/middle schools in Virginia:
See full list of schools located in Virginia
Private elementary/middle school in Virginia:
Library in Virginia:
Particulate Matter (PM10) [µ/m3] level in 2010 was 11.8. This is significantly better than average. There were 21 monitors within city limits.
Particulate Matter (PM2.5) [µ/m3] level in 2010 was 5.88. This is significantly better than average. There were 12 monitors within city limits.
Lead (Pb) [µ/m3] level in 2010 was 0.00054. This is significantly better than average. There were 9 monitors within city limits.
Drinking water stations with addresses in Virginia and their reported violations in the past:SANDY TOWN HALL (Address: 7898 Hovi Road , Population served: 25, Groundwater):
Past health violations:
Drinking water stations with addresses in Virginia that have no violations reported:
Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2012: 21.6%
(18.3% for White Non-Hispanic residents, 54.4% for Black residents, 46.0% for Hispanic or Latino residents, 65.0% for American Indian residents, 36.3% for two or more races residents)
Average household size:
Percentage of family households:
Percentage of households with unmarried partners:
Likely homosexual households (counted as self-reported same-sex unmarried-partner households)
Detailed information about poverty and poor residents in Virginia, MN
People in group quarters in Virginia in 2010:
People in group quarters in Virginia in 2000:
Virginia compared to Minnesota state average:
Banks with branches in Virginia (2011 data):
Fire-safe hotels and motels in Virginia, Minnesota:
Educational Attainment (%) in 2012
School Enrollment by Level of School (%) in 2012
Most commonly used house heating fuel:
Presidential Elections Results
1996 2000 2004 2008 2012
1996 Presidential Elections Results
2000 Presidential Elections Results
2004 Presidential Elections Results
2008 Presidential Elections Results
2012 Presidential Elections Results
Graphs represent county-level data. Detailed 2008 Election Results
Religion statistics for Virginia city (based on St. Louis County data)Percentage of population affiliated with a religious congregations: 53.04%
Breakdown of population affiliated with a religious congregations
Tables represent county-level data.
Food Environment Statistics:
Number of grocery stores: 39
Number of supercenters and club stores: 2
Number of convenience stores (no gas): 2
Number of convenience stores (with gas): 106
Number of full-service restaurants: 176
Adult diabetes rate:
Adult obesity rate:
Low-income preschool obesity rate:
Virginia government finances - Expenditure in 2006 (per resident):
Virginia government finances - Revenue in 2006 (per resident):
Virginia government finances - Debt in 2006 (per resident):
Virginia government finances - Cash and Securities in 2006 (per resident):
4.74% of this county's 2006 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2005 ($35,366 average adjusted gross income)
0.11% of residents moved from foreign countries ($273 average AGI)
Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2005 and 2006:
5.31% of this county's 2005 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2006 ($34,935 average adjusted gross income)
0.04% of residents moved to foreign countries ($224 average AGI)
Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2005 and 2006:
Strongest AM radio stations in Virginia:
Strongest FM radio stations in Virginia:
TV broadcast stations around Virginia:
Fatal road traffic accident statistics for 1975 - 2011 (per 100,000 population)
Virginia, Minnesota:
See more detailed statistics of Virginia fatal car crashes and road traffic accidents for 1975 - 2011 here
National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Statistics
Number of bridges: 16
Total length: 68 meters (223ft)
Total costs: $3,511,000
Total average daily traffic: 115,732
Total average daily truck traffic: 6,672
New bridges - Historical Statistics
FCC Registered Antenna Towers: 25 (See the full list of FCC Registered Antenna Towers in Virginia)
FCC Registered Commercial Land Mobile Towers: 2 (See the full list of FCC Registered Commercial Land Mobile Towers in Virginia, MN)
FCC Registered Private Land Mobile Towers: 37 (See the full list of FCC Registered Private Land Mobile Towers)
FCC Registered Microwave Towers: 35 (See the full list of FCC Registered Microwave Towers in this town)
FCC Registered Paging Towers: 2 (See the full list of FCC Registered Paging Towers)
FCC Registered Amateur Radio Licenses: 34 (See the full list of FCC Registered Amateur Radio Licenses in Virginia)
FAA Registered Aircraft: 10 (See the full list of FAA Registered Aircraft in Virginia)
Detailed HMDA statistics for the following Tracts: 0130.00 , 0131.00, 0132.00
Detailed PMIC statistics for the following Tracts: 0130.00 , 0131.00, 0132.00
Conventional Home Purchase Loans
Conventional Home Purchase Loans - Value
2006 National Fire Incident Reporting System Incidents:
Incident types - Virginia
See full 2006 National Fire Incident Reporting System statistics for Virginia, MN
Total of 4 patent applications in 2008-2014.
Back to Virginia, MN housing info, St. Louis County, Minnesota, MN smaller cities, MN small cities, All Cities.


text:
- Exchange: Frankfurt
- Sector: Financials
- Industry: Specialty Finance
- Sub-Industry: Mortgage Finance
MGIC Investment Corp+ Add to Watchlist
As of 10:54:42 ET on 12/22/2014.
Company Profile for MGIC Investment Corp (MGC)
MGIC Investment Corporation, through its subsidiary, provides private mortgage insurance coverage in the United States. The Company's customers include thrifts, mortgage bankers and brokers, commercial banks, credit unions, and other lending institutions. The Company also provides, through subsidiaries, underwriting and contract services related to home mortgage lending.
Contact Information
MGIC Investment Corp
MGIC Plaza
250 East Kilbourn Avenue
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Cars > jackrac's Garage > Blog > Benefits of Homeschooling
Benefits of Homeschooling
Jan 20, 2014 | Views: 99
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Education is one of the important branches of our society. When were just a kid we always been told to go to school. Our parent always said that we need education and have a degree in order to survive in this society that we have. Many of us thought that there are only two type of school its either public or private schooling. But many of us now a day are going for homeschooling.
There are lots more benefits of homeschooling and a lot more ways that home school can be accomplished today. Some parents use available textbooks while some use the structured curriculum. Others combine this thing with their own teaching while others teach each lesson completely using their own resources. We can all see that this kind of education process is completely flexible. It can be changes to the student s needs and can also me increase as to how high the knowledge of a student has. There are many considerations to be made when choosing to home school, but for many, homeschooling has been a good choice that has proven to benefits both children and parents relationship with each other.
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Book your room at A&O Berlin Friedrichshain
Bed in a shared Dorm for max. 6 personsMax Occupancy: 6 guests
Single RoomMax Occupancy: 1 guest
Family Room for 2 adults and 2 childrenMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 2 children)
Twin RoomMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 children, 1 infant)
Family Room, Private BathroomMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children)
6 Bedded Room private bathMax Occupancy: 6 guests (up to 5 children)
Hotel with a bar/lounge, in Berlin (Friedrichshain)
This hotel is located in Berlin (Friedrichshain), close to Simon-Dach-Strasse, Stasi Museum Berlin, and Oberbaum Bridge. Also nearby are O2 World and East Side Gallery.
Hotel Features
A&O Berlin Friedrichshain provides a bar/lounge, complimentary wireless Internet access, laundry facilities, and a snack bar/deli.
Room Amenities
All guestrooms include complimentary wireless Internet access, hair dryers, and private bathrooms.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
At your hotel
At your hotel
The hotel offers a snack bar/deli. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access. This Berlin hotel also offers a library, tour/ticket assistance, and barbecue grills.
A&O Berlin Friedrichshain is a smoke-free property.
- Babysitting or childcare (free)
- Complimentary newspapers in lobby
- 24-hour front desk
- Number of floors - 4
- ATM/banking
- Picnic area
- Television in lobby
- Elevator/lift
- Bar/lounge
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Coffee/tea in lobby
- Billiards or pool table
- Free Wi-Fi
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Luggage storage
- Barbecue grill(s)
- Arcade/game room
- Garden
- Laundry facilities
- Library
- Multilingual staff
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Snack bar/deli
- Smoke-free property
- Number of buildings/towers - 2
- Supervised childcare/activities
Stay connected
Available in all rooms: Free Wi-Fi
Available in some public areas: Free Wi-Fi
In your room
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
- Private bathroom
- Hair dryer
- Shower only
- Free Wi-Fi
Eat and drink
Buffet breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 6 AM and 10 AM.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Bicycle rentals on site
- Volleyball on site
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- In-room accessibility
The fine print for A&O Berlin Friedrichshain
When you arrive
Minimum check-in age is 18
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Special check-in instructions:
The city of Berlin imposes a city tax of 5%. Business travelers with proof of business-related travel are exempt from this tax. Guests can contact the property using the information contained in the confirmation received after booking.
When you leave
Check-out time is 10 AM
How you can pay
Your pets
Pets allowed, Maximum number of pets per room 2
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No rollaway/extra beds available
- Breakfast fee: EUR 7.00 for adults and EUR 3.50 for children (approximately)
- Self parking fee: EUR 7.50 per night (in/out privileges)
- Pet fee: EUR 5.00 per pet
- Late check-out fee: EUR 7.50
- Onsite credit card charges are subject to a surcharge
We should mention
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms. This property allows pets in specific rooms only (surcharges apply and can be found in the Fees section). Guests can request one of these rooms by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
National Rating
Hotelstars Union assigns an official star rating for properties in Germany. This property is rated 2 star Superior and is displayed on this page as 2.5 stars.


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Susan's harvest summary
WEATHER CONDITIONS (AND CONSEQUENCES): WINTER 2008: Cold and wet. And wet. And wet. SPRING 2008: Long! Had wet and cool weather up until October and November. NOVEMBER 2008 – JANUARY 2009: A cooler pre-season than previous vintages. HARVEST 2009: In …


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HeartShrineVillageLOVE is our Ninja Way!
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HSV: So much love for you bro"Yeesh, it's hot outside today." Rentaro muttered under his breath, he could feel the sun beating down on him with it's immense heat and his skin reacted by sweating a bit so he dabbed his little handkerchief on his forehead, drying off the sweat as he aimlessly walked around the village for something to do. Spotting Nadare, his trademark smirk appeared on his face and he hustled over to the mediating Nadare. Once approaching he placed his hand on his head, "Hey bro, we need to have a chat." he grinned, seeming in quite the mischievous mood.HSV: So much love for you bro by BrookeVeil
Of course, Nadare said nothing in response-not out of impudence, but because he was so enraptured in the little microcosm of serenity he immersed himself him. Despite the palpable heat pressing against his sun-kissed skin and seeming to just squeeze the moisture from his pores, the Sekkagakure native held his composure, with his eyes closed and his breathing regular and light as if he were sleeping. The contact of Rentaro's warm hand on the boy'
FalloutSeijou felt like a fly in a flytrap. Uratarou's eyes burned with an amount of disgust and anger he didn't find justified. He ducked his head a little and put on an apologetic smile.Fallout by Taminki
The source of all that trouble sat next to her father, still wearing that abominable shirt that annoucned to the world what happened two nights ago.
"I am very sorry", Seijou said sincerely. Who knew how often he already said this. His legs were starting to feel numb from the minutes of sitting. Umeko fidgeted on her seat. As she felt his glance on her she stopped staring dreamily into space and gave him a wink. She immensely enjoyed the way her father questioned her boyfriend. Well, at least someone here was entertained. The two males instead were both extremely annoyed with the situation.
"Little devil, would you be so kind and make us some tea", Uratarou said. Umeko got up, stretched and looked at them.
"I'll be right back", she chirped, obviously unaware of the rising tension in the room.
HSV - Something unknown"When I were young, people kept saying I will never make it to something, they gave up on me the moment they saw me. I really never got why they were like that, I mean I was just a child. Okay a quite strange child...But mom said that I had a sickness! Its all the fault of this sickness, not me! I mean, you also would not be able to act "normal" when your brain used to act "slow".HSV - Something unknown by ShuraGirlSayuri
Sometimes I wonder how my life would be now if I would have been born normally...but well what is "normal" anyway? Maybe I am the normal one and all those others are strange? Who can tell?
I just know that I was the one, dreaming of flying dragons and dancing princesses on the ocean, all those other children never dreamed of this kind of things, at least it seemed like this...
I often was alone back then, I only had my brothers and sisters, who took care of me. Yeah, I am really glad I had them and I am glad to have them now, because I know that if everyone else leave
HSV SeiUme - Perfect Two"Nee Sei? We will surprise Seijou in his room right? Hihi.", giggling she cuddles her little cat, who purrs satisfied and presses his face against her chin "Hmm but what should I do then? Okay, what did we two planned so far? First: Hiding in his room and waiting for Sei to return from his mission. Second: Seduce him a bit, hmm.. so far as he let himself beeing seduced. And third: Letting him finally meet and play with you. I mean-", the whitehaired Soushou smiles and holds her little friend in front of her face "You're my loyal companion since..", sh blinks, since when does she have Sei now? She can't remember. "Since a long time.", her little friend just answers this with a "Meow!", what let her laugh and cuddle him again. She loves her little cat. Even he spend most of the time in the village and runs around enjoying the freedom he has. So she wasn't able to show him her sister, brother and boyfriend yet. A reason why she can't find him is the color of his fur, he's a nutbHSV SeiUme - Perfect Two by Nyoko-Hime-Chan


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The AP circulated this afternoon a news that former lobbyist Jack Abramoff will start a talk show. Most news agencies ran the story with this headline: Jack Abramoff gets radio show for Clear Channel. Some news sites had the headline with the words "Disgrace Lobyyst Jack" etc. The Washington Post however had this headline: Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who spent years in prison, gets radio show for Clear Channel
The Wash Post Wants You to Know That Abramoff Went to Prison
July 11, 2012 4:26 PM by Yossi Gestetner Leave a comment (1) Go to comments


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Having taken a stab at sociology and political science, let me wrap up economics while I'm at it. Economics is a highly sophisticated field of thought that is superb at explaining to policymakers precisely why the choices they made in the past were wrong. About the future, not so much. However, careful economic analysis does have one important benefit, which is that it can help kill ideas that are completely logically inconsistent or wildly at variance with the data. This insight covers at least 90 percent of proposed economic policies.
Ben Bernanke "The Ten Suggestions", speech at the Baccalaureate Ceremony at Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey. June 2, 2013.
October 15, 2014
QotD: The value of economics
October 2, 2014
On national defence, don't listen to Harper's words – watch his actions
At The 3Ds Blog, Jack Granatstein explains why the Canadian Forces are once again being starved of funding:
A few years ago I wrote that no government since that of Louis St Laurent in the 1950s had done more to improve the defence of Canada than Stephen Harper's Conservatives. The St Laurent Liberals built up the armed forces to deal with the war in Korea and with the defence of North America and western Europe in the face of Soviet expansionism. At its peak, the defence budget took more than seven percent of Canada's Gross Domestic Product, and the army, navy, and air force had as many as 120,000 men and women in the regular forces.
No one could expect any government in this century to spend on that scale, but the Conservative government did treat defence well in its first years in power. The commitment to the Afghan War, never very popular, was handled capably, and the troops received everything they needed — helicopters, new artillery, upgraded armoured personnel carriers, and tanks, not to mention new transport aircraft. The number of regulars rose slowly and slightly toward 65,000, and the government presented a schematic Canada First Defence Policy in 2008 that listed a range of objectives and equipment acquisitions. The budget projections were colossal, almost $500 billions to be spent over the next 20 years.
But that was then, this is now:
The result was that the defence budget was cut, in substantial part because deficit reduction and a budget surplus were more important than "toys for the boys." From a peak of $21 billion in 2009-10, the defence budget in this fiscal year is $18.2 billion, about a 13 percent reduction in dollars made worse by inflation. The percentage of GDP spent on defence is now hovering at one percent, the lowest since the 1930s. In 2009, it was 1.3 percent. Making matters even worse, the Department of National Defence somehow cannot spend all the money it gets, returning almost $10 billion to the Treasury since 2006.
Despite Harper's tough talk on the international stage, his government's active neglect of the needs of the armed forces means we can't back up his pugnacious rhetoric with any serious military effort: a frigate in the Black Sea, four CF-18s in the Baltic, a couple of transport aircraft shuttling supplies into Erbil, and a small special forces contingent helping the Kurds … and that's about our current limit for overseas deployment. The Royal Canadian Air Force is still waiting for new helicopters (after more than 20 years of stop-go-stop procurement disasters) and a decision on replacing the CF-18. The Royal Canadian Navy just announced the immediate retirement of four ships, with no replacements available for years (if ever), and the Canadian Army is struggling to maintain equipment and keep up training schedules due to budget constraints.
And, as Granatstein points out, if the Liberals or NDP win the next federal election, the situation will get worse, not better, as neither party sees the military as any kind of priority — quite the opposite.
Update: Speaking of cheeseparing "economies", here's the Department of National Defence's most recent "saving".
National Defence slashed its annual order of ammunition this year to save money — a revelation that raised fresh questions Wednesday about just how prepared Canada is to do battle with militants in the Middle East, Murray Brewster of the Canadian Press writes.
More from his article:
The 38 per cent cut was large enough to cause other government departments, Public Works and Industry Canada in particular, to sit up and take stock of the impact, internal documents obtained by The Canadian Press show.
One such document, a memo to Public Works Minister Diane Finley dated Feb. 5, 2014, indicates her department tried to convince defence officials to either abandon the cut or at least spread it out over a couple of years.
Defence officials said that would be impossible, because "they would not allow the department to meet its financial targets."
As a result, the 2014 ammunition budget was reduced to $94 million from $153 million.
During the early phases of the Afghan war, National Defence was caught similarly flat-footed and had to rush an order through General Dynamic Ordnance, particularly for artillery shells.
The memo surfaced on the same day Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the House of Commons that the cost of deploying special forces to northern Iraq is being taken out of the department's current budget.
September 23, 2014
"Rock star economy" leads to first majority government in New Zealand since 1996
Anthony Fensom reports on Saturday's election results in New Zealand:
New Zealand's "rock star economy" helped center-right Prime Minister John Key achieve a thumping election victory. But with major trading partner China slowing, are financial market celebrations premature?
The New Zealand dollar, government bonds, and stocks gained after Key's National Party romped to power in Saturday's poll, securing its third straight term and the nation's first majority government since proportional representation was introduced in 1996.
Despite "dirty politics" claims and a late attempted campaign ambush by internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom, the incumbent National Party won 61 of 121 parliamentary seats and 48.1 percent of the vote, the party's best result since 1951.
In contrast, the main opposition left-leaning Labour Party, which pledged an expansion of government, secured only 24.7 percent of the vote for its worst performance since 1922. The Greens won 10 percent and New Zealand First 8.9 percent as pre-election predictions of a closer race proved false.
Key pledged to maintain strategic alliances with the Maori, ACT and United Future parties, which won four seats between them, further strengthening his parliamentary majority.
"Like [Australian Prime Minister] Abbott, Key as a new prime minister inherited a budget and an economy in deep trouble…Six years later, the budget is in surplus, unemployment at 5.6 percent is falling and the economy is growing so strongly the New Zealand Reserve Bank became the first among developed countries to raise interest rates to deter inflation," noted the Australian Financial Review's Jennifer Hewett.
"Not only did the Key government cut personal and corporate tax rates, it raised the goods and services tax to 15 percent while steadily reducing government spending over years of 'zero budgets,'" wrote Hewett, who urged Abbott to "learn some sharp lessons" from Key's electoral successes.
Key's party has pledged to cut government debt to 20 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), reduce taxes "when there is room to do so" and create more jobs, aiming to undertake further labor and regulatory reforms as well as boosting the supply of housing.
September 11, 2014
US Navy facing unpleasant budget choices and diminishing options
It's still the largest navy in the world, and will continue to be for some time yet … but it's shrinking.
In 2009 the navy decided it could only afford to build three of the new DDG-1000s. To replace the cancelled DDG-1000s the navy resumed building older DDG-51 Arleigh Burke class destroyers. It was all about cost. The DDG-1000s would cost more than $3.5 billion each if built in large quantities. The Burkes cost $1.9 billion each. The last of 62 original Burkes was ordered in 2002 and the last of those entered service in 2011. But now, another 13 are on order and more were going to be ordered until the shrinking naval budget got too tight for that. The 9,800 ton Burkes are smaller than DDG-1000, being 154 meters (505 feet) long and 20 meters (66 feet) wide. But even the Burkes have been growing, with the first ones weighing in at only 8,300 tons. In 1945, most destroyers were about 3,000 tons. This constant size escalation is something navies, especially the Americans, have had a hard time dealing with, mainly because the cost per ton has escalated even more (even after taking inflation into account).
While the DDG-51 is much less expensive than the DDG-1000, some navy officials believe that in the long run the larger and more expensive DDG-1000 would be a better investment. The key problem here is the inability of the navy to control costs, and cost estimates, and the inability of the DDG-51s to provide space for new technologies. The navy hopes to overcome this by installing smaller versions of new tech in the DDG-51s and to upgrade other DDG-51s if the new stuff works out.
There are other problems as well, such as the costs of upgrades. Because of budget cuts the navy plans to buy some time (about a decade) by upgrading dozens of existing destroyers and cruisers. This is a bitter pill to swallow, as only a decade ago the navy was so sure about the new DDG-1000 that it accelerated the retirement of a dozen of the 31 Spruance class destroyers, in order to save the $28 million a year it would cost to keep each one of them in service. These ships were not just retired, they were all either broken up or sunk in training exercises. The dozen that entered service in 1979-83 could have been refurbished and been available until 2019. That's a lost opportunity.
In the end these extensive refurbishments were too expensive and the navy was forced to fall back on a two-tier refurb plan that concentrated on electronic and software systems. The cheaper tier, called MILSPEC (designed specifically and only for military use) cost $113 million and takes six months per ship. This upgrades a lot of the 1980s electronics in the older DDG-51s. The other tier, COTS (commercial off-the shelf) uses commercial hardware and software to replace the older MILSPEC stuff. This makes these ships easier and cheaper to continue upgrading but all this costs $184 million and 18 months per ship. All these upgrades concentrate on the ability of DDG-51s to support the Aegis modification that enables missiles and low orbit satellites to be shot down. There is additional money (from outside the navy budget) available to do this.
The navy is still in danger of losing (to retirement because of aging and failing systems) the oldest DDG-51s if money is not available to refurbish elderly hulls and mechanical equipment. Because of the unpredictable future budget the navy also has to make plans for some radical downsizing. If the money is not there, neither are the ships and prudent admirals have to plan accordingly.
September 10, 2014
NATO's "aim" problem
James Holmes explains why "aim" isn't good enough for NATO members:
The Naval Diplomat is not from Missouri, America's Show-Me State. But I'm in a show-me state of mind following last week's NATO summit in another Newport — Newport, Wales. Lofty words were said. The summit communiqué pledges, for instance, to restore some sanity to defense spending.
NATO long ago fixed the standard for defense spending at 2 percent of GDP. Few meet the standard, but at Newport the NATO-European powers put everyone on notice that they're really, truly serious about it. The small minority that already comply — Great Britain (for the moment) and Greece, alongside the United States — will "aim to continue to do so." The majority that don't vow to arrest further slippage. And they will "aim to increase defense expenditure in real terms as GDP grows," and "aim to move towards the 2% guideline within a decade," helping field viable forces.
Aim being the keyword — or, more accurately, the key diplomatic weasel word — in these passages. How many European allies will fulfill their commitment, and how many will avail themselves of the escape clause? Barry Pavel of the Atlantic Council observes charitably that the uptick in budgets is "not going to happen across the entire alliance, but it's useful for framing incentives for some nations to start to contribute more." And that tepid prediction comes from someone who's presumably a NATO enthusiast.
So let me get this straight. NATO-Europe resolutely promises to try … to build up to a level that barely qualifies as peacetime defense spending … over the next decade … if GDPs expand to permit it. Wow. As a matter of alliance management, think about the message the Newport communiqué telegraphs. To us in North America, it indicates that Europe sees itself inhabiting entirely tranquil surroundings, untroubled by anything like, say, Russian aggression against an Eastern European neighbor.
September 5, 2014
NATO – "they spent all their money on buying Ferraris and now they have no gas money"
Philip Ewing reports on the chances of improved military "readiness" among the NATO allies:
With President Barack Obama in Europe this week for a major NATO summit, the White House hopes the growl of the Russian bear on Europe's eastern flank means the moment is right for some long-sought reforms to the alliance. But the outlook appears dim for anything beyond incremental steps at best.
The major reason is one that has frustrated policymakers over the past several administrations: Most European nations would love a stouter defense structure — so long as they don't have to pay for it.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization requires that member nations devote at least 2 percent of their economies to defense spending, yet today only four do: the U.S., Britain, Greece and Estonia. Although this week's summit in Wales appears likely to yield a "pledge" in support of increased spending in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, no one expects a serious effort from members other than those most directly threatened, including Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
Obama and U.S. officials also are focused on bolstering European military "readiness," particularly as U.S. spending declines. NATO relies on the U.S. for critical military capabilities such as surveillance, in-flight refueling and transportation. European militaries field top-rate troops, ships and aircraft but keep only weeks' or even days' worth of munitions on hand. In NATO's 2011 campaign against Libya, many nations ran out of munitions and the French began dropping concrete bombs.
"It's sort of like they spent all their money on buying Ferraris and now they have no gas money," Benitez said. "There are many allies that literally aren't flying their planes because they can't afford to. They have very advanced fleets, but their fleets aren't leaving port because they can't afford to."
September 2, 2014
British government "austerity"
Theodore Dalrymple explains why changing the name of something does not actually change the thing being described, no matter how much politicians or journalists wish it did:
… some errors are important, and one sees them more insistently the older one grows. For example, the other day I read an article in Le Monde about the forthcoming referendum in Scotland on independence from the United Kingdom. The author of the article was clearly sympathetic to the cause of independence, but that was not the cause of my irritation with the article, nor the fact that he quoted an old man, a former trade union militant, who said that he was in favor of independence, among other reasons, because the United Kingdom was the fourth most unequal country in the world. If old men in Scotland can be as ignorant of the world as that, it is an interesting sociological observation; and the author of the article is almost certainly right that those in favor of Scottish independence favor a state even more extensive in the name of equality than the one that they already have.
No, I was irritated rather by the fact that the author of the article accepted that the policy of the present British government can properly be described as one of austerity. What the alleged austerity amounts to is this: that in the current year the government will borrow only one in six of the pounds it spends instead of one in five, as it did last year. As to the reasons for this less than startling decline in its borrowing requirements, it was not because the government was spending less but because it was receiving more taxes, from the speculative housing bubble which it has done much to fuel. If that bubble should burst, the borrowing necessary to maintain current levels of expenditure (already very high) would rise again, possibly higher than ever.
This is not a question of whether the economic policy followed by the government is the right one or not: perhaps it is and perhaps it isn't. It is a question of the honest use of words. One would not say of a man who passed from smoking sixty cigarettes a day to fifty that he had given up smoking, or that he had exercised great self-denial. And one would not, or rather should not, say of an organization that had balanced its budget once in fifty years (the British government) that it was practicing austerity merely because it had to borrow a slightly lower percentage of what it spent than it did the year before. This is to deprive words of their meaning.
But does this matter? As the philosopher Bishop Butler once said, everything is what it is and not another thing. A budget deficit is a budget deficit, whether you call it profligacy or austerity. A thing is not changed by being called something different.
Unfortunately, matters are not quite as clear-cut as that. In human affairs, words matter, as much because of their connotations as of their denotations. Austerity means stern treatment and self-discipline. It means harshness and astringency. Needless to say, harshness in their government is not what most people look or will vote for. If reducing the rate at which you overspend and accumulate debt is called austerity, no one will dare go any further in that direction, though it were the right direction in which to go. Words, said Hobbes, are wise men's counters but the money of fools: so that many men will take the name for the thing itself. Whether more active attempts to balance the budget would be advisable I leave to economists to decide (they can't, of course).
July 30, 2014
QotD: Balancing the budget
… it sounds like a sober and centrist position. I mean who believes in deficit financing? Well everybody but you're not suppose to admit it out loud. Like dwarf porn. Many watch but few will say so. What it means in practice is one of two things. If an actual conservative uses the term it means that the public service is getting taken to the tool shed. There being few actual conservatives in politics what it usually means is that we'll keep spending until someone makes us stop.
That's when the bond market vigilantes step in. Then everyone blames the bond market for ending the party. The kind politician would love, absolutely love, to spend more money on "X" but those evil Gordon Gekko types won't let him. In truth the bond market traders are no more responsible for a government going broke than a doctor is responsible for giving an alcoholic DT.
The state, observed Bastiat so many years ago, is the great fiction by which everyone tries to live at the expense of everyone else. Politics is the lie that this can go on indefinitely. Voters complain about the low levels of honesty in politics. But a dishonest political class is the product of a dishonest electorate. If people want something for nothing, they'll get the lying louses they deserve. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me a hundred years in a row and the shame is very much on the ordinary bitchin' voter.
Richard Anderson, "Transparent Lies", The Gods of the Copybook Headings, 2014-07-28.
May 29, 2014
Harper's "starve the beast" policy continues
In Maclean's, Paul Wells updates us on the multi-year diet Stephen Harper has been running on the government's "revenue generating" tools:
If I were the Conservative Party, I'd be using the latest report [PDF] from the office of Parliamentary Budget Officer Jean-Denis Fréchette to fundraise too. By the standards that motivate Conservative donors, this report is highly motivating.
The report, by PBO analyst Trevor Shaw, examines the reduction in federal revenues resulting from all the major changes to personal income tax and the GST since 2005. It's an odd choice of starting point — 2005 was the second of Paul Martin's two calendar years as prime minister — but only a small part of the reduction Shaw measures is attributable to that second Martin budget. Most has happened since.
And the net effect is striking:
"In total, cumulative changes have reduced federal tax revenue by $30 billion, or 12 per cent. These changes have been progressive, overall. Low and middle income earners have benefited more, in relative terms, than higher income earners."
Shaw attributes $17.1 billion of the reduction to changes to personal income tax level and structure, and $13.3 billion to changes in GST/HST rates. He doesn't count revenue reductions from changes to corporate income tax. We'll get back to that. But on the personal income-tax and GST side, the final number is probably actually a little bigger than $30 billion: Shaw writes that he couldn't get enough data to make his own estimate of revenue reductions due to Tax Free Savings Accounts, but passes along a Finance Canada estimate that it's good for $410 million in revenue reductions. So, figure $30 billion and change in the current tax year that Ottawa would have raised if it hadn't been for the past decade's worth of tax changes.
NDP leader Thomas Mulcair is apparently hoping to make up the "shortfall" (from the point of view where any reduction in government spending is bad) by jacking up corporate taxes. This may not work as well as he hopes:
First, Mulcair is fooling himself if he thinks corporate taxes can be increased to make up for the shortfall in personal-tax income Harper has engineered. As the PBO points out, "Personal income tax and the federal portion of the GST/HST account for 75 per cent of federal tax revenues." There's way less room to make money off rich fat cats than Mulcair pretends. I mean, he's welcome to keep pretending, but if he keeps his word an NDP government will remain short of cash. And a Liberal government, more so.
Second, this is why Stephen Harper is in politics. I wrote a book about that. He may one day stop being prime minister, at which point the real fun begins, because his opponents are promising to run a Pierre Trudeau government or a Jack Layton government at John Diefenbaker prices. It can't be done. Their inability to do it will be Harper's legacy.
March 31, 2014
Comparing NATO and Russian military spending to 2012
Mark Collins links to this Washington Post graphic showing a comparison of military spending in the top five NATO countries and Russia (counting Soviet spending 1988-1991). Note that the United States and Russia now each spend the same proportion of GDP on their respective military forces:
For reference, Canada's military budget doesn't crack the top 10 in NATO: we spend about US$16.5 billion per year (not even in the top 15). Mark also points out that Australia spends proportionally more than Canada … about 50% more, in fact. But it should also be noted that while Canada and Australia have a lot in common, our defence needs are significantly different: Oz is in a much more dangerous part of the world than Canada, and they don't share a lengthy border with the world's biggest military spender. You could probably make a viable case that Australia isn't spending enough given the rough neighbourhood they're in.
March 20, 2014
Jim Flaherty's legacy
The federal finance minister announced his resignation the other day. This had been rumoured for quite some time, as Jim Flaherty had been having health issues for the last couple of years. He's at least for the time being remaining as my local MP (full disclosure: I coached two of his sons in soccer several years ago). He wasn't going to be my MP in the next parliament, as my village is being moved to a different riding under the new boundaries. At Gods of the Copybook Headings, Richard Anderson tries to find the right words to say goodbye:
Writing valedictory posts is always a bit tricky. You have to strike a balance between showing the bad that is the obvious at the moment with the good that might be visible only in hindsight. It be must admitted that Jim Flaherty was not a bad finance minister, a minister who surrendered to every short-term political demand of the cabinet. Nor was he a great one charting a new course for Canada. He didn't shift the goal posts, like Michael Wilson did for Brian Mulroney or Paul Martin did for Jean Chrétien. Big Jim minded the shop better than the other guys would have. Among midgets he was a giant.
The Flaherty years consisted of digging a gigantic hole and then carefully filling it back in. Modest surpluses, massive deficits and then a projected modest surplus. To quote the old poem: "Always he led us back to where we were before." The net result is that we have a somewhat larger national debt than if we'd balanced the books for eight straight years. Not good but not too bad either.
As for Big Jim? Well he was one of the best Liberal finances minister of the last hundred years.
Such a well-placed barb. So artistically planted. And so true.
Alberta Premier resigns (just ahead of the party lynch mob)
Colby Cosh on the resignation of Alberta's Alison Redford:
It was a tearful surrender for Alison Redford Wednesday night as she gave a curiously backward resignation speech, grocery-listing the accomplishments of her government's two years in power before announcing that she will step aside as Premier of Alberta on Sunday. Among these accomplishments, Redford trumpeted a "fully balanced" 2014 budget, which is "balanced" in an unusual sense of that term meaning "expenditures far exceed revenues, but in a nice way."
That sort of cynical language was, it must be said, part of her problem with voters. The Alberta budget became more cryptic under Redford, and the usual accounting fictions have been stressed to the breaking point, with revenues assigned hugger-mugger to "operating" and "capital" purposes with no very clear line of demarcation between. If you think Albertans don't pay attention to that sort of thing, you don't know us too well.
There will be a temptation to sum up Redford's ouster by citing her clownishly expensive December trip to South Africa to attend the funeral of Nelson Mandela. Redford, in truth, had almost literally every kind of problem you can imagine a Westminsterian political leader having, all of them chronically. Her relationship with her caucus was dire, as became obvious to the news-reading public in the last fortnight. Any defenders she might have had were keeping pretty quiet, and no one seemed to expend much effort reading from an orchestral score of talking points. Few MLAs ventured beyond muttering "She needs to make some changes." From some of these, it was pretty obvious that the change they had in mind was the one that happened tonight.
Redford's resignation completes the transition of the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party from unstoppable electoral force to the Sick Man of Canadian Politics. Sick men have risen from their deathbeds before, and the opposition Wildrose Party may not be ready to complete a journey to power that is following the Reform Party model. (You will recall that this involved negotiating quite a few twists and turns and a couple of avalanches and volcanos.)
March 8, 2014
RCN's Joint Support Ships behind schedule and over budget
Terry Milewski reports on the state of Canada's shipbuilding program for the Royal Canadian Navy, and it's not pretty:
An internal government memo obtained by CBC News shows that all four parts of the government's huge shipbuilding program are either over budget, behind schedule, or both.
Written Oct. 7 last year by the deputy minister of national defence, Richard Fadden, the memo shows that three of those four programs also face "major challenges" of a technical nature, as well as difficulties lining up skilled manpower to get the ships built at all.
The memo, released to the CBC following an Access to Information request, leaves little doubt that Canada's crippled supply ship, HMCS Protecteur, won't be replaced before the year 2020.
The spectacle of the 46-year-old Protecteur, Canada's only supply ship in the Pacific, being towed into Honolulu after an engine-room fire has thrown the lack of a replacement into sharp focus. Although there's a plan to build two new supply ships, there's no sign the work will even begin until late 2016. That means a new one won't enter service until the end of the decade.
A chart summarizing the state of the shipbuilding effort uses green and yellow squares to indicate where those problems are — the green meaning, on track, and yellow meaning, trouble — and there's a lot of yellow.
For the Joint Support Ships — that's the pair of supply ships — the chart shows trouble with both the schedule and the price. The memo explains that this means the program is up to 20 per cent behind schedule and up to 10 per cent over budget.
As I've said many times before, the Canadian government is managing to get the least possible bang for the buck on shipbuilding because they view the shipbuilding program as a regional economic development scheme (and a way of funneling money to marginal constituencies) rather than as an essential part of keeping the RCN properly equipped. It's pretty obvious in this case:
Take the supply ships. "Yellow" suggests they're over budget, but doesn't indicate what the budget should be. But comparisons with Canada's allies could raise eyebrows even further.
Britain, for example, opted to build its four new naval supply ships much more cheaply, at the Daewoo shipyard in South Korea. The contract is for roughly $1.1 billion Cdn. That's for all four. By contrast, Canada plans to build just two ships, in Vancouver, for $1.3 billion each. So Canada's ships will be roughly five times more costly than the British ones.
But there's a twist. Canada's supply ships will also carry less fuel and other supplies, because they'll be smaller — about 20,000 tonnes. The U.K. ships are nearly twice as big — 37,000 tonnes. Canadians will lay out a lot more cash for a lot less ship.
January 26, 2014
Monty on "real" poor people
At Ace of Spades HQ, Monty returns from a mundane-world-induced hiatus:
Articles like this make me wonder if the bien pensant journalist-and-pundit class knows any actual poor people. I was born poor, grew up poor, and spent a good chunk of my 20's poor. Not genteel poor, either — I mean hard, stony-bottom, empty-pocket poor. I come from poor people.
Poor people don't think about money in the same way that more well-off people do. When you're poor, money — and the lack thereof — informs your every moment, waking and sleeping. You know exactly, at any given moment, how much money you have, down to the penny. How much in the bank, how much in your jeans, how much in the coffee can on the counter at home. Every purchase is a choice — if I buy this six-pack now, that means hot dogs instead of hamburger for dinner tomorrow; if I pay my cable bill, that means that instead of dinner and a movie my best girl and I get to spend a night at home watching the TV. You triage your bills — rent comes first, then heat. Then … you decide: cable or cellphone? Who can you put off the longest? How long can you float things?
You start with the credit cards because you figure you have the right to treat yourself once in a while. If you have to sit at home instead of going out, what's wrong with having a nice flat-screen TV to watch? And then the car went south, and that blew a $500 dollar hole in your budget, so you had put your groceries and gas on the credit card that week just to make ends meet. The kids needed new clothes and shoes and supplies for school. You've got to pay the minimums on the card just to keep things going, and the balance just creeps higher and higher until you're butting up against the limit. Then you get another card, and maybe the old lady gets one too. And pretty soon … well. You wake up at night in a cold sweat because you know that bankruptcy and ruin are only a breath away. It's not just a question of if you lose your job or get sick and can't work; it's a question of losing the overtime hours you've become accustomed to, or if the wife goes back to part-time instead of full time. You realize you're barely treading water as it is; it would only take a small wave to drown you.
Not being able to afford the small luxuries isn't poverty. Poverty is being constantly worried that you can't afford the necessities of life. Waking up in a cold sweat because you're not sure you can make the rent payment … again. It's a constant nagging worry that saps your energy and keeps your stomach churning.
January 14, 2014
2014 Economic Freedom Rankings
The Heritage Foundation has posted their 2014 economic freedom rankings. Here's a slideshow of the top ten countries by Heritage's ranking formula:
The United States missed the top ten, coming in at #12. Canada ranked number six:
Canada's economic freedom score is 80.2, making its economy the 6th freest in the 2014 Index. Its overall score is 0.8 point better than last year, reflecting improvements in investment freedom, the management of government spending, and monetary freedom. Canada continues to be the freest economy in the North America region.
Over the 20-year history of the Index, Canada has advanced its economic freedom score by 10.7 points, the third biggest improvement among developed economies. Substantial score increases in seven of the 10 economic freedoms, including investment freedom, fiscal freedom, and the management of public spending, have enabled Canada to elevate its economic freedom status from "moderately free" 20 years ago to "free" today.
A transparent and stable business climate makes Canada one of the world's most attractive investment destinations. Openness to global trade and commerce is firmly institutionalized, and the economy has rebounded relatively quickly from the global recession. The financial system has remained stable, and prudent regulations have allowed banks to withstand the global financial turmoil with little disruption.


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Diné College
|This article appears to be written like an advertisement. (July 2014)
|Diné College
|The Higher Education Institution of the Navajo
|Tribal College
|Maggie George, Ph.D.
|PO Box 126 Tsaile, 86556 Arizona, USA
Diné College is a two-year, tribally controlled community college, serving the Navajo Nation, an area of 27,000 square-miles (about 70,000 km²) . Current enrollment is 1,830 students, of which 210 are degree-seeking transfer students for four-year institutions. Scholarships are available through the American Indian College Fund (AICF). Due to the low student-faculty ratio personalized instruction is guaranteed to each student.[1]
The main campus of Diné College is in Tsaile, Arizona, an unincorporated community in Apache County, Arizona. There are also seven branches of Diné College on the reservation in Arizona (three in Apache County (Chinle, Ganado, and Window Rock), one in Coconino County (Tuba City), and one in Navajo County (Kayenta) and New Mexico (one in McKinley County (Crownpoint) and one in San Juan County (Shiprock)).
The college is directed by an eight-member Board of Regents confirmed by the Government Services Committee of the Navajo Nation Council. The name Diné comes from the traditional name for the Navajo, meaning "the people."
The main Tsaile campus includes eight fifteen-room dormitories housing about 150 students: each octagonally shaped unit has a fireplace in the center, and is described by the college as a "hooghan away from hogan"--a reference to the traditional Navajo hogan dwelling.
Mission & Vision[edit]
The mission of DC is:
- to provide post secondary educational opportunities to a rapidly growing Navajo population.
- to offer associate's degree and certificate programs in fields important to the economic and social development of the Navajo Nation. [2]
Diné College opened in 1968 as the "Navajo Community College", the first college established by Native Americans for Native Americans. The College was chartered by the Navajo Nation in 1968. The college was originally housed at the Rough Rock Community School in Rough Rock, Arizona while the Tsalie campus was under construction.
Ned Hatathli was chosen as the first president of Navajo Community College in 1969 when the Tsaile campus opened for classes, however, his presidency ended tragically when he accidentally shot himself while cleaning his rifle on October 16, 1972.
Tommy Lewis became president in August 1992 and funding from the BIA was about $4 million per year. Under his leadership, funding from the BIA increased to almost $7.3 million by the year 2000. The Navajo Language and Culture Curriculum became widely popular at the Tsaile campus after the program saw increases in class enrollment, thus allowing the Board of Regents to implement the program throughout the institution. Under the 1994 Equity in Education Act, Diné College became a Land Grant Institution allowing the institution to receive funding from the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890.
During the Summer of 1997, the Administration changed the name of the college from Navajo Community College to Diné College in order to better to represent the school's function as an institution of learning for the Diné/Navajo people.
In 1998, Diné College bestowed its first baccalaureate degrees under the Diné Teacher Education Program, accredited through a partnership with Arizona State University.[3]
In 1998, the Diné College Library was rededicated as the "Kinyaa'áanii Charlie Benally Memorial Library".
On May 21, 2011, the women's archery team made history by winning the United States college national championship in compound bow.[4] This is believed to be the first time a tribal college team has won a top-tier intercollegiate national championship event in any sport.
- The Center for Diné Studies goal is to apply Navajo Są́'ąh Naagháí Bik'eh Hózhóón principles to advance quality student learning through Nitsáhákees (Thinking), Nahat'á (Planning), Iiná (Living) and Siihasin (Assurance) in study of the Navajo language, history, and culture in preparation for further studies and employment in a multi-cultural and technological world.
- The Uranium Education Program at the Shiprock campus is empowerment program for the Navajo centering on the study of radiation and environmental health issues arising from the aftermath of uranium mining/milling operations on the Navajo Nation, as well as other serious environmental issues.
Diné College offers a bachelor's degree program in elementary education.[5]
Degree programs[edit]
- (AA) Associate of Art:
- Business Administration
- Computer Information Systems
- Diné Studies
- Early Childhood Education
- Elementary Education
- Fine Arts
- Liberal Arts
- Navajo Language
- Social & Behavioral Science
- Social Work
- (AS) Associate of Science:
- Computer Science
- Environmental Sciences
- Biology Option
- General Science Option
- Health Occupation Option
- Mathematics Option
- Physics Option
- Public Health
- Public Health Ed Socio-Cultural Option
- Public Health Envir Public Health Option
- (AAS) Associate of Applied Science:
- Business Management
- Computer Science
- Office Administration
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
Coordinates: 36°19′13″N 109°13′51″W / 36.32038°N 109.23088°W
- Community colleges in Arizona
- Universities and colleges in New Mexico
- Education on the Navajo Nation
- American Indian Higher Education Consortium
- Education in San Juan County, New Mexico
- Educational institutions established in 1968
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- Buildings and structures in Apache County, Arizona
- Buildings and structures in Navajo County, Arizona
- Buildings and structures in Coconino County, Arizona
- Education in Apache County, Arizona
- Education in Navajo County, Arizona
- Education in Coconino County, Arizona
- USCAA member institutions
- 1968 establishments in Arizona
- Community colleges in New Mexico


text:
Emmy award winning Anchor /Reporter for KNWA. Author of Look Again...Because You Can. ***Any RT by Neile Jones does not endorse or confirm reports.
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Nominations are now closed and will open in early 2015. See below for a list of last year's categories.
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text: 4.5 Excellent Sat Nav. Tom Tom 720 Traffic mannip | 13/02/2008 | See all mannip's reviews (1) Excellent Buy, Super Fast Delivery By Play.com.This Was a second time buy for me on sat nav,having bought the medion go pal. which although basic, did the job. But the 720 blows it out of the water. cant wait to try it out in Europe.


text:
Demeke Alemu spends his days negotiating his clapped-out yellow taxi through the traffic fumes of Addis Ababa. It used to be a good job with a steady income. Now Alemu works 16-hour days and is struggling to put food on the table for his three young children.
"For the first time since I had children I can't afford to feed them," he says. "Basic staples have gone up nearly 200% in the past six weeks. I am now giving the owner of my cab half my income in rent and the other half isn't even enough to feed my family twice a day. My neighbours are even worse. Their children are having to eat in shifts, one day they eat, the next they go hungry."
Alemu has found himself on the frontline of the food crisis that is sweeping through east Africa. While Ethiopia is no stranger to hunger, this year rising food prices, failed rains and a growing population are dovetailing to create the worst food shortages here for at least six years.
Poor harvests
In June, the Ethiopian government said 4.6 million people in drought-affected parts of the country required £162.5m of assistance. Aid workers and donor agencies privately put the figure at much more. In July the UK government committed £20m to the drought-stricken country, double the amount already pledged the previous month.
From the streets of Addis Ababa, it's a nine-hour drive to the south-east highlands of West Badawacho. Here, evidence of severe malnutrition can be found in practically every village in the district. Poor harvests in 2007 and the failure of the annual March-May rains mean that subsistence farmers are struggling to cope with an almost total crop failure across the region.
At a stabilisation clinic run by non-governmental organisation (NGO) Save the Children UK near the town of Shone, dozens of severely malnourished children are being treated for hunger-related-conditions, including oedema and serious respiratory problems.
Since the clinic opened two months ago, doctors have managed to save the lives of more than 900, but farmers in the villages paint a bleak picture of the months ahead.
"We haven't seen anything like this since the last [1984] great hunger," says a 60-year-old farmer from West Badawacho. "Many children have died here already. All our livestock are dead because the rains didn't come. The crops we have planted now won't see us through to the next rains. We have sold everything we have, I have nothing to buy food with."
In July, the UN identified new hunger "hot spots" in Afar, Amhara, Tigray and the Somali region. Government cereal rations provided through the UN's World Food Programme , were the same month cut from 15kg to 10kg (33lbs to 22lbs) per person per month because of lack of aid. A spokesman for the WFP in Rome says: "We have been facing a shortage of necessary food supplies to meet the needs in Ethiopia of around 170,000 tonnes, a value of US$139m. In view of the limit of resources we have agreed with the Ethiopian government to reduce the monthly ration by a third and to prioritise deliveries to those most in need."
In response to drought, the Ethiopian government has set up a five-year development programme - Plan for accelerated and sustained development to end poverty - and now invests 6.6% of its gross domestic product in agriculture - the highest of all African countries and well above the African Union guideline - although the current problems remain huge."
The WHP warns: "We are particularly concerned about the next three months." And Heywood Hadfield, emergencies programme coordinator at HelpAge International, a UK NGO, says: "Many pastoral communities are on a knife edge. If the food shortages continue to escalate, we've got a disaster of huge proportions just over the horizon."


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Aliens: Infestation trailer is short but so very sweet
SEGA has released a trailer for Aliens: Infestation, showing off some of the lovely gameplay that got me so excited at PAX. Developed by WayForward, the game takes elements from Metroid and Contra, then adds Xenomorphs for a delicious recipe of death.
The trailer's awesome, the game is fun, and I am not even kidding when I say this is on my list of potential "game of the year" contenders. WayForward will deliver!
Review: Aliens: Infestation
2:00 PM on 10.12.2011
Time for another Aliens: Infestation trailer you BITCH!
9:20 AM on 10.04.2011
Bishop's knife trick is an Aliens: Infestation minigame
8:00 AM on 09.27.2011
How Aliens: Infestation aims to make 2D pixels scare you
11:45 AM on 09.23.2011
Have another sexy Aliens: Infestation trailer!
12:00 PM on 09.19.2011
Aliens Infestation is an Aliens game BASED ON ALIENS!
10:15 AM on 09.09.2011
Aliens: Infestation is Metroid with Xenomorphs OH GOD!
11:00 AM on 08.30.2011
Aliens: Infestation release dates announced
5:45 PM on 08.29.2011
Sega finally announces WayForward's Aliens: Infestation
11:15 AM on 07.20.2011
Aliens: Infestation Updates, Screenshots, & Videos
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text:
Why Ennis (EBF) Stock Closed Lower Today
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Ennis Inc. (EBF) closed lower -1.15% to $15.41 after the company, which is primarily engaged in the production and sale of business forms, apparel, and other business products, reported a decline in net income for the 2014 first quarter to $8 million, or 31 cents per share, compared to $8.5 million, or 33 cents per share from the year ago period.
However, Ennis did report an increase in revenue for the most recent quarter to $141.2 million, from $138.5 million for the 2013 first quarter.
Must Read: Warren Buffett's 25 Favorite Stocks
"We rate ENNIS INC (EBF) a HOLD. The primary factors that have impacted our rating are mixed some indicating strength, some showing weaknesses, with little evidence to justify the expectation of either a positive or negative performance for this stock relative to most other stocks. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and reasonable valuation levels. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity and weak operating cash flow."
Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows:
Separately, TheStreet Ratings team rates ENNIS INC as a Hold with a ratings score of C+. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:
- EBF's revenue growth has slightly outpaced the industry average of 3.9%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 6.9%. This growth in revenue does not appear to have trickled down to the company's bottom line, displayed by a decline in earnings per share.
- EBF's debt-to-equity ratio is very low at 0.29 and is currently below that of the industry average, implying that there has been very successful management of debt levels. To add to this, EBF has a quick ratio of 1.65, which demonstrates the ability of the company to cover short-term liquidity needs.
- The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has significantly underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Commercial Services & Supplies industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 304.5% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $7.07 million to -$14.47 million.
- The company's current return on equity has slightly decreased from the same quarter one year prior. This implies a minor weakness in the organization. Compared to other companies in the Commercial Services & Supplies industry and the overall market, ENNIS INC's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: EBF Ratings Report
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text:
What does LRK mean in Funnies?
This page is about the meanings of the acronym/abbreviation/shorthand LRK in the Miscellaneous field in general and in the Funnies terminology in particular.
Lost Rabid Kangaroos
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softmatter:Phase Diagram
From NSDL Materials Digital Library Wiki
Structural phase diagrams are widely constructed as a means to summarize a wide range of structural behaviors. The simplest example of a structural phase diagram is for hard spheres, where structural behavior is a function of volume fraction only. Typically structural phase diagrams are plotted as a function of two dimensions. For example, in the study of Block Copolymer melts, structure is usually plotted as a function of temperature (or the Flory-Huggins Chi Parameter) and block fraction. Surfactant structural behavior is often plotted as a function of temperature and volume fraction (concentration).
- [1] Matsen MW, Bates FS, Unifying weak- and strong-segregation block copolymer theories, MACROMOLECULES 29 (4): 1091-1098 FEB 12 1996