text:
S. 1358: Parental Bereavement Act of 2011
This bill, which will add bereavement for a child as a protected leave under the Family Medical Leave Act, is now co-sponsored by Senators Daniel Akaka [D-HI], Mark Begich [D-AK], Sherrod Brown [D-OH], Richard Durbin [D-IL], and Claire McCaskill [D-MO] and remains in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee. Track the progress of S. 1358 through govtrack.us.
California Assembly Bill 325
On October 9, 2011 Governor Brown vetoed AB 325 which would have provided up to three days of job-protected bereavement leave to employees for the death of an immediate family member. Governor Brown issued a veto statement.
This post was written by Cara Panebianco, Esq.
]]>A Statement of Information is a simple form (and usually, after filing the first one, you can e-file) that lists the company's managers, agent for service of process and general type of business. It's a quick form to fill out and it makes some very general information available to the public.
Every corporation (including foreign ones) must file a Statement of Information with the California Secretary of State, within 90 days after filing of the initial Articles of Incorporation, and annually thereafter during the applicable filing period. The applicable filing period for a corporation is the calendar month during which the initial Articles of Incorporation were filed and the immediately preceding five calendar months (this means if you incorporation in July of a given year, you have to file your Statement of Information from February to July of the following year). A corporation is required to file this statement even though it may not be actively engaged in business at the time this statement is due.
The only difference in the rules above for Limited Liability Companies (LLC's) is that you have to file a statement of incorporation bi-annually.
A quick note on foreign corporations: starting January 1, 2012, the same rules will apply. However, if you file your initial Statement and Designation by Foreign Corporation prior to the end of this year, you do not have to file your Statement of Information within the 90 day window and can do it in the month you filed your initial statement (and the 5 months prior) in 2012.
All the information you need (including the appropriate forms) can be found on the Secretary of State site.
Congressional Bill S. 1358
In the federal arena bereavement leave is focusing on the leave for a parent when a child dies with S. 1358,the Farley-Kluger Amendment to the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993. S. 1358 seeks to amend the FMLA to include bereavement for the death of a son or daughter as a protected leave. If passed, an eligible employee would be entitled to a total of 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period due to the death of a child. This is the same amount of leave provided for the birth or adoption of a child, the serious health condition of the employee or immediate family member, and for military exigency. It does not provide additional time off for bereavement, so if the employee had taken FMLA leave prior to the death of the child, for instance if the child had been ill prior to death, there would be less than the full 12 weeks. S. 1358 does not provide leave for the death of a spouse, sibling, grandparent, grandchild or domestic partner. This bill was introduced by Senator Tester in July, does not have a co-sponsor and has been referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Assembly Bill No. 325
In the State of California, Assembly Member Lowenthal introduced Assembly Bill No. 325 seeking to add Section 230.5 to the California Labor Code to add the right of employees to "inquire about, request, and take time off for bereavement leave." The bill would prohibit employers from discriminating against an employee who asks about, requests, or takes bereavement leave for the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild or domestic partner. In its current form, the bill provides 3 days of unpaid leave within 3 months of the date of death of the qualifying family member. The bill requires that the employee has worked for the employer for at least 60 days prior to the commencement of leave. The bill would apply to all employers in California, unless there is a valid collective bargaining agreement or memorandum of understanding in place. The bill has been amended multiple times and was last amended on August 16, 2011.
Comparison and Overlap
While the federal bill provides for a large amount of time, it only applies when a child dies and the parent has worked at a relatively large employer for approximately a year. On the other hand, the California bill provides only 4 days, but applies to all employees who have worked for an employer at least two months and covers more family members. The leave in both bills is unpaid unless there is vacation time or paid time off that the employee chooses to use.
If both bills are enacted, there will be slight issues of overlap for California employees covered by the FMLA.
For questions about the existing protected classes as defined by the FMLA, contact us.
This post was written by Cara Panebianco, Esq
]]>1. Party Names/Contract Date. In business agreements, you want to make sure you're entering into a contract with the business not an individual.
2. Services. You want to, as clearly as possible, state what the contract is actually about.
3. Intellectual Property. This is usually bulky and full of long legal lists – it's also very important: you can generally fix almost any issue, but an improper or accidental grant of rights you didn't want to grant can be a huge problem (and one you can't always fix).
4. Payment. How much? When is it due? What happens if a party fails to pay?
5. Limitations of Warranty/Liability/Indemnity. Ok, so this is three sections in one, but they are all related. They tend to be long and verbose but these days there are almost always limitations and they definitely have practical implications.
6. Confidentiality. Not only does this section relate to the intellectual property one, but you want to clearly understand what the confidentiality rules are with respect to you and your employees and consultants.
7. Term and Termination. Frequently, this is unclear or getting out of an agreement is much harder than you think it will be. Unfortunately, this lesson is learned when you try to get out of an agreement.
8. Governing Law. You don't want to accidentally agree that Alabama law will apply to your California contract.
9. Conflict Resolution. Arbitration? Litigation? Binding mediation?
10. Signature Block. Does the person signing have authority? Are they or you signing on behalf of the company?
This post written by Katia Bloom, Esq.
]]>This proposed ordinance would expand the prohibition that already applies to hiring for City of San Francisco jobs and housing provided by the San Francisco Housing Authority.
The ordinance would make it illegal to ask anyone about their criminal past on an initial job or housing application. However, sex offenders and perpetrators of some violent crimes would not be covered.
The next step in the process is approval by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. It in the midst of public forums on the proposal. The public forum focusing on the housing aspect of the ordinance occurred July 14, 2011, and the forum related to the employment aspect is set for 4:00 pm at City Hall on July 25, 2011. Now is an ideal time to comment on the proposed ordinance and how it would affect you as an tenant, landlord, employer or employee in San Francisco.
More information and the document released by the Human Rights Commission can be found here.
For questions about the existing protected classes as defined by San Francisco law, contact us.
This post was written by Cara Panebianco, Esq.
]]>The California Labor Code (Labor Code) has specific requirements as to when and how employees must be paid their wages upon termination or resignation. The Labor Code also has penalties for failing to follow these requirements.
A Day Late
Discharged Employees
When an employee is discharged all earned wages are due immediately. This includes employees hired for a specific period who have worked through the end of the period. These employees must be paid at the place of discharge or by employee-authorized direct deposit.
Resigning Employees
When an employee resigns after providing at least 72 hours (3 days) notice, all earned wages are due at the end of the last day of employment. If an employee quits without providing 72 hours notice, all earned wages are due on her (or his) last day. Employee should be paid at the office of the employer in the county where she (or he) performed work, or by employee-authorized direct deposit. If the employee requests to receive the final payment by mail, and provides a mailing address, this is allowed. The date the check is mailed is considered the date of final payment.
If an employee elects to receive the final check by mail, the employer will be responsible for proving the employee chose to receive it by mail and actually received it. Because of this, employees should not be surprised if the employer has employee complete a form in order to be paid by mail and then sends the check by certified or registered mail or another carrier.
Commissions and Bonuses
Sometimes wages are earned but not calculable on the last day of employment, such as performance bonuses or commissions, in this case, the employer must pay them as soon as calculable.
A Dollar Short
If an employer fails to follow the rules on final pay, the Labor Code makes the employer liable for a penalty equivalent to the employee's daily wage for every day final pay is late up to 30 days.
This means that if a final check fails to pay any part of all normal wages, all overtime pay, all accrued vacation or paid-time-off, all calculable commissions or all calculable bonuses, then for every day any portion is not paid, the employer will be liable to the employee for a day's wages.
In the Real World
A perfect storm for these rules is when employees are misclassified as overtime exempt, but after termination the employee discovers the misclassification. In such a case, the employee is not only owed overtime for any overtime worked in the past three years, but also waiting time penalties for up to a month. These costs can add up quickly, and if an employee elects to pursue a claim in civil court, the costs are increased by the employer's liability for attorney's fees.
An example of how much this can cost is Sue an administrative assistant that makes $80,000 per year and works for XCo, Inc. When XCo, Inc. hired Sue it assumed that she met the administrative exemption under California law and as such was not owed overtime, so she was paid a salary of $80,000. Sue worked 10 hours a day, five days a week. Sue worked for XCo, Inc. for six months before she was laid-off in restructuring. On her last day of work August 1, she was paid her salary for the pay-period and cashed out the three days of vacation pay she had accrued. Sue was upset that restructuring had taken place so close to when she was hired, so she contacted an attorney. The attorney asked Sue about her position and concluded Sue should have been paid overtime for all time worked over eight hours in a day (two hours a day, five days a week for 24 weeks). Sue was owed $15,000 in unpaid overtime. In addition, XCo, Inc. owed Sue a day's pay for every day she was not paid the $15,000. Given that it took Sue some time to speak with an attorney and then additional time for the attorney to send a demand letter plus time for XCo, Inc. to consult with an attorney about the demand, by the time XCo, Inc. realized their mistake and paid Sue it was October 1. As a result, in addition to the $15,000 XCo, Inc. owed Sue for overtime, it also owed her $9166.67 for 30 days of wages in late penalties. In all, XCo, Inc. owed Sue over $24,000 for only six months of work. Now imagine if Sue was one of 10 misclassified administrative assistants who all worked 10 hour days at XCo, Inc. and most of the administrative assistants had worked at XCo, Inc. for at least three years. The cost of compensating all 10 administrative assistants plus attorney's fees would add up quickly.
This example shows how misclassification of employees as overtime exempt plus the waiting time penalties that apply can add up to significant numbers.
Contact us for answers to your questions about overtime exemption and waiting time penalties.
This post was written by Cara Panebianco, Esq.
One of the most common explanations I hear is that the other party is a friend, trusted business person the owner has worked with before or just a "really nice guy." The reality is that, in many cases, the owner is right and things will flow smoothly. The problem is that it only takes one misunderstanding to cause financial, time and emotional stress.
It is important to note that oral contracts can, sometimes, be enforceable. There are law firms specializing in just oral contracts. Also, if there has been an email exchange of some sort, even without the word "contract," it is possible that indeed a contract exists. Performance in it of itself can create a contract. However, these situations can be gray with room for debate and potential for a "who said what" situation which equals headaches and expenses.
In the most primitive way, a written contract assures that both parties are on the same page. I often ay that even with the most trusted friend, why risk having a fight because one of you thought you were going to deliver a product in a month and the other thought it was in six months? My experience is that people are generally nice and want to do the right thing. However, the reality is that a large bulk of litigation is based on misunderstandings with each side being convinced they heard and understood the agreement in the right way. On an interesting note, a lot of contract disputes are among family members and close friends.
Additionally, a written contract gives the parties a framework for determining and negotiating potential future pitfalls. Just as an example, while it is not always the most pleasant conversation, it is much more pleasant to talk about arbitration versus mediation before a dispute arises.
I have also found that getting a written agreement has as instant psychological effect: a written contract makes both parties more serious about their actions. At times, one party's desire to have something in writing may scare off the other party. However, I always find that this is a great barometer of whether you want to be doing business with this person (even if it is your best friend).
I do recommend getting lawyers involved – but the right lawyer. A good attorney can help you navigate through some of the more complex parts of an agreement (I have yet to meet a non-lawyer who enjoys reading indemnity and warranty provisions). More importantly, you need to find a lawyer that is a deal-maker and not a deal-breaker. Fundamentally, lawyers as a profession are risk averse. I have met numerous people who regretted getting a lawyer involved because the agreement was basically done and when the lawyers came in it fell apart. This absolutely happens. That is why you need an attorney who will clearly understand and prioritize what is a nice to have, need to have and must have in every agreement they prepare.
This post written by Katia Bloom, Esq.
]]>This year there have been at least four publicized incidents where the NLRB has gotten involved when an employee faced termination or other disciplinary action for social media posts, specifically Facebook and Twitter.
While the employers have been located throughout the country and in variety of industries (BMW Dealership, Social Services Non-Profit, Publishing, and Medical Emergency Response), the common thread is that the employees have used Facebook or Twitter to criticize the terms and conditions of employment and arguably to connect to other employees in making these criticisms. For example, the NLRB's stance is that a Chicago-area car salesman's posting of comments and pictures critical of his employer's use of Sam's Club bottled water and hotdogs to celebrate the release of a new BMW related to the terms and conditions of employment. The case will be heard by an administrative law judge in July.
So can employees post criticisms and negative comments about employers without concern? No, but employees can post comments about their employer when those comments regard the terms and conditions of the employment.
Employees should continue to use discretion and best judgment when posting something on a social media site such as Facebook or Twitter. The NLRB has issued a Memoranda stating that employees may be "terminated for posting inappropriate and unprofessional tweets, after having been warned not to do so" with the key being that the postings were not criticisms of the terms and conditions of employment.
However, employers would be advised to review their social media policies, train their managers and supervisors accordingly, and think twice before taking action against an employee for a social media communication.
This post was written by Cara Panebianco, Esq.
If time is of the essence, consider either driving to Sacramento or Los Angeles to submit the documents in person or hire someone to do it for you. It may be more expensive and/or time consuming for you, but well worth it if you want to incorporate sooner rather than having to wait an additional two months.
This post written by Katia Bloom, Esq.
The app has received some coverage in both the employment law sphere and the wider sphere of general news with an AP article and some others as a result of the DOL press release.
How is it Significant?
According to the press release, "the new technology is significant because, instead of relying on their employers' records, workers now can keep their own records. This information could prove invaluable during a Wage and Hour Division investigation when an employer has failed to maintain accurate employment records."
While the ability to track time from a phone and then calculate pay is nice, it is not revolutionary. Employees have always had the resource to track their own hours, either by entering the information into the calendar function of their phone or just writing it down on a paper calendar. Additionally, there are apps that individuals can purchase or companies can purchase for employees to track time. How the DOL app is actually different is that it allows the user to locate DOL offices and contact the DOL directly using the app.
Why was it Developed?
This app is not meant to, and it should not be used to, substitute for the records an employer keeps to track employee time. Instead, the app is part of the DOL's larger efforts to increase enforcement of wage and hour provisions of the Federal Labor Standards Act, especially unpaid overtime.
The DOL's purpose behind this app is to encourage employees to maintain their own records of time worked so that in the instance of a dispute there is a time record. While employers most often have a time clock system, sometimes these systems are altered without employee consent or the records are not maintained for the required amount of time. Another instance in which time records are either missing or inaccurate is misclassification of an employee as overtime-exempt. In a case where the employer believed an employee is exempt, the employer may not even create time records or fail to maintain them.
The release of this app aligns with other recent actions by the DOL such as the hiring of 300 additional investigators in the Wage & Hour division.
How does it Work in California?
The first thing to remember about this app is that it is based on Federal wage and hour law, not California law. The app is set to calculate breaks as 15 minute breaks, instead of the California required 10, and to calcuate overtime at 1.5 times the normal rate of pay, instead of either 1.5 or 2 times depending on the situation as per California, use of the application will inevitably result in miscalculation of wages owed for work performed here.
The California Labor Commissioner can still consider the record of time worked an employee keeps using this app, or any other method, but the total owed as calculated by the app will be incorrect.
Are there Additional Implications?
The release of this app could increase the attention of employees and/or employers as to the importance of accurate time records and preserving these records. If employers become concerned that employees are maintaining their own separate time records and demand to see either the app or other method of maintaining the record, it may implicate issues of privacy or retaliation, depending on how it is handled. Even more complicated is what will happen when an employee installs this app on an employer-owned device.
So What?
Wage and hour issues are complicated on their own. While this app has the potential to simply certain instances, it may also raise entirely new ones related to technology in the workplace. For answers to questions about your specific situation, contact us.
This post was written by Cara Panebianco, Esq.


text:
Extramural Research
Nanotechnology for Water Purification and Waste Treatment
Research Project Search
Nanotechnology — the science and art of manipulating matter at the atomic and molecular level — has the potential to substantially enhance environmental quality and sustainability through pollution prevention, treatment, and remediation. Nanotechnology could also lead to new environmental problems. It is largely unknown how nanostructured materials and other related nanotechnologies might affect human health and interact with the environment. The eventual proliferation and use of nanotechnology may cause unintended consequences such as the creation of new classes of toxins or related environmental hazards.
In this lecture, the environmental applications and implications of nanotechnology are assessed with emphasis on recent research and development of new nanotechnologies for hazardous waste treatment and site remediation.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
[The following was provided by UMKC Office of Public Relations.]
UMKC has hired Helix Architecture + Design, Integra Realty Resources and HGA Architects and Engineers to complete a feasibility study for a downtown UMKC arts campus. The firms will develop a preliminary program and cost estimate for the project, look at potential downtown properties, develop site and concept plans and gather feedback from UMKC and the community over the next several months.
After considering several architectural firms, UMKC chose Helix Architecture + Design and HGA because of their design leadership and national expertise in visual and performing arts facilities for colleges and universities, including a proposed rehearsal and education wing for the Lied Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Kansas, the renovation of historic Kansas City landmarks such as the Midland Theatre and AMC's Mainstreet Theatre and the modernization of the Richard Bolling Federal Building, a national award-winning project located in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
One of the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce's "Big 5" ideas, the UMKC arts campus idea would relocate the Conservatory of Music and Dance, and potentially other arts programs such as the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, KCUR 89.3 FM and UMKC Theatre program to a new downtown location, reinforcing the university's missions to advance urban engagement and excel in the visual and performing arts.
With the recent grand openings of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and the Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity, civic and university leaders agree that a UMKC arts campus would enrich a growing arts district. In line with the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation's 2005 "Time to Get It Right" report – which said the arts are essential to attracting the young, talented professionals Kansas City needs to flourish – the UMKC arts campus could bring as many as 1,000 students, faculty and staff downtown each week.
Concurrent with the feasibility study, the university will be conducting an independent economic impact study to investigate how a UMKC arts campus could complement investments in other arts facilities and help small businesses emerge. With the help of Wellington "Duke" Reiter, former president of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and dean of the College of Design at Arizona State University, UMKC also will examine how a downtown arts campus could affect academic, campus and social life at Kansas City's downtown/Crossroads areas and UMKC's Volker and Hospital Hill campuses.
If the feasibility study proves the UMKC arts campus to be a worthwhile investment, funding will rely almost exclusively on local revenue streams.


text:
My Profile
Kankakee, Illinois
Member since Oct 2008
Flag This ProfileFlag as Inappropriate
Reviewed Oven-Roasted Turkey
Apr 10, 2013 in Food Network Community Toolbox on FoodNetwork.com
"This recipe is awesome! I also injected my 12lb turkey with a mixture (1/4 cup of Italian salad dressing (strained and 3/4 cup melted butter then rubbed it with the rub in this recipe. I cooked mine in my Nesco electric roaster preheated to 400 degrees for 25 minutes, turned it down to 200 degress and cooked it all night. I put my turkey on at 1""


text:
A number of shippers of Mexican grapes also offer reusable plastic containers.
That includes Stevco, where Lane said RPCs can be cheaper than regular containers, and damage is minimal. However, because RPCs weigh more than traditional containers, freight costs can go up.
Logistics always is an issue in Mexico, Lane said, so keeping track of RPCs can be a challenge. However, demand for the containers continues to rise because many buyers see them as an environmentally friendly container that reduces waste.
Fresh Farms ships in RPCs for certain clients without major inconvenience, Havel said.
"It's just a logistical thing," he said, "that means getting the orders in advance and making sure we have the right materials."
Use of RPCs is customer-driven at Pacific Trellis, Winkelmann said.
The company has "interest in and capacity for doing them," he said, but because of the added cost, the company uses them only for confirmed retail programs.
"When you get into a new type of packaging for specific customers, you add another set of material requirements to your inventory management," he said, adding, "RPCs are just another item in the mix that you have to manage."
RPCs can be more costly than traditional containers, he said, but they're generally worth it.


text:
San Diego - Officers from the Chula Vista, National City, Coronado, Southwestern College, San Diego Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff's and Probation Offices will be conducting a "Zero Tolerance" DUI Sobriety Checkpoint on Friday, July 15Th, 2011 in City of San Diego.
This sobriety checkpoint is the seventh in a series of multi-agency DUI enforcement operations aimed at increasing public awareness and decreasing the number of drivers who drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This checkpoint is part of a Repeat DUI Offender Prosecution and Awareness grant targeting impaired drivers.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Police Public Information Office
Back To Top


text:
Family Outreach Center for Understanding Special Needs
Our Mission Statement:
We vow to provide quality support to individuals and families by respecting their values and sharing their hopes.
- Family Centered – We believe families have the right to professional expertise from staff to support them in identifying and obtaining services. We believe families have the right to prompt and effective communication. We believe families have the right to be supported in their diverse racial, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic values. We believe families have the right to comprehensive and coordinated quality services.
- Respectful Partnerships – We believe respectful partnerships means honoring the opinions, feelings, thoughts and actions of others. We believe respectful partnerships mandate the acceptance of others with civility, politeness and timeliness. We believe respectful partnerships require the thoughtful recognition of other's positions to meet the needs of families, the agency and the community. We believe that respectful partnerships are most effective when members have trust, support and shared responsibilities. We believe respectful partnerships are manifested through open, reciprocal communication, working together towards common goals and sharing knowledge between families, staff and the community.
- Compassion – We believe that compassion means support for self and others through thoughtful, kind and caring actions. We believe compassion is reflected through the heartfelt understanding of others.
Each and every action or decision we take should reflect our values, whether for a person we support or for an employee.
As an agency we provide support to people with disabilities. We provide support to their families and we believe we deliver a chance for a higher quality of life. As you look at this site you will see our different services, maybe see our blog and the articles we find interesting, we also have our staff page which helps prospective employees find out what makes us special. Focus has over 30 years of experience providing services to families in Alaska. And we pride ourselves on being the most innovative, compassionate, and family centered program in the country. Please look at our After School Program, our Summer Program, the collaborations with the community and the future ideas we have in store.
Focus is an agency that is based on serving the needs of families, and that constantly changes. And we change with those needs. Our agency is known for being on the front line of great programs, and our staff know they are expected to add to our innovation on a daily basis.


text:
Anyone attempting to dominate the galaxy (or save it from oppression) in the Pinellas County FL area? If so, check out the Facebook group in my sig! It's a grass-roots group that I want to grow.
Pinellas County FL Players?
Started by
, Dec 21 2012 01:22 AM
No replies to this topic


text:
Federal Foreign Office photo collections
- Choose category
- 22.01.2015 Foreign Minister Steinmeier visits Maghreb countries On Thursday morning the German Foreign Minister set off to visit Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. First of all, Steinmeier is holding political talks in Marrakech.
- 11.01.2015 #NousSommesCharlie: solidarity with France On 11 January 2015, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, along with Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and other members of the German cabinet, attended the solidarity rally in Paris for the victims...
- 28.11.2014 South Africa: Gateway to the African continent Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier held talks in Pretoria and Johannesburg from 19 to 21 November. His trip was prompted by the plenary session of the German-South African Binational Commission,...
- 06.09.2014 Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier visits Afghanistan During the course of his one‑day visit Foreign Minister Steinmeier engaged in political talks with President Hamid Karzai and Foreign Minister Zara Ahmad Osmani. He also met presidential candidates Ashraf...
- 01.09.2014 Open Day 2014 at the Federal Foreign Office Symphonic Mob and discussion about German foreign policy with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier – our 16th Open Day, on 30 and 31 August.
- 02.05.2014 Emergency aid to combat Ebola The Federal Foreign Office is funding a Bernhard Nocht Institute laboratory to help fight the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
- 10.01.2014 A sign of solidarity Foreign Minister Steinmeier visited Athens - the aim was to see tge situation for himself and signal Germany's support for the reform process.
- 07.01.2014 Europe is a source of hope for the future In the Belgian capital Brussels Foreign Minister Steinmeier met the top officials of the European institutions and the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders.
- 19.12.2013 First official visit to Warsaw On 19 December, Foreign Minister Steinmeier visited the Polish capital, where he met President Komorowski, Foreign Minister Sikorski and former Polish President Kwaśniewski.
- 18.12.2013 First official visit to France Foreign Minister Steinmeier and Federal Chancellor Merkel travelled to Paris on 18 December 2013 for first political talks. There they met French President Hollande and Foreign Minister Fabius.


text:
No. of Comments: 0
Add comments | More comments
International architectural practice, Aedas, has received planning consent for its masterplan, architectural and landscape design for Bothwell Plaza, in Bothwell Street Glasgow.
Conceived as a driving force of the continued regeneration of the area, the completed scheme will be the tallest commercial building in Glasgow. The 60,000 sq m, 18-storey development will comprise a mixed-use scheme including office, retail and leisure space and a five-star, 320-bed hotel. The design aims to fulfil the European Development Company's aspirations for an architectural icon and gratify a rising demand for hotel accommodation in the run-up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Richard Blair, Aedas' Project Director, said: "We have worked in partnership with our client and the City Council to meet their aspirations for the site and to create a design which is ambitious in its conception and worthy of such a landmark location."
Stuart Graham, Aedas' Project Associate remarked: "The design meets the challenges of a complex site in a manner that is both responsive and bold. The proposals are a synthesis of a rigorous analysis process and a desire to create a distinctive urban statement."
"The proposals provide a holistic response to urban design and sustainability issues, which are fully integrated into the design. The passive shading devices will be lit to create a shimmering effect across the elevation and merge into the 'crown' at the top of the building to give it a strong architectural quality."
The estimated completion date for Bothwell Plaza is 2011. Aedas is working with design team members Halcrow Yolles structural engineers, WSP service engineers, Occa Interior Design, and Currie and Brown quantity surveyor.
The Heart of Yiwu
Hong Kong International Airport Midfield Concourse
Shanghai Greenland Qingpu Xujing District
Hengqin International Financial Center
Heartland 66
The Sandcrawler
Xuhui Binjian Media City 188S-G-1 Tower
Olympia 66
2012 Industry Outlook
The Jewels of Riyadh
Boulevard Plaza
Darwen Aldridge Community Academy
West Kowloon Terminus
Civic, Cultural, Retail and Entertainment Hub
Arabian Performance Venue
Dance and Music Center
Regal Tower
British Council Dubai
Dubai Metro - Phase 1
GMPA Force Headquarters
Evangel College
Singapore Civic and Cultural Center
Whitechapel Station
WAN poll - Holland Park school
Warsaw Defilad Square
The Petchey Academy
Abaya Seifullina
Dubai Metro
Karachi port regeneration
Rotherham Railway Station
21st Century Piers Competition
U-Bora Tower
Empire Island Tower
Jebel Hafeet Resort Hotel
The Emaar Towers
DAMAC Ocean Heights
The Legs
Private Residential at Silverstrand
Stockley Academy
Please enter above code: Cannot read the code? Please click hereOR click on the image to reload.
Click here to view the NEWS IN PICTURES tablet site


text:
Like many environmentalists, I was dismayed when the Senate failed to pass a cap-and-trade bill two years ago. It looked like we would never get our act together to reduce greenhouse gases. Get ready to have beachfront property in Vermont, I thought.
But it turns out our greenhouse emissions dropped anyway, from 6 million metric tons to 5.2 million the lowest level since 1992. We even beat the European Union, where the Green Party actually has members. So how did we do it? One big reason, ironically, is a Texas oil man named T . Boone Pickens, who perfected the art of squeezing natural gas out of shale rock by blasting huge quantities of water at it.
People already knew that America sits on huge reservoirs of natural gas embedded in shale. But nobody had a cost-effective way to get it out. As Pickens mastered his technique known as fracking natural gas became unbelievably cheap. Everyone started switching away from sulfur-burping coal plants to gas.
People started swooning about gas: It comes from economically-depressed areas of Ohio and Pennsylvania, not the deserts of Iraq. And it releases about half the greenhouse gases that coal does. Finding that out was like discovering that ice cream cures cancer. Gas was going to save America, economically and environmentally. It was going to be one of the five great story lines of the 21st century, Representative Edward Markey said.
It seemed too good to be true until people started insisting that it was, and blamed fracking for everything from bad water to sick cows.
It started with the documentary Gasland, made by a filmmaker who suggests, among other things, that fracking causes breast cancer. (According to epidemiologists, it doesnt.) Then Matt Damon made his new movie Promised Land, about how fracking turns lush farmland brown. (While there are credible cases of tainted water, fracking seems to coexist safely with farming in much of America.) And then there is the new television show Dallas, where the good cousin Chris Ross pushes for alternative energy, while JRs evil son focuses on fracking. (In reality, both alternative energy and gas are part of the climate change solution.) Another movie this time in support of fracking is rumored to be on the way.
But maybe we need less Hollywood and more science. For all the millions of Google hits that fracking brings up, remarkably little research has been done on what its risks actually are and whether they can be mitigated.
There is a huge discrepancy between what we talk about and what we know, said Avner Vengosh, a Duke professor who co-wrote one of the few peer-reviewed papers on frackings impact on water quality.
Fractivists may have gone overboard in their claims. But the gas industry also suffers from an aversion to science. After Vengosh discovered evidence that private wells near fracking sites were contaminated with methane gas, he says he was denied access to shale sites in Pennsylvania.
The fracking industry is in total denial, he said.
The truth is there are plenty of reasons to fret about fracking: Cheap, easy gas could slow our progress toward more affordable solar power and wind. And methane gas can leak into the atmosphere, curbing the greenhouse gas benefit. Scariest of all, geologists believe that fracking could produce minor earthquakes.
Even so, Vengosh doesnt believe in a ban. That would only make people stick to coal, which is far worse.
Its important to see the big picture, he said. The United States is pioneering a new technology that will set an example for the rest of the world including China and India, where shale gas could play a huge role in reducing emissions. Americas regulations for fracking should set the standard.
There are ways to make fracking safer, like ensuring that it happens far from private wells, that water is disposed of properly, and that methane isnt allowed to leak out.
But neither the gas industry nor the fractivists seem interested. The industry insists that the practice is already safe, while fractivists insist that it never will be.
The website NoFracking.com even suggests that frackers are deliberately poisoning Americas water supply, so that T . Boone Pickens will make more money selling clean water.
If that sounds like a plot out of Hollywood, stay tuned. It just might be.
Farah Stockman is a columnist for The Boston Globe.MORE IN CommentaryThe Western response to the death of Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, king of Saudi Arabia and... Full StoryI am writing to ask the voters of the town of Brandon to support the request of the Brandon Free... Full StoryThe big debate during the 20th century was about the relationship between the market and the state. Full Story -
- Most Popular
- Most Emailed
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1393, quick thinking teen girl saves King Charles IV of France from burning alive at masquerade ball; in 1760, Vermont town of Pownal created by N.H. Gov. Benning Wentworth; Canuplin, Filipino movie star, born.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day, 1700, Cascadia Earthquake, Magnitude 9 plus, strikes West Coast with tsunami effects felt as far away as Japan; in 1885, troops loyal to Sudanese Mohammad Ahmad conquer Khartoum; in 1992, Boris Yeltsin untargets U.S.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 971 AD, Southern Han war elephant corps defeated by Song Dynasty troops bowmen; in 1870, Montana, Marias massacre, U.S. kills 173 Native Americans; in 1941, Charles Lindbergh recommends neutrality pact with Nazis.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: Bryanna Allen reports Castleton Downtown hosts open house, fire in Springfield leaves family without a roof of their own, suspected Bosnian war criminal trial goes to jury, Brent Curtis reports Rutland Town budget set to rise.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: Bill in Legislature proposes naming beagle Vermont state dog; Associated Press looks back at year in opiate abuse; Shapiro's in Brandon soon to close after 75 years; probe shows illegal online gun sales booming.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1861, JEFFERSON DAVIS resigns from the U.S. Senate to become president of the Confederate States of America, in 1908, NYC passes law forbidding women from smoking in public; in 1968, B-52 crashes, loses H-bomb.


text:
We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our site. By continuing to use the site you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more.
Free next day collection from every store with Click+Collect
Pay Monthly Phones & SIMs
Tesco Mobile Pay monthly
Services & Support
Home Furniture
Books Blog
Brands & Characters
Shop F&F
Catalogue Number: 769-3324
Released: 15/03/13
Earn 15 Clubcard points
We've carefully chosen all our Tesco Partners, to give you even more choice when you shop with us online.
Rebate Promotion
Get ready to explore the origins of Spartan warrior Kratos in an epic new God of War adventure. The most ambitious God of War adventure in the series so far, God of War - Ascension takes us right back to where it all began. Discover the origins of Kratos as he takes his first steps on a now legendary quest for freedom
You have no recently viewed items
Follow us
We value your opinion


text:
Online registration has ended. On-site registration is still available. On-site Registration Form
Full Final Program (pdf may take time to download) MSK-specific CME Sessions (pdf)
Included With Your Convention Registration
Invitation Letter
Invited Speaker Login
Schedule at a Glance
General Information
Hands-on Special Interest Sessions
Community and Committee Meeting Schedule
CME Information
How to Print Your CME Certificate
Special Interest Tracks
Exhibit Information
Preconvention Program—Saturday, March 29, 2014
Convention Schedule—Sunday, March 30, 2014
Convention Schedule—Monday, March 31, 2014
Convention Schedule—Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Convention Schedule—Wednesday, April 2, 2014
The 14th International Symposium on Therapeutic Ultrasound begins on the last day of the AIUM Annual Convention — April 2, 2014, at Caesars Palace. AIUM Convention registrants are welcome to attend ISTU Symposium sessions on that day at no additional charge.


text:
I am using the github for mac app http://mac.github.com/ and every time I try to sync a branch I get a A network error occurred. We could not sync with the server.
Everything was working fine earlier and my machine other machine is able to run sync fine with the same app. I am not sure how to ge about debugging this.
closed as too localized by George Stocker♦ Aug 8 '12 at 1:43This question is unlikely to help any future visitors; it is only relevant to a small geographic area, a specific moment in time, or an extraordinarily narrow situation that is not generally applicable to the worldwide audience of the internet. For help making this question more broadly applicable, visit the help center.If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question. |
Found Out Why Just got this email from github, Crazy. A security vulnerability was recently discovered that made it possible for an attacker to add new SSH keys to arbitrary GitHub user accounts. This would have provided an attacker with clone/pull access to repositories with read permissions, and clone/pull/push access to repositories with write permissions. As of 5:53 PM UTC on Sunday, March 4th the vulnerability no longer exists. While no known malicious activity has been reported, we are taking additional precautions by forcing an audit of all existing SSH keys. Required ActionSince you have one or more SSH keys associated with your GitHub account you must visit https://github.com/settings/ssh/audit to approve each valid SSH key. Until you have approved your SSH keys, you will be unable to clone/pull/push your repositories over SSH. StatusWe take security seriously and recognize this never should have happened. In addition to a full code audit, we have taken the following measures to enhance the security of your account:
--- https://github.com firstname.lastname@example.com |
I just resolved the same issue on a repo of mine. I had initially cloned the repo in Terminal with |
I just had the same issue and the problem appears to be an merge error. To resolve it without heading into the command line, download the free trial of Tower from http://www.git-tower.com/ Install the app and configure it to point at the same local git repository. Follow the onscreen instructions about "continue" and it will indicate which files are conflicted. Manually edit the files that are conflicted to how you want them, then right click on the file in Tower and choose "merged manually" (or something like that). Once you've done this you should be able to go back in to the GitHub app and sync as usual. |


text:
Look no further for that perfect solution to organizing your favorite movies, music collection, and videos. Designed to accommodate any combination of media in a large collection, it will prove to be a great investment as you continue to add to your collectibles. Equipped with fully adjustable shelves, the base of the wall unit is also enlarged for stability.
Product Specs:
- Finished in durable deep black laminate
- Adjustable shelves hold a variety of media sizes
- Capacity: 960 CDs, 405 DVDs, 720 Blu-Ray discs, 240 VHS cassettes or any combination thereof
- Constructed from CARB-compliant, laminated composite woods with a sturdy MDF backer
- Ships Ready to Assemble, includes an instruction booklet for easy assembly and has a 5-year manufacturer?s limited warranty on parts
- Proudly manufactured in North America
Finish: Black
Overall: 56"W x 51"H x 8.75"D
Furnished Over 1 Million Homes Since 1997...
I was very satisfied with One Way Furniture Service. I have referred them to many friends, family, and customers. Thank you. Kathy A. Eisele, Boston, MA
Product Review - Black Media Storage Furniture CD / DVD - Prepac
Product Reviews:
user(s) rated
out of 5 starsGood space. The material is sturdy enough as I wanted. Good value for my money. - Laurence
I will definitely need some more for my library. The customers find these units amazing. - Donald
Its huge and roomy! I regret ignoring it when I saw it for the first time. - Danny
Furniture Brand
Prepac Furniture Manufacturers specialize in top of the line DVD storage cabinets, CD storage and bookcases. Focusing on organizational units for media, office, and books, Prepac Furniture has succeeded in making functional top of the line furniture. DVD storage cabinets are the perfect solution to that unruly growing DVD collection or bookcase to clear cluttered books in the home office. We offer all of our Prepac Furniture at discount prices.
Weight & Size
Reference - Sku: BMA-0960 - Black Media Storage Furniture CD / DVD - Prepac by Prepac


text:
24 Amazing Kitchen Makeovers
Get inspired to remodel your own kitchen with these jaw-dropping before-and-after pictures.
Shop for more kitchen accessories on Wayfair! »
After: Smart Details
The island was revamped with lapboard, limestone countertops, and new doors fronted in chicken wire. The finishing touches: crown molding, antique wooden corbels, and Chester Grey paint by Ralph Lauren.
Victoria Pearson


text:
I'll be moving to the area in January and was looking to join or run a game of Dark Heresy, Rogue Trader, or Deathwatch. Are there any groups with spots open? And if not, who out there would be interested in a game?
DH/RT/DW player moving to area
Started by
Daemyn Riefel
, Sep 27 2010 08:03 PM
1 reply to this topic


text:
Actor says of his Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks co-star: 'I thought, "How am I going to do this really until I get over my worship of her?"'
Cheyenne Jackson did not have a lot of time to prepare for his leading role in the film Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks which opens in New York and Los Angeles on Friday (12 December).
Four days to be exact.
Sean Hayes had to drop out of the film just before production was set to begin in Hungary. Filmmakers contacted the busy Jackson who also appeared in the films Love is Strange and The One I Wrote For You this year.
The openly gay front man of The Feeling shares his traveller tales – from old American diners to wet weekends in Ireland...
Where were you going the last time you got on a plane? My last flight was quite a while ago! It's unlike me to spend so long on the ground but I've been working on album five with the band. I took a flight to Edinburgh in August for the Fringe Festival.
What were your family holidays like as a child? In a caravan travelling around a wet Ireland, with lots of music and lots of appalling weather – never a sun tan to be seen! It was perfect. We didn't have a lot of money, but we enjoyed our childhood a lot.
I swear I saw it fall out of my bag and I just didn't pick it up.
So. It's happened. You're days away from that big vacation. You've waited all year for this, but something has stirred you from your sleep.
Where is it? It's not been seen since you put it in that 'safe place' that you now can't remember the location of. Is it at work? WHERE is my passport?!
In the minutes following this tragic realisation irrational thoughts on life begin to take hold followed by illogical plans to get out of this impossible situation and safely to the beach – here are 10 of those:
Actor details the years of physical and emotional abuse his family endured at the hands of his late father
Alan Cumming has, for the first time, gone public about growing up with a physically and emotionally abusive father who left him living in fear and shame.
'When he was abusing me, it was the only time he really noticed me,' Cumming tells dot429. 'So there's that whole weirdness that was going on. My whole life has been imbued with the fact that my father didn't love me. It's a huge thing in my life.'
American born opera singer Valerian Ruminski has been sacked by Ottawa's Opera Lyra company after he took a photo of a gay man on public transport and then mocked him on Facebook
American opera singer Valerian Ruminski has been sacked from Ottawa's Opera Lyra production of Tosca after he turned to Facebook to mock a fellow passenger's diamond studded nails.
'Look at the stupid nails this moron had on while taking a bus in Ottawa,' Ruminski wrote, 'I guess he needs diamond studded nails to make up for his face.'
What Ruminski didn't know was that the person he was mocking was Samnang Tep, who performs under the drag identity of Miss Jade London – recently crowned Queen of Ottawa's Capital Pride Festival.
Able seaman Rod McKenzie, 27, shares his story of life in the UK's Royal Navy and his proudest moment at sea
HMS Illustrious was in the Mediterranean north of the Suez Canal in early November last year when a message came through from the British government.
Typhoon Haiyan had just whipped through the Philippines, the deadliest on record, killing over 6,000 people.
They turned the ship around and steamed towards the South China Sea.
On board was an openly gay former make-up artist – once the least likely person to find on a Royal Navy ship – now a highly-trained sailor.
Anger Management cast member tells GSN: 'I've like never been in the closet. I like open shelving'
On the TV sitcom Anger Management, Michael Arden plays a guy who is gay and happens to be passive-aggressive.
The character, named Patrick, is also the patient of an anger management therapist played by Charlie Sheen.
'I get to play a gay character which I love and get to be a guy who is bit of an asshole, a self-centered asshole,' Arden tells Gay Star News.
'I get to exercise that part of my make-up at work then my boyfriend doesn't have to deal with it at home.
The revelation came along with 'basically a declaration of love attached to it'
The Normal Heart's Mark Ruffalo remembers his best friend in high school being so agitated and upset for weeks because he had something difficult to tell him.
Ruffalo wondered if he had killed somebody.
He hadn't. It turns out he was gay.
Amy Brosnahan almost wasn't allowed to compete in the Battle of the Babes, but took the case to the Human Rights Commission and competed in the national finals
A New Zealand trans teen made history when she became the first trans competitor in a national beauty pageant.
Amy Brosnahan, 18, almost did not get to compete in the finals because she was not born female.
Brosnahan, who has not transitioned, was one of the nine finalists from Auckland to make it through to the national finals.
However, when it was revealed she was not born female, it looked like her future in the competition was in jeopardy.
On Valentine's Day, a gay dad of two tells his 11-year-old sons how they have made him into a superhero
The other day, my friend John linked me onto a tweet from a gentleman in Utah. The man was Paul Mero, president of the Sutherland Institute, a conservative think tank.
Mero's organization had just submitted an amicus brief in the pending same-sex marriage case in Utah, one of which, he is very proud. 'A brilliant articulation of the state interest in marriage. Can't wait for the plaintiffs' non-response,' were his exact words.
She is portrayed by Judi Dench in film Philomena which has been nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award
Philomena Lee kept a secret for 50 years but now the entire world knows her story.
The story of her search for the son she was forced to give up was made into the film Philomena which was nominated this week for an Academy Award for best picture.
Judi Dench, who plays Lee in the movie, was also nominated for an Oscar as was her co-star Steve Coogan for his screenplay adaptation of the book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee.
In this week's 'Around the World in 7 Questions' feature, openly gay British actor and TV presenter Andrew-Hayden Smith reveals to Gay Star Travel he's a New York virgin and one time, he unkowingly ate shark and zebra meat in the dark
This week we go Around the World in 7 Questions with Geordie-born Andrew Hayden-Smith, the British actor and presenter who kicked off his career at the age of 12 on children's serial drama Byker Grove before moving on as a presenter on BBC1 for just under four years.
His acting accolades include (our personal favorite) three episodes of the world's longest-running sci-fi series Doctor Who.
We prepare for Coming Out Day on Friday by asking Gay Star News readers who they came out to first – and what happened next
From dogs to dads and from girlfriends to best friends, GSN readers chose a host of different people to come out to first.
But whoever they talked to about being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, some amazing things seem to have happened afterwards.
So there's no better way to prepare to celebrate Coming Out Day around the world on Friday (11 October) than with these heartwarming and inspirational stories.
A GSN straw poll showed 63% of you came out to a friend first. They were incredible:
GSN brings you a voice from World War II. Lesbian author Linda Wilkinson writes as Diamond Lil, a true character from the London Blitz, originally called Harry Young who, at the tender age of 14, decided to dress solely as a woman
The night of the bombing at the Black Buildings was one of the worst I can recall. Fancy a 500 kilogram bomb going down and air vent! The shelter underneath the buildings is one of the biggest and a wedding party with piano and all was in full swing.
Can't tell you what the carnage was like, especially as the vent was a glass chute from Victorian times. The only bit of protection around it was a bit of corrugated iron.
Gay Star News talks to Miyuki Baker about her world travels in search of queer artists and activists
What are the queer communities like in South America compared to Australia? Singapore compared to India? South Korea to Turkey? Recent college graduate Miyuki Baker is finding out by traveling the world in search of queer artists and activists, like herself.
After graduating from Pennsylvania-based liberal arts college Swarthmore, Baker won a $25,000 (US dollars, €19,000) Watson Fellowship that allows her to travel the world pursuing a particular project.
Ahead of his coverage on Eurovision for BBC3, gay Radio One DJ Scott Mills tells GSN he wants to see former Sun glamor model Samantha Fox, sing in the competition for the UK in 2014
For the uninitiated, the Eurovision Song Contest is the continent's most baffling contribution to culture. Some countries take it super-seriously, others (step forward the UK) treat it as a bit of a joke and, as a result, tend to lose. Embarrassingly. For Europe's gays meanwhile, Eurovision – good or bad – is the perfect excuse for a party.
GSN meets an Ibiza-based brand strategist, our new dream job
Continuing our series devoted to meeting LGBT people around the world that are launching businesses, growing brands, leading their communities, or just doing interesting things, in this issue we catch up with Ibiza-based brand strategist Ryan James Lock.
What does a brand strategist do?
Sunil Pant has come along way from not even knowing the word for gay before he was twenty to getting LGBTI rights recognized by the Supreme Court in Nepal, and he's not going to let current troubles hold him back
It's not an easy time for Sunil Pant, founder of the largest LGBT rights group in Nepal, Blue Diamond Society (BDS). A government office has sat on the renewal of BDS's license, holding-up funding so that staff haven't been paid for months. LGBTI activists are also being harassed, which Pant links to the same government officer.
After ten intense years of human rights work in London and Hong Kong, Mark Allison now runs a healing and coaching practice in Pai, a small town in the mountains of northern Thailand
During a break from a career in human rights work, Mark Allison made the spontaneous decision to buy a restaurant in Pai, a small town in the mountains in northern Thailand, with his partner. That decision led him to Reiki healing, a greater sense of fulfillment and and a new career as a personal coach.
Originally from Liverpool, Bobby Seven now lives permanently on a beach in Thailand and earns a living from tarot card reading
Last year Bobby Seven, 34, left his life in Britain to live on a beach in Thailand permanently, earning a living as a transformational tarot card reader, online and in person. He lives on Had Tien beach on Koh Phangnan island, next to hippy holiday resort The Sanctuary.
As part of a series on alternative gay lifestyles, Gay Star News asks him about his life and what messages he has for the gay community back home.
Did you feel you had a 'sixth sense' from a young age?
A Mayan prophecy predicts the world will end tomorrow but who cares when Santa's on his way?
I don't know what I feel most upset about? The Mayan prophecy that the end of the world is nigh at the exact time of year when we can all be excused for greed, gluttony and excess or the fact that if it really does all end in hellfire and brimstone, then I've wasted a shed load of money on Peppa Pig and Spider Man action figures (not for me, but for my nephews and nieces).
After two days in San Francisco, GSN falls in love all over again
I first fell in love with the idea of San Francisco while reading Armistead Maupin's iconic Tales of the City series.
Originally serialized in the San Francisco Chronicle, the first of the Tales of the City novels was published in 1978 and, through the portrayal of characters such as Mary Ann Singleton, Anna Madrigal, and Michael Tolliver, captured a time, a world, and a sprit that was so far removed from my experience that it seemed almost magical.
In an exclusive interview with Gay Star News, the gay Radio 1 DJ talks about future documentaries and sending drunken tweets to Rihanna
Gay DJ Scott Mills has spoken frankly in an exclusive interview with Gay Star News.
Sat on a sofa in London's West End, we chatted to the Radio 1 DJ about the worst place in the world to be gay, sending drunken tweets to Rihanna, and Tom Daley in his swimsuit.
You haven't talked about your sexuality very much in the past, is your book a departure from that?
Gay Star News interviews Australian author Benjamin Law about his book, Adventures in Gaysia, that explores different aspects of queer life in Indonesia, Thailand, China, Japan, India, Malaysia and Burma
With vivid depictions of a transexual beauty pageant in Thailand, a gay nudist hotel in Bali, the ugly forefront of the fight against the HIV epidemic in Burma and a happy-clappy Sunday service at a 'gay cure' church in Malaysia, Adventures in Gaysia has more color than a Pride march in Mumbai. It's also hilarious and serious.
Gay Star News talks to Australian magazine journalist and author Benjamin Law about the inspiration, the ups and downs and why there's no need to take notes on penises.
Why did you decide to write this book?
GSN pays a visit to Munich's world famous festival celebrating beer and lederhosen
I always get a bit distracted at airports, searching for a decent coffee, trying on aftershaves... I was pretty sure that my Lufthansa flight to Munich was departing from Gate 19 in London Heathrow's Terminal 1, but maybe I'd read the sign wrong? I looked around and there was a reassuring number of young guys in lederhosen (the traditional Bavarian leather shorts). Oktoberfest here we come!
Never miss a story! Get your free daily newsletter
You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.


text:
About us
Cardiovascular technology is one part of the rapidly expanding area of diagnosing and treating heart disease. By entering the heart through vessels in the leg or arm we can see if there are blockages to the arteries that feed the heart. At the school of cardiovascular technology, graduates will become proficient in assisting in every phase of cardiac catheterization including:
- Scrubbing and assisting the physician
- Monitoring and recording electrocardiograms and heart pressures
- Circulating in the laboratory
- Positioning X-ray equipment
- Work with cineless X-ray system
Students will also rotate through these areas within cardiology:
- Electrophysiology
- Critical care
- Special procedures
- Open heart surgery
- Outpatient monitoring
- Pediatric cardiology
- Exercise physiology
- Electrocardiography
- Echocardiography
- Vascular laboratory
The cardiovascular technologist is an important member of the health care team.
The school is part of the Department of Cardiology and is located on the medical center's campus. More than 3,000 procedures are performed annually in the cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology laboratories. Our cardiology labs include:
- Three catheterization labs
- One electrophysiology lab
- Special procedures room
- EKG lab
- Echocardiography
- Exercise testing
More than 60,000 tests and procedures are performed in these labs each year.
Our 12-month hospital based program combines a five-month didactic phase with seven months of clinical experience.
The program begins early August. Students can spend clinical time at Geisinger and other medical centers.


text:
More Recipe Collections
Momsue's Cookbook
(61 Recipes) Created by MOMSUE1
Recipes in this Collection
Not too sweet but not too healthy, these delightful muffins are equally delicious for breakfast or dessert. Submitted by FIREFLY75 Carbs: 16.1g | Fat: 0.6g | Fiber: 1.5g | Protein: 2.4g | Calories: 91.7
(no ratings)
creamy baked sweetpotatoe and chicken bake. Submitted by DTBTSSANDFLUFFY Carbs: 34.3g | Fat: 9.1g | Fiber: 4.6g | Protein: 31.3g | Calories: 348.3
Submitted by COBANION Carbs: 15.9g | Fat: 4.1g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 1.1g | Calories: 103.7
Very Good 4.7/5
(3 ratings)
Submitted by KENDRASAHR Carbs: 9.5g | Fat: 7g | Fiber: 0.5g | Protein: 24g | Calories: 207.5
Carbs: 6.7g | Fat: 3.3g | Fiber: 0.9g | Protein: 24.3g | Calories: 157.2
The same great taste of the Italian favorite, but this one only has five grams of fat! Submitted by CONNIE563 Carbs: 13.6g | Fat: 5.4g | Fiber: 0.9g | Protein: 17g | Calories: 173.3
Very Good 4.4/5
(40 ratings)
** Recipe does call for marinating the chicken for at least 4 hours** Submitted by CARDIOBUNNY Carbs: 25.7g | Fat: 1.5g | Fiber: 0.8g | Protein: 26.9g | Calories: 224.8
Quick, easy and tasty turkey burgers with a kick. Submitted by JIMINNYC Carbs: 7.6g | Fat: 1.5g | Fiber: 0.5g | Protein: 29.4g | Calories: 161.8
Very Good 4.1/5
(45 ratings)
Tacos are one of my favorite all time things and this recipe satisfies my craving. Submitted by RAWEBER1117 Carbs: 23.3g | Fat: 18.8g | Fiber: 2.1g | Protein: 26.3g | Calories: 373.6
In 15 minutes, this easy recipe will take the chill off a cold evening. Carbs: 32.3g | Fat: 13.3g | Fiber: 10.1g | Protein: 31.3g | Calories: 370.8
All the flavor of bruschetta, in a mushroom! Submitted by CHEF_MEG Carbs: 14.4g | Fat: 12.3g | Fiber: 5.2g | Protein: 10.2g | Calories: 191.9
A tasty way to get your veggies during BBQ season Submitted by EMMAPALE Carbs: 6.8g | Fat: 5.3g | Fiber: 1.6g | Protein: 1.4g | Calories: 77.7
This filling vegetarian meal is nutritious and easy to make. Submitted by TWINMOM143 Carbs: 52.7g | Fat: 5.1g | Fiber: 10.2g | Protein: 13.7g | Calories: 284.5
This easy, cheesy eggplant packs a mean veggie punch! A simple vegetarian meal that even meat-eaters will love. Submitted by CHEF_MEG Carbs: 24.4g | Fat: 9.8g | Fiber: 8.3g | Protein: 9.6g | Calories: 208.8
Very Good 4.7/5
(14 ratings)
These are great for a night where you just have to have nachos, but with a lot less fuss and fat. Submitted by PHOTOGIRLME Carbs: 28.5g | Fat: 16.8g | Fiber: 4.6g | Protein: 30.1g | Calories: 382.3
These bean cakes are yummy and great for you. Served with the salsa, it makes a very colorful and festive presentation. I serve these with a lite side salad. Plenty of protein and fiber. Even my meat loving hubby loves this meal. Submitted by BCJL13 Carbs: 48.3g | Fat: 6.1g | Fiber: 13.6g | Protein: 14.2g | Calories: 294.2
Good 3.0/5
(1 rating)
This was a family pleaser!!!! Submitted by FAYEANNE81 Carbs: 9.5g | Fat: 4.8g | Fiber: 0.8g | Protein: 56g | Calories: 333.5
Very Good 4.6/5
(30 ratings)
Easy to make, delicious to eat, low on calories! Submitted by MSTEDDI Carbs: 7.3g | Fat: 1.6g | Fiber: 0.5g | Protein: 20.6g | Calories: 134.4
This recipe has been marked private.
A kickin' vegetarian pizza! It's extra good because it's made on a whole-wheat crust! Submitted by CURVES_N_CURLS Carbs: 19g | Fat: 7.6g | Fiber: 3.1g | Protein: 7.6g | Calories: 171.7


text:
Special Events: Aussie Open Madness
Challenge other players in a fast-paced team environment and enjoy LIVE screening of Australian Open Men's Final in the Hall!
Click here for more information.
Weeknight Competitions
Doubles & Singles Format
Our in-house combined doubles and singles social competitions are are a great way to improve your tennis and meet new people. Depending on your playing standard competition is played on either a Monday, Tuesday & Thursday evening at Prince Alfred Park Tennis Courts in Surry Hills. Competitions are held throughout the year: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter generally played over an 8 week period which includes Semis & Finals.
CLICK HERE for more information
Club Singles Ladder
For those who enjoy Singles
A fantastic avenue for advancing someone's playing ability, the Singles Ladder is only available to members. Jensen's assists players to organise singles games with other players of their level and players just share the court hire costs and the purchase of new tennis balls. We currently have over a 100 people on the Ladder, of varying levels, who are ranked according to the International Tennis Federation (ITF), International Tennis Number (ITN). People use the Ladder as a means of advancing their level of play for other competitions, tournaments or just for recreational play and to find a regular hitting partner.
CLICK HERE for more information
Easterns Suburb Tennis Association Competitions
ESTA Sunday morning Inter-Club Competition
If you are interested in inter-club competition on a Sunday morning Jensen's enters teams in the Eastern Suburbs Tennis Association (ESTA) Competition throughout the year: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter Competitions which are played over a 12 week period including Semis & Finals.
CLICK HERE for more information
Sydney Badge Competition
Saturday Inter-Club Competition
Sydney Badge Tennis aims to provide across the Sydney Metropolitan area professionally managed, highly competitive tennis events which satisfy the needs of tennis organisations and players.
The competitions aim to serve the needs of the sport to provide challenges and incentives to players to develop their skills in a competitive, but social environment. The competitions seek to support all existing tennis organisations by maximising the use of established local facilities of Clubs, Associations and Independent Operators with the main aim to 'Grow the Game'
CLICK HERE for more information


text:
I am seeking information on Sam Morganti and/or descendants. Sam reportedly went to Crittenden County in the 1920s or 1930s to work on a truck farm near Lehi that was owned by Memphis grocer Fred Montesi. He was among several Italian immigrants relocated by Montesi. My understanding is that the land near Lehi was not suited for truck farming and Sam and others turned to cotton farming. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Notify Administrator about this message?
Home | Help | About Us | Site Index | Jobs | PRIVACY | Affiliate |
© 2007 The Generations Network |


text:
In front of Tesco on Paul Street, Cork by night. This is a long exposure show I made by putting my camera on the ground and leaning the lens on my wallet.
Judging by the lighting it was probably a small aperture too. Love that effect!
You might also like
If you like this post then please subscribe to my full RSS feed. You can also click here to subscribe by email. There are also my fabulous photos to explore too!


text:
Search PinkApple.com
- Books
- Hygiene
- Foams, Gels, & Inserts
- Grooming & Shaving
- Lubes
- Sexual Health
- Adult Toys
- Natural Products
- Skin Care
- Supplements
- Romance Gift Sets
- Massage Oils
- Ovulation Predictors
- Pregnancy Tests
Line One Labs Products
Line One Flavored Dental Dams help protect you during oral sex similar to condoms during intercourse. Many flavors available including mint, strawberry, grape, and vanilla. If you're looking where to buy a dental dam, order one online now.Pink Apple carries a wide selection of new Line One Labs products at a discount price. Shop online for a wide selection of female personal care items from leading brands. Write a review for any product on our site or read thousands of unbiased product reviews from real buyers. Ordering online is easy and PinkApple.com offers award winning customer service, affordable prices, and free shipping over $35.
Click image to view details and options.


text:
Reader comments are listed below. Comments are currently closed and new comments are no longer being accepted.
All this arguments were settled by Benjamin Graham in The intelligent Investor and further exponded by warren buffet in the article 'The superinvestors of graham and doddsville"
read them and be wise
All this arguments were settled by Benjamin Graham in The intelligent Investor and further exponded by warren buffet in the article 'The superinvestors of graham and doddsville"
read them and be wise
Of course, Paul Wooley should have a very good idea what makes momentum accelerate, attenuate and then reverse. We talked about this 18 years ago, when he was running the GMO affiliate in London. Your summary presumes a rather small degree of diversity in investor types and motives.Chasing yield is the most common of motives. All but the indexers eventually come to the end of one rope and leap to another. The fundamental problem, well documented academically, is time-horizon bias. Most investors suffer from some combination of poor long-term memory and the emotional instinct to make straight-line extrapolations of current trends. Obviously the world is not a straight-line phenomenon, but that is not an emotionally appealing idea. Indeed irrationality, of a kind is at work, in conspiracy with rationality.MT MaysHong Kong
I don't think that the investors are being rational in the paper.In the height of the dot com bubble, a lot of people knew that there was a bubble. If the investors knew that there was a bubble, rational investors will measure managers performance based on that knowledge. They will compare performances between managers that with similar amount of exposure to the bubble stocks. If a manager managed to achieve decent profits despite not buying any of the bubble stocks, he/she will be considered as a very good manager.
The reason stockmarkets are falling relentlessly now (with the qualifier in my view - of course) is due to forced sellers. It's the one element of their portfolio of their assets they can sell to address demands like margin calls. I think that the present collapse of stock prices has been largely cause by professional investors not private investors. Eventually of course this will stop. The trick of course is calling the turn of the market, which is not easy.
-Why don't we use math for good, why don't you put this (tie) on.
-stop making the drug dealer viewer have to listen to your
international conversation about me (the inflation oil price) for
better directions about finding twenty dollars illegally.
A lot of people.
-the unfortunate nature of changing this system is the minute you
change it you have to accept rolling with the punches. Even if you
could discuss everything you needed to you are still going to find
unexpected problems and an improved program to deal with this
new problem.
I do think that people are "irrational", in the sense they measure their gains not in absolute terms, but relative to what they see others doing. If many of your friends strike it rich on the stock market and see their portofolios raise day after day, you will also invest you money there, as you don't want to be the "silly" one left out. Of course, eventually, you will all loose money, but if your friends loose more than you, you will still think yourself as a brilliant investor. Because everyone made losses, you can blame these not on yourself but on Bush, Wall Street greed, the Chinese or whoever is convenient. The presence of fund managers who are judged exclusively based on RELATIVE performance against others makes this problem worse, but bubbles existed long before mutual funds.Unfortunately, modern economics fails to grasp this and insists on simple models of rationality (btw. I'm not an economist, but a computer scientist). As someone said earlier, for most economics papers, it is important that the mathematical proofs look elegant and are formally sound (but always wrt. to some assumptions!). Whether they have much relation to reality is less important to get published - your colleagues make the same assumptions in their papers, anyway. So yes, economics exhibits a similar "relative performance" problem...I agree with earlier comments that evolutionary biologists, psychologists and even computer scientists have something to say about this. But the most original insights I've seen come from people in an emerging science called "complex systems", that groups insights from all these fields.
"Mo" can also be called post-earnings announcement drift. Let's face it: information concerning a company's performance is not immediately reflected in its share price when revealed. Soft information has a significant delay it is influence of a share price. From Zubin:http://www.portfolio.com/views/blogs/odd-numbers/2008/03/04/why-trading-on-news-stories-could-actually-be-profitable
It is much easier to be rational about something if you're beliefs about that something don't change its behavior.But the nature of the stock market changes with shifts in public beliefs about the market.So, if more and more people come to believe the stock market is efficient then eventually the stock market becomes less and less efficient as more and more people shift their portfolios to index funds. And visa versa. As more and more people come to believe the stock market is inefficient and spend time analyzing companies, then the market becomes more and more efficient.
Thanks, mccuerc. You didn't mention the overwhelming need for a new and potentially useful economic theory if the Nobel prize is ever to be won. For my money (as an engineer, by the way) we should be asking evolutionary biologists for the answer. I firmly believe that we are hard-wired to identify and take account of trends - how would an arrow hit a moving target otherwise? We are also social animals that hate to miss an opportunity - hence we join queues, even when we don't know what we are queuing for. These two phenomena don't explain everything, but they go far enough for the rest to be just noise. Just as mccuerc suggests.
Oh my dear Buttonwood the matter is simple. There must be psychopathically rational investors and there must be psychopathically rational reasons for their decisions in order to make the mathematics work. The mathematics must work because Economics is a true science, like Physics; cold, rational, predictable and one that can be expressed in mathematics. As a science Economics is an expression of pure intellectual brilliance and rigor. If it were not a science then economists would be of no more account than english teachers, bond salespeople, or, heaven forfend, messy biologically obsessed psychologists and sociologists. Or, god save us all from such a fate, journalists.
This research confronts the theory about that the financial markets behaves as a "random walk" as has been suggested for many some studies. In fact if the market were so, it could be really easy investing in the stock market since you just has to find out "when" the price is out of the mean and buy or sell according to the situation, but this is not really the case. That´s precisely why markets works, because there is a trend that permits to get a premium. The old Wall Street saying "the trend is your friend" remain valid.
There is nothing new in this article. In fact momentum is a natural response of the human being and "nature". Hurst discovered as a civil engineer a natural tendency of repetition of some events in the Nile. So, as the nature behave the human being does at well. Moreover, rational investor try to mimic the collective response of the market and he or she would not want to put his/her job in risk (as a fund manager)beating the market.
Most of the people buying and selling in the financial markets are playing with other peoples' money. They are far more concerned with keeping their jobs and maximizing their bonuses than with making money for their clients long-term. As Keynes said, "It is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." They go with the crowd because you can hardly be singled out for doing so. Most are probably smart enough to know that it's foolish, but as Chuck Prince said, "So long as the music plays, we dance." So at last the house of cards collapses into chaos - so what ? The companies don't have to give back the fees, the bankers keep their bonuses, and as the old punchline goes, "Where are the customers' yachts ?"
loved this. shows how seemingly irrational actions can be rational. reminds me of thomas schelling work on addiction.
Epidemiology: Virulent encounters
Science and technology
Consumer-goods firms and advertising: The dangers of cut-price soap
Business and finance
New film: "Ex Machina": Garlanded with praise
Oil prices and Nigeria: The north-south divide
Free exchange
Daily chart: Europe's essential import
Graphic detail
Greece and the euro: Take the money and run
Buttonwood's notebook
Janet Delaney's San Francisco photographs: There goes the neighbourhood
Have you listened to The Economist Radio on Facebook?
The Economist Radio is an on-demand social listening platform that allows you to listen, share and recommend The Economist audio content
Test your EQ
Take our weekly news quiz to stay on top of the headlines
In Other Words
Try our new audio app and website, providing reporting and analysis from our correspondents around the world every weekday
Want more from The Economist?
Visit The Economist e-store and you'll find a range of carefully selected products for business and pleasure, Economist books and diaries, and much more


text:
Estos aretes pequeños tipo argolla, hermosos y clásicos, tienen dos filas de diamantes redondos en montura de oro blanco de 14k. Los pasadores tienen un diseño angular.
Consulte nuestra sección de educación para obtener más datos sobre nuestras joyas de oro.
It's definitely more difficult to judge size on-line. They were smaller than expected, but she did like them.
Anonymous, Mahopac, NY – February 2014
Love the earrings. They are elegant and the perfect size for daily wear. Would have preferred a different back however.
Phyllis I., BRONX, NY – January 2014
I will be sending these back. The ones I received do not have exceptional sparkle as noted by others and they are very small. Also very similar to earrings I already own that are of same material and were considerably less expensive. An unusual miss for me on Blue Nile.
Dawn, Lucas, TX – September 2013


text:
found a new home!
Plenty of my friends are looking
for one too. Find a pet to adopt.
Find a pet to adopt |
My name is Enzo!
Facts about Enzo
- Breed: English Springer Spaniel
- Color: Black - With White
- Age: Adult
- Size: Med. 26-60 lbs (12-27 kg)
- Sex: Male
Enzo's Info...
I am already neutered, housetrained, purebred, up to date with shots, and not good with dogs.
This is a courtesy posting please contact Ozzy at 310-308-0662 or firstname.lastname@example.com if interested in meeting this dog.
Enzo is a purebred English Springer Spaniel and he's is 8 yrs old. He was bought as a puppy in a pet store he has all his papers. He doesn't act like a senior at all and has lots of energy and will play ball all day long. He just doesn't drop the ball you just have to throw another ball, but he'll chase the ball back and forth. He's a great walking dog and loves to go on long walks and hikes. He has a alpha personality around dogs so he's best suited as as only dog. He's had some training with K9 101 Consulting and knows basic commands and is fully house broken. He does love attention and loves to be pet. He's updated on all his shots microchipped and neutered.
Other Pets at Adopt Me Rescue
Why Adoption is a Great Option
Enzo, a Studio City English Springer Spaniel dog was adopted! Here's how you can benefit by looking at adoption as an option to buying a English Springer Spaniel for sale in Studio City, or seeking a English Springer Spaniel dog from a breeder in Studio City.
- Rescues and shelter volunteers in Studio City already know the personality and tendencies of their pets. This means they can match you with the right pet. That will makes it much easier transition to owning a pet for yourself and your new pet.
- On average adoption fees are much less than you'd pay a Studio City breeder, or pet store. Plus most often rescue pets have already been to the veterinarian for a check-up, had a round of vaccinations, and are spayed or neutered. That is a lot of savings!
- You will become a hero, and give a needy dog or cat a loving home. In fact, there are even English Springer Spaniel breeders who help with English Springer Spaniel rescue. One puppy or kitten adopted in Studio City paves the way for another one to be saved.


text:
Anadarko is one of the largest producers in the Rocky Mountain region, with premier positions in several of the Rockies' most prolific, long-lived resource basins. From Anadarko's operations in the Rockies, the company produces enough energy to heat or cool nearly 11 million average American homes each day.
Anadarko's unique advantages in the Rockies include:
Anadarko's U.S. Rockies program is highlighted by its leading position in the Wattenberg field of northeastern Colorado. Anadarko is the largest natural gas producer in Utah, largest private landowner in Wyoming and also holds a significant midstream position throughout the Rocky Mountains.
View Anadarko's quarterly operations report and investor presentations for our most recent activity in the Rocky Mountains.


text:
A new study has publicised that nicotine can considerably improve the attention and memory of suffers from mild cognitive impairment...
Tag Archives: Electronic cigarettes
E-lites Blog
New Zealand introduces smoking ban preventing inmates from lighting up
A controversial ban which prevents prison inmates from smoking was brought into force in prisons in New Zealand on 1st July...
Posted on 19/12/11 by Dave
Read More -
E-Lites highlighted in BBC Radio 4 interview
The potential for E-Lites electronic cigarettes to dramatically reduce smoking-related illnesses was highlighted on BBC Radio 4's You & Yours...
Posted on 13/12/11 by Dave
Read More -
E-Lites featured on ITV Daybreak!
ITV's Daybreak signalled a new dawn for smokers today as Dr Hillary Jones and fellow presenters discussed the benefits of...
Posted on 07/10/11 by Dave
Read More -
Ex-smoker pays tribute to E-Lites after finishing his first half-marathon
A reformed smoker from North London set a new personal record last weekend when he ran in the Bristol Half...
Posted on 15/09/11 by Dave
Read More -
Failure of quit smoking service strengthens calls for a new approach
New figures that show less than half of smokers succeed in quitting through NHS services have strengthened calls for a...
Posted on 17/08/11 by Dave
Read More -
Electronic cigarettes - the new rock and roll?
Celebrity use of electronic cigarettes is on the verge of becoming a modern phenomenon! Celebrities are joining millions of smokers...
Posted on 21/07/11 by Dave
Read More -
Ronnie Wood goes out for a cigarette - and misses his award!
Rolling Stones' legendary guitarist Ronnie Wood had an embarrassing moment recently when he was due to be given the best...
Posted on 08/07/11 by Dave
Read More


text:
Brickset users spend $27 million on LEGO in a year
Posted by Huw,This time last year I published some figures for the size and value of our collective collections. Between us we had 1,992,000 sets and just over 500,000,000 parts worth $52,000,000.
This year the numbers are, as you can see from the sidebar, 2,900,000 sets, 750,000,000 parts and worth just under $79,000,000
36,205 people have registered their collections which is just under 10,000 more than had done so this time last year. The average size of people's collections has risen from 74 to 81 sets.
So while the headline no doubt grabbed your attention, it's not entirely accurate because the 10,000 new users may have added sets purchased in previous years. If I get time, I'll devise some algorithms to come up with more accurate numbers.
Still, they are impressive statistics and if nothing else, go to show that collectively we own a lot of LEGO and spend a lot of money on it.
If the growth continues as it has, this time next year we'll own 1 billion pieces!
44 comments on this article
That's really amazing. Last year when I saw the stats, I never would have thought that they would be this big now. Like, $27 million dollars in LEGO? That's 1.8 million $15 sets. Just amazing.
Let's make it our goal to get to 1 billion pieces in a year from now!
That shows just how much money Lego must make. And that's only the 20% of Lego fans that register on Brickset. And only using US/UK prices? That's a huge turnover.
I tell people about this site all the time, it is great. With the release of LOTR and Marvel sets Im sure we will hit that billion mark right quick.
Like Stacy mentioned, this goes to show how much profit LEGO has made from us fans.
Yeah, that was me, sorry. I had money in 2011 and I went a little crazy. XD
I'll try to exercise some self-control this year. :)
One word. Wow.
ouch... I do spend way too much money on Lego
I think I alone could make it 2 billion next year, because of LOTR. ;D
if you're willing and able, you could filter out the newly registered users over the past year, and see how much the collection has grown for the ~26,000 previous members. Then we'd have a more accurate idea of the average spent this year, albeit from a smaller sample.
Now what could you build with a billion pieces of LEGO? I certainly haven't thought of anything specific, but the possibilities are endless, personally I think a human sized scale model of the Planet Cybertron might be a fun idea, complete with twin moons, Unicron and a veritable army of Transformers.
That's crazy! And that's just from Brickset! I wonder how much Lego gets in revenue every year?
Between this account and the one I use to log my Starwars collection I'm upwards of 200 sets. When you spend that kind of money on the product you'd think you should get more of an opinion... ah, I'm just a sucker for Lego.
they probably earn................................................................ 1000000000 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR
Actually, Huw, I think a more accurate figure can be determined simply from the data already provided. 2011 $52,000,000 26,205 users makes the average value of the collection $1,984.35 in 2011. 2012 $79,000,000 36,205 users makes the average value of a collection $2,182.02 in 2012. This is an increase of $197.67 per user. For 36,205 users that means the dollar amount spent this year was closer to $7.1 million.
The average user spent $197.67 on five or six new LEGO sets this year. I guess I'm a pretty average AFOL, which of strange because everyone I know thinks I'm eccentric.
This year's going to break the bank. I hope StarWars ends before Lego releases a Blacktron 3.
I know I spent around $400 last year. The Unimog was most of the cost.
I don't know about everyone else, but I am very bad at indicating that I have multiplies of a set that I own so my collection is under reported...
Well, there's no way I can be the average user and spend only $197.67 on LEGO and get only 5-6 sets.
The scariest day ever on brickset was the day HUW started showing the retail price of our sets on the "my sets" page..... shudder. I knew it was alot, but I kinda felt better NOT knowing. :) That was also the day I informed my son that we could never allow his mother to see that page if he wanted to continue to get Lego.
I was surprise i collected that much lego(in terms of money spent). It felt like nothing!!!
Huw, it would be nice if there will be (anonymous maybe?) the chart of the TOP 10 biggest collections of the brickset users ;-) Just for us to know how CRAZY we are :-D
@rocao, that's what I intend to do. I could also see how many 2011 sets have been added, and their value, which would give another angle on it although not necessarily exactly aligned with the calendar year's spending.
Be careful about drawing the wrong conclusions. Lots of the sets I own I bought 2nd hand, so that's not money going to TLG. And although I am a regular user of this site, I own far more Lego than I have entered here, mostly mixeds lots for building.
1 Billion pieces? I feel an evil laugh coming on.....Muhahahahahahahahaha........Muhahahahahahahahaha
^^^ Great idea, I'd like to see a top 10, or perhaps even a chart that shows the amount of sets of every user that has chosen to share their collection.
I'm not sure that the people who are in the top ten would necessarily like everyone to know who they are. I guess so long as there's an opt out.
I also wonder if it might encourage people to fake it to get in the 'charts'.
In fact the more I think about it the more it seems problematic.
^ Agreed. It won't happen...
I was buying sets so fast, I wasn't able to put them all into Brickset. The actual numbers are higher...
Im newly back into Lego myself. I started as a kid around 20 yeas ago and now that my nephew is of age and loves his Lego he got me back into it. Just in the last 3 Months alone I have spent $1,200 USD on my new Lego Star wars collection. I check my local Wal-mart and Target daily for the new sets, nothing yet. This year I plan on the collection growing very large and of course being very expensive. The Wife says its an obsession not a hobby.
2031 pieces was added to my collection from sets last year, not counting a LEGO store Build A Mini purchase. I personally spent $109.58 USD and my family spent around $140 for me as gifts (I love my family) so about $250 USD was added to my collection in the 2011 calendar year. Oh yeah 37 sets were added to my collection to get the above numbers.
@dixondog: See.... sometimes to much information is trouble. :)
We've been into Lego just about 2-1/2 years and have spent in excess of 10K not counting what we've spent on bulk and used Lego. Our family would tell you we never do any hobby half way. These figures don't really surprise me when I see some of the amazing MOCs some of you build.
If we spend that much, I'm going to submit a few sets to that LEGO site and get 1%.
I keep all my 500+ Legosets in an Excell file with number, year relased, number of pieces, date and place of purchase and ofcourse price paid. In my account here there are only about ten.
So, if there would be a very easy way how I can import them the number would raise easily as many of us seem not yet have imported there complete list.
If you think about it, that's a waste of money... not to be a sourpuss, but 27 million dollars on plastic? But it is a fun hobby. Don't listen to me... :D
This is a fraction of what brickset members actually have. I have over 400 lbs of bricks and around 1700 minifigs give or take a few hundred. I buy collections far faster than i could ever possibly inventory it all. Think I have one set listed as "I own"
No doubt we will hit 1B in 2012. Like many others, I have many loose legos from family members or friends. I love building and can't wait for all the new stuff in 2012. It is not a waste of money to me. I and my boys love and live it.
Hey Huw, voypro's comment made me think.... I have around 1100 minifigs... Collectively, how big of a population of minifigures do the members own (at least the ones that are accounted for in their collections)? It would be fun to see how it compares to the populations of some countries.
mini figs as a population... great idea. would be fun to equate the brickset mini fig population to cities in various countries.
Ok, it could be much better. But in my head this is what I see, with a running tally next to the Population. :)
(jpeg of a sign)
@ Stacy, brankell5566, itsaturkey, linkbrick, and HUW, et al.
Is LEGO a publicly-traded company on the stock market? Can you get their profit info in their glossy Annual Report? I remember seeing it online. They should also give a breakdown of the stats for different demos, e.g., kids versus AFOLs.
Fortune and Glory!
Indy Out
If I had 1 billion pieces, I would build a miniland of Disneyland and Knotts Berry farm. (That would be very hard) (Does anyone know exactly how many Brickset users there are?)
I am working on it!! ;-)
These are big, serious numbers. If anyone thinks LEGO is 'just kids toy', they'd better think again ;) Now that I think about it, I wonder is there any other toy manufacturer with comparable numbers...hmmm.
Commenting has ended on this article.


text:
Biotherm Sample [UK Only]
| Comments 0 | Submit to RedditFree Sample of Biotherm Blue Therapy Serum UK ONLY - Residents of the United Kingdom can get a sample [1ml sachet] of Biotherm Blue Therapy Serum from Boots UK Limited for FREE. The serum that claims to repair up to 8 years of visible accumulated damage in 4 weeks. Head over to their website and fill out the form to get a free sample and try it our for yourself. Allow 28 days for delivery
Discover a powerful anti-ageing formula enriched with 3 aquatic extracts to target wrinkles, dark spots, and lack of firmness.


text:
Today, I count myself as a real woman, I finally understand the meaning of chick flicks, their purpose, their ability to make otherwise sensible women believe in a happily ever after, it all makes sense now. I'm not saying that I like them, on the contrary, my knew found knowledge as to how they work only makes me hate them even more; with a fiery, burning passion that can never be extinguished. The false hope each movie gives to women only damages already frail marriages and make women who have amazing people in their lives hold back in false hope that a white knight in shining armour will come and sweep them off their feet. When does it end? When will the women of now wake up from their chiseled abed European fantasies and come back into the real world of beer bellied med. I hate chick flicks.
I learned a lot from chick flicks, but the most important lesson: If you show interest in someone, and they claim they are repulsed by you and would never go out with you in a million years, just keep at it. Show up where they work. Send them flowers. Leave voice mails, IMs, text messages. Eventually, they'll realize they loved you all along.
Not sure how you can discount that with such cavalier indifference.
"People who are happy are slugs... They do not move the human race forward."
-- Camille Paglia, on Oasis