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US 7698198 B2 Abstract A method for purchasing a securities bundle indexed to entertainment revenue comprises selecting a securities bundle offered by a special-purpose entity. The securities bundle comprises a first security and a second security and the securities bundle is associated with a closing date. The first security is associated with a first entertainment event and the second security is associated with a second entertainment event. The method continues by identifying a return value associated with the securities bundle, and by identifying a purchase price associated with the securities bundle. The method concludes by purchasing the selected securities bundle at least partially based on the purchase price and the return value.
Claims(46) 1. A machine-implemented method for selling a derivative, the method comprising:
identifying, by a processor of the machine, a securities bundle, in which the securities bundle comprises a first security and a second security, in which the first security is associated with a first entertainment event and a first schedule of dividend dates, and in which the first schedule of dividend dates includes at least one date relative to a primary source of revenue from the first entertainment event and at least one date relative to a secondary source of revenue from the first entertainment event;
unbundling the first security from the securities bundle;
transmitting, by the processor of the machine, an offering of the first security for secondary trading; and
transmitting, by the processor of the machine, an offering for sale of at least one derivative contract based on at least one of the primary source of revenue and the secondary source of revenue to at least one remote processor.
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a memory having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform a method comprising:
identifying a securities bundle, in which the securities bundle comprises a first security and a second security, in which the first security is associated with a first entertainment event and a first schedule of dividend dates, and in which the first schedule of dividend dates includes at least one date relative to a primary source of revenue from the first entertainment event and at least one date relative to a secondary source of revenue from the first entertainment event;�
unbundling the first security from the securities bundle;
offering the first security for secondary trading; and
offering for sale at least one derivative contract based on at least one of the primary source of revenue and the secondary source of revenue.
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Description This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. �119 of provisional application Ser. No. 60/537,325 filed Jan. 16, 2004. This disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for financial investments. More specifically, the disclosure relates to purchasing a financial instrument indexed to entertainment revenue. Current entertainment companies are typically corporations or partnerships that fund, produce, or otherwise participate in the creation or organization of many entertainment events. These entertainment events normally require various amounts of funding based on a number of criteria. For example, if the entertainment event is a movie, then the level of funding may be based on the chosen director for the film, the selected actors, the special effects or Computer Generated Imagery (CGI), locations desired for the film, appropriate advertising, and many other factors. In another example, if the entertainment event is a concert, then the level of funding may be based on an arena, security at the arena, transportation costs for the performing artists, and such. Occasionally, funding for one of the events may be more difficult to obtain because of poor public or industry perception of the project, lack of information about or knowledge of the project, inaccessibility to the funding process by interested investors, possible exclusivity of the particular entertainment industry, the particular funding needs being too great for one or a few investors, or for any other reason. Once funding is obtained and the event is produced, created, hosted, or otherwise premiered, the entertainment company receives at least portion of the revenues. Typically, as in the case of movies, this portion is based on the ticket sales of the movie, less distributor fees. In one embodiment, this disclosure provides a method for forming a securities bundle indexed to entertainment revenue. The example method includes determining a first funding amount for a first entertainment event. A second finding amount is determined for a second entertainment event. Next, a dividend schedule is determined for the first and second entertainment events. A securities bundle is formed at least partially based on the funding amounts and the dividend schedule, with the securities bundle comprising a first security and a second security and the first security associated with the first entertainment event and the second security associated with the second entertainment event. In another embodiment, this disclosure provides a method for purchasing a securities bundle indexed to entertainment revenue. This example method includes selecting a securities bundle offered by a special-purpose entity, with the securities bundle comprising a first security and a second security and the securities bundle associated with a closing date. The first security is associated with a first entertainment event and the second security is associated with a second entertainment event. A return value is identified and associated with the securities bundle. A purchase price is identified and associated with the securities bundle. The selected securities bundle is then purchased at least partially based on the purchase price and the return value. In yet another embodiment, this disclosure provides a method for providing an after-market for securities indexed to entertainment revenue. This example method includes identifying a securities bundle comprising a first and second security, with the first security associated with a first entertainment event and the second security associated with a second entertainment event. The first security is offered in an after-market for the buying price. A market price is determined for the first security in the after-market. In a further embodiment this disclosure provides an electronic system for offering, purchasing, selling, trading, searching, or otherwise processing securities associated with entertainment events. In another embodiment, a system and method is provided for trading the securities bundle that includes unbundling the securities bundle into the component securities for sales in a secondary market, such as an ECN. Moreover, futures contracts for one or more of the component securities may be traded on a futures exchange. The invention has several important technical advantages. Various embodiments of the invention may have none, some, or all of these technical advantages. One technical advantage of the present invention is that it increases accessibility to the finding process through the use of systems architected into appropriate networks to connect investors with facilitators and those seeking to fund a project. This provides an opportunity for a wider range of investors to participate in at least some portion of the entertainment industry, whether movies, sports, music, or others. This network may also increase the reliability and accuracy of transactions, thereby increasing transaction volume. Moreover, this may provide for real-time communications among parties, thereby increasing the speed and efficiency of transaction processing. Further, the present invention may provide entertainment companies with a new source of financing for expensive or risky entertainment events. The present invention may create or allow for the creation of a secondary or after-market for the investments in the entertainment events. The present invention may also allow for a new data supplier industry responsible for compiling, storing, and providing information related to the entertainment events for investor research. Other technical advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following descriptions, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Entertainment company 110 is at least a portion of a business unit of any appropriate size that funds, produces, hosts, sponsors, presents or is otherwise financially involved in a plurality of entertainment events. Entertainment company 110 may reference any suitable business organization (including one or more divisions), corporation, partnership, individual, entity formed for the special purpose of one or more of the particular events, financial or commercial alliance among several businesses, or any subsidiary, affiliate, assignee, associate, employee, or agent thereof. For example, entertainment company 110 may be a movie studio, a music production company, a concert promoter, a sports team or league, or any other suitable company providing entertainment services or products. The entertainment events offered by entertainment company 110 (and at least partially represented in securities bundle 140) may be substantially similar, such as multiple concerts by one musical artist, or not, such as a plurality of different movies and television shows. Investors 130 are individuals or entities qualified to participate in system 100 and to fund entertainment events offered by one or more entertainment companies 110. Generally, an investor 130 provides funds to entertainment company 110, in any appropriate manner, for the production and presentation of entertainment events by purchasing one or more securities bundles 140. For example, investor 130 may purchase securities bundles 140 from entertainment company 110 through special-purpose trust 120. Special-purpose trust 120 may provide the funds to the appropriate entertainment company 110 immediately or according to a suitable funding schedule. Once an investor 130 funds particular entertainment events associated with a securities bundle 140, the corresponding entertainment company 110 provides returns on the events to investors 130 according to a dividend schedule. In one embodiment, investor 130 may be allowed to select from a plurality of sets of bundles 140, with each set of securities bundles 140 associated with events distinct from other sets. This would allow investor 130 to select bundles 140 based on any suitable criteria such as, for example, rates of return, personal likes or dislikes, popularity, and others. Investor 130 may work through broker 160, or other similar individual or agent, to obtain additional research, knowledge, or agent-like functionality. The particular securities bundles 140 a particular investor 130 is allowed to purchase may depend upon the qualifications of the particular investor 130 within system 100. Special-purpose trust 120 is one or more trusts, or other special-purpose entities, in which a trustee 150 or other person or entity fulfilling similar functions is interjected between investors 130 and entertainment company 110 for the execution of various entertainment financing purposes. Trustee 150 normally acts in the interest of investors 130. For example, trustee 150 may be a U.S. bank or other similar entity suitable to act in such a capacity. In one embodiment, special-purpose trust 120 may represent a plurality of separate trusts, with each trust associated with one entertainment company 110. Each trust may be registered pursuant to a registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with special-purpose trust 120 possibly registered as an investment company. In another embodiment, special-purpose trust 120 may be one trust associated with a plurality of entertainment companies 110. Regardless of the particular configuration or embodiment of the trust, special-purpose trust 120 generally raises funds for entertainment company 110 through the issuance of securities bundles 140. A securities bundle 140 generally comprises any financial instrument the value of which is indexed to at least a portion of the entertainment revenue generated by one or more constituent entertainment events offered by an entertainment company 110. Each securities bundle 140 typically includes a plurality (or bundle) of securities 145. However, this disclosure contemplates that securities bundle 140 may include any other suitable security, trust certificate, or any other instrument, or any combination thereof. Accordingly, the use of �securities� is for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered a limiting embodiment of the present disclosure. Return on each of the bundled securities 145 is indexed to revenues from particular entertainment events as described in greater detail below. All securities 145 forming part of the same securities bundle 140 are associated with events at least partially occurring (e.g., produced and/or presented) during a predetermined time period. This predetermined time period may be defined by, for example, a closing date and one or more dividend dates. It will be understood that each date may be a �hard� date, such as a specific calendar date, or a �soft� date, such as a certain amount of time after a relevant event begins or ends. Moreover, there may be multiple dividend dates for multiple securities 145, thereby providing a tiered investment. According to certain embodiments, entertainment company 110 may bundle securities 145 for many entertainment events during the set timeframe, thereby potentially diversifying risk and reducing volatility. Moreover, securities 145 for entertainment events offered by different entertainment companies 110 may be bundled in the same securities bundle 140. These entertainment companies 110 may be from the same or different entertainment industries. Each issuance may also be underwritten by brokers 160. Proceeds from the issuance of securities 145 are paid to entertainment company 110, in accordance with a specified schedule based on any appropriate criteria, under a series of swaps, or other financial arrangements, entered into by special-purpose trust 120. Each swap entitles special-purpose trust 120 to receive a specified portion of the entertainment revenues from a particular event forming part of securities bundle 140. The revenues will typically derive from primary revenues such as, for example, company net profits from ticket sales, record sales, and others. However, the disclosure contemplates an alternative or supplemental source of secondary revenues as well, including video or DVD sales, basic or premium television, merchandising, licensing, international box office sales, and such. In one embodiment, investment system 100 illustrated above is an electronic, communicably-coupled system distributed over network 108. Network 108 facilitates wireless or wireline communication between various components of the networked system. Network 108 may communicate, for example, Internet Protocol (IP) packets, Frame Relay frames, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cells, voice, video, data, and other suitable information between network addresses. Network 108 may include one or more local area networks (LANs), radio access networks (RANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), all or a portion of the global computer network known as the Internet, and/or any other communication system or systems at one or more locations. Indeed, while illustrated as two networks, 108 a and 108 b respectively, network 108 may comprise any suitable number and combination of sub-networks without departing from the scope of this disclosure, so long as at least portion of network 108 may facilitate communications between computers 102, or any other suitable network devices. One or more of the illustrated participants of system 100 may be or include a computer 102. For example, though computer 102 is illustrated as being associated with special-purpose trust 120, a plurality of computers 102 may be associated with entertainment company 110, investors 130, or other illustrated or non-illustrated participants, or any combination thereof. At a high level, as used in this document, the term �computer� is intended to encompass a personal computer, server pool, workstation, server, network computer, personal data assistant (PDA), dumb terminal, cell phone, pager, text message device, mainframe, or any other suitable data processing device. Moreover, �computer� and �user of computer� may be used interchangeably, as appropriate, without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In other words, investors 130, brokers 160, and/or employees of entertainment company 110 or trustee 150 may each be associated with a computer 102. The computer 102 may execute any operating system including UNIX, Windows, Linux, and others. The present disclosure contemplates computers other than general purpose computers as well as computers without conventional operating systems. Further, the computer 102 may include and/or execute unique software, hardware, firmware, or other logical components designed specifically for communications involving the purchase, issuance, or sale of securities bundles 140. For example, the components may be written in any appropriate computer language including C, C++, Java, Visual Basic, and others. Further, the components may be a single multi-tasked module or multiple modules. Further, the components may include features and functionality operable to implement any technique within the scope of this disclosure. In other words, such components may be developed, modified, or produced specifically for financial applications involving securities bundles 140. Computer 102 may include a graphical user interface (GUI) 116, which comprises, at least, a graphical user interface operable to allow the user of the computer to interact with one or more processes executing on the computer. Generally, GUI 116 provides the user of the computer with an efficient and user-friendly presentation of data employed in order to initiate transactions or to perform asset-monitoring functions within an investment system. GUI 116 may comprise a plurality of displays having interactive fields, pull-down lists, and buttons operated by the user. In one example, GUI 116 presents an explorer-type interface and receives commands from the user. In another example, GUI 116 comprises a screen on a cell phone operable to present the phone user with data. It should be understood that the term graphical user interface may be used in the singular or in the plural to describe one or more graphical user interfaces and each of the displays of a particular graphical user interface. Further, GUI 116 contemplates any graphical user interface, such as a generic web browser, that processes information and efficiently presents the information to the user. Network 108 can accept data from the user of the computer via the web browser (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator) and return the appropriate HTML, Java, or extensible Markup Language (XML) responses. The computer may also include an interface card (not illustrated) for communicating with other computer systems over network 108 such as, for example, in a client-server or other distributed environment. Generally, the interface card in computer 102 comprises logic encoded in software and/or hardware in a suitable combination and operable to communicate with the network. More specifically, the interface card may comprise software supporting one or more communications protocols and network hardware operable to communicate physical signals. The computer may also include memory 104, which is any memory, hard drive, or database module, any of which may take the form of volatile or non-volatile memory including, without limitation, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), removable media, or any other suitable local or remote memory component. Memory 104 may include any suitable data or module or not include the illustrated elements without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, memory may include logical representations of physical securities 145 for storing appropriate information associated with a securities bundle 140, the associated entertainment events, or other data. In another example, securities 145 may be logical data structures stored in memory 104. The computer may also include one or more processors 106 for executing instructions and manipulating data, such as data inputs and outputs, to perform the operations of computer 102 and local or remote software modules. It will be understood that reference to �processor� is meant to include multiple processors where applicable. System 100 has several important technical advantages. One technical advantage of system 100 is that it increases accessibility to the funding process through the use of computers 102 architected using networks 108 to connect investors with facilitators and those seeking to fund a project. This provides an opportunity for a wider range of investors to participate in at least some portion of the entertainment industry, whether movies, sports, music, or others. This may also increase the reliability and accuracy of transactions, thereby increasing transaction volume. Moreover, this may provide for real-time communications among parties, thereby increasing the speed and efficiency of transaction processing. In one aspect of operation, entertainment company 110 first determines the appropriate timeframe for funding entertainment events using a securities bundle 140. For example, this may include determining an expected closing date and one or more dividend dates for a securities bundle 140. One or more entertainment events to be produced and/or presented by the entertainment company 110 during this timeframe may be included in the securities bundle 140. Each such event corresponds with a security 145 in the securities bundle 140. In another example, entertainment company 110 selects and includes within a particular securities bundle 140 a fixed number of entertainment events to be funded. Next, entertainment company 110 determines a funding amount for each of the entertainment events within the securities bundle 140. This funding amount may be a portion or all of the amount required to fund the production and/or presentation of a corresponding entertainment event. Entertainment company 110 then associates at least a portion of the funding amount with securities bundle 140. The entertainment company 110 may also establish a suitable return value for the securities bundle 140. The return value associated with a security bundle 140 may be a percentage, a dollar value, or any other suitable algorithm for determining the rate of return on a securities bundle 140. The return value and the purchase price for securities bundle 140 are determined based on the overall design process, including potential investors' 130 demand and willingness to pay for a portion of the expected revenue for the plurality of entertainment events. Entertainment company 110 may also establish a suitable dividend schedule for the securities bundle 140. The dividend schedule may include one or more dividend dates. In one embodiment, the first dividend date may involve the investor 130 receiving a distribution indexed to the net revenue of first run U.S. sales associated with one or more relevant entertainment events. For example, the investor 130 holding security 145 indexed to a particular movie may receive a portion of the �rent,� generally considered to be the net revenue of first run U.S. box office sales received by the movie studio for the movie after the distribution fees (i.e., exhibitor fees) have been paid. Each subsequent dividend date may involve proceeds indexed to the net revenues (or other secondary revenues) from the prior dividend date to the instant one. Moreover, each security 145 may provide non-financial�as well as financial�rewards such as, for example, on-set visitation rights, attendance at a movie premier, screening opportunities, preferred seating, admission on opening day, and others. The dividends may be determined in conjunction with the corresponding dividend dates. As described above, securities bundle 140 includes a plurality of securities 145, with each security 145 associated with one entertainment event. For example, if a movie company desires 100 million dollars to find the production of five movies, five securities 145 (one for each movie) will be included in securities bundle 140. The example movie company may then seek to raise the 100 million dollars by selling any suitable number of securities bundles 140. The details of the securities bundles 140 are provided to special-purpose trust 120, which then offers securities bundle 140 to one or more investors 130 for purchase. As appropriate, investor 130 selects a securities bundle 140 for purchase. Investor 130 may select securities bundle 140 using any criteria including expected purchase value, personal preferences, financial data, participants in the associated entertainment events, and/or others. In certain embodiments, entertainment company 110 may offer a discount to an investor 130 on the purchase price of a security bundle 140. This discount may be based on loyalty points earned by the investor 130 in association with entertainment events offered by entertainment company 110. For example, an investor 130 may accumulate loyalty points based on purchasing tickets to entertainment events offered by entertainment company 110. These loyalty points may operate as credits towards the purchase of subsequent security bundles 140 offered by that company 110. The loyalty points may be validated as having been earned by the investor 130 via, for example, a credit card number used to purchase prior tickets, a validated bar code on a ticket stub, or any other validation technique. Investor 130 may then purchase the securities bundle 140 based, at least in part, on the purchase price. In a particular embodiment, the investor 130 holds the securities bundle 140 until at least the first dividend date. Once the first dividend date is reached, the negotiated return values for the component securities 145 are used to calculate the proceeds or dividends distributed to the investor 130. In particular, the dividends are calculated by based at lest in part upon the determined revenue for an associated entertainment event and the negotiated return value for a corresponding security 145. For example, where the return value is a percentage, the dividend may be determined by multiplying the determined revenue by the negotiated return value. Typically, this return value is indexed to the net revenue (or �rent�) of entertainment company 110 for the entertainment event associated with security 145. Returning to the example movie company, the return value may be indexed to the domestic box office receipts for one or more of the five movies up to the first dividend date. In certain circumstances, an investor 130 may sell all or a portion of a securities bundle 140 before and/or after the first dividend date. Additional dividends may be paid to the holder of any given securities bundle 140 according to the remainder of the dividend schedule. The dividend schedule may terminate according to a milestone associated with a particular entertainment event in the bundle 140. For example, the dividend schedule may terminate a period of time after each movie is no longer being presented in a specified number of theaters, after each movie has been considered for the Academy Awards, or after any other suitable milestone event for the movie. Each security 145 of a securities bundle 140 typically follows an particular path. For example, the entertainment event associated with a first security 145 premieres. As described above, this may be the premier of a movie, a first concert in a tour, or any other suitable opening. The next substantive date in the life of each security 145 is the first dividend date. The first dividend date is normally a predetermined time after the opening or premier of the event and is used to determine a first return for investors 130 using the associated first rate of return. For example, first dividend date may occur one hundred days after the premier of the associated movie. After the first dividend date, there may be any number of future dividend dates (including zero) for determining subsequent returns using the same, similar, or different rates of return. Once the final dividend date has occurred and the final returns have been calculated and provided, security 145 lapses. Method 400 begins at step 405, where entertainment company 110 selects the particular entertainment industry for funding. For example, entertainment company 110 may comprise a multimedia company with a plurality of entertainment subsidiaries for various types of entertainment events. Next, at step 410, entertainment company 110 determines a bundle 140 for the selected industry. Entertainment company 110 then determines an expected closing date for bundle 140 at step 415. A securities bundle template is then generated at step 420. Once the generic or empty securities bundle 140 has been generated or otherwise determined, entertainment company 110 then adds a plurality of entertainment events to the particular securities bundle 140 in steps 425 through 455. At step 425, entertainment company 110 selects a first entertainment event for bundle 140. Next, entertainment company 110 determines the amount of funding desired for the selected event, at step 430. The funding amount comprises at least a portion of the cost for financing the entertainment event. Next, at step 435, entertainment company 110 determines one or more dividend dates and/or a dividend schedule for the particular security 145. Once the various parameters have been determined, entertainment company 110 compiles these parameters and designs one or more securities 145 or trust certificates for the selected event, at step 440. Next, at decisional step 445, entertainment company 110 determines if there are more entertainment events to be added to securities bundle 140. If there are more events to be bundled, then entertainment company 110 selects the next event at step 450 and method 400 returns to step 430. Once there are no more entertainment events to be bundled, entertainment company 110 provides the securities bundle 140 to special-purpose trust 120 at step 452, which then issues securities bundle 140 and the component securities 145 at step 454. The method terminates at step 456. Method 500 begins at step 505, where investor 130 selects an entertainment industry that he is interested in funding or otherwise financially participating in. Next, at step 510, investor 130 selects a particular securities bundle 140 associated with the selected industry. Investor 130 then selects a first security 145 in the selected securities bundle 140 at step 515. Next, an expected revenue for the event associated with the selected security 145 is then determined at step 520. The determined expected revenue is added to a total expected revenue for the selected bundle 140 at step 525. It will be understood that the total expected revenue is illustrative of merely one technique for determining the total return that investor 130 may expect from selected securities bundle 140. Next, at decisional step 530, investor 130 determines if there are more securities 145 in securities bundle 140. If there are more securities 140, then investor 130 selects the next security 145 at step 535 and method 500 returns to step 520. Once there are no more securities 145 in securities bundle 140, then investor 130 determines a return value and a purchase amount of securities bundle 140 based, at least in part, on the determined total expected revenue at step 540. Next, at step 545, investor 130 communicates the determined return value to the bundle creator, such as entertainment company 110. Investor 130 typically also communicates the desired or expected purchase amount of selected securities bundle 140. If a communicated purchase amount and return value are not accepted by entertainment company 110 or special-purpose trust 120 then investor 130 determines a new return value and purchase amount at step 555 and method 500 returns to step 545. Once the purchase amount and return value have been successfully negotiated, then the return value is associated with the particular securities 145 at step 560. Next, at step 565, investor 130 purchases securities bundle 140 based on the accepted purchase value. The method terminates at step 567. The preceding flowcharts and accompanying description illustrate only exemplary methods 400 and 500. In short, system 100 contemplates using any suitable technique for performing these and other tasks. Accordingly, many of the steps in these flowcharts may take place simultaneously and/or in different orders than as shown. Moreover, system 100 may use methods with additional steps, fewer steps, and/or different steps, so long as the methods remain appropriate. According to certain embodiments, the securities 145 may be available for trading in the secondary market after the closing date or purchase date. The secondary market may include a market center 610, such as an electronic communications network (ECN) or Automated Trading System (ATS). Each securities market center 610 comprises all manner of order execution venues including exchanges, ECNs and ATSs. Each market center 610 maintains a bid and offer price in a given security 145 by having participants that stand ready, willing, and able to buy or sell at publicly quoted prices, also referred to as market center prices. Each market center 610 provides market center prices for particular securities 145. For example, a first market center may offer a particular bid price and/or offer price for particular securities 145, while another market center may offer a different bid price and/or offer price for the same securities 145. Certain market centers 610 may also charge a transaction cost in order to execute a trading order. Each market center 610 may also have different policies regarding the disclosure to market makers of various details of a trading order, such as, for example, the size of a trading order. Market center 610 may be customized or otherwise tailored to the entertainment industry or particular events. For example, the trading of a security 145 may be halted once an underlying entertainment event substantially begins, such as the opening weekend for a movie. According to certain embodiments, the secondary market may also include dealers 640, regulators 650, brokers 660, and investors 630. Dealers 640 generally act as market-makers in both the market center and the futures exchange. Regulatory service providers 650 may provide surveillance of and other market oversight services to one or both example markets. Broker 660 may be any securities broker. Broker 660 may supply any suitable data involving a security 145 to a potential investor, and may facilitate the trading of securities 145 within system 600. Futures contracts (or options on futures contracts) on each security 145 may also be listed on a futures exchange 620, for example the Cantor Exchange (CX), or other trading facility to enhance liquidity in the market for one or more securities 145. Futures exchange 620 may be registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Generally, a futures contract is an agreement to buy or to sell an asset such as, for example, a loan, currency, commodity or any suitable financial instrument (e.g., a securities bundle 140, any underlying securities 145, or a right to payment based upon an entertainment event) at some time in the future, whereby the price of the asset is agreed upon at the time the agreement is made. Unlike a stock, which represents equity in a company and an asset that can be held for an indefinite time, the futures contract normally has a finite life. The futures contract can be used for hedging price-fluctuation risks or for taking advantage of price movements, rather than for the buying or selling of the actual asset. In one embodiment, parties to a futures contract can agree on a fixed purchase price to buy the right to a payment that is indexed to some quantifiable parameter associated with an underlying entertainment event. For example, a first party could sell to a second party a futures contract in the right to a $1 payment per each $1 million of revenue earned by an underlying entertainment event. If the futures contract was sold for $50 and the entertainment event earned $55 million upon the settlement date, then the second party would have netted $5 from the first party. If the futures contract was sold for $50 and the entertainment event earned $45 million upon the settlement date, then the first party would have netted $5 from the second party. Of course, the values used in this example could vary. Moreover, the right to payment could be associated with any other quantifiable parameter associated with the underlying entertainment event during any suitable period of time (e.g., the number of seats sold to a particular movie at a particular theater; the number of showings of a particular movie; the number of theaters in which a particular movie was shown; the number of days that a particular movie was shown; revenue at a particular theater for a particular movie; etc). In another embodiment, parties to a futures contract can agree on a fixed purchase price to buy a securities bundle 140 or any underlying securities 145 at the expiration of the contract. For example, the seller of this futures contract can agree to sell a securities bundle 140 or any underlying securities 145 to the buyer at expiration at the fixed sales price. As time passes, the contract's value changes relative to the fixed price at which the trade was initiated according to the value of the underlying securities bundle 140 or any underlying securities 145. This creates profits or losses for the traders. In most cases, delivery of the securities bundle 140 or the underlying securities 145 associated with the futures contract does not take place. Rather, the contract is cash-settled based upon, for example, the purchase price and the value of the underlying securities bundle 140 or securities 145 at the time of settlement. In still other embodiments, parties may offer to take a position on the outcome of various events associated with an underlying entertainment event. For example, a first party may offer to take the position that a particular movie will gross over $50 million by the first dividend date. A counterparty may offer to take the position that the particular movie will not gross over $50 million by the first dividend date. A third party intermediary may accept both offers, settle the transaction, and pay the profits on the transaction according to a fixed mathematical calculation less a suitable commission (i.e., a return of 11 to 10 on a relatively even proposition). The fixed return determined for any particular transaction may be established by the third party intermediary according to the perceived likelihood of the event occurring. The third party intermediary may be any suitable participant in system 600. System 600 may also include futures commission merchants 665 that are involved in the solicitation or acceptance of commodity orders for future delivery of commodities related to the futures contract market. A futures commission merchant 665 is able to handle futures contract orders as well as extend credit to customers wishing to enter into such positions. These include many of the brokerages that investors in the futures markets deal with. Data related to the securities 145 or the associated futures contracts may be provided to potential investors 630 via a third-party data supplier (not illustrated). This data supplier may compile detailed information for the entertainment event, such as trading data, from a variety of sources. The details may include financial information such as current cost of production, current gross revenues, revenues per theater, dividends, and other fiscal data relevant to investing in a particular film. The details may also include non-financial information such as, for example, filming locations, genre, the director, actors, producers, and other persons or entities involved in the production of the example film, and other suitable industry data. In short, the third-party data supplier may provide any appropriate information to enable the potential investor to tailor a trade order based on certain financial and/or non-financial criteria. Method 700 begins at step 705, where a securities bundle 140 is identified. At step 710, the identified securities bundle 140 is automatically, dynamically, logically, or otherwise unbundled. Next, at step 715, investor 130 selects first security 145 from securities bundle 140. Investor 130 then offers the selected security in a particular after-market at step 720. It will be understood that this offer does not have to be binary. For example, investor 130 may offer the selected security through market center 610, while concurrently negotiating a futures contract through futures exchange 620. If the selected security 145 is offered through market center 610, then negotiation and purchasing techniques may be utilized. For example, investor 130 may communicate an offer on the particular security 145 at step 725. Based on this offer, investor 130 may receive a bid on the particular security 145 at step 730. If investor 130 does not accept the bid at decisional step 735, then method 700 returns to step 725, where investor 130 may communicate the same or different offer on the particular security 145. Once the bid is accepted, investor 130 receives the purchase funds from the purchaser at step 740. Investor 130 then provides the particular security 145 or any representation or data thereof to the purchaser. Next, at step 750, the purchaser details are communicated to special-purpose trust 120 for subsequent dividend and returns. Alternatively or in combination, the selected security 145 may be offered through a futures exchange. In this case, the securities bundle 140 or any underlying security 145 is associated with a potential futures contract at step 755. Next, at step 760, investor 130 communicates an offer on the futures contract. At step 765, investor 130 may receive a bid on the futures contract based on the communicated offer. If investor 130 does not accept the bid at decisional step 770, then method 700 returns to step 760. Once an agreement is reached on the futures contract associated with a particular security 145, then investor 130 receives the purchase funds at step 775. The futures contract is then provided to the purchaser at step 780. The method terminates at step 782. Although this disclosure has been described in terms of certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Patent Citations
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"Some legitimate people liked rubbing elbows with the not-so-legitimate people. Guys like Willy Falcon, his group was in there. He liked the corner booth the best. The dealers would come for lunch and order martinis and just keep going and going. There would be huge backgammon games, a lot of serious gambling. There would be four guys on the patio doing lines off the table and no one paid any attention -- you just pretended you didn't see it.
"I only worked nights a couple times. It was completely different from days, like the animals came out. I felt like I was in a jungle. A lot of leather and gold jewelry, a lot of diamond-faced Rolexes and gold coins on chains. Night was more intense, more pressure. There are some people who want to forget they even worked there. Some of the girls wound up marrying very wealthy men."
Mitchell, law enforcement consultant, ex-FBI: "I knew this Cuban immigrant, a very bright guy; he arrived in Miami and got a very menial job making about 50 bucks a week. He came upon a couple guys who asked if he knew how to use a walkie-talkie and binoculars. He says sure. They drive him to the Keys and put him on a bridge and said if you see any police, either in cars or boats, get on the radio and let us know. He spends the whole night there scared to death and never saw a thing. No one showed up. The two guys pick him up in the morning, mosquito-bitten to no end, and two weeks later they showed up and gave him $10,000 in cash. One thing led to another, and the next thing he knows he's one of the biggest dope dealers in Miami. The highlight of his pissing-it-away days was this: He had a confirmation party for his daughter at the Mutiny Hotel. It cost him $30,000.
"Colombian drug dealers really didn't understand the U.S. because they didn't live here. They relied on Cubans to do their dope importation and distribution. The Mutiny became a central point for Cubans involved in the drug business to hang out and be seen.
"These were otherwise normal human beings who all of a sudden fell into so much money it was unfathomable. It was like hitting the lottery every Saturday night. And the Mutiny just seemed like the place to be. Miami Beach had become a pit. There were no clubs for these guys in Lauderdale, because they were Cuban. There really was nothing else but the Grove.
"Drugs were relatively new to the FBI, so I said, Well if I'm in Newcastle, I'll mine coal. The first thing I saw was that it was a very fluid environment. Allegiances shifted all the time. You would be partners with three other people on a load, but the next day you weren't. If you were sitting at the Mutiny and had access to X amount of dope that was arriving, you then needed access to storage, offload spots, shrimpers, trucks; so you would hook up with your partners of the moment there at the bar."
Lazaro, private detective, former Metro-Dade Police undercover narcotics officer: "Miami was crazy in those days. It was fun but it was also very dangerous -- all those sensationalistic hits, the shootouts down U.S. 1. For a long time you had some local American guys involved in grass smuggling, and they were happy-go-lucky, sort of mellow types. Then the fishermen started getting into cocaine and had all of this money, and then the Colombians started coming in the mid-Seventies. After that, cocaine started getting really heavy and it was a more violent type of world. The cocaine types were more vociferous, more aggressive.
"In the middle of all this mayhem, the Mutiny was like a no-man's land, sort of a sanctuary. There weren't very many fights because everybody was armed. I remember Monkey Morales sitting there one night. A couple of people came in who he didn't like, so he asked for a basket of bread, and in the basket of bread he had put his weapon. That's how he did it. So if the police searched him, he was clean, but he had his gun close at hand."
Monkey Morales -- stocky, scary, possessed of simian features -- began his career the same year the Mutiny opened and eventually reigned as king of a court that included colorful top-flight drug traffickers such as Rudy Rodriguez, Carlos Quesada, and Francisco Condom-Gil. In 1968, after defecting from the Cuban secret police, Morales was arrested for the first time in Miami. But instead of going to jail, he became a paid FBI informant, testifying later that year against fellow anti-Castro zealot Orlando Bosch, who was caught at the Port of Miami trying to shoot missiles at a Cuba-bound Polish freighter. Throughout the years, as he became one of Florida's most successful cocaine importers, Morales informed on virtually all of his Mutiny drinking buddies, who, oddly, continued partying with him.
Lazaro, the undercover narc: "Monkey had a table at the end of the bar, and sometimes he'd be sitting there with Carlos Quesada. I liked Monkey. Quesada, I didn't like him as much -- he was less intelligent, basically a silk-shirt punk. One day he's putting vinyl on people's car tops at a joint off Le Jeune and Eighth Street, a year and a half later he's driving a Rolls and a Mercedes. He wasn't in the same class with Monkey, but then again, he's still alive.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Giorgio Armani (born 11 July 1934) is an Italian fashion designer, particularly noted for his menswear. He is known today for his clean, tailored lines. He formed his company, Armani, in 1974, and by 2001 was acclaimed as the most successful designer to come out of Italy, with an annual turnover of $1.691 billion, and a personal fortune of $5 billion. From 1961 to 1970, Armani worked as an... Full Article At Wikipedia.org


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On View: Dordrecht, the Grote Kerk from the Canal
Fascinated by Dutch painting, Boudin made frequent voyages to the Netherlands to paint its cities and countryside. The artist visited Dordre...
Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
Hiroshige's 118 woodblock landscape and genre scenes of mid-nineteenth-century Tokyo, is one of the greatest achievements of Japanese art.
On View: Running Stream at San Cosimato
Bidauld earned a place among the pioneers of openair painting with a five-year stint working in the hidden corners of the Italian countrysid...
200 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, New York 11238-6052
Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum
Wednesday: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Thursday: 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
Friday–Sunday: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.


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B&B Petrogradskiy Hotel(1 star)
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Hotel Information
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Our home-stay hotel has 5 rooms (5 double rooms). The reception is manned around the clock and also offers a fail-safe wake-up service. You can leave your car in the hotels' car park (fee payable) or we have free of charge parking place. For extra requests please contact room service. Luggage can be left at the reception for safekeeping. Non-smokers can book special non-smoking rooms. Should you have work to do during your stay you will find a desk, internet access and a telephone in your room. There is a blow dryer in a common use of toilet & bathroom facilities. A television set with cable channels is available in your spacious room. We also can offer you a kitchen facilities for the warming up needs with a microwave, a kettle, a toaster, some dish for the self-catering. We have security service for 24 hours, we located in a new building with new and very well worked water and heating facilities. As soon as you come, please contact our manager at the duty service desk by its phone set & you will be met by her. English speaking manager is for all your needs around the clock.
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Every day: from 00:00 to 00:00
* Neither HolidayCheck nor the provider assumes liability for the accuracy and completeness of the content displayed above. Please take note of the hotel description of the respective operator and bear in mind that the services included in an offer may differ from the catalog description presented here. We are obliged to offer solely those services available at the time of booking as shown on the booking form. © 2013 Giata
Hotel amenities
- Non-smoking room
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- Laundry service


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In addition to the extensive updates introduced by Force India at Silverstone, the team made some further changes ahead of the Hockenheim race. One of these revisions concerned the assembly of the winglets placed in front of the car's sidepods (see arrows). Instead of being connected to the sidepod...»
For Silverstone Force India have introduced a deeply revised aero package, which includes new sidepod bodywork and winglets. By far the most striking new element is the engine cover, which sports a huge shark fin, similar to those found on the Renaults, Red Bulls and Toro Rossos. The aim of this new...»


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Always Outnumbered… Never Outgunned.
Round one.
Nuco Training accepted id media's challenge earlier in 2009 for a challenge, a challenge like no other… bowling. The battle was to take place in Truro's very own bowling ally, home territory to id media. As the sun set behind the cathedral two teams would gather to compete for honour… power… and Smarties.
The risk's were high and the air was tense as id media rolled in sporting their custom bowling tee's, spreading fear into the hearts of everyone around… or so they thought, but Nuco showed none.
The battle spanned over two games, both teams fuelled with desire to obliterate each other, and Cornish Rattler. As the lights dimed and the pins lit up in the coldness of the UV lights both teams thought well, strikes a plenty, as well as a few gutter balls by both teams. This match looked like a close call.
After the last neon pin fell, both opponents gathered there troops around there grog and waited patiently for the tally of the scores. Jason of Nuco Training did the honours, and started with the less painful wins first, like Barry with the most gutter balls, although this seemed to be his plan ever since he realised the prize was a box of Smarties.
The final overall score was added up and to id medias delight they had taken the prize, the battle was won, cheers across the valley from the town folk ran out into the night. Children wept at the wonder of the trophy, women threw them sel … you get the idea.
Lord Steve Best of Nuco training, waited patiently for his worries to return with good news, but they had none. As word reached his ear his immediately picked up the dog and bone, the gauntlet was once more thrown down, "you may of won the battle id media, but you have not won the war"
A rematch was agreed, this time… Steve would play.
Round Two.
As the sun set once more into a cold October evening, the rematch was upon the two teams. This time they gathered in Nuco's home territory, at a mighty yellow place called Ozzell Bowl. Serving a 5 star meal of a lonely microwaved burger ( no chips ) they had to rely on there pure alcohol powered bowling skills to get them threw this war.
Fear was spread as Nuco training rolled into the arena, sporting numbers in plenty they apposed a formidable treat to id media, but always outnumbered, id media were never outgunned.
The teams flooded the floor an took aim once again. The battle went on for many years and many fell, pins that is. The scores were threw the roof, and Nuco's secret weapon 'Dan' obliterated the pins as he threw the balls down the ally, as if they were small woodland creatures.
After the dust settled they gathered there posture and sat down for the gruelling task of counting the kills. Id media at this point thought it was game over… Then Jason's face said it all, he couldn't quite believe it, by the wonderful laws of average id media had it in the bag. Maths is a good thing kids.
The trophy was handed over, to sit once more in the office of id media, a constant reminder of skill… and .. a lot of luck & gutter balls.
They rode of into the night, on there steady steeds, victorious once again. Even the bitter cold of the night could not dampen the mood, as they basked in the warm glow of the mighty trophy.
Some say they have been banned from the Chelsea Flower Show, and that they roams around the woods at night foraging for wolves, all we know is they were called id media.


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Jason Baptiste, founder and CMO of mobile publishing platform Onswipe told AdAge that the most activity on the iPad occurs from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time.
Onswipe's stats are based on an analysis of billions of iPad pageviews the company saw across 120 million unique iPads in 2013.
The most "thoughtful" hour on the iPad is midnight to 1 a.m. Eastern Time, when readers spend over seven minutes on average with content, the longest of any hour during the day, according to Onswipe.
Therefore, Baptiste said midnight is the best time to publish longer, insightful, journalistic pieces. Leaving them up on the homepage or section fronts may bring an extra bump in the morning, another time of peak engagement, he added.
(Stay current on how tablets are transforming the media and advertising industry: Sign up for TabTimes free Tablets for Marketing, Media & Commerce newsletter.)


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Your Pop Alternative Source
Irish brothers Alfie and Harry, better known by their surname Hudson Taylor, make their US debut today with the release of their Chasing Rubies EP on Cherrytree Records. The EP fuses classic and contemporary influences to create the raw, folk-infused melodic pop songs "Battles", "Drop of Smoke", "Butterflies" and "Chasing Rubies (Acoustic)."
The Chasing Rubies EP is available now on iTunes at the following link: http://che.rrytr.ee/chasingrubies
© 2015 Created by Cherrytree.


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Bradley Cooper shocked former classmates, by returning to his alma matter, Germantown Academy, for his 20-year high school reunion. Current students of the school tweeted pictures of the star touring school grounds in Pennsylvania. Krystin Goodwin has the scoop.
Please take a moment to sign in with your Facebook account to share videos and news on your timeline.


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The Story of Lee – Thats reality part 2
August 15, 2011 by Sean Michael Wilson/ Chie Kutsuwada
Filed under NBM Blog
I posted a bit before about some of the real life things and people in SOL, and here is more. On page 146 Matt and Lee go into 'Page One' books. This is a real place, in the 'Times Square' part of Hong Kong. It's an excellent bookshop, with a sizeable graphic novel and manga […]
Kirkus on Sacco: 'another great contribution to the country's wealth of graphic lit."
August 11, 2011 by NBM
Filed under NBM Blog, New Releases, Reviews
Well, we were going to highlight some other books this time but NO! Geary's Sacco & Vanzetti hogs everyone's attention! This time with a great review from the influential Kirkus Reviews, putting it in with "The 13 Can't Miss Graphic Novels of 2011″. Calling him 'legendary,' they quote him about the book and state: "Chalk one more up for the history […]
Chicago Comic Con & Comics Cubed
August 11, 2011 by Eric Hobbs
Filed under Author Appearances, Events, NBM Blog
Just wanted to drop in and let everyone know I'll be set up in Artist Alley at this weekend's Chicago Comic Con at the Donald E Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. I'll be there on Friday and Saturday with copies of The Broadcast for sale along with some of my other writing — including […]
Little Nothings webcomic 8/11
August 11, 2011 by trondheim
Filed under NBM Blog, New Releases
Publishers Weekly on Geary:" The Soul of a Historian"
August 8, 2011 by NBM
Filed under Author Appearances, NBM Blog, New Releases
Reactions to Geary's latest Sacco & Vanzetti "Geary's linear black and white illustrations, full of straight lines and right angles, are especially helpful in lending order to the confusing and often contradictory facts. His use of maps also helps explain the events, both of the killing and the worldwide response. Geary, a cartoonist with the […]
Little Nothings webcomic 8/8
August 8, 2011 by trondheim
Filed under NBM Blog, New Releases


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Blackpool is the biggest and most popular sea-side resort in England. Whats more, it has it's own tramway, a series of bus routes and many different taxi companies to deal with the mass of tourists that flock there every day. Heres a chance to explore the coast of Blackpool with the transportation that deals with the tourists, with a realisticly laid out route and accurate vehicles. So get out your bucket and spade, and enjoy!
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Greens MP and Education spokesperson Sue Pennicuik has written to the government chair of the upper house Social and Legal Committee asking that the committee conduct public hearings to investigate allegations of rorting of apprenticeships and other vocational education and training in Victoria.
"In the past week, the 7.30 Report has aired three programs outlining disturbing allegations about rorting in the Vocational Education and Training sector in Victoria and around the country," Ms Pennicuik said.
"People reported that 'a lot of people are fleecing the system and millions of dollars would have been wasted on effectively no training' that they have 'serious concerns that training provided is of a 'tick and flick' nature,' that 'the auditing system is an easily fabricated paper trail,' and that 'hundreds of young apprentices say they are being ripped off and left unemployable with worthless qualifications.'
"The 7:30 Report reported that the VRQA was shocked by the allegations and have commenced an immediate investigation. It is unbelievable that this level of rorting could go unnoticed by the VRQA," Ms Pennicuik said.
"I have previously stated in parliament in the wake of other instances of rorting by and collapse of private providers, that I was concerned that the VRQA did not have the resources to effectively monitor quality of VET providers across Victoria."
"This is an issue of great public interest and of ongoing concern to me and to the people of Victoria and as such it should be urgently investigated by the parliament."
Further comment: Sue Pennicuik 03 9530 8399


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Bushy Tim take 2
July 12, 2010
Earlier I had your very first look at Tim in his new movie, Country Strong, where Tim had a full beard. Unfortunately the photo was just a side view and I kind of wondered what he looked like from the front.
Enter reader Stacy. Her friend saw Tim in Madison, Wisconsin last winter when Tim was still sportin' the movie fuzz and was nice enough to share a couple of pictures.
So what do you guys think? Do you like fuzzy Tim, clean shaven Tim, or normal in-between Tim?


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Fonseca Vintage Lonsdale Tube Reviews [view details]
Give us YOUR review!Showing 1 through 4 of 4 reviews
"Multifaceted Cigar"
This is one of the smoothest cigars, for the price, that I have ever smoked. In fact this lead to one of the problems I had with this cigar. It was so smooth and so mild, that I had a hard time identifying flavors at times. However, this was the only real problem I had with this smoke. The draw was good and didn't get tight near its end. The burn was slow and even. It took me a good hour to smoke this hefty lonsdale. For those who desire a great mild cigar for a modest price, the Fonseca Vintage Lonsdale may very well be for you.
Ryan B. in Maryville, Missouri January 23, 2007
"Super Smooth, Very Pleasing"
The Fonseca Vintage Lonsdale (Tube) was one of the first cigars I every smoked. Still to this day (6 years later) it's one of my most favorite. Always well constructed, never a hard draw, if you want a larger size mild cigar this is one to try.
D Holt in GA April 4, 2006
"Fonseca Vintage Lonsdale"
A friend brought me 2 Fonseca Vintage Lonsdales (tubes) back from vacation in the Keys. I loved them ever since, bought a box and going to savor them every Sunday for the Bucs game !! :)
Paul in Valrico FL September 9, 2004
"This is a nice cigar!"
Well made, flavorful cigar. I'm about one-third of the way through a box and they have been consistently good cigars. The regular Fonseca line is pretty good -- the Vintage line is even better and worth every cent.
Charles Pascual in Palm Harbor, Fla. June 12, 2003


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At first glance, the numbers don't seem to add up: The New York Times has more than 30 million online readers and weekday circulation of less than 900,000 newspapers. Yet the print edition still accounts for more than 80 percent of the Times's revenue. A broader recent study revealed the same phenomenon: It showed that the Internet occupied 28 percent of Americans' time spent in media in 2009 but generated only 13 percent of total advertising spending.
To understand why, it's important to realize that the prices advertisers pay digital news organizations depend on many factors. Some are tied to the overall market, especially the vast and growing amount of ad space (or inventory) that's available online. Other factors have to do with a site's own dynamics, including the size of the audience it reaches and that nature of that audience—its demographics, how much time its users spend with the site, and so on.
So the web offers a lot of advantages to publishers and advertisers. But its audiences are more wide than deep.
Journalists constantly feel the push and pull of these numbers. "What am I today?" asks Jeff Cohen, editor of the Houston Chronicle. "I'm an aggregator of eyeballs. We're doing around 79 million page views a month—almost a billion in a year." Yet for all that web traffic, his newsroom's 206 employees are about half the number employed in 2006.
Digital numbers are confusing when compared with traditional media metrics and are often inflated for all sorts of reasons. Users can be counted several times if they deploy multiple devices, such as a PC, laptop, and mobile phone, to access a site. Also, many people delete their computers' "cookies"—small text files that allow them to be identified and tracked; because of that, they appear to be new visitors to sites rather than returning ones.
For all that, digital audiences usually far outnumber those from a traditional outlet. As a result, the industry faces a perplexing set of questions: Why do so many digital users generate so little advertising revenue? Is it simply that digital systems are more efficient than the previous oligopolies of the print and broadcast world? Or is there something more fundamentally askew about the way media companies make money off digital customers? And, more importantly, what should publishers be doing to make the most of the readers and viewers they have?
At its most basic level, advertising is a numbers game. A news organization needs a certain number of readers or viewers, and the more it gets, the more ads it can sell and the more it can charge those advertisers. Users also spend varying amounts of time with the magazine, newspaper, or broadcast, and the more time they spend, the more an advertiser values the audience.
Digital platforms, thanks to their ubiquity and ease of use, are terrific at the first part of the numbers game. News sites have demonstrated the ability to attract huge numbers of users. And in the first decade of the digital era, particularly as search engines became more powerful, publishers and broadcasters focused on building a mass audience. They poured resources into search engine optimization—the term used to describe a way to improve the odds that headlines will be picked up by Google or other search sites and that topics will be timely enough to appear prominently on a results page. News sites initially welcomed aggregators, such as Drudge Report and Huffington Post, that linked to their material and increased traffic.
As a consequence, audience sizes swelled, and publishers have proclaimed that to be a success. So when the Los Angeles Times in March 2011 logged a record 195 million page views, clicked on by 33 million users, the site's managing editor took a moment to proudly announce those statistics on the site.
But within such numbers is another, less happy, story. The arithmetic shows that each latimes.com user clicked on an average of six pages in March—or just one page every fifth day of the month. That statistic demonstrates how the other essential part of the advertising business—the amount of time and attention that users pay to a site—has been undermined by some of the tactics that publishers have used to attract large audiences.


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FishAmerica's Gulf Fund
FishAmerica Gulf Fund Supports Gulf Coast Restoration Efforts
The FishAmerica Foundation expanded its Gulf Fund grant program in 2010 to include fisheries and their habitats were impacted by the Deep Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf Fund was established in 2005 to provide funding for restoring fisheries habitat and recreational fishing facilities devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that 4.9 million barrels of oil was released into the Gulf of Mexico with disastrous effects on the region's fish and wildlife. The Foundation works with state and federal natural resource agencies and local community conservation groups to identify and prioritize projects such as wetland creation and restoration, aquatic vegetation planting, restoring fish habitat and rebuilding angler access in the Gulf Region. According to the 2011 NOAA Fisheries Report, the Gulf of Mexico is one of the most popular areas for recreational fishing in the United States with nearly six million saltwater anglers, taking over 24 million fishing trips each year, fishing for red drum, spotted seatrout, sheepshead and red snapper among others. Recreational fishing serves as the economic backbone for many coastal communities surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. The oil spill impacted the nearly 2,300 tackle shops in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida's West Coast. The six million anglers combines resident and non-resident saltwater anglers in Alabama, Florida's West Coast, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas who fish in the Gulf of Mexico.
Photo Credit: NASA/
MODIS Rapid Response Team
Oil Slick Spreads off
Gulf Coast
April 25, 2010
Photo Credit: NASA/Goddard/
NASA Sees Dull Gray Oil Slick Morph Into Letter 'J'
May 10, 2010
Click on image to enlarge
Path of Hurricane Katrina
Path of Hurricane Rita
September 2005
The FishAmerica Foundation is the conservation and research foundation of the American Sportfishing Association. FishAmerica unites the sportfishing industry with conservation groups, government agencies, fishing tournaments, corporations and charitable foundations, investing in fisheries conservation and research across the country. FishAmerica provides matching grants that empower citizen conservationists in their own communities. Since 1983, FishAmerica has provided more than $8 million for more than 800 fisheries conservation and research projects nationwide.
An aerial view of restored wetlands along Delehide Cove. Volunteers enhanced nearly 400 acres of coastal habitat along Galveston Island's West Bay. Wetlands, provide critical spawning, rearing and foraging habitat for many recreationally-important fish including striped bass, flounder, menhaden, sea trout, and croaker. Wetlands also absorb flood waters and act as a barrier to storm surges.
Oyster shell sits on a barge before placement to create two new three-acre oyster reefs in Back Bay Biloxi and St. Louis Bay. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and its partners including the Coastal Conservation Association created the oyster reefs which are closed to harvesting and will provide critical spawning and rearing habitat for sportfish while improving water quality.
The aerial photos of the New Orleans City Park before and after Hurricane Katrina. The New Orleans City Park Lagoons provide 11 miles and 120 acres of natural and man-made water bodies for fishing and boating in the nation's fifth largest urban park. The project improved fish access into the lagoon, enhanced water quality for these and the freshwater species in the lagoons, and improved angler accessibility and safety. (Before: January 11, 2004. After: September 2005—water started to recede.)
At a Glance
Brunswick Continues Long-time Support of Coastal Habitat Restoration
FishAmerica received a $35,000 grant award from the Brunswick Public Foundation. The grant will be matched with funds from the NOAA Restoration Center and leveraged with an additional $1.3 million from the local communities to fund six grassroots projects to restore marine and estuarine habitat critical to marine fish.
Mercury Marine National Walleye Tournament Continues Support of FishAmerica
Mercury Marine recently donated $3,000 to FishAmerica through its National Walleye Tournament. The tournament has been donating $3,000 a year to FishAmerica for 28 years – totaling $84,000.
Bonnier Corporation Supports FishAmerica Gulf Fund
Bonnier Corporation made a $10,000 donation to the FishAmerica Gulf Fund to help FishAmerica's efforts to support the expansion of existing healthy fisheries habitat and the creation of new fisheries habitat to ensure the future of sportfish in the Gulf.


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Bug Juice
This article has an unclear citation style. (September 2013) |
This article may be in need of reorganization to comply with Wikipedia's layout guidelines. (April 2013) |
Bug Juice | |
Bug Juice logo
Created by | Douglas Ross J. Rupert Thompson |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 3 |
No. of episodes | 60 |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Douglas Ross, Greg Stewart, J. Rupert Thompson |
Producer(s) | Laura Z. Thompson |
Running time | 22 minutes |
Production company(s) | Evolution Film & Tape Disney Channel Originals |
Distributor | Disney-ABC Domestic Television |
Broadcast | |
Original channel | Disney Channel |
Original run | February 28, 1998 – October 15, 2001 |
Bug Juice is a Disney Channel reality series that premiered on February 28, 1998. The series focuses around 20 kids and their experiences at summer camp. Together, the kids work hard to excel in their activities and become friends. The phrase bug juice is a camping slang term for a very sweet juice drink made from powdered mixes, such as Kool-Aid, which are often served at summer camps.
Season 1[edit]
Season 1 takes place in Waterford, Maine, at Camp Waziyatah, which has been in operation since 1922. The camp is broken down into two sessions. Each session is four weeks.[1][2]
- "Camp Waziyatah"
- "Getting to Know You"
- "To Clique...or Not to Clique"
- "Adventure Bound: Bushwack"
- "Molecules Colliding"
- "Boys-to-Men Talent Show"
- "Unity Campfire"
- "Aftershocks"
- "No Pain, No Gain"
- "Nice Guys Finish Last"
- "Goodbye, Session One"
- "Ch, Ch, Changes"
- "Session 2"
- "Turn, Turn, Turn"
- "When the Boys Go Away, Girls Will Play"
- "We Shall Overcome"
- "Flirting with Disaster: Co-Ed Canoe Trip"
- "The Last Hurrah"
- "So Long, Farewell"
- "Scrapbook"
Rhett Bachner and Morgan Will were the male counselors for Grove 4. Luna and Annie were the female counselors for Hill 4. Gregory Weiss was the Candyman.
Session 1 campers included Andrew Johnson, Darnell Jordan, Asa Korsen, Connor Shaw, Everett Boyle, Andy White, Hassan A. Omar, Jon Adler, Jason Wool, and Malik Sollas in Grove 4. Johnson, Jordan, Korsen, Omar, Adler, and Sollas were joined by Max, Andy #2, Justin SImon, and Patrick Milhaupt for Session 2.
In Hill 4, Session 1 campers included Alison Harding, Caitlin Welby, Lauren, Martha, Mary Elizabeth Bradley, Megan Tarr, Sarai Fife, Kisha, Jenny, and Stephanie Etkin. Welby, Kisha, and Etkin were joined by Annie Friedman, Cammie Delany, Sarah Ceglarski, Molly, and Anna Korsen for Session 2.
Season 2[edit]
Season 2 takes place in Horse Shoe, North Carolina, at Camp Highlander. The camp is broken down into three sessions.
- "Your Adventure Starts Here"
- "You Never Know Until You Try"
- "Odd Man Out"
- "You Get What You Give"
- "Brits, Fights, & Videotape"
- "Old Friends & New Friends"
- "I'm Gonna Walk Those Fears Right Outta My Head"
- "First Farewells"
- "Bringing on the New Recruits"
- "The Dance of Love"
- "Climbing Toward Acceptance"
- "Outside Looking In"
- "You Don't Have to be a Star to Shine"
- "July Goodbye"
- "New Kids on the Bus"
- "Discovering Your Inner Camper"
- "Countdown Begins"
- "War Breaks at Highlander"
- "And the Winner Is..."
- "See Ya, Highlander"
Male counselors for Cabin 28 are Andrew Cohen and Andrew Foti. Female counselors for Cabin 6 are Amanda Peryln, Nicki K, Tiffany Lydon, and Ali Baske.
Female campers in Session A include Libby, Maryanne, Sarah, Jenny, Alex, Simana, Annette, Nikki, Samantha, and Michaela. In Session B, Annette and Samantha are joined by Hilary, Michelle, Kelly, Kim, Jennifer, Michelle, Baylor, and Jessica. In Session C, Kim, Jennifer, Baylor, and Jessica are joined by Jess, Gaby, Dalit, Danielle, Alanna, and Jasmyne.
Male campers in Session A include Steven, Kevin, Sam, Alvan, Jared, Austin, Ricky, Brendan, Alex, Chasen. In Session B, Steven, Alvan, Ricky, and Chasen are joined by Josh, Steffen, Hunter, Farb, Tyler, and Conor. In Session C, Ricky, Josh, Hunter, and Farb are joined by Michael, Steven, Marcellus, Brandon, Brendan, and Kevin.
Season 3[edit]
Season three takes place in Tererro, New Mexico, at Brush Ranch Camp. The camp is broken down into two sessions.
- "Welcome to Brush Ranch Camp"
- --
- --
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- "Choices and Consequences"
- --
- --
- --
- --
- --
- --
- --
- --
- --
- --
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- "Gettin' Dirty"
- "End of Brush Ranch"
Male campers in Rustlers include Lee, Alex, Brendon, Josh, Bryan, Todd, Houston, Alex J., and Jordan in Session 1. Session 2 includes Jake, Aaron, Brendon, Sam, Bryan, Terrance, Will, Mike, Josh, and Carl.
Female campers in Indian Creek include Eve La Fountain, Jen, Hallie, Reid, Kelly, Amanda Bustamante, Ali C., Kristen, Megan, and Ali B.in Session 1. Session 2 includes Alana, Carrie, Hallie, Alex, Kelly, Amanda Bustamante, Leela, Sarah, Megan, Ellie, and Kiersten.
Episodes of all three seasons were shown for several years[vague] on Disney Channel, ending with a run of Season 3 during the year 2001. Bug Juice was subsequently pulled from the air and was not shown again until the summer of 2004, during which episodes from the first season ran nightly in chronological order. The last episode of Bug Juice aired August 20, 2004, and it has not been shown since.
During the summer of 2006, Disney began posting mini episodes on its Web site, encouraging viewers of the Disney Channel to log on and view 5-minute short clips from episodes of the first season.
Bug Juice was also broadcast in the UK on Channel 4's The Bigger Breakfast.
See also[edit]
After the success of Bug Juice, Disney Channel produced three additional reality series that aired until 2002. They were as follows:
- ^ "Goodbye, Session One". Bug Juice. Season 1.
- ^ "Dates & Rates". Camp Waziyatah. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
External links[edit]
- Camp Waziyatah - Location for Season One
- Bug Juice at the Internet Movie Database
- Bug Juice at TV.com
- 1998 American television series debuts
- 2001 American television series endings
- 1990s American television series
- 2000s American television series
- American children's television series
- American reality television series
- Disney Channel shows
- English-language television programming
- Summer camps in the United States
- Television series by Disney


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National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
It is possible that the main title of the report Chlamydia is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.
General Discussion
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection with symptoms similar to those of gonorrhea. Until recently, chlamydia was identified primarily when a certain type of eye infection (trachoma) appeared as a symptom. Initially, the symptoms of chlamydia are usually mild and may not be recognized. In rare cases, chlamydia may have serious complications, if left untreated. Individuals who are sexually active and have multiple sex partners are especially at risk for this disease. Since many people with chlamydia do not realize that they have this infection, they may not seek treatment until serious complications occur. Meanwhile, they may have unknowingly spread the disease to others through sexual activity. Treatment with antibiotics is generally successful; however, prevention is the primary course of action.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30333
Tel: (404)639-3534
Tel: (800)311-3435
Email: http://www.cdc.gov/netinfo.htm
Internet: http://www.cdc.gov/
NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
6610 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-6612
Tel: (301)496-5717
Fax: (301)402-3573
Internet: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/
American Social Health Association
P.O. Box 13827
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
Tel: (919)361-8400
Fax: (919)361-8425
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.ashastd.org
Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126
Tel: (301)251-4925
Fax: (301)251-4911
Tel: (888)205-2311
Email: email@example.com
Internet: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/Default.aspx
For a Complete Report
For a Complete Report
This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html


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7:00pm Saturday 8/30
Words & Ideas Stage
The Simpsons is about to premiere its 26th season. Longevity like that can only mean one thing: their writers are really old! But they are vital, alert, and have great stories. Stewart Burns, Kevin Curran, Rob Lazebnik, Carolyn Omine, Michael Price, and Jeff Westbrook discuss their process, their favorite moments and answer all of your Simpson questions (except "What state is Springfield in?" and "How do you pronounce Groening?").
The Simpsons ™ and © 2014 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.


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The 'Dancing With The Stars' champion showed off her flawless skin all season long and HollywoodLife.com spoke to Meryl EXCLUSIVELY to get her skincare secrets!
Meryl Davis was smiling ear to ear as she accepted the mirrorball trophy alongside partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy on the May 20 finale episode. Her skin was glowing and flawless — see the exact products she uses for clear skin below!
Meryl Davis' 'DWTS' Finale Makeup — Get Her Skincare Secrets
Meryl's skincare secret is actually quite simple — and something we should all be doing — wearing sunscreen!
"I think it's really important to use sun protection on a daily basis," she told HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY.
"Winter, summer, whether you're at the beach or just going about your day. That's something I definitely do everyday. I use an Olay product with SPF 15 every morning so that I'm protecting myself from the sun."
Hydrating is so important — especially when you're in an ice rink most of the day! Even if you aren't skating, everyone should moisturize to keep skin balanced. Despite some skincare myths, moisturizing does not make skin more oily, it balances your skin's natural oil-producing glands.
Meryl Davis Reveals Her Favorite Makeup
Meryl told us: "In terms of favorite makeup, I use a tinted moisturizer that also has some SPF from a brand called Kimiko Beauty."
To get her look, try their Hydrating Tint SPF 20. The sheer coverage will give you a glow while allowing your skin to breathe.
Will you try out Meryl's favorite makeup, HollywoodLifers?
– Dory Larrabee
More Meryl Davis News:
- Meryl Davis & Maks Chmerkovskiy Getting Married? He Wants Babies
- 'DWTS': Maksim Freaks Out On Meryl In Rehearsal — Watch
- 'DWTS' Recap: Meryl & Maks Share A Sexy Kiss; A Shocking Elimination
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text:
In my haste to get these two preserved before they could break an antennae, I missed an opportunity to practice macro entomological photography. But, hey! They are safe in resin and…they are…
Two Bees, one spoon, paint, ink on paper, resin
October 2013
$40+ flat rate shipping to the US (please email me (email@example.com) if outside the USA).


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Start learning with our library of video tutorials taught by experts. Get started
Explores enhancements in Photoshop CS5 and Bridge CS5 from a photographer's perspective.
"I have yet to find a course that I didn't find useful, well organized, and informative. And it's always at my fingertips." —Leslie M.
more from our members »


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You've Been Unfriended On Facebook. Now What?
'She's deleted me!' How to handle being unfriended on Facebook
10 Most Expensive Oscar Dresses Of All Time
As it's revealed that Lupita Nyong'o's £97K Clavin Klein gown has been stolen, we run through the most expensive dresses to ever be worn on the Oscars red carpet.
House Of Cards: The 10 Most Kick-Ass Quotes From The Power Couple We Love To Hate
With the third season of House of Cards hitting Netflix next week, we're taking a moment to admire the ruthless power duo that is Frank and Claire Underwood. Here are their most chillingly brilliant quotes so far...
8 Things We Learnt When We Interviewed Mad Men's Jon Hamm
Yes, we interviewed Jon Hamm. And yes, we just wanted to take him home with us. Here's a few gems...
Happy Birthday, Elizabeth Taylor. Here Are 10 Of Her Best Quotes...
Elizabeth Taylor was born on this day in 1932
5 Unusual Superfoods To Try In 2015
Here are the five superfoods you need to get on your plate for 2015...
Brit Awards 2015: 8 Must-Talk About Moments
As Brit Awards go, this one was pretty underwhelming, so don't worry about watching it on catch-up. This is what you missed...
8 Brilliant Quotes That Prove Gwyneth Paltrow Is A Champion Of Women
Our April cover star Gwyneth Paltrow has our back, and we've totally got hers. Take it away, Gwynnie...
10 Life Lessons We Learnt From Katharine Hepburn
Trail-blazing, two-piece suits and the odd tantrum - movie legend Katharine Hepburn was a formidable force. No wonder the BFI has dedicated an entire season to her, including classics like; The Philadelphia Story (1939) and The Lion in Winter (1968).
10 Most Excruciating Stage Falls Of All Time
Don't worry Madonna, you are not alone.


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ONE.org visits Alvernia Campus
Date: 9/11/2008The ONE.org bus visited Alvernia this week.
This past Wednesday, the nationally touring ONE.org bus visited Alvernia College. The ONE organization teaches awareness about global poverty and AIDS, and lobbies for change through government funding. See the feature with photos from the visit here.
Last fall, Alvernia's S.T.O.P. club was heavily involved with the ONE campus challenge, placing 46th in the nation. This ranking won the club a spot at the ONE conference in Washington, D.C., in January 2007.
This week's event drew a large crowd on campus that learned about the ONE VOTE '08 campaign, thanks to the efforts of S.T.O.P. student leader Janet Fisher. This campaign does not benefit any particular presidential candidate. Rather, the group lobbies our government to end poverty and global disease by providing education, disease prevention, and clean water to those in need.
According to One.org, more than 2.4 million people have already signed the ONE Declaration. Want to learn more, or join the fight? Click here to visit ONE.org.
- History: Established as a private four-year liberal arts college in 1958, Alvernia celebrated its 50th year by being awarded university status in 2008.
- Heritage: Founded by the Bernardine Sisters, a Catholic religious order, the university embraces the Franciscan core values of service, humility, collegiality, contemplation and peacemaking.
- Motto: "To Learn, To Love, To Serve"
- Campus: The main campus in Reading is 121 acres, with two satellite campuses in Philadelphia and Pottsville (Schuylkill County).
- Location: Our residential campus is situated three miles from center-city Reading, in the scenic Blue Mountain area of Eastern Pennsylvania.
- Enrollment: 3,000 students attend Alvernia including 1,500 traditional undergraduates, 600 continuing education students, and 780 graduate students. Over 77% of first-year students live on campus.
- Faculty: Our professors are accomplished scholars, experts in their fields, and supportive mentors. The student-to-faculty ratio is 14:1. Most classes are 20 students or fewer.
- Athletics: NCAA Division III, member of the Commonwealth Conference of the Middle Atlantic States Athletic Corporation and member of Eastern College Athletic Conference, 8 men's and 10 women's intercollegiate sports.


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This past week, The Tribune received a press release asking us to consider running a story about National School Choice Week, Jan. 26 through Feb. 1. However, most of the resources they pointed to were directed towards large metropolitan areas. In addition, we could not locate in these materials what organization(s) were sponsors of this national campaign.
At 14:30 hours Central Time Wednesday afternoon, several small aircraft launched from the playground at Great Bend's Lincoln Elementary School, blew across the ball field and the newly planted grass, and a few lucky spheres were lifted on the wind. Within a week or so, second-grade students in Susan Young's and Meredith Ramsey's classes should receive responses to their messages with letters and maps of where the remnants of these tiny aircraft were located, if history is any guide.
"Volunteering is fun, and it makes you feel good," said Great Bend High School senior Jami McVay and junior Sarah Niederee Wednesday afternoon.
For a few hours Saturday night, its time to put the New Year's resolutions aside and indulge in a little chocolate for a good cause at the 9th Annual Central Kansas CASA Chocolate Auction at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Great Bend, said CASA Director Angela Schepmann.
USD 428 Great Bend has a new Superintendent of Schools. Monday night, the B.O.E. held a special called meeting to unanimously approve a motion to enter into an agreement with Dr. Brad Reed. He will step into the position July 1, 2014. Long-time Superintendent Tom Vernon announced in September his retirement effective at the end of the 2013-2014 school year. He plans to stay in the community.
Earlier this month, on Jan. 7, Marmies Great Bend took possession of a very special vehicle, purchased August 10, 2013, by Donald and Kathleen Damon, owners of D & B Motors, LLC of Great Bend, from the Reno/ Tahoe Barrett-Jackson Auction. The 2014MY Ford Shelby GT500 convertible brought in $500,000 for the Brain Injury Association of America. Thursday, Jan. 9, the Damons were met by Great Bend Mayor Mike Allison, who handed them the keys, and offered his appreciation for their continued economic and charitable activity.
HUDSON - Juanita S. Mawhirter, 90, died Jan. 25 at Cherry Village Nursing Home, Great Bend. She was born in rural Stafford County on June 15, 1923 to Henry and Anna Siefkes. She was a lifetime Hudson area resident and member of Trinity Community Church, Hudson. She also owned the liquor store in Hudson for many years. Survivors include daughters, Sandra Watson (Richard) of Peck, Marsha Mawhirter of El Dorado, Jayne Boles (Robert) of Andover, Ks; Son, Dan Mawhirter (Teresa) of Great Bend; a sister, Elmaleda McMinn of Emporia. She was preceded in death by both parents, husband Cecil Mawhirter, and ...
As a recent transplant to Great Bend, getting to know the area and the people has been a constant activity for the past year and a half. So, when a copy of Dog of the Afterworld by Leon Unruh made it to my desk, I was intrigued.
Each week we'll take a step back into the history of Great Bend through the eyes of reporters past. We'll reacquaint you with what went into creating the Great Bend of today, and do our best to update you on what "the rest of the story" turned out to be.
Earlier this month, a group of five Tribune employees, me included, took up the Club 1 Fitness Challenge, and are working on changing the food we eat to develop healthier lifestyles. Okay--we're on a diet. But you're not supposed to say "diet" anymore, right? But we're working on coming up with good tasting, easy to make dishes. With this in mind, I'm extending that to the meals I make my family and friends.
Student volunteers from Great Bend High School delivered new books to the libraries of each of Great Bend's elementary schools Monday morning. It was one way Martin Luther King Day was celebrated, because as Linn Hogg with Volunteers In Action said, King believed all people should work hard to get the best education they could.
After just three years in business, Bullseye Pipe Supply LLC managers Todd Clark and Cortenay Damm are excited about the growth the company has seen recently thanks to oil exploration in Colorado. Last week, they delivered one of their largest orders yet, a 12 tank battery of 400 barrel tanks headed for northern Colorado, near the Brighton and Greeley area.
Art is in the eye of the beholder, and it's hard to deny the emotion and intrigue present in the photo art produced by Great Bend artist Stephen McAnulla. Industry leader Wacom, makers of digital creative tools that allow artists to sketch, draw, paint digitally, will feature McAnulla as part of a panel of experts in an upcoming one-hour online seminar where he will share some of his work.
Each week we'll take a step back into the history of Great Bend through the eyes of reporters past. We'll reacquaint you with what went into creating the Great Bend of today, and do our best to update you on what "the rest of the story" turned out to be.
DeleteIn recognition of Board Appreciation Month, Superintendent Tom Vernon thanked board members for their service at the start of Monday night's USD 428 Board of Education meeting. Each member received an apple pie and a verbal pat on the back.
The public and Great Bend City Council had a chance to meet and talk with the final candidate for the position of Great Bend Chief of Police Thursday evening. An informal come and go reception was held at the city offices.
Each week we'll take a step back into the history of Great Bend through the eyes of reporters past. We'll reacquaint you with what went into creating the Great Bend of today, and do our best to update you on what "the rest of the story" turned out to be.


text: A drug used to find or treat certain types of tumors, including pheochromocytomas and neuroblastomas. It is also used to relieve pain caused by cancer that has spread to the bones. It is made of a substance called iobenguane linked to a radioactive substance called iodine I 131. The radiation from iodine I 131 may help kill cancer cells or show where they are in the body. 131I-MIBG is a type of radioimaging agent and a type of radioconjugate. Also called iobenguane I 131 and iodine I 131 metaiodobenzylguanidine.


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Neth lays down answers on Wrath release, leaks
She also gave a much better answer about why Blizzard is opposed to the leaking of talent data from the game. Before, all we heard was that leaking the data was "extremely offensive and inappropriate" (that comment's been deleted from the forums, actually). And this time around, Neth is much more reasonable -- the reason they don't want data leaked is because they want players to theorycraft from gameplay, not from talent data. Of course, that still doesn't mean hearing about the data earlier is a bad thing, for the players or devs, but she has a point -- reading talent data isn't the same as playing the class.
Other than that, the questions aren't too great. People ask if Blizzard is going to do anything original, and of course they are -- Blizzard's great ideas don't come out any sooner than "when they're ready," but when they do, they're almost always groundbreaking and fun. It's completely understandable that Wrath is taking their focus, and while yes, the waiting is always the hardest part, Blizzard has never shown us that the wait for their games is anything less than worth it.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Death Knight, Wrath of the Lich King, Forums