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Day Ahead: 10 Things to Share with Investing Pals
Analyzing the stock market, and actually not losing your shirt in the process, requires a couple basic tools that you may have overlooked. Let's state this up front, none of these tools have anything to do with owning four flatscreen computer monitors. The essentials include:
- Bratiness: Respect the trend-is-your-friend mantra, but if your analysis is suggesting go contrarian, be mentally prepared to chuck up the deuces to the consensus (offer a V-sign).
- Intense intensity: Think along the lines of that adrenaline rush when a juicehead makes fun of your girlfriend. You do nothing, but then rifle off a swearword-laced tirade after the muscle head departs.
- Respect: Pay respect to consensus opinions in the market for they could net you money, until they don't.
- Discipline: The ability to ignore everything else around you for hours on end and enjoy doing so in order to crush the other guy.
- Yeoman: The ability to work and analyze day in and day out, no matter the previous day's mistake.
I call this the #BIRDY approach to investing, but am open to adding new building blocks so holler at me on Twitter (@BrianSozzi). For the entire month of August, I have practiced #BIRDY to the fullest. There was me being a fake friend to the bulls earlier in the month (rode the wave but silently prepped negative signs I was seeing ... I tend to be early with macro/micro calls). Then, this week, did a 360-degree turn to short-term bearish. Now, I have this funny feeling inside that you have missed the homework that I slave over to develop. So, here is a Best of the Hit List from pieces in August. Be aware that you won't find me chatting about Elliot Wave Theory or downward facing triangles (huh?). Instead, I like to keep things practical. In doing so, what I see could be weaved into your daily routine and we could be early and win together, which is fun.
- The way I think about it, the transports (a few of the names I use: CSX (CSX - Get Report), FedEx (FDX - Get Report), UPS (UPS - Get Report), CH Robinson Worldwide (CHRW), Swift Transportation (SWFT)) do not believe the incrementally improving macro data trend and suspect it will unwind in a historically dour month for stocks in September. New order trends in manufacturing reports and continued focus by retailers on lean inventory management lend credence to this view.
- I sure am laying eyes on the S&P 500 approaching strategists' full-year value objectives, yet no real bold calls in either direction regarding the next move. If we begin to get modest upward hikes in yearend S&P 500 targets, the market may boil them down as unworthy of incurring the extra risk. In other words, the risk reward would be unfavorable.
- One thought I am wrestling with is in September when the market's ballers return to action. Will they really want to get long a market sent higher by machines and rookies? The core fundamentals are uninspiring (meaning corporate sales and earnings) and risks of being horribly wrong into the back half are too great a threat to buying stocks today at higher valuations than June.
- In this land of melt-up stocks, the market has ignored poor new orders trends in regional Fed manufacturing surveys and three months in a row of weakening consumer expectations about the economy before the onset of food inflation. Valuations becoming richer on hope, as opposed to substance.
- Expectations are juiced a bit for my taste on euro-area PMI reports. Month-on-month improvement expected, which seems beyond counter to the negative demand comments on late in the earnings season conference calls. Disappointment in these readings, the power of Draghi's comments will be tested.
Your Deep Weekend Thought
When apparently defensive dividend-paying stocks don't catch bids amidst a market pullback, it's a red flag (cool kids will note correlation is increasing). To me, it says while investors in names such as General Mills (GIS - Get Report), Kellogg (K - Get Report), Kimberly-Clark (KMB - Get Report), Pepsi (PEP - Get Report) and Coca-Cola (KO - Get Report) are happy to have grabbed for yield, increased volatility has them worried the yield on the stock will go higher should earnings underwhelm estimates (these stocks are richly valued and companies globally exposed). So, they dump and wait for a more attractive yield/valuation. In the meantime, they remain hesitant to chase cyclicals as any strategist on the Street has claimed is the best thing since sliced bread in recent weeks.Select the service that is right for you!
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text: I'm not sure why exactly I've always been drawn to the peacock pattern but I think lots of other people feel the same way. Peacock is a trend that has come and gone over the years and recently, I've noticed lots of beautiful handbags sporting the peacock pattern. Here are some lovely peacock purses that have caught my eye. Click on any photo for more info.

subset: commoncrawl


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Registration for the 2014 Inspire Kids to TRI event is open. Click the link below to register and pay securely on Active.com. Contact email@example.com with any questions.
Annual membership with USAT is required to participate in a sanctioned event. Youth memberships may be purchased ahead of time at: USAT Membership Services. If the participant does not have a current membership card to present at packet pickup, they will need to purchase one that day.
Please review our Safety Page, Rules and Waiver before registering your child. A signed waiver will be required for participation.


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There are several brands of pinking shears available. The one I am most familiar with are Gingher pinking shears. Sometimes it seems like you are spending quite a bit of money for a pair of scissors, but if you use them correctly, they should last you for many years.
I seem to have the best results when I cut through more than one layer of fabric at a time. This only works if the fabric is not too thick to start with. You also want to make sure and hold your shears in a straight line. If you are not used to working with them, it can be easy to work at an angle, but this is not the way you want to do it.
I also remember being told to never open and close the blades without having fabric between them. For some reason this will dull your blades more quickly. If you treat them with care, your investment should be something you will have for many years to come.


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Drug Notes
UPMC Patient Education Materials
Calculators and Assessment Tools
Anatomy Navigator
Conditions Navigator
Aortic valve replacement - discharge; Aortic valvuloplasty - discharge; Aortic valve repair - discharge; Replacement - aortic valve - discharge; Repair - aortic valve - discharge; Ring annuloplasty - discharge; Percutaneous aortic valve replacement or repair - discharge; Balloon valvuloplasty - discharge; Mini-thoracotomy aortic valve - discharge; Mini-aortic replacement or repair - discharge; Cardiac valvular surgery - discharge; Mini-sternotomy - discharge; Robotically-assisted endoscopic aortic valve repair - discharge; Mitral valve replacement - open - discharge; Mitral valve repair - open - discharge; Mitral valve repair - right mini-thoracotomy - discharge; Mitral valve repair - partial upper sternotomy - discharge; Robotically-assisted endoscopic mitral valve repair - discharge; Percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty - discharge
You had surgery to repair or replace one of your heart valves. Your surgery may have been done through a large incision (cut) in the middle of your chest, through a smaller cut between 2 of your ribs, or through 2 - 4 small cuts.
Most people spend 3 - 7 days in the hospital. You may have been in the intensive care unit some of the time, in the hospital, you may have begun learning exercises to help you recover more quickly.
It will take 4-6 weeks to heal completely after surgery. During this time, it is normal to:
The following are general recommendations. You may get specific directions from your surgical team. Be sure to follow the advice your doctor gives you.
Have a person who can help you stay in your home for at least the first 1-2 weeks.
Stay active during your recovery. Be sure to start slowly and increase your activity little by little.
Do not drive for at least 4 - 6 weeks after your surgery. The twisting movements needed to turn the steering wheel may pull on your incision.
Expect to take 6 - 8 weeks off work. Ask your doctor when you may return to work.
Do not travel for at least 2 - 4 weeks. Ask your doctor when you can travel again.
Return to sexual activity gradually. Talk openly with your partner about it.
For the first 6 weeks after your surgery, you must be careful how you use your arms and upper body when you move.
Do NOT:
Do these things carefully:
Stop any activity if you feel pulling on your incision or breastbone. Stop right away if you hear or feel any popping, moving, or shifting of your breastbone and call your surgeon's office.
Use mild soap and water to clean the area around your incision.
You may take showers, but only for 10 minutes at a time. Make sure the water is lukewarm. Do not use any creams, oils, or perfumed body washes. Apply dressings (bandages) the way your doctor or nurse showed you.
Do NOT swim, soak in a hot tub, or take baths until your incision is completely healed. Keep the incision dry.
Learn how to check your pulse, and check it every day. Do the breathing exercises you learned in the hospital for 4 to 6 weeks.
Follow a heart-healthy diet.
If you feel depressed, talk with your family and friends. Ask your doctor about getting help from a counselor.
Continue to take all your medicines for your heart, diabetes, high blood pressure, or any other conditions you have. Do not stop taking any medicine without talking with your doctor or nurse first.
You may need to take an antibiotic before any medical procedure or when you go to the dentist. Tell all of your health care providers (dentist, doctors, nurses, or nurse practitioners) about your heart problem. You may want to wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace.
Your doctor may ask you to take blood-thinning medicines to help keep your blood from forming clots. Your doctor might recommend one of these medicines:
Call your doctor or nurse if:
If you are taking blood thinners, call your doctor if you have:
Bonow RO, Carabello BA, Chatterjee K, de Leon AC Jr., Faxon DP, Freed MD, et al; 2006 Writing Committee Members; American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force. 2008 Focused update incorporated into the ACC/AHA 2006 guidelines for the management of patiens with valvular heart disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Revise the 1998 Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Valvular Heart Disease): endorsed by the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Circulation. 2008;118:e523-e661.
Fullerton DA, Harken AH. Acquired heart disease: valvular. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2012:chap 61.
Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, Washington Also reviewed by A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc., Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Bethanne Black, Stephanie Slon, and Nissi Wang.
For help in finding a doctor or health service that suits your needs, call the UPMC Referral Service at 412-647-UPMC (8762) or 1-800-533-UPMC (8762). Select option 1.
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Medical information made available on UPMC.com is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not rely entirely on this information for your health care needs. Ask your own doctor or health care provider any specific medical questions that you have. Further, UPMC.com is not a tool to be used in the case of an emergency. If an emergency arises, you should seek appropriate emergency medical services.
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Come work, live and play in the Northwoods! Potlatch Corp. is seeking Maintenance Millwright!
Potlatch Corporation is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Maintenance Millwright at our lumber manufacturing facility in Bemidji, MN. This multi-skilled position has responsibility for repairing and maintaining all plant equipment to improve operating conditions, equipment reliability, and quality performance. Minimum qualifications include completion of an industrial mechanical technology training program with a vocational/technical degree (preferred) and/or 3-5 years industrial work experience, preferably in a wood products mill.


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Shaun Lowthorpe, Business editor
Sunday, February 16, 2014
The scale of the improvements needed to boost rural mobile and broadband have been underscored in a survey by agricultural purchasing group Anglian Farmers.
The EDP Top 100 firm surveyed 130 members based across the UK looking at success and failure rates of telephone calls, text messages and data connections between October 1 and November 7.
During that time, 36,109 call attempts were made, with an average call setup success rate of 99.13pc. An average of 0.95pc of calls during this period were dropped.
The EDP's Let's Get Connected campaign is calling on government and mobile phone companies to boost the signal and end the two-tier and patchy service facing those living outside the UK's main urban areas.
The latest Anglia Farmers data also showed that the worst affected site during the test period had 21 errors/failed calls, with 11 sites reporting more than 12 errors.
Clarke Willis, Anglia Farmers chief executive, said the findings highlighted the need for further improvements.
"The data from this survey shows that mobile phone signal can be very poor in some areas," he said. "This is a problem we have been aware of for some time and this data gives us a platform to work from to try push for improvements.
"For people to have whole days when they cannot connect a call or send a text message is a real issue and we are working hard to do all we can to improve the service for our members, and for all those who live and run businesses in rural areas for whom poor mobile phone signal and slow broadband cause problems."
1 comment
The mobile signal in rural areas depends on which service you are with, when there is a signal! As opposed to broadband and a network that can be shared with all providers.
Monday, February 17, 2014
The principal of one of Norfolk's largest colleges is urging all employers to open their doors to young people in an ambitious vision for improving work experience across the region.


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quote:1) Best Player in country B4 ACL 2) The draft is a long term selection not an overnight move. 3) The team he played on was not the same team that won the Championship. 4) Noel & AD could be the best Frontline in a few years
quote:All Noel would need to do is catch oops and score on put backs. In theory, we will have a solid offensive team around him w EG, Gordon, and Ryno.
quote:i hate the argument that Noels and Davis would be "too skinny". so freaking dumb.
quote:good luck having 2 post players to guard both these guys on offense.
quote:Technically you really wouldn't have to guard Noel that much since he has no real offensive game.
quote:We'll have money enough to upgrade at the SF, and whomever we bring in there will certainly have better offensive game than Aminu. Right now we're middle of the pack in terms of offensive efficiency, but right at the bottom defensively.
quote:lens Noel #1 on most NBA draft boards Interesting things I saw in that picture: 1. Anthony Davis has much wider shoulders and it looks like he has to frame to out on more weight easier than Noel 2. Ad seems to have much longer arms
quote:How in the frick can you say this?
quote:1) Best Player in country B4 ACL
quote:I still think Noel is a better shot blocker than AD...slightly.
quote:I think AD will have an extremely dynamic offensive game in time. He is actually better offensively already than I expected him to be this early on. With minutes he produces, the guy is just extremely versatile and just now scratching the surface. I think the kid will be unreal given time and added weight.


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"I denounce the loggers and the charcoal makers, and because of this they think that I should not exist," he told the crowd at the prestigious gathering.
Another apparent hired killing took place in the region on June 1 in Eldorado dos Carajas, a village less than 200 km from Nova Ipixuna. When onlookers tried to take the victim to hospital, gunmen stopped the car and shot him again. Some reports said the dead man was an activist, while others said he was a farmer with no connection to campaign groups or labor movements.
Brazil has a history of such dark events in the land around its valuable rainforest. A study released by Agencia Brasil in 2007 found a significant correlation between areas of high deforestation and those with high murder rates.


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The St. Croix Triumph Saltwater Spinning Rod is amazingly sensitive, lightweight, and smooth casting, yet offers plenty of strength and hook-setting power. It's the perfect rod for saltwater, pier, and jetty fishing. The Triumph series is built from premium quality SCI fiberglass and SCII graphite with Fuji aluminum-oxide surf guides and flanged tip top.• Fuji DPS Boat Rod reel seat. • Fuji graphite gimble with EVA cap. • Slick butt rear grip and premium EVA fore grip. • Two coats of Flex Coat slow-cure finish. • Five-year warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service. |


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As ULYP-STL Updates This Site
Please Visit Us At the Following Link….
The Urban League Young Professionals of Metropolitan St. Louis is an auxiliary organization of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, comprised of young urban leaders whose time, energy and talents are dedicated to improving the welfare of St. Louis community residents. The Young Professionals are committed to seeking innovative solutions to persistent social problems, such as economic empowerment, education, civil rights, civic engagement and financial management. Their goal is to form a cohesive group of young professional leaders whom can leverage their collective experience, education, resources and talents towards improving the lives of those in need. The Young Professionals host monthly meetings on the second Wednesday of every month at the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc. located at 3701 Grandel Square.


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"AppleInsider first picked up on this trend," Carlson reports. "The evidence…"
• Apple keeps adding job postings for positions like "iOS Car Services"
• Apple is partnering up
• Apple keeps adding car-friendly features to iOS
Read more in the full article here.
Related articles:
Apple expands its automotive push, seeks to grow its iOS vehicle integration team – March 6, 2013
Ferrari puts iPad mini in supercars as it widens Apple deal – March 5, 2013
General Motors' Chevrolet Sonic, Spark first to offer iPhone, iPad, iPod touch users Siri Eyes Free integration – February 14, 2013
Honda and Acura to deliver Apple's Siri Eyes Free on select 2013 vehicles – January 30, 2013
Hyundai becomes 10th vehicle maker to integrate Apple's Siri 'Eyes Free' tech – January 7, 2013
GM to integrate Apple's 'Eyes Free' Siri technology starting with Chevy Sonic, Spark – June 19, 2012
Harman CEO on Apple for Automotive: 'Apple is a partner, not an adversary' – June 13, 2012
Nine auto makers partner with Apple for 'Eyes Free' Siri integration – June 12, 2012


text: Peripheral neuropathy, or damage of the peripheral nerves, is a common condition that affects at least 20 million people in the United States. The most common symptoms are pain, numbness, or tingling in the extremities, extremity weakness and difficulty walking. In some cases, the autonomic nervous system (the part of the nervous system which controls involuntary bodily functions) is affected leading to problems with blood pressure regulation—people will get light headed when arising from a seated position—and urinary incontinence. There are many different types and causes of neuropathy, including:


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But WaitThere's More
Find other great ideas in these related stories:
- Eerily Beautiful Abandoned Places ›
- Car-Free Destinations for Your Big Summer Trip ›
- The Best New Hotels with Great Food ›
- The Best New Hotels of 2013 ›
- Go Bananas for Asia's Adorable Monkeys ›
- 12 Stunning Asian Stupas ›
- Top Islands in the World ›
- The Most Delicious Macarons in the World ›
- Gorgeous Vineyards Across the Globe ›
- Romantic Travel Spots Off the Beaten Path ›
- The Most Colorful Cities ›
Two timeless standbys are just off the Plaza Mayor. Botín opened in 1725 and is still cooking the roast suckling pig and lamb for which it is justifiably famous. Despite a rap as a tourist haven, it remains a favorite haunt of locals, who also love the baby artichokes or green beans cooked with ham. Hemingway ate at Botín (and set the last scene of The Sun Also Rises here), and Goya once washed dishes (Calle de los Cuchilleros 17; 366-4217; entrées from $23).
Photograph courtesy Botín


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Imagine yourself in this beautiful home with a championship golf course just footsteps away!
This beautiful, single family home is in the golf course community of SummerGlen in Ocala, Florida. It is available for either short-term (three-month minimum in peak season, January through March; one-month minimum considered in off-season) or long-term rental. Everything in this luxuriously furnished home is totally move-in ready!
This home--SummerGlen's award-winning Bal Harbour model floorplan--is one of the largest models in the community with 2,287 square feet, plus a two-car garage and screened lanai!
The home has 3 bedrooms, den, and 2 full baths. The oversized master bedroom suite features a king-size bed, large jacuzzi soaking tub, double sinks, plus a separate stand-up shower, and a huge walk-in closet. The second bedroom includes a full-size bed, and the third bedroom has a twin bed.
There are custom plantation shutters and vertical blinds throughout the home, as well as custom ceiling fans. The living room, dining room, kitchen, breakfast area, den, and bathrooms all feature upgrade ceramic tile, and the bedrooms are carpeted.
Everything--the furniture, towels, sheets, dishes, kitchen utensils, cookware, coffee maker, toaster, appliances--is ready for you! There is a 32-inch TV in the living room's entertainment center and a wall-mounted TV in the master bedroom. A full-sized washer and dryer are conveniently located in the laundry room.
Your beautifully furnished home away from home awaits! Please call for more information. We look forward to speaking with you!
Summerglen has been rated one of the top 100 retirement communities in Where to Retire magazine!! It's a super friendly, 55-plus retirement community (at least one person must be 55 or older), and your rental includes all privileges including clubhouse and fitness center, beautiful beach-entry pool and spa (private for community residents, only), tennis and basketball courts, shuffleboard, bocce ball, and more! Plus, of course, there's golf at your doorstep on SummerGlen's beautiful 18-hole championship golf course. Additionally, there are loads of clubs and activities you are free to enjoy during your stay.
Visit Silver Springs, the beautiful 350 acre nature theme park with the largest artesian
spring in the world. View the underwater beauty in one of the famous glass-bottom boats!
You can also visit the Ocala National Forest, one of the most popular and beautiful National Forests in the United States, where you can enjoy a canoe trip down a palm-lined stream on a lazy summer day, take walks, and drink in the natural landscape.
The Villages community is nearby with free, live entertainment nightly.
Route 200 is just ten minutes away, and you'll find all the major restaurants, plus loads of shopping all up and down the route.
SummerGlen is a relaxing, friendly community where you can be within easy access of all the Ocala area has to offer while still enjoying a quiet, peaceful lifestyle.


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Buying a foreclosure flip
We are seeing a lot of houses that were apparently bought as foreclosures, cosmetically updated, and then flipped back onto the market as little as 3 weeks later. I'm willing to bet that a lot of the updates were done as cheaply as possible, and I am worried that there may be serious problems that were hidden. The thing is, some of these houses are in locations that are perfect for us, and have great floor plans. We may well have seriously considered buying them in their pre-update state. But I am nervous about buying one that has been flipped because I think we'd be paying a premium for upgrades that probably aren't up to our standards, and also because of the other potential lurking problems.
Are we making too much of this? Have any of you bought houses in a situation like this, and can tell me how realistic my concerns are? Are there good strategies for mitigating the risk beyond just having a good inspection as we'd do on any house?
If you are concerned, purchase a home that is being foreclosed not one sold by a flipper and fix it yourself, if you get a homepath mortgage available on many HUD homes you can sometimes get loans for the items that need to be fixed, and put very little money down. However, make sure you understand the renovation costs including labor. Around my area most of the HUDs are going to owner occupants because they have a bidding period before the homes are opened to investors.
Many flippers know how to do good quality upgrades that are appropriate to the neighborhood inexpensively, some don't. You can expect a Lowes or IKEA kitchen not custom cabinetry, and it will probably look great for years to come.
If you buy any used (or sometimes new) home you can encounter shoddy workmanship, or hidden problems, either by a DIY homeowner or bad contractor.
I've read many times posters fear about flips hidden problems, wouldn't an inspection reveal the problem, just as it would pre flip? I would view the properties determine FMV, make an offer to include inspection, then don't worry. I know some are overpriced but you can determine the price if you even like the actual house.
Bottom line don't exclude a house just because it is a flip, approach it as you will any house. Does it fit your want list, offer what you determine it is worth. The seller then will decide for you if you buy it.
Around here, most flips are given the minimum in cheap new stuff and put back on the market at top price. I'd much rather have one pre-reno and do it myself, but I have to agree with the others--it doesn't matter whether or not it's a flip. Just look at it the way you would any other house. If you like it and think it's well priced, then what does it matter? Original owners overlook lots of problems, too.
If the house is a Homesteps house as opposed to homepath listing, those often come with a home warranty for a couple of years, for whatever a home warranty may actually be worth.
"wouldn't an inspection reveal the problem, just as it would pre flip?"
That makes sense. But, there are a lot problems that can be hidden temporarily, like moisture damage being painted over. Sometimes an inspector can see warning signs that make them dig deeper for something like that, but not every time.
That obviously can happen whether a home is flipped or not. But when you have investors or companies buying dozens or hundreds of homes and flipping them like we've seen around here, it doesn't seem entirely far fetched to think that they have become proficient at covering up issues in ways that makes them unlikely to turn up in an inspection. They have a bunch of experience with it, they know what will be red flags to inspectors, and they know how to make those things less obvious. And I think an individual homeowner is less likely to be an expert at that. Maybe this is all a figment of my imagination, I don't know, but I don't think it should be dismissed out of hand.
As for the homeopath loan, I don't know what that is, but cash flow isn't really the issue. We can afford to do repairs or updates if we need to without doing any weird financing, but we don't really want to embark on that kind of project unless we don't have a choice.
"I've read many times posters fear about flips hidden problems, wouldn't an inspection reveal the problem, just as it would pre flip? "
Short ownership periods can leave unknowns even from a conscientious seller.
They may not have owned the house during a single heavy rainfall, making them naive to problems.
In some places the disclosure rules are relaxed when the owner has never lived in the house.
You cannot disclose what you do not know.
"I've read many times posters fear about flips hidden problems, wouldn't an inspection reveal the problem, just as it would pre flip? "
Short ownership periods can leave unknowns even from a conscientious seller.
They may not have owned the house during a single heavy rainfall, making them naive to problems.
In some places the disclosure rules are relaxed when the owner has never lived in the house.
You cannot disclose what you do not know.
You are addressing disclosure problems, I agree, but I was addressing a normal inspection.
Bottom line, if I saw a flip I was seriously interested in, I would consider it. I would not discount it just because it is a flip. I know some flippers scam, but I wouldn't assume every one is going to try to scam you. In the moisture example, ask the inspector to use a moisture meter.
I don't walk through a house thinking the seller is trying to hide damage.
We have seen so many flips while house hunting in Florida. I agree with cmarlin20, there is a risk but you start to learn what to look for. We have seen some which were completely remodeled with new appliances,etc. They look good on the outside, but digging deeper you notice where corners were cut.
We've seen bathrooms where new tile was installed but the window sills were rotted. Toilets which moved (I think inspection would find this.) We've seen loose tiles (had some fall off the wall). We've seen old water heaters and AC units which were rusted out.
I don't know what area you are looking in, but you can learn a bit about the people (investors), who buy these houses. Florida has a lot of info on the County website. Some of these 'flippers' do this for a living. They own their own construction company and crew. They generally do a nice job and seem honest. We got to know some and learned to watch houses which were abandoned and suddenly had construction crews working there. You can walk up and start talking to the workers.
We also found bank owned homes where the bank hires a construction company to clean up and fix any problems. I felt safer with those houses.
Some flippers are individuals who hire unlicensed workers and do cheap jobs. Many do not pull permits and do things where they cannot get permits. Stay away from them.
Look for the trucks, sinks/toilets on the lawn! Walk up to the men and ask questions. Never found any who didn't let us in to see what was going on. Many are proud of what they are doing and show details you wouldn't noice, like repiping, new doors, windows. Most will leave the old AC and heaters so that would be the only expense.
We considered a few but they sold fast. Some we were leary about because most don't replace roofs or major problems.
"You are addressing disclosure problems, I agree, but I was addressing a normal inspection. "
A "normal inspection" is just about always a crap shoot at finding some problems.
It is pretty standard for a flipper to paint everything, so water stains from a leaking roof may not be visible anymore.
A purchase and renovate older properties, and have done foreclosures over the years. Mostly I concentrate on 'old lady' houses, but I had two foreclosures just last autumn that where REO by a bank.
After dealing with the bank idiocy (through my attorney) it was just one more hassle.
Just a clarification on HUD/Homepath.
HUD and homepath are two completely different things. HUD homes can be purchased with just about any kind of financing BUT Homepath loans. HUD homes are sold on an auction basis, and if you want a fixer-upper you need FHA 203k type loans. Also, HUD auctions go to owner occupants first, then investors (flippers) if no owner occupants bid during the first round of bidding. Homepath financing is available only through Fannie Mae owned homes and has more stringent rules than FHA loans and are available only to owner occupants again.
In short, you can't go homepath on HUD, and you can't always use 203k's on homepath homes. And for buyers who are looking for a great deal, this can be a pain in the a**. We're about to close on our first home and we encountered this many times. Sucks!
"i agree with asking to see permits. if you can't get them, walk and walk fast away from the house."
Permits and inspections do not guarantee anything.
I recently opened up a wall to find zip cord used to connect low voltage under cabinet lights inside the wall, and even junctions with wire nuts floating in the wall.
It was actually inspected as part of a kitchen renovation, with permits and signed off inspections.
Relying on permitting and inspections is NOT always adequate, and given the small amount of time an inspector often spends on each job, only liable to catch the grossest of errors (and plenty of those still get missed).


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Successful implementation of any strategic initiative often relies on the guidance of a model. In the buyer-centric world, this framework must both address the broader issue of Marketing and Sales integration and offer specific, tactical advice on how Marketers can support Sales in lead qualification. While there are several models in the marketplace, it's our opinion that they don't adequately address the changing market and buyer dynamics. Consequently, the goal of this page is to provide B2B Marketers with a practical model upon which they can build a successful, modern Demand Generation program.
The Left Brain Model
Some notes about The Left Brain Model (TLBM):
- TLBM is a working model designed to help Marketers build (which is why it goes up) a framework for measuring Marketing's contribution to a Demand Generation program and to provide a structure for the nurturing and lead scoring activities that support this process.
- With TLBM, Marketers have the ability to leverage past data in order to make informed, targeted decisions about how to improve and optimize Marketing performance.
- Important metrics have corollaries. You may be concerned about conversion, but the non-converters can be a source of great information as well. While simplicity can be elegant and easy to digest, it also can fail to capture critical data.
- Any model suffers from the inherent flaw of not being flexible enough to map to a variety of specific situations. It's a generic model, not a customized consulting engagement that measures every aspect of your unique environment.
- TLBM assumes Marketing and Sales have taken the time to collaborate and determine what constitutes a viable lead.
Stage 1: Prospects
The first stage of TLBM is the Prospect pool. The Prospect pool is the total population of Prospects a Marketer must touch in order to generate the responses required to meet the downstream goals. It's the very top of the funnel, and ultimately informs you about what you'll need to spend in order to achieve your revenue goal. If you're striving for completeness, the pool should be subdivided into outbound and inbound channels.
In some cases a Marketer will have information on these Prospects, such as contacts within a Marketing database. In other instances you might be doing an email blast, collaborating with a third party on a program such as a webinar or posting content on your site without a registration form. Thus, depending on your particular mix of tactics, the Prospect pool will be a combination of known recipients and an educated estimate about the number of unknowns you've touched.
One could even make the argument that there is an even earlier stage called "impressions," a term most commonly used for measuring eyeballs for traditional, interruptive media such as outdoor, television and print. Similarly, social media fits nicely into this category because your content might be available for public consumption without capturing the recipient's information. Arguably having one metric for impressions and the next level down for known Prospects would be a more granular model. However, I've only heard a few B2B Marketers ever include impressions in their planning, and since it's generally not a B2B Marketing metric; thus, TLBM combines known and unknown into one Prospect pool.
Stage 2: Respondents
The second stage of the model identifies the number of prospects that respond to the Marketing outreach to the Prospect pool. We counsel that less is more, and fewer required fields will increase your form conversion. Consequently, TLBM defines a Respondent as a prospect that provides only first and last name and a valid email address, although you may decide to require other, limited data.
Even if you're a Marketing superstar, you're going to get a much higher number of non-responders than responders. Breaking out the Respondents by source can yield important insights such as which Prospect acquisition channels are most effective, how certain types of collateral perform, and where to build follow-up nurturing campaigns. From an analytics perspective, tracking Prospects to Respondents will enable you to identify which Marketing channel provides the best value (e.g. cost per lead) and greatest impact (e.g. volume of leads).
Stage 3: Qualified Respondents
The third stage of the model is Qualified Respondents. Qualified Respondents are those that meet the minimal criteria of qualification, a standard determined exclusively by demographic or qualitative criteria such as title, company, company size, revenues, industry or role. This information is generally collected through form submission but may be augmented by appending Hoovers or D&B data. It can also come from Sales calls, surveys or other means. In order to move Respondents to Qualified Respondents, you will need two things: a determination of which demographic criteria constitutes a Qualified Respondent and a scoring model for evaluating whether a Respondent meets that threshold.
Focusing on the demographic criteria at this stage enables you to zero in on identifying key characteristics of likely potential buyers. Think of the process of picking a professional basketball team, and these are the folks who are taller than six feet. In a marketing context, these qualified prospects could be desirable based the right title, in an industry where your firm excels or from a company that has sufficient revenues. The goal of this step is to more easily determine which types of demographic profiles are more likely to become customers―or put another way, which Prospects align with your definition of a qualified lead. While initially you'll be making educated guesses, over time you can review actual data on closed business from your demand generation program to validate your assumptions about qualified leads and adjust your scoring model accordingly.
Stage 4: Sales Ready Leads
Stage four is Sales Ready Leads; leads that are ready to engage with Sales. Specifically, these are leads that, in addition to meeting your demographic criteria, now also exhibit a growing level of behavioral interest that indicates a readiness to engage in a discussion with Sales. Examples of behavioral criteria include frequent Website visits, collateral downloads and social media engagements.
This step addresses one of the biggest challenges in Demand Generation programs―getting the timing right with a buyer. You may have a prospective buyer that meets all of the demographic qualifications; however, if the timing is off for making a purchase, your sales process will stall. Behavioral analysis will help you get the timing right on Sales Ready Leads. While TLBM by no means solves the challenge of determining which specific behaviors indicate a prospect's interest in talking with Sales, separating behavioral from demographic qualification makes the modeling and management of your demand generation program considerably less complicated.
A few additional points to note. First, the data collection, interest qualification and scoring processes are not necessarily linear and all begin with the first engagement. TLBM helps you to manage when and how to use the data. Second, the path for Qualified Respondents becoming Sales Ready Leads will be varied, with some Qualified Respondents getting fast-tracked (e.g., a product demo) and others taking longer to nurture. Third, the model also acknowledges that at the Sales Ready Lead stage the prospect has evolved from "Respondent" to "Lead" by virtue of being both demographically and behaviorally qualified and thus, represents a legitimate opportunity.
Step 5: Sales Opportunities
Sales Opportunities are simply that; verified opportunities that Sales has confirmed, usually after a phone call. Clearly, this will not always be the case. For example, an organization using a Sales-run tele-qualification process would hand off the prospect earlier. Regardless of the exact point of exchange, at some stage the lead is qualified and routed to Sales in order to establish if a potential deal exists. The Sales person makes this determination and, in some companies, creates an "Opportunity" in the CRM system with a specific dollar amount. TLBM assumes that Marketing's role changes once this determination has been made―the green line.
Stage 6: Closed deals
Deals won … need we say more.
Marketers often are told that they need a specific list of key metrics to measure success. While that sounds great, we've never found it to be that simple. We suggest viewing the problem another way. What's the most basic statement a Marketer can make to his or her CEO―the empirical presentation of which is both profound and persuasive?
"In order to achieve next year's company revenue goal, I need $X for Y-specific programs."
Imagine having the ability to show a formula for how you'll achieve that goal. You'll need a variety of data points. Initially, some will be based on industry-benchmarked conversion rates and yields. Over time, they'll be validated by real data, your data. And, if at any time in the process you decide to look backwards―not to justify your existence but to apply this knowledge in order to improve performance―using TLBM will facilitate the Marketing metrics to do that as well.
That's a Demand Generation model that will make any Marketer successful in the Brave New World of B2B Marketing.


text: I along with other members in the Call of Duty community will be heading out to Treyarch Studios today to preview the recently announced Call of Duty: World at War. None of us will be able to report anything right away from the event due to an embargo on the information, but we will post everything we learned as soon as we are allowed to. At the event, I will try to address any concerns or questions you guys have posted up in the announcement thread for the game, but if you have anymore, please feel free to post them in this thread. Stay tuned for more!


text: Packing and Using a Netbook on the Road By Heather on February 7, 2012 in Electronics It seems that most travelers can't leave without a computer of some sort, and the netbook, because of its size, is super popular. Heather reviews her netbook and tells why she chose it in the first place. Continue Reading 14


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Product Description
Available while supplies last.
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Been brewing for over a year now and i never filtered or pre-boiled my city water. The water tastes good without filtering but tastes better after a brita filter, so i can see room for improvement. My question is whats your take? Do you charcoal filter and or pre boil your water or just use it fresh out of the tap? Anyone have any experience with going to or from filtering and pre boiling? Please use the poll too!
I live in a Chicago suburb and our water is from Lake Michigan. Many brewers here like that water, so I use it from the tap. I have used a carbon filter, but that was a while ago. I do let my water sit out to get rid of the chlorine and I add campden to counter the chloramines (spelling?). You could also order a report on your water and get an analysis on it. I think if you look in the science forum here on HBT you'll find more info about that.
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- - http://www.sportstalkflorida.com -
Telfair For Haddadi And Second-Round Pick
Posted By Sports Talk Florida Rumors On February 21, 2013 @ 12:23 PM In NBA,News and Rumors | 1 Comment
[1]The Toronto Raptors are still looking like the favorite to acquire Phoenix Suns point guard Sebastian Telfair. Their interest in the veteran makes sense. Every summer, Telfair trains with Kyle Lowry, Rudy Gay and Alan Anderson at Impact Basketball in Las Vegas. Those players are close and have some chemistry.
What are the Raptors offering? Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports that Toronto is dangling Hamed Haddadi and a second-round pick in hopes of landing Telfair.
For more on this story visit: Alex Kennedy, Hoopsworld [2]
Telfair For Haddadi And Second-Round Pick by Sports Talk Florida RumorsArticle printed from : http://www.sportstalkflorida.com
URL to article: http://www.sportstalkflorida.com/telfair-for-haddadi-and-second-round-pick/
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[1] Image: http://www.sportstalkflorida.com/telfair-for-haddadi-and-second-round-pick/raptors_sebastian_telfair_2013/
[2] Alex Kennedy, Hoopsworld : http://www.hoopsworld.com/telfair-for-haddadi-and-second-round-pick/
Click here to print.
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The identity of Rachel Berry's biological mom on "Glee" has been the subject of an ongoing storyline, but until now Berry's adoptive gay dads Hiram and LeRoy Berry have been glimpsed just fleetingly.
But as TVLine now reports, those gay dads have finally been cast in full speaking parts, and will now be played by Jeff Goldblum and Broadway veteran Brian Stokes Mitchell.
It's an interesting change of "Glee" canon; the photo of Rachel with her dads made it pretty clear that they were played by a different set of actors.
Perhaps more important, they've both got musical backgrounds. Mitchell has a number of stage productions under his belt, including "Kiss Me Kate," which earned him a 2000 Tony Award. He's also done television, playing roles on "Frasier" and "Ugly Betty." Meanwhile, Goldblum is better known for his acting -- most recently he had a regular role on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" -- but according to TVLine he's an "accomplished jazz pianist" (he even tickled the ivories a bit on "Criminal Intent") and debuted on Broadway in 1971.
Goldblum and Mitchell will appear on the series' Valentine's Day episode, Feb. 14 on Fox. And yes, says TVLine, they're gonna sing.
Will you tune in to catch either actor on "Glee"? Tell us on our Facebook page.
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I have stacks of books scattered throughout my apartment (sorry, honey), most of which I've picked-up in some way, shape, or form to be read sometime in the future. Lately though, one book's been calling to me more and more—not just because it seems that everyone else has read it, but also because it might go a long way toward explaining a recent phenomenon we've been witnessing in the world of professional cycling. The book is Thomas L. Friedman's The World is Flat, and the phenomenon—of course—is globalization.
Let's start with teams. Of course, we're long past the days of trade teams with rosters in which listing nationalities was unnecessary. As teams grew and the traditional cycling powers realized they weren't the only countries producing talented riders, individuals from nations less known for producing cyclists began finding success riding for the big-budgeted teams traditionally known for exclusively enlisting the services of riders from their own nations. The list is long, but names such as Simpson, Ritter, and LeMond come first to mind. At the time teams were considered "multinational" if they contained one or two foreign riders—otherwise, they were more or less national entities from top to bottom.
Now though, the notion of a "national" team really only applies to teams entered in international competitions like the World Championships and Olympics. Few big-budget teams employ riders from primarily one country. In fact, many of the more successful teams are melting pots of riders from various countries, some more so than others. The composition of the UCI Pro Tour has taken a distinctly globalized look as well. Recently, traditional two-wheeled powerhouses such as France, Spain, and Italy have lost their stranglehold over the sport's upper echelon. In contrast, the USA and United Kingdom have 4 teams in total, former Soviet Republics have 2;, and Denmark's got 1. And it's not as if these teams have all-American, all-British, or all-Russian rosters—they have fully embraced the need to include riders from all over the globe so as to ensure the best chance for success, in many cases excluding homegrown talent as a result. Maybe there's a reason French teams seem to fare so poorly in major international races—their rosters consist mainly of mediocre French riders, the better ones having been lured away by "global" squads.
Furthermore, world-class events are now being organized on 6 continents. Look at the current UCI calendar for more proof of the sport's international expansion. You'll quickly see several events—many of them less 3-years-old—being organized in places like Australia, Oman, Qatar, Malaysia, California, and Canada. On top of that, these races are beginning to attract the world's best riders and teams—further raising the bar competitively and garnering added prestige for those men who find success in these new locales. And worse, each year more and more revenue-starved European events are cancelled. I miss you, Midi Libre!
All this begs the question: how are we to feel about it? Your answer will likely boil to where you consider the line to exist between tradition and innovation. While I'm sure Mr. Friedman lists many more causes for it, I would the #1 factor contributing to rise of globalization (both in cycling and in other areas) is innovation—technologically and philosophically. Thus, your feelings about a team from the United Kingdom (Sky), winning a race in Africa (the Tour of Oman), with a Norwegian rider (Edvald Boassen Hagen), probably falls in line with your feelings about sloping top tubes, low spoke counts, carbon fiber, and electronic drive trains.
Personally, I fall somewhere in the middle. I'm worried about the departure of title sponsors from the Pro Tour. Saxo Bank, Milram, and Caisse d'Epargne could just be the tip of the iceberg—especially in Germany where Milram's exit leaves the country's fans without a bona fide top-level team to support. A side effect of globalization is the lessened burden placed upon the sport by the departure of these sponsors—as long as there's a Radio Shack, a Sky, and a BMC willing to step-up and sponsor big programs, the sport will survive at the top. Likewise, as more teams from "non-cycling" nations continue to find success, teams with more traditional approaches will be forced to innovate or risk falling by the wayside. It might hurt at first, but I'm sure everyone agrees that some countries could use a kick in the derriére to revive their national sporting traditions in one of the few sports left where tradition actually means something. Globalization puts more pressure on everyone to remain competitive, thereby raising the bar for everyone. Who could argue with that?
That said, there's a part of me that wishes the European peloton would have to knuckle down and suffer through this abnormally cold winter—just like everyone else. The Etoile des Bességes and the Tour Méditerranéen used to be highlights of the sport's first month. Now, thanks to warmer offerings in Qatar and Oman, these once great races are almost an afterthought, with start lists falling far short of where they once were. But can we blame the riders and teams for heading further south? High temperatures, nice roads, and organizations offering high start money and royal treatment are tough to pass-up this time of year.
At this point, I should probably just go and read Friedman's book before continuing—at least to see if any of my ideas are valid. I can tweet about it when I'm finished though, and all of my friends from overseas can share their thoughts with me as soon as I do. Then I'll walk down the street to buy a bottle of Mexican Coca Cola, and head home just in time to enjoy the latest running of the Nordic Combine while I ride the trainer. It's too cold to ride outside anyway.


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Transmission and Distribution Utility Networks & Equipment Markets Forecast 2012-50 (Includes Database)
- Language: English
- 276 Pages
- Published: July 2012
- Region: Global
A unique, well-documented, and forward-thinking work, the second edition of Handbook of Natural Gas Transmission and Processing continues to present a thoroughly updated, authoritative, and comprehensive description of all major aspects of natural gas transmission and processing. It provides an ideal platform for engineers, technologists, and operations personnel working in the natural gas industry to get a better understanding of any special requirements for optimal design and operations of natural gas transmission pipelines and processing plants.
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Chapter 6: Condensate Stabilization
Chapter 7: Natural Gas Sweetening
Chapter 8: Sulfur Recovery and Handling
Chapter 9: Natural Gas Dehydration
Chapter 10: Natural Gas Liquids Recovery
Chapter 11: Natural Gas Compression
Chapter 12: Sales Gas Transmission
Chapter 13: Selecting The Best Gas Processing Route
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Chapter 15: Process Modeling in Natural Gas Processing Industry
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Chapter 20: Maximizing Profitability of Gas Plant Assets
Chapter 21: Gas Plant Project Management
Mokhatab, Saeid
Saeid Mokhatab is one of the most instantly recognizable names in the natural gas industry with dedicated technical expertise in the midstream sector. He has been on the international advisory board of a number of petroleum/energy consulting firms around the world and has been actively involved in several large scale gas-field development projects, concentrating on design, precommissioning and startup of processing plants. He has over 200 technical publications to his credit, including two reference books. He founded the Elsevier peer-reviewed Journal of Natural Gas Science & Engineering, has held editorial positions in many prestigious journals/book publishing companies for the hydrocarbon processing industry, and served on various IGU, SPE and ASME technical committees and conferences worldwide. As a result of his work, he has received a number of international awards including the Albert Einstein Gold Medal of Honor and the Chilingar Gold Medal of Scientists Without Borders; and is listed in several international biographical directories.
Poe, William A.
William A. Poe is a business consultant for Invensys Operations Management in Houston, TX, USA. He has over 30 years of experience in chemical and gas processing plants design and operations and has developed business relationships with several domestic and international gas processors, chemical plants, and gas transmission pipelines owners. His main area of focus the past two decades has been automation, multivariable predictive control (MPC), advanced process control (APC), and optimization design and implementation for the natural gas processing and treating, sulfur recovery, ammonia synthesis, methanol synthesis, liquefied natural gas, and power generation industries. Working under contracts to the Gas Research Institute, he developed new multivariable control applications in the natural gas, ammonia, and methanol industries. Poe developed APC and Optimization Master Plans for international companies such as Saudi Aramco, Statoil, and PDVSA, as well as automation and advanced process control feasibility studies for about 100 natural gas processing, power generation, ammonia, and methanol plants worldwide. He spent over a decade in natural gas processing operations and engineering experience with Shell Oil Company. Poe has project management experience with Shell Oil and GE Continental Controls with multimillion-dollar projects. He assumed the technical leadership of Continental Controls, a privately held company, through acquisition by GE. After joining GE as part of the Continental Controls acquisition, he became vice president of this division of GE, which included direction of product development, projects, technical sales support, and customer service. He has authored over 40 papers, presented at numerous technical conferences, received the GE Innovators Award in 1999 and attained the Invensys Circle of Excellence in 2011.


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I offer this as a quick primer; it is certainly not exhaustive of Falcon internet meltdown patheticness. I hope you enjoy. I'm also offering shortlinks for ease of twitter and facebook use.
Let's start out with a classic. Shortlink: http://j.mp/Uk7TzV
A typical Georgian, this man bitches about his team on the internet and doesn't even bother to get a shirt first. Shortlink: http://j.mp/RIwTwe
Returning to the #2points fiasco. Shortlink: http://j.mp/UwFRM9 Please note that you cannot overuse the #2points hashtag this week.
This next video won't allow embedding, but it's worth going to YouTube to check out. Entitled "Fake ass Falcons fans stfu", it chronicles the whining of a really sad Falcon fan on the bandwagon nature of all his sad little Falcon cohorts. I almost felt bad for the guy – he's so sad. But then I didn't.
Shortlink: http://j.mp/Tw44mN
This next one isn't a meltdown, but it's just so fucking silly: a necessary watch to get in the right mindframe for Falcons week.
Here's a classic. This kid thinks that the Falcons and the Saints are basically even except for a single Lombardi (and that's about to change). He simply forgot about the last dozen fucking times we've played, but that's ok, because he has a webcam. Shortlink: http://j.mp/XjOG20
This one's worthy just for sheer absurdity. It seems dry at first, but trust me. This guy smiles and smiles while speaking of various Falcon miseries. Tears of a clown. If you can't take it, at least fast forward to about 8:55. The kids riding down the little path while this guy speaks of a drubbing by the Chicago Bears without ever actually opening his mouth is one of the most surreal things in the history of Falconry. Shortlink: http://j.mp/T2zpxv
Ending on a positive note: this is fucking fantastic. Well done, sir. "Y'all ain't beat the motherfuckin Saints in 11 years…but 6 times, bitch." Shortlink: http://j.mp/SSIaNb
Tags: Falcons Hate Week


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My main project in Germany is the Harz narrow-gauge system, but I've modelled some other bits and pieces:
The T3 was the lightest of a series of standard loco designs of the Prussian railway ministry, a six-coupled tank engine for branch lines. Originally the axle weight was a mere ten tonnes: later versions had a steam dome and air brake equipment, taking the axle weight up to 12 tonnes.
Some 1500 examples were built by the main German locomotive works between 1881 and 1906, 1340 of them for the Prussian State Railways (kpev) and the rest for various other German state and private railways. Variants of the T3 design also appeared in other countries, including the Netherlands, Poland and Italy. Many T3s were taken over by the drg as class 89.70. Because of their low maximum speed (40km/h), they were mostly relegated to shunting duties after wwi. Some forty or fifty examples have been preserved.
There are also some four-wheeled coaches and a luggage van to go with this model. Note that all need to be updated to optimise performance: these models have far too many small parts that should be replaced by strips and textures.
I've modelled two slightly different livery versions of this celebrated loco, which I was interested in mostly to see how difficult it would be to do the complex textured curves of the nose. The answer seems to be: fairly hard. I'm not completely satisfied with it in its present state, so I might have another go.
The standard general-purpose loco of the East German state railways. Hundreds of these machines, with a nominal power of 1000 hp and a top speed of 100km/h were built from the late 1960s on. After the Reunification, many V 100s became redundant and were sold off to be refurbished for industrial lines and private freight operators — they can now be found all over Europe. But the strangest use of a V 100 was the conversion of a small series to metre gauge for use on the Harz narrow-gauge railways.
Sept 2005: A new version of the railbuses, stripped and skinned, is ready — I've added one more version, a vt98 in the livery of the Dürener Kreisbahn (a local railway in nw Germany).
This was the first, single-engine series of the famous Uerdinger Schienenbus, built from 1950 onwards.
The main limitation of the vt 95 seems to have been its lack of power, which prevented the use of trailers on hillier routes. The vt 98 (built 1955–1962) overcame this with a second motor, giving a total of 220kW. The body shell was identical in shape and size to the vt 95, but conventional buffers and drawgear were fitted to allow mixed trains to be operated, useful on branchlines where this could avoid the need to run a separate goods service.
All cars had multiple unit equipment, and trains of four or six vehicles were sometimes used (there was at least one case of a ten-car train!), although it was most common to see a motor car with one or two trailers. The last 798 was withdrawn from regular db passenger service in 2000, but many survive on private railways or converted to other uses by the db.
There was also a rack version (eight cars built 1961–1965 as class vt 97.9, converted to adhesion only in 1973). Around fifty vt 98s were later reclassified as 796 on conversion to one-person operation in 1982–87.
"Ameisenbär" (ant-bear) - light railcar sk2 (ohe number vt0507) of the Winsen-Evendorf-Hützel light railway, which has been part of the Ost-Hannoversche Eisenbahnen since 1944.
Built by Waggonfabrik Wismar in 1933, withdrawn 1964. There was a 50HP engine under each bonnet, each driving one axle (only one could be used at once!). A similar car vt0508 is preserved for special trains. The peculiar racks under the noses are for bicycles - the car could carry 40 passengers and 8 bikes. Originally there was a roof-rack for luggage too…
Among the most familiar sights on German railways are the yellow engineers' trolleys (Schwerkleinwagen or Skl) that you see parked in sidings or buzzing off to a job somewhere with their little trailers. I thought we should have a model of such a set for Rail3d. As I happened to come across a scale drawing of one, I chose to do the Klv51, a type that was introduced in the 1950s and is now withdrawn, although there are still plenty of them about on private and preserved lines. Characteristic feature is the telephone-kiosk style cab, made so narrow to leave load space free at the sides for long items like signals and bits of ohle gear.
The file includes a version converted to metre-gauge. I can do other colours if there's a demand for them…
See e.g. http://www.eisenbahndienstfahrzeuge.de/klv/klv51/klv51.htm for some pictures of the real thing, or search Google for "Klv 51″
(added 29.03.2006)
You can download all my Rail3d models from the download library http://www.rail3d.net or by using the Rail3d update tool. All models are free for personal use with Rail3d, on condition that they may not be modified or distributed further without the author's explicit permission. Liveries and logos used in the models are purely representative, and do not imply any endorsement from or of the companies concerned.


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EM-algorithm for training of state-space models with application to time series prediction AbstractIn this paper, an improvement to the E step of the EM algorithm for nonlinear state-space models is presented. We also propose strategies for model structure selection when the EM-algorithm and statespace models are used for time series prediction. Experiments on the Poland electricity load time series show that the method gives good shortterm predictions and can also be used for long-term prediction.
[Edit] |


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The country has a constitutionally independent judiciary composed of lower courts, an appeals court, and a Supreme Court. However, the judiciary has been closely allied with Cambodia's ruling party and often has been suspected of corruption. A nine-member Constitutional Council determines the constitutionality of legislation. It also resolves electoral disputes. The Supreme Council of Magistrates appoints and disciplines judges. There is also a separate military justice system.
Political process
The three most important political parties in Cambodia are the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), the FUNCINPEC Party, and the Sam Rainsy Party. The CPP is a noncommunist party descended from the pro-Vietnam and communist Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party. The FUNCINPEC Party is composed of the royalist supporters of the former king Norodom Sihanouk and his son Prince Ranariddh (although the latter was removed from the party in 2006). These two parties hold the largest number of seats in both legislative houses and form the governing coalition. The Sam Rainsy Party, founded in 1995 as the Khmer National Party and given its current name in 1998, is the third largest party and constitutes the official opposition.
The 1993 constitution provides for universal suffrage for citizens 18 years and older, and all citizens 25 years and older have the right to hold elective office. Few women hold governmental positions in either the National Assembly or the civil service.
The king is the commander in chief of the armed forces, called the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), which include the army, navy, and air force. The RCAF was created in 1993 through the merger of the Cambodian government's military forces and the two noncommunist resistance armies; the Khmer Rouge and royalist forces were absorbed into the RCAF in 1999. The army is much larger than the other two branches and is staffed mainly through conscription.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Cambodia was at peace, but its proportionally large armed forces imposed an enormous burden on national resources. The government has tried to reduce the size of its army by seeking funds from foreign countries to compensate demobilized soldiers, but donors have been reluctant to make such expenditures at the expense of the projects to rebuild Cambodia's infrastructure that have been the main focus of foreign aid.
Health and welfare
Cambodia has long had an acute shortage of medical personnel, which has been a major obstacle to implementing an effective public health program. Phnom Penh has the country's best health care facilities and trained medical personnel, whereas most rural areas are served only by local infirmaries. Even before the civil war of 1970–75, Cambodia had few doctors, hospitals, or medical facilities. The civil war strained and eroded this fragile structure. The rulers of Democratic Kampuchea moved medical personnel to collective farms and, as part of its policy of self-reliance, encouraged non-Western medical practices based on the use of local herbs.
Providing adequate health care has remained a serious problem since 1979. Scarce funds, unsettled conditions in the country, poor sanitation, and a shortage of medicine have contributed to high incidences of diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, and pneumonia. Adding to this, tens of thousands of Cambodians have been maimed by land mines, but only a fraction of them have received proper medical attention. However, this issue has received widespread worldwide attention, and considerable international effort has been made to clear land mines and to provide prosthetic limbs for land-mine victims.
Another issue seriously affecting Cambodia is HIV/AIDS. By the late 1990s, HIV infection and AIDS cases had peaked at epidemic levels in urban areas. The government subsequently implemented programs among commercial sex workers to promote mandatory condom use and to treat sexually transmitted diseases. In addition, international organizations set up programs to treat those infected and to care for children orphaned by the epidemic. These initiatives had significantly reduced the proportion of the population infected with the virus by the early 21st century.
Prior to 1975, housing in Cambodia was comparable in quality to that of other Southeast Asian countries. The evacuation of Phnom Penh and other cities in 1975–76, however, left urban residential structures abandoned and produced tremendous housing pressures in the rural areas, where many people lived in temporary shelters. Overcrowding increased dramatically in Phnom Penh as people started returning to urban areas. Some people have lived in squatter huts built on the rooftops of buildings in the downtown area. The municipal government, with the cooperation of community groups and with the support of the national government and international agencies, has been trying to construct more residential units.
In rural areas more than half of residential structures are built using bamboo, thatch, grass, reeds, and similar materials. In urban areas the majority of residential buildings are constructed of wood, concrete, brick, stone, metal sheets, and tiles. About one-third of all urban residences have access to safe drinking water, electricity as their main source of lighting, and indoor toilet facilities; the proportion of houses with these facilities in the rural areas is far smaller.
Cambodia's educational system, as it had developed in the first 70 years of the 20th century, was another casualty of warfare and ideology. Only primary schools were open during the Democratic Kampuchea period; older students attended irregularly scheduled political and technical courses, often held in the communes. After 1979 the government in Phnom Penh gave high priority to primary education, and it reopened secondary schools and institutions of higher education. Although a large number of young Khmer attend some form of educational institution, schools and colleges are severely hampered by shortages of funds, books, equipment, and adequately trained and compensated staff. Less than half the students enrolled in primary school proceed beyond the fifth grade. The overwhelming majority of students at the country's main institutions of higher education are male. Some four-fifths of males and three-fifths of females are literate, although some studies have indicated that functional illiteracy is increasing.
1Includes 59 indirectly elected seats and 2 monarchy-appointed seats. | |
Official name | Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (Kingdom of Cambodia) |
Form of government | constitutional monarchy with two legislative houses (Senate [611]; National Assembly [123]) |
Head of state | King: Norodom Sihamoni |
Head of government | Prime Minister: Hun Sen |
Capital | Phnom Penh |
Official language | Khmer |
Official religion | Buddhism |
Monetary unit | riel (KHR) |
Population | (2013 est.) 15,206,000 Expand |
Total area (sq mi) | 69,898 |
Total area (sq km) | 181,035 |
Urban-rural population | Urban: (2011) 20.4% Rural: (2011) 79.6% |
Life expectancy at birth | Male: (2009) 59.6 years Female: (2009) 64.3 years |
Literacy: percentage of population age 15 and over literate | Male: (2009) 82.8% Female: (2009) 65.9% |
GNI per capita (U.S.$) | (2012) 880 |


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Mal Motta who has been serving up fish and chips in Norwich for 45 years, and is now handing over to his son Christian, at the Grosvenor Fish Bar. Picture: Denise Bradley
By CHRIS HILL
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
A popular chip shop owner is retiring after 45 years of serving traditional fish dinners to the people of Norwich.
Mal Motta was born in Italy but grew up in Wales, where his father ran a chip shop in Caerphilly which was once visited by Welsh singing legend Tom Jones.
Since moving to Norwich in 1967, Mr Motta has continued the family tradition by opening a dozen restaurants and take-aways, selling Britain's time-honoured dish in and around his own adopted home city.
But now the 67-year-old is stepping back from the fryers to allow a third generation to run the business.
The Grosvenor Fish Bar, on the corner of Lower Goat Lane and Pottergate, has been bought by his son Christian, who left behind a career as an interior designer in New York to start a new life selling fish and chips.
Meanwhile, his daughter Lucy has already been running the family's Rembrandt restaurant on Dereham Road in Easton with her partner Skip for eight years.
The retiring Mr Motta said he was certain that his legacy was in safe hands – but he will still be available to help out if needed.
"I am going on holiday for a couple of months and then in September I will come back to help my children out where I can. My other son Dario is in London studying pharmacology, so I'm no help to him!
"It is a lovely business and a lovely city, so it is nice to keep it in the family."
Mr Motta said he would spend a couple of months with his 89-year-old mother in Italy before returning to the city which enchanted him in the 1960s.
"I think Norwich is the nicest city in the world," he said. "People in Norfolk don't always understand that, but if you talk to people over here on holidays they all say what a beautiful city it is."
Mr Motta's chip shop career started in Stafford Street, and has included shops in Sprowston Road, Bowthorpe Road, St John's Close, and Upper Stafford Avenue in Norwich, as well as outlets in Horstead and Lowestoft.
"I used to like challenges, and it was lovely to go and meet different people," he said. "I met nice people in all of these shops. People in different areas might see you and say: 'Which shop do I know you from?'
"Fish and chips is not like it was 40 years ago, because you have McDonalds and all the other fast food now, but I still enjoy it and it is still a challenge. I think young people are starting to take it up again.
"If you go on holiday for a couple of weeks in Italy it is nice, but you look forward to fish and chips when you come home."
Christian Motta, 43, worked for ten years in New York as an interior design and a costume designer for film and TV sets before returning to take over the Grosvernor Fish Bar from his father.
"I always loved this shop," he said. "I used to work in it when I was a 15 and when I had the opportunity to buy it and I thought it needed a face-lift so we renovated it as a project.
"Manhattan had got a bit too over-commercial for me. I like it here. It is not such a culture shock because I grew up here. I was born at the chip shop in Stafford Street, so it is good to be back."
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The principal of one of Norfolk's largest colleges is urging all employers to open their doors to young people in an ambitious vision for improving work experience across the region.


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Just some thoughts I'd like to share with the recent oration by Hilary Rosen and her statement about Ann Romney who "never worked a day in her life." I would venture to say that what Rosen meant was something like: "You come from a wealthy family. That gives you an edge that a lot of women don't have. You can work at doing what you desire to do, come and go as you want. You don't have to punch a time clock because the rent is due, work an eight- to 10-hour minimum wage job, or figure out how to get your sick child to the doctor because you are a one-car family."
Raising children is an important job, but can be a tough and sometimes difficult job. It has to rank right up at the top for those who deserve a medal for perseverance. Women who can stay at home and focus on this task certainly do work. However, not every woman has this opportunity. Many women must not only raise their children but must contribute to their economic support. For some women, they are the only means of support, working without financial assistance from a working partner. Working outside the home and raising children presents many obstacles that stay at home moms don't face.
1) If the child is ill, many day cares will not take the child. The dilemma is, does the mother stay at home and run the risk of losing her job, or try to find someone to take the child? Not an easy task.
2) The woman working outside the home still has household responsibilities, cleaning, cooking, laundry plus finding time to spend with the children.
3) Day care is expensive, plus finding a quality care-giver can be difficult. If the day care provider cannot take the child on a certain day for various reasons, again the mother is faced with the choice of staying home. This could result in lost revenue or trying to find a substitute care giver.
The question is not if a stay at home mom "works," the issue is the additional hurdles moms who work outside home face on a daily basis. Politicians, Democrat or Republican, need to be aware of the economic and voting impact women who work outside the home have on our nation. If you have not experienced this way of life, it can be difficult to understand all the issues. Women need to stand together and unite in supporting all mothers whether they are fortunate enough to be able to stay at home to raise their children or have the responsibility of both raising and financially supporting their children.
I am sure that Romney and others like her have worked many days of their lives, but she is financially fortunate enough to have many on the payroll to aid in the assistance of raising a family that many don't have, which, I believe, Rosen was relating to. This is an election year, hence the slinging is more ferocious than most years in general, but there doesn't need to be a war between mothers. Our children, our families should come first in our hearts. Every good mother (and father), put their children first, but for better or worse, not all situations are the same, only different.
Tim and Linda Miller


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Healthy Debate: Are Detox Diets Safe?
by Dana Angelo White in Diets & Weight Loss, Healthy Tips, November 29, 2010Sure, it's tempting to try a detox or cleanse diet after all that Thanksgiving turkey, but are they safe? Here's what experts at the American Dietetic Association's recent Food and Nutrition Expo had to say about these controversial diets.
Detox Recap
We've discussed the ins and outs of detox diets before. Our research has lead us to an overall conclusion that the majority of the plans out there range from potentially unsafe to downright dangerous. Read for yourself:
- Ask HE: Are Cleanses and Detox Diets Safe?
- The Real Deal on the Master Cleanse
- The Lowdown on Cleansing Diets
The Experts Weigh In
At the conference, Dr. Christine Gerbstadt, a medical doctor and registered dietitian, spoke about the extremely limited scientific research behind detox diets. She pointed out that while many plans promise relief from toxins, low energy levels and cravings by excluding things like sugar, dairy, yeast, alcohol and caffeine, there's virtually no evidence to back it up. While it's sound nutrition advice to only consume most of these types foods in moderation, most plans suggest an all out revolt against them indefinitely.
Gerbstadt also reinforced that the body can rely on its own organs to protect and detoxify itself. Dubbed with the anagram "S.K.I.L.L.," the skin, kidneys, intestines, liver and lymphatic system are responsible for the natural cleansing of the body.
The only relatively positive point that was made in favor of these types of diets may have been that the extreme nature may help jumpstart dieters — and in a way, set the stage for success. This may be best demonstrated in the short plans that only last for a couple of days. So the questions remains, can these plans provide the motivation that many dieters are lacking? Or is excluding most (if not all) food from your life (even temporarily) too extreme? The verdict among registered dietitians appears to be … yes.
Take Home Tips
- There's currently a lack of scientific evidence to support that detox plans are safe or effective.
- The body has build in mechanisms to detoxify itself.
- While potentially risky, the drastic nature of these plans (for a short period of time) may be a good way to motivate someone to make big dietary changes.
TELL US: Would you still try a detox plan?
Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition. See Dana's full bio »
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Thank you for your help! There is obviously a lot to know about this. I think you made some good points in Features also. Keep working ,great job!
Could you post (or re-post) information on nitrates and nitrites? My Dad and Grandmother both died from Pancreatic Cancer and I have heard that this is a major factor. What foods is it included in and why is it harmful?
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DEFINITELY NO TO DETOX since it does not have a reliable scientific evidence to support that detox plans are safe or effective. Would you risk your life to this kind of diet? think for a minute .
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