text:
The Antagonist - World Cup 2010 has been anything but predictable
Published: 09 Jul 2010 - 06:26:16
As the Monty Python crew once commented, "Nobody expects the Spanish capitulation" (or was it "inquisition"?)
If there has been one constant in this World Cup, it has been the general belief that the Spanish would play through their turgid form at the start of the competition and show us their true colours when it really mattered.
They have stuttered and spluttered at times but maintained the belief in their passing and possession game, eventually breaking down a gutsy performance by Germany, ironically from a set piece, to reach their first ever World Cup Final and ensure a new name on the trophy.
In most of our minds, Brazil and Spain were stand out favourites with England a good outside bet. Indeed, the Guardian's experts' pre-tournament predictions on the 10th June strongly favoured the Spanish to reach the final, with seven of the 12 consulted ticking their box, whilst only one had the temerity to go for the Dutch as their opponents.
- Webb to referee final / Blatter rules out penalty goals
Only the spookily clairvoyant Sports Editor, Sean Ingle, was spot on with Spain and Holland as his chosen teams. Interestingly he followed this up by predicting that England would get knocked out in the second round, David Villa would get the golden boot and that the biggest controversy would be the lack of video replays. 100% success rate is now a likely outcome.
Go to the top of the class Sean! My point is that Sean Ingle is very much an enigma in the prediction stakes and, apart from the general consensus of opinion about Spain, the rest of us really hadn't got a clue about the patterns that this World Cup would weave.
As a rather cruel example, for which I am sure he won't thank me, the Guardian's chief football correspondent, Kevin McCarra, forecasted a Brazil/Argentina final, England to reach the semis, Denmark to be the dark horses, Wayne Rooney to win the Golden Boot and the game to most look forward to would be Brazil v Ivory Coast. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!
In defence of our Kev, no one could have anticipated the uninspiring performances of Torres, Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney and Kaka whilst Miroslav Klose, who had barely managed three goals all season for his club, ended up competing for the Golden Boot award with David Villa.
Who would have picked out Ghana to be the most successful of the African nations or earmarked both of the last World Cup finalists, France and Italy, to be two of the teams returning home after the group stage?
Who would have expected to see Uruguay, a country with a total population of less than half the size of London and with only two players approaching world class in their ranks, reach the semi-finals? And who would have believed that a team of spotty Teutonic adolescents, barely out of short trousers, could have been within touching distance of a World Cup Final?
At least Alan Hansen's prophetic statement, "you don't win anything with kids", just about holds water on this occasion.
Even when the tournament passed through the initial group stage, and the experts were waxing lyrical about the strength of the South American countries compared to the waning power of the European contingent, they were made to eat their words when, one by one, the Latinos were blasted out of sight by the Germans, the Dutch and the Spanish leaving only Uruguay left to vainly contest the semis.
Somehow other sports are less unpredictable. I mean, no one seriously expected Andy Murray to beat Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon did they? Did the Welsh rugby union XV really have a prayer against the All Blacks on their recent tour? Can England possibly retain the Ashes in Australia? I don't think so (fair point on the tennis and rugger Antagonist, but England can definitely do the Australians down under this time - ED)
It is the uncertainty and unpredictability of tournament football that makes it so engrossing, if, at times, for an England supporter, so frustrating.
So, I am leaving all predictions about Sunday's match to the renowned expert Paul the octopus who, once again, was correct in his prediction of a Spanish victory on Wednesday.
Let's hope it keeps him out of the pot for a few more days because I have the feeling that once it's all over he won't have a leg to stand on.
PS - What a relief to be spared the pedantic comments of Jim Beglin during the first semi-final when, fortunately for us, due to an ear infection, he failed to make it to the ground. It was a real pleasure to go back to the old days when you had one commentator and were trusted to make up your own mind about the action in front of you. If the BBC is trying to save money it should take note and follow suit!
- FOOTBALL.CO.UK BLOGGER:the antagonist
- Love him or loathe him you cannot ignore the Antagonist. His Friday blog tackles the big issues in our game today in an abrasive, often controversial style. He goes where others fear to tread. From wages to wags, diving to drugs - no subject is "off limits", no individual beyond reproach. Miss him at your peril!
- email@example.com
Previous Blog Posts
- Horror injuries more than justify footballer wages
- Tabloid trashing could be the making of Rooney
- Rooney and Pietersen are battling the same demons
- Defoe joins the ranks of footballing cheats
- My 2010-11 season wish list
- Money talks this summer
- Football might never come home
- Why we need more Maradonas
- World Cup 2010 has been anything but predictable
- ITV have been hammered by the Beeb
- England are a long way from world-beaters
- England fans find perspective
- Victory against the USA should be a formality
- Five steps to avoid England heartbreak this summer
- Domestic demands have ravaged England
- The lull before the storm
- The madness of Fabio Capello
- Pressure is the lifeblood of the Premier League
- No surprises in the Premier League
- Two very different Champions League deaths
- Unpredictable season leaves the title up for grabs
- Zola was doomed from the start
- Chelsea count the cost of complacency
- Arsenal and United touched on perfection
- Why football should scrap the offside rule
- Why Bullies are good for football
- League football is not fast food
- The England team are a universally flawed bunch
- Football is in danger of financial implosion
- The England squad is in tatters
- No football like snow football
- Petty FIFA must stop tweaking the rules
- New Year Resolutions
- Arsene Whinger is still number one
- Potter Pulis calls the kettle black
- Get ready for the World Cup bore draw
- David Beckham can breathe easy
- Match of Hate ends in handshakes
- Player naming rights are surely next
- Why football is a waste of time
- Spitting in football is an artform
- Benitez tactics undermine Liverpool challenge
- The mystery of club ownership in the Premier League
- What is it with diving in football?


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I would love to start today. Thursdays are tough for me, which is why I signed up for a Wed campaign
I will also be gone on vacation the 13th and 20th if there is a session that week. I know previously these days were canceled, but I am not sure on this campaign. If there is a game, I will need a sub.

subset: commoncrawl


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Deadly Discovery
Killer bees have claimed their first victim in Georgia.
Killer bees are now in Georgia.
Tests confirm Africanized honeybees attacked and killed a Dougherty County man last week.
It's the first time those aggressive and dangerous bees have been found in the state.
73-year old Curtis Davis died after he was stung more than a hundred times.
Firefighters used a fire extinguisher to rescue Davis, but not in time
"Obviously we think they came up from Florida, but the Africanized bee and the regular honey bee are very similar about the only way to do any positive ID is through DNA," said Bee Keeper Dale Richter.
Tests came back positive.
Now the Department of Agriculture is setting traps for the first time in Dougherty County to see if there are more.
"We will be putting out more traps that the Department of Agriculture will be monitoring to see if this is an isolated incident or if there are others out there," said Richter.
Emergency responders are spreading the word and planning new training.
"We're coordinating some training with some of the other agencies in Dougherty County to kind of inform the responders of what they may need and what possibly to do," said Chuck Mitchell, Albany Dougherty Rescue Team Commander.
Davis' family hopes others will heed the warnings, their father didn't get.
"He loved to build he couldn't stop, but the one thing about it, he died doing what he liked, that was working," said son Tony Gray.


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Hello everybody, Murat (wolfmanfx) here:
Last year at CodeRabbit GmbH (my own company), we started a project called "Distributed Viewer".
Distributed Viewer is an editor where users can upload models and edit materials in real time from any browser and instantly preview the changes not only in the browser, but also in all connected devices such as desktop PCs, Android and iOS devices at the same time.
Early in the development cycle we have realized that the current Ogre material system was too limiting and too complicated to do something like this. So after many discussions we came to the point where we decided to fund the initial development of the Ogre HLMS "High Level Material System". More details about the HLMS can be found in this post from Matias.
With HLMS in our bag we have created PBS (Physically Based Shading) materials for the uploaded models. Our PBS shader is based on this moving-frostbite-to-pbr (the HLMS files will be released with the upcoming backport). The following image shows a screenshot from the material designer.


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Graeme Wheeler
From The Free Forex Encyclopedia
Graeme Wheeler is the soon-to-be Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.Graeme Wheeler was appointed in June 2012 and will take over Alan Bollard's position as Governor of the RBNZ in September 25, 2012.
Wheeler's previous positions include:
- World Bank Managing Director of Operations from 2006 to 2010.
- New Zealand Treasury Deputy Secretary and Treasurer of the Debt Management Office from 1993 to 1997.
- New Zealand Treasury Director of Macroeconomic Policy from 1990 to 1993.
Related Article
Meet the New RBNZ Boss! 27 June 2012


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Apr 18 2008
saree below the navel – extreme example
A still from a movie, I guess. This is extreme case of wearing the saree below the navel.
Apr 18 2008
A still from a movie, I guess. This is extreme case of wearing the saree below the navel.
its too cool. wearing saree below the navel is real cool for this summer to all ????? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
too sexy.ladies keep wearing sarees like that
actually sarees should be weared below the navel.. it makes a women more attractive.
It is really beautiful and seducive. Rather women look more beautiful in saree than in pants.
isse kehte mast sexy navel..isme ungli dalo to aadhi ungli andar chip jae..
super saree and below navel and more below required to me
women look just amazing wearing a saree.And a Low saree with a glance at the navel is so kool.
Saree worn like this will make women a bombshell . I hope this trend will come soon.
the perfection of saree wearing only when she wears the sree below navel.Not necessary to reveal her navel. But saree must be weared below the navel only
is there any women who wears saree below navel, pls send me ur pics,on my id firstname.lastname@example.com
i just love those women who wear saree below navel
wooooow yaaaaaeah girls got such dam sexy navels i wish i can 'climax' on it… dont u think so guys….. or i wana sleep on girls navell n taste it……… im very like navel crazy of girls in saree showing topole (navel)
nice navel
women's unlimited beauty. every women should ware sari and blouse like this.
Wearing the saree below our navel is cool, more relaxing and fun too. My grandma used to wear it low, my mum and me wear it very very low. feels sexy and yet refreshing.
wearing the saree below the navel 5 is cool & sexy
I rely lyk 2 wear sarees below my navel low. so i suggest to others girls too, to wear sarres loe below your navel.
Hey ppl,
may i know which movie is this from.????. Luv it….
Who worries to see the face! this is all I need
i think i wanna kiss dis navel…


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at1with0 wrote:A lot can be said of unstructured free-form flow. There have been studies done on it and everything.
I personally love the direction my thread has taken.
But having said that, if I may be so bold, let me say something that is on topic. Truth and its relationship to logic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarski%27s ... ty_theoremTarski's undefinability theorem, stated and proved by Alfred Tarski in 1936, is an important limitative result in mathematical logic, the foundations of mathematics, and in formal semantics. Informally, the theorem states that arithmetical truth cannot be defined in arithmetic.
The theorem applies more generally to any sufficiently strong formal system, showing that truth in the standard model of the system cannot be defined within the system.
Tarski, for those who don't know, was a giant in the field of logic in the first half of the 20th century when lots of interesting facts about logic were being discovered.
I don't understand the proof of this theorem but, intuitively, it makes a lot of sense given that "truth tables" are somewhere in there and using the letters T and F in a truth table does not define what truth is.
The constant 0 is assumed to be a natural number:
0 is a natural number.
The next four axioms describe the equality relation.
For every natural number x, x = x. That is, equality is reflexive.
For all natural numbers x and y, if x = y, then y = x. That is, equality is symmetric.
For all natural numbers x, y and z, if x = y and y = z, then x = z. That is, equality is transitive.
For all a and b, if a is a natural number and a = b, then b is also a natural number. That is, the natural numbers are closed under equality.
The remaining axioms define the arithmetical properties of the natural numbers. The naturals are assumed to be closed under a single-valued "successor" function S.
For every natural number n, S(n) is a natural number.
Peano's original formulation of the axioms used 1 instead of 0 as the "first" natural number. This choice is arbitrary, as axiom 5 does not endow the constant 0 with any additional properties. However, because 0 is the additive identity in arithmetic, most modern formulations of the Peano axioms start from 0. Axioms 5 and 6 define a unary representation of the natural numbers: the number 1 is S(0), 2 is S(S(0)) (which is also S(1)), and, in general, any natural number n is Sn(0). The next two axioms define the properties of this representation.
For every natural number n, S(n) = 0 is False. That is, there is no natural number whose successor is 0.
For all natural numbers m and n, if S(m) = S(n), then m = n. That is, S is an injection.
Axioms 1, 6, 7 and 8 imply that the set of natural numbers is infinite, because it contains at least the infinite subset { 0, S(0), S(S(0)), … }, each element of which differs from the rest. To show that every natural number is included in this set requires an additional axiom, which is sometimes called the axiom of induction. This axiom provides a method for reasoning about the set of all natural numbers.
If K is a set such that:
0 is in K, and
for every natural number n, if n is in K, then S(n) is in K,
then K contains every natural number.
The induction axiom is sometimes stated in the following form:
If φ is a unary predicate such that:
φ(0) is true, and
for every natural number n, if φ(n) is true, then φ(S(n)) is true,
then φ(n) is true for every natural number n.
bionic wrote::shock:
feeling like Autism Velcro
Is that logical?


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DENTONS and RENOUFS of The Channel Islands and Isle of WightUpdated December 26, 2000 |
I am currently researching Renoufs of St. Martin and Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands,England,and Dentons, of the Isle of Wight and later Jersey.I have traced my Renoufs back to 1625,and the Dentons to Northwood church, Isle of Wight where they married in 1814.I am currently trying to find out where John Denton and Mary Hancock were born, as this does not seem to be on the Isle of Wight , although they married there. Their son, Robert Henry Denton, emigrated to Jersey in 1830 with his parents. |
Tuck email@example.com |
Edit Your Page |
The content shown on this page has been submitted by a Genealogy.com customer, and is not subject to verification by Genealogy.com. Neither Genealogy.com nor its affiliates are responsible for the accuracy of any information contained on this page. The opinions expressed on this page are the author's alone and not the opinions of Genealogy.com.
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Welcome to Anno 2170 A.R.R.C.
The project "Anno 2170: A.R.R.C. - Advanced Research - Reformed Content" is a Modifikation for "Anno 2070".
Use the navigation menu "A.R.R.C." to receive all informations about the project.
Use the navigation menu "A.R.R.C." to receive all informations about the project.
06.07.2014 - Update to version 2.08 (Translated by Thindu)
- During the Mod-Installation a shortcut for uninstallation is created automatically in the installation folder.
- The version number of the A.R.R.C Mod (e.g. A.R.R.C. - Command HQ 2.08) can now be seen in the menu of Anno 2070.
- New Building: "Harbor-Depot" is a warehouse in the harbor area and sends transport units to get wares.
- New Building: "Airfield" offers now the possibility to land, to fill up and repair airplanes on islands and can be build in 3 different sizes.
"Harbor-Airfield" has been modified:
- The integrated quay wall is now a part of the model.
- Conventional quay walls don't connect itself to Harbor-Airfields anymore.
- The textures have been modified and should fit better now.
- On mid and huge Airfields it is now also possible to land Hawks and Choppers.
- Diagonal docks of the "Clearance Terminal" and the ornament category "Marinas" have now a quay wall that should make it easier to build.
- Monuments: All monuments have now the same maintenance-, energy and ecobalance costs because the functionallity of each monument is the equal to the others.
Metal Converter: The range of the Metal Converters have been increased by 50%. (Add-On only)
Already builded converters have to be replaced for the changes to take effect.
Basically changes in the harbor area that make the build of harbor cities much easier and better.
(Hint: The folling changes of harbor city buildings take only effect after the buildings have been replaced or a new game is started.)- Harbor city centers now offer increased influence radius to build in the harbor area. There is no need to build port authorities anymore.
All monuments also offer increased influence radius to build in the harbor area. There is no need to build additional city centers.
(With momuments it is now possible to create big harbor cities without the need of port authorities.) - Quay walls and harbor ornaments can now be build in the influence radius of city centers, monuments, port authorities and harbor-depots.
- A new category "Water channel" has been added and includes 16 new elements that can be build on islands.
- A new category "Laser fence" has been added and includes 21 new elements in 3 sizes and 7 colors which can be build on island, underwater and in the harbor area.
- The ornament building "Eden Flagpole I" and "Global Trust Flagpole I" and its harbor versions have been modified so that it is now possible to build them in 17 different colors (All player colors of Anno 2070).
- A wider variation of Flatscreen-Gates has been added to be also available to build them on rivers.
Trading airplanes are modified to be mearly treated as ships whith some advantages:
- It is now possible to socket items of ships except items for catastrophe protection.
- It is now possible to throw wares and upgrades overboard.
- An issue has been fixed where it was not possible to remove socketed items.
- The flight characteristics and the movement speed of "Orca" and "Cobra" have been adjusted.
- On the trading airplane "Orca" the textures has been modified a bit and the capacity of each ware slot has been increased to 60t.
- Trading airplanes are now available to trade with all kind of arks.
- All drones of the Drone Base have been modified with new textures.
- All drones are no longer immune to EMP attacks.
- The added chimney smoke of some ships from update 2.07 has been removed.
- 3 new upgrades for the building "Electronic Recycler" have been added. (Add-On only)
- An issue has been fixed where the "Coal Factory" had a higher need of wood than provided.
- An issue has been fixed where the upgrade "Vegetable replicas" was shown twice in the the research menu in games without add-on.
- An issue has been fixed where the upgrade "Automated Transport facilities" was not available for research.
- An issue has been fixed where the upgrades of the Fishery didn't work on Deep ocean-Fisheries.
- An issue has been fixed where some ultimatums occured by mistake.
- An issue has been fixed where some ornamental buildings could be build on foreign underwater islands.
- An issue has been fixed where some ships couldn't found new islands.
- An issue of the general game has been fixed where Seamus Green provided wrong rewards for quests.
- Some translations of the english and russian language have been corrected.
19.02.2014 - Download problems and the silence about A.R.R.C. (Mostly translated with Google)
Many of you are probably wondering: when will release the next update 2.08?
What is about the silence about A.R.R.C. in the last weeks?
But do not panic! The work on the upcoming update are still in progress, but I had to pause this recently for the time being.
The reason for this is: I am currently in relocation stress. Middle of March is finally the move to take place in April and it will then go on as usual, if everything works out the way I imagine it.
In the period until then shall ye also rarely an answer from me in the forum, so I apologize for any inconvenience.
Thanks goes also to our new partner from the domain McJono.com!
Because now we can offer you another download mirror to prevent the current download problems, until we have found the cause.
Until then, I wish you all the best and have fun with Anno 2170 - A.R.R.C.!
Our moderator Jonas is in the meantime strengthens the position of holding the forum until everything up and running again as usual. :)
04.12.2013 - The new supply and demand calculator from the year 2170
Before there was only an external link to the old calculator from Elodia.
Now, this extremely useful tool has been completely revised, improved and integrated into the website
and also, the language English is supported now.
Thus, you can now access directly here on the website and calculate your needs for goods comfortable.
Now you can easily and simply decide, wether you play with or without the A.R.R.C. Mod or wich alternative production building do you want to build.
The calculator now includes all new production buildings up to version 2.071. Simply use the navigation menu under "Datasheet".
In this sense, thank you very much for this great work, Elodia! :)
02.12.2013 - Update to version 2.071 [Hotfix]
Bugfixes- A bug in which the smoke of ship chimneys was not shown, has been fixed.
- A bug in which the projectiles of the artillery ship were not shown, has been fixed.
Habor-Airfields generate an error message about allegedly undelivered goods.
The red alert above the building was suppressed to a final solution.
A text message when targeting with the mouse remains.
We ask for your patience and understanding until we have a solution to this problem.
01.12.2013 - Update to version 2.07 / Map pack update 4.3 (News are mostly translated by google)
It took a long, but now it's finally, the expected last update in the year 2013.
Primarily this update should only fix a lot of bugs, but are nevertheless still added some interesting contents over time.
In addition to several new buildings, units, decorative elements and optical improvements, the Russian players can look forward to the support of the Russian language now.
At this point again Special thanks to the translator "0pupentium".
Since the new forum is used excellent and always adding new good suggestions, of course, many of which have been implemented directly.
So we hope that the forum will continue to be used as good as before, and we hope it stays that way.
A summary of all suggestions can be found in the relevant collection thread in the forum.
With a little luck then is your suggestion in the next update of it! :)
Also our partner "DaLexy" updated the popular map pack up to date.
Thus, the map pack is now finally usable for maps that are created without add-on.
Also the problems about create maps in the past are solved.
To make the whole easiest for all, the map pack is now also known as optional content in the installer of the A.R.R.C. Mod.
Consequently, it is longer necessary to add the map pack manually with the RDA-Explorer.
We wish you a lot of fun and hope you like it! :)
The mod now supports the Russian language.
(Many thanks to the translator "0pupentium") - A.R.R.C. main menu video has been changed slightly.
- A.R.R.C. channel video of the ornamental buildings was replaced by the main menu video.
The maximum number of colonizing NPC´s (Tilda Jorgensen, Thor Strindberg etc.) in continuous games has been increased.
(The number depends on the map size: small=2, medium=4, large=6)
(Many thanks to "Judekw" for the information)
- The radius in which trees will be deleted (during the construction of buildings), has been decreased to 1.
New building: "Habor-Airfield" in 3 different sizes for "Chopper", "Hawk" and "Firebird",
allows landing facilities for aircraft in the harbor area. (it is able to repair and refuel aircraft, the latter only if a street connection to a port authority exists) -
New building: "Drones base", used for the production of drones, can be used as a support unit.
(see units) -
New building: "Coal factory", requires wood for the production of coal.
Production ratio for 100% utilization: 1x Coal factory = 2x Sawmill -
New building: "Limestone factory", requires coral for the production of limestone. (Add-On only)
Production ratio for 100% utilization: 1x Limestone factory = 2x Coral breeder - New building: "Shield generator 2.0", improved shield generator with doubled range but with the same shield strength.
- "Shield generator" can now be built as a "Habor-Shield generator" also in the harbor area.
- "Flak" can now be built as a "Habor-Flak" also in the harbor area.
- "Missile launch pad" can now be built as a "Habor-Missile launch pad" also in the harbor area.
- "Energy transmitter" can now be built as a "Habor-Energy transmitter" also in the harbor area.
- "Gas turbine power plant": is now only available from civilization stage 2 of the techs.
- "Fusion power plant": is now only available in classic games from 2000 researchers an in Add-On games from 1 genius.
All trading aircraft are now in a position to trade with the neutral parties.
(Trenchcoat, Yana Rodriguez, Rufus Thorne and Prof. Dr. Salman Devi) - The ship "Hercules" (Keto´s Anaconda) has been renamed to "Hercules Mark II".
- An older version of the ship "Hercules" (up to v2.04) was reimplemented as "Hercules Mark I". (4 Item slots, no landing platform)
6 new aircraft ("Drones"), each unit consists of a swarm of 3 drones.
(Drones only have 50 health points, are extremely fast and consumes no fuel)- "Battle-Drone": Attack power of 5 and is able to hijack enemy ships.
- "EMP-Drone": Can temporarily paralyze enemy units with the EMP module, EMP power is comparable to Trimaran.
- "Stealth-Drone": Is permanently cloaked, is able to reveal enemy stealth units.
- "Protector-Drone": Is able to repair surrounding ships.
- "Detonator-Drone": Can trigger a self-destruct and thus inflict considerable damage surrounding units and buildings.
- "Invader-Drone": Is able to take over enemy warehouses, effect size comparable to "Hawk".
Container ships of the Ecos, Tycoons and Rufus Thorne now have a significantly faster rate of turn.
(except are ships for escort quests) - Build costs of "Cargo Liner" und "Container ship" has been increased.
7 new types of lighting has been added to another new category "Searchlight 2.0".
(Land- habor- and underwater version) - 2 new types of fences (Eco- and Tycoon fence) has been added in the category "Scaffolds & fences".
- 10 new types of animal species has been added to another new category "Animals".
8 new variations of trees in the form of fir has been added to the category "Vegetation".
(Land- and habor version) - 1 new ornamental street (for harbor) has been added to the category "Streets".
1 new ornamental building, consisting of a combination of flat screens has been added to the category "Flat Screens".
(is frequently used by Thor Strindberg) - The dome of the "Drones base" has been added as ornamental building to the category "Tech buildings".
1 new island-wide upgrade "High performance turbines" for the "Gas turbine power plant" has been added.
(+25% Productivity boost)
The model and the textures of "Sand-processing plant" has been changed.
(already existing buildings in the savegame needs to be rebuilt) -
The textures of the "container ship" of the Ecos has been changed fundamentally, that of tycoons was adapted.
(except are ships from NPC´s) - When erect buildings in the harbor area, no more wooden beams now be automatically placed in the water.
For all ships which have a chimney, smoke clouds are now displayed.
(Viper, Container ship, Colossus, Helios, Hercules) - The model of the submarine "Virginia" has been reduced by 30% and slightly changed.
- Ornamental Category "Street accessory & workers" has been renamed to "Street accessory & creatures".
- "Hydroelectric power plant" has been moved to the civilization stage 2 of the techs.
- All energy producing buildings of the civilization stage 2 of the techs had been combined into one group.
- A bug in which some upgrades of habor and underwater academies could not be researched, has been fixed.
- A bug in which some Habor-Academies are not favored by Habor-Geniuses' residence, has been fixed.
- A bug in which some Tech-residences were charged the wrong amount of ressources during the demolition or ascent, has been fixed.
- A bug in which some english descriptions of the upgrades ("Deep ocean-Research complex") are not displayed, has been fixed.
- All upgrades of type "Environment regulation" of the "Deep ocean-Research complex" are no longer affect ecobalance buildings.
- The upgrade "Maintenance unit" favored now laboratories and relics laboratories correctly.
- The Ark upgrades "Gun upgrade" and "Global Gun upgrade" are now work correctly for all combat ships.
- The description of the upgrade "Improved nuclear fission" has been renamed correctly to "Improved nuclear fusion".
- "Wind park 'Jorgensen'" now requires the correct build area like the other ornamental buildings.
- "Habor-Summer tree" can now be built insde the blocking area of the other harbor buildings (previously only with "Habor-Autumn tree")..
- Tooltips of the Virginia "Spectral Mask" has been corrected and shows some informations about the function now.
- The upgrade "Maintenance tanks" of the "Raw oil power plant" has been renamed to "Low-friction gas turbine".
- The uprades who are needed to end an activity of Black Smokers has been re-added in the academy. (Classic game only)
- The calculations for the building costs of all harbor buildings which have quay walls included, has been corrected.
17.11.2013 - The new forum is here! (News are mostly translated by google)
Since the new domain is now fully available, I could finally finish with "Elodia" the new forum of the mod project.
Thus you can now also create topics and everything that goes with it. So many thanks also to "Elodia"!
Therefore soon the category "User Feedback" omitted from the homepage, as this area was totally confusing.
So I hope that we can accommodate any user feedback to the new forum in the future.
Of course the Ubisoft forum will still continue to be used in parallel, but it makes it perhaps a little more clearly.
especially the new board "suggestions" will hopefully be used much,
because, unfortunately, often your suggestions and recommendations are read over here in the Ubisoft forums or even go under completely.


text:
Friday, 27 February 2009
Stimulus cash set to flow to NC housing
The News & Observer reports more than $10 billion in stimulus money announced by federal housing officials this week could help families move from the streets to permanent housing, pay for renovations to poor senior citizens' apartments and renovate houses in low-income communities.
The cash from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is among the first infusions of dollars to come from the economic stimulus bill that President Barack Obama signed into law this month.
Triangle-area housing advocates say they welcome the money, but there are still questions about how some of the dollars can be spent.
"In a couple of areas, this certainly is going to be an opportunity in people's lives that we haven't had previously," said Chris Estes, executive director of the N.C. Housing Coalition in Raleigh. "The challenge will be to ensure these resources will be allocated in a way that they get spent. It's not like we have a network of folks ready to jump."
Around North Carolina, local housing and redevelopment agencies learned late Wednesday how much they would get from more than $100 million being sent to the state. The bulk of the money, about $86 million, will initially go to the state and then get passed down to local communities in block grants, to pay for homelessness prevention and to help companies build affordable housing.
Across the state, money will pay for lead mitigation in Greenville and Charlotte and for tribal housing projects for the Lumbee, the Eastern Band of Cherokee and three other state-recognized tribes.
The announcement in Washington came just eight days after Obama signed the stimulus bill into law. Much of the money is focused on projects that can be put under contract within 120 days.
While local and state officials said Thursday they were excited about the news, many questions remain.
There is no state-run homelessness prevention office, for example, to spend the $22.2million headed to North Carolina, said Denise Neunaber, executive director of the N.C. Coalition to End Homelessness, a nonprofit agency in Raleigh.
That new money is designed to keep families on the verge of homelessness in housing, and to help families on the streets move quickly back into housing. Money could be spent on utility deposits, rental assistance or budget counseling, Neunaber said.
State and local leaders also aren't sure how they can spend millions in Community Development Block Grants, which usually go to revitalize struggling communities.
Every community has a wish list, but planners need to know just what they're allowed to do with the new funding, said Rae Buckley, a senior planner for the town of Chapel Hill.
Money will be spent on large-scale landscaping projects, installation of new gutters and a massive overhaul of hundreds of senior citizens' apartments in Glenwood Towers and Carriage House Apartments.
Harrison Shannon, chief executive officer of the Durham Housing Authority, announced the $4.4 million in new money Thursday to a cheering group of resident council presidents at a bi-monthly meeting.
The new dollars, on top of the $2.8 million in annual funding Durham will receive this year, will go far to tackle a long list of $47 million in renovation needs for about 1,500 housing units, Shannon said.
He expects to renovate cooling towers, replace boilers, install energy-efficient lighting in 160 apartments, upgrade smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and build a playground fence.
Click Here to view the complete News & Observer article.
Thursday, 26 February 2009
State government cuts could jeopardize school construction funds
Gov. Beverly Perdue on Wednesday ordered deeper cuts in state government, a move that could potentially jeopardize future school construction funds.
Taking steps to manage North Carolina's growing budget crisis, Perdue asked state agencies to reduce their budgets this year by as much as 9 percent, the News & Observer reports. Last month, Perdue had asked for 7 percent cuts.
To help keep the state out of the red, Perdue also said she would dip into various special funds for $300 million that had been reserved for school construction, textbooks purchases and water and sewer projects.
"The state constitution requires that I balance the state budget," Perdue, a Democrat, said in a statement, "and I will do that while protecting public education as much as possible."
In asking for deeper cuts, Perdue did not specify which programs are on the chopping block. But her office released a list of some of the programs that her budget office is considering for cuts.
Those include seven smaller and older state prisons, ending state funding for the High Point Furniture Market, eliminating the Labor Department's apprenticeship program and ending state meat and poultry inspection programs."It definitely says the situation is getting worse," said Elaine Mejia, a budget analyst with the N.C. Budget and Tax Center. "A 9 percent cut is really significant. You're approaching the point where you will see real reductions in services and layoffs of employees."
As a precautionary step, Perdue said she would transfer up to $300 million from several special accounts into the state's General Fund. Those are $100 million from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, $100 million from the Public School Building Capital Fund, $50 million from the Public School Text Book Fund and $50 million from the lottery reserve fund.
According to a Citizen-Times news article, Perdue spokeswoman Chrissy Pearson said the governor hasn't ordered budget cuts in school construction. Pearson said the budget move by Perdue on Wednesday, to transfer money from several special state funds to the state's general fund, including $100 million in school construction money, is only a step to manage cash flow.
It won't affect "existing activities supported by these special funds," the governor's office said in a statement.
Click here to read the complete News & Observer article. The Citizen-Times story is found Here.
Taking steps to manage North Carolina's growing budget crisis, Perdue asked state agencies to reduce their budgets this year by as much as 9 percent, the News & Observer reports. Last month, Perdue had asked for 7 percent cuts.
To help keep the state out of the red, Perdue also said she would dip into various special funds for $300 million that had been reserved for school construction, textbooks purchases and water and sewer projects.
"The state constitution requires that I balance the state budget," Perdue, a Democrat, said in a statement, "and I will do that while protecting public education as much as possible."
In asking for deeper cuts, Perdue did not specify which programs are on the chopping block. But her office released a list of some of the programs that her budget office is considering for cuts.
Those include seven smaller and older state prisons, ending state funding for the High Point Furniture Market, eliminating the Labor Department's apprenticeship program and ending state meat and poultry inspection programs."It definitely says the situation is getting worse," said Elaine Mejia, a budget analyst with the N.C. Budget and Tax Center. "A 9 percent cut is really significant. You're approaching the point where you will see real reductions in services and layoffs of employees."
As a precautionary step, Perdue said she would transfer up to $300 million from several special accounts into the state's General Fund. Those are $100 million from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, $100 million from the Public School Building Capital Fund, $50 million from the Public School Text Book Fund and $50 million from the lottery reserve fund.
According to a Citizen-Times news article, Perdue spokeswoman Chrissy Pearson said the governor hasn't ordered budget cuts in school construction. Pearson said the budget move by Perdue on Wednesday, to transfer money from several special state funds to the state's general fund, including $100 million in school construction money, is only a step to manage cash flow.
It won't affect "existing activities supported by these special funds," the governor's office said in a statement.
Click here to read the complete News & Observer article. The Citizen-Times story is found Here.
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
NC lines up stimulus projects
Gov. Beverly Perdue said that 70 highway and bridge projects will be built with the first $466 million of federal transportation stimulus money heading to North Carolina, the News & Observer reported today.
From widening a road to benefit the Global TransPark in Lenoir County to replacing a bridge in Cherokee County, Perdue said transportation officials think the projects could generate 14,000 jobs.
As much as $93 million in the projects should be open to bidding next month, a state Department of Transportation official said. Others will follow.
"I'm here because I wanted North Carolina to be one of the first states in America to begin putting people back to work," Perdue said at an Interstate 40/85 rest stop in Alamance County.
Department of Transportation Secretary Gene Conti said the $10 million resurfacing project along eight miles of highway near the rest stop will help improve commerce along the heavily trafficked corridor. He said the project should create 300 jobs and run through November 2010.
The project is among those receiving the first round of money from at least $838 million in transportation-related funds coming to the state as part of the $787 billion federal stimulus package. The projects were first mainly because they can be under contract by June, Perdue said.
The governor said details about the next round of road and bridge projects, including many larger projects in the state's metropolitan areas that will take longer to start, would be included on a list released by early April.
"My administration is working closely with local communities to determine which projects can be ready most quickly and deliver the greatest benefit," Perdue said.
Among the priciest projects announced Tuesday was a $64.3 million road and bridge replacement on Crescent Road in Lenoir County that will complete interstate-grade road access between U.S. 70 and the Global TransPark, DOT spokesman Ernie Seneca said. The project could begin construction as early as July, he said.
Another $63.4 million will be spent on extending the I-295 loop project around Fayetteville, northwest of the city's center.
The federal stimulus bill requires the state to obligate half of the transportation money within 120 days of receiving it.
The remaining projects must be obligated within a year, and Perdue asked for patience from those who might complain about how much funding was sent to their area.
North Carolina is expected to receive about $6.1 billion from the stimulus package. The Perdue administration thinks it can tap into $3.7 billion of it through mid-2011 to narrow the state's budget shortfall.
Click here for complete News & Observer article. A list of the first batch of state DOT stimulus projects is available at http://tinyurl.com/b4ah6c.
NC lines up stimulus projects
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
NC may get stimulus money this week
Gov. Beverly Perdue said North Carolina may see some federal stimulus money by the end of the week.
The News & Observer reported she had been assured by President Barack Obama that the first round of stimulus spending will begin as soon as Wednesday.
Perdue said the money will help build roads, create environmentally friendly jobs and save teachers' jobs in North Carolina.
The first of the federal stimulus money allocated to North Carolina will go to finish the highway project linking U.S. 70 to U.S. 258 in Kinston, Perdue announced Tuesday morning at the Global TransPark.
The governor announced the $64 million project is part of $466 million in federal economic funding that will be used on 70 highway and bridge projects throughout the state.
NC Secretary of Transportation Gene Conti said contracts for the Felix Harvey Parkway work project will be let in May and construction will start "soon thereafter". He said the project will take 30 to 36 months to complete.
Gov. Perdue said this highway construction project is expected to save or create 1,900 secondary or primary jobs.
Perdue said that projects like the 70 highway and bridge projects will be listed online, saying she will unveil a Web site by the end of the week that will track all of the state's spending from the federal stimulus package, including all grant recipients.
"We're going to be accountable to the public," she said. "At the end of the day, we're going to be able to measure what the outcomes are, so we're not going to throw money away. We're going to be efficient, and we're going to be sophisticated."
Click here to read the complete News & Observer article.
Monday, 23 February 2009
Balfour Beatty buys RT Dooley Construction
Balfour Beatty is general contractor for UNC Charlotte Student Union building scheduled for completion in the spring 2009.
Balfour Beatty Construction today announced its intent to acquire Charlotte-based RT Dooley Construction Co. for about $40 million according to UK's Building Magazine.
RT Dooley, a family-owned firm with 2008 revenues of $306 million, specializes in corporate headquarters, corporate interiors and mission-critical infrastructure and is currently operating in five states. With the completion of the acquisition, RT Dooley joins Balfour Beatty Construction's Charlotte-based Southeast Division in an enterprise blending its own expertise with Balfour Beatty Construction's experience in exterior core and shell construction and backed by London-based Balfour Beatty plc, a global construction, engineering and investment services business exceeding $14 billion in annual revenues.
"This acquisition is consistent with Balfour Beatty's long-standing strategy of continually expanding the range of products and services we can deliver to our clients," said Ian Tyler, chief executive of Balfour Beatty plc. "I am enthusiastic about our organization providing RT Dooley with the global reach to fulfill their clients' project delivery needs worldwide."
Because of the complementary nature of the companies' businesses, no staff cuts are planned as a result of the acquisition. RT Dooley, which will be known as RT Dooley – A Balfour Beatty Company, will remain at its current location, operating under its current leadership team with a similar degree of autonomy as other companies that have joined the Balfour Beatty family of businesses in the U.S., said Bill Blank, division president for Balfour Beatty Construction in the Southeast.
"As competitors and occasional collaborators with RT Dooley, we can't overstate the respect and admiration we have for the integrity, drive and dedication to client service of Bob and David Dooley and the rest of the management team," Blank said. "Knowing that this young and accomplished group is in place to provide continuity and lead RT Dooley's future growth is one of the most exciting aspects of our new strategic partnership."
The Charlotte Observer interviewed CEO David Dooley who said the 140-employee firm engaged McColl Partners, an investment banking firm, to advise it on growth opportunities last spring after determining that it would be difficult to expand on its own.
The 32-year-old, family-owned firm's principals began talking with Balfour Beatty last fall.
"The economy has deteriorated since we started the process," Dooley said, "but our business is very strong. Last year was our best year in history in terms of revenue and profits."
To read the Balfour Beatty press release, click here. The Charlotte Observer article appears Here.
Friday, 20 February 2009
NC road builders eager for stimulus funds
The Charlotte Observer reports state road contractors believe federal cash will help avoid layoffs. The stimulus bill includes $735 million for North Carolina road and bridge projects. The N.C. Department of Transportation Division that includes Charlotte will receive about $75 million, which is a nearly one-time doubling of its annual $90 million budget.
For the last several months, Boggs Paving has been taking jobs without a profit so it doesn't have to sell equipment and cut its staff of 350 people.
The Monroe company might have cut costs earlier, but it's been treading water in anticipation of the federal stimulus package.
"We had to more of less bite the bullet and take some work that's definitely not profitable," said Boggs Paving Vice President Greg Miller. "At least it keeps our people here. We didn't want to lose them, and we knew the stimulus was coming."
Miller and other contractors say they think the stimulus will help them avoid layoffs through 2009. But they aren't sure if there will be enough new road and bridge work to hire a flurry of new paver operators, estimators and project managers.
For them, the stimulus may be more about job preservation than creation.
"The stimulus package – I wouldn't necessarily say it will bring things back to normal. This is a one-time thing. What's going to happen after that?" Miller asked.
President Obama has likened the stimulus bill as a massive investment in infrastructure, similar to the construction of the interstate highway system 50 years ago.
But some advocates of increased highway funding have been disappointed. Transit and passenger rail will see much greater percent increases over their existing funding, and other energy related programs such as weatherization of buildings will also see bigger budget increases than roads and bridges.
At first, stimulus money will replace funding lost from the state's steep decline in gas tax revenue and the highway use tax, which is generated from the purchase of new cars.
Barry Moose, the DOT's engineer who oversees the Charlotte area, said he's delayed several road projects, and his operations budget for patching potholes and mowing grass in medians has been cut 35 percent.
"And small projects – like turn lanes – all of those are shut down right now," said Moose. "I'm not doing any of that right now."
The stimulus has already advanced four area road projects that were going to be shelved because of no money. One is an $8.3 million widening of N.C. 51 from downtown Pineville to the South Carolina state line.
Moose said he doesn't think the stimulus money will spur contractors to go on a hiring binge. But the new money will keep them whole, he said.
"They are running out of work, and they are worried they will start mass layoffs soon," Moose said. "That stimulus carrot has been hanging there for a long time. They are trying to keep their people in place."
H.B. Rowe of Mount Airy laid off some employees last summer in anticipation of the downturn. The firm has 50 employees, and president Gerhard Picher said he's hunkered down for the last six months, trying to pay his bills. When H.B. Rowe now bids on a project, it faces so much competition that it makes little or no money on successful bids.
"Prices are really depressed," Picher said. "There is just a tremendous amount of competition for work." Moose said a typical road job two years ago would have attracted four bids. "Now I'm seeing 8, 10 and 12 bids," Moose said. "That's an indication that people are running out of work, getting hungry."
Miller, of Boggs Paving, said it's possible his firm could expand if it gets enough stimulus work. "I can see some additional crews being hired," Miller said. "There is a skilled labor market out there that's looking for work." Miller said one of the toughest decisions contractors may have to make is whether to invest in more equipment.
Most of the stimulus jobs will be small or medium-sized projects, with few costing more than $25 million.
But the state is also hoping to land funding for a replacement for the Interstate 85 bridge over the Yadkin River. Gov. Bev Perdue's office announced it's applying for money from a $1.5 billion discretionary pot of money for transportation projects.
The new bridge will cost at least $300 million. That project would be at least a two-year job.
Blythe Construction, which is widening U.S. 601 south of Monroe, is one of the Charlotte area's largest road builders. The firm hasn't laid off any of its 400 employees, though some part-timers have been let go in the slowdown.
"We're cautiously optimistic," said Sandy Whitaker-Pratt, a communications manager for the builder. "But we have made a business plan to survive with or without the stimulus."
Click here to read the complete Charlotte Observer article.
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Incentives offered to lenders to stem foreclosures
President Obama pledges $75 billion to a program that includes cutting mortgage payments for as many as 9 million struggling homeowners.
The News & Observer reported even before President Obama finished his speech Wednesday outlining a $75 billion program to stem foreclosures, local homeowners struggling to pay mortgages were calling credit counseling agencies, hungry for details.
"There are so many people who owe more on their homes than they are worth," said Rebekah O'Connell, a consumer credit and housing counselor who takes calls at Triangle Family Services, a private nonprofit.
"I really want to tell people it's going to help. This money will not be in the pipeline tomorrow morning."
North Carolina has been spared the worst of the nation's housing bust. Its foreclosures are the lowest in the Southeast, though about 54,000 foreclosure proceedings were started in 2008.
Foreclosures are devastating to homeowners, but the economic impact is far broader. A concentration of foreclosures, for example, hurts values of nearby houses. And the increase in foreclosures bears much of the blame for the country's housing slump.
The number of North Carolina foreclosures begun in January was down 59 percent from January 2008, according to data from the Administrative Office of the Courts. That's in large part because some lenders are delaying new foreclosure proceedings in anticipation of the new federal program, state banking officials said.
O'Connell, the credit counselor, said the new program would require cooperation of lenders to modify loans -- something that has been difficult to achieve so far.
The plan outlined by Obama offers incentives to lenders and helps homeowners in danger of losing their homes.
It aims to trim monthly mortgage payments to manageable levels, defined as no more than 31 percent of a homeowner's income. If lenders reduce the interest rate on a loan and lose $400 a month, for example, the federal government would repay the lender half that amount. The lender would reduce its risk of having a homeowner go into default.
It's really the first time the federal government has offered lenders an incentive to reduce interest rates on troubled home loans, said Mark Pearce, North Carolina's deputy banking commissioner.
"It's certainly a big step forward," Pearce said. "The government is essentially saying we'll share some of the pain to encourage you to make sensible modifications to keep people in their houses."
Pearce said the interest-rate reductions proposed are different than loan modifications, in which lenders package all the delinquent payments and charges into a new loan with a higher payment that many struggling homeowners still can't afford.
"That's called kicking the can down the road," Pearce said. "This program is trying to get mortgage services to stop doing that."
Last year, the North Carolina legislature approved several pieces of legislation aimed at protecting homeowners facing foreclosure, stopping mortgage brokers from benefiting from high-cost loans and giving the state more authority over companies that service mortgage loans.
Lenders now must give homeowners and the NC Banking Commission 45 days' notice before a foreclosure is filed. A new law also gives the commission the power to negotiate with lenders on behalf of the consumer.
Click here to view the complete News & Observer article.
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Stimulus to create 105,000 NC jobs
Quoting White House figures, the News and Observer reported that the $787 billion stimulus package that President Barack Obama signed into law Tuesday would create or save 105,000 jobs in North Carolina over the next two years. Nationally, it estimated 3.5 million jobs.
Mark Vitner, a senior economist with Wachovia bank, said the estimates are probably a little high, but still within reason because they are not "wildly optimistic." He said there's no real way to know how many new jobs there will be because of the stimulus effort.
If the numbers prove accurate, they should make a noticeable dent in the state's unemployment rate, which was 8.7 percent in December. The estimated 105,000 jobs would be more than one-fourth of the 397,000 unemployed workers.
The White House said it relied on an analysis by top economists with the Council of Economic Advisers and for the vice president, and detailed estimates of the age, employment and industrial makeup of each state.
It did not release the exact calculations used to produce the estimates. The analysis it cited was from January and was based on a hypothetical stimulus package, not the one actually passed by Congress.
"It should be understood that all of the estimates presented in this memo are subject to significant margins of error," the authors of the analysis wrote.
Among the problems they cited: The model was not based on the final bill, the actual effects of the spending can't be known ahead of time, and the current recession is unusual in its size and causes.
Mike Walden, an economics professor at N.C. State University, said he thinks Obama's advisers are overestimating the number of secondary jobs created by new spending on things such as roads and schools.
He said the extra work may be offset by the effects of massive government borrowing on Wall Street. The debt incurred by the stimulus package, he argued, could "crowd out" private borrowing that would otherwise create jobs.
The White House announced a Web site, http://www.recovery.gov, that will allow tracking of where the stimulus money is spent. The White House also announced job growth projections for each state and congressional district.
Chrissy Pearson, a spokeswoman for Gov. Beverly Perdue, said she has been careful to cite the White House when using the numbers, because her advisers haven't been able to independently confirm them.
Click here to read the complete News & Observer article. View the estimated number of jobs saved or created in NC by Congressional District here.
000 NC jobs,
Stimulus will create 105
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
NC expects a green boost
The economic stimulus will send a cash infusion to alternative energy industries in North Carolina. The state's green construction and alternative energy industries are bracing for a jolt from the state's share of the federal stimulus package.
According to the story in the News & Observer, state leaders and energy experts are still unsure about the precise amount headed for jobs such as building solar panels or retrofitting government buildings to save energy. Energy experts say it will be massive compared with what green companies are accustomed to. From the $6.1 billion that is headed for the state, nearly $113 million will be designated for low-income families and senior citizens to weatherize their homes.
The State Energy Office, meanwhile, is expecting at least 12 times its typical federal allocation of less than $1 million a year, and perhaps as much as $77 million, for efforts to boost energy efficiency and alternative energy.
Everyone involved, from companies that will do the work to the government officials who will dispense the money, has been been scrambling to plan for the flood of cash, despite budgets too tight to hire and the uncertainty about the money and stipulations that federal officials may add.
"There is only so much we can do before we know what we're getting," said Chrissy Pearson, a spokeswoman for Gov. Beverly Perdue. "There will be a team of accountability folks, and it will be worked out very quickly, though, because we want to put this money to work fast and do it in a way that is accountable."
People in departments across the state government had been pulling together lists of projects that might fit whatever uses are allowed for the money, and consulting with technical experts, advocates, university and community college officials, and business owners.
State leaders and those in municipalities have been pulling together lists of "shovel-ready" projects. Raleigh City Manager Russell Allen said officials from several departments also have been meeting to plan as much as they can without having more detail.
"If anybody can react quickly to something like this, it's local governments," Allen said, "because we don't have as many layers, legislative or administrative, to push through."
Adding to the challenge of spending the money responsibly is the fact that it will arrive quickly, leaving little time to prepare, and will have to be spent quickly, too.
Steve Kalland, director of the N.C. Solar Center at N.C. State University, was among a small group from several states who met with Energy Secretary Steve Chu last week. Chu said that money could start flowing to states within 30 days of the final approval of the stimulus package, compared with a more typical 12- to 18-month wait for such funds.
Gov. Beverly Perdue said she is preparing to spend North Carolina's slice of an economic stimulus plan quickly, hoping to infuse the cash into projects to get people to work and get the attention of Washington.
Perdue said she is putting together a panel to oversee the spending of the stimulus money and that she's lining up projects so that they can use the money quickly. She wants North Carolina to invest so quickly and efficiently that the state might be able to spend the money before other states that remain stuck in bureaucracy. Her office released a list of billions of dollars worth of "shovel-ready" projects, spanning from roads to school construction to wastewater improvements.
North Carolina is expecting to receive at least $6.1 billion from the $787 billion stimulus plan expected to be signed by President Obama today.
Click Here to read the complete News & Observer story.
NC expects a green boost
Monday, 16 February 2009
NC to receive $6.1 billion from stimulus plan
The Fayetteville Observer reported North Carolina is expecting to receive $6.1 billion from the $787 billion federal stimulus package that Congress passed late Friday night. The preliminary figures were calculated by the state's Washington office and matched data provided by Federal Funds Information for States, a service of the National Governors Association and the National Conference of State Legislatures.
State officials cautioned that they don't yet know if there will be limits on how that money is spent. The sums in the compromise package are less than some state officials had hoped.
"Obviously, there were other layers of money that we hoped would be funded and didn't come through," said Chrissy Pearson, a spokeswoman for NC Governor Bev Perdue. "We'll take the money that they're going to send us and put it to good use. That doesn't mean that the federal stimulus is a magic bullet."
North Carolina's share of the stimulus plan includes about $1.2 billion for state education programs and $253 million that can be used more flexibly to stabilize the state's looming budget gap. More than half of North Carolina's annual budget is spent on education, from public school kindergarten through the university system.
The combined $1.43 billion over two years in the compromise was less than the $1.8 billion that the state would have received under the version the U.S. House approved last month. Perdue had anticipated more than $900 million in federal aid to help narrow a gap in the current year's state budget of about $2 billion. She said there will be cuts from current spending despite federal help.
"The federal Medicaid infusion, spread over 27 months, may help stave off budget cuts that might have forced layoffs, Crawford said. The state's Medicaid spending was forecast to cost nearly $3 billion of North Carolina's $21 billion budget for the year ending in June. The increased federal spending on Medicaid means the state will be able to divert $720 million in state funds to other uses between now and June, said Canaan Huie, finance counsel to state House Speaker Joe Hackney, D-Orange.
The stimulus plan includes another $339 million to bolster North Carolina schools that have concentrations of poor children, plus $334 million for special education and $17 million for Head Start.
The infrastructure spending seen as pumping money into delayed construction projects includes $776 million for replacing and repairing the state's highways and bridges, $131 million for mass transit, $66 million for drinking water treatment, $72 million for sewers and $113 million for making homes more energy efficient.
To read the complete Fayetteville Observer story, click here.
Saturday, 14 February 2009
Congress passes $787 billion stimulus bill
Congress passed a $787 billion stimulus bill Friday night in hopes of combating the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. President Obama is expected to sign it within a few days.
Supporters said the legislation would save or create 3.5 million jobs. The Senate approved the measure 60-38 with three GOP moderates providing crucial support - the only members of their party to back it. Hours earlier, the House vote was 246-183 in favor of the package of tax cuts and federal spending that President Obama has made the centerpiece of his plan for economic recovery.
The legislation provides billions of dollars to aid victims of the recession through unemployment benefits, food stamps, medical care, job retraining and more. Tens of billions are ticketed for the states to offset cuts they might otherwise have to make in aid to schools and local governments, and there is more than $48 billion for transportation projects such as road and bridge construction, mass transit and high-speed rail.
Democrats said the bill's tax cuts would help 95 percent of all Americans, much of the relief in the form of a break of $400 for individuals and $800 for couples. In a bow to political reality, lawmakers included $70 billion to shelter upper middle-class and wealthier taxpayers from an income tax increase that would otherwise hit them. Also included were funds for two of Obama's initiatives, the expansion of computerized information technology in the health care industry and billions to create so-called green jobs the administration says will begin reducing the country's dependence on foreign oil.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the White House agreed to trim billions in spending from the original $820 billion House-passed bill, enough to obtain the backing of GOP Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. It was further trimmed to hold the support of the moderates whose opposed a new program for federal school construction. In the end, a compromise was reached that allows states to use funds for modernizing schools.
In addition to tax relief for individuals and businesses who purchase new equipment, lawmakers inserted breaks for first-time homebuyers and consumers purchasing new cars in an attempt to aid two industries particularly hard-hit by the recession. In response to pressure from lawmakers from Pennsylvania, Indiana and elsewhere, the bill was altered at the last minute to permit the buyers of recreational vehicles and motorcycles to claim the same break as those buying cars and light trucks.
Click Here to view the complete Associated Press story. Further highlights of the final stimulus package are found on the CharlotteObserver.com.
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Charlotte Area Stimulus Wish List: $1 Billion
The U.S. Senate approved an $838.2-billion economic stimulus bill yesterday by a 61-37 vote. The Senate package now must be reconciled with the estimated $819.5-billion stimulus measure that the House passed on Jan. 28. The House bill has about $160 billion for construction programs and the Senate's contains about $130 billion.
The Charlotte Observer reported the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County compiled a $1 billion local stimulus wish list. Odds are only a fraction of the requests will win funding under any spending program. Charlotte-Mecklenburg's combined total amounts to more than one percent of the stimulus bill, and their infrastructure requests exceed the amount of money the entire state is expected to receive for building projects.
City staff members identified the following potential projects which could qualify for funding from the stimulus bill. Job creation estimates are based on a Federal Highway Administration estimate of 28 jobs per $1 million of investment. Job estimates are in parenthesis.
Energy efficient lighting replacement at multiple city buildings – $200,000 (6)
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department green roof – $300,000 (8)
Utilities, air conditioner equipment upgrade – $1 million (28)
Discovery Place chiller – $1 million (28)
Utilities operations center, LEED certification – $12 million (336)
Thomasboro/Hoskins neighborhood improvement – $3 million (84)
Central Avenue improvements at Eastland Mall – $2 million (56)
Traffic control management optimization – $2 million (56)
Pedestrian safety/sidewalk (Wintercrest, Fairview, Cristman, Orr, Shasta, Iverson, Lynhurst, W.T. Harris, Kings Drive, Bascom) – $2.6 million (72)
Little Rock Road realignment – $8 million (224)
N.C. 29/U.S. 49 widening phase 2, North Tryon St. widening – $13 million (364)
Traffic control management expansion – $5 million (140)
Fred D. Alexander Boulevard – $22 million (616)
Intersection improvements (South Boulevard left turn lane; South West/Pennsylvania; W.T. Harris/Milton; Mt. Carmel left turn lane; Ballantyne Commons/Johnston left turn lane; Freedom/Stewart Creek Parkway; Kenilworth/Pearl) – $7.4 million (207)
North Davidson maintenance facility – $30 million (840)
Lynx Blue Line enhancements – $110 million (3,080)
North Corridor grade crossings – $30 million (840)
Bus purchases – $90 million (2,520)
Transportation Center improvements – $15 million (420)
North Corridor construction – $335 million (9,380)
Park and Ride lots – $10 million (280)
Wastewater collection system rehab – $4.5 million (126)
Reedy Creek wastewater collection system – $39 million (1,092)
Beatties Ford Road Water Main – $600,000 (16)
Franklin Water Plant reservoir expansion – $35 million (980)
McAlpine Wastewater Treatment Plant Filter Expansion – $1.6 million (45)
Griffith Street Liftstation upgrade – $1.6 million (45)
Wastewater collection system hydraulic models – $2 million (56)
Burstonwood storm drainage improvements – $1 million (28)
Rockland Road Culvert Replacement – $1 million (28)
Stream Restoration – $2 million (56)
Wilora Lake Rehabilitation – $1 million (28)
Storm drain repairs – $2 million (56)
Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County officials said they have identified $170 million in projects that would create an estimated 4,760 jobs.
CPCC's Harris Campus expansion – welding instituted $9 million
CPCC parking deck – $16 million
Greenways/urban connectivity – $6.8 million
Memorial Stadium/Grady Cole Center renovations – $25.5 million
Several parks – $22 million
Freedom Center – $75 million
Solid waste facilities – $7.7 million
Storm water systems – 5.6 million
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
New schools – $123 million
School renovations and repairs – $126 million
Preventive maintenance for air quality and health – $13.5 million
North Carolina
Lawmakers are still working out details of the stimulus bill. Here are some projects aimed at North Carolina in the version that passed the Senate on Tuesday:
Drinking water infrastructure – $66 million
Other water infrastructure – $72 million
Highway funds – $730 million
Mass transit – $131 million
Homelessness prevention – $29 million
Special education grants – $366 million
Computers and software in classrooms – $25 million
For matching the unemployed to job openings – $11 million
Weatherization assistance – $78 million
Food stamps – $400 million
Click Here to view the entire Charlotte Observer story.
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
NC projects ready to accept stimulus funding
Gov. Beverly Perdue released a list of North Carolina construction projects that could be funded by the federal stimulus bill. A sampling of the projects included:
* New schools, renovations or additions statewide, $345 million
* Charlotte's light rail, $140 million
* New public safety center in Raleigh, $226 million
* Weddington Road/Bruton Smith Boulevard improvements in Concord, $16 million
* Resurfacing Durham streets, $10 million
* Fayetteville's highway loop, $275 million
* Broadband Internet access to 80 percent of N.C. homes, $29 million
* Dredging Hatteras harbor, $76,000
* Renovate Davidson College residence hall, $2 million
* New Meredith College admissions building, $6 million
On Monday an $838 billion version of the legislation cleared a crucial test vote in the Senate by a 61-36 margin. For more information on the status of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, see the News & Observer article online.
Monday, 9 February 2009
Asbestos in Older Fixtures
Among the many occupations affected by asbestos exposure are those who build on, repair, or modify older structures. This would naturally affect those who work in the construction industry.
While many would believe that asbestos is banned in the U.S and is no longer an exposure hazard, they would be surprised to learn that nearly 80% of structures built prior to 1980 contain at least some asbestos containing material (products which contain at least 1% asbestos).
Where is asbestos found?
Asbestos was predominantly used as an insulation component and could therefore be found in nearly any product which required insulation qualities or heat resistance. Asbestos is made up of small but durable fiber and it was incorporated in many different compounds. Some of the most common are asbestos wall/attic insulation, pipe coverings, drywall, floor tile, and adhesives or bonding agents.
When does asbestos present a hazard?
Contrary to what people may think, not all asbestos materials present an immediate hazard. It is only when these materials are cracked, broken, or unstable that they present a hazard. OSHA dictates that asbestos material becomes hazardous when it is rendered friable, meaning it can easily be crushed or broken by human hand pressure.
Materials of this nature should be avoided.
What health effects are associated with asbestos exposure?
Asbestos exposure has been conclusively linked to a long list of respiratory complications, the most serious of which being the rare asbestos cancer mesothelioma. However, in addition to mesothelioma, asbestos exposure can cause chronic conditions like asbestosis and breathing difficulty. Many of those exposed to asbestos prior to 1980 were unaware of what they were dealing with. Today, we are lucky enough to know that these health complications are directly attributable to exposure and can be avoided by taking precaution around the materials as discussed above.
For those who have a history of working in the construction industry, it is imperative to monitor your respiratory health closely. Symptoms of asbestos-caused illnesses do not manifest for decades in some cases, and many former construction workers who find themselves diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer are well into their sixties at the time of their initial diagnosis.
If you are a construction worker or have worked in a related industry, talk to your doctor about asbestos exposure and the associated health issues.
Guest blog from the Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center. The Center is a trusted Internet resource for mesothelioma cancer information. The website is accredited by the Health On The Net Foundation as a trustworthy source of medical information on the web and also approved by DisabilityInfo.gov as a reliable source of information for veterans and members of the military community.
Asbestos in Older Fixtures
Monday, 2 February 2009
Time to Show Support for the Economic Stimulus Package
It's time to show support for the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009." The construction funding included in this legislation will put construction-related businesses to work quickly on projects that are "shovel ready."
Economists report that every $1 billion in investment in nonresidential construction creates 28,500 or more American jobs. And these are not just construction jobs; it includes materials suppliers, services providers, and equipment providers. This $1 billion will turn into $3.4 billion in GDP and $1.1 billion in personal income as workers participate in our economy. North Carolina contractors and suppliers are ready and able to start work as soon as they are awarded contracts.
Right now nothing is more important than increasing investment in America's buildings, transportation system, power grid, water treatment facilities, and other major construction projects. Construction has always been an engine of economic stimulus and can play that role once again. The long-term economic benefits that will come from these investments are an extra incentive.
In addition to the crucial investment in our nation's infrastructure, we support the tax relief provisions for small businesses and the tax incentives it provides for energy efficiency. Most of our readers are small businesses who need relief in order to weather this economic storm, retain employees and create new jobs. It's time we communicate our support to the elected representatives in Congress.
Construction spending posts record drop in 2008
The U. S. Commerce Department reported today construction spending fell for a third straight month in December, closing out a year in which building activity fell by a record amount as housing continued to plunge.
The department says total construction spending dropped by 1.4 percent in December, slightly worse than the 1.2 percent decline economists expected.
For the year, total construction spending fell by a record 5.1 percent, surpassing the 2.1 percent decline in 2007. The weakness in both years reflected huge declines in home construction, which fell 27.2 percent last year, the largest drop on records going back to 1993.
Stephen Sandheer, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of America said, "Today's construction figures underscore the dramatic decline in business activity that is putting hundreds of thousands out of work, endangering the viability of tens of thousands of businesses and dragging on the broader economy. This is a stark reminder of the need for immediate and significant federal investments in vital construction and infrastructure projects."
"With these investments," Sandherr said, "Construction companies will be able to save jobs, expand payrolls and invest in equipment and supplies, while building the foundation for a stronger economy."
Last week the U.S. House of Representatives passed the $819 billion economic stimulus package. The bill now goes to the U.S. Senate, where passage is expected sometime next week.
However, because the two bills will be somewhat different, they will need to be ironed out in a conference committee into a version that will then need passage again from the Senate and the House before making their way to President Barack Obama's desk.
Contractors who want to express support for the crucial investment in our nation's infrastructure can Login Here to send electronic messages to representatives in both the House and Senate to urge support for the economic recovery legislation.
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Interesting essay by Robert Klose in the Christian Science Monitor about the elimination of circulation cards with borrowers names and addresses.
The author laments their passing (for privacy reasons) as they once were the source of a short but interesting correspondence for him on the subject of early European migration.
Anonymous Patron writes "Book lending falls 30% as libraries turn to technology says The number of books borrowed by Scots from the nation's libraries has plummeted by 30% in less than a decade – a situation that experts claim is the inevitable consequence of spending scarce funds on computers instead of new titles.I kept reading about higher circ. numbers in the States, not true elsewhere?"
The Oakland Tribune reminds residents of East Bay that in addition to books and tapes, their local library can lend them tools...over 2,000 in fact. In addition to stud sensors and orbital sanders, a listing of what's available (and what is not) is here at their website.
One branch per month in the Santa Cruz library system is systematically weeded of excess books. Besides being unable to purchase additional shelving and insufficient space for the books, librarians discard those books that don't measure up.
In this article from the Santa Cruz Sentinal , the acronym MUSTIE is used to determine which books will go...the FOL always get first dibs.
Fang-Face writes "A quivering administrator in Fairfax County, Virginia, has banned the film 1776 from middle school civics curricula. The reason for this censorship is sexual innuendo due to Jefferson saying he "burns" for his wife, whom he has not seen in six months. I had to do a search through Google to find an article with enough information to build a context (in most cases the article had been abstracted down to the first four paragraphs only) and finally found this report at WashingtonPost.com. This article also mentions how Fairfax has been the subject, for some time, of a trend towards stipping classrooms and libraries of materials."
We've covered PABBIS and other Fairfax stories in the past.
John Hubbard writes "The Associated Press is reporting on a 94-Year-Overdue Book, returned by a woman to Vernon Public Library in Connecticut. The $685 late fee was waived.
Similar tales have been covered previously.
Unshelved ran a week about overdue books in April. "
To follow up on This One, Dan Lester and sharmor sent over this Denver Post Story with an interesting opening paragraph:\"Marisa Gohr will think twice before checking out any more library books.\"
She\'s the 12-year-old that appeared Thursday in Littleton Municipal Court, charged with unlawful retention of library materials. The judge accepted a guilty plea and sentenced the seventh-grader to 90 days of probation.
\"Marisa is scared to check out books,\" Norma Gohr said. \"This whole situation is ridiculous.\"
The daughter of a Penn State patron returned a rare book borrowed by her father in 1944. The library graciously waived the late fee. CNN.com picked up the AP story.
The National Library Board in Singapore receives 200 suggestions a month. However, they liked one patron\'s suggestion so much, they developed the idea and patented it. The idea was a book drop that uses radio frequencies to detect returned books.The story doesn\'t say if the patron will receive any money from the patent, which has interested libraries from New Zealand, Australia, and Scandinavian countries. Definitely \"good value for money,\" as is the new Public Service slogan.
Librarians, teachers, and book stores say a notable increase has occurred in reading interest among children. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 75 percent of fourth-graders report reading for fun at least once a week. Of that group, 43 percent say they read every day. [more...] from Salon.
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A lusty blonde lights up and reclines on her soft couch, her supple body bending in the most delicious ways as she plays with herself. Her stocking feet wave in the air as she uses strong fingers to massage tender toes, slipping off her confining shoes and delicately sniffing the insole. She moves her frisky fingers to her moist and juicy twat, where they touch up a storm of smiles and desire.
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University of Wisconsin-Superior
Old Main 139
Belknap and Catlin
P.O. Box 2000
Superior, WI 54880
ph. 715-394-8234
The commencement venue has changed for this coming spring ceremony and will be held at the Marcovich Wellness Center in the FieldHouse on May 17th, 2014 at 2:00pm. Due to this change in location,occupancy is restricted and ALL GUESTS attending must present a ticket at the door for entry. Students will be able to claim 4 guest tickets beginning April 9th at the Grad Fair in the YU Atrium which begins at 11:00am.
More information about the ticket distribution process is included. If you have any immediate questions you may contact the YU Information Desk.
We ask that you share this information with graduating students, respective staff, and faculty as you deem necessary. Please help us spread this communication so we can assure a successful ceremony for students.


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Available for Helen Wells Seymour:
The following biography was researched, compiled, and written by Geoffrey K. Fleming, Director, Southold Historical Society, Southold, NY.HELEN WELLS SEYMOUR (December 17, 1878 - October 27, 1937)Painter, print-maker, craftsperson, lecturer. Born in Washington, DC, the daughter of patent attorney Henry Albert Seymour (1847-1921) and his wife Mary Marilla Leggett (1853-1914). The family resided in northwest Washington on Connecticut Avenue.Though from an ear (showing 500 of 5190 characters).


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In type 2 diabetes, randomisation to advice to follow a low-carbohydrate diet transiently improves glycaemic control compared with advice to follow a low-fat diet producing a similar weight loss
- H. Guldbrand,
- B. Dizdar,
- B. Bunjaku,
- T. Lindström,
- M. Bachrach-Lindström,
- M. Fredrikson,
- C. J. Östgren,
- F. H. Nystrom
- … show all 8 hide
The study aimed to compare the effects of a 2 year intervention with a low-fat diet (LFD) or a low-carbohydrate diet (LCD), based on four group meetings to achieve compliance.
This was a prospective randomised parallel trial involving 61 adults with type 2 diabetes consecutively recruited in primary care and randomised by drawing ballots. Patients that did not speak Swedish could not be recruited. The primary outcomes in this non-blinded study were weight and HbA1c. Patients on the LFD aimed for 55–60 energy per cent (E%) and those on LCD for 20 E% from carbohydrate.
The mean BMI and HbA1c of the participants were 32.7 ± 5.4 kg/m2 and 57.0 ± 9.2 mmol/mol, respectively. No patients were lost to follow-up. Weight loss did not differ between groups and was maximal at 6 months: LFD −3.99 ± 4.1 kg (n = 31); LCD −4.31 ± 3.6 kg (n = 30); p < 0.001 within groups. At 24 months, patients on the LFD had lost −2.97 ± 4.9 kg and those on LCD −2.34 ± 5.1 kg compared with baseline (p = 0.002 and p = 0.020 within groups, respectively). HbA1c fell in the LCD group only (LCD at 6 months −4.8 ± 8.3 mmol/mol, p = 0.004, at 12 months −2.2 ± 7.7 mmol/mol, p = 0.12; LFD at 6 months −0.9 ± 8.8 mmol/mol, p = 0.56). At 6 months, HDL-cholesterol had increased with the LCD (from 1.13 ± 0.33 mmol/l to 1.25 ± 0.47 mmol/l, p = 0.018) while LDL-cholesterol did not differ between groups. Insulin doses were reduced in the LCD group (0 months, LCD 42 ± 65 E, LFD 39 ± 51 E; 6 months, LCD 30 ± 47 E, LFD 38 ± 48 E; p = 0.046 for between-group change).
Weight changes did not differ between the diet groups, while insulin doses were reduced significantly more with the LCD at 6 months, when compliance was good. Thus, aiming for 20% of energy intake from carbohydrates is safe with respect to cardiovascular risk compared with the traditional LFD and this approach could constitute a treatment alternative.
Trial registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01005498
University Hospital of Linköping Research Funds, Linköping University, the County Council of Östergötland, and the Diabetes Research Centre of Linköping University
- blah 125_2012_2567_MOESM1_ESM.pdf (99KB)
- Wing RR, Lang W, Wadden TA et al (2011) Benefits of modest weight loss in improving cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 34:1481–1486 CrossRef
- Lavie CJ, Milani RV, Ventura HO (2009) Obesity and cardiovascular disease: risk factor, paradox, and impact of weight loss. J Am Coll Cardiol 53:1925–1932 CrossRef
- Becker W, Lyhne N, Pedersen AN et al (2004) Nordic nutrition recommendations 2004—integrating nutrition and physical activity. Scand J Nutr 48:178–187 CrossRef
- Margetts B (2003) FAO/WHO launch expert report on diet, nutrition and prevention of chronic diseases. Public Health Nutr 6:323–325
- Bantle JP, Wylie-Rosett J, Albright AL et al (2008) Nutrition recommendations and interventions for diabetes: a position statement of the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care 31(Suppl 1):S61–S78
- Shai I, Schwarzfuchs D, Henkin Y et al (2008) Weight loss with a low-carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or low-fat diet. N Engl J Med 359:229–241 CrossRef
- Leosdottir M, Nilsson PM, Nilsson JA, Mansson H, Berglund G (2005) Dietary fat intake and early mortality patterns—data from The Malmo Diet and Cancer Study. J Intern Med 258:153–165 CrossRef
- Leosdottir M, Nilsson PM, Nilsson JA, Berglund G (2007) Cardiovascular event risk in relation to dietary fat intake in middle-aged individuals: data from The Malmo Diet and Cancer Study. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 14:701–706 CrossRef
- Westman EC, Yancy WS Jr, Mavropoulos JC, Marquart M, McDuffie JR (2008) The effect of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-glycemic index diet on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutr Metab (Lond) 5:36 CrossRef
- Iqbal N, Vetter ML, Moore RH et al (2010) Effects of a low-intensity intervention that prescribed a low-carbohydrate vs. a low-fat diet in obese, diabetic participants. Obesity (Silver Spring) 18:1733–1738 CrossRef
- Elhayany A, Lustman A, Abel R, Attal-Singer J, Vinker S (2010) A low carbohydrate Mediterranean diet improves cardiovascular risk factors and diabetes control among overweight patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a 1-year prospective randomized intervention study. Diabetes Obes Metab 12:204–209 CrossRef
- Daly ME, Paisey R, Millward BA et al (2006) Short-term effects of severe dietary carbohydrate-restriction advice in type 2 diabetes—a randomized controlled trial. Diabet Med 23:15–20 CrossRef
- Nielsen JV, Joensson EA (2008) Low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes: stable improvement of bodyweight and glycemic control during 44 months follow-up. Nutr Metab (Lond) 5:14 CrossRef
- Dashti HM, Mathew TC, Khadada M et al (2007) Beneficial effects of ketogenic diet in obese diabetic subjects. Mol Cell Biochem 302:249–256 CrossRef
- Boden G, Sargrad K, Homko C, Mozzoli M, Stein TP (2005) Effect of a low-carbohydrate diet on appetite, blood glucose levels, and insulin resistance in obese patients with type 2 diabetes. Ann Intern Med 142:403–411
- Davis NJ, Tomuta N, Schechter C et al (2009) Comparative study of the effects of a 1-year dietary intervention of a low-carbohydrate diet versus a low-fat diet on weight and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 32:1147–1152 CrossRef
- Sasakabe T, Haimoto H, Umegaki H, Wakai K (2011) Effects of a moderate low-carbohydrate diet on preferential abdominal fat loss and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 4:167–174 CrossRef
- Foster GD, Wyatt HR, Hill JO et al (2003) A randomized trial of a low-carbohydrate diet for obesity. N Engl J Med 348:2082–2090 CrossRef
- Brehm BJ, Seeley RJ, Daniels SR, D'Alessio DA (2003) A randomized trial comparing a very low carbohydrate diet and a calorie-restricted low fat diet on body weight and cardiovascular risk factors in healthy women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 88:1617–1623 CrossRef
- Baron JA, Schori A, Crow B, Carter R, Mann JI (1986) A randomized controlled trial of low carbohydrate and low fat/high fiber diets for weight loss. Am J Public Health 76:1293–1296 CrossRef
- Jolly K, Lewis A, Beach J et al (2011) Comparison of range of commercial or primary care led weight reduction programmes with minimal intervention control for weight loss in obesity: lighten up randomised controlled trial. BMJ 343:d6500 CrossRef
- Lof M, Forsum E (2004) Validation of energy intake by dietary recall against different methods to assess energy expenditure. J Hum Nutr Diet 17:471–480 CrossRef
- Gibson S, Ashwell M (2011) Dietary patterns among British adults: compatibility with dietary guidelines for salt/sodium, fat, saturated fat and sugars. Public Health Nutr 14:1323–1336 CrossRef
- Title
- In type 2 diabetes, randomisation to advice to follow a low-carbohydrate diet transiently improves glycaemic control compared with advice to follow a low-fat diet producing a similar weight loss
- Open Access
- Available under Open Access This content is freely available online to anyone, anywhere at any time.
- Journal
Volume 55, Issue 8 , pp 2118-2127
- Cover Date
- 2012-08-01
- 10.1007/s00125-012-2567-4
- Print ISSN
- Online ISSN
- 1432-0428
- Publisher
- Springer-Verlag
- Additional Links
- Topics
- Keywords
- Blood glucose
- Dietary intervention
- HDL-cholesterol
- LDL-cholesterol
- Low-carbohydrate diet
- Type 2 diabetes
- Industry Sectors
- Authors
- H. Guldbrand (1)
- B. Dizdar (1)
- B. Bunjaku (1)
- T. Lindström (1) (2)
- M. Bachrach-Lindström (1)
- M. Fredrikson (3)
- C. J. Östgren (1) (2)
- F. H. Nystrom (1) (2)
- Author Affiliations
- 1. Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, Linköping University, SE 581 85, Linköping, Sweden
- 2. Diabetes Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- 3. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Science, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden


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You are fairly reserved, shy and introverted by nature. Your keen observation skills help you make accurate judgments about people around you. You are also very sympathetic in nature, and take pains to help people who are suffering. Your partner gives prime importance to stability and is very practical in their approach. They may appear to be sturdy, stubborn and the silent one, but in reality they have a very sensitive heart that responds to true emotions.
You are not attracted to each other naturally, and do not share an innate sense of belonging. But you certainly possess some of the qualities and resources that are complementary to each other. You can be good partners if you let go of your desire to find the best and learn to accept each other as you are.
Karmic Pull: [Good] Compatibility between both of you, on a temperamental level, will be above average.
Mutual Gunas: [Good] You both realize and acknowledge the strengths of one another, and also know how to deal with each other's weaknesses. A decent level of understanding persists between both of you.
The Sun Signs | ||
The Planets | ||
The Houses | ||
The Elements | The Qualities | |


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02 Jun 2014
THE NUMBER of accountancy firms contemplating poaching senior staff and their teams from their rivals has more than doubled in the last year, rising from 8% to 22% of all firms as the economy warms up, according to Bloomsbury Professional.
The renewed confidence is also reflected by the proportion of accountancy firms that feel able to increase their fees. According to the study, 75% of firms are now considering increasing hourly rates and project fees, a slight increase on 73% in 2012.
Further reading
Martin Casimir, managing director of Bloomsbury Professional, which surveyed accountancy firms about how they planned to boost their profits, said: "Previously, firms were cautious about poaching senior employees from rivals as this would result in higher salaries and costs, without any certainty that they would win new business as a result."
"However, as the economy begins to recover, accountancy firms are on a more stable financial footing, and are determined to build up strength in order to be first in line for the increased amounts of advisory and corporate finance work they anticipate."
Expansion into new sectors is considered a possibility by 50% of accountancy firms, up from 39% in 2012.
The possibility of significant further redundancies in the accountancy sector now seems to be receding with 83% of firms saying that they were unlikely to cut head count in order to boost profitability.
"There are signs that accountancy firms are starting to feel fairly secure. A significant proportion are comfortable with the idea of increasing their fees which suggests that competition is becoming less fierce, while even more are prepared to make the investment needed to target new sectors for work," Casimir.
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If budgeting is to have any value at all, it needs a radical overhaul. In today's dynamic marketplace, budgeting can no longer serve as a company's only management system; it must integrate with and support dedicated strategy management systems, process improvement systems, and the like. In this paper, Professor Peter Horvath and Dr Ralf Sauter present what's wrong with the current approach to budgeting and how to fix it.
In this white paper CCH provide checklists to help accountants and finance professionals both in practice and in business examine these issues and make plans. Also includes a case study of a large commercial organisation working through the first year of mandatory iXBRL filing.


text:
The Motorola Droid Bionic recently dropped by the FCC. This smartphone is equipped with LTE 4G radio connectivity so there is a big probability that Verizon will be carrying it.
Specs of the smartphone include a 4.5-inch HD display and an OMAP 4 dual core processor. No idea on pricing and release date.