text:
5735 Blog Posts
Every French film has its own unique style of entertaining the viewers. That's one of the reasons why some of us are very fond of watching French films, and it has been very successful all over the world, over the years. Just like all the other movies, It makes us laugh, cry, depress, angry... Read MorePosted In:
I feel as if we are all participating in the filming of Groundhog Day II – another weekend, another blizzard approaching. As I plowed through (yes, pun intended) my meetings this week with other local Jewish and interfaith leaders, a familiar cry was heard:... Read MorePosted In:
When Julie's husband, Juan, asked her what she wanted for Valentine's Day she responded that she'd love a cup of tea. He looked at her confused, imagining that she might like a dinner date with him or a movie night. He asked her to clarify. After the birth of their son eight... Read MorePosted In:
The other night, while waiting for the snow to magically melt away, my wife, daughter and I watched Guardians of The Galaxy. As a music lover and one-time mix tape master, I was touched by Chris Pratt's character, Peter Quill's, love of music and the Sony Walkman cassette player that... Read MorePosted In:
Editor's PickPaper-cutting steps Valentine's Day may not exactly come from a Jewish place, but it's a great all-American excuse to celebrate those we love. Here are three Jewishly-inspired ways to show your friends and family you care: Paper-cut your own valentines If you didn't... Read MorePosted In:
Editor's PickWith Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year, the next week offers lots of opportunities for good eating. There's a strong chance you've already got your chocolate-laden menu lined up for Saturday, so Mei Li from Mei Mei Restaurant (and the food truck Mei Mei Street... Read MorePosted In:
I have been blessed. So many times and in so many ways, that I am happy to report that I could not possibly list them all here. Being a parent to my nine-year-old son, Joshua, is the greatest blessing of all. I always knew I wanted to be a Mom, from the time I was a little girl. When Josh was... Read MorePosted In:
Integral education is capable of transforming human society in order to cope with the conditions of the global, interconnected world. But beyond material success this education also needs to reconnect and balance humanity with the fundamental law of nature. What is the relationship of the Jewish... Read MorePosted In:
In honor of Jewish Disability Awareness Month we will be sharing the stories of members of the Jewish community with disabilities all month. Last weekend Gabe Flam, a graduate of the Transitions to Work program, spoke at CJP's Chai in the Hub event to a crowd of 400 people about his... Read MorePosted In:
Menachem Weiss, a "special" teen with CP, reports every week to Merkaz Ha'inyanim on an angle of life that he alone can talk about Shalom dear readers! I recently had a very, very special experience. My nephew, Yissachar, became Bar Mitzvah this week. Well, every family... Read MorePosted In:


text:
The government has accorded sanction for the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) necessary for setting up a fishing harbour at Valiathura in the city, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Wednesday.
He was speaking after inaugurating the model 'Matsyagramam' scheme designed for the holistic development of the fisheries sector at Kochuthoppu here.
"The government will construct 284 houses at each Matsyagramam. The Centre, State, and NGOs need to pitch in to build houses for the thousands of homeless fisherfolk in the State," he said.
The government has earmarked Rs.50 crore for putting in place facilities including water supply, sanitation, and power to the 25-odd Matsyagramams which would be set up. At the model villages infrastructure facilities, facilities for the fishing industry, and the social sector would be set up at a cost of Rs.160 crore.
Model villages would be set up at Ajanoor, Azhikode, Marad, Thanoor, Kaypamangalam, Chellanam, Thrikkunnappuzha, Arattupuzha, Puthenthura, Valiathura, and Anappuzha.
In his address, Transport Minister V.S. Sivakumar said the government had sanctioned Rs.125 crore just for the development of coastal roads.
Keywords: fishing harbour project, Environment Impact Assessment, development of the fisheries sector, 'Matsyagramam' scheme

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Disciplined Manages Investment Portfoliosfor high net worth clients, business owners and women
who tend to be either retired or planning to retire, with accounts of $1 million or more. Disciplined is built around you, our clients. Our priorities are to manage risk, achieve your goals, and give you peace of mind. |
Thought Leader on Investing and Retirement |
401(k) Investing : Lower Costs with Cutting-Edge Best Practices A 3(38) investment fiduciary, Disciplined is at the cutting edge of best practices. Please click on the book above to read our Six Best Practices for 401(k) Business Owners. With these best practices, you may be surprised at how you can lower your plan's total investment costs. |
The Women's Group: Dedicated to the Success of Women in Transition The Women's Group is led by Susan Stein, a financial advisor with a social work background who works closely with women in transition, such as divorcees and widow. In addition, Larry and Susan Stein head up a group called Triumph Thru Transition, a team of over 30 top women professionals dedicated to helping women triumph through their life transitions. See our Facebook site, too.
Disciplined Investment Management (847) 602-6485 firstname.lastname@example.com |


text:
Book your room at Suburban Extended Stay
Melbourne hotel with a 24-hour fitness center
Collect 200 points
Simply enter your Nectar card number when prompted. Your points will be credited 30 days after you return from your trip.*Offers may apply
Situated in Melbourne, this hotel is close to Melbourne Square Mall. Area attractions also include Brunswick Harbor Lanes and Melbourne Greyhound Park.
Hotel Features
In addition to complimentary wireless Internet access, Suburban Extended Stay provides laundry facilities, free self parking, and multilingual staff.
Room Amenities
Televisions come with cable channels. Guestrooms also feature kitchenettes, complimentary wireless Internet access, and refrigerators.
Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Suburban Extended Stay features a 24-hour fitness center, multilingual staff, and a picnic area. Event facilities measuring 450 square feet (41 square meters) include a meeting room. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access. This Melbourne hotel also offers laundry facilities, a safe deposit box at the front desk, and an elevator (lift). Onsite self parking is complimentary.
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Conference space size (feet) - 450
- Conference space size (meters) - 41
- One meeting room
- 24-hour fitness facilities
- Number of floors - 3
- Picnic area
- Elevator/lift
- Total number of rooms - 131
- Laundry facilities
- Multilingual staff
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Free self parking
- Free WiFi
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Climate control
- Air conditioning
- Phone
- Free local calls
- Kitchenette
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Microwave
- Cable TV service
- Free WiFi
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
Payment types
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No rollaway/extra beds available
No cribs (infant beds) available
- Deposit: USD 100 per stay
- Weekly housekeeping provided; fees apply for additional cleaning


text:
- American Restaurants (29)
- Asian Restaurants (4)
- Barbeque Restaurants (4)
- Bars & Clubs (6)
- Breakfast Restaurants (8)
- Burgers & Sandwiches (21)
- Design (1)
- Family Friendly (3)
- Foodie Events (2)
- Italian Restaurants (13)
- Lifestyle (2)
- Misc (6)
- Photography (2)
- Pizza (4)
- Restaurant Failures (8)
- Restaurant Inspections (2)
- Seafood Restaurants (1)
- Specialty Restaurants (5)
- Spring (3)
- Steakhouse Restaurants (6)
- Sweets & Treats (1)
- Tex Mex Restaurants (17)
- Tomball Texas (1)
- Video & Music (1)
- Woodlands Waterway (9)
The Woodlands Eats!
Burger Fresh Conroe Texas |
Early November 2011 Tomball, Texas – looking for a place to grab a late lunch and there it was: "Burger Fresh". The name was friendly enough and sounded appetizing. Soon enough the blinker was blinking followed by putting the transmission into park and I had arrived. That not-so-recent trip to sample one of the "Best Burgers by Texas Monthly" in Tomball was enough to keep me away from this burger joint and as well as any other Burger Fresh locations for quite some time… But that's another story. Present Day – enough time has passed and we are in Conroe Texas. The Burger Fresh in town has been in business for at least 3 years now based on a single review by vivalarue1. Vivalure1 has only posted a single review and it was on this very store, "Restaurant needs a good cleaning." Well, apparently some things never change – not really anyway. I'm not saying the place was filthy but had I not planned on eating at Burger Fresh today, I would have passed and gone somewhere else based on the exterior alone. The interior is an outdated, hodgepodge of tables and seating that you could likely find at your nearest auction house. Yes, Burger Fresh Conroe is one of those 'hole in the wall' type burger joints where the food is "supposed to be fantastic". Proudly displayed throughout the store is the fact that Burger Fresh came in at #13 of 50 in 2009's "Best Burgers" by Texas Monthly. But 3 years later without another placing is a bit telling, don't you think? So on to the burgers… |
The Award BurgerCurious to know what the fuss was about, and because it was the day's special, I ordered "The Award Burger," a 1/2 pound certified Angus beef burger on their famous jalapeño bun, with pepper-jack cheese, grilled onions, grilled peppers, bacon and avocado served with bottomless tots, fries or onion rings – I opted for the onion rings ($11.72). The jalapeño bun in a word, was perfect. Soft and fresh with just the right amount of jalapeño flavor – a bun I would like to have again and again on a variety of burgers. The Angus beef tasted like it was cooked by someone who knows their way around a grill, coming out moist and tender. The remaining toppings were decent enough but were no longer cold – I know that they had to be cold at some recent point in time, but the crispness and snap just wasn't there. The guacamole was in a lump, so I only enjoyed the full flavor for just a few bites which was disappointing. The Onion RingsI was only served three onion rings, but they were large – with one of them being rather huge; similar to what I remember getting years ago at a local burger joint. Not only were they super size, they had a great flavor and excellent beer-battering. I could have had more but honestly, just eating those satisfied my hunger better than a huge pile of smaller (and frequently greasy ones) you might get elsewhere. As you can see in the picture these onion rings were fried up to exacting standards, and I'm not exaggerating on the size. |
The BagI love me a good burger, but I try to eat them in moderation. To that end, "The Bag" sounded perfect to me, as it was described as a junior burger, fries, and a drink. And yes, it is served up in a bag ($6.00). I also wanted to stick with the authentic Burger Fresh experience, so I tried not to modify it at all, opting only to leave the onions off of mine. I hate onions on a burger. I had mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, Everything was fresh; the fries were hot on arrival, the bun soft and tender, the veggies in decent shape (though unfortunately the slice of tomato I had was a little under-ripe). I know the guy manning the counter and grill made it all fresh, because we watched him do it. And yet the patty itself, at least in my burger, was bland and lifeless, like it was a frozen, pre-formed patty with no recognizable seasonings. I think maybe the only way to give this one a fair shake would be to go back and order a different burger; perhaps a larger one as his burger didn't have that same flavor (or lack thereof) that mine did. The Bottom Line Since we've had reason to go up to Conroe once a week now, we thought you'd like to know if you're missing anything just outside The Woodlands – in this case it's a 50/50 shot. But since we do have to head that way at least once a week for the foreseeable future, Burger Fresh will probably stay on our list of places worth stopping in at while we're there. Think we got it wrong? Or did we hit the nail on the head? Let us know in the comments below. And remember, you don't have to take our word for it – give them a try for yourself and decide! Burger Fresh is located at 804 Gladstell Road, Conroe 77304 – 936 756-4414 Related: Becks Prime |


text:
Lyrics Depot | |
Lyrics » Steve Miller Lyrics » Welcome Lyrics |
Lyrics Depot is your source of lyrics to Welcome by Steve Miller. Please check back for more Steve Miller lyrics. |
Welcome LyricsArtist: Steve MillerAlbum: Recall the Beginning...A Journey From Eden
Related: |
All lyrics are the property of their respective authors, artists and labels. |


text:
DW #85 Scape and Misc PhotosHi everyone!Here are the deviations of the week, chosen fromLandscape Photographyby :iconstefanpriscu:by :iconTeaPhotography:andby :iconArte-de-Junqueiro:and Miscellaneous Photographyby :iconsesam-is-open: Congrats to the winners! And we have a lot of birthdays in the group!:icongigi50:February, 15 :iconitsjustmeDee:February, 15snowy windmill by itsjustmeDee winter coming up by itsjustmeDee modern windmill by itsjustmeDeeFields Of Gold by itsjustmeDee bunch of roses by itsjustmeDee :thumb2128
DW #76 Misc PhotographyHi everyone!Here are the deviations of the week, chosen fromMiscellaneous Photographyby :iconTigles1artistry:andby :icongigi50: Congrats to the winners! [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue]And we have a birthday in the group!:iconfrenchfox:November, 18 :iconbirthdplz:And some amazing art from his [+fav]s!:thumb148347223: :thumb338377549: Autumn's Mirror by JRd1stLeft behind by Renatha-Gomes Brinkburn Priory by newcastlemale :thumb334959238::thumb338391842: Shamanic Empathy by LuLebel Dark Desire by peroni68:t
DW #90 Landscape and Flower Photos [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green]Hi everyone!Here are the deviations of the week, chosen fromLandscape Photographyby :iconitsjustmeDee:andby :iconBrian-B-Photography:and Flower Photographyby :icongigi50:by :iconJocelyneR:andby :iconjankolas:[Dance!] Congrats to the winners! [Dance!][Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] :bulletgre
DW #104 Miscellaneous PhotographyHi everyone!Here are the deviations of the week, chosen fromMiscellaneous Photographyby :iconTeaPhotography:andby :iconMomotte2: Congrats to the winners! [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Black] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Yellow] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Black] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Yellow] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Red]We have two birthdays in the group!:iconSamplle:June, 28 :iconFractalBee:July, 1Birthday Present for Secret-Ninja-Super-M by FractalBee Birthday Present for Gloria by FractalBee Birthday Present for Isabella by FractalBeeBirthday Present for Joe by FractalBee Birthday Present for Julie by FractalBee Birthday Present for Charles by FractalBeeSpring Make-up by FractalBee :thumb3674
DW #89 Animal and Misc PhotographyHi everyone!Here are the deviations of the week, chosen fromAnimal Photographyby :iconTeaPhotography:and Miscellaneous Photographyby :iconJocelyneR: Congrats to the winners! [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue]We have a birthday in the group!:iconThelma1:March, 20 Some of her [+fav]s for you to enjoyInfinitrinity 2 by Preach-it Crash by Topas2012 Ravens Eye by FrankiefParadise Sunrise by Chazagirl Warmth by Helens-Serendipity :thumb358678946::thumb3
DW #53 Flower Photography & CONTESTHi everyone!First of all - the CONTEST begins tomorrow!The theme is "Reflections" and all media are welcome!The contest starts on May, 1 and ends on May, 31Here are the rules: 1. The entiries should be new, submitted not earlier than April 2012. 2. The entry should depict some kind of a reflection. If it's not obvious an explanation should be given in the comment. 3. There should be this in your comment < b >An entry to the contest "REFLECTIONS", held by : iconourarea51 :< / b > (spaces should be removed for the code to work) 4. Each artist may submit not more than 3 entries (in one or different media) 5. The entries should be submitted to the contest folder (it will be opened for submissions on May, 1)The results will be defined in the beginning of June by the judges whom we'll choose from outside the group. All submissions will be divided into three (so far) groups - photoraphy, fractals and drawings & manips (as o
DW #100 VERY SPECIAL!Hi everyone!Here are the deviations of the week.... very special deviations of the week! It's been the 100th DW this time, so we asked our dear voters to suggest just any picture they like most, be it from the group or not. And here they are! by :icon8TwilightAngel8:was suggested by :iconTeaPhotography: by :iconSnowBerenika:was suggested by :iconMirachRavaia: [Bullet; Black] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Yellow] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Red]by :iconMladavid:was suggested by :iconmk-kayem: [Bullet; Black] :bul
DW #98 Animal PhotographyHi everyone!Here are the deviations of the week, chosen fromAnimal Photographyby :iconjankolas:by :iconTeaPhotography:andby :iconMari-Ghostly: Congrats to the winners! [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green] [Bullet; Green]And some of our winners' [+fav]s! Jeckle 2 by Applemac12 The joy of new life by StilleschreiMiss by JunJun510 Host of daffodils by jezebel144 Onion Flower by Roses-to-AshesKitty by Schnitzelyne Be veggie! by Tiefenschaerfe squirrrel by kumarvijay1708
DW #70 Flower PhotographyHi everyone!Here are the deviations of the week, chosen fromFlower Photographyby :iconteaphotography:andby :iconsesam-is-open: Congrats to the winners! [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue] [Bullet; Blue]We're having many birthdays around this time!:iconcandysamuels:September, 23 :iconmk-kayem:September, 23One Magical Night by mk-kayem Interloper by mk-kayem Hearts Of Nature by mk-kayem:thumb220894717: Worship from afar by mk-kayem :thumb206061144:Fractal Flower Heart by mk-kayem Fractal Bluebirds of Happiness by mk-kayem :thumb19
Thank You For Your Love! Part ThreeWhat is a Birthday?:icontruesmiles:A Birthday is a day when Love help us to face the passage of time ...A Birthday is a day when memories get golden colors ...A Birthday is a day when a beautiful thought makes you feel unique...Thank you dear Chery :iconcherybery:, for the special cake :iconcakechocplz: Thank you dear Doaa :icon64dodoart:, for 10 points Thank you again, my dear Canan:iconcanankk:, for your beautiful gift! Thank you dear Dana :icondanaanderson:, for this beautiful gift! Pure Tenderness by DanaAndersonSunset time by DanaAnderson Hidden treasure by DanaAnderson Happy Birthday Teresa by DanaAndersonThank you dear Delice :iconinso-litary:, I love this romantic gift! Red Red Rose by AseamlessbondsRed Hot by Aseamlessbonds Wallflower by Aseamlessbonds Star Gazer by AseamlessbondsThank you Alexandra:iconinsideherself:, You and Alexandru, made me a beautiful surprise!
Merry Christmas To Everyone:iconWishesByCandlelight::iconWishesByCandlelight::iconWishesByCandlelight::iconWishesByCandlelight::iconWishesByCandlelight::iconWDWParksGal-Stock::iconWDWParksGal::iconWDWParksGal-Stock::iconWDWParksGal::iconTheDivineCervine::iconYou-Better-Watch-Out::iconlinzee777:Its 25th December time for the new feature , i have been coming and going on this site but not staying much probably cause had a lot of official trips to different states! life has been so hectic , but this is the event where parents meet children, far living friends come and greet each other if the distance is huge people greet each other through skype saying Merry Christmas to there far staying brothers , sisters, wives are saying love you to there husbands who are spending there life in Iraq war! or the father saying to his son who is living in Malaysia for job cause "Merry Christmas my Son" this is why i came around even if its a Christian event but its no harm celebrating together either Jew or Muslim on
Light In The SoulTonight Orthodox faithful, celebrate Easter.Now my thoughts are turning to the loved ones family and friends and even if some of you have already celebrated, or maybe some of you, not celebrate at all, I wish you all light in the soul, peace in your eyes and sweetness in your words , good health and faith in a better future.:iconhugglesplz: :iconhappyeasterplz: Nolans first Easter by fireandroses Bunnies I by cosfrog Easter Fairy ACEO by Katerina-Art Happy Easter by dove-51 Happy Easter by ak21626 Happy Easter by GypsyH Hoppy Easter by LadyCarnal Paste Fericit by HikarinoChou Easter by SuliannH eastergifts for my friends 5 by ingeline-art Easter Egg - Animation by LaraBLN HAPPY EASTER II by EleaLaFleur A Easter Story by Xingz Easter history by AnnMei peep peep by bonnyblue22 - Easter - by Katheairene Pretty Babies bunnies by Calaymo It is my Holiday by MyPhotoParadise Happy Easter by flendurica Happy Easter 2011 by PridesCrossing -Happy Easter- by ValentinaKallias Easter Eggs by PaSt1978 Egg Basket Cake by ginas-cakes Easter's coming by gigi50 :thumb294411416: Spirit of Easter by charco :thumb294076754:
Devious Journal Entry:iconRose-Passion::icontheflyinghair:How to start this feature? how to say its been a long time right everyone i have been coming and going going around the corners of this site but i couldn't work myself to be online properly but here i am after so long time featuring a few extraordinary works as you can just take breath inside your heart to see them is to see beauty everyone of them is magical work and i Love my LOVER my FRIENDS my WATCHERS all the people who are reading this maybe because my real life has been hectic and has been roaming around a lot of feelings and emotions new way of life giving me inner peace and if one has inner peace in real life it will bring peace to your online as well maybe if i was good friend & a good shoulder to EAVEN & to KIMMIE they might not have deleted their profiles from DA they were immense inspiration for me (but i was myself indulge in some long errands of life) anyhow i know they are still present out there with there beau
FEATURE 2 Random from my faves: :iconflyingheartsplz::iconflyingheartsplz::iconflyingheartsplz::iconflyingheartsplz::iconflyingheartsplz:PHOTOGRAPHYSidewalk Surfing NYC Style by Trippy4UShells by GitbitwuBaltic in blue 2 by Alexandra35:thumb168023062::thumb133247160:Procession on the beach by philippeLI have a dream by LadyCarnal:thumb290494186:Absorbing Rainbows by incolor16LiL Dude by PhotographsByBriExistence by anaPhenixtrio by O-GoshMirrors by BlueAnomiSThe pier by Alexandra35Speaking with my Eyes by TeaPhotographyThe angel wings yellow by KlaraDrielle:thumb153722058:Good Luck Colors Charm by Villa-ChinchillaSiamese Please by TeaPhotographySummer's New Born by polarpoissonCheers! by AmalphiRevolutionary Day VII by Trippy4U:thumb264200687:A natural beauty by KlaraDrielleRoses by incolor16Wild Beauty of Nature by WhiteBookd13 #93 (1) by DpressedSoulcome by albatros1Little Tiger by BlueAnomiSDecorated with Hoarfrost by DanaAndersonHUNAN GARDEN DECOR by AudraMBlackburnsArtLost Love by martintinaz:thumb325420486:It's More Than This by Trippy4USummer is Over... by Hermetic-WingsDIGITAL ART:thumb261769663
Devious Journal Entry:iconWishesByCandlelight::iconWishesByCandlelight::iconWishesByCandlelight::iconWishesByCandlelight::iconWishesByCandlelight::iconFragileNature::iconlinzee777:My struggle continues to prove myself as a artist as a person as a lover as a friend as a man & as a human, i thought time would stay a bit but its already 1st September the day of my birthday it feels the same like the old days when we all were in high schools and summer vocations were over and we have to attend the class on 1st and when we reach the class oh no teacher came + there is heavy rain lets enjoy it in college garden there was no gender discrimination there girls jumping boys jumping nobody thinking about the wetness of bodies rain was always so beautiful so gracious so mesmerizing.Well memories apart some of my friends have been angry because of several reasons so to make this event more magical i am gonna feature most friends its because i missed you too all of you! thank you for everything thank you for
Roses For Our Beautiful MothersThere is only one beautiful child in the world, and he belongs to every mother...says an old Chinese proverb and this is a wonderful truth.I dedicate this journal to all wonderful mothers in the world, wishing them health, joy and happiness with their beautiful children.:iconwhiteroseplz: .: Aroma :. by onixa In A Painted World by Squirrelflight-77 Soft petals of love by dev1n Jeweled Roses by Violet-Kleinert Simplicity by ValentinaKallias Autumn Rose by YingSiYang Rose Garden by AlicjaRodzik Rose Study 1 by FallenBeliever So cold by Samantha-meglioli nineteen roses by meyrembulucek like an old one by Tblkva From Dark to Light by Lilyas lil rose by Tulla-Morwen poisoned thorns. by M0THart Tear of a Rose by twinkels Hidden Treasures by creativemikey a rose..... by VaggelisFragiadakis Portrait of a rose. by addy-ack Rose. by annny Pink Silk by sweetsaki19 :thumb159790215: :thumb153791068: View of a Rose by Tailgun2009 Give me a Rose by SuicideSunday Winter Rose by BeautifulDragon322 For Anna by David-A-Wagner Shimmer by kristenfin95 frosty rose wallpaper by Halla51 Orange Rose by s3xkytt3n delicate beauty by Tyuki-san Immersed Again by creativemikey :thum
Frozen"In the middle of frozen winters I've learned that there is no possibility to beat the summer in my heart"Albert Camus Frozen Berries by worldtravel04 Frosted Petunia by Lonnieatk Red against the cold by teyasaveleva Euonymus europaea by stellazvezdica Mini cones by gigi50 frost 128 by JasonKaiser frozen berries by Miscellaneous-L Fern Crystals by auto64 Frozen Maple by hakukamizaki :thumb269205959: :thumb196807209: Frozen Roses II by Jenniferlover Frozen by I-Knoedl icing on the Thistle by SvitakovaEva Photo 10 Year 2011 version-square by jeesica Pseudo Snowflake by Aconitum-Napellus :thumb149335804: Three Steps To Heaven by BrightStar2 Lullaby in Winter by o-BlueMoon-o .: Frozen Seeds :. by retro2k .:Icy Crab Apples:. by RHCheng Winter rose by Gwynbleid Snows Crystals II by Torsten-Hufsky Soulshine by j-vdb Ice Curtains by DanSandy The Red Crystals by Tap-Photo-and-Co icy cold by jcphotos alone by TheMoonKilledTheSun Frozen by Miky57 Frozen lemons by creaturemythique :thumb190146246: Berry Sweet by Lionsong Silent Solstice 16 by hartandhunter Winter blues by vfrrich I am not supposed to feel by Morgan-Lou Multi tiny snowflakes by Nipntuck3 Winters Calling by onixa Icy Falls by Squirrelflight-77 Frozen... by Mishu-Evil-Genius Frost fairytale by Samantha-meglioli :thum
VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU + RANDOM FAVESA very special thank you to friends whose I own so much!:iconttaatts::icontrippy4u::icondanaanderson:Happy Birthday Teresa by DanaAndersonA Door to the Other World? by DanaAndersonYellow Anemones for Lin by DanaAndersonOn the other side by DanaAndersonRelease by DanaAndersonPink craze for Cheryl by DanaAndersonBlues for Cindy by DanaAndersonPink Pearls for my dear friends by DanaAndersonFrom the depths by DanaAndersonFlowery Madness by DanaAnderson:iconteaphotography:The Face of Little Johnny by TeaPhotographyTwice Surviving and Thriving by TeaPhotographyLight and Life Reflecting by TeaPhotographyAll Smiles by TeaPhotographyYou're A Daisy If You Do by TeaPhotographyLive Like There's No Tomorrow by TeaPhotographyOf Strength and Beauty by TeaPhotographyEdge of Red by TeaPhotographyFind The Light by TeaPhotographyLate Evenings With Frida by TeaPhotography:iconphilippel:Dune: Irulan Corrino by philippeLTHE WIRE: Lester by philippeLSpider-Man by philippeLPretty Rogue by philippeLTrooper by philippeLAt The End of the Rainbow by philippeLHuge Placid Marine Beast by philippeLSandworms of Dune by philippeLBlossoming Tree Branch by philippeLA Day of Summer by philippeL:icontigles1:Leaving The Past Behind.... by Tigles1ArtistryCountry Medley for Canan by Tigles1ArtistrySpring for You by Tigles1ArtistryME AS I AM - BY ME ...... by Tigles1ArtistryFOR ALYCE...... by Tigles1ArtistryAnother lovely Fairy.... by Tigles1ArtistryThe Magic of Aldeias, Serra de Estrela, Portugal by Tigles1ArtistryGreenwich Park Storm Approach by Tigles1ArtistryI CAN SEE YOU.... by Tigles1ArtistryKINDRED SPIRITS... by Tigles1Artistry:iconlirulin-yirth::thumb31830
Random From My Faves Photography Summer Escape by LastGlance Wishful Thinking by Paranoid-Duckkie The Winner II by jevigarGuardian Swan, The Head. by The-WrinklyNinjaB R A V E H E A R T by BlueAnomiS Once upon a ... Tree by anaPhenixI Will Be Beautiful Some Day... by billndrsnLadybug by polarpoissonSpring 12 by hiaamirElectronicaT by MarinaCoric ~O~P~O~ by prettyflourSpring 2012 by PridesCrossing Get to Know Me by TeaPhotographyiLove New York Said He by Trippy4U Pink Blush by Villa-ChinchillaDIGITAL ART
Feature! Feature! --- 02Random from my favesPHOTOGRAPHYA True Highlander by YoonettDuo by simonebyrneBoxed Collection III by NSolankiRipe Bird by furstripeHiding Place by MagicBlancheRoom With A View by CapturingTheNightRemains of the First Day by TeaPhotographyLikes Modeling by TeaPhotographyTree of... by YannosGATOLonely alleys by PajunenSweet cat by arualcatOrhideje 3 by DarkBorderEverything Changes by coby01More Mums by Tailgun2009Relaxing white wolves by Momotte2Tulip Multi Color II by PhilluppusQuick, Toss Me The Keys by Trippy4U.. by jerem-nikon:thumb348292746:Traveling in Portugal 07 by JACAC:
A Living WonderThey are our joy, our love, our happiness and our hope in a better world!:iconamore1plz::iconamore2plz: Semu by CrazyMadness Contemplate by Squirrelflight-77 Feelings.. by FuzzyBlinking absent by AlicjaRodzik Cute Kitty . .. by light-from-Emirates My Snow Fairy by ibjennyjenny Tom's daughter by mstargazer first steps by VaggelisFragiadakis Dark Side Of Innocence by thefreewolf white smile by liviugherman i love my bear by sunshinegypsy :thumb157326028: 4190 by spartakustum dml by antistarlykan The Lady Has Style by PridesCrossing :thumb149532114: Easter Egg Hunt III by ArtByASmith Little cat by GenesisOfChaos Little supporter by bethdu doctor Remi by PascalMartel Learning to fly by lapsikulta Little Rock Star by volless :thumb145810062: :thumb110405617: Say hey by fest2a Gods gift by Digital3dRealm Carlos y Evelyn by sebastopolgoose Concentrated by WALKING-GIRL ...and the worries within by stupid-idea Happy times. by incredi Speranta.. by visionofhappiness Rosy Cheeks by hannahribbit Sleeping Beauty by MariaWillhelm Kaz-D by Kaz-D Me -Julianas grandma by JulianasGrandma Sleepy Chicken by girltripped TeoDora by deyuta Girl and Art by Daizy-M Thinking by Liz-in-BackoBourke Ensorcelee. by Erdbeersternchen :thumb16493463
Feature! Feature! Feature!:iconautumncolorplz::iconautumncolorplz::iconautumncolorplz::iconautumncolorplz::iconautumncolorplz:Random FavoritesPHOTOGRAPHY:thumb338529327:Hugs and Kisses xoxoxo by TeaPhotographyPine Grosbeak (male) by dove-51One kind but different types. by fashioneyesHer Happiest Place to Be by TeaPhotographyCrystaline Sunset by WayneBenedettether by funkichknTop of the Hill by 1001G:thumb340186503:Where are you? by kayjensenOh theSe FeatherS by Aussie-BlondeIrish coast II by YannosGATODecay II by Arte-de-JunqueiroPomaranczka by 8magdaPlasma TV And A Christmas Tree by Trippy4UArtificial Spring by BlueAnomiSThe Four Catmen - Tito 1 by DemonescuroMass Hypnosis by MarinaCoricUpside Down Pumpkin by TeaPhotographyHanging on a Curtain by anaPhenixPour vous 3... by Douce-Amertumeyeah by infinityloopTrio by vabserkDreams... by WhiteBookThe door to Autumn by TinyWildCalifornia Golden Stars by AlthytrionIt Wasn't Me by XanaduPhotographyNovember Days_3 by XanaduPhotography:thumb339488799:Spaghetti Western by PicTdGolden Cottages by Deb-e-annYellowscape by Trippy4U:thumb98101376:Rose by JacqChristiaanThe Thoughts of a Cat by SilkenWindsFall leaves by furstripeIn My Arms by catch---22Cabin in the woods by kayaksailor:thumb1
Feature 3 Random from my favesPHOTOGRAPHYlittle redstarts by albatros1Le Khubu by hougaardBalloons by Kara-aliverleaf by MartinAmmWild Encounter by amadeus-lovetogether we make it (Premium Content) by sth22artice age by sth22arton the beach by sth22artShadow by SlashJohn21.always by my side. by GrotesqueDarling13aniMals III by DianaLobriglioRuddy Kid by In-the-pictureRacket-tailed roller by mariquasunbird1:thumb323359858:In my Palm by willyamPaxSweetness of August Roses by sesam-is-openForever is Tomorrow is Today by catch---22Luna by ValentinaKalliasSushi 1 by DianaGrigore:thumb31529103
A Little Bit Of Everything...What means a year!Only one Spring, one Summer, one Autumn, one Winter and a Birthday...Also means hopes and fears, memories, tears, fight, joy, love, a passing life, a newborn, smile, pain, injustice and perhaps a victory ...Loss and retrieval ... A Little Bit Of Everything! The Look of the 50s by CarolynYM :thumb276079764: echoes by innac Floating in the Universe by Mariska1974 The Cutest Moment by XanaduPhotography Seasons Greetings to all my watchers by gigi50 :thumb272462813: Perfection by mebilia B L U E by BlueAnomiS So blonde by AliciaBel :thumb262163495: Winter Night Windmill by Pajunen Snowdance by webworm The last photo this year by MustafaSEZER frozen red rose by biba59 :thumb260719689: Seasons Mother by DeadLulu Time of the lavender by ShlomitMessica :thumb276210661: Red Sonja by Patrick2011 Magic Farina by Twins72 holiday sunset 2 by Dieffi :thumb38754002: manga girl by dielectric-m Hearts Lollipops by PaSt1978 Trinity by Christiania-unica Red house and snow by philippeL Different by Karameel :thumb193537983: Moment of happiness by Sweetatz December's Rose............. by wingsofdragons :thumb268982603
Special Thanks & Other News!:iconblueflowerplz:Special Thank You Feature:iconblueflowerplz:A HUGE Thank You to our Special VOTERS, both Members and Admins., alike, here at Unframed-Nature who voted on The TOP SUBMISSIONS of UNFRAMED-NATURE for the Months of: January, February, and April![See Below, for March!] It is our philosophy that this is the Group's Group, and so this particular Monthly Activity is open to ALL Members. Simply Watch for the Group Blog about it on the last or first day of each month.It is truly a wonderful and loyal commitment to our Group, to take time out each month to look through our beautiful folders, and choose works for our monthly Top Submissions, and believe me, I KNOW it is not easy... given the extreme talent we have here. Not to mention, it takes time to do this, and we are ALL very busy. And given that we are a large group, we DO need
Feature--35:iconshinyheartplz: Featuring my Watchers and Friends who have helped me in a way or another. Thank you so much to each of you! Featured Artists:iconshachar-art::iconconnyjunkie::iconphotelle::iconimonline::iconchryssalis::iconmarob0501:simple small rose by marob0501prunus by marob0501:iconbewilderedconfused:Snowy Dogwoods by bewilderedconfused:iconiluvbiscuit2:One plus One Equals LOVE by Iluvbiscuit2My Whole World by Iluvbiscuit2No Matter What... Just Keep On Smiling. by Iluvbiscuit2Beyond the Imperfections by Iluvbiscuit2:iconingelore:sunkissed by Ingelore:iconbeverlyzart:~*~ Paradise Beauty ~*~ by ArtBYbeverly:thumb287025071:Daisy Delights! ~ Soft pastel by ArtBYbeverlyThe Heart of the Highlands! by ArtBYbeverly:icondolcesunset:First work by dolcesunset:iconsalemcat:Sleepy Birdie by SalemCatCemetery Cat by SalemCatThe Amazing Telekinetic Squirrel by SalemCatThe Nether Realm by SalemCatMy Silent Night by SalemCat:iconxjrosex:Bluebirds by xJRosex:iconarico-chan:Light by Ariane-S:icongypsyh:Purple Majesty ~ by GypsyHAndoan Playground ~ by GypsyHThe Plant - by GypsyH:iconp
Feature--29:iconshinyheartplz: FEATURE It is about time for a new feature! Oh, I miss the News Articles! Once more, does any of you know how I could publish a News Article without eliminating the present journal on my profile page?Again, this journal is consecrated to people who have kindly featured one or more of my photos or have helped me in a way or another. Due to the lack of space (60 KB), I cannot include everybody. Nevertheless nobody will be forgotten.Featured Artists:iconferelwing::icondanaanderson::iconpetronelafloyd::iconthefatbuda::iconyoonett::icon2brokenhearts: ::thumb294325642::icongold-rose:Day30 by gold-roseDay25 by gold-roseNadir by gold-rose:iconeffitjustdance:Autumn Sky by EffItJustDanceAlone Stands The Red Tree by EffItJustDance:iconnikita-kely::thumb281475826::thumb301910806::thumb285742121::
DW #74 Landscape PhotographyHi everyone!Here are the deviations of the week, chosen fromLandscape Photographyby :icongigi50:by :iconsharrafrost: Congrats to the winners! [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red] [Bullet; Red]And we have a birthday in the group!:iconjocelyneR:November, 2 :iconbirthdplz:And some amazing art from her [+fav]s!Piece of Wood. by Blueberryblack Catedral Sevilla 1 by ThugDante Deserted Beach at Sunrise by FireflyPhotosAust:thumb33


text:
Big Data Companies Agree: Farmers Should Own Their Information
Farmers depend on "Big Data" these days, but some worry the companies collecting information about their operations might misuse it. New privacy guidelines are supposed to protect farmers' interests.
Yes, The Weather Is Polar. No, It's Not The Vortex
Meteorologists are annoyed by the hype around the phrase "polar vortex." This week's frigid snap, they say, was just a regular old cold front.
How Bacteria In The Gut Help Fight Off Viruses
Rotavirus kills more than a half-million kids around the world each year. Now scientists have evidence that the secret to stopping it is hiding in the trillions of bacteria of our microbiome.
WATCH: Orphaned Sea Otter Pup Has Snack, Playtime
Found in late September along the California coast, "Pup 681" spent a month at the Monterey Aquarium before being transferred to her new home at the Shedd in Chicago.
Controversy Over Scientist's Shirt Mars Celebration Of Comet Landing
A scientist who contributed to this week's triumphant comet landing mission has upset people by wearing a loud shirt that some say is sexist. On Twitter, people have dubbed the dispute "shirtstorm."
Climate Change To Make Lightning More Common, Study Says
Researchers writing in the journal Science say that if the rate of global warming goes unchecked, the frequency of lightning strikes will increase by 50 percent.
Comet Lander Deploys Drill, But Could Lose Power Tonight
Fearing that Philae's batteries won't last past Friday, engineers are looking at possible ways to help it get more power from its solar panels. One ray of hope: Its comet is heading toward the sun.
Why Do We Create Stereotypes?
Psychologist Paul Bloom explains why prejudice is natural, rational and even moral — the key is to understand why we depend on it, and recognize when it leads us astray.
Strategies Help Calif. Ranchers, Farmers Weather Drought
California likely produces more than half of all fresh food we eat in the U.S. Three years of severe drought is forcing farmers and ranchers to rethink just about everything about their businesses.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson Separates Fact From Fiction In 'Interstellar'
The astrophysicist has been tweeting about the science behind the film. In an interview with NPR, Tyson goes beyond those tweets, into wormholes, relatively and even a few spoilers.
Why The 'Invasivores' Haven't Pounced On Bear Meat
Bear is traditional American grub, and hunting bear for meat can help control overpopulation. But bear meat isn't going to make its way into restaurants or onto the average dinner table anytime soon.
Feds List Gunnison Sage Grouse As Threatened Species
The bird is now protected under the Endangered Species Act, which could stop some oil and gas development in Colorado and Utah — and will likely start a number of legal challenges.
After Bouncy Landing, Philae Lander At Rest On Comet
Scientists have established contact with the lander, but they're not sure where on the comet it is. The lander apparently bounced after touching down, and its future may be uncertain.
Hurricane Sandy Stranded Dialysis Patients. Lessons Learned?
A quarter of the dialysis patients who were in New York City when Hurricane Sandy hit missed at least one treatment due to power outages. Yet, not many are prepared for the next disaster.
40 Percent Of The World's Cropland Is In Or Near Cities
Just how much of the world's cropland can we really call urban? That's been a big mystery until now.
What Exactly Are 'Monster Storms' And 'Bomb Cyclones'?
The northern U.S. is getting a blast of unseasonably cold weather, thanks to what has been dubbed a "bomb cyclone." The Washington Post's Jason Samenow explains that and other odd weather terms.
Successful Comet Landing A Major Step For Space Exploration
The European Space Agency on Wednesday successfully landed a probe on the surface of a comet — something that has never been done before. But scientists say the lander may not be fully secure.
For U.S.-China Deal On Greenhouse Gases, The Devil Is In The Details
Scientists say a new deal between the U.S. and China on greenhouse gases is a positive move toward new models for controlling emissions, but that it won't keep the Earth from dangerous levels of warming.
Comet Landing: European Craft Due To Make Contact Today
As it hopes to learn the Philae robotic lander successfully settled onto the comet's surface, the European Space Agency says it is in contact with the spacecraft.
China And U.S., Titans Of Carbon Pollution, Move To Cut Gases
China and the U.S. account for more than a third of greenhouse gases — making it vital that any broad climate plans include the pair.


text:
Your browser does not support iframes.

Feds, some states give extensions to those who were in process of enrolling.
House speaker says Senate Democrats are to blame in Homeland Security funding impasse.
Interviews with acquaintances outline the 26-year-old Arizona woman's travels with her boyfriend.
Two dead, five police injured in two attacks in Denmark. Suspect killed by police.
If you're in a foul mood, it might be time to learn Spanish.
Officials spent several hours Saturday dealing with last-minute glitch on Healthcare.gov
The move follows a similar rollout in India after allegations of sexual assault.
Three people are reported shot in later incident. It is unclear if events are connected.
Are you ready for high-frequency, super-sonic laundry care?
The University of Tennessee took unusual steps after a freshman reported she was rape.
The storm will bring blizzards, hurricane-force winds, whiteouts and power outages.
She gave her badly burned daughter permission to let go. "And she took her last breath."
American Muslims battle fear and anger in aftermath of slayings in Chapel Hill.
Francis issued the marching orders during the ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica.
The fishing boat has been stuck for three days with 26 people aboard.
Fighting continued hours before a cease-fire was to take effect.
At least 305 Jersey shore homes affected by Sandy are threatened with foreclosure.
Cuddle Clones makes custom toys based on up to 10 photographs.
They were stranded on a stretch of the South Island common for this occurrence.
Over half of millennials — that's most college-aged adults — consider their parents to be their best friend.


text:
More choice for public art
Re "Arts commission has crucial tests on its palette" (Editorials, July 24): Sacramento has more than $2 billion in long-term debt we don't know how to pay. Yet, almost $6 million will go to public art in the new arena. Typical.
Why should the artistic taste of a few dictate what the rest of us must view -- especially if we have to pay for it? Is Sacramento's art scene vibrant and diverse? Then why not set aside space to display contributed artwork, rather than buy a few selected works? That way, more local artists could be exposed to the public, at less cost. And bad choices could be periodically replaced, as opposed to long-term monstrosities like that giant red rabbit at the airport.
Of course, the best solution would be to get government out of the art business altogether, but I suppose it's far too late for that.
-- Martin Owens, Sacramento
Join the Discussion
The Sacramento Bee is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere on the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.


text:
Ohio Holds 212th Birthday Celebration At Statehouse
Ohio is celebrating its 212th birthday with special events at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.
The Power of Music features Ethan's amazing talent, passion for music, and generous spirit…all at the ripe old age of 12! Watch Preview.
The Crawleys go to a shooting party at a castle in Northumberland and return to Downton for a joyful Christmas holiday.


text:
7.2 miles
Bracelands Caravan & Camping Park
Coleford, Gloucestershire, England Show on map
Try increasing your search radius to within 31, 41, 51, 61 miles of Lydney.
Try widening your geographic area to: Gloucestershire, or Central England, or England.
Click once to select your first day, and again for your departure day.


text:
FULL RESOLUTION - 947x753
News » Published 1 day ago
Is this Justin Bieber the Musician?
Share your thoughts on this image?
26th February 2015 @ 01:31pm
It has been claimed that Justin Bieber is still upset that Selena Gomez is now dating Zedd
10th February 2015 @ 11:27pm
Justin Bieber showed off his new moustache recently and it shows that he is still really just a kid
IN THE ARCHIVE Selena Gomez dumped Justin Bieber for being too needy
14th November 2012 @ 09:25pm
It was previously suggested that Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez had decided to call an end to their relationship due to their busy work schedules.


text:
expand Menu
* Location
Current Location
My dates are flexible
Check-in date
Number of nights 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Check-out date
No. of rooms 1 2 3
Guests/room 1 2 3 4 5 6
Marriott Rewards number
Use Rewards points What's This?
Advanced search
Hotels For…
Deals & Packages
Free Wi-Fi for Marriott Rewards® members who book direct.
See Details and participating locations
View and Manage Reservations
Find specific reservations, including those made by phone or when not signed in.
Sign In to My Account
Sign In to view your current reservations.
Remember me What's This?
Remember me
English–UK & Ireland
Your Stay: 1 Rooms, 1 Guests/room Edit
Free Wi-Fi for Marriott Rewards® members who book direct. See details & participating locations
Sort by
Fairfield Inn & Suites Verona
SpringHill Suites Syracuse Carrier Circle
Residence Inn Syracuse Carrier Circle
Courtyard Syracuse Carrier Circle
Courtyard Syracuse Downtown at Armory Square
Residence Inn Syracuse Downtown at Armory Square
Fairfield Inn Syracuse Liverpool/Clay
PointSavers offers up to 33% in point savings, depending on the hotel category and number of nights requested. This hotel is offering Seasonal Awards, so you can use fewer points when you book a stay during these dates.
5280 Willow Place Verona, NY 13478
12.5 miles from airport
View Rates
6580 Weighlock Drive East Syracuse, NY 13057
35.3 miles from airport
6420 Yorktown Circle East Syracuse, NY 13057
35.7 miles from airport
See details & participating locations
6415 Yorktown Circle East Syracuse, NY 13057
New Lobby
300 West Fayette Street Syracuse, NY 13202
39.8 miles from airport
3979 Route 31 Liverpool, NY 13090
41.8 miles from airport
Check-out dd/mm/yy
Rewards number
(proof of eligibility required at check-in)
About special rates and awards


text:
China battles to end iron ore price bulge
PUBLISHED: 20 Oct 2011 00:04:39 | UPDATED: 20 Oct 2011 11:13:01PUBLISHED: 20 Oct 2011 PRINT EDITION: 20 Oct 2011The iron ore price has plunged from August highs on fears of oversupply, yet the big three miners remain undeterred in their quest for iron ore project funding.
Already a subscriber? Please login here
Stay with the story for less than $1.90 a day
Related News
Read more
Companies | BHP Billiton Ltd, Rio Tinto Ltd, Fortescue Metals Grp, Aquila Resources |
Topics | Metals & Mining /Iron & Steel , Economy /Commodities , Financial Markets |


text:
Why Scientific Games (SGMS) Stock Is Up Today
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Scientific Games (SGMS - Get Report) was gaining 0.1% in after-hours trading Monday following news of competitor International Games Technology (IGT) is exploring a sale.
According to Reuters IGT is working with Morgan Stanley to explore a sale after attracting interest from other video game companies and some private equity firms. Scientific Games reportedly received sympathy bids following the news according to Seeking Alpha.
Must read: Warren Buffett's 25 Favorite Stocks
- The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has significantly underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 242.1% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from -$13.15 million to -$45.00 million.
- The company's current return on equity has slightly decreased from the same quarter one year prior. This implies a minor weakness in the organization. Compared to other companies in the Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure industry and the overall market, SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORP's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
- The debt-to-equity ratio is very high at 11.20 and currently higher than the industry average, implying increased risk associated with the management of debt levels within the company. Even though the debt-to-equity ratio is weak, SGMS's quick ratio is somewhat strong at 1.45, demonstrating the ability to handle short-term liquidity needs.
- The share price of SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORP has not done very well: it is down 24.12% and has underperformed the S&P 500, in part reflecting the company's sharply declining earnings per share when compared to the year-earlier quarter. The fact that the stock is now selling for less than others in its industry in relation to its current earnings is not reason enough to justify a buy rating at this time.
- SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORP has experienced a steep decline in earnings per share in the most recent quarter in comparison to its performance from the same quarter a year ago. This company has reported somewhat volatile earnings recently. We feel it is likely to report a decline in earnings in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, SCIENTIFIC GAMES CORP continued to lose money by earning -$0.31 versus -$0.50 in the prior year. For the next year, the market is expecting a contraction of 220.3% in earnings (-$0.99 versus -$0.31).
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: SGMS Ratings Report
Check Out Our Best Services for Investors
Action Alerts PLUS
Portfolio Manager Jim Cramer and Director of Research Jack Mohr reveal their investment tactics while giving advanced notice before every trade.
Product Features:
- $2.5+ million portfolio
- Large-cap and dividend focus
- Intraday trade alerts from Cramer
Quant Ratings
Access the tool that DOMINATES the Russell 2000 and the S&P 500.
Product Features:
- Buy, hold, or sell recommendations for over 4,300 stocks
- Unlimited research reports on your favorite stocks
- A custom stock screener
Stocks Under $10
David Peltier uncovers low dollar stocks with serious upside potential that are flying under Wall Street's radar.
Product Features:
- Model portfolio
- Stocks trading below $10
- Intraday trade alerts
Check Out Our Best Services for Investors
Dividend Stock Advisor
David Peltier identifies the best of breed dividend stocks that will pay a reliable AND significant income stream.
Product Features:
- Diversified model portfolio of dividend stocks
- Updates with exact steps to take - BUY, HOLD, SELL
Trifecta Stocks
Every recommendation goes through 3 layers of intense scrutinyquantitative, fundamental and technical analysisto maximize profit potential and minimize risk.
Product Features:
- Model Portfolio
- Intra Day Trade alerts
- Access to Quant Ratings
Options Profits
Our options trading pros provide over 100 monthly option trading ideas and strategies to help you become a well-seasoned trader.
Product Features:
- Actionable options commentary and news
- Real-time trading community


text:
Recommended Just For You
Customer Raves & Reviews
Very good
Let's Party Graduation Announcement Magnets I called the customer service department because I misunderstood how long it would take to get my magnets. I was worried that they wouldn't arrive in time. Although nothing was promised, my magnets did arrive in time for my event! A very happy surprise.
Love this card
Christmas Bulb Christmas Photo Cards This design worked perfectly for our first Christmas card as Mr. & Mrs. We were able to personalize with color, text and a wedding photo very easily. The price per card was lower than many other sites I visited and the selection was endless on Magnetstreet.com. The cards shipped very quickly and turned out beautiful! They were printed on high quality paper too!
Amazing Outcome
Dear Santa Folded Christmas Cards I needed my order expedited due to some personal issues. I included a note in the online order I submitted and was hoping for the best. I was called later that same day by a MagnetCard rep. The rep assured me that they were going try and meet my needs. When I arrived home today a package was at my door and the cards were iniside, 3 days earlier than I expected. To say the least, they met my needs and exceeded the goal they set forth. I cannot thank you enough MagnetCard. You have a customer for life. Oh, and to top it off the cards were perfect!
Exceeded Expectations
Holiday Blocks Christmas Photo Cards This is the first time I ordered from Magnet Street. The quality and service were excellent. Design tool was intuitive. Product quality far better than Walgreens, etc. was able to change the color scheme to nicely fit school colors.
Christmas Bow Christmas Photo Cards We were very happy with these Christmas cards! They were of much better quality than others we've seen. We are always happy with the products we get from magnetstreet.


text:
Pronunciation: Juan Conde
Added on: 2008-07-01
Listened: 87 times
Pronunciation in Spanish [es]
- Pronunciation by juanpirincho (Male from Spain)
- Could you do it better? different accent? Pronounce Juan Conde in Spanish
Accents & languages on maps
- Random word: tachable
by Yandex Translate English translation:
Juan Conde = John Conde
Not satisfied?
Modify word:
· Add languages
· Add categories
Report word:
Is there anything wrong with this word?
Please report it here.


text:
The DC Supporting Families Community of Practice and the DC chapter of the Association of Persons Supporting EmploymentFirst (APSE) invite you to share in a learning experience with us!
Each center provides career counseling, resume assistance, job placement and much more.
Tweets by @ONEDOES_ONECITY
View Past Events >
Apply now for DC public and public charter schools.


text:
Naomi Watts Wears Victoria Beckham Collection | Pictures
Naomi Watts Wears Victoria Beckham For a Night Out With Liev Schreiber
Like us on Facebook
What's Your Reaction?
Thanks for your reaction
Don't forget to share this with your friends!
Naomi Watts Wears Victoria Beckham For a Night Out With Liev Schreiber
Naomi Watts wore a Victoria Beckham Collection dress to attend last night's Take Home a Nude art auction with Liev Schreiber at Sotheby's in NYC. They held hands and posed for pictures at the annual event, which benefits the New York Academy of Art. Brooke Shields and Padma Lakshmi also stepped out for the bash. Naomi, a former spokesperson for David Yurman, also smiled for photos with David himself.
It's been a busy week for Naomi of balancing work and family time. Naomi went to Target's 50th anniversary event Tuesday, when she told us all about her upcoming project Diana and the pressures of playing Princess Diana. On Wednesday, Naomi and Liev showed their sporty sides kicking a soccer ball around an NYC park with their youngest son Kai.
Link Love
- Ingrid Michaelson has called it quits with her husband — Us Weekly
- Kelly Clarkson makes surprising American Idol admission — HuffPost Celebrity
- Look what Gwyneth Paltrow Instagrammed last night — Lainey Gossip
- Scarlett Johansson comments on that John Travolta encounter — Dlisted
- What is Shia LaBeouf doing with his look? — JustJared
- Kim Kardashian reveals another interesting outfit — Hollywood Tuna
- Here's how Britney Spears spent her night — Pink Is the New Blog
- Someone else shared a picture of Chelsea Handler's boobs — The Superficial
- Have you heard Kylie Minogue's new single? — popbytes
Latest Celebrity


text:
Nose: A perfumy, aromatic nose with lemon zest, heather honey and hazelnut. Hints of cinnamon, rose petal jelly and custard.
Palate: Tropical like the Hakushu, with a predominance of creamy, sweet coconut milk, peach melba, rum spices and toasty oak.
Finish: Allspice, nutmeg and Nutella on the tail.
Please enter your details to make it easier for us to help you further.


text:
Sheer Loose Sweater
Casual Collection Cardigan
$44.99Price: $44.99Description
Among your array of laid-back looks, this flax-hued cardigan is your most treasured. Touting a loose silhouette and open-knit accents ornamenting its back and cuffed sleeves, this sweater is a feel-good go-to.
Feeling at Ease Sweater
$34.99Price: $34.99Description
Relax with stylish panache in this soft, marled knit sweater! Touting open-knit panels and woven with swirling, mottled hues of black and white, this lightweight pullover adds a touch of charm to your laid-back evenings.
I Want Knit All Cardigan
$39.99Price: $39.99Description
Set your charmingly cozy goals high - and start by slipping into this soft ivory sweater! Featuring dolman sleeves and a handkerchief hemline, this breezy open-knit cardi is ambitiously delightful.
Fringe by Inch Cardigan
$39.99Price: $39.99Description
With every step you take in this lilac-purple cardigan, you fall deeper and deeper in love with your look! Thanks to this relaxed layers open-knit panels and fringed trim, your day is filled to the brim with sweet, cozy style.
Beneath Clear Skies Sweater
$34.99Price: $34.99Description
The afternoons light breeze refreshes you as you frolic about in this lightweight sweater. Showcasing a pastel-blue hue that matches the cloudless sky above, this open-knit pullover is perfect for savoring the sunshine!
Just the Sway I Like It Sweater
$34.99Price: $34.99Description
Cozy? Check! Chic? Check! This sheer, black-and-ivory sweater is just the one youve been looking for! A mesh, illusion neckline tops the striped bodice of this long-sleeved, open knit, which billows gracefully as you glide through a relaxing day.
Couldn't Task for More Sweater
$34.99Price: $34.99Description
When your to-do list is in need of tackling, theres no better companion than this teal sweater! Cozy and comfortable, this hooded garments diamond pattern and open-knit silhouette will help you breeze through a productive day in style.
Screenplay Socialite Sweater
$39.99Price: $39.99Description
Did you hear about the read-through downtown? Arrive looking cute as can be in this mint-blue sweater. Streaked with heather-grey stripes and accented with an embroidered ivory ruffle, this casual top will have actors asking all about you after the rehearsal!
Shaggy Chic Sweater
$44.99 $30.99Price: $44.99 $30.99 30% off!Description
Embrace your fondness for modern edginess and vintage inspiration simultaneously with this textured black sweater. Boasting a relaxed V-neck silhouette and a fringy, distressed hem, this open-knit layer unites the best of both stylishly cozy worlds!
Last Minute Loveliness Sweater
$34.99Price: $34.99Description
Fashion in a flash? No problem! Don this relaxed black sweater and youll be haute and about in no time! A sheer, ivory back brings flair to this cute look, while captivating polka dots complete an adorable ensemble with ease.
Cream of the Cropped Cardigan
$34.99Price: $34.99Description
Settle into a corner booth at your favorite coffee shop with a good book, caf au lait, and this creamy, cropped cardigan. Sheer and open-knit, it adds the perfect amount of lightweight coziness to any ensemble. Its neutral hue, ribbed hem and sleeves, and deep V-neck make it as indispensable ...
Journaling Hour Cardigan
$34.99Price: $34.99Description
At every sunset, you spend time sorting your thoughts, and tonight, you do so in the total comfort of this heather-grey cardigan! A long, dolman-sleeved layer as light as your heart is this evening, this open-front sweater sets a tone of creativity with its twisted back detail.


text:
Business & Finance
Indian forces battling separatist rebels in Kashmir killed Abdullah Uni, one of the leaders of a group blamed for the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, police said.
The EU has reached a deal significantly expanding sanctions on Syria over the country's crackdown on protests, diplomats said.
Yang Maodong, a Chinese dissident writer who was freed after spending five years in jail, said he was subjected to ill-treatment "beyond people's imagination."


text:
Bo McLaughlin
Bo McLaughlin | |||
Pitcher/Coach | |||
Born: Oakland, California |
October 23, 1953 |||
MLB debut
July 20, 1976 for the Houston Astros | |||
Last MLB appearance
July 9, 1982 for the Oakland Athletics | |||
Career statistics
Win–loss record | 10–20 | ||
Earned run average | 4.49 | ||
Strikeouts | 188 | ||
As coach
Michael Duane "Bo" McLaughlin (born October 23, 1953 in Oakland, California) was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher from 1976 to 1982 for the Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves, and Oakland Athletics. He is currently the bullpen coach for the Colorado Rockies. McLaughlin is best known for being hit by a pitch that almost ended his career, and his alias "Grim Bimbledon."
On May 26, 1981, McLaughlin was pitching in the eighth inning of a game against the Chicago White Sox. He threw a sinker to Harold Baines, who hit a line drive into McLaughlin face.[1] The pitch broke McLaughlin's left cheekbone and his eye socket in five different places.[1] McLaughlin vomited blood and went into shock. It took two surgeries to wire his cheekbone and left eye socket, and doctors at Oakland's Merritt Hospital feared that he would not last the night.[1] McLaughlin recovered to play a few games in September that year, then spent 1982 with the A's. He was demoted to the Minors in 1983 and played three seasons of Triple-A baseball. He later went into the real estate business [1] and coached in the minor leagues for the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles systems before moving on to his current job with the Rockies.[1]
- ^ a b c d e Price, S.L (2009-04-20). "Hit in the Head". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
External links[edit]
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
This biographical article relating to an American baseball pitcher born in the 1950s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1953 births
- Living people
- Houston Astros players
- Atlanta Braves players
- Oakland Athletics players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Baseball players from California
- Columbus Astros players
- Memphis Blues players
- Charleston Charlies players
- Richmond Braves players
- Tacoma Tigers players
- Las Vegas Stars (baseball) players
- Phoenix Giants players
- Lipscomb Bisons baseball players
- Colorado Rockies (baseball) coaches
- Major League Baseball pitching coaches
- American baseball pitcher, 1950s births stubs


text:
Sign in or
Welcome! This is a website that everyone can build together. It's easy!
Welcome to our Last Chaos Wiki!
Purpose of this Wiki:
Do you want to contribute?Content of this Wiki:
Members can:
Note to members:
UPDATES:January 27, 2015All active and passive skill pages in Class Skills section have been updated.January 23, 2015The Elemental System info has been updated.September 17, 2014The Iris Item Pictorial Book section has been added and is being updated.The Manual Drops page is being updated. |
eiv |
Latest page update: made by eiv
, Jan 27 2015, 8:15 PM EST
(about this update
About This Update
Edited by eiv
view changes - complete history) |
Keyword tags:
wiki updates
More Info: links to this page
There are no threads for this page.
Be the first to start a new thread.


text:
Secrets to Successful Conference Calls: Part One – Setup and Testing 16. July 2014 Maranda Gibson Business Communications, Conference Calls, Successful Conference Calls, Web Conferencing (0) Everyone knows that the first step to hosting a conference call is finding the best conference call provider. After you know who you're going to use as your conference host, you can turn your attention to planning and executing your event. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be sharing with you some of the best tips that we've learned in our own experiences, as well as some of the impressively smart things our customers have been doing. Here are the first two secrets to successful conferences. Conference Size Estimation Let me just be blunt with you – if this is your first conference call, you're likely to overestimate. Let's say you send out 300 invitations to a conference, my experience tells me that your turn out is going to be around 150. Because you're going to pay based on how many lines you reserve, you want your estimate to be as accurate as possible. In addition, different kinds of conferences will yield varying results. Here are three of the most popular kinds of conference and the kinds of attendance results we see. First Time / Sales Types of Conferences We have a client who hosts conference calls that are advertised on infomercials - you might have seen them if you're up at two in the morning. They have three thousand people sign up for one conference call and in the end only about six hundred show up. Make sure the provider you've chosen will allow you to make changes 24 hours in advance of your call; you don't want to pay for over estimations. Mandatory Events We have another customer who hosts conferences that are state mandated classes. People sign up for them and her attendance runs around 85%. Anything that is a mandatory meeting will have a higher than average attendance because, well, people have to attend the conference. Pay to Attend A conference that requires people to pay to attend will yield close to 99% attendance. No one is going to waste good money to pay for a conference they don't attend. One of our customers sets up classes they teach through our conference calls. We know if they ask for 150 lines, they will have 150 people show up. Considerations For Last Minute Events Remember that the more last minute your conferences, the lower your attendance will be. More than once, we've had people set up last minute operated calls where they invite fifty or sixty people and only end up getting ten or eleven total attendees. If you're an AccuConference customer, we always suggest using registration pages on conferences where you'll be sending fifty or more invitations. This will help you to know exactly how many of your invitations have been accepted and filled out. Testing and Quality Sound quality is one of the biggest issues we hear about on conference calls. Not all phone systems are created equally and your method can cause any number of poor connection issues. There are two things that can drastically affect your conference sound quality – like feedback, cut outs, and general disruptions to your conference. Phone Equipment Phone Provider Before you start your conference, you need to run down some basic testing steps both before your call begins and while in pre-conference with your speakers. Get a co-worker and dial into a test conference the day before your conference. Testing is all about creating a dress-rehearsal, so mimic the same set up that you will have when it's time for the live conference. Use the same phone, put yourself in the same room, and let your co-worker tell you about any sound issues like echo or feedback. On the day of the call, use a pre-conference to check the same things with your other speakers. Make sure that everyone can be heard and that the lines aren't cutting out. Correct estimates of conference attendees and testing your equipment before the call are very important parts of your conference planning session. If you need some help planning your next event, give us a call and let us take it from there.
How to Introduce Your Company In Presentations 5. June 2014 Maranda Gibson Business Communications, Web Conferencing (0) This week, I've been working closely with a new customer about setting up a large event. He's never done an event like this before and wasn't entirely sure where he should begin his conference. Introducing your company is likely high on your list of things to cover on your conference call, and here is the approach I suggested to my customer. You only have two minutes to get the attention of an audience, so you want to give an overview of yourself in quick, yet succinct manner. Answering three simple questions will help you introduce your company without taking up a lot of time. What's Your History? Remember those two minutes? Start by giving your participants a brief understanding of who you are. Tell your audience about your beginnings. How was your company formed? What was the idea? Your company story is the key to getting an audience to understand who you are, where you came from, and what you faced to build. What Do You Solve? If I were to tell you what we do, it would be that we help people communicate. It's not about web conferencing, audio conferences, and the other products we sell when introducing ourselves – it's about how we make things easier for you. Instead of telling your participants that you sell something, tell them what you do. People will be more receptive to this approach rather than feeling like the entire conference was an opportunity for a sales pitch. What Sets You Apart? When you're introducing you're company, be sure to mention what sets you apart. Whenever I have the chance to introduce AccuConference to someone new, I mention our customer service philosophy, because that is the center of what we do differently. In order to memorable, you need to define the company's special qualities so that you can be the first thought when your services are needed. You can tailor these questions to introduce your company whether it's your next large conference call or a cocktail party. By setting up your company and explaining how you solve problems for your customer will peak the interest of anyone who needs a company like yours. How do you introduce your company in a presentation?
How Much to Charge for a Webinar 8. May 2014 Maranda Gibson Conference Calls, Web Conferencing (0) Webinars and conference calls can be a great way to reach more consumers and make connections for sales. More and more it's becoming a viable strategy to educational institutions and companies and before we start to talk about deciding how much to charge, there's another question you have to answer first. Should You Charge For Your Webinar? Deciding to charge comes down to what kind of content you'll be presenting. Not all webinars are created equally and fall within one of two categories: premium or marketing content. Marketing content tends to be the kind that is designed for gaining exposure to a product or brand. Premium content is information that you can't get anywhere else. Let me give you an example – we have a customer in the banking industry that offers webinars on recent changes, updates, or new regulations in that field. The information is not available anywhere else and it's education in nature, which makes it acceptable to expect a small payment for attendance. Now that you've decided if you want to charge for your webinar, you should do a bit of research before you choose an amount. Start With a Google Search The truth is that a webinar is online content and a lot of people have the expectation that it should be free. Start with a Google search in reference to the topic that you want to host a webinar about. Even if your webinar is "premium" content, if you see a lot of free content already out there it might not be the best idea to charge. Ask Yourself What Makes Yours Exclusive If you decide you still want to charge for your webinar, you need to determine what makes yours exclusive and special. Is there a very popular speaker on the conference? Are you getting insider information that participants usually can't get unless they attend a conference or pay a membership fee? If you're going to ask people to pay to attend something make sure that they are paying for something worthwhile. Before people choose to spend money on something they are going to want to decide what's in it for them – so make sure you have the answer to that question ready. Check the Industry Cost Do a quick search and see how much it would cost to attend a class at a local university for this information and include any potential travel costs like airfare or hotel. Beating that cost should be easy considering everything you need is online, including materials. Now, find out if your competitors are providing any webinar content like this? Can you beat their costs? Starts there and then adjust your cost as needed to cover any expenses. The truth is that when it comes to 'what to charge for your webinar' there isn't a perfect answer. There may be times when you feel that charging wouldn't be the best idea so I say you should always go with your gut. Just remember that your webinar attendance cost should come down to the value and not the money you want to make.
Voting on Conference Calls 2. December 2013 Maranda Gibson Conference Calls, Web Conferencing (0) Conference calls are held for a number of reasons. Using conference services for board meetings is incredibly popular and sometimes, you need to hold a vote on these kinds of calls. The difference is that you can't just ask for a "show of hands". Now you need a way to take votes in an orderly manner on your conference call. Here are some of the unique ways we have observed our customers using our conference systems to take official votes from board members. Flagging On the live call screen, you have the ability to click beside a person's name and put a little "flag" beside their name. We developed this feature for a client who wanted a way to keep track of participants who had already had an opportunity to ask a question so that everyone got a chance. Use the live call screen to flag people who have voted either up or down on an issue. Web Conferencing With web conferencing, you can send out a poll throughout the conference to take votes on your suggestions, issues, or just to get a feeling about how your participants feel. You can edit them to ask any kind of question and select any kind of responses. If you're using a PowerPoint to show your clients some different options they have in a web page design or product marketing efforts, you can allow them to vote on which one they want by using the polling system within the conference service. (Bonus: The polls can be preloaded so that you have them ready to go.) Q&A Sessions When we talk about using Q&A sessions on your conference, it's usually it the context of, well, asking questions. But you can use the Q&A feature to poll your audio participants. Ask them to press *1 to put themselves in line to vote and then you can take their vote one at a time. If you record your conference call, you can have all of these votes on record for review or to recount at a later date. Voting sessions can easily be done through a conference without having to cost a lot of time and you can easily keep a record of these votes using some of these options.
The Hook: 5 Ways to Quickly Get Your Audience's Attention 25. October 2013 Chilton Tippin Business Communications, Conference Calls, Web Conferencing (0) Arguably the most important part of any presentation is the beginning. It sets the foundation for the rest of your talk. If you come across as a strong, entertaining speaker at the beginning of your presentation, people will be forgiving if your material gets a little more routine as the talk progresses. Most peoples' judgment is reserved for those first few seconds of the talk. So if you want to get people listening you need to hook them fast. Think about it. How many times have you heard a speech that begins with, "I'm here to talk with you today about…." Or "Thanks for coming out to listen to my talk about…" or some variation of these intros. While they do get straight to the point, they do absolutely nothing to grab your audience, to rivet them so they'll listen, or in other words hook them. With that in mind, here are a few ways to get your audience's attention right off the bat. Quote, Anecdote, Rhetorical Question These are some of the most common ways to hook your audience. You must be sure to use a quote, anecdote, or rhetorical question that segues nicely into your material. If, for example, you were talking about the current recession, you could give an anecdote about the Great Depression and use it to underlie the point of your message. Or you could ask the rhetorical question: Just how similar is our current economic crisis to that of the 1930s? These types of lead ins will get people wondering, and help them tune in to what it is you're saying. New Twist on the Familiar Take a common story, quote, saying, or anecdote and change it. This will give your audience a new perspective on the familiar as well as grab their attention. If you handle the twist skillfully enough, you can actually make quite an impression. Let's say you were giving a presentation on nutrition in America. You could say something like, "To eat, or not to eat. That is the question." The bolder the twist, the better the reaction will be. However, you must make sure it makes sense and fits into your material. One of the best ways is to simply find popular aphorisms online and try switching the wording around. Personal Story This will help introduce you as a speaker and gives a personal take on the material. Part of what gives you credibility as a speaker is the authority you have to talk about a subject. A good way to do this, for example, could be to lead into your presentation with a personal story about how you got involved in the field, started your business, or became an expert on the subject. The key is to be either funny or endearing so people will trust you. Audience Participation Exercise This is useful as an icebreaker, but typically only works in small settings. The simplest example is to have everyone introduce themselves. However, you can get creative, depending on the setting. Often in classrooms teachers will have people work in pairs and find out 5 interesting facts. The Screening Question Also known as the "Show-of-hands Question," this gets the audience to participate, engages them in the material, and gives you, the speaker, an idea of how much the audience already knows. With all of these options and a dash of creativity, you should be able to think of a good way to grab your audience's attention quickly. Looking for ways to improve your speaking abilities? Here are four more resources: Our Book on How to Make Meetings Great - Lessons from the Bored Room Our eBook on Webinars - How to Plan, Setup, and Execute a Successful Webinar Non-Verbal Communication Resource The Everything Guide to Public Speaking
8 Open Ended Questions for Engagement 8. July 2013 Maranda Gibson Conference Calls, Web Conferencing (0) One of the best ways to get your participants involved on your conference call is to open up for questions at the end. Many times, I've seen even the most impressive presentations end up with 'no questions' at the end. I've talked before about what to do when no one asks a question on your conference and one of the tips I suggested before was to ask a friend or co-worker to be the first person to raise their hand. Now, some may disagree with me about using a "plant" on your conferences to get the ball rolling for Q&A. I'd offer the counterpoint that it is human nature to be shy and that no one really wants to go first. Q&A is an opportunity to refine parts of the presentations and silence will hurt the chances to do so. If the co-worker or friend asks a legitimate question about the content, I don't see anything wrong with this kind of tactic. An open ended question is one that cannot be answered with "yes" or "no". It's important that the question gives the speaker an opportunity to explain some of those finer details while giving the opportunity to spark questions in some of the other participants. Here are eight great ways to start an open ended question on your next conference. "What is the purpose of..." "Can you explain...." "How would you use..." "What judgment can we make..." "How would you estimate..." "Explain the changes that..." "How would you summarize..." "What statements support..." These questions are great conversation starters because they are legitimate in reference to the content presented and they give the speaker that extra chance to go over those finer details or even mention something they mistakenly skipped over when going over the presentation. Additionally, I suggest only doing this once a session and only if you don't get any one else in the question queue. This is to get the conversation started, not to take it over completely. The goal of asking your co-worker to ask the first question is to open the door for others to come along behind them. Have you ever "planted" your co-worker to ask the first question?
Is Your Presentation Busy Work? 25. June 2013 Maranda Gibson Web Conferencing (0) Do you remember elementary school? I can recall the days when our teachers spent afternoons having us do math worksheets, grammar practice, or simply sitting at our desks reading quietly. The goal of busy work was to require the students to be silent and focus on work. Sadly, I've seen some presenters doing this with their presentations on conference calls or at events. A quick search for "tips on presentations" will bring up a lot of great resources, but many of them fail to mention one very simple and important tip. Don't Use PowerPoint For the Sake of Using PowerPoint. This one tip might make your life a little easier and make people enjoy your conferences a bit more. Using a PowerPoint for every single presentation renders the visual element useless in the long run. How can you tell if your PowerPoint has become busy work – something that is only there to force participants to follow along with you? Ask Yourself Do Your Presentation Slides: Serve as Your Script? If they do then you should introduce yourself to index cards. What is the point in taking the time to make a presentation if you're just going to write down everything you're going to say? Reading word for word from your slides is a waste of everyone's time. If reading from slides is your plan, simply hand out the slides and then tell participants to contact you if they have any questions. Have more than zero fancy flashy transitions? (Yes you read that right) Sure, the temptations to have each of your slides fade in and out, appear in a splash of animated fireworks, or accompanied with musical fanfare is always there. These can be distracting and look unprofessional to certain groups. One thing I've seen that works really well in presentations is to use an image slide instead of a flashy transition when you need to shift gears to a new topic or draw the attention of the audience to the point you're about to make. It's less distracting than a bright flash or a new slide that flies across the screen, but it still grabs the audience's attention. Rely too heavily on the bullet point as the common "theme" of each slide? If every slide is featuring a bulleted list you are running the risk of overloading your participants with too much information in one presentation. A good rule of thumb is to use a presentation to present one overall or main idea, and let the slides support that common theme. If you answered "yes" to any of these questions take a step back and ask yourself why you are using a presentation. If the goal in including slides with your presentation is to "make people pay attention" you are creating PowerPoint busy work. Get More Engagement: Even if your presentation topic doesn't need a twenty page PowerPoint presentation, you can still use a one page "landing" slide with your company information and logo. Visuals can be powerful for participants, even if you're just using your contact information. What other ways have you seen PowerPoint's used as busy work?
Keys to Being An Effective Listener 12. June 2013 Maranda Gibson Business Communications, Web Conferencing (0) I have a bad habit of not looking up from my cell phone when someone is talking to me. I am listening, yes, but I am not giving that impression. When I keep my attention on my phone, I'm sending the non-verbal message that I am not listening. In communication studies the person talking is called the "sender" and the person listening is called "the receiver". When the receiver has their head down, looking at their phone, or doing something else, they are not as engaged in the conversation as the sender might like. I need to teach myself how to put down the phone and become a better receiver. Here are three keys to becoming an effective receiver. Take a moment to digest the sender's body language. When a message is being delivered, a lot of it is going to be inferred through the non-verbal messages displayed by the speaker. Your job as the receiver is to make inferences to what is being said and how it is being displayed by the presenter. Your sender's body language is going to tell you a lot of things that are "unsaid" in the presentation and it's important to watch for those signals, and not just listen to the words with your head down in your laptop or your smartphone. Resist the urge to finish the sender's thoughts or sentences. When listening, there is a temptation to try and think about how you are going to respond. The problem with this is that you develop preconceived notions of the message that is being sent and it's not always an easy task to dismiss the assumptions you've made when you "think ahead" of the speaker. You don't want to miss the message because you're trying to figure it out. Bonus: One way to practice this is to wait 5 seconds after someone talks before you respond. We don't recommend this as a permanent fix because it will feel awkward and you might look crazy. Give the sender some feedback. No, you don't need to interrupt the sender to give them feedback. Much like how you will be watching their nonverbal movements to make sure you are also sending non-verbal signals. Make eye contact or nod along with your speaker to show you're actively engaged. In order to be an effective receiver, you need to focus on your active listening skills. Beyond these tips there are plenty more things you can do to be an active listener. What other keys necessary to be an effective receiver?
Web Conferencing Terminology 6. May 2013 Maranda Gibson Web Conferencing (0) Last month, we rolled out our completely revamped web conferencing software. If you read our blog post about the announcement, you know we're very excited about it. If not, you should, it's a great introduction to the web conference system. Since more of our new and current customers are calling us to ask about the program, I've noticed that we all have different ways of explaining things. I put together a useful tool to help you understand the terms that we're using as they apply to our web conference system. Webinar - Lots of people use this term differently, but to us a webinar is simply where you're having a conference with a visual element. Application Sharing – From the list of opened programs on your computer you can select any one of those programs to share with your participants. It limits the exposure of your computer screen and any notifications you get while sharing. Audio Over the Web – Participants can now choose the option to listen to the audio streaming over the web. If they choose this option, they will not be able to participate in the audio portion of the conference, like raising their hand for questions. Moderators – A moderator is a person who will control the aspects of the conference call. This includes the audio portions and sharing information. Speaker - A speaker is different from a moderator in the sense that they can only share their programs and applications. They cannot remove participants or control the audio portions of the conference call. It's a great way to invite different people to your conference line without having to give out your moderator code. Conference Controls – There are two different sets of controls on web conferencing. One set of controls is for your sharing of information, like your desktop or video. The other will help you control and moderate your audio portions of your web conference. Desktop Sharing – Different from application sharing, this option will share your entire display. It's an easy choice when you have a lot of different things that you need to show. There is some risk with desktop sharing because anything that is on your computer will be shown to participants – including instant messages, email alerts, or web browsing. Those are just some of the terms that you might hear one of our operators going over with you. If you want to know more about our web conferencing options give us a call and we can answer any of your questions about these options and more.
Connect With Participants on Webinars 21. March 2013 Maranda Gibson Conference Calls, Web Conferencing (0) Participants have a lot of distractions in front of them when they try to sit down and attend a meeting or web conference. As a speaker, you're suddenly up against unseen foes of Facebook, Twitter, and email. Most participants will tune in completely to your webinar for the first couple of minutes, but after that, if you do not hold their attention, they will start to drift. If you don't want to lose your participants to the weeds of the Internet and other distractions, there are a couple of things you can do during your call to make sure you're doing what you can to keep their attention. Pace Yourself. When you're speaking and presenting on a webinar, you are up against the clock. When presenters are up against the clock one of two things usually happens – they either go through the information entirely too fast, or they get lost in the minutia of their information. Practicing before the event in your allotted time will help you get the right pacing down and make any last minute changes. Interact with Participants. During the call, use polls and visuals to keep them engaged. Offer a prize for the best question to the speaker or set up a Twitter hash tag for participants to submit comments and questions about your presentation. If you decide to use Twitter during the conference make sure you have someone manning the account that can respond promptly. You can always go back later and personally respond to your messages, but don't try to do that while you're presenting. Remember the Golden Rule. Never read directly from your slides or handouts. I'm honestly surprised at how so many speakers continue to make this single mistake when it comes to trying to keep their audience involved in their conferences. Reading word for word from slides is the most direct way to get participants to "check out" of your conference. Why would they need to listen to you when they can just refer back to the copy of the slides? They should be used as a guide and not serve as a script. Web conferencing technology is here to stay and will no doubt become even more prevalent in your day to day business operations. It's a good idea to start making these changes to your presentation techniques now so that you're not behind the curve later. How do you connect with participants on webinars?


text:
Enter your login details below
Forgotten your details?
If you subscribe to the printed version with FREE online access and haven't yet activated your online subscription, you can click here to enter your details.
Create an account, it's completely FREE and only takes a minute.
Using your account you can purchase individual articles or subscribe.
You can also sign up to our FREE email alert service, from Africa Confidential's Editor, Patrick Smith.
Create an account
View basket | Checkout
by country & category
The July elections are delayed until early 2016. In many areas in the countryside, there is no security; in towns, skirmishes and highway banditry make life extremely dangerous. Many blame the interim government. Recurrent divisions affect both the Séléka and the Anti-Balaka, making any settlement difficult.
Found 58 articles.
Displaying 1-10 out of 58 results.
An angry UN has asked Sassou to end the peace talks in Nairobi but has few better ideas about achieving reconciliation
A UN report that illicit diamonds are financing rebels has dashed the government's hopes that the ban on exports will be lifted
Friends abroad worry increasingly about the probity and effectiveness of the interim government but wonder what to do
Backstage at the AU summit and increasingly worried about the state of affairs in CAR, regional leaders took some key decisions
Militias are adapting to changing circumstances but the political inaction and international delays continue
The new government has little time to assert its authority and end the sectarian slaughter. Some militants are even threatening to secede
The search is on for an interim president but so far allies of the ousted Bozizé and his corrupt former ministers are making all the running
French and regional troops are preventing the violence getting worse but no political force seems able to provide leadership
After 25 years of mass murder, the Lord's Resistance Army continues with impunity as African and Western efforts fail to capture its top commanders
Deep differences between the supporters of UN and European intervention in Bangui mean conditions will continue to worsen
Become a subscriber today to read our articles in full.
Alternatively, contact us to find out about access to more than 50 years of the world's best fortnightly newsletter on African politics.
Looking for a specific issue of Africa Confidential?
Not yet ready to subscribe to Africa Confidential's complete information service? Then why not register for our free email alerts.
Every two weeks you get a concise snapshot of the latest issue - courtesy of our editor, Patrick Smith - so you're made aware of which issues we cover each fortnight.
Sign up right away and you also get a free copy of 'The Editor's Choice' – 66 pages of some of the very best previous Africa Confidential articles.
'The Editor's Choice' is in PDF format. So you can download it in an instant – just as soon as you have registered with us.
Select one of the countries below to read articles about that country


text:
David Stremme returns to No. 30 Toyota at Phoenix for the remainder of the season.
Swan Racing returns this week to the No. 30 Toyota driven by David Stremme at Phoenix International Raceway. Last week in Daytona, Swan Racing dedicated its efforts on raising donations and awareness for the Newtown, Ct community by running the No. 26 Sandy Hook Memorial Fund Toyota driven by Michael Waltrip.
Stremme will compete on behalf of Swan Racing the rest of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season in the No. 30 where he will race hard every lap of every race. This is significant given that Stremme was ordered to "start and park" in past seasons. That was until new owner Brandon Davis stepped in late last year creating Swan Racing.
"Swan Racing is here to race hard every lap of every race," said Davis. "We are going to build a championship contender over time and we'll do it by competing against the best drivers in the world, not by packing up early."
"It's a new day for the No. 30 Toyota and we'll be mixing it up all season, said Stremme. Drivers are competitive by nature. We feel the need to compete in everything we do. I will get the most out of this Toyota all season starting at Phoenix International Raceway."
Stremme and Swan Racing represent an "old school" approach to racing which means they are stretching every dollar to put the car on track each week. "This is old school racing here at Swan. We all pitch in to build the cars at the shop each week and race hard on the weekends," Stremme said.
Swan Racing had a busy offseason building a strong foundation for the team's success. Several key hires were made that signal Swan Racing's commitment. They include Steve Hmiel as competition director, Tony Eury Jr., as crew chief. Rocky Ryan will serve as Stremme's spotter.
Swan Racing