text:
An Intense Effect Selective Color Photography in 'Red'!!
Chicago By Boat
A 3 and a half hour timelapse on board a boat going along Lake Michigan and through the gorgeous Chicago canals.
Jay Mug – Trendspotting Blog
Check out the new Jaymug.com blog for cutting edge ideas in | Design | Marketing | Advertising | Tech |
Sharing inspiration, creative thoughts and awesomeness for the ever curious
New Bloggokin.it
Bloggokin is pleased to announce the launch of the new creative platform, hosted for a long time (more than six years) on Blogger, now Bloggokin aims to make the leap to a wider audience, through their own personal domain Bloggokin.it. Read the rest of "New Bloggokin.it" »
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Not need special effects to make a beautiful video
Sometimes with very little budget and lots of ideas we come to implement real nice videos…
Read the rest of "Not need special effects to make a beautiful video" »
Read the rest of "Not need special effects to make a beautiful video" »
Enjoy this cool #110 Thursday daily inspirations for all DYT readers :) with great photos and artworks.
Build Mobile Web Sites and Campaigns with Mars
Read the rest of "Build Mobile Web Sites and Campaigns with Mars" »
mars is an incredible hosted mobile marketing solution with which you can create small, targeted, one-product micro-sites, which you can use as part of your marketing campaigns. Easily create a mobile campaign dedicated to your new product or service in a matter of minutes. Select from various static and dynamic (interactive) modules and simply drop them onto the design canvas.
Read the rest of "Build Mobile Web Sites and Campaigns with Mars" »
20 Fantastic pseudo-Flash websites
Read the rest of "20 Fantastic pseudo-Flash websites" »
A pseudo-Flash website is one that looks, feels and acts like a Flash website but is in fact built on good old-fashioned HTML and CSS.
There is usually also a dash of JavaScript to bring things to life and round out the interface.
The result is often beyond what we have come to expect of HTML and CSS, which is why we might assume the website is Flash-based. Right-click, though, and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Read the rest of "20 Fantastic pseudo-Flash websites" »
Colorful, creative logo designs from Alex Tass / nocturn.ro
nocturn.ro updated their portfolio with the colorful, creative 2011 logo design projects. Check them out!
Daily Inspirations no. 204
"When you do not know what you are doing, and what you are doing is the best – that is inspiration." This wise thought of Robert Bresson, actually, reflects the perception and understanding of inspiration by many artists, especially those, who work with graphics and visual designs, such as photography, illustrations, digital 3D imaging, font design, etc. We, at Cruzine, share the vision of inspiration and to provide those in need with more sources of inspiration we are publishing our daily sets of inspiring works, representing variety of modern art from fashion and conceptual photography to industrial design and architecture.


text:
VAN: In Tempest's Wake by Dayton Ward Review Thread (Spoilers!)
View Single Post
October 3 2012, 11:51 PM
Fleet Captain
Location: Europa
Re: VAN: In Tempest's Wake by Dayton Ward Review Thread (Spoilers!)
JoeZhang wrote:
ronny wrote:
JoeZhang wrote:
It's the same price on amazon as for a full novel! - pass.
It's $3.99, a novel is $7.99.
What are you talking about?
It might blow your mind but not everyone here is American.
Yeah, I'm not American either, but I still only paid the 3,99 $.
The book is a nice read. It doesn't really give us anything new on the story we know, but the ending might offer... possibilities.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
KGL Food Services, WLL; Intermarkets Global--Costs
B-400660.7,B-400660.8: Jun 20, 2011
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Ralph O. White
(202) 512-8278
(202) 512-4800
(202) 512-8278
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
KGL Food Services, WLL, of Safat, Kuwait, and Intermarkets Global (IMG), of Amman, Jordan, request that our Office recommend that they be reimbursed the costs of filing and pursuing their initial and supplemental protests challenging the Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency's (DLA) award of a contract to Anham FZCO, LLC, of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, under request for proposals (RFP) No. SPM300-08-R-0061, for the supply of a full service food line in Kuwait, Iraq, and Jordan.
We grant the request in part and deny it in part.
Apr 1, 2015
- Latvian Connection, LLCB-410947
- Refinery Associates of Texas, Inc.B-410911.2
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- Advanced Communication Cabling, Inc.B-410898.2
- Mission Essential Personnel, LLCB-410431.9,B-410431.10
Mar 30, 2015
- SBSI, Inc.B-410923
Mar 25, 2015
- Affolter Contracting Company, Inc.B-410878,B-410878.2
Mar 24, 2015
- Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.; Leidos Inc.B-410032.4,B-410032.5,B-410032.6
- Visual Connections, LLCB-410777,B-410777.2
Mar 23, 2015
- AeroSage LLCB-410648.2,B-410648.3
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text:
Andrew Goudelock signs one-year deal to play in Russia
Jul 27, 2013, 2:00 PM EDT
There were a few guys who shined during Summer League who ended up getting contracts to play in the NBA next season — Ian Clark and Elias Harris are among the names that immediately come to mind.
Andrew Goudelock, who played off and on with the Lakers the past two seasons and managed to pick up a D-League MVP trophy in between, wasn't as fortunate.
From Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:
After failing to field any NBA offers that entailed guaranteed deals, Andrew Goudelock has accepted a one-year deal to play with the Russian basketball team BC UNICS Kazan.
The offer is worth "considerably more" than Goudelock would've made with an NBA minimum salary worth around $1 million, according to a source familiar with the details. But exact terms weren't immediately provided.
Goudelock was the fourth leading scorer in the Vegas Summer League, averaging 19 points on 47.1 percent shooting in 28.6 minutes per game for the Bulls in five appearances.
The issues with Goudelock are on the defensive end of the floor, where he's historically seemed to give up points just as quickly as he has scored them.
- 00maltliquor - Jul 27, 2013 at 3:51 PM
That's my dude right there! Good luck out there Andrew, I was hoping you'd secure an NBA contract this year, but hopefully next year. These GMs just don't know man!
- uncledrew22 - Jul 27, 2013 at 5:20 PM
He played well in the summer league for the Bulls, although he's considered a shot hunter.
- thegonz13 - Jul 27, 2013 at 8:26 PM
Goudeluck to you over there, man!
- ronjohn63 - Jul 27, 2013 at 11:19 PM
The problem is that Russian teams have been known to be slow and non- payers
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PREP BOYS BASKETBALL: Eagles overpower Panthers in quarterfinals
WORTHINGTON -- Eric Talsma score a game-high 22 points, including 16 in the first half, to power the Southwest Christian Eagles to a 79-45 victory over the Ellsworth Panthers in a Class A Boys' Basketball Section 3 Southern Division quarterfinal game Saturday.
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text:
Deviant Art
The Princess and the DemonThe princess was perfect as could be,The Princess and the Demon2 years ago in Free Verse More Like This
Admired by everyone she would see.
Her skin was smooth and very fair.
So long and flowing was her hair.
But there was one thing she feared.
She heard the demon coming near.
The demon would attack the town,
Destroy everything that was around.
Despite all her great fame,
The demon she could not tame.
As the demon continued to grow.
There was a secret the town didn't know.
There was no one she could confide.
The demon the princess held inside.
At night the princess just changed.
Her mind and body become deranged.
Her town she didn't know how to defend.
Only one way she could bring to an end.
One quick draw of the knife.
The princess took the demon's life.
Your Suicide Determines...Your Suicide Determines...3 years ago in Urban & Spoken Word More Like This
He loved you oh so more,
Tried to be the man you saw,
But possessed he came,
And down he fall,
Drowning in an ocean of pain.
Your suicide determines everything.
From his descent,
To their sweet victory
On the green shed moon of Endor.
To the new Jedi of years to come.
Not in pain shall they fight,
For you gave them the will,
The means.
The destiny and fate,
For all to live in a world of no hate.
And he who doomed you all to live in hell.
Love KillsA boy and girlLove Kills5 years ago in Free Verse More Like This
The best of friends
From Elementary
From beginning to end
Through out the years
Their friendship grew
They both felt the same
Though neither knew
They loved each other
Since the day they met
Every walking moment
Sunrise to sunset
He was all she had
In her terrible life
He was the one
Who kept her from the knife
She was his angel
She made him smile
Though life threw him curves
She made it all worth the while
Then one day
Things went horribly wrong
The next couple of weeks
Were like a really sad song
He made her jealous
On purpose he tried
She asked, "Do you love her?"
On purpose, he lied
His plan was working
Though he had no clue
How wrong things would go
The damage he would do
He played with jealously
Like it was a game
Little did he know
Things would never be the same
One night she broke down
Feeling so alone
Just her and her blade
With no one else home
She dialed his number
He answered, "Hello?"
She said she loved him and
Hung up the phone
He raced to her house,
Just a
|Sta.sh Submit


text:
|By Marketwired .
Article Rating:
|February 7, 2013 04:23 AM EST
BAGSVAERD, DENMARK -- (Marketwire) -- 02/07/13 -- Novo Nordisk A/S has filed its Annual Report 2012 on Form 20-F for the financial year 2012 with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), incorporating by reference parts of the Novo Nordisk A/S Annual Report 2012. The reports are available at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov as well as on novonordisk.com.
Shareholders and ADR holders may receive a hard copy of the annual reports free of charge upon request by filling out a request form on novonordisk.com or upon request to either Tel: (+1) 609 786 4575 or by e-mail to [email protected]. When e-mailing, please state the exact mailing address and the document(s) you wish to receive.
Read the full release in PDF format: http://hugin.info/2013/R/1676306/546328.pdf
This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that:
(i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and
(ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Novo Nordisk A/S via Thomson Reuters ONE
Further information:
Anne Margrethe Hauge
+45 4442 3450
Email Contact
Kasper Roseeuw Poulsen
+45 4442 4303
Email Contact
Frank Daniel Mersebach
+45 4442 0604
Email Contact
Lars Borup Jacobsen
+45 3075 3479
Email Contact
Jannick Lindegaard (US)
+1 609 786 4575
Email Contact
Sematext is a globally distributed organization that builds innovative Cloud and On Premises solutions for performance monitoring, alerting and anomaly detection (SPM), log management and analytics (Logsene), and search analytics (SSA). We also provide Search and Big Data consulting services and offer 24/7 production support for Solr and Elasticsearch.
Mar. 29, 2015 02:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,476
The WebRTC Summit 2014 New York, to be held June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York, NY, announces that its Call for Papers is open. Topics include all aspects of improving IT delivery by eliminating waste through automated business models leveraging cloud technologies. WebRTC Summit is co-located with 16th International Cloud Expo, @ThingsExpo, Big Data Expo, and DevOps Summit.
Mar. 29, 2015 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,557
The speed of software changes in growing and large scale rapid-paced DevOps environments presents a challenge for continuous testing. Many organizations struggle to get this right. Practices that work for small scale continuous testing may not be sufficient as the requirements grow. In his session at DevOps Summit, Marc Hornbeek, Sr. Solutions Architect of DevOps continuous test solutions at Spirent Communications, will explain the best practices of continuous testing at high scale, which is r...
Mar. 29, 2015 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,971
@ThingsExpo has been named the Top 5 Most Influential M2M Brand by Onalytica in the 'Machine to Machine: Top 100 Influencers and Brands.' Onalytica analyzed the online debate on M2M by looking at over 85,000 tweets to provide the most influential individuals and brands that drive the discussion. According to Onalytica the "analysis showed a very engaged community with a lot of interactive tweets. The M2M discussion seems to be more fragmented and driven by some of the major brands present in the...
Mar. 29, 2015 01:45 PM EDT Reads: 4,651
Countless business models have spawned from the IaaS industry. Resell Web hosting, blogs, public cloud, and on and on. With the overwhelming amount of tools available to us, it's sometimes easy to overlook that many of them are just new skins of resources we've had for a long time. In his General Session at 16th Cloud Expo, Phil Jackson, Lead Developer Advocate at SoftLayer, will break down what we've got to work with and discuss the benefits and pitfalls to discover how we can best use them t...
Mar. 29, 2015 01:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,429
DevOps is all the rage these days and with good reason as it promises to reduce the time-to-market for new applications. It also promises to improve change management, allowing teams to deploy changes to their applications quickly and efficiently. However, DevOps isn't something you buy, install, or implement; rather it is the symptom of an appropriate organizational system. In his session at DevOps Summit, Mark Thiele, EVP, Data Center Technologies at SUPERNAP International, will discuss how ...
Mar. 29, 2015 01:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,364
SYS-CON Events announced today Arista Networks will exhibit at SYS-CON's DevOps Summit 2015 New York, which will take place June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Arista Networks was founded to deliver software-driven cloud networking solutions for large data center and computing environments. Arista's award-winning 10/40/100GbE switches redefine scalability, robustness, and price-performance, with over 3,000 customers and more than three million cloud networking ports depl...
Mar. 29, 2015 12:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,412
Hosted PaaS providers have given independent developers and startups huge advantages in efficiency and reduced time-to-market over their more process-bound counterparts in enterprises. Software frameworks are now available that allow enterprise IT departments to provide these same advantages for developers in their own organization. In his workshop session at DevOps Summit, Troy Topnik, ActiveState's Technical Product Manager, will show how on-prem or cloud-hosted Private PaaS can enable organ...
Mar. 29, 2015 12:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,205
The world's leading Cloud event, Cloud Expo has launched Microservices Journal on the SYS-CON.com portal, featuring over 19,000 original articles, news stories, features, and blog entries. DevOps Journal is focused on this critical enterprise IT topic in the world of cloud computing. Microservices Journal offers top articles, news stories, and blog posts from the world's well-known experts and guarantees better exposure for its authors than any other publication. Follow new article posts on T...
Mar. 29, 2015 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,432
Plutora provides enterprise release management and test environment SaaS solutions to clients in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Leading companies across a variety of industries, including financial services, telecommunications, retail, pharmaceutical and media, rely on Plutora's SaaS solutions to orchestrate releases and environments faster and with integrity. Products include Plutora Release Manager, Plutora Test Environment Manager and Plutora Deployment Manager.
Mar. 29, 2015 11:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,578
SYS-CON Events announced today that SafeLogic has been named "Bag Sponsor" of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo® New York, which will take place June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. SafeLogic provides security products for applications in mobile and server/appliance environments. SafeLogic's flagship product CryptoComply is a FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic engine designed to secure data on servers, workstations, appliances, mobile devices, and in the Cloud....
Mar. 29, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,403
SYS-CON Events announced today the IoT Bootcamp – Jumpstart Your IoT Strategy, being held June 9–10, 2015, in conjunction with 16th Cloud Expo and Internet of @ThingsExpo at the Javits Center in New York City. This is your chance to jumpstart your IoT strategy. Combined with real-world scenarios and use cases, the IoT Bootcamp is not just based on presentations but includes hands-on demos and walkthroughs. We will introduce you to a variety of Do-It-Yourself IoT platforms including Arduino, Ras...
Mar. 29, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,082
Modern Systems announced completion of a successful project with its new Rapid Program Modernization (eavRPMa"c) software. The eavRPMa"c technology architecturally transforms legacy applications, enabling faster feature development and reducing time-to-market for critical software updates. Working with Modern Systems, the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) leveraged eavRPMa"c to transform its Student Information System from Software AG's Natural syntax to a modern application lev...
Mar. 29, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 981
When it comes to building applications, one database definitely does not fit all. Traditional SQL databases are great for storing highly structured, normalized data and performing analytics and reporting. NoSQL has attracted developers with its awesome flexibility, and JSON-centric document stores like Cloudant make web developers incredibly productive by offering a JavaScript environment from end-to-end. Recent Big Data challenges have driven the need for a distributed approach to analytics e...
Mar. 29, 2015 10:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,481
SYS-CON Events announced today that the DevOps Institute has been named "Association Sponsor" of SYS-CON's DevOps Summit, which will take place on June 9–11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. The DevOps Institute provides enterprise level training and certification. Working with thought leaders from the DevOps community, the IT Service Management field and the IT training market, the DevOps Institute is setting the standard in quality for DevOps education and training.
Mar. 29, 2015 10:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,069


text:
this is naturally vibrant red with purple/blue tips
brianrodney, Aoife city womanchile, and 9 other people added this photo to their favorites.
your flower set is absolutely magnificent. I love how the colors flow into each other when you look at them all layed out.
well done
oh, and this particular shot is outstanding
thank you chalkstar for taking the time to look at the flower set :)
I personally think this red bromeliad is under appreciated. It only looks like this for a short period of time, less than a week I think
ive never seen one. magic.
LOOKS like there is a light inside it!!!
I have them surrounding my tree in my backyard. They are so beautiful, they have multiplied so much I must have 100 under the tree. They only bloom once a year and this is the week. Do you know their exact name? I want to see how I can make them bloom more than once a year.


text:
Annual Corn Show begins in Little Rock
LITTLE ROCK, Iowa -- The community of Little Rock is celebrating its 62nd annual Corn Show as well as its quasquicentennial -- 125th anniversary of its founding -- with activities that continue through this weekend. This year's Corn Show theme is "All American Town."
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HotFootballTickets Coupons & Promo Codes
2 verified offers in May, 2014
Check out our 2 HotFootballTickets promos including 2 sales. Latest offer: 'Check Out the Latest Game at HotFootballTickets for Ticket Reservation' The last time an offer was used was March 27, 2015.
Check Out the Latest Game at HotFootballTickets for Ticket Reservation
Ends 5/31/2015
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Ends 5/31/2015
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Check Out Exclusive Discount on all Real Madrid games
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Hands Hold Natural Silk Yarn And The Turmeric Root Used As Yellow Dye Stock PhotoDye,Silk,Tattoo,Turmeric,Africa,Agriculture,Ball Of Wool,Close-up,Color Image,Cultures,Holding,Horizontal,Human Body Part,Human Hand,Madagascar,Medium Group of Objects,One Person,Part Of,People,Photography,Tan,Thread,Tradition,YellowPhotographer David EvansCollection: National Geographic Sandrandahy, Madagascar.


text:
FNMAS is being heavily manipulated and accumulated imo. There ZERO reason for it be trading lower than FNMAT. Both are $25 coupons if Fannie is left intact. They are equal to other preferred's and rank ahead of commons in liquidation.
Thursday I had bids 2-3 cents above the "ask" and they weren't filling. My broker never misses a beat and for 20 years has been INSTANT on bids at the "ask". That leads me to believe there was a line covering and accumulating.
Sentiment: Hold
- Market Talk
"Serious delinquencies (at least 3 payments behind) in Freddie's (FMCC) single-family mortgage portfolio fell below 2% for the first time in 6 years in August, just-released data show, as it and sibling Fannie (FNMA) continue to see their holdings' credit quality improve. The rate fell to 1.98% from 2.02% in July and 2.64% in August 2013 after peaking after the financial crisis above 4%. Delinquencies topped 5% at FNMA, and its drop has been even starker as it too fell below 2% for August at 1.99%, the mortgage financier said earlier this week. Amid the falling delinquencies, the firms have been able to send billions of dollars a quarter of late to the federal government ."
Harder and harder to justify winding anything down with ever improving numbers.


text:
The specification describes a pattern transfer technique for forming patterns of thin films of high resolution over large areas. It involves forming a pattern layer on a transfer substrate, patterning the pattern layer while on the transfer substrate, then contacting the transfer substrate with the receiving substrate. The surface of the receiving substrate is treated to activate the surface thereby improving adhesion of the transfer pattern to the receiving substrate. The activation treatment involves forming a layer of metal particles on the surface of the receiving substrate. The pattern layer is preferably of the same metal, or a similar metal or alloy, and is transferred from the transfer substrate to the receiving substrate by metallurgical bonding.
The method of the invention is particularly useful for printing metal conductor patterns (metalization), and device features, on flexible polymer substrates in, for example, thin film transistor (TFT) technology.
1. A method for forming a thin film metal pattern on a polymer substrate by transferring the metal pattern from a transfer body to the polymer substrate the method comprising:
forming the metal pattern on the transfer body,
forming a liquid dispersion of particles bonded to the substrate,
the particles capable of chemically bonding to the metal pattern,
pressing the transfer body and the substrate together,
removing the transfer body from the substrate leaving the metal pattern chemically bonded to the substrate.
2. The method of
3. The method of
4. The method of
5. The method of
6. The method of
7. The method of
chemically bonding the particles to a surface of the polymer substrate.
8. The method of
9. The method of
10. The method of
11. The method of
12. The method of
13. The method of
14. The method of
15. The method of
16. The method of
17. The method of
18. The method of
19. The method of
This invention relates to patterning of metal films, and more particularly to patterning of metal films using surface chemistry mediated transfer processes.
Established fine line lithographic methods (e.g., electron-beam lithography, deep ultraviolet photolithography, etc.) are widely used for patterning metal layers. These processes are mainly subtractive processes. The importance of nanofabrication in a wide range of technologies has created substantial interest in additive techniques, such as those based on forms of contact printing, molding, embossing, and writing. Additive patterning methods are inherently simpler than substractive techniques and the consequent potential cost benefit makes them especially attractive in the manufacture of microelectronic devices.
Recent research demonstrates that additive techniques can produce pattern resolution in the micron and nanometer regime. That makes them especially promising for forming fine metalization patterns, and small electrical circuit features, in microeletronics. Efforts to apply these techniques to the manufacture of thin film transistor (TFT) devices is a special priority.
The invention is an additive printing method that has fine resolution. It involves forming a pattern layer on a transfer substrate, patterning the pattern layer while on the transfer substrate, then contacting the transfer substrate with the receiving substrate. The term receiving substrate is intended to mean the substrate or body where the final pattern is intended, and is typically a polymer. In one embodiment, the transfer substrate is rigid, and the receiving substrate is flexible. The receiving substrate is treated to form a metallurgical bonding layer chemically bonded to its surface. The metallurgical bonding layer comprises small particles of metal. The pattern layer is preferably of the same metal, or a similar metal or alloy, and is transferred from the transfer substrate to the receiving substrate by metallurgical bonding.
The method of the invention is particularly useful for printing metal conductor patterns (metalization) and device features on flexible polymer substrates in TFT technology.
FIGS. 1-12 are schematic representations of process steps useful for forming thin patterned metal layers using the method of the invention;
FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate a lamination process using substrates formed by the method of the invention.
For illustration, the method will be described in the context of manufacture of plastic electronic systems by fabricating drain and source electrodes and appropriate interconnects for high performance n- and p-channel organic transistors and complementary inverter circuits. The receiving substrate in this case is flexible, and preferably of a conformal elastomer material. In the illustration, the transfer substrate is rigid. Rigid transfer substrates are preferred because they facilitate formation of fine, dimensionally stable, patterns using existing well-developed patterning techniques. Alternatively, the transfer substrate may be flexible, or semi-rigid. It should be understood that the invention applies to these permutations: 1. a flexible transfer substrate with a rigid receiving substrate, 2. a flexible transfer substrate with a flexible receiving substrate, 3. a rigid transfer substrate with a flexible receiving substrate, and 4. a rigid transfer substrate with a rigid receiving substrate. For the manufacture of flexible TFT assemblies, to be described in more detail below, the combinations 2. and 3. are preferred.
Typical steps of the transfer printing method will be described with the aid of FIGS. 1-12.
FIG. 1 shows the objective of this example. Flexible polymer substrate 11 is shown with source and drain electrodes, 12 and 13, formed on the surface of the substrate by transfer printing. These electrodes are shown by way of example. Other TFT features can be produced by the method of the invention, or other metallized patterns useful in a wide range of applications, as described earlier. FIG. 1, and subsequent figures, show a view with only source and drain contacts. It will be understood that suitable metalization interconnecting the source and drain is provided. Typically the interconnections will be part of the same metal pattern as that shown.
The transfer substrate is formed by depositing a metal layer on the surface of the transfer substrate. With reference to FIG. 2, the transfer substrate is shown at 15 and the metal transfer layer at 16. The material of the rigid substrate 15 may be selected from a wide variety of compositions. Suitable substrates are ceramic, such as alumina, berlylia, barium titanate, semiconductors, such as silicon, gallium arsenide, or refractory oxides or nitrides, such as silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, tantalum oxide, tantalum nitride, silicon nitride. Also suitable are oxide layers or nitride layers on metals or semiconductors, for example, SiO2 on Si. The transfer layer is preferably a metal such as Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Co, Ni, Al, Ti, Ta. The substrate materials should be chosen to have relatively poor adhesion with these metals. Therefore the transfer substrate and the transfer layer are preferably not the same material. In some cases it may be desirable to pre-treat the substrate 15, prior to depositing metal layer 16, to alter the adhesion characteristics at the interface. This is represented in FIG. 2 by dashed line 17. A variety of coatings may be applied to this surface to reduce adhesion of the metal layer to the substrate. A suitable class of materials are fluorocarbons. An example is Teflon or monolayer contains fluorinated surface.
The thickness of the metal transfer layer is chosen to be the thickness of the pattern desired on the receiving substrate. Thus in the case of the example of FIG. 1, the thickness of layer 22 (FIG. 2) may be in the range 0.02-100 microns. In TFT technology, the metal patterns are typically in the range 0.05 to 2 microns in thickness, and for flexible TFT applications, less than 1 micron is preferred.
It should be understood that the elements shown in the figures are not to scale. The thickness of the transfer layer and other elements in these figures is shown exaggerated for clarity. These layers are thin films, as evident from the overall description, that do not interfere with effective lamination of substrates together as will described.
The metal layer 16 is then patterned to form the metal pattern desired on the receiving substrate. An advantage of having a rigid substrate or substrate layer at this point is that it is dimensionally stable and can be patterned with high precision using standard patterning techniques, for example lithography. Electron beam lithography, x-ray lithography or photolithography may be used.
The pattern is typically characterized by features in the range 0.05-100 μm, in fine patterns below 20 microns, and edge resolution of better than 100 nm., in fine patterns, edge resolution better than 150 angstroms.
For illustration, FIG. 3 shows a photoresist layer 18 spun coated on the surface of metal layer 16. The photoresist is patterned and developed using conventional methods to produce mask features 21 and 22 shown in FIG. 4 corresponding, in this example, to the source and drain contacts. The exposed portions of the metal layer are etched away using conventional etch methods, wet or dry, to produce the structure shown in FIG. 5, where metal features 23 and 24 are supported by, and loosely adherent to, transfer substrate 15.
The transfer substrate may be provided with a raised pattern, i.e. embossed, in the manner described in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/098,201, filed Mar. 15, 2002, which application is incorporated herein by reference.
The flexible receiving substrate will usually be a polymer, and preferably is an elastomer. An example is poly(dimethysiloxane) (PDMS). For more details on suitable materials useful in this invention and their properties reference is made to co-pending application Ser. No. 10,098,202 filed Mar. 15, 2002, which application is incorporated herein by reference.
The substrate is shown here as a single layer of elastomer. For handling, and for added rigidity that may be desired for handling, the elastomer body may be attached to a flexible polymer substrate such as of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). A suitable range for the overall thickness of the elastomer layer is 0.5 to 100 microns. The backing layer, e.g., PET, may have a thickness in the range 50-500 microns.
As mentioned above, an aspect of the invention is to provide a metal coating 16 that adheres only moderately to the surface of the transfer substrate 15, so that it adheres during handling, but is easily released later on. One such coating is gold, which adheres poorly to, for example, GaAs or glass. Accordingly, gold is preferred as the metal being transferred. However as mentioned earlier, with appropriate selection of materials, and/or treatment of the transfer substrate surface, a variety of other materials may be used. Composite layers may also be used. The material that contacts the transfer substrate, referred to in this context as the primary layer, preferably has relatively low affinity for the substrate material. A second layer may coat the primary layer. The second layer preferably has relatively high affinity for the material of the receiving substrate. Alternatively, a composite layer may comprise a primary coating of a material with high affinity for the material of the transfer substrate, and lower affinity for the material of the second layer of the composite. In this case the primary layer is not transferred to the receiving substrate.
One of the problems in implementing transfer of metal patterns in the manner just described is that several metals that are desirable for conductor patterns have poor adhesion to many polymer materials. For example, gold adheres relatively poorly to elastomer materials such as PDMS. To overcome that, according to one aspect of the invention, the surface of the polymer is treated to disperse small particles of metal on the polymer surface. Prior to depositing the particles, the surface of the polymer is activated so that, when applied, the particles bond to the polymer surface by a chemical reaction. Activation in this context means forming surface reactants that will produce a chemical bond by a chemical reaction with surface species on the particles.
The surface treatment is represented in FIG. 6, where the polymer substrate 31 has a layer sparse dispersion of small gold particles 37 that enables a metallurgical bonding layer. The dispersion is sparse so that the particles do not form a continuous mono- or multi-layer that would be capable of carrying electric currents between different points on the surface of substrate 33. The term metallurgical bonding in this context means the joining of two metal objects, i.e. a metal particle and a metal layer.
The surface treatment involves activating the surface of the polymer substrate 31. This may be achieved, for example, by treating the polymer in a basic solution of 20% KOH in water at 80� C. for 1 minute. This results in the formation of hydroxyl (�OH) groups on the surface as shown in FIG. 7. Various options are known by those skilled in the art for achieving the same result. For example, treatment in an oxygen plasma, with subsequent exposure to air, is suitable for activation.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, the surface of polymer substrate 31 is then treated with a molecular unit having at least one thiol moiety to form thiol groups on the substrate surface. A preferred choice for the molecular unit is a mercaptosilane. For simplicity, this figure shows simple mercaptosilane as the molecular unit to illustrate the basic chemistry desired. However, in one embodiment used to demonstrate the invention the mercaptosilane was mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane (1% in absolute ethanol at reflux, 10 min).
The particles 37 are preferably in a colloidal suspension. Average particle diameter of the particles in colloidal suspension is less than 1 micron, and preferably less than 100 nm. The colloidal treatment used in the example was 200 min. immersion of the substrate in a colloidal suspension of 6 nm diameter gold particles in water. This binds the particles 37 to the substrate 31 with sulfur-gold bonds as illustrated schematically in FIG. 9. The dispersion of gold particles 37 on the surface has an average inter-particle spacing of at least half the average particle diameter of the particles so that, on average, the particles do not touch and do not create current paths on the substrate surface.
The substrate 31, with the metallurgical bonding dispersion comprising gold particles 37, is then pressed against the transfer substrate 15 as shown in FIG. 10. Contact may be accompanied by 1 to 103 psi pressure. The particles 37 that comprise the metallurgical bonding layer bond the polymer substrate 31 to the gold transfer pattern 23, 24, forming a metallurgical bond between the transfer pattern and the bonding dispersion of gold particles. This is represented schematically in FIG. 11 where the particles 37 are contained in the bonding dispersion 37 a. Lifting the polymer substrate 31, as illustrated in FIG. 12, completes transfer of the pattern from the transfer substrate 15 to the receiving substrate 31.
The conformal substrate, 31 in FIG. 12, is adapted for use in a TFT laminated plastic circuit. For this application, substrate 31 may consist of a thin film of PDMS (10-50 μm thick) cast on 6 sheets of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET; 175 μm thick). See application Ser. No. (Bao 26-1-37) referenced earlier. To demonstrate this, features of Au on PDMS/PET were formed in the geometry of the drain and source level of TFT transistors in the manner described above. A TFT device may be fabricated by laminating the substrate 31 against a similar substrate (PDMS/PET) that contains the remaining elements of the TFT, i.e. the gate structure and the semiconductor layer. Other active circuit components may be formed between the plies of the laminate in a similar manner.
FIG. 13 illustrates the laminating operation. Substrate 41 supports the gate structure of the TFT, shown generally at 42. The gate structure includes the metal gate electrode 43, the gate dielectric 44, and a semiconductor layer 45. These elements are well known and need not be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 14, the two substrates 31 and 41 are laminated together by moderate pressure as described in more detail in the application referenced above. Initiating contact at an edge by slightly bending one of the substrates, and then allowing contact to proceed gradually across the circuit provides a convenient way to laminate over large areas without creating trapped air pockets.
A useful aspect of this lamination process is that the top substrate establishes conformal, atomic-scale contact with the bottom substrate over most of the interface, except for the actual relief features of the TFT elements. A layer of PDMS elastomer on the surface of either or both of substrates 31 and 41 acts as the solid adhesive polymer layer in this process. It �wets� the mating substrate to enable intimate contact without the use of external pressure to force the two parts together. The lamination step also produces the circuit and simultaneously embeds it between the two sheets of PET without the use of conventional adhesives, and without the use of high temperatures.
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the layer of metal particles, if continuous and sufficiently thick, would form a conductive sheet over the entire surface and short elements of the metal pattern together. In practice, it is relatively easy to apply the layer of colloidal particles to avoid this. The density of particles is typically too small to provide an electrical path over the surface. Such a layer is defined in this context as not continuous electrically.
While the transfer technique of the invention is particularly suited for the manufacture of TFT devices, a wide variety of microdevices may be produced using these transfer techniques. For example, capacitors, inductors, LC circuits, and any kind of device using metalization patterns for interconnection, may take advantage of the invention.
The foregoing description focuses on printed elemental metal patterns. Patterns of metal alloys may also be printed using the techniques of the invention. Alloy metal layers may be produced by a variety of techniques such as co-sputtering or co-evaporation.
Various additional modifications of this invention will occur to those skilled in the art. All deviations from the specific teachings of this specification that basically rely on the principles and their equivalents through which the art has been advanced are properly considered within the scope of the invention as described and claimed.
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When design clashes with electrical code . . . WWYD?
So, kitchen is now down to 2x4s and a little drywall. New cabs arrive Monday-ish. My contractor's crew has measured them out against the drywall and come up with an electrical issue. The KD's plan places a small china cabinet left of sink. (See drawing.) The run of countertop between sink and the cab is just enough that code will require an outlet. But the window is framed with four 2x4s -- yes, count 'em -- four. Why? No one seems sure. This was not seen until post-demo. So there really is not room for an outlet face plate on the left side. Just the outlet will fit. Barely. So . . .
Option #1 is to wedge in the outlet, but rip down the faceplate on the china side. The faceplate will be tucked up against the china, and the rough edge will be a little hidden by the applied side panel. But still . . . it will look crammed in and cut down.
Option #2 is to cut into the side of the china cabinet and fit the outlet into the side of it, instead of in the backsplash. This will meet code. We will have to cut into the cabinet and the applied panel, and build a box on the inside of the cabinet to hold the wiring. This will require the 2 small drawers to be cut down in the back as well. So I'll lose a little drawer space.
Option #3, the electrician's plan, was to shave into the right 2x4 with a sawz-all and fit the box into it, but KC says that won't get past our city's very anal inspectors, and they will consider it structurally compromising. So nix that.
Option #4 is to go forward with Option #1. Get past the inspector. Then after inspection is complete, have my brother in law remove the outlet, cap the wires, and have the backsplash tile guy come back and set a full piece of tile over the hole. This does not bother me ethically. I do not want or need the outlet there. If we ever sold the house, I would reinstall the outlet, having salvaged the old tile.
So what would you do? My faceplates are decor plates in a shade of dark almond that very, very closely matches the Rixi dore field tile. Is this the sort of outlet that only I will see? If I want to go with Option #2, I have to decide no later than tomorrow.
Interestingly, the one option that I would have liked -- to put the outlet inside the china cab -- will not meet code. Sigh.
On the other hand, this is (so far) the worst issue we've run into. The plumbing roughed in easily, and the electrical is almost done. All smoothly. Any advice from the experts?
Can you put the outlet below the window?
It's hard to imagine that the four 2x4's around the window can't be cut down. Since you're down to studs anyway, can't you cut out for the outlet box, and frame above and below it? That would seem to be simplest way to meet the code requirement. I'd hate to cut into the china cabinet.
I would go for the electrician's idea. If there are 4 2x4's, only two are needed for structural purposes (most likely). Often extra wood will be added in a window opening to fill space when the window was installed if it wasn't sized perfectly to the opening.
Cutting into the 2x4 would be my preference but the KC will not do it. He says the inspector will call him on it, and he won't take responsibility.
The idea of mounting the outlet sideways behind the sink and under the window was mentioned. Somehow the idea of one outlet mounted sideways when all the others are right side up bothered me. Not sure.
Option #2. If you use a shallow work box, you can put it in the china section and a plate will hide it, or you could use a skin and panel around it so that it disappears from view. Or, if you did it horizontal, one drawer would need to be notched, but that's not a big deal at all. Get one of the paintable outlet covers and order a bit of your cabinet paint and the outlet will completely disappear.
Or, challenge your inspector. The code reads that any counter section longer than 12" must have an outlet. Behind the sink doesn't count, and that doesn't look like 12" to me.
Having an outlet in the cabinet side wouldn't bother me, but if you really don't want or need it there ... can you do option #2, but put the outlet in the cupboard section, instead of the drawer section, and use a 'sacrificial' fake cabinet skin (cheap beadboard or a scrap of something). After the inspection, remove the outlet as you planned in option #4, remove the fake skin, then install/reinstall the real cabinet panel?
Does your local code allow a popup electrical socket, per NEC 2011?
Eclectic Kitchen by Mountain View General Contractor Harrell Remodeling
The space is 15" from sink edge to cupboard edge, sadly. Now I'm wishing I'd ordered a bigger sink! Ha.
I did consider ordering an extra applied panel for the right side of the china, and patching the inside of the cab after the electrical box came out. But I think, honestly, that a tile patch will be cheaper. If I go with that option, I will have the tile guy cut tile to fit both scenarios when he comes the first time. Then he won't have to drag out all his equipment to chisel out the cut tile and apply the solid tile. Or -- remarkable thought -- I might be able to do it myself. I once tiled and grouted my own kitchen floor and countertop back when that sort of thing was popular and my knees weren't arthritic.
And -- yes, it is always a possibility -- that the outlet won't look as crappy as I think. I guess I could put a vase in that corner and keep it filled with eucalyptus or gladioli.
Ya know, I'm normally very pro-inspection, and I think these laws pertaining to building code really do matter. I don't even run yellow lights, for heaven's sake. But in a case like this, a reasonable homeowner ought to get a little leeway.
"If you use a shallow work box"
You will likely exceed box fill limits.
If only two studs are required, pull out the extras.
Make SURE they are extra and not part of a local requirement.
Minimum box fill is 2 for receptacle, + 1 for grounds + 1 for hot + 1 for neutral = 5 #12 wires and you need to use a separate outside cable clamp.
Inside cable clamps = +1
This post was edited by brickeyee on Wed, May 1, 13 at 13:43
Would using Silllites provide any help? I've seen others use them in islands or window trim. It's a single round socket which is installed in a minimal depth of wood. I plan to use these for my island, and possibly the window if required by code (due to enlarged counter-height window).
It may not help in your situation however.
This post was edited by seosmp on Wed, May 1, 13 at 14:43
Can you place the outlet below the sink, on the back of the sink cupboard wall? That's how it was done in my current house to meet local inspector's code; don't know if this is universally applicable. (It's a quad outlet so there are still 3 open receptacle slots after garbage disposal is plugged in.)
I used sillites and checked with my municipality's electrical inspector beforehand to make sure my applications followed code.
One I set into the end of a stud wall behind my fridge to avoid placing it smack dab in the middle of my peninsula's end panel, ugly for the whole world to see. (It still needed a longer screw to pull it tightly in when I took this pic.)
I used another at the back of my island to satisfy code for outlets on both sides of my island's prep sink.
The footprint is much smaller than a duplex outlet, and works well for when code dictates an outlet but you don't want to use a large, duplex outlet for aesthetic reasons. Code can be so frustrating sometimes!
Circuspeanut, I asked that but they said no. I was agreeable to have one inside the cab, even, but they said no.
Breezy, those look amazing! I am going to put one in my prep island instead of a duplex.
I wonder, honestly, that people don't use them more in backspashes. I use only about 25% of the outlets I have now. If I had just one little circle every few feet, and the GFIs interspersed appropriately, I would be a happy camper and just slap the painted covers on until needed.
Well, sillites aren't cheap, and folks are used to the traditional duplex.
Another electrical tip from an "I hate electrical code" person. Put your GFI outlets upstream of your backsplash outlets so you don't have to install those ugly monsters so visibly. I hid mine in my pantry. They meet code for protecting the rest of the kitchen and are invisible. Granted, I didn't need two GFI duplexes in my pantry, but it was a small price to pay, IMHO.
I'd apply for a variance on the grounds of the 4 2x4s.
Just because they are anal about procedures doesn't mean they won't grant a variance--it usually just means that they need the application in triplicate and a good reason (which you have).
Or if it's not too late, I'd make the china cabinet just enough wider that the counter run wasn't enough to require an outlet.
I was just watching an episode of This Old House online, and saw an idea that you might be able to use.
Here is a link that might be useful: look at 5:45


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methley plums
Is methley plum trees easy to care for? Are these plum very sweet
They are very sweet here. Sweet as any J. plum if thinned... and thinned and thinned again. But they are the most susceptible variety I grow to black knot. In areas where black knot is a big issue expect to have to cut it out of a Methely regularly and if the tree is in a spot with poor eastern exposure it may kill the tree in time.
In Portland I'd expect Euros to do better and be sweeter. My sister in coastal N. CA can't get the sugar up on her Satsuma- they are much sweeter here in S E NY state. Every J. plum I grow gets as sweet as I'd want them to be.
Here I'd describe the Euros as more syrupy as J. plums are wetter. Both are irreplaceable in their own ways but Methely is useful, more than anything else, for its very early fruit.
J plums have fewer pest problems than Euros here because Euros can defoliate from leaf hoppers and suffer from aphids. The fruit is also somewhat harder to protect. South of here it apparently gets much harder and many grow J. plums but not European varieties finding them too difficult in the humid heat there.
That is strange- I'd like to hear from other growers in your area to be sure it is not your site. Also, what varieties are you comparing it to? It is not the highest quality plum as a general rule but is better at some sites than others. My clients usually love them. I don't eat many and much prefer Earli-Majic, which begins ripening just a few days later.
Do other varieties get more black knot there than Methely? Maybe there aren't a lot of native cherries and high disease pressure. Here there is innoculum in the wind everywhere with infected natives in most every hedgerow. Growing plums here means the added maintenance procedure of cutting out black knot every couple of months and there is consistently twice as much work to do on the Methelys.
I've never had black knot, or any other disease on any of the 7 different varieties that I grow; and the only thing that I spray for is plum curculio and borers. I stick to varieties that are adapted to my area, and stay away from the rest. You grow a lot of varieties that I can't grow. We can't grow cherries here, and if that's what enhances black knot, then maybe that might be why you have it and I don't. Methley is still a very bland tasting plum here. My nephew just took his out, and I'm going to do the same with mine.
No it isn't the cherries we grow for fruit that is the problem, it is choke cherries that are indiginous to the area and there is no affective spray regimen to control it. Not surprised to have a pest you don't face.
What varieties of plums do you grow? I'm surprised you haven't had to deal with brown rot on any of them.
We do have choke cherries, but have never equated them with black knot. I grow a number of the AU varieties, Rubrum, Rosa, Producer, Roadside, Methley, Santa Rosa, Ozark Premier.
I might get several plums with brown rot, but not enough to require spraying for. Rubrum was my biggest producer thiis year with over 140 lbs. from one tree and I had only a handful with brown rot
I bought mine from Cumberland Valley and have never gotten a mislabeled tree from them. It is a widely sold plum, but most nurseries describe it as mild tasting, and for the ones I've eaten, that's a correct description. It may be sweeter in cooler climates, but not here.
I do prefer the Santa Rosa over Methley but not by a lot. There may be a common parent in there breeding. The Santa Rosa is a very shy bearer here but the Methley is very productive. No problems with black knot so far. I prefer the Superior over most all J types.
I'm surprised Santa Rosa will survive in any zone colder than straight 5. I get a lot of cold related cambium damage on it here on trees in the nursery. Just a few stone throws south I don't see this.
How long have you been growing it? Trees take a lot longer than Methely to become productive- I used to think it was a shy barer also.
Hman I planted 10 Santa rosas in 2006. only 2 made it past 2009 with a low temp 0f -30. those 2 laughed at -22 for 4 days last winter and gave me baskets of good plums. Why the other 8 died is a guess. they were planted in 1 row,row was mounded ,trees that lived were #2 and #7, I filled in with peach and metyley and they are doing well. If I had only planted the 8 that died I would be positive santa wouldn't grow here. Last year I did harvest a nice young buck rubbing velvet off on #2.
The best of the AU plums is Rubrum. It's a strong grower and heavy producer of large sweet plums. It's also a good pollinator for the other plums. Producer, unlike its name, does not produce a lot of plums, and the plums are tarter than Santa Rosa. Roadside, which is supposed to be self fruitful, sets very little fruit. Mine blooms profusely and also has Methley next to it. They both bloom at the same time, so you would expect heavy production. Although the plums are very sweet, I only get a handful. Rosa has been the weakest grower of the lot for me, and as you would expect, the weakest producer. The plums are average in flavor.
If you like sweet plums, I'd get Rubrum, and I'd plant Santa Rosa(SWEET TART) next to it for extra pollination.
If you like very tart plums, then get producer.
Rave, winter hardiness is always somewhat mysterious- the soil might have been wetter in part of the row- or some other difficult to gauge difference.
In Z4 or even close to 5 a test winter can reach -30 and that would be a real test for any J. plum. But there are lots of variables, I've had serious damage to SR at probably -15. It depends also on when the cold comes. Trees that can take -20 in Jan are sometimes killed by 0 in March.
Yep... Methley are mostly worthless here - especially if you let them ripen good... Bland, mushy, not real sweet... Brown rot magnets too...
The only situation where they are somewhat worthwhile....
Before anything else comes ripe..
Throw away all fruit that ripens for the first 2 weeks...
Then... pick them just as they ripen while still tart and they are decent...
Ray thanks for that report on your AU plums. I have Producer and Roadside but no fruit yet. I have heard few really positive reports on any of them as far as flavor goes, but yours is the first report on Rubrum I recall hearing. Overall I have been finding some of the California Japanese plums in fact do great so am going more in that direction. Santa Rosa, Satsuma, Mariposa, and Laroda are all looking good for me. Many of them don't work so well, its hit and miss but the hits are really good.
Scott, The only AU plum that I'm keeping is Rubrum. It's been a real winner for me. The rest are being replaced by 2 pluots, Flavor Grenade and Flavor Queen, and plumcot, Spring Satin. I don't know how well the pluots will do, but I have big hopes for Spring Satin. I've looked at the Califonia plums, especially Mariposa. I know you're more into tart plums than I am. I'm very curious as to how Mariposa tastes.
bberry, how long did it take for your Methley's to start producing? I planted a 2-ft bare-root Methley from Burnt Ridge Nursery in 2010, and it's now well over 12 ft tall but has yet to bear fruit. The Toka I planted next to it in 2012 as a 2-ft twig already bore 3 plums this summer!
I've seen only minor tip dieback so far despite -20F winters, and have only found 2-3 branches with black knot since it was planted. Love the tree, just getting impatient wanting fruit!


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view larger please to see details
that's the perfect exemple that if we don't take the time to look carefully around us when we take pictures, we miss a lot of cool things! that's the advantage to be a macro photographer. with years, my eyes are more sensitive to small and hidden things around. I'm spoiled by life sometimes ;)
Botanical Garden of Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Canon 450D, 100mm macro
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Fantastic!!! xxx
cool huh? thanks a lot ;)
– Manon Boily
Great capture Manon!
thank you so much Istvan ;)
– Manon Boily
This is one of your best works Manon…spot on focus..great lighting..they look like creatures from the Alien movie…We should be happy that they are so very small…T
you are very sweet Thomas and you are right… we're lucky they are not bigger than that. thanks for the fav ;)
– Manon Boily
Love the green tomatoes!! This is a great capture with your precision eyes, which are amazing. Please enter this in this group, Globes, Spheres,….
that's a nice comment Joe. I entered the group. thanks a lot dear ;)
– Manon Boily
They sure seem to be enjoying themselves,,,,notice when looking at this photo how up close you have great clarity and detail of colors, then as you look on into the image it starts to fade deep into the background an that is when it becomes three dimensional art. You were able to capture that inner space in this photo,,,, Rick
thank you so much for that lovely comment. always so appreciated ;)
– Manon Boily
fabulous capture, excellent detail, looks like they are enjoying themselves too :-)
oh yes! but I took only few pics and the separated. thanks a lot elfie ;)
– Manon Boily
This is great ~ they are fascinating to watch aren't they ?
you are so right! thanks a lot Renee ;)
– Manon Boily
Bloody awesome Manon, love it
you are so nice! thanks for the fav and also on Facebook xx
– Manon Boily
Fantastic shot Manon!
you know what? I imagine one of your work with my picture. should be so cool! thanks a lot ;)
– Manon Boily
Fantastic capture Manon.
thank you Toni ;)
– Manon Boily


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"Across the 44 countries surveyed, a median percentage of 43% have unfavorable opinions of Russia, compared with 34% who are positive. Negative ratings of Russia have increased significantly since 2013 in 20 of the 36 countries surveyed…
Americans and Europeans in particular have soured on Russia over the past 12 months. More than six-in-ten in Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, the U.S. and the UK have an unfavorable image of Russia. And in all but one of these countries negative reviews are up by double digits since last year, including by 29 percentage points in the U.S., 27 points in Poland, 24 points in the UK and 23 points in Spain." (Russia's Global Image Negative amid Crisis in Ukraine: Americans' and Europeans' Views Sour Dramatically, PEW Research)
"My brother's blood is crying from the grave
but you can't hear the voice
I stand in jeopardy every hour,
Wonderin' what reason you have to rejoice.
EU ministers in Brussels balked at imposing a fourth round of sanctions earlier this week, showing a growing division over the policy among European governments.Add a comment Add a comment Read more: US Bill Promises to Stoke Ukraine Conflict, Even As EU Moves to Deescalate


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"I think there's going to be a lot of maple syrup in Vancouver. Look at where we were in 2003, 2004 and 2005, and look at where we are right now. If we keep improving like that over the next four years, it's got medal written all over it."
Related quotes
"Every week, we were off to a different destination. You could have Maine blueberries and Vermont maple syrup in a New England-themed salad one week, or a Dublin Coddle soup the next."
"It's unfortunate for the state of Vermont and particularly the syrup industry because you're eliminating the word Vermont on maple syrup on our product and all over the United States. Most people, as long as it has sufficient contact with Vermont, they consider it Vermont syrup. They don't care where the tree is."
"Everybody has their secret blends. For a while there was one called I-Hop because of the syrup and sugar that went into it. Making blends becomes a scientific thing, kind of like hi-tech fishing."


text:
Beasts Captured
Share your intuitive photographs of the creatures you come across.
"Blackbird singing in the dead of night Take these broken wings and learn to fly All your life You were only waiting for this moment to arise" -
But I Keep Cruising...
"...can't stop, won't stop moving..." - Taylor Swift, "Shake It Off". Hi all, it's been more than a while, I guess and I'm sorry I disappeared, I've
silhouette of cows
Just a shot between rain and snow storms today.
Spread Those Wings
Caught this guy right after a rain storm.
13th July 2013
Some pretty swans and their cygnets. One of the baby swans seemed injured; its foot was high above the water resting on its back (you
Don't be afraid, really!
Picture taken at the Cotswold Wildlife Park. I'm glad there was a thick piece of glass between us. When these guys roar, you can hear
Green Eggs and Ham2
Here's the baby bird I mentioned in the previous "Green Eggs and Ham" post :3
Green Eggs and Ham
Went out in the boat to an abandoned island around West Wymms in Scotland. It was covered in dead birds and broken eggs, but there
just another Canadian goose


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- TRRT April 1-7 | Online Edition
- Guest Commentary: the Rockford Apartment Association
- State Roundup: NIU employee improperly reimbursed $30K
- State Roundup: Governor signs budget fix bills
- Rauner, Democratic leaders shake hands and make law
- State roundup: National guardsman and cousin arrested in terror plot
- Lawmaker says license plate readers a privacy threat
- Bryant not the first to feel impact of free agency rules
- State Roundup: Parents' group calls for standardized test opt-out bill
- Hononegah Mack: 'The best woman in the county'
SwedishAmerican to hold tree dedication ceremony Oct. 11 in honor of organ donation
Online Staff Report
Tuesday, Oct. 11, SwedishAmerican Hospital will hold a tree dedication ceremony related to organ donation. The ceremony honors patients and families that have so generously donated the gift of life.
With more than 110,000 people across the nation waiting for a lifesaving transplant, SwedishAmerican Hospital would like to say a special thank-you to those who so unselfishly chose donation.
The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. in the SwedishAmerican Hospital Healing Garden (enter via the Charles Street/Heart Hospital entrance).
Please join the celebration of the gift of life with patient families, recovery agencies and SwedishAmerican staff. Light refreshments will be served.
For more information, contact Lynn Williams at (815) 315-6242.


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See Western Australian wildflowers in bloom
There are more than 12,000 species of wildflowers in WA, making it the world's largest collection of wildflowers. It's a staggering sight to behold, especially when you consider 60% of Western Australian wildflowers are found nowhere else on Earth. What's more, you can enjoy their glorious carpets of colour and curious blooms for six months of the year, as the season begins in June, in the north, and sweeps down the State to finish with a flurry on the south coast in November.
Certain destinations and months of the year are renowned for specific species. For example, the Golden Outback is the place to picnic on a blanket of white, pink and yellow everlastings. Seek out the unique Wreath Flower on the Coral Coast. Go hunting for delicate orchids in the South West.
You can view the very best of all Western Australian Wildflowers every September, when Kings Park Botanical Garden bursts into bloom. Or head for one of Perth's many nature reserves and national parks to spot local native species, from brightly coloured banksias to vivid red and green kangaroo paws.
Let the local flora experts show you the best of the Western Australian wildflower extravaganza on a guided coach or walking tour. Search for wildflower tours from Perth or WA's regional towns online and choose from one-day to extended 15-day options.
Explore some of Mother Nature's most dazzling work at your leisure, following one of 11 wildflower trails from Perth to the Coral Coast, South West, Golden Outback and even as far north as the Pilbara.
See the Wildflower eGuide for more details. If you're planning a self-guided tour of WA wildflowers, be sure to check the local visitor centres for guides and the latest seasonal wildflower reports.
Sign up to The Westerly and receive hand picked destinations ready to explore, offers to get you away quicker and events from across the state.
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Lochan Ora Scotch Liqueur
For the last week I've been fixated on the Olympics. I was thinking of taking a look at the Olympic cocktail, but it is a pretty boring drink and doesn't even come close to be as epic as the Olympics. It's just brandy, triple sec and orange juice. You might as well put Grand Marnier in a glass of OJ. So, I decided to dig through my liquor cabinet and see if there was anything interesting… [Continue]
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Thanks! RT @jschlic: And @dsoneil Abbot bitter Manhattans are so good that I'm sort of angry that I made them. Anise makes that drink sing


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We were on the bottom end for the size of a company that can move to an ERP system. We were also at the top end in size of a company that can use QuickBooks. xTuple is focused on their clients' needs. The website, community, and training classes are a big help.
Project Management and Implementation Methodologies
Date:Wed, 11/07/2012 - 12:00pm
Date:Thu, 11/08/2012 - 12:00pm
Location / More information:
While not intended as a replacement for classroom training., the Project Management class is really best viewed as a follow-up to "Setup, Configuration and Operation," particularly if you're new to xTuple or ERP in general.
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May 11-14: Power User Training Class in LAS VEGAS


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My eucalyptus has stained the walls and my husband is loosing his mind!!!
The dark green, blue, and wine colored eucalyptus in my wall swags & wreaths, have "oozed" on the cream colored painted walls. What can I do to prevent this in the future??
Eucalyptus branches, I think, are preserved by standing them in glycerin. The branches soak up the glycerin and then they don't dry out and become brittle. This may be what is oozing out. Maybe you could try using a spray-on polyurethane on the backs of the arrangements to seal them.
My eucalyptus wreath did the same thing! It looked as though it had bled down the wall. I washed the wall with a Clorox solution and then repainted, but the stain still showed through. I had to use a primer and then paint over it again. I don't know why the wreath decomposed this way, but it was strange!
Glad I checked in here! I have some eucalyptus that I bought a few months ago and wanted to make a swag, however, at the time I just threw the branches in a tall vase and sat them in my room. Glad I did now! I was thinking of making a swag for my friend out of it but best not now. She's renting and doesn't need a mess like that.
It's a substance that is part of the eucalyputs leaves. When I lived in California I had a pool surrounded by eucalyputs leaves. Had to be very vigilant about not letting any of the leaves settle on the bottom of the pool (even one), because they immediately left a stain on the bottom of the pool.


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'Sugarfoot' is available on DVD from Warner Archive
Will Hutchins of "Sugarfoot" in 1958. Hutchins starred as a clumsy cowboy in the ABC series. The first season of the genial western TV series "Sugarfoot" has moseyed onto DVD thanks to Warner Archive. Will Hutchins starred in the ABC series, which alternated on the network with "Cheyenne," from... Cloyd Teter / Denver Post via Getty Images


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Discussion in 'Teen Disney' started by Fairywings, Sep 17, 2012.
Crystal: *raises one eyebrow*
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Katelyn: *shrugs* You gotta think positive sometimes.
Crystal: Positive. When has that ever done me well?
Fiona: Exactly!
Katelyn:*sighs* Alright don't think positive then. Hope for the best but expect the worse, you can be surprised by what happens then.
Crystal: *raises an eyebrow* That's what I always do.
Fiona: I also.
Tom: *nods in agreement*
Carly: I have to agree. I'm also quite the pessimist. *shrugs* I can't help it.
Fiona: *gets an idea* ...................Duh!
Crystal: What, Fi?
Fiona: Just use me as an excuse. Officially I'm still a missing person, even if you all know I'm right here. Just bring me back when you go to Hogwarts, and just tell your team you got a lead on your missing sister's location, and went after it. They can't be mad at you for looking after your family first. And it's slightly true, isn't it? You only found me after you left. Of course, I found you, and it was after you committed suicide........
Separate names with a comma.


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Dr. Jonathan J. Ahdoot, MD
Pulmonary Disease
- 15825 Laguna Canyon Rd Ste 100
Irvine, CA 92618
- 2 Locations
- (949) 679-6700
Dr. Jonathan J. Ahdoot graduated from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran in 1981. He works in Irvine, CA and 1 other location and specializes in Pulmonary Disease and Internal Medicine. Dr. Ahdoot is affiliated with Hoag Memorial Hospital, Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center and Saddleback Memorial Medical Center. He speaks English and Spanish.
Gender: Male
Languages Spoken: English, Spanish
Pulmonary Disease, Internal Medicine
Medical School: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Graduated 1981
*This physician has multiple office locations. See Office Information for details.


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Marian Shrines of the World #7: Our Lady of Victory
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Ave Maria! Lackawanna, New York is where we travel with Fr. Andre to learn about Fr. Nelson Baker and the shrine he built to Our Lady of Victory. To Download Audio go to http://airmaria.com?p=19261
Blessed Virgin Mary
Andre Lackawanna Marian Shrines Nelson Baker Victory
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2009 World at Work Total Rewards Conference Real-World Performance: Getting Results from Long-Term Incentive Plans June 2, 2009 Melissa L. Means Virginia Leonard Alice V. Johannen Managing Director Director, HR Shared Services Director, Global Compensation Pearl Meyer & Partners Cabot Corporation Charles River Laboratories 132 Turnpike Road, Suite 300 157 Concord Road 251 Ballardvale Street Southborough, MA 01772 Billerica, MA 01460 Wilmington, MA 01887 (508) 630-1487 (978) 670-6225 (781) 222-6291 firstname.lastname@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com email@example.com Agenda The Changing Landscape of Long-Term Incentives (LTI) The Charles River Laboratories International Story The Cabot Corporation Story Issues to Consider Conclusion 1 The Changing Landscape Times they are a-changin'. Competitive practices prior to the Fall 2008. • Companies continuing to evaluate and rebalance mix of long-term incentive (LTI) instruments - using multiple instruments to deliver LTI awards • Stock options still on the decline in the past few years • Use of restricted stock (RS) continues to increase; continued investor pressure to tie stock awards to performance Companies continue to implement / investigate use of performance metrics in LTI plan; more in line with shareholder and institutional expectations 44% of the Fortune 1000 and 62% of the S&P 500 have 3- year performance-based LTI plans 64% of respondents offered performance-based plans in 2007, up from 30% in 2004 (2007 NASPP Domestic Stock Plan Design & Administration Survey) 2 Market Drivers of Change Financial Crisis - Economic recession, limited liquidity, bankruptcies, highly volatile markets Declining confidence - Unemployment rates, lost retirement fund values, large bonus payouts on Wall Street… High profile fraud – Ponzi schemes Democratic control - Executive and legislative Government bailouts – EESA, TARP, CPP, DP, AP, RAA, GACAP, EFRAP, ARRA… Shareholder activism – Say on pay, poor pay practices, burn rate and dilution limits Pending legislation - Say on pay, 162(m)… Optics – shareholders, employees, press, government As a result, LTI remains in the forefront of public interest and companies continue to re-evaluate existing programs & instrument mix 3 The Changing Landscape Rethinking LTI again to address the following for 2009: • Managing awards in a declining market • How much LTI value to deliver and what instruments to use • Impact of awards on burn rates and pool of available shares • How to set performance metrics in an unpredictable economy • What to do with underwater stock options What is everyone considering or implementing now: • Changing the mix of instruments used • Using cash to settle awards • Reducing plan participation • Granting lower award values • Implementing longer holding restrictions • Modifying the timing of the annual award cycle • Exchanging underwater stock options 4 Six Steps to Implementing Performance Metrics The following outlines six key design considerations for implementing a performance-based LTI plan: • Metric Selection • Performance Measurement Period • Absolute vs. Relative Performance • Cumulative vs. Point-in-Time Metrics • Consecutive vs. Overlapping Performance Cycles • Set Performance/Payout Scale 5 The Charles River Laboratories International Story Alice Johannen Director, Global Compensation 6 Charles River Laboratories International US (Headquarters) Ireland China Canada UK India France Japan Germany So. Korea Italy Belgium Netherlands 7 History of the Company in h Q usc s r DA Ba 0s on ize te AS ti by os N by 198 isi y s d u d F de nry on ire b in SE) cq pan n d u a ou He te s cq om BO ( N Y le com F r. s Li 960 A L L tip D & IP O ul ble 1 M ou d ... 00 7 7 87 20 9 77 67 94 5 9 1 19 19 19 19 19 Charles River provides essential CURRENT STATE products and services to help $1.3B Revenue pharmaceutical and biotechnology 8,500 Employees companies, government agencies and 13 Countries leading academic institutions around CEO: James Foster the globe accelerate their research (founder's son) and drug development efforts. 8 LTI in 2001: Annual Only • Types Annual (time-based) only • Eligibility Director level & above; top technical staff • Vehicles 100% Options • Vesting 3-year vesting, 10-year term • Non-US < 5 recipients (RSUs) • Amounts Based on 3 subjective "performance levels" • Other Restricted stock very rare "Special" annual awards for hi-potential lower levels 9 2001-2004 Changing Landscape • Heightened interest in tying executive rewards to long-term corporate performance and strategic plan 10 2004: Mid-Term Incentive • Comp Committee institutes MTI Plan – Bridge gap between STI & LTI – "Add on" to existing STI & LTI – Based on cumulative revenue & operating income (OI) vs. 3-year plan – Overlapping – intended to have new plan cycle each year – "Performance Units" (stock) – target levels set, with payout grid based on % achievement in OI and revenue 11 MTI Payout Grid 12 MTI Plan Challenges • Problems: – Executive resistance – Difficult to communicate clearly – Entrepreneurial, high-growth company • "Acquisition mode" meant the OI and Revenue landscape was constantly changing; goals were "consciously unattainable" – 2005 acquisition immediately changed the game • Result: – No new award cycles in 2nd or 3rd year – plan failed – No payout for anyone 13 2005/6: Landscape • Charles River acquires Inveresk – Large non-US employee population with many stock-eligible staff • Institutional investors much more concerned about overhang and burn rate levels – Need to control rate at which stock is used • Options expensing changed efficiency of equity vehicles • Holding requirements instituted • New Comp Committee Chairman -- rekindled interest in tying LTI more closely to corporate performance 14 2006: Actions • Stopped awarding "special" grants to non-eligibles • Switched to Options + Restricted Stock model: – 50% of value delivered through options, 50% through RS – Lengthened vesting; shortened term (control expense) • Challenge: CEO had to overcome the notion that R.S. was "extremely special" • Result: – Lowered rate at which stock was being utilized. – Expense held fairly steady – Receipt of R.S. well-received by newer executives trying to gain ground on their holding requirements • But . . . still time-based only, not tied to corporate strategy 15 2007: Landscape • External: – Increasing emphasis on performance-based LTI • Internal: – Desire to better differentiate employees in annual award process – Comp Committee serious about tying executive LTI to corporate strategy 16 2007: Year of Tweaking • Annual LTI Awards – Doubled number of "performance" levels – Above average performance receives rich reward; subpar performance "feels the pain" • New performance LTI – "Performance Awards" – Carved out of annual LTI award – Executives only – Challenge: De facto reduction in LTI? – Solution: Used a higher market percentile for total target LTI 17 LTI Now: Annual + Performance • ANNUAL: 75% of total Exec LTI, 100% Dir & Tech – Eligibility Director level & above; top technical staff – Vehicles 50% Options, 50% Restricted – Vesting 4-year (7-year term for options) – Non-US ~100 (RSUs) – Amounts Based on 8 subjective "performance levels" • PERFORMANCE: 25% of total Exec LTI – Eligibility Senior Executives Only – Vehicles Stock/restricted stock settled – Vesting 50% immediately once earned; 50% 1-year – Non-US 3 recipients – Amounts 0-150% of target based on personal achievement of goals 18 Performance Awards ("stretch goals") • Period 1-year performance period • Eligibility Top executives only • Vehicles Stock / Restricted Shares 50% vest immediately; 50% 1-year vest • Metrics Achievement of personal goals tied to 3-yr strategic plan • Payouts 0%, 25% 150% max • Other Consecutive cycles (one after another) Absolute, point-in-time goals set in January BOD evaluates at year-end 19 Stretch Goal Challenges • Lack of executive buy-in – Very long-term, stable executive group – Previous failed plans – "Goldilocks Goals" • Some too easy • Some too difficult – Disagreement with goals • No "change of course" plan in place 20 More Challenges • Legal implications of nomenclature – "Performance awards" vs. "performance shares" • Goals as written were not S.M.A.R.T. • Administration – Updates: No forethought on how often and in what format to provide updates throughout the year – Accruals: Difficult to know whether the BOD would be "tough graders" or "easy graders" as most measurements were subjective 21 Looking Back – Performance Shares • 2007: – Slow start getting executives to focus on their goals – Problematic for administrative function execs – Partial achievement was rewarded; no 0% • 2008: – Executives more engaged from the beginning – Refined participants to top 5 + operational execs only – Acquisition "changed the game" for one executive – Partial achievement rewarded; still no 0% • Successful? – Compared to previous failed plans, yes, somewhat, but with room for improvement – No 0% dilutes the program? 22 Looking Back – Annual Awards • Annual Award Rating Scale: – New scale helped differentiate awards, but … – Execs insisted on using "half" steps between ratings in '07 and '08, creating essentially a 12-point scale – Ratings still clustering right around middle • Successful? – Better than 3-point scale – Burn rate reduction through options/RS split now gone • RS is now required to be counted as 2.2 or 2.3 per share (fungible share counting) – RS awards helped new executives with holding requirements (until the economy debacle) 23 Responding to the Current "Situation" • Annual Awards: – Almost all shares are underwater – Options exchange? Too early to know – Decided to grant generously this year because 3-year burn rate not a problem … yet – Sticking with 50/50 split of options & RS • Performance Shares/Stretch Goals – On hold for 2009 – No stretch goals given for '09 – Current year's business environment is considered enough of a "stretch" 24 Future Considerations • Annual Awards – Monitor burn rate/overhang – Use performance management rating for awards? – Add performance element? • Performance Shares/Stretch Goals – Assuming this program re-starts in 2010: • Must improve S.M.A.R.T.ness of goals • Must ensure strong tie to strategic initiatives • Include relative measures (performance vs. peers)? 25 Lessons Learned • Ensure executives/BOD are disciplined in setting S.M.A.R.T. goals – Specific - Attainable - Time-Based – Measurable - Relevant • Ensure there's a way to handle mid-year business events that impact goals • Ensure everyone knows how payouts are to be determined • Ensure the program has enough weight to warrant executive attention • Avoid "Goldilocks" goals (too easy / too hard) so execs take it seriously • Ensure administration of the program is well thought out and defined before implementation 26 The Cabot Corporation Story Virginia Leonard Director, HR Shared Services About Cabot • Performance Materials • 125 Year History; public since 1968 • $3.2 Billion in Sales (2008) • 4,000 Employees • 39 Plants in 20 Countries • Focus on Core and New Businesses • Significant employee and family ownership 28 Cabot Businesses and Products Carbon Black Metal Oxides rubber blacks, performance fumed silica, products, inkjet colorants, aerogel elastomer composites Specialty Supermetals Fluids Tantalum, niobium, cesium formate printable electronic displays (PEDs) 29 Cabot Global Footprint 30 2005 Review of LTI Plan • Culture • Entrepreneurial, valued managerial judgment and debate, share ownership deep in organization • Strategy • Long-term growth of new businesses • Stock price • Stable, low volatility • Global • Consistent approach to support global Philosophy enterprise • Long-term, subjective measures • Performance • Shareholders • High burn rate compared to peers (RiskMetrics Group (RMG) Burn Rate Test) LTI Program in place since 1992 – Was it still the right plan for Cabot? 31 2005 LTI Program Design Overview • All participants can select their awards as a choice between: – Purchased Restricted Stock with 70% discount, or – Non-Qualified Stock Options 32 Purchase Restricted Stock – Purchase Restricted Stock (RS): • 30% Purchase Price based on Fair Market Value on grant date • Cabot financing available for purchase (except for Section 16 Officers) - interest only on loan until vesting • Vests 100% after 3 years (cliff) • Receive benefits of share ownership - dividends and proxy voting rights • Variations for tax rules in different countries – Intent was to have the same impact globally – 90% of participants elected RS 33 Non-Qualified Stock Options – Non-Qualified Stock Options: • 2:1 ratio vs. Purchase Restricted Stock • Vests 100% after 3 years • 5 year life – 10% of participants elect options 34 2005 Review and Shareholder Vote • External consultants (PM&P) worked with Compensation Committee to review Cabot's LTI plan design Conclusion: the plan was effectively supporting Cabot's business strategy • Plan did not receive RMG support – passed all tests except Burn Rate • CEO met with key shareholders to request support Shareholders approved new plan 35 2008 Leadership Transition Strategy/4 Levers/4 Elements for Success "Deliver earnings growth through leadership in Performance Materials" Capacity and Margin Emerging Market Improvement Expansion Portfolio New Product Management Development innovation safety customers performance 36 2008 Review of LTI Plan • Culture • Accountability, financial metrics, transparency and alignment • Strategy • Balance Core and New Business growth • Stock price • Increased volatility • Global • Locally competitive and meaningful Philosophy • Performance • Balance short- and long-term with focus on objective measures • Shareholders • High burn rate compared to peers (RMG Burn Rate Test) New LTI program part of change in compensation philosophy 37 Compensation Philosophy • Culture – Leverage our strengths in teamwork, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit – Increase focus on financial performance and accountability – Recognize and adapt practices to broad global footprint – Maintain long-term, strategic perspective • Alignment – Support the business vision with focus on sustainable increase in earnings – Focus the organization on key objectives, across the business / region / function matrix – Aligned with shareholder interests • Transparency – Strengthen link between business and individual results and pay – Establish and communicate clear metrics, targets and market- based process for compensation 38 Compensation Principles • Differentiate compensation programs between executives and non-executives in recognition of the difference in impact and accountability • Cash compensation (base and STI) positioned at 50th percentile on average across Cabot (currently below 40th percentile) • LTI positioned between 50th and 65th percentile (currently above 75th percentile) • Recognize local competitive practices Attract and retain the people who will help deliver superior business results 39 LTI Instruments and Rationale • Options – Drive focus on stock price performance – Shareholder alignment – Available for Executives only • Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units – Achievement of three year performance targets – Shareholder alignment – Units more tax effective in many countries outside US – Units settled in cash for China to address securities issues • Time-Based Restricted Stock Units – Eases transition – Retention – Same rationale as above for units 40 LTI Metrics - Approach • Performance Based RSUs – Long-term objectives aligned with messages to shareholders and business strategy • EPS and ROIC – progressive annual scorekeeping or banking to maintain line of sight (absolute metrics) – Overlapping three-year performance cycles 41 Overview of the LTI Plan • LTI participants (other than the Executive Committee) receive awards in two forms of stock units – Time-Based Stock Units (TSUs) 50% of award – Performance-Based Stock Units (PSUs) 50% of award • Executive Committee receive awards as Time-Based Stock Units (30%), Performance-Based Stock Units (35%), and Options (35%). • A stock unit is a promise, denominated in shares, to deliver actual shares or equivalent cash upon the satisfaction of conditions • No purchase requirement for stock units • A stock unit has no voting rights • Dividend equivalents are paid on TSUs only • Value changes with value of Cabot common stock 42 How PSUs Change Over Time • Each year, one-third of the PSUs granted are "at risk" and may increase or decrease depending upon performance against certain targets (see next slide). • Based on actual results compared to the target, an amount between 0 and 150% of the "at-risk" units will "bank" – Target performance will result in 100% of the units being "banked" (point-in-time ) • "Banked" units vest upon the third anniversary of the original grant 43 LTI Plan Example 1. Determining the number of stock units (for non-executives) (Grant value ÷ stock price) = Stock units granted (50% TSUs + 50% PSUs) $54,000 ÷ $30 = 1,800 (900 TSUs + 900 PSUs) 2. Calculate the number of PSUs subject to performance metrics annually 900 PSUs ÷ 3 = 300 PSUs Calculate the weighting for each metric by multiplying the number of PSUs by .65 for EPS metric and .35 for ROIC metric EPS metric = 300 PSUs x .65 = 195 PSUs ROIC metric = 300 PSUs x .35 = 105 PSUs 44 LTI Plan Example 3. Assessing performance against goals 2009 2010 2011 EPS ROIC EPS ROIC EPS ROIC Performance Goal $2.25 9% $2.65 10% $3.00 11% Actual Performance $2.00 8.1% $2.90 10.0% $3.30 11.6% Pro-rata Performance (A) 85% 85% 115% 100% 115% 115% PSUs "at risk" (B) 195 105 195 105 195 105 Banked PSUs (A x B) 165.75 89.25 224.25 105.00 224.25 120.75 4. Determining your payout Original Grant Total Units Converted to Vested Grant Value Value Cabot Common stock $54,000 929 + 900 $91,450 Banked PSUs (sum of $50 Assumed Stock Price x banked PSUs above) + TSUs 1829 Units 45 Results – Phase 1 • Communication to employees November / December 2008 (contingent on shareholder approval) • Philosophy and principles favorably received by employees • Shareholder approval March 2009 (without RMG support) • 70% stock price depreciation since initial design • Clear by end of Q1 that metrics will not be achieved for year one • At current stock price unable to manage burn rate and available shares with program as designed • Options used for an interim grant to transition to new plan and manage burn rate; may need to consider cash in the future 46 Lessons Learned • Ownership and support from the top is key to success • Recognize global footprint – don't try to export a US program • Identify transition accounting issues early • Partnership with finance, legal, treasury, strategic planning, tax, and business groups is critical • Consider how measurement period coincides with plan cycle and adjust as needed • Recognize potential for significant economic changes in design and communications – both positive and negative 47 Additional Considerations 48 Additional Considerations What are you trying to achieve and what behaviors are you trying to drive? Balance LTI with other elements of pay Ensure line of sight Adjusting/revising goals during performance period Impact of converting to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in the future Foreign country awards Keep some discretion Other tax and accounting considerations 49 Conclusion 50 Conclusion Keys to designing an effective performance-based LTI plan: • Keep them as simple as possible • Limit initial plan eligibility, consider expansion once successful • Consider appropriate measurement periods • Select appropriate performance metric(s) • Ensure the plan aligns with the company's business strategy • Develop an appropriate performance/payout scale • Understand impact of such awards in foreign countries • Understand the overall financial implications of such a plan • Discuss how to address unexpected financial circumstances 51 Questions 52
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