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DALLAS Mike Modano made his mark long before he and the Minnesota North Stars relocated to Dallas and brought hockey to the Sun Belt.
Once he got there in 1993, he didn't miss a beat.
Modano, the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history, joined longtime New Jersey Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello and player-turned-broadcaster Ed Olczyk as the newest inductees to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday night.
Modano lived up to his billing after being chosen with the first pick of the 1988 NHL draft.
By the time he retired in 2011, the Livonia, Mich., native was the Stars' leader in games played (1,459), goals (557), assists (802) and points (1,359). He also holds franchise records with 145 playoff points in a club-high 174 games.
Modano, who played his final NHL season with the Detroit Red Wings, leads U.S.-born players in goals (561) and points (1,374).
Olczyk was taken with the No. 3 pick in the 1984 draft by his hometown Chicago Blackhawks and went on to play 16 years in the NHL after starting his career as an 18-year old rookie.
Olczyk finished with 342 goals and 794 points in 1,031 games with Chicago, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Winnipeg Jets, the New York Rangers, the Los Angeles Kings and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He returned to the Blackhawks for his last two years in the NHL and retired in 2000. Olczyk is now NBC's lead hockey-game analyst.
Lamoriello is entering the U.S. Hall of Fame as a builder, three years after his induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
"The Americans are here, if that's the way to say it, and here to stay in every way," Lamoriello said.
Lamoriello's distinguished career started long before he joined the Devils and built them into perennial winners. With New Jersey, Lamoriello has earned three Stanley Cup championships in 24 seasons, and two other Eastern Conference titles — including last season.
Along with Modano, Lamoriello was also part of the U.S. team that won the gold medal in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Lamoriello served as the general manager of the American squad that beat Canada for the title.
"We wanted to change what they thought of us as players, that we didn't belong at their level," Modano said. "It took a long time, but we always felt in the back of our minds that we could prove a lot of countries wrong, that we could play with them."
Since then, the United States has remained among the hockey elite. The Americans earned the silver medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and the 2010 Games in Vancouver.
"After the '96 World Cup, the American player is here," Lamoriello said. "That's when they got recognized, and the way you get recognized is when individuals have success. That was a long time ago. Now there's nothing to distinguish."
Before that, Lamoriello had a 22-year career as a player, coach and athletic director at Providence College. He was inducted into the Providence College Hall of Fame in 1982 and joined the Devils five years later.
A big reason for the United States' development as a hockey powerhouse is how the game has spread at the youth level to many non-traditional areas, including Dallas, where Stefan Noesen was a first-round draft pick in 2011 by the Ottawa Senators, and Seth Jones is predicted to be one of the top five selections next year.
Modano played a big role in that growth down south.
"In hindsight now, it's been a real remarkable transition the way the game has increased down here," Modano said. "I'm real proud of being part of that when it first started and watching it evolve, see the popularity increase. It was great to see and it was fun to be a part of."
Olczyk, a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, is also helping to grow the game now in his high-profile position on television.
"I've just been really lucky throughout my entire career, and I've worn a lot of hats," Olczyk said. "I was a fan, I was a player, I was a coach, broadcaster and a dad, so, on any given night, I can have one of those hats on. I love the game, and hockey has been my and my family's life."
That dedication and commitment isn't lost on Modano, a teammate of Olczyk's in international competition.
"Just a class guy, his approach to the game and professionalism," Modano said of Olczyk, his teammate in the 1991 Canada Cup. "He was a lot of fun to be around, so we've always had that connection since 1991. He's been remarkable for the game and on TV, and what he's done with NBC. He's our face and voice of USA Hockey, I feel."
Also on Monday, Bob Chase-Wallenstein and Dick Patrick were presented with the Lester Patrick Trophy. Chase, who made his mark at WOWO — a 50,000-watt station in Fort Wayne, Ind. — has had a great impact on the careers of many current sports broadcasters, including Hockey Hall of Famer Mike (Doc) Emrick.
This year marks the 60th straight season the 86-year-old Chase will do play-by-play on the radio for the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL. When he began calling games for the Komets in 1953, the Negaunee, Mich., native was three months removed from college at Northern Michigan.
Dick Patrick is the third member of the Patrick family to earn this award named for his grandfather — joining uncle Lynn Patrick and cousin Craig Patrick. Dick Patrick has helped hockey grow in the nation's capital during his 30 years with the Washington Capitals.
Murray Costello was honoured with the Wayne Gretzky Award for his work that helped the Canadian Hockey Association and the former independent Hockey Canada organization join forces to form the new Hockey Canada in 1994.
After the merger, Canada won four of the next five gold medals at the World Junior Championship with Costello at the forefront. Costello also oversaw the formation of the Canadian women's team and the rapid development of the sport that paved the way for the debut of women's hockey at the 1998 Olympics.
The Associated Press
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checked the fuses, all were fine.
BMW » 325Ci » 2004 BMW 325Ci » Questions
View questions for:All BMW
2004 BMW 325Ci
BMW Q&AAsk Your Question
2004 BMW 325Ci Question: My car will not start, electrical works, get nothing when I turn the key
dirkp, Bismarck, ND, November 19, 2013, 00:10
2 Answers
Answer #1bmdouble November 19, 2013, 01:31Master
You will have to verify that you are getting voltage at the starter when you turn the key. My personal experience on my 528i was a failed ignition switch which I hear from BMW techs is fairly common. This is where I would start checking anyways
Answer #2Greg's Orange Auto (15216 Answers) , Orange, CA - (714) 361-9386globalhelper November 19, 2013, 09:14Master
or poss bad starter,seek diag
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"Play it safe" is not in Rachel Richardson's rule book. Thank goodness for that, because whether you're a size 8 or 18, the Lovely in LA...
52 Vintage Pictures of Our Favorite Icons Enjoying Summer
For her bridesmaid stint at a friend's recent wedding, Eva wore a one-shoulder lilac dress. Consider it proof that agreeing to join the bridal party doesn't have to mean looking dowdy.
Although she wore the same cream J.Crew dress as the 10 other bridesmaids in her brother's wedding, JLaw managed to stand out. The entire bridal party appeared on the cover of Martha Stewart Weddings' Real Weddings issue.


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All quotes tagged Goals
(7238 quotes found)
"Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination."
"Your ability to communicate is an important tool in your pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your family, your co-workers or your clients and customers."
"Find something that you're really interested in doing in your life. Pursue it, set goals, and commit yourself to excellence. Do the best you can."
"If you don't accept failure as a possibility, you don't set high goals, you don't branch out, you don't try -- you don't take the risk."
"Goals are not only absolutely necessary to motivate us. They are essential to really keep us alive."
"Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose."


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Roland Park Reviews in Baltimore, MD
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Best Record Store Day 2015 events across Edinburgh and Glasgow27 Mar 2015
Releases from David Bowie, Miracle Strip and Biffy Clyro are on sale as part of Record Store Day
You can keep your MP3s and your iTunes and whatnot, it's been eight years now and thankfully, the UK is still not over Record Store Day. This year plenty of acts are getting in on the act and putting out special releases – there's David Bowie, with a…
Brian Wilson announces 2015 UK tour24 Mar 2015
Former Beach Boy is to tour with former band members plus support from America and Edwyn Collins
Brian Wilson has announced he is to play a UK arena tour this September. The legendary singer-songwriter and former member of 60s surf-poppers The Beach Boys will bring the sound of California to British shores on an eight-gig tour that takes in…
Interview: Rose McDowall on punk, prejudice and polka dots24 Mar 2015
The former Strawberry Switchblade frontwoman looks to future projects
Rose McDowall is enshrined in the popular imagination – the one that stretches back to the mid-80s at any rate – as the petite, raven-haired goth girl with the polka dot mini-dresses who sang with one-hit wonders Strawberry Switchblade. Inevitably there…
Fans discuss how they feel about Morrissey's tour cancellations18 Mar 2015
It's not a Morrissey tour without cancellations. Kirstyn Smith talks to fans about how they feel
The story may be old, but it goes on... It was to little surprise, but a fair amount of concern, that Morrissey cancelled the second date of his 2015 European tour – meant to be taking place in Tilburg, Netherlands on Tuesday 10 March.
Young Fathers announce release of White Men are Black Men Too12 Mar 2015
Young Fathers' new album White Men are Black Men Too released in April, new single 'Shame' out now
Young Fathers have announced their second studio album, White Men are Black Men too, will be released on Sat 6 Apr. Controversially-titled White Men are Black Men Too (more on that here), the Scottish trio's new album falls somewhere in between rock…
Wilko Johnson announces 2015 tour dates26 Feb 2015
Veteran guitarist/singer beats cancer and hits the road with his band
It's one of the more awesome comebacks in rock'n'roll history. Much-loved guitarist and singer Wilko Johnson – owner of the most intimidating glare in pub-rock, who was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in 2013, and who gave an emotional…
Watch trailer for Kurt Cobain documentary Montage of Heck12 Mar 2015
First authorised film about the Nirvana singer features home movies and unreleased music
Having premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, Montage of Heck has already been described as 'the definitive Cobain documentary'. It is the first authorised film about the lead singer of Nirvana, with Courtney Love and their daughter…
Sacred Paws chat Sleater-Kinney and the legacy of 90s feminist-punk20 Feb 2015
After a decade-long wait, devotees are being inspired all over again
Yes, of course it was thrilling when David Bowie dropped an album out of nowhere. And granted, Aphex Twin delighted with his blimps and his cryptic new LP campaign. But Sleater-Kinney knocked these dudes for six when they hid a brand new single – their…
Belle and Sebastian – Girls In Peacetime Want to Dance27 Jan 2015
Glasgow indie veterans go all-out for pop, with mixed results
In an interview last summer with The Herald, Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch recalled a meeting with Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant that seems to have had a profound effect on the band's fresh direction. While the gist of their chat was Tennant's…
Paul Vickers and The Leg – The Greengrocer19 Mar 2015
This food-stuff-based quasi concept album is easy to digest
Don't be fooled by the troubadourish mediaevalisms of the jaunty guitar flourish that opens the third and much belated opus by the wildest junkyard auteurs to ever embark on a galloping collision course of surrealist lyrical fantasms and stumblebum…
Glastonbury: controversial headline acts that played memorable sets18 Mar 2015
Kanye West isn't the only headliner to disgruntle a few of the festival's fans
So, it seems that some Glastonbury fans don't love Kanye as much as Kanye loves Kanye, as they've started a petition asking organisers to cancel his headline slot and replace him with a rock band. The petition already has over 35,000 signatures, but…
Bloc Party recording new album17 Mar 2015
Listen to Bloc Party's new music as the band announce they are working on a fifth album
Bloc Party have confirmed that they are recording a new album. Speaking to Australian radio show, Triple J, frontman Kele Okereke confirmed that, following a hiatus that began in 2012 after their fourth album Four, the group are 'at the writing and…
Nadine Shah – Fast Food3 Mar 2015
Northumbrian singer's second album is elegantly packaged but lacks bite
An expressive alto voice with a torch song tone is a powerful musical weapon, deployed with precision over the years by femmes fatales from Marianne Faithfull to PJ Harvey, Anita Lane to Anna Calvi, all of whom can conjure up a cloak and dagger…
BRIT Awards 2015 complete list of winners26 Feb 2015
Ed Sheeran, Paloma Faith and Royal Blood among the winners at UK pop's annual backslapping party
The winners have been announced, the awards collected, Kanye came, Madonna fell, and Ant and Dec have skulked back into the jungle to work on their jokes. Ed Sheeran cleaned up with the two biggest prizes of the night while Paloma Faith took home…
Blur to release new album, listen to new single now19 Feb 2015
The Magic Whip to be the first studio LP the group has released in 12 years
News sure to cause a collective meltdown of fans everywhere, Blur have simultaneously announced their first studio album in 12 years, released the first single and confirmed an appearance in London's Hyde Park at the British Summer Time Festival this…
Django Django UK tour announced16 Feb 2015
London rock outfit to take new album Born Under Saturn on UK tour in May
May the fourth be with Django Django fans. The London four piece releases their newest album, Born Under Saturn, Mon 4 May via Because Music – just two days after they kick off an 10-date UK tour, it was announced today.
Fawn Spots – From Safer Place13 Feb 2015
Slightly up-and-down debut from the York trio
York trio Fawn Spots are riding on a post-hardcore crest which seems to have resurfaced again, earning them a comparison by comedian Stewart Lee to proto-frat indie stalwarts Guided by Voices and Minnesota's finest pre-emo's, Hüsker Dü - which seems…
Records Also Released11 Feb 2015
A round-up of new releases for February
Daniel Avery's 2013 debut album Drone Logic didn't so much reinvent techno as present a pristine contemporary version of it, drawing from iconic influences like the Chemical Brothers and Underworld to hammer out a sound that was credible and crossover…
The Jesus & Mary Chain take their debut album on tour10 Feb 2015
The Reid brothers mark the 30th birthday of album Psychocandy with a full live outing
Back in the mid-80s, when Morrissey was looking for a job and then he found a job, the Jesus & Mary Chain were looking for a reaction and they got a reaction – to their name, their attitude and their sound. Smothering their sweet, simple…
Kaiser Chiefs to headline Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival29 Jan 2015
The multi-million selling rock four piece are set to play the festival
Kaiser Chiefs have been announced as Saturday night's headline act for this year's Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival. This will be the multi-million selling quintet's first appearance at a Highland festival, with the band's only other gigs in the…
Babes In Toyland announce 2015 UK tour27 Jan 2015
Female punk trio follow their first live show in 18 years with five UK dates
Following the announcement of a reunion show at The Roxy in LA this February, female punk trio Babes In Toyland have revealed dates for a UK tour. Members Kat Bjelland (lead vocals and guitar), Lori Barbero (drums) and Maureen Herman (bass) were…
Watch The Decemberists sing YouTube comments on Jimmy Kimmel23 Jan 2015
Portland-based indie band break the talk show mould before heading off on European tour
The Decemberists scored big on Jimmy Kimmel's US talk show last night with a selection of hilarious YouTube comment renditions. Promoting their newly released sixth album, What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World, the indie folk five-piece known…
Listen to Idlewild's new single now8 Jan 2015
Come on Ghost drops onto Soundcloud and into your eardrums – let the hype begin
Stoking the flames of our excitement at the forthcoming album release and impending tour, Scottish indie rock favourites Idlewild have released their newest single 'Come on Ghost' on Soundcloud. After a four year hiatus, the band delighted fans back…
K-X-P – The History of Techno EP18 Dec 2014
Insouciant, dynamic dirges from Finnish cosmic rock demagogues
Finnish people, as we have learned from studies and Aki Kaurismaki movies, are totally cracked, so it makes sense that that the country's bands err on the side of bedlam. Here we have cosmic rock demagogues K-X-P obliging by flagrantly breaking the…
Live Review: Silver Apples, Stereo, Glasgow, Fri 28 Nov12 Dec 2014
One for the audiophiles, Simeon breathes synth charm into future sounds of yesteryear
These days, Simeon, the enigmatic founding / sole surviving member of Silver Apples, looks like a craggy character from a Coen Brothers or David Lynch film who has just emerged from decades in his desert bunker lab with the sound of the future – or what…


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Candidiasis Medicine
Here's a taste of what TheBody.com has to offer on this topic:
Ask the Experts
Thrush?...or Coated Tongue after medicineDave,I have had protected sex with other people and recently developed a white tongue....evenly white with little red dots that are perfectly spaced....some minor pain or tingling when eating some foods....I have never had unprotected sex....I...
Response from David A. Reznik, D.D.S.
Grady Health System...history you mention in this message. With this in mind, I can share a thought or two:It is possible to develop candidiasis (thrush) due to the use of a systemic corticosteroids, but you mention you only received one shot and that the symptoms did... Read more »
fatigue&thrushI am 32 and have been + for roung 4 years. my cd4 count stays areoun 4-5 hundred, viral load... Read more »
Candida InfectionRecently I have been admitted into the hospital for what appears to be Thrush or Candida. My... Read more »
Candidiasis (Thrush)...way to avoid an outbreak of candidiasis is to strengthen your immune system by taking antiretroviral medications (ARVs). Most candida infections are easily treated with local therapies. In people with weakened immune systems, these infections... Read more »
Fungal Infections...long-term basis, but this can lead to drug-resistant Candida that is more difficult to treat. Candidiasis of the Mouth (Thrush) Whitish coating of the tongue and/or the inside of the cheeks Usually occurs with CD4 cell count less... Read more »
Systemic Candidiasis...and swelling. A bad case can make walking, peeing or sex very painful. Infection in the Mouth Oral candidiasis, called thrush , involves the mouth and sometimes the throat. It can also occur without symptoms. The most common symptoms usually... Read more »
You Can Have a Healthy Pregnancy if You Are HIV Positive...should be weighed carefully. You should avoid drugs like fluconazole, itraconazole and ketoconazole, which are used to stop candidiasis and other fungal infections. Other medications you may be taking for depression, pain, diabetes or other... Read more »
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Erythematous candidiasisRead more »
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Part Two: Using two blocks and a strap, this practice is the second in the series from head to toe: here we focus on the center of the back--particularly that sticky space between the shoulder blades--and we do so with an eye toward being skillful. Yoga is skillfulness in action. This is one of the definitions of yoga given by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. Applying skillfulness in action is a process and practice we need to attend to daily. In this class, we seek to do this through asana and the breath; sometimes we need to use our breath along with the practice to oil the hinges of the rib cage and smooth out the rough edges of the body's movements. In this sequence, we use a variety of positions to release tension in the shoulders, everything from standing to bridge with a block. At the end, we have the ability to be more skillful in the region of our midback and shoulders.
You can begin checking out over 2500 classes as soon as you're signed up. After your free 15 days, YogaGlo is just $18 a month - the price of a single class at most studios.Sign Up Today


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Los Feliz real estate listings include condos, townhomes, and single family homes for sale.
Commercial properties are also available.
If you see a property you're interested in, contact a Los Feliz real estate agent to arrange a tour today!
Learn more about Los Feliz Real Estate.
Duplex with room property buyer to verify permit, beautiful home, must see inside.
This gorgeous Los Feliz traditional view home has been redone with attention to detail. The fully restored 30's design home is situated atop one of L.A.'s celebrity filled neighborhoods and is extremely private & quaint. Arriving to the formal entry, you walk through a tranquil garden setting featuring a babbling stream. Once inside you will appreciate the easy flow of this entertainer's floor plan. Coffered ceilings and crown molding set the style of the home. The gourmet kitchen is remodeled with granite counters, Viking, Thermador and Kitchen Aid appliances and features a butler's pantry serving area adding to the large number of cabinets in this kitchen. There are 4 bedrooms and 5 baths with the master boasting honey-toned onyx tile and a multi-body/rain shower. The master suite consists of a library sitting area and it's own balcony. The grand formal dining room, breakfast area and formal living room all look out to a serene green setting. There is a sunken front yard and terraced rear featuring an over-sized deck with views directly off the dining room & kitchen. There are hard wood & marble tiles floors throughout. The rare basement space can be a wine cellar/storage/workshop. Other features -3 separate a/c zones, solar electrical and steel framing
Built in 2005, This Gorgeous property was built as a Mediterranean Villa with an urban flair. Fantastic Natural Light, incredible Architectural detail, combined with great variety of texture and shape.With warm hardwood floors, 10' ceilings, Private office, Kitchen with Viking stainless steel appliances, Theater Room joined with Full Bar and a Game Room, Gym, Wine cellar & 3 car garage is one of the most unique property available in Los Feliz.
Located in Franklin Hills area of Los Feliz is this beautiful remodeled home. It has been expanded to a 3 bedroom/3 bathroom soft contemporary home. Warm hardwood floors flow throughout and spill into the sun-drenched open great room with ten foot ceilings. Two sets of french doors open out to the tranquil and simply chic backyard and the covered carport/entertainment or creative space. The master suite boasts a large en-suite bathroom with both an over sized shower as well as a soaking tub. The kitchen has all stainless appliances a six burner range, and island completes the open-plan space. All systems, windows & appliances are new. Great location, close to Silverlake, downtown, Hollywood and more. Don't miss this house.
LAC2 Zoning near high traffic locations of downtown LA. Property is well maintained, high ceiling, handicap accessible, and was recently renovated with all new laundry appliances. Sale of this property includes everything within the premise.
Amazing showcase custom view home located on top of highly desirable Los Feliz Hills. This 5,524 sqft home is turnkey and ready to move in. Features include 4 spacious bedrooms and 3.5 baths. Bright and cheerful inside with lots of light and flow through out the home. Upgrades galore with gourmet kitchen leading to spacious family room with fireplace. Must see master suite with fireplace and extra large bath and sauna. Stunning 2 story living room with views of mountains and city lights. Enjoy the entertainment patio and 5 balconies with incredible views. Study or relax in the luxurious den/library. Don't forget the large park like back yard with professional landscaping. These features and more make this a must see home.
Three parcels totalling over 31,000 sq. ft. Just south of Los Feliz Blvd. Close to Griffith Park and the 5 freeway. Near to all that Los Feliz has to offer - great dining and shopping. This may be able to be developed for multi-family. Buyer to perform their own investigations. Parcel numbers: 5434-012-006,5434-012-007 and 5434-012-009
Beautiful tree-lined street in the heart of Los Feliz. This unit has approximately 1,300 square feet with lots of windows and lots of light. There are two bedrooms and a bonus room perfect for an office or work out room.
Location, Location, Location ! Enchanting, contemporary style construction beautifully restored, on a quiet and gorgeous street in desirable Los Feliz. Close to Hollywood. Move in Condition. With a glorious city view from every room. Newly renovated kitchen with brand new appliances (6 months old with guarantee). Manicured backyard with gazebo and NEW spa overlooking a breathtaking view of the city. The Deck is great for entertaining and has views of the city. All rooms have a large walk-out balcony. Rooms include a huge master bedroom with bathroom and hot tub, guest bedroom with view, office with mahogany wooden bookshelves, large living room with fireplace and separate den, formal dining room, and sunny breakfast room with French doors open to dramatic view from balcony. Very spacious two-car attached garage with inside entrance to home. This is a must see Home in a fantastic Location!!
Real Living Pacific Realty
27281 Las Ramblas
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
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►On Target Martin Spring's private newsletter on global strategy December 6, 2011 No.144 Europe's Financial Crisis and You Greece is a tiny economy, amounting to only 2½ per cent of the 17-nation Eurozone, yet its difficulties have triggered a financial crisis that is sweeping across the Continent and threatens to engulf the global system. How is that possible? Owners of mobile capital – banks, multinationals, wealthy individuals, are starting to shift their money, away from what they see as areas of risk into what they perceive to be the safe havens. Precious metals. The strongest banks. The most secure bonds. As this shift gathers momentum, it spreads the fear of loss in other assets and banks, ratcheting up the stresses… and the dangers. What threw petrol on a bonfire was the recent decision of Eurozone governments, in their rescue plan for Athen's finances, for the first time to impose a "haircut" (penalty) on private-sector holders of Greek government debt. They are to suffer capital loss on the bonds they hold, whose maturity values are to be halved. Even worse, Eurozone governments are using political blackmail to force their banks, who are the major private-sector holders of the bonds, to sign up to the deal so the haircut can be categorized as "voluntary." The intention is to deprive them of being able to claim compensation for their capital losses under Credit Default Swop contracts. These developments have caused an outbreak of panic among private-sector holders of the sovereign bonds of Eurozone countries, who fear they could be forced to accept haircuts in rescue plans, without being able to claim insurance against them. Yields on the ten-year bonds of Italy, for instance, soared to around 7 per cent. The crisis has now spread beyond the bond markets to the heart of the European financial system – private-sector banks. These are giant institutions – the five biggest in France, for example, have liabilities three times the size of the French economy's annual output. ► They have huge holdings of Eurozone government bonds whose value is questionable, and other dodgy assets such as toxic debt arising out of the earlier crisis in the US. ► They have made large loans to their own corporate and personal sectors whose default risk is rising as Europe moves into recession. In this issue: Financial crisis □ Investing in China □ Big isn't best □ US foreign skills rationing □ Formula investing □ The pound □ Living standards cuts □ On Target 06/12/2011 1 ► They are under pressure from regulators to boost significantly, and quickly, the capital reserves needed to shield them from bankruptcy. ► Perhaps worst of all, as they cannot attract enough deposits from their customers, they have major dependence on money borrowed on the wholesale market from financial institutions that have cash surpluses. In recent weeks that market has largely shut down, as banks increasingly fear "counter-party risk" – that if they lend to other banks, those could go bust. A European crisis is snowballing into a global crisis. To ward off disaster and comply with regulators' demands, the banks are: ► Selling assets, including riskier bonds and "non-core businesses" such as those outside their home countries; ► Cutting back on the credit they provide, which inevitably will drive Europe deeper into recession; ► Borrowing huge amounts from the European Central Bank – totalling now more than half-a-trillion euros. How did we get into this mess? The fundamental cause is debt. Individual households, businesses and in particular governments have borrowed far too much. Now the bill is being presented for a half-century of profligacy. Total debt in the mature economies has grown to more than three times their annual output. It has doubled since 1980. This does NOT include future liabilities such as pensions that will have to be paid. Governments are largely to blame. Example: in the US corporate debt is equivalent to 75 per cent of one year's economic output, and consumer debt is 95 per cent -- but government debt, including the cost of promises such as pensions to be paid in future, reached 541 per cent at the end of last year and is still climbing fast. How did the mountain of debt come about? ► Countries have introduced lavish welfare – social and medical services, cash benefits, early retirement pensions -- without providing for ways to pay for it all. Costs are spiralling for current benefits and particularly, with ageing populations, the forecast future costs of pensions and medical services. ► Governments have hugely expanded work forces in the public sector, ruling parties often using their powers of patronage to create jobs for their core supporters such as labour union members, and usually on pay and benefits higher than in the private sector. Nearly one million such jobs in Britain alone, under the last Labour government. Many of such jobs give little value to the national economy, but all add to the burden of state spending… and borrowing. ► People have been encouraged by governments via low interest rates and tax advantages to borrow more, often more than they can afford. In some countries such as the US, Spain and the UK, this produced a bubble in real estate whose collapse has left families heavily burdened with personal debt. ► The "great recession" triggered by the financial crisis that began in 2007 has curbed economic growth – tax revenues have fallen, state benefits such as unemployment pay have soared, and huge amounts have been poured into zombie On Target 06/12/2011 2 banks and politically powerful interests such as General Motors; the extra money has been borrowed. The logic for promoting debt is that it spurs economic growth. But the more debt there is, the less effective it is. In the US one dollar of credit used to create as much as five dollars worth of economic growth. Now it creates only half a dollar. Creating more debt depresses growth. Debt can go on accumulating for a long time without causing a crisis. Then one happens, suddenly. It's like a pile of sand that continues growing as material is added, then suddenly one additional grain causes the pile to collapse. The first financial crisis began in the comparatively small sector of sub-prime, but was magnified by banks into a systemic threat. Disaster was averted by massive spending by the US government and central bank. But it was financed by debt. Debt is being shifted from the private sector to taxpayers; very little has been done to reduce the debt, whose overhang continues to depress economic growth. Now we face the second financial crisis of our era: begun in Greece, magnified by banks. European governments have huge borrowing needs to refinance (raise money to repay maturing bonds) and finance their annual deficits. Adding to a debt burden already too high. Europe is unable to act forcefully to address its developing crisis because of lack of centralized authority – it has no powerful central finance ministry or lawmaking body, and its central bank's freedom to act is restricted by law. Almost any major decision requires unanimous support of 17 or even 27 countries. Getting all those governments to act has been described as "like trying to herd cats." Germans, Dutch and Finns are hostile to profligacy and money printing. "Club Med" populations expect European solidarity. No nation wants to give up sovereignty over its own essential affairs such as deciding on how taxes are to be raised and public money spent. There's an abundance of possible solutions proposed by experts – but none is being implemented, for various reasons: ► Too much political opposition within individual countries. ► The absence of a centralized control structure. ► Legal constraints. Example: Germany's constitution prohibits its participation in proposed bail-out funds. So instead we get successive crises, each worse and coming faster than the previous one. Politicians and officials try to divert attention by blaming scapegoats such as hedge funds and bond rating agencies. Each new stage of the crisis produces patch-ups such as the latest, based on the promise of a fiscal union, with tight control by a central treasury over individual countries' taxes and public spending. On Target 06/12/2011 3 But that will take years to implement, even if politically feasible. In some member- countries the new European treaty or treaty changes required could be torpedoed by a referendum or the downfall of a government. The principal purpose of the latest plan seems to be to coax the European Central Bank into loosening its restraints about dishing out the cash. This is yet another unsatisfactory patch-up… "kicking the can down the road." The Eurozone's initial attempt to ward off the debt crisis was to create the European Financial Stability Facility. But it only has resources of €440 billion, most of which has already been committed to the three small worst-hit countries, and is now seen as quite inadequate. Ideas being mooted for further rounds of debt musical chairs include: ► A leveraged version of EFSF – one geared up with borrowed money underwritten by individual member-nations. One expert comments caustically that it would be "a tranche in a toxic debt security." ► Eurobonds, also backed by individual member-states. But as that would add to their public debt, it would endanger France's and even Germany's prized triple-A credit ratings. ► A European rescue sponsored by the International Monetary Fund. There's talk of an $800 billion bail-out. But why should still-poor countries such as Brazil bail out rich European ones? And are European countries and the US willing to pay the price of giving up some of their voting power in the IMF in favour of the emerging nations? ► China! Europe is its biggest export market, so it will probably give some help. But it would hand over much less than hoped for, and exact a high price in political and trade terms. As Eurozone governments negotiate one rescue package after another, the markets scorn them as inadequate, and move on to the next stage of flight from the dodgiest assets. Can the global debt problem be solved? Yes, but all the options are very unpleasant: ► High inflation would destroy the real value of debt instruments such as bonds – but how can that come about? Japan has failed after two decades of near-zero interest rates and huge-scale money printing. ► Massive defaults would wipe out the debt – but also much of the world's wealth, not only of rich families, but also of ordinary folk much of whose wealth is invested in vehicles such as pension funds. ► A major war, capitalism's traditional remedy, would stimulate economies and destroy debt – but in a nuclear age it would destroy most of the population, too. ► Tough, sustained austerity, with governments, families and businesses being forced to spend less and save more, generating surpluses to pay down debt. Austerity is the option that governments are adopting. But they may not be able to persist with such a policy. When demand for goods and services is weak, that depresses economic activity. That means unemployment, bankruptcies – which worsens the downward spiral. On Target 06/12/2011 4 Debt reduction is called "deleveraging." The central bankers' "club," the BIS, says the world faces perhaps seven years of it. Years of low economic growth. Deleveraging is a painful process. Nearly everyone wants someone else to suffer that pain, not themselves. That's why the politicians are being castigated for not taking decisions to implement tough policies to address the developing crisis and its underlying causes. They know their voters – or the wealthy elites and other vested interests that support them – don't want to suffer the pain. Already populist parties, hostile to the bail-outs, are emerging or growing stronger. ► The Northern Europeans don't want to pay for profligacy of "Club Med" governments and citizens. ► The Southerners don't want to lose their livelihoods, and pay much higher taxes. ► The elites use all their power to resist loss of their wealth. ► The masses grow hostile to the euro, which they see as the source of their suffering. ► But the political elites are determined to retain it – and strengthen European unity. (Never overlook the power of memory of Europe's terrible history of catastrophic wars). So… expect a succession of crises in Europe, each coming faster and more frightening. Ending in a big one (probably bank failures). When that happens it will force the European Central Bank to print money and pour it into all the threatened institutions. The ECB is restricted by law from implementing radical policies favoured by some other major central banks, and remains strongly under the influence of the conservative philosophies of the Bundesbank. But four of the six directors on its executive board are nationals of Eurozone nations with serious debt problems, so may be expected to overrule German opposition to more liberal policy actions, as has already happened on the issue of buying Italian and Spanish bonds. The ECB may find ways to circumvent its legal restrictions on lending money to governments. Or it may just ignore them, as nations do when wars break out. Europe will do as the US has already done. That won't solve the problem of bloated debt. But it will kick the can even further down the road. Perhaps the Europeans will eventually implement a fiscal union, with a central government with strong powers to tax and control public spending in all member- nations. Perhaps nations will find austerity too hard to bear and resort to the other painful alternatives – mass defaults to wipe out debt. There are huge, dangerous uncertainties that you need to plan for in your personal, business and investment affairs – although I do believe that ultimately On Target 06/12/2011 5 solutions will emerge, nations will stabilize, and new grounds for optimism will evolve. The euro? It won't disappear. But some of the countries using it, such as Greece, may choose to default on their government debt and exit the Eurozone, leaving the euro as the common currency of a group of Northern European states, centred on Germany, but probably including France. What are likely to be the investment consequences of the continuing and escalating financial crisis in Europe? Don't confuse investment with economic growth. Often they trend in opposite directions. "Black" (balance-sheet) recessions last for years and are very painful because caution by businesses and consumers, and the restraint forced on governments by political oppositions and the costs of servicing high debt depress economic growth. The flood of cheap money poured into the global system in response to the sub- prime crisis has lifted the values of most investment assets. ► Shares doubled between March 2009 and April this year. ► Safest government bonds more than doubled after the 2008 crisis erupted. ► Gold has risen in value even more over the same period. All are now consolidating. So investment markets may remain weak for the next few months, especially if there is a banking crisis in Europe. However, longer-term, prospects for investors look much better than for those in business or in employment. Mainly because far too much cheap money will continue to be created by central banks. Not enough will be used to create economic growth -- so the surplus will flow into investment assets generally, boosting their value. As a retiree, I have a conservative approach to investing -- bear that in mind. More aggressive strategies may suit you if you are skilled at such investment, as there will always be profitable opportunities. My general advice to all is… ► Reduce debt if you can, especially short-term debt that is soon repayable or could be called. ► Build your cash reserves in a range of strong currencies (not just your own). ► Shift (if you can) into the safest assets. Currency markets are particularly difficult to forecast, because they are driven largely by capital flows, themselves driven as much by emotion as by fundamentals. However, here goes… Over the next few months the dollar is likely to strengthen against the euro, but remain fairly stable – perhaps a little stronger -- against the Chinese yuan. Longer-term, the yuan and China-related currencies are likely to be a better bet than the dollar, and significantly better than sterling or the euro. There is a huge long-term risk in the Japanese yen, which is seriously overvalued. On Target 06/12/2011 6 These are the assets I think every investor should hold in these turbulent times, with the near-certainty of major crises ahead: ► Gold (of course). Preferably bars of the stuff or bullion coins. You may prefer stockmarket-listed funds that give you direct ownership of gold, so you don't have to worry about storing/hiding your asset – but only buy ETFs of those that hold physical gold, not derivatives. Or the shares of companies mining the precious metals. ► Bonds. The safest longdated government bonds such as US Treasuries, German Bunds, British Gilts, even some of growth economies with low levels of public debt, such as Thailand. Remember that countries that control their currencies need never default on their bonds denominated in those currencies as they can always "print" the money needed for interest and capital payments. The inflation threat to bond values has long been outrageously overrated. The threat lies years away, when there is a return to strong economic growth and central banks start boosting their policy rates. Low-risk corporate bonds are also an attractive option. Many are rated as safer than sovereign debt. But the best shares are a better long-term idea… ► Equities. My friend the well-known London adviser David Fuller rightly favours what he calls the Autonomies – the huge, well-managed multinationals, mainly American, that are such wonderful businesses, with global markets, stable earnings growth, low debt, and cash reserves running into billions, that they can be compared to independent nations. My particular preference is for so-called equity income stocks – those of companies offering above-average dividend yields, well-covered by annual earnings that look sustainable, and with little debt. I also strongly favour companies that seem set to benefit from Asia's future economic growth, and the ETFs that hold them. ► Real estate. In the US there is a boom in rental properties. In Hong Kong I previously recommended a big real estate investment trust, Link, that pays nearly 4 per cent, more than six times covered by its earnings. ► Finally… cash. Remember that it doesn't lose value except through inflation, which is likely to remain low. Don't be tempted by high yields – put your money into the safest banks that are certain to be protected by their governments. This article is based on my recent speech to the Chiangmai Friends Group in Thailand, where we live. For those of you who don't already know… I am a retired financial journalist who has been writing about economics and investment for almost half-a-century, specializing in what I call "moneycraft." Most of my career was spent in South Africa, where I was chief editor of national newspapers and newsletters, establishing with my wife Liz our own successful financial publishing company. I became South Africa's first "guru" of personal finance, focusing in later years on international investment for individuals. On Target 06/12/2011 7 Since retiring in 2002, I have been writing and publishing On Target newsletter, distributed monthly to a thousand people around the world who have requested it, based on the research I do to manage my family's investment portfolio. I do not sell or promote any investments for financial benefit, accept advertising, rent out access to the distribution list, or act as a consultant to individuals (except members of my own family). Investing in China Despite the poor initial performance of the Fidelity China Special Situations Investment Trust he manages, the well-regarded British fund manager Anthony Bolton remains convinced about the long-term outlook for consumer and service stocks geared to the rise of the Chinese middle class. Here are his latest comments to Citiwire on current key issues: ► Inflation and the economy: Falls in global commodity prices should help lower China's price rises and prevent overheating. China could grow by around 8 per cent next year. If the global economy slows down this could fall to between 5 and 6 per cent. But China is less reliant on exports to the rest of the world than other countries in Asia. "The destiny of its economy is more in its own hands." ► Banks and bad debt: The credit bubble caused by unofficial bank lending and the risk of an explosion in bad debt is a big problem – but not an immediate one. The central government would step in and remove the bad debts from banks' balance sheets. Although some banks would suffer, this is not "a major problem that will have a big impact on the economy." ► Property crash: House prices have started to fall and the next 12 to 18 months will be difficult. However, not having the substantial mortgage debt found in the West, and with "good long-term supply/demand dynamics," there are grounds for optimism over the longer term. Shifting the structure from investment to household consumption in China "involves a redistribution of income from capital and profits to labour and wages; radical changes in the role of the exchange rate, interest rates and capital markets; and strategies to counter the high propensity to save by households, corporates and central government," comments UBS adviser George Magnus. "It is also politically divisive because power and economic privilege have to be wrested from party elites, state enterprises and banks, and given to new beneficiaries such as private companies, households, college graduates and rural migrant workers." Big Isn't Best Too many executives of large companies think and behave like bureaucrats in the public sector. Entrepreneurship is "irrelevant to them – even offensive," says venture capitalist and commentator Luke Johnson. Such corporations suffer from "institutional capture" by their managers. On Target 06/12/2011 8 "Government and big business typically have close, sometimes unhealthy, relationships. Corporates pay for lobbyists and lawyers to influence legislators and regulators; politicians seek non-executive directorships and consultancies with large banks and suchlike when they retire from public office. "Such organizations as defence companies, builders, IT contractors, security firms and others are vast suppliers to the private sector. Their skill set is not innovation, but contract negotiation. "As parts of the public sector were privatized, such as the utilities, they acquired the profit motive – but never adopted the flexible mentality of an entrepreneurial business." Most are near-monopolies, Johnson says, and behave "like arms of government." Corporate empires pay their chief executives 50 or even 100 times as much as their basic workers, have little loyalty to their home countries, and with their focus on cost-cutting, outsourcing and automation, "frequently do not generate additional jobs, but destroy them." Foreign Skills Rationing Immigration laws have become a focus of anger in the American business community, as they prevent so many foreign citizens who have gained advanced qualifications at US universities from staying on in the country, which would ease the shortage of such high-level skills. Only 140,000 "green card" permits for foreigners to live and work in the US are issued each year, and a country-by-country rationing system is particularly onerous. No more than 7 per cent of the 140,000 may be issued to residents of each foreign country. That limit means it would take 70 years to clear the backlog of applications by prospective workers from India; 20 years from China. Foreign nationals now account for 70 per cent of the doctorates in electrical engineering awarded in the US and half of the master's degrees. Yet most such graduates are forced to return whence they came after qualifying. The contribution of those lucky enough to be allowed to stay has been remarkable. Half of all the start-ups in Silicon Valley have been made by foreigners, and a quarter of all technology businesses started in the US since 1995 have had at least one foreign-born founder. The late Steve Jobs said he shifted Apple production to China because there he could find the 30,000 engineers that were unavailable in the US. He was mystified why there was a policy that allowed foreigners to be educated at the nation's finest universities, then forced them to return to their countries of origin. Formula Investing I have long advocated this approach for ordinary folk who lack the information and skills to manage their personal investments. It involves investing in fixed proportions of a balanced range of assets, rebalancing periodically, usually only once a year. A knowledgeable friend says he has found a dollar-denominated fund that follows such a strategy, advocated by the late American investment adviser Harry Browne, On Target 06/12/2011 9 with this make-up: gold 20 per cent, silver 5 per cent, Swiss franc assets 10 per cent, US and foreign real estate and natural resource stocks 15 per cent, aggressive growth stocks 15 per cent, US Treasury bills, bonds and other dollar assets 35 per cent. Since inception in 1982 the fund gave an annualized rate of return of 10 per cent for US investors, even after paying taxes. See <www.permanentportfoliofunds.com/pdfs/news_wallstreet.pdf. Threat to the Pound Investors should "sell both sterling and gilts into the end-game of the Eurozone crisis," advises the well-known Hong Kong-based adviser Christopher Wood. Its status of being part of Europe yet outside the Eurozone, and therefore a safe haven, is "ludicrous," given the reality that it has its own "bloated welfare state and related rump of an unemployable lumpenproletariat. If there are concrete moves towards a fiscal union in Europe, that will offer countries a chance to sign up and enjoy the likely benefit of being able to issue joint and severally-guaranteed Eurobonds. Those that fail to do so risk being spurned by the bond markets. Britain will face the same risk if it stays outside the fiscal union. The European Union now looks less like the trading union it began as than "a self- help group for debt addicts," comments The Spectator. It correctly points out that "the never-ending summits are not about saving Greece, but about saving the French, Spanish and Dutch banks that foolishly loaned the Greek government €130 billion." Fraser Nelson, the magazine's impressive editor and an economics expert, argues that the best way to deal with bloated debt is to "front-load" the pain. Estonia, the East European country that did this, cutting government jobs, pay and pension benefits, while keeping taxes flat and low, now has an economy growing at 7 per cent a year. Living Standards The younger generation are not doing nearly as well as their parents, the baby- boomers, according to a Canadian study. Comparing four-year periods – 2005-2009 for the younger generation, 1976-1980 for their parents -- average family income in Canada for the new generation rose less than 5 per cent, whereas the previous generation gained more than 18 per cent. "New families today have a lower standard of living than their parents' generation, even though the Canadian economy has doubled since 1976," energy investment banker Allen Brooks comments in his newsletter. An important reason is very different performance in prices of homes, which usually represent a family's largest asset. "Baby-boomers are heading into retirement with the highest incomes and more wealth than any previous generation of retirees." By contrast, "the younger On Target 06/12/2011 10 generation is faced with high-priced homes requiring larger mortgages, while being inflicted with stagnant wages, high unemployment and pressures to help parents while raising children." UK Immigration Here's a fascinating comparison sent to me which gives one reason why so many British voters are hostile to immigration, and particularly the failure of all three of the major political parties to curb the least defensible parts of it… The British government provides the following financial assistance: British old aged pensioners: Weekly allowance £104 Illegal immigrants/refugees living in the UK: Weekly allowance £250 Pensioners: Weekly spouse allowance £25 Illegal immigrants/refugees: Weekly spouse allowance £225 Pensioners: Additional weekly hardship allowance £0 Illegal immigrants/refugees: Additional weekly hardship allowance £100 Pensioners: Total yearly benefits £6,000 Illegal immigrants/refugees: Total yearly benefits £29,900. The average pensioner, it's pointed out, has paid taxes and contributed to the growth of the economy for 40 to 60 years. Tailpieces Thailand post-disasters: The Land of Smiles is set to make a strong recovery from its flood damage and political conflicts, with Singapore's DBS Bank forecasting per capita economic growth to average more than 5 per cent a year this decade. Despite flood losses and the cost of meeting promises to voters in the recent election, the government plans a fiscal deficit for the coming year of only 3½ per cent of GDP. Easily affordable, given that Thailand has a low public debt-to-GDP ratio of 40 per cent, almost as good as Switzerland's. A post-flood reconstruction programme that will probably include a giant flood- diversion canal is expected to cost about $30 billion. But that's easily affordable given Thailand's foreign reserves of $180 billion. Exports account for 70 per cent of economic activity. Thailand is the world's biggest rice producer and exporter, attracts about 15 million foreign tourists every year, and has several important industries such as automotive and electronic (when its factories are dry once again, it makes almost half the world's hard discs). Bonds: "If you are wealthy enough to lend someone a few million dollars, to whom do you lend it?" asks UK investment adviser Tim Price. He favours lending to "countries, or to entities within those countries, that actually have the resources to pay you back – do not lend to countries that are insolvent basket cases." Examples of "good" borrowers with foreign assets are greater than their foreign liabilities: Qatar, Hong Kong, the UAE, Singapore. A vehicle for doing this is the New Capital Wealthy Nations Bond Fund which, despite its focus on the most creditworthy, nevertheless offers an interest yield of 7 to 8 per cent in its various currency classes. On Target 06/12/2011 11 Dividends: Asian companies now give greater importance to paying dividends, says Morgan Stanley strategist Jonathan Garner. For example, about 90 per cent of the technology firms in the bank's Taiwan index now pay a dividend. Fullermoney's Eoin Treacy comments that although high growth, strong earnings, low debt, the expanding middle class and firm currencies have been among the most popular reasons for investing in Asian equities, improving corporate governance has been apparent. "This is an important development, and is another compelling reason for abandoning long-held prejudice that Asia is high-risk compared to Europe and the US. "While most of the companies with solid records of dividend increases are listed in Australia, Japan and India, a pattern of increasing dividend payouts is observable regionally." The US and Japan: The similarity between developments in America recently and the experience of Japan over the past two decades has for some time led some analysts to argue, ominously, that the US will mimic the Japan model (low economic growth, deflation, money printing, a bubble in government debt and collapses in asset values). Others have countered that there are too many differences between the two – for example, a natural thriftiness drives the Japanese to save, whereas Americans never need much encouragement to borrow to finance more consumer spending. However, not all such differences are favourable. One analyst suggests that things could prove much nastier in America "because deflationary conditions are more socially combustible in the US than in Japan given its vastly different social fabric." Shoot the messenger! The head of Greece's new independent statistics agency, now under criminal investigation and facing life imprisonment on conviction, says he's being prosecuted "for not cooking the books." His offence was revising the nation's fiscal deficit for 2009 to a more realistic, higher figure, which the government says betrayed the national interest. That's the government now led by the technocrat who was in charge of Greece's financial affairs when the figures were doctored so the country could secure entry to the Eurozone! Carbonatic lunacy: According to a report in the Washington Post – surely an impeccable source, as that major newspaper supports the fashionable nostrums of the Left such as anthropogenic global warming – the Obama green loan programme cost $38.6 billion over two years, but created a mere 3,500 jobs. That's an average of $11 million per job. No wonder the US has a government debt crisis! Know someone you'd like to receive ►On Target ? Send me his/her email address. Or email your request to me at: firstname.lastname@example.com. ►On Target is a free, private newsletter for Martin Spring's worldwide circle of friends and contacts. On Target 06/12/2011 12
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Marcin Gortat, John Wall and Otto Porter model the Wizards new alternate jerseys, which will be worn on specific dates. Click through for the pics and calendar.
The addition of John Lucas gives the Wizards plenty of options in how coach Randy Wittman uses his lineups and what the front office does going forward.
The Wizards weren't happy with their healthy backcourt options on the roster with Bradley Beal hurt and instead picked up a veteran guard Tuesday.
The Wizards have one preseason game left after a performance that coach Randy Wittman described as "inexcusable" vs. the Pelicans.
The Wizards nearly overcame a 29-point deficit against New Orleans with a big second half, but they couldn't complete the comeback.


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|Blog Posts
Soph has taken it all in her stride which seems her norm now which is fabulous!!
While back home we managed to get quite a bit of snow! This is a pic of the igloo I built Soph. Yep it took me 4 hours to build all by myself! Who knew I had some skillz :D
Soph and I managed to squeeze in :D
Sledging baby!
Soph and her beloved puppy having a snuggle.
Oh there is one little bit of information I forgot!
First culture-NORMAL FLORA ONLY.
Second culture- MIXED GROWTH ONLY.
No Pseudo or MRSA!
So yeah that's currently the best news ever but I'm not about to say MRSA has gone and taken Pseudomonas with it. I'm hopeful MRSA has been eradicated and I do really expect pseudo to grow again at some point but we need to wait for a good 6 months to see if they've gone for good or not.
My current thoughts on the matter are
Cautiously happy :)
In other news, for those of you who don't use twitter there is a fab CF awareness account and they have just started selling CF Wristbands to raise awareness and they also ship worldwide!
I will post a pic when ours arrive :) They are so bright and lovely!
CFAware wristbands
Take care all!xxx
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Looking for car camper vehicle- suggestions?
Want to take a 1 mo. long trip of a lifetime andI want a vehicle I can camp/sleep in the back of ... but still getting reasonably good mileage - ideally 30-35 mpg, might go as low as 25. Really dont want to spend much more than 7,000
If money were no object, Id get a Fit but unfortunately... money IS an object. Being a shorter F. my old honda hatch worked quite well and got over 40 mpg - although somewhat cramped - but alas those arent available anymore. So heres another thought- a midsize with fold down seats and openinginto the trunk.... and then maybe remove the seat back for more sleeping room? Are those seat backs easy to remove?
My thinking is that Id rather go the modified car route vs an suv or truck because its more affordable to buy and keep it running and of course gas mileage.
HOWEVER.... Im interested in hearing any and all thoughts - thnx!!!
A Honda CR-V might fit you bill, but good ones are not cheap. Last year, I bought a 2005 CR-V and have been very satisfied with it, It has a 2.4 L 4-cylinder engine with variable valve tuning - that part works very well. The 2005 version is rated at 170 HP, has a 5 speed automatic, and will get around 27 miles per gallon at expressway speeds (65 to 70 mph). Mileage improves at lesser speeds, but tops out around 30 mpg. The rear seats folds to enlarge the cargo area. These seats are easy to fold and restore to normal position.
It is the best behaved 4 cylinder I have ever driven. The engine - transmission works very well, and is smooth and quiet. Mine is a front wheel drive only. All Wheel drives are available.
The main problem is these are popular vehicles and are not cheap. A good to excellent 2005 model last year ran about $14,000. Figure on an additional $1000 for an AWD (all wheel drive) version. Around here in snow country, the AWD addition is commanding a greater price than its cost when new.
I took a 3000 mile trip with it last August and am planning another trip this September. I plan to keep this one for a few years. (My wife wants one, too.)
The negatives:
1. Rear visibility is impaired. The optional rear view camera is recommended. Rear vision for highway driving is ok; Its the near distance when backing up that the problem (The same on many SUVs).
2. Throttle is by wire (electronic/electric). There is no direct mechanical connection between the accelerator pedal and the throttle plate. I have had no problem with mine; Its my preference to have a mechanical connection
3. The rear door is hinged on the right edge. Space must be allowed to swing the door open. This has not been a big problem so long as one stays aware of this need. later models hinged the door at the top but moved the spare tire. The older models with side swinging doors carry the spare outside on the rear of the door thus increasing interior cargo space.
4. The windshield wipers have an intermitent wipe plus 2 speeds. The intermittent wipe delay is not adjustable.
5. The rear wiper is intermittent only. Its wipe delay is not adjustable. However, it has been adequate.
The Positives:
1. Seats are comfortable.
2. The odometer has 2 trip meters.
3. Brakes are well behaved.
4. Engine uses 87 octane fuel.
5. Engine is started and shut down with a key swutch - No goofy hold down a button for 5 seconds to shut off.
6. Has good road clearance.
7. The passenger space is tall allowing easy entrance/exit without hitting your head on the doorway.
Hey,I was also looking for car camper vehicle and Honda CR-V was my choice and jem your suggestion helped me a lot to know good and bad points of this car.
Honda body parts
This post was edited by BallGeorge on Tue, Aug 6, 13 at 7:14


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Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Chanhassen, Chanhassen
Situated in Chanhassen, Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Chanhassen is close to Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Hazeltine National Golf Club, and Chaska Town Course. Additional area attractions include Deer Run Golf Club.
Hotel Features.
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Chanhassen has an indoor pool, a spa tub, and a fitness center. The hotel features business amenities including a business center and meeting rooms. A complimentary breakfast is available. Additional amenities include multilingual staff, laundry facilities, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby. Complimentary self parking is available onsite for guests.
The 89 guestrooms at Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Chanhassen include coffee/tea makers and hair dryers. Televisions are equipped with premium cable channels and pay movies. All accommodations provide phones along with free local calls (restrictions may apply). Housekeeping is offered daily.
Excellent. Superior facility.
The bed was hard and the toilet didn't flush very well (mechanism would stick). Otherwise…
Enter dates to check prices
Hotel Info: 020 3027 9803from £88
- Room, 1 Single Bed
- Adjoining rooms
- Room, 1 Single Bed
- Room, 1 Single Bed
- Suite
- One King Bed, Non-Smoking
- Suite, Two Queen Beds, Non-Smoking
- Two Queen Beds, Non-Smoking
- Standard
- Executive, One King Bed, Non-Smoking
- One King Bed, Smoking
- Executive, One King Bed, Smoking
- Executive Suite, Two Queen Beds, Non-Smoking
- One King Bed, Non-Smoking
- One King Bed, Smoking
Recommended hotels
At a glance
Key facts
Hotel size
- This hotel has 89 rooms
- This hotel is arranged over 3 floors
- Check-in time starts at 3 PM
- Check-out time is 11 AM
Required at check in
- Credit card or cash deposit required
- Government-issued photo ID required
- Minimum check-in age is 21
Travelling with others
- Pets not allowed
- Free self parking
- Accessible parking
Nearby Two Star Chanhassen hotels
In the hotel
- Free buffet breakfast
- Indoor pool
- Fitness facilities
- Spa tub
- Free use of nearby fitness center
- Business center
- Meeting rooms
- Front desk (limited hours)
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Laundry facilities
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Disabled parking
- Accessible path of travel
- Braille or raised signage
- Accessibility equipment for the deaf
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
- Roll-in shower
In the room
- Coffee/tea maker
- Iron/ironing board
- Hair dryer
- Pay movies
- Premium TV channels
- Free local calls
- Daily housekeeping
Top Chanhassen hotels
Recently reviewed hotels in Chanhassen
- Hilton Minneapolis BloomingtonFrom
"Excellent hotel have stayed there on numerous occasions and never lets us down"Feb 25, 2015
- Country Inn & Suites By Carlson Brooklyn Ctr- Minneapolis NWFrom
- Le Meridien ChambersFrom
"Clean, comfortable and convenient to downtown restaurants and shopping."Jan 13, 2015
- Comfort Inn Airport-Mall of AmericaFrom
"I found the staff to be very friendly and accommodating. Arranging the shuttle bus I found staff very helpful with. Rooms were reasonable, good location if you are there to visit…"Nov 20, 2014


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Feng Zhengjie. (Chinese, b. 1968)."Chinese Portrait No. 4". 2008
Silk-Screen Print in Colors. From edition of 68.
Size: 21.75 x 42.5 inches (55 x 108 cm)
The print is unframed and in excellent condition.
This is the first edition of this print to come to international auction.
"Chinese Portrait No. 4" is one of the most stunning and rare color silk screen prints by famous Chinese Contemporary artist Feng Zhengjie, and belongs to his iconic series of large-scale paintings and color silk-screen prints known as the "Chinese Portrait Series" . This is one of the largest and most ornate of Feng's "Chinese Portrait" prints and depicts a beautiful young woman from a dynamic bird's eye view, her movie-star smile and stunning good looks are depicted in his signature neon pink and green palette, her lips a glossy, brilliant red. Her face beams upwards at the viewer, framed by denizens of pink roses and green leaves in full bloom.
Reminiscent of Warhol's screen-printed female celebrities, namely Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, as well as the plethora of New York socialites who commissioned Warhol to depict them, Feng's paintings and prints are called "Neo-Pop" as he uses pop art in a futuristic manner. Feng's uber-glamorous women are inspired by the images of western models and celebrity portraits found in gossip and fashion magazines advertisements, on billboards, commercials and now "reality" television shows. Feng makes his women unattainable and into foreign creatures by his use lack of specific narrative, his neon palette and electrified auras, and high-fashion poses. Feng's models, who are neither western nor Chinese in appearance, are wandering-eyed hybrids of universal, commercial beauty. His paintings and prints from these series belong to the top Private and Museum collections world-wide and are highly sought after on the primary and secondary markets world-wide. The artist lives and works in China.
Feng Zhengjie. (Chinese, b. 1968)."Chinese Portrait No. 4". 2008


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Over the past decade, an explosion of empirical research in a variety of fields has allowed us to understand human moral sensibility as a sophisticated integration of cognitive, emotional, and motivational mechanisms shaped through evolution, development, and culture. Evolutionary biologists have shown that moral cognition evolved to aid cooperation; developmental psychologists have demonstrated that the elements that underpin morality are in place much earlier than we thought; and social neuroscientists have begun to map brain circuits implicated in moral decision making. This volume offers an overview of current research on the moral brain, examining the topic from disciplinary perspectives that range from anthropology and neurophilosophy to justice and law.
The contributors address the evolution of morality, considering precursors of human morality in other species as well as uniquely human adaptations. They examine motivations for morality, exploring the roles of passion, extreme sacrifice, and cooperation. They go on to consider the development of morality, from infancy to adolescence; findings on neurobiological mechanisms of moral cognition; psychopathic immorality; and the implications for justice and law of a more biological understanding of morality. These new findings may challenge our intuitions about society and justice, but they may also lead to more a humane and flexible legal system.
Scott Atran, Abigail A. Baird, Nicolas Baumard, Sarah Brosnan, Jason M. Cowell, Molly J. Crockett, Ricardo de Oliveira-Souza, Andrew W. Delton, Mark R. Dadds, Jean Decety, Jeremy Ginges, Andrea L. Glenn, Joshua D. Greene, J. Kiley Hamlin, David J. Hawes, Jillian Jordan, Max M. Krasnow, Ayelet Lahat, Jorge Moll, Caroline Moul, Thomas Nadelhoffer, Alexander Peysakhovich, Laurent Prétôt, Jesse Prinz, David G. Rand, Rheanna J. Remmel, Emma Roellke, Regina A. Rini, Joshua Rottman, Mark Sheskin, Thalia Wheatley, Liane Young, Roland Zahn
The computer analogy of the mind has been as widely adopted in contemporary cognitive neuroscience as was the analogy of the brain as a collection of organs in phrenology. Just as the phrenologist would insist that each organ must have its particular function, so contemporary cognitive neuroscience is committed to the notion that each brain region must have its fundamental computation. In After Phrenology, Michael Anderson argues that to achieve a fully post-phrenological science of the brain, we need to reassess this commitment and devise an alternate, neuroscientifically grounded taxonomy of mental function.
Anderson contends that the cognitive roles played by each region of the brain are highly various, reflecting different neural partnerships established under different circumstances. He proposes quantifying the functional properties of neural assemblies in terms of their dispositional tendencies rather than their computational or information-processing operations. Exploring larger-scale issues, and drawing on evidence from embodied cognition, Anderson develops a picture of thinking rooted in the exploitation and extension of our early-evolving capacity for iterated interaction with the world. He argues that the multidimensional approach to the brain he describes offers a much better fit for these findings, and a more promising road toward a unified science of minded organisms.
For many years, researchers have studied visual recognition with objects—single, clean, clear, and isolated objects, presented to subjects at the center of the screen. In our real environment, however, objects do not appear so neatly. Our visual world is a stimulating scenery mess; fragments, colors, occlusions, motions, eye movements, context, and distraction all affect perception. In this volume, pioneering researchers address the visual cognition of scenes from neuroimaging, psychology, modeling, electrophysiology, and computer vision perspectives.
Building on past research—and accepting the challenge of applying what we have learned from the study of object recognition to the visual cognition of scenes—these leading scholars consider issues of spatial vision, context, rapid perception, emotion, attention, memory, and the neural mechanisms underlying scene representation. Taken together, their contributions offer a snapshot of our current knowledge of how we understand scenes and the visual world around us.
Elissa M. Aminoff, Moshe Bar, Margaret Bradley, Daniel I. Brooks, Marvin M. Chun, Ritendra Datta, Russell A. Epstein, Michèle Fabre-Thorpe, Elena Fedorovskaya, Jack L. Gallant, Helene Intraub, Dhiraj Joshi, Kestutis Kveraga, Peter J. Lang, Jia Li Xin Lu, Jiebo Luo, Quang-Tuan Luong, George L. Malcolm, Shahin Nasr, Soojin Park, Mary C. Potter, Reza Rajimehr, Dean Sabatinelli, Philippe G. Schyns, David L. Sheinberg, Heida Maria Sigurdardottir, Dustin Stansbury, Simon Thorpe, Roger Tootell, James Z. Wang
Each edition of this classic reference has proved to be a benchmark in the developing field of cognitive neuroscience. The fifth edition of The Cognitive Neurosciences continues to chart new directions in the study of the biological underpinnings of complex cognitio—the relationship between the structural and physiological mechanisms of the nervous system and the psychological reality of the mind. It offers entirely new material, reflecting recent advances in the field.
Many of the developments in cognitive neuroscience have been shaped by the introduction of novel tools and methodologies, and a new section is devoted to methods that promise to guide the field into the future—from sophisticated models of causality in brain function to the application of network theory to massive data sets. Another new section treats neuroscience and society, considering some of the moral and political quandaries posed by current neuroscientific methods.
Other sections describe, among other things, new research that draws on developmental imaging to study the changing structure and function of the brain over the lifespan; progress in establishing increasingly precise models of memory; research that confirms the study of emotion and social cognition as a core area in cognitive neuroscience; and new findings that cast doubt on the so-called neural correlates of consciousness.
This book offers a concise and accessible introduction to the emerging field of artificial cognitive systems. Cognition, both natural and artificial, is about anticipating the need for action and developing the capacity to predict the outcome of those actions. Drawing on artificial intelligence, developmental psychology, and cognitive neuroscience, the field of artificial cognitive systems has as its ultimate goal the creation of computer-based systems that can interact with humans and serve society in a variety of ways. This primer brings together recent work in cognitive science and cognitive robotics to offer readers a solid grounding on key issues.
The book first develops a working definition of cognitive systems—broad enough to encompass multiple views of the subject and deep enough to help in the formulation of theories and models. It surveys the cognitivist, emergent, and hybrid paradigms of cognitive science and discusses cognitive architectures derived from them. It then turns to the key issues, with chapters devoted to autonomy, embodiment, learning and development, memory and prospection, knowledge and representation, and social cognition. Ideas are introduced in an intuitive, natural order, with an emphasis on the relationships among ideas and building to an overview of the field. The main text is straightforward and succinct; sidenotes drill deeper on specific topics and provide contextual links to further reading.
Our ordinary, everyday thinking requires an astonishing range of cognitive activities, yet our cognition seems to take place seamlessly. We move between cognitive processes with ease, and different types of cognition seem to share information readily. In this book, David Danks proposes a novel cognitive architecture that can partially explain two aspects of human cognition: its relatively integrated nature and our effortless ability to focus on the relevant factors in any particular situation. Danks argues that both of these features of cognition are naturally explained if many of our cognitive representations are understood to be structured like graphical models.
The computational framework of graphical models is widely used in machine learning, but Danks is the first to offer a book-length account of its use to analyze multiple areas of cognition. Danks demonstrates the usefulness of this approach by reinterpreting a variety of cognitive theories in terms of graphical models. He shows how we can understand much of our cognition—in particular causal learning, cognition involving concepts, and decision making—through the lens of graphical models, thus clarifying a range of data from experiments and introspection. Moreover, Danks demonstrates the important role that cognitive representations play in a unified understanding of cognition, arguing that much of our cognition can be explained in terms of different cognitive processes operating on a shared collection of cognitive representations. Danks's account is mathematically accessible, focusing on the qualitative aspects of graphical models and separating the formal mathematical details in the text.
Cognitive neuroscience explores the relationship between our minds and our brains, most recently by drawing on brain imaging techniques to align neural mechanisms with psychological processes. In Mind and Brain, William Uttal offers a critical review of cognitive neuroscience, examining both its history and modern developments in the field. He pays particular attention to the role of brain imaging--especially functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)--in studying the mind-brain relationship. He argues that, despite the explosive growth of this new mode of research, there has been more hyperbole than critical analysis of what experimental outcomes really mean. With Mind and Brain, Uttal attempts a synoptic synthesis of this substantial body of scientific literature. Uttal considers psychological and behavioral concerns that can help guide the neuroscientific discussion; work done before the advent of imaging systems; and what brain imaging has brought to recent research. Cognitive neuroscience, Uttal argues, is truly both cognitive and neuroscientific. Both approaches are necessary and neither is sufficient to make sense of the greatest scientific issue of all: how the brain makes the mind.
In The Measure of Madness, Philip Gerrans offers a novel explanation of delusion. Over the last two decades, philosophers and cognitive scientists have investigated explanations of delusion that interweave philosophical questions about the nature of belief and rationality with findings from cognitive science and neurobiology. Gerrans argues that once we fully describe the computational and neural mechanisms that produce delusion and the way in which conscious experience and thought depend on them, the concept of delusional belief retains only a heuristic role in the explanation of delusion.
Gerrans proposes that delusions are narrative models that accommodate anomalous experiences. He argues that delusions represent the operation of the Default Mode Network (DMN)—the cognitive system that provides the raw material for humans' inbuilt tendency to provide a subjectively compelling narrative context for anomalous or highly salient experiences—without the "supervision" of higher cognitive processes present in the nondelusional mind. This explanation illuminates the relationship among delusions, dreams, imaginative states, and irrational beliefs that have perplexed philosophers and psychologists for over a century.
Going beyond the purely conceptual and the phenomenological, Gerrans brings together findings from different disciplines to trace the flow of information through the cognitive system, and applies these to case studies of typical schizophrenic delusions: misidentification, alien control, and thought insertion. Drawing on the interventionist model of causal explanation in philosophy of science and the predictive coding approach to the mind influential in computational neuroscience, Gerrans provides a model for integrative theorizing about the mind.
The event-related potential (ERP) technique, in which neural responses to specific events are extracted from the EEG, provides a powerful noninvasive tool for exploring the human brain. This volume describes practical methods for ERP research along with the underlying theoretical rationale. It offers researchers and students an essential guide to designing, conducting, and analyzing ERP experiments. This second edition has been completely updated, with additional material, new chapters, and more accessible explanations. Freely available supplementary material, including several online-only chapters, offer expanded or advanced treatment of selected topics. The first half of the book presents essential background information, describing the origins of ERPs, the nature of ERP components, and the design of ERP experiments. The second half of the book offers a detailed treatment of the main steps involved in conducting ERP experiments, covering such topics as recording the EEG, filtering the EEG and ERP waveforms, and quantifying amplitudes and latencies. Throughout, the emphasis is on rigorous experimental design and relatively simple analyses. New material in the second edition includes entire chapters devoted to components, artifacts, measuring amplitudes and latencies, and statistical analysis; updated coverage of recording technologies; concrete examples of experimental design; and many more figures. Online chapters cover such topics as overlap, localization, writing and reviewing ERP papers, and setting up and running an ERP lab.
In the last decade, the synergistic interaction of neurosurgeons, engineers, and neuroscientists, combined with new technologies, has enabled scientists to study the awake, behaving human brain directly. These developments allow cognitive processes to be characterized at unprecedented resolution: single neuron activity. Direct observation of the human brain has already led to major insights into such aspects of brain function as perception, language, sleep, learning, memory, action, imagery, volition, and consciousness. In this volume, experts document the successes, challenges, and opportunity in an emerging field.The book presents methodological tutorials, with chapters on such topics as the surgical implantation of electrodes and data analysis techniques; describes novel insights into cognitive functions including memory, decision making, and visual imagery; and discusses insights into diseases such as epilepsy and movement disorders gained from examining single neuron activity. Finally, contributors consider future challenges, questions that are ripe for investigation, and exciting avenues for translational efforts.ContributorsRalph Adolphs, William S. Anderson, Arjun K. Bansal, Eric J. Behnke, Moran Cerf, Jonathan O. Dostrovsky, Emad N. Eskandar, Tony A. Fields, Itzhak Fried, Hagar Gelbard-Sagiv, C. Rory Goodwin, Clement Hamani, Chris Heller, Mojgan Hodaie, Matthew Howard III, William D. Hutchison, Matias Ison, Hiroto Kawasaki, Christof Koch, Rüdiger Köhling, Gabriel Kreiman, Michel Le Van Quyen, Frederick A. Lenz, Andres M. Lozano, Adam N. Mamelak, Clarissa Martinez-Rubio, Florian Mormann, Yuval Nir, George Ojemann, Shaun R. Patel, Sanjay Patra, Linda Philpott, Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, Ian Ross, Ueli Rutishauser, Andreas Schulze-Bonhage, Erin M. Schuman, Demetrio Sierra-Mercado, Richard J. Staba, Nanthia Suthana, William Sutherling, Travis S. Tierney, Giulio Tononi, Oana Tudusciuc, Charles L. Wilson
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