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Lake Martin Voice Realty
Archive for the 'Real Estate Tips' Category
Alabama Power Changes Lake Martin Lot Leases
Alabama Power, a division of Southern Company, is utility company with a huge influence on the waterfront real estate market on Lake Martin, Alabama.
First of all, they built Martin Dam in 1926, thereby damming the Tallapoosa River and creating Lake Martin in the first place. For my post about our tour of Martin Dam, click here.
In the process of building it, they bought up all of the land under, and most of the land around the eventual shoreline. Along with developer Russell Lands, Alabama Power owns pretty much every inch of undeveloped land around the lake. Area experts estimate that of the 770 miles of shoreline of Lake Martin, 70% remains undeveloped.
Over the years, Alabama Power has sold off residential lots. But a big part of their influence remains as holders of lot leases. This is where the homeowner owns the house, improvements, etc., but Alabama Power still owns the dirt and they lease it to the home owner.
Since about 2007, I have written a couple of posts on this subject. To get a basic understanding of how leased lots work on Lake Martin, please read them. Please keep in mind, they are old and about to be sort of outdated by what I say below, but please see:
and see:
Huge Change In Leased Lots For Lake Martin
Since I have written the above, Alabama Power has made a huge change in the lease program. If you really dug into the old leases, you would find that they used to read that they were for five years, with five automatic renewals at five years each. The way you renewed it was to pay the first month's payment. So, it was five years plus 25 years of renewals, that's how they figured they were giving you a 30 year lease. It made sense to them, but caused most loan underwriters fits. Well, I should rephrase that. Before 2008, lenders didn't give a hoot. Back then they had only two requirements for lake lending: mirror and water. If you could fog a mirror, and if the land was touching water, they pushed money at you.
After the real estate meltdown in 2008, the pendulum swung to the other extreme. When underwriters on leased lot home loans read the automatic renewal clause, most freaked out. They would not give 30 year fixed rate loans on what they viewed as five year property. Most wouldn't even offer an ARM loan. That left you only with a couple of local banks as financing choices.
All this is now moot!
Somewhere around March of 2012, Alabama Power changed the lease terms for their residential land leases on Lake Martin. Now they are 35 year fixed term leases, meaning, the lease starts in (for example) Jan 1, 2012, and ends December 31, 2047. This allows you to get 30 year fixed rate financing. I think this development could really revolutionize the way people view leased lots.
Over the years I have been blessed to sell a lot of waterfront leased lot homes on Lake Martin, and for every one I have sold I have talked to probably 50 buyers about the leased lot process on Lake Martin. It's a hyperlocal concept, to be sure, and when buyers have reservations, it's usually about the lease terms. Many times, even when they get past the concept and go to finance the purchase and want to use their hometown lender, that is where the deal would crash. Hometown lender would be unfamiliar with Alabama Power lot leases, would freak out about the renewals, and the deal would die.
Now, with Alabama Power offering to have a 35 year lease, I predict a tremendous influx of other lenders who can finance them. Like any other type of real estate, once the financing options open up, it makes them easier to buy. When things are more liquid, they gain in value. I think over the long term, say the next five years, you will see a gain in leased lot homes' worth on Lake Martin. It's a great move by Alabama Power, and I heartily applaud it.
Are you interested in buying a leased lot waterfront home on Lake Martin? I would be glad to help you out, and explain what to look for so that you get the most for your money.
Or do you own a leased lot home right now, and are wondering how this new policy might affect your home's value? Click here to request a no obligation CMA, or call me at 334 221 5862.
Young's Island: A Lake Martin Gateway
Young's Island is a major landmark on the east side of Lake Martin. I always look for it when I'm in my boat heading north from Pleasure Point toward the main river channel, and when I'm headed south from Highway 280 and Jackson's Gap toward Chimney Rock.
There used to be a ferry – Young's Ferry – that would take people back and forth across this channel. That's why there are two Young's Ferry Roads on Lake Martin: a Young's Ferry Road on the west side in Alex City, and one on the opposite side in Dadeville.
Having two Young's Ferry Roads on one lake is not unusual for Lake Martin. Since this one lake covers 3 counties, and (depending on your definition of a "city") 0 – 5 cities, having the same name for multiple roads in very common. For example, there are several "Lakeviews," "Lakewoods," "Hilltops," "Dogwoods," and even two "Easy" streets. This can make searching for homes a little tricky, so be sure you understand the address you're seeing on the Lake Martin MLS.
Or just call me. I make it my business to know trivia like this – that of the two homes for sale today on "Easy" streets, the one in Eclectic is on a leased lot, and the one in Alex City is deeded. I'd love to help you find the Lake Martin property you're searching for. As a member of the lake MLS, I can help you with any property, regardless of the listing agent. Give me a call (334) 221-5862, or shoot me an email at [email protected]
Lake Martin House Rental Tips
I'm getting a lot of calls and emails these days from folks wanting to rent a vacation home on Lake Martin. Well, my company doesn't do rentals, only sales, so I send callers to VRBO.com and lakemartin.com. There are also a few real estate companies around the lake that manage rentals.
Lake Martin Voice Realty friend, Wayne, and his family have gone through the Lake Martin rental process a number of times, successfully. I thought I'd let them share their advice with you, so check out their video below . . .
If you're not very familiar with Lake Martin and want a better feel for the different parts of the lake, and the lifestyle you're after, renting is great idea. After you've rented a home, and you've fallen in love with Lake Martin, give me a call and I'll help find you something permanent: (334) 221-5862.
Buyers – remember that I can show you any home in the Lake Martin MLS, no matter who has it listed. The seller pays my commission, so it costs you nothing to let me help!
Spotted: A Lake Martin House Flipper
The following is an article I wrote for LAKE Magazine's July 2012 edition:
I have always been a nerd. My genes dictate it. In high school I was in all of the nerdy clubs: Don't think Olympic sports; think Science Olympiad.
Now that I am in my adult years, this nerdliness is coming out in all kinds of ways. I guess one of the dorkiest hobbies I have is "birding." I have tried to stay in the closet about this one for years, but I have reached the point in my life where I no longer have the energy to hide the fact that I like to sit on the back porch with binoculars and the Peterson Field Guide.
Perhaps the Holy Grail of birders, at least in North America, would be to spot the ivory-billed woodpecker. It's known by a nickname that I now consider blasphemous, but it is roughly translated as "Boy Howdy Would You Look At The Size of That Woodpecker." It is as big as a crow. It is red headed as the day is long, and has distinctly marked wings and bill. It is thought to be extinct in our continent, so to get a picture of one – to confirm they still exist here – would be the biggest ornithological event since the rescue of the California Condor.
I, of course, think I have spotted many over the years – like one time in the piney sand hills of north Florida, or when I've been hunting in south Montgomery County. Once, while driving around Lake Martin, I spent two hours chasing a likely one just outside of Tallassee off of Highway 229. I tromped down an Elmore County road with a 300-millimeter zoom lens on my camera and even got a decent shot. But that and every other time when I get back to my bird guide, I realize that I have only seen a mere pileated.
In 2006, I was turkey hunting in Texas and met a guy from a small town in Arkansas where scientists "think" they found an ivory-billed in a nearby state forest. Once word spread, pandemonium broke out. People flooded to the tiny hamlet. Birders, scientists and savvy capitalists descended upon Brinkley. They filled hotels, they hammered restaurants, they staked out the woods, they sold T-shirts – they even bought up tracts of land. In the end, they came away with a doubtful audio recording but no confirmation. The lesson? Caution. Be very careful when you think you have spotted a rare species.
It is with great trepidation, with this proper perspective, that I tell you that I have confirmed sightings of another creature thought to be extinct – the Lake Martin house flipper. I can think of two or three successful flips in the last 12 months.
A house flipper is someone buys a house with no intention of ever spending the night there. Their goal is to buy it, fix it, sell it and forget it. Around Lake Martin, they most often do things like add a bedroom and bathroom. They might add central air conditioning if they need to, but you can bet they will add wood floors and the ubiquitous black granite counter tops with stainless appliances.
House flippers exist everywhere, obviously. Sometimes they have been blamed for the housing bubble, as callous profiteers who "bid up prices" just to rake in the dough. Hogwash, of course. The bubble was too big to blame on one section of the industry. It had plenty of guilt to go around. No one group was totally innocent, including us real estate agents. So don't be a hater. Flippers are a good thing, a necessary element in any industry, a part of the circle of life – Hakuna Matata and all of that. I, for one, am glad to see a successful flip here and there in the Lake Martin real estate market. I take it as a positive sign, yet another indicator that the freeze has thawed for good.
I cringe with this announcement, however, I loathe suggesting anything that might be interpreted by sellers as their chance to jack their prices back up. I don't want everyone to become armchair developers again like they did in 2005-2007. If you don't do this for a living, don't do it at the lake.
To buyers, I say this loudly – do not think of your purchase as an "investment." Do not make the mistake of those in the past that thought in terms of rate of return. A lake home is a home – not your 401k. If you buy one and spend $15,000 making improvements over the course of one month, it is not magically worth $100,000 more than the day you bought it. Everyone gets HGTV. Everyone has cute ideas. Everyone knows someone in the construction industry who will give them a deal. Don't be tempted by that siren.
So if, in the coming months, you hear about a successful Lake Martin flipper, don't believe it until you see it. If you see one, smile and let it warm your heart, but don't get any big ideas. The mere existence of one or two successful flippers does not mean the roaring times are back. They are just the first purple martin to reach Lake Martin in February – a reminder of a healthy ecosystem, not evidence of a free for all.
On the other hand, if you see an ivory-billed woodpecker, take a picture, and then call me. But only me! And if you'd like to talk about Lake Martin real estate, please give me a call: (334) 221-5862. I'd love to be your realtor.
Market Report May 2012
The Lake Martin real estate market had a smashing May, tallying 32 waterfront homes sold! This is the highest number of homes sold in six years, since May of 2006.
In this real estate market report I wrote for Lake Magazine, I noted that according to the Lake Martin MLS*, April 2012 had a relatively weak number of waterfront homes sold. I wondered if this was a signal that the Lake martin market was slowing down, or if this is a mere timing thing, setting the table for an explosive May.
It seems the latter was correct. 32 waterfront homes sold in one month is a lot for a little market like Lake Martin. Please note these numbers encompass all brokerages, all agents, in the Lake Martin MLS.
How good is 32?
To help put it into perspective, I looked at each month's sales history since January, 2005. I found that May 2012 was the best home sales month on Lake Martin since 33 was sold in May of 2006. Think of that – the last time we have seen sales like this was in a confirmed seller's market of 2006.
Also, another way to view this month is to ask this question:
Q: Since January of 2005, how many times has the Lake Martin real estate market exceeded 30 waterfront home sales per month?
A: Just six. That's right, over the last 54 months, including the blistering years of 2005 and 2006, Lake Martin has exceeded 30 only six times: May 2012, August 2009, the above mentioned May 2006, and three times in 2005.
I think this proves that April 2012's weak showing of 14 Lake Martin waterfront homes sold was an aberration, a timing issue. Of course, the same could be said about May, but I doubt that is really the case. As I write this, there are 23 home sales pending in the Lake Martin MLS and 17 recorded as sold since June 1. In other words, June is setting up to be a good sales month as well, very likely to beat the prior year's June total of 22 homes sold.
If we step back and look the cumulative total number of waterfront homes sold on Lake Martin so far this year, we see that 93 homes have sold. Once again, this is the best five month start since 2006.
Lake Martin Lot Sales 2012
Lake Martin waterfront lots are also selling well so far in 2012. In May, 10 lots were sold, which was the best since 10 sold in April 2011. Other than last year, we have not seen that many lots sold since 2005.
Supply Side
When I first started blogging about Lake Martin real estate way back in 2007, I always included the numbers of waterfront homes for sale on Lake Martin. Every month I trotted out the supply. But, it got rather tedious so I stopped doing it every month, only mentioning it once per quarter or so. I don't really know why. Maybe it was because it frustrated me to see the number of homes for sale keep rising when the Lake Martin market was in an obvious shift to the buyer's side of the equation. I don't know.
I do think it bears a look now, in light of the sustained sales. I took a look at the number of waterfront homes for sale on Lake Martin in the last few years. It has been dropping quite a bit. If we use the month of May as an example, we see that in May of 2009 there were 589 homes for sale on the MLS. May of 2010 saw it drop to 492, then drop to 476 in 2011. In May of 2012 it was only 411. That is a 30% decrease in supply in three years. True, that percentage fluctuates based on which month you consider. It also is true that many more condos were for sale back then, but I looked at the condo effect in this post and it wasn't all that big an influence in sales.
If supply stays low and sales continue on this trend, could 2012 be a year of actual price increases? I'm not willing to go out on that limb. Yet.
Related Posts:
Lake Martin Lot Sales 2011
Lake Martin Real Estate Sales 2011 – Year In Review
Lake Martin Real Estate Sales 2010 – Lot Sales
Lake Martin Real Estate Sales 2010
Lake Martin Real Estate Sales 2009 – Year In Review
Lake Martin Real Estate Sales 2008 – Year In Review
Lake Martin Real Estate Sales 2007 – Year In Review
All Lake Martin Market Reports
(*)Disclaimers: All of the above info was taken from the Lake Martin Area Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service. Accuracy is not guaranteed but deemed reliable. The above does not include sales by FSBOs or developers that sell privately and not through the MLS. But, I do think that the above represents a very large majority of all waterfront sales on Lake Martin, Alabama.
Little Kowaliga "Neighborhood" on Lake Martin
Ok, so the Little Kowaliga area is not technically a neighborhood; rather it is a geographic area of waterfront homes on Lake Martin. It's a way to talk about that branch of Lake Martin on the west side of the lake, north of Kowaliga Bridge, and around the corner west of Sinclair's and Kowaliga Marina. Some people that grew up here or have had cabins on Lake Martin for 40 years may even argue with me for calling it Little Kowaliga. Lots of people refer to this area as the Real Island area, because Real Island Marina is the oldest marina in this area.
If you would like to see waterfront homes and lots for sale right now in the Little Kowaliga area, CLICK HERE to go to my Little Kowaliga Neighborhood page. I have a report that shows every waterfront home and lot for sale – by all agents, all brokerages, on Lake Martin. It pulls from the Lake Martin MLS so it will be current no matter when you visit the page.
The reason it's called Little Kowaliga is because Little Kowaliga Creek once ran here before the lake was created by Martin Dam. It is close to Montgomery, and traditionally a lot of Montgomery families have had cabins in this area.
There aren't really any formal neighborhoods in Little Kowaliga – no gated entrances with formal signs, no neighborhood pools, etc. Most waterfront homes in this area are located off of county roads. This is a section of Lake Martin where you can have a trailer next to a two million dollar home. It is similar to Parker Creek in that there are really no undeveloped lots left. When you see new construction on a waterfront lot in Little Kowaliga, odds are that person has torn down an old cabin or mobile home.
Driving directions and addresses can be wacky in this area. The county line separating Elmore and Coosa counties runs through Little Kowaliga, so you can have homes in the town of Equality that can be in either Elmore or Coosa County. As you drive the road on the north side of Little Kowaliga, road signs can switch from Elmore County to Coosa County, and then back again. Google Maps and GPS's still haven't figured out many of the streets, so it pays to combine them with a good physical map of Lake Martin, and good directions from a homeowner. Hancel Road, for example, is a road that runs in and out of both counties, and is spelled 3 or 4 different ways by street signs, Google, the MLS, and GPS's.
If you're looking for the "lake cabin at the end of the dirt road" experience, the Little Kowaliga area might be a good fit. To see homes currently for sale in the Little Kowaliga area, CLICK HERE. I'd love to help you find your Lake Martin home – in Little Kowaliga or anywhere on Lake Martin. Remember, I can help you with any property in the Lake Martin MLS, and it doesn't cost the buyer a dime to have a realtor help you with your research and purchase. The sellers pay my commission.
If I can help, give me a call at (334) 221-5862, or email me by CLICKING HERE.
Lake Martin MLS Users: Name This Face
I need some help!
What do you call the middle face in this picture? Sort of smiley? I know the one on the left is a big smiley face, and I guess we can call the one to the right a frowny face. I just have no clue what to call the middle one and it is affecting me. Why?
These faces are a feedback tool within the Lake Martin MLS. People who are searching for waterfront homes, lots, or condos for sale on Lake Martin can use this feedback system by creating themselves a Portal. You create a Portal on the MLS by clicking "Save" on a search, after you check a particular listing, or if you click on one of these faces to give feedback. Then you are asked to register some info and create a Portal. The big smiley face puts your selection in a Listing Cart called "Favorites." The middle one is "Possibilities" and the frowny is "Rejects."
Why would you want to do that? I can think of a few reasons:
1. My buyers love this feature. There is safety in numbers. You know, the old "many have enjoyed this, you will, too!" line.
2. Registering allows you to save your favorites without searching again and again each time you log on to search the Lake Martin MLS. It saves you huge amounts of time, plus your spouse can log on also and see the same info.
3. Don't worry, your info comes only to me! This may or may not be a comfort, but this live feed to the homes and lots for sale is provided by me, so only I see your email address or any other contact info you provide. I don't spam and no one else will have it.
4. It saves a lot of time when/if you are ready to buy, even if it's 6 months later. I can find the current examples of your past favorites and get a good idea of what you like and what you don't like.
Like I've said many times before, the Lake Martin MLS is the #1 source for the most accurate, up-to-date information on homes for sale on the lake. If you're not sure how to use it effectively, I'll give you the 5 minute lesson:
If I can help you, please call me at (334) 221-5862, email me at info @ lakemartinvoice .com, or CLICK HERE to contact me. I can help you with any property in the Lake Martin MLS, regardless of which realtor has it listed.
We're iPad Friendly
I'm watching you.
Well, not really. As the owner of Lake Martin Voice website, I am able to see in general how many people read the pages, where they click, how long they stay on the site, etc.
One really cool thing I noticed the other day was that I am getting quite a bit of traffic from people using mobile devices. In fact, about 20% of my traffic is from some type of mobile device. By a huge margin, the most popular device people use on my site is the iPad.
I suppose it's from people sitting at home and surfing the web on their iPads. I can't imagine that too many people with cell plans on their iPads are riding around Lake Martin looking.
These big numbers made me wonder what the iPad experience is for my readers, so I got mine out and played around with it.
I found that my site handles is quite well. The pictures and videos work and look great. The only thing I had to change was how the Lake Martin MLS displays on an iPad. If you click to "Home Search" or "Property Search" link to look for homes or lots, you will be given a choice. The MLS feed will ask you if you want the Full Site or the Mobile Site. It's my recommendation that you use the Mobile Site. It is a little easier to navigate, and it frames the home pictures and videos really nicely.
So whether you're sitting in your living room on a iPad, at work or home on a desktop, or reading this on your phone, we thank you for dropping by. It's our aim to be not only the most helpful website and brokerage in the Lake Martin area, but also to be at the leading edge of real estate technology in the entire nation. If you have any suggestions on how we can get better, please let us know by using this form to contact us or email us at info @ LakeMartinVoice . Com.
The Down Side To Free Information
When I started blogging about Lake Martin real estate in 2007, I made the decision to give as much information as I could online. As a real estate agent, obviously, I am limited somewhat to what I can say by state and federal laws, ethics rules, and client relationships.
I also limit myself by common sense. When I state facts, I name my source. When I'm giving you my personal opinion, I try to disclose that very clearly. Other than that, I let it rip. I figure that's the whole purpose of a real estate blog like this. I am supposed to try and give you information about Lake Martin that no one else does.
When I first started this, I had many fellow agents tell me I was crazy. Their thoughts were, why should I put so much information, and more critically, my analysis, online? Isn't that too public? Shouldn't I keep all of that to myself, and force people to call me if they wanted the scoop? They would ask, aren't you afraid the reader will call someone else after you've done all that work?
My reasoning is that I agree with those that think the "Information Age" is over. Thanks to the web, Google, online databases like the county tax offices, information is free and flowing. You don't really need me to get the basic facts about a Lake Martin home or lot that is for sale. If you spend time online, you can get that. Gone are the days of having to physically walk into an agent's office to pierce that silo of information. I think that any real estate agent's value now lies in helping you make sense of the flood of info. I should be able help cut through the noise to find the deals or help you sell. That's why when it comes to information and advice about Lake Martin real estate, I put it out there and hope you call me.
I'm sure that there are readers out there who never call me. In fact I know by looking at the sheer volume of my web traffic, there is no way that every single person uses me as their agent. Occasionally they even use another.
I know! Shocking!
The other day a fellow called me about a lot that was for sale in the same neighborhood where he had recently bought a home. He casually mentioned that he watched one of my private home tours and that's why he ended up buying the house.
Wait a minute – I said. I only send private home tours to people who have requested info of me. That's what happened in this case. He requested info on a Foreclosure, and I later filmed and sent a private video tour to everyone on my foreclosure list. He saw the video, liked the house, but decided to use another agent to buy it. Ouch.
Further and even more ironically, after our conversation about the lot, he put in an offer on it – you guessed it – through yet a different agent. The deal didn't go through, and afterward he admitted he wished he had used me.
That makes two of us.
But that's life these days. I realize I will miss out on some. Tough but true.
I have set up this site to allow you to be anonymous as long as possible, as long as you want to be. I just try to be as helpful as possible to that when it comes time to pick an agent, you pick me. If you do make that decision, please use this form to contact me, or email me at info @ LakeMartinVoice . Com , or call 334-221-5862.
The House Gawker's Home Tour on Lake Martin
There are a lot of fun things to do at Lake Martin. Each summer seems to bring a new spot to visit or a new sport to enjoy on the water. But there is no doubt about it – one of the most popular things to do is ride in the boat and look at waterfront homes.
Maybe you don't want to actually go in them, maybe you're just curious. Or maybe you really are considering buying, but just not this weekend. I can help. Just let me know where you will be staying on the lake, or what part of the lake you plan to visit, and I can make you a Home Tour map!
That way, as you drive around and see for sale signs on docks or on the street, you can check the list to get the sales info. Contact me my filling out this form or calling me at 334-221-5862 and I will be glad to help you make a map.
Not ready to talk to a cheesy ole realtor like me? I don't blame you. Check out this How To video where I coach you on making your own map. If you do decide to do it, and see something you like, please let me know. I can help you with any property that is for sale, no matter who has it listed. The seller pays my commission so it doesn't cost you a dime more to let me help you.
Have fun, and I hope to see you on the lake!


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Through collaboration with CUNA and Affiliates, the first SRCUS Management School was established in 1970. The two week school initially held at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta had an original first year class of 30 plus students. Since the school's formation it has graduated over 1,200 credit union management professionals from 21 states and the District of Columbia. The curriculum is reviewed and revised each year to continue meeting the ever-changing needs of today's credit union professionals. The program provides a well-rounded curriculum and experiential opportunities for professional and personal growth, challenging each participant to achieve their highest potential by engaging them in learning activities that stimulate critical thinking and increase confidence. The school is held each year in June at the University of Georgia, Georgia Center for Continuing Education in Athens, GA.
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subset: commoncrawl


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The Next Decade
The chaotic events of the 1960s continued into the 1970s. The war in Vietnam raged and the severity of injuries sustained by the troops increased. ET Nurses were treating veterans with injuries such as draining wounds, fistulas and stomas in medical settings but were also preparing them to re-enter society.
In 1978, the profession launched one of its first efforts to form an international link with others in the profession. The World Council of Enterostomal Therapists convened a meeting in Italy to enable members to meet and discuss issues, increase their knowledge and promote awareness. While representation from individual countries was small, this global alliance was an important first step in extending the reach and influence of WOC professionals.
The 1980s
By early 1980, HIV/AIDS was headline news. The virus was considered one of the biggest health care concerns of modern times. By 1984, there were 8,000 confirmed cases and 3,700 deaths in the U.S. alone. Throughout the world, WOC Nurses were called in to action to address the many complications of AIDS, including venous status ulcerations and more.
During that same decade, dramatic changes in the Medicare system placed tremendous pressure on WOC Nurses. Under the revised reimbursement system, hospitals were rewarded for reducing patient stays and costs. Consequently the average length of a hospital stay was reduced significantly. New ostomy patients were sent home after seven days requiring care in alternate settings. During this period, ET played a key role in managing care of ostomy patients.
The 1990s
By the 1990s, life expectancy had increased dramatically in most
countries thr
|SOURCE The WOCN Society
Copyright©2008 PR Newswire.
All rights reserved


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Eichholtz Okhto Blue Tea Light Holder Set
Set of four tea light holders made from hand cut glass in a smoky blue finish with line pattern from Eichholtz.
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Our excellent 30 day guarantee returns policy applies to this product - buy it, look at it at home and simply return it if it doesn't work. See our full delivery & returns policy for more details.


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Kyle Lamb: Movement Formation vs. Fighting Formation
PoliceOne Senior Editor, Doug Wyllie, speaks with Kyle Lamb, founder of Viking Tactics, Inc. Kyle has trained many law enforcement officers to focus on standing in a fighting formation in open shooter instances. By following the fighting formation technique, officers are more likely to stay safe and to also catch the suspect.
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Kyle Lamb: Movement Formation vs. Fighting Formation
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Interesting Sailboats
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ARC - cruising division
The boat that is leading the cruising division is a big one but far from being the bigger one on the fleet. It is a 62ft but it has such a big advantage to everybody else (except a smaller sister) that deserves a big praise here. It is not even a performance boat, just a very good bluewater boat, even if its performance looks like one from a performance boat.
It's the boat that won last year European boat of the year contest in the category of Luxury yachts, the Oyster 625. The testers said that they were impressed with its sailing performance, well it seems they were not the only ones, I am impressed too
Have a look at the boat. It does not like a fast boat to me. Appearances can be deceiving, but that's a luxury boat for sure
To the North, there is an older Oyster 565 doing almost as well or even better if we compare the size. Great ocean cruising boats the Oysters, but I guess that all know that, as all know also that they are expensive
On the next size of boats the distinction goes to a Swann 48. The boat is one of Swan bestsellers, a recent model (1995/2003) designed by German Frers, a fast boat that can do very well in heavy weather. A very expensive boat, like all the Swan, a performance cruiser with a good cruising interior.
Then a reference to Ocean cruising cats that as usual, on a downwind Transat are faster then comparatively sized monohulls. The one that is making better regarding its size is a Catana 431 that is not far from that Swan 48.
The catana 431 is not a new boat (it has about the same age of that Swan) and has been replaced in the Catana range by the 42 (or the 47):
Some images of the boat and the current Catana range
an then, two boats are impressing me, one because it is just a bluewater cruising boat with no performance in mind doing amazingly well, the other that should be theoretically faster, but it is slightly behind, is a bigger inexpensive mass production boat, the first of the inexpensive modern boats (if we don't consider the Pogo 50 that is on the racing series), a Hanse 531 that manages to be ahead of a First 50. The other one, the one that is not a performance boat, that is ahead of these two is a favorite of mine, a XC-50, a production bluewater boat in the same class of Halberg-Rassy and as that one, a great but expensive sailboat.
the 431 has been replaced recently by the Hanse 445. This is the 431:
This is the 445
I will leave the boats below 50ft for another post
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Wine Maker Notes
After a traditional fermentation, the juice macerates for eight days to extract color and body from the skins. The wine is then refined for a further six months, partly in barriques and partly in large oak casks.
Food Pairing
This Pinot Noir pairs well with both white and red meats. Serve at a cool room temperature.


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"Short bold smoke! For the cost a good stick."
"Didn't burn even but a good smoke just the same."
"I certainly enjoyed this stick!!!"
"As noted, did not burn even, but is a great smoking stick. Great flavor and just the right size for when you don't have a lot of time."
"Starts out A litter peppery but is A very good smoke finishes sweet"
"This was a good cigar. Paired well with a good scotch. Good full body, was full at the beginning and then began to mild and creamy flavor toward then."
"This is a very unique cigar in shape and flavor. I purchased 100 of these and do not regret it for a second. It is medium to full body. I would rate it 93. The cigar has A smooth rich dark chocolate finish."
"The cigar started like a dud, but after it settled in it was a good cigar. The only other issue the wrapper came apart, but all in all I liked it."
"Good cigar. Burned a little uneven had to light a couple of times to even it out"


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Has anyone experienced this after their April LO? I think I had both a little after my oldest was born in 2009 but it eventually went away and I felt normal by about 8 months. My new LO will be 9 months tomorrow and I still feel so emotional/irritable. I don't have nearly enough patience for my DH or 3 year old and feel so guilty about it. Everything seems to be coming to a head today when the doctor's office is closed. I will make an appt for later this week, but feel like such a loser that I am not able to cope better this long after giving birth. My girls are everything to me. I have no idea why I am so sad and overwhelmed.
Post Partum Anxiety/Depression
gina5677 · Original Poster
Posted 01/02/2013
So disappointed in myself. Had appt today with a fill-in family practice doc. No blood tests were ordered, just prescribed anti-anxiety meds. I will need to go back to my OB instead. Shouldnt they have checked vitamin levels or thyroid or something?
Posted 01/07/2013
Sometimes. Lost of times the Primary care physician will push drugs (and so will your OB, likely) because they don't really know what else to do. I would ask your OB to run a blood panel.
I suggest a therapist designed to help with PPD and maybe try a health food store.
I suggest a therapist designed to help with PPD and maybe try a health food store.
Baby Girl, M 8/13/2010 Baby Boy, C 4/9/12
Join my Vault Denim team & work from home selling jeans! www.facebook.com/vaultnashville
Posted 01/07/2013
Baby Girl, M 8/13/2010 Baby Boy, C 4/9/12
Join my Vault Denim team & work from home selling jeans! www.facebook.com/vaultnashville
Posted 01/07/2013
Unfortunately most docs I have found just want to write a prescription (my ob included). If that is not the route you want to go, try getting in touch with a therapist specializing in PPD like PP suggested. Feel free to pan me if you want. Hope the ob helps and you start feeling better soon!!!
Posted 01/07/2013
Just wanted to chime in. I worked for a family practice doctor for 3 years. A lot of patients we saw suffering from PPD/anxiety are reluctant to be on medication. But, when they finally start, they feel so much better. Don't be afraid to start medication if you have to! You wouldn't believe how many teachers, officers, healthcare professionals, and of course moms who are on something to help them. Counseling is also highly recommended. GL.
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BOISE -- The family of missing Silicon Valley executive Dale Smith will continue searching for the plane he was piloting that disappeared into the Idaho Wilderness over a month ago.
The search is set to resume on Monday, January 7 with the help of expert pilots and ground searchers. Social media and word-of-mouth communication is largely responsible for spreading the word.
Smith's family is also regularly updating a blog regarding the search.
Five people were aboard the Beech Bonanaza when it went missing onSunday, December 1, near the JohnsonCreek Airstrip south of Yellow Pine. Those aboard include pilot Dale Smith, his father Steve Smith, son Daniel Smith, daughter Amber Smith, daughter-in-law Sheree Smith, along with Amber Smith's fiancee Jonathon Norton.
Dellon Smith, the brother of Dale Smith, is organizing the upcoming, 4-day, aerial search from January 7th to the 10th. He plans to base out of the McCall Airport.
It's mostly going to be an air-based search, Dellon Smith told KTVB. We are going to have some ground crews helping out.
Smith is a commercial cargo pilot in Alaska, and has a work schedule that allows him to dedicate time searching for his brother. While he admits the likelihood of finding survivors is low, Smith says giving up isn't an option.
You've got to find closure, he told KTVB.
Smith said rescuers plan to use high-definition photos, satellite imagery, and other cues to search promising new spots for wreckage of the plane.
The idea is to take those and to look at some of the different scenarios, routes of flight, Smith said. When you find images that correspond with those scenarios, you want to check them out.
Dellon Smith said his brother likely fell victim to bad weather that came on very quickly the day the plane disappeared in the FrankChurch River of No ReturnWilderness. He says Dale Smith was an experienced pilot who had flown in the area several times, but hadn't yet landed at the JohnsonCreek Airstrip -- known as one of the most challenging in Idaho.
He's done it several times, and he was always very interested in the Johnson Creek Airport, and he's wanted to fly there for a lot of years, Dellon Smith told KTVB.
Smith says he'd like to find 20 expert volunteers capable of safely navigating on top of the steep alpine ridges that surround the airport.
What's going to be really important for this search coming up is to get those helicopters in there, Dellon said, adding that helicopters could drop the searchers on ridges to investigate potential crash sites.
Smith hopes to have four helicopters and four airplanes committed to the search next week.
We believe we have two helicopters for now, but would like an additional two helicopters, Smith told KTVB.
He repeatedly told KTVB that safety will be of utmost importance, and encourages only highly- qualified folks to contact him and volunteer their services.
We're talking experts in backcountry Idaho, Smith said.
Limited volunteer housing and a warming area is available at the airstrip. To contact Dellon Smith, call 907-360-7854.


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Troops in Iraq: Who do we think we are fooling?
- By Stephen M. WaltStephen M. Walt is the Robert and Renée Belfer professor of international relations at Harvard University.
According to the New York Times, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is backing a plan to keep some 3,000-4,000 U.S. troops in Iraq past the end-of-year deadline, albeit only in a training role. This plan would violate President Obama's pledge to remove all U.S. troops by that time, but it is fewer troops than 14,000-18,000 figure that the military reportedly recommended.
But the real kicker comes later in the article, where the Times reports:
Even as the military reduces its troop strength in Iraq, the C.I.A. will continue to have a major presence in the country, as will security contractors working for the State Department … "
And furthermore:
The administration has already drawn up plans for an extensive expansion of the American Embassy and its operations, bolstered by thousands of paramilitary security contractors. It has also created an Office of Security Cooperation that, like similar ones in countries like Egypt, would be staffed by civilians and military personnel overseeing the training and equipping of Iraq's security forces.
Even without an extension of the deadline after 2011, that office is expected to be one of the largest in the world, with hundreds if not thousands of employees. Officials have previously suggested that keeping American soldiers in this office might not require a new security agreement to replace the expiring one since they would be cover by the same protection offered to diplomats (my emphasis)."
My question is: Whom do we think we are fooling? Surely not the Iraqis, who aren't likely to see much difference between U.S. soldiers and U.S. "paramilitary security contractors." Indeed, the Sadrist movement has already denounced these plans, and is holding a major demonstration in Baghdad today to demand a complete U.S. withdrawal. And we aren't fooling the remaining anti-American extremists in the rest of the region, who believe that the United States is an aggressive imperial power seeking to dominate the region with military force and who will use our remaining presence-no matter how it is camouflaged-as a recruiting tool.
The real answer, I suspect, is that we fooling ourselves. By removing most of the troops, and leaving behind CIA personnel and thousands of contractors, we are pretending to have fulfilled the pledge to leave Iraq. This will make it easier for Obama to claim that he ended an unpopular war and for Americans to think we won some sort of victory. Of course, the fact that the Pentagon still thinks we have to have troops there to "stabilize" the situation underscores how false the latter claim is. But one danger is that we will think we have left Iraq when we really haven't, and so we won't understand why many people there (and in neighboring countries) continue to see the United States as having designs on the region.
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Yochi Dreazen is a Managing Editor for News at Foreign Policy. He is also writer-in-residence at the Center for a New American Security. His book about military suicide was published by Random House's Crown division in 2014.
Prior to joining Foreign Policy, Dreazen was a contributing editor at the Atlantic and the senior national security correspondent for National Journal. He began his career at the Wall Street Journal and spent 11 years at the newspaper, most recently as its military correspondent. He was born in Chicago, and later attended the University of Pennsylvania. At Penn, he edited the award-winning daily campus newspaper and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1999 with degrees in History and English. He was hired by the Wall Street Journal immediately after graduation. Dreazen arrived in Iraq in April 2003 with the Fourth Infantry Division, and spent the next two years living in Baghdad as the Wall Street Journal's main Iraq correspondent.
Dreazen has made more than 12 lengthy trips to Iraq and Afghanistan and has spent a total of nearly four years on the ground in the two countries, mostly doing front-line combat embeds. He has reported from more than 20 countries, including Pakistan, Russia, China, Israel, Japan, Turkey, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia.
In 2010, Dreazen received the Military Reporters & Editors association's top award for domestic military reporting in a large publication for a series of articles about military suicide and the psychological traumas impacting veterans of the two long wars. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post, Smithsonian, Tablet and the New Republic and he appears regularly on TV and radio programs such as NPR's Diane Rehm Show and PBS' Washington Week with Gwen Ifill. Dreazen gives frequent lectures about journalism, the wars and current events to both civilian and military audiences.
Dreazen lives in Washington with his wife, Annie Rosenzweig Dreazen, and their beloved Golden Retriever, Charlie.| Report |
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Ghosts of Baghdad: America's Army of Contractors Hasn't Gone Anywhere. They Just Work for The Iraqi GovernmentDan Lamothe
Dan Lamothe is an award-winning military journalist and war correspondent. He has written for Marine Corps Times and the Military Times newspaper chain since 2008, traveling the world and writing extensively about the Afghanistan war both from Washington and the war zone. He also has reported from Norway, Spain, Germany, the Republic of Georgia and while underway with the U.S. Navy. Among his scoops, Lamothe reported exclusively in 2010 that the Marine Corps had recommended that Marine Cpl. Dakota Meyer receive the Medal of Honor. This year, he was part of a team of journalists that exposed senior Marine Corps leaders' questionable involvement in legal cases, and then covering it up. A Pentagon investigation is underway in those cases.| The Complex |


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ScoutMag.ph is the official website of Scout Magazine, the only free publication designed for millennials that focuses on their interests: culture, art, music, film, events, people, and more.
With the POPmarket app, you'll get instant access to Hi-Fi vinyl, rare box sets, DVD's, and music accessories at the press of a button.
The Face Mountain website was designed to showcase White Widget's flagship game. It is a one-page explosion of visual joy, using techniques like parallaxing, sprite animation and gentle effects to delight its visitors.


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Code covered by the BSD License
Ameya Deoras
Ameya Deoras (view profile)
21 files
1124 downloads
10 Sep 2010
06 May 2011)
Slides and MATLAB® code for the day-ahead system load and price forecasting case study.
%% Further Refinements of the Bagged Regression Tree Model
% An important task when building such artificial intelligence models is
% the choice of model architecture, for example, the number of layers in a
% Neural network or the choice of a kernal function in a Support Vector
% Machine. In the case of bagged trees, some of these model architecture
% parameters include,
% * Number of trees
% * Minimum leaf size
% * The choice of predictors/inputs
% The choice of model architecture usually requires some fundamental
% knowledge about the problem being solved, for example the predictive
% power of a input. However, the flexibility of MATLAB and built-in
% functions in the Treebagger classl enable us to use a data driven
% approach to help determine these model structure parameters.
% In the next two sections we demonstrate a data driven approach that uses
% built-in methods of the TreeBagger object to help determine appropriate
% choice of model architecture.
%% Determine Number of Trees and Appropriate Leaf Size
% The number of trees in the ensemble and their minimum leaf size governs
% the accuracy of the model and can be selected to offer an appropriate tradeoff
% between precision, overfitting and speed. Here we compare the out-of-sample prediction
% error for a leaf size of 10, 20, 40 and 50. We can test this by
% turning on the parameter _oobpred_ which returns out-of-bag prediction
% errors during the training procedure.
oobError = [];
leafSizes = [10 20 40 50];
for i = 1:length(leafSizes)
model = TreeBagger(20, trainX, trainY, 'method', 'regression', ...
'oobpred', 'on', 'minleaf', leafSizes(i));
oobError = [oobError model.oobError];
figure(1), plot(oobError);
xlabel('Number of grown trees'), ylabel('Out-of-bag Regression Error');
title(sprintf('Regression Error versus Number of Trees & Leaf Size'));
legend(num2str(leafSizes(1:i)')), drawnow;
%% Determine Feature Importance
% Of each of the predictors, which ones provide the most predictive power?
% Turning on the _oobVarImp_ parameter shows you out-of-bag estimates of this
% relative feature (input) importance.
model = TreeBagger(20, trainX, trainY, 'method', 'regression', ...
'oobvarimp', 'on', 'minleaf', 30);
xlabel('Out-of-bag feature importance');
title('Feature importance results');
set(gca, 'YTickLabel', labels)
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Coastal Carolina Community College provides a full array of services to support military students and their family members. These services include off-campus sites at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River, MyCAA, SOC, Financial Aid, and Veterans Services. In order to access available services, links are available on this webpage.
Off-Campus Sites
Coastal maintains off-campus sites aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station New River. Military personnel, their adult dependents, and civilians can receive services and information about the College including admissions, placement testing, academic counseling, registration, and tuition payment. The sites also provide information about various military educational opportunities and services, including Tuition Assistance. In addition to curriculum course offerings, the Camp Lejeune office provides various continuing education courses and a learning lab with free tutoring and placement testing for students. The MCAS New River office also offers a learning lab and placement testing. The learning labs operate during limited hours; please refer to each facility's hours of operation. Upon request, the College offers courses at various other locations aboard the Marine Corps bases in Onslow County, such as Camp Geiger, Camp Johnson, Naval Hospital, Courthouse Bay, Tarawa Terrace, and others.
Active Duty Members
Active-duty service members are eligible for Tuition Assistance (TA). The staff in Coastal's Off-Campus Sites aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River can provide assistance in the completion of the TA application. For additional information about eligibility for Tuition Assistance, visit the Marine Corps Community Services Camp Lejeune Education Assistance website.


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Chargers 2010 season preview
'Almost' not good enough for core group of players still looking to reach their first Super Bowl; getting to Dallas in February all that matters
- Sign Marcus McNeill … OK, then Brandyn Dombrowski needs to be more than serviceable.
- Ryan Mathews needs to run like LT used to. (Or like LT did this preseason for the Jets). 2a. The line needs to block like it used to.
- Cam Thomas and/or Antonio Garay need to play like Jamal Williams used to.
- Shawne Merriman (or someone) needs to play like Shawne Merriman used to.
- Darrell Stuckey (or someone) needs to be good enough that 195-pound Steve Gregory doesn't have to play more than necessary.
- They can't get run over in the playoffs. Literally run over. So a good time to start being physical is now.
- The defense should not give up 34 passes of 20-plus yards. That starts with roughing up WRs and QBs and requires communication in the secondary.
- Injuries. They have some history here and added some key players who have the same history.
- Strip clubs two nights before the playoff opener.
- Counting on the most accurate regular-season kicker in history after the regular season ends.
ONLINE For more on the Chargers, go to chargers.uniontrib.com
Related stories
They're playing for a chance. Another one.
Give them credit for acknowledging it, as if they have a choice after all this time.
"It is so hard because we all know what we are talking about," Chargers head coach Norv Turner said when asked what he would like his team to improve on in 2010, a query not meant to lead to a discussion of their postseason failings.
"We are not talking about this season. If somebody says we can go win 13 games this year, I'm going to say we aren't going to change anything. It has got to translate in the postseason, and unfortunately for us, we have done a lot of good things in the postseason (but) the last game was not our best. We all know it. So, we are going do everything we can to put ourselves in that position again and play better."
Many of the same players — minus an icon or two — that figured back in 2005 they'd be choosing between which of the Lombardi Trophies was their favorite are still here.
Almost stopped being good enough even before LaDainian Tomlinson and Jamal Williams stopped being good enough.
"We have been close for a long time now," defensive end Luis Castillo said. "We are all getting older in our careers, and you have a core of guys that have been around, five, six, seven, eight years. We don't want to look back and feel like we have missed an opportunity."
Monday night in Kansas City, the Chargers begin a quest for a fifth straight AFC West title and the right to play on afterward for another chance at that elusive piece of sterling silver.


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Wonderful Book
posted 5 years ago
Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved horses. I bought this book so that I could learn more about them. I love the pictures and the information on how to identify and care for your horse. I've never been so lucky to own a horse but I used to ride at my cousins ranch all the time. Great book.
Pros: Very informative
Cons: No Complaints
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Makes a great gift
posted 5 years ago
Trying to identify different horse breeds can be more difficult than some might think. Many breeds are hard to identify because they have so many similarities. This makes a great reference for those times. Very informative and a fun read. Makes a great gift for any horse lover!
Pros: Nice reference
Cons: None
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text:
A plurality of supercapacitor elements is arranged in rows and columns within a single housing. The elements have no physical connection until they are configured into series, parallel or combinatory matrix by a configuration circuit composing of switches, a driver and a controller. Under the manipulation of the configuration circuit, the elements can be assembled in a broad voltage range to deliver the desired powers to automobiles, heavy machineries, power tools, appliances, or consumer electronics in real-time responses. When the loads present energy for recovery, the elements can also be immediately grouped in the voltage and capacity ranges corresponding to the power levels of the energy to be harvested. Using the present invention, the efficiency of DC and AC energy utilization can be significantly improved.
1. A configurable power tank, comprising:
a plurality of supercapacitor elements arranged in rows and columns within a single housing body, said plurality of supercapacitor elements connected a charging circuit; and
a configuration circuit located on the outer or inner surface of a housing cover, and an integrated module by joining said housing body with said housing cover hermetically, wherein said configuration circuit configure said supercapacitor elements in a specific connection, and a CD swing switches between two groups of supercapacitor elements for charging and discharging, when one group is discharging while the other group is charging or re-charging, and wherein said configuration circuit comprises:
a control means for monitoring, registering, storing, calculating, deciding and commanding;
a switch for providing an electronic paths requires for said configuration circuit;
a plurality of sensors for detecting the charge status of said plurality of supercapacitor elements; and
a driver for executing the command of said control means to configure said plurality of supercapacitor elements through a horizontal data bus.
2. The configurable power tank according to
3. The configurable power tank according to
4. The configurable power tank according to
5. The configurable power tank according to
6. The configurable power tank according to
7. A power tank system for delivering and storing power, said power tank system comprising:
a plurality of supercapacitor groups and a charging source in a parallel connection through reciprocal switching device individually;
a plurality of relays for enabling said reciprocal switching device individually between open and close states for charging and discharging; and
a configuration circuit connected with said plurality of relays to configure said plurality of supercapacitor groups through said reciprocal switching device, wherein said plurality of supercapacitor groups are configured to deliver consistent peak powers through said reciprocal switching of said plurality of supercapacitor groups between charging and discharging, and wherein said configuration circuit comprises:
a control means for monitoring, registering, storing, calculating, deciding and commanding;
a switch for providing an electronic paths required for said configuration circuit;
a plurality of sensors for detecting the charge status of said plurality of supercapacitor elements; and
a driver for executing the command of said control means to configure said plurality of supercapacitor elements through a horizontal data bus.
8. The power tank system according to
9. The power tank system according to
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13. The power tank system according to
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to configurable power tank for power delivery and storage and, more particularly, to a plurality of supercapacitor elements arranged in rows and columns in a single housing with an integrated configuration circuit. The latter can configure the elements in real-time responses to fulfill power demands and to save recoverable power.
2. Description of the Related Art
Energy efficiency is a crucial issue, especially, in the era of high oil prices and quick depletion of petroleum depositories. Industries from automobile and electric locomotive to semiconductor to utility have dedicated a lot of resources to improve the energy efficiency of manufacturing processes and products. Due to the assistance of batteries, the hybrid cars generate better energy efficiency and gas mileage than the comparable regular gas models. One of the gas-saving factors of hybrids is that the battery can be used to retrieve the residual energy of the vehicles in regenerative braking. There is no such energy recovering capability in the regular gasoline cars. However, all batteries rely on specific chemical reactions for energy delivery and energy storage known as discharging and charging, respectively. The kinetic and thermodynamic characteristics of the foregoing energy conversions often restrict the power capacity, charge and discharge efficiency, as well as lifetime of batteries. In power delivery and storage for high-power applications, batteries are inadequate because of the chemical nature.
Energy in the form of electricity is directly stored and released in capacitors via various physical processes. Among them, surface adsorption and de-sorption are the mechanisms of energy storage and energy delivery, respectively, for electrolytic capacitors. The electrodes of the capacitors adsorb ions from an electrolyte at charging, while the stored energy is delivered with automatic de-sorption of ions at discharging. Due to the complete reversibility and fast response of physical processes, the capacitors have long life, high power density, as well as good energy efficiency at charging and discharging. Assuming the unique properties of an electrolytic capacitor, the supercapacitor advances the application of capacitor to a higher level of power provision by offering hundreds to thousands times more energy content of those of conventional capacitors.
Though the energy content of today's supercapacitor is still no match to the battery, the former is used to improve the power density and lifetime of battery. The foregoing enhancement of battery power and lifetime is known as the load leveling effect. Numerous applications of the load leveling effect have been patented, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,146,095; 5,545,933; 5,604,426; 5,663,628; 5,734,205; 6,995,480 and 7,002,112, just to name a few.
In all previous work with supercapacitor-related applications, the capacitor can only provide one delivery of one peak power. Then the capacitor requires a refill of energy for the second round of power provision. As shown in
Furthermore, as the voltage of the supercapacitor drops below the threshold voltage level TH to drive a load, the residual energy of the capacitor becomes ineffective due to insufficient driving force. This ineffective energy will be discharged and refilled without contribution to the work of the capacitor. In the repetitive charge and discharge of supercapacitor, a great amount of energy is wasted. To compensate the ineffective energy, supercapacitor is commonly over-designed for power applications resulting in high cost. This, in turn, is why it needs a method to improve its power management more efficiently and economically. Another problem in the use of supercapacitor is that many well-packaged capacitors are connected in series for producing the needed output voltages. When the module is charged or discharged in series, there is always an imbalance of voltage distribution among the members in the pack. To overcome the uneven distribution of voltage, each capacitor is assigned a protection circuit. Henceforth, an effective and economical method of cell assembly of the power tank supercapacitor modules for the power applications is needed as well.
High efficiency for the utilization of DC and AC energies through wireless transmission or direct or indirect electromagnetic induction is the ultimate goal of the present invention. The following objectives may serve as the required components to reach the target.
1. Supercapacitor elements (i.e. so-called Power Tank) are fabricated using concentric winding of electrodes and separators into cylindrical or oval rolls. Each element is equipped with two oppositely oriented electrical leads for charging and discharging. The electrodes of each element are identical in chemistry composition so that the leads have no fixed polarity. Interchangeable use of the leads as positive or negative pole is allowable. Each lead of every element has a designated lead-switch, and the element also has a designated element switch. The element-switch has lower electrical resistance than that of the lead-switch.
2. A plurality of supercapacitor elements are arranged in rows and columns with a single plastic or metal housing. The elements have no physical connection, but they can be facilely configured into a desirable matrix through the switches under the command of a configuration circuit.
3. Any supercapacitor element wherever it is located in the housing can be grouped into a configuration for delivering the required powers, or for harvesting any available wired or wireless power source. Once the mission is completed, the supercapacitor elements are returned to a discrete state.
4. In addition to the switches, the configuration circuit includes a controller and a driver. The functions of each component are as follows:
5. During the power-delivery mode, a CD swing switches between two groups of supercapacitor elements for charging and discharging. At all times, there is one group is discharging while the other group is charging (or recharging). The two groups switch the positions of charging and discharging in the next cycle and thereafter until the power demand is satisfied. No more than the effective energy of the elements is consumed and refilled.
6. The supercapacitor is used as a power amplifier to amplify the output power of DC and AC charging sources through wire or wireless methods to many folds in both voltage and current without the help of transformer, converter or step-up circuit.
7. The configuration circuit is fabricated as a printed circuit board that is located on the outer or inner surface of the housing cover depending on the application needs. The supercapacitor elements are integrated with the configuration circuit into compact and sustainable systems for smartly performing dual functions, that is, power delivery and power storage.
With the configurable system, powers of a broad range of voltage and current can be supplied to miscellaneous loads, and any recoverable energy of the loads can be harvested through wires or wirelessly. It is the prompt provision of power and unlimited recuperation of power that the efficiency of energy use is improved.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail by referring to the accompanying diagrams.
Charging of the supercapacitor elements 30 is proceeded via charging circuit (CC) 20 that may contain an inverter or rectifier, as known to people skillful in the art. Before the power delivery, the supercapacitor elements 30 should be fully charged by a charging source (CS) 10. The charging source 10 can be a battery, a fuel cell, a solar cell, a wind mill, a generator, an engine or utility grid through direct or indirect electromagnetic induced wireless transmission. As long as the charging source 10 has a higher voltage than the supercapacitor elements 30, the latter can be charged upon a charging signal sent from the controller 40 to charging circuit 20.
The controller 40 is the brain of the configurable system for performing the following duties:
Then, the driver 50 and switches 60 serve as the arms and legs of the controller 40 to carry out the configurations.
Nine supercapacitor elements 30, E1 to E9, are arranged in rows and columns within a single housing body denoted by dot lines in
As shown in
The element-switch SW has a lower electrical resistance than the lead-switch (e.g. Sa11), and all switches are hooked to horizontal data bus, 301 to 306, so that the switches can be directed by the Driver 40 to form the electronic paths for the required configurations determined by the controller 40 (not shown in
Assuming E1, E2 and E3 have the same state of charge and they need to join in parallel, the connection is simply completed by closing the six lead switches, Sa11 to Sb13. On the other hand, if E1, E2 and E3 need to join in parallel, in addition to the foregoing closure of six lead switches, two element switches, SWI and SWII, have to be closed. Assuming all leads a are the positive pole, electricity in the series module E1-E2-E3 will flow as: E1a→E1b→bus 302→SWI→bus 301→E2a→E2b→bus 302→SWII→bus 301→E3a→E3b. The foregoing configurations demonstrate the configuring ability of the supercapacitor elements only, rather than limiting the application scope of the present invention. There are many modifications on the configuration of an array of elements. Much more sophisticated addressing and configuring examples can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,042 for expanding memory for communication, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,325 for clock controls and event counting, as well as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,870,196 for configuring organic light emitting diodes (OLED) for display.
For a range of operational voltage outputs, supercapacitors are switched in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,002,112 and 5,545,933, and batteries are switched in U.S. Pat. No. 6,624,535. These works focus on the power delivery only, whereas power storage using a configurable system appears neglected. There are many situations where regenerated energy or residual energy is worth retrieving. This can be seen in the regenerative braking of elevator in U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,658, and in the polarity reversal of liquid crystal display (LCD) elements in U.S. Pat. No. 6,985,142. Energy efficiency can be realistically improved by a real-time supply of power whenever a demand occurs, as well as by unrestricted and corresponsive absorption of energy. In lieu of no energy conversion and free polarity, supercapacitor is an ideal device for making a dual function system as the present invention. An array as
The housing for the integrated module displayed in
Similar to the integration of supercapacitor elements in a single housing, the configuration circuit can be first made into a printed circuit board (PCB). According to application needs, the PCB can be located on the outer or inner surface of the cover of the housing body. After a hermetic joint of the cover with the housing body, a compact and sustainable power system is made, and it is ready to work with many DC and AC wired or wireless charging sources for a power supply, as well as for power saving, in a broad operational voltage range for many high-power applications including transportation, communication and recreation.
As shown in
In reality terms, using the present invention for automobiles regardless of hybrid or gasoline models, the cars will increase the energy efficiency to increase gas mileage through the improvement of power management than without the configurable power system.
Since S2 of S/C1 and S4 of S/C2 are electrically connected to the (+) pole of ETH, thus, S2 and S4 become the (+) pole, whereas S1 and S3 are the (−) pole of the respective capacitor. Once the switching button (not shown in
1. The First Cycle
REL1 is on ("open" state) and REL2 is off ("close" state), S1 and S2 of S/C1 are switched to S1b and S2b, respectively. Because S2b is connected to load M, thus, S/C1 will discharge to the load. Power is delivered with the electricity flow: (+) pole of ETH→S1b→S1→S2→S2b→M
As a result, S/C1 is discharged in series with battery ETH, and the power will be mainly delivered by the capacitor. On the other hand, S/C2 is still in parallel connection with the battery for charging due to the "close" state of REL2. However, S/C2 consumes no energy for it is not connected to M.
2. The Second Cycle
REL1 is off ("close" state) and REL2 is on ("open" state), S3 and S4 of S/C2 are switched to S3b and S4b, respectively. Because S4b is connected to load M, thus, S/C2 will discharge to the load. Power is delivered with the electricity flow: (+) pole of ETH→S3b→S3→S4→S4b→M
As a result, S/C2 is also discharged in series with battery ETH.
Because REL1 is in the "close" state, S/C1 will be in parallel connection with the battery for refilling the energy consumed.
3. The Third and Further Cycles
A consistent power will be delivered to M from the reciprocal switching of REL1 and REL2 until the switching button is turned off when M demands no power.
Proof of Performance
An electric wheelchair is used as a vehicle to test the performance of the CD swing using the circuitry of
Power A: 2 pieces lead-acid (Pb-A) batteries, each has a power rating of
Power B: 1 piece of the original Pb-A+circuitry of
In each test, the Pb-A is fully charged and the vehicle is driven by a test driver weighed 180 lb until the cut-off voltage of Pb-A. Three tests are taken for each power system, and the run times of the vehicle are recorded at the end of battery use-time. The average of the run times and end voltages are shown in Table 1:
Several observations can be drawn from Table 1:
Other switching devices than relay can be used for the CD swing, for example, MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) and IGBT (integrated bipolar transistor). Each switching device has advantages and disadvantages. It should be determined by application needs for the selection of switching device for the CD swing. In
1. Arrange the whole array of supercapacitor elements in many groups of series connection to match the voltage of a charging source. These groups are then connected in parallel for being charged by the potential source. After all elements are charged, they can be regrouped for delivering power to any load that has a different driving voltage from that of the charging source. In other words, the present invention can be used as a power converter between a potential source and a load in a highly efficient and economical way.
2. Using the charged supercapacitor elements as a potential source to support other elements within the housing needed for performing the CD swing for power provisions. Therefore, the present invention can independently perform power provisions without an outside charging source.
3. To serve as a "power tank" for automobiles, laptop computers, power tools, as well as a uninterruptible power supply to medical services, communications, appliances and heavy machineries.
4. To serve as a "power relay" for electricity generation stations. Power generated can be immediately stored in the supercapacitor elements, the capacitors can then transmit the energy to power grids through wires or wirelessly, for example, through electromagnetic flux or microwave emission.
Patent Citations
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This is part of a series on French idiomatic expressions that relate to food. Browse the list of idioms featured so far.
This week's expression is, "Faire son miel de quelque chose."
Literally translated as, "making one's honey out of something," it means profiting from a situation.
Example: "Elle enchaîne les déclarations provocantes, et évidemment, les journalistes en font leur miel." "She makes one provoking statement after another, and of course, journalists make their honey out of it."
Listen to the idiom and example read aloud:


text:
Classicsonline Home » Artists » » Varea, Cinta
Cinta Varea Tórtola was born in Alborache (Valencia) and studied with Jesús Campos and Peter-Lukas Graf. She has taught at the Segovia and Alcalá de Henares and Conservatories and from 1982 to 1990 was flautist in the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria under José Ramón Encinar. Since 1992 she has served as principal flautist of ORCAM. She has a parallel career in chamber music.


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What booths are set up there and at what times?
i was wondering what booths they have because ive never been but would like to go sometime...
btw sorry if this has been here b4...
this might help:
on the right side it lists what booths are where
thanks you that helped... another question though i have is have u ever been there...i heard that they had yonex and tecnifibre there but they are not on the list...
yes i was there last year, and i will be going this year too, but I dont remember if those brands were there or not...off the top of my head i don't think they were but then again I didnt spend much time in that area
also can u just go to the booths without a ticket and without paying
No, the vendor booths are all inside on the grounds. I don't remember there being any racket booths there at all because Tennis Warehouse has a shop there and they pretty much have the equipment cornered. The only thing comparable is the tournament store which sells clothes and shoes.
so u must pay to go into the grounds im assuming...?
Yes, I believe the cheapest ticket on one of the first days is about $24, plus parking if you drive there.
thanks ...can u buy ticket over there
Yes, you can buy a ticket at the gate, but if you go Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, they might be sold out by the time you get there.
ok thanks......
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The BAM Road - ultimate test of man and machine
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"Moto Porn"ographer
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Schmocation
Oddometer: 3,984
Originally Posted by
I think there could be problems with the Chinese as that country flexes its muscles in the years to come. Much of the Russian Far East was taken from a weakened China in the past and I look for the Chinese to make claims on some of it. And it also may be another reason Putin pushed through the BAM.
The relations between the Euro-Russians and the people of the Far East, beginning with the Mongols (I suppose) goes way back in time.
Absolutely, like I said earlier in the thread, China is the only realistic external threat to the territorial integrity of the country. (Thus the sole rationale for the BAM)
Internally, Russia has done a pretty good job of cultivating a sense of nationalism, usually through total integration and a resulting low level of racism between "Russians" and the Asian citizens of Russia. It's one positive legacy of the socialist past. (Note this lack of racism towards native Siberians is not necessarily echoed in attitudes toward people of African origin)
The Buryats:
The Yakuts:
The Tuvans:
the Altaits:
And other Asian Russian nationalities all seem to identify totally with being Russian.
I also noted in Mongolia, that despite being totally under the Soviet sphere of influence for 70 years, the Mongolians (in contrast with the eastern europeans) have no negative beef with Russians. The Mongolians you see, are very wary of the Chinese. The Soviets could easily have absorbed Mongolia during the cold war, but they didn't. The Mongolians don't feel the Chinese would be that generous. The Chinese got a hold of Outer Mongolia several hundred years ago and have absorbed it into China, populating the province of 4 million Mongols with 20 million ethnic Chinese. So because of those contrasting histories, the Mongolians are much more comfortable putting their faith in the Russians when it comes to the destiny of the remainder of Mongolia.
While I was Mongolia this year, there was a big celebration (70th anniversary) of the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, in which the Soviet Union came to defend Mongolia again a Japanese incursion from occupied Manchuria. The victor at Khalkhin Gol was none other than Georgy Zhukov, the man who arguably more than any other was later responsible for the defeat of the Germans in WWII (The Battle of Khalkhin Gol was actually taking place at the same time as the German invasion of Poland). Zhukov is to this day revered in Mongolia, and I managed to pick up a Mongolian Zhukov medal (vintage 1996) at a market there. Here is a picture of Russian President Medvedev in Mongolia for the anniversary celebrations, with his Mongolian counterpart at a ceremony commemorating both the battle and the ongoing co-operation between the Russians and the Mongols (overlooked by a statue of said Marshal Zhukov).
I think the strategic concern of all the countries in North Asia, from Russia, to Mongolia to Japan and Korea, is China. Russia (like the other countries) is very much aware that it needs to play a balancing game between the significant economic co-operation between Russia and China (Russia supplies large amounts of energy and raw materials to China) and the medium to longer term strategic interests of the country, which obviously will be to protect the resources of Siberia. The Russia - China relationship is a complex one. China is a sometimes seen as an ally of Russia, but in my opinion its more of a rival.
Russia recently gave a disputed island near Khabarovsk that had been occupied by Russia to China (and was the scene of many border skirmish in the Mao - Brezhnev days), to much positive sentiment in China. In the shorter term this was to boost good will and economic co-operation, but I am sure in the longer term, there is also the thought that getting rid of any border disputes, gives the Chinese no "excuse" for anything else. The China - Russian border is now fixed and not subject to any disputes, for the first time in centuries.
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NEW YORK — The richest people on the planet got even richer in 2012, adding $241 billion to their collective net worth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world's 100 wealthiest individuals.
The aggregate net worth of the world's top moguls stood at $1.9 trillion at the market close on Dec. 31, according to the index. Retail and telecommunications fortunes surged about 20 per cent on average during the year. Of the 100 people who appeared on the final ranking of 2012, only 16 registered a net loss for the 12-month period.
"Last year was a great one for the world's billionaires," John Catsimatidis, the billionaire owner of Red Apple Group, said in an email written poolside on his BlackBerry in the Bahamas. "In 2013, they will continue looking for investments around the world — and not necessarily in U.S. — that will give them an advantage."
Amancio Ortega, the Spaniard who founded retailer Inditex SA, was the year's biggest gainer. The 76-year-old tycoon's fortune increased $22.2 billion to $57.5 billion, according to the index, as shares of Inditex, operator of the Zara clothing chain, rose 66.7 per cent.
"It's an amazing company that has done great and the gains are quite justified given its performance," said Christodoulos Chaviaras, an analyst at Barclays. "Can they repeat that? It will be harder. A lot of the positive news is already reflected in the share price."
Carlos Slim, the telecommunications magnate who controls Mexico's America Movil SAB, maintained his title as the richest person on Earth for the entire year. The 72-year-old's net worth rose $13.4 billion — or 21.6 per cent — through Dec. 31, making him the second-biggest gainer by dollars.
Gains by Slim's industrial conglomerate, Grupo Carso, and Grupo Financiero Inbursa, his banking and insurance operation, more than offset the decline posted by America Movil, his biggest holding.
"America Movil is no longer the growth story that it has been, given the increase in Latin American wireless penetration over the last five years," said Chris King, an analyst at Stifel Nicolaus & Co. in Baltimore, Md. "It continues to generate a very high amount of cash flow and has the best set of telecom assets across Latin America."
U.S. software mogul Bill Gates, 57, ranks second on the list, trailing Slim by $12.5 billion. The Microsoft co-founder added $7 billion to his net worth as shares of the Redmond, Wash.-based company rose 2.9 per cent. Microsoft stock accounts for less than 20 per cent of the billionaire's fortune.
Warren Buffett, 82, lost his title as the world's third-richest man to Ortega on Aug. 6. The Berkshire Hathaway chair gained $5.1 billion during the year, even after donating 22.3 million Berkshire Class B shares in July to charity. The billionaire, who has pledged to give away most of his fortune, spent much of the year pressing for higher taxes on the wealthy.
"On incomes of over $1 million, the excess $1 million should have a minimum tax of 30 per cent. And then over $10 million, 35 per cent," Buffett said in an interview with Charlie Rose in November. "Tax law should be progressive. And I think that when people make $15 million or $20 million or $200 million and pay a 10 per cent rate, something should be done about it."
Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad, 86, is the world's fifth-richest person with a $42.9-billion fortune. The complex ownership structure behind Ikea, the world's largest furniture retailer, became more transparent in August after Ikea's franchisor published its financial performance publicly for the first time. His net worth rose 16.6 per cent in 2012.
Brazil's Eike Batista, 56, was the year's biggest loser by dollars, falling $10.1 billion. The commodities maven, who vowed a year ago that he'd become the world's wealthiest man by 2015, sold a 5.63 per cent stake in his EBX Group in March to Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Development.
Batista now ranks 75th in the world with a $12.4 billion net worth. On March 27, he was worth $34.5 billion and ranked 8th on the Bloomberg index.
Asia's richest man, Li Ka-Shing, rose $6.4 billion. The 84-year-old chair of Hong Kong property developer Cheung Kong Holdings Ltd. ranks 11th on the list with a net worth of $28.6 billion.
Zong Qinghou, head of China's third-largest beverage maker, became the country's richest man in September after disclosing his stake in closely held Hangzhou Wahaha Group was more than double previous estimates.
The 67-year-old soda and juice tycoon owns more than 80 per cent of Wahaha, the company's spokesperson Shan Qining said. Zong's net worth is $15.8 billion, according to the Bloomberg ranking. He is $8.4 billion wealthier than Robin Li, founder of Baidu, China's biggest search engine operator.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg lost $5.2 billion during the year after the company's shares fell 30 per cent following its May initial public offering. He is worth $12.3 billion.
The Bloomberg Billionaires Index takes measure of the world's wealthiest people based on market and economic changes and Bloomberg News reporting. Each net worth figure is updated every business day at 5:30 p.m. in New York. The valuations are listed in U.S. dollars.
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Lauzon during his 3 round war with Jim Miller this past Saturday Night in Vegas
If Joe Lauzon's name is on an upcoming fight card you may as well get ready to put his name on a bonus check. The word boring is one of the last words that come to mind when you go through this warriors vault of fights. However, sometimes there are consequences paid in exchange for putting on a great show. You can see in these photos evidence of the handy work of one Jim Miller. For Miller, J-Lau's face was just a canvas where he could show other 155'ers what they can expect if they decide to sign a piece of paper that has his name on it in 2013. Don't say you haven't been warned. All photos and commentary via joelauzon's facebook and his Official Twitter account. Give the man a like and a follow if you haven't already. Following the fight: Franken Lauzon - 40 stitches and lost a lot of blood. But I'm all good. Two days after UFC 155 - Not exactly looking better. Three days later...keeps getting worse... I should get a part as an extra on The Walking Dead. 4 days later.... starting to look better.
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