text:
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Update On Asian Equities
Overview: Asian equities have outperformed mature markets in 2009 thanks to continuous foreign institutional investor (FII) inflows amid diminishing risk-aversion among global investors and relatively resilient macroeconomic fundamentals. In September, markets continue to march upwards after seeing some volatility in August, driven by concerns that the Chinese government is tightening the credit.
As of MSCI Asia Pacific has gained 30.5% YTD as of September 16, with Sri Lanka and Indonesia as the best performers, Japan and New Zealand as the worst performers. In terms of valuations, Asian equities are no longer considered to be cheap, following the rally since March. The region's price/earnings ratio has risen significantly above its historical average. In addition, downside risks still remain in H2 2009 with revival of any global risk aversion. Economic recovery may be slower-than-expected if stimulus effects fade out and the current global recession has greater-than-expected impacts on regional economies. Also, corporates may post worse-than-expected earnings reports as Q2's improvements were largely driven by cost-cutting efforts not by a recovery in demand.
Will Asian Equities Continue to Outperform Mature Markets?
2009 MSCI Asia Pacific performance in USD terms: 30.5% YTD as of September 16, up 66.6% during March 9 - September 162009 MSCI Asia performance in USD terms: 26.7% YTD as of September 16, up 61.2% during March 9 - September 162009 MSCI Asia (excluding Japan) performance in USD terms: 54.8% YTD as of September 16, up 85.4% during March 9 - September 16Best performers (YTD as of September 16, 2009): Sri Lanka: 91.9% | Indonesia: 80.0% | Vietnam: 76.5% | India: 72.9% | China: 64.8% | Taiwan: 62.1% | Thailand: 57.9% | Pakistan: 55.8% Worst performers(YTD as of September 16, 2009): Singapore: 51.8% | South Korea: 49.7% | HK: 48.8% | the Philippines: 47.8% | Malaysia: 38.4% | Australia: 24.9% | Japan: 15.9% | New Zealand: 15.4%
In 2009: Asia's equity market (excluding Japan) have outperformed mature markets, up 54.8% YTD as of September 16 2009, while the S&P 500 Index and the U.S. Dow Jones Industrial Average rose mere 14.7% and 8.4% respectively during the same period.
Since March 2009, Asian equity markets have witnessed a rally following a surge in U.S. markets and began to benefit from the widening valuation gap on the back of relatively resilient macroeconomic fundamentals. During the March 9- September 16 period, MSCI Asia (excluding Japan) rose by 85.4%, significantly higher than the S&P 500 Index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average which gained 58.0% and 49.6% respectively.
Capital flows: Continuous FII inflows to Asian equity markets have taken net flows to a positive US$14.4 billion as of June 24 2009, significantly up from US$10.8 billion in H1 and US$9.6 billion in H2 2008. Since end-June, however, fun flows have been volatile, with inflows and outflows each recoded half of the time. In the middle of August, the region saw fund outflows the most in 24 weeks as investors start to cast doubts on Chinese rapid expansion of bank lending, which has helped regional economic recovery and asset market reflation.
Valuations: Taiwan (122.8) has the highest price/earning ratio in the region as of September 9 2009, followed by Australia (83.9). In opposite, valuations of Pakistan (12.4) and the Philippines (15.1) are among the cheapest. The P/E ratio of 32 for Asia (excluding Japan, unweighted) is significantly higher than that of U.S. equities, 19.1 for the S&P 500 and 13.7 for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
2008 Review: The peak-to-trough decline in Asian equities in 2008 (more than 70% for some markets) surpassed the 60% fall in local currency terms during the 1998 Asian financial crisis. Sustained outflows from offshore Asian funds took total net redemptions in Jan-Oct 2008 to a record high such that all money that flowed in during 2007 flowed out.
Market Integration: There is a noticeable upward trend in the Asia-U.S. correlation with the correlation parameter picking up sharply in H2 2008 (peaking during mid-Oct 2008). However, average correlations for emerging Asian equity markets are generally higher between the region's markets than with U.S. markets.
Government intervention: Several countries including Taiwan, Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand intervened in the stock market by narrowing the trading band, introducing stabilization fund to contain volatility, banning short-selling, directing government funds to buy share.
Will the Rally Continue? Or Will a Correction Follow?
Upsides: Better-than-expected earnings reports, relatively healthier macroeconomic fundamentals, aggressive fiscal stimulus spending and ample liquidity in the region would have positive impacts. Also, buying into most of the region's equity markets seems a better bet than bonds amid increasing bond issuance.
Downsides: Worries over the U.S. economy, exit by local investors and also FIIs alarmed at greater-than-expected impact of global slowdown on Asia's growth, exports, fiscal deficits, slowing consumer spending and investment may have negative impacts. High (external) debt exposure of corporate sector in some countries and risks of real estate correction and bank profitability are additional risks.
Global portfolio rebalancing toward U.S. equities, expecting "a U.S. growth spurt," will pose risks to Asian (exculding Japan) equities. U.S. equities have gained much less than Asian (excluding Japan) equities and have lower valuations.
The recovery is real. Asian equity markets will continue to have good momentum and corporate earnings may rise substantially until 2010. Liquidity conditions will support the equity market in the near-term. But authorities may have to limit further monetary and fiscal expansion as inflation may resurface before growth normalizes in the medium- to longer-term.
Risks remain, driven not by earnings but by still weak real economy. Exports and domestic demand should rebound quickly in H2 2009 to meet the forecasts and to justify V-shaped recovery. In the past, Asia's stock market performance was highly correlated with that of western counterparts. However, Asian equities may plot a more "independent course" backed by less leveraged economy, better capitalized banking sector, huge FX reserves and healthier fiscal position.
Prospects for further inflows into Asian equities remain substantial, as global portfolio continue to adjust from relatively underweight positions, and given cheap equity valuations relative to bonds.
Adrian Mowat, Chief Asia Strategist, JP Morgan: Asian stocks have yet to reflect expectations for a powerful, synchronized recovery in the global economy as markets are still bearish on global growth and on emerging markets growth.
As of end April 2009, market capitalization of Asian Pacific markets (US$10.2 trillion) has come ahead of that of European markets (US$9.3 trillion, including Africa and the Middle East) as Asian stock prices sour at a faster pace than European ones.
Banks remain the single largest sector in Asia. However, its share has been decreased to 20.1% as of June 2009 from 43% in 1975. In opposite, the share of cyclicals has risen to 38.7% (including basic materials, industrials, oil & gas and technology) from 18% (industrials) in 1975.
p/s photos: Olivia Ong
Posted by Salvador Dali at 1:02 AM
Labels: asia recovery, asian equity, Olivia Ong
1 comment:
- jeremy tan said...
Do hope the Feds and other governments won't be withdrawing their stimulus that quickly as the economy still requires life support to keep it alive.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Dan Adera
White member Joined : Saturday 30th April 2011
- Technical Bucket : Developer
- About : Am a current student at the University of Nairobi interested in software development and also in computer networking and web design. Am basically in ihub for networking for development.
- Residence : City Center
- Nationality :
ihub statistics
post a job
Events Board
- The Cheetah Fund Crowdfunding Bootcamp... Thursday 9th October 2014 9:00am
- PHP USER GROUP MEETUP... Tuesday 7th October 2014 5:30pm
- Wireless Wednesday... Wednesday 1st October 2014 12:00pm
- Entrepreneurship Forum #5... Saturday 27th September 2014 1:00pm

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Human Capital Measurement
Welcome to the 2014 Human Capital Report. This report, now in its tenth edition, provides critical data for human resource decision making. A significant part of the University budget is committed to our workforce to fund compensation and benefits, making human resource data critical to our stewardship and to building our investment. Using human resource data to understand changing demographic trends allows us to consider proactive plans that respond to challenges and help sustain our leadership position as one of the nation's greatest public research universities.
This year's report sheds light on a number of key indicators reflecting notable trends in the University's faculty and staff profile, staffing, recruitment and retention, retirement rate and financial profile. Chief among these are:
- Hiring levels for the period November 2012 through November 2013 are down 14 percent over the previous year, with 5175 staff jobs filled. Last year's numbers reflected the large hiring effort in the Hospitals & Health Centers as the new hospitals opened. Reduced hiring in the Hospitals & Health Centers account for the overall decrease in staff jobs filled in 2012-13.
- Overall staff retention has been stable, with an average of 92 percent for the past five years. Manager retention has trended slightly lower, with an average of 91 percent over the past five years.
- Staff termination rates remain below benchmark comparisons. Overall staff termination rates at the university are less than 10% compared to benchmark data for Education (12.3%) and Healthcare (17.9%).
- After a sharp increase in retirements in 2012, the number of retirements in 2013 dropped sharply providing evidence that the time of retirement decisions were impacted by the changes in retirement eligibility rules and benefit cost-sharing changes that went into effect January 1, 2013.
This year's report continues to examine the retirement outlook and challenges that face our organization. Projections suggest that by 2020, 30 percent of current tenured and tenure track faculty, 19 percent of staff and 31 percent of managers will retire. To continue to retain and transfer knowledge and address current and projected retirement trends, Human Resources has made a strategic commitment to strengthen leadership capability and capacity to encourage high levels of performance and productivity to sustain excellence across the University.
For more information about how the University of Michigan Human Capital Report data and the consulting expertise of our Human Resource Information Systems staff can help support workforce planning, recruitment/retention and succession planning in your school, college or unit, please contact UHR Senior Business Analyst Tom Palmer.
Yours in partnership,
Laurita Thomas
Associate Vice President for Human Resources
June, 2014
Note: This report is available in downloadable PDF files requiring Acrobat Reader. If you do not already have Acrobat Reader installed, you can download it for free from Adobe.


text:
Munich, Germany
You state that "background noise...can actually make it easier to pick up faint signals", and add "This extraordinary idea emerged in 1981." ("Noises on", 1 June, p 28).
Well, in the field of control circuitry engineering, this knowledge was put to good use much earlier, when technicians introduced "dither" signals into control loops to lower their response thresholds. In other words, they increased the overall system sensitivity by adding an artificial background noise to an otherwise clean signal.
To continue reading this article, subscribe to receive access to all of newscientist.com, including 20 years of archive content.


text:
News & Public Affairs
Both crew from US fighter jet that crashed over Libya have been rescued but civilians may have been killed listen03/22/11 wire reports including AP
WMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Heavy anti-aircraft fire is lighting up the skies over Tripoli and the sound of loud explosions is echoing through the Libyan capital after nightfall.
A U.S. official says both the crew of an F-15 fighter jet that crashed yesterday in Libya are safe and back in American hands.
The official said a Marine Corps Osprey search and rescue aircraft retrieved the pilot. He says the second crew member, a weapon's officer, was recovered by Libyan rebel forces and is now in U.S hands.
The cras...1 comments
US led coalition bombs targets inside Libya for a third straight day listen03/21/11 wire reports including AP
WMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
The U.S. commander in Africa says coalition jets fired 12 more cruise missiles at Libyan missile, command and air defense sites as they continued to press a no-fly zone over the North African nation.
The attacks today followed a weekend of punishing air strikes aimed at preventing Moammar Gadhafi's forces from killing civilians seeking his ouster.
General Carter Ham said not much was known about Gadhafiâs whereabouts. Speaking by video conference from his headquarters in Germany, Ham ...2 comments
President Barack Obama says the U.S. will help its allies enforce a no-fly zone over parts of Libya listen03/18/11 wire reports including AP
WMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
President Barack Obama says the U.S. will help its allies enforce a no-fly zone over parts of Libya if Moammar Gadhafi does not immediately cease military actions against rebels.
Obama told reporters at the White House that thousands of Libyans could die if Gadhafi is not forced to pull his troops back from rebel strongholds. He said humanitarian aid must reach those in need.
Last night the U.N. Security Council approved possible military action against Gadhafi.
Earlier today, Libyaâ...2 comments
Gadhafi troops and rebel forces trade victories listen03/14/11 wire reports including AP
WMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
West of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, government tanks and artillery bombarded an opposition-held town near the Tunisian border. A resident in Zwara says at least four rebel fighters were killed in the barrage.
In the east, opposition forces have slowed the government's offensive at the oil port of Brega. While Gadhafi's troops used superior firepower to drive the rebels out of the city yesterday, they've been unable to hold it. Rebels pushed back into Brega last night and claim to have cap...Be the first to comment
Gadhafi warns against foreign intervention listen03/02/11 wire services
WMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Libyan rebels have repelled an attack by forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi at a key coastal oil installation in Brega.
Gadhafi's forces initially recaptured the facility, but a wave of civilian militias drove them out. At least six people were killed in the fighting.
Meanwhile in the capital, Gadhafi vowed his forces would "fight until the last man and woman." In the speech broadcast on Libyan state TV, he lashed out against Europe and the United States for pressuring him to step down. G...Be the first to comment
Violence continues in Libya as US and others mull intervention listen03/01/11 wire services
WMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Residents of the rebel-held city closest to Libya's capital are celebrating after fighters repelled an overnight attack by forces loyal to leader Moammar Gadhafi.
Witnesses say the pro-Gadhafi forces battled the rebels for six hours, but couldn't take control of Zawiya.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told Congress today that the U.S. must lead an international response to the crisis, including a no-fly zone.
Clinton says the Obama administration may seek the prosecution o...2 comments
Protests continue in Libya and beyond and are met with violence listen02/25/11 Seán Kinane
WMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
The White House says the U.S. is moving forward with plans to impose unilateral sanctions on Libya in response to violence there.
Another U.S. official says the United States has closed its embassy in Tripoli after evacuating all personnel on a ferry and a chartered airplane.
There are reports of at least four deaths today in Libya's capital. Thatâs after militias loyal to Moammar Gadhafi opened fire on opponents holding their first major protest in Tripoli in days. On the television ...Be the first to comment
Rally in Temple Terrace to support pro-democracy activists in Libya listen02/22/11 Seán Kinane
WMNF Drive-Time News Tuesday Listen to this entire show:
Hundreds of pro-democracy activists have been killed by Libyaâs government during several days of demonstrations . Yesterday in Temple Terrace, more than 60 people rallied in support of Libyaâs protesters.
In a long speech televised today on Libya TV, the countryâs leader, Moammar Gadhafi vowed to continue to fight and die a âmartyr.â He called on supporters to take back the streets from people demanding his ouster. But during rush hour last night, supporters of Libyaâs street...1 comments
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
- 2010
- 2009
- 2008
- 2007
- 2006


text:
Snap ID
Email ID
Important Information regarding Admissions 2013-2015
Following information is only for the candidates who are shortlisted for the SIIB GE/PI Process 2013
GE/PI slot booking starts on: 18th January 2013 (Friday, 4:00 PM)
GE/PI slot booking closes on: 21st January 2013 (Monday, 11:55 PM)
Please follow the following steps to book your slots for SIIB GE/PI Process 2013:-
GE/ PI Slot Booking Process - Only for the Shortlisted Candidates
Schedule of Activities:
For MBA - IB / MBA- AB / MBA - E&E [2013-15]
Important: For Eligibility Verification Process by Symbiosis International University [SIU] during SIIB GE/PI Process, Please check Annexure "A" and Annexure "B"
Symbiosis Institute of International Business [SIIB]
G. No. 174/1, Hinjewadi, Taluka - Mulshi,
Dist - Pune – 411 057
Maharashtra, India.
Tel: 020-22934314 / 7 / 8 / 9
Fax: 020-22934316
Email : firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Scapa 16 Year Old70cl / 40%
- Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- Distillery Bottling
- In Stock
- Next-day delivery available
- Maximum 3 per customer
The initially controversial 16yo official expression of Scapa is now winning people round with a jump in quality after a few wobbly years following the rapid transition from the much-loved 12yo via the short-lived 14yo. Orkney's less shouted about (but still lovely in its own way) malt whisky has found its feet.
Scapa 16 Year Old Reviews
Tasting Notes
Tasting Notes by Stuart P
Nose: Like stepping out on deck during a sea crossing – maritime, sea spray, ozone! Very clean and fresh.
Palate: Fresh and fruity, with good weight, that sea spray lurking around, and a touch of smoke, too.
Finish: Fresh and zingy. Refreshing.
25 Customer Reviews
One of the smoothest and tastiest whiskys ever in my opinion. Definate top 3 quality. Beautiful sweet honey aftertaste. One Big lovely glass before bed. Hard to beat.....Incredibly hard.
Very nice indeed. A distinct honey sweetness with very little peat. At 80 proof there is no burn. A splash of water opens it up and makes it even smoother.
I can''t fault the tasting note by Stuart P. Smooth, fresh, & incredibly moreish.
The Scapa 16 is one of my three favorite single malts. Along with any Highland Park and my personal favorite Lagavulin 16, this Scotch offers a beautiful alternative to the Islay scotches and a wonderful compliment to its Orkney sibling.
My favourit
One of my favourites! and the best price I've found!
I normally only buy Speyside single malts, but on a whim decided to try this and so glad I did! For my tastes the Scapa is the nicest whiskey I've had. Deliciously warming and smooth straight up...but let a couple of large ice cubes melt for 5 mins & it develops a honey sweetness that is a Speyside lovers dream! Well worth it at the present reduced price as well.
I am a fan of this slightly off the beaten track whisky. Fairly subtle flavours to enjoy on a relaxed evening.
You do read a lot of tosh! This is a great, balanced malt which I'm keen does not get better known. Heather, honey and finesse, not a slug of peat to complicate things. If you prefer heavily peated malts, there are plenty about. This one is about balance, and very much to my palate. Great stuff.


text:
Beginning with the Winter 2015 semester, NMU will be using preferred first names across university systems, where possible. This includes class rosters, advisee lists, and all communications. If you would like to add, change, or delete a preferred name, you must do so in person at the Registrar's Office (2202 Hedgcock). Any preferred names in the system as of January 8th will be loaded into EduCAT and class rosters.
Legal name will continue to be printed on NMU ID cards until we are able to print the preferred first name on the front and the legal name on the back. Projected targeted date is Fall 2015.
Students may view your current preferred name by going into mynmu, selecting the Student Services tab, then Main Menu under Student Services. Then select Contact Summary in the Personal Information tab.
Employees can follow the same path through the Main Menu option within the Web for Employees section of the Employee Services tab.
On Saturday, August 9, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. the primary email server will undergo maintenance.
Email services will not be available during this window. Exchange users are not affected by this outage.
Any email received during this window will be queued and delivered when the server is back online.
MyWeb.nmu.edu will be unavailable during this maintenance.
Some other servers & services under MyNMU may also be affected during this maintenance.
On Sunday February 9th from 7 a.m. until 9 a.m., Banner INB (banner.nmu.edu) and self-service options under mynmu.nmu.edu including Admitted to NMU, Adviser, Employee, Faculty, Retiree and Student Services will be unavailable.
*E-mail is not affected by this maintenance.
|Course Offerings
Prospective students and general public: Click here for a view-only listing of course offerings. This view does not show current seats available.
NMU students: Log in. Select the Student Services tab, then click 'Registration - search for courses' in the Student Services box. This option displays detailed course information, including seats available.
NMU faculty: Log in. Select the Faculty Services tab, then click 'Course Search' in the Web for Faculty and Advisers box. This option displays detailed course information, including seats available.
|Registration Assistance
Note: If you are just checking your NMU e-mail and do not need any other NMU information, your NMU e-mail can be directly accessed at http://webmail.nmu.edu
|What's New on Campus


text:
Hi, I'm looking for the version of this game to get. From what I know, there are versions of Disgaea 1 on the PS2, PSP and DS, and I was wondering which of the three is the version I should get. Thanks.
Definitive version of this game?
This edit will also create new pages on Giant Bomb for:Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along with your edits. Make sure this is what you intended. This will likely increase the time it takes for your changes to go live.
Comment and Save
Until you earn 1000 points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Giant Bomb users. This process takes no more than a few hours and we'll send you an email once approved.


text:
Marketing Information
Royal Sovereign's AFX-908N Patented Auto Feed Technology Shredder automatically feeds stacks of paper up to 75 sheets. Separate feed entries for auto, manual, and CD feed. Auto reverse function automatically reverses the cutters to free jams, then runs forward to continue shredding. Automatically begins shredding paper. Micro-cut shredding for level 4 security. Shreds paper, paper clips, staples, credit cards, CD/DVD.
Technical Information
Environmental Conditions
General Information
Additional Information
Noise level of approximately 55dB
Physical Characteristics
Power Description


text:
American Idol
Anatomy of an Outfit: Pia Toscano Goes Nude on The Blue Carpet
American Idol's finalists have been named, so we're starting taking note of the contestants' red-carpet styles... or blue carpet, as the case may be. The competition's stars hit the American Idol Finalist Party on March 3, looking ecstatic to have made in through the quickest round of cuts to date. The guys and gals looked totally unfazed by the emotional roller-coaster they'd just been on. We were impressed, but mostly by one lady in particular.
Pia Toscano has emerged as an onstage standout with her renditions of "I'll Stand By You" and "All By Myself." She didn't disappoint in the style department either: Pia rocked a gorgeous head-to-toe nude outfit on the blue carpet. We loved this look so much, we wanted you to be able to nab it for yourself! Here's how to steal if for less.
Pia Anatomy by jennabirch featuring beading bracelets
15 GBP - desireclothing.co.uk
$48 - shopnastygal.com
20 GBP - missguided.co.uk
8 GBP - debenhams.com
$50 - maxandchloe.com
Go girlie and slide into a nude chiffon skirt. Nasty Girl Twisted Chiffon Skirt, $48; Nab a matching nude top that's floaty and feminine. Desire Clothing Nude Chiffon Blouse, $24; Accessorize with a statement necklace... Max & Chloe Andara Freshwater Pearl Multi-Strand Necklace, $50; ...and beaded bracelet. Debenhams Brown Bead and Fireball Bracelet, $10; Then, finish with leg-lengthening neutral heels. Missguided Della High Heel Pump, $33.


text:
CNC Lessons Learned
Building my own CNC machine has been quite an educational experience. I've got a better idea of what I'm up against now, and have plans for moving forward.
Lessons Learned so Far
First. Hardware is hard. Much harder than software. I expected programming or wiring the electronics to be the difficult part, but thanks to good docs and helpful Arduino libraries I was able to get basic movement going pretty quick. The biggest challenge has been the mechanical construction of machine. I've gone through several iterations of the pen mount, sliders, and lead screw attachments but there is still much more to do. Software is so much easier to modify and test out new ideas. Creating a new slider took several hours to design, build, and test.
I have also learned how much of hardware success is based on component sourcing. Throughout this project I have added to a growing list of good online shops to getting interesting pieces; and how to repurpose unexpected materials like plumbers tape. I also learned that Amazon Prime is your friend. I honestly don't know how Fedex can make any money off of them.
So far I'm happy with the progress I've made on my CNC machine. I can now make a pen move in the X and Y directions with a fair amount of repeatability. The machine is a good test of ideas but not reliable enough to actually use yet. The biggest issue is tightness. Everything in the CNC machine has some slack in it. Each component of slack multiplies to make the pen slide all over the place; and a sliding pen means bad drawings. So that will be the main driver of the next version: making it super tight.
The other night I designed a new slider. It still uses roller skate bearings but applies them to the support beam from three sides instead of two. It also uses more rollers spaced further apart. The new sliders greatly improve stiffness without adding too much friction.
To remove the stickiness of then pen I realized I need a way to press the pen into the paper but still have some slack. This calls for a spring. After reading work that others have done I devised a new holder using two ballpoint pens. They are, interestingly enough, identical pens but with different brands on the side. Most likely from the same swag manufacturer. If you attend conferences you likely have tons of these guys lying around.
By combining two pen barrels and putting a spring at the top I can get the pen to sort of float in the middle but pressed against the bottom end. The spring pushes it against the paper but lets it slide up when needed. It acts sort of like a tiny shock absorber. Good enough for this version.
On the electronics side I finally mounted the various boards on a sheet of plastic. Using my Dremel drill press I set them up on inexpensive spacers from the Robot Shop. I also gave the steppers proper four pin connectors from Adafruit since I'm always plugging and unplugging them. The drivers still have some breadboarding to get rid of, but things are improving. I also added a real power switch for the motor current instead of having to constantly unplug the wall wart.
On the software side I wrote some new Arduino sketches using the excellent open source library AccelStepper. It handles acceleration and multiple steppers with ease. Now the motors sound like engines powering up.
NES Controller
Oh yeah; my teaser from before. The NES Controller.
I found two original NES controllers at our local electronics recycling shop for five bucks each. I love these things. These two are probably over 20 years old and they still work perfectly. Nintendo designed them to be bullet proof. (Sadly their design of the cartridge connector was not so well thought out).
The controllers use a simple serial protocol over their five pins. You can hook them up directly to an Arduino using jumper wires but I found an NES breakout board (Robot Shop) to give it that nice finished look. The software side is easy using the NESpad library. Note that this code is a few years old and won't compile out of the box. I suggest using my fork of the lib which is patched to compile with Arduino 1.0 and higher.
Every good project needs a name. I'm tired of saying "my CNC drawing machine thingy" over and over. Thus I dub thee "Clyde" after the orange ghost of Pacman fame. Apparently his other names are (translated from Japanese) are "stupid", "slow guy", and "pokey". Fortunately Clyde is easier to pronounce than Guzuta and Otoboke. He may be slow but he tries really hard and gets the job done.
Next Steps
I'm going to take a week off from Clyde during my parents' visit. Instead we will play with Jesse and finish up some house projects. When I return I will build a new machine over twice the size of the current one: 40cm x 60cm x 10cm. This is big enough to do some real work while still able to fit on my desktop. My latest extrusion order from OpenBeam is enough to build the new machine with plenty left over for reinforcement and experimentation. Have a good weekend!
posted Fri Aug 31 2012
Of Shafts, Pens, and Bearings
This is part 2 of my N part series on building a DIY CNC machine. If you missed it, here is part 1.
One of the trickiest parts of building a CNC machine is the linear sliders. Each axis requires a rail to slide the carriage on. This is called a linear slider. The sliding mechanism must have very low friction but also be strong to support the weight of the other axis and the head (which could be as heavy as a router). The carriage must also grip the slider tightly to ensure it doesn't slip or turn. The accuracy of the final CNC machine is directly related to the quality and tolerances of the slider. Needless to say, professional slider mechanisms aren't cheap.
After researching what others have done I decided to build my linear sliders out of OpenBeam using #608 roller skate bearings. Skate bearings have a few advantages: they are produced in mass quantities so they are pretty cheap for the quality you are getting. They are also usually sealed to keep out road dirt, so they can handle any debris the CNC might produce. And, because they are a standard size, getting parts to fit them is fairly easy. Here's a quick look at two versions of my bearings.
Skate bearings typically start at 1 USD each in sets of eight and go up from there. However, if you can afford to buy a lot at once you can get them as cheap as 50 cents a piece. I purchased my bearings from Amazon as a pack of 100 for 50 USD. A CNC will end up using at least 20 bearings so it's worth going for the large pack.
To attach the bearings to the beam I used long M3 screws from my local hardware store, about 20mm. Of course the inner diameter of the bearings (the bore) is much bigger than the diameter of the screws, so I needed to fill in the space.
After playing around with a variety of spacers, sleeves, and bushings I found a combination that would work, as depicted in this photo:
This works and is what I used in the current version of the CNC machine, but it has a few disadvantages. The nylon parts are longer than the bearing is wide so I had to trim them by hand. Plus there is two of them needed for each bearing, which adds cost and assembly time. I also had to add some washers to prevent the screw head from going through the center and to give more space between the beam and the bearing. Not bad for a first try, but I need something better.
Some searching on Amazon turned up some better pieces:
This bearing assembly uses a slightly shorter screw, 16mm (also in cool anodized black). I also found spacers that the were the perfect length, no trimming required. The interior diameter is perfect for the screws. the outer diameter is a tight fit in the bearings but I can pop them in easily with pliers. Since they fit in with friction I don't need to worry about washers to hold the bearing on. To give more space I used some of my standard M3 nuts. Since I already have to buy tons of them they are cheaper than washers, and adjustable to boot. Score!
I'm learning that creative sourcing and constant redesign is the only way I will reach the 200 USD goal.
Shaft Coupler
The next big challenge for a CNC machine is attaching the lead screw to the stepper motor. I would think this would be easy. I would be wrong.
The lead screw needs to be attached to the stepper motor securely so it won't slip, but it also needs a bit of flexibility to absorb vibrations. The two shafts also must be perfectly concentrically aligned or else the carriage will bounce up and down. Doing all of this for a decent price is very hard. Commercial solutions run 30 USD per shaft coupler.
I found several people online who use rubber tubing with clamps. Unfortunately I found the tube around the stepper shaft was too loose. If I tightened it with the clamp then the shaft would never be concentric with the lead screw.
My next attempt is what you see in this photo:
I used two pieces of tubing, one nested inside the other. The smaller tube is shorter and only goes around the stepper shaft. The larger tube contains the smaller tube as well as the leadscrew. The small tube is tight enough that it doesn't need a clamp, so that reduces the complexity a bit. The larger tube still slips, so the clamp must remain.
The two shafts are now more concentric but still not perfect. It's a good start though. For my next attempt I will switch to aluminum tubing from a hobby store.
Pen Mount
I can't turn my CNC machine into a plotter without a pen of course. I started with a Sharpie rubber banded onto a piece of extrusion.
It almost works but not quite. The pen has no give. It is either pressing very hard against the paper or doesn't touch at all. When it presses hard it prevents the carriage from moving smoothly, so I get lots of skips and jumps. I'm still looking for a better solution that will add some spring.
That's it for now. Next time I'll show some of the improvements I'm making to the electronics side for V3.
posted Fri Aug 17 2012
CNC Prototype 1
I've been posting little teasers of the CNC machine I'm working on. It's time to reveal a bit more.
In my spare time I have been working on a tiny two axis CNC machine that will be powerful enough to move a pen around like a plotter. Future versions will be larger and handle more powerful tools, but this is a good start to work out the kinks.
So here she is in all her glory:
She's a two axis CNC. The X axis is the lower level and the Y axis is the upper, set at 90 degrees. A future version will have a Z axis as well. The structure is made of aluminum extrusion from Open Beam. This version uses about 4 meters. You can see the nice ABS brackets on the corners, also from OpenBeam.
Each axis consists of a structure sitting on sliders created from roller skater bearings. For movement I'm using standard stepper motors from Spark Fun powered by EasyDriver boards. The steppers convert rotation into linear motion through the long threadscrews. While you can spend a great deal on threadscrews, these are just standard steel all thread from the hardware store (~3 USD). Everything is bolted together with Open Beam screws, which are standard M3 6mm screws and matching nuts.
Stepper motors have to be powered and controlled by a driver board. I'm using the open source EasyDriver from SparkFun. There are more powerful motors and boards available, but these will suffice for version 1. They are cheap, effective, and very simple to wire up as you can see in this photo:
Each stepper motor has it's own driver board. The four wires go into the four motor pins of the board, labeled A1, A2, B1, and B2. These aren't actually labeled on the motors themselves so I had to test and label them by hand. Each board also has power and ground. They receive more than 5V since the motors usually need more. In my case I've connected them directly to a 9V battery. This would never be enough power in production, but it's okay for testing and very portable. I'll dive more into the EasyDriver's later, but for now just know that they can take almost any power you can throw at them and convert it safely to run your motors.
Finally the drivers have
step, and
direction pins connected to the Arduino, which you can see in this photo:
The Arduino code toggles the two step pins over and over, occasionally changing the direction. That's all there is to the electronics. Arduino and the EasyDriver make it very simple.
Now let's look at the mechanicals:
The beams are aluminum extrusions from Open Beam. In addition to being open hardware (the schematics are available to make your own) it has a few nifty features. Take a look at this end cut:
There is one channel per side. Each channel takes a metric M3 nut or screw. Hex nuts are the perfect size to slide in easily and not rotate. Because these are standard sizes you can buy screws from other vendors, such as these black anodized 16mm screws I got from Amazon.
I've cut most of the extrusion by hand using a hacksaw and plastic miter (the kind used for cutting wood). Eventually I bought a cheap 6" power saw from Harbor Freight that uses cutoff disks. The final cuts are smoother than a hacksaw can produce and are done in a quarter the time. It's good enough for 60 USD but eventually I will probably upgrade to a proper miter saw with a metal cutting blade.
The extrusions are put together using injection molded ABS plastic brackets, also from Open Beam. I mostly use angle brackets with a few Ts thrown in.
The stepper motors are attached with Open Beam stepper brackets. These are designed to accept any NEMA 17 stepper motor and come with matching brackets for the other end.
But here is the genius part: Open Beam sells an adapter which accepts #608 roller skate bearings, which look like this:
These brackets make building a lead screw very easy. I chose a 5/16 inch all thread screw at my local department store (~3 USD). It fits inside of a roller skate bearing perfectly. The blue stuff in the photo is the skate bearing.
Speaking of skate bearings, they are completely awesome. But that will have to wait until tomorrow.
Next Time
I'll go into the bearings and shaft coupler tomorrow, two of the most critical parts of a CNC machine. Oh, and one more question. What should I name this contraption?
posted Wed Aug 15 2012
Electronics and CNC
I've been wanting to get into electronics and building physical things for a while. I have a lot to learn though. My only exposure to micro-controllers was when I played with an Arduino for a day about two years ago. The last time I picked up a soldering iron or drew a schematic was my lone electrical engineering class in college nearly twenty years ago. My degree is in computer science with a focus on graphic and AI giving me a decidedly software-only career. This makes picking up electronics both challenging and fun.
To start off I decided not to go the easy route; which would be to buy a prefab micro controller and then program it. While I have an Arduino sitting on the shelf, that would be too comfortable for a software guy. Instead I decided to approach this from two directions. First, I bought some kits put together entirely by hand with soldering, no programing at all. This should beef up my skills and introduce to me to the various physical components available (resistors, capacitors, switches, etc.)
Second, I've came up with a project too challenging for someone with my skill level to build: a CNC machine. While I will likely fail during my first attempt, doing something so far out of my areas of expertise will force me to learn a lot of new things.
Learning to Solder
To kick things off I picked up a Larson Scanner kit from the Evil Mad Science store. This kit is quite easy to build; a great starter project for beginners. The micro-controller is pre-programmed and it comes with a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) so you just need to solder in some resistors and LEDs. It even comes with comic book style instructions.
To learn how to solder read this short comic on MightyOhm.com. I was wrong in my initial assumptions. You aren't melting the solder with the iron. Instead you are heading up component and metal pad on the board, which the solder then melts on to. Once I figured that out my joints started to look a whole lot better.
As you can see my soldering skills improved from the beginning to the end of the scanner kit.
Oh, and remember that the battery pack has a switch on it. The first time I put in the batteries nothing happened because I forgot to turn it on. :)
A soldering iron can be had for very cheap, but since I plan to do this for a while I invested in a good one. Spark Fun sold me this soldering station of their own design, which has plenty of power and temperature control, for a very good price ($40).
CNC Machine
Now, on to the CNC machine. A Computer Numerical Control machine, or CNC, is sort of like a plotter. It moves a head in X and Y directions over a surface. However, instead of moving a pen or printer head it uses a drill or other cutting tool. Advanced versions also have a Z axis. This lets you cut many kinds of materials from wood and styrofoam all the way to thin aluminum and sheet metal. And of course it's only a few steps away from having a full 3D printer. All of these features make it a good project for me: something that I can improve over time and has real world uses.
Since I know absolutely nothing about these machines I have a lot to learn. What I've discovered so far is that it's best to start small and build up from there once you have something that works. To that end I created my first prototype of a single axis. It just moves a little carriage up and down a rail using a stepper motor turning a long screw.
CNC Machine Test 01 from Joshua Marinacci on Vimeo.
The stepper motor and driver came from Spark Fun. Interestingly, the stepper driver is actually an open source design called the EasyDriver designed by Brian Schmalz. You could of course build your own from components for less than what SparkFun charges, but I prefer to get the nice polished version rather than saving a few bucks. (And I do mean only a few. SF's is pretty well priced). For power I'm using a 9 volt battery, but will to upgrade to a larger supply once I'm done testing.
The driver is controlled by an older Arduino I already had. The EasyDriver is quite easy to use. You simply toggle one pin for each step and set the direction with a second pin, high or low. Beyond that there is an open source AccelStepper library that can handle multiple motors at once and use acceleration.
I created the metal carriage by hand using aluminum extrusion and brackets from OpenBeam, an open source hardware company based in Seattle. I'll have a lot more on OpenBeam in a future blog soon. OpenBeam uses standard M3 hex nuts so I have a mixture of sliver ones from OpenBeam and black ones from Amazon.
The Big Challenge
Making a CNC machine is not actually my challenge. My real challenge is to create one for under 200$. After pricing out components I really think this should be possible. By reducing costs, Arduino has greatly reduced the barrier to entry for learning about electronics and micro controllers. If we can build a 200$ CNC I think it will kick off a revolution in home construction. Even if I fail to meet the sub-200 price tag I will learn a whole lot in the process.
Hopefully it goes without saying that I will document everything on this blog and open source the plans and schematics. No matter how smart one brain is, a team of brains can do more. I would love your help on this project.
If you don't already please subscribe to my RSS feed or follow me on Twitter. Exciting things are in the works.
posted Mon Aug 13 2012


text:
Invoice Factoring & Receivable Financing For Construction Supply Companies
For over 20 years Paragon has been helping construction supply companies grow. We offer construction related businesses an alternative to conventional Bank Financing. Paragon has programs that offer construction supply companies a steady stream of cash through the invoice factoring of their account receivables. Waiting 30-90 days to receive payment of an invoice simply does not allow your company to prosper and function properly. Through our factoring program, you will have the money to meet payroll, grow your company, and pay suppliers. We'll wait for your customer to pay – you don't have to! For a small charge, Paragon can advance you up to 95% of your invoices right now. You get the balance when your clients complete payment. Here's how invoice factoring for construction supply companies works in three simple, easy steps:
- Your construction supply company provides goods or services to creditworthy customers and then invoices them with a copy sent to Paragon.
- Paragon will fund your business with an immediate payment of up to 95% of the received amount.
- Customers make payment directly to Paragon according to the terms of the invoice, and Paragon return the balance of the paid invoice to you minus a fee.
It's simple as that! Get started immediately by filling out the simple and quick online application on the right-hand side of this webpage. And remember, Paragon does not sign you on to any long-term contracts. Our agreements allow you the flexibility to factor what you want, when you want. You can pick and choose the accounts that you want to factor.


text:
Box Top Hats!
Activity DesignerScrumdillydo
44 Projects
Here's a fun project for a kooky chapeau. All you need is some paint, glue and a wee box prime for recycling. To wear, pop the hat atop the noggin and tie under your kiddo's chin or behind their hair. Happy hat wearing!


text:
D.C. Weather Forecast
A typical hot and sticky day ahead....shower chances slight!
Today: Partly to Mostly Sunny, Hot & Sticky
Highs: 90°-95° | Wind: S 4-8 mph
Overnight: Mainly Clear, Warm & Muggy
Lows: 70°-76° | Wind: S 3-5 mph
Tomorrow: Scattered Clouds, Very Sultry, Stray (20%) PM Storm
Highs: 92°-97° | Heat Index: Feels: 105°
While high heat builds across the Plains, D.C. will be on the fringe of the extreme warmth and experience typical early August weather. Expect sunshine and patchy clouds today with high heat and humidity as temperatures max out in the low 90s. Temperatures will reach their warmest tomorrow with a high around 95° and heat index close to 105 degrees. We'll fall about a few degrees shy of any records. The best threat for storms will be across the Blue Ridge and Alleghenies through Friday. One or two could move east of the mountains and impact the immediate Metro Area. The better threat in the District is on Sunday and Monday as a weak cool front tries to break down the bit of heat that will build through late this week. Have a great day!


text:
buttonhole but·ton·hole (bŭt'n-hōl')
A short straight surgical cut made through the wall of a cavity or canal.
The contraction of an orifice down to a narrow slit, as in mitral stenosis.
To get someone's attention as if by taking hold by a buttonhole: listening to and buttonholing other researchers
[1880+; Button in the same sense is attested from the early 1860s]


text:
TWEED GUEST EXPERT is a series of posts authored by industry experts to introduce various perspectives on the branded entertainment industry.
As our Chairwoman's report for the WPP Annual Report and Accounts for 2008 stated that 'creativity is the very soul of our business', I thought that the subject of creativity and the persistent pursuit of it would be a good topic for my first Tweed blog.
In the UK recently, Rory Sutherland took me along to talk to a group of companies (majority of the audience was made up of programme makers and creators) that comprise the innovative All Three Media Group. We were there to discuss brands and the opportunity for funding for branded programme making.
It was my brief to explain how agencies can work in tandem with them to create innovative, branded content programming properties. One of the many key points that came out of the day was that in terms of the creative process, it is highly advantageous for both sides to begin talking as soon as possible. We need to establish an ongoing dialogue so that we can develop innovative programming content in tune with a brand's strategy and then in turn work together on the distribution strategy. Whilst it may seem obvious to us agency types, apparently this situation was an eye opener for All Three Media.
One of the most salient points to emerge was that you have to embrace risk to truly succeed in creating the winning formula. Ideally you have to be not only brave but also doggedly persistent as a lot of new ideas are developed on a speculative basis. Some might say that it is sometimes hard to keep being creatively upbeat, and work speculatively when you also have to ensure that you responsibly follow the money.
On the other hand some might quote the old adage 'that necessity is the mother of invention'. With invention in mind I was interested to see that this week's New Scientist, recently ran an impressive article on how to capitalize on your creativity whilst still 'feeling the pinch.'
Here is a quick overview of the piece, embellished with some comments from yours truly.
1) Embrace Your Inner Growth
Apparently, friction within a company can provide creativity if properly handled. A study found that the whiners in a company actually spend a significant part of their day, not only whining of course, but also ruminating on how things could be improved.
According to New Scientist this force should not be ignored. The article suggests harnessing the creativity of erstwhile whiners and then complementing it with supportive, presumably very patient, colleagues. This can help to not only channel their discontent but also create imaginative solutions to creative problems.
Consequently it is not all about keeping the status quo but bringing a completely new meaning to Whining and Dining!
However if you do go down the route of dining the whiners, make sure that you arrange for their food to arrive at least ten minutes after yours complete with a long, stray, black hair. After all we have to ensure that we fuel their whining to keep up the creative flow.
2) Let Your Mind Wander
A study at Goldsmiths University of London has found that an unfocused brain is most likely to generate creative solutions.
A recession busting way of achieving this goal is to take a walk in the woods or if no woods are in the immediate vicinity then New Scientist suggests we take a shower. It does not however mention if this should be alone. So in the interests of promoting a potential bonding situation –feel free to invite a guest(s).
3) Play The Piano
Music may provide more than just a brief, peaceful interlude during the downturn. Twenty students of classical music and twenty non-musicians were given one or more objects (toothbrush, dental floss etc.,) and asked to come up with alternative uses for them.
It turned out that the musicians were more creative and intriguingly scans taken during the task revealed that they not only had gleaming white teeth and fresh breath but that they used both sides of their brains. Alternatively the non-musicians had bad breath and only used the left frontal cortex.
The lesson here is to play the guitar or the piano to stimulate your inner creative genius and then use your killer smile to sail through auditions.
4) Color Your World Blue
Whilst red tends to sharpen your memory (and you thought that David Ogilvy chose red simply because it looked nice), apparently the color blue helps to unlock the imagination. (Is that why they are called blue movies?!?)
5) Two's Creative Company
Social interaction is crucial to the development of creative ideas. Doha! That's why we have creative teams – but how well we interact socially is another matter.
6) Live Abroad
Apparently the longer you live abroad the more likely you are to be able to solve problems. It is claimed that just thinking about time spent as an expat before engaging in a task can boost your creativity. Okay, I now know why we have so many successful, bullish South Africans currently in our agency.
7) Be More Playful
Psychiatrist Stuart Brown tells us that play not only frees up the mind but it also makes us more receptive when the unexpected happens eg: when someone dressed completely in blue approaches you waving dental floss and toothbrushes and demands that you be creative!
Apparently play encourages a person to take reasonable risks – which leads me back to my original point that to create great branded programming ideas we have to start from a position of not being too risk adverse.
All of this reading has now inspired me to pen a brave letter to my CEO, requesting that even though we are in midst of one of the worst recessions ever known, I now need the following to inspire me creatively; a villa abroad, a Fender Telecaster, a blue colored music room complete with games room and a double deluxe shower to aide my creative flow.
Watch this space…
About the Author: Alex Gulland
Alex Gulland began working in the entertainment industry in 1981 with Rogers and Cowan International, working as a publicist for top artists including Elton John and Peter Ustinov and liaising with production and distribution companies like Universal and Merchant Ivory.
In the late 80's she was a founding partner of Rogers and Cowan Entertainment, which represented brands such as Coca-Cola, Ford and Nestle Rowntree w
ithin the film and
TV industry.
Alex next moved to an agency that was building a reputation for breaking the mould of traditional advertising – Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury & Partners. She was made a partner and creative director of their alternative marketing department, Environment Marketing.
In the late 1990's Alex left HHCL to set up Showcase International across six European markets, establishing relationships for brands with top production companies on high profile feature film productions such Wag The Dog, Mr Bean, Shooting Fish, Entrapment, and Bridget Jones' Dairies.
In early 2000 Alex set up Wunjo Entertainment with Russell Jarman Price, working closely with clients such as Manchester United, TSB, Pfizer and Rolls-Royce to bring their brands to life via the medium of film – a medium now firmly established as "branded content".
The pair were early exploiters of the internet as a powerful distribution channel for long-form content, establishing a relationship with Intel and Microsoft that provided their clients with "first mover advantage" on the ownership of channels on the worldwide Vista network.
Looking to expand their branded content offer, in March 2006 Alex and Russell became creative partners of what is now OgilvyEntertainment and have worked with clients including Nestle, Unilever and Ford on a wide variety of branded content projects both on and off-line.


text:
Thanks for redeeming.{{else}}
Success! Thanks for repurchasing.{{/if}} {{else}} {{#if Expired}}
Increase my visibility!{{else}} {{#if IsMultiPack}}
{{#if HasMultiPack}} You have {{MultiPackCount}} top spot(s) left. Now loading you into the search listings... {{else}} You have used all top spots. Now loading you into the search listings... {{/if}}{{else}}
We are loading you into the search listing pages...{{/if}} {{/if}} {{/if}} {{/if}}
{{Current}} just saw you!{{/if}} {{#if LastTopSpotPurchaseIsMulti }} {{#if HasAnyTopSpot}}
{{#if HasFreeTopSpot }} {{ UnclaimedTopSpotFree }} Free {{/if}} {{#if HasPaidTopSpot }} {{#if HasFreeTopSpot }} & {{/if}} {{ MultiPackCount }} {{/if}} Top Spot{{#if Plural}}s{{/if}} Left{{else}}
0 Top Spot{{#if Plural}}s{{/if}} Left{{/if}} {{else}} {{#if HasFreeTopSpot }}
{{ UnclaimedTopSpotFree }} Top Spot{{#if Plural}}s{{/if}} Left{{/if}} {{/if}} {{else}} {{#if HasResults}}
{{Current}} see you now!{{else}} {{/if}} {{/if}}
You can now invite anyone to meet at your favorite Starbucks.
Limited-time feature
40 year old man | Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, USA | Seeking women 25-37 in United States
Active within 24 hours
My dog ate my headline...
I really do think that I'm funny. I mean, I don't tell jokes like a comedian, I'm funny around those who are witty and like to talk, but don't take themselves too seriously. I guess that's why people always seem to confide in me, I seem to make friends fairly easily. Anyway, enough about me, I tried this for a while and didn't have much luck meeting anyone so I'm not going to put too much faith in this. I fully understand that I may not meet the perfect girl doing this, but it's also nice to have friends. Winks are very nice but lets save each other time and talk.
Camping , Coffee and conversation , Cooking , Dining out , Fishing/Hunting , Movies/Videos , Museums and art , Music and concerts , Exploring new areas , Nightclubs/Dancing , Playing cards , Playing sports , Political interests , Travel/Sightseeing , Watching sports , Wine tasting
Baseball, Cycling, Football, Golf, Hockey, Swimming, Tennis / Racquet sports, VolleyBall, Walking / Hiking
I exercise 1-2 times per week.
I like Cats, Dogs
Vegas, New Orleans, Austin to name a few, I'm up for anywhere entertaining.
Wilco, Radiohead, Spoon, Ryan Adams. 30 Rock, The Office, Pardon the Interruption, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League and Mad Men. Southern cooking and Cajun.
I love playing tennis, been playing since I was ten, working out, Art Walk in Jacksonville, Suns games, swimming, lounging by the pool and spooning on the couch with my girl.
Fargo Rock City by Chuck Klosterman, The Age of Wonder by Richard Holmes, Bollettieri Tennis Handbook.
Z{{Cta}} {{#if HasMoreInfo}} ?{{CtaSecondary}} {{/if}}
|What he is looking for
|6'0" (182cms)
|5'3" (160cms) to 5'10" (177cms)
|Body type:
|Athletic and toned
|Slender, About average, Curvy, Athletic and toned
|No preference
|Light brown
|No preference
|I'll tell you later
|No preference
|Social Drinker
|Social Drinker
|Sales / Marketing
|No preference
|$35,001 to $50,000
|No preference
|Never Married
|No preference
|Have kids:
|Wants kids:
|No preference
|White / Caucasian
|Asian, East Indian, White / Caucasian, Other
I think my heritage is something like English, Scottish, Greek and Irish, in no particular order.
|Christian / Other
|No preference
I grew up going to church twice a week, I don't go much anymore, but I have no problem with it.
|No preference
|Bachelors degree
|Some college, Associates degree, Bachelors degree
Middle Tennessee State University


text:
|Travelodge Sausalito properties are provided below. Search for cheap and discount Travelodge hotel prices in Sausalito, CA for your personal or business trip. We list the best Travelodge Sausalito hotels + motels so you can review the Sausalito Travelodge hotel list below to find the perfect place.
Our search will also show you discounted Sausalito, CA hotels & lodging that have similar quality of Travelodge.
Need a group/meeting discount? Request a group rate for Sausalito CA
All Travelodge in or near Sausalito
Hotels like Travelodge
Next: Show All Available Comparable Hotels with Pricing >


text:
Beginner Lessons......................................................................................
Learning to ski or ride can be intimidating. Let our fantastic Whitewater Ski Resort ski and board pros make it an easy, safe, and fun experience!
For first timers there is the Discover Step 1 which will get you out on the slopes and sliding all the right ways. Discover Step 2 continues on where Step 1 left off and continues developing your skill. Our Learn-To-Slide in 5 package is a combination of the 2 Discover Steps, with 3 bonus days, and you'll finish with your very own Powder Plus card to keep for the rest of the season!
|6 & up
|Discover STEP 1
|10am & 1:15pm
|2 hours
|6 & up
|Discover STEP 2
|10am & 1:15pm
|2 hours
|6 & up
|Learn-to-Slide in 5
|10am & 1:15pm
|10 hours of instruction
Ski/Sowboard Level 1 (Never Skied or Boarded)
Ages: 6 & up
Offered daily at 10:00am and 1:15pm
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $68 Includes: 2 hour lesson, rentals and lift ticket
Description: The right way to get started skiing or boarding. In 2 hours we'll show you the right way to dress, how to put on your gear properly, how to ride the handle tow, and how to control your speed, stop, and turn.
Booking Information
Ski/Snowboard Level 2-3 (Have only skied or boarded a couple times previous)
Ages: 6 & up
Offered daily at 10:00am and 1:15pm
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $88 Includes: 2 hour lesson, rentals and lift ticket
Prerequisite: Having participated in the Discover Step One program at WH2O
Description: The Second part of the discover program. Step two is taking you to the lifts. We'll start out on the handle tow just to make sure you're ready to head up the lifts. Then, we'll take you over to the Silver King lift where we'll teach you how to load and unload the lift and we'll get you cruising the green runs.
Booking Information
Ski/Snowboard Level 1-2 (Never ever to only once or twice)
Ages: 6 & up
Offered daily at 10:00am and 1:15pm
Duration: 10 hours tuition
Price: $418 Includes: 5 two hour lessons, rentals and lift ticket
Description: Our popular discover program package plus 3 "bonus" days and a guarantee that you're going to be a skier or snowboarder once you've finished. This 5 day package can be taken consecutively or non-consecutively. Once completed, you'll receive a Powder Plus Card so you can keep up with your new found skills.
Booking Information
Booking Information
To book your lesson please email email@example.com (Snow School desk hours are 8:00am until 4:00pm daily) or call us in the downtown office at 250-354-4944 and we can assist you with your booking.
NOTE: Bookings made through the downtown office must be made at least 24 hours in advance and paid in full to guarantee instructor availability.
Dress in layers. The first layer should be a moisture-wicking material. The second layer should be a warmth layer, preferably fleece or wool. The 3rd and final layer outer layer should be a water and wind repellent material. Whitewater Ski Resort does have a small selection of adult-sized outerwear available, but you are better off to bring your own.
Only wear 1 pair of socks - preferably thin wool socks. Do not wear multiple layers of socks as it will be very uncomfortable
Wear eye protection. Goggles are best, especially on stormy mid-winter days. Sun glasses will do, but are best kept for sunny days. Eyewear is not available for rent, but is available for purchase in the retail shop
Wear a toque or helmet to keep your head warm. We strongly recommend helmets – which can be rented or purchased on the mountain.
Wear water repellent mitts or gloves. Wool gloves/mitts will get wet quickly and are not suitable. Waterproof gloves/mitts are not available for rent but are available for purchase in the retail shop
........................................................................."If you took everything that mattered and put into one area, you would have Whitewater " Powder Magazine


text:
I am about ready to give up
by, 04-29-2010 at 01:57 PM (852 Views)
I had a private lesson last night. It went well, but my performance was less than I expected. I seemed tired, and it effected my form (and attacks). It could have been due to long days work. I need to rest before Summer Nationals. Also, I could not manage the arm speed of my previous day. I suspected that not warming up with attacks from a stationary distance might effect this. However, it could be that I simply have not perfected the attack from advancing.


text:
Article ID: 31937
This article was previously published under Q31937
This article has been archived. It is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.
Microsoft QuickBASIC Version 1.00 for the Apple Macintosh requires a Macintosh with a 128K ROM and 1 megabyte of RAM, as follows:
QuickBASIC requires System and Finder versions no earlier than System Version 4.10 and Finder Version 5.50.
Programs can be developed using only one 800K disk drive, but very frequent disk exchanges will be required. Using two drives, at least one of which is 800K, is much more efficient. Microsoft recommends two drives, at least one of which is 800K or larger. For the serious developer, a hard disk is better still.
Article ID: 31937 - Last Review: February 27, 2014 - Revision: 1.2


text:
- ‹
- 34 of 51
- ›
- Start Over
Pop Art Living Room
A colourful area rug adds big personality to this sleek space.
A high-backed mid-century modern arm chair in juicy orange catches the eye. A classic arc floor lamp and bold, graphic carpet in orange, green and blue furthers the upbeat, contemporary look of the room.
See more colour drenched rooms in our photo gallery.
Comment Guidelines
We welcome your feedback on Houseandhome.com. H&H reserves the right to remove any unsuitable personal remarks made about the bloggers, hosts, homeowners and/or guests we feature. Please keep your comments focused on decorating, design, cooking and other lifestyle topics. Adopt a tone you would be willing to use in person and do not make slanderous remarks or use denigrating language. If you see a comment that you believe violates any of the guidelines outlined above, please click "Flag as inappropriate." Thank you.


text:
How To Stop Stalking:
A PhoneDedective.com Review
Whose Phone Number Is This – The world is an unpredictable place, for better or for worse. The headlines you see today could not have been imagined yesterday, and despite their momentary urgency will be replaced by a new story tomorrow. In a similar way, the events that make up our lives are always a story in progress with no certain conclusion. Despite what we imagine will happen to us — finding a great job, falling in love, getting married, having a family, retiring after a happy career — fate always has a few surprises in store to keep things interesting.
One such "surprise" is the persistent attention of a person who, through repeated phone calls, could be considered a stalker. Even if you have not experienced such harassment, you probably know someone who has. The phone rings but the caller ID shows an unlisted number. It happens again and again, denying you a peaceful life. Fortunately for the person being bothered, there are services that offer reverse phone number searches. One service, PhoneDedective.com, has a lot to offer anyone who desperately needs to know who is calling from an unlisted phone number.
I know, because I was the victim of stalking in recent months. Because of my busy travel schedule, it is usually very difficult for people to reach me. I have different cell phones in different countries. The numbers are different, and I do not share them freely. Indeed, the most reliable means of contact for a person like me is email. Nevertheless, someone penetrated my privacy and it drove me crazy trying to figure out who it could be. Eventually, the mystery was solved, thanks to my web-based detective, PhoneDedective.com.
The Concepts Behind PhoneDedective.com
The basic foundation of PhoneDedective.com is that it provides an easy means of looking up a phone number to learn the details behind its origin. It works with landlines, mobile phones, and unlisted numbers. The screen that first appears is as simple as the classic Google search window: enter your "search term" (the phone number whose origins you do not know), and let the site go to work. Subscribers have unlimited access to phone number searches, making it ideal for people who are bothered by multiple phone numbers (such as telemarketers), but the investment is equally worthwhile with single stalkers.
What PhoneDedective.com Will Do for You
PhoneDedective.com is designed to change the way you think about matching a phone number to a name. With listed phone numbers, it has always been possible to consult your cell phone's address book or to use an actual paper phone book connect a name with a number. The advent of Google has made it possible to search an unfamiliar phone number for some demographic information, such as learning which city or region is served by a particular area code. But unlisted numbers represent a unique challenge. It can be exceedingly difficult to find out who is calling you if their number is not listed and no previous complaints have been made. Complicating matters is that mobile phone contracts expire frequently, and people change their numbers more than they did in the past. So, even if you think you have someone's phone number, it may have already been transferred to another client or account. For this reason, databases which compile all phone numbers and up-to-date contact details are rising in popularity.
Pros of PhoneDedective.com
The primary advantage of using PhoneDedective.com is that it can almost certainly help you to stop the harassment by a commercial or personal stalker. Sure, there are other phone registry websites that offer similar services, but going straight to the best choice among competitor sites means saving money that would be wasted on sites with weaker capabilities. Its connections to national and international databases means there is a smaller chance of an empty search, so it saves you money in the long run by skipping the smaller sites and focusing on the one with the most power to find the answers you seek. It worked for me, and my case was not typical.
Cons of PhoneDedective.com
One downside to PhoneDedective.com is that it is not totally free, but in hindsight I consider the nominal cost well worth the service it provides. For me, there is no price to put on the peace of mind that comes when you have finally answered a question that has been in your mind for months, such as "Who is calling me?" ,"How did X get my phone number?" or "Whose phone number is this?" Remember, once you have that information, the power shifts from their hands to yours, and you can decide on the next course of action. I suppose a second "weakness" of the service is that it does not administer justice where clear violations have occurred, such as in the case of stalking, but no company is perfect!
Conclusion and Call to Action
Overall, as whose phone number is this I heartily recommend PhoneDedective.com to anyone looking for almost immediate resolution to troublesome phone stalking. It really does not matter whether your stalker is out to mildly annoy you with repetitive calls, or whether they have a sick obsession that is better handled by the proper authorities. There is no reason why you should continue to have your heart stopped by the ringtone on your phone, wondering who is calling, why they are calling and when they will stop. PhoneDedective.com answers the first question, which will then allow you to answer the second; the answer to the third question can be TODAY if you are truly motivated.
About the Author
Ellen Gigia is a Sicilian freelance writer who travels the world in search of the latest technology trends. She writes blogs and websites that specialize in mobile technology news. Her passion for technology is equaled only by her love for the sea and its culinary treasures. When Gigia is not blogging, she enjoys summer siestas wherever the road (or sea) takes her.


text:
Join Our Mailing List
Born in Bielsko. Fighter in the underground
partisan organization. Until World War II she lived in Plock and when
the war broke out she moved to Vilna. Korczak-Marla joined the "Hashomer
Hatzair" youth movement leadership there, beside Abba
Kovner and Vitka Kempner. After the destruction of the ghetto and the murder of 40,000 Jews, she became an active participant in
the youth movement's meetings, and joined Abba Kovner's idea of
defense by weapons inside the Ghetto. In the same meeting was decided
to call to armed organization. Thereafter, in January 1, 1942, was
published "The First Declaration" composed by Kovner.
Korczak-Marla was also active in the "United Partisans
Organization". After its commander Itzhak Wittenberg was
caught, she joined the fighters who decided to leave the Ghetto to
act in the woods.
In July 1944, Korczak-Marla returned to the freed
Vilna and was sent to Israel via Romania. In December 12, 1944, she
arrived in Israel and joined kibbutz Eilon. Immediately she reported to the Jewish – Israeli leadership
a complete report about the Holocaust horrors and about the Jewish resistance movement.
Korczak-Marla settled in kibbutz Ein Hahoresh with
a group of partisans.
After the war she was engage in educational
projects in the "Kibbutz-Artzi" movement and in her own
Korczak-Marla was one of MORESHET's founders.
Together with Abba Kovner she founded the Learning and Research Center of the Holocaust in
Givat Haviva to promote Holocaust education.
In 1964 her biography - "Flames in
Ashes" - was published (still only in Hebrew).
Sources: Moreshet
Mordechai Anilevich Memorial
Back to Top
About Us | Bookstore | Contact Info | Careers | Feedback | Glossary | Links | Publications | Sponsorship
Iran Intelligence | Stop-BDS | Joe's Israel | The Israel Calendar
Copyright © 2015 American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise; New Site Design: Elie Berman


text:
follow Dictionary.com
1867, medical Latin, coined 1853 by German pathologist Ludwig Karl Virchow (1821-1902) from neuro- + Late Greek glia "glue," frim PIE *glei- "to stick together" (see clay).
neuroglia neu·rog·li·a (nu-rŏg'lē-ə, nyu-, nur'ə-glē'ə, -glī'-, nyur'-)n. The delicate network of branched cells and fibers that supports the tissue of the central nervous system. Also called glia, reticulum.


text: This has been my best summer without a doubt! I absolutely enjoyed this class with being able to get on a more personal level with each of my classmates. The gifts I have received from you Rachel and everyone is priceless to me. I got to see another perspective, another pair of eyes and live another life for a few minutes. I am going to miss this class , learning all cool effects on Final Cut and just hanging out late nights in Ford. This class has created many bonds and I was gladly there to see it all. I cant wait to take my skills into my other classes and hopefully can share my gift with others. I am thankful for this class for letting my past off my shoulder and moving forward. From the tears and laughters shared during sharing time. To having breakfast on the go each morning. This has been an adventure and Digital Storytelling class has been a central in it. Thank you Rachel for everything you had done for us. I can see the growth and the strength in one another. Thank you from the bottom of my heart =].