text:
An automated retirement plan manager manages the assets of an employee retirement benefits plan on behalf of an employer. The plan manager executes trades on investment vehicles based on instructions from an automated independent investment advisor. The advisor calculates a human capital for each plan participant based on data derived from the employer and from the participant through an interface, and based on that human capital calculation recommends an allocation of portfolio assets to the participant. This recommendation, once presented for review by and perhaps modified by the participant, becomes an instruction to the plan manager. As the participant ages his or her human capital is recalculated, and this is used to determine whether the participant's present portfolio type should now be switched to a more conservative one.
1. A method for automatically rebalancing a portfolio of an investor, comprising the steps of:
for a first time, determining a human capital of the investor;
dividing the human capital of the investor into at least first and second investment types according to a predetermined formula, the first and second investment types having different degrees of risk;
determining a financial worth of the investor;
summing the financial worth of the investor and the human capital to derive a total worth of the investor;
determining and storing a ratio;
making a target allocation of the total worth of the investor between the first and second investment types according to the predetermined, stored ratio;
for the first time, recommending an allocation of the assets of the financial worth of the investor between the first and second investment types such that the asset allocation of the total worth of the investor meets or most closely approaches the target allocation;
determining how assets in an investment portfolio of the investor ought to be allocated among predetermined investment vehicles based on the last said recommendation of allocation of assets; and
allocating the assets among the predetermined investment vehicles based on the determining step.
2. The method of
for a second time following the first time, recalculating the human capital of the investor;
for the second time, recommending an allocation of the assets of the financial worth of the investor between the first and second investment types such that the asset allocation of the total worth of the investor most closely approaches the stored ratio; and
for the second time, using the last said recommendation of allocation of assets to determine bow assets in the investment portfolio of the investor ought to be allocated among predetermined investment vehicles.
3. The method of
4. The method of
5. A machine-readable medium on which has been prerecorded a computer program which, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of:
for a first time, determining a human capital of an investor;
dividing the human capital of the investor into at least first and second investment types according to a predetermined formula, the first and second investment types having different degrees of risk;
determining a financial worth of the investor;
summing the financial worth of the investor and the human capital to derive a total worth of the investor;
determining and storing a ratio;
making a target allocation of the total worth of the investor between the first and second investment types according to the predetermined, stored ratio;
for the first time, recommending an allocation of the assets of the financial worth of the investor between the first and second investment types such that the asset allocation of the total worth of the investor meets or most closely approaches the target allocation;
determining how assets in an investment portfolio of the investor ought to be allocated among predetermined investment vehicles based on the last said recommendation of allocation of assets; and
allocating the assets among the predetermined investment vehicles based on the determinist step.
6. The medium of
for a second time following the first time, recalculating the human capital of the investor;
for the second time, recommending an allocation of the assets of the financial worth of the investor between the first and second investment types such that the asset allocation of the total worth of the investor most closely approaches the stored ratio; and
for the second time, using the last said recommendation of allocation of assets to determine how assets in the investment portfolio of the investor ought to be allocated among predetermined investment vehicles.
7. The medium of
8. The medium of
9. A system for automatically rebalancing a portfolio of an investor, comprising:
a memory for storing a value for a human capital of at least one investor, a value for a financial worth of the investor, data relating to the assets composing a financial worth of the investor, a predetermined formula and a predetermined ratio;
a processor coupled to the memory and programmed to divide the human capital of the investor into at least first and second investment types according to the predetermined stored formula, the first and second investment types having different degrees of risk;
the processor further programmed to sum the financial worth of the investor with the human capital of the investor to derive a total worth of the investor;
the processor further programmed to make a target allocation of the total worth of the investor between the first and second investment types according to the predetermined, stored ratio;
the processor calculating, at a first time, a recommended allocation of the assets of the financial worth of the investor between the first and second investment types such that the asset allocation of the total worth of the investor meets or most closely approaches the target allocation; and
the memory at the first time storing the recommended allocation of the assets of the financial worth of the investor for use in directing the allocation of assets in a portfolio of the investor.
10. The system of
11. The system of
12. The system of
The present invention relates in general to investment portfolio management, and more particularly to automatically allocating and rebalancing portfolios based on the age, financial condition and other attributes of an investor, as well as the future market performance of his/her portfolio.
It is widely understood that workers should save a portion of their earnings to fund their retirement and other long-term goals, and invest these savings in a prudent manner so as to balance risk and return. Many employers have established benefit plans by which this may be accomplished, such as 401(k) retirement accounts and defined contribution pension plans.
It is common practice for employees to initially set up these plans to invest different percentages of the employee's contribution to different assets, such as different mutual funds, having differing degrees of risk and different rates of expected return. The worker is almost always given the discretion to change the percentage allocations made to various assets, and account managers usually even maintain a web site for this purpose, but empirical studies (e.g. "How Do Household Portfolio Shares Vary with Age?" Columbia University working paper, (2001) by John Ameriks and Stephen P. Zeldes) suggest that only a small minority, on the order of twenty percent, of all such workers actually make any alterations. The majority of all workers keep the initial allocations, and do not change them even in view of significant changes in their age, economic condition or need. As a result, what may have been a prudent allocation at the beginning begins to depart from the allocations which are optimum in view of advancing age, improving or deteriorating economic condition, newly available investment vehicles, or alterations in the performance characteristics of the assets that had been initially selected.
Recently, a concept called "Human Capital" has been used in computing what an investor should do given his or her present situation and age. Human Capital can be simply defined as the present value of future labor income or the actuarial present value of future savings directed toward retirement saving in the contexts of retirement portfolio management. The variables important to the calculation of Human Capital include future labor income, the amount of retirement savings in qualified retirement vehicles (such as 401(k) and IRA plans) and nonqualified retirement vehicles (such as taxable accounts and variable annuities), current age, retirement age, mortality and life expectancy, gender, real long-term interest rate, defined benefit pension income if any and social security income. The impacts of Human Capital on investor's portfolio choices have been studies in "Labor Supply Flexibility and Portfolio Choice in a Life Cycle Model," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Vol. 16, 427–449 (1992); "Why Should Older People Invest Less in Stocks than Younger People?" Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Quarterly Review, 20(3), 11–23 (1996); "An Expanded Portfolio View Includes Real Estate and Human Capital", American Association of Individual Investors Journal, 7–11 (July 1996), by Charles Delaney and William Reichenstein; "Subjective And Objective Risk Tolerance; Implications For Optimal Portfolios," Financial Counseling and Planning, Vol. 8, (1997) by Sherman Hanna and Peng Chen; "Optimal Portfolio Choice for Long-Horizon Investors with Nontradable Labor Income," Working Paper: Harvard University (1998) by Luis Viceira; and "Investing Retirement Wealth: A Life Cycle Model," NBER Working Paper Number 7029 (1999).
Although the impact of Human Capital on investor portfolio choices have been studied by many academics, this concept has not been used in the management of retirement plans or to automatically switch allocations of assets in the portfolio of an investor or plan participant.
The invention provides systems, methods and computer program products for the automated allocation and reallocation of assets in each of a plurality of investor portfolios. These investors may, for example, be participants in an employer's defined contribution retirement plan. According to one aspect of an invention, an automated plan manager allocates assets to each of a plurality of plan participant portfolios according to optimum portfolio choices made in view of the human capital of the participant. The plan manager makes investments among several investment vehicles for the participant according to investment advice transmitted to it by an automated, independent financial expert or advisor.
In one embodiment, the independent financial expert in turn retrieves data about each participant from the company or institution employing the participant or one or more other record keepers holding the requisite information about the participant, and retrieves other data from the participant himself or herself. As a first step and using these data, the independent financial expert calculates a present value of the human capital of the participant. It allocates the human capital among predetermined investment vehicle types to take into account the overall risk/return character of the earnings of a participant's likely work life. In a preferred embodiment, the human capital of the investor is treated as a 70% fixed income, 30% equity investment.
The total human capital of the investor is summed with the present financial assets of the investor to obtain a total present worth of an overall "portfolio". The algorithm uses a predetermined, optimum distribution of assets among investment vehicle or asset class types for this overall portfolio; in a preferred embodiment, this allocation is 42% equity and 58% fixed income. Then, by subtracting the human capital components from the total present worth, an allocation of the financial wealth assets of the investor is determined. This allocation typically will be more strongly skewed toward the equity side, than the allocation of the human capital, such that the sum of the human capital and the financial wealth components of the overall portfolio result in, or come as close as possible to, the optimum allocation.
According to another aspect of the invention, an automated, independent financial consultant or advisor uses an algorithm to formulate advice concerning the holdings of the portfolio of each of a plurality of plan participants. Absent a contrary indication from the participant, this advice is used to direct an automated plan manager to make investments for the portfolio in certain predetermined investment vehicles according to the advice from the independent financial consultant. Preferably, this algorithm is used periodically to reallocate portfolio assets to conform to an optimum model.
In another aspect of the invention, the algorithm includes a calculation of the human capital of the plan participant, and a recalculation of the human capital of the plan participant at a later time. The human capital component of a participant's overall present worth typically decreases over time. Since the human capital component of this worth is by nature a conservative investment, in order to have an overall "portfolio" of the same balance among assets of varying risk and return, a remaining, financial component of the net worth has to be shifted from assets which are more risky but which may give a greater return to assets which are safer.
In still another aspect of the invention, a method, system and computer-readable medium are provided for determining at least one savings rate and a retirement age of a plan participant. A system according to this aspect of the invention receives data concerning the current financial wealth of the plan participant, and automatically allocates portions of that current financial wealth to one or more asset classes based on the characteristics of the investment vehicles making up the financial wealth of the participant. The system further receives at least one currently existing and a first assumed retirement age. This system calculates a first case for a probably retirement income using the current financial wealth of the participant as assigned to the asset classes, the currently extant savings rate and the first assumed retirement age. The system calculates additional cases of probable retirement income by varying at least one of the savings rates and the retirement age. The participant selects one of these cases. The system then makes investments in the plan for the investor using the selected savings rate. This method also has application for investors who are not plan participants.
A principal technical advantage of the invention is that through the automated independent financial consultant, and especially where the plan is set up such that the "default" condition is to have the independent financial consultant make investment decisions on the portfolio rather than the plan participant, the assets of a retirement portfolio can be given an optimum allocation. Further, the portfolio no longer requires the active participation of the participant to reallocate assets to take into account the advancing age and/or changing economic condition of the participant. The independent financial consultant periodically rebalances the portfolio given the characteristics of the participant in a way which removes any conflict of interest between the role of the financial adviser, who recommends the contents of participant portfolios, and the role of a plan manager, who buys and sells these assets.
The present invention also has application to the management of taxable investor portfolios, i.e., the assets of an investor that are not in one or more nontaxable retirement plans.
Further aspects of the invention may be discerned in the following Detailed Description when read in conjunction with the Drawings, in which like characters denote like parts and in which:
Referring first to
Each portfolio 18 will have in it an amount of assets which has been divided among the investment vehicles 16. The investment vehicles 16 have intentionally different degrees of risk and return and may include, for example, a stock mutual fund 20, a bond mutual find 22 and a money market fund 24. A larger array of funds can be used, such as might include a large capitalization stock fund, a small capitalization stock fund which will be riskier but offer greater potential return than the "large cap" find, and international funds. The number and identity of the investment vehicles 16 is set by an investment vehicle table 25, as will be later explained.
The way in which the assets of any particular portfolio 18 are divided among the permitted investment vehicles 16 is determined by advice (instructions) from the preferably automated independent financial advisor 14 and these instructions may in turn incorporate directions or overrides from the individual participant or investor 26 of that portfolio 18.
The independent financial advisor 14 (a) advises the participant 26 of the level of retirement savings the participant has to make in order to probably achieve a desired level of replacement retirement income starting at a given retirement age, (b) makes recommendations as to the contents of a participant's portfolio 18 given the age, income and savings characteristics of the participant, and (c) directs the plan manager 12 to make investments as the advisor 14 and the participant 26 determine. In order to render this advice, the advisor 14 needs employee data from e.g. the human resources department 28 of the participant's employer, and certain additional data which may be submitted by the participant or investor 26. A record keeper 29 distinct from either the HR department 28 or the investor 26 may supply some or all of the needed information. The data from the human resources department 28 or record keeper 29 will typically include the date of birth of the participant, the participant's gender, the present salary of the participant, and the present level of contribution of that salary to the plan by or on behalf of the participant. Certain other data are obtained from the participant either directly through a paper form or an online interview process, or indirectly through the HR department 28 or from record keeper 29: these data include the taxable savings rate of the participant, the amount and characteristics of financial assets of the participant other than those managed by the portfolio manager 12, and a retirement age if different from a default (such as age 65). The data may also include more detailed information concerning participant periodic cash flows, which for example are predicted to be less because certain other financial obligations (mortgage payments, college tuition) must be met, but which may be more when those financial obligations are discharged. These variances in cash flow might cause a variance in savings rates.
In making its calculations and recommendations, the financial advisor module 14 refers to an investment vehicle table 25 and an asset class table 30, which in actual practice may be combined. The investment vehicle table is a two-dimensional table which has a number of predetermined investment vehicles (typically, mutual finds of different kinds) along one dimension and a number of portfolio types along a second dimension. The portfolio types differ from each other in the relative amount of funds invested in each of the investment vehicles, and in the overall degree of risk that the investment vehicle mix represents. A more conservative portfolio type will be more heavily weighted in favor of fixed-income investment vehicles, while a more aggressive portfolio type will be more heavily weighted in favor of equity investments. In one embodiment there are provided seven portfolio types and ten different mutual funds; for each portfolio type the portfolio will index a percentage allocation to each of the mutual funds. On a periodic basis, such as yearly, this investment vehicle table will be replaced by an analyst to (1) substitute new mutual funds for others now in the table because of historic or predicted performance and (2) take into account any adjustment of an overall asset allocation target. For example, the analyst may decide that the overall asset allocation target should be 40% equity/60% fixed income instead of 42% equity/58% fixed income. After human capital is taken into account (discussed below) this may drive a reallocation of mutual funds in any particular portfolio type.
The asset class table 30 is a table of portfolio type versus asset class. The portfolio types will be the same as that for the investment vehicle table. Each portfolio type will have a percentage allocated to each of several of the asset classes, and this percentage changes from one portfolio type to another. In one embodiment there are five asset classes: money market,bond, large cap equity, small cap equity and international. The ten preselected mutual funds in table 25 are mapped on these asset classes according to their individual characteristics; some funds may bridge two or more asset classes and will be apportioned between them in a predetermined manner. The asset class table is used in determining optimum model portfolios for a participant once his or her human capital is taken into account.
The first major function of the independent financial advisor 14 is to help the plan participants decide at what rate they should invest and what investment mix they should be investing in. This is preferably done through an interview process which is diagramed in
The interview is initiated at 50. Certain data concerning the participant will already be known to the employer (or record keeper 29) and these are fetched at step 52: the current date (t), the current tax-deductible savings rate (SR1), or at least that component of it that is made up by the participant's participation in the plan, the salary (I), the gender of the participant (needed to determine mortality and life expectancy), and any defined benefit (DB) which will be payable by the employer to the participant upon retirement.
Other information is obtained from the participant at step 54. These other data include any component of the defined benefit income (DB) which will be available from any source other than the current employer; the participant's current taxable savings rate SR2; any additional component of the participant's current tax-deductible savings rate SR1; a desired retirement age RA, for which a default may be preset or upon which limitations may be placed by the employer; sources and types of financial wealth other than that component being managed by the employer in the plan; the initial replacement retirement income goal; the maximum tax-deductible savings rate SR1 and taxable savings rate SR2 which the participant can tolerate; and the maximum permissible retirement age.
Other data are obtained at step 56 by the independent financial advisor 14 from other tables or are derived. These include a vector of mortality rates ρ for each remaining year of the participant's life, the life expectancy T, the assumed discount rate r, and the predicted social security income SS earned by the participant.
At step 58, the advisor 14 calculates the value of human capital HC of the participant. One example of the calculation could use the following formula:
Alternatively, the human capital can be calculated according to the new formula below:
Once the human capital (HC) of a participant has been calculated, at step 60 it is divided into different investment types or asset classes in order to determine what the overall assets of the participant presently are. Human capital is treated as if it were much like a fixed income investment. HC does not fluctuate widely and has characteristics similar to those of a bond, such as a relatively fixed schedule of cash throughout a participant's life. But human capital has more "default risk" than a government bond: the participant could lose his or her job, become disabled, or have to accept work at a lower salary. Because of this nonzero default risk, the human capital component is treated as a distribution among at least two asset or investment types such as equity and fixed income, with the bulk of it being attributed to the more conservative asset type(s). In the illustrated embodiment, the human capital is allocated, 30%/70%, to equity and fixed income asset types. In a more sophisticated treatment, the human capital split may depend more on a participant's specific circumstances; for example, a tenured college professor will have a fixed income weight to his or her human capital that is much higher than the 70% given. An advanced or more complex system would determine the HC split according to demographic and personal information inputs or estimate the risk, return and other characteristics of HC separate from those financial assets. (E.g., HC could be modeled as a separate distinct asset, instead of a combination of the financial assets).
At step 62, the present worth of a participant's overall wealth is calculated by summing his or her total financial wealth (savings, investments) and the total human capital. This overall wealth (ow) is allocated, at step 64, to the same investment types used for allocation of HC. At step 68, an equity component of financial wealth fw(e) is derived by subtracting the equity component of human capital (HC(e)) from the equity component of the overall wealth ow(e). Similarly, a fixed income component of financial wealth, fw(i), is derived by subtracting the human capital fixed income component HC(i) from the fixed income component of the overall wealth, ow(i). These calculations derive an optimum allocation of a give a guide for equity/fixed income allocations for future investments. It is possible that the investor's human capital dominates his or her overall wealth, such that there is an insufficient amount of the investor's present financial wealth to shift the equity/income percentage back to optimum. If this is the case, the algorithm comes as close to optimum as it can, as by pinning financial wealth to 100% equity. An advanced or more complex embodiment would determine a participant's present financial wealth allocation through matching not only the equity/fixed income weights, but also the risk, return and other characteristics of the sum of financial wealth portfolio and human capital to the optimal allocation of overall wealth.
The illustration of the interview process continues in
The system then performs a series of iterations to arrive at the participant's optimum savings rate and retirement age given a retirement replacement income goal. At step 72 the algorithm queries whether this goal has already been met given the initial assumptions for the model portfolio MP(0). If so, the process branches to connector 2 c. If not, then at decision step 74 the process asks if the tax-deductible savings rate SR1 (such as investments made into an available 401(k) account) are already at maximum. If not, at step 76 the process will increment SR1 and recalculate HC. the optimum allocations of the participant's financial wealth and future investments, a further model portfolio MP(i), and a new achievable income that can be obtained at a certain probability, such as 67%, is calculated. The process then returns to step 72, and these calculations repeat until SR1 is maximized or the income goal is reached.
At step 78, assuming the retirement income goal has not yet been achieved, the system asks whether the taxable savings rate SR2 is at maximum. If not, the process increments SR2 at step 80, and recalculates HC, a new model portfolio MP(n), and probable achievable retirement replacement income. The process will again query, at step 82, whether the retirement income goal has been reached; if so the iterations will terminate and if not the process will return to step 78.
At step 84 the process asks whether the retirement age RA is at a maximum limit. If so, the process proceeds to connector 2 c; if not, then at step 86 RA is incremented, and HC, a new model portfolio MP(n) and probable achievable income are recalculated. At step 88 the algorithm again asks whether the retirement income goal has been achieved. If this is the case, the process returns to step 84, else the process continues to connector 2 c.
Now referring to
At step 98, the automated financial advisor 14 (
Assuming that the income goal of the investor has not yet been met. the procedure next asks whether the tax-deductible savings rate SR1 is already at a maximum at step 78 a. If not, the tax deductible savings rate SR1 is incremented, the human capital recalculated, a new model portfolio MP(n) is derived, and a new probable achievable income is found. Procedure loop 78 a, 80 a, 82 a continues, generating further model portfolios, until the tax-deductible savings rate SR1 become a predetermined maximum or until the stated income goal of the investor is achieved.
If RA and SR1 are maximized but the income goal of the investor is still not achieved, the procedure will enter a loop 84 a, 86 a, 88 a. A final set of model portfolios is created in this loop until such time as SR2, the taxable savings rate reaches a maximum or until the income goal of the investor is achieved, whichever happens first. The procedure then continues as per the first illustrated embodiment (
In a further embodiment, a least "painful" solution is found by increasing savings rate and retirement age together rather than maximizing one of these three elements at a time.
An important aspect of the invention is illustrated in the process flowcharts of
In the reallocation process, at step 150, and at a first predetermined interval such as each quarter, the participant portfolio data are fetched by automated financial advisor 14. These data, which include the market performance of the participant's assets among other things, are updated at step 151. At step 152 the advisor 14 reads the investment vehicle table 25, which is indexed by portfolio participant type, to see what investment vehicles should now be used. One or more investment vehicles in the table may have been replaced, and if so a set of initial investment instructions to the plan manager 12 is formulated. Then, at step 154, the process asks whether it has been at least three years (or any other predetermined interval) since a portfolio type has last been attributed to the investor. If so, then at step 156 a portfolio switching algorithm is called, which is illustrated in more detail in
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the participant is initially assigned to one of a predetermined number portfolio types. For example, there may be seven such portfolio types, differing from each other in the degree of risk thought acceptable given the participant's proximity to retirement age and other factors. Portfolio switching algorithm 156 (
At step 164, the participant's salary income I and nontaxable savings rate SR1 are updated with data from the employer's human resources department or other record-keeping entity. The participant/investor's nonallocatable financial wealth (nfw, that part not managed by the plan) is obtained from the investor or the investor's record keeper 29. Then, at step 166, the participant's human capital is recalculated. This, in turn, is used to recalculate the optimum financial portfolio mix at step 168. This step also includes an updated portfolio balance and a mapping to different asset classes.
Oftentimes, the portfolio manager and the independent financial expert are only in charge of a part of the investor's portfolio. For example, the investor may have more than one 401(K) account, but the portfolio manager manages only one of these. This problem is resolved by creating two baskets: one for reallocatable assets and one for nonreallocatable assets. The non-reallocatable assets remain fixed while the allocatable assets are adjusted.
This process is illustrated in
At step 252, the nonallocatable financial wealth of the investor, nfw1, is retrieved. The types of investment vehicles into which nfw1 has been invested is inspected at step 254, and these assets are allocated among the same asset classes that are used to divide the allocatable financial wealth. One thereby obtains equity and fixed-income nonallocatable financial wealth components nfwe1 and nfwi1 At step 256, an identity is made between the financial wealth nfw1 prior to reallocation of assets and the financial wealth nfw2 after reallocation. Both of these are equal to the allocatable financial wealth afw1 plus the nonallocatable financial wealth nfw1.
The new ideal asset allocation between the asset classes is made at step 258; fwe2 and fwi2 are the ideal equity and fixed income asset class allocations, respectively. Then, at step 260, two more identities are assumed: the nonallocatable financial wealth in each asset class is assumed to remain the same, before and after the reallocation occurs. At step 262, the allocatable financial wealth afwe2 is found by subtracting the nonallocatable financial wealth nfwe2 from the total financial wealth fwe2. However, if afwe2 turns out to be less than zero, it is reset to zero and the fixed income component of allocatable financial wealth afwi2 is equated to the total allocatable financial wealth afw2. By this last step, the allocatable financial wealth is allocated such that the overall portfolio comes closest to the optimum asset allocation. The routine then passes by step 266 to step 274. Otherwise, path 264 is used. At step 268, a similar subtraction is made on the fixed income asset class side to derive the new income component of allocatable financial wealth afwi2 as the difference between the nonallocatable financial wealth nfwi2 and the total income financial wealth fwi2. If the subtraction results in a value for afwi2 that is less than zero, the program sets afwi2 to zero and sets afwe2 as equal to afw2. The routine then proceeds by path 272 to step 274. Otherwise, the routine proceeds by path 270 to step 274. At step 274, one has obtained the new asset allocations afwe2 and afwi2 for the allocatable financial wealth afw2 at the conclusion of the reallocation process. This routine then returns at step 276.
These asset classes are compared, at step 170, with the asset classes of the model portfolio for the portfolio type currently assigned to the participant, and to the asset classes of the model portfolio of the next adjacent model portfolio.
At step 172, the algorithm asks whether the newly calculated financial portfolio mix is closer to either of the adjacent model portfolios than it is to the current model portfolio. If it is not, the portfolio switching algorithm ends. If it is, the participant or investor is switched to the next adjacent model portfolio type at step 174. The date at which the portfolio type has been last assigned, tMP, is reset at step 176 before this routine ends. As so constructed, the portfolio switching algorithm should have brakes on radical change: for example, the portfolio is not switched any sooner than after a predetermined interval, preferably three years, and if there is any change the switch is made only to an adjacent portfolio type.
In addition to taking in the (typically) declining value of the human capital of the investor, the above method also considers the market performance of the investor's assets when making adjustments in the portfolios. Market performance affects how much financial wealth the investor has. When financial wealth increases, the portfolio tends to become more conservative more quickly.
Computer 202 will also have a random access memory unit or units 208 connected to the bus 206. RAM 208 (which may be DRAM, SDRAM or other known types) typically has loaded into it the operating system of the computer 202 and executable instructions for one or more special applications designed to carry out the invention. Computer 202 also has electronic read-only memory 210 for storing those programs such as the BIOS which are nonvolatile and persist after the computer 202 is shut down. In alternative embodiments of the invention, one or more components of the invention's logic may be hard-wired into the ROM 210 instead of loaded as software instructions into RAM 208. ROM 210 can consist of or comprise electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) of either flash or nonflash varieties. or other sorts of read-only memory such as programmable fuse or antiffuse arrays.
In a typical architecture, a computer program suitable for carrying out the automated financial advisor component of the invention will be stored on a mass storage device 212, such as an optical disk or magnetic hard drive. A copy of the participant data used as a basis for portfolio selection will typically exist as a database on device 212, together with the investment vehicle table 25 and the asset class table 30 which are modified from time to time by personnel controlling the automated independent financial advisor 14. Bus 206 connects mass storage device 112 to RAM 108.
The computer 202 is connected to various peripheral devices used to communicate with an operator, such as display 214, keyboard 216 and mouse 218. The computer 202 also uses a communications device 220 such as a modem or a network card to communicate to other computers and equipment. The other computers herein described may have generally similar architecture but will be differently programmed to carry out their respective functions.
Returning to
To obtain data for certain of its calculations, as described above, the independent financial advisor computer 202, typically resident on premises distinct from those of the employer, will communicate via the Internet or the like with a database server 228 of the employer's human resources department. When the advice is finalized the advisor system 202 will also transmit instructions via remote link 232 to portfolio manager computer 234, which makes electronic trades in conformance to advisor 14's instructions, stores the present status of the participant portfolios in a plan database 19, and informs advisor 14 of that status.
While the present invention has been illustrated in conjunction with the management of a qualified retirement plan, it also has application to the management of portfolios composed of nonqualified retirement savings, such as the assets of an investor outside of employer-sponsored retirement savings plans. In managing such nonqualified portfolios, information will typically not be obtained from an employer of the investor but rather from the investor himself or herself or an agent of the investor.
In summary, a novel investor portfolio asset management system has been shown and described. An automated, independent financial advisor calculates and applies a human capital component of the investor's overall worth in order to determine an optimum allocation of the financial assets of the participant among several asset classes and investment vehicles. The financial advisor relays investment instructions based on these calculations and investor input, if any, to a plan manager for execution of trades to conform the investor portfolio to the optimum allocation. Further, the independent financial advisor automatically reallocates portfolio assets to take into account the declining value of the investor's human capital over time. While preferred embodiments of the invention and their technical advantages have been described above and illustrated in the appended drawings, the invention is not limited thereto but only by the scope and spirit of the claims which follow.
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'Boots and Blessings' benefits the homeless
It was like a scene from a western Thursday night as couples dressed in cowboy hats and wearing buckles and blue jeans twirled across the dance floor during the Metro Ministries "Boots and Blessings" spring fundraiser at the Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center.
Guests at the 11th annual event were treated to pork ribs, pinto beans, homemade coleslaw and corn on the cob, thanks to donations of food and time provided by the Corpus Christi Mustangs.
"It's one of many charities that we donate to, but this one just affects so many people," said Dwight Eisenhauer, the wagon boss and member of CC Mustangs, a volunteer organization that provides food for other charities.
Many in attendance, including Bonnie Pereida, said they come every year to celebrate the work the nonprofit does in the community.
"I'm a big supporter of a lot of groups but there will always be homeless and we've got to help them," Pereida said.
Earlier this week, city officials called off a planned discussion at City Hall involving the future location of homeless shelters after they said they needed more time to gather information.
Metro Ministries recently scrapped its plans to open a residential facility in the 3000 block of McArdle Road for single parents with children after residents voiced concerns about the homeless shelter opening in their neighborhood. The nonprofit then reallocated city funding to renovations on existing facilities.
Sean-Michael Hazuda, Metro Ministries executive director, said the event brings in much-needed funding for the homeless shelter.
"Eighty-five cents of every dollar collected at the fundraiser goes back to the programs and I think people know that we are good stewards of those funds," Hazuda said.
Contact Mary Ann Cavazos at 886-3623 or cavazosm@ caller.com
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O'Day entered in the eighth inning, protecting a one-run lead, but he surrendered a solo home run. O'Day blew his second save of the year and first since May 21.
The Orioles pulled ahead in the next inning, giving O'Day the victory and moving him to 5-0 on the year.
O'Day struck out four batters and needed just 24 pitches to cruise through the final six outs of the game. He earned the save, his second of the year.
O'Day (2-0) has a 1.17 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 23 innings this season.
"We haven't been playing as well as we can. We know that we're better than the team that's been out there," O'Day said, per MLB.com. "Today we played a pretty tight game. We're not getting blown out. It's just the little things you do to win a game in all facets of the game. Getting out of jams is big. It kind of gives you a little momentum surge, and Adam had great timing there with that home run."
The right-hander has been scored upon three times in his 22 appearances this season and owns a nifty 0.89 ERA.
O'Day moved to 1-0 and lowered his ERA to 0.95. He allowed two hits but struck out two to escape the jam.
"There was definitely some luck involved to get out of that," he said.
O'Day was able to squash a potential rally in the eighth inning and remained in to finish off the game. He owns a 0.69 ERA and 15:1 K:BB ratio in 13 innings.
O'Day told the Baltimore Sun's Eduardo Encina that he'll throw plenty of live batting practice and bullpen sessions. Since he doesn't need to prove anything to make the team, O'Day thinks he only needs nine or 10 innings in spring games to prepare for the regular season.
"They've done a good job of identifying the guys who need to be held off a little bit and save the bullets so we'll be fresh in August, September and October," O'Day said.
O'Day went 5-2 with four saves and a 1.70 ERA in 68 games last season.
The club had options on both players and decided to pick them up. Chen posted a 3.54 ERA over 185 2/3 innings last year. O'Day posted a 1.70 ERA over 68 2/3 innings.
Among them is southpaw starter Wei-Yin Chen, whose $4.75 million option for 2015 will be picked up. The team will do the same for impressive right-handed reliever Darren O'Day, whose $4.25 million option will also be picked up.
The exception is catcher Nick Hundley. The team will not exercise his $2.5 million option, making him a free agent.
O'Day arrived in the game with two outs and two on in the eighth and retired Chris Young on a groundout before a 1-2-3 ninth that included a game-ending strikeout of Brett Gardner.
He had given up one run in three of his last four appearances.
But a five-run Red Sox explosion forced O'Day into a save situation as Buck Showalker sought to save closer Zach Britton. O'Day retired Xander Bogaerts on a grounder with two on base to nail down his third save.
"I think I'm good to go," O'Day told MLB.com Saturday, after getting through a bullpen session and various drills before the game.
O'Day has been a big part of the Orioles bullpen this season, posting a 1.34 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 60 1/3 innings overall.
O'Day (2-1) has been great this season, but he's allowed earned runs in three of his last five appearances. Before the five-game stretch, his only runs came on two solo home runs earlier in the season. O'Day owns a 1.52 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 27:8 K:BB ratio in 29 2/3 innings.
The Orioles were able to come from behind to tie the game at 6-6 in the top of the ninth before O'Day (2-0) came on to give up one hit but nothing else in the bottom half of the inning. He owns a 0.90 ERA and 16:4 K:BB ratio in 20 innings.
Zach Britton, who recorded the Orioles' last save and appeared to be the favorite to replace struggling Tommy Hunter as closer, entered in the eighth inning of a blowout win over the Pirates Tuesday. Granted, he hadn't pitched in five days, but usually when a team brings in its closer for extra work, it's still in the ninth inning.
Hunter, meanwhile, pitched the seventh inning, so it's not like he's any closer to regaining the role. But what about Darren O'Day, who recorded the final two outs? He seemed like the obvious choice to fill in as closer before Britton threw his hat in the ring.
In this case, Showalter chose to play the matchups, bringing Britton in to face of a stretch of the Pirates' lineup that included two left-handed batters and a switch-hitter. With two right-handed batters due up next, he then brought in O'Day, who hit one and ended up having to retire a left-handed batter anyway. Would Showalter have done the same in a save situation? Would he have done the same May 15, when Britton recorded his first save, if O'Day hadn't already pitched in that game?
Don't get too cozy, Britton owners. Nothing has been determined yet.
I now consider myself among them.
Darren O'Day, my horse in this race, actually entered the game in the sixth inning and pitched the seventh as well, showing precisely the versatility that most likely compelled manager Buck Showalter to look elsewhere.
And Britton could be fine. The failed starting pitcher prospect is unproven as a reliever and not much of a bat-misser, but he throws hard and is an extreme ground ball pitcher, meaning he'll at least keep the ball in the yard. So far, he's done much more than that, compiling a 0.81 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 17 appearances.
My gut tells me it's his job until he falters, which means I'd be willing to cut Tommy Hunter for him if it came to that. Maybe he will falter and, by that point, Hunter will have redeemed himself, but given Hunter's lack of track record as a closer, it's probably not a Jim Johnson or Ernesto Frieri situation where the Orioles are looking to get him back in the role.
Though Zach Britton, with his 0.84 ERA in 16 appearances, has been mentioned as a possible replacement, Darren O'Day would be the more logical choice as a right-handed reliever accustomed to late-inning pressure. He has a 0.60 ERA in 16 appearances and a 2.06 ERA in 153 appearances since joining the Orioles in 2012.
Granted, he wasn't much of a candidate for the role this spring since moving him there would create a hole in the eighth inning, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Manager Buck Showalter knows he can trust O'Day to deliver, and trust may beat out everything else at this point.
It's reason enough to take a flier on O'Day if you own Hunter or are otherwise short on saves.
"Until I hear differently from (executive vice president of baseball operations) Dan (Duquette), I'm looking like it's (a decision) from within," Showalter said.
However, Showalter said reliever Darren O'Day is not a candidate for the closer's role. O'Day was 5-3 with a 2.18 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, two saves and 20 holds last season.
O'Day had a successful bullpen session Tuesday after taking an injection to suppress numbness in his fingers last Friday. He owns a 2.28 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings for Baltimore.
O'Day has not pitched since Sept. 7 due to soreness and tingling in the index and middle fingers on his right hand. He threw only fastballs Monday but will mix in the breaking pitch on Tuesday.
O'Day has been out since Sept. 7, but he received injections for numbness and tingling he had been feeling in the fingers of his right hand on Friday.
O'Day, who won't fly with the team to Toronto, is 5-3 with a 2.28 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 57:14 K:BB ratio in 59 1/3 innings.
O'Day is also 2-0 with 10 strikeouts, four holds and a blown save. He has primarily been used in the eighth inning and setup situations.


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Is SnapFiesta a typical photobooth?
SnapFiesta is a revolutionary photobooth—a booth without the box. We provide an open air system that escapes the confines of a traditional photobooth and creates an interactive photobooth experience which is able to accommodate 2-20 people. With a portable studio, and extremely high-quality photos, SnapFiesta makes amazing prints that guests love.
What events are best for SnapFiesta?
SnapFiesta provides photo entertainment for any type of event. We function best in open areas that guests frequent, transforming any event into a memorable, fun photo experience. We work all types of events, including: holiday parties, weddings, birthdays, conferences, private dinners, galas, product launches. Really any event where people want to have a good time.
How much space does it take up?
In general, our footprint is 10′x 10′; however, the set up can scale down to as small as 6′ × 8′ if needed. We have done events in smaller spaces, so if you have a concern about a particular space, let us know. It is preferable to operate in spaces with a 10' height clearance, to accommodate our studio lighting, but we can fit into a space as low as 7'.
Do you provide backdrops?
Yes, we have a variety of backdrops. Check out our backdrop choices. The more we know about your event, the better so contact us, tell us about your theme and we'll be sure to recommend some options. We can also create custom backdrops and design entire sets.
How are the photos taken?
Our operators take the photos for the guests and it a memorable, interactive experience. Some occasions call for more automation, and we have options such as touch screen or a remote switch so that guests can take control.
Can you do on-site printing?
Yes, we offer instant printing on all of our packages. Our standard print option is double 2×6 photo strips, reminiscent of traditional photobooths. There are 4-images and custom text or logo. We also offer additional 4×6 and 5×7 printing options.
Can guests view a slideshow at the event?
Yes, all of our photobooth setups are equipped with two high-resolution LCD monitors, allowing guests to see themselves when taking photos, and to see a slideshow of the photos on the outside of the setup. Additionally, we are able to connect into many venues a/v systems (or being our own projector) to get the slideshow going in a second location.
Is there a limit to number of photos and prints?
NOPE! There's no limit to the number of sessions your guests can enjoy and we make sure that every guest gets a copy if they want! Additionally, with all events, your guests will have access to an online gallery where they can download images and order prints.
How can guests view and share the photos?
Photos are placed in an online gallery on our website for public viewing and ordering after the event, we are able to password protect and hide gallery upon request.
Do you offer Social Media integration?
Yes! We've been on the cutting edge of technology since our launch, and continue to provide the newest features. Through our social media upgrade, guests can upload photos instantly to Facebook and Twitter or by email. Our InstaFiesta allows guests to print photos taken on their phones which are uploaded to Instagram and Twitter!
Can the gallery be password protected?
Yes, of course! Let us know ahead of time and the password can be printed on all the prints.
Can the photos be branded with my company logo or event details?
Yes, we can design a custom overly with any custom text and graphics you prefer, such as, event information, sponsor logo, promotional branding elements, and more. Additionally, we can help you create a customized set, from the background to unique props, so your entire experience will be unique.
Where does SnapFiesta provide service?
SnapFiesta is currently offering service in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Washington, D.C. and Dominican Republic. We are available for travel, and can fly pretty much anywhere with our setup.
Is it possible to project photos in real time?
As an upgrade, we have the capability to project a live feed from the photobooth anywhere inside your event.
Do you work at outdoor events?
The short answer is, yes! However, there are often more logistics to arrange with an outdoor event, so be sure to contact us so we can make sure we can help work out the details of your event.
How long can SnapFiesta stay at our event?
In most cases, our packages begin with an operation time of 3 hours, and we can accommodate full- and multi-day events.
Do you provide props?
Yes, a variety of props are available depending on which package you select. With advance notice, we can tailor a custom prop package for your event.
How long does it take to set up and break down?
It takes between 1.5-2 hours to set up and about 45 minutes to break down.
We are a non-profit, can you work with our budget?
From the very start of SnapFiesta we've always supported our community charities and foundations. Please contact us and tell us about your organization and your event to receive a special non-profit rate.


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2013 Bentley Continental Supersports ISR for saleNew arrival - coming soon!... More
2008 Bentley Arnage R for saleExotic Classics is pleased to present this 2008 Bentley Arnage R Concours Limited Edition (1 out of 40 cars... More
2009 Bentley Arnage T Mulliner Edition for saleExotic Classics presents a wonderful 2009 Bentley Arnage T finished in Tungsten Silver with Fireglow interior. With... More
2008 Bentley Continental GTC for saleExotic Classics is proud to offer this one owner Continental GTC with only 11,900 pampered miles. All service is... More


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Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook looks to throw Sept. 21, 2013.
- Filed Under
No Wolverines on the docket this weekend, but Michigan State has an important road game before the rivals' clash next weekend in East Lansing.
The Spartans travel to face Illinois at 3:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC). And our experts are here to tell you how the game will go:
Joe Rexrode ...


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Ross Sea Antarctic Odyssey
Please Note: Same Itineraries, Crossing the Date Line
Feb 11th Departure is the SAME itinerary in reverse.
Both trips have a total duration of 31 nights / 32 days. However, looking at the starting and ending dates of the voyages, it "seems" that the January departure has duration of 32 nights and the February departure of 30 nights. This is explained by the fact that we cross the "date line" at 180 degrees longitude. Traveling on the January departure and crossing the International Date Line, results in a day being added and on the February departure results in a day being subtracted. In any case, the duration of the voyage is still 31 nights / 32 days for both voyages.
A true Discovery voyage including the southern Antarctic Peninsula, the rarely visited volcanic Peter I Island, exploratory program along the outer fringes of the pack-ice in the Amundsen sea, Roald Amundsen's starting point from where he gained access to the ice-shelf and finally reached the South Pole in 1911, sailing voyage in the Ross sea, the huts of British explorers Ernest Shackleton and Robert Falcon Scott (ice-permitting) and Macquarie Island – Welcome aboard our Antarctic Odyssey!
During those voyages we will transfer our passengers ashore by zodiac. But, we will surely also operate our two helicopters if zodiacs can not be used. Potential candidates for helicopter transfers are Peter I Island, The Ross Ice-shelf, the Dry Valleys, Mc Murdo Station, Cape Evans (hut of Scott) and Cape Royds (hut of Shackleton). In theory we plan on five helicopter based landings, but a specific amount of helicopter time can not be predicted. The use of helicopters is a great advantage and can support us in our goal to reach certain landing sites, that otherwise are almost inaccessible. But, this is a true expedition and we operate our itinerary in the world's most remote area, ruled by the forces of nature, weather and ice conditions. Conditions may change rapidly, having its impact on the helicopter operation and passengers should understand and accept this. Safety is our greatest concern and no compromises can be made. No guarantees can be given and no claims will be accepted. The vessel is equipped with two helicopters, but in the case that one helicopter is unable to fly due to for example a technical failure, the helicopter operation will cease or even be cancelled, due to the fact that one helicopter always needs to be supported by a second operational helicopter. No guarantees can be given and in no event will claims be accepted.
Day 1: Ushuaia
In the afternoon, we embark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel and sail through this scenic waterway for the rest of the evening.
Note: The February departure starts in Invercargill, New Zealand and offers the same itinerary as described hereunder, but in reverse.
Day 4: Antarctic Peninsula
We arrive in the Antarctic Peninsula and sail in the early morning through the spectacular Lemaire Channel and land on Pléneau Island, where Elephant Seals haul-out on the beaches. Gentoo Penguins, Kelp Gulls and South Polar Skuas are confirmed breeders. Pléneau Island was first charted by the French Antarctic Expedition of 1903-05 of Jean-Baptiste Charcot and was named after his expedition's photographer Paul Pléneau. We will also visit Petermann Island with colonies of Adélie and Gentoo Penguins and Imperial Cormorants (Blue-eyed Shags). Petermann Island was named after the German geographer August Petermann who was a member of a German Expedition in 1873-74.
Day 5: Polar Circle and Fish Island
Sailing south through the Penola Strait, we cross the Polar Circle and arrive at the Fish Islands. The small islands lying east of Flouder Island are called the Minnows, first charted by the British Graham Land Expedition (1934-37) of John Rymill. Detaille Island was discovered by the French expedition of Charcot (1903-05) and named for a shareholder in the Magellan Whaling Company. From 1956 till 1959, The British Antarctic Survey had their "Station W" located on Detaille Island. On both locations we may observe Adélie Penguins and Blue-eyed Shags.
Days 6 - 7: Bellingshausen Sea
We may see our first pack-ice.
Day 8: Peter I Island
Peter I Island or in Norwegian Peter I Øy is an uninhabited volcanic island (19 kilometers long ) in the Bellingshausen Sea. It was discovered by Fabian von Bellingshausen in 1821 and was named after the Russian Tsar Peter I. It is claimed by Norway and considered a territory on its own. It is sporadically visited by passenger vessels.
Earlier landings made by a staff member saw groups of Elephant Seals and colonies of Southern Fulmars and Cape Pigeons.
Days 9 - 14: Exploring
These days we sail through the Amundsen Sea along and through the outer fringes of the pack-ice, which - depending of ice-conditions - will give us glimpses of the Antarctic Continent, while we take advantage of the west-going Antarctic coastal current. The sailing along and through the ice is very lively, with sightings of single straggling Emperor Penguins, groups of seals on ice-floes, and also Orca's and Minke Whales along the ice-edge, often accompanied by different species of fulmar petrels. If the sea-ice allows, we will try to land on Shephard Island in Marie Byrd Land among colonies of Chinstrap Penguins and South Polar Skua's. Shephard Island was discovered by the US Antarctic Expeditions (USAS) of 1939-41 and was named after one of the promoters of this expedition: John Shephard.
Day 15: Ross Ice Shelf
We approach the Ross Ice Shelf, a floating mass of land-ice, with a front 30 meters high. We intend to offer a helicopter landing on the Ross Ice Shelf.
In the Bay of Whales at the eastern side of the shelf, close to Roosevelt Island (named by the American aviator Richard E. Byrd in 1934 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt), Roald Amundsen gained access to the Shelf and ventured to the South Pole, where he finally arrived on 14 December 1911. For us it is perhaps a chance to climb on the shelf as well.
Day 16: Ross Ice Shelf
Along the Ross Ice Shelf we sail to the west.
Days 17- 21: In the Ross Sea
In the Ross Sea we intend to visit Ross Island, guarded by Mount Erebus, Mount Terror and Mount Bird with all the famous spots which played such an important role in the dramatic British expeditions of the last century such as Cape Royds with the cabin of Ernest Shackleton. We also intend to visit Cape Evans with the cabin of Robert Falcon Scott; from Hut Point Scott and his men set out for the South Pole. We will further make attempts to visit the US-station McMurdo and Scott Base (New Zealand). If ice and weather conditions are favorable, we will use the helicopters to offer landings.
From Castle Rock we will have a great view across the Ross Ice Shelf toward the South Pole. We will have a view into Taylor Valley, one of the Dry Valleys, where on our planet you are closest to the conditions on Mars. For the Dry Valleys we plan to use our helicopters. This is just one example of helicopter use during this epic voyage.
Days 22 - 23: Ross Sea
Sailing northward along the eastern west coast of the Ross Sea, we pass by the Drygalski Ice Tongue and the Italian Station in Terra Nova Bay and further Cape Hallet.
Day 24: Cape Adare
Cape Adare is the place where people for the very first time wintered on the Antarctic Continent. The hut where the Norwegian Borchgrevink stayed in 1899 is surrounded by the largest colony of Adélie Penguins in the World.
Day 25: At Sea
At sea, working our way through the sea-ice at the entrance of the Ross Sea.
Day 26 Scott Island
We sail along Scott Island.
Day 30: Macquarie Island
Campbell Island is a sub-Antarctic New Zealand Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a luxuriant and blooming vegetation. The fauna on Campbell Island is fantastic with a large and easily accessible colony of Southern Royal Albatrosses on the main island and breeding Wandering, Campbell, Greyheaded, Blackbrowed, and Lightmantled Sooty Albatrosses on the satellite islands. Also three penguin species, Eastern Rockhopper, Erect-Crested and Yellow-Eyed Penguins breed here. In the 18th century seals were hunted to extinction, but Elephant Seals, Fur Seals and Sea Lions have recovered.
Day 32: Disembark Bluff
We arrive in Bluff (New Zealand) where passengers depart for their homebound journey.
Note: The February voyage ends in Ushuaia, Argentina and starts in Bluff, New Zealand and offers the same itinerary as described above, but in reverse.
* Itinerary may be subject to change
|Per Person USD
Rates 2015-2016
Twin Deluxe
Camp, Mountaineering, Photography, Kayak, Snowshoe
Special: Twin Porthole at Triple Porthole Rate (Price in Red)
Camp, Kayak
Camp, Kayak
Camp, Mountaineering, Photography, Kayak, Snowshoe
Camp, Mountaineering, Photography, Kayak, Snowshoe
Rates are per person, based on twin-share. Single Supplement for twin cabins is 1.7 times the twin rate. Mandatory Emergency Evacuation insurance is required on all trips.
All activities are free of charge for Basecamp Ortelius voyages (Camping, Kayaking, Snowshoeing/Hiking, Mountaineering & Photography Workshop).
On other voyages:
Kayaking - $465
Camping - $180
Weddell Sea voyages include helicopters.
There is always a possibility of an added fuel surcharge if marine oil prices raise significantly.
Ortelius Deck Plan
|Quad Porthole
|4 Quadruple cabins with bunk beds and private facilities.
|Triple Porthole
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|Twin Deluxe
|2 Twin Deluxe cabins with twin beds, private toilet and shower.
|6 Superior cabins with double bed, private toilet and shower and a separate day room or sitting area.


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A new analysis of this week's Census data on income and poverty, which found a statistically insignificant narrowing of the wage gap between men and women from 77 to 78 cents on the dollar, finds that the wage gap is much wider for women of color and varies widely state by state.
Red State Women's new initiative, "The Female Fact(Her)," relies on a few context-free statistics to try to convince female voters that the GOP is the party for them.
The circle of victims of misogynist harassment is getting bigger, and the Supreme Court is playing a role.
The law provides an expansive host of benefits, including requirements that employers provide basic accommodations for pregnant workers. To get a better sense of this law and the strategy that made it win, RH Reality Check spoke with Debra Fitzpatrick of the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
Look closely at the footnotes, and you'll see that new EEOC guidelines related to workplace pregnancy discrimination say employers who fail to cover birth control could be guilty of employment discrimination.
While the Hobby Lobby ruling keeps the government from guaranteeing basic reproductive health care for workers, the Harris decision effectively hobbles the ability of a group of public employees—most of whom are women—to properly bargain for affordable health care along with other vital benefits.
Monday's Hobby Lobby ruling is one more piece of evidence that we still do not value women's rights in the same way that we value "universal rights"—that is, rights that pertain to men.
The New York Assembly passed a bill Wednesday that would prevent employers from discriminating against their employees for their reproductive health-care decisions.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights declared all "men" equal in dignity and rights already in 1948. Setting the gendered aspect of this wording aside, it is clear also that, more than five decades later, not all human beings in practice enjoy equal rights.
The proposed law would update New York's existing workplace anti-discrimination laws to prohibit an employer from discriminating against an employee on the basis of their reproductive health-care decisions.


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Janet Evanovich Message Board
Post to this discussion forum
Return to Janet Evanovich book reviews
posts on 7/31/2009 5:20:36 PM
i think Edgar Ramirez or Amaury Nolasco would be a good ranger. Someone said antonio banderas.. uh no.
posts on 7/31/2009 1:18:19 PM
i like Alex O'Laughlin for Morelli. i don't think johhny depp is "buff" enough for ranger
posts on 7/30/2009 7:41:57 PM
In the end, it will have to be Morelli but meanwhile Ranger is titillating! Please make a movie with Johnny Depp, the only guy cool enough to be Ranger, some thirtyish hot Italian guy for Morelli, and I too, think Kate Beckinsale could be Stephanie. Whoever plays Steph has to have a handle on a New Jersey accent though.
posts on 7/29/2009 11:59:15 AM
yes regina i agree. Steph may be a white picket fence kind of person in the future, and that's when she should look up joe. For now though, she's not ready to settle and should have fun with ranger. Think Evanovich reads these things?
posts on 7/29/2009 10:49:00 AM
I've read all the Plum books, think they are really good. Personally I think Steph and Ranger should get together not JOe. Ranger lets her be who she is, but protects when needed.Joe just wants her to be a housewife. Steph & Ranger both have issues, who doesn't. Both of them like Grandma Mazur are kinda of fruitcakes that belong together.
posts on 7/28/2009 7:26:25 PM
G.. You really should start with One. and work to fifteen. One for the Money is #1
posts on 7/28/2009 5:27:57 PM
Hi. I am new to the message board, but i would really like to share my opinions about Plum series. Absolutely love them. Although, I do not like to way it is always the same with Ranger and Morelli. I think she should give into Ranger more. :)
posts on 7/28/2009 3:27:07 PM
SO SORRY you think I was rude I'll just leave you to your opinions since yours are the only ones
posts on 7/28/2009 3:08:37 PM
The Janet Evanovich books are new to me, and came highly recommended. I picked up a couple of them at the library. Do they have to read in order or can I start with any one of them?
posts on 7/25/2009 8:52:20 AM
I don't like the feeling that some posters seem to be very judgmental about others' points of view. If we like the books we keep on reading, if not we stop. Let's not let this become an adversarial situation. P.S. I still give my vote to Morelli; life would never be dull with them.
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Net weight: 100g / 3.53oz
Free delivery over £40
In stock
Origin: Darjeeling, India
Leaf Type: Single Estate Black Tea
Taste: Slightly nutty with a touch of muscatel
Drink: With or without milk
Brew: Lightly, 2-3 minutes according to taste
When to drink: Afternoon
The Happy Valley Estate at the foothills of the Himalayas is one of the oldest and most renowned tea gardens in Darjeeling. As a Second Flush tea, the slightly later harvest yields a more developed and slightly nutty taste while maintaining the muscatel sweetness so characteristic of a good Darjeeling.
There's a certain richness to the cup which makes it the perfect match for a slice of cake.


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Look release pimptastic frames and complete bikes
...and we hold an impromptu pub quiz - with no prizes
Here are a few exciting new things from Look that we didn't get the chance to show you from Eurobike. Look are currently exhibiting at the Cycle Show 2011 so you can nip along to the Birmingham NEC over the weekend to see some of the bikes yourself.
First up, Look 695s in national flag colour schemes. The 695 is Look's flagship road bike. It's a sub-900g high modulus carbon monocoque frame with an HSC 7 fork and an adjustable Zed 2 chainset.
Look have done their homework and got the Union Jack the right way up (main pic). Nice attention to detail there.
Here's the US one.
And here's the Japanese one. Look are contributing 10,000 Yen (about £85) to the Japanese Red Cross for every Japan frame sold to support the post-tsunami reconstruction programme.
What's this one, then? A point if you said 'China'.
This one? Well, it's Italy, so all the paint jobs aren't flags as I claimed earlier. That'll be azzuro, then. Trick question. Double points if you got that one.
This is like a pub quiz, isn't it? Are you enjoying it? This one is…. have a guess... Spain.
What's this one, then? Germany? Nope. Belgium.
And this one? It's Germany. I gave you a whopping big clue. They're clearly massively different from one another.
This one is... Francel. If you said The Netherlands... no marks. It's a cruel, cruel world.
Go on... what do you reckon? It's Brazil. Who said Jamaica? Unlucky. I'll give you half a mark for Jamaica because it's the right colours. But I'm taking the half mark away again for, um, insolence. It's Brazil. Definitely.
And finally, what's this? It's Spain again, innit. We've already done this one. Just checking you were paying attention... which you weren't. There are Swiss and Canadian versions too.
Right, that's enough fun. Tot up your score. If you got more than 10, you cheated. The British one is the best, obviously. The trouble is, these bikes don't come cheap. The frame, fork and chainset will set you back £4,499.99. Ouch!
In other news, Look are offering complete bikes for the first time in 2012. The 695, 586 and 566 will all be available fully built up. The 566, for example, which is designed as a comfortable road bike rather than a full-on race weapon, will come in a Shimano 105 build for £2199.99. Unusually, you'll get pedals as part of the package, which makes sense from a brand like Look which is built on its pedals heritage. In each case you get a pair of Look Keo 2 Max.
We've got something else to show you. This is the Look 25th anniversary bike. Look have been in the bike world for longer than 25 years but they launched their first carbon frame, the KG 86, in 1986. American Greg Lemond piloted it to victory in that year's Tour de France, duelling it out with Bernard Hinault who was also on a KG 86 (it's an utter fact fest today, huh?).
The 25th anniversary bike will be available from November as just a frame – again, it's a 695 – or as a complete bike with a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 group, a white Look EDH handlebar and white Lightweight wheels. Only 696 are being made and distributed worldwide. They're all numbered and come in a matt black finish.
One final thing: if you missed it previously, Look are getting into the cyclocross market in 2012 with the X-85. It's high-modulus carbon with IS disc brake mounts, and there appears to be quite a bit of mud clearance at the back. Look reckon the stays will filter out vibration and add comfort, and the seatpost is a skinny 27.2mm diameter for a little extra flex. They give a frame weight of 1,150g. The fork is full-carbon too.
The X-85 is a high end bit of kit with a high end price. That frame is £2,499.99. Look are also offering the X-85 as a complete bike with a SRAM Rival groupset and Fulcrum Red Metal 29 wheels.
The Union Jack one seems great as long as you can forget it is a "Look" frame- so quintessentially French!
Audaxing Blog - Long Distance Cycling @vorsprungbike on Twitter
posted by vorsprung [297 posts]
30th September 2011 - 15:22
The Italian one is my fave… but I can't help feeling it's pretty much just a blue bike which might colour (sorry) my feelings about paying big bucks for it as a limited edition.
posted by Tony Farrelly [4201 posts]
30th September 2011 - 15:49
The Italian one is my fave… but I can't help feeling it's pretty much just a blue bike which might colour (sorry) my feelings about paying big bucks for it as a limited edition.
Its also my favorite as it can pass for Scotland
posted by Gkam84 [9293 posts]
30th September 2011 - 16:53
Those white Lightweight wheels look so much nicer without their logo in that silly cursive font on them. (Apparently it is Lucida Calligraphy, if you do like it and want to make your own logo!)
two wheels good; four wheels bad
posted by cat1commuter [1425 posts]
30th September 2011 - 18:55
posted by Hamster [89 posts]
30th September 2011 - 21:21
Liking "the look" (sorry) of the GB bike. And defo the anniversary model. Guess I better go get a paper round
so unfit, I'm not even fit for nothing!
posted by Izaak30 [110 posts]
30th September 2011 - 22:26


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» Print Recipe
This healthy dish is packed full of flavours from an array of herbs and spices. Venison is a lean meat and couscous is a healthy alternative to rice.
Boil the bulgur wheat in salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes then drain well and place in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the lemon juice and two tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil.
Using a pastry brush cover the fillet pieces with the molasses.
Mix the salt into the peppercorns and then roll each piece of venison in the mixture so that they are evenly coated.
Heat a large griddle pan, add the oil and griddle the meat on both sides for a couple of minutes. The venison will now be medium-rare – you can cook for longer if you prefer your meat to be medium or well-done.
Heat a large frying pan with two tablespoons of the light olive oil. Tip in half the aubergine cubes, season with plenty of salt and black pepper. Fry over a high heat until really crispy, drain well on kitchen paper.
Repeat with remaining aubergine cubes. Allow to cool slightly before mixing into the bulgur wheat. Stir well.
Make the dressing for the salad by whisking the molasses and lemon together in a small bowl. Season generously with salt and black pepper and then slowly whisk in the oil to form a smooth emulsion.
Just before serving put all the remaining ingredients into a large bowl and toss with two thirds of the dressing.
To serve place a good spoonful of the salad in the centre of each serving plate or on one large platter and arrange the venison on top. Finish by drizzling the remaining dressing around the plate.
» Metric Converter
Sparkling Whites, Pinot Gris and Dessert Wines are the best wines to pair with Pomegranate and peppercorn venison fillet with salsa.
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UCF Golden
Preview 2007 - UCF Offense
2007 UCF Preview |
2007 UCF Defense Preview
2007 UCF Depth
2006 CFN UCF Preview
you need to know:
Quarterback Steven Moffett and premier receiver Mike Walker have
graduated, so logic dictates the Knights will lean on junior
Kevin Smith for a while. He's as good as any back in the league
when he's healthy, and has the luxury of four starting linemen
returning. Don't expect any drop-off from Moffett to senior
Kyle Israel. In fact, the veteran of 16 games and five starts
was so sharp down the stretch in 2006, some around the program
feel he could be even better running the pro-style offense if a
couple of the young receivers emerge.
Passing: Kyle Israel
108-166, 1,420 yds, 6 TD, 5 INT
Rushing: Kevin Smith
206 carries, 934 yds, 7 TD
Receiving: Rocky Ross
36 catches, 531 yds, 2 TD
Star of the
Junior RB Kevin Smith
Player that has to step up and become a star: Senior WR
Javid James
Unsung star on the rise: Redshirt freshman WR Jevaughn Reams
Best pro prospect: Smith
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Smith 2) Junior LT
Patrick Brown 3) Junior WR Rocky Ross
Strength of the offense: The backfield, line experience
Weakness of the offense: Quarterback depth, lack of big play


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RallyBlitz - Rally iPhone App
View Single Post
Rhymes with below
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: SLC, UT
Oddometer: 949
Pete - It is on iTunes. Search RallyBlitz
Scott - I respect your perspective on this. However, I also think there are a lot of things about this app and likely the future products to come that can add to the sport (low cost of entry, better safety, etc.) and bring a wider audience. If someone is looking to cheat or bend the rules they will find a way to do it no matter what. I'd like to think the best thing is to find out the concerns and see if there is a way to manage them through technology. Let me build a button in the app that once pushed to access other apps (for emergency options or whatever) sets a flag that the organizer can see. They could give a penalty or even DQ they person, but perhaps they still make it back faster or safer or whatever. I'm not saying that is the solution to the issue, I'm just saying that an open dialog on the concerns may result in a better solution for everyone (and MORE people participating in the sport). I certainly don't have an interest in taking away the navigation aspects of this. I first hand saw enduro racing change as the result of the enduro computers, and have no interest in Rally following that path. But I built this App partially because I wanted BIG numbers that took my eyes away from the road ahead less. I look forward to the dialog on this.
Doug - Don't Switch! I still use an android as my phone...that's what I used to record the close up video. Get on craigslist and buy a used iphone 4 for $100 or less.
Rally Blitz - iPhone Rally App
"It seemed like such a good idea at the time..." - Solo Baja 1000
My motorcycle adventure book-ADV Discount
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by pilo


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Everyone is invited to celebrate the Christmas season at the annual tree lighting and caroling…
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Charlamagne Feels Bad After Releasing Floyd Struggling To Read Audio
While at the VMA's Charlamagne Tha God explained to HipHopDX on the red carpet why he released that audio Floyd Mayweather struggling to read an iHeartRadio drop. Floyd didn't deny his reading ability when he respondedRead More »
Iggy Azalea Congratulates Nicki Minaj Backstage At The 2014 MTV VMA's (Video)
One of the best moments of last night's MTV VMA's was Nicki Minaj & Iggy Azalea backstage encounterment. Yes one the best moments besides Beyonce's epic performance. Although the media has been trying toRead More »
Beyonce Closes Out The 2014 MTV Video Music Awards (Video)
Beyonce closed the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards performing every visual track off her self titled album. She was also honored with this year's Video Vanguard Award presented by her husband Jay Z & daughter, BlueRead More »
Usher & Nicki Minaj – She Came To Give It To You (Live At The 2014 MTV Video Music Awards) (Video)
The 2014 MTV Video Music Awards is currently taking place live at The Forum in Los Angeles. At the 31st annual award show, Usher performed his Nicki Minaj-assisted single, "She Came to Give ItRead More »
MTV Video Music Awards Nominations (2014)
So wondering other than Beyonce, Eminem, Iggy Azalea, Jay Z, Miley Cyrus and Pharrell who's been nominated for this years MTV Video Music Awards? No worries, we got you covered with the full listRead More »
Mac Miller – The Most Dope Family (Season 2) (Trailer)
Watch the official trailer for Season 2 of MTV and Mac Miller's The Most Dope Family, which premiere's July 23rd at 8:30PM/PT, after the jump! Get More: Mac Miller, Mac Miller And The Most DopeRead More »
K. Camp, Lil Boosie, YG & Too Short – Cut Her Off (Remix) (BTS Video)
Watch the MTV News liberated Behind The Scenes visual to K. Camp's official remix to "Cut Her Off" featuring Lil Boosie, YG & Too Short after the jump! Get More: Music News  Read More »
Wiz Khalifa Unveils 28 Grams Mixtape Artwork & Tells MTV It's Going To Be A Classic (Video)
Watch below as Wiz Khalifa unveils his 28 Grams mixtape artwork and Tells MTV News it's going to be a classic! "Cabin Fevers — people love those. Kush and Orange Juice — people love that. Prince of theRead More »


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List items
1. John Romero's Daikatana
2. Virtuoso
3. Hopkins FBI
4. Plumbers Don't Wear Ties
5. Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh
- 13 Comments Refresh
I wholeheartedly agree.Although I did sort of like Phantasmagoria, only sort of though.
A Puzzle of Flesh is the infamously awful sequel. :)
Aha, fair enough then. On a similar note, Would you include "ripper" on this list? Was in a similar vein but but i can't recall whether it was properly awful or whether it's just the haze of memory.
" @thehideousshrew: I really liked the first Phantasmagoria. A Puzzle of Flesh is the infamously awful sequel. :) "
Also How about "The 11th hour"?
Come to think of it, I'd put Gabriel Knight 3 on a "Worst Adventure Games" list before Ripper. That's the game featuring the infamous cat hair puzzle, often cited as the death knell of adventure gaming.
Your mention of Gabriel knight has brought a tear to my eye... well not really but I really liked the second one a lot, hideously disappointing sequel.
Now the original Gabriel Knight, that was a gosh-darn masterpiece!
Hopkins FBI is indeed terrible, I'm one of the 5 people in the world who actually finished it. The virtual reality sequences were beyond bizarre. It represents the very worst of point and click adventure games.
You actually had a chance to play "Plumbers"?
- Forum Posts: 1138
- Wiki Points: 35592
- Followed by: 101
- Reviews: 16 Lists: 90
Whoa, Daikatana made it to number one. Was it that bad for you? I thought it was ok. I know I know, the controls were awful and the AI was incredibly stupid but I've seen worse.
You should edit this to include some commentary on why you thought they were so bad - I'd be interested to read that.


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Here's an automatic watering system using AVR from Gadgetronicx:
Primitive irrigation systems possess many drawbacks as it fails to conserve water and human energy. So introducing Automation in it can help us to overcome these drawbacks and pave way to conserve water. This can be done with a simple Soil moisture sensor and a Microcontroller, AVR in our case. You can try out this system to automate watering the plants in your home at affordable cost.
Automatic plant watering system using AVR(Atmega16) Microcontroller – [Link]
embedds.com writes:
The article covers how to interface an accelerometer with the atmega32/atmega16. Before proceeding, the user must know the basics of ADC (Analogy to digital converter) of the AVR. An accelerometer is an electromechanical device that will measure acceleration forces. These forces may be static, like the constant force of gravity pulling at your feet, or they could be dynamic – caused by moving or vibrating the accelerometer. Accelerometers are of two types Analog and Digital. In this post we will be discussing about Analog accelerometer. They give voltage as output which is proportional to acceleration.
Interfacing ADXL335 accelerometer to Atmega32 – [Link]
www.changpuak.ch writes:
This GM-Counter is build on 2 PCB's. One is a standard high Voltage generating circuit, whilst the second is a Counter based on an ATMega16™ which also handles serial Communication with a host (Environmental Control).
The High Voltage generator is based on a 100 Hz Chopper, which is build around a '555' in combination with a standard Transformer and a Cascade to achieve Voltages from 400 to approx 900 V. (adjustable) The Regulation is just on-off (Burst) which will result in approx 1% Drift. This Circuit consumes about 20 mA at a 9 V (Battery). (more when starting up
Homebrew Geiger Müller Counter – [Link]
An Atmega16 microcontroller and a few other parts displaying a text on some 14 segment display modules. Programmed using a jtagICE clone.
14 segment display text with Atmega16 microcontroller – [Link]
dangerousprototypes.com writes: [via]
Here's a good tutorial from ExtremeElectronics.co.in explaining the types of stepper motors, their uses, and how to interface them with an AVR microcontroller.
It includes the xstepper code library for use with the AVR Atmega16, and demonstrates how to interface the MCU and the motor using a ULN2003A high-voltage high-current Darlington transistor array.
This tutorial is comprehensive and provides beginners with the theory and sample code to get started with a simple stepper motor project.
Stepper motor tutorial – [Link]
Scott writes:
This Frequency Counter:
(a) works well into the RF range (I tested it to 50MHz and it was solid, unlike some of the posts here which stop working at a few hundred kHz)
(b) is extremely cheap (around $10),
(c) is portable, battery powered, and hand-held, and
(d) uses common components that are stocked at mouser.com so anyone build one! It's based around an ATMega16 microcontroller reading frequency from a 74lv8154 dual 16-bit counter (acting as a 32 bit counter) and displays frequency on two multiplexed 3 character 7-segment displays.
$10 Frequency Counter – [Link]
remustata writes:
A circuit made for displaying the time using 7 segment display (for decimal display) and LEDs (for binary display). I used an Atmega16 microcontroller and shift registers in the schematic. For more details contact me.
Binary and Decimal Clock – [Link]
RGB LED game to play Tic-Tac-Toe for two players. Uses 2 AVR Microcontrollers: Mega16 and Mega8. RGB LEDs allow each user to choose his/her color to represent Cross/Nut.
Electronic Tic-Tac-Toe with RGB LEDs – [Link]


text:
In the past, we too often defined our relationship with Pakistan narrowly. Those days are over. Moving forward, we are committed to a partnership with Pakistan that is built on a foundation of mutual interest, mutual respect, and mutual trust. We will strengthen Pakistan's capacity to target those groups that threaten our countries, and have made it clear that we cannot tolerate a safe haven for terrorists whose location is known and whose intentions are clear. America is also providing substantial resources to support Pakistan's democracy and development. We are the largest international supporter for those Pakistanis displaced by the fighting. And going forward, the Pakistan people must know America will remain a strong supporter of Pakistan's security and prosperity long after the guns have fallen silent, so that the great potential of its people can be unleashed.
These are the three core elements of our strategy: a military effort to create the conditions for a transition; a civilian surge that reinforces positive action; and an effective partnership with Pakistan.
I recognize there are a range of concerns about our approach. So let me briefly address a few of the more prominent arguments that I've heard, and which I take very seriously.
First, there are those who suggest that Afghanistan is another Vietnam. They argue that it cannot be stabilized, and we're better off cutting our losses and rapidly withdrawing. I believe this argument depends on a false reading of history. Unlike Vietnam, we are joined by a broad coalition of 43 nations that recognizes the legitimacy of our action. Unlike Vietnam, we are not facing a broad-based popular insurgency. And most importantly, unlike Vietnam, the American people were viciously attacked from Afghanistan, and remain a target for those same extremists who are plotting along its border. To abandon this area now -- and to rely only on efforts against al Qaeda from a distance -- would significantly hamper our ability to keep the pressure on al Qaeda, and create an unacceptable risk of additional attacks on our homeland and our allies.
Second, there are those who acknowledge that we can't leave Afghanistan in its current state, but suggest that we go forward with the troops that we already have. But this would simply maintain a status quo in which we muddle through, and permit a slow deterioration of conditions there. It would ultimately prove more costly and prolong our stay in Afghanistan, because we would never be able to generate the conditions needed to train Afghan security forces and give them the space to take over.
Finally, there are those who oppose identifying a time frame for our transition to Afghan responsibility. Indeed, some call for a more dramatic and open-ended escalation of our war effort -- one that would commit us to a nation-building project of up to a decade. I reject this course because it sets goals that are beyond what can be achieved at a reasonable cost, and what we need to achieve to secure our interests. Furthermore, the absence of a time frame for transition would deny us any sense of urgency in working with the Afghan government. It must be clear that Afghans will have to take responsibility for their security, and that America has no interest in fighting an endless war in Afghanistan.


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Call Us: 800.808.4492
Snorkeling along the Belizean barrier reef is among the best in the world. Many of the reef areas are shallow and allow for easy access by snorkelers.
We provide two boat trips per day to the best local snorkeling sites, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and are included in the Snorkel/Vacation package. In addition, on Tuesdays we visit Belize's famed Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye, great places for both snorkeling and diving! Stingrays, groupers, eagle rays, nurse sharks and myriads of brightly-colored reef fish highlight the reef.
Explore the reefs and mangrove lagoons on your own in our complimentary single and double kayaks. You'll find tie-downs at several excellent snorkeling points along the reef to secure your kayak.
To inquire about availability or make a reservation, call our office at 1-888-623-5403, (US & Canada); 1-206-463-0833.
Inquire About Availability!
Interested in nature travel in other parts of the world? Visit our sister company for exciting trips to some of the world's top wildlife destinations!
We know and love Belize! We've been there countless times over the last 20 years.
Find out more about Caye Resorts!


text:
We Don't Train Teachers – We Train Great Teachers
TNTP Teaching Fellows bring academics alive. Ignite a love of learning. And prove, every day, that all students can excel. It's an honor and a tremendous responsibility, which is why we hold the highest standards for effective teaching of any teacher preparation program in America. LEARN MORE»
Our Training
Aim high. Train hard. Love teaching. Start strong and grow fast with intensive practice of core skills and real-time coaching that enables you to master the craft of great teaching. More »
- TEACH Charlotte launched in 2011
- 170 participants in the 2013 cohort
- 230 participants trained to date
- 24,000 students reached to date
Applications closed for this site.
Featured Program
TEACH Charlotte participants enjoy the friendly city and dynamic district, which has been hailed by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan as a "model of innovation in urban education."
Our Teachers
An engineer turned award-winning teacher in DC, Shira says there's nothing she'd rather do each day than challenge "fascinating and fun" teenagers to grasp difficult math concepts. Meet Shira Fishman »
Where You Can Teach
Click on a location to learn more about our programs and find the one that is right for you.


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Universal Design for Digital Media: Where Usability & Accessibility Meet
(listed as SPECIAL TOPICS IN TECHNOLOGY, ARTS, AND MEDIA: UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR DIGITAL MEDIA, ATLS 3519-581)
CU Continuing Education (under ATLAS program)
Spring 2013 Schedule: Jan. 20 – May 3, 2013
Many web and media designers believe that the design process begins and ends with information architecture and visual design. Although these elements are important, other factors are equally if not more crucial for the design of successful web sites and other digital media. This course will examine the standards and methods for designing digital material that is not only accessible for persons with disabilities – a particularly important requirement for the web sites of public entities – but also effective and usable for all users and across platforms.
This course will review standards for usability and accessibility, focusing on the concepts of universal design, web standards and accessibility best practices. Resources and texts from media design experts such as Donald A. Norman, Wendy Chisholm, Derek Featherstone and Jeffrey Zeldman will be complemented with online resources and materials. Topics to be covered include (x)html standards, structured coding procedures, semantic web design, user-centered design, and validation tools, among others. There may be occasional live lectures and guest speakers – delivered through web conferencing but taped for later and repeat viewing, as needed by students. Students will complete weekly assignments and follow the overall schedule of the course through the semester.
Mr. Kramer has been an Access Specialist at CU-Boulder and coordinator for the Accessing Higher Ground Conference for the past 15 years.
Ms. Wahlbin is a Web accessibility consultant, founder of Interactive Accessibility and an ADA, Section 508 and W3C WCAG accessibility expert.
More information: http://accessinghigherground.org/wp/udclass/
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