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In 2013, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) a grant of $51,330 to administer the SAH/Mellon Author Awards. The award is designed to provide financial relief to scholars who are publishing their first monograph on the history of the built environment, and who are responsible for paying for rights and permissions for images or for commissioning maps, charts or line drawings in their publications. Through this grant, SAH will provide awards to scholars to help defray the high costs of image licensing, reproduction, and creation of original drawings and maps for monographs on the history of the built environment. This grant is intended as a seed grant to assist authors to defray these costs and to secure other applicable grants. Awards will be made once in 2014 and once in 2015 for print (hardcover, soft cover) and digital publications (eBook, DVD). Awardees will be selected on the basis of the quality and demonstrated financial need for their project.
The SAH/Mellon Author Awards will provide authors publishing their first monograph with the financial resources they need to produce scholarly books in their most desirable form. The publication of a monograph continues to be the most valued demonstration of scholarly competence for career advancement and recognition in the humanities. Unfortunately, many authors today must provide both a fully realized text and the financial resources for its image program. The cost for image rights and licensing, especially for digital publications, can be prohibitively expensive.
The SAH/Mellon Author Awards jury comprises distinguished mid-career and senior scholars who are members of SAH and whose specializations cover a broad range of scholarship on the built environment. The jury has discretion over the number of awardees and the size of the grant to be awarded, but a typical grant would be $5,000-$6,000. The grants will be made directly to authors to defray the costs of image acquisitions.
Applications to the SAH/Mellon Author Awards will be considered only for book-length, scholarly manuscripts on architectural history and the history of the built environment that are currently under contract with a publisher. Awards are made solely in support of image acquisition or creation, such as for reimbursement of costs for the reproduction and licensing of images in print and digital formats or the creation of original artwork such as drawings or maps. This award does not cover new photography.
Successful applicants will be first-time book authors who are under contract with a publisher for a manuscript on the history of the built environment.
Applications are judged within the following parameters: (1) support will be for scholars who are publishing their first monograph (2) funds are for reimbursement or anticipated expenses for rights and reproductions; and (3) books must be under contract with a publisher.
Additional criteria for making awards include: contribution or importance to the field; significance and clarity of argument in submitted abstract and text sample; effective use of illustrations; depth of research and completeness of bibliography; and clarity of writing. Excellence within these criteria is the guiding principal for determining awards; however, an author will not receive an award without demonstration of image-acquisition or creation costs.
Awards are open to authors of all nations; however, applications must be submitted in English.
Authors can be under contract with commercial or nonprofit publishers. Self-published books are not eligible.
Books covering all periods and areas in the history of architecture, landscape architecture, urbanism, and related subjects are eligible, except for those about art history and visual studies (see below). Excavation or other technical reports, articles, previously published works (including collections of previously published essays), or congress proceedings are not eligible.
The author will have received a PhD and must submit proof and date of PhD and current professional standing.
The author must be a current member of SAH.
A project that has been rejected for a grant may not be resubmitted.
Completed applications must be received at the SAH office no later than June 1, 2015. Awards are made in July, and authors will receive notification of awards within four to six weeks.
Application materials, including the Author's Form and Publisher's Form, must be submitted to SAH with the additional materials in the Application Checklist. The author is responsible for requesting information from the publisher and ensuring that the publisher submits the Publisher's Form and reader's reports to SAH.
In addition to the material submitted by the publisher, the author provides proof of PhD and current professional standing, response to reader's reports supplied by the publisher, a complete list of images, sources, rights requested and obtained, and costs per image as a basis, and individual portions of the manuscript itself. Please see the checklist for more information.
The author is responsible for submitting the primary material for the application, including the Author's Form, a complete list of images, sources, rights requested and obtained, and costs per image, and materials from the manuscript itself. The author is also responsible for requesting and confirming submission of several components of the application from the publisher, including the Publisher's Form and two or more reader's reports.
The author ensures all materials listed in the checklist below are sent as separate email attachments to Beth Eifrig, at firstname.lastname@example.com (receipt provided).
Applications submitted solely by publishers or for production support will not be accepted. Publishers may submit an application for production costs for the same title to the Millard Meiss Publication Fund.
Beth Eifrig, SAH Assistant Director of Programs, firstname.lastname@example.com or 312.573.1365.


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Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s plan to install 3,000 slots at Pimlico Race Course would require $65 million in up-front transportation improvements - money that is not accounted for in the governor's plans - according to estimates prepared by the city.
Documents obtained by The Sun also show that Mayor Martin O'Malley's administration estimates the plan would cost the city $9.3 million a year in public safety, transportation and sanitation costs. Under projections now, that would absorb Baltimore's entire share of the slots proceeds - before community impact and social costs are taken into consideration.
Legislators who were briefed by aides to the governor on his planned revisions to his original bill - which has been widely dismissed as unworkable - were disappointed yesterday at the lack of specific information.
Many had expected to learn the results of a study by KPMG LLP, a consultant hired to examine the administration's original proposal, but were told the analysis was not complete.
"There was nothing to it. There was absolutely nothing - period," said Sen. James E. DeGrange Sr., a member of the Senate committee that will hold hearings on the bill tomorrow. The Anne Arundel County Democrat said he was expecting a meeting with the governor and was "shocked" when Ehrlich didn't show up for the briefing.
The governor did find time later in the day to meet with horse racing interests, two sources familiar with the meeting said.
Representatives of the state's racetrack owners were meeting with the governor's top aides when Ehrlich dropped in unexpectedly. The governor thanked them for their work and told them: "Don't oppose the bill, we're going to work it out," one source said.
A second source said Ehrlich told the group that his administration is not prepared to propose new numbers for splitting slots revenue at tomorrow's hearing but reassured them that problems will be resolved.
Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, a slots supporter, said he was not happy with what he learned in the briefing. He pointedly noted that Ehrlich found time for the racetrack owners but not the legislators - but then added he understood. "In fairness to the governor, the staff didn't have the numbers available by then," Miller said.
Ehrlich appeared confident as he left the State House last night. "I am quite pleased with the progress that's been made," he said, adding that the administration will unveil its revised proposal this week.
With the 90-day legislative session more than halfway over, some legislators said Ehrlich may be running out of time.
House Speaker Michael E. Busch, an opponent of slots, said the administration does not appear to have a well-thought-out policy on slots.
"If we don't have the numbers, and we don't know what the percentages are, it just adds more to the reasoned approach of waiting a year and doing a study of the implications of slots gambling in Maryland," he said.
The governor's revised bill could face serious problems if it fails to provide enough money to Baltimore to offset the anticipated costs of a 365-day-a-year, 18-hour-a-day racetrack casino in a largely residential area, city lawmakers said.
Sen. Nathaniel J. McFadden and Del. Salima S. Marriott, chairman and chairwoman of the city's Senate and House delegations, said the economic effect on Baltimore and the Pimlico neighborhoods have to be addressed for the bill to win their votes.
"I think the entire delegation would concur with that," McFadden said.
McFadden said it appears the city needs to receive from 8 percent to 10 percent of the slots proceeds - rather than the 3 percent envisioned in the original Ehrlich proposal - to cover its costs and cushion the effect on nearby neighborhoods.
Miller, however, said he believes Pimlico's main problem is parking - not transportation.

subset: commoncrawl


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BY Bryan M. Wolfe on Thu June 27th, 2013
NoteSuite arrives for iPad; replaces ProjectBook.
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BY Bryan M. Wolfe on Thu October 11th, 2012
One of the most popular productivity apps for iPad has received the first of two scheduled updates. Projectbook 1.1 is now available in the App Store.
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BY Christine Chan on Mon August 13th, 2012
It's a new week, so you'll want to start it off right. Check out our top app picks this week!
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BY Christine Chan on Mon August 06th, 2012
Start off your week with some great new apps for your iPad, handpicked by our staff.
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BY Ammaar Reshi on Wed August 01st, 2012
We summarize the best apps from the last 24 hours.
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Worldwide Markets
Butler Manufacturing Services products are now available in 37 countries worldwide with our export sales projected to grow by another 50% in the next three years.
Our History
Established in 1986, Butler Manufacturing Services Ltd. (BMS) is a specialist designer and manufacturer of waste water/surface water treatment products. We are a manufacturing and R&D company specialising in prefabricated waste water treatment and surface water solutions.


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Donegal Group Inc. Announces 53.8 Percent Increase in Fourth Quarter Net Income and Improved Full Year 2013 Results MARIETTA, Pa., Feb. 21, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Donegal Group Inc. (Nasdaq:DGICA) (Nasdaq:DGICB) today reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2013. Highlights included: *Net income of $9.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2013, with improved underwriting results generating a 53.8% increase over net income for the fourth quarter of 2012 *Net income of $26.3 million for the full year of 2013, increasing 14.0% over the full year of 2012 *9.2% increase in net premiums earned and 7.9% increase in net premiums written for the fourth quarter of 2013, reflecting continuing organic growth in commercial lines and the benefit of premium rate increases *95.4% statutory combined ratio^1 for the fourth quarter of 2013, representing the lowest combined ratio for any quarterly period in the past five years *Operating income^1 of $9.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2013, significantly outperforming operating income of $5.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2012 Three Months Ended December 31, Year Ended December 31, 2013 2012 % Change 2013 2012 % Change (dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) Income Statement Data Net premiums $132,982 $121,824 9.2% $515,292 $475,002 8.5% earned Investment 4,685 5,445 -14.0 18,795 20,169 -6.8 income, net Realized (520) 1,709 -130.4 2,423 6,859 -64.7 (losses) gains Total revenues 139,395 131,904 5.7 547,110 514,983 6.2 Net income 9,564 6,220 53.8 26,322 23,093 14.0 Operating 9,907 5,092 94.6 24,723 18,565 33.2 income Per Share Data Net income– Class A $0.36 $0.25 44.0% $1.02 $0.91 12.1% (diluted) Net income– 0.34 0.22 54.5 0.94 0.83 13.3 Class B Operating income– Class 0.37 0.20 85.0 0.96 0.73 31.5 A (diluted) Operating income– Class 0.35 0.18 94.4 0.88 0.67 31.3 B Book value 15.02 15.63 -3.9 15.02 15.63 -3.9 ^1The "Definitions of Non-GAAP and Operating Measures" section of this release defines and reconciles data that the Company prepares on an accounting basis other than U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). Donald H. Nikolaus, President and Chief Executive Officer, noted, "Donegal Group ended 2013 on a positive note, reflecting favorable market conditions that were present in our operating regions throughout the past year as well as our achievement of key milestones marking progress toward our long-term performance objectives. Of note, for the second consecutive quarter, our GAAP and statutory combined ratios for the fourth quarter of 2013 were the best we have achieved for any quarter during the past five years. "Our strategic business plan calls for us to outperform the property and casualty insurance industry in terms of service, profitability and book value growth over the long term," Mr. Nikolaus noted. "Our commercial lines business performed well against that standard over the past year. We achieved solid new commercial business growth during 2013 and continued to see renewal premium increases in the 5-7% range throughout the fourth quarter. For the full year of 2013, the statutory combined ratio for our commercial business segment was 95.7%. We believe our regional market presence and our proven commitment to the small to mid-size commercial insurance market provide potential for continuing progress in expanding this business segment in 2014 and beyond." Mr. Nikolaus continued, "In our personal lines business, our strategic underwriting initiatives contributed to improved profitability with a full-year statutory combined ratio for this business segment of 98.8%. For the year 2013, losses from weather events and large fire losses were below the prior year level. Personal lines net written premium growth primarily reflected rate increases we have implemented over the past year. "As we look ahead to 2014, we are optimistic about the opportunities for profitable growth within our regional markets as we continue to enhance our relationships with existing independent agents and seek to appoint new agencies in selected markets. Further, we continue to pursue appropriate acquisition opportunities to help us achieve our long-term objectives," Mr. Nikolaus added. At December 31, 2013, the Company's book value per share was $15.02, compared to $15.63 at December 31, 2012. The lower book value per share reflected a reduction in net unrealized gains in the fair value of the Company's available-for-sale fixed-maturity securities portfolio due to increased market interest rates during the year. During 2013, the Company repurchased 24,240 Class A shares at an average cost of $15.53 per share. Insurance Operations Donegal Group is an insurance holding company whose insurance subsidiaries offer personal and commercial property and casualty lines of insurance in four Mid-Atlantic states (Delaware, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania), three New England states (Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont), seven Southeastern states (Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia) and eight Midwestern states (Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wisconsin). The insurance subsidiaries of Donegal Group conduct business together with Donegal Mutual Insurance Company as the Donegal Insurance Group. Three Months Ended December 31, Year Ended December 31, 2013 2012 % Change 2013 2012 % Change (dollars in thousands) Net Premiums Written Personal lines: Automobile $46,661 $45,559 2.4% $196,363 $195,131 0.6% Homeowners 25,708 22,340 15.1 106,420 97,118 9.6 Other 4,044 4,027 0.4 15,915 16,072 (1.0) Total personal 76,413 71,926 6.2 318,698 308,321 3.4 lines Commercial lines: Automobile 12,947 11,966 8.2 58,165 51,260 13.5 Workers' 16,327 14,326 14.0 77,589 65,397 18.6 compensation Commercial 16,821 14,719 14.3 74,516 64,477 15.6 multi-peril Other 1,262 1,760 (28.3) 4,463 6,992 (36.2) Total commercial 47,357 42,771 10.7 214,733 188,126 14.1 lines Total net premiums $123,770 $114,697 7.9% $533,431 $496,447 7.4% written The Company's net premiums written increased 7.9% for the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to the fourth quarter of 2012. This increase represented the combination of 10.7% growth in commercial lines writings and 6.2% growth in personal lines writings. The $9.1 million growth in net premiums written for the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to the fourth quarter of 2012 included: *$2.1 million, or 1.8% of total net premiums written, related to a change in the Michigan Insurance Company ("MICO") quota-share reinsurance agreement that continued to increase the amount of business MICO retained. The Company acquired MICO in December 2010. *$3.4 million in commercial lines premiums, excluding the MICO reinsurance change, that the Company attributed primarily to premium rate increases and new commercial accounts the Company's insurance subsidiaries have written throughout their operating regions. *$3.6 million in personal lines premiums, excluding the MICO reinsurance change. The increase reflected modest new business premium, premium rate increases the Company has implemented over the past four quarters and lower reinsurance reinstatement premiums. The Company's net premiums written increased 7.4% for the full year of 2013. The increase included $9.9 million related to the MICO reinsurance change. Excluding the MICO reinsurance change, commercial lines premiums rose $21.0 million, or 11.2%, and personal lines premiums increased $6.1 million, or 2.0%, for the full year of 2013 compared to the full year of 2012. Three Months Ended Year Ended December 31, December 31, 2013 2012 2013 2012 Statutory Combined Ratios Personal Lines: Automobile 107.0% 120.4% 103.2% 108.1% Homeowners 88.9 89.3 93.0 100.9 Other 74.2 83.9 80.5 89.4 Total personal lines 99.3 108.9 98.8 105.0 Commercial Lines: Automobile 108.0 76.5 104.9 94.5 Workers' compensation 86.4 113.5 96.9 98.1 Commercial multi-peril 84.5 87.5 92.9 90.5 Other NM^2 NM NM 15.0 Total commercial lines 89.4 88.5 95.7 91.2 Total lines 95.4% 101.2% 97.4% 99.8% GAAP Combined Ratios (Total Lines) Loss ratio (non-weather) 59.1% 68.2% 61.0% 63.2% Loss ratio (weather-related) 3.5 3.9 5.6 6.9 Expense ratio 31.9 29.3 31.8 31.2 Dividend ratio 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.3 Combined ratio 94.9% 101.7% 98.8% 101.6% ^2Not meaningful. For the fourth quarter of 2013, the Company's statutory loss ratio declined to 62.7%, compared to 72.3% for the fourth quarter of 2012. For the full year of 2013, the Company's statutory loss ratio declined to 66.8% from 70.3% for the full year of 2012. Weather-related losses of $4.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2013, or 3.5 percentage points of the Company's loss ratio, were in line with the $4.7 million, or 3.9 percentage points of the Company's loss ratio, for the fourth quarter of 2012. Weather loss activity in the fourth quarter of 2013 was slightly lower than the Company's five-year average for fourth-quarter weather losses of $5.3 million. Large fire losses totaling $6.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2013, or 4.8 percentage points of the Company's loss ratio, compared favorably to the $6.7 million, or 5.5 percentage points of the Company's loss ratio, for the fourth quarter of 2012. Development of reserves for losses incurred in prior accident years was negligible for the fourth quarter of 2013. Mr. Nikolaus commented, "We are certainly pleased with the overall trend improvement in our underwriting results. As we noted, the fourth-quarter combined ratio was the best we have seen in five years. "A closer look at the quarterly underwriting results for our various business lines reveals a few atypical ratios," Mr. Nikolaus noted. "While the total effect of weather-related losses for the fourth quarter was slightly below the year-earlier level, our personal and commercial automobile lines of business were both impacted by weather to a greater degree than usual. Winter weather events in our operating regions contributed to an increase in collision claim frequency. Those collision losses masked a modest decline in casualty loss severity for personal auto in the fourth quarter, while additions to a handful of prior-accident-year case reserves also affected the commercial automobile line of business." Mr. Nikolaus observed, "Higher premium rates now in place for many of our lines of business, including personal auto and homeowners, continued to strengthen our underlying performance during 2013. In most of our regions, we are continuing to file personal lines rate increases to keep pace with increasing loss costs. Our workers' compensation and commercial multi-peril lines of business reported solid performance in the fourth quarter, again reflecting the continued strength of the commercial insurance market within our regions." The Company's statutory expense ratio^1 was 32.2% for the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to 28.5% for the fourth quarter of 2012. The increase in the Company's expense ratio reflected higher underwriting-based incentive costs that resulted from significantly improved underwriting results for the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to the fourth quarter of 2012. The Company's statutory expense ratio was 30.2% for the full year of 2013, compared to 29.3% for the full year of 2012. Investment Operations Donegal Group's investment strategy is to generate an appropriate amount of after-tax income on its invested assets while minimizing credit risk through investment in high-quality securities. As a result, the Company had invested 81.3% of its consolidated investment portfolio in diversified, highly rated and marketable fixed-maturity securities at December 31, 2013. December 31, 2013 December 31, 2012 Amount % Amount % (dollars in thousands) Fixed maturities, at carrying value: U.S. Treasury securities and obligations of U.S. government corporations and $62,279 7.9% $72,311 9.0% agencies Obligations of states and political 385,982 48.7 457,896 56.8 subdivisions Corporate securities 55,547 7.0 77,356 9.6 Residential mortgage-backed securities 140,214 17.7 129,047 16.0 Total fixed maturities 644,022 81.3 736,610 91.4 Equity securities, at fair value 12,423 1.6 8,757 1.1 Investments in affiliates 35,685 4.5 37,236 4.6 Short-term investments, at cost 99,678 12.6 23,826 2.9 Total investments $791,808 100.0% $806,429 100.0% Average investment yield 2.4% 2.5% Average tax-equivalent investment yield 3.3% 3.5% Average fixed-maturity duration (years) 4.5 4.8 The decrease in net investment income for the fourth quarter of 2013 compared to the fourth quarter of 2012 primarily reflected the effect of a non-recurring allocation adjustment to 2012's quarterly investment expenses as well as the lower average investment yield on the Company's fixed-maturity securities portfolio. Net investment income of $4.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2013 exceeded the $4.6 million net investment income for the third quarter of 2013. Netrealized investment losses were $520,000 for the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to net realized investment gains of $1.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2012. The Company had no impairments in its investment portfolio that it considered to be other than temporary during the fourth quarters of 2013 or 2012. Jeffrey D. Miller, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, in commenting on the Company's investment operations, noted, "During the fourth quarter of 2013, we implemented a number of proactive measures to lower the overall duration of our fixed-maturity securities portfolio and to position the Company to take advantage of anticipated increases in market interest rates. "Those measures included the sale of approximately $34.0 million of longer duration fixed-maturity securities, the transfer of $212.2 million of longer duration available-for-sale fixed-maturity securities to the held-to-maturity classification, a plan to allocate a portion of our fixed-maturity portfolio to BBB-rated corporate securities and the engagement of an external investment advisor to manage $50.0 million of our fixed-maturity portfolio," Mr. Miller continued. Mr. Miller concluded, "The actions taken in late 2013 reflect our intent to bolster investment income while remaining focused on our long-term goal of enhancing book value growth. Cash and short-term investments rose at year end because of the sale of the longer duration fixed maturity securities. We plan to invest those funds over time in shorter duration fixed-maturity securities and, to a lesser extent, dividend-paying equity securities." The Company owns 48.2% of the outstanding stock of Donegal Financial Services Corporation ("DFSC"), which owns all of the outstanding capital stock of Union Community Bank. The Company accounts for its investment in DFSC using the equity method of accounting. The Company's equity in the earnings of DFSC was $408,000 for the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to $912,000 for the fourth quarter of 2012. Donegal Mutual Insurance Company owns the remaining 51.8% of the outstanding stock of DFSC. Definitions of Non-GAAP and Operating Measures The Company prepares its consolidated financial statements on the basis of GAAP. The Company's insurance subsidiaries also prepare financial statements based on statutory accounting principles state insurance regulators prescribe or permit ("SAP"). In addition to using GAAP-based performance measurements, the Company also utilizes certain non-GAAP financial measures that it believes provide value in managing its business and for comparison to the financial results of its peers. These non-GAAP measures are operating income (loss) and statutory combined ratio. Operating income (loss) is a non-GAAP financial measure investors in insurance companies commonly use. The Company defines operating income (loss) as net income (loss) excluding after-tax net realized investment gains or losses. Because the Company's calculation of operating income (loss) may differ from similar measures other companies use, investors should exercise caution when comparing the Company's measure of operating income (loss) to the measure of other companies. The following table provides a reconciliation of the Company's net income to the Company's operating income for the periods indicated: Three Months Ended December 31, Year Ended December 31, 2013 2012 % Change 2013 2012 % Change (dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) Reconciliation of Net Income to Operating Income Net income $9,564 $6,220 53.8% $26,322 $23,093 14.0% Realized losses (gains) (after 343 (1,128) NM (1,599) (4,528) NM tax) Operating income $9,907 $5,092 94.6% $24,723 $18,565 33.2% Per Share Reconciliation of Net Income to Operating Income Net income – $0.36 $0.25 44.0% $1.02 $0.91 12.1% Class A (diluted) Realized losses (gains) (after 0.01 (0.05) NM (0.06) (0.18) NM tax) Operating income $0.37 $0.20 85.0% $0.96 $0.73 31.5% – Class A Net income – $0.34 $0.22 54.5% $0.94 $0.83 13.3% Class B Realized losses (gains) (after 0.01 (0.04) NM (0.06) (0.16) NM tax) Operating $0.35 $0.18 94.4% $0.88 $0.67 31.3% income– Class B Statutory combined ratio is a non-GAAP standard measurement of underwriting profitability that is based upon amounts determined under SAP. The statutory combined ratio is the sum of: *the statutory loss ratio, which is the ratio of calendar-year incurred losses and loss expenses to premiums earned; *the statutory expense ratio, which is the ratio of expenses incurred for net commissions, premium taxes and underwriting expenses to premiums written; and *the statutory dividend ratio, which is the ratio of dividends to holders of workers' compensation policies to premiums earned. The statutory combined ratio does not reflect investment income, federal income taxes or other non-operating income or expense. A statutory combined ratio of less than 100% generally indicates underwriting profitability. Conference Call and Webcast The Company will hold a conference call and webcast on Friday, February 21, 2014, beginning at 11:00 A.M. Eastern Time. You may listen via the Internet by accessing the webcast link on the Company's web site at http://investors.donegalgroup.com. A replay of the conference call will also be available via the Company's web site. About the Company Donegal Group is an insurance holding company. The Company's Class A common stock and Class B common stock trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbols DGICA and DGICB, respectively. As an effective acquirer of small to medium-sized "main street" property and casualty insurers, Donegal Group has grown profitably since its formation in 1986. The Company continues to seek opportunities for growth while striving to achieve its longstanding goal of outperforming the property and casualty insurance industry in terms of service, profitability and growth in book value. As Forbes reported, Donegal Group Inc. was named to a list of the 100 Most Trustworthy Companies for 2013 and 2012, ranking the company among firms that have consistently demonstrated transparent and conservative accounting practices and solid corporate governance and management. A reprint of the Forbes article is available as a "Featured Report" on the Company's web site. Safe Harbor We base all statements contained in this release that are not historic facts on our current expectations. These statements are forward-looking in nature (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary materially. Factors that could cause actual results to vary materially include: our ability to maintain profitable operations, the adequacy of the loss and loss expense reserves of our insurance subsidiaries, business and economic conditions in the areas in which we operate, interest rates, competition from various insurance and other financial businesses, terrorism, the availability and cost of reinsurance, adverse and catastrophic weather events, legal and judicial developments, changes in regulatory requirements, our ability to integrate and manage successfully the companies we may acquire from time to time and other risks we describe from time to time in the periodic reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. We disclaim any obligation to update such statements or to announce publicly the results of any revisions that we may make to any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statements. Donegal Group Inc. Consolidated Statements of Income (unaudited; in thousands, except share data) Quarter Ended December 31, 2013 2012 Net premiums earned $132,982 $121,824 Investment income, net of expenses 4,685 5,445 Net realized investment (losses) gains (520) 1,709 Lease income 211 225 Installment payment fees 1,629 1,789 Equity in earnings of DFSC 408 912 Total revenues 139,395 131,904 Net losses and loss expenses 83,193 87,772 Amortization of deferred acquisition costs 21,517 19,334 Other underwriting expenses 20,861 16,297 Policyholder dividends 637 542 Interest 382 574 Other expenses 554 362 Total expenses 127,144 124,881 Income before income tax expense 12,251 7,023 Income tax expense 2,687 803 Net income $9,564 $6,220 Net income per common share: Class A - basic $0.37 $0.25 Class A - diluted $0.36 $0.25 Class B - basic and diluted $0.34 $0.22 Supplementary Financial Analysts' Data Weighted-average number of shares outstanding: Class A - basic 20,711,539 20,045,761 Class A - diluted 21,391,352 20,217,567 Class B - basic and diluted 5,576,775 5,576,775 Net written premiums $123,770 $114,697 Book value per common share at end of period $15.02 $15.63 Annualized return on average equity 9.7% 6.2% Donegal Group Inc. Consolidated Statements of Income (unaudited; in thousands, except share data) Year Ended December 31, 2013 2012 Net premiums earned $515,292 $475,002 Investment income, net of expenses 18,795 20,169 Net realized investment gains 2,423 6,859 Lease income 850 954 Installment payment fees 6,842 7,466 Equity in earnings of DFSC 2,908 4,533 Total revenues 547,110 514,983 Net losses and loss expenses 343,128 332,872 Amortization of deferred acquisition costs 81,753 74,314 Other underwriting expenses 82,197 73,915 Policyholder dividends 1,910 1,342 Interest 1,635 2,359 Other expenses 3,777 2,323 Total expenses 514,400 487,125 Income before income tax expense 32,710 27,858 Income tax expense 6,388 4,765 Net income $26,322 $23,093 Net income per common share: Class A - basic $1.04 $0.92 Class A - diluted $1.02 $0.91 Class B - basic and diluted $0.94 $0.83 Supplementary Financial Analysts' Data Weighted-average number of shares outstanding: Class A - basic 20,363,677 20,031,455 Class A - diluted 20,762,385 20,305,558 Class B - basic and diluted 5,576,775 5,576,775 Net written premiums $533,431 $496,447 Book value per common share at end of period $15.02 $15.63 Return on average equity 6.6% 5.9% Donegal Group Inc. Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands) December 31, December 31, 2013 2012 (unaudited) ASSETS Investments: Fixed maturities: Held to maturity, at amortized cost $240,370 $42,100 Available for sale, at fair value 403,652 694,510 Equity securities, at fair value 12,423 8,757 Investments in affiliates 35,685 37,236 Short-term investments, at cost 99,678 23,826 Total investments 791,808 806,429 Cash 27,636 19,801 Premiums receivable 123,905 117,196 Reinsurance receivable 244,239 215,893 Deferred policy acquisition costs 43,628 40,122 Prepaid reinsurance premiums 112,664 111,156 Other assets 41,531 26,292 Total assets $1,385,411 $1,336,889 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Liabilities: Losses and loss expenses $495,619 $458,827 Unearned premiums 382,735 363,088 Accrued expenses 19,265 17,141 Borrowings under line of credit 58,000 52,000 Subordinated debentures 5,000 20,465 Other liabilities 27,915 25,334 Total liabilities 988,534 936,855 Stockholders' equity: Class A common stock 218 209 Class B common stock 56 56 Additional paid-in capital 189,116 176,417 Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income (2,313) 26,395 Retained earnings 222,889 209,670 Treasury stock, at cost (13,089) (12,713) Total stockholders' equity 396,877 400,034 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $1,385,411 $1,336,889 CONTACT: Jeffrey D. Miller, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Phone: (717) 426-1931 E-mail: email@example.com
Donegal Group Inc. Announces 53.8 Percent Increase in Fourth Quarter Net Income and Improved Full Year 2013 Results
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text:
Bangkok Thailand
Jan. 28, 2013 to Jan. 30, 2013
pp: 583-588
Puttinun Patpituck , Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University Bangkok, Thailand
The internet traffic pattern is needed for the intelligent network devices implemented AI e.g., a neural network in order to upgrade QoS for real-time application or telemedicine, which is one method of Traffic Engineering. There are big three ADSL operators in Thailand (TRUE, 3BB, and TOT). This paper presents the performance comparison of three ADSL operators based on RTT ping packets for one month. Domestic Internet links of these operators are observed. There are two sites (Nonthaburi and Pathumthani) for testing three operators. Seasonality of the internet traffic is also investigated. From experiments, 3BB operator gives the highest ping packet loss for both sites. TOT operator introduces the lowest mean RTT ping packet at Nonthaburi site while TRUE operator introduces the lowest at Pathumthani site. The seasonal internet traffic is found on during 06:00–08:00 A.M. and 05:00–0:700 P.M. for all operators.
RTT, Internet, seasonality, QoS, traffic analysis
Puttinun Patpituck, "Analysis in the internet traffic pattern based on RTT over ADSL in Thailand", ICOIN, 2013, The International Conference on Information Networking 2014 (ICOIN2014), The International Conference on Information Networking 2014 (ICOIN2014) 2013, pp. 583-588, doi:10.1109/ICOIN.2013.6496691


text:
8 oz. Seafood Stuffing for
whole Lobsters or Lobster Tails
I recently sent my brother, in West Virginia, a special dinner from
"Maine Lobster Direct". This was the first time I had ever done this
and was a little nervous about how it would be handled. Well... more
One 8 oz. package of our delicious Seafood Stuffing will generously stuff up to four medium Lobsters or four 6-8 ounce Lobster Tails.
This moist Stuffing is ready to serve and is packed with Maine Scallops and Shrimp, butter and bread crumbs!


text:
At their meeting Wednesday, all five school board members agreed to create two officer substations, one at each district school building, effective March 31:
•An Erie County Sheriff's substation at Margaretta Elementary School, at no cost to taxpayers. The current substation, behind the Castalia Police Department, would simply move to the new location, in an empty school office.
•A Castalia police office at Margaretta High School, a new venture costing taxpayers about $6,000 this school year. Funds would cover the officer's salary and benefits on school days, from March 31 to June 10.
"Personally, I believe this is a very small price to pay to have an officer in our buildings," board president JoAnn McMahon said.
TODAY: Margaretta Schools partners with local law enforcement.
FRIDAY: Updates on the district's superintendent search.
SATURDAY: Townsend Community School officially unveils its new building plans.
The program will be piloted for the remainder of this school year, with the option to renew next year, if desired, board members said.
When using a substation, law enforcement officers periodically check in to file paperwork, meet students, complete reports with residents and provide other law enforcement services as needed. Officers will have 24-hour access to the location and a designated parking area for their cruisers.
The program is different from a traditional school resource officer program because the school is not constantly monitored, but it is typically more affordable.
Danbury Schools implemented a similar partnership this past year with the Danbury Police Department.
The Margaretta Elementary School officer will be housed in an office located off the Bogart Road bus loop, while the Margaretta High School officer will be stationed in the school's main lobby, superintendent Ed Kurt said.
Officials representing Castalia and Margaretta Township supported the collaboration, which Kurt described Wednesday as a "win-win"


text:
Questions on Mitylite
- From Suezee at 6/25/12 2:24 PM
- does this bag come in tall size to fit a man 6'8"???
- Thank you for the question. Unfortunately no, the Mitylite comes in just one size: 6'3". Western Mountaineering does make 7' bags, but the closest in temperature is the Ponderosa at 15 degrees. I don't believe we carry any summer weight bags longer than 6'6", I'm sorry.
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- From Randy at 8/2/12 9:43 AM
- From Jonathan at 1/2/14 5:30 PM
- From Francine at 3/12/14 2:19 PM
- Hi,
I always sleep on my right side. All my sleeping bags have a right zipper. Does the Mitylite come in a right zipper?
- Hi Francine,
Thank you for your question.
Because the bag is hoodless, you can actually orient the zipper to either side by flipping the bag over. Pretty neat!
Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.
Best regards,
- Do you find this question helpful? Yes No
- Hi,
Ask Your Own QuestionBack to the product page
Western Mountaineering - Mitylite
Quick OverviewThe perfect lightweight travel or summer bag; 40° F
- Description
The Western Mountaineering MityLite is the perfect travel companion for summer temperatures and the ideal choice for travelers visiting hostels. This 40° F semi-rectangular bag has sewn-through baffles and will unzip to lie flat or mate to a Summer Coupler. The MityLite is as compressible as it is lightweight, allowing it to hide away in your carry-on luggage or fit in your bike panniers. Western's proprietary ExtremeLite™ fabric makes for a super-compact, ultralight, and beautiful sleeping bag. One size.
Like all of Western Mountaineering's bags, the MityLite is made by hand in San Jose, California.
International Restrictions Apply
- Specifications
Manufacturer Western Mountaineering Weight 1 lb 10 oz Gender Men's & Unisex Color Alpine Green Made in USA Temp Rating º F 40º F Temp Rating º C 4° C Bag Style Semi-Rectangular Seasonal Usage Summer Insulation 850+ Fill Down Fill Weight 12 oz Bag Shell Material 0.9 oz ExtremeLite™ proprietary fabric: extremely high thread count and ultra-lightweight Bag Length Reg: 6 ft. 3 in. Bag Stuff Size 6 x 12 in Bag Loft 3 inches Circumference at Chest 62 in Circumference at Hips 59 in Circumference at Foot 46 in Waterproof No Other Features 5-1/4 in. continuous baffles allow you to shift the down underneath you in warm temps, or on top of you in colder temps
Unzips to lie flat, or use with Western's Summer Coupler to sleep 2 people
YKK #5 double pull zipper
Stiffening tape along zippers to prevent snags
Please note, special care should be taken to avoid abrading the shell fabric; it is designed to be ultralight and super-compressible. Treat it right and your MityLite will provide years of use!
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Main Content
Cheer on Kyle Busch in this Points Lead adjustable hat from The Game! There's no better way to watch Kyle Busch speed past his opponents than in comfort and style. This hat features high-quality graphics and an adjustable strap for a relaxed fit. Nobody cheers harder for Kyle Busch than you will when you sport this hat!
- Adjustable hook and loop fastener strap
- Curved bill
- Curved bill
- High-quality graphics
- 100% Cotton
- One size fits most
- Structured
- Adjustable hook and loop fastener strap
- Officially licensed
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Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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Our Mission
To provide all playwrights with the opportunity to excel: by helping them tell their stories for the stage, fostering the development of well-crafted plays, and increasing the visibility of theatre in the community.
How we work
We offer readings, educational seminars, and opportunities for playwrights to see and hear their work onstage - from its earliest stages to the point when it's ready for a full production by a theatre.
Coming up next!
March 9, 2014, 7:30pm. THE NIGHTINGALE ROSE or THE BITCH OF BALACLAVA by Patricia Henritze - An Ethel Woolson Lab reading. A saint, a tyrant, an adversary, a friend: Florence Nightingale restlessly inhabits this play about the casualties of war and the high price of high tea. (more info)
Masterclass with Eric Ehn
March 21, 2014, 10am-4pm. Join us for WRITING SUDDENLY AND ABUNDANTLY - a process without blocks from inception to editing.
(more info)


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Vowing that he would consult with the involved prosecutors and work to improve the overall pardon process within the department, he said, "I've learned from that experience. I think that, as perverse as this might sound, I will be a better attorney general, should I be confirmed, having had the Mark Rich experience."
Specter pursued the issue further: "Given the background of this man, it's hard to brush it off, it seems to me, as a mistake. The guy had a reprehensible record. The guy was a fugitive," he said. Contending that Holder, who had years of experience with the department, was "heavily involved" in the pardon, he asked, "How do you explain it beyond simply 'It's a mistake?'"
Holder told the lawmaker that he didn't mean to "minimize" the issue by referring to it as a mistake, and that he takes his role in the matter "seriously."
Pulling out his glasses to examine a sheet of paper listing Rich's offenses, Specter questioned whether Holder had familiarized himself with the fugitive's alleged crimes before rating the petition. Admitting that he wasn't familiar with the detains at the time, Holder said he did know the matter involved "a substantial tax fraud case" and his fugitive status, but that he "did not know a lot of the underlying facts that you have described. And as I said, that was a mistake."
The tension was eased a bit when Kohl quizzed Holder on his ability to exercise his "responsibilities independently of what the president may or may not like" -- on the basketball court.
Referring to one of the President-elect's favorite pastimes, Kohl asked, "in the event, Mr. Holder, he invites you to the gym for a little one-on-one, will you promise us and the American people that you will do everything in your power to defeat him as badly as you can? My vote depends on your answer."
As the hearing room erupted into laughter, Holder, who was co-captain of New York City's Stuyvesant High School basketball team, pointed out that Obama is a decade younger, and plays more often. "Having said that, I've got a New York City game," he added, pointing out that the city has produced greats like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Nate Archibald, and that he learned to play "at PS 127 in Queens."
Though with a bit of practice, Holder said, "I think I could hang with him," but that he probably couldn't beat him, "nor do I think that would be a wise thing to do."
Holder began the hearing by saying that he intends to "lead an agency that is strong, independent, and worthy of the name the Department of Justice" if confirmed by lawmakers.
Saying he feels the "full weight of this responsibility" to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States," but that he would do so "in a fair, just and independent manner."
Laying out his goals for the department, Holder said terrorism would be his top priority, but that he would also work to restore the credibility of the Justice Department and will "reinvigorate the traditional missions of the Justice Department."
"Without ever relaxing our guard in the fight against global terrorism, the department must also embrace the historic role in fighting crime that it has, in protecting civil rights, preserving the environment, and ensuring fairness in the marketplace," he said.


text:
Product Information
Riverside Walk composed by Randy Edelman - Digital Sheet Music
from While You Were Sleeping
At a Glance
Riverside Walk digital sheet music. Contains printable sheet music plus an interactive, downloadable digital sheet music file.
* This product is available worldwide
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The Arrangement Details Tab gives you detailed information about this particular arrangement of Riverside Walk - not necessarily the song.
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The Song Details Tab gives you detailed information about this song, Riverside Walk.
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In this course Tim Grey takes a unique approach to teaching you to optimize your images in Photoshop. Rather than focusing on a particular "category" of adjustments, or being organized strictly by topic, this course will concentrate on specific images. Work along with Tim as he examines each image, sets goals for the final result, and optimizes the image based on those goals. Along the way you'll gain insights into tonal and color adjustments, image cleanup techniques, creative effects, and much more.
As I take a closer look at this image, I'm happy with the overall effect. But I think it needs to be rotated just a little bit, and I also think I'd like to crop most of the bottom. I like the water effect, but I feel that the image just sort of fades off down here toward the bottom edge of the image. And so I'd like to crop the image to get rid of that portion, and I can do both of those tasks, straightening and cropping, with the crop tool. So I'll get started by choosing the crop tool from the crop box. And before I even try to define the crop, I'm going to straighten it.
Now I need to choose which element in the image should be perfectly horizontal or vertical. Because I captured the image with a wide angle lens, there's a certain amount of distortion and that actually doesn't bother me in this case. So I won't worry about the left tower of the Brooklyn Bridge here or the buildings over on the far right. Instead, I'm going to focus on what's essentially the horizon in this image. It's not necessarily a true horizon, but because it's such a strong line, I think it's important that it appear relatively straight. So I'll choose the Straighten tool from the Options bar for the Crop tool.
And then I will click and drag along that horizon line in order to specify that that is the line that I want to be perfectly horizontal. You'll see that it's just a minor amount of rotation being applied to the image but it does improve the overall appearance. It makes it appear a bit more balanced I think. You'll notice that the crop by default comes inside the image. So when the image rotated the corners of the crop came in so that none of the crop box falls outside the image. So I don't need to necessarily move the crop box inward in order to preserve the full image, but I do want to bring the bottom edge of the crop box upward just a bit.
And I think right about there will work pretty nicely. It takes away the area of that water that I think is just not all that interesting and helps tighten up the overall composition. I also like to create a wider aspect ratio since we do after all have a grid spanning across the scene. Next, I'll make sure that the delete cropped pixels check box is turned off. Because as much as I want to crop the image, I don't want to end up in a situation where I want to undo or modify that crop and I've lost all of those pixels outside the cropped area.
With the delete cropped pixels check box turned off, at any time if I want to bring back the cropped pixels, I can simply choose image, reveal all from the menu. So with those settings established, I'll go ahead and click the Apply button on the Options bar. I could also double click inside the Crop Box or press Enter or Return on the keyboard in order to apply that crop, but now I have an image that I think is working a bit better relative to the original version. It didn't take much cropping or rotation, but I think it's had a good impact on the photo.
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text:
Big Brother fans be warned, James also said "I'm a wind-up merchant and I don't take myself too seriously." Cue fireworks
The trio have NOT appealed against a tax tribunal ruling from last May that the Icebreaker scheme they poured millions into was designed to exploit legal loopholes
I have imagined that I'm having sex with my female boss and also doing it with Gabby Logan, Carol Vorderman, Rachel Riley and even you
Lists of influential people are full of men. We made one that isn't
Despite the ribbing Katie more than handled herself on the ITV panel show
The rent-a-gob will appear on this week's episode - months after she her guest role was postponed
The Match of the Day star has admitted he feels helpless and has given up trying to help his friend
The Match of the Day presenter insists it it now popular amongst both sexes - Gary Lineker also predicted an increase in women involved in football on TV
The Jamaican sprinting superstar had a cheeky dig after Logan said people were enjoying the games without him and Yohan Blake
Gabby Logan will host the knock-out tournament where celebs will adopt their own darts persona - complete with nickname, costume and walk-on music
Organisers are predicting a staggering billion people will be tuning in tonight as 71 Commonwealth nations kick off the Games
Three of the four main presenters for the Glasgow games will be female
Sports presenter Gabby says: 'I invested in good faith'
The TV star, who will present for the BBC during the World Cup, could be ordered to pay money to HM Revenue and Customs
The drag queen entry from Austria won the hearts of people all over the world, and a few celebrity faces had something to say
Gary Lineker leads the star names jetting off for the tournament with 272 staff in total providing 50% more coverage than four years ago
Elena passed away in the early hours less than four months after she was diagnosed with the cancer of the liver
She passed away in the early hours less than four months after she was diagnosed with the disease
Bonnie Prince Charlie can nae fathom the Glasgae lingo when they've had a wee dram
Kiely's solo performance described as "the hardest dive ever performed on Splash!"
Richard Whitehead MBE was runner up after a close to perfect synchro dive
Adam Postans says it is the show that gives viewers lingering, live, underwater close-ups of Keith Duffy's arse after his trunks came down
The newsreader, who wed security consultant Mike in 2010, feared she would never have children after losing an ovary when she was 29
The show's co-host said her dream contestants would be David and Victoria Beckham while the London Mayor is a close third
The Mirror's TV critic is bemused why the celebrity show has been given a second series - an opinion clearly shared by the viewers
Olympic diver Tom revealed on YouTube in December that he was in a relationship with a man – 39-year-old Oscar-winning US film-maker Dustin Lance Black
A host of popular presenters will front the coverage of the tournament, including Gabby Logan, Hazel Irvine and Gary Lineker
"I had made the decision to downsize my commitments a while ago," said Wimbledon host, 57
The BBC's crime was to let it fester on the shelf for months like a used Mo Farah jockstrap down the back of a radiator
Sunday People TV critic Adam Postans reckons it's off-the-scale doolally


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|This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. (October 2013)
- For the corporation that used to be named Smith, Kline & French, see GlaxoSmithKline.
|Publicly traded Aktiebolag
|Traded as
|Gothenburg, Sweden
Key people
|Leif Östling (Chairman), Alrik Danielson (President and CEO)
|Bearings, linear motion products, seals, lubrication systems, maintenance products, grease
|SEK 63.597 billion (2013)[1]
|SEK 9.612 billion (2013)[1]
|SEK 6.224 billion (2013)[1]
|Total assets
|SEK 59.374 billion (2013)[1]
|Total equity
|SEK 21.436 billion (2013)[1]
Number of employees
|44,740 (end 2014)[1]
SKF, Svenska Kullagerfabriken AB (Swedish: Swedish ball bearing factory AB), later AB SKF, is a Swedish bearing company founded in 1907, supplying bearings, seals, lubrication and lubrication systems, maintenance products, mechatronics products, power transmission products[2] and related services globally.
The company was founded on Sven Wingqvist's 1907 Swedish patent No. 25406, a multi-row self-aligning radial ball bearing. The Patent was granted on 6 June in Sweden coinciding with patents in 10 other countries. The new ball bearing was successful from the outset. By 1910, the company had 325 employees and a subsidiary in the United Kingdom. Manufacturing operations were later established in multiple countries.
By 1912, SKF was represented in 32 countries and by 1930, a staff of over 21,000 were employed in 12 manufacturing facilities worldwide with the largest in Philadelphia, PA.
SKF began its operations in India in 1923 by establishing a trading outpost in Calcutta. The early operations involved importing of automotive bearings. SKF India Ltd was incorporated in 1961 following a collaboration between AB SKF, Associated Bearing Co. Ltd and Investment Corp. of India Ltd. In 1963, SKF set up its first bearing factory in Pune, Maharashtra.[3]
Assar Gabrielsson, SKF sales manager and Björn Prytz, Managing Director of SKF were the founders of Volvo AB in 1926. In the beginning, the company functioned as a subsidiary automobile company within the SKF group. SKF funded the production run of the first thousand cars, built at Hisingen in Gothenburg, beginning in 1927. SKF used one of the company's trademarked names: AB Volvo, which derives from the Latin "I roll", with its obvious connotations of bearings in motion. The ownership of Volvo lasted until 1935 when the last shares were divested.
In the 1970s SKF embarked on a massive production rationalization program in Europe. A visionary project, "Production Concept for the 80s" was launched with the aim to run the night shifts practically unmanned. To increase productivity and safeguard the product quality, a continuous, automatic flow of bearing rings was needed, so SKF developed the Flexlink brand. FlexLink created the multiflex plastic chain conveyor system to solve the business requirements. SKF divested FlexLink as a separate company in 1997.
Present day business[edit]
Today, SKF is the largest bearing manufacturer in the world and employs approximately 44,000 people in approximately 100 manufacturing sites that span 70 countries.[4] Turnover for FY2005 was SEK49,285 million, and total assets were SEK40,349 million. The SKF Group currently consists of approximately 150 companies including the seal manufacturer Chicago Rawhide. Since its founding, SKF's company headquarters have been located in Gothenburg. One recent acquisition was that of Economos, part of Salzer Holding, an Austria-based seal company, Jaeger Industrial and ABBA, Taiwanese manufacturers of linear actuators. The company's clients include General Electric, Rolls-Royce plc and Pratt & Whitney. It also supplies bearings for Ferrari racing vehicles, used in Formula One races,[5] and is a sponsor of F1. Another focus area is the energy sector, including wind turbines which generate electricity.
By 2013, SKF Industrial Market, Regional Sales and Services, made up about 40% of SKF's total sales.[6]
SKF employs 3000 people across six factories in India and has 27% market share of the industrial & automotive bearings market.[3]
SKF sells products within five technology platforms:
- Bearings and Units
- Mechatronics
- Lubrication Systems
- Services
- Seals
SKF and Business Excellence[edit]
SKF runs its own business excellence program for continuous improvement of its business processes in all parts of the company. The program is based on previous initiatives like TQM and integrates with lean management also statistical methods of Six Sigma along with related project management.[7] Many elements of this SKF program remind of the integrated approach of the actual EFQM model for Business Excellence.
See also[edit]
Company history references[edit]
- Fritz, Martin and Karlsson, Birgit (2006). SKF: A Global Story, 1907-2007. ISBN 978-91-7736-576-1
- Steckzén, Birger (1957). SKF: The History of a Swedish Export Industry, 1907-1957. (Swedish)
- ^ a b c d e f "Annual Results 2013". SKF. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
- ^ "Annual Report 2009" (PDF). SKF. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
- ^ a b http://www.livemint.com/Industry/HIXqvf8wM848UX9RBAQ0xK/SKF-and-the-business-of-movement.html
- ^ Manufacturing & Logistics IT Magazine
- ^ "SAMA Adds New Board Member". PR Newswire (via Yahoo News). 3 October 2013. Archived from the original on 3 October 2013.
- ^ "Business Excellence in SKF" (PDF). sandholm.se. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
(Presented by Tom Johnstone during the Lean & Six Sigma 2011 conference in Stockholm)
External links[edit]
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to SKF.


text:
Military notes: 04.23.10
Warrant Officer Omar G. Alvarez participated in the 35th Army Culinary Arts Competition at Fort Lee, Petersburg, Va.
This year's competition featured more than 160 military chefs from around the globe in more than 40 culinary categories. He is the son of Ricardo and Ana M. Hinojosa of Taft and is a 1998 graduate of Taft High School.
Airman Rafael J. Benavides graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio.
He is the son of Isabel Ferrera and Roberto Benavides, both of Corpus Christi, and is a 2007 graduate of King High School.
The Disabled American Veterans Chapter 150 and its auxiliary will meet at 7:30 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers building, 2301 Saratoga Blvd. Information: Cmdr. Lazaro O. Camarillo III, 779-6456.
The 213th Assault Support Helicopter Company "Blackcats" will have a reunion June 6-10 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Information: Terry Sanderlin at 505-550-0145; e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com or visit www.213thblackcats.com.
South Texas All Airborne Chapter, 82nd Airborne Association Inc., will host the annual Southwest Memorial Airborne Days Convention June 11-13 at the Holiday Inn Emerald Beach Hotel, 1102 S. Shoreline Blvd. Airborne qualified troopers from all branches of service invited. Information: 361-443-4060.
The USS Boston CA-69, CAG-1 and SSN-703 reunion will be July 8-11 in Washington, D.C. Information: Arthur L. Hebert, P.O. Box 816, Amherst, NH 03031-0816 or call 603-672-8772 or visit www.ussboston.org.
The USS Maddox Destroyer Association will have a reunion Aug. 26-29 at Embassy Suites Airport, 9000 Bartram Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. Information: Dennis Stokhaug, 262-679-9409 or email@example.com.
USS Curtiss AV-4 Association will have a reunion Sept. 15-18 at the Holiday Inn & Suites Hotel Tucson Airport North, Tucson, Ariz. Information: Bruce Snider, 113 E. Coolidge Ave., Harlingen, TX 78550-7792 or 956-423-3314 or firstname.lastname@example.com
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North east down
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North east down (NED), also known as local tangent plane (LTP), is a geographical coordinate system for representing state vectors that is commonly used in aviation. It consists of three numbers: one represents the position along the northern axis, one along the eastern axis, and one represents vertical position. Down is chosen as opposed to up in order to comply with the right-hand rule. The origin of this coordinate system is usually chosen to be the aircraft's center of gravity.
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A method and apparatus for effecting painless hypodermic needle administration of liquid anesthetics particularly in dentistry in which the needle is carried on a light wand and the anesthetic is delivered to the needle by motive means independently of the operator's fingers during penetration of the needle, with both the rates of penetration and expression of liquid being controlled to achieve intermediate numbing followed by a high rate of liquid expression, if desired, to achieve full anesthesia of the site.
1. A method for anesthetizing body tissue by means of local anesthetic using a hollow hypodermic needle, the steps of
establishing a uniform flow of anesthetic at a flow rate less than 1.0 cc. per minute through the needle no later than the instant of entry into the tissue
maintaining said uniform flow while moving the needle into the tissue, whereby said flow rate is sufficient to establish and maintain a sheath of liquid anesthetic around the forward portion of the moving needle thereby to anesthetize the path of travel of the needle.
2. The method of claim 1 including the steps of
maintaining the flow rate beneath that which would displace and tear tissue
and continuing the liquid discharge after the needle is fully implanted to form an anesthetic absorption plume around the needle tip to numb a localized space for further treatment.
3. The method of claim 2 including the step of thereafter increasing the rate of expression of liquid to drive the liquid to nerve sites within the localized numb area.
4. The method of claim 3 in which the increased flow rate is between 2 and 4 cc. per minute.
This invention relates to hypodermic anesthestic injection apparatus and methods, particularly as applied to dentistry.
Almost 100 years ago the excruciating pain of dental extraction, drilling and reconstruction was eliminated by the invention of local anesthetics. Ever since, however, one smaller but often agonizing pain has remained; ironically, it is the pain of the hypodermic injection itself. All practical attempts to eliminate it have failed. While narrow gauge, sharp hypodermic needles can be inserted into the soft fleshy tissues of say an upper arm essentially without pain save possible psychological pain, the pain of a hollow needle inserted into the hard, relatively inelastic gum and mouth tissues to engage the bone which carries the nerves to the teeth, is more often than not real. It is also complex. Pain can be felt when the needle first punctures the firm tissue and thereafter as the needle tip cuts through the tissue. Pain can be felt if the needle scrapes the bone membrane and even greater pain can be felt if the injected liquid mass distends and tears the tissue, particularly the interior tissue, away from the bone in one of the most sensitive portions of the body, before absorption and numbing occur. And pain can be felt if either the dentist or the patient or both are not steady, causing traumatic lateral displacement of the embedded needle.
The present state of the art in hypodermic anesthetic injections, particularly dental injections, is at best a hit or miss art reflecting the skill and luck of the operator rather than being a scientifically repeatable procedure. The tools are clumsy and ill-suited to their task, making the administration of local anesthetics in dentistry one of the less pleasant procedures for both the dentist and the patient alike.
The present invention has for its object to eliminate pain in all phases of and for all types of hypodermic anesthetic injection including four in dentistry considered most difficult and painful: the palatal, the mandibular, the interligamentary, and the maxillary anterior.
Another object of the invention is to provide a factory-sterilized, assembled and sealed hypodermic syringe sub-assembly of needle, handle and anesthetic vial, fully charged with anesthetic to provide an unbroken chain of sterility from manufacture to patient.
Another object of the invention is to provide a universal hypodermic syringe which can be used for all known dental injection procedures, which is pleasant and easy to use and which affords the dentist extraordinarily acute tactile response characteristics essential to good dentistry.
Another object of the invention is to provide a local anesthetic injection apparatus and method which reduces the amount of anesthetic required to perform dental procedures.
Nerves exit from the brain as large bundles or trunks. Much like a tree, the major nerves branch into smaller bundles. This branching continues until finally the nerves become individual fibers and spread in and around the cells of most all tissues in the body. On a microscopic level each nerve fiber is composed of cells aligned end on end and interconnected at each end by a synapse. When a stimulus is applied to a nerve ending, an electrical impulse or signal is transmitted from nerve cell to nerve cell and regenerated across each synapse, until it reaches the brain, where it is interpreted as pain, cold, hot, etc. When a local anesthetic solution is applied to a nerve, it blocks the signal transmission. The brain therefore receives no sensory information from the part affected by the anesthetic. At the cellular level this effect is immediate. It is believed that it occurs when the anesthetic comes in contact with a nerve part, rendering it instantly inoperative.
It is the object of dental injections to render the nerve bundles which supply the teeth and supporting structures free of pain sensation. These nerve bundles pass from the brain through the jaw bone to the teeth and gums. In instances in which the bone is spongy such as in the upper jaw (maxilla) the anesthetic can be placed at the outside bone surface adjacent to the tooth. The solution is absorbed by the porous bone and infiltrates to the tooth nerve. In other instances where the jaw bone is dense as it is in the lower jaw (mandible), the dentist must either block the nerve before it enters the jaw or he may attempt to force the anesthetic into the ligament space between the tooth root and the bone.
In all cases there is a delay before the anesthetic solution penetrates through the various tissues, and until it disables all of the fibers in the nerve bundle. During the injection procedure the needle point severs through tissues which contain live nerve endings causing pain, the injected anesthetic solution stretches these same tissues causing pain, and if the needle is moved laterally in these same tissues, it causes pain, all before the nerves in the main trunk are blocked.
The present invention provides a means whereby the nerves are disabled in the area of the injection and in the path of the needle before pain sensation is perceived. The needle is held in a stabilized trajectory and advanced slowly at a rate preferably, for example, not to exceed 6 mm/sec. through the tissues, and a flow of anesthetic solution is established concomitantly at a constant slow rate of 0.25 to 1.0 cc. per minute, surrounding the moving needle with a sheathing of anesthetic solution. Since nerve disability is instantaneous, needle penetration cannot be perceived as pain. When the needle reaches bone, if the constant and painless rate of flow of anesthetic is continued, tissue numbness occurs prior to tissue stretching. Once the surrounding tissues have been rendered numb, the rate of flow can be increased to expedite the procedure.
The instrument in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention, includes a low-inertia needle and elongated handle assembly either connected by a flexible conduit to an anesthetic vial, or itself containing an anesthetic vial, all of which can be pre-sterilized and disposable; stabilizing means for referencing needle movement and position to the site; and an activator or pump to expel extremely small volumes of anesthetic at a controlled rate, from the vial to the needle tip and, selectively, relatively larger volumes at high flow rates.
The needle assembly can comprise a narrow pencil-grip handle to allow the thumb and forefinger of the operator to implant the needle delicately to sense the essential proximity to bone while the other fingers stabilize the needle assembly against a fixed reference such as the teeth. In the case of the mandibular injection which is deep in the sides of the mouth at the ascending ramus of the lower jaw bone and which seeks a small window in the bone to the large bundle of interior nerves serving all lower teeth, the handle can be stabilized to the lower jaw, either by the fingers of the dentist or by a bite block, thus relieving the dentist of the fatigue attendant a large volume (about 2 cc.) injection over a period of up to one minute. The needle can be moved axially for a controllable distance and direction without the loss of sensitivity by the fingers holding the unit. If desired, a movable pressure pad and needle guiding and shielding tip can be used to pre-engage the injection site as the needle is moved through it into the tissue, or it can be manually moved to expose only as much of the needle as is required for the injection.
The expression of extremely small amounts of the liquid anesthetic from the needle tip is critical at the outset of the injections. It is difficult if not impossible to achieve consistently low flow rates using a conventional thumb-actuated syringe, particularly while the needle tip, invisible to the dentist, is cutting through the tissue. In accordance with the invention, an initial flow rate on the order of 0.25 to 1.0 cc. per minute or approximately 0.5 to 1.5 drops per second (from a 30 gauge needle) is generated beginning not later than the outset of the initial needle penetration. This can be best achieved by separating the liquid pumping function from the hand which performs the needle implant. A foot-controlled motor is one preferred embodiment in which the motor is of variable speed and in which the anesthetic pumping action is bi-directional to achieve the essential test to determine that the needle is not implanted in a vein or artery when the high injection rate begins. The pumping action can be arranged so that the pressure of the anesthetic is reduced below the patient's blood pressure for a controlled interval, briefly and automatically for one or more times during each injection and in any event at the instant before high volume pumping begins in a fixed spot. This allows visible blood to flow into a viewing capillary in the syringe in the event the tip is implanted by error in a vein or artery.
The sources of pain in hypodermic injections have long been recognized. Dental schools for example, teach care and steadiness in implanting the needle at precise locations, the need to achieve reverse flow to prevent injection of anesthetic directly into a vein, and an undefined slow injection rate, at least at first until numbness is achieved. The classic syringe instrument for doing all of this, a direct derivation from the medical intramuscular, subcutaneous and intravenous syringes, puts a heavy essentially unachievable burden on the dentist if the procedure is to be painless. The instrument is too heavy and it is held incorrectly to reflect optimum tactile sensations between the needle and the fingers of the dentist. It is all but impossible to achieve the uniformly low flow rates called for by the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 1,046,166 suggests separating the anesthetic pumping and needle implanting functions by using the foot to pump the liquid. It achieves pressures beyond those achievable by the thumb to force the liquid into the tooth dentin, but is not concerned with low inertia, low precision-controlled flow rates and the combination of needle insertion and preliminary expression of anesthetic. U.S. Pat. No. 3,496,937 recognizes the advantage of a pencil grip and of at least partially freeing the thumb from the axial-thrust pumping action but at the expense of increased size and weight, and it lacks any way of achieving back-flow to test for insertion of the needle into a vessel. Also, the stored energy in the resilient (or elastomeric) container is such that maximum pressure and flow occur at the outset and decrease with time, which is the opposite of that which is required in accordance with the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 966,128 discloses a power syringe adapted to be connected by a flexible rotating shaft to a dental lathe so that the dentist is freed from delivering the pumping forces. It does not disclose the method or apparatus whereby low, precision-controlled flow rates are established concomitantly with needle penetration, nor are selective high and low expression rates suggested. Overall, the prior art does not teach the combination of structures or the method which renders hypodermic anesthetic procedures repeatably painless and efficient for all types of injections.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrammatic representations in enlarged scale and in cross section illustrating the method of the invention as applied to one form of dental anesthesia;
FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrammatic representations in enlarged scale and in cross section illustrating the method of the invention as applied to an interligamentary dental anesthetic injection;
FIG. 3 is an anesthetic flow rate vs. time graph showing representative values for carrying out the invention;
FIG. 4 is a drawing partly in cross section illustrating an expendable sterile pre-charged anesthetic and syringe kit in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram partly in cross section illustrating one form of apparatus in accordance with the invention; and
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention.
The method of the present invention is described having reference to FIGS. 1 through 3. In FIGS. 1A and 1B the hollow pointed needle of a hypodermic syringe 10 is shown penetrating the soft gingival tissue T covering the bone B in which the root of a tooth (not shown) is imbedded. Prior to insertion of the needle into the tissue the syringe is filled with liquid anesthetic to the point at which a small drop appears at the opening in the tip of the needle. A flow rate for the anesthetic is then established through the needle in the range of 0.25 to 1.0 cc. per minute by means of apparatus described below. As the needle pierces the tissue preferably at a rate of penetration not exceeding 6 millimeters per second, anesthetic is expressed continuously and uniformly from the needle resulting in a sheath 11 of anesthetic from in front of the tip rearward which anesthetizes the path of travel of the needle rendering the insertion painless. When the needle reaches its desired position adjacent the bone, the relatively low continuous rate of anesthetic expression is continued creating a plume 11a constituting an expanded zone of tissue which is anesthetized due to infiltration of anesthetic into the soft tissue and the bone. This portion of the injection is termed "intermediate".
Referring to FIG. 3, this initial period of relatively low level anesthetic expression rate constituting the intermediate injection is shown on the time-rate graph as taking between 8 and 20 seconds, depending on the injection site and the particular requirements of the patient.
After the initial period of 8 to 20 seconds of low-rate injection of anesthetic the surrounding area becomes sufficiently anesthetized to enable the operator to increase the rate of flow to 2 to 4 cc. per minute until the desired degree of numbing is achieved. Such high rates of anesthetic expression normally cause pain due to stretching and tearing of the tissues, but having been pre-anesthetized no sensation is felt. Prior to beginning the high rate of injection a negative pressure relative to veinal blood pressure of the patient is established at the needle tip to reverse the fluid flow back into the syringe where it can be viewed by the operator for the presence of blood indicating a vein or artery has been entered which requires that the needle be repositioned. As shown in FIG. 3, the timing for the negative pressure phase can be on the order of 2 to 5 seconds. The actual reverse flow or aspiration of fluid represents the small total volume needed to fill the needle and viewing area beyond. The high speed expression of anesthetic, if needed, can be for a duration of 2 to 20 seconds depending on the nature of the injection. A mandibular injection at the ascending ramus of the lower jaw, for example, usually requires a full 2 cc. injection in a site deep within the lower jaw and takes the maximum time. The elapsed time of course varies with the rate of flow the upper limit of which is determined by the ability of the site to absorb the anesthetic liquid without creating such a large volume of unabsorbed liquid at the needle tip that tissue is torn from the bone.
Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, in which like parts are identified by like reference characters, there is illustrated an injection known as interligamentary, a normally difficult and painful injection in which anesthetic is forced under high pressure through the ligament space 11b between the bone and the roots of the tooth to the nerve N which enters the tooth at the root tip. The injection site is prepared by an intermediate injection using the low continuous flow rate of between 0.25 and 1 cc. per minute as the needle is inserted and thereafter against the bone for a total of 8 to 20 seconds (FIG. 2A) to achieve preliminary numbing. The needle is then placed as shown in FIG. 2B and a brief high speed injection rate of 2 to 4 cc. per minute is established to drive the anesthetic to the nerve N via the periodontal ligament space 11b. This enables the dentist to anesthetize an individual tooth for treatment with a minimum amount of anesthetic. The apparatus described below provides the flow rate and pressure necessary to achieve this injection method.
Referring to FIG. 4, there is illustrated an assembly of expendable parts comprising a sterile kit for one injection of anesthetic and used in conjunction with apparatus disclosed in FIGS. 5 and 6. The kit includes a handle or handpiece 12 carrying at one end a hollow hypodermic needle 13, preferably in range of 22 to 30 gauge, within a retractable transparent sheath 14 and connected at the other end to a length of flexible tubing 15. The handpiece 12 can be made of transparent plastic with a central bore 12a and is preferably in the range 8 to 18 centimeters in length and 20 to 50 millimeters in circumference.
The distal end of the tubing is connected to an anesthetic vial 16 which can be of conventional design formed of glass and containing a movable rubber piston 16a to seal in its 2 cc. anesthetic charge. The vial is housed in a transparent plastic container 17 sealed by a removable cap 18. The container includes a resilient rib 19 by means of which it can be mounted in the pumping apparatus of FIGS. 5 or 6 as described below.
The initial charge of anesthetic can if desired fill the tubing 15, the handpiece through-bore 12a and the hollow needle 14. With the sheath 14 and cap 18 in place the entire assembly can be factory-sterilized and sealed in a pouch for opening in the presence of the patient and discarded after one use. The sheath 14 includes a pierceable membrane 14a at its outer end so that it can be slid down the handpiece to expose three differing lengths of the needle in which position 1 constitutes an optimum length for an interligamentary injection, position 2 a maxillary injection and position 3 a mandibular injection. If desired indicia 12b can be formed on the handpiece 12 to indicate the three different positions in which the needle is stabilized to different degrees by the pierceable membrane.
Referring to FIG. 5 there is illustrated pumping apparatus for receiving the vial portion 16 of the assembly of FIG. 4 at a point remote from the patient but reachable by the flexible tubing 15. The plastic protective container 17 for the glass vial 16 is mounted in a yieldable coupling 18 so that the rib 19 secures the container and vial against axial movement with respect to a support 20. The support 20, which is part of a motor and motor controller housing (not shown), has an opening 21 through which passes a tubular piston rod 22, the outer end of which engages the rubber piston 16a in vial 16. A barbed tip 22a on the end of the piston enters the rubber piston to enable the piston to be withdrawn slightly when aspiration is called for. The piston rod is internally threaded to receive a drive screw 23 coupled to a reversible stepper motor 24. The piston rod 22 is axially slidably mounted in the support wall 20 and is constrained against rotation by a key 20a on the support and received in a slot or key-way 22b so that it is driven in and out upon activation of the stepper motor 24 to pump or aspirate depending upon the direction of rotation of the drive screw.
The stepper motor 24 is operated by a driver 25 controlled by a micro controller circuit 26 coupled to an ROM circuit 27 programmed to monitor the pulses to the stepper motor to establish limit stops for piston rod positions in and out. The circuit is also programmed to initiate an aspiration cycle, i.e., a small reverse motion for the piston 16a before every "fast" flow rate cycle. The fast, slow and reverse motions of the piston are controlled by the operator for slow, fast and reverse by means of switches 28 preferably foot-controlled or a combination of foot and manual control. The fast flow rate is geared to express liquid anesthetic from the needle tip at a rate of between 2 and 4 cc. per minute and the slow flow at 0.25 to 1.0 cc. per minute. The aspiration cycle is set to achieve in the form of reverse motion of the piston on the order of 1 to 2 mm. (or at least sufficient to draw back into the needle and the viewing portion of the handpiece viewable liquid drawn back from the tip of the needle to assure the operator that the needle has not been threaded into an artery or vein. This test must be done before the high rate of expression of anesthetic is commenced, whether it be immediately after the placement of needle in its final position or immediately before the high rate of expression is started. It must be gentle to avoid drawing the vein or artery wall against the opening in the needle.
The micro controller circuit includes manual push switches 29 and 30 for respectively, manually effecting rapid reverse of the piston rod for reloading and rapid forward for purging the system of air. An enunciator circuit for emitting a small audible tone upon the ejection of each, say, 0.5 cc. of anesthetic (measured by clocking the corresponding number of rotations of the shaft 23) provides a means of monitoring the injection without requiring the operator to look away from the site.
It will be understood that the apparatus of FIG. 5 is diagrammatic and can take various forms and arrangements. Reduction gearing can be provided between the motor 24 and shaft 23 if required to maintain constant discharge pressures which are particularly essential for the interligamentary injection requiring high pressure as well as a substantial flow rate to drive the anesthetic through the tooth ligament to the nerve at the root tip. Also, the threaded shaft 23 can be mounted to drive a threaded block follower carrying the piston rod in a laterally offset position relative to the threaded shaft and carried in its independent slide bearings.
In the arrangement of FIG. 6 the anesthetic vial and reservoir 40 is incorporated in the handpiece 41 together with a piston 42 and a coupling rib 43 adapted to be coupled to a drive rod head 44. A sheathed flexible drive rod 45 enters the head 44 and couples through a barbed tip 45a to the piston 42. The other end of the sheathed drive rod is connected to a motor housing 46, with the sheath being secured to the housing and the flexible push-pull drive rod being secured to a reciprocatable drive shaft 47 corresponding to the drive shaft 34 of FIG. 5. The switch controls and motor can also correspond to those of the system of FIG. 5.
While the invention has been described having reference to preferred embodiments it will be understood that it can take other forms and arrangements. For example, the controls for the motive means can take the form of low voltage electrical switches in the handpiece. In general, it is preferred that the handpiece be made light to afford the operator maximum tactile sensation for needle placement and to free the fingers for stabilization of the needle. Also, other means for driving the piston in the handpiece in the embodiment of FIG. 5 can be used such for example as a remote hydraulic pump connected by a hydraulic line to the back side of the piston. In such a system a double piston spaced by a spreader can be used to prevent leakage contamination. The invention should not therefore be regarded as limited except as defined in the following claims.
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A hairy tongue is caused by an overgrowth of the hairlike rough
surface of the tongue (papillae). The tongue will look like it is covered with
A person with a hairy tongue often has severe bad breath (halitosis).
Soreness is not usually present.
Causes of a hairy tongue include poor oral hygiene, decreased saliva
in the mouth, and side effects of antibiotic treatment. Hairy tongue can also
be caused by the overuse of some types of mouthwashes and by smoking or the use of
smokeless (spit) tobacco.
Hairy tongue is not a serious condition and will usually clear up
after the antibiotic or mouthwash is discontinued, saliva flow increases, or
oral hygiene improves. Brushing the tongue daily with a soft-bristled
toothbrush and toothpaste or a solution of 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 2 parts
water may help remove the hairlike growths. This may also help prevent hairy
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It was new and clean
Clean and comfortable.
AC a little difficult to control temperature.
The staff was amazing and building gorgeous. It is a one of the kind historical adventure.
Very nice and clean
The pool was beautiful. Very refreshing ! Good waffles.
The jacuzzi didn't have jets. The ice machine was broken. Old tv, not a flat screen.
The memory foam bed was nice as was the breakfast and soup for dinner. The TV was small but it's fine for just a night.
Free breakfast
Mattress was horrible in room 226. Woke up with. Ack ache. Also floor above us lose and makes a lot of noise.
Very nice property and very convenient to I-25.
Advertised pool and hot tub neither were working this is why we chose this obe
The gentleman at the desk was very helpful. He switched us to a room better suited to our needs and gave us helpful information about local activities.
The only criticism that I have is that there was a slightly odd smell in the room.
For the area, this hotel was fairly inexpensive. It was clean. The A/C unit worked great. Quiet except for the refrigerator. Internet was good and working. The woman who checked us in was very nice and they provided extra towels in a timely manner. There was an in room fridge and microwave.
The refrigerator sounded like it was coming in for a landing every few minutes or so. Take your earplugs. No hot water or coffee available except when a small continental breakfast was served.
Room size
Continental brjfst was minimal
Staff was rude I did not find any towels n the staff argued with me that there were towels when I asked for some. I found the towels after I received more, staff acted like they were going to charge me for them.
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KTM 1190 Adventure R: Anatomy of an Off-Road Superbike
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Burren Rider
Aussie Adventurer
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Northern NSW
Oddometer: 1,819
Originally Posted by
Great pics, but how is it on the dirt?
Compared to a decent 450, how much harder is the R to ride?
To be honest, this is a tricky one to answer. I think it largely depends on your riding style and how fast you like to get through the bush.
For a big bike, the weight distribution is incredibly good and the bike feels considerable lighter to ride than the spec sheet would indicate. Once you get past initial perceptions and ride it like a dirt bike, it is surprising where the bike will go.
For dirt roads and gravel tracks, I would take one of these any day of the week. The extra weight settles them and transforms the bike into a stable, almost guided missile. They do take a bit to pull up though and the speed can creep up on you if you aren't mindful of it. Don't know if this equates to being outright faster but it is certainly enjoyable.
Stepping up to flowing forest trails, the big bike is a lot of fun to ride and I have seen numerous instances of mates on 990's flying past enduro bikes as long as things aren't too snotty or loose. Personally, I love riding the big bikes on these sorts of trails but I try to keep things fairly smooth and composed. Given the comparison between the 1190 and my DRZ, I would still be considerably quicker on the DRZ (more room for error) but I wouldn't be surprised to see an 1190 float past me at speed in the right hands.
For soft surfaces (sloppy mud or loose sand) the little bike certainly makes things a whole lot easier. Same goes for snotty single track and the like where the weight, size and slow speed works against you. Plus they don't tend to crash as well as the more dedicated dirt bikes so it becomes an expensive hobby if you want to bash 'n' crash your way through the forest.
Sorry I can't be more definitive but I think it all comes down to rider ability, preference and style. If you are loose on a dirt bike and ride a 230kg / 150hp adventure bike accordingly, it is probably going to hurt you in the long run. Put the right mix of riding in front of an 1190R though and you will struggle to have more fun on two wheels.
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KTM 1190 Adventure R
Burren Rider
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Originally written on Fox Sports | Last updated 3/6/13
ANAHEIM, CA - NOVEMBER 05: Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins waits to face off against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on November 5, 2010 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Penguins got one of their best players back in their previous game, and the effect was undeniable. They could be in line for another boost with the possible return of defenseman Paul Martin on Thursday night against the Flyers in Philadelphia. The Penguins (15-8-0) went 2-2-0 without Evgeni Malkin after he suffered a concussion from a collision into the boards in a win over Florida on Feb. 22. Malkin experienced short-term memory loss and headaches while he was out but was able to return Monday, tallying a goal and an assist in a 4-3 win over Tampa Bay. The reigning league MVP has five scores and 18 assists in 19 games for a team that averages 3.5 goals, one of the top marks in the NHL. "He had guys shaking their heads at how strong he was (in Sunday's practice)," coach Dan Bylsma said of Malkin. "They were pretty amazed at how physical and strong he was on the puck, so to see him come out and play that way and be confident, I'm not real surprised." Malkin has ca...
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