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Should you become a $10/month gym?
I'm sick and tired of hearing gym owners talk about wanting to change to a $10/month business model. "Well Planet Fitness and every other cheap fitness center seems to be doing well, I think I'll try that too." To me it's laziness. It takes a lot of effort and time to offer the best service in town. But it takes nothing to drop your price to $10 and watch the people rush to become members. And there will be a rush, there always is whe ...
Negotiating the Lease on Your Gym
Over the past several years, vacancy rates in commercial spaces in many parts of the country were near 10%. If you were to sign a lease at that time, you could get away with asking for pretty much anything you want; and the landlord, for fear of missing out on a quality tenant, would likely give you what you wanted without hesitation. And though vacancy rates are now closer to 6% in many parts of the US, there are still great deals to be had ...
How Slippery is Your Funnel?
Just like there are many ways to skin a cat (as my dad says), there are many different ways to market your fitness business. You can utilize traditional "paid" external marketing, internal marketing, word of mouth marketing, guerrilla or grassroots marketing, and Internet marketing. Like I said, lots of ways. But what kind of sales model do you have built that complements AND maximizes your marketing efforts? I advocate what ha ...
Gym Personal Trainers Need to Wake Up!
I posted a picture of an indolent trainer at one of my local gyms and it got all kinds of buzz on my Facebook page. My friend and fitness business owner Michael Munson wanted to share his two cents. He recognizes that typical health club trainers do not offer as strong of a service as an independent trainer or small studio owner....BUT...he does offer his advice on how gym owners can fix the problem and have a solid training staff. Enjoy! -Cu ...
How to Deal with a Personal Trainer Stealing Clients from Your Gym
A gym owner friend of mine, Jake, is dealing with one of his trainers leaving the gym and taking many of his clients with him. It's not an uncommon story. His trainer planned his exit for months. He had been using the gym's resources to help give his business a jump start. He built a website, recruited a couple other trainers at the gym, let all of his closest clients know, started taking clients on the side for cash only, and a lot of ...
How to sell your gym…AND make more money until you do decide to sell!
Your gym is likely not actively being offered for sale, but you should always operate as if it is. Perhaps you believe you'll never sell your gym. That's perfectly fine. But what I've figured out is that if you run your business AS IF it were for sale, and you look at it through the eyes of a potential buyer…your business will be better for it because you'll identify issues, you'll fix those issues, and your business will improve. There's ...
The Best Mobile Apps for Gym Owners
Apps. They make our lives easier…and they also waste a heckuva lot of time. I polled a group of gym owners to find out what apps they couldn't live without. Of all of the hundreds of thousands of Apps now available on Apple, Android, Microsoft, and others, this seems like a pretty solid list of must-have apps for your smartphone. Evernote - My favorite tool in the whole world. I've been using Evernote for probably 4 years and I will l ...
How Facebook Timeline Will Affect Your Fitness Business
You might not be a big fan of change, well…Facebook doesn't really care what you think…they're changing the format of Facebook over the next few weeks whether you "Like" it or not. You might have noticed some of your friends using the new "Timeline" format. I'm neither impressed nor unimpressed with the change…but again, it doesn't matter what I think because it's Facebook's world…I'm just living in it. ...
How I ruthlessly protect my TIME
"Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can't make more time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time" -Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life I couldn't agree more with ole Rick. Time is so important that I've come up with ...
Fitness Marketing on Valentine's Day
A special thanks to Adam Bogar and Taylor Jarvis of Dynamic Training and Fit Escape Boot Camps for sharing this great strategy. They typically sell 50 units from this Valentine's Day promotion. This promotion assumes you have massage or some type of spa treatment at your facility. You could try this by bundling personal training along with it, but I don't know many of our significant others who would appreciate "Happy Valentine's Day...may ...
Pay Yourself First, Pay Your Bills Last
I strongly encourage you to pay Yourself First, then pay Your Bills Last You might be scoffing, thinking I obviously don't understand your financial situation. But hear me out... Tell me, why do you have to look at your balance in your personal checking account to make sure you have enough to cover a bill or to pay for something you want? Where did it all go? It feels like it was a good month at the gym...lots of new members, plent ...
How to Use QR Codes in Your Fitness Marketing
QR codes are turning up everywhere these days – on postcards, websites, magazines, television, and even billboards. The technology is a few years old now, but the fitness industry tends to be a few years behind, so it is perfect timing for you to implement this marketing strategy. What is a QR Code? QR stands for Quick Response, and it is essentially a barcode that you can place on all of your advertising that will send people to a dest ...
Should You Discount Family Memberships?
Offering discounts to family members has been common practice throughout the history of the fitness industry. Nearly all gyms offer a discount for additional family members, but it is very important to determine just how much of a discount to offer. When you think about it, it really doesn't make a lot of sense to discount memberships for family members. Your local movie theater wouldn't offer you a discount for buying an additiona ...
Trick-or-Treat Fitness Marketing
My good friends and clients Adam Bogar and Taylor Jarvis sent me this great Halloween fitness marketing strategy that has worked well for them in the past. They use the giftcards from www.fitnessgiftcards.com like crazy in their business, claiming that the cards have singlehandedly been the key to their success (true story). Well for Halloween they attach their gift cards to fun size bags of candy and provide candy to their bootcampers and mem ...
How to Give an Effective Tour
The tour is the perfect opportunity to convince a prospect to become a member of your club. Unfortunately, when done incorrectly, it's also a great way to lose a sale. I want to begin by saying that there is no "perfect" tour. However, based on my experience, here are some tips that will give you the greatest opportunity to close more sales. First of all, the tour strategies mentioned below require a proper tour setup, consisting ...
Does anyone ride the "be back" bus?
If you've been in this business for a while you've probably heard the old adage: "The be-back bus doesn't come back" or some other variation. The clichés were based on the fact that most times if a sale isn't made on the first day, the missed guest seldom returns. Consumers are too smart these days to fall for strongarm tactics or smarmy sales pitches. So there are many times, no matter how good you are, that you will miss sales. Co ...
Should I Offer a Guarantee to New Members?
Here is a question from a reader of the newsletter: Should I offer some type of "Guarantee" to my prospects to get them to join? This is currently one of the most debated questions in the fitness industry. With any type of guarantee offered, there is some level of risk associated with it. We know that most members won't participate on a regular basis and may try to abuse any type of guarantee system you put in place. Conversely, by of ...
Fitness Marketing Strategy: Drop a dress size in 4 weeks or your money back!
Here's a great promotion you can send to your existing members and clients. It's a quick way to fill a bootcamp class or get a few people in a group training program. It's called "Drop a Dress Size", and as the name implies, you'll be targeting women who want to drop at least one dress size in one month. This idea isn't new, but it's very effective. Some of Pat Rigsby's bootcamp clients had great success with this, and I remember Casey Co ...
Planet Fitness on Comedy Central
Here's a very funny video that The Daily Show on Comedy Central did on Planet Fitness and their "no meathead" policy. Enjoy! The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cThe Plight of Muscled Americanswww.thedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical Humor & Satire BlogThe Daily Show on Facebook
Second Place is the First Loser
Here's a great video for your viewing pleasure. If you needed a little more motivation at the end of your week, this should take care of it. See you at the finish line.
A Better Way to Determine Your Fitness Marketing Budget
Textbooks are overrated. I spent 21 years of my life in school (6 of those studying business), read hundreds of textbooks cover to cover, and remember very little. Textbook information definitely does not equate to real-world relevance. I remember that one of my marketing textbooks while I was finishing up my MBA stated that 13% of gross revenues should be reinvested into your marketing efforts. I say that's a very one-dimensional (and dang ...
What Motivates Us
This is a very cool video presentation that explains what motivates us in our personal and work lives. It's an excerpt by Daniel Pink, the author of "Drive" and various other books that I consider among my favorites
Find a Face for Your Fitness Business
Pretty much the entire world looks to a personality of some sort to explain why they're here, what their purpose is, and how all of this came to be. Some call it God, Buddha, Mohammed, and a variety of other names. People identify religions by a specific deity. It's the same in sports; you can typically identify a sports team by one or two or three superstars on the team. Think of products with mascots or personalities leading the way: T ...
The Joplin Tornado, Depression, and Moving Forward
As soon as I heard about the tornado that decimated my hometown of Joplin Missouri I booked an immediate one-way flight to go and help. I spent a couple weeks there working long days on recovery efforts, and since I returned to California last week, I've been in what I can only describe as a state of depression. All I can think about is what I saw there, the people my brother and I helped and got to know, how much I miss my family and how I wa ...
Are Women-Only Gyms Guilty of Discrimination?
The idea of a women only gym seems innocent enough. After all, many women may feel more comfortable exercising in a gym where there are no men around. In a women only gym, they would be more likely to give and receive open advice on their health condition and their workout plan. With women-centric trainers, females could likely get better advice as well as have options for activities that may not be available in co-ed gyms. There are also rel ...
Personal Training in a Health Club part deux
Here is a follow up video our Mastermind Member Nick Osborne created due to all the feedback I got from his first video. In this video, Nick speaks directly about what your trainers need to be doing to make YOU happy. There is often tension between trainers and gym owners because goals are not clearly defined, and expectations are not made clear. Nick will help you understand a few simple steps you can take to make this relationship solid a ...
Fitness Marketing Should be Very Touching
One of the biggest problems in fitness businesses, and in most small businesses for that matter, is the lack of consistency in marketing. Many gyms will ramp up their marketing efforts during a back to school drive and at New Years…and that is the extent of their marketing. This is a big mistake. Let's assume you take a more aggressive approach to marketing and you implement one marketing strategy every single month. While this is obvio ...
How to Handle a Low Cost Competitor
It's every gym owner's worst nightmare: You wake up one day to find that giant health club is coming to town and offering memberships at a fraction of what your rates are. Matching the lower price would devastate your profit margins, but ignoring the threat may cause your members to leave. Don't panic. Taking on a low price competitor requires a careful rethinking of how your business operates. The knee jerk reaction of many fitness b ...
Personal Training in a Health Club
Nick Osborne, one of our Elite Mastermind Members has PERFECTED personal training systems at his gym. His gym up in Ohio boasts nearly a 50% personal training penetration among members. Unreal right? It's actually not as difficult as you think as long as you follow Nick's proven system! In this 5 minute video, Nick shares why your personal training department isn't maximizing its potential and he discusses what you can do to fix it right away ...
Saturday Morning Awesomeness
Just a fun little Saturday morning pick me up. This was by far my favorite commercial from the Super Bowl. Puts a smile on my face every time... Was this your favorite too? If not, which one did you like best?
Using New Technology to Generate Leads and Automate Your Fitness Business
Text Messaging is king of the communication world right now. Thanks to American Idol and every other voting show, we know that people love to TEXT. Even human interaction itself seems to have diminished as everyone's thumbs seem connected to their cell phones. We as fitness professionals need to capitalize on this trend. If people won't look at your direct mail postcard, answer your phone call, or look at your flyers...we shouldn't keep ...
fitness postcards gone wild
This postcard can be color customized to match the branding of your facility. You can have our rates on this...we're not interested in profiting off of it, we're just interested in A) getting you into our world, and B) Starting your New Year marketing off on the right foot with a design that should jump start the flow of members into your facility next month. Here's how we do things in our camp...A direct mail piece alone is fine...you'll ...
Health Club Managment Ultimate Productivity Tip
There are obviously a lot of things you should be doing to gear up for our uber important first quarter of 2011, but really it all boils down to one MUST DO task. Make a List My mind is so full of stuff at any given moment, and if I didn't use this brain dump strategy, I would go crazy trying to remember all of them, much less try to do them in order of importance. And in fact, every once in a while I think I can just remember imp ...
25 Guerrilla Fitness Marketing Strategies
Here is a list of low-cost, no-cost grassroots fitness marketing strategies you can begin using to help make sure this upcoming first quarter is a huge success. A few have been used for a long time in our industry, but I'm sure there will be one or two that will stand out as strategies you should use. If you can implement these strategies consistently, you will generate new members. It just takes time as well as a commitment to integratin ...
A Monday morning Pick-Me-Up
A great video that reminds us why we do what we do, and why we work so hard for it...
A quick way to generate 10 new memberships this weekend
We all know the power of referrals. And we all know the power of a limited time only sale. What if we combine the two? Try this: Run a limited opportunity offer for the first 10 people who bring in a referral by Monday at end of business, you will give them _________. Now make sure that "fill in the blank" prize is AWESOME. Instead of the boring one month free, give them 3 months free. Or give them $50 cold hard cash for drinki ...
Live from the Australian Health Club Summit
I was able to sneak a little footage out from the event. I realize it's now bedtime Sunday night for those of you in the states, but here we're rockin and rolling at 2:30 in the afternoon on Monday. Kinda trippy right? These 70ish attendees paid a fair amount of money to come to this event so I can't sneak out a lot of footage, but wanted to get a few snippets to you over the next couple of days. Here is a short 5 minutes I captured of Am ...
2 Powerful Low-Cost Fitness Marketing Strategies
You and I both know that we don't have unlimited amounts of cash. If we did, we certainly wouldn't be banging our heads against the walls of our gym to think of ways to make ends meet...Nope...we'd be in Fiji enjoying all of our riches, being fed grapes and getting a foot rub. But reality sets in and you realize that the budget you do have for marketing, must be spent wisely. Here are three low budget strategies that are work ...
If you won't take my money, someone will
As you know, I just moved to California a month ago. Shortly after I got here I joined the 24 Hour Fitness that is just up the street from me. Well we recently secured office space, which is conveniently in a building with a small gym on the lower level. So I thought it convenient to be able to grab a quick workout there when I need a 15 minute break or for on those rare mornings that I feel motivated to exercise early in the day (note: th ...
A Sweet fitness marketing strategy for member referrals
When was the last time you received flowers or balloons that weren't from your mom or significant other? Probably never right? This strategy is so simple, you'll kick yourself for not having thought of it sooner. And it is so powerful that you'll want to implement it beginning today. When you have a new member join or one of your clients reaches a goal they've worked hard for, send them flowers or balloons to their work. Yes, ...
Where in the World is Fitness Business Television?
Techical difficulties suck for me, but you benefit from it! Since I'm late on the show this week, here's a special gift. It's my Inner Circle print newsletter from a few months ago. It is titled: "A Powerful Collection of Sales Techniques to Help You Overcome Objections and Close More Sales Than Ever Before" Click the title above to download your special gift. Expect the new show to go out over the weekend!! Who knows, maybe y ...
#1 Secret to maintaining profits at your fitness business
So the number one secret to continuous profits is...drumroll please... Set Daily Goals Aw come on Curtis, I wanted a real strategy not a boring generic one. Well guess what, if you skip this strategy, you might as well skip all of the strategies I share because this is the foundation for profits each month. And it's so easy I can show you how to do it in two steps... 1. Determine how much you want to make each month The way I ...
If you can watch this without being inspired, you suck at life.
This is one of the most inspirational videos I have seen in a while. I love Muhammad Ali as well as the movies Rocky, Gladiator, Snatch, Coach Carter...and when you combine all of these into one video. Watch this and you'll feel like taking on the world.
The Only fitness marketing numbers you need to know
One of the first things I do with a new client is look at two numbers. These two numbers help me understand why your marketing has/has not been working, and why your bottom line hasn't been increasing even though you feel you're selling more memberships. These two numbers are: Cost of New Member Acquisition (COA) and Lifetime Member Value (LMV) COA tells us the average amount it costs you to acquire one new member. LMV is how much a typ ...
Fitness Website Critiques Part One
Here are a few fitness website critiques recorded live in a video for a select few Fitness Business Television viewers. If it seems like I'm picking on them, I'm not. I'm a tough love kind of guy. If I didn't mention something that could be improved, and they lose the opportunity to sell more members and clients, then I'm doing them an injustice. Happy viewing!
Fitness Website Critiques Part Deux
Here you go boys and girls. Your website critiques are live and in living color. Oh, and by the way, I haven't announced it yet, but I started a true blog to share my innermost feelings on this site. You can see the "BLOG" tab above. Not much there yet, but there will be. I'll let you know if I ever have anything interesting to say :) Oh, and if you want to see these website critiques in full screen (which is much better), just click t ...
The most influential people in my life
If I had to look back over the years at the people who made the most difference in my life, my list would be very short. The reason is because 99 percent of people in this world are satisfied with being average. I am not satisfied being average. In fact, I go to conferences and pay to be in mastermind groups just so I can be around people who are as driven as me. It's why I only take on the most motivated gym owners as clients. I can ...
Who ate Curtis Mock?
The past few months while filming FBTV, I've stopped writing my blog and I've really missed it. And I have no doubt you've missed me. I write for plenty of other magazines, websites and blogs, but most times I don't get to be myself. For some reason, my crude humor and grammatically incorrect writing style isn't what they're looking for...or should I say, is not that which they are looking. Whatever... So I added a blog on here to share m ...
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text: I'm Having Horrible Issues Concentrating And Remembering... I Have Been Driving A 5 Speed For Over 8 Years Now And It's Like I Forgot How To Drive One... I Killed My Car 5 Times Just Today! I Take Cymbalta In The Morning And Plaquenil And Xanax At Bedtime And The Tramadol As Needed Which I Try Not To Take But Once Or Twice A Day... Do You Think It Could Be The Medications? Stress? Or Maybe The Lupus Causing My Concentrating/Memory Problems?

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"Detail of the Brooklyn Bridge." is an art print by Alfred Eisenstaedt from The LIFE Picture Collection. Get photo prints of "Detail of the Brooklyn Bridge." in a variety of frames, styles, and materials.
Alfred Eisenstaedt (1898-1995), or Eisie to those who knew him, received his first camera as a gift from his uncle at 14, a few years after moving to Berlin from Poland with his family. At 17, he was drafted to the German army. His interest in photography blossomed while recovering from a shrapnel wound. He became a regular at museums, studying light and composition.By 31, he was a full-time photographer. In 1933 he was sent to Italy where he shot the first meeting between Hitler and Mussolini. Two years later, when Hitler came to power, Eisie immigrated to America.Soon after arriving in New York, he was hired along with three other photographers—Margaret Bourke-White, Thomas McAvoy and Peter Stackpole—by Time Inc. founder Henry Luce for a secret start-up venture known as "Project X." Six months later, LIFE magazine premiered on November 23, 1936. The first issue sold for 10 cents and featured five pages of Eisie's pictures.His most famous photo was the kiss in Times Square on V-J day, about which he said, "I was running along the street grabbing any and every girl in sight. Whether she was a grandmother, stout, thin, old, didn't make any difference. None of the pictures that were possible pleased me. Then, suddenly in a flash I saw something white being grabbed. I turned and clicked the moment the sailor kissed the nurse."Over his career, Eisie shot a total of nearly 100 covers for LIFE magazine and some 10,000 prints.
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A review by Jeremy Hardin
About the author:
Jeremy's love of gaming, especially Nintendo started in the late 80's when his parents bought him and his older brother an NES. Many hours were spent playing Mario and Duck Hunt. Eventually Jeremy graduated to bigger and better games and systems, like the SNES, GC, Wii, 3DS, and finally to the Wii U. Ask him what the defining moment of his childhood gaming was and he'll answer, "the day I beat Zelda 2." To this day that game holds a special place in his heart. His favorite types of games are platformers.
Jeremy started blogging for NintendoFuse in October 2010. He started off as a lurker on the forums who won a free copy of And Yet It Moves on WiiWare. From there he realized he liked the forums and the site and wanted to remain a part of it. He was brought on board shortly thereafter and has helped post news and reviews for the past couple of years. Currently Jeremy has taken a step back to focus on family and school. He assists in minor back-end site maintenance from time to time.
Jeremy – who has written 708 posts on NintendoFuse.
I've had my eye on this one, since before launch. I keep forgetting to print off one of my store coupons, but I'm planning (maybe tomorrow!) to grab an eShop card for more purchases.
Do you know from start to finish, just concentrating on the main levels, how many hours it would take?
I am so addicted to this game! I need more levels! Now!
Depending on your gaming skill level, I would guess about 8 to 12 hours gaming time to make it through every level for the first time. The addiction kicks in once you've opened everything up, including survivor mode. Then an overwhelming need to improve your score and best your number of consecutive rounds survived will swallow your soul.
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Ceez (Cesar Luciano)
Song: Faith
Lately, it seems like every rapper and their mother's been switching out a short, snappy moniker for a long one; often, they simply roll with their government name. Ever the nonconformist, Cesar Luciano has bucked that... More
Posted 8 months ago
Artist: Khary Durgans
Featuring: Ceez (Cesar Luciano)
Song: Prometheous
In Greek mythology, Prometheus was known as the Titan who stole fire to give to man and while Providence spitter Khary Durgans likely won't be plotting to steal your bonfire anytime soon his goal of making "music... More
Posted 2 years ago
Infamous Dominican Diplomat, Porfirio Rubirosa (a.k.a. "The Original James Bond") made his mark as an International Playboy, for his jet-setting lifestyle and his legendary prowess with women. DJBooth regular Cesar... More
Posted 3 years ago
Featuring: Danny London
Song: Fly
Cesar Luciano just doesn't know how to stop. Just three days after the release of his highly rated Make a Move, the Rhode Island emcee is right back at it with his latest offering and DJBooth world premiere, Fly. Backed... More
Posted 3 years ago
Song: Make A Move
When it comes to this so called game, the rest of you fools are playing checkers, but Cesar Luciano is playing chess. So go ahead, Make Your Move, chances are Luciano's already been there. On his latest release Luciano... More
Posted 3 years ago
Song: Young James Bond
After decades of films and numerous incarnations, Agent 007 is still synonyous with stylish cool. On newly-released album inclusion Young James Bond, making its world premiere in the Booth, Cesar Luciano dons that iconic tux... More
Posted 3 years ago
Song: Don't Wake Me Up
If the success Cesar Luciano's currently enjoying is all a dream, then he kindly requests you let him sleep. Making its world premiere right here on our front page, new single Don't Wake Me Up finds the Rhode... More
Posted 3 years ago
Song: Gettin' High
Last we heard from Cesar Luciano, he was grappling with heartbreak on March album leak Upside Down. Fast-forward a couple weeks and I'm happy to say that the Rhode Island rhymesayer's turned his mood... More
Posted 3 years ago
Song: Upside Down
Once you've gotten used to the comforts of a relationship—which doesn't take long, in my experience—the departure of that special guy or girl from your life is enough to turn your whole damn world Upside Down.... More
Posted 3 years ago
Featuring: ESSO
Song: Can't Tell Me Nothing
Thinking about hating on Cesar Luciano? Save your breath—on a standout off his recently-released Booth-sponsored mixtape, the rap buzzmaker assures his critics, "You Can't Tell Me Nothing." Over Marv... More
Posted 3 years ago
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Sept. 9, 2011
Complete Stats: UNM 3, UC Irvine
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico volleyball team was victorious in its first match of the Comcast/Sheraton Lobo Invitational. The Lobos took down the UC Irvine Anteaters, 3-2, Friday night in front of 2,192 fans.
UNM was finally able to get the "early-start monkey" off its back, as the Lobos took the first set over UC Irvine 25-17. From there the match proved to be a battle between two teams that refused to go quietly into the night.
UC Irvine and the Lobos traded games back and forth up until the 5th and final set. UC Irvine battled back to take the second set, 25-22, over the Lobos, UNM took the third 25-15, the fourth was 25-20 in UC Irvine's favor and the fifth belonged to the Lobos, 15-9.
"Overall it was a good match for us," head coach Jeff Nelson said. "We played incredible defense; we had 105 digs tonight."
It wasn't the dominating match the Lobos have been looking for all season, but it was a very good test of will against a very good opponent. And, thanks to Ashley Rhoades, UNM didn't have to worry too much about getting a boost from its electric senior.
"We wanted to come out strong to start the match," Rhoades said, "and I think we did that. I didn't want to lose, and I know my team didn't want to lose, so I just turned it up and the team followed me."
Game One: Lobos 25, UC Irvine 17
The Lobos came out firing on all cylinders in the first set. Rhoades recorded six kills in only 10 attempts for an incredible .600 hitting percentage. Mariah Agre picked up right where she left off in the Lobos' last tournament, serving up eight assists. It was a nice change of pace for the Lobos to win the first set, as taking game one has been their Achilles heel in previous matches this season.
Game Two: UC Irvine 25, Lobos 22
UC Irvine battled back with a vengeance in the second set. Aly Squires and Shannon Flemming led the Anteaters, both recoding four kills. The Lobos didn't help themselves at all after committing six errors in the set. Kelly Williamson showed some life after a slow start in game one, recording five kills and five digs. Rhoades continued her aggressive attack by recording five kills as well. Unfortunatley, the two seniors couldn't help UNM win the set.
Game Three: Lobos 25, UC Irvine 15
The Lobos obviously didn't like the Anteaters' taking game two because UNM came out pumped up to begin the third set. The Lobos took an early 8-2 lead in the set, prompting UC Irvine to call a timeout to regroup. The timeout didn't do the trick, however, as the lobos kept their foot on the gas pedal, taking the set 25-15. Allison Buck, who seems to be the Lobos' rock when it comes to consistency, continued to add statistically to her already fantastic defensive season. By the end of the third set the senior had already come up with 19 digs to help the Lobos to a 2-1 advantage.
"Allison is the best libero I've ever seen," Rhoades said. "I thank the lord that she is on my team."
Game Four: UC Irvine 25, Lobos 20
The fourth set was a dramatic one. The Lobos and Anteaters were deadlocked for the majority of the time. Just as it seemed the Lobos would call it a night and take charge, UC Irvine came alive to take the set and tie the match at 2-2. UC Irvine's combination of Mary Carls and Kristin Winkler proved to be too much for the Lobos in the fourth set. Carls had 11 assists in the set to up her total to 37 on the night, while Winkler corralled nine digs to bring her total to 28.
Game Five: Lobos 15, UC Irvine 9
After trading games back and forth the entire match, the Lobos finally decided they have had enough. UNM finally took down the resilient Anteaters 15- to win its first match of the Comcast/Sheraton Lobo Invitational. Rhoades ended the match emphatically, soaring high above everyone else and laying down the hammer to finish off the Anteaters. Rhoades finished the match with a career-high 26 kills, with Williamson and Chantale Riddle each adding 12. Agre finished with 52 assists and Buck notched a new career-high in digs with 34, 10 more than her previous career best.
"Ashley is an amazing athlete and has the ability to come up big at any time," Nelson said.
"I feel like we fought really hard," Agre added. "In game four we just didn't finish, but in game five we came out with a vengeance and weren't letting it sit by us."


text:
There is provided an RFID transceiver, typically in the form of a prox-wafer. The transceiver is suitable for lamination or encapsulation into newly manufactured identification (ID) badges and similar articles. These ID badges are suitable for identifying and/or authenticating a person or object when used in conjunction with an RFID identification system. The proximity badges formed using the RFID transceivers are superior to conventional magnetic stripe, bar code, or "smart chip" badges because no direct contact with a badge reader is required and the element containing the identification code is not easily corrupted.
1. An RFID transponder for upgrading an existing identification badge, comprising:
a) a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface;
b) an RF identification signal processing circuit disposed proximate said upper surface of said substrate;
c) an antenna electrically connected to said signal processing circuit and disposed proximate said upper surface of said substrate; and
d) adhesive means operatively connected to said lower side of said substrate for attaching said transponder to an existing identification badge.
2. The transponder in accordance with
3. The transponder in accordance with
4. The transponder in accordance with
5. The transponder in accordance with
6. The transponder in accordance with
7. The transponder in accordance with
8. A badge for identifying an equipment operator, a service person or an employee, comprising:
a) a substantially planar, substantially rectangular, laminated card; and
b) a transponder adhesively attached to said laminated card, said transponder comprising:
i) a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface;
ii) an RF identification signal processing circuit disposed proximate said upper surface of said substrate; and
iii) an antenna electrically connected to said signal processing circuit and disposed proximate said upper surface of said substrate.
9. The badge in accordance with
10. The badge in accordance with
11. The badge in accordance with
12. The badge in accordance with
13. The badge in accordance with
14. The badge in accordance with
This application claims priority in accordance with 35 U.S.C. �119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/336,379, filed Dec. 6, 2001.
The present invention relates to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems and, more particularly, to a small implantable or encapsulatable RFID transponder suitable for attachment to existing badges (e.g., employee ID badges, etc.) or for incorporation in newly manufactured badges. A method for efficient transition from an older identification badge system to an RFID-based proximity badge system is also provided.
Identification (ID) badges are routinely used to identify people and objects. Typically, these badges are used in cooperation with an access control system to ensure only authorized personnel or objects are admitted to a particular facility or area. Such access control systems usually rely on identification information encoded on a magnetic strip of the ID badge, a scannable bar code imprinted on the ID badge, or a "smart" chip embedded in the badge. Each of these types of information carriers suffers from at least one disadvantage. Magnetic strips are easily damaged and may quickly become unreadable in one or more access point badge readers. Likewise, bar codes may become unreadable because of mutilation or dirt covering them. ID badges having smart chips require direct electrical interconnection with a reader and contacts on the card and/or the reader, and may easily become dirty, thereby rendering the badge unreliable.
These problems may all be overcome by using an information carrier that does not require direct contact with a reader and carries information in a relatively indestructible manner. These types of identification devices are known as proximity badges.
The present invention provides a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transponder suitable for inclusion on either existing ID badges or in or on new badges. The ability to retrofit an RFID transponder onto the face of an existing ID badge can save an employer, agency, or other ID issuing entity significant time and cost.
Typically a re-badging process is undertaken when a smaller company is bought out by a larger company, two companies merge and one or both undergo a name change, a new company "look" (i.e., colors, logo, etc.) is being implemented, or other numerous reasons unrelated to the invention. The process usually requires all badged personnel (i.e., employees, contractors, etc.) to make an appointment with the Human Relations office or other badge issuing entity for a photo session. Photos must then be processed and merged with information, and ultimately the new ID badge must be printed, laminated, and issued. While the cost of the badges usually is small, the time each employee uses for the process costs the issuing agency significant money. One estimate is that the wasted employee time is five to ten times the actual cost of an RFID ID badge. This high overhead cost is a significant factor in keeping owners and managers from switching to a newer, high-reliability ID badge technology such as RFID.
The present invention features an RFID transponder suitable for use in laminated or encapsulated ID badges or similar structures. In addition, the inventive RFID transponder may be retrofitted onto existing ID badges thereby providing an easy transition to a high-reliability identification technology without the usual overhead associated with a re-badging process.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an RFID transponder suitable for lamination, encapsulation, or simple stick-on into a structure such as an ID badge.
It is another object of the invention to provide an RFID transponder suitable for use in proximity ID badges.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide an RFID transponder suitable for retroactively adding to existing ID badges.
A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent detailed description, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a badge having an RFID transponder mounted on a surface thereof in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of an RFID transponder (i.e., prox-wafer) as shown on the badge of FIG. 1.
The advantages of using a proximity technology for identification (ID) cards, tags, badges, etc. cannot be overestimated. Using proximity technologies, high-durability, high-reliability and secure identification tags, badges, etc., may be fabricated. The identification badges of the instant invention use a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. The term badge shall be used herein to refer to any relatively thin identification tag, card, badge, or similar structure typically used to identify or authenticate a person or object.
Referring to FIG. 1, a plan view of a typical ID badge 100 is shown. An aperture 102 with an attachment clip, lanyard, etc. (not shown) for attaching the badge 100 to a person (not shown) or another object to be identified (not shown) is provided. Typically, the badge 100 will include a photo 104 and other indicia 106 (i.e., written or graphic material) shown disposed in the lower left corner-of the badge 100. Indicia 106 could, of course be located in other areas of the badge 100, typically appearing in many diverse regions on the-face or, in some cases, also on the back (not shown) of the badge 100.
Also attached to a front face of the badge 100 is an RFID transponder (i.e., proximity wafer or "prox-wafer") 108. A suitable prox-wafer is provided by Applied Wireless ID (AWID) of Monsey, N.Y. as its Prox-Linc™ product. The RFID transponder 108 typically has a beveled edge 110 to present a substantially smooth interface between the front surface of the badge 100 and the transponder 108. It will be recognized that edge treatments other than a bevel 110 could be applied to the transponder 108. The transponder 108 is typically a passive RFID transponder although an active RFID transponder could be used in alternate embodiments. The transponder 108 used for purposes of disclosure incorporates an internal antenna 112 (FIG. 2). This facilitates the retrofitting of the transponder 108 to the existing badge 100. In alternate embodiments, the antenna 112 could be located externally to the transponder 108 and could be disposed in an interior portion of the badge 100. The RFID transceiver 108 may be either a half duplex or full duplex device as required for a particular RFID identification system.
Referring to FIG. 2, a schematic sectional view of the transponder 108 is shown. The RFID transponder 108 used for purposes of disclosure is a thin, circular structure having a diameter approximately that of a quarter (coin). The thickness of the transponder 108 is approximately one half the thickness of a quarter, the same thickness as a typical debit or credit card. It will be recognized that transponders having other sizes, shapes, and/or thicknesses could also be used in the application to meet a particular operating requirement or environment. The transponder 108 typically contains a substrate 114, an RFID identification signal processing circuit 116 having an antenna 112 electrically connected thereto. A case 118 encloses the aforementioned components of the transponder 108. Typically, the case 118 is sealed to the substrate 114 with an epoxy seal (not shown); of course, other suitable sealant materials may be used.
In alternate embodiments, the case 118 could be an epoxy cap encapsulating the aforementioned components to the substrate 114. In retrofit applications, the transponder 108 is typically affixed to the face of the badge 100 using a layer of adhesive 120 placed between the rear surface of the substrate 114 and the face of the badge 100. Any adhesive suitable for retaining the transponder 108 to the face of the badge 100 may be used. It will be recognized that other methods of affixing the transponder 108 to the badge 100 could be utilized to meet a particular operating requirement or environment.
The operation of RFID identification systems is well understood. The addition of the RFID transponder 108 to a badge 100, either by retrofitting an existing badge or embedding a transceiver 108 within a new badge at the time of manufacture, creates a badge that uniquely perturbs a radio frequency (RF) field emitted by an RFID reader (not shown). The unique perturbance of the RF field is interpreted by the RFID reader (not shown) as a unique identification associated only with a particular RFID transponder 108 that, in turn, is associated with a specific person or object.
Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating conditions and environments or designs will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the examples chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers changes and modifications that do not constitute departures from the true scope of this invention.
Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims.
Patent Citations
Referenced by
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text:
A new species of tree found only in Ecuador is named after natural historian and broadcasting icon, Sir David Attenborough.
Blakea attenboroughii is a beautiful tree with magnificent bright blue flowers that has now been formally described and published in the Proceedings of the Californian Academy of Science.The discovery was made in November 2007 when American botanist, Lou Jost, who works with the World Land Trust's Ecuadorian project partners, Fundación EcoMinga, was taking a WLT staff member and a representative from their sponsor, Puro Coffee, to visit the newly created nature reserve at Cerro Candelaria in Ecuador.
John Burton, the CEO of the World Land Trust commented, "Ever since the scientific naming of species commenced it has been used to honour great contributions to biology, and everyone involved was agreed that Sir David's contribution to scientific knowledge of animal and plant life are second to none."
Sir David Attenborough has been supporting the foundation and being a patron since 2004, when he launched a campaign to raise funds for the purchase of a rainforest reserve in Ecuador.
The reserve areas purchased by local Ecuadorian conservation groups, with funding from the World Land Trust, are proving to be a real treasure trove of biodiversity with many new species of orchid and other wildlife being discovered.www.worldlandtrust.orgwww.davidattenborough.co.uk


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Apps Posts - Page 14
Google+ app for iOS devices gets updated with new photo features
Google has announced a new update to the Google+ app for iOS users. The update aims to lure more Apple device users to the Google social network by offering new photo playback and sharing features. The newly updated app for iOS users is available for download right now.
Google has added a new Stories feature that makes it easy for users to build digital photo books. Stories was announced for Android and web users last month and makes slideshows easier to put together.
Continue reading 'Google+ app for iOS devices gets updated with new photo features' (full post)
Smartphone security software takes a pic of thief and emails owner
One of the most common crimes in the US is smartphone theft. Hoards of smartphones are stolen or lost each day resulting in lots of money spent replacing devices and more work for police. A company called Lookout has released new security software for smartphones that helps a user find their device and get a look at the person who found it.
The security app is able to alert the owner of the phone to suspicious activity on your phone. If someone types in the passcode wrong three times, the phone will email the owner to alert them with the location of the device and a look at the person who is holding the phone.
Continue reading 'Smartphone security software takes a pic of thief and emails owner' (full post)
Download the ctOS Mobile companion app for Watch Dogs now
Watch Dogs launches just hours from now, so you'd better get the companion app, ctOS Mobile. ctOS Mobile is available for both iOS and Android, is free, has no microtransactions and doesn't require players to own Watch Dogs, either.
Ubisoft's ctOS Mobile app includes two modes, the first is Race - where the distance between checkpoints are short for gamers who have GPS enabled. The second is Free Ride, which opens up the distance of the checkpoints and turns the GPS off. As Watch Dogs gamers reach the checkpoints, they gain time, with gamers sitting on their mobile devices using the ctOS Mobile app can hack the city through a top-down view.
Using the mobile app, they can trigger barricades, set off explosions, call in assists from helicopter-stationed snipers, and the police. ctOS Mobile players have the task of stopping the gamers in Watch Dogs, and if they assist, they win. Just don't download the torrent copy of Watch Dogs, folks.
Yelp to let users add video to their business reviews
If you watch any of the restaurant failure shows such as Kitchen Nightmares or Restaurant Impossible, you will see just how much a bad eating establishment hates rating and review apps such as Yelp. Unfortunately for them, they are about to hate Yelp even more as the company is preparing to launch video reviews on its service.
Coming in June, Yelp will begin allowing users to upload videos to their reviews of business establishments. Unfortunately this new feature will only be available to Yelp's elite reviewers for the time being, but will be trickled down to everyone as time progresses. This could be a very good way to showcase server staff who are rude or just plain obnoxious, as well as showcasing health concerns such as bugs, and dirty eating space.
The Secret anonymous app now released for Google Android
The Secret social networking app, less than four months after initial launch for the Apple iPhone, is now available on the Google Android platform. The new Android version includes streams of messages posted by friends and friends of friends, or a second stream shows comments posted by people in the same geographic region.
"You see people in London, England, and Australia and New Zealand using the product when we go to bed," said David Byttow, Secret co-founder, in a statement to the San Jose Mercury News. " And it's funny because they post a lot of the same things that we see here in the U.S. People come on the platform and talk about their love life or their aspirations or things they are thinking and feeling."
A quick test of the Android app reveals a curious mix of serious, comical, and sometimes rather bizarre messages. As more people begin to adopt the social networking app on Android, expect to see newer content posted in the coming days.
Spotify now has 10 million monthly paying subscribers
Today Spotify confirmed that it has a total of about 40 million monthly users, but the biggest news is that the service has managed to attract about 10 million of those users to join Spotify's Premium subscription service that cost $10 per month. This number is significant because during the first quarter of 2014, Spotify only had about 6 million Premium subscribers, meaning that they have added 4 million paying members in the last three months.
"Today we are thrilled to announce a special milestone - we now have 10 million paying subscribers and more than 40 million active users across 56 markets! Wow - we're incredibly grateful to the thousands of artists and millions of music fans around the world who have helped us reach this point,"
Continue reading 'Spotify now has 10 million monthly paying subscribers' (full post)
PetMatch app for iOS users helps you find the perfect pet
A strange new app has turned up for users of iOS devices called PetMatch. The app is cool in that it is designed to help people find the perfect pet to adopt in their local area. The odd part about the app is that it is designed to help people find a pet that looks just like they want.
The app lets you upload a photo of the type of dog or cat that you are looking for. An algorithm inside the app then takes that uploaded image and measures the shape of the face, distance between the eyes, and other parameters.
Continue reading 'PetMatch app for iOS users helps you find the perfect pet' (full post)
Chrome for Android updated, supports multi-windows, full-screen video
Google has just pushed out an update to Chrome for Android, which is now capable of support "some multi-window devices" like the Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S5 from Samsung.
Not only that, but we have full-screen video playback with HTML5 controls and subtitles, as well as an "undo" function for when you accidentally close a tab. Bug fixes and stability improvements are also included, with the full changelog available below:
- Undo Tab Close.
- Fullscreen video with subtitles and HTML5 controls.
- Support for some multi-window devices.
- Support for casting some videos with Chromecast.
- Other bug fixes.
Samsung will shut the doors on Samsung Music on July 1st
For months now, Samsung executives have warned that they fully intend to shut down the company's content hubs, and it looks like Samsung Music is going to be the first casualty in this disposal of antiquated apps. Today Samsung released a statement that quite firmly said that 1 July 2014 will be the final call for Samsung Music.
Samsung says that it encourages all Samsung Music / Music Hub users to "take the time to download all purchased content and use any remaining vouchers for Samsung Music before July 1, 2014 - after that date they will no longer be available." At the moment, it is still unclear as to if Samsung will be replacing Music hub with a new service, but with heavy hitters like Google Play Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music virtually sucking up customers left and right, there may not be room for a new Samsung-only music service.
Gmail for Android updated to allow saving of attachments to Drive
Today Google issued an update for its Gmail on Android app that brings forth several new additions to the service and improves others. The biggest addition is a new feature that allows users to save attachments straight to their Google Drive account rather than to their device. This greatly simplifies document management, and allows users to only download attachments once.
With the update, Google has also added explanations as to why a message was marked as spam. To see this message just open any message that is located in the spam folder. Google has also improved support for Right-to-Left languages such as Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian. The update will allow users to re-orient the Gmail UI for a better RtL experience. Finally, Google has improved how the navigation menu is accessed. In the past, users had to touch the hotdog icon, but now simply swiping left will display the menu. For RtL users, swiping right will reveal the navigation menu.


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Sites and collections from this organization are listed below. Narrow your results at left, or enter a search query below to find a collection, site, specific URL or to search the text of archived webpages.
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Collection: MT.GOV Connect
Description: Montana Department of Agriculture, includes to links to agricultural business, marketing and licensing information, pesticide and fertilizer information, Montana crops, pests and weed information, and Montana agricultural statistics.
Captured 70 times between Jun 29, 2007 and Jan 11, 2013
Videos: 14 Videos Captured
Subject: Crops -- Montana , Agriculture--Montana, Farm produce -- Montana
Group: Dept. of Agriculture
Creator: Montana. Dept. of Agriculture
Publisher: Montana. Dept. of Agriculture.
Language: English
Format: Text/html
Type: Website
Identifier: http://wayback.archive-it.org/499/*/http://agr.mt.gov/
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Omega Horseshine is absolutely the best skin and coat supplement I've ever used. It also helps with other issues, such as hooves and tying up. I'll never stop using it.
My favorite coat polish is Champion Pepi--it makes the coat really really shiny. Just don't put it on the saddle area if you're going to ride


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U.S. To Open Most Embassies Shuttered By Terrorist Threat
By editor
Eighteen of the 19 diplomatic missions that were shuttered this week because of a terror threat will reopen this Sunday, the State Department said.
"Our embassy in Sanaa, Yemen will remain closed because of ongoing concerns about a threat stream indicating the potential for terrorist attacks emanating from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement. "Our consulate in Lahore, Pakistan, which closed yesterday due to a separate credible threat to that facility, will also remain closed."
Psaki said the State Department will continue to evaluate the situation.
Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.


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Indiana College Students Will Address Rural Community Needs
Students from Indiana Campus Compact member campuses across the state will be participating in a week-long alternative break focusing on rural poverty issues in Grant County.
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Campus Compact is partnering with Taylor University to host "Addressing Rural Community Needs," an alternative break experience for Indiana college students. From May 21 through May 26, 2012, a group of students from various Indiana Campus Compact member campuses will spend the week learning about the issues affecting rural community members. . During this trip, students will engage in a unique experiential learning opportunity by performing volunteer service and addressing a critical need affecting our state. Students will also gain valuable skills, resources, training, and support for implementing effective Alternative Break programs on their campus.


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Hear from IT leaders and industry experts in more than 100 sessions at the leading business technology event.
HP Fellow and Chief Technologies, Enterprise Services, HP
Charles E. Bess is an HP Fellow. The title of HP Fellow is awarded to the corporation's most innovative thought leaders in recognition of their exceptional achievements.
Currently, Charles is the owner of the global architecture capability that aligns HP's architecture activities for clients with industry standards and methods. He has been the Chief Technologist for the HP Enterprise Services relationship with a number of large clients as well as the Chief Technologist of the HP Enterprise Services global application delivery organization. He was also the initial leader of EDS' market facing application portfolio.
Charles is a frequent contributor to the Next Big Thing blog (www.hp.com/go/tnbt) and coordinates its operation. He frequently publishes thought leadership articles outside HP through magazines and journals. He is also one of the co-chairs for HP's global technical conference for 2010 and 2011.
Charles joined EDS, now HP, through the GM transition in 1985 as the supervisor of software development of semiconductor manufacturing support at Delco Electronics. He performed a variety of management and engineering assignments throughout Indiana, creating and implementing technology strategies for a number of large companies like Allison Gas Turbine and Cummins Engine.
In 1990, he transferred into Artificial Intelligence Services, where he led or architected projects in Michigan and Washington, D.C. in the areas of knowledge-based tooling design, transportation & logistics, and oil spill response. Charles also worked as the software development team technical leader inside GM's Production Control and Logistics organization.
In 1996, Charles became the chief technologist for the Health Care strategic business unit within EDS. He moved on to coordinate the business intelligence activities related to EDS' SAP deployment in 1999 and then into the technical lead role for applications delivery in the Americas in 2000. While in this role, he initiated and then coordinated the community of leading technologists across the corporation, providing a central clearing house for ideas and solutions.
He has numerous patents pending related to the software development process, knowledge management and information recovery.
Charles received a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University and a master's degree in business administration from Southern Methodist University. Charles is currently licensed as a professional engineer in the state of Texas and is a distinguished certified architect by The Open Group.
He is active in various boards at Southern Methodist University where he acts as mentor and coach for MBA candidates. He also interfaces regularly with Purdue University's Electrical Engineering school on technology direction. He is on the executive board of the US-FIRST robotics competition in North Texas coordinating judging for the FIRST robotics competition and is a senior IEEE member.
Come and meet the best technical and strategic minds in cloud computing today. This elite group is helping to advance private cloud deployments and drive future innovations. Representing a range of expertise, the Cloud Advisors will discuss the areas needed to successfully and securely deploy your own private cloud.


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CONCORD, N.C. (October 11, 2008) – During Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway, it seemed as if Halloween had come a few weeks early. Jamie McMurray and the No. 17 CitiFinancial team battled rain, a record number of cautions, a spin through the frontstretch grass and significant body damage and still finished the Dollar General 300 in ninth place.
Rain washed out all but a few minutes of practice on Thursday, so NASCAR officials decided to bring the teams in early Friday to give everyone more practice time. The No. 17 Ford Fusion finished that practice session seventh on the charts. Crew chief Pierre Kuettel (P.K.) gave McMurray a great qualifying setup and McMurray put the CitiFinancial Ford Fusion on the pole, the team's second pole of the season.
McMurray led the first 15 laps of the race. Eight laps into the event, rain appeared once again and the field was red flagged. NASCAR was able to dry the track and after nearly 11 minutes, the field was back to green. McMurray lost the lead shortly after the restart and told Kuettel he was "tight off" on lap 21. Running fourth when the caution came out on lap 50, McMurray came in for the first pit stop of the day. With the car getting tighter, Kuettel called for four tires, an air pressure adjustment and a full spring rubber removal. McMurray restarted fifth on lap 53.
Six laps into the next run, McMurray told the team he thought he had a flat right rear tire. McMurray came down pit road under green and the crew changed both right side tires. Upon inspecting the tires, the crew determined there was no flat. McMurray radioed the crew saying he was so loose it felt like "something broke." He was running 26th, one lap down, when he asked for the spring rubber to be put back in on the next stop to help the handling.
McMurray fought to be in the Lucky Dog position and was in the right place when the next caution came out on lap 80. Just as McMurray and Kuettel were discussing changes for the next pit stop, heavy rain covered the track and the field was red flagged once again. The cars were brought down pit road and the teams waited for nearly an hour before the rain let up and racing resumed.
When he was finally able to come in for changes, McMurray received four fresh tires and an air pressure adjustment. The spring rubber removed earlier in the night was reinserted and McMurray was back on the track in 21st place on lap 89. McMurray began working his way toward the front and was up to 16th when another caution came out on lap 95. The field stacked up on the restart and McMurray was spun through the infield grass. The No. 17 CitiFinancial Ford Fusion didn't suffer any visible damage so McMurray lined back up without coming down pit road. Back to 19th, McMurray again began climbing up through the field. He was up to 15th when the caution flew on lap 116 and Kuettel called his driver in for four tires, wedge and air pressure adjustments.
The No. 17 CitiFinancial Ford Fusion restarted 20th with 79 laps remaining. McMurray was up to 11th when a big wreck set in across the frontstretch. The No. 17 CitiFinancial Ford Fusion suffered damage to the left front and the right door. The crew fixed what they could and sent McMurray back on the track in 16th place. Back up to 11th on lap 152, McMurray said he was "a little tight off." The last pit stop of the night came under caution on lap 167. Kuettel called for two tires and a slight air pressure adjustment. McMurray restarted 10th with 27 laps left in the race.
The No. 17 CitiFinancial Ford Fusion was "still pretty tight" according to McMurray. With the laps winding down, McMurray fought to hold onto a solid top 10 finish. Two more cautions came out before the checkered flag flew, bringing the caution flag count to 13. McMurray crossed the stripe ninth for his third straight top-10 Nationwide Series finish.
"That was a long night," said McMurray. "The CitiFinancial Ford Fusion was pretty tight all weekend, but it was still really fast. It's frustrating getting caught up in the cautions and losing track position over and over. If we would've been able to avoid those wrecks we could've finished third or fourth. P.K. did a great job all night and I know the guys worked really hard. I'm glad it's over, it was getting crazy out there."
About Roush Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing operates 13 full-time motorsports teams, five in NASCAR Sprint Cup with drivers Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; four in the Nationwide Series with Kenseth, Biffle, Edwards, McMurray, Ragan, Erik Darnell and Colin Braun; three in the Craftsman Truck Series with Darnell, Braun, Kvapil, Bobby East and John Wes Townley; and one in the ARCA RE/MAX Series with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.


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Elegant Christmas greeting cards with blue bows and place for text. Vector Illustration.
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Why an Internet Marketing Master's Degree
An MBA that places a special focus on reaching online audiences, this internet marketing master's degree ties the best-of-the-best web marketing techniques and strategies back to the real-life business challenges you face daily. Our faculty is engaged in solving those same problems with online engagement and will pass on their skills in SEO and SEM, UX design and marketing. You will be able to apply the knowledge about the internet landscape directly to the goals your organization is trying to achieve.
In addition to essential core MBA skills, the internet marketing master's degree course work explores:
- Online marketing strategies and how they interact with traditional marketing channels.
- Application and integration of online marketing into various business models.
- Analysis of opportunities online as they relate to business goals.
- Web data analysis in context of building internet marketing campaigns.
- Connecting social media to other online channels.
- Targeting content based on consumer behavior.
- The role of the website and SEM.
- Major online marketing channels including mobile, display and email.
Internet Marketing MBA
Core Courses
The 10-course online MBA core was developed to help students succeed in today's competitive and diverse business environment. It focuses on providing the functional skill set and broad knowledge base to help you develop practical business strategies and make you a more effective leader.
Foundation Courses
Some students may be required to take foundation courses as prerequisite work for some of the more advanced online MBA material. Students with business related undergraduate degrees are typically exempt from most foundation courses. In most cases, students choosing the elective track are able to apply the credit hours from their foundation courses against the elective requirements.
Contact an Admission Advisor at email@example.com or 888.387.0861 for more information.
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text: No recent wiki edits to this page. OverviewThe guardians are defenders of heaven and Buddha that have fallen to earth from Saiyuki: Journey West. The goddess Kannon Bodhisattva tasks the monk Sanzo to find them all while journeying to India. When each one is located, they take up residence in Sanzo's staff since they can not stay on the mortal plane for long periods of time. They play an important role in Sanzo's journey while in battle provide him and the rest of his party with various stat bonuses to HP, strength, defense, and more. Unlike transformations, Sanzo can summon them as long as he has enough MP. They stay on the field of battle for three turns before turning to the staff.GuardiansMotherMotherMother is the first guardian that Sanzo finds. Her element is Life and she recovers the party's HP for three turns. How much HP recovered depends on how close to Sanzo other party members are. Mother also lets Sanzo cast Charm Blade, that causes damage and sometimes confuses enemies.WarriorWarriorWarrior is a guardian aligned with the element of Metal. His ability increases the party's physical defense for three turns. He also allows Sanzo to cast Pulse Blade, a damaging area attack.FoolFool has no introductionFool is a fast talking guardian that recognizes Son Goku from the time he tried to invade heaven. His element is Fire and his ability boosts the party's physical attack for three turns. Sanzo can also cast Flame Whip while Fool is summoned. It has a three square radius that can cut through multiple enemies.LunaLunaLuna is a guardian aligned with the element of Earth. Her ability allows the party to regain MP for three turns. Sanzo doesn't get this benefit, but can cast an damaging attack called Earth Bow.CavalierCavalierThe guardian Cavalier is aligned with the element of Water. His ability grants the party extra spaces of movement while Sanzo gaints the ability to float. Sanzo also gains the ability to cast Pole Axe, a damaging attack.


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Posts Tagged 'shad'
We gave you a teaser of this before of Shad's new song but before the mp3 leaked they dropped a video on us. I have been waiting on this album for a while so I'm glad to see he is making moves to get it out to the public. The video itself is grimey with Shad killing it in a basement and also on a rooftop with some graffiti on it. This could be one of my most anticipated albums if it releases at some point this year.
Tagged: shad, t.s.o.l., tsol, Video, ya i get it, yaa i get it
Smalltown Romeo is a DJ from Canada and he got my favorite Canadian artist to jump on this track with him. I am a relatively new fan of Shad but it was really interesting to hear him rhyme over a dancier style beat then what I have heard him on in the past. The animation in the video is dope too and I like how each line fluidly leads into the next one with the animation portraying it all without missing a beat. In case you all missed the post yesterday, Shad announced his next album and tour dates which you can find by clicking on the link.
Tagged: boom ha, shad, shad k, smalltown romeo, Video
The worst downside to still being a student is that some weeks, I get so swamped with ass loads of work that I miss out on new music and music news. After catching up with three days worth of feeds, I saw that Londoner (Ontario, not the UK) Shad has begun his publicity campaign for his upcoming album, TSOL. So far, only Shad knows what those letters stand for, so don't ask me. Above as you can see is the artwork, while after the jump you can find a tracklist, Canadian tour dates, and a teaser video for the single, "Yaa I Get It". Once in a while, a Lupe or a Jay Electronica comes along to smash the new school lyrically. I have a strong feeling that Shad is one of those guys too. If you don't believe me, check out his last album, The Old Prince, on iTunes. TSOL drops May 25.
Tagged: album, shad, teaser, tour, tracklist, tsol, ya i get it, yaa i get it
First we gave you the Jams but now it is time for the hip-hop gems. I said in the previous post that the past couple days I came up with the idea to post a few mixes that sum up my year in music. These joints are all songs that were some of the more solid underground songs that I listened to this past year and deserve more shine. A number of my favorite new artists are on there and this is another mix that is pretty damn complete. Look out for our final installment of rock songs which should drop over the next couple days. Link and tracklist are below the break and everyone have a happy and safe New Year!
Eminem: 3 AM (directed by Syndrome)
If there is one field that hip-hop lags behind in comparison to other genres, it's music videos. We're all aware that the phrase "hip-hop music video" has become synonymous with many negative stereotypes, but more and more, rappers have been breaking free from this mould. Eminem is just too batshit crazy to fit into that mould, and so when news spread that the video for the single "3 AM" was going to be premiered on cable-access Cinemax, interest was piqued. Directed by Syndrome, this music video captures the demented terror of the song thanks to its settings, its lighting (which may not seem like a big deal but is absolutely spot-on), and its overall mood. On top of that, Em portrayed the character in the song incredibly, as is proven in the scene where he is sitting in the bathtub of blood and only his eyes are visible. After watching this mini horror movie, you can see why it deserved to be premiered on a channel like Cinemax.
Read the list of honorable mentions and watch their videos after the jump.
Tagged: 2009, 3 AM, 4 3 2 1, 4321, black noise, Common, drew lightfoot, eminem, fresh prince, hot dog garbage, jackin, jackin my fresh, k-os, Kanye West, kenny frankland, kid cudi, lady gaga, lex one, london, make her say, music video, nez, recap, refill, relapse, shad, syndrome, the old prince, the old prince still lives at home, yes
Since Felipe joined our team and reps Canadian hip-hop to the fullest with his posts I haven't had the opportunity to cover the scene in a while but I am glad I get the chance to post Shad's new video. Shad is someone that I only recently discovered but I already got his last album and I have to say he is one of my favorites to listen to at the moment. He has a smooth, chill style, always has great content to his rhymes and lyrically is very gifted, I think that is about the best compliment I can give to any of the rappers I put up here. The video for "The Calling" matches his cool demeanor and is a real video without the need to go over the top with effects. I'm not sure the placement for this song but I can only hope it means that he has a new project on the way. According to ingz in the comment section this song is from Danny Digg's Introducing EP and it also features Jermiside & Destruments.
Tagged: rapper, shad, shad k, the calling, Video
I've been MIA for the last few days because of other responsibilities, but I'm back now. It's been a great music week for me: I got Kid Cudi's masterpiece Man On The Moon: The End Of Day, DOOM's MM..Food and DOOM's Operation: Doomsday (I'm a big DOOM fan and I managed to find a store that actually had copies of both of these underground classics). But enough about me lol.
Shad K (formerly known as Shad) is a London, Ontario rapper whose talent exceeds most people's expectations. He hasn't been in the game for long, but he spits like it's in his nature. Plain and simple, he sounds like he was born to rap (no wonder Toronto blogs often try to convince people that he's from the megacity lol). To be honest though, I wish he had more variety in the beats he rhymes over. Regardless, this is another killer track by him, and it is off Introducing, an EP by Irish beat-maker Danny Diggs. Big ups to cityonmyback for this. Download here.
Line of the track: "I'm the Freudian X / Freedom by any dreams necessary." I know Kanye did something similar on "Good Morning", but Shad K does it better.
Tagged: danny diggs, destruments, jermiside, london, ontario, shad, shad k, the calling
We all know that when it comes to hip-hop, no one does it better than the States. Being the home of the movement, the U.S. involves itself in the development of the genre much more than any other country. As time went on, though, hip-hop became a global movement. From the favelas of Brazil to the streets of London, England, the culture made its presence known. One country that knows how to do it right is Canada.
Being a Canadian myself, it's fair to assume that I have some sort of bias, but regardless the talent in this country is definitely present. From Vancouver to the Maritimes, rappers come correct and deliver. Granted, Canada doesn't seem like a very welcoming place to hip-hop (our border patrol is a constant nightmare for any rapper coming to tour in Canada), but from the days of Maestro Fresh Wes and his hit single "Let Your Backbone Slide", to the recent success of Drake, Canadians have popped up here and there throughout hip-hop history.
These five rappers/rap groups aren't being highlighted because they're Canadian. They're being listed here as great rappers first and Canadian citizens second. So without further ado, here are five Canadian rappers/rap groups you need to know about.
Tagged: Canada, Classified, God Only Knows, hip hop, k-os, man i used to be, Moka Only, no mistakes, old prince, Point Blank, shad, starfish, sunday morning, talent
Someone sent me an email the other day (I think his name was EZ but am not sure it was Ingz in the comment section) about checking out Shad from Toronto (actually London, Ontario, my bad to all the Canadians out there) and I am REALLY glad I did. Check out this video and the freestyle below, he easily is one of the best conscious rappers out there doing it and I love being one of the first sites in America that I know of to jump on his music. I haven't seen anything new from him but I have since gotten his album The Old Prince and it is quality song after quality song. This album is 2 years old and still beats the crap out of almost everything out today. I wish there was more music to throw up but apparently EMI Canada is stricter with embedding their videos than the NFL is with their new uniform violations policy. Enjoy the dope artwork and video up top and a ridiculous 6 minute freestyle below the break. Oh and I highly recommend you get the album here.
Tagged: freestyle, now a daze, shad, shad k, the old prince, Video


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John Malatak, Chief of Program Operations, US Coast Guard Boating Safety Division, offers a reminder about how important safety briefings are on board a sailing boat, and what should be included:
They're happy now, but would they know what to do in an emergency?
During an onboard emergency, precious seconds can be lost telling passengers where to locate and how to use vital safety equipment. If the skipper has been injured or otherwise put out of commission, the situation can suddenly turn life-threatening — too often with tragic results.
Two summers ago off the Massachusetts coast, the captain of a sailing boat was knocked overboard by the boom while trying to get the sails down during a severe thunderstorm. His only passenger — a friend visiting from out of town — didn't know how to radio for help. When he finally got through to the Coast Guard station, which was less than a half-mile away, he was unable to tell the dispatcher where he was. By the time the Coast Guard determined the vessel's position and reached it with a patrol boat, it was too late. The captain had drowned because the only other person on board did not know what action to take in an emergency.
If you're taking crew or passengers along on your boat, make a full safety briefing part of your predeparture routine. It only takes a few minutes to show passengers where safety equipment
It only takes a few minutes to tell them where life jackets are stored and how to use them, as well as the proper procedures for calling for emergency assistance. Consider what your crew or passengers need to know in an emergency, especially if you are injured or fall overboard; then, customize the briefing to the unique characteristics of your boat.
Time spent briefing about onboard procedures and safety can make a huge difference in the event of a true emergency, when every second counts. Consider printing your safety orientation on a laminated card that can be posted in a prominent spot on your vessel. Also, label where the equipment is located on your boat. Read on to find out what your passengers need to know.
Safety Briefing Points:
1. Where life jackets are located and how to wear them properly. (The Coast Guard strongly suggests that all passengers wear their life jacket at all times while on board an open boat.) If your passengers are not wearing their life jacket, at a minimum have them put a life jacket on and size it properly. Then have them put a piece of masking tape on it and write their name on the tape. That way, in an emergency situation, they will have a prefitted life jacket that is easy to locate. And remember, if you have children on board, they will need a proper-fitting, child-sized life jacket.
2. How to use the VHF marine radio and make a mayday distress call.
3. Where to find the EPIRB (emergency position-indicating radio beacon), survival equipment, visual distress signals, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher — and how to use them.
4. What to do if someone falls overboard and where to find the throw bags, life rings and life slings.
5. How to stop the boat safely and any unique features and/or idiosyncrasies of your boat, particularly if they might have an impact on safety.
6. Where the anchor is located and how to stop and anchor the boat.
7. That they need to follow instructions exactly and get out of the way if something goes wrong and the boat operator has not asked for assistance. Some frightened people will stand rooted in place while chaos is going on around them. Knowing they should stay out of the way is important information.
8. How to use any installed global positioning system (GPS) equipment you may have on board.
Wrap up your briefing by answering any additional questions they may have. If any of your passengers or crew are confused about boating safety procedures, the time for clarification is before you leave the dock.


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Califone this week debuted its new Listening First headsets, featuring built-in microphone and kid-friendly design, created for use by kindergarten, primary grade, and special needs students.
The adjustable, kid-sized headsets—available in three color and three animal-theme designs—come with ambient noise-reducing earcups made of ABS plastic and dual 3.5 mm, USB and single To Go plugs, for use with computers or mobile devices. The headset's microphone includes reinforced boom.
"The Listening First headsets were developed in response to how younger students are learning using computers and mobile devices with classmates, in read-alongs, online and through their production of podcasts and videos," said Tim Ridgway, vice president of marketing for Califone, in a prepared statement from the company. "There was a need based on these activities for age-appropriate equipment."
The Listening First headsets come with a two-year warranty. Additional information about the devices can be found at the company's Web site.
About the Author
Kanoe Namahoe is online editor for 1105 Media's Education Group. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Paul VI Catholic School wanted to develop a laptop program that would equip its students and teachers with the right tools to increase classroom learning, prepare their students for college, and to develop the 21st Century skill sets required by today's employers. Download this White Paper to learn about their comprehensive selection process and how they are using their new laptops to revolutionize the learning process.
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This Cast Iron Swivel Hooks has five hooks and features lots of charm and will add a unique touch to any decor.
It mounts to a wall or post through two holes in the sides (mounting hardware not included).
It measures approximately 13" wide x 6 1/2" tall.
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Recommend: Yes
I ordered two of these for our new house. Very unique and fun. One arrived with a pin broken, but getting a refund was extremely easy. No hassles at all. Great hook!
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Can manage alot of coats, hats, etc. Perfect for hanging all the winter coats, hats, scarves, etc. Hook arms fold nicely against the wall so they don't stick out when not in use. OVERALL awesomely functional- and looks great too!
We have a 3-5 day in-house process. There will be an additional 1-7 days for delivery.
**During peak Holiday Seasons (Mother's Day & Christmas) it can take an additional 1-2 business days to get your order shipped.
We do not accept International orders online.
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You will need to order by calling 405-745-1275. Customer Service is available Monday - Friday 8:00-5:00 CST.
Your order will need to ship to a US Destination, such as a freight forwarder. By doing so your order will be eligible for our US shipping rates which often include free shipping.
If you would like for us to ship your order directly to you, you will be charged the actual postage amount. That amount is calculated once your order is picked, packed and ready to ship. International shipping address are excluded from all shipping discounts. All orders shipped to an International location are charged the actual cost of shipping.
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Expedited shipping is unavailable at this time.
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