text:
What is it.
As much as i'd like to brag that i know what it is i do not.
It looks the same in all my tanks, be it high tech or low tech, good light and fert or bad light and fert.
Not the riccia, the green with brown one.
Someone said echinodorus tenellus but it does not look even remotely like it or does it? Never seen echi look like this, they are green not green with brown...
Looks like Echinodorus tenellus to me. The other similar plant I can think of is Sagittaria subulata but it grows taller than E. tenellus under the same conditions (light, fertilization). I have both in my 90g flooded Amazon aquarium if you want to look at the photos. The flooded Amazon 90g, not the former 90g. Along the left front the smaller plants are E. tenellus and the taller (about twice the height) are S. subulata.
Re the brown leaves, that is a nutrient issue. If you click the species name and go to our profile of this species and enlarge the photo you'll see similar.
Looks just like the E. tenellus in my tanks and yes I had also found they grow/ thrive in a wideeeee verity of conditions.
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:35 AM.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2016, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2


text:
Click That Hood - Pittsburgh
I say this only half in jest, but if left to me I would have one of the upcoming mayoral debates dedicated to having all the sundry candidates play this game in real time before a live studio audience.
Reliquum est, silentium
That is great fun. I actually did about the same time for Columbus, OH as I did for Pittsburgh. The great simplicity offset the passage of time.
Finally, something useful from Null Space!;~>
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sorry - just wanted to link up the new DCP GIS Data page: http://pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/gis/gis-data

subset: commoncrawl


text:
BOMA Boston TOBY®
What are the TOBY®
Awards?The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY®) Awards are an annual
recognition of outstanding buildings in the local, regional and
international arena. BOMA Boston is the host of the local TOBYs for
the Greater Boston real estate community
Who is Eligible for
a TOBY Award?All commercial office and industrial buildings qualify for a TOBY
Award if you meet the eligibility requirements as laid out by BOMA
International's TOBY Committee. There are many categories for the
TOBY Awards, including the Earth Category. Please
click here for a list of categories and entry requirements.
What is the
Deadline for the 2012 TOBY Awards?The deadline for submitting your building is
Friday, September 7,
When Will the TOBY
Award Winners Be Announced?
The 2012 BOMA Boston TOBY Award winners will be announced at the BOMA Boston
TOBY and Industry Awards Dinner on Thursday, November
15, 2012 at the Westin Copley Place. All of the winners will be
included in a special supplement of the Boston Business Journal that
will be distributed after the event, and will also be included in
the Friday, November 16th print edition of the Boston Business
What if I Win at
the Local Level?If you win at the local level, you will have a chance to work with
BOMA Boston TOBY Committee members to make your entry more
competitive at the Mid-Atlantic Regional level. If you win at the
MAC level, you will be eligible to compete at the International
Level. The BOMA MAC Awards will be given out at the regional MAC
TOBY Dinner in March 2012. The International TOBY Awards will be
presented in June 2012 in San Diego, CA at the BOMA
International Real Estate Convention.
What Format
Should I Use?BOMA Boston encourages all local submissions to be put in a
binder and to utilize the binder tabs provided on the website.
Click here for the binder
Monday, September 7, 2012
For questions and comments
regarding the 2012 BOMA TOBY and Industry
Awards, please contact Kayla Burmeister, Senior Membership and Event
Coordinator, BOMA Boston, at 617-399-7863 or
Kayla Burmeister at 617-399-7863 |


text:
United States clinches World Cup berth
SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras American players danced in the locker room and swigged some bubbly. With a thrilling victory on a hot and humid night in Central America, the U.S. soccer team earned a trip to South Africa and another chance to impress at the World Cup.
Conor Casey scored his first two international goals in the second half, Landon Donovan added another and the United States clinched its sixth straight World Cup berth with a game to spare by rallying to beat Honduras 3-2 on Saturday.
"It never gets old, that's for sure," Donovan said. "After what most of us would say was a very disappointing 2006 World Cup, we now have a chance at redemption."
In one of the most exciting end-to-end matches the U.S. has played in many years, the Americans took a 3-1 lead before Honduras closed on Julio Cesar De Leon's second goal of the game in the 78th minute.
Carlos Pavon had a chance to tie following a hand ball in the penalty area by Stuart Holden. Pavon stood over the ball ahead of his penalty kick, and U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard worried.
"You try not to think about all the negative stuff, but it's inevitable," Howard said. "You just think, `Where did it all go wrong?'"
Pavon put his penalty kick over the crossbar in the 87th minute, Then, 2 minutes later, he fired high on an open header.
"Thank you," Howard said to himself.
And just a few minutes later, he heard the final whistle, securing the berth. The Honduran crowd, which had been respectful during the playing of the U.S. anthem, applauded even though it was disappointed.
"I was relieved. I was thankful," Howard said. "I feel like I'm in the prime of my career, and the thought went through my head this week that I certainly didn't want to miss this opportunity."
Coming off a first-round elimination at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the United States (6-2-1) is first in North and Central America and the Caribbean with 19 points and assured of one of three automatic berths that to go to the top finishers in the region.
Mexico (6-3) also clinched Saturday and has 18 points following a 4-1 victory over visiting El Salvador. Costa Rica (5-4) moved into third with 15 points after winning at home against Trinidad and Tobago.
Honduras (4-4-1), seeking its second World Cup appearance and first since 1982, has 13 points and dropped into fourth. If the Catrachos are still in that spot after the final match at El Salvador on Wednesday, they would meet the No. 5 nation from South America in a playoff. Costa Rica closes against the U.S. at Washington's RFK Stadium.
"You don't want to go into the last game leaving anything to chance," Donovan said. "As we see around the world, in qualifiers today. anything can happen in one soccer game and we didn't want to leave that opportunity open."
Too bad not many in the U.S. got to see it – the game was broadcast only on closed circuit to bars and restaurants, a decision made by the company that bought rights from the Honduran federation.
Honduras has been in turmoil since a June military coup, but the crowd was united behind its team. The Catrachos had been 8-0 at home in qualifying and had been undefeated in 17 games at San Pedro Sula since June 2003. Anticipation of a World Cup berth turned this into a Honduran national celebration.
"We're very proud," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said. "We understand the responsibility we have every time we step on the field for our fans, for our country."


text:
Battlefield 2
Operation Peacekeeper Client Patch
Operation Peacekeeper is a modern warfare modification for the popular game Battlefield 2, based on a fictional development of the actual Kosovo conflict. The mod features two different sides - the
Show All
Show All
German Bundeswehr and the Serbian VSCG - engaging in the rough and mountainous terrain of Kosovo. Both use state of the art military weapon systems like the German Leopard 2A6 MBT, as well as older, but yet still effective equipment, like the Russian built Mi24V Hind E used by the Serbian forces. The maps cover a large array of different settings, such as for example a domestic port, a small village, and a military airport attacked by German airborne troops. [b] Note: Do NOT download this unless you have Operation Peacekeeper version 0.25 already installed. If you do not have version 0.25, but wish to get this mod, you need to get the full version which you can find here: [/b] http://battlefield2.filefront.com/file/;95860
- File Name:
- opk2_025_to_026_patch.exe
- File Size:
- Date Added:
- 11-24-2008
- Download Last 2 Week:
- 7
- Downloads All Time:
- 260
- Popularity:
- 0.06%


text:
Which tripods for speedlight flashes? (also for outdoor)
Started Jul 10, 2012 | Discussions thread
Shop cameras & lenses ▾
risto40 OP • Regular Member • Posts: 244
Re: Which tripods for speedlight flashes? (also for outdoor)
Thanks! I was thinking in the box and didn't even come on that that I could also look for regular tripods as well. But I afraid there are very few tripods with max height over 200cm, and at that price range.
risto40's gear list:risto40's gear list
Canon EOS 40D Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.5 1-5x Macro
Reply Reply with quote Complain
|Post ( )
|Posted by
|Jul 10, 2012
|Jul 10, 2012
|Jul 10, 2012
|Jul 10, 2012
|Jul 11, 2012
|Jul 16, 2012
|Jul 15, 2012
|Jul 16, 2012
Keyboard shortcuts:
FForum PPrevious NNext WNext unread UUpvote SSubscribe RReply QQuote BBookmark MMy threads
Color scheme? Blue / Yellow


text:
Newsday is reporting New York Islanders defenseman Mark Streit will not return to the team next season.
Streit, who can become an unrestricted free agent in July, reportedly turned down what the team had termed its best offer, and will allow Streit to hit the open market.
The 35-year-old blueliner had 27 points in 48 games last season, his fourth with the team, and had five points in the team's six-game, first-round playoff series loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He had been team captain since the start of the 2011-12 season.
Streit has 288 points in 491 NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens and the Islanders.
The newspaper also reports John Tavares is likely to take over as captain for Streit; goaltender Evgeni Nabokov is likely to re-sign before July 5; and forward Brad Boyes is unlikely to return as he seeks a long-term contract, though talks with the Islanders are ongoing.
|Back to top


text:
Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus)
|Male weight: over 4 kg
Female weight: up to 2 kg
Male body length: 74 – 90 cm
Wingspan: 87 – 125 cm
The capercaillie is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (1). Listed on Annex 1 of the Birds Directive and Appendix II of the Bern Convention. It is also listed on Schedules 2, 3 and 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
The male capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) is a game bird, and the largest member of the grouse family resembling, to some people, a turkey. Males are slate-grey over most of their bodies, and have reddish-brown upper wings with a prominent white shoulder (carpal) flash. The head, neck and breast have a blue sheen, with the eye surrounded by a ring of bright red skin. Male birds have a 'beard', especially noticeable when they are displaying, and a long tail, held upright and fanned out during their displays. Females are much smaller birds and lack the flamboyant plumage of the male. They resemble females of the other members of the grouse family in the UK, but are larger. The plumage is brown with striations over much of the body. There is a rufous patch on the breast and the tail is fan-shaped, although not as broad as that of the male. The males have a spectacular spring display during which they produce a series of odd calls, including sounds like the popping of corks.
The capercaillie became extinct in Britain in the 18th century, as a result of wide-scale forest clearance and hunting. Birds from Sweden were re-introduced into Scotland in the 19th century. Its current UK range is centred on the Cairngorm region of upland Scotland, but extends westward to the woodland around Loch Lomond and northwards to Spey side.
The Scottish birds represent a very small percentage of the world population, which extends throughout the forests of mountainous and boreal regions of Scandinavia, central Europe, northern Asia and Siberia. This range, too, is also declining as a result of forest clearance.
The Scottish population is restricted largely to pine forests, in particular the old Caledonian Forest habitat, although it will tolerate man-made plantations as long as they provide suitable feeding and 'lekking' sites. It is important that the woodland contains trees of differing age ranges as well as boggy areas providing a good source of insects for chick feeding. Equally vital is the availability of open areas where the male birds can perform their courtship 'leks'.
In April, the male capercaillies move to an open part of their woodland territory and perform their 'lek'. Lek is an Old Norse word meaning 'to dance', and relates to the birds' bizarre courtship display. The males strut about with their tails fanned out, and wings held down, while producing an extraordinary sequence of noises including some that sound like strangled gurgles and asthmatic wheezes. Interspersed with these are popping noises like corks being drawn from champagne bottles. Some experts believe that some of these sounds, below the range of human ears, carry for many miles and declare to any female capercaillie that the male making the noise is in his prime. They may also indicate that he has a fine territory, well provided with nesting sites and a good food source for the chicks. As the females arrive at the lekking site, the males become even more excited. Sometimes, several males will gather at a lekking site and spectacular fights can break out, during which birds can be seriously injured and even killed.
Once the female has been mated, the males play no further part in rearing the young. Between 5 and 12 eggs is the usual clutch, but as many as 18 have been recorded. They are laid in a nest on the ground, lined with pieces of nearby vegetation. Incubation takes from 26 to 29 days and the young chicks, like those of all game birds, are highly mobile, leaving the nest with the female the day after they hatch. Their wing feathers appear in two weeks and the young birds are then able to fly, albeit rather weakly. They stay as a family throughout the rest of the summer months, joining larger groups of birds in the autumn.
Capercaillie feed on blaeberries (also known as bilberries), shoots and seeds. In common with many birds, the chicks are fed initially on insects, graduating to the more vegetable-based adult diet later.
The principle threats to the capercaillie are thought to be loss of habitat through overgrazing by sheep and deer, predation, and collisions with deer fences. Over-shooting may also be a contributing factor, and a succession of poor summers has affected the number of chicks surviving infancy.
The capercaillie is listed in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, and figures released in a joint survey by the RSPB and Scottish Natural Heritage in 2003 suggest it may number just 1,000 individual birds. This is a 50 percent reduction in numbers in the space of just five years, and a similar decline is evident throughout the bird's European range.
Deer fencing is a relatively recent threat to capercaillies. Fences tall enough to restrict the movement of deer present a serious danger to a low-flying, heavy bird like the capercaillie. It is known that nearly a third of the total population of birds were lost to this hazard, and new management techniques are now being trialed to reduce the incidence of fence collisions.
In October 2002, a number of conservation organisations made a joint bid for funds from European LIFE Nature. This bid resulted in a grant of £4.5m to be spent on 'Urgent Conservation Management for Capercaillie in Scotland'. Hopefully, as a result of a variety of actions under the LIFE project, including improved habitat management, predator control and the removal or marking of fences, this magnificent bird will remain a characteristic feature of the Highlands wildlife, and continue to perform its extraordinary dance routine.
For more information on the capercaillie:
Trees for Life species profile:
BBC Wildlife Finder:
For more information on the capercaillie and other bird species:
BirdLife International:
The RSPB:
This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
- Incubation: the act of incubating eggs, that is, keeping them warm so that development is possible.
- Lek: site where 'lekking' takes place. Lekking is a system of mating in which males display collectively. Males compete for the best sites within the lek and females then choose whom to mate with on the basis of the display.
- Lekking: system of mating in which males display collectively in an area known as a lek. Males compete for the best sites within the lek and females then choose whom to mate with on the basis of the display.
IUCN Red List (April, 2011)


text:
This maybe a dumb question, but I've always wondered how does a plane taxi? I mean, what causes it to move on the ground? For example, on a jet, do the turbofans cause the aircraft to move? Or do they simply generating electricity like how an electrical generating turbine would and the plane moves forward?
I imagine props are similar?
What confuses me is, when the plane is sitting parked, I often hear the engines revving up, to a rather powerful level that the parking breaks seem it shouldn't keep that plane parked. (Usually this seems to happen after pushback and the captain is going through the pre-flight check list).
Okay I hope I didn't confuse anyone, because I think I confused myself.
Please check your spelling (press "Check Spelling" above)
©Copyright 2016 Demand Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved


text:
New subscription
Renew my subscription
Give a gift
Pay my bill
Change my address
January 18, 2014
When a federal budget passed in late 2011 removed the restriction on federal inspections of horse meat, the debate over horse slaughter picked up steam. Several potential new horse-slaughter operations made moves toward beginning operation. Their operators hoped to be able to profit off what they saw as an industry that would fill two needs: disposing of an overpopulation of horses and meeting the demand from horse meat consumers in foreign countries. None of those operations ever got off the ground, however, due to concerns about environmental impacts and horse welfare. But the biggest strike against commercial horse slaughter in the U.S. was the passage of a new spending bill this week, reinstating the ban.
The bill passed both houses of Congress this week and is expected to receive the President's signature by Saturday, Jan. 18.
The ban isn't an explicit law against slaughtering horses. It's language in the budget that prohibits the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) from inspecting horse meat. In theory, a horse owner in the United States could still butcher a horse for their own personal use without violating any laws. However, without USDA inspections, horse meat cannot be sold for human consumption, rendering the business model of a horse slaughterhouse impracticable.
The relevant text of the bill reads:
None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to pay the salaries or expenses of personnel to—
This is the same language that was introduced in an appropriations act in late 2005, which led to the closure of the three slaughterhouses that were still operating on American soil at the time. That section had been renewed in the budget until 2011.
The issue of horse slaughter is loud and divisive in the equestrian community. However, in the halls of Congress and the country at large, the issue is barely a blip on the radar. This reinstated ban is only one small part of an enormous bill that covers everything from spending on NASA to implementing the Affordable Care Act and appropriations for military spending. The horse meat inspection ban would not have caught the attention of most members of Congress, with some exceptions.
Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La and Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. spearheaded the effort to reinstate the ban in the 2014 Agriculture Appropriations bill that was ultimately included in the budget.
"I am relieved that horse slaughter is now banned in the United States, protecting the American public from the very serious health and safety risks posed by horse meat," said Landrieu. "Slaughtering horses is inhumane, disgusting and unnecessary, and there is no place for it in the United States. I appreciate Sen. Graham's partnership to ban this cruel practice, keep our food supply safe and save taxpayer dollars."
The bill will prevent commercial horse slaughter in the U.S., but does not prevent horses from continuing to be shipped to slaughter in Canada or Mexico. To help close that gap in the slaughter pipeline, Landrieu and Graham introduced the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act in March 2013. Rep. Patrick Meehan, R-PA introduced a similar bill in the House of Representatives at the same time. Horses are not raised for slaughter and are routinely given drugs and medications, including Bute, that are prohibited in meat animals because of known risks to human health. Citing that risk, the SAFE Act aims to prevent American horses from being slaughtered for human consumption.
Both bills were referred to committee. No action has been taken on them since last spring.
Further Reading
Timeline of Horse Slaughter Legislation in the U.S.
KJ Lancaster, PA
Why would you not want horse slaughter to be reinstated in the US. If it is here then we can control the transportation and how they are treated up until being killed. There will be rules and regulations that can be put into place and they can have check ups to make sure everything is being done humanely. Not only that it would open up jobs in the US. I am not a huge fan of any of this, but at least if it is in the US we can regulate it and make it humane. Canada and Mexico are far from that. Just because it is not taking place here does not mean it is not happening. Wouldn't you rather be able to control it at least?
susan dahlonega, GA
Pass the whole law no shipping... All of you look up on fb Justice for Copiah County.. 100 horses some found died, all near death by a man who has past charges just shipped some poor horse to slaughter.. The horse community could have found homes for them and would have been whiling to take over medical bills.. But No small to crap in MS stood in the way why???? Greed and money... All sick horses today headed to Tx then Mexxio.. USA horses.. Did we forget that they fought for this country.. When ribbons for this country.. This man needs to be locked up on his second count.
Shelby Portland, ME
I am happy that it is banned in the US but this still does not prevent the shipping of them across borders. Nor does it do anything to protect the wild horses being rounded up and shipped. There are tons of rescues out there that are fighting to save as many as possible but they are in need of donations, home offers, and transport. LINK
Hi, my name is
Visit the photo gallery to cast your vote »
Get the latest horse-world news, equine health and training info, contest announcements and more.
Sign up to get updates delivered straight to your inbox.
HorseChannel takes your privacy seriously. To learn more, please read our privacy policy.


text:
I tested + 4 times, 1 was a digital YES+, then negative 5 days later, should I worry?
My period was supposed to start on Sunday, didn't come, so Monday I tested twice, both tests were postive. Tested 1 more time that night and it was positive, did a digital test the next day (Tuesday) and it too was positive. Then today, on Friday, I tested just for the fun of it bc I had an extra test and it was negative. No bleeding, no cramping or anything...no indication of any problems...should I be worried? Could the hCG levels just be too low to detect right now? Kind of freaking out.
Posted: 03/15/2013 by foxyslady
Mom Answers
Sort by: best answers | most recent answers
1 - 5 of 5 answers
So sorry to hear that you lost your baby :( I'm sure your next pregnancy will be fine! Remember, there is nothing you could have done to prevent it (or cause it). Your body recognized something wasn't right...not that I expect that to be much consolation at this point...will pray for you!posted 03/18/2013 by kericksen
This was my post, I just wasn't logged in at the time. This is what ended up happening. The reason for the negative after 4 postive tests was because I was pregnant at the beginning of the week, but by the end of the week, my body was preparing to shed everything as I miscarried sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning :( I was one day shy of 5 weeks. So we'll wait for a regular cycle and then start trying again. Praying the next one doesn't miscarry.posted 03/18/2013 by foxyslady
When I thought I was preggo the first time it was because of a positive n a digital test, two days later it was negative. I wasn't pregnant. This isn't true for everyone, but the digital test are more inaccurate than the cheap ones you can order from amazon. I would get an old fashioned test and try again.posted 03/17/2013 by Uhgirl2006
Sounds like your preggers!!! Congrats, but to be on the safe side get a blood test, and urine test at a hospital or doctors. yayyyyy :)posted 03/15/2013 by rach414
Sounds like it was just a bad test. You would get bleeding and cramping before your HCG levels dropped after a miscarriage. I seriously would not worry. If it puts your mind at ease, you could take another test, but again, it really sounds like it was a bad test.posted 03/15/2013 by kericksen
Answer this question


text:
August 1, 2005
Jeff Berlin
No wonder birds fly south for the winter. I'm preflighting a late- 1970s Cessna 172, and it's freezing outside. My fingers are cold and stiff as I run them along the corrugated control surfaces, and my nose is running. I've driven from New York City to the flight school at Mid-Island Air Service at Long Island, New York's Brookhaven Airport because I was curious to find out what it's like to fly the tasks of the instrument practical test standards in an aircraft with normal, round gauges. Funny enough, I've never done that.
In January 2004, I obtained my instrument rating in a Cirrus SR22 equipped with the Avidyne FlightMax Entegra "glass cockpit" flight deck and dual Garmin GNS 430s — a technically advanced aircraft or TAA (see " The Next-Generation Instrument Rating," August 2004 Pilot). With the Avidyne and Garmin suite in the Cirrus, I had up to four moving maps for reference during any phase of flight, so knowing my location was, indeed, a piece of cake. In this Cessna 172, I'll have none of that. No moving maps. No GPS. No autopilot. No visual aids whatsoever beyond a chart, an approach plate, and a pencil. And I'll only have raw data. Right. This should be interesting.
It had been a little while since I flew on instruments at all, so I thought it might be a good idea to crack the textbook for a quick review. As I plowed through the material, this one word kept popping up: visualize. Want to intercept a radial? According to the textbook, I'll have to visualize my present position, and then visualize where I want to go. What do you mean, visualize? You mean, like, in my mind? Are you kidding? Wow, I've been spoiled.
I actually started to get a little nervous. Before I decided to try this little exercise, visualizing my present position never meant more than a quick glance to the map page of the 10.5-inch-diagonal Avidyne EX5000 multifunction display (MFD) in the Cirrus panel; now, no such luxury. I kept reading, also mindful that I'll be flying with Mid-Island's Bob Osinski, a very personable CFII with white hair and an easy smile. He's also an FAA-designated examiner, so not embarrassing myself became another priority.
Turns out that's one thing I shouldn't have been concerned about. While it had been almost three years since I'd flown a 172 and about a year and a half since I'd even flown an aircraft with conventional gauges, by the time I walked up to that little Skyhawk, preflighted, and fired it up, it felt as familiar as a pair of broken-in cowboy boots.
Once under way, with the outside world obscured by my Foggles, Bob started me with a couple of holds — one on the 350-degree radial from Calverton VOR and the other at the intersection of the 177-degree radial from Calverton and the 260-degree radial from East Hampton. I was immediately struck by how fatiguing this was, even after a short time. I was working hard to visualize my position in space and my constant position relative to the VOR that I was using as my fix during the hold. I kept asking myself, "OK, where am I now?" I'm established in hold, holding north of the VOR, X minutes after the hour, inbound on the 350 radial, 15 seconds from what I hope will be station passage. Then I'll begin a standard-rate right turn for one minute to my one-minute outbound leg. Those 15 seconds pass, and no flag flip.
"Hmm, should be any second now, Bob," I say, trying to sound like I planned to arrive five, 10, 17 seconds late. I adjust my outbound leg accordingly on the next circuit, and it goes a little better. I notice that I'm picturing myself on a little magenta racetrack, just like I'm used to seeing on the Avidyne or Garmin boxes. I'm grasping for any familiarity here, for just maintaining aircraft control is taking more brainpower than I'm used to, and I've got no autopilot for relief as I adjust to new gauges and a new scan.
True fatigue starts tightening its grip. Ugh, this is no picnic, but it's definitely not as bad as I thought, either. Sure is a lot of work, though. Much more than what I'm used to.
Bob asks me to exit the hold, intercept the 177 radial from Calverton, track it to intercept the intersection at the 260 radial from East Hampton, and hold south on the 177. I swing the omni-bearing selector (OBS) around to 177 From and make my way down the radial like a centipede following a zigzagging ant.
"Hey, Bob, where's the wind vector in this bird?" I joke, as I hunt for an elusive heading that will correct for the wind. This was new, since with the glass cockpit, I fell in love with the projected ground-track line on the horizontal situation indicator (HSI) display; it made course interception and tracking as easy as a forkful of pie. The Jeppesen book wasn't kidding about trial and error. How imprecise and approximate, I thought, as I ran through the following little dialogue in my head:
"So, when am I going to hit that intersection?"
"I don't know, soon."
"Where am I now?"
"Somewhere approaching the intersection Bob asked me to fly to."
"When will I be there?"
"When the needle on my number-two VOR centers."
"When will that be?"
"When that happens."
"How long from now?"
"I don't know; we'll see."
"And what kind of hold entry will I make?"
"Teardrop. Definitely teardrop. Only on Sundays. Only in the driveway."
In a way, this really wasn't too different from flying a nonpublished hold in a TAA since the Garmin 430 will not suggest an entry in that case. I'd still have a graphic of the fix, which does simplify things, but beyond that, visualization is the key. When the needle on the number-two VOR finally swung past center, marking station passage, I took a gander at the directional gyro, picked an angled heading for the outbound leg, and began timing.
As I tracked away to the left of the inbound leg, I wondered for a few seconds why the course deviation indicator (CDI) in the number-one VOR was pegged to the right. I was confused, for real, and started to turn back to center the CDI. Bob asked where I thought I was, hint, hint, and I again pictured that magenta racetrack in what now felt like my pea-size brain. That helped, and I turned back to my angled course away from the fix. At one minute's time, I turned and flew right through the inbound course. The racetrack that I was trying to fly started to resemble a Formula One road circuit and my inbound course a series of chicanes and switchbacks.
After a couple of orbits in the hold, Bob instructed me to fly a heading as he covered the gyro instruments for a series of partial-panel unusual attitudes. In the Cirrus and other glass-equipped aircraft, even under partial panel, pilots still have an attitude indicator, so that was all I knew. I'd never experienced no-gyro unusual attitudes and was keen to see how I'd fare. Bob demonstrated the first one, and I learned how to use the pitot-static instruments and turn coordinator to regain and maintain aircraft control. I then tried a couple of my own, one nose up and the other nose down, and found it mentally taxing — not totally counterintuitive, but I'm not sure I'd feel as safe in a "real life" unusual attitude as I did with the glass cockpit.
During my initial instrument training, which was accelerated, I'd fly for four or more hours on most days, but because of the combination of capable boxes in the Cirrus panel and the autopilot, I'd emerge from the aircraft tired, but not to an extreme. Here I was, flying for barely an hour with two approaches before me, already fatigued from trying to maintain a constant mental picture of my position. Bob uncovered the gyro instruments and then gave me vectors to intercept the course for my first approach, the VOR to Brookhaven's Runway 6.
I again asked myself, "And where am I in relation to the airport?" During my training in the Cirrus, all I'd do to answer that question was zoom in or out on the moving map, and I'd immediately have a graphical answer. Now I knew, more or less, where I was in relation to the VOR, and I could see on the approach chart where the airport was in relation to the VOR, so I had a rough picture of where I was. I will say this, though: It was a lot easier to get the radios ready for this approach phase of the flight.
As Bob had me turn to intercept the 41-degree radial to the Calverton VOR, the final approach course, I confirmed I had the 107 radial from Deer Park in the number-two radio to mark my initial approach fix, which was also my final approach fix (FAF) after my holding pattern procedure turn. Once on the inbound leg of the procedure turn, I confirmed the altitude I'd descend to and the time, at 90 knots groundspeed, from the FAF to the missed approach point (MAP). Again, this was quite different from what I was used to.
First, in the Cirrus, I had a constant readout of my actual groundspeed, so when I needed 100 knots, I could actually do that and nail my timing. Here in the 172, everything was, again, mentally calculated. There are also numerous variables in the accuracy of a VOR, so as the needle wallowed through the 107-degree radial, it fluctuated toward the center, then back left, then a bit more toward the center, then back a bit; then it crossed center, so I took that as passing my FAF. Not too precise, and for all I know, I could have been 4 degrees off, which is within allowable VOR accuracy tolerances. So did I cross the 111, or did I just cross the 103? Mind you, this wasn't difficult; it just seemed less precise than I was used to, which was actually seeing a picture of my little white airplane crossing the fix, with a little flag flip on the Garmin nav page one. There was just never any question when exactly station passage occurred. I liked it better that way.
The timing worked out OK as I descended to the circling altitude of 620 feet while working to keep the VOR needle centered. On most approaches in the Cirrus, I'd also opt for raw data on the HSI during approaches, so at this point, not too much was different, besides the less-precise situational awareness of my actual position relative to the MAP. I knew it was coming up in one minute, but that was if I'd nailed 90-knot groundspeed, and I had no quick way of verifying that. I did my best, and Bob was fine with the way it worked out, as he had me fly the missed to our second approach, the ILS back to Runway 6. Again, setting up the radios for the ILS was a breeze compared to the button pushing in the more sophisticated airplane. Indeed, pretty much all we had to do was dial in the ILS frequency and identify. That's it. Amazing.
Bob again gave me vectors to intercept the localizer and cleared me for the approach. This actually was much like I was used to, and was no problem at all. By now, I'd adjusted my scan to the gauges, adjusted to not having the graphical cues I was used to, and really, an ILS is an ILS, only the symbology I was using to track it — six-pack versus primary flight display — was different. It would have been nice to have an HSI, but you can't have everything, and that was the point — to see if I could be a safe IFR pilot without having all the goodies I was used to. We "broke out" at the circling altitude of 600 feet, and I entered a left downwind to land on Runway 33.
"That really wasn't so bad," I quipped as we taxied back to Mid-Island's base of operations, and I recalled a conversation I had a day earlier with Bob Wright, manager of the general aviation and commercial division at the FAA. He mentioned they were looking for a nonbureaucratic way to address the differences between TAA and non-TAA in IFR operations.
After this flight, I'm confident that a nonbureaucratic solution will fit the bill. While I didn't know it would be so taxing to keep a visual picture assembled from all the pieces of information, I would expect that aspect to get better with practice — like any transition. I'm sure any pilot who learned to fly instruments in a TAA aircraft, whether with a glass cockpit or not, will, after an hour or two of transition, be good to go on the most basic of panels.
Jeff Berlin, AOPA 1114679, is an instrument-rated private pilot with single- and multiengine ratings and is based in New York.
Links to additional information about IFR transitions may be found on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/pilot/links.shtml).
Safety and Education,
Glass Cockpit,
Instrument Rating,
Pilot Training and Certification,
New Aircraft,
First Flight,
Advanced Training,
If the theme for last year's Aircraft Electronics Association convention was Automatic Dependent Sur...
The FAA, responding to urging from AOPA and other air traffic system users, will include two areas o...
The FAA proposes to decommission 666 of the more than 2,100 remote communications outlets in the con...


text:
History: Hell Fire (Storm 3)
There is no edit history for this page.
This page has been deleted. The deletion and move log for the page are provided below for reference.
- 00:28, March 9, 2013 Omnibender (Talk | contribs) moved page Hell Fire (Storm 3) to Fanned Flame Great Fire without leaving a redirect (image in Rinnegan Tobi's profile in the official site provided the kanji)


text:
Terri Kirby Erickson – Poem
Oak Tree
Leaning over a farmhouse where the same
Family has lived for generations,
Stands an old oak tree: leaves flapping
Harder than wind-blown housecoats hung
On a clothesline—roots rummaging
Under the porch for a comfortable pair
Of shoes. It spends the days basking
In sunlight, or catching raindrops in each
Green palm. In winter, its bare limbs tap, tap
Against the darkening sky as it waits
Impatiently for snow—its boughs like empty
Cradles, rocking. It beckons men
And women from the fields in the evenings,
With branches waving like their mothers used
to do when it was time for supper. And
It comforts them to know that year after year,
This ancient oak keeps watch outside their
Little farmhouse, its arms spread wide
Over their comings and goings, their weddings
And funerals, births and baptisms, firmly
Anchored in the hallowed ground of home.


text:
July 17, 2014
Hamas Is Insane and Destroying Gaza
William Saletan, Slate
The Associated Press
There are lots of things we can debate about the crisis in Gaza. You can argue that Israel has committed war crimes, that a culture of violence has corrupted Palestinian society, or that a ground invasion is a terrible idea. But one thing should be clear to everyone: Hamas is insane. It's destroying Gaza.
TAGGED: Israel, Palestinians, Gaza, Hamas


text:
You are removing the game
from your account and
My Games . Depending on the developer,
your game progress may be permanently deleted.
may still retain some data you shared with them directly or during game play.
Please visit ()
privacy policy
for details about having your data deleted.
View gallery
Images of EA's Madden entry for this year releasing August 27.


text:
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
Home > Newsroom > News Archive
Unique U-M surgery creates fully usable tongue following tongue cancer
U-M surgeons among handful in country who perform extensive, effective reconstruction
Please Note:
The articles listed in the Cancer Center's News Archive are here for historical purposes. The information and links may no longer be up-to-date.
-added 12/18/08
Ann Arbor - The night before her surgery for tongue cancer, 30-year-old Lisa Bourdon-Krause realized she might never be able to speak to her toddler son again. So she sat up half the night recording messages to him: "Hi, how was your day?," "You're so handsome," "You have a stinky butt. I need to change you." She read two of his favorite books.
"It took me about three times to get through the one story, but I did it and I'm glad I did it. It made me feel safer going into surgery knowing that if something happened to me or if I couldn't speak when I woke up, he would be able to hear my voice and know how much I loved him," Bourdon-Krause says.
The surgery was to remove a cancerous tumor growing near the back of her tongue. Surgeons would remove half of her tongue, an operation that would dramatically affect basic functions such as speech and swallowing.
But by using innovative techniques in oral reconstruction, surgeons at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center were able to reconstruct a tongue using skin from Bourdon-Krause's own forearm.
Today - eight years after that surgery - she remains cancer free. But just as importantly, she remains able to swallow, eat and speak to her son.
"Tongue reconstruction in the past would have limited a patient to a soft diet - mostly liquids, some soft solids. At present with the tongue reconstructions that we're performing, patients are able to take a nearly full diet," says Douglas Chepeha, M.D., M.S.P.H., director of microvascular reconstructive surgery and associate professor of otolaryngology at the U-M Medical School.
Chepeha and his team have developed many of the techniques used in tongue reconstruction, including innovative patterns, much like a dress pattern, that help the surgeons determine the size and shape of the skin tissue they'll cut for transplanting. The tissue is taken from another part of the patient's body, often the forearm, so there is not a risk of rejection.
The surgery, which includes removing a portion of the tongue and reconstructing the new tongue, is long and complex, lasting about 10 hours. It requires surgeons to dissect and reattach the blood vessels, just like with a typical organ transplant. The blood vessels are sewn together with tiny sutures, some smaller than a single strand of hair. When patients wake up, their reconstructed tongue is in place.
"In the past, patients who have undergone tongue reconstruction would be very concerned about social interaction. With the type of reconstructions we're performing now, our patients tell us that they're willing to go into a restaurant and order a meal. They have no hesitation whatsoever in asking strangers for directions. They are also able to maintain their employment status and their interactions with friends and family," Chepeha says.
For Bourdin-Krause, the surgery has allowed her to continue working, raising her son and enjoying time with family and friends.
"Now, eight years later, I feel like it's just my normal tongue. I'm used to it. Within a couple weeks, really, I was back to what I considered as normal as I was going to be," she says. "I try very hard not to take anything for granted, because having it almost taken away makes you realize just how special every minute is."
Tongue cancer statistics: 10,140 Americans will be diagnosed with tongue cancer this year and 1,880 will die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society
Early detectionThe most common causes of oral cancer are smoking and alcohol consumption, and the risk increases for people who do both. As with most cancers, the earlier a tongue cancer lesion is found, the easier it is to treat. Here are some early signs that could signal tongue cancer:
Most mouth lesions will heal within a two-week period. You wouldn't want to be alarmed with a minor canker sore. We're talking about a lesion that's in your mouth, that's been there a couple weeks. It has some firmness to it when you feel it. You can tell there's some thickness to it and it's not healing," Chepeha says.
U-M Cancer AnswerLine™, 800-865-1125
Multidisciplinary Head & Neck Cancer Clinic
National Cancer Institute: Oral Cancer
Written by Nicole Fawcett
|[an error occurred while processing this directive]


text:
BEAST is Dead,
Long live The BEST!
Special Ad
Section (FUNNY!)
Top 10 Reasons
to Vote Republican
Why The Environment
Doesn't Matter-
Al Uthman
Banal Retentive
- Matt Taibbi
The Beer
Mystic Manifesto
- Paul Salamone
Matt Taibbi
Comes Clean on Abu Ghraib
A Gallivan's Life
- Seamus
ArtVoice Review
-Tone At
Buffalo in Briefs
Blotter -
Matt Taibbi
at Birth???
Craig's Reading
- your letters
Kino Korner
Roland Emmerich
BEAST BASH A Baffling
Baby Steps
Review Cubby
Fried - Jason
the Angry Flower -
Stephen Notely
Load -
Darren Longo
Beast is Dead, Long Live THE BEST!
We Gave Up: A BEST Editorial Message
difficult for us to imagine for us at this point, but it wasn't
very long ago that we at The BEST were still calling our paper The
Beast, and fighting an offensively humorous battle against the uptight,
the fascist, and the easily offended. Certainly, many of you out
there who have picked up this paper expecting the same mean old
Beast are asking, "What the hell is this?" Well let me
tell you.
started last week, when our staff slowly awoke from their usual
post-production stupor. As Editor-in-Chief Al Uthman groggily gnawed
on a day-old ashy pizza crust, he was reminded by his bleary-eyed
art director that "the next issue will be number fifty, man-we
should do something different."
issues! That's right; nearly two years of journalistic excellence,
and what did we have to show for it-besides sore asses and increasingly
fragile health? For 49 hard-wrought installments, The Beast's stalwart
sleuths, wordsmiths, and drug addicts had provided beloved Buffalo
with an original paper, devoid of the sickly sweet bias that characterized
the rest of the town's print media. But still we struggled, still
we starved, still our fair city's advertising dollars were frustratingly
elusive. Time and time again, instead of "that article about
Mad Cow was really informative and well-written," or "that
interview with that body part made me pee my pants," we heard
"you called my bar a shit-hole" or "that bag of snot
made my wife vomit" when we called upon local business owners
for a meager allowance of marketing revenue lifeblood. The message
was clear: our sophisticated tastes and our keen eyes spelled trouble,
when it came to reaping the rewards of our tireless creative endeavor.
that crap outta here" was the refrain so oft repeated to our
distributors, when they tried to drop off a stack of our proud and
noble paper--and we had had enough. When we brought our concerns
to our master, BEST publisher Paul Fallon, he was unfazed. "Shut
up, you dolts," said Fallon, "now get back to work before
I get the bat." After appealing to his unswerving lust for
money, however, a thin smile spread across his face. "Money,
huh? Hmmm, maybe we should think about that."
The final
straw came soon enough: no one had seen former Beast editor Kevin
McElwee for a long time, but we figured he was just drinking his
life away in obscurity somewhere. Then, a horrifying discovery:
McElwee's still-clothed skeleton, found slumped behind a file cabinet
by a still-traumatized Seamus Gallivan. So, this was what talent,
hard work, and integrity brought
you in
this town-starvation, exhaustion, and eventually, death at the office-and
for what? To be considered "cool"or "hardcore?"
We knew right then and there, we'd rather be considered "rich
as hell."
corpse sealed the deal. The Beast was no more. Local businesses,
churches, and political bosses can relax once again, and insipid,
obsequious news sources have gained a new member-The BEST!
our name to The BEST represents a fundamental change in our outlook
and editorial policy. We've been at this for a while now, and we're
still hungry, cold, and wearing tatters. We thought Buffalo needed
a paper that didn't BS the people, which told it like it is. But
let's face it-we were wrong. People hate the truth! Apparently,
what you want is a paper that puts a happy, if delusional, face
on the city-and blows its advertisers with such abandon as is usually
found only in men's restrooms at bus stations.
So here
it is, Buffalo; your new and improved paper of irrelevance. Nothing
hard to digest here-you'll find a new, positive outlook in almost
all sections of The BEST, including optimistic editorials, innocuous
features, new cockamamie theories on "how to save Buffalo,"
upbeat restaurant, movie and music reviews, and news of the fun,
happy place that is our Queen City-no mild left behind! Advertisers,
take note-we're ready for you now!
If an
article, or indeed a single word, offends you in any way, please
don't hesitate to contact The BEST offices, where we will not hesitate
to beat the offending writer severely for trying to blow our ride.
Already, the money is rolling in, and it's really only a matter
of time before we outsource the bulk of our work to India, move
to the pacific, and party away the rest of our days with ultra-hot
editorial groupies while marketing drones man the old smelly office
and glad-handle public officials. Who's laughing now, Buffalo?
All in
all, it was an inevitability. We were just a little local paper-who
were we to think we could change the world? Pissing people off is
really just an attention-getting device, as any first-year psych
major can tell you-all we needed was a little love, and now we're
going to get it the easy way. When a dog wants attention, he can
bark and whine, but he only gets a treat when he rolls over and
plays dead. Well, Buffalo, here we go-keep those treats handy, and
enjoy The BEST, Buffalo's New Best Friend!
Letters to the Evil Editors should be
addressed to:firstname.lastname@example.com
© 2004 The Beast


text:
Outside Catering
Outside Catering; bringing our experience right to you!
Outside catering can be a straight forward meal or it can be as elaborate as you like; no challenge is too much for us. We always add the trademark Royal Castle expertise to every event we cater; from intimate wedding parties to memorable boat trips, and black tie balls to fun filled yurts! We can provide three course meals, delicious canapés, relaxed buffets and pop-up bars. With all the equipment, the expertise and well trained staff we can guarantee that your event will go fabulously well with The Royal Castle Hotel's outside catering team.
We regularly cater events in and out of Dartmouth and bring our expert team to the venue of your choice.
Suggestions for outside catering include formal dinner services for fundraising or celebration events, outdoor buffets for summer parties and wedding breakfasts in your specially chosen venue. We can come sympathetically into your home or garden, we work closely with many venues in and around Dartmouth, and are pretty happy in a marquee as well – just take Regatta for example! What's more we work closely with Dartmouth Riverboat and Steam Railway Company to offer top class catering on all their boats, including The Dart Explorer and The Dittisham Princess.
We can guarantee our usual standards of food, wine and service where ever you wish!
What's more we have an experienced team who will deal with all your outside catering needs from the start of your enquiry to the event itself, adding a personal co-ordinator to help you plan every last detail.
These images are from The Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta 2012 which included a sit down meal for 660 people. Don't worry though, we cater for parties large and small!


text:
Let's face it: we like to think that we are in control of our dogs by mastering seven to 10 simple commands, but we're deluding ourselves. Dogs train us, and, according to this National Geographic opinion piece, their wolf ancestors might have actually been the ones to initiate a domesticated relationship simply by being friendly: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/03/130302-dog-domestic-evolution-science-wolf-wolves-human/
Come, sit, stay – the wolf indicated with his eyes, and we did. It's hard to imagine that we'd fall prey to a wolf's batting eyelashes and sly smile, but fast forward several centuries and think about how we melt when our best friends plead with us for another biscuit with their eyes and the hypothesis doesn't seem that far-fetched. Our dogs are definitely having the last laugh here, or should I say howl?


text:
Spot The Idiotic Central Banker Statement
With the wild world of central bankers full of double-speak, counter-factuals and well-chosen anecdotes, statements of questionable sanity are not difficult to find. However, Dennis Lockhart, who has already done his optimistic economic damage to stocks this morning just outdid himself. Speaking in his home town, the Atlanta Fed President stated confidently in the Q&A after his speech:
"One of the stupidest things a central banker could do is comment on the stock market."
Then added:
The stock market is not "a bubble in any way"
"Stupid" indeed, Mr Lockhart...
Fed Lockhart: "One of the stupidest things a central banker could do is comment on the stock market." But adds, he doesn't see a bubble.
— Michael S. Derby (@michaelsderby) January 13, 2014
- Login or register to post comments
- Printer-friendly version
- Send to friend
- advertisements -
Can someone please tell this guy to shut the fuck up?
Reminds me of fake libertarians proclaiming the silver market is rigged and then getting excited when the fake silver price rallies.
One has to honestly wonder if this is all an open joke when contrary comments like these are made by the same individual in quick succession.
Then again, I often underestimate the depth of their stupidity & incompetency.
Thet will say anything to keep rates down
No they say things like this because they think they're the smartest people around.....which is exactly why they always fail.
"All is well..."
Same old broken rhetoric from our NSA troll, Fonestar.
You pathetic fraud. Any enemy of Satoshi is the bankster's friend and tool.
Climate changers been doing this for years...
"We don't really know the mechanism. It's a mystery to us right now,"
"There is definite climate change happening in the Arctic,"
Who is Satoshi? Nobody knows! How can he have any friends or enemies?
He's NOT REAL!!! Sorta like his imaginary creation, bitcoin. None of it is real.
Disclaimor: I wish all the luck in the world to those who wish to break the corrupt systems of tyranny we now face. All the same, I feel bitcoin is not going to be a useful tool in the endeavor. In fact, I fear it may turn out to be a tool of tyranny used like a trojan horse against my friends of liberty.
With that said, dabble away. I would not and could not ever advise anyone to "invest" in bitcoin or anything that is not tangible.
They are not "failing" at all: They are successfully stealing all the money in the country right in front of our eyes.
I would not want to be a young "up and coming" central banker. These fuckers' days are numbered and when the music stops, everyone is going to be pissed.........and they're going to be looking for who caused this mess.
My boss is a Japanese cryptographer and bitbrother fonestar is here to spread his word and gospel.
Yeah, you don't sound like a Moonie anymore, nah.......
Scientology just called, foney- they want their rant back....
I hear Comet ISON will be making it's debut soon.
Have you ordered your cyanide yet Foneystar
Anyone opposing Bitcoin is essentially working with the enemy and deserves to be executed.
Never ascribe to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity
Then again, I often underestimate the depth of their stupidity & incompetency..
I don't believe they are stupid nor incompetant. They are the guardians of the greed of the last 30 years.
They in in so deep over their pea brained heads they don't have a fucking clue what to say next. Look at Bernanke's 2 60 minute interviews where in one he admits to "money printing" and the next he denies it!!
I've told many around me, to much disdain and ridicule, that when they finally lose control it will be sudden and immediate. To many it will be like waking up in a living nightmare. Total and complete collapse, overnight!!
"Then again, I often underestimate the depth of their stupidity & incompetency."
And yet there he is making big bucks, big decisions, and big pronouncements while the rest of us just complain about how stupid and incompetent he is. Hmm, maybe you MISunderestimate his intelligence and competency. Perhaps, all is going according to plan but you are such a speck on the ass of the plan that you don't comprehend that there is a plan much less what that plan means for you.
is stupidest even a fucking word?
you keep talking phonestar. "you da man."
Reminds me of people that say Bitcoin is the way of the future without understanding how fragile the information age is with government kill switches, government hacking, and precarious power systems.
The information age is far from fragile. It's about the most solid thing in existence.
I wouldn't expect you to feel any other way as your entire existence is at stake
The information age is an epochal change. The United States can fall into some misanthropic stacker WROL fantasy and it will not hurt technology, it will not make clocks tick backwards. People are going to have a great time.
I take it when you hear the term 'Dark Ages' you can only think of the 2003 Blackout.
Hate to break it to you, but when you're out SHTF'ing in your bunker the Bitcoiners are gonna be having a great party somewhere on planet Earth.
You are undoubtedly virtually correct.
Not to worry, my bunker is fully stocked with popcorn to watch you guys scramble to access your virtual assets in your virtual wallets to buy physical goods.
Never mind that if the SHTF, that the Chinese are ready to detonate a high atmospheric nuke over the US as a last 'fuck you'
You're so heavily invested in your fantasies that you're delusional. Sure the United States will become a shithole after the dollar collapse. Doesn't mean I have to live there or visit there.
...cause it's not like we're the largest food exporter, nor have the largest concentration of fresh water....oh wait.
You think for a second the military doesn't weapons trained at every single chinese satellite in the sky and a whole shield set up to shoot them suckers out of the sky across the whole world at every military base or at least a locally with a large enough range to minimize that sort of attack? Star Wars is more of a reality than people know....... Air dominance doesn't just apply to the lower atmosphere anymore.
Don't go trying to pick up bitcoins before the steamroller.
No problem --- one can always just stop it by throwing the blockchain in its path.
The 50% chain-rewrite threshold on BTC holdings was almost crossed last week. That would have allowed a complete redistribution of the chain by the majority holder. Bitheads tried their hardest to bury the significance of that moment but needless to say their supposedly secure store of currency was literally moments away from being totally stealable.
Correction: A 51% attack would not allow bitcoins to be stolen or the blockchain to be re-arranged. At worst, it might allow the organization controlling that much hashing power to double spend once in a while, but that seems highly dubious in and of itself, since anything expensive enough to be worth going through the trouble of double-spending is likely to be of a nature easily reposessed by an irate seller.
They already have a solution to the centralization of mining anyway: look up p2pool.
The information age is far from fragile. It's about the most solid thing in existence.
If I had a sledge hammer and your computer I would prove you wrong. I'd even toss your head in there just to show you the sledge hammer was real.
There have been a metric shit ton of people who have told all of them to shut the fuck up. They don't listen, all they do is tell lies. It's their job.
"Can someone please tell this guy to shut the fuck up?"
Why? Keeping guys like this talking is the best way to pop the people's bubble of denial. If not for the people(who are taking a paycheck from this guy in one form or another) then at least their kids. They are the ones who will one day announce that the Emperor has no clothes
Stupid is as stupid does.
They will only realize it's a bubble when it 'pops'
it has already. the stock market is where liquidity comes from? REALLY? How so?


text:
V8 Factor Unleashed v1.1
Holden v Ford
AF-RF1 v1.0
Heineken's Italian Grand Prix, Venice. MODMAN format.
Mod F1 2009 F1RL
Addon for game rFactor, Mod F1 season 2009 by F1LIGUE.
Real Feel v092797
FFB addon for rFactor
G27 rFactor led display
Brands Hatch v2.0
V2 Brands Hatch, too many changes. MODMAN format.
Leo FFB 2.0
rFactor FFB addon
SinL WTCC MOD part_2
WTCC MOD for rFactor by SinL
Bahrain International v1.0
Brings you one of the newest and also most exciting GP circuits today. MODMAN format.
TV Style Install 09
Change gauge displays
TV Style Megapack
Changes gauges
rFactor map plugin 05 FULL
Displays maps on screens for learning tracks
GIMPs ENB Setups
These are setups to improve the graphics of a number of older games, mostly for racing games like RFactor, Richard Burns Rally, GTR2, etc...
srl update 1
srl skin update 1
F1FF GP2 Series
GP2 Series 2008 by SIMCO with customized Physics by F1FF League www.F1FF.com.pl
GIMPs ENB Setups 0.89
These are setups for ENB to improve the graphics of a number of older games and racing sims.
gbs F2 tar and shale 250
f2 shale and tar 250
Las Vegas GP07 for rFactor
2007 Las Vegas Grand Prix v1.0 (c) Doug Lynch - iDT Racing Simulations PROMOTIONAL OR COMMERCIAL USE WITHOUT LICENSE IS PROHIBITED. Please contact email@example.com for license information.
Addon for game rFactor Mod F1 season 2009 by F1LIGUE. VERSION 2.0 of Mod F1RL 2009 rFactor Game f1rl modding group
rFactorMonitor v0.2.0 BETA
rFactorMonitor is an add-on application for rFactor. It can be used to broadcast rFactor sessions in real time either on a LAN or over the internet.
A1-Ring v1.3
Austria A1 Ring conversion for rFactor. MODMAN format.
TV Style 091 upgrade
Changes gauge displays
rFactorSC 1.0
rFactor setup comparison tool
Autosim Analyzer 1.65
Compare rFactor setups
V8 Factor Unleashed Ford + Holden Setups
Extract to rFactor/UserData/YourName
rF Chevrolet Cruze WTCC Body Template
Body Template for Chevrolet Cruze WTCC in rFactor
WTCC 2009 rFactor Chevrolet Cruze Demo
WTCC 2009 single car demo - Chevrolet Cruze for rFactor
rFactor WTCC 2009 (All cars)
rFactor WTCC 2009 Mod with all cars included: Chevrolet Cruze, Seat Leon TDi, Seat Leon TFSi, BMW 320si, Lada 110s, Lada Priora, Volvo C30, Chevrolet Lacetti.
SLR F2 Mod
f2 stockcars
SinL WTCC MOD part_1
WTCC MOD for Rfactor by SinL
Boone County Fairgrounds v1.0
BCFG for right now is mainly a mower track. MODMAN format.
Bedford Autodrome v1.0
Bedford Autodrome Conversion for rFactor. Includes 4 layouts. MODMAN format.
Bathurst Mount Panorama v1.0
Mount Panorama comes to rFactor. MODMAN format.
Autobahn v1.0
Autobahn Country Club is a circuit designed to provide its members with an enjoyable and challenging course in which to test their skills. MODMAN format.
Adelaide v2.0
Track mod by NFR. Adelaide, home of the V8 Supercar Clipsal 500. MODMAN format.
Smoke addon
rFactor smoke addon for drift mods


text:
RISMEDIA, August 26, 2009-Data through June 2009, released by Standard & Poor's for its S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, show that the U.S. National Home Price Index improved in the second quarter of 2009. The S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index- which covers all nine U.S. census divisions- recorded a 14.9% decline in the 2nd quarter of 2009 versus the 2nd quarter of 2008. While still a substantial negative annual rate of return, this is an improvement over the record decline of 19.1% reported in the 1st quarter of the year. The 10-City and 20-City Composites recorded annual declines of 15.1% and 15.4%, respectively. These are also improvements from their recent respective record losses of -19.4% and -19.1%.
"For the second month in a row, we're seeing some positive signs," says David M. Blitzer, Chairman of the Index Committee at Standard & Poor's. "The U.S. National Composite rose in the 2nd quarter compared to the 1st quarter of 2009. This is the first time we have seen a positive quarter-over-quarter print in three years. Both the 10-City and 20-City Composites posted monthly increases, as did most of the cities. As seen in both seasonally adjusted and unadjusted data, there are hints of an upward turn from a bottom. However, some of the hardest hit cities, especially in the Sun Belt, show continued weakness."
As of the 2nd quarter of 2009, average home prices across the United States are at similar levels to what they were in early 2003. From the peak in the second quarter of 2006, average home prices are down 30.2%.
The 10-City and 20-City Composites posted their second consecutive monthly increases. Both indices were up 1.4% in June over May, and up 0.5% in May over April. Eighteen of the 20 metro areas saw improvement in their annual returns compared to those of May. Looking at the monthly data, the same 18 metro areas reported positive returns in June.
In spite of the recent positive data, the overall numbers remain weak, with all metro areas and the two composites posting negative annual returns, and 15 out of the 20 metro areas reporting double digit annual declines. While not alone, Las Vegas and Detroit continue to be two markets that are struggling severely. These are the only two markets that fell in June and saw deterioration in their annual rates of return. Since their relative peaks they have fallen 54.3% and 45.3%, respectively.
More upbeat news is seen in the monthly data across other markets; Dallas and Denver have reported four consecutive months of positive returns. In addition to the two composites, 13 of the MSAs reported positive monthly returns for June that were greater than +1.0%.
The table below summarizes the results for June 2009. The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices are revised for the 24 prior months, based on the receipt of additional source data.
2009 Q2 2009 Q2/2009 Q1 2009 Q1/2008 Q4 1-Year
Level Change (%) Change (%) Change (%)
U.S. National
Index 132.64 2.9% -7.4% -14.9%
June 2009 June/May May/April 1-Year
Metropolitan Level Change (%) Change (%) Change (%)
Atlanta 107.52 1.5% 0.5% -13.7%
Boston 152.71 2.6% 1.6% -5.9%
Charlotte 120.66 0.7% 0.9% -9.6%
Chicago 124.99 1.1% 1.1% -16.7%
Cleveland 106.38 4.2% 4.1% -3.0%
Dallas 119.68 2.7% 1.9% -2.2%
Denver 126.92 2.5% 1.3% -3.6%
Detroit 69.49 -0.8% 0.2% -25.0%
Las Vegas 107.31 -2.0% -2.6% -32.4%
Los Angeles 160.90 1.1% -0.1% -17.8%
Miami 145.37 0.5% -0.8% -23.4%
Minneapolis 113.48 3.1% 1.1% -19.8%
New York 171.49 0.4% 0.2% -11.9%
Phoenix 104.73 1.1% -0.9% -31.6%
Portland 148.47 1.0% 0.1% -15.2%
San Diego 147.31 1.6% 0.4% -16.0%
San Francisco 124.70 3.8% 1.4% -22.0%
Seattle 149.53 0.4% -0.3% -16.1%
Tampa 140.90 0.4% 0.0% -19.5%
Washington 174.32 2.8% 1.3% -11.8%
Composite-10 153.20 1.4% 0.5% -15.1%
Composite-20 141.86 1.4% 0.5% -15.4%
For more information, visit www.standardandpoors.com.
Have a comment on this article? Share on Facebook!
Copyright© 2016 RISMedia, The Leader in Real Estate Information Systems and Real Estate News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be republished without permission from RISMedia.
Content on this website is copyrighted and may not be redistributed without express written permission from RISMedia. Access to RISMedia archives and thousands of articles like this, as well as consumer real estate videos, are available through RISMedia's REsource Licensed Content Solutions. Offering the industry's most comprehensive and affordable content packages. Click here to learn more! http://resource.rismedia.com


text:
My 4-year-old son Ryan favors fastidiousness when it comes to learning his letters. Each week, his pre-K class focuses on a letter and the kids learn words that begin with the letter and take turns bringing in related items. (Ryan had the letter "c" and it will surprise nobody who knows him that he brought cookies). To prepare for each letter, Ryan checks his self-made chart (in reality, criss-crossing lines with random check marks), determines the week's letter and then makes a book about the letter.
This week's letter is "F," so as he worked on his F-book he penned a nice-looking "F" (holding his marker improperly although he knows the correct way but refuses because he's "tired" of everyone telling him what to do). He had me spell "from" and wrote "Ryan From" (because he likes the sound of it better than "From Ryan").
Then Ryan asked:
"Mom, tell me every F-word that you know."
Of course, I suppressed laughter because the big, bad, naughty F-word was the first thing that popped into my head (and admit it, yours too).
But I was good. In a Bueller-Bueller-Bueller tone, I ticked off basic F-words for him to write:
"Fun. F-U-N."
"Far. F-A-R."
"Foot. F-O-O-T."
"Fin. F-I-N."
And on. And on.
Fast forward hours later to just-before bedtime. I was watching "House Hunters" in bed and listening to Ryan and his sister Zoe, who is almost 8, play. Ryan had showed Zoe his F-book. Zoe's voice turned into a loud whisper (and yes, she was practically yelling but in a whispery tone, if you can imagine this, which you could if you knew my two kids and husband Tom, all of whom are naturally LOUD, probably the loudest people on Earth).
"Ryan," whisper-yelled Zoe. "I know an F-word that's a bad word. Do you want to hear it."
Of course, Ryan replied yes.
I turned down the TV volume and inwardly began to panic: How does sweet Zoe know the F-word? Did she hear her dad say it accidentally? Or worse, me? If it's one of us, I hope it's Tom because I can act shocked and indignant. Or maybe Zoe heard it at school. Kids have older siblings and maybe, somehow, the F-word trickled down into the 2nd-grade. F*ck! If Ryan knows there's a bad F-word he will relish it and tell his preschool class and get kicked out of preschool and none of the moms will let their kids play with Ryan and we'll be the hooligan family and it's all downhill from there.
"OK, Ryan, I'll tell you the bad F-word. But you have to cross your heart to Mary and Jesus that you won't tell anyone. Understand?
"It's fat, Ryan. The bad F-word is fat. F-A-T. It's bad because if you're fat, it means you're not healthy and that's bad because you don't eat nutritious foods or exercise."
Then the two of them started exercising.
I heaved a sigh of relief.
Fun times, my friend. Fun times.
Any fun kids-say-funny-things stories to share?
Main photo of Ryan working hard at preschool. Slideshow photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and Amazon.
Fun facts about the F-word


text:
3 Stocks Reiterated As A Buy: INTC, NFLX, JNJ
TheStreet) -- TheStreet Ratings team reiterated 3 stocks with a buy rating on Wednesday based on 32 different data factors including general market action, fundamental analysis and technical indicators. The in-depth analysis of these ratings decisions goes as follows: Intel Corp: Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) has been reiterated by TheStreet Ratings as a buy with a ratings score of B. According to TheStreet Ratings team: The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its increase in stock price during the past year, revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, attractive valuation levels and expanding profit margins. Although the company may harbor some minor weaknesses, we feel they are unlikely to have a significant impact on results. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Jim Cramer's Protégé, Dave Peltier, only buys Stocks Under $10 that he thinks could potentially double. See what he's trading today with a 14-day FREE pass. Highlights from the ratings report include:Editor's Note: Any reference to TheStreet Ratings and its underlying recommendation does not reflect the opinion of TheStreet, Inc. or any of its contributors including Jim Cramer or Stephanie Link. NEW YORK (
- The stock has risen over the past year as investors have generally rewarded the company for its earnings growth and other positive factors like the ones we have cited in this report. Turning our attention to the future direction of the stock, it goes without saying that even the best stocks can fall in an overall down market. However, in any other environment, this stock still has good upside potential despite the fact that it has already risen in the past year.
- Despite its growing revenue, the company underperformed as compared with the industry average of 5.2%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 2.6%. This growth in revenue appears to have trickled down to the company's bottom line, improving the earnings per share.
- Although INTC's debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23 is very low, it is currently higher than that of the industry average. To add to this, INTC has a quick ratio of 1.75, which demonstrates the ability of the company to cover short-term liquidity needs.
- The gross profit margin for INTEL CORP is currently very high, coming in at 75.56%. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Regardless of the strong results of the gross profit margin, the net profit margin of 18.97% trails the industry average.
- You can view the full analysis from the report here: Intel Ratings Report
Check Out Our Best Services for Investors
Action Alerts PLUS
Portfolio Manager Jim Cramer and Director of Research Jack Mohr reveal their investment tactics while giving advanced notice before every trade.
Product Features:
- $2.5+ million portfolio
- Large-cap and dividend focus
- Intraday trade alerts from Cramer
Quant Ratings
Access the tool that DOMINATES the Russell 2000 and the S&P 500.
Product Features:
- Buy, hold, or sell recommendations for over 4,300 stocks
- Unlimited research reports on your favorite stocks
- A custom stock screener
Stocks Under $10
David Peltier uncovers low dollar stocks with serious upside potential that are flying under Wall Street's radar.
Product Features:
- Model portfolio
- Stocks trading below $10
- Intraday trade alerts
Dividend Stock Advisor
David Peltier identifies the best of breed dividend stocks that will pay a reliable AND significant income stream.
Product Features:
- Diversified model portfolio of dividend stocks
- Updates with exact steps to take - BUY, HOLD, SELL
Trifecta Stocks
Every recommendation goes through 3 layers of intense scrutinyquantitative, fundamental and technical analysisto maximize profit potential and minimize risk.
Product Features:
- Model Portfolio
- Intra Day Trade alerts
- Access to Quant Ratings
Real Money
More than 30 investing pros with skin in the game give you actionable insight and investment ideas.
Product Features:
- Access to Jim Cramer's daily blog
- Intraday commentary and news
- Real-time trading forums


text:
Larry Darnell Flowers
Position: DB
Height: 6-1 Weight: 190 lbs.
Born: April 19, 1958 in Temple, TX
High School: Temple
College: Texas Tech (school history)
Drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 4th round (102nd overall) of the 1980 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 6 (8785th overall since 1950)
Promote your website or business by sponsoring this page for $5 on Pro-Football-Reference.com. Your message will replace this ad.


text:
Rare booksellers celebrate World Book Day with pop-up fairs across the globe
The rare booksellers of the world united today to celebrate World Day Day with a global series of pop-up book fairs, stretching from Perth and Tokyo to Paris and Munich to Chicago and Portland, Oregon. The events – organised by ILAB – promoted reading and the joy of books, and also raised money for UNESCO's efforts to support literacy in South Sudan.
A blog post cannot truly do justice to the scale of this celebration which began in Australia (in at least three locations), continued in Japan and then spread to Europe as sellers in the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, France, Denmark, Russia, Hungary and the United Kingdom contributed to the effort. Further North American events took place in Seattle and Chicago.
AbeBooks staffer Larissa Dawirs, who works in our Dusseldorf office, visited the pop-up book fair in Vienna and took in some amazing views of the Austrian city as the fair was held inside the rotating carriages of a ferris wheel.
Her colleague Christi Kay, who works in the Victoria office, took a flight to Chicago to join 12 Midwest booksellers at the historic Glessner House where yet another fair took place.
Both were made very welcome and we appreciate the hospitality of the booksellers.
We must also mention ILAB's web editor Dr. Barbara van Benthem, who blogged for many hours in order to record the events in a single place.


text:
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 11/09/12 -- InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust ("InnVest") (TSX:INN.UN) today announced financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012. All dollars are in thousands of Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified.
"We continue to see modest improvement in the Canadian lodging industry's fundamentals with performance varying by market. Notwithstanding, concern relating to the global economic recovery is affecting consumer confidence and contributing to a slower recovery for the industry," commented Kenneth Gibson, InnVest's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Pricing power continues to improve for our portfolio led by strength in western Canada."
Third Quarter Highlights
-- Revenue per available room ("RevPAR") on a same-hotel basis increased
1.9% driven by a 1.3% increase in average daily rate ("ADR") and modest
growth in occupancy;
-- Same-hotel gross operating profit from hotel operations ("Hotel GOP")
improved 0.7%. This growth was offset by asset sales and the closure of
one hotel for a portion of the quarter resulting in an overall Hotel GOP
decline of 2.0% to $49.8 million;
-- Third quarter results include an impairment charge of $29.1 million
primarily reflecting a writedown of the carrying value of one hotel;
-- Net loss of $221.5 million also includes a non-cash deferred income tax
charge of $195.9 million. Excluding non-cash charges required by IFRS
(unrealized gains and losses on liabilities presented at fair value and
finance costs relating to the presentation of certain equity instruments
as liabilities under IFRS), deferred income taxes, writedowns of hotel
properties, non-recurring other losses or income and depreciation and
amortization, InnVest realized an adjusted net income of $30.1 million
compared to $33.0 million in the prior period;
-- Funds from operations ("FFO") of $0.293 per diluted unit compared to
$0.314 per diluted unit in the prior period. Distributable income was
$0.239 per unit diluted as compared with $0.262 in the prior period; and
-- During the quarter, InnVest refinanced its remaining 2012 mortgage
maturities and completed a one-year extension to its operating line.
Following over $330.0 million of mortgage refinancings in 2012, InnVest
does not have any mortgage maturities until April of 2014.
InnVest's Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011 are available on InnVest's website at www.innvestreit.com.
-------------- --------------
Three Months Three Months Nine months Nine months
Ended Ended Ended Ended
September 30, September 30, September 30, September 30,
2012 2011 2012 2011
($000s except per
unit amounts) (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited)
Hotel properties $ 172,578 $ 172,348 $ 461,859 $ 456,725
Franchise business $ 3,956 $ 2,843 $ 9,178 $ 7,418
Other real estate
properties $ 793 $ 788 $ 2,471 $ 2,603
$ 177,327 $ 175,979 $ 473,508 $ 466,746
Gross operating
profit (1)
Hotel properties $ 49,825 $ 50,826 $ 107,918 $ 107,412
Franchise business $ 1,395 $ 1,248 $ 2,879 $ 2,542
Other real estate
properties $ 253 $ 300 $ 800 $ 1,054
$ 51,473 $ 52,374 $ 111,597 $ 111,008
Net (loss) income
and comprehensive
(loss) income $ (221,498) $ 66,929 $ (249,732) $ 48,859
Reconciliation to
funds from
operations (FFO)
Add / (deduct)
Depreciation and
amortization 23,796 22,668 71,589 71,134
Deferred income
tax expense
(recovery) 195,864 7,186 186,203 (1,815)
Unrealized loss
(gain) on
presented at fair
value 2,364 (71,434) 14,187 (73,677)
Finance costs -
distributions 36 46 109 2,392
Loss (gain) on
sale of hotel
properties 890 - (430) -
Reversal of
impairment 65 - (736) -
Writedown of hotel
properties 29,016 7,711 29,703 7,711
SIFT transition
expenses 352 589 980 589
Funds from
operations (2) $ 30,885 $ 33,695 $ 51,873 $ 55,193
Reconciliation to
Add / (deduct)
Non-cash portion
of mortgage
interest expense 571 667 1,765 2,009
Non-cash portion
of convertible
interest and
accretion 1,032 952 3,043 2,828
FF&E reserve (7,227) (7,186) (19,366) (19,138)
Distributable income
(2) $ 25,261 $ 28,128 $ 37,315 $ 40,892
Per unit data
Net (loss) income
and comprehensive
(loss) income -
diluted $ (2.368) $ 0.581 $ (2.670) $ 0.508
FFO - diluted $ 0.293 $ 0.314 $ 0.530 $ 0.565
Distributable income
- diluted $ 0.239 $ 0.262 $ 0.389 $ 0.425
declared $ 0.0999 $ 0.1251 $ 0.2997 $ 0.3753
-------------- --------------
(1) Gross operating income ("GOP") is defined as revenues less hotel,
franchise and other real estate properties expenses.
(2) Funds from operations and distributable income are non-IFRS measures of
earnings and cash flow commonly used by industry analysts. Non-IFRS
financial measures do not have a standardized meaning and are unlikely
to be comparable to similar measures used by other organizations.
The operating statistics relating to gross room revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 are on a same-hotel basis and exclude five hotels which were sold in 2012 and one hotel which was closed for a portion of the periods presented.
Three months Nine months
ended ended
September 30, Variance September 30, Variance
2012 to 2011 2012 to 2011
Ontario 69.8% 2.0 pts 61.4% (0.5 pts)
Quebec 71.5% (2.0 pts) 63.9% (0.1 pts)
Atlantic 77.6% (1.8 pts) 62.8% (1.1 pts)
Western 71.6% 1.5 pts 66.7% 2.2 pts
Total 71.7% 0.5 pts 63.2% 0.1 pts
Ontario $ 107.70 0.5% $ 107.70 1.5%
Quebec $ 117.50 (0.9%) $ 114.60 (0.5%)
Atlantic $ 123.01 (0.8%) $ 117.22 (0.4%)
Western $ 153.90 6.7% $ 151.41 6.5%
Total $ 120.87 1.3% $ 119.16 2.1%
Ontario $ 75.13 3.5% $ 66.14 0.8%
Quebec $ 84.02 (3.5%) $ 73.26 (0.6%)
Atlantic $ 95.47 (3.0%) $ 73.58 (2.1%)
Western $ 110.21 9.0% $ 101.00 10.1%
Total $ 86.63 1.9% $ 75.26 2.2%
Three months ended September 30, 2012
For the three months ended September 30, 2012, total revenues increased 0.8% to $177.3 million.
Revenues generated by hotel operations were relatively unchanged at $172.6 million. Same-store growth of 1.5% during the third quarter was offset by reduced revenues following asset sales ($1.9 million) and the closure of one hotel which was closed for a portion of the third quarter due to an electrical malfunction.
Same-hotel RevPAR during the quarter increased 1.9% based on a 1.3% increase in ADR and modest growth in occupancy. RevPAR growth was driven by Western Canada which saw RevPAR improve 9.0% led by strength in Calgary and Edmonton. Growth throughout Ontario was offset by pockets of softness in Ottawa (soft demand), Montreal (weak demand in July) and most of the Atlantic markets (reduced group activity).
InnVest generated gross operating profit from hotel operations ("Hotel GOP") of $49.8 million, down 2.0% as compared to the prior period. Growth of 0.7% in InnVest's same-hotel portfolio during the third quarter was offset by reduced Hotel GOP following asset sales ($766) and the closure of one hotel through late July. InnVest expects to recover lost earnings at this hotel through a business interruption claim. No insurance proceeds have been recognized to-date in 2012.
Third quarter hotel GOP margins declined 60 basis points to 28.9% with a 0.1% growth in hotel revenues offset by inflationary growth in operating expenses of 1.0%. Same-hotel GOP margins declined 30 basis points to 29.1%.
During the third quarter, InnVest completed the sale of one hotel (107 rooms) for gross proceeds of $3.3 million and entered into a sale and lease agreement for one additional hotel (194 rooms) for eventual gross proceeds of $6.4 million. This sale and lease agreement will result in the ultimate closing of a sale in the second quarter of 2014 (at the time of the hotel's CMBS mortgage expiry).
Third quarter results include a non-cash impairment charge of $29.1 million relating to two assets. This includes a $28.0 million writedown relating to one hotel based on the continued deterioration of the hotel's revenues, operating profits and forecasted performance. Management is currently evaluating all available options for the hotel.
The third quarter of 2012 generated distributable income of $25.3 million ($0.239 per unit diluted) and FFO of $30.9 million ($0.293 per unit diluted) each showing year-over-year declines owing primarily to the reduction in Hotel GOP realized as well as the current tax expense recognized during the period.
Nine months ended September 30, 2012
For the nine months ended September 30, 2012, total revenues increased by 1.4% to $473.5 million.
Revenues generated by hotel operations increased 1.1% or $5.1 million to $461.9 million. Same-hotel RevPAR over this period increased 2.2% based on a 2.1% increase in ADR. The RevPAR growth was driven by strength in Western Canada.
InnVest generated Hotel GOP of $107.9 million, up 0.5% as compared to the prior period. Hotel GOP growth of 2.2% in InnVest's same-hotel portfolio was offset by reduced Hotel GOP following asset sales and the closure of one hotel during a portion of the second and third quarters. For the nine months ended September 30, 2012, Hotel GOP margins decreased 10 basis points to 23.4%. Same-hotel GOP margins were flat year-over-year at 23.5%.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2012, InnVest generated distributable income of $37.3 million ($0.389 per unit diluted) and FFO of $51.9 million ($0.530 per unit diluted), $3.6 million and $3.3 million year-over-year declines, respectively, owing primarily to the prior period second quarter benefit of $2.1 million in interest earned related to GST/HST tax credits.
Year-to-date in 2012, InnVest executed a number of transactions to strengthen its balance sheet including:
-- During the third quarter, InnVest extended its operating line through
August 31, 2014 (from August 2013).
-- During the third quarter, InnVest refinanced two mortgages totaling
$12.4 million which were scheduled to expire in the fourth quarter of
2012. The new debt, which included incremental proceeds of $3.0 million,
has an average interest rate of 5.1% for a five-year term.
-- Year-to-date, InnVest has completed renewals for over $330.0 million of
mortgages, significantly extending the term to maturity of its mortgage
debt and locking in favorable interest rates.
Following refinancing activities completed in 2012, InnVest does not have any mortgage maturities until April of 2014. InnVest's Series B $75.0 million convertible debentures mature in May 2013. Management expects to replace this debt with a similar instrument in the normal course of business.
As of September 30, 2012, InnVest had $18.3 million of cash (including restricted cash) and $16.6 million drawn on its credit facility.
At September 30, 2012, InnVest's leverage including convertible debentures was 63.5% (45.7% excluding convertible debentures).
Capital expenditures during the nine months ended September 30, 2012 totaled $28.8 million. These investments reflect a number of profit-improving projects designed to increase cash flow and improve profitability including room and public space renovations at several Delta branded hotels as well as brand upgrades at a number of our Holiday Inn and Hilton hotels.
For 2012, InnVest estimates that the non-taxable portion of the distributions made to unitholders during the year will approximate 40% (2011 - 60%).
On July 3, 2012, InnVest completed an internal reorganization to unwind the stapled unit structure (the "2012 Reorganization"), which was approved by InnVest's unitholders at a special meeting on February 23, 2012.
InnVest pursued the 2012 Reorganization in response to announced changes to the federal income tax rules applicable to issuers of stapled securities, which were expected to apply to InnVest as of July 20, 2012. The 2012 Reorganization has resulted in, among other things, the transfer of substantially all of IOT's assets and liabilities to the REIT and the unwinding of the stapled structure of InnVest so that IOT became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the REIT.
Under currently enacted tax law, InnVest does not meet the conditions required to be a real estate investment trust ("Qualified REIT") as defined in the Income tax Act. As a result, effective July 3, 2012 InnVest is subject to the Specified investment flow-through ("SIFT") tax regime in the Income tax Act whereby its income would be subject to a corporate-like rate of income tax assuming its taxable income is distributed each year. Because application of the SIFT tax regime results in an entity-level tax, InnVest is required to pay current income taxes on its taxable income and is also required to record deferred taxes in respect of its temporary differences related primarily to its real estate assets.
Uncertainty in the world economy continues to impact our business. InnVest's broad, diversified portfolio remains a key advantage in the current environment.
Looking ahead, we are focused on driving internal growth within our existing portfolio. We are continuing an important multi-year capital program to enhance our product offering at a number of our hotels. These targeted investments are expected to improve our hotels' competitive positioning and operating performance through increased occupancies and rates. An enhanced product, coupled with improving demand and constrained new supply should enable InnVest to realize cash flow growth. The ultimate extent and timing of planned capital investments will be dependent on business levels and capital availability.
Management will host a conference call on Friday November 9, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time to discuss the performance of InnVest. Investors are invited to access the call by dialing (416) 340-2216 or 1-866-226-1792. You will be required to identify yourself and the organization on whose behalf you are participating. A recording of this call will be made available November 9th beginning at 1:00 pm through to 11:59 p.m. on November 23rd. To access the recording please call (905) 694-9451 or (800) 408-3053 and use the reservation number 7573534#.
Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements which involve risk and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Among the key factors that could cause such differences are real estate investment risks, hotel industry risks and competition. These and other factors are discussed in InnVest's 2012 annual information form which is available at www.sedar.com or www.innvestreit.com. InnVest disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required to do so by applicable securities law.
InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust is an unincorporated open-ended real estate investment trust which owns a portfolio of 138 hotels across Canada representing approximately 18,000 guest rooms operated under internationally recognized brands. InnVest also holds a 50% interest in Choice Hotels Canada Inc., one of the largest franchisors of hotels in Canada.
InnVest's units and convertible debentures trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") under the symbols INN.UN, INN.DB.B, INN.DB.C, INN.DB.D, INN.DB.E and INN.DB.F.
InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust
Chantal Nappert
Executive Director, Investor Relations
(905) 624-7806


text:
Is the oil light in your car just cosmetic?, if it came on would you just ignore it? Those usually come on at 5 lbs. who cares if the pressure reading is usually low, at least you have some indication that the darn thing is still working. By the way I like the dripping sight glass idea.
Page created in 0.089 seconds with 34 queries.


text:
Original Link: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6437/rescheduling-the-intel-ssd-dc-s3700-review
Rescheduling the Intel SSD DC S3700 Reviewby Anand Lal Shimpi on November 6, 2012 5:52 PM EST
This is a rare situation so I thought I'd post a quick explanation here. There was a miscommunication relating to the exact date and time of the embargo lift on performance data for Intel's SSD DC S3700. As a gesture of good faith to all involved I've pulled the review for now. We'll repost it when the final embargo date/time is determined (I should have that later today). There's nothing wrong with the content, just a misunderstanding about when we're allowed to post it.
If you read the review, nothing will change when we repost it, if you didn't, you'll have to wait a little while longer. The drive is pretty cool, it's just not exactly time to talk about it yet.
Sorry for the confusion.
Update: It's back up!


text:
I was very happy to finally liberate this Somec from a friends back yard. I offered to purchase as soon as I laid eyes on it, after learning of the bike just a few weeks ago. He agreed to sell only to change his mind when I called the following day to schedule a pick up time. I was crushed. I had to have/save this bike, it had been rotting in his yard for years.
When he agian agreed to sell, after some gentle prodding from a mutual friend, I waisted no time getting it in to my garage.
The bike sports a full ealry C record group, except for the shifters, that are Super Record. Wheels are Mavic GEL 330's with completely rotted tubulars. The perferated Turbo saddle is pretty much toast too. Frame may have been repainted at some time, as there is yellow and maroon paint peeking through a few small chipped areas. Some identifying frame features are the top tube is channeled, on the left side, to route the rear brake cable. Also, the head tube lugs sport an "S", others I have seen online only have a small hole in this same spot.
I would like to be able to determine the model year and see some original paint as well. Any help appreciated.


text:
1 – 8 of 8
- show: 20
- |
- sort: year (new to old)
Embed this list
<iframe src=""
- 2016
The relevance of in-situ and laboratory characterization of sandy soil hydraulic properties for soil water simulations
2016) JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY. 534. p.251-265 Mark(
- 2014
- Effects of spatial variability of soil hydraulic properties on hydrological model for irrigation management purposes
Use of online water quality monitoring for assessing the effects of WWTP overflows in rivers
2014) ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-PROCESSES & IMPACTS. 16(6). p.1510-1518 Mark(
- Estimation of the spatial distribution of soil hydraulic characteristics using apparent soil electrical conductivity as proxy data
- An alternative tool to predict and upscale soil saturated hydraulic conductivity apparent soil electrical conductivity
- 2013
- Optimizing Hydrus 1D for irrigation management purposes in sandy grassland
- 2012
- Classification of quality attributes for software systems in the domain of integrated environmental modelling
- 2005
Dynamics of an oligotrophic bacterial aquifer community during contact with a groundwater plume contaminated with benzene toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes: an in situ mesocosm study
2005) APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY. 71(7). p.3815-3825 Mark(


text:
May 5, 2016
A new record collection of old prescription and over-the-counter drugs were collected last weekend across the state.
Attorney General Roy Cooper says some 8.5 million pills and tablets were dropped off at various police and sheriff offices on Saturday.
That beat the old record of 7.7 million doses collected in March.
Among the 11 thousand pounds of drugs turned in were painkillers such as Hydrocodone, Oxycontin and Fentanyl, all which can be highly addictive.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
I'm pretty new to Slaughterhouse, but Crooked's definitely my favorite. I just listened to one Rhyme Asylum song that you posted, and it was pretty awesome. I'll check them out, though I do get a little tired of nonstop battle lyrics after a while.
"Y'all say that your pockets are big. I'd rather say that I'm Pac mixed with Big."
Slaughterhouse is so sick, haha.
Norrin! You're so sexy that when I look at women in bikinis I automatically picture your breasts on their chest.
Padawan? Is it your time of the month...already? Too easy.
Am I Doctor Doomed? Haha.
It's never too late! NEVER! You know NA-THING!
I just love being crazy!!! Don't take that away from me!
I love you. And yeah talking about comics with you is like arguing with a fanboy.
I had this really strange dream where you were at a party I went to...then you were leaving, and you left your PS3 at the house where the party was. I went on some epic quest to find you and ended up catching up to you right as you were getting on a bus. But then you just lol'd at me and said "yeah, I'll get it later". Hahah.
Oh hey der!
Send an Instant Message to Norrin Radd Using...
Super Moderator
Norrin Radd's Nerd Rage
Retired Staff
Raiyne's Rock Band
OnRPG Elite Member!