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Don't Stop Believing in US Equities: This Time Might Be Different
Joe Digiammo
There are some different dynamics in place to sustain this bullishness longer term.
Everyone it seems, from my view at least, is so bearish on equities. Yes, the
cover last weekend may have read
(INDEXDJX:DJI) 16,000, but between the lines we read of corrections to bear markets. People even pointed out the history of
covers as a contra-indicator. Well, those same people probably believe in the
Sports Illustrated
curse as well. I'm from Boston: Curt Schilling hopped on an F-150 in 2004 and put an end to my belief in curses.
Now, there can be an argument made that bull/bear sentiment indicators are contra indicators -- the thought being that by the time the sentiment reading is taken, bets have already been placed. We hear how the underlying economic recovery stinks. In fairness, recent data -- namely on jobs, retail sales, and consumer sentiment -- has shown a tepid recovery at best, as it has for the last few springs. We hear how the massive monetary stimulus wars that Japan, the US, and the EU are waging are simply helping prop up certain asset classes. We hear how social mood is terrible -- social mood is a huge driver of the market, and if it were not, 80% of MIT grads would be billionaires. Yes, we may in fact see a correction, but in my opinion the potential for a secular bull trend is still in effect.
Here's my humble take, for what it's worth:
1. Markets are geared to go higher, right? Two-thirds of Americans have some type of retirement vehicle, or another vested interest, in stocks. They want stocks to go up. This helps explain volatility as well: Stocks generally take the stairs up and the elevator down. According to a recent article in the
Wall Street Journal,
people are just starting to regain faith in the markets. We're seeing 5-year record equity/equity ETF inflows. Moreover, roughly 26% of American making $50,000 or less have little if any stock exposure. Remember, the individual investor has been stung by a plethora of punches: the tech crash, the housing crash, the mini crash, Knight's fat finger, and, more recently, the
(NASDAQ:FB) IPO debacle and AP "Twittergate."
I work with Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and, from time to time, help them with strategy. As of late, they're not asking about duration on their bond portfolios and/or bonds that look attractive. Right now, they're asking about ways to find equity growth potential with income. What this rate environment has done is firm up corporate balance sheets in ways we have not seen in a long while, allowing corporations big and small to lock in cheap financing, and pay back shareholders through record buybacks and dividend increases. Capital structure is totally changing, making equities attractive for a long while to come from both a balance sheet and cash flow perspective. See
2. Investors big and small are really starting to embrace stocks on a larger scale, buying more equity exposure for income for the longer haul. We're not just talking utilities and select consumer staple names. For examples, see
(NASDAQ:MSFT) and
(NASDAQ:INTC) this past week, as investors are in the process of rotating out of consumer staples and into select IT hardware/software on a relative value/income/growth play: illustrating the former, the
Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF
(NYSEARCA:XLP) is up 19% YTD while, for the latter, the
Technology SPDR ETF
(NYSEARCA:XLK) is up 4% YTD.
Thematically, this is what is happening: Investors are selling high-yielding consumer staple stocks with perceived stretched valuations, such as
Procter & Gamble
(NYSE:MCD), and
Johnson & Johnson
(NYSE:JNJ), and buying old horses like Microsoft, Intel, and Apple in the tech space. That's right. Apple. As I said to a friend, who was inquiring as to why I was hanging around the night Apple reported last, "It seems our life revolves around a fruit."
So, Apple bulls say shipments were fine even in the face of poor guidance, margin compression, and lack of innovation (the bar was very low; so low that I would have to limbo under it). Moreover, the buyback / dividend fans got their wish: Apple doubled the buyback to $50 billion and increased the dividend by 15%, and will do this by issuing debt! Remember, Apple had a clean balance sheet -- welcome to America! Lever up! The bears say it's the end of the last American growth story; the last bastion of innovation. Now, it's a value/income play for an aggressive retirement portfolio.
Remember way back at the beginning of the year, the proclamations of a man who frankly, given relative size of portfolio, is simply one the best: Will Danoff of Fidelity's Contra Fund. He's a leading indicator for me, period. Here's what Mr. Danoff said late January:
What could 2013 hold for stocks? No one knows for sure, but I believe that well-managed companies toughened by the challenging conditions of recent years are generating record amounts of cash and their free cash flow (FCF) yields look attractive; particularly when compared to bonds, dividend paying stocks are going to be the theme du jour…This will be one of the only ways retiring folks can supplement dwindling fixed income returns in a world deplete of yield.
So, will income-oriented securities be the new core of retirement portfolios? Remember, these boomers have had more exposure to stocks throughout their life than in previous eras; some may argue too much. These people have been watching CNBC while eating their Corn Flakes. They are not trained to cut coupons and most do not have nearly enough to retire, as pensions continue to go the way of the wagon wheel. Additionally, many have avoided stocks, getting out at the nadir in 2008.
[Also see:
Should Apple Be More Worried About Samsung or Google?
We know that since 2011, approximately 10,000 baby boomers retire every day, a fair number without pensions and / or adequate funds. Does one think an investment grade corporate bond paying 2.5% at the core of a portfolio is getting it done? No, I believe they will continue to try and catch up, as more faith is restored in the markets: They will take the Fed's bait and continue to embrace more risk. Also, although we have seen some record outflows from fixed income products, i.e. the first week of April, from the junk bonds (NYSEARCA:JNK) and the IG corporate bonds (NYSEARCA:HYG), the rotation has not even begun yet in earnest. One has to presume that the average investor does not truly understand duration. In essence, if need be, it will bit a lot easier to sell a liquid high yield stock than to liquidate a bond portfolio, with prices underwater as rates rise.
Bonds will always have a place with a proper allocation, but I believe, a smaller allocation. We also know that when inflation does creep higher, historically it generally favors stocks under the premise that costs can be passed on to the consumer. Again, a bond portfolio laddered to buy the back end in in a rising-rate period can work fine, but I think, as a smaller percentage of the portfolio.
3. We hear the axiom all the time, "Don't fight the Fed!" It was one of the first things I heard at
Morgan Stanley
(NYSE:MS) when I was being sent home for sneezing on someone and / or grabbing coffees. Many are saying it's simply not working, that the Fed is not creating jobs or stimulating the economy, and even that there's now risk of deflation by government measures.... Really? Have you sat down and figured out your inflation rate? Moreover, last I checked, the Fed's main purpose is to increase the money supply, not address the fiscal side. We all know in this country that there's a lot of work to be done from a fiscal perspective.
So, let's just look at it from the perspective that the Fed is simply helping boost stocks. We have recently heard at least three Fed presidents, notably James Bullard, in light of recent data, suggest bond purchases could increase, not taper. We read the minutes that showed intentions of holding assets, namely mortgage-backed securities, to maturity, as opposed to selling. The
Smartest Man in Global Capital Markets
said that when the music (from the Fed) stops, there will be no chairs (buyers). Well, we may not need that many chairs if their holding the bulk of purchases to maturity, right? So, the landing could be softer, in theory.
But hey, we're not at that point. Not even close: This is the Brandenburg Concertos in whole. Thus, there's a lot of music left to be played in the context of reaching 2.5% CPI , or 6.5% unemployment. Can we shove the QE3 taper argument under the carpet for a bit, allowing stocks to move higher...a lot higher? We know how this has been working: Bad headlines are met with knee-jerk downside reactions. Then, the investor stimulus addiction kicks in and the high takes over, which just means more QE: "Buy, Mortimer!" The Fed may not increase purchases, but I think most of us can agree that the current purchases in place are not ending in the near future.
Just today after some early signs of panic-type buying in higher-beta energy and financial names, the equity markets, from my feedback, purportedly sold off on a couple macro headlines: First, Fed President Ben Bernanke at a Financial Stability Oversight Council meeting uttered that "vulnerabilities remain in the markets." Well, my reply was, will those comments just be construed as the continuation of QE and all its merriment? That the trend has been correct? And in trading, we tend to follow the adage "the trend is your friend." We all know Mr. Bernanke hates surprises.
circulated a story citing that the Bundesbank had rejected outright monetary transactions, or European Central Bank buybacks, in an opinion to the top court. That would have the potential to put a trigger lock on the "pea shooter" that Mario "Ivan" Drago, I mean Draghi, has been wielding in the global stimulus war with Japan and the US. Let's face it: If investors in the US are "buzzed" from stimulus measures, then investors in Japan must have sake coming out of their pores.
4. To me (and I'm no expert!), social mood and recovery are most dependent on jobs and real estate. Last month saw a hideous payroll number as retail canned and / or stopped hiring. But, US job postings are near all-time highs. Sequestration effects are just starting to be felt, affecting places like
(NYSE:IBM) or contractors where there's presumably less money to go around. Some of the cuts are needed, and we're not talking about canceling White House tours in symbolic grandeur.
Seems to me that in the face of higher lending standards, the low rates inspired by the Fed have allowed a lot of bad inventory to move off the real estate market, i.e. spurring people to make foreclosure purchases, take a trip to
Home Depot
(NYSE:HD), and then flip the new house to a first-time buyer. As a baseline, housing is showing signs of being robust again. Prices are up nearly 8% year-over-year, and a whole cottage industry has been created around buying depressed property. It's simple: Working off the excess inventory allows neighborhoods to be cleaned up and new homes or existing homes to then come to the forefront. Now, many speculate that last week's figure of reported US existing home sales -- 4.9 million, or 85% of the market -- was light because of lack of inventory. However, in general, people are just starting to feel good again about housing. Moreover, when rates do in fact tick higher, that will, in my opinion, simply create a panic among those who have been reluctant to jump back in.
[Also see:
CEOs of Public Companies Are Paid Peanuts Compared to Hedge Fund Managers
On the commercial real estate front, I posit that some analysts and / or talking heads (and maybe even Fed presidents) may be a bit offsides, except maybe Jim Cramer, who blurted out the other day: "I love REITs!" According to industry sources I have talked to, we're not yet at the top here, whether talking commercial mortgage-backed securities and/or REITs (and I mean select REITs, as this industry is typically "haves" and "have nots"): A good proxy for dummies like me is the
iShares Dow Jones US Real Estate ETF
(NYSEARCA:IYR), as it is diversified. Here's what I believe: First, according to
Pensions & Investments
, north of 80% of public/private pensions are underfunded and are not meeting investment goals or return benchmarks. Again, they need more yield. Second, I already pointed out the baby boomer effect since 2011. The
Smartest Man in Global Capital Markets
pointed out in July that he felt most large institutions were offsides on equity allocations, and that has not changed overnight; and there's contention that recent outflows from High Yield and IG are finding their ways to REITs and CMBS.
Third, I recently talked with my brother-in-law James Francis McCaffrey Sr; some of you probably know him as "Jimmy Mac." Biases aside, after Jimmy Mac was cut by the Boston Celtics, and after
a token Nestle Crunch commercial
with Larry Bird (rated one of the worst of the 80s): he's gone on to a successful career in commercial real estate. He currently is one of the Senior Managing Partners of Eastdil Secured, the "ninja" commercial subsidiary of
Wells Fargo & Co.
Jim has spent the last few years traversing the perilous EU and the UK, helping PMs / finance ministers / sovereigns and banks we read about every day raise Tier I capital by selling real estate holdings. Suffice to say, Eastdil is one of the preeminent players in the industry. Jim was succinct. I asked him first about demand. As we know, there's a lot of talk about "bubbles" in the segment. Even Fed president Eric Rosengren recently weighed in saying as much.
So, in the context of my aforementioned thoughts on chasing / seeking yield, I asked Jim his thoughts on whether demand for quality paper for CMBs/REITs is sustainable. Jim replied: "We'll see. Feels like there is a ton of liquidity for the foreseeable future for hard assets."
I then asked him where we are in the cycle with regards to peak pricing dating back to 2006. He replied, "We are back to peak pricing in gateway markets like NYC, DC, San Francisco, and as you get to the secondary and tertiary markets pricing is still 70 to 75% of peak." Jim is on the front line in terms of facilitating this paper. Commercial real estate, maybe ex-retail, may have a ways to go, as peak pricing can be sustained, in Jim's estimation, "as long as rates are low, and inflation is relatively in check." So again, we're back to the Fed, right? What's the time frame? Shinzo Abe and Bernanke are probably in what, round seven or eight out of a 12-round fight?
Conclusively, this is simply my view. I just think there's some different dynamics in place this time to sustain this rally longer term. I feel, as a whole, investors seem to be regaining some confidence in equity markets, and as such, there are still bets to be placed. Demographically, the baby boomer generation is in full effect, and some are chasing retirement funds, perhaps a bit more aggressively. This is what the Fed wants. The 5-year record inflows we have seen in equity and equity ETF products has been, by most estimations, comprised of cash from the banks and from investors stung by bad perception of stock markets past. Jobs and real estate may be just starting to turn in some depressed markets / segments: Could that continue to get people feeling good again?
New Home Sales checked in on Tuesday, April 23 at 417,000 versus the 416,000 survey number. The homebuilders have seen recent selling / shorting given YOY runs, and have responded this week up approximately 13% as a group thus far. Barclays also helped with an upgrade of the homebuilders. Housing is getting better. Depressed markets, i.e. Arizona, Nevada, and Florida are seeing double-digit increases in sales, in conjunction with price gains.
Technically, the equity markets still seem to be demonstrating a buy-the-dip mentality. We see this from the market's Teflon nature, shrugging of any bad news that seems to be thrown at it. This market does not yet want to break. On March 5, the Dow first set a record new high of 14,253.77; for all the "Dow Theorists" this was confirmed by a record close of 6136.72 on the
Dow Transports Index
Subsequent new highs with regards to the Dow Jones have not been confirmed by the transports, but, clearly, a buy-the-dip mentality remains in place. Yes, we may correct, and that in fact may prove healthy, but I humbly believe there are different dynamics in place to take stocks higher over the long term...a lot higher. It also does not mean we cannot take measures to protect our portfolios for the longer term. I, for instance, instead of outright selling, sold longer-dated upside calls against a portion of all of my equity exposure, and used the proceeds to buy some
(NYSEARCA:SPY) puts (essentially a collar). If I'm called away on a portion, +4% to +10% from here depending, so be it. Overwriting is a great strategy, notably in tax-deferred accounts such as IRAs. Buy the dip. At least, that's what I heard from a trader at one top-5 institution in the throes of a recent sell-off. I presume he was not alone in coming up with that opinion: He told me this right after his morning meeting.
Also see:
Will It Be the Macro Market Week From Heaven or From....
No positions in stocks mentioned.


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Geppi's Entertainment Museum (GEM), in collaboration with Milestone Media's Michael Davis (Exhibit Curator) and Tatiana El-Khouri (Exhibit Co-Curator), has created an exhibit showcasing African-American contributions to American pop culture. "Milestones: African-Americans in Pop Culture and Beyond", is currently on display at GEM and will run through April 2014.
The "Milestones" exhibit press release states, "The exhibit will offer patrons a full spectrum of Black historical contributions made throughout comic book and graphic novel history". "Milestones" will illustrate to the visitor the triumphs and tribulations of African-Americans in American pop culture history.
GEM and Milestone Media have curated a wide array of objects from comics to paintings for their exhibit. Artists and publishing executives have offered their works and know-how to help tell the story of "Milestones: African-Americans in Pop Culture and Beyond". The museum's official press release describes "Milestones" as "a significant focus on Black creators and their art, the exhibit will pull together experts, essayists, filmmakers and creators from inside and outside the world of comic books to fully explore the successes, failures and expectations for the future of this vital component of our national fabric." Michael Davis Exhibit Curator told the audience at the opening gala for "Milestones", "African-American art and pop culture isn't just a 'black thing'. It's an American thing."
Come down to Geppi's Entertainment Museum for a look into African-American pop culture. Discover new heroes and restart a love for an old one at "Milestones: African-Americans in Pop Culture and Beyond". The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday from 10am to 6pm.

subset: commoncrawl


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The twelfth day of Salt Lake Magazine's 12 Days of Giveaways is perfect for the design enthusiast. The Porsche Design P 8520 sunglasses valued at $450 are an example of timeless aesthetics, classic modernism, and the uncompromising essence of Porsche Design: Passion. Performance. Purism. Precision. Happy Hoidays, and thank you for participating in our 12 Days of Giveaways.
To enter, go here and fill out an easy survey. One entry is all you need to be entered for all 12 days of giveaways.


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Love is complicated.
Love is real.
Those two statements are often regarded as fact. However, while love is undoubtedly complicated it is quite difficult to explain what exactly constitutes love being "real".
Is love real because it's something we can acknowledge feeling without a doubt? Perhaps love is "real" because we can share it with another person and that interaction establishes the feelings inside us as something real.
The idea of what makes love "real" brings us to Spike Jonze's film "Her." Written and directed by Jonze himself, "Her" follows the life of Theodore Twombly, played by Joaquin Phoenix, in "near-future" Los Angeles.
A writer for a hand-written letter company, Theodore lives a melancholy life where he lives through the emotions of others with his work as he deals with his own failed marriage to the hyper-emotional Catherine (Rooney Mara).
Love and dating post-marriage scares and intimidates Theodore as evident by his non-existent social life outside of his friendship with video game designer/filmmaker Amy (Amy Adams) and her husband Charles (Matt Letscher).
Theodore's life gets a much needed jump start however when he chooses to purchase the first ever artificially intelligent operating system (OS) for his computer called OS1.
After initializing the new operating system, Theodore is welcomed by a pleasant and sincere sounding female voice. When asked what her name is, the voice replies "Samantha." After only a few minutes, Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) and Theodore establish a connection that one would only expect to be possible between two humans. A connection that feels sincere, open, "real" and soon leads to love.
This love between Theodore and Samantha drives both the story of "Her" as well as the plethora of questions the film presents about that love, artificial intelligence (AI), friendships, and the needs of both humans and fascinatingly enough...the needs of AI beings like Samantha and her fellow operating systems in the world.
Shot with a vibrant glow and crispness that allows the screen to breathe and burn, "Her" does not answer the questions it presents for you. Instead, the brilliantly layered screenplay seems to almost present each question at times when you are likely considering that very question in your mind. Could Theodore and Samantha's love be real? Does their love feature the same characteristics that our human relationships feature? Can Theodore possibly get the same emotional (and physical fulfillment) from Samantha as he could from a human partner. These are just a few of the thought provoking questions Spike Jonze's masterpiece evokes.
Yes, the word "masterpiece" is often abused these days including by this very writer. However, a film this gorgeous, fascinating and consuming without a doubt deserves the title of masterpiece.
"Her" becomes so consuming you find yourself cheering, crying and feeling for Theodore as if you are as close a friend with him as the aforementioned Amy. Even more eye opening is the fact that you can easily find yourself feeling the same way for Samantha as if she was a person and not an advanced operating system that may find its way into our very homes in the next few years.
In regard to Amy, she is as wonderfully written and important of a secondary character in film as any in the last 10 years if not my entire lifetime. Amy Adams gives the best performance of her already storied career (in a supporting role no less) and establishes her character as someone who you can't help but feel for despite Phoenix dominating the film's screen time by himself.
In fact, I'd love for a sequel of this film to be made (perhaps with the title of "Him") that would cover the same period of time from Amy's point of view and document her experiences with her own (secondhand) OS1 not unlike Ender's Shadow of the Ender's Game series. One can only hope. Please Spike Jonze...please?
Needless to say, Spike Jonze's "Her" is not only the best film of the 2013 film year but it's one of the five best films of my lifetime. A modern and relatable love story, "Her" is surely to be discussed for years and hopefully decades to come...perhaps in a post artificially intelligent OS world.
"Her" opens in theaters across Austin on Friday, January 10. For more information including theaters and showtimes, click here.


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Over the years there have been numerous actors taking on the mantle of Jack Ryan including Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin, and Ben Affleck. Like them or not, each has brought their own special something to the role. With the latest entry Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, they not only have someone new stepping into the role with Chris Pine, but also marks the first original story not based on one of Clancy's novels. Pine did a great job taking over as the new Kirk in the Star Trek reboot, but will lightning strike twice with the Jack Ryan franchise?
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit follows a young covert CIA analyst who uncovers a Russian plot to bring down the U.S. economy with a well-orchestrated terrorist attack. Now this analyst will be upgraded to a field operative and stop at nothing to stop this threat before it's too late. The trailers for this film have been pretty hit and miss and add to that the release date pushed back is often not a good sign, but this film actually ended up being pretty good. One of the things with the other Ryan films is that they never really have any cohesion to them as a whole even though most of them are still pretty damn good. This film does an excellent job rebooting the character and giving him more of an origin story all without wasting much time to get to the point. This film moves pretty fast with little wasted time, but some may want more character development between Pine and Knightly for their relationship, but in reality she is the weakest part of the film. Pine does a good job with the character and the added mix of Costner as his mentor just stepped up his game. Costner is better than ever in this role and they have great chemistry together. The story is a bit clichéd on a lot of levels, but still works well to keep you invested and entertained. If there is any real issue it comes in the action sequences. They are well done and high energy edge of your seat fun, but they are shot with the shaky came and way to close at times and makes it hard to see what is going on, but not so much that it hurts the overall film.
On the whole this is a good reboot of the Jack Ryan character and hopefully the start of actually having an ongoing franchise as opposed to just random films. Everyone has their favorite Ryan actor, but Pine brings some freshness to the character and will hopefully stick around for a few films. If you are fan of the characters, any of these actors or just a good espionage action thriller then you will not want to miss Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.


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Bert N. Uchino, Ph.D.Professor, Social Psychology, Health Psychology
Contact InformationOffice: 813 BEHS
Phone: (801) 581-5682
Email: email@example.com
Research InterestsOur relationships with others form a ubiquitous part of our everyday lives. In the classic analysis by Emile Durkheim (1951), suicide rates were higher among individuals who were less socially integrated. The loneliness and despair that characterize a lack of social connections may be responsible for such unfortunate outcomes. Less obvious, however, is the possibility that individuals with poor relationships may also be more at risk for physical disease endpoints such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, or infectious diseases. Is there evidence that such an association exists? If so, how is it that social relationships influence such disease processes? The answer to the first question is relatively well documented. In a recent meta-analysis of large prospective studies it was found that individuals with lower social support had higher mortality rates from all causes, including cardiovascular mortality (Holt-Lunstad, Smith, & Layton, 2010). In fact, the evidence linking social relationships to mortality was comparable to standard risk factors such as smoking and physical activity.
What is less known is the answer to the second question of how social relationships influence such long-term health outcomes. Our program of research has been aimed at examining how social relationships influence health at multiple levels of analysis. We have been examining the social (e.g., types of social interactions), cognitive (e.g., how these interactions are interpreted or construed), and physiological (e.g., cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune) processes associated with our all important social relationships (see Uchino, Cacioppo, & Kiecolt-Glaser, 1996; Uchino, 2004; Uchino, 2009 for reviews). For instance, in our program of research we have found that perceptions of supportive relationships predicts reduced cardiovascular reactivity during stress (Uchino & Garvey, 1997; Uno, Uchino, & Smith, 2000), lower blood pressure in older adults (Uchino, Kiecolt-Glaser, & Cacioppo, 1992; Uchino et al., 1995; Uchino et al., 1999), and lower ambulatory blood pressure during daily life (Bowen et al., in press).
We have also developed a more general model for examining the health-related consequences of social relationships that incorporates both positive and negative aspects (see Uchino et al., 2001). A unique feature of our model is the specification of ambivalent relationships that are viewed as relatively high in both positivity and negativity (e.g., overbearing parent, volatile romance, "out of touch" friend, Fingerman, Hay, & Birditt, 2004). Despite the positivity in such relationships, we have hypothesized that the co-occurrence of negativity may be uniquely associated with worse health outcomes. This may be because ambivalent ties require heightened vigilance during social interactions or may be frustrating and ineffective sources of support during times of need (Uchino et al., 2001). In addition, ambivalent ties are typically described as "close," and hence there is more of an overlap between self-other representations (Aron, Aron, Tudor, & Nelson, 1991) which can exacerbate any interpersonal stress with such network ties. In fact, ambivalent ties engage in more negative behaviors (e.g., criticism) and less emotionally supportive behaviors and thus appear stress-enhancing (Reblin, Uchino, & Smith, 2010).
Ambivalent ties are also not an isolated feature of most individuals' social networks. They comprise almost 50% of important network members and hence have ample opportunity to influence health-related outcomes (Campo et al., 2009). In fact, we have found consistent evidence that ambivalent ties are related to worse outcomes compared to other relationship types (e.g., primarily positive or primarily negative) such as increased cardiovascular reactivity at both conscious and less conscious levels of processing (Holt-Lunstad, Uchino, Smith, & Hicks, 2007; Carlisle et al., 2012), higher ambulatory blood pressure during daily life (Holt-Lunstad, Uchino, Smith, Cerny, & Nealey-Moore, 2003), and even increased cellular aging (Uchino et al., in press). We are currently modeling the antecedent processes, contexts, and mechanisms by which ambivalent ties are health-relevant.
This research was generously supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Aging, and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
EducationPost-doc, The Ohio State University (1993-1994)
Ph.D., The Ohio State University (Psychology, 1993)
M.A., The Ohio State University (Psychology, 1991)
B.A., University of Hawaii at Moanoa (Psychology, 1989)
Selected PublicationsUchino, B.N., Smith, T.W., & Berg, C.A. (in press). Spousal relationship quality and cardiovascular risk: Dyadic perceptions of relationship ambivalence are associated with coronary calcification. Psychological Science.
Carlisle, M., Uchino, B.N., Sanbonmatsu, D.M., Smith, T.W., Cribbet, M.R., Birmingham, W., Light, K.A., & Vaughn, A.A. (2012). Subliminal activation of social ties moderates cardiovascular reactivity during acute stress. Health Psychology, 31, 217-225.
Uchino, B.N., Bowen, K., Carlisle, M., & Birmingham, W. (2012). What are the Psychological Pathways Linking Social Support to Health Outcomes? A Visit with the "Ghosts" of Research Past, Present, and Future. Social Science and Medicine., 74, 949-957.
Sanbonmatsu, D.M., Uchino, B.N., & Birmingham, W. (2011). On the importance of knowing your partner's views: Attitude familiarity is associated with better interpersonal functioning and lower ambulatory blood pressure in daily life. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 41, 131-137..
Uchino, B.N., Birmingham, W., Berg, C.A. (2010). Are Older Adults Less or More Physiologically Reactive? A Meta-Analysis of Age-Related Differences in Cardiovascular Reactivity to Laboratory Tasks. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences., 65B, 154-162.
Uchino, B.N. (2009). Understanding the links between social support and physical health: A lifespan perspective with emphasis on the separability of perceived and received support. Perspectives in Psychological Science, 4, 236-255. Download
Campo, R.A., Uchino, B.N., Holt-Lunstad, J., Vaughn, A.A., Reblin, M., & Smith, T.W. (2009). The assessment of positivity and negativity in social networks: The reliability and validity of the Social Relationships Index. Journal of Community Psychology, 37, 471-486. Download
My current graduate studentsRobert G. Kent De Grey
Sierra Cronan


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"American Idol" alum Josh Gracin has apologized to fans after a series of events had many fearing he had committed suicide. On Thursday, TMZ reported that Gracin posted a cryptic message on his Facebook page, detailing his marital problems and ending with, "Please remember me as someone who gave his all in his music ... Pray for my family as they carry on in this world without me. Goodbye."
Police reportedly rushed to the country singer's home in Tennessee after a family member reported seeing the disturbing message. After Gracin was finally located, the celebrity gossip site confirmed that he was being held on a 5150 psychiatric hold after driving himself to a hospital with a police escort.
A post on Gracin's official Twitter page from his manager, Amy, thanked fans for their prayers and concern, saying the father of four was safe and with his family. She also promised another update would come soon.
But late Thursday night, Taste of Country shared a Facebook message from the singer himself, in which he apologized to his fans for the scare: "To all of you… I apologize dearly for what I have put you through today… I am ok and I am getting help. I am so sorry to all of you," he wrote.
Gracin's original message has been deleted from his Facebook page, but it's not surprising that a message on the singer's official fan page has now revealed that his scheduled appearance at the Live on the Levee show in Charleston, WV on Friday has been cancelled. Country music artist Trent Tomlinson will be performing in Gracin's place.
Josh Gracin placed fourth in Season 2 of "American Idol." After his run on "Idol," the 33-year-old country singer completed his service in the United States Marine Corps. Gracin signed to Lyric Street Records and his self-titled debut album in 2004 produced the hit single "Nothin' to Lose." With several albums under his belt, Gracin has charted 11 singles on the Hot Country Songs chart, according to Billboard.
"Drink It Gone," Gracin's most recent single under Private Label records, was released in 2013.


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Peninsula Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Is Proud To Present Yet Another Amazing Seminar!
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The mother who became an anti-war leader after her son was killed in Iraq, is calling it quits.
Cindy Sheehan announced on a web diary that she's walking away from the peace movement that her son died "for nothing." In a twist, Sheehan is blasting the Democratic party, saying her Democratic allies cared about her only as long as she limited her criticism to Republicans. She also said once she began criticizing Democrats she came under attack from them too.
Sheehan achieved national attention when she camped outside President Bush's home in Crawford, Texas, throughout August 2005. The vigil made her one of the most prominent figures among opponents of the war.


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Franchise Index: Previous Season / Next Season
12-4-0, AFC South Division · 2003 NFL Season Summary
SRS: Total 7.0, Offense: 8.2, Defense: -1.2, SoS: 0.0, avg is 0.0.
Scored 447 points (27.9/g), 2nd of 32 in the NFL. Allowed 336 points (21.0/g), 20th.
Differential of 111 points (6.9/g), 4th. Expected W-L: 10.6-5.4.
Tony Dungy (12-4-0)
Offensive Coordinator: Tom Moore
Defensive Coordinator: Ron Meeks
Other Notable Asst.: Alan Williams (Secondary)
Stadium: RCA Dome
Training Camp: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Terre Haute, Indiana)
Our primary support comes from users like you. Sponsor this page for $30. Your message will replace this ad.


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Asus Transformer TF300T features uncovered: Android 4.0 ICS, Tegra 3 quad-core processor
Earlier this month, a new and mysterious Asus Android tablet was unveiled: the Eee Pad Transformer TF300T. We didn't know much about it back then, but we do know, thanks to Polish website Tabletowo.
Reportedly, the Transformer TF300T runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (which isn't at all surprising), and features a 10.1 inch display with 1280 x 800 pixels, 1.2GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, MicroHDMI, 8MP rear camera, 1.2MP front-facing camera, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory, MicroSD card reader, and docking station connector.
The tablet weighs 640grams and measures 180,8 x 263 x 9,9 mm.
For the moment, there's no word on when the Asus Transformer TF300T will be launched, and neither in what countries. But we'll bring more details as soon as we have them.


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April 11, 2013 | Vol. 116 -- No. 51
William T. Dalling (age 86), lifetime resident of the Cheney area passed away April 6, 2013 at his home.
He was born Dec. 25, 1926 in Spokane to John and Mary (Mallen) Dalling and was a graduate of Cheney High School, class of 1946. Bill was an army veteran of WWII, serving in the last mounted cavalry unit until it was disbanded. He returned home after the war and worked for Melrose Bobcat for 35 years. He also worked for Keytronics, retiring in 1989.
Bill always ranched on the family homestead on Thomas Mallen Road (named after his wife's family who were homesteaders). He enjoyed rawhide braiding and caring for his livestock.
He is survived by his sons James Dalling and wife Lindly and John Dalling, all of Hot Springs, Mont. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, April 12, at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake. Cheney Funeral Chapel, Cheney Wash.
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Image © 2012 Leigh Beisch Sprung from the legendary blood of forbidden lovers suffering the wrath of a father king, slender jungle orchids climb skyward, their fruit bearing heavenly scents. The Aztecs demanded tlilxochitl, this black gold, in tribute after conquering the tribes who first unlocked vanilla's secrets. As intense as it is ethereal, vanilla possesses a singular, breathtaking purity of aroma. Barrels imbue wine with much of the vanilla we taste. Their singed oak can offer up an echo of flowers in ancient forests, or deeper notes of caramel and butterscotch. Sometimes floating above the wine's fruit, sometimes wrapped... continue reading
Some of the big news last week in the wine world had to do with the shifting buying habits of our friends Down Under. Thanks to the vagaries of the international currency markets, the Australian Dollar has appreciated greatly against the Euro, and for the first time since the Euro was launched, stuff from Europe is pretty cheap in Australia. So, what does a wine loving country like Australia (they consume about three times as much wine per capita as America) do when imports get cheap? They stop buying Australian wine all the time and they start buying imported wine.... continue reading
As a wine reviewer who gets paid next to nothing for his work, I have the luxury of only reviewing wines that I think are worth writing about. I've got no deadlines, no quotas to fill, and no obligation to anyone. All of which means that it's always a great pleasure to say nice things about a wine or wines that I enjoy. But this is perhaps the most pleasurable kind of review I write. The review of a winery whose wines I can safely say are all spectacularly good -- so good that I will simply buy any wine... continue reading
If there is one public wine tasting event that rivals San Francisco's yearly ZAP Zinfandel tasting for sheer size and chaos, it could only be the annual SF Chronicle Wine Competition Tasting. Every year this competition is judged by more than 60 wine professionals, in which they award medals to their top choices from among over 5,000 wines from all across America. This competition has grown over the last ten years to be the largest competitive tasting of American wines in the world. The judges hand out hundreds of medals and awards. Those awards are released to the public, and... continue reading
Moon Over Sonoma SONOMA COUNTY, CA: A full moon rises over an oak tree in Alexander Valley. INSTRUCTIONS: Download this image by right-clicking on the image and selecting "save link as" or "save target as" and then select the desired location on your computer to save the image. Mac users can also just click the image to open the full size view and drag that to their desktops. To set the image as your desktop wallpaper, Mac users should follow these instructions, while PC users should follow these. PRINTS: Fine art prints of this image and others are available... continue reading
I'm sure I'm going to catch hell for this post from any number of quarters, but it needs to be said. Big wine companies are favorite punching bags for wine lovers that would never buy their products. Sometime's there's a good reason for this, like when they throw their weight around in the marketplace in ways that aren't exactly good for the industry. The bigger the company, the bigger the mistakes they can make as well. When they make mistakes, sometimes these companies can be hung out to dry simply because they have deep pockets. And that's exactly what seems... continue reading
'It will cost the economy thousands of jobs.' 'It will reduce tax revenues and destroy retailers.' 'It will result in an epidemic of teen drunk driving.' These were but a few of the vociferous arguments made on 5 January against a bill introduced to the New Jersey state legislature that merely proposed to allow New Jersey state wineries (of which there are now more than 40) to ship their wines to state residents, just like wineries in the neighbouring state of New York. The individuals offering these arguments were primarily representatives of the state's liquor wholesalers, who purportedly spent more... continue reading
Image © 2012 Leigh Beisch Sunshine, gathered from flowers by tiny apian efforts, forged into ambrosia that tasted of immortality to the Greeks and Egyptians. The alchemy of honey seems no less marvelous even to those that have braved the swarm to witness its creation. Like honey, wine serves to transmute the world's most basic elements into a form seductive and irresistible. When wines taste of honey they seem to taste of sunlight itself, a brightness that coats the mouth with a satin warmth and gently tugs at the heart like a summer breeze. The scents of honey wafting from... continue reading
Review by Tim Patterson. A big part of wine's allure is that it is so many different things: a source of alcohol, a source of pleasure, a gateway for entry into the mystical, the erotic, the enlightened, the divine, the silly, and sometimes the idiotic. But for thousands of years, it has also been a commodity--and that's where this book comes in. Worrying about wine as a commodity seems uninspiring, even tawdry, compared, say, to worrying about the distinctive terroir of some patch of dirt in Alsace. But without the buying and selling, we'd all be home winemakers, wine production... continue reading
The Mustard RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY, CA: Flowering mustard growing between the grapevines signals the beginning of spring as seen in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California. INSTRUCTIONS: Download this image by right-clicking on the image and selecting "save link as" or "save target as" and then select the desired location on your computer to save the image. Mac users can also just click the image to open the full size view and drag that to their desktops. To set the image as your desktop wallpaper, Mac users should follow these instructions, while PC users should follow these. PRINTS: Fine art prints... continue reading
If I were doing now what I thought I would probably do with my life as a sophomore in college, I would be a photographer living in a tent or an old VW Bus somewhere, splitting my time between rock climbing and taking pictures of stuff that most people wouldn't give a second glance. This wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but I offer it as proof of how little sense I had of what path my life would take. James Ontiveros, on the other hand, was spending his sophomore year at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo going to classes... continue reading
Image © 2012 Leigh Beisch Earth. The first of the elements that the ancients held as the basis for all life. The source of all our sustenance. Wine has always been inextricably linked to the dirt, the root of terroir. That wine can sometimes taste or smell of earth should come as no surprise. Like walking through the spongy loam of a dark wet forest, scents of soil and mushroom, dust and mud often resonate with a dark bass note underneath other flavors and aromas. Flavors of earth are often borne on the textures of tannin, as if the very... continue reading
Many facets of wine contribute to its allure and mystery. But foremost among wine's most magical qualities must be the remarkable landscape of flavor and aroma to be found in the glass. That mere grape juice, given time and the workings of the microscopic kingdom, can yield flavors beyond description has doubtless played a central role in making wine mankind's most historically sacred fluid, beyond our own lifeblood. With eyes closed, a glass of wine can transport us not only to climes far removed, but also through time. These journeys are provoked by flavor. Our deep sense memories are drawn... continue reading
Eight years ago, I decided that instead of giving my friends the same advice over and over again about my favorite wines and restaurants, I would start a blog -- both so that I would have someplace to send them, and so that I could learn about what a blog was and how it worked. And that, as they say, was the first day of the rest of my life. I've been writing about wine almost every day since then, pausing only to go on my honeymoon, hang out with my new baby girl, and go fishing in Alaska this... continue reading
St. Emilion BORDEAUX, FRANCE: The historical village of St. Emilion, located in the famed Bordeaux wine region, is viewed in this spring photo looking southeast. INSTRUCTIONS: Download this image by right-clicking on the image and selecting "save link as" or "save target as" and then select the desired location on your computer to save the image. Mac users can also just click the image to open the full size view and drag that to their desktops. To set the image as your desktop wallpaper, Mac users should follow these instructions, while PC users should follow these. PRINTS: Fine art... continue reading
I'm tickled by the idea of wine featuring prominently in popular entertainment. I think a lot of wine lovers got a kick out of Sideways. Regardless of what they thought of the movie overall, there were enough inside wine jokes and archetypal wine conversations that anyone who loved wine was able to at least smile knowingly. I found it delightful to watch people geeking out about wine and extolling the virtues of Pinot Noir on the big screen. A similar small delight is to be found in the pages of the newly translated Drops of God, by Tadashi Agi and... continue reading
Wine festivals in Southern California, and especially in Los Angeles, aren't particularly plentiful, for reasons I don't entirely understand. There are plenty of wine lovers in LA, but the large public wine events that make such frequent appearances in San Francisco, and increasingly in New York, just don't seem to make it down the West Coast. Three years ago, the Pinot Days Festival came to Los Angeles, and now every year SoCal Pinot lovers have a reason to celebrate. This year's Grand Tasting will offer the opportunity to taste more than 300 Pinot Noirs from about 100 different producers over... continue reading
We don't know exactly where and when mankind first made wine in any significant quantity, but we believe that it was approximately 8000 years ago -- long before the rise of the Egyptian civilization. We're also fairly sure that these initial efforts to produce large quantities of fermented grape juice took place in the region currently occupied by the Republic of Georgia. These estimates of the time and location of mankind's earliest forays into oenology are based on the carbon dating of grape seeds found in the bottom of ancient clay amphorae, the remarkable progenitors of the world of wine... continue reading
Nicole's Vineyard RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY, CA: Green grasses growing between the grapevines signals the start of spring as seen in Nicole's Vineyard in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California. INSTRUCTIONS: Download this image by right-clicking on the image and selecting "save link as" or "save target as" and then select the desired location on your computer to save the image. Mac users can also just click the image to open the full size view and drag that to their desktops. To set the image as your desktop wallpaper, Mac users should follow these instructions, while PC users should follow these. PRINTS:... continue reading
It's the beginning of a new year. Everyone's making lists. The most memorable wines of 2011. Predictions about what will happen in the wine world in 2012. Lists of new years wine resolutions. Actually, I wrote an article for Fine Cooking Magazine's last issue with five New Years wine resolutions. Mine were focused on exploring niches of the wine world that are generally ignored. Check it out if you're interested. It's an excellent magazine and is on newsstands now. But let's talk now about a different sort of list: the stuff that should go away. Here's the list of stuff... continue reading
Thanks to everyone who submitted Zinfandel themed haiku poems as entries for a chance to win tickets to the ZAP Zinfandel tasting taking place on January 26-28, 2012 here in San Francisco. After assigning everyone a number and then using a true random number generator, I have picked the following six names "out of a hat" as winners. Each of the people below will receive two tickets to the grand tasting, courtesy of Vinography. I will send you each an e-mail, but you can pick up your tickets the day of the event at will call under the name you... continue reading
This page only has the last sixty entries in this category. If you're interested in digging farther into my archives, you'll want to use the complete list of archives to access my articles by month.
The Essence of Wine: Vanilla Australia as a Lesson on Currency and the Wine Industry 2006 Peay Vineyards Roussane/Marsanne Blend, Sonoma Coast 2012 SF Chronicle Wine Competition Public Tasting: February 18, San Francisco Vinography Images: Moon Over Sonoma Gallo and Constellation Screwed by U.S. Tort Law The States of Wine Shipping The Essence of Wine: Honey Book Review: Wine Wars by Mike Veseth Vinography Images: The Mustard
Wine Will Never Smell the Same Again: Luca Turin and the Science of Scent Forlorn Hope: The Remarkable Wines of Matthew Rorick Debating Robert Parker At His Invitation Passopisciaro Winery, Etna, Sicily: Current Releases Should We Care What Winemakers Say? The Sweet Taste of Freedom: Austria's Ruster Ausbruch Wines 2009 Burgundy Vintage According to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Charles Banks: The New Man Behind Mayacamas Wine from the Caldera: The Incredible Viticulture of Santorini Why Community Tasting Notes Sites Will Fail Chateau Rayas and the 2012 Vintage of Chateauneuf-du-Pape A Life Indomitable: The Wines of Casal Santa Maria, Portugal Bay Area Bordeaux: Tasting Santa Cruz Mountain Cabernets Forgotten Jewels: Reviving Chile's Old Vine Carignane The First-Timer's Guide to Les Trois Glorieuses of Hospices de Beaune


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Jersey Shore Stars to Participate in MTV's Live Restore the Shore Fundraiser
Truth rating: 10
The stars of "Jersey Shore" are partnering with MTV for a televised fundraiser to benefit the storm-ravaged New Jersey coastline.
The cast will participate in "Restore the Shore," with money raised going toward rebuilding the Seaside Heights boardwalk.
Local businesses and residents will also be among the beneficiaries, after Hurricane Sandy devastated the area.
The live, one-hour special will air on November 15.
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Help Black Out Huskie Stadium on ESPN2
No. 23 Huskies Back on the Road for MAC Championship Rematch
Intrastate Foes, High-Powered Offenses, Meet on ESPN3
One of the most popular Huskie players in recent history, P.J. Fleck enters his third season on the Northern Illinois coaching staff in 2009. One of two assistant coaches retained by head coach Jerry Kill a year ago, Fleck also has taken on additional duties as the Huskies' recruiting coordinator.
A native of Sugar Grove, Ill., Fleck has spent the last three seasons tutoring the Huskie wide receivers. Two of his 2008 senior receivers - Britt Davis and Matt Simon - signed free agent contracts with the NFL's New York Jets and New Orleans Saints, respectively, last spring.
A leader on Northern Illinois' 2003 10-win team, Fleck began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at top-ranked Ohio State in 2006. He worked with the Buckeye tight ends and wide receivers and assisted with the special teams in his one season in Columbus, which culminated in a trip to the BCS National Championship Game in Glendale, Ariz.
Fleck began his coaching career after two seasons as a member of the NFL's San Francisco 49ers. After signing with the 49ers as a free agent in 2004, he spent most of that season on the practice squad before making an appearance versus New England late in the year. He was placed on the injured reserve roster in 2005 before retiring from professional football in June 2006.
Fleck earned first-team All Mid-American Conference honors for Northern Illinois in 2003 while helping NIU to a 7-0 start that included upset victories over Maryland and Alabama. As a senior, he led the Huskies with 77 catches for 1,028 yards and six touchdowns, a reception total that still ranks second on the school's single-season list. His 14 grabs for 234 yards in the Ohio game that year rank as the second-best single game marks in school history and earned him national player of the week accolades from USAToday.com.
Fleck still owns the school record for career punt returns (87), is second in punt return yards (716), ranks third in career catches (179) and is fourth in receiving yards (2,162). He was a second-team Academic All-American as a senior and was twice voted team captain by his Huskie teammates.
Fleck originally came to NIU from Kaneland High School in Maple Park where he was an all-state honoree in football, basketball and track. On the gridiron, Kaneland twice went undefeated (14-0) while winning a pair of Class 3A state titles during his career; he set a state record with 95 catches for 1,548 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior. Fleck caught 199 career passes for 3,121 yards and 34 scores with at least one catch in 40 straight games.
A 2004 graduate of Northern Illinois in elementary education, Fleck and his wife, the former Tracie Striebel, annually host the P.J. Fleck "Live Your Dream" Football Camp that benefits the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation (Friends of Carra), Alapecia Foundation (Locks of Love), Coach Kill's Cancer Fund and the P.J. Fleck Scholarship Fund.
The energetic 28-year-old completed his first marathon in April.
Playing ExperienceSan Francisco 49ers (Wide Receiver), 2004-05Northern Illinois (Wide Receiver), 1999-01,03
CollegeB.A., Northern Illinois, 2004
High SchoolKaneland (Ill.), 1999
BirthplaceBerwyn, Ill.
BirthdateNovember 29, 1980
Coaching Experience


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June 3, 2009
LOS ANGELES - Adam Wright has been named head men's water polo coach at UCLA, and Brandon Brooks has been named head women's water polo coach, Director of Athletics Dan Guerrero announced today.
Wright and Brooks replace Adam Krikorian, who became head coach of the U.S. Women's National Team this summer. Krikorian will remain on the men's water polo staff as Associate Head Coach. He has led UCLA's water polo programs to 11 national championships as head coach since the spring of 1999.
Both Wright (1997-2000) and Brooks (1999-2002) starred for the UCLA's men's water polo program, leading the Bruins to back-to-back NCAA championships in 1999 and 2000, before excelling in the international water polo ranks and participating in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games for the U.S. National Team.
"I would like to thank the UCLA administration for having the trust in me to lead our men's water polo program," Wright said. "It is an honor to continue the great tradition established at UCLA, and we have a lot of work to do. I am excited to have the chance to work with Adam Krikorian, and we look forward to getting started this summer."
"I'm deeply honored and incredibly excited to take the reins of the UCLA women's water polo program," Brooks said. "I've always been proud to be a Bruin and look forward to continuing UCLA's success. We return a terrific group of veterans and are thrilled about our incoming class of freshmen. It is with great humility that I'm able to take this team forward."
"We are very proud to announce the hiring of two great Bruins, Adam Wright and Brandon Brooks, as the head coaches of our men's and women's water polo programs, respectively," Guerrero said. "Both own tremendous pedigrees as world-class athletes and have followed their playing careers by providing exemplary coaching support to Adam Krikorian in his leadership of UCLA's elite collegiate water polo programs. Both love the game and are extremely hard working. They are tough, but very personable and there is no doubt that our student-athletes, both current and future, are going to enjoy playing for them. They are excellent leaders and will work tirelessly to keep both programs among the nation's best."
Wright and Brooks helped lead the 2009 UCLA women's water polo team to an unprecedented fifth consecutive NCAA championship as assistant coaches. As student-athletes at UCLA, both players were four-time All-America selections before enjoying successful careers competing for the U.S. National Team. They led Team USA to the silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and to a seventh-place finish at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Wright has served as an assistant coach at UCLA since the fall of 2008. Last winter, he played a key role in securing the top men's recruiting class in the nation. He has also served as an assistant coach with the varsity boys and girls water polo programs at Wilson High School (Long Beach, Calif.) from 2001-04. He helped coach the boys program to four consecutive CIF Division I championships and Moore League titles. Wright coached the girls team to two Moore League titles and two CIF Division I quarterfinal playoff appearances.
As a senior at UCLA in 2000, Wright scored 39 goals before earning honorable mention All-America acclaim and second-team All-MPSF honors. In 1999, he secured third-team All-America and second-team All-MPSF honors after having led the Bruins in assists (27) and ranked second on the team in total points (48) and steals (39). In his first two seasons, he scored 43 goals - 26 as a freshman and 27 as a sophomore. Wright graduated from UCLA in 2001 with degrees in history and sociology.
Following his collegiate career, Wright competed in the European League (Italy and Russia) for Bissolati Cremona, Civitavecchia SNC, Nuoto Catania and Dynamo Moscow from 2004-08. He competed for the U.S. National Team in all major tournaments from 2001-08, helping lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2003 and 2007 Pan American Games.
Brooks has served as an assistant coach with the UCLA men's and women's teams the past three seasons, in addition to working as an undergraduate assistant coach with the men's program in 2004. He helped lead the women's program to NCAA championships each of the last three seasons and assisted the men's program to the 2004 NCAA title. Brooks played a major role in helping land one of the top women's recruiting classes in the nation for 2010.
Brooks was head coach of the Los Angeles Water Polo Club's boys 16-and-under team from 2006-08. In 2006, he coached the club team to an undefeated season, culminating in the Junior Olympic Championship. He helped develop 15 Division I men's water polo student-athletes in his tenure as head coach. Additionally, Brooks will serve on the coaching staff of the U.S. Women's National Team this summer, alongside Krikorian.
One of the nation's premier goalkeepers in four seasons at UCLA, Brooks helped lead the Bruins to back-to-back NCAA titles (1999, 2000) in his first two years. He finished his collegiate career as the program's all-time saves leader with 700 stops. He continued his stellar play in his final two seasons, earning All-America and All-MPSF honors each year. Brooks graduated from UCLA in 2005 with a degree in sociology.
A key goalkeeper on the U.S. National Team, Brooks led Team USA to the gold medal at the 2001 and 2003 Pan American Games. He served as the starting goalkeeper at the 2003 FINA World Championships (Barcelona), the 2004 Olympics (Athens) and the 2005 FINA World Championships (Montreal).


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Avoiding issues while using Blackboard Learn can be challenging, but you're in luck, because this article will address the problems we see most frequently and suggest how to avoid them. However, we encourage you to contact us should any of these issues occur, so we can assist you and get you back to your teaching and research tasks.
- Issue: Accidentally copying the content from a master course twice
- Problems it causes: Duplicate… content links, course pages, files that reside in the Content Collection, assignment/assessments, grade center columns
- Reasons why it may happen: Performing a second course copy to get content missed during a prior copy. Forgetting that a course copy has already been performed.
- How to avoid: First, make sure you make a checklist beforehand of what you know needs to move from the source course to the destination course. Second, if you believe you have already placed content into the destination course, double-check that what you are moving is not already in the destination course. Lastly, always check that the content moved successfully to the destination course.
- Other tips: Make sure that the destination course you are choosing is the correct one; thus pay close attention to the year and semester in the course name, such as "Fall-2013-ENGR-10100-001".
- Issue: Requesting a course merge after starting the course
- Problems it causes: Will hide any content that existed in a course before the merge. A course merge creates a completely new course and all of the old sections are "child courses"- which are invisible to students.
- Reasons why it may happen: An instructor discovers the need for a merge after the start of the semester.
- How to avoid: Consider the possibility of merging early in your course development, and contact us directly if you need to merge after the start of the term.
- Other tips: Always review courses before requesting a merge, to check if content is already in certain sections.
- Issue: Leaving Edit Mode Off
- Problems it causes: Inability to see tabs for use in content creation, tool linking, and settings adjustment.
- Reasons why it may happen: Using Edit Mode off is a quick way to see what is and is not available to students. You may simply forget to turn it back on.
- How to avoid: Click Edit Mode back to "On" once you are finished checking item availability.
- Other tips: Edit Mode is not the same as student view, for descriptions of each go here: http://library.blackboard.com/ref/3ea64795-6ecc-4abd-b595-0a9a8dfdec94/Content/_instructor_interface/ui_edit_mode.htm
- Issue: Mistaking credit sections for non-credit sections (a Blackboard course is created for every lecture, lab, recitation, etc.)
- Problems it causes: Instructors believe they have uploaded content to the correct section, but students are unaware of which section houses the content and which do not.
- Reasons why it may happen: A disconnect between the student and instructor when it comes to where content and materials are going to appear on Blackboard Learn.
- How to avoid: Clarify during class time or on the syllabus that content and other materials/resources will be available in a certain course section. Make sure the section you are using has the correct # of students.
- Other tips: Do not worry about this if your class only has one section. Also, you can simply have all of the lab or recitation sections merged; to request this click here: https://purdue.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cFSMKabT1qcQdhj
- Issue: Assuming content added to the course is available to students
- Problems it causes: Students don't see required content and are confused about whether they are clicking the wrong links, their browser is not working properly, etc.
- Reasons why it may happen: Selecting the wrong options, forgetting to change the availability options so students can view material, etc.
- How to avoid: Always check content area pages and specific content items using the "student view" option. For more information on using student view, click here: https://wiki.itap.purdue.edu/download/attachments/25640598/E06-ViewingYourCourseAsaStudent.pdf or for a how-to video here: http://youtu.be/wlPRUHvhvso
- A screenshot of the content collection link and the content collection page:
- A screenshot of a typical content area page:
- Other tips: If a student can't find something, ask them to specifically state what they do/do not see and to send a screenshot if possible.
- Issue: Misunderstanding "running total"
- Problems it causes: A miscommunication on what is being counted towards the students' grades. Students may not understand how their points/percentages are adding up.
- Reasons why it may happen: Unawareness of the "Running total" option
- How to avoid: All calculated columns in Blackboard Learn have a "Calculate as Running Total" option, which can be set to "Yes" or "No." If it is set to "Yes," the total will only take into account those assignments for which a grade is entered. As an example, if a student has only turned in 3 out of 4 assignments, and you haven't yet entered a grade of 0 for the 4th, the total column would grade that student as if he/she were exempt from the 4th assignment. As soon as you enter a grade of 0 for the 4th assignment, the total column would reflect all 4 assignments. If the "Running Total" column is set to "No," all 4 assignments are taken into account no matter what, and if a column is left blank, Blackboard assumes the student received a zero for that assignment. For more information, click this link: www.purdue.edu/goldanswers/256359/
- For a how-to on creating or editing a calculated column, please click this link for the print documentation: https://wiki.itap.purdue.edu/download/attachments/25640600/G09-CreateaCalculatedColumn.pdf and for the video here: http://youtu.be/8p_EGXI3mRg
Also, there is a difference between null and zero. Null means there is no grade at all and zero counts as the lowest grade.
Running Total only counts columns that contain a grade, but not those that are null.
- Other tips: Try creating and organizing your grade columns and calculated columns before the start of a course for less stress during times of grading.
Again, we encourage you to contact us with questions and/or issues. Please look for a follow-up blog post in the future that covers more, common Blackboard Learn issues.


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Woods shows up for a practise round ahead of the PGA Championship three days after withdrawing at Firestone with "back spasms".
18:59, UK, Wednesday 06 August 2014
Tiger Woods has arrived at Valhalla Golf Club, apparently intent on playing in the US PGA Championship despite his latest injury concerns.
Woods' participation in the last Major tournament of the year was put in doubt when he withdrew from last week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational due to back spasms.
The former world No 1, who had surgery in late March to treat a pinched nerve in his back, has since been undergoing intensive treatment and was granted an extension to his registration deadline.
Players usually have until 5pm local time on Tuesday to confirm their place in the PGA Championship field, but Woods has taken advantage of provisions aimed at injured players.
The 38-year-old now has until his 8.35am start time on Thursday (1.35pm BST) to decide if he will play.
He is set to play a practise round at the Kentucky venue on Wednesday afternoon.
However, Colin Montgomerie, who will be playing at Valhalla this week after winning the Senior PGA earlier this summer, predicted Woods "will suffer" if he decides to play.
He said: "I saw the TV pictures on Sunday evening and really, how can he play again this year, never mind within three days?
"Whether he can handle this I'm not sure. This is a big golf course, the rough is heavy again. He's hitting the ball, I hate to say, not straight. He will be in the rough and he will suffer.
"Whether it's good for his long term future in the game to play here or not, I am not sure. Obviously we would love him to play, it's a bigger and better event when he does."


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Sales Executive
- Recruiter
- Carreras Lathane Associates - CLA
- Location
- South East London
- Salary
- £28000 - £30000 per annum + + high commission
- Posted
- 10 Dec 2012
- Closes
- 07 Jan 2013
- Ref
- Contact
- Ken Lathane
- Sector
- Business Magazines
- Function
- Sales Executive
- Discipline
- Classified, Display, Subscriptions
- Hours
- Full Time
- Contract Type
- Permanent
Do you have a demonstrable track record in media sales, are you really keen on sport, particularly golf ? Our client a growing international publishing company has a need for you to join their sales team. Contacting clients in the industry to advertise against features and r.o.p. as well as a presence on the web site, this role will be good fun in a great environment and they pay good commission as well.
Advertising sales experience on a magazine, either classified, or display, consumer or business, monthly or even yearbooks. This client is more interested in your talent coupled with a good track record.


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8 comments
nice first strip yea very good
May 5th
Nice first strip.
March 5th
I can't beileve this is your first strip, though.
Dec 11th
First comment in a year.
Dec 11th
You've got a knack !
March 15th
LMAO @ "Strangle the cliche right out of her!"
March 1st
One can actually be allergic to stupidity? Wow... I think I'm allergic too!
Feb 22nd
Quite a crew
Feb 22nd


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Feb 29, 2012 9:35 AM
Claire wrote: "I am going to my boyfriend's uncle's wedding in Puerto Rico in early June. It's going to be a beach wedding, and I've been told that anything more than sandals and a sundress will be, well, overdressed. That said, I'm meeting a lot of his extended family, and want to look my best. I love jewel tones, and really dislike pastels. I'm hoping to spend around $100 on the dress."
Hi Claire! I hope these dresses impress the fam. I stuck with wedges and flats so you don't sink into the sand. You didn't say what your budget is for shoes - if these don't work, let us know!
1 - ASOS Mini Dress in Wakiki Print ($64)
Life Stride Romp Wedge ($60)
2 - Aqua Lace Cinch Waist Dress ($88)
Bebe Karissa ($95)
3 - ECI Dolman Sleeve Cutout Beaded Empire Waist Dress ($55 on sale)
Chinese Laundry Go Getter Bristol ($70)
4 - BB Dakota Greeted Under the Veranda Dress ($100)
Chinese Laundry Sheryl Bergen Sandals ($20)
5 - BCBGeneration Ruffle Sleeve Dress ($88)
Naughty Monkey Treasure Box Flats ($60)
6 - Bar III Sleeveless Scoop Neck Polka Dot Dress ($69)
Steve Madden Dafffy Sandals ($60)
7 - Teal It to My Heart Dress ($45)
Bella Vita Sangria Wedge ($50)
Frustrated in your search for that perfect leather handbag, red stiletto pump, or whatever makes your heart go thump in the night? Click here to check out our requests for you, the reader, and to contact us, and we might do the shopping work for you in a future Personal Shopper feature!
Mitchy here: I'd be happy to never put on another pair of pants. What this means for you is that I love all kinds of dress shopping - especially cute patterned dresses and party dresses. I also love colorful apparel and jewelry as well as vintage-styled home decor. Other things I don't usually put on resumes: expert cat wrangler, road tripper, and connoisseur of bad movies.
If you've got a product or service that you'd like to promote on Outblush, click here to find out about our advertising opportunities.
Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us and check out:


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It's hard to believe it's already August and that school will be back in session in just a few short weeks. Whether you're dreading the day or looking forward to it, Spa Mio inside the M Resort Spa Casino has got you covered.
Throughout the month of August, the luxurious Forbes Four Star spa and salon will be featuring four different back-to-school offers sure to delight teachers, parents and even students. For those getting ready for this year's class photos, guests can receive 30-percent off the purchase of two hair services (treatments must be booked and redeemed on the same day) with Spa Mio's Picture Perfect Package. All Oribe, Kerastase and Moroccan Oil Hair Care products are also 20-percent off throughout the month, so guests can maintain their picture-perfect locks.
Teachers and faculty, meanwhile, can enjoy some much-needed relaxation before heading back to class with 30-percent off all Spa Mio services with their CCSD ID. And frazzled moms who are finally able to enjoy a little me time once the kids are back in school can unwind with the Mio Mommy Time Package, which includes a 50-minute Relaxation Massage, a 50-minute Spa Mio Pedicure and a 50-minute Essential Facial for just $220.
Spa Mio's monthly specials are valid through Aug. 31 and cannot be altered or combined with any other offer. Packages may not be altered or split between guests. For more information or to book your service, call 702-797-1800.
Located inside the M Resort Spa Casino on St. Rose Parkway and Las Vegas Boulevard, Spa Mio is one of Las Vegas' most luxurious retreats. With 16 treatment rooms, private men's and women's saunas, steam rooms and Jacuzzis, a full-service salon and barbershop and state-of-the-art fitness center, Spa Mio provides guests with a relaxing and revitalizing experience. Guests are invited to enjoy the spa's amenities without a service for just $15 a day for hotel guests and $25 Monday-Thursday and $35 Friday-Sunday for non-hotel guests. The spa is open daily from 6 a.m.-7 p.m.; the salon and barbershop is open from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Nevada residents receive 25-percent off any full-price service seven days a week with local ID. For a complete list of services available, click here, and for up-to-date announcements and the latest special offers, be sure to check out Spa Mio's official Facebook page.


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That was our effort. Between saving metal and savings stamps
we, along with the whole country, got involved in the war effort
and bringing our guys home.
Childhood Memories of World War II
-An oral history of Robert Browning
Robert Bob Browning was just a child in elementary school when he first saw the bombing of Pearl Harbor on newsreels and his father and uncles were taken by the military to go to war. Young Bob was mad that his father had to go to war, but at the same time, relieved that he would remain in the U.S. to run the San Diego bases Non Commissioned Officers Club. Mr. Brownings uncles were not so lucky, though. Both were sent overseasone aboard the USS New Jersey and the other as a Seabee in the South Pacific. He recalls how lonely his mother and aunts seemed while their husbands were away.
Although a young child at the time, Mr. Browning clearly remembers the tremendous effort . . . to try to get us ready for the war. There were regular air raid drills during school. People busied themselves preparing bomb shelters. Mr. Browning recalls that these preparations were thought necessary because Houston would make a good bombing target, given its industrial contribution to the war effort. After some time, an attack on Houston seemed unlikely, so the emphasis on these emergency procedures ceased.
A real turn around in Mr. Brownings attitude towards the war came as he grew older and got involved in saving scrap metal for the war drive or savings stamps. Like many other children, he collected savings stamps so that he could eventually purchase an eighteen-dollar war bond. That was our effort, he reminisces. Between saving metal and savings stamps . . . we, along with the whole country, got involved in the war effort . . . and bringing our guys home. Contributing to the war effort in his own way really helped Mr. Browning overcome the anger he felt toward the government for taking his father away.
Once the troops came home, Mr. Brownings father returned from his base in San Diego. The father and son then worked as a team, delivering newspapers until they were able to purchase the familys first car. The Brownings also bought their first home with the help of the GI Bill, shortly after the war. Mr. Browning fondly says, It was a pretty happy time.
After spending one year at Texas A&M University, Mr. Browning was drafted into the Army and was assigned work in the photo lab at Fort Bliss, Texas with the Continental Army Command - Test Board Four. In 1957, he was sent to Nevada Test Sitea nuclear weapons testing facility. There he photographed eighteen atomic tests including the Priscilla test shot. Mr. Browning recalls one frightening time when something went wrong at the test site. An attempted test resulted in a hang firethe bomb failed to fireand two nuclear scientists had to manually disarm the bomb. Observers held their breaths as the scientists climbed the soaring tower that housed the detonation device. They were afraid to use the elevator for fear the vibration of the elevator would set off the mechanism, Mr. Browning says. The bomb was disarmed without incident. There were always things that went wrong, he reflects.
Mr. Browning takes great pride in the work he did photographing nuclear tests, but recognizes that scientific advances since then have overshadowed the work done at the Nevada Test Site. At the time I shot the picture [of Priscilla] it was a big thing.
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The past couple of weeks have seen all the wiring finished on the module. I have tested the throttle bus, and repaired the fascia after the module fell off the sawhorses. The tailtrack extension is almost finished, just needs a last bit of soldering/sanding and some paint then I can run a train over the track and check it out.
I also picked up a Kato unitrak V3 expansion module so I could play with building and "Inglenook sidings" switching layout on my bare shelves in the train room. This will just be a temporary setup to give me an opportunity to "play with trains". Check out the link here: http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/Inglenook/inglenook-trackplan.html . The track is all snapped together and Zephyr hooked up, I just need to print out some cards to shuffle for generating the "switchlist".
Yesterday I went to The Hobbysmith and picked up some 0.020" styrene sheets, more Peco code 55 rail joiners, and two 12 packs of Fox Valley Models wheelsets. I got the narrower "semi-scale" units. Eventually I want to convert my entire collection over to these, but right now I wanted to get them to fix some of my early Exactrail cars that came with the plastic wheelsets. I don't know where they got them from, but most of my Exactrail cars have at least one bent axle and a significant "wobble". Those FVM wheels are SWEET!!
Now I need to bust out the weathering powders and paints and get them fixed up.


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Yesterday Palm Beach County Clerk and Comptroller, Sharon Bock put the kibosh on paying out $5,000 of tax payer money for county officials to attend Palm Beach County Mayor Priscilla Taylor's extravagant gala black tie event. Bock has always been a trusted steward of the public's money and wrote Taylor on Monday that she would not be cutting a check for the $250 per person dinner to pay for 20 tickets to the charity ball. In the letter, Bock wrote, "Because the comment section had no description of this topic, there was no opportunity for public notice or public comment," adding that she did not feel the expense was for a public purpose which is required. She also says she is not permitted to pay money for such sponsorships and she paid for her $250 ticket with her personal money. Bock also mentioned she was basing her decision on a prior Florida Attorney General opinion and that the vote was brought up and taken during Commissioner comments. It should also be noted that Bock is also on the Host Committee for the event.
Taylor has planned, through one of her favorite charities, the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County, to host The Mayor's Ball which will include a virtual Who's Who of Democratic Palm Beach County elected officials. The few Republicans expected are Co-Chair Florida CFO Jeff Atwater and Florida House Rep Pat Rooney. Since it became public earlier this month of Taylor's request for tax payer money to pay for Palm Beach County officials to attend the event, there has been a firestorm of controversy.
Bock's decisions seems to resonate with Palm Beach County residents as they sounded off online yesterday after hearing of the news on the Palm Beach Post website. FlaNative79 stated, "My thoughts EXACTLY. Good for her! You're absolutely right.. our tax money isn't so that commissioners (who already get paid ridiculously) can attend a mayors ball." Avlas posted, "Hats off to Sharon Bock! I choked on my coffee when I first read about the "Mayor's ball". Now maybe Taylor can get over herself and get busy doing the work she was elected to do."
Although none wished to be quoted, every person I have spoken with about the issue were appalled to learn tax payer money would be used to pay for $250 a plate dinners and dancing for county officials. They were further angered that the public did not have an opportunity to voice for or against the expense.
Suggested Links
- Obama's NSA under fire from Maryland and other states
- Libertarians support 'The Day We Fight Back' movement
- Florida State Senator Brandes releases new study on red light cameras
- Small and large beer breweries battle it out in Florida legislature
- Open container protest planned for Tuesday's Delray City Commission Meeting


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The hit song that penetrated the airwaves in 2013 has now penetrated the Opening Ceremony for the Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Performing a cover of 'Get Lucky' by Daft Punk and Pharrell, the Russian police choir gave it their all at the Fisht Olympic Stadium. It was a great rendition, however; some of the members of the choir didn't sing along. Some even looked extremely uncomfortable. Maybe they just didn't know the words.
Formally known as the Ministry of Internal Affairs Choir, the Russian police dressed up in green uniforms during the televised performance Friday night.
With several reports of safety concerns for our fellow Americans in Russia, it's ironic that an American Dance song was selected to open the ceremony. Either way, the crowd was pleased with the performance.
One can only guess that their next performance will be at the Super Bowl next year. As we all know, stranger things have happened.


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"Sniper Elite 3" is not just your typical shooter. In fact, the game likes to "actively discourage" you from just running around trying to kill everything. You'll need to use your senses and your smarts if you want to be one of the elite.
This past weekend at PAX East 2014, Boston Games Examiner was able to get a view of the third person tactical World War II shooter. Robbie Cooke, of Rebellion Studios, was on hand to give us the rundown.
During the demo we had to find our way through our enemy's base camp, making sure to stay concealed and mind our surroundings. Running wasn't even allowed as it would increase our heart rate and make shooting more difficult. Even on the game's second difficulty, things were proving to be challenging. It was completely understandable with all the distractions the convention was providing. Nonetheless, we continued to make it to the goal of the demo which was to take out one of the enemy's Flak 88s.
One of the best features of the game and the demo was being able to time our shots with the shots of the Flak 88. By doing so, we were able to mask the sound of our gun with theirs.
The game also offers an "improved human kill-cam" feature. When you kill your opponent the game slows down to show the bullet penetrating it's victim. Additionally, it displays the bones and organs shattering and exploding upon the bullet's impact.
Players will also be able to interact with parts of the environment and sets traps for their unsuspecting victims. When you finish off your opponents, you'll be able to gain XP and earn sniper levels where you can then customize the ultimate sniper rifle fit for your playing style.
Overall, fans of the "Sniper Elite" series should notice improved game play and AI responsiveness.
About "Sniper Elite 3"
Set in the deadly terrains of North Africa, Sniper Elite 3 sees American OSS agent Karl Fairburne deep behind Nazi lines, providing crucial sharpshooter skills as the Allies battle Germany's fearsome Tiger tanks across the Western Desert.
But it's not just the famed Afrika Korps that Karl has to worry about. He soon uncovers German plans to build a "wunderwaffe" – wonder weapon – with the power to crush any Allied forces in its path, and turn the tide of the whole war.
"Sniper Elite 3" will be released on July 1 in the United States. It will be available for PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, and PC via Rebellion.
That's it for now. If you enjoy what you've just read, then please subscribe for more articles like this! Also, don't forget to hit the "Like" button if you liked the article. If you have something to say, then leave a comment in the comment section below. You can e-mail Boston Games Examiner at firstname.lastname@example.com with any direct questions that you may have. Finally, don't forget to follow Simeon on Twitter @simeoncortezano, and check him out on Facebook as well. Thanks for reading!


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Admission Information for Home Schooled First-Year Students
The University of New Hampshire conducts an individualized, holistic review of first-year applications for admission.
Admission to UNH is competitive. A student's academic record, including program of study, class rigor, and achievement is of primary importance in assessing a student's potential for success at UNH.
We welcome applications from students who are receiving their secondary level education at home and we value the different perspective "home-schooled" students bring to our classroom and community. With as many as two million students receiving their secondary education at home, we view home-schooling as simply another viable and well established means of preparation for the transition to college or university.
You are a home schooled student if you are receiving your secondary school education from your parents or through an accredited distance learning program. Our admissions criteria for home-schooled students are the same as for those students who receive their diploma through the local public school system or through a traditional private secondary school.
Admission Criteria
Most first-year students accepted to a bachelor's degree program have completed rigorous coursework with solid B+ grades, or higher.
Students should complete the following sequences of college preparatory coursework to be considered minimally* qualified for baccalaureate admission to the University:
- Four years of English
- Three years of mathematics including Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II
- Three years of science, two of which must be laboratory sciences
- Three years of social sciences (including U.S. History)
- Two years of a single foreign language (three years is preferred)
*Some academic programs require an additional year of preparation in subject areas beyond what is listed above.
- Students who plan to specialize in engineering, biological/physical science, mathematics, or forestry should present at least four years of mathematics including trigonometry/pre-calculus, as well as laboratory coursework in chemistry and/or physics.
- Students pursuing business-related studies also should have completed four years of advanced mathematics such as (eg: trigonometry, finite, pre-calculus, statistics).
- Students planning to major in health-related disciplines, four years of math, as well as laboratory courses in biology and chemistry, are strongly recommended. Students interested in nursing must complete high school chemistry.
Admission Test Requirements
All candidates for admission to bachelor's degree programs are required to submit the results of the SAT or ACT exam (including writing). The latest statistics on test scores by the University's admitted first-year students indicate that the average SAT combined score was 1650 and the average ACT composite score was 25. Scores must be submitted electronically to UNH by the testing agency.
UNH considers your highest section scores across all SAT/ACT test dates that you submit. Final admissions decisions will be made using only your highest scores. Each time you submit scores, we will update your record with any new high scores. We strongly encourage you to submit your scores each time you take the test. Sending your scores each time you take the test can benefit you by allowing us to consider you for all available enrollment related opportunities.
SAT or ACT scores aid in our determination of admissions eligibility, merit scholarships and admission to the University's Honors Program. There are no cut-offs for standardized test scores in the UNH admissions process, rather more emphasis is paid to one's academic program of study and record of achievement. Students are not denied or admitted based solely on the results of their standardized test scores.
*SAT subject tests are not required, but a foreign language subject test may satisfy the foreign language requirement of the bachelor of arts degree.
Additional Information
In evaluating your preparation for admission to UNH, we focus primarily on the quality of your academic preparation, particularly as it relates to the major you wish to study. We value strong, consistent achievement in a diverse and progressively demanding selection of courses.
Although we will consider your accomplishments in every discipline, we encourage students to study English, foreign language, mathematics, natural science and social science each of the four years during secondary school education. We do so because most successful applicants have four years of study in each of these disciplines. A specific breakdown on high school coursework completed by the University's enrolling first-year students is provided below:
- 95% completed the equivalent of 4 or more years of mathematics
- 87% completed the equivalent of 4 or more years of laboratory science
- 75% completed the equivalent of 4 or more years of social science
- 62% completed the equivalent of 4 or more years of a foreign language
We are also interested in learning how your personal interests and talents have developed over the past few years. We will review your responses to the questions on our application and evaluate your letter(s) of recommendation. We also encourage you to highlight your experience or leadership in local activities such as sports organizations, community service, or other extracurricular activity.
Enrollment Documentation Required for Home Schooled First-Year Students
If you choose to enroll at UNH, you will need to provide documentation of successful completion of your secondary level studies in the form of a final transcript, a General Equivalency Diploma (GED), or a certificate of completion from your local school district or state board of education. If your home school program does not provide a "diploma" please feel free to contact us to discern the final documentation we will require before your enrollment.


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Information in the game database is updated periodically. Below, you'll find that information compiled as pertains to Metamorf Studios. The company may be involved as a publisher, developer or both.
PC & Miscellaneous
Genesis Rising: The Universal Crusade (PC) [March 20, 2007]
There are numerous companies in the industry, and their names change like the weather. The information above is not particular about the finer details. Acquisitions are common, so companies with no recent listings may still be developing games under a new name. For example, DMA Design currently has a Rockstar name. Do you know of a title that is not listed above but should be? Be sure and let a staff member know. You can contact staff if you click here.
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