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Bonneville Power Administration Adds Oregon Wind to Portfolio
October 11, 2007
The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has entered into a 20-year agreement to purchase 50 megawatts (MW) of capacity from PPM Energy's Klondike Wind Power III project near Wasco, about 100 miles east of Portland, Oregon. The project is a 221-MW wind farm that is the biggest wind farm built in Oregon to date. BPA's purchase increases its total renewable energy supply by roughly 25 percent, from about 207 MW to 257 MW.
"Public demand in the Northwest for sources of clean, renewable power has never been stronger," said Steve Wright, BPA administrator. "This Klondike III purchase is a sound business decision — it's cost-competitive, fits with the agency's goals of serving the region's needs, and helps BPA maintain its near-zero carbon footprint."
Had BPA purchased the equivalent energy output of the Klondike III contract from an efficient fossil-fueled power source, such as a natural-gas-fired combined-cycle generator, the associated emissions could range between 27,000 tons and 72,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
Three states that include BPA customers — Washington, Oregon, and Montana — have enacted legislation requiring utilities to phase in additional renewable energy sources.
Separately, BPA's transmission group is working to connect the Klondike III project to the BPA grid by adding a 12-mile-long 230-kilovolt (kV) double-circuit transmission line. The line will run north from PPM Energy's existing Klondike Schoolhouse Substation to connect to BPA's existing 500-kV John Day Substation. BPA is also expanding the John Day Substation and building a new 230-kV substation adjacent to it. These measures will enable BPA to integrate the Klondike III power into its system and serve customers when the project begins commercial operations in late 2007.
For more information, see the October 9 press release listed on the BPA Recent Releases Web page.
To read more about renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in Oregon, see:
- Oregon news published on the EERE Web site.
- Brief project descriptions from the Oregon Energy Office published in the EERE State Energy Program newsletter, Conservation Update.
- Oregon publications listed in the EERE State Publications Database.


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Good Times cigars offer a wide variety of machine-made smokes. These cigars are made from natural tobaccos fillers. Each line of cigars in the Good Times family has its own unique features that appeal to different types of smokers. You can indeed let the good times roll with these high-quality cigars from Good Times LLC.
Good Times cigarillos are the flagship line from the company. They are packed with select filler blends that are enclosed in HTL wrappers. These come in a wide variety of flavors. Good Times uses the best flavor infusion technologies to ensure that the flavors feel natural and blend in well with the tobacco smoke. Each Good Times Flat Wraps cigar has a fine filler blend that can be enclosed by you in a smooth wrapper. These wrappers are great when you want to try creating your own cigars. They are available in different flavors like Strawberry Kiwi, Sour Apple, Grape, Blueberry and Mangolicious.
Little N Wild are cigars with tips. They are available in flavored and unflavored varieties. The Double 7's have natural tobacco fillers and Connecticut shade-grown wrapper. They are available in two varieties. The Sweet Woods are rolled in Connecticut broadleaf wrappers that have a rustic appearance with a rough finish. They are great outdoor smokes and come in five different flavors, including Kush, Sweet Aroma, and Honey Berry.
Good Times has a cigar for every occasion. Light up one that suits your taste and enjoy a flavorful, delicious smoke. These cigars, are made in the Dominican Republic and are available at affordable prices.

subset: commoncrawl


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Grandeur by Nostalgic Warehouse™ offers unparalleled vintage reproductions, made using the finest materials and manufacturing processes.
The Parthenon of ancient Athens was one of the original inspirations for the Greek Revival movement which began in the mid-1800's. Grandeur's Parthenon embodies a style that has adorned classic American and European homes for over one hundred and fifty years. Parthenon's sumptuous detailing speaks volumes about the pride and commitment of the artisans that bring the design to life. For an authentic restoration, or simply to achieve a distinctive and romantic touch, no decorative hardware makes a more profound statement.
Grandeur round rosette designs feature rich sculptural details and are forged in solid brass often thirty times thicker than typical decorative hardware.
|Solid Forged Brass
|Door Handle Material:
|Solid Brass
|Door Knob Shape:
Knowing the type of door knob will help determine how the door will function upon installation.
|Door Knob Type:
|Dummy Doorknobs, Passage Doorknobs, Privacy Doorknobs
Knowing the thickness of the door is crucial when installing door hardware.
|Door Thickness:
|1 1/2-in to 1 3/4-in, 1 3/8-in to 1 1/2-in, Less than 1 3/8-in
The locking mechanism is important to know if you are replacing a door handle or adding reinforcements to secure your door. These options will help you choose the right lock to secure either your interior, exterior, or sliding doors.
|Locking Mechanism:
|Tubular Locks
|Mfr Part #:
|Group #:
|Interior Door Handles - 1676
|Traditional - 143
|Sales Rank:


text: This line is getting hotter every minute. Matthew Campbell Laurenza's instantly recognizable jewelry combines enamel and precious gems in super-intricate patterns of color and texture. Although the collection includes rings, pendants and earrings, the most coveted pieces are his bangle bracelets (celebs from Rihanna to Lady Gaga can't get enough of this arm candy). Schooled in sculpture and headquartered in Bangkok, the designer has a soft spot for the rose windows of gothic cathedrals. The way he interprets their kaleidoscopic wow-factor is pure genius. One or two pieces from the M.C.L. collection and even the simplest look is suddenly stunning.


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All county attorneys deny release of cop conflict list
None of the state's county attorneys will release documents previously disclosed to defendants regarding named police officers who may have credibility problems if called to testify during a trial.
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Buyback, Dividend Bonanza Picks Up
U.S. companies continue to buy back stock and pay out dividends at a blistering pace, helping propel the stock market's rally to record levels.
Stock buybacks among S&P 500 companies jumped to $128.2 billion in the third quarter, the highest level since the fourth quarter of 2007, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. Buybacks rose 8.6% from a quarter ago and 24% from a year earlier.
Combined stock buybacks and cash dividends totaled $207 billion in the three months ended Sept. 30, which also marked the highest level since the fourth quarter of 2007. By comparison, the latest figure is almost three times the $71.8 billion total in the second quarter of 2009, when the economy was in the early stages of rebounding from the financial crisis.
The large payouts are boosting investors' confidence in a stock-market rally that has pushed the S&P 500 up 27% this year. The stock index finished Friday at a record high, its 41st of the year.
Buybacks have a direct impact on companies' share prices. They can boost earnings-per-share — a closely watched measure of profitability — by reducing shares outstanding, although some companies use the stock they buy to deliver shares to executives who exercise stock options.
But skeptics deride buybacks. They say the cash could be deployed in a more efficient manner; investing in research and development, boosting hiring or buying an existing company are three options. Companies also have a history of buying back shares at the wrong time. At the end of 2007, buyback activity was near record levels just as stocks were in the early stages of a precipitous drop.
Over the weekend, Bill Gross, who runs the world's biggest bond fund at Pimco, tweeted about the impact of buybacks on the stock market.
Gross: Stocks have their own QE: "corp buybacks" at $500 billion a year. They are a main reason stocks go up. When do THEY taper?
— PIMCO (@PIMCO) December 22, 2013
Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P, says buyback activity in the third quarter was even stronger than the headline figure shows, mainly because the quarter-ago comparison included Apple record-setting $16 billion buyback. Excluding Apple, buybacks jumped 21% from a quarter ago.
In returning money to shareholders, companies by and large are tapping into cash piles they have accumulated in the past few years by cutting costs or taking advantage of low interest rates to borrow funds. For the 12-month period ended in September, companies increased their buybacks by 15% to $445.3 billion. The high mark was reached in 2007, when companies spent $589.1 billion over the 12 month period.
"Just keeping up with the current bull market means that companies have to pay 25% more for the same number of shares they repurchased last year," Mr. Silverblatt says. "However, we are starting to see excess buying, where the repurchases outnumber the issuance, and therefore reduce the share count. The lower share count leads to higher EPS, and the market likes higher EPS."
Apple, Pfizer and Halliburton paid out the biggest buybacks in the third quarter. Exxon Mobil, General Motors and Microsoft were among the top 20 companies that implemented the biggest buybacks.
Buybacks, just like margin debt, can be viewed either bullishly or bearishly. More buybacks suggest companies find their stocks undervalued, a sign of confidence in the economy and that the market will keep rising from current levels.
The chart below, courtesy of Mr. Silverblatt, represents buybacks in the S&P 500 as a percentage of total market value. Hard to derive "bubble" from this chart.
Investors have also been rewarding companies that execute buybacks. Companies that heavily repurchase their own shares have seen their stock prices outperform the overall market over both short and long time frames.
The S&P 500 Buyback Index, which measures the 100 stocks with the highest buyback ratios, has surged 42% this year, compared with a 27% rally for the S&P 500. The buyback ratio accounts for the amount of cash paid for common shares over the past four quarters, divided by the market capitalization of the common stock.
A longer time frame shows an even greater disparity: The Buyback Index is up 26% on a five-year annualized basis, compared to an 18% gain for the S&P 500.


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- True Flight
- Currently Unavailable
The Nike Catalyst has a carbon-latex air chamber and 32-panel geometric design for explosive strikes and precise touches. Design makes it easier to spot on the field.
COVER: Premium PU for touch, durability and feel. Perfectly round for a faster, more accurate flight.
Geometric precision to distribute pressure evenly across panels for a consistent, accurate and powerful strike.
BLADDER: Six-wing carbon latex for explosive speed.
44/28/26/2 rubber/polyurethane/polyester/cotton.
Note: All of our balls are shipped deflated. This helps in keeping our shipping costs low, savings that we can pass on to you.
Standard Ball Sizing
Size 5: ages 12 and up
Size 4: ages 8-12
Size 3: ages 8 and under
Size 1: skills/practice
CUBIERTA: PU premium para un mejor toque y tacto. Perfectamente redondo para un vuelo más rápido y certero. VEJIGA: Látex de carbono de seis aletas para una aceleración explosiva.


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Instantly brightens eye area and conceals imperfections - dark circles to fine lines
Who is it for?
What makes it unique?
*Based on consumer evaluation of Advanced Anti-Aging Face Tint at 4 weeks
For external use only. Keep out of the reach of children. Avoid eye contact. If product comes into contact with the eyes, flush well with water. Discontinue use if signs of irritation or rash appear.
|Aqua, Isododecane, Polybutene, Tridecyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Sodium Potassium, Aluminum Silicate, Cetyl PEG/PPG 10/1 Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Myristyl Nicotinate, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Stearic Acid, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Hexyl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Steareth-20, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Chloride, Silica, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium PCA, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Propylene Carbonate, Phenoxyethanol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Parfum/Fragrance, Disodium EDTA, May Contain (+/-):, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Iron Oxides ( CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)
Apply with wand to under-eye area or any other areas that need illuminating.


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Advanced Search
Assessment | News
ProProfs has updated Quiz Maker, its online assessment creation suite, with a range of new tools and enhanced user features.
Quiz Maker is an online platform that allows educators to create and administer public and private tests. It includes six question types, a bank of pre-built questions and quiz templates, reporting and analytics features, privacy/security tools, and support for multimedia. Quiz Maker comes in both free and paid subscription editions, with subscriptions ranging from $3.97 to $9.97 per month for educators ($19.97 to $59.97 for non-educators). The free edition is ad-supported and has some features disabled.
The latest release adds a centralized location for creating, editing, and publishing quizzes. It also adds:
Further information, including subscription and pricing details, can be found at proprofs.com/quiz-school.
About the Author
David Nagel is editorial director, education for 1105 Media's Public Sector Media Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal. A 22-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art and business publications.
He can be reached at email@example.com. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at or follow him on Twitter at @THEJournalDave (K-12) or @CampusTechDave (higher education).
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Welcome to the official home of Branson's award winning "Must See" Show!
SEE A Neil Diamond Tribute ON TOUR..
Prepare to see Branson's highly decorated morning show A Neil Diamond Tribute! This show is designed and produced to appeal to everyone. Whether you are a Neil Diamond fan, a Keith Allynn fan, or a simple fan of quality entertainment and showmanship. Prepare to take a journey that will leave you amazed.
"If there's ever a movie made of Neil Diamond, Keith Allynn should play the part!" -Tony Orlando
Performing at the historic and newly renovated Owens Theater, A Neil Diamond Tribute has swept numerous awards including Tribute Artist of the Year and Tribute Show of the Year. Get ready to be entertained!
"This show is destined for even greater success! Keith looks and sounds exactly like Neil Diamond. His warmth and personality creates a personal and loving relationship with the audience…Awesome in every respect!" - Tom Jones
A Neil Diamond Tribute is constantly touring the country and performing for thousands of fans seeking entertainment and fun. Be sure to visit our touring schedule to see if we will be coming to a location near you. You may also request A Neil Diamond Tribute to perform at your venue or special event by clicking here.
"We are a Gated Home Community in North Port, Florida. Last January we had Keith Allynn doing his 'Neil Diamond Tribute'. It was a sell out show and everyone loved it. Next January we are having him back to do his comedy show 'Allynn Unhinged'. Keith has a great personality and is very professional." – Rachel Downing
While you enjoy our site, be sure to observe our current special on tickets to our Branson show. When you book online through our website you will enjoy an additional savings, along with a free upgrade to VIP seating! This is a limited time offer and based on availability. Review our schedule below and contact us to receive your special offer.


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Baby Arrived
Yesterday, I submitted a prayer request for my co-worker's sister who has the baby who will be born with HHypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). The baby was born at 1:27pm today and has been taken away to be evaluated for his heart condition. His mom did get to hold him for just a second, which the family is taking as a good sign. PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FAMILY AS THE JOURNEY BEGINS TO DEAL WITH THIS CONDITION AND HE BEGINS TO GO THROUGH HIS SURGERY.


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UCL SECReT welcomes students from all over the world, from countries including China, India, Germany, Australia, US, Egypt, Italy, Poland, Australia, Greece, Hungary and Iceland. Overseas/EU students bring unique experiences and perspectives to the SECReT programme, and we strongly encourage such applications.
"I came onto the SECReT programme after completing my M.S. in Computer Science from the National University of Defense Technology in China. My interests are in network security and I obtained a Chinese Scholarship Council award to come to UCL as I was very excited about the multidisciplinary research opportunities offered by SECReT. At UCL SECReT my research has really benefited by being part of a group. After all, it is not possible to eradicate cyber attacks by network technologies alone. Doing many projects and presentations together has also helped my English improve very quickly!"
Changwang Zhang, UCL SECReT student, China
"After completing my MA in Intelligence and Security, I decided to pursue a PhD. I decided on applying to UCL SECReT because as a SECReT student I will have access to experts in security from all relevant disciplines; engineering, politics, psychology, policing, intelligence, etc. I obtained a scholarship from a leading Egyptian foundation and joined SECReT in September 2010. I was immediately impressed by the way the programme encourages you to pursue ambitious research with a real-world focus. The highlight of my time so far has been the links I have established with one of the world's largest investment banks, a government department, and a leading political risk consultancy firm in the UK. These organisations have helped me in my first-year dissertation – I don't think I could have achieved this with any other programme."
Mohammed Gaballa, UCL SECReT student, Egypt
Overseas and EU students usually fund their entry onto our programme in a number of ways:
- Self-funding: often overseas students fund their first year on the programme and then apply for scholarships from year 2. We can help with such applications
- Scholarships from their own country
- UCL scholarships
UCL scholarships
There are a number of UCL scholarships available:
- Overseas graduate scholarships (you cannot apply for this scholarship yourself)
- Deans Award. You cannot apply for this scholarship yourself, UCL SECReT must apply on your behalf. This scholarship will pay your full fees, but you must already have a different scholarship to cover your stipend (your living expenses.) The Deans Award is for students with a truly outstanding academic record and whose potential research at UCL will be of strategic value.


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Diggs Laboratory
The Mathew O. Diggs III Laboratory for Life Science Research was funded in part by a gift from Matthew Diggs Jr., a former university trustee, with a deep interest in life sciences research, and his wife, Nancy. The building was named in memory of their son. Opened 11/8/2007, the highly energy-efficient building was officially rated LEED NC-Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2008. This prestigious award places Wright State University at the forefront of green building design, since Diggs Laboratory is the first laboratory in Ohio to receive the LEED-NC Gold status.


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- Dora the Explorer (9)
- Team Umizoomi (8)
- Bubble Guppies (4)
- Peter Rabbit (7)
- Max & Ruby (2)
- Go, Diego, Go! (4)
- Ni Hao, Kai-lan (4)
- The Backyardigans (2)
- Wonder Pets! (6)
- Olivia (1)
- Yo Gabba Gabba! (5)
- Seasonal (209)
Whether it lands on gimel or nun, kids will have so much fun playing with this paper dreidel. Select from two dreidel styles, print on card stock paper and fold to create a paper dreidel that kids can actually play with! When Guppy fans give it a spin, they'll always win since there's a fin-tastic friend on every turn!
Weekdays on NICK
Print the dreidel templates on card stock or heavy weight paper and allow time for the ink to dry.
Cut the template out along the dotted lines, punch a hole where indicated, and fold along every solid line.

 Shape into a dreidel and glue tabs to secure the shape. Allow time for the glue to dry.
Insert a coffee stir stick or toothpick into the hole created in Step 2 to complete the dreidel.

 Make two dreidels using the templates provided, and then hand them over so kids can give them a spin!
These portable popcorn holders make snack time swim-tastic!
Kids will crack up when they see who's popping out of an Easter egg to deliver lots of laughs!
Kids will be blown away by this beautiful outdoor decoration!
Invite your child's favorite Nick Jr. friends to the kids table with this printable craft
Turn your paper plate into the perfect table topper!
Greet visitors with a colorful display featuring your child's Nick Jr. friends
Kids can help get ready for the feast by adding color to this printable centerpiece!
Make a new memory game in minutes with our easy printable templates
Transform a paper bag into your child's favorite guppy!
Transform a paper bag into your child's favorite guppy!
Transform a paper bag into your child's favorite guppy!
This goody bag is dressed up for Dad's special day!
Transform a paper bag into your child's favorite guppy!
Dress up cones with cute Nick Jr. characters!
Make your own exclusive tee that features all the Guppies!
Transform a paper bag into your child's favorite guppy!
Transform a paper bag into your child's favorite guppy!
Transform a paper bag into your child's favorite guppy!
Make a door sign that will bloom in any room!
Shower your little flower with quality crafting time!
Print, fold, & fill with sweet surprises!
The perfect gift for kids to give away on Valentine's Day!
Make a do-together craft kids can proudly display on their door
Guests will FALL in love with this fin-tastic d�cor!
Turn a cereal box into a swimsational storage place for your Guppy's fish tales!
Surf's up! The Guppies can ride the waves in this cool movable craft!
No Bubble Guppies merchandise on the market? Print the templates here & DIY!
No Bubble Guppies dolls on the market? Print the templates here & DIY!
Make your own Bubble Puppy with these printable templates and some felt!
Add some blooms to your kids' rooms with their favorite guppies!
Make a do-together craft kids can proudly display on their door
A picture-perfect present for you and your little bunny!
Make an indoor winter wonderland that somebunny will love!
Turn paper bags into your favorite math-loving team!
Kids can hop on over to the Christmas tree to hang this charming decoration!
Peter & pals are dashing through the snow-- carrying something sweet, you should know!
Rabbits are brave and he�s no exception! Add Benjamin to your x-mas collection.
Spread holiday cheer with these "sweet" messages.
Peter has a new gift for you to see. It's round, and blue, and hangs on a tree.
This print-and-fold craft is an umirrific way to make your tree look spectacular!
Extend-o the holiday cheer with this special craft for UmiFriends
Welcome guests during the holidays--or any day--with this easy-to-make decoration.
Create a SUPER shaped ornament to hang on your tree this year
Make VROOM, VROOM on your tree this year for UmiCar!
This snow bunny is ready for show and tell!
It's surprisingly simple to make a winter scene with your little bunny!
This paper gingerbread house is all bark and no bite!
Milli spins her pattern powers into a string of dreidels this holiday season
Santa's little helpers can make a sweet sled for Dora and Swiper!
Your preschooler can give a special holiday treat to everyone on her list!
Kids can turn recyclables into beautiful Dora decorations!
Make a festive tree that won't wilt or wither!
Your preschooler will love prowling around the house in toasty Baby Jaguar slippers!
When the weather outside is frightful, a Diego scarf is delightful!
A snow day? Hurray! Grab a shoebox and create a scene starring your favorite explorer!
Wish everyone a WONDERful holiday with this tree topper!
Here's a simple and stylish Kwanzaa craft kids can fashion!
Let sweet holiday wishes bloom with these simple, customized cookie boxes.
Create the cutest footwear to warm up little toes!
We've got the goods on some slick Wonder Pets goody bags


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No gold star for Commissioner Andy Cheek; he's missed the majority of Augusta Commission events this year.
Now, some are questioning whether he's representing his district.
It's not a record to be proud of. Where the Augusta Commission is, he usually isn't.
The city has seen very little of the District 6 commissioner this year.
News 12 city government reporter Jonathan Martin is checking up on Andy Cheek.
Andy Cheek is typically very vocal and visible...but lately he says it's been a challenge making it to commission meetings.
Today, we find out where he's been and if and when he's coming back.
He's one of the more outspoken Augusta commissioners.
But more often than not this year, his seat has been empty at city meetings...leaving many asking, "Where's Andy Cheek?"
"I know that Andy has some personal issues, he had an accident earlier this year and I would take him at his word that he's had some personal issues that have not allowed him to make the meetings," says Mayor Deke Copenhaver.
In early January, Cheek was burned while working at the Savannah River Site; but now, months after his recovery, his poor attendance is raising questions.
According to minutes from the clerk's office, so far in 2005, Cheek has been absent from five commission meetings, seven committee meetings, all three bus tours, the commission retreat, and meetings of the Downtown Development Authority.
Cheek, who was not available for an on-camera interview told news 12, "For personal reasons beyond my control, I cannot attend the meetings, but I have not stopped representing my people. I have one of the best records in the history of this government of bringing about changes."
But folks like Ray Davis who live in District 6 have their own opinion.
"I think he should resign and let somebody take the job who could be there, what good are you if you are not there?" says Ray Davis.
"To me, he's doing a good job, don't rush into nothing, give him time, it will work out," says O.D. Colvin.
"I understand, I've been hurt at work myself, but it all goes back, if you can't do the job you're elected to do, then you need to step aside," says Dean Boyd.
In response, Cheek says, "There will always be people taking pot shots, but I do stay in contact with the community and the mayor. In the next few weeks, I will know my final schedule and if I l can't be there, I will give up my seat, as much as I would hate to do this."
Cheek also told News 12 he'd like the meetings to be moved to another time, possibly later in the evening, because of the uncertainty with his schedule. He has decided he will no longer seek the mayor pro-tem position.
According to the mayor's office, there is not a policy stating how many meetings a commissioner can miss, and we're told Cheek is still receiving his regular commission salary, which is $12,000 a year.


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CORPUS CHRISTI – The Texas A&M - Corpus Christi Athletic Department held its annual Welcome Back Picnic on Monday night at the fieldhouse on campus. With the 2013-14 school year beginning on Wednesday, the event is the Islanders' way of gathering all the new and returning student-athletes together to kick off the school year.
The event began with a video featuring highlights from the 2012-13 seasons from all of the Islanders sports, followed by remarks from Athletic Director Scott Lazenby and Vice President for Institutional Advancement Trent Hill to student-athletes about the goals and expectations for the upcoming academic and athletic season.
The event allowed the newcomers and returners to catch up and allowed all of those in attendance to socialize with student-athletes before classes begin on Wednesday.
For all the latest on Islanders Athletics, like them on Facebook (GoIslanders) and follow them on Twitter and Instagram (@Go_Islanders).


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|By PR Newswire
Article Rating:
|January 30, 2014 06:07 PM EST
KENOSHA, Wis., Jan. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Individuals seeking a new pickup truck are often confronted with conflicting, non-quantifiable information about which are the "toughest", "most capable," or "best" models for purchase. When actually sitting down to make a decision, buyers want real data in the form of numbers that they can use to compare different trucks and decide which one provides the best value or has the most desirable features.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140130/MN56001)
Palmen Motors, an auto dealership located in Kenosha, Wis., is helping pickup shoppers narrow their searches by providing a useful comparison tool which shows some of the key differences between the 2014 Ram 1500 and the 2014 Chevy Silverado at their most basic trim levels for criteria such as price, horsepower, and fuel economy. Seeing these two popular models compared side-by-side helps customers decide which of the two they would be most interested in purchasing or exploring at additional trim levels.
Although Palmen Motors is a Ram dealer, not every aspect of the comparison necessarily reflects an advantage for the Ram 1500 as the categories were chosen for their relevance to the consumer in areas of typically high importance. The tool was created so that customers researching the 2014 Ram 1500 could better discern its value compared to a top competitor.
To learn more about the Ram 1500 or view additional information and comparisons, Palmen Motors' website may be accessed at www.palmenmotors.com. Interested parties are also able to reach the dealership by phone at 877-730-5304.
Media Contact: Jack Borissenkov, Palmen Motors, 877-730-5304, [email protected]
News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com
SOURCE Palmen Motors
With so much going on in this space you could be forgiven for thinking you were always working with yesterday's technologies. So much change, so quickly. What do you do if you have to build a solution from the ground up that is expected to live in the field for at least 5-10 years? This is the challenge we faced when we looked to refresh our existing 10-year-old custom hardware stack to measure the fullness of trash cans and compactors.
Aug. 31, 2016 02:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,886
The emerging Internet of Everything creates tremendous new opportunities for customer engagement and business model innovation. However, enterprises must overcome a number of critical challenges to bring these new solutions to market. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Michael Martin, CTO/CIO at nfrastructure, outlined these key challenges and recommended approaches for overcoming them to achieve speed and agility in the design, development and implementation of Internet of Everything solutions wi...
Aug. 31, 2016 02:15 AM EDT Reads: 2,275
Today we can collect lots and lots of performance data. We build beautiful dashboards and even have fancy query languages to access and transform the data. Still performance data is a secret language only a couple of people understand. The more business becomes digital the more stakeholders are interested in this data including how it relates to business. Some of these people have never used a monitoring tool before. They have a question on their mind like "How is my application doing" but no id...
Aug. 31, 2016 02:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,988
Cloud computing is being adopted in one form or another by 94% of enterprises today. Tens of billions of new devices are being connected to The Internet of Things. And Big Data is driving this bus. An exponential increase is expected in the amount of information being processed, managed, analyzed, and acted upon by enterprise IT. This amazing is not part of some distant future - it is happening today. One report shows a 650% increase in enterprise data by 2020. Other estimates are even higher....
Aug. 31, 2016 01:45 AM EDT Reads: 3,079
Smart Cities are here to stay, but for their promise to be delivered, the data they produce must not be put in new siloes. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Mathias Herberts, Co-founder and CTO of Cityzen Data, will deep dive into best practices that will ensure a successful smart city journey.
Aug. 31, 2016 01:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,705
Identity is in everything and customers are looking to their providers to ensure the security of their identities, transactions and data. With the increased reliance on cloud-based services, service providers must build security and trust into their offerings, adding value to customers and improving the user experience. Making identity, security and privacy easy for customers provides a unique advantage over the competition.
Aug. 30, 2016 08:15 PM EDT Reads: 2,492
SYS-CON Events announced today that 910Telecom will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Housed in the classic Denver Gas & Electric Building, 910 15th St., 910Telecom is a carrier-neutral telecom hotel located in the heart of Denver. Adjacent to CenturyLink, AT&T, and Denver Main, 910Telecom offers connectivity to all major carriers, Internet service providers, Internet backbones and ...
Aug. 30, 2016 08:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,036
Qosmos has announced new milestones in the detection of encrypted traffic and in protocol signature coverage. Qosmos latest software can accurately classify traffic encrypted with SSL/TLS (e.g., Google, Facebook, WhatsApp), P2P traffic (e.g., BitTorrent, MuTorrent, Vuze), and Skype, while preserving the privacy of communication content. These new classification techniques mean that traffic optimization, policy enforcement, and user experience are largely unaffected by encryption. In respect wit...
Aug. 30, 2016 08:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,930
SYS-CON Events announced today that Pulzze Systems will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Pulzze Systems, Inc. provides infrastructure products for the Internet of Things to enable any connected device and system to carry out matched operations without programming. For more information, visit http://www.pulzzesystems.com.
Aug. 30, 2016 07:15 PM EDT Reads: 382
There is growing need for data-driven applications and the need for digital platforms to build these apps. In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, Muddu Sudhakar, VP and GM of Security & IoT at Splunk, will cover different PaaS solutions and Big Data platforms that are available to build applications. In addition, AI and machine learning are creating new requirements that developers need in the building of next-gen apps. The next-generation digital platforms have some of the past platform needs a...
Aug. 30, 2016 07:00 PM EDT Reads: 938
Data is an unusual currency; it is not restricted by the same transactional limitations as money or people. In fact, the more that you leverage your data across multiple business use cases, the more valuable it becomes to the organization. And the same can be said about the organization's analytics. In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, Bill Schmarzo, CTO for the Big Data Practice at EMC, will introduce a methodology for capturing, enriching and sharing data (and analytics) across the organizati...
Aug. 30, 2016 06:15 PM EDT Reads: 381
DevOps at Cloud Expo – being held November 1-3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA – announces that its Call for Papers is open. Born out of proven success in agile development, cloud computing, and process automation, DevOps is a macro trend you cannot afford to miss. From showcase success stories from early adopters and web-scale businesses, DevOps is expanding to organizations of all sizes, including the world's largest enterprises – and delivering real results. Am...
Aug. 30, 2016 05:45 PM EDT Reads: 3,596
Traditional on-premises data centers have long been the domain of modern data platforms like Apache Hadoop, meaning companies who build their business on public cloud were challenged to run Big Data processing and analytics at scale. But recent advancements in Hadoop performance, security, and most importantly cloud-native integrations, are giving organizations the ability to truly gain value from all their data. In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, David Tishgart, Director of Product Marketing ...
Aug. 30, 2016 05:00 PM EDT Reads: 907
Fact: storage performance problems have only gotten more complicated, as applications not only have become largely virtualized, but also have moved to cloud-based infrastructures. Storage performance in virtualized environments isn't just about IOPS anymore. Instead, you need to guarantee performance for individual VMs, helping applications maintain performance as the number of VMs continues to go up in real time. In his session at Cloud Expo, Dhiraj Sehgal, Product and Marketing at Tintri, wil...
Aug. 30, 2016 04:15 PM EDT Reads: 978
Internet of @ThingsExpo, taking place November 1-3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, is co-located with 19th Cloud Expo and will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world. The Internet of Things (IoT) is the most profound change in personal and enterprise IT since the creation of the Worldwide Web more than 20 years ago. All major researchers estimate there will be tens of billions devices - comp...
Aug. 30, 2016 03:30 PM EDT Reads: 3,785


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ingredient information
Peppers Bell Dried Organic
Bell peppers are a great source of vitamin C. If you thought citrus fruits packed a powerful punch when it comes to being a good source of vitamin C, peppers have them beat. Green peppers have twice the amount of vitamin C by weight than citrus fruits, and this powerful punch of vitamin C is an antioxidant that may be effective in preventing certain cancers. Red bell peppers have three times as much vitamin C as the green varieties and are a good source of beta carotene. Varieties Bell peppers can be found in a rainbow of colors and can vary in flavor. The variety of the pepper plant and the stage of the ripeness determine the flavor and color of each pepper. For example, a red bell pepper is simply a mature green bell pepper. As a bell pepper ages, its flavor becomes sweeter and milder. Red bell peppers contain eleven times more beta carotene than green bell peppers. Selection Bell peppers are available and are in good supply all year, but they are more plentiful and less expensive during the summer months. Fresh peppers come in variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, but when selecting them, they all follow the same guidelines. Their skin should be firm without any wrinkles, and the stem should be fresh and green. They should feel heavy for their size. Avoid peppers with sunken areas, slashes or black spots. Storage Store unwashed bell peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for about a week. Green bell peppers will stay fresh a little longer than the yellow and red ones. Make Bell Peppers Part of Your 5 A Day Plan * Use them to create colorful and exciting meals by adding a mixture of different colored sliced or chopped peppers to your favorite salads, pastas, and Chinese or Mexican dishes. * They can be used as a colorful garnish. * Include sliced peppers on your next veggie tray. * Carve out peppers and stuff them with rice or use them as colorful containers for dips or other edible items. Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified,


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A leaked email from NYU Law's student listserv reveals a fight to book Snooki at a bargain-basement rate of $2000. As the email battle rages, Snooki's price rises. A comparative analysis reveals post-bar-brawl Snooki as the show's fastest-rising moneymaker.
After getting punched in the face on camera, Snooki went from the cheapest Jersey Shore get ($2000) to the priciest ($10,000 at last count). As for the Situation, you'd think being outed as a stripper would increase his asking fee, but he and Pauly D have been cruising at $7500 since December. I only found one data point for J-Woww ($5000) and though Vinny and Ronnie started at the same place ($3500), Ronnie's fee dropped $500 in January, and he also wasn't enough to hold a hosting gig on his own—a joint appearance with Sweetheart drew a combined $3000.
[AbovetheLaw] [E!] [NYDN]


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ATLANTA -- Not even a big gift from an old compadre was enough to hoist the A's out of their struggles Sunday night, as a national television audience saw Oakland's offense trip over itself in a 4-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves. It was the A's season-worst fifth consecutive loss.
Earlier in the day, former A's infielder Adam Rosales, now playing for the Texas Rangers, had delivered a walk-off hit against the Los Angeles Angels, the team that had moved into first place by percentage points ahead of Oakland atop the American League West on Saturday.
That meant the A's, who were throwing their top starter, Jon Lester, could move back to a one-game lead by salvaging the final game of a weekend set with the Braves.
It didn't happen. Lester came into the game having allowed one homer in his previous 11 starts, eight with the Red Sox and three with the A's. He gave up two Sunday, a tiebreaking two-run shot by Justin Upton in the fourth and a solo blast from Chris Johnson in the seventh.
"This team is too good to stay in this funk," Lester said after his first loss since joining the A's at the trade deadline. "We get to go home tonight, get an off day, recharge the batteries a little bit and get back at it on Tuesday."
The key to the game was Lester's 0-2 pitch to Upton in the fourth. Lester threw the pitch he wanted, and the left fielder didn't miss it.
"I thought it was a good pitch when I threw it," Lester said. "I went back and looked at the video. Sometimes you have to tip your cap."
Lester needed to have his best game, and it was a problem when it wasn't there because the Oakland offense continued to get swallowed up in an August sinkhole. Nate Freiman whacked solo homers in the second and seventh innings off lefty Mike Minor, but everybody else was MIA for Oakland, which went 1-6 on the trip through Kansas City and Atlanta.
The loss left the A's with a 73-51 record and a .589 winning percentage. The Angels are 72-50, leaving them .001 ahead. That leaves Oakland in the odd position of having the most wins in the majors but technically not in first place in its division.
Still, the A's are in a virtual tie in the West despite getting swept this weekend, and that's something, Lester said.
"That's obviously the positive of it," he said. "And we've got to take all the positives we can right now. We need to grind. That's all we can do."
For a second consecutive night the A's were held to three runs, which is an ongoing and ugly pattern. In 17 August games, they've scored three runs or fewer 13 times, one reason the club is 7-10 for the month. At the same time, the A's have been held to six hits or fewer in 10 of the 17 games, including five times on this trip.
"Guys are competing," Lester said. "We're just not getting results right now. The times that we need to get a guy in, we're just not doing it. The times we need to make a pitch, we're not doing it."
Manager Bob Melvin, unhappy with the way the A's played Friday, liked more of what he saw Saturday and Sunday. The swings were better, the contact was solid more often than not. But a loss is a loss.
"We've come up a little short (the last two nights)," Melvin said. "Unfortunately, that's where we are right now.
"This is the first bad road trip we've had this year. This was not a good trip. We've got to go home, and we've got to regroup."
For more on the A's, see John Hickey's Inside the A's blog at ibabuzz.com/athletics. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JHickey3.
Tuesday's game
N.Y. Mets (Dillon Gee 4-5) at A's (Scott Kazmir 13-5), 7:05 p.m. CSNCA


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LEGO Shop Home Categories Storage LEGO® Friends ZipBin® Toy Box: Heartlake Place
LEGO® Friends ZipBin® Toy Box: Heartlake Place
- Item: 5002671
- Ages:3+
- VIP Points: 0
- Retired product
Travel with the LEGO® Friends and tote your favorite builds anywhere with a zipping Toy Box and Heartlake City playmat!
Take Heartlake City everywhere you go!
Unzip the perfect pink-detailed Toy Box to transform it into a sunny Heartlake City scene! The pink satin handle makes it easy to take your LEGO® Friends building adventures anywhere. Tote and play with your best builds and favorite friends in fun, portable style. Cleans easily with a damp cloth! ZipBin® Products – Contain the mess, Not the Play™.
• Features illustrated design, themed Heartlake City playmat when unzipped, outer padding and a satin handle
• Unzip to play and build anywhere!
• ZipBin® Products – Contain the mess, Not the Play™
• Cleans easily with a damp cloth!
• Measures over 5" (12cm) high, 9" (22cm) long and 8" (21cm) wide when zipped
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As first thing i must say that I've never used this "line" of distributions, in the past when i wanted to use .rpm packages I used the Red Hat family Distributions, and then I moved to .deb distributions and Gentoo.
So It's my first time with these 2 distributions, let's see if Mageia has surpassed the "source distro", or Mandriva it's still leading in the Desktop.
A small intro of the 2 distributions (courtesy of Wikipedia)
Mageia is the name of a non-profit organization and Linux distribution. On September 18, 2010, a group of former Mandriva employees and community supporters announced that Mandriva Linux was being forked and a new, community-driven distribution would be created, called Mageia.
Mandriva S.A. is a publicly traded (symbol:MLMAN) Linux and open source software company with its headquarters in Paris, France and development center in Curitiba, Brazil. Mandriva, S.A. is the creator and maintainer of Mandriva Linux, describing itself as a "project initiator and a skills organizer in the Open Source arena", and a founding member of the Desktop Linux Consortium.
Continue reading »


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using QCAD 22.214.171.124 on Snow Leopard 10.6.6 CPU Intel Core 2 Duo.
unable to insert a decimal value when using "move", or "draw parallel line" or every other function requiring to enter a value.
the problem arise when I have to put a decimal number; only the number to the right of the comma is considered by Qcad.
quite annoying; anybody else experienced this problem?


text:
Little ones sing, clap and dance with their caregiver to
up-tempo songs that focus on the natural world around them. Jan. 3,
Feb. 7, March 7, April 4.
Kids learn self-expression and confidence in performance skills
through an Indian Dance for Kids class while parents relax with the
de-stressing light cardio of Chinese Tai Chi.
Bring your favorite Elmo and create a sculpture of him, make
Elmo a birthday card that we'll send to Sesame Street, sing "Happy
Birthday," and play in Elmo's jungle bounce house. Plus cake and
party favors.
Take a tour of the new Heaven and Earth exhibit, learn about the
importance of birds in Ancient Egypt, and look at the bird mummies
on display. Then wrap "bird" mummies exactly like the Ancient
Egyptians did.
Feature the black bear and its adaptations for survival in the
forest. Crawl into the bear's den, compare your senses to that of
the black bear, feel his fur, come face to face with a black bear
mount and more.
See a toy so amazing, so unbelievable, it has the power to
transform into anything you want it to be. Enter a world where
imagination rules, and ordinary becomes extraordinary.
The exhibit features the illustrations of W. W. Denslow, a
Chicago resident whose famous illustrations helped to inspire the
design of the classic 1939 MGM film starring Judy Garland. The
bright and colorful exhibit provides a variety of learning
opportunities and hands-on activities within a three-dimensional
representation of Denslow's distinctive illustrations.
Discover how sounds make music, and how music makes you feel,
with activities like making melodies on bolt- and wrench-a-phones,
using soft sculpture pegs to make a music box, blowing air over a
reed, moving musical notes on a staff, beating percussion
instruments, and creating an artistic masterpiece that reflects how
music makes you feel
Hundreds of objects and documents from the exclusive private
collection, together with a rare collection of first editions of
his most famous works, tell the story of how Charles Dickens and
his characters became enduring cultural icons. Interactive and
multi-media displays and personal effects take visitors through a
chronological tour of the life, literature and legacy of Dickens.
View his personal traveling inkwell, take a ride in an early
century carriage, and learn about the memorable characters, stories
and themes of his famous tales through games, time period puzzles
and Dickens' own personal Facebook page.
Visitors become space adventurers and set off on a journey to
discover the Universe in a way never done before. Travel a billion
light-years and back, fly through space, orbit the Moon, zoom into
a canyon on Mars, and soar through the cosmic web where a million
galaxies shower down. The experience was created utilizing real
telescopic data and the best scientific imagery.


text:
Providing you with the best information available on business jet travel is by far our most important goal here at BJT. As we work our way through meeting after meeting, draft after draft and plan after plan, what motivates us is helping you get the most out of private air transport.
Business Jet Traveler » October 2011
October 1, 2011
October 1, 2011
Among comments we received on this subject: "The airlines have ZERO respect for time, customer service or flexibility. The government, through TSA, has…an entirely inappropriate approach to security. Collectively, they have decimated the American people's ability to travel effectively or efficiently."
October 1, 2011
Having completed construction of its 263,000- square-foot production facility in Greensboro, N.C., earlier this year, Honda Aircraft has been busy building more HondaJets, accelerating the flight-test program and preparing to ramp up the assembly line for Honda's first foray into the aviation market.
October 1, 2011
It's now possible to golf at any of 400 private clubs, thanks to Boxgroove, a Web-based service that allows members to sign up for available tee times at participating U.S. venues. Depending on your membership (basic membership is free), a round of golf starts at approximately $90 per person.
October 1, 2011
Originally from the Champagne region of France, Chef Philippe Jeanty has long been a Napa Valley fixture, having opened the restaurant at Domaine Chandon back in 1977. After more than 20 years as executive chef at that premier spot, Jeanty decided to launch his own place and, in 1998, Bistro Jeanty was born.
October 1, 2011
Want to stay at a resort without staying put? The new Yogi superyacht, which is now available for charter, offers all the amenities of a high-end resort, plus the ability to set sail.
October 1, 2011
Nearly a thousand subscribers responded to BJT's first annual survey on business jet travel. Read on to find out why our readers fly privately; what they like best and least about fractional, jet card and charter providers and their own jets; and what aircraft they'd pick if they could have any available model.
October 1, 2011
No pain, no plane. The saga of Boeing's new widebody, mainly composite 787 Dreamliner reads like the Bible's Book of Job or Murphy's Law in hyperdrive.
"You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice. "
-reggae great Bob Marley
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Main Content
The Vaden button-up shirt from Ambig has a yarn-dyed plaid pattern, a patch pocket at the left chest with a woven brand tag and another Ambig tag on the back of the collar. This snazzy long sleeve shirt updates this classic look with a modern fit that's bound to impress any lady on your next date night.
- 60% Cotton/40% Polyester
- Modern fit
- One button at each cuff
- Patch pocket with button at left chest
- Rounded hem
- Woven brand tags at pocket, back collar and bottom placket
- Yarn-dyed plaid
- Imported
- Long sleeve button-up shirt
- Short sleeve
- Made in the USA
- Brand: Ambig
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Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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Meet one of our Producers!
We have a really exciting event tomorrow.
Graciano Cruz is one of our producers and he also coordinates a lot of really incredible coffees we buy out of Panama and El Salvador. He will be in town tomorrow and is going to do a presentation at our new Pacific Avenue cafe.
This is a rare opportunity to learn about coffee from a producer and coordinator who has extensive experience working with some of the best coffees in the world. Graciano will be speaking specifically about a small producer group project in northern El Salvador that he and Colby are working on together through our Direct Trade buying program.
This is a completely free event.
Where: 1540 Pacific Avenue
When: 4:00 pm, December 1st (tomorrow!)


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The Morning Download: How Dell's Deal Helps Customers
The Morning Download comes from the editors of CIO Journal and cues up the most important news in business technology every weekday morning. Send us your tips, compliments and complaints. You can get The Morning Download emailed to you each weekday morning by clicking here.
Good morning. There's much for Dell Inc. customers to cheer in news that the PC maker is taking itself private, helped along by a $2 billion loan from Microsoft Corp. Dell, in the midst of reinventing itself as an all-in-one hardware, software and services company, may well benefit from some of Microsoft's understanding of the business market.
Dell says it will continue supporting its existing products while pursuing its transformation, and is "committed to completing this transaction as seamlessly as possible such that our customers are not affected in any way," it said in a statement provided to CIO Journal. In addition to selling hardware to its customers, either for use in their data centers or as part of a cloud solution, with Microsoft software running the stack, Dell could also "embrace open source computing so that it is established as the open source brand over time," suggests Cindy Shaw, an analyst with Discern Group Inc. Dell could use common business standards to drive reliable, low-cost open source technology into the business market, essentially hoping to repeat the success it had in the PC market 30 years ago, Ms. Shaw suggested in an interview with CIO Journal.
Finally, the deal gives the company a breather from the incessant demands of Wall Street, allowing founder Michael Dell to execute his strategy for the company's post-PC era existence without having to watch his back for a shareholder revolt. Gartner Inc. analyst Leslie Fiering calls Mr. Dell "a formidable strategist and operations person… Here he goes again doing something totally unexpected and very bold. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until he proves me wrong."
Yes, the company has saddled itself with a ton of debt — credit analyst Dave Novosel of Gimme Credit LLC estimates Dell will emerge from the deal with about $19 billion in debt, costing it around a half-billion dollars per year to service. But that's not nearly enough to severely limit "Dell's ability to invest in new products and services," as Hewlett-Packard Co.'s statement would have customers believe. Yes, its ability to innovate will be "less than what it used to be," Shaw Wu, an analyst with Sterne Agee Group Inc., told CIO Journal. But forced asceticism could stimulate sharper thinking, leading to a simplified set of offerings built around its core competencies. As a recent study by KPMG shows, cloud is not a simple matter to implement. "People need help, and Dell could innovate around services that make things easier for the customer," noted Discern's Ms. Shaw.
Air Force tries not to bungle business software implementation a second time. With sequestration looming and the recent humiliation of having had to pull the plug on a suite of applications from Oracle Corp., Brigadier General Kathryn Johnson is hoping not to repeat the same mistakes that wasted over $1 billion in taxpayer funds. Gen. Johnson said the Air Force is breaking the project up into smaller chunks this time around, which Michael Krigsman, CEO of IT consulting firm Asuret Inc., says is the right approach. "The most basic tenet of ERP implementation is know why you need the system and how you intend to make it work," Mr. Krigsman told CIO Journal via email.
MassMutual trying 'democratization of information' to stimulate innovation. Twenty billion dollar companies with over $120 billion in retirement assets under management are not typical bastions of innovation. However, Robert Casale, CIO of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, says the insurer is able to roll out new financial products more quickly, and can close significantly more business, thanks to innovations introduced by its IT department. That spirit of innovation has been fostered by structural and philosophical changes to how the IT department is run, and Mr. Casale says those changes are slowly being reflected throughout the rest of the organization as well. Among those changes, Mr. Casale has created experimental "data lab environments" that provide employees with types of data to which they don't ordinarily have access, with the expectation that they will use the data in novel ways, leading to more innovation. "We're building an open culture where democratization of information, information sharing, is at the heart of things," Mr. Casale told CIO Journal.
Dell struck a $24.4 billion deal yesterday to take itself private. Founder and CEO Michael Dell—along with Silver Lake Partners—will offer Dell's holders a per-share price of $13.65 in cash. The stock closed Tuesday at $13.42 on the Nasdaq.
Why Microsoft chose to loan rather than invest. To help finance Dell's buyout, Microsoft opted to loan the PC maker $2 billion rather than use that money in an equity investment because it did not want to upset rival PC makers, sources tell Bloomberg's Dina Bass and Jeffrey McCracken. A Microsoft investment supports "the long term success of the entire PC ecosystem," a Microsoft spokesman tells Bloomberg. Despite the loan, Microsoft may have some 'splainin' to do, says Gartner's Michael Gartenberg. "There will still be some uneasiness until the full details of the relationship become clear in practice not just terms on paper," he said. But former Microsoft executive Brad Silverberg tells the WSJ's Shira Ovide and Anupreeta Das that Microsoft is past the point of no return. "For Microsoft, it crossed the Rubicon when it shipped the Surface, and relationships with PC manufacturers will never be the same," he said.
Microsoft plays the field. But ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley says rivals shouldn't fear Dell being granted most-favored PC maker. Microsoft in 2011 signed a billion dollar deal with Nokia Corp. to get the device maker cranking on the Windows Phone ecosystem. Despite supporting Nokia's latest offerings, Foley says she's noticed a number of Microsoft managers sporting HTC Corp. 8X Windows Phone 8s. Most recently Microsoft partnered with Huawei Technology Co. Ltd. to sell Windows Phones in Africa—"in spite of Nokia's long history and expertise in selling phones in the developing world."
The chutzpah that is H-P. Shortly after Dell announced the $24 billion deal that would take the company private, Hewlett-Packard Co. released its own statement encouraging Dell customers to join up with H-P. "Dell has a very tough road ahead. The company faces an extended period of uncertainty and transition that will not be good for its customers," H-P said. Reporters were quick to chide H-P for forgetting that it too lives in a glass house. "Rich" is how Fortune's Julianne Pepitone described H-P's action. "Judging by HP's sanctimonious statement on Dell, though, you'd never guess HP was also suffering" from myriad wounds, self-inflicted and otherwise: serial CEO switching, a dysfunctional board, multiple flip-flops regarding the mobile WebOS operating system (dead as of this writing), and the accusation by current H-P CEO Meg Whitman that recently acquired Autonomy engaged in financial flimflammery.
Fed acknowledges cybersecurity breach. The Federal Reserve acknowledged it had suffered a cybersecurity breach, making it the latest government victim of hackers, the WSJ's Victoria McGrane reports. "The Federal Reserve System is aware that information was obtained by exploiting a temporary vulnerability in a website vendor product," a spokeswoman from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond said in an emailed statement. "The exposure was fixed shortly after discovery and is no longer an issue. This incident did not affect critical operations of the Federal Reserve System."
Surface Pro gets lack-luster reviews. The WSJ's Walt Mossberg test drives Microsoft's new Surface Windows 8 Pro and finds a lot of weaknesses. The Surface Pro is a multi-touch 10.6-inch tablet that has some of the attributes of a laptop, such as a USB port and snap-on keyboards. Unlike the original Surface, which came out in October, the new tablet is capable of running full-featured Windows 8. One problems is that the Surface Pro starts at $899—$400 more than the base model of the biggest, newest iPad or the base Surface RT. Mossberg says he likes the original Surface, but the Surface Pro is "too hefty and costly and power-hungry to best the leading tablet, Apple's full-size iPad. It is also too difficult to use in your lap. It's something of a tweener—a compromised tablet and a compromised laptop."
Over at ZDNet, Mary Jo Foley says she kept scratching her head over who Microsoft expects to buy the Surface Pro. "It's not as good of a tablet, in terms of weight/battery life, as the Surface RT is. But it's also not as good of a Windows 8 PC as other OEM-produced devices, coming in at lower price points with better battery life and other specs."
Microsoft Big Data guy leaves for VC firm. GeekWire's John Cook reports that a Microsoft-ian who oversaw the development of the company's various Big Data offerings as well as SQL Server and Windows Azure Data Services is leaving. After 23 years, Ted Kummert is leaving Microsoft for Seattle venture capital firm Madrona Venture Group.
Amazon launches a virtual currency. Amazon.com Inc. has underscored its desire to rival Apple Inc.'s App Store by launching a virtual currency through which it will subsidize developers joining its own service, write the FT's Barney Jopson and Tim Bradshaw. The online retailer said it would give customers "tens of millions of dollars" worth of Amazon Coins to spend on developers' applications and games. Developers will receive 70% of the currency spent and Amazon will convert the digital money into dollars. Amazon Coins will be given only to U.S. customers at the launch and can only be spent on apps and games that are available on its Kindle Fire tablet. The initiative – which was announced on Tuesday and will launch in May – is the latest example of Amazon's willingness to sacrifice profits to win market share, as it bets that it will entice more customers by attracting a broader range of developers.
IBM re-prices servers to take on rivals. IBM Corp. took a stab at mainstream server rivals Hewlett-Packard Co. and Oracle Corp., announcing that it was reducing the price of its Power Systems servers. All Things D's Arik Hesseldahl says the servers are typically aimed at higher-end businesses, but new partnerships IBM inked with Ingram Micro Inc. and TechData Corp. could help the company expose its products to small and midsize companies.
Mobile traffic growth falls short. Mobile-network traffic growth was hampered in North America and Western Europe last year as companies including AT&T Inc. and Vodafone Group PLC adopted pricing policies that discouraged heavy use, according to research by Cisco Systems Inc. Mobile traffic in North America rose 64% in 2012, shy of the 70% projected a year ago by Cisco, according to a report released today. Western European traffic increased 44%, about half the 81% predicted pace, Cisco analyst Arielle Sumits told Bloomberg's Olga Kharif.
Twitter on route to maturity. Twitter CEO Dick Costolo tells the WSJ's Shira Ovide that "it's not necessarily inevitable" that the company will go public and he said that one of his goals is making Twitter more understandable to newcomers so the service can crack one billion users. In a wide-ranging interview, Mr. Costolo also discussed the thinking behind the company's purchase of video startup Vine. "The Vine guys showed Vine to Jack [Dorsey, Twitter's co-founder], and he called me and said, 'you gotta see this.' We all agreed that this is the next thing down the road. It's hyper-constrained publishing. It's going to force people to be creative and foster this new art form of 'how can I tell this story in six seconds?'"
Facebook users admit to taking a break A study by Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project finds that 61% of current Facebook Inc. users admitted to taking breaks from the social network, with some admitting to deleting their accounts. Study participants cited the time required to prune their profiles and the realization that maybe Facebook is just a big waste of time as reasons for their sabbatical. Just 4% cited privacy concerns. Pew Director Lee Rainie tells the NYT's Jenna Wortham that results reveal that a "social reckoning" is happening where more and more users weigh the demands of social media. "They are adding up the pluses and minuses on a kind of networking balance sheet and they are trying to figure out how much they get out of connectivity vs. how much they put into it," he said.
Pinterest in talks to raise funding. Pinterest is in talks to raise a new round of financing that would value the online scrapbooking site at $2 billion to $2.5 billion, the WSJ's Pui-Wing Tam and Spencer E. Ante report. For most of last year, the site was racing to keep up with a growth eruption that took global user visits to its website to 48 million in December, up from nine million a year earlier. Now Pinterest has reached a point where it can start to make revenue a priority. "They've gotten past the point of being successful with consumers in a big way [and] at some point, the business has to make money," said Jeremy Levine, a Bessemer venture capitalist who also sits on Pinterest's board.
Defense agency hands big check to Big Data firm. Continuum Analytics, a firm that brings to market methods for doing Big Data with the Python Programming language, just took in a $3 million investment from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Explains GigaOm's Derrick Harris: "Python is already incredibly popular among programmers of all levels in all industries — not just with web programmers (including those at Google), but also with the scientific community." The investment came out of a $100 million fund run by DARPA dedicated to targeting Big Data techniques and software.
Holiday device sales help ARM beat the Street. Chip designer ARM Holdings PLC beat analyst estimates on fourth-quarter sales, reports Bloomberg's Amy Thomson. Surging smartphone and tablet demand helped ARM revenue rise 19%. The energy-saving chips designed by the Cambridge, England-based company are often favored by mobile device makers over rivals such as Intel Corp.
CBO delivers warning on rising debt. The federal budget deficit has been cut in half in the past four years, but federal debt will hit historic levels if more isn't done, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The agency projects that if Congress leaves current laws unchanged, the debt will be 77% of GDP by the end of the decade, and it will be higher if the scheduled across-the-board spending cuts are diluted or various expiring tax breaks extended, the WSJ reports. "At this level of debt relative to GDP, our country would be incurring costs and bearing risks of a sort that we have not [had] in our history except for a few years around the end of the second World War," CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf said. "At the same time, bringing debt down relative to GDP requires reductions in services that we are getting from the government, or higher taxes paid to the government." Read the full CBO report here (PDF).
Obama urges sequester alternative. Just as the CBO report was coming out, President Obama was calling on Congress to replace the automatic spending cuts set to hit the Pentagon on March 1 with a new debt-reduction package that includes fresh tax revenue. Replacing the sequester for one month, without increasing deficits, would require about $12 billion in alternative savings, the Washington Post says. Mr. Obama didn't provide any specifics – which drew fire from Republicans. But he's made clear that he expects wealthier Americans and industries with special tax advantages to shoulder some of the burden. After the president spoke, White House spokesman Jay Carney said that the "carried interest" loophole should be closed, Reuters reports. Closing the tax break could raise close to $20 billion over 10 years, according to congressional budget estimates.
Bernanke fretted over credit ratings. Bloomberg points to some FOMC transcripts released last month showing that senior Fed officials – including Ben Bernanke — warned in August 2007 that investor confidence in credit rating companies was fading, risking greater instability in financial markets. "There is an information fog" that "is very much associated with the loss of confidence in the credit-rating agencies," Bernanke said at a meeting on Aug. 7, 2007. The firms' "credibility has been shot," said Kevin Warsh, then a Fed governor.
DOJ and S&P dig in for long battle. The DOJ wants Standard & Poor's to pay more than $5 billion—roughly what its parent company has earned in the past seven years—for giving its seal of approval to subprime mortgages, the WSJ reports. Both sides are digging in for a long and costly legal fight. Meanwhile, a trove of emails and documents highlights tensions inside the firm's headquarters as it publicly defended its ratings even as the home loans bundled into mortgage-backed securities were failing. In one email, an executive warned: "This market is a wildly spinning top which is going to end badly," DealBook notes. Deal Professor says that the DOJ civil complaint is "chock-full of emails that paint a picture of shoddy practices and greed" at S&P. But he says that doesn't mean fraud will be easy to prove.
Tom Loftus contributed to this article.


text:
Hi all,
I've been gone for some while but now I got some time this weekend to fix this plugin again. The new version should solve all changes GrooveShark made since last time.
Album and playlist search now works fine (it might still be tricky to find what you searched for). The plugin will sort albums based on track number but if you use XBMC for instance it sorts the results based on its own settings.
Comments are welcome
This version seems to be broke (after some grooveshark update). Use 0.33 found later in this thread.


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My husband and I are signed up to do a mud run, and have never done one. It says it has obstacles but doesn't elaborate - the photos of previous years show people balancing on boards and climbing ropes and tires.
What should we do for training to get ready for the obstacles? Our goal is just to finish, not to go fast We currently do interval running training every other day, for 20 minutes (5 min warmup & 5 min cooldown)
Any other advice for a newbie? Thanks!!
I have not done one, but I know friends who have, and I watched one of my friends "compete". After talking to them, the one thing I take away from it is, get some hill training in. Most, if not all, of these events are in areas that have skiing during the winter. The biggest complaint I heard from them was the running up and down hills. Downhill sounds easy, unless it is wet and slippery. For the few obstacles that are on the course, you can pretty much struggle through those. Plus, with the obstacles, you can go around some of them if you struggle too much, and can't hand climb over water pits, or go through giant pipes. There is one near me tomorrow at Yawgoo Ski area in RI. I'm going to watch two of my co-workers. I haven't done one yet, because I would probably be the one to twist an ankle and not be able to run, bike, and lift for three or four weeks. Not worth it to me. It does look like "fun" though, in a weird sort of way (i.e. "let's pay $30 to go run 3 miles in the mud").
Thank you! Hey if your co workers have any tips after their race please come back and share them!
I am nervous because we're not in great shape yet, but can definitely handle the running part (we'll do plenty of walking but that's OK IMO), I just don't know how to train for the unknown obstacles. So far I've read that we should train in wet outfits, and do plenty of upper body strength training.
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