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Gilbert F. White Distinguished Visiting Fellowship
RFF awards resident fellowships for each academic year in honor of Gilbert F. White, retired chairman of the RFF Board of Directors, distinguished geographer, and statesman of science.
Read about the current and previous Gilbert F. White Distinguished Visiting Fellowship awardees.
The fellowship is intended for researchers in any discipline who have a doctoral degree (must have completed their doctoral requirements by the beginning of the academic year that they are applying for) and wish to devote a year to scholarly work in areas related to natural resources, energy, or the environment. Social scientists, as well as natural scientists, interested in policy-relevant interdisciplinary research are encouraged to apply. Teaching and/or research experience at the postdoctoral level is preferred, though not essential. Individuals holding positions in government, as well as at academic institutions, are also eligible.
Because Gilbert White Fellows will interact closely with RFF researchers, selection criteria will include the nature of the applicant's proposed research program and how it fits with work in progress at RFF.
The program is open to both US and non-US citizens, provided that the latter have proper work and residency documentation.
Gilbert White Fellows are normally in residence at RFF for 11 months.
Gilbert White Fellows receive an annual stipend based on their current salary and also receive research support, office facilities at RFF, and an allowance of up to $1,000 for moving or living expenses. This stipend may be supplemented by other sources if the supplement does not divert the fellow from his or her research.
Typically, Gilbert White Fellows have sabbatical support from their home institutions. These fellowships do not provide medical insurance or other RFF fringe benefits. Social Security and tax payments are not deducted from the stipend.
Application Materials
Individuals interested in applying should submit the following materials through RFF's online application system:
- a cover letter;
- a curriculum vitae that includes educational background, professional experience, honors and awards received, a list of publications, and a description of significant completed unpublished research;
- a project budget; and
- a statement of proposed research (not more than 10 double-spaced pages). The proposal should address the main hypothesis or major objective of the research and should include a description of the methods to be used, as well as an explanation of the anticipated contribution of the project and the importance of the results. Because Gilbert White Fellows interact closely with RFF researchers, the proposal should also contain a discussion of how the work fits with current RFF research and how an association would be mutually beneficial.
Candidates should also submit the following by email to email@example.com with the name of the applicant in the subject field:
- three letters of recommendation from fellow faculty members or colleagues.
Application Deadline
The deadline for applications is February 19, 2016. The award will be announced in April.


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IURTP Lilly-Dickey Woods Enters a Global Forest Matrix
Written by Maggie Messerschmidt
Graduate Student at IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs
March 12, 2013
"That part of Brown County is amazing for its roadlessness and forest cover," says Dan Johnson, IU researcher and Biology PhD candidate, referring to Lilly-Dickey Woods and surrounding forest cover. "You can literally see it from space," he says, pointing to a distinct dark green patch on a Google Earth aerial image from his office computer, reflecting its distinguished status as one of the densest forest communities in the lower Midwest and a forest of native hardwood trees to boot. While most of Brown County's forests were cleared in the late 1800s, Lilly-Dickey Woods escaped such a fate. The woods have not been cleared in at least 150 years–in fact, there may be sections that were never cleared–and were gifted to Indiana University in 1942 for botanical research and art studies. The property is located to the north of Nashville, Indiana, off of Bear Wallow Hill Road and borders The Nature Conservancy's 350-acre Hitz-Rhodhamel Woods. It is managed by the IU Research & Teaching Preserve. Though it is not available for public recreational use, the forest serves the local community as a carbon sink and as a water catchment and renewal system in its function at the headwaters of the Lower East Fork White River Watershed.
Thanks to its protection and resulting ecological integrity, the 550-acre oak-hickory-maple forest serves as a reference point for other Midwestern forests and as a key site of the forest matrix developed by the Smithsonian Institution Global Earth Observatory. SIGEO is a platform of the Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS) that maps and tracks forests around the globe to study forest structure, function, and dynamics–important for the incredible impact of forests on the Earth's climate. Like other research teams in China, Thailand, Colombia, and Kenya–among other countries–Dan and his team have identified, measured, and mapped 28,000 trees in a plot in the center of Lilly-Dickey Woods that has expanded every year since 2009 until completed in 2012 and now contains 62 acres (25 hectares). Scientists in the SIGEO network are getting at what Dan refers to as the "ground truth," or the reality of how biomass, or biological material, occurs across a landscape. For the first time, the same methodology will be used to collect forest data on a global scale, that is, for 4.5 million trees at 47 sites and in 21 countries. Analyses performed with the data will take advantage of the uniform methodology, providing an improved level of certainty for conclusions drawn from on-the-ground ecological data. You can't get that kind of certainty from Google Earth or even from advanced science technology like remote sensing.
Many ecological studies are done without directly comparable data sets. "But now it's a question of comparing apples to apples," says Dan. Implications for understanding ecosystems are huge, as scientists will be able to distinguish changes in forest dynamics using similar methodology. The trees mapped in Lilly-Dickey Woods have already been part of an analysis of the global forest matrix to determine whether large trees tend to be grouped together or whether they were more likely to be found farther apart. Such information could later be used to make improved predictions about forest dynamics as we estimate, for example, forest biomass in order to predict the amount of CO2 uptake by forests.
With initial data on tree identification and size completed, I asked Dan what was next. "Let the trees grow," he says, "and watch what happens." Dendrometer bands, thin straps of metal around the tree that expand with the tree's growth, will be checked annually on 1,000 trees while all 28,000 trees will be re-measured every five years. And what will happen to the forest as it undergoes expected drought and climate change? Some climate prediction models suggest that sugar maple will no longer occur south of the Canadian border, due to warming temperatures, though it now dominates the forest understory at Lilly-Dickey Woods. Sugar maples need specific cold conditions to germinate and they are less tolerant of drought. And what will be the impact of the invasive insect pest, Emerald Ash Borer, on Lilly-Dickey's young and old ash trees? With such pressures on the forest canopy, will community management efforts like those of the Brown County Native Woodlands Project be enough to ward off the threat that invasive species pose for our native forests? The project group of Brown County community members works to impede seed production of Japanese stiltgrass which frequently invades disturbed forest understories. Scientists are especially interested in understanding how such changes in forest structure will affect the forest's carbon storage capacity over time.
While Brown County's residents may observe changes in their local woodlands, scientists across the globe will be comparing observations of Lilly-Dickey's 35 tree species to the dynamics of those 8,500 tree species across the globe to weigh in on a systematic understanding of how forests generally behave. The application of this understanding implies improved bio-monitoring capabilities by the global scientific community, more conscientious planning for the care of ecosystems by public land managers, and improved evaluation and response to the impacts of climate change in communities everywhere.
The project has also been funded by the Center for Tropical Forest Science, the IU Research & Teaching Preserve, the Indiana Academy of Sciences, and the National Science Foundation. The IU Research & Teaching Preserve manages 1,600 acres of protected natural areas for university research, teaching, and outreach.
Stem map of the 25-hectare IU Forest Dynamics Plot at Lilly-Dickey Woods. All stems are color coded by species and the point is scaled by the stem diameter. The red hues are oaks and the green hues are maples. Note the concentration of nearly 3500 pawpaws in the north central area of the plot. There are 35 species total and over 29,000 stems for woody species > 1cm in diameter at breast height. ▼

subset: commoncrawl


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HARRISBURG - The Curve haven't had much trouble getting off to good starts, but finishing games has been a problem.
They still had an issue with the latter part Wednesday afternoon, but only after building a comfortable cushion.
Altoona scored two runs in the first inning and three in the eighth, then held on during another shaky ninth inning for a 5-2 win over Harrisburg at Metro Bank Park. The Curve snapped a four-game losing streak and begin a seven-game homestand starting tonight.
The start of the 10:30 a.m. scheduled game was delayed by more than an hour because of cold, and it was only 32 degrees when play finally got under way shortly before noon.
The cold didn't bother Altoona's hitters in the first inning. Gift Ngoepe walked and Stetson Allie doubled with one out, then Mel Rojas Jr. drove in both with a single to left-center for a 2-0 lead.
The early cushion held up for most of the day, thanks mostly to a superb outing by starter Adrian Sampson. The first-year Double-A pitcher tossed six shutout innings, giving up only three hits with six strikeouts and three walks.
Fact Box
Next stop
Tonight: Richmond at Altoona, 6:30 p.m.
Pitchers: Curve RHP Nick Kingham (1-0, 0.75) vs. Flying Squirrels RHP Clayton Blackburn (0-1, 3.00)
Record: 4-7
Covering the bases
LEADING OFF: The Curve went 2-4 on their road, trip, but it easily could have been 4-2 as they blew a 4-1 lead in the ninth and 3-0 lead in the eighth in two of the losses.
SAFE AT FIRST: Former Curve OF Quincy Latimore, who was slated to be with the Curve this season but was released by the Pirates at the end of spring training, has been assigned to the Harrisburg Senators after signing with the Washington Nationals. Latimore made his Senators debut Wednesday against the Curve and struck out as a pinch hitter. Latimore played for Altoona in 2011 and '12.
STEALING SECOND: RHP Adrian Sampson not only pitched six shutout innings Wednesday, he also went 1-for-2 at the plate. That was his second hit of the season and of his career, and he's now 2-for-4.
ROUNDING THIRD: SS Alen Hanson went 0-for-5 Wednesday to drop his average to .186. Two other regulars also are hitting below .200: RF Willy Garcia (.146) and LF Keon Broxton (.136).
HEADING HOME: The Curve play Richmond tonight through Saturday at home, are off for Easter and welcome Harrisburg for four games Monday through Thursday.
- Cory Giger
The Curve have only four wins, and Sampson (2-1) has two of them. He's allowed just three runs and 11 hits in 17 innings over his three starts, striking out 16 with five walks.
A.J. Morris followed Sampson with two scoreless innings of relief.
Willy Garcia doubled the lead to 4-0 in the eighth with a two-run double that scored Ngoepe and Allie, both of whom walked. Rojas later came home on a sacrifice fly by Jarek Cunningham to make it 5-0.
The insurance runs turned out to be very important as the Senators put together a rally in their final at-bat. The Curve already had blown 4-1 and 3-0 leads in the eighth or ninth inning on the trip, but this time they held on.
Ryan Beckman gave up two runs and three hits, but a big double play groundout by Matt Skole helped the Curve pitcher minimize the damage.
Senators starter Felipe Rivero (0-3) took the loss as his team dropped to an Eastern League-worst 3-9.
Game recap
Key player: Curve RHP Adrian Sampson threw six shutout innings and allowed only three hits for the win.
Key play: Mel Rojas Jr.'s two-run single in the first put the Curve on top to stay.
Key stat: The Curve snapped a four-game losing streak.
How they scored
Top 1st: Ngoepe walked, Allie doubled, both scored on Rojas Jr. single (2-0).
Top 8th: Ngoepe walked, Allie walked, both scored on Garcia double (4-0); Rojas reached on Bantz error, scored on Cunningham sacrifice fly (5-0).
Bottom 9th: Bantz singled, scored on Taylor double (5-1); Nicol singled, scored on Skole double play groundout (5-2).


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Now Playing
Exercise May Help Knees More Than Glucosamine And Chondroitin
Glucosamine and chondroitin have been popular supplements for arthritis for years. But clinical trials in humans haven't shown that they're any better than sugar pills at reducing pain. Some doctors say that if placebos or supplements help people exercise and lose weight, then that's OK.


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Ciao William Xuuu, nel tuo messaggio dicevi:
> Is possible to middle-click/right-click without the mouse ?
Which distro do you use?
In my debian I have set Fn+ctrl as middle click and Fn+alt as right click.
I think the default behaviour of mouse emulation of ppc is the use of F10
and F11 keys. Try them.
On Oct 5 1991, 8.53 AM; Linus Benedict Torvalds said:
>I can (well, almost) hear you asking yourselves "why?". Hurd will be
>out in a year (or two, or next month, who knows), and I've already got


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Spanish citizen Maria Reyes Garcia-Pellon, who allegedly murdered her husband - former pro basketball player Matthew White - two weeks ago, is to appear at a preliminary court hearing in the city of Media, Pennsylvania, where a judge will determine if judicial proceedings should commence.
She is "so far separated from reality right now," defense attorney Kathryn Labrum said several days ago referring to her client's mental state, and the preliminary hearing has been scheduled to determine if Garcia-Pellon is - or is not - psychologically prepared to go to trial.
Garcia-Pellon stabbed her husband to death in bed while he was sleeping early in the morning after having surprised him viewing pornography, police said.
The crime was committed in the couple's home in Nether Providence, a town in Pennsylvania's Delaware County.
The 52-year-old Garcia-Pellon waited until the 55-year-old White fell asleep and then stabbed him fatally in the neck with a kitchen knife.
A few hours later, the woman went to the home of some friends and told them what had happened.
"I caught him looking at pornography, young girls. I love kids. I had to do it," Garcia-Pellon told police.
The woman worked as a support teacher in an elementary school in Nether Providence, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
White played for the University of Pennsylvania between 1976 and 1979, but he pursued his 12-year professional career in Spain.
He played for several Spanish teams, including Valladolid Miñon/Grupo Libro Valladolid, RC Nautico Tenerife, Cacaolat Granollers, Puleva Baloncesto Granada and Valvi Girona. EFE


text:
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text:
SEOUL, South Korea — For decades, South Korean film buffs thought all their country's moviemaking from the Korean War era was lost forever. And it would have been, but for one film wrapped in a cocoon of old newspapers, tucked inside a plastic bag and placed in a dark, dusty closet.
That film, "The Street of the Sun," got its first screening in six decades last week for the 63th anniversary of the beginning of the war.
Now digitally restored, it offers South Koreans a rare glimpse at how their ancestors lived amid the destruction and poverty of war.
The movie was the debut feature of Min Kyoung-sik, a South Korean director who took a camera to the streets of Daegu in 1952, while a stream of refugees poured in. The southeastern city was tucked behind a perimeter secured by U.S. and South Korean forces battling North Korea and China to the north.
The film's sentimental story of a refugee schoolteacher who becomes a surrogate father figure for street urchins attempts to teach a social lesson about wartime poverty and crime.
While fiction, it offers a look at real life in war-torn South Korea. The actors and producers had been uprooted by fighting, and many of the scenes reflect the city's actual surroundings rather than a movie set, with non-actors in the mix.
The war started June 25, 1950, and ended in a truce a year after the film was made. The Koreas remain technically at war, separated by a heavily fortified border, and about 28,500 U.S. troops are still stationed in the South.
Min's movie was long believed to have been destroyed or lost, along with the 13 other South Korean films made during the war, according to the Korean Film Archive, the organization behind the film's restoration. But two decades ago, the director's daughter-in-law, Seong Ryeong-chul, found the 62-minute, 16mm film in a closet at her home.
Seong said in an interview that she nearly threw away the coil of negatives. "But when I raised the plastic ribbon against the light, I saw tiny images of people etched inside," she said.
Even after the discovery, well over a decade passed before the Korean Film Archive became aware of the film. Seong contacted the organization in 2009, and in 2012 she granted the film to the archive for an undisclosed fee. The audio has never been found, so the film was screened without sound.
The story begins at a train station where a Seoul schoolteacher arrives at the scene of a fight. He watches a local break up the brawl between two men. Another scene depicts a dusty road in wartime Daegu lined with thatched roof houses that form a shantytown around the original city.
The influences of American culture prevail over the scenes. Refugee children play baseball in clothing straight out of 1950s American comic strips.
Civilian life behind the U.S.-South Korean perimeter is depicted as impoverished but peaceful.
Chung Chong-hwa of the film archive said the film shows the influence of post-World War II Italian classics like "The Bicycle Thief" in South Korean cinema at a time when war, poverty and desperation marked everyday life.
Min, who made five films in a relatively low-key career, had a life story that reflects the divisions that still haunt the two Koreas. Min's son, Min Byoung-hak, said that the director's younger brother, Min Jung-sik, was on the north side of the 38th parallel when the Koreas were divided, and ended up making propagandistic films for the Pyongyang government.
Even in South Korea, which was led by military dictators for decades, filmmakers were often prevented from making the films they wanted to make as late as the 1990s, according to Darcy Paquet, founder of Koreanfilm.org.
South Korean film directors are now a growing presence on the international film festival circuit. The modern South Korean classic "Old Boy" was remade by U.S. film director Spike Lee and will be released this fall.
A South Korean filmgoer looks at the leaflet of South Korean movie "The Street of the Sun," during its first screening in six decades at Korean Film Archive in Seoul, South Korea recently.×
Seong Ryeong-chul, a daughter-in-law of late South Korean director Min Kyoung-sik, shows leaflets and photos of Min's movie "The Street of the Sun."×


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An Ode to the Torment
I'm getting on for twenty years of hardcore gaming - MMORPG addictions, Nintendo fanboy-dom, sticking bits of card under ZX spectrum tapes to encourage them to load, the N64 emulation scene, a soft-mod Xbox turned into a living room centre-piece (I'd like to see that - Ed), a long term addiction to tinkering with PCs, and the rest... but there is one game over the years that has captured my heart unlike any other before and whose deep-seated reign in my mind has at times looked almost completely unchallenged.
It isn't the game which took up the most on-paper hours of my life (World of Warcraft), and neither is it the most addictive title I've ever played (Ultima Online); although having played through the game approximately ten times from start to finish, I can be pretty certain I still haven't read all 800,000 brilliant words penned into the game's script.
Additionally, it probably isn't necessarily the most challenging, compulsive, or even outright fun game I've ever played. But this is a title which truly inspired my emotions, and captured my imagination. The game which was noted by the New York Times for a level of detail and quality of written text that "prompted some players to cast about for literary peers."
Outstandingly unique, intelligently comedic, and incomparably atmospheric; the masterpiece I'm talking about is Black Isle Studio's Planescape: Torment. Feelings of love, of loss, and of determination and fascination are associated to the mere recollection of the game's name. This is a game which truly influenced my life, the game was released in 1999 and its philosophical themes and thought-provoking dialogue were partially my inspiration, after a life-time of studying pure science, for choosing a typically arts-related subject - Philosophy - as my university degree back in 2001.
The main story-line, the self-discovery of an immortal who only suffers the symptoms of amnesia where a normal man would encounter death, acts as a solid overcoat to the true beauty at the heart of the game - the engrossing artistic tangle of sub-plots, metaphors, expression, and imaginative themes. One such recurring story node is central to this, the brutally profound effect which the protagonist's many lives have had on the individuals who have come and gone in the PS:T universe.
For those who get sucked in PS:T is a game which will cause the thinker to challenge his very perception of the real world, and will shortly after lighten the mood with base-level tongue-in-cheek humour - not dissimilar to the dialogs in Fallout and Fallout 2 with which PS:T shared much of its development team. Much to the credit of lead developer (read: creative coordinator) Chris Avellone, the interweaving of the graphical design, musical score and novel-like finesse of the game produces something that is more emotionally immersive than anything else synthetic I've come across.
A towering juggernaut of a man with the complexion of a corpse, The Nameless One awakens on a mortuary slab with no memories, a splitting headache, and what appears to be a message from himself tattooed onto his back in paranoid verse. His quest then begins, to discover who he is, where he was, and why he is immortal. To begin with his only aid comes in the form of a floating skull named Morte, who seems to be happy to tag along for reasons unknown. But whilst being helpful, this comically-inclined disembodied head-case shies away from what seems to be the important questions with sarcastic humour, and personality flaws which he blatantly acts-up. As the story progresses it appears clear that his hidden identity is heavily intertwined with The Nameless One's past.
The original TSR designed setting of Planescape certainly played no small part in the uniqueness that the game offered. The setting is so all encompassing, so oblique, and so finely detailed that its difficult even to summarize. The planes are basically a whole load of universes - one such universe, which is scoffed at by those who dwell on the planes - is the prime material plane, which is where all your tedious AD&D adventures such as those encountered in Baldur's Gate take place.
The more interesting of the planes are outer planes, these are the places represented by the nine types of alignment modelled in the AD&D world - Chaotic Neutral, Lawful Good, all that jazz. True neutral is represented by the plane of the Outlands, and within the centre of the outlands is an infinitely tall spire, at the top of which is a surrounding doughnut-shaped object. On the inside walls of this impossible shape is the city of Sigil; called the city of doors because it is here in the centre of everything where all the weird and marvellous creatures and creations of the planes come together. This is where the game Planescape: Torment begins, on a stone slab, down in the lower-basement level of the mortuary, in one of the wards of said city.
Uniqueness and extremely well thought out personality depth define all seven of the player characters who can join The Nameless One's party, every one has a deep and rich history tangled within incarnations of The Nameless One's past. These stories are integrated throughout the game, but not least of all in that PS:T allowed you, unlike previous Black Isle games, to hold conversations with your party characters whenever you desire. These turned out to be very well conceived and often in-depth conversations which, if the right options were chosen throughout the conversation sequence, could massively affect your game - causing the character in question to experience stat gains, generate unique items, leave the party (permanently), or even attack the player.
The game is enriched by many imaginative and fascinating locations. One that jumps to mind are the halls of the Society of Sensation. A private membership faction who's pursuit of the aesthetic is such a powerful driving force in their life that members will go to great lengths to seek out new sensations. The Brothel of Intellectual Lust is likewise creatively designed - a place for men of high society to come and converse with a variety of female-ish creatures from across the planes, ran by a self-described "fallen" succubus who now abstains from stealing the souls of mortal men.
Aesthetically, PS:T would struggle to be more pleasing. Although the game is played in a frustratingly simplistic 2D isometric view, the graphical backgrounds and character models have been artistically crafted with care and with faith to the Planescape setting. The voice acting is absolutely top-notch, no line is too hammy. Instead the script is casually played out by actors with natural, localised accents - cockney being heavily featured. Furthermore, the game's music is close to perfect as well... unique, fitting, and very memorable. The mix of tribal and ambient tones make up the perfect accompaniment to a man's quest to find the nature of his existence.
If the game was still available for purchase, (it isn't) I'd recommend organ donation in order to acquire it. Planescape: Torment was quite simply a masterpiece. The culmination of several arts, the bringing together of a creative world; literary genius; inspired music; frequently black humour, and a sense of adventure like no other game before or after. Liberate yourself cutter.
Latest News
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- Adr1ft is coming to PC and consoles at the end of the summer
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- ZombiU PS4 and Xbox One port reportedly in the works
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Who We Are
Meet the team of fun, animal-loving humans whose goal is to spread the word about the amazing power of raw food for our pets!
Meet the team of fun, animal-loving humans whose goal is to spread the word about the amazing power of raw food for our pets!
Lily Noon
Lily's journey towards the formation of BARF World started with the miraculous transformation she experienced with her own dog – a black Labrador retriever named Quinn. Quinn suffered from atopic dermatitis, which stemmed from chronic allergy problems. After leaving her dog at a progressive kennel in Washington for 6 weeks, where they fed her dog only a raw food diet, she was stunned to come back to a beautiful, healthy, allergy-free dog. Knowing that there were others like her that needed to discover the amazing power of raw for their own pets, she searched for others that had knowledge about raw diets. She eventually found and partnered with Dr. Ian Billinghurst and Robert Mueller to create BARF World – the first company to make the Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods (BARF) diet conveniently available to animals everywhere.
Robert Mueller
Vice President and Raw Pet Food Guru
Robert Mueller, Bsc Pharm is a registered pharmacist, author of "Living Enzymes: The World's Best Kept Pet Food Secret", and co-developer of BARF World's BARF diets patties, nuggets and supplements. Rob has helped zoos worldwide incorporate the proper raw food diets for their carnivorous population of animals. He has consulted hundreds of pet owners on how to improve the health of their pets using the BARF Diet philosophy. He and his wife love to travel around the world with their dog, Moxie – a Yorkshire Terrier/Maltese mix.
Monica Samson
Raw Pet Food Specialist and
Monica is a mother of 2 kids and 2 tabby cats. Though her parents never allowed pets growing up, she has always been an animal lover. Her 2 cat's are fans of the BARF Diet. When asked what convinced her to go with a raw diet for her pet's, she replies, "I was a big believer of processed dry food but after seeing such an amazing difference in cat's coat and energy, I knew that the BARF diet was the way to go. It made all the difference in my pet's!" Besides working full-time at BARF World, she adores cooking and trying new recipes.
Kellie Dominguez
Raw Pet Food Specialist and Logistics
Kellie Dominguez has been with our BARF team since May 2015. Animals have been a top priority for Kellie since she was a child. Kellie loves walking her girls (Gabby, Giana, and Bella) around her neighborhood. She has seen the benefits of the BARF diet with Giana, a Cockapoo who had tear stains since she was a puppy. After 2 weeks of being on the BARF diet, the tear stains went away! All of her girls now have shiny coats and an increase in energy, especially 9 year old Gabby. A dream of hers is to retire on a farm and raise all types of animals. Her philosophy of animal care is to be an example and promote the importance of animal care with the positive benefits of BARF World products. Kellie's dogs have wonderful healthy lives because of the BARF diet. On her time off, Kellie enjoys traveling and spending time with her sons. Kellie has to stop herself from adding more members to her family.
Autumn Boga
Raw Pet Food Specialist
Autumn is the newest member added to the BARF World Team. She is currently owned by four dogs and one cat. "I am always on the verge of another rescue!" boasts Autumn. Growing up with all types of animals including birds, fish, and several rats, Autumn's philosophy is simple. "Animals make better humans". Outside of work Autumn has had the privilege of traveling to over 25 countries outside of the US. When Autumn is not "BARF"ing or traveling she enjoys road trips to the beach, wine country or other sunny spots. Her Boston Terrier Roxy always rides shot gun!


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on January 6, 2014 - 12:01 AM
Roughly 13 million pets traveled with either owners or handlers in the United States last year, Phillip Grant, the executive vice president of the website PetTravel.com, said – up from 10 million just three years ago.
Here is a sampling of an owner's options:
• On the road ($50 to $300 for a carrying crate) – Crates are recommended by many pet travel websites for the animal's safety.
• On the plane ($75 to $2,000) – Most major airlines offer three options for pet transport: in the cabin, checked as luggage or shipped as cargo.
Where a pet will go is determined by its size, weight, the air temperature along the route and, for dogs, the breed. Many airlines have banned snub-nosed breeds, such as bulldogs and pugs, because high altitudes can affect their breathing.
Animals must be contained in a crate that meets the International Air Transport Association's requirements, as well as the airline's. The crates must be leakproof, have ventilation, be large enough for the animal to stand up and move around in and have metal locking mechanisms.
For international travel, pet regulations vary by country. Owners should research which, if any, customs regulations, pet passports and vaccinations are required.
• Under the seat ($75 to $150 one-way) – Pets 20 pounds or less (including crate weight) may travel in the cabin as long as the crate fits under the seat in front of the passenger (typically around 17 inches in length, 12 in width and eight in height). Contact airlines early to book space, as most allow only up to four animals in a cabin at one time.
• Baggage (around $200 a crate) – A preferable option for larger pets, traveling as checked baggage, unlike flying in cargo, affords temperature regulation. Owners can also drop off and pick up at the same place they would their luggage.
• Cargo ($300 to $2,000, depending on size and destination) – For most international travel, or for larger animals traveling domestically, cargo is the only option. Animals aren't crowded in with luggage that can shift during the flight, but airlines can require check-in at cargo up to four hours before the flight.
• Advice and assistance (fees start at around $200, for domestic travel, and $400 for international) – Pet consultants advise on anything and everything, including customs forms, researching and booking airline tickets and pet-friendly accommodations at your destination.
• Courier services ($1,000 to $4,000 or more, including travel expenses for both the animal and handler) – Private courier services will take a pet door to door. The International Pet and Transportation Association offers a list of recommended handlers.


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Shadow Complex for Xbox 360On: Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, PC
Combines the best of old-school side-scroller design with modern, cutting-edge gameplay.
Review Verdict Read Review
9Out of 10
Stuck on Shadow Complex? We've got you covered!
Don't panic! Our cheats will see you through.
Shadow Complex Remastered launches for free on PC, coming to PS4 & Xbox One in 2016
Grab it free for a limited time only.
Gears of War & Shadow Complex coming to Xbox One backwards compatibility today
Latest wave of Xbox 360 B/C titles revealed.
Infinity Blade more 'successful' than Shadow Complex
Free game update and temporary price cut until March 6.
BF1943 was most purchased XBLA game of 2009
Castle Crashers, Trials HD, Hasbro Family Game Night and Shadow Complex also did well.


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Check out the MSNBC host's photo from Castro Valley High School in California, featuring Maddow in an off-the-shoulder black top with earrings. And could that be a pearl necklace?
Gone is her long blonde hair, which has since been replaced with a much shorter, cropped brunette 'do. She's also added black-rimmed glasses to her grown-up look.
As she once told PEOPLE, while girlfriend Susan Mikula is definitely a girlie-girl, "I look like a dude."
See what other readers have to say about this story – or leave a comment of your own


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For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Nasim Thompson
213.201.1435 (o)
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (July 15, 2011) -- On August 6, AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) will offer its supporters a truly unique experience: They will transcend into the fantastical world of Cirque du Soleil's latest production, Iris, from the best seats in the house; mingle with Cirque performers during a backstage meet-and-greet; and appear at an exclusive, VIP post-show party at The Rolling Stone in Hollywood. Proceeds benefit APLA's HIV care and prevention programs.
APLA supporters will be among the first to preview this spectacular Cirque production, over a month before the show opens to the public. Iris lures audiences into a magical voyage through the history of cinema and its genres. This Hollywood-exclusive production, filled with colorful music, dance, and acrobatics, begins its permanent, ten-year residency at The Kodak Theatre – home of the Academy Awards.
"We're thrilled to offer our supporters such an exclusive, behind-the-scenes experience," says APLA Executive Director Craig E. Thompson. "The production pays homage to an industry that has long-supported the fight against AIDS, and this will be a terrific benefit for APLA's critical HIV programs. It's sure to be a wonderful evening."
Gold Circle VIP tickets include preferred seating at the show, valet parking, and an exclusive meet-and-greet with Cirque performers backstage. Then, ticketholders will enjoy a VIP after-party, produced by APLA, at The Rolling Stone, one of Hollywood's most popular lounge spaces. Tickets also include a hosted bar, food tastings, and dessert bar.
Silver Circle tickets include seating for the show, along with the VIP after-party.
Tickets and information are available now at apla.org/cirque.
ABOUT CIRQUE DU SOLEIL's IRIS
This new production from Cirque du Soleil is a lyrical, fanciful, kinetic foray into the seventh art. Bringing together dance, acrobatics, live video, filmed sequences and animation, the show takes spectators on a fantastic voyage through the history of cinema and its genres, taking them into the heart of the movie-making process. From illustration to animation, black and white to color, silent films to talkies, fixed shots to swooping camera movements, spectators witness the poetic construction/deconstruction of this art as an object and as a way of transcending reality. For more information visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/iris.
AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) was founded in 1983 and is one of the largest nonprofit HIV/AIDS service organizations in the United States. APLA provides bilingual support to more than 6,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles County annually and leadership on HIV/AIDS-related policy and legislation. Additionally, APLA conducts behavioral research designed to inform the development of evidence-based interventions and assists health departments in evaluating their HIV/AIDS services to ensure the delivery of effective and quality programs. APLA also provides administrative and fiscal support to the Global Forum on Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSMGF), which promotes and advocates for the health and human rights of MSM internationally. APLA is proud to be a community-based, volunteer-supported organization with local, national, and global reach. For more information, please visit apla.org.
APLA Health & Wellness (APLAHW) provides primary medical and oral health care, behavioral health services, HIV testing, PrEP counseling and management of eligible clients, STD screening/treatment, and health education and HIV-prevention services, with a specific focus on low-income LGBT people of color living in Los Angeles County. APLAHW is a federally qualified health center that includes: the Gleicher/Chen Health Center in South Los Angeles; the Wilshire Dental Clinic downtown; the S. Mark Taper Foundation Dental Clinic in South Los Angeles; Behavioral Health Services at the David Geffen Center in Mid-City; and a mobile dental facility. APLA Health & Wellness serves more than 8,000 people each year. For more information, please visit aplahw.org.


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How Similar Is Téa Leoni's Character on Madam Secretary to Hillary Clinton?
Bring on the pantsuits.By Jane Borden
Bring on the pantsuits.By Jane Borden
Channeling The West Wing, but not often enough.By Matt Zoller Seitz
Her first network TV gig since 1998.By Halle Kiefer
Also, Gwyneth Paltrow can't do her own makeup.
Plus: Matthew Broderick and Casey Afflect join 'Tower Heist.'By Avi Zenilman
She'll star in 'Spring/Fall,' set in the New York fashion world.By Kyle Buchanan
Schnabulous One, is there room up in your pinkness for us? Plus, all the rock legends' kids are hanging out! In Monday's mound o' gossip!By Tim Murphy
They're phone-banking madly, even eclipsed by the bright starlight of Lisa Loeb! Plus, Cindy goes berserk with presidential trivia. In the Election Day gossip roundup! Dish for democracy!By Tim Murphy
Also a Hussein Chalayan exhibit will open in London next year, and Heidi Klum poses with a prize-winning cow.By Amy Odell
Plus: You'll never believe what movie DreamWorks is preparing a sequel for. Well, you might guess.


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by Michael Yadegaran
The events of the past month should be a source of great pride for all Iranian Jews. Following the elections of June 12th, we have witnessed pro-reform protests the likes of which we have not seen since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The popular uprising follows a heavily scrutinized election that most Western countries believe was illegitimate. What began as anger over the Islamic Republic's failure to declare Mir-Hossein Mousavi the victor quickly turned into protests in favor of overthrowing the Islamic Republic and its clerical hierarchy.
Multiple elements of this uprising distinguish it from any previous student demonstration or popular uprising since the Islamic Revolution. Protesters were stunned by the death of "Neda," a peaceful Iranian female activist who was brutally gunned down by Iran's ruthless Basij secret police. Neda's death serves as a symbolic rallying cry on two fronts: she was both a woman and part of Iran's large population of pro-reform youth. Besides Neda, we see countless protesters willing to give their lives for a free Iran. The majority of protesters are in their twenties, and have had enough of the oppressive policies of the Islamic dictatorship that has controlled their entire lives.
For any staunch supporter of Israel, Iran is the single greatest threat to Israel's existence in recent history. One month ago I returned from a mission to Israel with 22 young Iranian Jewish leaders from 30 Years After. In our meetings with high-ranking Israeli officials such as MK and former Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, Former Mossad Director Efraim Halevy, and MK Yoel Hasson, we witnessed a deep concern of a nuclear Iran.
When protests broke out after the June 12th elections, I felt a need to show my solidarity with the Iranian protestors. I looked for a pro-active way to support the uprising, and found myself marching in front of the Federal Building in Los Angeles multiple times over the past month. However, rallies only go so far. It is time for our policymakers to meaningfully challenge a regime that supports terrorism, brutally oppresses peaceful protesters, and advocates genocide. The global community has given the Iranian uprising a resounding vote of confidence; it is time for our leaders to do the same.
One important tangible step that our local leaders can take in isolating the regime is by economic divestment. To disincentivize corporations from doing business with Iran, it is vital that we demand divestment of our tax dollars from corporations that continue to inject capital into Iran's economy. Such isolation will not only paralyze the Iranian economy, but it will also prevent the Iranian regime from obtaining the technology it uses to crush and censor dissent.
This Tuesday, July 21st, the Los Angeles Country Board of Supervisors will consider a resolution proposed by Michael Antonovich and Zev Yaroslavsky encouraging the County Pension Board to divest from companies doing business in Iran's energy sector. Divestment from the LA County Pension Fund - one of the largest public Pension Funds in the Country - will send a powerful message to Iran and to all companies that do business with the rogue regime. 30 Years After encourages its members to join in the audience to show support for this significant initiative and demand that Los Angeles not invest our tax dollars in supporting the Iranian government.
The hearing will take place on Tuesday, July 21st at 9:30 am, Board Hearing Room 381B, Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, 500 West Temple Street, Los Angeles 90012.
In addition, in 2008, the German corporation Siemens sold technology to Iran that the Islamic Regime used to intercept and catalog e-mails, telephone calls and Internet data. This technology was utilized in the brutal crackdown on post-election demonstrations. On July 23rd, the Los Angeles MTA Board will vote on whether to open the bidding to Siemens on a $300 million contract to make rail cars for the Los Angeles subway. Please contact each of the MTA Board members below and demand that our tax dollars not support corporations that are directly facilitating censorship and oppression in Iran:
o Ara Najarian
Mayor, City of Glendale
500 N. Central Ave., #940
Glendale CA 91203
o Don Knabe
First Vice Chair
Los Angeles County Supervisor
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 974-4444
(213) 626-6941 fax
o Antonio R. Villaraigosa
Second Vice Chair, LACMTA
Mayor, City of Los Angeles
200 North Spring Street, Room 303
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 978-0600
(213) 978-0750 fax
o Michael D. Antonovich
Los Angeles County Supervisor
500 West Temple Street, Room 869
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 974-5555
(213) 974-1010 fax
o Diane DuBois
City Council Member, Lakewood
5050 Clark Avenue
Lakewood, CA 90712
Phone: 562-866-9771
Fax: 562-866-0505
o John Fasana
City Council Member, Duarte
1600 Huntington Drive
Duarte, CA 91010
Phone: 626-357-7931
o José Huizar
City Council Member, Los Angeles
200 N. Spring Street, Room 465
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 473-7014
Fax: (213) 847-0680
o Richard Katz
City of Los Angeles
Mayor Appointee
o Gloria Molina
Los Angeles County Supervisor
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 974-4111
Fax: (213) 613-1739
o Pam O'Connor
City Council Member, Santa Monica
1685 Main Street, Room 209
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310)458-1621 fax
o Mark Ridley-Thomas
Los Angeles County Supervisor
500 W. Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 974-2222
(213) 680-3283 fax
o Rita Robinson
City of Los Angeles
Mayor Appointtee
o Zev Yaroslavsky
Los Angeles County Supervisor
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 974-3333
(213) 625-7360 fax
It is time to stand together against this regime; 30 years of oppression is enough. As our brothers and sisters in Iran have been chanting—"Azadi! Azadi!" (Freedom! Freedom!)
—Michael Yadegaran is a History student at the University of California, San Diego and a member of the Board of Directors of 30 Years After.
To learn more about Siemens's ties to Iran and the upcoming MTA Board hearing, see: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/17/siemens-risks-losses-due-to-iran-ties/?feat=home_cube_position1 and http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124562668777335653.html.
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Unique decorations for a special time of year
For the past nine years, the imagination and excitement of youth have all come to life as you walk through the magical doors of The Christmas Shop in Abbeville.
The store name is technically "Classic Designs" but everyone simply refers to it as "The Christmas Shop". And just the name of the store can bring back the youthful memories of waking on Christmas Day and finding presents under the tree.
Space quickly became an issue for Keffer Delino and Brent Griffin, as they ran out of room at the flower shop to be able to offer Christmas decorations as well. The store, Jim's Flower and Gift Shoppe, sits along-side Abbeville General Hospital. "We thought about moving all our business downtown but the parking problem has kept us from making that move," said Delino. "The downtown store has 3,500 square feet of floor space and houses all our Christmas decorations. The only thing we have here at the flower shop are fresh poinsettias."
Walking into the Christmas store, the larger-than-life Nutcracker is ready to greet you. "We have a couple of Santa's in the store," said manager Tisa Senegal. "But we had to hide the really tall one in back among the Christmas trees because it was scaring all the little children. When people walk in here, we hear all the ooh's and ahh's and you can see all the little kids that just want to reach out and touch everything."
According to Senegal, this year's favorite color scheme is chocolate. She said this is especially true for parents whose children have moved out and there aren't any grandchildren as yet. When there are grandchildren in the family, she said that the decorations tend to stay pretty traditional.
Basically, the store offers everything from the tree to the decorations that hang on it. Artificial trees range from four and a half feet to nine feet in height and come in regular or slim shapes. Selections include Mixed Pine, Noble Fir, Sitka Spruce, Blue Spruce, Fir Swiss, Fir Piedmont and Olympic Pine. The trees are pre-lit so the problems of hearing someone say the the lights are not even shouldn't take place. There is even a remote control to change some of the trees from clear white lights to mixed colored lighting.
"The public won't buy an artificial tree unless it looks real," said Delino. "With these trees, when the season is over, the branches are hinged and you fold it up like an umbrella. And the quality of the these trees is what makes them last through the years. Also, you don't have the problems of allergies that you run into with a real tree that has to come down before Christmas even gets here. And, they have a 10 year warranty."
Griffin also pointed out that the trees they sell are fire retardant.
For Delino and Griffin, the Christmas season doesn't seem to end. Market for the next years ornaments and gift items to sell begins December 27th and runs through mid-January. "We offer one of a kind ornaments through the companies that make our decorations," said Delino. "We have the exclusive rights to the decorations we design for a year before they can be offered to other stores for sale. And, our minimum order quantities are really high with the manufacturers. But we do have items that people know we'll only have one or two of each kind for those who want extremely unique decorations."
Senegal said some of the decorations they carry for trees include angels, fairies, elves and Santa's. The store also has decorative branches, branches with berries or feathers in Christmas or Mardi Gras theme colors. Ornaments come in all sizes in the store, including some really big bulbs for equally big trees. For additional Christmas decorations, there are deer figurines of various materials and ranges in height. There are even smaller sized trees to decorate fireplace mantles. And, on the top of a very high shelf, is a tree Senegal described as the lowly Charlie Brown tree, or maybe the tree from Dr. Suess' "The Grinch Stole Christmas".
The store traditionally opens September 1st through Mardi Gras. When you enter the store, don't be afraid to let your imagination come to life.


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A helping hand, right up the sidewalk
by Sean Graham
Record-breaking traffic throughout the Longview Learning Center is keeping the dedicated staff and tutors extremely busy. In the Writing Center, more than 933 people attended sessions designed to improve skills in the 2008 fall semester.
Opened in the late 1970s to lend help to any writing assignment, the Writing Center has only continued to grow. After 10 years of service, writing center director Becky Foster believes students' views on what the center is here for are misguided.
"Every writer needs feedback during the process of writing, and the writing center is a safe place to get meaningful, helpful feedback without worrying about grades," Foster said. "It should not be thought of as remedial, but good writers know it is a good place to be, too."
Whether one is a fantastic writer or just trying to get through the required classes, tutors are ready to encourage and refine in order to help. The Learning Center would not function so well if not for the devoted students and staff who give their time and knowledge to help.
"I cannot say enough about the hardworking tutors we have here, and our success is due to our fortunate staff," Foster said. Alternative methods of receiving help include the email-friendly tutoring located on the MCC website. There, students may submit a paper from their home and receive feedback within 24 hours, in most instances.
Good student help is rare at a community college, where students come and go, but several have managed to find their way back in order to continue teaching and experiencing. English instructor Hebah Amin started tutoring in the fall of 2005 and said she would not change a single thing about her experience here.
"It is gratifying to see a breakthrough moment for a student, and it makes me a better teacher," she said. She said she believes that students should come often, but they definitely accept anyone at any stage of the writing process.
The library offers purple handouts with scheduled times of the center. Foster specified that anyone is welcome and hope that the traffic continues to exceed the previous semester.
Dustin McWhorter, a Longview student who received help there, said, "I have been getting assistance up there for three semesters now, on and off, and I continue to grow in my writing. But I was already earning A's in my courses–writing is just a little more satisfying for me now."
Whether it is for help on a history report or guidance on a composition research paper, one is guaranteed to find help here. "We are not about producing better papers. We want to produce better writers," Foster said.


text:
> > When generating large keys I just keep running "ls -R /" until the
> > key generation completes. You can also use the keyboard. Install
> > a hardware random number generator and configure the kernel to use
> > it (might require a OS change as I don't know if this is supported
> > under Linux).
> >
> > Mark[/color]
> And based on my reading of the intro these keys need to be updated at least
> monthly?
> Michael[/color]
The frequency keys need to be changed is based on their
strength (size). The current recommendations are very
conservitive and also factor in that humans need to repeat
operations regularly to get them correct and not forget how
to do the rollover. From a crypto standpoint alone you,
generally, don't need to roll keys monthly.
As more and more automation takes place the frequency of
rolling keys will fall more and more into line with their
crypto strength rather than be driven by human requirements.
SSL certificates are valid for multiple years and they use
the same crypto. They are also simpler to use at this point
in time. Buy and copy into place.
Mark Andrews, ISC
1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742 INTERNET: [email]email@example.com[/email]


text:
Please write. I don't really understand what you are trying to say. It sounds like you feel bad for your brother. All I can say is be there for him.
sorry but I don't understand a single thing you are trying to say
Sorry but I couldn't understand anything you were saying. It looked like a child typed this.
I wish I could offer something to say but I can't understand what you just typed.
Quoting goddess99:
You can give emotional support to your brother, but that's about it.
I cant understand or read most of that but its your brothers marriage, theres nothing you can do to fix his marriage. Just be there for him when he needs you.


text:
Saving Private Ryan. Destiny's Child. Madonna discovered autotune. Pulp went hardcore. Michael Bay went into space. Windows 98. Frank Sinatra died. Jaden Smith was born. France won the World Cup.
Relive those heady days by tapping "Google in 1998" into Google. Good, typographically questionable times.
More blips!
There's more nostalgia to be found if you read back through our blips.
- Ctrl+alt+delete was a huge mistake, says Bill Gates
- Grand Theft Auto V Online will let you buy in-game stuff with real money
- Smartphone goldrush: Samsung Galaxy S4 goes for gold
Article continues below


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Exterran Holdings (NYSE: EXH ) is expected to report Q4 earnings around Feb. 23. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:
The 10-second takeaway
Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Exterran Holdings's revenues will grow 2.6% and EPS will compress -107.1%.
The average estimate for revenue is $721.3 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.01.
Revenue details
Last quarter, Exterran Holdings booked revenue of $718.7 million. GAAP reported sales were 4.2% higher than the prior-year quarter's $689.8 million.
Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.
EPS details
Last quarter, non-GAAP EPS came in at $0.02. GAAP EPS were $1.75 for Q3 against -$3.44 per share for the prior-year quarter.
Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.
Recent performance
For the preceding quarter, gross margin was 29.3%, 220 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 5.6%, 430 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 15.8%, 4,710 basis points better than the prior-year quarter.
Looking ahead
The full year's average estimate for revenue is $2.70 billion. The average EPS estimate is -$0.98.
Investor sentiment
The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 127 members out of 139 rating the stock outperform, and 12 members rating it underperform. Among 45 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 43 give Exterran Holdings a green thumbs-up, and two give it a red thumbs-down.
Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Exterran Holdings is outperform, with an average price target of $23.80.
Is Exterran Holdings the right energy stock for you? Read about a handful of timely, profit-producing plays on expensive crude in "3 Stocks for $100 Oil." Click here for instant access to this free report.
- Add Exterran Holdings to My Watchlist.


text:
East Riding of Yorkshire Council leader, Councillor Stephen Parnaby, has praised the authority's financial performance and ongoing programme of transformation.
Speaking at a meeting of the full council, Coun Parnaby said the local authority had a "reputation for strong financial management" – delivering £71.1m of savings in the past four years in response to Government funding cuts and service budget pressures.
He said: "This has been achieved by focusing on the council's priorities and plans as well as taking early action and planning ahead.
"The council started to take action ahead of Government funding reductions in 2009 and continues to plan ahead so that savings can be fully realised when funding cuts are made."
Cllr Parnaby was responding to a question from Councillor Richard Harrap, who said: "The council is almost exceptional in the UK in the way it has managed its finances to be able to continue to deliver good services to residents, and within budget. How has this been managed and what is the council doing to ensure it continues?"
Cllr Parnaby told the full council meeting that, over the next four years, the current estimates are that the council needs to save a further £70m.
He said: "We are fundamentally reviewing the way services are delivered through our Business Transformation Programme.
"We are engaging and challenging staff to improve service delivery and transform services while reducing costs. To date, the Business Transformation Programme has delivered more than £15m of savings.
"At an event during Business Week recently, a speaker referred to the Industrial Revolution taking 100 years – he said we now have the equivalent every two years because of the speed of technological change."
He said technology will be increasingly used, where appropriate, to enable East Riding residents to self-serve to access council services and inter-act with the authority.
Cllr Parnaby also said that the co-location of services at community hubs like the Withernsea and Hessle Centres was helping to deliver savings and drive major changes across the authority.
And he said that reserves had been earmarked to support services such as adult and children's social care through periods of significant legislative and financial change.


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Today's Political Insider provides an update on the fate of Hoboken Freeholder Maurice Fitzgibbons, who may not have a ticket to run with in the June primary... unless he creates his own.
Fitzgibbons was aligned with state Sen. and Union City Mayor Brian Stack and his renegade Democrats for Hudson County, but apparently fell out of favor with Stack. The Insider had previously reported that Fitzgibbons was rumored to be seeking a spot on the Hudson County Democratic Organization line, but the HCDO would apparently rather appease Stack than Fitzgibbons and refused his advances.
That creates two questions: Who would run for Hoboken freeholder on the party line... and what would happen to Maurice, who has considerable support in the Mile Square City?
The Insider reports today that Hoboken politicians, with the HCDO's blessing, have been meeting with Stack to field a freeholder candidate.
One possibility already has been floated: Inez Garcia Keim, who is backed by City Councilwoman Beth Mason.
Last week, the Insider heard whispers about this wild scenario: David Roberts would step down as mayor to run for freeholder, and Michael Russo would become interim mayor.
Meanwhile, Fitzgibbons said he's still pondering his next step. In the meantime, he's been helping to organize Monday's annual Lincoln's Day Dinner. Roberts, Fitzgibbons and Assemblyman Ruben Ramos Jr. are hosting the $150-a-ticket affair at Frankie & Johnnie's Restaurant, and City Clerk James Farina is being honored.
The Insider notes that the Lincoln's Day Dinner was started by state Sen. Bernard Kenny of Hoboken - whose reluctance to give way to Stack was what caused the rift between the county's Democrats.


text:
Mine deaths raise troubling questions
May 16, 2014
Violations of federal safety rules are common at many underground coal mines. Most are relatively insignificant and are corrected swiftly....
There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible to live without breaking laws. – Ayn Rand
0 Agrees | 0 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Oh sure, only liberals believe there's such a thing as preventing accidents in daily life, whether through your job or private home. ACCIDENTS happen; people are human and DO and WILL err and cause things to happen. Left still believe in a utopia where nothing bad ever happens and all is well. It's reality they can't deal with!
The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule. – H.L. Mencken
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Tokyo Halloween Night
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Is Denmark Royal family are famous in Europe, was established in 1979 to "living functions, providing product development based on the concept design company.
Design Manager's menu is Pernille Yea, Scandinavia such as Jakob Wagner, Martin Sonne launches and product designers as well as excellent in the world, has won numerous design awards world-wide.
Menu company headquartered on the side of the Fredensborg Castle, North Zealand island began using stainless steel products, used in the home such as kitchen products including wine products in the current, living products, outdoor products manufactures a variety of products.
♦ menu BLADE WINE SET
Design: DESIGN WRIGHT
Material: plastic, stainless steel
Size:W 117 H 202 D 52 mm / box
Weight: 0.22 kg
|JP Post EMS
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|Your order will be shipped to you via SF Express service. SF Express holds 87 warehouses and 7 distribution centers and provides one-stop supply-chain logistics service in China. You can track your items online, that'll give you real-time, detailed progress as your shipment speeds through the SF Express network. -Maximum weight per item SF Express can ship: 70kg -Estimated shipping days: 6 to 10 business days (to China only) *Please keep in mind that delivery time may vary due to weather condition, custom and unexpected occurrence. Please note that customs and duty will be paid by customer and gift option is not available at this time when using SF Express. For new customers utilizing SF Express, a copy of "National Identification Card" is needed when processing your item through customs in China only for your first purchase. Please provide copy to SF Express via Wechat (SF Express Self-service) or email at email@example.com after order is confirmed
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Top Definition
The most hilarious slang term for vagina. Try to use it in a sentence without laughing. Go on. Just try it.
Dude, your mom's cunny is so...(breaks off laughing)
بواسطة Tommy Wommy Womsters فبراير/شباط 24, 2005
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
Female genitalia, used for vulva or vagina. 1. A diminutive of cunt derived from the latin word, cunnis.
She felt her cunny jump, burning with its own great fire
بواسطة Joanna Wagner أكتوبر/تشرين الأوّل 4, 2005
Another name for a girls vagina.
Jenny! Stop playing with your cunny, get over here and eat your peas!!!
The external female reproductive parts. A form of the word cunt.
I happily lapped the juices from my girlfriend's cunny.
بواسطة runt فبراير/شباط 4, 2003
Another word for a womans sexual organ. Derived from the word cunt it is used in a positive and affectionate way compared to the word cunt which is used as an insult and is considered offensive.
Alternativley the word cunny is used because it sounds nicer than the word cunt.
Alternativley the word cunny is used because it sounds nicer than the word cunt.
"Come here and lick my cunny".
"Your such a cunt".
"Your such a cunt".
بواسطة Cervantes666 أغسطس/آب 30, 2006
A term for vagina used by old men on the bus
gonna have a go at that cunny son! where's me hooch?
بواسطة irrelevantjet مارس/آذَار 3, 2005
Girl: How do I put a tampon in?
Woman: Just stick it up your cunny
Woman: Just stick it up your cunny
بواسطة hahaok مايو/أيار 19, 2009


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Programs, Thank You Cards, Save-The-Dates, Invitations + Paper Goods
Contact Info
Definitely Recommend!!Reviewed on 4/28/2012 LaQuita S
I had no idea who would do my invites until I ordered our Save the Dates from Magnet Street! Everyone loved them! The online process was very simple and there were a lot of great choices!! They were affordable and delivered quickly!!
Save the DatesReviewed on 5/11/2011 Alana G
We got our save the dates from Magnet Street and loved them! They came in very quick.
ExcellentReviewed on 10/26/2010 Shelley C
Ordered my save the date magnets from Magnet Street. They came in just a couple of days. Had trouble getting my invitations with a local vendor and I wish I had just ordered them from Magnet Street also.
Cute, Cheap Save the DatesReviewed on 5/28/2010 Honora G
MagnetStreet had the cheapest, cutest save the date magnets. We were a little nervous to use them because the deal seemed too good. But the magnets arrived on time and looked wonderful. And the online templates are idiot proof.


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Time for Spring cleaning and getting in shape
March 26, 2008 - Cheryl Clarke
Wow, have you noticed how dirty the sides of our highways and byways are lately? It's like every person driving by eating fast food or drinking something has decided the roadside is their own personal trash can. With Earth Day right around the corner, I'd like people to start keeping their trash in their cars till they get someplace where it can be disposed of properly. Better yet, stop eating so much junk and make healthier choices. To do my part, I will be taking care of my own little corner of the world, about 1/2 mile of roadway near my home this weekend. I will go for a walk with a large trashbag, and pick up everyone else's trash alongside the road. It will be my first walk since last fall. I haven't been out all winter because of bad weatther and now that spring has sprung I have decided to give walking every day another shot. Hopefully I will be able to lose the 20 pounds I put on over the long winter of inactivity. I challenge my readers to get out there and do some Spring cleaning of your own to make a difference! Number one, carry a trash bag in your car for your trash. Number two, go for a walk and pick up along the road near where you live. You can get in shape at the same time, feel better by doing something about your health, and about the health of our planet.
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And now for some good news about Apple. AAPL 0.15082956259426847% Apple Inc. U.S.: Nasdaq USD112.88 0.17 0.15082956259426847% /Date(1474923600078-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 28790811 AFTER HOURS USD112.93 0.0500000000000114 0.04429482636428065% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 1078631 P/E Ratio 13.186915887850468 Market Cap 607331391067.71 Dividend Yield 2.019844082211198% Rev. per Employee 1990500 More quote details and news » Its stock might be losing altitude and cachet, but its stellar operating performance finally has catapulted the company into the No. 1 spot in the Barron's 500, up from No. 2 in 2012 and No. 4 in 2011. Apple has shown what it takes -- terrific sales growth and wisely deployed cash flow -- to be a winner in our annual ranking, which seeks to identify businesses that have done the best job of investing for growth.
To be sure, investors have grown fearful that Apple's magic won't last -- so fearful that they knocked the stock down to $450 from $705 last September, erasing $239 billion from the company's market value. But before pronouncing the creator of iPods, iPhones, and iPads a has-been, or even just an ordinary company, let's pause to acknowledge its triumph over a tough crowd of competitors in landing at the top of our list.
The most successful companies typically become so through a blend of vision, creativity, judgment, and circumstance. That is surely the case for Apple, and many other high-ranking technology companies on the list, including No. 3–ranked Western Digital WDC 1.9309851600214554% Western Digital Corp. U.S.: Nasdaq USD57.01 1.08 1.9309851600214554% /Date(1474923600444-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 5883172 AFTER HOURS USD57.1 0.0900000000000034 0.1578670408700228% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 18376 P/E Ratio 45.24603174603175 Market Cap 15898942356.0379 Dividend Yield 3.5081564637782847% Rev. per Employee 178298 More quote details and news » and Qualcomm, QCOM -0.701195219123506% Qualcomm Inc. U.S.: Nasdaq USD62.31 -0.44 -0.701195219123506% /Date(1474923600167-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 6135014 AFTER HOURS USD62.32 0.00999999999999801 0.016048788316482106% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 72352 P/E Ratio 18.248645482501097 Market Cap 92471408813.4766 Dividend Yield 3.4023431230942065% Rev. per Employee 691697 More quote details and news » at No. 6. It is also true of the many cyclical and credit-sensitive concerns that have taken top honors in our 15th annual ranking. Their performance reflects both improving economic conditions and smart decision-making in the executive suite.
Credit-card issuers, including Visa, MasterCard, MA -0.4918355301987016% MasterCard Inc. Cl A U.S.: NYSE USD101.16 -0.5 -0.4918355301987016% /Date(1474923628856-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 3417817 AFTER HOURS USD101.3009 0.140900000000002 0.13928430209568998% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 51115 P/E Ratio 29.75294117647059 Market Cap 111566877742.13 Dividend Yield 0.7512850929221035% Rev. per Employee 901504 More quote details and news » Discover Financial Services, DFS -1.150026136957658% Discover Financial Services U.S.: NYSE USD56.73 -0.66 -1.150026136957658% /Date(1474923651206-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 2598584 AFTER HOURS USD56.73 % Volume (Delayed 15m) : 17636 P/E Ratio 10.63414999906274 Market Cap 23164154096.297 Dividend Yield 2.1152829190904283% Rev. per Employee 675645 More quote details and news » and American Express, AXP -0.6734534064212999% American Express Co. U.S.: NYSE USD63.42 -0.43 -0.6734534064212999% /Date(1474923642568-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 6822426 AFTER HOURS USD63.5 0.0799999999999983 0.1261431725007884% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 124159 P/E Ratio 11.165492957746478 Market Cap 58983415814.5431 Dividend Yield 1.8290760012614318% Rev. per Employee 633029 More quote details and news » all rank in the top 30 this year, having benefitted in recent years, along with some banks, from declining loan losses. Too, their businesses aren't capital-intensive, and they generate lots of cash.
Energy outfits also put in a strong showing, helped by a domestic drilling boom and high oil prices. MRC Global, MRC -0.1375515818431912% MRC Global Inc. U.S.: NYSE USD14.52 -0.02 -0.1375515818431912% /Date(1474923720708-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 571319 AFTER HOURS USD14.52 % Volume (Delayed 15m) : 155 P/E Ratio N/A Market Cap 1401583247.51301 Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee 870063 More quote details and news » at No. 10, distributes pipes, valves, and fittings to energy producers, while CVR Energy CVI -4.418762746431% CVR Energy Inc. U.S.: NYSE USD14.06 -0.65 -4.418762746431% /Date(1474923721130-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 1180400 AFTER HOURS USD14.06 % Volume (Delayed 15m) : 2976 P/E Ratio 48.48275862068966 Market Cap 1277284032.16671 Dividend Yield 14.22475106685633% Rev. per Employee 3459530 More quote details and news » (No. 12) refines petroleum and manufactures nitrogen fertilizer. National Oilwell Varco (No. 22) revisits the top 25 after falling to 147 in our 2012 ranking. The company provides equipment to drillers, and has seen substantial growth in the past year.
The Barron's 500 is a unique ranking of the largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. and Canada, as measured by total sales in the latest fiscal year. It is prepared by HOLT, a unit of Credit Suisse, which compares companies on the basis of three equally weighted metrics: median three-year cash-flow-based return on investment, the one-year change in that measure relative to the three-year median, and adjusted sales growth in the latest fiscal year. (For a more detailed explanation of HOLT's methodology, see box.)
Barron's 500 Methodology
The Barron's 500 is an exclusive ranking of the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. and Canada, as measured by sales in the latest fiscal year. The survey is prepared by HOLT, a unit of Credit Suisse, which grades and ranks all companies on the basis of three equally weighted measures: median three-year return on investment, based on a proprietary cash-flow metric called CFROI; the change in CFROI in the latest fiscal year relative to the three-year median; and sales growth in the latest fiscal year, adjusted for pro forma results (and, in the case of cigarette companies, taxes that are collected and remitted to the government). HOLT's CFROI metric strips out the effects of inflation and adjusts for accounting distortions, including the capitalization of research and development, and off-balance-sheet operating leases. For financial companies, the firm calculates cash-flow return on tangible equity. All data are based on the companies' latest reported fiscal year, which for most is 2012. Each company is graded in three categories; the top quintile gets an A, the bottom, an F. HOLT then calculates the total grade-point average, or GPA, for each company, with 4.0 the highest. In cases where scores are tied, the ranking is based on one-year CFROI relative to the three-year median. The Barron's 500 excludes companies restating financial data or operating under bankruptcy protection.
Results of the Barron's 500 don't reflect the views of Credit Suisse equity analysts. Nor do they predict how these companies or their shares will perform in the future (although we have identified some unusually cheap and promising stocks in the feature "Barron's 500 Bargains? Perhaps"). Rather, they shine a well-deserved light on companies with a recent track record of superb operating performance -- and flag those that need to do better. Then again, you don't have to check in with us to know that No. 500–ranked J.C. Penney JCP -2.147239263803681% J.C. Penney Co. Inc. U.S.: NYSE USD9.57 -0.21 -2.147239263803681% /Date(1474923605706-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 8361693 AFTER HOURS USD9.58 0.00999999999999979 0.1044932079414838% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 42893 P/E Ratio N/A Market Cap 3009599425.27351 Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee 120210 More quote details and news » made a mess of things in the past few years, or that Bank of America BAC -2.770618556701031% Bank of America Corp. U.S.: NYSE USD15.09 -0.43 -2.770618556701031% /Date(1474923703700-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 93261839 AFTER HOURS USD15.09 % Volume (Delayed 15m) : 1710251 P/E Ratio 13.014230271668822 Market Cap 158378497640.137 Dividend Yield 1.9880715705765408% Rev. per Employee 431596 More quote details and news » (No. 496) continues to struggle.
Ours is a fluid list; companies join or drop off as sales fluctuate. This year's list includes 26 names not on the 2012 list, among them four new listings or spinoffs. Gone are companies such as Yahoo! YHOO -1.191588785046729% Yahoo! Inc. U.S.: Nasdaq USD42.29 -0.51 -1.191588785046729% /Date(1474923600292-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 12692349 AFTER HOURS USD42.22 -0.0700000000000003 -0.1655237644833294% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 52770 P/E Ratio N/A Market Cap 40736312530.6831 Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee 435094 More quote details and news » (ticker: YHOO) and Charles Schwab schw -0.6847081838930551% Charles Schwab Corp. U.S.: NYSE USD30.46 -0.21 -0.6847081838930551% /Date(1474923671679-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 6017972 AFTER HOURS USD30.5 0.0399999999999992 0.1313197636244255% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 1788537 P/E Ratio 26.607267645003493 Market Cap 40576533649.5212 Dividend Yield 0.9192383453709784% Rev. per Employee 455425 More quote details and news » (SCHW), whose 2012 sales fell below the $5 billion cutoff, and companies such as Goodrich, Sunoco, and H.J. Heinz (HNZ), which have been or are in the process of being acquired.
Eight companies earned straight A's in our latest ranking, compared with only four last year. That's not evidence of grade inflation, but of an improving economy and savvy business moves. If you think it's easy to make the grade, a closer look at the companies ranked No. 1 through No. 4 might invite a reappraisal. Kudos, all.
The iMaestro delivered a 44.6% bounce in revenue, to $157 billion, in the fiscal year ended in September 2012. Free cash flow totaled $42.7 billion, and the free-cash-flow yield, an impressive 27%. That's a lotta gadgets.
Apple's outperformance owed to the momentum of its twin product families, with iPhone unit sales rising 73%, to 125 million units, and iPad unit sales up 80%, to 58 million; iPhones accounted for 51% of revenue, and iPads, 20%.
Apple was helped by the introduction of the iPhone 4S in October 2011, followed by the third version of the iPad in March 2012. New features such as the iPhone's Siri voice commands helped prompt upgrades, while the iPad won fresh customers with the introduction of a higher-resolution "retina display."
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images
But it wasn't new product rollouts alone that helped; Apple also expanded its distribution. At the start of fiscal 2012 it shipped the iPhone 4S in seven countries, but then added 22 more in less than a month. The rollout of the successor iPhone 5 last October was even faster; the device was available for sale in 31 countries within a week of its launch. By the end of December, the iPhone was selling on more than 250 carriers in more than 100 countries. The company kicked off its fiscal year with the iPad selling in 90 countries.
Apple recently started breaking out results in China. Sales there rose 78% in 2012, to $22.5 billion, and accounted for 15% of total revenue. The iPhone is among the top five smartphones in unit sales in China, despite formidable competition from local Chinese brands such as Huawei and ZTE (763.Hong Kong).
Apple's performance also got a big boost from the build-out of its retail empire. Its $5.2 billion in revenue in the latest quarter equaled a third of Amazon.com's AMZN -0.8178715482469748% Amazon.com Inc. U.S.: Nasdaq USD799.16 -6.59 -0.8178715482469748% /Date(1474923600388-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 2630997 AFTER HOURS USD799.89 0.730000000000018 0.09134591320886931% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 20400 P/E Ratio 199.07829509503526 Market Cap 381985129631.042 Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee 522691 More quote details and news » total quarterly revenue.
Apple had 402 retail stores worldwide at the end of March, up from 357 a year earlier. The company operated 151 stores overseas, including 11 in China and Hong Kong, and CEO Tim Cook plans to double the number in China in the next two years.
Tying together the company's products and distribution are the iTunes and App Store franchises, which enable users to upgrade applications and enhance the value of their hardware and software. The App Store is available in 155 countries, and iTunes, in 119. Apple is closing in on 50 billion program downloads to date, double the year-ago tally.
So much for the good news -- and there is a lot of it. Yet, Apple's revenue growth in the March quarter slowed to 11% from almost 60% a year ago, confirming a trend investors had been fearing as they were busily dumping the shares.
Part of the problem is the law of large numbers; smartphone growth is expected to decelerate to 31% this year from more than 43% in 2012. Then there's heightened competition from Samsung Electronics (005930.Korea), which is rolling out its answer to the iPhone 5 -- the Galaxy S4. Strategy Analytics estimates that Samsung's total smartphone share rose in the first quarter to 33.1% of industry shipments, versus 28.9% a year earlier, while Apple's share was 17.9%, down from 22.8% a year earlier.
Such developments will keep Apple on its toes. Some industry watchers expect the company to introduce cheaper smartphones to appeal to more price-conscious shoppers.
With its shares down precipitously from their 2012 peak, Apple is also keeping a closer eye on Wall Street. It announced the largest corporate stock buyback in history two weeks ago -- a $60 billion repurchase program spread over three years. It boosted its dividend 15% as well, and tapped the debt markets with a record $17 billion offering. The payout and buyback together give the stock an effective 8% annual yield. Someone's happy: Apple's shares have rallied 11% since the announcement, although they trade for a modest seven times estimated earnings of $39.77 a share.
Wesco, a wholesale distributor of electrical and industrial parts has acquired about 40 companies, with a total annual revenue of $3.6 billion, since 1995. Yet it controls less than 10% of the market for industrial distribution. Indeed, the top 50 companies in this highly fragmented industry have a collective market share of less than 30%.
Consolidation is likely to continue throughout the industry because suppliers and customers "are looking at doing business with a smaller number of larger companies," says Wesco CEO John Engel, who joined the company as chief operating officer in 2004.
John Engel, CEO of Wesco International Scott Goldsmith for Barron's
Larger customers, he says, want one distributor to service all of their locations, something many Wesco competitors can't do. The Pittsburgh-based company, founded in 1922 as the logistics arm of Westinghouse, serves construction, manufacturing, and utilities customers, as well as government.
Last year, Wesco struck its largest deal ever with the $925 million purchase of Eecol, a Canadian-based wholesaler that also has operations in South America. The increased exposure to Canada's commodities-driven economy worries some analysts, but Engel says he's bullish on Canada long term. The deal could add $1 a share to earnings in 2013.
There has been some concern among analysts that Wesco will be hurt by sluggish growth in nonresidential construction, a key market for the company. Engel notes that residential construction continues to improve, and that construction of malls, schools, and other facilities typically accelerates as new housing developments are created. "When residential [construction] recovers, nonresidential follows," he says.
A Bargain Hunter's Report Card
Last May, FactSet helped Barron's identify the 30 stocks in our 2012 Barron's 500 ranking with the lowest price/earnings ratios (based on fiscal 2012 expected earnings). Here's a look at their subsequent performance, through April 26. Many beat the market, and by a substantial margin.
|% Change
|Seagate Technology/STX*
|Delta Air Lines/DAL
|US Airways/LCC
|Western Digital/WDC*
|United Continental Holdings/UAL
|Western Refining/WNR
|TravelCenters of America/TA
|Hartford Financial Services/HIG
|Dole Food/DOLE
|Lincoln National/LNC
|Best Buy/BBY**
|Genworth Financial/GNW
|Goodyear Tire & Rubber/GT
|Alon USA Energy/ALJ
|General Motors/GM
|Kindred Healthcare/KND
|Community Health Systems/CYH
|Marathon Petroleum/MPC
|R.R. Donnelley/RRD
|Note: P/E ratio based on 2012 fiscal year. Price appreciation from 5/4/2012 to 4/26/2013
|*Fiscal year ended June 2012.
|**Fiscal year ended Feb. 2013.
|***Fiscal year ended Oct. 2012
|****Acquired by Ingram Micro on 10/16/2012
Wesco's cash flow has benefitted from its use of LEAN, a re-engineering process also favored by Toyota Motor (TM) and other companies that aims to reduce waste, save time, and create value. lt involves everything from compressing storage space to evaluating how to speed delivery of products to customers. The company also helps customers apply LEAN to their own businesses.
"The essence of LEAN is continuous improvement," says Engel, noting that helping customers to implement LEAN practices "allows us to create a stickier relationship with them."
Assuming the U.S. economy grows by 2% to 3% in coming years, Wesco has said annual revenue from existing operations could increase by 5% to 8%, while acquisitions could add another 2% to 3% of revenue growth per year. The company also expects to expand profit margins by 0.4 to 0.6 of a percentage point. Wesco relied on its Eecol acquisition to increase earnings in the first quarter, as organic sales declined slightly.
Wesco earned $4.49 a share last year, and analysts expect the company to net $5.66 this year and $6.59 in 2014. The shares trade for 12 times this year's earnings estimates, while earnings are expected to rise by 26%. That could make the stock an attractive bet on a bounce in nonresidential construction.
Investors think of Western Digital as a disk-drive manufacturer selling into the shrinking personal-computer market, but management is trying hard to change that perception. The Irvine, Calif.–based company would like to be known as a play on digital data storage tied to the growth in cloud-computing.
More than 50% of Western Digital's revenue for the fiscal year ending in June will come from hard drives that aren't in personal computers. That's up from 35% in fiscal 2008. The company's drives are found in storage devices and corporate servers, gaming consoles, and digital video recorders. "The success of our business isn't dependent on a rebound in PC sales," CEO Steve Milligan says.
Stephen Milligan, CEO of Western Digital Courtesy of Western Digital
Not that anyone sees a rebound in the offing. Milligan says management wasn't surprised by IDC's recent report that global PC sales declined 14% in this year's first quarter.
Western Digital expects annual revenue growth to exceed projected industry growth of 3% a year in the next five to seven years. Revenue gains were sharply higher last year because the company acquired Hitachi Global Storage Technologies for $4.3 billion. That helped lift Western Digital from No. 447 in our 2012 ranking. "Part of the reason for the acquisition was to add revenue and profitability in these non-PC businesses," Milligan says.
The non-PC business also has fatter profit margins. Prior to the acquisition, Western's gross profit margins averaged 18% to 23%. Now they are expected to range from 27% to 32%. Margins have also improved in the wake of industry consolidation. While the company's revenue rose 31% in 2012, operating earnings grew 164%.
Wall Street hasn't quite bought into Western Digital's narrative. The shares, at $57.15, might be trading at an all-time high, but they sell for only seven times fiscal 2014 earnings estimates of $7.98 a share. The stock yields 1.7%.
DaVita HealthCare Partners
DaVita HealthCare Partners has the wind at its back, demographically speaking. The Denver-based company operates about 2,000 dialysis facilities, mostly in the U.S., that offer treatment and related services to patients suffering from chronic kidney failure. The aging of the population, and the growing prevalence of conditions that cause kidney failure, such as diabetes and hypertension, bode well for DaVita's long-term growth.
CEO Kent Thiry expects renal-business revenue to grow by 6.5% over time, as DaVita opens new facilities and makes tuck-in acquisitions. Operating leverage could translate into 7.5% growth in earnings, while share repurchases could lead over time to 9% gains in earnings per share. Analysts have penciled in earnings of $7.69 a share this year, and $8.30 in 2014.
DaVita's biggest challenge is its dependence on Medicaid and Medicare. Government payments account for roughly two thirds of revenue, but this business isn't profitable. The company depends on private-insurance payments for the remainder of revenue and all profits.
Ken Thiry, CEO of DaVita HealthCare Ray Ng for Barron's
DaVita diversified beyond the renal business last year with its $4.4 billion purchase of HealthCare Partners, a physician-practice group that is far less dependent on government payments; roughly 40% of its revenue comes from commercial insurance. HealthCare Partners is expected to chip in almost a third of this year's total revenue of $11 billion, and a quarter of DaVita's operating profits.
Buying HealthCare Partners allows DaVita to enter a market that it believes is ripe for consolidation. While the company controls about a third of the U.S. market for dialysis treatments, it has only a 1% share of the medical-practice market.
DaVita has many fans on Wall Street, where its stock has rallied almost 40% in the past two years to a recent $120. Its most prominent may be Warren Buffett, whose Berkshire Hathaway BRKA -0.5655172413793104% Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Cl B U.S.: NYSE USD144.18 -0.82 -0.5655172413793104% /Date(1474923793398-0500)/ Volume (Delayed 15m) : 2673115 AFTER HOURS USD144.18 % Volume (Delayed 15m) : 190617 P/E Ratio 13.941210597563334 Market Cap 357758978505.731 Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee 660789 More quote details and news » (BRKA) has been buying shares for two years, and now owns nearly 15 million, or 14% of the company.
Berkshire, incidentally, ranks No. 131 this year, up from No. 431 in 2012, having been helped by last year's sales spurt and higher cash-flow returns.
Tiernan Ray contributed to this story.
E-mail: email@example.com


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Cory Daniels scored twice in the second half to highlight Middle Township's balanced offensive attack as the Panthers dropped Sacred Heart, 6-0, Thursday afternoon in a Cape-Atlantic League boys' soccer game.
The junior center attacking midfielder finished with a hat trick.
In the second half, Jacob Towan dribbled along the touch line before laying a lobbing cross across the goal line, and Daniels finished the play with a header.
Along with his assist, Towan also added two goals of his own.


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Commonwealth Electoral Division of: New England (New South Wales)
Division Profile
- Division name: New England
- State: New South Wales
- Name derivation: Named after the area of New England, the largest highland area in Australia.
- Size & Location description: New England covers an area of approximately 59,344 sq km from the Queensland border in the north to the Gunnedah, Liverpool Plains, Tamworth Regional and Walcha local government areas in the south. The main towns include Armidale, Barraba, Bundarra, Deepwater, Glen Innes, Gunnedah, Guyra, Inverell, Manilla, Quirindi, Tamworth, Tenterfield, Uralla, Walcha, Werris Creek and parts of Delungra and Urbenville.
- Products/industries of the area: Cattle, sheep, grain, forestry, dairying, oats, maize, fruit, vegetables, tin-mining, bricks, trout hatchery, tourism, concrete pipe works, leather goods, tannery, gemstones, tobacco, lucerne, honey, grain processing, rubber industry, plaster works and concrete.
- First proclaimed/election: 1900/1901