text:
Analyzing Growth Rates
by Joe Lan, CFA
Much of financial analysis is focused on determining a company's financial strength or weakness, how profitable the firm is and how well management uses assets and debt. However, there is another important component: growth. Specifically, this analysis focuses on determining whether a company is growing sales, earnings and cash flow and the likelihood of it continuing to do so in the future. As part of my series on financial statement analysis, this article delves into growth rates and discusses how you can use them not only to evaluate a company's financial strength but also to make an educated guess as to how a company will perform going forward.
Calculating Growth
Growth measures a company's sales, earnings or cash flow at one point in time compared to a point in time in the past. Growth can be analyzed for various time ranges, though analysts typically look at periods ranging from the past 12 months (often times referred to as trailing 12 months, or TTM) up to the past five or seven years.
In this article
- Calculating Growth
- Revenue Growth
- Net Income Growth
- Calculating Compound Growth Rate
- Earnings per Share Growth
- Estimated Growth
- EPS Growth and Valuations
- Dividend Growth
- Free Cash Flow Growth
- What to Look For
- Conclusion
Share this article
Calculating total growth is straightforward: You simply subtract the beginning value of a financial figure from its ending value, and then divide that result by the beginning value. Annualized growth shows the average growth rate experienced over a specified time period (e.g., seven years). Annualized growth is also referred to as compound growth; the calculation is presented in the box below. You can estimate annualized return, however, by simply dividing total growth by the number of periods. This estimate works well for off-the-cuff analysis, but it does not accurately reveal the impact of fluctuations in growth or compounding.
With this said, it is almost never necessary to calculate growth rates manually because they are easily obtained from investment websites and software programs. For example, AAII's Stock Investor Pro fundamental stock screening and research database program provides growth rates for one-, three-, five- and seven-year periods for each of the data elements discussed here. The top comprehensive investment websites also offer similar data (these sites can be found in AAII's Guide to the Top Websites at www.aaii.com/guide/webguide).
Revenue Growth
On a company's income statement, the top line shows the total revenues, or sales, for a given period. This is why the change in sales is often referred to as "top-line growth." Sales are the lifeblood of any company and, needless to say, growing sales over the long term is crucial. Greater sales bring in more money to the company. This is money that can be spent on capital expenditures, advertising, research and development, salaries, projects that can lead to future growth and, most importantly, profits and cash flow. Though a company can increase its profits and cash flow through cost-cutting measures, there is a limit to how much expenses can be reduced. Plus, the impact of inflation, even low rates of inflation, require a company to boost its revenues if it wants to maintain current margins and profitability.
Companies in different stages of their life cycle have different revenue growth rates. Smaller companies with increasing production of strong-selling new products will have higher growth rates than larger, well-known companies with mature product lines. Larger companies also can often have lower sales growth rates because of the sheer amount of business they do. A 20% increase in sales of $50 million is $10 million. A 20% increase in sales of $5 billion is $1 billion. In order to achieve the same percentage growth rate, the number of additional products or services that have to be sold varies widely.
Additionally, companies operating in different industries can have vastly different sales growth rates. This is why when comparing several companies' growth in sales, it is important to choose companies that are "comparable." Comparing a company against its industry or sector median shows how strong a company's growth is relative to the growth of its peers. Though this analysis can be helpful, the difference between a company and its peers can be considerable, so make sure you understand how a company differs from other firms in the same industry or sector when making these comparisons.
For example, I pulled up Hewlett-Packard Company's (HPQ) sales growth rate using Stock Investor Pro with data as of February 8, 2013, as you can see in Figure 1. Looking at the long-term growth rate, the program reports that Hewlett-Packard has grown 2.9% annually over the last five years. For the technology sector, the median growth rate is 6.3%, suggesting that Hewlett-Packard has grown much slower than other technology firms. However, this masks the fact that the industry in which HPQ operates, computer hardware, has not fared as well as other industry groups within the technology sector due to the proliferation of mobile devices and other events. Over the past five years, the computer hardware industry's median growth rate is only 2.2%, which actually implies that Hewlett-Packard has grown faster than its industry peers over the past five years.
Net Income Growth
Net income is displayed at the bottom of an income statement. As such, increases in net income and earnings per share are referred to as "bottom-line growth." The key question that net income growth answers is: How much are shareholders benefiting from sales after all expenses are deducted?
As discussed in my article "The Income Statement: From Net Revenue to Net Income" (March 2012 AAII Journal), net income is influenced by changes in revenues and expenses. A company can increase sales, but if growth is being driven by promotional pricing or other forms of discounting, each new sale is less profitable. Money spent on overhead, research and development, and marketing also influences how profitable the growth is. A company in the midst of a strong growth cycle may spend heavily on increasing its internal infrastructure (sales staff, distribution, facilities, etc.), causing profit growth to lag revenue growth. On the other hand, a company engaged in cost-cutting can experience stronger net income growth than sales growth.
You can gauge the "quality" of a company's net income growth by analyzing its gross margin and operating margin. Declining margins reduce profits, while rising margins increase profits. If a company's gross margins are declining, competitive pressures could be intensifying (a threat to future growth) or the mix of products may be changing. Declining operating margins also hurt net income growth and can signal that costs are growing at a disproportionately faster rate than sales.
An ideal scenario may seem to be one in which net income and sales growth approximate each other. This is rarely the case, as various factors influence both. Plus, you need to consider the factors driving the growth. Reducing prices may reduce the relative growth rate of net income, but the absolute dollar amount may be higher because the lower prices allow the company to sell a greater number of products or services. Similarly, cost-cutting measures can accelerate net income growth over the short term, but they could potentially hurt long-term growth. A company that wisely spends on new projects and expansion may realize greater profitability over the long term. This is why it is important not only to look at the rate of growth, but to also ask if management has and is taking reasonable steps to increase profits.
Ideally, you want the rate of net income growth to approximate the rate of sales growth over long periods. Over shorter periods, various factors can cause top-line and bottom-line growth rates to differ.
Calculating Compound Growth Rate
Calculating growth over several years requires more than just simply determining the percentage difference between the beginning-period and ending-period values. Fluctuations in the rate of change, particularly any periods with negative growth, require a more complex calculation: compound growth.
Consider a company that realized $1.2 billion in revenues last year and $600 million in revenues five years ago. This equates to a total change of 100% ((1,200 – 600) ÷ 600 = 100%) or 20.0% per year (100% ÷ 5 years). However, the 20% growth number gives only an off-the-cuff estimation of sales growth. As sales grow each year, it takes an ever larger amount of dollars to achieve the same rate of growth. Thus, if a 20% growth rate were maintained each year, revenues at the end of 2012 would have been $1.24 billion instead of $1.2 billion.
A more significant weakness occurs when sales or earnings decline over the analyzed period. Such occurrences make the simple growth rate calculation unreliable. This is why compound growth should be calculated instead.
The formula for compound growth is: [(ending value divided by beginning value) raised to the power of (one divided by the number of compounding periods)] minus one. Using the example above, the math works out like this:
Compound Growth = [(ending value ÷ beginning value) ^(1 ÷ number of compounding periods)] – 1
= (2012 revenues ÷ 2008 revenues)(1 ÷ 4 years) – 1
= ($1.2 billion ÷ $600 million)1/ 4 – 1
= 20.25 – 1
= 1.189 – 1
= 0.189 × 100 (to convert to percentage)
= 18.9%
As you can see, the compound growth rate was not 20%, but rather 18.9%. The advantage of compound, or annualized, growth is that it smoothes out fluctuations in the rate of change and accounts for the fact that as sales or earnings increase in size, a bigger absolute change in the actual number is required to keep the percentage change the same.
The formula displayed here works for companies reporting profits at both the starting and ending period. Should a profit be reported at one point of the period being analyzed (e.g., the ending date) and loss reported at the other (e.g. the starting date), this formula will not work properly. The change from a negative to a positive sign requires a more complex equation that is beyond the scope of this article.
Earnings per Share Growth
Earnings per share (EPS) is calculated by taking net income and dividing it by the number of shares outstanding. Intuitively, earnings per share growth should be the same, or very close to, net income growth. In reality, though, earnings per share may grow faster or slower than net income due to share issuances or buybacks. Earnings growth that is higher than net income growth is indicative of a company that is buying back its shares, while earnings growth slower than net income growth suggests that the company is issuing additional shares. This is why it is important to look at both net income growth and earnings per share growth. Though share repurchases increase the amount of total profit each share of outstanding stock can lay claim to, share buybacks can cause profit growth to appear stronger than it actually is. Conversely, the issuance of additional shares can help fund long-term projects that are beneficial to net income growth, but they also depress the rate of earnings per share growth.
Earnings per share can be reported in several ways. The most common reported earnings are basic earnings, diluted earnings, basic earnings from continuing operations and diluted earnings from continuing operations.
The difference between basic and diluted earnings is fairly straightforward: Diluted earnings per share is calculated with the assumption that all convertible securities are exercised. Convertible securities include outstanding convertible preferred shares, convertible debentures, stock options and warrants. The exercise of convertible securities dilutes ownership (increases the number of shares outstanding) and reduces the amount of income each share of common stock can lay claim to. Diluted earnings per share represents a "worse-case" scenario where all convertible securities are exercised.
Oftentimes, earnings from continuing operations can provide a better representation of what the performance of the company may be going forward. Earnings from continuing operations represent earnings of a firm from "normal" or core operations. They exclude nonrecurring expenses and income: discontinued operations, extraordinary items and the cumulative effect of accounting changes. For instance, if a firm sold off a unit or subsidiary and realized a large gain on the transaction, the sale would not be repeated in the future and would therefore be excluded when calculating earnings from continuing operations. When researching earnings growth, look closely at the growth in earnings from continuing operations, as this should be more representative of the company's business going forward. This number represents growth for core business operations.
Estimated Growth
Historical growth rates are useful when examining the fundamental strength of a company. However, since the stock market is forward-looking, expected future growth in earnings plays an important role in determining a stock's price.
Get our weekly AAII Investor Update newsletter FREE!
It's packed with insights, education and guidance on stock and fund investing. PLUS you'll get a FREE copy of "Profitable Retirement Planning," our comprehensive 45 page guide to generating income and making your money last in retirement.
Approximately 4,000 companies have analysts that provide forward-looking growth estimates. Typically, analysts provide earnings estimates to data companies that compile these estimates and offer a "consensus" or average estimate of earnings or revenues. (An example is Thomson Reuters' I/B/E/S.) Analysts also offer a long-term growth estimate on many of the companies they cover. Typically, these long-term growth rates cover a five-year period, but they can vary between three and seven years. Figure 2 shows the earnings estimates for Procter & Gamble Company (PG) as of February 8, 2013.
Although these estimates are simply educated guesses, stock prices are influenced by the actual estimate and also changes to the estimate as the earnings announcement date nears. A positive revision to earnings estimates can provide a short-term, positive catalyst for a stock's price. A negative revision can be a negative short-term catalyst. This is why when reviewing earnings estimates, you should review not only the actual number but also the magnitude by which it has been revised. (AAII's stock screen Estimate Revisions Up 5% is among those with the best risk-adjusted returns, and the screen Estimate Revisions Down 5% is among those with the worst risk-adjusted returns.) Keep in mind that while revisions have a short-term impact, the actual estimate influences a stock's valuation and can have a long-term impact on the stock's price movement.
EPS Growth and Valuations
Analysts look closely at earnings growth and factor it into their valuation analysis. One of the most popular valuation ratios, the price-earnings ratio, measures the valuation of stocks simply by dividing the current share price by the earnings per share. As net income grows, share price should follow suit if the stock is to maintain its present valuation.
A commonly used variation of this ratio is the price-earnings-to-earnings-growth (PEG) ratio. The PEG ratio divides the price-earnings ratio by the long-term growth rate. There are a few variants of this ratio, but two of the more common ones use historical and projected earnings growth. The historical PEG ratio divides the current price-earnings ratio (price divided by fully diluted earnings per share for the last 12 months) by the five-year historical growth rate in earnings per share. The forward-looking PEG ratio divides the forward price-earnings ratio (price divided by the consensus earnings per share estimate for the current fiscal year) to the estimated three-to-five-year growth rate in earnings per share.
The concept behind both versions of the PEG ratio is to determine whether the valuation (price) of the stock is out of line with earnings and the growth rate in earnings. A PEG ratio of 1.0 means the stock is fairly valued relative to historical or projected future earnings growth. A PEG ratio below 1.0 means the stock is trading at a discount relative to its growth rate; conversely, a PEG ratio above 1.0 implies the stock is trading at a premium. In both cases, you should take into consideration the likelihood that future growth will differ from past growth and current projections.
Dividend Growth
Investors seeking income through dividend-paying stocks should pay attention to the pace of dividend growth. If the dividend is not raised, but the stock's price appreciates, the dividend yield will fall. (Yield and price are inversely related.) A rising dividend is also necessary to ward off the impact of inflation. A dividend that has not changed will be worth less in tomorrow's dollars than in today's dollars. A lack of dividend growth may suggest that a company's executives do not have a strong commitment to returning cash to shareholders. It may also suggest management's concerns about the ability of the company to sustain a rising dividend in the future. A falling or suspended dividend is a sign that the firm is saving cash. There could be positive reasons of doing so, such as productive expansion, but typically dividend cuts are a bad sign. Ned Davis Research calculates that since January 31, 1971, stocks of companies that cut or eliminated their dividends have produced an average annualized return of –0.1%. Conversely, stocks of companies that initiated or raised their dividend have realized an average annualized return of 9.7% since 1972, according to Ned Davis.
When looking at dividend growth, pay attention to both the rate at which the dividend is rising and the company's payout ratio. The payout ratio is the percentage of earnings a company pays out as dividends. A payout ratio of 100% means the equivalent of all earnings are paid out as dividends; such high payout ratios are not sustainable. A low payout ratio (e.g., 20%) implies the company has room to raise its dividend. If the payout ratio is low, the company has the ability to grow its dividend at a rate faster than earnings. If the payout ratio is high, the future dividend growth may be slower than earnings growth. It can be helpful to compare the payout ratio against those of a company's peers since some industries (e.g., electric utilities) have higher payout ratios than others (e.g., semiconductors).
Free Cash Flow Growth
Free cash flow is the amount of cash generated over a certain period (e.g., one year) that is available to be spent at management's and the board of directors' discretion. Free cash flow is calculated as cash flow from operating activities less capital expenditures and dividends paid. (Some calculations simply use cash flow from operating activities less capital expenditures.)
Free cash flow growth has two primary uses. First, it tells you whether the company is increasing its ability to invest in projects, raise the dividend or buy back more stock. Positive growth rates in excess of the rate of inflation suggest a company's financial position is getting stronger. Secondly, free cash flow is used by many analysts in assessing a company's valuation. Analysts attempt to forecast the future growth rate of cash flows as part of a complex model known as discounted cash flow (DCF). If the DCF model implies that the stock is currently worth less than the future value of the company's free cash flow, the stock is considered to be undervalued; if it is worth more, than the stock is considered to be overvalued.
What to Look For
Over the years at AAII, we have performed a significant amount of research, especially in the form of our stock screens, to try to get an idea of what works in stock investing and what does not. It is easy to understand that growth is good, which is why fast-growing firms usually trade at higher valuations than firms that are growing slower. But, as we all know, there can actually be too much of a good thing. So what should investors focus on when looking for growth companies?
The answer to that is not clear-cut, but we do have some thoughts. AAII's growth screens that have the best risk-adjusted long-term performance do not always target stocks that are growing the fastest. In fact, AAII's Stock Market Winners screen and Value on the Move—PEG with Estimate Growth screen both simply require earnings per share growth. Neither screen seeks a specific rate of growth, only that earnings for the past few quarters are growing.
O'Neil's CAN SLIM screen differs in that it seeks a five-year earnings growth rate of at least 25% and year-over-year growth of at least 20% for the most recently reported quarter. The screen couples these traits with a requirement that annual earnings have increased during each of the last four fiscal years and during the most recently reported 12-month period. The goal of the screen is to find companies that are sustaining a strong rate of growth.
For those who do want a range of growth rates, you could use the O'Neil CAN SLIM screen's growth rate requirements as a guide. You should note that this is the only screen among the top 10 screens ranked by risk-adjusted performance that requires a specific minimum rate of growth as opposed to simply requiring growth, however.
Growth rates play an important role in stock analysis. After all, a stock's value is represented by its future earnings and dividends paid. However, using growth is not always simple. Historical growth tells you the exact rate at which the company has grown in the past, but this growth rate may not be indicative of the future. Future growth rates provide a gauge of what earnings growth may look like in the years ahead, but these are forecasts and there is no guarantee of their accuracy.
Get our weekly AAII Investor Update newsletter FREE!
It's packed with insights, education and guidance on stock and fund investing. PLUS you'll get a FREE copy of "Profitable Retirement Planning," our comprehensive 45 page guide to generating income and making your money last in retirement.
As stated, historical growth rates can be found at most major investment websites as well as AAII's Stock Investor Pro stock screening and research database program. Stock Investor Pro also provides analyst estimates and long-term growth rate estimates. When using growth rate estimates, keep in mind that larger firms typically have more analysts following them. Firms with only one or two analysts tracking them can have estimates that vary dramatically. It is also important to note the range of estimates. A narrow range suggests that analysts are more or less in agreement, whereas a wide range of estimates suggests otherwise.
Other Articles in the Financial Statement Analysis Series
Introduction to Financial Statement Analysis, January 2012
The Income Statement: From Net Revenue to Net Income, March 2012
The Balance Sheet: Assets, Debts and Equity, May 2012
The Cash Flow Statement: Tracing the Sources and Uses of Cash, July 2012
16 Financial Ratios for Analyzing a Company's Strengths and Weaknesses, September 2012
Breaking Down ROE Using the DuPont Formula, December 2012
Lee Lanois from NY posted over 3 years ago:
Joe I agree with your numbers on page 23 April AAII march 2013 on calculating compound growth rate. I use the TI-83
1.2/.6=2.0 carry this on the side
then input to the calculator 4, as in years.
Then press math
Then select 5
Enter 2.0
Answer 1.189
Subtract 1.0
X 100 then 18.9% growth rate
Thought it would be of interest
Lee Lanois
Demetrius Andressakis from IL posted over 3 years ago:
Good Article.


text:
Iowa City, Iowa 52242
United States
|Law School
|University of Iowa College of Law
|Most recent firm
|University of Iowa College of Law
|Relevant Jobs
Associate Attorney - Insurance Defense
USA-CA-San Diego
Kennedy & Souza, APC is a 12-attorney firm looking to add two attorneys to its insurance defense general liability practice area. We have an amazing work environment and offer an exceptional benefits ...
Apply now
Experienced Commercial Litigator
A/V rated downtown Seattle firm specializing in complex litigation seeks a lawyer who can work independently and participate in the management of major matters; who is enthusiastic about the practice ...
Apply now
Paralegal - Emissions and Regulatory
Paralegal - Emissions and Regulatory The candidate will focus on mobile environmental, dangerous goods transportation (DGT) and Substances of Concern (SoC) regulatory matters, including conducting le...
Apply now
|+ View more jobs
A. Harrison Barnes is a well-known attorney throughout the United States. As a member of the Malibu community, Harrison is committed to serving the needs of Malibu residents and businesses in legal matters.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
OCLC Resource Sharing Virtual User Group Meeting
This Virtual Resource Sharing User Group meeting was a repeat of the in-person user group meeting at the ALA Annual conference. It included overviews of recent and upcoming enhancements to OCLC resource sharing services. The session also provided a status report on our progress with the future delivery service planned for release in 2012.
This event has passed.
Start Date
13 July 2011
End Date
13 July 2011


text:
"The pressure is there in a lot of different areas, but I don't let it define what I'm doing because I'm doing it the right way," says Kelsey, who earned a $300,000 base salary last year and received a contract extension in spring that is slated to expire in May 2017.
"I love it here. They've given me the resources, the contract extension and all the things you need to do a good job. If in eight, nine or ten years I'm not getting it done, guess what? I should be gone. You can't sit around and just be happy to have the job. We want to build the program, build it right with the right people and players, but that does take time."
Tamira Madsen is an award-winning sportswriter who has written for the Wisconsin State Journal, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, CBSSports.com and The Sporting News. She covered the University of Wisconsin women's basketball beat for six seasons at The Capital Times.


text:
The product description on this page is more than a year old and may or may not still be available as described here. Interested FM readers should contact the product manufacturer directly or contact local foodservice distributors to check on its regional availability. Lamb Weston vegetarian-style Hand Fulls sandwiches prove you don't have to be a vegetarian to love vegetarian foods.They come in Italian Vegetable Medley and Southwest Fiesta Veggie varieties. The 5-ounce stuffed sandwiches ...
Register to view this Article
Why Register for FREE?
Registering for Premium Content on Food Management will give you INSTANT access to invaluable articles and media content that industry professionals rely on. You will have access to our special reports, feature articles, and industry analysis. It's FREE, easy and quick.


text:
Last month I wrote about five superheroes who should have gotten movies before Ant-Man, aka five superheroes who aren't Ant-Man. As you'd expect, there were some fantastic comments. Dozens of great comic book fans suggested other heroes who would also make excellent movies, because great fans understand that more people being involved in the thing you like means more fun for everyone.
With two lavender exceptions.
There were some interesting defenses of Ant-Man, which I answered on my site, and anyone with further superquestions can ask me on Twitter, because spending far too long thinking about superbattles is my actual job.
I would mock both for wearing underwear over their pants, but when working I'm not qualified in either.
In the meantime, nine more movie-perfect superheroes.
8& 9 Storm and Black Panther
The X-Men have hundreds of the most diversely powered superheroes in existence, but the only one to get his own movies is identical to every other action hero: unkillable tough guy. Wolverine's powers are wasted on cinema because John McClane could already power through more wounds than the Somme and looked far cooler doing it. The next one of the X-Men to get a movie should be Storm.
The most terrifyingly named hero in existence.
Existing metahuman movies are fun but fail to conjure superpowers beyond "hit things REALLY hard." And in the ensemble X-movies, Storm just floated around with a free Taser. Storm should be IMAX incarnate. She's a disaster movie on the side of the angels and should be scarier than seeing both at the same time. Her abilities should make her a single-person superpower, and that's not as in "flying" -- that's as in "the U.S. and China send ambassadors to be nice to her." Forget smart bombs: She's a smart apocalypse that can seek and destroy enemies with the entire sky. She's nothing less than a mutant god. She should be reshaping the world, and we should be blown away by the effects.
I would pay all the money to see this fight.
She's also one of the most storied characters in X-history, and the best arc for movies is when she was married to T'Challa, King of Wakanda, Black Panther. He has no overt superpowers. A mystical connection with a panther god gives him Olympic-level abilities, but that's still around human maximum, and kingship grants access to Wakanda's advanced armory. He's who Marvel calls when they want a mere mortal to take down a super. So he's Batman, except he lets everyone know who he is, takes public responsibility for his actions, guards an entire nation instead of a single city, and actively rules that nation instead of embezzling its profits while a board runs it for him. So he's Batman with bigger balls and a cooler animal.
"I hold off global superpowers that are jealous of our priceless natural resources. But I'm sure clowns are really hard, too."
The Black Panther movie is definitely coming, but he's been bumped into the next decade by Dr. Strange, and by then we'll need a break from the endless origin stories of "Meet another new hero!" It'll be all kinds of awesome if Ororo can bring T'Challa along. Their asymmetric powers avoid overlap, and unlike other hero-meets-hero movies, you're not left wondering why Superman doesn't just win in one single second. In fact, their whole movie dynamic puts the Batman vs. Superman posturing to shame. It's a superheroic love story that's entirely damsel-free, a movie where romance can happen during the awesome scenes instead of interrupting them, and Hollywood will finally have one man who isn't terrified by the idea of a powerful superheroine headlining a movie.
6& 7 Luke Cage and Iron Fist
Are you ready for the most ass-kicking buddy comedy of all time?
"From now on we say 'BEGINNING: A NEW ERA OF GREATNESS!' instead of 'Good morning.'"
Power Man and Iron Fist make Riggs and Murtaugh look like twin sedative addicts. Luke Cage doesn't need powers to win a fight, but skin stronger than steel is the only reason his foot hasn't eroded through sheer ass-kicking. His only curse words are "Sweet Christmas," because his actions speak louder than any words about how fucked you are, and because it's as good an estimate as any of when you'll wake up. He once single-handedly invaded Latveria to attack Doctor Doom over an unpaid invoice. He takes less shit than a drip-fed colonectomy patient. He's Marvel's best effort at creating an unpitiable human.
Spoiler: Doom totally pays up.
Danny Rand is Iron Fist. He's what happens when a billionaire learns so much kung fu that he doesn't need to bother mastering anything else. He gained powers by traveling to an interdimensional monastery town whose only industry, entertainment, and export was a martial arts tournament. His reward for winning was the chance to fight a secret kung fu dragon with his bare hands. When he won that too, he plunged those bare hands into the dragon's molten heart, making them like things of iron. You know what, Hollywood? If you must do another origin story, do that one! Why isn't that a movie? Why isn't that a video game? Why isn't that everything?
When I wrestle the dragon, it's a euphemism.
Together they are Power Man and Iron Fist: powerful enough to be kickass, not powerful enough to leave you screaming "Just throw them into the sun/use your shoulder-mounted instant kill guns!" They're already scheduled for a Marvel miniseries in a Netflix deal, but I would have been more excited about that before Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. And Arrow. And Smallville. Honestly, I would never have been excited about that. Most superhero series are documentaries on why you need a bigger budget for superhero stories. But I'm prepared to be extremely wrong (just like I was about the new RoboCop), and here's hoping the series does well enough to get one.


text:
Bears place Lance Louis on IR with knee injuryBy ANDREW SELIGMAN
The Associated Press | November 27,2012AP Photo
Chicago Bears guard Lance Louis is helped off the field by trainers during the second half of Sundays game against the Minnesota Vikings in Chicago.LAKE FOREST, Ill. The Chicago Bears will be without starting right guard Lance Louis for the rest of the season because of a left knee injury. And for that, they are not happy with Minnesotas Jared Allen.
Coach Lovie Smith took issue with the hit that knocked Louis out of Sundays win over the Vikings, calling it unnecessary.
Yes. I did, Smith said when asked if he thought the hit was unnecessary. Jared Allen plays the game a certain way, a good player in our league. I think there are some plays when you look at them again, you say, `Hey, we could have done without that. I think our game could do without that play. We have an injured player right now based on it. I think he could have gotten blocked a little bit differently, but thats about all I can probably say about it. Im sure the league will look at it and give another opinion about what they think.
The play happened after Chicagos Brandon Marshall tipped a pass from Jay Cutler. The Vikings Antoine Winfield picked it off, and as he returned the interception, Allen launched himself at Louis for a blindside hit to the head. As he fell, his knee buckled awkwardly beneath him. Louis was done for the game, and now for the season.
No penalty was called on the play, and Allen defended the hit afterward, saying he thought it was clean.
Like Smith, Bears defensive end Israel Idonije disagreed.
There have been a number of rules put in the game now that you cant hit a defenseless player, he said. Lance is clearly, his vision is downfield. Allen hits him on his blind side. At that point of the game, he could have easily (hit him) shoulder to shoulder, he could have laid him out with just using his hands to his chest. Lot of options. Lance is quick. Hes fast. But its not a situation where he was just blazing and he had to lay him out to make a saving play. He hit him that way because he chose to hit him that way. Unfortunate, because Lance has played very well for us.
Now, the Bears will have to make do without Louis after placing him on injured reserve on Monday. The team would not comment on the extent of the injury.
The Bears also lost top running back Matt Forte and star cornerback Charles Tillman to ankle injuries along with return specialist and receiver Devin Hester to a concussion. Left guard Chris Spencer also left the game with a knee injury, leaving Chicago (8-3) without its two starting guards.
Their status for this weeks game against Seattle (6-5) remained up in the air. But this much is clear: Louis is out for the rest of the season.
A seventh-round draft pick in 2009, Louis started all 11 games at right guard this season after making two starts there and 11 at right tackle a year ago.
The injuries on the line put the Bears in a tough spot.
They have capable backups for Forte and Hester in Michael Bush and Eric Weems. Tillman had his helmet on for much of the second half and didnt appear to be hurt too badly on Sunday.
But the offensive line is thin at the moment.
The Bears had already shuffled their rotation after a blowout loss at San Francisco, with Jonathan Scott replacing Gabe Carimi as the starting right tackle and Spencer moving into the lineup after Chilo Rachal left the team.
The Bears signed guard Chris Riley to the practice squad and promoted James Brown to the 53-man roster last week.
Online: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/APNFLMORE IN Wire SportsSTATE COLLEGE, Pa. Full StoryFOXBOROUGH, Mass. Full StoryCOLUMBUS, Ohio Now that the suspense is over and Ohio State has secured a spot in the College... Full Story
- Most Popular
- Most Emailed


text:
Ever wanted to make maple syrup? Maple Sugaring days are being held at different places around the state (check michigan.org for info) and today, Craig Kasmer from Hartwick Pines State Park answered some questions about this fun family activity.
Q: For somebody that is new to the idea, what is Maple Sugaring?
A: Firstly (and basically), Maple Sugaring is another term used to describe the process of making maple syrup. That is, boiling maple sap, which evaporates the water molecules leaving one with a more concentrated sugar-rich liquid:syurp. There is however a product called maple sugar, which is created when the syrup is boiled down further (a laborious and difficult task) until the sugar particles crystallize, making maple sugar. But maple sugaring does not refer to the process of making maple sugar.
Q: How do you get maple syrup from a tree?
A: Maple sap is obtained from a maple tree (ALL species of maple trees produce sap it's just that sugar maples have the most sugar content in the sap). A hole is drilled into the tree, a tap or spile (pronounced spy-el) is pounded into the hole. The spile is a hollow metal tube that more or less directs the sap towards a bucket that is hung on a hook that is fitted onto the spile. It sounds strange but this hook is important. If you pound the spile into the hole before fitting the metal hook over the end of the spile, there is no way to hang the bucket. Simple concept but an important step.
Q: Do Michigan trees produce a lot of maple syrup?
A: Just like any other agricultural product "Made in Michigan", maple syrup production is weather dependent. Ideally, sap will flow best on days that are warm (45 degrees) and nights that are below freezing. Last year was an exceptional and record-breaking year for Michigan sap/syrup production when we produced 123,000 million gallons of the sweet stuff! If the daytime temperature stays cool but above freezing (33-39 degrees), the sap will flow but not as readily. Sunny days are better than cloudy days for increased sap production because the sunlight will hit the trunk of the tree, warming the tree and encouraging the sap (that is stored in the tree's root system during the winter) to be drawn up the trunk towards the top or crown of the tree.
Q: What can people expect to see at the Maple Sugaring Days?
A: At our Maple Syrup Day Event, we will be offering several tree tapping demonstrations throughout the day and the sap that we have been collecting will be boiling down in our evaporating pan. We also have several maple syruping DVDS that will be shown in our auditorium throughout the day. In our classroom, there are several activity pages for kids to enjoy (crossword puzzles, word searches, coloring pages) and they will be able to make their own paper "mokuk", which is a sap collecting vessel used by the Native Americans. The original mokuks were made of birch bark, and tied with tree roots (versus using string) and coated with stick pine sap to seal the container.
Q: Where can people go to learn more about Maple Sugaring?
A: My suggestion on where to go to get more information on starting your own sugar bush (tapped maple trees used to make maple syrup) is to contact your local MSU Extension Office. There are several different bulletins on how to get started and what kinds of tools and equipment are needed. I have no specific web site that we use; we've learned most of what we know simply by doing it.


text:
GM's recall crisis has taken a big chunk out of its first quarter profit.
The automaker said today the cost of repairing millions of vehicles would come to $1.3-billion.
Add in some accounting charges and the company was left with only $108-million in profit for the first three months of the year.
Sales of GM models have not been hurt by the recalls. Revenue increased one percent and the number of vehicles sold rose two percent.
Copyright 2016 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


text:
Resilience in BarreOctober 13,2012
Thursday night's forum at the Vermont Granite Museum was not only just a show of support for the facility at the entrance to the city, it was yet another indicator that the momentum that has built in Barre over the last few years is rolling at full steam.
Museum and city officials who called the meeting were overwhelmed by the show of support. Nearly 100 people turned out (on a night when politics and baseball could have kept folks at home) to offer ideas on how to best make the museum the hallmark of Barre's rich story and an economic engine for the region.
Even when board member Bob Pope asked the crowd to offer criticisms or raise concerns about the museum, which has been used sporadically over the last 10 years, the audience instead offered constructive criticism. They urged the board not to give up on the city's dream to have a museum in the old Jones Brothers shed. They advised them to raise money in order to hire a staff to chase grants, solicit investors and market and promote the museum. They urged the board and the city to pursue partnerships across the board – with schools, other museums, social clubs, communities and the business community – to push forward on ways to promote and market "Barre's story" and the Stone Arts School, which remains the most active part of the restored structure, which now is on the National Register of Historic Places.
They even encouraged museum leaders to figure out tangible ways to use the open space adjacent to the museum to draw citizens and visitors to the area, either through a bike path, a walking area, a sculpture garden and other outdoor uses. The museum is the largest land owner along the proposed bike path for the city.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the crowd reminded city and museum leaders that the museum fits perfectly into the long list of assets already gracing the Granite City. In fact it is key, they said. With the right push, the right plan to get the museum up and sustainable, Barre could easily be a destination location built on granite.
Tourism experts say you need 10 things to make your community a destination. Barre can list off 15 or more without breaking a sweat. All of them have ties to the heritage, uniqueness and history of our city. The Vermont Granite Museum, with continued support and encouragement, can be the showplace and the showpiece for all of the assets we know, love and appreciate.
Barre's momentum is commendable. Discussions, like the one Thursday night, signal greatness, optimism, generosity and resilience. Clearly, despite bumps, hardships and economic factors that have been out of most people's control, citizens here are no longer feeling down on their city. They are once again holding their heads high, and taking the utmost pride in where they come from, what they do, and where they are going.
When the museum opens year-round, and tour buses and school buses are lining the parking lot, and visitors are coming from across the globe to see how granite built a community and that community left its mark across the world, the renaissance of Barre and its citizens' strength of character will be part of that story we must tell.MORE IN EditorialsProtesters converged on a bank in Montpelier early this week to show their solidarity with the... Full StoryPhil Scott will take office next month after winning with a margin of 51.11 percent to 43. Full StoryIdeologues and partisans work from the outcome backward. Full Story
- Most Popular
- Most Emailed


text:
Be a part of a unique online community that connects post production professionals and film academics worldwide.
You'll have access to personalize your news feed, access to Live Post Talks and much more. Contribute to the community by posting interesting post production content.
April 20, 2011, 12:16 pm
I am an Avid girl, there should be no question about that. With all the chatter going on about the impending release of FCPX, I decided to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard as it were) and express my feelings for Avid in sonnet form. I thereby bring to you forthwith.... Ode to Avid. Enjoy!
December 8, 2016, 7:59 pm
It's been a VFX season dominated by giants in a range of superhero, sci-fi and action-adventures. They include Mark Rylance's 25-foot dream catcher in "The BFG," Christopher Walken's King Louie in "The Jungle Book," the heptapods from "Arrival," the 7-foot K-2SO droid from "Rogue One" and the Moon Beast and Skeleton from "Kubo and the Two Strings."
December 8, 2016, 1:24 pm
You walk into a local multiplex a few minutes after the lights have dimmed. You find your seat to the first trailer, some confection involving superheroes or zombies. As the light flickers over you, strings churn from the speakers, interrupted at certain intervals by a massive blast of indistinguishable brass, like an alphorn next to an amplifier.
December 8, 2016, 10:39 am
"When you have a balance of men and women, there are all sorts of things that enter into the discussion," says the president of the company behind the female-led 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' and upcoming 'Rogue One.'
December 8, 2016, 10:39 am
BURLINGTON, Mass., Dec. 08, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avid® (Nasdaq:AVID) today announced significant improvements to its on-air graphics and video solution for broadcast, Maestro 7.2. As part of Avid's commitment to offering the most comprehensive tools and workflow solutions to create, distribute and optimize media, Maestro 7.2 gives broadcasters the industry-leading graphics tool they need to distinguish their stories with high-quality, engaging and immersive graphics. Tighter integration with the Avid MediaCentral® Platform—the industry's most open, tightly integrated and efficient platform designed for media—delivers superior workflow integration, boosting broadcaster's operational efficiency.
December 8, 2016, 10:39 am
We address the challenge of efficiently rendering massive assemblies of grains within a forward path-tracing framework. Previous approaches exist for accelerating high-order scattering for a limited, and static, set of granular materials, often requiring scene-dependent pre-computation. We significantly expand the admissible regime of granular materials by considering heterogeneous and dynamic granular mixtures with spatially varying grain concentrations, pack rates, and sizes.
December 8, 2016, 5:40 am
A look back on 5 seasons worth of VFX for "Arrow" in celebration of its 100th episode.
December 8, 2016, 5:39 am
Ben Fox takes you through a step by step example of using advanced displacement techniques for Houdini materials. For a more detailed breakdown and a step by step guide head over to Gridmarkets and read the full article.
December 8, 2016, 5:39 am
STUDIO CITY, CA -- The Motion Picture Sound Editors professional org is set to honor Guillermo del Toro with its annual Filmmaker Award. The acclaimed director of such films as Hellboy (2004), Pan's Labyrinth (2006), Pacific Rim (2013), Crimson Peak (2015) and the forthcoming The Shape of Water is being recognized for his outstanding contributions to the art of cinema. He will receive the award at the MPSE Golden Reel Awards ceremony February 19th in Los Angeles.
December 8, 2016, 5:39 am
Continuing to broaden its East Coast footprint, FuseFX has added two veteran visual effects supervisors to its New York team. Jeff Wozniak brings experience in both television and features -- including Star Trek, Transformers and The Avengers -- across an entertainment industry career dating back to 1994. He is supervising visual effects production for two new series, Bull (CBS) and The Son (AMC), as well as the Amazon Studios feature The Wall.
December 7, 2016, 5:09 pm
Gimpville have released the VFX breakdown about their work on LEAGUE OF GODS...
Joe Walker joins Gordon to discuss the editing of Denis Villeneuve's film Arrival. They focus on Time and manipulating t ...
Gordon sits down with Steven Rosenblum to discuss the editing of Birth of a Nation. They talk about lack of footage and how t ...
Gordon sits down with Zack Arnold, founder of FitnessinPost.com, about his new project, Optimize Yourself. This new program i ...
Choose what Post News gets sent directly to your E-Mail, daily or weekly.
Get your post news on your favourite Apple device, when you want it where you want it.
Get your post news on your favourite Android device with the AOTG Android App.


text:
"Internet Purchases Only"
"Not a Retail Store Stock Item"
This item is viewable at our retail store in LEXINGTON, KY. It may be on display and is
available for immediate purchase and pick-up.
**Mouse over image above to zoom any area, or click on image to zoom the entire image.
*Please Note!! Many of our pictures are stock photos provided to us by the manufacturer and do not necessarily represent the actual item being purchased. Please verify this picture accurately reflects the product described by the title and description on this page before you place your order.
The Redi-Pak includes a starter kit with most shooting and cleaning
accessories needed for muzzleloading. (No Primers or Powders)
The Tracker™ 209 provides you with the features of a higher end model
at a modest price. A one piece 209 breech plug is installed for a
reliable, super hot ignition. The breech has a powerful spring loaded
bolt that provides a fast lock time to ignite the 209 shotgun primer
with up to 150 grains of powder. The knurled end cap removes easily for
quick "end of the day" cleaning. A performance barrel is drilled and
tapped for scope mounting, and has a 1:28" rifling twist, giving you
superb accuracy at longer distances. The barrel is mated to a well
balanced, rugged synthetic stock that will stand up to all hunting
conditions. The Lite Optic adjustable sights allow for optimum sighting
in low light conditions.
Tracker™ Features:
Gun Accessories, Ammunition, Gun Safes, Handguns, Left Hand Guns, Youth Guns, Reserves, Rifles, Shotguns, Scopes / Optics, Gun Closeouts, Factory Certified Guns, Used Guns, MAP, Bud's Mobile
A A & E Leathercraft, ADCO International, Advanced Technology, Aearo Company, Aimshot, Aimtech Mount Systems, Alexander Arms, Allen Company, Aluma Sport, Beretta, Browning, CZ USA, Leupold, Remington, Ruger, Savage Arms, Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Taurus Handguns, The American Outdoorsman, ULTRADOT DISTRIBUTION,
Uncle Mike's Michaels of Orego, US FIREARMS, USA MAGAZINES, VANGUARD USA
Copyright © 2003-2016 Budsgunshop.com. All Rights Reserved. (CW2)
Register now


text:
On this day (March 4) in 1801, Thomas Jefferson took an oath, administered by his distant cousin Federalist Chief Justice John Marshall, to "faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States," thus becoming the third chief executive of the young American Republic.
This inaugural was the first held in Washington, D.C., and also was the first time in U.S. history when there was a transfer of power, without violence and bloodshed, from one political party (Federalist) to another (Republican).
The Election of 1800 was one of the most confusing and contentious of the 57 presidential elections in American history. This confusion and contention was caused in part by the fact that electoral votes for president and vice president were not listed on separate ballots, which resulted in each elector (there were 138 electors and therefore 276 electoral votes cast in 1800) casting his two votes without designating them for president or vice president.
In the election of 1800, electors were selected in the 16 states between April 29 and Nov. 19. Then, on Dec. 3, electors cast their votes, usually in the state capital. Finally on Feb. 11, 1801, the electoral votes received from the various states were tabulated in the unfinished Capitol building before a joint session of Congress.
Interestingly, the sitting Vice President Thomas Jefferson, as presiding officer of the Senate, officiated over the counting of electoral votes in an election in which he was one of the two leading presidential candidates.
The final official electoral vote was Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, 73; Aaron Burr of New York,73; John Adams of Massachusetts, 65; Charles Cotesworth Pinckney of South Carolina, 64; and John Jay of New York, 1.
According to the Constitution, such electoral ties were to be decided by the House of Representatives, in which each state delegation would have one vote. Finally, on Feb. 17, on the 36th ballot, the House voted – 10 states for Jefferson, four for Burr, and two making no choice – to elect Jefferson president and Burr vice president.
The elections of 1800 and 1824 have been the only two that have been decided in the House of Representatives. Happily, the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (ratified in 1804) corrected the ambiguity and confusion of the 1800-1801 electoral voting by establishing the system still followed of providing for the separate balloting by presidential electors for president and vice president.
On this Wednesday (March 4, 1801), the 57 year old president-elect Jefferson awoke early, soaked his feet in a tub of cold water (a ritual that he had long practiced every morning "to promote good health"), and made the short walk from Conrad and McMunn's boarding house to the Capitol to be sworn in as president and to deliver his inaugural address.
In his conciliatory address, he declared famously that, "Every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. ... We are Republicans, we are all Federalists." His first inaugural address became a blueprint for his largely successful two terms as president.
Jefferson later referred to the election of 1800 as "the Revolution of 1800." However, although claiming to be an advocate of "small, non-intrusive government," Jefferson, as chief executive, actually expanded presidential powers, as every president has since Washington.
In Jefferson's case, It often has been asserted that he used Hamiltonian means (i.e., strong executive leadership) to achieve Jeffersonian ends (i.e., individual liberty and freedom). Whether this assertion is true or not, Thomas Jefferson now is canonized as the apostle of American freedom.
• Crystal Lake resident Joseph C. Morton is professor emeritus at Northeastern Illinois University. Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
The Mill Valley Art Commission invites you to join us at one of our premier events, the First Tuesday Artwalk. On the First Tuesday of every month, between 6:00 and and 8:00 pm, we invite you to take a stroll through town to view exciting exhibits featuring a wide range of art by local artists. Participating venues are listed on the Art Commission page.
**Please note - Artist Reception at the Mill Valley Community Center will be on Tuesday, March 4th 6pm-8pmClick here for the March First Tuesday ArtWalk Guide.
"Picking Flowers" by Jeff Neuberger Exhibited at the Mill Valley Community Center
"Untitled" by Sam Francis Exhibited at Robert Green Fine Arts
Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.
Site Map
| Privacy Policy & Disclaimer
| Contact Us
Mill Valley City Hall: 26 Corte Madera Avenue | Mill Valley, CA 94941 | City Hall Phone: (415)388-4033 | City Hall Fax: (415)381-1736
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon; 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.; Closed Alternate Fridays
© 2016 City of Mill Valley | Webmaster | Website developed by Vision Internet


text:
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 4-ounce cup
Calories 96
Total Fat 1 g
Saturated Fat less than 1 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 4 mg
Ingredients and Preparation
Honey Orange Sauce
Ingredients Measures
Large mango, peeled and diced 1
Fresh blueberries 2 cups
Bananas, sliced 2
Fresh strawberries, halved 2 cups
Seedless grapes 2 cups
Nectarines, unpeeled and sliced 2
Kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced 1
Ingredients Measures
Unsweetened orange juice 1/3 cup
Lemon juice 2 tablespoons
Honey 1½ tablespoons
Ground ginger ¼ teaspoon
Dash of nutmeg
- Prepare the fruit.
- Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and mix.
- Just before serving, pour honey orange sauce over the fruit.


text:
Radio Channel: WPAQ - 740 AM Mount Airy, NC
Frequency: 740 AM
Country: USA North Carolina
Genre: Bluegrass
Status: Live
Description: WPAQ - 740 AM Mount Airy, NC Live Radio - Listen Online
WPAQ - 740 AM Mount Airy, NC - Live Radio Online
Radio Tips:
Sometimes the Radio takes time to load. If it does not load, give it a few minutes and click "refresh" on your browser.
If the Radio is extremely choppy and stops every 5 seconds, try listen to this Radio at different time.
Not all Radio Stations function for 24 hours everyday. If you can't listen to any Radio, try to listen at diffrent time as the Radio Station may stop during midnight according to its own country time zone.


text:
Home List of Titles Additional enhancement in surface-enhanced Raman scattering due to excitation geometry
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/217403
|Download PDF (Published version) (Adobe Acrobat PDF, 774 KB)
- Title
- Additional enhancement in surface-enhanced Raman scattering due to excitation geometry
- Author(s)
- Rosa, Lorenzo; Jayawardhana, Sasani; Juodkazis, Saulius; Stoddart, Paul R.
- Abstract
- It is well known that surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates based on metal island films exhibit higher levels of enhancement when excited through a transparent base material than when excited directly through air. However, to our knowledge, the origin of this enhancement has never been satisfactorily explained. An initial suggestion that the additional enhancement was due to a 'nearest layer effect' cannot account for the observation of additional enhancement for monolayer adsorbates. In this paper, finite difference time domain (FDTD) modelling is presented to show that the electric field intensity in between metal particles at the interface is higher for 'far-side' excitation. This is reasonably consistent with the observed enhancement for silver islands on SiO2. The modelling results are in agreement with a simple physical model based on Fresnel reflection at the interface. This suggests that the additional enhancement is due to a near-field enhancement of the electric field due to the phase shift at the dielectric interface, when the light passes from the higher to the lower region of refractive index.
- Publication type
- Conference paper
- Research centre
- Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences. Centre for Micro-Photonics
- Research centre
- Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences
- Source
- Proceedings of the 3rd Asia Pacific Optical Sensors Conference, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 31 January-03 February 2012 / John Canning and Gang-Ding Peng (eds.), Vol. 8351, paper no. 83511T
- Publication year
- 2012
- Keyword(s)
- Finite difference time domain; Fresnel reflection; Surface-enhanced Raman scattering
- Publisher
- 0277-786X (series ISSN)
- Publisher URL
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2012 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. This paper was originally published in Proceedings of SPIE (Vol. 8351), and is available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.915963. The published version is reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic electronic or print reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited.
- Research Projects
- Full text
- Peer reviewed


text:
Awesome Sunset on Tug Hill
By: willisclan9Subscribe Channel: Weather Location: Lowville, NY
1 Comment
This story is inappropriate and should be flagged for moderation. Please choose from one of the following options:
You have indicated this comment should be removed.
The comment has been submitted for review. Thank you .
says ... on Tuesday, Dec 28 at 9:00 AM
Would look better without turbines!57975938
Inappropriate? Alert Us!


text:
ECS | CeRTS | IWAS | Teachers
| Students | Administrators
| Student Assessment
| IL Learning Standards
| Programs | Forms
| Glossary Skip
over navigation
For Immediate Release
October 16, 2006
SPRINGFIELD – As part of National Bus Safety Week,
Oct. 15-21, Illinois is joining school districts statewide
and school bus industry officials nationwide in stressing
the importance of school bus safety and education.
"Although school buses are the safest way for
students to get to and from school, we always want to
minimize any risk—no matter how small—of
our students getting injured," said State Superintendent
of Schools Randy Dunn. "By observing School Bus
Safety Week throughout Illinois, we have the opportunity
to call attention to the fact that our students are at
the most risk especially when they are getting on or
off the school bus."
Celebrated the third week of October each year, School
Bus Safety Week promotes awareness and education on the
local and state level through poster and speech contests,
school bus safety community toolkits and events. School
districts throughout Illinois will be hosting activities
for parents, children and teachers to highlight the importance
of school bus safety both on and off the school bus.
The theme for School Bus Safety Week 2006 – I
See the Driver – The Driver Sees Me – emphasizes
the importance and benefits of school bus driver training
and encourages students across the country to obey school
bus safety rules while waiting at the bus stop and getting
on and off the school bus each day.
In Illinois, more than 1.1 million students ride the
school bus daily. Across the nation, 25 million children
ride the school bus each day. Nationwide, an average
of 33 school-age children die in school-bus-related traffic
crashes each year. Most of the children killed are pedestrians,
five to seven years old.
School Bus Safety Week was established in 1966 by the
National Association of Pupil Transportation, National
Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation
Services National School Transportation Association and
supported by the NHTSA. The goal is to educate students,
parents and the motoring public about the safety of our
nation's children who are transported daily on
yellow school buses. This week also recognizes the hard
work and dedication of school professionals, especially
the school bus drivers who ensure a safe journey for
our children each and every day.
The American School Bus Council offers the following
tips for school bus riders:
For more information about bus safety and School Bus
Safety Week, visit ISBE's school bus safety section
online at http://www.isbe.net/funding/html/bus_safety.htm;
or the National Association of Pupil Transportation's
web site at www.napt.org.
Illinois State Board of Education
100 North First Street
Springfield, IL 62777


text:
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
In which I watch The Hobbit and contract an earworm
I've come to the conclusion that there is nothing more gently torturous in life than a persistent and pervasive earworm. I've come to this conclusion because, for several days, I have been victim of an earworm that's so persistent and pervasive that I would be surprised if it wasn't covered by the UN Convention.
Possibly unwisely following the amount of mulled wine consumed at a party the previous evening, The Writer and I hauled ourselves out of bed at sparrow fart on Sunday morning (ok, fine. 8.30am. It felt like an ungodly hour, though) to head to a preview screening of The Hobbit.
There are people far more qualified than I to give proper reviews, but for what it's worth, I think the film is a solid 4 out of 5 stars. It's half an hour too long and could have done with a good edit, and the whizzy new way it's been filmed makes the indoor sets look a bit cheap and nasty (think BBC teatime versions of Narnia back in the 80s). That said, the acting is very good; it feels suitably epic; and, well, it's just good fun, which is FAR more than can be said of some films I've seen recently (yes, I'm looking at you, The Master and Smashed. Shame on you).
But what's really stayed with me in rather an unpleasant way, like a particularly potent aftertaste of garlic, is the score. It's all beautiful and full of sweeping strings and everything, and Howard Shore is a genius, and yadda yadda yadda. But bugger me, it's a sticky little theme, isn't it?
Since we walked out of the cinema on Sunday lunchtime, I've had one of two things lodged firmly in my brain: either the main theme itself (der, der-der der, der-der derrrr) or the one from the Shire (dum-de dum dum dum dum duuum, dum de dum der dum dum duuuuum de-de-dum). Both have clearly decided they like their surroundings: they seem to be in the middle of unpacking their belongings and signing long-term tenancy agreements, showing absolutely no signs of going anywhere any time soon.
After the film had finished, we went for (a frankly disappointing) lunch at French and Grace afterwards, where I hummed through a halloumi wrap. I wandered around Tesco later to inner visuals of green hobbit holes, and I whistled under my breath. Even listening to Frank Sinatra crooning Christmas classics as I baked a test batch of Christmas cookies that afternoon (conclusion: needs more ginger) didn't shift the musical squatters. And it's getting worse.
Much to TW's amusement, I hum the tunes in the shower without realising. He's not helping matters by pouncing on me whilst I'm doing my make-up or cooking and asking, "oh, how does the Lord of the Rings theme go, again?", thus cementing the damned thing in my brain for at least the rest of the day.
I've tried not thinking about it; I've tried humming along in the hope it'll burn itself out; I've tried listening to other suitably catchy songs in an attempt to oust the buggers (Walking in a Winter Wonderland is as close as I've come to anything vaguely effective). But nothing works, and I'm going slightly mad.
Dum-de dum dum dum dum duuum…
Posted by Blonde at 12:30
3 comments:
- Rachael madeupoflittlethings said...
'The Monster Mash' does this to me without fail every time I even think of it. Great. Here I go again ...
PS I loved those Sunday teatime Narnias! xx
- 11 December 2012 at 21:55
- Mila said...
Welcome to Nerdville! In other words, I can't believe you've seen the Hobbit before me. I'm going tonight and can't wait. Du duu du du duuuuuuuuuu...
- 13 December 2012 at 09:00
- Blonde said...
Rachel: Oh, god, that must be a nightmare. Sorry... (And so did I. The White Witch scared me witless, though.)
Mila: Hah, thanks! The benefits of having a journo boyfriend are plentiful where new film releases are concerned. (I should point out that there are other benefits too, obviously, before I get told off.)
- 13 December 2012 at 12:36
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Wordsmith Talk
|About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us
You are not logged in. [Log In] Wordsmith.org » Forums » (Old) Weekly themes. (have been consolidated into a single forum above) » Animal Safari » Cape Buffaloed Register User Forum List Calendar Active Topics Search FAQ
Topic Options
#63832 - 04/04/02 07:03 PM Cape Buffaloed
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 6296
Loc: Piedmont Region of Virginia, U...
I saw a nature show about starving lions that were salivating over a herd of Cape buffaloes. When the poor hungry lions finally impounded the buffalo-to-become-dinner, one lion grabbed the buffalo by the nose till the beast succumbed.
This made me think of how the occasionally recalcitrant horse at the barn would be quieted by grabbing hold of its nostrils with a tool that I cannot remember the name of for the life of me.
Can anyone supply here the name of the tool?
Beast regards,
#63833 - 04/14/02 09:41 AM Re: Cape Buffaloed
old hand
Registered: 11/13/00
Posts: 866
Loc: Perth, Western Australia
....realized my response under ostrich belonged here......
It's a "twitch".
A loop of leather or heavy twine/light rope attached to a length of heavy dowel (or a sawn off bit of broom handle).
The poor nag's top lip is caught in the loop and the whole device is rotated - as one does with a tourniquet. It must be very painful - the horse freezes and will do whatever you want.
#63834 - 04/14/02 11:21 AM Re: Cape Buffaloed
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 6296
Loc: Piedmont Region of Virginia, U...
Ah, Stales, thank you, thank you for reviving with accuracy my memory! I saw that lion grasp the cape buffalo by the nose and remembered, inaccruately the twitch at the horse's nose--but it was the lower lip. Yes!
Twitch at the lip--short 'i'--think I've got it cemented now in a firm place in my brain.
Beast regards,
#63835 - 04/14/02 01:55 PM Re: Cape Buffaloed
old hand
Registered: 11/13/00
Posts: 866
Loc: Perth, Western Australia
Got this from http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/docs/as15300.html
"If at any time the horse needs to be restrained, and tying is not enough, there are different methods to choose from. If the chain from the lead shank, over the nose, does not work, then a twitch is most commonly used. A twitch may be applied to the upper lip, the ear, or even the lower lip. Many different types of twitches are available, the most popular being a long handle with a loop of chain or rope at one end. To apply the twitch, place fingers through the loop at the end of the twitch, grasp the upper lip with your fingers, pull it through the loop, and twist the handle until you get a firm but gentle hold on the lip. Do not place it too high, because it will interfere with breathing or too low which will cause pain. Tighten it only if the horse acts up and loosen it as soon as it becomes manageable.
Do not use the twitch to move the horse around. A twitch should not be left on for more than 15 minutes at a time. If left on longer, numbness, or in extreme cases, permanent nerve damage may occur.
Assuming the twitches are placed and used correctly, they provide an effective and harmless method of restraint."
Me 'n' the nags of the world still reckon they are instruments of torture - why else would such bloody great animals instantly become meek and mild?
#63836 - 04/14/02 05:14 PM Re: Cape Buffaloed
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 6296
Loc: Piedmont Region of Virginia, U...
Instrument of torture? Mebbe not. Mebbe it's more like acupunchorseture... You hit a pressure point that the horse ain't used to thinkin' about--it surprises the horse--and, yeah, leave it on too long, you've got problems. I mean, horses think food is supposed to go into that place--and the horse, he's thinkin', "This shore am strange food. I cain't taste it, and it's not comin' in. What izz this food doin' there kinda stingin' me like Vietnamese hot pot?" And the horse, he jes' keeps on thinkin' about this immovable feast, wonderin' when it's gonna come in, jes' plain pushed past his horse sense treshhold...and you, you git done what needs gittin' done.
That's my take on it.
Buffaloed regards no more,
Moderator: Jackie
Forum Stats 8965 Members
16 Forums
13869 Topics
222499 Posts
Max Online: 3341 @ 12/09/11 02:15 PM
Newest Members thedesertsimmom, LostAuthor, Joe_Lee, David_Lee, soulsurvivor
8965 Registered Users
Who's Online 0 registered (), 35 Guests and 4 Spiders online. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters (30 Days)
wofahulicodoc 48 LukeJavan8 33 may2point0 27 delirium 4 DavidLaurence 1 Curtis 1
Top Posters
wwh 13858 Faldage 13803 Jackie 11613 tsuwm 10538 LukeJavan8 8532 Buffalo Shrdlu 7210 wofahulicodoc 6930 AnnaStrophic 6511 Wordwind 6296 of troy 5400
Board Rules · Mark all read Contact Us · Wordsmith.org · Top
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.
Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat
© 1994-2016 Wordsmith


text:
Community invited to free D&E welcome-back events
Davis & Elkins College students return to campus this weekend, and the community is invited to help welcome them back with an interactive comedy show on Saturday night and a family-fun concert and carnival, complete with fireworks, on Sunday night. Both events are free.
Face Off Unlimited's "Special First Night at D&E" promises a "non-stop comedy thrill ride" as it takes improvisation to another level. The show begins at 8 p.m. Saturday in Myles Center for the Arts Harper-McNeeley Auditorium.
The comedy show features live music and poetry, physical comedy and plenty of audience interaction. By getting three suggestions from the audience at points throughout the show, Face Off demonstrates how all things, no matter how seemingly different, are actually connected.
The show will also feature Davis & Elkins alumnus and Elkins native Jay Painter, co-owner, creative director and performer of Face Off Unlimited. Painter graduated magna cum laude from D&E in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in theater arts. In 2002, Painter and Eric Robinson co-founded "Friday Night Face Off," which is now the longest-running improv show on Long Island.
"They always put on a high-energy show," says D&E Vice President for Student Affairs Scott Goddard. "We'd like to see a lot of people come out to enjoy this."
On Sunday, the Davis & Elkins Student Life Office and Campus Activities Board present the annual Last Night of Summer Carnival at the Outdoor Amphitheatre.
"This was a great event last year, and it's a follow-up of years past," Goddard says. "It's a nice event for the students and the community to come together to welcome the students back for the official academic year."
Three hours of entertainment will take place from 8-11 p.m. with carnival-style games and food, music by Radio Tokyo and a spectacular fireworks display that will light up the sky at approximately 9 p.m.
Hailing from Pittsburgh, Radio Tokyo performs pop, modern rock and hip-hop covers.
"It's music everyone will know and can dance to," Goddard says.
The celebration serves as a lead-in to the week ahead when students begin classes on Monday.


text:
Shake "n" Bake
Races, tracks, drivers and all the drama that comes along with it
6 posts • Page 1 of 1
Re: Shake "n" Bake
u gotta bake it, before you can shake it..............
I miss you Frehley........
Re: Shake "n" Bake
MJ..I've seen you shake it many a time.....let jeffwheeler shake it and bake it if he wants.
Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid-John Wayne
Re: Shake "n" Bake
Where there's Smoke, there's fire!
Re: Shake "n" Bake
Do something with your life and go get me a beer.
Re: Shake "n" Bake
Here I always thought it was shake it but don't break it !
6 posts • Page 1 of 1
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests


text:
Learn how to create, format, share, and print a wide variety of documents in Word 2016.
All Courses
- Business (25)
- Word Processing
- Productivity (9)
- Education + Elearning (7)
- Student Tools (7)
- Teacher Tools (7)
- Spreadsheets (5)
- Presentations (4)
- Computer Skills (Mac) (3)
- Email (3)
- Home + Small Office (3)
- Note Taking (3)
- Computer Skills (Windows) (2)
- Databases (2)
- Communication (1)
- Web Conferencing (1)
- Writing (1)
- Microsoft (16)
- Word (8)
- Corel (5)
- WordPerfect (5)
- Word for Mac (4)
- Office (3)
- Evernote (2)
- Apple (1)
- Dragon Dictation (1)
- Dragon NaturallySpeaking Home (1)
- Dragon NaturallySpeaking Premium (1)
- Excel (1)
- Nuance (1)
- Office 365 (1)
- Pages (1)
Skill level
- Beginner (24)
- Intermediate (8)
- Advanced (7)
- Appropriate for all (39)
More options
Learn about the suite-wide enhancements in Office 2016 and Office 365, as well as program-specific new features in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Learn how to create, format, share, and print a wide variety of documents in the Office 365 version of Word.
Learn how to create, format, collaborate on, and print a wide variety of documents in Microsoft Word for Mac 2016.
Learn how to create, format, collaborate on, and print a wide variety of documents in the Office 365 for Mac version of Microsoft Word.
Learn to harness the power of Evernote, the popular cloud-based note-taking and note-sharing tool.
Learn how to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking, the leading speech-recognition software, for everything from dictating text to controlling your PC.
Get a new Microsoft Office tip every Tuesday. Take a five-minute break to improve your productivity and efficiency.
Ensure that everyone can access, use, and benefit from your Microsoft Office documents by implementing these accessibility best practices from David Rivers.
Make your documents stunning with Pages, Apple's powerful word processing and page layout application.
Harness the power of Evernote for Windows, a popular cloud note-taking and note-sharing tool that surpasses paper notepads in every way, shape, and form.
Take a look at suite-wide enhancements like cloud integration, Touch Mode, PDF editing, and Ribbon customization, as well as individual app improvements added to Office 2013.
Teaches you the basics of working with documents in Word 2013, from creating and editing to formatting text.
Make a smooth transition to Word 2011, Microsoft's word processor for the Mac.
Walks through the switch to Word 2010 and the key differences users need to understand.
Explains the benefits of switching from Word 2003 to Word 2007 and the key differences users need to understand.
Demonstrates efficient methods of formatting entire documents and making changes to specific sections and pages.
Instructor David Rivers demonstrates the new and important features in each of the WordPerfect Office X4 applications.
Covers everything from interface basics to professional presentations.
Examines the important features of Word 2008 for Mac, from creating a document to printing and collaborating.
Extensive coverage of Word 2007's features for those new to the program or to this version.
Learn many essential techniques in WordPerfect, Quattro Pro, Presentations, and WordPefect Mail.
Teaches how to create a wide variety of documents, from simple letters to complex documents for publishing.
Shows how to use WordPerfect 12's features to create a wide variety of documents.
Learn Word essentials, including text formatting, styles, Find/Replace, proofing, shared workspaces, printing, importing graphics, and templates.
"I was pulling my hair out worrying about how I was going to afford classes. Then I found lynda.com. Thank you, thank you, thank you." —Lynn H.
more from our members »


text:
By Mail: 216 Technology Suite E Irvine, California 92618 USA
E-mail: [email protected] | Phone: 866-PUREFIT (866-787-3348)
Main: (949) 679-7997 | Fax: (949) 679-7998
If you order from PureFit directly either by telephone, or via online at www.purefit.com, we offer an 100% money back guarantee. If, for any reason, you are not 100% satisfied with your PureFit order, you can arrange for a full refund for any unused product. You must contact us within 30 days upon receipt of your order. Your also must obtain a "Return Authorization". If you need to return your unused order, PureFit does not issue a refund for the shipping and handling on either shipment. The reason we do not pay for you to return a flavor you don't like is because we offer a sample kit for only $14.95. This allows you to try all 7 flavors before buying a box. If, under the rare circumstance, we actually send you the wrong order, of course we will make it right. You are not responsible for sending the bars back. We will either issue a call tag, or allow you to keep the order. Please note that if you purchase PureFit bars from any other retailer, including online retailers, we are not responsible for handling their potential returns or exchanges. You can contact us at [email protected] for any of the above concerns or issues. The bottom line is this; PureFit stands behind our products 100%.


text:
Mr. Barter was born April 29, 1949, in Butler, Ala., to Maxine Elizabeth (Thompson) and Paul S. Barter. He was an iron worker for Brown & Root.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Maxine Barter; and three brothers, Bobby Barter, Tony Barter and Danny Barter.
Survivors include his companion, Dolores Campbell of Three Rivers; two daughters, Michele (Danny) Greer of Comfort and Tanya Giddings of Austin; a son, Jason (Sharon) Barter of Boerne; 10 grandchildren, Coyne, Christian, Creed, Tyler, Maisie, Ella-Raie, Jacqueline, Madison, Sophia and Raif; one great-grandchild; two brothers, Steve (Elaine) Barter of Beeville and Mike (Kim) Barter of Fritch; two sisters, Wanda McNelly of Fort Worth and Theresa White of Sandia; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Galloway & Sons Funeral Home in Three Rivers. A graveside service was conducted at 2 o'clock that afternoon at the Three Rivers Cemetery with Pastor Tim Stowe officiating.
Galloway & Sons Funeral Home, Three Rivers


text:
Captain Meredith Magnus is a registered nurse working at the VA Medical Center in Tomah. She is also commander of the 911th Forward Surgical Medical Unit of the Army Reserve based in Madison.
Meredith works tirelessly in her service for her country and for her patients at the VA. She goes above and beyond what is asked of her in order to help her patients and others around her, including opening her home to people who are coming to the area for training at Fort McCoy.
Her kindness, generosity, dedication and service to both her country and her patients make Captain Meredith Magnus a true Everyday Hero. Heroes Bar and Grill and News 8 are proud to recognize her as June's Everyday Hero.


text:
Self said the school district wants to finish work begun in 2006. WISD made improvements to facilities by renovating elementary and secondary classrooms, replacing outdated plumbing, lighting, HVAC and electrical systems.
The school district demolished much of the old junior high and consolidated seventh and eighth grades on the secondary campus while adding sixth grade to the elementary campus.
School board President Robbie Thomas said he believes that during the lean times of school funding, this allowed the district to use limited resources more efficiently.
New science classrooms and labs were added to the high school campus along with a life skills classroom, new administrative office, two new computer labs and a beautiful new library.
Because the WISD was able to secure one of the first construction grants through the State Office of Emergency and FEMA in the amount of almost $1.6 million, the district was able to construct the Eagle Dome.
After receiving an energy grant through the Comptroller's SECO office, WISD was able to install a solar energy system at the Eagle Dome.
Because of this, the average cost of electricity each month for the Eagle Dome is about $350.
Self said that this cost for the 19,000-square-foot structure is about the same as the cost of heating and cooling a large home.
Other improvements were made with a new eight-lane track, new tennis court surface and lighting, and a new central administrative office.
"I believe the WISD board is sold on the dome technology," Self said.
This new proposal could possibly add one or more of the following: 1) A dome classroom for new career and technology certification programs, 2) A dome at the elementary for an early childhood development center, 3) A new dome field house at Eagle Stadium with additional improvements at the rest rooms and concession stand, 4) renovations to the remainder of the old junior high building and the 1938 gym (This would allow for a temporary building utilized since the 1980s to be removed and community use of the 1938 gym for little dribblers and other community events).
The old gym also could be utilized during volleyball and basketball tournaments.
The fifth area of improvement would be renovation and air conditioning of the auditorium with improvements to the rest room facilities, new electrical, lighting and sound systems.
The band hall also would be addressed. The final area targeted would be the covered walkways throughout the campus and various improvements to the entryway at the elementary campus, drainage, improvements to the central chiller system and fences, along with other security measures.
Self said that the domes, themselves, will add a great deal of security on the campus for storms and other natural and man-made disasters, as they provide near absolute protection according to FEMA.
The WISD board has appointed a Community Facilities Committee for input and guidance with the project.
At their first meeting, district needs and the feasibility of a bond proposal was discussed.
A second meeting of the committee was held on Sept. 9 in the WISD Auditorium.
Woodsboro board members said they believe that this proposal will provide superior facilities for the next 20 years to meet the needs of the children and community of WISD, according to Self.
The positive response to the Eagle Dome has demonstrated a new found pride in the Woodsboro community and these newly-requested improvements will only add to that positive attitude.
"Our students are proud and are really taking care of the new facilities we have. I look for that to continue," Self said.
Public meetings will be set up to discuss the upcoming bond later this fall.


text:
A bill introduced in the Kentucky legislature would extend the duration of summer vacation in order to boost tourism — including to a creationist attraction.
According (PDF) to the latest Monmouth University Poll, "a large majority of Americans acknowledge climate change is happening, although they are divided on whether human activity is mostly responsible for it."
NCSE is pleased to offer a free preview (PDF) of the classic Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introduction, second edition (Greenwood Press/University of California Press, 2009), by NCSE's founding executive director Eugenie C. Scott.
What are the challenges to creating a resilient and confident educational community capable of addressing natural hazards and climate change in a scientifically accurate and pedagogically appropriate manner? That was the question that NCSE's Minda Berbeco and Mark McCaffrey addressed in their "Fostering Educator Resilience: Engaging the Educational Community to Address the Natural Hazards of Climate Change."
The chorus of support for the teaching of evolution continues, with a statement from the Rabbinical Assembly, adopted in 2006.
National Center for Science Education, Inc.
1904 Franklin Street, Suite 600
Oakland, CA 94612
fax: 510-788-7971
For Reporters | Store | Events


text:
Teachers' Interpretations and Power in a High-Stakes Test: A CLA Perspective
As one of the high-stakes tests known world-wide, Iranian University Entrance Exam (IUEE) influences the lives of a range of people including EFL teachers. This study, conducted within the framework of Critical Language Assessment (CLA), examined the power of EFL teachers in IUEE and their interpretations of language scores therein. The results of factor analysis demonstrated that high-school teachers have no power in IUEE development and administration processes. Teachers also interpreted tests not as indicators of language ability or knowledge but as test-taking skills. Finally, the study reserves the rights for teachers to be involved in the process of IUEE and suggests interpretive approaches to assessment that allow for different meanings and interpretations rather than a single score.
- There are currently no refbacks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
English Linguistics Research
ISSN 1927-6028 (Print) ISSN 1927-6036 (Online)
Copyright © Sciedu Press
To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add the 'Sciedupress.com' domain to your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', check your 'bulk mail' or 'junk mail' folders.


text:
The purpose of the Kent County Pension Review Committee is to review fund investment performance and advise the Levy Court on various aspects of the Kent County Employees Pension Fund and the Kent County Retiree Benefits Fund. Members of the committee include: three representatives appointed from the community by Levy Court, the Kent County Finance Director, one Kent County employee recommended by the Kent County Employee Council, and the Kent County Comptroller (ex officio). Committee meetings are held quarterly in the Kent County Administrative Complex, 555 Bay Road, Dover, Delaware 19901. A quorum consists of three (3) members; three affirmative votes are required to pass any motion. The Kent County Personnel Director serves as the Pension Administrator.
2015 Annual Report
2014 Annual Report
2013 Annual Report
2012 Annual Report
2011 Annual Report
2010 Annual Report
2009 Annual Report
2008 Annual Report


text:
"I have been a fan of Catholic Answers from its beginnings. Keep up this great apostolate, as it does help many of our Catholics appreciate their faith, especially in the military. Blessings and prayers for your continued success."
Subscribe to Catholic Answers Magazine
"The [secular] sense of right and wrong is so delicate, so fitful, so easily puzzled, obscured, perverted, so subtle in its argumentative methods, so impressionable by education, so biased by pride and passion, so unsteady in its course, that in the struggle for existence amid the various exercises and triumphs of the human intellect, the sense is at once the highest of all teachers yet the least luminous."


text:
Skip to Content
Iowans have a tradition of taking pride in their educational institutions--public and private. The Iowa City area features some of the state's top elementary and secondary schools. Besides the broad offerings of the University of Iowa, college-level students can find a number of attractive study options at local two- and four-year institutions.
Copyright © 2015 The University of Iowa. All Rights Reserved.
Web Privacy Policy
Nondiscrimination Statement


text:
Garmin GTU 10 $170
Tagg Pet Tracker
With the Garmin and Tagg you go online to create "geofences," or virtual boundaries.
Then you can use your smart phone to keep tabs on your pet's location. The RoamEO
uses a radio handset.
The RoamEO's handset makes it very easy to track your pet. But it has limited range,
which can be affected by terrain and buildings, and it has only 24 hours of battery life.
Tracking with the Tagg is quick and easy, but its minimum virtual boundary is about 4
acres, much bigger than the average yard. Your dog could be next door digging up the
flower bed, and you'd never know it.
With the Garmin you can create up to 10 geofences of various sizes. Location updates
are quick if you use Garmin's deluxe tracking plan for an additional $5 a month. With
that plan it's easier to track, but battery life is shorter.
Both the Garmin and Tagg link to a cell-phone network to relay information. The Garmin
uses AT&T's and charges $50 annually after the first year. With the Tagg it costs $7.95
per month after the first month to use Verizon's network. Consumer Reports says to be
sure you factor in those costs if you are considering getting one of the tracking devices.
Complete Ratings and recommendations on all kinds of products, including appliances,
cars & trucks, and electronic gear, are available on Consumer Reports' website.
Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org.


text:
Showing stores near change
Reset Your Password
You're Almost Done
We've sent you an email with instructions on how to reset your password. Please check your email.Return to Sign-In
Create a New Account
It's not just an account. It's the first step to happier shopping and special benefits:
- • Exclusive Offers
- • Order History
- • Faster Checkout
Your Pier 1 Account
Date Ordered Order Number AmountSee All Your Orders
Contact Us
Call +1 (817) 252-6300
or (800) 245-4595
Monday-Friday: 7am-10pm CST
Saturday: 8am-10pm CST
Sunday: 8am-8pm CST
or (800) 245-4595
Monday-Friday: 7am-10pm CST
Saturday: 8am-10pm CST
Sunday: 8am-8pm CST
- Free Shipping & No Surcharges* On Your Entire Purchase Use code FREESHIP
- Home
- Decor
- Decor & Accessories
- Frames
- Savannah 5x7 Gallery Photo Frame
Details & Dimensions
A natural-colored linen mat lends this one-of-a-kind white washed frame a custom look. Come in store today and buy multiples to make a special grouping of your favorite memories.
- White
- 12.64"W x 0.75"D x 14.65"H
- Holds a 5" x 7" photo with mat or 8" x 10" without mat
- Pine, glass, masonite
- Acid-free mat
- Exclusively Pier 1 Imports
- Imported
Quick Links
Due to the unique nature of some of our products, dimensions listed may not be exact. Patterns may vary in appearance due to product size. Quantities and selection may vary by store. Pricing in Alaska, Hawaii, the contiguous U.S., and Canada may vary. Prices at store closing locations may vary.


text:
DILLON, Richard
DILLON, Richard, 57, of Narrows Road, Rayland, died Wednesday, March 6, 2013, at East Ohio Regional Hospital, Martins Ferry, Ohio.
He was born April 5, 1955, in Charleston, Massachusetts, son of the late Thurman and Minnie Bell Pratt Dillon.
Richard was an employee of Swisher International in Wheeling and a marine veteran. He was a Presbyterian by faith and very talented in building and mechanics. He also enjoyed, fishing, four-wheeler riding and motor cycle riding.
He is survived by two sons, Ryan and Justin Dillon of St. Clairsville, Ohio; four brothers, Thurman, Tom (Sarah), Robert (Cathy) and William Dillon; four sisters, Sharon (Harold) Brenner, Joyce (William) Eisnaule, Mary Turvey, Edna Dillon; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Friends will be received to pay tribute to Richard and celebrate his life Saturday 3 p.m. until service time at 7 p.m. at the Borkoski Funeral Home, Tiltonsville, Ohio with Rev. Tom Thomas officiating.
Full military honors will be conducted Saturday at 6:30 p.m. by the Belmont County Council of the V.F.W. at the funeral home.


text:
California Holly: How Hollywood Didn't Get its Name
In Nancy Dale's 1986 epic tome of Southern California native plants, Flowering Plants, she has this to say about Toyon — aka California Holly, Christmas Berry, or, if you're a botanist, Heteromeles arbutifolia:
"It is thought that masses of this native shrub growing on the hills above Hollywood gave the community its name."
This idea of floral origins for Hollywood is romantic. It's also not true. Hollywood got its name for a much more mundane reason: someone wealthy liked the sound of it.
Toyon on Los Vaqueros Watershed Miwok Trail, photo by Miguel Vieira
In 1886, Harvey Henderson Wilcox, a rich prohibitionist from Kansas, and his wife, Daeida, purchased 120 acres of apricot and fig groves near the Cahuenga Pass at $150 an acre. Harvey, an inveterate businessman, realized he could make a lot of...


text:
Kaye Scholer's Social Media practice is part of the firm's Internet, Information Technology, Privacy and Data Protection, and Outsourcing practices, which have been consistently recognized for excellence by legal researchers and surveys of clients and peer attorneys. For example, Kaye Scholer was named as Internet & E-Commerce Law Firm of the Year by The Lawyers World Law Awards 2011; the firm's Information Technology Law practice was ranked in the First Tier in New York in the "2010 Best Law Firms Survey" by U.S. News and World Report and Best Lawyers (most recent year available); and in each year from 2003 to the present, Chambers USA and Chambers Global have awarded Kaye Scholer a high ranking in the category for law firms, and the firm's practice Chair, William A. Tanenbaum received a high ranking in the category for individual attorneys in IT and Outsourcing. The firm was also named as a member of the Legal 500 in Media, Technology and Telecoms — Outsourcing Category.
What Clients are Doing with Social Media and Their Business Objectives
Marketing departments' use of Social Networks (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn and Orkut), Media Repositories (e.g., YouTube, Flickr and Vimeo), including client-sponsored channels, blogs, Twitter feeds and text messaging, to promote products and services
- Use of product give-aways, contests and sweepstakes, and attendant risks
- Research
- Customer profile assessments
- Data collection, aggregation and use
- Location-aware technologies and business practices
- Customer service through Social Media
- Company posting of responses to inaccurate information
- Celebrity endorsements
Social Media in the Workplace
Company communications
- Company research tools
- Addressing the risks of employee-generated content, especially in regulated industries
- Employee use polices, especially in connection with litigation and regulatory enforcement
- Assisting with employee training
Privacy, Security and Identify Theft
Evolving privacy practices
- Impact of FTC developments and recommendations of Department of Commerce Internet Policy Task Force
- Impact of emerging tracking technologies
- Best practices, and next practices, in privacy and data collection
- Data sharing
Advising on Data Practices
Service data: provided by customers who identify themselves in order to use Social Media sites
- Disclosed data: provided by customers about themselves
- Entrusted data: data posted by customers on pages of other customers or companies
- Incidental data: data others provided about a customer
- Behavior data: customer habits, interests and "activity monitoring" information
- Derived data: heuristics that can be inferred from data made available by customers
Reviewing and Drafting Social Media and Online Agreements and Social Networking Policies
Agreements with Social Media and technology service providers
- Terms of use and acceptable use provisions
- Disclaimers
- Using site terms to support enforcement
Protecting Brands and Trademarks
Developing policies and business practices for using Social Media as a brand promotion vehicle
- Virtual and viral advertising
- Customers as advertisers
- Protecting trademarks
- Monitoring trademark misuse by third parties
- Green advertising issues
Protecting IP
Effective use of the copyright, patent and trademark regimes
- Social Media agreements
- Disclosure and licensing IP on Social Media sites
- Addressing collaborative creations
Addressing Limits of Third Party Technology Platforms
- Access control
- Backup and Disaster Recovery
- Addressing problematic terms in technology
- Ad serving and potential liability