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Assassin's Creed 2
Assassin's Creed The Ezio Collection finally announced for November on PS4 and Xbox One
Ubisoft has confirmed Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection exists, which we already knew thanks to retail and rating listings.
Assassin's Creed 2 headlines
What Watch Dogs 2 has learnt from the best Assassin's Creed games
Holloway is the new Ezio.
Ezio and the Assassin's Brotherhood team up in Toy Soldiers: War Chest
Ezio from Assassin's Creed 2 and Cobra Commander are joining the latest Toy Soldiers game when it releases this summer.
UPDATE: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor uses Assassin's Creed assets, says ex-Ubi staffer
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor produced a new gameplay trailer today, but it hasn't gone down well with one former Assassin's Creed developer, who claims it contains evidence of assets from Ubisoft's series.
PSN gets big Assassin's Creed series sale, get the savings here
Sony has announced a big European and Australian sale on the Assassin's Creed series that spans PS3, PSP and PS Vita.
Coming soon to XBLM - Mortal Kombat Deal of the Week, Black Ops 2 DLC
Microsoft has posted its content plans for Xbox Live Marketplace from today through July 29. Hit up the break for the schedule and savings.
Assassin's Creed 2 free today on Xbox Live Gold
Assassin's Creed 2 is going free to all Xbox Live Gold subscribers from today, Microsoft's Major Nelson has confirmed. Consider this your friendly reminder folks.
Assassin's Creed 2 will be released through Games with Gold incentive on July 16
Assassin's Creed 2 will be released as part of the Games with Gold incentive on Xbox Live July 16. Confusion on the matter arose just yesterday when it was implied the game would not see a release in July. Apparently that is not the case after all. At any rate, the date is now confirmed […]
Halo 3 and Assassin's Creed 2 going free to Xbox Live Gold subscribers - update
Halo 3 and Assassin's Creed 2 are going free as part of Microsoft's new scheme, which sees two retail games given to Xbox Live Gold subscribers each month. The games will still cost you at the time of writing, but they'll be going free at some point this month, so consider this your heads-up warning.
Xbox Live gold members get free game on 1st and 16th of each month through 2013
Microsoft has outlined its plans to give away two free games to Xbox Live Gold members each month until the end of 2013, starting with Assassin's Creed 2 and Halo 3.
Assassin's Creed creator prefers the "pure" first game to sequels
Assassin's Creed creator Patrice Désilets believes the first game is the best in the series, although he said the premise didn't become a "real game" until the second entry,
Assassin's Creed series discounted heavily on Xbox Live
Assassin's Creed is the focus of Microsoft's 'Games on Demand' Ultimate sale. Each game in the series has been discounted, except for Assassin's Creed 3.
Assassin's Creed Anthology for UK includes all titles, DLC
The Assassin's Creed Anthology has been announced by Ubisoft for the UK, and it includes all games in the franchise as well as DLC for all titles, including the Season Pass for Assassin's Creed 3.
Assassin's Creed Anthology confirmed by Ubisoft
Assassin's Creed Anthology, posted earlier by Amazon France, has been confirmed by Ubisoft with details expected later this week, according to Eurogamer.
Ubisoft Essentials for PS3 release next week - full list here
Ubisoft has sent over an updated release schedule, and while it mainly focuses on the PS3 Essential titles releasing next week, there's a few date confirmations in there as well.
Assassin's Creed, Rainbow Six Vegas double packs hitting in March
Ubisoft has sent over an updated release schedule of titles slated for 2012, and it looks as though double packs for Assassin's Creed, Rainbow Six Vegas, Splinter Cell and Far Cry 2 are on the way in March.
AC: Brotherhood hitting PSN with special offers for Plus members
Ubisoft has announced Assassin's Creed Brotherhood will be available for digital download over PSN August 3 for €29.99. Alongside the game, 10 avatars at a price of €0.49/ £0.40 each and two of these, Ezio and the Harlequin, will be exclusive to PS Plus users and come free with purchase of ACB HDD. The firm […]
Tomb Raider Anniversary and Assassin's Creed II hitting XBL GoD this month
The Major has put up a list of what you can expect to hit Xbox Live Marketplace, and highlights this week include the Liars and Cheaters pack now available for Red Dead Redemption, L4D2: The Passing as the DotW, and Lara Croft Anniversary as this week's Game on Demand. Get it all below.
Ubisoft drops some PC titles by 50%
Ubisoft has cut prices in its PC digital download store, with several of its titles now reduced by 50 percent.
Ubisoft: Assassin's Creed II moves close to 9 million units
Ubisoft has announced via its financial results today that Assassin's Creed II has moved almost 9 million units worldwide.
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Assassin's Creed 2 latest
Assassin's Creed The Ezio Collection finally announced for November on PS4 and Xbox One
What Watch Dogs 2 has learnt from the best Assassin's Creed games
Ezio and the Assassin's Brotherhood team up in Toy Soldiers: War Chest
UPDATE: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor uses Assassin's Creed assets, says ex-Ubi staffer
PSN gets big Assassin's Creed series sale, get the savings here
Coming soon to XBLM – Mortal Kombat Deal of the Week, Black Ops 2 DLC
Assassin's Creed 2 will be released through Games with Gold incentive on July 16
Halo 3 and Assassin's Creed 2 going free to Xbox Live Gold subscribers – update
Xbox Live gold members get free game on 1st and 16th of each month through 2013
Assassin's Creed creator prefers the "pure" first game to sequels
Ubisoft Essentials for PS3 release next week – full list here
Assassin's Creed, Rainbow Six Vegas double packs hitting in March
AC: Brotherhood hitting PSN with special offers for Plus members
Tomb Raider Anniversary and Assassin's Creed II hitting XBL GoD this month
Ubisoft explains DRM for ACII on PC and loss of internet connection
New Assassin's Creed set in Rome, will have assassination multiplay
New Assassin's Creed for FY2011, ACII pushes through 6M units
Released: Assassin's Creed 2, God of War Collection, L4D2, others


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Photographer Herman Leonard, a 1947 graduate of Ohio University, was known for his images of jazz icons such as Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, James Moody and Sarah Vaughan.
"Improvisations: Jazz Photographs by Herman Leonard" continues through May 4 in the Kennedy Museum of Art at the Ridges, Athens.
Leonard, a native of Allentown, Pa., decided to attend Ohio University because, at the time, it was the only university to offer a fine-arts degree in photography.
He was awarded the university's medal of merit in 1992 and, in 2009, was the commencement speaker and received an honorary doctorate of fine arts.
Leonard died in 2010 at age 87.
As a photographer, he documented the jazz scenes in New York and Paris from the 1940s through the 1960s.
His photographs are included in the American Musical History Department in the Smithsonian Institution's permanent collection in Washington.
Works in the exhibit are from the Kennedy Museum of Art collection and focus on the New York jazz scene.
For more information, visit www.ohio.edu/museum.

subset: commoncrawl


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Harold Phillips, along with 19 other Greenpeace supporters at Muriwai beach who covered themselves in 'oil' to send a strong message to the Government to stop its plans for the drilling of new deep water oil wells off New Zealand's coast.
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Back to Back Game
I'm looking for the "Friday night Knicks" to take us to 7-0 on a strong high-scoring performance from Melo vs the Memphis Grizz .. Melo earned it from his best performance as a Knicks in the Spurs WIN...
The Knicks showed weakness and a 4th quarter superiorty over a tough Spurs team for a crunchtime win.
Jason Kidd's team leadership on offense/defense has become above-average
to lead us to a 6-0 Knicks record.
Giving PG-Raymond Felton the greenlight to run the offense vs a tough
defensive Spurs team who kept their best double-defenders on Melo was a
great strategic move when Melo kept his defenders far from the paint plus
Melo kept the Knicks ball movement consistently moving throughout the game....
The Spurs were expecting Melo to shoot 12 or more shots in the 4th quarter, but Melo fooled the Spurs by taking 2 shots in the 4th quarter and only 12 shots throughout his 40 minutes of playingtime .. career record.
Melo's 40 minutes of playingtime lastnight step-down his scoring ego to play team-ball to lead the Knicks in a team win .. Remarkable.
If Melo keep sacrificing his high scoring reputation for a team win, then the tandem of Melo & Amare will GELL in a Knicks lineup and rotation.
Any thoughts on the outstanding crunchtime WIN that have us with the best record in the league ....
Back to Back Game
I'm looking for the "Friday night Knicks" to take us to 7-0 on a strong high-scoring performance from Melo vs the Memphis Grizz .. Melo earned it from his best performance as a Knicks in the Spurs WIN...
Such a relief to have Kiyaman back.
Kiyaman, what are you thoughts on Amar'e returning to the team?
Real Talk
That was a phenomenal game. Forgive me Raymond for all my prior negative posts! He has been terrific. I do not like him taking the most shots, but last night he was consistently effective.
Jackson and Leonard are lock down defenders and were hounding Melo all night. He played a terrific unselfish game. Kidd was great and JR magnificent.
I look forward to the Memphis game but the second half of a back-to-back is particulaarly difficult and Memphis is playing very well.
I watch the games on League Pass. For some reason it seems we never get the MSG feed. I miss Clyde. Sean Elliott was very high on the Knicks play. He was particularly impressed with Melo's moving the ball out of double teams.
That game was incredible, i must admit i threw in the white flag when splitter kept scoring on us down low... seemed like we were about to receive our first lost of the season.
How great is it having a guy like Kidd on our team. Even at his age this guy is still a Game changer.
When we get all our players fully healthy this team will be SCARY
+More Blocks, and-1's, hard fouls, inside scoring, depth, perimeter D, etc...
I didn't like STAT before I knew Woodson could influence players defensively while using them to their best offensively. Now when I see STAT with what we have so far, it could be deadly.
Last night showed why veteran champion experience, now matter how old the player is, can be a superior asset. The Thunder didn't have that last season. I'm not saying the Heat weren't a tough team last season, but they had an advantage over the Thunder with experience. The Knicks were short-handed so who knows if they could have gone further. The Pacers won two games against them, but perhaps lack of experience is why they lost. The Celtics took the series to game 7. Not enough athleticism? Maybe, but still, seven games. Championship veteran experience showed the series could have gone either way. Our team has a mixture of championship experience, athleticism, and youth.
The Heat might be tougher this year in the post-season with Ray Allen, or will they be less hungry? Will Wade decline?
Either way, that win last night was a big showing that the veterans have the less experienced guys back. Having Kidd on our team is like having another superstar. We didn't even unleash Camby that many minutes.
I almost feel like my eyes are getting a little misty.
Sig made by Sons of Thunder
Imagine he starts blocking the **** out of people again like he did early in that 8-game win streak early in his first season with the Knicks? Blocking shots doesn't mean you're a great defender, but it is defense and it does energize the team, himself as well. He wasn't a big liability during that time.
After the infamous glass injury to the hand happened, he did show heart the game he returned and helped the team win, hopefully he can do this all season, which might happen with the consistency our team has been bringing.
Sig made by Sons of Thunder
hate to thread crap, but why not just post in the actual game thread?


text: 100 Days Until Halloween Swamptick posted:7/24/2011 11:19:06 AM It's 100 days until my favorite time of year. How do YOU plan to celebrate the most fun holiday of them all? Me? I will be on another ghost hunt.spiritech0 posted:7/25/2011 11:03:09 AM I'm gonna dress up like a victorian necronaut and use Peruvian flutes to summon an ancient Indian anthropomorphic bear in his flying machine to help me steal a philosopher's stone so I can throw it into a psychomanteum portal powered by hippie orgone energy. Or I'll be at a costume ball dressed like Tron. Either way, it's fun time.99 days and counting.Ninjaburgerq posted:7/25/2011 12:21:32 PM Aw, c'mon! You stole my idea! Now what am I gonna do... Please log in or become a member to add a post.


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Appendix B: Research Methodology
The project methodology is an adaptation of the four-phase benchmarking process used by the American Productivity and Quality Center, * along with case descriptions of individual districts and cross-site analysis of key findings. Although classic benchmarking looks for best or promising practices, using quantitative measures and comparisons among organizations, the practice of implementing supplemental educational services programs is too new to fully support this methodology. A brief description of this project's adapted methodology follows.
First, a conceptual framework was developed from an analysis of research on out-of-school programs and organizational management as well as an examination of what districts need to do to meet the No Child Left Behind Act's supplemental educational services requirements. Researchers, providers, and district administrators recruited to serve on an external advisory panel (see page 43) provided feedback to refine this framework and set priorities for issues to investigate. The resulting study scope guided all aspects of the study (see figure 16).
Site selection was a multistep process to ensure that the guide would feature an array of practices covering the elements of the framework and would represent a variety of geographic locations and contexts with which district administrators could identify. A list of 36 potential supplemental educational services sites was compiled through primary and secondary research by WestEd with suggestions from the expert advisory panel. A screening template was developed to systematically analyze the weighted criteria for site selection identified by the advisors, including the presence of clearly articulated strategic plans for administering SES, outreach and communications strategies for both parents and providers, and explicit contracting and recordkeeping procedures The template was completed for the candidate districts based on public documents such as brochures, reports, and district Web sites, supplemented by targeted phone interviews with district staff. The five districts that were selected had relatively high ratings on the template for preliminary evidence that promising practices were in place. No site was uniformly excellent, but each had developed practices in several areas from which others might learn.
Collect Data
Collecting detailed descriptive information from project participants was key to understanding the district's practices, the outcomes or impact achieved, and lessons learned in implementation from which others could. benefit. The major steps to this phase were finalizing the site-visit interview guide and arranging and conducting site visits to the innovation sites.
Each of the five innovation sites hosted a two-day site visit that included interviews with providers, principals, and parents, as well as district staff, to obtain multiple perspectives on the questions in the site-visit discussion guide. In addition, artifacts from the sites, such as letters to parents or brochures or contracts, were collected to provide concrete examples of district practices. The study team collated the information collected during the site visits and developed a case study for each site.
Figure 16. Study Scope and Guiding Questions
Integration of Supplemental Educational Services
into the District's Strategy to Improve Student Achievement
Building Relationships With Providers
How is the district framing contractual agreements with service providers in order to consistently improve services to students?
Outreach and Communication with Parents to Select a Supplemental Educational
Services Provider for Their Children
What are the outreach strategies employed by the district to assist parents in accessing appropriate services for their children?
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Indicators of Success
Analyze and Report
Once all the information was collected, the project team analyzed the data to understand the promising practices uncovered throughout the benchmarking project, both within and across sites. Thirteen key findings discussed in the final report emerged from the cross-site analysis.
Two products resulted from this research: a report of findings and this practitioner's guide. The report of findings provides an analysis of key findings across sites, a detailed profile of each site, a collection of artifacts, and key project documents. The practitioner's guide is a shorter excerpt and summary that is intended for broad distribution. The guide and report are also accessible online at http://www.ed.gov/nclb/choice.
Ultimately, readers of this guide will need to select, adapt, and implement practices that meet their individual needs and contexts. Dissemination will take place through a variety of channels. The guide will be broadly distributed around the country through presentations at national and regional conferences, as well as through national associations and networks.
Districts coming together in learning communities may continue the study, using the ideas and practices from these sites as a springboard for their own action research. In this way, a pool of promising practices will grow, and districts can support each other in implementation and learning.
*American Productivity and Quality Center. (2001). Benchmarking in education: Pure and simple. Houston, TX: Author.


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The British Monarchy
Published On: May 11 2011 02:41:52 PM CDT Updated On: Jul 21 2014 10:34:51 AM CDT
Prince George, who is third in line to the British throne, celebrates his first birthday on Tuesday. Take a look at the family tree of the British monarchy and learn a bit about George's great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.
The views expressed are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms Of Service and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms.


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A Pittsburgh boy who was doubting Santa Claus, found his Christmas spirit with a little help from surveillance video.
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Colleges will welcome high school seniors
MONTPELIER Five Vermont colleges announced Thursday theyll participate in a program that allows high school seniors to matriculate at institutions of higher learning full time and free of charge.
Gov. Peter Shumlin said the expansion of an early college initiative launched 25 years ago by Vermont Technical College will help the state overcome one of its greatest educational failings.
While high school graduation rates for Vermont students are among the highest in the nation, the state ranks last in New England for the rate of outgoing seniors who go on to college.
We are not getting enough kids, low-income kids in particular, the education they need to succeed in this workforce, which means some training beyond high school, Shumlin said during a news conference Thursday morning.
Lyndon, Castleton and Johnson state colleges, along with Burlington College and Community College of Vermont, will join the program in the academic year beginning next fall.
By redirecting public money away from local high schools and toward the colleges of students choice, the early college program essentially allows students to complete their freshman year of college at no cost.
State colleges will take an approximately 10 percent hit on tuition rates by accepting the high school reimbursement levels. But Tim Donovan, chancellor of Vermont State Colleges, said the initiative will bring students onto campus who might not otherwise have considered any postsecondary education.
In this state we have both an economic and a civic imperative to create the opportunities that our youth need to prosper in this world, Donovan said. And for those young people who do not continue in their education, its often because they cannot simply envision themselves, or havent had family support to envision themselves, moving beyond college.
Donovan and Shumlin said the early college expansion is one component of a broader flexible pathways program that looks to expose high school sophomores, juniors and seniors to the college experience. A dual enrollment plan lets students earn high school and college credits simultaneously by taking courses on college campuses.
Every option in flexible pathways is critical, Shumlin said. When you come from a family that doesnt have aspirations for you beyond high school, and when you dont have early support and guidance to ensure that you maximize your learning potential, then its less likely youre going to be enthusiastic about learning beyond high school.
Vermont Technical College has seen its early college program grow from 30 students to 60 over the past three years. Each of the five colleges that announced participation Thursday will have an enrollment cap of 18 students for at least three years, with the exception of Community College of Vermont, which will have no limit.
The program does not cover the cost of room and board for high school seniors who want to live on campus.
peter.hirschfeld @rutlandherald.comMORE IN Vermont NewsMONTPELIER Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. Full StoryVermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell plans to join the U.S. Full StoryAs Rutland prepares to welcome Syrian refugees to its community, some are continuing to voice... Full Story
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"All the books and magazines that you sent me helped re-enforce my new-found Catholic beliefs. After reading them and praying, I now have no doubts about the Catholic faith and I am rejoicing in the truth. It is good to know the truth! God bless Catholic Answers!"
"Since He Himself has declared and said of the bread: This is My Body, who shall dare to doubt any more?"


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2014 March Winner
Keep in touch with updates on the VIP Garage
6 posts • Page 1 of 1
Congrats on the March SHR VIP Garage winner, sbertramrn! The March prize is a Stewart-Haas Racing License Plate autographed by Danica Patrick. We're awarding one prize to a random member EVERY MONTH! Every time you log in, you're entered to win. Easy, right? Have fun and good luck!
Re: 2014 March Winner
Congrat's sbertramrn
If at first you don't succeed, don't give up
Try Harder
Try Harder
Re: 2014 March Winner
Congrat's sbertramrn.....enjoy your prize!
Re: 2014 March Winner
Congratulations, sbertramrn ! Enjoy your plate.
Celebrate the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Farewell Tour - 2016
Re: 2014 March Winner
Wow!!! Thanks SHR!!! I'm really excited to have been chosen!!!
Re: 2014 March Winner
Congrats, sbertramrn!
I'm Living my life the way I want to..... Tony Stewart
Never Quit..... Marcus Luttrell Lone Survivor
Never Quit..... Marcus Luttrell Lone Survivor
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Elevate the look of the bath with these beautifully crafted towel bars, part of our distinctive Pearson collection.
This is a general shipping item.
Shipping Information
Hassle Free Returns
To make this gift-giving season a little merrier, we are extending our Returns & Exchange Policy. For all items purchased between Oct. 21 and Dec. 24, 2016, you'll have until January 31, 2017 to return the item for a refund of the merchandise value. Just make sure to bring your proof of purchase or gift receipt. Quick Ship upholstery items are excluded from the Extended Holiday Return Policy. You have 7 days to return your Quick Ship upholstery item for a full refund or exchange.
The following items are non-eligible for returns or exchanges:
Delivery fees are non-refundable and prior purchases are not eligible for price adjustments.
For more information, view our full Returns & Exchange Policy.
|$59 – $69


text: I had to stop using my lansinoh lanolin cream when we had thrush. Now I think the thrush is gone, but I noticed that my nipples are really dry so I thought I'd start using the lanolin again to avoid a recurrance of cracked sore nipples. It really seems like DS is gassier and fussier after nursing when I've used it. Could this just be a coincidence? After all, he is 7 weeks old and is fussy most evenings anyway...it just seems worse and longer lasting on the days I've been using Lansinoh. Am I imagining this?


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Detail Images
Current Color
Free 2-Day shipping on orders over $50*
Select your style & size:Select options
4 Reviews
Top off your winter kit.
As winter rolls in, we tend to get excited about the big, flashy items like the Alpha Jacket or the Sorpasso Bib Tights. Meanwhile, the less-readily apparent things like toe and ear protection slip under the radar right up until we realize that no amount of Windstopper fabric on our chest will keep our delicate extremities warm. That's what the Castelli Risvolto Winter Cap is for.
The Risvolto's Strada Thermo fabric literally means warm road, which is kinda the exact opposite of the circumstances you'll want it for. But whatever. The material keeps you warm, and its wicking properties are supplemented by an additional lining for even better moisture transfer. The ear flaps from which the Risvolto takes its name stow under the hat when you don't want them, and they're cut to accommodate a cycling position when you do.
The Castelli Risvolto Winter Cap is available in one size in the colors Black/white, Grey/black, and Moonlight Blue/red.
- Item #CST003I
Tech Specs
Tech Specs
- Reviews
What do you think about this product?
Have questions about this product?
Its a hat
- Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
- Fit: Runs large
- Size Bought: one size
Its warm and has a visor . I wear a size medium helmet and I felt that it fits good. Wore it on a ride that started in the upper 30's and ended in the mid 50's kept me warm all day. I prefer a tight fitting skull cap but this was on sale so I figured I'd try it and I'll be using it when it gets extremely cold.
Excellent Cap
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
I bought this cap November 2013 and it is perfect. It fits well, it's very warm, it covers the ears, and it looks good when you wear it. I ride about 100 miles per week during the winter and its usually about freezing temperatures. Around 32F.
- Familiarity: I returned this product before using it
- Fit: Runs large
Don't ever buy this hat. I've no idea how Castelli decided this was ever a good idea and went and made a bunch of them. First of all it doesn't fit anyone's head. I've purchase plenty of caps before and wore other Castelli caps but this one doesn't even sit correctly on your head. There is nothing gripping to keep it down it is like wearing a fishing cap......... The ear flaps are just for decorations since the hat is sitting loosely on top and not actually blocking any wind. I got it out of the package and tried it on right away and started laughing. Take this hat straight back to the drawing table and try again.
Sounds like your head is just too big for this hat. It fits me just fine and did the job last winter.
Castelli Risvolto Winter Cap
- Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions
The material of this cap is good but not great. However, the size is somewhat ridiculously big. My head circumference is 58, yet it still loose. Furthermore, the parts on the side of the cap should cover the whole ears since it's a winter cap, but only about 2/3 part of my ears were covered. I paid $23.96 during sale event but to return the item which would cost me $6.99 I think it might be ok for late Spring or early Fall.
It looks like castelli redesigned this hat to make it worse. I have this hat from several years ago and it's great. Nice and snug and covers the full ears. Not sure why they changed what was a good item. Too bad.


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Post by meghanjs » Mon Apr 02, 2012 09:46 am
blythe wrote:Welcome, Meghan! I've read a lot of the traumatic pregnancy work that Dr. Beck has done - but if anyone wants to go looking in pubmed or google, I'm pretty sure her name is Cheryl Beck at UCONN. I even participated in one of Cheryl Beck's studies a few years ago viewtopic.php?f=12&t=24974&p=19210&hilit=traumatic+pregnancy+research#p19210Please note, though, that if you do participate in any of Dr. Beck's studies that her studies are not officially endorsed by preeclampsia.org or the Preeclampsia Foundation. And in general, I should also note that we do not allow researchers to recruit study participants directly from our membership - we are very interested in helping researchers but any researcher who wishes to should contact our Director of Research at firstname.lastname@example.com. Sharing research studies you find elsewhere is fine, though, just as long as you have no personal or professional relationship with the study author and are sharing it just as a fellow participant! Sorry to interject that in your post, Meghan! I'm glad your husband participated in that study and sorry to hear so few men had participated up to that point. Our "Dads" board has a fair number of men who were traumatized by their wives' pregnancies. It's our bodies that are under siege but in some ways they feel even more helpless because male socialization tells them they should be able to fix things for the people they love. I hope participating was as helpful for him personally as well.
Post by brismom » Fri Mar 23, 2012 06:09 pm
Post by blythe » Wed Mar 07, 2012 09:06 am
Post by meghanjs » Tue Mar 06, 2012 07:10 pm
Post by hannahsmom » Fri Aug 26, 2011 08:26 am
Post by sam10 » Mon Aug 22, 2011 10:17 am
Post by caryn » Mon Aug 22, 2011 01:41 am
Post by MatthewsLeela » Fri Aug 19, 2011 04:23 pm
Post by jend01 » Wed Oct 13, 2010 01:20 pm
Post by aundapenner » Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:59 am


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Fitness Safety in the Sun
By Health Day
Gym rats...listen up. If the summer weather has enticed you to take your fitness routine outside, you need to make a few adjustments.
The experts at American University say heat stroke is just one strenuous workout away.
Start by planning your outdoor exercise during the coolest time of the day...early morning. If that doesn't work, wait until after 5pm.
Wear light colored clothes that wick away moisture...but wear as little as you can comfortably get away with. Protect any bare skin with sunscreen.
Once your workout is under way, take it slow and easy. Acclimating your body to the heat takes time.
And drink plenty of water...enough to replace what you lose. A good rule of thumb is to drink one pint of water for every pound you lose.
The early symptoms of heat illness include heavy sweating, fatigue, thirst and muscle cramps...so stay on the lookout for your own safety.
I'm Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV with the news doctors are reading health news for healthier living.
Most Popular
Thursday, December 8, 2016, Watertown, NY


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Meadows, R-Cashiers, said he has seen a lot of handwringing by federal agencies in the wake of the recent sequester. But too many bureaucrats are unwilling to roll up their sleeves and leverage the hand theyŌĆÖre dealt to get the job done somehow. Instead they are cutting their most critical functions simply to prove a point.
ŌĆ£We are going to have to work through legitimate pain versus fabricated pain,ŌĆØ he said.
But thatŌĆÖs easier said than done. Meadows said bureaucrats have built walls that even Congressmen canŌĆÖt easily peer over to find out how the government actually operates.
ŌĆ£I knew our government was dysfunctional, but it is 10 times worse than I thought it would be,ŌĆØ he said.
The Haywood County Chamber of Commerce hosted a roundtable lunch meeting with Meadows this week to give business leaders a chance to share their concerns with him. Meadows is clearly a friend of the business community, said Charles Umberger, president of Old Town Bank.
ŌĆ£He knows what itŌĆÖs like to make payroll. He knows what itŌĆÖs like to lose a big client,ŌĆØ Umberger said.
The freewheeling conversation moved between Egypt, the lending environment, regulatory reform, Medicare insolvency, bipartisanship and a myriad of other topics.
Simply cleaning up the government emerged as one of MeadowŌĆÖs clear passions. He quickly noticed after taking office in January that the favorite phrase in Washington is ŌĆ£itŌĆÖs pending.ŌĆØ Passing the buck has become an institutionalized way of doing business, even among, or especially among, Congress. Meadows doesnŌĆÖt want to be that kind of Congressman, however.
ŌĆ£We are at a desperate time in our nationŌĆÖs history,ŌĆØ he firmly stated. ŌĆ£We have to make some tough choices, and IŌĆÖm willing to do that even if it means getting a black eye.ŌĆØ
However, Meadows admitted the sequester is a flawed route to government savings. Cutting the same amount across the board means some agencies are cut to the bone while others survive with several layers of fat still intact ŌĆö depending on how generously padded they were in the first place.
But in theory, ŌĆ£We should be able to cut two pennies out of every dollar,ŌĆØ he said.
Meadows also told business leaders he wanted to pursue regulatory reform, one of the promised points in his campaign. He feels regulations, not taxes, are the biggest burden faced by business today.
ŌĆ£We have allowed the pendulum to swing way too far,ŌĆØ Meadows said. ŌĆ£We have to get that where it is a happy balance again.ŌĆØ


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Olympus Stylus 1 Review - The Olympus Stylus 1 is a new advanced compact that shares a host of its design characteristics with the popular OM-D CSC range. Does it have the picture quality to match? Find out in the full WDC review
Olympus Stylus 1 Review
While Nikon, Canon and Pentax still make film cameras, and Minolta is sadly just a fading memory, Olympus stopped making film cameras, including its popular OM series of SLRs, as long ago as 2002, and has concentrated instead on a wide and varied range of digital cameras.
It co-developed the Four Thirds sensor and lens mount system, and more recently has re-introduced the distinguished OM brand as a mirrorless camera system. A number of features from the critically-acclaimed OM-D system have also gone into the flagship Olympus Stylus 1 advanced compact, so is this new camera a DSLR with a fixed lens, or a compact with delusions of grandeur?
Olympus Stylus 1 Review – Features
While the Stylus 1 bristles with complex-looking controls and SLR-like design elements, the stand-out features are the viewfinder, the monitor and the lens, so let's take a closer look at them.
The viewfinder is the camera's most obvious feature. It is essentially a "copy and paste" feature from the OM-D E-M5 Four-Thirds system camera, mounted in a prominent turret designed to resemble the prism viewfinder of a traditional SLR, complete with a flash hot-shoe on top.
Of course there's actually no prism in there; what it has instead is a very high quality electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 1.44 million dots and 100% field of view. Some people really hate electronic viewfinders, but this one could change their minds.
It is astonishingly sharp, certainly more than sharp enough for accurate manual focusing, and as close as any EVF that I've ever seen has come to the clarity of a TTL optical viewfinder.
The information displayed in the finder is crisp and clear, and with -4 to +2 dioptre adjustment and a comfortable rubber eyepiece cushion it is a pleasure to use either with or without glasses. It has a proximity sensor that activates the EVF when it's put up to your eye.
Monitor performance
Not to be outdone, the monitor is also exceptionally good. It's even better than the one on the E-M5, and is closer in specification to the monitor on the new E-M1 flagship. It has a 7.6cm (3.0in) screen with a resolution of 1.04 million dots, capable of tilting between 45 degrees down and 90 degrees up, for overhead or waist-level shooting.
It is a touch-screen, but in shooting mode this is only used for focus point selection, touch-shutter release and a few simple picture style controls in iAuto mode.
The lens stands out for two reasons. The first is the unique way the automatic lens cover works. It's simply a set of spring-loaded "barn doors", which are pushed aside as the lens extends, and the close again when it retracts. It serves well enough to keep most dust and finger-marks away from the glassware, but the doors are a bit flimsy and don't provide much real protection.
Fortunately the automatic cover can be unscrewed and replaced with any standard 49mm lens cap. The other outstanding feature of the lens is its maximum aperture, which is a respectably fast f/2.8 across the entire 10.7x, 28-300mm-equivalent zoom range. An f/2.8 300mm lens is a desirable item for any photographer, and the Stylus 1 has one built in.
Sensor size
Moving on to less obvious features, the Stylus 1 is equipped with a 1/1.7in back-side illuminated CMOS sensor, and in common with most of its advanced compact rivals it has a resolution of a fairly restrained 12 megapixels.
Given the size, price and style of the camera some people may be disappointed that the Stylus 1 doesn't have a larger sensor, especially considering that it's competing with cameras such as the Sony RX100 II and the Fujifilm X20, but most of its other competitors also have 1/1.7in chips, so it's no disadvantage.
The Stylus 1 has a very complex but versatile control interface, including that latest must-have feature, a control ring around the lens barrel. This, as well as all the other controls and most of the camera's features, can be fully customised as to function in each different mode, via the extensive menu system. You really can set the camera up just the way you want it, which gives it a great deal of creative versatility.
Wi-Fi Connectivity
Like most recent cameras the Stylus 1 features Wi-Fi connectivity and smartphone compatibility. Using the free Olympus Image Share app it is possible to connect to the camera remotely from a suitable Android or iOS smartphone. The app can be used to remotely trigger the camera, import photos, add GPS data, share pictures online and even perform some very basic editing functions.
The method of pairing the smartphone to the camera is quite clever; as part of the set-up process, the camera generates a QR code on its monitor, and as such is one of the first cameras to do so. Simply scan this code using your phone's camera and it will identify and connect to the camera automatically. It's a very easy system to use, and saves a lot of time and effort.
Olympus Stylus 1 Review – Design
There are lots of SLR-like touches; the prominent pentaprism-shaped viewfinder turret, the control dials at both ends of the top panel, even the customisable function switch next to the lens on the front panel, which is clearly designed to look like a stop-down preview lever, all combine to give the Stylus 1 a very distinctive look.
Fortunately that SLR-like design includes SLR-like handling, with a small but effective textured handgrip on the front and a large thumb grip on the back that combine to provide a nice secure grip. The camera is described as being slim, but in fact it's a fairly chunky thing, bigger and heavier than the Canon G16, the Fuji X20 or the Nikon P7800.
In fact it's only 20g lighter than the body-only weight of the E-M5. Nonetheless it feels nicely balanced in the hand, and it is very pleasant and comfortable to hold.
Solid build
The build quality is excellent, with a strong alloy body that feels tough and durable, and solidly mounted controls that have a nice amount of tactile feedback. The battery hatch and even the small hatch on the side covering the connector ports both have metal hinges. The tripod bush is metal too, although it is off-centre.
The control layout is something you're going to either love or hate. There are buttons, knobs and levers scattered all over the camera's body seemingly at random, and at first it can seem very complex and confusing. There are two zoom controls; a rotary bezel around the shutter button and a slider switch on the side of the lens barrel.
Exposure adjustment is by either the input dial on the top panel or the ring around the lens, and there are two custom function buttons.
However most of the controls can be customised, so you can just set the camera up the way you like it, with your most-used functions closest to hand. It quickly becomes intuitive and is a real pleasure to use. The only slight niggle is the main menu, which is confusingly designed and hides a lot of useful features away in nested sub-menus.
Olympus Stylus 1 Review – Performance
The Stylus 1's resemblance to a DSLR extends to the camera's overall performance, which is exceptionally good. It can start up, focus and take a picture in approximately 1.6 seconds, which is very fast by any standard.
In single-shot mode, shooting in raw plus JPEG fine, it can maintain a shot-to-shot time of approximately 0.7 seconds, which is also very fast, and seems to be able to keep up that speed indefinitely. In continuous shooting mode using the same quality settings it was able to shoot at approximately 7fps for 22 frames, which is also a very creditable performance.
Some reviewers have criticised the Stylus' autofocus system, but I could find no fault with it. In single AF mode it focused quickly and accurately in all conditions, including focusing down to 5cm in super macro mode. The motion tracking continuous AF was perhaps a little slow to follow a moving subject, but that was literally the only problem.
In low light conditions the AF was particularly good; in fact with its exceptionally powerful AF assist lamp I found that it focused just as quickly and accurately in complete darkness as it did in daylight, even at a range of around ten metres.
Battery life
Battery duration was also excellent. I took about 250 shots while testing the camera, as well as about fifteen minutes of video and lots of picture reviewing and fiddling about with the menu, and even after that the battery indicator was still showing a full charge.
Olympus makes no particular claim for the number of shots on a full charge, and as I have noted I was using a pre-production sample, but the total has got to be several hundred shots.
Olympus Stylus 1 Review – Image Quality
Olympus Stylus 1 review sample image gallery
Colour and White Balance
When looking at the JPEG images produced by the Stylus 1, the colour rendition was the first thing that really stood out. In standard colour mode, colours are bright and well saturated, with excellent reproduction of subtle gradations of tone. Shooting in bright early daylight on a winter morning the camera captured the quality of the light perfectly. Shooting indoors under artificial light also produced good results, with the white balance system coping well with mixed lighting.
One of the reasons for buying an advanced compact with a larger and less crowded sensor is the improved dynamic range that it provides, and the Stylus 1 certainly delivers good results in this area. The excellent multi-zone evaluative Digital ESP metering system strikes a near-perfect balance between highlight and shadow detail even in JPEG mode, and shooting in raw mode provides even more, allowing a useful two stops of latitude either way. There were some occasions where the camera under-exposed by about half a stop, but in every case this improved colour saturation and shadow detail.
The Stylus 1 has exactly the same 12-megapixel resolution as most of its rivals, so not surprisingly the level of detail it records is nearly identical. Using default settings the sharpening is just a little too hard, but this can be adjusted for each shooting mode separately, and turning it down slightly produced nicer results. The level of detail recorded, particularly in the centre of the frame, is extremely impressive.
Image Noise
Like several of its competitors the Stylus 1 has a sensitivity range of 100 – 12,800 ISO in 1/3EV steps. On the whole I was impressed by the results. There is some image noise visible from about 800 ISO, but it is very well controlled, with consistent exposure and colour reproduction being maintained up to 3200 ISO, although some fine detail is lost.
At 6400 the contrast starts to disappear and image quality suffers accordingly, and the results at 12,800 ISO mean that setting should only be used for extreme situations, but in this respect it is comparable to the Canon G16, so we have no cause to complain.
Lens Performance
There had to be an Achilles' Heel, and unfortunately for the Stylus 1 it's the lens that lets the side down. While the sharpness and resolution in the centre of the frame is excellent, and there is little optical distortion at any focal length, the lens does suffer from visible chromatic aberration, particularly in wide-angle, wide-aperture shots. Stopping down to f/5.6 or f/8 did mostly eliminate the problem, but one of the selling points of this camera is the wide maximum aperture, so it seems a shame not to use it.
Olympus Stylus 1 Review – Verdict
Up to a point, more choice is generally a good thing, so it's nice to have another camera to choose from at the top of the advanced compact market. The Olympus Stylus 1 is a very accomplished camera from a veteran manufacturer, and can compete on equal terms with the other cameras you'll see on the same shelf.
In terms of potential image quality it is a match for any of them, and its outstanding performance is better than most. It has the kind of creative versatility that enthusiast photographers are looking for, and other features such as the excellent viewfinder, fast zoom lens and ultra-sharp monitor are also very welcome.
However at the moment it is a very expensive camera, costing around £70 more than its closest rival, and its size, weight and SLR styling will not appeal to everyone. Nevertheless if you do choose a Stylus 1 you certainly won't be disappointed.
Olympus Stylus 1 Review – Sample Image Gallery
These are just a few sample images captured with the Olympus Stylus 1. For more images visit the Olympus Stylus 1 review sample image gallery.
First Look
Several of these features are borrowed from Olympus's OM-D E-M5 system camera, principally the DSLR-style layout but also the 1.44-million-dot electronic viewfinder, Fast AF, precise touchscreen focusing and built-in Wi-fi.
The EVF carried over from the E-M5 boasts all the same features, including automatic backlight control, shadow highlighting, a level gauge and automatic eye detection.
OM-D E-M5 users will also recognise the Truepic VI image processor, and XZ-series users will appreciate the return of the Hybrid Control Ring for manual or digital control of settings.
The Stylus 1 feels as though it's hitting a similar market to the Sony RX10 announced a couple of weeks ago, sporting as it does a fixed 28-300mm i.ZUIKO lens with a constant aperture of f/2.8.
The lens features a built-in VCM image stabilisation mechanism that Olympus says will virtually eliminate camera shake and blur, and a deliberate defocusing function that generates DSLR-style bokeh. It also has a brightness level that complements the camera's low-light performance and allows for the use of faster shutter speeds in dark scenes.
The 28-300mm lens on the Olympus Stylus 1 is capable of retracting fully into the body when not in use, behind an automatically closing lens cap.
The resolution on the Stylus 1 is noticeably lower than many similar-spec cameras that have been released in recent weeks, the 1/1.7-inch BSI CMOS sensor offering 12 megapixels.
The controls have been laid out ergonomically, with the Hybrid Control Ring and zoom lever placed within reach of the left hand while shutter release is, naturally, situated underneath the right.
The Hybrid Control Ring can be customised in accordance with functions that the user adjusts most frequently, and can be used in analogue mode for zooming and focusing or digital mode for selecting menu items.
It is also possible to trigger Fast AF and Touch AF Shutter via the 3-inch TFT LCD, which boasts 1.04-million dots of resolution. When the LCD screen is tilted, the EVF automatically switches off to conserve battery life.
The Stylus 1 can shoot at up to ISO 12800, can record 1080p Full HD movies at 120/240fps for slow-motion playback and features 11 Art Filters that can be added to images for an extra creative touch.
The built-in Wi-fi works with Olympus's OI.Share software for quick image sharing. Pressing the Wi-fi field icon on the camera display reveals a QR code, which the user then scans with a smartphone to instantly pair the two devices. Once done, this allows the phone to mirror the camera's LCD screen and control the shutter via Wi-fi.
Three accessories are also available for the Stylus 1: the EP11 eye cup for the EVF that cuts out peripheral light, a full-body jacket for protection against damage and a 1.7x teleconverter that extends the focal length to 510mm, affixing via the CLA-13 converter adapter.
The new Stylus 1 from Olympus will be available from late November 2013, priced £549.99. Check back here for our first hands-on impressions of the camera.


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Xcel wants to alter energy plans for Boulder
- published_in
- Today's News
As the programs stand now, Xcel argues that non-Boulder customers are being forced to subsidize the city's creation of a municipal electric utility.
"This is nothing against Boulder,´ said Jerome Davis, regional vice president for Xcel. "This is nothing against municipalization. … This isn't about Xcel being retaliatory. It's really about protecting non-Boulder citizens."
Xcel's reasoning behind the application to the PUC is that the various rebates and incentives paid to customers for doing things like adding solar panels to their homes or purchasing energy-efficient appliances are funded by all Xcel ratepayers through the Renewable Energy Standard Adjustment and the Demand Side Management Cost Adjustment on their bills.
Boulder customers, Xcel asserted in a press release, "have historically participated in these programs at higher rates than others throughout Colorado," meaning Boulder customers reap more benefits from the programs than they pay for. The problem, Xcel said in its application to the PUC, is that if the city of Boulder moves forward with creating a municipal electric utility, the city utility would receive the benefits of Xcel's rebate and incentive programs.
Boulder earlier this month filed a notice of intent to acquire Xcel's assets necessary to form a city utility, setting the stage for a potential condemnation trial if a deal can't be reached through good-faith negotiations.
"These investments pay for load reductions, renewable energy supply and emission reductions that that will benefit the city, not (Xcel), upon any transfer of the service territory," Xcel's attorneys wrote in the PUC filing. "(Xcel) will seek compensation for these 'damages' to our prior investments in the condemnation proceeding. The issue that we bring to the commission's attention now is how to avoid creating further damages or loss of benefits by continuing these programs in Boulder under their current terms."
Xcel spokeswoman Michelle Aguayo affirmed that Xcel's customers in Boulder who already have solar panels installed, for instance, would not be affected by the company's proposed modifications. Going forward, however, Xcel is requesting a quartet of modifications that would affect any new Boulder participants in the voluntary programs.
One is that the utility would be authorized to include a termination provision in all new Solar Rewards contracts with Boulder residents that would allow the company to terminate its obligations to purchase energy and renewable energy credits from those customers if the city created its own utility. The utility believes such a right might already be implicit in its agreements, but is seeking clarity on the matter from the PUC.
The utility is also looking to modify its Customer-Owned Small Solar Rewards program to pay out benefits to customers over a period of 20 years instead of 10, using more of a "pay for performance" model that other Solar Rewards programs are based on.
Xcel seeks permission to limit new demand-side management investment in Boulder "so that the level of costs that we incur to fund new Boulder DSM participation in each year does not exceed the DSM electric revenue received from all of our Boulder customers in that year."Demand-side management involves reducing electricity use through activities or programs that promote electric energy efficiency or conservation, or more efficient management of electric energy loads.
Finally, Xcel would defer offering its community solar gardens program to Boulder customers unless the city of Boulder at some point decided not to proceed with municipalization.
Davis said it's not Xcel's desire to limit its incentive programs in Boulder. Company officials say they've reached out to the city of Boulder repeatedly to come to some sort of agreement that would make the company's non-Boulder customers whole in the event that the city created its own utility. The Tuesday filing noted that Xcel would be willing to withdraw the application for modifications if such an agreement could be reached.
"(Xcel) has once again made an offer to the Boulder City Attorney to continue all voluntary programs in Boulder without change if the city would commit to compensate (Xcel) for the benefits that a city utility will receive from these programs," Xcel's PUC filing stated. "To date, Boulder has not agreed to reimburse (Xcel) for any of these program expenditures."
Boulder spokeswoman Sarah Huntley said the city's attorneys were notified of Xcel's filing on Tuesday afternoon and still needed time to assess its impacts.
She said city officials want to make the sort of agreement Xcel is seeking. But she said the city has also been repeatedly denied when asking Xcel for information about the number of existing contracts with customers, provisions of those contracts and the financial implications of such an agreement.
"Until we get a full accounting of those contracts, which Xcel Energy has refused to give us, it is very difficult for the city to be specific about how we'll treat each contract," Huntley said. "Having said that, city council and staff are unified in their commitment to helping solar customers remain whole and not be harmed by their willingness to be early adopters of this important technology."
This is not the first time Xcel has asked the PUC for permission to modify its programs with relation to Boulder customers due to the possibility of municipalization. Xcel filed a similar request in 2012, but the PUC then determined that it was premature to decide the issue because Boulder was simply in an exploratory mode as it related to municipalization.
Boulder's notice of intent to acquire, Xcel says, changes the game.
"Given the city's recent actions taking this formal step toward taking over our business in Boulder, it is now appropriate to readdress this issue," Davis said.
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Councils get aggressive over pressure to go passive
Councils responsible for £180 billion of pension funds have defied UK government pressure to seek savings by switching their funds to passive management.
Local authorities across England and Wales have strongly defended the City's active fund managers, with accusations that the analysis that supported passive investment is "flawed and inaccurate".
A report into the schemes' management costs by the investment consultancy Hymans Robertson, prepared for the government last year, appears to have convinced the government that a wholesale move to passive investment would save around £420 million a year from the schemes' £790 million running costs "without sacrificing investment performance" as, in aggregate, council funds' equity investments had failed to beat the relevant market indices.
The government issued its proposals in May, and its consultation period closed earlier this month. Not all the 89 local authority funds have responded but Financial News has studied responses from the 38 that have made them public, which included some of the largest schemes.
Their reaction to being forced to go passive ranges from disquiet to outrage. Nick Vickers, head of financial services at Kent County Council, said in his response that "the consultation document is significantly flawed and the headline savings figures are unsound". The Cheshire Pension Fund told the government: "We are advocates of active managers."
Others praised their own fund managers for delivering the goods. The Northamptonshire Pension Fund said it was "not surprised" that councils' overall returns had not beaten the indices – but added "we do not think this is an indictment of all active managers and nor should it be a reason for [council funds] to settle for mediocrity". It said its managers – Majedie, UBS, Schroders, Skagen and Baillie Gifford – had outperformed.
All 38 consultation responses seen by Financial News rejected the idea of compulsory passive investments. A softer government proposal was backed by 27 – a "comply or explain" approach that would oblige council funds to explain why they had picked active managers.
Council officials at Essex said in their response: "We believe the Essex fund already sets its investment strategy with a full explanation of the rationale and, therefore, this is our preferred option."
Sums wrong?
Several councils questioned the analysis done by Hymans Robertson, which the government has used to support and underpin its recommendations. Mark Lyon, head of investments at the East Riding of Yorkshire's pension fund, delivered one of the most stinging verdicts, calling the report "inaccurate, incomplete and lacking in depth".
He said: "One of the problems is they didn't consider risk-adjusted returns." Hymans compared total average returns to indices, he argued, and found no significant outperformance – but this fails to consider whether managers are providing a "smoother ride" for pension funds, meaning fewer wild swings in their deficits and less volatility in the taxpayer's bill for pensions.
Linda Selman, head of Local Government Pension Scheme investments at Hymans Robertson, and responsible for its report, said: "I wouldn't disagree at all that it's better to look at risk-adjusted returns, but those figures simply aren't available for the local government scheme."
But Lyon said he had done some risk-adjusted return calculations of his own, and found a "modest outperformance in equities" for the LGPS. Other respondents to the consultation, such as the Investment Management Association, questioned the way Hymans had incorporated transaction-cost analysis into its figures, and the way the government then presented the £190 million difference between active and passive transaction costs as a potential "saving", alongside £230 million in active-manager fees.
The IMA's response observed: "Transaction costs clearly matter significantly to overall return, but are accounted for within it. For example, in UK equities, the gross outperformance within the Hymans' sample, albeit small at 0.1% in the selected mandates, is net of any transaction costs. The starting point, therefore, [of a move to passive] will be a loss of 0.1% and no savings."
But Selman said the transaction-cost calculation had been in the job description Hymans got from the Department for Communities and Local Government: "We were asked to calculate the all-in costs of active management. It's not to say that active management is wrong – and in our response to the consultation [a separate document to the cost analysis] we recommend greater use of passive, but are quite clear that it shouldn't be 100%. But active management does come with a cost."
Hymans' estimate for transaction costs – 0.2% of total LGPS equity assets, or £226 million – also looks large when compared with detailed analysis run for the West Sussex Pension Fund, which estimated the cost at about 0.12%, just over half Hymans' level. If that applied nation-wide, the total bill would be £134 million, not £226 million, and presumably the potential "savings" would also be lower.
Selman said: "The transaction costs for individual funds will vary. It depends on what fund managers they are using, what their stock turnover is and how good the manager's dealing desk is. Again, we were asked to look only at the aggregate."
Collective investments
However, the councils have largely backed, in principle, another of the government's Hymans-inspired ideas – the setting-up of Collective Investment Vehicles, a number of national or regional fund structures in which councils could pool certain kinds of investments, gaining economies of scale.
The government has asked for thoughts on how many there should be, what assets they should invest in and what legal form the structures should take. Some councils proposed that these should focus primarily on alternative assets, arguing this is where the benefits of collective bargaining power on fees would be most felt. The Greater Manchester Pension Fund, at £13 billion the largest in England and Wales, said in its response: "Given our size, we are already able to obtain relatively low management fees for listed investments that are managed actively or passively… for the larger funds, collective working is most attractive for some alternatives."
The handful of large council funds that are managed internally, including Teesside, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, West Midlands and East Riding, argued that collective vehicles were probably not for them, as their running costs were already low.
Geik Drever, director of pensions at the West Midlands Pension Fund, said that her fund had a "substantial internal investment team, within which there is a successful function dedicated to passive index tracking of developed quoted equities markets".
She added: "The latter has been delivered at less than half of the cost than the estimates of the equivalent services as reported in Hymans Robertson's report."
This article was first published in the print edition of Financial News dated August 4, 2014


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PTA leader arrested for embezzlement
The former president of Midland Elementary School's Parent Teacher Association was arrested for embezzlement Monday.
Sarah Jane Butcher, 35, of Elkins, was charged with embezzlement greater than $1,000 after she allegedly wrote checks totaling more than $2,000 from a Midland Elementary School PTA bank account to pay for items that were not for school use.
Butcher is accused of spending $2,260.69 on personal items between Oct. 29, 2012, and Jan. 23, 2013, according to the criminal complaint filed in the Randolph County Magistrate Clerk's Office.
The complaint states Randolph County Superintendent of Schools Terry George contacted the Randolph County Sheriff's Office Jan. 23 to report a crime involving finances. Deputy D.L. VanMeter with the RCSO subsequently met with George, Midland Elementary Principal Melinda Akers and Brad Smith, financial director for the Randolph County Board of Education, at the Randolph County board office.
At the meeting, Akers told VanMeter that she had "on several occasions" asked Butcher, the PTA president, to submit financial records from the PTA's bank account with Mountain Valley Bank, according to the complaint. Akers said that on Jan. 23, Butcher and another individual delivered the PTA checkbook and several receipts to Akers in the principal's office.
Butcher informed Akers that there had been "misappropriation of funds" while the bank account was under her control and simultaneously delivered a letter of resignation from her post to the principal.
When VanMeter met with Butcher on Jan. 29, Butcher told him that she had taken over as president of Midland Elementary's PTA at the beginning of the current 2012-2013 school year. Butcher also allegedly admitted to spending an estimated $2,024.62 on "non-PTA" supplies, the complaint states.
Butcher said she had written checks out of the PTA bank account to pay for food, clothes and electronics for her family.
"When asked why she used the funds from the account for personal use, (Butcher) advised that her husband was disabled and that it was hard times," VanMeter wrote. According to a list of checks provided in criminal complaint, the former PTA president allegedly wrote a series of checks to herself, Walmart and Big Lots from Oct. 29, 2012 through Jan. 8, 2013 that totaled $2,260.69.
Butcher told VanMeter that she took "full responsibility" for her actions and also said she planned on paying the money back with her tax refund.
When contacted for comment Monday, George said he was not authorized to discuss the specifics of the case due to the ongoing investigation.
"I would love to discuss it once it gets dealt with," the superintendent of schools said, "but I've been asked not to discuss it for the time being."
"I can tell you that individual no longer has any association with Randolph County Schools or any of Randolph County Schools' Parent Teacher Associations," George said.
Randolph County Magistrate George M. Riggleman set bond at $10,000 cash or surety; Butcher made bond Monday.
The penalty for a conviction of embezzlement greater than $1,000 is imprisonment for one to 10 years in the state penitentiary.
Contact Katie Kuba by email at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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A federal judge on Thursday cleared Florida's same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional, The Associated Press reported.
State judges in four counties also have sided with gay couples on the issue, the AP reported.
Stay issued delaying effect of order, the wire service said. No marriage licenses for gay couples will be issued immediately.
According to the AP, U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle ruled that the 2008 ban violates the 14th Amendment's guarantees of equal protection and due process.


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Difference between Rotor v1 v2 v3 and how to ID
Posted 06 November 2011 - 10:27 PM
Posted 06 November 2011 - 10:39 PM
Also first!!
Edited by littleloopy15, 06 November 2011 - 10:41 PM.
Feedback 17/0/0
Setup- Luxe, Rotor v3, ProFlexes, Ninja 68/45
Checkout LibertyPaintball-NY.com
Posted 16 December 2012 - 04:51 AM
the v3 is the newest one. and the v1 had some jamming problems no velcro staps, the v2 had less jamming problems and no velcro straps, the v3 has no jamming problems unless paint is swelled or dimpled and has the anti jam shark fin and velcro to keep the batteries in. thats about all i know about the differences. I would just the get the v3 because 9/10 the newest version is the best. Also just look for the little anti-jam fin for the v3 rotors when buying them.
Also first!!
Um...My Rotor had velcro straps in it and I bought it the month it came out and the shark fin. So what basis do you have for this?
Posted 16 December 2012 - 09:08 AM
Um...My Rotor had velcro straps in it and I bought it the month it came out and the shark fin. So what basis do you have for this?
Then you have a V3.
The shark fin refers to the shark fin looking ball ramp inside of the try located on the red piece that feeds the balls.
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On this day (Dec. 3) in 1864, President Abraham Lincoln met, for the third straight day, with two nearly hysterical, persistent women who pleaded with the president to pardon and set free their husbands, who were among the some 214,000 Confederate soldiers imprisoned during the bloody Civil War.
As Lincoln later wrote, "at each of the interviews one of the ladies urged that her husband was a religious man."
Finally, on the third day (i.e., Dec. 3), the president compassionately pardoned and set free the two husbands and then said to the grateful but weeping wives, in what the Washington Daily Chronicle characterized as "The President's Last, Shortest and Best Speech," ... "You say your husband is a religious man; tell him when you meet him ... that in my opinion, the religion that sets men to rebel and fight against their government, because, as they think, that government does not sufficiently help some men to eat their bread on the sweat of other men's faces, is not the sort of religion upon which people can get to heaven."
The treatment (all-too-often the ill-treatment) of military prisoners, which prompted these two Confederate wives to travel to Washington to plead in person with the president, was well beyond indifference; it was repulsive and shocking.
It is perhaps not too far-fetched, in some cases, to compare the mistreatment of Civil War prisoners (especially in the infamous Confederate prison at Andersonville, Ga.) with the inhuman treatment of Jews and Gypsies by the Nazis during World War II.
Altogether, Union soldiers died at an alarming rate of something more than 15 percent in Confederate prisons. It has been documented that of the more than 45,000 Union prisoners held at Andersonville, more than 13,000 (about 35 percent) died of unnecessary exposure, disease (often preventable or inadequately treated), and malnutrition.
However, unlike the Nazis' "final solution," the high mortality rate among Union prisoners at Andersonville was, in most cases, not the result of a premeditated plan to rid the country of "blue bellies," but was due, in large part, to the lack of food, proper shelters, medical doctors, nurses and medical supplies and medicines.
Even so, the camp commandant, Capt. Henry Wirz, was one of the few Confederate officials or military officers to be tried at war's end for, what would be called today, "crimes against humanity," or simply the cold-hearted, barbaric killing of captured enemy soldiers.
Although probably innocent of actually or deliberately killing anyone himself, Wirz appears to have been the scapegoat for revenge-minded northerners who blamed the South for the bloodbath of the "War of the Rebellion."
Wirz was found guilty of, in what was probably a kangaroo court trial, unnecessary cruelty and murder of military combatants and hanged on Nov. 10, 1865. His last words were reported to have been that he was innocent of all charges of cruelty and murder.
It should be remembered that conditions in northern military prisons were not much better than those of the Confederacy. In such Union prison camps as those in Alton, Rock Island, Springfield and Chicago in Illinois, and Johnson's Island, Ohio (where the husbands of the two petitioning wives were held), Confederate prisoners died at a rate of 12 percent. At the notorious Elmira Prison in New York, the death rate was more than 20 percent.
The audacious petitioning of two devoted Confederate wives saved, from what might have been at least ill-treatment or even a lingering death as military prisoners, two Confederate soldiers who were spared the all-too-often inhumane treatment endured by military prisoners in both the North and the South.
• Crystal Lake resident Joseph C. Morton is professor emeritus at Northeastern Illinois University and author of "The American Revolution" and "Shapers of the Great Debate at the Constitutional Convention of 1787." Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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as the title says i am stuck between the pinokio and the empire halo too se hopper. which would you buy and why would you buy it.
empire halo too se or pinokio
Started by Connorwallace, Nov 05 2012 03:41 PM
3 replies to this topic
Posted 05 November 2012 - 03:41 PM
Posted 05 November 2012 - 05:53 PM
If they are the same price, Pinokio easy. It is a superloader, of course it is getting old but it was made to be the best of the best. The Halo TOO on the other hand was made to be a budget loader, it works great, I know because I own one but it is on a much lower level than the Pinokio.
Posted 05 November 2012 - 09:58 PM
Pinokio doesn't have a crappy shell that is prone to break, it is easier to clean, simplier to use, holds more paint, gets better battery life, and weighs less. The Halo is in no way superior to the Pinokio other than price.
Posted 16 November 2012 - 05:15 PM
I have had a halo for the better part of a decade and hasnt failed me once. Thier both great in thier own right. But i like the way my halo looks on my gun
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Nexxia Shop >Car Audio >Car Stereo Fitting Kits >Universal Single Fascia >
A range of Single Din Fascia adaptors and pockets for use when fitting a Single Din size radio. Single Din is approx 50mm high by 180mm wide. In some case a universal trim panel can be used where a vehicle specific Fascia panel is not available, other vehicles which may have Double Din radio's as standard, can be converted to accept a Single Din radio using Single Din pockets. These fit in the lower part of the dash, with your new radio fitting above. All items require a Single Din Radio cage be used, these are also available under Car Stereo Spare.
Click "Related Products" below to see other items you might need with this product, or similar items you might require.
This fascia adaptor can be used on any Toyota vehicle where the original radio was double din, and fits below a new installed single din radio creating a useful cubby hole.
Measures 180mm wide, by 50mm high at the front, by 100mm Deep with fixing holes on the side.


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House debates ban on 'flipping' schoolsBy JOSH O'GORMAN
VERMONT PRESS BUREAU | April 02,2014MONTPELIER — A proposed moratorium on "flipping" public schools to private ones is undergoing debate in the Vermont House.
Tuesday morning, the House Committee on Education took up Senate Bill 91, which would impose a two-year moratorium on allowing a public school to close and then reopen as a private school to serve the same student population.
The bill — which was approved March 14 by the Senate and can be read online at goo.gl/r4LF8K — was produced by the Senate Education Committee. Tuesday, the committee's secretary, Sen. David Zuckerman, a Progressive from Chittenden County, discussed the bill with his colleagues on the House side.
"As someone who is a supporter of public school and having a local voice, I would argue that turning a public school into a private school is an anathema to local control," Zuckerman said.
The practice is far from common. But in recent years, a handful of communities have voted to close their public schools and reopen them as private schools. While a public school is governed by a school board composed of publicly elected people, a private school is governed by an unelected board of trustees. Most recently in 2013, the North Bennington Graded School closed its doors as a public school and reopened as private.
Rep. Johannah Leddy Donovan, a Democrat from Burlington and chairwoman of the House Committee on Education, argued the move meant a loss of local control for taxpayers.
"In communities like North Bennington, the community is no longer part of the building of the budget. They are bill payers," Donovan said.
With a two-year moratorium, the bill is a more temporary version of a bill introduced and passed by the Senate during the last biennium that would have banned the practice of flipping schools outright.
Rep. Barbara Rachelson, a Democrat from North Bennington who serves on the House Education Committee, asked if there would be a compelling reason for a public school to close and reopen as a private school during the moratorium.
Zuckerman said private schools are free to pursue revenue streams that public schools cannot, and with the current trend of rising education costs, "the possibility of this coming up again in the future is significant," he said.
While private schools are free to pursue alternative funding methods, they are also free to omit classes and curriculum that are required at a public school. More than one member of the House Education Committee asked what would happen to a special education student if his school closed and reopened, only to no longer offer special education.
Rep. Brian Campion, a Democrat from Bennington who represents the district that includes North Bennington Graded School, asked if there could be a way to strike a compromise that would allow a school to flip, but still retain local control.
Zuckerman said these are the sorts of questions that could be answered during the moratorium.
The Senate bill also calls for a pair of studies. One aims to see if a municipality has the authority under the state constitution to flip a school. The second study is to determine whether the Legislature has the authority under the state constitution to impose the moratorium in the first place.
Greg Glennon, an attorney for the state Agency of Education, said the two-year moratorium is fairly brief, and if it were to be challenged in court, it is unlikely there would be a decision reached before the moratorium expires.
josh.ogorman @rutlandherald.comMORE IN Vermont NewsMONTPELIER Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. Full StoryVermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell plans to join the U.S. Full StoryMONTPELIER Gov. Full Story
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