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In any museum collection you will find items or entire collections that were lent at some point in the distant past, sometimes more than a hundred years ago. It is always rewarding when a relationship is re-established with the owner and the items or collection can be returned to its rightful place. This happened to… Read more »
Posts tagged with museum
Red Piano and Bronze Bulls coming to Wellington
After a successful season at the Venice Biennale, in Paris and Christchurch, Michael Parekowhai's On First Looking into Chapman's Homer will make its final stop at the national museum, Te Papa. Opening Saturday 25 August, a specially reconfigured installation will be shown in a single gallery space for four weeks and provides an exciting opportunity… Read more »
New exhibition of ceramics, glass and metalwork opens this Saturday
Te Papa shares the story of modern design through the collection of ceramics, glass and metalwork gifted by Wellingtonian Walter Cook. Featuring selected objects, the new exhibition, Walter Cook: a collector's quest opens this Saturday on Level 6. Walter Cook's first purchase initiated him into what he called 'the addictive habit and thrill of hunting quarry in second-hand shops'. During the… Read more »
Delighted to have two finalists in New Zealand Post Book Awards
Te Papa Press, New Zealand's unique museum publisher, are delighted to advise that two of its books are finalists in the prestigious annual New Zealand Post Book Awards. The finalists, announced last week, were selected from 160 entries and are described by the judges as "diverse and exciting". Whatu Kākahu: Māori Cloaks edited by Awhina… Read more »
Caring for museum collections in a molecular world
Museums are embracing technologies, such as DNA sequencing, to both enhance understanding of their collections and showcase scientific research to the public. Many museums around the world now have molecular laboratories. DNA sequencing has many useful applications for museum research; for example, it can be used to distinguish new species, determine the evolutionary relationships between… Read more »
Making a big world smaller – Paris and Google Art
When I started writing this, it was midnight in Paris but back in NZ it was a bright cheerful 11 o'clock in the morning. I had spent 24 hours crossing from one hemisphere to the other, and was left struggling with a conflicting body clock, unfair currency conversions and a general feeling of bewilderment that… Read more »
European Masters closes this Sunday
Well it's coming to that sad time when exhibitions are about to close and a lot of people are always in the habit of putting things a off to the last minute so… I thought I would help you all out with a bit of a reminder in the hope you don't have end up… Read more »
See Te Papa on TVNZ6 from tomorrow!
Join Simon Morton and Riria Hotere for your personal guided tour of the nation's treasures when TVNZ6, in partnership with Te Papa and Vero, launch Tales from Te Papa on Tuesday 1 September! Tales from Te Papa is a series of mini-docos (between 2-5 minutes long) showcasing significant objects and taonga from the collections of… Read more »
Black Magic hits the waters one last time…
Well … kind of! NZL 32 aka Black Magic will be barged tomorrow morning from Team New Zealand's shed in Auckland's Viaduct Harbour to its new home within the National Maritime Museum's Blue Water Black Magic – A Tribute to Sir Peter Blake exhibition, opening in December this year. Black Magic is the yacht that… Read more »
Squid star in the media
Hi everyone! Here are some of the news items that have played in NZ over the last couple of days for your viewing/listening pleasure. http://tvnz.co.nz/breakfast-news/breakfast-friday-december-12-2416405/video?vid=2416881 http://www.3news.co.nz/Gargantuan-squid-ready-for-its-public-debut/tabid/209/articleID/84084/cat/676/Default.aspx http://www.primetv.co.nz/Default.aspx?alias=www.primetv.co.nz/news FYI – this link will only be live till 5pm tonight NZ time – the item is at 9:44 through the roadcast http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint – an audio report scroll down… Read more »

subset: commoncrawl


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At a number of the case study schools, innovators sought to create conditions that would foster a "snowball effect."
As one technology coordinator advised:
Most schools will have some "early adopters" who are interested in technology and eager to learn about it and try it out with their students. These teachers can become a core group, able to sustain their interests despite the inevitable glitches and set backs of the early stages of a technology project. In our case study projects, such early adopters showed themselves not only willing to spend their own time to learn about technology but also willing to spend time on chores such as learning to repair computers and keep a network operating, scheduling equipment rotations, and advising their fellow teachers on technology options.
If technology-supported educational reform is to really change a school and affect students deeply, however, it needs to spread beyond a handful of teachers. The experience of our case study sites suggests the importance of getting broad agreement on a school-level vision of what the school wants to become. As in the case of the Frank Paul and Open Charter School sites, that original vision may not include technology. A consistent set of instructional goals and practices is more important. If in fact technology can support these goals (and we believe it can be an important support particularly for project-based learning activities), teachers then have a motivation for learning how to use technology and to incorporate it into their teaching practices.
The experiences of our case study sites suggest that in fact the move to project-based work, without relying on lecture methods or following a textbook, is a more fundamental and difficult shift than the introduction of technology. Teachers who have learned how to design challenging activities in which students work on cooperative projects and who are able to manage multiple student groups working on different phases of their project activity find that the introduction of technology goes relatively smoothly. Since students are not expected to all be working on the same thing at the same time, the class does not need one computer for every student or student pair. Moreover, students who are used to working together find it very natural to consult with each other on their technology-related problems. Particularly in the upper grade levels, teachers who have become accustomed to playing the role of coach rather than that of all-knowing lecturer and demonstrator find that they can rely on students to help set-up equipment and troubleshoot technical difficulties.
One strategy for getting teachers involved with technology that has been used in many places is to give teachers computers for their personal use. States and private donors have set up such programs, typically with certain requirements, such as attending a class on how to use the technology. These programs give teachers a better idea of what can be done with the equipment and get them accustomed to using the equipment as a tool for their own productivity. With their own personal experience of the ways in which technology can support their productivity, teachers are more likely to see ways in which similar uses could support the projects they want their students to do. In addition, as one teacher pointed out in her interview, take-home computer programs for teachers have important motivational value:
Quite a few of our case study sites had programs that gave teachers computers for home use. At Frank Paul Elementary School, for example, a take-home Duo Dock program was implemented in 1993-94 with great success. Although the school's restructuring efforts had included the use of technology since 1988, only a portion of the school's teachers had really become enthusiastic users of technology in their classrooms. Many teachers, particularly in the primary grades, were reluctant to become involved. In January of 1994, teachers were given the opportunity to obtain a Macintosh Duo Dock (a notebook computer) for their own use if they agreed to take a day-long introductory training and to use the machine in their classrooms as well. (The computer becomes the personal property of the teacher after five years if he or she is still at Frank Paul.) Initially, all but one teacher signed up for the program, and the last teacher decided to participate after coming in one day to "play with" one of the machines. Additional mini-training sessions on technology topics selected by the teachers were offered after school, and technology use in the classroom became more widespread. The part-time technology coordinator estimates that 70% of teachers now use these computers to write narrative reports for parents, and 80% of teachers are using computers for classroom instruction. Although the level of use still varies, most classes are providing computer-based activities every week.
Another strategy for spreading the use of technology is to provide teachers with remuneration and recognition for designing good instructional uses of technology. Some districts, for example, offer "mini-grant" competitions through which teachers can obtain resources for trying out innovative instructional uses of technology in their classrooms. One of our case study sites benefitted from a nice program offered by Apple Computer; during school year breaks they paid the school's teachers as consultants to develop instructional uses of software running on Apple computers. Teachers received lots of technical support and training during these consulting periods, which in turn enhanced the level of use they were able to bring to their teaching.
Finally, adoption of goals for technology skills was another way in which pressure was exerted on teachers to incorporate technology into what they were doing. One of our middle school sites was located in a state (Texas) that had specific technology competencies that students are supposed to acquire by the end of eighth grade. Frank Paul Elementary School recently began work on a continuum of technology competencies for different developmental levels that will become part of the schoolwide set of instructional goals. The project coordinator expects the articulation and assessments of these competencies to influence those teachers who have been slow to implement technology. A strategy that our case study sites said they did not use is emphasizing prior technology skills in hiring new teachers. Even the two new schools designed to be technology demonstration schools did not emphasize technology skills in their staff selection. Administrators emphasized that good teaching skills and the ability to work well with a diverse population of students were more important. What they did seek in selecting teachers, however, was an interest in trying out new things and a willingness to learn about technology.


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ATLANTA Carvel Ice Cream, based here, despite the success of its first-ever text-messaging campaign last year, is not planning any mobile marketing for 2009, said Lori Petersen, vice president of marketing. She recently explained that decision while briefing Nation's Restaurant News on the texting effort, which featured Fudgie the spokeswhale and was launched in support of last year's "Arctic Summer Sweepstakes." —The 500-unit chain, ...
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Consumer Reviews of Fire Chief wood furnaces
Very Satisfied
Somewhat Satisfied
Somewhat Unsatisfied
Very Unsatisfied
Read more about Fire Chief wood furnaces
Read reviews of other Wood Furnace brands
Quality Leads? Learn more
Date created: 2013-03-03
Name: bruce kushmaul
Location: pittsford mich
Satisfaction Rating:
"Model 1800 fire cheif"
I bought a model 1800 fire chief wood burner, I burn wood and I cannot get no heat out. When I called the company they want to take no responsibilty for it, they blame it on the customer. I will be switching to a boiler. I found most everything that fire chief wrote was a lie in there brochures.
Date created: 2012-12-10
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Satisfaction Rating:
"My HY-C Outdoor Wood Furnace"
When I bought my HY-C Fire Chief wood furnace, I almost instant had buyer's remorse since it was so expensive. Also, since I live in a relatively warm state, it seemed foolish to spend so much money on a wood furnace. However, after spending some time with it, I feel that it's worth every penny. I've had this furnace for a little less than a year now, and have used it at least 3-5 days a month, as Houston weather is brutally unpredictable. In that time, I've had only one [small] complaint: it takes almost twice the amount of time to heat up as my old unit. Given that the old unit was propane, my complaint shouldn't really be considered when deciding between wood furnaces. Aside from that gripe, I've saved much more money using it compared to my old furnace, since propane usage and cost in the winter time was absolutely killing my wallet. In addition to that, I haven't needed to repair anything on it, which is more than I can say for my prior furnace. From what I've experienced with my neighbors and friends' wood furnaces, this is the top of the line as far as build quality goes. All in all, I would definitely recommend the HY-C Fire Chief FCOS 1600 over any other furnace, although the price of it may seem hard to justify. Still, if they would have made this unit 10 years ago, I definitely would have bought it for the same price as I did this year, and I probably would have saved thousands in fuel money.
Date created: 2012-05-23
Location: Boston, MA
Satisfaction Rating:
"Outdoor wood furnace not as good as I thought"
I have owned the Fire Chief outdoor wood furnace for about 5 years. I dont really like anything about it, I got it as a gift and I have tried my hardest to like it but Id rather just use my wood stove. What I didnt like is that the btu output is only 16000, it does not come with a stove pipe so i had to go out any buy one. Its just been a huge headache. I never had to repair it because I barely use it. I would never get one of these again if i end up getting one as a gift ill throw it in the river. I would NEVER recommend these pieces of crap to a friend or family member or even an enemy. Just getting an old school wood burning stove is a lot better and way more efficient. They are better than nothing though so to each is own
Date created: 2012-04-09
Location: Highland, MI
Satisfaction Rating:
"Great furnace really lowers cost"
I have had this wood stove for 2 winters now and could not be happier. Although this past winter has not been that bad I can see how it will be paying for it self real soon. It is so easy to use and with the large capacity I do not have to go out in the middle of the night to add wood. The only thing I could really say negative about it would be the installation. If you do not have a whole lot of experience with pipe fitting, duct work I would not advise installing this your self. I would suggest this to anyone who lives in a cold weather state with harsh winters who wants to lower there heating bills and preserve fuel.
Date created: 2012-02-27
Location: Cambridge, Maine
Satisfaction Rating:
"Great Indoor Wood Burning Furnace"
With a maximum heating capacity of 1200 sq. ft, this furnace is perfect for my home. It was a little a pricey at $1200 but absolutely worth it as I live in Maine and have no desire to pay a gas company. I've had it for about a year now and luckily haven't had any problems and have had to make no repairs. If it continues to work great, I absolutely recommend it to a friend. Best of all, it is 100% made in the USA and should pay itself off within another year!! Also, it comes with a pre-wired electrical system that made it easy for my husband and I to install! We bought it from Woodland direct and would also recommend using them as well.
Date created: 2012-02-13
Location: houston,tx
Satisfaction Rating:
"A great wood furnace"
I own my wood furnace for 6 months now. and i tell u its great. its a Fire Chief FC300F model. it keeps three rooms heated up big time. i save some much on my heating bill/ my bill for heating was cut but 60% or more. i belive ever one should get a wood furnace for there home
Date created: 2012-01-24
Location: Becket, MA
Satisfaction Rating:
"Very satisfied with outdoor wood furnace."
I have owned my fire chief outdoor wood furnace for 2 winters and it's saved me a ton. It works like a charm and luckily I have access to a lot of fire wood but I have absolutely no complaints. What I like about this furnace the most is its completely Eco friendly considering I'm only burning wood to heat my entire house. Also the fact that all the ashes, dirt and wood chips that come along with inside burning stays outside where it belongs. I would recommend this furnace to anyone that's interested in a outdoor furnace and or interested in outdoor burning. This unit easily heats my 1300sqft house.
Date created: 2011-12-23
Location: Ravenna Ohio
Satisfaction Rating:
"My very own outdoor furnace review"
I have owned my furnace for six months now I love how quick it is to heat up. I like that the one I got comes with a thermostat with it and that its a very great accessory for when it is cold out and I do not find nothing that I do not like about my furnace yet I love it and I have never had anything break down on it yet if i had to replace it I would buy the same brand and yes I would recommend it to my friends. I know there are many brands out there of the wood furnaces and I did shop around before I bought mine there also many other fire chief furnaces but I have found it very easy to use and get set up and started right away it is very well put toghter and very well handled. I bought mine also becuase it was the brand recommended to me form a family member thank you
Date created: 2011-12-20
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Satisfaction Rating:
"Works well enough"
I think that the wood furnace that I have is satisfactory for what I need. I own a lakehouse near some woods, and felt that it'd make a nice investment, since I rarely go and there was plenty of fuel available nearby, saving me on gas. My only complaint is that it isn't something that works by way of a thermostat, and as a result, I can make my house a little too warm, if I'm not careful. Also, woodcutting can feel a bit inconvenient at times, but that's just me being lazy. I do like that the furnace has a large capacity, allowing me to keep it running a long time without need for refilling it. In the even that I needed to repair it, I honestly wouldn't know where to start. I assume that before anything else, I'll have to replace some of the ducts connecting the furnace to the house, but that's just normal maintenance. If I had to buy it again, I would. I don't see any reason not to.
Date created: 2011-12-14
Location: Saint Cloud, MN
Satisfaction Rating:
"Fire Chief Keeps Your Home Comfortable"
I have owned a Fire Chief Outdoor Wood Furnace in October. We got it to replace the indoor furnace we had due to our daughter's allergy to wood mold. The doctor said an outdoor furnace should be fine and so far her allergies have disappeared and everything is nice and cozy in our home again. There is a definite unique warmth this furnace projects that just doesn't come from other heat sources. I don't think this product warms the house as fast as indoor furnaces and it does get annoying having to run outside to throw the wood in when it is really cold outside, but other than that this is a pretty good product. I haven't tried other outdoor furnaces so I think these things are probably normal. Thankfully we have not had to fix anything on the furnace and it runs very smooth. I am happy with our purchase overall and would recommend this product to someone who is looking for a new outdoor wood furnace!
The opinions expressed in these reviews are the opinions of consumers that submitted reviews to FurnaceCompare.com. They do not necessarily represent the opinions of FurnaceCompare.com.


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Linux - The Operating System of the 21st Century TM
Earlier meetings and more details are available on our
previous meetings page.
Note to presenters: At present, we have no Internet connection in our meeting room, so please plan accordingly. If you will be giving a presentation using a Mac, please bring your own Mac > VGA adapter. Symantec does not provide these, and this is the one accessory Mac users forget to bring.
Feedback to SVLUG webmasters.


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Get an overview of this hotelNear commercial district
With a stay at Hotel Sanpi Milano, you'll be centrally located in Milan, steps from San Carlo al Lazzaretto and minutes from Porta Venezia.
This 4-star hotel is within close proximity of Piazza della Repubblica and Modern Art Gallery.
Make yourself at home in one of the 79 air-conditioned rooms featuring minibars. Complimentary wired and wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming provides entertainment. Private bathrooms have complimentary toiletries and bidets. Conveniences include safes and desks, as well as phones with free local calls.
Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as a fitness center or take in the view from a rooftop terrace and a garden. This hotel also features complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and babysitting/childcare (surcharge).
Enjoy a meal at a restaurant, or stay in and take advantage of the hotel's room service (during limited hours). Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge.
Featured amenities include a business center, express check-in, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available on request).Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
Hotel Sanpi Milano
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
A small courtyard garden offers a quiet shady place to relax. A meeting room with natural light provides seating for 40 in theater style. The hotel also provides an onsite business centre (surcharge), and complimentary access to the onsite fitness centre. Business amenities include a business center with one meeting/conference room with audio-visual equipment, exhibit space, secretarial services and there is complimentary high speed wireless Internet access.
- Free WiFi
- Concierge services
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Fitness facilities
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Bar/lounge
- Business center
- Porter/bellhop
- 24-hour front desk
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Multilingual staff
- Total number of rooms - 79
- Laundry facilities
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Fireplace in lobby
- Elevator/lift
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Garden
- Library
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Shopping on site
- Babysitting or childcare
- Restaurant
- Designated smoking areas
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Express check-in
- Rooftop terrace
- Luggage storage
- One meeting room
- Valet parking (surcharge)
- Number of buildings/towers - 2
- Airport transportation (surcharge)
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Soundproofed rooms
- Laundry facilities
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Valet parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Pay movies
- Room service (limited hours)
- Air conditioning
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Soundproofed rooms
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Phone
- Free local calls
- Minibar
- Private bathroom
- Bathrobes
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Bidet
- Slippers
- Satellite TV service
- Desk
- Daily housekeeping
- In-room safe
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Cribs/infant beds available
- Free newspaper
- Free WiFi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- In-room massage available
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
Where to Eat
Guests of the hotel enjoy a complimentary American buffet breakfast each morning.
Hotel Sanpi Restaurant - The small basement restaurant has a terracotta tiled floor, cane chairs, and bright floral fabrics. Breakfast and an all day menu of simple meals and snacks are served, concentrating on traditional Italian cuisine, such as pasta with Bolognese sauce.
Lobby bar and lounge - The small bar, with leather covered chairs, looks onto the courtyard. The lounge has modern pale leather chairs and sofas by designer Poltrona Frau, white walls and discreet uplights. Courtyard tables offer alfresco dining. Light meals from the restaurant, as well as tea, coffee, and cakes can be taken here.
Nearby Things to Do
Walking is the way to explore the capital of Lombardy and Italy's second-largest city, where the historical center incorporates the fashion district, Castello Sforzesco, and the 200-year-old La Scala (closed until 2005), among other sites. Hotel guests can begin from the nearby Giardini Pubblici di porta Venezia (public gardens) and walk toward the city center's Piazza del Duomo (cathedral). Milan's soccer is played at Calcio San Siro (stadium).
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or near the hotel; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Special check-in instructions:
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available.
- Cribs (infant beds) are available.
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
- The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation.
- A tax is imposed by the city: EUR 5 per person, per night, up to 14 nights. This tax does not apply to children under 18 years of age.
Hotel Name
- Hotel Sanpi
- Hotel Sanpi Milano
- Sanpi Hotel Milano
- Sanpi Milano
- Sanpi Milano Hotel
- Sanpi Milano Milan
- Sanpi
We should mention
All guests, including children, must be present at check-in and show their government-issued photo ID card or passport. Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 2999.99, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation.


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The Jervis McEntee Diaries - February 4, 1879
Diary Entry:
I had a letter from Lucy today from Washington. Her sweet and sisterly love and anxiety for me almost broke my heart. I have been very wretched. The struggling, immeasurable hopes I clung to are gone and I am trying to forget. I drove myself to work and painted on my picture. Am I not putting into it the storm that has swept across my soul? I do not know. I used to have Gertrude to tell me when my work was good. She knew better than I did and now I cannot tell. Mrs. Church and Mrs. Deforest came in. Mrs. Church looked very ill and weary to me. They both seemed much impressed with my picture but I could not talk about it. I saw that Mrs. Church pitied me and I had hard work trying to be cheerful so that she would not pity me more. DeHaas and his wife came in and he spoke with much feeling of my picture. Booth came about five o'clock. I was so glad to see him. Told him how sad and unhappy I felt and he was so kind and gentle, spoke so tenderly of Gertrude. He staid until I went to dinner and we walked up together. Came back to my room and wrote to Sara. I feel better now but all things seem unreal and like dreams. I have been reading Gertrudes letters. There I always find her undying love and I turn to them in my sorrow and soothe my soul with the love she never wearied in expressing.


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Enfants Terribles: Live at the Blue Note
Enfants Terribles: Live at the Blue Note
Half Note Records
The idea of going into a club and playing a set of standards without any plans, preconceptions or pre-arrangements ain't exactly new; it's what plenty of jazz musicians do, each and every night. But it's one thing to go in and run down some Real Book charts, head-solo-head style, and give everyone a chance to stretch out and solo on some familiar material; it's another thing entirely to be at a level where the material is reinvented, set after set, night after night. It's what alto saxophonist Lee Konitz did a couple years back, when he entered New York's venerable Birdland club with pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Paul Motian for a series of dates that yielded the superb Live at Birdland (ECM, 2011), proving that, in the right hands, those old, worn-out standards are anything but ready for retirement. It's what he does again with Enfants Terribles: Live at the Blue Note, but this time in an entirely different group that replaces the chordal possibilities of piano with the more open potential of guitar, recruiting the "King of Skew," Bill Frisell.
The reason why standards sometimes get a bad rap these days is because, more often than not, they're approached far too literally. But here, Konitz and Frisell, in collaboration with bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Joey Baron, treat these six standards as a blank slate. Everyone knows the songs; everyone's played them countless times. But exactly how they're going to play them on a given nightin this case, over two nights in the summer of 2011, the best of which are documented on Live at the Blue Notethat's another story. Sometimes it's a case of gradual coalescence, as Konitz and Baron start "What Is This Thing Called Love" in not exactly a tenuous state, but certainly one where it's not immediately obvious what they're playing. As Konitz slowly brings in the melody (or, at least, something in the vicinity), Frisell enters in counterpoint, with Peacock and Baron gradually finding their way from freedom to form, a brightly swinging groove emerging about halfway through its six-minute duration.
That doesn't mean, however, that song form is readily established in any clear fashion. Frisell and Konitz move in and outone soloing briefly, then the other, but it's really more collective than that. The two sometimes chase each other across the in-the- moment malleable boundaries of the song, elsewhere orbiting around each and, finally but only after Frisell has gradually introduced some, yes, skewed voicings that finally reveal the tunecoming together for a unison theme that takes the song out without any muss, fuss or grand gestures.
And that's much how it is for the rest of this set of familiar chestnuts. No pyrotechnics, little clear delineation, and a rhythm section (poor choice of words, since Peacock and Baron are absolute equals on this ship) that, like a house of cards, is slowly constructed but ever in risk of collapsing down around its builders. That it never does its testimony to the quartet's huge collective ear, and the free-association kind of thinking that brings in the occasional quote from near and far.
Those who think that recent Frisell projects on Savoy2011's All We Are Saying... (2011) and this year's Floratone IIsuggest he's left the jazz tradition behind will be pleasantly surprised: his tone, warm and soft and with minimal effects, through his wry way of turning a phrase and his oblique approach to harmonic movement, mean that everything here sounds fresh and previously untouched.
Peacock's longest-standing gig is, in fact, another standards-based onewith drummer Jack DeJohnette in pianist Keith Jarrett's nearly three- decade old triobut as spontaneous and fresh as that group is, it still works its magic within preconceived roadmap-style constructs that act as jumping-off points. Here, completely unencumbered, Peacock sounds better than ever, and more capable of playing in a truly free fashionone where there can be time (or not), one where there can be changes (or not), and one where, if any semblance of form emerges (as it so often manages to do), it's more a happy accident, as much a surprise to the players as it is the audience they're playing for. Baron, of course, carries equal responsibility for the almost slap-happy way he encourages this quartet to work its way through reinvigorating familiar tunes like "Body and Soul," Stella By Starlight" and "I Remember You," all with effortless aplomb.
Konitz, born in 1927, out-seniors Peacock by nearly a decade, but as he enters the second half of his eighties, he's similarly performing better than ever, even if, as he jokes as the hour-long set closes, "I'd like to thank you on behalf of my colleagues...Uh, I forget their names right now..." Konitz may be having some "senior moments," and more power to him; but clearly not on his horn, where his imagination is clearly just as intact as his dark, full and instantly identifiable tone. Surrounded by three similarly creative and unshackled players who range, in age, from pre-WWII to early baby boomer, Konitz isn't just as unfettered and imaginative as ever; his creativity seems to have kicked into overdrive, even as his body moves in the opposite direction. Enfants Terribles: Live at the Blue Note is the close cousin and worthy successor to Live at Birdland, demonstrating that, in the music world whether you're a musician or an oft-covered songit's absolutely possible to prove the old (and similarly overused) saying: "you aren't getting older; you're getting better."
Tracks: What Is This Thing Called Love?; Body & Soul; Stella By Starlight; I'll Remember April; I Remember You; I Can't Get Started.
Personnel: Lee Konitz: alto saxophone; Bill Frisell: guitar; Gary Peacock: bass; Joey Baron: drums.
Track Listing: What Is This Thing Called Love?; Body & Soul; Stella By Starlight; I'll Remember April; I Remember You; I Can't Get Started.
Personnel: Lee Konitz: alto saxophone; Bill Frisell: guitar; Gary Peacock: bass; Joey Baron: drums.
Related Video
About Lee Konitz
CD/LP/Track Review
- First Meeting by Alberto Bazzurro
Extended Analysis
Catching Up With
CD/LP/Track Review
- Enfants Terribles: Live at the Blue Note by Greg Simmons
- Enfants Terribles: Live at the Blue Note by Mark Corroto
Extended Analysis
ReassessingRead more articles
Blue Note


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CoinTerra unveils GSX I PCIe bitcoin mining card for PCs
When it comes to getting your hands on the virtual currency bitcoin, there are a couple ways you can do it. You can buy bitcoin at one of the exchanges. You can also get your own hardware and set about mining for your own bitcoin. Bitcoin mining isn't an easy task though and you aren't guaranteed to get your hands on the virtual currency.


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Cape Cobras vs New South Wales – CLT20 2011 – 2nd Match
September 24, 2011 : The two titans of this year's Champions League will be going up against one another at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai. The two teams, Cape Cobras and New South Wales Blues will be facing off in what will definitely be a thriller of a match. Cobras have two former Champions League T20 titlists — Chennai Super Kings and New South Wales, in their pool and captain Justin Kemp has admitted that his team is not as fancied as the others. On the other side former champions New South Wales are back in the competition after a hiatus of one year, they basically have a young side with a few experienced players in their ranks. Skippered by battle-hardened Australian opener Simon Katich, the team finished second in the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash to qualify directly for the group stages.
The Cape Cobras are comprised of players that are extremely talented and like almost every South African side they too have a major advantage which is their fielding. Captain Justin Kemp is fortunate enough to have experienced players like Herschelle Gibbs, Dale Steyn and JP Duminy in his side and the team is overall quite well balanced. They did not perform up to their full capabilities in the 2009 edition of this tournament and will be looking to make a statement this time around. Their batsmen, if well settled, are likely to go on to make high scores. Herschelle Gibbs who has been out of form in recent times is one batsman who can go on to score some big runs on his day, whereas Owais Shah averages above 30 runs in T20 games. The middle order is stable with Duminy and keeper Andrew Puttick playing a major role, and the lower middle order is intimidating with Kemp and Vernon Philander. The Cape Cobras too have a very strong bowling attack headed by the wicket taking machine Dale Steyn who possibly has the greatest bowling average of all time. This team has specialist bowlers as well like Carl Langeveldt and Robin Peterson.
Match Details
Match – CLT20 2011 2nd Match
Date – September 24th,2011 (Saturday)
Time – 10:30 GMT | 16:00 IST
Venue – MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai
The NSW Blues on the other hand have an impressive track record. They won the first edition of this tournament and bagged the Big Bash tournament in Australia in 2008. They also reached the final of the same tournament this year, although they eventually lost to the South Australian Redbacks. The NSW Blues have dangerous players like David Warner and Shane Watson in their side, along with others. They have major fire power in their batting department and at the same time they do not lack much in the bowling department. They also have two excellent spinners in the person of Nathan Hauritz and Steve Smith. They both will be the most important, as the pitches here in the subcontinent are slow turning ones.Tags:Cape Cobras, Cape Cobras vs New South Wales, Champions League, Champions League T20, CLT20, CLT20 2011, CLT20 Live, Cricket, Cricket News, New South Wales
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December 8, 1977
Release # 77-120
WASHINGTON, DC (Dec. 8) -- The M.W. Kasch Company, Mequon, Wisconsin, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) today announced the recall of 8,400 sets of wooden toy alphabet blocks.
According to CPSC laboratory tests, paint used on some of these blocks has a lead content which exceeds the current permissible level of 0.5%. The agency's lead-in-paint regulation is intended to reduce the risk of lead poisoning in children who may ingest paint chips or peelings. Effective February 28, 1978, the maximum permissible level for paint used on toys manufactured after that date will be reduced to 0.06%.
The blocks being recalled were packaged in a plastic bag, either 15 or 28 to a set, with a cardboard label stapled at the top stating "ABC Educational Blocks - Made in Taiwan for Skyline International, Milwaukee, Wisconsin U.S.A." The 15-block set retailed for about $1.35 and the 28-block set for about $3.00. The blocks are painted either red, green, yellow or blue and the letter background is white.
The blocks have been sold since March 1976 in the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Consumers who have a set of these blocks should return them to the store where purchased for a full refund.
A pre-Christmas survey by the Commission of 41 retail stores throughout the U.S. turned up other toys which the agency will be investigating further.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of
thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the
nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or
mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to help ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household
chemicals -– contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 or teletypewriter at
301-595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @USCPSC or by subscribing
to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.
Times: 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytime
Call to get product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products.
Please use the below phone number for all media requests.
Phone: (301) 504-7908
Spanish: (301) 504-7800
View CPSC contacts for specific areas of expertise
We are still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product.
Report a Product on SaferProducts.gov
The link you selected is for a destination outside of the Federal Government. CPSC does not control this external site or its privacy policy and cannot attest to the accuracy of the information it contains. You may wish to review the privacy policy of the external site as its information collection practices may differ from ours. Linking to this external site does not constitute an endorsement of the site or the information it contains by CPSC or any of its employees.
Click Ok if you wish to continue to the website; otherwise, click Cancel to return to our site.


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| Get your gifts delivered in time for Christmas!
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ONLINE ORDERS must be placed by 12 Noon ET on 12/22/15.
PHONE ORDERS must be placed by 1:00 PM ET on 12/22/15.
|Hurry! Offer Expires Dec. 22nd
|*Choose 2-Day shipping option and the upgraded charge will be free! Not valid on previous purchases. Orders leaving same day must be placed online by 12 noon EST, phone orders must be placed by 1:00 PM EST. Offer expires noon EST December 22, 2015. In stock items only. For orders up to 10 lbs, complete order in one carton. You will still be responsible for all regular and oversized shipping charges. Contiguous U.S. shipping addresses only. Not valid to PO, APO, FPO, HI, AK, PR, VI. Custom and Special Order items excluded. Not valid on previous orders. Please note that some rural areas will experience longer delivery times than noted. If you live in one of these areas, please call to confirm date. Not responsible for typographical errors. Cannot be combined with any other offer.


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Janet Mason
Janet Mason just moved in and needs help moving the heavy stuff around the house. She calls her neighbor CJ and gets mesmerized by his blackness. Her desire for the black cock over powers her as she gets dished out a life time's worth of pounding.
Mofos Old School
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83676 views - Feb 11, 2009


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Enter your Email address:
Wolters Kluwer Health may email you for journal alerts and information, but is committed
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Van Damme, Lut; Szpir, Michael
Purpose of review: Recent studies suggest that the vaginal delivery of antiretroviral (ARV) agents — such as tenofovir, dapivirine and UC781 — may be a promising way to reduce the high rates of HIV infection among women in developing countries. This review examines these developments.
Recent findings: The Microbicide Trials Network 003 study, a large phase IIb trial, was unable to show that daily dosing with 1% tenofovir vaginal gel was effective for HIV prevention. Nevertheless, preclinical and early-phase clinical trials suggest that ARV drugs — formulated in vaginal gels, rings, films, tablets and diaphragms — could be effective for HIV chemoprophylaxis.
Summary: Investigations of topical chemoprophylaxis methods have seen mixed results in the past 12–18 months. Product adherence may prove to be one of the field's greatest challenges. Phase II and III trials continue to explore different dosing strategies for topical products that contain one or more ARV agents.
© 2012 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
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Masters Student
Seaman Lab
Savannah Harris joined SREL as a research technician in John Seaman's lab in January 2013 after completing her B.S. in biology in December 2012 at the University of South Carolina- Aiken. She also earned a cognate in geology and conducted her senior research project on the effects of geologic substrates and residuum soils on plant communities at Heggies Rock and Burks Mountain in Georgia, which integrated concepts from geology, soil science, and biology. Savannah enjoys spending time outdoors, and especially going fishing and camping. Savannah has been working on projects concerning contaminant transport in soils and began an M.S. in the Crop and Soil Science Department at UGA in May 2013.


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Increasing taxes on the wealthy is very much part of the national dialogue. Most believe it's inevitable that marginal income tax rates will go up, especially for the clients we typically advise. At a minimum, there will likely be higher taxes on dividend income and, perhaps, all investment income. And, things like the charitable income tax deduction seem perilously at risk.
The federal government is very focused on raising revenue, especially from Americans living abroad (evidenced by the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and other new reporting requirements). Sophisticated investment vehicles tend to generate investment gains that are subject to the highest effective tax rates. And, especially relevant for foundations, many sophisticated investment vehicles generate unrelated business taxable income (UBTI). Most high-net-worth individuals can shelter a paltry amount of their retirement savings from income tax, making it all the more difficult to achieve their retirement objectives. Taken together, these trends create significant income tax planning challenges for high-net-worth clients.
Advisors should consider using private placement variable annuities (PPVAs) to address these issues. A powerful yet simple tool compared to other planning alternatives, PPVAs are often overlooked. We'll explore the opportunities for using PPVAs, as well as the mechanics for implementing them.
What It Is
A PPVA is an annuity that's been stripped down to its most basic element: gains are deferred from current period taxation (PPVA investment accounts).
What It's Not
1. It's not a retail annuity. PPVA isn't a traditional annuity product. Most advisors are familiar with the high cost and limited investment choices of these products. PPVAs don't have the often expensive bells and whistles of retail annuity products, such as income guarantees or protection of principal in the event of premature death (which generally add an incremental fee of 100 basis points (bps) to 200 bps annually). Instead, PPVA investment accounts generally have no upfront commission loads or premium tax charges, and assets can remain invested until a client chooses to take a one-time distribution or systematic payments over a specified period of time (often referred to as annuitization). The client isn't required to begin taking distributions until he reaches age 95 or 100, at which time most insurance companies require the account to be liquidated over a period no longer than 30 years.
2. It's not a contrivance. PPVAs are specifically authorized under Internal Revenue Code Section 72. The Internal Revenue Service has repeatedly considered and ruled favorably on PPVAs, and, in 2008, issued clear safe-harbor guidelines for how investment funds offered within PPVA investment accounts (which are referred to as "insurance-dedicated funds" or IDFs) must be structured and administered to qualify for favorable tax treatment.1 The client may make deposits into the PPVA investment account in any amount and at any time.
3. It's not dependent on an individual's health or death. The fees associated with a PPVA don't depend on the health of the individual. There's no mortality component of a PPVA. There are no medical exams required and no underwriting.
PPVA Limitations
As discussed more fully below, while a client may allocate to any of the IDFs offered on the company's PPVA investment account platform, the client can't control the selection of securities within the IDFs.
If distributions are taken from the PPVA investment account before age 59½, there's a 10 percent penalty in addition to income tax on the gain element of the distribution.
All gains accrued within the PPVA investment account are ultimately subject to the potentially higher ordinary income tax rates (unless distributed to charity).
And, any balance remaining in the PPVA investment account owned on the client's date of death is subject to both income and estate tax (unless left to charity).
So, when could it make sense to consider using PPVA?
Enhance Tax Efficiency
Clients with exposure to traditionally tax-inefficient asset classes (for example, hedge funds, high-yield bonds and growth-oriented equities) could benefit from using PPVA. It's important, however, not to let the tax "tail" wag the investment "dog." Typically, only if a top performing manager is available on the PPVA investment account platform could this make sense.
More broadly, though, clients with a typical multi-asset class portfolio in a higher income tax regime could also benefit from a PPVA.
A PPVA works in either case for the same reasons that retail investors have for years benefitted from investing in their individual retirement accounts: Income tax deferral almost always makes sense.
"After-Tax Advantage," this page, illustrates the benefit of owning a higher income tax portfolio in a PPVA investment account. After about five years, the PPVA account outperforms the taxable account.
Practice tip: While the client owns the PPVA investment account and can choose to allocate to any of the IDFs offered by the insurance company on its PPVA investment account platform, the IDFs are deemed to be owned by the insurance company's separate account. Therefore, investors in vehicles like hedge funds would like the fact that the K-1s are delivered to the insurance company, not to the PPVA investment account owner.
Charitable Legacy Planning
Extremely wealthy individuals who plan on making a substantial gift to charity at death have also awakened to the impact of potentially higher income taxes on their giving goals. Over about 15 years, the same charitable gift could be halved if it's subject to income taxes. However, few are willing to make an absolute transfer to charity (or a charitable remainder trust) today to reduce that burden. The solution could be a PPVA.
PPVAs allow charitably inclined individuals to maintain full ownership and broader investment options for earmarked assets throughout their lifetime, while deferring the income taxation of investment gains on those assets. A client can make deposits or take withdrawals (for personal consumption or charitable gifting), adjust the asset allocation and/or change the beneficiary designation at any time.
The net result, if the PPVA investment account is left to charities or foundations, is that all the assets pass undiminished by income and estate taxes. "Optimizing Charitable Gifts," this page, shows the values passing to charity for an initial allocation of $5 million in a PPVA versus a taxable account. Simply by changing the location of the assets from a taxable account to a PPVA investment account, the family can multiply their potential charitable legacy assets (or substantially reduce the wealth needed to fund a specific large gift). In addition, many public charities give donor recognition credit for PPVA investment account beneficiary designations, which are fully revocable if the account owner is at least
65 years old.
Practice tip: Name the charity as the primary beneficiary of the PPVA investment account, or, if the client hasn't completely committed to leaving the PPVA to the charity, consider naming the charity as the contingent beneficiary of the PPVA. This could allow any of the primary beneficiaries (for example, a surviving spouse or children) to disclaim any part of the PPVA investment account assets to charity.
U.S. Clients Residing Abroad
Many advisors with U.S. clients living abroad are struggling with the complications of how best to structure those clients' investments. Those clients typically can't access U.S. onshore investments, because they reside abroad. Offshore investments, while readily available, don't provide the necessary U.S. reporting and might not be efficient for local tax purposes. If that weren't bad enough, new FATCA and other requirements for U.S. persons with investments abroad make this process more complicated.2
A PPVA investment account, properly structured, could access U.S. onshore investments and hold them without current U.S. taxation. In many places around the world, the PPVA itself could completely defer taxation on the investment portfolio while the individual resides in that country. And, distributions could be deferred until the client returns to the United States, making taxation simpler. But, perhaps most important, the PPVA investment account could hold offshore investments and should be exempt from foreign financial institution reporting requirements.
Practice tip: The PPVA investment account also can operate effectively for a non-U.S. person planning to reside temporarily in the United States. Offshore investments could be held while the client is a U.S. resident without the adverse U.S. tax consequences typical of offshore investments. Moreover, the client's portfolio should be sheltered from U.S. taxation during his stay in the United States.
Retirement Planning
Many clients, especially business owners, are subject to qualified plan limitations and can't put as much as they would like into tax-deferred retirement vehicles. These clients could use a PPVA investment account as a simple, yet effective, tax-deferred savings vehicle. The tax-deferred accumulation allows the PPVA account to generate substantial incremental retirement income relative to a taxable investment account.
"Optimizing Retirement Income," this page, shows how much more can be withdrawn each year from a retirement account allowed to accumulate for different periods. When allowed to accumulate for 20 years, a PPVA investment account allows a client to withdraw almost 50 percent more per year for 20 years than a taxable account.
Practice tip: Consider allocating the most tax-inefficient segment of a client's portfolio to the PPVA investment account. This will optimize the leverage derived from deferring the investment gains from current period taxation. The PPVA provides significant flexibility in managing a client's retirement income, because scheduled withdrawals can be postponed or accelerated as needed. If the PPVA investment account values are allocated to alternative asset class investment vehicles, careful planning is necessary to assure that the required liquidity notices are submitted to the investment managers in a timely fashion.
Foundations with UBTI Investments
Many charities and charitable trusts allocate to asset classes that are deemed to be active business interests, rather than passive investments. These asset classes generally generate UBTI; for example, timber, certain types of real estate, energy transportation and master limited partnerships, which can create current tax liabilities and even endanger the charitable entities' tax-exempt status. A PPVA investment account could be a simple, effective and inexpensive blocker of UBTI.
A PPVA investment account eliminates UBTI by changing the character of the underlying IDF investment from UBTI to passive income. IRC Section 72(u)(1) states that the income earned in an annuity owned by a non-natural person won't be tax- deferred, but, instead, will be currently taxable as annuity income. The PPVA investment account should enable tax-exempt entities to invest without penalty in investments that would otherwise introduce UBTI.
The IRS has issued several favorable private letter rulings to tax-exempt organizations, including endowments and foundations, which have supported a PPVA investment account's ability to block UBTI.3
Current UBTI blocker arrangements should be reviewed and compared to a PPVA investment account, particularly offshore arrangements that can be complex, expensive and potentially subject to greater scrutiny.
How It Works
IRC Section 72 states that a PPVA qualifies for tax treatment as an annuity if:
1. It's administered by an insurance company and allows for the systematic distribution of principal over a period of payments;4 and
2. Its investment offerings are structured as IDFs that are available only to qualified insurance companies.5
PPVA investment account values are treated as separate account assets and, therefore, aren't subject to the claims of an insurance company's creditor.
The reallocation of PPVA account assets from one IDF to another shouldn't be a taxable event, and the PPVA account can be transferred tax-free under IRC Section 1035 from one insurance company's administration platform to another's. Because there are generally no upfront fees relating to PPVA investment accounts, this transfer is a frictionless transaction.
Withdrawals from a PPVA account are taxed on a last-in, first-out basis (with the taxable gain recognized until all that remains is the cost basis), and there's a 10 percent excise tax on gains for withdrawals taken before the owner's age 59½.6
Structuring Customized Account
The process of creating a new IDF with an investment manager and an investment mandate that a client finds attractive has become dramatically less expensive.
As the time and cost to create a safe-harbor IDF has declined, more and more top-tier investment management firms have created, or are in the process of creating, IDFs to enable the most tax-inefficient segments of their investment portfolios (alternative asset class investments, such as hedge funds, high-yield bond funds, direct lending credit vehicles and high turnover portfolios) to be managed on a tax-deferred basis through a PPVA investment account.
In addition, many leading investment managers manage more traditional multi-asset class portfolios in customized IDFs. In many cases, a customized IDF can be created and attached to an insurance company segregated asset account platform cost effectively with as little as
$25 million.
There are two basic rules that must be followed for an IDF to achieve deferral from current period taxation:
1. Diversification. The IDF must be properly diversified. The diversification requirement is defined in IRC Section 817(h) as: no more than 55 percent of the IDF assets may be allocated to one underlying fund or security; no more than 70 percent of the IDF assets may be allocated to any two underlying funds or securities; no more than 80 percent of the IDF assets may be allocated to any three underlying funds or securities; and no more than 90 percent of the IDF assets may be allocated to any four underlying funds or securities. A violation of the diversification requirement can result in the PPVA investment account being subject to current period taxation on all embedded gains in the contract and cause the loss of tax deferral going forward (even if only a fraction of the PPVA investment account assets are allocated to the violating IDF). This is a severe penalty; therefore, the IDF administrator and/or investment manager must have controls in place to assure ongoing compliance.7
2. Investor control. The owner of the PPVA account can't influence the IDF manager, directly or indirectly, with respect to the selection of underlying funds and/or securities to which the IDF assets will be allocated. This means that the IDF investment manager must select underlying funds and/or securities on a completely discretionary basis.
The IRS has provided guidance through PLRs 9752061 (Sept. 30, 1997) and 9433030 (May 25, 1994) that a client may work with an investment advisor to create a clearly defined investment mandate according to which the investment advisor will manage the account with complete discretion. The PPVA investment account owner should thereby have some understanding of how the IDF assets should be managed. The IRS has provided very little additional guidance on the investor control doctrine, and there's been quite a lot of confusion as individual attorneys seek to advise their clients. The bottom line is that a PPVA investment account owner should use common sense and avoid any actions that might be construed as directly or indirectly influencing the IDF manager with respect to the selection of underlying funds and/or securities.
To qualify for a PPVA investment account, a client must be an accredited investor. But because most IDFs are structured as Section 3(c)(7) investment vehicles under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as a practical matter, a client must be both an accredited investor and a qualified purchaser to utilize a PPVA investment account.
Bottom Line
Income tax planning for high-net-worth clients is about to become much more challenging. Whether a family is looking to increase the tax efficiency of an asset class, increase the power of their charitable giving, control their portfolio while living abroad, enhance their retirement planning or block UBTI from their private foundation or charitable remainder trusts, advisors should take note of the benefits and facility of PPVAs.8
—The authors wish to thank Eric Naison-Phillips, a principal at SALI Fund Services in New York, for his assistance in the preparation of this article.
—This article is meant to serve as an overview, and is provided for informational purposes only. It does not take into consideration the recipient's specific circumstances and is not intended to be an offer or solicitation, or the basis for any contract to purchase or sell any security, or other instrument, or for Deutsche Bank or SALI Fund Services to enter into or arrange any type of transaction as a consequence of any information contained herein.
1. Internal Legal Memorandum 200840043.
2. Carolyn Reers, principal at Cummings & Lockwood LLC, "U.S. Tax Compliance Rules Applicable to Taxpayers Resident Abroad and Private Placement Variable Annuity Solutions."
3. Private Letter Rulings 200206047 (Nov. 13. 2001) and 9708022
(Nov. 26, 1996) both state that:
In view of the contract's status as an annuity contract under subchapter L, the tax treatment of the contract holder under section 72(u)(1)(A) does not preclude the contract from satisfying the requirements of sec-tion 817(d)(2)(A) for purposes of determining Taxpayer's income.
Most practitioners interpret this statement as characterizing the income as annuity income for tax purposes to be reported on a Form 1099.
4. Internal Revenue Code Section 72.
5. The private placement variable annuities (PPVA) investment account must qualify as an annuity as defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 72, and the investment offerings must be properly structured as insurance dedicated funds to adequately satisfy IRC Section 817(h) diversification requirements and the investor control doctrine defined by Revenue Ruling 81-225; Christofferson v. United States, 749 F.2d 513 (8th Cir. 1984), rev'g 578 F. Supp. 398 (N.D. Iowa 1984). Revenue Rulings 2003-91 and 2003-92, recently summarized by the Internal Revenue Service in ILM 200840043.
6. IRC Section 72(s).
7. IRC Section 817(h).
8. For purposes of acquiring a PPVA, an accredited investor is an individual whose net worth is in excess of $1 million or who has had income in excess of $200,000 in each of the two most recent years. A qualified purchaser is an individual with qualified investments of $5 million.


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The Style Gallery is a great new way for you to view, love, and share outfit photos. It's meant to showcase
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Give your ensemble a little style from the desert lands with these turquoise-hued loops! These U-shaped dangling adornments boast an antiqued, brass-like setting, with dotted and curved embellishments surrounding shining turquoise enamel-painted droplets. Try on these earrings with a geometric-print shift, detailed cowgirl boots, and a sagebrush-shaded belt, and you'll be ready to roam those wide-open spaces!
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In 2011, the anti-aging industry–with all of its creams, serums and cosmetic procedures–was valued at $80 billion and is on course to reach $114 billion by 2015. But Dr. Eric Plasker, author of The 100 Year Lifestyle and a Gold's Gym Fitness Institute member, says there are better, cheaper and more natural ways to reverse the signs of aging and live a longer, healthier life.
"The fact that 100-year-old people are the world's fastest-growing population segment shows us that we are able to live long, healthy lives," he says. "Premature aging is often the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices."
To demonstrate this point, a revolutionary new fitness tool is being rolled out in many Gold's Gyms nationwide. By putting some basic information about yourself into a program called the Gold's Gym Visual Fitness Planner, you will receive a full health-risk appraisal and learn your Health Age–a number that factors in not only how many candles topped your last birthday cake but also your level of fitness, your family history and your lifestyle habits.
For example, a 25-year-old female in Chicago found out she had a health age of 45. It surprised her because she was only 10 or so pounds overweight. Her shocking health age was due in part to a family history of cancer and heart disease, but also to her lack of exercise and a smoking habit. She quit the smokes and started working out more often. In nine months, she lowered her health age to 28.
With the help of Plasker and Adam Friedman, a certified personal trainer, licensed nutritionist and Gold's Gym Fitness Institute member, we've mapped out four steps to turn your body into its own rejuvenating Fountain of Youth.
We probably don't have to tell you that exercise has all kinds of incredible health benefits. Like drastically reducing your risk of developing major chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. That's old news. But did you know that regular exercise fights off the effects of aging?
"Exercise improves our circulation and moves lymph tissue, a fluid in our body with a high concentration of white blood cells," Friedman says. "It helps accelerate healing and boosts our immune system to fight bacteria and cancer cells."
In his book The 100 Year Lifestyle, Plasker prescribes a four-times-a-week exercise regimen that incorporates cardio, strength training, and core and balance work (see "The Fountain of Youth Workout" for details). "Working out takes you off the weight-loss, weight-gain roller coaster and regenerates your body to keep it young," he says.
It seems counterintuitive, but when it comes to managing healthy weight, babies have it all figured out. They eat small but nutritionally dense meals every three to four hours and stop when they're full.
"They didn't learn this," Friedman says. "It's just what their body is telling them to do; it's instinctive. We get conditioned to do breakfast, lunch and dinner because that's what society says we do, not because that's what our bodies want."
Friedman recommends that adults adopt a similar schedule in order to maintain stable levels of blood sugar. When your blood sugar crashes, your body enters starvation mode, and it is likely to take what your body doesn't use for energy and store it as fat.
Every three to four hours, reach for a snack that combines lean protein, good carbohydrates (like those found in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables), and some fats. And, Plasker adds, avoid the "white devils": white flour, white sugar and white rice.
After about a month of eating this way, Friedman says, your body will come into balance and begin to naturally release excess body fat, instead of storing it.
Your mother was right: It turns out that good posture is key to counteracting the effects of aging. "The spine protects the nervous system," Plasker explains. "So damage to the spine can affect every cell of your body in a negative way."
Plasker says it takes a conscious effort to recognize and correct bad posture habits such as slouching, sleeping on your stomach and sitting all day long.
"We know that a sedentary lifestyle contributes to rapid aging and disease," Plasker says. "The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports estimated that excess sitting will cost the U.S. more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years."
So what is perfect posture? Stand up straight with your head up, earlobes aligned with the middle of your shoulders. Lengthen your neck and pull your head toward the ceiling, keeping your shoulders back, your knees and your back straight, and your abdominal muscles tight.
If you need proof that stress is a primary factor in aging, just count the number of gray hairs on any U.S. president's head after his first year in office. But new evidence from the University of California at San Francisco reveals that exercise can reduce the effects of stress-induced aging at the cellular level. Scientists at the university found that as little as 42 minutes of physical activity over the span of three days reduces the wear and tear on telomeres, segments of DNA linked to several health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes.
"Exercise is an incredible outlet that counteracts the effects of stress," Friedman says. "It supports being happier because there's a great post-workout euphoric feeling that's addictive in a really good way."
Another study, from Purdue University, adds credence to the saying "You're only as old as you feel." In the survey of about 500 people ages 55 to 74, respondents who felt young for their age said they had greater confidence in their cognitive abilities later in life.
Adapted from Eric Plasker's best-selling book The 100 Year Lifestyle, this full-body workout incorporates Plasker's formula for longevity: endurance, strength and structure. The endurance comes from doing cardio, which supports a healthy cardiovascular system. The strength you gain from weight training enables you to maintain a greater level of independence as you age. Structure refers to a healthy spine and nervous system; both are maintained by core work, which reduces back pain and helps you gain a greater sense of stability and remain active no matter how old you are.
20 to 30 minutes
Warm up the muscles by walking, jogging or cycling on a stationary bike. Start at a low-intensity pace and gradually build up to moderate intensity.
Choose three exercises and do three sets of 10 to 15 reps each with proper form.
Begin in a standing position with feet apart. Squat and place your palms on the floor in front of you. Kick your feet back as if you were going to do a push-up. Quickly return to the squat position and then stand up. Repeat.
This is not recommended for a beginner.
Benefits: This all-over body exercise incorporates upper and lower body muscles and gets your heart rate up.
Stand holding dumbbells at your sides. Step forward with one leg. Land on your heel, then on your forefoot. Lower your body until the knee of your rear leg is almost in contact with the floor, then stand on the forward leg with the assistance of the rear leg. Lunge forward with the opposite leg.
Benefits: This classic move strengthens your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps.
You may sit or stand for this one. Grip the bar with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, arms straight up and palms facing forward. Pull the bar down to your chest, elbows out. Return slowly to the starting position, arms straight.
Benefits: This machine works almost all of your back muscles–especially your middle back muscles–and a strong back helps you maintain good posture.
Position your hands shoulder-width apart behind you on the edge of a secured bench. Walk your feet out in front of you until you are resting on your heels. Lower your upper body toward the floor by bending your elbows. Slowly press off with your hands to push yourself back up to the starting position.
Benefits: Dips zero in on your triceps, the muscles on the back of your arms. Strong triceps prevent saggy arms and help you hold and grasp objects.
2 reps
Lie on your stomach with arms bent, palms and forearms on the ground, fingers pointed forward, legs extended and toes tucked under. Work your back and abs by contracting your core muscles and slowly lifting your entire torso off the floor, keeping palms, forearms and toes on the ground. Hold for 30 seconds to one minute.
Benefits: The plank pose strengthens your arms, shoulders and core, all of which help maintain good posture.
30 reps
Lie on your back with your legs bent, hands behind your head and feet flat on the floor. Lift your knees in a smooth arc toward your head, contract the abs, then lower your feet back down, making sure not to touch them to the ground. That way abdominal tension will be maintained.
Benefits: Strong stomach muscles help stabilize your torso and reduce pain in your lower back.
10 to 15 reps
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor six or seven inches from your buttocks. The lower back should be slightly elevated. As you exhale, rock your hips toward the ceiling and hold for five seconds. Release as you inhale.
Benefits: This subtle move strengthens the lower back and abdominals, which can reduce pain or tension in the lower back.
A personal trainer can help you tailor time, reps and intensity to your fitness level. End your workout with five to 10 minutes of gentle stretching.


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What is Slendertone
Muscle Toning & Strengthening For Men & Women
Most Popular Products
FDA Cleared to Firm, Tone, and Strengthen the Abdominal Muscles
*Clinical trial conducted by Dr. John Porcari, University of Wisconsin, La-Crosse. Flex & Walking (University of Ulster).
Customer Reviews
Don't just take our word for it
"No Excuses!"- Chrissy, San Diego, CA
I honestly didn't think Slendertone could be this easy and actually work…but I followed the plan and before I knew it my core did start toning up. I am only on the 4th week, no way I am giving up now! I put it on in the morning while I'm putting on my make-up. How easy is that?
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This Slendertone product is awesome. I was skeptical and first but after a few weeks I am really noticing a difference. The 10 Program has given my workout routine a boost and helps me to firm up my abs when I can't make it into the gym.
"Fit and Fab After Baby!"- Jenny, 33, Chicago, IL
I am a Slendertone believer! I had my son 6 months ago I didn't think I would ever have toned abs again. The System Ab Toner is helping me look and feel better...it's super convenient and easy to wear while I take my son for a walk. Love it!


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Our Retail Offering
Maximise your Multi-Channel Retailing with Columbus and Microsoft
Columbus knows how to make retailers more successful by adapting and implementing proven Microsoft multi-channel retail solution sets to maximise efficiency and overall business performance of retail companies.
ColumbusRetail is a full Retail ERP solution offering end to end functionality throughout all your retail channels.
Multi-Channel Retailing
Columbus Retail ERP enables you to manage all your channels through one solution:
Call Centre
Provides slick, efficient telesales screens for busy call centres and sales offices. Improving customer service by empowering your staff to sort out issues straight away, putting all the information at their fingertips.
Connect to customers regardless of their location or device to ensure that they are getting a consistent experience not matter where they are.
Direct Commerce
Integrate your direct marketing activities with your other channels to help maximise your catalogue revenue. Ensure a great customer experience through rapid order entry, management of back orders, reduction in returns and efficient order fulfilment
Improve the return on your marketing investment through increased visibility of customer data, improved intelligent segmentation and targeting, personalised offerings and consistent communications across all your channels.
Social Commerce
Communicate with your customers through social channels to help promote your offerings and campaigns with customer ratings, reviews, recommendations and referrals
Point of Sale
Improve the efficiency of your in store operations including sales, store performance management, forecasting, stock control and supply chain management through a Retail ERP solution. Have access to real time accurate customer, sales, stock and supply chain data to help you meet your customer demands
Efficiently create and operate eCommerce sites to reach your target audiences, promote your brands, and generate additional revenue. Encourage higher sales volumes and repeat business with recommendations, rankings, sophisticated merchandizing, extensive self-service, and an enjoyable, well-flowing customer experience that can connect to social media through a Retail ERP solution.
Market Place Integration
Gain maximum exposure for your online store through integrating with all of the most popular and established global marketplaces including Amazon, eBay and Facebook.
Improve your retail business
The Columbus Multi-Channel Retail solution covers enables you to manage all aspects of your retail business through one solution:
Supply Chain and Business Planning
Help create the best replenishment plan using real-time inventory level data, define campaign distribution plans to push items from a central warehouse and provide mobile access to warehouse processes for stocking and restocking, discard and return
Centralise the management of product data to enable you to keep track on items throughout the supply chain and product life cycle.
Order Fulfilment and services
A comprehensive set of campaign, order and business management facilities for companies who process various sized orders, either from consumers, or businesses.
Warehouse and Transportation
Optimise your warehousing capabilities and efficiencies through intelligent picking, economical packing, improved returns policy and more accurate inventory management and shipping
Customer Care
Full 360 degree visibility of customer orders across different channels, empowering staff to engage efficiently with customer enquiries, cross and upsell with all relevant information at their fingertips.
Improve the efficiency of your business with a Multi-Channel retail ERP solution by better matching the supply and demand of the product range through capabilities such as demand management, assortment planning, open to buy, stock optimisation and replenishment planning.
You'll be able to keep track of your revenue, payables, receivables and cash flow with holistic views of business performance, and powerful, user-friendly tools to measure economic performance across operations, break down spend and calculate future costs – as well as reducing the time and effort required by compliance obligations.
Find out the key components that make up the Columbus Multi-Channel Retail solution.


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Rafael Cortez, 45, of Lubbock died Nov. 30, 2011. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Abundant Life Christian Fellowship. Combest Family Funeral Homes.
James Albert "Buddy" Gallagher, 86, died Dec. 1, 2011, in Lubbock. Graveside services will be 11:30 a.m. Saturday in Jayton Cemetery. Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home of Rotan.
Melvin Hightower, 48, of Snyder died Nov. 29, 2011. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. today in Wright Colonial Funeral Home Chapel. Wright Colonial Funeral Home of Snyder.
Vera Jackson, 81, of Andrews died Dec. 1, 2011. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Monday at Andrews Church of Christ. McNett Funeral Home of Andrews.
Athlee Lambert, 100, died Dec.1, 2011, in Plainview. Services are pending with Bartley Funeral Home of Plainview.
P.O. "Pat" Martin, 91, of Post died Dec. 1, 2011. Services are pending with Justice-Mason Funeral Home of Post.
Mary McClellan, 82, of Lubbock died Dec. 1, 2011. Memorial services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at South Park Baptist Church.
Avis J. McClure, 65, of Desoto died Nov. 28, 2011. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas. Golden Gate Funeral Home of Dallas.
David Moore of Lubbock died Nov. 30, 2011. Celebration of life services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at LakeRidge Baptist Church. Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers.
Donnie Osburn, 96, of Lubbock and formerly of Slaton died Dec.1, 2011. Services are pending with Englunds Funeral Service of Slaton.
Don Bradley Sudderth died Nov. 27, 2011. Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Lubbock's Word Aflame United Pentecostal Church. Resthaven Funeral Home.
Barbara Jean Wright, 77, of Lubbock and formerly of Hobbs, N.M., died Nov. 25, 2011. Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Saturday in First Baptist Church's Ford Chapel. Combest Family Funeral Homes.
Jimmy Weldon Wynn, 77, of Carlsbad, N.M., died Nov. 29, 2011. Graveside services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Dreamland Cemetery. Moore-Rose Funeral Home of Turkey.


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Annual First Peoples 5k Walk & Run
Thanks to everyone who came out for the 3rd Annual First Peoples 5k!
Image: Runners at the 2015 First Peoples 5k Walk & Run
Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 9:30am at the CRC Amphitheater (view route)
As the multicultural office for The Evergreen State College, First Peoples Multicultural Advising Services provides support, advising, and programming to help Evergreen students achieve their personal and academic goals.
Each year, on the day before Evergreen's Commencement, First Peoples Multicultural Advising Services hosts a special Graduation Celebration to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of our students of color. It's a wonderful time to rejoice, reflect and come together to celebrate these outstanding people who give so much to our community. Proceeds from the 5k will go toward this annual celebration.


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A parasite is an animal or plant that lives in or on another
animal or plant (called the host). A parasite gets nourishment from its host
without helping the host.
Current as of:
May 22, 2015
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & W. David Colby IV, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.
To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org.
© 1995-2016 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


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On this family tour, we will explore "Spaces and Places!" Discover scenes from around the world as we find landscapes in the Museum's collection.
- This event has passed.
Family Tour: Spaces and Places
February 11, 2014 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am|Recurring Event (See all)Weekly on the same day until February 25, 2014
Family Tours
|Recurring Event (See all)
Weekly on the same day until February 25, 2014


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Benghazi? Benghazi?
Low information voters rejoice! Ann Kuster (D. NH) is a congresswoman for you! Mark Steyn, please do the honors:
First, she has no idea what "Benghazi" is.
Then, pleading in mitigation that she's there to talk about the Middle East, she reveals that she has no idea where Benghazi is.
Finally, when her constituents helpfully point out that Benghazi is in Libya, she turns to the side and gives that pitiful look that is the single thing I most loathe about American politics – the look a floundering empty suit gives to her minder when she needs him to come and rescue her. Which the minder immediately does.
This isn't an especially partisan point, but I'm so weary of post-modern ventriloquist's dummies who can't be allowed near their constituents without the protection of a phalanx of aides. In this video, the voters are well-informed, but they have a low-information Congresswoman. Continue reading
Our Divine Pope
Hat tip to the Midwest Conservative Journal for finding what might be the dumbest thing ever written by a journalist about Catholicism. Considering the competition, that's actually saying quite a lot.
Though most in the Coptic Orthodox community send their children to Catholic school, they are not Catholic themselves. The differences are slight — they use the same liturgies, though Orthodox Christians differ from Roman Catholics in their belief that the Pope is a human being, not a divine figure — which has meant Coptic Orthodox children most often are sent to Catholic school.
Approximately one-third of Toronto's citizenry is Roman Catholic. Even granting the large number of nominal Catholics, this means that Murray Whyte, unless he has truly lives in a sheltered environment, must encounter a decent amount of Roman Catholics. Sure, this doesn't mean that he's going to know or understand the finer details of our faith, but are you kidding me here?
Twirling, Twirling Towards Freedom
On Monday night there was a debate between Connecticut Senatorial candidates Richard Blumenthal and Linda McMahon. During the debate Linda McMahon asked Mr. Blumenthal, "How do you create a job?" Blumenthal's answer was, well, see for yourself.
Watching this, I couldn't help but be reminded of another example of genius on display.


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Yang, Shijuna,*; Zhong, Qib,*; Qiu, Zhihuaa,*; Chen, Xiaoa,*; Chen, Fena; Mustafa, Khamisa; Ding, Dana; Zhou, Yanzhaoa; Lin, Jibina; Yan, Sena; Deng, Yihuana; Wang, Mina; Zhou, Yinglingb; Liao, Yuhuaa; Zhou, Zihuaa
Background: Endothelial microparticles (EMPs) are small vesicular structures that serve as a marker of endothelial function. Angiotensin II receptor type 1 autoantibody (AT1-AA) can cause endothelial dysfunction. However, whether AT1-AA promotes EMPs formation and the mechanism remains obscure.
Methods: The titres of sera AT1-AA of 126 hypertensive patients and 30 normotensive individuals were evaluated by ELISA. EMPs in the sera and the supernatants of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were measured by flow cytometry. The phosphorylation levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in HUVECs treated by AT1-AA were assessed and their correlation with microparticle formation was also analysed. Furthermore, the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide in HUVECs was examined after incubation with injured endothelial microparticle (iEMPs) (EMPs derived from AT1-AA treated HUVECs).
Results: The positive rate of AT1-AA in 126 hypertensive patients was 21.4% (27/126), and higher than that in normotensive individuals [3.3% (1/30), P < 0.01]. Circulating EMP (CD31+/CD42b–) levels were corresponding to the AT1-AA titres in hypertensive group (r2 = 0.3661, P < 0.01). AT1-AA promoted EMPs generation from HUVECs in a time and dose-dependent manner than the vehicle or nonspecific IgG. Meanwhile, AT1-AA significantly elevated phosphorylation level of P38 and ERK in HUVECs. Lorsartan and P38 inhibitor could suppress the AT1-AA's stimulation effect on EMPs generation. Moreover, the iEMP greatly increased ROS production and reduced nitric oxide synthesis in HUVECs.
Conclusion: Our findings showed that circulating EMPs levels positively correlate to the serum AT1-AA titres in essential hypertension patients. The AT1-AA could promote EMPs generation in HUVECs through activation of P38 MAPK signalling pathway, and this effect could be effectively inhibited by losartan or p38 inhibitor. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) may be more suitable for AT1-AA(+) hypertensive patients on account of suppressing the AT1-AA's stimulation effect on EMPs generation.
© 2014 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
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MMA on Tap has learned that Sean Salmon will replace Yuki Sasaki in tonight's middleweight tournament scheduled to take place as part of Strikeforce: Four Men Enter, One Man Survives event this evening at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA.
Sasaki failed an MRI exam yesterday and doctors decided to pull him from the tournament earlier this afternoon. Salmon will fight Jorge Santiago in the first round of the tournament.
Salmon was originally slated to face Dennis Hallman in the tournament's alternate bout. No word on whether or not Hallman will be given a replacement opponent.
Next entry: UFC 78: Validation Weigh-In Results
Previous entry: Herman Wants Revenge Against Doerksen


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XBOX360 Genres: Arcade / Puzzles | Fighting | Flight | Kids / Family | Racing | Shooter | Sport | Rpg / Strategy | Music
Family Guy Back To The Multiverse XBOX360
Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse utilises the talented voice cast and writers, authentic humor and subversive spirit of the Family Guy series, giving fans a whole new way to interact with their favorite show. The game features a completely original story that sends the guys back through the Multiverse on a mission to stop Bertram. The game also featuers extra challenge levels, multiplayer maps, costumes and unlockable characters as well as a co-op mode.
Rent Family Guy Back To The Multiverse on XBOX360
Buy ex-rental and earn 12 points
I have to say with this type of game I am always skeptical but Famliy Guy Back To The Multiverse was a rather enjoyable romp! The humour is spot on, not only in dialog but also in background characters (Peter, Louis and others pop up) and set pieces. The shooting is fare, when targeting you normally hit your mark and some of the guns are quite funky. Recommended to any Famliy Guy fan.
Really good game to play if a Family guy Fan!!!
Really fun game, enjoyed it. Worth a rent and easy achievement points :)