text:
Seadrill Partners LLC (NYSE:SDLP)
Q2 2014 Earnings Conference Call
August 27, 2014 1:15 pm ET
John Roche - Investor Relations Director
Graham Robjohns - CEO and Director
Sameed Musvee - Wells Fargo
Sunil Sibal - Global Hunter Securities
Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Q2 2014 Seadrill Partners LLC Earnings Conference Call. Today's conference is being recorded. At this time, I would like to turn the conference over to Mr. John Roche. Please go ahead, sir.
John Roche
Thanks, Suzanne, and good afternoon everyone. Thank you for joining us on Seadrill Partners' second quarter earnings conference call. With me today I have Graham Robjohns, our Chief Executive Officer, and Rune Magnus Lundetrae, our CFO.
Before we do get started, I'd like to remind everyone that much of the discussion today will not be based on historical fact but rather consist of forward-looking statements and are subject to uncertainty. We articulate some of the key items on Page 2 of the presentation, and for additional information, view our SEC filings, please visit our Web-site at www.seadrillpartners.com.
And with that, I'd like to turn the microphone over to Graham Robjohns to kick off our call.
Graham Robjohns
Thank you, John, and good day to everybody. So starting on Slide 3, we set out the agenda and today we'll cover highlights and recent activity for the second quarter 2014, then we'll have a brief look at the market outlook, growth opportunities, and financial overview, before we return for a Q&A session.
So turning over to Slide 4, we are very pleased to report net income attributable to Seadrill Partners Members for the second quarter of $31.2 million and net operating income of $168.6 million. Very good operational quarter with economic utilization for the second quarter at 94% and we generated distributable cash flow of $51.9 million with a coverage ratio of 1.09. We declared an increased distribution for the second quarter of $0.5425 per unit which is an increase of 7% over the first quarter of 2014.
Towards the end of the second quarter, we completed a $1.1 billion add-on to our term loan B, the majority of the proceeds of which were used to refinance an existing debt on two of our deepwater rigs, the West Capricorn and the West Auriga, and to increase our general liquidity. And we used those surplus funds together with the funds from the issuance of 6.1 million common units to the public and 3.2 million common units to Seadrill to acquire an additional 28% interest in Seadrill Operating LP, one of our OPCOs, for $373 million shortly after the end of the second quarter.
Turning over to Slide 5, we've made some significant progress since the IPO of Seadrill Partners. We've grown our distributions now 40% since IPO with as I've just mentioned a 7% increase for the second quarter. We've added five rigs to the fleet, so we're up to now at a fleet of nine assets, and we've restructured a large portion of debt with the original $1.8 billion term loan transaction in February and a $1.1 billion term loan just at the end of June.
And as I've said, our most recent transaction of course is the acquisition of an additional 28% in Seadrill Operating LP, which takes our ownership of that operating company up to 58%. This transaction was accreted and will lead to further distribution increases in the coming quarters.
I think as we've said in the results release, that we set out a target of distribution growth at the time of the IPO of 15%, we have obviously overachieved that and we will continue to try to overachieve that growth target in the medium-term.
Turning over to Slide 6, we have a summary of the 28% OPCO acquisition transaction. I think we've said several times before that our initial focus post-IPO was to increase the number of rigs in our fleet, and that's gone over from four to nine, which puts us in a much better position to be able to acquire additional units in OPCO because we've reached a level of diversification.
Having said that, I think this transaction of itself provides an effective diversification because we did have a situation where we were overexposed to one of the OPCOs that we owned 51% of, and so now the 30% OPCO is now increased to 58%, so we have 58% and 51% as opposed to 30% and 51%, and thereby effectively creating an element of diversification.
Moving over to Slide 7, the summary of the term loan, as sort of I've said this is a $1.1 billion add-on to our existing facility. It was priced at the same rate as the initial term loan at LIBOR plus 3%. We've swapped virtually 100% of that term loan to an approximate all-in cost of around 5.5%.
These two transactions have been important for us as they have increased debt independents from Seadrill and also reduced dramatically our debt amortization which allows us now rather than using replacement CapEx reserves, which we – cash we hold back every quarter to replace our rigs at the end of their useful life rather than using that to pay down debt, we can now use a large portion of it to invest in new assets.
And then on the chart, you can see of course the three operating companies that Seadrill Partners own; Seadrill Partners Operating LLC which is 100% owned, and owned and owned for two smaller tender rigs; Seadrill Operating LP that we now own 58% of; and Seadrill Capricorn Holdings which holds all the U.S. Gulf rigs that we own 51% of.
Turning to Slide 8 and looking at the market for a minute, it's obviously being well-documented that we are in a softer floater market at the moment with low rates and reduced contracting activity. What's important however from Seadrill Partners' perspective is that we do not have any ultra-deepwater rigs available for re-contracting until the end of the first quarter of 2017, by which time we believe that the market could be significantly stronger than it is today.
We see this improvement coming from both the demand and the supply point of view. On Slide 8, you can see from the graph at the top of the slide that deep and ultra-deepwater have dominated discoveries offshore over the last 10 years. And the chart at the bottom of the slide also shows that the replacement ratio, particularly in ultra-deepwater, far outweighs other sectors and demonstrates I think that deepwater is highly likely to be a significant growth area for oil companies in the future in order for them to meet production targets.
Turning over to Slide 9, the chart at the top tells us that we do need or will need more rigs to be delivered before the end of the decade than are currently on order. However, largely as a result of the current soft market, you can see from the chart at the bottom that new build orders are tightening up. So taking into account the fact that it takes approximately three years to build and deliver a new rig into a contract, with rising demand for rigs and declining new deliveries, we believe that as I said the market for re-contracting our ultra-deepwater rigs in 2017 and 2018 could be strongly in our favor.
So moving through Slide 10 to Slide 11, we set our assets and contracts, and as you can see, the contract term is obviously shown and the two deepwater rigs that come up for re-contracting first are the West Aquarius and the West Capella. Of course the West Vencedor which is a smaller tender rig that comes up for contracting in 2015, but we're reasonably confident that that rig will be extended. Our current as of the end of August average remaining contract term is 3.5 years on average and the total order backlog $5.1 billion.
Turning over to Slide 12 and looking a little bit now at growth potential moving forward, this is the list of Seadrill Group's floaters. The rigs in black on the left-hand side are clearly the rigs that are already in Seadrill Partners, but as you can see there are a considerable number of other rigs that have contracts in excess of four years that provide us with a large pool of potential acquisitions.
I think one point we should make, and we've talked a little bit recently about it, that as an MLP we're of course very focused on trying to increase the average contract length of our fleet, obviously the longer the better, in terms of stability of cash flow. However, we are also focused on ensuring that our average contract rate in respect of the rigs that we buy is not above the rate that we think is sort of a long-term contract, right, and thereby – because if we go too much above that then we're facing a re-contracting risk, whereas if we are below that long-term rate we have potential re-contracting upside. So in terms of further rig acquisitions, we will as we move forward take both things into account, both the rates of the rig and the term that the rig has.
Turning over to Slide 13, obviously in addition to acquiring new rigs, as we've demonstrated, we have the ability to grow distributions by acquiring additional ownership interests in OPCOs. I think shareholders should expect us to be doing both over the next few years, buying some new rigs and also additional OPCO units.
And of course, not something that was in the sort of concept of the Company at the time of the IPO, but as the jack-up market has moved and as Seadrill have invested heavily in modern high-spec jack-ups which have as we've seen in Mexico achieved some long-term contracts, that is a sector that may be of interest for the MLP moving forward.
So moving through Slide 14, we take a look at the financial performance highlights. I'm very pleased to see that contract revenues, operating expenses, and net operating income most importantly I guess, increased quite substantially in the second quarter driven largely by the full quarters' contribution from the West Auriga and also significantly reduced downtime in particular in relation to the West Aquarius.
On Slide 16, we carry on with the income statement. Interest expense has also increased and that's as a result of the assumption of the debt associated with the West Auriga and our entry into the two term loan transactions. The loss/gain on derivative financial instruments is a loss again this quarter, a lesser loss than the first quarter, $27.8 million down from $49.2 million, but I should stress the vast majority of that is a non-cash charge related to the movement in the mark-to-market valuation of interest rate swaps and it's caused by of course declining long-term interest rate which I guess ironically actually is a benefit to us as we're effectively due to pay less on our debt as we move forward.
So as a result of the above, we end up with increased net income attributable to Seadrill Partners Members after non-controlling interests of $31.2 million as opposed to $19.8 million for the first quarter of 2014.
Moving over to Slide 17, balance sheet assets, the main item that's moved here is cash, up from $131 million to $523 million as at the end of the second quarter 2014. Obviously that increase has come from the equity that we raised, in addition to surplus funds from the term loan transaction, and of course $373 million of that was spent on the OPCO acquisition shortly after the quarter end.
On the liability side of the balance sheet on Slide 18, you'll see the balances with our parent Seadrill under 'other related party payables' has been cleaned up significantly, that's both on the payable and the receivable side. Those balances largely arise as a result of acquisitions, and as I said, that's been cleaned up.
You can see at the bottom of that sheet that as at the end of the quarter, total debt was $3.25 billion, and if you take Q2 EBITDA and annualize it, or times it by 4, that equates to a net debt-to-EBITDA of 3.6x. 97% of that debt is swapped to a fixed rate at an average rate of 2.4%.
On Slide 19, we have distributable cash flow schedule where we take EBITDA and run down to distributable cash flow. You'll note, and I was talking earlier about the non-cash element about our financial items, that the cash interest expense of $34.5 million excludes those non-cash movements in interest rate valuations. So there you can see distributable cash flow for the quarter at $51.9 million as opposed to $30 million for the first quarter of 2014, which would give us a coverage ratio of 1.09x.
You'll also note that the gross distributions increased in the second quarter as a result of the increased distribution rate but also as a result of additional units because of the equity we raised that we did at the end of June. Had that equity raise taken place immediately after the declaration of the distribution, our coverage would have actually been 1.22x as opposed to 1.09x.
So in summary, on Slide 20, we've made really good progress since our IPO; we more than doubled the size of the fleet; we've diversified the fleet; we've shown a strong track record in distribution growth; and we've cleaned up our capital structure with the term loan transactions.
There are some headwinds obviously in the offshore drilling market but Seadrill Partners is protected from that really until 2017. This sort of current soft market is reducing new build ordering activity and because we think quite strongly the medium to long-term fundamentals are good, then in '17, '18, we could be looking at re-contracting rigs into a rising market.
And finally, of course we have a very visible growth path via acquisitions from Seadrill, strong distribution growth potential from that and from as I said acquisitions of additional rigs and acquisition of additional OPCO units.
Okay, thank you very much, and I'll turn the call back to John and the operator to handle question and answers.
John Roche
Thanks, Graham. Suzanne, before we pause here and queue up the roster for Q&A, I just would like to kindly ask everyone to limit questions to one question and one follow-up. Suzanne, if we could compile up a list here, that would be great.
Question-and-Answer Session
(Operator Instructions) We will now take our first question from Michael Webber from Wells Fargo. Please go ahead, your line is open.
Sameed Musvee - Wells Fargo
This is actually Sameed on for Michael. Just a quick question on the West Vencedor rig. I realize that's the one which has to go on re-charter in 2015 Q1. I remember the last quarter you mentioned, you are currently in discussions with the existing charter to re-charter the rig at the same rate. Just want to get an update on whether or not any progress on those discussions and whether or not it's still, is it the same rate, and if you're seeing some – if you guys are also talking to other third parties at this point as well?
Graham Robjohns
We're continuing discussions. It just takes time and the rate will not be materially different from current rate.
Sameed Musvee - Wells Fargo
Got it. And as a quick follow-up question to that, so in Page 12 of the presentation, you highlighted a serious amount of rigs at parent Seadrill for potentially being dropped down. My understanding is that one of those rigs, the West Vela, essentially there is a right to acquire but – the West Mira, sorry – but are there any potential rigs out there where given the new build activity at Seadrill parent that SDLP now has the right to acquire those rigs as well?
Graham Robjohns
We have the right to acquire the West Mira as you say, but we also have the right to acquire the West Jupiter. And in theory, the Rosneft rigs that were more than five-year contracted, we would also have the right to acquire whilst now to remain a subsidiary of Seadrill. But to be honest, this is a partnership in a sense between Seadrill and Seadrill Partners, and if there is a transaction to be done that's right for us both, and frankly usually what's right for the partnership is right for Seadrill, then we're not limited to just rigs that we happen to have an option to acquire.
Sameed Musvee - Wells Fargo
Got it. So that would be the West Rigel and the West Navigator.
Graham Robjohns
Those Rosneft rigs, yes.
Sameed Musvee - Wells Fargo
Okay, perfect. That's all of mine. I'll turn the call over.
We will now take our next question from Sunil Sibal from Global Hunter. Please go ahead, your line is open.
Sunil Sibal - Global Hunter Securities
Congratulations on a good quarter. A couple of quick questions from me. First, seems like G&A expense for the second quarter was down significantly sequentially. I was kind of curious if there was any one-time issue driving that drop or how should we think about G&A forward run rate basis?
Graham Robjohns
I think it's a little bit of both. G&A costs were just a bit lower in the second quarter, but also a part of the G&A cost comes from an allocation of those rig numbers in Seadrill increase. If you assume the element of economics of scale, then there's a little bit of cost reduction that comes through that as well.
Sunil Sibal - Global Hunter Securities
Okay. So then on a run rate basis, what you'll have…
Graham Robjohns
So guiding going forward, you may see some increase from the current quarter but there's probably on a pro rata basis given the number of rigs we have a little bit of cost saving as well.
Sunil Sibal - Global Hunter Securities
Okay, got it. And then on distribution growth going forward, as we look especially the higher 28% interest that you acquired recently, how should we be thinking about an accretion from that and potential distribution accretion from that in the near-term?
Graham Robjohns
We haven't gone and said what we think the accretion is from that transaction, and the fact that it is accretive obviously, and I think at the moment as I said we're kind of guiding to that. So we're hoping to overachieve that 50% target over the next couple of years. I think you should expect to see three to four transactions a year, which kind of gives you a rough idea of how accretive each transaction we would anticipate being.
Sunil Sibal - Global Hunter Securities
Okay, that's helpful. Thank you.
There are no further questions. (Operator Instructions)
John Roche
Suzanne, I don't see any other questions popping up here. I'd like to thank everyone for joining us this afternoon and this concludes Seadrill Partners' second quarter earnings conference call. Thanks everyone.
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Economic Statistics for 1 Apr 13
Here are today's statistics on the state of the economy:
Markit's PMI Manufacturing index rose 0.3 points to 54.6 for March; however, the ISM manufacturing Index fell almost 3 points to 51.3.
Construction spending for February rose 1.2%. On a year-over-year basis, spending was up 7.9%.
Dale Franks
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subset: commoncrawl


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Minor League Baseball team in the Midwest League. Class-A affiliate of the Houston Astros.
River Bandits staff members will share about their positions in the front office. The River Bandits will not have a representative at the breakfast, so transportation will not be provided to or from Modern Woodmen Park. Enter at the "Suites" door of Modern Woodmen Park. Lunch will be provided. Assistant General Manager Travis Painter will be the person to contact regarding questions about the day. Each area (community relations, events, production, sales) will have a different River Bandits staff member meeting with job shadowers.
"Other" job shadow areas: 3-Community Relations 4-Production/Video/Graphic Design
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List of students currently signed up: Lauren Kaczmarek, Garrett Miner, Hannah Sundwall, Kevin Gordy, Zachery Morgenstern, Walter White, Tyler Richards, Christopher Sauer, Mitch Dietrich, Jason Koski, Meredith Chew


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ICF Official Supplier
Upcoming Events
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We wish to welcome you to Portugal and to this new website, CANOESPRINTPORTUGAL, where you can get all the information about the upcoming and past canoe Sprint events that will take place in Portugal.
Finally, after decades of persistence, Portugal lived up to its odd conditions for canoeing and the lovers of our modality can already count on a course endowed of the necessary conditions and infrastructure to welcome international events. The European under-23 and junior were the world premiere of canoeing in this course, that in 2013 received also one of the best European Canoe Sprint Senior Championships ever.
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For 2016 we will host another World Cup in Canoe Sprint and the highlight of all of this will be the Seniors World Championships in 2018.
The beautiful and hospitable town Montemor-o-Velho, 130km from Porto, 230km from Lisbon only 25km from Coimbra and 18 from Figueira Da Foz, is the chosen place!
The city of students Coimbra or the beach city of Figueira da Foz are the two cities able to write most of the delegations that we are happy to receive. It is in Montemor-o-Velho under the gaze of the ancient castle that the Portuguese National team has evolved in the last few years and that formations from all over the world come to prepare for major competitions.
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Jun 6, 2016
Category: Main
7th Canoe Sprint World University Championships 2016 is the next at Montemor-o-Velho High Performance Centre.
May 29, 2016
Category: ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup III 2016
Racice event is over and all eyes are now turned to Montemor-o-Velho, in Portugal, that will host the 3rd and last world Cup of the season and also the last world event in canoe Sprint before Rio 2016.
May 27, 2016
Category: ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup III 2016
After the first partnership in 2012, Toyota - Caetano Auto is again the official car supplier of canoesprintportugal.
ICF Family, staff and ITOS will all being transported in Toyota cars, during next week.


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This offseason has shaped up to be a good one for the Arizona Cardinals, which will make for some good competition at training camp. New faces added to the roster and old faces leaving it have guaranteed this July and August will be fun to watch as players battle for starting positions.
As was the case last year, quarterback is not a position up for grabs this training camp season. That should come as no surprise to anyone, but it is a big relief not to worry about the most important position on the team for at least another year. Carson Palmer's contract runs through the 2014 season and expires five days after the Super Bowl if he is still on the roster.
General manager Steve Keim could hand Palmer an extension if he and coach Bruce Arians feel Logan Thomas is not ready to take over the huddle in 2015, but that is a discussion for another time.
Which positions will see the fiercest competition at training camp? Read on, friends.


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Late Activist Acie Byrd Lauded at Memorial
Margaret Summers | 5/24/2014, 1:17 a.m.
A prince of a man. A thoroughgoing progressive. A revolutionary. Speaker after speaker used these and other accolades to describe the late D.C. activist Acie L. Byrd Jr.
Roughly 450 people gathered Friday at the Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Northeast to mourn Byrd's death and celebrate his life. Byrd, 77, died May 13 after a long battle with cancer.
"Acie joined my first campaign for Congress, and helped me get elected in the first place," said D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton.
Originally from Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, Byrd became a student leader at the University of Maryland and Howard University. Prior to college, Byrd served three tours of duty in the U.S. Navy. While serving in the Pacific, Byrd was one of the quarter-million enlisted personnel exposed to radiation from U.S. nuclear testing, suffering permanent nerve damage.
"Acie took that experience and ran with it," Norton said. "An example and a leader, he co-founded the International Alliance of Atomic Veterans, and joined the National Association of Atomic Veterans. His activism contributed to [the advent of] the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty."
Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996, the treaty bans all nuclear testing. It has not been ratified by every country.
Byrd formed the Task Force on Radiation and Human Rights, and worked as the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign field coordinator. He chaired D.C.'s Nuclear Weapons Freeze Committee under Mayor Marion Barry, and promoted a nuclear test referendum approved by D.C. voters in 1985.
"Where are the Acie Byrds of today?" Norton said. "Acie's lasting legacy is the selfless universality of his brand of activism. Let's try to remember him by becoming 'Acie Byrd Progressive Activists.'"
Matt Cary, director of the D.C. Office of Veterans Affairs, read a tribute and condolence message to Byrd's family from Mayor Vincent Gray. "May you find strength in the love of family and friends," it said in part.
Cary said he and Byrd participated in then-Sen. John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign and years later worked on the first Obama-Biden campaign by organizing Veterans and Military Families for Progress. Carey and Byrd produced special programs on WPFW-FM every Memorial Day and Veterans Day which focused on veterans' issues. Byrd helped found the radio station and participated in its programs as a political commentator.
Carey said Byrd was committed to social change.
"One of his last [comments] was, 'It's not how long you are on this Earth, but what you do while you're here,'" he said at the service.
Sonia Metzer, a longtime personal friend of Byrd's, noted that his political work was generally conducted behind the scenes.
"He understood that not everyone has to lead from the front," she said. "He worked for the rights of immigrants and trade unionists, for D.C. statehood, for veterans' rights, and against the denigration of women."
Metzer said whenever anyone asked Byrd how he felt, he always answered, "reasonably well," explaining that he would only be reasonably well "as long as African-Americans aren't free."
Speakers remembered Byrd as a tireless advocate for D.C. statehood, and a founder of Stand Up for Democracy in D.C.
"He never hesitated to support statehood," said Anise Jenkins, the organization's executive director.
Byrd, along with statehood advocates Josephine Butler and Julius Hobson Jr., worked on the 1982 D.C. statehood referendum.
Byrd was also lauded for his work to end the death penalty in D.C., create a national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and end apartheid and minority rule in South Africa.
D.C. attorney Alan Gregory said his friendship with Byrd began when Gregory attended the University of Maryland.
"Acie mentored thousands of students. His spirit will live on through their legacy," Gregory said.
Several speakers said they became activists under Byrd's guidance.
"He took this then-23-year-old under his wings and allowed her to soar," said veteran Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile. "He has been involved in so many movements and done so much for D.C. and the nation. His work speaks for itself."
Byrd's family requested that his supporters send contributions in his memory to WPFW-FM.


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Today, I got a new dentist. You know how most dentists play soft, relaxing music? Well this guy seems to like rap a lot, and it's kinda hard getting your teeth cleaned to the sound of bullets going off. FML
by randomusername99 / 05/05/2014 at 5:51pm / United States (New York) / Health
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Quick & Gritty Video Slam
May 26, 2011 —
NARROWSBURG, NY — The Delaware Valley Arts Alliance will award $500 to a video artist at the Quick & Gritty Video Slam, a competition of three-minute videos, on Saturday, June 18 at 7 p.m. at Tusten Theatre. All pieces must be one to three minutes in length, must have been created entirely between June 3 and 18. They must have been shot in Sullivan County or the Upper Delaware valley, and must be submitted on a playable DVD to the Tusten Theatre by 12 noon on Saturday, June 18. There is no submission fee. Works will be judged live on-site.
The DIGit Media Exposition, June 3 to 25 will include continuous screenings, site specific performances, interactive concerts, and audio and video installations in and around Narrowsburg's Main Street and the Delaware River. DIGIT is funded in part by a grant from the Electronic Media Program of the New York State Council on the Arts, celebrating 50 years of building strong, creative communities in New York State's 62 counties. Visit www.ArtsAllianceSite.org or call 845/252-7576.


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Betty Jane Oliver McAuley
Betty Jane Oliver McAuley, 82, of Zanesville, died at 2:50 a.m. on Wednesday (April 16, 2014) at her home.
She was born Oct. 10, 1931, in Whigville, Ohio, a daughter of the late Clifford and Flora Alice Moore Oliver. Betty loved flowers and spending time in her garden, but most of all she enjoyed caring for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Surviving are her husband Edgar McAuley, whom she married April 22, 1950; five children, Victoria J. Butcher of Zanesville, Abby (Perry) Anderson of Zanesville, Cindy Jo (Orlen) Bates of Zanesville, Rhonda Lee (Christopher) Davis of Zanesville, and Tina Marie (Harold) Bare of Tampa, Fla.; eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a sister, Eileen Wells (Gene) of Barnesville; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by sisters, Marie, Nellie Jones, Ada Snider, Ruth Warner, and Irene Smithberger; and a brother, Robert Lee Oliver.
Friends and family may call from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday (April 18, 2014) at the Bolin-Dierkes Funeral Home, 1271 Blue Ave., Zanesville, where funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday (April 19, 2014). She will be laid to rest at Zanesville Memorial Park Cemetery, Zanesville.
To send a note of condolence, or to order flowers or comfort food: visit www.bolin-dierkesfuneralhome.com, follow us on Facebook, or call our professional staff at (740)452-4551.


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Friday, March 11, 2005
The Baby Library of Books
Are You a Cool Momz?
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Ebay Lady Gives Birth
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Thanks to all my Pregnancy Weekly readers! You rock! And thanks to Susie Sunshine for all your help.
Prenatal Classes
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Pregnancy Jokes
You're Such a Baby
Irish Names on the Rise
Monday, March 07, 2005
Pregnancy Directory - For Your Most Important 9 Months!
In the Womb
Interviewing? Pregnant?
Dad/Partner To Do List
Wow, and I thought I was the only tactless wonder. Really, I feel that I have been doing a good job at saying the right things during my beautiful wife's pregnancy, though she makes it easy on me by remaining to be the most beautiful woman in the world, outside and in. I am currently geographically separated from my wife thanks to a career in the military, but the two times I have seen her (through video teleconference), and pictures that I have received, show my beautiful wife looking as great as ever, her belly I find to be even more attractive, her hair looks great as it is growing a little faster now, the stereotyical glow about her while she carries our son makes her radiant and as beautiful as I have ever seen her to be. I love you and miss you terribly honey, and for all those fortunate enough to be with your spouses and moms-to-be during their pregnancies, be happy for what you have, for all others like me, they can't keep us away from our loved ones forever.* Now, on to the topic at hand. There has been much advice given on the blog for you mothers-to-be. But what about that significant other? Well, this is for you. Both parents are "pregnant" and can take advantage of the time before baby arrives to prepare for their new bundle of joy! Below are some things the new dad (or partner) can do to prepare themself for parenthood:
- Attend prenatal appointments, especially the ultrasound (around the 20th week).
- Purchase or borrow parenting books, tapes, or videos.
- Attend childbirth or Lamaze classes with the pregnant mother.
- Visit the hospital or birthing center tour with the pregnant mother.
- Attend parenting classes or new fathers support groups.
- Increase circle of friends with children for both you and your partner.
- Check on and request for paternity leave or leave of absence.
- Assist the mother-to-be in finding a pediatrician.
- Assist the mother-to-be in setting up the nursery.
- Develop list of volunteers to help out after the baby arrives.
- Discuss dividing household and parenting responsibilities.
- Set up accounts with local eateries, restaurants and grocery stores.
- Set up a savings account or life insurance policy for your future family.
- Assist new mother in locating and securing childcare if and when she returns to work.
- Purchase a pager or cell phone for both you and the new mother.
- Finalize the "plan of action" for when the mother-to-be goes into labor.
- Make sure you have all needed emergency information close at hand.
- Make sure you have her hospital suitcase (and yours as well!) packed and ready to go.
- Assist in writing out birth announcements, notifying family and friends, etc.
- RELAX and REJOICE in the joy of being a new parent!


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Is the Zombie Apocalypse For Real?
Whether it's being done sarcastically or not, the word 'zombie' is being used a lot lately in reference to two odd incidents in Miami and New Jersey. So, bottom line, is there anything to the whole zombie thing?
It is curious that officials fear infections from both of the recent zombie incidents.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta released a 'Zombie Preparedness' guide under the guise of prepping for natural disasters or pandemics using a pop culture. The CDC reports that their message, using the pop culture/sci-fi buzz around zombies has been effective.
Is the CDC guide and recent events just coincidence?


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New York Plexus Slim
New York Plexus Slim Distributors Listed By City
New York City Area
Ambassador Wanted For New York: Join our Plexus Slim team and get listed here!
Join at: www.PlexusGuy.com or www.ILovePlexus.com
Call Robin at 225-636-0818 or Bill at 225-413-8928
As you grow your team they will be listed under you on this page. We will also start you out with our own personal starter kit.
Wanted: New Your Plexus Slim Representatives aka Ambassadors
Wanted, New York Plexus Slim representatives also known as Ambassadors to join us in New York to grow the Plexus Slim business. Plexus Slim is a unique product that is used for weight loss. Tens of Thousands of satisfied customers and Ambassadors are using the Plexus products and achieving their weight loss goals. Many are also achieving their financial goals and making a nice monthly income. The Plexus compensation plan pays you to sell and market the line of healthy products. You can buy at wholesale and sell at retail. You can also sign up other Ambassadors and get a team of people working together to build your organization. These Ambassadors can follow your lead and do the same. Your income is determined by you. Plexus supplies you with the compensation plan and you decide how you plan and run your business. There are 10 different ways you can make money or be compensated for. To learn more about the compensation plan Click Here.
Tools Of The Trade
The opportunities and tools to build a large and productive business are supplied to you through the companies back office. Equipped with lead capture pages and auto-responders your job of follow-up is made easy. When potential customers visit your personalized company website and fill out the "more information form" they will automatically receive an email corespondent sent out to them with all your information on it. They will then receive emails on a regular scheduled basis which is set by you. You can modify the email message people receive or you can use the preset letters as is. Through your back office you can order business cards, magnetic signs, brochures and many other items that will make your job easier and give you a professional image.
Plexus makes it easy to have a personalized business where you are the employee and you make the decisions. You can be as big as you want of just stay small, it's all up to you.
Out with Multi Level Marketing (MLM) and in with Network Marketing
Even though you have your own business there are many people in the business that you can partner up with and work with. The term "network marketing" is coined for this type of business model. You grow through networking with other people in your business and in other types of businesses.
Network Marketing the wave of the future is here now.
Network Marketing is now becoming the wave of the future and the future is here now. Network Marketing makes for a very sensible business model with so many people out of a job and looking to start a home business. The two put together makes a lot of business sense. Lets take our cell phones and use them as an example as a way to apply network marketing to out everyday life. Almost everyone now a days needs and uses a cell phone. Without it we have gotten to where we cannot function efficiently. Carrying around your phone in your pocket or purse is like having a virtual office with you. Your can set appointments and have your phone remind you of the appointment and then call the person or people you are suppose to meet with. Instead of an in person real live face to face meeting you are having the next best thing which is a meeting where you are communicating over your cell phone to one another. Next best thing,,, maybe its really the best way to communicate and hold a meeting. This is often called a webinar which can be open ended or closed ended. In either type of webinars you have a moderator. In an opened ended webinar you usually have the opportunity to talk back or "raise your hand" and ask a question.
Having your meeting over internet with you.Our phone is our message center. Join with us and be part of New York Plexus Slim.
One Response to "New York Plexus Slim"
i am plexus worldwide distributor and I have very good price, example: I sell the kit plexus plexus slim + acelerator or boost = 50$, you pay after you receive.


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Edwards, M.J. and Williams, Mark A. and Maxwell, A. and McKay, A.R. (2011) Mass spectrometry reveals that the antibiotic simocyclinone D8 binds to DNA gyrase in a "bent-over" conformation: evidence for positive cooperativity in binding. Biochemistry 50 (17), pp. 3432-3440. ISSN 0006-2960.Full text not available from this repository.
DNA topoisomerases are enzymes that control DNA topology and are vital targets for antimicrobial and anticancer drugs. Here we present a mass spectrometry study of complexes formed between the A subunit of the topoisomerase DNA gyrase and the bifunctional inhibitor simocyclinone D8 (SD8), an antibiotic isolated from Streptomyces. These studies show that, in an alternative mode of interaction to that found by X-ray crystallography, each subunit binds a single bifunctional inhibitor with separate binding pockets for the two ends of SD8. The gyrase subunits form constitutive dimers, and fractional occupancies of inhibitor-bound states show that there is strong allosteric cooperativity in the binding of two bifunctional ligands to the dimer. We show that the mass spectrometry data can be fitted to a general model of cooperative binding via an extension of the "tight-binding" approach, providing a rigorous determination of the dissociation constants and degree of cooperativity. This general approach will be applicable to other systems with multiple binding sites and highlights mass spectrometry's role as a powerful emerging tool for unraveling the complexities of biomolecular interactions.
|Item Type:
|School or Research Centre:
|Birkbeck Schools and Research Centres > School of Science > Biological Sciences
|Depositing User:
|Mark Williams
|Date Deposited:
|15 Nov 2012 13:52
|Last Modified:
|17 Apr 2013 12:26
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Is it time to tip the scales towards growth assets?
Pension funds in the UK appear to be locked in a glacial shift towards ever-increasing allocations to fixed income, but as equities are delivering some of the best performances seen for years, now may be the time to reassess growth asset strategies.
In November last year, UK pension funds for the first time held more bonds than equities. The Pensions Regulator, which collates data on 6,316 defined-benefit schemes representing 99% of estimated total liabilities and 11.7 million members, said UK funds hold 43.2% in gilts and fixed interest compared with 38.5% in equities.
Lucy MacDonald, chief investment officer of global equities at Allianz Global Investors, said: "Allocation to growth assets have been steadily decreasing over the past five years since the beginning of the financial crisis because pension funds have been most concerned with matching assets to liabilities." The Pensions Regulator found that scheme funding deteriorated further last year. In the 12 months to the end of March 2012 the funding ratio, which is calculated by dividing assets by liabilities, fell from 100% to 83%.
However, the long-term slide towards fixed income comes with problems. The first is the risk of missing out on stellar equity performances.
Steven White, managing director, global investment consulting at Buck Consulting, which advises medium-sized UK pension schemes, said: "In the past three months, sentiment around equities has changed. There is a reasonable degree of positive feeling about how equities will perform in 2013 and the outlook is better than it has been for three years."
The MSCI World Index rose by 13.07% in 2012 in local currency terms and global equities have continued their strong run in 2013 so far. In January, the MSCI World rose by 5.28%, and by 8.51% for the three months to January 31.
Investment opportunity
White believes the recovery in equities offers such an opportunity for his pension funds clients that they should stall the shift into fixed income. He said: "Our advice to clients has developed a lot in the past couple of months. Now we are advising clients certainly to at least maintain growth allocations and in some cases to increase them."
In the long term, he added, clients should still aim to shift towards ever-greater allocations to fixed income, but first they should look to stock market opportunities to build up the assets needed to meet their liabilities.
The UK's second-largest pension fund, the £34bn Universities Superannuation Scheme, has a higher-than-average allocation to equities, of 54%, which it says has paid off over both the short and longer term.
Roger Gray, chief investment officer of USS, said: "At the tactical asset allocation level, we were well positioned for the recovery in equities last year and at the start of 2013. At the strategic asset-allocation level, we have a high exposure to equities compared with most pension funds, which has helped us benefit from the recovery that we have seen in the asset class over the last four years."
White and MacDonald say the other problem with gradually increasing allocations to fixed-income portfolios is that it exposes investors to a growing number of negative factors in the bond market. High demand for fixed income, particularly gilts, has pushed up prices. So adding to the asset class in the current market may not pay off.
Simultaneously, yields have fallen to historic lows, meaning the fixed income currently held is doing a less good job of covering pension fund liabilities.
As for the longer-term outlook, MacDonald said: "If interest rates start to go up, which they will at some point, bond prices will fall and pension funds could lose a lot of money."
White added: "This is not a great time for transferring assets into fixed income – unless there are special circumstances necessitating it."
Ways into equities
With stock markets remaining volatile, pension funds may be nervous about stalling their drift into ever-larger fixed-income allocations by jumping headfirst into equities. For such schemes, there are a number of ways to invest in equities.
An approach gaining ground, according to White, is to use a distributing fund, which pays out the income it receives at regular intervals. He said: "This provides regular income without transaction costs, whereas traditionally to take profits you would have to disinvest and incur a charge."
The increasingly popular diversified growth funds may be another way for schemes to gain access to equity-like returns, with a degree of protection from volatility. Although different diversified growth funds can have significantly different approaches, in general they aim to invest some of the fund in equities while countering the dips in the performance of those assets with positions in a range of other asset classes.
Toby Nangle at Threadneedle Investments heads multi-asset allocations, an investment approach that focuses on moving between a variety of asset classes based on strategic, three to five-year, views and "tactical" shorter-term views. He recommends funds that invest in equities in a nimble way to offer exposure to fleeting opportunities and protection from the downside.
He advocates "the ability to take advantage of opportunities without going through a beauty parade to appoint a new asset manager", by which time the opportunity may have disappeared.
As for the underlying stocks to choose, MacDonald advises a broadly balanced, global approach. She said: "We are expecting to see better performance outside the US because there is more scope for upward rise in Europe and Asia. Sector-wise, we are keeping it balanced, though we like industrial, financial and healthcare. We are less keen on consumer staples, such as Diageo and Unilever, because, although we like them in absolute terms, they are a little expensive."
How far pension funds could shift assets into equity funds remains to be seen, but MacDonald believes they will need to respond to the darkening outlook for fixed income. "Pension funds are facing larger deficits to fill, so they will need to pursue growth assets."
• But beware the pitfalls
By Gill Wadsworth
Equities might look appealing based on recent performance, but some investment experts are warning against rushing into the asset class.
James Ind, multi-asset portfolio manager at Russell Investments, a consulting and asset management firm, said: "A lot of people are saying equities are beginning to recover, so how should we respond? But equities have been recovering for around three years." The MSCI World Index was up 7.19% in local currency terms in the three years to January 31.
Ind said that equities may have grown so much in value that it is too late to benefit from increasing allocations now. "One has to be careful about chasing a crowded train into equities – valuations are not low at the moment. So rather than looking back and thinking how can I use the current rally for the future, think about what might happen to valuations in the coming months and take profits from the rally now."
The £1.7bn Dorset County Pension Fund has taken this approach. In July 2012 the fund lowered its UK equities allocation from 30% to 28% and added a 5% allocation to diversified growth funds.
Nick Buckland, head of treasury and pensions at the scheme, said: "I am not convinced that equities are likely to see any significant upturn, if anything, I would be concerned that they may look a bit high."
Pension funds taking the view that fixed income looks less appealing while equities are too expensive may want to consider other growth assets rather than equities. Steven White, managing director, global investment consulting at Buck Consulting, says there is a growing tendency to invest growth portfolios less in equities and more in alternatives, such as hedge funds, property, commodities and catastrophe risk funds.
Hedge funds are already seeing increased inflows from pension funds. The Pensions Regulator found that over the year to March 2012, in total, schemes increased the allocation to hedge funds from 2.4% to 4.5.
White said property is another prime growth alternative to equities but a selective approach is required. "UK property in general is a high-risk investment because there is a risk of values falling and it's a difficult asset class to exit due to the lack of liquidity. We are advising clients to decrease UK property investments and delay allocations" he added.
However, long-lease, high-quality specialist property funds are a different proposition: "They are quite attractive at the moment. They are less sensitive to market conditions and likely to provide steady, inflation-linked income."
--This article first appeared in the print edition of Financial News dated March 4, 2013


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Editor's note: This profile is the first in a weekly series this month about the world of music.
By Eric Norwood Jr.
PNT staff writer
Inside of a makeshift studio in a commercial building in west Portales, dreams are being pursued and skills are being crafted.
Amauris Lopez, 23, created this haven of music for himself to achieve his goals of being a successful musical artist. Lopez offers mixing and mastering of tracks for a fee at his studio, and has experience filming and editing music videos.
"I actually got started in music by first making music videos," said Lopez, who goes by the stage name of Teddy P. His partner-in-rhyme, Lloyd Black III, 21, goes by the stage name of Haze and the two share a common bond in that they were both raised in New York and are huge fans of hip-hop and music in general. Lopez was raised in New York City while Black hails from Rochester, N.Y. After meeting as members of the Eastern New Mexico University football team, they now focus on college and music full time.
"We basically linked up through football. I went to his dorm room and he played some music he had and we talked about hip-hop and discovered we had the same taste and vision as far as what we see in our music," said Black.
Though they are not officially a duo, Lopez and Black assist each other in their musical endeavors.
"There's stuff that I know that I'll help him with and there is stuff that he knows that helps me out," said Lopez.
Both are solo artists but have performed and recorded together. Their collaborations are unique because Black raps in English while Lopez raps in Spanish.
Lopez, whose parents are from the Dominican Republic, attributes this to his heritage.
"The thing is Spanish is my first language. I think in Spanish. They way I articulate what I am thinking isn't as smooth in English as it is in Spanish. But I do write poems in English," said Lopez.
"As a rapper, you have to encode your regular language into rap language," said Black. "For (Lopez), he has to encode Spanish into rap language which is crazy. It sounds real nice though."
Black said there have been times when they are in the studio together writing to the same instrumental beat, and they have created songs with similar lyrics and subject matter except that Lopez' verse is in Spanish.
"He translated each bar (line) for me. We actually came up with the same type of song. It's a pretty dope sound to have both the Spanish and English," said Black.
Lopez and Black have released mixtapes of their music before, and both plan to release separate projects in early 2014. For now, they are trying to spread the word to the local community.
"We're going to perform at Eastern's Got Talent on Oct. 23. Then on Halloween, we're going to throw a concert and costume party at the Yam Theatre," said Lopez. They both performed at the Yam in April as well.
"We're just trying to entertain the community. We don't want to just go party and go wild. We want to give other people something to do," said Lopez.


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RUSH: My hero, Dick Cheney, is back. The highest levels of the administration are not backing down. He was on Good Morning America today from Sydney, Australia. Correspondent Jonathan Karl again talking to him. Question: "The speaker of the House was so upset about your comment that she called the White House to complain." But Cheney did not back down.
CHENEY: I'm not sure what part of it is that Nancy disagreed with. She accused me of questioning her patriotism. I didn't question her patriotism. I questioned her judgment. Al-Qaeda functions on the basis that they think they can break our will. That's their fundamental underlying strategy. My statement was that if we adopt the Pelosi policy, that we will validate the strategy of Al-Qaeda. I said it, and I meant it. And I'm not backing down.
RUSH: My hero, not backing down. Nancy Pelosi, not referring to her as Speaker Pelosi, just referring to her as Nancy. You know, girl's gone hormonal. Next question from Jonathan Karl. Get this. "But hasn't our strategy been failing? Isn't that why the president has had to come out with a new strategy?"
CHENEY: A failed strategy. Let's see. We didn't fail when we got rid of Saddam. We didn't fail when we held elections. We didn't fail when we got a constitution written. They're all success stories.
KARL: Didn't we fail when 3,000 American soldiers are all killed --
CHENEY: You wish there was never a casualty, Jonathan. Always a regret when you have casualties. But we are at war.
RUSH: Now, I know Jonathan Karl. I've met him a couple times when he was at CNN, and he's not at CNN anymore because he wasn't liberal enough. I'll just be honest about that. I don't know if he's had to moderate his conservatism in order to be at ABC. Jonathan -- and I know you're over there with the vice president in Australia, you're not going to hear about this for a couple minutes -- but, Jonathan, this is embarrassing. "Didn't we fail when 3,000 American soldiers are killed?" Jonathan, have you ever heard of a war where we didn't lose a single life? Jonathan, in peacetime, do you know how many American GIs stateside are killed in accidents? What is this? This question right there, because we all know the Drive-Bys are involved in groupthink. Remember how I opened the program? All these meetings that people have, it results in groupthink.
Nobody is individual anymore. Somebody says something; everybody else agrees with it. "The meeting's over, get outta here," becomes the adopted strategy plan, theory, or what have you. Three thousand soldiers, doesn't that mean we failed? Cheney was remarkably reserved in this answer. Had it been me, I would have been dumbstruck for about three seconds. I would have had the most perplexed look on my face and I would have said, "I can't believe you just asked me that." But doesn't that tell us the way the Drive-Bys and the left is looking at this? Three thousand dead in almost four years equals failure. But Jonathan Karl was undeterred. He then said, "Tony Blair recently said the only sensible solution to this crisis is diplomacy. Do you agree with that?"
CHENEY: We hope that we can solve the problem diplomatically. The president's indicated he wants to do everything he can to resolve it diplomatically. That's why we've been working with the EU and going through the United Nations with sanctions. The president's also made it clear that we haven't taken any options off the table.
RUSH: That was about Iran. I should have said that at the outset. Of course the world's quaking in its boots now because the administration -- I'm convinced it was the administration that leaked to the BBC our war plans for Iran and, "Oh, no, Bush has lost it! Bush is nuts." The Democrats are out there, Tony Blair is out there, "We're not going to go to war with Iran." It is typical. United States has to go it alone in matters of great import. Anyway, we'll see what happens. Let me ask you. This is a question for you people. Mrs. Clinton said not long ago that she would be offended if Bush didn't get this Iraq situation cleaned up and finished before she's inaugurated, coronated in January of 2009, did she not?
All right. What about Iran? What if Bush doesn't solve that before she takes office? What if Mrs. Clinton is elected, coronated January 21st, 2009, and Iran the next day says, "Mrs. Clinton, welcome to the world; we have just successfully tested our first nuclear missile." Will the impeachment hearings of Bush begin? I mean, is he supposed to get Iran off the table before Mrs. Clinton takes over or any Democrat, or any other president, for that matter? And if so, how? We're supposed to get Iraq off the table. Well, that's easy. We just bring the troops home. They own defeat, remember, so we just bring the troops home. Victory is no more troops. That's how they define it. Everybody wants to know what victory is. I know how you Democrats are defining it: no more troop deaths. Well, I want to see you pull this off. But that's how they're defining it. So interesting question here, what to do about Iran and will Mrs. Clinton be offended if that is not solved before her coronation?


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Ms. Liz to You
I bet Liz Phair long ago identified with the girl whose tits were too big in fifth grade just as she did with the one who was good at math. She internalized the threat they posed and enjoyed the way they messed with other people's expectations. That they were often the same girl was a female epiphany of my generation. Phair in turn invented a protagonist who could fuck and run at age 12, be bored with the process by her early twenties, and live to tell about itall in a guitar-strummed plaint with a hook. Disgust was her artistic capital; tormented by roommates, she prayed they would help her "breed my disgust into fame," and they did. Phair's privileged background in Winnetka, Illinois, and the unconditional love of her adoptive parents tempered the nail-biting urgency of her persona. Even though song after song trashed the eons-old myth that a well-fucked female kept her mouth shut, their anger was grounded in a vision of equality that promised better sex and more love. For a while she got off on this: "I totally fed off the whole idea that I had done something brash that was hard for a woman to do. My little tail wagged." But soon it got old, and she went after the "Shitloads of Money" she'd never denied wanting. For the first time, she was willing to risk a one-night stand where she wasn't in control.
On Somebody's Miracle, Phair is more confident than on her previous mass-appeal bid, 2003's Liz Phair. She's split the difference between the Matrix and Michael Penn by working with John Mayer/Jason Mraz producer John Alagio, and along the way she's discovered that there are other ways to be honest than taking your clothes offalthough when the subject calls for a cock tease, she's ready. Guitars humping, her voice at its best sexy growl, she's a temptress for a sucker who doesn't know what's coming: "I've got my own thing/Feel it, it is strong/As short as people think/But really it is long." But at least two other strong tracks convince because they lack resolution: the loving look back at an extramarital affair in "Leap of Innocence" and the Stones send-up "Why I Lie." Phair passes off this nasty retort as a love song, reveling in the naked truth of her motives, "predatory instinct and simple ill will." Repeat after me: The man she lies to isn't good enough for her anyway. And while we're on the subject, would the self-professed blowjob queen consider resurrecting Joan Jett's hilarious "Coney Island Whitefish," or is it beneath her to acknowledge such common origins or admit that she wasn't the first pissed-off chick on the block?
Although there are two saccharine pro-happiness songs I'd just as soon never hear again, there's also "Giving It All," a rave-up that seems to liberate Phair. No longer married to the gloomy, grainy sound that defined her, she's also stretched the singer-songwriter values that have inspired this divorced mom pushing 40 to pen tunes ever since she was little. As with the last record's "Little Digger," the civility of the defeated alcoholic in "Table for One" puts the listener up close and personal with a subject too many of us would rather pass off as someone else's problem. But the gem is "Closer to You." No wonder Phair prefaced her current tour with an acoustic go-round of small houses. Unlike the sweeter title track, which poses Ms. Liz as an outsider looking in on happy couples, this one plants her firmly mid-relationship, both wanting more and admitting that intimacy can be off-putting. She believes that mutual respect provides love its essential balance: "I don't need your rock and roll to stay in tune." Meet Liz Phair. She knows who she is. Do you?
Liz Phair
Somebody's Miracle
Stream "Leap of Innocence" (Windows Media)
Stream "Lazy Dreamer" (Windows Media)
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Opalesque Industry Update - AIMA, the Alternative Investment Management Association, has called for the implemented form of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) to be flexible, proportionate and based on the principles of openness and transparency.
In a consultation response sent to the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), AIMAs Jiri Krol, director of policy and government affairs said: We welcome the opportunity to engage constructively in AIFMD implementation and are happy that ESMA is taking stakeholder consultation extremely seriously. We commend the high level of their professionalism in this complicated process with tight deadlines.
AIMA said it hoped that ESMA would implement the AIFMD in such a way as to take account of one of the most striking features of the hedge fund sector its great diversity.
Flexibility, proportionality and openness are three key features which the regulation should retain if it is to succeed in delivering the policy objectives while preserving the existing breadth of business models and strategies, said Krol.
AIMA pointed out that while some of the larger hedge fund firms may employ several hundred staff and manage over US$10 bn, the majority are smaller businesses, with much fewer staff and managing assets of less than US$1 bn in many cases.


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THIS IS A DIRECTORY PAGE. Britannica does not currently have an article on this topic.
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In 1844 Engels contributed two articles to the Deutsch-Französische Jahrbücher ("German-French Yearbooks"), which were edited by Marx in Paris. In them Engels put forth an early version of the principles of scientific socialism. He revealed what he regarded as the contradictions in liberal economic doctrine and set out to prove that the existing...
...making it a leading journal in Prussia. Nevertheless, Prussian authorities suspended it for being too outspoken, and Marx agreed to coedit with the liberal Hegelian Arnold Ruge a new review, the Deutsch-französische Jahrbücher ("German-French Yearbooks"), which was to be published in Paris.


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September 5, 2012
Penn Medicine's Stanley Goldfarb, MD, Named President of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — Stanley Goldfarb, MD, professor of Medicine and associate dean for Curriculum at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, has been named the 61st president of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
Established in 1787, the College of Physicians of Philadelphia is the oldest private medical society in the United States. John Morgan, founder of the Perelman School of Medicine, was also a founding member of the society. Throughout its 225 year history, the College has provided a place for both medical professionals and the general public to learn about medicine as both a science and as an art. During his two-year term as president, Dr. Goldfarb will serve as the volunteer Chairman of the Board of Trustees and oversee issues of governance for the society.
At the Perelman School of Medicine, he supervises all aspects of the medical student curriculum, chairs the curriculum committee, supervises the medical student scholarly pursuit program in clinical investigation, and serves on the Student Standards Committee and chairs the School of Medicine Teaching Awards Committee. As a professor of Medicine in the Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension Division at Penn Medicine, his research has primarily focused on the management of fluid and electrolyte, metabolism and diabetic nephropathy.
Goldfarb has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Laureate Award from the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Physicians and the Christian and Mary Lindback award for distinguished teaching from Penn. He is a graduate of Princeton University and the University of Rochester School of Medicine.
For more information, please see the College of Physicians of Philadelphia web site.
Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $4.3 billion enterprise.
The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 17 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $392 million awarded in the 2013 fiscal year.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -- recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Chestnut Hill Hospital and Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine.
Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2013, Penn Medicine provided $814 million to benefit our community.


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The Meaning of Lila by John Forgetta and L.A. Rose
- September 26, 2013
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A very nice restaurant we used to go to was frequented by a Jewish lady who specialized in giving waiters a hard time. Eventually the waiter (also Jewish) "accidentally" spilled an entire pitcher of water on her.
Another form of water torture, I suppose. As this gag thread comes to a close, I hope readers were mostly amused and not offended. After all, my goal is only to portray the humor in our lives the best way I can…Happy Day Before Friday!
No, but I'll remind you of the D cup…
Ha ha ha, Lila "D" cup, ha ha ha! Snerk!
What if Lila was drinking tea?
Enjoying the thread- as always JWF!
JWF, Your references to Jews are all negative, not funny.They ARE offensive !
Oh, cool it. I'm Jewish and wasn't offended.
I find this funny. If you want to be offended, there is a lot worse out there. Look, Jewish people can be humorous, and it's not a problem to make fun of them once in a while. I look forward to Lila dating a Muslim, however, WHOOAAAA!!!
"pig king", really? Troll, much?
I have not known many Jewish folks – they are uncommon in the South – but the few I have known are not like the stereotypes we saw in Mad magazine or in Mel Brooks movies. Never met a "Jewish-American Princess."
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Senior Android Developer (closed)
Our Client is a fast-growing, venture-backed, NYC-based mobile service that helps users get and give opinions in real time. We've built an addicting mobile application that's growing rapidly, providing millions of rapid responses per day to users asking all manner of questions on the go. We're a first-mover in the space, have off-the-chart engagement numbers, a very loyal community, and achieve the quickest results of any service. We are seeking new members of our core team who have sincere enthusiasm for disrupting the industry with a product that changes lives, who attack hard problems with top-notch skills, and who are a strong fit with our core values that include humility/service, craftsmanship, and fearlessness.
And we're looking for a stupendous Senior Android Developer to own that platform for us, and to make extraordinary things look easy.
What's our deal?
We've built our systems so far on native mobile platforms for iOS and Android, and PHP server code with a pinch of Ruby to spice things up. Our backend systems are awesome, we're using MongoDB for all our transactional data, and Vertica DB for business intelligence and data warehousing.
What have you done?
- Been building Android applications for at least 2 years.
- Gotten immersed in the Android ecosystem, you love it, you geek out about it.
- Proven a deep understanding of the Java language, with experience prior to Android development.
- Shown skill in leading and fully managing a large codebase, including testing strategies, code refactoring, web service consumption, and appstore deployment.
- Designed complex Object-Oriented architectures in mobile and/or server software.
- Earned a degree in computer science, software engineering, or equivalent.
Who are you going to be?
- A craftsman in your trade. You believe that if something is worth doing at all, it's worth doing fully, elegantly, creatively. And you know the difference between problems "solved" and problems "solved right".
- Practiced, talented, and growing. You're very good at what you do, and you demand that you're better at it today than you were yesterday, and not nearly as good as you'll be tomorrow.
- A fearless innovator. Driven by optimism, you don't settle for compromises.
- You fail gracefully and drive forward stronger, smarter, and more determined.
- A joy to work with. Through humility, service to your customers, respect for your colleagues, a good sense of humor, and old-fashioned hard work, you bring delight and excitement to bear every day on the challenges of a startup.


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Hawley solicitor says Herzog is a resident
January 18, 2012 —
"Yes, indeed Elaine Herzog is a resident," Robert Bernathy, solicitor for the Borough of Hawley said during the council meeting on January 11.
"We are not obligated to fill a vacated seat to the candidate who received the next highest vote. We are following the law which falls under Section 901 of the Borough Code," Bernathy said.
This followed a challenge set forth after Orlando Marrero was a losing candidate in the Hawley Borough Council race last November. After the election, allegations surfaced that one of the winners, Elaine Herzog, wasn't a resident since she allegedly used a street address of a commercial property with no apartments and a post office box in Greentown, a hamlet at a distance from Hawley.
However, a letter written by Bernathy to Marrero's attorney, Randolph Borden, on December 28, 2011, said that the address at 518 Church Street in Hawley is in fact a one-family dwelling and is used for both a residency and a business, Miss Elly's Antiques and Such.
Bernathy wrote, "It would be my legal opinion that Councilwoman Herzog is in compliance with the residency requirements of the borough code, and as a result is eligible to sit as a member of the borough council for the Borough of Hawley for 2012."
On January 17, Board of Elections Director Cindy Furman confirmed that Herzog's address was legitimate.
At a meeting of the Wayne County Board of Elections on January 5, Borden told the commissioners that his client should have been appointed to Herzog's council position because Marrero received more votes than the other candidate who lost. Borden spoke at the meeting as if Herzog had vacated the seat, but she had not. (In its January 12 edition, TRR erroneously reported that the claim of the invalid address had been substantiated.)
At the meeting, commissioner Wendell Kay, the chairman of the Wayne County Board of Elections, said any allegation of an invalid address was a matter not for the board of elections, but for the Wayne County Court of Common Pleas.
It is not clear if Marrero will pursue the matter in court.
Fire chief honored
In another development at the Hawley meeting, Fire Chief Eugene E. Krause, who has been Hawley's fire chief since 1994 and part of the fire department since 1976, received his own holiday. January 11th was declared Eugene E. Krause day for his long-running tenure with the community and fire department.


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Locarno Classification System
From Intellogist
|This Glossary entry exists for the community to share information related to common terms used in prior art searching. Registered users can add, edit, or delete material on this page. Users should keep in mind that the information on this page is the result of community collaboration and, as such, is vetted by the community at large, not individual experts or fact-checkers. All information contributed to this page is public information - do not post confidential information. For more information about creating and editing Glossary articles, please see our Help pages. If you found this page through a web search, we invite you to visit our Main Page to see what Intellogist is all about.
The Locarno Classification is an international classification system for industrial designs. It is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).[1]
A hierarchical schedule of the Locarno classes can be found on the WIPO website.
The Locarno Classification is based on a multilateral treaty administered by WIPO. [2] This treaty is called the Locarno Agreement Establishing an International Classification for Industrial Designs, which was concluded in 1968. The Agreement is open to States party to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. As of May 1, 2007, 49 countries were party to the Locarno agreement.
The trademark offices of the contracting States of the Locarno Agreement are required to include in the official documents the registration of industrial designs the Locarno classes and subclasses into which the goods incorporating the designs belong. They must do the same in any publication which the offices issue regarding the deposit or registration.
The Locarno Classification comprises a list of 32 classes and 223 subclasses with explanatory notes and an alphabetical list of goods in which industrial designs are incorporated, with an indication of the classes and subclasses into which they fall. This list contains some 6,831 indications of different kinds of goods.
The existence and use of the Locarno Classification system brings with it the advantages of having an industrial design-specific classification system. This makes industrial design searches much simpler both on the national and international level. Also, since Locarno is an internationally recognized system, it prevents the need for reclassification when documents are exchanged internationally.
A Locarno International Classification designation consists of two pairs of numbers separated by a hyphen. The first pair of numbers designates a design class; the second pair of numbers indicates a particular subclass within the design class. The Locarno Classification manual, available from WIPO, delineates the individual classes and subclasses and includes: (1) a general list of classes of industrial designs divided into broad subclasses; and (2) an alphabetical list of specific industrial designs with an indication of the classes and subclasses into which they should be classified.
United States (U.S.) design patents prepared for issue after June 30, 1996 include a Locarno International Classification designation as part of the bibliographic data.[3] See the image below for an example of a Locarno Classification designation as it appears on a U.S. Design Patent.
In order to keep the Locarno Classification up to date, it is continuously revised and a new edition is published every five years. The current (eighth) edition has been in force since January 1, 2004. The revision is carried out by a Committee of Experts set under the Locarno Agreement. All States party to the Agreement are members of the Committee of Experts.
Official Published Locarno Classification
The updated official published Locarno Classification can be obtained from WIPO:
World Intellectual Property Organization
Marketing and Distribution Section
Case postale 18
CH-1211 Geneva 20
34, chemin des Colombettes
CH-1211 Geneva 20
Telephone: (41) (22) 338 9111
Fax: (41) (22) 740 1812, 733 5428
E-mail: email@example.com
E-bookshop: http://www.wipo.int/ebookshop
- ↑ "International Classification for Industrial Designs under the Locarno Agreement." WIPO, http://www.wipo.int/classifications/locarno/en/. Accessed on November 13, 2008.
- ↑ "Locarno Agreement Establishing an International Classification for Industrial Designs." WIPO, http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/classification/locarno/. Accessed on November 13, 2008.
- ↑ "903.09(a) Locarno Classification Desig-nations [R-5] – 900 Prior Art, Classification, and Search." USPTO, http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/documents/0900_903_09_a.htm. Accessed on November 13, 2008.


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Solange Knowles' Twitter Page Hacked
R&B star Solange Knowles is fuming after her Twitter account was targeted by an internet hacker.
The singer's blog on the social networking site was updated on Friday afternoon with a message championing the affects of a diet product and providing followers with a link to purchase the weight-loss aid.
The post read: "remember that diet I tryed (sic) it works!"
Knowles spotted the hoax an hour after it had been uploaded and quickly took to her blog to warn fans that her page had been hacked, insisting she would never endorse such a product.
She wrote, "What in the fuggggg (sic)!!! I got hacked! Y'all know my lil a** ain't (sic) lost no 40 pounds... Sorry to all who actually ordered that. Sounds like crack in a bottle. And not humanly possible."
See more photos of Solange here!


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Margaret Maud Tyzack , (born Sept. 9, 1931, London, Eng.—died June 25, 2011, London) British actress who was a versatile character actress perhaps best known for her roles in several television miniseries in the 1960s and '70s, notably as the naive Winifred Forsyte Dartie in The Forsyte Saga (1967); as Princess (then Queen) Anne in The First Churchills (1969), for which she won a BAFTA Award; as the manipulative title character in Cousin Bette (1971); and as Claudius's disappointed mother, Antonia Minor, in I, Claudius (1976). Tyzack's greatest professional successes, however, were on the stage. She won two Olivier Awards: for her harrowing portrayal ... (100 of 223 words)
Margaret Maud Tyzack
British actress


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One hour to first pitch …
Game: Pirates (35-37) vs. Baltimore Orioles (33-37)
Time: 7:05 p.m.
Site: PNC Park
TV, radio: Root Sports, News Talk 104.7 FM
Weather: 85 degrees, sweltering humidity
Here is the official live box score, and here are the lineups …
- Jose Tabata, LF
- Josh Harrison, 3B
- Garrett Jones, 1B
- Andrew McCutchen, CF
- Neil Walker, 2B
- Xavier Paul, RF
- Ronny Cedeno, SS
- Mike McKenry, C
- James McDonald, RHP
- J.J. Hardy, SS
- Nick Markakis, RF
- Adam Jones, CF
- Derrek Lee, 1B
- Matt Wieters, C
- Luke Scott, LF
- Mark Reynolds, 3B
- Robert Andino, 2B
- Jeremy Guthrie, RHP
Feel free to use this as a discussion forum, as always.
Please Enter Your Facebook App ID. Required for FB Comments. Click here for FB Comments Settings page


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By Darrell Todd Maurina
MULESHOE — The man charged with capital murder in the Oct. 10 triple slaying of his former wife and two other men had his trial postponed Wednesday morning after prosecutors said they weren't ready to take the case to trial.
Judge Gordon H. Green of the 287th District Court granted the request made by District Attorney Johnny Actkinson.
If the request hadn't been approved, Larry Brent Kitchens, 51, had been scheduled to go to trial next week on charges stemming from the deaths of Rhonda June Kitchens, 48, Derwin Wyn Beauchamp, 43, and Vince Simnacher, 61. No date has been set for a new hearing.
District Court Clerk Elaine Parker said the delay happened because the state crime lab hadn't finished processing evidence submitted by the prosecution. Actkinson did not return a phone call to his office requesting comment on the case.
Kitchens is being held without bond in the Lamb County Jail, according to jail officials. Bailey County Sheriff Richard Wills couldn't be reached for comment, but following Kitchen's arrest, Wills said his county jail isn't able to handle maximum security inmates due to space issues.


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As said above, there are two batteries here. One is "full-size":
It has typical enough parameters:
The "half-size" battery is smaller:
It has a two times smaller capacity:
It's up to the notebook's owner which battery to use, but the device looks much better with the "half" battery in use. The Q30 is an image-making model, rather than a workhorse, after all. The half battery is also equipped with a charge level indicator, by the way:
So you can control its status without turning the notebook on.


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This Week's Shining & Falling Stars: Sofia Vergara and Will Smith
Shining Star - Sofia Vergara: ABC sitcom star Sofia Vergara is becoming the princess of product endorsements – landing yet another major deal in a matter of months.
The Columbian entertainer was named the new face of CoverGirl this week. Vergara, who stars in the T.V. hit "Modern Family", joins an impressive list of other spokeswomen for the cosmetics brand, including Drew Barrymore, Queen Latifah, Taylor Swift, Ellen DeGeneres, and Dania Ramirez. The stunner told People mag of the gig, "I love that I have the Latin flavor; Latin girls can relate to me, see what I'm wearing, see my makeup, my hairstyle."
CoverGirl isn't the only line of products that Vergara, 38, is spicing up. Earlier this year, she was tapped by Diet Pepsi to star in the company's new "skinny can" ads. Vergara's also sporting a milk moustache in a promotion for the calcium-packed beverage. And just for good measure, the in-demand brunette is slapping her name and style on a new line of clothes for Kmart.
Being a spokesmodel can mean big business and Vergara's career is certainly muy caliente these days. Let's just hope she sticks only to impressive endorsements and doesn't put her mug on any ole item –surely the public doesn't want to see the Latina beauty smiling on a pack of Depends.
Falling Star - Will Smith
It appears that Will Smith's ride is too ginormous to hide.
The actor caused a gas-guzzling stink this week in Manhattan, parking his outrageously large trailer in the middle of a downtown street while shooting "Men in Black III". According to the New York Post, Smith's movie studio-provided trailer measured a whopping 1,150 square feet – practically a mansion compared to the average sardine-sized NYC apartment. The trailer even has its own nickname – "The Heat". It reportedly was tricked out with a lounge, a movie room (complete with a 100-inch screen), offices, and a large bedroom.
The behemoth on wheels managed to tick off typically unflappable New Yorkers. One resident who lives in the SoHo neighborhood where the trailer is parked told the Post, "The smell that comes along with it is disgusting. It's like living in a gas station. I really like Will Smith, but I would be embarrassed if that was my trailer. A little modesty goes a long way."
Things apparently got so bad, that the city told the trailer's owners it was time to hit the road and ordered it be moved to a private lot. By Wednesday, the trailer went bye bye.
Here's a lesson for Smith: sometimes bigger isn't always better.


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Playing: Loading...
On Air:
Tags: Scoopla, Stars, Gabi Grecko, Geoffrey Edelsten, Cristmas, Kardahians
The Kardashians may have cancelled their annual Khristmas Kard but there's something else to make us cringe this festive season...
Gabi Grecko and Geoffrey Edelsten have posed for a racy Christmas photo shoot that has be seen to be believed!
71-year-old Geoffrey awkwardly showed his fun side, dressing up as an elf, while 25-year-old fiancé Gabi wore, well, very little.
The couple also posed as a raunchy Mr and Mrs Claus in another set of photos from the shoot.
Apparently some of the snaps will be sent to their respective families as Christmas cards, which might make for an interesting family Christmas.
And after previously saying that kids were not on the cards, it seems the couple may have changed their minds.
"Yes, children are a possibility, I haven't ruled it out but I don't want to say more than that. It's something Gabi and I are talking about," Geoffrey told Daily Mail Australia.
"Geoffrey is working on me about starting a family. We don't have to do it now, it's something I'm thinking about once I've sorted my various businesses out...We'll just wait and see," Gabi added.
So maybe the Edelstens can take over the tradition from the Kardashians…
You can see all the pics from the risqué shoot here.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
Geoffrey Edelsten is now calling Brynne an alcoholic.
'Babe, Why Do You Look So Sad?'
Brynne Edelsten Speaks Out For The First Time
Geoffrey Edelsten has proposed to Gabi Grecko today during the Melbourne Cup.
Southern Cross Austereo


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Orange County house sales stabilizing
The largest chunk of the Orange County market, resale houses, reflects the stabilizing of home sales in June, with prices climbing more slowly.
Prices for existing, detached single-family homes in the county increased 16.5 percent from last June, the California Association of Realtors reported this week. That compares with annual price increases of up to 27.6 percent earlier this year. A separate report Wednesday from DataQuick Information Systems showed overall prices increased 20 percent year over year from June 2012.
The California Association of Realtors measures prices and sales of existing, detached single-family houses, while DataQuick tracks sales of existing homes and new home and condo transactions.
The association's report on home resales showed that for the first time in six months, sales volume in the county fell into negative territory from the previous year, down 0.5 percent from last June.
Still, the median price of an existing, detached single-family home in the county in June was the most in 5 ½ years, reaching $661,740, the association reported.
That was $93,830 more than in June 2012, when the median price was $567,910. The price increased .09 percent from $655,630 in May.
Statewide, the median price for the single family resale segment hit $428,510, remaining more than $400,000 for the third straight month.
A shortage of homes for sale has been easing, but tighter-than-usual inventory continues to increase prices, association President Don Faught said.
"The surge in home prices in the past year has given homeowners with previous underwater properties an opportunity to become trade-up buyers," he said. "However, many are finding this difficult because they either lack sufficient cash for a down payment or they are concerned that if they sell, they will have no place to go, given limited inventory."
Statewide, sales of existing homes declined 3.7 percent.
"The June decline in home sales was attributed partially to the hike in interest rates in recent months," said Leslie Appleton-Young, the association's vice president and chief economist, noting rates were more than 4 percent in June for the first time in more than a year and a half.
She said: "This rate increase portends a somewhat higher rate environment going forward as the Fed mulls over the start of its tapering-off program in response to positive signs from the economy."
The June unsold inventory index was at three months in Orange County in June, down from 4.2 months in June 2012 but up from 2.7 months in May. The June inventory was a little more than the 2.9 months inventory for California as a whole.
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Looks like Sendero Ridge is no longer available on Rent.com which means this information is likely out of date.
Sendero Ridge on Broadway is an intimate community of apartment homes located in Mesa, Arizona. At this address you will enjoy the convenience of nearby shops and stores including Fiesta Mall, schools, medical facilities and many major attractions and restaurants. Your home here will provide an abundance of comfortable and enjoyable amenities and with its beautiful landscaping will be a welcome sight upon your return home at the end of the workday. Call or stop by today for a personal tour!
Lease Terms: 6 through 15 month leases available. Pet Policy: 2 pets maximum, 35 lbs weight limit (breed restrictions may apply), $150 refundable pet deposit and $150 non-refundable pet fee, $20-$30 monthly pet rent.
Dogs Allowed. Cats Allowed. Call for service animal policy.
288 units
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