text:
Internet Explorer 10 - Essential add-ons
Quality add-ons for Internet Explorer are few and far between, but we did find nine noteworthy candidates
Quality add-ons for Internet Explorer are few and far between. Unlike Chrome or Firefox, there just isn't as large a community of independent developers devoted to creating useful enhancements for Microsoft's web browser. Newer versions of IE have rendered many older add-ons obsolete. Others are actually shareware that allow for free use only during trial periods, which you find out are in fact this after you've gone through the trouble of installing them. But we did find nine noteworthy candidates.
Quality add-ons for Internet Explorer are few and far between. Unlike Chrome or Firefox, there just isn't as large a community of independent developers devoted to creating useful enhancements for Microsoft's web browser. Newer versions of IE have rendered many older add-ons obsolete. Others are actually shareware that allow for free use only during trial periods, which you find out are in fact this after you've gone through the trouble of installing them. But we did find nine noteworthy candidates.
2. DoNotTrackMe
WHAT IT DOES: Block online tracking.
IE10 has a "do not track" option buried within its settings. So installing this add-on might be redundant. But DoNotTrackMe could be useful if you want the option to restrict or allow a specific site's ability to track your surfing. It installs as an indicator on the toolbar that shows a real-time tally of companies it's blocking from following you.
3. IE Asterisk Password Uncover
WHAT IT DOES: Recovers passwords.
This may be considered the opposite of security. But it's handy if you forget passwords to the sites you visit. If you have IE set to allow it to save your passwords, then the password field of a web page you've already visited and entered a password will show asterisks in place of the actual password. This add-on will reveal the hidden password.
4. KeyScrambler Personal
WHAT IT DOES: Anti-keylogging.
This add-on may appeal most to the paranoid user, but considering how common it still is for Windows computers to get infected with malware, it may be a safe measure to install. KeyScrambler Personal adds an extra layer of security. It thwarts malware, or keylogging security software, from recording your keystrokes by encrypting the characters as you type.
5. Enterra Download Manager
WHAT IT DOES: Manage downloads
One thing lacking across all the major web browsers is how they handle downloads. Typically, you just get a pop-up window that shows progress bars for files being downloaded. There are hardly any alternatives for IE, so thank goodness for Enterra Download Manager. It can resume most downloads that have been interrupted by a spotty network connection.
6. Xmarks
WHAT IT DOES: Synchronizes and backs up bookmarks
With the Xmarks add-on installed, your bookmarks will be automatically backed up to the cloud (on the Xmarks company's servers), and they'll be synced to your other computers or mobile devices that have browsers with Xmarks installed on them, too. (There are versions of Xmarks also for Chrome, Firefox and Opera, so your bookmarks can be cross-synced among any of these other browsers you may be using.) It's a little surprising that Microsoft doesn't offer such syncing directly for IE through its own service - Google and Mozilla do for their browsers - but they do through Windows 8 as a function for that overall OS' ecosystem.
7. Readability
WHAT IT DOES: Unclutters web pages
Readability is a web service that you can add to IE10 as a bookmarklet, which then lets you remove extraneous elements (images and text) surrounding the main body of words in a web page layout. The result should make reading the text you really want to read more legible and free of visual clutter.
8. Pictures Toolbar
WHAT IT DOES: Downloads images in bulk
There are other image downloader add-ons for IE that are designed to make it easy for you to download at once all the images on a web page, or links to images listed on it. We really like Pictures Toolbar because it stands out for two very important reasons: It's the easiest to use. And it's free - most of the others are shareware with confusing, bloated feature sets.
9. Fireshot
WHAT IT DOES: Captures web page screenshots
This is the only add-on in this slideshow that is shareware (you'll have to pay $34.95 after a free 30-day trial), but it could be worth it if you need to snip images from web page a lot. There are plenty of free screengrab tools out there for Windows, but Fireshot can grab a web page's entire layout as a single image. In contrast, most standalone screenshot programs are designed for grabbing what you see on your computer's screen, or a user-selected portion of it.
10. ZoomInto
WHAT IT DOES: Edits online images
If you need to do some minor editing of online images, ZoomInto lets you do so easily and quickly. Right-click on an image embedded in a web page, and you can then adjust its brightness, colours or contrast; or add text to, crop, flip, resize, or rotate it. The finished image is then stored locally on your computer.
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text:
O.K. who's seen it and what did ya think?
I thought they did a good job with it. Tons of action and tons of drama. The only knock I have was it seemed much shorter than the prior HP films.
O.K. who's seen it and what did ya think?
I thought they did a good job with it. Tons of action and tons of drama. The only knock I have was it seemed much shorter than the prior HP films.
Follow us on Twitter! @Redlegs_Review
Link to my Reds blog http://redlegsreview.com/
I was the shortest of all of them I think, but they did a good job of wrapping things up and closing out the series IMO. Stayed very true to the book.
I went through a *lot* of kleenex, especially during the Snape scenes.
In an effort to retain my "World's Greatest Husband" award, over the last 2-3 weeks I watched every HP movie with my wife and then went and saw 7.B with her yesterday.
HP (at least the movies) are an okay series, but totally overhyped by the die-hard fans who can accept no criticism of the franchise. Is it good? Okay. But it isn't even close to LotR as far as a fantasy franchise.
I get the appeal, but sometimes the hype gets out of control. The 8 movies could have been reasonably condensed into about 5 and I would have enjoyed them just as much.
I know, I know..."read the books". That is what every Potterphile I know comes back with. My response? No. Of course the books are better. Every book is better than the movie. I just don't find anything about the HP series to be particularly original and worthy of the time it would take me to read them all.
That being said, we are going to Walt Disney World in December and are spending one day at Universal Island of Adventure to check out the Wizarding World. I'm sure we will have a great time, especially my wife. I'll knock back a butter beer or two and enjoy the rides. Just don't expect me to spend $30 for a stick (wand).
2013 Record at games attended: 0-1
Party pooper.
Ready, I really enjoyed it. I've read all the books and was very sad that it has ended. I haven't read Deathly Hallows since it came out in 2007 so I couldn't really remember everything that was the same/different from the book, but I think they did a great job overall with the final film. The only thing that was somewhat brutal was the epilogue. I wasn't overwhelmed despite how under wraps they were with it.
Looking forward to it; going this weekend. Did anyone see it in 3D IMAX?
Thank goodness for baseball.
We saw it in 3-d, and frankly I think the 2d would have been just as good and less $$$. I've been completely underwhelmed by the whole 3-d fad.
I'm with Eric the Red, this is such a disgustingly overhyped franchise. My 28 year old brother in law loves it, even though its a kids series. Yeah, I guess he was technically a kid when it started but, not so much anymore.
Championships for MY teams in my lifetime:
Cincinnati Reds - 75, 76, 90
Chicago Blackhawks - 10, 13, 15
University of Kentucky - 78, 96, 98, 12
Chicago Bulls - 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98
Everything that happens before Death is what counts.
― Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes
Guess that depends on your point of view.
Championships for MY teams in my lifetime:
Cincinnati Reds - 75, 76, 90
Chicago Blackhawks - 10, 13, 15
University of Kentucky - 78, 96, 98, 12
Chicago Bulls - 91, 92, 93, 96, 97, 98
Everything that happens before Death is what counts.
― Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes
All a matter of personal taste I guess. I've never seen the appeal of the LOTR series myself. but if we all liked the same things, the world would be a pretty damn boring place. :-)
Saw it today. I thought it was a fitting end to the series. It was fast-moving, but most of the exposition had been taken care of already. I saw it in 3D, and thought it was worth it.
I think the 3D glasses were magic somehow. When I left the theater, I took them off, but the whole word seemed to still be in 3D! Amazing!
I resisted the books for a long time, despite recommendations from friends, because I wasn't interested in what I thought was a children's fantasy story. I'm not normally into that sort of thing. But I took the plunge and read the first book, then devoured the rest of them. I think they're great.
The movies don't live up to the books (they never do) but I've still really enjoyed them. I liked the finale a lot but thought it fell just short of being great. Still, it's a fine ending to the series.
"I can make all the stadiums rock."
-Air Supply
Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.

subset: commoncrawl


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text: Care Instructions Care Info Gianni Rust Hand Knotted Wool 10'x14' Rug Professional cleaning recommended. Clip, do not pull, if snagging occurs. Not for use over carpeting without appropriate rug pad. For the first two to three months, additional vacuuming may be necessary to manage the normal shedding that occurs. Vacuum regularly without the beater bar turned on (or on highest pile setting). Rug pad recommended to prevent slipping, to prevent color transfer to carpeting or floors, to protect the finish on varnished floors, and to protect the rug from heavy furniture. Blot spills immediately with clean, dry cloth. Rotate periodically to ensure even wear.


text:
Hopper Featured Announcements
Viewing entries posted in January 2012
Hopper scheduled maintenance and SW new default versions on Wednesday, Jan 18
January 11, 2012 by Helen He
1) There will be a scheduled hardware and software maintenance for Hopper next Wednesday, January 18, from 7 am to 10 pm Pacific time. This is a major OS upgrade. Users are recommended to recompile your applications after the maintenance. Please plan your work accordingly and check the NERSC Message of the Day (MOTD) for status update: http://www.nersc.gov/live-status/motd/.
2) After the maintenance, the following software versions will be set to default on Hopper:
-- pgi/11.9.0
-- cce/7.4.4
-- intel/220.127.116.11
-- chapel/1.4.0
-- xt-mpich2/5.4.0, xt-shmem/5.4.0
-- perftools/5.2.3
-- papi/4.1.4
-- xt-libsci/11.0.03
-- trilinos/10.6.4.0
-- petsc/3.1.09, petsc-complex/3.1.09
-- tpsl/1.1.01
-- fftw/188.8.131.52
The availability of the above software versions was announced on Dec 6.
If there are any questions or comments, please contact "consult at nersc dot gov".
max wall time for reg_small increased to 48 hrs
January 4, 2012 by Helen He
The max wall time for Hopper jobs using up to 682 nodes (16,368 cores, corresponds to the "reg_small" queue) has been increased from 36 hrs to 48 hrs. Notice that jobs should still be submitted to the "regular" queue.


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After Westgate mall, al-Shabaab group attacks Kenyan border town

The same extremist group that took over a Nairobi mall attacked a security post near the Somali border on Thursday and killed two police officers, while promising the violence would continue until Kenyan troops were withdrawn from Somalia.

The same extremist group that took over a Nairobi mall attacked a security post near the Somali border on Thursday and killed two police officers, while promising the violence would continue until Kenyan troops were withdrawn from Somalia.
The leader of the Somalia-based al-Shabaab, Ahmed Godane Shaykh Mukhtar Abu Zubayr, warned the Kenyan public there was no way they could "withstand a war of attrition inside your own country," in a new statement posted on the Internet late on Wednesday.
"Make your choice today and withdraw all your forces,..." Godane said. "Otherwise be prepared for an abundance of blood that will be spilt in your country, economic downfall and displacement."
The early morning attack on the town of Mandera was the second by al-Shabaab terrorists following the bloody four-day standoff at the Westgate Mall that ended on Tuesday in which at least 67 people were killed.
Regional police chief Charlton Mureithi said in addition to the two police officers killed, three others were injured and 11 vehicles destroyed in Mandera.
On Wednesday night, terrorists attacked the border town of Wajir. One person was killed and four wounded after a gunman opened fire and threw grenades.
Such attacks occur regularly but have taken on new significance following the Westgate Mall attack.
In his statement, Godane said the mall attack was not only directed at Kenya, but was also "a retribution against the Western states that supported the Kenyan invasion and are spilling the blood of innocent Muslims in order to pave the way for their mineral companies."
Forensic experts from around the world, including the US, Britain and Germany, continued their work on Thursday reconstructing what is now considered a crime scene, carrying out fingerprint, DNA and ballistic analysis, said police spokeswoman Gatiria Mboroki.
She said she had no details on what the experts had found so far in the bullet-scarred, scorched mall and that their work was expected to take a week.
Washington is providing technical support and equipment to Kenyan security forces and medical responders, said US Ambassador Robert Godec. The US is assisting the investigation to bring the attack's organizers and perpetrators to justice, he said on Wednesday.
At least 18 foreigners were among those killed when the terrorists entered the Westgate Mall on Saturday, firing assault rifles and throwing grenades, including six Britons and citizens from France, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Peru, India, Ghana, South Africa and China.
In addition to those killed at the mall, another 175 people were injured, including more than 60 who remain hospitalized.
Morgue officials in Nairobi have been preparing for a large influx of bodies still in the mall. Officials have told The Associated Press that the shopping center could hold dozens more bodies.
Authorities have said at least five al-Shabaab attackers were killed and another 11 suspects have been taken into custody.
In his statement, Godane said only that "some" of his fighters had been killed, possibly suggesting that others escaped.
A gaping hole in the mall's roof was caused by Kenyan soldiers who fired rocket-propelled grenades inside, knocking out a support column, a government official told The Associated Press. The official, who insisted he not be identified because he was sharing security information, said the soldiers fired to distract a terrorist sniper so hostages could be evacuated.
Video of the roof collapse showed massive carnage. The collapse came on Monday, shortly after four large explosions rang out followed by billows of black smoke. Although a government minister said the terrorists had set mattresses on fire, causing the roof to collapse, the video showed such massive destruction that the explanation seemed unlikely to be the full story.
Al-Shabaab, whose name means "The Youth" in Arabic, first began threatening Kenya with a major terror attack in late 2011, after Kenya sent troops into Somalia following a spate of kidnappings of Westerners inside Kenya.
The mall attack was the deadliest terrorist attack in Kenya since the 1998 al-Qaida truck bombing of the US Embassy in Nairobi, which killed more than 200 people.


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Recorder, probation head issue annual reports
BACKUS — Cass County Recorder Katie Norby and Probation Director Jim Schneider presented their 2012 annual reports to the county board Tuesday.
Norby reported the number of abstracts, Torrens and uniform commercial code documents she recorded in 2012 rose for the first time in three years. Administrator Robert Yochum said this could be an indication of an improved real estate market here.
Document recording peaked in 2003 at 20,515 and declined down to only 10,915 in 2011. The number recorded in 2012 came back up to 13,140.
Recording fees receipted peaked in 2006 at $737,530 after a 2005 state-mandated recording fee increase and dipped to a low following that increase of $559,320 in 2010. Fees collected in 2012 ran $647,458.
Schneider reported despite some notable successes, like the diversion program for juveniles and wellness court for DWI adult offenders, the overall probation violation reports have increased in 2011 and 2012, compared with 2010.
In 2010, 133 juveniles and 231 adult probation violations were recorded, compared with 161 juvenile and 305 adult violations in 2011 and 213 juvenile and 302 adult violations in 2012.
Overall, the number of adults on probation for assaultive behavior and property offenses was up in 2012, but down for driving while under the influence and driving after license cancellation when compared with 2010 and 2011. Total adult cases (1,109) were up some from the 1,064 in 2011, but below the 1,117 in 2010.
Juvenile probation cases in 2012 (901) were up from the 866 in 2010 and 774 in 2010. Assaultive behavior was down 37 cases in 2011 and 2012 from the 300 in 2010 and burglary cases down to 58 in 2012 from 59 in 2011 and 73 in 2010.
Only 6 percent of those successfully completing wellness court have re-offended, Schneider said.
Diversion for juvenile offenders ages 10 to 18 who commit minor offenses is an alternative to going to court available to some first-time offenders. It focuses on wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility and truth as the foundation for a good life. Of the 47 youth who participated in 2010 and 90 in 2011 and 116 in 2012, 65.1 percent have not re-offended since completing that program.
Both wellness court and the juvenile diversion programs are cooperative efforts between Cass County District Court and Leech Lake Tribal Court.


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Bookmobile ending in 2014
The Kitchigami Regional Library System's (KRLS) Mobile Library, established since 1966 as part of the Cass County Library, will end operations in December 2014 as the library explores new programs to create outreach to areas across five counties.
Marian Ridge, KRLS director, said the current model of the Mobile Library is unsustainable.
"The vehicle is expensive," she said. "It is expensive to operate, requires the necessary license and library assistant, and is easily affected by the weather."
Val McCormic, library assistant II who staffs the Mobile Library, said the vehicle had two major breakdowns that caused the vehicle to be out for more than two weeks.
The Mobile Library stops once or twice a month in area cities, including Hackensack and Nisswa. Service in Breezy Point and Emily recently stopped because of a lack in county funding and because they were too close to Pequot Lakes and Crosslake, which operate community libraries that offer access to KRLS services.
Other cities, like Pillager and Akeley, which once had stops, were no longer serviced because of too few borrowers.
KRLS board members started discussing the possibility of ending the Mobile Library five years ago, Ridge said.
"The board held onto the Mobile Library as long as it could," she said. "We've been trying desperately for the last three years to keep it in service. We realized late last year, there were no financial models that would allow us to continue it."
KRLS board members are now looking into testing pilot projects in the areas currently served by the Mobile Library, like bi-weekly stops with a van to unload materials for the public to check out and request materials.
"We would use a location in the town to provide our services," said Ridge. "Another possibility is a grant-funded model that will use enhanced electronic services. We will have a mix of those three projects to see if that helps serve the public better."
Ridge believes that by November 2014, the KRLS will find the best replacement of the bookmobile, which she does not see coming back into service.
"I don't see any chance that we will operate the Mobile Library in the future," she said. "The vehicle will eventually be sold."
Ridge acknowledges there will be people affected, like reduced hours for the driver of the Mobile Library, Ron Tillson, who has been driving the Mobile Library for seven years. He is concerned about the patrons who depend on the van, like Merrily Osburnsen of Hackensack, who visits the Mobile Library with her grandchildren when it comes into town.
"It's a wonderful thing we have," Osburnsen said. "We don't have to go to Walker or Pine River for books. We'll miss it."
Tillson knows of patrons who are far away from a traditional library and rely on the Mobile Library.
"Some people would have up to a 60-mile trip to a library," he said. "It can be tough on them."
As the Mobile Library is phased out, a lack of county funding can reduce the number of bookmobile stops, Ridge said.
"Crow Wing County has decreased its levy to KRLS each year since 2011," she said. "We reduced our services in Brainerd and ended our stops in Emily and Breezy Point at the end of June to reduce costs."
She also believes it is time for change.
"The board is still committed to serving small towns," she said. "It's time to embrace the future."


text:
forum: Food & Drink
#1 Tue 20 Nov 12 4:34pm
- Member
- Member since Tue 20 Nov 12
Christmas Breakfast
Hi Guys
I am in charge of a breakfast club in a school in Wales and a child came up to me and asked ca we have a Christmas breakfast. What does children have for breakfast on Christmas day!!!
#2 Tue 20 Nov 12 6:53pm
- Forum super champ
- Member since Fri 04 Apr 08
Re: Christmas Breakfast
Almond topped spiced peaches
Apple raisin cr�pes
Mini pots of jam with croissants and pastries
Christmas morning crowns served with vanilla ice cream
http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/26330/c … ning+crown
Ask the kids
#3 Tue 20 Nov 12 7:29pm
- Forum champ
- Member since Fri 19 Nov 10
Re: Christmas Breakfast
they, we are finally allowed to open a ... the first panettone and heat it a little in the oven, if adults ask for panettone before that morning comes the young make him her saying these are not the rules they have been thaught, even the ones brought home the last day of work, are kept there waiting ............ we have time to be fed up with panettone after the Xmas holidays are gone and we do not dare to step on or even look at a bilancia
#4 Tue 20 Nov 12 8:19pm
- Forum super champ
- Member since Fri 04 Apr 08
Re: Christmas Breakfast
Dropped scones are a favorite too since always for the early ones.
We also have savoury pain surprise for those that sleep late.
http://www.jamieoliver.com/bloggers/vie … p?id=38888
#5 Wed 21 Nov 12 10:58am
- Member Occupation Chief cook and bottle-washer
- From Scotland
- Member since Mon 12 Sep 11
Re: Christmas Breakfast
We tend to opt for porridge, but then, we're Scottish. Slaves to the mighty oat.
I'd say any treat breakfast will do. I'd recommend pancakes (dropped scones, as Kye said) or maybe French toast or toasted pannetone, as all these are easy to do for a crowd.
#6 Wed 21 Nov 12 2:23pm
- Forum champ Occupation Musician
- From NYC
- Member since Fri 12 Dec 08
Re: Christmas Breakfast
I make a very special Christmas breakfast every year, but every year it's something different. Usually a strata or a fritatta, a french toast casserole, home fries, compound butters, lots of bacon and sausage.
Last edited by koukouvagia (Wed 21 Nov 12 2:23pm)
#7 Wed 21 Nov 12 3:11pm
- Member
- Member since Wed 21 Nov 12
Re: Christmas Breakfast
In my house we have a bacon sandwhich every year, its really the one and only time I eat a bacon sandwhich. Boxing day is the same. I do fancy a change this year, I think on boxing day I am going to make homemade cranberry granola with natural yoghurt with honey my 6 year old would love this!!! I am also considering making Jamies pear pancakes with natural yoghurt and honey as these are delish!!!!!
#8 Wed 21 Nov 12 5:00pm
- Member Occupation Chief cook and bottle-washer
- From Scotland
- Member since Mon 12 Sep 11
Re: Christmas Breakfast
Don't know why I didn't mention a bacon sandwich! And homemade granola, mmm, you could put dried cranberries and Christmas spices in it.
#9 Thu 22 Nov 12 12:13am
- Forum champ
- From Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- Member since Thu 23 Oct 08
Re: Christmas Breakfast
It all sounds good, we usually have something simple but filling like croissants or fruit and tea or rice porridge or toasted Christmas bread.
The strict rule is no presents until after breakfast is finished and lunch is in the oven cooking slowly. I am an evil mother to make them wait.
#10 Thu 22 Nov 12 6:54am
wildly organic
- Member Occupation cooker,baker,gardener,captain,skier and bath bomb boss
- From Dogville
- Member since Fri 26 Sep 08
Re: Christmas Breakfast
what is a bacon sandwich? is it bacon and toasted bread?


text:
How FFTF would have affected the Hoard farm
by National Milk Producers Federation staff
Partof each dairy operation's evaluation of the Foundation for the Future (FFTF) proposal is how it affects its own business. Both the Dairy Market Stabilization Program (DMSP) and Dairy Producer Margin Pro tection Plan (DPMPP) relate to each individual farm's production history and financial strategies, as well as current markets and supply and demand situations.
The Hoard's editors asked the National Milk Producers Federation staff to determine how FFTF would have affected the Hoard's Dairyman Farm during 2009 and 2010.
The assumptions used were:
Both programs would have been available beginning January 1, 2009.
Production history for the margin protection program is milk marketings in 2008. That was 4,970,797 pounds. With 90 percent coverage, the amount would be 4,473,717 pounds or an average of 372,810 pounds per month.
The basic DPMPP program pays the lesser of actual marketings or 90 percent of production history.
The supplemental margin protection pays the difference between the level of additional protection purchased ($2.50 per hundredweight on 90 percent of production history) above $4 per hundredweight on and the actual margin $4 or above.
The market stabilization base is the average of the three months immediately prior to the month the Secretary announces that milk check reductions will begin the following month and is fixed for as long as deductions continue. When deductions for this occurrence ends, should the program trigger in again, the three months prior to that announcement would be the base of that occurrence.
Market stabilization
The actual margins as calculated using the All-Milk Price minus the FFTF feed ration in 2009 was below $4 per hundredweight for eight consecutive months as shown in the table. However, what if the market stabilization plan had been available in 2009? The analysis by NMPF's Peter Vitaliano generated a reduction in milk volume based on each month's prices, costs, and required reduction relative to the base. This resulted in a different reduction percentage each month the program was active. As can be seen in the table, with the stabilization plan active, the margin would have been below $4 for three months of 2009 (January, February, and March) and below $6 for just two months of 2009 (October and November) which would have triggered the market stabilization plan for a second time that year with reductions in payments in January of 2010 after which the second market stabilization period would have ended.
The table shows a significant change in margins resulting from the DMSP program. This, in turn, results in greater revenue that more than offsets the cost of the program.
In the case of the Hoard farm, had the dairy not made any reduction in milk produced and marketed it all, there would have been three months of deductions from the farm's milk checks due to the DMSP program being in effect a total of four months (March and April in 2009 and January in 2010). Total deductions would have been $17,376. However, the resulting rise in milk revenues the farm generated from milk marketed would have been $139,978, before the $17,376 reduction, for a net gain in revenue of $122,602.
The market stabilization program would not have been triggered in 2010, but the change in feed costs toward the end of 2010 and into 2011 would have resulted in the program becoming effective again in March and April 2011. The base production for which the Hoard farm would have been paid 97 percent was 666,898 pounds or 93 percent of current month marketings, whichever was greater. Since we don't have their milk price for those two months, we can't calculate the cost.
Margin protection
The Hoard farm has chosen to purchase $2.50 supplemental coverage on 90 percent of its base history in addition to the basic coverage of $4 provided at no cost. The production history, fixed for the five years of the farm bill, is the highest of the three years preceding implementation of the program assuming January 1, 2009, for this example. From the numbers they provided, the production history would be 4,970,797 pounds of milk produced in 2008. Ninety percent of that is 4,473,717 pounds.
Supplemental coverage
The basic program pays up to 90 percent of the production history, but pays only on the actual production if it is less. The supplemental program pays the difference between $2.50 and the amount the average margin is above $4 on 90 percent of history, in this case.
The annual premium for an additional $2.50 supplemental protection is 23 cents per hundredweight. The Hoard farm annual premium would be $10,289.55 per year.
For 2009 and 2010, the basic program would have been in effect for two months, January and February 2009, with the average margin for those two months being $3.33 per hundredweight. Therefore, 67 cents ($4 minus $3.33) per hundredweight would have been paid each month on 372,810 pounds of milk. Total paid would have been $4,996.
The supplemental coverage would have paid out in 8 of the 12 months of 2009 for a total of $35,715. Combined with the basic payment, the farm would have received a total of $40,711 in 2009.
In 2010, there would have been no basic payments, but the supplemental coverage would have generated a total of $4,101 resulting from payments for November and December.
In 2011, the supplemental coverage would have provided a payment for January and February totaling $10,215.
In summary, here are the results for the Hoard farm had the market stabilization and margin protection plans been in place in 2009 and 2010:
Through the DMSP, total reduction in milk checks would have been $17,376.
Net increase in revenue from better milk prices would have been $122,602.
Total margin protection premiums 2009 through 2011 to date equaled $30,868.65.
Total payments received (2009 through 2011) would have been $55,027.
Net change in farm revenue would have been a plus $146,760.
This article appears on page 451 of the July 2011 issue of Hoard's Dairyman


text:
|Thread Tools
283 engine
Well im kinda confused in all the responses, Vinnie i think i like your thinking on the most part, Im gonna go with your liking, Maybe spell it all out on how you would do this,
Im gonna do the muncie 4-speed, I will gear it and posi, Just looking for a hot rod cruser, Didnt mention this thing has factory air, Kinda wanting to leave it intact and get cooling. Thanks for all the help from everone,
vinnie thanks somuch
Heres what I m using. Ive got 283 .030 over flatops with eyebrows Heads are basically stock with Scorpion 1.5 rockers, screw in studs and a nice 3 angle valve job. Cam is the 098 Chevrolet solid lifter cam profile from Lunati. Not sure if they call that the Fuelie cam or not. ARP bolts throughout. This motor's in a Jersey Skiff, 300-310 HP or so. Its what the rules require for the class.We run it 6500 rpm all day long.
looks like you have 2 helpers here ,now. We need to see where you want to be,not just a horse power number,but how you want the car to perform.remember a 283 is not a torquey engine andwill need to rev a little to feel the horse power. I started with a mild 283 and transmission/gear combo,did you like that? want more or less ,,,,something?
Richiehd is good and even if the 2 of us dont 100% agree,we will get you where you need to be.Hopefully Tech will get in here with some math help,,
Torque, torque, torque.
Unless you want to NEED 4:1-plus rear gears, build a 350-plud displacement engine or an LS. With the weight of that car you want torque at a reasonably low rpm, and a 283 is going to be down on low end torque (and basically torque everywhere- even at peak) compared to a 350-plus SBC or even a 4.8L LS and I don't care who tries to tell you different.
Now, if you can deal w/4:1-plus rear gears, then fine and dandy. But I guarantee you, you'll rue the day if you ever have to cover any real distance on the open road.
OK, if I didn't give a hoot about the fact that most everyone on this board was suggesting a mild 350.....and I just had to have a 283, this is what I might do with it. Damn the cost, full speed ahead.......
Check main bearing bores for being round and parallel. Correct as necessary.
Bore and hone cylinders for +0.060", using torque plates and the proper stone and procedures for the rings used.
Registering off main saddle, cut block decks for 9.002" block deck height.
Use these pistons....
KB Pistons for Automotive Applications
With these gaskets....
Fel-Pro Performance Head Gaskets Q1003 - SummitRacing.com
To bolt on these heads....
Trick Flow® Super 23® 175 Cylinder Heads for Small Block Chevrolet TFS-30310001 - SummitRacing.com
Rebuilt Chevy 5.7 SJ rods will work fine, or you could opt for some bulletproof hardware like these offerings from Scat....
Scat Pro Stock I-Beam Connecting Rods 2570020P - SummitRacing.com
Mount this carburetor.....
Summit Racing® Remanufactured Quadrajet Carburetors SUM-210216 - SummitRacing.com
(Chosen for the tiny little primary throttle bores)
Onto this spread-bore Weiand Street Warrior intake manifold....
Weiand Street Warrior intake Manifolds 8126 - SummitRacing.com
Power range, 1500 to 5500, matches the camshaft operating range....
Install this cam straight up on the marks.....
12-210-2 - HIGH Energy
Or this cam....
12-210-2 - HIGH Energy
Or this cam....
113941+crane+cam - JEGS High Performance....
Or this cam....
Melling 22203 hydraulic flat tappet
214/224, 288/298, 0.444"/0.466", 107/117/112, intake closes 34 @0.050"
Or any other cam that you like that has these kinds of numbers....
With these lifters....either original or V-Max. Call Rhoads and talk to them about the best choice for your combination. 520-229-9375....
Part Numbers
Use 1 5/8" long-tube headers with X or H pipe before the mufflers.
Use 14" x 3" or 4" air filter element.
Find true TDC #1 while you are reassembling the motor. Mark the damper if it is off or buy a rebuilt damper from these guys.....
Damper Doctor Online - Your source for Harmonic Balancers, Motor Mounts, & Drive Shaft Supports
Static compression ratio with 56cc heads, 6cc flat-tops, 5.8cc gaskets, 0cc piston deck height and 597.9 cc's in the cylinder will be 9.81:1. Dynamic compression ratio above 3500 rpm's will be 8.580:1 with the intake closing at 35 ABDC @0.050" tappet lift. Dynamic compression ratio between just above idle and 3500 rpm's will be roughly 8.81:1, factoring in a 10 point drop in duration and figuring that the intake valve will be closing closer to 30 degrees before the lifters pump up than the 35 degrees after the lifters pump up. Not trying to muddy up the water, just taking another route.
After reading DCR results from several board members lately, I think I have been leaving some on the table using 8.5 as a good figure off the KB calculator and that with the very tight 0.038" squish (piston pops out of the deck by 0.003" with a 0.041" gasket), this motor should run fine on pump gas. I have seen fellows running 8.9 on the KB calculator with no detonation on pump gas, but I have been reluctant up to this point to use a higher DCR than 8.5.
|The Following User Says Thank You to techinspector1 For This Useful Post:
vinniekq2 (01-14-2013)
Tech,I really like the heads you posted.I would use a little more cam myself as I posted before.Not saying either of us is wrong,just thought longer legs would be nice to go with a little more gear. I chose the slightly lower icl and closer lda to get that little punch when the cam comes on from 3-6.
Different colour cat.
To be fair, only two (me and da34guy) recommended a bigger engine. One other member added he used a 350 to look like a 283 but didn't make a recommendation to the OP to do the same thing, per se. This is a common tatic, even the post linked to below has a recommendation to use a 400 made to resemble a 283.
Heck even a 327 (which was an option in '62 if originality is an issue) would be a step in the right direction as far as low end torque goes.
If it wasn't for the ~3750 lbs. curb weight, I might feel differently. If this was a Chevy II I wouldn't hesitate to use a 283.
Anyway, here's a thread w/a dynosim for a 525 hp 283: 283 performance engine build
Is this 62 SS got a console shift pg.? If it does, why not leave it looking stock and replace the tranny with a updated tranny. No matter what motor you put into it, you would have more gears to work with and still have it look stock. I'm not sure if the 700 r4 tranny would fit because of it size, but a 200 4r would. That way you can run your low 4.10 gears and have 4th gear overdrive for the road. There is a company that makes new indicatior conversions for the old consols. If you change it to a muncie 4 speed, you have to change alot of things. Its sound like a good project. My best wishes on your project
Whatever you did, I would keep it looking stock anyhow with the intake-mount breather, etc., that rules out any block or heads after '68 whatever the size.
I think "built-283" just seems right in a car of that era. Maybe just use a Richmond 5-speed with it's low first gear, to get rolling w/ some revs, and keep a "normal" rear gear as you say you want a cruiser. (Downside being the Richmond shifter position is back a ways.)
A 283 could get by w/a T-5, for that matter. Small, light, plentiful, cheap, and has OD.
A .86:1 OD will pull a 4.11 down to a ~3.5:1. I wouldn't go much lower than that w/a 'cammed up' 283 else you might find it won't pull OD at a reasonable speed w/o lugging. If using an OD like .72:1 the rear gear needs to be correspondingly lower to match, like a 4.88 (gives about a 3.5:1 final).
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text:
Keeping Ghosts & Goblins Safe at Halloween
Tips on how to trick or treat safely, from Mary Muscari, associate professor at Binghamton University, State University of New York, and author of Not My Kid 2: Protecting Your Children from the 21 Threats of the 21st Century.
Batman may be infallible on the big-screen, but he's prone to injury when the man behind the mask is actually a little tyke trick-or-treating on Halloween.
Keep your child safe by keeping these tips and ideas in mind during the upcoming ghoul season.
· Help them choose costumes that allow for adequate vision and mobility. Plan ahead so that last-minute costume designs don't lead to trips and falls. Is your kid a procrastinator? Give a reasonable deadline for dress-up decisions - and stick to it.
· Flame resistant does not mean fireproof, so keep trick or treaters away from open flames. Do not use real fire as part of their costume - there are plenty of fake, flickering lights that can do just as good a job and won't blow out in the wind.
· Superheroes, pirates, cowboys and other weapon wielding wonders should carry props that are obviously fake and will not cause accidents and injury.
· Older children and teens should be cautious about controversial costumes. Dressing like a rival gang-banger on the wrong turf can have disastrous consequences.
· Trick or treat during daylight hours, or make sure at least part of your child's costume is reflective so motorists can see them.
· Be sure to plan the trick or treat route. Select homes you know. This is not the time for kids to boldly go where no kid has gone before.
· Accompany young children and make sure older kids travel in groups. No child should trick or treat alone, even to the house next door.
· Carry flashlights and a cell phone. Make sure the batteries are fresh before you leave the house. Better yet, take time beforehand to pop new batteries into the flashlights while the cell recharges.
· Reinforce these safety measures before they head out:
o Do not talk to or take anything from strangers.
o Walk, don't run
o Follow pedestrian safety rules (use cross walks, obey traffic lights, etc.)
o How to call home or 911 in case of emergency
o How to 'Stop-Drop-and-Roll" if their costume does catch on fire.
o No bad behavior - no egg throwing, toilet paper hanging, graffiti, or any other creative mayhem.
· Instruct children to not eat any of their booty until you inspect it. Minimize temptation by giving them nibbles from home to munch on along their route.
· Use your booty inspection to ration the goodies and ward off bellyaches.
You can also keep your own home safe for visiting ghouls and goblins:
· Offer healthy alternatives to candy, such as popcorn. Choose treats that are pre-packaged. Other safety conscious moms will toss out unwrapped goodies, just as you will.
· Turn on your outdoor lighting, and keep the walkways clear of toys and other safety hazards.
· Keep the pets inside and away from the front door. The noise and sights can frighten pets, which may bolt and get lost. Candy can cause serious harm to pets, too, so keep all goodies out of their reach.
About Mary Muscari: Associate professor
Decker School of Nursing,
Binghamton University, State University of New York
Topics areas include parenting, from toddler age and up, especially teens. She has conducted a number of parenting workshops around the country; most popular topics: keeping kids safe from predators ('live' and Internet), bullying, raising nonviolent kids and school violence.
Parenting books include:
Everything Book: Raising Adolescent Girls (Moira Mc Carthy with Dr. Mary Muscari) (2008)
Everything Book Raising Adolescent Boys (Robin Weiss with Dr. Mary Muscari) (2008)
Let Kids be Kids: Rescuing Childhood (2006)
Not My Kid 2: Protecting your Kids from the 21 Threats of the 21st Century (2004)
Not My Kid: 21 Steps to Raising a Nonviolent Child (2002)


text: i did a split a few weeks back and today found my new queen. I also found multiple eggs in what appears to be drone cone cells. My question is do I have a laying worker or is my queen not mated correctly? there is lots of room in the nuc for more eggs to be laid. how long does it take the new queen to settle in and start going? I have 5 frames fully drawn but the eggs were confined to one small area on one frame and like i said it appears to be drone comb I would call it burr comb really. its in the middle of new foundation and looks like someone just cut a piece and stuck it on there. If its a laying worker why are the other frames not holding eggs? some cells have single eggs and they appear to be in the middle but some have maybe 5 eggs in them. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


text:
The Certificate in English as a Second Language Studies may be awarded in conjunction with an academic major at the graduate and undergraduate levels, or to students holding a BA or higher degree. This certificate shows a student's concentration in ESL studies. All courses taken in the curriculum may be applied toward other general and specific graduation requirements. ESL courses in our curriculum which were taken to fulfill other requirements at FAU may be applied to the certificate. All courses counting toward the certificate must be completed with a grade of B- or better and with an over-all average of B.
The following list of 15 credit hours comprises the required core courses. One equivalent three-credit course may be transferred from another accredited institution or program with the advice and consent of the Director.
Prerequisites: None. However, FOL 3880 Research and Bibliographic Methods (3 credits) is strongly recommended for students who have not had such a course.
Required courses: Five courses (15 credit hours) from the following:
LIN 3010 Introduction to Linguistics or LIN 4680 Structure of English
For more information visit our website at www.fau.edu/ESL or contact the director of the program, Dr. Prisca Augustyn (
). For the Department of Languages, Linguistics, and Comparative Literature and the linguistics program visit www.fau.edu/LLCL.
The PAR program provides conditional admission for academically qualified international students who need access to English language and other academic and social preparation for success in a U.S. university setting. PAR students will be fully integrated into the Florida Atlantic University community and learn English, hone study habits and absorb cultural nuances that will lead to success in their studies at FAU.


text:
First Look: 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe
New Crossover Offered in Two Sizes, Available V-6, Turbo Power
Almost every market segment Hyundai has entered in the last few years, they've become a major player in the segment. The Sonata, Elantra are two prime examples of Hyundai's success in the midsize and compact sedan markets. However, the company admits that it's had a proverbial donut hole in its lineup, lacking a model that strongly appeals to families with children or extended families. It hopes to rectify that situation with a massively expanded Santa Fe lineup with models to meet almost every need in the midsize crossover segment. The Santa Fe will be offered as both a two-row, four-cylinder-powered five-passenger model, and a long-wheelbase, three-row model with V-6 power.
The 2013 Santa Fe also features an all-new engine gasoline direct-injection engine lineup, starting with the familiar 2.4-liter GDI four-cylinder that debuted last year as an option in the Kia Sorento, and produces an estimated 190 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque in the Santa Fe. The optional powerplant for the standard-length model is a version of the 2.0-liter turbo that debuted as the in the 2011 Sonata. In this application, the engine produces 264 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. Estimated fuel economy for the Santa Fe is 23 mpg city, 33 mpg highway for the naturally-aspirated 2.4-liter, and 23 mpg city, 31 mpg highway for the 2.0 turbo.
Hyundai was particularly proud of the weight reduction on the 2013 Santa Fe, noting that it is between 266 and 300 pounds lighter than an equivalent 2012 model, and more than 500 pounds lighter than some competitors. This was achieved through drastically increased use of high-tensile lightweight steel, 30 percent more than the 2012 model. The entry-level Santa Fe Sport tips the scales at 3459 pounds, with the turbocharged model at 3602 for front-drive models. The long-wheelbase Santa Fe weighs 3861 pounds for the front-drive model, and 4004 pounds for the all-wheel drive model.
Size-wise, the 2013 model is close to the 2012, with the regular-length model sharing the same 106.3-inch wheelbase as last year's model, with its overall length being fractionally longer at 184.6 inches, just a half-inch longer. Comparing the long-wheelbase Santa Fe to the Veracruz, the LWB model's wheelbase is 110.2 inches, two-tenths of an inch shorter than the Veracruz's, with overall length being fractionally longer at 193.1 inches, compared to 190.6 on the Veracruz. The 2013 Santa Fe is fractionally narrower than its predecessor at 74 inches and 74.2 inches for the Sport and long-wheelbase models, respectively, compared to 74.4 for the 2012.
Equipment-wise, the 2013 adds many new features not available on last year's model, including an optional panoramic sunroof, and a driver-selectable steering mode. Driver's memory seat and mirror settings are also available on most trim levels of the Santa Fe. The standard-length model is offered in Sport and Sport 2.0T trims, and the long-wheelbase model is offered in GLS and Limited versions. A blind-spot detection system is available exclusively in the long-wheelbase model.
The long-wheelbase Santa Fe model features the same 3.3-liter GDI V-6 that debuted in the recently-introduced Azera near-luxury sedan, producing 290 hp in this application, and returning 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway fuel economy. Although not quite as impressive as the economy figures on the four-cylinder model, they're a major improvement over the current Veracruz three-row crossover, representing a 2-3 mpg increase in the city, and 4 mpg on the highway. Speaking of the Veracruz, Hyundai representatives confirmed with the introduction of the long-wheelbase Santa Fe, the Veracruz will be discontinued for 2013 in the U.S. market.
Almost no new model introductions go without some sort of electronics-related announcement, and the Santa Fe is no exception. As expected, it adds Hyundai's BlueLink telematics system standard. Also new for the Santa Fe is standard HD Radio. The Santa Fe is scheduled to go on sale in August 2012. Prices will be announced closer to introduction.


text:
Notice: On March 31, it was announced that Statalist is moving from an email list to a forum. The old list will shut down on April 23, and its replacement, statalist.org is already up and running.
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st: Several questions regarding xtprobit and margins command
Tobias Morville <email@example.com>
st: Several questions regarding xtprobit and margins command
Mon, 12 Nov 2012 15:58:21 +0100
Hi everyone, my first post at StataList, so be nice :)
I have a set of questions regarding the margins command, and marginal
effects in general.
I have a unbalanced paneldataset of 4124 observations, unevenly
distributed on 18 subjects.
My model is as follows: P(stop) = Outcome outcome_lag1 seqEarn, which
im estimating in a RE probit setting with xtprobit command.
Outcome: Outcome of a dice in period t. Lies from 1 to 6
Outcome_lag1: Outcome of the dice in period t-1
seqEarn: Accumulated earnings over each game. Drops to 0 if subject
chooses to stop, or the dice shows a one. Starts at zero, and can only
get more positive as people climb the reward ladder.
All of these regressors are significant.
Sooo, now the questions begin:
1) If i use -margins Outcome- (followed this guide
http://www.stata.com/stata12/margins-plots/), then i get this
errormessage: "'Outcome' not found in list of covariates", and that
actually is the case for all margins commands, and is my number one
The only marginscommand that works, is if i use the -margins,
dydx(Outcome outcome_lag1 seqEarn)-, which leads me to my next
2) When i use a -margins, dydx(Outcome outcome_lag1 seqEarn)- my
marginal effects are exactly the same as my regression coefficients?
If i change the code to -margins, dydx(Outcome outcome_lag1 seqEarn)
atmeans- they're the same again..?
(So APE = MEM?)
Im really confused about this, and i've read the ealier post
(http://www.stata.com/statalist/archive/2009-11/msg01517.html), which
covers some of the questions i have, but dosen't really anwser them.
If i use mfx compute, predict(pu0) they change, but they become very
small. And im guess that pu0 means that Im setting the random effects
slope to 9, which is a bad idea for my data, as there is quite alot of
random variability.
3) If i choose to ignore the fact that my marginal effects are the
same as my probit regression coefficients, then im in my next pickle.
That my marginal effects are constant. If i plot the predicted
probability of stopping the game, over seqEarn, its constant, which
suits my data very badly. And im afraid that i've misunderstood
something very basic.
if i try -margins, dydx(seqEarn) at (Outcome=(2 3 4 5 6)) vsquish-
marginal effects are the same over Outcome size...
.. and it's basically the same.
What i would idealy like to see, is that predicted probability changes
both over seqEarn and over Outcome and outcome_lag1 in some systematic
way, but right now my newbieness in Stata problemshooting is driving
me up the wall.
Background (just for the interested):
I'm currently working with a dataset of 18 subjects, playing a virtual
dicegame for 25 mins while in a fMRI scanner. The dice is random
(1-6), and if you roll one, you lose whatever you accumulated this
round. It's a balloon kind of thing: How far do people dare to go up
the exponential reward ladder, before banking their earnings.
* For searches and help try:
* http://www.stata.com/help.cgi?search
* http://www.stata.com/support/faqs/resources/statalist-faq/
* http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/stata/


text:
Top 10 California Beach Getaways
Photo By: Tashka/ iStock/ Thinkstock
Photo By: Mimi Ditchie Photography / Getty Images
Photo By: John Hoffman/ iStock/ Thinkstock
Photo By: Jairo Leiva/ iStock/ Thinkstock
Photo By: Mitch Diamond/ Photodisc/ Getty Images
Photo By: Christopher Riddler/ iStock/ Thinkstock
Photo By: Christian Kober/ AWL Images/ Getty Images
Photo By: Jamairani/ iStock/ Thinkstock
Photo By: Ryan McVay/ Digital Vision/ Thinkstock
Photo By: Jose Gil/ iStock/ Getty Images
Coronado Beach
Just 5 minutes from San Diego, this family-friendly beach boasts wide stretches of sand, mostly calm surf and ideal whale watching (January through March). The lifeguards on staff, nearby public facilities and free parking along Ocean Boulevard add to its convenience -- and popularity. Couples can take a romantic walk to the luxury beachfront Hotel del Coronado and sip cocktails on its patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Pismo Beach
Pismo Beach, founded by the Chumash Indian Tribe, is located in central California, between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Whichever direction you travel from, there's plenty of activities to keep you here: fishing on the 1,200-foot-long pier, strolling through the Monarch Butterfly Grove, horseback riding along private trails, and exploring tide pools and caves, to name just a few.
La Jolla
You'll have to leave the surfboards and boogie boards behind, but trust us it will be worth it. La Jolla Cove is the most desired area for swimming, snorkeling and diving; it is ecologically protected, making it a safe home for the bright orange Garibaldi fish (among others species) in the crescent-shaped cove. Called "the jewel" of San Diego, this beach is small, but you'll find more room to stretch out on the mile-long La Jolla Shores to the north.
Sonoma Coast
Sonoma Coast State Beach comprises 13 miles of coastline, stretching from Blind Beach to Bodega Head. It's dotted with nothing save hidden beaches tucked between the rocky coves and tall bluffs. Follow the Sonoma Coast Trail to visit these secret beaches and take postcard-worthy pictures, #nofilter necessary.
Main Beach in Santa Cruz
For most beachgoers in Santa Cruz, Main Beach is where the action is -- complete with restaurants, shops, surfing spots, beach volleyball courts and, of course, a scenic boardwalk and bandstand. If you ask us, it's just the right amount of Americana.
Huntington Beach Pier
With a location at the end of Main Street and a nickname like "Surf City, USA," Huntington Beach evokes a time gone by. The pier (one of the longest on the West Coast), the year-round surf (thanks to ocean swells around Catalina Island) and Ruby's Diner (the milkshakes are a must) will continue to draw crowds here for years to come.
Venice Beach
Our resident beach expert, Marianela Pereyra, can attest to its weirdness, but there's a reason Venice Beach is world famous. It may bring to mind visions of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Muscle Beach of the '70s, but let us assure you that the 1 1/2-mile-long boardwalk is still the perfect storm for people watching, street performers and souvenir shopping.
Baker Beach
To the west of the Golden Gate Bridge lies the rocky serpentine shoreline of Baker Beach. Rip currents make swimming unsafe, but you're here for the panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge … and maybe to picnic. Just don't venture too far north unless you're looking for another kind of scene: the northernmost end of Baker Beach, which attracts clothing-optional sunbathers.
Malibu Surfrider Beach
Formerly known as Surfrider Beach, Malibu Lagoon State Beach's famous right point breaks have made it the most-surfed spot in Los Angeles since the '60s. Arrive early to find a parking spot and pick a point -- some of the perfect swells due to Surfrider Beach will give you a ride all the way to the pier (a couple hundred feet away). And for non-surfers, the historic wooden Malibu Pier offers excellent saltwater fishing, bird-watching and picnicking.
Dockweiler State Beach
Located just west of the LAX runway, Dockweiler Beach is where people come to relax and party. That's because the 3-mile-long shoreline is the only Los Angeles beach that has an RV park and allows bonfires. S'mores, anyone?


text:
Racks, towers, blades, high-density, & mission-critical servers and options.
Build a foundation for tomorrow with Microsoft and Lenovo technologies for Cloud based data centers.
Nutnosť inovácie
signalizujú tieto
sprievodné znaky:
nevýrazný výkon,
vysoké náklady na
údržbu a zvýšené
náklady na softvérové
Zmodernizujte svoje
servery a úložiská s
firmou Lenovo.
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Wonderful Studio with Mezzanine /4m29/
Size35 m²
Floor No.(with elevator)
- Air conditioning
- Internet/WiFi
- Towels
- Elevator in building
- Kitchen
- Indoor fireplace
Accommodation summary
|Ferenc, 1092 Budapest, Hungary
|Property type
|Property ID
|Acceptance rate
|Response time
|A few hours
|Calendar updated
Numerous shops, bars and restaurants can be found in and around the Corvin Plaza, the Ferenc Boulevard and the Jozsef Boulevard, which can easily be reached on foot or by public transportation. City's main cultural sights include the UNESCO-protected Buda Castle, Danube Bank and Andrassy Avenue. Liszt Ferenc International Airport is within 21 km from Grand Boulevard Apartments.
House rulesGuests should leave the apartment in the same condition as it was at the time of check-in. Families 100€ (groups 150€) refundable deposit.
Check-in after 22.00 is possible for an extra 35 EUR
The guests should respect night silence in the building, any NOISY ACTIVITIES during the night time 20.00-8.00 are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.
(Please book us if you are sure that you can controll behavior of your group. Unfortunatully sometimes we had bad expirience with young peoples who come for a parties in Budapest and when they bring themself in "crazy drunk" condition, they make hole building life unacceptible. We dont want this type behavior. We dont want make our neighbors life like a hell. If this information is not correspond to you please ignore it and feel yourself comftarble at our flat.)
We are kindly welcome every people who can respect civilian life and cleaness in the residental building.
Me and my team can always help you with any reqests regarding flat and your stay.
|Maximum nights
|7 nights
|Check-in after
|Check-in before
|Check-out before
|Cancellation Policy
Reviews of this property
The house is well situated at 5min from the center of Budapest, in the house there is a tram stop and a few meters ahead there is the metro ..
The house is small and very functional, very very warm and clean.
The first day it worked the WI FI and the owner has moved quickly to fix it.
The only drawback, we have requested reimbursement of the first night as we age the flight was canceled and we had a refusal by the owner.
La casa è ben situata a 5minuti dal centro di Budapest,sotto casa c'è una fermata del tram e pochi metri più avanti c'e la metro..
La casa è piccola e ben funzionale,mooolto calda e pulita.
Il primo giorno non ci funzionava il WI FI e la proprietaria si è mossa subito per sistemarlo.
Unico neo, abbiamo richiesto di rimborso della prima notte perché ci eta stato cancellato il volo e abbiamo avuto un diniego dalla proprietaria.
El apartamento es totalmente nuevo, tal cual aparece en las fotos. El vecindario es tranquilo, a diez minutos andando del Mercado Central y al lado de una estación de metro. La pega fue que el anfitrión tardó bastante en traernos las llaves el primer día y en recogerlas el último, tuvimos que esperar una media hora en el portal en ambas ocasiones.
Ubicación muy buena, la estancia perfecta. Apartamento muy limpio y calefacción excelente.
El apartamento se encuentra muy bien ubicado para acceder al centro y además dispone de una parada de metro en la misma puerta desde la que puedes desplazarte a cualquier punto de la ciudad. En las inmediaciones se encuentra un supermercado abierto las 24 horas, pizzerías, kebabs... La apariencia del apartamento desde el exterior es viejo pero una vez dentro de el es muy confortable.
Reviews for this host's other properties
The place is very beautiful, clean and close to many sights. It is in the centre and there are so many options for shopping and eating. All the sights can be reached by tram or metro but walking would be just as fine.
It was a really good experience in a good located apartment with all the facilities to enjoy the city. Michael was so nice and answered every question we had. We spent a great time!
Nice apartment, really good location for exploring Budapest.
Great apartment in the center of Budapest. The owners were really well organized and of great service to us. I can only recommend them for anyone thinking about visiting this lovely city.
The apartment is located in a quiet part in the centre of Budapest, very close to all sight-seeing spots and the river Danube. Supermarkets and bakeries are located just around the corner. We stayed three nights with five persons and found enough space for everybody. Two bedrooms with two single beds, but one without window and one bedroom with a double bed. The apartment quality was fairly okay.
The appearance of the bathroom as well as the separate toilet did hardly match with the pictures shown on the web side. Especially the shower curtain desperately need to get cleaned or removed. The kitchen outfit can be described as poor. Lack of sufficient number of cutlery, plates and glasses comes together with really tiny space to do the dish washing or cooking (two plates), respectively. We missed a dishwasher, too. The provided bed sheets and especially towels where anything else than spotless and can partly be described as filthy, even dirty. Better bring your own linen. For a departure after 10 o'clock a.m. we were asked to pay an extra fee of 10 Euros.
Conclusion: We'll come back to the beautiful city of Budapest but next time we will definitely chose another accommodation.
- Quality assured accommodation
- Every host is verified by telephone
- Secure payment via SSL encryption


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Sexual act where two men face each other with penises erect. One man masterbates his own penis as well as another stacked on top of his.
Adam was fine with masterbating by himself. However, it was a real treat to have Max join, so Adam gave Max a Lonesome Richard.
by Apprehensive William January 15, 2010


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Create a free account to check out faster, store multiple shipping addresses, view and track your orders in your account, and much more.
Please enter your password to continue.
Your skin needs more than a just a splash of water in the morning: Hydration and sun protection are essential to its health. Jack Black's 2-in-1 moisturizer is a fast-absorbing formula that guards against UV rays all day and repairs skin cells overnight. With no fragrance and no colorants, you won't even know it's there.


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Library offers new story time for ages 3-6
Anybody out there? Hello, it is me, Browser. Are you people, all right?
This has been quite the year for you humans. December, it seems, has been particularly dicey. You were pretty sure the world was coming to an end, but if you are reading this, it did not.
Then you were all going to fall off some cliff. I don't quite understand that, since there are very few cliffs here in north central Minnesota, but you were sure just the same.
Lemmings do that, you know — follow each other off a cliff. People usually do not.
It's the beginning of a new year, almost. Our library, my home, is safe and sound. Our great state of Minnesota still offers wonderful programs for all of us to enjoy.
Well, perhaps all of you. I am not privy to some of them since they take place elsewhere. Some place called "The Warehouse." It is my understanding that they do not stockpile merchandise there, though it is what I perceive as the meaning of the word "warehouse."
January holds promise for all of us. The little children will have a new story time program. It is for ages 3-6 and takes place Wednesdays from 1:30-2 p.m. at Pine River Public Library. It is designed for those little ones who are not in something called "day care."
Call the library for more information at 218-587-4639.
The Snow Time to Read, an adult reading program, starts after the first of the year. Come sign up and get a collector mug for reading 15 books.
The library is a wonderful place to go in winter. There are computers and books and movies and tapes and games to play while you are here.
Come and visit me.
I remain, Browser, the library cat (since the world didn't end).


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man that is a tough one considering that all ar-15 have about doubled in the last few days.
a guess would be about double what you thought it was worth before the latest panic.
YMMV on this one--
it there is another panic--and there may well be another one on the way--then who knows--


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Jungle Paradise Just Outside Panama City
Radisson Summit Hotel & Golf Panama • Panama City, Panama
Escape Kit
- A Five-Night Stay for Two
- Half-Day City and Canal Tour
- Daily Full American Breakfast for Two
- $50 Food and Beverage Credit
- 30-Minute Couples' Massage
- Combine Unlimited Vouchers for an Extended Stay
A vibrant metropolis at the center of international travel and trade, Panama City has long provided a crossroads between North and South, Atlantic and Pacific, business and pleasure. Follow your compass to Central America on this Escape to the Radisson Summit Hotel & Golf Panama, a 2012 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award winner.
Removed from the bustle of the city but still within striking distance of downtown's shops and skyscrapers, the Radisson hits geographic gold with 160 acres of virgin rainforest. Each of the hotel's standard rooms shows off stunning views of the scenery—including a professional 18-hole golf course, nature trail, and butterfly farm—from an adjoining balcony.
Get your bearings with an early breakfast followed by a four-hour tour of the city's principal attractions: the ruins of Panama Viejo, Casco Viejo de San Felipe (the Colonial City), the Causeway, and the canal's famous Miraflores locks.
Take advantage of the hotel's free shuttle to popular shopping areas like the Albrook Shopping Center, where international brands are sold alongside wood carvings and locally-made ceramics. After dark, lose yourself in the romantic atmosphere of the hotel's La Jacana restaurant.
Following a night out dancing at one of the city's open-air nightclubs (don't miss the special-recipe sangria at Café Barko), you'll need an in-house couple's massage to prepare your feet for the next fiesta. And don't fret if you forget how to navigate home: you're welcome to extend your stay for a few more days.
"Beautifully set in the rainforest, this hotel is extremely comfortable, clean, and quiet. The staff were friendly and helpful. The complimentary breakfast had a lot of variety and included omelettes made to order."-- TripAdvisor
escapes 30-day promise
LivingSocial gives you up to 30 days to return your unused voucher for a full refund. Once you've made a reservation, you are subject to the merchant's cancellation and refund policy. If you want to secure your preferred dates of travel, we strongly recommend that you complete reservation with the merchant within 30 days of your purchase—after that, LivingSocial will not issue any refunds.
the fine print
- Vouchers may be combined to extend stay
- Valid for travel until July 31, 2013
- Reservations required and subject to availability
- Not valid on group or existing reservations
- Merchant cancellation/re-scheduling policy of 3 days applies; voucher subject to forfeiture
- Based upon double occupancy
- Airfare not included
- Taxes of 10% are not included and will be collected at redemption
- Nights must be used consecutively
- All deal components must be redeemed during one stay
- Other conditions apply • PAID AND PROMOTIONAL VALUES EXPIRES ON July 31, 2013 • PAID VALUE DOES NOT EXPIRE • PAID VALUE EXPIRES ON July 31, 2018 • PROMOTIONAL VALUE EXPIRES ON July 31, 2013 • Enjoy By July 31, 2013
Other conditions apply
Except where noted in the fine print:
• Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion
• Tax and gratuity are not included
• Merchant is responsible for the quality of the products or services provided to you at redemption
• LivingSocial Terms and Conditions - https://www.livingsocial.com/terms
Original Price:
- 0% savings
- remaining


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Andy R.
Well, it had to be brought up eventually and after reading this post, I felt obliged to write my thoughts on one of the stupidest aspects of the Olympics: the medal count. If you've been watching over here in China you are reminded of it by CCTV at pretty much every commercial break, probably very similar to what my family is seeing on NBC back home. The only difference being that the numbers are naturally interpreted differently depending on which side of the Pacific you are watching from.
In the post linked above, the charge is that the U.S. is "cooking the books" to make it look like they are ahead. Unlike the Chinese method which says that a country with 1 gold medal should be ranked above a country wth 2, 3, or even 100 silver medals, the U.S. system puts equal value on all medals and just does a simple tally of the total. To my knowledge, this U.S. way of counting medals is nothing new despite the post's claims that the Americans have "invented" a new way of counting in order to keep the lead. (Have the Chinese used the method described above in past Olympics as well? Any other methods out there?)
Obviously, both methods have their flaws. The U.S. system probably unfairly removes the "worth" of a gold versus a silver versus a bronze medal (the medal that make orphans cry), while the logic of the Chinese system seems to break down when you can have countries with multiple athletes receiving silver and bronze awards ranked below those that only have a single gold medal winner. (More of a "Gold Medal Count" than a "Medal Count" in my opinion, but to each his own…)
Personally, I wish the IOC could just ban broadcasts of the medal tallies and let the crazy nationalists of the world who HAVE to know which country is the "best" tally things at home, either that or have an official IOC-sanctioned tally that takes the question of "how to count medals" off the table. On the other extreme, you could ban national symbols of any kind be used during the Olympics with the focus on individual rather than national performances, but I guess that would be against what the event is about, if not a little more gentle on the international community's increasingly fragile nerves…
Richard Burger is the author of Behind the Red Door: Sex in China, an exploration of China's sexual revolution and its clash with traditional Chinese values.


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LiverKick Best of 2013: Comeback of the Year
- Published in News
- Written by Dave Walsh
- 0
The year 2013 was a tremendous year for the sport of Kickboxing as we saw GLORY take aim at America as one of its home bases and really made some strides that I honestly thought we'd never see for the sport here. GLORY not only ran shows, but they ran a bunch of shows and those shows were attended by a good number of paying customers. Then, to top it off, GLORY moved from CBS Sports Network and internet PPVs to Spike TV, picking up steam and viewers with every show. That was a big deal.
GLORY wasn't the only organization to make moves, either, as we saw another season of the SuperKombat World Grand Prix, the birth of LEGEND in Russia and K-1 starting to get the gears in motion by running both a Heavyweight World Grand Prix and a World MAX tournament within the same year. But which company did what doesn't really matter, what matters are the fights and the fighters.
Throughout the coming week we'll be looking at the best of 2013 throughout multiple categories, with Monday featuring Fighter of the Year, Tuesday featuring Fight of the Year and Wednesday being Knockout of the Year. Today's category is a little bit more fluid and up for discussion than the others, as today is Comeback of the Year. There have been a few fighters who either came back from a long layoff or returned to the big leagues and made a solid impression, making it an interesting topic.
LiverKick 2013 Comeback of the Year: Buakaw Banchamek
Few names in Kickboxing and Muay Thai hold the weight that Buakaw Banchamek's does. Buakaw is a legend in every sense of the word, as in Thailand he might not be known as the best Thai Boxer, but he's one of the most famous. This comes with its own set of consequences, though, as Buakaw has had a bumpy last few years that has seen him step back from a higher level of competition and instead get into the rhythm of taking either easier or exhibition bouts depending on the circumstances.
Buakaw fought his last fight for Thai Fight in December of 2012 and then that was it from Banchamek for months. In fact, he didn't fight again until August of 2013 for MAX Muay Thai after yet another lawsuit, this time with Thai Fight, was settled. His year began at MAX Muay Thai 3 against Dong Wenfei in a bout that barely saw Buakaw warm up, leaving us all to fear that Buakaw would be back in "Thai Fight mode" just taking easier fights and having fun. Then, after years of rumors of him joining GLORY a huge announcement came out that Buakaw had signed with K-1 and would be entering the World MAX tournament.
His complete decimation of David Calvo in the Final 16 was proof enough that Buakaw was back and ready to show the Kickboxing world what they were missing out on. The rest of his year saw him defeat both Yoshihiro Sato and Enriko Kehl in MAX Muay Thai and in both fights looking like the Buakaw of old. Then on December 28th he battled a very game Zhou Zhi Peng before turning up the heat in the fourth round and dominating him.


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"I couldn't recommend Carol highly enough. Milo had a great time with Carol and was very well cared..."
"Bob loves spending time with Kim! "
"Thank you for looking after TJ"
"Hellen was fabulous. She kept me updated on Tommy with photos and gave him lots of love. Thank..."
"I can tell my dogs are very happy at Renatta & Matt's.......they always look very well cared for,..."
"Thank you Jane for looking after Oscar, thanks for the daily updates.Oscar came home a very happy..."
"I felt happy and relaxed to leave Nala with Carol knowing that she had a lovely big yard to run..."
"Billy continues to have a blast with Jan and her furry babies. Heading back for a few more days..."
"All good. Got home and everything was ok. Got photos during the stay as well so I was happy with..."
"Nala had a nice day "
"Excellent Pet Sitters, highly recommended. Our dogs were very well looked after and loved. Thank..."
"Thanks Lisa. Rufus will be back on Sunday "
"Dhaji was extremely relaxed and happy when we got home, thanks Kay-Anne."
"Always fantastic! "
"Thank you so much Sabine for taking care of our baby again. We were very happy to see that she was..."
"Thank you Debbie for taking such good care of Mochi! Debbie was incredibly prompt in her..."
"I can't even put into words how happy I am with the service Louise provided us! She is so kind,..."
"Peggy is a lovely lady who looked after Steve really well. He was a happy chap when we got home and ..."
"Maggie looked after our two cats for 5 nights while we were away in Byron Bay. She sent picture..."
"Chris is a lifesaver and really looks after Gizmo!"


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Dream Building at Chateau Elan is the next level of team-building and motivational events that strengthen and make a lasting, positive impact on your team and your world.
Dream Building events build on the natural lessons learned from volunteering and apply those lessons to current business initiatives. These are socially responsible programs designed to give businesses a platform to give back to the community and also receive the benefit of a customized teambuilding event. These programs not only reward participants for their volunteering efforts but also improve their performance at the workplace.
Chateau Elan will facilitate and manage your next Dream Building event through many local non-profit and charity organizations to present an experience that combines good social responsibility with highly professional teambuilding concepts. The end result is so much more that just building your team, it also provides a range of help to feed local families in need, provide children with shoes or bikes they are unable afford, or help maintain local parks and trails. We call it DreamBuilding.
Below you will find a many opportunities to get involved. All can be customized the to needs, goals, and philosophy of your company or team.
Feeling Green?
Here is your chance to act on your environmental conscience. Work alongside the premier environmental education center in Georgia. The Elachee Nature Science Center serves over 35,000 students from more than 35 school systems and an additional 20,000 visitors each year. They are a 501(c)(3) organization that has been in operation since 1978. Get down and dirty together and help transform the earth. Participants will grow in knowledge and will can green insights as they help sustain environmentally conscience efforts.
Opportunities Include
Public Family Programs
Assist with public programs geared toward a variety of natural history topics like environmental education, nocturnal animals, and reptiles. Events include Earth Day, Snake Day and NightFall. Your team can assist with a variety of activities to make these programs succeed.
Wildlife Care
Assist in the maintenance of live animals. Feeding, cleaning, and assistance opportunities exist within this program.
Trail Building & Maintenance
Spend your day as a team learning trail building, and the satisfaction that comes from creating and maintaining local park trails as your team ventures into local forests.
Weed Warriors
Help to eliminate invasive species from the Preserve in the forests of the Elachee Nature Science Center. This is great for groups wanting to schedule a specific time for volunteer activitiy.
Feeling Green Investment Information
Work with all organizations involved to plan, organize, and implement a memorable, environmentally-focused initiative. Additional team building activities can be integrated through these experiences. Investment amounts vary.
IMPACT Initiatives
IMPACT stands for Intentionally Making Powerful Acts Collectively Today. IMPACT initiatives allow companies to work alongside a representative to plan, organize and implement the perfect DreamBuilding initiative. Your participants will be encouraged to THINK about others, to RECOGNIZE the importance of giving and assisting when made aware of needs and to REFLECT on how making an IMPACT is available everywhere and all the time.
Opportunities Include
The following are just examples. If none of the following resonate, work alongside us to discover the right opportunity. We are constantly made aware of community needs.
Volunteer at a Local Food Bank
Consider the following: 96 billion pounds of food are wasted in the USA every year. Food banks help store and distribute that food to those who need it. A total of 36 million Americans - including 12 million children live on the brink of hunger - and the numbers are rising. In Northeast Georgia 20% of our people are at risk of hunger and 12% of those are children under 18. For many families having access to free food means that can meet their health care needs or pay their power bills. In Northeast Georgia approximately 21% of people live at or below the federal poverty level. Nearly 50% of children in Hall County alone are in these low income families. That equates to 22,000 hungry children today.
Design, Build, & Donate
Many NPO's and local parks would benefit from 'upgrades' of pathways, picnic tables, landscaping, playsets, etc. Your group can design a competitive or cooperative DreamBuilding event that culminates with your participants meeting a tangible need in the Northeast Georgia area. Expect to 'play-safe' have fun and learn something useful!
IMPACT Investment Information
Due to the wide array of opportunities available, investment amounts vary. We can work within your budget limits to design your IMPACT initiative. You can expect minimums to start at $500.00.
TOMS - Shoes for Tomorrow
Since 2006, TOMS has given over 140,000 pairs of shoes to children in need through the one for one model. Because of your support, TOMS plans to give over 300,000 pairs of shoes to children in need around the world next year. Your program can be integrated into this fantastic initiative.
Style Your "Sole"
What is Style your "Sole"? It is a time to get together and have fun with teammates. An opportunity to design your very own white pair of TOMS. It is a stellar philanthropic event. This experience ends will all participants receiving and styling their own pair of TOMS Shoes; and for every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS give a new pair of shoes to a child in need.
TOMS Style Your "Sole" Investment Information
Most Style your "Sole" iniatives will cost $85.00 - $135.00 per participant and will require 1 to 4 hours to complete. Variance in investment amount and duration reflect the goals, objectives and desires of the company or organization participating in Style your "Sole."
Now that you are made aware of a need, you have an opportunity to make a difference. If you have the time, energy, desire, resources, passion and commitment. Will you act? Will you assist? Will your team fulfill a dream?
To Get Started or to Learn More
Call 678-425-6017. Or, Fill out a Team Building RFP to request more information.


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This gallery contains 26 photos.
Robberg Nature Reserve – right here in Plettenberg Bay, in the Garden Route, you can enjoy an amazing hike that is jam packed with a variety of terrains and the most spectacular views of the Garden Route Coastline. While the Robberg Peninsula protects Plettenberg Bay from the full force of … Continue reading


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Color Online is the up-to-date and comprehensive colour information tool of the Internet age.
This way you may access the entire global mixing formula database which is updated regularly.
A clear structure and flexible search options make querying extremely easy.
Search results are displayed neatly to ensure simple selection of the correct colour or colour variant, including the corresponding colour chips. In addition, service mixing formulas can be accessed and formulas for accessory parts, bumpers, etc. are directly available.
More options, more information, and more results. The online database offers detailed information on more than hundreds of thousands mixing formulas for the original colors of all car manufacturers. It's available twenty-four hours a day from anywhere in the world.
As a component of the Glasurit RATIO Color System, for years now Color Online has been a well-known and proven tool for quickly and effortlessly finding mixing formulas. On the website, paint shops can find all the information they need to reliably determine color variants and mix them precisely.
The complete overhaul of the online service was not just cosmetic, however. In addition to redoing the graphical user interface, when it comes to content, Color Online's performance has been considerably expanded as well. The upgrade includes a number of points that make Color Online a tool that refinish pros can't imagine doing without.
Color Online displays all the results neatly and clearly: the mixing formulas in grams or liters, the price category, information on the frequency of this variant, all cross-references to the associated color chips in the Glasurit Color Profi Systems and many other important details. The database is updated regularly and provides mixing formulas for all Glasurit 22, 55, 68 and 90 basecoat lines. It's also easy to select properties such as "lead-free" and "VOC compliant".


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In a time when most public works departments are forced to do more with less — even "make bricks without straw" — many procurement managers are beginning to rethink their former attitudes about renting versus buying vehicles and equipment. From chillers and aerial lifts to specialized trench-shoring equipment and generators, public works departments are now forced to rely on rental equipment to meet unplanned or infrequent needs.
But what happens when rental needs become more frequent and require more planning? That's when the inevitable "rent, lease, or buy" discussion must be had.
Prior to the current economic downturn, presenting the value of renting to procurement officials proved as fruitful as attempting to convince my daughter that there are better things to watch on TV than SpongeBob SquarePants. It was just a way of life to purchase the equipment they needed while their coffers were full.
Now procurement officials are calling me more than ever to satisfy their rental requirements, instead of going through the expensive and time-consuming request for proposal process they once did. There has been an increased interest in purchasing used equipment as well. That said, anyone who's looking to rent, lease, or buy equipment must ask themselves a few crucial questions.
Question 1: How often will we use this piece of equipment?
In the construction/maintenance industry, a good rule of thumb has been that if you don't use a piece of equipment more than 60% to 70% of the time, you should consider renting. If your operation rate exceeds that threshold, consider purchasing or leasing.
However, leasing or renting should always be considered as a forerunner to buying since these options provide an opportunity to test equipment without the burden of associated larger cost or long-term investment.
A word of caution: it's typical for a leasing agreement to contain a penalty clause if you later discover that you will actually need the piece of equipment for less time than the lease states and you want to turn it back in.
Rental agreements, on the other hand, allow you to call the piece of equipment "off rent" whenever you like and just pay for the period during which it was used.
Question 2: How long will we need the equipment?
This question is related to payback. If crews regularly require the equipment longer than the anticipated rental periods, the case to purchase probably is strong. In essence, if renting the piece of equipment will cost as much or more than owning it, then it makes more sense to buy it, get the benefit, and save the incremental cost.
Question 3: How versatile is the equipment?
Versatility can significantly affect the overall importance of a piece of equipment if managers can use it on various types of jobs. This will increase the frequency of use and justify the purchase of the unit. If either frequency of use or versatility is low, then the case to rent will be stronger.
One exception is equipment that is not used often but is needed in an unforeseen emergency or disaster response scenario, such as backup generators for power outages or portable coolers/heaters during extreme temperatures. While you might not be able to justify these purchases using a straight cost comparison, consider the potential for other losses such as health risk and safety or lost-opportunity costs that would occur if the equipment was not available.
The bottom line
Purchasing tends to be the best option for general-purpose equipment used regularly for maintenance. Examples include fork lifts used daily for loading and unloading trucks and moving material, and aerial work platforms used for tasks at high elevations such as changing lamps in high-bay lighting fixtures, cleaning windows, washing walls and ceilings, servicing electrical distribution systems, and painting.
Renting equipment is always the best option when facing an infrequent short-term need — especially if your department has experienced a cut in funding or simply can no longer afford to buy equipment as it once did.
Due to the inflexibility of leasing and potential penalties for finishing a job sooner than expected, this option is no longer as financially sound as it once was.
— James Hackley (703-789-2823 or email@example.com) is senior manager for state and local government sales at United Rentals. He helps public works departments take advantage of the National Joint Powers Alliance cooperative purchasing agreement to expedite equipment rental or purchase requirements at significant cost savings.