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By John Spence & Tom Lydon
SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSEARCA:DIA) was aiming for its ninth straight day of gains on Wednesday as the exchange traded fund continues to grind higher after setting a new all-time high last week.
Of course, the big question for investors now is whether the incredible rally from the March 2009 bottom is due for a major correction four years later, or if the market can keep chugging along as the economy slowly improves.
The Dow ETF is up 11% so far this year and its tracking index on Tuesday saw the sixth consecutive day it has set a record close, the longest such streak since the late 1990s, reports Sam Mamudi at Barron's.
The stock rally has been met with widespread skepticism despite nominal record prices in the Dow. Many investors think the market is in a bubble fueled by easy monetary policies from the Federal Reserve and other banks after the financial crisis.
However, noted Dow Theorist is telling newsletter clients to forget their fears and buy DIA, the Dow ETF.
"By taking a position in the market, you'll be casting yourself on the side of the optimists, and you'll also be casting your vote on the side of [Fed Chairman] Ben Bernanke," he told subscribers.
"Yes, I know that this market is uncorrected during its long rise from the 2009 low, and I know that there are risks in buying an uncorrected advance that is becoming uncomfortably long in the tooth, but my suggestion is that my subscribers should take a chance … and take a position in the DIAs," Russell said.
The Dow and S&P 500 are essentially dealing with a resistance level that has stopped the market dead in its tracks twice before since 2000.
"With the S&P 500 zeroing in on its all-time high and threatening to break out above the 1,600 barrier, we find ourselves wondering … Is it for real this time?" ConvergEx Group market strategists wrote in a note this week. "We've been here twice before - in 2000 and 2008 - but each time failed to hold."
On the plus side, the market has seen a flurry of M&A activity this year and corporate profits are strong. Still, the market faces headwinds from a still-weak employment picture, and investors are complacent as the CBOE Volatility Index drops to its lowest levels since 2007, they said.
"In spite of some weak economic fundamentals - the jobs market in particular - the stock market continues to push higher. And in our opinion the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to 1600 for the S&P 500. Corporations deserve the lion's share of the credit; corporate earnings have never been higher and 2013, albeit young, is on pace for the biggest M&A year since 2000," the ConvergEx analysts concluded. "Corporate profits as a percentage of GDP are at record highs and are much better off than the economy as a whole, so with next quarter's gearing up for potentially another fresh high, it seems the third time is indeed going to be a charm for the S&P [500]."
Turning back to the Dow, technical analyst Tarquin Coe at Investors Intelligence said only slipping back beneath the 2007 high of 14,198.1 would raise concern.
"That level is now support and failure to provide such would hint at a bull-trap. However, the present indicator situation suggests that a head-fake is not evolving," Coe said Wednesday in a newsletter.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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Centho Chocolates
It's All About the Origin of the Chocolate
Address: Veeweidestraat 3,
3080 Duisburg, Belgium
Telephone: +32(0)2 767 07 74
URL: www.centho.be
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Open: Tuesday – Friday 08:30-12h30 & 13h30 – 18h30 and Saturday 09h00 – 18h00
Closed Sunday and Monday
Owners: Geert and Els Decoster
When chocolatier Geert Decoster decided to open his own shop, he wanted to do something unique with chocolate. Origin chocolate was just being introduced into the Belgian market, and Geert immediately saw the potential. Origin chocolate comes from a single geographic source of origin such as Ecuador or Congo or Papua New Guinea. Today Centho uses chocolate from all over the world: Central and South America, Africa, and the Pacific Islands. A map of all these locations can be found on the Centho web site http://www.centho-chocolates.com/en/world.php
Like wine and coffee, the location of where cocoa beans are grown as well as type of bean defines its flavor. Geert believes that the flavor of the chocolate itself should be the dominant taste and not the filling. According to Geert, "I know a chocolate is just right when a customer says they love the chocolate but can't figure out what the filling flavor is."
Geert is always on the look out for interesting, new, or innovative flavor combinations. He jokes that his wife says he's always working because everything he eats, drinks, smells, and sees can become a source of inspiration.
To create a new chocolate, Geert begins by studying the flavors inherent in a specific chocolate and then designing a filling that subtly compliments that flavor.
The signature Centho chocolate is enrobed. This means it is made from a slab not a mould and then enrobed (dipped) in chocolate. The reason Geert chooses to make enrobed chocolates is because he can control the size of the chocolate, the number of layers of filling, and the thickness of each layer. Enrobed chocolate is traditionally used for firmer style fillings. Decoster has created new techniques to incrementally firm up soft fillings while maintaining their taste and feel. For example, he has a line of enrobed salted caramels where each bite is a balance of chocolate and caramel.
Working with so many different Origin chocolates is more complicated than working with just one or two types of chocolate. Each chocolate has special production considerations and flavor sensitivities. This is why most chocolatiers only use one or two types of Origin chocolate in their collection. Centho, on the other hand, is exclusively Origin. In fact, Geert is considered one of the trailblazers in Belgium for using Origin chocolate.
In defining Centho Chocolates, Geert was not only drawn to the tastes of Origin chocolate, but also its story. The rise of Origin chocolate has brought public awareness to the human abuses associated with cocoa production around the world. He feels strongly about doing what they can to stop such atrocities. Though Centho is only one shop, they believe that they can make a difference through responsible purchasing. First, Centho only uses chocolate suppliers who have signed Charters against child slavery. And second, Centho uses cocoa beans mostly grown in Fairtrade and Rainforest Protected areas.
Geert opened his retail shop in 2002 in a beautifully renovated space below his home in Duisburg. Though Decoster acknowledges that Duisbury (near Teuvren) may not be the best location for a retail shop, he and his family love the area. And Centho's is a family business with Geert designing and making the chocolates and his wife Els managing the shop. Moreover, the name Centho was derived from the first three letters of their children's names: daughter "Centa" and son "Thomas."
Geert uses his loyal customers who visit the Duisburg store to test new flavor combinations. But the Duisburg shop is only one part of their business. They also sell their chocolates at other retail locations such as the Maison des Maîtres Chocolatiers on the Grand Place in Brussels and supply chocolates to some of the finer restaurants in town. And finally Centho is fully engaged in exporting chocolates around the world.
To learn more about the Centho story, check out their YouTube movie.
One Comment
If you're interested in purchasing Centho Chocolates in Germany, you're kindly invited to visit our online store at http://www.thechocolatecollection.de. Our collection "Geert" features a great variety of these handcrafted masterpieces!
In addition, we proudly announce the opening of our first retail shop in the lovely neighborhood Grünwald, close to Munich. We will keep you posted on our opening event planned for the month of June!

subset: commoncrawl


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"It would be very effective if the pub industry joined the other groups in campaigning for a total ban."
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FACTBOX: Nobel: the prizes and the man
(Reuters) - Swedish businessman and dynamite inventor Alfred Nobel set up a number of prizes awarded each year in his name in his will, which was signed in 1895.
The following are some facts about the man and the prizes:
-- Nobel said in his will the prizes should be given to people "who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind."
-- He ordered that most of his estate of 31 million Swedish crowns at the time should be converted into a fund and invested in safe securities.
-- The first prizes were awarded in 1901, five years after Nobel's death in San Remo, Italy.
-- His will gave five categories for prizes: physics, chemistry, medicine or physiology, literature and peace. A sixth prize, the Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, was established in 1968.
-- The winners get 10 million Swedish crowns ($1.45 million), either individually or shared, though no more than three people are allowed to share.
* THE MAN: Continued...


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FutureJays.com: Give us your thoughts on Franklin Barreto. What can you tell us about his game?
Ismael Cruz: For us Barreto is one of these game-changing type of guys. You put him on the field and he wants to win. He'll bring a lot to the table. He has a plus-plus speed. He knows how to play the game which is hard to find with Latin guys [with] game experience and all of that. He has an above average arm and a bat that will play anywhere right now. If I had to have one guy to play anywhere I'd choose him because he's a tough guy, a grinder, and he's a winner.
FutureJays.com: Is there a guy at the big league level that he compares to style-wise?
Cruz: The type of game he plays is [Brett] Lawrie, he plays hard. He's that type of guy. He'll run hard, he plays hard. He'll play his ass off for you. He doesn't talk a lot but he plays a lot so he's the perfect guy.
FutureJays.com: He's obviously a young guy and has a lot to learn, but what is the one main thing he needs to improve going forward in your opinion?
Cruz: I love this kid but maybe he needs to be more outgoing.
FutureJays.com: Let's move on to Richard Urena. What can you tell us about his game?
Cruz: He's a shortstop, lefty hitter. He's going to stay at short. A good arm, an above average arm, and he can run. He needs to improve a little bit on the run but he's a hitter with power. The power is going to come sooner than later. I found out after we signed him that he really has some home run power, he's developing. He's a great kid to work with too.
FutureJays.com: Same question with him -- if there's something he should hone in on what would that be?
Cruz: Probably speed but then again you're talking about a 16-year old kid. He's more like a 6.9 runner [in the 60-yard dash] so he's a good runner but for me he could use a little more speed.
FutureJays.com: Let's talk about some of the these younger Latin American guys who got their debut seasons out of the way. Talk about what you've seen from Roberto Osuna so far.
Cruz: Well it's been like watching a Major Leaguer player against rookie [level] guys. His feel for pitching is extremely advanced. He's a great kid with a great attitude. Obviously he has a plus-plus changeup to go with an above average fastball and nothing rattles him. It can be the fifth inning with the bases loaded and it's like the first inning for him. I have a great feeling about this kid. He's going to be special. Actually he is special right now and he's going to take off quick.
FutureJays.com: What do you think he needs to work on?
Cruz: He doesn't need anything, just leave him like that. Right now he's perfect.
FutureJays.com: Let's talk about Alberto Tirado too then because he's another one with a big arm. What are your thoughts on him?
Cruz: Tirado has the plus fastball, great makeup, he's a winner, and will battle for you. His ceiling is high, extremely high for him. I like him a lot.
FutureJays.com: What do you think he needs to work on the most?
Cruz: He just needs game experience. I think the more he pitches the better he's going to get; pitch selection, things like that but again he's just 17 years old. He doesn't have that feeling [for pitching] that Osuna has but he's not far behind. He just needs to play more games.
FutureJays.com: Give me your early impressions of shortstop Dawel Lugo. The numbers weren't great last year but he seems to have some real abilities.
Cruz: He's still young and he finished the year a lot better than when he started, and that means he needs that game experience that most Latin American signees need. He plays an outstanding shortstop and the bat is there, and the power is going to come. His running speed needs to improve a little bit but he makes quick moves at shortstop so that's perfect.
FutureJays.com: Which of your Dominican Summer League players should be watching out for next season as guys who could come States-side and make some noise?
Cruz: Right now we have three pitchers -- Oscar Cabrera, we have Jose Fernandez, and Alejandro Solarte -- that did very good in the Dominican. For position players we have [Rolando] Segovia who was the MVP of the team. He's a shortstop, second baseman from Venezuela, 17 years old and has some power for a little guy that can run and knows how to play the game. He was one of the most advanced young guys that we had over there.
FutureJays.com: You named the guys who did well. I know all too well though that down in the Dominican Summer League that there's always some talented players who don't exactly put up numbers right away. Are there any guys like that who could surprise some folks?
Cruz: We have to wait and see but we have a couple of outfielders with Andres De Aza and Luis Garcia who could be impact guys if not next year but down the road. We have a shortstop Edwin Fuentes who is a Colombian kid that we're very high on. Again though, these kids need experience. Pitching-wise we have [Miguel] Castro, we have [Jimmy] Cordero, we have some kids coming over. We are happy with the talent we have down there.
FutureJays.com: Talk about Fuentes in particular please. What kind of player is he?
Cruz: Fuentes is advanced playing the game. Average speed, above average arm, quick at short and he knows what he's doing, but he needs to get a little bit stronger. He's one of the kids who will benefit from being down there maybe another year or half a year to get him strong enough to come to the States. He's going to be a special guy but we're patient with him. We don't want to rush him over here.
FutureJays.com: You've only been in the position here with the Blue Jays for a year now. How hard has it been to evaluate the guys who were already in the system before you got here since your main focus is obviously evaluating the talent you're trying to bring into the organization?
Cruz: It hasn't been a difficult year but we've worked a lot this year. I'm wearing a lot of hats that I didn't do with the Mets. It was a little difficult to come to the States and follow the guys but a lot of them are guys I used to scout when I was with the Mets. It has been a pleasant surprise to see how some of them have developed from the last time I saw them when they were 16 [years old]. Since I'm also the guy in charge of getting the new guys on July 2nd and rebuild the Dominican operation it has been hard to come to the States and watch [some of the guys]. These kids are great. They're dedication is there and I'm here to help them.
FutureJays.com: Because you're more familiar with the big July 2nd signs, how has Jesus Gonzalez changed since you last saw him as an amateur?
Cruz: He's developed in a good way. [When he was an amateur] he was all baby fat but that's now gone. I saw him in Spring Training and he was one of the better guys here. I know he got hit by a pitch in the wrist -- I don't know if he was afraid in the beginning but he ended up better in the [Gulf Coast] League. He's going to be 18 years old with a year experience in the States and it will be a big year. I know he has the power to do it, the arm to play the outfield, and I see him being a power guy down the road.
FutureJays.com: Last question -- and it's kind of a state of the union type deal -- are you happy with the state of the Latin American program as it stands right now with the Blue Jays?
Cruz: Yeah, I see that Alex [Anthopoulos] has put a lot of emphasis on bringing the program up and making it a smooth transition for the guys coming over from Latin America to the States. In some places each one is treated separately, a separate program, but here we're trying to have the smoothest transition possible. We've rebuilt the Latin program, brought in some scouts and some player personnel that we feel are doing great. We've expanded in Venezuela and we're trying to expand in some other parts of the world, trying to make the Jays more of a global presence than they were before. I went to a few places [last] year where people were like 'the Blue Jays are here? We haven't seen the Blue Jays in years'. That makes me happy. That means we're getting out there. Our guys are going everywhere trying to find the best guys to sign. Time will tell.
Q&A with Ismael Cruz
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USGS Resources for Students
Whether you're in kindergarten or graduate school, USGS offers learning and work opportunities, programs, and internships for students of all ages.
The links below will guide you through the programs available. Also included are links to cool pictures and other fun and games.
K-12 | Scholarships & Internships | Amazing Images | Fun and Games |
K-12 resources:
America's Wetland
Ask Doctor Global Change
Astro Kids
Coastal Science & Research News from Across USGS (Sound Waves)
Earthquakes for Kids
Earth Science Week
Encyclopedia Smithsonian
First Gov for Kids
Give Water A Hand
National Geographic Kids
NBII Children's Butterfly Site
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Educational Information for Students and Teachers
Science in Your State
Science in Your Watershed - USGS
Urban Bird Studies
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Student's Page
USGS Education
USGS TerraWeb for Kids
USGS South Florida Ecosystem History Project, Kids Corner
USGS Water Science for Schools
Wandering Wildlife
Water Resources Information for Students and Teachers
Volcano World
Scholarships & Internships:
American Water Works Association (AWWA) Student Center
AWWA Scholarship Opportunities
Digital Library for Earth System Education
Earthwatch Institute, Student Opportunities
EDMAP - University Geologic Mapping Component
Federal Funding Opportunities
Mendenhall Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program
NIWR-USGS Student Internship Program
Student Conservation Association
USGS - BRD Volunteer Opportunity
U.S. Government Volunteer Opportunities
USGS Student Research Opportunities
USGS Employment Website
Amazing Images:
3D Photo Tours of National Parks
NBII Digital Image Library
New York Wild WebCams
Picturing Science - USGS Online Science tours
USGS Earth Shots
USGS-BRD Photo Gallery
USGS Maps and Images
Your Sky
Fun and Games:
For Younger Kids:
Astro Kids
For Older Kids (and adults):
National Atlas
Project FeederWatch
Error processing SSI file


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Food and Travel Magazine
Fill out the form below to register for foodandtravel.com and receive news and updates direct to your inbox
Reach the key decision makers and opinion-formers in all matters food, wine and travel.
Find out how to get your brand in front of upscale, frequent travelling, high spending readers who love their food, wine and travel. Packages available for the UK, German, Mexican, Turkish and Arabic markets via our international editions.


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With the drop in temperatures much like Indiana County saw at the beginning of January, plumbers and other professionals are left with more work than usual.
"We've had a bunch of burst pipes that we're still repairing," said Russ King of Davis Brothers Heating and Air Conditioning in Indiana. "We have one house that has 30 breaks in it that we know of."
When pipes burst, King said, it could take anywhere from an hour to a day to fix the damage.
"It depends, sometimes it's just one or two bursts; some could take a day."
King suggests that residents keep their heat on and, if they have sinks on outside walls, to leave cabinet doors open. "Basically that's all you can do," he said.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania students missed the last wave of frigid temperatures while they were away on winter break, but they've been welcomed back to Indiana with more bitter cold.
The Facilities Operations Department for the campus sent a reminder to students and faculty on Tuesday to check that windows are closed and to make sure doors close behind them. In addition, those employees with control of HVAC equipment in their office and classroom have been asked to turn the "heat" setting on the machine on.
Students are asked to report unusually cold areas to the Facilities Operations Group or campus police.
Meanwhile, those who are out and about are encouraged to be mindful of the cold when it comes to vehicle maintenance.
From keeping fuel lines from freezing to maintaining a firm grip on the road with the right tires, there are a number of factors to take into consideration, according to those at local mechanic shops and tire companies.
One area cold temperatures can impact is tire pressure. According to Dave O'Hara, secretary/treasurer at Lias Tire in Indiana Borough, the change, however, may not be dramatic.
"If it gets really cold, it can drop your air pressure by a couple of pounds," he said.
Though it may not be drastic, it could be enough, in newer cars, to trip the light that signals tire pressure is low.
With freezing roadways and a range of wintry precipitation, snow tires are key to winter driving, according to O'Hara.
"Any snow tires are going to do a decent job," he said.
While all-season tires meet the minimum requirements for snow traction, he said, a snow tire — indicated by a mountain symbol on the tire — will likely do better in the snow.
A common misconception, he said, is that a vehicle with four-wheel drive will do all right with snow tires on front and all-weather tires in the back. The tire industry actually recommends keeping snow tires on all four wheels in the winter months, O'Hara said.
"If you're going around a corner and get so much traction in the front, it will cause the back end to skid around. Then you're in trouble," he said.
While it's always important, during the winter, O'Hara advises drives to ensure their tires have a safe amount of tread. Drivers may be able to tell how well their tires are holding up based on performance in wintry conditions, he said. But it's not a bad idea to take a good look at tires to make sure they are up to snuff.
"Any tire, once it gets below half tread, the winter traction isn't as good," O'Hara said.
Karl Markel, of Karl's Auto Repair in Indiana Borough, said he hasn't seen anything unusual related to the extreme low temperatures of recent weeks. But that doesn't mean there are typical maintenance matters to keep an eye on during the winter.
His advice? Simply let your car warm up before you drive. Be careful with putting windows down in the cold weather — forcing them can break the regulators in automatic windows.
Other area mechanics also suggest changing your oil if needed and not letting your car get too low on gas.
And, when having your car serviced, Markel suggests making sure your mechanic checks all the vehicle's fluids and lights.
"If you're under the hood already, everything else is right within reach," he said.


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Meaning of "set the scene for sth" - Learner's Dictionary
(Definition of "set the scene for sth" from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
Get a quick, free translation!
- set sth aside
- set sth off
- set sth out
- set sth up
- set the scene for sth idiom
- set the stage for sth idiom
- set verb
- set your sights on sth idiom
- set-piece noun
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Word of the Day
to follow a curved path around a planet or star


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Cat. No. 1186
Price and AvailabilityBy clicking submit you agree to accept a cookie from Tocris Bioscience. For details, please read our privacy and cookie policy.
Alternative Name: Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide 1-38
Biological ActivityEndogenous neuropeptide showing considerable homology with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) but with a greater potency for stimulation of adenylyl cyclase.
Technical DataM.Wt:
(Modifications: Lys-38 = C-terminal amide)
The technical data provided above is for guidance only. For batch specific data refer to the Certificate of Analysis.
All Tocris products are intended for laboratory research use only.
Certificate of Analysis / Product Datasheet / Safety Datasheet
References are publications that support the products' biological activity.
Lazarovici et al (1998) The 38-amino-acid form of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide induces neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells that is dependent on protein kinase C and extracellular signal-regulated kinase but not on protein kinase A, nerve growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase, p21ras G protein, and pp60c-src cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase. Mol.Pharmacol. 54 547. PMID: 9730914.
Michel et al (1998) XVI. International Union of Pharmacology recommendations for the nomenclature of neuropeptide Y, peptide YY, and pancreatic polypeptide receptors. Pharmacol.Rev. 50 143. PMID: 9549761.
Rawlings et al (1994) Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide increase [Ca2+]i in rat gonadotrophs through an inositol trisphosphate-dependent mechanism. J.Biol.Chem. 269 5680. PMID: 7907085.
If you know of a relevant reference for PACAP 1-38 please let us know.
Citations are publications that use Tocris products. Selected citations for PACAP 1-38 include:
Sakamoto et al (2015) Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide protects glomerular podocytes from inflammatory injuries. J Diabetes Res 2015 727152. PMID: 25821833.
Nostramo et al (2012) Regulation of angiotensin II type 2 receptor gene expression in the adrenal medulla by acute and repeated immobilization stress. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 215 291. PMID: 22911895.
Do you know of a great paper that uses PACAP 1-38 from Tocris? If so please let us know.
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Keywords: PACAP 1-38, supplier, Potently, stimulates, adenylyl, cyclases, stimulator, adenylate, Inositol, cAMP, Signaling, Signalling, Pituitary, Adenylate, Activating, Peptide, Receptors, PAC1, PACAP138, Tocris Bioscience
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Picking the right pumpkin has become almost as important as picking the right Christmas tree. There are countless varieties to choose from, and they come in a surprising range of sizes and colours including orange, white, pink, red and blue.
Cut off the top of a pumpkin and discover a tasty, nutritious treasure concealed inside -- creamy, orange-colored pulp that can be used for pies or as the base for soups. Try it grilled or pureed, or even as a moisturizing face mask.
Pumpkins are big business and are widely grown for painting or carving as part of the annual Hallowe'en tradition as well as for outdoor fall displays -- perhaps combined with gourds, a close relative.
Originating in Central and South America, pumpkins are members of the Cucurbitaceae family which includes cucumbers, squash and melons. Although classified as a warm-season vegetable, botanically the pumpkin is a fruit or berry and develops from the plant's flower structures. Rampant growers, pumpkins are generally planted in hills and can voraciously eat up any available space in a small garden. Most require a minimum of 50 to 100 square feet, with five to six feet between hills and spaced in rows that are 10 to 15 inches apart.
Think you don't have space in your garden to grow vine crops such as pumpkins? If your children or grandchildren are clamoring to grow their own pumpkins, or if you're intrigued by the idea of growing some of the trendy new varieties, why not try growing pumpkins on a vertical support? Unless you're planning to grow a colossal-sized pumpkin variety such as Atlantic Giant (which can grow to 1,000 lbs. or more) in the hopes of winning a competition, growing pumpkins on a trellis can be the perfect option when space is limited.
Mick Manfield, a certified square-foot gardening instructor, decided this year to grow pumpkins vertically on a six-foot-tall teepee-style (A-frame) trellis made from reclaimed cedar in his Lockport-area garden. The base is a mere four feet wide and just six inches deep.
"If you let pumpkins grow normally, they will take up too much space," Manfield said. "Square-foot gardening is condensed gardening in a small space.
"Anything that has tendrils -- watermelons, cucumbers -- will wrap itself around the vertical supports. When you grow them on the ground, they root. But when you grow them vertically, you only get pumpkins from the source plant.
"Another advantage to growing vertically is that the pumpkin is kept cleaner. There is less risk of damage to the skin and less risk of foliar diseases that can result when the plant is lying on the ground. It's easier to pick, too."
Manfiled selected four Cucurbita pepo varieties to grow -- Blue Doll, New Moon, Porcelain Doll and Baby Bear. Blue Doll is a pastel-blue pumpkin with an almost square shape. Deeply ribbed, it can be used for ornamental decoration or the sweet orange flesh can be used for cooking. New Moon is an all-white pumpkin -- even the flesh is white! Porcelain Doll is a pastel-pink pumpkin with deep-orange flesh that can be used for pies and soup. Baby Bear is a bowl-sized deep-orange pumpkin weighing about 1.5 to 2.5 lbs.
Manfield did not support any of the pumpkins with slings, but this is certainly an option to prevent heavier pumpkin varieties from pulling the vine downwards or breaking off. Old sheets or pantyhose can be used to create sling supports.
Because pumpkins require a long growing season, Manfield started them indoors in March and then moved the seedlings into a greenhouse before transplanting them to the ground in the late spring once all risk of frost had passed. (Read the information on the seed packet: The time to maturity is especially important information for northern gardeners who are hoping to have a pumpkin in time for Hallowe'en.)
Next year, Manfield plans to plant heirloom varieties exclusively. One possibility for a vertical square-foot garden might be Small Sugar Pumpkin, an heirloom variety that dates from the 1800s. With deep-orange skin and yellow-orange flesh, this small pumpkin grows to only nine inches in diameter and weighs five to six pounds.
Heritage Harvest Seeds in Carman offers some extremely rare heritage varieties. The seed for Omaha Pumpkin, for example, was originally obtained from the Omaha Indians in the early 1900s and introduced in 1924 by the Oscar Will Seed Company. Distinguished by its unique oblong shape, this pumpkin weighs in at three to five pounds.
Pumpkins are heavy feeders and require medium levels of nitrogen and high levels of phosphorus and potassium. Boost soil fertility with an all-purpose fertilizer combined with well-rotted manure or compost. Avoid wetting the foliage with overhead watering so as to lessen the risk of foliar diseases. Look for varieties with powdery mildew resistance such as Charisma (98 days to maturity).
Pumpkins need to be harvested before the first hard frost in fall, usually late September or early October. Cut them from the vine using pruning shears or a sharp knife, leaving three to four inches of stem attached. The handle adds to the pumpkin's character and its longevity -- without a handle, the pumpkin isn't likely to keep well and will be prone to early decay.
After harvesting, Manfield chops the vines and leaves into six-inch lengths and adds them to the compost pile. The soil in the square-foot box is top-dressed with finished compost.
Store pumpkins in a dry place. Do not store them in the refrigerator or on a concrete floor as moisture will cause your pumpkin to rapidly deteriorate. Discard any pumpkins that have been damaged by frost, bruises or disease which only soften the outer rind and cause the pumpkin to rot. Pumpkins can last for several weeks if they are stored in a cool dry area with a temperature of seven to 10 degrees.
C. Penner Pumpkins (www.pennerpumpkins.com), located on three acres northeast of Steinbach, grows pumpkins by the tens of thousands and sells right off their yard. On a recent visit, I stood in awe in front of the farm's 1950s-era barn filled with about 16,000 pumpkins.
A family-run business that operates as a destination experience, complete with zip lining and farm activities for children, owners John and Shirley Penner have been growing and selling pumpkins for 20 years.
"Families come together to pick out their pumpkins," said daughter Lorissa Penner, adding that people often bring measuring tapes and spend anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours selecting the perfect pumpkin.
"The question most often asked is which variety is best for baking," said Shirley Penner. The answer: Pie or sugar pumpkins are sweeter and have less water. Try grilling fresh pumpkin with onion, garlic, sweet peppers and lovage (Levisticum officianale), a delicious old-fashioned hardy perennial herb that smacks of both celery and parsley-like flavour.
Always on the hunt for both heritage and new varieties, the Penners source seed varieties from as far away as Johnny's Selected Seeds in Winslow, Maine. Lorissa begins placing seed orders in January, and a favourite is the bright red-orange Cinderella pumpkin or Rouge vif d'Etampes (10 to 15 lbs). Originating in France, it has served as the prototype for Cinderella's carriage pumpkin.
"It's very flat," Lorissa said. "The inside is a deep orange."
The germination rate of a package of seeds varies with pumpkins, she added. "Usually, the carver orange has a high germination rate. The specialty ones can be hit-and-miss."
Challenges to pumpkin-growing include the squash borer insect, which bores holes in the outer shell and causes the pumpkin to rot on the inside.
"Deer have been known to use pumpkins like soccer balls," Penner added. "They toss them with their hooves and then eat them."
The Penners also grow a huge assortment of weirdly-shaped gourds in solid and speckled colours. Their birdhouse gourds, which can be grown easily as vines, have been trellised. Hanging suspended above visitors' heads, they are reminiscent of ball-shaped ornaments.
Seed catalogues will be arriving in gardeners' mailboxes in another month or two. If you have space for a trellis and want to try growing pumpkins or gourds next year, check out the many fascinating varieties.


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Priscilla (Colorado Springs) Such an awesome service!
Our Niece was so surprised and from the looks of the photo that
Ralphie's service took...she was beaming. Thank you Ralphie's for personally
delivering this care pkg to our Niece. We will definitely use you in future
care pkg orders.
Tammy (Tuscon) What amazing service! Thank you so much for taking this all the way out
there, you helped us be a part of his special day even though we are so far
away! The level of customer service that you and your company provide is
amazing, especially considering the national disaster that you and the entire Boulder community are currently facing. We will keep you
all in our thoughts and prayers! Thank you again for everything!


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The recession isn't affecting the revenues generated by the European Champions League, the world's most lucrative club competition. According to UEFA figures, the tournament will earn a record $1.55 billion in marketing and television revenues for clubs and organizer UEFA this season, a figure up 33 percent from last season. And this revenue stream isn't going anywhere. UEFA plans to match it for two more seasons after signing global television and sponsorship deals with top-tier partners like Ford, Heineken, MasterCard, PlayStation, Sony and UniCredit through 2012.
does this money go? The elite 32 teams featured in the group stage draw next week will share more than two-thirds of total commercial revenues. These payouts do not include money earned from sales
of tickets and merchandise. Before play begins in September group stages, each club is guaranteed $10.1 million for participating. Clubs also get bonuses based on results. A group stage victory pays
$1.14 million, while the final next May is worth an extra $12.8 million to the winner and $7.4 million to the runner-up. A team that won all six of its group matches en route to lifting the trophy
would be guaranteed $44.4 million, plus a share of television rights.
Reigning champion FC Barcelona earned almost exactly that amount last season after including revenue from television
contracts. Runner-up Manchester United got the biggest payout, $53.8 million, in part because England is a more valuable television market than Spain. UEFA has also set aside $78 million for teams
involved in the playoff round, a fourth and final stage of qualifying which was introduced for this season's competition. UEFA, meanwhile, will retain around $285 million of total revenues to cover
its own costs and make solidarity payments to 53 member associations, national leagues and clubs.


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When it comes to protecting the people and assets you value most, Madison Insurance Group has long been the leader. For the last 35 years our founders, alongside their diverse staff of agents, have helped thousands of families and businesses protect the people and things they value most.
Our agency may be national, but we ACT locally. We make sure that every customer who walks through the door, calls on the phone or visits us via the web is offered personalized services designed specifically for them. Through our decades in business, our responsiveness and combined experience has allowed us to deliver more for our customers.
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800 Oak Ridge Turnpike C-104
Oak Ridge, TN 37830
Phone: 865.425.7300
423 S Charles G. Seivers Blvd
Clinton, TN 37716
Phone: 865.457.0981
Rock Hill
739 Galleria Blvd. Ste 120
Rock Hill, SC 29730
Phone: 800.333.8771
225 W. Seminole Blvd., Ste 103
Sanford, FL 32771
Phone: 888.981.1698
More Info
- My agent is really passionate about what she does and about helping people. Because of her attention to details and persistence; we now have more insurance coverage and are saving about $11,000 a year on all of our personal and commercial lines of insurance. - Brian and Meghan Farrow
- I have been working with MIG for over a year. Their rates are competitive, and the coverage is excellent. - Shannon Ochiltree
- I have worked with MIG for a few years now. My clients have been really pleased with the service and so have I. - Elizabeth Powers/Mortgage Options, Inc.
- MIG goes above and beyond to make sure I have exactly the right coverage that my family and business needs. - Will Bullard
- I have found that the prompt response and attention I have received from the staff at Madison has been excellent. Their rates have saved me thousands of dollars and they are very quick to respond on a claim. - Joel Bayless


text: Auto insurance companies would really like to know how well you drive on a daily basis. Usage-based insurance (UBI) products let them monitor your driving in exchange for offering you potentially lower rates. The tracking devices typically used for UBI policies tell them when you go out, how far you drive, how much and how hard you brake, and how rapidly you accelerate. If you agree to use such devices, you could be eligible for discounts of up to 30 percent on your car insurance rates. Currently, about 1 percent of drivers benefit from some form of UBI, says Bob Mathe, president of Evogi, which designs and engineers telematics solutions for insurers. In five years, that number could be as high as 20 percent, predicts Mathe. By 2020, it could be as high as 30 percent. In fact, insurers that have just begun thinking about telematics-based pricing are way behind, says Mark Hill, senior manager of Deloitte Consulting. Not only are they behind, but they also run the risk of losing their customers to early adopters that are rewarding their policyholders for safe driving, says, Stephen Packard, director of Deloitte Consulting.


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My situation is all kinds of messed up. So ill start from the beginning.
I use windows as my primary OS and I have no intention to change that anytime soon. My computer duel boots ubuntu but that would be annoying if I did that ever time I needed to use BackTrack. So I created a virtual machine using VMware Player. Installed the latest version of ubuntu and then installed VMware tools. Next I downloaded BackTrack with the following settings: version 5-R2, KDE, 64-bit, ISO, Direct.
The ISO has a lock symbol on the BackTrack icon. Dispite that I have tried to mount the ISO using GMOUNT, and Acetone ISO. Now both disk images are locked and I cant un-mount. But more importantly I still cant use BackTrack.


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Posts Tagged by Nintendo Retail Sign
World of Nintendo Neon Sign
|February 15, 2013
|Posted by Steve under My Video Game Collection
I found this in a pawn shop recently while looking for NES games. It was broken in two places and the only part that would light up was the word "Nintendo". As soon as I saw it I knew I wanted it. I asked if it was for sale and was told "No, it's for […] more


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I'll admit it. Being blind must suck, but it's about to get a whole lot worse.
More and more products are coming out with touch screens. That might be fine and dandy for me and you, but blind people are being left behind.
Stevie Wonder went to the world's biggest gadget fair, the annual Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas (at least that's where he was told he was at).
He wanted developers to include the needs of the blind into their products. Some of the examples he gave were a Sirius XM radio that he could operate and a car that he could drive.
Hey Stevie, as long as you're making a list of impossible inventions that can help the blind, I got one for you: How about some new f***ing eyes.
But good old Stevie does have a point. The menus on products like the iPhone are impossible to navigate without the ability to see. And yes, if Apple really cared about cornering the sight impaired market they would make a blind friendly version. I don't think that will ever happen because Apple must hate blind people. They even name their products in a mocking fashion, the iPhone and the iMac. Come on Apple, it's the 21st century, a little tolerance please.
By Sean Brett


text:
How to Replace a Cavalier Door Latch?
A broken door latch in your Chevrolet Cavalier is a dangerous thing. So let's face it: Unless you plan to weld the door closed and enter through the window, you must replace the latch to make sure ...
Read More »
How to Replace a Chevy S10 Door Latch?
Since the Chevy S10 is a discontinued model of truck, getting replacement parts like a door latch could be tricky. Be sure to find a reputable parts store that carries parts for these tucks; don't ...
Read More »
How to Replace a Saturn Door Latch?
Saturn vehicles utilize a mechanical door latch. Over time this latch may wear out and keep your Saturn's door from closing properly. Replacing the door latch on a Saturn vehicle can easily be acco...
Read More »
How to Replace the Door Latch on a Taurus?
When the door latch on your Ford Taurus is not working properly, it will need to be replaced with a new unit. You can take your vehicle to a mechanic, or you can save some time and money by replaci...
Read More »
How to Replace the Door Latch on a '98 Toyota Avalon?
There are three actuating rods connected to each door latch on your 1998 Toyota Avalon. Two of these rods allow the latch to be operated by either the inside door handle or the outside door handle....
Read More »


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Need Appliance Repair Help? Ask a Technician for Answers ASAP
Before I take range out and open it up from the rear I have a few more questions or statements. I replaced the high temp thermo because when tested it didn't have continuity. I by passed it momentarily to check and the squirrel cage fan turned on.
So my questions is, if this inline fuse is blown would I still have power to the fan?
"one of the breakers popped" breakers inside of the range or at the home electrical panel? If home electrical panel, cross that off the list. If breaker inside of range, where are they?
Well I found the probelm. While looking for the inline fuse (which doesn't appear to exist on this model, or it is on top and under the burners?) I found what is called the "fixed thermostat" part number(NNN) NNN-NNNN I bypassed it momentarily and the panel lite up.


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Location: Denver
Member since 2/19/2009
- 1 total post
- 1 question
Questions from vetham
What's the Average Amount of Restylane Used on Nasolabial Folds?
What is the average cc necessary for nasolabial folds or "smile lines" for moderate folds? I haven't had any Restylane to date, just inquiring on the average amount of cc... READ MORE


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John Harrigan: Both hands royally full on the hike into camp
JOHN HARRIGAN | September 21. 2013 8:35PM
Right about now, hunters are sighting their rifles in or shooting at clay pigeons (skeet) to be ready for the fall hunting seasons. Frequently, I get calls or letters from hikers worrying about whether it's safe out there.
Fall signifies, among other things, the fall of leaves. This is one of two seasons when the true lay of the land is revealed, the other being early spring. Spring can drag out, but fall tends to land with a thud.
Down below the notches there seems to be a "black fly season," which is apparently over by the Fourth of July or so. This mystifies me because black flies hatch out in the North Country all summer long, admittedly ceasing the farther north you go. Even with that caveat, I'm not exactly endearing myself to the tourism industry here.
John Harrigan's address: Box 39, Colebrook, NH 03576, or email@example.com
* e-Edition subscription required


text:
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has written in his Sunday column for the Independent, and he again talks about how Newcastle just cannot compete with the big clubs for talent, especially English talent he talks about the price of English players, so even though Pardew wanted to bring more of them into the squad this summer, it's probably not going to happen this summer, because Newcastle will simply not pay out the money to get them in.
Alan Pardew – Newcastle cannot compete
Haven't we heard all this before?
This is some of what Alan Pardew talked about in his column:
"The fees being paid for players such as Luke Shaw and, it seems, Adam Lallana, illustrates an important point that supporters need to understand."
"Clubs like Newcastle get accused of not signing English players but these are prices mid-table teams in the Premier League simply can't afford, unlike Champions League clubs with the extra revenue."
"Newcastle recently inquired about an unproven player not in the side at one of our top clubs, and we were asked £14M. He will not be joining."
"Yet we can pick up players such as Yohan Cabaye, Mathieu Debuchy and Moussa Sissoko for reasonable fees, all of who have been starring for France at the World Cup."
Although Alan keeps making these types of statements to reduce the fans' (high – make that very high) expectations, this is not the responsibility of the manager.
Pardew is only talking about the constraints that have been placed on the spending at Newcastle by owner Mike Ashley.
It is Mike who sets the amount of transfer funds available each transfer window, and it is Mike who is the one who will not pay out the money.
If Mike Ashley decided to spend the millions we now have available this summer, and in the next few years, then we could sign some of these English players.
It's the strategy of Mike Ashley that's holding the club back, and one reason the Newcastle fans are a little bit sick of Ashley right now, is that we all know that.
It's another statement from Alan Pardew that defines Newcastle as an ordinary middle of the table club (just in case people don't already know that), and probably behind clubs like Swansea, Southampton and even Hull City as far as ambition goes.
It's not good enough for Newcastle United.
And where is that Billionaire who's going to come in and save the club?
We are still waiting, and we are still very hopeful – well make that a little hopeful – well it could happen – couldn't it?
Comments welcome.
Written from Ipswich, England.


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[Date Index]
[Thread Index]
[Author Index]
Re: a old post again
dimitris wrote:
> See again my post here
> http://groups.google.com/group/comp.soft-sys.math.mathematica/browse_thread/thread/b3548554d0d2089f/28be613fe6e90f20?lnk=gst&q=&rnum=1&hl=en#28be613fe6e90f20
> I wonder why Mathematica 5.2 fails to evaluate symbolically the
> following integral
> Integrate[(Log[a*x]/Sqrt[1 + x^2])*BesselJ[0, x], {x, 0, Infinity}]
> BesselI[0, 1/2]*BesselK[0, 1/2]*Log[a]
> %/.a->0
> 0
Presumably you mean % /. a->1. In any case, the result of Integrate is
wrong. The development version of Mathematica returns it unevaluated.
> NIntegrate[(Log[x]/Sqrt[1 + x^2])*BesselJ[0, x], {x, 0, Infinity},
> Method -> Oscillatory]
> -0.9979393746360525
> whereas
> Mathematica 4.0 succeds?
> Regards
> Dimitris
"Succeeds" is a bit subjective. It returns an unevaluated Sum. A design
decision was made to not allow such results. Actually I had thought this
was decided long before version 4 so I'm surprised this persisted so
long. There are now rare cases in which such sums may again be used as
results for Integrate (piecewise integrands with infinitely many
intervals of support).
Daniel Lichtblau
Wolfram Research


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Posted by manfer on
Curlypage is a cross browser, html strict code implementation of the pagepeel effect, "magic corner" type banner. With this module you can add those ads to your website.
- Show curlypages on any corner of your pages.
- Include as many curlypages as you want on your website.
- Include up to four curlypage groups on same page (one on each corner).
- Group culypages in one corner to show them in slideshow flow. Configure times: delay, timeslot, repeat for each curlypage on group.
- Use CSS position model absolute or fixed. Absolute is only available for top curlypages.
- Custom peel sizes.
- Custom styles (you can choose 3 different styles).
- Configurable images to show when the ad is closed and opened. Supported formats (static GIF, JPG, PNG, SWF).
- SWF files support. You can upload an SWF file to use on peel. Only on open ad interactive SWF files are supported. see examples
- Show a wait icon while curlypage is loading.
- Mirror images on peel.
- Transition on load.
- Open curlypage with mouseover or mouseclick.
- Configurable peel colors.
- Peel color style, flat or gradient.
- Sound effects.
- Configurable link for ad.
- Configurable speeds.
- Automatic open and close features.
- Close button.
- Control visibility of each curlypage in a block visibility style: by language, by role, by page and by content type.
- None
Requirements on user browser to display curlypage:
- Flash player plugin installed and enable.
- The "source" folder included inside "curlypage" folder is not needed for the module to work properly. It is just there for developers. If you want to save some space on your hosting account you can delete (or just don't upload) that folder.
Curlypage package contains too:
- Domain Curlypage. A submodule that adds domain visibility settings to curlypages for websites using Domain Access.
- Curlypage Scheduler. A submodule that allow admins to schedule curlypages.
- Curlypage Clicks. A submodule to count clicks, count views, compute click throughs and track clicks.
Project Information
- Maintenance status: Actively maintained
- Development status: Under active development
- Module categories: Commerce/Advertising
- Reported installs: 428 sites currently report using this module. View usage statistics.
- Downloads: 38,718
- Last modified: 2 December 2014
- Stable releases for this project are covered by the security advisory policy.
Look for the shield icon below.
|tar.gz (479.52 KB) | zip (496.19 KB)


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New film "Oceans" gives fish-eye view of sea life
By Mathilde Gardin
PARIS (Reuters) - New French film "Oceans" not only allows viewers to swim among the fish, but opens a window on underwater lives filled with emotion and fraught with danger.
It is over fifty years since celebrated French diver and filmmaker Jacques Cousteau shot the documentary "The Silent World" and technical advances have made it easier to capture life from the perspective of a fish, the film's directors say.
"We invented all these devices to be fish amongst the fish, to witness what we have done to our environment and, when there are big catches or pollution, to see it as the fish see it," one of directors, Jacques Perrin, told Reuters.
It is more than 10 years since "Microcosmos," the award-winning exploration of the life of insects which Perrin narrated and which provided an eerily close-up look at tiny creatures living in grass.
Thanks to new camera techniques, "Oceans" allows for jarringly violent shots of spider crab wars, full-tilt dolphin chases, portraits of sea creatures caring for their young and wonderfully ugly oddities such as the Asian sheeps-head wrasse.
"Our machines do not open with one spectacular character but with an intimacy with an animal one has never seen until now and which, just like that, we become attached to," added Perrin.
New methods include encasing cameras in special boxes, allowing divers to glide alongside skates or swim shoulder to fin with large white sharks.
After two years of preparation, four years of filming and one of editing, "Oceans" comes out in France on January 27, a month after the environmental summit in Copenhagen. Continued...


text:
Link Ink: Hot Toys' Exclusive 'The Dark Knight' Figure, 'Bone' Turns 20 and Daleks go Soft
Toys: Hot Toys will have an exclusive 1/6 scale The Dark Knight Batman doll in tow at Comic-Con and other 2011 Toy Fairs. It doesn't have a voice chip, but do you really need one? I hear "SWEAR TO ME!" just looking at it. [Toynewsi]
Upcoming: Jeff Smith's Bone turns 20 this year, and to celebrate, a special edition box set will be released at SDCC. [The Daily Cartoonist]
History: If you haven't had a chance to dig into the history of underground comix, there's no better time to start than by listening to an excerpt from cartoonist Jay Kinney reading an excerpt from his "The Rise and Fall of the Underground Comix Movement in San Francisco and Beyond" essay from Ten Years That Shook the City: San Francisco 1968-78, from editor Chris Carlsson. [BoingBoing]
Threads: Comics Salvage's repurposed comic pages make for lovely (if currently sold out) cufflinks. [Boing Boing]
Video: Captain America celebrates his Harley in the latest Marvel Super Heroes: What The–?! Bucky just can't compete with those wheels. [Marvel]
Toys: The Doctor's plush TARDIS doesn't seem like it would offer much protection against his deadly foes, but considering the Daleks outside his door are also stuffed, the playing field seems suitably leveled. [Tomopop]
Art: A.J. Hately images the vintage books of videogame worlds with some wonderful results. [Tumblr]
Gaming: Mario on Paper explores the deeper ramifications of Mario's actions in the Mushroom Kingdom and abroad. [Gamma Squad]
Toys: Comic-Con attendees can get their hands on Hasbro's Comic-Con exclusive Spider-Man Mighty Mugg with a removable cloth mask this summer at the HasbroToyShop.com booth (#3329). [Facebook]


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Yacht & Brokerage Show numbers on the risePosted on Written by Richard Armstrong
Exhibitors, attendance, boats and revenue all showed increases over last year on Collins Avenue
The scene at this year's Yacht & Brokerage Show, staged along Miami's Collins Avenue, showed a continuing uptick in optimism among exhibitors.
There were more boats, exhibitors and visitors at this year's Yacht & Brokerage Show, further brightening the mood of an industry in need of good news.
"I couldn't have been happier," says Efrem "Skip" Zimbalist III, CEO of Active Interest Media and Show Management. "Coming in, we seemed to have some good momentum, and we had good crowds, great weather and great exhibitors."
The number of exhibitors was up from 143 last year to 165. Revenue from exhibitors was up more than 12 percent, new boats on display were up about 14 percent and brokerage boats were up 3 percent, Zimbalist says.
Attendance figures weren't available because admission was free, but Zimbalist estimates foot traffic increased 15 to 20 percent, based on concession sales that were 40 percent higher than in 2010.
Attendee registration at exhibits was the best in seven years, he says, with exhibitors reporting especially strong customer inquiries in the 40- to 80-foot range.
- The Ferretti Group, which had 22 yachts from 33 to 88 feet on display, introduced four models – the Ferretti 800, 750 and 620 and the Aquariva Gucci, a 33-foot fiberglass and mahogany dayboat designed in collaboration with luxury goods manufacturer Gucci and powered by twin 380-hp Yanmars.
CEO Salvatore Basile says the group is "doing better than expected," which he credits to reinvestment during a down market. "Our investment in new product, investment in new technology and investment in better customer care has produced excellent results," he says.
Rob McDougal, chief sales officer for the group, said in a statement that a "significant number" of boats were sold and "we are confident that our sales figures will continue to rise."
Basile points to continued investment in the North American market, including Allied Marine alliances with dealers in Chicago and Wisconsin and the opening of a new sales office in Newport, R.I., as a sign of the company's long-term commitment. www.ferrettigroup.com
- Grand Banks displayed two new yachts, the 76 Aleutian RP and the 46 Eastbay FB. Marketing director David Hensel says the last few years have been challenging, but debt avoidance, a strong cash position and a conservative business philosophy have kept the builder stable.
"We're eager to see what happens in Miami because there has certainly been a lot of momentum building," Hensel says. "Our people are very enthusiastic about the quality of leads. It's just a matter of getting the deals done." He says the company remains committed to the idea that new products and innovation will drive the recovery. www.grandbanks.com
- A new player, Netherlands-based Zeelander Yachts, showed its 38- and 44-footers. The semicustom yachts, with twin Volvo Penta IPS propulsion and a gyro stabilizer system, are marketed as high-end tenders for megayacht owners who want to cruise without a crew.
"One of the European publications called it a 'mini-superyacht,' " says Peter Quintal, a Fort Lauderdale-based sales executive who previously sold Sea Ray boats.
Nine hulls have been launched, Quintal says, and the two boats on display had been sold before the show began, both to American clients.
Zeelander is taking an aggressive approach for a new company, pushing into the European and North American markets simultaneously. The builder announced a deal with MarineMax after the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last fall.
"Based on the reaction so far we're looking to move production to the U.S. very soon," Quintal says. "Dutch-designed, U.S.-refined."
The yachts take about eight months to build, and they are priced in the $1 million to $2 million range. www.zeelanderyachts.com
- Viking Yachts, which brought 14 models from 42 to 82 feet, had one of the most visited displays on Collins Avenue. There were 4,800 registered guests during the five-day show – a 50 percent increase from last year, according to a company announcement.
Six Vikings were reportedly sold: two 76 Convertibles, a 70 Convertible, two 60 Convertibles and a 66 Convertible, a new model announced at the show. Viking expected additional confirmations in the weeks after the show, based on post-show sea trial appointments. www.vikingyachts.com
- Yachting Experts International Brokers officially celebrated its new partnership with Australian boatbuilder Riviera Yachts by hosting a launch party during the show. More than 250 people, including John Anderson, Riviera's chief executive, and Chris McCafferty, CEO of Riviera Yachts USA, attended the event, which was held at the Riviera display.
Visitors also were able to tour a number of Riviera models, including the popular 44 Sport Yacht, 47 Enclosed Fly Bridge and 45 Convertible.
Yachting Experts last fall was named the exclusive South Florida dealer, including Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, for Riviera and its line of motoryachts and express cruisers from 35 to 85 feet.
Yachting Experts says it closed more than $3.6 million in sales of new and brokerage boats at the show and got another six leads that could generate additional sales in the coming weeks.
"On the new-boat side, we sold three Riviera models, as well as three Boston Whaler boats, to South American buyers," says Betty De Varona, who with her husband, Frank, is a principal of Yachting Experts. "On top of that we sold three brokerage boats." www.yachtingexperts.com
- Jenny Stern, director of marketing for Nordhavn builder Pacific Asian Enterprises, was giving tours of the 64. (A Nordhavn 55 was on display at the Sea Isle Marina & Yacht Center.)
Stern describes business as stable after a "gangbuster" December. Recent sales included an 86- and a 66-footer. "We want to get through this year, and we think we'll be all right," Stern says. www.nordhavn.com
- Galati Yachts, a dealership whose lines include Grand Banks, Cruisers, Tiara and Viking, had more than a dozen yachts on hand at its expansive display. The company was coming off its third year of exhibiting at the Dubai International Boat Show.
Broker Brian Franc says the Florida-based dealership has been helped by an expanding international presence. "We're expanding our horizons, starting with the 2008 Dubai show," Franc says. "Business was coming to us, but now we're going to it."
General manager Darren Plymale says business is showing clear signs of improvement. "Lauderdale was a good show," Plymale says. "So our take is, let's ride the wave and see where it goes." www.galatiyachts.com
- Among the brokers, Pam Barlow of Luke Brown Yachts was aboard Sea Fever, a 90-foot 2003 McQueen motoryacht selling for $3.85 million. Barlow says 2011 looks to be a better year. "It's definitely picking up," she says. "I had clients who are actually ready to buy now instead of sitting on the fence, like the last couple of years. The perception of a yacht as a 'luxury expense' seems to be fading."
Barlow says yachts in the 70- to 130-foot range seem to have the most traction as the industry recovers. www.lukebrown.com
This article originally appeared in the April 2011 issue.


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A curious coincidence of events this month illuminates the limits of the conventions that mediate the relationship between monarchy and democracy. On Tuesday, the BBC apologised to the Queen (with a startling obsequiousness) after Frank Gardner, the corporation's security correspondent, breached one of the conventions by revealing that she had once told him of her concerns about Abu Hamza. The Queen's conversations, not only with ministers but with everyone, stay private: a compromise between the monarch's constitutional duty to advise, encourage or warn while remaining, constitutionally, above the political fray.
A week earlier, in a careful ruling in a case brought by the Guardian, the information tribunal upheld the right to see some specific correspondence between Prince Charles and ministers. The government argued that the so-called "black spider" memos, in which Charles promotes pet projects, were made in a personal capacity and should remain confidential. In a thumping rejection of this claim, the three judges found the missives were, while not actually unconstitutional, not within the terms of the conventions either. They concluded: "Those who seek to influence government policy must understand that the public has a legitimate interest in knowing what they have been doing and what the government has been doing in response." The public interest was, they said, particularly strong where Charles was involved. His charities had such widespread interests that they potentially affected the work of many departments.
This skirmish is not over: the government has a fortnight to decide whether to appeal. Yet the battle may be lost. In 2010, in what the former MP and constitutional campaigner Tony Wright called the "Prince Charles" clause, parliament agreed to exempt all of his correspondence from the Freedom of Information Act. The Guardian has been told that royal pressure led to it being rushed through just before the election. As a result, last week's FoI victory will not unleash a flood of material. It solely covers letters over a few months in 2004 and 2005.
According to one royal biographer, Charles regards being Prince of Wales as his life's work. He is said to accept that campaigning would be unacceptable if and when he becomes king. But this requires us to believe he can simply set aside strong views and assume the discretion needed to sustain the monarch's impartiality. In the meantime, accepting that his secret activism is time-limited makes it no more acceptable. Transparency and accountability are fundamental to good government. His meddling, however well-meaning, cannot be allowed to be shrouded in constitutional convention.


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Meredith College is one of the best colleges and universities in the Southeast according to The Princeton Review. The education services company selected Meredith as one of the institutions it recommends in its "Best in the Southeast" section of its web site feature "2010 Best Colleges: Region by Region" that posted July 27, 2009.
The Princeton Review does not rank the colleges in its 2010 Best Colleges Region by Region web site section. The Princeton Review survey for this project asks students to rate their own schools on several issues—from the accessibility of their professors to quality of the campus food—and answer questions about themselves, their fellow students and their campus life.
Actual comments from surveyed students are included in each Princeton Review college profile.
Meredith students are quoted on the site describing their classmates as "outspoken," "fearless," "aware" and "independent" women [who] are "active about doing something in their lives and in the world." This "very tight-knit group of students" regard their education as an opportunity to "push your mind and your conventions" and "make your own way in life."
The 141 colleges The Princeton Review chose for its "Best in the Southeast" designations are located in 12 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Date Submitted: 2009-07-28
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