text:
Items in Cart:
Phone and battery. No Charger
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us. Please note that we don't only sell on Bid or Buy alone but also on other websites, so to deal with your question / query as soon as possible please add to your email purchase details so we have as much information as possible to identify your order and deal with your request as quickly and as efficiently as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. What does refurbished means?
It means that one of our engineers has given the phone a full examination and check; made sure that phone will work with all networks (except 3G unless stated specifically that is will work on the 3G Network)) and that this unit looks as new as possible. All units come with a great quality battery, and 14 days warranty. NO other accessories are included unless stated otherwise.
Q. What does grade A, B, C means?
Grade A - These units are either 14-Day retail returns or Fully Refurbished Units. They are Grade A Handsets, showing no significant cosmetic damage. These units will look "as new".
Grade B - These units are Used handsets and will show signs of average wear & tear. They are not very heavily scratched or marked and will not be damaged or broken. They are not "as new" but of a high standard for second user handsets. They are fully checked and tested and have the same warranty as the Grade A handsets.
Grade C - These units are Used handsets and will show more signs of more severe use, deeper scratches and chipped paintwork. They will not be damaged or broken and will still be fully tested and checked. They are fully checked and tested and have the same warranty as the Grade A handsets.
Q. What does sim free means?
A. Sim free – Sim free = unlocked, what means that phone doesn't have any sim lock, and its able to work with any network provider of your choice. Please note that not all phones even though they are sim free will work on 3G network.
Q. What do I do if I get phone and it does not work?
A. In this extremely unlikely situation contact us to let us know before leaving feedback on BoB, return the phone and we will give you a 100% full refund or replacement phone if you want. Remember also if you find within 7 DAYS of your purchase that you are not 100% completely happy then give us the chance to rectify any concerns you have, please do not just leave negative feedback. If we cannot then remember we offer a full money back refund!!!
Q. Do I get any warranty?
A. YES – All our phones are sold with 14 days (unless stated otherwise) in house warranty (excluding liquid and physical damage). Warranty is base on the date of purchase so please keep your Bid or Buy purchase records for further reference if needed. You will not receive a warranty on paper, so please DO NOT ask for it. If your phone fails and you need to use the warranty please email us first with your purchase details (name of item, auction number, your Bid or Buy ID, shipping address, payment method and date, your email address) and describe phone fault; you will then be given instruction where to send the phone for repairs and how long this process should last.
If you are having problems with your payment please let us know as soon as possible. If we do not receive payment within 7 days after your purchase was made we will open an unpaid item dispute and we will file a Sale Not Completed (SNC). If an SNC is opened against you and you decided to pay for your order, please respond to the dispute and give us clear information when and how the order was paid for.
Once your order has been paid for it will be posted out to you within 1-3 working days (please note that most items are sent out same day if ordered and paid before 1pm). Orders will be send out via the shipping terms on the auction page. Please do not get frustrated and leave us bad feedback for delays in postage which are beyond our control. Please DO NOT email us regarding shipping information unless it's been at least 15 working days (UK items) after your order was paid for. We will email tracking numbers a soon as we can.
We will email tracking numbers a soon as we can.
All products are supplied with a 7 days return to us if not satisfied policy, applicable from the date of receipt. Item(s) must be returned as received, in full, with no missing components / parts, with all original packaging. Any item(s) returned, is to be done at the cost of the buyer. If you want to return your order please email so we can provide you with return details and Returned Item Form (RIA).
Please remember to leave feedback for us once you have received your item and we will do the same for you. Feedback will be left upon feedback received, so PLEASE do not ask us to leave feedback first. If you have a problem with your item(s) please contact us first BEFORE leaving feedback. Most problems can easily be rectified so please give us the opportunity.
Please note that problems CANNOT be rectified once feedback has been left! Search the web for info on the item you are buying.
* Picture for illustration only, Colours may vary. NO COLLECTIONS


text:
Best Of :: Sports & Recreation
Ever since Cloverleaf Lanes opened in 1958, the scuffed Lustre King custom ball conditioner has been sitting there next to the cranky Art Deco vending machine that dispenses wrist supports, rosin bags, and tinfoil packets of Smooth Slide, which is guaranteed to fix sticky soles. And then y'got'chur baggies full of cracked ice floating in a thousand pitchers of beer. Y'got'chur teams of hair-netted cooks all dressed up like frazzled Little League mothers, slapping fresh meat patties on a grill, slicing tomatoes, and building $2.95 burger baskets. Y'got'chur Hank Williams, Jr., sharing jukebox real estate in the Emerald Isle Bar with Lauryn Hill and various hip-hop crews. There's also karaoke on Fridays and Saturdays. Y'got'chur pool tables, your arcade, and your video games that pay off in Bowling Bucks, which buy anything on the premises except booze and tobacco. Y'got'chur 37th Annual Tournament of the Americas scheduled for August, featuring bowlers from as many as 26 countries. They'll compete for trophies, not cash. Y'got'chur 50 lanes, all nicely rebuilt in 1997, and fancy graphics that keep your score and even show you how to make your split. And you can get your ball drilled at the pro shop.
But what you've really got is a community atmosphere full of cheerful, sweaty camaraderie that fits as comfortably as an old bowling glove. The Romaniks , who bought the place in 1977, encourage a friendly, family- run atmosphere. It's a good advertisement for Miami: a peaceful ethnic stew where everyone is shooting either for a place on the south wall's Hall of Fame or for one of those plaques scattered hither and yon that honor both living and dead local bowlers.
It's been a strange morning. The kids are bored with their video games. In fact they're bored with everything. You're about to tell them to go out and play on the expressway. You feel as though you're a candidate for the funny farm. Well, why not go to one and take the kids along? Patch o' Heaven is a twenty-acre spread where owner Elaine Spear has been breeding goats, cows, deer, sheep, and emus, among other animals, since 1983. She's also devoted to providing children with an opportunity to pet and otherwise get personal with the creatures. She offers pony rides and two hayrides per day through fields that are scattered with deer and emu. Kids fraternize with ducks, geese, turkeys, parrots, pygmy goats, key deer, and some local celebrities such as Bernina Banana Capucha the monkey and Tiffany the dancing cockatoo. The patch is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Admission is $8.50 per person or six dollars a head for student groups if you call in advance. Huddle with your gaggle and quack at the ducks. It just might keep you from quacking up.
Here you are, jammed into overdeveloped, thickly congested, air-polluted Miami, raging at the idiots around you and choking on the toxic fumes of urban life. There it is, the outback, where porpoises frolic in the shimmering flow and hawks soar against the glow of the cirrostratus. You can get there from here. First pack up your camping gear, some food and beverage, your favorite bug repellent. Next drive south to Flamingo, where the park rents canoes ($40 overnight). Reserve one of the chickees or space at the other campsites (about ten dollars in season, free during late spring and summer) along the clearly marked mangrove-lined trail leading to nirvana. Then begin paddling. Hell's Bay is heavenly, like Florida before freeways, one of the last refuges for nature lovers, a place where you can awaken to a dawn bristling with color and life (devoid of those darn humans). Be aware that canoeing this route is not an endeavor of sissies: Hell's Bay is a narrow, twisting half-day paddle from Flamingo. That's what it takes to get from Miami to paradise these days.
Greynolds has received a bum rap in recent years. True, its once-teeming bird rookery has fallen victim to marauding raccoons, feral cats, and extensive development near park boundaries. Yet this park/golf course/ picnic ground is still a magnificent oasis from hectic urban life. Dirt and paved trails meander through oak and palmetto stands. Wooden bridges cross over water and red mangroves. You can view fish jumping, birds feeding, and kids flying kites here. A large playground and a stone fort on a hill are great diversions for small children. Adults can stroll the grounds and enjoy a natural serenity all-too-often forsaken in modern living.
Feel free to frolic like the mythical gods and their favorite mortals in the Elysian Fields at Fairchild Tropical Garden. These 83 acres of tropical botanical rarities provide a delightful backdrop for your meal: flowering trees, palms, mangroves, bamboos, and vines. Throw down a blanket and become enchanted by a giant African baobab tree. Relax in the cool, moist rain forest or feast on fresh fruit near the still waters of a lily pond. A couple of caveats: 1) No grills allowed; and 2) No Dionysian-style debauchery -- kids are a common sight here. The garden is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and admission is eight dollars. There's no charge for children twelve years old and under. Tread lightly and don't wake the gods.
The hotshots are playing on this court, running the floor like gazelles, connecting on impossible alley-oop passes, and nailing honey-sweet jumpers that would impress even Tim Hardaway. But the action isn't quite as intense just one court over, where some tykes are swarming around a bouncing ball, occasionally heaving shots that barely reach the rim, and drawing proud applause from a few moms on the sideline. Every day at Cagni, from sunup until 10:30 p.m. when the park closes, you see the kids, the superstars, and everybody in-between. So come one, come all. Whether you want to measure your skills against some of the best playground competition in Miami or you're just looking for a way to shed those extra pounds, these four courts are the spot for you. Excellent lighting and a helpful park staff keep the peace. It's safe and fun for the whole family at this little slice of hoops heaven.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Monday, May 24, 2010
Hog Hooch (Cattle Panel Hoop House)
We learned so much about how to build one of these cattle panel hoop houses for our Large Black Hogs from looking at the blogs and websites of other small farmers, none of which really had complete plans, but provided us with several good ideas from the photos and descriptions. So, to reciprocate, and say a big thank you to all of you who are so generous to share your ideas about livestock housing, here are the photos of the hoop house we built for our hogs in its various stages of construction.
My husband, who can build anything, says he really just made this up as he was going along, so I don't have any plans. We got the billboard tarp from the Billboard Tarp Warehouse online. This hog hooch is 3 panels long, about 13' long, and approximately 8 ' wide. We've got it tied down with t-posts driven 2' into the ground (the one we built for the chickens withstood the 70 MPH windstorm we had recently) and snugged down with ratchet straps across the top, which really make this thing solid. We'd guesstimate the total cost of construction to be approximately $300.
We secured every loose end of tarp fabric and finished it up as the sun was setting last night, utterly exhausted, wind blown, and bleary eyed. There was much complaining this morning about aching muscles and middle aged bones. I am hoping that the hogs haven't devoured it by the end of the day.
2 comments:
Thanks for making the hog paneled hoop house available; great pictures. I was wondering if you have had any problems with the hogs pushing against the sides and causing damage to the structure, how hot it gets in the summer and winter, and whether you get any condensation.ReplyDelete
This hoop house has stood up very well - both to weather and hogs. We have had some enormous snowfalls, and the roof has held. No problems there. I did knock the snow off with a broom each morning, but woke up several times to find quite a load of snow on the roof. The hogs have nibbled and chewed at the corners of the house, so the tarp is getting a little damaged on those edges from curious pigs. But, because we kept the tarp pretty tight, they can only nibble, not really get a good hold on the tar and start ripping. Originally, I had a 16-foot cattle panel on each long side to protect the tarp, but then we needed cattle panels for some fencing patches, so I robbed those from the sides of the hoop house and didn't replace. I would recommend putting those panels on the outside. The only other damage we've had is from when the wind blows and the panels move a little. Then the friction from the panels has rubbed a few spots on the tarp. But only a few in all these years, and I've repaired with duct tape. The rachet straps my husband used to tie it down have helped a lot, I think. I suspect that we'll put a new tarp on it before next winter, although it actually has held up quite well - especially to our 700+ pound boar. He spent a considerable amount of time this summer lounging against the cattle panel sides, sleeping away the days, and, even though I thought for sure he'd be the one to destroy it, it held up to him. I think the fact that this house has stood up to our boar says a lot!ReplyDelete
I think I have a link from the hoop house post on my blog to the online store where we purchased our first billboard to use as a cover. Later, I discovered that those billboard companies will give those away to you for free, which is of course much better! You just have to find out who is doing the billboard ads in your area.
In terms of insulation, we had a few nights a couple of years ago when it was almost 30 below. One really cold spell, I had 6 approximately 200-pound feeder barrows in that hoop house, bedded down on a thick layer of good straw, and it held their body heat well. It was noticeably warmer when you walked into the hoop house. We just put plastic over the one window we have in the back of the hoop house every winter, and the front door is facing away from our prevailing winds. So they were out of the wind, dry, on thick bedding. It worked out really well. In the summer, we open up the back window, and because of the orientation of the hoop house, a nice breeze comes in through the back window and out through the front door. It is noticeably cooler there in the summer.
Hope yours work out as well for you as they have for us. We certainly don't have the snow I think you must get in Montana, but like I said, we've been dumped on a few times, and the roof held the load.
It's so dry here, I haven't noticed any condensation on the inside.
Please let me know if I can answer any more questions. Happy to help.


text:
In This Issue
Loan Zone: First-Time Car Buyer Program
Tech Time: Un-clouding the Cloud
On Compliance: 2014 Record Retention Rules (and Guidelines)
Case Study: High-Yield, Low-Touch Savings
Best Practices: Enterprise Risk Management
Blog: Creative Training Solution for Customer-Centric CUs
Credit Insurance: Don't Miss Opportunities to Help Members
Have you ever been told that you can't win the lottery if you never play? The same holds true with credit insurance: You'll never know if a member is interested in purchasing credit insurance if it's never offered. Your credit union may be missing out on helping clients and adding revenue to your bottom line primarily because no one asked. Read More >>>
Who doesn't remember their first car? The institution that finances a first auto purchase and makes it a positive experience has an excellent chance of developing a lifelong relationship with that younger consumer. Read More>>>
The Role of Insurance in Data Breach Risks
The risk of a data breach is equal to or greater than the risk of natural disasters, business interruption, fires and similar insurable risks, according to 76% of business risk management employees surveyed by Ponemon Institute. If you don't have a policy dedicated to the growing array of data breach risks, you need to review your overall exposure to these risks.Read More>>>
With interest and participation in cloud-based virtual systems on the rise, credit unions that have not moved their IT infrastructure, email and public-facing systems to the cloud are likely giving the idea some serious thought. Read More>>>
2014 Record Retention Rules (and Guidelines)
A major stumbling block to effective record retention is getting a firm grip on which records a credit union should keep and which ones are safe to destroy. Read More >>>
Successful Mentorship Program Boosts Retention and Performance
FirstLight Federal Credit Union has discovered the secret to teller success. Using the latest simulation technology, the CU has created an innovative teller onboarding and mentorship program that has boosted performance and cut teller turnover by 75%. Read More>>>
Meet Hubert, the Internet division of Sunova Credit Union, billed as "Canada's happiest online savings site." Read More >>>
Best Practices
Many credit unions feel they are behind the curve compared to their peers' enterprise risk management programs, said Vincent Hui, senior director of Cornerstone Advisors Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz., during a January CUES webinar. Read More>>>
Creative Training Solution for Customer-Centric CUs
By presenting a complete consumer financial package, credit unions can cross-sell other products and grow membership through a client-centric sales process. Read More in this sponsored CUES Skybox blog post>>>
Member News
Community Involvement: Employees from Align Credit Union, Lowell, Mass., donated toiletries, including razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream and shampoo, to Pathfinder, an organization that serves the area's homeless population. The CU has one CUES member.
FedChoice Federal Credit Union, Lanham, Md., has raised $1,790 to support the Federal Employee & Education Assistance Fund, an organization that helps federal employees during times of need. After the government shutdown plus the furloughs from earlier in 2013, FEEA's resources were tapped out from the overwhelming demand for federal employee hardship assistance. The CU has 13 CUES members as part of its CUES Advancing Management Group Membership.
GECU, El Paso, Texas, is offering five free online financial education videos available in both English and Spanish on its website. The CU has 15 CUES members as part of its CUES Executive Group Membership.
Genisys Credit Union, Auburn Hills, Mich., was the premier sponsor for Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency's Walk for Warmth event. Additionally, CU members and employees raised over $27,000 to assure neighbors stay warm during the winter. The CU has two CUES members.
CUES Supplier Member News: CUNA Mutual Group, Madison, Wis., is funding a $20,000 grant for the World Council of Credit Unions' Global Women's Leadership Network Scholarship.
Events Calendar
April 6-11 CEO Institute I: Strategic Planning The Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania
April 7 Leading Vendor Management to Fund Innovation Webinar
April 9 My Virtual StrongBox–Unlimited Opportunity Webinar
April 14-17 CUES Compensation Week Webinars
April 28-29 CUES School of Product and Channel Management™ Austin
April 28-May 2 CUES School of Business Lending™ I Austin
April 30-May 1 CUES School of Growth and Profitability™ Austin


text:
Church school admissions: Document on procedures in cases of breach of regulations published
A document about the procedures to be followed in cases of breach of regulations for admission into Church schools has been published by the church authorities.
Two years ago, the church authorities revised the admission procedures into church schools bringing about a new level of transparency and justice.
The new document, agreed upon by the Episcopal Conference together with the Council for Major Religious Superiors, follows in the same direction.
It proposes the setting up of an Admissions Supervisory Board, which would appoint individuals having competence in investigating such cases.
In case of disciplinary procedures, the board will hear what the alleged functionary has to say and decide on appropriate sanctions.
Personnel from church schools involved in breaches of the regulations may not only lose their job, but may also not be employed with Church institutions involved in the Church schools admission process for three years.
All reports of alleged breaches of the regulations are to be made to the delegate for Catholic education.
The delegate will coordinate all the necessary steps needed to ascertain the veracity of each report and the action to be taken. Procedures will be initiated against anybody making false accusations.
The document is available on the Curia website.
See our Comments Policy Comments are submitted under the express understanding and condition that the editor may, and is authorised to, disclose any/all of the above personal information to any person or entity requesting the information for the purposes of legal action on grounds that such person or entity is aggrieved by any comment so submitted. Please allow some time for your comment to be moderated.


text:
Subaru WRX Forum (http://www.wrxtuners.com/forums/)
- Cylinder Head & Short Block (http://www.wrxtuners.com/forums/f103/)
- - EJ22T -Closed Deck- WORTH $$$??? (http://www.wrxtuners.com/forums/f103/ej22t-closed-deck-worth-21527/)
EJ22T -Closed Deck- WORTH $$$???
I'm a newb to the Sub thing but know that this motor is an excellent choice if you wanna build a rally-tastic Subie! I have access to this motor well the whole car for that matter... Its a 94 Turbo, I'm wondering if these are worth much $$$. It has around 140k and runs excellent. How desirable are these?? Are people building them like they should be?? If I had more money I'd LOVE to build it...
One word answer to this is YES!!! Buy it, build it, run it and enjoy it, one of the best motors Subaru ever build.
Please put a intercooler on it if you do!!! Or the motor wil go poof!! These did not come intercooled and that led to there failure. Plus the turbos seemed to fail more then you would like to see. But they are great cars and are a excellent platform. But like any other platform there is room for improvement.
Oh and that is a top notch motor , That is the block I have in my 02 wrx and I have it stroked to 2.34 l and It has great mid range torque. I have a Garrett Gt 30 rotated but I think It would be a great motor for a twinscroll turbo setup, I want to try!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you
Good Luck
That is a very good block...just make sure you rebuild it and put an intercooler on it !Thumbs Up
I would say you should be able to get that short block for around $200-$400
yes definatly go for it..im building this block to with a stroke at 2.3 all you will need is a 2.5 phase 1 crank and rods.. there are many many high hp builds on this block over at nasioc.
Kind of off topic here, but what years were the phase 1 cranks? Also how hard would it be to bolt on wrx heads to this block?
I phase 1 parts are off of 1995-1999 2.5 n/a's i believe.. the wrx heads fit right up with no mods needed.
Stroke 79mm (phase 1 crank pre 1999)
Piston bore 97.5mm (Wiseco K602M975)
Rods 5.137" 130.48mm (Eagle CRS5137S3D)
WRX heads 49cc (link)
Headgasket 0.051" 1.295mm (Cometic C4263-051)
heres some nice 2.2 build up threads...
last but not least axis power 2.35 build( verrryyy nice btw)
Thanks you sir. Those will come in handy.
What about timing belt issues, say if your going from a SOHC to a DOHC, will everything still bolt up?
i dont quit understand your question but sohc heads or dohc heads will both fit on the block with no mods needed.
Never mind I found the answer I was looking for thanks though. !Thumbs Up
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:14 AM.
Powered by vBulletin®. Copyright ©2000 - 2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
vBulletin Security provided by vBSecurity v2.2.2 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.0.8pl1 (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.


text:
Born from the hands of many comes a tale of art, struggle and the right to live. Stanford University created a class back in 2007 that combines the talents of undergraduate and graduate writers and artists. From outlines and sketches to inked pages and printed book, these students work together in a class called the Graphic Novel Project. Virunga is the story of a national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a girl who wishes to draw; something most of us can relate to.
Despite the panels being drawn and inked by different artists, the character design is so on-point that following the story is no trouble. Virunga follows a Tutsi girl named Malika who cannot help but put charcoal to paper, when she can find the tools. Fascinated by the gorillas, she befriends the local group of rangers protecting the park from poachers.
When the book really takes flight is during the manifestations of pain felt by many of the characters (mostly women). The eye of a bird reminds them of a soldier who took advantage of them, the green grass reminds them of the army who killed their family. Some hurts have no name. The creators honestly break the grid in such fun ways you have a hard time believing this is most of the collaborator's first comic.
The story itself is fictional but is set historically in the real park as the twenty-week course at Stanford focuses on storytelling and non-fiction research. The involved research and help by the professors, Adam Johnson and Tom Kealey (with art design by CCS '09 alum and cartooning journalist Dan Archer) creates a story that follows through on its intentions. The reader is left touched and hopeful that life can begin anew from the ashes of the old. The Graphic Novel Project even goes as far to provide information on the Virunga Rangers and how you can help. Plus the group actually posted the whole book online so you can enjoy it all! If you like what you see, check out the other two Stanford Graphic Novel Projects, Shake Girl and Pika-don. If you attend Stanford, it is time to sign up for an amazing class and experience. Go, read!


text:
July 13, 2010/Wayne State University News
DETROIT - On July 19, administrators from Wayne State University's Computing & Information Technology (C&IT) office and the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) will be recognized at the Campus Technology 2010 conference hosted by Campus Technology magazine. Wayne State is one of 11 Campus Technology Innovators award winners, chosen from nearly 500 entries.
July 6, 2010/Detroit Free Press
Students at the new Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine won't be spending most of their first two years in lecture halls listening to traditional topics such as anatomy and physiology.
Instead, their priorities will be doing mandatory community service projects, receiving lessons on nutrition and wellness and talking to patients or practicing examination skills on lifelike mannequins.
Researchers at the University of Michigan are seeing positive results from the earliest stages of experiments designed to determine whether stem cells can help patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) -- better known as Lou Gehrig's disease.


text:
Point CounterPoint Chamber Music Campbased on 0 reviews (review)
Camp Directors - Update this ListingCamp Location: Leicester, Vermont, United States
Ages: 11 to 17 years old
Gender: Male and Female
Camp type:Day and Overnight
Session dates:
Cost (range): $1,000 - $2,000 a week
Contact Person:
Phone: 267-886-5359
Mailing Address:
Camp Website
Camp's Description
Each day of camp is packed with music and activities. While chamber music is the main focus of each day's schedule, we also emphasize the importance of balancing work with play and rest. We schedule free time throughout the day, allowing campers to socialize on their own or read a book, as well as optional activities such as sports and arts-and-crafts.
Here is a brief outline of a typical day at Point CounterPoint:
7:15 Wake-Up Bell
8:00 Breakfast 9:00 Music Periods
12:15 Free-Time
1:00 Lunch
2:00 Activities/Free-Time or Optional Practicing
4:30 Music Period
5:15 Free-Time
6:00 Dinner
7:30 Performance or Activities/Free-Time
10:30 Lights Out
Counselors offer a wide range of activities for large and small groups- campers can usually choose between two or three organized activities at any one point. One of the advantages of our small size is the special attention we can give; we can adapt our program to suit the interests and energy levels of the campers and involve them in some of the planning through our Camper Council. Wednesday and Saturday afternoons are set aside for special all-camp activities. For Saturday night campers choose a party theme, create decorations, and make a music mix for dancing and playing games.


text:
VTechWorks indexes the full text of theses and dissertations written at Virginia Tech, which have been submitted electronically since 1995. It also includes some scanned versions of printed theses and dissertations. You can also browse these documents by author or department. Most documents are freely available, though some documents are restricted to Virginia Tech users only.
September 13, 2010
NOTE: Most items obtained from this page are subscribed to by the library and accessible only to Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff.
WARNING: The abuse of Virginia Tech licensed online resources by such means as systematic downloading violates the university's acceptable use policy, jeopardizes Tech's future access to resources, and is prohibited.


text:
by Staff Writer
Everyone loves sports -- no exceptions! Basketball, baseball, football, soccer, golf and more have turned billions of people into devoted sports lovers. Finding the right gifts for sports lovers may seem like a daunting task, but you have nothing to worry about. There are plenty of options for sports fans of all kinds, meaning it's never too difficult to track down great presents for them. Read below to learn some excellent tips on buying gifts for sports lovers.
Identifying sports lovers: Your gift recipients are all-star athletes if they received a college scholarship for playing sports; are "carbo-loading" when you are shunning carbohydrates; they know which professional athletes have sneakers named after them; or they have a fantasy football team, a fantasy baseball team and a fantasy basketball team.
Collectibles: Give them sports memorabilia to remember the teams that helped inspire them to play sports. Collectibles such as trading cards, limited-edition jerseys and posters all make excellent gifts for sports lovers.
Sports movies: They know how exciting it is to overcome an obstacle and win a big game, so they will love movies with stories about athletes who do the same. There are sports dramas, comedies and even romances, so you should never have trouble tracking down sports movies for gifts.
Nintendo Wii: Generation Y athletes don't like to sit still, so let them play the games where they can move around the living room, like Nintendo Wii tennis, golf and bowling. The Nintendo Wii lets players feel like they are actually in the game, which means sports lovers can enjoy themselves on the court and in the living room.
Watches: A sport watch or a dive watch would look stylish on your athlete and would take the abuse it may receive.
Loungewear: After the game, meet or match, your all-star athlete needs comfortable athletic clothing to relax in. Loungewear for men or for women in the colors of their school or college is even better.
Home gym equipment: Your athlete would love to work out in their apartment -- or at home, if they still live there -- so give them fitness equipment so they can work on their muscles whenever they want.


text:
(i.e. the first step in planning a successful signing event)
With so many fabulous publishing options available today, there are a lot more published authors out there—which is awesome, but it also means meeting an author at a signing doesn't have the same allure it once did. New and little known authors can't simply stand there with a shiny new pen and a stack of books and expect readers to flock around them. Trust me, I've tried it. To attract attention, we have to give readers something beyond just the book and a smile.
Here's what I've learned about what works at a signing event…and what doesn't:
#1 Make it fun!
When I was a newly published author, I had the good fortune of reading a post over at Karen G's blog about author events. She suggested taking the focus off the number of books sold and making it more about having fun. This is especially good advice for authors (like myself) who aren't comfortable in the salesman role. Focusing on fun rather than sales puts everyone more at ease.
When planning a signing event, I ask myself: If I hadn't written this book, would I go? That's why I didn't want my recent event at a local wine shop to be just about the book, but more of an experience. So we came up with the idea of a wine tasting in which we paired a wine with each of the three Daves from my novel. We called it Grapes & Guys. I had a good turnout and it was totally fun!
#2 Make sense
Book stores, libraries, and even coffee shops have an automatic tie-in, but don't limit yourself to these spots. I've also done signings at the wine store, a fashion boutique, and a golf course. There's no limit on where you can host a book signing, but the site should somehow tie into your story or you'll be overlooked.
I did two signings at the very same fashion boutique with completely different results. At one event, I merely stood by a table with a stack of books during the town's annual Christmas Walk. It didn't make any sense—who walks into a fashion boutique to buy a book? The utter lack of shopper interest reflected the dichotomy. I got a much better response from shoppers when I took a little extra time to plan an 80s Night. Eighties-influenced styles have made a comeback, and so I read a few fashion descriptions from my 80s-era novel and then showed the current versions from the store's collection.
How does a golf course tie in? you ask…well, in one case it did, in the other, not so much. Both events were Athletic Foundation fundraisers for my alma mater, on which the campus in Three Daves is heavily based. One event was in the Chicago suburbs with primarily alumni attending, and everyone was super excited to learn about the book. The other was down at the actual campus, but rather than alumni, the demographic was mostly locals who support the sports teams. Yeah, my story includes one intramural rugby game, and that's it for the athletics. They couldn't have cared less about me or my book (did manage to drum up some interest with the students out at the bars later though ;)).
#3 Make the most of it
The event is about more than the event itself. It's about the opportunity to get your name out there again—anywhere you can think of. It takes most people more than one, two, fifteen times to hear about something before they take action. Submit your event to local newpapers and e-publications. Ask your alumni association to include it in its newsletter. Update your events in Goodreads, Tweet it, Facebook it, Blog about it. Get creative—where else is there synergy?
At the same time I was planning my Grapes & Guys event, I was introduced to the very cool Chick Lit & Wine book review site. I dashed off an e-mail to Syrah and Chardonnay about my event, and not only did they promote it and ask me to do a guest post—they reviewed my book! The event paid off in more than one way.
So what's next? I'm thinking…Boys & Beer? Chicks & Chocolate? Please tell me, what kinds of things do you think are fun paired with a book signing?
Nicki Elson grew up in the 80s and live to write about it. Her debut novel, Three Daves, is a fun and witty 1980s romance. Like a John Hughes movie in novel form. You can enter to win a signed copy ofThree Daves PLUS mood music—a One Hit Wonders of the 80s CD—when you leave a comment below along with your e-mail.
Giveaway rules:
- You must be a follower of this blog
- If you're not following Nicki, you should! Girlfriend is fun!
- You must leave an email with your comment
- Open to US residents only


text:
Mario Piano Sheet Music & Video Demo Tutorials
Piano player eager to learn how to play those long-cherished Mario themes and sound effects, your quest ends here! A few months ago, I too was looking for quality sheet music of the original Super Mario Bros from 1985, and after frantically searching the web for days and closely examining the Mario sheet music available on dozens of popular results, I came to the realization that there simply was no definitive score of Koji Kondo's masterpieces.
Nintendo has never published their own official version, and high demand for Mario sheet music has led a number of fans to release their own transcription attempts, none of which succeeded in doing justice to the original Koji Kondo creation; while some of these efforts were fair approximations and captured the gist of the tunes, they were often simplified or interpreted versions, with missing or extra notes, inaccurate rhythms and inadequate notation; furthermore, they hardly looked good when printed on paper sheets, and they never offered fingering suggestions, thus leaving these non-trivial piano pieces out of reach from all but the more advanced piano players.
Just like you perhaps, all I wanted was some authentic, high-fidelity Mario sheet music that was entirely faithful to the original Mario themes and sound effects, and which could be trusted to be 100% accurate so that I could feel confident I was learning how to play the real thing. It was apparently too much to ask, however, so I pulled out my professional-grade engraving software and embarked on a meticulous and uncompromising transcription project that involved (i) transcribing every pitch and rhythm while listening to the original 8-bit NES recordings hundreds of times, voice by voice, note by note, in a loop, (ii) rigorously cross-checking my work with several of the best transcription attempts out there, (iii) arranging the visual layout and pagination for clear readability, (iv) optimizing the piano fingering by learning the pieces myself and playing them every day for several months, (v) hand-coding my very first website from the ground up, and (vi) publishing my work while continuing to iterate on it with the feedback from countless visitors from around the world.
All this hard work has paid off, and today, as a tribute to the man who changed the face of video game music forever, I can proudly present to you a superior, premium, deluxe sheet music transcription of Koji Kondo's original Super Mario Bros compositions from 1985, along with the corresponding MIDI sound files and video demos. I hope these meet your highest standards of excellence and aesthetics, and that the optimized fingering serves as a usable and useful tutorial, helping you improve the efficiency of your learning as well as the fluidity and accuracy of your piano performance.
Didactically yours,
Joseph Karam


text:
Use the How to Draw Figures site to help your figure drawing.
- Discover new drawing techniques
- Explore different approaches to your drawing
- Find out more about your artists tools
- Learn the benefits of attending a life drawing class
- Try new ways of experiencing other artist's work which may help you to review your own work, or inspire new directions
- Be encouraged to draw more!
Have fun learning how to draw figures


text:
New Arrival! Free Shipping & No Sales Tax.
Don't spend your mornings waiting around for a cup of coffee. The Cuisinart DCC-2650 Extreme Brew 12-Cup Coffee Make can brew a fresh pot up to 25% faster than its peers. In addition to fast and efficient operations, the DCC-2650 is programmable; so it will be able to cater to your specific needs and preferences. This Extreme Brew model comes with a heavy-duty glass carafe and programmable hot plate to maintain drink temperature. The Cuisinart DCC-2650 Extreme Brew 12-Cup Coffee Maker is a good choice for the busy coffee lover.
Brewing Features - The innovative DCC-2650 uses re-engineered technology to brew up to 25% faster than the average coffee maker. It also has a programmable auto-on feature that can be set up to 24 hours in advance. The Extreme Brew gives you the option of brewing a full pot of coffee or using a dedicated setting to make 1-4 cups without sacrificing flavor and aroma. This Cuisinart model will even allow you to customize coffee strength as needed. Choose from a regular or bold brew options to create the desired beverage.
Additional Features - A 60-second recall "remembers" your settings for up to one minute in the event of a power failure and the automatic shut-off feature makes this machine a safe addition to the home. If you're in a hurry, the DCC-2650 has a brew pause option that will let you halt the brewing process to pour a cup of coffee. The Extreme Brew will resume the brewing cycle where it left off once you're done.
Carafe & Hot Plate - The 12-cup glass carafe has a convenient brew-through lid and easy-pour spout to make preparing and serving coffee hassle free. This model also comes with a variable hot plate that lets you alternate among low, medium and high heat settings to keep the contents of the carafe at the ideal temperature.
Water & Coffee Filters - The 12-Cup Extreme Brew comes with a permanent Gold Tone coffee filter as well as a charcoal water filter. It is also compatible with disposable water filters.
Housing & Construction - This coffee maker weighs 9 pounds and measures 8"W x 9"D x 15.5"H. It an ABS plastic exterior, push button controls and a digital display.
©2013 Aabree Coffee Company
Hours of Operation
Monday - Thursday: 9am - 8pm
Friday - Saturday: 9am - 6pm
Sunday: 12pm - 5pm
Use of this site implies understanding and compliance with our policies.


text:
Find A Session
Conscious hiring is the linchpin of workplace optimization, engagement and employee retention. It also provides an overall boost to your customer service efforts. Hiring consciously means having awareness around the role, its purpose and the outcomes required to successfully validate the role's existence and cost in the organization as well as being mindful about who the right type of person is for the role. With a conscious hiring mindset, all of these parameters are defined at the beginning of the search. It means making keen hiring decisions that are geared toward the organization's strategic needs over and above the keywords listed on the resume and the frenzy to fill the job fast. When people are hired and onboarded into an organization that they are philosophically aligned with and they are hired into roles that are a natural self-expression of their strengths and talents, the benefits are enormous: Simply said, they perform—and they perform well. You will:
- Gain awareness of what it means to be a consultant in HR or recruiting and effectively contribute to the human and talent optimization within your organization.
- Learn how to use experiential learning in performing hiring needs assessments to attract the right talent for the right reason.
- Learn how to evaluate candidates for who they really are so that you make the best hiring decisions.
- Explore the seven-step process for attracting, recruiting and selecting people who are capable, competent and aligned with your company's mission.
- Learn how to elevate your skills to a new level of people optimization and apply advanced coaching tools to train and develop your workforce.


text:
It's our belief that the best brand experiences are rooted in clear thinking, compelling design, and rich storytelling. Branding, design, direct mail, web, print – it's all in a day's work!
Data drives success. We use it to make better decisions in everything we do. From targeting custom audiences to building look a like audiences, we use data and analytics to drive results and client success.
Sophisticated targeting techniques allow us to ensure the right message reaches the right people and gets results. We specialize in digital, social, and mobile, but we understand and use TV, print, and radio because a multi-channel approach is proven to drive results.


text:
Why do we like what we like in a man/woman? 1/23/2006
I remember my very first girl friend. I was 30 years of age and had just left the Catholic seminary after spending ten years serving God in study, worship and on the missions. I made the decision t
9 Comments, 123 Views, 7 Votes ,2.28 Score
Burying the dead...... 1/22/2006
A notorious criminal in this small town died and his brother came to the pastor and asked that he be buried in the church.
"You have to be joking me!" replied the pastor. "Your brother was a
5 Comments, 1074 Views, 106 Votes ,2.24 Score
This is a true story! 1/22/2006
Just the other day I was speaking with a Jewish lady. She told me that at one time she applied for a job in a Catholic rectory doing all kinds of work for the various priests.
She got the jo
1 Comments, 101 Views, 6 Votes ,3.93 Score
The crazy world of war 1/21/2006
Lord I do not understand You said to love one another Gandhi said an eye for an eye will make us all blind And yet We long to defend ourselves We long for revenge and retalliation Protecti
2 Comments, 27 Views, 1 Votes ,5.00 Score
The crazy world of war 1/21/2006
Lord I do not understand You said to love one another Gandhi said an eye for an eye will make us all blind And yet We long to defend ourselves We long for revenge and retalliation Protecti
1 Comments, 27 Views, 3 Votes ,4.41 Score
The imperative of humour in a relationship 1/21/2006
It's amazing how we are programmed not to use humour in our workplace and in our general relationships not to mention our love lives.
Recently I spoke with one of my two sons who is about t
1 Comments, 93 Views, 11 Votes ,2.98 Score
Will I find her? 1/18/2006
I long for her touch To see that smile upon her face Attend to her every need Embrace her When she when she needs assurance Calm her when her fears protrude Believe when disbelief pr
9 Comments, 92 Views, 11 Votes ,5.78 Score
Holding on to Hope 1/18/2006
Sometimes I begin to wonder if I will ever meet the lady of my dreams. I wonder at times if it will take forever or it will be within the next few months. Ohhh how I wish!
 I have come
1 Comments, 31 Views, 3 Votes ,5.39 Score
The bricks and mortar of a good relationship 1/18/2006
Building a quality relationship is much like building a house. You don't start with the roof or the ceiling. One starts with the foundation.
 I personally like to get to know the perso
3 Comments, 146 Views, 10 Votes ,5.18 Score
What is the norm? 1/18/2006
First dates for many people are quite nerve wrecking. I find that one should spend a lot of time getting to know the person through emails and telephone conversation prior to making an actual perso
2 Comments, 92 Views, 7 Votes ,4.57 Score


text:
Its adorable robot love story makes Disney's Wall-E movie is as much a geek favorite as Star Wars and Terminator. Some Wall-E fans have banded together to take their passion to a new level, fashioning life-size, fully functional replicas of robots from the movie.
And there are more than just a few of them. A Wall-E builders' group boasts nearly 3,000 members worldwide.
"It's a lot of reverse engineering," says Bruce Shields, who is better known among DIY roboticists by his screen name Jawa Lunk. "It's a release, a relaxing hobby that is enjoyable. When you are done you can look at it and say 'this is it, this is the end.'"
Wall-E, the bug-eyed robot star of the movie, is clearly the hot favorite in this DIY community. But other robots from the film, such as Eve, M-O and Autopilot, have also been brought to life. Some of the group's homemade bots will be on display this weekend at the Maker Faire, a festival of DIY arts, crafts and technology in San Mateo, California.
When the first trailer of Wall-E was released in October 2007, Shields says he found a robot that the world could love. A Michigan-based pastor with a strong interest in robotics, he created the Wall-E builders' group. In its first few weeks, the group collected about 400 members. And they tried to find every little nugget, image or slice of video that could offer a hint to how the robot functioned.
Without blueprints or schematics, creating a life-size or even a scaled-down version of the Wall-E robot isn't easy. The head was the most difficult part, says Shields. He hand-formed the sheet aluminum around two LED flashlights, and connected PVC elbows to the back. He formed faux solar panels on the head and put it all together in his workshop. For the arms, Shields took a PVC pipe from a sink drain and sized a smaller pipe to fit inside it, which allowed the arms to move in and out. He documented the process in this blog. The faux rust and weathering came from a paint job.
Every part of the process has been documented in the online forums where members of the community make suggestions and improvements. For instance, another member suggested that yellow #120 from Walmart's ColorPlace brand made for an excellent external paint on the robot.
"We don't have anything that is off the shelf," says Shields. "We don't really have anything where we say, 'Let's go down to the store, let's buy an arm and hook it up.'"
It's not just the Wall-E robot that gets attention. Matt Ebisu, a member of the group, first built M-O, a cleaner robot. "My focus is on the secondary robots, M-O, Eve and Auto," he says. "And M-O is just very comedic, funny, cute and interesting in the way he has been designed."
A tiny robot with a box-like frame, a red light at top of his head and a brush permanently stuck between its hands, M-O plays a charming yet small part in the movie.
To recreate M-O, Ebisu started with an existing Clean N Go M-O figure toy. He gutted the insides and devised a way to fit existing electronics inside it. Ebisu took a trackball from a mouse and refashioned it to create a way for the robot to move around. He used toothbrush bristles to recreate the cleaner brush and put an LED inside a clear Lego brick for the light.
Building the robot took about three months. Ebisu says he's obsessed with Wall-E: He's seen the movie at least 96 times.
"We are doing robots that are really detailed and take quite some time to build," says Shields. "It's not a light weekend project."
Maker Faire features more than 600 exhibitors and is expected to draw 80,000 attendees, organizers say.
Check out more pictures of the robots below.
M-O robot comes to life.
A fully functional Wall-E from Uruguay-based Elso Lopez.
Bruce Shields aka Jawa Lunk's Gamecube Wall-E being built.
A close-up of the Wall-E robots's tracks.
For more see, the Flickr photostream of the Wall-E Builders group.
Top Photo: Wall-E/Bruce Shields. Other photos: Wall-E Builders group.
Go Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article.


text:
Moods Moods Designer Square Basin 1 Tap Hole
Moods Designer Square Basin 1 Tap Hole
Moods offers a collection of the latest, beautiful designer style washbowls, designed for sitting on furniture.
Additional Information
Moods Designer Square Basin 1 Tap Hole
To see the other basins and wash bowls available, please follow this link.
Moods Information
This is Moods. A stunning collection of co-ordinated baths, ceramics, shower enclosures and brassware.
As one of the UK's leading suppliers to the bathroom industry, our Moods range offers exceptional design including premium collections from international designers.
Related Products


text:
How To Get The Most From Your Kindle Device
What's in the book?
Hidden tips and tricks for your favorite eReader!
- A breakdown of all 5 members of the Kindle family
- Best resources for secret tips and hacks for each Kindle
- Where, when, and how to buy your Kindle at the best price
- How to choose the best device for your reading needs
- An honest comparison between popular eReading devices, including the Nook, iPad, and Sony Reader
How To Get The Most From Your Kindle gives the novice Kindle user an introduction to the various types of Kindles. Covering topics such as how to get the best pricing, when to buy, and the future prognosis of the most popular eReader on the planet, it's a one-stop shop for all the buzz around the Kindle devices. From an honest and critical perspective that quotes both fans and critics of the Kindle, it offers the reader valuable advice on the pros and cons of the Kindle devices.
It also offers tips and tricks to use on your Kindle device once you've become a party of the Kindle family!
Price: $3.99 Add to Cart
- Lifetime guarantee
- 100% refund
- Free updates
Readers like you also bought:
Quicklet on Daniel Kahneman's Think...
by Adam McKibbin
Quicklet on Richard Templar's Rules...
by Jason Warner
You're Damn Right I'm a Fanboy: MG ...
by MG Siegler


text:
The Best Artisan Hot Sauce All In One Place
At Heat we offer a wide range of hot sauces in a variety of heat levels and flavor profiles to please even the pickiest of pallets. We provide top-notch customer service and the lowest shipping rates anywhere!
We can help you pick the perfect gift, provide in-depth descriptions, or answer any questions you may have.
If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, be sure to visit us at our Berkeley storefront. Our Hot Sauce Tasting Bar is open everyday, so you can try before you buy!


text:
Melissa Satta: Formentera Bikini Babe
She's one of the hottest ladies in the modeling world, and Melissa Satta was all about having a little fun in the sun on Tuesday afternoon (June 28).
The 25-year-old American-born Italian catwalk beauty hit the beaches of Formentera, Spain in a little blue bikini as she's spending time enjoying a holiday in the overseas locale.
Noticeably absent from Miss Satta's beach romp was a beau, as the brunette beauty was surrounded by gal pals after having ended her highly-publicized romance with Italian soccer player Christian Vieri.
For those unfamiliar with Melissa, she's partaken in numerous high profile gigs including gracing the cover of Maxim magazine and being featured in the 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Enjoy the pictures of Melissa Satta on holiday in Formentera, Italy (June 28).
Photo Credit: SplashNewsOnline.com


text:
Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) and the Ponemon Institute recently released the findings of the 2011 Cost of Data Breach Study: United States, which reveals negligent insiders are the top cause of data breaches while malicious attacks are 25 percent more costly than other types. The study also found organizations which employ a chief information security officer (CISO) with enterprise-wide responsibility for data protection can reduce the cost of a data breach by 35 percent per compromised record. The organizational cost of a data breach was $5.5 million last year. The seventh annual Ponemon Cost of a Data Breach report is based on the actual data breach experiences of 49 U.S. companies from 14 different industry sectors.
"This year's report shows that insiders continue to pose a serious threat to the security of their organizations," said Francis deSouza, group president, Enterprise Products and Services, Symantec Corp. "This is particularly true as the increasing adoption of tablets, smart phones and cloud applications in the workplace means that employees are able to access corporate information anywhere, at any time. It is essential for companies to put the proper information protection policies and procedures in place to counterbalance these new realities."
Secrets to Business Transformation: The Seven Deadly Sins Effective business transformation won't happen unless business leaders give employees a cause to believe in.
Top Five Tips for Enabling a Self-Defending Endpoint Stay on top of endpoint security by preventing costly malware outbreaks and data breaches, even as the barrage of attacks intensifies.
Top Five Tips To Keep Your Customer Happy — Network Performance Tech issues, even small ones, can have an enormous impact on a company's ability to consistently deliver a positive customer experience.
Related Topics : Unisys, Stimulus Package, Security Breaches, Symantec, Electronic Surveillance
IT staff, organization leaders, and the average citizen have all expressed levels of concern over the FCC about-face in regard to ISP privacy. Here's what the security experts say. ... More >>
Executives at several top tech firms outline the skills they need now and in the near future, including IaaS and IoT security expertise. Other skills listed may surprise you. ... More >>
Security professionals are in demand right now, and entry-level security jobs generally fall into either an engineer or analyst role. Find out more about required skills and career paths. ... More >>


text:
QPR face huge fine over losses
QPR are facing a possible £60 million fine from the Football League, according to a newspaper report.
The Mail on Sunday claims the west London club made a loss of £80 million during the 2012-13 English Premier League season, which ended in relegation to the Championship, after signing dozens of players on expensive contracts.
Christopher Samba, Park Ji-sung, Julio Cesar, Jermaine Jenas and Loic Remy – who apart from Samba all remain on QPR's payroll – are among the players who have reportedly earned salaries of over £100,000 per week in recent seasons.
The Football League's new Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules will see overspending clubs taxed for their losses, with Championship clubs paying a £1 fine for every £1 they lose over £18million in the 2013-14 financial year.
QPR can expect to receive a sizeable fine in January 2015 should they be promoted to the top flight at the end of the current season. The club could, however, avoid a fine if they fail to win promotion.
Quoted in the Mail on Sunday, a Football League spokesman said: "This is the first season in which clubs will ultimately face sanctions (for overspending).
"Clubs have to submit their accounts for 2013-14 to us by December 1, 2014, with sanctions levied early in 2015. If a club being sanctioned are in the Premier League by then, the fine will need to be paid."
QPR's accounts for 2012-13 have not yet been made public and the club were unavailable for comment when contacted yesterday morning by Press Association Sport.
Harry Redknapp's side are currently third in the Championship table and tied on points with Leicester for the second automatic promotion place after 15 games.
See our Comments Policy Comments are submitted under the express understanding and condition that the editor may, and is authorised to, disclose any/all of the above personal information to any person or entity requesting the information for the purposes of legal action on grounds that such person or entity is aggrieved by any comment so submitted. Please allow some time for your comment to be moderated.


text:
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Libraries across Maine aren't lending just books these days.
Art prints, American Girl dolls, volleyball and croquet sets, ukuleles, fishing poles, telescopes, sheet music, binoculars, backpacks, energy auditing tools and GPS equipment are just some of the items available at public libraries across the state.
The New Gloucester Public Library lends out cake pans, often in specialty shapes.
At the Patten Free Library in Bath, American Girl dolls are available for checkout along with the associated books.
The Topsham Public Library loans out fishing rods and binoculars, and Portland's library loans ukuleles and telescopes.
Librarians tell the Portland Press Herald, that the items help them fulfill a library's key role of bettering people's lives in a variety of ways, not just through books.


text:
Need help replacing shower diverter valve
2 Attachment(s)
Hi all, newbie here, help appreciated....
In my shower, when the valve is set to "shower," there's still a lot of water coming out of the tub faucet. After doing some reading, it sounds like I need to replace the diverter valve. Problem is, I can't get to it. The valve lever (not sure if that's the right term) has a screw on the end of it, and I thought when I took out the screw it would just pop out, but no luck. I have pulled as hard as I can and turned it both ways, and it won't come off. Is there some trick to this? There are no other visible screws, except one on the face plate against the wall, and that just frees up the face plate and doesn't affect the lever. I have a couple of pictures in case that helps. Thanks!
this looks pretty old and i fear that the inner valve inside the hub may be broken/leaking. i am no expert though, just my $0.02. if that is the case, you may have to bust the wall to get to replace it. hopefully, someone else disconfirms me.
I think the faucet etc is original with the house, which was built in 1960. If I have to have access to the pipes themselves, I'm going to have to tear through the (plaster) wall on the other side of the shower.
I would think that it should pull straight outward. Have you tried a penetrating spray like Liquid Wrench? There is probably a lot of mineral build-up and corrosion.
If it is original 1960 vintage, its useful life is waaaay over anyhow. I think that a replacement is probably in order.
Nice caulking job on that tub/tile! :whistling2: That is a lot of caulk!
Purchase a handle puller in the Plumbing section of HD or Lowes. Probably less than $15. They are like a gear puller for automotive work. Calcium deposits are likely the problem since it has been in that many tears.
They make pullers just for getting stuck handles off.
I would just get a puller made for the purpose and repair what's there.
If you choose to replace the faucet, you don't necessarily have to go in from behind. You can remove it through the face tile wall that you show there.
They make faucets with extra large estuchion plates to cover the hole used to remove/replace the faucets from the tile side.
Your call.
Good luck!
Ain't that the truth! This is just a temporary fix until I feel up to gutting the bathroom and finally getting rid of that 1960's pink.
Ditto on the handle puller. Once you have the handle off, remove the stem and take the whole thing with you to match it up to a new one.
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:11 AM.
vBulletin Security provided by vBSecurity v2.2.2 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2017 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.


text:
How to Purchase Term Life Insurance in Less Than 24 Hours?
It is hard to believe that you can purchase term life insurance in less than 24 hours. Partially, this is true. Instant term life insurance policies are really hard to find and you will need extensive searches until you can actually spot a company that processes application papers that fast.
In most cases, companies that sell no exam term life insurance are able to provide coverage in less than a day. But they are not the only retailers. Some standard carriers sell term life insurance via internet or phone negotiations. We live in a modern world and companies adapt by adopting modern sell tactics.
No matter if you choose life insurance without medical examinations or standard policies, you will surely need the help of a life insurance brokerage website. This sort of websites provides valuable info and list companies that sell the policy you are interested in.
Moreover, online brokerage websites allow you to access life insurance quotes and compare prices. Comparing prices should be your first step in buying any policy, no matter if you are searching for an instant term life policy or a policy that is processed in several weeks. Check the prices and note the companies that sell affordable polices. Once you have narrowed the list, observe if any of them are selling instant term life. If not, you should extend your research and increase the cost parameter.
Or you can always apply for no exam life insurance. Companies selling this type of insurance plan process application papers in less than a day. Usually you will be contacted in the same day. You will get coverage even if you have a pre-existing medical condition or you are a bit older. Again, you will need to find quotes for no medical exam term life insurance.
Visit our website for high quality life insurance quotes. Click here to visit!


text:
this might be a dumb question..buy Im going to ask anyway.
I just recently turned 21. I'm new to handguns, and I want to learn then buy one. 1) How do I locate shooting clubs/ranges in my area?' and 2) How do I go about joining one? Is it true that new members need to be escorted by another experienced member?


text:
The fabulous sketch art of renowned artist Joseph Sangl has been sold on Ebay for $20.50!!! There were 30 bids placed on this work of art!
The winning bidder was also the first person who bid!
Thanks to all who participated in this ridiculous auction and made me laugh at least twenty different times with your awesome questions.
Now I am sad because "snakey-snake" is leaving me. FROWN! I guess I could print out a copy of him from this blog …
The readers of www.JosephSangl.com rule!


text:
Archos TV Connect Turns Any HDTV into Android-Powered Smart TV
Archos TV Connect uses Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to turn any HDTV into a Smart TV, offering full access to Android Google Play.
At CES 2013, Archos will unveil its TV Connect, which turns any HDTV into an Android-powered smart TV. Other companies, including Sony, have tried something similar by using Google TV, but Archos is bringing its slimmed-down version at a retail price of only $130.
So what features will this include? Archos is promoting a unique remote that reminds me of a bigger version of a PlayStation 3 controller with a built-in keyboard. The remote also doubles as a type of pointer, according to Archos, that has "full multi-touch gesture support", and that has Android shortcuts.
The other claims for this box are full access to Android Google Play – which I guess means that I can run the Control4 Android app on this – and a full web experience on my TV complete with HD Video Calls – hello, Skype – and, get this, a multimedia player. That last part means I can use Pandora and all the other media apps available on Google Play.
This is some of what the company says about it in its CES preview press release:
The TV connect allows you to control your TV just like a tablet - tap, swipe, zoom in, zoom out, select or type. With the TV connect users will be able to play games, stream videos, video chat in HD, email friends or surf the web all from their big screen TV. The Archos TV connect runs Android 4.1 'Jelly Bean' and will be available starting in February, 2013 for $129.99.
As a pioneer in multimedia Android devices, we wanted to create a bigger, better way to enjoy Android," says Henri Crohas, founder and CEO of Archos. "The Archos TV connect provides users with a multi-touch, multi-media Smart TV experience powered by Android."
This is a whole lot of action for less than $150. I just hope it stands up to all the hype. We shall see at CES. For now, you can watch the company's video on their new product here:
With over 20 years of experience in home systems installation and design as well as being an award winning product designer, Joe Whitaker currently is principal of the integration firm thethoughtfulhome.com. He is a current member of the CEDIA board of directors first elected in 2013 and is a frequent contributor to CE Pro magazine. Have a suggestion or a topic you want to read more about? Email Joe at [email protected]
Follow Joe on social media:
Joe also participates in these groups:
LinkedIn · Google+
DisplaysLG OLED Is All the Rage at PAA Open House
Sony Bows Affordable 4K HDR TVs, Starting at $900
Bang & Olufsen Pro: The Most Exciting Channel Program You Never Heard Of
Peerless-AV UltraView UHD Outdoor TVs Offer 4K Resolution
CE Pro 100 Names Top TV Display Brands
View more on Displays
Article Topics
News · Android · CES · Smart TV · All Topics


text:
« Local Home
Owings Mills, Maryland General Pet Stores - Dog-Friendly Listings
Maryland: Owings Mills: General Pet Stores
Owings Mills - as dog-friendly as they come! This city guide will show you all the best (and worst) places for your pets. Don't forget to add your reviews for the businesses in this ultimate resource.
|Top-Rated General Pet Stores
|General Pet Stores:
Add a Listing
If you still can't find the listing you're looking for, feel free to add it now!


text:
Search Profile Post Profile Log In Membership Plan Site Map
Awarded as Best Matrimonial Site...
Call Us : +91-11-47652233
Profile Created for Brother
31 years/ 5Ft. 7In. (170 cm)
Never Married
Lives in India, Kerala, Ala...
Hindu, Ezhava
Detailed profile
About MI-409005
This profile is of my Brother who is simple and good looking. Our mother tounge is malayalam and caste is ezhava.He is currently residing in india.
All Rights Reserved - MatrimonialsIndia.Com (2017)
Web Design by WeblinkIndia.NET


text:
Mr Pharmacist
Location: Kathmandu, Nepal
Member since 7/26/2014
- 2 total posts
- 1 comment
- 1 question
Questions from Mr Pharmacist
Post gynecomastia surgery(excision only). I have lots of fat in pectoral area. Can the fat be lost by working out a lot? (photo)
I have puffy nipples and my nipples are pretty big. I have currently 27 body fat percentage. I was 30 percent some weeks ago. I am working hard in gym as well as I do 3 cardio... READ MORE
Recent comments from Mr Pharmacist
No way it was just a surgery that resulted this much difference.. I can see much difference in your belly fat too. that cannot be just by liposuction.. you must have worked hell lot in gym as well as hitting cardio. please give full... READ COMMENT


text:
We're all sunbathing these day.
Celebrating the launch of our friends @tsgchicago 💥
A cool 1996 Porsche 911 Carrera in Polar Silver Metallic ❄
Haaaappy Birthday to our 1!!! The only person on earth who actually does NOT age. We love you, M! 🎊🎈🎂🎉🏆
We've got some pranksters lurking around here... Looks like someone isn't getting into their office today 😆
Watch the footage from our Revero Launch in Chicago — Part II.
We're all revved up for Spring and the arrival of the Revero. Footage from our Revero Launch in Chicago — Part I.
We said goodbye to this RollsRoyce beauty but glad it found a good home with @petite.moda 🕊
2015 Bentley Continental GT V8⚡
HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🎊🎈A big 'Thank You' to our wonderful clients for an incredible 2016— we're excited to see what 2017 has in store!
In observance of the New Year, we will also be closed Monday, January 2nd.
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas! 🎄🎁 ❣
Happy Thanksgiving! We are so grateful for your support and for allowing our team to be part of your families on a daily basis.
We wish you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with great company and of course, delicious food. 🏡🦃🌿
The look of love. Throwing it back with this beauty. 💥 (Ps. catch us at @scoresportscenter tonight! We're giving away an awesome prize 💎)
Cubs pride runs deep over at the ivied Wrigley Field! TrickedYa
FlyTheW CubbieBlue GlobalLuxuryImports ⚾🐻
Congratulations to our Chicago @Cubs! We're still reeling from the excitement of last night's incredible game 7. It's an amazing feeling to be surrounded by a sea of people who are rooting for something together rather than against.
GoCubsGo FlyTheW Chicago WorldSeries GlobalLuxuryImports 📸: @gregchmiel
Wrigley's ivy is looking nice today! Cheering on our hometown team ⚾💥
aaaand last but not least, happy 6th birthday to our favorite car guy! One year closer to becoming Global's next 1 employee. 🎂🎈🎉 🎃
Happy Halloweeeeen! 👻 🎃 Patiently waiting for our Trick-or-Treaters to arrive, like.. 🍬🍬🍬
Global Luxury Imports • 101 Tower Drive. Burr Ridge, IL 60527 • 630.537.1099
Copyright • Sitemap • RSS
Powered By: All Auto Network


text:
Traxxas Differential Gear Set
$1.99 Flat Rate Shipping!
|Low Price:
This item is eligible for $1.99 flat rate shipping Learn More
This item earns up to 14 VIP Reward Points Learn More
This is a replacement Traxxas Differential Gear Set, and is intended for use with the Traxxas XO-1.
This product was added to our catalog on March 26, 2012.


text:
News By Tag
Industry News
News By Place
Industry News
New Heywood Hospital Book Offers Images of its Rich Gardner, MA History
- The new book "Heywood Hospital" was released by Arcadia Publishing as part of its Images of America series. The book celebrates the hospital as a benefactor and major employer firmly entrenched in a highly supportive community.
Co-authors Gayle Kadlik and James A. Faust, MD, volunteered hundreds of hours to research and write this book. Ms. Kadlik coordinates library services and the continuing medical education for physicians at Heywood Hospital. Dr. Faust, recipient of the New England Healthcare Assembly's Trustee Leadership Award 2011, is a Heywood Trustee Emeritus and retired family physician who practiced at the hospital for 40 years.
Pictured: Co-authors James Faust, MD and Gayle Kadlik. Photo courtesy of the Gardner News.
It was at the Massachusetts Health Science Libraries Network's annual meeting in May 2011 that Kadlik found the inspiration, when librarian Cara Marcus presented a similar project on Faulkner Hospital. Co-author of a previous Images of America series book, Isles of Shoals, Kadlik was familiar with Heywood Hospital's archive of photographs and other materials, and realized there was an opportunity for Heywood Hospital to showcase its own rich history in the community while providing a fundraising opportunity for the hospital. Dr. Faust, her writing partner in the project, provided a wealth of medical and historical knowledge. In the State of Massachusetts there are only three hospitals that have captured their history in the Images of America series: Children's Hospital Boston, Faulkner Hospital and South Shore Hospital, published this year. Heywood's book will mark the fourth hospital in the state to publish its history.
The first in a series of book signings took place last week, with additional events scheduled at Heywood Hospital's annual volunteer dinner, the nursing alumnae dinner, and the annual golf classic. The book is available at local book stores and at Heywood Hospital's Gift Shop and library. Proceeds benefit Heywood Hospital, which is a not-for-profit organization. "The book's dedication is to the entire Heywood Hospital family and community," said Kadlik. "We hope all enjoy it!"
The new book Heywood Hospital was also featured in an April 20th story in the Gardner News.
Account Email Address Account Phone Number Disclaimer Report Abuse


text:
Steel Connections Sculpture
Steel Connections, A Teaching Guide Steel Sculpture, was donated to the College's Civil Engineering Department by the Cives Steel Company of Thomasville, Georgia. The sculpture was first conceived by Prof. Duane Ellifritt of the University of Florida to give students in the introductory steel design course an opportunity to visualize connections between steel members. Connections play a very critical role in the behavior of any structural system. The "Steel Connections" sculpture brings real life steel structure connection close to the classroom.
The effectiveness of the teaching sculpture developed by Dr. Ellifrit was recognized by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), and they have been helping other Universities to acquire the sculpture. Cives Steel Company, Southern Division, of Thomasville, Georgia, fabricated the sculpture, and its acquisition was coordinated by Dr. Primus V. Mtenga of the Civil Engineering Department.
The sculpture was installed at the entrance from the Connector Road to the Phase II parking lot. The foundation and site installation was funded as part of the Phase II Building construction.


text:
CANADA STOCKS-TSX may open lower, U.S. budget fight looms
Jan 3 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index looked set to open lower, mirroring Wall Street futures, as investors look ahead to negotiations on the U.S. debt limit and spending cuts, halting the gains that followed a deal to avoid sharp tax hikes.
* President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans face even bigger budget battles in the next two months after a hard-fought "fiscal cliff" deal narrowly averted devastating tax increases and spending cuts.
* A major pipeline expansion that aims to ease the bottleneck at Cushing, Oklahoma that has depressed U.S. crude prices should pump at full rates from the end of next week, the backers of the project said on Wednesday.
* Imperial Oil Ltd's Kearl oil sands project in northern Alberta could start commercial production in the coming weeks after a previous target was delayed from the end of December, a company spokesman said on Wednesday.
* Numbers of Germans out of work rose for the ninth month running in December but held close to a post-reunification low, adding to signs Europe's largest economy remains relatively unscathed by the region's crisis.
* Growth in China's increasingly important services sector accelerated in December at its fastest pace in four months, adding to signs of a modest year-end revival in the world's second-largest economy.
* British construction output contracted at the fastest rate in six months in December, driven by a steep reduction in house building, a survey showed.
MARKET SNAPSHOT Continued...


text:
One of the best online games out on wii.
I enjoyed this game lots with friends and family but it has some major faults
First. Bad Ai you always get a blueshell at the end of 150cc and its really fustrating.
wheel- too gimicly good for friends but a terrible additon
Thrid- bikes? mario kart no good
Fourth- New weapons are terrible
fifth- way too casual driving- yes about 150cc but its still really easy jst fustrating
sixth- Not very nice graphics espically when you are looking at galaxy
seventh- old tracks arent very nice to look at and feel rushed
i could go on forever about how many faults this game has
if you have a DS PLEASE GET THAT VERSION ITS 10 times better , its less casual and has more of that old nes style that this casual wii version'!
yes its fun and i enjoyed very much but if you can handle those seven points then fair enough to you.
More information -
Trusted Reviews is part of the Time Inc. (UK) Ltd Technology Network
Get TrustedReviews' award-winning reviews and advice delivered to your inbox for free!


text:
Many advisors think they're doing their clients big favors by telling them that they'll never put them in an annuity. An
d with all the negative press that annuities get, it's not too surprising.
However, I think annuities are fantastic – in the right situation.
There are at least 15 reasons why some people shouldn't buy an annuity. If you've done much research on the subject, you're probably already aware of a few of them.
But you need to know that annuities serve certain very specific purposes, and if you happen to have a need for one of those purposes, then an annuity can be a game-changer.
Here are 15 reasons why you might not want to explore the annuity side of things– and five reasons why you should.
Carefully consider all of these reasons, and see your financial professional before making a final decision on an annuity.
Here are some reasons why an annuity might not work great for your situation:
1. You Can Invest Your Own Money
If you can and are willing to invest your money, even if only through mutual funds and exchange traded funds, you don't need an annuity. Annuities are excellent for people who either know little about investing, or don't want to get too involved in the nuts and bolts of it.
2. You're Conservative With Spending
One of the most basic purposes of an annuity is to keep you from spending yourself into the poor house. Some people simply don't know how to manage money, and an annuity is a perfect way to have it portioned out for them, thus avoiding the possibility of burning through all their retirement. Annuities are long-term contracts, generally set up specifically to parcel out money for the rest of your life.
But if you are pretty good at managing your own money, an annuity which manages how much money you get at any point in time might not work for your situation.
3. You Aren't Comfortable Paying a Lot of Fees
Annuities provide certain valuable benefits, but they do come with a price. Unlike mutual funds, where you can buy the no-load and low-load funds, or certificates of deposit, where there will be no investment fees at all, annuities tend to have several fees associated with them.
Here's the trick though, many of the fees are hidden so you never really know what you're paying unless you read the 157 page prospectus.
Note: If you summer from insomnia, I hear keeping copy of an annuity prospectus on your nightstand is a great remedy. 🙂
You should also remember that this is a very long-term contract, because there are surrender charges that can be as high as 20% (but usually in the 8-10% range) in the event that you decide that you need to cancel your annuity before the contract allows you to.
All of these fees can reduce your investment, as well as your investment returns, if you end up in an annuity that doesn't perfectly fit your unique financial situation.
4. You Want Pure Investment Returns
Though insurance agents are fond of telling people that annuities offer guaranteed investment returns, those guarantees come at a bit of a price. These guaranteed returns can be well below what you can typically get in investment markets, but that's the same if you choose to save your money in a CD.
Additionally, these guaranteed returns can come with limited upside gain. For example, though a given market index may return 12%, the insurance company may cap your return at 9% (some are as low as 3-% right now).
And who gets the extra investment return that you didn't? The insurance company, of course. If you don't like that kind of arrangement, you'd do best to avoid annuities entirely.
5. You Want Control Of How Your Money is Invested
As a rule, annuities are not investment democracies. In fact, the insurance company will invest your money in the insurance company's equivalent of mutual funds. Only they're typically not publicly traded mutual funds, of the kind you will find with your friendly, neighborhood investment broker.
The insurance company will usually choose the funds, and even the allocations, leaving you little choice as to how the money is invested.
If this seems somehow unfair, you have to remember that annuities are primarily designed for people who don't know how or don't want to invest their money. And for that type of customer, having control over their investments is a non-concern.
6. You Don't Like Strings Attached to Your Investments
Annuities are not at all like mutual funds. When you invest in mutual funds, you invest your money, the terms and fees are commonly understood, and you can generally exit at any time you like. Annuities however are contracts that come with numerous stipulations. For the most part, those stipulations are put in place to protect the insurance company.
Surrender charges are an excellent example. If you know that you will have to pay an 8% charge in order to liquidate your annuity, you'll probably never do it – especially if you paid a similar fee when you first invested in the annuity.
Such stipulations attach strings to your investments, and remove your ability to make investment changes after the fact.
7. You Have No Need for Additional Tax-deferral
Much like IRAs and other tax-favored retirement investment vehicles, annuities provide tax deferral of your investment earnings, allowing your money to grow without being reduced by annual income taxes. One major difference however is that you will not get a tax deduction for your contribution to an annuity the way you will with conventional retirement investments.
If you are comfortable with the amount of money that you have in tax-deferred investments, you have no need to gain additional tax deferral through an annuity. And for what it's worth, at least some of your retirement money should be held outside of tax-deferred accounts. That will give you access to at least some of your money without having to pay taxes on the withdrawal. Think of it as a form of income tax diversification for your retirement.
8. You Don't Believe the One-Size-Fits-All Hype For One Minute
Another favorite pitch of insurance agents is that the annuity they are offering will solve all of your problems.
Newsflash: there is no investment product in existence that will solve ALL of your problems.
If you are being given that kind of sales pitch, run away as fast as possible.
9. You're Only Being Offered One Product From One Company
Investing your money is something like buying a new car. You'll want to look at a lot of different makes and models before settling on your ultimate choice. And naturally, you'll do the same thing if you're looking to invest in stocks or mutual funds.
If you're working with an insurance agent, and you are being offered only a single annuity product from one company, it's likely that agent has only one product to sell – the one he's offering. Chances are that product will not work for you, and you need to move on.
10. You Came In to Buy Life Insurance But You're Being Sold an Annuity
There's usually one major reason why an insurance agent will attempt to sell you an annuity when you are looking for a life insurance policy: The agent will get a far bigger commission on the annuity than he will on a life insurance policy. For most people, even if you bought a 5 million dollar life insurance policy, the agent would make more on an annuity.
That may be really good for the agent, but it's really bad for you.
11. You're Not Entirely Sure of the Terms of the Annuity
There isn't just one type of annuity, there are many. Each of those annuities comes with a battery of its own provisions and stipulations. Make no mistake about it, annuities can be extremely complicated.
If you have any doubts at all about the annuity you are being offered, or certain provisions within the annuity that are not adequately explained, you need to walk away. Rest assured that if you are uncomfortable with one provision, there are probably others that simply have not caught your attention.
Anytime you invest money anywhere, you need to be absolutely sure of what it is you're getting into, what specific benefits you will receive, and what risks you are taking on in exchange for those benefits.
12. You're Not Concerned About Outliving Your Money
One of the biggest reasons for anyone to buy an annuity is to avoid outliving their money. You purchase an annuity, and you begin receiving income payments as of the certain date. Those income payments can go on for the rest of your life, which means you will never run out of money.
But if you have enough money in savings and investments that the prospect of outliving your money is no better than remote, then an annuity is not for you.
More from GFC, Below
13. You Don't Want an Investment That Will Lock You In
Typically, most people will invest their money in a given investment vehicle for a few years, and then move on to something else. This is not how annuities work. Not only are annuities contracts, but they generally will lock you in for the rest of your life.
Should you change your mind after five or 10 years, the only way to get out of the annuity will be to pay a stiff surrender charge. The charge may be high enough to make it impossible for you to profitably shift into a different investment vehicle.
14. The Insurance Agent Is Pushing Too Hard
Regrettably, for some life insurance agents the sale of life insurance is just a loss leader. The real money is in selling annuities. The sale of a life insurance policy could get the agents a few hundred dollars – the sale of an annuity could get him a few thousand dollars.
If you sense that the agent is pushing you to hard toward an annuity, there's an excellent chance that he is doing that more for his own reasons than for your benefit.
Never allow anyone to push you into any type of investment. If you sense that the agent is trying too hard to get you to purchase an annuity, this should set off alarm bells in your mind, letting you know that it's time to make an exit.
15. Your Gut Is Telling You That This Isn't the Right Investment For You
If after considering an annuity, and all of its various provisions, you're still feeling some doubt inside, you need to walk away. Sometimes the reason that you have a bad feeling about something isn't so much about a disturbing provision or two, but rather about the complexity of the whole deal.
If you feel the entire annuity contract is simply too complicated when taken as a whole, that's sufficient justification to avoid entering into it. With any type of investment you get involved with, it's important to be able to sleep peacefully at night.
Five Reasons When You Should Buy an Annuity
Despite that long list of reasons not to buy an annuity, there are certain reasons why having one makes perfect sense, and if you do decide that this makes sense for you, we will be happy to help you obtain the best annuity quotes we can to meet your financial needs.
1. You Want Your Principal Protected (because the stock market freaks you out)
Scenario 1: You don't want to lose a penny in the stock market and watching CNBC elevates your blood pressure too high.
Typically when a financial advisor offers you a guarantee, you have to tread carefully. But at the end of the day, there's not many investments that can offer this other than annuity.
Equity-based investments tend to fluctuate in value, which is to say that they can go down as well as up. Annuities can protect your principal value, ensuring that your investment remains fully intact to earn income in the future.
This can be especially important if you are very close to retirement, and concerned mostly about providing yourself with an immediate income. As well, once you reach retirement, your ability to tolerate declining investment values will diminish. There simply won't be enough recovery time to make up for any losses sustained. An annuity can remove that problem.
2. You Want Guaranteed Returns
Scenario 2: You want to know to the penny how much interest you're going to make on your investment.
Annuities – mostly fixed annuities – offer guaranteed returns. Once again, if a steady income is your primary motivation for entering the investment, annuities can provide just that. Many types of annuities will provide you with a variable return – that will enable you to participate in higher investment earnings – but also assign a guaranteed minimum return. That can be just what you're looking for.
Fixed annuity rates usually pay more than bank CD's although you'll have to lock up your money for 3-5 years to get it. Last year I had a client that wanted absolutely nothing to do with the market and wanted a guaranteed return. CD's were paying nothing and the best rate I could find him was a 5 year fixed annuity paying 3%.
I even tried to talk him out of buying it but that was the only thing that would make him and his wife feel safe (he had a bad experience with a previous advisor). If a guaranteed is what you're after, an annuity might make the most sense.
3. You Want Guaranteed and Predictable Income
Scenario 3: You want to know exactly how much your paycheck is going to be from your investment.
As I wrote earlier, annuities are investment contracts, and one of the more important provisions you can include is guaranteed income. You can do this with immediate annuities or the income riders that fixed index annuities offer.
You can buy an annuity and have it begin paying out an income stream immediately. Some deferred annuities with income riders will increase each year until you decide to start taking an income (think how your social security benefit increases each year you don't touch it).
With annuities that offer an income stream, you'll know exactly how much you're going to get and how long whenever you decide to take it.
This is an excellent option in retirement since it operates as something very much like a standard pension. The big difference, though, is that unlike a pension if something happens to you or your spouse, the remaining funds would be passed on to your family.
4. You Can't Get Life Insurance (and want to leave more to your heirs)
Scenario 4: You want to leave more to your heirs and can't get approved for life insurance.
Since an annuity is an investment contract, and not a life insurance policy, you can often use an annuity to provide at least some of the same benefits in the event that you are unable to qualify for life insurance.
This is often the case if you have a health-related condition that makes life insurance either impossible to get, or prohibitively expensive. You can set up an annuity, naming your spouse as beneficiary, then the contract will automatically pass to him or her upon your death.
Some annuities also offer death benefit riders that can pay out a bit more than others. With an annuity, you won't get as much death benefit as a life insurance policy, but you'll get some.
5. You Want Some Long Term Care Benefits
Scenario 5: You want some long term care protection, but don't want (or can't afford) to pay for it out of pocket.
With people living longer than ever, there is growing concern for making some provision in the event that long-term care becomes necessary. Straight long-term care insurance policies are expensive, particularly as you get older.
Most of my clients that purchased long term care policies have done so because they had a personal experience with a loved one (usually a parent) that spent time in a nursing home. For them purchasing traditional long term care insurance was a no brainer. For others though, once they learn how much the premium is per month they often decide to take the chance of not buying it and paying for care out of pocket if they ever need it. A solution to cover part of the cost could be buying an annuity. Here are two annuities to consider:
- Hybrid Annuity or Insurance Products w/ LTC Benefit. There are products that offer either an insurance benefit to your heirs or a guaranteed return (albeit small) as the primary function. In the event you needed nursing home care, then policy would convert to a LTC policy paying a portion of the costs for a determined period of time. The amount and time depends on how much you pay up front and your age. Clients like this option because it's not a sunk cost of paying the LTC premiums each month and offers some flexibility of getting your money back if you need it.
- LTC Double Benefit from Income Riders. For the annuities that offer a guaranteed income stream in the form of an income benefit, some carriers will also offer a "LTC doubler" benefit. How this works is let's say that your income benefit is determined to be $20,000 per year from the annuity, and you needed LTC care. Instead of $20,000 per year, your benefit would then double to $40,000 per year while you're in the nursing home. This benefit would last for 5 years and then revert back to the original $20,000 annual benefit lifetime income. Every carrier is different so it's important to understand all the moving parts.
Both of these options aren't meant to completely pay for 100% of your LTC costs, but it does help pay a portion of it.
Moral of the story: Most people shouldn't buy an annuity. But there certain people in certain circumstances for whom an annuity will be the right choice. If you have questions about annuities, or would like to discuss whether an annuity would work in your situation, just ask.


text:
Varytec Theater Spot 650/1000 Antihalo
Theater Spotlights
- Base: GX 9.5
- Lens: Ø 150 mm
- Application: Especially suitable when used at close range, high-quality theater spotlight
- Focusable from 10 to 40 degrees
- Including color filter frame (exterior dimensions 19.5 x 19.5 cm) and protective grill
- Dimensions: 325 x 280 x 520 mm
- Weight: 6.47 kg
Attention: Lamp and power plug not included
Further information
|motorized zoom
test results:
Smart Navigator
- Varytec Theater Spotlights at a glance
- display Theater Spotlights in price range 70 € - 90 €
- go to product group Theater Spotlights
- go to product group Theatre Lighting
- go to product group Lighting and Stage
- show manufacturer details for Varytec
- Varytec Lighting and Stage at a glance
- printer friendly version of this page
Further Varytec items
Offers include 20% British VAT and are valid as long as stocks last. Shipping costs to the U.K. are 10 EUR (approx. £7), free shipping on orders above 199 EUR. Please click here for international Shipping rates. We do not accept liability for typographical errors or inaccurate information of any kind. *RRP = manufacturer's / distributor's recommended retail price in Germany


text:
8 April 2009,
London, King Street
Price realised GBP 5,625
Estimate GBP 5,000 - GBP 7,000
Pablo Picasso
Modèle contemplant un Groupe sculpté, from La Suite Vollard (B. 175; Ba. 328B)
etching, 1933, on Montval, watermark Vollard, the full sheet, signed in pencil, from the edition of 260 (there was also an edition of fifty with wide margins), published by A. Vollard, Paris, 1939, sold by Libreria Prandi, Reggio Emilia, Italy, with their blindstamp in the lower right sheet corner, pale mount staining recto, some backboard staining just showing through, minor skinning at the reverse sheet corners, old adhesive hinges at the upper sheet corners, framed
P. 297 x 367 mm., S. 340 x 445 mm.
New York +1 212 636 2000
London +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Hong Kong +852 2760 1766
Shanghai +86 21 6355 1766
Special Notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.