text:
Amazing Allyson Doll
i love this cause it can talk to you and she just wants to be your best friend (at least thats whats i read)
fun console!
This is the cutest robotic dinosaur in the entire world.Tags: toys, kids, gifts, electronics, technology, gadgets, childrens, pleo, dinosaursAdded 9 Years Ago from Pleoworld
I think you should go visit the real thing, but I know it can be difficult. But seriously, you should go look at this amazing display of love and devotion.Added 9 Years Ago from Amazon.com
Warfare without the death. Let's do it! My apartment will never be the same if we all had these. DO WANT!
the most adorable ice cream maker i have seen so far! very creative idea for homemade ice cream..and in all different colors makes it so much fun!
Watch your child learn to spell CAT, DOG, or EAT with this LeapFrog Word Fridge Phonics.Tags: toddler, toys, baby, Amazing!!!, mommy, child, Fridge Phonics, igifts, ABCsAdded 10 Years Ago from Amazon.com


text:
Latest question:
How do you think the new GigE standards will influence the machine vision industry?
Respond or ask your question now!
Strictly speaking, the method is not wavelength dependent, but resolution is inversely related to wavelength. As a result, the team uses visible light rather than infrared, avoiding the ionizing radiation of the ultraviolet spectral region, which can damage samples. Switching from near-IR light to 532 nm light, for example, increased transverse resolution by a factor of two. The group has also experimented with a spatially coherent white-light source that eliminates laser speckle to yield better contrast. Using that source, they have been able to image single layers of graphene.
Their primary application focus right now, though, is medical diagnostics. For certain applications, such as assessing the refractive index and topography of red blood cells, the approach is ideal (see Figure 1). The cell mobility becomes a marker for their functionality and could be used in future for medical diagnostics.
The group seeks to refine the technology into a pathology instrument to complement existing instruments like cell counters and flow cytometers. Like other medical devices, it would need to be robust and accurate, but also high throughput, that is, to provide statistics over many thousands of cells in a matter of minutes. The software developed for the system can currently analyze around 2,500 cells in three seconds, which is impressive, but currently it takes the microscope 10 minutes to image those cells. Meanwhile, the size of the data sets presents another challenge. Run continuously, the system can produce more than a terabyte of data per day, which is impractical both in terms of storage and the amount of time required for processing. One approach that could address both the issues would be to analyze the entire field of view simultaneously rather than evaluating each cell individually.
At ASU, researchers have combined surface plasmon resonance and electrochemical detection techniques to develop electro-chemical current microscopy (ECCM), a method that can capture chemical data at high spatial resolutions. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging can provide high-spatial-resolution images of changes in local chemical concentrations, but without chemical specificity. Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) provides chemical specificity but is slow and often invasive. Combining the two methods brings the best of both worlds. �SPR basically measures the change in the surface concentration of molecules and the electrochemical phenomenon always creates a change in the concentration of molecules,� says Tao, �so from that we can quantitatively determine electrochemical current from the SPR signal.� Instead of measuring current, the new microscopy measures current density, yielding high sensitivity, high-resolution results at video speed and with minimal perturbation to the measured electrochemical reactions.
In electrochemical detection, electrons transfer between the electrode and the sample under test, triggering a reduction-oxidation (redox) reaction and generating a characteristic electrochemical current for each material. Scanning microelectrodes over the sample under test, as in SECM, adds spatial resolution to the results, but it also imposes a constraint: Spatial resolution scales directly with microelectrode size but sensitivity scales with current level, which is inversely proportional to microelectrode size. Meanwhile, the scanning process can stretch data acquisition time to minutes, or even hours. In comparison, ECCM uses an area-array detector to capture data for the entire sample simultaneously. �We figured out a very simple way to determine electrochemical current from an optical signal,� says Tao.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
About the Book
love's small philosophies
is a collection of song lyrics and verse spanning almost thirty years.
On revisiting the pieces which constitute this volume, it is apparent that they can make for torrid reading when viewed en bloc.
However, many are intended to be ironic and read with generous helpings of black humour while exploring the peculiar insanities arising when love is gained and when it is lost.
The nature of their origins necessitates their often bleak aspect, since they were to a large degree laid down at times of emotional extremes, both good and bad.
After so long, it is possible to retread them with interest and curiosity, but also with some sense of distance and a conviction that the events here related occurred to some entirely imaginary hapless hero.
Features & Details
- Category Poetry
5×8 in, 13×20 cm
158 Pages
- Publish Date Aug 04, 2009
- Language English
- Tags mutant suits, dangerous ground, das kabinette, love's small philosophies, wax cylinder, michael hall, utronic, octoberman, wax|cylinder, waxcylinder
About the Creator
Michael Hall is a terminally confused, but essentially calm and contented ex-technical illustrator, looking for new avenues to explore, whose dream is to one day escape the protective blanket of Retro DVD Heaven to find that a new life awaits in the Off-World Colonies; a chance to begin again in a golden land of opportunity and adventure, away from the computer and TV. Lyric writing continues, as it began, in a semi-autobiographical attempt to assert some degree of feeble control at times in life when he clearly has none. This Cathartic Diary Method consists of protracted spells of furious and traumatic activity, followed by even longer periods of numb, but welcome indolence when all is quiet on Planet Calculus . . . perhaps too quiet. Michael enjoys beer and talking about himself in the third person.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.


text:
Donora man faces many drug charges
A Donora man faces numerous drug charges in the wake of a house search that left a Monessen police officer injured.
Johnathan Minnie, 25, of 470 Seventh St., Apt. B, was accused Tuesday by Donora police of throwing 189 stamp bags of suspected heroin out of a second-floor window at his former residence.
Donora police said they were asked by Monessen police 4:05 p.m. June 2 to find Minnie and tell him to go to the Monessen police station for questioning.
Officer Michael Parry said he went to the address Minnie filed with the Washington County Adult Probation office, but found the residence to be vacant, according to a criminal complaint.
Police then went to Minnie's last known address at 418 Weiss Ave., Donora, where Tyler Hall answered the door. Hall allegedly said Minnie had been there a few hours earlier.
Police said they noticed a "strong odor" of marijuana from inside the residence.
Police left, but were told soon after that Minnie was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by a Washington County sheriff's deputy.
During the traffic stop, Minnie allegedly called Hall's mother, Rosalee Hudock, and was subsequently told to go to the Monessen police station, the complaint states.
Instead of doing that, Minnie allegedly went to the 418 Weiss Ave. residence.
Donora police secured the Weiss Avenue house as they sought a search warrant from Washington Magisterial District Judge Robert Redlinger.
During that time, Minnie and Hall, who are both on probation, were placed in the back of a patrol car, police said.
With the assistance of Monessen police Officer Aaron Thompson and K-9 Officer Uri, investigators found a bundle of suspected heroin labeled "Tuna Fish" in an attic crawl space.
While searching, Thompson fell through the attic floor and hit his lower back off of a beam, suffering fractures to two vertebrae. He remains off the job.
Hudock allegedly told investigators she saw Minnie coming down from the attic before police arrived.
When she asked Minnie if there were narcotics in her residence, Minnie allegedly replied, "No, Miss Rose, I threw them out," the complaint states.
Parry said police found a yellow plastic bag on the ground directly below an open, top-floor window. The bag allegedly contained four bricks of suspected heroin. The stamp bags were labeled "Galaxy 5," police said.
After questioning Minnie for an hour, he was released.
On Tuesday, Minnie was charged with 189 counts of possession of a controlled substance and single counts of manufacture, delivery or possession of a controlled substance, hindering apprehension-conceals/destroys evidence, and obstructing administration of law.
Parry filed the charges with Magisterial District Judge Mark Wilson in Monongahela.
During his arrest Tuesday, Minnie allegedly asked Donora police Officer Joshua Haines to secure Minnie's property at his Seventh Street apartment.
Minnie's live-in girlfriend, Julia Hall, allegedly gave police permission to search the apartment.
She accompanied police to the apartment, where officers allegedly found one brick – or 50 stamp bags – of suspected heroin wrapped in magazine paper. Officers also allegedly found 14 stamp bags marked "Miami Heat" in a dresser drawer.
Police said they found additional magazine paper, commonly used to package heroin, in the pocket of a shirt in a closet, the complaint states.
Haines charged Minnie with additional counts of manufacture, delivery or possession of a controlled substance and 64 counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Minnie was arrested Tuesday in Donora on a warrant related to a separate incident last week in Monessen. Following his arrest, police allegedly found more suspected heroin at his current residence.
Minnie was taken to the Westmoreland County Prison in Hempfield Township on a warrant for two incidents June 8 in Monessen.
Monessen police charged him with theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief after being called to a large fight in the Rite-Aid parking lot around 1:30 a.m.
Jorge Frezzell told police someone threw a cinder block through the windshield of his parked car parked on nearby Schoonmaker Avenue. Police said Samone Stepoli claimed she saw Minnie throw a cinder block through Frezzell's windshield before breaking the passenger side window, police said.
Stepoli also told officers someone stole her iPhone and the keys to her Cadillac Escalade.
A GPS search on the phone located the vehicle in Donora, where police allegedly found the keys and iPhone at Minnie's residence.
Donora police Superintendent James Brice said that if Minnie posts bond on the Monessen charges, Minnie will "go straight" to the Washington County Correctional Facility on a detainer.
Stacy Wolford is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-684-2640 or at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Submit Review
Disc Reviews
Player Reviews
Posted 04-11-08
Submitted by Josh email@example.com
Disc Weights: 171-174
Review: The dx Firebird, at about 172g, is my favorite driver. I carry 4 of them in new, worn, beat, and trashed condition, respectively. This covers a vast spectrum of shots in a variety of wind conditions.
New to Worn - headwinds, thumbers, spikes hyzers, strongly fading shots, flex-shots, forehands.
Worn to Beat - hyzer, straight, anhyzer, thumbers, forhand rollers.
Beat to Trashed: hyzer flip, turnovers, backhand rollers
Posted 10-30-07
Submitted by TheCulturedRedneck
Location: Norma, OK
Level: Amateur
Avg Drive: 350
Disc Weights: 155
Review: Found a lightweight Firebird one evening... it has since become my default neutral-wind driver. My experience is much different than that of previous reviewers (maybe due to the weight difference?). The 'bird tends to leave my hand with a gentle anhyzer line, sometimes ending in a gentle left-fade... sometimes turning over and diving to the right. Even though it has a relatively flat profile, this light disc is unpredictable in heavy wind. My preferred use is on wide-open holes in neutral wind (being confident that it'll get down-range but not sure which side it'll dive towards). Definitely recommended for the scenarios I've described... effective but admittedly limited outside a narrow range.
Posted 11-09-05
Submitted by joejoetheidiotcircusboy email@example.com
Disc Weights: 176
Review: This disc is amazing. it was my first driver and i have never had a problem with it.ive since had about 20 drivers and none have flown like the firebird. it is quite heavy, and an inexperienced thrower needs quite a chuck to get it to fly right. the champion seems to curve more but fade less, so it balances out. i recommend it to any level player.
Posted 09-22-05
Submitted by Jordan email@example.com
Location: Springfield, MO
Level: Beginner
Avg Drive: 300
Disc Weights: 168
Review: I bought this disc as part of a lot, not knowing much about it. Innova doesn't recommend it for beginners, so I nearly got rid of it before I ever threw it. After a couple of backhand throws, I felt like throwing it in the trash. True to form, it takes a ton of speed to get it to fly like it is supposed to. Messing around out of curiosity I threw it side-arm, and I didn't think it would ever stop! I'm now able to throw my Firebird, sidearm, consistently and accurately 350'. I haven't played yet on a windy day, but I can't wait to throw the Firebird into the wind.
Posted: 9-06-03
Submitted by PDogg email@example.com
The Firebird (dx) is best for forehand drives, and is extremely heavy. It still catches so much air, that I have to throw it almost directly at the ground- and when you throw it correctly it will go very, very far and go very, very straight with just a tiny curve at the end. It's very flat as well, and I find that if thrown back-hand it will take advantage of it's overstable characteristics and curve much at the end of its flight.
This is my first disc, and that was a bad idea since I had to adapt to it; (and that took about a week or two), and it is way way way too heavy for a beginner. If you are a beginner, and only want to buy one disc (the firebird is a great disc to have if you only want one) to practice with, make sure you aim close to the ground or it will curve way too much.
In fact, if you're a beginner I recommend the Innova Puma, if you're kinda good and still intermediate and barely getting par, I recommend just a mid-range driver like the Cheetah, and if you're a pro and need a long distance driver that if thrown correctly will not go too un-stable then this is the disc for you.
The best part about the Firebird: when thrown at the ground and in a straight line; it'll never betray you and fly upwards at the end of the flight. (which is very good). Too bad I threw my Firebird into a creek and lost it...
Posted: 04-21-02
By Blake Takkunen - the Webmaster - <firstname.lastname@example.com>
My Review:
The Firebird is a very fast small diameter overstable driver. Its flight characteristics are most noticably its high turnover resistance, extreme speed, and lack of glide. I find the Firebird difficult to compare to other overstable drivers on the market as it has a straighter flight path and more sudden fade than the consistent fade of some of the comperable discs on the market, i.e. Banshee, Viper, X-Clone, Xtra. The Firebird is excellent for drives into a headwind and its turnover resistance is very high so it should hold a flat or hyzer line into any wind condition. It's also one of the fastest discs on the market and takes a very large amount of power to throw. While discs like the Banshee and Xtra have more of a sweeping line, the Firebird will fly fairly straight until it begins to slow down and then it will fade very hard as it slows down and then drop out of the sky. Due to this, the Firebird does not have a partciularly long flight as the "slow down" can happen very early in its flight if you don't get enough on it. The DX version of this disc is slightly less overstable than the CE version, but much more overstable than the KC. From my experience, the Firebird makes an excellent headwind driver but it's not a very versatile disc.
Submit Your Review
Back to Main Page


text:
Do you think, Captain Joe, he said to the dog, that you could go and get a wharf rat this morning?
And when I find him, therell be one wharf rat less on the docks.
He is usually defended by first-class criminal lawyers, and his wharf rat companions seem to be very desirable witnesses for him.
We saw that wharf rat, Max, in the forest and I started away to follow him.
He is a wharf rat at Quebec, and is being used by these outlaws to further their treacherous ends.
Yes and we were compelled to exchange our perfectly good uniforms for some old rags that would disgrace a wharf rat!
There was a general warfare declared on the wharf rat in prison.


text:
May 25, 2003
- Judaica Theft in Tel Aviv
- IRAQ: questions about number of items looted (Tom Flynn)
- Hong Kong Probes Christie's Auction of Chinese Antiquities
- Jagmohan seeks restitution of British Museum Saraswati idol
- Theft of Afghan artifacts persists
- Architectural salvage dealers fear a new law could put them out of business - and make it a crime to sell your old fireplace
- Museum display theft
- Tackling the looters
- Media blamed for exaggerating loss of antiquities
- Theft case threatens the art of handshake; dealer is said to take money and a Picasso
- World War II Allied Intelligence report on German art dealer on the web
- Arnold can't pull weight without Anna Nicole
- Painting returned to local gallery
- Nazis, stolen treasure & mystery deaths
Date sent: Sat, 24 May 2003 15:59:47 +0200
From: Bernhard Purin email@example.com
To: firstname.lastname@example.com
Subject: Judaica Theft in Tel Aviv
On Thursday night, May 22, 2003, thieves broke into the Beit Hatefutsoth Museum in Tel Aviv.
35 objects from a temporary exhibition "Journey to No End of the World" were stolen. These are all objects from the Gross Family Collection.
Your help is requested in the effort to trace these items. The stolen objects, with a photo and brief description, can be viewed on the website:
If you see or hear anything regarding any of these items, would you
please contact William Gross at:
Bernhard Purin
Jewish Museum Munich
Burgstrasse 3
From: "Tom Flynn" firstname.lastname@example.com
Subject: IRAQ: questions about number of items looted
Date sent: Thu, 22 May 2003 09:47:42 +0100
. . To List Subscribers,
It is with great bewilderment that some of us read the claims by officials at the Iraq National Museum that "shoddy reporting" is to blame for creating the impression that the majority of the museum's 170,000 objects were looted following the invasion. I was present at the British Museum Press Conference a few weeks ago at which curators who had already visited the museum and Donny George himself all had ample opportunity to clarify to the best of their knowledge the extent of the looting and the likely number of missing objects. True, they too were operating under the fog of war at that time, but perhaps they could all have made a greater effort either to be more accurate in their estimates or more cautious in the speculations they made. Most importantly, they could have been more open about the precautioins they had taken to hide away certain objects prior to the invasion, which were barely mentioned. British Museum Director Neil MacGregor was clearly very uncomfortable chairing an open discussion on cultural heritage in his own front room, and at which a microphone was being passed around, but had he not truncated the public question and answer section of that press meeting quite so abruptly we might all have had a better opportunity to press Mr George on the basis for his own estimates and to clarify what measure had been taken to protect certain parts of the collections.
I recall from my notes of that press conference that Donny George recounted - and, it appeared to some of us, not without a certain relish - how Saddam had in the past proved himself prepared to summarily execute looters of cultural heritage. Conversely, although the estimate of looted items might have been exaggerated, Donny George was emphatic in his condemnation of the American military for protecting the Oil Ministry but neglecting the museum. There is a queasy subtext here if you bother to seek it out.
Many questions still remain unanswered about this event, not least how irreplaceable artefacts such as the Warka Vase could have been removed prior to the invasion without the knowledge of museum officials. But there are also questions to be asked about why Donny George and other museum officials knew so little about pre-war measures to store and protect, which now appear to have been efficient enough to safeguard many of the items which many of us were misled into believing had been looted . We may have got the wrong end of the stick at the British Museum - but is it not a little strange that quite so many journalists went away with the wrong impression, while Mr George made little or not attempt to clarify the context of the figure of 170,000 which he repeated with such regularity and gusto before, during, and after that meeting.
Dr Tom Flynn
Hong Kong Probes Christie's Auction of Chinese Antiquities
Wednesday, May 21, 2003 00:27 AM ET
HONG KONG -- Police here are investigating whether Chinese antiquities sold by Christie's auction house were previously stolen, highlighting rising concerns over the world-wide traffic in smuggled artifacts from China, Wednesday's Wall Street Journal reported.
The inquiry is focusing on items sold at an auction in Hong Kong last Oct. 28 titled "Imperial Devotions, Buddhist Treasures for the Qianlong Court." "We are cooperating with the police on the investigation to see if the pieces were stolen," says Pola Antebi, head of Chinese ceramics and works of art at Christie's Hong Kong. A person close to the inquiry says as many as 20 of the 49 lots auctioned by Christie's Hong Kong Ltd., a unit of Christie's International Inc., are being examined by police, including an 18th- century enameled Buddha statue known as a famille rose Amitayus, or Buddha of Infinite Life, which sold for HK$2.3 million (US$295,000).
The items once belonged to the prestigious Palace Museum in Beijing, but were later transferred to a provincial museum, according to an official at the Beijing museum. Museum officials learned that some items formerly in their inventory were for sale only when a Chinese antiquities scholar noticed the items during a visit to Hong Kong last year. The Palace Museum's records, which track items transferred or lent to other institutions, confirmed the identity of the items, the official said.
Christie's says it devotes "considerable resources to investigating the provenance of all objects we offer for sale," and won't sell any works of art that it has any reason to believe were stolen. Ms. Antebi says the auction house had taken all reasonable precautions.
Wall Street Journal Staff Reporter Karen Mazurkewich contributed to this report.
Jagmohan seeks restitution of Saraswati idol
By Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI MAY 21. The Union Tourism & Culture Minister, Jagmohan, has urged his counterpart in the External Affairs Ministry, Yashwant Sinha, to use diplomatic channels and international conventions to secure the return of a 11th Century Goddess Saraswati idol, which is reportedly at the London's British Museum.
Mr. Jagmohan wrote to Mr. Sinha in this connection on April 29 in which he has suggested that because India was a signatory to the UNESCO Convention on `Preventing the Illicit Imports, Exports and Transfer of ownership of Cultural Property', it "might be possible for us to negotiate the restitution of the image of Saraswati to its country of origin through appropriate measures". Though the idol was exported from India to the U.K. prior to the promulgation of the Antiquities (Export Control) Act, 1947 — later superseded by the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 — Mr. Jagmohan's contention is that the UNESCO Convention of 1970 "encourages mutual negotiations on such articles of national wealth/heritage for restitution to the country of origin". While legend has it that the idol dating back to the Parmara dynasty was housed in the controversial Bhojshala complex in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Jagmohan's letter makes no mention of this possible connection.
However, he describes the artefact in considerable detail; stating that this idol of the period of King Bhojadeva was of iconographic significance and artistic merit. Also, the inscription on its pedestal, he noted, provides important historical information. Though over three weeks have passed since Mr. Jagmohan wrote to Mr. Sinha, there is no indication whether the MEA will consider the matter. The only communication that has come from the MEA is a formal acknowledgement of Mr. Jagmohan's letter. However, Culture Ministry officials themselves concede that this is not an issue that will find a quick answer; let alone a positive one.
Theft of Afghan artifacts persists
KABUL, May 22 (Online): For decades, war and gnawing poverty made Afghanistan fertile ground for thieves and smugglers. Looters have cleared the shelves in Afghanistan's museums and left deep hollows in the earth of its ancient sites, where Buddhist, Greek, Zoroastrian and early Islamic civilizations once flourished.
Two weeks ago, these roughly 1,500-year-old Buddhist sculptures were in the hands of smugglers. A team of looters had dug holes in the sandy ridges of an ancient settlement 80 miles south of Kabul. They had pulled the seven clay heads from the earth, damaging several, and stored them in a nearby house. If security forces had reached the house a day later, the sculptures would have been on their way to Pakistan and then most likely sold on the international stolen-art market, according to Aziz Rahman Mayel, an Afghan intelligence agent who helped retrieve the clay heads. Yet even with the U.S.-backed government of Hamid Karzai in place and an international community eager to support cultural preservation, large-scale looting of Afghanistan's archeological sites goes on. "It doesn't seem to decrease, it's very well-organized [and] it takes advantage of the fact that all the state structures for preventing and protecting cultural heritage are still very weak and disorganized," said Louise Haxthausen, a program specialist with UNESCO, the United Nations cultural organization.
Powerful warlords help the smugglers in return for a cut of the profits, according to Afghan and Western officials. Opium dealers dabble in antiquities, using their supply routes to ferry ancient statues, coins and intricately painted pieces of ivory out of the country. "We are at one of the worst stages of our history in terms of historic artifacts," said Sayed Raheen, Afghanistan's information and culture minister. Every few months, people contact Raheen and try to sell him back pieces of stolen art. Someone got in touch with him recently about a 1,600-year-old painting on ivory of a nude woman surrounded by serving girls. The smugglers wanted $1 million, but "I couldn't afford it," Raheen said. Nancy Hatch Dupree, who traveled widely in Afghanistan in the 1960s and '70s with her husband, American archeologist Louis Dupree, and wrote a guide to the collection of the Kabul Museum, said she has bought back some items looted from the museum. But most of the time, she said, the prices are too high, and she doesn't want to reward the smugglers. "They tell me you can make as much off of stolen artifacts as you can in the drug trade," said Dupree, a senior consultant to ACBAR, the umbrella group that coordinates Afghan aid. "You can't crack down on this unless the central government is recognized, and out in the provinces it's not recognized." The seven clay heads, which date from the 5th to 7th Centuries, were looted from Kharwar, a 19-square-mile site that has never been legally excavated. They are thought to represent members of Buddha's entourage, including a bodyguard and a monk. Afghan conservators are using turkey basters to blow fine dust from the faces and have patched one of the heads with plaster.
Omara Khan Masoudi, general director of museums for the Afghan Ministry of Information and Culture, said experts believe Kharwar was a large residential area. A piece of wood collected there recently and sent to Paris for carbon dating suggests the site was inhabited as early as the 2nd or 3rd Centuries, and some experts believe the settlement is much older. Situated in what is now Loghar province, Kharwar was part of ancient Kabulistan, the trading center at the heart of central Asia that linked civilizations of the Middle East and east Asia. The site is now honeycombed with holes and trenches, where looters, believed to be working with a local military commander, have dug and removed pottery, coins and statues. Afghan intelligence and cultural officials say they know the military commander's name. In some parts of Loghar, his guards have been stationed at ancient sites, ostensibly to protect them, and are thought to be taking part in the looting. The government says it cannot stop them. When intelligence officials learned of the clay heads stolen from Kharwar, they had to craft a plan to steal them back from the looters. They didn't arrest the commander or anyone else. "He has been appointed by somebody from the government, so only in one case can we arrest him: if we have a decree and order from the president," said Mayel, the intelligence official. At Mis Inak, an isolated plain in Loghar province covered with pyramid-shaped hills that are believed to contain the remains of an ancient Buddhist holy site, about 40 soldiers loyal to this commander say they are guarding the area.
Although government officials say they have had recent reports of looting at Mis Inak, the soldiers deny knowledge of it. "It's possible it happened before, but we've been here for 10 to 12 months, and after we installed these check posts, there have been just nomads coming across this area with their animals," said Mohammad Malik, a deputy commander. Raheen, the culture minister, said the soldiers at Mis Inak soon will be replaced and 500 others will be hired to guard about 100 vulnerable archeological sites. Afghanistan also is expected to sign two international conventions this summer that would enable the government to legally reclaim stolen artifacts. But the agreements apply only to artifacts whose existence has been documented, not to pieces that are illegally excavated and not officially cataloged. "We can't talk about the price of these things; they don't have a price because they are the historic things of Afghanistan," said Masoudi, the museum director. "But the farther they get from Afghanistan, the more people will pay."
Don't throw it all away
Architectural salvage dealers fear a new law could put them out of business - and make it a crime to sell your old fireplace.
Catherine Moye reports Images of the empty Baghdad Museum, robbed of treasures dating back to the world's earliest civilisations, made many watching want to punish the dealers who will make millions peddling stolen Iraqi culture. Legislation currently going through Parliament could enable such criminal dealers to be prosecuted in the UK for the first time. Unfortunately, it could also make criminals of many innocent British householders: all you would have to do would be to decide that a gruesome gargoyle or perverse pediment does not suit your house and sell it. The legislation concerned is the Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Bill, which was promoted as a Private Member's Bill by Richard Allan, the MP for Sheffield Hallam. Having won cross-party support, it has passed to the House of Lords and seems likely to become law by the end of this parliamentary session in July. The aim of the Bill is to close a loophole in the law. As things stand, disreputable dealers can avoid prosecution if they are caught buying or selling stolen artefacts from anywhere in the world, by claiming they were bought from a stranger in good faith. If the Bill becomes law this will no longer be a legitimate defence and, it is hoped, the market that encourages modern-day tomb raiders will dry up. The wholesale looting of Iraqi museums and historic sites makes the Bill both timely and laudable. The problem lies in its wording. The same phrases that aim to halt the "international trade" in "cultural artefacts" also apply here. As Richard Allan explains: "The principal aim of the Bill was to stop people hacking bits off Cambodian temples but it would be a nonsense to have a Bill if it didn't cover the UK."
This could have a severe impact upon our architectural salvage industry. Allan has unwittingly gone to the heart of a rift that exists between heritage groups such as the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) and the architectural salvage trade. The heritage bodies say that the existence of the dealers encourages crooks to steal rare fittings from properties. Certainly thefts - of everything from Adam fireplaces to Kent clay peg tiles - go on. Phillip Venning of SPAB contends that, by making it harder to sell stolen artefacts, Richard Allan's Bill will deter thieves. The salvage companies, however, argue that they owe their existence to the boom in property renovation and demolition, and that they provide a service by finding new homes for period features that would otherwise be junked. Rather than thriving from theft, they say, reputable dealers are a bulwark against it, but the proposed legislation could make their business unviable.
Thornton Kay of Salvo has done more than most in his industry to clean up the image of the architectural salvage trade in the UK. His network, a web-based information clearing house, puts architectural salvage traders in touch with potential buyers. Salvo also passes on theft alerts and all respectable dealers subscribe to its code of practice. He believes that new legislation to control his industry is unnecessary and would have a detrimental impact on conservation. "There is already a law on handling stolen goods in this country and it's a criminal offence to remove items from listed buildings," he says. "But if the onus is on a dealer to prove that an item has not been removed illegally, under pain of a seven-year jail term, then a lot of stuff will just be directed to landfill. "If someone walks into my yard with a nice fireplace, of course I want to make sure that it didn't come from a listed building. However, if I have to ask all these questions and make checks, then the seller will go elsewhere - to the dodgy guy up the road." Even private sales could be affected. It can be almost impossible to say where an item came from before it was in your home. In the Victorian era, for example, householders routinely took their favourite fixtures with them when they moved house. A previous owner might have installed a Georgian fireplace in a 1930s mansion block, or a Tudor gargoyle over an Edwardian entrance. A subsequent owner could easily dislike such a feature and decide to sell it on.
Even items that are in period may be rejected by a householder who wants a sleek contemporary interior. If you buy from someone like that how are you going to show where the artefact came from originally? Then there is the complication of old bricks, popular for building extensions to period properties - and sometimes demanded by planning authorities. They are clearly part of the architectural fabric of a building, requiring proof of provenance. How can individuals be expected to check the detailed history of every brick and roof tile? Richard Allan admits that on this level the law would be unenforceable. "Monitoring transactions on that scale would place a huge burden on the police and it is unlikely that any prosecution would be successful." Thornton Kay believes that the proposed legislation could see a drying-up of period features for sale legitimately, with many going overseas and prices only affordable by the very rich.
If he is right, a praiseworthy attempt to end a piratical trade in the world's antiquities could see British heritage being cast aside as too dangerous to do anything with but throw in a skip.
Museum display theft
REPRESENTATIVES of Three Rivers Museum were upset to discover the theft of a display they had created for Rickmansworth week, the day after it was hung for exhibition.
Since lightening struck Basing House, the home of the museum, last November, staff have been eagerly awaiting a return to the building. However, there is currently no fixed date for the return and representatives of the museum have been battling to keep its name in the forefront of people's minds by arranging displays and talks. To mark Rickmansworth week, a four foot display was created in two picture frames, of aerial pictures of Rickmansworth and the Three Rivers area from 1927. Chairman of the museum, Mrs Barbara Owen said: "We made an agreement for the display to go on the wall inside the doors of Watersmeet. "It was put up in the morning of Saturday, May 10, and by the following day it had disappeared, not even 36 hours later.
"No one at Watersmeet had seen anything and I never even got to see the display being exhibited we are all very upset, especially because of how much work had bene put into it."
The museum will have a stand at the Croxley Revels on Saturday, June 21.
Tackling the looters
"To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war" - that was the original vow of the United Nations which alas it has failed to keep throughout 58 years of its existence. Today the post-war burden of the United States, having come through the scourge of a war, is not, as was first imagined, to reorganise a civil society and put in place what they call a transitional government, the immediate, urgent task is to prevent Iraq's descending from chaos into anarchy.
I must say that whatever was allowed for in the very careful planning of the liberation of Iraq I don't believe even Secretary Rumsfeld had any conception of how huge and wildly ungovernable the looting would be. The sheer wickedness of robbing a hospital, not only of its beds and blankets but of medical equipment, including life-saving devices for which the witless looters had no imaginable use. I think the tolerable limit was reached last Monday when American marines responding to fire from an asylum broke the outer wall and plunged in, along with an army of looters, while at least 500 of the 800 incarcerated psychotics, rapists, murderers, dangerous schizophrenics and so on, tumbled out and are now at large in the city.
Why was all this allowed to happen? Because all the American forces had been ordered from the start not to shoot anyone but an obvious combatant. Here's a definition: "looting - the pillage of valuables in time of war, according to the rules of war a crime punishable by instant execution but not universally followed". I recall that in Basra, in the first days, British soldiers fired on some looters but then, for no given reason that I read about, they stopped. Certainly the Americans were forbidden to perform instant execution, it was an element of administration policy, which in the early days of the war bent over backwards to avoid the appearance of conquerors.
You may have noticed that months before the war started a theory had been advanced by some Western intellectuals and very quickly was crudified into a popular protest among ordinary people, it was the theory that the United States was now launched on a new imperial crusade, that empire was a truer slogan than liberation.
Sympathetic intellectuals elaborated a programme much like that with which British liberals, throughout the 19th Century, looked on the development of their empire as a humane social undertaking. Prince Albert's passionate belief that Britons had a duty to lift the peoples of the dark continent out of abject poverty and exploitation by unscrupulous traders, to build railroads, a civil service, medical stations, create a merchant class. This idea of empire as a huge peace corps is, I should say, practically unheard of in the United States where the vast majority of people think of empire as a very wicked form of exploiting primitive peoples which the British, the French, the Dutch, the Belgians and the Portuguese eventually shed themselves of and none too soon. By this 21st Century I'm sure most Americans have forgotten, if they ever knew, that President Theodore Roosevelt had the great ambition, partially fulfilled, in Central America and the Pacific to found an American empire.
The remaining bits of the American empire are remote islands officially designated inland territories.
But I have to say that at the first outcry about a new American empire the administration did everything it could to obliterate the picture of an imperialism on the march. However, I'm afraid to people who are normally anti-American it has been food and drink. Reluctantly last Tuesday, President Bush officially recognised that before you could have an interim government there must be an interim police force. That's been the trouble since the day Saddam's statue was toppled and we breathed relief at the end of the war. The war with the civilian population had just begun. So last Tuesday President Bush, through Mr Paul Bremer - who's the new civilian with the unenviable job of creating a new Iraq - the president issued an order that from now on United States military forces are authorised to shoot looters on sight.
This has been done with full knowledge of the risk entailed in shooting young people, the unemployed, family heads desperate for food and electricity. The administration has spoken with all its fingers crossed. Until the cities can somehow acquire workable police forces it seemed the only thing to do. The administration is well aware it will not necessarily make the occupying Americans any more popular. Once again I think I'd better say that about a third of the population of the United States, up from the Deep South, through Missouri and the Midwest, the people there are equally concerned for their own lack of power - which means light, heat, air conditioning, flushing toilets - after, we hope, the end of a plague of tornadoes. In two weeks more than a hundred that have damaged or destroyed more than 80 small towns. Talking of natural disasters I must take note of a study that was published last week, at the end of a meeting of seismologists - earthquake specialists - producing a big surprise. Namely that there is an inland geological vein or fault running more or less parallel with the New England seaboard that could cause a deal of trouble. Earthquakes in New England? When? When? They aren't saying, though the meeting added of course that California can expect earthquakes till the end of time. And of course they have happened in that state since the days of the early Spanish conquest.
A famous conquistador, Portola - an 18th Century governor of what was called New Spain - camped by a river whose surrounding land one night trembled in a frightening fashion. When he moved on Portola did what all explorers do, he gave a name to his last resting place. he called it Santa Ana de los Temblores - of the "temblores", of the quakes. An old historian writes: "In later usage the name was shortened to Santa Ana - out of deference to local feelings, the appendage was dropped." There are three main faults that wriggle deep underground through central and southern California.
In deference to local feeling their names are not often mentioned, just as in deference to wishful feeling San Franciscans for the past three generations make a point of referring to the 1906 earthquake as "the fire". We have a friend, indeed my wife's oldest friend whom she's known since their teens, let's call her Bea for Beatrice. For, by a happy coincidence, that is her name. About 20 years ago she decided to go and live in California to be with the daughter who'd settled there.
Bea, when she left the east, didn't know much about California but she certainly had heard about the earthquakes. She lived down the peninsula from San Francisco, close by the big, thriving city of San Jose, which has had its share of quakes, so recently as 1989. Ever since then she's harboured a secret dread of earthquakes. Now understand she's not a nervous type - she's tall, handsome, very intelligent and sensible and - I almost said - down to earth. But one time she confessed to this secret dread, so ever-present that she got into the habit, just before she went to bed, of taking all the upstanding earthenware - plates, cups, saucers, whatever - and putting them securely in a drawer.
Well about 10 years ago I was out in San Francisco and I covered a conference of seismologists which had met to estimate the likely timing and scale of the next big one that would arise from the California faults, especially the one that starts out in the ocean in the north and runs in under Napa County and through San Francisco and on south. The conclusion of the conference was that this region of the country was likely to get the big one sometime in the next 30 or 40 years. But the big, and for Californians joyful news was, that the truly big one was likely to arrive sometime in the following 10 years by odds of five to one and it wouldn't be in California at all but in a fault - long unreported - that runs from about Hartford, Connecticut down through the New York suburbs and on to and through Philadelphia. We'd never heard of it. It also came out, incidentally, that the busiest little seismological station in America, perhaps in the world, is a village just across Long Island sound there, in Connecticut, that records three or four earthquakes every day of the year.
The Connecticut Chamber of Commerce has never told us about it. But once the news was out several officials in the state of Connecticut hastened to publish the truth. Which is that these quakes are minute, barely registering on the Richter scale. But I did a talk about that conference and being close by I rushed a fair copy of it to our friend Bea. And she stopped, she said she stopped from then on packing up the crockery every evening. She just heaved a happy sigh that she doesn't live in Connecticut. I felt at the time I'd done my good deed for the year.
Media blamed for exaggerating loss of antiquities
By Alex Spillius in Baghdad
(Filed: 22/05/2003)
Officials at the National Museum of Iraq have blamed shoddy reporting amid the "fog of war" for creating the impression that the majority of the institution's 170,000 items were looted in the aftermath of the fall of Baghdad.
A carefully prepared storage plan, used in the Iran-Iraq war and the first Gulf war, ensured that tens of thousands of pieces were saved, they said. They now believe that the number of items taken was in the low thousands, and possibly hundreds.
Donny George, research director, said: "There was a mistake. Someone asked us what is the number of pieces in the whole collection. We said over 170,000, and they took that as the number lost.
"Reporters came in and saw empty shelves and reached the conclusion that all was gone. But before the war we evacuated all of the small pieces and emptied the show cases except for fragile or heavy material that was difficult to move." Some pieces were hidden in the vaults of the central bank and others at secret locations, he added.
Thousands of manuscripts and scrolls were kept at a civilian bunker in north-west Baghdad and had been returned. However, some of the blame for the confusion lies with the poor communication skills of museum officials, most of whom are less approachable than Mr George. Shortly after the looting they were in a highly defensive mood and gave away little about what appeared to be - and probably still is - one of the biggest art thefts ever.
At the time, accusations flew that valuable pieces were looted to order in an operation that required inside help.
American investigators from the immigration and customs enforcement department also did little to dispel the notion that the theft had been on a much larger scale.
"On the face of it, it looked like the place was ransacked. However, the museum storage plan had been put into action," said special supervisory agent Steve Mocsary. "As the investigation progressed we found out about the storage."
Mr George now admits that the looters knew what they were looking for. "I see it as a planned project involving parties abroad which included planning the removal of items out of the country," he said.
Prof McGuire Gibson, an oriental specialist from Chicago University and a member of the Unesco team that first said the losses might have been wildly exaggerated, said he had received reports that "top five" items out of the 33 had shifted to Teheran and Paris within days of their removal from the museum.
These may include the Sumerian period Vase of Warca, and the 4,500- year-old Basitki statue.
Mr George said that judging from the fate of pieces looted from regional museums after the first Gulf war, London was likely to play a key role as an evaluation centre for stolen items. He said buyers for those artefacts came mostly from Japan, America and Israel.
Only 40 out of 4,000 pieces snatched in 1991 have been recovered.
Theft case threatens the art of handshake
Dealer is said to take money and a Picasso
By Tatsha Robertson, Globe Staff, 5/22/2003
NEW YORK -- The theft of which Michel Cohen stands accused was audacious in its scope and simple in its planning.
In the clubby art world where priceless works are entrusted to dealers and brokers on a promise and a handshake, Cohen, a highly regarded art broker, borrowed millions from prestigious art dealers such as Sotheby's and was handed a Picasso from another prominent dealer. But according to a complaint filed in US District Court in Manhattan, Cohen fled two years ago, swindling the dealers of millions of dollars and taking a valuable piece of art, as well. His May 6 arrest in Brazil has brought little comfort to art dealers in the United States and Europe. Not only are dealers anxious about reclaiming their lost millions, but the case is prompting many movers and shakers of the art world to reexamine traditional practices by which million-dollar deals were sealed by a dealer's word. Because the art world operates frequently with neither lawyers nor legally- binding contracts, Cohen's alleged victims may find it difficult to be fully compensated. ''I am not after him, but I would like our money,'' said Martin Muller, a prominent San Francisco art dealer, who said he is owed in the ''low millions.''
''I don't think I will get it,'' Muller said. ''I would be happy to be proven wrong, but I don't think most victims will get their money.'' The tradition of working on faith in the art circles may be as out of date as Impressionism. ''Now, we are much more cautious,'' Muller said. ''We put everything in writing. In those days, it was a handshake.'' ''I always tell everyone to put it in writing,'' said Ralph Lerner, a Manhattan art lawyer. ''You have to have a paper trail. People are doing it more and more to protect themselves and to avoid a Michel.'' Cohen, a native of France, knew the rules. Dark, handsome, and slight, Cohen's charm, wit, and energy helped him rise from peddling encyclopedias to opening a New York gallery. But it was his immense trustworthiness, the habit of keeping his word that helped build a solid reputation. According to court documents unsealed last week in US District Court in Manhattan, Cohen is now charged with transporting stolen goods across state lines and with fraud relating to a Monet. According to the complaint, New York's Richard Gray Gallery delivered to Cohen in December 2000 a Picasso, known as ''Nu Accroupi,'' so he could show it to a potential buyer. Cohen, who signed a consignment agreement letting him keep the painting for one day, apparently had a second buyer, unknown to the Gray Gallery. The gallery never got the painting back. And like many other dealers, the Gray Gallery received only a bad check from Cohen. Around the same time, Cohen received a partial payment of $2.5 million from the Beadleston Gallery of New York to purchase Claude Monet's ''Le Repos Dans Le Jardin, Argenteuil,'' a piece to be returned to a family of Holocaust victims from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. But simultaneously he was shopping the Monet to others: European art dealers saw transparencies of the Monet, and they wired Cohen $5 million.
And then there were Cohen's dealings with Sotheby's, which took the step, unusual in the genteel world of fine art, of suing Cohen for $9.5 million, contending that the auction house had lent him nearly $10 million for five paintings and had received nothing in return. Sometime later, Cohen disappeared with his wife and two children. Others not included in court documents have disclosed that they, too, had lost millions. While there have been similar scams, New York Magazine writer Anthony Haden-Guest, who first reported Cohen's misdeeds, has estimated that losses could reach an unprecedented $50 million. ''We are victims like Sotheby's, but there are many whose losses are in the high millions,'' said Muller, whose father lent Cohen money. ''We have losses in the low millions. We really didn't think anything was wrong until he vanished.'' John Henry Merryman, who teaches an art law class at Stanford Law school, said that Cohen could be criminally prosecuted but that it may be difficult to win a case in civil court. He said a civil judgment would depend on the application of the statute of fraud law, which varies from state to state. Also, plaintiffs may have to prove that Cohen intentionally set out to harm them, Merryman said, while no one knows if the cash or artwork is still available. Richard Polsky, a private art dealer who flew from San Francisco last week to attend an auction at Christie's in New York, said the business of art dealing needs to be more regulated. He suggested that art dealers take licensing exams, as do doctors, lawyers, and beauticians. ''It's so much bad behavior in this business because it is not regulated,'' said Polsky. But Richard Feigen, a world-renowned art dealer based in Manhattan and one of the few in his circle who did not know Cohen, predicted that the informal way of doing business will continue.
''How would you protect yourself?'' Feigen said in a telephone interview, adding that he would be offended if someone asked him to sign a legal contract. ''That's just wrong.'' objected Lerner, who contends that art dealers should not care about offending anyone, but instead should demand that all transactions be in writing. Sitting in the hotel bar on Madison Avenue a few hours before a Christie's auction, Polsky said that some people in the art business have become more cautious. ''The joke is `don't do a Michel on me,' '' he said. ''It's a joke, but a joke with an edge.''
From: David Brancaleone email@example.com Subject:
World War II Allied Intelligence report on German art dealer on the web
Date sent: Thu, 22 May 2003 16:41:46 +0100
World War II Allied Intelligence report on German art dealer NOW available on lootedart.com -- the website of the Central Registry
London 22 May 2003. The Hans Wendland Interrogation Report of 18 September 1946 by Bernard Taper of the MFA&A (Monuments and Fine Arts and Archives) and Otto Wittmann of the OSS (the Office of Strategic Services) has just been published on the web. Taper describes Wendland as "a shadowy, rather slippery figure" who was a key link in the transactions involving works of art confiscated from French Jewish collections by the ERR. The art objects reached Switzerland by diplomatic pouch (via Reichsmarshall Hermann Goering's Karinhall art collection), ending up for sale at the Fischer Gallery of Lucerne. Taper writes ("Investigating Art Looting for the MFA&A", in the Spoils of War, Elizabeth Simpson (ed.), Spoils of War, Abrams, New York 1997, pp. 135-138) that Wendland was questioned for "ten straight days" and that the report led to Wendland's extradition to France and produced information which helped pinpoint the possible whereabouts of several important looted paintings. Other reports were produced by the Art Looting Investigation Unit comprising art experts working for OSS, who dealt with the intelligence gathering on the German spoliation of cultural property in Europe between 1933 and 1945. The OSS produced two types of intelligence reports: Detailed Interrogation Reports (DIRs) and Consolidated Interrogation Reports (CIRs), following research carried out in 1945 and 1946 through interrogation of those responsible for dealing, selling, buying and shipping looted art and a study of captured enemy documents.
The DIRs concerned individuals who took part in the concerted German effort at securing art objects as financial assets for collection or sale to obtain hard currency; dealers such as Karl Haberstock and Hans Wendland and art historians such as Kajetan Mühlmann. These DIRs were later the basis of the CIRs which were accompanied by supporting evidence of copies of documents. Digitisation makes available in searchable electronic format important historic documents such as this one. The Central Registry of Information is working on others which will be duly publicised.
David Brancaleone MA (UCL) PhD (Warburg)
Director of Research and Deputy Director
of The Central Registry of Information
on Looted Cultural Property (1933-1945)
Arnold can't pull weight without Anna Nicole
By REGINA HACKETT
Jeff Hengst woke up Tuesday morning missing Anna Nicole Smith, but he didn't realize it until lunch.
"I glanced around and saw only Arnold Schwarzenegger," he said. "I felt as if I'd been punched in the gut." Hengst, 42, painted Smith and Schwarzenegger as 8-foot-tall gender parodies in 1995. Wearing nothing but a bikini bottom, Smith strikes a pouty pose while Schwarzenegger predictably flexes his muscles. Last week, Hengst decided to hang them in a niche outside his studio in the Lake Union neighborhood "for giggles," he said. He's not laughing now. "Arnold's useless to me without Nicole," he said. He called the police immediately. Although he wasn't expecting them to rush over and dust for prints, he was somewhat taken aback when they declined to come. They took his story over the phone and sent him a form to fill out. "I guess it didn't sound real serious to them," he speculated. He thinks if he could have found a client for the pair, they might each have been worth $8,000 to $10,000. Hengst has had other things stolen over the years, but nothing of this magnitude. "People have smashed windows and grabbed things," he said. "Once a bike was stolen. This is different. It's personal. It had to be planned. Remember that she's heavy. Getting her down wouldn't have been easy. Two people must have been involved, or maybe one big burly guy."
Although upset about his loss, he isn't making any great claims for the missing painting. "I'm a better painter now," he said. At the time, he said, he was fascinated by the fact that Smith and Schwarzenegger are living parodies. "They're flesh-and-blood cartoon characters. I wondered if I could paint them by hand and achieve the kind of impact with the imagery that People magazine gets." Hard lesson learned, he's going to put Schwarzenegger away, although he said he'd destroy the painting now if he weren't hoping that he might get Smith back. "Somebody might have borrowed her for a party. I'm hoping I'll show up for work and see her leaning against the building some day."
Painting returned to local gallery
PUNTA GORDA -- The painting of a lion by a North Port artist -- stolen from the River City Grill a month ago -- was returned to a local gallery Wednesday morning.
"I had faith in God and faith in human nature and it worked," said Nancy Colby, whose painting "The Huntress" was stolen in April from the restaurant, where the Sea Grape Artists Gallery was displaying it. Colby said the painting, which won her three awards at different galleries, and took her 30 hours to finish, was returned unscathed. The woman who returned the painting, which depicts a lion, said she bought it for $50 from a man who passed by her house. The painting had been hanging in the back of the restaurant near the men's restroom when it was taken. It was discovered stolen April 20. Barbara Coy, president of the Sea Grape Gallery, said the gallery often displays the works of local artists in restaurants to gain recognition for the artists, and they have never had a problem before. To find the painting, Coy said she and several others posted, "Have You Seen This Painting" signs around town.
The Huntress is now on display at the Sea Grape Artists Gallery in Punta Gorda.
"We're really excited to have it back," Coy said.
You can e-mail April Frawley at firstname.lastname@example.com
Nazis, stolen treasure & mystery deaths
Thursday, 22 May , 2003, 10:43
Berlin: It is a tale with all the classic ingredients of an edge-of- your-seat thriller: mystery deaths, Nazis and a modern-day chase for a stolen trove of early 18th century treasure. The fate of the Amber Chamber, in reality a set of lavishly gilded panels, has puzzled authorities, historians and researchers since the final months of World War II.
On May 31, the leaders of Russia and Germany will inaugurate a costly copy of the room as part of Saint Petersburg's 300th anniversary celebrations. It has taken 20 years, six tonnes of amber and some 11.5 million dollars to build the room as it might have looked when King Friedrich-Wilhelm of Prussia gave the panels as a present to Tsar Peter I of Russia in 1716. But the mystery of the original panels remains unsolved. "I'm regularly contacted by people, mostly elderly, claiming to know where the Amber Chamber is and who are ready to tell me, for a price," said Wolfgang Eichwede, part of the scientific committee behind the reconstruction. Not everyone is happy with the new version. "Nothing can replace the original, it was unique," said Hans Stadelmann, a German amateur historian who has spent 15 years looking for the lost panels. The last time they were seen was in 1941 at Koenigsberg, then the main town in East Prussia but now the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
Nazi soldiers took the curved amber panels there after stripping them from Tsarskoye Selo, the summer residence of Russian tsars. But the panels disappeared in 1945 at war's end. Stadelmann is convinced they were secreted in one of scores of inaccessible underground rooms below a Nazi-era building in Weimar, eastern Germany. His theory connects the panels to Erich Koch, a Nazi Gauleiter for Ukraine and East Prussia, whose collection of stolen art vanished at the same time as Soviet troops were entering Koenigsberg. Stadelmann says Koch, who was captured in 1949 and died in a Polish jail in 1986, confessed: "Find my collection and you'll find the Amber Chamber."
His problem is that authorities in Weimar do not believe him. Assuming the panels were evacuated from Koenigsberg in time, other theories place them on a wreck in the Baltic Sea, in mines deep in east Germany's Harz mountains or even in some dusty corner of a Bavarian castle. And there are sudden deaths too, like that of Alfred Rohde, a Nazi official who was in charge in 1945 when the panels were put into crates. He died later that year. The suspicious Soviets reportedly opened the tomb in early 1946, presumably hunting for the panels, and found it empty. Georg Stein, a German former soldier who was also looking for the treasure, was found dead in a forest in 1987, a knife in his stomach. Stadelmann said Stein's son did not believe the official verdict of suicide and claimed his father had been in touch with the Stasi, the secret police of formerly communist East Germany. The Stasi also spent years looking for the panels, even creating a special unit in the 1970-1980s to search more than 100 possible hiding-places. In 1997, a panel measuring 55 by 70.5 centimetres was seized by police from a lawyer in Bremen, northern Germany.
It was authenticated by experts and handed back to Russia, where it served as a guideline for the reconstruction. Hopes of finding the rest quickly faded: the panel had been plundered by a German soldier in 1941, long before the war's end. Of course, the treasure may still be hidden in a collapsed bunker somewhere in Koenigsberg. "But the probability is much greater that it was destroyed in the fighting in 1945," said Eichwede.
"Or," said Stadelmann, "somebody has it, and they're keeping quiet."


text:
Korero Mai Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th April 2014
Broadcast on
Waatea 603AM
Saturday 12.00 - 12.30pm
Sunday 12.00 - 12.30pm
Both shows repeated 5.00pm – 6.00pm
On Sunday
Saturday 05 April
Hone Harawira's dalliance with Kim Dotcom and his new Internet Party has got commentators and Mana members scratching their heads as to what the benefits would there be for the political mavericks. On Kia Korero Mai this Saturday, Eru Morgan will talk with a long time observer of the political scene, Henare Kingi, on what might be going on, whether Hone's talks with the big German internet entrepreneur are likely to burn off key party members like Sue Bradford, and the direction Mana is heading with the election less than six months away.
Sunday 30
March 2014
On Sunday in Kia Korero Mai, Eru talks to Wharehoka Wano, an education management consultant, on the National Centre of Literacy and Numeracy's plan for a series of hui to help it develop a Maori strategy. Wharehoka says even though NCEA results are improving, there are still too many Maori school leavers and adults who don't have the necessary skills in reading, writing and counting to contribute fully. He says in many cases Maori parents can best help their children by upgrading their own literacy levels, and they should stop being whakama and sign up for the courses that are available
Korero Mai Ki Ahau a half hour features programme every Saturday and Sunday from noon, which takes an in – depth look at issues affecting te ao Maori. Totally in te reo Maori brought to you by Waatea News in association with Te Mangai Paho.
Ma Waatea ma te reo hei whakamarama
Both shows will be available as podcast on our website: waateanews.com


text:
iRobot Corporation (NYSE:IRBT) designs, develops, and markets practical robots that tackle dull, dirty and dangerous tasks for consumers, governments and industry. iRobot's two divisions, Home Robots and Government & Industrial Robots, have developed millions of cleaning robots and over a thousand tactical robots in use around the world today. iRobot's successful line of home robots and combat-proven government and industrial robots have helped the company maintain a market-leader position in the emerging robotics industry.
iRobot was founded in 1990 by roboticists Colin Angle, Helen Greiner and Rodney Brooks after working together in MIT's famed Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.[1] iRobot was founded with a goal to "design and build innovative robots that make a difference and are adaptable for use in a broad range of applications."[2] The company's mission is to build cool stuff, deliver great products, make money, have fun, and change the world.[3] iRobot Corporation went public on November 9, 2005 with an IPO priced at $24.00 per share underwritten by JP Morgan Stanley.[4]
iRobot generates revenue from product sales and commercial and government research and development contracts. iRobot generates the majority of their revenue from their home cleaning robots and their PackBot and SUGV tactical military robots. For the fiscal years ended January 2011 and January 2010, these product revenues accounted for 89.9% and 87.8% of total revenucompany revenue for the fiscal year ended January 2011.[2] In 2010, 87.6% of military product revenue and 96.5% of funded R&D contract revenue came from a single source, contracts with the US federal government.[2]
iRobot currently offers several robots designed for consumer use for cleaning inside and outside the house. These products range in price from $129 to $599 depending on performance characteristics. iRobots current product line includes the Roomba, Scooba, Verro Pool cleaning robot and Looj gutter cleaning robot.
iRobot released their flagship home robot, the Roomba, in 2002. The Roomba is an automated robot vacuum cleaner. Roomba's disk shape allows it to easily clean and navigate a room while vacuuming under beds and other difficult to reach places. iRobot continues to release several new models and improve the Roomba's cleaning quality and efficiency.;hilruwfgaow;efghinaihfnasidjvnadsvjnsdavjasdnvasjjv;asdvnksajjjjjjjjjjjva;sjnv asjokdnv;as jnvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
iRobot released the Scooba, an automated floor sweeper and cleaner, in December 2005. The Scooba uses the same technology and form factor as the Roomba, allowing it to simultaneously sweep, wash, scrub and dry hard floors. Unlike a conventional mop that spreads dirty water, Scooba only uses fresh water and cleaning solution stored in its clean tank.
In 2007, iRobot expanded its family of popular home robots by introducing the Verro Pool Cleaning Robot. Users simply drop the robot into their pool, and it begins to clean. The robot features a powerful vacuum and filtration system that picks up and traps dirt, dust, algae, bacteria and particles as small as two microns.[5] IRobot currently offer 3 models with varying features ranging in price from $399 to $1,099.
iRobot's Looj gutter cleaning robot makes gutter cleaning fast and easy by reducing the need to climb and reposition the ladder multiple times. The Looj was the winner of the 2008 Best of CES Innovations Award. iRobot currently offers three models ranging in price from $129 to $169.[6]
iRobot currently offers both ground and maritime unmanned vehicles priced between $20,000 and $195,000 per unit, depending on configuration and order quantity.[2] As of 2011, over 3,500 robots have been delivered and are keeping soldiers, first responders, and police out of harm's way. iRobot's current government & industrial robot product line includes the combat-tested PackBot, the SUGV (Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle), the low-cost Negotiator, and the 1Ka Seaglider.
iRobot unveiled its first tactical robot, Genghis, in 1991. Genghis was designed for extraterrestrial exploration and well as a test platform for researchers to build upon.[7]
In 1998, the company was approached by DARPA, the central R&D organization of the Department of Defense, to create a robot as part of its Tactical Mobile Robot program.[7] This research contract led to the development of iRobot's first PackBot, a line of small, unmanned tactical ground robots. Since its inception, PackBot has provided users with "eyes and ears" into the world's most dangerous and inaccessible areas. In 2002, PackBot was deployed to Afghanistan to help US soldiers with bomb detection and disposal, reconnaissance, and other dangerous missions. PackBot has also helped search through debris at the World Trade Center in New York City after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and has taken radioactivity readings in Japan's damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.[8] Since 2002, over 3,000 PackBots have been delivered to clients around the world with the vast majority being used for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.[9]
The SUGV was developed by iRobot & Boeing under a strategic alliance that began in 2007. It was designed as a robot to give soldiers real-time awareness of critical situations. The lightweight robot (< 30 lbs) is designed to be carried and controlled by soldiers using a modified Microsoft Xbox 360 controller.[10] Over 300 SUGVs were delivered to to the US Air Force's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit in 2010 as part of a government contract with an initial value of $3.84 million.[11]
The iRobot Negotiator is a low-cost unmanned robot used in civil response operations by SWAT teams or other first responders.
The Seaglider is a deep-diving unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) initially developed by the University of Washington. The propeller-less and motor-less Seaglider was designed to roam the oceans for up to 10 months on a single battery charge while taking various scientific measurements and observations. In 2008, iRobot signed an exclusive licensing agreement with the University of Washington to commercialize the Seaglider robot.[12] In the spring of 2010, the Seaglider was deployed in the Gulf of Mexico to help monitor the oil spill by providing persistent observation and gathering oceanic data.[13]
The threat level of new competitors entering the robotics industry is medium-high. The robotics industry is a niche market that is rapidly evolving. As the market continues to expand, new competitors will enter the industry. New competitors entering the industry would need extensive experience in robotics as the industry requires companies to have large amounts of engineering and robotics-related human capital. Such expertise would need to come from government-sponsored laboratories or universities focused on robotics-based research and development. Some of iRobot's government contracts allow the US federal government to disclose technical data to third parties.[2] The government could provide patent and technical data to third parties as a way to establish additional sources of robots and negotiate for reduced prices. Third parties who receive this information from the government could possibly compete with iRobot in the commercial sector as well as the government & industrial sectors.
The intensity of competitive rivalries in the robotics industry is low-medium. iRobot competes with developers of other floor cleaning robots, developers of small unmanned ground vehicles, established government contractors working on unmanned systems, and developers of small unmanned underwater vehicles.[2] The niche market for consumer and home robots is small but growing rapidly as demand increases and competitors release new products that are competitively priced with similar performance and functionality. iRobot will face increased pressure from these competitors as the market continues to grow. iRobot also faces intense competition from other companies vying for lucrative government contracts. Many of these competitors for government contracts have substantially greater financial, marketing, and R&D resources than iRobot. Increased competitive pressure could force iRobot to reduce their prices if they lose sales or market share.
Currently there are only a few substitutes for robots in the commercial and government & industrial sectors. iRobot's market-leading position will be tested as the demand for consumer and military robots increases. New domestic robots from Electrolux, Samsung and Evolution Robotics have threatened the Roomba's dominance. Because of the nature of the military-industrial complex, iRobot will always compete with substitute products and technologies from other companies vying for government contracts. iRobot must focus on new product development and customer support if they are to remain competitive in the military robot sector.
The bargaining power of iRobot's customers is high. In 2010, iRobot derived 38.4% of total revenue, directly or indirectly, from the US federal government.[2] Since iRobot must compete for government contracts with other companies, the US federal government has a large amount of bargaining power when it comes to contract price, length, terms and provisions. Any reduction in the amount of revenue derived from government contracts without an offsetting increase in new sales to other customers would adversely affect iRobot's operating results. iRobot's traditional non-contract customers also have a high degree of bargaining power. These customers have many options including traditional manual upright vacuums and other competing robotic vacuums.
The bargaining power level of iRobot's suppliers is medium. Raw materials used in robots are a significant cost item for iRobot and can fluctuate on a periodic basis. Suppliers of steel, plastic, rubber and electronics are numerous and allow iRobot and its contract manufacturers to find quality raw materials at the best possible price. Labor costs are also a significant cost of revenue for iRobot. iRobot outsources the manufacturing of their home products to China where labor is plentiful and costs are favorable compared to the rest of the world. This has allowed iRobot to cheaply manufacture their domestic robots. iRobot's labor costs for the government segment are much higher because they are produced in the United Sates. iRobot produces government robots domestically because intellectual property can easily be stolen when manufacturing abroad.
iRobot's major strengths are their human capital and intellectual property. iRobot's founders worked in MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory for several years gaining the knowledge and experience necessary to operate a commercial robotics company. Competition for hiring engineers with high levels of robotics experience is intense. iRobots talented employees and extensive collection of patents will give them a competitive advantage when attracting and hiring the top talent in the industry. iRobot's extensive backlog of government contacts and its longstanding relationship with the US government will also prove to be a major strength and benefit the company into the future.
One of iRobot's glaring weaknesses is its continued reliance on several single source contract manufacturers in China. iRobot could suffer from delays, lost sales and revenue if these companies terminated their manufacturing contracts or failed to meet production requirements. Moreover, iRobot and its manufacturer's also rely on short-term contracts with a limited number of suppliers for raw materials. Any hiccups in the supply chain will require iRobot to locate alternative suppliers, which could take months. iRobot must develop new or alternative manufacturing and supplier relationships to strengthen its production capabilities and avoid future supply chain issues.
One of iRobot's largest opportunities for growth is the continued transformation of the United States' armed forces into a unmanned fighting force. iRobot's existing relationship with the US government allows them to take advantage lucrative government research and development contracts to create the robotic soldiers of tomorrow. The technology developed from government-sponsored R&D products can also be used to create new consumer and industrial products allowing iRobot to enter new markets.
Since iRobot depends on the US federal government for a significant portion of its revenue, cuts to defense spending could negatively impact the company. The ongoing battle over the budget in the United States has cast doubt on future defense spending. These cuts would hurt iRobot's revenue from lucrative research and development contracts with various organizations within the United States government. Another threat to iRobot's future success is increased competition within the growing robotics industry. iRobot has enjoyed relativity little competition and competitive rivalries. New competition from larger and more diversified companies would threaten iRobot's market-leadeing position.
iRobot's success depends on their ability to discover, develop, and market products that use the innovative technologies they develop. Research & Development Expense is an especially important component of iRobot's expenses, allowing them to create innovative technologies that provide unique competitive advantages. In fiscal year 2010, iRobot increased its research and development expense was $24.8 million, a 68.2% increase from 2009.[2] iRobot is committed to consistently maintaining the level of innovative design and development of new products and has significantly expanded their R&D capabilities. This has allowed to use free cash flows on R&D activities. The table below compares IRobot's FCF margin with other industry competitors. One useful metric used to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of R&D expenditures is the R&D/Sales Ratio. For the fiscal years ended January 1, 2011 and January 2, 2010, research and development expense was 6.2% and 4.9% of total revenue, respectively.[2] It is important for iRobot to realize maximum returns from their R&D expenditures by focusing investments on high value areas within the robotics industry such as healthcare. iRobot's rising R&D/Sales Ratio shows these investments are not as profitable as they once were. iRobot's ability to create unique value propositions and refocus R&D expenditures on high value areas within the industry will help it maintain its market-leading position in the years to come.
iRobot's core competency is the design and development of robots. iRobot's research and development efforts are not only a way to develop new products, enhancements and accessories but also an important revenue source predominately supported by contracts with US governmental research organizations. In 2010, approximately 50.4% of iRobot's R&D spending was funded by government-sponsored research and development contracts.[2] These lucrative government contracts are essentially a "free" source of R&D for the company and help accelerate the development of multiple technologies at once. iRobot retains ownership of patents and know-how and is generally free to develop other consumer or industrial products by fully utilizing the technologies developed during government-sponsored projects. Likewise, iRobot uses the same strategy in reverse to design and develop products for government and industrial applications. As of January 2011, iRobot holds 82 US patents and over 150 pending patent applications.[2] iRobot frequently uses strategic alliances to leverage the work of individuals and organizations that offer specialized technological expertise. These relationships help iRobot develop industry-specific technologies and reach new market segments. Certain models of iRobot's robots are designed with open interfaces and serial ports that allow third-party developers and individuals to modify and improve their product. iRobot's release of the Roomba's application programming interface (API) has created a large community of Roomba hackers online who modify, improve, and create new accessories for the Roomba. This has broadened the applications and appeal of iRobots products at little cost by creating a durable, dependable and affordable platform for doing robotic research.[14]
iRobot's manufacturing strategy is to outsource non-core competencies, such as the actual production of robots, to third-party entities skilled in manufacturing.[2] This strategy allows iRobot to focus their engineering expertise on the research and development of consumer and military robots. iRobot outsources the manufacturing of their consumer products to three contract manufacturers, each operating out of a single plant in China.[2] iRobot's government robots, such as the PackBot and SUGV, are produced by an Ohio-based manufacturer.[15]
iRobot has built a trusted, recognized, and award-winning brand by producing high-quality robots. This reputation along with grass-roots marketing efforts have made customer word-of-mouth and press coverage significant drivers of the brand's success to date. iRobot plans on using national advertising, trade shows and direct marketing to improve brand awareness by associating it with innovation, reliability, safety and value.[2]
Home Robots: iRobot sells its consumer products through retailers, distributors, and the internet. In the US, iRobot's products are sold through a large network of over 30 national retailers and smaller domestic distributors.[2] iRobots's products are also sold internationally in approximately 40 countries through in-country distributors. iRobot also sells their products domestically and internationally through on-line stores, such as Amazon. On-line sales accounted for 11.5% of total home robots division revenue in 2010.[2] On-line sales have helped iRobot establish customer lists they use to maintain close relationships with previous and potential customers.
Government & Industrial Robots: iRobot sells their government and industrial products directly to government clients as well as to contractors and distributors. The majority of iRobot's products are sold to the US federal government, but iRobot has also sold to the governments of over 15 foreign countries including UK, Germany, France and Canada. Military products sold overseas are subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).[2] iRobot's government products are sold by a team of sales specialists with experience in selling to government and defense agencies.[2]
iRobot's management team consists of professionals from various industry backgrounds including robotics, engineering, defense, business and healthcare. The management team receives relatively modest executive salaries (for Angle, $234,520 in 2004).


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Your new instant issue debit card is here! Upgrade to the IBC bank Visa debit card with chip technology for increased security and fraud protection. When used at a chip activated terminal, the embedded chip produces a onetime use code that helps reduce in-store fraud. Get it now, at your nearest branch.
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TELI TON - Telithromycin in Tonsillitis
This study has been terminated.
(Pediatric development program terminated by sponsor)
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First received: April 13, 2006
Last updated: April 2, 2009
Last verified: April 2009
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No Study Results Posted on ClinicalTrials.gov for this Study
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|August 2006 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)


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Forms & Sample Reports
Very few tenant screening companies are allowed to display the BBB Accredited Business Seal.
AAA Credit screening is proud to be a longtime Gold Star Member of the
Better Business Bureau
Landlords everywhere know that having the right tenant can mean the difference between having low-hassle cash flow or a complete headache, and since this is the case, it pays to get the right tenant by utilizing a high quality and comprehensive landlord credit check service. With AAA Credit Screening Services, landlords will be able to have the right tools to get the right tenant, which means less hassle and a better overall bottom line.
With the landlord credit check from AAA Credit Screening Services, you'll be sure to hand over the property keys to the right tenant. Far too often, landlords will choose one of the first interested prospective tenants and without doing the proper tenant background check; this usually leads to undesired results, such as delayed rent payments, property damage, and even criminal activity being performed within the property. The better option would be to contact AAA Credit Screening Services for landlord services which will provide you with the information you'll need to avoid undesirable tenants and instead, obtain the best tenant possible.
Protect your property and your wallet or purse with a comprehensive landlord credit check from AAA Credit Screening Services. Our services can include rental history verification for current and previous rentals, current or previous employment verification, salary check where possible, checking account fund verification, criminal records search, and much more. These checks culminate into an absolutely indispensable credit check for landlords, and not only that, but AAA Credit Screening Services will be able to provide a comprehensive report to you in a speedy and professional manner. It's also important to note that AAA Credit Screening Services prides itself on providing a customer service experience which is second-to-none. Needless to say, our services are always high quality and will be sure to help protect both you and your property.
Take advantage of the high quality landlord credit check service from AAA Credit Screening Services. AAA Credit Screening Services is proud to offer this great service at an affordable price, and it's also important to note that we don't charge signup fees, annual fees, or monthly fees. These are just a few of the many reasons why you need to consider this great service which can help you choose the right tenant and ultimately lead you to more secure property cash flow. Browse through the rest of our website for more information, and also don't hesitate to contact us directly by phone or email with any questions.
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Experienced landlords and property managers are often surprised to discover that not everyone runs a landlord credit check when screening potential renters. Those that have been in the business of renting property for some time know how important it is to do the necessary background check on anyone applying for rent because not doing so can have severe consequences. If you choose to rent your property to an individual who turns out to be unreliable or untrustworthy, you'll be dealing with those repercussions for the duration of your relationship, which is either the length of the lease or until you have enough justification to evict them. However, evicting a tenant is typically another stress filled process, so it's best to avoid putting yourself in that situation.
AAA Credit Screening Services can provide you with a landlord credit check that will give you the information you need to decide who you should rent to and who you should disqualify from consideration. Our clients turn to us when they want to go that extra step to protect themselves and they choose us because they know they'll get accurate information returned quickly. Furthermore, we're available once you've received your landlord credit check to assist you with any clarification or additional questions you may have.
Those that have been renting property for awhile know that the information the rental candidate provides can only be trusted so far. While most of the people that will apply to rent from you will be honest, it's those that are dishonest you have to worry about. A rental application is an example of a form that can be filled out to highlight the positives of an individual's past while also hiding the negatives. This means if they had a previous rental agreement that did not end well, they're not likely to provide you with that information.
However, with a landlord credit check, you'll be able to see if that person has had any instances of poor credit that will serve as red flags to you as you try and narrow down your pool of candidates. Much of the time a tenant screening will simply confirm that the person applying to rent from you is who they say they are and that the information they've given about their rental history is accurate. That being said, you can't afford to give people the benefit of the doubt.
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Kids had gone out to play marbles, cricket
After a day of rain and cold, the sun finally shone. Several families of the Dallupura village, mostly labourers, directed their children to play outside.delhi Updated: Dec 12, 2012 23:39 IST
After a day of rain and cold, the sun finally shone. Several families of the Dallupura village, mostly labourers, directed their children to play outside. "They were making too much noise," one of the men said. Nearly a dozen kids rushed out to play marbles and cricket. But five never returned home.
A wall, claimed to be anywhere between 10-18 feet, fell on top of them and killed five.
A few hours later, all one could hear were the shrieks of women. An inconsolable Shamli Haldar clutched at her hair and blabbered about her youngest son Amit. Husband Satish, a rickshaw-puller, looked visibly tired even as he narrated how he had complained to the contractor just a day before about a crack in the wall, which looked dangerous.
His neighbour Mithilesh Kumari shared his sense of loss. She lost two of her four children in the mishap — seven-year-old Ankit and four-year-old Baby.
Manoj and Sangeeta too looked inconsolable. They had lost their only daughter Kanchan, aged seven. Neither of her parents were home at that time. Father Manoj, a rickshaw driver was at Vasundhara Enclave while mother Sangeeta, a maid in the housing societies, was away at work.
The five children have been identified as Aditya, 2, Ankit, 6, and his sister Baby, 4, Amit, 7 and Kanchan, 7. Aditya's sister Saraswati, 4, sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment.


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NBA playoffs: David DuPree
Monday, May 14, 2 p.m. ET
The NBA playoffs are in full swing. Are the champion Lakers primed for an encore performance of last season? Who will be the league MVP?
David DuPree has covered the NBA for 25 years, the past 15 at USA TODAY. He has also worked at The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. Submit your questions for David below.


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Electrical Service Engineer (Days)
- Recruiter
- Rise Technical Recruitment Ltd
- Location
- Southend-on-Sea
- Salary
- £31000 per annum + Uncapped Overtime, Full Training
- Posted
- 14 Oct 2016
- Closes
- 20 Oct 2016
- Sector
- Engineering
- Contract Type
- Permanent
Electrical Service Engineer (Days) £31,000 Uncapped Overtime (OTE 37k-45k) Full Industry Training Door 2 Door Travel Van PDA Phone Uniform Bonus Southend on Sea (Home Based Role) Basildon, Chelmsford, Essex Are you an Electrical Maintenance Engineer looking for a Mobile Role with Full Industry Training, uncapped overtime opportunities and have a salary review in your first 6 months? This expanding company are looking for service engineers who want plenty of overtime, technical skills development with a well-established commercial catering equipment servicing company. You will receive full industry training, have a focus on your development through dedicated Electrical and Mechanical skills training and have regular assessment on your skills to increase your earning potential. This is a customer facing role, offering plenty of variety where no two days are the same with both planed and reactive maintenance. This role would suit an Electrical Maintenance Engineer looking for a Mobile Role with Full Industry Training on commercial catering equipment, dedicated skills development, regular salary reviews and have uncapped overtime opportunities. The Role: Service and Maintenance of Commercial Catering Equipment 1 week in 4 on call Uncapped Overtime The Person: Service Engineer Electrical background Electrical Qualification (preferably 17th Edition) Looking for uncapped overtime regular salary reviews and skills development. Please Click to Apply or Call Ed Douglass at Rise Technical Recruitment Reference RTR47737 Service, Engineer, Mechanical, Electrical, 16th Edition, 17th Edition, 2391, 2394, 2395, Test and Inspection, Training, Development, Manufacturing, Engineering, PPM, Fault Finding, Food, Catering, Commercial, COMCAT, Basildon, Chelmsford, Essex, Southend on Sea This job was originally posted as www.totaljobs.com/job/66899113


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R/C Tarantula
For every sadistic child who loves to scare their mother.
Never will my child ever be allowed to have one of these. I can foresee far too many pranksTags: toys, kids, remote controls, RC, spiders, ladybugs, wall climbingAdded 8 Years Ago from Brando
Creepy crawly and fantastic. I would scare everyone with this, make it come slowly out of my living room planter.Added 9 Years Ago from Discovery Channel


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One of the 'must haves' I had to have for fall was burgundy jeans! Don't ask me why, but when I seen them in another blog, I just had to have a pair. I was thinking I was going to have to save wait a while to get a pair. Though, I came across these at TJ Maxx for like $15!! I know, shocking! And at the beginning of the season! Just goes to show, I was destined to own a pair.
Layering is one of my favorite things about fall dressing. You get to be really creative and play around with prints, colors and textures; where as, in the summer its more about one or two key pieces. Also, I think I have an addiction to blazers. I am working on it, though I'm ok with this addiction.
Blazers are classic pieces that you can have for a very long time. With that said, I believe this is an item you can invest a little. J.Crew has amazing blazers that are actually well made for the price! Something that is hard for us, ladies, to find! When investing in a blazer make sure you look for these things: natural fibers, like wool, cotton or silk; good structure and full lining. If a blazer doesn't have these three things, then you should pay that much for it. Sometimes you really are just paying for a label.
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