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By Gary Larson
Mille Lacs County Times
Milaca senior guard Brandon Kiel admits that as he was closing in on the record, it was weighing a bit on his mind.
The "record" was the Milaca High School career basketball scoring mark of 1,380 points held by 1992 graduate Jason Johnson.
"At the end of last season I knew I had a good chance at the record," said Kiel, who played on the varsity as an eighth-grader and moved into the starting lineup as a ninth-grader. "At the beginning of this season the record was on my mind but then I didn't think too much about it until I got really close. Then I was thinking about it. I wasn't nervous but I did press a little bit."
Kiel broke Johnson's mark when he scored 35 points at Rockford Monday, Jan. 9. Those points pushed his total to 1,406.
He added 22 points against Foley Friday night at Milaca and went into this week with 1,428 points.
"It feels great to have the record," said Kiel. "Especially because Milaca has had so many great players."
Kiel and Johnson are two of the four Milaca boys who have scored over 1,000 points. Joe Hasz (1999) scored 1,194 points and Cory Ploeger (1987) was the first to hit 1,000, finishing with 1,071.
Maggie Doty (2007) leads Milaca's girls players with 1,228, followed by Lindsey Westphal (2009) at 1,133, Jen Ahlberg (2001) at 1,121 and Amy Rensenbrink (1986) at 1,086.
"What has made Brandon a good player is what he has done in the off season to get better," said Dustin Naumann, who's in his first season as boys head coach. "Deep down Brandon has a desire to win and succeed. He pushes himself to be the best and takes it as a challenge when other teams do things to stop him. He understands that he can't do everything himself and puts in good effort to get his teammates involved."
"The basketball staff saw that at an early age Brandon had great abilities," said Dave Leom, who coached Kiel four seasons. "Brandon's strength has always been to improve his game and make himself better."
Kiel's points have come from an array of short and long range jump shots, drive to the basket and rebounds.
And, many of his points have been scored when he was being double-teamed.
"I like driving and when I do I'm looking to get fouled," said Kiel, who made 13 free throws in a row against Pine City when he was a ninth-grader. "I'm comfortable at the free-throw line.
"I try to get my teammates involved and give them a chance to have a good game. The more we can play as a team the better chance we have to do well."
Milaca lost at Rockford 63-57 and at home against Foley 46-42.
"That was disappointing," said Kiel. "But, I think we can finish the season strong."
Rockford led 41-25 at halftime before the Wolves rallied with a 32-22 edge in the second half.
The Wolves led Foley 25-21 at halftime before the Falcons rallied to notch their first win of the season.
Milaca, 0-4 in Granite Ridge Conference play and 2-8 overall, hosts Mora (1-4, 3-8) tonight, Jan. 20 at 7:30. The Wolves travel to St. Cloud Cathedral (3-1, 8-3) Tuesday, Jan. 24, at7:30.


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subset: commoncrawl


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American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE:AEO)
Q4 2011 Earnings Call
March 09, 2011 9:00 am ET
Joan Hilson - Chief Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer and Executive Vice President
Judy Meehan - IR
James O'Donnell - Chief Executive Officer, President and Executive Director
Roger Markfield - Vice Chairman, Chief Design Officer, Executive Creative Director, Vice Chairman of the American Eagle Division and Interim President of Martin + Osa Brand
Dorothy Lakner - Caris & Company
Sean Naughton - Piper Jaffray
Dana Telsey - Telsey Advisory Group
Richard Jaffe - Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Inc.
Randal Konik - Jefferies & Company, Inc.
Lizabeth Dunn - FBR Capital Markets & Co.
Christine Chen - Needham & Company, LLC
Jeff Black - Citigroup Inc
Michelle Tan - Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Brian Tunick - JP Morgan Chase & Co
John Morris - BMO Capital Markets U.S.
Jennifer Black - Jennifer Black & Associates
Kimberly Greenberger - Morgan Stanley
Laura Champine - Cowen and Company, LLC
Janet Kloppenburg - JJK Research
Greetings. And welcome to the American Eagle Fourth Quarter 2010 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] It is now my pleasure to introduce your host, Judy Meehan, Vice President of Investor Relations. Thank you. Ms. Meehan, you may begin.
Judy Meehan
Good morning, everyone. Joining me today are Jim O'Donnell, Chief Executive Officer; Roger Markfield, Vice President and Executive Creative Director; and Joan Hilson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. If you need a copy of our fourth press release, it is available on our website, ae.com. As we review our financials today, please keep in mind that fiscal 2010 results are from continuing operations and are adjusted to exclude the impact of the ARS liquidation this year and the tax benefit and investment loss last year.
Before we begin today's call, I need to remind everyone that during this conference call, members of management will make certain forward-looking statements based upon information which represents the company's current expectations or beliefs. The actual results may be materially different from these expectations or beliefs based on risk factors included on our quarterly and annual reports filed with the SEC.
And now I'll turn the call over to Jim.
James O'Donnell
Thanks, Judy. Good morning. And thanks for joining us. I'll begin by recapping our performance for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2010, and then provide my perspective as we look towards 2011. Roger will provide an update from a merchandising point of view and then Joan will take you through the financials and our outlook.
I'm pleased to report that we made progress even though it was not a significant as we would have hoped. Let me share with you some color. In the fourth quarter and fiscal 2010, we achieved an increase in our operating margin and generated EPS growth despite a decline in sales. Our fourth quarter operating margin expanded to 14.6% from 13.3% last year. Fourth quarter EPS increased 16% and our adjusted annual EPS grew 11%. For the year, operating income was $317 million and cash flow was once again quite strong. We ended the year with cash and investments of $740 million and after returning $400 million to shareholders through 2010 stock buybacks and dividend payments.
The improvements we made reflect initiatives I discussed on our last conference call, specifically, we took actions to strategically manage the business when it continued to be a very challenging retail environment. We had strengthened assortments appropriately, managed inventory levels and we realigned our talent. Our results also reflect our disciplined approach to expenses and that, too, contributed to the operating profit improvement for both the year and the fourth quarter. We continue to make progress implementing our corporate profit initiatives which are aimed at gaining efficiencies across our supply chain and production operations, as well as reducing overhead costs. These projects are expected to deliver $20 million to $30 million in savings over the next two years.
Now as we look to fiscal 2011, we are building on this progress and positioning our brands for our long-term profitable growth. Roger and I will provide some additional color here. Highlighting the prospects for our AE brand, aerie and our direct-to-consumer, especially in the international marketplace, as well as our outlook for the 77kids. We expect to see major benefits from these efforts to occur in fiscal 2012.
A key priority in 2011 is to drive increased productivity at the American Eagle brand as we work to bridge the gap between current sales and historic levels. The AE brand remains among the strongest in today's marketplace with meaningful brand equity, great quality and affordable prices. We have real customer loyalty and an established and enduring American heritage. We continue to lead the market in both men's and women's denim. The enviable position we have earned for our brand is a platform for profitable growth here and internationally.
Clearly, continued improvements in merchandising will be critical to our success. We made progress in 2010. We're especially encouraged by the response we saw to the assortment in the third quarter. Our team is focused on delivering more consistent performance. We know where we need to make changes and those efforts are well underway. We see a significant potential for growth through bolder investments in key businesses, building on our market-leading position with core customers. One example is in accessories where the expanded assortments in handbag, footwear, jewelry which complements our core offering. Within the aerie brand, we continued to drive sustained profitability and growth and have already witnessed consistent improvement in operating earnings including in the fourth quarter. During 2010, we repositioned the assortment and we're making further refinements in 2011 to highlight and give greater prominence to the strength of our intimate apparel categories while building more complete lifestyle brands.
We know what our aerie customers want, and we're committed to becoming her go-to destination. We have outstanding talent, and our team is very excited about the direction of this business and the opportunities ahead. In 2011, we will open 10 additional aerie locations bringing our year-end total to 158 stores. AE direct to consumer has a solid foundation of $335 million in annual sales. In the fourth quarter, we achieved a sales increase of 4% and we improved profitability. As we look forward, we expect to expand this business more aggressively in 2011 and beyond.
We believe this channel is especially ripe for growth given the demographic of our core customers and the opportunity to drive sales from international consumers. We are moving forward to enhance the capabilities and the reach of our e-commerce platform which will include exclusive merchandise and specialty shops combined with an increased focus on international growth. Given the strength of the AE brand around the world, e-commerce is a natural complement to the international expansion which continues to proceed well.
In addition to reaching customers around the world via the Internet, we're also building our physical presence in key markets. We currently have four franchise stores in the Middle East and our sales are exceeding expectations. We plan to open 20 franchise AE stores this year in the Middle East, China, Russia and Hong Kong. Our international strategy will focus on utilizing partnerships to enter new markets, limiting our investment and our risk and the overall longer-term capitalizing on the international potential of our direct business.
77kids stores are off to an encouraging start. We continue to incubate the brand as a potential driver of future growth. We currently operate nine locations, and we are encouraged by the ramp-up in sales productivity. The concept is differentiated in the marketplace and we have received very positive responses from our customers. Our plans call for an opening of additional 12 stores in 2011 and that will bring the total to 21 at year end.
As we work to drive the top line across all of our businesses, we're also focused on delivering more to the bottom line. As I mentioned earlier, cost reduction measures have helped to partially offset the impact of lower sales and we will continue moving forward with our profit improvement initiative. That being said, there's no question we face headwinds with respect to higher product cost in the second half of the year. We are actively managing our supply chain to help mitigate this cost pressure, and we also make selective adjustments in our pricing and promotional strategies as appropriate while maintaining our outstanding value position.
Overall, we look forward to continuing our progress in 2011. We are making significant strides in absence of the external headwinds we are facing, we will be anticipating a healthy growth to the bottom line in 2011. We are confident that we're moving in the right direction as key and strategic and merchandise initiatives gain traction and we're excited about the opportunities ahead.
Before I turn it over to Roger, I want to briefly comment on an announcement that I have decided to retire that the company has initiated a succession planning process. As many of you know, I've been with the company for more than a decade and most of that time as CEO and I have determined that this is the right time to move forward with the leadership transition.
As I discussed this morning, we have a solid foundation in place with great brands, world-class business and talented people. And I look forward to working closely with the board to identify our next CEO and to assure a smooth and seamless handoff. I will remain as CEO until my successor is in place through an orderly transition process. In the meantime, I will continue working with our team on implementing our strategic plans and taking advantage of the many opportunities we see as we continue to position the company for long-term profitable growth.
Now I'll turn it over to Roger.
Roger Markfield
Good morning, everyone. While there are certainly areas to improve on, I must say that I am extremely pleased how our strategic objectives are coming together. First, we have put tremendous talent in place over the past year. Across all brands, I now have critical talent, and importantly, the leadership that can deliver not only great merchandise but great brands.
I'll be the first to tell you, repositioning an organization as we have takes time. Teams need time to gel together and work within the AE process. I am very proud of the progress we have made and what we have accomplished to date. As we move forward, I am confident about how our design and merchandising teams are working now, and they are focused on consistently delivering unique, powerful assortments for our core customers.
Secondly, as Jim mentioned, we have a pre-eminent brand in American Eagle supported by tremendous equity and loyalty. We continue to gain ground in a number of brand defining categories. For example, AE jeans, as well as non-denim bottoms, are a real strength and produced positive results throughout 2010, including the fourth quarter. Additionally, we are extremely pleased with the customers' response to our expanded accessory business.
However, in the fourth quarter, we had some areas that were not up to our expectations. Women's tops, including sweaters, should have been stronger. On the men's side, frankly we did not invest enough in key items and missed an opportunity to drive higher volumes. Additionally, we faced an environment in the fourth quarter which was extremely promotional as peers work through heavy inventory levels. Our inventories were tightly controlled with provided support to our margin performance.
Now as we move forward, we will focus our attention on three main priorities. First, we will continue to strengthen assortments, consistently providing on trend, differentiated fashion. At the core of the AE brand is our enduring denim business, and that will continue to be critical to our success. It is the foundation of our brand. We are clearly the number one market share leader and continue to gain momentum. Going forward, we will build on this position, providing more newness more often and being first to deliver new trends. You will see a 360-degree approach to denim. We will launch innovative new fits and washes, supported by a powerful in-store presence and strong marketing. As good as we've been in the denim category, we have not yet maximized our potential.
Secondly, we will be bolder about AE's unique value proposition. We will invest in key items in more depth in categories where we have the opportunity to drive volume, particularly in our sweet spot categories. I want to be clear, we are not lowering prices, rather, we are investing in the price points that are the most compelling to our customers, which represent great value. In tops, you can expect to see bolder investments in fashion key items again with more emphasis on our power price points. As a result, the assortments will be tighter and deeper with more impactful, focused fashion statements.
And third, as Jim mentioned, we are expanding our accessory business in a meaningful way. We have been testing this idea which has received a tremendous response from our customers and represents an exciting opportunity. Regarding aerie, I absolutely love the direction we are heading and as the floor sets continue to unfold this spring, we get closer to the complete expression of the lifestyle brand. It's great intimate at the core, the company by apparel, accessories and personal care which will become more robust as the year progresses.
Each quarter in 2010, aerie's financial performance showed an improvement and we expect that to continue. We've got the right talent in place and believe we have a unique and differentiated concept with tremendous potential ahead of us. In summary, our team is energized and focused. We made progress in each of the brands from a merchandising perspective, and are applying our learnings from 2010 and the holiday season to help us fine-tune our strategies and better focus on the specific areas of opportunities we see.
Let me now turn this over to Joan.
Joan Hilson
Thanks, Roger. And good morning, everyone. In the fourth quarter, our initiative to drive profitability led to an improvement in our operating margin and growth in bottom line results even with lower sales. Controlled promotional activity, combined with reduced expenses, drove stronger operating performance.
Now looking at the details. Following a strong third quarter, we saw the holiday season get off to a positive start. Thanksgiving weekend posted a positive mid single-digit comp driven by a powerful lease line promotion. However, we did not see the expected sales build especially as we approached Christmas. Total fourth quarter sales of $916 million were down 4% from the fourth quarter last year, and comparable store sales declined 7%. By brands, AE decreased 7% and aerie was down 6%. AE Direct sales increased 4% in the quarter.
Looking at consolidated fourth quarter sales metrics. Transactions declined in the mid-single digits primarily due to traffic as conversion was relatively flat. The average transaction value increased slightly, supported by an increase in units per transaction. The average unit retail price declined in the low single-digits primarily due to the expansion of lower ticket items within accessories.
Now moving on to margin. The gross margin decreased 160 basis points to 39.4%. The merchandise margin decreased 60 basis points compared to last year. Rent increased as a rate to sales due to new store openings and negative comps.
Turning now to operating expense. SG&A dollars declined $34 million or 15% to $194 million, leveraging 260 basis points. SG&A expense also included $5 million of severance and related charges. This increase in SG&A resulted from a combination of lower incentive compensation and reduction stemming from our corporate profit initiative.
Building on the momentum established in the third quarter, we achieved cost improvement in virtually all operating areas. For the year, SG&A decreased $12 million to $713 million leveraging 60 basis points. This $713 million also included $10 million of severance and related charges. The fourth quarter operating margin increased 130 basis points to 14.6%. EPS increased 16% to $0.44 per share.
Now turning to the balance sheet. Fourth quarter ending inventory was down 8% and cost per foot declined 7%. This was against an 8% increase in the prior year. We were successful clearing through holiday merchandise and our ending inventory was on plan including clearance which was well below last year. Looking ahead, first quarter 2011 average weekly inventory per foot is planned down in the high single-digits against a mid-single-digit increase in the fourth quarter of last year. Reflecting our reduced spending plan, 2010 CapEx totaled $84 million compared to $127 million in 2009. In 2011, we currently see a CapEx range of $90 million to $100 million, with a little over half relating to new and remodeled stores. We ended the fourth quarter with cash and investments of $740 million. During the quarter, we repurchased an additional 1.5 million shares, bringing the 2010 total to 15.5 million shares purchased for $216 million. Combined with cash dividends of $183 million, we returned a total of $400 million to shareholders in 2010.
In terms of our outlook, we have numerous opportunities and are optimistic about our long-term growth plans. In 2011, we are continuing to strengthen assortments, achieve expense efficiencies and challenge all concepts to deliver productive growth. However, in 2011, we also face headwinds. As Jim discussed, rising product costs are a reality in the back half of the year. Our plan to mitigate cost inflation includes the following: A targeted reduction in markdown, supported by inventory management and allocation tools; selective price increases while maintaining our value proposition; and of course, ongoing expense savings. As we look forward, we are taking a prudent approach to the year as we face uncertainty with the customer response to pricing initiatives.
Let me give some additional insights into our view for 2011. At this time, we expect our financial results to be similar to last year's adjusted EPS from continuing operations of $1.02. We are targeting comparable store sales growth in the low single digits. Our SG&A expense is planned to increase in the low single digits where we anticipate continued expense savings, coupled with planned investments in advertising and new store growth. Depreciation is expected to increase in the low single digits for the year and the effective tax rate is currently expected at 38%.
Now regarding the first quarter, it's important to keep in mind that we are up against the highest quarterly comp performance last year at 5%. Peak spring shopping periods are still to come. That said, we currently expect EPS in the range of $0.13 to $0.17 per share based on comparable store sales of negative 3% to flat. This compares to $0.17 per share last year. Embedded in this guidance, SG&A dollars are planned to decline in the low single digits and depreciation is expected to be about flat to last year.
As I conclude our prepared remarks, I am pleased to note that our balance sheet remains exceptionally strong. And with that foundation, we are able to take steps to enhance the overall efficiency and profitability of our organization, position our brands for long-term growth and seek other opportunities to enhance shareholder value.
Now I'll turn the call back to Judy.
Judy Meehan
Thanks, Joan. Now we'll move on to Q&A. So that more participants can ask a question, please limit yourself to one question. If we have time, we'll take follow-ups. Okay, Rob, we're ready for the first question.
Question-and-Answer Session
Our first question is from Dana Telsey of Telsey Advisory Group.
Dana Telsey - Telsey Advisory Group
Can you talk a little bit about what's on the gross margin side of the business? How you're thinking about pricing for 2011, with the merchandise margin down 50 basis points, how do you see that continuing throughout the year? And Jim, best of luck, and we look forward to staying in touch with you.
Roger Markfield
Dana, on the pricing, obviously, we're a value priced organization and brand, and that is consistent with what we want to be. Because our brand is so strong, there are areas within the categories that we do believe that we can take prices up and still be as value priced as we are. We tested some of those price points and where it deems that it's doable and it still offers the customers great value, we will do that. In the areas where we tested and it's not possible, we will not do that. So the total totality of our assortment will still be very price oriented for our customer base.
Dana Telsey - Telsey Advisory Group
And Roger, where do you think you are in getting the women's business to be more productive?
Roger Markfield
I think, right now, as you know, we're running -- you saw the inventory levels, we're running lean inventory levels as many great new players and we were very cautious in the first quarter. The machine is getting much better at chasing and being nimble which, as you know, has always been part of our strategy. And this new organization is really, really ramping up. So based on information that we responded to on fact, the second quarter, we have big chases in place and we believe that where these big chases are taking place, that second quarter will show you stronger, bigger items that the customer wants from us.
Our next question is from Michelle Tan of Goldman Sachs.
Michelle Tan - Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
I was wondering if you guys could talk a little more about your guidance for the first quarter. Your comp outlook implies some improvement versus fourth quarter. I wonder if you could give us any sense of what you're seeing now that gives you comfort in that guidance. And then on the gross margin side, it looks like you're guiding down despite the lean inventory, so I'm wondering if you could give us color on how you're thinking about IMU and markdowns in first quarter.
Joan Hilson
Michelle, I'll take that, it's Joan. The first quarter guidance, we've included our view of the quarter at flat to negative 3%. It embeds what we're currently seeing in our business. And we'll talk more about that as we get to -- more color on that as we get to the first quarter earnings call. In terms of our margins, we see that we can -- on our leaner inventories, we have the opportunity to produce lower markdowns. However, that is very much largely dependent on the top line. So it's a top line story that we're navigating our way through in the first quarter and to Roger's point, we believe that we've chased into some stronger key items for the second quarter.
Our next question is from Brian Tunick of JPMorgan Chase.
Brian Tunick - JP Morgan Chase & Co
In the U.S., just wanted to understand a little more about the timing of those. And also, Joan, maybe a little more on the delta on the SG&A guidance. I think on the last conference call, you talked about flattish, so maybe just what's changed in the last couple of months on your view on SG&A?
Joan Hilson
Brian, we missed the first part of your question.
Brian Tunick - JP Morgan Chase & Co
I was asking about the store portfolio, I think on the last conference call or two, you've talked about the potential for store closings in the U.S. Just wanted to see, any update on thoughts there or timing of store closings.
James O'Donnell
Brian, it's Jim. Most of the store closings that are planned of any substantial number will be taken in 2012 and 2013, and they could be anywhere between 65 to 100. It's all pending lease discussions with the landlords, so it's a very dynamic number that it's very difficult to pin down and say specifically it's going to be this number or that. But we will have store closings at a greater rate than we have ever in the past.
Joan Hilson
And Brian, with respect to SG&A, in the fourth quarter, SG&A was down $34 million. And included in that was some of the severance and severance-related charges, as well as some costs related to our corporate profit initiative. So on an apples-to-apples basis, excluding those costs, SG&A was down 7% year-over-year. As you look at it on the annual basis which was where we guided to roughly flat, without those costs, the incentive difference, as well as the severance costs, it was basically flat.
Brian Tunick - JP Morgan Chase & Co
Okay. I meant more of the guidance for 2011.
Joan Hilson
For 2011, as we work through our plans, the increase is largely related to advertising as well as new store growth. We have factored in offsetting from inflationary costs in SG&A with the corporate profit initiatives that carried over into 2011. And so we feel very pleased that we're able to offset those. Our advertising costs investment really support the product assortment that Roger and team are getting behind for the full year. And the new store is really self-explanatory, its cost related to opening the stores.
Our next question is coming from the line of Jeff Black of Citigroup.
Jeff Black - Citigroup Inc
Can you talk a little bit about aerie? And did you hit the profit targets? Are we four-wall profitable? And how much progress do we think we can make? And give us a little color on where you think the assortments are relative to where they need to be?
Joan Hilson
From a financial perspective, Jeff, aerie was basically neutral as a brand in 2010. We essentially hit our targets for the brand. We have stores that are showing promise and have achieved profitability. As we look forward into 2011, we are very optimistic about that brand and we expect the brand and its four walls to be profitable.
Our next question is from Christine Chen of Needham & Company.
Christine Chen - Needham & Company, LLC
Just a follow-up on that aerie comment, I mean, the apparel assortment looks very differentiated from the American Eagle assortment, but I was wondering in locations where you have the brands in the same store, I mean, have you seen any cannibalization or do you feel like it's a different customer?
Roger Markfield
No, actually, Christine, it gives synergy. And I appreciate your comment that it's not like American Eagle. This team, we've assembled over the last six months, is quite extraordinary. I mean, the talent in there, and I just signed off on the Somerset which you'll see, I think it's around April 14. It just gets more beautiful. The lifestyle apparel parts of the business continue to be very strong, and we've really are embarking on a strong undies and bra campaign as we move into the back-to-school season. And we have all of the matchups now. The prints are, by far, the prettiest of them all and you just need to go in there and see it. So I welcome everyone to see the new set in April.
Christine Chen - Needham & Company, LLC
And then what about in the standalone locations, since you've added the apparel, has that been a traffic driver? Are you getting different customers than the intimate apparel customers that you were attracting?
James O'Donnell
The answer to that is yes. We're actually attracting -- I don't like using the term older, but we are attracting a customer that is north of 20 years of age, as well as the core demographic. But I think that to Roger's point, the styling of the product, the intimate apparel piece is the core, but the styling of the complementary products around the intimate apparel has been well received, and it is a very, as you stated, very different than what we carry in American Eagle store by plan. And we think that there's enough of a female consumer out there that no one's addressing this lifestyle, and we think we've got the inroad. Now it's up to us to continue to capitalize on it floor set by floor set, so time will tell.
Our next question is from the line of Jennifer Black of Jennifer Black & Associates.
Jennifer Black - Jennifer Black & Associates
I want to know how you feel you're positioned for the changing denim trends. I see you have like three styles of flares. Are you in a position to chase if your consumer responds? And then I wondered if you could also comment on how you feel you're positioned in knits.
Roger Markfield
Well, obviously, we, by far, are -- and I'm proud of it, not an Eagle game, with the denim destination, Jennifer. And we started that back in '93 as part of our mission statement, and obviously, we're -- you said we have three styles, obviously, the Bohemian trend is there. We're ahead of it, we're in it. We're going after it appropriately where we want to make the investments. But it really is about the entire denim assortment. It's about each individual fit and each individual wash. We test every wash. We test every fit. And then after we have our answers, we make the goods. Our teams in denim -- and I invite you to come to our design center, I know you're interested. Those denim teams we have are just marvelous.
Jennifer Black - Jennifer Black & Associates
Great. And can you also comment on the knits? And then just going back for a second to the denim, does that mean that you can chase different styles of denim? I know that you've tested, but I want to make sure I understand you can chase whatever you need to chase. And then if you could comment on knits, that would be...
Roger Markfield
Yes, of course. We platform denim, which means we have denim, different basis of fabric based on the styling and the wash we want to generate. We have that fabric platform with our resources, and we have lines that are ready to switch styling as necessary. So we're very proactive in how we make changes on denim. And on the knit front, I think we made some changes in the knit category as we always do in this business. And I think we now have an individual in knitwear with the team under him that's better than we've ever had.
Jennifer Black - Jennifer Black & Associates
Okay. So you feel you're well positioned in knits for spring and summer?
Roger Markfield
I do.
Our next question is from the line of Liz Dunn of FBR Capital Markets.
Lizabeth Dunn - FBR Capital Markets & Co.
I was wondering if you could sort of address use of cash. I mean, you clearly have -- you were pretty decently aggressive with the buyback and did the special dividend this year, but you still really have an abundance of cash on your balance sheet. So how are you thinking about that?
Joan Hilson
Liz, what I'd remind you out there is that, and to your point that we did return $400 million of cash to our shareholders which is essentially cash from operating activities during 2010. Then I'd remind you that for 2011 and '12, we have 14.5 million shares authorized which at a $15 share price is over $200 million that we're looking at to return cash.
Lizabeth Dunn - FBR Capital Markets & Co.
Joan, how would you...
James O'Donnell
I'd like to note though on this, Liz, is that one of the things we haven't really stated is that we are updating our store portfolio this year. We have over 115, 120 projects to remodel stores. It's a very big remodel year for us, and our remodeled stores have shown very positive performance once they've been completed. So that's another utilization of cash that we think is going to benefit the company and the shareholders in the long term.
Lizabeth Dunn - FBR Capital Markets & Co.
Do you have a minimum amount of cash on the balance sheet that you'd like to keep just for a sort of safety and security purposes?
Joan Hilson
That ranges, Liz, earlier in the year, $300 million to $400 million.
Our next question is from the line of John Morris of BMO Capital Markets.
John Morris - BMO Capital Markets U.S.
So Roger, can you expand a little bit for me on the tops progress, that you are making? I know you're saying that there are challenges there, and that's obviously what you've got to fix. So first of all, tell me a little bit about or tell us a little bit about where you are seeing some progress, and then dive a little bit deeper on where you see the opportunity. What is the fix in tops?
Roger Markfield
Well, obviously, it always comes down to hitting the right products and having the right product and the right quantity, John. And in terms of the woven category of tops, we have a real strong design team and the wovens are really doing well. Our problem in wovens is we haven't invested enough inventory and that you'll see coming into the second quarter. We know exactly what's selling and it's doing extremely well for us. The turn is faster than ever. And we will have that inventory in the second quarter. On the knit front, we put a new fellow in charge of the knitwear. He was in our design studio. He had a different category. He just came back from a two-week trip to Asia, and I personally think he's a star. And what he's brought back is what I think is quite exceptional. And in this business, we'll see, but we have big reorders coming in, in the second quarter based on what we did sell in the first quarter. And our inventories are very lean. As it relates to sweaters, I'd like the team we have. We had some misses last holiday, and we're working very diligently. I like what we have for back-to-school, and we're working on holiday at this point in time. And while spring, too, is not a big sweater season, I think on April 17, you'll see our Somerset which is our first summer set and that set is probably the best that I've seen in years.
John Morris - BMO Capital Markets U.S.
And I think you talked about the expanding accessories.
Roger Markfield
That is -- Jim and I have taken this initiative on very aggressively. It's only in a X number of stores. In those stores, the traffic generates 13% more traffic in those stores. It's an exciting number. We're moving prudently, but as aggressively as we can into back-to-school and into holiday.
John Morris - BMO Capital Markets U.S.
Is the expansion in that category going to be across all stores?
Roger Markfield
Eventually it will be.
Our next question is from the line of Janet Kloppenburg of Jacobs Jenner & Kent.
Janet Kloppenburg - JJK Research
I wanted to ask Roger a couple of questions. The shift away -- I'm sensing a shift away from classics for the brand, and I'd like you to talk a little bit about that. There's obviously more fashion on the women's side. I don't see as much of it on the men's side. I'm wondering if you could just talk to us a little bit about your positioning and what you'd like to achieve and if the customer understands that perhaps American Eagle is no longer as classic as they used to be. And I'm also wondering if you could talk about the men's business, there's been weakness there recently, and I'm wondering if you've seen that improved. And just lastly, the comps are down right now, it sounds that way, from Joan, a little flattish. And given -- it sounds like everything is pretty good in the assortments, I was just wondering what categories have given you the challenges to prevent the comps from being positive?
Roger Markfield
Let me see if I can address some of your questions. First, the goods are turning faster this year than last year, but we own considerably less units, you see the inventory than last year. We didn't want it frontload because these really are new teams and I want these teams to be nimble. So we will be getting back into things we know about, and I think when you go into the store in April 17 and you look at the set, you should call me and tell me what you think. I think it's a very strong set, and that talks to the whole element of -- yes, we're a preppy store, but we're a preppy store with all of the fashion elements of the time. And I think when you see the set, you will not see any lacking as it relates to the fashion side of the business.
On the men's side, we did it to ourselves. We ran the inventories in the fourth quarter on the men's side were dramatically too low. It was a mistake, and that will be corrected. The customer wanted to buy all of our men's product, we just didn't have enough to give to them. We are the pre-eminent number one brand in this space in men's wear.
Our next question is from the line of Randy Konik of Jefferies & Company.
Randal Konik - Jefferies & Company, Inc.
First question, Jim, you talked about, I think 65 to 100 store closures, 2012, '13. Is that cumulative or is that per year? And what do you see is the right size of the American Eagle fleet of stores in the U.S.? And then just lastly for Joan, does the EPS outlook for 2011, does that include share buyback? If so, how much? And then I guess, on the comp guidance of the low single-digit positive comp expectation, how are you thinking about the composition of AUR versus transactions as we progress through the year on that comp assumption?
James O'Donnell
The closing number, Randy, is cumulative. I think that the portfolio for the American Eagle brand based on the demographic that we attract is, I'd be very comfortable with somewhere around 900 stores, in that range.
Joan Hilson
Randy, can you repeat your question for me please on the EPS outlook? The AUR question that you had, Randy, related to 2011, we expect AUR to increase over the course of the year basically due to mix and some of the selective price increasing, but largely due to mix. And we'll see that throughout the year.
Our next question is coming from Dorothy Lakner of Caris & Company.
Dorothy Lakner - Caris & Company
Just a couple of questions. On the remodels, obviously, you're doing a lot of those and it does have an impact on performance. How many of those are going to be expansions? And then for Roger, I saw the expanded accessories assortment in Garden State. It looks great. But just wondered if you could give us a little bit more clues as to how many stores it's in now and how many you'd expect to have it in by holiday? And then lastly, just another question, a little bit more color on knits, and you talked about wovens, you didn't have enough for the spring season. Is the knits category still dominant? Will wovens carry the day? And when do you think you'll feel comfortable with where you are on the knit side?
James O'Donnell
On the remodels, Dorothy, the majority of them are not expanded based on -- they're from an era where Roger and I mutually agreed that we would go to larger stores. So that when I came here 11 years ago, these are the stores that were in the year two of a 10-year lease. And so they're pretty much right size, so I'd say if you use the 80%/20% rule, 80% are not expanded, but they are updated and the other 20% has modest expansion based on that they're undersized and there are markets where we deemed to be undersized and we wanted to take on a little bit of a larger footprint.
Roger Markfield
On the elements of categories, Dorothy, the accessories that you saw in Garden State, and I appreciate you liked it so much, we love it as well, and the response in the -- we really only have it in 10 stores at this point in time. The response we see is quite extraordinary. It's going to move for summer into the 40 stores and then for holiday, we'll have it up and running in over 250 stores. As we move into next year, we're working, Jim and I, strategically, in terms of space and stores, how best to put it in so we can put it to the rest of the chain. Our bottoms business is pretty damn strong and I think -- go take a look at the set, April 17 as it relates to the knitwear.
Our next question is coming from the line of Sean Naughton of Piper Jaffray.
Sean Naughton - Piper Jaffray
In terms of malls where you've seen some direct competitors exit at the end of last year, have you seen any improvements in your business ahead of the rest of your chain? And is there anything in particular you're doing to capture that traffic? And then secondly, the outlook and guidance that you provided for EPS, are you including any share repurchase in the first quarter or for the full year?
Roger Markfield
Yes, there has been some exiting of some competition that alliance to the American Eagle brand. We have seen that we have been positioned to take advantage and improve our overall market share. And I would say that we continue, if others, fall out.
Joan Hilson
It does not include share repurchase. That's on an average of roughly 198 million shares for the year.
Our next question is from the line of Kimberly Greenberger of Morgan Stanley.
Kimberly Greenberger - Morgan Stanley
I'm just wondering if you could help us understand the international opportunity. How do the economics flow through to American Eagle's P&L? Is it a mid- to high-single-digit percentage of sales in those stores? Just any color you can offer there would be great. And then I'm hoping you can just update us on your progress with getting the aerie stores to profitability. Where are you there? And what are your goals here this year? And where are we on a sales-per-square-foot basis?
James O'Donnell
Well, the international right now, as I've stated, it's rather small, so it's not really a major contributor to the overall profitability. As we move forward, and we expand our presence through both the franchise operations, as well as joint ventures, I would expect that we would start to see an appreciable contribution in the years, probably a bit in 2012, but definitely in 2013 and forward. Right now, all of our -- these locations that I mentioned in the prepared statements in the countries that I mentioned are all franchise operations, and we are now looking at a number of countries where we're going to be going at probably with a joint venture which has a little more risk built in, but it also has a higher ROI. And so the more of those we get into and if we're successful, and I would hope we would be, international will be a tremendous contributor to profitability at American Eagle, as well as expanding the brand presence throughout the world. As Roger mentioned, also I think it will enhance our overall direct-to-consumer business and vice versa.
Joan Hilson
And then, Kimberly, aerie as a brand in 2010 was profitable. We've had some stores that showed a good improvement in profitability in '10. For 2011, we expect the store group to be profitable and demonstrate four-wall profitability which then would obviously drive accretion for 2011. We think that the brand is making nice progress. It improved year-over-year in 2010, and we expect to see the same improvement in '11. And interesting to Roger's comment, the brand has continued to evolve. It established itself as a lifestyle and with the foundation of intimate. So there's a lot of promise there.
Our next question is from the line of Laura Champine of Cowen and Company.
Laura Champine - Cowen and Company, LLC
My question to the extent that you can comment now, how much do you think your AUR has increased in the back half of the year to fully pass on your cost pressures? And if you can go back to your history, there's been appeared of similar cost inflation. Can you talk about what you learned then about elasticity of demand and how that's influencing your unit plan for the back half of the year?
Joan Hilson
Laura, we see the AUR increasing in the back half of the year, as I mentioned earlier. However, we do not expect that to offset the inflationary cost on its own in terms of the product cost. We are doing other things, including selective price increases which is reflected there, but other things within our inventory management. We're reducing markdowns with our allocation tools. And as Roger mentioned, buying closer to need and buying the things that we know about which enables us to chase and turn our inventory faster. The other thing, obviously, we're also doing, and it's reflected in our guidance, is our cost savings initiatives, and we're relying on those three levers to enable us to deliver that flat outlook. Roger, can you comment on earlier years?
Roger Markfield
Well, I've been in this business, as you all know, a long, long time, and each year, every time, there was going to be cost increases, I quite didn't believe it and it never really happened, I must tell you. This is the first time that the raw commodity goods, say cotton, that was a year and half ago $0.60 a pound and now we're talking about over $2 a pound and think about the weight of a denim jean, quite frankly. So the costs are going up. This is a great brand, and we've tested raising prices in some instances, $5 and in the right items, the customer responds as though there was no price increase. On the other items, that's not the case. So we have to be very careful where we can do it. But there's no question that the costs are going up for everyone in the business. And I think relatively, we're pretty well positioned in terms of the volume of the country and the competition.
And that question is coming from the line of Richard Jaffe of Stifel, Nicolaus.
Richard Jaffe - Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Inc.
Really just a follow-up on the price increases and units planned for inventory. Looking forward to fall, obviously, inventory is going to be bought with dollars. How do you see that skewing or reducing the number of units and particularly with your conservative outlook for inventory? And how that's going to play out in terms of averaging the retail and the inventory and comp guidance?
Joan Hilson
Well, clearly, at this time, we are positioning third quarter, Richard, so we would expect units to be down in the third quarter.
Richard Jaffe - Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Inc.
And on a percentage basis?
Joan Hilson
We're still working through. And we're basically through July and August, so it would be premature to really give percentages at this time.
Judy Meehan
Okay. That concludes our call today. Our first quarter announcement is scheduled for Wednesday, May 25. Thanks for your participation today, and have a great day.
James O'Donnell
Thank you.
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Lucero Nut Mix
August 1, 2013
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup pecans
2 tbs garlic powder
2 tbs onion powder
2 tbs celery seed
4 tbs Ascolano Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Spread nuts on to baking sheet and toast nuts for 15 minutes.
In a large bowl mix the toasted nuts, seasoning and Ascolano olive oil.
Place nuts back onto sheet and bake for another 15 minutes.


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By Kyle Woodlief, Special for USA TODAY
Red Line Report chief scout Kyle Woodlief will be providing position-by-position analysis of the top prospects leading up to the NHL Entry Draft in Montreal on June 26-27.
This week he's covering the forwards, next week he'll take a look at the defensemen and will finish up with the goalies. Red Line Report will also provide a Mock Draft a week prior to the Entry Draft.
Red Line also produces a full service draft guide that is available for purchase.
This group has some marquee value with five forwards among Red Line's top six spots overall, and teams who want to grab one of the premium forwards had better be prepared to make a bold move to trade up in the draft.
The top two forwards on Red Line's board are Matt Duchene and John Tavares. And while Tavares is the more dynamic, explosive gamebreaker of the two and will likely put more points on the board in the short-term, long-term it is Duchene that Red Line favors. That's because the goal of every NHL club is to win the Stanley Cup, and the draft is the primary means of acquiring the type of talent that can help a team attain that goal. With that ultimate goal in mind, we believe that Duchene brings more to the overall table and is capable of doing more things to help his team win championships come gritty Stanley Cup crunch time in April and May.
Tavares is a natural born sniper with a great history of production – any time he steps on the ice it's automatically a scoring opportunity, and he's likely to become a consistent 40-goal man at the NHL level.
The second tier of forward talent has three tightly bunched prospects in a near dead-heat who are all very different in style and temperament.
First up is center Brayden Schenn, the (slightly) younger brother of last year's fifth overall pick, defenseman Luke Schenn of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brayden possesses the exact sort of traits that attracted clubs to Luke last year: size, character, intelligence, passion, and a rugged, hard-nosed style. He works his tail off at both ends every shift and has a strong skill level to match his work ethic — that's a winning combination.
Evander Kane is one of the best snipers in the draft with a rifle wrist shot that he likes to snap off from any angle. His speed is tough to deal with on the rush and he's aggressive and highly effective on the forecheck. Has a slight build now, but lots of room to fill out, and once he does, he'll be a real load for any D-man to handle.
Swedish winger Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson possesses blazing speed and is the best pure skater in the entire draft. He's also got good size and strength, and has been competing against men in the Swedish Elite League all year, so he may be ready to step in and play in the NHL right away.
After that, there's a pretty good drop-off to the third tier of forwards and things become less clear-cut. At Red Line, we view slick and edgy pivot Louis Leblanc and highly skilled, but small playmaking winger Jordan Schroeder at the top of this group. Leblanc plays with a fiery edge and employs a high speed, up-tempo style. He's got a great first step burst and an extra separation gear, and we love his mix of passion and puck skills.
Schroeder is a very imaginative playmaker who may be small in stature, but is a mature, take-charge guy who runs the PP and distributes the puck beautifully. Can also wire a sneaky snap shot that he should use more often. He's very advanced and should be in the NHL in a year after dominating college hockey as a freshman and being the best performer on the U.S. World Junior squad.
Few top end players in the draft engender as much debate as Jeremy Morin. If not for Tavares, he'd be the best pure sniper in the draft. He scores big goals at key moments and is a competitor who loves to have the puck on his stick at crunch time. But his skating is just adequate and he's had a rocky relationship with the coaches at the U.S. NTDP, who don't show him much support since he announced his intentions to play in the Ontario Hockey League next season.
Zack Kassian is the premier power winger in the draft and offers a great mix of size, toughness, and goal scoring ability. He's got soft hands around the net when he keeps the gloves on, but watch out once the gloves come off — he's a feared fighter who sticks up for smaller teammates and makes everyone around him braver.
And rounding out Red Line's top 10 is Nazem Kadri. Kadri brings a lot of flash-'n-dash to the rink with top end speed, quick hands, and slick, creative moves. But he does play too much of a one-on-one game and doesn't get his linemates involved enough. Despite having a slightly built frame, he tends to be an abrasive agitator and is at his best on those nights when he brings passion to the rink — which he only does sporadically.
Both Jerry D'Amigo and Kyle Clifford flew under the radar a bit despite coming from hockey scouting hotbeds in Ann Arbor, Mich. and Ontario. D'Amigo, a New York native who has been a member of the U.S. Under-18 team, has been overlooked a bit since he was not considered one of the flashy offensive stars of the national program. But he was consistently one of their most effective two-way performers all season, and has really worked hard in his two years with the Ann Arbor-based team rounding out the skills portion of his game. His puckhandling and finish around the net have improved vastly while he maintained his blue collar, lunch-pail work ethic.
Clifford didn't bloom until the second half of his second season in the OHL, but he's blossomed into a power winger who can skate, drop the gloves and pop the occasional goal. He's a legitimate tough guy who skates quite well for a big man and has enough skill to play a regular shift. Lots of teams are laying in the weeds on this kid and somebody will get an itchy trigger finger early in the second round for fear that another club will jump up and grab him.
Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more.


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American Idol Recap, Las Vegas
American Idol was in Vegas baby! I was in Vegas only one time, when I was in fourth grade. Vegas really isn't that fun when you're 8 years old. But come next Sunday, I will be in Vegas for a whole week! I'm so excited! But enough about me, on to American Idol…. Last night was much better than Wednesday night, don't you agree? There were some cute group performances and some real heartbreaks.
Gabi Carrubba was cut, so was Skylar Laine. Colton Dixon was let through, but his sister Schyler was cut. (Again) Remember that he didn't even want to audition in Savannah. That's got to be a tough one. Britnee Kellogg also got cut, she took it pretty hard.
There were some great performances last night, however, that can be seen HERE.
The real question is WHAT HAPPENED TO KRISTINE OSORIO??? Can anyone tell me when she got cut? I don't remember seeing her perform after she was given the golden ticket in Galveston. In case you forgot her audition, here it is –
Where did she go???
Idol returns next Wednesday at 8pm on Fox.


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She laced her skates to fit snug; the blue and red strings worn a bit just like the wheels below the metal frame. But this isn't a couples-only skate or some retro party—it's Red Stick Roller Derby. The local derby team was founded in 2007 by a pair of LSU students eager to bring the… Read More
With Fire and Flirt, Professors and Students Find Empowerment in Local Roller Derby
September 27, 2011 by


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Becoming a Technical Official
|Technical Officials (TOs) play an important role in ensuring that all events are fairly and safely conducted giving participants the best race experience. As such, the knowledge & experiences of TOs are the main qualities TOs at any level must possess.
Community Level 1: An understanding of triathlon and the roles and responsibilities of a Technical Official (TO) Introduction of ITU Competition Rules
Community level 2: An advance level training of TOs and also taking a higher TO role with greater responsibility
National Technical Official Level 1 (NTO): Becoming an internationally recognised TO which allows you to represent Singapore to officiate in overseas events by ITU
Please click below for more details for
Triathlon Association of Singapore (TAS) has a comprehensive grading system which includes courses and event officiating to ensure TOs are constantly upgrading at a regular Intervals
With effect from 2013, TAS implemented a Mentorship Programme where a senior TO as mentors will supervises a group of junior TOs sharing his/her experience at any time. Thus, junior TOs will be guided along their pathway and stay bonded with one another.
Benefits & Welfares:
Free Education and Training
Local & Overseas officiating experiences
Allowances will be given to TOs who have officiated in events sanctioned by TAS
Register your interest with us by contacting the TO Manager Omar, email to firstname.lastname@example.com or
Check out more details at Training & Activities under the Technical Official page on the website.
Triathlon Association of Singapore hopes to hear from you for our next technical official course!
|Technical Official sharing their experiences
I started with Triathlon as a Body Marker Volunteer. I was tasked to stamp the numbers on the athletes' arms and legs according to their bib number. Little did I know that doing such a small task is important and crucial because a technical official came to us and said that the inks need to be clear. I was intrigued and jumped upon the opportunity to become a TO. Now that I have completed Community Level 2, I have learnt that many aspects of the race might seem small but it all plays its own parts. I am also a strong believer of educating athletes, especially local and age groupers. We should not penalize them for every mistake they make but instead educate them. This way, they will not only learn, it will also not extinguish their interest and passion of triathlon, especially if they just picked it up.
Muhammad Nabil Bin Noor Mohamed
I started joining Triathlon Association of Singapore as a Technical Official in 2010 after volunteering for Youth Olympic Games. Since then, I learned things from only knowing Triathlon as a sport where athletes does swim bike run at a time. Till today, I officiated in different roles for different races and different countries. I was given the chance under the Self-Fund Program. Through this scheme, I officiated twice in Cheng Du, China as well as Palembang in Indonesia. I learned to work with people from different culture and background. We shared knowledge and experience from one another. All these encouraged me to strive on as a TO.
Ong Si Ying
ITU National Technical Official
After attending the ITU Level 2 Technical Official Course in 2010, I gained in-depth knowledge on the technical operations of a triathlon event/course (Swim, Transition, Bike, Run and etc). This knowledge was invaluable in giving me a good understanding of the technical aspects to help ensure that triathlons can be a safe and fair sport for everyone. The exposure to overseas events served as a great platform to make friends and pick up best practices from triathlon enthusiasts from all over the world. Besides, it is also a great honor to be able to represent Singapore in a major sporting event. I definitely encourage more youths to take an interest in becoming a technical official.
Edwin Shi Dalun


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Chief - CT Humane Society
~ I am looking forward to learning my housetraining manners with my new family.
~ I would love to live with kids of any age.
~ I am calm but have my moments of energy and need to get a little exercise every day.
~ I am a great dog for the first time dog owner.


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Dudamel and Ax
Last Modified:
Emanuel Ax, piano
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
About This Performance
On a cold winter night in 1808, Beethoven presided over (and performed in) a marathon concert premiering many of his works, including the exquisitely poetic Fourth Piano Concerto. It was his last appearance as a soloist, his deafness robbing him of that part of his career. Amazingly, this masterpiece fell into neglect until revived by Mendelssohn after Beethoven's death.
Programs, artists, dates, prices and availability subject to change.
Upbeat Live: pre-concert talks
- Friday, October 8, 2010 - 7:00pm
Christopher Russell
Moderator Chris Russell discusses Weber, Beethoven, and Schumann


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Jamie Foland
Freshman center Tyler Morley (Burnaby, B.C./General Studies) was named to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association All-Rookie Team as announced Monday by the Michigan-based league. Two of his classmates, defenseman Colton Parayko (St. Albert, AB/Business Administration) and goalie John Keeney (Twin Peaks, Calif./Business Administration) also garnered honorable mention to this year's all-rookie squad.
Joining Morley on the all-rookie team selections were Miami forward Riley Barber, defenseman Matthew Caito and goaltender Ryan McKay, as well as Notre Dame forward Mario Lucia, Michigan defenseman Jacob Trouba and Western Michigan defenseman Kenney Morrison.
Morley finished the regular season with eight goals and 15 points and was the CCHA Gongshow Rookie of the Week once during the 2012-13 season. He finished third in scoring for Alaska, led all CCHA rookies in short-handed goals with two and scored three game-winning goals, tying him with Barber for the most among CCHA freshmen.
He is the fifth player in progam history to garner a spot on the league's all-rookie team, joining Andy Taranto (a 2010 selection), Tyler Eckford (2006), Wylie Rogers (2005) and Aaron Voros (2002).
Parayko, Alaska's lone NHL draft pick, played in all but four games this season (a span in which the team went 0-3-1). He was fourth among the CCHA's rookie defenders with three goals and 11 points and 13th nationally. He also had the second most shots on goal per game for all Division I rookie blueliners.
Keeney was the Nanooks top goalie for the majority of the season, playing in all but seven games on the year. He finished the season with a 13-11-3 mark, a 2.33 goals against and a .909 save percentage: 14th best for Division I rookies and fourth among the CCHA's freshman netminders. He was the CCHA Goaltender of the Week on Nov. 12 and backstopped Alaska to their historic and perfect 6-0 record in January, which include a 4-0 road sweep of their annual two-week road trip. He was rewarded with the CCHA Rookie of the Month honor and the Hockey Commisioner's Association National Rookie of the Month award as well.
|Riley Barber
|Miami University
|Livonia, Mich.
|Mario Lucia
|University of Notre Dame
|Plymouth, Minn.
|Tyler Morley
|University of Alaska
|Burnaby, B.C.
|Jacob Trouba
|University of Michigan
|Rochester, Mich.
|Matthew Caito
|Miami University
|Coto de Caza, Calif.
|Kenney Morrison
|Western Michigan University
|Lloydminster, Alta.
|Ryan McKay
|Miami University
|Palatine, Ill.
Forward – Crostoval Nieves, Michigan; Matt DeBlouw, Michigan State; Defense – Colton Parayko, Alaska; Craig Dalrymple, Ohio State; Goaltender – Jake Hildebrand, Michigan State; John Keeney, Alaska.


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26-YG401-B Baby vest by Pierrot (Gosyo Co., Ltd)
Welcome! You are browsing as a guestWould you like to see 2 projects made from this pattern and much more? create a free account What am I missing?
© "Pierrot Yarns" (Gosyo Co., Ltd.)
© pmaxon
26-YG401-B Baby vest
This pattern is available for free.
Adorable wrap sweater for babies!
Both English and Japanese versions are fully charted using standard knitting and/or crochet symbols. Japanese version available here.
- Japanese size 2 and 3 knitting needles (2.7 and 3.0 mm)
- Japanese size 3/0 (2.3 mm) crochet hook.
Only the flower motifs at the end of the ties are worked in the round. The rest is worked flat.
For more information, see: http://gosyo.co.jp/english/pattern/eHTML/baby_child....


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The causeway ran through it, a mere thread lipped by the darkling waves, and at the sight a grunt of relief broke from Badelon.
The cold, steely, darkling sweep of desert had been transformed.
She let it stay, yet looked away from him, up through the darkling branches, and distressfully shook her head.
Immediately the square of darkling sky was eclipsed by the cabby's face.
Its windows, too, save one softly reddened by a remote lamp, reflected only the darkling sky.
But soon the dusk won its will, and the darkling track lay empty.
Obtaining from her husband Gustave's address, Madame Rameau hastened to her son's apartment alone through the darkling streets.
She looked up, as I hesitated, and flashed that darkling glance of hers at me.
The gloom of the darkling forests, too, had passed into the sunlit parks of delight.
Bonaparte fixed an eye, darkling as an eagle's, on Bernadotte.
"in the dark," mid-15c., from dark (n.) + now-obsolete adverbial ending -ling.
But having nothing to do with the participial -ing it does not mean growing dark &c.; from the mistaken notion that it is a participle spring both the misuse of the word itself and the spurious verb darkle. [Fowler]


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Figure 6-13 To modify a dimension column, select the column, and choose an option from the context menu. An example context menu for a dimension column, shown in Figure 6-13, displays the available options.When you move a dimension column in a summary table, you can move it only among other dimension columns. Dimension columns and associated attribute columns always appear preceding the measure columns in a summary table.Dimension columns can also contain associated data fields, called attributes. You cannot move a dimension column independently of its associated attribute columns.
|Copyright Actuate Corporation 2013
|BIRT iHub 2


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The Earth Institute presents State of the Planet 2013. This event evaluates our current state and looks to the future for solutions. We will be discussing the future of water security on a global scale.
Joining us in New York? REGISTER TODAY!!!
Join us on-line via live webcast by visiting: www.stateoftheplanet.org
For more information about the conference, including updated schedules and speakers visit:
For more information about the Earth Institute visit:
Register for this Event


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How close are we to you?
Click on this link and put your town and state or zip code in the box at the bottom of the page then click on the Get Directions button.
Cockers needing homes in Santa Barbara, CA
Second Chance Cocker Rescue
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
Phone: 805-687-4674
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Cockers needing homes in San Diego, CA
San Diego Spaniel Rescue
2800 University Ave. #126
San Diego, CA 92104
Phone: 619/922-0545
Email: email@example.com
Cockers needing homes in El Monte, CA
Beagles & Buddies
2661 Strozier Avenue,
El Monte, CA 91732
Phone: (626) 444-9664
Fax: (626) 443-4787
Email: email@example.com
Cockers needing homes in Sherman Oaks, CA
Camp Cocker Rescue
Sherman Oaks, CA
Phone: 866-265-5826
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Camp Cocker is a Los Angeles area based Cocker Spaniel Animal Rescue Organization that adopts out dogs all over the state of California. Most of our adopters live either in the Sacramento, San Jose or San Francisco area and we do monthly mobile adoptions where we drive the dogs to the adopters. We rescue Cocker Spaniels from high kill shelters in Los Angeles County and at times the surrounding counties of Kern County, Orange County, Riverside County, Kings County, San Bernardino County and Ventura County. We encourage anyone who is considering getting a Cocker Spaniel as a pet to please adopt, don't buy. Click here to see our dogs needing homes.
Cockers needing homes in Los Angeles, CA
Perfect Pet Rescue
P.O. Box 24099,
Los Angeles, CA 90024-0099
Phone: 310-726-3731
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Lange Foundation
2106 South Sepulveda Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: (310) 473-5585
Email: email@example.com
Cockers needing homes in Winnetka, CA
Winnetka, CA 91306
Phone: 818 772-4335
Email: email@example.com
Cockers needing homes in Burbank, CA
Pacific Coast Dog Rescue
1317 N. San Fernando Bl., PMB-127
Burbank, CA 91504
Phone: 818-701-0659
Fax: 818-843-6273
Email: email@example.com
Cockers needing homes in Beverly Hills, CA
Ace of Hearts
PO Box 2357
Beverly Hills, CA 90213
Phone: 310-358-3344
Email: email@example.com
Cockers needing homes in Southern California
Apple Valley Animal Shelter
13643 Tonikan Road
Apple Valley, CA 92307
Phone: 760-240-7000 extension 7555
Email: email@example.com
Wee Bar None Ranch
P.O. Box 2908
Apple Valley, CA 92307
Email: email@example.com
Victor Valley Animal Protective League
21779 Zuni Road
Apple Valley, CA 92307
Phone: 760-247-2102
Email: email@example.com
Our hours are: Tuesday through Friday 9 am-4:30 pm, Saturday: 9 am-2:30pm. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Hakuna Matata Rescue
Palmdale, CA 93591
Phone: 661-261-3139
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Ramona Humane Society
690 Humane Way
San Jacinto, CA 92582
Phone 951.654.8002
Email: email@example.com
Orange County Animal Care Services
561 The City Drive South
Orange, CA 92868
Phone: 714 935-6848
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
L.A. County Animal Care Control: Lancaster Shelter
5210 W. Ave. I
Lancaster, CA 93536
Phone: 661-974-8358
Mission Viejo Animal Services Center
28095 Hillcrest
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
Phone: (949) 470-3045
Email: cityofmissionviejo.org
LW Catmom's Adoptions
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
Email: email@example.com
Wag Again K9 Rescue
Temecula, CA 92592
Phone: 909-289-4803
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Heart Bandits - Greater Los Angeles Chapter
P.O. Box 39635
Downey, CA 90239
Phone: (562) 928-4933
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
DPS (Doggie Protective Services) for Homeless Tails
Romoland, CA 92585
Phone: 951-928-6293
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Shelter Cocker Rescue - Southern California
San Marcos, CA - San Diego County
Phone: 760-891-0282 or 408-835-4264
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Our animals are currently living in Romoland, California (near Hemet).
L.A. County Animal Care & Control: Baldwin Park
4275 North Elton,
Baldwin Park, CA 91706
Phone 626-430-2378
Click here for more information about adoptions
Helping Out Pets Everyday
PO Box 2005
Upland, CA 91785
Phone: 1-800-811-4285
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA
361 South Raymond Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 792-7151
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
A Wish for Animals
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Email: email@example.com
Click here to see dogs needing homes at Coachella Valley Animal Campus Coachella Valley City/County Animal Shelter
Coachella Valley Animal Campus
72-050 Pet Land Place
Thousand Palms, CA 92276
Phone: (760) 343-3644
Click here for location and opening hours
Click here to see dogs needing homes at Riverside City/County Animal Shelter Riverside City/County Animal Shelter
5950 Wilderness Avenue
Riverside, CA 92504
Phone: (951) 358-7387 (PETS)
Click here for location and opening hours
Click here to see dogs needing homes at Blythe Animal Shelter Blythe Animal Shelter
16450 West Hobsonway
Blythe, CA 92225
Phone: (760) 921-7857
Click here for location and opening hours
Click here to see dogs needing homes at Banning Animal Shelter Banning Animal Shelter
2242 East Charles Street
Banning, CA 92220
Phone: (951) 922-3301
Click here for location and opening hours
Cocker Spaniels Needing Homes in OH, OR, NV, FL, NJ, VA, ME, GA English Cocker Spaniel Club of America Rescue
The dog rescue organisations on this web site are totally independent of each other and cannot be held responsible for the actions of any other rescue listed here. The webmaster cannot be held responsible for any problems arising from the information displayed on this web site or the actions of the rescue organisations listed here.
E-Mail address: We occasionally have problems with our e-mail addresses so please send your message to both our addresses. On the To line put firstname.lastname@example.com and on the Cc line put email@example.com Hopefully we will be able to read at least one of them!
Page updated: September 30th 2011


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Welcome To A.T. McLaren
A. T. McLaren Limited is a licensed incorporated surveying firm based in Hamilton, Ontario. We specialize in Legal and Engineering Surveys within the Golden Horseshoe area.
The firm was established in 1968 and has completed over 33,000 projects since inception. Our experience has allowed us to undertake many diverse and challenging projects for a broad range of clients which include government agencies, developers, homebuilders, architects, engineers, and private individuals.
Our field staff utilize digital data collection by way of Robotic Total Station and Global Positioning Systems. Drawings are created digitally using customized drafting and Digital Terrain Modelling Software.


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While you are working along with your computer and suddenly the screen flashes, the computer or application stops, an error message flashes on the screen, and everything comes to a screeching halt and/or your system restarts. But, what was that error?
Tag Archive: error log
Permanent link to this article: http://www.explainstuff.com/2009/04/16/fact-of-the-day-what-is-that-error/


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Updated: 20.12.2005
|Manual of Diagnostic Tests
and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals
..« »..
|Chapter 2.5.6.
..« »»
? - Index
SUMMARYEquine piroplasmosis or babesiosis is a tick-borne protozoal disease of horses, mules, donkeys and zebra. The aetiological agents are blood parasites named Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. Theileria equi was previously designated as Babesia equi. Infected animals may remain carriers of these parasites for long periods and act as sources of infection for ticks, which act as vectors. The parasites are found inside the red blood cells of the infected animals.
The introduction of carrier animals into areas where tick vectors are prevalent can lead to an epizootic spread of the disease.
Identification of the agent: Infected horses can be identified by demonstrating the parasites in stained blood or organ smears. Romanovsky-type staining methods, such as Giemsa, give the best results. In carrier animals, low parasitaemias make it extremely difficult to detect parasites, especially in the case of B. caballi infections, although they may sometimes be demonstrated by using a thick blood smear technique.
Paired merozoites, conected at one end, are a diagnostic feature of B. caballi infection. The merozoites of T. equi are less than 23 µm long, and are round or amoeboid. A characteristic of T. equi is the arrangement of four parasites in a tetrad or Maltese cross.
When equivocal results are encountered in serological tests, the inoculation of a large quantity of whole blood transfused into a susceptible splenectomised horse will assist diagnosis. The recipient horse is observed for clinical signs of disease and its red blood cells are examined for parasites. Alternatively, a specific tick vector is fed on a suspect animal and Babesia/Theileria may then be identified either in the vector or through transmission by the vector to another susceptible animal.
Serological tests: Infections in carrier animals are best demonstrated by testing their sera for the presence of specific antibodies.
Currently, the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are the prescribed tests for international trade. The IFA test can be used to distinguish between T. equi and B. caballi infections. ELISA may be used to detect antibodies to both species in infected horses, although cross-reactions between T. equi and B. caballi occur, so that this cannot yet be recommended as a differential diagnostic test. However, recent advances using a recombinant T. equi and B. caballi merozoite proteins and monoclonal antibodies to these proteins in competitive inhibition ELISA appear to be very promising. The competitive ELISA may be superior to complement fixation (CF) tests, especially for detecting long-term infected animals in which the CF titre has waned but which remain IFA seropositive. Unlike the indirect ELISA, the competitive ELISA has been shown to be highly specific for each of the two species of piroplasmosis agent involved.
Requirements for vaccines and diagnostic biologicals: There are no biological products available.
A. INTRODUCTIONEquine piroplasmosis or babesiosis is a tick-borne protozoal disease of horses, mules, donkeys and zebra. The aetiological agents of equine piroplasmosis are Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. Twelve species of ixodid ticks in the genera Dermacentor, Rhipicephalus and Hyalomma have been identified as transstadial vectors of B. caballi and T. equi, while eight of these species were also able to transmit B. caballi infections transovarially (4, 28, 35, 36). Infected animals may remain carriers of these blood parasites for long periods and will act as sources of infection for tick vectors.
The parasites occur in southern Europe, Asia, countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Africa, Cuba, South and Central America, and certain parts of the southern United States of America. Theileria equi has also been reported from Australia (but, apparently never established itself in this region), and is now believed to have a wider general distribution than B. caballi.
During the life cycle of Babesia, the merozoites invade red blood cells (RBCs) where they transform into trophozoites (7, 29). In this situation the trophozoites grow and divide into two round, oval or pear-shaped merozoites. The mature merozoites are now capable of infecting new RBCs and the division process is then repeated.
Babesia caballi: the merozoites in the RBCs are pear-shaped, 25 µm long and 1.33.0 µm in diameter (20). The paired merozoites, connected at one end, are considered to be a diagnostic feature of B. caballi infection (25).
Theileria equi: the merozoites of this organism are relatively small, less than 23 µm long (20), and are round or amoeboid. Four parasites are to be found together in the form of a tetrad or so-called Maltese cross arrangement. This is a characteristic feature of T. equi (10).
It has been shown that sporozoites inoculated into horses via a tick bite invade the lymphocytes (32). The sporozoites undergo development in the cytoplasm of these lymphocytes and eventually form Theileria-like schizonts. Merozoites released from these schizonts enter RBCs. The taxonomic position of T. equi has been controversial and only relatively recently has it been redescribed as a Theileria (26). Further support for the close relation with Theileria spp. also comes from the homology found between 30 and 34 kDa T. equi surface proteins and similar sized proteins of various Theileria spp. (15, 17). However, comparison of the small subunit ribosomal RNA genes of various Babesia, Theileria and Cytauxzoon parasites indicates that T. equi falls into a distinct group different from both the Babesia and Theileria groups (1).
The clinical signs of equine piroplasmosis are often nonspecific, and the disease can easily be confused with other conditions.
Piroplasmosis can occur in peracute, acute, subacute and chronic forms. The acute cases are more common, and are characterised by a fever that usually exceeds 40°C, reduced appetite and malaise, elevated respiratory and pulse rates, congestion of mucous membranes, and faecal balls that are smaller and drier than normal.
Clinical signs in subacute cases are similar. In addition, affected animals show loss of weight, and the fever is sometimes intermittent. The mucous membranes vary from pale pink to pink, or pale yellow to bright yellow. Petechiae and/or ecchymoses may also be visible on the mucous membranes. Normal bowel movements may be slightly depressed and the animals may show signs of mild colic. Mild oedematous swelling of the distal part of the limbs sometimes occurs.
Chronic cases usually present nonspecific clinical signs such as mild inappetence, poor performance and a drop in body mass. The spleen is usually found to be enlarged on rectal examination.
A rare peracute form where horses are found either dead or moribund has been reported (21).
C. REQUIREMENTS FOR VACCINES AND DIAGNOSTIC BIOLOGICALSNo biological products are available currently.
Contact : email@example.com


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Job Overview
This position is located in the Office of Business Administration and Technical Services (OBATS), Office of Facilities Engineering and Operations (OFEO), Smithsonian Institution. The employee oversees, coordinates, integrates, and directs the human capital resource management functions by serving as the principal advisor to the OFEO Director, the Deputy Director, and the directors of the other OFEO organizations on all personnel and organizational development matters.
- Oversees the OFEO-wide human capital and organizational structure to include personnel planning, programming, priority and organizational analysis, and execution for all OFEO personnel resources.
- Serves as the expert on federal personnel law and ensures compliance with merit systems protection and labor employee relations for Wage Grade and General Schedule employees.
- Writes reports, analyses, and correspondence which is circulated at high management level and addresses complex technical and procedural issues.
- Manages staff specifically assigned to human capital and organizational development programs.
- Performs studies and analyses to identify problems, solutions, and trends related to OFEO human capital.
- Provides recommendations and guidance to OFEO on new initiatives and pro-active strategies to meet SI-wide facilities goals and objectives.
Supervisory Status
Promotion Potential


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Class A, B, C Motorhome Mattress
Class A, B, C Motorhome Mattress For A Left Hand Top Cut Corner
Class A, B, C Motorhome Mattress For A Right Hand Top Cut Corner
Class A, B, C Motorhome Mattress For A Bottom Left Hand Cut Corner
Class A, B, C Motorhome Mattress For A Bottom Right Hand Cut Corner
Motorhome Mattress For A Bottom Right Hand Cut Corner
After getting your new toy home, it dawns on you that something is missing. There are no bed sheets. No big deal, youll just go the linen closet, safe in the knowledge that you will find whatever you need. So your grab some bed sheets sets, heading out to the driveway to make the beds in your shiny new motorhome. Spreading out the bottom sheet on the queen bed you are surprised and dismayed to discover that the bottom sheet simply will not fit. The mattress is longer than the sheet. After some stretching and pulling on the bottom sheet you give up. You decide to try putting the sheets on the smaller beds and discover that the sheets are too big.
By now you are thoroughly confused and your mind goes back to a conversation you had with the salesperson. You clearly remember the salesperson telling you that the master bed was a queen size. So you pick up and the phone and call the dealer. The salesperson informs you that yes, the master bed is a queen size and that it is RV queen. In fact, the mattress is a RV long queen which means it is four inches longer than a standard queen size mattress.
He goes on say that the mattress is also thinner than a standard queen size bed, 5 inches instead of the usual 8 or 9 inches. And one more thing, the smaller beds are motorhome bunk beds, which are not as wide as a standard twin size bed. You learn that the smaller beds in your motorhome are motorhome bunk size which measure 34 inches by 75 inches, 4 inches smaller than a standard twin size mattress. That explains why your old sheets were too big.
For many folks an RV is more than just a camper and buying a recreational vehicle is easier with an motorhome buyers handbook. RVs are different from most other vehicles and the decision to purchase an RV should be made with care and after doing some research. RVs are complex vehicles with all the mechanical systems found in the average modern home including plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, and kitchen appliances. So with vacation time fast approaching and while the open road beckons buying an motorhome may or may not be an economical way to travel.
With so many choices like size, different floor plans and construction buying an motorhome is a lot like buying a house. Like the perspective homebuyer, anyone looking for an RV needs to consider what size RV to buy. Families with lots of kids will certainly need a larger RV while smaller families, couples and singles may need an RV that is a bit smaller. Again like a house, the choices of amenities in todays RVs rival those found in a well appointed home. With bathrooms, showers, beds, fully equipped kitchens and all the comforts of home, an motorhome is great way to travel.
RV types fall into several categories including Class A, Class C, travel trailers and what are called Fifth Wheels. Each class has pros can cons as does the materials used in the construction. Aluminum, steel and wood are used in the construction of the modern RV. Self-propelled RVs feature either a gasoline or diesel engine and again there pros and cons to each engine type. Many campgrounds have size limits for RVs and rolling up in big Class A may mean having to find another place to camp. Many perspective owners opt to rent an RV before deciding on which type to buy.
The financing and insurance for motorhomes is similar to most other vehicles and buyers should understand the recurring costs associated with an like insurance, maintenance and fuel costs and there are many motohome insurance companies that specialize in issuing insurance for recreational vehicles.


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Gambaro's is gone! Well sort of. Stand in front of where it once was and look across the road.
The Gambaro family has been associated with Paddington's Caxton Street since they set up their first fish and chip shop there in 1953. So you wouldn't expect them to go far while the redevelopment of their site into a boutique hotel/restaurant is under way. In fact, in a nice piece of symmetry, they've moved back into the original fish and chip site, albeit with a facelift.
For a bit of a history lesson, check out the black and white photographic feature wall in the new temporary restaurant where it's pretty much business as usual, with the same opening hours (Monday-Friday lunch and dinner, Saturday from 5pm).
Regulars will be comforted to see that, although there have been some changes, most of the old favourites are still on a menu that lets fashion and fads pass it by, sticking to its successful formula. The new restaurant in the old (new) Gambaro's site is due to open in March with the hotel slated to open next year.
36 Caxton Street, Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, 3369 9500, www.gambaros.com.au


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'Supermax' Horror Movie Shanks Green Arrow 'Super Max'
Cinematical reports today that the spec script for "Supermax," a horror film about a prison for people with creepy powers, has been sold to Columbia Pictures — which also recently bought "Super Max," a vehicle for DC hero Green Arrow that similarly deposited him in a prison filled with DC supervillains. Think "The Shawshank Redemption" meets The Raft.
The Green Arrow flick sounds pretty cool — you can read a script review here — but there's been some speculation and that newer "Supermax" could kill it at Columbia. It'd be easy enough to change the title, but some commentators think the thematic similarities will deep-six the comics flick.
Personally, I'm not so sure… After all, it's never, ever, ever stopped Hollywood before.


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Your gift to help a hardworking entrepreneur will double in impact thanks to a generous World Vision partner.
Tolera is from Ethiopia. He has 2 children. He needs a loan of $150 to buy a pair of oxen.
Tolera is from Ethiopia. He has 2 children. He needs a loan of $150 to buy a pair of oxen.
A father of two children, Tolera works hard as a farmer to support his family. Tolera would like to become self-sufficient and to cultivate his land efficiently but he needs a pair of oxen, which he cannot afford. "I would like to independently farm my plot of land; yet, the reality I am in at this moment does not allow me to do that. I have to ask for help from friends and people in the neighborhood for oxen for a day of farming. At times, I am forced to rent a pair of oxen from others."
With a loan from World Vision Tolera will be able to purchase a pair of oxen to plow his small farmland and maximize his harvest. With the profits he earns he will be able to better provide for the needs of his family. Also he would not have to rely on the help of others and will be able to realize his dream of being a self-reliant farmer. He can freely plow his farmland on his own without needing to ask for help from his neighbors and friends.
The Agriculture business sector covers all farming and livestock activities. Some entrepreneurs request loans to help in securing supplies and equipment. Others want to buy more animals to breed or purchase feed and medicines. The majority of our loan clients live in rural communities where agriculture is already understood as a business model. It is for this reason that approximately 50% of our loans are in the agricultural sector.
Th e Wonchi ADP, which started in 2001, is 76 miles west of the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. Encompassing 183 square miles, Wonchi is home to almost 120,000 people. Currently, 5,000 children are registered in the sponsorship program.
The goal of World Vision in Wonchi is to improve the livelihood security of 36,000 children and families in the area. Almost all of the people—99 percent—are subsistence farmers, depending on crops and livestock as their means of food and income. Deforestation and soil erosion are among the major problems that impact their ability to increase crop production and feed their families.
The highest priority in the Wonchi ADP is to increase crop and livestock productivity so that farmers can feed their families and generate income. With additional income, they are able to pay for healthcare and education for their children, greatly improving their quality of life.
Providing access to credit and saving services has helped to increase household income. Credit has enabled community members to own assets like farm oxen, sheep, and homes. It has also provided opportunities for job skills training.
Thank you for partnering with World Vision Micro to provide Tolera Bekele with a small loan for his farming and livestock business. Tolera used his loan of $150 to buy a pair of oxen to plow his farmland. He continues to make weekly payments of $3 on time.
With the profits he has earned from his growing business, Tolera is able to provide his family with healthcare, do home repairs and start a new business.
Tolera's two children continue to study in school. Thanks to Tolera's hard work, he will be able to provide a brighter future for his children.
Thank you for supporting Tolera's small business through World Vision Micro!
Thank you for supporting the small loan for Tolera Bekele to improve his farming and livestock business. He invested his loan of $150 to buy a pair of oxen to plow his farmland.
Tolera has now repaid his loan in full. In addition to repaying his loan, Tolera has used his additional income to provide his family with healthcare, purchase fertilizer and expand his current business.
Tolera's two children continue to study in school.
The loan Tolera received helped his business expand and the profits he is earning is creating lasting improvements in his life. In the future, Tolera hopes to continue to send his children to school, expand his current business and repair or expand their home.
Thank you for your support of Tolera and World Vision Micro. These funds are now being recycled to support another eager entrepreneur in the same community.


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News from the Hilltop
Birmingham-Southern College partners with city to mark anniversary of civil rights movement
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Birmingham-Southern College, in conjunction with the City of Birmingham, announced its "Forward, Ever Birmingham!" program to commemorate Birmingham's pivotal role in the global struggle for human freedom.
The college will host a series of events throughout 2013 to mark the 50th anniversary of 1963, the year the nation's eyes turned toward our city and awakened to the ongoing civil rights movement. The highlight will be a march planned for April 24 that will begin on the Birmingham-Southern campus and end in downtown Birmingham; details are still being confirmed for the event.
The march was inspired by the courageous actions of Marti Turnipseed—a young BSC student who defied authorities in 1963 to join seven African-American students at a sit-in at the Woolworth's lunch counter in downtown Birmingham—as well as the countless others who sacrificed for the movement. But the real goal is to bring the entire community together, said BSC President Gen. Charles C. Krulak.
"This is not about what happened yesterday. It's about what's happening today and what will happen the day after tomorrow," Gen. Krulak said. "We know how important Birmingham was in moving this nation to do the right thing. Now it's time to show that we're continuing to move forward, and that BSC is ready to go to the next level in terms of its commitment to the community."
The "Forward, Ever Birmingham!" program—Forward, Ever! is BSC's traditional motto—will mesh with the City of Birmingham's "50 Years Forward" celebration and will also include a full slate of events throughout 2013, including panel discussions on the history of the civil rights movement and the role of the media, a free jazz concert on campus, and a celebration honoring BSC's first African-American graduates. BSC students will also participate as docents in the city's Civil Rights Freedom School Ambassadors program.
Planned events include:
About Birmingham-Southern College:
Birmingham-Southern College is a four-year, private liberal arts institution in Birmingham, Ala., founded in 1856 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It enrolls about 1,200 students from more than 30 states and 16 foreign countries. Learn more online at www.bsc.edu.
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This is the EXACT same problem I asked twice about without much help. I
did get it to work through another broadband connection without any
packet loss. I don't know why but the dial-up connection doesn't seem
to work right for me.
-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Sims [mailto:greg underscore sims at earthlink dot net]
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 8:14 PM
To: Magne Andreassen; m0n0wall at lists dot m0n0 dot ch
Subject: RE: [m0n0wall] IPSEC from Dial-Up
I gave your setup a try this evening. Here's what I did:
On m0n0wall
lan address range 192.168.0.1/24
wan address 123.456.789.1 -- this is not a real ip
enable PPTP server is selected
server address: 192.168.0.127
remote address range: 192.168.0.128/28
RADIUS Server is Not selected
128 bit encryption is Not selected
Added One UserID and One Password
All other fields on PPTP are default values (mostly blank)
Added the following firewall rule
proto=*, source=PPTP Clients, Port=*, Destination=*,
Port=*, Frag=null
On WinXP
created a PPTP Connection
uses my Dial-Up ISP for Internet Connection
target address is 123.456.789.1 (wan address of m0n0wall)
I was able to establish a connection with this setup but the performance
very slow. I first tried to browse a web page inside the network but the
browser timed out. I then tried to ping some of the addresses on the
side of the m0n0wall (192.168.0.xx). These pings resulted in timeouts
of the time. I also looked at the load averages on the system status
of m0n0wall and they were all very low. This seems to indicate I don't
a hardware resource problem (cpu, memory, ...).
I hope someone can spot a configuration error of some sort as the PPTP
interface seems to be just what I'm looking for. If I can just get past
this performance issue ...
Any help would be appreciated! Greg