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What is the value of a J-40 and do you recommend it?
Hi everyone.
I have the opportunity to buy a 1995/6 J-40. I have not yet went to the gentleman's home as I do not know the real street value of the guitar so I am unsure of what price range to offer. This also means that I have not had the guitar in my hands to feel it or play it. Historically, I have had three Martin guitars, a 000-28ec, a 000-16rgte, and a 000-15s. A jumbo will be a step up for me. I am having trouble finding a ton of information on them but what reviews I have found have been really good. I would love to hear from any forum members if you have had any first hand experience.
Thanks in advance.
Founded by Steve Stallings. The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum is an independent Internet forum which is not in any manner related to or affiliated with C. F. Martin & Co., (The Martin Guitar Company) Nazareth, PA. The statements and opinions expressed in the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum are solely those of the individuals posting the same and are not those of C.F. Martin & Co., The Martin Guitar Company, the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum, its administrators, moderators, agents and other voluntary staff, its supporters, financial or otherwise, or its members, guests or other contributors. The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum does not sponsor or endorse any product or service referred to, submitted or suggested by any member, guest or contributor to the Forum. The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum and its voluntary staff shall have no responsibility or liability whatsoever to any person or organization with respect to any matter posted by any individual on the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum, for the deletion of any such matter, for the content thereof, or for the banning, suspension or other sanctioning of any user from this Forum, or for the denial of an application to become a member of this Forum. The content and accuracy of any post are solely the responsibility of the member making the post. The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum shall further not be responsible for references or links to other Internet sites or links contained on other Internet sites to the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum or to the UMGF, or for the contents thereof. This specifically includes the CafePress Store for UMGF Memorabilia, which is not owned, operated or controlled by the UMGF but by Cafepress.com, an independent organization which markets, sells and ships the items contained in the CafePress Store and retains the proceeds therefrom. The sole function of the UMGF with respect thereto is to provide a link for the convenience of its members. By using, browsing or consulting this Forum, you consent to the foregoing terms as well as to the guidelines set forth in the Forum Guidelines and Feedback section and the general terms of use of Yuku. The exclusive venue for proceedings against the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum, its members, trustees, officers or Administrators is the Superior Court, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and any such proceeding shall be governed by New Jersey law. No damages or monetary awards of any nature, including attorneys fees or punitive damages may be assessed against the UMGF, its members, trustees, officers or Administrators under any circumstances whatsoever.


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The Daily Digest provides a brief synopsis of orders, news releases, speeches, public notices and all other FCC documents that are released each business day.
The Electronic Document Management System (EDOCS) lets you search a database of Daily Digest entries for FCC documents posted to the FCC website since March 1996. The query searches on words and numbers that appeared in the Daily Digest title and in the description for each document, not on the full text of each document.
The EDOCS search function allows the user to input criteria and search for all published documents based on the matching criteria entered. Instructions and tips for searching EDOCS are provided.
Best Copy and Printing, Inc. provides equipment and research services to the public for photocopying documents at the FCC, provides research services for various records and ensure daily subscription services to customers.

subset: commoncrawl


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Did you attend a gorilla gathering or other event offered by the Office of Alumni & Constituent Relations? Please click here to visit our Facebook page and view picture albums. Tag yourself and your friends!
Are you interested in what the campus looks like or other events happening on our campus? Click here for Pittsburg State University's Facebook page.
If you have taken pictures at one of our events please add them to our facebook page as we would love to see them!


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Austrian telecom regulator RTR announced that it has introduced a monthly ceiling of EUR 60 for the use of mobile data services, starting from 01 May. RTR director general Georg Serentschy said that the regulator found an increased need for customer protection in the use of mobile data services in recent months. From 01 May, customers will be protected from high costs they may encounter with expensive downloads. The billing ceiling will also apply to legacy contracts.
Source: Telecom Paper.
© Copyright 2017, ITU
The information presented within this blog comes from various organizations around the world. ITU encourages users to seek more detailed information from the original source through the links provided.
Links to third-party websites are provided for the convenience of all users. The ITU is not responsible for the accuracy, currency or the reliability of the content on these third-party websites. ITU does not offer any guarantee in that regard nor does ITU endorse the third-party organizations, their sites or content.


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The group doesn't share much chemistry and the couples aren't very interesting. But even shows without potential couldn't ruin a wedding event. Luckily, Perfect Couples didn't and Perfect Wedding was ironic enough to burst out a few laughs. Woods' ability to make a complete fool of herself offers the biggest laughs and makes the episode watchable. But besides that there's really not much going on.
You aren't rooting for Amy and Vance, Rex feels like a whiny sixth wheel who nobody cares about and Leigh is a weak impersonation of Monica.
Not even near to perfect and certainly nothing that begs for more.


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PMC Loudspeakers BB5/XBD-A-C - EachMFR# BB5/XBD-A-C
- Description
The BB5 XBD-A-C active monitor is a true no-compromise design and the world's leading reference loudspeaker. This flagship model of the PMC range features PMC's 34mm high-frequency driver, PMC's 75mm mid-range dome driver and two 15-inch radial bass units in twin ATL™ (Advanced Transmission Line) cabinets, producing the ultimate low-distortion response and audio window for any professional. The active electronics have resulted from collaboration between Bryston and PMC, giving unrivaled quality and reliability. BB5 offers higher SPLs and a frequency range that extends lower than any other monitor available — down to 17Hz. It has the capacity to reproduce the full scale and dynamics of a live recording without compression or distortion.
The BB5 XBD's phenomenal bass extension is provided by PMC's ATL™ technology supplying ample low frequency headroom without the additional effects of soffit mounting, therefore allowing for both a flexible free a standing arrangement or if needs be, a well built soffit.As with all PMC products there are dedicated centre channels and sub woofers. Though with its dedicated .1 effects channel input and phenomenal the bass performance it negates the need for an additional .1 effects monitor.
You can find the BB5 XBD-A in the following studios: Athens Concert Hall, BBC Maida Vale, 2,3 & 4, BBC Hippodrome. Prince's personal studio and Metropolis studios - london.
TEC award for the Beatles 'Love' 5.1 album mastered on BB5 XBD-A.
Grammy® award for 'Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media ' AND 'Best Surround Sound Album' mastered on BB5 XBD-A.
- Amplifier Power per Channel: LF 800W , LF 800W , MF 250W , HF 250W
- Available Finishes: Black Ash
- Crossover Frequency: 380Hz & 3.8kHz
- Dimensions: H 2080mm 81.89" W 432mm 17.00" D 790mm 31.10"
- Drive Units: LF x 2 380mm PMC Radial™ driver, MF 75mm PMC fabric dome , HF 34mm PMC soft dome
- Effective ATL™ Length: 2 x 4m 13ft
- Useable Frequency Response: 17Hz-25kHz
- Weight: 136kg 299.2lbs
- Technical Specifications
Additional Information
Condition New Length 31.10 in Width 17 in Height 81.89 in Unit Weight 299.2 lb Active or Passive Active Monitor Application Far-Field driver_sizes LF: 380 mm (x 2) / HF: 75 mm Number of Speakers Pair Input Connectors Analog XLR Amp Wattage 250 W / 800 W Frequency Range 17 Hz - 25 kHz
- Reviews
- Testimonials
Have some questions about this item?
When it comes to getting the best gear, your tastes are probably pretty particular. Vintage King can help answer any and every question to help you make the right decisions for your sound. Fill out the form below and we'll be in contact with you shortly.
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Bitcoin's Supply is Limited
Basic economics suggests that insatiable demand results in higher and higher prices, but what if we add into the mix limited supply? The prices are going to go through the roof. That is the situation with Bitcoin. The beauty of this new virtual currency is that supply is limited. There will be no printing of funny money. What's available is available. At the moment there are some 12 million Bitcoins in circulation.
How is a Bitcoin created? Without getting too technical, there are complex formulas that miners can use to unleash new Bitcoins on the market. The max number of Bitcoins that can be harvested is 21 million. The race then is on for miners and hoarders alike to accumulate Bitcoins. That puts even more pressure on the price as new buyers will be forced to bid up the price in order to acquire what can only be viewed as a rare virtual currency.


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(December 1995)
Date: Sun, 24 Dec 1995 10:54:30 -0800 From: email@example.com (Rowan Shirkie) I have seen Hypermail. Does any one have experience with it? Or any other converter? I use hypermail here. It is not especially robust in the face of input it doesn't expect, and it can be quite difficult to rebuild an archive once broken. But as far as I know, it's the only game in town. (And if anyone knows of another, I'd like to hear about it!) AMBAR


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On Having Or Not Having Kids
Yesterday, my friend posted an article on Facebook about things people say when they hear somebody does not want to have kids. It's humorously written, but it brings up a serious issue - people find it so impossible to respect another person's decision that they feel the need to lecture them on why they are supposedly wrong. One of the most common arguments the author of this article hears is: "But what if you regret never having your own kids?" To which she responds: "I'd rather regret never having children than have children and regret it."
Incidentally, just a few hours later another friend emailed me a blog post from a Slovak blogger, called: "Leave Mommy Alone! She Is Writing an Article About How She Didn't Want to Have You." If you can read Slovak, I recommend you check it out. Glancing at the title, I assumed it was about one of the two things - either this lady did not want a child, but had one anyways and is now the most fulfilled person in the history of the world, or it's about sharing too much on the internet without thinking about how your child will feel one day when he or she will read old blog post about Mommy struggling with her feelings (good luck, Kai).
It turned out to be neither. She writes about having a child and regretting it. Now before you get all worked up about this and call social services, this is not one of those women who leave their children locked out on the balcony when the temperature drops below zero because they spilled milk on the carpet. Neither does she try to escape the family life by running away or getting drunk. This is an educated, intelligent woman who left her job to be a stay at home Mom. She loves her son. She can't imagine not having him at this point. What she can imagine is turning back time to that moment when she and her husband were deciding on having a child, and instead choose not to. She never felt the need to have a child. She never wanted one. Yet she ended up with one. And now she often feels regret about that decision.
I have not regretted having children, but I have also never felt my ovaries vibrating from pure need to replicate. I made an educated guess. Which is the same thing people who don't want to have children do. It is true that motherhood brings me some of the highest highs I ever got to experience. My heart bursting into pieces from joy so concentrated it could almost kill me. At the same time, it brings the lowest lows with it, and we are only three years into it. We didn't even make it to that stage when they yell they hate you, they roll their eyes at you, they are ashamed of you and you have to watch them making stupid decisions you know could ruin their lives.
I fight with Kai every day. I don't want to. I want to be his best friend. I want to go through one day without having to say "no" to him, but I can't even make it through one hour, because he insists on pinning down the cat, throwing books and other heavy and/or breakable and/or sharp objects, shoveling big lego pieces right into the TV screen, climbing up a bookcase, sticking his fingers into openings from which he may not be able to remove them, using knives, running with a fork in front of his face...you get the idea. I could go on all day. I do go on all day - telling him no. Which makes him mad. Which makes him scream at me or hit me. Which is not how I imagined my daily life would be. Call it parenting if you want, to me it mostly feels like fighting. Fighting with a person I love the most.
I often wonder how I ended up being the responsible one. I am not talking about the philosophical "responsible for someone's life". I am OK with that. I am fine with being in charge of a human being, keeping him safe and raising him the best person possible. I am talking about the fact that I still feel like a child myself most of the time. I get scared and I don't know which decision is the right one, but now I am expected to make one.
Kai tells me to go ask a lady at the museum front desk a question, and I don't want to, because I am shy and I don't want to impose, but his question is relevant, plus I don't want him to grow up afraid to ask questions, because that is what I struggle with all the time, so I have to do it. He does not want to go himself, and I understand, because I feel exactly the same way as he does, only I am the Mom now, so I have to do it.
I don't want him to learn that I am scared of spiders, because I don't want to instill the same fear in him. I have to pretend they don't bother me in the slightest, while going through a full blown panic attack inside. He thinks Mommy can fix everything, while Mommy feels she needs her Mommy half the time. Just because I have kids, I don't feel any more mature, or wise, or competent.
Sometimes I wish I could have back those weekends when I didn't have to get out of the bed before noon and had nothing else to do but look forward to the evening dinner plans with friends. I can't do that anymore. Yes, I could get Grandparents or friends to watch the kids, but that's not the point. I'd miss the kids. I want to be with the kids. I don't need a day without my kids - I need a day from before I had them.
I know having children was the right decision for me. Other people know it is the right decision for them not to have children. Just as I would never have anybody talk me out of having kids, I can't talk them into having them, nor should I feel the need to do so. They are perfectly capable to decide for themselves.
2 comments:
I really enjoyed your post, and the article about what silly things people say. This hit home for me as me and my husband struggle through the kid question. I like how u pointed out how u would like a day before you had your kids and not just a break from them. Gives me points to think on.ReplyDelete
- Anonymous23 October, 2013 04:49
I have many friends who don't want to have children. I can totally get it. I always loved the life I had before children. Even though there was personally never a question for me: I absolutely wanted children- I could not even say why. Besides the fact that I love everything about kids. I have one advise for mothers or perhaps-mothers: you don't have to put yourself or your life in second line. Well, in some cases (many moments in fact) of course you do. But I believe it's the ambitious want-to-be-perfect mother who struggles most with having children. They feel nobody else can replace them, nobody else is doing it right and their kid(s) are only happy with the mommy around. They have a bad conscience when they choose to not spend time/hours/evening/day/weekend with the kids. I (who had to be absent every now and then for a work trip since the kids can remember) personally think it feels really good to spend time apart. It's even important for everybody involved: for you as mother because you realize you continue to exist as the person you were before. for your kid(s): to experience that they are able to be without the attachment to only 1 person, that life continues just fine without that center- they become more self assured and have often a better confidence I believe; they also experience that you always come back- with more love and patience then before usually; they also find it super interesting to spend time with other people and to tell you about it; for the husband/boyfriend/father/partner or whoever takes care of them while you can be the person you have been before: they feel important and capable. Only then they are really able to bond with the kids (away from the critical eye of the judging & caring mother). My husband and I often take turns of sleeping in on the weekend. It feels great to stay in bed, reading or shopping with friends and to know that your kids have a great time (without you!). It might take time & some tears for the very young child to say goodbye to you for the first times- but only because it's not used to and not because it can not. I wish every mother the confidence and courage of letting it happen/letting go at some point- to increase everybody's happiness and decrease the frustration levels and maybe also regrets. Eva (2 boys at age 3 and 6)ReplyDelete


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Common Core began as an effort to raise education standards but, Gov. Bobby Jindal contends, has "morphed into a scheme to drive education curriculum from Washington, D.C." largely through the tests to be used to assess how well students are learning the material.
That's why, the governor said Wednesday, he has filed court papers urging a judge to bar Louisiana education officials from using Common Core tests in the state's public schools.
The new standards in reading, writing and math are supposed to take effect for the 2014-15 school year, with assessments scheduled next spring.
But Jindal wants state District Judge Todd Hernandez to forbid the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state Department of Education from administering any standardized tests developed through the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, a testing consortium aligned with Common Core.
"Common Core and PARCC supporters are now arguing that without a test in place for the upcoming school year, teachers don't know what to teach," Jindal said in a prepared statement. "If Common Core is just about standards though, then why would the superintendent and BESE president be worried about one test? The answer is because it's about curriculum. Tests drive curriculum for the school year."
The governor contends Louisiana's agreement with PARCC is an illegal attempt to federalize education in the state.
"Congress drew a bright red line that can't be crossed and it clearly bars the federal government from 'directing, supervising, or controlling elementary and secondary school curriculum, programs of instruction and instructional material,'" Jindal said. "Implementing PARCC in Louisiana crosses the line because what's tested is what's taught."
Common Core is the focus of two lawsuits filed last month in the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge.
The first was filed by 17 state lawmakers to halt implementation of the controversial academic standards. Their suit claims BESE and the Department of Education failed to follow the Administrative Procedures Act, which critics say was a required step that would have allowed crucial public input.
A hearing in that case is scheduled Aug. 15 in front of state District Judge Tim Kelley.
The second suit, filed the day after the legislators' suit, was filed by a group of parents and teachers who accused Jindal of illegally trying to derail the academic standards and companion tests.
Hernandez has scheduled hearings in that suit, in which the governor intervened, for Aug. 12 and Aug. 18.
In June, Jindal ordered the state out of Common Core and the assessments that are supposed to accompany it, starting with the 2014-15 school year. State Superintendent of Education John White and BESE are fighting the governor's directive.
Backers say 45 states have adopted Common Core and that the new rules are needed to improve student achievement, especially in low-performing states like Louisiana.


text: brian wrote: > Kris Moore wrote: > >> That is really weird. If you move the file back into Download/ they still refuse to run? Also, is >> this by running it with ./<pbi> or via dolphin or both? >> >> -- >> Kris Moore >> PC-BSD Software >> >> On Fri, 24 Jul 2009, A.Yerenkow wrote: >> >> >> I just moved them into /Download, tried to run them, and now I can't run PBIs at all - anywhere. I'll wait for the next version of PC-BSD and upgrade. My system works fairly good now as is. >> >> > _______________________________________________ > Testing mailing list > Testing at lists.pcbsd.org > http://lists.pcbsd.org/mailman/listinfo/testing > > This is all on a clean install?? Can you verify the disc image? Only way I know how to do so is to get the installer to check the disc. Maybe K3b or diff can also do the same? Regards, Brodey Dover -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://lists.pcbsd.org/pipermail/testing/attachments/20090724/3164bc29/attachment.html>


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Would you like to save as your currency permanently or for this visit only?
the 5 course lunch prepared by the restaurant for 24 members of my family in corleone was excellent and beautifully executed by the staff at leon d'oro...i was very impressed and happy.
Quiet location; reasonable breakfast. Problem with room key was quickly dealt with. Good location for exploring the local countryside.
Lovely hotel with a good restaurant. Staff were very helpful. We had a very relaxing time as the area was extremely peaceful.
Their talents, smiles, and bang for the buck made us forget the Euro v. Dollar. However, you (should provide) a space for more compliments. No. In fact, these people were like family in every sense of the word.
decent sized room with a good bathroom overprced for its facilities (paid €85 for a double room), woken by a cock crowing at 5am (a small farm is very near the hotel). The service was just adequate and the breakfast not the best (drinking the fruit juice from plastic cups). Overall was not very impressed with my stay (compared to 5 other places I stayed on my holiday).
Staff was very helpful. Restaurant was excellent.
The authenticity of staying in a remote part of Sicily... No
The staff, ambiance and orderliness of the Hotel Leon D'oro is of superior quality...the small hotel is a gem ...set in lovely corleone sicily...I Plan to visit again next spring and will reserve a luncheon for my corleone family in the hotel's restaurant...which served an excellent assortment of items..at great value I wish they had had more tv channels available on the tv...
good enough for 1 night stay if you decide to visit Corleone. nature around the city is just fantastic! air conditioning was not working in our room and it was cold during the night. internet was not working.
Hotel was nice and clean, friendly staff, what we expected beforehand- One of the nights, the city's main disco seemed to be in the garden of the hotel, and it felt like the bed was placed on the dancefloor.
Beautiful views and very near the sea-shore, clean and silent, romantic house and kind staff, nice breakfast and enough equips for cook, enough parking lot, safy area Only personal car could be available for reaching and far away from Agrigento, about 30km. So if someone would like to enjoy silent rest and holidays, then this hotel could be strongly recommanded.


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In the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, here is our A to Z of sports in the UK. Expect some popular sports – as well as some rather weird and wacky ones too.
A is for Archery.
Archery in the UK is organised around clubs, counties and regions. Clubs provide beginners with courses, and many run their own club competitions. The counties and regions run championship tournaments and provide routes for progression through coaching and squads. Archery GB is the National Governing Body. www.archerygb.org
B is for Bog Snorkelling.
Bog snorkelling started in 1976, and the first World Championship took place in 1985. Competitors wear snorkels and flippees, and wade through a water-filled trench cut through a peat bog. The winner is the person who goes through the trench twice in the shortest amount of time. The event takes place every August Bank Holiday in mid-Wales at the Waen Rhydd peat bog, near Llanwrtyd Wells, the UK's smallest town. Richard Addis is the 2012 men's champion, with a time of 1 min 26.97s. If you feel drawn to bog snorkelling, visit www.bogsnorkelling.com and enter the 2013 championship!
C is for Capoeira.
Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance and martial arts. It is known for its quick and complex moves, using mainly power, speed, and leverage to gain the upper hand. The objective is not to hurt or even connect with the other "player", but rather to demonstrate agility by anticipating the other's move. Visit www.londonschoolofcapoeira.com if you would like to find out more about this highly energetic, entertaining sport.
D is for Demolition Derby.
Made popular in the United States, this sport has now moved into the UK. You can have the pleasure of ramming your car into other cars with the purpose of destroying them! It's like 'Bumper Cars' for adults, and the rules are simple: windows are removed and you are not allowed to purposefully ram the driver's side of the vehicle.
E is for Eating.
While not as big in the UK as it is in the USA, eating competitions are springing up all over the place. If competitive eating sounds like a sport you could do, check out the Wookey Hole's Big Eat, which takes place in Somerset or try your luck in the annual Dorset Stinging Nettle Eating Contest.
F is for Fire dancing.
Fire dancing is the art of combining movement with the manipulation of objects on fire. These objects normally include bundles of wicking that are soaked in fuel before getting ignited. The objects are then twirled, juggled and otherwise manipulated, often to music. Although not strictly a sport, it is a highly physical activity which requires enormous skill and dedication. Our guess is it won't be long before it becomes a competitive sport. To sign up for it in London, visit www.fire-dancing.com/trainers/michal-kahn.php.
G is for Golf.
Golf had its start in England and is today one of the most popular sports in the UK. Scotland is generally considered the home of golf; it has more than 400 golf courses, the most important undoubtedly being St. Andrews. If you have thought about starting golf as a hobby, head over to www.golf4beginners.co.uk and find out everything you need to know about the game, the equipment and how to get started.
H is for Haggis Hurling.
Haggis hurling is a Scottish sport. As the name suggests, it involves the skilful throwing of haggis. After starting off as a joke at first, it has actually grown into a professional sport, judged on the basis of distance and accuracy. On top of that, a burst haggis is immediately disqualified, as the haggis must be fit to eat after landing! The world record for haggis hurling was set at 217 feet by Lorne Coltart at the Milngavie Highland Games on 11 June 2011.
I is for Ice Hockey.
Ice hockey is another sport which is gaining popularity in the UK. At present, the UK has the 15th highest number of players per country. The sport is known for its fast pace and physicality and is certainly not for sissies! If you think you have what it takes, visit www.britishicehockey.co.uk to find out more about the sport and how to get started.
J is for Juggling.
No, we're not referring to the skill of managing your work, social life and family commitments, we mean actual juggling, a "sport" that is bigger in the UK than you might think. If you're an amateur juggler looking to hone your skill, visit www.juggling.org/meetings/unit_ki.html and join a club near you.
K is for Karate.
Old school is back! Karate is still one of the most popular forms of martial art. It helps with fitness, balance, self-defense, discipline and strength. If the thought of racking up all those lovely coloured belts excites you, there are numerous karate clubs in the UK to choose from. Find one near you: www.englishkaratefederation.com.
L is for Lying.
In the 19th Century, a famous Cumbrian called Will Ritson was the popular publican who kept his customers enthralled with stories (or rather: very tall tales) of the folk heritage of the area.
In celebration of Will and his stories, the "World's Biggest Liar" contest is held at the Bridge Inn in Santon Bridge every November, to award the title to the storyteller who is worthy of following in the footsteps of "Auld Will". The contest consists of entrants telling "stories". The best lie, told the most convincingly, wins.
M is for Marbles.
Think marbles is for schoolboys? Think again. The next British and World Marble Championship will be held in March 2013 at The Greyhound, in Tinsley Green. If you think you still have what it takes to win at marbles, visit www.greyhoundmarbles.com to find out more.
N is for Netball.
Undoubtedly the UK's biggest female sport, netball is still huge and not exclusive to schoolgirls. England Netball is once again running their "Back to Netball" campaign for anyone wanting to get back into the sport, shed some unwanted kilos, get fit and have fun on the court. Since 2010, over 22,000 women have returned to the sport through Back to Netball. Visit www.englandnetball.co.uk/my-game/back-to-netball to find out more or to find a club near you.
O is for OzTag.
OzTag or MiniTag is a form of touch rugby where brightly coloured Velcro strips are attached to the players' shorts. These are ripped off to count as a "touch". Try Tag Rugby are the UK's official delegates of the Oz Tag Football Federation, whose members include OzTag Australia and NZ Tag Football. Visit www.trytagrugby.com to find out more about this much safer form of rugby.
P is for Pooh Sticks.
The Pooh Sticks Championships are based on a game in AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh stories. They take place each spring at Days Lock in Little Wittenham. The object of the game is to race marked sticks in the River Thames. The Pooh Sticks Championships are organised every year by the Rotary Club of Oxford Spires, with around 1 500 entrants.
Q is for Quoits
Quoits is a game played with steel discs, which are thrown across a set distance at a metal spike (called a pin, hob or mott). In the UK, there are three variations of the game – the Northern Game, played in the Esk Valley region; East Anglian Quoits, an English version which uses smaller, lighter discs; and The Long Game, mainly played in Scotland and Wales.
R is for Roller Derby.
Roller Derby, made popular in the USA in the 1950's, is back with a vengeance. Roller Derby Leagues are popping up all over the world, including London. This exciting sport involves two teams of five members skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short jams, where each team's jammer scores points by lapping members of the opposite team. The other members help their own jammer while trying to block the opposing jammer. It's a fast-paced, high contact sport for girls only. Visit www.londonrollergirls.com to find a roller derby event near you. Or, if you're feeling brave, audition to join a team!
S is for Slacklining.
Slacklining is essentially the art of balancing and doing tricks on webbing that's strung between two trees or poles. It's like a combination of trampoline and tightrope walking, and great for improving fitness, learning focus and balance, as well as core-strengthening. Popular among skateboarders, yogis and surfers, slacklining is fairly easy to learn, although the harder tricks take plenty of practice! Since 2010, the World Slackline Federation has been trying to establish tricklining as a competitive sport. Visit ukslackline.com to find out more about this fast-growing activity.
T is for Toe Wrestling.
Yes, it's an actual sport and it's fast gaining popularity in the UK. The World Championships were first held in Wetton in the 1970's and are now held at the Bentley Brook Inn in Ashbourne, Derbyshire every year. It is common courtesy for each player to remove the other player's shoes and socks. Players then link toes and opponents attempt to pin their opponent's foot for three seconds, while avoiding having their own foot pinned. The current world champion is Alan "Nasty" Nash. If you want to follow in his, er, footsteps, just be aware that injuries do occur. Nash has broken nine toes over the years – including four in one fight.
U is for Uni-cycling.
The unicycle seems by most accounts to be a modern version of the penny-farthing, popular during the late 19th century. Today, unicycling is gaining popularity, particularly in the UK, where sports such as Unicycle Hockey and Unicycle Basketball are played. All that's needed is a unicycle and a great sense of balance. Visit unicycle.org.uk to join a club and compete.
V is for Volleyball.
Volleyball is a fun team sport and a great way to keep fit. There are three types of volleyball in the UK: indoor, beach and sitting. To join a club near you, go to www.volleyballengland.org.
W is for Wakeboarding.
Wakeboarding is a water sport which involves riding a wakeboard over the surface of a body of water and can be considered a combination of water-skiing, snowboarding and surfing techniques.
The rider is normally towed behind a motorboat and performs tricks and jumps to demonstrate skill. This year, Team GB won Team Gold at 2012 Euro Championships with 3 Golds and 2 Silvers.
Visit the official wakeboarding UK page for more info: www.wakeboard.co.uk.
X is for X-Games.
Don't get too excited – X Games are not yet in the UK, but they should be! Join the movement to get X-Games to the UK. www.facebook.com/XGamesBristol
Y is for Yoga.
Yoga is – believe it or not – one of the world's fastest-growing industries. Yoga studios are popping up all over the UK, so there's really no excuse for not trying it out. While not strictly a "sport", it is a fantastic way to keep fit, lose weight and keep a healthy body and mind. One of the most popular forms is Bikram Yoga, practised in a studio heated to around 40 degrees Celsius. Check out www.bikramyoga.co.uk, who offer an introductory special of £35 for 30 days' of yoga.
Z is for Zui Quan.
Our final sport is Zuì Quán (meaning Drunken Fist), a concept in traditional Chinese martial arts, where the techniques appear to imitate a drunkard's movements. The postures are created by using momentum and body weight, and it is considered one of the most difficult Wushu techniques to learn. While the actual sport is not taking off in the UK just yet, you can witness expert Zui Quan moves every night in many pubs across Britain.


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The automobile offers convenience, privacy and independence. Disadvantages are parking, traffic jams and other well-known annoyances. Public transit does away with traffic jams and parking and offers a green alternative to gas-burning vehicles. But the public-transit experience lacks privacy, independence and personalization. However, Heathrow airport, London, is constructing a system of PRTs, or "Personal Rapid Transit" vehicles that offer point-to-point travel throughout the airport for four passengers and their baggage. The vehicles bypass stations to arrive at the selected destination. The initial phase of the project moved from construction to operational testing last July, and will deploy only 21 PRTs that will run among three stations.
Photo credit: Advanced Transport Systems Ltd. www.atsltd.co.uk


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/9/2012 (1775 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The Grade 5 Chronicles
The Free Press is doing its homework on how both classroom and out-of-classroom experiences differ for Grade 5 students in public, private and First Nations schools across the province.
WHAT should a child in Grade 5 in Manitoba expect — no matter where she or he goes to school? What are the basics in our education system every child should take for granted?
The core curriculum is set in stone, says Education Minister Nancy Allan.
And everything else, well, that's not carved in stone — though schools try their best.
We're following five Grade 5 students from across Manitoba throughout the course of the 2012-13 school year — from urban public, rural public, northern public, First Nations and faithbased private schools.
We want to know how the educational experience is the same and how it's different for kids from different backgrounds going to different schools throughout Manitoba.
We're looking at the young students' year-long education experience. We'll be talking to the students, their families and their schools about class sizes, the programs and extracurricular activities their schools offer, how much homework they get, how many tests they write, whether their teachers are specialists in specific areas, what extra fees they pay, what field trips they take, how much time they spend outside of class and for what reason.
"The compulsory (Grade 5) classes are English, math, science, social studies, phys-ed and art," says Allan.
But school is about so much more.
The art curriculum lists dance, drama, music and visual arts: "The student will not necessarily take all of them, but students must take at least one," she said. "That's decided at the local level."
French and other languages, including aboriginal languages, are optional in Grade 5.
And while school divisions try to ensure teachers with a variety of skills are assigned to small schools, says Allan, there's no guarantee specialists will teach music, phys-ed and art.
Extracurricular activities?
"They're not mandated," Allan said. "Schools do offer extracurricular activities. All kinds of great things are happening."
Sports teams and performing arts are great ways to enhance education, but unless they're part of a course during the school day, they're optional everywhere, said Manitoba Teachers' Society president Paul Olson.
"The phys-ed teacher is not required to coach teams. The music teacher is not required to run a choir or band," he said.
When parents walk into a school, they see their child's teacher and their child's principal, says Olson. But when the head of the teachers' union walks into a school, "what we see is when can we get a resource teacher, whether we can get a psychological assessment in a week, a month or three years."
It's not realistic that a child in a small or remote school will get the teaching specialists in music, art and physical education that a child in a large urban school would expect, though that's the ideal, says Olson.
But those children should receive an education that's just as good as any other child's, wherever they go to school, he declared.
Every child in Manitoba "should be receiving the full Manitoba curriculum with all the resources they need to do that successfully," Olson said.
That includes classroom materials, speech pathology, social workers, physical-education equipment, resource teachers, reading clinicians and staff available to do diagnostic and other assessments.
Allan could not immediately say how quickly a child anywhere in the system can access a resource teacher, clinician or specialist of any kind.
THREE years ago, Juliana Valdoria was sitting in a Grade 2 class in the Philippines, where classes were bigger, far less diverse than in Manitoba and, dare we say it, kids behaving perhaps more as Canadian children did in a 1950s classroom.
Now, Juliana walks the couple of short blocks to Grade 5 at Tyndall Park Community School, one of 510 or so kids in the nursery-to-Grade-6 Winnipeg School Division School.
Surrounded by sprawling sports fields, Tyndall Park offers the range of choices you'd expect from a large WSD school.
Juliana is looking forward to "probably getting into the choir, working hard and learning more stuff."
Learning more stuff, such as "art and a bit of math.
Mostly multiplication — it's easy to answer, and it's a good start for me in Grade 5."
While the classroom teacher handles art, Juliana enjoyed specialist teachers trained in music and physical education. "It was a special teacher, like, when we have phys-ed and music," she said, recognizing the difference at her young age.
"We play, like, recorders," Juliana said. "Sometimes we sing choir songs."
The music program has piano, recorders, xylophone, triangle — the WSD supplies every student with a musical instrument, without cost, regardless of family circumstances.
Last year, Juliana had 23 kids in her class and expects about the same this year. "There was an assistant teacher.
She takes care of a special child," and helps the class generally when the special-needs child is not there.
Juliana is in a class of 21, with no educational assistant this year, said Tyndall Park principal Gisele Mospanchuk: "We're really targeting smaller class sizes this year."
In Grade 5, Juliana can run track and field and play badminton.
Last year's field trips took her class to the Children's Museum, Fun Mountain, Stonewall quarries and the Manitoba Museum.
Juliana receives French instruction twice a week, in two 45-minute classes.
"She would have been exposed to a lot of Smart Board activity last year," Mospanchuk said, as well as exposure to a special math consultant who worked with the school's teachers. "She's also in a class this year with a Smart Board."
Mospanchuk said the school has two phys-ed specialists. "Music is taught by a specialist who has her music degree."
Earlier this week, said Mospanchuk, Juliana's class visited the University of Manitoba's Glenlea Research Farm south of the city. "It's just an amazing exposure for the kids to agriculture," on a literal field trip.
SAMANTHA Holyk has never known any school but the tiny Balmoral School north of Stonewall where she's always been in a split class.
The Interlake School Division school has 101 kids in kindergarten to Grade 8.
Unlike many of her classmates, Samantha can walk to school.
"Last year there was 25" in her class, said Samantha, but she expected about 18 this year, after several kids moved. She's been with the same kids since kindergarten. Balmoral School just isn't big enough to have specialist teachers.
"Our classroom teacher taught music," said Samantha, and the phys-ed teacher also taught Grade 2. Her only performing-arts experience was the Christmas concert.
"I like ELA and science. I like doing experiments," Samantha said.
There's curling one hour a week for grades 4 to 8, she said. The kids have the super run at the Manitoba Marathon, cross-country, volleyball and basketball.
They've visited museums in Selkirk and Gimli and saw a Robert Munsch play last year.
"This year the Grade 5s are being offered an art/band option," Samantha's mother, Roberta Finnie, pointed out.
A band specialist teacher from Stonewall Collegiate comes to Balmoral for a half-day at Balmoral School every six-day cycle.
Said an enthusiastic Samantha: "I'm going to play the clarinet."
Fortunately, Finnie owns a clarinet, because it's $100 to $140 to rent an instrument. Charging for instruments is standard, Interlake School Division superintendent Ross Metcalfe said: "The board has pumped a lot of funds into the band program, but still not enough for every child to have one. We've eliminated fees in many areas."
Art instruction still carries a fee. "They've had an art option. It's an extra cost," around $15 for materials, Finnie said.
As for French, Samantha said, "We don't take it very much. We had one (French teacher), but she left."
Said dad Kyle Holyk: "I've never seen you bring any French homework home."
Metcalfe describes the French instruction Samantha will receive as basic French programming.
Split classes are a reality in smaller rural schools, and they create another challenge. Samantha said the younger kids take the same lessons as the older kids in the split class. "Last year, we did practically everything they did."
The same lessons? "Pretty much, yes. For social and science, we had different tests."
The way the split classes worked over the years, said Finnie, Samantha didn't take the Grade 3 curriculum.
"Balmoral, 101 students, nine grades — the size of the school, it probably always will be with us. How can we possibly compare with a middle school like (St. James-Assiniboia's) Golden Gate?" said Metcalfe.
The school tries to flip-flop the curriculum in split classes so that the kids end up learning every year's curriculum, one year as the younger kids, the next as the older.
"It requires some planning. It's a way of life in the Balmorals, Rossers, Brant-Argyles, Grosse Isles. It's been that way since the beginning of time," he said.
Samantha's class will have 12 in Grade 5 and seven in Grade 6 this year, Metcalfe said. "The only pure grade will be kindergarten, and that hasn't happened for a while." It's the first time in years that any grade has been the single grade in a class, with 14 kindergarten children having their own classroom and teacher this year.
With no specialists, Metcalfe aims to hire well-rounded teachers who can teach the core subjects as well as courses such as art or phys-ed.
ÉCOLE Opasquia School is pretty big — 331 kids for kindergarten to Grade 5.
Aliegha Hiebert-Dixon will have only about 20 students in her Grade 5 French immersion class this year.
The Kelsey School Division school in The Pas has avoided split classes or classes with more than 30 students.
"We are definitely more limited in the north, but the school does make every effort to offer as much variety as they can," said Aliegha's mother, Cindy.
"There are two full-time phys-ed teachers. There is not a full-time art teacher, but there are art classes. There is no musical/drama production beyond the December Christmas concert. There is no band," said Cindy.
"I like art and math," Aliegha said. "I kind of like singing."
Aliegha likes playing baseball at school, though it's just for fun — there are no school teams. "There's a running club and a gardening club, but no sports."
Said father Kim: "They do have music," with, he thinks, a full-time music teacher.
"They have a little bit of a running class" and a full-time phys-ed teacher, said Kim. "There is choir, and they do have a Christmas concert for sure."
And, said Cindy, "once a month, the school has very entertaining and enthusiastic assemblies — even the parents like to attend as they are very fun to watch."
Aliegha said there are field trips, but they don't go all that far afield: "Like Dairy Queen or the pool. We go to the museum."
Opasquia principal Gavin Smith said field trips do tend to be local, but there's nothing stopping classes from fundraising if they want to go to Winnipeg. Back in the day when he was teaching Grade 4, classes would go to the circus in Winnipeg every year.
The Grade 5 French immersion class has 19 children this year, Smith said. The music teacher is a specialist who teaches each class three times per six-day cycle.
Both phys-ed teachers are specialists, one full time and the other with some classroom duties. "They're both bilingual," Smith pointed out.
While there's no art teacher this year, "We have in the past couple of years had a teacher with some talent in that area, who ran an after-school art club for the kids," said the principal.
Other teachers run dance classes, guitar club or choir, as extracurriculars.
Smith was delighted to hear that parents like the school's assemblies.
"They are fun. I'm glad they like them. They're Super Student assemblies" at which kids are featured for their accomplishments, some even asking to sing at the assemblies.
"Our goal is to have all the kids recognized at least once," said Smith.
RECESS is Jamie Bignell's favourite part of the day.
OK, understandable in Grade 5, but let's dig a little deeper, pedagogically speaking.
She likes spelling as well, and writing is a really big deal. "I like writing stories about my dog, Benji," said Jamie.
Her grandmother, Pauline Bignell, who's raising Jamie, said, "She likes to write all kinds of stories and illustrate them."
There are three Grade 5 classes in the large Joe A. Ross School on Opaskweeyak Cree Nation near The Pas, one Cree immersion and two in English.
Jamie is also big-time into running.
"Last year, I was in run and read, I was in third place for Opaskweeyak Cree Nation," said Jamie. "You run and read, then you go to Winnipeg."
Bignell takes up the thread.
"Run and read really is terrific. We've had the RCMP come over as volunteers." Kids run, then read during their snack break. In June, they bus to Winnipeg and run five kilometres at the Manitoba Marathon.
"She loves to run. She's a pretty strong little girl."
Bignell drives Jamie to school, because the morning bus can be rowdy. "We take her in the morning because there's no TA on the bus. They have one on the way home." Jamie's class has 23 kids, and there's a teacher's aide for a special-needs child. The TA also helps out in the class generally.
Jamie's Grade 4 class took a field trip to Saskatoon last year and soon will figure out where they're going this year. "We went swimming, we went to see the museum, we went to the zoo."
Bignell said each class fundraises all year and then plans a field trip. In Saskatoon, "they went shopping in Walmart. She bought high heels that she wore to the zoo," she said laughing.
Bignell is adamant kids on a reserve school can learn as well and go as far as kids in public school, but the federal funding for students in First Nations schools is thousands of dollars less per student than it is for children in the public school system.
"We graduate a lot of people who go on to nursing and law school... the problem is that teachers over this side make several thousand less. They cut a lot of things that other students take for granted," such as books, Bignell said.
There are few specialists at Joe A. Ross; a music teacher comes to the classrooms and holds lunchtime choir.
There are two phys-ed teachers, one who speaks Cree, but they are not specialists.
This will be Jamie's first year playing soccer, and she's really looking forward to it.
OCN education director Bev Fontaine explained kids start extended overnight field trips in Grade 4, picking a destination and fundraising throughout the year.
"We do have a music program," Fontaine said. "We do have limited musical instruments. We don't have a full set for band."
Soccer has become a major activity in OCN, with four community fields for the students and adults, Fontaine said.
Extracurriculars are important for the kids, she said.
"We encourage it (for teachers), but it's not a requirement.
Most of our teachers do some extracurriculars with the students.
"There's a huge number of groups — we have square dancing, we have powwows. It's above average, more than I see in other places," Fontaine said.
OCN students started school a week earlier than public school kids, but they finish at the same time.
"In February, we created a (mini) midwinter break," Fontaine said. "In the week before Louis Riel Day, kids are off school on the Thursday, and then Friday is the annual Trappers Festival." Held since 1916, the winter festival celebrates northern culture and heritage combined with a community carnival.
ImageTag)IT'S a good thing Linden Christian School has a pretty impressive sports program — that makes Stephen Grahl one happy camper.
In track and field last year, "I got first in nearly everything, so we went to regionals. Outside of school, I play hockey and soccer."
The faith-based private school on Wilkes Avenue just off Waverley Street has been Manitoba's largest independent school since surpassing St. John's-Ravenscourt School in enrolment in 2001. Enrolment is at 887 kids in kindergarten to Grade 12.
It's Stephen's fourth year at Linden Christian, after moving from rural Manitoba. This year, his class is to have 24 kids, half of them classmates from last June. "It does mix up, yes."
Stephen enjoys having specialized teachers for art, music, computer, French and phys-ed.
"They're specialists," his mother, Myrna, points out.
Favourite subjects? OK, the first is a gimme.
"Gym and art. Experiments, I like that part of science," said Stephen, who's also into performing arts, especially choir, and looks forward to Grade 6 when band starts. The school holds a spring concert.
Last year's field trips were to the Stonewall quarry and a corn maze.
Stephen has chapel twice a week and Bible studies are part of his school work.
"Independent schools reflect the diversity in our province... a faith-based perspective," said principal Robert Charach.
Linden Christian starts classes at 8:30 a.m. to accommodate religious studies along with the full Manitoba curriculum.
"Our school really emphasizes band and choir. They have specialists from Day 1," said Charach, who pointed out that grades 7 to 12 art are taught by an art specialist. "None of the teachers teaches their own phys-ed. It's specialists all the way through.
"All the kids are in band grades 6 to 8. All the kids are in choir grades 3 to 8," he said.
Elementary kids play in friendly sports tournaments against other schools, while the high school varsity program competes provincially in most sports.
"They do at least three field trips in a year; they're all curriculum-related," Charach said.


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Lloyds to Boost Lending to Small- and Medium-Sized Businesses
Lloyds Banking Group Plc (LLOY) plans to boost lending to small- and medium-sized businesses by more than 1 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) this year and offer mortgages to more than 80,000 first-time home buyers.
The London-based lender will have the initiatives independently monitored in a bid to regain customer trust for an industry whose reputation suffered after the financial crisis, Chief Executive Officer Antonio Horta-Osorio said in an e-mailed statement.
"Words alone are not enough to change public perception and regain trust," Horta-Osorio said. "We must be able to provide meaningful commitments and allow ourselves to be independently measured against those."
The U.K.'s biggest mortgage lender said Jan. 28 it's removing 1,400 jobs in its consumer, risk, operations and corporate banking businesses. Lloyds has cut more than 30,000 positions and closed overseas units to focus on Britain since its 20 billion-pound taxpayer rescue in 2008. Horta-Osorio is seeking to strengthen the bank's balance sheet by selling assets and cutting costs.
The bank on Feb. 1 unveiled a commitment to have 40 percent of its senior jobs filled by women by 2020. Other pledges include giving a minimum of 100 million pounds to charity by 2020.
To contact the reporter on this story: Jeremy Hodges in London at email@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Anthony Aarons at email@example.com


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|You are in: Business
Thursday, 21 June, 2001, 14:43 GMT 15:43 UK
BP backs Caspian pipeline
The UK oil and gas giant, BP, has said it will pursue a project to bring oil to Western markets from the Caspian Sea and bring much needed revenue to the region's economies.
BP's backing makes it more likely that the pipeline, costing about $3bn, will now be built from the Caspian port of Baku in Azerbaijan through Georgia to the Turkish port of Ceyhan. The BBC's Adrian Foreman reports.
It's not quite got the reserves of the Middle East, but the Caspian Sea has enough proven oil and gas reserves to more than match what was found in the North Sea 30 years ago.
The difficulty is, how to get it to the West. There's a new pipeline through Russia, but it won't have enough capacity by itself.
In any case, to reach Western markets, the oil would have to go by supertanker through the Bosphorus Straits in Turkey, where existing congestion has already led to warnings of an accident waiting to happen.
One alternative, a pipeline to the Turkish Mediterranean coast, was enthusiastically embraced by the new American administration.
And that seems to have tipped the balance. BP, a leading player in Caspian oil, has stopped questioning the costs, and is now spending $150m on feasibility studies.
It says it has agreement from governments and bankers in principle. But it warns it won't know if the pipeline will actually be built until after the feasibility studies are finished.
No agreement on oil owners
David Woodward, local BP head, said: "That's where we're moving to next - 12 months of detailed engineering and, at the end of that, the middle of next year, we'll know whether the capital costs of the pipeline, the number of investors who are interested in it, the external financiers, are going to be prepared to put money forward to allow us to construct the pipeline."
Despite the new optimism however, nothing in this region can be entirely certain.
The five countries surrounding the Caspian still haven't agreed together on which reserves belong to whom.
BP will be hoping the current bilateral agreements do not come unstuck to make the pipeline a pipe-dream.
See also:
05 Jun 01 | Business
Caspian oil row escalates
26 Mar 01 | Asia-Pacific
Oil-rich Kazakhstan opens pipeline
08 May 01 | Business
BP posts record �2.86bn profit
19 Apr 01 | Business
BP faces investors
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text:
That headline sums up a couple articles from Governing, one about how Democrats have fared in elections since 2004, and another taking the same look at Republicans. The author of both articles, Louis Jacobson, looked at the least competitive states for each party, and concludes that rather than making up ground, each party has gotten weaker in its weakest states. The absence of Republicans in California and Democrats in Tennessee might be extreme examples, but they're not outliers. They're the trend.
What's particularly disheartening for supporters of Howard Dean's "50-State Strategy", which includes me, is Democrats bucked this trend for a while. The gains in red states and districts weren't huge, apparently not enough to convince the skeptics who took over the DNC after Dean stepped down as national chair, but the abandonment of the strategy coincided with massive losses for the Democrats. Yes, there were other factors, but some factors, like a general political polarization, were already around was Dean was chair. The strategy wasn't based on any assumption of a favorable trend, but on competing where competing was hard. In other words, a strategy for exactly these circumstances.
Another sad irony is the DNC chairs who succeeded Dean and opted against his strategy for party-building were chosen by President Obama, who won with a strategy that was basically Dean's. The trend of Democrats losing ground everywhere that's safely red was actually bucked by the Obama campaign, which did better in red states in 2012 than Kerry did in 2004. The difference was quite small, but it was a small improvement rather than the big losses seen down the ballot.
In Minnesota, though Jacobson included us among states never seriously targeted by Republican presidential campaigns (I'm not sure that's true, but let's go with it), I think we know we're not a safely blue state. We're a purple state where the state Republicans are dysfunctional. It's also the case the DFL is one of the stronger state Democratic parties. Maybe it's feedback where the DFL took advantage of the MNGOP's screw-ups, and the MNGOP screwed up when the DFL was best able to take advantage. That doesn't mean it's a permanent situation. Someone new to the state might see the Democrats holding most congressional seats, both houses of the state legislature, and every statewide elected office, and assume we can lumped in with Massachusetts and Maryland, but we can't. This situation is new, and it's going to take a bunch of work to maintain it.
At some point, both parties, if they want to form a stable governing majority, are going to realize that they can't keep conceding huge areas, including whole states. I don't know if this trend causes, is caused by, or has a common cause with the trend of both congressmen and state legislators voting more consistently with their parties, but unless something intervenes to change that, each party is going to have to figure out how to compete where it's now weak. If only one party does this, it will have a huge advantage, if only from a more accurate understanding of the challenge in front of them. Had the 50-State Strategy not been abandoned, that would be us. In my series "Democrats need to do better with white voters", I used population density as a way to identify districts that should be winnable, but it's also a way to identify an underlying problem, that we're losing where population densities are low. If Democrats crack the problem of winning low-density areas, we win a lot more often. If Republicans crack the problem of winning high-density areas, then they win a lot more often. That's the real race we're in.
For reference, the series on "Democrats need to do better with white voters":
Part 1 on why we need to do better with white voters
Part 2 on the variables of the problem


text: At this point, the only people on 10.4-5 should be those with PPC macs. I think 32-bit Intel owners may be stuck on 10.6. On Feb 8, 2012, at 9:13 PM, "Nick Sabalausky" <a at a.a> wrote: > "Walter Bright" <newshound2 at digitalmars.com> wrote in message > news:jgvfu2$gmk$1 at digitalmars.com... >> Lately, dmd seems to have broken support for OS X 10.5. Supporting that >> system is problematic for us, since we don't have 10.5 systems available >> for dev/test. >> >> Currently, the build/test farm is OS X 10.7. >> >> I don't think this is like the Windows issue. Upgrading Windows is (for >> me, anyway) a full day job. Upgrading OS X is inexpensive and relatively >> painless, the least painless of any system newer than DOS that I've >> experienced. >> >> Hence, is it worthwhile to continue support for 10.5? Can we officially >> say that only 10.6+ is supported? Is there a significant 10.5 community >> that eschews OS upgrades but still expects new apps? > > While I'm normally big on not dropping support for older things, my honest > take on it is that if someone's using an Apple OS, then they've already > agreed to an implicit "contract" (for lack of a better word) that they're > going to need to keep upgrading to whatever's the latest hardware/software > anyway. It's just the way Apple works. 'Course, as a non-Apple user, I'm not > sure anything I have to say on it counts for much. So, FWIW. > >


text:
[Date Index]
[Thread Index]
[Author Index]
Warning regarding ListContourPlot3D
In Mathematica 7.0.1 on Linux x86-64, the example for ListContourPlot3D,
Table[x^2 + y^2 - z^2 + RandomReal[0.1], {x, -2, 2, 0.2}, {y, -2, 2, 0.2},
{z, -2, 2, 0.2}], Contours -> {0}, Mesh -> None]
plots two cones with their axes in the x-direction (instead of the
z-direction as would have been expected from the formula). Using
AxesLabel->{"x","y","z"} verifies this. I don't really care (I don't use
ListContourPlot3D much) but just thought I would put this out there, for
reference by users of 7.0.1. I haven't checked if ListContourPlot3D behaves
differently in Mathematica 8. -YLL


text:
|Web Site Information :.
|Site Info Whois Traceroute RBL Check
Blue Sky - Planners, Refills, Calendars and MoreDescription: Blue Sky, The Color of Imagination, based in Tustin, California, is a privately-held consumer products company which offers functional and stylish calendar and planning products.
Keywords: blue sky, blue sky the color of imagination, blue sky llc, the color of imagination, blue sky planners, blue sky calendars, blue sky journals, blue sky portfolios, office supplies, office products, calendars, journals, sewn binders, organizers, padfolios, planners, dated goods, business accessories, looney tunes brand, time management, leather binders, business cases, business totes, daily planner, day planners, planner, home organizing
Tags: blueskyimg, blue, sky, calendars, planners, refills, view, monthly, welcome, inch, notes, academic, weekly, new, password, plans, got, big, facebook, color, imagination, padfolios, products, forgot, service, designer, submit, series, telephone, address, customer, buy, faq, user, registration, policy, login, shipping, info, privacy,
|IP Index TLD Index Domain Index Site Index
|Copyright © 2013 dawhois.com


text:
Banks in Macedonia
Qualisteam's financial directory includes companies sorted by activity, by country, by products or offered solutions. In " Banks in Macedonia " you will find a description for each company. You can sort the results as (A- Z) , (the most popular) or (the newest). You can choose your language by clicking on the flags above.
Banks in MacedoniaSort by: A to Z, the most popular, lastest
- Stopanska Banka AD - SkopjeRating on Qualisteam:
Stopanska banka AD – Skopje is a Bank with the longest tradition on the Macedonian market. Founded... [Modified: 13 Mar 2012 ]
- ProCredit BankRating on Qualisteam:
ProCredit Bank is a development-oriented full-service bank. We offer excellent customer service and ... [Modified: 18 May 2007 ]


text:
Ranjan (Child's Sweater) by Annabel Fox
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© Gesine
© Gesine
Ranjan (Child's Sweater)
This is a pattern from the Rowan Book Eleven, which was published in 1992.
This child's cotton sweater by designer Annabel Fox has a cute elephant on the front and back, and patterns all over the sleeves. The pattern uses eight colours and intarsia.
There are also pattern for a woman's sweater and a man's waistcoat.
Yarn Requirements:
3(4) skeins, 327(436) yards of Nice in 436 Mardi Gras
1 skein (109 yards) of Nice in each of 431 Rio, 432 Carnival, 430 Parade and 437 Fiesta for both sizes
1 skein (125 yards) of Cotton Glace in each of 737 Spice, 738 Clay and 744 Provence for both sizes.


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PHILADELPHIA — After years of struggle, wholesalers on the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market are finally doing business out of the long-planned terminal market.
The doors officially opened for business June 5.
"It's the greatest feeling in the world seeing the accomplishment we made in this market," said Jimmy Storey, former terminal association president and president and owner of Quaker City Produce Co.
Storey said all of the leaders involved in the process did a commendable job.
"We have great satisfaction being here. We went through a lot," said Richard Nardella, chief executive and financial officer of Nardella Inc.
In the early 2000s, Nardella and Storey started the long process of finding new terminal market facilities as the city's aging and decrepit market proved incapable of meeting modern produce handling requirements.
While they wanted new facilities, many of the 26 wholesalers and their customers expressed concern that the new facility's higher operating expenses would harm business.
Chip Wiechec, president of Hunter Bros. Inc., said those fears did not materialize.
"I think everyone was more concerned about the increase in rent and expenses," he said. "Some thought product would be artificially inflated because of our increase in overhead costs. But the increases in some portions of our overhead were matched by some decreases in operating expenses and the streamlining of our operations."
The improvements, such as maintaining consistent temperatures, have helped the handling of produce, said Mark Levin, co-owner of M. Levin & Co Inc.
"If nothing else, we're making money because we have less shrink," he said. "We're losing fewer packages due to mishandling or weather conditions or lack thereof. ... It's always 55 degrees. And will be the same today and in January."
The operation provides numerous efficiencies for distributors and their customers, said Martin Roth, secretary-treasurer of Coosemans Philadelphia Inc.
"The customers love it because the product is being refrigerated at all times," he said.
Roth said he had a small customer fearful of a more difficult new marketplace who nearly screamed that he'd retire before relocating his business to the new facility.
However, after two days of walking the floor and seeing how easy it is to back his truck into the docks and leave with his orders, the customer quickly changed his mind and now tells Roth that the operation makes produce handling "as easy as selling sliced bread."
Leonard Klinghoffer, partner and president of Klinghoffer Bros. Inc., is considered the oldest living produce salesman working in the market.
Klinghoffer, 87, plans to retire later this year. He started working produce on the city's old Dock Street market and later made the move to the older facility on Pattison and Packer avenues, which opened in 1959.
"This is a great facility," Klinghoffer said. "There is plenty of parking for the trucks that come in and when the merchandise comes in, it stays well and goes out well. We didn't have this with the older market which was modern when it opened."
The new facilities bear no resemblance to the older market operations, said Mike Maxwell, president of Procacci Bros. Sales Corp. Chief executive officer and board chairman Joseph Procacci was one of the produce leaders who helped relocate terminal market operations.
"It's a whole other world, like the 21st century vs. the 20th century," Maxwell said. "The honeymoon period is over and we are becoming more and more familiar with the building every day."


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Close on the heels of Amy Jackson and Bruna Abdullah, the two foreign ladies seen in K Town recently, comes Samira.
The lady in question is a former Ms UK 2009 pageant winner and is appearing in a Tamil film called Vinnai Thodu.
Tej of Gandham fame is the hero and the romantic film is being shot in London, Mysore and Bengaluru apart from Chennai.
Debut director Vijay said that the film needed a foreign face and that's why Samira fit the bill totally.


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Promotion and Internal Placement--New Departmental Policy Date: Fri, 27 Aug 1999 11:39:46 -0400 From: "Catherine L. Hill"
To: "A - Division Chief and Staff" , "B - Branch Chiefs and Offices" , "S - Special Distribution for Research" , "PO - Project Offices" , "AO - All Administrative Officers" , "FO - State, District, Subdistrict and other Field Offices" CC: Catherine L Hill , Charlene T Simpson , Alice C Dilandro , " WRD Archive File, " , "Carole Nethaway, Secretary (OA), Reston, VA " Subject: WRD Memo No. 99.35--Promotion and Internal Placement--New Departmental Policy In Reply Refer To: Mail Stop 406 August 27, 1999 WATER RESOURCES DIVISION MEMORANDUM NO. 99.35 Subject: Promotion and Internal Placement--New Departmental Policy The purpose of this memorandum is to forward new departmental policies regarding Promotion and Internal Placement, which may be accessed at http://elips.doi.gov/elips/release/3264.htm. The revised policy includes several significant changes. Some offer greater flexibility to management and others are more restrictive than current U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) merit promotion practices. Specific changes include: o Managers no longer need to consider individuals who apply for a vacancy and are outside the designated area of consideration. In determining the area of consideration, managers must continue to take into account factors such as ensuring the attraction of a diverse pool of highly qualified applicants, FTE constraints, etc. (Example: If you advertise a position bureauwide or departmentwide, you do not have to consider an applicant outside of the bureau or department.) o The policy requires that competitive procedures (a vacancy announcement), versus an accretion of duties promotion, be followed when "there are other employees serving in similar or identical positions within the organizational unit to whom the new (higher graded) duties could have been assigned." At this time, an organizational unit is defined as those positions assigned to an individual officially classified as a first line supervisor. (Example: If a first line supervisor has two hydrologists assigned to similar or identical position descriptions and both are at full performance level, you may not promote one of them through an accretion of duties; the new position would have to be advertised, allowing both hydrologists to compete for the higher graded job.) o Competitive procedures still must be used if a proposed accretion promotion is to a position with a higher full performance level. (Example: An employee in a GS-9 position with a GS-9 full performance level could not be noncompetitively promoted using accretion procedures to a GS-11 position if that GS-11 position had an established full performance level of GS-12.) The new policy will not change how the USGS handles accretion promotions as a result of panel review using the Research Grade Evaluation Guide and the Equipment Development Grade Evaluation Guide (Part III). The Office of personnel is drafting a revised USGS Merit Promotion Plan that should be issued for comment shortly. Their goal is to establish guidelines that are not more restrictive than those set out in the Departmental Manual and afford our managers the maximum merit promotion flexibilities. Questions concerning the DOI or USGS Merit Promotion Plans should be directed to your servicing personnel specialist. /signed/ Catherine L. Hill Associate Chief Hydrologist for Program Operations Distribution: A, B, S, FO, PO, AO This WRD memorandum does not supersede any previous WRD memorandum.