text:
Another Huge Month For Mitsubishi--Sales are Up Over 46%
CYPRESS, CA--May 1, 2014: Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) today reported another outstanding sales month with April sales of 6,542, a 46.6 percent increase over the April 2013 total. It was the second highest monthly sales total for Mitsubishi in more than two years (exceeded only by last month) and also the best April sales for MMNA since 2011.
The U.S.-built Outlander Sport led the way with its third-best-ever monthly sales total of 2,619, up 24.1 percent compared to April 2013 sales. Outlander Sport was introduced in 2010 and had a previous record monthly total of 2,634 (June 2013).
The all-new Mitsubishi Mirage had 1,331 units sold, also the third-best all time monthly sales total for that model which was introduced in September 2013.
"A big month for us in March was exciting, but now a second consecutive outstanding month in April is the start of a trend," said MMNA EVP of Sales, Don Swearingen. "We're enthused that new-car shoppers are really starting to take notice of our brand and we are not going to let up in May. We're further increasing our advertising exposure and offering new and attractive incentives for customers."
Other highlights of April sales include:
Total Mitsubishi sales are up 29.0 percent year-to-date. Outlander sales were up 125.0 percent for the month and are up 37.5 percent year-to-date. This was the best April of sales for Outlander in six years. Outlander Sport sales were up 24.1 percent for the month and are up 33.4 percent year-to-date. Lancer Evolution sales were up 21.0 percent for the month and are up 16.8 percent year-to-date.


text:
Twenty-five of the world's most endangered species including several types of apes, monkeys and lemurs, have been identified at a UN conference on biological diversity in India, reports Reuters.
The endangered species are the closest living relatives to humans and are spread across Asia, Africa and South America.
According to the study, the world's most endangered primate species include Red Ruffed Lemur, Rondo dwarf galago, Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemur, Roloway monkey, and Grauer's gorilla.
Many of the primate's populations, from the Ecuadorian brown-headed spider monkey to the eastern black-crested gibbon in China and Vietnam, have been falling rapidly from deforestation, hunting and poaching.
One of the most critically endangered groups was the northern sportive lemur, which lives in Madagascar. AP reports that only 19 known individuals live in the wild.
"Lemurs are now one of the world's most endangered groups of mammals, after more than three years of political crisis and a lack of effective enforcement in their home country, Madagascar," Christoph Schwitzer of the Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation, one of the groups involved in the study, told AP.
"A similar crisis is happening in Southeast Asia, where trade in wildlife is bringing many primates very close to extinction," Schwitzer said.
Survival of these primates is critical for maintaining biodiversity.
Primates "often serve as seed dispersers and help to maintain forest diversity", Russell Mittermeier, a chair of the primate specialist group at the IUCN and president of Conservation International, told Reuters.
"It is increasingly being recognized that forests make a major contribution in terms of ecosystem services for people, providing drinking water, food and medicines," he wrote.
According to the International Business Times, there was a glimmer of hope. No primate species have been lost to extinction so far in the 20th and 21st centuries.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This 32-page, full-color official guide to Banpresto's "ONE PIECE FILM Z" game prizes is chock full of information about the various prizes offered so far, plus comes with two figures that cannot be found anywhere else!
Figures included are:
1. DFX THE GRANDLINE MEN ONE PIECE FILM Z Zett, a high-quality 18cm figure!
2. WCF Monkey D. Luffy ONE PIECE FILM Z SPECIAL, a "deformed" 7cm high figure!
All packed into one box.
NOTE: Due to the limited-release nature of this item, we are forced to limit orders to one per customer, sorry!


text:
Product Information
Important Sizing Note: The following measurements are the dimensions of the actual product, not of the pet they fit. After measuring your pet, make sure all measurements fit within the following dimensions (with a little room to spare in the chest and neck).Toy Size 1
MY dog loves her new Anxiety Wrap. It helps her feel more confident. Just what i was looking for.
good product.


text:
Claudia Schiffer Sparkles at Swarovski Snowflake Lighting
The Mandarin Oriental was glittering last week as a giant snowflake measuring over 15 feet and encrusted in 10,000 Swarovski crystals was lit over Knightsbridge. Nadja Swarovski and Ingo Maurer (renowned light designer and designer of the snowflake) illuminated the giant crystal together along with Magic FM's competition winner, 5-year-old Ethan Busby.
The entire night was child-friendly and parents got their children dressed in their best, with all the little ones looking like holiday cherubs. The kiddies were treated to a giant table scattered with Swarovksi crystals where they could make their own jewelry to take home with them.
It wasn't all about the kids, though, as Claudia Schiffer, the UK UNICEF Ambassador, made a speech, followed by a live auction conducted by Sotheby's, a performance by the English National Ballet and vocal performance by Passionata. And in typical Swarovski style, there were thousands of tiny, sparkling crystals strewn across tabletops all over the venue adding even more shine to the night.
If you want a little bit of the snowflake for yourself then you can get it in the form of an ornament for only 95 pounds. And of course, a portion of the proceeds will go to benefit UNICEF.
—Rebecca Suhrawardi Austin
Follow ELLE on Twitter.
Become our Facebook fan!


text:
The Tongue Fort disappeared from the North Thanet skyline in February 1996. This article by Mick Twyman gives some historical background into "Margate's oil rig".
I have kept on the following article regarding the "carry on" saga of the demolition of Margate Jetty.
This article is from Margate Historical Society magazine Vol 2 Number 2, March 1999 circulation at the time 160.


text:
2014 College Football Rankings: #113 Texas State
#113 Texas State Bobcats
Sun Belt PREDICTION
HEAD COACH: Dennis Franchione, 29-29 (5 years) | OFF. COORDINATOR: Jeff Conway, Mike Schultz | DEF. COORDINATOR: John Thompson
The 2014 college football season starts on Aug. 27 and continues into mid-January with the first edition of the four-team playoff. Athlon Sports is counting down until kickoff with projections and previews for all 128 FBS teams. Here is our team preview for No. 113 Texas State.
Previewing Texas State's Offense for 2014:
Now that Texas State has found its quarterback in sophomore Tyler Jones, coach Dennis Franchione has elected to install more of an up-tempo, spread offense in the hopes that it will make the group more prolific this season after ranking 111th nationally in total offense in 2013. The Bobcats are loaded at tailback with junior Robert Lowe (945 yards, nine touchdowns in 2013) leading the backfield. Lowe finished 55 yards short of being the first Texas State tailback to finish with 1,000 yards since 2008.
There are a few questions at wide receiver. The Bobcats bring back Ben Ijah (16 receptions for 207 yards). Ijah will need to step up after the team lost Isaiah Battle and Andy Erickson to graduation. The senior wideout offered a glimpse of his playmaking ability in a 33–31 win over South Alabama last October when he caught a 51-yard pass on 4th-and-24. C.J. Best made the move from running back to slot receiver in the spring.
If the Bobcats want to take a step forward in the Sun Belt, they need their offensive line, which struggled with inexperience last season, to be more consistent. Former Arkansas State offensive line coach Brad Bedell was hired in the offseason.
Previewing Texas State's Defense for 2014:
After coordinator Craig Naivar left Texas State for a job at Kentucky in March, Franchione had to scramble to fill the opening quickly. The Bobcats chose someone with experience in the Sun Belt in John Thompson, who coached at Arkansas State last season. Thompson brings a read-and-react scheme, which places the onus on his players to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage.
Texas State has plenty of experienced players to build Thompson's system around, especially at linebacker. This group is led by senior David Mayo, who was the MVP of the defense last season with 89 tackles despite missing two games.
Questions remain in the secondary and on the defensive line. The one player Thompson can count on in the defensive backfield is senior cornerback — and four-year-starter — Craig Mager. After Mager, it turns into a guessing game with Xavier Daniels, Aaron Matthews and Justin Iwuji all gone from the 2013 roster.
The defensive line hasn't taken shape yet, either. Franchione made the line his focal point during recruiting, mostly because the Bobcats lost all four starters to graduation. Texas State inked eight defensive linemen, including six from the junior college ranks. The Bobcats need at least one of the transfers, possibly Mershad Dillon or Dondre Elvoid (or both), to offer some size inside.
Previewing Texas State's Specialists for 2014:
After Will Johnson struggled early in the season (0-of-5 on field goal attempts), Jason Dann took over the placekicking duties. Johnson moved to punter, and the Bobcats never looked back. Dann went 9-of-10 on field goals, including a 41-yard game-winner against South Alabama with four seconds remaining. Mager and receiver Brandon Smith are on hand to handle return duties.
Final Analysis
This season will mark the first time in the past four years that the Bobcats will have spent back-to-back campaigns in the same conference after moving from the Southland to the WAC to the Sun Belt. Franchione has already said that this is the most FBS-ready roster he's had at Texas State. The team will again have a backloaded schedule with plenty of tough games in the latter half of the season. The good news is that the Bobcats will play both UL Lafayette and Arkansas State — the Sun Belt co-champions in 2013 — at home.
After Texas State went 6–6 in 2013, a winning season and bowl game would be the next logical step for this program. For that to happen, though, the defense — with a rebuilt line and secondary — will have to overachieve while learning a new system.


text:
How To Handle That Pink Slip
Over her two decades at ABC Television (DIS ), Amy Dorn Kopelan rose through the ranks until she became vice-president for direct marketing. Then her division was shut down. ABC wanted her out in a few weeks, but Kopelan negotiated to stay a year, helping her staff find jobs and going into business for herself. Now president of New York conference management company Bedlam Entertainment and founder of COACH ME, Kopelan recently co-authored a book with Nancy C. Widmann and Elaine J. Eisenman called I Didn't See It Coming. She speaks with senior writer Diane Brady about strategies to protect yourself when you get a pink slip.
Why are so many people surprised when they're fired or laid off?
People don't see it coming because they love social and professional predictability. In your heart, if something were to rumble because of problems at work, you would know—but the tendency is to ignore it.
What are the common signs?
If there's a merger or acquisition, that's a sign. To expect that anything will be normal is wrong. If a new boss comes into your division, that's a big sign. A less obvious sign may be when a coach is brought in to help with some of your discussion or management issues. If you see that adversaries who don't normally meet are meeting, that too could be a sign.
How do you prepare yourself for when you are let go?
Any time you start a new job or get a new title at work, the first thing you want to think about is "What is my exit strategy?" Always have some money tucked aside in an exit fund. The goal is, if possible, to cover a year's worth of expenses.
You have to think about your marketability. What are you doing to be your own best press agent? Another thing is to be constantly networking—inside and outside your company, as well as inside and outside your industry. You should have your own personal board of directors. They don't have to meet, but those are people you can go to for advice.
When you're fired, should you leave on the spot?
If somebody grabs you under the arm and escorts you from the building, wrestling them to the floor probably isn't a good idea. But it doesn't mean you have to leave and never come back. There is usually an opportunity the very next day to have a meeting to review what you have accomplished and to ask to renegotiate the standard severance policy. You never have to sign anything or take the package that's offered. It gives you a sense of control. I don't know anybody who has accepted the first offer on a severance policy.
What if you're let go and told to be out in two weeks?
Now you can say I'm not ready to leave. You can say I don't want to go until all the pieces are in place. Is the package one I like? Should I come back as a consultant? Should the company become my client if I decide to go on my own?
You have a lot of negotiating power at that point. The company can always do better. They don't want gossip, innuendo, or lower productivity if your deal isn't consummated quickly.
People don't like to admit they were fired. Can you reframe the reasons for your exit for your new workplace?
It comes back to what happened when you left. You should insist on controlling how your departure is framed. You should also insist that you are the one to address your staff and your colleagues before anyone else. You can say that you're leaving to explore other opportunities, for example, and there need not be more explanation. If you control the official explanation for your exit, then wherever else you go, it's not an issue. You can walk into any new role and everything has already been laid out in such a cordial and professional way that there's no story you have to fabricate.


text:
Gifts that Give Back
Every year I like to do a post about gifts you can choose to give that give back and help others. They are my favorite gifts to receive and give. It's just an unforgettable moment when you receive a gift like these and if you've never been the one to give a gift like that, you might be surprised to know that giving these gifts are way more fun than receiving any. You will be reminded of all the things that over flow your cup and could so easily be done without. These gifts are not just thoughtful, but life changing. Choose a cause. Change a life. Doesn't get much better than that.
Compassion International
Compassion International is just a phenomenal organization doing so much right. We are long time supporters of Compassion and we love all the many ways that they have added to give back this holiday season and all year long. We are getting several items this year for my in-laws. My father in law is a farmer and he teared up last year when we gave him a gift that helped teach a village in Haiti how to farm and plant crops. This year, you can purchase a cow for $100. Or you could go out to eat with your family 4 times. Just saying.
Your gift will help provide clean drinking water, medical treatment, disaster relief, food supplies and much more for Compassion-assisted children and their families. Check out their opportunity to support a future leader program too! Once you purchase a gift, you will have the opportunity to choose from a variety of complimentary greeting cards to send to your honorees. For a last-minute gift option, you can print a card at home or send via email.
31 Bits
This is one of my top 3 gifts to give. Its just so personal. If you are looking for a gift with a heart tug, look no further than purchasing something from 31 Bits. Husbands, your wives will have a daily reminder of how special this gift is every time they put on a 31 bits piece.
Not For SALE
The Not For Sale Store generates enterprise & employment to prevent human trafficking and create new futures for survivors. Every purchase you make is an action to end slavery — because no one should be for sale. We're not talking about human trafficking in 3rd world countries, but amongst the very cities we live in. Not For Sale has beautiful bags, jewelry, tshirts and much more that all fight to end slavery.Welcome to the movement.
Rescue Gifts
Rescue Gifts help refugees and others who have been impacted by war and natural disaster. Holiday shoppers can choose a gift that inspires them and dedicate it in honor of a special person in their lives. The IRC will send gift recipients a beautiful acknowledgement card with the gift giver's personalized message.
There's a perfect gift for everyone: for a mom: A Safe Delivery ($24) can ensure critical supplies for the safe birth of a child in a crisis zone. For the foodie or friend with a green thumb: A Community Garden ($60) can provide tools and seeds to refugees who have been resettled in the United States, so that they can grow their own fresh, healthy food in an IRC community garden. For a teacher: A Year of School ($52) can supply the tuition, books and other materials for one year of a child's schooling in a country recovering from war.
Ever/After is a casual lifestyle clothing brand for kids and adults. They've paired simple, modern design with super-soft premium fabrics. Best of all, the company will donate 25% of the net profit from each garment you buy to the cause of your choice. We've partnered with charities that share our vision of creating powerful & sustaining change in the lives of children in need. We believe helping others can extend to all areas of our lives, even the clothing we buy. Every garment comes with a change the story card that holds the value of this donation. A huge aspect of ever/after is to get the children involved in giving back. Our goal is that children wearing our brand realize that helping others can extend to all areas of our lives, even the clothing we buy.
Krochet Kids
What I love about Krochet Kids is that it's a company that is empowering impoverished people to earn an income for themselves. Krochet Kids offers 3 year programs to women living in poverty. In this program, the women learn to krochet hats to earn an income and be able to fully support themselves for the first time in their lives. Based in Uganda and Peru, the hats are sold in the US, on their website and at most Nordstroms.
Live FashionABLE
You are ABLE to provide opportunities, and these women are ABLE to have a new choice.
Live FashionABLE is a non-profit. That means that your purchase of a scarf does far more than just create jobs. The fashionABLE mission is to create sustainable business in Africa so that the women are not dependent upon charity, but instead are a vital part of a developing economy. I personally have two of these scarfs, have asked for another this year and have given a few as gifts. They are heart tuggers and I love that every time I put my scarf on, I'm reminded of Gladys over in Africa,who made my scarf, and I pray for her and her family. I also want you to know that the packaging of these scarfs are beautiful and complimented with a tag by the woman who made your scarf and what it "ABLE's" her to do. Doesn't get much better than that!
Gift Card Giver
Gift Card Giver is a new form of giving. The Gift Card industry has risen to be a 60 billion dollar industry. Ever wonder how many gift cards are unused? Between 10 – 15%. That means billions of dollars are sitting on gift cards, waiting to be used for good.
How many gift cards do you have sitting in your wallet? I guess you have at least $5 of unused gift cards right now. What's 5 bucks going to buy you? Maybe a pair of socks…but 10 people giving 5 bucks will buy a kid a winter coat, or 1000 people giving $5 may give that same kid a warm bedroom to sleep in through the night.
LUO is dedicated to breaking the barriers across nations to connect hearts and set children free from poverty. The word Luo means "to set free." Buy a Canvas. Change a Life. $250 will provide nutrition, medical care, biblical curriculum and academic education for one child for one year. Buy a canvas made by the children in their partnerships and change a life. I have met this amazing couple that runs this organization and they are the real deal. These canvas pieces are stunning and serve as a constant reminder wherever hung, that someone has a better life because of that purchase. I'm a huge advocate in supporting organizations that provide hope and also teach hope to kids in need. They also have great tshirts in their store and you can donate in any dollar amount too. Spread the love.
Plywood People- Billboard Bags
When you carry a Billboard Bag, tell the story. The material was upcycled from billboards on the streets. They are handmade in America by legal refugees who were forced to flee their countries because of conflict. Your bag is providing English classes every Friday and restores dignity for the workers, all the while addressing local social needs. The bags are made with 90% reclaimed materials, so when you carry one of their products, you're not only helping the environment you're also helping a community in need. I personally have one of these and they are amazing. Check out their laptop sleeves too. Bags with hope. #winning
Looking for more gift ideas? Then you might want to check out one of my most popular posts from last year, the Top 10 Gifts Mom Wants This Year.


text:
Back to UNC Today Archives
If you'll be hiring international students to work at UNC, be aware that hiring paperwork for hourly and salaried international students must be processed by the Center for International Education, which will create the student's timesheet through the EPAF system in Ursa. When hiring international students, be aware that:
If you have questions about the hiring process for international students, please contact Rick Hoines-Brumback, 970-351-2405.
If you'd like to make changes in your personal or professional life and need help, UNC's Psychological Services Clinic is providing confidential, low-cost counseling and psychological assessment services during fall semester.
The cost for counseling starts at $60 for 50-minute weekly sessions for the entire semester. Sessions are available for individuals (adults, adolescents and children), couples and families, as well as groups.
The cost for psychological assessments begins at $400 for an assessment battery.
Services are provided by master's and doctoral students who are closely supervised by licensed mental health professionals and faculty in Counseling Psychology, School Psychology and Counselor Education and Supervision.
If you, or anyone you know (student or non-student), is interested, please contact the Psychological Services Clinic at 970 351-1645, stop by McKee 248 or visit the clinic's website for more information
The Safe Assignment tool in Blackboard has been incorporated into the Blackboard Assignment Tool, so you'll no longer see Safe Assign as a separate choice in the Assessments menu. Instead, choose Assignment, be sure to click on Submission Details and check the option "Check submissions for plagiarism."
If you have existing Safe Assignments in your Blackboard courses, deleting and re-inserting using the regular Assignment tool is recommended.
For more information, visit the Blackboard Tips website.
All student employee email accounts (email@example.com) are set to expire Aug. 31. If you have student employees who will be working through fall semester and would like their account access extended through Dec. 31, send an email to Technical Support with the students' first and last names (e.g., John Doe).
Additionally, include the names of students who are no longer working for your department with the word "Delete" (e.g., John Doe - Delete) so their access to employee resources can be removed.
Please, don't include students' Bear Numbers.
If you have any questions, contact Technical Support, 351-4357.
The staff at the UNC Service Center in Parsons Hall recommends calling ahead (351-2446) this week and next to order a building or room key in order to avoid time spent waiting in line. A key card with an authorized signature must be presented at the Service Center when a key is picked up. The center is open from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The deadline for proposals for the Faculty Research and Publications Board's New Project Program fall funding cycle has been changed to Sept. 17, a month earlier than previously announced. In addition, deadlines for proposals for these other FRPB award programs also are approaching.
Contact Trent Lalonde for more information.
Contact for this Page: webmaster | Page
Last Updated:
Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity/Title
IX Policy and Coordinator


text:
Cranberry-Tangerine Christmas CoolerPublished: November 2002
IngredientsMakes 6 Servings
- 1 48-ounce bottle cranberry juice cocktail, chilled
- 3 cups freshly squeezed tangerine juice or purchased tangerine juice
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1
- 2 tangerines, unpeeled
Combine cranberry juice and tangerine juice in large pitcher. Add lime juice and stir to blend. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Cut thin slice off tops and bottoms of tangerines. Cut each horizontally into three 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick rounds. Divide cooler among 6 tall glasses. Garnish with tangerine rounds and serve.


text:
Towards a Gendered Human Poverty Measure
This paper explores some of the practical, methodological, and conceptual problems of developing gendered human poverty measures. It concludes that estimates of a gendered human poverty index to compare with the human poverty index calculated by the UNDP can readily be calculated using existing data on women for short life span, for illiteracy, and for malnutrition among girls less than 5. It also recommends calculating the same measure for men. These separate indices for men and women could be further elaborated to incorporate additional dimensions of their health status and their respective access to sanitary conditions. For women data exist on maternal mortality rates and infant mortality, which are good indicators of their health status; others might be found for men and women on the incidence of diseases caused by unsafe water and on the proportion living in more sanitary conditions. Finally, additional indices reflecting further dimensions of female deprivation should be explored, in particular to include access to land, credit and housing, social participation and social status.
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version under "Related research" (further below) or search for a different version of it.
Volume (Year): 5 (1999)
Issue (Month): 2 ()
Pages: 105-108
|Contact details of provider:
| Web page: http://www.tandfonline.com/RFEC20
|Order Information:
|Web: http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/RFEC20
References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, 1999. "What Does Feminization of Poverty Mean? It Isn't Just Lack of Income," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(2), pages 99-103.
This item is not listed on Wikipedia, on a reading list or among the top items on IDEAS.
When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:femeco:v:5:y:1999:i:2:p:105-108. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Michael McNulty)
If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.
If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.
If the full references list an item that is present in RePEc, but the system did not link to it, you can help with this form.
If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.
Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.


text:
BROOKSVILLE — It's been a difficult year for one of Hernando County's bedrock industries.
Last month, Mexican cement giant Cemex posted its first quarterly loss in a decade, $707 million. Yearly profits were down by 92 percent, and officials said they would look to cut $700 million in costs this year in reaction to the slumping economy.
That news followed the September shuttering of the company's Brooksville North cement plant. About 65 employees lost their jobs due to that cost-cutting measure, said Kenneth Russ, vice president of business services with the Pasco Hernando Jobs and Education Partnership Regional Board.
Career Central sent a "reaction team" to Cemex in October to counsel laid-off workers, Russ said. Team members worked with about 65 people from both the Brooksville plant and another facility.
"This is a conservative number," Russ added. "Last we heard, they were supposed to have layoffs in different increments. There was talk of another layoff."
That was more than the company had to say. Cemex officials refused multiple requests to talk about their Hernando County business.
"Unfortunately, we're not going to be able to participate in your story," said Houston-based spokeswoman Jennifer Borgen in an e-mail.
It was a far different story a year ago, when company officials were touting the benefits of a brand-new cement kiln they were preparing to open at their Brooksville South facility off Cobb Road.
At that time, Borgen said the $230 million project would add 35 jobs to the company's 205-person county work force.
"We expect to operate at capacity at our plants," she added. "Florida imports cement into the state to meet its demand. By producing more cement for the market within the state, this should offset more of the imports."
It didn't work out that way. Rather than producing at their full capacity of 4.7 million short tons of cement, county officials see the company cutting back in response to reduced construction demand.
"It certainly represents them reducing some production capacity, and using the most efficient production (methods) they can," said county business development director Mike McHugh. "Which is obviously what you do in these market conditions."
McHugh said it was "very likely" that the federal stimulus could spur demand for cement and aggregate to build highways, public buildings or other shovel-ready projects eligible for federal aid.
"This could be the one industry that does see the most direct impact of the stimulus program," McHugh added. "Intuitively we know that. But the order of magnitude will be determined when projects are identified."
Tom Marshall can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or (352) 848-1431. Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.


text:
Card Name: Impending Disaster
Mana Cost: {1}{R}
Colors: Red
Type: Enchantment
Types: Enchantment
Rarity: Rare
Artist: Pete Venters
Number: 82
Power / Toughness: /
Card Text
At the beginning of your upkeep, if there are seven or more lands on the battlefield, sacrifice Impending Disaster and destroy all lands.
Near Mint Condition
A card in Near Mint condition shows minimal to no wear from shuffling or general play. Cards classified as Near Mint/Mint are generally indistinguishable from cards in an unsleeved deck of other Near Mint/Mint cards. Foils in this condition have little or no scuffing or clouding on the front and edges of the card.
Sorry, it looks like your browser doesn't have cookies enabled. Dave & Adam's only uses cookies to keep track of your shopping cart while you browse dacardworld.com. Please enable cookies to further enjoy your shopping experience. If you have cookies enabled, please refresh your browser.


text:
Professor Robert Sutherland achieved international renown for his ground-breaking research into cancer as the director of the Cancer Research Program at the Garvan Institute for 27 years, and senior principal research fellow of the National Health and Medical Research Council. He was also the inaugural director of the Kinghorn Cancer Centre in Darlinghurst, which employs a "bedside to bench" approach to treating cancer patients using the latest biomarker assisted diagnostics and individually tailored treatments.
Back in the 1950s, his primary school teacher in Ashburton, on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island, said he might gain the School Certificate but had no chance of gaining an entrance to university. His father, who had earned the nickname Grumpy after his return from service in World War II, thought that teacher was a "dopey bastard".
Robert Lyndsay Sutherland was born in Gore, New Zealand, on July 18, 1947 to school teachers Jesse Sutherland and his wife, Doris (nee Baxter). Money was not plentiful, but the Sutherlands were firm believers in sport as well as education, so there was always enough for bats, racquets and balls. Television came late to Ashburton, its absence a boon to the development of a taste for a wide range of books. Sutherland never lost his passion for knowledge.
He did well enough at Ashburton High School to gain a place at the University of Canterbury, with two scholarships. He took a bachelor of agricultural science in 1970 and a masters in 1972. He won a research scholarship to the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the Australian National University and completed his PhD in 1974. That year he married Diane Summerhayes.
Between 1974 and 1976, he was awarded the Searle Travelling Fellowship in Endocrinology, a post-doctoral fellowship with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and a World Health Organisation Research Training fellowship.
In 1978, Sutherland was appointed a Senior Research Fellow at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, and Reader in Cancer Medicine, University of Sydney. He then joined the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. He established a very successful research program but it was his work on cancers that are dependent on sex steroid hormones for their development, in particular breast cancer, that attracted international recognition.
In 1982, he married Cheryl Frewin. During her first pregnancy, Cheryl had assumed her husband would attend antenatal classes, but she was wrong. "Sheep, humans, they're all the same" to a man whose PhD had been on oestrogen administration in ewes.
However, family life was important to Sutherland, and he encouraged his staff to maintain a balance of work and home. He would always take time to answer phone calls from his children, and valued family holidays.
He also became knowledgeable in gardening, food and wine. Sport remained a great love, and he learned to ski at the age of 54. Fly-fishing became a favourite in his last years.
His work schedule increased in 1991 when he became a professor of the department of medicine, at the University of NSW. He eventually supervised and mentored more than 50 post-graduate students.
Throughout his career, Sutherland received many scholarships and scientific awards, and served on numerous national and international committees.
In 2010 he received the NSW Premier's Award for Outstanding Cancer Researcher and was made an officer of the Order of Australia.
Sutherland was a trailblazer in many fields, including genome research. In recognition of this, Australia's first International Cancer Genome Consortium paper, recently published in Nature, was dedicated to him.
An understanding of these genes, which predict the course of different forms of cancer, means improved targeting of treatments. This was the driving force behind Sutherland's work on establishing the Kinghorn Cancer Centre, which combines the Garvan Institute and St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney.
As the inaugural director of the Kinghorn, Sutherland was elated when the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, performed the opening ceremony in August last year. Few people knew he was battling pancreatic cancer at the time.
Rob Sutherland is survived by Cheryl and his children Andrew, Sarah, Rebecca and Charles, and brother Alistair.
Lynne Cairncross


text:
Versus designer Christopher Kane and Donatella Versace hosted The Art of Elysium Bright Lights gala Friday night at Milk Studios in New York. Co-hosted by Joy Bryant, Sarah Moonves, Bee Shaffer, and Nicole Vecchiarelli, the children's charity event attracted an A-list fashion crowd (Alexa Chung, Anna Wintour, Bee Shaffer, Naomi Campbell, Olivia Palermo, and Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen to name a few) with the majority of guests decked out in Versace or Versus. Estelle performed while guests sipped lemonade and vodka cocktails, all for a good cause. Click below for images from inside the event.
Source: WireImage


text:
VMworld Barcelona 2014 – Platinum Sponsor
- October 13, 2014 to October 16, 2014
- Fira Barcelona Gran Via North Entrance - Hall 8 Carrer del Foc 30 08038 Barcelona
- 1. Room Fira 1 - Ground Floor; Renaissance Barcelona, Plaza Europa, 50-52 L'hospitalet de Llobregat and 2. Fira Barcelona Gran Via - Room #913 in the Solution Exchange | mapa del evento
Collaboration Powering Innovation
Are you increasingly concerned with securing and managing data and content in seeking to maximize enterprise mobility?
There is a quick and affordable way to achieve a productive mobile enterprise.
Join us at VMworld to find out how our collaboration with AirWatch® by VMware® is powering true innovation in enterprise mobility.
Explore how Capgemini Mobile Secure Solution with AirWatch® by VMware® advances enterprise mobility management
Date: Wednesday, 15, October
Time: 16:15 – 17:15
Session ID: EUC3373
Speaker: Fernando Alvarez, Senior Vice President and Mobile Solutions Global Service Line Lead
Organizations are facing increasing concerns around securing content and data management regarding enterprise mobility.
Learn how together Capgemini and AirWatch® by VMware® offer a new cloud-based solution that promises to provide a robust, flexible and cost-effective answer to the problem of managing and securing mobile devices, apps and content in the workplace
Hashtag: #EUC3373
Journey to Software Defined Datacenter - Customer Panel
Date: Tuesday, 14, October
Time: 12:30-13:30
Session ID: SDDC2556
Speaker: Thierry Luc, CTO Infrastructure Services Southern Europe
Hear directly from customers on how they are implementing a Software-Defined Data Center to achieve 1) high infrastructure availability and disaster recovery; 2) efficient virtualized data centers with hybrid cloud extensibility; 3) secure, dynamic networks with compliant IT; 4) optimized infrastructure performance, capacity, and costs; and 5) automated infrastructure and application provisioning across hybrid data centers.
Panelists will discuss what problems they are facing, why they chose to start building a Software-Defined Data Center, how they designed their solutions/environment, benefits achieved, lessons learned, best practices, and roadmap. Attend this session to learn how you can benefit from the experience of your peers.
John Gilmartin VMware (GM and VP, SDDC Suite Business Unit) will moderate the panel.
Thierry Luc will be participating in this panel session by presenting a live a demo of our Capgemini Cloud Management Platform.
Applications Using Oracle on vSphere Customer Success Stories Panel SessionDate: Wednesday, 15, October
Time: 13:45 – 14:45
Session ID: VAPP1224
Speakers: Tobias Appelo, from Capgemini NL
The latest installment of the series of "Oracle on vSphere" panel sessions which has included the elite partner panel of 2011 and the Customer Success Stories Panel of 2013 this panel will focus on the Applications that run Oracle on vSphere. With a focus on Cloud Architectures and therefore the inclusion of these important applications within a broad Software Defined Datacenter approach the customers will elaborate on the particulars of their impressive individual successes. The session will include an extensive range of popular applications to include SAP, Oracle EBS, Oracle Identity Management and others. This session will consist of the moderator Don Sullivan questioning customers such as Conagra (SAP Supply Chain), First National Bank of Nebraska (Oracle Identity Management), Indiana University (PeopleSoft) and others of equal status TBS, regarding how they have successfully implemented their respective Business Critical Applications on Oracle on vSphere. These customers will reveal significant and "up-close" details pertinent to those success stories.
You can also see us at the VMware booth and the EMC2 booth. Stay tuned for updates.
Co-innovation with our partners in Mobility
Simpler, Faster, Better: SAP HANA, Virtualized by VMware
Capgemini Mobile Secure - In collaboration with AirWatch by VMware
Learn About Our Partners and SolutionsOur Strategic Partner EMC2 and the federation, Pivotal, VMWare and RSA.
What we offer:
Building the Right Cloud Platform: Infrastructure Services
Meets our experts
Únete a la conversación
Press Release Block
Press Release Block


text:
A VILLAGE bus has been causing problems in Overton because it rarely turns up at the correct time, according to councillors.
Overton parish councillor Brian Langer said the arrival time of the number 74 had gone "haywire", adding: "It makes the thing so unreliable that people lose faith in it and then stop using it."
Cllr Lucy Sloane Williams said her elderly friend had gone to catch the 9.10pm bus, arrived at the bus stop at 8.50pm and waited until 9.30pm before giving up hope of it ever arriving.
She added: "She came back, had a bath and stayed over-night. She was freezing. It was unforgiveable. She was shaking she was so cold. I don't have confidence in the service."
Councillor Seán Woodward, Hampshire County Council's executive member for economy, transport and environment, said: "The number 74 bus in Overton is funded by Hampshire County Council and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, and run by Basingstoke Community Transport.
"No complaints about the service have been received by either HCC or Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council at this time.
"The bus runs three days a week – Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
"The timetable has operated for several years and the timetable was developed in consultation with users and the local parish transport representative."
Cllr Woodward added: "Passenger figures remain consistent at an average of 630 passenger trips per month."


text:
I wonder if anyone knows an english architecture school for master which I can apply foe september semester in europe.I really appriciate it
If your from a non-eu country, your chances are slim as you will need a visa and application review often takes up to 4 weeks. And it sounds by your writing that perhaps you need to take IELTS and meet a minimum standard generally 6.5 across all test for Masters - this is the case in UK and US.
Some schools allow lower, however can say if you don't have this standard you are throwing your money down the tubes as you will not understand, be able to write or communicate to the level of expected. If you need to improve your english skills suggest coming at least 6 months ahead of the course [1 year better] and do an english course.
Hello guys,
For those of you interested in the best masters please take a look.
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?


text:
Postgame Central: Suns vs Mavericks- Dec. 6, 2012
Click here for more
Lucky Number Stats
Late Rally Falls Short
By: Stefan Swiat, Suns.com
It was "Satisfaction Guaranteed Night" at US Airways Center on Thursday, and the Suns provided that satisfaction for the majority of the evening. Except for a small lapse in the third period, Phoenix played well the entire night, even leading by as many as 10 early on.
However, in the third period, the Suns fell behind by 15 points, thanks to being on the wrong end of a 23-4 run. Despite a fourth-quarter rally that allowed the Suns to tie the game with 48.5 seconds left in regulation, the Suns dropped a 97-94 home decision to the Mavs on TNT.
"We didn't shoot the ball well at all," Suns head coach Alvin Gentry said. "At some stage we were shooting 18 percent deep into the (third) quarter. And the shots that we were taking we were forcing a little bit, so we didn't have very good court balance."
The Suns held the fourth-best 3-point shooting club to a mere 33-percent shooting, forced Dallas into four more turnovers and Suns power forward Markieff Morris recorded a career-high 17 rebounds to go along with his team-high 15 points. However, the Suns were stymied by 39.5-percent shooting from the floor, being outscored by 11 on the fast break and permitting an improbable season-high 16 points from Dallas reserve forward Brandan Wright.
The Suns have yet to win a game this season when shooting under 40 percent. They also allowed the Mavs to shoot 54 percent from the floor in the second half.
"The ball was sticking," Morris said. "We weren't getting as much movement as usual and they were making tough shots. We went down, but coach called a couple timeouts and we regrouped and fought."
Goran Dragic (15 points), Luis Scola (13 points and nine rebounds), Jared Dudley (11 points) and Shannon Brown (11 points) filled out the rest of the Suns in double figures. Dudley's 2-of-2 is especially encouraging. The Suns swingman collected his fourth-straight game in double figures, extending his season-best streak. It was the fifth time in six games that he's scored in double-digits.
He's now 9-of-11 from downtown in his last four games.
The Suns visit the Clips on Saturday.Any questions or comments for Stefan Swiat? Click here to send him your comments by e-mail.
Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited


text:
Free shipping on orders over $50!*
Powerful rod designed specifically for fishing jigs and soft plastic creature baits up close in heavy cover and penetrating the matts. Sensitive for feeling light bites, surprisingly light, but strong for powering big fish away from heavy cover. Fast taper for immediate and powerful hooksets!
A great all-around flip/punch stick. Its powerful enough to manage big fish in heavy cover and thanks to E6X technology, lighter than you might expect. It's a well-balanced 20-pound rod designed for fishing back in the brush and roots where the big bass hide. Whether you fish a jig or a soft-plastic critter you'll enjoy fishing this rod all day because it's G.Loomis light, sneaky powerful and very sensitive! You'll enjoy total control in tight quarters, thick brush or matted vegetation. It's just what every power anglers need in their quiver.


text:
2009 Mazda 5 - Consumer Review
Average Consumer Rating
Total Reviews
Grand Touring Passenger Minivan (2.3L 4-cyl. 5-speed Automatic)
Build Quality
Reliability Value
Build Quality
Reliability Value
Small minivan or large station wagon?
By PeterK on
Vehicle2009 Mazda 5 Grand Touring 4dr Minivan (2.3L 4cyl 5A)
ReviewMy family of 3 soon to be 4 needed to upgrade from our Civic to be able to carry two car seats some cargo and maybe grandma every now and then. We desperately did not want to end up in a mini van and despite what some categorize Mazda 5 as we love the sliding doors which allow pain-free baby loading into the car seat. Cargo room with the third row folded is sufficient but when the seats are up you can't even fit your groceries. Gas mileage is in the area of 24 MPG with mixed driving, enough power to propel 4 adults and a baby on any road or hill. Highly recommended to those who need larger vehicle but want to remain environmentally friendly.
Best FeaturesBluetooth hands-free feature, steering wheel radio controls, automatic Xenon headlights, automatic wipers, heated seats, car like driving and feeling.
Worst FeaturesBigger sunroof (it opens up only 3/4 of the length), power seats, bit larger trunk space when 3rd row is up, fuel filler on the driver side (currently on right), dash dim controls someplace else than the hard to reach clocks/speedo, brake and gas pedals spaced more apart, different horn sound
Recommend (0) (0)
Are you the author of this review?Update Your Review
Comments (0) Post a Comment
You must be signed in to post a comment.


text:
Big Teddy with Overalls by Barbara Prime
Welcome! You are browsing as a guestWould you like to see 86 projects made from this pattern and much more? create a free account What am I missing?
Big Teddy with Overalls
This pattern is available for $2.99 USD buy it now
This pattern has now been updated with a newer format. As well, the toy has different ears, and the shaping is slightly different. The contrasting colour nose is optional. The overalls are now longer, and have straps that button to the bib.
The teddy is knit from 100 g (at least 125 yds) of bulky weight yarn on size 9 (5.5 mm) needles, and the overalls are knit from 50 g of worsted weight yarn on size 7 (4.5 mm) needles.
Please note: the first two photos show the pattern as updated in June 2012. The other two photos show the original pattern.
This toy pattern is available in Festive Knits, but comes with a pullover pattern, rather than the overalls.


text:
The growth of Gungahlin is helping drag the ACT's population north.
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics' regional population report, issued on Tuesday, shows the majority of the growth in the territory in 2011-12 occurred in the newer northern suburbs.
The largest population increases in the ACT were in Bonner (up 1700 people), Forde (920), Crace (750) and Harrison (680). All up, Gungahlin gained 5100 residents.
Canberra is also the third fastest growing state or territory after Western Australia and Queensland.
ABS demographer Andrew Howe said Crace and Bonner had both doubled in population as Gungahlin's newest suburbs.
"That's where it's all happening," he said. "Those are some of the fastest-growing areas in the country."
The report also showed rapid increases in some established areas of the city including Belconnen (up 12 per cent) and Civic, Watson and Kingston-Barton (all up 10 per cent).
The ABS attributed the growth in these older suburbs to an increase in high and medium-density dwellings in the ACT's business centres.
Tuggeranong's population has continued its decline and again recorded the largest fall in residents among its suburbs. Kambah was down by 180 people, Wanniassa by 160 and Gordon by 150.
Overall, the area decreased by 1200 people in total.
Click on "Track the centre of population from 1991 to 2012" to watch the changes. Map courtesy of the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Mr Howe said the population shift was not as simple as people in the south just choosing to move north of Lake Burley Griffin.
He said the numbers represented the combined effect of births, deaths and migration from interstate and overseas, as well as movements within the ACT.
Mr Howe said using the lake as the division, the northern area of Canberra increased by 7500 people while the south decreased by 630.
The population density of the ACT increased from 156 to 159 people a square kilometre from 2011 to 2012.
Weston Creek, north Canberra, Belconnen and Woden recorded population densities of more than 1000 people a square kilometre.
Melbourne had the largest growth of all capital cities with an additional 77,200 people calling the Victorian city home and Perth was the fastest growing with an increase of 3.6 per cent.
The centre of the population in the ACT as at June 2012 was in the suburb of Yarralumla.


text:
A new survey has found that U.S. adults plan to better manage their finances in 2014.
The survey, "How America Buys and Borrows," was released by Wells Fargo, headquartered in San Francisco.
The survey found some consumers were practicing healthy financial habits. About 39 percent of respondents said they pay off their credit cards every month, 38 percent reported that they save for major purchases rather than rely on credit and 32 percent stated that they stick to a budget every month.
Boomers and Gen Xers were more likely to say they were actively reducing debt, while millennials more often said they were focusing on increasing savings.
Boomers were more likely to believe the economy was weak. Millennials had a more positive outlook about the future and were more likely to expect their current situation would improve. However, one-third of millennials were concerned about finding a stable job and paying off debt.
Saving for retirement was a big concern for both boomers and Gen Xers, with slightly more than 50 percent of each group saying retirement savings was their top financial concern.
In a statement, Gary Korotzer, executive vice president with Wells Fargo's Consumer Credit Solutions Group, said the bank wanted its customers to "take charge of their finances by understanding their current situation and their options."
With those findings in mind, Wells Fargo offered these five tips for 2014:
- Develop a realistic budget that includes your income, expenses and savings.
- Manage your cash flow and savings by tracking spending, paying down debt, saving for emergencies and not overspending.
- Set financial goals, create a plan to reach those goals and be prepared to adjust the plan if life circumstances warrant a course correction.
- Understand the real cost of debt, know your credit score and check your credit report for accuracy once per year.
- Safeguard your personal information to help protect yourself from fraud and identity theft.
The survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults age 18 or older was conducted online in September 2013. Age, gender, education and income were weighted to make the result more representative of the nation's population, Wells Fargo said.
Will you be paying down debt or increasing savings in 2014.
Follow me on Twitter: @marciegeff.


text:
Assessment |
Biopsychology |
Comparative |
Cognitive |
Developmental |
Language |
Individual differences |
Personality |
Philosophy |
Social |
Methods | Statistics | Clinical | Educational | Industrial | Professional items | World psychology |
Social psychology: Altruism · Attribution · Attitudes · Conformity · Discrimination · Groups · Interpersonal relations · Obedience · Prejudice · Norms · Perception · Index · Outline
Jeffry H. Larson, Ph.D., LMFT, CFLE, is a professor of Marriage and Family Therapy at Brigham Young University and author of Should We Stay Together? A Scientifically Proven Method for Evaluating Your Relationship and Improving its Chances for LongTerm Success (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000) and the E-Book entitled: The Great Marriage Tune-Up Book: A Proven Program for Evaluating and Renewing Your Relationship March 2004, among others.
A brief bio from a recent alumni event Dr. Jeffry H. Larson obtained his B.S. & M.S. degrees in Psychology from BYU and a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Texas Tech University. He is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and is the former chair of the Utah State MFT Licensing Board. He is the former chairperson and professor in the Marriage and Family Graduate Program at BYU. Dr. Larson is the author of over 70 scholarly journal articles and book chapters. He was awarded with the Distinguished Alumnus Award by Texas Tech University in 2001. He has been married for 33 years to Jeannie Spear and is the father of 4 children.
A list of articles by Larson.
|This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).


text:
Forums > Digital Art and Retouching > DAR Critiques > Would welcome your critique
I've been practicing a lot with files I've found on MM...I'm just learning Photoshop and would like anyones opinion please of what is working and what could be better. I've seen some really interesting skin retouching that looks very sharp, but havent been able to achieve it just yet. Not sure what I'm doing wrong but if anyone would like to comment I would be grateful.
By mxmed at 2012-08-12
By mxmed at 2012-08-17
By mxmed at 2012-08-17
By mxmed at 2012-08-17
Aug 17 12 07:23 pm Link
Posts: 373
Denver, Colorado, US
These all look over processed and unnatural. I would say you should try to learn more about retaining texture in the skin. High frequency separation is a nice technique for this, google it.
Aug 19 12 11:02 pm Link
Posts: 476
London, England, United Kingdom
I agree with Matt. It takes a lot of time to achieve, but you need to enhance the skin texture rather than removing it. Frequency separation is a good way of approaching this, and there is lots of easily accessible info about this.
The other thing that might be useful is to look at the relative saturation of lights and shadows. For example, in the second image you've posted, the shadows are over-saturated. An easy way is to deal with this is to Cmd/Ctrl click on the RGB thumbnail in the Channels Palette (this will make a selection of the whole image based on light/dark values)> create a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer (a mask with the luminosity values of the image will be automatically created)>Invert the mask so it becomes a negative image. Now you can reduce the saturation in the shadow areas while leaving the lighter areas as they were. Forgive me if you know all this already.
Aug 19 12 11:30 pm Link
Thanks both of you for your feedback. I don't know anything about the frequency separation you mentioned but I'll look it up and find some tutorials. Thanks!
Aug 20 12 08:01 am Link
AKMac wrote:
No I don't know any of this already...lol! I've only been working with Photoshop for a few weeks now and there are many things I have to learn about it.
Aug 20 12 08:03 am Link
Posts: 476
London, England, United Kingdom
I think confusion is inevitable to start with. It's not an "instinctive" technique. Also the video you have mentioned runs through things pretty fast.
There are two common uses of frequency separation.
The first one is to split the image into a high frequency 'texture' layer and a low frequency 'blurred' layer to allow you to manipulate those separately. For example, in the high frequency layer, you might clone 'good' skin texture onto areas of 'bad' texture without affecting the broader colour and tonality of the underlying low frequency layer. Alternatively, you might work on the lower frequency layer, subtly blending areas of colour or tone, without affecting the texture preserved in the high frequency layer above..
The second common use of frequency separation is a technique called Inverted High Pass, which is used to smooth tonal transitions and 'grunge' while preserving finer textures. IHP is a semi-automatic technique, and an over used shortcut /trick, but when used with discretion and good judgement it can render excellent results.
I think, to start with, it is best to learn how to use the frequency split technique. That will help you to understand the fundamentals. If you search here and on RetouchPro you will find lots of useful information. It is easy to do - more difficult to do well.
Aug 20 12 12:04 pm Link
AKMac wrote:
Thanks so much. I was sent a link to this vid, which is an hour long.
Aug 20 12 02:38 pm Link
Digital Artist
Posts: 82
Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
It is true that you made these look over-processed. There is one thing I do like about the first one which is - you made from the nose to the eyebrows look painted.
I guess if you had of carried on with that kind of look through out the image, it would have looked awesome and would turned into more of a...illustrative retouch opposed to the norm.
Aug 20 12 10:56 pm Link
soulkyrie wrote:
Thanks but I'm not sure what you mean.... She had makeup fall around her face so I just cleaned up her eyeshadow some. Her lips look a little dry to me but I couldnt figure out how to make them look a little glossier, all the tutorials I watched made no sense. I was really concentrating on the skin so I'm kinda bummed it looks overdone. I'm trying to learn the HF separation technique but the result looks flat to me. It takes off all the natural glow/shine to the models skin. And I thought blurring the skin was a big no-no? I will keep practicing, thanks for your feedback. It really does help.
Aug 21 12 06:10 am Link
Digital Artist
Posts: 82
Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Ok - what I meant is, given I understand you were aiming for the HF separation technique what you actually did whether you realised it or not - was make her appear digitally painted which "isn't" a bad thing either.
Thats the difference between high-end retouching and illustrative retouching.
High end leans more toward the look you were initially trying to achieve, the flawless skin, glossy lips, good balance of light and shadow etc. What you kinda achieved was more of the illustrative look, which gives the appearance of an image being painted.
So...I wouldn't be too hard on yourself. You may not have achieved the look you hoping for but you managed to achieve another. Which is better than most people who start out in this game.
Aug 21 12 10:03 pm Link
soulkyrie wrote:
Thanks a lot. I'll go back and look at my layers in that image. I can never remember what I did. I think I see what you mean...maybe like a watercolor or brushed effect? Yea I wasnt goin for that...lol....the model had such pretty poreless skin that I tried not to do too much with it. Just blemish removal, d n b and a Portraiture filter on very low settings. I'll keep practicing...thanks again!
Aug 22 12 06:49 am Link


text:
Lincoln Repair Questions? Ask a Mechanic for Answers ASAP
Can you tell me what all has been done at this point to correct the problem please?
If you are haveing a problem with cyl8 then the cyl you need to be checking will be the back cyl on the drivers side, not the passanger side.
Yes drivers side. Two separate mechanic diagnostics based on check engine light codes and in one case additional testing including replacing the coil.
Perofrmace is good but obvious misfire at idle and at times when driving. Strange thing is the check engine light does not show much if not most of the time.
Also NO obvious catalyst issues so far - inspection report good. Would like to know what might progressively occur, assuming this is a valve issue?
Have you had a compression test done ?
Yes the testing was extensive.
And, Hi and thanks for responding
DO you know what the test results where for the compression test? Where all 8 cylinders tested?
No I do not recall at this time. The vehicle was teated by the dealership, my local machanic (family business) and also an engione specialist, the latter doing the extensive testing. I know plugs and coils were also replaced during testing. Each shop come to the same conclusion - cyl 8 exhaust valve.
That makes things kinda tough.
I would realy like to know what the compression readings where before I give any possible solutions for this problem.
The readings would tell me more about what is going on in the engine.
I see. I did not see your further comment. Is there potenmtially another solution to replacing the head. And can the condition deteriorate; or if all else seems well, to be run as is.?
There again it depeds on the comp readings. If the compression test shows the cylinders to all be with in 10 lbs of each other, then it is unlikely that the valve is the problem, but it could be that the valve is only sticking from time to time.
Can you call your friend and see if he remebers the comp readings?
I could try that but would take timeif possible, as more than a year ago. I may also have a report filed from the engine specialist, but not sure of this. In any event, will take me some time to find if I do have. Assuming for now the exhaust valve is the issue, the misfire IS always there, if more obvious when the weather is "damp" and this also coincides with the check engine light coming on.
With the problem being more pronounced when the weather is damp, it is very unikely that the valve would be the problem. If the valve where bad. then the enigne would run the same nop matter if it where wet or dry out.
That is why the comp readings are so imoprtant. There can be amny things that would cause a miss, and if the cylinder has not been fireing correctly for some time, then compression would be lower then normal. with the dampness causing it to miss more, this ells me that the problem is an electrical problem not a mechanical one.
I agree, but the change is very small and as i say accompanied morer often than not with the check engine light appearing.
I would agree, and these conditions confused me initially, but again more expierianced minds said the valve. Also in part why I hesitated in making the suggested repair. However, now I am faced with towing a trailer 4000 to 6000 pounds (loaded) and thought to try again to find a solution not wanting some failure to result. During the past year have driven about 3000 miles with no obvious changes or affect (other than the rough idle - that is without a trailer) the trailer would be a new condition.
Pulling a trailer will not change the way it runs to much, but you would need to be easier with the gas pedal then normal. Once you are moveing, momentum should keep things rolling. how long have you been fighting this problem?
The issue began about 2 years ago (75,000). I have owned 5 years and since 43000 miles. The rough idle began but no CEL and everyone said without a code nothing could be diagnosed. Eventually the CEL came on (if intermitantly) but enough for a test. Over the next several months I had the various guys take a look. I have ignored for the past year until now.
PS: If I do trailer, the plan isd for easy going, not to make any high speed runs!!!
PS: Also for the past year usually no CEL
I highly doupt that the valve is your problem if it has not goten worse in 5 years.
Here is the thing. If the valve where bad, you would be dumping raw fuel into the exhaust. This would cause a catalist code for sure.
Ok good thought. So far my inspection readings have not indictated any problem and the readings as I recall pretty constant. The issue first showed up about two years ago - next inspection in June/July. I can check with my local guy re the inspection readings to be sure re the catalist code.
Sounds like a plain to me. Just get back with me when you have some data and we can go from there.
Ok Thanks for your time on this. Not sure how the progeam works. How do I get back to you?
PS: Also in fact I recently spoke with my local mechanic and he agreed the problem should show up at the catalist. Will chaeck the readings and etc as you ask.
If you look in your email, there should be an email from the site. It will have a direct link to bring you back to this question as well as your log in info.
Ok thanks. Bye.
Have a good day.
Hi Kalamykid:
Getting back to you re the miss-fire issue. Compression testing was not done on all cylinders. Based on the computer code (when the "check engine light was showing") the code indicated a problem with cyl #8, and a known engine fault per Ford's diagnostic reporting - repair procedures - requiring a new cylinder head.
Comp testing at #8 showed 20% loss; a second test showed 16% loss.
If you have an alternative repair suggestion it will be helpful. However, based on what is known I am asking: a) do you have expieriance of this condition and the recommended repair; and b) do you think the car can be driven "as is" without repair, and without causing any extensive additional damage (other than the catlytic converter as discussed previously). Thanks RH
Sorry for the delay. If the compression test wasnot done on all 8 cylinders, how do you know there was a 16-20% decress in compression? If you had a valve issue, there would have to be a bigger drop in compression then just 16-20%. There are a few things that can cause compression to drop. If the cylinder is not getting enough fuel, and is dry fireing, or the spark is not strong enough to burn all the fuel " due to a bad spark condition, or an injector that is leaking" then a wet soak can also wash out the rings causeing compression to drop. What I need most of all is a good compression test done and all 8 cylinders labled with there exact compression readings please. From this I can best help you. I just had to fix a 03 f150 with a 5.4 that had low compresion. I found a bent rocker arm. It looked good by itself and in the head, but when taken out and laid next to another rocker, it was clear that I had found my problme. the engine made no noise, but had no miss at idle and cruzing speeds, but a definant indication of of a miss under load. and the check engine light did not come on the whole time I was testing the vehical " but it did come in with a code for cylinder 5".
This is just one instance of an odd thing that can happen with new ford engines.
Hi Thanks fro your reply. The compression testing was done by two qualified agencies - first, my local family service facility, and second, an "engine specialists" company. In both cases the spark plug and the coil were replaced and the condition remained. The engine specialist replaced the plug and coil twice. Again, based on information given to me, and confirmed by the local dealership, the problem is supposedly the exhaust valve (or the seating). I was hoping that via an independent party the true seriousness of the condition might be verified (as we discussed earlier) - meaning if the replacement head is urgent or necessery.
Your suggestion is appreciated, but this will need a new test, and will take time to undertake (presently dealing with serious health issues). Might you also have an idea of the typical cost of a full compresion test.
AND, PS, I had an issue with a 2004 F150 like you describe (under load), long story and cannot tell all!!! Thanks again, XXXXX XXXXX
No poping, and runs great. RH
Being a Navigator, well insulated, but definately not heard any poping. Thinking of the compression test, by your remarks it seems if a compression test done than all cylinders would have been checked - and if so - suggesting no loss elsewhere. Do I assume correctly?
Yes it is true. The condition will vary - somewhat - but not significantly. Runing this week was definately there (the miss-fore) BUT less noticable than of late. Check engine light was on.
I know about ignition issues, being a Brit (and also owning a 1965 classic here in the US); owned Mini's (1960's) and the early models would not run in the rain (distributor placed in front of the engine and exposed to spray!!!)
I wil try your suggestion, hopefully one day next week.. RH
Gottaya! I will try your suggestion and see what results. If no solution will look into getting a "qualified" compression test - noting the points you say required.
The web-site keeps confusing me, so not sure how you get paid under the arangemnt I thought was set up. Guess you input something, but I will try to access the needed screen - I do find the site confusing.
Thanks for now. RH
Follow up re the miss-fire and checking the wires
Hi: You are definitely on to something!
Looked at the wires as you suggested. Almost impossible to reach the rear of the block. However, removed the cover and air intake and located four wires at the front and played around without finding or achieving much (the engine running – but would not run after removing the air-intake ). BUT, on putting back together, the "miss-fire" was almost gone, and the check engine light off (had been on for the past three months); leaving only a very slight vibration; and since not noticeable at all at initial start up, but after driving for a few miles, and also as before – if now very slight - at around 1500 - 1700 rpms down the highway in over drive.
IF there is a valve problem, the tinkering made a huge difference, therefore suspecting a possibility of a sensor or something associated with the air-intake, unless TWO issues. Needed to let you know your suspicion of electrical could be on target, and ask if any further comment on this – the improvement so good could live with for now!!!? Roger Hall
OK noted. That will be next. Thinking you are on the East Coast, where is your shop?


text:
This Week: Shop at Amazon.com & Support the SSA!, Free Secular Women Membership for Students, Endorse Secular Coalition for America
Shop at Amazon.com & Support the SSA!
Did you know that every time you shop on Amazon you could be giving back to the SSA? By simply using this link instead of the normal Amazon address, the SSA will receive a percentage of your purchase at no cost to you! This is a completely free way for you to pass on the services you receive to other students— now and for the future.
So, update your Amazon bookmark and start supporting the SSA today!
Free Secular Woman Membership for Students
While many of you were on summer break, a new secular organization was born. Secular Women, whose mission is to amplify the voice, presence, and influence of non-religious women, is offering student members of the SSA and its campus affiliates free annual memberships from now through October 15th. Women, men, and genderqueer students are all welcome. Join now at: http://www.secularwoman.
Endorse Secular Coalition for America
The mission of the Secular Coalition for America is to increase the visibility of and respect for nontheistic viewpoints in the United States, and to protect and strengthen the secular character of our government as the best guarantee of freedom for all. Now local groups - including campus groups! - can sign on to endorse this mission. Campus groups endorsing SCA's mission statement helps SCA make the case to lawmakers that the secular movement should be taken seriously. Endorsing the mission statement is free and easy, and your group is listed along with dozens of other organizations here.
Group Photo of the Week
Members from Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics with Jerry DeWitt.
Send us your photos!
New Leader?
No Longer a Leader?
Let us know!
Want to show off your secular student pride? Visit our store to find gear and other items that you can wear or use everyday. Our shirts are only $5 each but there is a lot more there. Check it out! To access the catalog simply log in with your student membership info.
The Fall Affiliation Renewal is officially starting on 10/8. Get ready to fill out the forms to stay affiliated with the Secular Student Alliance!
Featured Service


text:
Helping Hands Food Shelf hours
NOV. 21, DEC. 5, DEC. 12 — Delano Helping Hands Food Shelf will be open for standard service from 2 to 4 p.m. on Thursdays, Nov. 14 and 21. The food shelf also will be open from 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 21. December food shelf hours will be from 1 to 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. Helping Hands will be closed on Nov. 28, Dec. 19 and Dec. 26. In order to continue to meet demands of monthly food shelf usage, Helping Hands will not provide special Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets. Helping Hands encourages groups to hold food drives throughout the year and inform the food shelf of the effort. Cash donations allow the food shelf to purchase food from Second Harvest Food Bank at a much lower cost per pound than the average consumer can. Helping Hands is located in the basement of the Delano Community Education Building on Elm Avenue at Second Street in Delano. For information, call Helping Hands Coordinator Jeanie Pilarski, 763-972-3360, or Helping Hands Chair Sandy Pikus, 763-972-3723.
Wright County 4-H Open House
NOV. 21 — Wright County 4-H will host a 4-H Project Night open-house from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 21 at the Wright County Government Center in Buffalo. Interested youth and their families are invited to stop in and learn more about two popular 4-H project areas: wildlife and health. 4-H staff, members, and volunteers will lead fun, hands-on activities in these two project areas. For information about 4-H, contact the Wright County Extension Office at 763-682-7394 or [email protected]
NOV. 21 — The Rockford chapter of TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meets at the Riverside Park building every Thursday evening with weigh-in starting at 5:30 and meeting from 7 to 8. For more information, call Geneva at 763-477-6584.
NOV. 21 — Those interested in knitting are welcome to meet on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the Rockford Public Library, 763-477-4216.
Books with Boone
NOV. 22 — The Delano Public Library, 160 Railroad Ave. E., offers a read-aloud program with Boone, a Reading Education Assistance Dog (READ), on the fourth Friday of the month. His next visit will be Nov. 22, from 3 to 5 p.m. School age children can sign up for the READ program to read, one-to-one with Boone, for 15 minutes. This is a great program for children who are hesitant about reading aloud, as Boone is a great listener. Call the library at 763-972-3467 to register.
St. George holiday boutique, breakfast
NOV. 23, 24 — St. George Church, 133 N. Brown Road, Long Lake will offer its annual holiday boutique from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23. Visitors will find an assortment of craft vendors, a lefse making demonstration, homemade apple pies (both frozen and ready to eat), homemade pecan and fruit pies, snacks and lunch, a variety of homemade jams and jellies, baked goods, a variety of Christmas cookies in decorative containers and a raffle. Raffle drawing will be Sunday at 11 a.m. You need not be present to win. New this year will be a table for children to make Christmas cards. The Knights of Columbus will sponsor a pancake breakfast from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., Sunday with pancakes, sausage, fruit, and juice, milk or coffee. Proceeds will go towards church charities, both here and abroad.
Options for Women/ Cornerstone grand opening
NOV. 24 — Options for Women/Cornerstone invites the public to attend its grand opening Sunday, Nov. 24 at 204 Central Ave. E., St. Michael. The ribbon cutting will be at 1 p.m. with a cake reception to follow. Festivities also will include an open house with tours of the center from 1 to 5 p.m.. Options for Women/Cornerstone is a non-profit life affirming organization serving clients facing challenges of an unplanned pregnancies. Options provides free pregnancy testing, limited obstetrical ultrasound exams, lay counseling, outreach, and material assistance for women in greater Wright County. For information call 612-584-9449.
Corcoran council
NOV. 25 — Corcoran City Council will meet Monday, Nov. 25, at 7 p.m. at city hall at 8200 County Road 116.
Book Club
NOV. 25 — Book Club meets Monday, Nov. 25, at 2 p.m. at the Rockford Public Library, 763-477-4216.
Delano School Board
NOV. 25 — The Delano School Board will meet Monday, Nov. 25, at 7 p.m. in Delano City Hall, 234 N. Second Street.
Independence City Council
NOV. 26 — The Independence City Council will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Independence City Hall, 1920 County Road 90. For agenda information call City Hall, 763-479-0527 or visit the city website at independence.govoffice.com.
Rockford City Council
NOV. 26 — The Rockford City Council meets Tuesday, Nov. 26, at 7 p.m. at Rockford City Hall, 6031 Main St. more information, call 477-6565.
It's Just Coffee
NOV. 26 — Come meet your neighbors, share a cup of coffee and talk. Bring a friend and join in the fun. It's Just Coffee meets the last Tuesday of every month from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Your memories of Greenfield History are always welcome as this is also the home of The Greenfield Historical Society. Coffee and treats are provided; we request donations for coffee and supplies. Please note the change in location and time effective Tuesday, Nov. 26: Our Father's Lutheran Church, 3903 Gilbert Ave. SE in Rockford.
Bivoli Folkdancing
NOV. 26 — Come and learn international dances that are fun and easy to learn. Bivoli Folkdancing will be offered from 7 to 9 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month on the second floor of the Heritage Center, Bridge Avenue and Second Street in Delano. No experience or partner is necessary. Drop-in when ever you can and stay as long as you want. Bring a reusable water bottle and wear comfortable walking shoes. Cost is one dollar per session.
12 West Toastmasters
NOV. 27 — 12 West Toastmasters meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 7:30 a.m. at the Bohemian Wine Bar and Grill, located on Second St. north of Bridge Avenue in Delano. A second 12 West group meets the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 11:45 a.m. at Unhinged Pizza (the former Pizza Ranch) at Delano Crossings retail center, located at Highway 12 and County Line Road. Meetings last one hour and feature communication and leadership through better listening, thinking, speaking. For information, contact Dale Vander Linden, [email protected] or 763-972-6726.
Breakfast with Santa
NOV. 30 — B's on the River, 455 County Road 27, Watertown, will offer a morning with Santa on Saturday, Nov. 30. Cookie decorating at 10 a.m. will be followed by a 10:45 a.m. story time and 11 a.m. picture time with Santa. Bring cameras. Cost is $10 per child. Space is limited. Call 952-955-2223 to make reservations.
Franklin Town Board
DEC. 2 — The Franklin Town Board will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2, at Franklin Town Hall, 8735 County Road 16 S.E. For agenda information, call town clerk Denise Olson, 763-972-3741.
60 Plus and Healthy Clinics
DEC. 3 — Wright County Public Health will offer a 60 Plus and Healthy Clinic from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 3 at Rockford Walnut Place Apartments, 8830 Walnut Place, Rockford. Public Health staff will trim toenails for seniors who have a health condition such as diabetes or are unable to trim toenails themselves. Staff will check blood pressures if needed and as time allows. Cost for foot care services is $15. Those who are unable to pay will not be turned away. from our clinic. For more information, ask clinic staff or call Wright County Public Health at 1-800-362-3667 or 763-682-7456.
Medina City Council
DEC. 3 — The Medina City Council will meet Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. at Medina City Hall, 2052 County Road 24. For agenda information, call 473-4643.
Delano City Council
DEC. 3 — The Delano City Council will meet Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. at Delano City Hall, located at Bridge Avenue and Second Street.
Greenfield City Council
DEC. 3 — The Greenfield City Council will meet Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m. at 6390 Town Hall Drive.
12 West Toastmasters
DEC. 4 — 12 West Toastmasters meets the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 11:45 a.m. at Unhinged Pizza (the former Pizza Ranch) at Delano Crossings retail center, located at Highway 12 and County Line Road. Meetings last one hour and feature communication and leadership through better listening, thinking, speaking. A second 12 West group meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 7:30 a.m. at the Bohemian Wine Bar and Grill, located on Second St. north of Bridge Avenue in Delano. For information, contact Dale Vander Linden, [email protected] or 763-972-6726.


text:
Accessibility tools
Service tools
Language selector
Navigation path
Left navigation
Additional tools
Other available languages: none
17 / 07 / 14
President Barroso meets President Dilma Rousseff in Brasil
President Barroso travels today to Brazil, where he will be on official visit until 21 July. He will first meet with President Dilma Rousseff in Brasília to discuss the EU-Brazil relations. Afterwards, he will travel to Rio de Janeiro to meet Governor Luiz Fernando de Souza and Mayor Eduardo Paes.
President Barroso and President Rousseff will discuss the relations between the EU and Brazil, as well as the negotiations of the EU-Mercosur's Association Agreement. In February this year, at the 7th EU-Brazil Summit, the two Presidents committed to the reinforcement of the economic and commercial ties between the EU and Brazil. In Brasília, President Barroso will also be awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Brasília.
President Barroso will travel afterwards to Rio de Janeiro, where he will be received by Mayor Eduardo Paes and will meet Governor Luiz Fernando de Souza. He will also deliver the opening remarks in a seminar on the EU's and Brazil's role in the current international scene, organised by the Getúlio Vargas Foundation, and will participate in a lunch meeting with the business community.
Fighting fraud: Major progress in anti-fraud policy but Member States must do more to combat fraud
Member States must step up their work to prevent, detect and report fraud affecting EU funds, according to the Commission's annual report on the protection of financial interests (PIF report). The report sets out detailed recommendations on areas that national authorities should particularly focus on in this respect. The report finds that detected fraud in EU spending accounts for less than 0.2% of all funds. Nevertheless, the Commission believes that greater efforts at national level both on combatting and detecting fraud should be deployed. The annual PIF report therefore recommends, amongst other things, that Member States review their controls to ensure they are risk-based and well-targeted. See IP/14/835 and MEMO/14/487 .
Commission publishes guidelines to encourage re-use of public sector data
Today, the European Commission is publishing guidelines to help Member States benefit from the revised Directive on the re-use of public sector information (PSI Directive). These guidelines explain how to give access to weather data, traffic data, property asset data and maps, for example. The guidelines published today are based on a detailed consultation and cover issues such as Licencing, data sets and cost. By contributing to the opening up of public sector datasets, this initiative complements the recently announced EU action aimed at building up a data-driven economy , including funding under the Connecting Europe Facility . European Commission Vice President @NeelieKroesEU said: "This guidance will help all of us benefit from the wealth of information public bodies hold. Opening and re-using this data will lead to many new businesses and convenient services."
June 2014: Euro area annual inflation stable at 0.5% - EU up to 0.7%
Euro area annual inflation was 0.5% in June 2014, stable compared with May. A year earlier the rate was 1.6%. Monthly inflation was 0.1% in June 2014. European Union annual inflation was 0.7% in June 2014, up from 0.6% in May. A year earlier the rate was 1.7%. Monthly inflation was 0.1% in June 2014. These figures come from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Single Market Scoreboard: EU countries are dismantling barriers to the European Single Market
Since last summer, EU countries have stepped up their efforts to make it easier to live, work or do business in another EU country, according to the latest edition of the Single Market Scoreboard released by the European Commission today. During the last six months the average transposition deficit - the percentage of Single Market Directives that have not been transposed into national law in time - has remained unchanged at 0.7%. Despite having joined the EU only recently, Croatia scores best with only 0.1% while Italy reached its best result ever (0.7%) by halving its previous deficit. Greece, Finland and the United Kingdom also reached their best result ever. On Single Market related infringement proceedings, the EU average number of pending cases has increased for the first time since November 2008, which shows that, after a constant decrease of this global number (mainly due to the establishment of early problem-solving systems like SOLVIT and EU-Pilot), the situation seems to have stabilised. The major concerns continue to be mainly in the areas of the environment, taxation and transport.
Saving Pompeii with EU Regional Funds: Commissioner Hahn to sign Action Plan with Italy to preserve 'jewel of European cultural heritage'
Today, EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn, is travelling to Pompeii - the world famous archaeological site, to sign an "Action Plan" with the Italian authorities to accelerate work on the EU's major project to preserve the site. The Action Plan sets down specific measures and targets to complete the project, which is being supported by €78 million worth of investment through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Speaking ahead of the visit, Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn said: "The importance of Pompeii and the EU supported major project to preserve it cannot be overstated. There is a real urgency to accelerate and intensify our efforts. This site is of crucial importance for Campania and its local economy - for Italy and the world. Quite simply it is one of the crowning jewels of Europe's cultural heritage. That's why I am determined to do what I can to make the EU supported major project here a success. The Action Plan we are signing today with the Italian authorities sets down clear targets and deadlines for the way ahead and a series of measures to ensure that those deadlines are respected. It should act as a spur to action and a motivator. I urge all those to seize the challenge and take up their responsibility."
May 2014 compared with April 2014: Production in construction down by 1.5% in euro area - Down by 1.6% in EU28
In May 2014 compared with April 2014, seasonally adjusted production in the construction sector fell by 1.5% in the euro area (EA18) and by 1.6% in the EU28, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In April 2014, production in construction rose by 0.4% and 0.3% respectively. In May 2014 compared with May 2013, production in construction increased by 3.5% in the euro area and by 3.2% in the EU28.
Statement by Commissioner Connie Hedegaard on Australia's carbon tax repeal
Today, the Australian senate voted to confirm the repeal of the country's carbon pricing mechanism. Commenting on the repeal, EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said: ''The European Union regrets the repeal of Australia's carbon pricing mechanism just as new carbon pricing initiatives are emerging all around the world. The EU is convinced that pricing carbon is not only the most cost-effective way to reduce emissions, but also THE tool to make the economic paradigm shift the world needs. This is why the EU will continue to work towards global carbon pricing with all international partners. With today's repeal of the Carbon Pricing Mechanism, the discussions to link the Australian system and Europe's carbon market will evidently be discontinued.''
Mergers: Commission clears acquisition of Foster Wheeler by rival AMEC
The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Foster Wheeler AG of Switzerland by AMEC plc of the United Kingdom. AMEC is a global supplier of consultancy, engineering and project management services to customers in the sectors of oil and gas, mining, clean energy and environment and infrastructure. Foster Wheeler is a global engineering, construction and project management contractor and power equipment supplier, amongst others in the sectors of oil and gas, chemicals, power, environment and pharmaceuticals. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would not raise competition concerns, because of the moderate combined market positions resulting from the transaction. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure. More information is available on the Commission's competition website in the public case register under the case number M.7215 . M.7215 .
State aid: Commission approves additional liquidation aid for resolution of Lithuanian bank Ukio bankas
The European Commission has concluded that LTL 128,5 million (around €37 million) additional compensation granted by Lithuania to Siauliu bank in the context of the resolution of Ukio bankas was in line with EU rules on state aid to banks during the crisis (see IP/08/1495 , IP/08/1901 , IP/09/322 , IP/10/1636 , IP/11/1488 and IP/13/672). In August 2013, the Commission had authorised state aid supporting the resolution of the Lithuanian bank AB Ukio Bankas (see MEX/13/0814). The bank had been declared insolvent in February 2013 and part of its assets and liabilities have been taken over by another Lithuanian bank, AB Siauliu Bankas, selected in a competitive process. The cash grant of LTL 799 million (around €231.4 million) foreseen by Lithuania intended to bridge the gap between the value of the transferred assets and liabilities. However, the final valuation of assets and liabilities determined that the difference was in fact LTL 128.5 million larger than estimated. The original agreement foresaw that the parties should compensate Siauliu bank for this difference or Siauliu bank could terminate the agreement. The Lithuanian authorities chose to compensate Siauliu bank with an additional cash grant of LTL 128.5 million. The Commission found that the additional compensation represented the difference in value of the transferred assets and liabilities and was necessary for an orderly resolution of Ukio. More information will be available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case register, under the case number SA.38664 .
State aid: Commission approves prolongation of Irish credit union resolution scheme
The European Commission has authorised, under EU state aid rules, the prolongation of the Irish credit union resolution scheme until 31 December 2014. The Commission found the prolongation of the scheme, initially approved on 20 December 2011 (see IP/11/1574) and last prolonged in January 2014 (see MEX/14/16.01), to be in line with its guidance on state aid to banks during the crisis. In particular, the prolonged measures are well targeted, proportionate and limited in time and scope. More information will be available on the Commission's competition website, in the public case register, under the case number SA.38985 .
What Commissioners said
President Barroso on the outcome of the special meeting of the European Council
At the press conference following the special meeting of the European Council, President Barroso touched upon the implementation of the Association Agreement with Ukraine – including the DCFTA – and also the energy trilateral talks and the energy situation, namely regarding the impact of the crisis between Russia and Ukraine on Europe.
The full speech is available on RAPID and the video of his intervention can be watched on EBS .
Embracing the open opportunity: speech by Vice President Neelie Kroes
Speaking at the Open Knowledge Festival in Berlin, Neelie Kroes sets out the advantages of being open– transparency, fairness and innovation – and how the European Commission has promoted it: promoting open public data, open science, net neutrality, and open education. She also launches new EU guidelines to encourage public administrations to make public information freely available, see IP/14/840 and Q&A for more detail MEMO/14/491 .
Side Bar