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In quest for a sustainable motorization: the CNG opportunity
This article aims at describing the opportunity deriving from the substitution of conventional fuels, as gasoline and diesel, with the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), frequently indicated as methane. The use of CNG systems in vehicles cannot be considered the ultimate solution to the problem of pollution generated by road transport, but the advantages of this fuel are: a) relevant, as it concerns consumer's expenses and ecological aspect; b) rapidly achievable, waiting for availability of new technologies capable of more relevant advantages; c) close to hand for several countries: Europe and U.S. and those where the motorization is at the take-off stage, like the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China), and others like: Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia and so on. In fact, such countries in take-off stage on the one hand have extensive reserves of methane, and on the other hand need to cut emission urgently, specifically in areas with a high density of population. From the economic point of view CNG results a viable solution with few contraindication. The most important bottleneck is represented by a possible shortage in the distribution network. If a country is crossed by a gas pipeline this shortage could be overcome rapidly and without relevant costs. In the others the solution could be achieved either through gas carriers ships or through local production of biomethane by the exploitation of biomasses.
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- Benjamin Senauer, 2008. "Food Market Effects of a Global Resource Shift Toward Bioenergy," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 90(5), pages 1226-1232.
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The Cambridge-Isanti boys enjoyed an undefeated week on the pitch which began with a 2-1 home victory over crosstown rival St. Francis Sept. 20.
"We always have an interesting match with St. Francis. Our boys came out pretty determined to play hard, knowing this was a section-seed determining game," said C-I Coach Randy Rouse. "The Saints are a strong, physical team, and they came out equally determined against us."
The Saints took a 1-0 lead at the 31st minute, but four minutes later, the Jackets' struck back. Off a free kick, Josh Rouse found Josh Samsa who headed the ball into the net. In the second half, the wind picked up mightily in favor of St. Francis. Aaron Kordiak and Benj Nault-Maurer led the C-I defense in turning away repeated attacks on the net.
Then in the 61st minute, Rouse sent the ball toward Samsa who made a great pass across the goal mouth. Eighth-grader Micah Brady was in position to score the game-winner– his first varsity goal for the Bluejackets.
C-I 5, Big Lake 1
The Bluejackets evened their Mississippi 8 record at 1-1 with the Sept. 22 road win at Big Lake. Josh Rouse delivered 3 goals and 1 assist in the victory, with Samsa tallying 1 goal and 2 assists. Brady added C-I's other goal, with Travis Olson and Skye Hunt-Schuft each getting 1 assist.
C-I 0, Concordia Acad. 0 OT
The Beacons came to CIHS for a Saturday afternoon game, bringing with them several players skilled at heading the ball. C-I keeper Nate Medin played a great game in the net, making a full-out dive on a rocket midway through the first half and holding despite Concordia's consistent attack. The Bluejackets turned the tables with solid pressure late in the first half when Kordiak, Samsa and Hunt-Schuft all had good chances.
• On Sept. 27, visiting Monticello posted a 5-1 victory over the Bluejackets in Mississippi 8 action.
M-8 Boys Soccer
St. Michael-Alb. 3-0-1, 8-3-2; Buffalo 3-1-1, 7-3-1; Monticello 3-2, 6-6-1; Rogers 2-2, 2-10-1; Cambridge-Isanti 1-2, 4-4-1; Becker 1-2, 1-8; Big Lake-Spectrum 0-4, 0-8.


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Pesto Tortellini Chicken Salad Recipe
If you love pesto, you'll love it even more mixed with fresh veggies and chicken in this good-for-you summer salad. —Edie DeSpain. Logan, Utah
- 1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 5 cups torn romaine
- 1-1/2 cups shredded carrots
- 2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
- 1/2 cup julienned sweet red pepper
- 1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
- 1 jar (3 ounces) prepared pesto
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1. Cook tortellini according to package directions, adding peas during the last 4-5 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse in cold water.
- 2. In a large glass bowl, layer romaine, carrots, chicken, tortellini and peas, and red pepper. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, pesto and buttermilk. Spread over top. Sprinkle with parsley. Refrigerate until chilled. Yield: 6 servings.
Nutritional Facts
1-1/2 cups: 337 calories, 13g fat (4g saturated fat), 62mg cholesterol, 525mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 5g fiber), 25g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 starch, 1 fat.
Reviews for Pesto Tortellini Chicken Salad
Average Rating
Reviewed Jul. 11, 2011
"This is such a tasty and refreshing summer salad. I will definitely be making this again!"
© 2017 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC


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It's harder to pinch-hit than to hit in the lineup. But does practice make a hitter better at it?
Dynamic Run Value of Throwing a Strike (Instead of a Ball)
This in-depth look at run values examines the value of each ball not put in play, and thus, the value of catchers who know how to frame.
Defining the Pitch Sequencing Question, Part Two
Changing speeds and location? More questions lead to … more questions.
Batted-Ball Trajectory: Splitting the Difference
An examination of the potentials of batted-ball platooning.
Defining the Pitch Sequencing Question
The beginning of a step-by-step look at the questions we should be trying to answer when we explore pitch sequencing.
Is Charlie Brown the Worst Manager Ever?
Let's examine Brown's legacy a little more closely.
Are Groundball Pitchers Overrated?
Getting ground balls is definitely a good thing. But does that make a pitcher who gets tons of them a good pitcher?
The Strikeout Ascendant (and What Should Be Done About It)
To many, the rise of the strikeout has not been a good thing for the game of baseball.
How Teams Can Get the Most Out of Analytics
In the first of a two-part series, examining the different facets of data and how they apply to a baseball front office.
The Magic and Mysticism of Baseball's Projections
Projectionists should embrace the mystical side of the craft to find something new in this beautifully massive set of data.
Extending Ryan Howard Is Not What Killed the Phillies
The Phillies would have been better had they adopted sabermetrics earlier on, but that's not why they're struggling now.
Searching for Under-Used Breaking Pitches with PITCHf/x
There's reason to believe that so-so pitchers with good curves and sliders don't use them enough.
Madison Bumgarner and Athletics for Athletes
Sometimes, unorthodox mechanics are a good thing.
Does the Call Need to Stand?
We can't get all the calls right, but there is a subset of calls where baseball can do better.
The Tony Gwynn Treatment
Do low-strikeout hitters receive special strike zone preference?
Staggered Rotations and Postseason Win Probabilities
Could a team punt Game One against the other team's ace to gain the upper hand for the rest of the series?
Ruminations on Pitching Efficiency
Let's talk about quantifying the most efficient way to play a baseball game.
The Tigers Wouldn't Trade Dave Dombrowski
The long-time executive always keeps us on our toes.
Cooperstown Confidential: Seinfeld, Sabermetrics and Ken Phelps
Frank Costanza wanted to know how you could trade Jay Buhner for Ken Phelps. Here within lies the answer.
The Value of (In)Consistent Play in Major League Baseball
Continuing the quest to determine how many wins consistent play is or is not worth to major league teams.
- « Previous Page
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In addition to warming our brains and framing our faces, hair also provides the only concrete evidence of the existence of wind. Maintain your breeze detectors with this Groupon.
Choose Between Two Options
- $99 for one Brazilian Blowout (up to $300 value)
- $189 for two Brazilian Blowouts (up to $600 value)
The Brazilian Blowout's strengthening serum rejuvenates strands and eliminates frizz within approximately three hours, resulting in shinier and more manageable hair.
Some hair-straightening products that claim to be formaldehyde-free include aldehyde compounds, which are similar to the carcinogen formaldehyde. Side effects may include nosebleeds, headaches, vomiting, and respiratory problems, among others. Learn more about the health risks here.
Kelly at 112 Shades (Formerly at Reflection Salon & Spa)
Kelly Mosher's fashionable cuts and texturizing treatments help transform hairdos, but her services extend past more than just hair. When she isn't washing, conditioning, and cutting hair, Kelly enhances eyelashes with natural-looking extensions that heighten the drama of every wink or perplexed squint.


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When you plan to hire Property Management Company the first thing that ponders your mind is the genuineness of the company and its benefits for your asset? Well these are obvious things which concern the minds of property owners as they always want to get the best return from their investment and also at the same time want it to be safe and secured.san diego property management companies can definitely help you provide answers to all your queries and also handle all the property related issues at the same time. Renting and maintaining your own property for tenants might be a cumbersome process hence these management companies make the process appear to be simple and quick by letting out your property to candidates who are deserving and genuine. The professionals of property Company also scrutinize all the applications thoroughly to ensure that no bad tenants are entertained which might result in wasting of time and resources for serving the eviction notice.
These management organizations often set the standards of tenancy a bit higher so that fraud tenants must not hire the asset and in this way prevent rental scams. These standards usually leads to assurance that the tenants are absolutely genuine and would pay their rent on time, rent for longer periods, cause less problems and complaints and won't cause any wear or tear to the property. Property Management in San Diego can definitely prove to be a fruitful venture for property owners and landlords as it can save them from screening of tenants, maintenance of property conditions, handling of grievances and complaints, rent collections, handling security deposits, inspections, evictions, terminating leases and other such issues which are time consuming.
San Diego Property Management Companies know what the owners require and accordingly take care of all those needs. They also repair and improve the property after the vacancy by the prior tenants so that it is again available for quick renting and does not remains vacant for longer periods of time. They even guide the owners about the ideal buying properties in the area and help in making the best deal. Highly profitable and efficient these organizations prove to be your best management aid.


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After a recent run of commanding performances, Sebastian Vettel is in the driving seat to clinch his third championship in a row but the German isn't counting his chickens just yet.
The Red Bull driver has won three races on the trot and as a result has emerged as the new leader of the standings with four Grands Prix to go against an under-par Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, but the defending champion warned not to take the situation for granted.
"What I think is important is that we have to keep things simple," Vettel was quoted saying on the official Formula 1 website. "That means that we have to concentrate on ourselves - because we cannot influence what others are doing and starting mind games now about what others will do in the next races is a waste of energy.
"It is obvious this season that things can change quite fast, so there is no guarantee that luck will stay on our side. So 'keep on pushing' should be our motto for the last four races," the 25-year-old pointed out despite hitting a purple patch of form at the right time.
"You have all seen us this year - for many months it was something of a real roller-coaster ride, but we finally found our strength again and since Singapore it works. (In Korea) the team did everything right, and I didn't do anything stupid - we sure want to keep it that way!" he laughed.


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- greendot, etc.
- training
- staff and board
- kristen parks
- gail schoolfield
- marigail sexton
- board of directors
Coker, Ann L., Cook-Craig, Patricia G., Williams, Corrine M., FIsher, Bonnie S., Clear, Emily R., Garcia, Lisandra S., & Hegge, Lea M., (2011). Evaluation of Green Dot: An Active Bystander Intervention to Reduce Sexual Violence on College Campuses. Violence Against Women. 17(6): 777-796. (click here for pdf)
Coker, Ann L., Fisher, Bonnie S., Bush, Heather M., Swan, Suzanna C., Williams, Corrine M., Clear, Emily R., & DeGue, Sarah, (2014). Evaluation of the Green Dot Bystander Intervention to Reduce Interpersonal Violence Among College Students Across Three Campuses. Violence Against Women. DOI: 10.1177/1077801214545284. (click here for pdf)
Cook-Craig, Patricia G., Millspaugh, Phyllis H., Recktenwald, Eileen A., Kelly, Natalie C., Hegge, Lea M., Coker, Ann L., Pletcher, Tisha S., (2014). From Empower to Green Dot: Successful Strategies and Lessons Learned in Developing Comprehensive Sexual Violence Primary Prevention Programming. Violence Against Women. DOI: 10.1177/1077801214551286. (click here for pdf)
Cook-Craig, Patricia G., Coker, Ann L., Clear, Emily R., Garcia, Lisandra S., Bush, Heather M., Brancato, Candace J., Williams, Corrine M., Fisher, Bonnie S., (2014). Challenge and Opportunity in Evaluating a Diffusion-Based Active Bystanding Prevention Program: Green Dot in High Schools. Violence Against Women. DOI: 10.1177/1077801214551288. (click here for pdf)
The professionals at Green Dot, etc. are not committed to any specific program, but rather to the successful prevention of power-based personal violence. Given the daily human cost of this violence, close scrutiny of violence prevention efforts is imperative. As such, we have worked to engage internationally respected, independent researchers to evaluate our programs and publish results in peer reviewed, scientific journals. Our work will be driven by outcome data and not by personal investment in any specific program.
Though the Green Dot Violence Prevention Strategy is heavily informed by research across multiple disciplines, it is a young program that is still in the early stages of evaluation. Studies that are recently completed or currently underway are listed below. As results, publications, and additional studies become available, they will be accessible from this site.
Funder: Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Principal Investigators:
Ann Coker, Ph.D., University of Kentucky,
and Patty Cook-Craig, Ph.D., University of Kentucky
Funder: Department of Education
Principal Investigator:
Rick Zimmerman, Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University
Ann L, Coker,
Patricia G. Cook-Craig,
Corrine M. Williams,
Bonnie S. Fisher,
Emily R. Clear,
Lisandra S. Garcia,
Lea M. Hegge
Principal Investigator:
Ann Coker, Ph.D., University of Kentucky
ONSITE TRAINING AVAILABLE For information about scheduling on onsite training contact us at email@example.com.
At Green Dot, etcetera, our work goes beyond the Green Dot program itself. As leaders in violence prevention, we provide training, technical assistance, and program development for individuals, schools, and organizations both domestically and internationally as they work to foster safe communities. We are proud to be a technical assistance provider for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office o Violence Against Women Campus Program. To learn more about that initiative, please visit our OVW Technical Assistance section.
Check out Dorothy Edwards discussing Green Dot on Kentucky Educational Television.
We are collaborating with Hollaback! to support their amazing efforts to address street harassment. To learn more about street harassment and how you can do your part to reduce it, check out ihollaback.org.


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Producer/DJ legend Steve Aoki is swinging for the fences with his debut studio album Wonderland, which arrives today (January 17) on New York-based Ultra Music in conjunction with his own label Dim Mak Records. To help kick off the occasion, CraveOnline has teamed up with AOKI to give away not only a copy of his album, but a pair of Sol Republic Tracks headphones as well!
A milestone in his extensive career as an industry entrepreneur, DJ and producer, Wonderland showcases "all the different kinds of production sounds I can do," says the globe-trotting DJ. "This album is a collection of singles with all different kinds of songs," AOKI says, guaranteeing that fans across the spectrum of his wide range of sound will find a home on the album. Fans can purchase Wonderland at iTunes.
The album's forthcoming single, the pop-skewing offering "Ladi Dadi" featuring Wynter Gordon, is set for release January 24 as well as a package including remixes from Autoerotique, Angger Dimas and Tommy Trash due January 31. The official video for "Ladi Dadi" premiered on January 11 on RollingStone.com. Check it out below:
To enter to win, just follow @CraveMusic on Twitter, and hit us with a message that includes the hashtag #Wonderland – easy as that!
To support Wonderland, AOKI is launching his biggest tour ever: ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK PRESENTS DIM MAK'S DEADMEAT TOUR 2012 powered by Sol Republic, set to travel across North America throughout winter 2012 and visit some of the most renowned theaters and concert arenas, including the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, the Fillmore in Denver, Boston's House of Blues, Montreal's Metropolis and New York City's legendary Roseland Ballroom. For the DEADMEAT Tour, AOKI will partner with dubstep's hottest new producer and Dim Mak label mate Datsik. He'll also appear at Beyond Wonderland in Southern California on March 17 and Ultra Music Festival in Miami on March 25.
For complete listing of tour dates, go to the DeadMeat Tour's official site.


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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- It pains me - yea, kills me -- to say it, but Don Rumsfeld may have had a point after all.
"You go to war with the army you have---not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time," Rumsfeld said in 2004, as Iraq descended into chaos. This morning's January jobs report is no Iraq - but with an unemployment rate falling to 6.6% and 113,000 new jobs, the report shows a job market that, while not ideal, is more than good enough for the economy we have.
The story is a combination of simple arithmetic and some clear and present trends in the 2014 economy.
The arithmetic is that the economy doesn't need as many jobs as people might assume. The conventional wisdom used to be that economic growth couldn't bring down the unemployment rate unless it created 150,000 to 175,000 jobs a month. But thanks mostly to retiring baby boomers, economists such as Barclays' Dean Maki estimate that number is more like 90,000.
Indeed, if you look at the government's current population survey, the number of folks in the work force has climbed only 800,000 - since December 2008. At that pace, adding 194,000 jobs a month, as the economy did in 2013, will make a dent in the unemployment rate PDQ.
That pace only stands to pick up this year. Consensus forecasts call for nearly 3% economic growth --- almost half again as fast as last year. More important, the details of today's report show where that will translate into jobs, in a pattern that has been visible for months. The categories where we most need to see new jobs are where they are showing up now - or soon will.


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The meeting will be one of the last steps before the Adelaide-based company makes a decision to proceed with the development of Tala Hamza, which is expected to happen before the end of next month.
Terramin owns 65 per cent of Tala Hamza, while the remaining interest is held by two Algerian state-owned companies.
"It is in the interests of the joint venture parties and the government that this project be commenced as soon as possible," Mr Moriarty said.
It is anticipated that Tala Hamza will be the first underground zinc mine to use the block caving technique, which allows for economic mining of large, lower grade ore bodies.
Based on a minimum annual throughput of 4 million tonnes, the operation would produce 370,000 tonnes of zinc and lead concentrates a year.
At this rate, it would be one of the six largest zinc and lead mines in the world.
Because of the extensive amount of underground development required to establish the block cave, the construction phase of the project is expected to take 57 months.
The long lead time before first production and political tensions in the Middle East have weighed on Terramin's share price. On Thursday, it sank to a 52-week low of 32.5¢.
The Australian Financial Review


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SHERIDAN — Devan Reilly took the second best bareback ride of the week and the short-go Saturday night during the College National Rodeo finale.
The Sheridan native and Gillette College cowboy Reilly's 81-point ride was second only to his teammate Casey Breuer's 81.5 earlier in the week and put him impressively close to a national title. Coming up with 292.5 points, Reilly finished seventh in the average at his first CNFR. The national title winner carried 304.5 points.
For Sheridan College, Zeke Thurston was bucked off his saddle bronc horse in the championship round. His horse flew across the arena and he hit against the railing as he was bucked off. After covering his first three rides, the SC freshman finished 1oth in the average.
After a slow start missing a score in his first two bull rides, Taygen Schuelke scored a 59-point ride in his final attempt. While he didn't qualify for the short go, he finished 19th in the average during his first trip to the CNFR.
Jordan Thurston-Miller of Gillette College, goat tying, was the only athlete from a Wyoming college or university to win a national title.
Follow this link for the full results.


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Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss Reviews
great new colorThis is a winner. It feels good, no taste and the color options are to die for! — 4 years, 9 months agokristenbrooks | 3 reviews
I love PInk Liberty!I just got the new shade of this gloss called Pink Liberty, I think it's new for spring 08', and I LOVE it! I usually never like the Dior Addict glosses because to me the colors were all similar and although very pretty in the tube they all came out too light for more non-pigmented lips and washed me out. Also they had an old lady scent and taste (yuck!) These glosses are a little smoother and lig...read morehter, and although I love a good fruity lipgloss, Dior doesn't seem to ever get it right with lip products as far as frgrance and flavor(Hello, have you ever tried DiorKiss they taste like poison!).These I am happy to say are fragrance and taste free. Pink Liberty is a nice sheer medium pink with hardly any noticable shimmer, it instantly awakens my pale skin! I will buy again and again (I hope this isn't Limited edition!) — 4 years, 9 months agoSarah613 | 26 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 3 of 3 people said helpful
Amazing lip glossIts not sticky yet it has staying power. It sparkles and tastes great. Available in many amazing colors. My favorite high end lip gloss. — 4 years, 9 months agopsipsina | 6 reviews
My lips are so soft!This gloss looks amazing and won't dry out your lips. I love it!!! — 4 years, 9 months agokimlee | 5 reviews
Glossy Lips MasterThis lip gloss is fabulous alone or layered on top of lipstick. Has a good texture,l not sticky like many high shine lip glosses. Nice low key colors available. The champange color is my favorite. — 4 years, 9 months agoRED003 | 4 reviews
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My Reasons for Reporting This


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Green groups had expressed excitement about Hirono's committee assignment, calling her an advocate of clean energy and conservation.
They likely will be just as pleased with Schatz who, like Hirono, has said he is committed to combating climate change.
In a December media conference that announced his appointment, Schatz said, "For me, personally, I believe global climate change is real and it is the most urgent challenge of our generation."
Schatz will face a special election in 2014 to earn the right to serve out the final two years of Inouye's term. If he wins, Schatz said he intends to run for a full term in 2016.


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Gossip Girl star Kelly Rutherford enjoyed an afternoon stroll with her daughter Helena Grace, 1 next month, their family dog and her new beau. The happy couple walked hand in hand toward Kelly's home in West Hollywood, Calif. today (May 18).
We first spotted Kelly and her mystery man cuddling up together last week.
Kelly and her ex-husband, Daniel Giersch, are also parents to 3 1/2-year-old son Hermés. The 41-year-old actress filed for divorce when she was just three months pregnant with Helena.View Slideshow »»


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Johannesburg – Boosted by their triumph in the Carling Black Label Cup on Saturday, a confident Vladimir Vermezovic said he was on the verge of finalising his starting Orlando Pirates team for the coming season.
Pirates' first assignment was scheduled against SuperSport United in the MTN8 first round next weekend.
"I think we are on the right track and I now know that I am close to my starting 11 for the match against SuperSport," Vermezovic said.
On Saturday, Pirates continued their dominance in the cup over Kaizer Chiefs as they clinched their third title in four attempts, in the preseason challenge.
The Buccaneers beat Chiefs 6-5 in a penalty shoot-out after the derby match ended goalless after 90 minutes of regulation time.
Vermezovic expressed delight with his players' performances on the field of play against their arch rivals.
"We managed to control the game, but unfortunately we could not win it in 90 minutes. I think everyone can be satisfied with the game."
It was the Serbian coach's second piece of silverware since taking over in March, having guided the club to glory in the Nedbank Cup at the end of last season.
Ahead of the new season, Vermezovic said his side only required minor fine-tuning before they were ready.
"I think we are 80 percent ready for the season. It's time to refresh the team; other teams that are not in the MTN8 have two more weeks of preparation. Unfortunately we only have one week but that's our destiny. When you are a big club you must be ready as soon as possible."
After reaching the final of four different cup competitions last season, Vermezovic said his charges were still regaining their fitness.
The Amakhosi, meanwhile, were set to take on Mpumalanga Black Aces in the MTN8 next weekend.
Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter said he was pleased with his side's display against Pirates and their only undoing was the gamble of penalty kicks. "I thought we created better chances, and even though we weren't excellent we were pretty good on the day," said Baxter after the game.
"Penalties are not our thing."
Baxter urged the Soweto giants who are on a 13-month cup drought to put up a tougher fight if they want success.
"The difference between winning is five percent… sometimes maybe even less. The players need to get better and we need to improve as a team. We have seen how tough it is to win, because even though we had a good last season, we can't say it was great because we didn't win anything." – Sapa


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I want a pet.
Now that I've revealed that desire to you all, I must now explain some of the obstacles that are facing me in this venture.
First, my wife and I live in a townhouse.
It's very comfortable for the two of us, but I'd have to find an unbelievably well trained dog before I'd consider having such an animal in our residence, preferably one that doesn't defecate.
Generally, you also need a lawn bigger than the small swath of grass we have outside our townhouse if you're going to be the proud parents of a pup.
That leaves a cat.
I've always been a fan of the temperamental little fuzz balls and Jill, my wife, also thinks they're as cute as can be, but her allergies have put a stop to us adopting or purchasing said critter.
When she's around cats, the allergic reaction decommissions her nose, and then the tears start welling up like she's inhaled an entire onion.
I wouldn't wish that state on anybody, so I've forgone surprising her with a fluffy kitten as a gift.
Recently, my hope that we might be able to own a cat was rekindled when I heard of "hypoallergenic" felines on a weekly sitcom.
Surely, I thought the existence of these animals was made up for comedic effect, but after a bit of Internet research – I believe everything I read on the Internet, by the way – I found there are actually cats that can allegedly be owned by people with allergies.
The owners of these hypoallergenic cats purport to have no allergic reaction to the animals.
I found a website that sells small ones – 10 to 15 pounds – and larger versions that look like small cheetahs.
I'm guessing if you purchased one of the bigger cats it would kill you in your sleep.
Seriously, the site says they're 25 pounds.
But there is a major drawback to these pets: the price.
The smaller feline retails for $6,950.
The baby cheetah costs a whopping $26,950.
I'd rather have a new, mid-priced sedan than a large, potentially aggressive jungle cat or a smaller feline that costs as much as fancy living room set.
I guess I'm not that disappointed that these animals are so expensive, though.
I read on some medically centered websites that people allergic to cats would still likely have allergic reactions to the highly expensive, "sneeze-and-tear-free" ones.
Basically, the sites state the hypoallergenic claim is false.
I'm not going to refute or support that claim, but I know one thing – I don't have the cash to buy one of those buggers in order to find out if the claim is valid.
I've heard the only true hypoallergenic pets are ones with scales, so maybe I'll get one of those.
Iguanas can be snuggly and taught to play fetch, right?
Is a sneeze-free animal worth the price?
I want a pet.


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Eww a FPS fan …
Comment on Catherine = 100% "Not Just A Weird Game, A Great One Too!" by Striker25:
Eww a FPS fan
Recent comments by Striker25:
- Top 15 Best Anime:
Why the heck is Tiger & Bunny on the list?
- Goddess of 2ch: "Paipan is My Hobby":
- Top 15 Worst Anime:
Surprised One Piece is rank #15
- Goddess of 2ch: "It's So Embarrassing To Be An Outtie! ///":
Her body is perfect!
- Sushi "World's 4th Most Delicious Food":


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Ariel Shawl by Rebecca Hatcher
Welcome! You are browsing as a guestWould you like to see 4 projects made from this pattern and much more? create a free account What am I missing?
Ariel Shawl
This pattern is available for $4.00 USD
buy it now or visit pattern website
buy it now or visit pattern website
This triangular shawl starts with just seven stitches at the center back neck. Increases at the sides and center shape the triangle, which ends in deep scallops along the lower edges.
The lace pattern is adapted from that of the Kimono Shawl in Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle.
Shawl shown is 68 inches across and 34 inches from neck to tip.
There are more pictures in this flickr set: http://flickr.com/photos/archiknist/sets/72157607427492698/
For more information, see: http://archiknist.blogspot.com/2008/09/ariel-shawl_4...


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Listen, when push comes to shove, who do you really want performing a heart transplant on you or a loved one? Some stuffy surgeon with an absolutely abysmal kill:death ratio, or I veteran gamer and critic?
The answer is pretty obvious in my book.
Bossa Studios created Surgeon Simulator 2013 during a 48-hour Global Game Jam. It's been taking the internet by storm ever since its release, and I decided to take a turn with surgery and give it a go.
It's amazing. And make sure you stay until the very end.
You can play the game for free, online, right this very second by heading to Bossa's Game Jam website. I assume you won't be better at it than me.
Joey Davidson is the Associate Gaming Editor for CraveOnline and co-host of Watch Us Play and the Next Gen News podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @JoeyDavidson.


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Countdown to The Emmys: Which Canceled TV Series Would You Bring Back?
In anticipation of the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, which air September 22 at 8 p.m. ET, we are launching a series of polls and other TV-related challenges. Return each week for a new Countdown to the Emmys event!
Your first mission, should you choose to accept it, is to tell us which canceled TV… More »


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Chubb Limited, CB is in the exchange NYSE and its industry is Property & Casualty Insurance in the sector of Financial. Based in USA, Chubb Limited, CB has a market cap of 59246.76. Since its IPO date on the 9/7/1984, Chubb Limited, CB performance year to date is 9.51%. Today Chubb Limited, CB has gained 0.13%, with a current price of 127.24.
Ownership of the company is 0.60% for insider ownership while institutional ownership is 89.00%. The management of the company have seen the company have a payout ratio of 43.10%. Return of assets are at 1.80%, with return on investment at 7.80%.
In terms of debt levels and profit levels, Chubb Limited, CB is seeing a long-term debt/equity of 0.27. While Total debt/equity is 0.28. With a profit margin of 9.70%, this is combined with a gross margin of *TBA, and operating margin of 13.40%. Chubb Limited ability to meet debt levels, with a current ratio of *TBA, while the quick ratio is *TBA.
For the last year Chubb Limited, CB has seen a EPS growth of 2.40%. A performance for the year of 25.25%. The 52-week high is -2.87%, and the 52-week low is 28.97%. The average volume for Chubb Limited, CB is 1188700.
With a target price of 135.5, can Chubb Limited, CB reach this target? Looking at the value indicators of Chubb Limited, CB. Chubb Limited has a P/E of 20.48 and a forward P/E of 12.25. Perhaps the more useful indicator than P/E, is PEG which has a value of *TBA. Chubb Limited also has a P/S and a P/B of 2.41 and 1.26 respectively. For P/cash, Chubb Limited has a value of 58.6, while it is 18.74 for P/free cash flow.
At the current price of 127.24, Chubb Limited has a dividend yield of 2.17%. We see a return on equity of 6.30%.
Looking more long-term Chubb Limited, is projected to get an EPS growth for the next five years of -2.03%. In the short-term an EPS growth of 8.47% in the next year is forecasted. This is after a EPS growth of 2.40% for this year and for the last five years a -1.00% growth has been seen.


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Welcome to our April e-newsletter, which is chocked full of opportunities. Learn how you can apply for our fall Leadership Academy, vote for your favorite photos in the Day in the Life contest, get AALL news via RSS feeds, propose a "Hot Topic" program for Portland, or donate to our 10th annual Children's Book Drive. Also, learn about recent Executive Board actions on vendor relations, about progress on the reopening of EPA libraries, and much, much more!
In This Issue
Board Actions on Vendor Relations
In November I appointed a working group of Executive Board members, plus the chair of the Committee on Relations with Information Vendors (CRIV), to consider possible changes in some of our approaches to vendor relations and communications. At our meeting earlier this month, the board approved several recommendations of the working group:
The board also discussed a number of other strategies, many of which are being pursued informally. For a more complete report on our current vendor relations activities, the text of the new Sponsorship Policy, and the revised Principle Two of the Guide to Fair Business Practices for Legal Publishers, please visit the Vendor Relations page on AALLNET.
Vote for Your Favorite Day in the Life Photo
The Day in the Life of the Law Library Community photo contest is in the final stage of judging. Members of the AALL Public Relations Committee have narrowed down the nearly 150 entries to the top five in each category, and you now have the chance to vote for your favorite photos.
This week, April 14-21, AALL members will choose the best photo in each category and one best overall photo. Simply login with your AALLNET members-only e-mail and password. Please note that you will only be able to vote once.
A Day in the Life of the Law Library Community, sponsored by the AALL Public Relations Committee, is a nation-wide photo contest to document law librarians working, meeting, teaching, and doing all that law librarians do in a given work week. Winners will be recognized on AALLNET, in the July 2008 issue of AALL Spectrum, and during the 2008 AALL Annual Meeting in Portland.
Please send any questions or comments to Public Relations Committee Chair Julie Jones.
Take the Lead: Apply for the 2008 AALL Leadership Academy
Are you in the early stages of your career and looking to get ahead in the profession? Do you know your unique strengths? Do you know how to bring value to your organization through personal visibility?
Learn the answers to these questions and much more by applying to the AALL Leadership Academy, to be held October 3-4 in the Chicago area.
Applications will be accepted May 1-June 30, and participants (fellows) will be selected and notified by mid-August. Fellows will participate in pre-engagement exercises, have an opportunity to obtain a mentor, and receive ongoing leadership development opportunities.
Let's Heat Up Portland! Submit a "Hot Topic" Proposal by May 15
There's still time to submit a proposal for the 2008 "Hot Topic" session. Proposals should consider a late-breaking or otherwise timely topic. Members with ideas about emerging issues that might be suitable for the session should contact Diana Jaque, Annual Meeting Planning Committee chair, at 213/740-2632 by May 15.
Proposed Bylaws Amendments
At its April 2008 meeting, the AALL Executive Board approved bylaws amendments for recommendation to and adoption by the membership. The amendments are necessary to implement the Association's new committee structure, which was recommended by the AALL Committee Structure Special Committee and approved by the Executive Board at its November 2007 meeting.
In addition to the changes necessary for adoption of the new committee structure, the bylaws committee has also recommended changes that will allow for the membership to vote on future bylaws amendments by electronic or other means, instead of by mail ballot.
Ballots will be mailed to the membership in late April. Watch for yours in the mail, and be sure to vote and return your ballot by May 30.
RSS Feeds Now Available for AALLNET
AALL now offers several RSS feeds that include headlines, summaries, and links back to AALLNET for the entire article. RSS, which stands for Really Simple Syndication, is an XML-based format for content distribution. It provides our members with a new and easy way to keep up-to-date with AALL. Subscribing to the feeds is easy! Simply copy the feed's URL into the RSS reader of your choice and you are subscribed to that feed. RSS feeds are the perfect way to keep up with new job postings, news about your colleagues, and the latest from chapters, SISs, caucuses, and committees.
CRIV Tip: Getting Results from Customer Service
Committee on Relations with Information Vendors member Robert Myers, manager of serials and collections access at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, presents CRIV Tip No. 8 about maximizing your interactions with customer service departments.
Are your interactions with publishers' customer service departments less than satisfying? Are you scrambling to gather information when speaking with customer service? Would you like some tips on getting better results from your interactions with customer service? Consult CRIV Tools Getting Results from Customer Service.
Progress Report on Reopening of EPA Libraries
At the end of last year, AALL was pleased to learn that the fiscal year 2008 appropriations omnibus bill (H.R. 2764) gave $1 million to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) along with an order to reopen five libraries the agency had closed—regional libraries in Chicago, Dallas, and Kansas City, as well as the headquarters and chemical libraries in Washington, D.C. All five must be reopened by September 30.
This development was a victory for AALL and other groups that had opposed the library closures since they were first announced more than two years ago. Law firm librarians in particular are heavy users of EPA resources and were especially impacted by the library closures.
There are two new developments to report. First, the House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight held an important hearing on EPA Library Closures: Better Access for a Broader Audience? on March 13. During the hearing, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its long-awaited report on the EPA library closures, EPA Needs to Ensure That Best Practices and Procedures Are Followed When Making Further Changes to Its Library Network. The report is highly critical of the EPA's actions prior to and during the library closures. Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) perhaps said it best by noting that the GAO report "is a blueprint of how not to modernize and restructure a functioning organization." AALL fully supports the findings and recommendations of the GAO report.
Second, H.R. 2764 also ordered the EPA to produce a report to Congress by March 30 on its plans to reopen these libraries. The report, barely six pages long, unfortunately is short on specific details, particularly in regards to the scope and depth of the on-site collections for the new regional libraries. AALL's Washington Affairs Office staff is monitoring the situation and communicating the Association's continuing concerns with EPA officials.
AALL/BNA Continuing Education Grants Announced
Congratulations to the following entities that were awarded grants from the AALL/BNA Continuing Education Grants Program.
Seeking Nominations for the 2008 Spirit of Law Librarianship Award
Each year the Spirit of Law Librarianship Award honors one law librarian for his or her service to the community. Please help recognize law librarians by nominating a worthy individual who has made a meaningful contribution to a social or charitable cause or concern.
The award was established by AALL members Roy Mersky and Richard Leiter, in lieu of royalties from their book, The Spirit of Law Librarianship. The award was created in order to give special recognition to individual law librarians who might not otherwise be recognized by their peers for their important work.
The deadline for nominations is June 1. To make a nomination, please contact Roy Mersky or Richard Leiter.
A Book for Every Child
The Social Responsibilities Special Interest Section and AALL continue the tradition of giving something back to the community that hosts our Annual Meeting through this, our 10th annual Children's Book Drive.
The recipient of the 2008 AALL Children's Book Drive is the Willamette Writers Inc. Books for Kids program. This book donation program collects and distributes more than 23,000 new and used books every year to underprivileged children and teenagers served by more than 50 agencies and organizations throughout Portland, Oregon state, and southwest Washington state.
Donating books is easy! This year we are working with Powell's Books, a Portland institution since 1971. Visit the AALL Book Drive 2008 Wish List, or you can donate a gift card from Powell's Books.
All books, gift cards, and monetary donations (checks made out to "AALL") should be sent to:
Mr. Jorge Juarez
Northwestern School of Law
Lewis and Clark College
Paul L. Boley Law Library
10015 S.W. Terwilliger Boulevard
Portland, OR 97219-7799
If you have questions about the Book Drive, please contact one of the members of the SR-SIS Book Drive Team: Ann Hemmens, Jorge Juarez, or Courtney Selby.
Editors Wanted for Law Library Journal's "Keeping Up with New Legal Titles" Column
Law Library Journal seeks new editors for its quarterly book review column, "Keeping Up with New Legal Titles," beginning with the Winter 2009 issue. Interested AALL members may apply as individuals or as a team of two or three. To apply, send a writing sample and cover letter explaining why you are interested in the position to Janet Sinder, Law Library Journal editor, by April 30.
It's Time to Renew Your AALL Membership
The deadline for AALL membership renewal is May 31. Following is the 2008 membership renewal schedule:
May 1: Second dues invoices mailed out.
July 23: Expiration notices e-mailed to all members—individuals and those paid by institutions.
August 1: Expired members deleted from the AALL membership database and access to the AALLNET Members Only Section and Law Library Journal and AALL Spectrum subscriptions discontinued.
For more information or to renew your membership online, view the application form on AALLNET. If you have any questions about your membership renewal, contact AALL Headquarters (312/939-4764, ext. 210).
Member Login


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Bone Marrow Cell Engraftment of the Uterus and Genetic Studies of Reproductive Functioning
|Tracking Information
|First Received Date ICMJE
|November 8, 2011
|Last Updated Date
|July 11, 2017
|Start Date ICMJE
|October 31, 2011
|Primary Completion Date
|Not Provided
|Current Primary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|To study if endometiral stem cells are different in normal and disease states.
|Original Primary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Change History
|Complete list of historical versions of study NCT01468935 on ClinicalTrials.gov Archive Site
|Current Secondary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|To study if the type of hematopoietic transplantation regimen affects uterine engraftment of donor stem cells.
|Original Secondary Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Current Other Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Original Other Outcome Measures ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Descriptive Information
|Brief Title ICMJE
|Bone Marrow Cell Engraftment of the Uterus and Genetic Studies of Reproductive Functioning
|Official Title ICMJE
|Bone Marrow Cell Engraftment of the Uterus and Genetic Studies of Reproductive Functioning
|Brief Summary
- Some transplant recipients have been found to have cells in their uterus that come from the donor. Researchers want to study uterine tissue from three different groups of women: (1) healthy volunteers, (2) people who have had a stem cell transplant, and (3) people with rare diseases or conditions that affect reproduction. These samples will help researchers learn more about the way stem cells work in the reproductive tract.
- To collect cells from the uterus to study how stem cells work in the reproductive tract.
- Women at least 18 years of age.
|Detailed Description
Transplantation with hematopoietic cells has been used for a wide variety of blood disorders, but also for diseases like solid organ cancers. Interestingly, women who have had bone marrow transplants have been found to have donor tissue in their endometrium, which raises the possibility of cellular therapies using bone marrow derived cells for gynecologic indications. Donor engraftment does not appear to occur when transplantations were performed with stem cells collected from peripheral blood of the donor. Therefore, the subtype of cells from the bone marrow responsible for engraftment is not yet known, nor is the ideal transplantation regimen known.
The immediate aim of this tissue procurement protocol is to obtain endometrial (uterine) stem cells from many human volunteers in order to examine the biological properties of those cells. We will collect tissue from 3 primary groups of patients: normal controls, patients with rare diseases or reproductive disorders, and patients who have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Each volunteer will undergo an endometrial biopsy during an office visit. The endometrial tissue will then be studied for a better understanding of their biological properties, growth and differentiation. One specific area of interest is to study how hematopoietic transplantation impacts endometrial cell function. These endometrial cells will be analyzed in-depth in the laboratory to determine if they came from the donor or recipient, and if so, which specific populations of cells. Hematologic pre-transplant conditioning information will be correlated with these research studies to identify factors that may assist with the understanding of adult endometrial stem cell biology.
|Study Type ICMJE
|Study Design ICMJE
|Observational Model: Cohort
Time Perspective: Prospective
|Target Follow-Up Duration
|Not Provided
|Not Provided
|Sampling Method
|Not Provided
|Study Population
|Not Provided
|Condition ICMJE
|Intervention ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Study Groups/Cohorts
|Not Provided
|Publications *
* Includes publications given by the data provider as well as publications identified by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number) in Medline.
|Recruitment Information
|Recruitment Status ICMJE
|Enrollment ICMJE
|Completion Date
|Not Provided
|Primary Completion Date
|Not Provided
|Eligibility Criteria ICMJE
Subject is able to give consent/assent to participate in the protocol.
Listed below are acceptable medical conditions for inclusion in this protocol:
Rare, interesting, or unique reproductive phenotypes that may provide insight to endometrial function in health and disease:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers
|Contacts ICMJE
|Contact information is only displayed when the study is recruiting subjects
|Listed Location Countries ICMJE
|United States
|Removed Location Countries
|Administrative Information
|NCT Number ICMJE
|Other Study ID Numbers ICMJE
|Has Data Monitoring Committee
|Not Provided
|U.S. FDA-regulated Product
|Not Provided
|IPD Sharing Statement
|Not Provided
|Responsible Party
|National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) ( Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) )
|Study Sponsor ICMJE
|Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
|Collaborators ICMJE
|Not Provided
|Investigators ICMJE
|PRS Account
|National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
|Verification Date
|July 6, 2017
ICMJE Data element required by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors and the World Health Organization ICTRP


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Promo Sample 1 | Sample 2 Sample 3
Program DetailsProgram Clock
Like The Land and the Book?You'll love In the Market.
Dr. Charlie Dyer will help you understand the complex tapestry of people and events that make up Israel and the Middle East from a biblical perspective. Each week you will be presented with an in-depth look at biblical, historical, archeological and prophetic events and their relevance to today. Dr. Charlie Dyer and co-host Jon Gauger will be joined by Bible scholars and other experts to help us explore what God says about this vital part of the world. The Land and The Book, a 54-minute program, airs Saturdays at 1p.m. CT.
Dr. Charlie Dyer is professor-at-large of Bible at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Ill. Dyer is an Old Testament scholar as well as an authority on Middle Eastern history and religion. As a licensed guide to Israel, he has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East over the last two decades. Dyer has authored and co-edited many books and articles on the Middle East and the Old Testament. His articles have been published in Bibliotheca Sacra and Michigan Theological Journal. Dr. Dyer's books include The Rise of Babylon, What's Next?, The New Christian Traveler's Guide to the Holy Land and Strike the Dragon.
Jon Gauger has been with Moody Radio nearly three decades and works with special projects. In addition to hosting and producing The Land and the Book, Jon is the announcer for Dr. Paul Nyquist's weekly teaching program, Moody Presents. He writes and produces a weekly commentary, creates special documentaries, and has traveled to 30 countries covering stories for Moody Radio, or doing training work with international broadcasting partners. Jon is married to Diana, and they have two grown children—all of whom are Moody graduates. An avid photographer, videographer and reader, Jon also enjoys camping and freelance voiceover work, including audiobook projects.


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|Message view
|« Date » · « Thread »
|« Date » · « Thread »
|David Blevins <david.blev...@visi.com>
|Client/Server Multicast Discovery and Failover
|Fri, 12 Sep 2008 22:43:15 GMT
I've added some functionality to OpenEJB trunk which has been enabled in Geronimo trunk. Here's an overview of how it works: DISCOVERY What we have going on from a tech perspective is each server sends and receives a multicast heartbeat. Each multicast packet contains a single URI that advertises a service, its group, and its location. Say for example "cluster1:ejb:ejbd://thehost:4201". We can definitely explore the SLP format as Alan suggests. There are other advantages of the simple, unchanging, URI style. The URI is essentially stateless as there is no "i'm alive" URI or an "i'm dead" URI, there is simply a URI for each service a server offers and its presence on the network indicates its availability and its absence indicates the service is no longer available. In this way the issues with UDP being unordered and unreliable melt away as state is no longer a concern and packet sizes are always small. Complicated libraries that ride atop UDP and attempt to offer reliability (retransmission) and ordering on UDP can be avoided. UDP/Multicast is only used for discovery and from there on out critical information is transmitted over TCP/IP which is obviously going to do a better job at ensuring reliability and ordering. On the client side of things, a special "multicast://" URL can be used in the InitialContext properties to signify that multicast should be used to seed the connection process. Such as: Properties properties = new Properties(); properties.setProperty(Context.INITIAL_CONTEXT_FACTORY, "org.apache.openejb.client.RemoteInitialContextFactory"); properties.setProperty(Context.PROVIDER_URL, "multicast:// 220.127.116.11:6142"); InitialContext remoteContext = new InitialContext(properties); The URL has optional query parameters such as "schemes" and "group" and "timeout" which allow you to zero in on a particular type of service of a particular cluster group as well as set how long you are willing to wait in the discovery process till finally giving up. The first matching service that it sees "flowing" around on the UDP stream is the one it picks and sticks to for that and subsequent requests, ensuring UDP is only used when there are no other servers to talk to. FAILOVER On each request the server, the client will send the version number associated with the list of servers in the cluster it is aware of. Initially this version will be zero and the list will be empty. Only when the server sees the client has an old list will the server send the updated list. This is an important distinction as the list (ClusterMetaData) is not transmitted back and forth on every request, only on change. If the membership of the cluster is stable there is essentially no clustering overhead to the protocol -- 8 byte overhead to each request and 1 byte on each response -- so you will *not* see an exponential slowdown in response times the more members are added to the cluster. This new list takes affect for all proxies that share the same ServerMetaData data. Internally we key the ClusterMetaData by ServerMetaData. I originally had the version be a simple "increment by one" strategy, but eventually went with the value of System.currentTimeMillis(). It's possible more than one server is reachable via the ServerMetaData (i.e. multicast://) and each server has it's own list and version number. Secondly, if a server is restarted, the version number will go back to zero and the client could be stuck thinking it has a more current list than the server. When a server shuts down, more connections are refused, existing connections not in mid-request are closed, any remaining connections are closed immediately after completion of the request in progress and clients can failover gracefully to the next server in the list. If a server crashes requests are retried on the next server in the list. This failover pattern is followed until there are no more servers in the list at which point the client attempts a final multicast search (if it was created with a multicast PROVIDER_URL) before abandoning the request and throwing an exception to the caller. Currently, the failover is ordered but could very easily be made random. The multicast discovery aspect of the client adds a nice randomness to the selection of the first server that is perhaps somewhat "just". Theoretically, servers that are under more load will send out less heart beats than servers with no load. This may not happen as theory dictates, but certainly as we get more ejb statistic data wired into the server functionality we can pursue deliberate heartbeat throttling techniques that might make that theory really sing in practice. GERONIMO On the G side of things, the multicast functionality has been copied into Geronimo. Still need to get it updated to the latest changes. We'll eventually want OpenEJB getting notifications from the Geronimo version instead of using it's own. Once that is done we can remove the dep on the openejb-multicast jar. For the moment I just tucked the multicast server implementation into the EjbDaemonGBean as a temporary solution. A tricky thing is that when we get that setup as it's own server component we won't want the port offset and the hostname to affect the multicast host and port. The combination of the mutlicast host and port essentially creates a "topic" that all members of the network can listen to and write messages to. So any servers that are in the same cluster will need to listen on the same host/port. We could really use a GUI for this stuff too. Is there anyone out there with a few spare cycles who wants to write up a trivial little "show me the servers on the cluster" kind of portlet for the console? -David
|View raw message


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Little Sweetheart Beanie by Wendy Prager Goeckner
Welcome! You are browsing as a guestWould you like to see projects made from this pattern and much more? create a free account What am I missing?
Little Sweetheart Beanie
This adorable newborn beanie can be created in just a few hours. It uses double stranded Caron Simply Soft yarn, is knit in the round (no irritating seams on baby's head) and is quite simple to make. Included is one row of half double crochet to give it a finishing touch; however, if making for a newborn boy, just continue with the seed stitch pattern for another 1/2 inch instead.
Available on here, this pattern is also available along with others on etsy.com. My store is route45.


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Coronation Islandplay
Definition of Coronation Island
largest island of the South Orkney Islands in the British Antarctic Territory of the South Atlantic area 193 square miles (500 square kilometers) ◆Coronation Island is uninhabited.
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up Coronation Island? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


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Obamacare is here to stay?
Obamacare is here to Stay? What does that mean to me?
As we all know, the US Supreme Court recently upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare. Just for ease of use, we will use the name Obamacare in this article. The purpose of this article is to review what this act means to our customers (assuming that the act is not changed or repealed by future legislation). We are not here to discuss whether or not the act is constitutional, affordable, or the right thing to do. We're just going to talk about what it does. To do so, we are going to list some of the "winners" and "losers" under the act. This blog is mostly concerned with the effects on our customers. We are trying to provide facts, and our educated guesses about how things will pan out. The act does a lot more than what we will discuss, but much of that is "behind the scenes" stuff to the majority of our customer base. So here they are:
People who have used up their "lifetime limits" for coverage or for certain conditions. Winners. Policies may no longer have lifetime limits. Some insurance companies have stated that they would be willing to continue this provision even if the act were repealed.
Young people aged 18 to 26. Winners. Young adults may now remain on their parents policies up until age 26, even if they no longer live at home. Even if they are no longer students. Even if they are married. Most insurance companies have stated that they would be willing to continue this provision even if the act were repealed. However, watch out for one thing. Coverage for child dependents does not include maternity under most plans. If your daughter is 24, she could remain on Mom and Dad's plan, but it might be best to get her own (with maternity) if grandkids are a possibility.
Kids under 19. Winners and Losers. The act says that effective in 2010, companies may not decline applicants for individual health insurance under the age of 19 due to pre-existing conditions. If your kid has major health problems, that may be a good thing for you. However, the unintended consequence was this: Virtually every insurance company who offers individual health insurance (at least in VA) declared that they will no longer offer coverage for policies for children under 19 by themselves. They will still take them as part of a family policy with at least one parent, but they won't take them by themselves, even if they are in perfect health. This becomes a problem if the parents are not insurable. I expect that companies may begin to offer child only policies again in 2014 when they have to take all comers for adults as well.
People who already have health insurance and then get a major illness. No significant difference. Some politically biased sites tout the fact that health insurers can no longer drop an insured because they get sick. This is true. But they could not do so before the act under the laws of just about every state, except in cases of fraud by the applicant. But now it's federal law. Translated, if you lie on the application and tell us you are in perfect health, when in fact you have cancer, the insurance company will still deny claims and rescind the policy once they find out about the fraud. As it stands now (and even before Obamacare), if you have an individual health insurance policy, and develop a major illness, they can't cancel you because of the illness.
Insurance Agents. Losers. Losers. Losers. First, the act states that insurance companies must spend a certain percentage of their premium on claims, rather than overhead, expenses and profits. For group health insurance, it is 85%. For individual policies, it is 80%. In other words, their profit and overhead can be no more than 20% of premiums for individual policies. For just about every insurance company, this meant that they had to reduce overhead. Sounds like a good idea, right? The problem is, most of them already had overhead shaved pretty thin. The only area where they could make any significant cut was in insurance agent's commissions. And they did. Big time. I write a group health policy for one business that pays about $200,000 per year in premiums. For writing this big account, I make about $3000 per year in commissions (1.5%). Before Obamacare, I would have made 5%. It has reached the point where it is no longer profitable for agents to sell group health at all. In addition, the act requires the Federal or State governments to set up "insurance exchanges." In other words, they want to set up government entities to perform exactly the same functions as an insurance agent. Some political pundits have expressed the opinion that agents do not serve a valuable function in the insurance business, and they point to the example of GEICO insurance, where no agent is involved. Yes, you can buy insurance without an agent, but then there is nobody to advise you about coverage choices. Further, we find that our prices routinely beat GEICO in terms of rate by 20% to 40%. If that (the no agent system) is efficiency, then my customers can do without it.
So, by force of legislation, the federal government has largely removed the insurance agent from the equation in the purchase of health insurance, and set up a competing program which does not serve the customers as well. How many of you feel competent to compare the terms of two different insurance policies and understand which is the better deal? Do you want the government to help with that choice? OK. I'm off the soap box now. Back to business.
Anybody who wants preventive checkups. Winners. Policies must now cover preventive checkups such as mammograms and colonoscopies with no deductible and no co-payment.
Anyone who makes over $200,000 per year. Losers. Single taxpayers making over $200,000, and joint filers making over $250,000 will pay an additional 0.9% tax on their tax returns. And for you political wags, it is clearly labeled a tax.
Anyone with no health insurance who is in good health. Losers/ Winners. Starting in 2014, you must get health insurance, or pay an additional tax. At least, according to the Supreme Court, it's a tax. If you pay the tax, you lose. If you buy health insurance to avoid the tax, you lose, but if you actually need the coverage, you win. Of course, we recommend that you get health insurance anyway. If you can't afford health insurance, but make too much to qualify for Medicaid or federal subsidies, tough cookies.
Anyone with no health insurance who has pre-existing conditions. Winners/Losers Starting in 2014, you must get health insurance, or pay an additional tax. The good part for you is that starting in 2014, the insurance companies must take you, and must charge you the same rate as those clients in excellent health.
Anyone with no health insurance who makes less than 133% of the federal poverty level. Winners. Those making up to 133% of the federal poverty level will be eligible for Medicaid starting in 2014. Look here for an explanation of the federal poverty level. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_poverty_level#Recent_poverty_rate_and_guidelines. For a family of 4 in the 48 continental states, an income below $23050 counts as poverty level. Thus, an income of up to $30656 ($23050 X 1.33) would qualify for Medicaid. If you qualify, you need to enroll! People who make too much to qualify for Medicaid may still be eligible for federal subsidies to help them pay for the premiums (up to 400% of federal poverty levels). However, looking at some of the "subsidized" prices, they are still a lot higher than what some consumers would pay now, especially as you get closer to 400%. Still if you make twice the federal poverty level, this may help you afford insurance in the long run, especially if you have pre-existing health problems.
Anyone in good health buying health insurance starting in 2014. Losers. Since they have to take the folks with health problems, and charge them the same rate that they charge you, do you think they are going to give them all the low rate that you would pay today? Nope. Your rate will be raised to compensate for, and average out with, all of the unhealthy folks. And of course, you will be required to buy it, or pay the tax. I expect rates for individual policies to more than double the current "healthy individual" rates available, until they are comparable to group insurance rates.
Anyone who already has an individual health insurance policy renewing it starting in 2014. No big difference? I'm guessing a little on this one. My guess would be that the health insurance companies will start fresh in 2014 with new rate structures for new clients, and keep the existing rate structures for existing clients (subject to the usual rate increases, but not extraordinary ones).
Anyone already enrolled in a group health plan. No big difference. Group health plans already cover pre-existing conditions and take all comers, so no big changes in terms of rate.
Employers with 50 or more employees who do not offer group health now. Losers. Starting in 2014, the law requires any employer with 50 or more employees to offer coverage to their full time employees. This may result in an increase in the cost of your restaurant bill, construction project, landscaping, or virtually any other product that includes an element of labor in the US. Or it may result in problems for the next category.
Full time employees of a company with 50 or more employees and no health insurance. Your boss will soon (starting in 2014) be required to offer coverage to all full time employees. Maybe they will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a new company expense, in which case you are a winner. Maybe they will cut your hours down so that you no longer qualify as full time, in which case you are a loser.
Hospitals, drug companies, and medical equipment suppliers. Winners. Winners. Losers. Theoretically, Obamacare will greatly reduce the number of uninsured patients in the country. If these millions of patients have access to medical care they will use it. This means millions more doctors appointments, hospital stays, and prescriptions per year. And that means huge increases in profits. On the other hand, there are new taxes on them as well.
All healthcare buyers, if Obamacare works as hoped. Winners. One of the intents of this plan is to remove, or at least reduce, the number of uninsured patients. Hospitals are required to treat the uninsured for emergencies. Most hospitals write off a significant percentage of their billings as bad debts. The theory is that if we can reduce the number of uninsured patients, that will reduce hospital write offs. If hospitals don't have to cover as much bad debts, they could reduce the amounts that they charge for their services. If hospitals don't charge as much, your health insurance costs could go down. Or at least, not go up as much as they might have done. If I had to guess, there might be a lag of a few years before this effect, if any, filters down to the insurance buyer. Hospitals won't reduce costs until they actually see the reduction in bad debts. And insurance companies won't reduce premiums until they are able to negotiate lower reimbursement rates with hospital corporations. Further, I have seen one blog on hospital accounting that actually predicts an increase in bad debt write-offs as more consumers choose high deductible health plans.
Anyone who uses an FSA account for more than $2500 per year. Losers. FSA stands for flexible spending account. These are sometimes referred to as section 125 or cafeteria plans. Starting in 2014, you won't be able to run more than $2500 per year into your FSA account (at least, you won't get a tax deduction for more than $2500). This is most likely to affect parents who pay for daycare through an FSA. In other words, it hurts most for middle class folks on a budget.
The American Taxpayer. Losers. I have seen estimates ranging from One to two TRILLION dollars for the cost of this plan over the next ten years. That money has to come from somewhere.
Copyright 2012 Brown's Insurance Agency Inc.


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From Russia With Love
Lukoil spreads its banner across America.
PHILADELPHIA -- Lukoil, Russia's largest oil company, has launched a marketing offensive to put its name on gas stations across the United States and become as well known here as it is at home, according to the Associated Press.
Over the last five years, OAO Lukoil has entered the U.S. market by acquiring about 1,300 Getty gas stations and 800 Mobil locations in the Northeast. It is converting them to its brand and recently launched advertising to introduce itself to consumers in 13 states.
The company plans to keep acquiring assets in the United States, the world's biggest consumer of oil. The Moscow-based conglomerate is the largest oil producer, refiner and distributor in Russia and second in the world in proven oil and natural gas reserves behind Exxon Mobil Corp.
"It is our hope that other major acquisitions will become available as the petroleum sector continues its consolidation," said Vadim Gluzman, president and chief executive of Lukoil Americas Holding Ltd., the oil giant's U.S. arm in East Meadow, N.Y.
"There are numerous opportunities to acquire new businesses in a variety of marketing channels and as a result we are more inclined to acquire existing sites than we are to construct 'new to business' units," said Gluzman. He added the company is interested in the West Coast and other U.S. regions.
Motorists in the Northeast are increasingly seeing Lukoil's red-and-white gas stations pop up: The company is morphing its Mobil stations the rate of about 10 a week, up to 78 by the end of June.
"They want to establish their brand name. Everyone knows BP. Why not Lukoil?" said John Connor, portfolio manager of the Third Millenium Russia Fund, where Lukoil represents one of its largest holdings.
"They have a lot of pride in getting the Russian name out and about in the world," said Connor.
That may explain why Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the ribbon cutting of a Lukoil gas station opening in Manhattan two years ago, shaking hands with employees and strolling through its Kwik Farms convenience store.
Ironically, Putin's government now is investigating a subsidiary of Lukoil for evading $1.5 million in taxes. The company is disputing the charges, according to spokesman Dmitri Dolgov.
Lukoil's revenue went up by 53 percent to $34 billion in 2004 over the prior year and net income rose by 15 percent to $4.2 billion thanks to a company restructuring and higher oil prices.
Lukoil has 5,000 gas stations in more than 15 countries, about half of them in the United States. The company has interests in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Virginia, Maine, Delaware, West Virginia, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maryland.
Lukoil plunged into the U.S. market with its $70 million purchase of Getty Petroleum Marketing, a marketer of gasoline and petroleum products, and the $270 million acquisition of Mobil stations from ConocoPhillips. In January, ConocoPhillips disclosed that it raised its stake in Lukoil to 10 percent from 7.6 percent.
Unlike the $18.5 billion bid by Chinese oil conglomerate CNOOC Ltd. for California oil company Unocal Corp., Lukoil's purchase didn't raise national security concerns, since it took over gas stations and not control of petroleum assets, said Connor.
To introduce consumers to the brand, Lukoil hired Arnold Worldwide, the ad agency responsible for Volkswagen's successful "Drivers Wanted" ads, to handle its $30 million marketing budget.
The ad campaign's goal is to make consumers warm up to Lukoil as an oil company, said Fran Kelly, president and chief operating officer of the Boston-based ad agency.
"There are only five or six major (gasoline) brands. I don't know if any of them is a particularly likeable brand," he said. "Lukoil has a chance to become a likeable retailer."
Realizing that most American consumers don't have any impressions about the Lukoil brand, the company decided to home in on drivers' love of their automobiles, instead of pumping up the qualities of its gasoline, as many oil companies do.
Arnold came up with what it believes is a consumer-friendly slogan for Lukoil: "We (heart) cars." Advertising proclaims that Lukoil has "car people from head to toe. The kind that drive from the garage to the mailbox."
Lukoil has dispatched interns to gas stations to talk up the company and pass out application forms for its credit card. It also sponsors sports teams in the Philadelphia area.
But such marketing machinations may not be critical for success, given soaring gasoline prices, said Stephen Kobrin, a professor of multinational management at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.
"Do you look at the brand when you get gas?" said Kobrin. "It's a commodity. They need to have decent service and prices. Period."


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We are a group of highly experienced
emergency physicians, nurses and
technicians, that specialize in rapid,
patient-centered healthcare for families
and folks in and around Alamo Heights.
But more than that we are your neighbors.
And that's how we treat you.
We offer a full range of services including:
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After pushing up to its highest point in more than one month, the Australian dollar eased against the greenback on Tuesday, as concerns about the health of the US economy faded.
Before the local market opened, the Australian dollar had hit US90.88¢, lifted by a weakening US dollar after weaker-than-expected employment data spurred fears that the American economy was not yet out of the woods.
"As markets are sometimes inclined to do, they look at the trend in the economy over the last five minutes," said Deutsche Bank chief economist Adam Boyton.
"I guess we've stopped responding to five minutes of payrolls and it's now thinking about the next five months, and when the market did that, the US dollar found a bit of a base."
However, comments from US Federal Reserve officials highlighting that the central bank would not base its decision to taper its $US85 billion bond buying program by $US10 billion on just one month's data, helped the US dollar to a modest gain against the Aussie.
The Australian dollar opened the local trading day at US90.54¢ and eased to US90.37¢ in late trade.
"The market has now finished reacting to payrolls and people are probably coming to the view that the US economy isn't materially weaker than we thought, it's just that the data are choppier," Mr Boyton said.
Also supporting the US dollar, was Treasury data showing the American government's budget deficit was $US111 billion lower for the first quarter of the fiscal year, which began in October, when compared with the corresponding period a year earlier. It drop by more than one third to $US182 billion, according to the Congressional Budget office.
Improving budget figures from the US have been due to a recovering economy and higher tax collections. As the US economy continues to build momentum into 2014, the Australia dollar will likely weaken, Mr Boyton said.
"I think the Australian dollar is going to weaken against the US dollar and primarily that's going to reflect tighter Fed policy in the US and also the improving budget position in the US," he said.
"I think we'll end the year at about US85¢, but given the usual volatility in currency markets over the course of the year that means we'll probably see everything from US95¢ to around US80¢, as far as our range is concerned," Mr Boyton said.
With the Australian dollar to be trading around US85¢ towards the end of the year, the Reserve Bank of Australia is unlikely to make a move on interest rates, Mr Boyton said.
"I think the RBA is on hold for at least this year. An US85¢ Aussie dollar probably doesn't change that picture," Mr Boyton said.
"For the RBA, it's not what the dollar is doing alone that matters, it's what the dollar is doing, does it make sense given what's happening in the global economy."


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Ride Along stays top in US on $21m
The Universal one-two held firm as Ride Along dominated the US charts with ease and Lone Survivor held on to second place. Lakeshore's newcomer I, Frankenstein delivered a disappointing $8.3m through Lionsgate at number six.
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text:
FreakScore is a weighted average of all aggregated professional and user review scores. Read more
This product has a FreakScore of 5.7* out of 10 based on 2 scores.
*Score is uncertain and deviates toward category average due to low number of scores.
Built-In Configuration Enjoy a true, built-in appearance with Read more


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Nissan Repair Questions? Ask a Mechanic for Answers ASAP
yeah already checked those.
they are fine.
in case its the illumination control.....
I get power to the illumination control, it lights up. there are I believe 6 prongs going into this, when I test the outer 2 the tester lights.....when I check the other 4, the tester doesnt.
there are some other switches there
one is a rotary switch--this adjusts the interior brightness of the instrument panel, etc, and when you turn it all the way it should turn on the interior lights.
this switch (rotary) is currently working and controlling the brightness of the dashboard switches. the other switch is a toggle switch with 3 positions, but as you are saying this switch might not be controlling my issue.
any other places to check? all other things in the car appear to work except of the interior and vanity lights.
thats the switch i meant. thats the switch that has a 6pin harness. I took this swich out and checked the harness...... its getting power on the outer 2 nodes of the harness (checked with tester)...the other 4 when I touch them get nothing.
could this switch be the issue, as I stated it does get power to it and lights up when I plug it in?? sorry for calling it the wrong thing before.
unfortunately my wife has the car, im at work.
but I do remember that only the outer 2 had power, the other 4 didnt.
does it sound like the switch is the issue?
ill start with the switch and pick it up on the way home.
ill let you know if that fixed the issue.
How can I be sure its the switch?
they wont take it back if I open the package as its electrical.
is there a way i can verify the switch is bad. I went and pulled all the fuses and they all look fine, even the ones under the hood.
is there a way to jump the wires on the cable to bypass the switch/etc. Switch is 87 dollars and non returnable once opened.


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Link to GES Media Center
by Lynne Marascalco
GES Librarian
Reading Fair Winners
Entry Form
Storyboard Elements
Reading Fair Preparations
The Mississippi Department of Education Office of Curriculum and Instruction is pleased to announce the 14th annual MS State Reading Fair. The State Reading Fair provides students in grades kindergarten through twelve the opportunity to share their favorite book through a storyboard display. The goal of the Reading Fair is to encourage student enjoyment of reading.
After reading their favorite book, students will create a project individually, with a group, or with family members. As a result, the Fair assists in the development of students' lifelong love of reading.
All 1st Place winners in the District competition will compete regionally at Delta State University in February. DSU winners obtaining a 1st Place will compete further in the State level in May.
Dates of District Competition:
November 8- K-1 individual projects
November 9- 2nd grade individual projects
November 10- 3rd grade individual, group, and family projects
November 15- 4th, 5th, and 6th grade projects
-Set up will be each afternoon prior to each Fair Day, 3:00-5:00 in the gym
Judging begins begins at 8:30 and awards handed out at 1:30 in the gym


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HOUSTON - A man is in the hospital after a crash in southwest Houston.
It happened just around 12:30 a.m. Monday on West Bellfort and Bob White.
Officers said the driver lost control and crashed into a stop light pole.
The driver was not wearing his seatbelt and was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital in critical condition.
The driver will be tested to determine whether he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Officials said two stop lights on the pole fell after the crash. The intersection was closed as crews worked to repair the pole.
Copyright 2014 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Let your customers take your business viral with built in sharing capabilities over email, Facebook, SMS, and Twitter.
Marketing is one of the factors that make your business a sensational success, however, not all business owners can afford to do effective marketing strategies, until iPhone Business App. With iPhone Business App, marketing your business or services is now possible with minimum cost and with 100% success rate.
Sounds too good to be true? Not at all. We all know that the word of mouth is the most effective and the most practical way to promote your business, but not all entrepreneurs focus on this because of the delayed result. But thanks to MobileAppsPartner, the word-of-mouth marketing strategy can now have real-time results because of the Tell-A-Friend Feature on your iPhone Business App.
With Tell-A-Friend Feature your clients can now forward your business profile to their connections with the use of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, they can also forward it through email and best of all send a text message about it. This system, not only revolutionized the world of marketing services, but it has a great outcome to the economy itself. With a cheap, almost-free form of marketing system, entrepreneurs are cropping everywhere.
These are just a few benefits of Tell-A-Friend Feature here is more of it.
- It strengthens your business credibility. When someone can vouch for your business, then it's without a doubt you can sell and sell without the extra cost of advertising.
- It's sustainable. Since it's since Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are free, your customers can forward this as long as they want and as to many people as they want.
- It's easy to integrate with other features. You can integrate Tell-A-Friend Feature with QR Coupon Feature. You can offer great discounts and freebies through QR Coupon to customers who forward your business to a required number of connections.
- It is sure to get 100% exposure. A successful marketing system is making sure that it reaches the targeted people, Tell-A-Friend Feature can do this spot on since the people who forwarded your business, and services are users they know exactly who are the right people to tell about it.
The Tell-A-Friend Feature on iPhone Business App will be your ultimate ally. Be sure you get and use it well. Get it now, because we want you to succeed on your business.


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The world's latest little rich girl is more keen on uni than the fashion business, writes Sophie Arie.
As uncles she had Gianni Versace and Elton John. Her playgrounds were exclusive beach resorts and elaborately designed mansions. Yet despite growing up in a whirl of diamonds, private jets and pop stars, the girl with a love of history and the arts has, from all accounts, kept her feet on the ground.
Now she will need to keep them firmly planted there: when Allegra Versace Beck turned 18 this week she inherited a world-famous fashion empire.
It was in 1997 when the future changed for the 11-year-old Allegra. She turned on the television during a break from her history homework and saw the familiar image of the Miami Beach mansion where her uncle, designer Gianni, lived. He had just been shot on his doorstep by a serial killer.
Versace's disciples, including Elton John, Princess Diana and many beautiful, wealthy women, gathered to pay tearful tribute to the man who had dressed them in their finest moments. But after the funeral the southern Italian family quickly returned to business.
Gianni's younger sister, Donatella, and elder brother, Santo, have steered the giant fashion house since, Donatella as chief designer, and Santo, who studied economics, as chief executive and chief bean-counter. Now, thanks to a two-page will drawn up by Gianni a year before he died, the balance of power in one of the world's richest families is about to shift.
Allegra, Donatella's daughter, has control of half of the Versace holdings, and owns a villa on Lake Como and a New York town house. Her younger brother, Daniel, inherited Gianni's art collection.
Donatella and Santo, who own the rest of the family holding company, 20 and 30 per cent respectively, were not mentioned in Gianni's will.
Some say Gianni made his will out to the children while having treatment for cancer of the ear at a time when his relations with his siblings were at rock bottom. He admitted in 1996 that he was "at war" with his sister, who had risen in the company to the point of almost being his rival. The will has often been interpreted as a move to control the balance of power among family members and avoid any stresses on personal relationships.
Having no children of his own but wanting to "continue the species", he felt that serious young Allegra was his best choice. She is said to have been aghast when she learnt that her uncle had left the biggest piece of the cake to her. "Why did my uncle choose me?" she is reported to have said.
It might look like fairytale wealth and glamour, but with it comes huge responsibility. The future of the House of Versace - mighty but vulnerable - lies ultimately in this 18-year-old's hands. She might be forgiven for envying Daniel who "only" inherited Gianni's fine art collection. Or Gianni's partner, Antonio d'Amico, who was left $US57,000 ($81,000) a month for life and the right to live in any of Gianni's homes.
Allegra recently made a rare appearance before cameras in Milan wearing a polka-dot Versace skirt and a dark T-shirt. But her interest in fashion seems to stop there. She has shown no signs so far of wishing to join the family business - or give up her share.
Despite becoming the largest stakeholder in a $US500 million business, the young student is said to be more interested in drama and history than high fashion. She has just finished private high school in Milan and is due to start a drama degree in the US.
So what might Allegra do? According to her mother, the first thing she has done is play for time. She will not be dressing in a power suit and marching into Versace's glossy Milan headquarters to start making her mark. Instead she has reportedly asked for a few more years of freedom until she has graduated, at 24. Meanwhile, her mother will continue to steer the ship.
Since Gianni's murder the Versaces have defended their family from prying media, battling to block books and films digging into Gianni's life and death. Allegra's privacy has been as fiercely protected by her mother and Donatella's estranged husband, ex-model Paul Beck. She has firmly but politely refused to comment on her intentions.
What is certain is that the Versace empire badly needs some fresh ideas.
When Gianni built his mother's tiny tailor shop in the southern town of Reggio, Calabria, into a giant designer label and a family business involving 20 companies, he used to dream it would last for "at least" 200 years. But since he died, the empire has been steadily sinking into debt.
The original Versace model - experimental, theatrical and so brashly sexy it often bordered on the vulgar - has been overtaken by more quirky, retro designs. The label is struggling to hold its place and is running at a loss, making $US300 million less each year than it did when Gianni was alive. It has just had to borrow $US172 million so it can pay off a $US120 million bond due this month.
A good few millions have been raised among the family by selling the Miami Beach villa and some of Gianni's most loved and most valuable paintings: 25 Picassos and a still life by Cezanne were auctioned in December 1999 for 87 billion lira (then $US50 million). The family said the sale was to solve storage problems - Gianni's personal collections were huge - and that the money went to Daniel.
Now the hunt is on for a suitable billionaire to bail the Versaces out and bring new business blood into the family circle. But despite the prestige of the name, no one has come forth with the necessary cash. The former Gucci golden boys, Domenico de Sole and Tom Ford, are said to have shown little interest. Some say investors are daunted by the family histrionics of the past.
This week the word in the coffee bars of Milan was that a Dubai-based investment company, Istithmar, is hovering around the Versace honey pot. "A brand like Versace is the dream of any sheik," Istithmar's Italian partner, Matteo Corsini, told Women's Wear Daily. "I think Versace is the best brand in Italy. New money is a good combination with the Versace brand."
Observers say the answer to the label's problems is to bring in outsiders with fresh ideas. But Gianni Versace always said he found his inspiration in deepest Calabria, not cold, hard, northern Milan. His vision for the future of his empire came from the toe of Italy: keep it in the family. Which must be food for thought for Allegra.
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text: Rexnord Corporation (NYSE: RXN) announced today that it has closed its previously announced initial public offering of 27,236,842 shares of common stock at $18.00 per share. The number of shares sold includes 3,552,631 shares sold as a result of the full exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional shares. The net proceeds of the offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated expenses, were approximately $459 million. BofA Merrill Lynch, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Barclays Capital Inc. acted as joint book-running managers in connection with the offering. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with, and declared effective on March 28, 2012 by, the Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering of these securities is being made only by means of a written prospectus forming part of the effective registration statement. A copy of the final prospectus related to the offering may be obtained from BofA Merrill Lynch, 4 World Financial Center, New York, NY 10080, or by email: firstname.lastname@example.com; Goldman, Sachs & Co., Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282-2198, phone (866) 471-2526 or by email: firstname.lastname@example.com; Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Prospectus Department, One Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010, phone: (800) 221-1037 or by email: firstname.lastname@example.com; Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Attn: Prospectus Department, Harborside Financial Center, 100 Plaza One, Jersey City, NJ 07311-3988, phone: (800) 503-4611, or by email: firstname.lastname@example.com; Barclays Capital Inc., by mail at c/o Barclays Capital Inc. at Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717 or phone: (888) 603-5847. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any state or jurisdiction.