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Discover the secret techniques pros use to produce handsome reports that clearly convey almost any type of information to any type of audience. This class will help you unleash the hidden power of Crystal Reports to present database or accounting information in a way that unmistakably communicates the points you want to make.
If you have information you need to intelligently communicate to others, but cannot do so because it lies buried in your database, accounting program, or other data source, you need Crystal Reports — and this course.
It doesn't matter whether you need to develop a quick-turnaround report that your boss needed yesterday or an elaborate financial report for your company's annual report. Crystal Reports can handle it all, and your instructor will show you how.
For complete course details, please visit the ed2go Online Career Training web site.
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Home > National News > Article
The Government was prepared to consider four-year parliamentary terms as part of proposed constitutional changes but would not agree to the fixed terms demanded by Labor, the Prime Minister indicated yesterday.
Frustrated by the Senate's "obstructionism", John Howard will release a discussion paper on Wednesday canvassing two options for new arrangements. These options would enable special joint sittings of both houses of Parliament to push through legislation which had been twice rejected by the Senate.
Labor's Senate leader, John Faulkner, has said Labor would only agree to changes if they included the introduction of fixed four-year parliamentary terms and the abolition of the Senate's power to block supply.
But Labor backed away from this hardline stance yesterday. "Until we see the detail of what Mr Howard is proposing, we can't rule anything in or out," a spokesman for Senator Faulkner said.
Mr Howard said yesterday that he supported four-year terms in principle, but did not like fixed terms. He prefers the model which used to exist in Victoria, where governments were elected for four years but could call an election during the fourth year.
Mr Howard's discussion paper canvasses the option he first proposed at the Liberal Convention in June - changing the constitution to allow joint sittings of Parliament if a bill is rejected twice during a parliamentary term.
It also suggests a version of the so-called Lavarch proposal. This would automatically enable a joint sitting after an election, should it be requested by the prime minister. Any bills which had been rejected twice during the term could then be put up.
The reforms proposed by Mr Howard would complement the double dissolution provisions which exist in the constitution.
In a bid to secure bipartisan support for constitutional change, Mr Howard will discuss his proposals with Labor's leader, Simon Crean, this week before he releases them publicly.
"I'll hear directly from him what his views are on those two issues and what might condition the Labor Party's response to what we're putting forward," Mr Howard told Channel Nine.
Senator Faulkner's spokesman said fixed four-year terms would have to accompany any version of the Lavarch model.
Mr Howard has also established a consultative group to hear community views. Former Liberal minister Neil Brown, QC, will chair the committee, which will include former Labor attorney-general Michael Lavarch and law professor Jack Richardson.
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A Conversation on Color and Psychology with Roxie Darling
A counterpoint to the daytime hustle and bustle of the Wall Street neighborhood is the quiet oasis that is Hairstory, located many floors up in a discreet building. Shoes are taken off before entering the living room area, where sunlight streams in...
Bonobos: Holiday Style Tips
Advertorial content: Throughout the holiday season, festive get-togethers are about as bountiful as Black Friday sales. Whether it's an office party, meeting the in-laws or a New Year's Eve bash, dressing for the occasion is a necessity. To avoid...
Word of Mouth: Berlin
A combination art gallery and hair salon, L'atelier Friseur is the brainchild of French hairstylist Julie Monin, who moved to Berlin five years ago from London. Three years ago, noticing a lack of distinct stylists in Berlin, Monin chose to open...


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Status: Closed
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Great self storage facility with over 850 units. Full safety features including video surveillance, alarm and electric gate with after-hours accessibility. Units are temperature controlled.
Extra Space Storage is a thirty year old company that has been involved in the self-storage industry since its inception. Extra Space Storage's mission is sustainable growth, based around six basic company goals: Maximize customer satisfaction Provide an excellent product and service Develop and maintain mutually beneficial business relationships Increase shareholder value Grow the business...
Operating since 1987, Miami Nice Tours conducts various interesting tours around and in Miami that includes city tours , bay cruises and many others. During the tours, professional guides accompany the tourists and give them in-depth details of all the historic centers of the city. The tour starts at 8 am daily.
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Miami Nice Tours can be found at Ne 163rd St 3363. The following is offered: Tour Operators. The entry is present with us since Sep 9, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Miami there are 74 other Tour Operators. An overview can be found here.
Extra Space Storage is located at 13101 NE 16th Ave, Miami, FL. This business specializes in Storage and Boating.
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Some outside parties doubted the record made by Atkinson, '85 at the second winter meeting. The matter was submitted to Dr. Sargent, the referee and he replied in the following letter which has since been made public:
CAMBRIDGE, MASS., March 24.The vault performed by C. H. Atkinson, at the Hemenway Gymnasium, March 22, 1884 was over a bar. The construction of the apparatus was substantially according to the definition of fence vaulting. There can be no question of the entire fairness of the performance, or of the correct measurement of the distance.
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Read more in NewsFact and Rumor.


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NSA's bulk collection of telephone metadata likely to end soon
One way or another, there's a good chance that the government's bulk collection and storage of telephone metadata will end soon.
How it will end — and the specific rules by which government can still access phone data — remain to be seen.
The Obama administration and the House have plans to transfer storage of data to private phone companies. But there are differences over the role of judges in approving government retrieval of certain records.
Phone companies and privacy advocates have questions about the details of a new system involving the work of the National Security Agency.
In introducing his plan on Thursday, President Obama said he has decided that "the government should not collect or hold this data in bulk."
He pledged to work with Congress on new rules that would accommodate counterterrorism investigations while protecting constitutional liberties.
"I am confident that this approach can provide our intelligence and law enforcement professionals the information they need to keep us safe while addressing the legitimate privacy concerns that have been raised," Obama said in a written statement.
Under the administration's proposal, the government must obtain a judge's approval before accessing phone records, though exceptions could be made in cases of national security emergencies.
"Legislation will be needed to permit the government to obtain this information with the speed and in the manner that will be required to make this approach workable," Obama said.
The House plan would allow government agencies to obtain records from phone companies without prior approval from the special court that oversees the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The court would review the records acquisition later.
Michigan Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House intelligence committee, said requiring judicial approval for record searches in every case would slow down probes, giving terrorism suspects "greater protections than those given to U.S. citizens in criminal investigations every day in this country."
Overall, however, Rogers said he's glad "the president has moved our direction" on an NSA overhaul.
The general idea of ending government storage of metadata appears to have bipartisan support.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said this week that the intelligence committee's bill starts "a bipartisan conversation" about surveillance programs, and he added, "I expect part of this effort will include the end of the government holding onto bulk data."
James R. Clapper, director of national intelligence, said the president's plan — with the passage of congressional legislation — will ensure that "we have the information we need to meet our intelligence requirements while protecting civil liberties and privacy and being as transparent as possible."
As the administration and Congress debate new NSA rules, Obama has directed the Justice Department to ask the special intelligence court for a 90-day extension of the existing program.
Under both plans, phone companies would in some way be compelled to provide metadata, including incoming and outgoing phone numbers and call times, in a readily usable form.
The phone companies say they will want to study the details of what they will be compelled to do.
Randal Milch, general counsel for Verizon, said phone companies should not be required to do anything more for the government than what "they already do for business purposes." Milch said phone companies respond in a timely way but "should not be required to create, analyze or retain records for reasons other than business purposes."
Among other issues: possible compensation for the phone companies and lawsuit protection for claims made against them over these records.
Civil libertarians, meanwhile, generally criticized the House plan, saying judicial approval should always be required when the government reviews phone records.
The Obama plan, they said, does not go far enough and should include restrictions on Internet activity and financial records as well. They say many questions on specifics remain.
Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, called Obama's plan "a major step" but said, "This must be the beginning of surveillance reform, not the end."
Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, said Obama does not need to go to Congress "to end a practice that it never should have started."
"The very fact that the president's plan requires legislation means he has something in mind other than simply ending the program," she said.
Trevor Timm, executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, said he supports Obama's emphasis on judicial review of government access to private data, but he said it's important to see the details of what emerges from Congress.
If the Obama plan winds up looking too much like the House Intelligence Committee plan, Timm said, "the NSA may also be handed broad new powers to violate the privacy of Americans while the data sits at the phone companies."
Obama called for new NSA rules in a January speech, and he gave aides until March 28 — Friday — to develop legislation to end the NSA's ability to sweep up and store all kinds of telephone records.
NSA surveillance techniques became public last year with leaks from former contractor Edward Snowden. The revelations, including reports that the agency has spied on foreign leaders, have triggered criticisms of Obama.
Tweeting shortly after Obama's audience on Thursday with Pope Francis, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said the president should have told the pontiff: "Forgive me father for I have spied."
Snowden, now living in Russia while facing charges in the United States, praised Obama's efforts this week.
"This is a turning point, and it marks the beginning of a new effort to reclaim our rights from the NSA and restore the public's seat at the table of government," Snowden said in a statement released by the ACLU, which is helping with his legal representation.


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|Photo Credit: John Dolan
Everything I know about writing I know from writing and reading. I have no formal training at all, but I have loved writing since I was a boy, and have had a voice in my head wanting to create for as long as I can recall. I believe writers are born, not made. Programs like MFA's (Master of Fine Arts) can make you into a better writer, but cannot turn you into one if the compulsion, the need, and the talent to do it is not there to begin with. The editing of The Kite Runner was largely done in the middle section, and some toward the end. I was personally unhappy with the middle, the Fremont section, and told my editor I wanted to rewrite it, and she agreed. We were both pleased with the new middle.
|Released May, 2013
Interviewer, Gina Holmes is the founder of NovelRocket.com and award-winning novelist. Her debut novel, Crossing Oceans was a Gold Medallion, Book of the Year and Christy Finalist and winner of the Carol Award. Holmes' sophomore novel, Dry as Rain was also a Christy Award Finalist. Her latest novel, Wings of Glass released in 2013. You can learn more about her at GinaHolmes.com.
|Released 2013


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Shiseido Accentuating Color Stick
Shiseido Accentuating Color Stick Reviews
Swivel stick surprise!WOW! This is an all over usage but, I'll stick to my cheeks. I use this after foundation and before any type of powder. It makes a great base for your normal powder blush or you can use it alone for that sexy flush. The depth of colour is up to you. Great for dry skin especially in the winter, and great in summer for most skin types. Chose your hue! — 9 years, 2 months agothedragonslady | 483 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 5 of 6 people said helpful
I like it - Champagne FlushIt is most versatile tool for highlighting, the result could be everything just from modest bare-there glow to satiny shine, and all varieties in between. You can put it under or on your browbone just for little highlighted spot or on your foreface or cheekbone for more blended sheen. Can be used on your eyelids as well. I cannot describe it's smell - it means that it did not annoy me. It blends...read more very well, no matter how it was applicated, it could be dabbed directly from stick and blended with fingertips, or you can use a brush, whatever. I love to add this a little bit when I massage some oil in my cuticles, it gives super-groomed glow to fingertips. Its a bit pricey, but there is enough product for the price. Hence is the result, definitely no cheap look. — 3 years, 10 months agoMissisOgre | 5 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 1 of 1 people said helpful
O yea!!!I absolutely swear by this one!!! It gives u sheer yet buildable color that is long-lasting. It blends beautifully and u can get many looks from it. Its a lil expensive but u get wut u pay for and this one is well worth it, trust me... — 6 years, 10 months agoblackbarbiedoll | 2 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 6 of 6 people said helpful
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Doll's Living Room Set by Carol Ballard
Welcome! You are browsing as a guestWould you like to see 2 projects made from this pattern and much more? create a free account What am I missing?
Doll's Living Room Set
This pattern is available for $3.50 USD
buy it now or visit pattern website
buy it now or visit pattern website
Crochet in one piece, then fold and sew!
Skill Level: Intermediate-some sewing skills required.
Supplies: Boye G hook, 7 ounces Red Heart Super Saver Pink Camo (#972), 8 ounces Red Heart Super Saver Café (#360), fiberfill, yarn needle.
Stitches Usesd: ch, sc, dc, bpdc, fpdc, sl st. Note-turning ch 3 counts as 1st dc in following rnd..
Gauge: 7 dc = 2 inches, 4 dc rows = 2 inches
For more information, see: http://wp.me/PcHQw-lq


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Josh Anderson Named Resident Musical Director of BPA
Bainbridge Performing Arts has announced the appointment of Josh Anderson - previously a music director, performer, and Director of Education at Bainbridge Performing Arts - to the new position of Resident Musical Director for the 2014-2015 season. In this capacity, he will collaborate with Mainstage Directors Tim Davidson, Ken Michels, and Joanna Hardie fashioning the fantastic work that BPA audiences have come to expect. Additionally, he'll take the helm next February when he directs Side by Side by Sondheim.
Josh Anderson is thrilled with this new role at BPA. A tireless advocate for "America's great indigenous art form," Anderson has been involved in countless productions in various capacities, and he is wildly enthusiastic about the ability of musical theatre to both draw a community together and entertain.
Executive Director Dominique Cantwell notes that BPA is equally thrilled at the new arrangement, saying, "Josh is such a wonderfully skilled musician and we're proud to feature him in this new role at BPA - audiences and performers are in for a real treat!"
Bainbridge Performing Arts (BPA) is a non-profit community performing arts center including a theater, a symphony orchestra, a variety of comedy, dance, musical, and other performances, and theater education programs for children, teenagers, and adults. A combination of hit shows, stellar on-stage performers, and gifted behind-the-scenes artists yielded rave reviews this season, and BPA's 2014 - 2015 lineup is bursting with entertainment options to please audience members from all walks of life.


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The Top 100 Contract Manufacturers
Contract manufacturing is usually synonymous with bigness. Now some players are earning nice returns on small-lot, semi-custom products
Go to Top 100 Contract Manufacturers alphabetical listing >>
When Jack Calderon signed on as CEO of EFTC Corp. in 1996, he needed a strategy to ensure that his small company could survive in a business obsessed with size and economies of scale. The then-$56 million (1996 revenue), Denver company faced competition from billion-dollar giants, all gobbling up high-volume OEM outsource contracts that were fueling the manufacturing services boom.
To catch that outsourcing wave, Calderon decided to buck the conventional wisdom and think small. He adopted a "high-mix" strategy, going after a variety of projects, many in small production lots. The strategy depended crucially on winning many small orders and devising a manufacturing process flexible enough to allow lightning-fast reconfiguration of assembly lines and equipment.
The high-mix business model can be way more demanding than low-mix, high-volume manufacturing runs, but it pays off because you can charge premium prices. "High-mix, is a business that has long been under served," Calderon says.
This isn't the first time the veteran manufacturing executive identified a growth opportunity and stole a march on the market. At Honeywell Inc., Minneapolis, Calderon helped win the outsource contract for Armonk, NY-based IBM's PC XT in the early 1980s, an exercise that became a model for today's manufacturing services business.
At EFTC, Calderon phased out the company's high-volume board-stuffing work and won lucrative, high-mix contracts building circuit boards for telecommunications, medical equipment, avionics and industrial controls OEMs. In the process, the company's revenue rocketed to $227 million in 1998. EFTC jumped from number 51 on the Electronic Business Top Contract Manufacturers' list in 1997 to number 34 in 1998. Calderon predicts that EFTC will have sales of $350 million to $400 million next year.
A coming of age
Manufacturing services has emerged as one of the decade's top performers. The days when manufacturing service companies were considered low-end board stuffing shops have long since passed. With a compound annual growth rate of more than 20%, revenue in the sector reached $90 billion worldwide in 1998. The industry is on track to hit $178 billion by 2001, according to Technology Forecasters Inc., Alameda, CA. Contract manufacturing's growth rate contrasts starkly with the 7.5% annual growth rate of overall electronics equipment production worldwide.
Now the industry stands to catch an enormous windfall. OEMs around the world are focusing on core strengths and have embraced outsourcing. So while OEMs concentrate on product design and marketing, where they can add value, contractors stand to pick up a pile of work.
According to Technology Forecasters, 14% of all electronics production passed through the hands of contract manufacturers in 1998. Within a decade, the industry is expected to account for 50% or more of all electronics production.
Like the OEMs they serve, contractors are also looking to add value. The high-mix business model is attractive because the margins can be better. For example, over the last four quarters the average operating margins for three high-mix players (Jabil Circuit Inc., St. Petersburg, FL, Benchmark Electronics Inc., Angleton, TX, and Sanmina Corp., San Jose) was 9.2%. The average operating margin for three low-mix manufacturers (SCI Systems Inc., Huntsville, AL, Solectron, Milpitas, CA, and Flextronics International Ltd., San Jose) was 4.2%.
|1. SCI Systems
|$6.5 billion
|2. Solectron
|$6.0 billlion
|3. Celestica
|$3.2 billion
|5. NatSteel
|$1.5 billion
|5. Jabil Circuit
|$1.4 billion
|Electronic Business researchers expanded this year's Top 100 Electronics Contract Manufacturers list to include companies from around the world. Data for the Top 100 is collected from secondary sources, and through surveys sent directly to the companies themselves.
To be included in this year's list, companies (both public and private) must derive a considerable percent of revenue from electronics contract manufacturing services. The companies were then ranked based on their 1998 contract manufacturing revenue.
The high-mix niche
There has always been a good outsourcing business for complex circuit boards, military equipment, avionics and medical equipment as well as big-ticket capital equipment. Consolidating manufacture of these small lots at a specialist contract manufacturer makes sense, analysts say, because the contract manufacturer can combine production from several customers and run production lines at 60% to 80% of capacity or more.
"The automated test industry is a good example of a high-mix customer," says Charles Mullen, director of high-technology consulting at Technology Forecasters. "Companies such as Teradyne need hundreds of PCBAs, but in relatively low volumes." But try to find companies that can do the job--test equipment maker Schlumberger can't find any, says Mullen, one big reason it has yet to use contractors.
Contract manufacturers that focus on low-mix, high-volume work aren't usually interested in these jobs, especially when demand for high-volume production is strong. Low-volume work can be prohibitively expensive for companies that haven't learned to adapt their manufacturing processes to handle the recurrent set-ups required for the changing production mix. Then there's the headache of managing a large supply chain of component and materials vendors.
That means more opportunity for flexible small contractors, thanks to the growing trend toward "mass customization." Oxymoron or not, mass customization is a key marketing strategy of OEMs, says Technology Forecasters' Mullen.
OEMs looking for semi-custom services have to look far and wide to get them cheap, Mullen says. "The sector is attractive to [high-mix, low-volume] contract manufacturers precisely because they can gain a higher profit from this type of work." A few years ago OEMs didn't have these options. They either went to Mom-and-Pop-type shops or to large manufacturers ill-suited to semi-custom small lot orders.
While custom work has hardly caused a stampede into high-mix manufacturing, more companies are taking advantage of the opportunities in the niche. Companies on this year's Top 100 Contract Manufacturers list (see p.104) that derive significant revenue from high-mix work include Manufacturers' Services Ltd., Concord, MA, which ranked 9th for 1998 at $838 million, and 12th-place Benchmark Electronics Inc. with 1998 revenue of $524 million. There are only a handful of companies above $100 million in revenue after those two; among them: 17th-place Plexus Corp. of Neenah, WI, with $402.6 million, and EM Solutions Inc., Longmont, CO, in 23rd place with $314.8 million.
High mix has proven itself a viable and growing business, but the value of the business remains difficult to gauge, notes Keith Dunne, an analyst with investment bankers BancBoston Robertson Stephens, San Francisco. "It's not limited to companies that focus on the model, but includes many larger companies that do some part of their business in high mix."
Mullen believes that some of the largest companies in manufacturing services--including Solectron, SCI Systems and Celestica Inc., Toronto, ONT--are handling large amounts of high-mix work but don't break out the revenue from that business.
Listening skills help
Successful companies doing high-mix work tend to have a strong service orientation. They get involved early in the design to enhance the ease of manufacturing the product. In addition, they have developed flexible, cell-driven and repeatable manufacturing processes.
"You won't succeed in this business unless you build a highly responsive relationship with the customer."--MARK STEVENSON, EM SOLUTIONS
They can also, as a rule, take over and manage the customer's supply chain. OEMs outsourcing production expect their contract manufacturers to be expert in managing a complex supply chain, according to Kevin Melia, chairman of Manufacturer's Services. "As OEMs outsource more of their production, they are looking for a certain comfort level from EMS [electronic manufacturing services]," he explains.
That means understanding that contract manufacturers are in the service business, not merely in board or computer assembly. "You won't succeed in this business unless you build a highly responsive relationship with the customer," says Mark Stevenson, an IBM and Xerox Corp. veteran who launched high-mix contractor EM Solutions in 1994.
That can be a tough assignment because the logistics can be daunting. The large number of products, not to mention the complexity of some of them, can challenge the inventory and supply skills of the best high-mix operators. Whereas a low-mix, high-volume production line might build products comprised of a couple of dozen parts, a high-mix line might make items that are comprised of 50 to 60, and sometimes even hundreds, of parts, according to Melia.
Melia honed his manufacturing skills during 17 years at Digital Equipment Corp., Maynard, MA, and, later, as vice president of operations at Sun Microsystems Inc., Palo Alto. "Sun was one of the first to use outsourcing as a strategic weapon," he asserts.
At Sun, Melia began to see the opportunities opening up for contract manufacturers. When he launched Manufacturers' Services in 1994, he decided to target the high-mix business in both small- and medium-lot production. The strategy paid off. Only four years after launch, the company reported sales of $838 million.
High-mix manufacturers have to deal with weighty management issues, such as the logistics and costs involved in tracking perhaps 10,000 parts with all the related warehousing, inventory controls and supplier relationships. The good ones have developed ways of achieving economies of scale in purchasing, established more cost-effective sources of supply and amortized expensive equipment such as testers.
Flexible production lines
If there is one thing that manufacturing engineers learn from the high-mix business, it's flexibility. Profits depend on the ability to move quickly and efficiently from one small, specialized order to another. Equipment knockdowns and reconfiguration are part of the daily routine.
For EFTC's Calderon, the breakthrough in handling high-mix production came while thinking about the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network protocol. "The ATM protocol works by making the data packets so small they can quickly be processed by a server. You move the packets to any available server on the network," Calderon says, rising to his punch line. "The location doesn't matter."
He adapted that same concept to the high-mix production line and called the process Asynchronous Process Manufacturing (APM). In APM, a processing point on the production line such as component loading, soldering or test replaces the server. Calderon says small production lots move to any of the standardized production points on the parallel production lines, passing from one line to wherever it's necessary to break bottlenecks and keep products rolling.
On the traditional, continuous-flow line, or so Calderon argues, workers would have to break down lines and set up machines for different production lots. APM, he says, gives EFTC plants the flexibility to keep lines up and running.
At the heart of the APM system is proprietary production software called Assembly Execution System, which directs the flow of production lots across the parallel assembly lines.
Other high-mix manufacturers have found their own versions of the APM concept. In order to build products that are much more complex or are required to be far more reliable, high-mix manufacturers have had to adopt a factory layout that differs markedly from straight-line manufacturing used in high-volume operations.
To succeed, high-mix production must also be cell driven, according to EM Solutions' Stevenson. "You need manufacturing teams dedicated to a particular customer's product. These dedicated cells enable you to meet the changing demands of different production lots on the line."
"You move the packets to any available server on the network. The location doesn't matter."--JACK CALDERON, EFTC
The efficiency of those cells depends on a corporate IT system that translates each customer's needs and communicates that information from cell to cell along the production line. "The IT system gives you a clear picture of the entire operation," says Stevenson. "The system should provide an overview of the efficiencies and inefficiencies of each cell," he says. And manage hundreds of suppliers while the cells are in a feeding frenzy at the same time.
Staking out a space
The high-mix business cuts across a wide swath of contract manufacturing, producing products that range from low-cost boards to sophisticated IC testers that sell for $3 million apiece. Benchmark Electronics, for example, targets the high-end. "We were a spin-off from a medical equipment maker in 1986, and from the very start we focused on high-complexity products," says Don Nigbor, Benchmark's CEO.
The company's reputation for reliability--a legacy of its roots in the medical equipment market--led to contracts for fault-tolerant computers used for critical applications such as air traffic control. In January, Benchmark acquired the Irish manufacturing assets of Stratus Computer Inc. of Maynard, MA, a maker of fault-tolerant systems.
Perhaps the fastest-growing sector of the business is build-to-order. This variation of mass customization has contractors custom configure products such as personal computers or high-end routers, as orders arrive. Since the aim is rapid order fulfillment, the contractor bypasses the OEM and ships the product directly to the customer. Pioneered by PC makers, today build-to-order is a model accepted by companies throughout the electronics industry.
One trend that every company in the high-mix business subscribes to is an increasing involvement with the customer, according to Manufacturing Services' Melia. "Today, contract manufacturers are involved throughout the product life cycle, all the way to end-of-life and after-market work such as warranty repair," Melia explains.
Aftermarket work, warranty repair work and maintenance, is a business that OEMs have long been keen to hand over to contractors. Dataquest Inc., San Jose, forecasts that the electronic hardware maintenance market alone will be worth $106 billion in 2000, up from $87 billion in 1995.
While many contractors shun such work, EFTC takes the warranty and maintenance business seriously. In 1998, the company set up a repair and warranty division in plants acquired from Circuit Test Inc. in Memphis, and Louisville, KY. The plants are located inside the cargo facilities of major air express companies to ensure lightening-fast turnaround and delivery. Warranty work now accounts for close to 20% of EFTC's revenue.
Size matters
As giant OEMs move increasingly to outsource all production, contract manufacturers are coming under pressure to grow alongside their customers. "The contract manufacturers need to be large enough to be viable partners for the OEMs," according to Technology Forecasters' Mullen. The contract manufacturers need to have sufficient financial bulk and geographic reach to be taken seriously when they offer to take over an entire product line from a major OEM. This is one of the goals of the rapid growth through acquisitions that manufacturing services--and its high-mix sector--are involved in today.
In the overall manufacturing services industry there were 68 mergers or acquisitions in 1998, up from 50 in 1997. Analysts say the industry could see another 100 mergers or acquisitions this year.
At the same time, OEMs are divesting their manufacturing operations at breakneck speed. In January, Nortel Networks Corp., Brampton, Ontario, announced a restructuring in which 17 of its 24 production sites will be sold or shut down. Outsourcing contacts from Nortel alone could be worth $500 million a year.
It's not only the giants of the manufacturing services world that have been busy acquiring companies. Manufacturers' Services carried out five successful acquisitions in 1994 and 1995, its first two years of business. "We had to grow to get the right locations, and put the right network of companies together," Melia says. The company now has plants in the United States, Ireland, Singapore and Malaysia. At five years old, Melia expects his company will break the $1-billion mark in revenue this year, and expects to conduct an IPO within 18 months.
EM Solutions and EFTC both acquired four companies in as many years. In May, EFTC signed a 10-year manufacturing agreement with Honeywell, to acquire Honeywell's plant in Tijuana, Mexico, which will become EFTC's ninth U.S. plant. The plant could bring Honeywell manufacturing orders worth up to $100 million a year.
The growing trend of OEM outsourcing and the electronics industry's move to mass-customization are strong indications that high-mix contract manufacturers will prosper in the next decade. But managing 20% growth together with the furious pace of mergers and acquisitions in recent years could cause high-mix companies to slip up and lose their focus their on core competence. The temptation to become an OEM may become strong--especially as today's OEMs become virtual companies focused on design and marketing.
"The important thing to remember is that we are in the service business," says EM Solutions' Stevenson. *
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BEN MORGAN is struggling to be fit for England's Six Nations clash in Ireland this Sunday.
The Gloucester No 8, who grew up in Kingswood, made several barnstorming runs in the 38-18 opening day victory against Scotland before an ankle injury forced him off in the 46th minute.
He has remained with the squad for treatment and has not yet been officially ruled out, but Thomas Waldrom and former Thornbury Broncos youth player Billy Vunipola have been put on standby after seven players were released back to their clubs.
Head coach Stuart Lancaster is set to announce his 23-man matchday squad on Friday morning.


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HOUSTON - Russian security is tightening in Sochi as the city prepares to host the Winter Olympics. Tens of thousands of police and troops have been deployed throughout the city.
The terror risk has some Houstonians canceling their trips and selling their tickets to must-see events.
For one man in Houston, he said this offered him the opportunity not only to see the Olympics, but also to advance a new business. But he said the risk is not worth it.
About this time, Jose Coira of Houston had planned to be packing his bags for his trip to the Olympics.
"Yeah, I want to see the ice skating and the snowboarding. I was kinda' excited. But at the same time, hesitant," said Coira.
But two terrorist attacks in 24 hours in Volgograd -- one on a trolley and the other at the city's train station -- convinced Coira to stay home.
"I'm not going to risk my life if I'm going to die there. It's not worth the $4,000 that I spent. It's not worth it. It's really the attacks that made me cancel my trip," Coira said.
He says his hotel in Sochi refunded his money, but he still has Olympic tickets and unused plane tickets for him and a friend.
"Which is a lot of money. Don't get me wrong. But, it's not worth my life to go and risk it," he said.
Coira had also planned business meetings in Moscow to promote his new company, XVII Underwear. Those meetings are off. He will focus his efforts on marketing at home because of the uncertainty 6,500 miles away.
"It is about community and it is about sportsmanship and going there and rooting for your team and your country, USA. But I just don't...there's an aura, a feeling about these Olympics that are just not right," he said.
Coira said he has been to Russia and will go again. But to him, now is not the time.
Copyright 2014 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Beyond the Chopped Basket: What to Make With Plantainsby Maria Russo in Shows, January 19th, 2013
So often on Chopped we see chef contestants open their mystery baskets to find such odd, uncommon and downright scary ingredients — pre-cooked pig snout, pickled beef tongue or grasshoppers, anyone? — that it can seem nearly impossible for home cooks to put them to work in everyday meals. On other episodes, however, the ingredients are far less intimidating yet not quite familiar. That's where we come in. Each week during the brand-new season of Chopped Champions, FN Dish will break down the whats, hows and whens of an approachable, family-friendly ingredient and share deliciously simple recipes for using it, so that you can show off your best culinary chops at home. Following last Tuesday's round-1 competition, the focus is now on plantains, which made an appearance in the dessert round alongside spiral ham, water chestnuts and spiced rum.
A close cousin of the yellow banana, green plantains are similar in look and shape to the classic fruit, but instead of being peeled back and enjoyed raw at the breakfast table, they're most often cooked so that they lose their signature tough, firm bite. Plantains aren't quite as sweet as bananas, so they can be featured in savory dishes as well as sweet desserts, like they were on Champions, and they hold their shape well even when exposed to the high heat of the deep-fryer or grill. The key to successfully working with plantains at home is letting them take their time cooking. On Tuesday's Chopped episode, Chef Sean Scotese explained, "Green plantains need a lot of love. They need to be fried or boiled until they're soft and crispy." Try your hand at plantains this weekend with easy recipes from Food Network Magazine below.


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Let's not forget about termites and rotting. All I see when I think about a one log home is mold and bugs. EW.
Road trip news, rants, and ruminations by the Editors of RoadsideAmerica.com
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One-Log Homes – The Green Dilemma
May 20, 2008
On this cheery note, let's briefly examine the dilemma of houses made of hollowed out logs from giant redwood trees. There are a couple exhibited as tourist attractions on the west coast — the One-Log House, the Stump House — and even a transplanted log house in Florida. These homes are natural, organically shaped, and blend with the forest. But to make them, someone had to knock down a thousand plus year old tree, spend months chipping it out, and add plumbing. Would it really be more "green" to live inside a tree instead of a vinyl covered double-wide?
One-log homes may be gnarled throwbacks to a time of resource gluttony — or they may be instructive to new generations, a lesson to mend our ways. There's not much argument that one-log developers — if any still exist — really attempt to make log living attractive. The models currently on display are a cramped succession of narrow rooms, and there's no butler's pantry. And if they don't have some kind of roof, they leak.
Maybe, instead, if we hollowed out a cow and walked around inside of it … wait, that's a leather jacket.
Sections: Canada, Rants 2 Comments »
2 Responses to "One-Log Homes – The Green Dilemma"
Shelly May Says:
June 27th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Sarah gale Says:
June 28th, 2008 at 8:35 am
This is probably the most genius thing written on the topic of going green on the net! Thanks for your insight and fabulous one-log review.


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As you might remember from last year, I was a speaker at three AMBER HOUSLEY: Inspired workshops in 2012. I'm excited to share that I am going to be speaking again in 2013 at the AH Inspired event in Nashville in August! Yay!
AH Inspired is an incredible event, and if you want to know more about what makes it so incredible, just watch this video- it is sure to fire you up!!
Each AH Inspired event I went to was so incredibly motivating and inspiring to me, even as a speaker! I've always been excited to invest in events to further my emotional and professional development, and boy do I wish AH Inspired had been around when I was just starting out as a business owner! The new format of the event is sure to be even more jam-packed with inspirational and actionable content for creative entrepreneurs. I am so excited that Amber asked me back to speak this year – to be on a roster among the fabulous ladies below is truly an honor.
I'll be covering an oh-so-relevant and needed topic: Apps, Analytics, Plugins, and All-Things Techy. Y'all know how much of a tech geek I am, so I'm excited to share some of my best secrets and favorite apps with the attendees!
Learn more about the AMBER HOUSLEY: Inspired 2013, a business and lifestyle summit for creative women entrepreneurs.
Registration is limited to only 40 seats to allow for close connections, relationship building and access to speakers and fellow attendees. You can register today at the early bird rate of $729 (ends June 15, 2013) A scholarship opportunity is also available. Details on Amber's blog post here. Entries are due April, 22, 2013.
If you're a creative business owner, I'd love to see/meet you at AH Inspired! 🙂


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A COMPLAINT against the chairman of Hughenden Parish Council for bullying a parish clerk, who has been found guilty of fraud this week, has been upheld.
Cllr Tony Konieczny appeared before a panel meeting at Wycombe District Council on January 11 investigating his behaviour towards former parish clerk, Lynne Turner.
The bullying behaviour was said by the panel to have taken place between July 2010 and April 2011, when Cllr Konieczny was a councillor at HPC and before he was chairman, and when Turner was still in her role there.
This week Turner was found guilty of ten counts of fraud amounting to £28,200 which she transferred from the parish council accounts into her own account.
Cllr Konieczny's hearing, which the public and press were excluded from, happened before Turner's trial and was mentioned in court.
The complaint was brought by former Hughenden Cllr, David Jarman, who said Cllr Konieczny breached the member's code of conduct of HPC by failing to treat the clerk of the parish council with respect and by bullying her by making inappropriate comments at council meetings, in emails and on the internet.
The investigating officer upheld the complaint, finding failings on two counts of the code.
The findings said Cllr Konieczny "has subjected the parish clerk to unreasonable and excessive personal attacks at meetings, in emails and internet articles."
It said the bullying behaviour appeared to have lasted from July 2010 until April 2011.
The report added: "The longevity of the conduct, the nature of the behaviour, the fact that Cllr Konieczny is in a position of influence and power and that the parish clerk's confidence and capability have been adversely affected led the panel to this conclusion."
The panel decided that Cllr Konieczny should be reprimanded and receive training, also recommending he be removed from all outside appointments made by the parish council.
Cllr Konieczny later told the BFP he personally believed there were questions to be answered as to the way the proceedings were held.
He said: "The hearing was held in camera despite my very strong request that it should be held in public, in line with the Nolan Principles of openness and transparency. The findings however are to be made public, without anyone knowing how those findings were arrived at.
"These findings of the Standards Committee were used in evidence for the defence of ex clerk Lynne Turner, by ex councillor Peggy Ewart and ex councillor John Rogers in an attempt to explain the actions of the ex clerk.
"Mrs Turner was found guilty on all ten counts of fraud by the unanimous verdict of the jury. I therefore feel somewhat vindicated for my persistent questioning to get honest answers from her in the face of obstruction from Mrs Ewart and other, now, ex councillors.
"I have received many messages of support from fellow councillors and residents alike, but still feel that the only honourable course of action would be to offer to tend my resignation at the next council meeting."
WDC said press and public were excluded from proceedings under an appropriate section of local government legislation.


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General Feedback on Skills: Mixed Dates
View Single Post
Bruce Heinsius
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,365
#1 I agree with FiveRings. The skin tones look way too bright, even if the location looks properly exposed. The background composition seems very random. You could shoot from several feet higher to make the grass become the background, without the sun or fence being in the shot. A much lower angle would make the tree leave become your background. This would look especially nice with a more blurred background, using a wider aperture. Moving back and shooting with a longer lens would give you more control of what you want out of your shot behind them.
#2 Yes. This angle is so focused on the crotch. The left leg looks awkward to exit the frame, near the angle. Bending that leg to bring it into frame would steer our eyes back to the person. I think the exposure on her is fine...more important than the walls.
#3 Since the bottom railing is much clearer than she is, it is apparent she needed to hold more still with you slow shutter. Color-wise, try your camera on Auto white balance or try the bulb/tungsten setting. The location looks to modern for the location. Cropping out the framed photos on the wall and the chair would help.
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text: Simplicity 9847; ©1980; Maternity Dress or Jumper and Blouse in Misses' Sizes: Dress or jumper gathered to yoke has deep scoop neckline, back zipper and pockets in side seams. Blouse V. 1 and 2 has front band button closing,long set-in sleeves with buttoned cuffs, narrow wing-tip collar and ribbon bow. V. 1 has lace trim. V. 2 has contrasting collar and cuffs.


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Mark Lakin is a Co-founder of Epic Road. Awarded "Top Travel Specialist" in 2015 by Travel+Leisure, Mark is recognized as one of the best travel agents in the world (Click Here to read his full acknowledgement and feature in Travel+Leisure's 2015 A-List). Mark's passion for luxury, adventure, photography and philanthropy galvanized a journey across all seven continents that continues today. Mark is a fine art travel photographer using photography as a means to document pristine landscapes, exotic animals, untouched tribal civilizations and record humanity in its most evocative moments. His inspirations include tribal culture, animal migration, extreme sports, ethnic markets, vibrant beaches, and local architecture. Mark is passionate about his non-profit work to educate Africa's youth and alleviate poverty. He serves as an active Board member of goods for good, a non-profit organization that supports the education of 80,000 orphans in Malawi. He is also an active Board member of The Bodhi Tree Foundation which galvanizes the power of the travel industry and travelers alike to fund grassroots initiatives that support people in need, protect cultural heritage and conserve our planet's biodiversity. He also leads immersion experiences in Africa related to poverty and human rights abuses for CouldYou?, a non-profit organization that helps participants find where their individual skill sets intersect with the needs of humanity. Mark is a member of the Explorer's Club whose members have been responsible for an illustrious series of famous firsts: first to the North and South Poles, first to the summit of Mount Everest, first to the deepest point in the ocean, and first to the surface of the moon. Mark's favorite travel experiences are going on a bow & arrow hunt with the Hadzabe tribe of Tanzania, sea-kayaking with the seals and whales in Antarctica, getting lost on the streets of Havana, tracking the big cats in the Serengeti, white water rafting down the Zambezi River, relaxing in the solitude of Brazil's Fernando de Noronha, gorilla tracking up the volcanoes of Rwanda, ice climbing glaciers in the Icelandic countryside, going on expedition with modern day explorer Kingsley Holgate through Ethiopia's Omo Valley, dining in India and Italy, and enjoying the nightlife of South America and the Greek Islands. You can reach him at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Marc Chafiian is a Co-founder of Epic Road. Starting a luxury experiential travel company with long-time friend Mark Lakin allowed him to pursue his dream of finding new ways for tourism to work for the benefit of the planet. Today, Marc's vision of bringing wildlife conservation, climate change and land/marine conservation to the forefront of all travelers' consciousness is being realized through the company's global humanitarian and conservation initiatives. His favorite destinations include the beaches of northern Mozambique, Faru Faru Lodge in Tanzania, Mongolia, Svalbard, the Okavango Delta, Montauk and the mountains surrounding Salta in Argentina. Marc's passion for adventure travel and conservation meshes perfectly with the company's ethos: to inspire travelers with transformational experiences that captivate, excite, and raise awareness. His favorite travel experiences include geo-tagging, measuring and recording giant leatherback turtles as they lay eggs in the sand, sailing a traditional dhow in Mozambique, studying lion genealogy in the game rich plains of the Serengeti, tagging sharks in the name of conservation, dog-sledding and measuring glacial retreat on the rugged glaciers of the Polar Circle, and diving with bumphead parrotfish in the Indian Ocean. When not dreaming up his next adventure, he likes to spend time with his family on the water – kayaking, sailing, surfing, diving, fishing and swimming. You can reach him at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text: Today Cadiz Inc. (NASDAQ:CDZI) ("Cadiz", the "Company") released a new report prepared by engineering consulting firm CH2M HILL detailing almost $8 million in annual cost savings to Southern California water users that can be realized through the introduction of high-quality Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery, and Supply Project ("Project") water supplies into the region's water transportation system. By applying an existing salinity assessment model developed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan), the analysis shows that introducing Cadiz water into the Colorado River Aqueduct (CRA), which is one of the main sources of water supply for Southern California, will realize nearly $400 million in savings to regional ratepayers over the 50-year life of the Project ($203 million in today's dollars). This same model was recently used to evaluate water quality benefits associated with the twin tunnel solution now being pursued through the Bay-Delta Conservation Plan process. "Among the numerous public benefits of the Cadiz Project, which will bring jobs and sustainable water supplies to thousands across Southern California, is our high-quality, pure water, which can save Southern California residents, businesses and water utilities hundreds of millions of dollars," said Cadiz President Scott Slater. Groundwater at the Company's property in the Cadiz Valley is low in total dissolved solids (TDS), which is the measurement of salinity or the concentration of salts and minerals (such as sodium, calcium and chloride) within a water supply. For example, the TDS measurement for Cadiz groundwater averages approximately 300 milligrams per liter (mg/L), whereas water in the CRA has historically measured 550 to 800 mg/L in TDS and requires treatment or blending before reaching Southern California water users. High salinity is known to cause deterioration of residential, commercial, and industrial appliances, pipe infrastructure and fixtures. It can also affect crop production, damage irrigation infrastructure and weaken the ability to produce and use recycled water to augment California's water supplies. Water over 1,000 mg/L TDS is considered too saline for most potable uses. Metropolitan, the owner and operator of the CRA, adopted a salinity management policy in 1999 which established a goal of average annual TDS levels below 500 mg/L in its water supplies.


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Hazard 4 Battle Axe Guitar Shaped Rifle Case
Get in line as we found this first and we love the concept! Whether you carry your airsoft axe to a game or your guitar axe to a concert, this bag is awesome. And UK and European players better contact Military1st.co.uk to place their pre-order... "The Battle Axe™ was specifically designed for 2013 to look like a guitar case externally, while accommodating carbines up to AK47 length. Shooters can transport their carbine in a relatively unassuming package. The Battle Axe™ even fits most electric guitars, but has tie-downs for rifles. Additional external pockets are designed to carry magazines, cleaning kit, extra parts and everything you need for transporting your work gun, or just hauling around urban gear through crowds.
PLEASE NOTE: The Battle Axe™ does not come with a shoulder strap (this can be purchased separately).
- Looks like a guitar case externally
- Padded & organized for carbines up to AK47 length!
- Even fits most electric guitars, but has tie-downs for rifles
- Plush lining is standard"
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- Printer-friendly version


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Around 60 to 70 officers will be allocated to schools in England's inner cities.
They will be in and around classrooms all day, every day, from the autumn.
They hope that the police will become more involved in the school community, as well as offer advice and support on bullying and behaviour.
The move is part of the government's determination to crack down on youth crime and will cost �10m.


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Time to say goodbye to Carnival: Carnival Conquest Cruise Review by cumulus
Overall Member Rating
Time to say goodbye to Carnival
Destination: Western Caribbean
Embarkation: New Orleans
The chaos upon arrival back at the New Orleans terminal was much worse. Because of an unexpected Immigration Dept. enhanced inspection of all arriving passengers the debarkation, which started at 7 a.m., was not completed until 1 p.m. Even though Carnival was not aware ahead of time of the "drill" as they called it, they were very much aware of the chaos once passengers started to stack up leaving the ship. No announcement was made to the remaining on-board passengers of the circumstances that meant a multi-hour delay. From the time we left the ship and More arrived at the inspection counter one hour and forty five minutes had passed. There are no restrooms between the ship and the inspection counters as this is normally a 15-30 minute process. Carnival could have, at the very least, advised us of the situation with the recommendation that we use the ship's facilities before disembarking. The arrogance of no communication in both the departure and arrival situations is stunning, particularly after the criticism following the Triumph ship fire debacle. Again, no apology was offered. But, there was continuous communications about jewelry sales, art auctions and drink specials. Interesting priorities.
Now to the cruise itself. On the first day at sea we headed to the enhanced adult Serenity Deck. There is none, just a big deck with a few chairs and tables. Though Carnival spent millions on the dry docking of the Conquest that included the addition of more bars and food outlets they did not add a Serenity Deck, now a standard on their other ships. For the first time in all our years of cruising we were unable to find a deck chair anywhere. Why? One of the largest open decks had huge, empty open deck space with no chairs; they were all strapped in stacks. The reason given was it was too windy. There was the typical at- sea breeze. On the last sea day the chairs were all on deck in the very same breezy conditions. Unfair as it is to others, chair holding and hogging was rampant.
The stern deck pool, which is usually designated the quieter "adults only" option, was frequently full of small children and toddlers. So, with the lack of the Serenity Deck there was no quiet adult area on-deck. And, many of the college age males, traveling in groups, were rude to staff, loud and foul mouthed from too much alcohol, and were cannon balling into the pool, etc. Nothing like an unwanted large splash in your face to add to the relaxing cruise experience. No one from Carnival said a word to them. Why? Because they represent a very profitable segment with the large bar tabs. We get it.
Carnival's cost cutting initiatives were everywhere. No longer is there a wonderful live band at the stage shows and the few shows themselves are repeated several times during the cruise. The on-deck late night Fiesta party no longer includes the popular Mexican themed buffet. The cocktail hour sushi bar is gone replaced by a sampling bar. Never heard Caribbean or calypso music once, but lots of rap and hip hop.
The ship itself was beautiful, with the decor having been converted from wild neon colors to traditional dark wood and brass. Very classy. The dining rooms were lovely with very friendly, attentive service. We opted for Anytime Dining and it was seamless. However, many of our fellow passengers elected to ruin the dining experience for others by showing up in totally inappropriate ( and banned) attire, including on Formal Night. The hostesses said nothing. One passenger was seen often in the buffet restaurant and lounges wearing basketball shorts and no shirt. He was never asked by any crew to follow the ship's rules. The many slobs do have a negative effect on the cruise experience. We had some issues with Carnival on earlier cruises but we wanted to try again, adding the Mississippi River bonus. Even though we are gold level members this was our last time with Carnival for the reasons noted. Less
Published 06/05/13
Cabin review: 6B2437 Ocean View
We prefer the quieter, more stable lower decks toward the stern. Cabin with window was convenient to the dining rooms, close to the uncrowded rear elevators and was kept in perfect condition by our room steward.Read All Ocean View (6B) Reviews >>
Port and Shore Excursions
Stayed on board the ship and enjoyed the quiet and ship's ambience.
Was very disappointed to arrive and discover that we were not at the downtown International Pier. The cost of taking a cab into town was not appealing so we shopped and dined at the local establishments. Many veteran cruisers were unhappy with this change.
Just enjoyed the day at the nice in Mahogany Bay beach. Was very clean with convenient themed on-the-beach restaurants and bars. The area is easily accessible by either taking the chair lift or walking.
Read Cruise Critic's Carnival Conquest Review >>
Carnival; never again
Very fun and comfortable
Timeshare Presentation Cruise
Understaffed & In Need of Upda...
Jamaica and Grand Cayman
Family Cruise
First cruise - The crowds both...
Carnival; never again
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The Band
Each member of Krunch has over 20 years experience performing in cover and original bands. Krunch is a party band that plays popular rock and alternative music performed with high energy. The members are highly motivated musicians with plenty of stage experience and professional attitude. The live show is geared towards entertaining the crowd with popular music enhanced by a light show, which guarantees audience participation. Krunch's goal is to play energetic music for everyone to enjoy from the first song to the last. Definitely a band to party with.
Krunch can be seen entertaining the crowd at many different events and occasions, including private parties, corporate events, and club performances. The members of Krunch are professional and easy to work with, and they make it easy for people to relax and enjoy their special event. With a unique combination of top musicianship and showmanship, years of experience, and the best dance and rock tunes, Krunch will pack your guests on the dance floor.
Brent Shepard – lead vocals & guitar
Mark Buchardt – drums
Gary Hammond – guitar
Scott Bannevich – bass


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Sun 8th May 2011 9:00amshoresurf's Gwithian Surf Report
Kneehigh just off the high in fresh south winds & sunshine. Pro Junior on hold till 11am. Follow shoresurf link or call 01736755556 for instruction, holidays & hire
View the Gwithian Surf Report and Forecast. shoresurf's Reports have received a total of 699843 views.
This report has received 506 views since 8/5/11.


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With age, our bodies naturally change. Our skin may appear to look darker and more cosmetic concerns like dark spots develop. Darkening of intimate areas can affect men and women. For those who wish to have a lighter complexion in intimate areas, they will need to find an option that offers these benefits.
Lightening the look of the underarms, anus and other intimate areas can only be done with a bleaching cream. Bleaching creams are treatment options because they use strong ingredients that can promote negative side effects. This chemicals are harsh on the skin and some ingredients like hydroquinone have been reported to cause side effects†. People who have sensitive skin may experience the worst side effects when it comes to using treatments, especially when applying the product to delicate intimate areas.
Anal bleaching is a common treatment. This is a self-explanatory term. Bleaching treatments are now offered in salons and spas. Many women prefer professional application when it comes to using treatments with harsh chemicals. For those who bleach their anus, it may take weeks and several treatments to achieve desired results- if side effects do not appear.
For those who want to address the look of their underarms and anus without using harsh chemicals- an alternative can be used. Nowadays, cosmetic companies have invented intimate area whitening creams. These products are not treatments. They do not contain the harsh and potentially dangerous ingredient hydroquinone.
Women who have used an underarm whitening cream claimed that the achieved results in as little as eight weeks. Women and men should use intimate area whitening creams to brighten the look of their skin without potential side effects being a risk. The best options on the market have no known side effects connected to them and have been reported to offer results.
These creams are sold on the web in different costs. Products that sell for less than $50, some of which are reviewed at http://www.intimatewhitening.com/anal-bleaching, are cost-effective options when compared to products that cost more than $50. For great deals and discounts- you should purchase products that offer Buy 2, Get 1 Free specials.
Natural enhancement options for men
Penis pills are applied to male enhancement products that help address sexual health issues. They are promoted to enhance stamina, boost pleasure and optimize erections so that men can achieve an overall improved sexual performance. For many men, seeking assistance from pills is embarrassing. However, it can help spice things up for you and your partner.
Men who have used some supplements for sexual health issues claimed that the products helped strengthen their confidence. For some men, this is the extra boost they need to improve their sex life. These products are primarily sold online. Most manufacturers offer the best purchase deals online as it is.
If you have never used a male enhancement product, then the key to finding an effective option is one that is made of natural ingredients. However, natural is not always better- when it comes to certain ingredients.
Some natural male enhancement products can be potentially risky options to use. They can contain ingredients that can be harmful ad can promote negative health effects like an increased heart rate or blood pressure†. The natural substance Yohimbe has been connect to these negative side effects and many more. You should always strive to purchase products with no known side effects connected to them. To learn more about the side effects that are associated with this ingredient, please visit an alternative web page.
The best male enhancement options are those that have these factors in common:
- Help Support Hardness
- Enhance Libido
- Can offer results in an hour
- Does NOT contain harmful substances like Yohimbe
- Retails for an affordable price
The best way to determine if a product meets these guidelines is by reading product reviews or researching product info yourself. Products that offer these benefits are some of the best options on the market and they can help improve most of your sexual health issues. Effective male enhancement products reviewed : www.male-enhancement-help.com often outline the pros and cons of a product- like its ingredient list or warnings. Before using any supplement, you need to review these sections to ensure your safety.


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April 20, 2012
The Virtue of Protectionism (and Class Warfare)
It's a vicious circle. Financialization. Profit maximization. Offshoring. Political dysfunction. To start with the offshoring part, the American economy will wither and die without good industrial jobs. The numbers don't add up otherwise and the numbers don't lie. But thanks to money, corporations prefer things the way they are, as do politicians. Making matters worse, academicians who study such things mostly haven't got a clue. It's refreshing, then, to get the full, unvarnished truth from an insider's insider. Dr. Ralph E. Gomory was the head of research for many years at IBM and is President Emeritus of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Currently he's a research professor at NYU. To cut to the chase, Ralph believes that protectionism would be good for America. And he goes much further, to say that the banner of (non-violent) class warfare should be proudly unfurled. I agree! Total runtime forty nine minutes. Cantābit vacuus cōram latrōne viātor.


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It's Heritage Day this coming Monday 24th and if you're in Cape Town you should definitely be making your way down to Hamiltons Rugby Club in Green Point for the National Braai Day celebrations where Jack Parow, Die Heuwels Fantasties, Me and Mr Brown, Bed on Bricks, and Mi Casa will be entertaining you while you chill around a braai with a dop in your hand talking about why Morne Steyn is still playing for the Boks.
That's a pretty banging line-up hey. Tickets cost just R80 and you get a free Savanna and boerewors roll on entry so really it's less than R50 if you think about it. Good times.
And because i'm nice i'm gonna give away 10 tickets to you lucky readers. I've thought about it and i'm gonna give one of you 4 tickets and then 3 of you each a set of double tickets so you can take your mates along.
Gates open at 10:00 am, live music starts at 13:00 pm.
And if you remember my post from last week HERE, the folks at Savanna will also be there for their Adopt A Chop initiative. They are gonna be giving away a ton of meat to charity if you support by adopting a chop.
Ok so here's how you can get your hands on the 10 tickets.
4 tickets will go to someone randomly selected on Twitter who tweets the following
" Hey @lifeissavage ,i wanna win 4 tickets to #NationalBraaiDay in CT with Jack Parow, Heuwels Fantasties and more "
The other 6 tickets will go to three readers who will each get a set of double tickets for leaving a comment beneath this article. As always…be original, funny, desperate, flattering…whatever…just make me smile and i'll chose 3 winners by tomorrow afternoon.
Now get to it…and feel free to enter both ways if you can to stand a better chance of getting those tickets.
[note: you obviously need to be from Cape Town or be in Cape Town for the event]


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Californians still are finding out how much they could be liable to pay for the state's public-employee pension systems. In 2011, the California Public Employee Retirement System achieved a mere 1.1 percent return on its investments. This is worrisome because the California constitution mandates that pension payment shortfalls must be paid up from the general fund.
In fact, we're already paying. Gov. Jerry Brown's Department of Finance told us that, in the current fiscal year, ending June 30, CalSTRS is projected to tap $1.9 billion from the general fund. And the California State Teachers' Retirement System, will cost another $1.25 billion. Total: $3.15 billion.
Worse, the projection for fiscal 2012-13, which begins July 1, is $3.1 billion going to CalPERS and $1.3 billion to CalSTRS. Total: $4.4 billion. That's more than half the $7 billion tax increase that Gov. Jerry Brown is demanding that voters pass in the November election. And that's money that could have gone to schools, health services or road construction.
Put another way, the lion's share of the tax increase would go to shore up a pension system in which a staggering 12,199 retirees belong to what reformers call the "$100,000 pension club."
CalPERS officials maintain that, despite the poor performance last year, over 30 years the fund will make its target of a 7.75 percent return. Last July, CalPERS also boasted that, in the 12-month period from July 1, 2010 to July 20, 2011, the fund jumped up 20.7 percent. Of course, that was before the decline later in the year.
Since October 2007, before the recent recession, CalPERS' assets stood at $260 billion. As of Jan. 24, the latest date listed on its website, assets were $230 billion. So in more than four years, it not only hasn't recovered from the recession, but still is down 12 percent.
No wonder a recent Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research study found that state retirement systems could be as much as $498 billion in the red.
"CalPERS would need an average return of about 20 percent per year for several years to just get back to where they were before the economic meltdown of 2008, and according to experts that's not likely to happen," Jack Dean told us; he's the editor of PensionTsunami.com, which keeps track of pension problems across the nation. "Plus, CalPERS was already in trouble before that because of the enhanced benefit formulas that local governments had been passing – retroactively. CalPERS will have a difficult time meeting its annual goal of 7.7 percent," according to Robert Arnott, chairman of Research Affiliates, who addressed the CalPERS board meeting in January. "His estimate was that the best return CalPERS can expect is about 4 percent."
Another state fund, the California State Teachers' Retirement System, has performed better. But the Sacramento Bee reported that, at its Feb. 2 meeting, CalSTRS' board voted to reduce the fund's "official investment forecast to 7.5 percent, down from 7.75 percent. It was the second cut in 14 months, after the $144 billion fund left the forecast untouched for 15 years. … By cutting investment projections, the board instantly ballooned CalSTRS' funding gap … by nearly $6 billion, or roughly 10 percent."
Gov. Brown has proposed several reforms to pensions. Mr. Dean said those were "a good beginning, but they do nothing about current employee formulas, and that's where the biggest liabilities are. Only a statewide initiative that provides blanket reforms and blanket relief to local governments is going to solve this problem. And the longer we wait, the more drastic the reforms will have to be."
Several pension-reform initiatives are advancing toward the November ballot. We'll comment on them as the year develops. But one thing is for sure: reform is necessary to keep the retirement funds from devouring the general-fund budget and leaving behind a skeleton.


text:
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said the West Indies would play a third Test to make up for the "cancelled" Zimbabwe tour.
But Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) chief Ozias Bvute claimed the tour will go ahead.
"We're committed to engaging our New Zealand counterparts in New Zealand, just as they are fulfilling their commitments here," said Bvute.
"All tours operate on the basis of ongoing communication."
Zimbabwe, who are currently hosting New Zealand, are scheduled to play the reciprocal series in December.
But a statement from NZC chief Martin Snedden said the series would not be going ahead, with the West Indies playing an extra Test to help make up for the shortfall in revenue.
"Attempts to replace the Zimbabwe tour have been partially successful," said Snedden.
"The West Indies cricket board has agreed to a third Test match which will assist us to mitigate any potential losses from the cancelled tour."
New Zealand's government have refused to grant visas to the Zimbabwe touring party.
Under International Cricket Council (ICC) rules, tours can only be cancelled in the event of government intervention.
The West Indies are scheduled to play three Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 match.
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark had tried to stop the Black Caps heading to Zimbabwe for the current tour, because of concerns over human rights abuses in the southern African country.
But the tour has gone ahead, with New Zealand winning the first Test by an innings, after Snedden said the team had a "contractual" obligation and would be liable for a US$2m (£1.1m) fine should they withdraw.


text:
:::::: Description ::::::
Xperia D is a collection of mods to give you the most Xperia-like experience on your Motorola Defy. I made this ROM just for fun at the beggining, but it grew quickly as how it is today. Is it based on Quarx´s CM10 so is compatible with both Defy and Defy+.
:::::: Features ::::::
- Xperia Z stock launcher fully functional, and as alternative Xperia T modded launcher and Xperia Z modded launcher.
- Xperia Z widgets: Toggles, Weather, Top Contacts, Notes, Xperia Select widget, Walkman widget with particles effect, Album, Clocks, Calendar, Torch... etc
- Xperia Z/T Wallpapers
- Xperia Z JB Keyboard (with swype, and many options)
- Xperia Z JB appearance and UI
- Sony Facebook integration fully functional (like a song in walkman, see your friends songs, see your online photos in album, etc) aka social engine (also twitter integration)
- Xperia Apps (Album, Movies, Walkman, Lounge, Calculator, Calendar, Notes, Sony select, etc)
- Walkman player with plug ins (Youtube, google search, Wikipedia) and:
- Clear Audio+
- Clear Bass
- Clear Stereo
- Clear Phase
- Dynamic Normalizer
- xLoud (Activated by default)
- Surround Sound VPT
- Iphone, MIUI v4 and fancy animations
- Xperia JB based custom bootanimation
- Bravia Engine 2 (Only Actived on Album & Movies)
- Aroma Installer
- PlayStation Mobile certification
- Timescape with all the widgets
- Socialife
- Small apps
- Xperia Z lockscreen fully functional
- Check changelog for more
:::::: Instructions :::::: (same as CM10)
-Same process if you come from any rom, the zip includes gapps and kernel-
- Download and copy the latest ROM zip to SD Card
- Reboot into Recovery Mode (CWM or TWRP)
- ALWAYS make a Nandroid back up, just to be sure
- Select Wipe data and cache (or factory reset on TWRP)
- Wipe Dalvik cache
- Select install zip from sd card
- Select choose zip from sd card
- Select the new ROM zip
- Select Yes - Install update
- Wait until the Installation is finish *IMPORTANT - DONT WIPE AFTER INSTALL THE ROM*
- Select reboot system now
- Wait 5-10 min (if nothing happens after 10 min you did something wrong, try removing battery and rebooting)
- Read tips below here
- Enjoy
Or alternatively use my Aroma Wiper and then install the rom, a lot easier and faster
:::::: Tips ::::::
-Dont touch anything on performance settings, you will probably make the system laggy if you change something there
-There is less than 12mb free on /system, so dont install another mod without do some cleaning before, you can safely delete any sony app related to Social engine and media apps.
-If you install PS Mobile, create an USA account on Sony entertainment network
-If you have a problem, use the report template on the second post
-Use Greenify
-Change the Xperia Z lockscreen wallpaper by using the Sony´s album editor, if you use the standard gallery it wont do anything
-If Whatsapp gives you an error about being incompatible with tablets, just reboot and try again, eventually it will work. This is due to the IMEI being not readed, and Whatsapp thinks that you are using a tablet. You can check if the IMEI is present on Settings.
-Check profiles spreadsheet to know what are you going to install down here
:::::: Profiles spreadsheet ::::::
This is a guide to Aroma installer´s selectable profiles, press the button to see:
:::::: Know issues ::::::
-First boot is very long. After that, everything normal.
-Same as the base rom, Quarx´s CM10: RIL Bug, random reboots caused by memory leaks though YMMV (refer to his thread for more info)
-Dont expect GB performance because the base rom its on development yet...
:::::: Screenshots ::::::
:::::: Changelog ::::::
Xperia D 4.2
-New CM10 base: 20130626 nightly by Quarx wich brings improvements and new bugs :P (with new wi fi firmware without wi fi jamming)
-Completely redone from scratch (i had to, because i deleted everything accidentally -.-)
-New updater script compatible with TWRP and CWM (a lot of work doing this)
-Updated Walkman (less ram consumption) and all new media apps from sony
-Xperia D Themed TWRP optional on Aroma
-Social Engine updated and its now optional on Aroma (not installed on minimal profile)
-Patched 4.2 clock/alarm app. Thanks to YetAnotherForumUser.
-Better descriptions on aroma, (full profile instalation its only for testing for example)
-Better HWA deactivation automatic selection
-Added MIUI v5 camera (which its just a themed 4.1.2 standard camera without gallery) as camera without gallery option. (if you use Sony´s Album only)
-Re-made framework, settings, systemUI and some other jar patches for visual effects and Xperia Z lockscreen (because of the new base)
-New inverse instalation method for all the apps (before it was delete what you dont select, now its install what you select)
-Updated Hangouts (replacing Google Talk) and converted to user app
-Updated Socialife, now it auto updates and the widgets updates too.
-Updated Google Play Services with Google Play Games (3.1.36 (669520-36))
-Updated Playstore to 4.1.10
-Partial DLNA support, throw still doesnt work (From PC to phone works but from Phone to PC no) you can use another DLNA app and it will work perfectly.
-Re-organized folders for a better CM10 base update support
-Facebook contact sync activated via modded Contacts provider (exactly like GB, but the photos are on low res)
-Deleted tetris and crossbreeder
-Fixed typos on Aroma installer
-Added Music Unlimited app and social engine sync with it (integrates with walkman and album)
-Added Xperiance theme as third optional theme (thanks to jasonevil for allowing me)
-Updated Call recorder, Now, Facebook, Twitter, Chrome, Maps, Greenify, TrackID, Terminal, Link, Lounge, Gmail, Youtube, Smart connect.
-System UI modded with Xperia JB layout (a lot of work on this)
-Added MIUI v4 transition animations and setted as default on all the profiles
-Updated Sony Select and photoslideshow to JB 4.2.2 version
-Added new Xperia Calendar from JB 4.2.2 and setted as default but optional on Aroma
-Added Google calendar replacing the standard calendar from gapps, optional on Aroma
-Added JB 4.3 Camera app replacing the 4.2 version, user app by now.
-New mods to the default theme
-Added google keyboard replacing the 4.2 keyboard
-New Aroma installer version, 2.70B6
-Installer aesthetics improved with animations and other minor things
-Various corrections under the hood for the installer
-Improved progress bar on Aroma
-New sim unlock files
-2 New optional bootlogos based on the new Motorola logo, one with the M alone and other with the "A google company" below
-Modded settings - device info
-SuperSu updated to 1.34
-Latest blenchdose experimental kernel optional on Aroma (not recommended for daily use)
-Other minor fixes that i dont remember
Older builds:
Xperia D 4.1
-Modded system settings to include the lockscreen settings when Xperia Z lockscreen is used. No more awful app drawer shorcuts to change lockscreen background.
-Changelog inside the ROM added on "aboout phone" menu.
-Removed CM statistics option on the settings.
-Re-made preconfigurations to fix sms bug (hopefully)
-Setup wizard is back and it will be triggered again on first boot to make easier the language selection
-Added Small apps as a separated add-on because needs to be instaled after the first boot. Warning: Experimental! Sometimes they close because of the low ram available.
-Battd from Xperia D 3.4
-New Xperia Z LTE fingerprint (C6603 model)
-Fixed animations not being applied
-New Google Play 4.0.25
-Fixed some problematic wallpapers
-New Walkman from Xperia Z (includes "Trow" (DLNA) but its not working on Defy yet, blame the base ROM and wait for Quarx to fix this)
-Removed some ringtones and sounds to make some space on /system for the new walkman
-Cleaned many things on installer script
-Updated Adaway to 2.3, Greenify to 1.7 beta 9, Better battery stats to 126.96.36.199 and CM file manager backported from the latest Quarx build (Includes Theme support and better translations)
-Changed some things on Aroma installer: Custom profile is now called "Personalized" and its highlighted.
-Updated Facebook, Twitter and call recorder
-Zipaligned every app from everything on the rom and the mods
-Added Socialife, "the new timescape" You can discover your favorite news, videos and social networking feeds in one place. Only on "Personalized" and "Full" profiles. Warning: Experimental! some times just does not update, delete data al log in again. Also consumes a lot of RAM like timescape, good work Sony.
-Jelly Bean Gallery icon is now not being themed so it will be easier to diferenciate when cutting a background for the lockscreen (Only Sony´s album can make it as i stated on the tips section)
Xperia D 4.0
-Fixed Defy+ battery not charging up to 100%
-Tweaked simunlock to avoid no signal after a reboot happening randomly
-Removed BM Memfree tweaks, that was killing the launcher
-Improved dialogs and descriptions on aroma installer, better internal order too
-Updated Greenify to 1.7 beta
-Reboot after instalation on aroma now actually reboots and dont go to bootmenu
-Hided standard gallery icon is now optional, and its visible by default
-Added GPS fix selection on Aroma (for every continent and most of the countries) taken from JB multipack by tantrums (credits to him)
-TrackID from market again (this version updates more frequently)
-Fixed some aesthetics on installer
-Notification pull down dim effect
-Sony torch widget (hided icon so there is only one torch but two widgets)
-Fixed error -21 when installing some apps like facebook or twitter
-Updated both themes (normal and dark)
-Notification background transparency selectionable on aroma (85%, 90%, 95%, and 100% of opacity)
-Added as optional on aroma Better battery stats xda edition by chamonix (please support him)
-Tweaked instalation profiles
-Deleted Setup Wizard
-Better pre-configurations
-Fixed screen off animation not showing, by setting window animation speed to 1x by default
-Xperia Z lockscreen fully funtional (music and camera widgets) with landscape support. -Change the lockscreen wallpaper by using the "lock screen" app on app drawer-
-Updated Gmail, Google Now, Twitter, Youtube and Chrome
-New Logo, bootanimation and aroma installer animation designed by the amazing artist Vicky-nyan. Go to her Deviantart here.
-Modified some of the Xperia Media
-Less-agresive HWA disable profile
Xperia D 3.5
-Removed Dalvik cache mover script from BM tweaks, hopefully this will fix the "invalid package file" bug when intalling many apps. Thanks to pranks1989 for pointing this out.
-Added BM Memfree tweaks
-New Album & Movies apps from Xperia Z
-Fixed FC when sharing on Album
-Added battd binaries from MS4ginger to reduce battery jumps (not eliminate them)
-Added Greenify as optional on Aroma (very recommended)
-Added instalation profiles on Aroma installer, now you can do a quick install with just 1 tap. Profiles: Full, Minimalistic, Recommended and Custom
-Added an optional automatic full wipe for both ext 3 and ext 4 formats on aroma (custom profile only)
-Tweaked Social engine to work with and without timescape and the new album
-New TrackID from Xperia Z
-New Keyboard from Xperia Z
-New Timescape version with recent calls and messages feed
-Added Xperia Events to timescape
-Added new Advanced Xperia Launcher 2.0.5b by ra3al. Optional on Aroma (custom profile only)
-Now Exchange services and e-mail client are optional on Aroma (more free ram if you dont use them)
-Added a song to test Walkman sound enhancements: Niway - Dubstep Game Medley (Under CC licence from Jamendo) all credits to the author, please support him.
-Updated Xperia Lounge
-Hide gallery icon so there is only one album app (sony one). You can use the camera to acces the standard gallery if you want. (This is only with 4.1 camera)
-Cleaned aroma scripts
Xperia D 3.4
-New Google play services (fixes FC when installing/uninstalling apps)
-Updated SuperSU
-Added and option to change device fingerprint between Xperia Z (recommended) or Defy+
-Automatic cache wipe after instalation
-Added an option to Sim-unlock the phone on Aroma -WARNING- its unstable and produces bootloops some times (specialy on first boot, remove battery and restart the phone in those cases) Not recommended.
-Updated Sony Select
-New Deskclock (Clock/Alarm app) fixed by YetAnotherForumUser (only the 4.1 version is fixed).
-Backported Quarx new camera app, with better performance. It re-opens faster when you close it.
-Added Optional Wallpapers
-New method to patch framework when iphone or fancy animations are selected
-Updated Twitter, Smart connect, TrackID, Adaway
-Added Chrome as optional on Aroma
-Added Call recorder app optional on Aroma
-Pre-configured lockscreen wallpaper from Xperia Z
-Animations speed set to x0.5, activated press back to kill app and disabled adb notification by default.
-Added an option on Aroma to activate Navbar (on screen buttons/soft buttons/Navigation bar) and automatic disable capacitive buttons and their backlight.
-New music visualizer app for Walkman from Xperia Z: No more FC and better performance. It works 100%
-Timescape is back! this time fully functional with Facebook and Twitter integration and all the widgets. Optional on Aroma.
Xperia D 3.3
-Fixed translations error
-Make calendar optional
-Added an option on Aroma to select a bootlogo:
*Original Sony bootlogo
*Motorola red, white and blue
*Keep current logo
-Added as optional JB 4.2 Clock
-Added Sony ICS SketchEF fonts as optional on Aroma
-Updated Facebook
-New Google Play services (with new features)
-Corrected some typos and errors under the hood
Xperia D 3.2
-Added Xperia Z camera sounds
-Updated SuperSU and Youtube
-Added a new optional dark theme for those who dont like the white dialer (this one is dark gray)
-Cleaned updater script
-Added both 4.1 and 4.2 native keyboard to choice on aroma
-Added an option on Aroma to choose transition animations between stock Jelly Bean, Iphone and Fancy.
-Added PlayStation mobile and maked Defy a certified Playstation phone
-Added an option on Aroma installer to pre-disable HWA for many common apps
-Fixed the bug where a selected ringtone for a particular contact will not be saved
-Added an option on Aroma installer to lock phone app on memory
-Updated Google Play to latest version (3.10.14)
Xperia D 3.1
Same as 3.0 plus:
-Aroma installer instalation steps reduced
-Remade from scratch to make some cleaning
-Deleted Korean Nanum fonts
-Updated CM File Manager
-Added an option to select 4.1 or 4.2 camera on aroma installer
-Remaded iphone animations
-Added an option on Aroma installer to make Crossbreeder optional, so you can install seeder if you dont like it
-Cleaned and fixed many things on installer script and aroma config script
-Fixed music visualizer random FCs
-Fixed Facebook music like FC on Walkman
-Improved Social engine
-Fixed 3-way reboot not working on 3.0
-Fixed some missing permissions
Xperia D 3.0
-Better toggles on notification drawer
-Aroma installer: now you can decide how much bloatware you want, and keep more free ram.
-New (optional) Xperia launcher by ra3al, based on Xperia T stock launcher, but with many customization options.
-Updated SuperSU, terminal emulator and google maps
-Fixed FC on Sony´s power widget (works only on Xperia launcher by ra3al)
-Added Android 4.2 photo editor, no more FC when you press the edit button. But it will FC when you hit save, so dont use the editor yet.
-Added Xperia Car Home
-Added Brainmaster Tweaks: zipaling, move dalvik cache, build.prop tweaks, etc. (Kayant´s version)
-Pre-disabled HWA for many common apps
-Free RAM after a reccomended instalation around 220mb
Xperia D 2.5
-Totally redone from scratch using new base: 20130117 UNOFFICIAL CM10 developed by Quarx and compiled by Sevenrock (thanks to both of them) this build has been reported better with battery magnament and "ringtone bug"
-Updated launcher (now is more smooth)
-Updated widgets
-JB 4.2 Camera with disabled photosphere (editor is not implemented, will give you a FC)
-Improved speed
-Improved location detection
-Updated Sony Select
-Removed K9 mail (is only used by timescape)
-Lockscreen wallpapaers from Xperia Z will be installed on sdcard
-Xperia Landscapes (a bravia engine demostration video) also on sdcard
-Free RAM after a clean instalation 180-200M
Xperia D 2.0.1
- Customized bootanimation
- Added SuperSU, replacing Superuser for better root magnament
- Added new Sony apps: TrackID, Xperia Link, Smart connect, Walkmate, Xperia Share, Power saver <---- Yay! more bloatware
- Removed sony´s torch app (CM10´s torch is more useful)
- Fixed "Updating-Android-on-every-boot" bug
- Added Xperia T JB system sounds and fonts
- Modified build.prop to make it look like an Xperia T (now you have VIP access on Xperia Lounge and Sony select) *you will see your phone as an Xperia T on Googleplay*
- Updated Social Engine (new Twitter integration)
- Replaced Sony´s calendar with Google´s
- Added new widgets: timer and world clock
- Added Xperia play Tetris
- More wallpapers from Xperia T JB
- Implemented Timescape, but with limited functionality. No facebook or twitter (not compatible with JB, but works fine on CM7 when i tested).
- Timescape Call log, messages, K9 mail and news feeds works.
- Fixed timescape annoying slow opening
- Timescape is provided as an add-on in a separate flashable zip, because is a very RAM hungry feature and i not recommend to use it (it makes the system laggy). In fact, i think its useless, but its just my opinion.
- Updated Weather widget
- Build.prop tweaks:
- Increase photo and video recording quality
- Increase jpg quality to 100%
- Enable Quick Power-On mode to reduce boot-time
- Phone Ringing Delay set to 0
- Enable Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband
- 3G tweaks
- Conect speed tweaked
- Lock Launcher on memory
- Net Speed tweaks
- Better scrolling
- Better streaming
- More things that i dont remember
Xperia D 1.0
- Initial release, based on Quarx CM10 20130110 nightly
:::::: Download ::::::
NEW -Xperia D 4.2 - 527MB, includes gapps and necesary apps for social engine + Xperia media installed on SD card + Kernel
IMPORTANT - This is not a standard ROM, with so many features it will fill your /system partition and you will have to delete some things if you want to install another mod that you like. Also this ROM will install apps on your /data partition so you can delete the ones you dont like. Thats why you must do a full wipe BEFORE install this rom, and not after. If you wipe after install the rom, you will delete many of the apps that are important to make some features work.
-Xperia D 4.1 - 487MB, includes gapps and necesary apps for social engine + Xperia media installed on SD card + Kernel
Small apps for Xperia D V1
Instructions to install Small apps:
-Do a first boot of the rom (this is very important because if you install the add-on with the rom you will get a bootloop)
-Put the zip on the SD card
-Reboot to recovery and flash it
-Select "install" to install the add-on
-You can use the same zip to uninstall the add-on by selecting the "uninstall" option on Aroma.
-Small apps add-on will work from Xperia D 2.5 to 4.1 builds.
-Xperia D 4.0 - 485MB, includes gapps and necesary apps for social engine + Xperia media installed on SD card + Kernel
-Xperia D 3.5 - 457MB, includes gapps and necesary apps for social engine + Xperia media installed on SD card + Kernel
Battery fix for Defy+ (flash it if your battery charges only to 85%)
-Xperia D 3.4 - 435MB, includes gapps and necesary apps for social engine + Xperia media installed on SD card + Kernel
-Xperia D 3.3 - 390MB, includes gapps and necesary apps for social engine + Xperia media installed on SD card
-Xperia D 3.2 - 388MB, includes gapps and necesary apps for social engine + Xperia media installed on SD card
Translation bug fix patch: Here (only if you selected iphone animations)
-Xperia D 3.1 - 312MB, includes gapps and necesary apps for social engine + Xperia media installed on SD card
-Xperia D 2.5 - 303MB, includes gapps and necesary apps for social engine + Xperia media installed on SD card
-Xperia D 2.0.1 - 276MB, includes gapps and necesary apps for social engine
-Xperia D 1.0 - 245MB, includes gapps and necesary apps for social engine
:::::: Credits, thanks and sources ::::::
Quarx for his amazing work in CM10
Vicky-Nyan for his amazing artwork. -Her Deviantart-
Rizal Lovins Sundanesse for his Xperia Mods and Timescape port for Jelly Bean
idcrisis for Crossbreeder
sephhi for his Iphone animations
The LT30p JB firmware Leak
ThilinaC for Xperia Z launcher, Wallpapers and Widgets
kristiancarl for Xperia keyboard
sevenrock for the unofficial CM10 build with no ringtone bug
ra3al for his wonderful Xperia launcher
Brainmaster and Kayant for the BMTweaks
amarullz for the Aroma Installer
sandy7 for his guide to port Small apps
Thanks to Uncledan for mirroring!
jasonevil for his cool "Xperiance" Theme
Chuck Norris approves!


text:
CONCORD, MA--April 9, 2013: TomTom has launched a new resource to showcase the range of business applications available for integration with its fleet management technology.
"The new App Center will enable companies to identify those solutions that can be swiftly deployed and integrated with their TomTom system"
The TomTom Business Solutions App Center is a dedicated web resource, detailing a range of partner applications ready for integration with TomTom's WEBFLEET platform. These include office solutions, such as CRM, ERP, scheduling and planning software.
This move is at the heart of TomTom Business Solutions' strategy to create added value for connected vehicle and fleet management solutions and expand its network of development partners.
"The new App Center will enable companies to identify those solutions that can be swiftly deployed and integrated with their TomTom system," said Thomas Schmidt, TomTom Business Solutions' Managing Director.
"By bringing fleet management data together with information from a host of other software systems, companies can benefit from greater efficiencies across all areas of their business -- from workflow management to customer service. With our seamless integration options customers do not have to change the way they work, they simply improve it "
The App Center will also host in-vehicle and mobile applications. Recently, TomTom opened the Bluetooth channel on its in-vehicle LINK tracking device, enabling connectivity with a host of hardware devices for use in and around the vehicle.