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I believe John Markese missed the boat on exchange-traded funds ETFs for investors like me who are switching, over time, from mutual funds to ETFs ["Face-Off: Mutual Funds vs. ETFs, June 2007 AAII Journal].
The beginning and end of it for me is that ETFs have no trading restrictions.
I once had to close out all my funds from a big name family because their trading restrictions would have forced me to remain in a money-losing situation.
I'm a momentum player. I follow Dick Fabian's original "Telephone Switch Newsletter" rules and have done quite well over the years. Occasionally, one is caught in a whipsaw and you have to get out fast. With mutual fund trading restrictions that's a risk I'm not willing to take and a risk I don't have with ETFs.
So for a guy like me, I think John Markese missed the biggest risk of all. He probably thinks everyone who buys mutual funds (per his comparison) is a buy-and-holder. Not if you don't have to be.
Ralph Nebiker
Via E-mail
Your continued assertions that ETFs do not trade at premiums or discounts are simply not true [ETFs were most recently featured in the October 2007 AAII Journal's "The Individual Investor's 2007 Guide to Exchange-Traded Funds"]. A recent Barron's disclosed that the FXI was at a 4% premium to its underlying stocks. This morning Singapore traded up 0.12% but its ETF EWS is down 2%. Also, Fast Money panelists on CNBC acknowledged that only the most liquid ETFs can be traded efficiently. Foreign ETFs track the daily movement of the U.S. ma
Harry Schiller
Via E-mail
I enjoyed the summary of Phil Town's investment approach in "The Rule #1 Approach to Finding Wonderful Companies" by Wayne A. Thorp, CFA [October 2007 AAII Journal]. The article mentions that he is a former soldier and river guide, but it does not state whether he has any formal training in economics or finance.
I was surprised to read that the ideal capital structure for a publicly traded company would be 100% equity. When a company is creditworthy, debt is widely understood to be cheaper than equity, and the return on equity is therefore enhanced by a capital structure that includes a reasonable amount of debt. I wonder if Mr. Town is truly espousing a radically different theory of capital structure, and what sort of premium he would place on a debt-free company when picking stocks, or if the article perhaps
Amy Motzenbecker
Via E-mail
I believe what Mr. Town is espousing is to err on the side of caution. He sees companies that carry "high" levels of debt as being riskier than those that carry no debt. No matter their creditworthiness, in his opinion, companies that carry debt bear some risk of defaulting. He also believes there are enough investment opportunities out there for individual investors that there is no need to invest in a company potentially saddled with what he considers too much debt.
AAII's 2007 Personal Tax and Financial Planning Guide is an extraordinarily useful document.
I have one clarification you might want to make regarding health savings account HSA contribution amounts [box on page 5], starting in 2007, as a result of legislation signed into law on December 20, 2006. Prior to 2007, the HSA contribution was limited to the deductible amount of the associated policy. As pointed out in the HSA section of the Treasury site you reference (www.treas.gov), this changed to be the $2,850 (for an individual policy) or $5,650 (for a family policy), regardless of the deductible amount. These amounts are indexed for inflation.
Philip C. Levinton
Via E-mail
Paul from CA posted over 6 years ago:
The "Passing Companies List" includes Universal Travel Group (UTA), registered in Nevada, but operate in China. Following the abrupt resignation of the UTA auditor, the company has been suspended from trading. It appears shareholder litigation is in the works. Does AAii or any member have any information?
Jerry from Ny posted over 3 years ago:
I have been eagerly looking forward to receiving the monthly journal. But ?
Sherwood Marshall from SC posted over 3 years ago:
The article titled "Revenues Will No Longer Be the Same" was very interesting. Has the final rules been set or are they subject to change before being implemented? How will the revenue be recorded for Engineering firms with large long term projects?
Charles Rotblut from IL posted over 3 years ago:
Hi Sherwood,
A committee is meeting to consider any implementation issues that may arise from the new rule. I'll refer to the FASB website for more information.
Sorry, you cannot add comments while on a mobile device or while printing.


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A little something I found yesterday, which makes me want neon accessories with lots of neutrals.
Other Stories
7 comments:
ha love the heels & the neon splashes. very cool...vibrancy is a must in this world i think. dayleReplyDelete
so fun! love the neon green in that skirt!ReplyDelete
Oh thanks for this great discovery! I am addicted to this site now.ReplyDelete
mmmm, the name, "tonic," suits so well here... +ChelseaReplyDelete
ooo I love that green skirt too! really bright and colourful.ReplyDelete
I also have a new design shop - www.howkapow.com which sells jewellery, accessories and homewares which are very similar.
Do check it out if you have a spare moment (:
I really like that green teeny (tiny) skirt...I think I too would need leggings with it until summer though:)ReplyDelete
Those shoes are a-mazing. I am drooling over the pair on the right (first image)ReplyDelete
thank you for your comments!
if you have any questions please email me via the 'contact' link.

subset: commoncrawl


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Recently I had the chance to pick up some paint and finish tips from Edwin Alvarez at Corvettes by J & D in Bellflower, California, where they do first-rate professional restorations of classic Corvettes. When they get through with a car, its paint looks so deep, dazzling, and liquid that you could almost go swimming in it. There is no hint of orange peel or other imperfection anywhere in the finish.
To achieve such a level of perfection takes hours of preparation before the car is painted, and more hours of careful hand sanding after the paint has cured, but it is worth it. None of it is easy, and it's anything but quick, but the results are spectacular. This final finishing process is called color sanding, and that is what makes the difference between a trophy winner and an also-ran, but preparation, especially on a fiberglass car, is also important.
Alvarez tells me painting a car such as a Corvette is not like painting a metal-bodied car. That's because fiberglass moves, shrinks, and changes with time. Even the most perfect fiberglass body will, in time, start to show the seams where it was glued together and will show small, shrunken flat spots as well.
This story started out to be about color sanding the new urethanes, but after hanging around at J&D for a few days, I realized there was much more to the story. We won't go into the actual shooting of the paint because that is another story in itself, but we will talk about some of the unique problems fiberglass car painters face, as well as how to color sand the new urethanes to a show-quality finish.
In The Beginning
The major challenge that faces Corvette restorers is getting the old paint off. You don't want to use conventional methyl chloride paint strippers because they can cause damage to the plastic below. About the best way to remove the old finish is to use an air or electric circular sander and 300-grit open coat, dry sandpaper. This process, using such fine sandpaper, takes more time, but it also minimizes the risk of damage to the fiberglass underneath.
Another advantage to sanding the old finish off your Vette is that it also takes out the little flat spots and shrunken areas that have developed in the body surface, and it helps clean up and hide body seams. Just be careful not to linger on sharp fender crowns and edges while sanding. In fact, if you want to strip your Corvette, find a damaged fiberglass panel to practice sanding on because if you aren't confident and experienced with a spinning sander, you could do some real damage. Small problems can be fixed with a thin layer of filler later, but deep grooves would be an expensive mistake.
Don't get impatient. Coarser sandpaper would take the paint off faster, but it could leave deep grooves that would weaken the car's body. And given that fiberglass panels are more flexible than metal ones, and if the panel is weakened, any filler you use to hide deep mistakes would be very liable to cracking. Plastic filler or Bondo-the brand name of one of the original makers of the stuff, and the slang term for it-works well if it is not bent or subjected to vibration, but it was never intended for flexible panels or to repair the sharp edges of hoods or doors.
Before beginning to strip the car of old paint, remove all the trim and triple tape anything you might accidentally scratch, such as window glass. Put on at least a particle mask before starting, and then begin sanding. Do not apply heavy pressure and keep the sander moving at a steady pace at all times.
Let the sandpaper do its work, and when it starts to clog, stop the sander and brush the dust out of the disk. As soon as the sandpaper starts to lose its "tooth" or cutting ability, change the paper rather than increasing the pressure. Otherwise you risk damage to the car's body. Just remember, sandpaper is cheap, but body panels are expensive.
Painting a fiberglass car is essentially the same as painting any other car, and exactly how you go about it depends on the paint system you choose. Suffice it to say you should always stick with just one brand of paint and one paint system because modern paints have very sophisticated chemistry and may not be at all compatible with one another. Most cars these days are painted with the new urethanes because they are so durable, and because they meet environmental rules concerning VOC (volatile organic compounds) in the atmosphere, so that is what we will be working with here.
Whether you paint the car yourself or have someone else do it, just make sure you put on enough paint to allow for color sanding. One-stage urethanes must go on a little thicker to allow for sanding, and with basecoat/clearcoat systems, you should also shoot on a little extra clearcoat to allow for color sanding.
Everyone by now has seen cars that were painted with basecoat/clearcoat systems where the clearcoat is clouding and flaking off. That happens because with wear and polishing, the clearcoat gets too thin and allows UV rays through the topcoat, and that makes the clearcoat pop off.
And since color sanding takes some paint off, you need to make sure there is enough to allow for it in the first place. By the way, some older single-stage finishes can be color-sanded to make them look good, but you shouldn't try it with an older basecoat/clearcoat system for fear of making the clearcoat too thin, especially on tops, hoods, and trunk lids.
Color Sanding
After the car is painted, the first step in getting rid of all the orange peel and imperfections in your new finish is to wash the car carefully. Any small bits of grit or dirt will make deep scratches that may be impossible to sand out. And it goes without saying you will want to work in a clean, dust-free area. If you are working indoors, you can wet the floor to minimize contaminants, or you can work outdoors on a wet concrete driveway provided the air is clean and the wind is not blowing.
After you wash the car thoroughly, go over it with a tack rag to pick up any missed grit. Next, attach a disk of 1,000-grit open-coat sandpaper to the disk of a variable-speed orbital sander and set it to its lowest speed setting. Never use a constant-speed sander because they spin too fast and will take too much paint off. In the old days of lacquer and acrylic enamel, we used to do this preliminary sanding by hand, but the new urethane paints are so hard you need an orbital sander to make any headway with them.
Once again, put on your particle mask. Work fairly quickly using the orbital sander, never letting it linger in one spot. Use a rag or compressed air to blow off the dust. Check your progress frequently, and when there is no hint of orange peel left, move on to the next area. Don't go near fender crowns or hood, door, or trunk lid edges because the paint is very thin in such areas.
In fact, it is a good idea to tape along such areas using masking tape to prevent sanding them. A small, rubber sanding knob that takes disks of adhesive sandpaper is good for getting close to such areas. Once the car has been sanded completely so there is no orange peel showing anywhere, it is time to start wet-sanding. Put a few pieces of 1500-grit microfine wet and dry sandpaper in a bucket of clean water with a little dish detergent in it to soften the edges of the paper. Let this stand while you wash the car again and go over it with a tack rag to get rid of stray dirt.
Wrap a piece of sandpaper around your sponge rubber sanding pad. Now, using a soaked rag or a garden hose to keep the surface wet at all times, sand the surface to remove the fine scratches that the coarser sandpaper made. Work in short, six-inch strokes and don't apply much pressure, and keep your work wet at all times. Let the sandpaper do the work, and when it gets dull, change it rather than applying more pressure. Otherwise you could make grooves in the paint and damage the finish. And don't get in a hurry at this point because you could spoil a lot of hard work if you do.
Color sanding a car takes many hours, so put on a CD of your favorite oldies and relax while you work. You can check your work periodically using a squeegee. The whole car should have a smooth satin finish with none of the scratches from the 1,000-grit paper still in evidence when you are done.
Tack rag the car again, then get out your variable speed buffer and set it on the lowest speed setting. Unless you are a pro, never use a constant speed buffer to polish out a finish because they can burn and remove paint in a hurry if you aren't very careful. Tape off the edges and sharp crowns of the fenders to prevent damage. Attach a wool buffing pad, then shoot a little of the buffing compound on the car.
If you are right handed, use the 12:00 to 3:00 quadrant of the pad for buffing. Use the 9:00 to 12:00 position if you are a leftie. Never buff with the pad flat because you can't maintain adequate control that way. Also, never let the pad go dry of compound because you will burn the paint if you do. Again, work back and forth in a constant rhythm, never lingering in one spot. Use a soft, clean micro-finishing cloth to remove excess compound and dust.
By now your paint should look dazzling, with only the slightest indication of spider-webbing. Pop on the fine-foam buffing pad and go to the next compound, or if you have purchased a System One kit as we recommend, use the same compound you used for the first step. Buff the car again and then stand back and say wow! You will be amazed at how beautiful your classic looks.
Finally, to bring out the last bit of blinding dazzle, go over the car with a micro-finishing cloth and a little glazing compound. This will also help protect the finish without dulling it. And if you are going to be driving the car on the street or out in the weather, wax it with pure carnauba wax with no cleaners. By now, your car's finish will be so shiny that even the cleaners in most waxes will dull it.
System One polishing kits include all the buffing pads, the System One compound and glaze, plus sponges and micro-finishing cloths, and are available from:


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Citizen Feedback
Return to Commend a BSO Employee.
We receive many compliments from residents and visitors about the service they receive from BSO deputies, firefighters, paramedics and staff.
Here are a few recent comments:It was my very first time coming to the environment of the Broward court system. I was helped by (Deputy) Blakenship. He was so pure with his advice and help and I wanted to acknowledge that. I informed him that I didn't mean to ask so many questions but I just wanted to understand things...I felt that he did it because he REALLY cared about me and my concerns and not simply because of his position/job...I want to thank (Deputy) Blakenship dearly...
-- DE , Fort Lauderdale
My husband and I would like to commend Captain Michael O'Brien of Rescue 37 who responded to our condominium this past Sunday when my husband experienced excrutiating pain and the inability to walk due to a back problem. Captain O'Brien, his crew , and his right hand man, Chris Gillman, showed the utmost professionalism and caring as they put us both at ease and proceeded to prepare Hal for transport... They explained what they were doing and why, asked pertinent questions, and were supremely good-natured, friendly, and comforting. In addition, our small condo has many antiques, and the team used the utmost care when wheeling the equipment to and from the bedroom. Before they transported my husband, they gave me clear instructions on where to park at the ER, what to do upon arrival, and Captain O'Brien personally spoke to me prior to his departure from FMC... We cannot thank Captain O'Brien and his team enough for their expert care and for their highest degree of professionalism...
-- DN , Lauderdale Lakes
Hello! I would like to commend (Deputy) Sheriff Browner for working so hard to keep our complex safe. He left a reminder card on my car telling me that I had packages inside possibly making it tempting to someone to break in. I've forgotten some of the minor things we can do to protect ourselves (and our cars). I have never seen this type of diligence displayed in any area I've lived (Maryland & Florida). It was an ?Ah Oh? moment for me...feeling silly about being careless and then I realized that (Deputy) Browner was working not only when responding to an incident but around the clock. It warmed my heart to know that someone cares that much. Thank you for your caring, your concern and your hard work! Hats off to the BSO.
-- IB , Deerfield Beach
In the early morning hours of Mar. 18, a group of 13 senior citizens was stranded at the Ft. Lauderdale airport. (Deputy Rob Schmidt) stayed with us until he could contact (the cruise line on which we were booked). He persuaded them to find us rooms so that we could get some rest. If not for Deputy Schmidt we would have had to spend the rest of the night in the airport. We want to publicly thank and commend him for all the assistance and kindness he showed to a group of weary travelers; we will never forget his thoughtfulness.
I was on my way to work when I stopped at Publix to get some lunch not only was I down and depressed but I just wanted to go home on this rainy day. As I was walking in the parking lot I saw Deputy Howard Rudolph and in my mind I said oh gosh, because (law enforcement officers) are always stuck up and unfriendly , but I paid him no mind and kept on walking when out of the blue in a very humble, loud and sincere and pleasant voice, he said to me, ?How are you doing today ma'am? Have a great day!? You know that just made my day! I was shocked, #1 because for one I have never met a cop who did that, #2 he smiled- that made the difference, #3 he made me feel really good and that just made my day! I wish all law enforcement officers had that great attitude, for one it would make the good guys feel as if they can rely on them more, and intimidate the bad ones if they were in the process of doing something that was not correct. He really demonstrated positive attitude by his actions I wish him the very best of luck in his career and for the future and that may God continue to bless him and his family abundantly.
-- PM , Tamarac
This letter is to commend Deputy Teresa Castillo, school resource deputy assigned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school on her rapid response to a potentially critical situation (an acid bomb incident on March 20, 2007). (Due to) Deputy Castillo's swift actions on evaluating the situation, securing the crime scene, and ordering the evacuation of students and staff from the scene...she possibly prevented a student or staff that may have been harmed or fatally injured that day... It is my recommendation that Deputy Castillo be commended on her actions and her duties as a law enforcement officer and a member of your department. Deputy Castillo is without a doubt, an asset to this school system, the protection of over 3300 students, and all faculty. She is to be highly recognized for her actions on this particular day and the other duties she carries throughout the school year.
-- RW , Parkland
I could not contact my girlfriend for 2 days. I called there for a welfare check and (Communications Operator) Richard Tingley was VERY helpful and most courteous and understanding. He sure represents your department well and I believe an ?Atta Boy ? is in order, sir. Thank you again and I am ex-police myself and know that things of this can usually become unnoticed in these times of turmoil.
-- RF , Maryland
I am a Stoneman Douglas High School freshman and founder of a community service program called B.I.K.E. (Believe In Kid's Education). Our program supports HIPPY (an organization for Family Central). The HIPPY program helps underprivileged parents teach their three, four, and five-year-olds at home so that when their children enter kindergarten they are ready to succeed along with parents ready to support them throughout their educational careers. B.I.K.E. is collecting used bikes to present at an upcoming HIPPY picnic whereby the bikes will be presented to the HIPPY students and their parents. (I was) referred to Officer Castillo at Stoneman Douglas. Officer Castillo set up a meeting with me to learn about HIPPY and BIKE. At the meeting, she listened attentively to my presentation on BIKE as well as reviewed the material that I provided her. Although, I am "only" a high school student, Officer Castillo treated me professionally and with dignity and respect. Furthermore, she indicated that she would follow-up with arranging for bikes to be donated to HIPPY. Not more than a day later, Officer Castillo arranged for 25 bikes to be donated. If all that was not enough, Officer Castillo loaded 25 bikes on a truck and delivered the bikes herself to my house for future pick up. Officer Castillo is the epitome of a service professional...
-- SE , Parkland
I have been a police officer for 14 years...I have had a very successful career but, in the last four years, my performance level was going downhill because of a substance abuse problem. (In 2006), I enrolled in the Public Safety Substance Abuse Program...in Lake Worth. During my treatment, I was honored to have BSO Deputy Carlos Farina as one of my group therapists. Deputy Farina worked closely with the public safety group...Deputy Farina's personal approach and vision enlightened us all. (He) helped save me from truly giving up on life... Deputy Farina is a large asset to your department as well as law enforcement professionals around the world.
-- Massachusetts
I would like to thank Lt. David Holmes for listening at the homeowners meeting on Jan 25, 2007 re: the problem with kids throwing rocks at our house, camper and my family. We have been called every name in the book because we tell them to stop doing whatever they are doing. They even hurt and sometimes kill our native wildlife and/or the non-native iguanas... I want to thank the lieutenant for his consideration on all issues discussed - we appreciate your stopping by to give us an update on the situation. Actions speak louder than words. Thank you for taking us seriously.
-- PB , City of Lauderdale Lakes
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The month of March no longer stresses out Sharon Fargason.
For the first time in four years, Fargason did not receive a March pink slip. She looks forward to completing the school year without the distraction or anxiety of potential unemployment.
"It's really nice that I just get to focus on teaching, and I'm not stressed out during the day," said Fargason, who teaches third grade at Fay Elementary School in City Heights. "There is no cloud hanging over our school this year."
School districts in San Diego County and throughout California have issued dramatically fewer layoff warnings to teachers this year. It's one of the first real signs of the impact of Gov. Jerry Brown's Proposition 30 tax hike since it was approved by California voters in November.
Just days after the state's March 15 deadline to issue pink slips, the first official tally of San Diego County's 42 districts shows that at least 136 full-time educators received layoff warnings, according to the California Teachers Association. That's a sharp contrast to the 2,200 notices issued in the county last year.
Statewide, the CTA reports that just more than 3,000 educators received pinks slips this year, down from 20,000 last year. The state's two largest districts in San Diego and Los Angeles did not issue any pink slips to teachers this year.
"It's just such a relief," said Bill Freeman, who represents 7,000 teachers as president of the San Diego Education Association. "However, there still has to be some more concrete changes to public education funding in California."
In recent years, pink slip season has become an annual yet unwelcome tradition in recent years for teachers and parents. State law requires districts to notify teachers, counselors school librarians and other educators with teaching credentials by March 15 that they might be laid off — long before the governor releases a revised budget proposal in May.
A report issued last year by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst Office criticized the teacher layoff process as expensive and counterintuitive. Roughly 75 percent of layoff warnings issued in the state are typically canceled after districts spend an average of $706 per pink slip on hearings and necessary paperwork. The report recommended realigning the teacher layoff deadlines to with the state budget calendar. State Sen. Bob Huff, R-Diamond Bar, is pushing a bill to move the preliminary layoff deadline from March to June and the final deadline from May to August.
Even though most layoff notices are rescinded, they instill anxiety and uncertainty among teachers, parents and students. Pink slips often prompt months of emotional rallies — and media coverage — that often pits teachers against administrators. Since layoffs are seniority-based, schools that serve the neediest children — typically the campuses with the least-experienced faculties — tend to get hit the hardest with pink slips that sometimes threaten to replace entire staffs.
Last year at Fay Elementary, Fargason was among 28 teachers (out of 29 overall) to receive a pink slip.
"The kids kind of get ripped off because they are not getting teachers who are 100 percent focused," Fargason said. "For schools like ours that could lose a whole school of teachers — and their relationships with students and families — that is just really hard."
Had Proposition 30 failed, the state would have been left with an $8.5-billion hole in its budget. Brown spent much of last year trying to convince Californians that if they didn't come to the rescue by voting for a quarter-cent sales tax increase, schools were destined to take a punishing hit to the tune of $6 billion.
"What Prop. 30 has done is it has prevented any further reductions to education," said Janice Cook, superintendent of Cajon Valley Union School District, which avoided pink slips this year. "Prop. 30 is preventing that increased cut to education, but it does not bring us back up to the level we were at in 2007-08."
Opponents of Proposition 30 have said schools largely could have avoided the annual pink-slip scene by getting their fiscal houses in order, rather than to plead for higher taxes. Some critics note that districts still project deficits yet teachers are getting raises, administrators are being hired and enrollment is shrinking in some districts.
Most districts expect to receive some additional revenue next year. But it's unclear how Brown's education funding plans will play out since an official budget proposal will not be released until May, and then the Legislature proposes its alterations before the July 1 fiscal year begins.
Brown is expected to ultimately propose giving more state money to districts with the highest concentration of students facing poverty and language barriers.
"Proposition 30 will provide more funding for schools but the recovery from the impacts of five years of budget cuts to K-12 education will take several years," said Stan Dobbs, San Diego Unified's CFO. "The structural deficit will be addressed in 2013-14 (in San Diego Unified) with a reduction in staffing from attrition and with property sales. In future years, it is expected that Proposition 30 funding to schools will increase and improve the longer term financial position of the district."
San Diego Unified expects to receive some $27 million in additional money from Proposition 30 for the 2013-14 school year. The bulk of it will go to pay raises for teachers and principals under labor pacts approved last summer. The district will avoid layoffs by closing its $92.63 million estimated deficit to next year's $1.09 billion budget under a plan that seeks to sell off surplus property and cut the workforce by freezing hundreds of jobs that are left vacant through attrition.
Despite the Proposition 30 tax increase that began in January and remains in effect for several years, the March madness that has become the hallmark of spring for school districts over the past five years has not entirely been assuaged.
The Sweetwater Union High School District tapped at least 49 full-time teachers from the Regional Occupational Program (known as ROP) for potential layoffs. The Fallbrook High School District notified 20 teachers they could be out of work by July. Escondido issued 10 layoff notices.
Every district operates independently with its own elected board and its own employee labor contracts. Over the years, each took a different approach as state revenues dwindled. Many spent down reserves and asked employees to take unpaid furlough days that shortened the academic year for students. Some opted to take on larger class sizes. Some made cuts yet continued to add jobs and salary increases to the payroll even as revenues shrunk.
Anthony Millican, spokesman for the Chula Vista Elementary School District, said in the wake of Proposition 30 there is new hope that schools will continue to receive greater resources from Sacramento. "The governor's budget does move in the right direction," Millican said. "But so far, it is important to note that this new funding model by the governor does not restore all cuts and deficits experienced by schools since the 2008-2009 year."
School districts have until June 30 to adopt their final budgets.
School finances
A handful of examples of how some local districts are approaching the budget year.
San Diego Unified
Enrollment (excluding charters): 112,000
2012-13 operating budget: $1,130,791,035
2013-14 projected operating budget: $1,090,068,320
Projected deficit for 2013-14 budget: $92.63 million
Pink Slips: none
Proposed cost-cutting measures: Sell surplus real estate, freeze jobs left vacant through attrition, reduce school year through furloughs and raise class sizes
Ramona Unified
Enrollment (excluding charters): 5,868
2012-13 operating budget: $45,151,265
2013-14 projected operating budget: $43,872,300
Projected deficit: $4,903,000
Pink slips: 6
Cost-cutting measures: Elimination of classroom programs, including elementary music, summer school, Gifted And Talented Education, and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) college-prep offerings. Proposed concessions from labor groups to reduce salaries and/or benefits.
Sweetwater Union High School District
Enrollment (excluding charters): 40,600
2012-13 operating budget: $345 million
Projected 2013-14 operating budget: $338 million
Projected deficit: $4 million
Pink slips: 59
Proposed cost-cutting measures: Elimination of Regional Occupational Program (ROP) vocational classes and staff
Vista Unified
Enrollment (excluding charters): 22,000
2012-13 operating budget: $189,025,292
Projected 2013-14 operating budget: $193,768,455
Projected deficit: $14.3 million
Pink slips: 6.5 (full-time equivalents)
Proposed cost-cutting measures: Eliminating jobs through attrition and reducing expenses for district programs
(Projected deficits are for the 2013-14 spending plans, not the difference from the current year budget.)
Sources: School districts, California Teachers Association.


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Welcome To Meredith
Founded in 1951, Meredith is a second-generation family owned real estate development and management business.
Meredith has developed, owned and managed over 3,000 apartments, 5,000 condominiums and 5 million square feet of commercial space. Creating community and enhancing value through innovative development and attentive management are the pillars of Meredith's business philosophy.
Fenway CenterKenmore Square is a strategic location within the City of Boston given its convergent location joining four other thriving and active neighborhoods: the Back Bay, the Fenway area, Longwood Medical Area and Brookline and has always served as a major transportation hub.
PBS Interview with John Rosenthal
National PBS television interview with
John Rosenthal, President of Meredith Management.
Non-Profits We Support
Stop Handgun Violence
Current Stop Handgun Violence Billboard on The Mass Pike
Meredith works very closely with two local non-profit organizations founded by it's President John Rosenthal.
Stop Handgun Violence is a non-profit organization committed to the prevention of gun violence through education, public awareness, effective law enforcement and common sense gun laws.
Friends of Boston's Homeless
Founded in 1987, the Friends of Boston's Homeless is a 501(C)(3) non-profit corporation that works in partnership with Homeless Services of the Boston Public Health Commission to develop and fund innovative, solution-oriented programs to help the homeless move beyond shelter and back into the community as independent citizens. In addition, through advocacy and education, the Friends seeks to increase the public's awareness and understanding of the plight of the homeless.
Latest News
Yawkey Station
Construction is underway on the first ever zero net energy MBTA Commuter Rail Station in Massachusetts.
Fenway Center
Meredith is fully approved for the Fenway Center development located on Mass Turnpike Air Rights Parcel 7 in Kenmore Square
Meredith's plan for MTA Parcel 7 creates an exciting smart growth, transit and sustainable energy oriented, mixed-use development as recommended by the Civic Vision for Turnpike Air rights.
Here Comes the Sun
Here Comes the Sun LLC is a clean power provider specializing in solar energy.


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5)Lex Luger-The body and the mic skills but didn't have a passion for wrestling others did. If Luger had been even a good wrestler he would have been near the top.
(4)Big show-A great heel and a popular face. When he was younger he was one of the most agile big men in the history of wrestling but his weight kept going up and up. If he wrestled during the territories era he would have
Every year the WWE hall of fame comes and goes and among the great wrestlers left out is Jake the Snake Roberts, my question is why? he was one of the top 3 mic guys in the history of wrestling along with Hulk Hogan and Rick Flair, he was one of the top 10 wrestlers of all time. Lets don't pretend Jake was not a pain in the ass which he was but so were Flair, Hogan and HBK. Is it his drug and booze


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Hello everyone!
Progressing in my practice of anapanasati, I now often reach a point where the experience of breathing gives me very pleasant sensations.
Then what frequently appens is that pops up an image of a dear one (usally my brother), than rise some thought like "how can let him experience this joy too?"
The question don't get any answer, than also the imege of the person disappears and remains only compassion (something that makes me feel very happy but with a little background of melancholy, and some tears trickle down from my eyes) - don't know if it's the right term
Now if I come back to breath all calms down, if on the other hand I keep the attention on that feeling it begins to grow, grow and than... suddenly decreses. In the latter case however the mind remain a little agitated it becomes more difficult to resume atteniton to the breath for a while.
I'm a beginner so I'm a little confused when reflecting at the end of my meditation.
Plese feel free to give me some explanation/suggestion.
Thank you


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Anyone For Dinner?Riddles are little poems or phrases that pose a question that needs answering. Riddles frequently rhyme, but this is not a requirement.
Our dinner guests howl that we're evil
When they notice their place in the meal.
But it's no big deal why;
We're just one happy tribe,
And we get really fed up with people!
Who, or what, are we?
HintAnyone for dinner? Anyone!
The opening lines refer to a guest's role in dinner - as the main course!
"Tribe" and the pun, "fed up", are the main clues.
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Go here to discuss with passionate TR fans worldwide everything regarding the upcoming installment in the series by Crystal Dynamics - Rise of the Tomb Raider. Here you can also voice your wishes for the new game directly to the game devs, participate in monthly forum contest, ask questions in exclusive dev Q&A sessions, and more!
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SWINDON Town's squad are starting to believe in their collective objective, according to striker Andy Williams, and that can only bode well for the remainder of the Robins' campaign.
Swindon sit fifth in League One after their 4-0 victory over Carlisle on Saturday, five points off the automatic promotion places with a game in hand over second-placed Doncaster and table-topping Tranmere.
Twenty-one games still remain in the Robins' campaign, but Williams was bullish when he talked about the mindset of the Town squad following their remarkable Christmas and new year period.
"We're all just starting to believe in one another and believe in what we're doing and when you get on a bit of a run you can get momentum," he said.
"Teams come here and it's a tough place to come at the best of times and if we go a goal up their heads start to drop and they know what could be coming after that. Hopefully we can keep that going now and show that we can do that away from home as well."
Williams netted a brace against Carlisle, the first of which came as a result of a piece of brilliant individual skill as the frontman lifted Alan McCormack's throw-in over his marker with his first touch and unleashed a superb volley with his second.
"It was a nice goal to score," he said. "It was a quick throw-in from Macca and I managed to flick the ball over the defender's head and fire it past the goalie. It was nice to get the boys off and rolling.
"(The second) was a great ball from Matty (Matt Ritchie) and I just had to make sure I got good contact on it and thankfully it beat the keeper at his near post.
"There was a nice bit of banter at the end and a bit of chat from the crowd, and I think we had a few chances to make it five and certainly had enough chances during the game to score five goals. I think we had a lot of clear-cut chances today and showed that we're a team in form."


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While plenty of high-yield opportunities exist, investors must always consider the safety of their dividend and the total return potential of their investment. It is not uncommon for a struggling company to suspend high-yielding dividends which could subsequently result in precipitous share price declines.
TheStreet Ratings' stock rating model views dividends favorably, but not so much that other factors are disregarded. Our model gauges the relationship between risk and reward in several ways, including: the pricing drawdown as compared to potential profit volatility, i.e. how much one is willing to risk in order to earn profits?; the level of acceptable volatility for highly performing stocks; the current valuation as compared to projected earnings growth; and the financial strength of the underlying company as compared to its stock's valuation as compared to its stock's performance.
These and many more derived observations are then combined, ranked, weighted, and scenario-tested to create a more complete analysis. The result is a systematic and disciplined method of selecting stocks. As always, stock ratings should not be treated as gospel — rather, use them as a starting point for your own research.
The following pages contain our analysis of 3 stocks with substantial yields, that ultimately, we have rated "Sell."
ARMOUR Residential REITDividend Yield: 14.40% ARMOUR Residential REIT (NYSE: ARR) shares currently have a dividend yield of 14.40%. ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc. is a real estate investment trust launched and managed by ARMOUR Residential Management LLC. It invests in the real estate markets of the United States. The average volume for ARMOUR Residential REIT has been 4,637,100 shares per day over the past 30 days. ARMOUR Residential REIT has a market cap of $1.5 billion and is part of the real estate industry. Shares are up 4% year-to-date as of the close of trading on Friday. TheStreet Ratings rates ARMOUR Residential REIT as a sell. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its deteriorating net income, disappointing return on equity, weak operating cash flow, generally disappointing historical performance in the stock itself and feeble growth in its earnings per share. Highlights from the ratings report include:
- The company, on the basis of change in net income from the same quarter one year ago, has significantly underperformed when compared to that of the S&P 500 and the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry. The net income has significantly decreased by 567.2% when compared to the same quarter one year ago, falling from $115.75 million to -$540.78 million.
- Return on equity has greatly decreased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of major weakness within the corporation. Compared to other companies in the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) industry and the overall market, ARMOUR RESIDENTIAL REIT INC's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500.
- Net operating cash flow has significantly decreased to $70.22 million or 53.16% when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, when comparing to the industry average, the firm's growth rate is much lower.
- Despite any intermediate fluctuations, we have only bad news to report on this stock's performance over the last year: it has tumbled by 34.60%, worse than the S&P 500's performance. Consistent with the plunge in the stock price, the company's earnings per share are down 497.29% compared to the year-earlier quarter. Naturally, the overall market trend is bound to be a significant factor. However, in one sense, the stock's sharp decline last year is a positive for future investors, making it cheaper (in proportion to its earnings over the past year) than most other stocks in its industry. But due to other concerns, we feel the stock is still not a good buy right now.
- ARMOUR RESIDENTIAL REIT INC has experienced a steep decline in earnings per share in the most recent quarter in comparison to its performance from the same quarter a year ago. The company has reported a trend of declining earnings per share over the past two years. However, the consensus estimate suggests that this trend should reverse in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, ARMOUR RESIDENTIAL REIT INC swung to a loss, reporting -$0.53 versus $0.97 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($0.60 versus -$0.53).
- You can view the full ARMOUR Residential REIT Ratings Report.


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Important: APIs under the /beta version in Microsoft Graph are in preview and are subject to change. Use of these APIs in production applications is not supported.
Note: Using the Microsoft Graph APIs to configure Intune controls and policies still requires that the Intune service is correctly licensed by the customer.
Deletes a macOSScepCertificateProfile.
One of the following permissions is required to call this API. To learn more, including how to choose permissions, see Permissions.
|Permission type
|Permissions (from least to most privileged)
|Delegated (work or school account)
|Delegated (personal Microsoft account)
|Not supported.
|Not supported.
DELETE /deviceManagement/deviceConfigurations/{deviceConfigurationId}
DELETE /deviceManagement/deviceConfigurations/{deviceConfigurationId}/groupAssignments/{deviceConfigurationGroupAssignmentId}/deviceConfiguration
DELETE /deviceManagement/deviceConfigurations/{deviceConfigurationId}/microsoft.graph.windows10GeneralConfiguration/privacyAccessControls/{windowsPrivacyDataAccessControlItemId}/deviceConfiguration
|Bearer <token> Required.
Do not supply a request body for this method.
If successful, this method returns a
204 No Content response code.
Here is an example of the request.
DELETE https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/deviceManagement/deviceConfigurations/{deviceConfigurationId}
Here is an example of the response. Note: The response object shown here may be truncated for brevity. All of the properties will be returned from an actual call.
HTTP/1.1 204 No Content


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The information on this site, including links to websites not controlled by Marquette University, is provided for convenience only to individuals seeking volunteer service options. Nothing on this site, including external hyperlinks, is intended as an endorsement by Marquette University of any service agency, its linked website, other information, products or services contained therein. It is the responsibility of the user to evaluate the content and usefulness of information from such external sites. The information provided has been collected from a number of sources, and nothing in this website should be interpreted to be an advertisement or promotion of a listed agency. This directory is not an exhaustive list of all service agencies available. No representations that all information provided is or was accurate are made, and Marquette University assumes no obligation to update such information.
Late Night Marquette


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Unaware of warning: 'I was actually putting my family and self at risk'
DEXTER, Ore. - An alert about potentially deadly toxic algae in Dexter Reservoir went out on the eve of Fourth of July.
Don't drink the water, state health officials said.
Don't touch it, either.
That was Wednesday.
On Thursday, Debbie Conley and her family headed for Dexter Reservoir, unaware of the warning.
"We had a great day, lots of fun," Conley said. "There were a lot of people there with children, their dogs."
At the end of the day as Conley took her family's garbage to the trash can, she saw a sign on the ground warning of the blue-green algae bloom detected in Dexter Reservoir.
"My heart sank when I read it," she said, "thinking that a day that I thought was recreation for my family, I was actually putting my family and self at risk."
Brian Zenz with Oregon State Parks said the Army Corps of Engineers tests Dexter Reservoir for the algae, then alerts park headquarters.
"Here at Dexter Reservoir park and at Lowell park, we've notified the public by posting our orange algae signs stating that be caution be aware that the lake has blue green algae," Zenz said.
Conley isn't sure that is enough.
"In all actuality I don't understand why the reservoir was even open that day," Conley said.
Information about current algae blooms available via the Oregon HABS - Harmful Algae Bloom Surveillance.


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MOUNT WASHINGTON – Even the best softball programs have to go into 'rebuilding' mode after losing six seniors.
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The chief pilot of Colgan Air had expressed reservations about the qualifications of the captain of the Bombardier Q400 that crashed on approach to Buffalo, N.Y., less than six months prior to the Feb. 12, 2009 accident, according to internal e-mail records released by the law firm representing seven families of the victims.
The e-mails, exchanged on August 26 and 27, 2008, show that chief pilot Bill Honan had originally removed Capt. Marvin Renslow from the airline's list to upgrade from the Saab 340 to the Q400 due to concerns about his proficiency. Renslow, in fact, had failed three check rides before the start of his employment at Colgan Air in 2005, although he mentioned only one on his job application, and failed two more with Colgan.
"[Renslow] is already off the list," Honan wrote on August 27 in response to an opinion expressed by Colgan vice president of operations Harry Mitchel that "Anyone who does not meet the [minimums] and had problems training before is not ready to take the Q…"
Honan apparently required Renslow to pass another proficiency training check on the Saab before allowing him to enter the Q400 transition class. Renslow entered the class in October 2008 and passed.
"The e-mails are significant for two reasons," Hugh Russ, a partner in the Hodgson Russ law firm, told AIN. "First, the e-mails, which are dated just months before the crash, prove that the highest levels of Colgan management recognized that the pilot was not qualified to fly the plane and yet promoted him despite this knowledge. Second, and more generally, the e-mails prove that Colgan, as part of its regular business practices, routinely sacrificed safety for profits."
Colgan, meanwhile, categorically disputes allegations that the company withheld the information contained in the e-mails from the NTSB. "While this specific email exchange was not included in the NTSB investigation, the information it references, including Renslow's earlier failed Saab 340 upgrade check in 2007, was in fact shared with NTSB investigators prior to and during testimony," Colgan said in a statement sent to AIN. "Additionally, the NTSB was aware of the additional proficiency check as his training record was part of the NTSB evidence and that record clearly shows the additional check. To suggest otherwise is patently false and represents a clear attempt by plaintiffs' attorneys to try their cases against the company in the media."
Colgan insists that the e-mail exchange refers to a failed check ride that happened a year earlier, during Renslow's first attempt to upgrade from a first officer to captain in the Saab 340. Renslow underwent additional training before receiving his captain's type rating from an FAA-designated examiner. As a captain, according to Colgan, he completed three successful "checking events."
"[Renslow] was qualified to begin his transition training into the Q400 aircraft, but the email exchange shows Colgan's chief pilot required Renslow to pass his next scheduled check flight before being allowed to begin transition training into the Q400," said Colgan. "Renslow then successfully completed Colgan's FAA-approved Q400 training program, was issued a Q400 type rating by an FAA-designated examiner, and successfully completed transition operating experience in the Q400 with a Colgan Q400 check airman, all without any training deficiencies or problems noted."
WF (not verified)
October 27, 2011 - 11:13am
The statement at the end of the article explains it all...The pilot passed the required training and was authorized to operate the aircraft. Period. The argument otherwise would be similar to a double jeopardy situation where a deficiency was identified, corrected, rechecked and passed but subsequently reversed because back to the original problem as if the remedial training/correction never happenned. Problems would never be identified and fixed if we operating in such a draconian environment that no matter what you did to correct your errors you would never be able to overcome past difficulties. I am speaking in generalities and not unilaterally applying this logic to the colgan accident, I am simply stating that this sort of monday quarterbacking is pointless.
Sue Chuck (not verified)
October 27, 2011 - 1:36pm
Bottom line,
1.) They KNOWINGLY withheld e mal transmittals.
2.) Those transmittals referenced his superiors stating that it is NOT
reccommended that they put him in THAT plane.
3.) That is the plane that crashed, killing 50 people.
That seems serious
Larry Walters (not verified)
October 27, 2011 - 4:24pm
Everyone wants a cheap ticket. You get what you pay for. Everyone at Colgan except for the kids of Senator Colgan who still work there could care less about the company. Regional airlines are pinched in the middle of employees who have no experience and can't wait to leave and go to a major airline where they could actually make a living. I asked my manager if he had a 401K and he said, "No, I had Frosted Flakes this morning". If you want to get the same type of training and commitment to the company like the major airlines, then the major airlines who bid out the contracts to fill in the holes in their system to accommodate customers at small airports will have to pay more, so the regional employer can pay more and train more effectively.
Deregulation is a horrible thing and safety is always economically second. You can put a price on a human life, they do it every day, it's about 179.00 round trip from ATL to LGA.
Buy a plane, learn to fly and cart your own butt around the country. You can carry a loaded pistol, a fifth of Jack (can't drink it), and a machete on every flight and you decide how safe you really want to make it.
Harold Coghlan (not verified)
November 11, 2011 - 12:27am
I have been a Line Pilot, Instructor, FAA Check Airman and Manager/Director at various FAR 135 regional and FAR 121 Large Airlines, and I can honestly say I agree that smaller Regional Airlines don't pay their personnel nearly enough, and don't spend as much in pilot training as the larger 121 airlines, but neither of those are acceptable reasons to accept sub-standard pilot performance. I have passed many a pilot applicant, but only when they met the required standards. When pilots did not meet standards, or when their basic pilot safety or judgement was in doubt (as in, "would I put my family on the back of this pilot's aircraft"), then I had no problem failing said pilot.
It appears that this pilot may have made serious errors during his training leading up to his promotion to Captain in the Q400. It is sad that no one stopped this accident from happening long before the flight took off, as in not promoting someone that perhaps was not ready to fly as Captain in this newer plane. most accidents are a series of chain links connected, and breaking any one of those links normally stops the accident from happening. Too bad the accident chain of events appears to have stayed "unbroken". That is what Check Airmen and Managers get paid to do, make those hard calls, even if they are unpopular.
Jim (not verified)
November 11, 2011 - 7:42am
Where I think the investigation is lacking is with the FAA Flight Inspector and his / her relationship with the Colgan's. Colgan has been in operation for a very long time and has had numerous fatal incidents to their record. There is a good old boy relationship that exists in Northern Virginia. Look beyond the obvious.


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A pedestrian hit by a car on the A303 near Stonehenge on Friday evening has died, police have said.
Patrick Sturtivant, 37, from Monmouthshire, South Wales, suffered serious head injuries in the collision with a Mercedes 300 on Friday night.
Wiltshire Air Ambulance paramedics anaesthetised Mr Sturtivant at the scene and he was airlifted to the major trauma centre at Southampton General Hospital at about 8.40pm.
The road was closed near Amesbury following the crash.


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31, 3, 5, 11, 23, 13Series teasers are where you try to complete the sequence of a series of letters, numbers or objects.
Transform the following numbers into a palindromic sequence (one that reads the same backwards as forwards) by applying the same formula to all the numbers. What is the formula and what are the resulting numbers?
31, 3, 5, 11, 23, 13
AnswerSquare each number to get the palindrome:
961, 9, 25, 121, 529, 169
What Next?
See another brain teaser just like this one...
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text:
The Acadiana Disc Golf Association and The Flight Club Disc Golf League Proudly Present
The 2011 Louisiana Disc Golf State Championship
Visit the event website http://la-state-disc-golf-championship.ettend.com/ for complete and up-to-date tournament information and most importantly, online registration.
Entry Fees
Pro Divisions
Pro Open - $50
Pro Women - $50
Pro Masters - $50
Pro Masters Women - $50
Pro Grandmasters - $50
Pro Senior Grandmasters - $50
Amateur Divisions
Advanced - $35
Advanced Masters - $35
Am Men - $35
Am Women - $35
Novice - $20
Junior - $20
Highlights and Extras
Three rounds of eighteen holes will be played consisting of the Duzee course at Acadiana, Pa Davis Park and a temporary course at ULL's Horse Farm.
A player's pack consisting of no less than a tournament stamped Champion or Star plastic disc from Innova, a tournament t-shirt and lunch on Saturday is guaranteed to all pre-registered players. Additional merchandise may be included.
Guaranteed cash added to pro divisions payout.
Generous payout of tournament stamped discs in all competitive amateur divisions in addition to the following guaranteed merchandise for top finishers - Innova Sport Basket for first place in Advanced, Advanced Masters and Am Men - Innova Traveler Basket for first place in Am women - Competition bags for second place in these four divisions - Deluxe bags for third place in these four divisions.
Novices and Juniors will receive a free disc of their choice in addition to their player's packs.
The Louisiana representative to the 2011 USDGC will be chosen at this event.
As usual, tons and tons of CTPs will be out on the courses, presented to you by The Flight Club.
Vegas style Ace Pots for all three courses, $1 thru $5 per course.
Event Schedule and Format
Pools and Courses
Pool and course assignments will be finalized as the event draws near. The number of players registered and the concentration of these players by division will be taken into account before making these assignments. Every effort will be made to avoid overcrowding on the courses - including possibly running three pools.
Sign-up for unregistered players, collection of entry fees for pre-registered players and distribution of player's packs will start at 8:00 AM at Acadiana Park on Saturday, September 24th and finish at 9:30 AM.
A mandatory player's meeting at Acadiana Park will follow sign-ups.
The first round of play will begin after the conclusion of the player's meeting. Expect a tee-time of approximately 10:00 AM for the first round.
Lunch will be served FREE OF CHARGE at Acadiana Park on Saturday following the first round of play. Please indicate if you will be joining us for lunch when you register.
The second round of play will begin one hour after the last scorecard from the first round is turned in. The second round tee time will be announced verbally and posted in writing at Acadiana Park during lunch.
A player's party will follow the completion of the second round of play on Saturday night. It will be held at an off-site venue. Rings-of-fire will be held at the player's party.
Tee time Sunday morning will be 9:00 AM. No additional meeting will be held Sunday morning. Players go directly to their assigned course, check their hole assignment and begin play at 9:00 AM.
All players will return to Pa Davis Park on Sunday after the third round of play. If necessary, ace pot throw offs will be held while the final scores are being tallied.
An awards ceremony will be held at Pa Davis Park. All CTP prizes, awards, merchandise and cash won by players will be presented at the awards ceremony.
Directions, Lodging and Contact Information
Discussion is underway to designate an official tournament hotel. An update will be given as soon as an agreement is reached.
As always, camping is available at Acadiana Park's Campground.
Acadiana Park
From I-10, turn South at exit 104 (Louisiana Ave). Turn left on Alexander St. Acadiana Park is approximately 1/2 mile down Alexander on the left hand side. The parking lot is just past the playground, before the tennis courts. Hole 1 for the Ace Run is behind the bathrooms to the left of the parking lot. Hole 1 for the Duzee is behind the soccer fields in front of the parking lot.
For GPS users, Acadiana Park's physical address is 1005 E. Alexander Street, Lafayette, LA
Pa Davis Park
Take the Louisiana Avenue Exit (Exit 104) off I-10. Go south on Louisiana Ave. to the intersection of Simcoe St. Turn left on Simcoe and travel approximately 1 mile to the intersection of Hines St. Turn left on Hines and then left again onto Dawn St. which is the entrance road to Pa Davis park. Veer right into the parking lot past the big building and park by the basketball courts.
You will drive past hole 1's tee box on the right hand side as you enter the park.
Pa Davis Park's address is 120 Dawn Street, Lafayette, LA
The Horse Farm
Take the Louisiana Avenue Exit (Exit 104) off I-10. Go south/southwest on Louisiana Avenue approximately 10 miles to the intersection of Bertrand Drive, past Evangeline Thruway and past UL Lafayette's campus.. Turn left into the parking lot of the South College Shopping Center and park behind the Regions Bank building. The entrance to the Horse Farm is just around the corner.
The Horse Farm's address is 2913 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA
Tournament director - Jacques Giraud. Contact me at email@example.com


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Guzman to head to rehab assignment Thursday
HOUSTON -- Astros first baseman Jesus Guzman will join Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday for a rehab assignment.
Guzman has been on the 15-day disabled list with back spasms since they flared up and forced him out of a game on Aug. 1.
"I feel really well, excited to go to California and get working again," he said. "I'm trying to be ready as soon as possible."
Guzman is expected to be at Triple-A for approximately four games before being reactivated. He likely won't test his back in the field right away.
"Yeah, the trainer Nate [Lucero] told me I'll DH for a couple of days and then maybe by the third day I'll play the field."
Guzman was mostly a platoon and utility option for the Astros before the injury. He started the majority of his appearances at first base, but also spent time in left field, as a designated hitter and even made an appearance at third base.
In his fifth Major League season, Guzman hit two homers and collected eight RBIs while batting .200 this season in 145 at-bats.
Chris Abshire is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Great Designs from United States Presidential Election 2012
The 2012 Presidential Election has now concluded and all the campaigning can finally be put to rest. Since we're four years away from the next wave of campaign art, we wanted to reflect on some pieces that caught our eye during this year's U.S. Presidential Election. So take it in, savor it, and use it for inspiration – we'll be looking forward to your designs come 2016!
Infographic: How Both Presidential Candidates Grossly Outspent Their Predecessors
Infographic: The 507 Different Paths To Presidential Victory
Get even more in Design, Development & the Elections?.


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Temptation lies near the cash register of Épicerie Boulud. Truffles, out in the open, piled high in sparkling glass bowls. How can you resist? That's the Caramel on the left, a seamlessly silky truffle with a base of dark chocolate ganache. They're all hand-rolled in a flurry of the darkest cocoa powder, a thin shell of tempered chocolate, and that dreamy ganache. Balance with a Champagne Truffle, bittersweet chocolate—just a few notches more bitter than the caramel—infused with champagne. It's just a hint, and you're guaranteed to miss the champagne if you devour too quickly. But that's what makes it a stellar chocolate truffle.
Épicerie Boulud
1900 Broadway, New York NY 10023 (map)
About the author: Originally from Honolulu, Kathy YL Chan blogs at Kathy YL Chan, where she chronicles her eats and travel adventures between Hawai'i, New York and beyond. She firmly believes that there is always room for dessert.


text: Symptoms and causes By Mayo Clinic Staff Print SymptomsSexually transmitted infections (STIs) can have a range of signs and symptoms, including no symptoms. That's why they may go unnoticed until complications occur or a partner is diagnosed. Signs and symptoms that might indicate an STI include: Sores or bumps on the genitals or in the oral or rectal area Painful or burning urination Discharge from the penis Unusual or odd-smelling vaginal discharge Unusual vaginal bleeding Pain during sex Sore, swollen lymph nodes, particularly in the groin but sometimes more widespread Lower abdominal pain Fever Rash over the trunk, hands or feet Signs and symptoms may appear a few days after exposure, or it may take years before you have any noticeable problems, depending on the organism. When to see a doctor See a doctor immediately if: You are sexually active and may have been exposed to an STI You have signs and symptoms of an STI Make an appointment with a doctor: When you consider becoming sexually active or when you're 21 — whichever comes first Before you start having sex with a new partner CausesSexually transmitted infections can be caused by: Bacteria (gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia) Parasites (trichomoniasis) Viruses (human papillomavirus, genital herpes, HIV) Sexual activity plays a role in spreading many other infectious agents, although it's possible to be infected without sexual contact. Examples include the hepatitis A, B and C viruses, shigella, and Giardia intestinalis. Risk factorsAnyone who is sexually active risks exposure to a sexually transmitted infection to some degree. Factors that may increase that risk include: Having unprotected sex. Vaginal or anal penetration by an infected partner who isn't wearing a latex condom significantly increases the risk of getting an STI. Improper or inconsistent use of condoms can also increase your risk. Oral sex may be less risky, but infections can still be transmitted without a latex condom or dental dam. Dental dams — thin, square pieces of rubber made with latex or silicone — prevent skin-to-skin contact. Having sexual contact with multiple partners. The more people you have sexual contact with, the greater your risk. This is true for concurrent partners as well as monogamous consecutive relationships. Having a history of STIs. Having one STI makes it much easier for another STI to take hold. Anyone forced to have sexual intercourse or sexual activity. Dealing with rape or assault can be difficult, but it's important to be seen as soon as possible. Screening, treatment and emotional support can be offered. Abusing alcohol or using recreational drugs. Substance abuse can inhibit your judgment, making you more willing to participate in risky behaviors. Injecting drugs. Needle sharing spreads many serious infections, including HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Being young. Half of STIs occur in people between the ages of 15 and 24. Men who request prescriptions for drugs to treat erectile dysfunction. Men who ask their doctors for prescriptions for certain drugs — such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis) and vardenafil (Levitra) — have higher rates of STIs. Be sure you are up to date on safe sex practices if you ask your doctor for one of these medications. Transmission from mother to infant Certain STIs — such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV and syphilis — can be passed from an infected mother to her child during pregnancy or delivery. STIs in infants can cause serious problems and may be fatal. All pregnant women should be screened for these infections and treated. ComplicationsBecause many people in the early stages of an STI experience no symptoms, screening for STIs is important in preventing complications. Possible complications include: Pelvic pain Pregnancy complications Eye inflammation Arthritis Pelvic inflammatory disease Infertility Heart disease Certain cancers, such as HPV-associated cervical and rectal cancers Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic OverviewDiagnosis Aug. 18, 2017 Print Share on: FacebookTwitter References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines, 2015. MMWR. 2015;64:1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr6403a1.htm. Accessed Dec. 1, 2015. Smith L, et al. Sexually transmitted infections. Urology Clinics of North America. 2015;42:507. Sexually transmitted infections: Overview. Womenshealth.gov. http://womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/sexually-transmitted-infections.html. Accessed Dec. 6, 2015. Overview of sexually transmitted diseases. Merck Manual Professional Version. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/sexually-transmitted-diseases-std/overview-of-sexually-transmitted-diseases. Accessed Dec. 6, 2015. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs). World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs110/en/. Accessed Dec. 6, 2015. South-Paul JE, et al. Sexually transmitted diseases. In: Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Family Medicine. 3rd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://accessmedicine.com. Accessed Dec. 5, 2015. New guidelines for cervical cancer screening: Patient education fact sheet. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/Patients. Accessed Dec. 6, 2015. Ghanem KG, et al. Screening for sexually transmitted infections. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Dec. 4. 2015. Tintinalli JE, et al. Sexually transmitted diseases. In: Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 7th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com. Accessed Dec. 5, 2015. Hunter P, et al. Screening and prevention of sexually transmitted infections. Primary Care: Clinics Office Practice. 2014;41:215. Preexposure prophylaxis for the prevention of HIV infection in the United States — 2014 clinical practice guideline. Atlanta, Ga.: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/guidelines/PrEPguidelines2014.pdf?elq=0a349f52dfa74f48ae554056bc0e027e&elqCampaignId=8040. Accessed Dec. 5, 2015. RelatedSTD symptomsSTD testingSTDs and pregnancyTeens and sexHPV testPap smearChild abuseCompulsive sexual behaviorPainful urination (dysuria)Painful intercourse (dyspareunia)Vaginal bleedingVaginal dischargeAbdominal pain Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)OverviewSymptoms & causesDiagnosis & treatmentDiagnosisTreatmentPreparing for your appointmentSelf-managementMore aboutIn-DepthResourcesNews from Mayo Clinic Advertisement Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Advertising & Sponsorship Policy Opportunities Ad Choices Mayo Clinic Store Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic. 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Sep '11 - Jan '13
At least according to this video (0:42). I'll have to recompose the post I was writing at another time. View full entry
Commentary on looking for work, portfolio and resume design, networking, social media and the job search, interviews, dealing with rejection and the joy of landing a job.


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A new wave of smartphone apps that use technology to provide more information about the user's surroundings are gaining in popularity and should top 2.5 billion downloads per year by 2017, an interactive media expert said Tuesday.
Rob Hudak, interactive creative director with Zehnder Communications, said if that pace holds, that's 3.5 times more than the wildly popular Angry Birds smartphone app was downloaded in 2011. Hudak made his comments at a monthly investor luncheon organized by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber.
Hudak called the apps "augmented reality" because they enhance the real-world experience. One of the most familiar examples of augmented reality is the bright yellow first-down marker superimposed on the turf that has become a staple of football telecasts.
While some forms of augmented reality, such as the first-down line, are based on technology interacting with markers, there is a growing trend toward location-based applications, which use the sophisticated global positioning devices in smartphones.
Hudak said one of the first examples of location-based augmented reality came in Amsterdam and was used to sell houses. Potential homebuyers could point their smartphone at a house and get information about the price and amenities.
Zehnder was one of the first five outside companies to get to use the technology developed by Layar, a Dutch company that pioneered location-based augmented reality.
Hudak said Zehnder used this access to develop smartphone apps for a variety of clients, such as the Voodoo Music Festival. The Voodoo app would not only display what bands were playing on what stages at what times, but it provided directions to food booths and restrooms.
Zehnder also did an app tied to the DVD release of "Battle: Los Angeles," a movie that was shot in Louisiana and dealt with an alien invasion. The "Battle: Los Angeles" app put up images of aliens and spaceships in the user's surroundings. In just over the first month of release, Hudak said the app was used over 150,000 times. Hudak showed a map that had points of everywhere the app was used on Earth. The app was heavily used in North America, Europe and Asia and even on small islands in the middle of the ocean.
The next step is development of augmented reality apps that are used for shopping. People could point their phones at a spot, and an image of a product for purchase would appear on the screen. This could allow retailers to put in pop-up stores in small spaces, Hudak said.
For Hudak, the development of augmented reality apps shows the evolution of the Internet and the move away from wanting people to spend as much time in front of a computer looking at a website. Now, designers are developing apps that are useful and help people better navigate the world around them, he said.


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Commentary from Jerry Kozak, President and CEO of NMPF
Dairy producers realize that the status quo protections offered by current federal policies have failed them during the past decade especially in 2009 yet some may understandably be apprehensive about advocating comprehensive reform of those policies.
The Dairy Product Price Support Program (DPPSP) and the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program combined constitute nearly 80 percent of the dairy budget baseline over the next ten years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. However, the DPPSP has become an ineffective safety net for farmers, and has created an unintended outcome whereby the U.S. has become burdened with balancing the world's milk supply.
The MILC program also has been ineffective in providing a safety net for farmers, and treats farms and entire regions of the country unequally. More specifically, it does not address the rise in volatile feed costs, and has not prevented the exodus of farms during its decade of existence. In 2001, there were 97,460 U.S. dairy farms, but by 2010, that figure was 62,500 a loss of 36 percent of the nation's dairy farmers, almost all of which were small to medium-size operations of 500 cows or less. This clearly demonstrates the inadequacy of the current program and the need for better dairy policy.
The policy proposals contained in the National Milk Producers Federation's Foundation for the Future (FFTF) eliminate the DPPSP and MILC programs, and create a more efficient and effective safety net in the form of a Dairy Producer Margin Protection Program, the costs of which are shared by dairy farmers and the federal government. FFTF also establishes a Dairy Market Stabilization Program to prompt producers to respond more quickly to economic signals from the marketplace and at no cost to the government.
Existing farm programs, including the dairy title within the Farm Bill, are expected to undergo further cuts as part of the new federal budget deal passed by the House and Senate. FFTF was created to achieve better economic protection for farmers, while also yielding a budget savings compared to current baseline spending levels precisely because farm safety nets are going to shrink in the future. The Congressional Budget Office says FFTF will save $166 million over the next five years, at a time when Congress has now pledged to cut more than a trillion dollars from federal spending.
Dairy producers have acknowledged that shrinking federal resources are the reality. Keeping the status quo is not an option, either economically, as the best safety net to producers, or fiscally, due to budget demands. Producers have been calling for something better for the past two years. We can't stay where we are and change is needed, which is why Foundation for the Future was developed.
To learn more about Foundation for the Future, including the Dairy Producer Margin Protection Program and the Dairy Market Stabilization Program, visit www.futurefordairy.com
Attend a Foundation for the Future Meeting for the Facts
Learn more about NMPF's groundbreaking new dairy policy approach at one of the upcoming regional grassroots meetings we are conducting in the coming weeks. Each three-hour meeting will feature an in-depth presentation and question and answer session led by NMPF's Jerry Kozak, along with other staff. Meeting locations include:
Harrisburg, Pa., Holiday Inn Harrisburg - East - August 8
Syracuse, N.Y., Holiday Inn Syracuse/Liverpool Airport Hotel - August 10
Ocala, Fla., Hilton - August 12
Nashville, Tenn., Embassy Suites Nashville Airport - August 22
Click here to register.


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Prospects Butler, Gray depart with minds full
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies top pitching prospects Eddie Butler and Jon Gray demonstrated the high-end talent that has the club excited. Now they must apply what they learned in Major League camp so they can help the big club sooner than later.
On Saturday morning, the club informed Butler, a supplemental first-round choice in 2012, and Gray, the third overall pick last summer, that they'll be moved to Minor League camp.
The two had extended appearances in relief in the Cactus League -- Butler had a 3.86 ERA in seven innings, Gray a 5.40 mark in 6 2/3 innings -- but with veterans needing the innings, the Rockies will have Butler and Gray start Minor League games. Expected to start the season at Double-A Tulsa, they did nothing in camp to discourage folks from believing they could help the Major League club this season.
Butler said the key is going to the Minors with the right work ethic.
"I held my own up here, but there are some things that I need to work on that will make me an even better pitcher up here," said Butler, who said he learned to streamline his strategy by grouping hitters into categories, and that he needs to sharpen his fastball command down and away. "But for me, it's not looking to the future, but taking it literally what's in front of me today.
"You can't go down there dreaming about this, or you're going to lose touch with what you're doing, and next thing you know you're having a bad year with no shot of being up here. Focus on what you're doing."
Butler had a Rockies organization-leading 1.80 combined ERA in 28 starts at Asheville (low Class A), Modesto (Class A Advanced) and Tulsa, and Gray posted a 1.93 ERA in his nine starts at Grand Junction (Rookie) and Modesto. Both had impressive performances, but also hit bumps in the Majors.
Gray said his toughest performance -- reaching 99 mph with his fastball during his first inning but leaving the mound having yielded five hits and three runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Athletics on Thursday night -- might prove to be his best experience.
"People say you learn more from failure, and that's exactly how I feel," Gray said. "The first couple of times, I had a lot of success sticking to the game plan, getting a lot of ground balls by staying down in the zone.
"But last time, I was feeling really good, and I was trying to blow it by people. Now I know what I need to work on, and that game gave me a really good idea. I've got a plan. It's all about knowing when to use my fastball. I've got to control my aggression."
Gray said his education will continue. The Rockies emphasize pitching low in the zone, but Gray's ability to eclipse 100 mph with consistency when he's in midseason form allows him to go higher in the zone. He'll have to find the right times. He'll also have to control his arm speed and release so hitters aren't tipped off on his changeup.
"I've got to pretend like every time I throw there, I'm throwing here," Gray said. "I've got to continue to learn. I'll find out what things work and what things don't work, find out different ways to win and cross off things that lead to losses."
It's no small point that the two were given a chance to mesh with the Rockies' veterans. When they're called upon, the team knows what it is getting on and off the field.
"The big thing I accomplished here was fitting in with the group," Butler said. "I found my place here and showed them that I'm ready mentally. Game-wise, I threw pretty well, gave up some hits, gave up some runs, which happens. But I also learned some things."
Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @harding_at_mlb. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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North Dakota's Industrial Commission delayed approval of a $1 million grant that would promote the manufacture of anhydrous ammonia in order to gather more information about the financial feasibility of the project.
In recent years, North Dakota's oil production has expanded rapidly, increasing the state's output of natural gas, an oil byproduct. More than a third of the state's natural gas production is burned off and wasted because pipelines to bring the fuel to market haven't been built, the Jamestown Sun reported.
The project would set up portable plants that would offer a supply of fertilizer to farmers while cutting down on gas waste. Documents about the project indicate that each portable unit could potentially product about 1,100 tons of anhydrous ammonia per year. Considering that North Dakota farmers used 350,000 tons of anhydrous ammonia in 2011, that production could be very financially beneficial for the state and for other NH3 users.
The commission oversees the disbursements of state research funds for oil and coal projects. The three-member commission includes Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, Gov. Jack Dalrymple and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring.


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Whether you want to host an event to benefit The Trevor Project or you want your friends to donate to Trevor for a special occasion, you can find simple tools to Celebrate Trevor and help make your generous donation a success.
Have questions about your fundraising idea to Celebrate Trevor? Call or email Brent Webster (firstname.lastname@example.com / 310-271-8845 x260).


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Boise State finally found that marquee home-and-home matchup it's been looking for since becoming a national powerhouse.
Boise State and two-time national champion Florida State will play in 2019 and 2020, the schools announced Monday. It's the second scheduling announcement involving Boise State and the ACC within the past week. The Broncos announced last week that they will play Virginia in 2015 and 2017.
The Broncos will travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to play FSU on Sept. 7, 2019, and the Seminoles will visit Boise, Idaho, on Sept. 12, 2020.
"Scheduling a home-and-home series against a perennial Top-25 program like Florida State is another step in growing our football program," Boise State director of athletics Mark Coyle said in a statement. "Florida State is a team fans talk about when discussing the top collegiate programs in the country and I know Bronco Nation will be excited about hosting a team like Seminoles in Boise."
Boise State went 11-2 last season and finished 19th in the BCS. The Broncos have the best record in college football since 1997, going 168-35, and the best home winning percentage since 2000 with a 79-4 record.
"We are very excited to add Boise State to our future football schedule," FSU director of athletics Randy Spetman said in a statement. "Boise State has an excellent football program and we feel this will be an out of conference game that will be exciting for fans of both schools and appealing to TV networks."
— Sun Devils see resurgence under Todd Graham
— Spring football dates: Dates, spring football game schedule


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In these days the market is in the tank, up and down like a yo-yo, heavily driven by an emotionalism I find too volatile to deal with. But along the way I have been lucky enough to dodge the important bullets and my hedge fund has grown. Now, what should I do about it?
Several cases of La Chapelle Hermitage from Paul Jaboulet, from 1985 and 1989. These have been the house wine for the past 15 or so Christmas dinners. Initial cost was about $20 a bottle. Current appx. street value $150-300 a bottle. But if I sold the remaining cases, how could I tell how an Hermitage will taste at 50 years of age? After all that was the reason, to buy a wine that everyone told me would age for 50 years. I have 30 years to go, which is just about how long I expect to last as well. Position:Hold and Drink
A magnum of the 1960 Vega Sicilia Unico Artist Series, bought a very long time ago for about $100. About now this bottle is going for appx. $1600-2500. I'll probably keep it and open it when it is 50 years old, which is in two years. It'd also be great for anyone who was born or married in that year. Maybe there is a hedge fund manager who is swimming in dough and was born in 1960? I'm not married to the Vega Sicilia, but seeing as it represents an amount that I would never spend on a bottle of wine, maybe I'll just open the damn thing for the hell of it. Position:Hold or Sell.
Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. I bought many different years of this wine because I liked to collect the labels, from 1982 to 1990. Now these wines represent a lot of capital, but none of which I really tied up. I think the most I paid for a bottle ( the 1990) was $50. And while I cannot sell them all and buy a Porsche Speedster, it really wouldn't matter. I don't want a Porsche Speedster again. I do like the Francis Bacon label, though. It reminds me of the time I did a tasting in Bordeaux at a famous negociant. They showed us a wall of first growths and told us how many millions of dollars it was worth. They neglected to say the triptych of Bacon's that they had in the hallway leading to the wine vaults was worth about $50 million. Position:Hold for Now.
I've had my flirtations with Super Tuscans over the years. There still is a good stash of Sassicaia from 1979 to 1990 in my portfolio. The most I ever paid for a bottle was about $70.00. I remember actually selling the 1968 for about $28 to my clients. I had found a cache of the first bottling in a cellar in Florence in the early 1980's. It wasn't an easy sell. So I tended to keep the early wines, drinking a few here and there. I'm not as interested in Sassicaia these days (when they go for about $200), but the older ones still have a sense of place and lack of manipulation. Position:Hold or Drink.
I also dabbled with a little Solaia, the 1997. I am not sure if Doc Micro-Ox or if Miss Perverse Osmosis infected this wine. I traded it for 3 bottles of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva. Now it has a street value of about $400.Position: Sell.
A few years ago I traded a bottle of Mouton, a bottle of Sassicaia and a bottle of Tignanello for a Hasty-Bake wood barbeque grill. Now that was one of my better trades.
Back in the early 1990's I walked into a river-bottom liquor store and they had 1988 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco for $14.99. I bought all they had (and got a 10% discount). Today that wine is easily worth $150. So delicious and now just about ready. Position: Drink what is left. With pleasure.
Lastly, I bought a bunch of Port, thinking 1990-1994 would be good wines to drink when they are 20 years old. The oldest of that bunch are starting to get close. I am particularly fond of Quinta Vesuvio for several reasons. It was one of the quintas farthest up the Douro. I had probably the best bacala I have ever had, there. And during crush one year we pressed the grapes, by our feet, in the ancient lagars. Truly a transcendental experience. We're talking Old-World, Old-School stuff here. Not some snotty California wine-camp-crush stuff. The real deal. So I love my Port and my hedge fund portfolio is weighted well in these long term holdings. Position: Hold.
There's a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth in these days. It seems a lot of people are poorer on paper than they were a month ago. But really how poor are you, if your closet if filled with all these long-term high-return wines? I have been visiting my wine closet a bit more lately, if for no reason other than to reassure myself that even though I will need to work quite a few years more, there will be a continuous supply of great wine, bought at low prices, available for those lean years ahead.
"Dale a tu cuerpo alegría, Ma'dalena, que tu cuerpo e' pa' darle alegría y cosa' buena'"
written by Alfonso Cevola limited rights reserved On the Wine Trail in Italy


text: Deal reached in Prenter coal slurry lawsuit By Ken Ward Jr. June 12, 2012 Story Share CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- On the eve of a much-anticipated trial, more than 350 Boone County residents have reached a tentative deal with Alpha Natural Resources to resolve their lawsuit claiming coal-slurry pollution contaminated their drinking water.Lawyers for Alpha and the residents came to terms in a last-ditch settlement conference that Boone Circuit Judge William Thompson had ordered just an hour before jury selection was to begin Tuesday morning in Madison.Opening arguments were scheduled to start next week, and Thompson also had ordered the lawyers to conduct another mediation session over the weekend. The parties had not been able reach a settlement during a previous mediation.Roger Decanio, a lawyer for the residents, confirmed that a tentative deal had been reached, as did Alpha media spokesman Ted Pile and a court spokesman.All sides said terms of the agreement were meant to be confidential, so details were not made public.The settlement is the second major coal-slurry pollution deal Alpha has made with Southern West Virginia residents involving lawsuits it inherited when it bought Massey Energy Co. in June 2011. A previous agreement resolved claims brought by the residents of the Rawl area of Mingo County.Slurry is the wastewater created at preparation plants by the cleaning of raw coal before shipping the fuel to the market. For decades, coal operators dumped the material in large above-ground impoundments or injected it underground, often into old mine voids. Residents of numerous coalfield communities say mining activities, including injection of coal slurry, are to blame for discolored, foul-smelling well water and a variety of health problems.Generally, federal and state laws are meant to prohibit mining activities from damaging drinking water, and mine operators that do are required to provide replacement supplies. But in practice, regulators do not always strictly enforce those laws, and residents are forced to turn to the civil justice system.West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection officials have said they have not found connections between slurry disposal and contaminated water, but a review by West Virginia University researchers said the DEP had required inadequate monitoring over the years to allow any real conclusions.In the case that has just settled, about 350 residents were continuing to pursue claims against Alpha over the former Massey Energy operations for slurry pollution in the Prenter and Seth area. Residents previously settled claims against Patriot Coal's local operations.The trial was to focus on personal injury and property damage claims of 14 individuals whose cases are representative of the rest of the community. The trial also would decide more broadly if all residents who sued are entitled to future medical monitoring costs to ensure early detection of any diseases linked to drinking water contaminated by the mining operations.Residents are now served by public water lines and no longer rely on their wells for drinking water.Reach Ken Ward Jr. at email@example.com or 304-348-1702. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Deer in 8 WV counties found dead from EHD 2 New company planning $73M synthetic fuel plant in Greenbrier County 3 WVU law professor announces run for Congress 4 St. Albans rallies to beat Riverside, 21-17 5 Richwood mayor on leave amid investigation of purchases Marshall to study campus smoking limit or ban Previous Story Incumbents do well in Montgomery, Handley, Eleanor elections Next Story