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Former Vice President Al Gore said technology's new "stalker economy" should be making us gag. Read »
Apple posted the entire memorial the company held for its former commander in chief. Read »
Apple shut its retail stores during the service to honor Steve Jobs. Read »
A private memorial for Steve Jobs Sunday drew some of the biggest names from Silicon Valley, entertainment and politics. Read »
The man who invented the Internet has now invented the launch date of the iPhone 5. Read »
Al Gore's Climate Reality Project is requesting users donate their Facebook and Twitter accounts for 24 hours on Sept. 14. Read »


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I posted a similar trade proposal before, but I still think there is a legitimate reason to make this deal. This deal has to be broken down into two spearate deals to make it work.
HOU gets:
Danny Granger
AJ Price
IND gets:
Jordan Hill
Patrick Patterson
Courtney Lee
Goran Dragic
In a separate deal:
HOU gets:
Lou Amundsen
IND gets:
Chase Buddinger
PG- Collison/Hill/Dragic
SG- Lee/DJones/Stephenson
SF- George/Buddinger
PF- West/Hansborough/Patterson
C - Hibbert/Hill/Foster/Pendergraph
PG- Lowry/Flynn/Price
SG- Martin/Williams
SF- Granger/Parsons
PF- Scola/Morris/Amundson/Adrien
C - Dalembert/Thabeet
This makes us a deeper and younger team than what we already are. I don't think the direction of this trade is what Bird is going for, though. If anything he would rather upgrade somewhere, but what this does is it gives us our front court of the future absolutely solidified and adds toughness and length. I love these young kids that aren't getting too much opportunity in Houston as we speak.
We send Granger to a Western Conference team, which is important. We get $5M more in cap space immediately. I think this trade makes us a much better defensive team over the long term. Jordan Hill is a beast of an athlete. I was extremely impressed with his talent/athleticism when I saw him live. Lee is an excellent defender and is getting better offensively, IMO. I just think this is the type of trade that we should be thinking about when looking at trading Granger as an option for our front office. As these kids develop, they collectively will be much better trade assets in the future.

subset: commoncrawl


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Plaintiffs, former employees of the Hampton, Virginia sheriff's office, were terminated after they "liked" the campaign Facebook page of a candidate who ran against the incumbent sheriff. The plaintiffs brought suit in 2009 after the incumbent was reelected, claiming that their First Amendment rights to freedom of association and freedom of speech were violated when they were not reappointed to their positions as sheriff's deputies due to their alleged lack of political allegiance to the incumbent, and their speaking out in support of his challenger. The 4th Circuit held that the three deputies, who served as prison guards, established a genuine issue of material fact regarding whether their First Amendment rights had been violated and, as to those three plaintiffs, reversed summary judgment in favor of the sheriff.
Free association claims
Ordinarily, public employers cannot discharge employees for refusing to support a particular political position or candidate. However, the Supreme Court has recognized a narrow exception allowing dismissal of individuals in policymaking roles, under the theory that such dismissals may be necessary to implement the election decisions made by voters. The primary inquiry when applying this exception "is whether the hiring authority can demonstrate that party affiliation [or political allegiance] is an appropriate requirement for the effective performance of the public office involved." In a previous decision, the 4th Circuit had set out a two-step analysis to determine whether a particular position falls within the exception. First, the position must "involve government decision making on issues where there is room for political disagreement on goals or their implementation." Second, the responsibilities of the role must resemble those of "an office holder whose function is such that party affiliation [or political allegiance] is an equally appropriate requirement." If a public employee does not meet those requirements, he cannot be discharged for exercising his First Amendment rights. To recover for retaliation, the discharged employee must show that exercise of those rights was a substantial or motivating factor in the decision terminate his or her employment.
The Court acknowledged that some law enforcement positions might satisfy the exception if allegiance to the sitting sheriff were required for law-enforcement officers to carry out their duties. However, the Court found that the three deputies who served as prison guards could not be terminated on political grounds because their oath of office simply bound them to faithfully discharge their prison-related responsibilities. It was not a law enforcement oath, and although the deputies were statutorily permitted to make arrests, they were not actually responsible for law-enforcement activities. Therefore, the Court concluded that any law-enforcement duties that the three deputies may have had was so insignificant that allegiance to the sitting sheriff was not required for them to perform their jobs effectively.
The Court then determined that a reasonable jury could find that the actions of two of the deputies, who "liked" the Facebook page of the candidate challenging the incumbent sheriff, were the substantial causes of their not being reappointed. Additionally, the third successful plaintiff, who had affixed a bumper sticker in support of the challenger to his car and had mentioned to a poll worker that she should discard the campaign materials of the incumbent, had shown sufficient evidence that his political allegiance was the reason for his non-appointment to survive a motion for summary judgment.
Free speech claims
The 4th Circuit also found that the first two deputies, in "liking" the challenger's Facebook page, were engaging in constitutionally protected speech, and had created a genuine issue of material fact as to whether that speech was a substantial factor in the sheriff's decision not to reappoint them. In reversing the district court order granting summary judgment to the defense, the 4th Circuit held that a Facebook "like" qualifies as "pure speech," constitutes a "substantive statement," and "is the Internet equivalent of displaying a political sign in one's front yard[.]" The Court considered the Facebook activity to be speech of a private citizen about a matter of public concern, reaffirming that "an employee can speak as a private citizen in his workplace, even if the content of the speech is related to the speaker's job." Finally, the 4th Circuit agreed with plaintiffs that their interest in voicing support for their preferred candidate outweighed the government's purported interest in maintaining order in the workplace.
Similarly, the third deputy prevailed on his free speech claim relating to his bumper sticker and comments to the poll worker that supported the sheriff's challenger. Although it remained an open question whether sheriff's office supervisors had seen his bumper sticker, the incumbent sheriff admitted that he had fired the deputy for the polling place comment (although he maintained that it was because the deputy had used profanity). Regardless, the 4th Circuit determined that a reasonable jury, if it credited the deputy's version of events, could find that his constitutionally protected political speech was a motivating factor in his termination.


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Betting on Strong Auto Sales
I guess you can call it somewhat official: the U.S. auto industry is back and it's growing. According to Edmunds.com, more than 1.2 million new vehicles were sold in February, a 4.3% increase over the same month last year and a whopping 15% increase over January. If t this estimate proves accurate, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of new autos sold would approximate 15.5 million in 2013. Such numbers, even if slightly on the optimistic side, are very strong for the auto industry. It's no coincidence that such strong growth in new auto sales comes alongside what appears to be a rebound in housing demand and prices.
It's not surprising then that shares in General Motors (GM) are trading near a 52-week high, though at $27 a share, I believe there remains quality upside. Even Ford (F), also near a 52-week high, looks attractive with a 3.2% yield for a quality blue-chip company. I believe there are now better ways to invest in strengthening U.S. auto market. Mr. Market, after all, is an anticipatory fellow and the rise in automaker share prices reflects the market's bullishness in future new-car demand....357 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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text:
Top prospect Seager among four heading to AFL
PHOENIX -- Infielder Corey Seager is one of four Dodgers prospects named Tuesday to the Glendale Desert Dogs' roster for the upcoming Arizona Fall League.
Seager, infielder Darnell Sweeney, outfielder Scott Schebler and left-handed reliever Michael Thomas are on the initial roster of the Desert Dogs. Three more Dodgers could be added.
Seager, 20, is ranked the 16th best prospect by MLB.com. The first-round pick in 2012 has a combined 19 homers and 91 RBIs this year splitting time between Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Chattanooga.
Schebler, 23, was a 26th-round pick in 2010 from Des Moines Community College who hit 27 home runs last year at Rancho Cucamonga and this year is hitting .283 with 27 homers and 72 RBIs at Chattanooga.
Sweeney, 23, was a 13th-round pick in 2012 from the University of Central Florida who drove in 77 runs last year at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and this year is hitting .285 with 14 homers and 55 RBIs at Double-A Chattanooga.
Thomas, 25, was a 35th-round pick in 2011 out of Rider University who is 4-3 with a 2.79 ERA in 46 relief appearances this year at Double-A Chattanooga.
The Desert Dogs, who play home games at Camelback Ranch-Glendale, will also include players from the Brewers, Orioles, Tigers and White Sox.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text: Loyalty is changing, and we're changing with it. We've been practicing brand loyalty for years, for some of the world's most beloved brands, and we're signaling this shift with our own new brand. We believe the world can be a more loyal place—a world more rewarding for customers, richer and more resilient for brands, and extremely profitable for the underlying businesses those brands represent.Continue to Bond Brand Loyalty


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In a victory for firearms advocates, a federal appeals court has thrown out Yolo County's policy requiring people to prove they face a threat of violence or robbery before they can get a concealed weapon permit.
In an unpublished memorandum issued Wednesday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a three-judge panel found Yolo County's "policy impermissibly infringes on the Second Amendment right to bear arms in lawful self-defense."
The Sacramento Bee reported Thursday morning that the memorandum reversed a 2011 decision by a Sacramento federal judge who upheld the policy. That action came nearly three years before a circuit opinion last month which offered definitive Second Amendment law in the nine Western states.
Wednesday's appellate ruling relies on a broader February opinion in a similar lawsuit challenging San Diego County's policy, which essentially found that county's sheriff and other officials could not demand proof that a person has "good cause" before a concealed weapon permit can be obtained.
Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain authored the opinion on San Diego's policy and was joined by Judge Consuelo Callahan, the Bee reported. Judge Sidney Thomas dissented, stating the county's "good cause" policy fell squarely within the U.S. Supreme Court's definition of a regulatory measure that must be presumed to be lawful.
The same panel issued Wednesday's ruling on Yolo County's policy.
The Bee reported that this time Thomas, in a qualified concurrence, said he agrees with the majority, but only if the San Diego County case survives further scrutiny by an enlarged 9th Circuit panel and/or the Supreme Court.
Yolo County's policy required applicants to show they faced "credible threats of violence" or that they carried large amounts of cash and needed enhanced protection - requirements that were once common in many counties.
The latest ruling affects only Yolo County directly and, in essence, served notice to Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto that his policy was unconstitutional under the Feb. 13 opinion in the San Diego County case, according to the Bee.
Prieto did not tell the Bee what he was planning to do.
"We received the 9th Circuit Court's decision today and we now have 14 days to decide whether to pursue a petition for a rehearing before a larger panel of the court," Prieto said in an email to the Bee. "We will be discussing this with our counsel before deciding our next course of action."
California Attorney General Kamala Harris already has appealed the 2-1 appellate decision in the San Diego County case, urging the court to reverse its ruling, arguing that local law enforcement officials must be allowed to determine who can carry a concealed weapon in their jurisdictions.


text:
BECOME A PREFERRED SUBSCRIBER+ Get 15% off Your Next Order
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Viking Thor Ripstop Rain Bibs made from a waterproof, breathable 600-denier VTech fabric that has tape- and heat-sealed seams, extra-tough ripstop and triple-sewn construction. The full two-way zippers on the sides have a Velcro cover for easy access and venting. The Viking Thor Ripstop Rain Bibs are packed with seven assorted-size tool pockets with rivets on the corners for strength. Each double-layered knee has knee pad slot and drain hole and a zippered storage pocket and pen holder are located behind bib. Hammer/tool hold loops are on both hips and rear pocket. Adjustable Velcro®; waist and heavy-duty elastic suspenders. Brown color. Matching rain jacket available, Item No. 214486. Viking Thor Ripstop Rain Bibs. Imported. Specify size from drop-down menu above.
See sizing chart


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Prize Recipient
Marjorie Ann Olmstead
University of Washington
"For her innovative application of electron spectroscopies to surfaces and interfaces that has elucidated the importance of interfacial reactions on the structure, properties and morphology of both the interface and growing film in systems involving dissimilar materials, especially when heteroepitaxy is involved."Background:
Marjorie Olmstead's primary research effort probes the chemical, structural, and kinetic constraints controlling the heteroepitaxy of strongly disparate materials. She also studies the role of local geometry and electronic structure on photoelectron energies and satellite excitations in insulators. Her photoelectron spectroscopy and diffraction experiments investigating ionic crystal growth on semiconductor surfaces showed the importance of interfacial reactions, lattice mismatch, and the competition among nucleation pathways in determining the structure and morphology of a heteroepitaxial film.
Dr. Olmstead is an Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Washington, Seattle. She received her B.A. (1979 from Swathmore College, and her M.A. (1982) and Ph. D (1985) from the University of California, Berkeley. Her dissertation probed the interrelated optical and structural properties of Si and Ge surfaces. After a year and a half at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, she returned to Berkeley as an Assistant Professor of Physics in 1986. She joined the faculty at the University of Washington in 1991.
Prof. Olmstead received a National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award in 1987, and an IBM Faculty Development Award in 1986. In 1994, she was awarded the Peter Mark Memorial Award and elected fellow by the American Vacuum Society.


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Charley Chase
Some girls have so much fun during their Throated session that they just keep begging to come back for more. Charley Chase is one of those girls. She was ringing our phone off the hook for months, begging us to give her another throat-fucking and hook her up with a cock so big that it would make her tonsils ache. Done and done! Since her first throat-fuck session, Charley has turned into an even more voracious cocksucker. She's definitely a girl who knows the definition of \'balls-deep\'. She looks right into the camera, giving you great eye contact as she shoves that cock deeper and deeper into her throat. Her mouth drools as she swallows all the way down to the balls and blows thirsty saliva bubbles that drip all over his nutsac. This girl is a cock hogging demon! Charley Chase is wetter, nastier, and throat-fuckier than ever before! You don't need us to tell you how awesome this is! - *Monique*
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text:
Aptamil 1 Infant Formula with Pronutra 800g
- Delivery Time: Approx. 2 working days
Free shipping from €50
DHLShipping within Germany is free of charge for orders over 50 €.
We charge 4.95€ shipping for all orders under 50€. Book orders are delivered free of charge.
All orders are shipped with DHL and are insured for a value of up to 500€.
After receiving your payment, on-stock items are shipped within 2 business days.
This does not include the actual delivery by DHL. DHL normally requires approximately 3 to 5 business days for delivery within Germany. If you would like to receive your order more quickly, then please select oneday eXpress delivery when ordering.DHL internationalWe charge up to 11.99€ for shipping to the below mentioned countries
All orders are shipped with DHL and are insured for a value of up to 500€.
EU-wide shipping information
CountryShipping CostPaymentShipping DurationBulgarien11,99 €Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZ4-6Zypern11,99 €Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZEstland11,99 €Kreditkarte, Kreditkarte, Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZ4-6Ungarn11,99 €Kreditkarte, Kreditkarte, Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZ4-6Lettland11,99 €Kreditkarte, Kreditkarte, Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZ4-5Litauen11,99 €Kreditkarte, Kreditkarte, Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZ4-6Malta11,99 €Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZRumänien11,99 €Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZ4-6Slowenien11,99 €Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZ3-5Luxemburg8,99 €Kreditkarte, EBAY PayPal, Kreditkarte, Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZ2-3Großbritannien8,99 €Kreditkarte, EBAY PayPal, Kreditkarte, Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZ3-5Irland11,99 €Kreditkarte, Kreditkarte, Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZ3-5Portugal11,99 €Kreditkarte, Kreditkarte, Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZ4-5Griechenland11,99 €Vorauskasse, PayPal, PayPal CZ3-5
Product description
Art.No.: A081560
Aptamil 1 is designed for baby's nutritional needs from birth and supports healthy development.
Modelled on mother's milk, with patented GOS /FOS and with LCP Milupan®
• from birth as sole food or as supplement
• age-appropriate satisfaction of hunger - after a pre-food or until your child outgrows bottles
• suitable up to the end of the bottle age
• with all essential minerals and vitamins
• easily tolerated and easily digestible
• gluten free
• 800g
Our unique Aptamil packaging:
• with safety lid
• spoon holder in lid - always clean and at hand
• re-sealable with freshness protection
Important notice:
The unique composition of mother's milk offers your baby all nutrients they need for healthy development and a strong immune system. Therefore, nursing is best for your child.
Demineralised whey, vegetable oils, lactose (from milk), low-fat milk, oligosaccharides (galacto-oligosaccharides (from milk), fructo-oligosaccharides), starch, whey protein concentrate, calcium carbonate, potassium citrate, potassium chloride, fish oil, magnesium chloride, calcium orthophosphate, vitamin C, soya lecithin, choline chloride, taurin, nucleotides (sodium salts of uridin-, cytidine-, adenosine-, inosine-, guanosin-5-monophosphates), iron-II-sulphate, vitamin E, zinc sulphate, inositol, niacin, L-tryptophan, L-carnitine, pantothenic acid, folic acid, copper sulphate, vitamin A, biotin, vitamin B12, vitamin B1, vitamin D, vitamin B6, Manganese-II-sulphate, potassium iodide, vitamin K, sodium selenite
• no preservatives*
• no colourings*
• no artificial flavourings*
*according to legal definition
Note: Food excluded from exchange!
Shipping information
Parcel delivery:
We ship your order to the address of your choice. It does not need to be the same as the invoice address. If you are not at home during the day, you can have your parcel sent to your working place, a friend or relatives.
If you are not present at the time of delivery, our logistic partner will usually leave your parcel with a neighbour or in a deposit nearby. In this case, a note will be left in your post box.


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Can anyone else not log into the site? I can get signed in, but it will not connect me to the league. Maybe they are swamped today since it ends the season for many.
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Can anyone else not log into the site? I can get signed in, but it will not connect me to the league. Maybe they are swamped today since it ends the season for many.
I have no problems logging on now, but I've had it a couple times during the regular season. The magical solution then seemed to be: just keep on trying till it works. Usually, after 4 or 5 (or more) attempts, I got back in.
I've done everything I can. I even changed my pasword, deleted my cookies, and signed up for another game to see if I could get into it. I could. If anyone can tell me how my series in the Keeper League came out I'd appreciate it. I can't got on there at work.
"Bad News Bears 994.5 San Antonio Salsa 942.5 View
Bangkok Banshee 821 Cleveland Steamers 853.5 View"
Sorry Ken, seems like you didn't make it. Easily the second best score, but the wrong opponent it seems .
2012 PD ABA Fantasy Keeper League Champion, sports.ws
2011 PD ABA Fantasy Keeper League Champion, sports.ws
2006 PD ABA Fantasy League runner up, sports.ws
Bad News Bears 1191.5
San Antonio Salsa 1183.5
Bangkok Banshee 958.5
Cleveland Steamers 1041
The KL has always been slow to update scores.
The poster formerly known as Rimfire
Thanks to you as well Rim. Anther season another great regular season record that means nothing. I think next year I may tank coming down to the wire so that I don't go into the playoffs as the 1 or 2 seed. It is bad luck! Good luck to da Bears in the finals. 8 stinking points, wow.
BTW, I still can't get into the league page, so I guess that should tell me something.
I just checked and you're still listead as an owner. All lowercase if that helps at all.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
If you really want to get on I can see if I can figure out how to re-send the invite e-mail. Maybe that would help.
The poster formerly known as Rimfire


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BREEAM International Assessor Training Course - This event has already finished
Brussels, Belgium
3 Day BREEAM Assessor Training Course. Please note that this course is for NEW assessors only.
3 Day BREEAM Assessor Training Course. Please note that this course is for NEW assessors only.
The BREEAM International course is a three day course. The first two days of the course provide a foundation for the International scheme and covers:
- a brief introduction to sustainable construction
- meeting environmental needs with BREEAM
- the technical aspects common to all non domestic BREEAM schemes
- the assessment process and support structures in place for the scheme and assessors
The third day focuses on the technical aspects of international buildings. The format of the 3 days is a mixture of presentations and interactive workshops.
It is advantageous that you have a good level of both written and spoken English. The course and all the material will be in English.
Event programme
The three day course covers much information, a detailed programme will be sent to you once your booking is confirmed.
Course fee
Please note that all delegates who attend this training course in a country other than the UK will not pay VAT. Our online booking facility automatically charges a "VAT" amount. However, we have calculated this into the price to mean that the final transaction will be £1475. The price of the training in the UK is £1475 + VAT.
The course fee includes all material including the BREEAM Assessor Manual. All candidates completing the course will receive a CPD certificate.
When using our online booking server, prices will be converted to UK Pounds. Please note our online booking server will appear to charge you a VAT amount. However, we have allowed for this, and the total amount charged to you will be the above described rate.
Exam & Test Assessment
Please note that you must present acceptable photo identification (ID) for admission to the examination. This may be either your passport, driving licence or EU ID card. Please note that without photo ID you will not be permitted to undertake the examination.
If you are wishing to become a qualified and licensed BREEAM assessor you will require certification against the Competent Persons Scheme. This is provided by BRE Global. For certification you will need to complete a two-stage examination comprising of (i) an examination taken under controlled classroom conditions and (ii) a test assessment (after the course) which is submitted to BRE Global. An application form for Certification against the Competent Persons Scheme is then completed after you have successfully passed the two-stage examination. Please note that it is a requirement that once qualified your organisation must hold a BREEAM licence agreement in order to carry out BREEAM assessments. A copy of the BREEAM Licence Agreement is available from the BREEAM Office.
To undertake assessments for each of the schemes you will need to take out a seperate licence for each. If you wish to become a licenced assessor then please contact us at: email@example.com for our licence fees.
Intended audience
Those interested in:
- designing or specifying buildings for low environmental impact
- delivering BREEAM environmental assessments
Please note we advise that you do not book non-refundable travel until 2 working weeks prior to the training course commencement.
For more information:
BRE Global Training & Events
+44(0)1923 664462


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NEW YORK — Saks reported that sales for the fourth quarter were up 5.6% over the same period last year. Same-store sales were up 0.7% for the period.
For the fourth quarter Saks recorded net income of $20.4 million, or 13 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $37 million, or 21 cents per diluted share for the same period last year.
Stephen Sadove, chairman and CEO of the company, noted, "We posted a 0.7% comparable store sales gain in the fourth quarter, essentially in line with our expectation of relatively flat comparable store sales. This modest gain was on top of a very solid 7.7% comparable store sales increase in the fourth quarter of 2011. As previously disclosed, our fourth quarter sales were negatively impacted by Hurricane Sandy which caused significant disruption to our very important Northeastern markets and to saks.com."
Sadove also commented on the strides the company made during the year.
Sadove noted, "Even though 2012 was a challenging year, it was also a year of meaningful progress and transformation for Saks. We continued to execute our core merchandising, service, and marketing strategies while building critically important omni-channel capabilities to position us for the future. We made headway on several important initiatives:
We began work on Project Evolution, our substantial multi-year transformation of and investment in our information technology systems to facilitate an omni-channel shopping environment for our customers.
We began expanding the omni-channel experience for our customers by adding iPads to our stores, testing 'buy online, ship from store,' and adding select 'store only' inventory items to our saks.com offerings.
On the marketing front, we began using enhanced consumer analytics and insights to drive marketing effectiveness through targeted and personalized initiatives. In January, we relaunched our SaksFirst loyalty program, expanding the benefits and eliminating the spending threshold to participate in the program.
We made meaningful year-over-year improvements in our in-store customer service scores and continued to receive high marks for our online service."
For the fiscal year, the company expects comps to grow in the 3% to 5% range.


text:
Fairfax County Typical Finished Basement Details
Finishing your basement is a home improvement project many homeowners elect to do themselves. The Fairfax County Typical Finished Basement Details have been developed to provide you with a consistent and code compliant set of construction documents to turn an unfinished basement into a habitable space or to remodel an existing finished basement. Please note, the document is large and may take several minutes to access with dial-up Internet service.
You may also consult the Finished Basements and Frequently Asked Questions to help you navigate the permit and construction process when finishing a basement.
Some files are in PDF format which requires you to have Adobe Reader on your computer and provides you with clear and readable documents that are easy to print.


text:
Aerial7 PHOENIX Citron
Over-the-Head On-Ear PHOENIX Series Multi-Device Stereo Headphones with In-Line Microphone.
Get FAST answers from customers ASK a Question See questions answers
Do you like the sound that you get from standard DJ style headphones but don't like the size and bulkiness that often comes with them? Then the PHOENIX series on-ear low profile headphones by Aerial7 are what you have been searching for. These mid-size headphones are able to produce the same high quality sound as larger DJ headphones at a more compact size, that is perfect for women and children, without diminishing the overall reproduction experience. The swivel ear cup design allows for single side monitoring and beat-matching with ease and simplicity. Equipped with a reinforced frame for durability and plush ear cups for comfort during long listening sessions. Apart from providing amazing high quality sound, these headphones have a built-mic for hands free talking with the use of the iPhone, Blackberry, and other cellphone devices. With all these features and various color options the PHOENIX series headphones by Aerial7 will be hard to pass up.
- Wired Lightweight Stereo Headphones
- On-ear design
- Great for children and women due to low profile feature
- Delivers high quality sound that is usually found in larger DJ headphones
- Large 44mm speaker driver produces amazingly clear sound
- Single side monitoring and beat-matching with swivel ear cup design
- Features thin cable design for decrease bulk, weight, and downward pull on headphones
- Plush ear cushions for supreme comfort during long mixing and listening sessions
- Reinforced frame for durability and longevity
- In-line microphone for use with iPhone, Blackberry, and other cell phones
- Includes 3.5mm (1/8") - 6.3mm (1/4") adapter and Skype adapter
- Color: Citron
- Also available in: Chino, Eclipse, Soldier, Storm, Tantrum,
- 1-year Manufacturer's warranty
- Frequency Response: 5-20,000 Hz
- Sensitivity: 108 dB
- Nominal Impedance: 32 Ohm
- Plug Size: 1/8" (3.5mm)
- Speaker Diameter: 44mm
Sonic Electronix Insights (Scale from 1-5, 5 Being the Best)
Sound Signature
Headphone Design
This is the design of the earpieces on the headphones. Some headphones go inside the ear, while others rest on the outside of the ear. This helps you know exactly what type of headphones you will be receiving.
In-Ear: The ear buds go into the ear. Most often, the right and left ear buds are two separate pieces.
Enclosed-Ear: Usually are found on the larger headphones. They rest on top of the ear and have padding for comfort, as well as enclosing the ear to the speaker. This type of headphone helps to filter out surrounding noise.
On-Ear: This type of headphone involves the speaker sitting gently on the ear without going in the ear or sealing it off.
Headphone type refers to the construction of the headphones.
Around the Ear means that the headphones wrap around the ear to provide a secure fit. This is most often seen in active and sports headphones.
Around the Neck means that the headphones wrap around the neck. This is also seen in active and sports headphones.
Earbuds means that the right and left sides of the headphones are separated and will fit securely into the ear. These are small, compact, and user friendly.
Over the Head headphones mean that the right and left speakers are connected with a support that goes over the head and rests on top. This is the typical headphone type.
This is the application that the headphones are designed for. Each application has unique features that make it perfect for particular uses.
DJ: These headphones are durable, loud, and will often allow for one ear listening.
Gaming Delivers explosive sound and allows you to communicate with others.
Home Hi-Fi: These audiophile headphones are engineered to produce high fidelity and accurate audio.
Home/Office: These headphones are designed to produce rich, brilliant sounds that the artists would appreciate.
Sports: Designed for active use. These headphones are made to stay in (or on) the ear during workouts.
Kids: Feature noise limiting technology so that your little ones don't damage their ears listening to music too loud.
On-the-Go: On-the-go headphones are lightweight and often fold up for easy storage and portability.
Student: Compact and rugged enough to survive life in a backpack; inexpensive enough to not hurt the wallet of a student.
Studio: Reproduce music perfectly without any coloration. Look here for reference quality studio monitoring headphones.
Traveler/Airplane: These headphones are compact, lightweight, and have a portable design.
The basic design of the headphones. There are 3 different types:
Open: Have ports that allow air through the back of the diaphragms, enabling the headphones to sound like the music is coming from an outside source.
Closed: Completely sealed and have no air passing through the diaphragms. Sounds like you are in a closed off room.
Semi-open: Have slots or ports in the back of the cup and are partially open. This allows for a mixed sound between an open and closed headphone.
General Features
Corded means that the headphones use a cord to transfer the audio signal.
Bluetooth means that the audio signal is transmitted from your device to the headphones via a Bluetooth connection.
Corded or Bluetooth means that the headphones can be used as corded headphones or as Bluetooth headphones. They have an input in one or both earcups for use as a corded headphone while they also have a built-in battery for use as Bluetooth wireless headphones.
Wireless means that the audio signal is transmitted wirelessly to the headphones.
The Jack Angle refers to the angle of the input jack on the headphone cable.
Straight Jack: Straight plug with no angle.
Angled Jack: Angled plug, usually a 90 degree angle.
Swivel Jack: A swivel jack is able to swivel between a straight plug and an angled plug.
Gaming Headphones
Home Wireless Headphones
Audio Features
The physical design of the driver in the headphones.
Balanced Armature:
A balanced armature driver uses a coil wrapped around an armature which is held in between two magnets until it is stimulated by an electrical current. When stimulated, this armature is magnetized which causes it to rotate one way or the other around a pivot point which moves the diaphragm to create sound. Balanced armature driver headphones are generally earbuds and can have multiple drivers in each earbud.
Dynamic drivers are the most common driver type. They feature a permanent magnet, usually neodymium, a voice coil and a conical diaphragm to drive your music. A dynamic headphone driver looks pretty much identical to any typical home theater speaker.
Electrostatic drivers are made up of an extremely thin membrane, usually a coated PET film, stretched between two metal plates. An electrical signal is applied to the metal plates to create an electrical field which, depending on its polarity, draws the speaker diaphragm toward one of the plates which forces air through the perforations in the diaphragm which generates the sound wave.
Planar Magnetic:
A planar magnetic driver is made up of a large membrane suspended between two sets of oppositely aligned magnets. An electric charge is applied to the membrane to induce movement and produce sound waves.
Efficiency (1w/1m) is not an accurate indicator of a subwoofer's output capability and should not be used as a comparison to other speakers or subwoofers to determine which one is "louder".
What is in the Box?
Specials with this Item
Warranty and Return Policy
Summary of Customer Ratings & Reviews
Product Summary
Model Number
Internal SKU
Internal Product ID
Wiring Diagram Legend
Warning: The image depicted shows the resistance change when wiring multiple subwoofer terminals. Please refer to your subwoofer's owner's manual for the proper wiring of its terminals. Sonic Electronix, Inc. is not responsible for damage caused to your audio system or vehicle due to improper installation. Please call tech support at 1-877-289-7664 if you require additional assistance.


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This is obviously only something you do if you're dead set on not blowing up the team, and if you also consider Francis to be much improved during his time under Larry Brown, and you think Rick can continue that progress. Post trade, we really lack a good 3 point shooter, and that's why I think Minnesota would have to give up a 1st to get it done.
I like the trade, only because it transforms the team in one swoop into just the kind of team Carlisle likes: hard-working, defensive-minded, slog it out basketball. Opens up Granger as the 3rd option on offense, and if you can get Francis to tune-in, you could play some serious lock-down defense with:


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Florida Coastal Office
Aquatic Preserves
National Estuarine Research Reserves
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Coral Reef
Conservation Program
Coastal Management Program
Public Notices
Florida Oceans Council
Gulf of
Mexico Program
Gulf of Mexico Alliance
Although Florida's coasts are best known for their beaches, there are many
other important habitats along the coasts and immediately offshore. Along
Florida's shores, salt marshes and mangrove forests provide important habitats
to numerous species. Immediately off-shore, the seagrass meadows and expanses
of coral reefs fulfill similar roles.
Estuaries are also important to many species, although they are not a habitat
any more than coasts are. Estuaries occur in areas where freshwater mixes with
saltwater, usually enclosed in a bay to slow the mixing effect. So salt marshes,
mangroves, and seagrass meadows can all occur within the same estuary. Additionally,
they are valuable because the lower salinity tends to discourage the truly marine
species from intruding which allows them to function as nurseries, hence their
nickname - The Cradle of the Oceans.
Both mangrove forests and salt marshes tend to occur within estuaries. The soil
types that they need are small enough that they would quickly be washed away by
the ocean's waves. This is why barrier islands tend to have beaches on their outer
banks, but marshes or mangroves on the inside.
Seagrass meadows are an important, but often overlooked habitat for many marine
organisms. Sometimes confused with the hydrilla, water hyacinths, and other
aggressive invaders that plague boaters and wildlife alike, seagrasses provide
important habitat to many estuarine species. Just like estuaries, they are important
nursery grounds for many species of juvenile fish because of the cover that they give
against larger predators.
The final habitat described here, coral reefs, is possibly the only one that isn't
overlooked, possibly to its woe. Their status as "rain forests of the sea" is
well known and millions of tourists and local residents enjoy Florida's coral reefs each
year. The John Pennekamp
Coral Reef State Park is the most visited gem in our state's collection of state parks
with over 500,000 visitors each year. However, just awareness of coral reefs is not enough
and the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force has been formed to better
protect the coral reefs in our nation.
More information about each of these habitats can be found in the list of pages to the right.
Last updated:
November 07, 2016
2012 State of Florida
Exit Disclaimer
Privacy Statement


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As Vallejo closed the 2012 calendar, a look back at the violence that captured community and media attention shows that the numbers alone tell only part of the story.
There were 21 reported homicides in Vallejo, however, six were fatal officer-involved shootings and one a shooting death of an alleged robber by a store owner.
Not including those incidents, Vallejo saw 14 homicides, the lowest since 2010; with 17 and 18 in 2010 and 2011.
The count also does not include a shooting death in January on Reis Avenue in Vallejo's unincorporated area, which is under the jurisdiction of the Solano County Sheriff's Office.
However, Vallejo police said even a lower number is still unacceptable.
"Any is too many," Lt. Jim O'Connell said. "Our goal is to work with the community to make sure that these things don't happen."
Over the last decade, Vallejo had the fewest homicides in 2003 and 2006 with six.
O'Connell said a trend he's noticed is the increasing number of guns found, and seized by officers. In fact, 11 of the non officer-involved 14 homicide victims died of gunshot wounds.
"Without the benefits of any statistics in front of me, I can say that there's a lot more weapons on the street ... a lot more taken off the streets by our officers," O'Connell said.
O'Connell said most of the seized guns were stolen, or bought through straw purchase. A straw purchase is when a person buys a weapon for another who is otherwise unqualified to buy one.
"These aren't bad guys that buy the guns legally," he said.
Many guns were stolen during home burglaries, said O'Connell, who also urged residents "to be our eyes and ears. We need them to call us."
FBI statistics show an increase in Vallejo burglaries -- from 2,249 in 2010, to 2,468 in 2011. The numbers of both violent and property crimes also rose in those years. The 2012 data was not immediately available.
There were no reported homicides in Benicia or American Canyon in 2012.
Contact staff writer Irma Widjojo at (707)553-6835 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @IrmaVTH.
2012 Vallejo homicides:
Jan. 31: Dorian Walls, 38, of Vallejo was shot to death at about 7:40 p.m., in the 20 block of Reis Avenue, in the unincorporated area of Vallejo. No reported arrest.
Feb. 14: Danel Lashawn Stevens, 23, of Vallejo, was fatally wounded in a shooting at about 4:45 p.m. in the 100 block of Fordham Circle. Suspect Derek Ray Pittman, 27, turned himself in April 17.
Feb. 28: Maria Helen Chambers, 71, of Vallejo was found dead in her home in the 800 block of Springs Road at about 7:45 a.m. Her son Victor Eric Chambers II, 35, was arrested as a suspect.
May 3: Tremont Williams, 36, of Hercules, was shot to death at about 12:50 p.m. when he allegedly tried to rob Carrillo's Jewelry Store on Broadway. Williams reportedly waved a gun during the robbery attempt, and was shot by the store owner.
May 5: Davin O'Reilly, 43, of Vallejo died in a fatal stabbing during a fight with a neighbor at about 12:15 a.m. in the 100 block of Mimosa Court, inside of Olympia Mobile Home Park. A 45-year-old woman also suffered stab wounds. Neighbor Cameron Allen Wiess, 32, of Vallejo, was arrested.
May 25: Peter Mestler, 53, of Vallejo, was fatally shot in an officer-involved shooting in the 2000 block of Sonoma Boulevard. Mestler allegedly pointed a gun at a cab driver, a woman, and later at responding officers. The gun turned out to be a replica.
May 28: Anton Barrett, Sr., 42, of Vallejo, died in an officer-involved shooting in the 200 block of Wilson Avenue after a foot pursuit. Officers fired after Barrett was described as running toward an officer while pulling out a dark colored, metallic object from his sweatshirt. The object turned out to be a metallic wallet.
June 2: Homer Woodrow, 58, of Vallejo, died in a shooting at about 8:15 p.m. during a barbecue in the Crest Ranch Park. The shooting also wounded three others, including a 17-year-old boy. Suspect Gregory Joseph Bethany Jr., 18, of Vallejo was arrested in Los Angeles on June 6.
June 7: Deshawn Morris, 19, of Vallejo, was shot at about 9:20 p.m. in the area of Violet Street and Mini Drive. He was driven by a good Samaritan to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his wound. No arrest has been reported.
June 30: Jared Huey, 17, of Vallejo, died in an officer-involved shooting at about 10 a.m. in the 600 block of Sheridan Street. Huey allegedly robbed a convenience store, and fled in a police pursuit. He was shot after raising a handgun at officers, police said.
July 4: Marshall Tobin, 44, of Vallejo, was involved in a fatal officer-involved shooting at about 2:55 a.m. at a Safeway gas station on Lincoln Road West. Police were responding to a report of domestic violence and found Tobin, who allegedly exited the car holding handgun when officers approached him. Police said he was shot after failing to comply with orders to drop his weapon, and after he was Tasered.
Aug. 8: Jessica Brastow, 37, Vallejo was found unresponsive in a motel room on Lincoln Road East at about 7:55 p.m. The circumstances were sketchy, but her death led to the arrest of Michael Daniels, 59, of Vallejo.
Sept. 2: Mario Romero, 23, of Vallejo, died in an officer-involved shooting at about 4:35 a.m. in the 100 block of Pepper Drive. Police said officers fired at him multiple times after he first exited a car parked outside his home, and pointed a gun at them. Police say the gun was later found to be a replica. His brother in law, Joseph Johnson, 21, was wounded.
Sept. 6: Dashoun Ramon Jones, 31, and his pregnant fiancee Ashley Shari Mills, 28, were killed in a shooting by two men at about 9:15 p.m. in their home in the 1000 block of Atherton Street. Mills was six months pregnant with twins. No reported arrest.
Oct. 3: Michael Scally, 58, and Douglas Kahley, 50, were shot to death at about 6:10 p.m. in the 300 block of Foulkstone Way. They were reported to have had an argument with Martin Hohenegger, 65, a neighbor who lived across the street, before Hohenegger allegedly shot them. Hohenegger was arrested.
Oct. 20: Mauricio Dominguez, 20, of Vallejo, died in a drive-by shooting at about 1:50 a.m. in the 200 block of Arkansas Street. A second man was also shot and taken to a hospital in critical condition. No reported arrest.
Oct. 21: Jeremiah Moore, 29, of Vallejo, died in an officer-involved shooting at his home in the 2500 block of Alameda Street. Officers responded to a report of two naked men breaking car and home windows. Arriving officers met with one of them, and while trying to get him under control, Moore reportedly appeared and stuck a rifle in an officer's stomach. He was shot by another officer.
Nov. 25: Gary White, 17, Richmond, was killed in a shooting at about 3:35 a.m. in the 300 block of Robles Way after a physical altercation with a 19-year-old after a party in the area. The older teen's father Randee Demar Williams Sr., 44, of Vallejo, was later arrested as a suspect.


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The Komets will add Beauregard tonight and possibly forward Matt Syroczynski this weekend, and center Colin Chaulk is still getting rehabilitated from shoulder and foot injuries. If the Komets can get all three players back, it could be like adding a No. 1 offensive line to the roster.
``Beau is a pure goal scorer, and at some points this year we've been lacking that,'' center Brett Smith said. ``It's a big deal to get him back. We need to get him on fire here and make a good run.''
Beauregard has been playing on a line with Smith and Komets' leading scorer Brandon Marino in practice this week.
``Our goal is to get good position in the playoffs, and then you never know,'' Beauregard said. ``If we play well, like I know we can, then we're a hard team to play against.''Heading into tonight's game at Kalamazoo, the Komets are 3-3-1 at Kalamazoo this season and have two more games in Michigan after tonight. Brandon Marino has killed the Wings with 15 points in 11 games, and Thomas Beauregard has scored seven goals in eight games. Aaron Clarke leads the Wings with 14 points in 11 games. Kenny Reiter is 4-1-1 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .924 save percentage against Kalamazoo. Wings goaltender Joel Martin is 5-3-1 against the Komets with a 2.39 goals-against average and .923 save percentage.
Martin is the ECHL Goaltender of the Week after going 2-0-1 with a 1.94 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage in three appearances.Former Komet Leo Thomas was suspended for the rest of the season Tuesday by the Southern Professional Hockey League. The Pensacola IceFlyers center came to the aid of teammate Brad Cooper while exiting the ice after a game Friday in Louisiana and became involved with a fan.
"Mr. Thomas could have assisted his teammate and helped defuse the incident, but instead escalated the situation and we cannot in any way condone or defend his actions,'' SPHL President Jim Combs said. ``Any confrontation with fans is a serious matter, but physically engaging a paying customer, for any reason, must result in a significant penalty."
Pensacola coach and former Komets assistant Gary Graham said in a statement, ``Leo has been a great captain and a leader on and off the ice all season. He made a split-second decision to defend his teammate and unfortunately the decision that the league handed down has cost Leo his season with the Ice Flyers. While we don't agree to the length of Leo's suspension, we have to respect the SPHL's decision. Our team will handle this loss of our captain the best way we know how to, and that is by putting it behind us, moving on and continuing to produce wins."There could be a lot of changes over the next week for the Komets and every other ECHL team.
The deadline for players leaving for Europe is 6 p.m. Thursday, and the deadline for players returning from Europe is 5 p.m. Monday. The deadline for NHL and AHL players bought out of their contracts to appear on ECHL protected lists is Friday.
The ECHL trade deadline is 3 p.m. March 7. Players must play in at least five ECHL games to qualify for the playoff roster.
Cosmetically, the ECHL has already passed the reverse-jersey date, meaning teams will wear their traditionally dark road jerseys at home the rest of the regular season and their white uniforms on the road. That will switch back for the playoffs.
That won't affect the Komets until after this weekend because they will wear pink uniforms for the second year in a row. They are working in conjunction with the Vera Bradley Foundation to raise money for breast cancer research.Traditionally, at least since 2007, the Komets have been famous for strong second halves. The rookies get better, the veterans buy into coach Al Sims' systems and the team also usually makes a key acquisition or two to fill some holes. The Komets are 23-19-2 so far this season.
* 2006-07: 17-10-3, 34-11-3.
* 2007-08: 18-7-4, 38-6-4.
* 2008-09: 16-10-3, 30-8-9.
* 2009-10: 17-11-1, 33-10-4.
* 2010-11: 8-15-2, 23-12-6.
* 2011-2012: 22-11-2, 18-8-5.North Division teams — Kalamazoo, Evansville, Cincinnati, Toledo and Fort Wayne — are 19-16-4 against teams from the Atlantic Division and 17-22-1 against teams from the South Division. The Komets are 1-2-1 against the Atlantic and 6-3-0 against the South. ... Komets goaltender Kenny Reiter is 5-1-0 over his last six games with a 2.12 goals-against average and .930 save percentage. ... Fort Wayne is 9-0-0 when leading after the first period and 13-2-1 when leading after the second period. The Komets are also 9-3-1 when tied after the second period. Negatively, the Komets are 3-8-0 when trailing after the first and 1-14-0 when trailing after the second period. They are 14-2-2 in games decided by one goal.
More Information
OnlineFor more on the Komets, follow Blake Sebring on Twitter at www.twitter.com/blakesebring and at his blog, www.tailingthekomets.com.
Up next
Komets at Kalamazoo
Faceoff: 7 p.m.
Radio: WOWO, 1190-AM


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Eighth-graders at Abrams Hebrew Academy explored Israel's dichotomy as the ancient Jewish homeland and a modern startup nation, according to the day school's director.
One of the most popular T-shirts being sold on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem these days blasts: "Guns and Torah," a play on the rock group "Guns and Roses." People think that Israel is either guns for the army or Torah for the civilian population.
But Israel is a mixture of the secular and religious. The multidimensional nature of this incredible country was especially apparent during one day of my recent trip to Israel with the eighth-grade graduating class of Abrams Hebrew Academy.
One of the first things we did that day was travel to Tiberias and hold services at the grave of Maimonides, the prolific Torah scholar of the Middle Ages.
From the holy place of Rambam's grave, we traveled to the port city of Haifa, where we visited the Technion-Israel's Institute of Technology, the "MIT" of Israel.
Abrams has instituted a new science program in collaboration with the Technion, and we took this opportunity to meet with Professor Alon Wolf and the graduate students in his robotics lab.
It was truly inspiring to the 13 adults and 18 students on our trip to see that the Technion houses innovative, creative scientific thinkers that rival those at the world's other prestigious academic institutions.
From these halls of science, we proceeded to the heights of Mount Carmel, where we marveled at the majesty of the Hanging Gardens and the beauty of Israel.
Moving on to Tel Aviv, our guide suggested that the students might want to swim in the Mediterranean, so we stopped at the beach and enjoyed the novelty of swimming at sunset in March.
That evening we attended a basketball game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Real Madrid. It was eye-opening for the students to feel the enthusiasm and passion that Israelis have for sports.
As 13,000 Israelis cheered for their team, which lost by one point in the final seconds, the students realized that Israelis are just as modern as American sports enthusiasts.
Finally, at the end of this long and varied day that included the sacred and the secular, we came full circle from our start at Rambam's grave and arrived in Jerusalem at the Kotel at 1 a.m. It was a Thursday night, and despite the lateness of the hour, there were hundreds of people there.
Our tired travelers ended the day at their hotel at 3 a.m., both exhausted and exhilarated by everything that they experienced in 24 hours.
Throughout our journey, the students learned that Israel is so much more than guns and Torah.
It is a land where people both excel at science and technology and love sports and recreation, just like citizens of other countries.
It is living history, steeped in the past and firmly planted in the present.
It is also a land of spectacular beauty that has been extolled through the ages. And yes, it is the land of the Torah, our faith, our past and our future.
L'dor v'dor.
Rabbi Ira Budow is the director of Abrams Hebrew Academy in Yardley.


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City bike
You don't get the number of gears inside a hub as an external derailleur may provide, although 7 and 8-speed hubs are now available that can deliver virtually the same overall range – and range is what really matters.
Other practical features may include integral lighting, a chaincase or at least a partial chain cover, plus a propstand and a built-in lock, all of which make this kind of bike most convenient to use. Simply jump on and ride is exactly what you want for everyday transport.
The handlebar grips will be angled from the near-straight mountain bike bar, so your wrists adopt a more relaxed alignment - like the 'quarter to three' or 'ten to two' we are told to use on a car steering wheel - or a multi-position 'butterfly' bar may be fitted. See trekking bikes for more about that.
If anything, the riding position will be a bit more upright than a trekking bike or hybrid, upon the assumption that you don't want to pedal too hard and get sweaty on your way to work or the shops. That makes sense and generally holds true – it's how the overwhelming majority ride in countries where everyone cycles. If, as a cycling enthusiast, you want all those practical city bike features on something lighter and/or with a more athletic riding position, you'll have to modify the riding position or customise some other kind of bike.
Despite the name, city bikes are just as good for transport in the countryside and leisure rides – all the same things as a trekking bike really. They're just a bit heavier, marginally less efficient and seldom have such a low bottom gear. So the trekking bike, hybrid or especially the touring bike, has a more rewarding performance and copes better with steep hills.


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Ariel Investments, a fund managed by John Rogers, has reported a position of 4.3 million shares in WMS Industries (WMS), a designer and manufacturer of gaming machines. This is up from 1.3 million shares at the end of September 2012, and gives Ariel ownership of almost 8% of the total shares outstanding.
Scientific Games (SGMS) recently announced an offer to acquire WMS for $26 per share in cash; with the stock currently trading at just below $25, investors would receive a 4% return in the event that the transaction closed. Both companies' boards have approved the deal, so Scientific Games expects it to close this year.
If an investor bought shares at the current price with no leverage, the annualized return from merger arbitrage would therefore be over 4%; obviously, adding leverage would allow for an even higher return which would have a very low correlation to the broader market or any other asset class. However, before the deal was announced, WMS was trading at prices below $17. So if the deal fell apart for any reason, there would be a substantial downside and this would be increased by any leverage.
This downside has been exacerbated by the news that the business has been struggling recently. Just a few days ago, WMS filed its 10-Q for the quarter ending in December 2012, which was the second quarter of its fiscal year. The 10-Q reported a small decline in revenues, as significantly lower product sales offset an increase in gaming operations revenue. Product sales now make up 54% of revenue, down from 60% in the same quarter in the previous fiscal year. The gaming operations business does have a higher gross margin, but despite this factor, WMS's expenses actually increased last quarter vs. a year earlier (including R&D, SGA expenses, and depreciation). We aren't sure if this is because gaming operations tend to have higher operating costs, which offset the higher gross margins, or if WMS merely did a poor job of controlling costs in general.
With total revenue lower and expenses higher, the company recorded $.008 in earnings per share (EPS) -- down from $0.29 a year ago. We would note that, according to the 10-Q, the fiscal year is scheduled such that business tends to increase each quarter (in other words, the quarter ending in September has the lowest revenues, then the quarter ending in September, then the quarter ending in March) but revenues were actually down slightly on a quarter-over-quarter basis this year.
Scientific Games's quarterly report for the third quarter of 2012 showed $136 million in cash on its balance sheet, and only $2.2 billion in total assets. A $1.5 billion buyout (the transaction price for WMS) will require it to issue additional equity or debt securities (and it had $1.5 billion in debt outstanding as of the end of the third quarter as well). In fact, Scientific Games has a market cap of less than $800 million.
A pre-leverage annualized return of more than 4% from merger arbitrage is generally attractive, but, in this particular case, we have some concerns. WMS's business is not performing well, and Scientific Games offered a very heavy premium to where it had been trading. It's clear that the acquisition of WMS will also be complicated as Scientific Games raises the needed cash (certainly we doubt that the deal will work out well for that company). Any long-term WMS shareholders should take some profits from the recent rise in price, and those considering entering for the merger arbitrage factor should tread carefully. It's possible that waiting on further news about the acquisition -- even if the price does rise a bit in the meantime -- is a safer choice.


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It is a tradition that the bells of All Saints Church, Westbury are rung at midnight on New Year's Eve to welcome in the New Year.
This year the ringers were treble, Sara Honor, 2, Yvonne Fitch (not pictured), 3, Pam Clarke, 4, Peter Baker (Captain), 5, Mark Houseman, 6, Bill Clarke, 7, Adam Ricketts, tenor, Chris Jenkins.
After a short session to warm up, the tenor struck 12 strokes for midnight. This was followed by ringing 260 Grandsire Doubles, with treble and bell 2 leading.
A short Watchnight service was conducted in the ringing chamber by the Rev Jonathon Burke, Westbury's Team Rector.


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EOS Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream Reviews
Truly EnjoyableI was asked to critique EOS Shaving Cream years ago for another site. I continue to use it. I truly enjoy the different scents, the moisturizing texture, the ingredients to keep my skin healthy (aloe, oat and shea butter, and Vitamins C and E), and the silky-smooth feel and gleam to my legs when I'm done using it. — 4 years, 4 months agoGigiSD | 1102 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 2 of 2 people said helpful
AWFUL.I bought this because I saw it on totalbeauty.com and it looked cute (I bought the pink one). There's hardly any product, the dispenser pump is a little difficult to use when your hands are slippery and wet, and the shaving cream itself is less than mediocre. It's average in price, and smells alright, which are the only things it has going for it. — 6 years, 5 months agoLipglossandSpandex | 521 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 4 of 6 people said helpful
I love this!This is my favorite shave cream! I buy the pink one. I forget what the scent is called, but it's fruity without being too strong, which I like. So many of the fruit scented shave creams are way too overbearing and I don't like that. This cream is creamy, but not so thick that you can't see what you're shaving, which I like. Maybe that's why so many people think there isn't much product? Because th...read moreey put it on too thick? I don't know, I've never had any complaints about how much product I'm getting--because I use about a pump and a half per leg and it lasts just as long as any other shave cream I've ever purchased and I like it a LOT better. — 4 years, 8 months agotallredamanda | 433 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 1 of 1 people said helpful
GreatI have this in Cucumber melon and it goes on more like a lotion then a shaving cream, it doesn't foam up or anything but it does work great to get a close shave without the burn. It smells wonderful too so there's no complaints on my end! You can use this with or without water (but of course water is easier). — 6 years, 6 months agoBon_Bon | 522 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 8 of 9 people said helpful
Pretty goodI love this one. A dollar or two more expensive than the brands I use (Gillette, Venus) but it's worth the try. I like the smell, and so far no razor cuts. I would recommend and use again. — 5 years, 4 months agoyestfl | 239 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 2 of 2 people said helpful
okayIts an okay product but there is not much in the bottle at all. It woks pkay and the vanilla one smells nice. But, due to lack of product I definetly will not repurchase. — 5 years, 9 months agoaly7 | 396 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 5 of 10 people said helpful
Nice but could be a lot betterI bought this shave cream because it was a little bit cheaper than any of the Aveeno shave gel products at the time of the purchase. The cream was thick so it sometimes clogged my razor, but washed away (from the skin and the razor) easily. It allowed me to do a close and smooth shave and left no residue. The scent was good, and I also liked that it left no rust ring, which I give two thumbs up!! ...read moreYeah, I say it was moisturizing for a shave cream, but still I needed a body lotion or butter after shaving with this. I like the look of the pump, but not the function of the pump. It was wasteful because I could not finish the whole bottle with this pump dispenser. Even with some flaws, overall this shave cream is not bad, however, when Aveeno is cheaper or sold at the similar price range, I will definitely buy Aveeno Ultra Calming Shave Gel or Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel. — 6 years, 6 months agoluckybetty | 895 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 5 of 6 people said helpful
Yummy-a real treatThe thing I like best about this shaving cream is the pump packaging. It does not rust like some of the cans out there and it is recyclable! I tried the raspberry which has a very light scent that smelled like red jello with cool whip on top--yummy!!! It has not irritated my skin. It rinses easily and completely. I do agree with the other reviews that it is a cream texture with enough slip fo...read morer a successful, close, moisturizing shave, but it has a thinner consistency than I am used to. It is thicker than conditioner, thinner than most of the other popular shaving cream brands. I liked it a lot and will continue to use it. — 6 years, 6 months agoThorne | 456 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 5 of 5 people said helpful
I like itAt first it threw me off that it was a cream ( read it on the bottle when I bought it but was still shocked because it didn't foam up) but I'm very happy with this product. It smells good, goes on smooth and I haven't had any irritation with this, I haven't cut myself and everything feels smooth. Definitely will recommend and purchace again. — 6 years, 6 months agomsbrown822 | 229 reviews
This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 3 of 3 people said helpful
Smells Beautiful, But Doesn't LastI am a huge EOS fan (we're talking about six lip spheres, this shaving cream, and constantly checking their website and drugstores for new products) but even I don't think this shaving "gel" is anything spectacular. As usual, the packaging is unique, modern, and cute, and the scent is amazing. I have the vanilla bean one, and the smell is so lovely that I wish I had a perfume, body wash, body mist...read more, and hand sanitizer of this scent because the scent only lasts about five minutes after I get out of the shower. But besides that, there's nothing especially spectacular. The most lacking aspect of this product is the lasting power. The consistency and texture of this gel is nice, but it doesn't last. I feels very creamy in my hand and it feels really silky going on, but after that it basically disappears. It did give my legs some moisture and some silkiness after shaving, but it didn't last long (about five minutes). It helped the razor glide over, but it disappears quickly, so you have to shave really quickly! Same for dry shaving with this cream: rub it in really quickly and shave really quickly or it will disappear. (When I shaved dry with it, the moisture, scent, and silkiness did seem to last a bit longer, by the way.) For this disappearing act, this EOS product is overpriced. Overall, amazing scent and packaging, but the cream pulls disappearing acts no matter whatever you do to try to make it stay. — 3 years, 11 months agooceanbubbles | 112 reviews
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Plus: Final box art revealed.
For a great selection of video game action figures and collectibles, check out BigBadToyStore.com, ToyWiz.com, PastGenerationToys.com, and Sekaido.com.
For a great selection of video game t-shirts and apparel, check out TShirtGurus.com and 80sTees.com.
SEGA today announced that Iron Man 2: The Video Game will feature the voices of renowned actors Don Cheadle and Samuel L. Jackson. Expanding their roles from the upcoming Iron Man 2 movie from Marvel Studios, Cheadle voices Tony Stark's close friend James "Rhodey" Rhodes – the powerful War Machine – while Jackson joins the game as S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury.
SEGA has also release final box art for the game which can viewed above and below.
Iron Man 2: The Video Game will be available on May 4th, 2010 for the Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, Wii and Nintendo DS.


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Broadway Designer David C. Woolard Featured in Gibney Dance's DIVIDING LINE, Now thru 11/16
These beautiful renderings (pictured, left) for Gina Gibney's Dividing Line come from renowned costume designer David C. Woolard, Gibney Dance's neighbor on the 5th floor of 890 Broadway. A longtime collaborator of Gina's, David has designed for over 50 Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. His designs currently grace the stage of the Broadway shows First Date and A Time to Kill.
Don't miss David's stunning designs in Dividing Line this November. The show runs today, November 14 - Saturday, November 16 at 7:30 pm at Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th Street, New York, New York.
Dividing Line features choreography by Gina Gibney and is performed by Dancer/Collaborators: Natsuki Arai, Javier Baca, Jake Bone, Zachary Denison, Jennifer Lott, and Amy Miller. With original music by Son Lux, performed by American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME): Caroline Shaw, Ben Russell, Isabel Hagen, and Clarice Jensen.
Tickets: Opening Night $40 or $50 with Post-Performance Reception; Friday and Saturday $20; Special Discount All Nights for Professional Dancers, Students and Seniors: $15. Visit http://www.ticketmaster.com/Gibney-Dance-tickets/artist/1910451.


text: OverviewBack to top Protica Nutritional Research - Profect Protein Beverage Fresh Citrus Berry - 2.9 oz. Item# :109239UPC# :833423000087 Brand:Protica Nutritional Research Size/Form:2.90 oz. Ship Weight:0.30 Servings:1 Dosage:2.90 oz. Flavor:Fresh Citrus Berry Click here to read a PDF brochure on this product Protica Nutritional Research - Profect Protein Beverage Fresh Citrus Berry - 2.9 oz. (86 ml) Protica Nutritional Research Profect Fresh Citrus Berry Protein Beverage is the first capsulized food (dense liquid nutrition). Each ready-to-drink vial provides more protein per ounce than the leading protein beverages. Profect is recommended when high-density nutrition, high bioavailability, low allergen content, low glycemic index, or excellent palatability (taste and texture) is a critical requirement. Protected in a virtually unbreakable container, Profect can be taken anywhere, anytime. For health and exercise enthusiasts, Profect conveniently provides 25 grams of protein, zero carbohydrates (no sugar), and zero fat in a ready-to-drink vial weighing less than three fluid ounces. For medical patients with special protein needs, Profect provides critical nutrition. Profect may be administered orally or via feeding tube. Orally, it can be consumed by itself as a ready-to-drink beverage. It may also be mixed with other foods, beverages (any temperature), or supplements. Profect protein therapy is recommended for patients when high-density nutrition (i.e. maximum grams of protein per fluid ounce), low glycemic index, low allergen content, high bioavailability, or excellent palatability is a critical requirement. Oftentimes, patients with special dietary requirements have difficulty consuming protein because they cannot tolerate the taste, the volume, the protein allergens, or the protein structure (eg. large or denatured protein molecules). Profect addresses these challenges by providing 25 grams of Actinase™ in a ready-to-drink form. About Actinase Actinase is the patent-pending protein formulation in all Profect products. Actinase is an all-natural protein compound with the following characteristics: Palatable Actinase has a very neutral organoleptic profile (i.e. the characteristics related to the sense of taste and smell). Actinase also has a smooth texture. These features provide the foundation for the palatable flavors without the use of heavy flavorings or sweeteners. Hypoallergenic To understand how and why Actinase is hypoallergenic, a brief explanation of hydrolization is required. Actinase undergoes a process called enzymatic hydrolysis. This process breaks protein molecules into smaller units called peptides. The average molecular weight of the peptides in Actinase is 1,400 daltons ("dalton" is the unit of measurement for atomic weight). The human body can readily digest and absorb peptides, which is why they are also used in infant formulas. A byproduct of the hydrolization process is that many of the allergens typically found in proteins are removed. Highly Bioavailable Actinase is easy to digest because the protein molecules are enzymatically hydrolyzed to form peptides (i.e. small protein molecules). Peptides are easier for the body to digest and assimilate. Concentrated The molecular structure of Actinase is extremely dense, making Profect the most concentrated protein beverage on the market. Profect provides more protein per ounce than any other beverage. This unique characteristic allows patients to consume ample amounts of protein in a very small fluid volume (eg. 25 grams of protein in 2.7 fluid ounces). Protica Profect Benefits Twenty-five grams (25g) of highly bioavailable (i.e. absorbable) protein in only 100 calories Actinase, the protein used in Profect, is a proprietary blend of enzymatically hydrolyzed collagenic protein isolate, ion-exchanged whey protein isolate and caseinate protein isolate. A precise combination of protein blends, Actinase provides an efficaciously balanced amino acid profile. The combination of amino acids in Actinase is so closely aligned with the human body nutritional axis that the absorption and assimilation rates exceed that of traditional proteins. Nine essential vitamins Profect delivers 50% of the US RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) for the entire B vitamin complex, as well as 100% of the US RDI for Vitamin C. The vitamins used in Profect are all natural; they are not synthetic. Although present in many over-the-counter nutritional products, synthetic vitamins are not efficiently absorbed by the body. Pharmaceutical grade nutrients for assured purity Nutrients are processed in a variety of grades. Each grade is appropriate for a different circumstance. Pharmaceutical Grade denotes the highest standard in processing. All of the nutrients used in Protica's formulations are classified as pharmaceutical grade to assure the highest purity. Standardized ingredients Nutritional elements such as herbs can also be standardized. Standardization is a way of assuring an element is at a specific level of concentration. As an example, a 50mg capsule of ginseng may have the exact same potency as a 500mg capsule of ginseng. This is if the 50mg capsule is standardized at 100% potency while the 500mg capsule is standardized at only 10%. Many products on the market do not reveal the standardization level, so you do not know what you are getting. We only use standardized nutrients, so you will always know what you are putting into your body. Note: Elements such as macronutrients, vitamins and minerals do not need to be standardized in the same manner. If fifty grams of protein is displayed on a product's nutritional label, the product must contain fifty grams of protein. Likewise, 500mg of calcium must yield 500mg of calcium. All Natural nutrients Protica only uses all natural vitamins, minerals and macronutrients. Convenient packaging Profect is packaged in a container unlike any other on the market. The test tube shaped, patent-pending vial is made of a translucent, virtually unbreakable plastic that is both compact and portable. It is more resistant to temperature changes and physical damage than typical bottles and wrappers. This means Profect can go where other protein shakes and bars cannot. Zero fat, zero carbohydrates Profect is fat-free and carbohydrate-free, making it an ideal addition to any meal or snack. Carbohydrates can cause fat storage. When fats accompany a carbohydrate rich meal, fat storage is amplified. Since the average meal contains ample amounts of carbohydrates and fats, fat storage occurs with every meal. One approach to minimize fat storage is to avoid carbohydrates. However, this is very difficult for many people. Another approach is to eat a balanced meal of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Since most meals are high in carbohydrates and fats, consuming a vial of Profect with breakfast, lunch or dinner helps balance the meal. It also slows the absorption cycle of each meal, in turn reducing sugar surges and insulin spikes which cause fat storage. Concentrated meal in less than three fluid ounces At 2.7 ounces, Profect is quick and easy to consume (three seconds or less), making it uniquely suited for a quick snack or meal adjunct. Increased thermo genesis The ingestion of food produces energy in the form of heat. This is evidenced by a noticeable increase in body heat during and after a heavy meal. This process burns calories and is called "thermo genesis". In the two to three hour period following a meal, ingested fats may increase energy production up to 3 percent, carbohydrates up to 10 percent, and protein all the way up to 30 percent. Meal-induced thermo genesis for the average person is about 8 percent. For those on most diets, it is only about 4 or 5 percent. The rich protein content of Profect provides maximum opportunity for efficient thermo genesis. Several flavors to choose from Profect is available in several great tasting flavors, including Blue Raspberry, Grapefruit-Mango, Fresh Citrus Berry and Cool Melon Splash Profect Nutrition Facts To ensure potency, purity and quality, every batch of Profect is thoroughly tested by Protica's quality control laboratory, as well as by a third party laboratory. In addition, they require assays and protocols of analysis from their suppliers for each raw material used in their formulas. All of their products are produced under conditions that meet or exceed federal regulations governing the manufacture of nutraceuticals and food products. Where applicable, Protica's ingredients meet the specifications of the FCC or USP/NF. Protica offers full ingredient disclosure on product labeling, and complies with all current laws, including the DSHEA act. This provides their customers with a complete listing of all active and inactive ingredients. Protica's Pledge Protica pledges excellence in everything they make and market, providing you with the safest, most effective and highest-quality products. They promise to improve Their products through innovation, diligent research and development and an unyielding commitment to be the very best. Protica pledges courteous, efficient and ethical behavior and practices; respect for your interests; and an open door. They pledge to build and uphold the trust and goodwill that are the foundation of successful business relationships. Protica pledges conscientious citizenship, a helping hand for worthwhile causes and constructive action that supports a clean and healthy environment. They pledge Protica to the highest standard of moral and ethical behavior and to policies and practices that fully embody the responsibility, integrity and decency required of free enterprise if it is to merit and maintain the confidence of their society.


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George Washington Burris, Sr., feeding the turkeys...I'm just going to guess that this may have been taken in the early to mid 1920s. If that's the case, then they had turkeys in town (Russellville), which would not be out of the question.
George Washington Burris, Sr. died in 1929.
This is a Sepia Saurday post.


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A BLACK Country college is launching a 'work related learning' day to give career advice and workshops for year nine and ten pupils at secondary schools.
Halesowen College is holding the event on Wednesday, June 25 where a range of fun sessions will be held around working in different industries including music, fashion, accountancy, beauty, marketing and apprenticeships.
There will also be lots of information on offer about different careers and the courses available.
Janet Williams, school liaison director at Halesowen College, said: "This is the first time we have held this type of event and we are very excited.
"It is a great idea for young people to come into College and do some activities related to the area they want to work in or find out more about the various jobs in different industries.
"The day is mainly aimed at pupils from our partner schools and our students will also be involved especially if they are unsure what path to take next after their course at College."


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Paper CD Case – video powered by Metacafe
I love this video. I gave up on plastic CD cases a long time ago. In the rare moment I need to give someone an actual CD I use the paper envelopes you can buy. Well low and behold I can just fold my own pretty easily!
The creators of the above video also have a bookmarklet you can use that will generate and print artwork on the paper if you so choose (I don't). More info: liquidmongoose.com
"Liquid Mongoose is proud to announce its first project for general release: Paper Case. The Paper Case project allows you to print a fold-able piece of paper into a CD or DVD case, using the content of the internet as your album art or movie cover. Currently, it supports music album printing on music.aol.com and movie cover printing on Netflix. Support for Picasa Web Albums is coming soon for your picture CDs and DVDs." – liquidmongoose.com
via webware


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In the Japanese major, students combine advanced language work with the study of Japanese linguistics and literature. The goal of the major is to produce students who are not only highly proficient in the language, but who also have the capacity to work between languages and cultures.
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How to Scout for Soybean Aphid
Identification. Soybean aphids (Aphis glycines), are the only aphid usually found in soybeans in South Dakota. They are pear-shaped, 1/16th inch long, and range from pale yellow to lime green in color. On late-season soybeans, some aphids may be pale and smaller and found on lower leaves of the plant. Adult soybean aphids can occur in either winged or wingless forms. Wingless aphids are adapted to maximize reproduction, and winged aphids are built to disperse and colonize other locations. In South Dakota we often see a 'second wave' of aphids in early August as winged migrants colonize new fields. Winged soybean aphids have a dark thorax (central body segment). Soybean aphids have piercing-sucking mouthparts that are used to siphon plant sap; visible damage is subtle or unapparent until plants are heavily infested, but yield can still be reduced before this point.
Scouting. Check fields from mid-June through late August, with more intense scouting from mid-July through August. Walk a broad U or X pattern through the field and examine at least 20 to 30 plants, spread out over the field. Aphids can occur in "hot spots" but treatment decisions should be based on a broad sample of randomly-selected plants. A speed scouting method is also available that can reduce the time needed for sampling. It is less accurate and tends to lead to a 'treat' decision earlier than conventional scouting, but can save time when scouting demands are high (see UMN Soybean Aphid Sampling website)
During flowering, pod, and seed fill (R1-R5) the decision threshold for treatment is when populations are 250 aphids per plant when at least 80% of the plants are infested and the population is still increasing. Once soybeans reach the R6 growth stage (full seed, when a pod on one of the four top nodes has green seeds that fill the pod to capacity), soybeans are much less susceptible to yield loss from aphids (and, therefore, many more aphids can be tolerated). Thresholds for R6 soybeans have not been developed because natural aphid infestations in this late growth stage are uncommon, but research to develop R6 treatment guidelines is underway.
Producers who are near but not at threshold should consider checking the field again before treatment (3-4 days after the initial treatment decision is made). If aphid numbers have decreased, or are still near the threshold and have not increased noticeably, or if many natural enemies such as ladybeetles are present, producers may wish to delay treatment, as populations can sometimes decline naturally before reaching damaging levels.
Should you adjust your soybean aphid threshold for high crop values?
Many producers may wonder what higher crop values mean for the insect treatment thresholds they've used in the past. It's logical to assume that climbing commodity prices mean lower treatment thresholds, but that's not always the case. For soybean aphid thresholds in particular, 250 aphids/plant is still a valid guideline for decision-making. This has to do with the relationship between the decision (aka 'economic') threshold, the economic injury level, and the damage boundary. The economic injury level is the point where the insect injury justifies the control cost. This does vary with commodity value and control costs. The decision threshold is a lower value – not when economic loss is occurring, but when to make a decision take action to keep a pest population from climbing to the economic injury level. It builds in time to react before the population becomes a problem, and is based on how quickly the population can be expected to grow. The damage boundary is the lowest insect pressure/damage level where yield loss can be detected. It is not logical to have an economic injury level lower than the damage boundary, because no economic injury can occur when no yield is being lost. The average damage boundary for soybean aphid is greater than 4000-5000 cumulative aphid days [corresponding on average with a population greater than 485-600 aphids/plant].
When soybean values were lower the economic injury level ~675 aphids/plant, and the recommended decision threshold was 250 aphids/plant to give a 7-day lead time. We can recalculate economic injury levels for more current values. For example at a value of $12/bushel and a $13/acre treatment cost with a yield expectation of 50 bushels, the economic injury level can be calculated theoretically as 356 aphids/plant. However, this is below the damage boundary where yield loss begins – typically in excess of 500 aphids/plant), and thus is not a valid economic injury level [there is no economic injury when yield is not being lost]. Using a conservative damage boundary of 485 aphids/plant, a decision threshold of 250 aphids/plant can still be used and gives an average lead time of 5 days to arrange treatment before the populations reaches 485 aphids/plant. So if treatment can be made in this window, this decision threshold will still prevent economic loss. The data behind these guidelines were collected over three years in 19 locations under a wide variety of conditions, including moisture stress. In most trials in the region, including threshold field trials in South Dakota, we have not seen a yield return when using a threshold lower than 250 aphids/plant.
Prophylactic or "insurance" treatments at low aphid levels do not provide good value, because treated fields often see pest resurgence, frequently to levels higher than untreated fields. This can occur because the insecticide has eliminated the beneficial predatory insects that help keep pests in check, or because winged migrant aphids have recolonized the field, or both factors working together. A single well-timed application based on scouting information and thresholds is more economical than two poorly timed applications; and in some years even a single application may not be needed. Another problem with insurance treatments in soybean is secondary pest outbreaks of twospotted spider mites. Spider mites are a particular problem when the weather is hot and dry. Spider mite outbreaks often happen in fields that have previously been treated for soybean aphid. This is because many products (particularly most pyrethroids), can actually flare spider mite populations.
Soybean aphid management
Chemical control. Some pesticides labeled for soybean aphids in South Dakotaa
Resistant varieties. Aphid-resistant soybean varieties are available and are an under-utilized tool in aphid management. We have extensively tested lines containing the resistance genes Rag1 and Rag2 in South Dakota. Though resistant varieties will seldom be aphid-free, these genes typically provide a five-fold to ten-fold or greater reduction in aphid populations compared to susceptible checks. Many companies provide aphid resistant varieties in various maturity groups. Two such providers are Syngenta and, for organic producers, Blue River Hybrids.
Natural enemies. There is a diverse community of natural enemies in soybean, which help suppress soybean aphid colonization and population growth. These natural enemies include ladybeetles, lacewings, pirate bugs, and entomophagous (insect-killing) fungi. One of the most important predators of soybean aphid is the multicolored Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis. In the absence of these natural enemies, soybean aphid population growth is significantly faster (2–7 times). Pesticides often more thoroughly eliminate natural enemies than aphids, which allows the remaining aphids to rebound quickly without their natural checks.


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SHERMAN, Texas - A prosecutor says country music star Randy Travis is expected to enter a guilty plea in a drunken-driving case in North Texas.
Grayson County District Attorney Joe Brown says details of the agreement will be released following Travis' court appearance Thursday in Sherman.
Brown says the 53-year-old singer will plead guilty to a misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in jail and a $4,000 fine.
Travis was naked when he was arrested following a single-vehicle accident Aug. 7 near Tioga, about 60 miles north of Dallas.
Authorities have said his blood-alcohol level was more than 0.15. The legal limit for driving is 0.08.
Travis' attorney, John Nix, says a sentence of probation is expected. Nix says Travis is "looking forward to putting this behind him."
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Posted 6 years ago
(350 items)
Shown are several Christmas items dating from the turn of the century until the 1930's. The book is the classic "The Night Before Christmas", and this book dates to 1898. The second photo shows the details of the cover. It has simple illustrations. The tin candy container with Santa was given away at Christmas time by department stores to customers. The Santa is lithographed on the lid. The last item is a 5" German made Santa chocolate mold with the original clips, which probably dates to the 1920's. I wonder how many Santas came out of this mold, for it is well used.