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For income-minded investors, real estate investment trusts have long been a staple of the portfolio.
REITs are a way for investors to participate in real estate without actually owning any real estate. That's because the trusts own and manage the buildings, and its investors own units that can be traded in the market, providing the liquidity that you can't get as a landlord.
But with the economic recovery uncertain, it's important to understand how the companies work and how to pick the winners from the losers, said Dennis Mitchell, vice-president and senior portfolio manager at Sentry Investments, where he manages the $400-million Sentry REIT Fund.
The fund has gained 33 per cent in the last year, compared to the REIT group average of 22 per cent (the S&P/TSX capped real estate index returned 38 per cent). It has an average annual return of 5.2 per cent since its inception.
Here Mr. Mitchell fields questions on the state of today's REIT market.
What sort of investors should be looking at real estate investment trusts?
The No. 1 thing REITs provide is very tax-efficient, monthly income. For accounting purposes, much of the cash flow is classified as return of capital, which is generally not taxed when the investor receives it. It's accounting return of capital, not economic return of capital - you're not actually receiving your own money back.
Why does that matter?
Generally, return of capital isn't taxed when the investor receives it. It reduces the investor's cost base and when they sell the unit, it gets taxed as a capital gain. Since capital gains taxes are lower than earned-income tax rates, the distributions from a REIT tend to be more tax efficient than interest income from a bond. They are also provide more consistent income than bonds since most bonds pay semi-annual coupons while REITs pay monthly distributions.
I always liken REITs to the three-man in basketball - somebody who can hit the outside shot and also drive to the hole and finish. With REITs, you get consistent stable income but also growth potential as well. Now that growth potential means that you're exposed to a downside as well, but everything exposes you to a downside in some way, even bonds.
What is the downside?
REITs do poorly in deflationary environments, when demand for commercial real estate is shrinking because the companies themselves are downsizing or going bankrupt. REITs tend to under perform, because occupancy and cash flows both decline and distributions come under pressure. In addition, the actual value of their assets decline as well.
You also have to worry about spikes in long-term interest rates. I'm not really talking about benchmark rates like the overnight rate in Canada. Generally, if the overnight rate is going up, then the economy is doing well and inflation is a concern. REITs tend to outperform during these time periods as the demand for commercial real estate increases.
What we are concerned with are spikes that are driven by macro shocks. If Greece defaults on its sovereign debt, or the U.K. restructures its sovereign debt, it would drive a huge risk premium into everything, especially long rates. The long end of the yield curve ratchets up because people perceive more risk in sovereign debt and demand more return for putting their capital at risk, especially over longer periods of time. That raises the cost of capital for everyone, but real estate and utilities tend to be relatively highly levered so they are exposed more than other sectors.
What are main differences between REITs in Canada and in the U.S.?
The valuations - REITs are generally valued based on AFFO [adjusted funds from operations]multiples. There's usually a two-multiple gap between U.S. and Canadian REITs, with U.S. REITs getting a premium for growth. Canadian REITs are trading around 14 times AFFO, which is historically where we've traded over the last 12 years. In the U.S., REITs are at 21 times AFFO, which is much higher than where they usually trade and a big premium to Canadian REITs.
Why so high?
Good question. There's nothing fundamental going on that would justify that kind of spread. When I talked to my colleagues in the U.S., one guy said they were looking through the trough to 2012. Another guy said it's all a leap of faith. Either way, it spells overvaluation and we sold our U.S. REIT positions in May. U.S. REIT multiples need to decline to 16 times before they are fairly valued, which means U.S. REIT share prices have to fall by another 5 [to]10 per cent before I'm all that interested again.
Are the market fundamentals really so different?
Definitely, our financing model has survived because we didn't rely so much on commercial securitization to fund real estate mortgages (residential or commercial). We used it a little here, but it wasn't the main source of capital, like it was in the U.S. In the U.S., it was the dominant source of debt financing and few financial institutions retained any of these mortgages on their own balance sheet. When the securitization market went away, U.S. REITs saw their cost of capital rise dramatically and at just the time they needed access to cheap capital. They were forced to forge new relationships with new lenders at a time when credit spreads were blowing out. Right to this day, there is very little lending going on in the U.S. right now. In the U.S., lending is now pretty much limited to government programs or entities, with little bank lending taking place. That is not the case here. We've always been balance sheet lenders and most REITs already have strong relationships with the group of lenders in this country.
The other fundamental difference is occupancy. The U.S. is much more competitive than Canada is and as a result, margins are much thinner. When a downturn like we are currently experiencing happens, there is less room for U.S. companies to manoeuvre and as a result, there are many more bankruptcies. In Canada, we have one national grocer and several regional players, making competition in that sector relatively benign. Compare that to U.S. grocers where there are several large regional competitors in each market and you see the potential for bankruptcies and reduced occupancy.
Are things that much better in Canada?
We're not an island, but absolutely, things are better. People ask me all the time, what happens when vacancy falls to 60 per cent? Are you kidding me? Look at the tenants and you tell me which ones are going out of business. If occupancy at RioCan falls to 50 per cent, you'll have a tough time finding fresh produce and a hell of a time filling out your prescriptions because that means Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Mart are out of business. Good luck getting coffee too, cause that means Tim Hortons must be gone too.
What numbers should investors pay attention to when trying to pick a REIT?
When we're trying to gauge the riskiness of an investment we look at the cash flow stream - I don't care about stock price volatility, real risk is the risk of permanent loss of capital. We value REITs based on their free cash flow as measured by AFFO so we measure their risk as a function of the riskiness of their AFFO.
We measure this riskiness as a function of the quality, duration and stability of the cash flow we're getting. Stability is best represented by occupancy and how volatile it is over a business cycle. Quality refers to the tenants that underlie that occupancy. If you have a whole bunch of mom and pop companies in your property that's generally poor-quality cash flow. Large, national tenants and/or government tenants are generally better-quality cash flow. Finally, duration is a function of the term of the leases. Longer-term leases are generally preferred since that provides greater visibility on cash flow over a longer time period.
Most investors don't have the time to do that type of analysis, so the easiest thing to look at is AFFO or FFO (funds from operations) and payout ratios based on AFFO and FFO. All REITs report FFO, and it is generally the standardized calculation defined by RealPAC, whereas not everyone reports AFFO.
What's been happening with distributions?
Historically, everyone has distributed as close to 100 per cent as they could. Most will tell you that they're "targeting an 85-95 per cent AFFO payout ratio," but most are distributing close to 100 per cent. Now at times like this, when we are emerging out of a sharp recession, some REITs end up distributing more than 100 per cent of their AFFO.
Does the payout ratio really matter?
Yes, it does. You want to see something below 100 but also have to keep in mind that if someone is over distributing, that doesn't necessarily mean they'll cut. Instead, they may deprive you of distribution growth for next two years while they grow into their distribution. But in that case, you need to see a credible plan to grow free cash flow. If you're paying out 120 per cent of AFFO and your properties are 99 per cent occupied, how are you going to generate any incremental free cash flow? You're left with a problem: Pray for recovery or cut the distribution.
Mitchell's picks
Brookfield Properties
"They have triple-A trophy assets in markets like Toronto, Ottawa and Manhattan. Their assets are second to none, they have a great management team and a very low payout ratio. Low leverage, too. We think it's worth $18, and it's trading at $14.09."
"This is a cost of capital trade. They can acquire properties at 8 to 13 per cent cap rates and they can finance them with CMHC insured debt at 4 per cent-plus right now. That is a huge spread. I think it's worth $8.25 and it's trading at $7.30 right now."
Dundee REIT
"It has a huge exposure to Calgary and that's a bit of an overhang, but their buildings are still 95 per cent occupied. They also actively diversified out of Calgary by buying offices in Toronto and Ottawa as well as some industrial. We think it is worth $27, and it's trading at $24.57."
A REIT primer
Why invest in a real estate investment trust?
REITs buy and sell properties, giving investors a passive way to own real estate. They also pay cash distributions.
Net asset value (NAV)
Values of all assets, minus the debt.
Funds from operations (FFO)
Comparable to earnings per share for stocks, this measures a REIT's profitability. Or lack thereof.
Adjusted funds from operations (AFFO)
A more precise measure of profitability that strips out one-time capital expenditures.
Payout ratio
The amount of money a REIT pays its unit-holders, relative to how much it earns. A lower ratio means it is hanging on to its cash; ratios close to 100 per cent could mean the distribution is in peril of being reduced.
Steve Ladurantaye


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Regardless of the type or complexity of the software you are developing, the software your development team produces is only as good as the requirements that drive the project. However, on the subject of security, virtually all well-run software projects-whether based on formal processes or agile methods-fail to address security during the requirements process. Security that isn't given proper attention is relegated to an afterthought.
There are many best practices that contribute to high-quality software requirements, such as high-bandwidth communication between the development team and customers, but these best practices offer no guarantees that the software will realize the intent of the requirements.
In fact, just about the only certainty that a development team has with requirements is that if requirements do not exist for a certain feature, then that feature will not come to fruition.
Millions of dollars and words have been spent on the importance of addressing application security throughout our software development to protect our businesses from compromise. Nevertheless, we expect that security just happens during our development-without our using formalized security requirements or committing to security at the beginning of a project.
Emergent Qualities
Security is an emergent quality of software, much like usability and performance, in that it comes together as the team implements all of the functionalities. Requirements for emergent qualities typically strive to impose some minimum standards on the software or specifically prohibit unwanted behavior, rather than stating expected software behavior like for functional requirements.
For example, a usability requirement might specify that a user should be able to perform certain function in a minimum number of clicks. A performance requirement might state that no page in the application should take longer than two seconds to load. Similarly, security requirements often spell out what malicious actions the application should not allow a user to do.
Writing Security into Requirements
Security requirements need to be very specific about the subsystems that should be protected in your application, what types of protection must be in place, and what types of application attacks must be specifically safeguarded in your system. For example, one security requirement that should be a part of every single Web application project is to validate all externally provided inputs on the server. Validating all inputs will prevent up to 80 percent of all application layer security attacks and should be explicitly required and tested in every project.
Security requirements should also require that sensitive parts of the application be protected. All confidential and restricted access portions of the application should be protected by authentication. Escalation of privileges from unauthenticated users should not be possible. All critical-level application vulnerabilities should be protected against and verified in security testing, including command injection, SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and parameter manipulation.
Your development and quality assurance teams should counter and test specifically for all application security vulnerabilities in the
Open Web Application Security Process' (OWASP) Top Ten Project. OWASP offers just a few examples, but the message is that you must be very specific about these security requirements or security will not get addressed during development.
Effectively Testing Security Requirements
If you have spent any time in software development, you've likely heard quality assurance teams complain about the inadequacy of requirements for test planning and test coverage. You might hear them say, "How am I supposed to test it when I don't know what it's really supposed to do?" This statement validates that security testing becomes an even bigger challenge for quality assurance when there are no security requirements. Keep in mind that the average quality assurance professional does not have security experience or training necessary to conduct exploratory security testing without adequate requirements.
Starting the software development project off with effective security requirements ensures that the quality assurance team will be able to address security in its project planning, during testing tool acquisitions, and in test coverage. With security requirements, team members can make educated decisions about the types of application security testing they are expected to conduct.
Early security testing planning provides quality assurance planners with insight into what portions of the security testing challenge are outside of their scope and need to be assigned to the security team, like network security and production environment configuration.
Security Starts with Requirements
Regardless of the type or complexity of the software you are developing, the software your development team produces is only as good as the requirements that drive the project. However, on the subject of security, virtually all well-run software projects-whether based on formal processes or agile methods-fail to address security during the requirements process. Security that isn't given proper attention is relegated to an afterthought.

subset: commoncrawl


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Haatchi, an Anatolian Shepherd and Owen Hawkins take care of each other. Photo: YouTube
An Anatolian Shepherd named Haatchi overcame a terrible act of cruelty to become the best friend and inspiration for a young boy with a rare genetic condition.
Owen Hawkins is 7-years-old and has Schwartz-Jampel syndrome, a condition which causes his muscles to constantly seize involuntarily. Before he met Haatchi he had agoraphobia and socially withdrawn. Haatchi was not yet a year old had endured an unimaginable and frightening act of cruelty.
In January 2012, Haatchi was deliberately tied to a railway line in North London and was hit by a train. His tail was severed and his rear leg severely damaged. Haatchi managed to stagger away and hid for around 5 days before he was rescued by the RSPCA. Unfortunately, due to infection, his leg and tail had to be amputated.
He was immediately fostered but was attacked by another dog in the home and returned to the RSPCA, where they struggled with the decision to put him down. But a staff member did not want to give up on the dog and called UK German Shepherd Rescue who has a No Kill policy for help. The rescuers began to look for a loving home for Haatchi, and that's when Colleen Drummonds and fiance Will Howkins (Owen's father) saw a post on Facebook and decided to visit Haatchi. On February 18, six weeks after Haatchi had had his operation, the couple took him to his new home.
When Haatchi met Owen the pair bonded immediately and began to support each other. Colleen, who has been with Owen since he was three, says Haatchi's effect on Owen was immediate.
Before Haatchi arrived, Owen was struggling with being different and became withdrawn and anxious at school and around strangers.
"As soon as they met, the effect Haatchi had on Owen was incredible. Before his arrival, Owen didn't like going out – he was practically agoraphobic," Colleen said. "Owen used to be scared of strangers, but now he wants to talk to everyone about Haatchi and wants to go out all the time to dog shows. The difference we see in him can't be put into words."
Will said Haatchi is equally attached to Owen. "Haatchi will come and drink out of the bath when I'm bathing Owen, and they don't like to be apart."
Now 15 months old, Haatchi has completed his training as a therapy dog and will be visiting soldier amputees as well as terminally-ill children. Haatchi has also been recognized by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) for his amazing story. Haatchi has been awarded IFAW's Animal of the Year.
Update November 16, 2012
Haatchi and Owen's story has travelled the globe and the pair enjoy receiving postcards from all over the world.
Haatchi and Owen (Little B) enjoy reading the postcards they are receiving from well-wishers. Photo: Facebook
If you would like to send Little B (Owen) and Haatchi a postcard from where you are, they can be sent to their attention at:
C/O Driver Hire Fenland 1st Floor
1b Market Place
Cambs PE13 1DT
United Kingdom
Update February 21, 2013:
Haatchi has been nominated for a Crufts award for heroic dogs!
Haatchi has changed Owen's life for the better and Owen says Haatichi is his best friend.
"I used to be scared of strangers, then Haatchi came along and now I'm not and that's how he changed my life. I didn't really meet many others with disabilities and felt like the odd one out, which made me really sad. But when I saw Haatchi and saw how strong he was, even though he only had three legs, I became stronger myself. I love him so much.", Owen said.
Haatchi is among the final five dog heroes who will compete in the public vote for the Friends for Life award at Crufts 2013.
Visit Haatchi on Facebook!
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Few figures in pop music are as divisive as Björk, that pint-sized Icelandic pixie princess with the Grand Canyon-size voice. Her fans border on obsessive. Her detractors are, quite frankly, freaked the fuck out by her. There simply is no fence-sitting about the tiny fairy-dust-sprinkled soprano/baritone/ bass what can't her voice do?
Hadeel Assali and Selina Pishori understood the potential of a theme party based around an artist who has completely leapt the ho-hum void. Fans, of course, would be compelled to attend. Those on the "bitch is crazy" side of the fence wouldn't be able to drown their curiosity about what exactly a Björk dress-up party might look like.
Perhaps even that prune-skinned bag of hot hate Joan Rivers, who famously announced she'd commit suicide on an Academy Award red carpet if Björk's infamous swan dress with giant egg purse ever made an appearance again, would be tempted by fate to ride her wrinkles into town.
Well, Joan, start tying the noose. Yours truly commissioned the local designers/artists of Kunst Fascion to mock up the dress so that I might be the belle of the Björk ball.
And what, save for a world without lawyers, would be better than a planet rid of Joan Rivers? We'll call this installment of The Nightfly "Doing my part for world peace." The Charities
But I won't be the only one. The cover charge went toward a couple of charities that Assali and Pishori handpicked and believe in strongly: the Palestinian Children's Welfare Fund and Youth Solidarity Summer, respectively. You can read about each at www.pcwf.org and www.youthsolidarity.org.
The Fitting
Mariana Saldana and Jason Villegas -- Kunst Fascion -- did a superb job. They'd had a day's notice to make my swan dress with less-than-exact measurements given over the phone. When I arrived at their workspace in the part of town known as, according to Saldana, "uh, the ghetto," I was ushered to a workbench studded with little felt dollar signs, pins, ribbons that say "Chanel" and a half-empty bottle of Don Julio. Plunked down in the middle of it all was my beautiful bird. It was made of various materials the two had found lying around. They didn't spend a penny on it.
They improvised -- cutting up orange washcloths to simulate a beak and stuffing the fowl's long neck with spongy cotton. I strapped it on and stood on a makeshift stool as the two made minor adjustments. We all agreed, I looked gorgeous.
The Venue
For the uninitiated, Helios (411 Westheimer) is one of the most underrated spots in town. Its exterior looks like Hansel and Gretel's cottage -- faded yellows and browns swath old smog-stained wood. Metal sculptures abound in the front courtyard, which is the perfect spot for Montrose people-watching.
The bar hosts poetry slams, spoken-word events and music ranging from old-time country to jazz to underground hip-hop. There's another stage upstairs, and out back you can usually catch someone breathing fire or juggling chain saws or kittens or some such on a huge stage. There's more inimitability here than in a dozen other hot spots. Tonight's Björk party all but sews that up.
The Perp Walk
Walking down Westheimer near Montrose draped in a swan dress isn't all that scary, granted. The neighborhood is Houston's Hollywood -- let your freak flag fly.
On the other hand, walking to the car in my own 'hood while drunken across-the-street neighbors catcall is another story. I've never walked faster -- lest their words fill me with anger and I end up spending the night at the Harris County Hotel in this getup. Drunken jealous toolbags!
The Reception
From the second I make my donation to charity at the door, Björk fans are smitten. I can't walk three steps without hearing the words "awesome," "amazing," "killer" or "great idea." Of course, I hear "obese" too, but that obviously has come from a playa hater.
A few girls tell me they had the same dress-up idea but no way to execute it. Thank you, Kunst!
The Event
In the main room, DJs spin Björk's angelic vocals mashed up with hip-hop beats. Screw Mary J. Blige. If she ever wants to, Björk can add Queen of Hip-hop Soul to her eclectic résumé.
Outside I find a spot on the upstairs balcony and take in a DVD of Björk videos on a giant screen hoisted onto the backdrop of the back patio's stage. Houston's wet blanket of unforgiving humidity has taken the night off, and those outside are treated to a nice, cool breeze as we ogle Björk's titties in the "Pagan Poetry" video.
The Fans
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Not as many fans play dress-up as I'd expect. There are a few girls in dresses covered in stars and others whose hair is done in homage to Björk's "Big Time Sensuality" vid. All in all, the fans of Ms. Gudmundsdóttir have decided to lay low and take it all in.
More Björk Fun!
Later in the night, Assali plays a home-burned DVD of Björk rarities, stuff like the singer's performances on late-night talk shows, concert clips and interviews. It's a fascinating look into a career that has often been a little outside the focus of the mainstream scope.
Sitting on the balcony, being kissed by the gentle caress of a Gulf Coast breeze and wrapped firmly in Björkian growls and wails, I feel euphoric. Or maybe it's just because I look so goddamned pretty!


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iPhone: Earthquake survivor trapped in rubble
In January 2010, when a massive earthquake hit Haiti, Colorado Springs native Dan Woolley was trapped under the rubble of the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince. After losing his glasses in the quake, he used the focusing light from his iPhone's camera to find a safe place to relocate to. Then, he used an iPhone application to diagnose and treat his injuries. Finally, he used the phone's alarm clock to keep him awake in case he was going into shock. He was eventually rescued, after spending 65 hours in the hotel's elevator shaft.


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Today Ubisoft's open-world shooter Far Cry 3 arrived throughout Europe and Australia. If you're not in either of those territories, you can watch the new launch trailer as a consolation prize.
Far Cry 3 takes place on the tropical Rook Islands. A group of tourists travels there for vacation and are attacked by pirates. Jason Brody escapes and sets out to rescue his friends.
The single-player campaign is only part of the complete package, though. Competitive multiplayer modes and a four-player co-op campaign are also included. Ubisoft has also thrown in a map editor so you can make your own fun.
Early reviews for the game have been very strong, with the Metacritic scores hovering around 90. The open-world setting, story and gameplay variety seem to be the biggest points of praise. Reactions to the multiplayer are a bit less enthusiastic, thoguh.
FC3 will arrive in the UK tomorrow. The US will receive it on December 4th.
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Contiki Chamani - Solo Traveler
27 Aug 2016 - 04 Sep 2016
The accommodations at each island were nice and unique. I thoroughly enjoyed the Koh Tao (villas) and Koh Phangan (Shirlea Backpackers resort) very much. The amount of days spent at the three different islands were plenty to engage and partake in any activities each island had to offer. I signed up for all three activities and enjoyed each one of them. The staff on the 4x4 jeep tour were amazing and hysterical. The boat tours are BYOB (or adult beverages sold on the boat), which was pretty awesome. Koh Tao was my favorite due to the wild ocean life and beach scenery. In addition, the lady boy show was fun entertainment. Every day spent is definitely what you make of it. Get ready for the carb party because pad thai, curry with rice, fried rice in a pineapple, and pad see ew is basically the thai diet. I would go back in a heart beat.
Make sure to bring bug spray !
Review written Sep 2016event 0.3
23 Jul 2016 - 31 Jul 2016
I have just finished my first contiki tour and I am beyond happy! It was such an incredible experience and is a good one to do for you first trip! Being my first solo trip and first time overseas, I was obviously a bit unsure on a lot of things! However, my INCREDIBLE trip manager Chamani made everything go so smoothly and to put it simply, made this trip, one I am never, ever going to forget! Could not thank Chamani enough and will definitely be going on more trips in the future! Chamani you absolute legend! Xxxxx
Review written Aug 2016event 0.3
What's a Baht?!
02 Jul 2016 - 10 Jul 2016
This was my first time to Asia and it did not disappoint! Thailand was a beautiful country with extremely friendly people.
Koh Samui was the biggest island and the most city like. Definitely do the jeep trek optional. It was a blast and a great way to spend your first full day with the group. Koh Tao is the prettiest island of the three! The hotel there is awesome and the beaches were gorgeous. The snorkel optional/booze cruise was so much fun! This was a highlight of the trip for me! There's also about a 15 minute hike you can do during your free time to the John Suwan look out point. Definitely worth it - beautiful views of the island. One night you go to a lady boy show - that's something you need to experience at least once hahaha. In Koh Phangan, you stay at this adorable backpacker's resort. Here you have a ton of free time to just chill out by the pool, beach, whatever. We had a blast with the crew who worked there and had themed parties every night at the bar. Make sure you get an Attitude Adjuster. It will definitely adjust your attitude. There's an optional to the Marine Park you can do (we didn't - too tired/hungover) but pictures from others on the group looked pretty!
Our tour guide Alex was awesome!!!! He made the trip so much fun, easy, and enjoyable! He was really knowledgeable about not only Thailand, but Asia in general and we had so much fun with him. Highly recommend him!
All in all, I had a blast on this Contiki! This was my fourth Contiki, but it was my shortest one, so I was wondering how it would go. It was definitely enough time to see the islands, the east ones at least, and had a great group as well. I don't think you can really ever have a bad group on a Contiki :)
Review written Jul 2016event 0.3
No Words.
28 May 2014 - 05 Jun 2014
What can I say except that this was the absolute best time of my life. Jeenah was my favorite tour guide to date and it really set the bar for every other contiki. It's a super laid back trip with different bars every night and some of the most beautiful scenes I've ever seen. I think because the trip was more my pace I had much more in common with the people that went on it than on other trips. It's been over a year and I'm still friends with my guide and 5 others from the tour. Everyone should do this trip. I guess I found words after all...
Review written Sep 2015event 0.3
Thai Island Hopper East
13 Sep 2013 - 21 Sep 2013
Amazing would recommend this tour to anyone, a lot of free time to chill out and enjoy what Thailand has to offer.
Review written Sep 2015event 0.3
Had a Blast!
20 Jun 2015 - 28 Jun 2015
Was an excellent trip if your looking for a laid back relaxing holiday, on the other hand there's lots of things that can be done if that is what your after. Margie was an excellent tour manager full of great advice and great ideas on extra things to do. Had a blast meeting new people from all corners of the globe and discovering the island life of Thailand. Can't thank Margie enough for the effort she put into her job!
Review written Jul 2015event 0.3
20 Jun 2015 - 28 Jun 2015
had an awesome time. Made 30 friends, and was looked after very well by the beautiful Margie. Definitely having a few beers with the boys when I travel again.
Review written Jun 2015event 0.3
Amazing Experience!
20 Jun 2015 - 28 Jun 2015
This was our first contiki tour and first time traveling and we were not sure what to expect as we were traveling as a couple. We had an amazing tour manager Margie whom made us feel more than welcome, she went above and beyond to ensure everyone in our group had the best time. Great activities with lots of insight and information about the histories of everywhere we went. Learnt a lot and formed some amazing friendships from travelers all around the world at the same time. Will definitely be traveling with contiki again. 10/10
Review written Jun 2015event 0.3
Recommend 100%
20 Jun 2015 - 28 Jun 2015
This was my first ever trip by myself and it completely exceeded every expectation I had! Our contiki manager margie was the best! She was so concerned about all of us and made sure that we had the best experience we possibly could! I have definitely made some amazing friends and memories and I cannot wait to do another one hopefully in the near future!!
Review written Jun 2015event 0.3
Exceeded All Expectations
27 May 2015 - 04 Jun 2015
Being a first time solo traveler I had no idea what to expect packing my bags and travelling across the world & I am happy to say it exceeded all my expectations. It is so hard to put into words the experiences I had through out the 9 days we were hopping around those little islands but I can say that I have made friends for life and memories I will always look back on & smile. If you are tossing up if you should go on this trip, ask yourself if you like to laugh until you cry, party all night, explore all day & become a part of a family you'll never forget, do it! All the guides through Asia are amazing too so you are guaranteed a good time! Until next time Contiki!! Thanks for a wild one!
Review written Jun 2015event 0.3
Day and Night never ending trip (what is sleep?)
27 May 2015 - 04 Jun 2015
This was my first trip overseas, and probably the best way to experience everything I did. Thailand is such a beautiful place, especially on this trip. I got to see a lot more and do more then I would of with an alcoholic mates from home. Instead, I got to do it all with a bunch of "apparent" alcoholics from all over the world. It was mostly the people I got to share this trip with that made it all for me. The tour guide, Shannon, was absolutely fantastic! With her mood continuously being happy, it reflected on us and made the trip that much better! With the trip itself, no one was ever alone and always in groups either drinking or relaxing. For me, being Australian, that is perfect!! All the accommodation was just right for the area which was nice. Especially Koh Tao, with the jungle like rooms. They were just perfect to the last detail. There was so many GREAT moments on the trip, none of them being appropriate, but one I can say, I was in the spot light on a main show and made to dress up..
But over all, this was the absolute best way I could see Thailand! Well to start it anyway. Thank you Shannon and the Contiki crew, this coming from "Skippy" from AUS.
Review written Jun 2015event 0.3
Party on in paradise!!!
27 May 2015 - 04 Jun 2015
I just returned home from my Thai Island Hopper East trip with Contiki and I don't know how I am going to settle back into real life after such an adventure! There is no stone left unturned in this 9 day thrill ride through some of the most scenic islands on the planet earth. The Tour Manager Shannon set the tone immediately for the group with her upbeat and energetic attitude. Traveling with her was like being with that one friend everyone has that will never say no to a good time. The fellow travelers and myself though diverse in culture bonded instantaneously and never left each other's sides making for too many life lasting memories to count. The excursions and accommodations were well worth every penny and never left a dull moment. An absolute must do trip!
Review written Jun 2015event 0.3
Khap kun kha!
13 Aug 2014 - 21 Aug 2014
Brilliant tour. The people (both the Contikiers and the Thai's) were lovely. The culture was rich and enchanting. And the food...so worth the "Bangkok Belly" I had for a week after I returned home. The accomadtions were just fine. The meals provided were decent, and my tour mates were awesome. Worth every penny. I wish I could go back and do it all over again!
Review written Jan 2015event 0.3
It was the highlight!
03 Aug 2013 - 11 Aug 2013
I spent 7 weeks in Asia and this tour was the highlight and the perfect way to end my trip.
Our tour manager, Muffin, was great. He always knew where we were headed and where the best parties were. We weren't in Koh Phangan during a Full Moon/Half Moon/Black Moon party but our TM and the staff at the resort held a private Moon party for us in the bar of the resort and it ended up being totally out of control, it was probably for the best that we didn't go far from home that night!
Koh Tao is beautiful, and Koh Samui is a great party. I challenge someone to do this tour and not have a great time and make lifelong friends.
I only wish that I had planned extra days at the end of the tour, our group got really close and I left early on the last day- meaning I didn't really get proper goodbyes with the whole group.
Review written Oct 2014event 0.3
LIFE-CHANGING holiday!!
19 Jul 2014 - 27 Jul 2014
I had the most amazing time on this Contiki!! The weather was hot and humid, but that didn't ruin my trip. Koh Samui was by far my favourite island, coming close behind was Koh Panghan. The vibe was incredible and the Thai people were so friendly and helpful. I have never experienced so much culture in 9 days than i did on this tour. i fell in love with Thailand and you will too! I'd go back there any day.
Definitely on my top ten places to go to again <3
Review written Sep 2014event 0.3
Great fun!!
09 Jun 2014 - 17 Jun 2014
This tour was definitely a great way to see the Eastern Islands of Thailand! I only wish that it was longer and that I had more time to on each of the islands. This tour was during the Full Moon party, but because we didn't know that we had to book shuttles to get to the island, there wasn't anything really available. If you're taking this trip to go to the Full Moon party, book your ferry before you get to Thailand! Otherwise the food was great, the hotels in Koh Samui and Koh Tao were great, the backpackers hostel in Kho Phangnan was a little meh. Otherwise a great trip!
Review written Aug 2014event 0.3
Best Decision Ever
06 Jun 2014 - 14 Jun 2014
A friend and i chose to go on contiki because we didnt want to be on our own! and lets just say best decision ever!
The tour guide was AMAZING and made the group gel perfectly. I've never met a group of strangers who were so respectful, caring, fun and wild! A couple months down the track and i'm still in contact with many people from the tour!
The accommodation was what i would expect and food was catered with both western choices as well as traditional thai choices.
The optional tours are a MUST do as they were probably the best days on the tour. If i had to do it all again the only think i would change is to pick a longer tour!
Review written Aug 2014event 0.3
21 May 2014 - 29 May 2014
Made tons of friends and had a ball!
Review written Jul 2014event 0.3
21 Jun 2014 - 29 Jun 2014
I didnt know what to expect for my first contiki tour , but all i can say it was the the time of my life ! I met the most amazing people and I know I have made some life long friends . I fell in love with Koh Samui & Koh Panghan! I couldn't get over how beautiful it was. I felt so relaxed , loved the night life and I am having serious holiday blues. Highly recommend the Thai East Islands Contiki . AHHHHMMMMMMMAAZZZZZIIINNNNNGGG !!!!
Review written Jul 2014event 0.3
Fun in the sun
21 Jun 2014 - 29 Jun 2014
Very relaxed and very party focused. If you like swimming during the day and going out at night then this is the trip for you. Much less structured than any other Contiki I have done. Plenty of free time to relax/party. The optionals were excellent, definitely do both, great time. We have a terrific tour manager who made sure everyone had a good time and organising group activities outside what is in the itinerary, plus we had a really cool group of people. There is no cultural or historical value to the trip but if you want fun in the sun with like minded people then go for it. I went solo and had no issues. Contiki organise everythijng so it makes it easy. Also went to a Black Moon party in the jungle, heaps of fun and also the Wipeout obstacle course in Koh Phangan is a laugh.
Review written Jul 2014event 0.3


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Taxation, Labour Supply and Saving
In recent years, the US, UK and Australia have lowered tax rates on high incomes and expanded tax credits and family transfer payments that are withdrawn on the joint income of a couple. These reforms result in significant changes in the structure of marginal and average income tax rates. In this paper we present a case study that examines the impact of reforms of this kind on the structure of tax rates on incomes in Australia. We find that the reforms have led to high effective marginal rates across a wide middle band of earnings and to a shift towards joint taxation. As is well known, joint taxation results in high tax rates on secondary earners, with in consequence undesirable effects on both work incentive and fairness of the income distribution. A lifecycle analysis of time use and saving decisions indicates strong negative effects on female labour supply and household saving.
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
|Date of creation:
|Dec 2008
|Contact details of provider:
| Postal: +61 2 6125 3807
Phone: +61 2 6125 3807
Fax: +61 2 6125 0744
Web page: http://rse.anu.edu.au/cepr.php
More information through EDIRC
References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Martin Browning & Annamaria Lusardi, 1996.
"Household Saving: Micro Theories and Micro Facts,"
Journal of Economic Literature,
American Economic Association, vol. 34(4), pages 1797-1855, December.
- Martin Browning & Annamaria Lusardi, 1995. "Household Saving: Micro Theories and Micro Facts," Department of Economics Working Papers 1995-02, McMaster University.
- Martin Browning & Annamaria Lusardi, 1996. "Household Saving: Micro Theories and Micro Facts," Discussion Papers 96-01, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics.
- Zvi Eckstein & Kenneth I. Wolpin, 1989. "Dynamic Labour Force Participation of Married Women and Endogenous Work Experience," Review of Economic Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 56(3), pages 375-390.
- Sumru Altuğ & Robert A. Miller, 1998. "The Effect of Work Experience on Female Wages and Labour Supply," Review of Economic Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 65(1), pages 45-85.
- Apps,Patricia & Rees,Ray, 2009. "Public Economics and the Household," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521716284, October.
- Apps,Patricia & Rees,Ray, 2009. "Public Economics and the Household," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521887878, October.
- Richard Blundell & Martin Browning & Costas Meghir, 1994. "Consumer Demand and the Life-Cycle Allocation of Household Expenditures," Review of Economic Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 61(1), pages 57-80.
- Richard Blundell & Martin Browning & Costas Meghir, 1993. "Consumer demand and the life-cycle allocation of household expenditures," IFS Working Papers W93/11, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
- Patricia Apps & Ray Rees, 2007. "The Taxation of Couples," Discussion Papers 07/21, Department of Economics, University of York.
- Apps, Patricia & Rees, Ray, 2007. "The Taxation of Couples," IZA Discussion Papers 2910, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
- Patricia Apps & Ray Rees, 2007. "The Taxation of Couples," CEPR Discussion Papers 559, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
- Boskin, Michael J. & Sheshinski, Eytan, 1983. "Optimal tax treatment of the family: Married couples," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 281-297, April.
- Michael J. Boskin & Eytan Sheshinski, 1979. "Optimal Tax Treatment of the Family: Married Couples," NBER Working Papers 0368, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Nada Eissa & Jeffrey B. Liebman, 1996. "Labor Supply Response to the Earned Income Tax Credit," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 111(2), pages 605-637.
- Nada Eissa & Jeffrey B. Liebman, 1995. "Labor Supply Response to the Earned Income Tax Credit," NBER Working Papers 5158, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Shaw, Kathryn L, 1989. "Life-Cycle Labor Supply with Human Capital Accumulation," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 30(2), pages 431-456, May.
- Eissa, Nada & Hoynes, Hilary Williamson, 2004. "Taxes and the labor market participation of married couples: the earned income tax credit," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(9-10), pages 1931-1958, August.
- Kathryn Shaw, 1994. "The Persistence of Female Labor Supply: Empirical Evidence and Implications," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 29(2), pages 348-378.
- Patricia F. Apps & Ray Rees, 1999. "Individual versus Joint Taxation in Models with Household Production," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 107(2), pages 393-403, April. Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)
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text:
Apple rolls out two-step ID recovery option to additional countries
Date: Monday, May 13th, 2013, 03:58
Category: News, security
This might help keep your Apple ID credentials a bit safer.
Per The Unofficial Apple Weblog, Apple recently introduced two-step verification for your Apple ID in certain countries, and the process is now being expanded to the rest of the world. The feature, which requires two different codes for verifying your Apple ID was initially only available in the US, UK, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. But Apple has now included Canada in on the feature, as well as users in Argentina, Pakistan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Russia, Austria, Brazil, Belgium and Portugal. In other words, two-step authentication is now rolling out to a more or less worldwide release.
The authentication process is still optional — if users don't think you need it, they can still stick with just their Apple ID passwords as a login. The process does help security, though it's still not a perfect solution. Apple only implemented this procedure earlier this year due to some security concerns on behalf of users. But it will help against some attacks, and it should work as another step to keep unwanted invaders out of your Apple ID account.
As always, please let us know what you make of this over in the comments section.


text: what versions of office work with windows xp home I have jaws 5.0844 Ron -- To post a message to the list, send it to jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send a message to jfw-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the subject line. Archives located at: http://www.freelists.org/archives/jfw If you have any concerns about the list, post received from the list, or the way the list is being run, do not post them to the list. Rather contact the list owner at jfw-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx


text:
UNHCR is not responsible for the content and availability of non-UNHCR websites. Content displays in a new window.
Canada/Sudan: Role and responsibilities of Sudanese New Forces Movement (possibly also New Democratic Forces Movement/HAQ) - Canada; connection to political groups in Sudan, U.K. or the U.S.; names of international representatives; reported activities in Sudan
13 July 2001 | Publisher: Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada | Document type: Query Responses


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Its not an uncommon request (in fact I got one in email today) to want to receive:
1. Non-XML data in a receive-port
2. XML messages of differing XML schemas within a single receive port
So how do you do that with BizTalk Server?
1. Set the messagetype property on your receive port to System.xml.xmldocument (yes I know in case 1 you are receiving non-XML data, but do it anyways)
2. Set-up a filter on the receive shape in orchestration which will pickup the message. Make sure you set your filter appropriately so you don't pick-up all documents.
To access the data as a stream (if you want) then you can use this in an expression shape:
XLANGPart.RetrieveAs( typeof(Stream) )
Credits to Yossi


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Results 1 to 1 of 1
Thread: Oracle forms
01-31-13, 01:26 #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Jan 2013
- Posts
- 10
Unanswered: Oracle forms
Hi ,I am working with oracle forms 6i. I have around 10 different LOVs in my form.For a particular LOV,I want that when I click on the LOV ,another form opens up and the selected node of the opened form is the ultimate value of the LOV.
Please help.


text:
Play free online games!
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DescriptionUse various objects to create your own spaceship, then start your expedition! Defeat evil creatures and collect as many objects as possible before you're forced to return back home. Can you eventually explore every little part of the universe?
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text:
Vintage Store Price Tags Advertising Display Shop Shelf
Sold for:
Start Free Trial
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- Sold Date:
- Source: eBay
This auction is for a group of vintage store shelf price tags - these came from an old grocery store in Shelton, Nebraska.· Store shelf price tags (10 price tags - I have more if needed) · Metal frame with paper price tag · T are two prices on each tag, one on each side, paper price tag can be taken out of frame and turned around to show different price · Words on metal price tag frame: Style M; words on back of paper price tag: Printed in U.S.A. · size: 2" wide x 1 ½� tall · age: vintage · great condition I have more unique vintage items for sale so please visit my other listings. If you need additional photos, please let me know. Feedback is posted once positive feedback is left for me. Domestic S hipping and Insurance · All items are provided with an optional shipping insurance cost and it is the responsibility of the buyer to purchase it. · If the buyer does not pay for shipping insurance and the item arrives broken or is lost then t is no refund available because the buyer has opted to assume that risk. · Items that are breakable or high priced may receive automatic shipping insurance (at buyer's expense). The buyer can opt to not pay for automatic shipping insurance, but if the item arrives broken or is lost ... read more


text:
Amazon Here Came Up With A Good Deal Where They Are Selling Campus Sutra Mens cotton Zipper Hoodie Of Rs.1399 At Just Rs.699.This Is Flat 50% Off.Hurry Up & Grab This Deal .
How To Buy Campus Sutra Mens cotton Zipper Hoodie From Amazon ?
- Visit Deal Page Here
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Product Details :-
- 100% Cotton, Bio wash for smoothness, Enzyme treamment with colour lock
- Comfortable Contour fit, Soft on the skin, gets even better after wash
- Idea for winters, Light Winters and Light summers and Gymwear, Breatheable and smooth Fabric
- Reliable and Stylish Brand- Campus Sutra
- Gentle machine wash in cool water, tumble dry low, iron inside out, do not bleach, wash with similar colors, use detergent for colors


text:
Picture: Yulia Volkova of t.A.T.u The 2008 Cannes Film Festival - Day 2 -- You and I Photocall at the Carlton Pier Cannes, France - 16.05.08
The Cannes Film Market, which is held annually in conjunction with the Cannes Film Festival, plans to replace traditional DVD screeners with a broadband video-on-demand (VOD) tool this year through its cinando.com website, Executive Director Jérôme Paillard announced today (Thursday). Paillard said in a statement that the VOD tool, Vizumu Pro, amounts to "a cost effective way to provide instant delivery, control of viewers permissions, traceability of viewings, high level of security as well as eliminating shipment costs." The tool was developed by London-based Arts Alliance Media, whose CEO, Howard Kiedaisch, said in a statement that sellers at the Cannes Film Market will be able to "benefit from the ease of digital distribution, and make their content available instantly anywhere in the world."


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Distances are calculated in a straight line and may not reflect actual travel distance.
The property would suit a professional couple relocating from London, or be ideal as a bolt hole to escape the city and make use of the exclusive private facilities situated in the town of Chipping Norton. With its own leisure centre there is 24 hour access to a pool, gym, tennis & squash courts with a sweeping private driveway, landscaped gardens and private parking.
This stylish, highly individual Grade II Listed Cotswold stone property forms part of the stunning Bliss Mill development and is a rare find.
With a separate access from the main building, this unique property offers three bedrooms, a well appointed kitchen, superb dual aspect open plan sitting room with vaulted ceiling and views over surrounding countryside. Set in 6 ½ acres of landscaped gardens, managed by a full time Site Manager and Caretaker, this property is very much a 'lock-up & leave' option for busy professionals. With the exclusive Soho House, Heythrop Park and Daylesford Spa nearby it makes a wonderful place to enjoy high quality living within a stunning country setting.
The historic Cotswold market town of Chipping Norton provides excellent facilities that include comprehensive shopping, schooling for all age groups, a delightful Victorian theatre, leisure centre, sports and social clubs, restaurants and hotels. Daylesford Organic Farm shop is within a few miles, together with Oxford 21 miles; Stratford upon Avon 21 miles; Banbury 13 miles; Mainline Station at Kingham 4 miles; M40 motorway 14 miles.
The property has a private courtyard garden ideal for alfresco entertaining. Additionally, Bliss Mill is set within beautifully landscaped gardens and is approached via a private driveway.
The property also benefits from the excellent facilities of a private leisure complex with heated indoor pool and spa, fully equipped gym, squash court and two outdoor tennis courts.
There is a large gravelled forecourt with ample parking and also secure private indoor parking within the large garage.
Additional Information
990 year lease from 1992.
The seller informs us that the Maintenance charge is £6,000pa.
Gas fired heating to radiators.
Entrance Hall
Two Ground Floor Double Bedrooms
Ensuite Shower Room
Family Bathroom
Stunning Open Plan Sitting Room And Dining Area
Kitchen/Breakfast Room
Second Floor Bedroom And Study Area
Courtyard Garden
Private Leisure Complex
Contact branch for relevant Energy Performance Certificate


text:
Model Description: CyberPower RB1270X4 Replacement Batteries
Compatibility: OR1500LCDRM2U
Condition: Brand new fresh stock
Includes: Four new batteries, a full set for the CyberPower RB1270X4 Cartridge
Warranty: 1 year full replacement warranty included, additional warranty is available
Life time expectancy: 3-5 years
Manufacturer: UPS Battery Center Ltd.
The CyberPower RB1270X4 replacement batteries are high quality batteries designed to provide excellent performance and long life in UPS applications. New batteries will renew the performance of the UPS to it's original state. These batteries meet and exceed original manufacturer specifications.
Please install the batteries in to the CyberPower RB1270X4 battery cartridge using the original wiring harness, cables and connectors. Our batteries arrive fully charged, be careful not to short the batteries when installing.
The CyberPower RB1270X4 replacement batteries are covered by our industry leading 1 year replacement warranty. Extended warranty of up to 3 years is available for your convenience. Our warranty is inclusive of shipping costs and is hassle free, the only warranty of this kind in the marketplace.
The CyberPower RB1270X4 replacement batteries consist of (4) High Quality 12V 7.2Ah batteries.


text:
|Table 1: Hydrological model calibration: parameters.
|CN2: initial Soil Conservation Service runoff curve number, function of land use, soil's permeability, and previous soil water condition; ALPHA_BNK: baseflow alpha factor for bank storage (days); HRU_SLP: average slope steepness (m/m); precipitation: rainfall at monitoring point (mm); ESCO: soil evaporation compensation factor; GW_DELAY: groundwater delay time (days); RCHRG_DP: deep aquifer percolation fraction; GWQMN: threshold dept of water in shallow aquifers (mm H2O); EPCO: plant uptake compensation factor; SLSUBBSN: average slope length (m); CH_K(2): effective hydraulic conductivity (mm/hrs); ALPHA_BF: baseflow alpha factor (days); REVAPMN: threshold dept of shallow aquifers evaporation/deep aquifer percolation (mm H2O); CH_N(2): Manning's roughness coefficient for channel flow; GW_REVAP: groundwater evaporation coefficient; CANMX: maximum canopy storage (mm H2O); SURLAG: surface runoff lag coefficient. ***99%, **95%, and *90% confidence intervals. aprobability of the t-statistic of the coefficients obtained by regressing the Latin hypercube parameters, generated during the calibration procedure and against the objective function values [23]; bminimum and maximum value of the HRU sample of parameters; cminimum and maximum value of measured and resampled precipitation at monitoring points; dthe fitted value is summed to one and multiplied by the default value (percentage change).


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Much as Republicans like to talk about the Relief billions that finance the "New Deal Party," the actual Democratic Party may well have to nickel along this year. Last week, as Campaign Chieftain Ed Flynn busied himself lining up Midwest Democratic leaders and drafting Speaker William Brockman Bankhead to run the Southern sector of the campaign (headquarters in Birmingham), Democrats learned that their party's war chest is down to a minuscule $70,000. Candidate Henry Wallace planned to save money by touring rural districts in an Oldsmobile borrowed from his secretary, Jim Le Cron. Meantime Candidate Franklin Roosevelt took the opportunity...
DEMOCRATS: Economy Week
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text:
My President Could Kick Your President's . . . Door!
We all know that President Obama promised hope, change and recovery right? Well who knew that it would require the level of "G" that he displays in the video after the jump. Go on, check it out! Make sure you watch till the end, and be prepared for awesome.
I don't know what the press conference was about, and honestly I don't care. I do care to know if anyone was on the other side of that door!


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Beijing,China/ Toxic Junk Export News - Despite massive infusions of cash into the sagging US economy, the biggest STIMULUS appears to be the unprecedented outpouring of cash to snap up anything dealing with the Coronation of Barry O'Bama, the Irish-Kenyan -American President Elect.
Leading the list of Barry O impregnated artifacts is the Barry O'Bama two faced coin, recently endorsed by the NFL to be used in the opening kickoff coin toss at the upcoming Super Bowl. In keeping with O'Bama's campaign promises, neither team will be a loser, but instead there will be a Rugby Like Scrum on the 50 yard line to determine who gets the ball first.
Unfortunately the "almost gold" coin, originally scheduled to be die cast and smelted at US Steel in Gary,Indiana, close to Chicago's South Side, home of many of Barry's constituents, was outsourced to China's "Happy Days" steel company. The deal was made after a trade delegation met with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojvich and offered him a lucrative lobbying job and sole distributive ship for the hot selling look alike coins. Blago also said he had received a fortune cookie with his take out lunch stating "Happy Days Will Soon Be Here Again!", a sign he couldn't ignore.
Blago also said the delegation's presentation gave him "a different slant" on things, and that while he was sorry that many of his constituents in Chicago that counted on employment with US steel would be laid off as a result of his decision, he granted the contract to China saying, " Under the circumstances, I really have to look out for myself first."
The US direct sales TV marketing campaign for O'Bama commemoratives has virtually blocked out all other network programs in the states, including recent NFL playoff games. Network executives are unapologetic saying " Hey Dude, you've got to go with what's going to pay the bills...we're all suffering here in this economic crisis!"
That theme was echoed by The New York Times today, as it announced plans to accept O'Bama gimmick advertising on it's front pages for the foreseeable future. The Times, with ad revenue sinking 20-30% in recent months, more writers being "outed" for fictious stories, and readership shifting to The Spoof to get "the real scoop", is on the verge of bankruptcy and is trying desperately to shed overhead including partial ownership of the Boston Red Sox.
Shares of FEDX and DHL have soared on the drooping NY Stock Exchange, and the international delivery companies say they can barely keep up with the shipments for the O'Bama items including full sets of autographed dinner plates, bobble-head dolls, NBA O'Bama jerseys, SPAM cans with O'Bama's favorite recipes, NASCAR model Hybrid race cars with the number "0",
sweet potato peelers, and O'Bama look a like stick on ears, to name just a few hot selling items.
Meanwhile on MTV, video clips of the "O'Bama Shuffle" backed with rap lyrics by "50 cent" are sweeping the nation and Best Buy stores indicate that shoplifting of "Ipods"" have easily outdistanced legitimate sales.
Highlight of the inauguration will be a surprise blending of harmonic vocals featuring O'Bama, Biden, Pelosi, Reid and House Soprano Frank, in a rousing rendition of "HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!'
This once in a life time melodic event is available on a CD double set including private conversations with Blago, Rahm Emanuel, Caroline Kennedy, Eliot Spitzer, John Edwards, Charlie Wrangle with backup by the Al Sharpton Tax Free Choir. Available now, for only $19.95!


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Slaten returns following suspension
Slaten returns following suspension
ATLANTA -- Lefty Doug Slaten was back in the bullpen Monday night against the Braves after serving his three-game suspension as part of an altercation with the Marlins on Sept. 1.
Slaten dropped his appeal Friday and missed the weekend series with Florida in Washington.
"It had been a long time since I'd watched a game from the stands like a fan," Slaten said. "It's good to get the suspension over with so I can get back to work."
The left-hander had pitched just once while awaiting a potential hearing, working an inning at Pittsburgh on Sept. 4. He was ejected and later suspended for hitting a batter in Florida.
Coming into the Atlanta series, Slaten is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA over 16 appearances since July 24. He is 4-1 with a 3.22 ERA in 42 appearances for the season.


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You've come to the right place, with the right selection (at the right prices).
Volkswagen Certified Pre-owned Vehicles!
Have a question about your Hamilton VW or your next big purchase? We're standing by.
Perfection is in the details. That's why every pre-owned vehicle we sell must pass our rigorous 112-point inspection to qualify as a Certified Pre-owned Volkswagen. Nothing escapes us at Hamilton Volkswagen – we're determined to give you the Volkswagen-certified vehicle you deserve.
First, we look at critical factors like age, mileage and maintenance history, before conducting a road test to evaluate the vehicle's performance. We then conduct further tests for components like the cooling system and battery.
Next, we thoroughly examine the interior, exterior and underbody to detect any imperfections. The final step involves touching up the paint and body, and updating the maintenance record among other measures aimed to make the vehicle like new.
Why 112 points? We want to make sure our Volkswagen Certified Pre-owned vehicles perform like our new ones.


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National Institute for Material Science, Japan Science and Technology Agency and University of Tsukuba announced on February 4, 2011 that they succeeded in detecting nondestructively dynamic behaviors of doped impurities in Si nanowires (Si NWs) coated by SiO2 to make surrounding gate field-effect transistors. Details were presented in NANO Letters of American Chemical Society.
Understanding the dynamic behaviors of dopant atoms in Si NWs is the key to realize low-power and high-speed transistors using Si NWs. The segregation behavior of boron (B) and phosphorus (P) atoms in B- and P-doped Si NWs (20 nm in diameter) during thermal oxidation was closely analyzed.
Local vibrational peaks and Fano broadening in optical phonon peaks of B-doped Si NWs were used to detect the behavior of B. Electron spin resonance (ESR) signals from conduction electrons were suitable means for P-doped Si NWs.
The radial distribution of P atoms in Si NWs was also investigated to prove the difference in segregation behaviors between of P and B atoms.
B atoms were found to segregate preferentially in the surface oxide layer, whereas P atoms tend to accumulate around the interface inside the Si nanowire.
In addition, segregation of B atoms was found to be suppressed by the stress applied to Si NWs.
Explore further: Formation of ultrahigh density Ge nanodots on oxidized Ge/Si(111)
More information:
Naoki Fukuda, Shinya Ishida, Shigeki Yokono, Ryo Takiguchi, Jun Chen, Takashi Sekiguchi, and Kouichi Murakami, "Segragation Behaviors and Radial Distribution of Dopant Atoms in Silicon Nanowires", NANO Letters (2011) doi: 10.1021/nl103773e Published online 24 January 2011.


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Criteria for WHO participation in meetings
1. Essential Information
- Title of meeting/event
- Subject matter/Agenda
- Place/Date
- Gender/geographical perspective
2. Criteria for participation/attendance
- Political agenda: what has WHO to gain from participating
- Value of meeting for WHO strategic approach either for mitigation of impact of crises on health issues or the response in upcoming or ongoing crises.
- Value of organizers/other participation
- EHA (co)organizer
- Representation and steering the agenda
- Official participation in Networks because WHO is a member
- Alliances/partnerships
- Intelligence (or to understand from the others what is going on)
- Technical Expertise: what has WHO to add/learn by participating
- Personal expertise/skills/work plan to be transferred to other colleagues
- Facilitating work of others
- Channelling of WHO expertise
- Exploring new areas that might be relevant to our work
- Advocacy
- Advocacy for health issues
- Coordination
- IASC processes/partnerships
- Contribution to the meeting
- Priority area of work
- Resource mobilization
- Added value in view of networking/lobbying
- Is WHO requested to make a presentation, or a statement, etc.?
- Elements of cost, beside staff time ( not only the time cost, but alternative uses of time foregone)
- Possibility of representation by others, e.g. WHO Departments/regional/country offices, discussed/approved
- Availability of funds/human resources to cover participation
3. Proposal


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U.S. official calls for closer cooperation on nanotechnology
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WASHINGTON The deputy director of the National Science Foundation called for closer cooperation between the scientific and engineering research communities on nanotechnology development in a keynote speech at this year's International Electron Devices Meeting.
Joseph Bordogna said coopaeration would create what he dubbed "nano transformations" in all scientific and social fields.
"'Nano' denotes the very small in scale, but there is nothing diminutive about the expectations generated by [nanotechnology] the application of fundamental research at the nanoscale," Bordogna told about 1,300 IEDM attendees. "Some call it the next industrial revolution, anticipating an economic bonanza that dollar for dollar, and job for job, will outstrip the introduction of electricity, the automobile or the new information and communications technologies."
At the nano scale, Bordogna said, ordinary matter often displays surprising properties that can be exploited to boost computer speed and memory capacity, and make materials that are stronger, lighter and smarter by orders of magnitude. Nanotechnology also operates at the dimension where the living and nonliving worlds meet. "The expectations raised by nano have inspired governments worldwide to increase support for nano research and education, and sparked international competition to bring nano from the bench to the boardroom," he added.
Bordogna raised several issues that the research communities need to tackle. Among them was how to design research, education and development so that new knowledge emerges rapidly and is transformed effectively into technological innovations that deliver social and economic benefits. "As we have learned from other emerging fields of science and engineering, international collaboration in frontier research can increase the momentum needed to speed us on the way toward rationally framing and solving common problems," said Bordogna. "In the case of nano, international collaboration in frontier nanoscience and engineering research and education is essential."
"It is important for us to recognize that national programs are compatible with international cooperation in nanoscience and engineering. Collaboration and competition are not mutually exclusive, and rapid progress in discovery may well depend upon achieving a healthy balance between them," he said. "Building partnerships early in the research and education process speeds discovery and innovation, and has the added bonus of providing learning environments for researchers, producers and students."
Bordogna also warned that researchers need to "anticipate and guard against unintended consequences that could harm individuals or the environmental systems that sustain life."


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This new PocketBible title from Tyndale House is an updated volume of the original classic by Philip Comfort. As the title suggests, The Origin of the Bible is a comprehensive guide to the origin and development of the Bible text, manuscripts, and canon. This updated edition (2102) provides a chapter on recent developments in Bible translation.
The book is divided into five sections. The first section, "The Authority and Inspiration of the Bible," focuses on the Bible's divine inspiration, lasting authority, and infallibility. The second section, "The Canon of the Bible," reveals the processes that went into selecting the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament to be part of canonized Scripture. This section also has an essay on the Old Testament and New Testament apocrypha. The third section, "The Bible as Literary Text," explains the literary background of the Bible and shows how the Bible is a literary masterpiece. The fourth section, "Bible Texts and Manuscripts," describes the ancient biblical manuscripts that have been discovered and used in forming editions of the Hebrew and Greek texts. The fifth section, "Bible Translation," provides information about the biblical languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek) and Bible translation itself. In addition, this section gives a brief history of the English Bible and of other versions in many languages. The articles in each section were written by Bible scholars addressing their area of expertise (i.e. Leland Ryken on the Bible as Literature).
The Origin of the Bible requires PocketBible for iPhone/iPad/iPod touch, PocketBible for Mac OS X, PocketBible for Windows Phone, PocketBible for Android, PocketBible for Windows Store, PocketBible for Windows PC or MyBible for Palm OS. The list price is $9.99.
Tags: church history, New Books, PocketBible, Tyndale


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.comments2017-11-10T05:31:39.824-05:00Todd SeaveyTodd Seaveyhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-77314466951899365022017-03-28T17:33:53.899-04:002017-03-28T17:33:53.899-04:00Whelan wasn't skeptical of regulation; she embrace...Whelan wasn't skeptical of regulation; she embraced regulation when it suited her objective. She long supported stringent FDA regulation of nutritional supplements and tobacco products. Nicolas Martinhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-89744585947166598032016-07-04T01:53:23.404-04:002016-07-04T01:53:23.404-04:00"Jiujitsu it." - good line."Jiujitsu it." - good line. Thane Eichenauerhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-44183286540247695472016-04-29T01:20:28.743-04:002016-04-29T01:20:28.743-04:00This is, I agree, an annoying rhetorical tic! This is, I agree, an annoying rhetorical tic! Adam4Adamhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-22103228958951839462016-03-31T17:42:27.185-04:002016-03-31T17:42:27.185-04:00Anything biological is hard and slow, so I'd p...Anything biological is hard and slow, so I'd put all of those doomsdays at the bottom of the list. And clearly your Orwell/Huxley choice is closest. DeepMind and related efforts are a radical step forward, so I have to give the AI doomsdays a nod as email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-47219538849208931212016-01-22T14:16:36.172-05:002016-01-22T14:16:36.172-05:00Yup on Battlestar Galactica.Yup on Battlestar Galactica.Thane Eichenauerhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-62412953961329002002015-11-16T14:45:04.973-05:002015-11-16T14:45:04.973-05:00"fostering monologue" is great."fostering monologue" is email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-39880581130451526912015-11-02T15:23:08.202-05:002015-11-02T15:23:08.202-05:00this is the best part "But the neoconservativ...this is the best part "But the neoconservatives were on their way, at first merely decrying the left, then venerating big government, then celebrating war, and now in their sick, advanced senility, even celebrating the destruction of Alderaan."
email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-89111611813657317372015-11-02T15:17:10.435-05:002015-11-02T15:17:10.435-05:00another dimension, another dimension, another dime...another dimension, another dimension, another dimension, another email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-57412142066467269502015-10-30T15:21:25.469-04:002015-10-30T15:21:25.469-04:00Good stuff. Will check out Le Ton beau de Marot.Good stuff. Will check out Le Ton beau de email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-80178963988303558642015-10-06T18:27:52.598-04:002015-10-06T18:27:52.598-04:00I look forward to the recording of this debate. Ca...I look forward to the recording of this debate. Can get enough Huemer ;-)Julien Couvreurhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-45678107974796211472015-08-21T18:25:02.372-04:002015-08-21T18:25:02.372-04:00I enjoyed the article.I enjoyed the article.Thane Eichenauerhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-38873194571750446472015-07-07T16:30:32.523-04:002015-07-07T16:30:32.523-04:00Fun reads on Splice. I totally agree with you that...Fun reads on Splice. I totally agree with you that "In a world of increasingly short attention spans and increasingly intemperate online political bickering, it's safest to err on the polite side..." and I assume that we'll look back on 2015's angry tweeting and incessant bean counting with embarrassment and regret.

(Any allusions to Angry Salad are purely accidental)
email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-29760260221587241782015-05-25T14:19:43.643-04:002015-05-25T14:19:43.643-04:00Garbage does have some very odd music-videos. That...Garbage does have some very odd music-videos. That said, it's probably one of my favorite popular rock bands from that decade, which is quite strange when you look at some of the musical genres-all terrible-it's identified with by Wikipedia.

Most of the rock bands I prefer from that decade are actually fronted by women, with a few notable exceptions, e.g. Counting Crows, Cake, and the Refreshments.Gerardhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-40169093485001573722015-05-14T02:32:05.313-04:002015-05-14T02:32:05.313-04:00So Nicaraguan Former Sandinista leader guerrilla D...So Nicaraguan Former Sandinista leader guerrilla Daniel Ortega has just secured another term as President (despite the constitution barring it). Ortega, of course, was one of the nine Sandinista comandantes during the 1979-90 revolutionary firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-79938801326308404802015-04-22T19:16:44.660-04:002015-04-22T19:16:44.660-04:00These days there's such a stigma attached to K...These days there's such a stigma attached to Koch money that I actually wonder if the Kochs should consider donating money to Hillary. Imagine if she had to explain that to her base.Russell Hannekenhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-25448518460077646502015-04-03T02:32:13.644-04:002015-04-03T02:32:13.644-04:00THIS! EVEN THIS I START TO READ AT NIGHT! What is...THIS! EVEN THIS I START TO READ AT NIGHT!

What is wrong with me, and how much of it is your fault?Lucy Staghttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-55348686301524036462015-02-19T16:23:17.173-05:002015-02-19T16:23:17.173-05:00Thanks for commenting. I hope you are doing well.Thanks for commenting. I hope you are doing well.Todd Seaveyhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-67877776689613520412015-02-19T16:14:08.583-05:002015-02-19T16:14:08.583-05:00I just came across this post while researching per...I just came across this post while researching personal mentions of Mom. Thank you for a funny and perfect tribute. Mom would be so proud, and I can see her nodding along with you on all points. Thanks for your kindness, Todd!Christine Whelanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-63179183828583207852015-02-11T11:50:28.014-05:002015-02-11T11:50:28.014-05:00DC Comics is taking a step away from centrally pla...DC Comics is taking a step away from centrally planning their stories, but I would go further. They should drop all of their titles (Batman, Wonder Woman, Detective Comics, etc.). Just hold onto a store of copyrighted characters, and license them out to writers and artists. Let creators establish their own continuities or just write one-off stories. DC Comics can publish what they like, filtering for quality, and the market will decide which continuities survive. When a continuity is fully mined, sales will drop and DC can stop publishing it.

DC should do the same thing for movies, too. Instead of having one Batman film every few years with a huge budget, they should be handing out smaller checks to more directors with different ideas. So in one year you could have a 40s Batman movie, a Frank Miller Batman movie, an Adam West-style Batman movie, etc. Let a thousand Batmen bloom.Eric firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-41306642420518951782014-10-24T12:10:11.821-04:002014-10-24T12:10:11.821-04:00"Funky," eh?"Funky," eh?J'Lien Sorbohttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-87448626887166275302014-10-22T14:59:36.915-04:002014-10-22T14:59:36.915-04:00A copy of Alongside Night is on its way to Todd Se...A copy of Alongside Night is on its way to Todd Seavey so he and his co-conspirators can review the movie in an upcoming podcast.J. Neil Schulmanhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-77790461299779173152014-10-07T19:08:49.082-04:002014-10-07T19:08:49.082-04:00Do you have links to the negative comments at the ...Do you have links to the negative comments at the Guardian and Jacobin? I don't doubt you (and I read neither with any regularity), but the coverage I've seen at both has seemed very pro-protests. The US and European left have, overall, been very positive about this development in everything I've read, though some have doubted that the movement will find much email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-43973612983533814822014-09-15T14:35:57.767-04:002014-09-15T14:35:57.767-04:00Your devotional is brilliant and eloquent and make...Your devotional is brilliant and eloquent and makes me sad, as always, Todd [except for the sad part]. Atheist though you be, you'd have appreciated her funeral Mass today [except for the god-religious-jesus parts]; very poignant and dare I say funny from Steve and Christine. And her delicious delightful grand-babies showed up at the Lotos Club reception. She'd have had a ball. xo GilGil Rosshttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-90923089172118685922014-09-12T01:25:03.349-04:002014-09-12T01:25:03.349-04:00Your take on UFOs and skeptics reminds me of Eric ...Your take on UFOs and skeptics reminds me of Eric the Red's take in this conversation with Paul Carr. In my own words, he's saying that skeptics judge the extraterrestrial hypothesis by a suspiciously higher standard of evidence, mainly to avoid the embarrassment of being associated with the slovenly intellectual habits of ET believers.Eric email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-610803938756668468.post-89984068063935879682014-09-10T13:37:03.450-04:002014-09-10T13:37:03.450-04:00Ah yes, Thriller. I remember the promos : "T...Ah yes, Thriller. I remember the promos :

"The lady's name is Angelique Thriller. And she has Seven Seconds with which to save the world"
Shawn Levasseurhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com


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Development of INSACO System on the Context-Awareness Sensor Network
On the USN environment in industry safety, many problems came up during the operation such as data management in various sensor nodes, efficient process of context data, and absence of context cognition technology. In this paper, the authors suggest INSACO (INdustrial SAfety COntrol) system to support a integrated sensor data management system based on sensor stream data process. Also, the author suggests context cognition system providing context awareness using sensor data and the simplified circumstance information model. When it comes to realization and performance evaluation of this study, intelligent control system providing user interface that integrates data and video has established. Fully justified italicized text as it is here.


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John Sisson could empathize more than most people when he heard Monday afternoon that the Arena Football League, the highest level of indoor football, canceled its 2009 season.
Three months ago, the Augusta Colts owner and general manager made the same decision for his American Indoor Football Association team.
"I understand. It's just tough right now to make it," he said. "There's a lot of naysayers out there who say, 'The Lynx's problem was bad management, and the Colts' problem was bad management.' But we're all hurting."
The Arena Football League ended weeks of speculation when its owners voted against playing the 2009 season Sunday night.
In a statement released by the league, acting AFL commissioner Ed Policy said the "current unprecedented economic climate" was the basis for the decision, which still needs approval from the AFL Players Association to become official.
The move echoed similar comments from Colts and Lynx ownership over the past year. Neither team will play in 2009 because of financial problems.
"It's just a tough business time now," former Lynx co-owner Dan Troutman said at a Dec. 2 news conference to announce the minor league hockey team was folding. "People that have money are hanging on to it just as tight as they can not knowing where it's going."
The arenafootball2 league, which included the defunct Augusta Stallions from 2000-02, confirmed it will continue operations and play in 2009 as will the AIFA.
The AFL didn't directly address the possibility of the league returning in 2010.
"It is with (the fans) in mind that the AFL, its owners and its players remain committed to resuming play as soon as it is feasible," Policy said.
The Colts previously announced the team will return in 2010, and Sisson confirmed those intentions again last week.
"I'm still cautiously optimistic about it," he said. "We're looking at anywhere between $250,000 to $300,000 to put a team back on the field."
Reach Billy Byler at (706) 823-3216 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun
Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Raw video of rally
Related Stories
- Hundreds rally to protest governor's proposed budget cuts (2-9-2010)
- Governor sounds like the GOP candidate he is, observers say (2-9-2010)
- The bleeding of education: Gibbons faults 'whining' about school funding (2-9-2010)
- Cuts would dramatically shrink Nevada safety net (2-9-2010)
- Gibbons: No battle expected over taxes during special session (2-8-2010)
- Governor plans emergency address on Nevada budget (2-7-10)
- Governor's speech will lay out state's budget problems (2-7-10)
- State budget comes up $800 million short (1-22-10)
Sitting on a bench inside UNLV's Student Union, Jennifer Cruz watched as several hundred other Rebels — many carrying banners and signs — hurried to a rally in protest of proposed budget cuts to higher education.
Cruz stayed inside.
Seeking a spot in the university's highly competitive nursing program, Cruz said she couldn't afford to skip a review session for an upcoming anatomy test.
Although she wasn't waving a banner, the 31-year-old Cruz is well aware of the crisis facing the state's public education system, at all grade levels.
With four children in grade school, Cruz said her sympathies extend beyond UNLV. In addition to the $110 million cuts proposed for higher ed, the Clark County School District faces upward of $87 million in budget cuts. Local schools have already lost a quarter-billion dollars in state funding since 2007.
"I'm worried about my children's education and my education," Cruz said. "How far is this going to go?"
Even though she's a full-time student, she finds time to volunteer weekly at her children's schools, helping out teachers and doing small office chores.
"If we could get more parents involved in their kids' educations, so much work wouldn't fall on the schools," Cruz said. "Right now we put so much pressure on teachers."
How, she wondered, can their pay be cut on top of that?
Outside at Tuesday's rally, participants cheered, chanted and sang UNLV's fight song as a student band played. Many students said they had walked out of class with the permission of their professors, some of whom were in the crowd.
Also participating: UNLV President Neal Smatresk, who stood with Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Dan Klaich and James Dean Leavitt, chairman of the Board of Regents.
Students gathered around Smatresk and posed for pictures snapped with cell phones.
"It means a lot, you being here," one young woman told Smatresk. "You're like the head of the whole place."
Smatresk shook her hand, telling her, "Your being here means even more."
Still, some UNLV faculty discouraged the walkout.
One business major says his professor sent out an e-mail, warning that she wouldn't excuse absences from Tuesday's class. He didn't want to risk making her angry, so he planned to skip the post-rally caravan to the Sawyer State Office Building to protest at the Legislature's Interim Finance Committee.
A few nontenured faculty told the Sun they supported the walkout, but decided to teach classes as usual to not rile superiors who hold sway over their professional fate.
Art student Anthony McIntosh said his professor told him it would be OK if he skipped class Tuesday, but he probably would have done it, anyway. He's worried that UNLV will become the first university in the nation to declare what's known a financial exigency, which means there isn't enough money in the system to meet expenditures, and that might raise concerns about accreditation.
"What's my degree going to be worth?" said McIntosh, who will graduate in December. "What happens when I apply to (graduate) school and they won't accept my diploma from UNLV?"
UNLV has seen its faculty trimmed by 100, and the support staff by more than double that number. University officials say forced furlough days will severely hurt the quality of education, and put an even heavier burden on overworked faculty and staff.
At the same time, there are worries that some students at state colleges and universities will be priced out of the higher ed market, at least locally, if tuition or fees are sharply increased.
That's a fear shared by Cruz.
"If I can't afford to go to school here, I don't have the money to just pick up and move out of state," Cruz said. "Where do I go from here? I'm trying to better myself, and better my kids' lives."


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St.Johns Central sophomore pitcher Hannah Absalom tossed a no-hitter and struck out 10 Bishop Donahue hitters in an 8-0 win in the OVAC Class A championship game at the I-470 Chambers Complex.
Absalom also had two hits and drove in two runs as the Irish repeat as Class A champions.
The Class 4A Final between defending champion Buckeye Local and Harrison Central was a fantastic finish. The Huskies scored the tying run in the bottom of the 6th inning on a wild pitch, but Karlee Leonard singled in Alijah Marielli with the go-ahead run in the to of the seventh to win a second consecutive 4A championship for the Lady Panthers.
Steubenville Catholic Central denied Wheeling Central a third straight Class 2A championship with a come-from-behind 8-7 win over the Lady Maroon Knights, who once had a 6-2 lead in the middle innings. A two-run throwing error by pitcher Sarah Henry allowed the tying runs to score in the bottom of the seventh, before Maddie Gulan ended the game with a walk-off hit, scoring Sammi Giannimore.
The 3A championship went to undefeated Fort Frye (18-0) after to a 1-0 victory over Bellaire. Senior pitcher Victoria Mimkem struck out 16 Reds, and drove in the winning run with an RBI single in the fourth inning. It's Fort Frye's second OVAC softball championship (2010).
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text: My wife and I had been by this place on a number of occasions when traveling through Luzon. We were reluctant to ever stop as it just appeared to be exceedingly expensive. However, one evening we stopped by for supper and were pleasantly surprised. First of all, the interior is rife with class and decor. It is also exceptionally clean.... More


text:
HLM powder coating Co.,Ltd
muffler coating, Silencer coating, exhaust pipe coating, high temperature coating, powder coating, Manufacturer and Supplier - China
Hlm Powder Coating Co., Ltd. is a professional manufacturer in producing and delveloping high temp powder coating. Our powder coating can cure 1200F for a long time, and the coating will not be damaged. Which can be used in BBQ, fan heater, exhaust pipe, and so on. Good quality and the lowest price ... More information


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How do you like that? The deal's just barely two months old, and the Kuwaiti money firm Investment Dar is claiming they've already received offers worth $720 million for the luxury carmaker Aston Martin. Despite the high-dollar bid, a ID spokesman told reporters the company will probably hold onto its stake for at least a year before selling a portion of it,
"We have a plan and strategy that we would love to see implemented before thinking seriously about selling..."
They're going to wait a whole year working on their plan for the automaker before the sell the sucker? Wow, I'm totally buying that whole argument on Wall Street now about how private equity isn't as fickle as the equity markets. Chrysler, you are hereby warned.
Kuwait buyer of Aston Martin gets $720 mln offers [Reuters.co.uk]
Aston Martin Sold To Kuwaiti Investment Company For $925 Million; Breaking! Germans Claim Louis Vuitton Will Buy Aston Martin, Will Prada Buy Jaguar? [internal]


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A motorcyclist was apparently speeding on the wrong side of a curving mountain section of California 78 near Julian today when he collided head-on with a pickup truck and died, the California Highway Patrol said.
The motorcyclist was identified by the CHP only as a 28-year-old San Diego man riding a Honda CVR 600 sport motorcycle.
The collision occurred about 12:30 p.m. on Julian Road, also known as Route 78, east of Pine Hills Road.
A witness told officers the motorcyclist crossed double yellow lines and passed him at high speed shortly before the collision, CHP Officer Brian Pennings said.
As the motorcyclist entered a sweeping curve, still on the wrong side of the road, he collided head-on with a 1976 Chevrolet pickup driven by Dean Young, Jr., 47, of San Diego, Pennings said. He said Young had no time to swerve out of the way to avoid the crash.
The Julian Fire Department and Cal Fire sent crews, and CHP officers asked for a coroner's investigator about 15 minutes after the wreck.
Officers blocked traffic in both directions and detoured motorists onto Payson Drive. The road reopened about 2:20 p.m.