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Your Money Bible: 25 Financial Terms Everyone Should Know
Do you know your AGI from your ARM from your PMI? Or does the mere mention of those acronyms make you go, "Huh?"
If you don't speak personal finance, don't worry—we're here to help.
We know that managing your money can sometimes make you feel like you're learning a foreign language. So we compiled a handy glossary of must-know money terms that affect all aspects of your financial life.
Whether you're confused about amortization or not sure what escrow, exactly, is good for, this primer will help you get up to financial speed.
Handy Banking and Credit Terms
1. Compound interest When you're investing or saving, this is the interest that you earn on the amount you deposit, plus any interest you've accumulated over time. When you're borrowing, it's the interest that is charged on the original amount you are loaned, as well as the interest charges that are added to your outstanding balance over time.
Think of it as "interest on interest." It will make your savings or debt grow at a faster rate than simple interest, which is calculated on the principal amount alone.
2. FICO score A number used by banks and other financial institutions to measure a borrower's credit worthiness. FICO is an acronym for the Fair Isaac Corporation, a company that came up with the methodology for calculating a credit score based on several factors, including payment history, length of credit history and total amount owed.
FICO scores range from 300 to 850, and the higher the score, the better the terms you may receive on your next loan or credit card. People with scores below 620 may have a harder time securing credit at a favorable interest rate.
3. Net worth The difference between your assets and liabilities. You can calculate yours by adding up all of the money or investments you have, including the current market value of your home and car, as well as the balances in any checking, savings, retirement or other investment accounts. Then subtract all of your debt, including your mortgage balance, credit card balances and any other loans or obligations. The resulting net worth number helps you take the pulse on your overall financial health.
RELATED: Net Worth: Why You Need to Know It—and Grow It
Handy Investing Terms
4. Asset allocation The process by which you choose what proportion of your portfolio you'd like to dedicate to various asset classes, based on your goals, personal risk tolerance and time horizon. Stocks, bonds, and cash or cash equivalents (like certificates of deposit) make up the three major types of asset classes, and each of these reacts differently to market cycles and economic conditions.
Stocks, for instance, have the potential to provide strong growth over time, but may also be more volatile. Bonds tend to have slower growth, but are generally perceived to have less risk. A common investment strategy is to diversify your portfolio across multiple asset classes in order to spread out risk while taking advantage of growth.
5. Bonds Commonly referred to as fixed-income securities, bonds are essentially debt investments. When you buy a bond, you lend money to an entity, typically the government or a corporation, for a specified period of time at a fixed interest rate (also called a coupon). You then receive periodic interest payments over time, and get back the loaned amount at the bond's maturity date.
6. Capital gains The increase in the value of an asset or investment—like a stock or real estate—above its original purchase price. The gain, however, is only on paper until the asset is actually sold. A capital loss, by contrast, is a decrease in the asset's or investment's value.
You pay taxes on both short-term capital gains (a year or less) and long-term capital gains (more than a year) when you sell an investment. By contrast, a capital loss could help reduce your taxes.
RELATED: What Are Capital Gains? A Guide to When These Taxes Apply


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Charles Le Brun Restrospective
- Date :
- May 2016 – August 2016
- Place :
- Temporary exhibition gallery
18-25s: €5
Free for under 18's
10 tickets and more: €9
The painter Charles Le Brun (1619-1690) will be honoured at the Louvre-Lens. Just like Delacroix for Romanticism or Monet for Impressionism, Le Brun is the sole embodiment of the art of an era: the Grand Siècle.
The son of a simple monumental stonemason, Le Brun was the first appointed painter to Louis XIV, and held the position for almost thirty years. One of his most famous works is the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. A prime artist in the second half of the 17th century in France, Le Brun was also the Director of the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture and the Gobelins Royal Manufactory.
This exhibition at the Louvre-Lens does justice to his polymorphic talent, expressed both on a very grand scale – for example in tapestries and interior design scale models – and in more intimate sketches, which highlight the accuracy and emotion of his hand. The exhibition will bring his gifts, his lively imagination and his talent for organisation back to life. It was these qualities that justified the extent of the powers entrusted to him by Louis XIV and by Colbert. If Le Brun were not the "dictator of the arts" in an absolute monarchy, he was undoubtedly their director.
Curators: Bénédicte Gady and Nicolas Milovanovic, Louvre Museum.

subset: commoncrawl


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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) – Birmingham police arrested and charged a suspect with capital murder in connection with the shooting death of Arthur Mills, who was killed Sunday while trying to help a neighbor who was getting robbed.
Davarius McGee, 22, is charged with capital murder, first-degree robbery and attempted murder. The robbery and attempted murder charge carry bonds totaling $120,000. The capital murder charge carries no bond.
Birmingham police spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards says officers with the East Precinct located and got behind a Hyundai Sonata that was taken in a carjacking on June 11.
Police followed the car and apprehended McGee, who fled from the car on foot. Edwards says a couple items taken in the burglary were found. The items belong to Mills' neighbor.
Anyone with information pertaining to the case should contact the Birmingham Police Department Homicide Unit at (205) 254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at (205) 254-7777.
Copyright 2014 WIAT 42 News


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By Paul Kane and Shailagh Murray
Wednesday, May 26, 2010; A04
President Obama went to Capitol Hill on Tuesday for a rare meeting with Senate Republicans, but the 75-minute session yielded little progress on hot-button topics and left some senators with bruised feelings.
"He needs to take a Valium before he comes in and talks to Republicans," Sen. Pat Roberts (Kan.) told reporters. "He's pretty thin-skinned."
Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.) described the meeting as "testy," and Sen. John Thune (S.D.) called it a "lively discussion." Others questioned whether the "symbolism" of Obama's approach matched the actions of his Democratic congressional allies.
In his first meeting with the Senate Republican caucus in more than a year, Obama hoped to secure support on a broad range of issues, including immigration. As he left, the president said, "We had a good, frank discussion on a whole range of issues."
But his spokesman Robert Gibbs acknowledged that little agreement was reached. "Obviously, there were continued differences on some of these issues. But the president believes that direct dialogue is better than posturing, and he was pleased to have the opportunity to share views with the conference," Gibbs said.
Brownback said Obama explained several times that he is "under pressure from his left" on major issues, including climate change. Obama asked Republicans to be willing to take some of the same kind of criticism from their right flank in working toward bipartisan accords, other senators said.
Sen. Bob Corker (Tenn.), still smarting over his failed negotiations with Democrats over the financial regulation bill that the Senate approved last week, said he challenged Obama on his request for bipartisan cooperation.
"I've always found it's good to be frank. If you have an opportunity to talk to someone, you should talk about what's on your mind," Corker told reporters. He questioned "the audacity" of Obama's asking for GOP help Tuesday after bipartisan talks on financial reform broke down and his health-care overhaul passed solely on Democratic votes.
"My question is again: How can you reconcile that duplicity? You say that, but then the big issues have been constructed in such a way to absolutely be partisan," Corker said. "How can you come in on a Tuesday after [the financial bill vote]? . . . It was odd to me."


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JUST ANNOUNCED: The KMLE 2013 Country Concert Megaticket line-up is bigger and better than ever! The hottest stars in Country music like Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Jake Owen, Miranda Lambert and Rascal Flatts are coming back to the Valley for their 2013 tours at Desert Sky Pavilion, and the NEW KMLE @ 107.9 has your MEGAticket to the shows! Keep listening to KMLE @ 107.9 to find out how you can win!
Official KMLE Concert Line-up:
Miranda Lambert and Dierks Bentley with Randy Houser & Joanna Smith: Thursday, May 16, 2013
Luke Bryan with Thompson Square & Florida Georgia Line: Saturday, July 27, 2013
Rascal Flatts with The Band Perry: Thursday, September 12, 2013
Keith Urban with Little Big Town & Dustin Lynch: Sunday, September 29, 2013
Jason Aldean with Jake Owen & Thomas Rhett: Wednesday, October 17, 2013


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ISLAMABAD: A joint assessment by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank on Thursday estimated the losses suffered by the floods at $9.7 billion, almost five times less than what had been claimed by the government.
In a joint communiqué, the WB and the ADB said that the floods that swept across Pakistan since July caused an estimated $9.7 billion in damage to infrastructure, farms, homes, as well as other direct and indirect losses.
In carrying out the assessment, the ADB and the World Bank teams examined the extent of the damage in 15 key sectors across the country. Some officials said on conditions of anonymity that confusion persists on whether this $9.7 billion figure includes the reconstruction cost. But the communique states, "included in the estimate was the direct damage, indirect losses and reconstruction costs". The government differs from this, and has said without stating a definite amount that reconstruction will cost more.
A spokesperson of the Economic Affairs Division said the government will review the report in the next 15 days and in case it agrees with the findings, the final report may be released on October 31. "The losses are almost double the amount of damage caused by the 2005 Pakistan earthquake," said Rune Stroem, the ADB Country Director for Pakistan.
The damage needs assessment (DNA) found that agriculture and livestock sectors have been the worst hit, followed by complete or partial damage to a large number of houses. According to the damage assessment, roads have been hit hard particularly at the district and village level, and irrigation facilities have also suffered serious damages. One-fifth of the country was affected by the floods, with Sindh being worst affected.
Pakistan had authorised the WB and the ADB to carry out the assessment of the damages in order to win the trust of the international community and obtain billions of dollars of loans needed to start the reconstruction phase. The international community has given a loud message that much of the money will have to be arranged domestically through tax reforms. The donors' estimates are contrary to what Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani presented in a Cabinet meeting, held on September 1. The premier stated that "the floods have inflicted damage to the economy, which may, by some estimates reach $43 billion, which is more that the combined budget of federal and provincial governments.
The donors have submitted the DNA survey draft report to the government and much of the details will be made public at the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) meeting in Brussels on Friday.
On the basis of the DNA report, the government will appeal for aid in an upcoming meeting of Pakistan Development Forum, tentatively scheduled for mid November. However, before committing billions in aid, the US on behalf of the international community has forwarded many questions for ensuring transparent use of money. The government has already decided to contest the ADB demand.
Rachid Benmessaoud, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan said now that the DNA has been completed "Our job as friends of Pakistan is to help the country respond to this enormous reconstruction challenge."
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2010.


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Commercial solar heating systems can greatly reduce your company's energy bills by allowing you to use the sun's energy for free hot water or space heating. Whether your business is small or large, solar heating systems can work for you.
Many companies use hot water in their every day operations. Showers, bathrooms, cleaning, cooking, manufacturing - these are just a few examples of areas that hot water is needed every day. Using oil, propane, or electricity is an ever increasing cost to generate this hot water.
Our evacuated tube collectors are able to generate water temperatures up to 170F and higher, and work in all ranges of weather and temperatures. Therefore, when you are in a harsh northern climate like Canada or Maine, or a temperate climate such as Virginia or California, our solar collectors will generate free hot water all year long.
A solar heating system will continually provide free hot water for decades to come - meaning no ever increasing costs. This immediately slashes your energy bills, meaning more profit every month.
They can effectively be used in any climate with little to no maintenance or operating costs. Normally, commercial solar heating systems will contain a solar collectors – usually evacuated tubes – a storage tank, and a set of pumps and controls to operate the system.
Click here for more information on our commercial solar hot water heaters.
Water flows in from a municipality's water lines or from a well into the solar storage tank, where it is heated by energy from a solar collector. The controls generate an easy-to-read display, showing you exactly what the system is doing and its overall performance.
Collectors manufactured and distributed by Solar Panels Plus are SRCC certified, allowing business owners to take advantage of the 30 percent federal tax credit, as well as various state incentives that may be offered.
This reduces a system's net cost and allows for a quicker return on investment. Commercial solar hot-water systems are being used all over the world, and have excellent fits for a variety of businesses. Take a look at some popular applications to learn more.
Evacuated tubes are excellent for commercial applications. For more information on the design of our evacuated tube collectors, please see our page that discusses the design and advantages of our solar evacuated tube collectors.
While using solar energy for commercial laundry applications may seem futuristic, laundry owners across the country have been doing it for many years. Rather than paying for electricity, gas or oil to heat the bulk of the hot water needed by these facilities, savvy business owners are tapping into the free power supplied by the sun.
Since a solar hot water system continually heats water for free, operating costs are significantly reduced, which increases profits and maximizes your return on investment for your solar hot water system. On average, commercial laundry facilities can expect to see a payback on their investment in as little as five years.
Solar hot water systems manufactured and distributed by Solar Panels Plus are certified by the SRCC which allows you to take advantage of federal tax credits as well as state rebates or other financial incentives offered in your area.
Using solar energy to fuel your hot water needs also will contribute to a cleaner environment and show the community you support a green and sustainable way of doing business. If you are interested in learning more about how solar energy can save you money and expand your customer base, contact us today. Solar Panels Plus has a veteran laundry broker on staff who can help you determine what it would take to add a solar water heating system to a laundry of any size and configuration.
Process Hot Water
One of the newer and more cost-effective ways to use solar hot water is for commercial and industrial process or preheating applications. Many businesses today use large volumes of hot water during their manufacturing, cleaning or sensitizing process.
Solar hot water systems can be installed more quickly and at a much lower cost than other industrial or commercial hot-water systems. The energy savings can be quite significant, cutting water-heating costs by 70 percent or more.
These systems can pay for themselves very quickly, with a return on investment in just a few short years. Solar hot water systems, when used in conjunction with boilers and other traditional systems, can greatly extend the other system's lifespan and improve overall efficiency by letting the solar thermal system handle the bulk of the work.
All solar water heating systems manufactured and distributed by Solar Panels Plus are SRCC certified. This allows business owners to take advantage of the 30 percent federal tax credit, as well as other financial incentives in your area, for an even faster payback.
With all the hot water restaurants and other food service venues use for cooking and cleaning, it's no wonder so many owners have turned to solar hot water systems to help them keep their eateries clean and sanitized. Often times the temperature must be set much higher than what's needed for a residence so establishments can more easily pass health board inspections.
Since a solar water heating system continually heats water for free, it will directly cut operating costs and increase profits. A new system also can generate more traffic if the owner advertises the fact that the restaurant is contributing to a cleaner environment on the premises and in the community by supporting a green and sustainable way of doing business.
Car Wash
It's the nature of the business: Car washes tend to use copious amounts of hot water every day. On average, the most efficient facility uses anywhere from 12 to 18 gallons of water per car. In winter conditions, this water is piping hot to prevent freezing. To avoid ice buildup, many car washes are equipped with hydronic heating systems, which use a lot of energy to generate additional hot water.
Solar hot water systems can cut operating costs by tying directly into a car wash's existing water heating system. This will not only increase profits by delivering hot water heated for free by the sun, but it will reduce carbon emissions. It can even be used for space heating in colder regions.
These systems can pay for themselves very quickly, with owners enjoying a return on investment in just a few short years. Solar water heater systems, when used in conjunction with boilers and other traditional systems, can greatly extend the other system's lifespan as the solar thermal system will be doing the lion's share of the work.


text: I don't know exactly what you mean by number, but I'll do Big Barda. Also, some of the choices are teams, like the X-Men, which character may want to clarify since he didn't necissarily have anything to do with a lot of the more modern ones like Wolverine or Gambit for example. Also for others, like the FF, should they do the whole team, or should individual members listed? Lastly, are you classifying Nick Fury S.H.I.E.L.D agent and Sgt. Fury as separate entities? Not trying to make things difficult, just making observations.


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L Space Cozumel Peek A Boo Bandeau Swim Top CZ81T14
Sorry, no other customer-recommended styles found.
This product was discontinued April, 2015 and is no longer available. Please consider one of the Customer-Recommended Replacements above, or try a new search.
This colorful, lightly padded swim top gets its inspiration from one of Mexico's most popular beachside towns. Wear in a halter style or remove the straps for a bandeau look.
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Protesters Defy Egypt VP's Warning That Country Will Descend Into Chaos
Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman: If dialogue is not successful, the alternative is that a coup happens.
Egypt's protesters were defiant Wednesday after a warning from Vice President Omar Suleiman that if protesters don't enter negotiations, a coup could take place causing greater chaos, raising alarm of crackdown. Organizers of the mass demonstrations, now in their 16th day, sought to widen their uprising.
Suleiman's sharply worded warning deepened protesters' suspicions of his U.S.-backed efforts to put together negotiations with the opposition over reforms. The protesters insist they will only enter dialogue after President Hosni Mubarak steps down, fearing the regime will manipulate talks and conduct only superficial changes without bringing real democracy.
Suleiman, a military man who was intelligence chief before being elevated to vice president amid the crisis, has repeatedly said Egypt is not ready for democracy. "The culture of democracy is still far away," Suleiman said in a meeting Tuesday night with newspaper editors.
The vice president also appeared to be pushing ahead with a reform process even without dialogue. He said a panel of top judges and legal experts would recommend amendments to the constitution by the end of the month, which would then be put to a referendum. But the panel is dominated by Mubarak loyalists, and previous referendums on amendments drawn up by the regime have been marred by vote rigging to push them through.
Protest organizers have called for new protest of millions for Friday - their term for dramatically enlarged rallies - but this time they would be held in multiple parts of Cairo instead of only in central Tahrir Square, said Khaled Abdel-Hamid, one of the youth organizers. He also said protesters were calling for labor strikes, trying to draw powerful labor unions into support for their cause.
Abdel-Hamid dismissed Suleiman's warnings. "We are striking and we will protest and we will not negotiate until Mubarak steps down. Whoever wants to threaten us, then let them do so," he said.
A previous protest of millions last week drew at least a quarter-million people to Tahrir - their biggest yet, along with crowds of tens of thousands in other cities. A Tahrir rally on Tuesday rivaled that one in size, fueled by a renewed enthusiasm after the release of Wael Ghonim, a Google marketing manager who helped spark the unprecedented protest movement.
Around 2,000 protesters waved huge flags outside the parliament several blocks from Tahrir on Wednesday, where they moved a day earlier in the movement's first expansion out of the square. They chanted slogans demanding the dissolving of the legislature, where almost all the seats are held by the ruling party.
Thousands of protesters chanting we are not leaving until he leaves camped overnight in Tahrir Square in tents made with plastic tarps and bed covers to protect them from chilly weather, sprawling out into side streets. Many have been sleeping underneath the tanks of soldiers surrounding the square to prevent the vehicles from moving or trying to clear the area for traffic.
Others started to flow into Tahrir on Wednesday morning, some welcomed with sweets by those who spent the night. The demonstrations have paralyzed the area around the square, defying the government's efforts to restore a sense of normalcy as the uprising enters its third week.
Egypt's most famous tourist attraction, the Pyramids of Giza, reopened to tourists on Wednesday. Tens of thousands of foreigners have fled Egypt amid the chaos, raising concerns about the economic impact of the protests.
Suleiman's comments Tuesday night were a blunt, impatient warning for the protests' youth organizers to enter talks and drop their insistence on Mubarak's ouster. He rejected any immediate departure for Mubarak - who says he will serve out the rest of his term until September elections - or any end to the regime.
"We can't bear this for a long time," he said of the Tahrir protests. "There must be an end to this crisis as soon as possible." Speaking to the editors of state and independent newspapers Tuesday night, he said the regime wants to resolve the crisis through dialogue, adding, "We don't want to deal with Egyptian society with police tools."
He warned of chaos if the situation continued, speaking of the dark bats of the night emerging to terrorize the people.
"If dialogue is not successful, he said, the alternative is that a coup happens, which would mean uncalculated and hasty steps, including lots of irrationalities. I mean a coup of the regime against itself, or a military coup or an absence of the system. Some force, whether its the army or police or the intelligence agency or the Brotherhood or the youth themselves could carry out 'creative chaos' to end the regime and take power," he said.
In one concession made in the interview, Suleiman said Mubarak was willing to have international supervision of September elections, a longtime demand by reformers that officials have long rejected.
Over the weekend, Suleiman held a widely publicized round of talks with the opposition - including representatives from among the protest activists, the Muslim Brotherhood and official, government-sanctioned opposition parties, which have taken no role in the protests.
But the youth activists have said the session appeared to be an attempt to divide their ranks and they have said they don't trust Suleiman's promises that the regime will carry out constitutional reforms to bring greater democracy in a country Mubarak has ruled for nearly 30 years with an authoritarian hand.
The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest and best organized opposition group, which initially welcomed the talks, took a tougher line Wednesday. It has accused the military of detaining and torturing some of its members - a dramatic claim, since the military is usually believed not to engage in abuse, unlike the police.
Muhammed Mursi, a Brotherhood leader who met with Suleiman, said the army detained up to 100 Brotherhood members on their way to the Tahrir square, and they were badly tortured.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Suleiman on Tuesday, saying Washington wants Egypt to immediately rescind emergency laws that give broad powers to security forces - a key demand of the protesters.
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* Pipeline initially flowing 1 mln bpd, total capacity 2.5 mln bpd
* Aims to provide an alternate route as Iran tensions rise
By Stanley Carvalho and Humeyra Pamuk
ABU DHABI/DUBAI, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates could soon start pumping oil via a key pipeline that will allow it to bypass the Straits of Hormuz and protect exports if Western powers resort to military action in a row over Iran's nuclear programme.
The Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP) project, a 480-km pipeline with a capacity of up to 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) will allow the UAE, one of the world's top five exporters, to boost exports from its Fujairah terminal outside the Straits and on the Gulf of Oman, four industry sources told Reuters.
"There's a hurry to get this operational as the noises about an attack on Iran gets louder," an industry source with direct knowledge of the pipeline said.
"Oil could flow through the pipeline from end-December initially at 1 million bpd and gradually increase to 2 million bpd," he said, adding that the start-up of the pipeline would ease a serious bottleneck in the Gulf.
Tension over Iran's nuclear programme has increased since the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on Nov. 8 that Tehran appears to have worked on designing a nuclear bomb and may still be working.
The Strait of Hormuz is the most important oil transit channel in the world, with some 15.5 million barrels or about a third of all sea-borne oil passing through in 2009, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). U.S. warships patrol the area to ensure the safe passage.
Even though some analysts believe an imminent military action against Iran rather unlikely, they think the pipeline is crucial for the sustainability of oil exports with political tensions in the region on the rise.
"It is opening up an export channel that is invulnerable to any disruption in Hormuz," oil and gas analyst Saket Vemprala at Business Monitor International said.
"I don't think the military action scenario is likely anytime soon but such routes are useful for the Gulf states. If you remember, the Iraqi crude pipeline through Saudi Arabia was very important during the Iran-Iraq war," he said.
Most of the crude exported from Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Iraq -- together with nearly all the liquefied natural gas (LNG) from lead exporter Qatar -- must pass through a four-mile (6.4 kilometre) wide shipping channel between Oman and Iran.
"It is not big enough to get the most of Gulf Arab crude yet, but it enough for the bulk of the UAE's crude," Vemprala added.
The pipeline would link state oil firm Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's Habshan oilfields to the port of Fujairah, one of the top three bunkering hubs and a major oil storage terminal.
Abu Dhabi government-owned International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) is undertaking the project while China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation is the engineering, procurement and construction contractor (EPC).
IPIC officials contacted for this story did not return calls.
"The construction of the pipeline is completed. They are now evaluating the operational costs and the logistics of it," a second source, based in Dubai said. "They are recruiting new people as it is a big operation," he added.
Two other sources based in the UAE confirmed the timeline for the start-up of the project. They all asked for anonymity as the official announcement for the commissioning has not been done yet.
The pipeline will carry Murban crude, another source said, therefore the initial operation of the pipeline will be undertaken by Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO).
The state-owned company will operate and proceed with the preparations for the pre-commissioning, commissioning, start-up, performance testing and handover of the project facilities.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) holds a 60 percent stake in ADCO. Its other shareholders are BP, Royal Dutch Shell , Total, ExxonMobil and Partex Oil and Gas.
Near the pipeline in Fujairah, IPIC is planning to undertake a $3 billion refinery project, which it aims to complete in mid-2016.
"In less than 5 years, the refinery will be completed. I believe they are finalising the tendering process for the refinery," the Dubai-based industry source said.


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As part of the recent executive shakeup within Apple, industrial design guru Jony Ive has been put in charge of a new department that oversees the design of all hardware and software made by Apple. In essence, Ive is the quintessential tastemaker at Apple, a role formerly filled by the late Steve Jobs.
By now you've probably heard that Ive isn't a fan of skeuomorphism, the make-it-look-retro-to-feel-familar design style that has been implemented in iOS under the guidance of Scott Forstall. That's why Apple's apps have so much Corinthian leather and stitching, or why the Compass app is designed to look like a literal compass.
Now that Ive is in charge of the overall look and feel of iOS, expect skeuomorphism to start fading away. Concept designer and Cult of Mac reader Adrian Maciburko sent us his take on a new iOS interface design that relies less on the analog aesthetic and more on the digital.


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Good morning! Here's today's news:
- Microsoft announced the Xbox One, a new gaming and entertainment system. Here's everything that's cool about it.
- Amazon is planning a new headquarters that looks like a giant biosphere.
- Apple is going to integrate Flickr and Vimeo into the next version of the iPhone's software.
- Greencrest Capital, a boutique research firm, is calling for a Twitter IPO in 2014.
- The founder of Branch speculates about what the "Next Facebook" will be and decides it will involve enabling people to hang out with cool people you don't know.
- A detailed explanation of Apple is avoiding paying $17 million per day in taxes.
- Employees are bolting from HTC, which is said to be in a state of freefall.
- John McCain had a great question for Tim Cook yesterday: "Why the hell do I have to keep updating apps on my iPhone all the time?"
- The inventor of the GIF says it's pronounced "jif".
- The lesser-known stars that made Tumblr.


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My Nonprofit Reviews
Review for Greyfoot Cat Rescue, Ventura, CA, USA
My first real experience with Greyfoot occurred when I was looking for a companion for my older cat. We ended up going to PetSmart to look at the cats. Since I have an older cat with a health condition, I knew I wanted to choose carefull to adopt a cat suitable for him. It was helpful to talk to the volunteers. They knew something about several of the cats I was interested in. Ultimately, we chose two cats to adopt and they made a great match for my male cat. After that, I began making some donations and gradually, I have started to become more involved. In the past few months, I have met many of the other volunteers and have found that they are a dedicated, nice group of people. Cat socializing has been rewarding for me and I plan to continue to assist the organization.
More Feedback
Would you volunteer for this group again?
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
A lot
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Quite well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?


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Contact: SciPak
American Association for the Advancement of Science
For years, a huge "Brown Cloud" of pollution has hung over South Asia and the Indian Ocean during the winter months. Its cancer-causing soot has affected people beneath it for years as well, and it can even be traced to the deaths of many people in China and India from heart and lung diseases.
Researchers have wondered exactly what this brown cloud is made of. Is it soot from burning fossil fuels like that from car exhaust? Or is it soot from burning organic materials like wood?
Finally, we have an answer. A group of researchers say that it is now clear that the burning of biomass, or organic matter like wood and dung, is mostly responsible for the huge, harmful cloud of soot. ųrjan Gustafsson and colleagues caught soot particles from the brown cloud on a mountaintop in western India and also on the island of Maldives. They used radiocarbon measurements to find the source of the soot, and discovered that the burning of biomass was responsible for a full two thirds of the Brown Cloud's soot.
This finding suggests that we should address the issue of small-scale wood and dung burning for home heating and cooking in order to reduce the size of the harmful brown cloud over South Asia. The scientific results make it clear that efforts should not be limited to car traffic and coal-fired power plants. Instead, these authors recommend fighting poverty and spreading Asia-appropriate green technology to limit soot emissions from small biomass fires.
Because the brown cloud's soot particles only stay in the atmosphere for days or weeks at a time, there is hope for a quick change the climate system once biomass burning is reduced. Possibly, if we are able to limit the burning of biomass and organic matter in China and India, we could see the brown cloud disappear before our eyes.
This research appears in the 23 January issue of Science.


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Bricks, Mortar Build Institutional Rapport in College's Masonry Laboratory
About 50 architecture students from The Pennsylvania State University visited Penn College's masonry lab Wednesday, gaining hands-on experience and a heightened appreciation of the relationship between design and construction. The traditional spring event highlights the college's affiliation with Penn State; emphasizes masonry's ties to another profession; delineates a career path that women might otherwise overlook; and illustrates the tangible support of Watsontown Brick, Glen-Gery Corp. and other industry representatives who provide technical assistance and thousands of dollars' worth of supplies for the college's Construction Masonry Building.
– Photos by Marc T. Kaylor, student photographer
Maneuvering block onto the plumb line
A dry run
Penn State classmates practice teamwork on the way to making ends meet.
A gender-neutral profession
Busy trowels make quick work for fledgling stonemasons.
Collaboration lengthens a course of block.
Sturdy construction draws faculty kudos
… and succumbs to a "brick too far"
A newly formed arch withstands weight testing …
Lending helpful hands
Spreading an even coat of "mud"
Lining it up, with an eye for precision
Guests moved from station to station, including a stint in arch construction.
Visiting students, accompanied by James G. Cooper, assistant professor in Penn State's College of Arts and Architecture, watch instructor Glenn R. Luse (center).
Faculty coordinator Richard R. Motter, a Penn College masonry instructor, makes students feel at home in new surroundings.


text:
Kendrick Lamar & U2 Join Forces For "American Soul"
Dipset Reconnects With The Heatmakerz For "Once Upon A Time"
Rexx Life Raj & G-Eazy Lyrically Define "Forever Lit"
Freddie Gibbs Jumps On Lophiile's "Off Top"
They just can't get enough of each other.
The Diplomats return courtesy of a Jim and Cam collab.
A sentiment that actually matches the song's quality.
Easy as 1-2-3.


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Savagewood sops up O'Sullivan Bros. beer operation
Scripps Ranch doesn't lose a brand, it gains a brewery
Ian Anderson 5 p.m., Nov. 21
At 3:06 on the morning of September 25, the Sweetwater Union High School District board of trustees voted 3-2 to award Ed Brand a two-year contract with a compensation package higher than the superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District.
Like many meetings in the past year, there was an overflow crowd — out the door and down the outside ramp. Students, parents, teachers, and activists by turns reasoned with, yelled at, or begged the board not to hire Brand, but trustees John McCann, Arlie Ricasa, and Jim Cartmill voted for Brand's contract and had nothing but praise for his recent tenure in the district.
The board deliberated in closed session from 5:30 p.m. until approximately 2:00 a.m. When the audience had dissipated significantly, copies of the proposed contract were distributed. The audience, dazed by the time and the generous contract, was given 20 minutes to review it before they were allowed to share their perceptions with the board.
While McCann, Ricasa, and Cartmill emphasized Brand's success and the need for stability, trustees Bertha Lopez and Pearl Quiñones both said that the generous concessions in the contract came off the backs of all the other employees in the district. The classified employees, the teachers, and the students have endured a number of furlough days to balance the budget.
Specifically referring to the buyout in the contract, Lopez said, "Hey, you become the superintendent, you win the lottery."
If the board decides to terminate Brand in year one "without alleging cause…the District shall pay the Superintendent a maximum cash settlement, concurrently with the termination of the Superintendent's contract, in an amount equal to twelve (12) months' compensation." If the Board seeks to terminate in the second year, the golden parachute is "a maximum cash settlement, concurrently with the termination…in an amount equal to the remaining months left under the two-year agreement."
Lopez helped the audience cut to the core of the contract because the audience had such limited time to view it: "The compensation package is not just $252,000 [annual salary], it's actually $295,000 after everything — the health plan, the monthly allowance, the disability insurance, the life insurance, and to top things off, 28 days' vacation versus 24 that management usually gets — these additional vacation days could have paid for another bus driver for our kids. We are paying for his health benefits until the age of 65, a nice little perk."
Then Lopez made the point that every teacher or classified employee has to have a health exam prior to being employed: "I want to make this point to all of you — we are only requiring Dr. Brand to take a tuberculosis test."
Prior to the contract award, public comment, which was held at about 2:30 a.m., captured the state of the district:
Advanced-placement students told the board they had no texts for their Spanish-literature class. A parent complained that his son's eyes were burned in a chemistry lab and he hasn't been able to get the district, or the superintendent, to respond to him. Another parent said his son was "lost in the system," counted absent when he was not, suspended, and then the records regarding the suspension were lost. An Eastlake chemistry teacher addressed the overcrowding in classrooms due to "open boundaries" and said that her school had seven chemistry teachers, four classrooms, and two sets of lab equipment.
By the time the board recessed at 3:06, they had dealt with one item of the lengthy agenda.
There you have it. The fete accompli was delivered after the ranks were reduced.
Ever the slick tacticians, the Majority Board of Cartmill, McCann and Ricasa, managed cleverly by Duty Officer Castillajas, attempted to defend their decision by calling for a fresh beginning, and stumbling through other weak rationalizations for their perfidy.
This gives Brand, beyond the personal remuneration, the power to spend up to $250,000 without the need for discussion, explaination or any sort of logic? Repeatedly? Until there is no more money?
Then what? It was already brought up that the district needs to cut another $33,000,000 from next year's budget. But, I guess that figure will grow, as Brand now has carte blanche to spend, spend, spend.
If those responsible for this most egregious of decisions spend the rest of their lives trying to make up for it, maybe something good will come of this.
That might require a 'road to Damascus' type of experience, which under the circumstances, might even be beneficial.
RE: "fete accompli"
The term is fait accompli.
Thanks, it is never too late to learn something!
But I hope everyone understands the meaning, even if I misspelled the phrase.
postmortem would be to run a cost analysis or impact review on FAST EDDY's true cost over time or you will end up with a Zimmerman Flew and Tyler Knew aka (Tom Hassey).
Why did the public have to wait until the wee hours of the morning for this? What was the need for negotiating through dinner, and a half a normal night's sleep? Couldn't the board have passed out the proposed contract to the public, recessed, and returned another day to receive input as well as give themselves a fresher look at the proposal? The answer is this school board has absolutely no respect for the public, and the deal was probably done from the start. It is really a shame that these three board members -Cartmill-Ricasa-McCann- are not up for re-election in November. If they were, they certainly wouldn't have so boldly shown their contempt for the people they are supposed to represent.
And contempt it is--all the extraordinary measures are for effect, and to wear down the public. I am sure they were very surprised by the number of people who were still there.
I know they were surprised by the parents who had very concrete examples of mistreatment of their children at the hands of the schools--yes, they were surprised at the number of people who were there and spoke out, even if they didn't listen to the speakers.
Failure to listen to the public was their choice and they will have to reap the consequences.
joepublic: regarding cartmill ricasa and mccann not being so bold. well,,,,,,,,,,,,,, you see joepublic it is all about the money - brand promising them the money.
did you all happen to notice the potential legal package he was given? i am wondering who is on the other end of that package?
funny bertha lopez is sounding more like a fiscal conservative than mccann and cartmill PUT TOGETHER!
lets see john mccann great pretender supports a fiscally conservative government - then what does he AND jim cartmill do - they give brand a 2 years contract - brand is 58 so in two years he will be 60 - but here is the corker, included in brands contract is a clause that even after he leaves - well by golly good old suhsd (YES DISTRICT - that is us folks) we will continue to pay his health, dental and vision benefits!!!!
don't you just love pretenders, persons who speak out of both sides of their mouths, i think a synonym would be lie.
it is all about the money folks, it is all about the money - john mccann and jim cartmill are allowing ed brand to pillage this district. why?????????
bertha lopez stood up to the little man who wants to be king. the wanna b who has no ability. yes folks, the rumor is correct he began his assault on the little latina with the words bertha lopez who had her home searched. AND................................ has she been indicted? NO he then brought up 'the gandara' and how lopez had voted for his contract - which she did 7 months after she was voted in - but alas the little man who knows not the truth forgot to mention that not only had jim cartmill and arlie ricasa brought 'the gandara' here BUT THEY HAD BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR YEARS AND VOTED TO RENEW HIS CONTRACT as well.
lets just say bertha lopez handed john mccann his head on a platter and rightfully so.
now according to jim cartmill his peeps seem to love brand - well i have a suggestion, perhaps cartmill should extend his ring of contacts - outside of brand, ricasa and mccann.
the financial information shared last night by mr brickley and another ....................... tip of the iceburg,
The fact that our student representative on the board was able to rally her fellow ASB presidents to come and speak out against Brand (although many had to leave well before they were given a chance to speak due to curfew), the fact that many of the long adn well respected members of our district who have now retired (J. Mercado, S. Canaris, j. Rindone, K. Janney) came out to speak against Brand (and again went home to bed before given the chance), the fact that the board was presented with no confidence votes from teachers, parents, the bond oversight committee, and on and on and on, AND YET Brand walked away with not only a contract but a simply obscene contract is simply disgusting.
Listening to each board member explain why they were voting for him it was like we lived in two completely different universes. They see a Brand who is competent and a team-player, yet most of the many of his most horrendous decisions were made unilaterally (open boundaries) and others were made with board approval but no real thought out long-term plan. They say they want stability and consistency. Neither of those are worth anything if the person who is supposed to provide those is completely unethical and untrustworthy. I can't think of a single thing that Brand has said that he has followed through on or that has been matched by his actions.
Obviously, and unfortunately there is now no going back. One can only count the months until the election and the trial and HOPE that we have the community enlightened enough to give us some fresh blood. Unfortunately after tonight it will cost us gravely and many will at that point in time say that we just can't afford it. Well, guess what, we couldn't afford it at 3 am this morning either. We couldn't afford anything for ANY other employee in the entire district in the spring when we all agreed to take pay cuts due to the fact that "there simply was no money". And now, badda bing badda boom, money has appeared for Brand following his strike.
Maybe we should thank you Brand. You have taught us a valuable lesson. Do not sit around and negotiate. Walk out - STRIKE - and then you will get exactly what you want and more. Remember, when you are in a position of power, you are a role model and you have modeled the power of striking for us perfectly. I cannot WAIT until our next bargaining to follow in your footsteps.
justateacher: it is going to take all of us to get the truth out - VOTE LOPEZ AND CAMERON!
mccann and cartmill had their speeches already written as did ricasa. i nearly choked on her words of praise for the students, the very students that she is robbing. does she care? NO, as i said before it is all about the money. she is facing a very expensive defense - no doubt she will take a plea to save herself from prison - no bother to me - i just want her exposed for exactly who she is and i want her gone. while quinones voted NO for the contract she looked like the most angry person on the planet last night - perhaps that is because she too has a mounting debt and she too realizes it would be better to take a plea and expose herself for what she allowed herself to become. either way they are both GONE, then, no doubt, we will hear mccann some how some way take credit for it all - when in truth it was, in fact, those darned antagonists that started it all.
funny thing, mccann appears to despise them all - because they are everything he is not.
next time you see jim cartmill or john mccann - ask them why they weren't the ones who went to the DA or FBI. i mean surely they were aware of what was going on - i mean they are board members right?
i can still remember the times in my young life when i was down - feeling as though i had been stomped by a wild stallion - well this morning was one of those days. i spent most of the day doing what anniej does - but i must admit the future looked gloomy. my son could see my mood clearly written all over my face - he reminded my of grandmothers saying "it is always darkest before the dawn". we laughed at our role reversals and i did what i often do - i wrote my goal down on a piece of paper and placed it in a sacred place.
low and behold a short time ago i received a phone call - the phone call reminded me that it is important to follow grandmothers advice - "it is ALWAYS darkest before the dawn" and "those who are willing to fight the good fight - ending up catching the big fish" ah yes!!!!!
This why this state and every muni/school district in it is so screwed up. WHY would the give a buy out clause AT ALL-in THIS ECONOMY?????????? Why $250K cash salary in THIS ECONOMY???????????/ The dorks who voted for this clown should be RECALLED.
Yes, that was tried for three of them, but the attempt fell short. Part of the reason is that supposedly McCann kept phoning in, I guess to the police, to say people were being "harrassed" by those trying to collect signatures. When, of course, it was simple discussion. Anything to press your advantage, right Mr. McCann?
BTW-Is Brand still collecting a CalSTRS PENSION???????????????
I think that the pension has to stop once he again has a contract as an employee and not a consultant, but that pension will then be recalculated when he leaves the position of superintendent and will be increased, of course. I am not an expert, just trying to figure things out as I go along.
I am sure that if there were a way to collect both the pension and the employee paycheck, Brand would be first in line!
Brand is a piece of work.......... the fact he is running sweetwater again shows how screwed up the district is.
True enough, Brand is a large package of mess. But, I'd just like to point out that he has been given votes of "No Confidence" from the teachers, from the community and from the Bond Oversight Committee. His only supporters appear to be the three people who hired him. And I suppose those within his administration who have some sort of understanding. And probably some of the companies on the receiving end of Sweetwater business.
The truth-seekers are by no means done yet.
Brand has to unretire in order to accept his contract. So, he will not be continuing to collect his pension. However, Eastlaker is correct in that adding two more years to his service will ultimately increase his overall retirement.
Pancho, unbelieveable. I just got a glimpse of the contract. Brand got $750.00 travel allowance. Must be he lives so far away from the district.
cvres: what about the medical, dental, vision benefits that we will pay for for 6 years after he leaves? up until the time he is eligible for medicare.
again i ask, WHO WROTE THIS CONTRACT?
I wouldn't be surprised if Brand is KICKING BACK $$$$ (aka laundering money) to the school board that wrote his contract.
Well, there is that $50,000 that Brand gave Cartmill--mentioned somewhere previously--for his business. There might be other arrangements. It has been suggested that coverage of legal fees may have been promised. And possibly large enough donations to future campaigns. There are three reasons right there.
The salary is rich enough to pave the way for all sorts of things.
Not to mention the board's authorization for Fast Eddy to spend up to $250,000 of public funds without board approval for ANYTHING....smacks of subsidy for Ricassa and Quinones' approaching legal bills, and perhaps other kickbacks to Board members.
Quinones probably voted against the contract because she knew it would pass anyway, and probably worked it out ahead of time with Cartmill, McCann and Ricasa. She needs votes come November.
However, I do think there are some state requirements about expenditures over a certain level, but then.....this is corrupt-ville after all and who pays attention to state requirements, the District's own bylaws, or even state law? We know the Brown Act doesn't apply to Sweetwater, and the accounting shell games continue.
What a sad night. We all knew what was going to happen yet that tiny glimmer of hope somehow is still there. Arrogance at it's best. The students even saw through these phonies and told them so. I felt like a parent when these kids told the board how they felt. Very touching listening to them. They took the bitter taste out of the awful event.
Yes, it was GREAT to see the high school kids speak up and speak out repeatedly, giving the board the full force of their dissatisfaction. Gives me hope for the future, especially with the promise that more students and parents will attend subsequent meetings.
If the reproofs from the adults don't get through to Ricasa, McCann and Cartmill, maybe the words of the young people will.
And then to listen to the comments from the board members, such as when Cartmill wants us to improve the level of discourse, or some such...the level of discourse can be improved when the board's decisions have been improved upon, when the board members themselves act in ways that are not corrupt, insulting and contemptuous of the public!
Nothing like blaming the victims! Just another attempt at manipulating the public, trying to take away the public's right to comment, respond and demand responsible, ethical and responsible decisions.
Try doing the right thing, then perhaps the criticisms won't come at you so fast and furiously! Accept the responsibility of your position, don't palm it all off so easily the way you just did.
Cartmill, Ricasa and McCann, you have earned every bit of the public's wrath.
So much has been said already that there is little to add. But to cut through the underbrush, there are two related but distinct issues here. The first is Brand's suitability for the position and the other is the price. After his "retirement" from the San Marcos district, he should have forfeit any further chance to serve in any sort of senior position in public education. The morning "rag" keeps referring his departure from there as him retiring. He didn't retire from that district, he was "bought out", "forced out", or "fired". He may have subsequently decided to begin taking his STRS pension, and that might be called retirement, but not in the sense the rag refers to it. He is/was unsuitable for this position, especially in light of the way the vacancy occurred, that is, by the force out or buyout of Gandara.
The second issue if the price. He's now, unless I'm quite mistaken, the highest paid "supe" in the entire county, with his salary exceeding that of "colorless Bill" Kowba, who heads the San Diego City schools, a district many times larger than SUHSD.
This board majority has shown its utter contempt for the public and the cure is going to be the removal of all of them, along with Pearl, from the board. But be careful of whom you decide to elect: those who replace them could be--yes, it is possible--even worse.
Visduh: ah, but we must remember the ridiculous words of john mccann, according to mccann brand's contract is not as rich as 'the gandara's'. and to this i say "your point mr. mccann, what is your freakin point?"
who wrote this contract? does anyone know?
mr. not conservative john mccann, can you explain why a 'conservative overseer of our tax dollars' like you PRETEND TO BE would not only approve such a contract but defend it as well.
how do you defend the fact that the taxpayers of the south bay will be paying brands monthly medical, dental, and vision premiums for 6 years AFTER HE IS GONE? who does this mr. mccann? YOU DID IT! and you will be help accountable.............................................. you, and mr. cartmill - we would hold ms. ricasa accountable but she will be most likely be spending her time writing letters from a state pen - and rightfully so!
All the money these types get because of their position, they should work for free.
I didn't get a chance to attend, but was hoping to listen to the audio on the website. But, currently, they are not up yet. Did somebody get lazy and not post them, or are the being censored so the public doesn't get to hear just how badly the board flopped on this decision?
dbdriver - you saved yourself much frustration. audio of board docs is a concern, it appears that 'controversial' comments are either being eliminated or all of a sudden the audio goes significantly fuzzy.
ah, too bad some of that gold could not be used on such things vs. filling brands pockets.
angry you ask?, no anniej does not get angry - anniej gets - - - -.
anniej and others are on a mission, that mission is to expose and excise all alleged corruption in the suhsd - the first step the board and superintendent - expose what is really going on - and we are off to a bang up start - stay tuned...........................................
The only board member worth her salt is Bertha Lopez. She has been a true and consistant supporter of the public's right to have district's business transparent, as well as being in full support of the student's rights to a full academic program.
If you are going to attend Bonitafest this saturday, be sure to stop by Ms. Lopez's booth and show your support. Fran Brinkman and I will be manning the booth between 9:15 and 11:15 AM. Come vent your outrage over the board's decision to give Brand a contract and help us re-elect the only board member with any integrity.
See you there.
She was also voted in by teachers who are union extremists. Don't get me wrong. I think Bertha Lopez is an enthusiastic educator who is an asset to Sweetwater and wants the best for the community. At the same time, the bad teachers in the district who are still employed because the union protects them support her more than any other board member or other person in the district that makes decisions.
greatness83 - "the bad teachers in the district who are still employed because the union protects them suport her more than ANY other board member".
what do you base that statement on?
perhaps 'they' back her more because ALL TEACHERS BACK HER MORE. the teachers union just gave the board a vote on no confidence in reference to brand - that no confidence vote did not state that they were the bad teachers. just saying.
bad teachers are an issue all in itself, and has nothing to do with board member lopez. not to say there aren't any bad teachers.
I have as much confidence in what the district has done as I do in that teachers union. Let's see who can earn more confidence from the public in the future, especially if Prop 30 and 38 pass. It will be interesting.
Also, I do like and respect Lopez and the majority of the board members, the one's that have an extensive track record of success in the district. Hopefully, things can change.
Prop 30 is DOA- and 38 is so far behind it is not credible threat of actually passing.
Ms. Bertha Lopez and George Cameron have my vote.
I will not be voting for indicted board member quinones for obvious reasons, and have chosen not to endorse Mr. Grossman due to his close friendship and several meetings (as seen on his calendar) with brand.
while i do not know her, Ms. Grossman is an administrator with the district - a total conflict of interest.
I think this might've already been asked, but does anyone know who wrote this contract, and did the taxpayers pay for Brand's representative's services?
Brand wrote it himself and told the Board to approve it. There is even a note that he can hire who he wants, place them where he wants, whenever he wants (without limitation). This was a point of contention in San Marcos fiasco-- he gave a teaching position to political crony's wife. I am sure this is about hiring teachers for his charter school. Teacher's union Pres. Should be crying "foul" but said nothing. And what the heck--Barry Dragon is coming back? He helped Brand play "Move the Money" his last round and quickly exited when Brand left. Foxes watching the hen house--they need to be monitored CLOSELY!
That's why Brand got CANNED in San Marcos, trying to pull strings, and that is why San Marcos is a much better run district than Sweetwater-who i will always regard as being the best kids in the County........
Exactly--the kids of Sweetwater do NOT deserve this shabby treatment. They are being robbed, and why Ricasa, McCann and Cartmill don't stand up for their own constituency is beyond me. Guess they don't care about this district and these kids, guess their sights have already been set elsewhere.
eastlaker: no, the students do NOT deserve what they are NOT getting. however this board has under estimated those in the community that are committed to changing things. stay tuned, all is not lost!
anniej and all of you: The Star-News has an article on the return of Ed Brand, as well as a poll on whether the board was correct to give Brand the contract. Right now the poll is running 77% in favor of Brand's contract, but I would hope all of you would vote and get your friends to vote so that the community's true opinion will be reflected.
Let's not give Brand any ammunition to claim that he is wanted and respected when we know he is not wanted, and is clearly not respected.
Regarding the poll--it continues to trend showing support for Brand. Not good.
Ok, Interested Parties, while it looks like some of you and your friends have voted in the Star-News poll, we need some more votes. The poll is running roughly 57% in favor of the contract given to Brand and 42% opposed.
I think we can do better than that. In fact, I think we need to do better than that, or Brand, McCann, Cartmill and Ricasa might start thinking that people agree with them.
We are operating with the understanding that those who care about education and the public trust are going to show they care by giving Brand and the SUHS board of trustees evidence of what the public wants: a district without Brand and a district where the board of trustees actually listens to their constituency and works for the greater good.
Remember that phrase: "greater good"--we need to be able to employ it free of sarcasm.
We need the Greater Good.
We have the opportunity to vote down Brand's contract, at least online, in this poll. Let us do this!
Sadly, these poll results would indicate that many voters are just utterly unaware of the corruption and abuses in that district, and like what they hear from the current power structure. One might think that if anyone had kids in the local schools, they would know better, and that may not be the case. What has the "Red Star" been saying about the SUHSD and Brand anyway? There was a time when that paper was influential, and it may still be.
The tide has turned--and I hope the votes will keep on demonstrating that the public does not want Brand or this contract.
My guess is that all the early votes were affected by early knowledge of the poll, and that perhaps some district employees were instructed to vote in favor of the contract. Whatever.
Ultimately, these attempts to manipulate information and the public will backfire when enough of the public realize they are being taken for a ride.
We are almost there, and will not give up.
Brand, McCann, Cartmill, and Ricasa have underestimated the people of this community, and have only themselves to blame.
Regarding the type of coverage this issue has been getting from the Star-News...sporatic coverage. At times it seems to really soft-pedal the situation. A few weeks ago when the recall effort did not pan out, the headline was something like "No Support for Recall" when in fact there was support, just not quite enough. Personally I feel that the ties the paper has to the real estate community mean that they don't dare alienate that segment of their revenue, so they downplay the mess of Sweetwater. Very unhealthy in my book.
Thanks, Susan and everyone at the Reader for giving the Sweetwater community this opportunity to exchange thoughts and information. In this time of media proliferation--in some ways--it is odd that it is so difficult to get the truth out into the open sometimes.
We are deeply grateful that we have this place to marshal ideas and knowledge of this problematic situation.
Some good news: the poll is now running 78% against Brand and his contract, and only 22% (or so) in favor--so the numbers have "flipped".
I hope there is more where that came from.
Let us send a clear message that Ed Brand is unwelcome, unwanted and under surveillance!
Ok friends, numbers are creeping back up in favor of the contract. Do we really want that to happen?
eastlaker: not quite sure what happened with the star news poll, last evening it showed that the the NO's were way ahead, then this morning all of a sudden it shows the YES's were the majority and the poll is now closed. hmmm???????
Yes, I just saw this. Looks like another fix was in!! (Or another manipulation of the system, take your pick).
So we shouldn't be surprised by any number of dirty tricks...because, as we know, this bunch just does not play by the rules. And sooner or later, that will trip them up. They will break one too many rules, their own greed will provide the means for their collective downfall.
Let's keep working.
eastlaker: they have allowed themselves to become arrogant and greedy and have underestimated the resolve of the community. they are the captains of their own ships - and soon will be asking themselves why they did not quit while the quitting was good. arrogance and greed are a prescription for disaster - they think of themselves collectively as a modern day titanic, well the ice burg is straight away.
i seem to remember typing similar words back in may of 2011, funny they didn't listen then either - one would think that those left standing would have chosen to take a new path - perhaps they never heard that saying - there but for the grace of God go me.
as grandmother always said "GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY"!!!!!
as mother always said "payback is a ??????"
as anniej always says - goodness knows you know what anniej always says.
Did you see that someone in Texas has been sentenced to several years in prison for interfering with school testing? A school official from the El Paso school district (it was reported)"blackmailed" low-performing students so that they would stay home and not participate in testing. Complicating matters, it was also reported that many of those low performing students were not actually residents of the El Paso district, but lived in Mexico and crossed the border for school.
Truly messy all around.
However, if the schools want the income from the students who live outside the district, then they had better include them in all facets of the school.
Of course, this official was motivated by a $50,000 bonus if a certain standard was reached in testing--so it wasn't simply the reputation of the school he wanted to artificially enhance. He wanted to enhance his own pocket, taking funds away from more deserving schools.
Are there any lessons we can draw from this?
eastlaker: money as a motivation, why i never - hell, money is what drives brand - do i hear an amen!!!!! and then we have the two board members following so close behind brand that if brand tripped they would fall over themselves - cartmill and mccann.
the financial interaction involvement of some that are NOT suppose to be- - allowing conflict of interest has perked the interest of .
brand, it is rumored, has been seen at certain affairs with Grossman. good old "ed" and Grossman. mc cann and cartmill promoting Grossman is one thing - but brand ???????????? now i realize that birds of a feather fly together, however.................................. as commented to me yesterday "anniej, they have done us a service - they have exposed themselves". oh, if they only knew what the powers at be were truly saying about them. reminds me of grandmothers old saying "digging their own graves - and not realizing that their 'friends' are helping".
lets see who do we want to take quinones' place - 'the Rush Limbaugh of the NFL' or a man of the highest integrity whose only focus is the students Mr. George Cameron? well folks as they say 'that is a no brainer'.


text:
Chris Blackmon might hate Mondays and love football, but he's definitely not a fan of the Twitter account that bears his photo.
Chris Blackmon doesn't think he's an average guy. He's married, owns two successful real estate businesses, and was featured in a "40 under 40" article in his local newspaper.
But on Twitter, he's the unwilling spokesperson for @NormalTweetGuy, an innocuous parody account that chronicles the mundane thoughts of a stereotypical, suburban guy, tweets like "Chicken for dinner" and "I can't believe I'm still at work!" The account's gathered nearly 4,000 followers.
Blackmon, however, is not amused. He emailed the Daily Dot and called the use of his picture "off-putting" and wants it taken down. The 35-year-old Athens, Ga. resident first discovered his face was being used from a friend who emailed the account to him. He called the moment "bizarre."
"Sure enough, there I am with a Twitter account, but the account is not mine," wrote Blackmon, who doesn't even use Twitter. "It is simply a picture of me."
Although the account is harmless and safe for work, Blackmon said he has mixed emotions about his face being used. The photo, which came from the aforementioned newspaper article, pops up when someone searches for "normal guy" on Google Images.
"I was also confused as to why anyone would use my picture instead of their own and a little peeved that someone would do this without asking," he said. "It is really odd to see so many pictures of yourself saying things you didn't say.
"Suddenly I am that guy from idiocracy who is perfectly average."
Reached for comment, the anonymous creator of @NormalTweetGuy said that he was disappointed by Blackmon's response and had no plans to change the image.
"Not only is he completely harmless (and built so intentionally) but, with less than 4000 followers, he's not even that popular on Twitter," wrote @NormalTweetGuy's creator. "At no time has NTG claimed to be Chris Blackmon, nor have I ever typed his name previous to this paragraph in my life.
"NTG is not malicious. He's not offensive. He doesn't curse. He doesn't even hate things that aren't Mondays. Bearing in mind that I'm not the only person who has access to photos of people on the internet, things could be a lot worse."
It's unclear at this time if Blackmon will take any additional measures to have his photo removed from the account.
"If something conflicts with my current life, I would hate to have to continually explain away that this is not me, when it appears that it is," Blackmon said. "You can see how it could be an issue."
That sounds like a pretty normal response, actually.
Update: @NormalTweetGuy changed his Twitter icon this morning and is no longer a picture of Chris Blackmon.
Photo via Chris Blackmon
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Super Castlevania IV
Review by fduboo
Reviewed: 02/20/00 | Updated: 02/20/00
Castlevania continues to age, but it does so gracefully.
Super Castlevania is the first Castlevania game to appear on the SNES, making an auspicious entrance in 1992. Many believed that there was no way that Konami could top Castlevania 3 for the NES, but once again the faithful company proved everyone wrong. Super Castlevania 4 works because it returns the series to its most basic 8-bit roots, while adding the versatility of a 16-bit system. In other words, you can tell by the quality of this side-scrolling action platformer that this was what the creators of the original had in mind when they first envisioned the gothic-themed classic. The story (which has been steadily becoming more and more irrelevant to the games) centers around another member of the Belmont family line, named Simon. No, according to the instruction booklet, this is NOT the Simon Belmont of NES Castlevania fame. This is a new member, and he packs the advanced skills to make quite a case for this. Simon must enter Count Dracula's castle to once again rid the land of this vampiric threat.
Castlevania never looked so good. The first level depicts rotting stables and ancient courtyard, and some effects like when Simon travels behind a gate (with complementing crawling ivy) show the true processing power of the Super Nintendo. Belmont moves fluidly and there are nice new touches added to the enemies (such as the writhing snake hair of the classic Medusa Heads). Konami manages to improve on the breathtaking graphics of Castlevania 3.
The music has a lot going for it. There are nice new tracks, such as the creeping beats of the second level and the spooky tribal drums of Frankenstein's dungeon. There are also a few stages that feature nicely remixed classic tunes from the first three Castlevanias. The sound effects are also crisp and accurate, such as the gurgling water that Simon wades through in the latter part of the second level.
Castlevania features the best control of any of the games in the series. Simon can whip in eight different directions, including straight up and down and diagonal angles. In addition, he can dangle and swing his whip around if you press and hold the attack button. Simon may now also move in the air while jumping, a vital addition to the strategy of tackling the stages. Also, you may jump onto stairs if you hold up after you have begun your jump. These last two features were the main griping points about the control in the NES games, so it is nice that Konami remedied this on the SNES. Also, special weapons are activated by the R button, which after you get used to it seems more natural that the traditional ''Up + B'' command. This game is well-suited to the Super Nintendo's superlative controller.
The gameplay receives a tremendous boost due to the aforementioned control innovations. The branching paths and spirit helpers of the third game in the series are gone, but the more straightforward approach suits this game. The action is the fastest it has ever been, and the Boss enemies don't usually go down easy (excusing the first two, of course). In fact, there are a few levels in which Konami wisely plays with the Castlevania traditional level construction. Certain levels have TWO bosses, while others have none. Still others continue after you defeat the Boss, throwing you a strategic curveball. Now you cannot throw yourself at will at the Boss, aware that your energy will be returned at the end of the battle. There may still be a few legs of the stage left. This is a nice feature that breaks up the fact that this is more of the same Castlevania action that has already been done three times before on the NES alone.
(N/A)...This is the first and only Castlevania that I have played in which I feel that I must disregard the story category. The plot is transparently unoriginal, but the game was constructed as a thrilling action experience, so this doesn't hurt the score by much.
Replay Value
Leave the game on at the ending screen, trust me. I don't want to spoil anything more than that, but my score should speak for itself.
Average (8/10)...Castlevania is getting old...but each game in the series is superbly done. This is Castlevania as it was meant to be played- fast-paced and screaming of production values.
Rating: 4.0 - Great
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WIMBLEDON, England - Getting through her Wimbledon semifinal was easier for Agnieszka Radwanska than getting through the post-match news conference.
Radwanska reached her first Grand Slam final by outplaying Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-4 at the All England Club then succumbed to a coughing fit on the podium in the interview room that forced her to cut short the line of questioning from reporters.
Before that, though, her tennis had done all the talking she needed. Radwanska used her consistent groundstrokes to wear down Kerber in the long rallies, finishing with only six unforced errors.
She became the first Polish Grand Slam finalist since 1939, and can take over the No. 1 ranking by beating Serena Williams in the final.
Radwanska says "this tournament is already one of the big parts of tennis history in Poland. I'm happy to be part of that."
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Tag Archives: new york city homes
A Manhattan home with a garage (sort of)
It's not every day you find a house with a garage in Manhattan, but there is one located in the West Village. The five-bedroom town house at 230 West 10th Street has been on the market since 2009, dropping about … Continue reading
A mansion with a view
With rents soaring and home prices falling in New York City, now is the time to buy an unattainable home. This one is a rare find – a corner mansion on Riverside Drive…. It is perfectly positioned on one of … Continue reading
The Sloane mansion
Back in 2008 when we were all richer than rich, at least in our imaginations, the Sloane mansion went on the market for a mere $64-million dollars. The small price to pay for one of New York City's most prized … Continue reading
Making music on West 69th
Yet another home is for sale on West 69th Street. This street is calling out to me because it's just a couple of blocks from work. And this house is five million cheaper than the last one on this street … Continue reading
Triplex Penthouse in SoHo
After spending the last few weeks looking at historic and famously owned homes, I decided to take a gander at the City's housing in the sky. My search landed me in SoHo, where I discovered what the realtor calls "a … Continue reading


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Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Useless Observations
7 comments:
- Jen Vallette said...
Interesting. No clue on this one. Maybe ethnicity? But...Isn't it weird that we even notice or care? Sorry but I'm super sensitive to all this crap lately as I'm watching my 35 year old BF get Botox when she doesn't need too and another friend obsess over her looks and weight. Back to my original rant this week- STOP THE MADDNESS of brain-washing and advertising busllshit!! I just keep thinking how much of our lives are wasted worrying and feeling bad about how we look when mostly we look fucking great! We're gonna be in our 80's looking back at our 30's and 40's and remember all the shit we didn't do or enjoy because we felt fat or wrinkled or whatever. I don't want to be like that or end up feeling like that. Ok! Rant over!! Love ya!!!
- May 29, 2013 at 4:15 PM
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- May 29, 2013 at 7:35 PM
- kathy @ vodka and soda said...
some people are prone to cellulite but it's surprising to see it at such a young age.
- May 30, 2013 at 7:42 AM
- Trissta said...
Ok, so here's my little opinion on this one. My thinking is that it has to do with the fact that many kids any more aren't being exposed to the same things as other kids... i.e. some kids sit in the house all day and don't get a decent amount of sun exposure or activity in during the day, while others are often inside playing video games and or watching tv. There are plenty of tiny kids who have great metabolism, but aren't getting enough of the natural stuff that we all need, thus, I believe that is what is causing this. I know that the only part of my body that I have cellulite on is the only part (my butt/upper thighs) that doesn't get regular sun exposure. Coincidence? Maybe, but to me, I think they're a pretty damn close relation. IDK though, they say if you can't tone it, then tan it. Maybe by having a tan/sun exposure, it masks cellulite rather than getting rid of it. Who knows though, maybe someone will turn this into a research project.
Much Love,
- May 30, 2013 at 1:40 PM
- Kathryn said...
While everything I have read indicates it is genetic, I have to agree with Trissta that I think a large part is kids sitting on their butts inside all day and their diet as cellulite is just clumps of fat pushed into connective tissue.
- June 1, 2013 at 12:36 PM
- sohbet said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- June 4, 2013 at 6:36 AM
- Lorena said...
Your nieces DO HAVE ABS!
I was at a kids b day party and noticed this too, that small girls had cellulite - i thought it was odd too.
I havea friend who is ultra thin and works out like a maniac and still has cellulite, after seeing that I don't even bother to give it a try.
- June 4, 2013 at 12:46 PM


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OSI Conformance Testing Methodology and TTCN
Bernd Baumgarten , Alfred Giessler
Editura: North-Holland
An overview and a critical review of the Conformance Testing Methodology and Framework is provided by this book. This standard, ISO/IEC 9646, describes a methodology for testing implementations of Open System Interconnection OSI specifications. It is widely used by protocol and profile specifiers to help them specify their conformance requirements unambiguously and to provide proformas for suppliers to fill in to clarify which capabilities their products support, The standard is also used by test specifiers to define how to specify OSI conformance tests and to give guidance to test system developers. Further, it is used by test laboratories and the relevant accreditation bodies to define how an OSI test service should be operated. Finally, it is used by other testing methodology specifiers to serve as a guide on how to write testing methodology standards. The publication, which will serve as a definitive textbook on the subject, enables readers to understand existing test documents, especially test suites, and aims to assist them in producing their own documents.
- Limba : Engleza
- Cuprins : Introduction. Software Testing. Distributed Systems. Communication Protocols. Standardization Work on Testing Methodology. Interoperability Testing. The OSI Conformance Testing Methodology. OSI Conformance Testing Projects. The Field of the OSI Conformance Testing Methodology. General Concepts. Testing Documents. Abstract Test Methods. Abstract Test Suites. Test Realization. The Conformance Assessment Process. TTCN - The Static Parts. Conventional TTCN and Concurrent TTCN. TTCN.GR and TTCN.MP. TTCN Test Suites. Definitions and Declarations. Constraints. TTCN - Behavior Descriptions. Fundamentals of Test Case Behavior Description. Behavior Tables. Psuedo-Events. Event Behavior Lines. Constructs and Defaults. Verdicts. Global Aspects of Test Suite Execution. Questions of TTCN Style. PCO Problems. Test Documents for an Example Protocol. The EXPRO Protocol. EXPRO Test Suite Structure and Test Purposes. The EXPRO PICS. A PIXIT for EXATS. The EXPRO Abstract Test Suite EXATS. Annex A: The BNF Rules for TTCN. Annex B
- Data Publicarii : 11 Nov 1994
- Format : Hardback
- Numar pagini : 340
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My Nonprofit Reviews
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Review for Peaceplayers International, Washington, DC, USA
I am a Turkish-Cypriot from North Cyprus and I have seen what PeacePlayers International has done for my country. By brining children together from divided communities, PeacePlayers is providing hope that peace is possible in my country.
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A woman was hurt after being shot while looking out her bedroom window, according to New Castle County Police.
Police say that around 4:15 a.m. Sunday, the 47-year-old victim was woken up by noises outside her home. When she got up from bed and went to look out the window, she was shot in the arm and leg.
"I try to get up from bed see flash of light and I got shot," the victim said.
Her two children were sleeping on a mattress next to her. They weren't injured in the incident.
The victim was treated at Christiana Hospital and released.
Authorities are searching for four suspects they say were involved in the shooting. Three of the suspects are described as white males. The fourth is unknown.
Police describe the getaway vehicle as a silver or gray four-door Honda.
Authorities do not believe the victim or her family were the intended targets.
If you have any information regarding the incident, police are urging you to call 302-395-8110.


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Reactions to the Irish American Gay, Lesbian &Bisexual Group of Boston during its South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade appearance in 1993. | Getty Images
I remember when the fights started.
It was the early '90s—a time marked by the LGBT community's campaigns that were pushing up against countless cultural boundaries. ACT UP was in full flower around the globe, and it was making headway in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The resulting spin-off of that hard work was a new kind of queer activism that was committed to testing the limits of all cherished institutions. We were out, organized, and empowered—in a very new way and weekly battles against institutions that excluded us were the norm.
At that time, it was not shocking in any way that an LGBT Irish organization would want to march in a St. Patrick's Day Parade. We were breaking down doors all over our culture, and the parades in Boston and New York were going to be the next to tumble…or so we thought.
We were always spoiling for a good fight back then, but did we ever think that this would be a fight that would last for more than 20 years? Taking on a parade sounds easy on the surface but what do you find when you look under the hood of the Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade and check out the lead organizers? Two institutions that were far from welcoming to our admission: a military veterans organization and the Catholic Church.
The resulting fight that has dragged on for two decades has always been a potent mix of our battles to gain admission to the military and acceptance from religion with a good old helping of homophobia. All these years later the participants show no signs of losing their ferocity. Statements made in the last few weeks against LGBT inclusion in the Parade sound exactly the same at they did when all of this kicked off. But for all of the similarities in the way this fight sounds, is this even the same battle that is was in the early '90s?
Here we are, 20 years later, and this has warmed up again thanks to an ally, the new Mayor of Boston, Martin Walsh. To his credit, Walsh has refused to participate in the Parade until the organizers drop their long-standing ban on LGBT groups. He's gone so far as work to broker a still shaky deal to allow a marching contingent of gay veterans from MassEquality, the statewide rights organization.
Twenty years ago, when this fight began, I was more of a hot-headed activist than I am today. I was ready to take to the streets at a moments notice with a sign, a T-shirt, and my Doc Martens at the slightest hint of anything homophobic. Now, I find it hard to take those who are expending so much energy and bile seriously. Both of the institutions behind the groups who assemble the Parade have changed for the better in the interceding two decades. After the Supreme Court struck down "don't ask, don't tell," it was only a very short time before gay marriages started happening at West Point. The new Rolling Stone-approved pontiff continued his softening stance toward the LGBT community, most recently by suggesting the Vatican might just be fine with civil unions for same-sex couples.
Even my sometimes-conservative Irish Catholic hometown of Holyoke, Mass.—a city that is as defined by its St. Patrick's Day Parade (second largest in the country!) as it is by anything else—is looking at making its Parade route the inclusive one by inviting an LGBT group to march this year. To hammer the point home about what a welcoming parade looks like, openly gay Mayor Alex Morse has extended invitations to Walsh and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to come join him, and the high school GSA will also be marching.
Very soon—probably in less than 20 years—the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council that organizes the Boston Parade will have gay and lesbian veterans as members. The members of the Catholic clergy who rail against homosexuals in the Parade will have to face up to the fact their their new boss has a very, very different way of thinking on this matter.
Ultimately, as time marches on, the face of the Parade and those who make it happen every year will change and this pitched battle will finally end.
Michael Kusek is a public relations and communications consultant. He lives in Northampton, Mass.


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Adding spur to S&W hammer?
View Single Post
May 30, 2012, 02:09 PM
Senior Member
Join Date: November 14, 1999
Posts: 1,573
Adding spur to S&W hammer?
I was wondering if anyone has ever added a spur to a hammer. On the S&W 6906, the hammer is perfectly flush with the back of the slide when it is de-cocked, so there is no way to get to single action without pulling on the double action trigger (either to fire a shot, or to use the trigger to get the hammer back far enough that you can cock it manually ... the latter is NOT a good idea, I know!). On many of the other S&W models (e.g. 1076) as well as the bobbed hammer HK-USPs that are DA/SA like the 6906, the hammer protrudes roughly a tenth of an inch so that you can manually take it to SA safely if that is desired and I'd like to have the 6906 be the same.
I'd love to hear if (and how) people have done this mod ... if they have.
Thanks in advance,
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MELBOURNE BEACH, FL (April 8, 2007) — Nine years after introducing the Indo Board to the surf industry, the company's exponential growth has propelled it into mainstream P.E. classrooms in schools across the country. Hunter Joslin, creator of the Indo Board, along with a team of education professionals, recently developed a unique instructional program for grades K through college, called the Indo Board Curriculum Guide and Lesson Plan. Available in both booklet form and on DVD, the Curriculum adheres to all of the National Standards for Physical Education. The new program combines the fun of surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding with the physical benefits of core conditioning, making it the perfect tool to get all students excited about fitness.
"I've talked with several high school P.E. teachers, coaches and athletic directors, who commented how 40% to 60% of their students have no desire to participate in traditional P.E due to their interest being in alternative sports, so it's hard to motivate them," said Joslin. "With the Indo Board, they can have a surf, skate, or snow experience with a huge fun factor, while getting the valuable exercise kids need."
The Indo Board first gained popularity in action sports, but today, athletes from more than 40 countries worldwide participating in a broad cross section of activities—football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, running, wrestling, swimming, gymnastics, soccer, hockey, climbing, martial arts—currently utilize it in their fitness and training routines. You'll also find the Indo Board at the U.S. Olympic Training Centers, where our country's top athletes use them to develop core stability and as a key part of injury prevention and rehabilitation.
While the Indo Board offers a broad range of physical benefits, the primary attribute is development of core stability and balance. The Indo Board activates and strengthens abdominal muscles, which form the basis of good balance and core stability. "Today, core stability is an essential element in all athletic training and fitness programs," said Joslin. "If you have a solid foundation of core fitness, you can excel in any physical pursuit. Although you'll hear the term "core" used as a buzzword in many different training programs, core fitness is not a fad. It's a realization that has changed the course of athletic awareness. Ten years ago, few talked about core stability, but now every major fitness regimen focuses on developing a sound foundation of core strength to build upon."
Unlike traditional P.E. programs concentrating on team sports, the Indo Board Curriculum Guide focuses on the individual, allowing students to progress comfortably at their own pace. Moreover, because it simulates the experience of action sports, students who try the Indo Board become instantly hooked by how fun it is, motivating them to continue a regular fitness activity.
Annie Kim, a sophomore at Ballard High School in Kentucky, recently bought an Indo Board, and during her first session, she became enamored with it: "After 15 minutes, my brother, sister, and I had all gotten the hang of it and could roll back and forth skillfully. For the next four weeks, the Indo Board was all I could think about doing when I got home from school. It became an exhilarating obsession."
Leighton Nakamoto, a P.E. teacher at Samuel Enoka Kalama Intermediate School in Hawaii, found his kids experienced exactly the same obsession as Kim after purchasing an Indo Board and allowing students to try it. This led him to obtain a larger quantity of boards to begin incorporating them as part of his regular P.E. program. "The Indo Board was so well-received by my students, I approached the administration to further my purchase of additional boards," said Nakamoto. "The coolest part is seeing those non-athletes having a great time, learning about core stability, and actually asking to do it more often."
The Indo Board became such a sensation, Nakamoto and Joslin, along with education specialists like Dr. Julienne K. Maeda, a Ph.D. at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, decided to develop the Curriculum Guide. So far, the program is garnering incredible feedback from students, teachers, and parents.
"Kalama's P.E. department seems to be at the forefront of New P.E., as they continue to provide students with innovative, new tech, kid-friendly programs, which encourage all kids, no matter what skill level, to participate in some kind of exercise," said Nancy Findeisen, the PTSA President at Kalama. "Every child I meet who is, or has been, a part of our P.E. programs actually wants to participate in some sort of exercise which shows a sense of confidence and trust in the P.E. department."
Joslin debuted the Indo Board Curriculum Guide at the March 2007 American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) convention in Baltimore. Numerous teachers, including Deb Walter, the 2007 National Secondary P.E. Teacher of the Year, picked up the Curriculum Guide and Indo Board to use in their classes. "My kids have gone crazy with my board—I can't keep them off it," Walter said. "I've written a grant for $1500.00, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed I'll be able to purchase a class set for my kids. As the 2007 National Secondary P.E. Teacher of the Year, I'll be talking about this innovative product and how I'll be incorporating it into my adventure physical education classes."
In addition to the health benefits, the Indo Board's non-intimidating and easy-to-use design also develops a student's self-confidence, boosting valuable self-esteem important in all areas of life, not just sports and fitness. Curt Okimoto, a Health and P.E. Specialist in Hawaii's Department of Education, is a key supporter of the Indo Board in Hawaii's school system, and he believes this to be the ultimate benefit.
"Most importantly, when students can get on the Indo Board, balance themselves, and actually do several tricks, it gives them a sense of accomplishment and builds their self-esteem," said Okimoto. "This is definitely moving our schools toward the New P.E., where we level the playing field to give all kids something they can participate and succeed in."
For further information or to purchase the Indo Board Curriculum Guide & Lesson Plan Booklet and DVD, visit www.indoboard.com or contact Hunter Joslin at 321-777-6021 email: firstname.lastname@example.com.