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Stone tribute to tragic Halesowen teenager Christina Edkins
A memorial stone has been unveiled in memory of a teenage girl stabbed as she travelled to school on a bus.
Family and friends of 16-year-old Halesowen schoolgirl Christina Edkins were joined by well-wishers for the ceremony which took place on Saturday.
The stone has been placed just yards from where the Leasowes High School pupil was killed along Hagley Road in Birmingham on March 7.
It is circular stone with a picture of Christina at the top and a dedication beneath.
It reads: 'This memorial stone is dedicated to the memory of Christina Joan Edkins, a beautiful princess forever in our hearts.'
Roses were laid during the unveiling ceremony and colourful balloons were released by her family and friends.
They watched as the balloons coloured purple, yellow and orange soared into the sky during the ceremony.
Christina's great-uncle Chris Melia, speaking on behalf of her family in Birmingham, said the memorial would be a lasting tribute to the teenager.
Philip Simelane, 23, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Christina on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He was sentenced to an indeterminate hospital order.
Christina was stabbed while on the top deck on a number nine bus as it travelled along the Hagley Road in March.
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Expectant mom Ciara arrived at the 2014 MusiCares Person Of The Year Gala wearing a Lanvin Fall 2014 Menswear Navy Blue Pinstripe Suit:
Her look was seen on the runway with a funky sweater, printed shirt, and matching tie.
Hot! I love Ciara in just about anything from a menswear collection. She's also wearing her pregnancy spectacularly well.
What do you think? Hot! or Hmm…
Also at the event:
Thoughts on their looks?
Images: Getty

subset: commoncrawl


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Detail Information
- Assessment of calvarial structure motion by MRIWilliam T Crow
The Osteopathic Research Center, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth Texas 76107 USA
Osteopath Med Prim Care 3:8. 2009..The present study utilized magnetic resonance imagery (MRI) technology to address the question of whether or not inherent (non-operator initiated) calvarial structure motion can be assessed...
- Estimating cost of care for patients with acute low back pain: a retrospective review of patient recordsWilliam Thomas Crow
Family Practice and Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine, Florida Hospital East Orlando, 7975 Lake Underhill Road, Orlando, FL 32822 8204, USA
J Am Osteopath Assoc 109:229-33. 2009..Low back pain (LBP) has a major economic impact in the United States, with total costs related to this condition exceeding $100 billion per year...


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Turron Davenport of Press Coverage Sports is back with another guest post. This time he takes a look at the Alex Smith situation.[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he 49ers have a decision on their hands. Alex Smith is set to earn a pretty large amount of money that is too much for a backup quarterback. The name that one of my favorite people to talk football with Brad Smith aka @TheDeepDig applies now more than ever. He aptly coined the nickname "Chapter 11" years ago as we constantly debated about Alex Smith. He was the quarterback for the 49ers two years when they reached the NFC Championship. He was also the quarterback for half of the past season which resulted in a Super Bowl appearance.
There are different schools of thought when it comes to what the future for Alex Smith should be.
Some feel that Alex Smith "deserves" to be treated better and that he should have never lost his job due to an injury. I wonder if those same people feel the same about the Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe situation. After all, Bledsoe took the Patriots to the Super Bowl in 1996 and was a major reason why they made it there. Alex was quick to share the story of how he became a starter at the University of Utah. He took over for Brett Elliott who was injured and never got his job back either.
Jim Harbaugh did an excellent job of working with Smith as a player. He took advantage of his athleticism by having him run sweeps such as the 25 yard touchdown run during the Saints playoff game. He also installed a high percentage passing offense which highlighted Smith's ability to almost always take what the defense gives him (check downs). Many people point to the Cardinals game as an example that he can play at a high level. Yes, Alex Smith did manage to have a near record-breaking performance, however if you look closely you will see that Alex Smith did complete 18 out of 19 passes and none of them traveled over twenty yards.
If Alex Smith is brought back next year he will be making $7.5 million. He is scheduled to receive a roster bonus of $2 – $3 million soon. The 49ers are approximately $2.5 million under the salary cap. They have very little room to retain a backup player that makes so much money. The other teams in the NFL are aware of this. One of the teams that have a need at quarterback also happens to have a Head Coach that reportedly thinks highly of Alex. The problem with the Chiefs is they hold a very high pick in each round so their draft picks hold a very high value. Sal Paolantonio of ESPN was on SiriusXMNFL Radio recently and he said that the 49ers would be likely to ask the Chiefs for their 2nd round pick in exchange for Alex Smith. It is very unlikely that the Chiefs trade the 33rd overall selection to the 49ers. Another ESPN reporter, Chris Mortensen actually reported that the trade market for Alex Smith is cold.
Two other possible destinations for Alex Smith are the Browns and the Jets. The Browns just drafted Brandon Weeden in the first round last year. However, prior to Jim Harbaugh, Norv Turner (Browns' new offensive coordinator) was the only coach to have been able to actually get some production from Smith. The Jets are stuck with Mark Sanchez and his high cap number so it is not likely that they can afford another higher priced quarterback on their roster. Unfortunately for the 49ers, the best destination for Alex Smith is the Arizona Cardinals.
This year's quarterback draft class is not the most impressive one. Geno Smith has emerged as the top prospect. Matt Barkley is a prospect that saw his stock fall after he didn't have a stellar senior season. The list of free agent quarterbacks isn't too great either. These are two factors that should increase Alex Smith's value.
Alex Smith is a very well – liked player in the NFL. The way he handled the demotion during the season should bode well for him with his possible future suitors. In the right situation he can be a pretty effective quarterback. The problem is that he will never be that box score quarterback that so many people focus on in this fantasy football statistical era. He is not the gun slinging quarterback that a coach depends upon to throw the ball 30 -40 times a game. He needs to be in a ball control style offense.
It would be good for the 49ers to acquire another draft pick for a player that they are likely to release. They have 14 picks already and could package a few picks to move up in the draft. It would also be for the 49ers to release Alex Smith because this will open up some cap room. That being said, at this point coming back to the 49ers as a backup quarterback is an option that should not be ruled out. It will be very interesting seeing how this saga will play out.
Follow Turron on Twitter: @TDavenport88


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HIRE Act Just Passed The House
Today, the House passed H.R. 2847, the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act. The provisions of this bipartisan bill will create and save hundreds of thousands of jobs this year. The HIRE Act includes:
A payroll tax holiday for businesses that hire unemployed workers, to create some 300,000 jobs and an income tax credit of $1,000 for businesses that retain these employees.
Tax cuts to spur new investment by small businesses to help them expand and hire more workers
Passing this measure now is critical to getting more Georgians back to work. More action will soon be taken on additional job creating measures.
Source: http://davidscott.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=174755


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Sources: UCLA's Adams to enter draft after all
Jordan Adams has decided to enter the 2014 NBA draft after all, according to league sources.
One week after meeting with his coaches at UCLA and telling them he would remain in school, Adams informed them he has changed his mind.
The 6-foot-5 Adams, who averaged 17.4 points per game last season, becomes the third member of the Bruins to declare for this year's draft, joining point guard Kyle Anderson and reserve guard Zach LaVine.
The Bruins return Norman Powell, Bryce Alford and Tony Parker, and will add Isaac Hamilton and three Top 100 big men: Kevon Looney, Thomas Welsh and Jonah Bolden.
Information from ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman was used in this report.
Chris Broussard | email
NBA analyst
- Senior Writer for ESPN The Magazine
- Formerly at the New York Times, 1998-2004
- Covering the NBA since 1995
Article source: http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/10847174/jordan-adams-ucla-bruins-changes-mind-enter-2014-nba-draft


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We wish to express our gratitude to all our official product sponsors for supporting the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. If your name appears on this list without a link to your web site, please be sure to as soon as possible so we can send some of our visitors your way.
Corporate sponsors have played an intricate role in the development of Balloon Fiesta® and have helped it to become the largest ballooning event in the world. While supporting Balloon Fiesta, corporate sponsors strengthen their own corporate image while promoting their brand identity. Balloon Fiesta offers sponsorships at different levels, which include corporate balloon sponsorships all the way up to complete packages that provide corporate hospitality tents, a full-page ad in the official Balloon Fiesta program and sponsorship of a balloon.
For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact:
Laurie Riedle
(505) 821-1000
(888) 422-7277
(505) 263-8804
Stephanie Prendergast
(505) 821-1000
(888) 422-7277
(505) 553-4434


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Stokes' Verdict
H. J. Wehman, Song Publisher, 50 Chatham St., N. Y.
Stokes' Verdict
If you'll listen a while, I'll sing you a song
About this "glorious land of the free,"
And the "difference" I'll show 'twixt the rich and the poor.
In a "trial by jury," you see—
If you've plenty of "stamps," you can hold up your head,
And walk out from your own prison door:
But they'll hang you up high, if you've no friends or gold—
Let the "rich" go, but hang up the poor!
In the trials for murder we've had now-a-days,
The rich ones get off swift and sure,
While they've thousands to pay to the jury and Judge:
You can bet they'll go back on the poor!
Let me speak of a man who's now dead in his grave—
A good man as ever was born—
Jim Fisk he was called, and his money he gave
To the outcast, the poor and forlorn:
We all know he loved both women and wine,
But his heart it was right I am sure:
Though he lived like a "Prince" in a palace so fine,
Yet he never went back on the poor!
If a man was in trouble, Fisk helped him along
To drive the "grim wolf" from the door:
He strove to do right, though he may have done wrong,
But he never went back on the poor!
Jim Fisk was a man who wore his "his heart on his sleeve,"
No matter what people would say;
And he did all his deeds (both the good and the bad)
In the broad open light of the day.
With his grand "six-in-hand," on the beach at Long Branch,
He cut a "big dash," to be sure,
But "Chicago's great fire" showed the world that Jim Fisk,
With his "wealth," still remembered the poor!
When the telegram came that the homeless, that night,
Were starving to death, slow but sure,
His "Lightning Express," manned by noble Jim Fisk,
Flew to feed all her hungry and poor!
Now, what do you think of this "trial" of Stokes,
Who murdered this friend of the poor?
When such men get free, is there any one safe
If they step from outside their own door?
Is there one law for the poor, and one for the rich?
It seems so—at least so I say—
If they hang up the poor, why—damn it—the rich
Ought to swing up the very same way!
Don't show any favor to friend or to foe,
The beggar or prince at his door:
The big millionaire you must hang up also,
But never go back on the poor!
Oh! shame on this "land of the free and brave,"
When such sights as this meet our eye!
The poor in their prisons are treated like slaves,
While the rich in their cells they live high.
A poor devil, "crazy with drink," they will hang
For a murder he didn't intend:
But a wealthy assassin, with "political friends,"
Gets off: for, he's money to spend!
But if things go on this way, we'll stand it no more:
The people will rise up in bands;
A Vigilance Committee we'll raise on our shore,
And take the law in our own hands!


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Guest Article
(From the April 16, 2007 issue of Deloitte's Washington Bulletin, a periodic update of legal and regulatory developments relating to Employee Benefits.)
IRS Issues Final 409A Regulations
The Internal Revenue Service released final regulations under IRC § 409A on April 10, 2007. These regulations implement the rules for unfunded, nonqualified deferred compensation plans that were enacted as part of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. The statute generally applies to deferred compensation accrued or vested after December 31, 2004. The regulations become effective as of January 1, 2008. During the interim, taxpayers must operate in good faith compliance with the statute and Notice 2005-1. Compliance with either the proposed or final regulations is not required, but constitutes good faith compliance. The preamble to the final regulations and previous IRS guidance address the meaning of "good faith compliance" and a number of transitional issues.
The basic elements of IRC § 409A are rules governing elective deferrals of compensation, the form and timing of distributions, and the use of rabbi trusts as funding vehicles. If a deferred compensation plan complies with all of the applicable requirements, its tax treatment is the same as in the past: The deferred amounts are taxed on actual or constructive receipt if the services are performed for a taxable entity (see Revenue Ruling 60-31) or upon vesting if the service recipient is tax-exempt (see IRC § 457(f)). However, if the plan does not comply in form or operation, deferrals are included in taxable income immediately and an additional tax of 20 percent and an interest rate tax apply. For years after the initial inclusion, increases in the value of the deferral are similarly taxed.
The regulations define "deferred compensation" very broadly, as any arrangement under which compensation for current services is payable in a later year, then carve out exceptions for many common programs, such as qualified plans, short-term deferrals, stock options, welfare benefits, certain types of separation pay and some foreign plans. This broad definition with specific exemptions means that employers may set up plans that inadvertently do not comply and therefore need to consider the effect of these rules.
It is important to become familiar with the new rules. During the remaining months of 2007, all deferred compensation, stock option, separation pay and similar plans need to be reviewed to determine, first, whether they are subject to IRC § 409A; second, whether they have met the standards for good faith compliance since the beginning of 2005; and, third, how they must be amended to comply in the future.
This article concentrates on the exemptions from IRC § 409A. A future installment will deal with the substantive rules for compliant plans. This discussion is merely an overview. Many exceptions, qualifications and special rules not discussed may affect any particular situation.
Compensation Covered by Other Code Provisions
IRC § 409A does not apply to qualified plans and similar arrangements (section 403(b) plans, section 408(k) simplified employee pensions, section 408(p) SIMPLE plans and section 457(b) eligible deferred compensation plans), incentive stock options, section 423 employee stock purchase plans, property transferred in connection with the performance of services and taxed under IRC § 83, secular trusts (taxable under section 402(b)) or secular annuities (taxable under IRC § 403(c)). A promise to make a future transfer to any such arrangement is, however, a deferred compensation plan subject to IRC § 409A.
Partial Exemption for Section 457(f) Plans
While section 457(b) plans are exempt from IRC § 409A, section 457(f) plans (unfunded deferred compensation plans of tax-exempt organizations) are not. They must comply with both IRC § 457(f) and IRC § 409A. However, because these amounts are taxed when vested under IRC § 457, only earnings credits need to comply with IRC § 409A.
Welfare Benefits
IRC § 409A does not apply to "any bona fide vacation leave, sick leave, compensatory time, disability pay, or death benefit plan". To fall within this exception, death or disability benefits must be payable only upon those events. A distribution upon death or disability under an ordinary deferred compensation plan does not qualify. Also exempt are nontaxable welfare benefits, such as retiree health coverage exempt under IRC § 105(b). However, if health benefits would be taxable (perhaps due to application of the discrimination rules on self-funded plans), amounts would be subject to the rules and currently taxable unless they can comply with the requirements of IRC § 409A.
Short-Term Deferrals
IRC § 409A does not apply to payments made during "the short term deferral period": 2˝ months after the end of the year of the later of the employer's or the employee's taxable year in which amounts accrue or, if later, become vested. This exception is useful in a wide variety of circumstances. For instance, IRC § 409A does not allow distributions of deferred compensation on account of an initial public offering (IPO). However, arrangements to pay such amounts can be designed to vest only upon the occurrence of an IPO with payment within 2˝ months after the end of the year in which vesting occurs. Under this design, amounts will not be paid if an IPO does not occur and employees who leave before an IPO will not receive payment.
The short-term deferral exclusion is available only if the plan specifies that payment will be made within the requisite period or if it specifies no distribution date at all and payment is in fact made by the deadline. Not specifying a distribution date is risky; if the payment is late for any reason, it will violate IRC § 409A unless the delay is due to unforeseeable impracticality or because payment would jeopardize the business as a going concern. On the other hand, specifying the deadline has a noteworthy advantage. Under the regulations' rules regarding time of payment, payment at any time during the year in which the distribution was supposed to be made will be sufficient to avoid the application of IRC § 409A. This result depends on plan specifics regarding the payment date and taxpayers should review annual bonus plans intended to comply with these rules to ensure that the language specifies only one year in which payments can be made. To do this, the plan will need to state that payment may not be made before the beginning of the specified year. For example, if a bonus plan states that bonuses for 2008 will be paid between January 1 and March 15, 2009, they may actually be paid at any time during 2009. If it says only that they will be paid by March 15, 2009, and it is possible that payment might be made before the end of 2008, payment after March 15th will result in an IRC § 409A violation.
Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights
The legislative history of IRC § 409A indicates that it was not intended to apply to stock options. Indeed, applying its distribution rules would destroy one of the key features of an option, namely, the holder's ability to select the time of exercise. To avoid the application of IRC § 409A, an option must --
Stock appreciation rights (SARs) are exempted in accordance with the same principles: The stock used for measuring the value of the SAR must be common stock of the service recipient, the value of the right must be limited to the increase in the fair market value of the stock from the date of grant, and there must be no possibility of further deferral after the SAR is exercised. The key issues, then, are --
Common stock is generally defined in the same manner as under IRC § 305. Any class of common stock may qualify, including stock with a liquidation (but not with a dividend) preference. It therefore will be possible to create special classes of common stock for use only in option grants to employees, as long as the creation of the class is not intended to circumvent these rules. In general, any common stock class must appreciate or depreciate in value with the value of the service recipient's enterprise.
The service recipient includes both the entity to which services are rendered directly and all entities above it in a chain of controlled entitles. The standard of "control" for this purpose is 50 percent, relaxed to 20 percent if there are "legitimate business criteria" for granting particular individual options on the less-than-50 percent controlling entity's stock. Business criteria must be evaluated case-by-case, with the principal consideration being the existence of a nexus between the issuer of the stock and the recipient of the option. Note that options on stock of a subsidiary or brother sister corporation of the service recipient do not qualify for exemption from IRC § 409A.
For stock that is readily tradable on an established securities market, fair market value is the current price. More specifically, the value may be "based upon the last sale before or the first sale after the grant, the closing price on the trading day before or the trading day of the grant, the arithmetic mean of the high and low prices on the trading day before or the trading day of the grant, or any other reasonable method using actual transactions in such stock as reported by such market". In lieu of using the price on a single day, prices may be averaged over a period of up to 30 days before or after the date of grant, except that the employer must be irrevocably bound to grant the option before the averaging period begins. An exception applies if foreign law requires that compensatory options be priced using a specific averaging period, as long as that period does not exceed 30 days.
The value of nonpublic stock must be determined "by the reasonable application of a reasonable valuation method" based on facts and circumstances. An independent appraisal is not required. In addition, the stock price can be fixed by a formula generally applied to all transactions in the stock (with some exceptions). In the case of illiquid stock of a corporation that has been in business for less than ten years, has no publicly traded class of stock, and does not anticipate a change of control within 90 days or an initial public offering within 180 days, a valuation performed by someone reasonably qualified by reason of "significant knowledge, experience, education, or training" can be used.
While the final regulations do not adopt the good faith standard applicable to incentive stock, in many cases reasonable application of a reasonable method will have the same result. Note, that the valuation method and not the value is what is being evaluated to determine if the exercise price reflects the fair market value of the stock on the date of grant. That said, it is conceivable that a company that simultaneously issues ISOs and nonqualified options could discover that the exercise price of the ISOs is defensible as having been made in good faith, while the nonqualified options are subject to IRC § 409A, because the valuation method was determined not to be reasonable or was not reasonably applied.
As a general rule, modifying the terms of an option after its issuance is treated as the grant of a new option, which must again meet the standards for exemption from IRC § 409A as of the new grant date. However, the terms of an options whose exercise price is currently above the fair market value of the stock can be changed and, as long as any modified exercise price is not less than the current fair market value of the stock and the other rules exempting stock options from IRC § 409A are met, the options can continue to be exempt. For in-the-money options, only specified changes are allowed. The most important is that the exercise period may be extended, though not beyond the earlier of ten years from the date of grant or the latest expiration date originally permitted under the terms of the plan.
Options may also be modified to reflect stock splits and changes brought about by corporate mergers, acquisitions and split-ups. The rules are generally the same as those for similar modifications to incentive stock options.
Separation Pay
Payments on severance from employment are deferred compensation, but the regulations provide a limited exemption for payments on account of involuntary termination or termination of employment for good reason.
The conditions for an exempt separation pay plan are these:
There are also exemptions for collectively bargained plans and separation payments mandated by foreign law, as well as certain exemptions for taxable expense reimbursements paid after separation from service (e.g., for medical overage, education expenses, outplacement fees, moving expenses including loss on the sale of a residence) and exemptions for certain in-kind benefits (e.g., personal use of corporate vehicles, aircraft or office space). Finally, there is a de minimis exception for separation pay that does not exceed the current IRC § 402(g) limit ($15,500 in 2007).
Foreign Plans
The regulations provide some relief for U.S. citizens or permanent residents who participate in deferred compensation plans established by foreign employers. There is an exclusion for participants in unfunded broad-based foreign retirement plans. The exclusion for U.S. persons applies only if the individuals do not simultaneously participate in a U.S. qualified plan, do not make elective deferrals under the foreign plan, and do not receive contributions or benefits in excess of the maximum amount that IRC § 415 allows for qualified plans.
For non-U.S. persons with U.S. source income, additional exemptions apply. First, income excluded from U.S. taxation by treaty is also excluded from IRC § 409A. Second, if a nonresident alien's deferred compensation would have been exempt from U.S. taxation if paid when earned, it will not subsequently be taxed by IRC § 409A, even if he becomes a U.S. person. (A more limited version of this exemption is available for U.S. expatriates whose deferrals would have been exempt under IRC § 911 if received when they were earned.) Third, de minimis deferrals by nonresident aliens, up to the IRC § 402(g) maximum limit, are exempted from IRC § 409A.
Grandfathered Plans
Finally, benefits that were accrued and vested before January 1, 2005, are exempt from IRC § 409A. The terms of the pre-2005 plans under which they were deferred may be followed, so long as they are not materially modified after October 3, 2004. Earnings credited to grandfathered deferrals are also grandfathered, except in the unlikely event that the right to them did not vest until after 2004.
Benefits are considered vested for purposes of the grandfather rule only if they are not subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture and do not require any performance of future services. The regulations state explicitly that the possibility that a stock option's exercise period will be shortened by termination of employment does not, in itself, prevent it from being vested before 2005.
A prohibited modification is "a plan amendment or the exercise of discretion under the terms of the plan that materially enhances an existing benefit or right or adds a new material benefit or right even if the enhanced or added benefit would be permitted under IRC § 409A. For example, the addition of a right to a payment upon an unforeseeable emergency of an amount earned and vested before January 1, 2005, would be considered a material modification." The elimination of a right is not a material modification. Also specifically permitted are the establishment of a rabbi trust to fund benefits, changes to the method of determining earnings credited under an account balance-type plan, an amendment to allow elections between equivalent forms of annuity (to the extent permitted for plans subject to IRC § 409A), the addition of de minimis cashout features (likewise to the extent permitted by IRC § 409A) and certain other changes. Amendments that inadvertently make a prohibited modification to a grandfathered plan may be freely rescinded during the same taxable year of the service provider, unless they are utilized before the rescission.
Having reviewed what is not within the scope of IRC § 409A, we will, in the next installment, look at the substantive restrictions on plans that do have to comply with the section.
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PopGun Presents
WOLVVES (DJ Set)
evan^patrick, Suā, Ultraviolet Astronomy
Glasslands Gallery
289 Kent Avenue
Brooklyn, NY, 11249
Doors 8:30 PM
This event is 21 and over
Joshua, Elizabeth and Lewis Valleau have been making music separately and in pairs for years, but finally the triplets are united in a mission to take dance music into the darkest of nights.
Combining classical training in piano, guitar, harpsichord, drums, and voice with personal obsessions with synthesizers, drum machines, analogue tape and Live PA, WOLVVES seeks to push the fragile boundaries of dance genres into the psychedelic extremes of harmonic emotion.
WOLVVES are inspired by bells, ghosts, predators, white-knuckled terror, the tears of lost lovers, and the knowledge that "Every moment we are living in someone else's past" - William Gibson.
Their debut EP "Feed the Hand that Bites" is 4 tracks deep, with another 2 due before the Fall.
driving into a flickering neon noir.
layers of guitars and vintage soft synths.
shadowy vocals, reaching
the syncopated pulse of r&b beats.
music for calculated drifting
dystopias after 2am.
all music performed, produced and mixed by evan^patrick.
"This group of New York natives play a prog-rock take on shoegaze, melding complex time-signature shifts with waves of reverb and distortion. While they're definitely devotees of shoegaze legends like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive, suā's songs rise above their influences to become something more relevant in the music landscape. Catch them before they take off."
Under the name Ultraviolet Astronomy, Andrew Ranaudo has released a full length album, U.V.A., and an EP, MVMNT, which celebrate the musician's love of New Wave, electropop, and classical music. UVA's "progressive and extremely melodic shy-pop" and "bucolic electro-pop" bring to mind a weird mixture of OMD, New Order, Saint Etienne, Swell Maps, Stereolab, Young Marble Giants, Spiritualized, Spacemen 3. He's got 4 new tracks coming out this fall.
Tickets Available at the Door
Upcoming Events
Glasslands Gallery
- Sorry, there are currently no upcoming events.


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It seems common knowledge (to any prepubescent girl) that teen heartthrob Zac Efron is extremely self conscious about his image. But the High School Musical star had to recently had to deny gay rumours after he was seen with a distinct powder on his neck, which had proceeded to rub off onto his shirt.
"I lent him my concealer once before my sister's party but I didn't know he used foundation. I find it sexy," said girlfriend and fellow High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens.
The pair were seen leaving a makeup store in Los Angeles, both Efron and Hudgens laden with bags.
Fellow High School Musical cast mate Ashley Tisdale admits "I saw Zac swipe my concealer one day on the set [of High School Musical 2] but I never realised he was that addicted."
Let's just hope he doesn't sign on with Neutrogena!


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I know I've failed to blog about my hair and makeup, and the simple reason is I had no idea what to do about it. Of course, I pinned inspiration, but I just had a vague idea of what I wanted.
I booked my hair and makeup artists a couple months ago. I'll be getting them done at the same place, but I booked my trials for two different days. I had to wait until I had my veil to have my hair trial, and I reserved my makeup trial for the day of our engagement shoot. (Two birds, one stone.) I had both trials last week.
My hair inspiration was very simple. I saw this picture and fell in love.
Photography by Ciara Richardson via Hair and Makeup by Steph
Ariana, my hairstylist (who turned out to be Aunt A, my dad's younger sister's, long-time friend and happens to have known me since I was little) did a fantastic job. I said soft, loose, a little messy and showed her the picture, and she did this to me:
Excuse the bad quality and the odd face—I was very sleepy.
I LOVE it. It's the trial run so she didn't use as much hairspray and used too many bobby pins, just to give me an idea. After I saw the finished product she undid it and sent me home with beautiful soft curls. I'm a bad blogger and didn't get a picture with the veil on, but it looks great. You'll have to take my word for it.
For makeup I have an even vaguer idea. I said earthy tones and I showed her this picture.
Image via The Beauty Consultation
I envy those girls who say they can leave the house without makeup, because I just don't like it, and although I wear very little makeup and in natural colors, I wear it every day. See my natural look above for the before.
So after almost 40 minutes in the chair, I ended up looking like this.
It's a big change from my everyday look; it was my first time getting my makeup done professionally and it took me a second to get used to it, but I love it.
I love how my eyes look and, although I think it looks fantastic in pictures, in person the makeup looked thick. It didn't feel that way, but it looked like I had layers and layers of it. Even Mr. Toadstool commented about it, joking that if he shook me really hard the layers would fall off my face as a mask that I could re-wear the day of the wedding. Nice, babe.
Oh and the lipstick—it lost the shine after an hour, but I had breakfast and lunch and the color was still there, so I'm very pleased about it. I just needed to retouch with some shiny lip gloss and that was it.
Fun, disgusting fact: The fake lashes are "natural," AKA made from human hair. Yuck! The makeup artist told me it was absolutely normal, until I mentioned it felt similar to wearing someone's clipped nails—now she's a bit disgusted too.
Hair and makeup trial: Check! Now I know how I'll look on the big day. (Yeey!)
Did you book hair or makeup without a trial? Did a trial keep you from booking someone for the big day? What did you do to take advantage of the nice makeup the day of your trial?
Related Posts
Wedding Day Hair Combs@ 5:48 pm
The Runway Wedding Hairstyle You Can DIY@ 7:00 pm
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A Guide to Being the Groom@ 5:13 pm


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Hello! My name is Anna Grace Bolland and I'm a teenage, home-schooled author!
Though I'm still selling through Lulu.com, I've moved to the fabulous Createspace.com with the brand new SECOND edition of Pandora's Box and Other Problems with a exclusive novella ONLY AVAILABLE on Createspace in both print and ebook edition (pssst! It's cheaper over there).


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Securities and Exchange Commission Clears Chevron, Unocal to Hold Stockholder Vote
SAN RAMON, Calif., June 29, 2005 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has cleared Chevron Corporation's registration statement for the Unocal transaction, providing the company the ability to have its merger agreement with Unocal Corporation sent to Unocal stockholders for a vote on August 10, 2005.
The SEC has declared effective Chevron's Form S-4 documents and amendments, which were originally filed May 26, 2005. The Form S-4 is a registration statement necessary to issue the shares of Chevron common stock that are part of the merger consideration. The registration statement contains a proxy statement for the special meeting of Unocal stockholders to vote on the merger.
SEC clearance follows the acceptance of consent orders issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on June 10, 2005 outlining the conditions under which the FTC will allow the transaction to proceed. The FTC consent orders are subject to a 30-day public comment period. With the SEC's clearance and FTC approval, there are no other U.S. regulatory requirements that would prevent the consummation of the merger if the transaction is approved by Unocal's stockholders.
"The successful completion of U.S. regulatory requirements demonstrates that our transaction can be brought to a quick and successful conclusion," said David J. O'Reilly, chairman and chief executive officer of Chevron. "The Chevron-Unocal agreement presents a compelling, long-term investment opportunity for stockholders. Chevron has a proven track record of creating stockholder value from past mergers and acquisitions."
To enable the vote to proceed, Unocal has set June 29, 2005 as its stockholder record date. Unocal stockholders will vote on the transaction at a special meeting held by Unocal's board of directors.
Chevron Corporation is one of the world's leading energy companies. With more than 47,000 employees, Chevron subsidiaries conduct business in approximately 180 countries around the world, producing and transporting crude oil and natural gas, and refining, marketing and distributing fuels and other energy products. Chevron is based in San Ramon, Calif. More information on Chevron is available at www.chevron.com.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
Chevron has filed a Form S-4, Unocal will file a proxy statement and both companies will file other relevant documents concerning the proposed merger transaction with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE FORM S-4, PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. You may obtain the documents at the Web site maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, you may obtain documents filed with the SEC by Chevron by contacting Chevron Comptroller's Department, 6001 Bollinger Canyon Road – A3201, San Ramon, CA 94583-2324. You may obtain documents filed with the SEC by Unocal by contacting Unocal Stockholder Services at (800) 252-2233, 2141 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 4000, El Segundo, CA 90245.
Interest of Certain Persons in the Merger
Chevron, Unocal, and their respective directors and executive officers, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Unocal's stockholders in connection with the merger. Information about the directors and executive officers of Chevron and their ownership of Chevron stock is set forth in the proxy statement for Chevron's 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Information about the directors and executive officers of Unocal and their ownership of Unocal stock is set forth in the proxy statement for Unocal's 2005 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Investors may obtain additional information regarding the interests of such participants by reading the Form S-4 and proxy statement for the merger.
Investors should read the Form S-4 and proxy statement carefully before making any voting or investment decisions.
Except for the historical and factual information contained herein, the matters set forth in this news release, including statements as to regulatory approvals for the merger, timing expectations to complete the merger and other statements identified by words such as "estimates," "expects," "projects," "plans," and similar expressions are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including required approvals by Unocal stockholders and regulatory agencies of the merger, the satisfaction of other closing conditions contained in the merger agreement and other risk factors relating to our industry as detailed from time to time in each of Chevron's and Unocal's reports filed with the SEC, including each such company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Unless legally required, Chevron undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Updated: June 2005


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Flash Draw Created Feb 18, 2007 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2007 Feriowind.
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hooray sora!!!!!!!!
I love Sora@ hes soo super awesome! keep up the awesome work! *10*
Now if you made his hair blonde you'd have cloud. I really like sora it's sad what he loses at first. I won't spoil it for those who haven't played it. Sorry *10* wish I could give more.
i agree with ceren! this is great!
WoooW good.. *9*


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Obama holds backyard Q&A in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Capping the official-business portion of his three-day, cross-country trip, President Barack Obama took questions from voters in a key battleground state where the unemployment rate is over 10 percent.
But unlike his typical town hall events, held in an arena before thousands, Wednesday's setting was literally down-home in the backyard of a middle-class couple in Ohio. His shirt sleeves rolled up, Obama held court in the comfort of the backyard for almost an hour. Several dozens of voters, most invited by the host couple, sat around the yard at picnic tables and in Adirondack chairs.
Story Continued Below
"Sometimes when you're in Washington, you get caught up in legislative battles and media spin on certain issues, and sometimes you lose touch," Obama told them in his opening remarks. "And obviously what's on a lot of people's minds right now is the economy."
The crowd then respectfully asked the president friendly questions about jobs, health care reform, the housing crisis, Medicare, pensions, financial regulatory reform and Social Security privatization.
"I am adamant that Social Security should not be privatized and will not be privatized as long as I'm president," Obama said, delivering his first and only applause line of the event.
Perhaps caught up in the domestic setting, Obama used a homespun analogy to answer a question about financial regulatory reform. If you buy a toaster, he said, there are consumer protection laws and regulations that guarantee it won't explode in your face.
"But if you buy a mortgage that explodes in your face because you didn't know what was going on, everybody acts like that's your problem," Obama said.
The president took eight questions and, at times, he tailored the answer to his preferred message. Asked about job creation, he talked about education, touting his administration's investment in college programs and student loan reform. "This actually didn't get a lot of attention but we actually completely transformed how the government's student loan program works," Obama said.
Before the backyard town hall, Obama sat around a small kitchen table with his hosts, Joe and Rhonda Weithman, and their two children, 9-year-old Rachel and Josh, her 11-year-old brother. He spoke with the family about their economic hardships.


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Birth and Beyond Los Angeles
Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at 8:00 AM - Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 5:00 PM
Who's Going
San Francisco, California
London, United Kingdom
Florence, Italy
Event Details
Wednesday, September 11 & 25, 2013
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Program Description
This 16-hour workshop provides the evidence, knowledge and skills participants need to confidently support, establish and protect both early mother-infant attachment and breastfeeding in the hospital setting. It will highlight the personal tools necessary to enhance early parent-infant attachment and help families to listen to and understand the language of the newborn. Emphasis will be on honoring the mother's beliefs and choices of infant feeding.
This workshop was adapted from California Department of Public Health's Birth and Beyond California Learner Workshop and updated to meet the staff training objectives required by Baby-Friendly USA™ for hospitals that are on the new 4-D Pathway to Baby-Friendly™ designation.
This workshop is lively and participatory with interactive activities. It is limited to 25 participants.
Following the didactic presentations, participants will be able to:
¨ Define the relationship between Baby-Friendly practices and exclusive breastfeeding;
¨ Create an environment that supports and enhances the newborn's natural capabilities;
¨ Demonstrate the skills necessary to organize care to maximize mother and infant skin-to-skin contact and bonding;
¨ Identify the biologic, nutritional and immunologic properties of breastfeeding and the risks of artificial milk; and
¨ Recognize and discuss solutions to alleviate common barriers to supporting mothers' choice to exclusively breastfeeding.
Genevieve Colvin, IBCLC
Susanna Lutton, MPH, CLE
Karen Peters, MBA, RD, IBCLC
Target Audience
Hospital based nursing staff caring for mothers and babies; nurse educators and lactation specialists responsible for breastfeeding staff education.
Continuing Education Credits
-offered at no additional charge
Nurses: The Community Perinatal Network is an approved provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing. This course offers 15 contact hours of continuing education. CPN's provider number is CEP 14797. Licensee must maintain certificate for a period of four years.
Lactation Consultants: The Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los Angeles is an approved provider by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. CERP (14.5L) application will be submitted.
When & Where
2930 W Imperial Hwy
Wednesday, September 11, 2013 at 8:00 AM - Wednesday, September 25, 2013 at 5:00 PM
Add to my calendar
BreastfeedLA is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of infants and families through education, outreach, and advocacy to promote and support breastfeeding.
Be the first to know about upcoming events!
Sign-up for our newsletter, the Greater Los Angeles Breastfeeding Bee.


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I have an essay due in on the role of the oceans in the global carbon cycle and what i can find on the internet is either too basic or totally baffling.
Someone hit me with the basics and I'll send you some sweets and a miniature bottle of wine.
I have an essay due in on the role of the oceans in the global carbon cycle and what i can find on the internet is either too basic or totally baffling.
Someone hit me with the basics and I'll send you some sweets and a miniature bottle of wine.
I have a carbon cycle....
ever tried books?
Open university do a great range of basic oceanography textbooks
You could always turn up with a painted representaion of your essay and then ask if they can guess what it is yet...
lots of medium-weigth online articles found on google
or libraries are quite good...
subsist on a diet of beans, lentils and Brussel sprouts for two weeks prior to the deadline, on the said deadline attend class wearing nothing but a white t-shirt bearing the legend "a warning from the future" announce that there is a serious unbalance in the status quo, unleash your back doors and then set fire to the pile of everyone else's work. Explain that was a demonstration of the futility of mans belief that knowledge will be the ultimate saviour of the human race.
snap a pencil, leave the classroom in a cloud of thunderous methane and flames.
I guarantee you'll pass.
Don't be so literal in your Google searches. Think about what you're wanting to explore in your essay and go from there.
And don't reference Wikipedia as a good portion of it is unsubstantiated mince.
In fact, why don't you just digest the baffling stuff and offer your own explanation or opinion on it?
Have you used google scholar or google book search?
have you tried going to the literature and actually reading?
start with web of science, try and find a review and go from there
edit found this in seconds. its from nature too
"Climate sensitivity to the carbon cycle modulated by past and future changes in ocean chemistry"
put it into google and it'll give you the pdf.
and this one seems to have been cited a load.
look at the citation list and there will be something there
I though Global did Titanium, rather than Carbon cycles?
OP - are you studying geography at St Andrews by any chance?
Get hold of last sundays Times magazine (still have mine if you struggle) Four or five page article on that very subject!
What level is this for? GCSE? A level? Degree? Phd?
What level is this for? GCSE? A level? Degree? Phd?
If it is for a PhD I will be quite worried to be honest.
I'm worried that it's for a degree!
finbar, yes he is...
google books and scholar got me though 2nd yr stuff rolf...
Oceans are the world's only significant carbon sinks (Tim Flannery, The Weather Makers). If they warm, the solubility of CO2 is reduced so they start releasing it in a positive feedback cycle. And we're double f**ked.
Oh wait, its already happening
This topic has been closed to new replies.


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Middle School starts 1:1 program
With the beginning of the new school year less than a week away, workers at Washington Middle School have been setting up the equipment that will allow students to use Google Chromebooks to enhance classroom instruction.
In the media center, 440 of the micro laptop computers are being prepared for the students. While the program is an extension of the high school's 1:1 program, para-educator and tech coordinator Beth Moravec said that the students wouldn't be allowed to take the computers home with them. She said the students would check out the computers at the beginning of every day and check them back in at the end of the day for charging during non-school hours.
"It is a very exciting time here at the middle school," she said. "The students will receive a Chromebook, which is basically a gateway to the Internet."
The program was created at a cost of $180,000, of which the school district got a $60,000 grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation. Moravec said that education is becoming more technology based and the Washington district hopes to keep its students up to date on the existing technology.
Moravec said that the Internet contains many resources that can be used to aid in the education of students. She said the resources used would go along with the subject being taught in the classrooms. The servers in the school filter out sites that aren't deemed appropriate for children or for use in an educational setting. The program was mirrored from other middle schools, which already have the program in effect, Moravec said. She said that the program is still a work in progress and if there is a situation, such as a student having to be absent for medical reasons for an extended period, the school may be able to allow the student to use the computer at home.
Students will be given an orientation on the first day of school on the care and use of the Chromebooks. Teachers will also teach how to use the books during class.
While students won't be able to take the computers home, if they have a computer at home they will be able to access their work. Moravec said that the students' work will be saved online.
Moravec also said that some discussion is being given to downloading e-books onto the computers as a cost savings instead of having physical textbooks. No decision has been reached on that.


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Colin Moran, Iona Prep alum, slated to go top 10 in baseball draft
When Colin Moran was growing up in Rye, he begged his older brother and his friends to let him play baseball with them.
Now the big boys are eager for Moran to join them. The University of North Carolina third baseman and Iona Prep alum is considered a lock to be among the top 10 players -- and possibly the first overall -- selected in Major League Baseball's first-year player draft, which begins Thursday night.
In his latest mock draft, ESPN's Keith Law has predicted that the Houston Astros will use the first pick on Moran, and few mock drafts have him going lower than seventh -- to the Boston Red Sox. Baseball America projects the Cleveland Indians to select the 6-foot-3, 215-pound lefthander with the fifth pick.
Scouts like Moran's discipline at the plate and his swing, and he's made significant strides on defense, said John Manuel, editor-in-chief of Baseball America.
"The consensus is that he's one of the top five hitters in this draft -- and if he's not one of the top five hitters, he's one of the top 10 hitters," Manuel said. "He's one of the safer bets of the draft because he has performed on a high level at a good college program, and that control of the strike zone -- he has three times as many walks as strikeouts -- that's a good sign."
Manuel added that Moran should reach the majors within a year and a half.
"If you draft him in the top 10 picks, you believe he will not need much time to matriculate in the minor leagues," Manuel said.
Moran, 20, is a junior at North Carolina, which this year has reached the Super Regionals -- college baseball's sweet 16 -- and is the No. 1 overall seed in the postseason tournament.
Moran is hitting .348 with 13 home runs and 86 RBIs. He leads the nation in RBIs, is fifth in runs scored (64) and third in walks (60).
On Tuesday, Moran was named one of three finalists for the Golden Spikes award, presented to the nation's best amateur player.
Moran was unavailable for comment, but his mother, Diane, said he's been doing a good job of handling the pressure of preparing for this week's Super Regionals while the draft looms large.
"Better than his father and I, that's for sure," Diane Moran joked. "He's very steady and very levelheaded, and just wants to get his business done."
She recalled how as a child, her son wanted to play ball with kids four years older and even then he was pushed to be his best. According to Diane Moran, the older kids would tell him, "'If you want to play with us, you have to be as good as us.'"
Diane Moran said her son doesn't have a preference about which team drafts him. "He's just thrilled to have the opportunity to play professionally," she said.
Being a high draft pick means a large payday is in Colin Moran's future. Last season's top five picks received signing bonuses ranging from $3 million to $6 million.
If Colin Moran is indeed the top pick in the draft, he won't even be the first person in his family to achieve the feat. His uncle is Rye native B.J. Surhoff, the top pick in the 1985 draft who enjoyed a 19-year major league career with Milwaukee, Baltimore and Atlanta.
Because of his relationship to Surhoff, Colin Moran spent time in major league locker rooms and meeting star players as a kid.
The hot prospect's genetic link to pro sports doesn't end with Surhoff. His brother, Brian, pitches for the Seattle Mariners' Triple-A affiliate. His uncle, Rich Surhoff, pitched briefly for the Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers. And his late grandfather, Dick Surhoff, played for the Knicks and was a standout pitcher on the U.S. fast-pitch softball team.
Fred Gallo, the longtime baseball coach at Iona Prep who retired after last season, said Colin Moran was always dedicated to improving his game.
"He loves the game obviously, but knows the price to pay to be good at something is you've got to be consumed by it and you have to constantly do it," Gallo said. "That's one of the main reasons he is where he is."


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Banking Salaries: Public Versus Private
April 30, 2014
If you want to make money in banking, become a federal regulator, writes Paul Kupiec, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.
Federal banking regulatory agency compensation, on average, is more than 2.7 times that of private-sector bank employees, and excessive compensation costs are ultimately passed on to bank shareholders and customers.
- In 2012, the average yearly compensation for a bank employee in the United States was $69,266, including bonuses and benefits. The average bank employee salary that year was $49,540, very close to the national average across all jobs of $45,790.
- Employees at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Consumer Financial Protection Board (CFPB), and the Federal Reserve System earned an average total compensation higher than that earned by employees at 99.9 percent of all banks in 2012.
- Prior to the Dodd-Frank Act, the average compensation per employee at the OCC and FDIC was 2.3 times the average compensation of a private-sector banking employee. Today, that figure has risen to more than 2.7.
- In 2012, almost 19 percent of CFPB and OCC employees earned more than $180,000 per year, and 68 percent of employees at the FDIC and CFPB earned more than $100,000 per year.
- In the CFPB, OCC and FDIC, less than 7 percent of employees earned less than $50,000 in 2012, the year that the average bank employee salary was $49,540.
Studies often indicate that federal government workers earn a premium over an equivalent private-sector job. In a recent Congressional Budget Office study, researchers concluded that the average total compensation for government employees was 16 percent higher than in the private sector, though the premium varied depending on education and experience.
President George H. W. Bush signed the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA) in 1989, giving federal banking regulatory agencies authority over their own compensation, without requiring approval of the Office of Personal Management. The idea was that such flexibility would allow banking agencies to attract talent and experienced supervisors. Instead, these agencies have increased the government salary premiums of most of their employees, with the premiums actually highest in the jobs that require little education or experience.
The Federal Reserve does not release its employee compensation data.
Source: Paul H. Kupiec, "The Money In Banking: Comparing Salaries of Bank and Bank Regulatory Employees," American Enterprise Institute, April 22, 2014.
Browse more articles on Economic Issues


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What is an OBW in the quilt world?
Welcome to the Quilting Board!
What is an OBW in the quilt world?
OBW is a One Block Wonder Quilt.
It is sometimes called a hexagon quilt also, because it's made up of six equal triangles. Do a search here on the board and you'll see all kinds of them. There's even a few tutorials on how to do them.
One block wonder.
One Block Wonder is a term coined by Maxine Rosenthal for her quilts, which are made of one fabric only. They can be made from hexagons or octagons (with added corner pieces to make the blocks square). In either case the fabric is layered so that the same motif lines up through all the layers, and then it is cut into triangles of the appropriate size and shape. The result is lots of kaleidoscopes across the quilt. The pattern is quick and fun to do, but you have to select an appropriate fabric. I highly recommend the OBW books.
Wow, that's the best description of a OBW I've ever seen! :thumbup:Originally Posted by dunster
It's one of those things that on my Bucket List! :thumbup:


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I agree with you.
Me too! Thanks for sharing it!
Definitely very pretty!
Let the lights shine!
Thank you for posting this beautiful Christmas scene.
Thanks! This is now my desktop wallpaper. Merry Christmas, everyone!
found the picture on the internet.