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A Small-Cap Dividend Growth Stock With A 4.5% Yield To Consider
Posted by: Jason Fieber (IP Logged)
Date: December 10, 2013 08:35AM
What I've noticed over the last four years of investing is that many of the popular companies that us dividend growth investors focus on tend to be large, established companies. And for good reason! These companies typically have enduring, wide economic moats due to decades of hard work building brands, increasing quality, establishing distribution networks, and selling products to the masses - thereby making sure consumers are intimately familiar with what they sell. Economic moats aren't built overnight, and typically you have to have a large castle to warrant a large moat. This means having high quality products that people are willing to pay a premium for.
However, not all great investment opportunities are with large, established companies with decades of dividend growth. While I would always argue that one is best building the core of their portfolio around companies that fit this profile - companies like Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and The Coca-Cola Company (KO) - I also think once a portfolio is of sufficient size it might make sense to take a little risk on a smaller company with perhaps more growth opportunities.
Many investors point to the law of large numbers as reason enough to look earnestly for opportunities in smaller, more nimble companies. After all, it makes logical sense that it should be easier for a small company to grow faster than a large company. The problem is that small companies typically have different risk profiles. It's obviously much easier for a $500 million company to go bankrupt than it is for a $50 billion company. So as I pointed out above it's important to be aware of this risk and invest accordingly.
Today, I'd like to point out one small company with a solid entry yield and burgeoning dividend growth record that has the potential to one day become a big company.
Orchids Paper Products Company (TIS)
TIS is a paper products manufacturer, including paper towel, napkins and bathroom tissue. It produces products for private-label per its clients specifications, or under its own brand names - including Colortex, My Size, Velvet, Big Mopper and Linen Soft among others. The company was formed in 1998.
TIS mainly sells its products to dollar stores in hopes to catch the value conscious consumer. Whereas TIS doesn't operate under the assumption that its brand names have any particular recognition or strength, it hopes to make up for that in price and value alone.
Hence, TIS has a strong relationship with discount retailers. Dollar General Corp. (DG) and Family Dollar Stores, Inc. (FDO) together account for 62% of the company's sales. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT) is the third largest customer, accounting for approximately 12% of the company's sales in 2012.
Growth has been fairly strong over the last few years. Since 2008, EPS has grown by a compounded annual rate of 10.8%. Net income is up by almost 100% over this time frame, but revenue has grown at a slower pace by only 2.9% annually. TIS continues to operate under a favorable debt structure, with a current debt/equity ratio of only 0.2.
What's especially attractive here for a dividend investor is the current high entry yield at 4.53%. The payout ratio is a bit concerning at 91.5%, but one would hope that growth in underlying operations would allow the growth of the dividend to be sustainable over the long term. The dividend growth has been particularly impressive over the last few years. The company initiated a dividend in 2011, and has grown it from $0.10 per quarter to the current payout of $0.35 per quarter. That's a CAGR of 87% over the last two years. Obviously, we're not looking at a lengthy track record like many of the major companies that make up the bulk of my portfolio, but every record has to start somewhere.
TIS shares are currently trading hands for a P/E ratio of just over 20. That's at the upper range of what I'm usually willing to pay for a stock, but it's a bit interesting here for TIS. What you have is a a small-cap stock trading for the same P/E ratio as many large-cap stocks like PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP), but with theoretically more potential growth due to its small size. It's almost as if it's a growth stock and a value stock all rolled up into one, with a hefty dividend as icing. It's really an interesting play.
I valued shares using a Dividend Discount Model analysis and used a 10% discount with a 7% long-term growth rate, which is comfortably below the EPS growth rate over the last five years. This gives me a fair value on shares of $50. Seeing as how shares are currently trading for just under $31, there appears to be a margin of safety here. However, one must keep in mind that this is a very small company with a relatively short operating history. So the risk is amplified.
Overall, I like what I see with TIS. I can see a spot for a small company like this in my portfolio now that I have a large base of large, strong companies with enduring competitive advantages. Furthermore, I can see the demand for private-label and value priced paper products continuing. No matter your income level, you need to have bathroom tissue. However, the high payout ratio and short operating history gives me pause for now. This is a company I'll continue to watch.
How about you? A fan of small cap-dividend payers like TIS?
Full Disclosure: Long JNJ, KO, WMT, PEP
Thanks for reading.
Photo Credit: Teerapun/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Stocks Discussed: TIS, JNJ, KO, WMT, PEP,
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African-American unemployment is slightly higher now than it was when President Obama first took office four years ago, and remains at roughly twice the national rate at 14 compared to 7.8 percent. Now that the inauguration buzz accompanying the start of the president's second term has diminished, leaders such as NAACP President Ben Jealous and Rev. Jesse Jackson of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition are turning a serious eye towards financial perils in the black community.
In a recent interview on NBC's Meet the Press, Jealous said, "…right now when you look at joblessness in this country… White people in this country are doing a bit better. Black folks are doing a full point worse when to comes to [unemployment].
"[S]o with this president having said to us we need to invest in strategies to lift all boats, now that some boats are clearly more stuck, the question is will Congress join him in getting those boats unstuck, too?" Jealous asked.
Given the apparent deadlock in Congress over economic issues, Rev. Jackson is taking an innovative approach to this problem. Jackson and his Rainbow PUSH Coalition are holding the 16th annual Wall Street Project Economic Summit, kicking off tonight, to focus on creating solutions for black financial advancement that can complement government intervention.
"While our politics are up, and there is a lot of excitement in the air, our economics are down," Rev. Jackson said during a conference call with theGrio. "We have less access to capital, credit and investment. Our communities are still facing devastating signs of redlining in terms of investment and access to credit."
The goal of the Wall Street Project Economic Summit, taking place from the evening of January 30 through February 1 at The Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, is to remove theses obstacles. Through pressuring industry, working politically, and educating the public, Jackson hopes opportunities can be created and accessed that improve the outlook in urban centers.
Guests and honorees of the summit include President Bill Clinton, former New York Governor David Paterson, and legendary music entrepreneur Berry Gordy. In plenary sessions that will begin on the morning of January 31, these leaders and others will tackle challenges as diverse as gun violence, the business of hip-hop, and what can be done to stem the wave of home and church foreclosures.
"There has been a lot of focus on the fiscal cliff, and the debt ceiling," the civil rights leader lamented. Yet, "we are still looking at abounding poverty, racial disparities, violence, and no plans for the development of the undeveloped."
Jackson sees the massive loss of black home ownership during the foreclosure crisis as a central component in the destabilization of black communities. "We have been devastated by the home foreclosures. Our biggest 'small business' has been our home," he said about the recent loss of billions of dollars of African-American wealth. Black-owned car dealerships, funeral homes, banks, insurance companies and other businesses that could have hired local citizens were also lost when the neighborhoods that had supported them dissolved.
For Jackson, it will take the creation of special banks — separate from the system that contributed to the crisis — to make the funds necessary to rebuild urban communities affordable and available.
"We want to talk about building a development bank," he elaborated about this agenda point. "These urban cities are not going to be brought back on conventional rate loans. You can have long-term, low interest loans that develop our infrastructure, and begin to make something happen."
Leaders from government including Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Rep. Charlie Rangel will be in attendance to discuss this among other ideas to pin point ways to create greater economic parity.
And of course, true to the name of the conference, how more African-Americans can gain access to high-level investment instruments such as hedge funds will be an important theme.
While the summit also promises appearances by luminaries of entertainment including Jamie Foxx, gospel group Mary Mary, and Dionne Warwick, the crux of the conference will be how to put black America on a more positive economic path.
Jackson promises to explore the reasons behind the "unevenness in our economy," he concluded. "The lack of economic justice is driving this conference."
To register for the 16th annual Wall Street Economic Summit, visit the event web site, or call (646) 569-5889. The summit will begin this evening, Wednesday, January 30, and continue through February 1, in New York City.
Follow Alexis Garrett Stodghill on theGrio at @lexisb.

subset: commoncrawl


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A major pipeline coming from Iran's southwestern city of Ahvaz [2] has been partially established and it is planned to be completed with the participation of Turkish private companies in order to boost Iran's gas exports to Turkey, Qasemi said on the sidelines of his Sunday meeting with Turkish Minister of Development Cevdet Yilmaz in Tehran.
The contract for the joint project will be finalized by next month, he added.
The Iranian minister noted that in 2012, transactions in the energy sector comprised over USD 12 billion of the USD 22-billion value of Iran-Turkey trade volume. [3]
"Iran is prepared to meet Turkey's needs in oil, gas and petrochemical sectors," he added.
Qasemi pointed to the ample opportunities in Iran's petrochemical industry for Turkey's investment, noting, "There is no limitation for the presence of Turkish companies and investors in Iran."
On Friday, Yilmaz, who is on a visit to Iran, said his country supports the expansion of cooperation with Iran in all areas, in particular in the energy sector and holds a positive view toward the transfer of Iran's gas to Europe via Turkey. Turkey is in dire need of energy and also located on a strategic corridor for the transfer of energy, Yilmaz stressed.
[1] http://www.syndigate.info
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahvaz
[3] http://www.albawaba.com/business/turkey-iran-oil-484715
[4] http://www.presstv.ir


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Stuart Broad senses that a new beginning is under way for him and his England team-mates as they finally free themselves from the hangover of last winter's Ashes whitewash.
Broad (three for 65) and James Anderson (three for 52) had to work especially hard to take six India wickets between them as the tourists closed day three of the third Investec Test on 323 for eight in reply to 569 for seven declared.
But their deserved success, in batting conditions at the Ageas Bowl, is a prime indication to Broad, after some disappointing showings of late, that England are back on track.
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A pep talk with the coach Peter Mooores appears to have done the trick for the pace bowler, who cited the return to form here of captain Alastair Cook and a big hundred from Ian Bell as further evidence that the talent at the core of England's team is firing again.
"I think maybe the [senior] players have put too much pressure on themselves — after what, since the Durham Test [last summer], has been a pretty tough run," he said. "Maybe we got a bit uptight. Before this Test match, Mooresy came to a few of us and said 'just go and express yourself - don't worry about having to take responsibility ... just go and play, like it's your first Test match'. I think that's shone through a little bit."
Cook and Bell, along with another century from new boy Gary Ballance, helped England pile up the runs before the bowlers got to work.
The defensive tactics England were forced to adopt for much of the winter have been hard to shake off for Broad. "It was a bit of leaving the past behind, and just going and expressing yourself," he said. "Personally, I am an attacking cricketer - and maybe [had fallen] into a defensive mind-set. That was the chat I had with Mooresy, and it freed me up a little bit."
The upshot is that England have prospects here of a series-levelling victory. "We're in a great position in this Test match. We hope the wicket, late day four [into] day five will deteriorate a little bit."
Although the off-spinner Moeen AlI picked up two wickets from false shots, Broad insists England profited from their collective discipline and industry. "We created enough pressure throughout the day. I think you saw that with Mo picking up the two wickets he did."
Half-centuries from Mahendra Singh DhonI and Ajinkya Rahane held England up, but Anderson and Broad still put themselves in elite company as only the third pair of pace bowlers to rack up 500 Test wickets in partnership - joining Pakistan's Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram, and West Indies' Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose.
Broad grew up marvelling at their deeds, and said: "To go into the company of Wasim and Waqar and Courtney and Curtly is a huge honour - four heroes of mine growing up. I think it shows the value of partnerships as bowlers ... Jimmy and I are constantly talking, not just out on the field but in nets together."
"Even now, we've played a lot of Test match cricket, I'll still ask Jimmy at the end of an over 'what shall I bowl?'
Rahane fell to neither, instead miscuing a pull at Moeen to midwicket. He said: "I was really disappointed, the way I got out, because I was batting so well. We needed that partnership to go on."
England, meanwhile, may still have the option of enforcing the follow-on - but not if the hard-worked Broad has any say in whether he gets a rest.
"I've not discussed it with Cookie, but if you're asking me it's 100% off limits," he said.


text: Eweek mobile New Security Features Make iOS 10 a More Reliable Business Platform Integration with partners such as Cisco and centrally managed restrictions make iOS 10 a more secure enterprise platform, according to mobile-device management experts. Apple made a big splash at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June with its focus on consumer privacy and its plug for a technology known as differential privacy. While the company's... #apple #security #enterprise Tweet Source: www.eweek.com Read More


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Two pedestrians struck by vehicle
Two juvenile pedestrians were hit by a car just outside the M&H gas station in Hastings around 5 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 3.
According to the state patrol report, the two pedestrians, both 16 years old, crossed Highway 61 going west in an spot with no crosswalk or signal. The vehicle was southbound in the right lane and struck the pedestrians. Witnesses said the juveniles didn't see the vehicle approaching, and the driver said he didn't see them until the last moment.
Both teens were taken to Regions Hospital with minor injuries.


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What are the pros? Dr Seuss Plant
What are the cons? None - Love this plant
I love this plant for all the reasons the other reviewers listed. Great flavor and texture for a hearty green no matter how you prepare it... and I do everything I can think of with it. Soups and stews, saut?ed, braised in everything from beer to orange juice, baked in casseroles, quiches and frittatas. You name it, we've tried it that way and we've loved it. However, one of my favorite things about this plant is the growth habit. It will just keep getting taller and taller as you take leaves off from the bottom. The more you take off the faster it grows skyward until you have a plant with a long knobby woodsy stalk and a crown of black/green leaves that looks like it came from a Dr. Seuss book. We let them keep going until they fall over (usually between 5ft and 6ft tall). I've even beheaded ones that had flowered thinking they were done only to have them start producing new leaves and continue growing for 2 more feet and 20 or 30 more dinners. Alway keep a few going in your yard!
Would you recommend this product to a friend?
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Calendar of events
Practice folding paper into your favorite garden shapes. Daily through October 22, 2017, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Children's Garden. Weather permitting.
Enjoy a delicious breakfast at The Morton Arboretum in the scenic Ginkgo Restaurant! Saturdays & Sundays, 9:00-10:45 a.m.
The exhibit features artifacts from the library's special collection relating to famous plant hunters, and it explores modern conservation efforts by scientists at the Arboretum. Tuesdays-Saturdays, during regular library hours.
Come learn about the gifts that the world's endangered trees give us—and how you can join the Arboretum in saving them. Daily, 7:00 a.m. - sunset
Enjoy creative, unstructured outdoor play spaces, Mud Kitchen near Parking Lot 20 and Word Garden near Parking Lot 13. Daily, weather permitting, 7:00 a.m. to sunset
Beginning April 24, 2017 hop on the Acorn Express tram for a tour of our 1,700 acres of blooming beauty (weather permitting) narrated by one of our expert guides. Call 630-968-0074 for times and pricing.
Kids, enjoy games and crafts. Costumes encouraged. Saturday, September 30, weekends in October and Columbus day at The Morton Arboretum. Weekends in October and Monday, October 9, 2017 (Columbus Day), 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Join us on a family-friendly jack o' lantern lit hike to explore the night life of owls, bats and spiders at The Morton Arboretum. October 14 or 15, 2017. Times vary. Register NOW.
Shop dozens of varieties of dutch bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, iris, alliums, crocus, fritillaria, and many more. Daily in October, 2017 at The Arboretum Store. 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Admire creations from local scout troops and vote for your favorite scarecrow. Daily in October, 2017. 7:00 a.m-sunset


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BEIRUT, Lebanon, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- About 10 Israeli warplanes carried out mock air raids over southern Lebanon Wednesday in violation of Lebanese airspace, The (Beirut) Daily Star reported.
In an unusual show display, the jets hovered low over the southern coastal strip from Sidon to Naqoura, and simulated attacks over Nabatiyeh and Marjayoun at similarly low altitudes, the newspaper said.
The United Nations has repeatedly asked Israel to cease violations of Lebanese airspace


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LOS ANGELES — It's that time of year when actors get to cast their vote for best actors in film and televsion during the 19th Screen Actors Guild Awards. The red carpet was all aglow with hopeful nominees. As expected, the actresses donned their finest for the awards event. Several were pretty in pink, not the pale version, but rather the vibrant neon shade. Freid Pinto wore Roland Mouret, Lea Michelle opted for Valentino, and Nina Dobrev (above) of "The Vampire Diaries," who was my fave, chose a belted Elie Saab gown.
[thethe-image-slider name="2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards"]
Chicly Yours,
The Chic Spy
(Photo credits: eonline.com)


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Happy 40th birthday, Wild Animal Park. Oops! I mean San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
Admittedly, I am not a fan of the new generic, timid-sounding and overused moniker that groups our unique, exotic park in the same category as dozens of safari parks across the country.
Indeed, when the park opened in May 1972, there was nothing else like it in the world. Zoos exhibited animals in small, single species enclosures. At our park, wild animals would roam together as they would in nature over acres and acres of open fields.
At the park's opening, zoo ambassador Joan Embrey ---- who no doubt has had the coolest job in San Diego ---- rode through the opening day banner atop an elephant.
At this year's event, she is scheduled to carry the Seussical-sounding hyrax, a mammal dubbed "the little brother of the elephant." Trust me, this furry, rodent-looking football-size critter looks nothing like an elephant.
And that's what is so phenomenal about the park. For 40 years, dedicated keepers and conservationists have enlightened and educated us by bringing the unknown wonders of the animal kingdom to our little corner of the world.
It is fitting that the park opened the same year that the Endangered Species Act was passed. That legislation would task the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with protecting endangered land animals and their habitat and our wild animal park would be on the cutting edge of that movement.
Through the years, the park developed breeding programs for endangered species, such as the California condor, whose population grew from 22 individuals to almost 400.
Before the park opened, the largest international rhino transport, the "Rhino Express," brought the first group of endangered southern white rhinos to San Pasqual. These South African rhinos once numbered fewer than 100. Breeding programs at the park ---- and to date more than 90 calves have been born there ---- make these rhinos now the most numerous rhino species in the world.
The park has been equally successful with their breeding programs for Ugandan giraffes and cheetahs.
All totaled, the park has bred 65 endangered species and reintroduced 30 endangered species back into the wild.
So happy birthday and thank you to the park's many keepers and conservationists!
And probably the best gift we can give to celebrate this milestone is to reaffirm the words on the dedication plaque unveiled 40 years ago:
"Join us here to contemplate the wild animals of the World and Nature's wilderness, to strengthen a commitment to wildlife conservation throughout the world, and to strive toward Man's own survival through the preservation of Nature."


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Danner TFX Rough-Out Hot 8" Tan 7.5D & 8D ONLY!
The Desert TFX has a rugged and aggressive outsole, along with Danner's own TERRA FORCE® X system to bring stability and support. Agile and breathable, the Desert TFX has a Dri-Lex® liner that helps mitigate hot weather with supreme air and moisture exchange. Approved for optional wear for the U.S Army per AR670-1
- Dri-Lex® lining has great moisture transfer, is quick drying, breathable, and odor and mildew resistant
- Rough out leather upper provides protection and toughness designed specifically for hot weather
- 1000D Nylon upper is quick drying, breathable, and abrasion resistant
- TERRA FORCE® X platform means lighweight and durable traction, heel-to-toe energy transfer, side support, and protection to prevent arch overwork and fatigue
- Sleek, low volume profile with ample toe room
- Speed lacing
- Approach TFX lightweight outsole provides improved acceleration, downhill braking, and side hill traction
- Beveled lugs prevent dirt, rocks and other debris from building up
- Nylon shank
- 8" height
- Lightweight at 56oz
- Meets U.S Army requirements of optional wear per AR 670-1
Please fill out the Return Form when sending back packages. RMA Form
Tactical Distributors is committed to providing 100% customer satisfaction. If you are not satisfied with your purchase and wish to return an item within 30 days of receipt, the shipping costs for incorrectly shipped items will be met by Tactical Distributors. Goods which are supplied correctly may be returned within a 30 day period for exchange or refund. Shipping costs for correctly shipped items will be met by the customer. For your convenience, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund balance.
To receive a RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) number please contact the Customer Service Department. All returns must have an authorization number written on the outside of the box in order to be processed. Returns without an authorization number will be returned to sender.
For the fastest service, call Customer Service at (866)-916-6905 to request a QuickExchange. We'll place an order for your new item right away, and usually ship it the next day. We'll need to charge you the purchase price, but we'll waive the shipping and handling charge for the new item. Once we receive your return, we'll credit you for the cost of the original item.
Please send any products under warranty directly to the manufacturer to expedite the return process. If sent to Tactical Distributors, we will forward it to the manufacturer for their inspection and they alone will make final decision on repair or replacement. Please note that due to health regulations, we cannot accept returned socks or underwear.
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Merchandise must be unworn, and in the original packaging. We'll also accept the return of incorrect or defective merchandise that meets the guidelines below.
Unworn Merchandise: Includes any item that is in new condition, still contains the original tags and is in the original packaging (if any). Returns will not be accepted if item exhibits any obvious signs of wear or is not in the condition in which it was received. All original packaging and materials including boxes, manuals, warranty cards, and any other materials in the original shipment must be returned with your merchandise.
Defective Merchandise: Includes any item that is in new condition, still contains the original tags and is in the original packaging (if any). Returns will not be accepted if item exhibits any obvious signs of wear or is not in the condition in which it was received. All original packaging and materials including boxes, manuals, warranty cards, and any other materials in the original shipment must be returned with your merchandise.
Once your return is received and inspected(usually within 72 hours of receipt), your refund will be processed and a credit will be automatically applied to your credit card within 7 days. Please note that depending on your credit card company, it may take an additional 2-10 business days after your credit is applied for it to post to your account.
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In the event you wish to return an item after the 30-day return period, please contact Robbie Carpenter before making the return. A RMA may be provided by Customer Service for valid reasons; however, the item(s) must be in new condition as shipped with all original product packaging. You should be certain that the item you are purchasing will fit your needs. Ensure that the dimensions, aesthetics and utility of the product is what you need before placing your order. By confirming your order, you indicate your agreement to this policy.
Have any questions, contact Tactical Distributors, we are here to ensure your 100% satisfaction.


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The wind turbines spinning outside Idaho schools are generating more than electricity.
The 35- to 70-foot structures are teaching students about renewable energy and sparking their interest in energy and science.
As part of a statewide Wind for Schools program, Idaho National Laboratory is helping Idaho schools expose students to a unique style of hands-on energy education. Installing a turbine next to schools gives students a structure they can see and touch. Teachers are using the data from each turbine to help students understand and predict wind power.
"What we're really trying to do is build excitement for science- and technology-based fields, and this is the kind of hands-on technology that gets kids excited," said INL researcher Gary Seifert.
Wind for Schools is part of the Department of Energy's Wind Powering America program, which is dedicated to increasing the amount of wind energy produced in the United States. The program provides a unique learning experience for students by installing small wind turbines in rural elementary and secondary schools while developing a Wind Application Center at higher education institutions.
Known for its world-leading nuclear research, INL got involved with the Wind for Schools program in 2007 when laboratory employees helped install a turbine at Skyline High School in Idaho Falls.
In 2008, DOE sponsored Idaho's Wind Application Center at Boise State University. The center gives college students wind energy experience and also supports the participating Idaho schools.
"The turbines are sponsored by local community organizations, and INL works hand in hand with the Wind Application Center to get the turbines installed and connected to the network," said Mark McKay, INL's Wind for Schools communications principal investigator.
Once turbines are connected to the network, students can compare data from their school's turbine with the data from other schools across the country. Data from each of the Idaho Wind for Schools turbines can be viewed at http://wind-for-schools.caesenergy.org.
In addition to the turbines at the individual schools, INL has recently erected two wind turbine power systems at the lab's Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES), a collaboration with Idaho's three public research universities.
The Skystream and Blackhawk turbines at CAES are completely different designs, with one spinning vertically and the other spinning horizontally.
The Skystream data is now online and soon the Blackhawk data will be available, allowing students and university researchers to compare the turbines in nearly identical conditions and use the data for experiments and ongoing classroom activities.
"Having the two turbines side by side creates an opportunity for comparative, inquiry-based learning," said Seifert.
Once a turbine is installed and its data is online, the next challenge for teachers is figuring out what to do with the information.
Earlier this year, INL unveiled a new Internet resource called Energy for Educators. The Web site provides teachers with energy-related activities and lesson plans for all ages. The wind plans range from being as simple as elementary students making pinwheels and averaging wind speeds to high school students determining optimal windmill blade designs.
Through these programs, INL continues to support the development of energy-related curriculum in the classroom.
"Energy is something that affects all of us and is something students can relate to and understand," said Seifert.
Read more about the Skystream system, the Blackhawk system and the Energy for Educators program.


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TORONTO - Tim Connolly says he doesnt mind speaking to the media, but the Maple Leafs centre might be wishing he had stayed behind closed doors on Tuesday morning.
Connolly talked to a throng of reporters after the Leafs morning skate for the first time since injuring himself during the first period of Torontos 7-0 loss to Boston on Saturday night.
A swarm of reporters gathered around the stall of Connolly, who had voluntarily come out to speak ahead of Torontos home game against the surprising Florida Panthers (6-4-3), and wanted to know exactly what was ailing the Leafs off-season acquisition.
Connolly finished the game against Boston but has not practiced since and reporters were told he would be out 10 to 14 days with an undisclosed upper body injury.
When asked if it was the same undisclosed upper body injury that kept him out of the Leafs lineup for the first eight games of the season, Connolly said, No.
But when pressed if he had ever had this kind of injury before, he responded, I dont think so, Im not sure, which makes one wonder if it might not be the same shoulder injury that sidelined him earlier and the Leafs just arent saying.
Connolly missed the start of the season when he slammed into the boards during pre-season practice and hurt his shoulder. He has only played in six games since, registering a goal and three assists on the Leafs top line.
I kind of felt right away that there was something wrong but I just tried to battle through it, Connolly said of the injury on Saturday night. I couldnt really go to well out there, but I was going as hard as I could for that game It was tough to get through the game but it was a bit worse afterwards when the adrenaline does settle down and you never really want to take yourself out of a game no matter what the situation.
Asked if he was sick of facing the media with questions regarding his health, the oft-injured former Buffalo Sabre said, Its all right. Its your job and my job too. Thats part of the deal, part of being a hockey player, especially in Toronto. Its a great atmosphere, though, you cant ask for a better hockey atmosphere.
The injury to Connolly, meanwhile, opened the door for Matt Frattin to return to the big club.
The winger was recalled by the Leafs on Tuesday morning and skated with the team during their pre-game ritual.
Frattin, a goal-scorer in college, had not put the puck in the net in 11 games with the Leafs before being sent down to the Marlies, but he had scored twice in three games with the AHL squad.
I thought I played pretty good down there and now Ive got another opportunity, so heres my chance, Frattin said. I took it as a positive thing (being sent down). I needed a little more ice time and down there I was getting a lot more ice time, I was playing a lot more power plays, so its definitely a confidence booster and I felt really good out there.
Frattin will play on the third line with Joey Crabb and Matthew Lombardi, while Tyler Bozak will take Connollys spot on the first line.
There had been speculation that Joe Colborne, who had 10 goals and 19 points in 12 games with the Marlies this season, might be called up to replace Connolly but coach Ron Wilson said Colborne was injured and wouldnt be playing in the Marlies Tuesday night game against the Oklahoma City Barons.
Jonas Gustavsson, meanwhile, will be back in net for the Leafs after making way for Ben Scrivens the previous two games.


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Energy and Commerce Republicans Introduce Keep Your Health Plan Act
On June 15, 2009, President Obama promised the American people, "If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep your health care plan, period. No one will take it away, no matter what." On June 28, 2012, President Obama again repeated, "if you're one of the more than 250 million Americans who already have health insurance, you will keep your health insurance – this law will only make it more secure and more affordable." On September 26, 2013, just days before the health law was set to launch, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney was asked, "Does the president still contend that if Americans like their health plan, they can keep it? He did not manage to get that into a 50-minute speech." Carney replied, "Absolutely, he did get that in his speech."
But NBC News reports, "millions of Americans are getting or are about to get cancellation letters for their health insurance under Obamacare, say experts, and the Obama administration has known that for at least three years. … Buried in Obamacare regulations from July 2010 is an estimate that because of normal turnover in the individual insurance market, '40 to 67 percent' of customers will not be able to keep their policy. And because many policies will have been changed since the key date, 'the percentage of individual market policies losing grandfather status in a given year exceeds the 40 to 67 percent range.'"
So what does the administration now say? Senior White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett tweeted just last night, "FACT: Nothing in #Obamacare forces people out of their health plans. No change is required unless insurance companies change existing plans." CBS News counters, "CBS News has learned more than two million Americans have been told they cannot renew their current insurance policies… and this is just the tip of the iceberg, [Jan] Crawford said."
While the administration sticks to its broken promise, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) along with every GOP member of the committee last night introduced the Keep Your Health Plan Act to help provide peace of mind to Americans across the country who are currently receiving insurance termination notices. Because if you like the insurance you have, you should be able to keep it. This is a matter of fairness.


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Washington DC (SPX) Jul 21, 2008
The Internet gives scientists and researchers instant access to an astonishing number of academic journals. So what is the impact of having such a wealth of information at their fingertips?
The answer, according to new research released in the journal Science, is surprising--scholars are actually citing fewer papers in their own work, and the papers they do cite tend to be more recent publications. This trend may be limiting the creation of new ideas and theories.
James Evans is an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Chicago, who focuses on the nature of scholarly research.
During a lecture on the influence of private industry money on research, a student instead asked how the growth of the Internet has shaped science. "I didn't have an immediate answer," Evans said in an interview last week.
When he reviewed the research on the Internet and science, Evans discovered that most of it focused on much faster and broader the Internet allows scholars to search for information, but not how the medium itself was impacting their work. "That's where this idea came from. I wanted to know how electronic provision changed science, not how much better it made it," he said.
After receiving support from the National Science Foundation to pursue this question, Evans analyzed a database of over 34 million articles and compared their online availability from 1998 to 2005 to the number of times they were cited from1945 to 2005.
The results showed that as more journal issues came online, few articles were cited, and the ones that were cited tended to be more recent publications. Scholars also seemed to concentrate their citations more on specific journals and articles. "More is available," Evans said, "but less is sampled, and what is sampled is more recent and located in the most prominent journals."
Evans's research also found that this trend was not evenly distributed across academic disciplines. Scientists and scholars in the life sciences showed the greatest propensity for referencing fewer articles, but the trend is less noticeable in business and legal scholarship. Social scientists and scholars in the humanities are more likely to cite newer works than other disciplines.
So what is it about doing research online versus in a bricks-and-mortar library that changes the literature review so critical to research?
Evans has identified a few possible explanations. Studies into how research is conducted show that people browse and peruse material in a library, but they tend to search for articles online Online searches tend to organize results by date and relevance, which leads allows scholars and scientists to pick recent research from the most high profile journals.
Some search tools like Google factor the frequency with which other users select an item during similar searchers to determine relevance. Online, researchers are also more likely to follow hyper-linked references and links to similar work within an online archive. Because of this, as more scholars choose to read and reference a given article, future researchers more quickly follow.
Does this phenomenon spell the end of the literature review? Evans doesn't think so, but he does believe that it makes scholars and scientists more likely to come to a consensus and establish a conventional wisdom on a given topic faster.
"Online access facilitates a convergence on what science is picked up and built upon in subsequent research." The danger in this, he believes, is that if new productive ideas and theories aren't picked up quickly by the research community, they may fade before their useful impact is evaluated. "It's like new movies. If movies don't get watched the first weekend, they're dropped silently," Evans said.
Evans plans to work with linguists and computer scientists to explore how ideas are expressed in articles to better understand what the consequences of losing old ideas are and how they can be retrieved and resurrected, a challenge he sees as being important in the pursuit of knowledge. "With science and scholarship increasing online, findings and ideas that don't receive attention very soon will be forgotten more quickly than ever before."
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Archaeologists Trace Early Irrigation Farming In Ancient Yemen
Toronto, Canada (SPX) Jul 21, 2008
In the remote desert highlands of southern Yemen, a team of archaeologists have discovered new evidence of ancient transitions from hunting and herding to irrigation agriculture 5,200 years ago.
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I had some horrible experiences with accommodation at Bournemouth University. In particular, I found staff unfriendly and professional. When I came to report problems, they treated me very rudely and did not give me the time of day. They also did not take action. I moved out because it was so bad. (The day I moved out, I said I'd return my key in the early evening cause I needed some transportation. An hour after meeting with them and signing to terminate my contract, they called me and demanded I return my key... they knew that I was waiting for transportation. Did they expect me to sit on the side of the road with my belongings and wait all afternoon before my friend could pick me up after his work?) I still keep in contact with my flatmates. My flatmates are always mentioning the problems they have as well, with the staff and the rooms themselves. (For example, some cleaners through out some stuff that was not meant to be thrown out, and they charged everyone in the flat 7 quid to dispose of this.) It is too bad because this problem has been lingering over my head for the whole year. I really don't want anyone else to have to go through this. It's been a nightmare, to say the least. I wrote an article about these experiences. For full article, go here: http://www.jenikya.com/text/articles/cranborne.htm
Bournemouth has tons of accommodation, think about it, this is a holiday town, there are loads of holiday flats, B&Bs, Guest houses and so on with extra capacity during most of the academic year. Sadly the word most means that at the beginning and end of the academic year hoteliers and other property owners can charge up to four times as much to tourists as they can to students. This can really leave you in the lurch. Several of my friends were thrown out of their accommodation just weeks before their exams, despite having agreed a fixed term with their landlords. The university accommodation office did blacklist those landlords but as Bournemouth has a very fluid population it can still happen. Do be careful if you sign up with a guest house. You may find yourself paying for breakfast and dinner. There are no refunds for meals not eaten and it is highly likely that you will not like the food. Also you do not want to be tied down to getting home for your dinner at the allotted times which are usually strict. The more optimistic student will also worry about not bing home for breakfast! Even if you are home, if you have a live in landlord/lady, they are rarely happy with overnight guests and parties are a non-starter. The University provides very little in the way of halls of residence so after the first year, or ometimes the first term you are on your own. My recommendation is to get some friends together and rent a house if possible. Charminster and Winton are the best spots, within walking distance of both the campus and town, with plenty of other students around, all night stores and student friendly pubs. Landlords letting out entire houses are far more reasonable about the dates which you need, and it is often possible to keep the house through the summer. If some of your term time friends go home it is not difficult to convince others from school to com
e down and spend their vacation in a seaside town with loads of summer jobs and plenty of scantily clad folk!


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The Mercure Nice Marché aux Fleurs hotel enjoys an exceptional location, on the beachfront and directly overlooking the Promenade des Anglais. This 4-star hotel with 49 rooms, but no lift, is just a few yards from the tram route and 5.3 miles from Nice International Airport. Staying at the Mercure Nice Marché aux Fleurs hotel provides you with an ideal base in the town center, in Old Nice, a short walk away from Cours Saleya and its famous Flower Market. Free WIFI and 3 public paying car parks nearby.
All services of the hotel, at a glance:
Air conditioning
Air Conditioning
Pet allowed 1
9.00 EUR per day
- Number of car spaces
WiFi at the hotel
WiFi in your room
Internet connectivity
- Online Check-in / Fast Check-out
- Bouquet with TV Canal+ and Canalsat


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Workshop on Developing a Positive Work Culture, Oct. 7 in Hartford, Connecticut
Hosted by Antioch University's Center for Leadership and Change
(Keene, NH), September 4, 2013– The Center for Leadership and Change at Antioch University (AU) will present a one-day workshop, "Toxic Behaviors and Everyday Civility: What You Can Do to Improve Performance and Create More Positive Work Environments," on Monday, October 7, in Hartford, Connecticut.
The workshop is intended for leaders at any level who want to create more positive organizational culture; human resource and organizational development practitioners; educators; and professionals in a wide range of industries including business nonprofits.
Dr. Mitchell Kusy and Dr. Elizabeth Holloway, professors in AU's PhD Program in Leadership & Change, will lead the workshop.
Kusy is a Fulbright Scholar in international organization development, and former head of leadership development for American Express and director of organization development at HealthPartners.
Holloway is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association. She was a Leadership Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She consults with leaders worldwide on systems approaches to supervision, mentoring, coaching, toxicity, and building communities of respectful engagement.
Holloway and Kusy co-authored Toxic Workplace!: Managing Toxic Personalities and Their Systems of Power,published in 2009.
The workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Marriott Hartford Downtown. The deadline to sign up is Monday, Sept. 30. Contact Jane Garrison at 937-769-1555 or email email@example.com.
A visiting day about the PhD in Leadership and Change program will be held at Antioch University New England on October 12.
About the PhD in Leadership and Change
Antioch University's PhD in Leadership and Change program is a flexible, low-residency, online leadership PhD program, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Learn more at www.antioch.edu/phd/.
About Antioch University New England (AUNE)
Antioch University New England offers highly respected doctoral, master's, and certificate programs in education, environmental studies, management and psychology. Located in Keene, New Hampshire, this unique institution serves approximately one thousand students each year. Our graduates have gone on to be leaders of positive change, working toward a more just and sustainable society. Founded in 1964, Antioch University New England is the oldest of Antioch University's graduate campuses. Learn more at: www.antiochne.edu.
About Antioch University
Inspired by the work of pioneering educator Horace Mann, Antioch University, a private, non-profit, 501(c) 3 institution, provides learner-centered education to empower students with the knowledge and skills to lead meaningful lives and to advance social, economic, and environmental justice. With campuses in Keene, New Hampshire, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Seattle, and Yellow Springs, Ohio, Antioch University is a bold and enduring source of innovation in higher education. The University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.
Antioch University New England Web: www.antiochne.edu
40 Avon Street
Keene, NH 03431-3156
Contact: Jan Fiderio Phone: 603-283-2107 Email: email@example.com


text: A guy named Vin Marshall along with a team of nine talented but misguided individuals have constructed a 2000 pound pedal-powered Panzer tank replica complete with a pneumatic cannon that fires water, wieners or whatever onto unsuspecting crowds. Then they painted it pink—making it the most effeminate war machine ever constructed. The "Pink Panzer" is capable of cruising along at 15 mph thanks to pedals re-claimed from six ten speed bicycles and a steering system cobbled together from an old Geo Metro and a Ford 150 pickup. All-in-alll, the tank took 11 days to build at an expense of $3000. Not a bad project for anyone who really, really hates parades. [PopSci]


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AISB opportunities Bulletin Item
Junior Research Fellowship at Imperial College, London (UK)
Imperial College London: Junior Research Fellowships Imperial Junior Research Fellows (JRFs) receive three-year fellowships, which include a competitive salary, research expenses and mentoring support from a senior Imperial academic. This support gives JRFs the freedom to focus on their research, with no obligatory teaching or administration. Imperial's JRF scheme was set up in 2008 with the aim of helping researchers make the leap from post-doc to lecturer. Imperial is continuing its investment in this scheme and will appoint up to 20 new JRFs to start in the academic year 2012/13. Deadline for applications: 6pm 31 October 2011. For more information, see http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/juniorresearchfellowships


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Evil is always with us
(Note: This column ran in the Waukesha Freeman back on July 26th in reaction to the shooting in the Aurora movie theater. I did not post it last week, but given the shooting incident in Oak Creek today the column has an unfortunate timeliness. – James Wigderson)
Publication:Waukesha Freeman (Conley); Date:Jul 26, 2012; Section:Opinion; Page Number:6A
Evil is always with us
Mass murderer determined to kill
(James Wigderson is a blogger publishing at http://www.wigderson.com and a Waukesha resident. His column runs Thursdays in The Freeman.)
It's the tragedy of tragedies. We're confronted with a horror that none of us could contemplate and our minds grasp for an explanation. We're hoping that some explanation will prevent the next horror, but the explanation eludes us.
In this case, we're trying to grasp what is in the mind of a person who entered a Colorado movie theater at midnight one week ago and ruthlessly gunned down as many victims as possible. While in police custody, he informed the arresting officers that his apartment was booby-trapped with explosives, endangering any officer searching for clues and all of the suspect's neighbors.
Why would someone do something like this? We're fortunate, if that's the word, that the person who conceived such a horror is in the hands of the police. We might get some clue, some insight into why the killer chose to murder so many people whose only crime was to enjoy a midnight movie.
Unfortunately we're unlikely to learn much about what twists a soul to such evil, and what we do learn will likely prove to be unsatisfactory.
So we'll be left to imagine ways to prevent such mass murders. Banning guns of various kinds won't help. Countries that have restrictive gun laws suffer from these kinds of incidents, too. Banning this type or that type of gun will only cause the mass killer to choose a different weapon.
Even limiting the number of shots a single gun can fire without reloading won't help. Reading the chilling account of one of the witnesses, we learn that the shooter actually stopped to reload before continuing to fire.
We have even learned that the theater did not allow patrons to carry weapons. Such a policy did not stop the killer. Nor would any but the most naive believe that it would have prevented the shooting.
On the other hand, some have suggested that the no-weapons policy may have prevented some of the victims from defending themselves. However, the theater was dark. The shooter used some sort of smoke device and wore SWAT-like body armor, perhaps anticipating that someone might try to return fire.
We don't know how many other people might have been killed in the melee, or how many the police would have mistakenly shot when they arrived.
So what are we to do? We have mandatory background checks (he passed). We could ban large quantities of ammo, but it's not like the killer feared the law. Besides, he would just make more than one purchase. We could even ban gun sales at gun shows, although there is no indication that is where he made his gun purchases.
We also know that the killer is something of an amateur bomb maker, so even the wildest gun control fantasies of Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York or Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee were unlikely to have stopped the killer.
So we're stuck with the question of evil. It's the same question we have been asking since Cain killed Abel.
But we don't need to go to Colorado to see evil. Every day the newspaper is full of crimes that would be unimaginable to most of us. Sexual assault and murder of children. Spousal murder. Terrible cruelties to one's own children.
The poet Dante tried to quantify evil, imagining proportionate tortures in hell to match men's crimes. Perhaps we can imagine those punishments ourselves, and be grateful that nobody in our society is charged with carrying them out.
There's a real possibility that Colorado may pursue the death penalty in the movie shooting case, for all of the good it will do. The shooter's death will not bring back one victim. It will not deter one crime similar to his, any more than the prospect of the death penalty deterred him.
Whatever Coloradans decide, there will not be any sense of proportional justice. There will not be any new government policies that will prevent such horrible crimes in the future. There will not be any definitive answer to what compelled someone to walk into a crowded theater and kill so many of his fellow human beings.
There will only be the lasting knowledge that there will always be evil among us, and that the perfection of heaven is not achievable on this Earth.


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Corporate Governance:
NCUA's Controls and Related Procedures for Board Independence and Objectivity Are Similar to Other Financial Regulators, but Opportunities Exist to Enhance Its Governance Structure
GAO-07-72R: Published: Nov 30, 2006. Publicly Released: Dec 1, 2006.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
- Accessible Text:
(202) 512-3000
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
During recent congressional hearings and in public speeches, statements made by the National Credit Union Administration's (NCUA) Chairman and another board member raised congressional interest in the ability of NCUA to collect and objectively analyze data on credit union membership and executive compensation. More generally, these statements also raised issues about the agency's overall vigilance as a regulator and the independence and objectivity of NCUA's board and senior staff from the industry being regulated. As a result, Congress asked us to expand upon our current work looking at the tax-exempt status of credit unions to include a review of governance policies and procedures for NCUA's board of directors and senior staff and more specifically how the policies and procedures address independence and objectivity issues. This correspondence (1) compares controls and related procedures applicable to NCUA that help ensure the independence and objectivity of its board members with those of other federal financial regulatory agencies and relevant recommended management practices identified in academic and industry literature and (2) describes NCUA's use of Schedule C staff compared with that of other federal financial regulatory agencies.
Similar to the other regulators, NCUA is subject to statutory criteria and federal standards on the independence and objectivity of board members, but five of the six other regulators have additional controls and procedures relating to independence. More specifically, the primary criteria and standards addressing independence and objectivity of board members that we identified at NCUA and the other six regulators are based on (1) statutory criteria for individual qualifications and the composition of the boards and commissions we reviewed, and (2) rules promulgated by the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) setting forth ethical standards for employees in the executive branch. The qualifications for NCUA board membership, as written in the Federal Credit Union Act (FCUA), are similar to the qualifications for board members or commissioners at four of the six other agencies we reviewed in that they seek to ensure that nominees are suited by education or experience for the positions they are to serve. In addition, we compared the professional backgrounds and qualifications of current and prior NCUA board members and found them to be similar. Our review of available literature indicated that NCUA's board follows several recommended management practices for independence, many of which are included in FCUA. However, there is one notable exception. While NCUA's enabling legislation limits the NCUA board to three members, some academic and industry sources suggest there should be a minimum of five members on a board of directors to help maintain independence, retain needed expertise, and enable continuity of leadership. Further, some of NCUA's board members told us that having a three-member board sometimes made communicating among the members complicated because of the Government in the Sunshine Act, which largely limits nonpublic meetings of the majority of the board (in this case, two board members). Additionally, we recommended in 1991 that NCUA's board be expanded to five members, in part, to achieve a broader perspective on financial market regulatory and insurance issues. NCUA's use of Schedule C positions generally was similar to the practices at five regulators that we contacted that had Schedule C staff. The selection of Schedule C staff rests with the NCUA Chairman or individual board member, subject to White House approval, and does not require input from NCUA career staff. We reviewed the backgrounds of the seven NCUA Schedule C appointees and identified four who were formerly affiliated with the same credit union industry trade group (three were former employees and one held key positions in various committees of the trade group). Of the four NCUA Schedule C appointees with prior ties to the trade group, two are senior policy advisors to NCUA board members, one is the Director of Public Affairs and Congressional Relations, and one is a staff assistant to a board member. NCUA officials told us that Schedule C appointees that have trade group experience are viewed as beneficial to board members in discharging their regulatory responsibilities. In particular, the officials explained that the senior policy advisors that have come from credit union industry trade groups have brought an in-depth understanding of credit union issues as well as industry contacts.
Recommendation for Executive Action
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: The NCUA Board followed GAO's recommendation and added the terms "independent" and "objective" to NCUA's Mission Statement and added and defined the terms "integrity" and "objectivity" in NCUA's list of values in our 2007 Performance Budget, the annual update to the Strategic Plan. On December 31, 2007, the NCUA Board issued a new, comprehensive Instruction (1235.07), entitled NCUA Policy on Objectivity, Independence and Standards of Ethics. The Instruction was sent out to all NCUA staff and is posted on both the ethics page of NCUA's intranet as well as on the NCUA e-library. The second paragraph of the Instruction specifically addresses the Board's rulemaking and adjudicatory functions.
Recommendation: To address perception issues regarding NCUA's independence from and objectivity about the industry being regulated, the Chairman of NCUA should consider adopting practices that other financial regulators use to enhance their independence and objectivity. These practices include drafting agency-specific rules to maintain an arm's length relationship with the regulated industry and including independence and objectivity as core values in the agency's strategic plan.
Agency Affected: National Credit Union Administration
Explore the full database of GAO's Open Recommendations »
Sep 29, 2017
Financial Regulation:Perspectives on the Swaps Push-Out RuleGAO-17-607: Published: Sep 1, 2017. Publicly Released: Sep 29, 2017.
Sep 12, 2017
Financial Technology:Information on Subsectors and Regulatory OversightGAO-17-806T: Published: Sep 12, 2017. Publicly Released: Sep 12, 2017.
Sep 7, 2017
Anti-Money Laundering:U.S. Efforts to Combat Narcotics-Related Money Laundering in the Western HemisphereGAO-17-684: Published: Aug 22, 2017. Publicly Released: Sep 7, 2017.
Apr 19, 2017
Financial Technology:Information on Subsectors and Regulatory OversightGAO-17-361: Published: Apr 19, 2017. Publicly Released: Apr 19, 2017.
Mar 29, 2017
Troubled Asset Relief Program:Few Participants Remain as Treasury Continues to Wind Down Capital Purchase ProgramGAO-17-422: Published: Mar 29, 2017. Publicly Released: Mar 29, 2017.
Feb 24, 2017
Federal Reserve System:Potential Implications of Modifying the Capital Surplus Account and Stock Ownership RequirementGAO-17-243: Published: Feb 24, 2017. Publicly Released: Feb 24, 2017.
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Dec 29, 2016
Dodd-Frank Regulations:Agencies' Efforts to Analyze and Coordinate Their Recent Final RulesGAO-17-188: Published: Dec 29, 2016. Publicly Released: Dec 29, 2016.
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Corporate Shareholder Meetings:Proxy Advisory Firms' Role in Voting and Corporate Governance PracticesGAO-17-47: Published: Nov 15, 2016. Publicly Released: Nov 15, 2016.
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text:
Written on: 19/09/2013
I contacted the 123-reg support through the chat application to get instant help whilst configuring a domain name for a client. They replied instantly to any questions I had and provided detailed responses and even provided links to relevant sections of the support website.
If your stuck on any aspect of your control panel - I stongly recommend you try the instant chat support feature available.


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Edit a Wikipedia page that has a warning on it
20 freelancers están ofertando un promedio de $576 /hora para este trabajo.
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Find tickets for Evita in Buffalo here. We have great prices on all Evita tickets in Buffalo.
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In Reply to: Can you still be pregant and have your period? posted by nicole on October 03, 2000 at 16:52:22:
i personally wouldn't worry about it, you said you were very careful and had a normal period. although some women can be pregnant and still have a period, if i was you i wouldn't be worried.
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Steven Lenhart drew a penalty that led to a goal, then added one of his own Tuesday as the Columbus Crew routed the Charleston Battery 3-0 to advance to the US Open Cup semifinals for the first time in eight years.
The Crew used only one starter – defender Chad Marshall – from Saturday's win against Chicago. But other than rookies Shaun Francis and Dilly Duka, it was a veteran corps with a ton of MLS experience at Crew Stadium.
An uneventful first half took a turn for the better in the 37th minute, when Charleston's South African midfielder Stephen Armstrong – a former Crew man – fouled Lenhart in the middle of the box. Lenhart was going for a cross out of the right flank by Duncan Oughton when he and Armstrong collided.
The Battery forcefully protested and forward Ian Fuller was issued a yellow card prior to Emilio Renteria stepping to the dot. The Venezuelan left no doubt, with a powerful strike off his right foot that went straight to the back of the net with such force that the bottom posts were lifted off the ground.
Other than the goal, it was a frustrating first half for the Crew, who saw two earlier chances coming tantalizing close. But in the 70th minute, Lenhart iced the game.
Crew striker Emmanuel Ekpo led Oughton toward the right corner and fed the New Zealander a perfect ball into the goal area where Lenhart – who had the winner in stoppage time against the Rochester Rhinos last week – slid onto the pass and knocked the ball into the net.
Then for good measure in the 87th minute, Eddie Gaven drilled the ball on goal after a nice setup by Ekpo.
Crew backup 'keeper Andy Gruenebaum had an easy night as the Battery had only seven shots, but none were on goal.
Columbus last reached the final four of the US Open Cup in 2002 when they won their only title. They also lost the 1998 final to Chicago and reached the semifinals the next year before losing to Rochester.
Charleston have a 5-4 record in their past nine games vs. MLS teams, and have eight wins against league opponents in franchise history, but couldn't crack the Crew in their first meeting.
The Crew will host Harrisburg on Aug. 31 or play at D.C. United on
Sept. 1. Those teams play their quarterfinal matchup on July 21.
Scoring Summary:
CLB – Emilio Renteria (penalty kick) 38'
CLB – Steven Lenhart (Duncan Oughton) 70'
CLB – Eddie Gaven (Emmanuel Ekpo) 87'
Misconduct Summary:
CLB – Jed Zayner (caution: reckless tackle) 24'
CHA – Ian Fuller (caution: dissent) 37'
CLB – Steven Lenhart (caution: unsporting behavior) 42'
CHA – O'Brian Woodbine (caution: reckless tackle) 64'
Charleston – Tim Melia; O'Brian Woodbine, Colin Falvey, John Wilson, Nigel Marples; Brandon Massie (John Gruenewald, 70'), Alioune Gueye, Ian Fuller (Kevin Jackson, 82'), Stephen Armstrong (Amaury Nunes 72'); Lamar Neagle, Tom Heinemann.
Columbus – Andy Gruenebaum; Jed Zayner, Chad Marshall, Eric Brunner, Shaun Francis; Duncan Oughton, Danny O'Rourke, Dilly Duka (Eddie Gaven 61'), Emilio Renteria (Leandre Griffit 76'), Emmanuel Ekpo; Steven Lenhart (Jason Garey 88').
Referee: Hilario Grajeda
Referee's Assistants: John Safar, Pierre Saintil Francillon
4th Official: Rizal Millikan
Weather: 90 and sunny
Attendance: 1,847
Recap: Crew 3 - Battery 0
Steven Lenhart drew a penalty that led to a goal, then added one of his own Tuesday as the Columbus Crew routed the Charleston Battery 3-0 to advance to the US Open Cup semifinals for the first time in eight years.


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Those ever-vigilant, everpartying Underground Divas figure now's as good a time as any for a celebration.
10 tonight, Boneshakers, (706) 543-1555
At 10 tonight, they'll host the Boybutante Back to School Party And Drag Show at Boneshakers, 433 E. Hancock Ave. The evening will be hosted by divas extraordinaire Ella Gant and Anastasia Armani, with special guests the lovely and talented Lacie and Sasha. Admission is a $5 donation, which benefits the AIDS Coalition of Northeast Georgia.
Call (706) 543-1555 for more information, or visit www.boybutante.org to learn more about Boybutante.
Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, August 22, 2003.
© 2017. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


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A Catholic community network, which has helped more than 3,000 women with pregnancies and parenting, celebrated its 15th anniversary Sept. 14.
Catholic Family Services' Caring Network provides counseling, helps with adoptions, offers assistance in obtaining prenatal care and proper nutrition and offers childbirth-preparation and parenting classes.
The main speaker at the anniversary event witnessed to how the Caring Network changed her life. Misty Larthridge spoke about how, 12 years ago as a scared single mother pregnant with her second child and considering suicide, she received care and counseling at the center, reported The Kalamazoo Gazette.
Her experience there inspired Larthridge to change her mind. She got a part-time job and went back to school. She earned a bachelor's degree at Spring Arbor University and is currently working on a master's degree in counseling, said the newspaper.
Larthridge is now an outreach worker for transitional housing at the YWCA in Kalamazoo. She is also married and has four sons. She said the program helped restore her dignity.
The event Tuesday also marked a decade since the William and Katherine Van Domelen Center, which houses the program, opened. Bill Van Domelen, the center's benefactor, was among the 100 who attended. He donated an initial $1 million to construct the building and assist with operational costs.
Since the program started, it has assisted 3,400 women in the Kalamazoo area.
The program's Warmline gives emotional support and guidance 24 hours a day to pregnant women and young mothers. It also offers a post-partum-depression support service and provides baby clothes, diapers and furniture.
Since 1996, Caring Network has operated four apartment units next to the Van Domelen Center for expectant or young mothers. The network started a new family-literacy program this year called "Read Me a Story."


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|Charles Spingler
|United States of America
|Elite – 0 points
|Adult Member
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
1 Small sided field, the width of the 18 and as wide as you have available (18x40), 5v5
(field size can change depending on space available/number of players and their ages)
Players have try to throw or roll the ball in the opposing pug goal.
3 steps and/or 3 seconds to get rid of the ball.
No use of feet.
Pass ins everytime the ball goes out of bounds (like basketball)
Keep score
Coaching Points:
Have Fun,
Let them get a sweat going.
Assess and Identify who is athletic and who is has good technique and who might struggle during the session.
Do not make any stoppages, coach big errors on the fly. Keep any coaching points short and sweet.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
All GK's moving around the 18 yard box.
All with a ball in hand
Players move around the area. skipping, bouncing a ball and catching it.
Coaching Points:
Progression 1:
Skipping around the area, not bumping into anyone Bounce the ball (every five steps or so, not every step like they are double-dribbiling in basketball). make a contour save, pause. Take inventory, make sure the picture looks right.
The contour save - Thumbs behind the ball, not quite touching. Hands bend or contour around the ball. Elbows bent (not locked) and in (not flared out wide like a chicken). Keep the ball off the body.
Progressiong 2:
Shuffling side to side (no heel clicks). sometimes to the right, sometimes to the left while moving aound the area. Bounce the ball hard let it go over your head, then make a basket catch.
The Basket Catch - Wrists together, palms facing toward the sky. catch the ball with arms and hug it to chest. Bend at the waist and keep head and chest over the ball.
Progression 3:
Four balls only now. Players move around the box dynamicly, shuffle, jog, back pedal, whatever. Players with the ball make eye contact with someone who does not have the ball, communcicate (Yea! or Find me! or Keeper!) then they roll the ball to a new keeper that keeper makes a scoop save.
Scoop save - wrists together, palms facing the sky, backs of hands touching the ground and player makes a ramp with his arms. As the ball comes up the ramp, he hugs it in to his chest being sure to keep his head and chest over the ball. Move forward to attack the ball if its slow, if its moving with speed, players wait and holds his ground and makes his ramp.
Bowling the ball - (just like a pass) player steps with the foot opposite of the one hes holding the ball with. plant foot faces his target. Players rolls the ball like he is bowling, being sure to release the ball when his hand is as low to the ground as possible. the object is to have as little bounce as possible when rolling.
Progressiong 4:
Same as last progression,but instead of bowling the ball, players look to deliver a sling throw across the box, Keepers use contour savesor basket catches to recive the ball.
Sling Throw - player steps with the foot opposite of the one he's holding the ball with. plant foot faces his target player holds the ball with the crux of his wrist, hand and forearm. cocks back and throws he ball, (not sideways) trying to keep it pointed straight towards 12 O'clock as is naturally comfortable. (some players might be 1 O'clock, some it might be 2 O'clock.
(See Above)
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
2 sets of 5 cones 6 yards apart
Player must serve!
Players must zig zag through the cones, get set. and recieve a volley. Then they jog to the opposite line.
No more than three people on line resting at a time. (if you have more players, make another station)
Coaching Points:
Set position:
feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, hands neutral (as if they were holding an invisible ball at their belly button). Weight slightly forward (nose over toes). head forward eyes focused on the ball.
Contour save vs basket catch.
When the ball is above the chest = contour save
When the beall is below the chest = basket catch
Scoop vs Front Smother
When the ball is hit slow to moderate along the ground = scoop
When the ball is hit hard or is bouncing = front smother
Front Smother -
set position - wrists together, backs of hands on the ground. smother the ball with chest, push forward on toes, land on forearms. chest smothers the ball.
Every player gets at least 10 serves (volleys), then switch server
Every player gets at least 10 serves (ball on the ground, driven push pass) then switch server
*Tip - coach the service first, set the standard high. Then get in and fix GK techninque
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
2 GKS in the goal at the same time!!
one cone even with the post, 3 yards up, the other cone on the 6 (both sides)
2 GKS start on their knees. In the center of the goal mouth, one on the goal line, the other half way between the goal line and the 6.
Coach yells Up! and then the players shoot one by one from the top of the 18 on both GKs at the same time.
The front GK makes the save, the back GK or the shadow is there to clean up any mess ups.
Once they are done, the two GKS switch position.
Each team of two goes through the game once.
Coaching Points:
look for proper handling technique, proper shuffle step.
always try to keep chest behind the ball, move your feet so you can get your chest behind the ball and scoop, smother, basket or contour.
on contour saves, look for players to their arms as shock absobers, absorb the ball with bent elbows, dont bat at the ball


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Either you love or you hate the question, how would you describe your personal style? For me, it's always been a difficult one to answer (although I did so in length in The Art of Getting Dressed and Funky Fresh) because I don't necessarily identify with the typical categories (minimalist, preppy, edgy, feminine, bohemian, etc.) So I thought I'd come up with yet another question that I think is better suited — what is your ultimate goal when getting dressed?
Tag Archives: personal style
OOTY (Outfits Of The Year)
I already shared YOUR favorite posts on CCF this year (as well as mine) so today I thought I'd take that one step further…
What Why Where: Well Suited
Last year, I talked about suiting up for Fall. This year, I'm taking my own advice. How does one wear a suit without looking so…professional? I hope I don't look office-appropriate…
What Why Where: Barely Winter
Of course I decide to post these photos on a day it's snowing BUT you have to admit we've been having a very mild winter here in Chicago, and for that I thank mother nature…because WE DESERVE IT. Although it might be a little aggressive to rock no coat at all this time of year…a fuzzy blazer will just have to do the trick.
What Why Where: Mary Katrantzou x Adidas
Mary Katrantzou + Adidas are one of the best pairings since fried chicken and waffles. It's so great that they're at it again for round two of their collaboration…which this dress is just one of the many fantastic pieces you'll find in the collection.


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International Paper's Augusta mill is accepting applications for $50,000 in grants to nonprofits and schools across the area.
The International Paper Foundation has awarded more than $250,000 over the past five years through this program and is looking for organizations working to further environmental education and literacy. IP also has a category for its employees to nominate organizations in which they are involved.
The foundation makes grants to nonprofit charitable organizations classified under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Service code. In addition, certain municipal, county, state and federal entities, such as school districts and fire departments, are eligible.
Applicants must account for every dollar of applied funding, and the deadline for applications is Aug. 31. For more information, visit www.ipgiving.com.


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Reading Proficiency: Be Part of the Solution - Meeting a Challenge of the 21st Century.
Cause Areas
WhenIt's flexible! We'll work with your schedule.
WhereFWISD -Any School in the Fort Worth iSD.Fort Worth, TX 76107
Reading proficiency is a national priority and a movement. How can you help? Be part of the solution by volunteering one hour a weeek. Become a Reading Partner in any of the schools of FWISD!
The ability to read is critical to a child's success in school, life-long earning potential, and their personal fullfillment. It is also critical to the prosperity of our local economic and the wellness of our community.
One hour a week is all it takes to help students overcome challenges and open up a world of possibilities for them.
Did you know? Many companies allow employees to volunteer as part of their overall giving-back policy or corporate philanthropy. Check with your employer about this possibility. Thanks.
- Literacy / Reading
- Teaching / Instruction
- English as a Secondary Language (ESL)
- Reading / Writing
- General Education
- Tutoring
Good Match For
People 55+ Group
Requirements & Commitment
- Background Check
- Must be at least 18
- Orientation or Training
- One hour a week from October 2016 to May 2017.


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It seems that market are also reacting to the spread sending light sweet crude to Europe as opposed to the formally oversupplied US. Gas and Oil Daily says, "Oil stockpiles in Cushing dropped 760,000 barrels to 28.1 million. The Energy Department said last week that Cushing inventories, including floating and fixed tanks, totaled 31.1 million barrels as of October 14th, down 26% from a peak of 41.9 million on April 8." Bloomberg News says that crude oil inventories in Cushing, Okla. dropped 2.6 percent on Oct. 21 from Oct. 18, according to data compiled by DigitalGlobe Inc. They say that stockpiles held in floating-roof tanks at the hub fell 760,000 barrels to 28.1 million, satellite images taken by the Longmont, Colorado-based company show. In other words, the market forces are starting to correct the anomaly between the spread as oil is seeking higher prices. That is reducing Cushing supply and more than likely increasing European supply.
What is also helping is that we are seeing an increase in Nigerian exports as well. Nigeria also has the very desirable light sweet grade of crude oil. Dow Jones says that Nigeria will export 7,950,000-barrel cargos of Bonny Light in December, one more cargo than in November. They report a total of 214,516 barrels a day of QuaIboe crude will be available in December, compared with 157,000 barrels a day in November, the program shows. This should put more pressure on The Dead Spread as well. It also put the WTI market in backwardation for the first time since the financial crisis began. It seems that the market is worried that with all the oil ending up in Europe, supplies may tighten in the US. It is also showing a vote of confidence in the US economic growth outlook or at least a more pessimistic outlook for Europe.
Also with oil on fire yesterday William Dudley of the Fed, fed into the flames talking about QE3D! QE is bullish for oil and with the Dead Spread out of whack, we could see WTI try to attract supply. While WTI flies, gas prices were mute as the Brent crude should help US imports of products. Mr. Dudley is sending a signal to the market that QE is back in play and most likely will be in the form of printing money to buy back mortgage backed securities. Very bullish for WTI oil!
The Energy Information Agency has some good news I suppose. They said that the national average retail price of regular gasoline is down 1.4c to $3.462 a gallon. Yahoo! Now not that I want to ruin that good feeling you had but they also want to remind you that prices are still 64.5c a gallon, or 22.9%, higher than they were a year ago.
Want some news that might warm your heart? Reuters News points out that the average of the first 12 months of New York Mercantile Exchange natural gas futures contracts slid to its lowest in nine years on Monday as growing supplies and moderate weather weighed on the complex. The 12-month futures fell 2.3 cents to settle at $3.923 per million British Thermal Units, the lowest settle since Nov. 15, 2002, when the average closed at $3.926, Reuters data showed. Despite record heat this summer that drove NYMEX front-month gas to its 2011 peak near $5, record-high gas production, primarily from shale, has been the main factor pressuring price expectations.
Phil Flynn is senior energy analyst for PFGBest Research and a Fox Business Network contributor. He can be reached at (800) 935-6487 or at email@example.com.


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Ryan in favor of Astros moving to AL West
Ryan in favor of Astros moving to AL West
HOUSTON -- Rangers president Nolan Ryan said he would be in favor of the possibility of the Astros moving into the American League West. That's one of the rumors that has been floating around baseball over the past few weeks. Nothing official has been proposed by the Commissioner's Office, and Ryan said he has heard little in the way of an official discussion. But moving the Astros to the AL West would give Major League Baseball six five-team divisions rather than the unbalanced current configuration. Ryan likes the idea of having at least one team from the Central Time Zone in the same division as the Rangers as well as the three West Coast teams.
- 131 wins
- 121 wins
"We're at a disadvantage with our television audience of having to go west, so I would be in favor of adding somebody from our time zone," Ryan said. "I think having the Astros and the Rangers in the same pennant race would really stimulate interest in baseball in the state of Texas. If it is in the best interests of the Rangers, we'd be for it."Ryan is in town to watch the Rangers play the Astros in the second half of their annual home-and-home Lone Star Series. The Rangers went into Wednesday's game with a 3-1 lead in the series. The Rangers also went into Wednesday's game with a 1 1/2 game lead over the Angels in the AL West. Ryan said his biggest frustration with the Rangers has been their inconsistency. "When you watch our ballclub, they go through periods where they don't play well, and then they'll have a stretch where they play well," Ryan said. "It's just not one part of the team, it has been a team effort. One night we won't get the big hit, the next night our starting pitching falters and then our bullpen waivers." The bullpen remains the Rangers' main focus. They have been talking to other teams but are also hoping to get Darren O'Day, Scott Feldman and Tommy Hunter off the disabled list at some point between now and the All-Star break. That may reduce the need for the Rangers to make an impact deal, and Ryan was cautious about saying the club would be able to do that. "The thing about making a statement like that is it comes down to who might be available," Ryan said. "It's premature to make a statement like that when you're not sure who will be available. If the right person is out there, you try to do something to help the ballclub."


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Greg Matters loved cake.
Practically any cake but, mostly, the most elaborate cakes he could buy at the Real Canadian Superstore in Prince George, B.C.
Greg's mother, Lorraine, used to complain to Greg's older sister, Tracey, who lives in Australia, during their weekly phone calls, saying she was packing on weight because she couldn't go a week without opening the fridge and finding Greg's latest sugary purchase waiting inside.
Lorraine Matters went cake shopping alone on Friday morning on what would have been her son's 41st birthday. There was a party to get ready for, a family barbecue, with lots of food to prepare — and helium balloons — for guests to write messages on before releasing them to the winds.
Lorraine Matters was too distraught to speak with me about her son's death. Greg was shot and killed by RCMP officers on Sept. 10, 2012 after a 30-hour standoff with police at the Matters property on the outskirts of Prince George.
He was unarmed and an ex-soldier with 15-years of service behind him. He was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. There was an incident between Greg and his brother, Trevor. Police were dispatched. A tragedy unfolded.
The shooting remains under investigation by B.C.'s Independent Investigations Office. No firm end date for the release of its findings has been set.
And so for now the Matters family waits. It has been a hard seven months, full of sorrow, lacking in answers and blanketed by hurt. But Friday was going to be different. Friday was Greg's 41st birthday. Forty-eight hours before it arrived, Lorraine Matters received an unexpected gift in the mail, a letter from Veterans Affairs Canada stating that "in recognition of [the family's] great personal loss" Lorraine and Tracey would be receiving the Memorial Cross. (Surviving family members of a veteran whose death is attributable to their service are eligible for the award).
"There have been so many dark valleys in our grief that I find it soothing, a bit, to actually have some recognition of the pain and suffering our family is going through, but also of the sacrifice that Greg ultimately made," Tracey Matters tells me from her home in Melbourne, Australia.
"Maybe, too, it is a way of understanding more about what Greg was going through with PTSD. I know my mother is over the moon. And I know how much this would have meant to Greg."
Greg. Her kid brother: he was big and handsome, shy and generous, soft and funny. Tracey and Greg used to play a "whistling game", a name-that-tune contest where one of the siblings would whistle a song while the other would have to guess what it was. They started whistling as little kids. They kept whistling as adults during their weekly phone calls.
Tracey would learn from a fellow soldier after Greg's death that her brother used to whistle in the muck and mire of Bosnia, when he was posted there for seven months in 2001, prodding his comrades to play along.
"It wasn't only something Greg shared with me," Tracey says, giggling. "He was doing it in the trenches of Bosnia. I thought that that was really cute — he was the whistling soldier."
But the happy-go-lucky soul saw some awful things during his stint in the Balkans. He saw how ugly war is. He saw death and battled depression before his discharge from the military in 2009.
"It was over the course of a few years that I started to see the changes in Greg," his sister says. "The soft side of him was gone, but I thought that was just part of being a soldier.
"The change became quite dramatic in 2009. He was totally withdrawn, moody and there were only certain people he would talk to. He slept constantly."
He was formally diagnosed with PTSD in 2011. Greg began working with Dr. Greg Passey at the Operational Stress Injury Clinic in Vancouver. They held regular counseling sessions via video conferencing. The whistling soldier started becoming more like his old self. Greg enrolled in university courses and told Tracey that he planned on becoming a social worker because he wanted to help other soldiers heal the emotional scars.
For Christmas 2011 he practically wrapped the Matters homestead in tinsel. Greg built a giant snowman. There were snowball fights. Smiles. It was a happy time.
"It was like we were right back to being kids again," Tracey says. "It was beautiful."
Friday would have been his 41st birthday, with cake and candles, and helium balloons.
"If I could, I'd want to tell Greg how proud of him I am," Tracey Matters tells me. "It is only through his passing that we have realized just what it was he was going through — and through our discussions with his doctor.
"I think he was extremely brave and courageous. He had made so much progress. Greg had such a bright future.
"And I love him to bits."
National Post
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