text:
Help Me Grow is a statewide program for expectant parents, infants and toddlers that provides health and developmental services so that children start school healthy and ready to learn. Help Me Grow offers three voluntary programs to prenatal women, children and families. All services are family centered, free and confidential. When you contact Help Me Grow, someone will help you find the best program for you and your family.
Help Me Grow of Allen County operates under the Allen County Board of DD and the Allen County Family and Children First Council.
Help Me Grow Early Intervention is a voluntary program that provides family centered services for infants and toddlers to age 3 with a developmental delay, disability or medical condition likely to result in a delay or disability.
Help Me Grow Home Visiting is a voluntary program that provides first time expectant or new parents the information and support they need to be prepared for the birth of their child and to provide on going education and support.
Maternal Infant Early Child Home Visiting (MIECHV) is a voluntary program that provides pregnant women and parents with assistance and support to help promote positive parenting skills and reduce the incidences of child abuse and neglect. Home Visitors support parents before the birth of their child through weekly home visits, parent education and guidance, and social support to promote maternal and child health and child development during the crucial first five years of life.
All programs are free, voluntary and confidential.


text:
Communal amity thrives in Karnataka district
December 25, 2010 - Chikkabalapura (Karnataka)
Setting an example of communal harmony, the women professionals belonging to different religions have been working together in joss (fragrance essence) stick units for the past several decades in Chintamani town of Karnataka's Chikkabalapura District.
Entrepreneurs of Chintamani are regarded as the pioneers of the rolling joss sticks, popularly known as Aggarbatti and basically it is a cottage industry.
Pushpa Bai, a worker at one of the units, said all of them live like a close-knit family and have never experienced any kind of discrimination of religion, caste or other factors.
"All of us work together as if each are a brother, a sister, a mother or a father. On the occasion of Eid, they (Muslims) come to wish us and we also visit them during any wedding. We the women work like amicable sisters," said Pushpa Bai.
This small town has more than 25 joss stick manufacturing units.
Products of this cottage industry are sold not only in India but also in other countries, a trade that commenced during pre-independence days.
According to one of the owners of a unit the credit of setting up these small-scale units and their progress goes to both Hindus and Muslims.
T Raju, proprietor Dhanlakshmi Sugandhalya, claimed that this place is a birthplace of Aggarbattis.
"Here people of both the communities Hindus and Muslim work together. The Aggarbattis (essence joss sticks) we make here are sold throughout India. This is the birthplace of Aggarbatti. As a cottage industry, it had its origin from this place only. Both Hindus and Muslims have taken active part in this industry and we are working together," said T Raju.
"People of any community whether they are Parsis, Christian, Hindus or Muslims use Aggarbattis rolled by us. Married couples, families and even unmarried individuals use our products. People use Aggarbatti for prayer rituals and on other formal occasions to spread fragrance in the room," he added.
Workers also share their happiness and sorrow, help one another emotionally and even monetarily when in need.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Author: Kate Richards
Maggie McAfee has not returned to Honeysuckle Ranch since her parents died in an accident a few years before. She has a great job as a professor of obscure literature looking toward tenure at a big California university. Life is perfect. Well not perfect, but pretty good. She misses her brother and dreams of her high school sweetheart, but a woman can't have everything. And what good was she to the ranch? She couldn't even sit a horse. It would take a lot to get her home again. Like a terminally ill brother who has only days or weeks to live.
Will Kyle has also been far from the Fort Travis area for the past several years. His stepfather's heavy handed takeover of his family property made being there too painful. But his current job as foreman for a large ranch in Oklahoma has ended suddenly and Baxter McAfee's job offer comes at a great time. What could be better than working for his old buddy on the prettiest ranch, with the best reputation? And with Maggie never coming home, his heart is safe.
But fate has other plans, or maybe Baxter does. A collision of hearts in the face of impending grief will almost certainly end in disaster. No matter how much a dying man wishes for the two people he loves the most to realize what fools they've been.


text:
You will need the following items for this spell:
- Voice
- Faith
This is a prayer for satanist to get Guidance from Satan.
Casting Instructions for 'Satanic Guidance Prayer'
Guide me in thy wisdom
Let me feel thy presence and experience what you have for me
Don?t let me be bound by irrefutable doctrines
But lead me to true freedom
Give me the strength to leave my comfort zone
To explore that which is forbidden by those who believe they are wise
Take away the fear that binds me
Set me on my true path
But if you don?t think I am ready, let it be as a sunrise
Allow me to see your light as well as your darkness
The fullness of who you are
Satan, Melek Taus, Lucifer, Azazel
If I could have anything, it would be to know your truth
To believe in what is real
Not in someone else?s insanity
So as I walk down this narrow road
Don?t let me be discouraged
As it is you who have placed me upon it
|Print Spell
|Mark this spell as Spam
Please report any violations of copyright via our contact page.
* All information on this page is provided by the coven or person named and the contents of this page is not mediated by the administrators of the website. Please use common sense when following any directions on this page. Do not ingest anything which does not seem safe. If you suspect the content of this page to be intentionally deceiving please contact us immediately.


text:
Poor and Rich.
Before I start a new story, I first want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year with lots of travelling!
I also want to advice everyone to try to spend next year less time on complaining about the small things. Try to start every day with a smile and if you think that you´ve a reason to complain or feel annoyance, think first about all those poor people who even can´t afford to spend time with complaining, complaining is a luxury...
Merry Christmas
Gelukkig Kerstfeest
Gelukkige Kersfees
Feliz Navidad
Joyeux Noël
Frohe Weihnachten
Glaedelig Jul
Hag Molad Sameah
God Jul
Buon Natala
Enough serious talking, let´s go on with a new story:
Last time I promised you to tell more about Island de Ometepe. Ometepe is an island in Lago de Nicaragua that´s made by the eruption of 2 volcano´s. Those 2 volcano´s, the big Concepcion and the smaller Maderas with a big crater lake, cover most of the island and are part of the reason that it´s so popular with travellers. An other reason to visit is that in spite of the fact that´s famous, it´s still a farmers island where you can also enjoy watching or joining the local live.
After finishing my last report I went finally on a hiking tour across the Volcano Maderas. During this adventure hike we saw lots of monkeys and sometimes we even had to behave our self like monkeys, when we had to walk and climb across trunks, branches and roots. But the reward was a nice swim in the cool crater lake :-)
After this hike I found it time to leave Nicaragua and explore Costa Rica.
Costa Rica, from the poorest country of Central America to the richest.
Costa Rica means "Rich Coast" and this name is well chosen. The coastlines I´ve seen in the last few days are yet one of the most beautiful I´ve ever seen! Costa Rica has not only a rich coastline, also it´s population is the most prosperous of Central America. This last fact becomes clear if you walk through the streets and visit some shops. Was it in all previous countries easy and cheap to buy your food on the market, here I haven´t seen a single market yet? I heard it´s not allowed in Costa Rica? Prices in restaurants and shops are for the basic things more expensive than in the other countries, but the funny thing is that the prices for luxury things, M&M´s, chocolate butter (Nutella) or els, are cheaper?
At this moment I´m only very disappointed about the bus service, these is worse than in Nicaragua and from a more developed country you would expect the opposite? Although most of the time the busses are more luxury, the time schedules are often terrible and the bus rides unexpected slow and long. One time it took us even almost an hour to drive 19km! Perhaps this service is so bad because there are more people in Costa Rica who can afford to buy a car?
My first acquaintance with Costa Rica was in the first town after the border, Liberia. One more thing about the border crossing, it´s not necessary anymore to show a return ticket for going out of Costa Rica! Unfortunately I learned this to late...
After a few months in Central America, Liberia looks very western to me. It was my starting point in Costa Rica and also to visit a local Rodeo and the Volcan Rincon Park, at 26km from the town. This park offers trails through dry forest, around pools with boiling mud and water, to see a smoking crater or hidden waterfalls with clear blue water to swim. I was also surprised to see a lot of wildlife like different monkeys, raccoons, lizards and even a toucan and a snake!
Over a road around lake Arenal, that was at some ´places almost impassable because of the heavy rains of last night, to La Fortuna. La Fortuna, the village next to the 3e most active volcano in the world, the Arenal Volcan. Every day this volcano shows some activity, but unfortunately most time of the year the top is hidden behind clouds. I heard that the average time that you can really see the lava coming down the slopes, is not more than 30 days
a year... From La Fortuna, or better, the nice hostel of Gringo Pete´s, I took a combined tour with a one and a half hour hike through a small tropical forest and some viewpoints on the volcano. But unfortunately it became cloudy again and the only thing we could see was a little smoke coming from the slope. So we went to our next destination, Baldi´s natural
hot-springs. With a clear sky this pools with even a bar in the middle, offers a good view on the volcano. Imagine to sit in a hot pool, with a cocktail in your hand watching the lava coming down the slopes..... But with a visibility of 30 days a year I think we were already a little lucky to see for a few minutes at least some red spots of glowing rocks, just before
we entered the pools.
After a quiet day with a easy walk to the waterfall, I went next day to my next destination on the list, the popular and because of that probable to much visited park of Monteverde.
I had met some travellers in La Fortuna and on the bus to Monteverde we met 2 more travellers, because we all wanted to do the Canopy Tour we decided to stay together and went even that same day on the tour. It was fun to slide down the cables through and over the tops of the Monteverde cloudy forest, but I expected a little more exciting. After the
Canopy Tour we went walking on the famous hanging bridges of the Skywalk. We got discount, because we went on the Canopy Tour. Walking across the tops of the cloudy forest, I felt a little like if I was in the movie of Juressic Park III. Although they´d already warned me that I wouldn´t see much wildlife, I was still disappointed that I even saw almost no birds? Perhaps it would have been better to take the early morning hike tour through another part of the park, because the people the people I spoke about that had really see some special wildlife...
From Monteverde we went on an unexpected slow and long bus ride (we were lucky that we had at least a nice view) to Manual Antonio.
Manual Antonio, the village and the park. Both well known and because of that lively visited. The village is a real touristic village that offers everything a modern tourist needs, from tours to good party´s, but also for touristic (more expensive) prices....
Opposite the lively village the park offers beautiful nature and great possibilities to make close up pictures of wildlife, like monkeys, sloths, raccoons, iguanas and even more if you´re lucky. The park also contains a few of the most beautiful beaches I´ve ever seen. White beaches with clear blue water, lying in bays with tropical vegetation, beautiful! Only, be careful if you want to go for a swim, because the monkeys and raccoons can act like real thieves!
From Manual Antonio to the other famous but a little less touristic village and beaches of Montazuma. It will always remain a discussion which place contains the best beaches and most of the time it will depend on the personal interests. I found the beaches of Manual Antonio more beautiful to see, to swim and lay in the sun, but you have to pay 7US$ to enter these nice beaches (or you have to go very early ;-) and they´re not very big. in
Montazuma the beaches are a lot longer (good for a long and quiet morning walk), still nice and you don´t have to pay anything to enter them. Only the sea is less calm and blue.
While I was writing this travel report at Sunday afternoon, I was sitting next to a small pool with a small waterfall above a big waterfall. They´d told me that you could do some rock jumping from this small waterfall into the pool, but now I was alone and when i stood there at a height of 5.5m (with my eyes 1.8m higher) I was not sure anymore if I would like to jump? It took me at least 10 minutes to convince myself and after, when I went writing, I felt a little brave.
But now I´ve translated my story and don´t feel that brave anymore, because just after I left I saw someone jumping from a point at 2 third of the high waterfall and this is at least 16m!
I may be a little crazy and like some adventure, but that´s to much.....


text:
Hotels in Calaceite, Spain
Search & Compare Calaceite Hotels
Collect 10 nights, get 1 free night
And look out for Secret Prices on select hotels
Best hotels in Calaceite
Calaceite overviewCalaceite is known for its historical sites. Learn about local heritage at landmarks like Calaceite Hill and San Antonio Arch. Make it a point to see sights like Ecomuseu dels Ports and Chateau de Valderrobres. Calaceite is an inviting destination that has something for everyone.
Where to stay in CalaceiteWhether you're planning to stay for a night or for the week, the area around Calaceite has accommodations to fit every need. Search for hotels in Calaceite with Hotels.com by checking our online map. Our maps display the areas and neighborhoods around all Calaceite hotels so you can see how close you are from landmarks and attractions, and then refine your search within the larger area. The best Calaceite hotel deals are here with our lowest price guarantee.
How to get to CalaceiteFly in to Zaragoza (ZAZ), 76.4 mi (122.9 km) from downtown Calaceite.
What to see around CalaceiteDistinguished for its historical sites, here are some top landmarks to visit:
- • Calaceite Hill
- • San Antonio Arch
- • Chateau de Valderrobres
- • The Cathedral of Wine
- • Ecomuseu dels Ports
- • Sant Blai de Bot Church
- • Gandesa Cooperative Wine Cellar
- • Plaza de Espana
- • Calatravos Castle
When to visit CalaceiteCurious about when's the best time to visit? Here are the seasonal norms to help with your planning:
Seasonal temperature averages
- January-March: 59°F day, 44°F night
- April-June: 81°F day, 51°F night
- July-September: 83°F day, 63°F night
- October-December: 74°F day, 46°F night
- January-March: 0.08 inches
- April-June: 0.20 inches
- July-September: 0.31 inches
- October-December: 0.28 inches


text:
Our vegan take on this traditional Italian dessert has a nutty flavor thanks to the inclusion of plant-based milk.
The traditional Italian dessert known as panna cotta is normally made with gelatin and cream, but our vegan version includes agar agar and nut milk. Cardamom and oranges are incorporated for a warmer flavor as the winter season draws near.
Serves 4
What You Need:
For the panna cotta:
¾ teaspoon agar agar
2 tablespoon water
2 cups nut milk
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cardamom
For the candied blood oranges:
2 blood oranges sliced in ¼-inch rounds
1½ cup water
1 cup sugar
What You Do:
1. For the panna cotta, into a small bowl mix the agar agar with 2 tablespoon of water. Into a small saucepan, add milk and sugar, and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the agar agar and boil the mixture for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and add 2 teaspoons extract and 1 teaspoon cardamom.
2. Into small serving dishes, pour mixture, and allow panna cottas to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
3. For the candied blood oranges, into a saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Add orange slices and boil each side for 15 minutes. If you can't fit all the slices, repeat the process with fresh water and sugar. Transfer to a wire rack and cool overnight.
4. Once the oranges have set and the panna cotta has refrigerated overnight, top the panna cotta with the candied oranges and serve.
Photo courtesy of Amy McDonough
VegNews Holiday Gift Guide 2017
Shop vegan businesses this holiday season while wowing friends and family.
Read More »
Vegan Recipes for Stuff to Stuff
This Thanksgiving, get stuffed (literally) by filling one delicious food with another.
Read More »
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes {Recipe}
Buttery vanilla frosting atop extra-moist pumpkin cupcakes will make any holiday party a hit.
Read More »
10 Incredible Meatless Thanksgiving Recipes
From quinoa-stuffed acorn squash to apple cider Brussels sprouts, weve got your entire vegan Thanksgiving menu here.
Read More »
5 Vegan Whipped Creams That Will Make Your Holiday Party Guests Say Daaaamn!
Top off your desserts, drinks, and more with vegan whipped cream.
Read More »
More Flashbacks
- Vegan Pumpkin Caramel Chocolate Tarts {Recipe}
- 13 New Vegan Holiday Products at Trader Joes You Need to Snag Before They Disappear
- Vegan Portabello Pot Roast {Recipe}
- Vegan Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Herbed Biscuits {Recipe}
- 5 Hidden Vegan Gems Found Only in Nashville
- 14 New Ways to Veganize Your Thanksgiving Leftovers This Year
- 5 Easy Vegan Meals Every College Student Can Make
- 10 Totally Veganized Holiday Starbucks Drinks
- These 7 Vegan Pizzas Will Steal a Pizza Your Heart
- Vegan New York-Style Cheesecake {Recipe}
- Blueberry Beet Smoothie Bowl {Recipe}
- Chewy Chocolate Vegan Brownies with Almond Butter Frosting {Recipe}
- 8 Vegan Chocolates Begging to be Made into Cupcakes
- Vegan Crispy Ginger Portabello Stir-Fry {Recipe}
- 20 Vegan Things at Target That Will Revolutionize Your Pantry
- Vegan Roasted Cranberry Puff Pastry {Recipe}
- 9 Vegan Ways to Hack Classic Holiday Pies
- Whole Foods Names Plant-Based Tech as Top Trend
- 5 Vegan Thanksgiving Feasts You Don't Have to Cook Yourself
- 9 Vegan Pies We Want in Our Faces Right Now


text:
Company Analysis
Mexico Automobile Industry
Eighth largest producer of vehicles
Major Exporter of Vehicles, 4th behind Germany, South Korea, and Japan
19 Major production facilities for light vehicles
Multiple OEM's around Mexico
Great working relationship between Automakers and Unions
Incorporated in July 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning
In October 2008, Musk succeeded Ze'ev Drori as CEO
Introduced the first highway capable, all electric sports car to the public in 2006 – The Roadster
Sells their own products from company owned retail stores.
Products: Roadster ($109,000), Model S (57,400), "Blue Star" ($30,000)
Market Leader and first mover advantage
In house R&D and manufacturing gives high levels of quality control.
Highly advanced R&D makes product line multifunctional.
Low volume = less benefits of economies of scale
High costs compared to competition.
Young company, Longevity yet to be proven
Weak name recognition
Implementation Plan
Industry Outlook
Mode and Scale of Entry
Certain statements in this presentation, including statements relating to the ongoing development, quality improvements, production, supply chain, demand for and delivery expectations of Model S; the ability to achieve revenue and gross margin targets; and the ability of Tesla to execute on its new interactive retail strategy, future store, service center and Supercharger network opening and expansion plans; and statements regarding future vehicles such as right hand drive Model S, Model X and Gen III are "forward-looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations, and as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those projected. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although Tesla believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, Tesla cannot guarantee that the future results, performance or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur.
The following important factors, without limitation, could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements: delays in the ramping of production and delivery of Model S, including the ability of suppliers to supply parts at desired quality levels and quantities, market acceptance of electric vehicles in general and new Tesla vehicle models, specifically Model S and Model X; Tesla's ability to control the costs associated with our business; Tesla's ability to execute on its plans for its interactive retail strategy and for new store, service center and Supercharger openings as well as the risks and uncertainties identified under the section captioned "Risk Factors" in our quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 9, 2013. Except as required by law, Tesla disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements.
Executive Summary
Offer opportunities never available before
Achieve revenue and gross margin targets by executing on new automobile assembly plant in Mexico.
Country Analysis
Country Analysis
Economic Environment
GDP in 2013 was $1.327 trillion USD
Economy was ranked 11th in the world in 2012
Member of OECD, WTO and NAFTA
Liberalization of trade has encourage firms to look at Mexico to take advantage of low cost labor and its proximity to the U.S.
Country Analysis
Country Analysis
Political System
Civil law system
3 major political parties: Institutional Revolutionary Party, National Action Party, Party of the Democratic Revolution
Current President: Enrique Peña Nieto (PRI)
Political Environment
Housing crisis
Political Risk Factor
Social instabilities (violence, robberies, drug cartels)
Distrust of the government
Oil production industry
Estimated to be 120,286,655 on July 2014
77% of Mexico is Roman Catholic
93% of Mexico speak the official language Spanish
Primary school from age 6-12, Secondary (general or technical) from age 12-15, Higher Secondary (general or specialized) from age 16-19, University
90% of education budget goes to teacher salaries
In 2009, Mexico spent 5.1% of GDP on education
Assessing a FDI in the Mexican Automotive Industry
April 30, 2014
Presented by
University of Texas-Arlington
School of Business-MBA
Jeff Do
Brian Maker
Holly Truong
Joe Munn
Chia-Hao (Howard), Chang
Mexico Automotive Industry
Green field strategy - wholly owned manufacturing plants in Mexico
Existing supply chain in auto industry could also support additional automotive components and parts
Control over knowledge-based capital, or the value can be easily dissipated through copying
Execute large entry scale - a $35 million dollar investment to build new automobile assembly plant
Reduce fixed costs and make car prices lower in order easier to attract more customers
Located in Tijuana, Mexico
Make the exportation of vehicles to Latin and South America market easier
Obtain just-in-time support from local supply chain
NAFTA strengthened the integration of production and processing between the United States and Mexico
Compared to labor wages of $168.40 USD a day in U.S.A, that benefits of 340 pesos a day ($26.40) in Mexico.
Major Milestones
Secure new facility in Mexico by Oct 31st, 2014;
Hire and train employee by mid of 2015
New facility production vehicle quality is up to par with U.S. facility production quality by end of 2015
Successful completion of the new automobile assembly plant by 2016.
Re-evaluate current U.S. operation after new production facility become operational and profitable.
Build a new assembly plant in Mexico
The low cost assembly workforce
Save Tesla an estimated $33.5 million per year
Purpose of New Facility
Produce both model S and X at the same plant will increase efficiency
Drive down the cost of manufacturing and increase profit for both models
70% of Mexico population is Christianity, people who practice Christianity, value hard work, wealth creation, and frugality
Staffing plan calls for 1000 employees in Mexico
Employ U.S managers with the compensation packages
Cost Benefits and Payback Period
Total saving cost from labor wage:
Cumulative NCF
Therefore, payback occurs between two and three years:
State and Quality of Infrastructure
President Calderon implemented the National Infrastructure Program in 2007 which cost $230 billion
Highway improvements reduced travel time by half
Railroads, airports and water ports are being upgraded to alleviate congestion and reduce travel times between cities
Mexico is building more water and sewer facilities to alleviate water sanitation problems
No more monopoly on telecommunications which equals better prices and services for customers
Modernize power plants, increase gas supply, increase generators to make the energy sector more efficient
Country Analysis
Taxation on Foreign Companies
Corporation tax rate estimated to be 37% if dividends are paid, 30% if not
16% value added tax on imported goods but can be waived
100% of all goods produced in Mexico must be exported. If goods stay, it will affect benefits to firm
Profit Repatriation
Currently no restrictions as long as the firm is in good legal standing and has met tax obligations
Country Analysis
Rules Governing FDI
Duty-free importation of raw materials, equipment and machinery
Import duties paid on raw materials can be refunded if used in exported goods
Firms in their first or second year of operation can choose a one-time depreciation deduction for their assets
Firms may be able to purchase lands at reduced prices based on the benefit from their FDI
Mexican Bank for Foreign Trade and Nacional Financiera can participate with minority ownership in FDI and then withdraw once firm is doing well
Company Information
SWOT Analysis
SWOT Analysis Continued
Planned lower price option to compete for the mass market
Government programs and tax benefits
Expand battery technology to other markets.
Markets willingness to accept electric vehicles.
The "Big 3" car company's competing in the same market with lower priced vehicles.
Steep drop in oil prices
A competitor having a breakthrough in alternative energy vehicles.(natural gas, ethanol, hydrogen, etc.)
Overall Strategy
Design, develop, and manufacture high performance fully electric vehicles and powertrain components.
Own the network of sales, service and Supercharger stations.
Rapidly develop and launch new technology
Maintain high quality levels and reduce costs
Key Numbers
Current stock price $199.85 (as of 4/27/14)
Market Cap $26.5 billion (approximately)
As of the most recent annual report:
Total Assets $2.41 billion
Total Liabilities $1.74 billion
Shareholders equity $667 million
Annual net loss $74.01 million
Total Cash $845 million
1,000 (employees) X 236 (working days per year) X ($168.4 - $26.4) = 33,512,000.
Why is Mexico Booming?
Proximity to the United States
Average Wage for a Union Worker is $3.00 an Hour
Utilization of NAFTA, EU, and South America Trade Agreements.
Rising Costs in Asia and Europe Home Countries
Potential Issues
Chronic Civil Unrest Due to Gangs
Some Automakers already do not allow executives to visit
Tax rates may increase
Increase in operating costs
Increase in salaries due to higher demand
Increase to bottom line
Increase in potential Tariffs
Thanks For Your Time
Present Remotely
Send the link below via email or IMCopy
Present to your audienceStart remote presentation
- Invited audience members will follow you as you navigate and present
- People invited to a presentation do not need a Prezi account
- This link expires 10 minutes after you close the presentation
- A maximum of 30 users can follow your presentation
- Learn more about this feature in our knowledge base article
Tesla assessing a FDI project
No description
Howard Changon 20 June 2014
Comments (0)
Please log in to add your comment.


text:
The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan yesterday accused Wells Fargo (WFC) of improperly underwriting home loans over a decade, in effect defrauding a government-backed mortgage insurance program of hundreds of millions of dollars. The charges come in the wake of a $20 billion suit filed by the New York AG accusing JP Morgan (JPM) of similar practices.
PR-friendly lawsuits aside, the government has done little in terms of prosecution in the four years since financial crisis began. No upper level banking or mortgage executive has gone to prison or even been indicted. All America has to show for surviving the meltdown is a 900-page piece of legislation. Nothing in history suggests Dodd-Frank will prevent the next disaster.
Wall Street isn't going to fix itself and the government clearly isn't up to the task. Restoring confidence in Big Money is going to take real change. The question is: What would a better system look like?
Chasing the Problem
Terri Duhon, author of How the Trading Floor Really Works says it boils down to the futility of trying to craft laws designed to address every variant of malfeasance. Like Sarbanes-Oxley before it, Dodd-Frank attempts to be a comprehensive list of prosecutable offenses. All Wall Street firm has to do is come up with something not covered by the rules and run with it until something goes horribly wrong.
"Regulators, unfortunately, are not at the cutting edge of finance," says Duhon, dramatically understating the problem. The SEC's budget in 2012 is $1.2 billion, the same as last year. In 2011 JP Morgan alone made $19 billion. The cops have neither the resources nor incentives to find questionable activities and the banks certainly aren't going to help.
The Spirit of the Law and Accountability
Nothing will change on Wall Street as long as anything outside of the specific parameters of the laws are legal. Duhon says regulators need to be educated in terms of what really happens in the murky catacombs of the Street. The housing crisis resulted from banks profiting wildly from the process of creating cheap mortgages. That was seen as a good thing right up until Washington figured out how chopping up mortgage-backed securities really work.
"We need to be a bit more realistic" about who's accountable for the shell game. Goldman Sachs' (GS) 31-year old glorified broker Fabrice "Fabulous Fab" Tourre wasn't the evil genius behind MBS. The top executives who made scores of millions off the system need to be responsible for what they created.
When the 1929 stock market crash and the Depression that followed threatened to take down Wall Street, FDR turned to infamous trader Joe Kennedy to root out corruption. It was relatively easy for Kennedy because he'd been part of creating the scams in the first place. Until DC finds another "poacher turned gamekeeper" in the same mold, the regulators don't stand a chance in the fight to protect Main Street.
More Related:
Wall Street Is Evil Just Like You, Ex-Trader Explains How to Deal
SEC Must Act Now to Protect Investors From High Frequency Trading: Saluzzi


text:
All articles for '
Michael Learned Net Worth'
All the featured articles about Michael Learned Net Worth. News, articles, net worth profile, and all biography about Michael Learned Net Worth.
Michael Learned Net Worth
Michael Learned net worth: Michael Learned is an American actress who has a net worth of $3 million dollars. Michael Learned was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Connecticut. She then moved to Austria when her father, who worked for the State Department, was transferred overseas. She discovered a love of performance while living overseas, and made her professional on-camera debut in the 19...
Michael Learned Net Worth
Michael Ohoven Net Worth
Michael Ohoven net worth: Michael Ohoven is a German-American film producer who has a net worth of $50 million. Michael Ohoven is the founder
Kashif Net Worth
Kashif net worth: Kashif is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, author, composer, and director who has a net worth of $2 million.
Marcus Miller Net Worth
Marcus Miller Net Worth: Marcus Miller is an American jazz composer, production, and musician who has a net worth of $5 million. Marcus Miler
David W. Harper Net Worth
David W. Harper Net Worth: David W. Harper is an American actor who has a net worth of $100 thousand dollars. Born in 1961
Julie Walters Net Worth
Julie Walters Net Worth: Julie Walters is an English actress and writer who has a net worth of $2 million. Born in Edgbaston, Birmingham,
Raoul Bova Net Worth
Raoul Bova Net Worth: Raoul Bova is an Italian actor who has a net worth of $5 million dollars. Born in 1971 in Rome,
Frankie Grande Net Worth
Frankie Grande net worth: Frankie Grande is an American actor, YouTube personality, and reality television personality who has a net worth of $1.5 million dollars. Frankie Grande
Dick Dale Net Worth
Dick Dale Net Worth: Dick Dale is an American musician who has a net worth of $200 thousand dollars. Known as The King of the Surf
Lyfe Jennings Net Worth
Lyfe Jennings Net Worth: Lyfe Jennings is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer and instrumentalist
Mark Spitz Net Worth
Mark Spitz net worth: Mark Spitz is an American former competition swimmer who has a net worth of $20 million dollars.
Mike Weir Net Worth
Mike Weir net worth and earnings: Mike Weir is a Canadian professional golfer who has a net worth of $25 million dollars. Michael Richard Weir was born in Sarnia
Frances Bean Cobain Net Worth
Frances Bean Cobain Net Worth: Frances Bean Cobain is an American artist who has a net worth of $200 million. Frances Bean Cobain was born in Los Angeles
Mike Dirnt Net Worth
Mike Dirnt net worth: Mike Dirnt is an American musician who has a net worth of $50 million. Mike Dirnt is most famous for being
Nick Loeb Net Worth
Nick Loeb Net Worth: Nick Loeb is an American businessman who has a net worth of $15 million. Nick Loeb was born August 2, 1975
Christopher Gardner Net Worth
Christopher Gardner net worth: Christopher Gardner is an American entrepreneur, investor, author, motivational speaker, and investor
Jim Furyk Net Worth
Jim Furyk net worth and career earnings: Jim Furyk is an American professional golfer who has a net worth of
Clive Owen Net Worth
Clive Owen Net Worth: Clive Owen is an English actor who has a net worth of $30 million dollars. Born October 3, 1964 in Keresley, U.K., Clive Owen first gained recognition
Michael Buffer Reportedly Wants To Sell His Trademark $400 Million Phrase!
For almost 25 years, Michael Buffer has made a fortune from his popular catchphrase. But soon, it may belong to someone else.
Michael Jordan Leads A Legend-Filled List Of The World's Highest-Paid Retired Athletes
Professional athletes can make a ridiculous amount of money playing their respective games these days, but if they are really good, they can make some serious money when they retire. For example, Michael Jordan made around $93 million during his p...
The Richest Person Of Every Age, From 19 To 60
We are obsessed with billionaires here at Celebrity Net Worth. As a result, we got to thinking about the richest people at our respective ages and we have put together a list of the richest person for every age from 19 to 60 years old.
The Richest Oscar Winners Of All Time
Every year the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hands out Oscars to some incredibly wealthy people. But who are the absolute wealthiest people ever to win an Academy Award? You're about to find out!
Celebrity Billionaires
Behold! These magical human beings have not only managed to become celebrities, they are also BILLIONAIRES! Double whammy of awesome!!!
The Richest Celebrity Chefs In The World
Considering that the average upscale chef's salary hovers in the low $70K range, these Celebrity Chefs are really cooking up a serious fortune.


text:
The thing that struck me more than anything during our week in Cornwall was the wildflowers. Anyone who has holidayed in Cornwall will know all about the narrow windy roads with high verges. I have often holidayed in this area... Continue Reading →
Having watched the Great British Bake Off for a few years I decided it was about time I learnt to make bread. I have tried in the past and produced the odd brick, even the pre-mixed packets haven't really worked... Continue Reading →
The end of another month and another parcel from a Foodie Penpal. This month I was assigned Anna and Jamie at Manchester Foodies and I am pleased to see they enjoyed their parcel which had a loose Italian theme. My... Continue Reading →
I am quite chuffed with myself at how the cake I have made for my parent's 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary has turned out. I am no cake decorator and have had many a run in with a piping bag which... Continue Reading →
I have a real weakness for a parcel, I adore receiving them. In fact the actual receiving of the parcel is often more exciting than the contents which is why I love internet shopping. I also like eating, well who... Continue Reading →
It's funny how the smallest achievement can give you a huge sense of satisfaction and bring a smile to your face. Making four jars of strawberry jams was one of those achievements. This is the second lot of jam this... Continue Reading →
I have just finished my third term of Botanical Art. This term I have concentrated on a more complicated picture and trying to conquer my fear of watercolour paint. The plums were fairly easy to complete but the leaves were... Continue Reading →
I feel an overwhelming urge to share with you my Pavlova success. I could pretend that I was suffering from a strawberry glut just as Anna at Greentapestry is but no one who knows me would believe me as they... Continue Reading →


text:
Tag: novelist
There are 6 posts.
Quiz: what book should you read next?
Ready to get your teeth into some classic literature? We've put together a quiz to help you determine which of six Oxford World's Classics titles you should line up for your next read. Take the quiz and see which title you get…more
Go Set a Watchman and other Biblical titles
The news that a second novel by Harper Lee is to be published this year has caused excitement around the world. Her 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird has long been considered a modern classic, and soon readers will be able to read about Scout as an adult…more
How well do you know literary characters?
Quite a lot of literary characters are better known by the title of the book in which they appear. Many people will recognize the name Lady Chatterley's Lover, not least due to the obscenity trial that ended on 2 November 1960, with Penguin Books found not guilty. Rather fewer will know the name of the lover […]more
The inventive words and worlds of Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft
To celebrate this week's birthday of H.P. Lovecraft, one of Gothic horror's most acclaimed authors, here is a brief look into the contributions H.P. Lovecraft and fellow Gothic writer Edgar Allan Poe have made to the English language. Poe's words Though Edgar Allan Poe, the progenitor of the modern day horror genre (across all mediums), […]more
The language of David Foster Wallace
Though the late David Foster Wallace was an internationally renowned author of fiction and non-fiction, many of his readers and even some of his most ardent fans may not know about Wallace's love of language and the work he contributed to the modern American English lexicon. Wallace could take even the most unassuming or simple […]more
Celebrating language: the magic of Angela Carter
When Angela Carter was accused of overwriting, she cheerfully agreed that she pounced on opportunities to do so: 'Embrace them? I would say that I half-suffocate them with the enthusiasm with which I wrap my arms and legs around them.' The critic, Helen Stoddart, said she had 'one of the most distinctive and daring voices […]more


text:
SULIS SETYOWATI, 1102402037 PENGGUNAAN MEDIA BONEKA UNTUK MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR SISWA PADA MATAPELAJARAN PKPS KELAS 1 DI SD JANGKRIKAN 3 KECAMATAN KEPIL KABUPATEN WOMOSOBO TAHUN PELAJARAN 2006/2007. Identitas Mahasiswa.
Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author.While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server.


text:
2017 jewelry Cartier Rings replica series, Love a good lock
Jewelry inspired from your nature and wild is the new craze design of the world's fashion. Recently, a diamond panther bracelet, belonging to Wallis Simpson has become sold for a world record-breaking $4.5m ($7m) at auction – 3 x as its expected price. It may be the most high-priced bracelet sold at any auction.
Onyx and diamond panther bracelet is but one item in Windsor's jewel collection. The whole collection contains 20 pieces including a ruby, sapphire, emerald, citrine and diamond Cartier flamingo clip. The jewels of the fake cartier love bracelet canada Duchess of Windsor collection imitation cartier screw bracelet are in the auction by Sotheby\'s in London on November 30, 2010. The collection is estimated to worth 3 million pounds; however, the last auction recorded an incredible $43 million more than the expected price.
There are many websites on the internet that provide top quality, discount Cartier watches at almost 25% to 50% lower than the market rate. You can buy these watches on your own or surprise a pal by gifting her one. The meticulously handcrafted designer cases and quality bracelets make sure they are the perfect choice for replica cartier watch bracelet exclusive presents.
At 10 pm Tuesday, March 16, Skinner Fine Jewelry Auction can have at its 63 Park Plaza gallery, items from your variety of Hope Goddard Iselin of New York City and Newport, RI — the first woman to compete within the America's Cup yacht racing series — 15 pieces, including an Art Deco platinum, diamond and onyx bracelet from Cartier, with the estimated worth of $30,000 to $40,000.
cartier rings classic LOVE series, turned love in the hearts of recent pliant on the situation; and for her to wear a sparkle during the Cartier band wedding series, hold your hand, foot happy journey; or he made a decision to bear in mind each fake cartier gold bracelet of the joy of the moment Cartier watch, witness the sweet happy moments; he and she or he has since turn into a unique and each other forever.


text:
Forms and types of "law" in the thought of Montesquieu
Montesquieu used the concept of "law" to indicate, in a broad sense, the multifarious concatenations of causes that are intertwined in the historical determination of human societies. The French thinker distinguished the "laws" in plurime typologies, that he related to the cultural, political, moral, legal, religious and climatic variables, whose incidence is stratified into the systemic composition of each civilization, through the commixture of reciprocal interdependencies that forge the "general spirit" of nations. Furthermore, Montesquieu combined his peculiar methodological approach with the principles of "jusnaturalism", in fact took for granted the existence of "natural laws", among which he included the instinct for "sociability", that laid as the primary foundation of all community aggregates. In this regard, Montesquieu directed harsh criticisms at Hobbes, whereas revealed evident affinities with Grotius, Pufendorf and Locke, although without adhering to the "social contract theory".
Montesquieu; Law; General Spirit; Jusnaturalism; Human Society
Full Text:PDF (Italiano)
DOI: 10.6092/issn.2421-4124/6701
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2017 Massimiliano Bravi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 Unported License.


text:
Down the Barrel Trailer (2007)
07 September 2007 Factual 93 mins
The essence of surfing is an elusive ideal. Part sport, part state-of-mind; an avenue for self-expression, a metaphor for freedom; a ritual, a competitive event, a dangerous journey, a dance. Nature supplies the power, and with the proper balance of respect and resistance, we enjoy the ride. From the North Shore of Oahu, to the end of the road in Tahiti. From Australia to California, from Florida to France, the world's greatest surfers share their insights, and show us how - and why -- it's done. Their skill, and the thrill of the experience, are captured as never before in this documentary. What is the secret to surfing's global appeal? The answer is revealed by Florida's Kelly Slater, California's Rob Machado, Hawaii's Kalani Robb and Australia's Joel Parkinson, through their own voices, in DOWN THE BARREL. The sport of Surfing is displayed for what it is. WITHOUT SCRIPT. WITHOUT ANIMATION. WITHOUT HYPE.
Watch the official Down the Barrel 2007 trailer in HD below or find more Down the Barrel videos on Vidimovie.


text:
Mechanical signals are important regulators of skeletal homeostasis, and strain-induced oscillatory fluid flow is a potent mechanical stimulus. Although the mechanisms by which osteoblasts and osteocytes respond to fluid flow are being elucidated, little is known about the mechanisms by which bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells respond to such stimuli. Here we show that the intracellular signaling cascades activated in human mesenchymal stem cells by fluid flow are similar to those activated in osteoblastic cells. Oscillatory fluid flow inducing shear stresses of 5, 10, and 20 dyn/cm2 triggered rapid, flow rate-dependent increases in intracellular calcium that pharmacological studies suggest are inositol trisphosphate mediated. The application of fluid flow also induced the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1 and -2 as well as the activation of the calcium-sensitive protein phosphatase calcineurin in mesenchymal stem cells. Activation of these signaling pathways combined to induce a robust increase in cellular proliferation. These data suggest that mechanically induced fluid flow regulates not only osteoblastic behavior but also that of mesenchymal precursors, implying that the observed osteogenic response to mechanical loading may be mediated by alterations in the cellular behavior of multiple members of the osteoblast lineage, perhaps by a common signaling pathway.
- mechanotransduction
- bone
- marrow
maintenance of appropriate bone mass requires the coordination of bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone deposition by osteoblasts, and it is well established that mechanical stimuli can regulate the balance between bone formation and resorption. The addition of exogenous mechanical load is believed to stimulate new bone formation through increases in osteoblastic activity and concomitant decreases in osteoclastic activity (20). Conversely, removal of mechanical load, as is the case during spaceflight and disuse, leads to decreased osteoblastic activity and loss of bone mass (42, 56).
Accumulating evidence suggests that individual bone cells, including osteocytes and osteoblasts, are responsible for perceiving and responding to mechanical signals. Such signals, which may include streaming potentials, mechanical strain, and fluid shear stress, elicit a host of biochemical responses including mobilization of second messengers such as calcium (22, 72), nitric oxide (26, 30), prostaglandins, and inositol trisphosphate (IP3) (49); activation of kinase cascades including the MAP kinase and PKC pathways (44, 50); and modulation of gene expression (5, 46, 73). Strain-induced oscillatory fluid flow has been shown by our laboratory (73) and others (45) to be a potent biophysical stimulus. In MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts, fluid flow induces the mobilization of intracellular calcium (), activates ERK1/2, and increases osteopontin mRNA levels (11, 72, 73). Recent evidence has shown that exposing the osteocytic cell line MLO-Y4 to physiological levels of fluid flow induces similar responses (1, 6, 52).
Although the mechanisms by which osteoblasts and osteocytes respond to mechanical stimuli are being elucidated, little is known about how bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) respond to mechanical signals. Capable of regenerating bone (15, 16), these cells also maintain the capacity to differentiate to multiple mesenchymal cell types including chondrocytes and adipocytes (47, 48). Emerging studies suggest that, like osteoblasts and osteocytes, MSCs are mechanoresponsive. MSCs isolated from rats after hindlimb unloading exhibit both a decreased proliferative potential and a reduced osteogenic capacity compared with loaded controls (39, 74). Specifically, cells from these animals formed fewer mineralized and alkaline phosphatase-positive colonies in vitro, two commonly used markers of osteoblastic potential. Similarly reduced osteogenic capacity was observed in MSCs isolated from mice subjected to periods of tail suspension (54). More recently, Simmons et al. (59) showed that exposing human MSCs (hMSCs) to a cyclic strain during osteoblastic differentiation enhances the degree of matrix mineralization and Li et al. (37) showed that oscillatory fluid flow stimulates hMSC proliferation in vitro.
Despite these observations, the cellular mechanisms by which MSCs respond to mechanical stimuli have yet to be defined. In these studies, we sought to investigate whether human marrow-derived progenitors respond to oscillatory fluid flow in a manner similar to that observed in more mature cells of the osteoblastic lineage. Specifically, we hypothesized that fluid flow would result in an increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) and the subsequent activation of downstream signaling proteins, such as ERK1/2 and calcineurin, which would in turn induce hMSC proliferation. is a vital and ubiquitous mediator in the processes by which extracellular signals are conveyed to the cell's interior and translated into a cellular response. Oscillations in [Ca2+]i regulate gene expression via numerous signaling cascades (19, 57) and have been shown to provide specificity among transcriptional activators (9, 10). The serine/threonine protein phosphatase calcineurin, for instance, responds to increases in [Ca2+]i and calmodulin binding by dephosphorylating and activating nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) transcription factors (8, 21). Likewise, ERK1/2, members of the MAP kinase family, have been shown to be key regulators in the proliferation and differentiation of numerous cell types, including hMSCs (23) and osteoblasts (28, 34, 70).
Herein we show that exposing hMSCs to oscillatory fluid flow induces a flow-rate dependent increase in [Ca2+]i and that these increases are mediated by the release of calcium from IP3-sensitive stores. Additionally, fluid flow stimulates a robust and time-dependent increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation that is independent of increases in [Ca2+]i but dependent on the activity of PLC and the binding of diacylglycerol (DAG) to PKC. Finally, we show that oscillatory fluid flow induces a proliferative response in hMSCs that is dependent on the activation of ERK1/2 and the activation of the calcium-responsive protein calcineurin.
Cell culture.
hMSCs from an 18-year-old male donor (Cambrex Biosciences) were cultured in DMEM-low glucose (DMEM-LG; Invitrogen) supplemented with 10% FBS (Hyclone), 2 mM l-glutamine, and 1% penicillin-streptomycin and maintained in a humidified incubator at 37°C with 5% CO2. Medium was replaced every 3–4 days. Supplements to induce the differentiation of hMSCs were not added to the culture medium at any time in these studies. At 80% confluence, cells were subcultured and seeded onto quartz slides for [Ca2+]i experiments or onto glass slides for ERK1/2 phosphorylation, calcineurin activity, and proliferation studies. Eighty thousand cells were seeded on quartz slides (76 × 26 × 1.6 mm) and one hundred thirty thousand cells were seeded on glass slides (75 × 38 × 1.0 mm) to attain similar levels of confluence on the day of experiments. Forty-eight hours after seeding, culture medium was replaced with flow medium (DMEM-LG containing 0.5% FBS), and cells were cultured for an additional 24 h before exposure to fluid flow.
Application of fluid flow.
To expose cells to fluid flow, slides were positioned in parallel plate flow chambers (14) and connected to a servopneumatic materials testing device (EnduraTec), oscillating at 1 Hz, via glass Hamilton syringes and rigid wall tubing. For calcium imaging experiments, a chamber with a fluid volume of 38 × 10 × 0.28 mm was used, whereas a larger chamber with a fluid volume of 75 × 38 × 0.28 mm was used for long-term experiments. The relationship between flow rate, which was monitored in real time with an ultrasonic flowmeter (Transonic Systems), and shear stress was calculated using the equation τ = 6Qμ/bh2, where τ is the wall shear stress (dyn/cm2), Q is the flow rate (cm3/s), μ is the viscosity of the flow medium (0.01 dyn·s·cm−2), and b and h are the width and height of the channel, respectively (14). We utilized a flow regime that facilitated the oscillatory movement of a defined volume of fluid across the cell monolayer. Oscillatory fluid flow mimics the shear stresses associated with the loading and unloading of long bones during normal gait and, as such, was implemented at a physiological frequency of 1 Hz (i.e., 1 step/s; Ref. 67). Flow rates of 4.5, 9, and 18 ml/min were used to apply physiologically relevant shear stresses of 5, 10, and 20 dyn/cm2 for calcium imaging experiments, whereas flow rates of 14, 28, and 56 ml/min were used for long-term flow experiments.
Calcium imaging.
Calcium imaging experiments were performed as described previously (71, 72). Briefly, 80% confluent cells were washed with flow medium and incubated at 37°C for 30 min in a 10 μM fura-2 AM solution (Molecular Probes). Cells were then rinsed with flow medium, mounted on a parallel plate flow chamber, and placed on an inverted fluorescence microscope stage (Nikon). Fura-2 is a Ca2+-responsive fluorescent dye that exhibits a shift in absorption when bound to Ca2+. The emission intensity following ultraviolet illumination increases with [Ca2+]i at 340 nm and decreases with [Ca2+]i at 380 nm. Consecutive images at 340 and 380 nm were recorded once every 2 s and analyzed using Metafluor image analysis software (Universal Imaging, West Chester, PA). Absolute [Ca2+]i was obtained by comparison to a calibration curve provided by the manufacturer (Molecular Probes). Basal [Ca2+]i levels were sampled for 3 min to serve as a static control, followed by 3 min of oscillatory fluid flow.
Western immunoblotting.
To examine the effect of fluid flow on ERK1/2 phosphorylation, hMSCs were exposed to oscillatory fluid flow with a shear stress of 20 dyn/cm2 for 1–120 min or 5 and 10 dyn/cm2 for 15 min or were used as time-matched static controls. Immediately after exposure to flow, cells were washed in ice-cold PBS, and total cellular protein was isolated in 0.1% Triton X-100, 10 mM Tris, pH 8, 1 mM EDTA, 0.2 mM Na3VO4, supplemented with a protease inhibitor cocktail (Calbiochem). Twenty-five micrograms of protein were resolved by SDS-PAGE (Gradipore) and transferred onto polyvinylidene difluoride membranes (Bio-Rad). Increases in ERK1/2 activation in response to fluid flow were assessed by immunoblotting for the phosphorylated forms of ERK1/2 with a specific antibody (Cell Signaling Technologies). Immunoreactive bands were visualized with the use of enhanced chemiluminescence detection (Amersham Biosciences), and blots were subsequently stripped in 0.1 M glycine, pH 2, and reprobed for total ERK1/2 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology). Densitometric analysis was carried out with Quality One image analysis software (Bio-Rad).
Calcineurin activity assays.
The effect of fluid flow on cellular calcineurin activity levels was assessed using a commercially available colorimetric assay (Calbiochem) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Briefly, cells were exposed to oscillatory fluid flow as described for ERK1/2 experiments and immediately washed in Tris-buffered saline to avoid phosphate contamination. Cell lysates were collected in 50 mM Tris, 1 mM DTT, 100 μM EDTA, 100 μM EGTA, and 0.2% Nonidet P-40 and then incubated with the RII phosphopeptide (Asp-Leu-Asp-Val-Pro-Ile-Pro-Gly-Arg-Phe-Asp-Arg-Arg-Val-pSer-Val-Ala-Ala-Glu) in the presence or absence of 10 mM EGTA, to inhibit calcineurin activity. Calcineurin activity was calculated by subtracting phosphatase activity in the presence of EGTA from total phosphatase activity. Results are normalized to total protein concentration (bicinchoninic acid; Pierce) and presented as picomolar phosphate liberated per milligram of protein in 30 min.
Proliferation assays.
Oscillatory fluid flow-induced hMSC proliferation was assessed using a FITC 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) flow kit (BD Pharmigen) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Briefly, cells were exposed to oscillatory fluid flow with shear stresses of 5, 10, or 20 dyn/cm2 for 1 h or were used as static controls. Cells were postincubated for 20 h in fresh flow medium at 37°C with 5% CO2. Proliferating cells were then labeled for 60 min with 10 μM BrdU, a thymidine analog incorporated into the genomic DNA of proliferating cells. Cells were subsequently washed with PBS and fixed, and the percentages of proliferating cells were quantified using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS; FACScan, BD Pharmigen) with a FITC-conjugated antibody specific for BrdU.
Pharmacological inhibitors.
To ascertain the source of fluid flow-induced [Ca2+]i increases and to elucidate the signaling cascades responsible for flow-induced proliferation, a series of pharmacological inhibitors of Ca2+ and MAP kinase signaling were used. Thapsigargin (1 μM), verapamil (5 μM), and GdCl3 (10 μM) (all from Sigma) were used to inhibit Ca2+ release, L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channel activity, and mechanosensitive cation channel activity, respectively (12, 18, 61, 69). Ryanodine (1 μM; Calbiochem) was used to activate and hold open ryanodine-sensitive channels on intracellular calcium stores (41). U-73122 (10 μM; Calbiochem) was used to antagonize the activity of PLC and thus the production of IP3 and DAG, whereas U-73343, a weak PLC antagonist, was used as a negative control (3, 5). GF-109203X (1 μM; Biomol) and calphostin C (1 μM; Calbiochem) were used to antagonize PKC activity (31, 63). U-0126 (10 μM; Cell Signaling Technologies) and cyclosporin A (5 μg/ml; Calbiochem) were used to inhibit ERK1/2 activation and calcineurin activity and to examine their role in fluid flow-induced proliferation (13, 38, 59). Cells were pretreated with inhibitors or vehicle controls 30 min before and for the duration of fluid flow. For calcium imaging experiments, inhibitors were added after cells were loaded with fura-2. All pharmacological inhibitors were dissolved in DMSO, with the exception of verapamil and GdCl3. Verapamil was dissolved in ethanol, whereas GdCl3 was dissolved directly in the flow medium. Solvent concentrations in the flow medium were maintained at 0.1% (vol/vol).
Data analysis.
Increases in [Ca2+]i during the static period or in response to fluid flow were determined by calculating the average [Ca2+]i and standard deviation for individual cells before exposure to flow. A calcium concentration greater than the average [Ca2+]i plus 4 standard deviations in response to flow or during the static period was defined as a response. No statistical difference was observed between vehicle controls for calcium experiments (1-way ANOVA), so all controls were combined. Because of variation between proliferation experiments, data were analyzed and expressed as the percentage of static control. All data are expressed as means ± SE. One-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparisons tests were used to compare groups. Student's t-test was used to compare calcineurin activity at each time point examined (Prism; GraphPad Software). P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Oscillatory fluid flow induces [Ca2+]i increases.
Exposing hMSCs to oscillatory fluid flow resulted in a rapid yet transient increase in [Ca2+]i that was flow rate dependent. Calcium traces from a typical experiment in which hMSCs were exposed to a shear stress of 20 dyn/cm2 are shown in Fig. 1A. During the static period, 1.4 ± 0.6% of cells exhibited a spontaneous increase in [Ca2+]i with an amplitude of 68.9 ± 9.1 nM (Fig. 1, B and C). A significantly higher percentage of cells exhibited increases in [Ca2+]i when hMSCs were exposed to oscillatory fluid flow-inducing shear stresses of 5, 10, and 20 dyn/cm2 at 1 Hz (56 ± 2.4%, 87 ± 7.9%, and 89 ± 10.4%, respectively). Interestingly, the amplitudes of the observed [Ca2+]i increase in response to 5 and 10 dyn/cm2 (60.0 ± 10.2 and 96.8 ± 6.3 nM, respectively) were not statistically significantly different from spontaneous increases observed in static controls. In contrast, a significantly greater increase in [Ca2+]i was observed when cells were exposed to a shear stress of 20 dyn/cm2 (189 ± 12.4 nM). Results were obtained from 4 separate experiments using a total of 11 slides and at least 184 individual cells per flow rate. Unless otherwise stated, subsequent flow experiments were performed with a shear stress of 20 dyn/cm2 as it produced the most robust increase in [Ca2+]i.
Source of [Ca2+]i increase.
Pharmacological inhibitors were used to elucidate the source of fluid flow-induced [Ca2+]i increases. Treatment with GdCl3 or verapamil, which antagonize the activity of the mechanosensitive cation channel and the L-type calcium channel, respectively, did not have a significant effect on either the percentage of cells responding to fluid flow with an increase in [Ca2+]i (Fig. 2A) or flow-induced [Ca2+]i increases (Fig. 2B) compared with untreated flow controls. Thapsigargin (1 μM), which empties intracellular calcium stores by inhibiting the ATP-dependent Ca2+ pump, significantly decreased both the percentage of responding cells (15.5 ± 6.4%) and flow-induced increases (54.6 ± 8.6 nM) compared with flow controls. Flow-induced increases were similar to those observed in static controls (73.8 ± 9.9 nM). Thus we decided to further examine the mechanisms by which fluid flow induces the release of calcium from intracellular stores.
Ryanodine (1 μM), which activates and holds open ryanodine-sensitive channels present on intracellular calcium stores, did not have a significant effect on either the percentage of responding cells (88.2 ± 4.4%) or increases in [Ca2+]i (127.4 ± 9.2 nM). However, inhibiting the production of IP3 by antagonizing the activity of PLC with U-73122 significantly decreased both the percentage of cells responding to fluid flow (38.6 ± 13.6%) and flow-induced increases in [Ca2+]i (56.3 ± 2.8 nM). U-73343 slightly attenuated the increase in [Ca2+]i in response to fluid flow (103.8 ± 18.7 nM), probably as a result of its weak ability to inhibit PLC. However, U-73343 treatment did not affect the percentage of cells responding (97.5 ± 1.5%). Results were obtained from 3 independent experiments using a minimum of 11 slides per condition.
Fluid flow induces ERK activation.
Antibodies specific for ERK1/2 phosphorylated at Thr202 and Tyr204 were used to examine increases in ERK1/2 activation in response to fluid flow. Basal levels of ERK1/2 phosphorylation remained constant in static controls (Fig. 3A). In response to the onset of oscillatory fluid flow inducing a shear stress of 20 dyn/cm2, we observed a time-dependent increase in ERK1/2 phosphorylation. After 15, 30, and 60 min of fluid flow, phosphorylation was markedly increased compared with time-matched static controls. However, after 120 min of fluid flow, phosphorylation levels were comparable to those of unflowed cells. To assess how quickly ERK1/2 phosphorylation levels increased, we repeated these experiments at earlier time points. Phosphorylation levels were increased after just 1 min of fluid flow, but the highest levels were achieved after 5 and 15 min (Fig. 3B). Results are typical of four independent experiments performed in duplicate.
Because several studies have noted the importance of signaling in the activation of ERK1/2 in osteoblastic cells (24, 40), we investigated the effect of fluid flow-induced [Ca2+]i increases on ERK1/2 activation. Cells were treated with a series of pharmacological inhibitors 30 min before and during a 15-min exposure to oscillatory fluid flow inducing a shear stress of 20 dyn/cm2. Interestingly, thapsigargin (1 μM), which blocked flow-induced [Ca2+]i increases (Fig. 2), did not significantly affect ERK1/2 phosphorylation in response to flow (Fig. 3C). Flow-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation was blocked by treatment with U-73122 (10 μM), which also inhibited [Ca2+]i (Fig. 2), but was unaffected by its noninhibitory analog, U-73343. Because these data suggest a role for PKC in the flow-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2, we treated hMSCs with 1 μM GF-109203X or 1 μM calphostin C. GF-109203X antagonizes most isoforms of PKC, but in these studies it did not affect flow-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation. In contrast, preventing the binding of DAG to PKC by treatment with calphostin C attenuated the flow-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2. The discrepancy between these results may be related to the isoenzyme specificity of PKC inhibitors (63, 68). Treatment with the MEK inhibitor U-0126 (10 μM) also abolished flow-induced increases in ERK1/2 phosphorylation and was used as a positive control. Neither GdCl3 nor verapamil treatment affected the levels of flow-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and we did not observe an effect of GF-109203X, calphostin C, or U-0126 treatment on flow-induced [Ca2+]i increases (data not shown).
Because we observed a flow rate-dependent increase in [Ca2+]i, we examined the possibility that ERK1/2 phosphorylation might also be flow rate dependent. Our studies showed that ERK1/2 were equally phosphorylated in response to fluid flow with shear stresses of 5, 10, or 20 dyn/cm2 (Fig. 3D). These data may be a result of signal amplification within the MAP kinase signal cascade or the inherent sensitivity of the pathway to extracellular signals such that all three flow rates induced the same phosphorylation response. The results are representative of three independent experiments performed in duplicate.
Calcineurin activity is increased by fluid flow.
Because blocking fluid flow-induced increases in [Ca2+]i did not prevent ERK1/2 phosphorylation, we examined other possible downstream targets of this response, such as activation of the protein phosphatase calcineurin. Control cells consistently exhibited low levels of calcineurin activity, ranging from 310.6 ± 117.1 pM phosphate liberated/mg protein after 1 min to 377.9 ± 76.2 pM phosphate liberated/mg protein after 15 min (Fig. 4). In response to fluid flow, calcineurin activity levels increased significantly to 901.5 ± 101.8 pM phosphate liberated/mg protein after 1 min of flow. Activity levels remained significantly elevated through 5 and 15 min of fluid flow (788.4 ± 139.8 and 766.4 ± 125.2 pM phosphate/mg protein, respectively). Results were obtained from three experiments performed in duplicate.
Fluid flow-induced hMSC proliferation is dependent on ERK1/2 and calcineurin activation.
As calcium and MAP kinase signaling have both been implicated in cellular proliferation, we examined the effect of oscillatory fluid flow on hMSC proliferation. hMSCs were exposed to oscillatory fluid flow for 1 h and then incubated for 20 h before labeling with 10 μM BrdU to allow cells time to synthesize the factors necessary for cell cycle progression. Exposing hMSCs to fluid flow with shear stresses of 5 or 10 dyn/cm2 failed to induce a significant increase in cellular proliferation (Fig. 5A). However, the highest flow rate examined (20 dyn/cm2) proved to be a potent mitogenic signal and induced a 126.1 ± 16.1% increase in proliferation over static controls.
We next examined the effect of fluid flow-induced ERK1/2 and calcineurin activity on flow-induced proliferation by pretreating cells with 10 μM U-0126 or 5 μg/ml cyclosporin A. Inhibition of ERK1/2 activation did not have a significant effect on basal proliferation levels but completely abolished flow-induced increases in hMSC proliferation (92.9 ± 15.3%; Fig. 5B). Treatment with cyclosporin A had a similar effect (127.8 ± 22.6%), suggesting that activation of both of these signaling molecules is an important mediator in the proliferative response of hMSCs to fluid flow. Our results were obtained from four independent experiments performed in duplicate.
Maintenance of skeletal homeostasis is clearly regulated by biophysical signals. Understanding the mechanisms by which individual bone cells perceive and respond to these signals may serve as a starting point for the treatment of conditions in which bone cell behavior is altered. Although the mechanisms by which osteoblasts and osteocytes perceive and respond to these signals are under scrutiny, little is known about the mechanisms by which MSCs respond to biophysical signals. Accumulating evidence suggests that marrow-derived osteoprogenitors are also mechanoresponsive (37, 39, 54, 59, 62, 74), and therefore understanding the mechanism by which MSCs respond to biophysical signals is as important as understanding that of osteoblasts or osteocytes. MSCs represent a pool of osteoprogenitors, and better insight into the factors that regulate their proliferation and differentiation may provide new therapeutic opportunities to ameliorate bone loss.
Several studies have suggested that increased bone formation in response to mechanical loading is mediated by the response of bone cells to strain-induced fluid flow (33, 64). The deformation of bone tissue during physiological levels of mechanical load (such as ambulatory motion) induces cyclical movement of interstitial fluid flow, with predicted fluid shear rates calculated to be between 8 and 30 dyn/cm2 (67). Exposing osteoblasts to these shear rates in vitro induces the expression of the genes associated with bone formation (60, 72) and has been shown to be a more potent stimulus than direct application of physiological levels of mechanical strain (45, 73). In the present study, we sought to examine the effect of fluid flow on hMSC behavior. To date, all estimates of physiological levels of load-induced fluid flow in bone have been calculated with reference to osteocytic cells (67), and, because of structural differences between the cellular environment of marrow and bone, these values may not be directly applicable to MSCs. However, as cells residing in the marrow are intimately associated with bone surfaces, especially in trabecular bone, we hypothesized that MSCs are also exposed to oscillatory fluid flow. To address these issues, we selected three flow rates that encompass the predicted physiological levels of flow that MSCs might experience.
Like osteoblasts and osteocytes, hMSCs responded to fluid flow with a rapid, flow rate-dependent increase in [Ca2+]i. Absolute increases in [Ca2+]i in response to fluid flow with shear rates of 5 and 10 dyn/cm2 were not different from spontaneous oscillations observed in hMSCs during the static period. Intriguingly, hMSCs responded to a shear stress of 20 dyn/cm2 with significantly more robust [Ca2+]i increases, on the order of 200 nM. Although the magnitude of this observed [Ca2+]i increase is in accordance with the recent study by Li et al. (37), it is noteworthy that in previous studies conducted with osteoblastic cell models, no difference was observed between the amplitude of flow-induced increases in [Ca2+]i and spontaneous oscillations observed in cells left unflowed (71–73). Flow-induced calcium responses were dependent on the activation of PLC because treatment with pharmacological agents that either emptied intracellular calcium stores or blocked IP3 production attenuated flow-induced calcium increases. These data reflect previous studies that examined the mechanism by which fluid flow induces [Ca2+]i increases in osteoblasts (5, 72). However, although several studies have implicated the L-type calcium channel and mechanosensitive cation channel in bone cell mechanotransduction (12, 36, 72), treating hMSCs with pharmacological antagonists directed against these channels had no significant effect on either fluid flow-induced oscillations or ERK1/2 phosphorylation. These data are supported by recent electrophysiological studies suggesting that only a small fraction of hMSCs cells express functional L-type channels (29) and may mark a major difference in the mechanotransduction pathways of the osteoblast and the osteoprogenitor.
Several studies of osteoblastic cells have noted the importance of [Ca2+]i increases in the activation of the MAP kinases ERK1/2 (24, 40). These kinases are vital regulators of osteoblastic proliferation and differentiation and have been shown to mediate flow-induced effects on proliferation (25) and gene expression (65, 72). Indeed, a recent study by Kapur et al. (28) reported the requirement of both ERK1 and ERK2 in the proliferative effect of fluid flow. Oscillatory fluid flow also induced the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in hMSCs. However, flow-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation in hMSCs was not dependent on increases in [Ca2+]i, because ERK1/2 phosphorylation was blocked by PKC and PLC antagonists but not by agents that blocked only calcium release. Rather, our data imply that flow-induced calcium responses are likely to be responsible for the activation of calcineurin. Calcineurin activity levels were dramatically increased after 1 min of oscillatory fluid flow exposure and remained elevated through 15 min.
Although these data suggest that in hMSCs the calcium and MAP kinase responses are initially independent of one another, their actions appear to converge and induce a proliferative effect in response to oscillatory fluid flow. Fluid flow inducing a shear stress of 20 dyn/cm2 triggered a 126% increase in hMSC proliferation, a response that was attenuated by inhibiting both phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and activation of calcineurin with U-0126 and cyclosporin, respectively. Previous studies using nonosteoblastic cell models provide support for this signaling mechanism. MAP kinase and calcineurin signaling have both been implicated in the expression, accumulation, and activity of cyclin D, a protein necessary for the G1-to-S transition in the cell cycle (7, 27, 35). Furthermore, both signaling molecules have been implicated in cardiac hypertrophy by codependently coordinating cardiac cell growth (55). Our data suggest that ERK1/2 may have a secondary role relative to calcium signaling in the mechanism by which oscillatory fluid flow induces proliferation. The rationale for this hypothesis is that ERK1/2 was equally phosphorylated at all flow rates, but proliferation was evident only at a flow rate that caused the most robust increase in [Ca2+]i. It should also be noted that despite its well-recognized use and efficacy as an inhibitor of calcineurin, cyclosporin A may produce nonspecific side effects via the stimulation of superoxide (32). However, at least two studies have suggested that this side effect is associated with an increase in cell proliferation and DNA synthesis (43, 66), the opposite of the data presented herein.
In contrast to the aforementioned study by Li et al. (37), which demonstrated a 57% increase in hMSC proliferation in response to fluid flow inducing a shear stress of 10 dyn/cm2, we observed a statistically significant increase in cellular proliferation only when cells were exposed to a higher flow rate that induced a shear stress of 20 dyn/cm2. This discrepancy is likely due to differences in experimental procedure (i.e., serum concentrations) and/or assay sensitivity (FACS vs. histological quantification). Because we observed an increase in proliferation only at the flow rate that induced the greatest increase in [Ca2+]i, we hypothesize that a robust calcium response and the activation of downstream signaling molecules in the presence of activated MAP kinases may act as the molecular switch to induce hMSC proliferation in response to fluid flow.
Because of the oscillatory nature of the flow regime used in these studies, there exists the potential for medium moving across the hMSC monolayer to become enriched in secreted factors and metabolites. There are conflicting reports regarding whether such chemotransport may affect bone cell behavior. We previously demonstrated (11) that chemotransport contributes to the responsiveness of osteoblastic cell models to oscillatory fluid flow. However, studies using primary bone cells suggest that shear rate plays a more important role in mechanotranduction than chemotransport (2, 51). Clearly, further study is necessary to clarify the contribution of both chemotransport and fluid shear stresses in the physiological response of bone to mechanical loading.
Although these studies highlight subtle differences that exist between the signaling cascades activated in response to fluid flow in more mature cells of the osteoblastic lineage and hMSCs, together these data suggest that a common mechanotransduction pathway exists by which cells of the osteoblastic lineage respond to oscillatory fluid flow. Calcium transients were blocked by inhibiting calcium release from intracellular stores in hMSCs as is the case in osteoblastic cell lines, and flow-induced proliferation is dependent on the activation of ERK1/2 (25, 28). An intriguing possibility is that the observed effect of fluid flow on hMSCs is mediated by the release of ATP as has been proposed in osteoblasts (4, 17, 53). The expression of purinergic receptors by hMSCs (unpublished data) supports this hypothesis, and such receptors have been shown to mediate the response of osteoblastic cells to oscillatory fluid flow (71). Indeed, exogenous ATP has been shown to induce a mitogenic response in MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts (58). Investigation of this possibility may provide further evidence for a common mechanotransduction pathway and a broader understanding of the mechanism by which fluid flow regulates hMSC activity.
In summary, this study outlines for the first time the intracellular mechanism by which oscillatory fluid flow affects human mesenchymal stem cells. We demonstrated that fluid flow induces an increase in hMSC proliferation via a mechanism that causes an increase in [Ca2+]i and activates ERK1/2, presumably through the action of PLC and PKC. These data suggest that fluid flow regulates not only osteoblastic behavior but also that of hMSCs and imply that a common pathway exists by which mechanical signals are translated to cellular responses. Further clarification of the intricacies of this pathway may lead to the development of novel therapeutic techniques designed to enhance the recruitment of osteoprogenitors and ameliorate bone loss.
This work was supported by National Institute on Aging Grant AG-13087 (to H. J. Donahue) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration Predoctoral Fellowship NGT5-50366 (to D. C. Genetos).
We thank Dr. Marnie Saunders of the Department of Orthopaedics and Nate Sheaffer of the Cell Science/Flow Cytometry Core Facility of the Section of Research Resources, Penn State College of Medicine, for technical expertise and assistance.
The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
- Copyright © 2006 the American Physiological Society


text:
The Measurement of Firm-Specific Organization Capital
We develop a firm-specific measure of organization capital and estimate it for a sample of approximately 250 companies. We test the validity of the organization capital measure within a widely used investment valuation model and show that our organization capital estimate contributes significantly to the explanation of market values of firms, beyond assets in place and expected abnormal earnings (growth potential). We then examine whether capital markets are efficient with respect to organization capital, namely whether stock prices fully reflect the value of this resource. We find that while investors recognize the importance of organization capital, they do not fully factor its value into equity prices. We ascribe this fault or market inefficiency to poor disclosure of information about intangible capital.
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
|Date of creation:
|Mar 2003
|Contact details of provider:
| Postal: National Bureau of Economic Research, 1050 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
Phone: 617-868-3900
Web page: http://www.nber.org
More information through EDIRC
References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Fama, Eugene F & French, Kenneth R, 1992. " The Cross-Section of Expected Stock Returns," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 47(2), pages 427-465, June.
- Sherwin Rosen, 1972. "Learning by Experience as Joint Production," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 86(3), pages 366-382.
- Bronwyn H. Hall., 1993.
"Industrial Research During the 1980s: Did the Rate of Return Fall?,"
Economics Working Papers
93-217, University of California at Berkeley.
- Hall, Bronwyn H., 1993. "Industrial Research During the 1980s: Did the Rate of Return Fall?," Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt33d879r9, Department of Economics, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
- Andrew Atkeson & Patrick J. Kehoe, 2002. "Measuring Organization Capital," NBER Working Papers 8722, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Richard Ericson & Ariel Pakes, 1995. "Markov-Perfect Industry Dynamics: A Framework for Empirical Work," Review of Economic Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 62(1), pages 53-82.
- Charles R. Hulten, 2000. "Total Factor Productivity: A Short Biography," NBER Working Papers 7471, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Brown, Stephen & Lo, Kin & Lys, Thomas, 1999. "Use of R2 in accounting research: measuring changes in value relevance over the last four decades," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 83-115, December.
- Jovanovic, Boyan, 1979. "Job Matching and the Theory of Turnover," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 87(5), pages 972-990, October.
- Thomas Sargent, "undated". "Matlab code for Jovanovic's matching model," QM&RBC Codes 24, Quantitative Macroeconomics & Real Business Cycles.
- Fama, Eugene F. & French, Kenneth R., 1993. "Common risk factors in the returns on stocks and bonds," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 3-56, February.
- Louis K. C. Chan, 2001. "The Stock Market Valuation of Research and Development Expenditures," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 56(6), pages 2431-2456, December.
- Prescott, Edward C & Visscher, Michael, 1980. "Organization Capital," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 88(3), pages 446-461, June. Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)


text:
Hi i have last baby pineapple conure left.6month old.hand raised since day 13.never bit us love kids hang out on shoulder open all day.very cuddly.$450
Young hand fed cockatiels, all whites and grey on white, hatch date is mid of July. Birds are ready for adoption. I am located in kirkland 98034, I can…$145
We have a variety of babies, blue, yellow, lime, pastel including Fallows. All hand fed, looking for a loving home. Please inquire. Price varies…$200
We offer several varieties. NO SHIPPING. Pick up at our Arlington Washington farm only.$100
Female Chestnut Flanked White English Zebra Finches for Sale$20
Beautiful Congo African Grey 4 months old, whistles, really steady birds ready to be trained, very healthy birds, beautiful feathers love being out the…$600
I have around 6 finches for sale including 1 good breeding pair , total 3 males and 3 females as shown on the pictures. Plz let me know if you have any…No Price Listed
Hand raised peach face Love Birds. Recently left their nest.$125
all babies are pulled at 10 days of age and raised in our home with total love. We do ship. Preferred shipping is with united only because they are the…$395
prices start at 900 for black heads 1250.00 for white bellied. This are the most animated of the small breeds in my opinion. They are so trainable and…$900


text:
Fuukkers.com ranks
#11,067,024 in the world and generates
192 Page views for daily.
FreeWebsiteReport estimates Fuukkers.com for a valuation of
$421 USD for it's visitor traffic that has the potential for CPC and Display-based advertising.
This traffic data suggests the Advertisers with a Traffic Acquisition Cost (TAC) of
$0.58 for daily and
$17.32 for monthly to spend on advertisements with Fuukkers.com. Fuukkers.com's recent traffic trend shows a
0.14% Negative growth. Fuukkers.com receives most of it's
organic referrals traffic from 23 websites around the world. Fuukkers.com servers are located in the Netherlands.
|Time Average
|Site Rank
|View Rank
|Views Per-User
3 Month
Google Safe Browsing - Safe website. Clean from Viruses, Malicious Worms, Adwares, Trojans, Spywares and Suspicious Phishing Attacks.


text:
Request your 2017 Holiday Brochure today
Looking to book a holiday on Mersea Island? Want to know more about breaks at Waldegraves Holiday Park? View our digital holiday brochure, below, or request a copy today and we'll put one in the post to you! Simply fill in the form below and we'll get a copy out to you as soon as possible.
Our 2017 holiday and short breaks brochure is packed full of information about our fantastic holiday park on the beautiful and historic Mersea Island. Here you can glean information about our park facilities, our great range of self-catering accommodation, touring and camping pitches, things to see and do nearby and our holiday prices.
Our brochure also contains information about all the evening entertainment that's available at our Essex holiday park as well as how you can become a holiday home owner at our site. Simply click on the digital brochure below to open the document and read the pages.
Request your copy by post
If you would like to have a hard copy of one of our brochures then please feel free to complete the following form and we will be more than happy to send you a copy through the post.


text:
Business TypeDistributor/Wholesaler
Main MarketsSouth America
Product/ServiceApparel & fashion agents
Business Owneroliva rodr
EmployeesLess than 5 People
RegionDominican Republic
CategoryBusiness Services - Agency Services
Company TagsClothing Retailer - Dominican Republic - Olivencia - Respectable Number - Santo Domingo
Company Introduction
We are an up and coming women's clothing retailer, we started very small and have acumulated a respectable number of clients in santo domingo, dominican republic. We are looking forward to donig business with you.
Contact Information
Contact PersonMs. oliva rodriguez
Fax Number1-809-5951445
Post Code99999
AddressAna Josefa Puello #33, Mirador Sur, Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep
Online Mapolivencia Map & Directions


text:
Looney Tunes: Golden Collection - 6 DVD
Directed by Friz Freleng
Sixth volume of episodes from the classic Warner Brothers' animated cartoon series.
Among the 60 animated escapades in this release are a number of Looney Tunes episodes dating from the Second World War, including send-ups of Hermann Goering, Hideki Tojo and Joseph Stalin.
Also included are rare shorts directed by Friz Freleng, early musicals featuring the characters Bosko, Foxy and Buddy and a 1954 episode in which Sylvester contrives to lose all of his nine lives in pursuit of Tweety.
- Format: DVD
- Region: 2
- Certification: (U)
- Catalogue number: 1000209769
- Studio: Warner Bros. Home Ent.
- Release date: 19/09/2011
- Genre: Childrens
- Colour: Col & B/W
Free Home Delivery
on all orders
Pick up orders
from local bookshops


text:
Philippines - Food Engineer
Are you working as Food Engineer in Philippines? Wondering how your salary compares to others?
Are you going to an interview or negotiate your salary? Need to know what is a fair salary?
It is so simple - just fill out our short questionnaire and you´ll find out what is the salary for Food Engineer in Philippines.**A salary comparison is possible after collecting more than 5 verified questionnaires for this position.
Compare your salary now!


text:
Deseret Book Top 10 for Jan. 2-7
Eagles63 Provo, UTJan. 11, 2012 8:05 a.m.
Deseret Book has become its own worst enemy (it has long been the enemy of others). When you manage to take an oligopoly to a monopoly because you have the biggest checkbook, eventually you disenfranchise much of the market. Of course, it has achieved something in the market, near absolute control, but such control will inevitably lead to loss of control as products find a way. Of course, they'll have killed a lot of producers in the meantime, but I suppose that is acceptable (at least to them). Eventually, new products will find new ways into the new markets, but they will be outside of DB. We've started to see that with the advent of the Walmart effort and other means. The book industry, the movie industry will, for the most part, be leaving the traditional brick and mortar where DB does not have a monopoly. What could have been a sound relationship with the development side of LDS products outside of DB's trifecta stranglehold (Excel, Covenant/Eagle Gate, Stone Mountain) has long turned adversarial. I know that DB will not go away, but the time to evolve is here. DB needs to see the light and realize what they can and should be good at accomplishing. Go read the 13th Article of Faith Sheri Dew & Co and realize that it doesn't say we seek after the things that we and only we control in an effort to maximize our profits so that we can show that we're viable.


text:
Just by chance the other day the husband wanted to go to Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch. I told you all, fast food junky, right? Anyway, I said sure and crossed my fingers that I'd have the strength to get something not dripping in fast food fried grease.
The KFC we decided to hit was actually one of those new fangled double joints, with a Taco Bell and a KFC under the same roof. I LOVE this idea as the husband and I rarely agree on anything and the double fast food place gives us the most options.
Anyway, as I scanned the menu to choose the healthiest options I could find, I came across the Taco Bell Fresco menu. Everything looked like pretty good choices! So I took a leap and ordered the Fresco Zesty Chicken Border Bowl. It was a delicious mish mosh of rice, beans, lettuce, chicken and salsa, very tasty and filling!
Coming home I again, crossed my fingers as I looked up the nutritional information. Surprisingly weighing in at 350 calories, 8g of fat and 10g of fiber it was a great lunch choice, only 7 points! For fast food, that ain't bad! I then proceeded to look up the entire Fresco menu and all the options a very point friendly!
So I added a Taco Bell section to my Fast Food page. With nine options that are 7 points or less, I'll be steering the husband to KFC/Taco Bell when he has a Fast Food craving in the future! (Shhh Taco Bell's always been my favorite anyway, I have a soft spot for mexican inspired flavors.)


text: HELLO WORLD Development 1.2.0 is out and 1.2.1 beta1 was out 1 day later…why that? Read on… Marketing (shopping list style) Homepage update: it was just about time! Our homepage described Tabbles as it was supposed to be (8 months ago), but the way it evolved is a bit different from what we initially planned (Read Post)


text: Thermalright is well known for making world-class CPU coolers. Now they have entered the VGA cooling business. The Thermalright V1 Ultra is an improved version of the V1 and features a third heatpipe. Not only does it cool well, it does this without creating a lot of fan noise. During our testing the cooler could easily beat a low-cost watercooling solution. To read this review go to: https://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Thermalright/V1Ultra/


text:
Ruth Medford Yeargin, 81, of 263 Tate St., died Friday, April 5, 2002.
A native of Bryson City, N.C., Mrs. Yeargin was a daughter of the late Ensley and Tinie Ruff Medford. She was a homemaker and a member of Newtown Baptist Church.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Berry Funeral Home with the Revs. Chuck Black and Johnny Guest officiating. Burial will be in Elmhurst Cemetery.
Survivors include her husband, James R. Yeargin; two daughters, Karen Sanders, Hartwell, and Sharen Cordell, Burke, Va.; two sons, Dickie Yeargin, Winterville, and Jackie Yeargin, Hull; 11 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be Dwayne Yeargin, Grant Sanders, Trent Sanders, Kevin Yeargin, Ryan Cordell and Dion Yeargin.
The family will be at the home and will receive friends from 7-9 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Athens Banner-Herald, Sunday, April 7, 2002
Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, April 7, 2002.
© 2017. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


text:
Up, up and away: Imani Winds
I remember when!
It was 2001 when I first interviewed Monica Ellis, the Pittsburgh-born, CAPA-trained bassoonist and member of the New York-based Imani Winds. Back then, the group was cutting its teeth on a tough circuit playing in small venues and schools around the state. It was hard work, but it showed the group that its more informal and entertaining approach to concerts and its broadening of the repertoire for wind quintet -- flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn -- could make a mark on audiences. Its members also were emboldened by their success to continue their goal of performing and promoting classical repertoire from the black cultural context.
In that first article on Imani (which means "faith" in Swahili) I felt the ensemble had the substance of a group that could make waves and the look of one that understood the necessary marketing to do so: "With four attractive women no older than 30 years and a penchant for urban chic, this group could be the next Ahn Trio."
I am not typically the predicting type. In fact when I wrote that I kind of regretted it later -- more than anything because I hate to set up a group for failure. Not as if they read my writing on them, but in any case the musicians were not jinxed. A recent look at its myspace page shows upcoming concerts in France, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands and Turkey! It's obvious the group has really exploded. Combine this with the Grammy nod for the album "The Classical Underground" and its Legacy Commissioning Project (which aims to expand the wind quintet repertoire with new works over the next five years) and you have yourself one amazing success story. I mean, who really thought that the group could really re-invent a genre and make a living doing it? I certainly can't honestly claim that.
Pittsburghers will get yet another chance to hear the group February 16 when the Pittsburgh Chamber Music Society presents them at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland performing works by Husa, Ligeti and Piazzolla.