text:
Kansas Insurance Adjuster
Kansas does not require a license to work as an adjuster.
Kansas residents interested in independent catastrophe adjusting should consider obtaining a non-resident Texas or Florida adjuster license. See below for courses.
For more information on becoming an Insurance Adjuster, contact the Kansas Insurance Department:
Kansas Department of Insurance - Licensing DivisionAddress: 420 S.E. 9th Street | Topeka, KS 66612-1678Phone: 785.296.7862Website: http://www.ksinsurance.org
Recommended Courses and Available Kansas Adjuster Training
AB Training Center provides Catastrophe Adjuster training and materials for those who are interested in becoming an Independent Catastrophic Adjuster. Since Kansas does not license adjusters, you may become licensed through the Texas or Florida program to obtain a non-resident license. Simply select from the recommended courses below.
Recommended Online Training Courses
Recommended Course(s)
Securities Licensing
Insurance License
Adjuster Licensing
ARM 54: Risk Management Principles And Practices
AINS 21: Property and Liability Insurance Principles
HS 311: Fundamentals of Insurance Planning
AIC 31: Property Claim Practices
AFSB 152: Contract Surety
Workers′ Comp Training
Surplus Lines Online Exam Prep Course
Earn Your CFP
Qualified Financial Advisor (QFA)
CPCU 500: Foundations of Risk Management and Insurance
Finance For Managers
Workers′ Comp Training Seminar


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DENVER, Pa. – In 1960, Frank Zeager, a Mennonite minister from Lancaster County, Pa., attended his first auction and impulsively purchased a pair of old door hinges. His father-in-law, who was with him at the auction, asked Frank where he planned to use the hinges. Frank replied, "I just want to look at them."
Little did Frank suspect his first auction purchase would lead to a 50-year pursuit of country antiques and farm-related Americana. Together with his beloved late wife, Rhoda (who passed away in May), Frank wended his way through thousands of flea markets, antique shops and auctions over the decades, as the two of them amassed a collection of objects they would proudly display and enjoy in their home, a 100-year-old homestead.
The Zeager collection is a living testament to rural Pennsylvania's early agrarian culture. It encompasses hundreds of rare dairy bottles, glass jars, railroad and skaters' lanterns, insulators and farm utensils. There are tractor seats and tools, utensils, chicken feeders and graniteware, and an assortment of fascinating kitchen implements including corn shellers and cherry seeders.
Their wonderful array of advertising signs, numbering in the hundreds, includes some real gems that advertise, for example, Vitalic Tires & Motorcycle, Old Fort Seeds, and a veterinary product called Kreso Dip No. 1. A double-sided flange sign emblazoned with the image of a comical, scraggly-looking rooster advertises Conkeys First Aid Products. Many of the rare and colorful signs are in pristine condition.
Frank's interest in milk bottles began more than 30 years ago when he purchased a Foltz Dairy bottle for $40. Today, that bottle might be worth $2,000 to $3,000. Rhoda, on the other hand, had a passion for peanut butter tumblers – the decorative glasses that served yet another utilitarian purpose after the contents had been consumed.
On Aug. 14, 2010, the Zeagers' collection will be auctioned at Dan Morphy's gallery in Denver, Pa., (approx. 1 hr. 20 mins. northwest of Philadelphia). "Many outstanding collections pass through our doors, but we've never seen anything like the collection Frank and Rhoda Zeager built over 50 years' time," said auction company owner, Dan Morphy. "Frank grasped one of the most important lessons about collecting with that very first purchase of door hinges. He bought something he genuinely wanted to look at, and that's something he and Rhoda continued to do throughout their collecting journey. They bought what they liked, and they always went for quality first."
The auction of the Frank and Rhoda Zeager collection of farm antiques, glass lanterns, dairy bottles and advertising signs will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, Aug. 14, 2010, at Dan Morphy Auctions, 2000 N. Reading Road, Denver, PA 17517. All forms of bidding will be available, including live via the Internet as the sale is taking place through Morphy Live (www.morphyauctions.com) or LiveAuctioneers.com.
All items are available to preview now at Dan Morphy's gallery. For additional information on any item in the sale, call 717-335-3435 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com. View the fully illustrated color catalog online at www.morphyauctions.com.
•Life down on the farm—feature story on farm collectibles
• Tractor beam: Farm toys
• Man turns childhood home into classy antiques shop
• Urban industrial antiques popular with young collectors
• Vintage aprons inspire a generation
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subset: commoncrawl


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Three Sides to Every Story! (マリル・ポッチャマ・エレキッド!! Marill, Piplup, Elekid!!) is the 33rd episode of Pokémon: DP Galactic Battles.
Episode Plot
Dawn is running away from a Raikou. The Raikou uses Thunder, but Piplup protects Dawn. Piplup goes to peck, but gets hit by Thunder. Piplup falls and realizes it was only a dream. Later, the heroes see a garden with trees that have berries. As they go, Piplup smells one and gets hit by a berry. A Marill comes, which seems to be the one protecting the garden. Piplup seems to be dazzled by her presence. Brock realizes Piplup seems to have a crush. Ash does not understand, as Pokémon like each other a lot, makin Dawn call him clueless.
A woman comes and sees Marill ran away and introduces herself to the heroes as Lulu. She keeps the orchard, along with her parents. Since they are gone, she keeps the garden and the heroes agree to have a tour of the orchard, even offers a bed for the night. Seeing the Sunflora drawing water, Piplup goes to lend them a hand, as he wants to impress Marill. He even waters the garden, but soon get attacked by an Elekid. Lulu recognizes it, as it is coming to bother them. Piplup stands up and gets hit by Thunderbolt. Pikachu goes to fight it, but Piplup wants this time to fight.
Piplup uses Bubblebeam, but misses. Elekid retaliates with Thunderbolt, but Piplup dodges. Piplup uses Whirlpool, but Elekid's Thunderbolt hits him and defeats him. Elekid taunts him and runs away. Dawn and Brock tell him he could've stood up and be a hero for Marill. Piplup recalls his dream and replaces Raikou with Elekid, so stands up, making Brock believe Piplup has made a rival to impress Marill. Brock thinks Elekid teased Marill to get Piplup to act, but Ash believes it is because Elekid is not very good by attacking. Later, Lulu shows the heroes more berries, while Team Rocket spies on them. Jessie plans to get Sunflora, but James and Meowth are thinking of the berries Lulu is showing. James reads from a card those berries can heal any status effect, so they plan to get them
Later, Piplup is playing with Marill and even if he trips, he laughs with Marill. During the night, Lulu goes to check the berries and sees a Sunflora (who is Meowth in disguise) to go rest. Lulu goes away, so Meowth tells James and Jessie to pick the berries. Meowth tells he is standing guard, but Jessie and James threaten him to come help them. Marill wakes up, as she heard something and goes outside. Piplup is thirsty and goes to get water and soon sees Marill, who warns him of something. She grabs his hand and go. Elekid sees them running, causing him to be angry.
Team Rocket is about to go, but encounter Piplup and Marill. Meowth pretends to be Sunflora, but gets his costume swept away by Marill's Water Gun. Piplup uses BubbleBeam to hit them. He goes to use Whirlpool, but gets his by Thunderbolt, as Elekid arrives. Piplup and Marill enter a fight with him, so Jessie takes Marill. Meowth now sees Elekid and Piplup try to win Marill's heart. Elekid goes to use Thunderbolt, but Jessie warns them he'd hurt Marill as well. As they are distracted, James takes Elekid and Piplup as well. Team Rocket fly off, while Dawn sees Piplup is gone.
Jessie tells Piplup and Elekid that one of them will go with Marill and the other will be a sore loser. Lulu and Dawn report their Marill and Piplup are missing, so they go to search. Lulu sees her garden has been devastated, so Ash sends Gliscor and Staraptor to scout. Elekid and Piplup are angry at each other and fight more. Soon, the balloon gets destroyed due to their fighting. When they fall, Marill, Piplup and Elekid are free, but roll down a slope and fall down into a forest. Seeing how they escaped, Team Rocket goes after them. The Pokémon came to a cliff and hold Marill's hands. Still, they let her go and take a direction. Soon, they come to a dead end.
The heroes encounter Team Rocket's crashed balloon. Lulu recognizes that they stole her berries. Elekid and Piplup cannot stand each other and go in a fight. When they are to go on a higher level, Piplup places a plank, but falls down easily. Elekid places a higher plank, so Marill is able to get to next level. As they are to cross a river, Elekid does not seem to like it and with Marill's persuasion, Piplup carries Elekid across the river. As they continue, they encounter Team Rocket once more. Gliscor sees Jessie taking Marill and goes back. Piplup, Marill and Elekid tackle Team Rocket, so James sends Carnivine and Jessie her Yanmega.
Yanmega uses AnicentPower,which hits Elekid, while Carnivine uses Bullet Seed on Marill. They still continue fighting, as Piplup uses Whirlpool on Carnivine and Elekid Thunderbolt on Yanmega. Yanmega uses AncientPower on Piplup and Elekid, so the heroes come. Piplup pecks Jessie, while Elekid uses Thunderbolt on Yanmega. Ash sends Grotle. Jessie knows the effects of the berry she has, as she can heal the status effects and eats it. Jessie is disgusted by the flavour, while Meowth and James are shocked, as Yanmega should've eaten it. Grotle uses Razor Leaf, setting Marill free. Piplup uses Bubblebeam to negate Carnivine's Vine Whip, but gets hit by SonicBoom. Carnivine still uses Vine Whip, so Elekid's Thunderbolt electrocutes Carnivine.
With Energy Ball, Team Rocket blast off. Piplup sees Elekid and Marill together, causing him to be sad. Lulu gives the heroes more berries. Brock tells Piplup to be strong, but seeing the couple, Piplup is still sad. The heroes go and while Piplup is sad, Brock knows this will cause Piplup to be stronger in spirit.
- This episode is similar to Love, Totodile Style, wherein a Water-type starter Pokémon falls in love with a member of Marill's evolutionary family, and another Pokémon is involved in this, forming a love triangle.
- While in the games, Piplup and Marill are in the same Egg Group (Water 1), Elekid is a baby Pokémon and as such is in the Undiscovered Group. If it evolved, it would still not be able to breed with Marill because Electabuzz is only in the Human-Like Egg Group.
- Dawn and Johanna narrate the preview for the next episode.
- The dub's title may be a reference to the saying "Two Sides to Every Story".
- The dub title may also be also inspired from the romantic novel "Three Sides of Every Story".
- This is the last English episode of the 2000s.
- This is the first episode since Frozen on Their Tracks! to air the entire episode in 16:9 aspect ratio in the high-definition feed. The previous 6 episodes showed the beginning of the episode (until the title card) in a 3:2 aspect ratio.
- When the part where Maril and Piplup jump into the river, Elekid doesn't jump in. But in many other Pokemon episodes, Pikachu went into water perfectly fine. This is because Elekid is a baby Pokemon.
- When Lulu was showing the berries, Ash's nose is missing.
- When Piplup was pulling the handle to the water faucet it was upward; when it zoomed in, it was downward.
- In one scene, Dawn's eyes are black, not blue.
|Pokémon: Diamond & Pearl
|Other series: Original · Advanced Generation · Best Wishes! · XY · Sun & Moon


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Statement released by Auburn University Athletics Dept.
Former Auburn star Frank Thomas became the first former Southeastern Conference baseball player to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the Class of 2014 was announced Wednesday.
Thomas joins former Atlanta Braves pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine as the three first-ballot inductees into the Hall of Fame this summer. Also earning selection this year were former big-league managers Joe Torre, Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa. The induction ceremony will take place July 27 in Cooperstown, N.Y.
"The Big Hurt" appeared on 483 of 571 ballots cast by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, earning 83.7 percent of the vote, well clear of the 75-percent minimum required for election. Maddux received 91.9 percent of the vote; Glavine earned 91.9 percent.
Thomas played at Auburn from 1987-89 under coach Hal Baird and was Auburn's first consensus All-America selection in 1989. During his All-American season, he hit a SEC-best .403 while manning first base. He also drove in 83 runs and hit 19 home runs as the Tigers won the SEC Tournament and advanced to the Atlantic Regional. He finished his Auburn career with a .382 batting average before being drafted seventh overall by the White Sox in the 1989 MLB Draft.
During his 19-year major league career, which began in 1990, he hit .301 with 521 home runs, 1,704 RBIs, 1,494 runs scored and 495 doubles while drawing 1,667 walks in 2,322 games. A five-time All-Star, he was just the 11th player in big league history to win back-to-back MVP awards, winning in 1993 and 1994.
He is one of four players in Major League Baseball history to have a career .300 batting average with 500 home runs, 1,500 RBIs, 1,000 runs scored and 1,500 walks. The others are Hall of Famers Mel Ott, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams.
Thomas spent 16 of his 19 seasons with the Chicago White Sox and split his final three seasons between the Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics.


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Kellogg is the world's leading producer of cereal and one of the largest producers of convenience foods with 2010 sales of nearly $12.4 billion. With distribution in more than 180 countries, Kellogg's produces some of the world's most iconic and easily recognizable brands including: Keebler, Pop-Tarts, Eggo and Rice Krispies. As of FY 2010, the company generated 68% percent of its revenues in North America, 18% in Europe, 7% in Latin America, and the remainder in the Asia Pacific region.[1]
Today, Kellogg faces the most difficult operating environment it has experienced in many years. Prime among the challenges confronting Kellogg are rapidly rising prices for several of the key inputs for its cereal and snack foods, including corn and wheat. Rising energy prices exacerbate high input prices by increasing the cost of transportation and delivery to Kellogg's distributors. Finally, Kellogg faces intense competition from General Mills and Kraft in its core U.S. market where a slowdown in consumer spending, as a result of America's ongoing economic hardships, threatens to hurt sales.
Kellogg's business is separated into two operating segments: Kellogg North America and Kellogg International. Kellogg generates the majority (68%) of it's revenue in North America which consists of the United States and Canada. The company's North American division is further subdivided by product type including cereal (24% of 2010 total sales), snacks (33%), and frozen and specialty categories (11%). Kellogg International generates the remaining 32% of sales and consists of three regional operating segments: Europe (18%), Latin America (7%) and Asia Pacific (7%).[2] hh
Soaring food and energy prices[3], the housing slump[4] and a weakening job market[5] are putting a drag on consumer spending in the U.S. where Kellogg generates the bulk of its sales. As a consumer staples business, Kellogg is somewhat insulated for a slowdown in consumer spending (people continue to eat during recession) and may even benefit from the spending slowdown if more consumers opt to eat at home instead of going out to restaurants.
Kellogg purchases large quantities of agricultural commodities including cereal grains, corn products, wheat, cocoa and dairy products. Increases in the prices of such raw materials increases production costs and crimps margins. Kellogg is also more vulnerable to fluctuation in oil prices compared to its competitors due to its direct-store/door-delivery (DSD) system. Oil prices, along with plastic prices, affect production costs and packaging as well. Furthermore, Kellogg's competitive environment its ability to pass rising costs along to consumers. To mitigate the risk of commodity cost inflation, the company purchases commodities in advance using futures contracts and hedges the risks associated with buying commodities. Corn and Wheat prices have continued to rise throughout 2010, up 52% and 49% respectively, forcing many companies to consider raising product prices in order to offset the increased commodity cost. General Mills (GIS) and Kraft Foods (KFT) are increasing prices in early 2010[6], and Kellogg will follow suit. The company announced price increases of 3-4% across its various product lines in early 2011, in expectation of a 7% increase in supply costs.[7]
A steady trend toward supermarket consolidation is concentrating the buying power of Kellogg's largest customers. Kellogg's largest customer is Wal-Mart Stores. Wal-Mart made up 21 percent of consolidated net sales in 2009[8]. Although no other company made up more than 10 percent of sales, the company claims that its five largest customers during 2010 accounted for approximately 34% of consolidated net sales and 44% of U.S. net sales.[9]. Because these large customers are so important to sales, Kellogg has less bargaining power when determining wholesale prices.
The focus on obesity and health & wellness has become a major force in the food industry. Kellogg has capitalized on this trend with new adult-oriented cereals, directed toward the middle aged and the aging baby boomber generation. Three particularly successful health focused products include the Smart Start line which lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, All-Bran which aids digestion, and the Special K which aid with weight reduction and maintenance weight watching. Since Special K's introduction, it has been one of the fastest growing brands in the world, showing the impact of the healthy consumer. Kellogg has also become a player in the organic food business with its very successful Kashi brand of organic foods, purchased in 2000[10]. Kellogg has also benefited from portion-control of its snack products which puts a healthy spin on some of its less healthy products offerings.
Kellogg's primary competitors are General Mills and Kraft. Kraft generates triple the revenues that General Mills and Kellogg produce, and Kraft's leading segment is snacks which accounts for about $10 billion in revenue. Kellogg and General Mills, on the other hand, receive a large amount of their revenue from the cereal segment. Snacks and cereal are the common sectors to these three companies. In terms of risk, they are all susceptible to commodity, oil, and plastic prices.
|Net Revenue (in millions)
|International Rev as % of sales
|Gross Margin %
|General Mills
Kellogg is the leader in the U.S. cereal market. Over the last few years, despite increasing competition, Kellogg has slowly increased its market share. Kellogg now controls about one-third of the market (34%), followed by General Mills with 31 percent and Quaker (a division of PepsiCo) and Post (a division of Kraft Foods). Kellogg has also launched more cereals than General Mills recently. Kellogg controls 50% of the market for new cereals in the United States. New cereals are particularly important since manufacturers generally charge higher prices for them than for older products.


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- Since 2003, JRC Integrated Systems, Inc. has been providing smart solutions to the nation's most complex technical challenges.
- JRC provides the expertise to transform operational needs into a system configuration through the use of an iterative process of definition, synthesis, analysis, design, test, and evaluation. JRC is steadfastly committed to undertaking all of our client projects with excellence and integrity.
- JRC offers its clients a broad spectrum of capabilities including Project Management, Strategic Planning, Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Solutions, Studies and Analyses, Custom Software Development, and Advanced Algorithm Solutions.
JRC Integrated Systems, Inc. is a comprehensive services company offering scientific, engineering, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the Department of Defense and other government agencies. JRC provides leadership and a wealth of experience for mission critical systems.
JRC employees have many years of experience in the application of the system engineering process in major system acquisitions. They provide the total engineering effort to meet a program's cost, schedule, and technical performance objectives. JRC clients include the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the US Navy, Strategic Systems Programs (SSP), the US Coast Guard (USCG), and the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL).
At JRC, we value the excellent services we provide to our customers as much as we value the care we provide our employees.
Headquartered in Washington DC, JRC also operates in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana and Virginia.


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By Eric Moskowitz | The Boston Globe | January 4, 2013
Governor Deval Patrick said Friday that he will unveil a proposal later this month to raise the necessary money through taxes or fees to fix the state's financially beleaguered transportation network.
Patrick declined to say how he would raise the money or how much he would seek. Past reports have identified an annual gap of roughly $1 billion between what the system needs and what the state raises and spends.
But his comments add to a growing sense of inevitability on Beacon Hill that residents will be asked to pay more to repair the state's crumbling infrastructure and confront years of red ink.
Legislative leaders who previously embraced a policy of "reform before revenue" appear to be shifting from asking whether more money is needed to asking how to raise that money and where to spend it.
Speaking to reporters Thursday and again Friday, Patrick did not use the word "taxes" when he spoke of financing options but was steadfast about the need for revenue. He framed the issue around invigorating the economy and enhancing mobility statewide, not taxing and spending.
"I've not started with where the revenue ought to come from," Patrick said, explaining that the transportation financing plan that the Legislature called for by Jan. 7 would be delayed a week. "I've started from the perspective of what is the transportation system that we need to be a 21st century economy and how does that touch every corner of the Commonwealth."
Lawmakers called for the plan last June while approving emergency funding to help the MBTA balance its budget this fiscal year and avoid massive service cuts and even larger fare increases than the ones that took effect last summer.
That plan will detail how much money is needed to end structural deficits plaguing highway and transit operations. For years, annual expenses — for asphalt and diesel fuel, employee health insurance, and electricity — have risen faster than the state's five sources for funding transportation: the gas tax, transit fares, highway tolls, Registry of Motor Vehicles fees, and a share of the sales tax.
The plan is also expected to spell out how much it would cost to address a vast maintenance backlog and fund strategic expansion projects. Those costs will be coupled with what Patrick called a "menu of ideas" for raising money, whether through existing sources or new taxes or fees. His recommendations will follow in his statewide budget proposal.
But after being briefed on the report, Patrick asked the team to put in another week to spell out more fully how it would benefit residents and businesses from the Berkshires to the Cape, whether they rely on roads or rails, waterways or airports.
"The reason I sent them back is not because we were quarreling over what the sources [of money] ought to be," Patrick added, "but rather to make sure we are focusing on the economic growth opportunities in every corner of the Commonwealth."
Senate President Therese Murray and House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo placed transportation near the top of their agendas, addressing lawmakers at the start of the new session this week.
Neither said taxes, and each emphasized vigilance in pursuing cost-saving measures. But DeLeo acknowledged the need "to make investments" to ensure that transportation statewide "will be safe and will be state-of-the-art."
Murray addressed "a daunting long-term need to update our infrastructure systems," and in noting reforms imposed over the past four years, sent a signal many interpreted as acknowledging the need for revenues, as well.
"The positive news is that the governor, Senate president, and House speaker have all stated publicly that transportation funding is a priority," said Michael J. Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation and a member of a bipartisan commission that issued a pair of influential reports on the transportation-funding crisis in 2007. "[But] there is likely to be a very contentious debate about how much new revenue to raise, by what means, and how."
Part of the debate will be over whether the money should come from transportation sources, like gas taxes or tolls, and be locked in for transportation spending, or whether transportation should be supported from general funds and a broader source like the income tax.
"I think there's greater public acceptance when you look at revenue measures that are related to users of the transportation system," such as tolls, fares, and fees for driving and riding transit, said Representative William M. Straus, who was House chairman of the Joint Transportation Committee last session and is expected to be renamed.
Straus, who supports substantial investment, providing it reaches statewide, said the alternative is to "freeze our transportation system in time and declare ourselves something like a modern Old Sturbridge Village."
But the debate this year will be challenging, given general reluctance to raise taxes, as well as disagreements over how to raise and spend them.
"I wouldn't take anything as a foregone conclusion," the Mattapoisett Democrat said.
Some advocates are calling instead for raising the income tax rate back to 5.95 percent, spreading the money not just to transportation but to education and other priorities.
"We're interested in an overall solution that would actually make the system more fair," said Andi Mullin, director of a coalition of labor unions and others known as the Campaign for Our Communities, calling the gas tax regressive because it has a greater impact on lower-income drivers.
If a billion-dollar annual transportation shortfall seems staggering to the public, it surprises none of the analysts who have studied the issue for years.
Though MBTA riders are accustomed to waiting for 40-year-old subway cars and though night and weekend bus service is rare in most regions beyond Greater Boston, drivers have been shielded from the crisis.
Heavy borrowing has helped the state address the worst highway and bridge problems, though without realistic payment plans. Even basic maintenance and payroll has been substantially funded with borrowing since the 1990s.
"We basically charged everything to a credit card, with no idea how we were going to pay anything more than the minimum," said Stephanie Pollack, associate director of Northeastern University's Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy and an adviser on Patrick's transition team after his first election.
The causes include resistance to raising tolls and gas taxes, disappointing sales tax receipts through multiple recessions and a shift toward online shopping, and the sleight-of-hand employed to finance the Big Dig after the federal government capped reimbursement of the escalating costs.
In 2007, the Transportation Finance Commission identified a $15 billion to $19 billion gap over 20 years between projected transportation revenues and the cost of operating and repairing the system, which Patrick's plan will revisit. The commission proposed 22 changes to save $2.5 billion; the rest, it said, required taxes or fees.
But when Patrick sought to raise the gas tax, lawmakers called for reform first. In 2009 they merged the Turnpike Authority, MassHighway, and other agencies into one Department of Transportation, saving on shared expenses such as plowing and by refinancing bad debt.
They moved MassDOT employees into the state's lower-cost Group Insurance Commission, and for new MBTA workers ended the policy allowing them to retire with a full pension after just 23 years. And the Patrick administration pushed for civilian flaggers instead of costlier police details.
That complemented ongoing work to streamline the T, once lampooned for bloat but now competitive with peers when measuring operating expense per passenger and mile. It provides more service with fewer employees and generates more from advertising and other internal sources than a decade ago.
"We can continue to reduce costs, but we can't do what the public has asked of us, rightfully so, with reform alone," Secretary of Transportation Richard A. Davey said.
The 2007 commission reports were full of dire and urgent warnings. The need for revenue remains the same, even if it is a tall legislative order, said Stephen J. Silveira, the Republican lobbyist who chaired the commission.
Raising taxes to provide necessary services never won anyone an award, he said. "This is just about people doing the right thing."


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TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (AP) - A Salt Lake City man who was serving as a referee in a recreational soccer game in Taylorsville is in critical condition after being punched by a teenager.
Unified Police Lt. Justin Hoyal says the attack happened over the weekend during a game held at Eisenhower Junior High School.
Hoyal says the 46-year-old referee apparently made a call against the suspect, who lashed out with a single punch to the man's face.
Hoyal says the victim was taken to the hospital with what appeared to be minor injuries, but doctors found the injury was much more severe.
Officials say the teenager from Salt Lake City was booked into the Salt Lake Valley Juvenile Detention Center on suspicion of aggravated assault. His name isn't being released because he's a minor.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Fleuristes go for the porte etiquette.
This sign is like a recipe at Cafe La Pâtisserie Viennoise..
Here's a 'porte etiquette' I'd love outside my door.
How about you?
Bien sur! Regarde ceci:
and look at the little chef ones too.
All best, Jan
Oop la maybe this will work.. sorry.
Oh LORDIE
MORA was close to me last trip at 13 rue Montmartre
But I will visit bien sure next trip in March!!!
Oui Madame et merci
It took me a few seconds of focusing to realize that your first photo wasnt a window display in paris. Did those macarons come out of the freezer for that display? ;) You could do window displays. I used to collect the card holders from floral arrangements. It was hard to toss them away.ReplyDelete
I just love the little stands..would be great for a dinner party to hold guests names!!ReplyDelete
Oh yes, those porte-etiquette are lovely indeed! Are you planning on including one in your next painting?
I have to look for them around here. I only remember the ones Demel uses, see-through acryllic ones (how common!), but there the beauty in my eyes are the etiquettes (ivory heavy card stock with coffee-brown print) and the names they give to their pastries.
Greetings Paris, thanks for visiting Londres earlier.
I'll have a tarte framboise, please (although I always forget that underneath the framboises there's chocolate) and some of those white saponaria-type flowers.
Anything you'd like from London?


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The Start Making A Reader Today program gets going again this month in three of the five elementary schools in the Hood River County School District.
Volunteer readers are always needed at each school, and the program is also seeking coordinators to oversee the programs at Westside and May Street schools.
The coordinator positions are themselves volunteer jobs, and require between 10-14 hours each week, including the time when students and adult readers are together, usually twice per week.
"I feel very strongly that we will have all of the programs in Hood River up and running well within the next few weeks," said Paula Seid, SMART area coordinator.
Cascade Locks has two new co-coordinators, Andrea Slaughter and Holly Howell, and is scheduled to start Oct. 15. Parkdale will most likely open a couple of weeks later as new coordinator Sylvia Muro gets things organized.
At Mid Valley, veteran coordinator Jennifer Cassella will open the Mid Valley after-school program, but Seid is looking for a permanent coordinator at the school.
May Street and Westside's past coordinator, Shaun Requa, is actively helping find coordinators at those schools, Seid said.
If you are interested in volunteering, or serving as coordinator, call Seid at 503-634-1614. Questions can also be directed to Kirby Neumann-Rea at 541-386-1234.
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Frank Meranda, chairman of the Boston chapter of CORE, writes President Johnson to point out that job tests for the federal government result in discrimination against minorities.
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Game One- #4 Anderson - 7 vs. #5 Mount Olive- 6 | Box Score
The 2010 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament was kicked off with #4 seed Anderson playing #5 seed Mount Olive. Anderson won the opening game 7-6. Donya Cobb earned her first win of the tournament going two shutout innings in relief. Cobb gave up three hits and had one strike out. Mount Olive's Lauren Darden got the loss for the Lady Trojans, giving up three runs on four hits in just two-thirds of an inning.
Mount Olive was led offensively by junior shortstop Kelly Minshew, who went 2-for-4 with 2 runs batted in and a homerun. Minshew's homerun gave the Lady Trojans a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Alyssa Bradshaw went 3-for-4 with four runs batted in. Bradshaw had a two run homerun in the third inning, and a two run single in the fifth. Also notable sophomore catcher Robbin Kennedy went 3-for-4 on the day.
Anderson was led by senior shortstop Meredith Knox who went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in. Knox hit a three run homerun in the sixth inning. Senior Lora Daniel also went deep for the Lady Trojans, with a two run dinger earlier in the sixth. Anderson had a five run sixth inning.
Anderson will go on to play the winner of #8 seed Coker and #1 seed Limestone, Friday at 4:00 p.m. Mount Olive falls to the loser bracket and will play the loser of #2 seed Erskine and #7 seed Pfeiffer, Friday at 2:00 p.m.
Game Two - #3 Queens 5 vs. #6 Belmont Abbey 2 | Box Score
In game two of the 2010 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament #3 seed Queens University of Charlotte played #6 seed Belmont Abbey College. Queens beat Belmont Abbey 5-2. Sophomore Chantel Dodge earned the win for Queens, going four innings of no hit, shutout relief. Dodge had three strikeouts and walked only one hitter. Kim Anders picked up the loss for Belmont Abbey. Anders pitched six innings giving up ten hits and five runs, only two of which were earned.
Queens was led by Sophomore Keeya Turner who had a perfect 3-for-3 day, scoring one run, and also driving in a run. Senior second basemen Megan Campbell went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a run batted in. Freshman Megan Lathbury and junior Beth Richie also had an RBI each.
Belmont Abbey freshman catcher Becca Rothrock went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Freshman Megan Riveros and freshman Carol-Anne Sherrill also had a hit each.
Queens will move on to play the winner of #2 seed Erskine and #7 seed Pfeiffer on Friday at 4:00 p.m. Belmont Abbey will play the loser of #8 seed Coker and #1 seed Limestone Friday at 2:00 p.m.
Game Three- #1 Limestone- 5 vs. #8 Coker- 0 | Box Score
Game three of the 2010 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament matched #8 seed Coker College against #1 seed Limestone College. The Limestone Lady Saints defeated the Lady Coker Cobras 5-0. Junior Emily Wallace threw seven shutout innings, striking out seven for Limestone, earning her first win of the tournament. Coker junior Sydney Greewalt gets the loss going six innings and giving up five runs.
Coker's bats struggled all day as junior Haleigh Rogers and freshman Bri Jacobs had the only hits for the Lady Cobras.
Limestone managed only five hits on the day. Sophomore Jenna Guse and freshman Kirstyn Burelson each had an RBI. Sophomore Jordan Smith went 1-for-3 with two runs batted in. Also notable was junior Hannah Mills, who scored two runs.
Coker will play #6 seed Belmont Abbey at 2:00 p.m. this afternoon in the tournament's first elimination game. Limestone College will go to play #4 seed Anderson at 4:00 p.m. Friday.
Game Four- #2 Erskine- 4 vs. #7 Pfeiffer- 2 | Box Score
In the fourth game of the 2010 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament #7 seed Pfeiffer College played #2 seed Erskine College. Erskine defeated Pfeiffer 4-2. The game went into an extra frame locked at 2-2. Senior Kelly Davis hit a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning off of Pfeiffer junior Allison Braswell. Erskine freshman Heather Richey picks up the win going all eight innings. Richey surrendered only two runs, both of which were unearned, and she struck out five. Allison Braswell is charged with the loss for Pfeiffer. Braswell pitched seven and a third innings surrendering four runs. She also struck out three hitters.
Erskine freshman Larissa Shannon and senior Kayla Vinson each had a hit and an RBI. Junior Kerry Fincher, junior Jocelyn Smith, freshman Morgan Purcell, and Conference Player of the Year Courtney Davis all had a hit. Senior Kelly Davis had the walk-off two-run blast to give Erskine the win.
Pfeiffer was led by freshman Sam Taylor and freshman Amber Johnson, who each two hits. Senior Kylee Nichols, junior Allison Braswell, sophomore Heather Nobles, and freshman Mariah Chalk all had a hit a piece.
Erskine will move on to play #3 seed Queens University of Charlotte at 4:00 p.m. Friday. Pfeiffer will play #5 seed Mount Olive at 2:00 p.m. Friday.
Game Five- #6 Belmont Abbey- 3 vs. #8 Coker- 5 | Box Score
Belmont Abbey was the first team eliminated from the 2010 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament as Coker College defeated Belmont Abbey 5-3. Freshman Emily Self for The Abbey will get the loss. Self went six and a third innings giving up all five runs and striking out three. Coker junior lefty Sydney Greenwalt picks up the win. Greenwalt went seven innings surrendering three runs with three punch outs.
The Abbey was led by freshman Sami Michaelis who went 3-for-3 on the day. Freshman Kasey Kerley, freshman Carol-Anne Sherrill, and freshman Emily Self all had a hit each. Freshman Becca Rothrock went 3-for-3 with three runs batted in.
Coker was led by senior Anna Oswald who went 2-for-4 with a two-run shot in the seventh inning to give Coker a 4-3 lead. The next batter senior Brittany Owens then hit a shot of her own. Owens went 2-for-3 on the day with a solo home run and two runs batted in. Junior Haleigh Rogers, senior Miranda Klees, freshman Jaclin Poole, freshman Sarah Price, junior Ashley Coleman, and senior Julia Nelson-Abbott all had a hit.
Belmont Abbey was eliminated from play finishing their season with a 20-26 record. The Abbey was 0-2 in the tournament. Coker College advances to play the loser of #1 seed Limestone and #4 seed Anderson 11:00 a.m. Saturday.
Game Six- #5 Mount Olive- 2 vs. #7 Pfeiffer- 5 | Box Score
Mount Olive College was eliminated from play as they were defeated by Pfeiffer College 5-2. Sophomore Melanie Conklin earned the win for Pfeiffer, pitching seven innings and giving up just two runs. Conklin also struck out six batters. Mount Olive sophomore Kristin Ware is charged with the loss as she went one third of an inning giving up four runs, on three hits, and a walk.
Pfeiffer had hits from every in their lineup except sophomore Kirsten Patterson who went 0-for-3. Junior Sarah Waylock had two runs batted in. Freshman Mariah Chalk also had an RBI.
Mount Olive had just four hits, two of which came from freshman Olivia Poplin. Sophomore Alyssa Bradshaw went 1-for-3 with two runs batted in.
Pfeiffer will play the loser of #3 seed Queens University of Charlotte and #2 seed Erskine College at 11:00 a.m. Saturday. Mount Olive finished their season at 23-29.
Game Seven- #1 Limestone- 2 vs. #4 Anderson- 1 | Box Score
The Anderson University Trojans faced off against the Limestone College Saints in game seven of the 2010 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament. Limestone defeated Anderson 2-1. Freshman Leah Quant for Limestone earned the win, going seven innings giving up only one run. Quant struck out ten batters and gave up just four hits. Anderson senior Katie Van Gieson is charged with the loss as she went four innings surrendering two runs.
Offensively Anderson had just four hits. Senior Megan Knox went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Senior Elisa Sebastyan, sophomore Amber Sutherland, and junior Cameron White also had hits for the Lady Trojans.
Limestone was led by sophomore Jenna Guse who went 2-for-3, with an RBI. Sophomore Jordan Smith also had a hit and a run batted in. Sophomore Kelsey Kuykendall and junior Hannah Mills also had hits for the Lady Saints.
Anderson will fall to the losers' bracket and move on to face Coker College at 11:00 a.m. Saturday. Limestone will move on to face the winner of #3 seed Queens University of Charlotte and #2 seed Erskine College at 11:00 a.m. Saturday.
Game Eight- #2 Erskine- 1 vs. #3 Queens- 5 | Box Score
Queens University of Charlotte faced off against Erskine College in a non-elimination game in the 2010 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament. Queens defeated Erskine 5-1. Sophomore Chantel Dodge picked up the win going seven innings and giving up only one run. Chantel also struck out eight. Senior Lauren Gunter gets the loss for Erskine. Gunter went seven innings and gave up five runs. Lauren did strike out three hitters.
Queens was led by sophomore Keeya Turner and junior Maria Goode who both had two hits. Goode also had a run batted in. Junior Brandy Jester and senior Megan Campbell also had a hit and an RBI. Junior Alisha Waldrop added a single of her own to the offense.
Erksine College's lone run came off the bat of junior Kristy Fincher who had a pinch hit single in the fifth inning. Freshman Bailey Thornton and junior Lindsey LaPrad had two hits each. Freshman Melanie Henderson, freshman Morgan Purcell, and junior Jocelyn Smith each had a hit.
Queens will move on to face Limestone Saturday at 3:00 p.m. Erskine College will move to the elimination bracket and will play Pfeiffer at 11:00 a.m. Saturday.
2010 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament Bracket


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Picking between one of two color options, black or white, for the new iPad might seem trivial to some or simply a matter of personal taste, but it's a question we get asked a lot. Once you've decided to get a new iPad, settled on your storage capacity, and chosen between AT&T and Verizon if you're going 4G LTE, color is what's left. While the black and white iPads are otherwise identical in terms of size and weight, storage capacities and carriers, there are a few points to consider.
Note: Unlike the black and white iPhones, iPads all have the same aluminum back plate so it's really only the front bezel border that changes.
Is white more distracting?
Imagine if your TV set had a white bezel instead of black, would that distract you from the show or movie you were watching? The game you were playing? If the goal of the device is to get out of your way so you can become totally immersed in the content, black has traditionally been a much safer color choice for manufacturers to go with.
Many people feel the same way about the iPad. Black disappears. Even if the content is white (like an ebook or web page), the environment around us usually isn't. So black melts out of the way and once the screen lights up it's all but forgotten.
The same can happen with a white bezel, but it depends more on the individual. White is definitely more noticeable than black. For some that means it's a lot more distracting and actually takes away from the viewing experience. For others, it's enjoyable, frames the viewing, and provides a two-tone look that's more fashionable than black.
I've had both a black and a white iPads and have never been distracted nor irked by either one. If white catches your eye a little too much, however, you might want to stick with black.
Will white discolor?
Rumor has it Apple delayed the launch of the white iPhone 4 in order to improve the UV protection and prevent discoloration. That's just a rumor, however, and white iPads have shipped day and date with black iPads since they were introduced in March 2011. That also means white iPads have been on the market for almost a year now, and there haven't been any widespread accounts of discoloration. My own white iPad 2, bought in March 2011, still looks as crisp and clean as the day I unboxed it.
In 5 years time some more obvious aging issues may present themselves, but 5 years is an eternity in consumer electronics. If it concerns you, stick with black.
On the other hand, black shows fingerprints and smudges more dramatically and don't disappear when the screen is lit up, so if those annoy you, white is a better choice.
Does white look better?
Some people just love the look of a white device, whether it's an iPad, an iPhone, a BlackBerry, an Android, or whatever. They sometimes get shipped later or come in more limited quantities so there's an air of exclusivity about them.
That's not the case with iPads.
White tends to stand out more and can be more obvious with brightly colored cases. Is that something that appeals to you? Or do you want the content and the accessories to be the star?
If you like the idea of a blank canvas, stick to black.
So which color should you get?
At the end of the day, the only real answer is get the color you like better. Everything else is manufactured anxiety at this point. Just close your eyes, picture your iPad in your hand and carefully look at what color you're picturing.
Then buy that.
Any questions?
If you've already chosen, let us know which one you went with and why. If you need extra help or want extra opinions deciding whether you should get, black or white, don't hesitate to ask.


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Foundations for Infant/Toddler Services in Early Intervention: IFSP Development
PaTTAN - Online Course
Event Type: On-line Courses
Credit Type: (6 hours)
Registration Contact: Molly Martz, firstname.lastname@example.com, 800-360-7282
Content Contact: Mary Montgomery, email@example.com, 800-360-7282
Each child and family that receives early intervention services must have an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). The IFSP is designed for professionals and family members to collaborate as a team to address developmental outcomes for a young child with delays or disabilities. The IFSP is the legal contract between the program and the family regarding early intervention services for and on behalf of the child. The IFSP focuses on functional outcomes and goals for the child's development, and directs services to family members and caregivers.
IFSP Development is the second in a series of four courses that make up the Foundations for Infant and Toddler Services in Early Intervention. The purpose of this module is to provide guidelines in IFSP development for Early Intervention professionals. Administrators can use these modules to support the professional development and performance of EI personnel they supervise. The content and resources of this module align with the standards of national organizations for personnel preparation programs and performance indicators related to early childhood outcomes developed by the Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
The module has four sessions based on established competencies for IFSP development. Each session contains instructional content delivered through narrated presentations, resource content such as reading materials and websites, activities to integrate content into practice, and accomplishment of specific competencies through participant evaluation.
Participants will:
- Identify legislation and regulations that impact early intervention services
- Describe the required components of Pennsylvania´s Early Intervention Evaluation Report document and Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
- Make connections between early intervention program, policy, and practice.
- Gather information from families that reflect the child and family's unique strengths, resources, concerns, and priorities
- Facilitate the IFSP process in order to promote family understanding and participation in the collaborative process
- Establish IFSP outcomes that are meaningful to the child and family and that support learning in the child's natural routines
- Identify resources in your local community
- Assist families in accessing services that promote inclusion of the child and family into the community
- Provide support to families in accessing family support, family networking, and involvement within the early intervention system
- Describe how transitions impact families, children, and professionals
- Identify methods to facilitate a smooth service delivery transition for families, children, and professionals.
- Develop a transition plan for families exiting early intervention
Target Audience
This training is intended for early care and education practitioners working with children ages 0 – 3 years.
Individuals attending this course must arrive on time and stay the duration of the course in order to receive Act 48 Professional Education hours. Requests for exceptions are to be brought to the attention of the individual´s Superintendent or IU Director prior to the course.
Topics Covered: Early Intervention
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Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate individuals who have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and who need assistance at this training. Contact: Linda Rhine, at 800-360-7282 × 3712, or email@example.com.


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SheKnows.com Lifestyles
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Stockton, CA
Doris Chrisman
Jan. 10, 1924 - Sept. 5, 2013
Doris passed away after a long illness. Her nephew Jerry Somers, his wife Bonnie, and her dear
friend, Carol Gledhill, were at her bedside when she passed. Doris was born in Belva, Oklahoma. She was the wife of the late William Chrisman. Doris is survived by many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by 3 brothers and 1 sister.
Doris was a past President of the Iris & Emblem Club. In her younger years her and Bill enjoyed hunting, fishing and skiing. She was a member of Zion Church and the Tuleburg RV group of Stockton Elks #218 Lodge. She was also a 5 gallon blood donor for Delta Blood Bank.
She will be missed by so many good friends, all of whom will remember her as always having a great attitude for whatever life offered her.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Stockton Elks, E.N.F. #218.


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Christina Warren from TUAW wrote on Twitter that Google recently dumped the iPhone optimized version of iGoogle and now simply redirects users to a generic mobile version instead.
Update: Here's Christina's story on DownloadSquad.
What in Google's green earth could they be thinking? One of our readers, Jesse, wrote in to share this forum post from Google employee, Paul:
"Hey everyone, I have an update for you. We've decided to direct iPhone users to the standard mobile iGoogle page. We've found that people hit iGoogle from lots of different phones -- we want to ensure you'll all see the same version.
Most or all of your existing content should translate over to the standard mobile version. The only exception would be any gadgets that aren't compatible with most mobile browsers.
We've got several articles in our Help Center about the mobile experience on iGoogle, which you can find in our Help Center [link]."
Lowest common denominator much?
Jesse also let us know that Jailbreak users have a workaround: spoofing their browser via the Cydia app, Useragent Faker.
So is this Google playing it fair, playing favorites for Android (which still has functioning Gmail in its iGoogle mobile according to Christina, unlike the iPhone or BlackBerry), or just doing the mobile equivalent of re-coding all sites to standardize on the original version of Netscape?


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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- Since the early 2000's the gorilla sanctuary has been one of the most popular exhibits at the Louisville Zoo, but recently some visitors have been getting a little more than they bargained for thanks to their cell phones.
"We had just walked into the gorilla enclosure, and I was actually looking at the baby gorilla. We were getting ready to leave," said Lindsey Costello. "I turned and I saw this lady sitting on a bench by the window, and the gorilla is right next to her, and she's showing the gorilla video."
Over the next twenty minutes, Lindsey Costello sat with Jelani showing him videos of other gorillas, and a friend snapped this picture which quickly went viral, but she says it doesn't show the gorilla's true talents.
"If he got tired of a video he'd move his hand up and swipe," said Costello. "If I moved the phone away he'd stretch it out. He intimately enjoyed the videos."
"They really appreciate having people come and hang out with them, sit and show them pictures, and do interesting things," said Jill Katka. "We have some older female gorillas that really love children."
Assistant Mammal Curator Jill Katka says that Jelani learned to love technology at a young age which has helped him go viral multiple times, drawing attention to a critically endangered species.
"He kind of grew up looking at pictures and hanging out with people," said Katka. "That just makes him a wonderful ambassador for gorillas."
I want people to get how much of an intellectual these animals are, and how compassionate and caring they truly are. They're not just wild crazy animals in captivity. They actually have a heart.
Everyone who comes to the Louisville Zoo is helping protect animals like Jelani in the wild.
Portions of every entry fee go toward the Diane Fossey Gorilla Fund and Pan African Sanctuary Alliance which help protect primate welfare.


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The beauty of classic tradition is captured in International's Grecian motif Wedgewood pattern. The delicate scrolled relief border gracefully encloses a detailed Grecian urn with intricate symmetrical enhancement. The aristocratic pattern will be passed from generation to generation, serving you and yours forever. Dinner Fork
Sterling is dishwasher safe, but hand washing with a mild detergent is recommended. After each use promptly wash, or at least rinse, sterling in hot water. Do not leave sterling soaking, as it can permanently damage the metal. Polish your sterling once or twice a year, whether it has been used regularly or not. Do not wrap in rubber bands, plastic, newspaper or any high sulphur material. Daily use is encouraged as an integral part of silver care.


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Welcome to the GoBAYLOR Grad portal! GoBAYLOR will be the place to submit an inquiry, create your student profile and eventually start an application.
If you would like to receive more information about attending Graduate School at Baylor, enter your information on the form below and a Graduate Enrollment Officer will contact you shortly. Then, should you decide to start an application, use the login information you create today to access the online GoBAYLOR Grad Application.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Information submitted to the Baylor Graduate School is confidential and only used as contact information for the Graduate School.
* Items in red are required.


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DescriptionSilverene is an architectural masterpiece located in the heart of Dubai Marina where residents can enjoy the stunning panoramic view of the Marina from two spectacular residential towers. On the first level, residents are pampered with their very own boulevard complete with coffee shops and retail outlets. It encompasses all the benefits of waterfront living, topped by a unique interior treatment. A captivating glass and mirror effect reflects the blue waters and maximizes the breathtaking view on each floor.
The Marina`s lifestyle is a mix that includes the vibrancy of the city alongside the laid back marine culture. Adding to the line up of amenities is the Marina Walk, an exclusive promenade of multi-cuisine fine dining restaurants, coffee shops, and supermarket and retail outlets. Silverene is located between the Marina Mall and The Marina Yacht Club.
Silverene residential amenities include:
• Swimming Pool
• Kids Pool
• Sun deck
• State-of-the-art gymnasium
• 24 hours building security
• Nursery
• Tennis court
• Enclosed parking garage
• Drive in area
• Retail Outlets


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U.S. stocks and Treasuries rose, as improving economic data offset concerns that the Federal Reserve will cut monetary stimulus as soon as next month. The euro strengthened after German business confidence climbed to the highest in more than 1 1/2 years.
The Standard & Poor's 500 Index climbed 0.3% to an intraday record 1,803.08 at 2:58 p.m. in New York, headed for its seventh straight weekly gain. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added 0.1% after earlier rising as much as 0.6%. The euro climbed 0.5% to $1.3549. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes fell 3 basis points to 2.75%. West Texas Intermediate oil lost 0.6%.
U.S. data yesterday showed weekly jobless claims fell to the lowest level since September and a confidence survey indicated American consumers became less pessimistic this month. Germany's Ifo business climate index climbed more than predicted in November, exceeding all 43 economist forecasts in a Bloomberg News survey. European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said policy makers will announce parameters for bank stress tests by the end of January.
"There's really no deterrent for the market to move forward," Karyn Cavanaugh, a vice president and market strategist at ING U.S.Investment Management in New York, said in a phone interview. Her firm oversees $196 billion. "There's not really any bad news. We have a little bit of a pullback and then people jump in and say, 'Hey, I want a piece of this.'"
Weekly Rally
The S&P 500 erased its decline for the week and headed for a record close. The gauge is poised to extend its longest weekly winning streak since February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.2% today after closing yesterday above 16,000 for the first time. It has rallied seven straight weeks, the best streak since January 2011.
Minutes of the Fed's October meeting released Nov. 20 showed officials may reduce their $85 billion a month of bond- buying if the economy improves as anticipated. Stimulus from the Fed has helped the S&P 500 soar 166% since its March 2009 low. The index rallied 26% this year, poised for its best annual performance in a decade.
David Tepper, the hedge-fund manager who runs Appaloosa Management LP, said stock markets are not inflated as economies in the U.S., Europe and China are on "firm ground." He said that while he remains bullish on U.S. stocks, markets may fall 5% to 10% when the Fed curbs its monthly stimulus program. He said his firm recently bet against U.S. Treasuries as a hedge.
Bubble Talk
"I know there's talk about bubbles, this is not one," Tepper said in an interview with Bloomberg Television's Stephanie Ruhle at the Robin Hood Investors Conference in New York yesterday. United Continental Holdings Inc. climbed 3.7% after Tepper said that his "big play in the market" is airlines.
Time Warner Cable Inc. surged 10% to a record after people with knowledge of the matter said Comcast Corp. and Charter Communications Inc. have discussed a joint bid for the company. Foot Locker Inc. rallied 4.6% after it posted higher-than-estimated quarterly earnings. Ross Stores Inc. plunged 5.4% after cutting its fourth-quarter earnings forecast.
In Europe, Whitbread Plc and Daily Mail & General Trust Plc gained more than 3% after banks raised their stock ratings. Rhoen-Klinikum AG fell 3.3% after saying its second-biggest shareholder sued to block the sale of 43 clinics to Fresenius SE's Helios unit. TUI Travel Plc and Eurazeo SA lost more than 4.6% after investors sold shares.
Copyright 2014 Bloomberg. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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There were rumblings a while back that the Starfighter would come with an Anakin figure - that was what everyone thought would be the preview set. Then that was scaled back and the preview was vehicle only. Shortly after that, I did hear rumors that the ship would come with an Anakin figure in a window-box just like Obi-Wan and his starfighter did for AOTC. The exclusive this time would go to TRU instead of KB.
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VICENZA, Italy (AP) — Self-made Italians like Amedeo Tartarini never expected to need help.
Tartarini's goldsmith business thrived for decades in Italy's postwar boom. He was one of legions of small businessmen who made Italy an industrial power. With a house, money in the bank and a teeming workshop, the affable artisan never questioned his financial security — until it was too late.
As Italy's financial crisis deepened, Tartarini ignored signs his business was failing, but persevered in the belief that skill would outshine cheaper competition from China. Hard work and quality, he was convinced, would protect him from the forces of globalization. They did not.
"I always trusted it wouldn't end this way for me," Tartarini said, his eyes darkened with regret. "I had to sell all I had to continue, hoping to make it."
In many rich countries, a person like Tartarini, who has lost his home, his business and his life's savings, might have ended up on the street. Instead, he has managed to keep afloat thanks to friends and community spirit. Italy's extraordinary social safety nets, rooted in centuries of tradition, have helped soften the blow for millions of Italians — and, so far at least, insulated the nation from the scenes of explosive unrest that have unfolded in other crisis-hit southern European countries. Italy heads into general elections this weekend that promise to determine what shape these crisis buffers will take in the future.
Institutions like family, hometown loyalty and church activism have combined with a generous welfare state to maintain social peace, despite escalating episodes of individual financial collapse. Meanwhile, Italians' own obsession with keeping up appearances at all costs — a cultural trait known as "la bella figura," or cutting a fine figure — has made them allergic to public displays of misery, while masking the true extent of national hardship.
The No. 1 factor in Italy's social equilibrium: The Family. The postwar economic-boom generation of prudent savers is lovingly maintaining those that followed. Grandparents care for grandchildren, while parents help finance, or even buy, that first home for just-married children. And young Italians may be just as inclined to live at home with mom and dad well into their 30s, with no social stigma. An organic extension of family is "campanilismo" — a fierce loyalty to the village bell-tower — which has meant that Italians look out for each other in their home communities, which are often better suited than the state to find the best ways to help those in need.
Experts see good and bad in this Italian way of life.
On the one hand, it has helped to maintain not only social stability, but also high living standards, in Italy's worst economic crisis since the end of World War II. On the other, it has been a social crutch that has eroded competitiveness, sapped opportunity for young people and perhaps put Italy on the path of long-term — if decidedly genteel — decline.
Tableaus of daily life in Italian towns and cities provide abundant evidence of social buffers at play.
Italy's vast network of volunteers offer services at little or no cost, with such organizations as retired corps of Alpine soldiers staffing recycling centers or managing parking at public events in exchange for a fraction of what it would cost to contract out the job.
Visit any Italian playground on a workday, particularly in the wealthy north, and small children are tended by a grandmother or grandfather, supplementing a paucity of daycare for children under 3 and providing after-school care for older children — mostly so mothers can work. Research by the IRES think tank finds that this help sustains the employment of 800,000 women — who in turn generate 2.4 percent of GDP.
The research concludes that grandparents' contributions don't just sustain and deepen familial relationships, "but are fundamentally linked to the economic systems of social services." Older Italians, defined here as over 54, contribute every year around €18.3 billion ($24.5 billion) to the Italian economy, or 1.2 percent of GDP, according to IRES. That sum amounts to roughly what Italy's economy has grown annually for the last two decades.
"It is reasonable for 35-year-olds to be living with their parents, and whole families may be relying on a grandfather's pension. One or two incomes may support four or five people, and it is not considered dysfunctional," said Raj Badiani, an IHS Global Insight analyst.
Other economic factors are at play in preventing social tumult despite youth unemployment of 37 percent:
— Italy's robust underground cash economy allows many young people to work four or five months a year in sectors such as tourism, allowing them to pad their pockets with cash — albeit with corrosive consequences for the nation's tax receipts.
— Unlike Spain, Italy has avoided a housing bubble. Housing prices are steady in a country with 80 percent home ownership. It means legions of families, many of modest means, may have a home in the city and another in the countryside, perhaps in a town where their family originated, allowing them to take the kind of holidays that foreigners fantasize about — passing days in idyllic settings and feasting on cheap local specialties.
— And Italians are exemplary savers, unlike their government, which has been placed under international scrutiny for its poor handling of public debt, now over 126 percent of GDP and expected to worsen.
A new study by Pioneer Investments and Unicredit found Italian savings are four times its public debt, or €8.5 trillion compared with a debt of nearly €2 trillion. In other words, Italy's public debt is 22 percent of its private wealth — which puts it in line with Germany and the United States. Italy in 2011 had higher household financial assets than France and Germany, and was above the eurozone average, according to the Italian Banking Association.
"It has been this high rate of financial wealth and the capacity of Italian families to save compared with other European countries that has protected Italy from the crisis," said Giovanni Sabatini, general director of the Italian Banking Association.
As the crisis wears on, Sabatini says, "family debts are growing, and the capital is being eroded ... But the starting point was very elevated, which still guarantees the solidity of the system."
There is a flip side: While family welfare provides a cushion, it does not allow efficient distribution of resources and leaves the younger generation at the mercy of those that came before. It's not for nothing that Italy is known as a gerontocracy, where the strings are pulled by the elderly — from the highest levels of government to big business to the extended family.
"If there were a way to institutionalize the passage of this wealth, things would be more natural compared to the current condition, which is tied to generosity," said Marcello Calabro, who ran the study for Pioneer.
Social buffers have also encouraged many people, like Tartarini, to ignore signs of the crisis and carry on in the hope they can outlast it. And "la bella figura" can create an illusion that all is well when in fact things are falling apart.
"It is a crisis of identity," said the Rev. Giovanni Sandona, coordinator for the Catholic charity Caritas in northeastern Italy. "It is not just an economic crisis."
When Tartarini's world crumbled, he found he could rely on friends and Catholic charity.
These days, Tartarini takes whatever handyman jobs found by the nuns at his Vicenza parish. And friends take him on trips to the grocery store, where they pay for his, too.
Tartarini, in well-worn work clothes and heavy black shoes, spent a recent morning preparing to move with his wife and 25-year-old son from a rented accommodation he could no longer afford into a free vacated apartment belonging to the parish church of Nove, a ceramic-making town north of Vicenza. Caritas has reached out to parishes with empty residential properties to house people who have lost their lodging in the crisis.
"For me, it's an incredible thing," Tartarini said. "I had a few days in which I didn't know where I would go."


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A new study published online in The Lancet, a British medical journal, has found that CT scans in children can cause "small but significant" increases in the risk of brain cancer and leukemia, reports the New York Times.
The retrospective study was based on the records of nearly 180,000 children in Britain who had CT (computed tomography) scans between 1985 and 2002. One hundred and thirty-five cases of brain cancer and 74 cases of leukemia were eventually reported in that group, which the study authors tied to the radiation doses received during the scans. The more scans and the higher the dose of radiation, the higher a child's risk of brain cancer or leukemia. That being said, childhood cancers are very rare, so although children under 15 who received two or three scans of the head had three times the risk of brain cancer as the general population, the risk remains very small.
Plus: How to Talk to Your Child's Doctor
Researchers said that CT scans should only be performed when necessary (for example, for diagnosing potentially life-threatening conditions, like pneumonia complications, chest infections and severe head or spinal injuries), and with the lowest possible dose of radiation. Researchers estimate that of the approximately four million children a year who receive CT scans in the U.S., about one-third of those are either unnecessary or could be replaced by ultrasound or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), neither of which use radiation.
Plus: Easing Hospital Anxiety for Kids
The American College of Radiology issued a statement in response to the study, urging parents to get CT scans when needed, and that the "immediate benefits [of a CT scan] outweigh what is still a very small long-term risk." The ACR also recommended that parents keep a record of their child's x-ray history and ask the following questions of their physician before their child receives a scan:
• How will having this exam improve my child's health care?
• Are there alternatives that do not use radiation which are equally as good?
• Will my child receive a "kid-size" radiation dose?
• Is this facility ACR-accredited?
Has your child ever received a CT scan or other form of radiation? Were you nervous about the level of radiation?


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SAP for Media Community
Welcome to the official SAP for Media community. Learn and interact with stakeholders through blogs, discussions and other resources and find out how SAP for Media can help you run better.
Read these essential materials, thought leadership pieces, and customer stories.
Check out our new customer stories.
Learn more about digital trends in the Media industry.
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SAP Solution Explorer
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All Blogs and Questions


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yeah.. guess who's back. fr0z3n is back..
yeah... after my month or so away , was because i couldn't remember my password, and when i tried to recover my pass, it would send the user but not the password. so i try again after a few months.. and bam! it worked. go ao!
well, this past week..i got paid 600 bucks for 3 weeks of work, and its nice. so i go and decide one night i am building a computer with that money! and i do.
my new computer:
athlon xp 1700+ processor
two 128 ddr sticks of mem
24x/10x/40x sony cd-rw
soyo mother board and case
then i got 25 cdrws, and 50 cdrs.
this computer outstands definatly my old computer..
butif anyone is looking for a nice computer, i would definatly recommend the one i got, its nice as hell.
i'm running xp pro.
until next time, see ya around.


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The legal studies degree approaches the study of law not only from the legal viewpoint, but also academic viewpoints like philosophy, television/radio, culture, communications, sociology, and politics. Because of this unique course of study, this format is offered by few other undergraduate institutions.
We do not seek to provide students with the training you would receive in law school but upon graduation, students will have a unique and unusually balanced view of the law in American culture. For students who are planning to attend law school, this background provides a unique academic experience because it prepares them by setting a foundation in courses like Constitutional Law and Legal Research. It also provides a vantage point that many law schools will not present, and therefore, gives our students a unique view of law and legal process.
Students also find that they can easily major in legal studies in combination with other majors at the College. For example, students who choose legal studies as a major often double major in sociology, politics, and television-radio. Legal studies provides an excellent background for students wishing to pursue careers where understanding the foundations of the law is advantageous.
The Legal Studies major is open to all Ithaca College students in their freshmen and sophomore year. Many students who find the study of law interesting major in legal studies, even if they are not planning on matriculating at a law school. There are many different and interesting career paths available with a Legal Studies background, including working in the court systems, governmental agencies, in corporate legal departments and as researchers in various fields.


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Just wondering if anyone else would find a 'type' attribute on the 'value' tag useful (or even possible)...optional of course. It would be especially useful for building lists/maps when I want to take advantage of PropertyEditors to create the actual value for the entry. For example, if I wanted a List of Resources, I could do:
In my particular case, I was trying to create a MethodMapTransactionAttributeSource and set the map...I'd love to be able to use the TransactionAttributeEditor for the values in the map.
<list> <value type="org.springframework.core.io.Resource">/WEB-INF/blah.xml</value> <value type="org.springframework.core.io.Resource">/WEB-INF/blah2.xml</value> </list>


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Megan Fox & Brian Austin Green: Brazilian Dance Spectators!
Megan Fox dons a cute little dress while visiting a Samba School during her vacation with her husband Brian Austin Green on Saturday (February 9) in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The 26-year-old actress and the 39-year-old actor were seen posing for pics and having a blast watching the locals dance.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Megan Fox
The day before, Megan was spotted carrying a book while arriving at LAX Airport with Brian for a departing flight.
25+ pictures inside of Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green having some fun during their vacation in Brazil…


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WMC Party Shots: Waka Flocka Flame Joins Chuckie's Dirty Dutch Miami
As VIBE keeps striving to deliver all genre-blended news for music fans of today, the Dirty Dutch crew is creating it.
This is why we kicked off Winter Music Conference 2013 at Story Miami on Monday (March 18) with Chuckie. His high aptitude for music orchestration, GPS-radar for fresh talent and open-minded approach to sonic and event creation make the Dirty Ditch a zeitgeist for Generation Now.
Scroll through now to peep the rager that featured performances from smash house producers, (and brothers) Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Gregori Klosman, Mord Fustang, Betatraxx, Glow in the Dark, fellow Steel Entertainment jockey Mitchell Neimeyer and hip-hoppah Waka Flocka Flame. Special star DJs like NERVO and Ryan James also popped up party with VIBE. →
Photo Credit: Andrew Rauner/ AJRphotography


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Hooksett man pleads innocent to eluding Manchester police
February 27. 2013 11:08PM
MANCHESTER - Nickolas Scarlett, 21, of 19 Pinnacle St., Hooksett, pleaded innocent Wednesday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division to misdemeanor charges of aggravated driving while intoxicated, reckless conduct, disobeying a police officer and a stop sign violation.
Scarlett is accused of attempting to elude a police officer in a cruiser with signals activated who was seeking to stop him on South Willow Street about 2:40 a.m. Feb. 18. Police said Scarlett was traveling at high speed while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and became involved in an accident that put two passengers at risk of injury. He also turned off his headlights and ran a stop sign at March and Cahill avenues before crashing his vehicle in the Sam's Club parking lot and abandoning it, according to police.
Scarlett, who has a previous conviction for simple assault, is free on $1,500 personal recognizance bail. Trial is set for May 8.
Heads out of court
A city man, angry at being charged with simple assault and resisting arrest, complained to Circuit Court-Manchester District Division Judge Gregory Michael that "nothing (expletive) happened," and began walking toward the courtroom door before the arraignment process was complete.
Jeff Jolley, 36, of 45 Myrtle St., is accused of pushing his girlfriend in the back, causing her to fall forward into a wall, and after his arrest, struggling physically with a police officer while awaiting the arrival of the transport wagon.
Court documents show the alleged victim told police that Jolley was "acting crazy" because he wanted to smoke crack and couldn't get any. She told police he had been violent on other occasions and showed officers a leg bruise that she blamed on Jolley.
A police prosecutor requested $5,000 cash/surety bail, noting Jolley's criminal record includes three violations of a domestic violence protective order, drug possession, contempt and assault.
Jolley asked for personal recognizance bail, but Michael said Jolley's record made that impossible. The judge was willing to modify the requested bail, setting bail at $2,500 cash/surety.
But Jolley, who appeared in court as a detainee, was angry and started walking toward the door through which Hillsborough County Deputies escort detainees, complaining that nothing had happened and not waiting to hear his trial date, which is set for April 2.
Wife wants him home
Police prosecutors wanted David Eaton, 37, of 943 Hayward St., barred from contact with his wife and from returning to his residence pending trial in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division on a simple assault charge.
But Eaton's wife, Pamela, stood up in the gallery and asked Judge Gregory Michael to let her husband return home. She said they have been together for three years and between them have four children, not counting the one she is now pregnant with.
"I do not feel that he is a threat to me," said Pamela, who added: "He has nowhere else to go."
After discussions between a police prosecutor, the domestic violence advocate and the Eatons, the prosecution proposed David Eaton undergo a domestic violence evaluation within 45 days and follow any recommendations. If he does that and provides proof to the court, the charge will be conditionally dropped.
The judge agreed and Eaton was given information on obtaining the evaluation.
Women to be tried for receiving stolen property
Jennifer Doherty, 33, of 47 Pennacook St., was given three court dates in three communities on receiving stolen property charges on Wednesday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division.
Doherty had failed to appear on the charges when scheduled in Salem, Derry and Manchester. Judge Gregory Michael set $500 cash bail on the Manchester charge, with a trial date set for April 3.
As Doherty looked toward the gallery and shook her head side to side, Michael reduced a $5,000 cash/surety bail to $1,000 cash/surety on the Salem charge, with a March 28 trial date, and changed a $1,000 cash bail to cash/surety on the Derry charge, with a March 7 court date there.
Doherty asked Michael: "So I can't get (personal recognizance)?" Doherty's three failures to appear on the 2012 charges and a 2011 Derry willful concealment conviction ruled that out.
Currently on parole
Albert James, 29, of 77 Market St., could enter no plea Wednesday in Circuit Court-Manchester District Division to a felony charge of theft by unauthorized taking. The charge is a felony because James has at least three prior theft convictions.
This charge alleges he took more than $200 worth of baby formula from a CVS store last month.
James, who said he is unemployed and on parole, told Judge Gregory Michael that he needs drug treatment.
A police prosecutor requested $10,000 cash/surety bail, saying James' record also includes forgery, larceny and receiving stolen property. Michael set bail at the requested amount and a probable cause hearing was set for March 12.


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Iconic Big-screen Villains of Superhero Movies
Iconic Big-screen Villains of Superhero Movies
The big baddies in superhero movies are just as important as the powerful heroes. Often, the villain is what makes the movie worth seeing, being the driving force behind the plot and one of the most interesting characters of the film. In the long history of big-screen superhero films, there are a few enemies that stand out as the must-see characters. These are iconic villains who show up in multiple renditions of the franchise. These villains often have intricate backstories that provide insight into motivations and desires. From the X-Men to Batman to Superman and more, the wide variety of superhero franchises has a colorful cast of beloved villains.
Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox
Magneto is the opposite to the famous Charles Xavier, known as Professor X, in the X-Men comic canon. The two are old friends, but they have differing views on how mutants are meant to survive in society. Their contrary views caused a split, triggering the formation of the two mutant sides of the conflict. Audiences love Magneto's cool composure, the way his intelligence matches with Professor X and, of course, his power. This impressive villain has the ability to control metal, a very dangerous power to battle against in the modern day. The man takes the spotlight whenever he is on screen, leaving viewers begging for more.
The Joker
Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
The Joker is the most iconic Batman villain. He is the chaos to Batman's strict moral code, challenging the dark hero in battle after battle, teasing and taunting in hopes of breaking the Bat. Each version of the Joker has been a critical and commercial success, and every Batman movie is expected to at least mention this famous villain. Like many Batman villains, Joker's history changes often, but he is generally considered one of the few truly evil enemies. This chaotic nature is what makes him a necessity in any Batman franchise.
Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Another Batman villain, Harvey Dent was once a friend and ally of Batman before a horrible accident. His resulting disfigurement and dependency on his signature coin lead to insanity, creating a frightening enemy. His coin is representative of his morality, and he relies on it to make many of his major decisions, such as whether or not to let someone live. Like the Joker, Two-Face is a staple in the Batman universe and is much loved by the fanbase due to his tragic storyline.
Photo Credit: Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Loki is the adopted brother of Thor. While Thor is physically powerful, Loki relies on wit, sorcery and mental power to fight his battles. This caused a rift between the brothers and caused Loki to head out on his own, becoming a foil to Thor. He is often called a trickster persona, which is a character trope that many viewers enjoy. His talent for manipulating people and sometimes walking the line of evil makes him an intriguing character. He appears in movies such as "Thor" and "The Avengers." When pitted against the Avengers, his particular talent for wit and sorcery shine since many of the Avengers rely on physical abilities. This makes for impressive and strategic fight scenes.
Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures
Shredder is a shift away from traditional superhero villains, as he is one of the main enemies in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle canon. He makes an appearance in most iterations of the Ninja Turtles, dressed in a daunting outfit that somewhat resembles samurai gear, though it has notably more metal spikes. As the head of the Foot clan of criminals, Shredder has many martial arts skills and has enough intelligence to create technological weapons for use against the Turtles. A return of Shredder in the 2014 "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie is a welcome departure from the well-known superhero movies such as "The Dark Knight" and "The Avengers."
Lex Luthor
Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Lex Luthor is Superman's archenemy. Luthor has several different histories, but the most well-known is that of him as a wealthy and powerful businessman. Although he does not have superpowers of his own, his immense wealth and cunning let him create weapons and beings to pit against Superman. He does not usually directly fight Superman, but he uses his business and financial power for nefarious reasons against the people of Metropolis and earth. When Luthor is pitted against Superman, the audience is in for a battle of wits and wills, providing a nice contrast to over-the-top fight scenes found in many superhero movies.
These villainous characters are the perfect foils for their respective superheroes. Without colorful characters such as these, the movies simply fall flat. Superhero films on the big screen benefit from having these wonderful characters, and they are who the audience expects to see when they hear of the next big superhero movie.


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BOSTON — Tuukka Rask was the first goaltender off the ice after the Bruins' morning skate today at TD Garden, which indicates he'll probably get the start tonight against the lowly New York Islanders.
Along with rookie defenseman Steve Kampfer replacing the injured Mark Stuart, Rask should be one of two tweaks to Boston's lineup since Tuesday night's win over Buffalo.
Rask hasn't played since his loss at Atlanta Nov. 28. The stretch of four games without a start matches his longest stretch without being in the opening lineup, done twice previously. So is he getting better at staying sharp in between starts while Tim Thomas continues to put together a Vezina Trophy-winning resume?
"I don't know. Maybe," Rask said.
The key for Rask might be showing up to the arena every game day and acting as though he's going to get the start.
"Nothing. Just focus on the game like it's a game every night," he said. "And be ready, have fun and stay positive. That's about it."
Kampfer said he didn't fall asleep until around 3 a.m. last night and woke up at 8 this morning, so he was a little weary at the skate. But he was hoping a solid afternoon nap would have him re-energized for his NHL debut. Another way he prepared was by speaking with his former Michigan teammate and ex-Bruins blueliner Matt Hunwick.
"I talked to Matt last night," said Kampfer. "I was watching clips on him. I was telling him that they wanted me to watch him and see how he played. We both wished each other the best of luck and it was good."


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hm ... as a guest there I should not even "see" anyPetr Novák wrote:Yes, Czech tea culture is quite unique. With all its "blemishes" I am happy to be part of it:)
Kettle new. Stove was the first I made http://aneybo.blogspot.com/2011/06/grrrrrills.html and it worked with no crack for many months not like the others;) As I can see you have more success in this.Petr Novák wrote:btw. What about the stove-kettle sitting in corner of your booth (on the picture) Something new? How it works?
Both are now on one of a balcony in Prague anyway and I have to make a new for myself. Still a clay mix is a point.


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ATHENS, Greece – Greek lawmakers are seeking to contain a spate of attacks by armed robbers using military assault rifles by upping the maximum sentence for such offences to life in prison.
Under draft legislation made public Monday, the new penalties will apply for those using the Russian-designed AK-47, or Kalashnikov, rifle and other similar weapons. Current laws give convicts 10-25 years in prison in such cases.
The inexpensive Kalashnikovs have become increasingly popular with Greek criminals, who use them to rob kiosks, supermarkets or homes — heavily out-gunning local police. Such attacks have grown since the country's acute financial crisis started three years ago.
Thousands of the weapons have flooded into Greece from neighboring Albania, where military bases were looted during riots in 1997.


text: It's premature to make a prediction of a supplement preventing or inhibiting cancer based on a 52-day study on mice. There are so many complicating factors involved in cancer formation that even if a supplement helps in one particular area of the immune system, it may have detrimental effects on another aspect. However, ginseng has had much research devoted to it, and a long history of medicinal benefit. At this time, it seems that taking small amounts on a regular basis appears to be safe.


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posted by Thom Holwerda on Mon 29th Apr 2013 21:14 UTC
"OS X 10.9, which is internally codenamed 'Cabernet', will focus on various 'power-user' enhancements and take core features from iOS, according to our sources. Unlike operating system updates such as OS X Leopard and OS X Lion, OS X 10.9 will likely not be an overhauled approach to how the operating system feels and functions." Features for power users and features from iOS? Seems like an oxymoron. Still, if they manage to finally fix the Finder and Spaces, I'll be happy.


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Plane Facts
Now that I'm officially on board I figure I'll get the obligatory plane post out of the way early. Sure, I did my touchy-feely First Day post last week. And while I was in the PopWood offices (I'm back home in Penn. now until we make the final move) I got a chance to play around with Jet's new 719200 lathe (read a little about it here) in order to review it for the October issue of the magazine. Now some would say those are "official" blog posts but I understand you are not "really" an editor until you've posted about planes.
For quite some time I've heard about lapping the sole of a plane in order to get it absolutely perfectly flat. Hogwash. Sure, flattening a plane can make life easier but it just isn't a "necessity." Those who think a plane is useless without being perfectly flat just don't understand what a plane is or how it works, and they certainly don't understand the tolerances of the medium in which we work. With all that said, I've never flattened a plane.
I'm a pretty meticulous woodworker but I only work to the nearest 1/32″. If my plane measures within that tolerance of being flat, I'm OK with it. I've always thought flattening planes is a waste of good woodworking time. If a plane is that far out of flat, throw it away and get another. If it's an old plane, it just means someone abused it. If it's new, it's a defect.
The biggest problem I have with flattening planes is, my plane of choice is just too big to flatten. From what I've read, people spend days flattening a simple smooth plane. How long is it going to take for me to lap this to perfection?
Whether your plane is hand or power, you really only need to know a few things. For a handplane, three points need to be in the same plane: the toe, the area right behind the mouth and somewhere toward the back of the plane. Honestly, you really can get away with two of those. The only one that has to remain is the spot right behind the mouth. It means you may have to learn how to apply pressure differently as you use the plane but it will still work. Sharp is far more important than flat. I don't care what method you use to sharpen. Just pick the one that makes the most sense to you. Whether it's a really old method of sharpening, mine or someone else's, just sharpen.
For my plane of choice, I merely need to make sure my knives are parallel to my outfeed table and that my outfeed table is in line with the apex of the arc of the cutterhead. Once I achieve that, everything else is fairly inconsequential. Again, sharp is far more important than flat.
I may have oversimplified things a bit but it is my first "official" editorial post. One of the biggest problems I've seen with woodworkers over the years is, they worry the minutiae to death and don't get to do what's important: woodworking. Get into your shop, sharpen (because that's far more important than flat) and set up your tools as quickly as possible and build something. If you do it often enough you'll get better or you could spend all your time worrying about your plane being "a couple of thou" out of flat.
p.s. If you just can't bear to replace an old handplane and would prefer to give it new life, check out Christopher Schwarz's DVD "Super-Tune a Handplane: How to Turn a Flea-market Find into a Fast, Accurate and Smooth-cutting Tool."