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Make announcements and post valuable information the easy way with this 47" x 34" two door letterboard. 1/4" precision grooved flannel letter panels make inserting letters and numbers (327 characters included) simple, so you can get your message up in no time.
This sturdy board has a wood-like, powder-coated aluminum frame for lasting durability and a modern look. Its shatter-resistant acrylic glass doors are lockable to keep your announcements and information secure. Concealed corner brackets allow for easy and secure mounting. Add this 47" x 34" two door letterboard to your space to display announcments and keep the public informed.
Fully assembled.


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Tag Archives: Games
Portal 2 Review
I just recently started playing Portal 2, the successor to the very popular game Portal. In case you aren't familiar with the original, it was a game built on the Half-Life game engine, that was included in some bundles and … Continue reading
Posted in Computer Games, Entertainment, Reviews Tagged Games, Portal, Portal 2, Review Leave a comment
Dragon Age II
I just finished playing Dragon Age II. Like Dragon Age, it's an excellent game, what you'd expect from the fine people at Bioware. But it does differ from the original Dragon Age. In what I think is a mistake, Bioware … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Bioware, Dragon Age, Dragon Age II, Games, Review, RPG Leave a comment

subset: commoncrawl


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By Rhonda J. Miller
PBN Staff Writer
Rhode Island's commonly called "Amazon law," which taxes online sales by retailers that have a "nexus" or physical presence in the state, forced Nest4Less to move its office from Pawtucket to Attleboro at the end of August in order to stay in business, according to CEO Jesse Kenner.
"I'm not happy about moving out of Rhode Island at all. I'm a Rhode Islander born and raised," said Kenner, who lives in Providence and has a master's degree from Rhode Island College. "My grandfather founded a company in Rhode Island, American Insulated Wire, and I was hoping to have my own business in the state."
Two-year-old Nest4Less does marketing and advertising for home-related products and services ranging from mortgage companies to furniture and security systems.
Although the vision was to remain part of Rhode Island's emerging tech community, Nest4Less took its CEO, chief financial officer, four full-time employees and a growing client base to Attleboro when its future was darkened by the Amazon law.
"Most of our vendors are out of state and they refused to do business with a company in Rhode Island," said Kenner.
Nest4Less has about 400 vendors in home-related industries that pay a subscription fee to create an ad or discount featured in its network, either nationally or in a specific market, said Kenner.
"The problem we ran into was that we have companies in California, for instance, and we create an ad or discount for them and Rhode Island was trying to tax them for that," he said. Massachusetts doesn't have that same requirement, said Kenner and accountant Alan Litwin, of Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co., which has offices in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
"Massachusetts does not have that click-through provision for sales tax," said Litwin. "Our office in Cambridge is in a hotbed of startup businesses and a number of them would not even consider moving to Rhode Island because of this provision."
In the four years since Rhode Island's controversial "Amazon law" went into effect on July 1, 2009, it was only in the first month or so that small businesses called the R.I. Division of Taxation to check the details. Many ended up giving Chief Revenue Agent Donald Englert an earful of their business woes.
Friday, May 13


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Posts Tagged 'librarian'
Biting Tongues
Usually the Merry Librarian features stories about how patrons treat librarians or library facilities. This week, however, we have a small example of the shocking way patrons often treat one another. Isn't the library supposed to be a happy place? After all, free access to literature and information should make everyone happy. We think so anyway…
The Story of the Week this week is from Colorado Springs, Colorado.
"WOW…some people amaze me. Prepare to be a little bit appalled.
A mother and son came in today to use the computers. When he presented his library card, it showed that an item was never returned from 2004. I'm going to say that it is likely he has NO IDEA where the card is. He was being charged for the item, a fine that was $11, so he was unable to use the computer until he paid for the item.
While I was explaining this to them, a lady behind them loudly GASPED. Meanwhile, I found a solution for the mother and son so they could get their work done.
The gasper was next in line, and she needed a library card. She asked me, very loudly (the mother and son were less than 10 feet away), "Why don't they just pay the fine?!?!?"
Well…there are a myriad of reasons…usually they don't have the cash with them…so I just shrugged, smiled, and went about giving her a library card.
She then sneered in their direction and said, "SCUM!"
DANG!! Really? Do you have to call patrons names while you are at my desk? I have no judgement against someone who elects to not pay a fine. In this case the card was blocked, so it's not like they are trying to swindle the library! Who knows the circumstances…but it isn't really any of my business anyway.
The mother returned to line after she got her son set-up on the computer. Now she was behind "Gasp-y." Knowing this, Gasp-y decided to say, "I had a library card a long time ago, but I don't know if I'm in your system. I rarely had fines, and when I did I always paid them. But I most certainly never kept a book!"
I just smiled and said, "Oh…things happen, ya know? I have fines all the time and sometimes I misplace an item I've checked out…I've paid many fines and replacement costs over the years…it happens…"
In case the mother was listening, I desperately wanted to reduce any embarrassment this passive aggressive library saint might create!
I completed giving "Gasp-y" her library card, and she asked me, "Where can I find your Christian non-fiction?"
-"Darcie" from Colorado Springs, CO
Submit your stories to us at: firstname.lastname@example.com!
Lost in Translation
After a long silence, the Merry Librarian is back in business! As a celebration of our grand re-opening, we are featuring a story from Fountain, CO as our Story of the Week. This one proves to be yet another example of patron expectations for a librarian's abilities. As bizarre requests go, this one is definitely a strange need for information. And we're just curious…why is it that when a patron needs something complicated and bizarre, they always want it within 24 hours? Just curious.
"Here's a situation I ran into yesterday that I thought you might find amusing…it falls under the "librarians should know everything about everything" assumption that much of the general public seems to have. A man walked into our branch yesterday and asked me the following questions:
"If something were translated from English into Mayan hieroglyphics into Egyptian hieroglyphics, would someone from Iran who speaks Hebrew be able to understand it?"
Umm…I'm thinking not.
"Well, then, could you translate it for me so they could understand it?"
…Why yes, of course I happen to be fluent in ALL those languages. (I am a librarian, after all.)
"Well, do you have a book that translates Mayan hieroglyphics into Egyptian hieroglyphics into Hebrew?"
I'm thinking not…but I'll check anyway just to appease you…Nope, just as I suspected. Nothing.
"Why don't you have any books that do that?"
I don't think there is a book anywhere that does that.
"Well, what can you do? I need it done tonight."
…Luckily, I it was close to the end of my shift and I was able to pass this patron along to my unsuspecting coworkers…who had no idea what they were walking into and may not be very happy next time they see me…"
– "Julia" from Fountain, CO
Submit your story to us at: firstname.lastname@example.com
The Sacred Code
It is a little known fact, but librarians share in a Sacred Code. This Code is the ultimate standard of our kind: the torch we carry in the long, dark night of Librarianism. We hold it proudly, brandishing it with humility and absolute devotion. It is the Code that shapes our behavior and defines our very being.
This Code has been known by no outsider–until now.
"I declare myself a Librarian, and swear myself to this Sacred Code. I acknowledge that I am but a humble servant of society, and forfeit my identity and rights as an individual. I willingly lay down my right to personal space. I accept that I shall henceforth be a surrogate mother to all patrons: I shall clean up their messes, their puke, their children's puke, and re-shelve all of their carelessly tossed books. I shall silently tolerate their screaming fits when they fail to read signs about Internet usage limits, fines, and behavioral expectations. I will cater to their every need: from, "Will you set up my email account for me?" to "I need help with my taxes," to "I just can't understand why my husband left me!" I will follow their children around, cleaning up trails of toys, chewed books, urine and bubblegum. I will assist the man who speaks only to my chest; I will converse with the woman whose breath is foul enough to kill kittens. I will smile when they scream, smile when curse, smile when they are demanding and irrational. I am a Librarian: I am all things to all people. By this Code I do swear."
Despite the fact that this Code has never before been published for public perusal, the patrons of libraries far and wide seem to have a sixth sense for the Code, and willingly oblige librarians with constant opportunities to fulfill their pledge to it. The stories on this site are just a few examples of patron expectations…and of the Librarians of The Code.
Keep submitting your stories to us at: email@example.com
As always, thanks for all the fish!
~The Merry Librarian


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See All Contributors »
AMES, Iowa - The seventh-seeded Iowa State women's basketball team opens NCAA Championship play Saturday at 10 a.m. (CDT) facing 10th-seeded Marist at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. The game will be televised in a whiparound coverage across the nation with ESPN2 showing the best available action at any given point in time. The Iowa State game should be shown in its entirety in the state of Iowa, but fans should check ESPN.com for coverage details later this week. The game will also be shown in its entirety on ESPN3.com and ESPN Full Court.
Forum Rules
All content owned by CycloneFanatic.com - All rights reserved 2005-09. By viewing this website you agree to the Terms of Service, Site Rules and Legal Disclaimer. The words, views, images and opinions expressed or provided by users do not reflect the opinions or views of CycloneFanatic.com or Iowa State University. The names, words, symbols, and graphics representing Iowa State University are trademarks and copyrights of the University protected by the trademark and copyright laws of the United States of America and other countries and are used on this web site under license from the University. Original site design, premise & construction by Jeremy Lind.


text: Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) Your future starts now. Prepare for a comfortable retirement, or reach other major financial goals, with the help of an IRA from your credit union. Types of IRAs available at VACU Traditional IRA — Contributory, Transfer, Rollover, Conduit and Spousal plans Roth IRA — Contributory, Conversions from Traditional IRAs, Transfer and Rollover plans Visit Retirement Central, an online source of retirement planning information and tools to learn more about IRAs. The Planning Tools section offers several helpful calculators covering subjects from selecting the best type of IRA to designing a retirement income strategy that best fits your personal objective. VACU's IRA features No set-up or annual maintenance fees $100 minimum to open Convenient deposits through payroll deduction and automatic transfers Attractive rates, with higher rates for IRAs with larger balances IRAs are insured up to $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration, a U.S. Government Agency Account options and rates 18-month variable-rate IRA (rate can adjust quarterly) 12, 24, 36, 48 or 60-month fixed-rate options (rate is locked in for the term you select) Check current rates for various amounts and options. Consider transferring funds from lower-yielding IRAs to your credit union How to open an IRA You can easily get forms to open and manage your IRAs online at Retirement Central in the Open an IRA section. Retirement Central With Virginia Credit Union's Retirement Central, you have access to online information and tools to help put you on the right track for a financially sound retirement. Whatever your age, finances or saving experience, this is the right place for you to be to get started. Life Stages — Information on some of the key topics you should consider at various life stages Retirement FAQs — Answers to some of the most commonly asked retirement planning questions Planning Tools — Planners and calculators covering a number of aspects of retirement planning Open an IRA — Open a Traditional or Roth IRA account using our easy online applications Manage My Account — After establishing an IRA account, you can manage it online If you have any questions or if we can help you in any way, please contact Member Services at (804) 323-6800 or (800) 285-6609.


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You can access thousands of recipes by subscribing to WeightWatchers.com.Learn more
I just popped enough kernels for myself and then sprinkled the HV ranch powder on to taste. I love anything ranch so this will be a simple go to snack.
I love it... I just cayenne pepper instead of the mustard.... Came out great!!!!!!
I can't wait to try this. I LOVE ranch flavored salty snacks but finding them MSG free is hard to come by. It took me years before I realized Hidden Valley Ranch and most store brands, and most flavored snacks in general (fire, hot, onion garlic, BBQ, cheese, nacho) have MSG. It sounds like I'll have to do some tweeking but definitely interested in trying. The nutritional yeast sounds interesting too. Thanks for all of the tips! -adding stars b/c I have to in order to submit.
Question....Couldn't a person just use a packet of the dry dressing mix and get the same results? Has anyone tried this? (I only added the stars because the site wouldn't let me put this comment in without them. The stars mean absolutely nothing to this comment)


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I'm using html SELECT to make 3 drop-down menus. One for a list of countries, one for regions and one for cities.
They all have different tables in the database and they are linked to each other with foreign keys.
I want to force the user to first select a country while the other two menus are locked. When he has selected a country he will be able to select a region, and then a city. How do I do this?


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St Lucia Holidays
Given the typically dreary weather at home, a holiday break right now may seem like the best idea in the world, and On The Beach has some fantastic locations for you to enjoy the sun. If you're looking to holiday somewhere with a rich and fascinating history, buckets of sunshine and golden sands and crystal waters then a holiday in St Lucia is most definitely the choice for you. A tropical island located in the Eastern Caribbean Sea in the Lesser Antilles, St Lucia combines a rich past with wonderful scenery and a soothingly tranquil atmosphere. It offers plenty of activities and tourism opportunities such as a watersports, a drive-in volcano and a Botanical Gardens, and a thriving cultural experience that will continually delight you. If you're planning your first Caribbean holiday, a visit to St Lucia will be a first class holiday to set all your standards by!
Why book with us?
ATOL protected
Flexible payments
Save money
Top Hotels
Things to do
More information
Top St Lucia Hotels
Almond Smugglers Cove
St. James Club Morgan Bay - Adults Only
The Village Inn & Spa
Royal by Rex Resorts
St Lucia Weather
With St Lucia's amazing tropical climate, that morning commute in the rain will be the last thing on your mind as you soak up the sun on the beach. You can expect a fantastic tan as temperatures in St Lucia are on average between 22 and 26° Celsius all year, with the summer months of July and august providing a fantastic 30° Celsius on average. If that's too hot for you, later on in the year St Lucia enjoys more frequent daily showers whilst still retaining an enjoyable climate with lots of sunshine, so whatever time you go make sure to remember the sunscreen!
Jan 29ºC
Feb 29ºC
Mar 29ºC
Apr 29ºC
May 29ºC
Jun 30ºC
Jul 30ºC
Aug 30ºC
Sep 30ºC
Oct 29ºC
Nov 29ºC
Dec 28ºC
Your break in St Lucia will provide a fantastic locale for anyone who will relish the opportunity to explore a varied landscape. The beaches, which are utterly pristine, will provide hours of relaxation, while the mysteries and marvels of the crystal blue waters will enthral anyone who enjoys diving and marine life. The rainforests, with exotic plants and wildlife, will provide similar entertainment.
Visitors will also want to visit the Sulfur Springs, holes in the earth which emit fantastic blasts of steam and gas, while Pigeon Island National Park, the site of an old British forces base, will provide the perfect setting for a romantic picnic, making your Caribbean holiday one to savour.
Things To Do on St Lucia Holidays
The tourism industry is hugely important to St Lucia's economy, so you can expect a variety of activities to enjoy. After a day on one of the islands many superb beaches, you'll want to make time to visit the rain forests to observe the fantastic exotic plants and wildlife, while the drive-in volcano - the only one in the world - will provide unbelievable holiday snapshots! Because neighbouring islands surround St Lucia, you can also take ferry tours to places such as Castries and Marigot Bay for a truly in-depth experience of the Caribbean lifestyle.
History lovers will be in their element, as the island has a hugely fascinating past. It was first visited by European forces in 1500, and then experienced both British and French control before the British finally took complete jurisdiction in the early 1900s. In 1924 St Lucia established a representative Government, and in 1979 the island finally became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations.
St Lucia has a fantastic culture filled with celebrations and activities. In February the island celebrates its independence on the 22nd, so expect parties, music and fun. In July the steel drums and calypso tunes will be out in force again as St Lucia celebrates the Parade of the Bands with music, parades and dancing!
With its romantic beaches, stunning views and array of celebrations and activities, St Lucia is also a hugely popular wedding destination with around 3,000 alone taking place in the last year. If you're looking for a wedding with a difference, St Lucia is the place to go!
The Caribbean certainly knows how to have a good time, so rest assured that the nightlife in St Lucia is absolutely top-notch. Your hotel will provide you with a rich mix of music and dance entertainment, but should you wish to venture out then the local bars and restaurants will see to it you have a night to remember. What better way to enjoy your St Lucia holiday than with a tasty cocktail, fantastic calypso music and the gentle sound of the waves lapping at the beach behind you?
Book a St Lucia Holiday now!
Amazing beaches, stunning attractions, awe-inspiring views, great food, parties, exotic wildlife, crystal seas, welcoming locals - what doesn't a holiday St Lucia have? The only thing it's missing is you! So if you're tired of the trip to work then treat yourself to fine music, fine food and more than a little relaxation for the ultimate Caribbean holiday!
Book your dream holiday with On The Beach now using our live booking system, which allows you to combine flights and hotels into your very own customised holiday in St Lucia!


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- Forum >
- Miscellaneous >
- Geodesic dome interior wall finishing
Geodesic dome interior wall finishing
We are building a geodesic dome home. It's from a Monterey Domes (extinct) kit, 39' in diameter and 20' high with three dormer windows and 1544 square feet. We now have it dried in nicely and windows and doors installed. The walls have 2" of urethane foam board-foil both sides, 2x4 construction, 1/2" plywood sheathing outside, We are having problems finding drywall people to give us an affordable quote ($25,000.00 from one), so we're considering doing it ourselves using OSB board on all interior walls, including the dome "ceiling". Okay, so we install it Dome arch interior studs are 16" on center,with 1/8" spacing between panels. That's all I know. Questions: Nail spacing? Outgasing hazard? R-value for various thicknesses? (Thinking of using 1/2" if affordable, to mimic drywall dimensions)? of course. Any input welcome, as Internet searches found little on using it for interior walls.
I agree that "the look" won't be great, but we're both well into our 60s in age and drywall is heavy to handle. Also, "the look" is a remnant of past versions of OSB which fell apart easily. Plus, it can be painted, although I just found out that the surface may have wax on it. Tongue and groove pine was suggested elsewhere, but I haven't explored the cost of that yet...and with only 8" widths it may take years to install. It's a shame that, in our industrial world we can't have a decent fire-proof alternative to drywall (or the internal combustion engine in cars)...after all these years. Thanks for your reply.
Your dome looks great, i also have a montery dome kit that i am getting ready to build....but I lost the assembly manual...would you like to sell me a copy of yours?
I THINK I have the assembly instructions somewhere. I'll have to look around. I saw your posts on Dome_Living. I'm not sure the instructions for my Horizon 40 model will be equal to your Alpine model. Really...except for some details, it's a matter of just going at it...like doing a Chinese puzzle. There are center pentagon hubs and center hexagon hubs and then different hubs for the edge connections. Flashing only fits one way. Base wall plywood nailing schedule is 2" between nails because those base walls will support a lot of weight. But those are my memories...I'll have to look around. I can possibly scan a copy and email it. When do you want to start building? Keep looking for the real deal.
The contractor who did the dry-in you see in the picture is now working on the inside. He's using "rock" (drywall). Problem solved. We had electric hookup buried for aesthetics, but he's finishing the insulation with 2" polystyrene foil on one side only, because 2" urethane with foil on both sides isn't easy to get around here. The difference is like R-7.7 for 2" polystyrene (about the same as fiberglass) and R-13.28 for 2" urethane. That urks me a little, especiall since some of the lesser insulation values went up on the south side where the sun beats hardest. Otherwise..it looks great and we're excited as hell (for elderly people) LOL. We got a $50,000.00 and we're getting it all done for that...(yeah, right). If we don't own the dome when we die...at least it will be there to inspire others LOL.
I would like to see your dome in Ma. I also have some questions for you. Did you build your dome on a basement? Please contact me at: [email protected]
Thank You!
Best Regards,
Alfred Kiser
Thank You!
Best Regards,
Alfred Kiser
I'm building a Monterey 40' horizon dome too. Please contact me about what you need & I will tell you what I got & what I need. Thanks!
[email protected]
Kindest Regards,
Al Kiser
[email protected]
Kindest Regards,
Al Kiser
I have a Monterey Dome kit with no instructions. I know that it is in the Horizon 45 series and that it has at least one extension and 4' base wall. I do not know much beyond that. Do any of you have instructions or blueprints or the like. I have tried ordering what was advertized as blue print plans but is only a brochure showing what floor plans are available. Please let me know. @ [email protected]
We have a similar problem; trying to figure out how to 'smooth' the interior of our dome. Currently our interior walls are the 'skeleton' spray foamed' and painted. The grid is a little hard on the eyes.
This is my fathers house, an apline/40 according to the blueprints its for the 20,25,30,35,40ft. there are only 2 sheets, the lay out of the elevation, base and roof. the other is the hub and leg plat plans. My email is [email protected] and i have the blueprints in my possession since my fathers passing and still own the house.
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With no TV, no school, no bike, and few work hours, I need something to do. I know most people would kill to be in my situation, but I don't have anything I'm really dedicated to, so I'm terribly bored.
I guess I'll keep practicing my harmonica and reading for now, but that can only last so long.


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(Santa Barbara/SF/LA/Portland) "666 dBSPL!"
Email/booking: email@example.com. www.dnbradio.com, Sun 6-8pm PST.
Hosted by I Wright.
Sound enthusiasts, djs, promoters, producers, playaz. Multi-style, multi-era vibez. Community, Respect, Drums.
Check out www.loudassbastards.com for mixes, production, and info. It is a work in progress, we apologize for how little content is currently available.
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Kaoru Hanabishi appears to be an average university student, but in actuality, he's the eldest son of YĹ«ji Hanabishi, the head of the Hanabishi Zaibatsu, and was set to take over the zaibatsu after his father retired. His mother, Kumi HonjĹŤ, and his father never married, making life difficult for both him and his mother. Kaoru's father died when he was five years old. Since then, YĹ«ji's grandfather, Gen'ichiro Hanabishi, took Kaoru under his wing and began educating him for the eventual succession. Yet Kaoru never felt at home in the Hanabishi family and left to live by himself after his mother died. Day by day he felt alone, thinking that he was living life with no reason pushing him on.
There was, however, someone who loved Kaoru so much that she'd do whatever was necessary to be with him.
[Source: Wikipedia]


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IPM1007, Revised November 2009
Perennial broadleaf
Perennial weed that is similar in appearance to the garden chrysanthemum but with persistent rhizomes that may be spread or transported by cultivation equipment. Leaves are 2 to 4 inches long, 1 to 3 inches wide, simple, alternate, deeply lobed, and have a distinctive aroma. Leaves on the upper portions of the plant are more deeply lobed and may lack petioles. Leaf undersides are covered with soft, white to gray hairs, while upper leaf surfaces may be smooth to slightly hairy. Stems may reach 5 feet in height and become woody with age. Flowers are inconspicuous and occur in clusters at the top of plants.
Order publications online at http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/shop/ or call toll-free 800-292-0969.


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Keidel: Aside From LeBron, Mark Jackson Had To Be Most DeflatedGenerally, a new coach inherits the very vulnerable team that got the prior coach fired. Which is why, aside from LeBron, the most viscerally defeated or deflated man in the building was Mark Jackson.
Top 5 Wildest Sports Callers Of The Week: June 15th-June 19thThe Top 5 Sports Callers of the week is a weekly installment from CBS Local Sports that will bring you the wildest callers from across the nation.
Top 5 NBA Finals MomentsWe're a little over 24 hours away from the NBA Finals getting underway pitting the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James against the "Splash Brothers" of Golden State.
Keidel: No One Is More Motivated To Win Than LeBron JamesAll eyes are on LeBron. He's not just trying to bring a trophy to Cleveland. He's adding jewels to his crown, which he will one day try to match with Michael Jordan
Top Sporting Events to Attend in 2015A look at five of the best upcoming major sporting events in America.
Tim Duncan Undecided on Retirement, Knows 'It's Coming to an End'Tim Duncan said he knows his career is coming to an end and he doesn't know if he'll ever have the chance to win an NBA title again.
Keidel: Tim Duncan, Spur Of The MomentIn the age of me over we ball, Duncan is a corrupt cliche - a winner.We judge stars by rings more than ever. The Heat didn't win; LeBron won. Kobe or Shaq won a decade ago. But when the Spurs win, Duncan is part of a greater whole, lost in a selfless, Vulcan coda.
A Movie, Some Yoga and a Finals Split for LeBron LeBron James knew just what he needed between Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals.
3 Times LeBron "The King" James Has Dealt With CrampsNHL Players play through broken bones, collapsed lungs and dislocated ribs. The King is sidelined due to cramps ... which has happened more than once.
Keidel: King's Crown Melting?Last night, like every NBA night, morphed into a sweaty, LeBron James symposium. And the firewall between factions is rather defined. He's either a chump who cheated his team out of a win, or he's a victim of fate or faulty wiring, a hardwood martyr who can't get a break.
CBS Local Sports' 2014 NBA Finals PredictionsIn a rematch of last years final which went 7 games, the San Antonio Spurs square off against the Miami Heat and Tony Parker and company hope to prevent LeBron and the Heat from winning their third consecutive NBA championship.
Wizards Playoff Tickets Have Highest Discount To Face Price On Secondary MarketIn the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the Washington Wizards had one of the most expensive ticket averages on the secondary market.


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Defining a Digital Brand Via a Modular Design System
Our Responsibilities:
- User Experience
- Design System
People's Voice Award in the "Best Navigation/ Structure" category for the 15th Annual Webby Awards
Best In Class award in the retail category of the 2010 Interactive Media Awards.
ZAPPOS.COM HIRED HAPPY COG to partner with its tremendous internal UX, design, and development teams to help Zappos.com find its voice. Zappos had the enviable "problem" of expanding at ludicrous speed and outgrowing its digital experience. Zappos' cheeky voice and fanatical dedication to customer service were missing from the resulting e-commerce experience and were the cornerstones of Happy Cog's redesign. Happy Cog articulated this graphic design, UX, and copywriting thinking through a modular design system.
We are pretty keen on viewing design as a verb, not a noun here. We never finish designs, we never "redesign," we evolve. Business needs are always changing, economies change, customer needs change—hence how we tackle these issues need to evolve."
— Jaimee Newberry,
Former Sr. UX and Product Manager
The design system now enables the internal Zappos.com team to extend Happy Cog's design thinking beyond the website into iPad and iPhone applications, television advertisements, direct mail, even the bins you put your shoes in at airport security checkpoints. Long after the project completed, copy and design created by Happy Cog continue to appear throughout Zappos.com's North American marketing.
We've already built great things for:
- A List Apart
- Advertising Age
- AMC Theatres
- American College of Physicians
- Amnesty International USA
- Ben & Jerry's
- Black Hills Corporation
- Black Hills Energy
- Blogger
- Books-A-Million
- Brighter Planet
- Bubakiki
- Build-A-Bear Workshops
- Campus Explorer
- Canon Business Process Services
- Carlisle Wide Plank Floors
- Channel 4 (UK)
- Cirrus Logic
- Coldwell Banker
- Comhaltas
- Delaware Valley College
- Dictionary.com
- Einstein Healthcare Network
- El Nuevo Día
- Fetch Softworks
- Fonts.com
- Garces Group
- Georgetown Law School
- Georgetown University
- Groupon
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text: Mark Bergeron was named named President, Atmos Energy Holdings, Inc. in October 2009.Previously, he had been Vice President, Atmos Energy Gas Supply and Services. He joined Atmos Energy in July 2001 and held several positions with Atmos Energy Holdings.Bergeron has 23 years of natural gas industry experience. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in management in 1997 and an executive master's degree in business administration in 1999 from the University of New Orleans.


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CORRECTION 10.26.2011 by Julie Montanaro
We need to make a correction to a story we aired earlier this month.
We reported that Michael Williams was sentenced to a year and a day in prison for carrying a concealed weapon the night Tyrone "Weasel" Jackson was killed.
But it turns out, Williams was not charged in that incident at all. Court documents show he was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon at a different apartment complex eight days later.
A Tallahassee Police Department press release issued soon after Jackson's murder (June 7 release attached below ) indicated Williams was one of four men arrested in its investigation into the Priscilla Lane shooting.
Now TPD acknowledges Williams was not arrested for any crimes that night.
UPDATED 10.17.2011 by Julie Montanaro
One of the men arrested in a deadly shooting is now on his way to prison.
Court records show that 20 year old Michael Williams entered a no contest plea to carrying a concealed firearm this morning. The judge sentenced him to one year and one day in prison.
Xavier Davis, who was also arrested in connection with the shooting, already entered a plea to misdemeanor charges of trespassing that night. Court records show he was sentenced to time served.
None of the four men arrested in connection with Tyrone "Weasel" Jackson's death was charged with his murder.
When the men were arrested, TPD said it was not sure yet who fired the fatal shot.
Terrell Lynn and Jeterius Williams still face aggaravated assault charges in the case. Their next court date will be November 7th.
UPDATE 6.8.2011 3pm by Julie Montanaro
A deadly shooting in Tallahassee actually started as a fist fight on a neighborhood playground, according to arrest papers released today.
Four men are now under arrest in connection with the shooting death of Tyrone Jackson. He was killed on Priscilla Lane back on May 23rd.
Yet none of the young men arrested has been charged with murder at this point.
Arrest papers released today say Jackson and his friends got into an argument with another group of young men at Monroe's Pool Hall first.
Arrest papers say the fight resumed on the playground at an apartment complex on Priscilla Lane soon afterward.
Witnesses say it escalated from a fist fight to a gunfight when someone yelled "pop the trunk."
Witnesses say one man pulled out a "long gun" and told police at least four people had guns.
Tallahassee Police are not sure yet who shot and killed Jackson.
TPD Spokesman Derek Friend says it is possible one of the men arrested fired the fatal shot, or it could have been fired by someone else.
Friend says the investigation is continuing and they are still hoping witnesses or folks with information will step forward.
UPDATE 6-7-2011 -- TPD Press Release
Tallahassee, FL - Tallahassee Police officers responded to a shooting incident at 800 Priscilla Lane on May 23rd. The shooting resulted in the death of Tyrone Jackson.
Investigators have been following all leads, interviewing witnesses, and reviewing evidence collected during the investigation. The follow-up investigation has resulted in the arrest of several subjects for various crimes. The investigation remains active and ongoing, so there is currently no additional information available.
Any community member with information is asked to call the Tallahassee Police Department at 891-4200 or Big Bend Crime Stoppers at 574-TIPS. Please remember Crime Stoppers does not want your name, just your information. You may be eligible for a cash reward.
Xavier Davis, black male, 5/29/1992, charged with: Trespassing, Failure to Appear-Trespass after Warning
Michael Williams, black male, 12/8/1990, charged with: carrying a concealed firearm, VOP Improper Exhibition of a Firearm
Jeterius Williams, black male, 1/3/1992, charged with: Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon without Intent to Kill, Possession of a Weapon by a Delinquent, Trespassing
Terrell Lynn, black male, 6/29/1990, charged with: Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon without Intent to Kill, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Sell, Traffic Violations (2 counts)
UPDATED 6.2.2011 by Julie Montanaro
The family of a Tallahassee man killed in a deadly shooting is preparing for his funeral.
Funeral services for Tyrone "Weasel" Jackson are set for this Saturday, June 4th at 3pm at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church. That's at the corner of Pasco and Tuskegee Streets.
Jackson was shot and killed at an apartment complex on Priscilla Lane back on May 23rd.
Tallahassee Police say the shooting was the result of an argument earlier in the night. They have not revealed a motive or made an arrest.
Tallahassee Police Spokesman Derek Friend says officers are still actively pursuing leads, but right now they aren't releasing any new information.
"The important thing in an investigation of this nature, something as serious as a shooting that results in a death, is to have all the information in place and be sure we have interviewed everybody that's available and with those efforts, it is very difficult to put a timeline on something because you don't want to rush anything," Friend said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Tallahassee Police Department at 850-891-4200 or Crime Stoppers at 850-574-TIPS.
[UPDATE] 5-27-2011 at 4:36 PM by TPD Release --
Tallahassee Police Officers responded to a call of shots fired on May 23rd at approximately 2:40 AM in the 800 block of Priscilla Lane. Officers located one adult male victim, who appeared to have suffered a fatal gunshot wound.
The Tallahassee Police Department is continuing to follow all available leads and review evidence. Local residents or anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is asked to contact TPD directly at 891-4200 or Big Bend Crime Stoppers at 576-TIPS. Please remember, Crime Stoppers does not want your name, just your information. Any information, large or small can make a significant difference in the success of an investigation. Please remember, if you see something, say something.
UPDATED 5.24.2011 by Julie Montanaro
There is still no word on any suspects or motives in the shooting death of a 23 year old Tallahassee man.
Police are being tight lipped about the murder of Tyrone Jackson and folks who live in the apartment complex where it happened are thanking their lucky stars that flying bullets didn't hit anyone else.
"It was a lot of shots," Jaqueline Rosier said. "I hit the floor."
The crime tape and police cars are gone but folks who heard the gunshots on Priscilla Lane Monday morning say they have other reminders.
One stray bullet wound up in the wall of Jaqueline Rosier's apartment, just inches from the door.
"There was a piece of copper, the bullet in there and they (the police) took that bullet of that wall," Rosier said as she pulled back the blue siding on her apartment. "So I mean it was so close to the door, you know, I could have been sitting here and the bullet could have went through the wall and hit me or my son."
Shots rang out about 2:30 Monday morning and when the gunfire stopped, 23 year old Tyrone Jackson was dead.
A Priscilla Drive resident who identified herself only as "Vanessa" says she heard 8 or 9 shots.
"'It could have been one of us. The shot could have went through the window. We are all blessed and I thank God that the Lord let us live on Priscilla Lane to see another day, but I hate that Weasel died like that. He didn't deserve to die like that," Vanessa said.
Friends off Holton Street had plenty to say about the man they call "Weasel."
"He was just like me, that's why we got along great," said Anthony Riley of their days at Leon High School.
High school friend Anthony Riley just moved back to Tallahassee and planned to put a new stereo in Jackson's car this weekend.
"It's a tragedy. It really is. It hurts," Riley said.
Tallahassee Police have not released any information about the shooting, except to say it stemmed from an argument earlier in the night. Neighbors tell us it all started at the Boom Boom Room a few blocks away on Orange Avenue, but police will not comment on that or any possible motives or suspects.
"The world is getting too crazy. I just wish, you know what I'm saying, whoever did this would come forward, you know what I'm saying, it's just sad to take somebody's life like that," said Jackson's friend Eddie Isaac.
Jackson's family was busy planning his funeral Tuesday morning, his aunt said they are still overwhelmed and have no comment right now.
Richardson's Funeral Home is handling Jackson's funeral arrangements, but at last word those have not been finalized.
UPDATE 5-23 6:00 pm ------
Tyrone Jackson Junior was shot and killed just before 3am on Priscilla Lane and those who have lived here their entire lives are disgusted with what's happening to their neighborhood.
Ethel Harris has lived along Brighton Road for 40 years. Monday, the view from her porch has never looked as bad.
Harris says, "I heard about five shots. It's scary because it's not like it used to be. You used to be able to sit in your yard at night and leave your door open but now you can't even sit out here at night. When I walk into my house, I lock the door behind me."
Tallahassee Police say Tyrone Jackson Junior was shot and killed at 2:40 Monday morning in the 800 block of Priscilla Lane. The area that normally connects neighbors now separates them while it's riddled with crime tape and evidence markers. Neighbors say most knew Jackson as "Weezer." They say Jackson lived in the Holton Street area about two miles away from the crime scene.
"We knew him and he was a good person. He didn't mess with nobody. He didn't deserve to die, he really didn't," says Brionne Calloway, a resident of the area.
Keiesha McGhee says, "I had just saw him. That's real messed up about the situation and that he died. Those people didn't have to kill him like that."
With a number of questions still unanswered, residents have their guards up, even the youngest ones.
"We scared to go to the park because they be shooting. Can't do nothing. Sell drugs. They sell drugs at the park and we have to stay in the house everyday."
Police haven't released a known motive in the shooting. They also won't say if they have any leads or if there is a suspect in custody or why Jackson was on Priscilla Lane in the first place. WCTV will keep you updated with the very latest.
UPDATE 5-23 4:50 pm -- TPD Press Release --
Tallahassee Police Officers responded to a call of shots fired this morning at approximately 2:40 AM in the 800 block of Priscilla Lane. Officers located one adult male victim, who appeared to have suffered a fatal gunshot wound. The crime scene was spread in several areas of the apartment complex.
The deceased has been identified as Tyrone Jackson. Initial indications are the shooting was the result of a conflict earlier in the evening. This is an active ongoing investigation; therefore no additional information is being released at this time. Anyone with information regarding the initial incident or the shooting at Priscilla Lane is asked to contact the Tallahassee Police Department at 891-4200 or Big Bend Crime Stoppers at 576-TIPS. Residents are reminded, there is no such thing as too small a piece of information, and are asked if you "See something, say something."
Tyrone Jackson
Black Male, 8/27/1987
[UPDATE] 5-23 Noon -
A man is shot and killed in Tallahassee early this morning.
Eyewitness News was at the corner of Priscilla Lane and Brighton Road where neighbors say a man was shot and killed at a house there around 2:40am.
Police are not releasing many details in this shooting as of now.
But a neighbor says the victim's nickname was "Weezer" and that he didn't live at this home, but over on Holton Street, which is a couple of miles away. A woman who lived right across the street says she heard what sounded like five gun shots coming from two guns.
Police have not specified how many guns or gunshots were involved in the shooting. They also have not said if a suspect is still on the loose or in custody.
We'll bring you more details as they become available.
Tallahassee, Florida - May 23, 2011 -
TPD responded to a call of shots fired this morning at approximately 2:40 AM in the 800 block of Priscilla Lane. Officers located one adult male victim, who appears to have suffered a fatal gunshot wound.
This is an active ongoing investigation, therefore no additional information is being released at this time.
Stay with WCTV for updates.


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takin into consideration that navistar just got rid of some shares at 18.75, and Carl and the director bought 1.5 mil shares at that level, and we find ourselves up on a big down day id say something is in the works and Carl is the put under the price. I dont know what his average is but i think its safe to say its over 18.75.
to add to my original message, just take a look at CVI and his purchases with that company.
Sentiment: Buy


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HURRELLCANE HITS THE COAST | The Gold Coast Titans have confirmed the signing of former Vodafone War...
13 hours ago - 1 Likes
Fulltime Score: Round 5 BRONCOS 54 v EELS 14
Match Summary:
An incredible display of skill, power, strength and absolute grunt from the Brisbane Broncos has seen them run out 54-14 winners over Parramatta here today at Suncorp Stadium.
Following last week?s appalling effort against Melbourne, the Broncos turned everything around in astounding fashion to blow Parramatta off the park. The Eels looked slow to get into the game and paid the price with 16 points put on them in the first 12 minutes.
Parra then somewhat steadied the ship and attacked down the left side through Tahu and Peterson which saw them get a repeat set against Brisbane. After exhausting their options, Parra gave up possession and Brisbane continued the pummelling in the 19th minute and pile on 7 first half tries to lead 42-0 at the break.
The onslaught slowed in the second half, with Parra actually out-scoring the Broncos 14-12. But that couldn?t make up for what took place in the first 40 minutes where the Eels looked totally helpless and were deprived of the ball for long periods of time.
The Broncos have exorcised some of the demons from last week?s record defeat at the hands of Melbourne, whilst Parramatta will need to do plenty of soul searching over the next seven days as they look to gain some direction after a patchy start to their season.
Scorers: BRONCOS 54 Tries: Tate 2, Stagg, B.Berrigan, Carroll, Seymour, Bott, McGuire, Minto Goals: Lockyer 9/10 EELS 14 Tries: Grothe 2, Burt Goals: Burt 1/3
Halftime: Brisbane 42-0.
By the clock:
We're welcomed today by a sun-drenched Suncorp Stadium. Parramatta get us underway!
3 min: TRY - Broncos. David Stagg backs up on the inside to support a break down the left hand side by Shaun Berrigan, following a deft pass from Darren Lockyer, who converts the try. Brisbane 6 Parramatta 0.
8 min: Hunt saves a certain try for Parra as Peterson and Tahu combine on the right flank.
10 min: TRY - Broncos. Barry Berrigan backs up Lockyer this time, who made a slashing run down the left hand side, and scores in a similar position to the first try - about 15m left of the posts. Lockyer hits the upright with the attempt and the score is Brisbane 10 Parramatta 0.
12 min: TRY - Broncos. Tonie Carroll scores next to the posts after a junking run by Seymour exposed poor defence up the middle of the ruck. The Broncos are on fire and the Eels appear shellshocked. Lockyer converts to make the score 16-0 in favour of the home side.
18 min: A few errors creeping into the game here. Parra were on the ropes there again but seem to have survived.
19 min: TRY - Broncons. Spoke too soon there. Hunt drifts right and slips a pass back on the inside to Brent Tate who cruises over the line. They look hot, what a turn-around. Lockyer converts and makes it 22-nil to Brisbane.
25 min: Broncos penalised for a shephard just as they were looking dangerous again. Loads of pressure being applied to the Eels.
28 min: TRY - Broncos. This game is well and truly beyond doubt after Tate crosses for his second from a close range play where Thorn slipped a short pass in a tackle. Lockyer converts and the score is 28-0 in favour of the home side.
In other news, there was a pretty dubious tackle on Tonie Carroll in the lead-up to that try. Also PJ Marsh and Peterson have both been bleeding throughout the course of the game.
33 min: Lockyer adds two points through a penalty right infront of the posts.
36 min: TRY - Broncos. Seymour under the posts after some razzle dazzle stuff, inside passes and even a player taken out. Lockyer converts and Brisbane of a 36-0 lead.
38 min: TRY - Broncos. Leon Bott races away after a break by Brent Tate. This is touch footy stuff. Lockyer converts and Brisbane are 42-0 infront. Parra looking for the halftime break desperately.
Half Time - Wow! what a display. Parra have had one half chance to score but are being systematically torn apart by a Broncos outfit hell-bent on making up for last week. The Eels front row were replaced after 15 minutes as Brian Smith looked to stem the flow of points, but nothing appears able to stop this Brisbane juggernaut.
41 min: Lockyer gets us back underway in the second half.
44 min: TRY - Broncos. Casey McGuire scores under the posts after Lockyer slips a pass to Seymour who makes a bust up the middle. Lockyer converts and the Broncos lead 48-0.
47 min: A bit of a scuffle breaks out between Matt Peterson (Eels) and Corey Parker (Broncos) and Parra lose that too. Penalty to Brisbane.
48 min: Tahu is bundled over the line by Tate in a rare piece of open space for the Eels.
52 min: Broncos putting even more pressure on the Eels. Some outstanding footy from Brisbane.
58 min: No try to Parra wafter the video ref was called in to adjudicate a possible 4-pointer to Timana Tahu for the Eels. Score remains 48-0 in favour of Brisbane.
64 min: TRY - Eels. Luke Burt scores under the posts after John Morris put a kick through from a midfield scrum. Bott came flying in but narrowly missed the ball. Burt converts and the score is Brisbane 48 Parramatta 6.
67 min: TRY - Broncos. Scott Minto scores after Brad Thorn puts through a rare grubber finding Lockyer who dishes off to Minto. Lockyer converts to make it 54-6 in favour of Brisbane.
70 min: TRY - Eels. Grothe jnr picks up a consolation try of sorts down the short side from a scrum play. Burt hits the upright and the score is 54-10 in favour of the Broncos.
72 min: TRY - Eels. Grothe jnr gets another after a length of the field team effort. Burt fails and ironically hits the post again. Brisbane 54 Parramatta 14.
79 min: Game winding down here. A small flash of brilliance from Hunt with a kick return.
Fulltime: Brisbane totally dominate a hapless Parramatta outfit.
----------------------------------------- Leagueunlimited.com players of the match: 3 - D Lockyer (Broncos) 2 - B Tate (Broncos) 1 - B Berrigan (Broncos) -----------------------------------------


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Product Description
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Good day to all.... Well, here is a little bit about me. I'm pretty much a nerd, I spend most of whatever time I have w/ my honey, reading, movies, stumbleupon.com, and listening to as much music as I can.I also enjoy photography, fetishes, and all around having fun. I sometimes have a tendency to wander aimlessly. I enjoy making friends and finding peoples to hang out with. If there is anything you'd like to know just ask...
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Typically, they are focused on conventional full-time positions, even when the work is project-based rather than recruit-to-hire. That's because most clients want it that way.
They're often not comfortable with the notion of flexible employment among their own core staffers. So why would they accept it from their staffing providers?
Mom Corps, Your Encore and Flexperience Consulting are niche staffing providers. Each is a case study of how clients can benefit if they'll accept flexibility in their contingent employees. Staffing companies that offer their talent hours and schedules beyond the typical corporate workday discover an untapped pool of extraordinary talent longing to put their skills to work, as long as they can do it on their own terms. Clients can benefit from this talent, if they're open to trying it out.
The Boomer Group doesn't look for flexible assignments. Instead, it offers clients maturity and the benefits of, to put it bluntly, age. As the name suggests, the company's candidates are mostly boomers, and the Boomer Group's selling point is its talent's strong work ethic, professional expertise and life experience.
College Helpers isn't a staffing company, but its business model is unusual enough that we included it here, especially since many staffing companies use this job board. College Helpers is focused entirely on matching employers who want college students for part-time, temporary and seasonal jobs with those students at more than 1,000 institutions across the country.
This company, just like the other four, is an example of how to take profitable advantage of a business niche that no one else sees and make it a win for everyone involved.
Working moms want time for families
Clients of Atlanta-headquartered Mom Corps don't care that 94 percent of the company's 25,000-candidate database is made up of moms who left conventional corporate work to spend more time with their children.
"Clients are only interested in the right talent," says Allison O'Kelly, CEO and founder of the company. "That's what we pitch—expertise, qualifications, skills and experience."
Mom Corps' staffing specialties include finance and accounting, human resources, sales, marketing, information technology, and some legal work and strategic consulting. The company's more than 200 clients range from sole proprietorships to large companies such as GE, Wachovia and KPMG.
Clients like other parts of O'Kelly's sales pitch too. They're happy to learn that Mom Corps candidates won't need training, other than on clients' specific IT systems, and they're intrigued to learn that "flexibility is currency," as O'Kelly says.
"If employers offer more flexibility, candidates will view this as one form of payment. So clients might be able to pay less money for higher talent, or they can access candidates who would not otherwise consider the position."
Mom Corps didn't lack for clients even before incorporating in July 2005. The company has since opened offices in Boston; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago; the New York metropolitan area; and Washington.
"Clients find us through word-of-mouth or by looking for internal business development people," O'Kelly says. In addition, media coverage about the company's business model drives clients to Mom Corps.
O'Kelly's own desire for work flexibility was the genesis for Mom Corps. After leaving Toys 'R' Us in 2004, she used her financial and accounting expertise to land consulting projects with small businesses.
"I saw that companies had a need for talent, and I had offers for more work than I could do," she says. She started matching up her stay-at-home-mom friends who also had accounting backgrounds with companies that needed help. That informal process became Mom Corps.
For staffing companies that want to emulate Mom Corps' successful focus on flexible work arrangements, O'Kelly says, "The key is finding the right fit for the client. This should be one additional option to meet the client's needs."
Science and engineering experts mean more business
In a global economy where innovation is crucial to business, and engineering and technical personnel are in short supply, Your Encore's success is hardly surprising. The company helps meet the technical personnel needs of a select group of clients through a database of 4,000 vetted, background-checked and highly qualified engineers and scientists. Of those 4,000 individuals, 90 to 95 percent are retired, while the rest are seeking alternative careers.
"We not only connect companies with retired engineers and scientists," says founder and CEO Brad Lawson, "but we help them do it confidentially so IT and people are protected."
Your Encore also manages all compliance issues such as co-employment and pension and payment conflicts with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
Founded in 2003, the company struggled to prove itself for a couple of years, but then took off like a rocket in 2005. Lawson describes Your Encore as "an innovation acceleration services company."
Although Your Encore experts are paid well, clients can use them much more cost-effectively than "for a fully burdened employee, because they can turn them on and off," Lawson says.
And for clients skeptical of using retirees, Lawson says, "Retirees really involve themselves in the task at hand. They focus on it totally. They deliver more fully than full-time employees."
These experts aren't trying to bag their next consulting job, either. "They leave that to Your Encore," Lawson says.
The company has a unique, or at least an unusual, marketing approach: none whatsoever. Your Encore does a small amount of external business development, but doesn't need to.
"We are growing so fast we have to be careful about adding new clients," Lawson says. "We want to make sure we can support them."
Its 30 Fortune 500 clients come from the company's origins.
"The idea came from Procter & Gamble and their 'Connect and Develop' strategy of looking externally for solutions to problems," Lawson says. "As they saw their experts retire, they figured other companies were having the same problems."
Lawson, John Bernard, P&G, Eli Lilly and Boeing partnered to found Your Encore. To date, the company's experts have participated in more than 1,000 projects.
Just college students, please
Employers with part-time, temporary or seasonal positions can use general job boards or perhaps staffing companies, but if they specifically want to seek out college students, they've historically had little choice but to contact one institution at a time.
In 2000/2001, Fred Grant changed that when he launched CollegeHelpers.com. It's a specialty job board where employers can simultaneously look for college students at up to 1,100 (and growing) institutions, and students can simultaneously look for jobs in multiple locations.
In 2007, Grant estimates 1,500 to 2,000 employers used the site.
"For a flat fee, an employer can list a job at as many colleges as they want," he says. "It provides employers with economy of scale, and also means students have access to more jobs."
Grant can offer economy of scale to employers because of his arrangement with participating colleges and universities. Colleges are typically inundated with job listings and often can't manage the process. Whether institutions ask Grant to manage the entire job-listing process, provide CollegeHelpers.com as a resource to students or just want the listings, they pay no fees.
Instead, the institutions earn money. They provide a link to CollegeHelpers.com from their own Web sites, and when an employer goes to CollegeHelpers.com via the link, 10 percent of the employer's posting fee goes to the college. Grant pays these affiliate earnings annually.
"Revenue ranges from $100 to $3,000," he says.
Grant has a two-tier pricing system for position listings: one for for-profits and one for nonprofits and families.
"There are large corporations that use CollegeHelpers.com," he says, "but there is no way to tell who they are. So I keep the prices low."
Although employers provide the revenue, Grant markets mainly to students via online destinations such as Facebook, college sites and Google keywords and phrases such as "jobs for college students."
"Employers respond to the speed with which jobs are filled," he says.
For his next project, Grant plans to launch HighSchoolHelpers.com. Employers will pay to post jobs, and school districts will participate as affiliates. "It will grow even faster than CollegeHelpers.com," Grant says.
Focused on flexibility
When Sally Thornton was pregnant with her first baby, her brother died. "My mother told me then that I needed to spend as much time with my child as possible," Thornton says. That was the moment when San Francisco/Silicon Valley-based Flexperience Consulting was conceived.
Despite her "Aha!" moment, Thornton couldn't act immediately. The HR specialist, who had worked first in HR consulting for Ernst & Young and then at Covad Communications, had to save up. After her second baby, "Covad went through a transition, and I took the severance package to get the money," she says.
Founded in October 2006, Flexperience Consulting's business model is based on providing her 30 clients, including about 20 Fortune 500 companies, with "highly skilled, top-level employees who've never signed up with agencies before," Thornton says.
Her database of 3,000 candidates "have Harvard and Stanford MBAs, and they are focused on flexibility. It's a win-win situation because companies have access to talent they've never seen."
Thornton defines flexibility as anything that's less than 40 hours a week with some telecommuting.
"That's the sweet spot," she says. Most projects take 10 to 30 hours a week including some telecommuting. "[The talent] doesn't want to be there during traditional hours. They want to be results-focused, not face-time-focused."
Despite this, Thornton says her talent will sometimes accept jobs requiring 40 hours per week in an office. "They are used to working 80 hours per week with lots of politics, so this is 'flexible' for them," she says. "They don't want to work those crazy Silicon Valley hours."
The company's marketing is based on networking. "In the Bay Area, everyone knows everybody," she says. "[We have] people who went to Stanford, Berkeley, worked for high-technology companies and were in moms' clubs. It's a small community."
Flexperience stages well-attended events at the University of California-Berkeley, Stanford and the 1,000-member moms' clubs. "So people hear about us several times before hiring us," Thornton says.
For other staffing companies that would like to offer candidates that desired flexibility, Thornton says, "Change the paradigm of face time to results. Logistics should always be second to the work product. Also, really screen for talent that will thrive in a flexible work environment, [such as] a professional's ability to self-motivate and manage his/her energy without needing a traditional work environment."
Experience counts
In 2002, times were tough in the staffing industry, and no one knew that better than Stephanie Klein. At the time, she was working for a large staffing company in Denver, which had been hard-hit by declines in its telecom, finance and call-center businesses.
"I had a large financial services company client that was growing," Klein says. "I'd come to work and get all these voice mails from young candidates who had no work ethic—and weren't coming in to work."
Then Klein encountered a mature candidate with a nontraditional background who was strong in accounting. "I placed this woman with the company," she says. The woman showed up at work every day, had great ideas and sent Klein a thank-you note.
"That was the secret," Klein says. "As those young people left, unknown to my employer, I backfilled [their positions] with mature people."
While that was happening, Klein researched boomers. She developed a business plan, used her savings and got a bank loan, and the Boomer Group was born, opening for business in January 2004.
Most of the positions the Boomer Group fills are midlevel or senior level, because clients are paying for experience—both life and business experience.
"I get two kinds of calls," Klein says. " 'Bring me something specific with this kind of background in this area,' or 'Bring me someone with good experience and a good work ethic who can be diplomatic and handle our customers.' "
She provides candidates with backgrounds in administration, finance and accounting, HR and marketing.
Klein finds clients through networking and cold and warm calling. The company has also gotten a lot of positive press, and that has brought clients in as well.
"Denver has the highest number of boomers per capita," Klein says. "There are a lot of initiatives on encore careers. I've gotten involved in those, and I make a lot of connections that way."
At just 40 years old, Klein isn't a boomer.
"I'm a younger person who values experienced people," she says. "When I first started, I had the intention of saying that mature people are better workers than younger ones. Now, we don't say that all young people have a poor work ethic; we say that for certain key positions, experience counts. This is our difference."


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Smooth skin is regarded as a barometer of beauty, revered almost as much as a perfectly symmetrical face or a dewy, robust uvula. Polish your pores with this Groupon.
Choose Between Two Options
$109 for a spa package for one (a $275 value) $209 for a spa package for two (a $550 value)
The package includes the following:
- Refreshing facial
- Microdermabrasion or chemical peel
- Body scrub
- 30-minute scalp and body massage
- Lunch with a soft drink
For the 30-minute massage, the time it takes to undress and dress counts toward the total massage time.
Manasra Medical Spa
Dr. Tareq Ali, a board-certified physician, has been practicing emergency and family medicine since 1993, realized one of his lifelong dreams when he opened Manasra Medical Spa. The 2009 Patients' Choice award recipient was touring his new medical spa's facility, listening to the soothing sound of the water tinkling down his indoor waterfall and checking each room's personal air-conditioning unit. Dr. Ali even stopped to relax on one of the waiting room's luxurious leather couches.
Practicing aesthetic medicine since 2006, Dr. Ali has perfected his laser skills at Mansara Medical Spa, using concentrated beams of light to eliminate unwanted body hair or battle hyperpigmentation and spider veins across the body. He has also acquired the innovative microdermabrasion technology DermaSweep. The patented technology infuses faces with essential vitamins while exfoliating and smoothing skin. Manasra also offers more traditional spa treatments, such as massages, facials, and chemical peels.
90% of 93 customers recommend
"Everything here is high quality and in a very welcoming environment."
"Customer service has been great!"
"I was very satisfied with this purchase. The staff is wonderful. Only downfall was that the consultation fee was not disclosed at the time of the Groupon purchase...."
"I was very satisfied with this purchase. The staff is wonderful. Only downfall was that the consultation fee was not disclosed at the time of the Groupon purchase. The additional fee was not something that I was expecting but was worth it!"


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Birth control affected by the SCOTUS Hobby Lobby case
Baltimore - The companies going before the high court argued emergency contraceptives like the Morning After Pill, as well as intrauterine devices or IUDs, can cause what they believe to be a type of abortion.
It's a claim that numerous scientific studies have proved wrong. But local health experts say the misconception is far reaching.
"It sits right inside the uterine cavity; it stays in because of its T shape," Dr. Katie Buchanan, abstetrician Gynecologist with MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center , said.
- Justices: Can't make employers cover contraception
- Hobby Lobby: A narrow ruling with far-reaching consequences (DecodeDC)
- Supreme Court's big case: Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby (DecodeDC)
- University of Baltimore law professor breaks down SCOTUS contraception decision
The differences between the many forms of birth control on the market really aren't that big, she said. Whether its hormone birth control pills, condoms, emergency contraceptives, or intrauterine devices also called IUDs, she explains they work in similar ways.
"I think there's longstanding confusion, I think part of it happened because we didn't know at first exactly how they were working, and now that we do know I think trying to disseminate that information is hard," Buchanan said.
IUDs come in different forms. Some have copper, and others have hormones imbedded in them. Emergency contraceptives like the morning after pill are essentially a large dose of the hormones found in birth control pills.
One thing Buchanan wants to make clear is IUDs and emergency contraception do not cause abortions; they do not prevent fertilized eggs to implant.
"They don't work in that way and they actually work by preventing fertilization," said Buchanan.
A misconception she says is now having very real consequences on woman's health. Buchanan calls the Supreme Court ruling sad.
"Fundamentally healthcare decisions need to be made by a woman and her doctor, and they need to not be influenced by her employer's religious beliefs," said Buchanan.
Those in favor of the ruling say it's a victory for religious freedom and that government has no place in this issue.


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Websites are an important part of today's book promotions. Readers, reviewers, book buyers, and perspective publishers use author websites as a source of information.
The basic rules of good general design apply. However, writing is an unique craft with unique needs.
There are 4 website musts specific to authors.
1) A Printable Booklist
Readers are looking for a booklist and a printable booklist. Fans like to read all the books written by their favorite authors. They wish for the ability to print out the booklist and take it to their local bookstore. They want to be able to cross off the books they already own. And by booklist, readers want ALL the books written, regardless of publisher.
Bonus features include series information and inter-related characters.
2) Book Cover Art
One of the best methods of retaining a memory is to make it visual. Seeing that appealing cover art makes the reader more likely to remember the book when he sees it on shelf. Remember it and buy the book. Isn't that what promotion is all about? Selling books?
3) Back Cover Copy Of The Book
The quickest way to get a reader engrossed in a book is to provide, at the very minimum, the back cover copy. This information is usually specifically designed to drive interest resulting in book sales.
Think of how a reader shops for books at a traditional bookstore. She glances at the cover, and then flips the book over to read the back copy. If the book is still intriguing, the first few pages are read.
Including the first few pages or first chapter is also a great way to capture readers. However, this should not be included at the expense of the back copy. Give the reader a taste so he is more likely to buy the entire book.
Which leads to the next point…
4) A Direct Link To An On-line Bookseller
The reader loves the cover, is sucked into the story, but wait…how does she buy the book? Will the author make the reader change out of her pajamas, drive to a bookstore and then hunt for the novel, hoping, just hoping, that no one has snatched up the last copy? There is no reason, not when the reader can be easily linked to an on-line bookseller and buy when she wants to buy…right now.
A direct link increases sales. To make the linking worth even more of the author's time, many on-line booksellers like Amazon provide incentives to do so. It's called an affiliate program and using their linking code, the website owner receives a portion of the book revenue. All for selling their own books.
Authors do have special website needs. Printable booklists, cover art visuals, back cover copy, and direct links are the top 4.
Kim Chin is the Admin for www.BookWebWarehouse.com, a free on-line published author database. The majority of her time is spent each day looking at hundreds of websites and talking to authors, readers, reviewers and publishers. In websites, she has seen the good, the bad, and the just plain ugly.