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Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008 | 2 a.m.
Sun Topics
Sun Archives
- Home sales up for 7th month; prices fall (8-6-2008)
- Measuring population in moving boxes (8-4-2008)
- Nevada leads nation in rate of foreclosures (7-25-2008)
- Housing affordability seen as long-term problem (7-22-2008)
Buddy Yates sits at a dining room table awash in paperwork. The bills, late notices and letters represent his nearly yearlong quest to keep his family in the three-bedroom North Las Vegas tract home he bought two years ago.
In December, when he could no longer afford the $2,365-a-month payments, much less the higher payments set to kick in within months, he dialed up his Texas-based lender, EMC.
Yates, a 60-year-old pastor who officiates at valley wedding chapels, wanted the company to restructure his loan by lowering his payments and spreading them over a longer term.
By Yates' account, he ran into a thicket of red tape.
After seemingly endless waits on hold, he told his story over and over because the same staffer wasn't available. Company representatives would then give contradictory advice, he said.
"When you talk to some of those people it's like talking to this table," Yates said.
Despite lenders' promises to step up efforts to work with homeowners facing foreclosure, about half won't reach a deal with their bank, according to recent figures.
As of the second quarter of this year, 12,000 Nevada homes went into foreclosure. Lenders were in negotiations with just more than half that number, according to Hope Now, a nationwide mortgage industry group that offers foreclosure counseling.
But the number of borrowers in need of assistance is expected to grow.
Nevada is expected to remain at the epicenter of the nation's foreclosure crisis — the Pew Center on the States projects one in 11 homes in the state will enter foreclosure by 2010 — and Yates' Sunrise Acres housing development seems to lie on a fault line.
Within one block of his home, more than a half-dozen residences are bank-owned or in some stage of the foreclosure process, according to Realty Trac, a Web site that maintains a nationwide database of foreclosed homes.
Like his neighbors, Yates was hit by a slumping economy and falling real estate values.
Last year, his income started to shrink as more couples skipped the trip to Las Vegas for their wedding and tied the knot at home. As it was getting harder for Yates to pay his $300,000 mortgage, the value of his home was dropping, and as a result he couldn't refinance his loan.
Three weeks ago, Yates met his new neighbors, who had just purchased the house next door out of foreclosure for $167,000.
He figures his house isn't worth much more. But it's still home for him, his wife and their 4-year-old son.
Lenders have been deluged by borrowers seeking help.
"They just don't have enough beating hearts to answer the phones," said Kathleen Day at the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Responsible Lending.
Wells Fargo spokeswoman Natalie Brown said her company's staff has grown fivefold to deal with delinquent loans than the bank had five years ago.
Debbie Krznarich of EMC, which holds Yates' mortgage, would not discuss staffing levels at the company.
Even borrowers who reach their lender face obstacles.
Most loans have been sold to investors, who must approve deals with individual homeowners, Day said. Trustees who manage these loans are sometimes reluctant to modify them for fear of being sued by the investors.
What's more, for borrowers who have second mortgages, both the first and second lien holders must agree to a deal before it can be offered to a homeowner.
Counselors who help troubled borrowers negotiate with their lenders are also swamped. Michelle Johnson, chief executive of Consumer Credit Counseling, reports that traffic at her agency is up 60 percent to 70 percent from last year.
Recent federal government initiatives to clean up the foreclosure mess have not helped Nevadans, Johnson said. An FHA program offers refinancing to homeowners with 3 percent equity in their homes, but few distressed homeowners in the state have any equity.
"The last I heard, there had not been a single (FHA refinance) loan made to anyone in Nevada," she said.
The impact from the foreclosures extends beyond those who lose their homes.
The Pew Center predicts that in Nevada 77 percent of all homeowners, not just those in foreclosure, will feel the effects in the form of falling property values. That will have an impact on state and local tax revenue.
"It's a concern for health, safety and economic viability," said Lon DeWeese, chief financial officer of the Nevada Housing Division.
In June, Yates met face to face with an EMC representative.
EMC's Krznarich said that Yates was offered a fair deal that would allow him to keep his home.
But Yates, who has missed more than one payment, said the repayment plan would put him only further behind. By the time he paid the arrears, he said, the interest rate on his adjustable-rate mortgage would go up, putting him back in the same predicament.
Yates has asked the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America, a nonprofit housing counseling group, for assistance. If he doesn't get a reprieve, he said, he's expecting a letter this month saying the company will foreclose on his home.
"When they sold you the home, they knew (with the adjustable interest rate), you weren't going to be able to make the payment," Yates said. "They don't have compassion for the family who's in the home."


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Louisa Stuart Costello
Louisa Stuart Costello (1799-1870 / France)
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Song.—in Early Days
In early days thy fondness taught
My soul its endless love to know;
Thy image waked in every thought,
Nor fear'd my tongue to tell thee so.
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Even though Hugo Chavez is dead and gone his legacy remains, that of no toilet paper and now no food.
Ahh the joys of living in a socialist showcase.
In a sign Venezuela's food shortages could be worsening, restrictions on the sale of 20 basic items subject to price controls, including toilet paper and chicken, are set to begin next week in its most populous state, officials said.
A spokesman for President Nicolas Maduro's government said it is incorrect to call the plan rationing because it is meant to fight smuggling of price-controlled food across the border into Colombia. He said there are no plans to extend the program nationally.
Details of how the system in Zulia state will work are still being worked out, said Blagdimir Labrador, the state governor's chief of staff.
But Zulia will issue computer chip cards beginning next week that will limit consumer purchases of products including rice, flour, cooking oil, sugar and powdered milk, he said. The quantities each family will be allowed to buy, on a daily or weekly basis, have not yet been determined, he said.
The system will register purchases remotely on computer servers "so the same person can't go to a different store on the same day and purchase the same product," Labrador said.
The foray appears to be Venezuela's first into food rationing. Communist-run Cuba has issued monthly ration cards for basic foodstuffs for decades, although the number of items has dwindled in recent years.
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Expert Advice
Farouk Shami Announces Candidacy for Governor of Texas
After weeks of speculation and buzz, it was reported this morning in the Houston Chronicle newspaper that Farouk Shami has announced he is running for the Democratic nomination of governor of the state of Texas.
Farouk Shami.
In an exclusive interview in the September issue of MODERN SALON, Farouk hinted at the possibility. When MODERN Editor in Chief Laurel Smoke asked about rumors surrounding Shamiâs political ambitions, he answered, âWhere thereâs smoke, thereâs fire.â
A few weeks ago, Shami hosted thousands of guests, including current Texas governor Rick Perry and Houston Mayor Bill White, for the ribbon cutting of CHI USA, a 500,000-square-foot facility replacing facilities in Asia and creating an initial 1,200 new jobs in the Houston area. Up to 5,000 additional jobs expected to be created over the next three to four years.
Can this beauty industry powerhouse translate his skills and bring his diverse background into the Texas governorâs office?
Shami told the Chronicle, âI came with nothing to Texas,â he said. âI started with nothing and built a billion-dollar business. Iâve hired thousands of people, and Iâm ready to hire thousands and thousands more. I am blessed to be a U.S. citizen and blessed to be a Texan. This state gave me the greatest opportunity. I want to pay back by leading Texas. With privilege comes responsibility.â
Click here to read the Houston Chronicle article, Hair-care king wants a new job: governor.
For more details on this breaking news, check back on modernsalon.com.
CHI USA Grand Opening
5 Questions for Farouk Shami


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Michael Saakyan
Staff Writer
The city of Claremont added a hint of geek to its chic boutique stores in March with the grand opening of new comic book store, A Shop Called Quest.
Owner of Comic Quest in Redlands since 1992, Lee Raymundo decided to open a second store in Claremont with the help of his employees.
"Redlands and Claremont are very similar," manager Jason Harris said.
"It's kind of like a flourishing downtown area. Claremont is nicer and I used to live here and thought it would be a great place to open the second location here."
Located between Coffee Bean and Kazama Sushi on Indian Hill Boulevard, A Shop Called Quest gets a lot of foot traffic due to downtown Claremont's hipster appeal and the store's hip-hop themed name.
"The original store name was Comic Quest for over 20 years," Harris said.
'"If you look online you'll see Comic Quests everywhere. So over the years we started calling it A Shop Called Quest as a joke because of the hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest."
The main attraction that gets customers to check out the store is a painted image of actor Adam West in his iconic Batman role from the 1960s and Yvonne Craig who played Batgirl on the same television series.
A chandelier designed with deer antlers lights up the room as a random playlist of music plays in the background.
Although A Shop Called Quest is best known for its comic books and graphic novels, customers can browse through a large section of action figures and T-shirts with a variety of different superheros.
Paintings of Marvel comics' villain Galactus hang throughout the store. Different artists are able to submit their version of the iconic villain to be sold at A Shop Called Quest.
One painting in particular that would catch any customer's eye was that of a vacationing Galactus at a nude beach with the Silver Surfer.
The appealing portrait is available to purchase by any devoted Marvel fan for $500.
The environment of the comic book store is not only a treat for customers but also a morale booster for its employees.
"It's a lot of fun to work here," employee Bryan Friend said. "I really like being in Claremont now. It's a really nice."
After Claremont's last standing comic book store, Comic Bookie, closed its doors in 2008, comic book readers were obligated to travel far distances to get their superhero fix but thanks to A Shop Called Quest, fanboys and fangirls can now rejoice in harmony.
"A Shop Called Quest is pretty cool it's very spacious and filled with a wide variety of comic books for all ages," customer Andy Quinones said.
"I like that they encourage you to read there and don't make a big fuss like other comic book stores."
A Shop Called Quest hosts a trading card game called "Magic: The Gathering" every Friday night for anyone who wishes to come by and play a game.
"We do Magic Friday nights because we don't have as much room as we do in the other shop in Redlands," Harris said. "There we had a separate room where we can have everyone go in and leave the comic book section separate."
A Shop Called Quest is open seven days a week from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 9 a.m.–8 p.m.
Michael Saakyan can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Now THAT was Stupid
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Steelhead Junkie
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 211
Re: Now THAT was Stupid
I have done some stupid things ................
Fishing for Bass when it was cold enough outside that the water froze on the line and made curly cues on my line while retrieving. ( First trip last year)
Missing fish after fish on TWO seperated occasions because my hook was in that tree back there. (Really annoying, is it not?? LOL)
Fishing with a wind knotted leader for Bass, cause afterall, I'm not going to hook anything that big.
Fishing for Crappie in weather cold enough that I was wearing snow pants in a boat. And 3-4 upper layers minus coat.(I beleive)
Fishing in weather windy enough to cause 2-1/2 - 3 foot waves. In a boat. Toatally exposed to the full force of the wind sweeping 3/4 of a mile down a lake. We were right at the center of the dam. Needed the big motor on full throttle to get out of there.
Not wearing a pfd in the instances above
Charging into a trout stream like a mad bull 20 feet above an old gentleman serenly enjoying his little stretch of ater. ( My first time.......)
I like organic chicken..... The kind with the capes still on 'em
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This write up is towards the March 2011 Gurufocus contest.
Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc. (NYSE:WEN) is a holding company for two major fast food chains, Wendy's and Arby's. The Group has over 10,000 units in its two restaurant system making it the third largest fast food chain in the US (behind McDonalds and YUM).
The entity was formed in September 2008 after the activist investor Nelson Peltz acquired Wendy's through his holding company Triac, then also the owner of Arby's. Wendy's had been under-managed for many years, so its old management was quickly shown the door. Nelson Peltz brought in his team to manage the new company. Since then, the executive team has made significant progress at the turnaround at Wendy's.
Despite this, Mr. Market continues to misprice this security. As you will see in the article, WEN at $5 a share (Mar 3, 2011) offers a 35-50% of margin of safety from its intrinsic value in the range of $6.8 - $7.6 a share.
Why is it so cheap? Even though Wendy's turnaround has been a success so far, Arby's has been struggling since the merger. Sell-side analysts are valuing the group on a consolidated multiple, rather than as sum-of-parts of a decently performing restaurant and a poorly performing restaurant. At today's price, Mr. Market is offering Wendy's at a discount and giving away Arby's for free
Wendy's Turnaround:
As of Jan 2011, the Wendy's system has 6500 restaurants, of which 20% are company owned and the rest are franchises. The number of restaurants as well as the percentage of company owned restaurants verses franchises has stayed the same since the takeover in 2008.
Wendy's is known as a quality brand among its customers. Zagat® has named Wendy's as top fast food restaurant for two years in a row now and rated it very highly in many categories.
Triac's primary objective for the merger was the potential to improve operations at the Wendy's company-owned restaurants. For many years prior to the takeover, restaurant margin at the company owned stores had lagged significantly than that at the franchise stores. The new management set a goal to improve restaurant margin from 11.7% in 2008 to 16.7% in 2011.
In its recently reported 10K for 2010, restaurant margin at the company owned stores stood at 15.2% showing that the new management team was making good progress at the turnaround at Wendy's.
In addition to the margin expansion initiative, management implemented three other initiatives:
- In 2009, a G&A savings plan of 60 million realizable due to consolidation of Wendy's and Arby's.
- In 2010, management formed a co-op for Wendy's restaurant system to consolidate food and related product purchases as well as to provide distribution services. This entity provides for purchasing efficiencies while at the same time reducing G&A requirements on the corporate. Prior to establishment of the co-op, these functions were provided by the corporate.
- In 2010, in order to drive same store sales and further margin expansion, management introduced a strategic pricing initiative. Historically, Wendy's stores were priced on a national basis. Now, it began to move to a store-to-store pricing strategy. The benefits of this initiative are expected in 2011 and beyond.
Arby's Turnaround:
Now, let's turn our attention to Arby's. As of Jan 2011, the Arby's system has 3650 restaurants, of which 30% are company owned. The number of restaurants as well as the mix has stayed the same over the period since the takeover.
Historically, Arby's had been known for its quality food but at a premium price. Average check at its restaurant was the highest in the industry at $7.5 compared to $5 at its competitors. It achieved this by not focusing on the "value" meals, which many of its peers did. But this strategy proved to be disappointing in the recession of 2007-2009. Customers of the fast food industry who are known to be very price sensitive fled very quickly from Arby's. As per a study, Arby's was then rated lowest in "worth what you pay for it" category.
At the same time, competitors were discounting heavily impacting same store sales at Arby's significantly. The sales deleveraging resulted in restaurant margins decreasing by a huge margin.
Eventually, management introduced a "value" menu in April 2009 but business at the restaurants had deteriorated significantly. Based on the disclosures in the 10Ks, we estimate that Arby's EBITDA took a dive from $130 million in 2008 to $70 million in 2009 to only $50 million in 2010.
Despite the decline, we do not think that the business is permanently impaired. Instead of slashing price on its premium products, management introduced new value products using a 3-tier approach.
This was smarter than what many of other fast food restaurants did during the recession. Slashing prices on its core menu caused major dissent among its franchises of some of its peers and risk of impairment to the value of the brand. With Arby's 3-tier approach, margin compression is mainly due to sales deleveraging rather than due to discounting. Thus, if and when Arby's business gains momentum, restaurant margin will probably rise as quickly as it fell as customers become less price sensitive than during the recession. Furthermore, Arby's brand image continues to be healthy among its customers.
In 2010, Arby's increased its national media rate from 1.2% to 2.4% to increase customer awareness about its quality as well as value positioning. It is important to note that Arby's appointed Hala Moddelmog who is an experienced veteran of the fast food industry as its new president in 2010. She spent 10 years at Church's Chicken from 1995 – 2004 reimaging the brand and driving eight consecutive years of same store sales growth.
Future Outlook:
Management is taking two main initiatives to improve business at Wendy's - (a) introduction of breakfast and, (b) international expansion.
Breakfast corresponds to only 2% of total sales at Wendy's, but breakfast represents 23% of all the traffic at fast food restaurants. To understand the opportunity, it is important to note that McDonald's and Burger King derive greater than 20% of their revenue from breakfast sales. Industry-wide breakfast sales have grown at 13% from 2002 to 2009 versus dinner sales have declined by 8% during the same period.
This category represents a good opportunity to add to average unit volume ("AUV") by leveraging current operations during the part of the day (known as expanding "daypart") that is currently underserved. Without breakfast, AUV is at $1.4 million. As per management, national implementation of breakfast can add $140K-$150K to AUV i.e. a 10% growth in revenue.
In 2010, management implemented phase one of their plan to roll out breakfast by first testing it in four markets: Pittsburg, Kansas City, Phoenix and, Shreveport. Results from the test markets have been very encouraging. First time visitors rated the items exceptional and higher than the competition. This is not surprising given Wendy's high reputation for quality as seen in its Zagat survey. Also, the test markets have helped them identify key demographic and geographic factors that drive breakfast sales. In the second phase, management is refining its financial model to improve breakfast margin, codifying operational procedures for efficiency, and developing a go-to market strategy. In the third phase, management plans to expand to other markets so that by year end 1000 stores are serving breakfast.
Wendy's/Arby's are underpenetrated significantly in foreign markets relative to all its peers.
This represents another opportunity for growth. Management's plan for expansion in the international markets is based on recruiting franchisees with experienced restaurant experience with real estate access and adequate capital.
This business is very attractive for multiple reasons: low requirements of capital, higher AUV in international markets, sound economic and population trends, and rising standards of living.
The company already increased future store commitments from 151 in 2008 to 610 in 2010. Here is a list of deals they signed since the merger:
- May 2009: 35 Wendy's restaurants in Singapore in 10 years.
- June 2009: 135 dual-branded restaurants in Middle East in 10 years.
- June 2010: 100 Arby's restaurants in Turkey in 10 years with 50 in the first five years.
- Aug 2010: 180 dual-branded restaurants in Russian Federation in 10 years.
- Aug 2010: 24 Wendy's restaurants in Eastern Caribbean in 10 years.
- Jan 2011: 50 Wendy's restaurants in Argentina in 10 years.
- Same store sales growth
- Company owned restaurant margin improvement
- Daypart expansion because of breakfast initiatives
- New unit growth in international markets
- Possibly growth in franchise royalty as a result of the above factors
On Jan 2011, management announced it was looking for buyers for the Arby's. Going forward management plans to focus on its operations at Wendy's and has given guidance that it expects a sale in 2011. As per the announcement, key reason for doing so is to focus management's effort on Wendy's which is currently the key driver for shareholder return (since Arby's has shrunken to 12.5% of EBITDA). Management also listed the following on one of its slide during the investor day as benefits of such a sale:
- Reduce corporate G&A to support single brand
- Eliminate $200 million of capital lease obligations related to Arby's.
- Reduce future capital expenditures related to Arby's.
- Proceeds from sale available for reinvestment
- Sale accretive to earnings and cash flow
My valuation is based on using management provided estimate for EBITDA for Wendy's assuming a sale of Arby's, and then valuing by using a reasonable EV/EBITDA multiple based on a comparable peer's acquisition in a private transaction.
As per management, 2011 EBITDA is estimated to be $345-355 million and EBITDA is estimated to grow at 10-15% thereafter. I believe that these are conservative numbers since 2010 adjusted EBITDA was $396 million and Arby's EBITDA (as per the Q4 conference call transcript) was $50 million. So, 2010 EBITDA for Wendy's by itself was $346 million. Thus, the estimate assumes no growth in EBITDA in 2011 and growth thereafter because of the various initiatives outlined in the article earlier.
3G capital acquired Burger King in Sept 2010 at EV/EBITDA of 9.3x (as per the M&A SEC filings). As we saw earlier, Burger King had poorer same store sales compared to Wendy's for 2009. Also, as per its 2009 10K, its restaurant margin was 130 bps smaller than that of Wendy's. In my opinion, Wendy's restaurant (without Arby's) should trade a slight premium or at least the same as Burger King in a private transaction. Thus, for valuation, we use:
- Worst case multiple of 8.4x – EBITDA multiple at which Triac acquired Wendy's in 2008 when it was a poorer performing restaurant than today (multiple based on UBS Equity Research report)
- Mid Case multiple of 9.3x – EBITDA multiple at which 3G acquired Burger King in 2010
- Best Case multiple of 10x – 7.5% premium to Burger King's acquisition multiple but slightly lower than the multiple at which McDonald's is trading today.
We are using the following data from the 10K published on 3/3/2011 and from the Q4 earnings release presentation
In millions
Cash & Cash Equivalents
Long Term Debt
Net Debt
Arby's related obligations
Arby's EV (obligations + 1.7x EBITDA = ~5.7x EBITDA))
Net Debt (post Arby's sale)
In my opinion, the downside is very limited from here on, baring a severe recession similar to that of 2007-2008. At today's price, we are getting a free option on Arby's improving further and thus commanding a reasonable EBITDA multiple (7-8x) in a private transaction. Our valuation exercise above assumes a multiple that is almost unheard of in this industry (based on peer group analysis and transactions in the last decade in Burger King's tender offer solicitation/recommendation documents).
Another indication of the stock being undervalued is the high proportion of stocks repurchased by a management team that is known to be a good capital allocator. In the two years, 2009-2010, management spent $245 million retiring 52 million shares or 11% of outstanding stock. Thus, it retired at an average cost of $4.71 i.e. ~6 lower than stock price today.
Management and Majority Shareholders:
Nelson Peltz and Peter May are the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the group. As per the 2010 10K, they jointly control 24% of the company. Mr. Peltz is an activist investor widely known for turning around underachieving companies by burnishing famous brands. He is best known for buying the flagging iced-tea brand Snapple from Quaker Oats for $300 million, brilliantly reviving its blithe, quirky appeal, and reselling it three years later for more than $1 billion. To name a few other names, he took control of Heinz and Tiffany and forced rapid changes. He was lately in the news for his bid for Family Dollar for $7.3 billion that was rejected by the board. You can read more about Mr. Peltz in the Fortune article on him attached in the reference section. In summary, I believe that Wendy's/Arby's is led a capable business man and a smart capital allocator.
Speaking of capital allocation, the board has approved up to $250 million in stock repurchases. If management buys at similar levels as in the past, this represents 12% of outstanding stock. Management has also returned $55 million in dividends in the past two years.
Longleaf Small Cap Fund (run by the team at Southeastern Management) owns 7.1% of the company. They are the largest non-controlling institutional shareholder of Wendy's/Arby's. As many of you know, the team at Southeastern Management led by Mason Hawkins and Staley Cates are among the best value investors. They first initiated their position in WEN when Triac took over reinforcing my belief that Wendy's is led by the finest. Most recently, they increased their position size by 18% from 25.13 million shares to 29.70 million shares from July to Dec 2010. WEN traded at a low of $3.89 to a high of $5.01 during this period. Although WEN is at the high range today and it obviously was a better buy then, it still offers a pretty attractive risk-adjusted return.
Finally, the CEO Roland Smith has a resume filled with turnarounds. In my opinion, he has done a decent job so far at improving operations at Wendy's. You can read more about his background in the article attached in the reference section. Most recently, he climbed the Mt. Everest with his son after training for a year and a half.
- Sale of Arby's
- Execution of business plan as per guidance
- Even though management's guidance already takes into account inflation in commodity prices, a higher than expected rise in commodity price would lead to margin compression and/or pressure on sales growth.
- Decline in same store sales due to a severe recession like the one in 2007-2008.
- 10Ks 2008-2010, Wendy's/Arby's
- 2009-2010 Quarterly Conference Calls, Wendy's/Arby's
- 2009-2010 Investor Conference Presentations, Wendy's/Arby's
- 2010 10K, Burger King
- Tender offer Solicitation/Recommendation Statement, SC 14D9, Burger King
- Longleaf Partners, Quarterly Letters
- "The reinvention of Nelson Peltz", Fortune, March 2007
- "Arby's parent Triac to acquire Wendy's in $2.34 billion stock swap", NRN, May 2008
- "Roland Smith", Veteran's Advantage, Jul 2010.
The author has a long position in WEN that he initiated at an average cost of $4.79. This is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Please do your own research.


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When you stay at Emexotel Kocaeli in Izmit, you'll be near the bay and convenient to Yeni Cuma Mosque and Fevziye Mosque. This 5-star hotel is within close proximity of Izmit Clock Tower and Gayret Ship Museum.
Make yourself at home in one of the 147 guestrooms featuring minibars and flat-screen televisions. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with bathtubs feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include safes and desks, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Pamper yourself with a visit to the spa, which offers massages and body treatments. You can take advantage of recreational amenities such as a health club, an outdoor pool, and an indoor pool. Additional amenities at this hotel include complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and babysitting/childcare (surcharge).
Enjoy a meal at a restaurant or in a coffee shop/café. Or stay in and take advantage of the hotel's 24-hour room service. Relax with a refreshing drink from a poolside bar or one of the 2 bars/lounges.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include a 24-hour business center, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and dry cleaning/laundry services. This hotel has 11 meeting rooms available for events. Guests may use a roundtrip airport shuttle for a surcharge, and free valet parking is available onsite.


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I had some rabbit that I purchased last year after seeing it in the butcher. I had no idea what to do with it. I made Grilled Saddle of Rabbit (a Recipe Club Newsletter Exclusive) with some of it, but I had the bony legs, and tasty looking loins, all full of bones and I had no idea what to do with them. So they sat waiting patiently, frozen, for when I knew what to do. Then I watched old reruns of the Bugs Bunny Show. Hasenpfeffer anyone? After a classic where Yosemite Sam tries to make Bugs into rabbit stew for the king, I was thus inspired to make my own Grilled Rabbit Stew.
With winter still battering us in the northern areas of North America, a good stew is just about the best thing you can eat. It warms you from the inside. It's lighter than a beef stew too. Originating in Germany, Hasenpfeffer is a traditional stew made with wine and or vinegar. Mine isn't quit traditional but try it out. You will not be disappointed.
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The boat pump-out at Hall's Crossing Marina will remain closed indefinitely for repair. The pump-out was closed January 29, 2012 for planned maintenance work to improve the facility. While performing this work park personnel found extensive damage to the docks that support the pump-out. Park employees are working diligently to make the necessary repairs to the docks and complete the pump-out maintenance.
Boaters in the Bullfrog and Hall's Crossing area can continue to use the pump-out facilities at Bullfrog Marina.


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An HSBC survey has revealed widespread confidence in the future of RMB as a major global trade and investment currency amongst mainland Chinese corporates.
The vast majority (77%) of Chinese corporates surveyed expect one-third of all Chinese trade (circa USD 2trn) to be conducted in RMB by 2015 (vs 10% YTD) and 30% plan to use RMB for investment-related purposes in the next 12 months.
The survey also identified a clear cost advantage to businesses outside Mainland China that choose to settle their trade in RMB. Half of all Chinese corporates stated they were willing to offer better pricing or terms in return for using RMB to settle trade: 41% revealed they would be willing to offer discounts of up to 3% and 9% willing to offer even greater discounts.
Noel Quinn, Regional Head of Commercial Banking Asia Pacific, said: "As Mainland authorities develop their regulatory framework to open up and internationalise the currency, the use of RMB in cross-border business has expanded both within trade and beyond. We continue to connect customers in China to opportunities overseas and are seeing increased demand for the use of RMB as a transaction currency. International businesses looking to benefit from China's growth must explore the benefits of using the RMB when transacting with their Chinese counterparts to take full advantage of discounts that may be available."
Moves by the Chinese government to increase exchange rate flexibility and simplify transaction processing have changed the dynamics of cross-border RMB business. The proportion of corporates using RMB because they expect the currency to appreciate has fallen dramatically. Only 25% of respondents said they used RMB in order to benefit from currency appreciation in 2012, compared to significant 44% in 2011.
Instead, China-based corporates reported that exchange risk management and operational convenience were the main reasons for choosing RMB for cross-border transactions. Seventy-two per cent of those surveyed use RMB to help manage their foreign exchange risks, a sharp increase from 49% in 2011 and 44% stated that the currency brought operational and accounting advantages (vs 34% in 2011).
While import and export transactions were the most common type of RMB business that respondents engaged in (47% and 42%, respectively), the survey revealed that 30% plan to use RMB for other purposes in the next 12 months. Fifteen per cent of corporates said they intend to use RMB for capital injections, 11% plan to use it for offshore loans and 4% for cross-border acquisitions (vs 11%, 8% and 1% who used RMB for these purposes in 2011, respectively).
Montgomery Ho, Head of Commercial Banking HSBC China, said: "It is encouraging to see the RMB being increasingly chosen by businesses on its merits as a trade and capital investment currency. Mainland corporates are adapting to increased exchange rate flexibility and are benefitting from streamlined RMB transaction processes. The internationalisation of RMB is a natural process that is being driven by China's economic growth and trade development, and we are confident that the Chinese currency is on track to becoming a major trade currency by 2015."
Chinese corporates also reported that their counterparties overseas are finding it increasingly convenient to use RMB. Only 15% reported that their counterparties encountered insufficient RMB service or support from their bank overseas, down from 23% per cent in 2011. Overseas business also experienced increasingly easy access to RMB liquidity over the past year, with only 14% reporting that their overseas counterparties lacked sources of RMB, or lacked use for RMB funds received, compared to 21% in 2011.
HSBC has consistently been at the forefront of RMB developments both onshore and offshore. The Group has established RMB capabilities in over 50 markets worldwide, and issued the first international RMB bond in London earlier this year. In Mainland China, HSBC provides RMB cross-border settlement service across its entire branch network spanning 27 cities, the largest geographic coverage among all foreign banks in China.
A minimum of £200K (not a limiting factor)London
© Finextra Research 2017


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Seibertron wrote:Mindmaster wrote:What did the custom blaster for the figure look like? I thought it just comes with Jazz's old blaster from RTS.
It's a resin Shockwave style cannon that has a ball joint on the end. You had to paint it.
That sounds pretty neat. Hope you're able to get your hands on it. Love to see how it would look on him!


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FACE by Sephora
Still in Florida, I was having Sephora withdrawals so while at the mall tonight, I made a beeline for the store as my Mother and Grandmother shopped around. While poking around the store, I noticed a free standing display stocked with products that I didn't recognize. At first glance, looking at the packaging from afar and seeing the word FACE front and center, a smile spread across my face because I thought that Sephora was now carrying FACE Stockholm. FACE Stockholm is a Swedish based cosmetics company that encompasses true Swedish beauty, and the Beauty Bug has a soft spot for anything Swedish. Back in May when the Beauty Bug was in Sweden, she had the privilege of visiting one of the stores, and is now kicking herself for not buying anything, or taking photos.
But, unfortunately, it wasn't FACE Stockholm, but a new skin care line that Sephora just launched a few days ago, FACE by Sephora. Included in the line are 3 face washes, 2 masks, several creams, makeup removers, 2 face masks, a concealing blemish pen, along with a few other products. I was intrigued because everything was very reasonably priced, the line is very extensive, and as explained above, the simple, clean, branding attracted me. The Sephora representative gave me a sample of the Deep Down Cleanser, a gel based cleanser and a mild exfoliant. I just used it before writing this post, and I don't love it, nor do I hate it. It's comparable to any drug store brand (Neutrogena, Clearasil etc.). It's extremely mild and unscented and I like my face washes to have a very clean, strong, bold smell leaving me feeling refreshed. While this face wash isn't a must have for the Beauty Bug, she's looking forward to experimenting with the rest of the line – especially the face masks and the shea butter.


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Roddy Doyle's best selling novel, The Commitments has been adapted into a full scale stage musical that will make its world debut at the Palace Theatre in the Autumn of 2013.
The Commitments is set in Dublin in the 1980's and is the tale of an aspiring band manager, Jimmy Rabbitte and a group of aspiring musicians who get together in the hope of forming a band. Jimmy wants to manage the world's greatest soul band and, like a true businessman, he holds auditions at his parents' house along in the hope of discovering musical talent. Unlike Jimmy's soul idols such as Aretha Franklin and Ottis Reading, Jimmy finds himself with a group of white and weedy musicians. Hell bent on transforming the group into something great, Jimmy names the band "The Commitments" and together they attempt to head up an Irish soul revolution.
The Commitments include the famous soul numbers "Mustang Sally", "In the Midnight Hour" and "Try a Little Tenderness."
The Commitments was also adapted into a film in 1991 which was voted as "the best Irish film of all time" in a 2005 poll a sponsored by Jamerson Irish Whiskey. Like the film, the stage production of The Commitments is likely to be a close adaptation of the novel and hopes to secure similar popularity and success.
Dublin truly takes over London's West End as The Commitments follows in the footsteps of successful Irish musical, Once, which opened at the Phoenix Theatre in April to a generally warm critical response.
Cast and Creative
The Commitments was written by Roddy Doyle and will be directed by the celebrated director Jamie Lloyd, who has worked on a number of successful productions in the last few years including the sell out run of Macbeth starring James McAvoy at the Trafalgar Studios. Set design is by Soutra Gilmour, with Lighting Design by Jon Clark and Sound Design by Rory Madden. Ann Yee provides the choreography, alongside Alan Williams and Musical Supervisor and Arranger.
The cast for The Commitments includes: Killian Donnelly as Declan "Deco" Cuffe; Denis Grindel as Jimmy Rabbitte; Sean Kearns as Jimmy's Da; Dean Faye as Andrew Linnie; Clodagh Long as Sharon; and Matthew Wycliffe, Ryan Gibb, John McLarno, Thomas Snowdon and Natalie Hope.
16/09/2013 - 09/02/2014
The Palace Theatre
Shaftesbury Avenue London W1D 5AY


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in the related firm storage Service Agreement initiated pursuant to any
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We're midway through our exploration of the order of operations. I wanted to give my students a chance to breathe (mentally) and allow their learnings to cement in a little. I wanted to have an activity where they could practice what they've learned so far and where I could see what they knew.
I remembered a clock activity that Fawn did with her students last year and decided to morph her idea into an activity for my students. I told my students that each group was going to design their own clock. The assignment was met with lots of interest and excitement! I explained that - instead of each number on the clock - they would write an expression that demonstrated their ability to use the order of operations correctly.
As the groups worked, I was able to walk around and eavesdrop on conversations. It was wonderful to see my students trying different expressions, analyzing why some weren't working, arguing for their way of solving, and rejoicing together when they finally found one they all agreed worked. Fabulous!
As each group finished their planning, they got a
blank clock face to write their expressions on.
They then decorated them as they chose and then proudly displayed them on a wall for all to see.
There were lots of benefits for me as well. Instead of grading 173 papers with several problems on each paper, I was able to simply walk around, talk to my students, write some quick notes about problem areas I was seeing (exponents!) and make notes on individual students. The project turned out to be a wonderful formative assessment opportunity for me. I learned all I needed to know about where each individual student was and I was very easily able to see where some reteaching was needed, what areas the students had totally mastered, even found a couple of students who are ready for some extensions.
Next week.... way more practice with exponents, a little more practice with parentheses, I'll throw in some embedded parentheses and, finally, throw some dreaded fractions into the expressions.
If you try this activity, I'd love to hear how your students reacted and I'd love to get any suggestions for making the activity better next time.
Below, I've put a few more examples of student work and a blank clock, just in case you'd like to try the project.
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Seriously- Why don't men like Curly hair?
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Monday, March 11, 2013 at 05:24PM
Didn't mean to make it sound like I'm anti curl. I'm not! I love my curls! I am just saying that the most common thread I see on these boards and what every single persons know in real life wants is touchable hair. I was pointing out that maybe people have been trained to THINK that means straight but if you put soft straight hair next to soft curls, I don't think as many people would say they prefer straight.
Agreed that plenty of straight haired girls have damaged hard hair- that was my point when I said that its a soft feel that people generally like, it's not anti curl. I don't think you'll find any guy (or girl) who would choose straight but damaged and crispy hair over soft touchable curls.
I know everyone is not lucky enough to have this hair (I'm not!) but I don't think it's because we are all indoctrinated by the evil media. People are tactile and sensory. We (generally) want soft hair for the same reason we like soft sheets, fuzzy socks and soft tshirts. It feels better than wearing burlap.
It wast an attack on coarse haired curlies at all. The vast majority of us would prefer soft and touchable products to hard and crunchy.
Curly work in progress
2C with some 3A if all the stars align
Low porosity, medium to low density and fine
No sulfates since 2009
CG since 2013
In my stash:
Shampoos and conditioners- Tresemme Naturals Low Poo, Tresemme Naturals Moisturizing Aloe, Suave Naturals Coconut
Leave Ins- Kinky Curly Knot Today
Stylers- KCCC, AG Recoil, KY Lubricant (yup), SM Curl Milk
Gels- Ecostyler, Biosilk RHG
Mousse- Devacurl Uplifting Foam, Suave Captivating Curls


text: The Danganronpa wiki last edited by Corevi on 01/13/15 03:13PM View full history OverviewThe Danganronpa franchise, or known by its full name Danganronpa: Academy of Hope and Highschool of Despair, is a Japanese game developed by Spike in the style of a visual novel that combines crime scene investigation, courtroom hearings, and social interactions with a variety of high school students, causing it to be compared to both Phoenix Wright and Persona while being rather different from both. Even though the series has never been developed anywhere outside of Japan, it has grown a strong cult following of fans across the world thanks to a translated screenshot let's play of the game on the website "Something Awful."Both Danganronpa 1 and 2 have had a similar theme and setting, the only real difference being locations, the first game being set in a school and the second being set on an island resort. Each game features a group of 16 high school students, each of which is meant to be the top of their field and have been rewarded with the title of "Super Highschool Level ____" with whatever their specialty is inserted into the blank. Each character represents an extreme caricature of whatever their title is meant to be. For example the "Super Highschool Level Fighter" is a woman almost seven feet tall and covered in muscles and scars, or the "Super Highschool Level Heir" is represented by a young pompous man who looks down on everyone else. Each of these students are held captive in these locations by the villainous Monobear and may not leave whatever location they're trapped in until they can commit a "perfect murder" meaning that they must kill another student at the school, and then be found to be not guilty at the school trial that their fellow students hold.


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Arab world's quest for Olympic gold
The 2012 London Olympics are over. Over 10,000 athletes from 204 countries participated in the event that takes place every four years. 17 Arab countries sent their athletes to London, athletes who managed to win 12 medals between themselves; but only two were gold.
Believing that the gold medals were inadequate for an Arab world with a population of 350 million, I asked some friends why we fare so poorly in international sporting meets. If Iran, Kazakhstan and Cuba individually equalled or bettered the feat of 17 Arab nations, is the Arab world on the right track?
Sameera from Riyadh says: "Islamic history shows us that Muslims in general were lean and healthy as physical activity, apart from being a part of life, was encouraged by religious scholars. Unfortunately, today physical activity and sports hardly play a role in our lives. They are also discouraged by clerics, especially with regards to women. On what basis I fail to understand.'
Barbara, a former resident of Jeddah, adds: "I believe it has to do with the general emphasis on relaxation, or in simple terms — laziness. There seems to be a lot of value placed on doing nothing, with bits of good conversation sprinkled in. Competition is left to the few good football players and their ever-faithful fans. The rest pride themselves in living a life of leisure and watching TV. The few brave women who are willing to step out are the subject of ridicule by judgmental idiots with little to do."
Heidi from Jeddah says: "Potential athletes in the Arab world, especially females, find little encouragement in becoming active or involved in sports. Most families at best encourage their sons to play football. The parents themselves are often not involved in any kind of sports or exercise programmes. Thus role models showing interest in physical activity as a lifestyle are lacking. Most schools in the Arab world generally show the same lack of interest, except for football. Sportsis not considered important for girls. Generally speaking, it is in schools that promising athletes are spotted, encouraged, trained and groomed for competitions. Funds are lacking for infrastructure and equipment for physical education classes."
Saada from Dubai says: "In order to win medals you need to do few things: Identify achievement as an important component of your life and plan on how to get there; work hard or be ready to work hard; focus, focus, focus! Arabs don't do any of the above. You could argue that the general culture is not in support of personal achievement and that governments in the Arab world do not care or value such international events, but these are secondary in my view."
Ali from the US interjects: "I would attribute this travesty to early crushing of people's dreams, aspirations and self-initiative. In other words, children are not encouraged to explore ... if they transcend the borders of what someone decides for them: fathers, religious men and personalised institutions that control their lives from cradles to graves. Poverty, miserable climate and multitude of taboos kill incentives. Above all is the total lack of freedom of choices and expressions."
The blogger, American Bedu, adds: "I think the Arab world is short of medals because the concept of physical education has been sadly lacking in society. For women it is virtually non-existent and for men it is a choice. The overall culture leans towards a sedentary lifestyle where diabetes, cancer and other diseases are common. To change this trend, the importance and enforcement of physical education needs to be actively addressed at the primary level in schools."
Mubarak comments: "Where do you think the state allocated money goes? To public schools for sports facilities? To develop athletes? No! It is for free junkets for sports officials and their families. Where is the accountability? Cuba has more medals than the entire Arab World. What a shame."
Ben notes: "Is the Arab world short only in the international sporting events? It is at all level unfortunately! We do not lack athletes; we do lack the central spirit that is locked on spiritual matters to the point of turning back against the clerics themselves. As long the people in charge have never experienced sporting evens from early days of school nor felt a real official drive toward it we lose those capable and gifted in the back streets."
Ebrahim adds: "It is worth noting that the sports authorities in some of Arab countries are indeed bloated with funds. A regional economist once remarked that the annual budget for some of these sports ministries exceeds the entire annual operating budget of some countries in the developing world, and so lack of funds is not an excuse. Nepotism too plays its part in the appointment of unqualified sports ministers."
These views capture some of the diverse feedback that I received on the Arab world's achievements in the sporting arena. We can either relegate the meagre performance at the Olympics to history, or be bold enough to change the way things are done in the quest for gold.
Tariq A. Al Maeena is a Saudi socio-political commentator. He lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.


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I want....
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Friday, July 6, 2012 at 08:18PM
-To go to sleep
-For ignorant people to go play in traffic
-More people to appreciate the differences in others and accept themselves
-To live in one of my favorite cities in the whole world.
-to eat as many donuts and fried food as possible and there not be any health consequences
-The housewives shows to go off the air.
-All the reality shows to go off the air, except the design ones and the HGTV ones.
-the 90s back
-It to be perpetually Autumn, all year long!
-Rain at least 3 days a week
-To not work for anyone ever again
-For all black women to go natural and stop wearing unnaturally shining wigs.
-Seize the moment


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THUY PHUONG, Vietnam — Rural life in the villages of Hue is a dynamic way of life encompassing every aspect of subsistence living.
Very few people these days have a diet almost completely made up of food grown right in their own communities.
Vietnamese farmers feel both pride and frustration when it comes to their livelihood.
While growing and selling within one's village can foster a sense of community, hardships often arise when farmers are not provided government assistance or resources to achieve the crop yields that would allow them to live comfortably.
To compensate, farmers must work harder and longer, always with the needs of their families in mind.


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By John Wilder
From: Las Vegas, NV
Dec 21, 2008
nice topo, thanks bruce.
i would note, though, that no more than a double rack is needed on this climb- triples may be a bit overkill.
By Bruce Bindner
Dec 24, 2008
By Aaron S
Feb 5, 2009
|Late exit info printed on the topo is clutch.
By Devin Strickland
Mar 20, 2011
A few observations on the topo:
1) If you have a 60 m rope (especially 60 m doubles) it is no problem to link pitches 1 & 2 and 3 & 4. In other words, after 2 pitches you should be on a huge ledge at the long curving chimney marked as belay 4.
2) I got off route "looking for" the ledge marked as belay 3 on the topo. Turns out I was already above it, and I ended up in an uncomfortable slot 20 feet above and well to the right of the ledge marked as belay 4. The section between 3 and 4 is an exposed but easily protected traverse. It is much less than 100 feet. Again, don't bother with this belay if you have a 60. (And if you have a 50 m rope, you should be more worried about how you are going to do the rappels.)
3) The section marked as "5.8 fist or OW" is unambiguously offwidth. I have long arms and big hands and I could not have easily fist-jammed this section. You'll need big pro and some offwidth skills to lead this comfortably.
By Jim H
From: Pasadena, CA
May 1, 2017
If you see a large pine tree down the gully directly to your left you are NOT on the summit, despite what this topo may mislead you to think.
I'll try to draw a better, accurate topo soon, but this correction was needed.
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Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Be the first NJ.com user to add photos or videos of Chabad Center-Lubavitch
Chabad is a true asset to the Jewish community. They are open to people of all Jewish denominations. They make you feel welcome even if you are not observant.
Chabad Center-Lubavitch is located at 194 Ratzer Rd, Wayne, NJ. This business specializes in Religion & Spirituality.
Chabad Center-Lubavitch can be found at Ratzer Rd 194. The following is offered: Temples & Synagogues. The entry is present with us since Sep 9, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Wayne there are 2 other Temples & Synagogues. An overview can be found here.


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Deborah Harkness, author of the All Souls trilogy, reaching its conclusion this week with the release of its third installment, The Book of Life, writes:
"As long as I've been a reader I've been drawn to stories about families — big, small, broken by death and divorce, nuclear, blended, fun, dysfunctional, constituted by blood, or founded on opportunity and little else. For me, the family is the world in microcosm: intimate, sprawling, challenging, funny, treacherous, heartbreakingly cruel, and breathtakingly generous. Here are some of my favorite books that touch on the important place family (or the lack of it) plays in all of our lives."
By Jane Austen
"No one grasps the conundrums of family life better than Jane Austen, and no one exposes its quirks with more relish. If you've never read Austen start here in the bosom of the delightfully awful Elliot family — bankrupt inside and out, worried about what others think, and willing to sacrifice its daughters to keep the family finances afloat. Will Anne Elliot find a way to escape her family's clutches, or will she persuaded to resign herself to a life without love or family or her own? Austen fans already know the answer, but they will be the first to dive back into this story."
A Tale for the Time Being
By Ruth Ozeki
"Nao is a lonely, bullied teenager whose changing family circumstances have necessitated a move from California to Tokyo. As her family crumbles, help — and hope — comes in the form of her centenarian great-grandmother, a Buddhist nun. This marvelous book explores two interwoven stories: Nao's journey and also the story of a writer, Ruth, who find's Nao's Hello Kitty lunchbox washed up on the shore of her Pacific Coast home. Ozeki's deservedly award-winning tale will stay with you long after the last page is turned."
The String Diaries
By Stephen Lloyd Jones
"This genre bending book has elements of mystery, thriller, and horror in it and one of the most gripping plot lines you are likely to read this summer. The story opens with a woman driving through the night with her sleeping daughter, her bleeding husband, and a trunk full of diaries tied up with string that contain generations of family secrets. Those diaries contain precious knowledge of how the family has survived for centuries despite the efforts of an evil monster. No one can be trusted here — especially not family. The String Diaries is suspenseful and riveting reading for those who like exploring the darker side of family life."
The Rook
By Daniel O'Malley
"Of course, you could have no family at all. That's the situation that faces Myfanwy Thomas, who wakes up one day battered and bloody with no idea of who she is. A letter in her pocket informs her of her name (but not how to pronounce it) and that she works for a secret governmental agency in the United Kingdom whose job it is to protect the nation from supernatural threats. Myfanwy's co-workers stand in for family, as they do for so many of us today, and they both help and hinder our heroine's progress to find answers about herself and her past. Quirky, fun, and laugh-out-loud funny, The Rook is one of those books that can help you regain perspective when desperate times lead you to fantasize about leaving your own life and family behind."


text:
"Zoids CC" Vol. 5 & 6: Mobilize the Great Beast
Every good tale has a beginning, middle, and an end. We've already seen the beginning as well as the middle, now we have come to the end. Well, to the end of Zoids: Chaotic Century anyway. Despite what the cover will tell you, everything after this is a completely different series. But that's for a different section. For now I'll focus on the exciting conclusion of the Republic vs. Empire war, which shows off several new Zoids and even some new villians.
Episodes on Vol. 5 (Mobilize):
#25: The New Liger
#26: Memories of Zi
#27: The Savior
#28: Run, Wolf!
#29: Heroes of the Sky
#30: Moonbay's Waltz
Episodes on Vol. 6 (Beast):
#31: The Three Guards
#32: The Doom Machine
#33: The Battle for Survival
#34: The Capital Ablaze
#35: The Secret Mission
#36: Sniper
When we left our heroes, Rudolph, Irvine, and Moonbay had been captured by Stinger and Prozen's goons; Van was presumed dead; and Fiona was with Zeke inside the Shield Liger remains, which are now a whirlwind of light. Of course, Van isn't truly dead (we still have ten episodes left), and he valiantly attempts to free his friends from Stinger's grasp. However, Irvine is paralyzed and Rudolph can't handle the Command Wolf just yet, meaning that our heroes have very little to fight with. And as if that weren't enough, several more Prozen assassins are trying to stop our heroes from reaching the capital of the Empire, Gygalos. If they don't arrive at the capital in time, Prozen will unleash a new and powerful Zoid known as the Deathsaurer, which has enough power to destroy entire cities in one blast!
This is what the previous four discs have been leading up to: the final showdown between Van and the Deathsaurer. We get several brand new Zoids in these volumes, including the Deathsaurer, the Storm Sworder, and the biggest of all: the Blade Liger. Vastly improved over the ugly Shield Liger, the Blade Liger is much faster, stronger, and cooler than the Shield Liger in every way. It's easily my favorite Zoid in the entire series, and the fact that it uses two swords as its primary weapon just adds to the coolness. It also makes the battles much better, as the Blade Liger allows Van to make wall-jumps, run around enemies, and generally become more manuverable. Just the appearence of the Blade Liger elevates the series greatly, even if the action isn't quite as awesome as in Zoids: New Century.
Believe it or not, there's more than just the Blade Liger's awakening to look forward to in Volume 5. Most of the secondary characters get some nice character development, as Fiona somehow regains part of her memories. Also, the Imperial soldier from Disc 4 returns, we get a brief look into Irvine's and Moonbay's past, and we see the debut of the Aero Balone, self-proclaimed protector of Prince Rudolph. While the first two episodes are easily the best on the disc, the last two don't dip either, as they feature some nice high-flying action and an interesting battle with classical music. Episode 27 is decent, but not all that impactful aside from one of Fiona's many jokes. The other episode, "Run, Wolf!" does delve into Irvine's past, which was a blank slate before this, but the episode is rather forgettable, especially with its deus ex machina plot devices.
Volume 6 is about as good as is gets. Though it starts out with another filler episode, it also leads into the three-part finale where we find out exactly what Fiona remembers about her past (including her original name) and witness the final battle (for now) between Van and Raven; we also get that penultimate battle against the uber-powerful Deathsaurer. As awesome as that battle is, the battle between Van and Raven is much better, featuring each Zoid destroying weapons left and right and some very clever battle tactics. The final two episodes are the start to the sequel series Zoids: Guardian Force. Van has become a professional soldier and travels with a grown-up Fiona to protect the weak from evil. Van's new training is obvious, and he's able to pilot his Blade Liger better than ever. His training also allows him to see through deception much more easily. This is overall a more mature version of our hero. And the new villian, Hiltz, is pretty interesting, though mainly because he also has an Organoid.
As you all should know by now, the series combines 2D and 3D animation, with the characters and backgrounds mostly in 2D and the Zoids themselves in 3D. The blend works out very well and gives the series an added punch. Transfer is as good as the previous discs, so if you liked the animation and the transfer before, you'll continue to like it here, especially since the creative staff does more with the animation (what with the Blade Liger, Storm Sworders, the new Zaber Fangs, and the Deathsaurer).
You'd expect from a series such as this a soundtrack filled with techno and rock music, but the majority of the music (including the Japanese theme song) is more reminiscient of country, which gives it a laid-back feel. This is an interesting choice and helps the series stand out. The disc features the same audio set-up as previous discs, so, unforutnately, there is no Japanese version, nor is there a booming 5.1 Surround soundtrack. Still, for what it is, the audio works.
Extras are exactly the same as on previous discs. There are profiles on Rosso, Viola, Prozen, the Storm Sworder, and the Deathsaurer. The insert also shows off all fourteen volumes of the manga, which is overpriced ($10 for those dinky little things?), but features some changes and new characters.
If you're a fan of previous discs of Zoids: Chaotic Century and can put up with the dub-only format, you'll love these discs. The series continues to get better and better, and if you've never seen it before, this would be a good pick-up. It won't set you back much and it makes for a fun way to waste some time.


text: Newcastle Brown Ale has released its limited edition Summer Ale. The beer is a light, golden ale with a citrus scent. It is brewed with Optic malts and Styrian Golding and Challenger hops, and is 4.4% alcohol with 26 international bittering units. Summer Ale will be available from May through July 2012 in 6-packs and


text:
Fees being raised for ambulance service in Adams County
Thu, 15 Mar 2012 21:42:01 GMT —
In 2011, the Adams County Ambulance Service averaged about 20 calls a day. And when one of the EMTs or paramedics are either on vacation, taking a sick day or maybe even on short term disability, that means another EMT or paramedic has to fill in and that means overtime. Money spent on that, as well as slower reimbursements from the state and insurance companies has put a strain on this year's budget.
"We're trying to hedge against those costs we have to pay. We need some assistance and in terms of making sure that we don't see a larger budget problem later, it was important to see an increase now," Paul Davis, Adams County Ambulance Service chief, said.
The fiscal year for the ambulance service runs from December 1, 2011 to November 30, 2012. And with the budget year just four-months-old, there's already a negative balance of about a quarter of a million dollars. The ambulance board is hoping the increase in rates will help plug that financial drain.
"Patients who are normally covered by insurance, we don't see as many of those anymore. Some of them are self pay or have shifted to a government program such as public aid or Medicare. And actually Medicare the payer mix for Medicare is on it's way down as well," Davis said.
Davis said a majority of the people they transport have either a private insurance company that covers most of the bill, or the patients are on Medicare or Medicaid and that they won't see an increase in what comes out of their pocket to cover the expense of calling for an ambulance.
Numbers released by the Adams County Ambulance service show that about 72% of 7,330 calls last year were medical related.
The rest were trauma, motor vehicle crashes, cardiac arrest or patient transfers from one facility to another.
The last time ambulance fees were raised in Adams County was back in 2010.


text:
Alternative Linux distros that deserve the limelight
Despite Ubuntu's mainstream popularity it's not the only desktop distribution out there. Other luminaries include Fedora OpenSUSE Debian and Mandriva and they are all certainly excellent. But what about the lesser known alternatives? While there are many distributions tailored for specific tasks – such as security web serving education and so on – there are also quite a few desktop-orientated distributions that so far haven't reached the limelight. There are at least two distributions that are worth your time. And who knows you may even choose one to be your new default desktop.
Linux Mint 9
The clean Mint desktop with its customised menu.
Choosing to look at Linux Mint as an alternative to Ubuntu is in many ways a bit of a misnomer: it's based on Ubuntu. But maybe that's part of its appeal. After all it brings with it all the advantages of Ubuntu but with a slightly different take.
Aside from a different visual style – an eminent green after its namesake – Mint aims to provide an even more user friendly desktop than Ubuntu which of course is saying something. And it's fair to say it succeeds. Mint has a number of unique features largely around new configuration and administration tools that Ubuntu could probably learn from.
Mint's update manager is cleaner and more feature rich than Ubuntu.
For example the update manager colour-codes and numbers updates based on level of risk or source (such as trusted Ubuntu packages or third party for example). It also allows you to set how frequently updates are checked for down to the minute and set ignore packages for those you never want to upgrade (in case for example you're already using another version from a different source).
The Software Manager with user ratings and reviews.
And Mint's version of the Ubuntu Software Center the Software Manager is easier to browse and comes with an excellent feature: ratings. Any Mint user can submit a star-rating and even a review. These are listed under the program name and screenshot so you can quickly see what other users think. When you consider the close to 33000 packages available from Ubuntu alone this is a brilliant way to narrow down the popular packages so you can find those worth installing. Some packages have hundreds of reviews and ratings providing a clear indication of the top products.
Mint's control panel
Other useful tools include the Startup Manager to change GRUB settings easily including boot-up resolution; an easy to use Firewall configuration program that even new users can master; a simple tool to block domains; the excellent Backup Tool that not only allows to backup user files and directories and provides incremental backups but also save your list of installed software so you don't have to go hunting for favourites again with a new install; and two tools to make file sharing a snap: File Uploader which allows you to drag and drop files to pre-defined destinations on the web and Giver which does the same for users on your network displaying local users in an instant-messaging style list for direct user-to-user sharing.
Linux Mint 9 is based on Ubuntu 10.04 but thankfully doesn't implement Ubuntu's strange relocation of the close buttons that occurred in 10.04. All the Mint themes for which there is a good selection stick to what you're used to. And while it includes most of the same default applications it also adds a few new or different ones: Gimp for example is included (this was removed from Ubuntu 10.04) XChat for IRC chat Pidgin for instant messaging Gnome Player in addition to Totem and the Pulse Audio manager for better control over sound devices.
It also comes with a variety of desktop environments in case you're not a Gnome fan: there is a KDE edition Fluxbox Xfce and LXDE. The Fluxbox version especially is a great implementation.
At the time of writing Linux Mint is the third most popular distribution on DistroWatch just behind Ubuntu at number one and Fedora at two. This says volumes about the quality and passion behind this distro. I currently have Ubuntu as my default but for the first time I'm thinking of switching to an alternative and that alternative is Mint.
Puppy Linux 5.10
Puppy is lightweight and very fast.
Puppy Linux has at least one particular claim to fame for us – it's Australian. And it has puppy in it's name so you know it's going to be good. Or at least cute. It also runs entirely from memory which means it's both fast and compact. So much so in fact you can run it all from a small USB key – the bootable .ISO image is just 128M.
And unlike Live CDs for most other distros where there's a usable but limited desktop environment and settings aren't usually saved the live Puppy CD can be run and used entirely from a variety of removeable media – USB keys SD memory cards and even CDRs – any changes you make are saved in a separate file so you pickup where you left off. The settings file is actually a self-contained file system and can optionally be encrypted.
Puppy maintains its slim size and in turn its ability to run entirely from memory by using a lightweight desktop environment and different applications than you might normally be used to. For example using Abirword for word processing instead of OpenOffice and Rox-Filer as a file manager instead of Nautilus. All the essential applications are covered however from browsing and email through to video editing and even basic network administration. An impressive feat for such a compact distro.
QuickPet is a simple installer for most popular packages.
While the Puppy Package Manager allows installation from both Puppy and
Ubuntu repositories.
It isn't on the whole as pretty as distributions like Ubuntu but then it has its own unique features. One of these is the Puppy package manager. Not only does it allow you install .PET packages (Puppy's own package format also called Puplets) from the Puppy repositories but it allows you easily browse and install .deb files from the Ubuntu repositories too. In fact you can easily install Ubuntu Debian Slackware and Arch packages just by clicking on them. And when you download packages you can selectively choose mirrors and take advantage of a 'Trim the fat' option that removes unnecessary files you may not need including locales documentation and development files post-install. It's simple features like this that give Puppy it's charm.
Part of the reason for cross-distribution compatibility is another unique feature to Puppy: Woof. Yes it's all too easy to go with the dog analogies but Woof is actually a quite impressive tool: it's the means by which Puppy itself is built. In short Woof can be used to build your own minimal Puppy Linux distribution based another distribution such as the aforementioned Ubuntu Debian Slackware or Arch.
It's for this reason there are quite a few Puppy derivatives the main ones being Fatdog64 (a 64-bit native version of Puppy) Puppeee for the Asus EeePC Fluppy for other netbooks and Quirky (Puppy's cutting-edge development arm. Or paw I should say).
Despite the fact that Puppy's compact size and speed lends it to obviously being ideal for older systems it none-the-less is just as capable for modern systems and even though it's not as pretty as distributions like Ubuntu and Mint it's excellent setup and package tools make it a pleasure to use.
Another Puppy Linux desktop
And another!
Ashton Mills
has been using Linux since Slackware came on floppies – and before that
was one of the three people in the world who used OS/2 (and loved it).
Always ready to make the most of his PC he is constantly playing with
Linux distributions and compiling the latest kernel.


text:
Submit News
Report: IPhone Problems -- Foes Rejoice, Fans Stay Unquestioningly Loyal
Jason Mick
August 31, 2008 10:00 AM
Recipient E-mail
Sender E-mail
The rough ride of Apple's iPhone is exciting Verizon and others, but Apple fans are unmoved
Apple's iPhone went 3G and was met with great enthusiasm from Apple's fans. Within a week of its launch, it had hit a million units sold. The frantic pace of sales, began to slow, but still Apple managed to reach the 2 million mark, not long after, according to analysts.
complaints about call quality, dropped calls
, and
defects have created
somewhat of a public relations nightmare for AT&T and Apple. For the signal related problems,
Apple and AT&T have rolled out a fix
, the details of which were finally
leaked by an AT&T employee
. However, that has not stopped
Verizon from seizing on public ill-will towards the iPhone
and running new advertising campaigns specifically attacking it.
"A phone is only as good as the network it's on,"
Verizon's ad blasts
, and in an email to Wall Street analysts, a Verizon executive chided, "So much for a 'new' way of doing business at the old AT&T — your father's phone company."
Part of what has left Apple and AT&T so vulnerable to such attacks is that they have done little to explain what is causing the problems. This has created an air of uncertainty around the iPhone that is perhaps unjustified, but largely the fault of the pair's silence.
Aside from the technical details of the problem, one additional aspect may simply be logistics. AT&T's 3G network covers only 310 cities of 100,000 people or more, though it plans to add 40 more cities by the end of 2008.
Phil Marshall, of the research firm the Yankee Group, believes this lack of network coverage and the pair's corporate tendencies are wreaking havoc on the iPhone. He states, "It's hard to launch an iconic device like the iPhone on a network that it is not yet fully deployed. As they build these networks they will need to make more improvements or the complaints will persist. Both companies are accustomed to controlling all aspects of the delivery of its products. It illustrates the culture clash, when you create an environment where you share the responsibilities between them. Then you have problems."
Marshall is equally sick of the almost daily emails from Verizon's management blasting the iPhone. He bemoans, "I get almost one a day. It's almost like, hey, quit spamming me."
However, for all the bad news for Apple and AT&T, one piece of good news is that reports are indicating that through thick and thin
Apple's fans are staying loyal
to the company. Peter Fader, a marketing professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania describes the phenomena stating, "The objective reality is that Apple does plenty of wrong. Very few companies have this kind of iconic status where anything they do, even if it is mediocre, will automatically have a halo around it."
Kern Bruce, a 25-year-old Web designer in Boston, Massachusetts, was among those die-hard Apple fans who waited all night in line to be among the first to receive a 3G iPhone. He's had lots of problems with it since -- overheating, program crashes, and such poor 3G that he has turned the feature off. It's not his first problem with an Apple product either. He had to return an overheating MacBook Air and his Apple cinema display monitor is failing, having image burn-in. Still he says he would never turn his back on Apple.
He states, "They're skimping on materials, on testing things to gain market share, but they're kind of pushing away people who have been with the brand even when [it was] struggling. (However, Macs are) a lot better than the alternative in terms of stability, viruses, being able to do high-end graphics work. I wouldn't tell people to stop getting Apple products. They make very good products."
Baba Shiv, a professor of marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business says that
such business phenomena
are not unusual. He argues that most Harley Davidson bikes are inferior to their Asian competitors in terms of price and quality, but they still sell well in America. He states, "In the public domain, the coolness factor matters. (Once loyalty forms) the transgression has to be so egregious for someone to completely change the narrative. If something like this had happened to Microsoft, the long-term impact would be much more for Microsoft than for Apple."
Apple and partner AT&T have their fingers crossed that Apple's fans stick with it, through thick and thin as they silently try to resolve the iPhone's problems.
"If you can find a PS3 anywhere in North America that's been on shelves for more than five minutes, I'll give you 1,200 bucks for it." -- SCEA President Jack Tretton
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text:
Let's celebrate mother's day with something strawberry! It's perfectly convenient that this fragrant edible berry is in season the same time we honor Mom. Strawberries are not only a healthy and delicious stand alone snack but a versatile fruit that can be the used in a myriad of recipes from strawberry pie to Thai pork kebabs with strawberry quinoa salad!
If you want to keep it real simple, (this always works for me) treat mom to a glass of homemade strawberry lemonade. My recipe below is a light version of a Martha Stewart recipe. Whether you're planning a brunch or a backyard barbeque, this light beverage is sure to fit in!
What are your favorite ways to enjoy strawberries?
Strawberry Lemonade
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 2 1/4 cup slice fresh strawberries
- 4 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
- 6 + 1/2 packets Splenda
- 8 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ice
- sparkling water
Puree strawberries and 1/2 packet Splenda and 1 teaspoon superfine sugar in a blender. Set out two glasses and add the following to each glass: 9 tablespoons strawberry puree, 2 tablespoons superfine sugar, 3 packets of Spelenda, and 4 tablespoons lemon juice. Stir to combine and add ice. Top off each glass with sparkling water.


text:
December 21, 2012 BY Brendan Dunne
The Nike Air Max 2 Strong has garnered a surprisingly strong reaction so far, at least on the comments section of this very sneaker site. Folks seem eager to get their hands on this upcoming 'Suns' colorway, with the mixture of dark grey, electric orange, and court purple getting quite a few of us nostalgic thanks to the whole Charles Barkley/Phoenix connection. Continue read for some detailed shots of the sneaker in all its crackled leather glory and keep in mind that they're set to pop up at stores like Mr R Sports on January 1st of 2013.
Nike Air Max 2 Strong
Dark Grey/Electric Orange-Court Purple
Photos: ITSB
Filed under: Nike Retro Upcoming Sneakers
Tags: Nike Air Max 2 Strong


text:
All Android applications categories
Shark AppManager is the best and quickest way to better manage your applications. Simple and intuitive and it has everything what you need to make a full backup of its data and apk installed. Additionally you can choose to save your backup to a directory on Dropbox ;)
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* Show installated application in an instant.
* Open, Details, Uninstall, Backup, Market.
* Restore application.
* Restore application's data (only rooted).
* Backup all user's app with a click.
* Uninstall system's applications.
* Restore all with a click (only rooted).
* Angry Birds backup/restore
* Dropbox sync
* Holo interface
* Move to SD (also without root)
* Buy Plus version within the application
* Send backup to email
* and more
For suggestions or bugs please send an email to: email@example.com
Follow me on twitter: mariobuonomo
Tutorial: www.mariobuonomo.com
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text:
Christopher Alexander, the official Capitol shoe shiner, works recently at his stand under the Gold Dome in Atlanta. Lobbyists, legislators and visitors routinely avail themselves of Alexander's service.
Brandon Larrabee/Morris News Service
ATLANTA - He has met U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Zell Miller. He has even had former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, a Democratic presidential contender, visit him.
So where, wonders Christopher Alexander, is Gov. Sonny Perdue?
''What's his problem?'' Alexander jokingly tells a reporter to ask the governor. ''Your feet not working or what?''
It is because of their feet that so many key figures in Georgia politics - ''big guys,'' as Alexander calls them - stop by his little corner of the state Capitol. Tucked into a balcony that overlooks the floor of the rotunda, Alexander's two-seat shoe-shining operation is where lobbyists and legislators go to put their feet up - and get a little polish on them.
Alexander, a caterer before a bicycle accident left him unable to lift heavy trays, got the job in 2001. Looking for another job to supplement the disability payments that weren't enough to live on, Alexander went to the Capitol and, after talking to then-Speaker Tom Murphy, began his work shining shoes.
With lobbyists and legislators sitting a few feet away from him, Alexander says he regularly hears about the bills that are working their way through the statehouse. And Alexander, who says his main issues are a proposed raise for teachers and two separated lanes for trucks on major highways, isn't hesitant about undertaking some lobbying himself.
''I get my little two cents in, whether it goes across the table or not,'' Alexander said.
Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, says that advice isn't for naught.
''I imagine a lot of decisions are inspired by this gentleman - run ideas by him, see what he thinks,'' said Mullis, who isn't a regular customer but has stopped by on a Thursday afternoon before heading to a legislative dinner at the Governor's Mansion.
But it's not only the powerful who can get a shoe shine at Alexander's bench. Matt Wood of Statesboro, in town to see his father appointed to the Board of Corrections on Thursday, is getting a shoe shine.
''I think he's doing a fantastic job,'' Wood said. ''They look better than new. I think he's found his calling.''
Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Monday, February 9, 2004.
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