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By Sandra Fox
Healthcare-NOW, the national grassroots organization for single-payer healthcare, together with Physicians for a National Health Program, began a committee in 2010 to look at divestment from for-profit health insurance companies. We called ourselves the Divestment Campaign for Health Care.
As a member of the committee and a participant in TIAA-CREF funds, the nation's largest pension fund that offers retirement options to academic (including medical centers) and religious organizations, I decided to investigate their holdings in the "socially responsible" stock option called "CREF-Social Choice." As a stakeholder, I wanted to make sure that health insurance companies were not included in this fund.
Upon reviewing the 2010 Audited Schedules of Investments for the fund, I was very disturbed to discover that CREF-Social Choice included holdings in Aetna, CIGNA, Coventry Health Care, Humana, and WellPoint.
According to their Summary Prospectus the five "social criteria" TIAA-CREF reports using to decide on their socially responsible holdings include:
1) Strong stewards of the environment;
2) devoted to serving local communities where they operate and to human rights and philanthropy;
3) committed to higher labor standards for their own employees and those in the supply chain;
4) dedicated to producing high-quality and safe products; and
5) managed in an exemplary and ethical manner.
I understood from reading the Prospectus that companies are screened and ranked by an outside vendor, namely MSCI Inc, and that TIAA-CREF invests in companies that "meet or exceed the screening criteria…," though "…concerns in one area do not automatically eliminate a company from potential inclusion in the …Fund."
I further understood from the Prospectus, that "Even if an investment is not excluded by MSCI's criteria, Advisors has the option of excluding the investment if it decides the investment is inappropriate, though it is expected that Advisors will normally apply MSCI's screening results."
Thus began my inquiry directly with TIAA-CREF headquarters in NYC.
It began in March 2011 with a phone message to Amy Muska O'Brien, Director of Global Social and Community Investing for TIAA-CREF. Ms. O'Brien's email response recommended I send a letter to Keith Rauschenbach, Managing Director and Head of Affiliated Business Development for TIAA-CREF. A three page letter was sent to Mr. Rauschenbach on March 23, 2011 and copied to Ms. O'Brien, presenting my concerns and requesting 1) TIAA-CREF "review the appropriateness of holdings with health insurance companies, given their record of unethical and hurtful practices, resulting in worsening health, loss of like life, and bankruptcy to countless Americans"; and 2) "…a meeting at your headquarters in New York between executives of TIAA-CREF socially responsible funds and individual investors in these funds, myself included, who share the above concerns… I look forward to your response and to a future dialogue with you on this issue."
I received a two page response from Mr. Rauschenbach on April 8, 2011, which explained that the indices used for inclusion in the Social Choice fund utilize [no "s"] "a 'best-of-class' approach–they include companies with high ESG ratings relative to their sector peers." While "input from individual investors serves as a valuable addition to our process…, at this time we are not excluding health insurance companies from our Social Choice portfolios…you asked about a possible meeting…While our investment professionals cannot meet with investors individually, we appreciate the feedback…from investors like you…"
In February 2012 a PROPOSAL OF SHAREHOLDER'S RESOLUTION TO TIAA-CREF RE: CREF-SOCIAL CHOICE HOLDINGS IN HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES was sent to William Mostyn, then Corporate Secretary and Vice-President of TIAA-CREF, containing both my signature from Pittsburgh, PA and the signature of Johanna W. H. van Wijk-Bos (aka Johanna Bos), ordained clergy in Presbyterian Church (USA) and Professor of Bible at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Kentucky.
Within a few weeks of receipt of the proposal, William Mostyn called me to request a conference call to discuss the proposal. This was arranged for March 5, 2012 and included Mr. Mostyn, Ms. O'Brien, John Wilson (Head of Corporate Governance for TIAA-CREF), Johanna Bos, and me.
On the conference call, TIAA-CREF requested that we withdraw our proposal in return for dialogue with both them and MSCI, Inc., their vendor for rating companies. Mr. Mostyn indicated that if we did not withdraw the proposal, they would file to block the proposal with the SEC, claiming it would interfere with "ordinary business," a claim that apparently can legitimately be used to block shareholder resolutions.
After an emergency conference call that night with members of the divestment committee, an email letter was sent the next day to TIAA-CREF with our collective response: an agreement to withdraw the proposal for one year contingent on separate meetings in NYC with MSCI and TIAA-CREF; based on our assessment of progress made, we may or may not decide to resubmit our proposal in 2013.
A three hour meeting with MSCI at their office in the heart of the financial district was held on March 30, 2012 and included from our committee: Rev. Dr. Johanna Bos from Louisville; Kay Tillow, Coordinator, All Unions Committee for Single Payer Health Care–HR 676 and Chair, Kentuckians for Single Payer Health Care, Board and Steering Committee member of Healthcare-NOW, also from Louisville; Katie Robbins, Board member and former National Organizer for Healthcare-NOW, Graduate Student in Public Health at Columbia University, from NYC; Dr. Mary O'Brien, internist and primary care physician at Columbia Health Services in NYC and a Board Member of PNHP, national and NY Metro chapter; and myself, co-chair, Western PA Coalition for Single-Payer Healthcare and Board and Steering Committee member of Healthcare-NOW, from Pittsburgh. Attendees from MSCI included Eric Fernald, Head of ESG Methodologies; Linda Eling Lee, head of ESG Ratings; and Julia Gigara, Health Care Team.
A presentation from our committee was made, containing documentation of repeated abuses by the health insurance industry, and our argument for divestment. MSCI indicated that controversy is taken into account in the formulation of a company's rating, but that TIAA-CREF had elected to use the "best in class" approach with their Social Choice portfolio. Other options for screening are available to clients of MSCI, including those in which objectionable industries are not rated for inclusion. (TIAA-CREF had claimed to us in our conference call that while CREF-Social Choice does not invest in alcohol, gambling, or tobacco companies, it is because their rankings are not high enough for inclusion in the fund.)
A three hour meeting with TIAA-CREF was held at their headquarters in mid-town Manhattan on April 27, 2012. Each of the seven participants from our committee have holdings in CREF-Social Choice or Social Choice Equity Funds (the latter are mutual funds, which also invest in health insurance companies). Our team included: Mark Dudzic, National Coordinator, Labor Campaign for Single Payer Healthcare, from Columbia, Maryland; Josephine Disparti, MPH, EdD, RN, retired registered nurse, fromer faculty member at City University of NY, and member Healthcare-NOW and PNHP, from NYC; Barbara Kritt, Sociologist/Researcher/Campaign Operative a BKritt Consultin, from Ann Arbor, MI, and NYC; Oliver Fein, M.D., Professor of Clinical Medicine and Public Health, Associate Dean (Affiliations), at Weill Cornell Medical College, Past President and Board Member of PNHP, Chair NY Metro chapter, PNHP, from NYC; Rev. Dr. Johanna Bos from Louisville; Mary O'Brien, M.D. from NYC; and myself. The team from TIAA-CREF included Marjorie Pierre-Merritt, Esq. VP and Assistant Corporate Secretary | Advocacy and Oversight TIAA-CREF; Amy Muska O'Brien; John Wilson and Rehka Unnithan, Associate, Global Social and Community Investing. Of curious interest was the very sudden departure of William Mostyn as Corporate Secretary and VP from TIAA-CREF, who had initiated the dialogue by phone.
Once again, as we did with MSCI, we presented our case for divestment, with folders given to each attendee full of supporting evidence regarding the abuses of the industry. TIAA-CREF balked at our request for a decision by them regarding divestment in advance of their 7/17/12 shareholder's meeting, but we held strong that a decision be made by 7/3.
Their oral response came June 28, 2012 via a conference call coordinated by Marjorie Pierre-Merritt with John Wilson, Johanna Bos and myself. Ms. Pierre-Merritt stated "We appreciate the dialogue we've had with you… we're constantly looking at " the MSCI methodology, have reviewed it, and are "very comfortable with the process of screening" that they presently use. Mr. Wilson added "MSCI appreciated the dialogue." Both TIAA-CREF representatives indicated the company will continue to employ the "best in class" approach and rely on MSCI's ratings. TIAA-CREF would not divest from health insurance companies but encouraged us to continue to provide information to MSCI relevant to our concern.
We informed TIAA-CREF that we were not happy with their response and would resubmit our shareholders proposal in 2013.
Meanwhile, on July 17, 2012, we once again were at the headquarters of TIAA-CREF, this time for their annual shareholders meeting, where standing room only crowds questioned the President and CEO of the company on their holdings in companies deemed socially-irresponsible by the participants. Three of us from our group were able to make our case for divestment from health insurance companies during the question and answer period, while others from the committee protested outside.
Today, January 26, 2013, I am sending the proposal off to TIAA-CREF once again, bearing the signatures of both Johanna Bos and me. We await the next chapter and urge letters of support from holders of CREF-Social Choice to TIAA-CREF on behalf of divestment from health insurance companies.


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How do Medical Doctors and Chiropractors work together?
Chiropractors treat many different types of problems with great success. At times, it is necessary to seek help from other doctors for second opinions, to order additional diagnostic tests, or to seek additional treatment.
Chiropractors develop relationships with family physicians, general physicians, internists, orthopedists, neurologists, podiatrists, massage therapists, dentists and many other types of providers. Chiropractors and the other professionals have developed these relationships to provide the best care possible for all patients.
We pride ourselves in the results that we get with our patients. Our philosophy is that we will do whatever it takes to seek the best results for our patients. If we feel that we can successfully treat a patient, then we accept them for treatment. If we feel there is a better option for them, then we refer out to the appropriate provider or specialist.
Working Together For Your Benefit
Over the last 20 years, medical doctors and doctors of chiropractic have begun to understand the importance of working together for the benefit of the patient. Prior to the 1990's, many medical doctors didn't understand what chiropractic could do, nor did they realize the effectiveness of chiropractic. Education and scientific studies have changed that for the better.
Outcomes of the studies have proven that chiropractic is effective, inexpensive, and safe. That is why many hospitals now have chiropractors on staff and many medical doctors and chiropractors have gone into practice together.
For both the MD and the DC, doing what is best for the patient is a top priority. Once this is understood, using all available tools for optimum health makes perfect sense.
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SAMPLE QUESTIONS (DO NOT COMPLETED THIS UNTIL YOU CONTACT ME BACK VIA BRAINMASS) 1) Balance sheet accounts are considered to be __________. A. nominal accounts B. permanent accounts C. temporary stockholders' accounts D. capital accounts 2) The major reporting standard for management accounts is __________. A. generally accepted accounting principles B. the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 C. the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Practitioners of Management Accounting and Financial Management D. relevance to decisions 3) H55 Company sells two products, beer and wine. Beer has a 10 percent profit margin and wine has a 12 percent profit margin. Beer has a 27 percent contribution margin and wine has a 25 percent contribution margin. If other factors are equal, which product should H55 push to customers? A. It should sell an equal quantity of both B. Wine C. Beer D. Selling either results in the same additional income for the company 4) What is the preparation of reports for each level of responsibility in the company's organization chart called? A. Master budgeting analysis B. Responsibility reporting C. Static reporting D. Exception reporting 5) These are selected account balances on December 31, 2008. Land (location of the corporation's office building) $100,000 Land (held for future use) 150,000 Corporate Office Building 600,000 Inventory 200,000 Equipment 450,000 Office Furniture 100,000 Accumulated Depreciation 300,000 What is the net amount of property, plant, and equipment that will appear on the balance sheet? A. $950,000 B. $1,100,000 C. $1,300,000 D. $1,600,000 6) Of the following companies, which one would not likely employ the specific identification method for inventory costing? A. Hardware store B. Farm implement dealership C. Music store specializing in organ sales D. Antique shop 7) The cost of an asset and its fair market value are __________. A. the same on the date of acquisition B. the same when the asset is sold C. never the same D. irrelevant when the asset is used by the business in its operations 8) A company just starting in business purchased three merchandise inventory items at the following prices. First purchase $80; Second purchase $95; Third purchase $85. If the company sold two units for a total of $240 and used FIFO costing, the gross profit for the period would be _____. A. $50 B. $75 C. $65 D. $60 9) The primary purpose of the statement of cash flows is to __________. A. facilitate banking relationships B. prove that revenues exceed expenses if there is a net income C. provide information about the investing and financing activities during a period D. provide information about the cash receipts and cash payments during a period 10) Which list below best describes the major services performed by public accountants? A. Cost accounting, production scheduling, recruiting B. Employee training, auditing, bookkeeping C. Bookkeeping, mergers, budgets D. Auditing, taxation, management consulting 11) The standards and rules that are recognized as a general guide for financial reporting are called __________. A. standards of financial reporting B. generally accepted accounting principles C. generally accepted accounting standards D. operating guidelines 12) If a company reports a net loss, it __________. A. will not be able to make capital expenditures B. will not be able to pay cash dividends C. may still have a net increase in cash D. will not be able to get a loan 13) What exists when budgeted costs exceed actual results? A. An excess profit B. A favorable difference C. A budgeting error D. An unfavorable difference 14) One of Astro Company's activity cost pools is machine setups, with estimated overhead of $150,000. Astro produces sparklers (400 setups) and lighters (600 setups). How much of the machine setup cost pool should be assigned to sparklers? A. $90,000 B. $60,000 C. $150,000 D. $75,000 15) For a college student who wishes to calculate the true costs of going to college, the costs of room and board __________. A. plus the cost of tuition, equals the opportunity cost of going to college B. should be counted only to the extent that they are more expensive at college than elsewhere C. should be counted in full, regardless of the costs of eating and sleeping elsewhere D. usually exceed the opportunity cost of going to college 16) If a binding price ceiling were imposed in the computer market, __________. A. the quality of computers would increase B. the supply of computers would decrease C. the demand for computers would increase D. a shortage of computers would develop 17) Which of the following statements about GDP is correct? A. GDP increases if the total population increases. B. Money continuously flows from households to government and then back to households, and GDP measures this flow of money. C. GDP measures two things at once: the total income of everyone in the economy and the unemployment rate. D. GDP is to a nation's economy as household income is to a household. 18) What you give up to obtain an item is called your __________. A. direct cost B. explicit cost C. opportunity cost D. true cost 19) In order to be successful, a cartel must __________. A. agree on the prices charged by each member, but they need not agree on amounts produced B. agree on the total level of production for the cartel, but they need not agree on the amount produced by each member C. find a way to encourage members to produce more than they would otherwise produce D. agree on the total level of production and on the amount produced by each member 20) Lekeisha's income exceeds her expenditures. Lekeisha is a __________. A. borrower who supplies money to the financial system B. saver who supplies money to the financial system C. saver who demands money from the financial system D. borrower who demands money from the financial system 21) The general term for market structures that fall somewhere in-between monopoly and perfect competition is __________. A. monopolistically competitive markets B. imperfectly competitive markets C. incomplete markets D. oligopoly markets 22) Edward Prescott and Finn Kydland won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2004. One of their contributions was to argue that if a central bank could convince people to expect zero inflation, then the Fed would be tempted to raise output by increasing inflation. This possibility is known as __________. A. the sacrifice ratio dilemma B. the monetary policy reaction lag C. inflation targeting D. the time inconsistency of policy 23) The open-economy macroeconomic model includes __________. A. neither the market for loanable funds or the market for foreign-currency exchange B. only the market for loanable funds C. both the market for loanable funds and the market for foreign-currency exchange D. only the market for foreign-currency exchange 24) The principal lag for monetary policy __________. A. is the time it takes for policy to change spending. The principal lag for fiscal policy is the time it takes to implement it B. and fiscal policy is the time it takes to implement policy C. is the time it takes to implement policy. The principal lag for fiscal policy is the time it takes for policy to change spending D. and fiscal policy is the time it takes for policy to change spending 25) President George W. Bush and congress cut taxes and raised government expenditures in 2003. Which of the following is not correct? A. In general it is easier to reverse monetary policy than to reverse fiscal policy. B. At the time the economy was just moving into a recession. C. In general monetary policy can be implemented faster than fiscal policy. D. While there was subsequent improvement in economic performance, it's not entirely clear that this was due to the policy. 26) In the open-economy macroeconomic model, other things the same, a decrease in the interest rate shifts __________. A. the supply of dollars in the market for foreign-currency exchange to the left B. the demand for dollars in the market for foreign-currency exchange to the right C. the supply of dollars in the market for foreign-currency exchange to the right D. the demand for dollars in the market for foreign-currency exchange to the left 27) Which of the following statements about GDP is correct? A. Nominal GDP consistently underestimates the value of production, whereas real GDP consistently overestimates the value of production. B. Nominal GDP values production at current prices, whereas real GDP values production at constant prices. C. Nominal GDP values production at market prices, whereas real GDP values production at the cost of the resources used in the production process. D. Nominal GDP values production at constant prices, whereas real GDP values production at current prices. 28) The manager's first question for you is "What law do I need to look at to make sure I am in compliance on this issue?" The correct answer to that question is: A. Sexual harassment policy B. There is no law in the United States that covers this issue C. Pregnancy Discrimination Act D. Americans with Disabilities Act E. American Civil Liberties Act 29) An organization that is managed aggressively and has growth and high profits as primary objectives may be considered a(n): A. Online Business B. Multinational corporation C. Entrepreneurship venture D. Small business E. Large corporation 30) One of the most important contributors to total quality management has been the introduction of statistical tools to analyze the causes of product defects in an approach called: A. Organic B. Six Sigma Quality C. Mechanistic D. ISO 9000 E. Total quality integration 31) ABC International carefully watches the actions of its most innovative competitor and learns from them. ABC can establish a low-cost position by: A. Technology followers are not successful at low-cost strategies B. Making subtle changes to the product, thereby avoiding patent restrictions C. Mass-producing products that have an established market niche D. Learning from the leader thereby avoiding the costs and risks of technology leadership E. Producing an imitation of the new technology that utilizes lower-quality and lower-cost materials 32) Teams that operate separately from the regular work structure and exist temporarily are known as: A. Transnational teams B. Management teams C. Self-managed teams D. Self-designing teams E. Parallel teams 33) Teams that work on long-term projects but disband once the work is completed are known as: A. Transnational teams B. Parallel teams C. Project and development teams D. Traditional work groups E. Management teams 34) __________ is the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals. A. Supervising B. Planning C. Decision making D. Controlling E. Management 35) A series of quality standards developed by a committee working under the International Organization for Standardization to improve total quality in all businesses for the benefit of both producers and consumers is: A. Customer-based integration B. Total quality management C. Computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) D. ISO 9000 E. Just-in-time control (JIT) 36) Building a dynamic organization is another way of describing which function of management? A. Staffing B. Planning C. Controlling D. Leading E. Organizing 37) Which of these describes a vision, as it pertains to leadership? A. A short-term goal of an organization B. Likely to land you in a padded room C. A mental image of a future state of an organization D. A long-term goal of an organization E. The method through which leaders achieve goals 38) As related to managing of human resources, diversity refers to: A. Differences in retention strategies (such as training, hiring, incentives, etc) B. Differences in pay methods (such as hourly, salaried, overtime, hazard-pay, commissioned, etc.) C. Differences in recruiting methods (such as newspapers, schools, flyers, magazines, agencies, etc.) D. Differences in employee benefit plans (such as pensions, insurance, vacations, memberships, etc.) E. Differences in demographics (such as age, race, gender, disability status, lifestyle, veteran status, educational level, etc.) 39) To be competitive in a global economy, Europeans must increase their level of: A. Financial subsidy B. Philanthropic contributions C. Productivity D. Population density E. Espionage activity 40) One study found that manufacturing labor costs about _____ an hour in China, compared to _____ dollars in the United States. A. Less than $1; about 40 B. $2; about 25 C. About $2; about 15 D. Less than $1; about 15 E. Less than $1; about 25 41) Having individuals actually do the job they are applying for as a test to see if they can do it is __________. A. a formal means of screening candidates B. an approach with high reliability C. an approach with high face validity D. an approach with low reliability E. an informal means of screening candidates 48) A project has three paths. A–B–C has a length of 25 days. A–D–C has a length of 15 days. Finally, A–E–C has a length of 20 days. Which one of the following statements is TRUE? A. The expected duration of this project is 25 + 15 + 20 = 60 days. B. The expected duration of this project is 25 days. C. A–B–C has the most slack. D. A–D–C is the critical path. 49) A computer analysis reveals that the best-fitting trend model is Yt = 4.12 e 0.987 t. The trend was fitted using year-end common stock prices for Melodic Kortholt Outlet for the last six years. The R2 is 0.8571. Which conclusion is not correct? A. The absolute annual growth (in dollars per share) is increasing. B. Few investments could match the astounding growth rate. C. At the end of year 3 the stock price would be nearly $80. D. The stock's true intrinsic value is $4.12. 50) Theoretically, service capacity must exceed demand, lest queues become infinitely long. If capacity does not exceed demand, what is likely to happen? A. All of these B. Servers will eliminate time-consuming portions of their jobs, thereby increasing capacity. C. Servers will decrease time spent per customer, thereby increasing capacity. D. Customers will renege or balk, thereby reducing demand. 51) Likely reasons for inaccurate control limits would include which of the following? A. Process variation was not zero, as expected. B. There was insufficient preliminary sampling. C. The engineers were underpaid for their work. D. The engineering parameter for variance is unknown. 52) The one-worker, multiple machines approach functions as: A. a way to create uniform workstation loads. B. a production bottleneck. C. a one-person production line. D. a poka-yoke device. 53) Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the buy option for acquiring IS applications? A. saves money B. saves time C. few types of off-the-shelf software are available, thus limiting confusion D. software can be tried out E. company will know what it is getting 54) When customers access a Web site and make purchases, they generate __________. A. Hyperlink data B. Clickstream data C. Tracking cookies D. Information E. Web data 55) Which of the following statements is correct? A. The Internet has increased individuals' privacy B. An individual's right to privacy supersedes the needs of society C. An individual's right to privacy is absolute D. It is difficult to determine and enforce privacy regulations E. Advances in information technologies have not affected individual privacy 56) Zappos built the majority of its information systems using which of the following? A. Consultants B. Open source software C. Vendor software D. Proprietary software E. Free software 57) The costs of delivering products in the _____ channel are much higher than delivering products in the _____ channel. A. physical, digital B. digital, physical C. e-commerce, digital D. digital, e-commerce E. physical, financial 58) Credit card companies would most likely use which of the following to check for fraudulent credit card use? A. Data mining B. Expert systems C. Neural networks D. Multidimensional data analysis E. Structured query language 59) The management cockpit best exemplifies which type of system? A. Group decision support system B. Digital dashboard C. Decision support system D. Expert system E. Functional area information system 60) Which of the following is not a reason that managers need IT support? A. Decision makers are often in different locations B. Decisions are becoming more complex C. Number of alternatives are decreasing D. Decisions must typically be made under time pressure E. Need to access remote information sources 61) Which of the following are not provided by digital dashboards? A. Exception reporting B. Status access C. Drill down D. Transaction processing E. Key performance indicators 62) International Game Technology's new ERP system produced all of the following benefits except: A. Operations employees were able to access manufacturing process details at their workstations B. ERP system connected the company's global operations C. Integrated the company's business functions D. Company was able to maintain its original business processes E. The company gained flexibility in manufacturing products 63) At 8% compounded annually, how long will it take $750 to double? A. 12 years B. 48 months C. 6.5 years D. 9 years 64) Dublin International Corporation's marginal tax rate is 40%. It can issue three-year bonds with a coupon rate of 8.5% and par value of $1,000. The bonds can be sold now at a price of $938.90 each. The underwriters will charge $23 per bond in flotation costs. Determine the appropriate after-tax cost of debt for Dublin International to use in a capital budgeting analysis. A. 7.2% B. 5.2% C. 4.5% D. 6.0% 65) Which of the following represents an attempt to measure the earnings of the firm's operations over a given time period? A. Quarterly statement B. Cash flow statement C. Balance sheet D. Income statement 66) Disadvantages of using current liabilities as opposed to long-term debt include: A. certainty of interest costs B. higher cash flow exposure C. greater risk of illiquidity, and uncertainty of interest costs D. uncertainty of future liabilities E. decreased risk of liquidity 67) Forward rates are quoted: A. on financial statements B. in an indirect form C. by the FDIC D. in direct form and at a premium or discount E. daily 68) Petrified Forest Skin Care, Inc. pays an annual perpetual dividend of $1.70 per share. If the stock is currently selling for $21.25 per share, what is the expected rate of return on this stock? A. 13.6% B. 12.5% C. 8.0% D. 36.13% 69) The common stockholders are most concerned with: A. the spread between the return generated on new investments and the investor's required rate of return. B. the size of the firm's beginning earnings per share. C. the risk of the investment. D. the percentage of profits retained. 70) Suppose you determine that the NPV of a project is $1,525,855. What does that mean? A. The project's IRR would have to be less that the firm's discount rate. B. The project would add value to the firm. C. Under all conditions, the project's payback would be less than the profitability index. D. In all cases, investing in this project would be better than investing in a project that has an NPV of $850,000. 71) Bell Weather, Inc. has a beta of 1.25. The return on the market portfolio is 12.5%, and the risk-free rate is 5%. According to CAPM, what is the required return on this stock? A. 15.62% B. 9.37% C. 14.37% D. 20.62% 72) According to the hedging principle, permanent assets should be financed with _____ liabilities. A. fixed B. spontaneous C. current D. permanent 73) PepsiCo calculates unlevered betas for each peer group in order to: A. eliminate different financial risks. B. eliminate competitive factors. C. eliminate judgment factors. D. eliminate different business risks. 74) Which of the following best represents the stream of income that is available to common stockholders? A. Operating profit B. Earnings before interest and taxes C. Gross profit D. Net profit after tax and after preferred dividend payments 75) Your company is considering an investment in a project which would require an initial outlay of $300,000 and produce expected cash flows in Years 1 through 5 of $87,385 per year. You have determined that the current after-tax cost of the firm's capital (required rate of return) for each source of financing is as follows: Cost of debt 8% Cost of preferred stock 12% Cost of common stock 16% Long-term debt currently makes up 20% of the capital structure, preferred stock 10%, and common stock 70%. What is the net present value of this project? A. $1,568 B. $871 C. $1,241 D. $463 76) An Australian wine producer, facing declining sales at home, set up a new channel of distribution to sell wine in the United States. This seems to be an effort at: A. stratification. B. diversification. C. product development. D. market development. E. market penetration. 77) Clustering techniques applied to segmenting markets __________. A. doesn't apply to demographic data B. remove the need for managerial judgment C. is time consuming and expensive D. usually require computers to group people based on data from market research E. eliminate the need for marketing managers to specify in advance what dimensions might be relevant for grouping consumers 78) "Positioning": A. eliminates the need for judgment in strategy planning. B. helps strategy planners see how customers view competitors' offerings. C. is useful for combining but not for segmenting. D. applies to new products--but not existing products. E. is concerned with obtaining the best shelf space in retail outlets. 79) "Marketing strategy planning" means: A. selecting a target market and developing a marketing strategy. B. finding attractive opportunities and selecting a target market. C. selecting an attractive marketing mix. D. finding attractive opportunities and developing profitable marketing strategies. E. selecting an attractive target market. 80) Coca-Cola is taking advantage of the new willingness of Chinese leaders to engage in international trade by marketing its soft drinks in China. What type of opportunity is Coke pursuing? A. test marketing B. diversification C. market penetration D. market development E. product development 81) Marketing: A. not important if you have a good product. B. creates materialistic values which did not exist before. C. is only propaganda. D. turns consumers into puppets. E. reflects existing social values in the short run--while reinforcing these values in the long run. 82) Which of the following is a business or organizational customer? A. All of these are business and organizational customers. B. producers of goods or services. C. a government agency. D. a retailer. E. a wholesaler. 83) A firm's "marketing mix" decision areas would NOT include: A. Place. B. Promotion. C. Product. D. People. E. Price. 84) When looking at demographic dimensions, marketers should: A. always consider external influences. B. know that it is illegal to segment markets based on membership in some racial or ethnic group. C. understand that ethnic groups are generally homogeneous within. D. know that demographics are especially helpful in explaining why specific people buy specific brands. E. recognize that demographics can be very useful for estimating the market potential of possible target markets. 85) Regarding organizational buying, the people who have the power to select or approve the supplier--especially for larger purchases--are called: A. users. B. influencers. C. gatekeepers. D. deciders. E. buyers. 86) The difference between target marketing and mass marketing is that target marketing: A. aims at increased sales, while mass marketing focuses on increased profits. B. means focusing on a small market. C. does not rely on e-commerce but mass marketing does. D. focuses on short-run objectives, while mass marketing focuses on long-run objectives. E. focuses on specific customers, while mass marketing aims at an entire market. 87) The "four Ps" of a marketing mix are: A. Production, Personnel, Price, and Physical Distribution B. Promotion, Production, Price, and People C. Potential customers, Product, Price, and Personal Selling D. Product, Price, Promotion, and Profit E. Product, Place, Promotion, and Price 88) In which of the following are these steps of a criminal case listed in the correct order? A. Arrest, indictment, trial, arraignment B. Arraignment, arrest, trial, indictment C. Arrest, arraignment, indictment, trial D. Arrest, indictment, arraignment, trial E. Indictment, arraignment, arrest, trial 89) Which of the following receives at least some protection under the U.S. Constitution? A. Neither obscene speech nor offensive speech B. Obscene speech C. Both obscene speech and offensive speech D. Offensive speech 90) Which of the following is correct about interpretive rules? A. Interpretive rules are not subject to judicial review. B. They do not establish new law. C. All federal administrative agencies have implied power to make interpretive rules. D. They require public notice and participation to create. E. They must be accompanied by substantive rules. 91) Overtime pay is required to be paid to nonexempt employees who work: A. Over 50 hours per week. B. Over 8 hours per day. C. Over 40 hours per week. D. Over 10 hours per day. E. Over 12 hours per day. 92) Which of the following statements is generally not true about state intermediate appellate courts? A. Appellate court decisions are final and further appeal is not possible. B. The appellate court reviews the record of the trial court. C. The appellate court allows the parties to introduce new evidence so long as it was not previously introduced at the original trial. D. The appellate court usually allows the parties to file briefs outlining support for their positions. E. The appellate court allows the parties to make oral arguments outlining their position. 93) Which of the following is correct about the states' powers regarding foreign affairs? A. Because of the sharing of powers between the federal government and the states, states have powers over foreign affairs equal to the powers of the federal government. B. The states have no power over foreign affairs because the U.S. Constitution grants that power exclusively to the federal government. C. The states can pass laws so long as they do not unduly burden foreign commerce, but the states have no authority to enter into treaties with foreign nations. D. The states can pass laws and enter into treaties with foreign nations so long as they do not unduly burden foreign commerce. E. The states can pass laws affecting foreign commerce and enter into treaties with foreign nations so long as they first obtain the consent of the Senate. 94) Which of the following is true about trademark registration? A. The registration of a trademark can be renewed an unlimited number of times. B. Trademark registration is optional because protection is automatic. C. A trademark must be registered prior to its actual use in commerce. D. Once a trademark is registered, protection cannot be lost. 95) Generally speaking, the contract of a minor: A. Is voidable at the minor's option. B. Must be in writing. C. Is void. D. Is not enforceable by the minor. 96) If you are a creditor, your best protection in the event of the debtor's bankruptcy (including protection from the debtor's other creditors) is usually obtained if you had previously received: A. Audited financial statements of the debtor. B. A security interest granted by the debtor. C. The debtor's agreement to pay you first. D. A written promise from the debtor to pay the debt as agreed. 97) Which of the following terms is not required to be disclosed under the Truth-in-Lending Act? A. The amount of late charges or delinquency penalties. B. The number of payments. C. The date the finance charge begins to accrue. D. The amount of attorneys fees to be charged if legal action is needed to collect the debt. E. The annual percentage rage of interest. 98) Which country does the text describe as becoming the largest producer and consumer of many of the world's goods? A. Ecuador B. China C. Canada D. Mexico E. Japan 99) One study found that manufacturing labor costs about _____ an hour in China, compared to _____ dollars in the United States. A. Less than $1; about 40 B. $2; about 25 C. About $2; about 15 D. Less than $1; about 25 E. Less than $1; about 15 100) Although the U.S. has had a longstanding agreement with _____ after the passage of NAFTA, _____ became the United States' second largest trading partner. A. Great Britain, Paraguay B. Mexico, Venezuela C. Canada, Mexico D. Mexico, Canada E. Canada, Venezuela
7 years ago.
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Each day this week, NESN.com will take a look at a team that is virtually assured of having a worse record than the Celtics this season — thereby standing in the way of Boston landing the No. 1 overall pick in next year's NBA draft.
We start with No. 6 on our list of lottery ballhogs: the Orlando Magic.
Stare at the Orlando Magic's roster long enough, and it is possible to imagine things not always being so terrible for them. The NBA's worst team last season by a full four games, the Magic did their best to build a promising roster while being hampered by salary constraints that kept them from completely moving on from a veteran core.
As a result, intriguing long-term projects like Tobias Harris, Maurice Harkless (pictured) and Nik Vucevic are sprinkled among former borderline All-Stars like Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu and Arron Afflalo. With only a few sleights of logic, one could see the Magic being competitive again in two years or three years, when they finally rid themselves of Nelson, Turkoglu, Afflalo and Glen Davis, their four highest-paid players.
It's easy to foresee that happening eventually — just not this year.
The Magic are likely to be pretty bad again this season, even while occupying the putrid Southeastern Division. They lost all three meetings with the Celtics last season, and while that was a very different Boston team, keep in mind that the Celtics won the first meeting without Avery Bradley and won the last two without Rajon Rondo — with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett playing limited minutes in the second-to-last game of the regular season.
Coach Jacque Vaughn may have the toughest job in the organization trying to meld the young pieces general manager Rob Hennigan added through the draft or trades with the veteran holdovers from a previous era, when Dwight Howard manned the middle and the franchise held out at least a little hope of deep playoff contention. Harris, Harkless and first-round draft pick Victor Oladipo have to see the court. Vucevic, who grabbed 20.2 percent of all available rebounds when he was on the floor last season, has earned his way to playing time. Kyle O'Quinn, Mickell Gladness and Andrew Nicholson are among seven frontcourt players with three or fewer seasons of NBA experience. The Magic are so green, they should consider swapping it for silver as one of their official team colors.
If anybody in Orlando cares to notice — although they usually don't — they have themselves the makings of a pretty promising ballclub there. Yet as much as Oladipo's defense entices and for all Harris' slick offensive moves, the Magic will be hard-pressed to win more games than the Celtics. The toughest competition the Magic give the Celtics this season might be in the race for Andrew Wiggins.
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woo! lets get this started.
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woo! lets get this started.
I'm sorry if I've missed it, but have the protected lists gone out?
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. - Winston Churchill
If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to serve as a horrible warning. - Catherine Aird
No, I haven't had time. I'm hoping to get it out this evening.
Hey! What're you kicking me for? You want me to ask? All right, I'll ask! Ma'am, where do the high school girls hang out in this town?
Skaut / Team, when does the draft page open up so I can start making my list and preparing for the draft ?,
Ya Think Ya Used Enough Dynamite there Butch...
Draft page doesn't open up until the draft actually starts.
Hey! What're you kicking me for? You want me to ask? All right, I'll ask! Ma'am, where do the high school girls hang out in this town?
The Draft
Sunday, October 10. 10:00 a.m. EST
If you can't make the draft or have to leave, email me a contingency list so I can draft for you.
Main Draft Order for 2010-11 ABA KL
(Crazy Canucks gave up his 1st round pick to retain Jrue Holiday, so everyone behind slot 11 moved up one place)
1. Amsterdam Pigeons
2. Go!! Yamaha
3. Gnawbone Nightmares
4. Amsterdam Pigeons
5. Frostwolf's team
6. Indiana Firestorm
7. Cedar City/Dr. Badd's team
8. Harlem Funkadelics
9. Little Fort Bottom Feeders
10. Bangcock Banshee
11. Soup is Good's team
12. Oakland Oaks
13. Go!! Yamaha
14. Roaming Gnomes
15. Bulldog's team
16. Frostwolf's team
17. Bellisimo's team
18. Soup is Good's team
19. Diamond Dave's team
1. Amsterdam Pigeons
2. Gnawbone Nightmares
3. Gnawbone Nightmares
4. Cedar City
5. Nash City Razorbacks
6. Indiana Firestorm
7. Rise of Dynamite
8. Harlem Funkadelics
9. Little Fort Bottom Feeders
10. Bangcock Banshee
11. Canadian Feet Eaters
12. Go!! Yamaha
13. Oakland Oaks
14. Cedar City Raven Redux
15. Roaming Gnomes
16. Diamond Dave's team
17. Pig Nash's team
18. Bellisimo's team
19. Bulldog's team
20. Redbull's team
1. Amsterdam Pigeons
2. Cedar City Raven Redux
3. Gnawbone Nightmares
4. Little Fort Bottom Feeders
5. Nash City Razorbacks
6. Indiana Firestorm
7. Rise of Dynamite
8. Harlem Funkadelics
9. Las Vegas Vengence
10. Bangcock Banshee
11. Canadian Feet Eaters
12. Venice Vagabonds
13. Oakland Oaks
14. Venice Vagabonds
15. Roaming Gnomes
16. Bulldog's team
17. Soup is Good's team
18. Bellisimo's team
19. Frostwolf's team
20. Diamond Dave's team
And here's the protected nine player teams;
Pig Nash-Nash City
C Marc Gasol MEM
CF Troy Murphy NJN
F Kenyon Martin DEN
GF Danny Granger IND
GF Rudy Gay MEM
G Baron Davis LAC
CF Marcin Gortat ORL
G Jamal Crawford ATL
GF Richard Hamilton DET
Jose Slaughter-Bangkok Banshee
C Kaman LAC
C Hawes SAC
CF Gasol LAL
CF Speights PHI
CF Chris Andersen
CF Turiaf GSW
G Deron Williams UTA
G James Harden OKL
G Blake LAC
Diamond Dave-Castle de Verde Hoopsters
GF Kevin Durant (OKL
G O.J. Mayo (MEM)
G Aaron Brooks (HOU)
CF Elton Brand (PHI)
CF Jermaine Oneal (MIA)
CF Mehmet Okur (UTA)
F Jeff Green (OKL)
F Thaddeus Young (PHI)
GF Shawn Marion(DAL)
Kerosene-Oakland Oaks
C Duncan SAS
CF Varejao CLE
CF Bonner SAS
F Mbah a Moute MIL
F Barnes ORL
F Rashard Lewis ORL
G Nash PHO
G Parker SAS
G Barbosa PHO
Venice-Venice Vagabonds
C Shaq BOS
CF Bosh TOR
F Garnett BOS
CF Craig Smith LAC
CF Tolliver GSW
G Bryant LAL
G Miller POR
GF Carter ORL
GF Dunleavy IND
Dr. Badd-Cedar City
C Thabeet
C Oden
F Anthony
F Jianlan
F J. Hill
FG Casspi
G Rubio
G Lawson
G Hinrich
Redbull Yamaha-Tassie Go!!
CF Bogut MIL
CF Dwight Howard ORL
F Harrington NYK
F Kirilenko UTA
G Westbrook OKL
G Stuckey DET
CF Robin Lopez PHO
GF Terrence Williams NJN
GF Anthony Parker CLE
BellisiMo-Young Turks
CF Carlos Boozer (UTA)
F Antawn Jamison (CLE)
F Hakim Warrick (CHI)
FG Paul Pierce (BOS)
G Beno Udrih (SAC)
G Devin Harris (NJN)
G Jarrett Jack (TOR)
C Samuel Dalembert (PHI)
GF Joe Johnson (ATL)
SoupisGood-Concord Hobgoblins
LeBron James
Corey Maggette
Andrea Bargnani
Nazr Mohammed
Louis Williams
Kris Humphries
Grant Hill
Boris Diaw
Josh Boone
Bulldog-South Beach Talents
1 G Rajon Rondo (BOS)
2 C Yao Ming (HOU)
3 CF Darko Milicic (MIN)
4 F Brandan Wright (GSW)
5 F Jerebko DET
6 F Danilo Gallinari (NYK)
7 F J.J. Hickson (CLE)
8 F Taj Gibson (CHI)
9 G Rodrigue Beaubois (DAL)
Frostwolf-Shakuras Voidwalkers
C Brendan Haywood (DAL)
C Kendrick Perkins (BOS)
CF Drew Gooden (LAC)
CFJaVale McGee (WAS)
F Tyrus Thomas (CHA)
G Tyreke Evans (SAC)
G Gilbert Arenas (WAS)
GF Josh Smith (ATL)
GF Josh Howard (WAS)
Newman8r-Crazy Canucks
CF Jefferson MIN CF
CF Aldridge POR CF
CF Scola Hou CF
CF Thompson SAC CF
F Ariza Hou F
GF Wallace CHA GF
GF Deng CHI GF
G J.R. Smith DEN G
G Gordon LAC G
G Holiday PHI G
Harlem-Harlem Funkadelic
G Calderon TOR
G Ginobilli SAS
G Jennings MIL
C Bynum LAL
CF Horford ATL
CF Blatche WAS
GF Brewer MIN
CF Chandler CHA
F Donte Greene SAC
TNT-Just Dynamite
Kevin Love
Ben Wallace
Caron Butler
Mourning-Amsterdam Pidgeons
G Curry (GSW)
G Mo Williams (CLE)
F Beasley (MIA)
F Villanueva (DET)
CF David Lee (NYK)
G Sessions (MIN)
GF DeRozen (TOR)
G DJ Augustin (CHA)
G Redd (MIL)
C Brad Miller HOU
C Deandre Jordan LAC
CF Noah CHI
CF Stoudamire PHO
CF Milsap UTA
G Jameer Nelson ORL
G Lowry Hou
G Ridnour MIN
GF Gerald Henderson CHA
Scott_H-Las Vegas Vengence
C Lopez NJN
F Dejuan Blair SAS CF
CF Biedrins GSW
G Jeff Teague
CF Serge Ibaka OKL
G Paul NOR
G Collison IND
G Felton CHA
GF Jason Richardson PHO
Canuckleheads-Little Fort Bottom Feeders
G Rose CHI
GF Jackson CHA
F Ilyasova MIL
F Odom LAL
CF Krstic OKL
CF Frye POR
GF Turkoglu TOR
G Thornton MOR
G Ben Gordon DET
burnzone-Indiana Firestorm
G Ellis GSW
G Martin HOU
G Flynn MIN
G Conley MEM
G Price IND
FG Roy POR
F West NOR
CF Okafor NOR
C Hibbert IND
Roaming Gnome-Roaming Gnome's Fury
If you need me to draft for you, send me a LoOooOoog contingency list. If you have to leave during the draft, send me a list. Otherwise, I'll start getting these players entered so we're ready for Sunday!!
Hey! What're you kicking me for? You want me to ask? All right, I'll ask! Ma'am, where do the high school girls hang out in this town?
I forget... did we draft on the site before, or here? If on the site, do you set the draft order and then when the draft starts we fill up the contingency list with our 9 protected players, then when everyone has done that the fun begins?
The poster "pacertom" since this forum began (and before!). I changed my name here to "Slick Pinkham" in honor of the imaginary player That Bobby "Slick" Leonard picked late in the 1971 ABA draft (true story!).
I've spent the past 2 hours entering rosters. Not done yet. I'll be entering everyone's rosters, then I'll set the draft order. All you guys need to do is show up at draft time on the site. You can fill your contingency lists as soon as I finish entering players on the teams. I'll let you guys know when that is.
Hey! What're you kicking me for? You want me to ask? All right, I'll ask! Ma'am, where do the high school girls hang out in this town?
I posted this at hoops.ws, but I'll repeat it here.
I made an executive decision and switched Gnome's pick to me. It gave me Shelden Williams, who was on my contingency list for a third round pick.
I then dropped him back into the free agent pool and gave Gnome the next best rookie available, inho, which was Al-Farouq Aminu.
If Gnome is not around for his next pick, I'll do the same thing and pick the next best available player that Ii think will round out his team and so we can get this thing over.
I've had a new owner on standby, who may still be interested, but I'm not too familiar with him, so I'd have to feel him out and see how knowlegable his is before inviting him to take over Gnome's team, if that is needed.
If you have anyone who may be interested in taking his team over, if it comes to that, lemme know.
Hey! What're you kicking me for? You want me to ask? All right, I'll ask! Ma'am, where do the high school girls hang out in this town?
No need to replace me just yet... My schedule will clear up fairly soon. The only thing worse then the last 5 weeks for me has been the last 72 hours which directly effected my drafting situation. I had planned to be available on Sunday, but an emergency service call kind of destroyed any plans to be available to draft much less set a contingency list.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
Now my contingencies are set and no more delays should be had on my end.
My apologies & thanks for understanding,
...Still "flying casual"
Well... I think you ended up with quite a good player... so good I thought I had him in the bag when I was picking a few picks after ya ...
Last edited by Mourning; 10-12-2010 at 01:33 PM.
2012 PD ABA Fantasy Keeper League Champion, sports.ws
2011 PD ABA Fantasy Keeper League Champion, sports.ws
2006 PD ABA Fantasy League runner up, sports.ws
good to have you here.This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote


text:
Almost half-way into 2014 and the anchor of one security continues to cause the Gad Winning Value Portfolio to trail the S&P 500. Thanks to a record finish by the indices in May, the gap has widened. At the end of May, the Value Portfolio trailed the S&P by nearly 5 percentage points.
The continued decline in General Motors (GM) shares led to a further decline in the value of the Class B GM warrants (GM-WTB). The warrants are now down some 30% falling another 6% percentage during the past month as GM continues to deal with the fallout of a collection of vehicle recalls. My patience and confidence has not changed. It's likely that this position will end the year significantly in the red and that may lead to the portfolio underperforming the S&P 500. So be it. While I've created these portfolios to be held annually, in reality I would hold the GM warrants next year because I believe that GM is a very undervalued automaker at this time.
GM currently boasts a market cap of $55 billon, which is less than Ford's (F) market cap of $65 billion, even though it generates more revenue than Ford. To be sure, Ford at the current moment generates more profit per dollar of sales. But three years ago, GM pulled in nearly $10 billion in net income. Over time, as GM continues to benefit from operating inefficiencies, profits should exceed that number.
Apple (AAPL) continued climbing higher, seemingly as Mr. Market took notice of the relative undervaluation in Apple shares relative to other tech giants. Apple's recent $3 billion play for Beats Electronics could help revive the company's iTunes business, a cash cow that has been stagnant for the past couple of years. High quality, stable large-caps, including Chesapeake (CHK) and Potash (POT), continued to illustrate why in today's market, quality is likely going to win over investors.
It will be an interesting finish to the rest of year. Stock indices keep reaching new highs, investors are taking a liking to Treasuries again, and the earnings picture is somewhat hazy. The conservative investing approach is likely to going to be the best policy forward.


text:
7-Year-Old Writes To NASA; NASA Responds
Dexter, a 7-year-old boy, wrote a letter to NASA to inquire about being a candidate for a visit to Mars, and NASA responded.
Dexter's letter to NASA:
Dexter's return address was edited out of the photograph before it was uploaded to Imgur, but it looks like the bottom half of the word "England" is still visible. I think that it is great that NASA not only responded, but did so with Dexter's best interests in mind.
Along with a few pictures, a sticker and a really smashing bookmark, NASA's letter included encouraging words for young Dexter:
"continue to learn all you can" and "keep reaching for the stars".
Thank you, NASA, for making the little boy's heart inside of me beam with pride!!
(Via Imgur)


text:
Digital Topographic Support System-Deployable (DTSS-D)
The Digital Topographic Support System-Deployable (DTSS-D) was originally acquired at the direction of the Army Chief of Staff to address an immediate need to provide image maps and terrain data to support Army missions. Then, as is still the case, standard map products did not exist or were out of date for a large portion of the Earth's surface. The DTSS-D provided the Commander with a capability to quickly produce map products from multispectral imagery when standard products were unavailable or unsuitable for reasons of content or currency. The original procurement was executed by the Project Director, Combat Terrain Information Systems (PD CTIS) in FY94-FY95. Over the years the software capabilities have been improved to encompass the full range of DTSS capabilities, including terrain analysis, terrain visualization, and terrain data management.
The DTSS-D is configured either for use in a garrison environment, or for field use in a tent or similar enclosure, and does not include a tactical shelter or vehicle. The DTSS-D has undergone a cyclic upgrade, improving workstation processing power, product throughput, and system usability, as well as adding new terrain analysis capabilities. This upgrade was completed in FY01. The upgraded DTSS-D includes updated versions of the software packages, an improved user interface, ERDAS Virtual GIS for dynamic terrain visualization, and additional terrain analysis capabilities all hosted on a Windows-based platform.
The upgraded DTSS-D consists of an Army Common Hardware Software 2 (CHS 2) Versatile Computer Unit (VCU) with dual 933 Mhz processors, 2 GB RAM, 3D stereo graphics video card, DVD RAM Drive, JAZ Drive, 8mm Tape Drive, LS 120 Floppy Drive, PCMCIA Card Reader, 3D Stereo Graphics Monitor, IBM Thinkpad T21 Laptop computer with 512 MB RAM, CHS2 1000W UPS, 500GB RAID, CDRW, CISCO Switch, 36" Large Format Scanner and two 36" Large Format HP 1055 Plotters. The DTSS-D is also the only DTSS configuration with 3D stereo monitors that can extract vector and elevation data from stereo imagery. All of this equipment has been integrated into ruggedized transit cases for ease of system transport and setup. The upgraded DTSS-D comes equipped with the necessary communications capabilities to operate stand-alone, or in conjunction with a DTSS-Light.
The DTSS-D is a tactical combat support system capable of receiving, formatting, creating, manipulating, merging, updating, storing, retrieving, and managing digital topographic data, then processing these data into hardcopy and softcopy topographic products. The DTSS-D accepts topographic and multispectral imagery data from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and from other sources where available.
DTSS-D functional capabilities include creation of a variety of tactical decision aids (TDAs) including: (1) Visibility/Line of Sight, (2) Mobility, and (3) Data Query/Special Product analyses. TDAs generated on the DTSS-D can be output as map products that include all applicable marginalia. These overlays are can be exported in various formats for use on systems that use viewers such as Command and Control Personal Computer (C2PC), Army Battle Command Systems (ABCS), and Commercial Joint Mapping Toolkit (C/JMTK).
In addition to custom TDA generation, the DTSS-D provides access to the full capabilities of the image processing and GIS software packages. ERDAS Imagine image procesing software is being used to process digital imagery in order to perform imagery rectification, image map generation, thematic layer generation, limited digital database creation, and 3-D terrain perspective viewing.
The DTSS-D provides updated map background and terrain intelligence information to all ABCS systems on the battlefield. The DTSS-D also accepts terrain intelligence and data from other ABCS systems.
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text:
Welcome to Air Canada Centre
TORONTO — The Celtics begin the Brad Stevens era with a game against the upstart Raptors, who will be looking to get their season off to a positive start. The Raptors have high hopes with new general manager Masai Ujiri and returning coach Dwane Casey, who may be coaching for his job this season.
As for Stevens, he has trying to implement a new system with new players in a transition year, so the early going could be difficult to watch for Celtics fans.
PG Avery Bradley
SG Jeff Green
SF Gerald Wallace
PF Brandon Bass
C Vitor Faverani
Inactives: Rajon Rondo
PG Kyle Lowry
SG DeMar DeRozan
SF Rudy Gay
PF Amir Johnson
C Jonas Valanciunas
Inactives: Quincy Acy, Aaron Gray
Officials: Tony Brothers, Steve Anderson, Leroy Richardson
TV, radio: 7:30 p.m., Comcast SportsNet, (WBZ FM, 98.5).
Pregame notes:
• Faverani will receive his first NBA start after playing eight season overseas, impressing Stevens in the preseason. Jeff Green, who started at shooting guard the second half of last season along with Paul Pierce at small forward, returns to that position.
• Stevens said if Jared Sullinger (suspension) had been active, he might have considered starting rookie Kelly Olynyk, who will play his first NBA regular season game in his home country. Sullinger will be eligible to return Friday against Milwaukee.
• The Celtics return home early Thursday, play Milwaukee on Friday and then hit the road for a two-game road trip at Detroit and Memphis beginning Sunday.


text:
HAMMERFALL - 'Hammerfall' Live Clip From Gates Of Dalhalla Posted; Audio Available For Free Download
November 14, 2012, 4 years ago
On the occasion of their well-deserved time-out in 2012/13, a testimonial of HAMMERFALL's on-stage power in a DVD+2CD format will be released on November 30th. For this, the extraordinary 135 minutes long 15-year anniversary show that took place on July 28th on the historic open-air stage Dalhalla, built in an old quarry near the small Swedish village Rättvik, was captured on camera.
Watch Hamerfall's live performance of their classic 'Hammerfall' to get an impression of the visually stunning show that Gates Of Dalhalla holds in store for you:
Moreover, you can now download the song's audio live version for free at this location..
Video footage for the track 'Threshold', featured on the upcoming release, can be seen below:
Two trailers for Gates Of Dalhalla follow:
Oscar Dronjak comments: "The set contained 26 tracks and lasted two hours and 15 minutes, by far the longest and most comprehensive gig of our entire career! We played songs from every album and then some, there were lots of guests and pyros, and we had 80 Marshall cabinets and the big shield with the HF logo carved out in the middle hanging brought out of storage, all set in an extremely unique venue. You really have to see it to understand, this concert really captured the essence of HammerFall live in 2012 very well!"
Prominent guests included original Hammerfall lineup members Jesper Strömblad and Mikael Stanne, as well as ex-guitarist Stefan Elmgren, among others, which made the show unforgettable - also for the musicians themselves.
"Everything concerning this release is special: the venue, the occasion, the setlist, the guests. If you are going to celebrate something, do it properly, and this is exactly what we have done. Hammerfall with extra everything, 100% live, 0% bullshit," says Oscar.
Gates Of Dalhalla is far more than just a live DVD/Blu-Ray: It's the ultimate proof that the Swedes, after 15 years of bringing heavy metal to the people, still are the undisputed kings of their genre.
The setlist of this very special show:
'Patient Zero'
'Heeding The Call'
'Any Means Necessary'
'Riders Of The Storm'
'Let's Get It On'
'Crimson Thunder'
'Blood Bound' (Special Guest: Stefan Elmgren)
'Last Man Standing' (Special Guest: Stefan Elmgren)
'Fury Of The Wild' (Special Guest: Stefan Elmgren)
Drum solo: Anders Johansson
'Always Will Be'
'Dia De Los Muertos'
'Steel Meets Steel' (Special Guest: Mikael Stanne)
'The Dragon Lies Bleeding' (Special Guest: Jesper Strömblad)
'Let The Hammer Fall'
'När Vindarna Viskar Mitt Namn' (Special Guest: Roger Pontare)
'Something For The Ages'
'The Templar Flame'
'Oh Fortuna' (Special Guest: Team Cans)
'Glory To The Brave' (Special Guest: Team Cans)
'One More Time' (Special Guest: Team Cans)
'Hearts On Fire' (featuring all Special Guests)
The DVD was recorded and directed by Patric Ullaeus (DIMMU BORGIR, CHILDREN OF BODOM, IN FLAMES). It will be released as a DVD/2-CD and Blu-Ray/2-CD.
More on Hammerfall at this location.


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Get the most out of your stay in artistic Deià and uncover your creative side with our resident painter Alan Hydes.
Visit his studio next to El Olivo for your choice of drawing or painting class.Contact Us Contact Us
Responsible for the beautiful plates on display in El Olivo, our local ceramicist Joanna Kuhne will help inspire your passion for pottery.
Learn more about the world of ceramics with her fascinating demonstrations, or arrange a hands-on workshop.Get creative Get creative
Take a class with Sculptor in Residence Juan Waelder.
Brush up your skills in a wide range of disciplines and create your own work of art with expert guidance. Classes are available for both adults and children.Be hands-on Be hands-on
Walk and Talk Art Tour
Cecilie Sheridan, curator of the hotel's collection, will take you around the village and introduce you to local artists who have studios in Deià.
Along the way, she offers fascinating insight into the local history and people.Be inspired Be inspired
Hot Air Balloon
Enjoy a thrilling balloon ride over Mallorca.
Sail the skies and admire the verdant mountains, beautiful valleys and spectacular coastline.Touch the sky Touch the sky
Helicopter Tours
Enjoy an extraordinary bird's-eye view of the beautiful Balearic Islands.
See Mallorca's charming villages and stunning seashore from up high. Or head to nearby Menorca, where you can stop to taste a typical lobster soup before flying back to the hotel.Take flight Take flight
Boat Excursion
Enjoy a complimentary two-hour boat excursion.
Transfer to Sóller and sail along the coast admiring dramatic cliffs and hidden coves. You'll be treated to refreshments and the opportunity to swim in the clear blue waters.
Tour runs in the summer only and is bookable upon arrival at the hotel.Ask for details Ask for details
Cooking Classes
Join our chef and learn how to cook mouth-watering Mallorcan dishes.
Guests can also choose to take part in our special olive oil classes, where you will use local meats and cheeses to add distinctive flavours to your oil.Cook up a storm Cook up a storm
Donkey Trail
Our much-loved donkeys—Pancho, Luna and Alba—will accompany you on a tour through the hotel's olive groves. Admire the tranquil landscape before stopping for an unforgettable picnic lunch in a stone shepherd's hut.
The trail takes place weekly, subject to availability.Contact us Contact us
The hotel has two superb tennis courts, surrounded by the spectacular Tramuntana mountains.
Toni Canals is our resident tennis professional and is on hand to help improve your game. Other facilities include a practice hitting wall and a pro-shop.Serve an ace Serve an ace
Tramuntana Mountain Trek
Feel closer to nature with a trek along the Serra de Tramuntana, a World Heritage Site.
Our expert mountain guide will show you the best paths to admire the landscape that has long inspired visiting and local artists.Arrange a tour Arrange a tour
Vespa Excursions
See the island like never before on one of the hotel's Vespas.
Admire the sun as it sets into the sea at Son Marroig, or drive through picturesque citrus groves towards Sóller. For those seeking an authentic taste of Mallorca, take a trip to the charming village of Fornalutx.Hit the road Hit the road


text: I picked up a jar of jalapenos this week and was not paying too much attention. When I got home and topped my salad, I was stunned by a very different jalapeno flavor than I'm used to. A quick read of the jar and I realize that they are "pickled jalapenos." Dumb question - but are there different types of jalapenos sold in the jar? I'm referring to the general TexMex brands - Tostitos, Chi Chi's, etc.


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What's Happening In My Body?
Month Seven:
You feel good during this month. You have a hearty appetite, and may feel less moody and more in the groove of your pregnancy. Your baby will be moving around a lot, and you may notice that your belly itches. You may also have breast tenderness and leg cramps while you sleep.
Month Eight:
During month eight, you may experience shortness of breath as your uterus presses on your diaphragm or ribs. You may have heartburn and indigestion as your uterus puts pressure on your stomach. As the baby grows larger, you may have a hard time finding a comfortable position in which to sleep. Pressure on your bladder may make urination more frequent.
Month Nine:
By month nine, you're wondering if your pregnancy will ever be over. You may have a few Braxton-Hicks contractions, light contractions in which the top of your uterus tightens and releases in preparation for labor. These may happen more after you have been sitting for a while or if you overdo it. You will be feeling the baby's strong, regular movements, but he may become quieter as the birth approaches. Your ankles may swell due to the increased pressure within your abdomen, the decreased blood return from your legs and feet, and the effect of the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the walls of the blood vessels. Your lower back may ache from the increased weight of your uterus. By this time, the top of your uterus is right under your rib cage and presses against your lungs, while the bottom of your uterus puts pressure on your cervix as the uterine muscle begins to soften. Hormone production in the placenta prepares the uterus for labor contractions and also ripens the cervix. During the last weeks of pregnancy, there will be less amniotic fluid and the placenta will grow less efficient in anticipation of the upcoming birth. At 35 weeks, the baby fills all of the space in your uterus and has usually settled into a head-down position. The baby will move down into your pelvis about two weeks before birth. You may be able to breathe easier as there is less pressure on your lungs and stomach, but there will be greater pressure on your bladder. You'll need to urinate very frequently, and sleeping will be even more challenging. Your breasts increase their production of colostrum, the early milk for the baby, and the connecting tissue in your pelvis relaxes.
What's Happening With My Baby?
Month Seven:
The baby is about 13 inches long and weighs 2 to 3 pounds. The baby is covered with thin, translucent skin and has hands about one inch long. She is adding body fat and is beginning to practice rudimentary breathing movements in the uterus.
Month Eight:
Your baby weighs between 4 and 6 pounds and is about 16 to 18 inches long. Her skin now has fat stores and her liver is storing iron. However, her lungs, digestive and heat control systems have not yet matured. The bones of your baby's head are soft and flexible. She may respond to pain, light and sound.
Month Nine:
Your baby is now about 18 inches long and 5 to 7 pounds, with hands about two inches long. His sucking reflex is mature and his lungs and heart are almost ready to function outside of the womb. Brain growth accelerates, and the baby can see and hear. He has lost most of the lanugo, the downy hair covering his body, and is now covered by a thick, creamy protective coating called vernix. He is less active and is gaining immunities from the mother to protect him after he's born.
The First Trimester The Second Trimester


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Vakku Pookkum Kalam | വാക്കു പൂക്കും കാലം | Episode VIII - March 9, 2017
Meet the Diplomats: B&R Opens Another Dimension for South-South Co-ops - March 9, 2017
Li's Hong Kong remarks send strong signals for region's next chief, say analysts - March 9, 2017
Bold 'armless' women provides for her family - March 8, 2017
Israel uncovers online weapons smuggling cell in West Bank - March 8, 2017
Muhyiddin: We'll wait for the final version of Hadi's Bill - March 8, 2017
Sthree Sakthi Award 2017 Award ceremony Part I - March 8, 2017
Sthree Sakthi Award 2017 Award ceremony Part II - March 8, 2017
C D Sarawathi won Sthree Sakthi Award 2017 - March 8, 2017
Muhyiddin: Don't exploit diplomatic row for political mileage - March 8, 2017
China's Foreign Minister has phone discussion with John Kerry on the situation of Korean Peninsula
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone discussion with his US counterpart John Kerry, regarding the DPRK nuclear test. Wang Yi reiterated China's stance, saying it has been working to achieve denuclearization, and maintain peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.
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Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott has responded to comments by Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams who told today's Impartial Reporter that "republicans have no wish to hurt others" as his party prepares to hold a hunger strike parade in Derrylin on Sunday.
Responding to the comments, Mr. Elliott said: "If Mr. Adams doesn't want to cause offence, if Sinn Fein doesn't want to cause offence, then they shouldn't have this event".
Mr. Elliott also responded to the decision by the Parades Commission today to impose restrictions on Sunday's parade claiming it had given "misleading information" to families of IRA victims.
Listen to our interview with Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott here:


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Beauty Info Zone has a "share". a "win" and a "tease" for you in this post.
The share is a review that Marcia wrote on Midnight Manicures. You'll not only see some fabulous nail polishes but you'll learn a little more about Marcia by reading this article.
The win is for our Annmarie Gianni skincare giveaway. The winner of that is Amy Rouse *#5) who not only commented but also retweeted our giveaway several times. We'll be emailing you for your address Amy. Congratulations.
Now for a reminder and a tease. We currently have a giveaway going on for two lush Lush products. You can read about this contest HERE. Tomorrow, Thursday, we are going to have another giveaway so be sure you check back with us to see what else you could win this week.
Thanks to all who entered and good luck on future contests.


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Brazilian financial instution, Banco Bradesco, one of the largest private banks in South America, has picked Oberthur Technologies to provide EMV card personalisation and fulfilment. "Bradesco wanted a partner with EMV experience and flexible personalization and fulfillment capabilities" said Osvaldo Rodrigues Filho, Production Manager, Banco Bradesco Cartões. "Oberthur Technologies' offered not only a fully scalable solution, but also demonstrated the knowledge and commitment we wanted. We look forward to a good future working together."
Bradesco Picks Oberthur For EMV Card Personalisation
Posted on


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Affiliate programs are dead! Long live affiliate programs!
Everyone seems to be jumping on the "affiliate programs don't work" bandwagon. Small affiliates that haven't been successful with an affiliate program claim their own lack of sales means the program doesn't work. Publishers who want to sell CPM continually dismiss affiliate programs, because generating sales from ad space isn't an easy thing to do.
"Affiliate" has become a dirty word, even to the affiliate networks built on the basic principles of cost-per-action programs. Visit Commission Junction, Be Free, and LinkShare and you rarely, if ever, run into the word "affiliate."
Actually, they all are right. And they all are wrong. Affiliate programs don't always work and don't always make money for everyone who tries to promote them. Let's get this straight right now: Most often, affiliate programs don't work. Last time I checked, most marketing efforts don't work. Optimists cite the 80/20 rule of marketing, which says that only 20 percent of your efforts really work.
Smart affiliate programs are applying this rule to their own efforts, focusing on finding the 20 percent of effective resellers through research and partnership development. Instead of trolling for random affiliates to sign up for their programs, smart marketers are looking for key partnerships that deliver ongoing revenue. To keep that revenue flowing, you need to find partners that will continually perform, do repetitive marketing, and conduct reseller channel development.
Affiliate programs are not dead; they are simply growing up to be business development and partnership channels that pay for performance from partners who qualify. Many think Internet marketing is vastly different than traditional marketing, but it is quickly becoming clear traditional principles of direct marketing apply to Internet affiliate programs as well:
- On first contact, you will be lucky if 2 percent of the people buy what you are offering.
- Following up with prospects repeatedly via email works. Most people buy on fourth or fifth contact, not on the first impression. Integrating these communications with the needs of your affiliates is critical to success.
- You have to look for the right partners and manage smaller affiliate networks. It is not enough to post your program on every affiliate channel and wait for the masses to sign up. Those days are over, because it is ineffective and random.
- Smart, effective partners are always hard to find. This is the central focus of today's successful affiliate programs. Now the affiliate network has to take responsibility for finding and maintaining good partners, instead of expecting the partners to find them.
Sometimes the best things in business are really simple. Like affiliate programs.
In the beginning, it was all about how many thousands of affiliates you could claim. It seemed to be so easy. You have thousands of Web sites linking to you, and you pay only when someone performs a specific action, such as purchasing or registering. All you have to do is give affiliates some ads and tell them which product to sell.
But the problem with this model is readily apparent. Most affiliate programs think the whole marketing world should revolve around their offers, but affiliates are like retailers. They are loyal to what makes them money, and they work with a variety of vendors.
Many affiliate programs act like there are no other choices, as if the affiliate should be tremendously interested in their offers over all others. This kind of self-centered approach creates a myopic, deadly form of unprofitable marketing.
It is like anything in life: If you're too interested in yourself, you are pretty boring to hang out with. Your biggest opportunity in affiliate marketing will be when you start forgetting about your self and start thinking about your partners. Then the real success will begin.
Some of the most successful Internet companies are built on this simple foundation, together with an affiliate model.
For example, ClubMom's affiliate program, run by Shawn Collins, builds partnerships with specific sites. Through a variety of marketing tools adapted to the needs of the company's partners, it is able to extend its reach to a specific, targeted market. ClubMom execs research partnerships while letting folks sign up at their site. By taking responsibility for finding, contacting, and nurturing these partnerships, the company's marketers are able to roll out an effective affiliate program based on qualified affiliates.
Here's what you can do for your affiliate program:
- List your top 30 dream partners. Then find the best way to package your product in their names. Make it easy for them to work with you and put their names on your offer if possible, like private labeling.
- Give them the right margins, with scaled commissions based on performance. Encourage your partners to achieve sales goals and be rewarded, like good salespeople are. If they sell 500 units, pay them xx percent. If they sell 1,000, pay them more, if you can afford it.
- Listen to your affiliate partners. Your best ideas will come from your partners if you communicate with them. Pick up the phone or email them; it's that simple.
Private labeling? Syndicating? Reselling? There are different ways of looking at this changing affiliate business space.
But the true bottom line to your business and you is this: When you start putting your partners and customers first, then you will truly become successful. Affiliate programs are evolving into ongoing joint ventures. They're not dead, they're just growing up.
Related reading
A guide to five Facebook ad types that will reach your marketing objectives
Facebook has announced that it is planning to withdraw the ability to boost a list of post types from its available ad formats, as they didn't seem to align with most advertisers' objectives. If you're looking to reconfigure your Facebook advertising strategy, what options remain, and which are the most effective?
How to hire for digital disruption: What skills should you look for?
Digital disruption is a challenge – especially when it comes to ensuring that your workforce can meet the needs of a disruptive future. Analysts and researchers are speculating on what the next key disruptive technologies might be. But what skills should CMOs be looking for when hiring staff to use these technologies and those that follow?
8 ways AI can enhance your marketing strategy today
With proponents in almost every industry considering its revolutionary potential, AI looks set to change marketing forever. But what can marketers do to access the benefits now?
ClickZ Digital Leaders Forum: Key takeaways for marketers
Digital marketers gathered in New York last week for the first Digital Leaders Forum, hosted by ClickZ in partnership with AVADO. This new series of networking events is intended help cut through the noise of the technological landscape. Here are some of the highlights.


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ISLAMABAD: Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Sunday announced that his party will launch a countrywide membership campaign within 10 days.
Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, he said PTI has set a target to make four million members in the drive, which would continue for 60 to 75 days.
Dedicated and committed workers will be mobilized to take the message of the party door-to-door to muster support.
He claimed it would be an unprecedented and largest drive in the country's history, adding that at present 800,000 people have got themselves registered with PTI as members.
Khan said he does not believe in family politics so all office-bearers of PTI from 'bottom to top' would be elected by its members.
"Party elections will be held from union council to top level after completion of the membership drive."
Replying to a question, the PTI Chairman said the party's parliamentary board would award tickets to candidates for provincial and national assemblies in the next general elections in line with recommendations of district organizing committees.
To a question about absence of Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Javed Hashmi from the press conference, Khan said he talked to Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday and Qureshi could not come because of the death a close friend's son.
"The son of a close friend of Shah Mehmood committed suicide, so he was busy there." While Makhdoom Javed Hashmi is in the United States raising funds for the party.
Responding to another question, Khan said the Mehran Bank case has exposed the real faces of politicians, who claimed to be champions of democracy. "Now it is clear who plays in connivance with the umpire," the PTI Chairman observed.


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The Drone revolution is running faster and faster. However, making a fully autonomous drone able to hover accurately near an object of interest, to explore its environment with or without GPS, to navigate in a cluttered environment without map and to avoid obstacles in a dynamic environment is still a great challenge for drone manufacturers and scientists working on aerial robots. This workshop provides participants with the unique opportunity to gain an overview of advanced developments for drones and aerial robots in terms of new sensors, autopilot and navigation strategies.
Participants can directly interact with the lead developers, dive into detailed discussions and meet other researchers interested in potential collaboration.
2:00 to 2:35 PM
1 Keynote : Davide Scaramuzza (Univ. of Zurich) (30 min + 5 min)
2:35 to 3:35 PM – Industrial developments for drones
- Sensefly : Jean-Christophe Zufferey (15 min + 5 min)
- Novadem : Sébastien Courroux (15 min + 5 min)
- L'avion jaune : Tristan Allouis (15 min + 5 min)
Coffee break – 10 minutes
3:45 to 5 PM : Academic development for aerial robots
- Antonio Franchi (LAAS-CNRS) (20 min + 5 min)
- Augustin Manecy (Gipsa-lab & ISM, now at ONERA Toulouse) (20 min + 5 min)
- Martial Sanfourche (ONERA Palaiseau) (20 min + 5 min)
Davide Scaramuzza (Univ. of Zurich)
Towards Robust and Safe Autonomous Drones
With drones becoming more and more popular, safety is a big concern. A critical situation occurs when a drone temporarily loses its GPS position information, which might lead it to crash. This can happen, for instance, when flying close to buildings where GPS signal is lost. In such situations, it is desirable that the drone can rely on fall-back systems and regain stable flight as soon as possible. In this talk, I will present novel methods to automatically recover and stabilize a quadrotor from any initial condition or execute emergency landing. On the one hand, this new technology will allow quadrotors to be launched by simply tossing them in the air, like a "baseball ball". On the other hand, it will allow them to recover back into stable flight or land on a safe area after a system failure. Since this technology does not rely on any external infrastructure, such as GPS, it enables the safe use of drones in both indoor and outdoor environments. Thus, it can become relevant for commercial use of drones, such as parcel delivery.
Jean-Christophe ZUFFEREY (Sensefly)
Mapping and inspection drones for professionals
This short presentation will introduce senseFly's professional drone systems. These include the eBee, the industry's leading fixed-wing mapping drone. This safe, ultra-light aerial imaging tool can capture images spanning several square kilometres in a single autonomous flight. Loved by professionals around the world for its ease of use, the eBee is capable of operating in relatively strong winds and boasts unrivalled landing accuracy. senseFly's eXom meanwhile is a next-generation quadrotor drone. Three years in development, it is the most sensor-rich civilian drone on the market, equipped with no less than seven cameras and five distance sensors, which work together to offer operators truly advanced situational awareness. This awareness and eXom's bump-safe construction enable it to be used in close proximity of objects and structures, such as dams, bridges, and other industrial infrastructure.
Sebastien COURROUX (Novadem)
A new positioning technology for UAV allowing automatic inspection of structures without GPS coverage
The LPS technology of Novadem (Local Positioning System) allows for the first time to perform fully automatic inspection of structures. Based on its own terrestrial beacons network, the LPS technology reaches a centimeter-level accuracy while being independant from the satellite coverage. Its performances give new perspectives to inspections performed by UAVs thanks to flights that can be 100% automated even under structures. It is now possible to ensure the repeatability of the inspection over time. As a result, the security and efficiency of missions is significantly increased compared to a manual piloting. Add to that a more precise georeferencing of pictures allowing to optimise the flight plan on the areas to inspect and to rationalise the volume of data, thus simplifying the processing.
Tristan LOUIS (L'avion jaune)
From laser scanners to lidar systems dedicated to UAVs
The recent arrival of small laser scanners on the market has boosted the robotics industry, allowing to get a real time 3D map of robot's surroundings. The UAV world has also shown its interest in such system for landing aids but also for surveying purpose.
If landing aids systems could be implemented without the need of an accurate absolute positioning, mapping system dedicated to aerial surveys must include high-end GNSS and INS sensors. Considerations about range and operational constraints such as weight and power requirement should also be taken into account.
After introducing different scanners available on the market, as well as considerations about the integration of GNSS and INS sensors, the YellowScan system will be presented. It results from 3 years of research and development for designing the lightest lidar system on the market. Data collected for different applications (topography, forest mapping, power line survey) will be presented. The surveys were performed using off the shelf multicopters as well as bigger unmanned systems. A discussion about data quality and the operational capacity of the different aircrafts in survey conditions will be held.
Antonio FRANCHI (LAAS-CNRS)
Observer-based Control of the Motion of Tethered Aerial Robots with Regulated Link Stress
The enormous popularity that aerial robots, commonly called UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), are seeing in these days among the scientific community, but not only, is due to their versatility and applicability in a vast range of field, such as search and rescue, surveillance and patrolling, agriculture and civil monitoring and so on. Although their use as remote and unmanned sensors is dominant, they still present some limitations, as battery life and low payload that reduce their applicability where the task requires a very long or even constant gathering of measurements. In order to solve this problem, many recent works propose the tether solution. Indeed the use of a cable connecting the aerial vehicle to a fixed or mobile ground station can provide energy and an high-bandwidth communication link suitable for applications ranging from search and rescue to communication relay. The tethered flight solution could be exploited also to improve the hover stability in the presence of wind or during dangerous manoeuvres, e.g., landing and take off from a moving platform as a ship in the presence of rough sea.
In this talk I will briefly present the intrinsic properties of a tethered-aerial-robot system, such as exact linearizability with dynamic feedback, flatness, state observability, and trajectory feasibility. I will then present a new dynamic controller for the link stress and elevation using a nonlinear observer based on inertial-only measurements (accelerometer and gyroscope).
On the other hand, in the single robot case since the vehicle is constrained by the tether to fly around the fixed point, the working space, that is a simple circle, can result very limited for some applications. One solution is given by adding a second vehicle and a second link to the previous system.
In the second part of the talk I will then briefly present the investigation of a system composed by two aerial robots connected to each others and to a fixed point by two links, forming an actuated chain. The similarity with a planar two links robot immediately shows the advantages in terms of workspace, i.e., the second aerial robot in the chain (similarly to an end effector) can reach any point in the two dimensional working area, limited only by the full length of the system itself. Using this solution it is then possible to achieve the tracking of any desired Cartesian trajectory of the position of the second aerial robot while exactly controlling the stresses on the two links.
In this context I will briefly show a study on the controllability and observability of the system in the case of a set of plausible sensors, such as onboard accelerometers and encoders. This allows to close the control loop without the need of resorting to direct measures of the full state and of all the outputs to be tracked thus decreasing the cost of the solution in terms of sensorial equipment.
Augustin Manecy (Gipsa-lab & ISM, now at ONERA Toulouse)
A Bio-Inspired Visual Sensor and its Gaze Control Strategy for Robust Vision-Based Target Tracking by a Quadrotor
Insects, like hoverflies are able of outstanding performances to avoid obstacles, reject disturbances and hover or track a target with great accuracy. This suggests that refined mechanisms and treatments, even if they are minimalists, are perfectly optimized for the flight. The gaze orientation, stabilized by fast sensory motor reflexes, is probably one of the keys. Here, we proposed a new bio-inspired artificial eye of only 24 pixels, which mimics the main characteristics of the fly's visual system, and which is able to locate a target at high refresh rates (up to 1 kHz). This eye was mounted onto a new open-source quadrotor, with an active decoupling between the eye and the body of the robot. The gaze orientation was stabilized by implementing fast bio-inspired reflexes. We demonstrated experimentally, that such a system can be used to achieve accurate positioning with respect to a target. Thanks to the gaze control strategy, the robot was able to reject efficiently high disturbances, to take-off and track faithfully a target and to land automatically onto a moving target.
Martial Sanfourche (ONERA Palaiseau)
Vision-based navigation for Micro Aerial Vehicles in complex
UAV are often presented as an economical means to acquire data for
structure inspection or environment monitoring. The current state of
technology allows to accomplish these missions in an automatized way in
some restrictive conditions like good reception of GPS signal or use of
an external multi-camera localization systems (like Vicon).
We present some research works conducted at ONERA about MAV autonomy in
GPS-denied indoor environments.
The proposed solution exploits the images acquired by low-cost 3D
sensors (stereo or kinect-like) and the measurements acquired by a low
grade IMU to estimate the vehicle trajectory at high frequency and to
model the environment. This model and the vehicule state are used as
inputs by a guidance and navigation system, able to avoid obstacles and
adapt the trajectory in order to explore autonomously an unknown
environment. This work has been rewarded with a second place (among 21
teams) during the simulation contest of the EUROC challenge "Plant
Servicing and Inspection.
Stéphane Viollet, CNRS Research Director, Head of the Biorobotics research Team at ISM, Marseille.
email – page perso – website of the Biorobotics research team
Pascal Morin, Head of the RTE-UPMC Research Chair on "Autononous mini-drones",
ISIR, UPMC, Paris
Franck Ruffier, CNRS research scientist, Co-Head of the Biorobotics research Team at ISM, Marseille.
email – page perso – website Flying Arena of the Mediterranean
Contact : email@example.com