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photo from
Every day, I put a pink puffy winter jacket on my baby girl and then I put her in her car seat, and we go on our merry way. The thought never even occurred to me that I could be putting her in jeopardy. In fact, I thought I was being a good mom by protecting her from the cold. But then I read the post Winter Coats and Car Seat Safety that bwsmommy put up in the 2007 Babies group, which basically said that winter coats and car seats do not mix.
I want my baby to be safe—and warm. What to do? I talked to momof2luvsshoes, a member of Safe Kids who is a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom to two little boys, to get the facts about winter coats and car seat safety.
there a law about coats and car seats?
There is no law regarding this but rather a rule of thumb.
So then it's okay for my baby to wear her cute puffy pink jacket in her car seat?
I don't recommend that anyone wear a coat while in a vehicle. Coats are hot, uncomfortable, and they interfere with seat belts and harness straps in car seats.
But is it actually unsafe for my baby to wear a coat?
Yes. I have done tests with my children in their car seats—with and without coats. I firmly believe that no coat is best. An easy way to visualize what happens to a baby if they have a puffy coat on during a crash is to put the baby in the car seat with the winter coat on and buckle him in as usual. You will most likely have to loosen the straps to do so correctly. Now, take the baby out and put him back in the car seat without the coat but do not adjust the straps and buckle him in again. You'll see how loose those straps are—if in a crash, a coat would compress and could allow the child to become a projectile object by slipping through those loose harness straps.
That makes me nervous. I know you said that coats in cars can be hot, but I'm not so sure—it's really cold when we get in my car. I definitely want to keep my baby nice and safe. But I really want to keep her nice and warm too. Do you have any recommendations that will keep her safe and warm?
A thin fleece, a wind jacket, sweatshirt, simple layering as long as it cannot be compressed. There are now car seat ponchos on the market. Plus, it's always best to keep extra blankets in your vehicle while traveling. It is completely safe to put a blanket on the child once he or she is secure in the car seat and tuck it in on the sides. Another option is to secure the child in the car seat and then put their coat on them backwards.
Those are great options. Thanks momof2luvsshoes!
Glad I could help out.
How about you? Does your baby wear a coat or jacket in his or her car seat?
Check back here and on the other parenting channels all this week for more info on car seats.
This information is intended as general guidance—you should read your auto and car seat manuals, and consult a certified technician if possible, for the proper use and installation of your child's passenger seat.


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Revisiting the Fisher King/
I know, I know, my last post promised a series on reconstructing Acrocanthosaurus in multiple views - bear with me, as this is actually part of that series. Remember that both animals have stuff sticking up on their backs, so I want to be able to compare and contrast those elongated neural spines...and how those differences should impact reconstructions of the animals. But to do that I had to update this skeletal, as new information had rendered the older one no longer tenable.
Besides, Spinosaurus is cool! For one, it's the only dinosaur in the Jurassic Park series to tangle with a T. rex and emerge victorious (no matter how unlikely that outcome was). It's probably the longest theropod we know of, and may have been the heaviest as well. Yet counter-intuitively it shows specialization for piscivory (fish-eating)...maybe in JP3 the spinosaur mistook the T. rex for a really large lung-fish?
Tongue firmly out of cheek now, Spinosaurus has lit up imaginations partially due to its size, but also because there was so much you had to imagine to try and reconstruct the animal. Until the last decade or two it was sort of a theropod Rorschach test where you could project any sort of oversized monster theropod onto its scant (and now lost) remains. This brings a thrilling "Sherlock Holmes" quality when trying to imagine the living animal, but for most of the last century serious attempts to reconstruct Spinosaurus have been more frustrating than titillating.
Darren Naish has an excellent write up of the history (and tragedy) of of the type specimen of Spinosaurus, which I won't duplicate here. The long and short of it is that WWII claimed the fossils as another victim of the conflict. The already-meager remains lost, paleontologists were stuck with the original description and some somewhat uninspired sketches as the only link to the past.
A series of fortunate events occurred in the latter half of the 20th century that allowed for a more accurate interpretation of Spinosaurus to emerge. For one, other spinosaurids were found. Baryonyx from the U.K., and Nigerian Suchomimus, started to paint a more complete picture of what these animals were like. They had bizarrely long snouts that seemed to resemble a gharial as much as a traditional theropod. Suchomimus even had a smaller version of the enlarged neural spines on the back:
The amusingly-named Irritator from South America further clarified the relationships and anatomy of spinosaurids. But the real breakthrough was the re-discovery of several photographic plates of the original material. While Spinosaurus wasn't the most complete specimen, having photographs at least made it possible to ensure that what was found is incorporated accurately into a reconstruction.
Among other details, the image also shows what had been the basis of attempts to restore the shape of the elongate sail or hump on the back: Stromer's original interpretation for the position of the elongated neural spines. In particular, notice that the tallest one is set directly in front of the sacrum here, while the only associated tail vertebra (at the far left of the picture) has a very short spine. That has lead most people to infer that the spine started quickly after the neck, grew to ridiculous heights over the pelvis, and then quickly dropped off again. Indeed, this is the interpretation that I used in my first attempt, and has been widely seen in such disparate and reputable scientific endeavors as Jurassic Park 3, the Carnegie Collection of "museum quality replicas", and Greg Paul's reconstruction in his Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs.
And they're in excellent company (whereby I arbitrarily define myself as "excellent company"). I had been concerned with Stromer's original interpretation for the placement of the tallest neural spinse - no vertebral body (centrum) was preserved, but the change in the angle of the spine seemed pretty extreme compared to the previous dorsals, especially right in front of the sacrum. My solution was to assume it was a sacral neural spine. This largely preserved the traditional appearance of the "sail", but provided a bit of breathing room for the change in orientation.
Luckily for us, Andre Cau and Jamie Headden were busy mulling over this specific issue, and came to a much more likely conclusion, that the backward-oriented neural spine was actually an anterior caudal. Looking at a host of dinosaurs with elongate neural spines, they noted that in general you never seen backward-canted spines in front of the hips, you always see them after it. There is a bit more detail to the argument (which I encourage you to read on their blogs), but in essence they make a very compelling case.
And so it was back to the virtual drawing board. I made some other corrections from my previous attempt - there had been some scaling issues with the neck vertebrae that had given my reconstruction a thinner Baryonyx-like profile in the neck. Also, it appears that the necks of these animal don't have as much of the traditional theropod S-curve, so that was changed as well (although I still don't buy the extreme hang-dog look that Greg Paul has started to restore his spinosaurs with). The results are a stockier animal, with a more elongate sail (or hump):
Looking at the rigorous reconstruction, it's clear that there's still quite a bit of uncertainty in the skeleton, although not all of the missing parts are created equal. Much of the pelvic girdle is known from Irritator, as is the back of the skull. Also, some unpublished specimens shed light on this, even if they aren't documented well enough to be official parts of the reconstruction. Still, there's a bit of ambiguity about the exact limb proportions, the length of the tail, and the exact shape of the sail.
Speaking of which, how should those tall neural spines be restored by artists doing life reconstructions? Is it a sail, was it supporting a hump of tissue like a bison, or was it simply a muscular ridge? We'll get back to that subject in a bit, after looking at Acrocanthosaurus.
Until then, best wishes to one and all for a wonderful 2012!

subset: commoncrawl


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"I'm sure I'm not the only reader who is unsatisfied with the amount of Vox calls printed in the paper lately, but I am a subscriber who will give it about another month and if you don't go back to the way things were when your paper was originally put out you'll be minus one subscriber."
Editor's note: Does that mean you want more or less Vox? We print more now than we did at the inception of Bluffton Today.
"We believe it's time to address the issue honestly regarding illegals and open up the debate to all American citizens. There may be no clear wrong or right answer to all these complex issues. But we simply have to consider and have an open debate as to whether America's 'open door' immigration policy should continue as it is or should it be revised in light of 15 million Americans being unemployed."
"Congratulations to Coastal Carolina Hospital for getting hospital of the year by DHEC, American Heart and Stroke Association. The award compliments the success of the ER which should give credit to Angela Garcia and her fine staff. They are a fine example of who we would want ourselves and family to be cared for."
"The terrorists can wait. Aren't we all happy that our Justice Department of the United States is going after real criminals like South Carolina's jails for allowing prisoners to just read the Bible. That's your taxpayer dollars at work, folks. The terrorists can wait. Obama's Justice Department knows where the real criminals are. And to him it does make sense."
"Sen. Lindsey Graham says he'll hold up all business in the U.S. Senate until he gets funding to begin the Charleston harbor deepening project. A state that has to wait for the feds to initiate economic growth isn't as sovereign as it thinks it is. The fact that Charleston's deepening project is years behind Savannah's highlights the lack of economic leadership in this state."
"As Congress is in session right now but Michelle Bachmann is running around the country speaking, telling her half truths and revision of history. She just spoke about Planned Parenthood and said they do tons of abortions, they only do 3 percent of the abortions done. And also she said they were a heavy hitter in the political circles, they only gave under $1 million last year. She always has a few non-facts in her speeches or downright lies. I asked who vetted her speeches and nobody does. She writes them herself. Please go and hear her. She's going to be here. Next two weeks she's off. Not in Congress, doing her business."
"I just wanted to say thank you to the people who owned Backyard Burgers and later opened Nathan's Hot Dogs at the same place. I'm sorry that they went out of business. Both business were very well run and the service was really good and I wanted just to thank these people for investing in our community and I'm sorry it didn't work out."
"Tim Scott's comments to Sun City Republicans: 'anyone more than 10 years from retirement should plan on working until we're 70 years old before qualifying for retirement benefits' was real inspiring. I'm sure Joe Wilson's friends at Earl's Body Shop in Beaufort are all excited about the prospect of working until they're 70. Meanwhile, Wilson and Scott want to make the Bush era tax cuts for the wealthy permanent."
"Here's a simple question that will probably fill up the Vox pages for weeks to come. I'm getting ready to drop my local cable service here in Sun City. My question is: Dish or direct?"
"In Wednesday's edition, Page 9,
bottom of the page, there's an ad for The Tavern at Riverwalk. I wonder if the owner of this operation understands how many thousands of people, even those living locally, have no idea where Riverwalk is? There's no street address, no instructions as to how to get there or what it's near. I don't know how anybody could write an ad and not have an address or directions of how to find it, especially a new business. They're out of business but don't know it."


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Thunderbolt Direct
From South Africa Rock Climbing Routes Wiki
Thunderbolt Direct - Witteberg ***** Grade G1M2
A Dick and R Fuggle 1970
Note: This description is of the direct variation pitches only. You will need the RD of the original route as well (http://www.climbing.co.za/wiki/index.php?title=Thunderbolt).
After the fifth pitch, Thunderbolt traverses to the left under some large overhangs, later traversing back right. This variation, starting from the stance above pitch No. 5 of Thunderbolt, goes straight through the overhangs, joining up with the final pitch of the original route.
- 24m 16/17. Climb up and to the right, then slightly left to a smallish stance.
- 30m 14/15. Climb up to a spire below the overhangs. Climb the spire to a small but comfortable stance at its apex.
- 15m 20/21 A1. Move slightly left off the top of the spire and up (1 aid point) to below the large overhang above. Continue to the right and over the lip of the overhang to a small exposed stance above.
- 36m 18/19 A2. Move up the slab and then diagonally right through two small overhanging sections (6m F2/M2). Climb the recess on the left.
- 55m 16/17. Continue up the recess to where it ends and then to the left on to pitch 18 of the original route.


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What's inside? Here are the questions answered in today's reader mailbag, boiled down to five word summaries. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question.
1. Reasonable family grocery budget
2. Community festivals
3. Investing inheritance
4. The overzealous winner
5. Choosing between jobs
6. Money and pride
7. Salted butter for homemade bread?
8. Sneaking food into theatres
9. Moving, with or without car
10. Record keeping for exercise
I have the "joy" of living in a swing state in the 2012 presidential election, which means that we're already getting political flyers and phone calls related to the presidential election. The congressional district we live in also seems to be one that both major political parties have identified as a target.
In the last few months, I've seen political ads and promotions of all kinds. Whenever I hear one that tells me how bad of a person a particular candidate is, I usually end up liking that person more because I know I'm not hearing the full story and I also know some political hack is out there trying to do a hatchet job.
I know I'm not the "typical" American voter, at least not as defined by the campaigns. However, I will say that if a candidate just came out and said, "I believe in X and it is the most important issue to me. I also believe in Y and Z. Other issues are more secondary to me. If I win this election, I will fight hard for X, Y, and Z." and didn't bother to drag the other guy through the mud at all, I'd probably support that straight-speaking candidate even if I didn't wholly agree with X, Y, and Z.
Hearing that one candidate may have been involved in a corporation that once did something unethical doesn't make me want to not vote for that person, nor does hearing that another candidate may have once been friends with someone who had some radical views or did something wrong. I can certainly say I've got friends who have some rather radical views on certain issues (both conservative and liberal), that I have friends who have done some wrong things in the past, and that I've worked for organizations who have made some ethical calls I don't wholly agree with.
How about, for once, everyone just says what they actually want for America, tells me what they'll actually fight for, and then doesn't waste my time blasting the other candidate for being human?
It's too much to ask for, I guess.
Q1: Reasonable family grocery budget
We are a family of four (kids ages 5 and 3). I like to eat healthy diet with lots of fruits and veggies and whole grains, with little meat. Kids eat breakfast and lunch at preschool, but of course we do keep some snacks around the house for them in addition to fruit and cheese.
My question is, what do you think is a reasonable monthly grocery (food only) budget for us? I do the obvious things, like buy in season produce and stretch meat when we use it and use coupons and plan according to what is on sale. That being said, I do buy certain organic items (high pesticide fruit and veggies and meat). However, I find we are often spending close to $700 a month. I'd like it to be closer to $550 or even $600, but I'm wondering if that is just an unreasonable goal, given that I refuse to buy cheaper conventional grown produce if it is one of the dirty dozen and meat that is not grass fed and certified humane.
– Angela
The USDA estimates that, for a family of your size, you could be spending anywhere from $546.80 to $1064.70 a month on food. Here's that USDA report. If you want to aim for the low-end cost in that range, you should be subscribing to the USDA's "Thrifty Food Plan".
The problem is that you're adding requirements to the food you buy that elevates the price. You won't buy any of the "dirty dozen" of produce, you won't buy meat that's not grass fed and certified humane, and you buy some organic items. All of those things elevate your food bill.
If you want to aim for a lower price, you have to give up some requirements, whether it's the specific food requirements you mention or something else. Everything has a cost to it.
Q2: Community festivals
I love going to the summer festivals in the towns near here, but every time I go, I seem to wind up spending a lot more money than I plan to. I know you like going to festivals since you've written about them before. How do you do it without spending more than you think you should?
– Gregory
My family also enjoys summer community festivals. There are a few tactics we use to cut back on the expense of them.
First, we always pack meals before we leave. We usually pack a cooler with sandwiches and other items in it. We also usually carry a snack with us that's filling but small, like a bag of nuts. This keeps us from diving into the expensive festival food. We also carry around bottled water and refill them at any fountains we find.
Second, we watch for advance tickets. Many festivals will sell tickets in advance for children's rides, concerts, and so forth, usually at a nice discount. If we're planning on hitting a festival on a certain weekend, we'll get tickets before we go.
A final tip: withdraw a minimal amount of cash. You'll have some in your pocket, but not enough to go crazy. When you spend it all, it will seem like an expensive chore to go find an ATM, so you'll be careful with your money.
Q3: Investing inheritance
I am fairly new to investing. I am a 24 year old university student and in the next few days I will be receiving a portion of my inheritance from my father.
I would like to invest this amount in a way that will get me a steady return over the next 10 or so years so I can upgrade to a larger home. I've read your blog about dealing with high interest debt first and will definitely be taking this advice first and foremost -along with starting an emergency fund.
The amount of money I would like to invest is $25,000.
I really don't know where to start when it comes to investing. I am diligently reading through your blog along with the books you have recommended. Any advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
– Monica
The big question most people wrestle with when it comes to investing is how much risk they can tolerate.
Some investments, like a savings account, offer almost no risk at all. They will give you a very steady and stable return over whatever timeframe you like, and there's almost no risk of any sort of loss over any period. The problem is that the return is going to be small.
As you move up the risk scale, you start moving into investments that have a history of providing great returns over some periods, but losses over other periods. Often, these average out over a long period to have a nice return, but you might face a very long period (like 2000 to 2008) where you (at best) break even. Other long periods might have a very nice return – there have been ten year stretches in the past where the stock market returned well over 9% a year on average.
How much risk can you stomach with this money? Are you okay with breaking even if there is a good chance at a nice return? If that's the case, I would look into stock index funds. If you're not okay with that balance, I'd look at something less risky. A savings account is actually not a bad option for this, as you probably don't want to lock down your money at the low interest rates that are available right now.
Q4: The overzealous winner
I love getting together with my siblings and some of our cousins about once a month for a potluck dinner and a game night. We play cards and board games until late in the night together and it's a lot of fun.
One of my cousins is dating a guy who is threatening to spoil the soup. He's really, really competitive, but he's also pretty good at all of the games we play regularly. He trash talks some and he kind of raises the competitive flavor of our game nights to a level that we don't like. We all like to win, but he's pretty loud about winning and brags about things and seems to revel in beating people by a large margin.
How do we handle this and keep the wonderful flow of our game nights intact?
– Dee
Take him aside and talk to him. Tell him that you appreciate that he enjoys game night, but that his trash talking and aggressiveness are on the verge of alienating the family of the person he's dating and that will lead to some long term problems.
If he continues to do it after that, it might be a sign of some personality issues with the guy and it's something that your cousin should take into consideration with regards to continuing to date him.
I've experienced similar situations in the past, and most of the time, a brief sidebar conversation helps a lot. If it doesn't, the person usually finds themselves un-welcome in the near future.
Q5: Choosing between jobs
I'm 30 years old, single and in good health. I have student loan debt in repayment. I work in a freelance industry that only exists in a couple of cities in the US. I have spent the last five years working very regularly for a relatively large, successful company who provide me with frequent work, health benefits, 401k and FSA. That's pretty unheard of in my world, so I'm very lucky. Some of the downsides are pretty typical- harder to get involved in new projects, to start my own initiatives, etc. On top of that, I've had a few issues where I've disagreed with the decisions the company has made on my projects, and it's left me struggling with some negativity.
A good friend and former colleague who I admire started a company a few years back and has just received a windfall of work. I'm delighted, and he's asked me to be involved immediately. The salary is about the same but no benefits. I would have work for several months, but after that his company may or may not get more work (true of any company I work for, but more so in a smaller one). I would also need to leave my current contract early, which is not great but wouldn't necessarily sever ties with the current company.
At this point in my career, I'm eager to take advantage of opportunities for growth and development. Those can come from jobs or doing my own projects outside of work. My job at the big company leaves more time for personal projects, but the smaller company would probably offer a better chance at taking ownership of a project.
I'm extremely deliberative and I like to make decisions slowly, but I dont' have that luxury here. I need to think fast, so any thoughts on what to consider or what you see as the most critical factors here would be very helpful.
– Maggie
What's your situation going to look like if the new company doesn't have work for you after those first several months?
Can you easily find new work? If that's the case, then I'd strongly consider jumping ship. On the other hand, if your career path is a competitive one, stability will probably have more value.
For those facing a similar situation, there's also the question of how many dependents you have. If you're single, a risky career leap is a lot more plausible than if you have a spouse and children. You're single, so you're in the best situation for making such a leap.
You're healthy, relatively young, and single. Those signs all point towards taking the leap. If you have at least some chance of finding good work if this doesn't work out, I'd go for it.
Q6: Money and pride
About two years ago, the internet startup I worked for folded up shop. Since then, I haven't actually held down a job in anything close to my career path.
I have found ways to keep our head above water, though. My job had a decent severance package. I have found a few freelance jobs, and I've written a few ebooks that earn me a trickle of money (but not enough to make it worth the effort). For several months, I've been bagging groceries at a grocery store.
I'm pretty much constantly trying to find work, but there seem to be way more people trying to find work in my areas of expertise than there are jobs available. But we're surviving and that's what's important.
Here's my problem. My older brother owns a construction company that's doing really, really well. Twice in the last year, he's offered to just write me a check for rather large amounts of money. The last time, it was a check for $100,000. This money was simply to keep things going well for my family, especially the kids. He has also offered to employ me as a personal assistant.
I've said no to all of the offers, but I keep thinking that it's my pride standing in the way of better stability for my children.
What would you do in my situation?
– John
It is your pride and character that's refusing the money. However, it is likely that same pride and character that's motivating your brother to make the offer to begin with. If you weren't a hard-working and decent person, he wouldn't be offering to write you a check for $100,000 to help you make things work.
If I were in your shoes, I'd honestly be most interested in that "personal assistant" position. I've actually witnessed similar situations, where family members have been brought into businesses. Sometimes, it really works out; other times it does not.
What distinguishes the two? The character of the new family member, mostly. If it's someone employing their deadbeat cousin who doesn't do anything, it ends up being a problem. If it's someone hiring a hard-working brother, it usually works out. It sounds like you're in the latter camp.
Q7: Salted butter for homemade bread?
Just wondering as I'm using your recipe but seeing different variations of it elsewhere, do you use unsalted or salted butter?
– Andrea
I generally use unsalted butter for everything. The only time you'll find me using salted butter is if I'm using a recipe that specifically calls for it.
I don't use salted butter because it's really hard to control the salt content. All salted butter is not the same. Some brands are highly salted, while others have just a bit.
With unsalted butter, you decide how much salt ends up in whatever it is you're preparing.
Q8: Sneaking food into theatres
My wife constantly takes food and drink into theatres in her purse. She'll put two bottles of Diet Coke and a bag of chips into her bag before we go. Once, recently, she smuggled in a whole meal from Burger King.
This really bothers me. I understand that theater food is expensive and not that great, but it's their right to set their own policies and you're agreeing to them when you buy a ticket. What do you think?
– Martin
My feeling is that the movie theater can set whatever policy they want, and you agree to that policy when you buy a ticket.
That being said, I do understand why people smuggle food into theaters. People don't want to pay the inflated price for the food and drinks that the theater sells.
On the other hand, the movie business is a tricky one. Theaters make most of their money from selling food and drink. They don't make much at all from the tickets – most of that money is passed back to the studios that make the films.
I compromise. I usually eat a meal just before going to the theater so that I'm not hungry or thirsty when I buy my ticket. However, I don't smuggle anything in and if I find myself hungry or thirsty during the film, I'm perfectly fine with hitting the concession stand.
Q9: Moving, with or without car
I currently live in New York City. I am 28 years old, single, no kids. My work is relocating me to Los Angeles sometime in the next 3-6 months.
Private student loan, 4.25% variable interest rate, ~$12,000 balance.
Federal Stafford loan, 4.5% fixed interest rate, ~$12,500. I have worked for a nonprofit 501(c)3 for the past 5 years, and plan to continue to do so for the next 5. This means that in October 2017 this debt will be forgiven under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Act, so I see no point in paying it off early. The balance should be at $5,000-6,000 at that time.
$15,000 in an ING savings account (about 5 months of expenses)
~$50,000 in various retirement savings accounts. Currently putting 5% of my salary into a 403(b).
In NYC I use public transportation to get everywhere, and I live in a neighborhood that has everything I need within a short walking distance. I will likely be working from home for at least the first few months, but I will need to drive to meetings and such a couple of times a week. My company will pay for the relocation, so I won't have any moving expenses. My salary and monthly expenses should stay the same. I am saving about $1,000 month, which I am putting towards my private student loan.
Everyone I know who has lived there is telling me that a car is essential in LA because the public transportation system is terrible and the city very spread out. I am going to try to live in a neighborhood with lots of amenities within walking distance, but apparently those are difficult to find and often on the more expensive side. I just started looking into buying a used car, and I am shocked! I haven't owned a car in seven years, and I've never bought one; my parents bought me a used car when I was a teenager, which I drove until it broke down in my senior year of college. I was expecting to spend about $5,000, but the only cars I've seen on that price range are 10+ years old with over 100,000 miles (I've been looking at both NYC and LA area dealerships). Ideally I would like a hybrid, 2007 or later make, and with no more than 50,000 miles, but the cars I am finding with those parameters are $15-20,000! For example, the KBB value of a 2008 Toyota Prius is about $16,500.
My inclination is to wait a few months after moving and see if I really do need a car, and make do with public transportation and my Zipcar membership in the meantime. I am worried that this will take a negative toll on my social life, as I don't really know anyone in LA and not having a car will encourage me to just stay at home.
Assuming I really do need a car, I'm not sure what course of action I should take:
1.) Stop paying off my student loan now, diverting the money into savings. Pay cash for the car I want. Continue paying my student loan
2.) Continue to pay off my student loans, and buy the car I want with a large down payment (~$10,000) and finance the rest. I have excellent credit, so I should be able to get a good interest rate. If I took this route, I would put my extra $1,000/month towards whatever my highest interest debt is.
3.) Buy an older/high mileage car for ~$5,000, and put the extra $1,000 month into a savings account to eventually replace it with a better car. I fear I would be worried about reliability/safety/MPG if I went this route.
– Shauna
Get the used car, as long as you research it a bit first.
There are a lot of used cars around the 2006 model year range that can be had for $5,000 and offer pretty strong reliability, safety, and fuel efficiency. You've just got to study the models.
I'd suggest starting with FuelEconomy.gov to get a grasp on what kinds of models are available from that year. You might also want to look at reliability data in more recent car issues of Consumer Reports, as they're more likely to reflect the reliability of cars made from 2004 to 2006.
Q10: Record keeping for exercise
Do you find it useful to keep activity logs for the things you're working on? I've been trying to exercise regularly and I've been recording the information diligently in a journal my husband got me. Is that really useful or is it kind of a waste of time?
– Wendy
I think it's useful for some people, but not as useful for others. It really depends on your personality and how your mind works.
For me personally, I find it really useful to track things. I find it a great personal challenge to chase after a personal record or maintain a streak of days where I've achieved a particular goal. That's just how my mind works.
If you find that it's not doing anything for you, don't do it.
Got any questions? Email them to me or leave them in the comments and I'll attempt to answer them in a future mailbag (which, by way of full disclosure, may also get re-posted on other websites that pick up my blog). However, I do receive hundreds of questions per week, so I may not necessarily be able to answer yours.


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Crunch time coming early for struggling D-backs
CHICAGO -- Kevin Towers knew Masahiro Tanaka was going to hit the ground running in North America, and badly wanted to bring him to Arizona. He had a creative idea in how to get him too.
When the D-backs met with Tanaka and his agent, Casey Close, Towers laid out their willingness to take the Japanese star on what would amount to a two-year test drive. They explained they were willing to give him the right to opt out of his contract after two years, becoming a free agent again for the 2016 season.View Full Game Coverage
CHICAGO -- Kevin Towers knew Masahiro Tanaka was going to hit the ground running in North America, and badly wanted to bring him to Arizona. He had a creative idea in how to get him too.
When the D-backs met with Tanaka and his agent, Casey Close, Towers laid out their willingness to take the Japanese star on what would amount to a two-year test drive. They explained they were willing to give him the right to opt out of his contract after two years, becoming a free agent again for the 2016 season.View Full Game Coverage
That might have worked had the Yankees not offered $155 million over seven years -- and with the way Tanaka has started his career, you wonder what he might have commanded after two seasons. It could have been the Clayton Kershaw package, super-sized.
Tanaka wasn't the only dominating pitcher that the D-backs tried to get last winter. While Towers worked a pair of trades involving the White Sox, he couldn't pull off the one he really wanted -- for left-hander Chris Sale. Nor could he land the Rays' David Price, because he wasn't willing to part with 21-year-old right-hander Archie Bradley, who should be coming to a Major League park near you at some point this summer.
Towers signed free agent Bronson Arroyo on the eve of Spring Training and hoped for the best. He's gotten the worst, with ace Patrick Corbin undergoing Tommy John surgery and both Trevor Cahill and Randall Delgado pitching themselves into the bullpen. The D-backs' rotation ERA has jumped from 4.13 in 2013 to an almost-incomprehensible 7.15, with recurring mistakes in the field a big part of the problem.
This wasn't what Towers envisioned when he traded lefty Tyler Skaggs to add power hitter Mark Trumbo. He didn't expect to find himself with Mike Bolsinger in his rotation, yet the 25-year-old started at Wrigley Field on Thursday while Trumbo was back in Phoenix in a walking cast, with doctors trying to limit the time he spends on the disabled list, treating a stress fracture in his left foot.
The D-backs are a mess. They've lost 10 of 12 entering Thursday and at 6-18 have the Major Leagues' worst record, in a season when Ken Kendrick's ownership group allowed the payroll to grow beyond $100 million for the first time in more than a decade.
There are rumblings that Towers and manager Kirk Gibson could be replaced if things don't turn around soon. It's hard to believe that will happen as both signed contract extensions before the start of an extended Spring Training that preceded the season-opening trip to Australia. But it must seem like a long time since 2011, when the D-backs won 94 games and were one big hit away from the NLCS.
Towers knows the awful start is testing the patience of Kendrick and club president Derrick Hall, but it's hard to see what good would be achieved by making regime changes at this point.
The across-the-board lack of performance raises questions, but it is hard to see how they would be corrected by Towers paying more attention to analytics. Kendrick raised that issue in an interview with the Arizona Republic's Dan Bickley last week, which sounded alarms around Chase Field.
Towers is considered old school, but that designation almost doesn't exist any more in front offices. Every team uses statistical analysis, even those that don't spend a lot of time talking about. You'd be crazy not to, and these guys aren't crazy.
If the D-backs didn't study numbers, they wouldn't have a stand-up desk at the manager's end of the dugout, where Gibson and bench coach Alan Trammell stand. Gibson defined "clutch player'' during his career -- a concept that some modern thinkers find apocryphal -- but studies the run matrix and other elements of probability.
If Towers has throwback tendencies, they're most often found in his boldness. He isn't afraid to make trades, even when they're unpopular. He dealt former Cy Young winner Jake Peavy when he was in San Diego and he pulled the rug out from under Justin Upton after taking over in Arizona, believing Upton was uncomfortable in a high-visibility role.
That move has pretty much been a disaster, with Upton and third baseman Chris Johnson instantly becoming core guys in Atlanta while Delgado struggles to hold a spot in Gibson's rotation. Early results also suggest he miscalculated when he bought into A.J. Pollock's potential so much that he was willing to trade on-base machine Adam Eaton to the White Sox.
Eaton has solved the Sox's leadoff issues and played a major role in their fast start, yet these are only early results. Eaton faces questions about his durability and Pollock's leadership -- a trait that Towers is sold on -- will be vital in the months ahead.
Down 5-2 in the ninth inning on Wednesday, with Tony Campana filling in for Pollock (stiff neck), the D-backs scored five runs to steal a victory from the Cubs, who were celebrating the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field. Was it the start of a turn-around?
"I think we've been pressing, and I've said that many, many times,'' Gibson said Thursday. "We just haven't synced up all year in all aspects of the game. That's what we've been seeking out, searching out. It seems like [on Wednesday] we finally got some breaks that we haven't been getting all year.''
The D-backs are going to play better once their starting pitchers escape the freefall they've been in since leaving the Sydney Cricket Grounds. They could play a lot better if Bradley ultimately steps in to deliver a badly needed front-of-the-rotation arm.
Credit Towers for giving Bolsinger this opportunity, not Bradley. It would have been easy to turn to the young gun that other teams covet, but the D-backs have issues that go beyond those one guy could solve, even if that guy had turned out to be Tanaka.
Phil Rogers is a columnist for MLB.com.


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The 2009 PWA Catalunya Costa Brava Slalom World Cup – Event Preview
Round 3 of the PWA World Slalom Tour is all set to kick off next week in the beautiful Costa Brava region of Catalunya, Spain.
Set on the Ballena Allegre Camping resort inside the Bay of Roses, this is a slalom sailing paradise ready to test the worlds best.
Leading the tour going into Round 3 is the 2008 World Champion, Antoine Albeau (JP/NeilPryde). Having dominated slalom for the last 3 years, the big Frenchman is clearly still hungry for victory after finishing 2nd in Austria (Round 1) and 1st in Korea (Round 2). However Costa Brava can serve up a real mix of conditions, testing everyone and forcing mistakes.
If there are mistakes, you can be sure Bjorn Dunkerbeck (Starboard/Severne) will be there to capitalize on them. He has more World titles under his belt than any other windsurfer in history and will be determined to get back to his rightful place on top of the podium.
Currently lying in 3rd place is Gonzalo Costa Hoevel (Exocet/MauiSails) from Argentina. Gonzo is one of the hottest of the younger generation slalom sailors and is finally starting to put in consistent enough performances to get the results he deserves. If the winds are light next week we could see him move up even higher.
Just behind the top 3 are a whole host of names keen for their piece of the prize purse. Finian Maynard (RRD/NeilPryde) has put speed sailing on the back burner to focus more on slalom. A lighter more agile physique means early planing and better gybes and at the moment it seems to be paying off. Kevin Pritchard (Starboard/Gaastra/Dakine) in 5th position can be lethally dangerous when things go right for him. Despite a poor start to the season by his standards, nobody would be surprised to see him come out on top next week.
Closely following Kevin are the next generation, with Ross Williams (Tabou/Gaastra) being the one to watch. Ross had his first win in the Austria event, but finished down the fleet in Korea. Will he be back on top in Costa Brava? We then have Cyril Moussilmani (Starboard/North Sails) from France. With new boards this year he is more motivated than ever. Ben Van Der Steen (Exocet/Simmer Sails) has rocket speed and when he can get the rest of his race tactics right can beat anyone. Fellow Dutchman, Peter Volwater (F2/MauiSails) is a solid performer, who is really consistent in all conditions. If we get a mix of winds he could easily rise to the top.
Finishing off the top 10 is PWA Chairman Jimmy Diaz (Starboard/North Sails). When not representing the sailors for the PWA, Jimmy is head tester for North Sails and you can be sure his gear is going as fast as he can make it. If the legs are short and there are enough gybes for him he can be very dangerous.
Other sailors to watch include Micah Buzianis (JP/NeilPryde) who missed round 1 through injury. He came back strong with 2nd place in Korea and, being team mate to Antoine Albeau, you can guarantee he will be going very fast. Julien Quentel (RRD/NeilPryde) rocked up in Austria with new boards and shocked the fleet with a consistent performance that saw him take 4th. Having missed Korea however he will need to step up next week to get his year back on track. Watch out for him for sure.
out for him for sure.
The Women
Top of the women's ranking after 1 round in Korea, is last years runner up Valérie Ghibaudo (Tabou/Loft Sails). After a solid performance in Asia, she looks determined to get that top slot. As always her main rival is Karin Jaggi (F2/Severne). With multiple world titles to her name in all disciplines, Karin must be one of the all time best windsurfers ever. Certainly Valérie will be watching her closely all next week.
Like in the men's fleet, there is now a new generation of younger riders that are starting to make a serious impact. Currently lying in 3rd place is French ripper Alice Arutkin (Starboard/North Sails). At only 17 years old, Alice is showing real promise in all areas of windsurfing, but the racing is where she is closest to the top at the moment. Hot on her heels is last year's 3rd place finisher Sarah Hebert (Starboard/Naish Sails). Also from France she comes from a formula background so for sure her tactics will be spot on. Finishing off the top 5 is Turkish rider, Lena Erdil (Starboard/Loft Sails). After an impressive debut last year, she returns fired up and knows what is needed to get to the top. Who will come out on top this week?
The Outsiders
Lastly Costa Brava also attracts a whole range of competitors from all over Europe. The great sailing and perfect set up makes this a top spot for rookie racers. Will there be any upsets from the lower ranks? Expect to see some new names in both the men's and women's fleets.
It all kicks off on Tuesday and with a forecast of 12 knots, they should be straight into action on day one.
Be sure to check all the action at <http://www.pwaworldtour.com/> Here you will be able to:
• Read the live ticker service for race by race bulletins
• Check live elimination ladders
• View results
• Read daily news summaries
• Watch video footage of all the action
• Browse awesome action photo galleries


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Mr. and Mrs. James Owens of Traer are pleased to announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their daughter Natalie to Greg Ivory son of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Ivory of Fort Dodge. Natalie is a graduate of North Tama High School and the University of Iowa. She works for Groupon in Cedar Rapids. Greg graduated from St. Edmond High School, Fort Dodge and Drake University. He is employed by Hybrid Transit Systems, Cedar Rapids.
Greg and Natalie will be married July 9, 2011 at St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines with a reception at Renaissance Savory Hotel.


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Thursday, August 18, 2011
Putting on My Tinfoil Hat
He has also stated that we should take a big breath, pick our battles, and above all, be kind when we can. He is right. We should.
Dear Sirs and Madams at the Big Genealogy Companies:
August seems to have become the month of Big Changes in Genealogy. Unfortunately for you all, not everyone is on vacation right now, so some of us are complaining. I love my genealogy subscriptions and appreciate what you do, but I'm starting to become paranoid.
Dear Geni.com: I don't have a subscription with Geni.com, so I have not been affected by the changes. But some of my friends have. That sucks.
Dear Ancestry.com: I have a Footnote.com subscription. I also have Pages on Footnote, and many of the Pages are about people who have no connection to the military. I also love the other content on Footnote.com, and I love what they were doing and planning to do with NARA. I made one of my most important "cousin connections" through Footnote. With the new focus, that probably won't be happening any more on Fold3. That sucks. (And although I understand the patriotic significance of the new name, Fold3 is nevertheless kind of lame-sounding).
Yesterday I was feeling a lot of love for Ancestry because of the free access to the 1940 census thing. (Tinfoil hat on: That wouldn't have been a deliberate move to soften us up for the Footnote-Fold3 switcheroo, would it? No, that's too devious, even for a mastermind.)
Dear Genealogy Bank: I like you the way you are. Please don't change. That would suck.
Hoping that there is no such thing as the Genealogy Illuminati who get together to conspire to take over the Genea-World,
Yours truly,
8 comments:
My husband just asked why I am laughing out loud. I think Fold3 sounds like a bad boy band. Why re-brand a reputable company? Very risky.ReplyDelete
Great post - agree, agree and agree some more! I'm also laughing at the comment about the boy band. I wonder what focus group convinced them that Fold3 was a good idea?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 19, 2011 at 8:11 AM
My first inkling that Footnote had changed was when my bookmark didn't work.ReplyDelete
No redirect. Just didn't work.
On the bright side, I now have an extra $79.95 annually to use to find another subscription service...
I vote with my feet.
I'm just reading everything, and yours was right to the point. No need to ramble on, like some did. I never used Geni, I don't fall for the word Free, and have Footnote, which I won't renew. Sharpen your pencil, because I bet there will be some more news down the road! Good piece Greta.ReplyDelete
fold3 could also remind one of the old cloth-diaper days, don't you know! Now, there is an analogy that has all sorts of implications! Good post, and refreshing amid all the crankiness (to which I have also bee subject). Thanks.ReplyDelete
Enjoyed your post Greta!Fold 3 makes me think of diapering a baby with cloth diapers! lolReplyDelete
Sierria - A bad boy band? I never thought of that ... but now that you mention, it ... all sorts of images come to mind.ReplyDelete
Diana - Now the the thought that a focus group was involved definitely did occur to me - how much awful stuff has been foisted upon us as the result of focus groups?
dee - I think a lot of people will vote with their feet, which was probably part of the plan, unfortunately.
Barbara - Thanks. I believe you are right - there will be more news down the road. I think a lot of us in genealogy get caught up in the "It's free" scam because the switchover happens over a longer period of time than usually happens in industries that produce a tangible, physical product. Information-based industries wait until the "free" customers have provided value-added content, then pull the switcheroo.
Karen - Oh, yeah, diapers - now that will bring a lot of images to mind! (I am cranky, too, but I guess I am so used to stuff like this that I have become resigned).
Cheryl - Well, now all of our "great minds" are thinking alike - we coulda told them that name would be a marketing disaster!
Thanks for the chuckle, Greta - sometimes when websites are making those frustrating changes, all you can do is laugh!ReplyDelete


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Tuesday, March 09, 2010
With two hopefuls recently quitting, the remaining three-way race for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in South Carolina is neck-and-neck. The Democratic Primary is just three months away, but all three hopefuls are far short of the 50% needed to avoid a run-off.Rasmussen subscribers can log in to read the rest of this article.
ORBecome a member and get full access to all articles and polls starting at $4.95/month.
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We conduct public opinion polls on a variety of topics to inform our audience on events in the news and other topics of interest. To ensure editorial control and independence, we pay for the polls ourselves and generate revenue through the sale of subscriptions, sponsorships, and advertising. Nightly polling on politics, business and lifestyle topics provides the content to update the Rasmussen Reports web site many times each day. If it's in the news, it's in our polls. Additionally, the data drives a daily update newsletter and various media outlets across the country.
Some information, including the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll and commentaries are available for free to the general public. Subscriptions are available for $4.95 a month or 34.95 a year that provide subscribers with exclusive access to more than 20 stories per week on upcoming elections, consumer confidence, and issues that affect us all. For those who are really into the numbers, Platinum Members can review demographic crosstabs and a full history of our data.
To learn more about our methodology, click here.


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Faber leads Hillsboro tennis team
Senior Harry Faber is back to lead the Hillsboro High School tennis team featuring five returning letter-winners.
Faber qualified for the state tournament last season and placed ninth in singles. He went 23-15 last season in his first season as a singles player. Faber established an identity last season, aggressively attacking the net. This will be Faber's first season as a No. 1 singles player, with graduate and fellow state qualifier Grant Shewey filling that role last season.
"Harry has an excellent game along with the competitive drive to continue to battle in matches, which will be needed for the tough competition that he will face this year at No. 1 singles," head coach Stuart Holmes said.
Seniors Jeff Pritchard and Daniel Gray played doubles last season and ammassed a record of 12-19. The duo just missed qualifying for state, losing the necessary match in regional competition. Holmes said Pritchard and Gray could play doubles again or take over No. 2 singles position.
Senior Tyler Funk and junior Ty Carey were Hillsboro's other doubles team last season. Holmes said either player could play singles this season.
The tennis squad begins the season March 28 at Conway Springs. Hillsboro will host the 3-2-1A state tennis tournament May 10 and 11. The event has been held in Wichita.


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As a private, nonprofit 501(c)4 corporation for the past 57 years, Bridger Bowl has operated on a very different model than most real estate development-based ski resort operations today. With no owners or stockholders to pay, the focus has stayed simply on our mission: "to provide a quality ski (and snowboard) experience at the best possible price commensurate with sound business practices."
Sustainability Mission Statement
Bridger Bowl is committed to operating our ski area in the most socially responsible manner possible. Energy and product purchases, waste stream management and care for the land will be conducted in an accountable manner consistent with prudent and environmentally sustainable practices.
NSAA Keep Winter Cool Campaign
In 2004, Bridger Bowl along with 70 other members of the National Ski Areas Association wrote letters of support to our congressional representatives urging them to pass the McCain-Lieberman sponsored Climate Stewardship Act.
Through the Sustainable Slopes Initiative, NSAA has outlined specific industry goals addressing global warming concerns and sustainability issues. This season Bridger Bowl will be actively encouraging public support and participation through NSAA's "Keep Winter Cool" program.
Carpooling and Free Bus Service
As a local community ski area, Bridger Bowl is fortunate to be 20 minutes from Bozeman. Most local residents only have to drive 16 to 20 miles each way to and from Bridger. Consequently, the collective carbon footprint is significantly less compared to those traveling 3 to 5 times that distance to ski or recreate. Despite the close proximity to Bozeman, Bridger Bowl still strongly encourage local residents to carpool whenever possible.
- We have a designated carpool lot for vehicles with 3 or more passengers in our top Lot A. We have also coordinated a carpool parking lot at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds (Oak Street Entrance across from the Cannery District) in Bozeman. This is a convenient park and ride location for almost everyone coming to Bridger Bowl.
- Since 2007, Bridger Bowl has provided FREE Park and Ride Bus Service between Bozeman and Bridger Bowl. The Free bus service is offered on weekends (plus school holidays for the Kid's bus).
- A special bus is provided free of charge for Bridger employees seven days a week during the ski season.
- In 2009 Bridger Bowl converted two popular discount skiing days (Bridger Bowl's Birthday and MSU Bobcat Ski Day) into carpooling awareness campaigns. In order for participants to qualify for the discounted tickets, they must carpool with "3 on a wheel to get the deal". Season pass holders are given 15% off vouchers if they carpool on those days as well.
Bridger Bowl's Recycling and Conservation Efforts
- Bridger Bowl has been committed to recycling for many years. We recycle 100% of our cardboard and glass generated on the mountain with our own bailer and crusher. All of our lubricant oils, lift grease, fryer fats, large steel, aluminum, wire, administrative paper and magazines are recycled.
- Bridger Bowl has purchased green tags for energy generated through zero emission heat exhaust captured from natural gas pump turbines in Basin Electric Cooperative's North Dakota pipeline.
- Through our guest services we have a recycling collection system in our food service areas for glass, plastic and aluminum products.
- We reconditioned a 1976 Doppelmayr double chair purchased from Snowbird Ski Resort and put it back into service. This 'recycled' and refurbished (named Schlasman ... original spelling) chair provides lift served access for our expert skiers/riders into our Slushman's terrain.
Bridger Staff Training
Bridger Bowl has a Sustainability Committee which completed the Yellowstone Business Partnership's Uncommon Sense program in 2009. This is a very action and results oriented program, primarily designed to help businesses recognize, measure and reduce their waste stream as well as make better decisions in purchasing, consumption and management practices related to sustainability.
This committee in turn works with departmental supervisors and other Bridger staff to make positive changes throughout the organization. As stated in our Employee Handbook, "It is the responsibility of all employees to conduct themselves in a manner compliant with these practices. The sustainability committee encourages ideas and suggestions from all Bridger Bowl employees to improve our efforts." We encourage all local business owners and managers to adopt a sustainability mission statement in their business plans.
Environmental Education
Since the inception of Bridger Raptor Festival in 1996, Bridger Bowl has recognized the value of celebrating this major migratory route of the Golden Eagle and 16 other species of raptors each fall along the ridge of the Bridger Mountains.
Along with the significant effort and partnerships with organizations such as Montana and Sacajawea Audubon, Custer Gallatin National Forest, Montana Raptor Conservation Center and many others, we hope to raise awareness of this significant natural event and related environmental topics by connecting the general public to research regarding wildlife and promoting access and interpretation to the findings of the research.
The Raptor Festival is a fun and educational family event complete with live bird demonstrations, raptor identification talks, children's activities, conservation group exhibits and raptor migration viewing on Bridger's ridge. By providing these free events to the general public we hope to foster a greater understanding of our environment and appreciation of the local wildlife we enjoy at Bridger Bowl.
Recognition and Awards
Bridger Bowl is the only ski area among seven major ski resorts in the greater Yellowstone region in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho that was recognized for its sustainable business practices and service as a nonprofit community ski area in National Geographic's Greater Yellowstone Region Geotourism Mapguide.
Bridger Bowl was also presented a plaque by the Gallatin National Forest in 2008 which states the following: "In Recognition of Bridger Bowl's exemplary efforts in their commitment to environmentally sustainable operations and care for National Forest lands."


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Local obit blames Kansas City Chiefs for man's death
Longtime Kansas City Chiefs fan Loren "Sam" Lickteig passed away on Wednesday at the age of 81. If the obituary in the Kansas City Star is to be believed, Romeo Crennel, Matt Cassel and decades of the team's incompetence may be to blame.
"Loren G. "Sam" Lickteig passed away on Nov. 14, 2012 of complications from MS and heartbreaking disappointment caused by the Kansas City Chiefs football team," the obit reads.
Whether that great line was the work of Mr. Lickteig or his surviving kin, we offer our applause along with our condolences.
(Thanks to Yahoo's @JeffPassan for passing this along.)
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/S7zksy


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Next Episode of Suspense (US) is
not planed. TV Show was canceled.
An anthology series based on the long running radio drama of the same name. Famous actors would appear in a mystery each week. Horror icons Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi both made their television dramatic debuts on this series.
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Introducing Fuse™ Technologies: a new global corporate initiative that encompasses all aspects of AGCO's technology offerings. It will enable farmers to optimize their farms through current and future AGCO products and services.
DULUTH, Ga. — July 9, 2013 — AGCO, Your Agriculture Company (NYSE:AGCO), a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment and infrastructure, announced today a new global corporate initiative that addresses all aspects of precision farming technology and how farmers can optimize their operations through AGCO products and new services.
AGCO's overarching new global technology strategy is called Fuse™ Technologies and it will provide professional growers seamless integration and connectivity across all their farm assets – regardless of brand. It will transform current precision farming practices by delivering precision agriculture solutions that lead to reduced input costs, greater efficiency and profitability. AGCO's current telematics and data management offerings such as AgCommand® and VarioDoc™, auto guidance solutions such as Auto-Guide™ 3000 and VarioGuide™, and future generations of these and other core precision farming technologies will be added to the Fuse Technologies portfolio. Additionally, as the strategy evolves, a major focus of Fuse Technologies will be to ensure an "open" approach to technology integration in AGCO equipment. This will allow connections to existing service providers and Farm Management Information System (FMIS) software that is already in use and trusted by AGCO customers.
"Fuse represents a new day for AGCO and a large scale investment in new technology solutions," said Martin Richenhagen, AGCO Chairman, President and CEO. "We are more than doubling resources in key areas that will lead to more new products and services in the precision agriculture category," he said.
"The promise of Fuse Technologies is a consolidated approach to AGCO precision farming technology that will help to transform our customers' enterprises through innovation, integration and enhanced optimization resulting in improved productivity and profitability," said Eric Hansotia, Senior Vice President Global Harvesting and Advanced Technology Solutions (ATS).
Pillars of Fuse Technologies include:
AGCO Brands: AGCO is a global provider of agriculture solutions through a unique offering of brands and products that deliver the AGCO vision of "High-tech Solutions for Professional Farmers Feeding the World."
On & Off Board Technologies: Seamlessly integrate all your farm assets – resulting in higher yields, less input costs and greater profits.
Support & Training: A new global customer call center and leading-edge product training means you get the expertise and answers to run your operation more efficiently.
Dealer Network: One of the world's most extensive dealer networks gives you global access and support – any time, any place.
Service Providers: Connect with preferred service providers and enjoy the freedom and convenience to continue working with local business partners that you trust.
"Fuse Technologies will encompass all of AGCO's core product brands, enable a deeper integration with our technology suppliers, and impact all stages of the farming life cycle from enterprise planning, planting, and seed growth to application, harvesting and grain storage" said Matt Rushing, AGCO Vice President of Product Management, ATS and Electronics Functional Group globally. "Fuse Technologies is the future of AGCO's on and off board technology offering."
Press contacts:
Abby Burton
Tel.: +1 770-813-6167
Email: email@example.com
Fuse is a registered trademark of AGCO. Auto-Guide is a trademark of Caterpillar Inc. and used under license by AGCO. NovAtel is a registered trademark of Hexagon.
About AGCO
AGCO (NYSE: AGCO) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural solutions and supports more productive farming through its full line of equipment and related services. AGCO products are sold through five core brands, Challenger®, Fendt®, GSI®, Massey Ferguson® and Valtra®, supported by Fuse® precision technologies and farm optimization services, and are distributed globally through a combination of over 3,000 independent dealers and distributors in more than 150 countries. Founded in 1990, AGCO is headquartered in Duluth, GA, USA. In 2016, AGCO had net sales of $7.4 billion. For more information, visit http://www.AGCOcorp.com. For company news, information and events, please follow us on Twitter: @AGCOCorp. For financial news on Twitter, please follow the hashtag #AGCOIR.


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Hi all,
I have been looking at complex multiplication of elliptic curves for a course project in cryptography and the following question came up: Let $\mathcal{O}_K$ be the maximal order in $K$ ($K$ is an imaginary quadratic field), let $h_K (X)$ be the Hilbert class polynomial of $K$. Suppose that $\mathcal{O}$ is another order (say $\mathcal{O} =\mathbb{Z}[ \frac{1 + \sqrt{D}}{2}]$ and $\mathcal{O} = \mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{D}]$ for concreteness). Let $h_\mathcal{O} (X)$ be the hilbert class polynomial of the order $\mathcal{O}$. Is there any relation between $h_k(X)$ and $h_\mathcal{O} (X)$? For example can one obtain $h_\mathcal{O}(X)$ from $h_K(X)$ and vice verse?


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This question already has an answer here:
Sometimes, I am not satisfied with the answers that I get, though some are very good. Do I have to accept an answer or can I just leave the question open?
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This question already has an answer here:
Sometimes, I am not satisfied with the answers that I get, though some are very good. Do I have to accept an answer or can I just leave the question open?
Nobody is forcing you to accept an answer; it would be polite if there is something "useful enough", but... if you want better answers, try:
Note that if you add a bounty this will force it to accept an answer in 1 week's time...
No, you don't have to accept any answer if it doesn't solve your problem.
You could edit your original question to update what you've tested and tried and why your problem still persists.
Hopefully the people answering will update their attempts or new answers will come in that will solve your problem and you would be able to click on the tick.
I have open questions that I haven't received a satisfactory answer for so no answer has been accepted.
Certain subjective questions, particularly CW and poll-like questions, are probably best left without an accepted answer in many cases.
It'd be nice if there was a "partial answer" option....
No, you don't. But keep in mind, if you have some good answers, maybe you can compose a satisfying answer out of them and accept your own (composed) answer. Could help other readers to get the correct info fast.
It's up to you.
If you didn't get a satisfying answer you could leave a comment, edit your question, or even start a bounty
I think you could edit your question to indicate that you like a particular answer, but use the edit to indicate why it's not complete. That way, it leaves future readers with an understanding about what's going on.
Personally, I find unanswered questions frustrating, because I feel like there's an underlying problem with even the most popular answers if they weren't picked as the one.
On the other hand, I'd like an "honourable mention" category for answers that are worthy, but not quite there.
Dont' forget that even if you accept an answer, the question remains open for more answers to be added. Yes, activity will decrease, but it won't stop somebody having a different point of view from expressing it.


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$2,000 at 90 days, $2,000 at 6 months and $2,000 at 1 year. If employment is terminated at any time during the first year of employment, any remaining bonus payments will not be paid.About Mohawk
Mohawk Industries has been a trusted name in carpets for more than 130 years and is a leading supplier of flooring for both residential and commercial applications. Mohawk offers a complete selection of broadloom carpet, ceramic tile, laminate, wood, stone, vinyl, rugs and other home products. These products are marketed under the premier brands in the industry, which include Mohawk, Karastan, Lees, Bigelow, Columbia, Century, Dal-Tile, American Olean and Quick-Step. Mohawk's unique merchandising and marketing assist our customers in creating the consumers' dream.
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A cable pull isn't something you want to repeat in the near future, but certain mistakes can ensure that's exactly what you'll be doing. When you replace cables in a repair situation, there's often pressure due to a limited downtime window and managers hovering around. You'll save time by not hurrying, because you'll have to do the cable pull once. Here's a list of some key tips to keep in mind when doing this type of work:
- Inspect the raceway before installing new cabling. Look for sharp edges at each access point of the pull (e.g., pullboxes). Ensure the raceway is securely supported.
- Inspect the cable. Ensure you have the right cabling and enough length of each type for a given pull.
- Test the cable. For critical cables, perform insulation resistance tests before and after the pull.
- Warm it. In an emergency repair situation, you don't have time to let cables warm up to an optimum pulling temperature. However, cold cables are typically brittle, and even minimal pulling force can be enough to damage the insulation. To avoid damage, aim a forced air heater at the spool(s) and pull slowly. The air blowing across the cable should feel warm, not overly hot, to humans. This process will also help dry the cable.
- Waste lube. Cable lube is cheap. Cables are not.
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We already looked at the overall number of reported rape cases in 2011. In this graphic, we broke these figures down for population size. Using data from the National Crime Record Bureau and the 2011 Census, below is how many rape allegations are reported to police for every 100,000 women across India's states.
The state with the highest rate of reported rapes is Mizoram, with 14.29 rapes being reported for every 100,000 women in 2011. Next are two more northeastern states: Assam and Tripura, with rates of 11.17 and 11.30 reported rapes per 100,000 women, respectively. New Delhi reported 7.36 rapes per 100,000 women.
The rates of conviction also varies from state to state, averaging at 26% of registered cases. (More on this here.)
A high incidence of rapes reported to police isn't necessarily a bad thing: it also shows that women are willing to turn to law enforcement authorities to seek justice, and that police are registering their complaints. Many victims are reluctant to register complaints with police because of the shame attached to being raped.
Follow India Real Time on Twitter @indiarealtime
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Latest Round in Trade War Set to Hit U.S. Vehicles, Agriculture Hard
Opinion: Mind Your Manners, Says Edith Wharton


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The Diplomatic Escape
Inspired by "Argo"
Serves 1
1 ounce Dewar's 12 year old Scotch
3/4 ounce St-Germain elderflower liqueur
3/4 ounce Campari
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 small sprig basil
Canada Dry ginger ale
Orange peel, garnish
Fresh basil, garnish
In a mixing glass, combine the scotch, St-Germain, Campari, lemon juice and basil with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain and serve over the rocks, topped with ginger ale. Garnish with orange peel and fresh basil.
— Manny Hinojosa, Bacardi USA mixologist


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Can you identify the Code violation(s) in this photo?
Hint:You'll never guess where this was installed.
Find the Answer
How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn't identify? Here's your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else's work from the safety of your living room or office. Can you identify the Code violation(s) in this photo?
'Tell Them What They've Won...'
Using the 2008 NEC, correctly identify the Code violation(s) in this month's photo — in 200 words or less — and you could win something to put in your toolbox. E-mail your response to [email protected], and we'll select three winners (excluding manufacturers and prior winners) at random from the correct submissions. Winners will receive a set of insulated hand tools from Ideal Industries, Inc., valued at more than $125.* The set includes 9.25-in. insulated side-cutting pliers, 10-in. insulated tongue-and-groove pliers, and a 0.25-in. 3 6-in. insulated screwdriver. (* Please allow six to eight weeks for delivery of tools.)
Our two winners this month include: Matt Piantedosi, an associate engineer with The Cadmus Group in Watertown, Mass., and Francisco Cruz Covarrubia, a master electrician with Texans Services One in Houston. Both of these guys pointed out numerous violations in this photo, such as the open wiring at the junction box, lack of GFCI receptacle, and broken conduit.
First, we can clearly see that these devices weren't protected from physical damage. As noted in 300.4, "Where subject to physical damage, conductors, raceways, and cables shall be protected." The first sentence in 300.11(A) also notes that "Raceways, cable assemblies, boxes, cabinets, and fittings shall be securely fastened in place."
We can also see that there is clearly a lack of protection from the outdoor elements. As noted in 314.15, "In damp or wet locations, boxes, conduit bodies, and fittings shall be placed or equipped so as to prevent moisture from entering or accumulating within the box, conduit body, or fittings. Boxes, conduit bodies, and fittings installed in wet locations shall be listed for use in wet locations."
Receptacles installed in wet locations must also comply with the requirements of 406.9(B), which in part states, "15- and 20-ampere, 125- and 250-volt receptacles installed in a wet location shall have an enclosure that is weather-proof whether or not the attachment plug cap is inserted."
Here are two other items to take note of as well. Although this receptacle may be served from a GFI breaker, if it's not, it must meet the requirements of 210.8(B)(4). The wire connectors are not listed for a wet location, as required by 110.3(B).


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For my contribution, I have pictures of something I made on Monday. I've been taking a few jewelry classes in the evening, and up until now hadn't made anything I was really proud of. But last class I made some sort of (ok, really) amateur looking rings. But they're still awesome, because I took a copper strip and a copper wire and turned them into these:
(My apologies for the blurry picture, my camera is a beauty but doesn't do close up shots well, at least not with my current lenses.)
They look funny because I am terrible at soldering and because I didn't finish them. We're learning finishing techniques next week, but I didn't want to wait to make this thread because I MADE MYSELF A RING EVERYONE. If they turn out pretty I will post more pictures.
So what awesome things have you guys made?


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MERIDIAN, Miss. | Three men, including a teacher at the University of West Alabama, have been charged with attempting to lure minors for sex using social media.
MERIDIAN, Miss. | Three men, including a teacher at the University of West Alabama, have been charged with attempting to lure minors for sex using social media.
Lauderdale County Sheriff Billie Sollie said the three were arrested in Mississippi over the weekend in an operation by his deputies and Meridian Community College's campus police.
Johnny Varnell Warren, 57, of Meridian, who worked at the MCC book store, was arrested Jan. 25 after he showed up to meet what he thought was a teenager for a sexual encounter, Sollie said.
"We determined that Warren and the two other suspects in this case were using the medium to contact people under the age of 18 to set up sexual contact," Sollie said. "Investigators arranged a meeting through the fictional person with Warren on Friday, at which time Warren was taken into custody without further incident."
Sollie said Kevin Donovan Winstead, 50, of Union, and Clifton Donavan Kelly, 33, of Highland Home, were arrested Jan. 27 when they arrived in Meridian allegedly to meet with another minor.
Sollie said all three men were communicating with investigators from his office.
He said the three have been released on $10,000 bond each. No trial date has been set. The charge is a felony. MCC officials said Warren was no longer employed at the school.
Sollie said Winstead was unemployed and that Kelly was a professor at the University of West Alabama in Livingston.
Richard Holland, president of UWA, said he had not been notified of Kelly's arrest and he was looking into the case. Holland said Kelly is a lecturer with the Department of Languages and Literature.
"We are making inquiries of our own here to find out all we can," Holland said.


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Ganjaran Bonus Forex Yang Terbesar Tidak Pernah Ditawarkan Sebelum ini ... BONUS TANPA SEBARANG DEPOSIT SEBANYAK $1500 DARI INSTAFOREX !!
|Debate & Mature Discussion This section is not like "Santai" style. This is the place to debate things, as well as strike up a more mature conversation. Respect other people's opinions and do not flame nor troll. Immediate suspension will be imposed.
« Previous Thread | Next Thread »


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May 2-5, 2011
Space Telescope Science Institute
Baltimore, Maryland
The 2011 May Symposium took place May 2-5, 2011 at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. The topic of the symposium was "Dark Matter", and covered a wide range of topics in the areas of both astrophysics and particle physics. There were invited reviews on experiments designed for direct and indirect detection of Dark Matter (e.g. DAMA, XENON 100, LHC, FERMI, AMS), on astronomical observations of dark matter (e.g. strong and weak lensing, the Cosmic Microwave Background, galaxy halos, clusters of galaxies, Baryon Acoustic Oscillations, Big Bang Nucleosynthesis), and on alternative theories of gravity (e.g. TeVeS, Bimetric MOND Gravity).
Invited Speakers
- Elena Aprile (Columbia University)
- Neta Bahcall (Princeton University)
- Pierluigi Belli (Università di Tor Vergata)
- Erwin de Blok (University of Cape Town)
- James Bullock (University of California, Irvine)
- Juan Collar (University of Chicago)
- Megan Donahue (Michigan State University)
- Doug Finkbeiner (Harvard University)
- Bhuvnesh Jain (University of Pennsylvania)
- Ofer Lahav (University College London)
- Alexie Leauthaud (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
- Matthew Walker (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)
- Robert Johnson (University of California, Santa Cruz)
- Leonidas Moustakas (NASA JPL)
- Priya Natarajan (Yale University)
- Keith Olive (University of Minnesota)
- Beth Reid (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
- Albert de Roeck (CERN)
- Constantinos Skordis (Perimeter Institute)
- Samuel Ting (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
- Tommaso Treu (University of California, Santa Barbara)
- Virginia Trimble (University of California, Irvine)
- Licia Verde (Institut de Ciències del Cosmos)
- Joachim Wambsganss (Universität Heidelberg)
- Risa Wechsler (Stanford University)
- Neal Weiner (New York University)
- Simon White (MPA Garching)
Invited Panel Members (Confirmed)
- Sandra Faber (University of California, Santa Cruz)
- Peter Graham (Stanford University)
- Bob Sanders (Kapteyn Astronomical Institute)
- Joe Silk (University of Oxford)
Scientific Organizing Committee
- Daniel Apai
- Stefano Casertano
- David Kaplan
- Mario Livio (Chair)
- Marc Postman
- Adam Riess
- Kailash Sahu
- Rachel Somerville
- Massimo Stiavelli


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We're here to help you build a successful holiday home
Call Charmian or Ali on 01208 893 980
For reservations or enquiries telephone
01208 895 354
3 Eddystone Court, Eddystone Road
Wadebridge, Cornwall PL27 7FH
United Kingdom
Booking office
Property department
January to October
Monday to Saturday 9am - 5.30pm
November & December
Monday to Friday 9am - 5.30pm
Saturday 9am - 1.30pm
The office is closed on Sundays and public holidays although we
operate a messaging service.
01208 895 354
We are sorry but the property is no longer available to book for the selected dates.
Please return to The Linhaye and choose different dates.


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NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- What's happening in small business today? 1. Small firms field both sides of fiscal-cliff war. There is a growing rift among small-business advocacy groups over the fiscal cliff between those supporting President Barack Obama and House Republicans, according to Roll Call. The small-business advocacy community, long dominated by GOP-friendly trade associations, such as the National Federation of Independent Business, are making way for more liberal groups like the American Sustainable Business Council. According to Roll Call, the ASBC promotes environmental protection and social equity, among other issues, and represents 150,000 businesses through a network of 50 trade groups. The organization supports letting the Bush-era tax cuts expire for those with annual incomes of more than $250,000. "The members in our network have been pretty clear that what would help them is if consumers had more money in their pockets, and if we had more money to spend on infrastructure and health care," Kevin Simowitz, director of the Maine Small Business Coalition, an affiliate of the ASBC, told Roll Call. The NFIB, on the other hand, supports research that says Obama's tax proposal would shrink the economy by 1.3% and would result in 710,000 fewer jobs. The big question is: Who really represents the interests of small businesses? Small-business groups agree that nobody wants across-the-board spending cuts nor do they want automatic tax increases. "As the GOP stalemate with the White House drags on, small-business groups on the right and left could wind up united in their dismay," the article says. 2. Reality TV show "Start-Ups: Silicon Valley" is bad for entrepreneurism. Scott Gerber, founder of the Young Entrepreneur Council and a serial entrepreneur, thinks Bravo's "Start-Ups: Silicon Alley" is not only lame entertainment, "it's flat-out dangerous for America's youth entrepreneurship movement," he says in a Time article. The show is supposed to display the lives of a group of young up-and-coming entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley as they compete for venture capital and work around the clock to try to become the next Mark Zuckerberg. Instead, it's building unrealistic expectations among aspiring entrepreneurs, Gerber says. "Unfortunately, this is one reality show that strays far, far away from reality, misleading younger viewers in particular with inaccurate expectations about entrepreneurship -- especially with the notion that 'the life' is more important than the work required to achieve it," Gerber writes. "
The majority of a typical episode's 44 minutes are devoted to filler (personal drama, fashion, spray tanning, partying) that plays to the lowest common denominator." "Start-Ups: Silicon Valley" is far from its entrepreneur-based reality TV competitor, ABC's "Shark Tank," which is not only entertaining to watch, especially with the venture capitalist-filled panel that regularly has funny one-liners, but is also informative, showing what it's like to pitch and negotiate with investors. 3. GSA proposal could hurt small businesses. The General Services Administration is looking to restructure its Multiple Award Schedule by phasing out outdated and obsolete office supply contracts, such as those for typewriters and non-digital photographic equipment. The move is expected to save the GSA about $24 million a year. However, the proposal will phase out more than 8,000 supply schedule contracts, many with small businesses, as the GSA moves to a so-called Demand Based Model, according to Small Business Trends . Chairman of the House Small Business Committee Sam Graves (R-Mo.) is skeptical of this new plan, expressing his concern in a letter last month to Dan Tangherlini, acting administrator of the GSA, that the restructuring may not only fail to accomplish its goals of improving efficiency and reducing expenses, but that it could mean fewer opportunities for small businesses to compete for government contracts. -- Written by Laurie Kulikowski in New York. Follow @LKulikowski To contact Laurie Kulikowski, send an email to: firstname.lastname@example.com. >To submit a news tip, email: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.


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GLENDALE, Ariz. – Jason LaBarbera stopped 39 shots, Keith Yandle scored his second goal late in the third period and the Phoenix Coyotes opened a critical homestand with a 3-1 win over the Kings on Tuesday night.
Needing to make up ground in the Western Conference standings, the Coyotes played their usual close-to-the-vest game and managed to hold on for their second win in 10 games after blowing two one-goal leads last week.
Matthew Lombardi put Phoenix ahead with his fourth goal of the season in the second period and Yandle followed his 50th career goal in the first with a tough-angle shot that beat Jonathan Quick with less than 3 minutes left.
LaBarbera made some tough saves in his fifth straight start in place of injured starter Mike Smith, the only goal against him a shot by Justin Williams that deflected off a Coyotes defenseman in the first period.
Quick had 37 saves for the Kings, who finished a five-game trip 3-1-1.
The Coyotes and Kings have had a simmering rivalry because of their proximity and it ramped up during a testy Western Conference finals last season.
The Kings won that series in five games and have continued to give Phoenix problems this season, winning three of four games, including back to back in Southern California last month.
The Coyotes had added incentive to knock off the defending Stanley Cup champions, needing to go on a big late-season run to get into playoff position after struggling for most of March.
Phoenix had a decent three-game road trip, earning four of a possible six points, but needs to start earning two points at a time instead of one with five teams ahead of them for the final Western Conference playoff spot.
The Coyotes got off to a good start against the Kings, getting some big saves from LaBarbera — one on a mini breakaway by Brad Richardson — and goal by Yandle midway through the first period after some good work along the boards by Kyle Chipchura and Raffi Torres.
They got a bad break just over two minutes later, when a cross by Williams bounced off Phoenix defenseman Michael Stone into the goal to tie the score.
Phoenix turned up the pressure midway through the second period and took the lead back when Lombardi flipped a backhander that sent the puck rolling on end and off the far post from the right circle.
LaBarbera had some big saves late in the period, stopping Jeff Carter on an odd-man rush and Trevor Lewis from close range in the closing seconds.
That put Phoenix up 2-1 heading into the third period, a precarious position for this team lately.
The Coyotes held one-goal leads in the third twice during their three-game road trip last week and lost both times, in overtime to Minnesota after allowing a goal with 54 seconds left and to San Jose in a shootout.
This time, Phoenix limited the chances against LaBarbera and earned some breathing room when Yandle squeezed a shot past Quick for his first two-goal game in three years.
The Coyotes recognized LW Steve Sullivan's 1,000th career game with a video tribute and ceremony before the game. Sullivan reached the milestone on Thursday against Nashville. … Kings D Willie Mitchell will not play this season after having a second surgery on his injured knee. … Coyotes D Zbynek Michalek missed his 11th straight game with a lower-body injury and LW Lauri Korpikoski his fourth straight with an upper-body injury. … Phoenix C Rob Klinkhammer had an assist on Lombardi's goal, extending his points streak to five games.