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Site Unseen: More 'Angels' Invest via Internet
Risks Abound, but Investors Search for Promising Startups
After Adam Winter read about a roving teleconferencing robot, he got a hunch that the $2,000 gadget might become the next big thing.
So the 38-year-old technology consultant from Columbus, Ohio, sat down at his computer earlier this month, clicked a button and committed to plunk $10,000 from his bank account into the 18-month-old Silicon Valley startup that developed the robot.
Vote and Discuss
Mr. Winter used an investment website called AngelList and its new "Invest" button. "You say how much, hit 'go,' and you're committed," he said. "It's almost as easy as the Amazon one-click checkout."
"It's a totally new way of raising startup capital," says David Cann, co-founder of Double Robotics, the Sunnyvale, Calif., firm in which Mr. Winter invested.
About 50 "angels," or individual investors in small businesses and startups, put money into Double Robotics with the Invest button.
Neither the 31-year-old Mr. Cann, nor his 28-year-old partner, Marc DeVidts, have met any of those investors. "Money is money," Mr. Cann says. "We're happy to take it from whomever."
AngelList (Angel.co), a networking site for entrepreneurs and investors, has been around a couple of years but previously offered users only the opportunity to create a profile and share information, hoping to raise money in the process.
Some critics say it is foolhardy to rely heavily on online research and tools to make startup-investment decisions, without ever meeting or even talking to the entrepreneurs involved.
"You're adding a whole layer of risk to an already very risky investment class," says Jeffrey Sohl, director of the Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire. "With most of these investments, you're going to lose money."
The AngelList site prominently posts stern caveats, stating bluntly, "Startups are very risky investments. Expect to lose your money." AngelList also warns that it doesn't verify the information posted by startups.
It is more than a Wild West, though. The Invest tool on AngelList is powered by New York-based SecondMarket, an investment platform that is licensed as a broker-dealer by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and Securities and Exchange Commission. It allows up to 95 accredited investors—individuals with a net worth of more than $1 million, or with annual income exceeding $200,000 for more than two consecutive years—to commit as little as $1,000 each in a startup. Forming something called a single security fund for each deal, SecondMarket alleviates a startup's need to follow up with each individual investor to collect the money.
So far, 11 startups have used the Invest tool. All were handpicked and invited by AngelList and SecondMarket. They wouldn't disclose names or details because of regulatory concerns.
Unlike with crowdfunding websites like Kickstarter, people who invest through AngelList get a stake in the startup, although terms vary per company and per deal. On Kickstarter, supporters usually are promised a product or something related to the project they helped to fund. Kickstarter users can contribute a few dollars, whereas AngelList has a minimum of $1,000.
Double Robotics turned to AngelList when it was seeking $300,000 as a safeguard to deal with any problems that could come up when the company starts shipping its new device. On the website, Mr. Cann created a profile where he told potential investors that his startup had nearly $2 million of preorders and that he and his co-founder—both engineers—had recently participated in an elite program for entrepreneurs.
For now, the AngelList "Invest" tool is free for startups and investors to use while AngelList and SecondMarket figure out a way to monetize it, but many angels are cautious.
Catherine Mott, a retired entrepreneur in Pittsburgh who has been an angel investor since 1999, says she won't back a company until she—or a member of the 65-member local angel group she leads—has spent at least 20 hours of face time with its founders and team.
"It's no different than when you go hire someone to work for you," says Ms. Mott, who hasn't invested through AngelList. "You just don't blindly reach into a bag and pull out a résumé and say this is the one I'm going to hire."
After spending more than a dozen hours last year with the staff of a tech startup that piqued her group's interest, Ms. Mott says it became clear that the startup team wasn't working together effectively. "One team member didn't know what other was doing," the 57-year-old said. "It gave us great concern."
Ms. Mott decided not to invest in the company based largely on her in-person observations. "You can't evaluate group dynamics and a manager's ability from a distance," she says.
Brian Cohen, chairman of the New York Angels Group, an angel-investment group with 97 members, says he understands why some investors—those living far from entrepreneurial hubs like Silicon Valley and New York— may be tempted to trust what they read online to make investing decisions.
"You get so excited about the possibilities," says Mr. Cohen, whose group hasn't used AngelList's new Invest tool. "Even the best angel investors get caught up in the excitement."
Still, he advises angels to do as much research into a potential investment as possible before committing to a deal. "Not doing due diligence is like having unprotected sex," he says. "As you scale up the amount of dollars you put in, you need and want to do more due diligence."
Kevin Moore, 43, a former investment banker who owns Applied Practice Ltd., an education-publishing business in Dallas, says new angel investing services on the Web have made it possible for him to invest in startups situated far away, such as in Silicon Valley. Over the past year, he has invested using AngelList-SecondMarket, FundersClub, and MicroVentures.
While he's spoken with some of the entrepreneurs whose startups he funded through those platforms, he says he opted to invest in them mostly based on information he found online, including founders' portfolio websites and social-media profiles, coverage of their companies by tech blogs, and comments about their products within the funding sites' discussion forums. He also would conduct research on angels already committed to a startup, if he didn't recognize them, checking their background and domain expertise.
Mr. Moore says he previously struggled to get in on deals with "highfliers" whose companies scored funding from "an old boys' network" of New York and Silicon Valley investors. With the new platforms, he is able to get in on these deals, alongside big- name investors, offering smaller amounts than he had to before, and without any special invitation to do so.
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Paperclipping Roundtable episode #15 featured Noell, Ana, Stacy and I talking all about the how, when and why of mini-books!
To listen to this week's episode, you can click here.
Show Notes:
Promo code for the Big Picture Scrapbooking class, Colorful You: roundtable
The Panel
Product Picks
- Photojojo.com
- Nancy's Color Scheme: Cherry Red & Light Blue
- Making Memories Vintage Groove Jewelry
- American Crafts Album – Robin's Egg with Flowers
- LaCie Rugged 320 GB Portable Hard Drive
Here's the layouts that I referred to in the show when I was talking about the color scheme I picked this week:
This is the digital layout, for an 8×8 photo book about my 2009 trip to CHA Winter (and Disneyland). This is actually just the left page of a two page layout.
Supply List – Page Template: Designer Digitals Create A Book Classic No. 9 by Katie Pertiet; Digital Elements: Amelie Kit by Sara Carling for ScrapArtist.com (no longer available); Fonts: American Typewriter, Apple Chancery.
This second layout is a 12×12 layout for my regular album:
Supply List – Patterned Paper: Autumn Leaves; Rub-on Alphabet: Making Memories (Beach); Cardstock Alphabet: Cloud 9 Designs; Brads: unknown (red), Marcella by Kay (pearl); Flower Die Cuts: Cricut Cartridge Graphically Speaking; Journaling Cards: October Afternoon Cherry Hill.
We also promised on the show to share mini-books that we've made. Some of mine I can't share for privacy reasons, like the one in progress of my son and the digital one I did of my daughter and her classmates in pre-k. But here are a couple that I have done or in progress that I can share.
At CKU in 2005 we started a 6×6 album as one of the projects. When I got home I finished it up with all my pictures from the event. A mini-album was perfect for the series of disconnected snapshots I had from the event.
Probably my favorite mini-book is the one that I did that I entered in the Simple Scrapbooks Coolest Album Contest (in 2004?). Part of the reason that I love it is because it won the contest, but I also love it because it was a special time for our family – the album was of a family reunion of my mother-in-law's family.
I don't have the album, just a color copy of the pages in it, because I gifted it to my mother-in-law. But I can share scans of the book that it was in…
The layout at the top of the page, Main Street USA: California Style is also part of a mini-book that I am currently working on from my trip to CHA Winter 2009. It's the first time I made it over to Disneyland so I figured it warranted special recognition!
The other book I have in progress right now is this one. I'm waiting to find the perfect set of pictures to go with it.
Supply List – Chipboard Album: BoBunny Press (Beach); Patterned Paper: Autumn Leaves, Daisy D's, My Mind's Eye; Paint: unknown (acrylics), Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint (Picket Fence); Stamp: Stamper's Anonymous by Tim Holtz French Market; Other: Mudd Puddles Sand Paste (Malibu Beach).
Here's everyone else's mini-books:

subset: commoncrawl


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News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030
Nov. 29, 2012
Volunteers taking first step toward restoring fire-ravaged Lost Pines
AUSTIN – Thanks to corporate and individual donations, volunteers working with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department staff are beginning to replant the fire-ravaged Lost Pines.
In the first step toward restoring the drought-hardy Loblolly pines lost in the devastating 2011 Labor Day wildfire, volunteers and Bastrop State Park staff will start hand planting 220,000 pine seedlings in the park at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. This process, including contract labor, will continue into February, with a total of 2 million seedlings to be planted over the next five years.
The park has scheduled 21 volunteer planting days, including 10 public planting dates and 11 school group planting dates.
"We're scheduling 60 volunteers per day and we already have all the volunteers we need for Saturday," says Bastrop State Park Complex Superintendent Jamie Hackett, "but we still have openings available for the other planting dates."
Public volunteer workdays will be Dec. 1, 2, 13, 29 and 30 and Jan. 10, 12, 13, 26, 27.
To sign up for volunteer workday opportunities go to www.arborday.org/texas
The trees to be planted this season were paid for by the Apache Corporation. Donors picking up the cost of the planting this year include: The Nobelity Project, Applied Materials Foundation, Silicon Labs, Friends of the Lost Pines State Parks, KOOP Radio, They Might Be Monkeys Arborist, Houston Bicycle Club, Frontier Bank, Centro-Matic, First National Bank Bastrop, Bastrop County Audubon Society, Smithville Garden Club, Centex Mechanical, TOWN-Austin, Breed & Co., Shomos Family Foundation, and many other private donors.
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Campus Life Photo Tour
About half of SUA's students come from the US and half from over 45 other countries.
Every SUA student receives a laptop computer when they enter – it's included in tuition. Because everyone has the same equipment, it's easy for students who are familiar with technology to assist those from other backgrounds who may not be.
Every year SUA students create their own Student Festival to share their talents, discuss their dreams and goals, and enjoy getting to know each other better.
Break dancing anyone? Hip Hop? Salsa? Dances from India? Hawaii? SUA students have formed over 35 clubs (including dance, sports, environmental, service and career focus). SUA problem solving: If you don't see the club you're looking for – start it!
Would you like to help change lives? Take part in Soka University's Alternative Spring Break!
Every undergraduate student at SUA gets to Study Abroad for a semester during the junior year – it's included in tuition and required for graduation.
SUA's Residence Halls offer double rooms with their own bath or two single rooms sharing a bath. Every student gets a cherry wood twin bed, desk, armoire and bookcase – you take it from there!
There's lots to do at SUA, but there's also plenty of room for quiet time and study. Find your own special place. Our library offers over 80,000 volumes, 48,000 electronic books, 300 print periodicals, 18,500 electronic periodicals and 70 databases to help you with your research.
SUA is a member of NAIA and competes in men's and women's swimming, track and field, cross country and soccer. We recently congratulated our first All Americans in track and swimming.
One of the advantages of a small college is that you can try out new sports and discover new talents.
Rather just play for fun? SUA offers a full schedule of intra-murals and adventure days and weekends. (Skiing? Snowboarding? Surfing? Hiking? Camping? Kayaking anyone?)
Interested in dance classes, yoga, weight training, Pilates or working with a personal trainer? Just sign up.
One of the best things about Soka University is the strong friendships students forge. When you graduate from SUA you'll have friends in up to 40 countries!
Come visit us and experience SUA for yourself. Send your friends a postcard!


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Defending champion Djokovic made it 22 straight wins at Melbourne Park and 25 in a row since the US Open final last season with a 6-3 7-6 (7/2) 6-1 victory over Slovakian Lukas Lacko.
Djokovic has made that court his own over the last three years and, although he was far from at his best against Lacko, he was still much too good for the world number 96.
The Serbian had a tendency to over-hit his normally rock-solid backhand but, once he won the second set tie-break, it was one-way traffic.
Djokovic hired Becker last month in a move that surprised the tennis world, with the 26-year-old's long-time coach Marian Vajda taking a back seat.
Becker joined Djokovic for the exhibition event in Abu Dhabi last month, but the Serbian said: "It was the first official match so yes it felt different, but in a positive way.
"We both hope to get the right benefits and the right results right away here in Australia. We worked very hard during the last four weeks. We believe that hard work will pay off, as was the case in the past.
"I did not expect ourselves to understand each other so well right away. So it all goes in the right direction."
Djokovic was overall content with the match, saying: "I was happy with my concentration. I thought I prepared well. Physically I feel great. I'm very motivated obviously to play my best.
"I know that I haven't played my best, especially in the second set. But also credit to my opponent, who was playing really nice tennis from the baseline."
Becker's great 1980s rival Edberg, meanwhile, took part in his first training session with Roger Federer.
The Swede, a six-time grand slam champion, has agreed to work with Federer for 10 weeks this season alongside the world number six's regular coach Severin Luthi.
Edberg told reporters: "I am doing it because I really think I can make a little difference. If I can make a little difference, maybe that will take him back to where he was."
Federer begins his campaign on Tuesday against Australian wild card James Duckworth in the second match on Rod Laver Arena.
Elsewhere there were comfortable wins for top-10 members David Ferrer, Stanislas Wawrinka and Tomas Berdych.
Third seed Ferrer, who reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park last year, defeated Colombian Alejandro Gonzalez 6-3 6-4 6-4.
The Spaniard also has a new coach having split from Javier Piles, his mentor of 15 years, and hired Jose Altur.
He said of the Piles decision: "We both broke it off because we were a lot of years together, and we decided to stop. Nothing else. Just that. Nothing personal. Javier is very special for me. He's a good friend."
Eighth seed Wawrinka did not even have to finish his match after Kazakh opponent Andrey Golubev retired with the Swiss leading 6-4 4-1.
Wawrinka was voted Swiss personality of the year at the weekend after his great form in 2013, which began with a titanic five-set loss to Djokovic in the fourth round at Melbourne Park.
He said: "I have more confidence in myself. I know that I can play and go well in the grand slams. I already did.
"I started the year well with winning the first title (in Chennai), so that's giving me a lot of confidence. I'm feeling physically strong and mentally there."
Seventh seed Berdych also won in straight sets, beating another Kazakh, Alexandr Nedovyesov, 6-3 6-4 6-3.
German Tommy Haas was the first seed to go out, a shoulder injury forcing the 35-year-old to withdraw while trailing Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-5 5-2.
Ninth seed Richard Gasquet eased through in straight sets but 19th seed Kevin Anderson and 20th seed Jerzy Janowicz both had to fight back from two sets down.
The standout match on Tuesday sees world number one Rafael Nadal face Australian wild child Bernard Tomic, while Lleyton Hewitt, Juan Martin del Potro and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are also in action.


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Kenya boasts a solar market that is one of the most mature and well-established in Africa. At over 1.2 MW in sales per year, the PV market offers opportunities in solar home systems, institutional systems and government procurement. Growth has been constant at over 10 % per year over the past ten years, and the potential off-grid market is estimated to be over 40 MW.
Emerging opportunities in off-grid PV include the telecom industry and the tourism sector. The anticipation is for policy to be introduced soon by the government (through the Ministry of Energy) and Energy Regulatory Commission to enable net metering of on-grid PV. High electricity prices, combined with new policy and legislation are believed to boost the emerging solar water heater industry. Rural electrification programmes continue and will increasingly include solar electric power through the Rural Electrification Authority.
The MoE provides little current policy incentives and targets or allocations for solar energy, however, electricity shortages, fuel prices and consumer demand is focusing attention on this matter. In June 2009, the Task Force on Accelerated Green Energy Development was created by Prime Minister Odinga, from which the first report is timetabled for December 2009. The Green Energy Fund has recently been announced as not supporting solar power as a means of meeting its target of 2000 MW from clean energy. In combination with any new policy and financing mechanisms to assist solar power, improvement will be needed of standards, their enforcement and a better procurement and specification process.


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NEH's Program-Specific Audit Guide for State Humanities Councils
NEH's Program-Specific Audit Guide for State Humanities Councils (45.129)
NEH's Federal/State Partnership provides funding to support the humanities in each state. Each state humanities council makes focused and coherent humanities programs possible in places and by methods that are appropriate to the citizens served by each council.
Grants are made to the state councils upon the submission and approval of a Federal/State Partnership General Support Grant Application Cover Sheet and Compliance Plan. The grants provide administrative and program support.
Compliance Requirement
Federal regrant funds are to be expended according to the approved budget and any amendments. Transfers can be made from other categories to regrants, but written permission from NEH's Federal/State Partnership is required to transfer funds from the regrant category.
Suggested Audit Procedures
Trace the regrant amounts shown in the last approved budget or last NEH grant amendment to the general ledger or working papers that reconcile to the final Financial Status Report.
Councils that have transferred federal regrant funds to other cost categories must have written approval from NEH's Federal/State Partnership.
Councils submitting final and interim Financial Status Reports using SF 269A (short form) must maintain working papers showing the breakdown of expenditures by the categories included in the approved budget.
Compliance Requirements
Program funds can only be disbursed to organizations (including institutions of higher education and units of state and local governments), groups or persons that form an association to carry out a project, not-for-profit groups (do not have to be incorporated), and individuals.
For-profit organizations are not eligible.
Suggested Audit Procedures
Review the council's program guidelines and regrant application packages to ensure that a statement regarding nonprofit status is included.
Review regrantees applications for nonprofit status.
Compliance Requirements
All awards of regrant funds must be made from applications received through open competition.
All awards (regrants) and amendments must be approved by the board and recorded in the council's minutes.
Suggested Audit Procedures
Determine that regrant awards were based on applications reviewed in open competition by: comparing a sample of regrant award letters to the meeting minutes to determine that each award has board approval; and reconciling subsidiary regrant ledger(s) to the general ledger.
Compliance Requirement
Gifts received for matching must be eligible to release federal matching funds. Noncash gifts are not eligible. Gifts may be retained by the council or its regrantee. Gifts that are restricted for use by a particular regrant must be certified and expended during the regrant period. Documentation regarding eligibility must be maintained. Councils must identify pledges when they are certified.
Suggested Audit Procedures
Review and evaluate the system used by the council for determining eligibility of gifts received and retained by the council, and of gifts retained by a regrantee.
Select restricted gifts received from several regrants for each NEH grant or period under review; ascertain that each gift was certified during the regrant period.
Review certification letters submitted to NEH to determine that the council has complied with all statements included in the NEH sample letter.
Ascertain that 1) certified gifts met the eligibility criteria, 2) documentation will be or has been maintained for the three years following submission of the final Financial Status Report (SF 269A); and 3) if applicable, a disclosure paragraph was included that identified unpaid pledges and justification for matching.
Reconcile documentation for third-party donations (letters, grants, etc.) to the gifts certification journal and general ledger control account.
Review donor transmittal letters for amount and eligibility. Transmittal letters should indicate whether the gifts are restricted or unrestricted.
Review adequacy of donor transmittal letters of gifts held by regrantees.
Determine that all certified gifts were expended during NEH grant period.
Compliance Requirement
Contracts are not eligible for matching. However, "contracts" received from state and local government agencies may actually be grant awards, in which case they would be eligible to release federal matching funds. NEH's Office of Grant Management must determine eligibility in writing.
Suggested Audit Procedures
Review all contractual agreements to determine that they have been approved for eligibility to release federal matching funds by NEH's Office of Grant Management.
MATCHING, LEVEL OF EFFORT, and/or EARMARKING REQUIREMENTS
Compliance Requirements
For every dollar in federal funds provided to the council by NEH, an equal amount of cash or in-kind cost sharing must be used to support budgeted project activities.(For those councils covered by the Economic Development of the Territories Act, see the July 1994 letter from the director of NEH's Office of Grant Management.)
Suggested Audit Procedures
Review the final Financial Status Report for reported cost sharing and trace to working papers, general ledgers, or other subsidiary ledgers. Report any differences.
Compliance Requirements
The following financial reports must be submitted:
- interim and final Financial Status Report (SF 269A)
- Federal Cash Transactions Report (SF 272 and SF 272A)
Suggested Audit Procedures
See General Requirements for Cash Management in OMB Compliance Supplement for Single Audit, and NEH award documents.
Compliance Requirement
Accounting records should be maintained on a grant-to-date basis for obligations and disbursements. Amounts reported on the interim Financial Status Report should be reconcilable to the general ledger via working papers.
Subsidiary ledgers should be maintained that identify all regrants awarded under each NEH grant and that are reconcilable to the general ledger control accounts.
All unliquidated obligations should be reported on the interim Financial Status Report whether the council uses accrual or cash basis accounting.
Suggested Audit Procedures
Review the reconciliation of the grant-to-date records to the interim Financial Status Report.
Reconcile the list of regrants or subsidiary records to the grant-to-date records for total obligations incurred and unliquidated obligations.
Compliance Requirement
Accounting records are maintained on a grant-to-date basis.
Regrants awarded under each NEH grant are reconciled to the Financial Status Report via working papers.
Suggested Audit Procedures
Review reconciliation of grant-to-date records to final Financial Status Report.
Reconcile list of regrants to the grant-to-date records
These compliance requirements have not been reviewed and approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and, therefore, do not constitute an official addendum to the OMB Compliance Supplements. NEH's Office of Inspector General has decided not to issue them in the form of an official OMB supplement since their application is limited to the state humanities councils. However, their use is required by NEH's Office of Inspector General.
Reference for Independent Public Accountants
- Application Cover Sheet and Compliance Plan.
- NEH Award letter, and amendments.
- Approved Budget Summary.
- Matching Guidelines for General Support Grants to State Humanities Councils (May 1998), and
- Notice # 5 dated May 1998, Notice to State Humanities Councils NEH Gifts and Matching Program, issued by the NEH's Office of Grants Management.
- General Grant Provisions for General Support Grants to State Humanities Councils (October 1997).


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The reasons behind the use of talc and graphite in planters.
In the midst of the frantic pressures of planting season, two niggling questions tug at farmers' minds every time they fill their planter.
How much graphite or talc should be added per planter-fill, and why the heck is graphite and/or talc necessary in the first place?
"Graphite is a dry lubricant used to decrease wear in mechanical seeding mechanisms," says Kelby Krueger, product specialist at John Deere. "Finger pickup units are a good example. Graphite reduces friction in those units and increases component life."
Talc that's recommended as a seed coating in "air" planters is also a dry lubricant, but its primary role is as a drying agent. The fans in air-based seed metering systems move tremendous volumes of air. Even low levels of humidity in the air are magnified by high air flow and cause problems related to pesticide coatings commonly applied to seeds.
Those insecticide and fungicide coatings are hygroscopic, meaning they readily absorb moisture from the high volumes of air moving through air planters. When they absorb moisture, their surfaces become sticky, leading to problems with seeds clumping and bridging in seed hoppers, and clinging to seed disks in seed meters.
"The coatings on seeds get rougher and stickier when they absorb moisture," says Krueger. "Talc fills the pores, smooths and dries the surfaces of the seeds, and improves flowability."
Weather systems that bring low humidity reduce problems with seed treatments, but increase another seed metering problem related to static electricity.
As plastic metering disks turn in seed meters, static electricity can develop on the surfaces of seeds jostling in the bottom of the hoppers, or as they rattle through plastic seed delivery tubes. The static electrical charges causes seeds to clump and bridge.
"Static electricity can be a big problem with some seeds," says Daryl Cress, service manager at Great Plains Manufacturing. "It varies between different types of seeds, seed coatings and conditions. Milo and canola seem to have the worst problems for some reason."
Fortunately, talc and graphite have anti-static characteristics. Talc is an insulator, minimizing the buildup and transfer of static electricity. Graphite is a conductor, easily transferring to "ground" within a planter's components any static electricity that develops. An 80/20 mix of talc and graphite has proven to provide air planters with optimum seed drying capabilities as well as adequate static electricity control.
The key to applying proper amounts of graphite, talc or talc/graphite mix to seed in planter hoppers depends on the product.
Kenny Dill, tech support at Precision Planting, says the goal with graphite is to provide adequate lubricity to mechanical components without dirtying the seed tube sensor enough to reduce seed monitoring precision. In finger pickup seed meters, excess graphite can also increase "skips."
"Too much graphite can make the seeds so slippery the fingers have trouble holding them," says Dill.
Excess talc has no detrimental effects, except for on the farmer's wallet.
"Excess talc generally gets blown into the atmosphere," says Krueger, "so the issue is about wasting money. The key is to premix talc into the seed so that every seed is evenly coated. Just mixing talc into the top of seed hoppers generally doesn't give a good, uniform coating, and you end up with extra, wasted talc accumulating in the bottoms of the hoppers or getting blown into the atmosphere."
Graphite and talc application rates vary with the type of planter, weather conditions and the type of seed coating. Manufacturers of finger pickup seed meters recommend 1 to 2 tablespoons of graphite per bushel of corn. Air planter manufacturers suggest starting the season with ½ cup of talc per bushel, then increasing or decreasing rates as required by humidity and seed coatings to maintain seed flow.


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Stroker's coupe rises from the ashes
One of the true pioneers of our hobby is Tom Medley. In the early days at Hot Rod magazine he shot photos, wrote stories, sold ads, and of course created his alter ego, Stroker McGurk. Later he would sit in the editor's chair at Rod & Custom and help create the first national event for street rod enthusiasts. The list of Tom's contributions to the hobby goes on and on but he remains humble about his impact. His usual response to accolades is: "I was just doin' my job."
Along with being a talented artist and a genuinely nice guy, Tom also has zest for life and an incredible sense of humor. When asked about the fire that reduced his rod to rubble Tom replied, "I always wanted a flamed '40, I just didn't want it this way."
Not long after the fire most of those who looked at the car wrote it off as being too far-gone to save. However, there were a few who wanted to see Tom's car resurrected in appreciation for everything he had done for the hobby and the industry that grew up with it. Jack Chisenhall, president of Vintage Air, began the campaign and threw down the gauntlet, Randy and Peaches Clark, of Hot Rods and Custom Stuff, picked it up and accepted the challenge to save Stroker's coupe. We're sure at some point Randy questioned his decision, but he and his crew never gave up, as the resurrected car proves.
Along with Randy's hard work and dedication, a long list of those in the business donated parts to see the project through, and many hobbyists made cash contributions to a special trust fund that helped to defray costs. The culmination of this outpouring of appreciation for Tom was put on display at Goodguys in Pleasanton, California, last August. Randy Clark rolled out the coupe and it was officially presented to Tom in front of an appreciative crowd.
For obvious reasons the cars are usually the main focus in street rodding, but as much as we all enjoy them it's the people who make the hobby what it is. When asked how he felt about all the support rebuilding the coupe received Randy simply said, "It's what street rodding's all about." We couldn't have said it better.
Tom Medley's Coupe Project Industry Contributors:
Andy's Tee Shirts, Concord, CA
Bob Drake Reproductions, Grants Pass, OR
Boom Mat, Cleveland, OH
Classic Instruments, Boyne City, MO
Clemmer & Vial Machine Works, Vancouver, WA
Coker Tire, Chattanooga, TN
Curt Hamilton Industries, Van Nuys, CA
Darrell Mayabb, Arvada, CO
Edelbrock, Torrance, CA
Electro Tech Powder Coating, San Marcos, CA
Flaming River, Cleveland, OH
Gearstar Transmissions, Akron, OH
Goodguys Rod & Custom Association, Pleasanton, CA
HAMB readers & contributors, worldwide
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JalopyJournal.com, Austin, TX
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Kip Dunne Motorcar Wiring, Ramona, CA
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STREET RODDER Magazine, Irvine, CA
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There is a lot of optimism around this Knicks basketball team. While I don't agree with it, I understand it. You've got a motivated Carmelo Anthony, a head coach in the good graces of the fan base and some quality veteran role players. Tyson Chandler is still the leader of the defense, Raymond Felton was a fan favorite under Mike D'Antoni in 2010 and Steve Novak's championship belt will still be awesome. I get it. But I think there are a lot of deficiencies and question marks on this basketball team. This team is not a contender, which is a disappointment in this year three of the Carmelo Anthony-Amar'e Stoudemire era.
The beginning of this off-season was an exciting one. New York looked to build around the core of Jeremy Lin, Iman Shumpert, Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler. GM Glen Grundwald and MSG brass looked to surround the core with veteran players. They tried to bring in Steve Nash, but were undone by the egregious contract Landry Fields was given by the Toronto Raptors. Nash ended up with the Lakers. I vomited. Plan B was apparently Jason Kidd and the Knicks overpaid heavily for him. While it was a bad move, the rationale was easy to see. Kidd would be a player who came off the bench and gave the Knicks 10-15 minutes a night, while also being a road map to help Jeremy Lin in his development. New York re-signed JR Smith and Steve Novak. They brought in James White and Chris Copeland. In their best move of the off-season, the Knicks acquired Marcus Camby in a sign and trade with Houston. This looked like a team that could be very dangerous in 2012.
In only a move that the Knicks could make, they foolishly let Jeremy Lin walk to the Houston Rockets. James Dolan's feelings got in the way of what was an obvious basketball decision. Dolan was upset that Lin set his own market, despite the fact that the Knicks told him to do it. The move was the epitome of James Dolan, whose tenure as the man in charge of MSG has been an unmitigated disaster. New York overpaid for Raymond Felton as Lin's replacement and signed him to a four-year contract. The most frustration aspect of this decision was that the Lin and Felton moves logistically were mutually exclusive. The Knicks weren't deciding between either Lin or Felton. They could have had both players, which would've given the Knicks a very strong point guard position. In one off-season the Knicks went from potentially pairing together Jeremy Lin and Steve Nash to actually pairing together Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd.
Acquisitions of european import Pablo Prigioni, formerly retired Rasheed Wallace and defensive stalwart Ronnie Brewer rounded out a turbulent off-season for the Knicks. New York went from a team with interesting upside and room for improvement to a team with little upside and a clear ceiling. No longer was the possibility, as minute as it may have been, that the Knicks could evolve into a threat to Miami. If the Knicks had any opportunity to overtake Miami in the east, Lin had to be part of that equation. It was extremely doubtful the Knicks would ever have upset Miami in the eastern conference, but now it is a virtual impossibility.
This is a Knicks team that I project to win around 46 games, probably good for the 6th seed in the eastern conference. 46 games is solid and they will be a solid basketball team. But this is not a contender and it is not a team that can win a title this season.
New York will still be a great defensive team. Last season the Knicks rated 5th in the NBA in defensive efficiency and in theory they should be a better defensive team. Led by reigning NBA DPOY Tyson Chandler, the Knicks also added quality defensive players in Marcus Camby and Ronnie Brewer. Camby should give the Knicks that anchor on the second team defense that they sorely missed last season. Brewer has the ability to guard multiple positions and he was a part of Chicago's best lineups last season as a member of the Bulls.
Carmelo Anthony will be motivated. It is a make or break season for the Meloman. Coming off the power struggle between Mike D'Antoni and the Knicks star, criticism of Anthony was at an all-time high. "He can't win in the playoffs!" "He's selfish!" "Diva!" Now is the time for Anthony to shut up his critics. No doubt his first two seasons in New York have been disappointing, but there were always excuses made in his defense. The trade of 2010 put the team in flux and there was no time for him and Amar'e Stoudemire to mesh. The lockout shortened 2011 season and Toney Douglas' existence didn't allow Anthony to mesh with the team. Those are fair arguments, but there are no more excuses this year. He has his head coach in Mike Woodson. There is a great defense behind him. Amar'e Stoudemire is hurt, but that gives Anthony the opportunity to move to his more natural power forward position. New York will go as far as Anthony can take them. He has the talent to be a top 5 player in this league, but he hasn't produced like one. Especially not since he has been in New York.
What made the Knicks scary was the potential that one day Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire would mesh with Tyson Chandler to form the best front court in basketball. Anthony and Stoudemire could hit you for 50 points a night while Chandler anchored a great defense. That vision looks like a pipe dream right now. This was supposed to be the season where Anthony and Stoudemire meshed together. Stoudemire had worked on expanding his game over the off-season. The Knicks would have a full training camp, something absent during the Anthony-Stoudemire era. But the injury bug has struck once again. What began as a "sore knee" evolved into a ruptured cyst and has now evolved into a surgery that will keep Stoudemire out 6-8 weeks according to the always honest Knicks training staff. Stoudemire's injury allows Anthony to move to power forward for the time being, but if the Knicks are to reach their full potential they need those two to mesh with Tyson Chandler. We may never see Stoudemire play again in a Knick uniform, but if he does there will still be spacing issues with Chandler and Anthony. They once again didn't get a full camp together and played one pre-season game. Nothing we have seen indicates that they have figured it out and that is a huge problem.
Knicks fans have mocked this mantra that the Knicks age is a problem. News flash: it is a problem, from both a production and injury standpoint. We've already seen Marcus Camby miss significant time with a strained calf. Kurt Thomas has looked average at best in pre-season. His only highlight was punching a guy in the genitals as the guy blew by him for a layup. Jason Kidd was terrible last season. He cannot break down the defense, get his own shot or guard anyone. Kidd can't even shoot 3's anymore, shooting just 34% and 35% over the past two seasons respectively. Who knows what Wallace has left in the tank at age 38. It was thought that the Knicks could get away with all these veteran players because they wouldn't have to play significant minutes. But with Stoudemire's injury, these veteran players will be forced to play more minutes. That doesn't bode well for the Knicks.
Again, this won't be a bad basketball team. If you're a fan who is okay with a team that wins 46 regular season games and competes for a second round playoff berth, this is the team for you. Unfortunately, and foolishly, I hold this team to a little higher standard. I had visions for a championship when the Knicks put Anthony and Stoudemire together, but that doesn't seem to be possible at this point. Moving forward, I don't know where the Knicks go in the next two seasons. They've got old players locked into long-term contracts and few players on the roster with potential to improve. New York has placed itself in NBA purgatory. They're capped out, not good enough to win a ring, but not bad enough to blow everything up. The Knicks are the new age Atlanta Hawks. They'll be a good team moving forward, but they'll never be good enough to contend. However, this will be a solid season. After years of Isiah Thomas teams and Toney Doulgas and Renaldo Balkman and Eddy Curry wasting away on the bench, this should be the best Knicks team we've seen in a long time. But the championship optimism around this team is missing, for me at least. Best case scenario for the Knicks is about a 55 win season. Anthony evolves into a superstar and inserts himself into the MVP conversation. The defense is still great and Anthony, JR Smith and Ray Felton bounce back from abysmal 2011 seasons. Worst case, the Knicks miss the playoffs altogether. Woodson's offense reverts to all iso-Melo and Anthony doesn't perform. The defense takes a step back and the Knicks lack of rebounding costs them games. Again, I think the Knicks win about 46 games which should get them in the playoffs as the 6th seed, maybe higher if other teams disappoint. New York will be a good team, but not a championship team. And that is a disappointment.
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I gave my wife my MacBook to upgrade her from her iBook and got myself a netbook for those times when I'm out and need to wait for my son, and for watching Netflix/Hulu/Slingbox in the house. But I'm also finding that the netbook, a Lenovo Ideapad S10, is really pretty damned sweet for when I want to head out somewhere and do sketches in a cafe. I use it to post to our Traction server while I'm sketching. I just have to remember to put it aside so I can concentrate on getting the sketches done.
The S10 is small, but it sports a 10 inch screen. The only downside I've experienced so far is that the right shift key is positioned one key to the right, out of the normal positioning. They did this to make room for the directional arrows. I'm a touch typist, so I was afraid this would be a deal breaker. It's been about 4 days since I got it, and I'm quite used to the positioning now.
I spent a lot of time researching the netbook options in the past month and this one was up against the new HP Mini 1000, which got rave reviews, but which has one of those awkward side-positioned trackbpad buttons. After trying the Lenovo at a store, and having great experiences with the solid feel of IBM Ideapads for years as a corporate mucky muck, my decision was easily made. The Lenovo gives me greater hard disk storage options, not like the anemic SSDs. I know the tradeoffs, but I felt the HD options were fast enough. I'm not looking for sexy here, just affordable, light, fast enough, reliable enough (I say enough because it's Windows after all), rugged, and usable. It's got get thrown into a bag when I tool around town and hold up to my abuse.
All in all, I'm really very pleased with it. I's only been 4 days and I've taken it out only once, however, so we'll have to reserve final judgement after a month. It gives me what I need for a limited number of use cases. I won't design on it, but I can do a good deal of reading/writing/media viewing with it. I'm using Google Chrome for web browsing, and for my primary application uses: Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Reader. I'm absolutely loving it, by the way. I can bring my Pentax DS Mobile 600 scanner with me to scan my drawings and upload to our server when I'm out sketching.
That's all for now. If you're interested, you can click the Flickr photo above to see notes for what's inside my kit. Here's the contents:
1) Alchemy Goods Haversack, a 6 x 6 x 11 inch shoulder bag made of recycled bicycle inner tubes and a car seat belt. Love this little bag.
2) Notebook cords in a Kensington bag until I can get a strap to wrap them.
3) Glasses in a cheapo case.
4) The Konigi Designer's Notebook prototype, which you should be seeing more of on this site in '09.
5) Konigi wireframe graph paper pad in a vinyl pad holder.
6) Midori Traveler's Notebook with my weekly planner.
7) Lenovo Ideapad S10.
Not pictured is a the Pilot Coleur 0.5 mechanical pencil with 2B lead, and a Pentel Sign Pen.


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The matchup, officially dubbed "Japan's Tsunami Kids and Brooklyn's Hurricane Sandy Kids Play Ball," was started in an effort to build a connection over the recent natural disasters.
From July 23-27, kids from Japan and Brooklyn squared off at the LIU Brooklyn and at MCU Park in Coney Island.
Dr. Kimberly Cline, president of Long Island University, welcomed the team from Japan last week on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall.
"We wanted to give students an opportunity in both counties to be able to come together and show their strength on the field," Cline said. "We're going to make sure we cheer for both sides today, and we hope they end up in a tie. This is something we need to encourage more."
Along with the help of LIU, the program was also made possible by the Uniworld Group and Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame member Kenichi Yazawa.
"We are really looking forward to spending time here in Brooklyn and annunciating a cultural understanding of our students and students here in Brooklyn," Yazawa said. "We're also hoping this experience can develop some common ground, and through the shared experience of tragedy we can be closer as human beings."
After their week in Brooklyn, the team traveled to San Diego and Los Angeles to continue the cultural exchange outreach.
"We're quite excited," he added.
Borough President Eric Adams welcomed the team last week in hopes that the outreach would help bring together a cultural understanding through the game.
"This a great opportunity for cross-international communication between our young people here in Brooklyn and in Japan," Adams said. "Their desires, commitment and hopes are the same."
Just before kicking off their weeklong tour of the city's museums, historic sites and beaches, Adams wished the team best of luck in the tournament.
"Our young people went through a traumatic experience," he said. "People in Japan went though the tsunami and the children here went through the experience of Sandy, but they came through intact and they came through with their spirits moving forward.
"Today we are using baseball for how it has been for so many years," he added. "The real ambassador, not only for sports but for how we cross-pollinate ideas, cultures and our experiences."


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It's never too late to do what you said you were going to do. This is the chief lesson that President Obama should draw from Massachusetts voters' stunning rebuke to Democrat's bloated and expensive health care legislation. Obama campaigned as a centrist who would draw on the best ideas of both parties, but he has governed by deferring to the liberal wing of his party and locking Republicans out of Democrats' backroom health care deals. As a result, the current bill is justly opposed by the majority of Americans as too expensive, too convoluted and packed with bribes, payoffs and exemptions for too many special interest groups.
As a sign of his (new) good faith, the president should invite the Congressional leadership of the Republican Party to the White House, listen to their concerns and find ways to hash out policy compromises that will result in truly bipartisan health care reform.
During the presidential campaign Obama attacked John McCain's proposal to replace the current tax exclusion for employer-based health insurance with a universal, refundable tax credit for the purchase of at least catastrophic insurance. "For the first time in American history, he wants to tax your health benefits," Obama said, ignoring the fact that the vast majority of Americans would have benefited from McCain's plan and that many economists--on both the left and the right, including one of Obama's own policy advisors (Jason Furman)--have embraced some variation of the same idea.
Obama won the election, but put himself at a disadvantage by axing the single best idea for leveling the playing field between the insured and uninsured and helping to slow down the rapid run up in health care costs. Afraid of being seen as a flip-flopper, the president instead embraced the Senate's idea of taxing high-cost health plans with a 40% excise tax--a second-best idea--but then proceeded to gut it by carving out a $60 billion five-year exemption for public and private unions, which have the most lavish health care plans.
By combining a universal tax credit or tax deduction with a gradual phasing out of the employer tax deduction, the president can both expand coverage of the uninsured and introduce more incentives for every consumer to find cost-effective health care coverage. The revenue gained from ending the tax exclusion (currently valued at over $200 billion annually) can help offset the cost of expanded coverage.
Get serious about medical malpractice reform. Obama has only paid lip service to medical malpractice reform, despite the billions of dollars wasted annually on inflated medical malpractice insurance, and tens of billion lost to defensive medicine--physicians prescribing tests, drugs or even hospital stays out of the fear of being sued.
The president has ruled out damage caps on malpractice awards, but there are plenty of good, bipartisan ideas for addressing runaway litigation--including specialized health courts or providing a "safe harbor" from punitive damages for physicians who agree to practice according to "best standards." Embracing real medical malpractice reform would burnish Obama's bipartisan credentials by showing he was willing to tackle a Democratic donor group that has had--up until now--a stranglehold on his party.
Promote real interstate insurance competition. Democratic legislators have used high-cost states like Massachusetts and New York as models for insurance coverage, loading insurers with taxes and expensive regulations like community rating and guaranteed issue, and mandates for niche services like orthodontics that drive up the cost of insurance. This makes even basic health coverage less affordable and is one of the chief reasons why people go without coverage.
Instead, consumers should be able to buy insurance across state lines, forcing insurance companies to compete and offer a wide range of prices and services to consumers. The feds can help by mandating that insurance companies standardize the descriptions of insurance coverage so consumers can easily tell what the policies cover, and how much they cost, similar to the system now used for Congress' own health coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan.
Rein in Medicare spending through increased competition and choice. The data the president likes to cite about the disparity in health care spending across U.S. regions are true but come from research on the Medicare program. Current legislation tries to fix the problem with arbitrary price cuts in Medicare provider and hospital reimbursements, a flawed strategy that hasn't worked because it's impossible for bureaucrats to accurately value the thousands of prices and inputs that go into Medicare services.
Experts agree that the current fee-for-service model is part of the problem, but we haven't found a good solution yet. One way out of this trap is to stop trying to legislate from the top down, and move to a bottom-up approach, by giving Medicare recipients vouchers (as has been proposed by professor Mark Pauly at the Wharton School) to buy competing private plans, letting insurers compete for seniors' business. This approach has already worked in the Medicare Part D drug program, where seniors choose from a variety of drug plans, and costs are about a third lower than initially estimated.
The president's mistake has been relying on the Democrat's supermajority in Congress to ram through partisan legislation--and he paid the price for that hubris last Tuesday. Avoiding further upsets at the polls should be enough reason to shift tactics now. But an even better reason would be to get better policy outcomes for the American people.
Paul Howard is the director of the Center for Medical Progress at the Manhattan Institute and managing editor of MedicalProgressToday.com.
Read more Forbes opinions here.


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With racing venues dropping like flies in Southern California, the Goodguys Del Mar Street Machine Autocross was a temporary oasis in a desolate land
Southern California has a growing problem: its racetracks are closing down one by one. In just the last two months, Irwindale, Fontana, Orange Show, and Perris have all closed to their respective forms of racing. Prior to that, we lost LACR, Pomona, and the planned track at Banning called Drag City. We're seeing a lot more race cars for sale at swap meets, and street racing is again on the rise, as was most recently seen on the National Geographic Channel's LA Street Racers special. The track situation in SoCal is so bad, we're even questioning the wisdom of equipping Project Nova with an eight-point rollbar—after all, what's the point? If there are no places to race, why pour on the costly safety gear? Yet we remain optimistic. We've been in these dire straits before, and things always got better.
One big reason for SoCal hot rodders to be positive is the growing interest in autocrossing, and open events like Run To The Coast. The Goodguys Rod & Custom Association is certainly doing its part; when Orange County, California, decided to sell off the fairgrounds to real estate developers (ironic because that's how many tracks fall … ), Goodguys wisely moved their Costa Mesa event to nearby Del Mar, thus keeping SoCal gearheads satisfied. In doing so, Goodguys maintained its highly successful Street Machine Autocross right here in SoCal, and is the prime reason PHR sponsored it.
For those unfamiliar with West Coast geography, Del Mar is a picturesque oceanside town midway between San Diego and Los Angeles. The facility where Goodguys happens is just a stone's throw from the Pacific, making it a fun weekend jaunt in the family hot rod. Ostensibly a fairgrounds with a horse racing facility attached, Del Mar is kind of tight on room, especially for an autocross, but Goodguys has done an admirable job maximizing the available space, positioning the compact circuit close to a side entrance making for easy egress for participants.
The Del Mar course was a tight one, with eight turns, a modest straightaway, and a little chicane midway through. Good lap times were in the low 30s, which kept the action nice and safe. We typically see one or two minor scuffles with barriers or fences, and Del Mar was notable for being incident free. The Fort Worth course at the prior event was longer, faster, and arguably more fun, but it was clear at Del Mar that the quality of cars and the variety of makes and models of muscle cars in attendance was hands down the best so far.
It was also evident from the beginning that the top 10 or so cars knew why they were there, and came prepared for it. And while we always get autocross experts at the top of the leader chart at every event, we were particularly impressed with the depth of competition at Del Mar—even the mid-pack drivers were experienced autocrossers. In the lower ranks, the difference seemed to be not so much the talent, but a lack of equipment. Typically, with the exception of the top five or so, competitors are either out for their first try, or they've just begun getting their feet wet—not so at Del Mar!
With so many hot shoes in attendance, it came as no surprise that a showdown was brewing for the end. Any lap time under 32 seconds was absolutely mind-blowing on the tight, technical course. The biggest temptation was to use too much throttle too early, and those who were patient were duly rewarded. To that end Brian Hobaugh ('68 Camaro), Mary Pozzi ('72 Camaro), and Aaron Ogawa ('70 Challenger) were trading increasingly hotter laps, when in the final 15 minutes of scored timing, announcer Chad Reynolds called the top cars to the staging lanes for a final winner-take-all session. With Aaron Ogawa in the lead, Second Place Pozzi had one last chance to grab the PHR winner's jacket. Pozzi had been a full two tenths of a second off Ogawa's pace, but on this final lap she eked out a 31.105 to win by eight thousandths of a second. Pozzi told us after the incredible final lap: "On the last corner, I got in a little over my head. I was trying to shave time and told myself, 'OK, turn car, unwind the wheel.' I saw the opening and went for it, and just hoped it was enough." It was enough, and congratulations, Mary Pozzi—you win the PHR Street Machine winner's jacket!
Look for us next at the 7th Nashville Nationals at LP Field on May 18-20, then at the 15th Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, on July 6-8.
|Del Mar Goodguys
Street Machine Autocross Results
|Best lap:
|1. Mary Pozzi
|'72 Chevy Camaro
|2. Aaron Ogawa (manufacturer)
|'70 Dodge Challenger
|3. Brian Hobaugh
|'68 Chevy Camaro
|4. Gerald Lum
|'71 Chevy Camaro
|5. Kyle Newman (manufacturer)
|'55 Chevy Bel Air
|6. Brett Campbell
|'67 Chevy Camaro
|7. Kyle Newman
|'57 Chevy 210 wagon
|8. Brandy Morrow (manufacturer)
|'70 Chevy Camaro
|9. Dick Eytchison
|'65 Chevy Chevelle
|10. Mike Wright
|'69 Chevy Camaro
|11. Chris Meyer
|'70 Chevy Camaro
|12. Chris McCrea
|'69 Chevy Camaro
|13. Roy Rozelle
|'69 Chevy Camaro
|14. Gregg Blumdell
|'69 Chevy Camaro
|15. Paul Alderman
|'70 Chevy Camaro
|16. Tom Kamman
|'69 Plymouth Barracuda
|17. Mike Young
|'65 Ford Mustang
|18. Allen Palmer
|'59 Chevy Corvette
|19. Robert Hall
|'68 Chevy Camaro
|20. Bryce Baumgart
|'65 Ford Falcon
|21. Richard Trujillo
|'69 Ford Mustang
|22. Aaron Raymond
|'69 Chevy Camaro
|23. Robb McIntosh
|'69 Chevy Camaro
|24. Nick Herrington
|'67 Ford Mustang
|25. DJ Arerill
|'71 Ford Mustang
|26. John Wityak
|'65 Ford Mustang
|27. Tim Callahan
|'66 Chevy Nova
|28. John Butler
|'66 Chevy Chevelle
|29. Tray Borgen
|'69 Chevy Camaro
|30. Tony Evans
|'72 Chevy Camaro
|31. Mike Fitzsimmons
|'67 Pontiac Firebird
|32. Dennis McNeil
|'72 Chevy Chevelle
|33. Tommy Wisdom
|'68 Dodge Dart
|34. Frank Temblador
|'69 Chevy Chevelle
|35. George Reiss
|'72 Chevy Chevelle
|36. Leonara Bridges
|'72 Plymouth Barracuda
|37. Alex Nine
|'71 Datsun 240Z
|38. Paul Leeds
|'66 Ford Mustang


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Will the real Ellie Goulding please stand up?
That would make things much simpler, given how difficult it is to judge just what kind of a pop star she's trying to be.
She plays the part of hipster favorite, appearing alongside the Replacements, Neutral Milk Hotel and other indie sensations at Southern California's prestigious Coachella music festival, yet her sound is more Tiffany than TV on the Radio. She loves electronic dance music (EDM) seemingly as much as she does rock guitar. But for a dance-pop diva, she really doesn't dance much on stage.
She reportedly draws influence from both Beyonce and Bjork, but often seems to channel Britney. She covers both Elton John and Alt-J.
It's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world. Yet, it's also one that has proved quite profitable for this 27-year-old English singer-songwriter. She's reportedly sold more than 4 million albums and 15 million singles across the globe since breaking onto the scene in 2009. Much of that success can surely be credited to Goulding's ability to entice so many different kinds of listeners.
Her chameleon-like nature was on full display during her sold-out show on Saturday at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. The result was a mixed bag, containing equal amounts of mediocre and memorable moments.
Backed by four side musicians and three vocalists, Goulding kicked off the show with one of the best songs of the night — "Figure 8" — then quickly slid south. As she coasted through one generic dance-pop offering after another, all of which were as expertly designed for mass consumption as the Big Mac at McDonald's, I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn't watching some former "American Idol" winner.
Goulding bounced back nicely with her cover of indie-rock band Alt-J's "Tessellate" and then really wowed with her rendition of Elton John's "Your Song." The latter came during a memorable stripped-down segment, which featured the singer accompanied solely by either guitar or piano.
Goulding has been on the road for what feels like ages, milking her 2012 sophomore release, "Halcyon," for all its worth. And it's been worth plenty. The star even released a bonus edition of the album — known as "Halcyon Days" — which birthed the smash hit "Burn." She's also found success on the charts with a pair of singles from the "Divergent" film soundtrack.
Yet, all this touring — she played the Coachella music festival the day before coming to San Francisco — has apparently taken its toll on the singer. She limped through some songs in San Francisco, with her soprano voice sounding more winded than breathy. She was rarely able to match the strength of her studio work.
Of course, Goulding's die-hard fans — lovingly known as "Gould Diggers" — would definitely disagree with that assessment. Although, it's hard to believe that they could actually hear Goulding's voice, given that they were so busy adding their own vocals to every single song played.
Goulding drew a mostly female crowd dominated by teens twentysomethings, although there was also a healthy amount of grade-school-age kids in attendance.
Goulding saved her best for last and brought the show to a close with a flurry of smashes, including "Lights" and "Burn." It was a big finish, yet one that shed precious little light on where Goulding might go from here.
Follow Jim Harrington at http://twitter.com/jimthecritic and www.facebook.com/jim.bayareanews.


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Transdev Burnley
We run buses in around Burnley, including Mainline, Burnley Connect and the fast and comfortable Witchway to Skipton and Manchester.
From our operating centre in Burnley our routes run under various brand names, including the Witchway, Burnley Connect and Mainline.
The Witchway is our fast, frequent service to Manchester city centre. The 15 double deck Witchway vehicles were replaced in 2012, with upgraded leather seats and a distinctive new livery with a younger, blonder witch a homage to 50's glamour art. The vehicles are linked to satellite tracking equipment, which enables us to monitor the performance of the service more closely and to respond more quickly at times of disruption.
Burnley Connect is the name for our buses which run in and around the town. Our buses are WrightBus StreetLite Micro Hybrids, which are built from lightweight materials and feature regenerative braking technology. This uses the kinetic energy from braking to charge the battery; this energy can then be used to power auxiliaries such as the lights. These features make the buses more energy efficient and better for the environment.
Mainline runs from Burnley to Padiham, Colne and Keighley. In 2009 we spent £3.1 million in 19 new state-of-the-art buses for Mainline, with refurbishment for a further 11. This included a refreshed two-tone red livery and part leather seating.
See also:


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The East Gadsden High School Jaguars' season opener was played Dec. 1 against Jefferson County. The Jags came out on top of the Tigers, 84-58.
Game leaders were Jessie Ray with 12 points and two steals, Andre Robinson had eight points, 13 rebounds and two blocked shots. John Battles added eight points, six assists and four steals, while Desmond Gibson pitched in eight points, five rebounds and three assists.
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text: Change the personality of your projects just by adding texture stamps. Keep it simple with one image or layer a few for more character. Our classic wood-mount rubber stamps* Have deeply etched images so you get a superior stamped impression each time. * Are precut so you don't have to trim.* Come with farmed-maple wood blocks—you don't need to buy blocks separately.* Permanently mount on the blocks so they're ready to go when you are. * Come packaged in cases with images on the spine for easy storage and quick reference.Quantity: 9 rubber stamps


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Opus 910 UHF: Flexible, Reliable and Future-Proof with Superior Audio Quality
beyerdynamic presents an upgraded version of its professional UHF wireless system for touring or fixed installations.
At the NAMM show in Anaheim/USA (January 13 to 16, 2011) German audio specialist beyerdynamic celebrates the launch of its new wireless flagship Opus 910. Designed for use either on tour or in fixed installations, the Opus 910 professional UHF wireless system offers the highest levels of reliability, audio and transmission quality and a package of features that is unique in its class.
A wide selection of receivers transmitters and interchangeable microphone heads are available for the system, plus an extensive range of accessories and the option for PC control for advanced system set-up. The receiver offer an UHF bandwidth of 72 MHz with up to 2880 selectable frequencies per frequency range plus an automatic channel targeting function (ACT), making the system both future-proof and highly flexible, regardless of the venue it is used in. The system is offered in different frequency ranges between 502 MHz and 790 MHz.
Three receivers (single, dual and quad channel) are available, each offering 2880 freely selectable UHF frequencies per frequency range and a number of pre-programmed frequency groups to ease the set up of multi-channel systems.
The front panel of the receiver has a volume-controlled headphone output for monitoring individual receiver channels. All other system settings, such as squelch or the output level of the receiver are made centrally by the optimised jog wheel. The colour LCD is easily readable from any angle and shows important system information such as frequency, group/channel, user name, field strength, audio level and remaining battery capacity of the transmitter. All receivers are fitted with an internal switching power supply (100-240 V), while the dual and quad channel receivers each contain an integrated antenna splitter.
Handheld Transmitters & Interchangeable Microphone Heads:
There are two ergonomically designed handheld transmitters available for use with the Opus 910 wireless system each with different frequency ranges. The handheld transmitters feature a 36 MHz UHF bandwidth to reduce the number and strength of intermodulation products, guaranteeing optimum HF performance even in large multi-channel systems and difficult environmental conditions.
The handheld transmitters are equipped with an ACT interface to detect the carrier frequency from the receiver and set up the transmitter automatically. They also have a noiseless on/off switch and LCD showing channel/group and remaining battery capacity. Two 1.5 V AA alkaline batteries power the S 910 M (with metal housing) for over 20 hours, whilst the S 910 C (with plastic housing) has integrated charging contacts and is delivered with built-in rechargeable batteries (2 x Mignon AA NiMH) which provide an operating time of over 23 hours. The transmitter's four microphone gain settings provide a high degree of flexibility in even the most diverse applications.
In order to maximise the flexibility of the Opus 910 system, both transmitters can be combined with five top quality interchangeable beyerdynamic microphone heads. Among others the RM 510, the world's only ribbon capsule for wireless applications which delivers fantastic, unobtrusive vocal sound even on the loudest stages. The transmitter's four microphone gain settings provide a high degree of flexibility in even the most diverse applications.
Pocket Transmitters:
The TS 910 M (with metal housing) and TS 910 C (with plastic housing) pocket transmitters have been designed for use with clip-on lavaliere and headset microphones as well as electric guitars. The 4-pin mini XLR threaded plug can be used to connect either microphones or instruments and the input signal can be optimised using the receiver's gain control. An onboard MT/GT setting lets you switch between microphones and instruments: in GT (guitar) mode, the gain control is inactive; in MT mode it is active. As with the handheld transmitters, the pocket transmitters also have a 36 MHz UHF bandwidth.
Two 1.5 V AA batteries power the pocket transmitters for at least 20 hours. As an option, the TS 910 C can be fitted with TS 900 AP rechargeable battery pack providing an operating time of more than 23 hours. The rechargeable battery pack can be recharged by using the SLG 900 charging unit.
The Opus 910 UHF wireless system is available as of March 2011.
For more information please click here>>


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Atatürk Airport Transfer
Instead of stressing about public transportation or trying to flag a cab, choose our cost-effective private transfer, so your vacation in Istanbul can begin hassle-free. Our driver will meet you at Istanbul's Atatürk airport and take you to your hotel.
Regardless if you are traveling alone, as a couple or in a large group, our experienced, professional drivers will ensure your transportation to and from Atatürk is a breeze!
Here you can order quick, efficient and private transportation between Atatürk airport and your hotel. Our door-to-door policy ensures transportation both to and from your hotel and Atatürk airport.
Just book your private Istanbul airport transportation here, and you will be met by your own chauffeur in the airport, and if you wish, you can also order transportation back again, from your hotel to the airport.
Important information:
- Shortly after your booking is complete, you will receive an e-ticket by mail. Please print out your ticket and bring it with you.
- If you wish to order private Atatürk airport transfer round trip, you have to place two orders: One from the airport to your hotel and one from your hotel to the airport, since every booking needs its own confirmation number.
- Before you complete your booking, you will be asked to provide us with passenger names, arrival/departure date, flight details and your hotel (including address and phone number), so we can arrange your transfer.
- Children prices are the same as adults.
- The prices here on the site are listed per car, not per person.
- You can choose between a sedan if you are 1-2 people, a van if you are between 3-5 people and a minivan if you are between 6-9 people.
- For large private groups over 10 passengers, we have additional vehicles and savings available. Please contact us for additional information.
- You are only allowed one standard suitcase and one piece of hand luggage per person.
- The price for private Atatürk airport transportation includes tips, road toll and taxes.
Why shop with us?
Over 3 million tickets sold
You pay in dollars with no hidden fees
25 years of experience in ticket sales
100% secure payment system


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Latest Land Listings for Sale in Oro Grande California, including Individual Lots, Vacant Land, Acres, Land Parcels, Raw Acreage, and Tracts of Land.
The above Land Listings are the newest Individual Lots, Land Parcels, Vacant Land, Acres, Tracts of Land, and Raw Acreage for Sale in Oro Grande CA – they are sorted by the newest Land Listing to the oldest; you can change the sorting at will in the box below the map.
Other Popular Land Search Locations nearby: Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow, El Mirage, Helendale, Hesperia, Lucerne Valley, Newberry Springs, Phelan, Victorville, and all of San Bernardino County California.
Don't forget to request your Free, No Obligation Report: "20 Things you should know before Buying or Selling Land in Southern California" from the Land Experts at LandCore Realty at (760) 952-2345.
Popular Quick Searches:
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and San Bernardino County Land for Sale
Home | Featured Listings | San Bernardino County | Hesperia | Apple Valley | Victorville | Map Search | Commercial Search | Adelanto Land for Sale | Helendale Land for Sale | Oro Grande Land for Sale | Barstow Land for Sale | Victorville Land for Sale | Hesperia Land for Sale | Phelan Land for Sale | Newberry Springs Land for Sale | El Mirage Land for Sale | Lucerne Valley Land for Sale | Featured Land under 2.5 Acres | Featured Land 2.5 to 10 Acres | Featured Land 10 to 50 Acres | Featured Commercial Properties | Closed Listings | Helendale CA | Search For Land | Advanced Search | Adelanto CA | Land For Sale $15,000 - $25,000 | Land For Sale $25,000 - $50,000 | Land For Sale $50,000 - $75,000 | Land For Sale $75,000 - $150,000 | Land For Sale $150,000 + | Land & Lots $0 - $15,000 | Land & Lots $15,000 - $25,000 | Land & Lots $25,000 - $50,000 | Land & Lots $50,000 - $75,000 | Land & Lots $75,000 - $250,000 | Land & Lots $250,000 + | Blog | Sitemap | About Us | Contact Us | FREE Land Valuation Analysis | Our Agents
© 2019 High Desert Association of REALTORS® All rights reserved. Information deemed to be reliable but not guaranteed. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Broker Reciprocity Program. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than LandCore Realty are marked with the BR logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers. Listing broker has attempted to offer accurate data, but buyers are advised to confirm all items. Information last updated on 2019-08-22.


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Mark Horner needed a new print or packaging design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 105 designs submitted by 22 freelance designers.
Free High School Science Texts
The Free High School Science Text (FHSST) project directs the contributions of volunteers with expertise in maths and science to create school Maths and Science textbooks for South Africa. (See http://www.fhsst.org) These textbooks are released for free under an open license so that more students can gain access to the knowledge and information. The texts are downloadable for free in digital format and available in printed format at a fraction of the cost of proprietary textbooks. These volunteers freely contribute their time, energy and expertise to write sections of these books, produce solutions to the exercises or edit the writings in order to advance maths and science education in South Africa, Africa and elsewhere.
This project is owned by Siyavula (http://www.siyavula.org.za), the organisation which resources and drives it and Siyavula is "seeded by Shuttleworth Foundation" (http://www.shuttleworthfoundation.org). Appropriate logos to be included.
Students at local and foreign universities who are familiar with mathematics and physics at a a final or post-graduate level. These include the faculties of engineering, mathematics, applied mathematics, computer science, chemistry, physics, statistics. They have an appetite to share their knowledge, a desire to fix the world or remedy the social issues such as access to education. They are comfortable with science, maths, technology and computers.
We want a poster which will inspire university students to volunteer to help create free and open resources. We need Maths and Science students to help us write free textbooks to save education in South Africa and Africa.
Medium: Printed poster also as flyer.
The concept:
- maths and science students are sophisticated machines which takes pizza as input or fuel to produce world change.
- Science student + pizza = world change
- Science students + pizza = world changing free textbooks
- Converting pizza into intellectual progress
- Students are superheroes with super powers to convert pizza into
- Or variations to the theme
This idea borrows from many science/maths/computer science students' familiarity with the 'mission' atmosphere and camaraderie when teaming up and hacking away at something scientific, often spanning a number of days, working in the wee hours of the morning, running on pizza and caffeine to produce a result that is disproportionate the available resources.
Produce a print quality (vector files required) visual. We do not specify the copy or imagery with the hope of drawing out the creative contributions.
The poster should function well when viewed from a distance and be able to capture passers-by's attention to come closer and read the more detailed information.
Poster title or copy: be creative!
Must include:
White blocks for Venue, Date, Time and Contact email. – where details can be entered with marker.
FHSST most prominent
seeded by Shuttleworth Foundation


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TSA's ever-stricter security screenings at airports—including full body scanners and hands-on "rub downs"—have caused many passengers to cry foul over privacy concerns. Are the new screening procedures rubbing you the wrong way? Share your screening horror stories here. Selected submissions will be included in our ongoing coverage.
Tell us your story...
All about you...
Please, no HTML tags.
First and last name *
City and state
E-mail address *
Selected responses may be used for an upcoming story.


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From ConsumerWiki
The American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is the voluntary federation of America's unions, representing more than 13 million working women and men nationwide. Their mission is to bring social and economic justice to our nation by enabling working people to have a choice on the job, in government, in a changing global economy and in their communities.
815 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 637-5000
(202) 637-5058 Fax
Consumer Resource & Referral Guide
Directory of State Agencies
Directory of Federal Agencies
Return to DCA Home Page


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From L.A. and S.F.'s garage rock scenes to Compton's blossoming rap artists, California artists represented well in 2014. Here are 25 of our favorites from the year, in alphabetical order.
On Worship the Sun, L.A.'s Allah-Las get some dirt on their boots by scuzzing up their sunny surf-garage sound with some rattling guitar solos, stonery grooves ("Buffalo Nickel") and head-spinning psych-rock tunes ("501-405").
Cherry Glazerr – Haxel Princess
Cherry Glazerr had the debut record of the year for Burger Records, moving unstoppably on the strength of its garage riffs and singer/guitarist Clementine Creevy's teenage caterwaul.