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Monday, November 30, 2009
I was slowly and quietly following a Peaceful Dove when I went around a corner and saw a small brown bird busily scratching in the leaf litter. At my first glimpse I "hoped" for a Button-quail - but this was just too big. I started taking photos and was able to get quite close. It was not at all shy and as I got closer I realized that it was a very young Brush-turkey. There are lots of Brush-turkeys all through the bush out there and I have several times seen young ones running around like little long-legged chickens but this one was smaller than any I have seen before. My birding book describes the chick as having silky chestnut and brown down.(I posted a photo of an adult Brush-turkey crashing around up in a tree here.)
For the benefit of overseas readers - The male Brush-turkey builds a big mound (often 4 meters in diameter and up to 1 1/2 meters high) out of whatever vegetation is available and this is used as an incubator for the eggs. The female lays eggs in the mound and then walks off and leaves the rest of the job to the male. He watches over the mound and adjusts the temperature of the mound by adding or taking away vegetation from over the eggs. When the chicks hatch they immediately wander off and are independent from then on.
For more photos of birds visit the Bird Photography Weekly.
STOP PRESS: We have just had 16mm of rain! This is more than we have had for nearly 3 months. It's been so dry even some of the trees in my yard were beginning to droop. I hope this is the start of better weather!
16 comments:
That's one cute little chick :DReplyDelete
Thanks for the Info too!
Amazing that they build a mound like that :)
That is a very interesting bird story there Mick. The male takes care of the eggs and then when they hatch, the chicks are on there own. Tough life for the little guys I bet.ReplyDelete
Interesting shot of the adult male you linked to also. Thanks for the lesson on these Brush-turkeys.
Thanks for commenting Nicole and Larry. I've seen some old mounds but never while there has been an adult male guarding it. I've read that they re-make and re-use mounds for years.ReplyDelete
Hi Mick did you only see the one chick. Thought there might be more than one around.ReplyDelete
The paths you walk have such character. It is amazing how some cuddly little chicks grow into suck large brightly coloured birds.ReplyDelete
Fascinating reading about the incubation habit of the Brush-turkey.
If I had known you were so short of rain I would happily have sent you some of mine ;)
Hi Neil, you're right - there was a second chick further in among the bushes and out of range of good photos.ReplyDelete
Hi John, I've sure been wishing someone would send some rain. We seldom get less than 100mm a month and some months it even goes as high as 300mm or more so you can understand that we feel ourselves pretty hard done by right now.
Nice shots of the little Brush-turkeys.ReplyDelete
G'day Mick,ReplyDelete
Cute little thing. Probably young enough not to have learned to be wary of most humans. Nice encounter.
Wouldn't it be nice if the birds and animals evolved to the stage where they would become tolerant of humans with a camera around their neck? I guess that would take the fun out of chasing them down.
On the other hand, I recall numerous occasions when the bird stands there looking at me until I raise the camera for a shot.
Thanks MosuraReplyDelete
Hi Gouldia - I think part of the fun of photographing birds is in the chase! I have plenty of photos of Peaceful Doves but can't resist stalking them down that track to try for the "perfect" shot - which I still haven't got!
aw, that little fluffball is awfully cute! thanks for sharing the photos!ReplyDelete
Nice finding and thanks for the interesting info of this bird breeding behavior.ReplyDelete
Hi MickReplyDelete
What a perfect little "treasure" to find pecking away on the track.
That's a memory to keep.
such a sweet litle one. :)ReplyDelete
Hi Mick. Thanks for the interesting post. I understand Adelaide has also been battered with storms hope you're not going to suffer. FAB.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousDecember 2, 2009 at 10:32 AM
The chicks are so cute! and interesting that they become self-sufficient so early in their life.ReplyDelete
I'd love to see one of the mounds. I saw a male turkey building one last august, but he was just at the beginning. In addition, he was moving so much and so fast, none of my photos turned out. Drat!
Brush turkey chicks and rain. You're doing well!ReplyDelete
To think those cute little fluffballs turn into such big moochers ...


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Christine Orozco - 59 in :59
As the final installment of the 59 in :59 series for the 16-17 school year, meet Christine Orozco, Devonshire's LRC director and 27-year employee of CCSD59.
Many teachers credit their parents for fostering their early love of learning, and Christine is definitely one of them. Her mom, a retired nurse, modeled helpfulness, compassion, and caring to her daughter. Christine admired these qualities growing up and felt that they helped draw her into a career in teaching.
Of the many aspects of her job she enjoys, her favorite part of working in the LRC is being able to show students the many different types of resources available to them. Her hope is to use these varied resources to help develop a love of learning in all her students.
Check out the latest installment in the 59 in :59 video series, and learn how Christine is helping prepare students to be successful for life.

subset: commoncrawl


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Photo: Denis Sinyakov / Reuters
MOSCOW (Reuters) – A controversial economist and former presidential candidate who accuses the West of conspiring to turn Russia into an economic colony has emerged, sources said, as a leading contender to take charge at the country's central bank.Sergei Glazyev, a Kremlin economic adviser, is being linked to the post a month before a deadline for his boss Vladimir Putin to nominate a successor to Sergei Ignatyev, who retires on June 23 after 11 years in the job.
Some insiders have been quick to write off Glazyev, who during his presidential run in 2004 lambasted Putin for running "a corrupt and irresponsible regime". Yet the speed with which Glazyev's star has risen since he endorsed the Russian leader's bid for a third Kremlin term a year ago has caught attention.
One high-ranking source in Moscow's liberal economic establishment said Glazyev is viewed favourably by both Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. A second source confirmed his status as a candidate and a third said he might get the job.
Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, declined to comment on the central bank succession. Glazyev, appointed by Putin last July to advise on regional economic integration, was not available to comment on Thursday, an aide said.
"Glazyev is under consideration because the others … do not suit either Putin or Medvedev at all," the first source told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Economists still lean towards the view that Putin will plump for an insider, like Ignatyev's deputy Alexei Ulyukayev, to complete the central bank's shift to a policy framework based on Western-style inflation targeting.
"I would find it difficult to believe in a volte face," said Jacob Nell, a Russia economist at Morgan Stanley in Moscow. "It wouldn't be consistent with how Putin has behaved in the past on economic policy."
Yet the liberals, who have controlled the Finance Ministry and the Bank of Russia since Putin rose to power, are concerned that radical change could endanger Russia's $2.1 trillion economy and the management of the world's fourth-largest foreign reserves.
They have collectively recoiled at the unorthodox views of Glazyev, 53, who was tasked by Putin last month with coordinating a new strategy to stabilise Russia's economy if the world slides back into crisis.
In a preliminary report to Putin, cited by the Vedomosti daily on January 18, Glazyev wrote: "As a result of the growing issuance of global currencies, the threat arises that Russian assets can be taken over by foreign capital."
Those comments drew a prompt and withering response from Anatoly Chubais, a leading market reformer who worked in government with Glazyev 20 years ago and now heads Russia's state technology fund Rosnano.
"A person who argues in all seriousness that the United States and Europe are issuing money so that they can grab Russian assets on the cheap can be anyone, as long as he is healthy; just not an economist," Chubais deadpanned on his blog.
Russia's leaders have expressed increasing concern that the central bank has focused too much on bringing down inflation, to the detriment of growth that slowed last year to 3.4 per cent – its lowest since the 2009 slump.
Putin, at a major Kremlin policy meeting at the end of January, complained about high borrowing costs, but Ignatyev held firm, saying that interest rates should only fall as inflation falls.
The institutional stand-off intensified on Wednesday, when Ignatyev went public with claims that $49 billion – or 2.5 per cent of the national income – was illegally transferred out of the country last year.
Ignatyev said that "one well-organised group" was responsible for more than half of the outflows, in what analysts said was a coded accusation that the Russian security services were complicit.
Ulyukayev, the central bank's first deputy chairman, agrees with Ignatyev that the economy is running close to capacity and has pushed back against easing policy until inflation falls.
Other contenders, central banker Sergei Shvetsov – in charge of market operations – and former Finance Minister Mikhail Zadornov, now head of state bank VTB'sretail arm, share similar orthodox views.
Also in the frame, but regarded as long shots, are VTB CEO Andrei Kostin and Andrei Bugrov, a former financial diplomat who now holds a senior position at billionaire Vladimir Potanin's investment company Interros.
Of all the candidates, Glazyev has been the readiest to say that the Kremlin's call to boost economic growth rates to 5 per cent or more are realistic – and even to suggest that they lack ambition.
In his January article, Glazyev wrote that Russia could boost growth to a rate of 8 per cent, while industrial production could surge by 10 per cent per year.
Such views would get a favourable hearing from the pro-Kremlin majority in parliament's lower house, who would need to ratify Putin's choice. Ignatyev's hawkish inflation stance drew hostile questions when he testified to lawmakers on Wednesday.
Alexei Kudrin, a former finance minister respected by financial markets, has meanwhile ruled himself out of contention after turning down the central bank job following his resignation from government in September 2011, sources say.
(Additional reporting by Polina Devitt and Katya Golubkova; Writing by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
Copyright (2013) Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions
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Brecheen helped Charlie Sheen negotiate rich paydays for FX series "Anger Management" and CBS' "Two and A Half Men." "Anger Management" initially licensed 10 episodes with an automatic addition of 90 more episodes if certain benchmarks were met, which was triggered in August. "In order to do that, you have to be willing to bet on yourself, which is always what Charlie has been willing to do," says Brecheen. "Charlie never once said to me, 'Whatever you do, don't blow the deal.' To innovate, you have to have a client who is not afraid." The big automatic back-order concept was pioneered by Tyler Perry TV series at Debmar Mercury/Lionsgate, which also produces "Anger Management." Brecheen's other TV clients include Conan O'Brien, Jenny McCarthy, Imagine Television and Kevin Beggs, who is Lionsgate Television Group prexy. She works closely with the firm's name partner Jake Bloom on clients who include producers Jerry Bruckheimer, Chuck Roven's Atlas Entertainment ("The Dark Knight Rises") and Barry Josephson.
Outside the office: Polo player
Top Cause: Preserving the environment, especially through recycling.


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Stowford Manor Farm
We are a family run farm situated in the beautiful Frome valley. The farm has a range of interests from the traditional Jersey milking cows to a community of workshops used by local craftsmen. Cream teas are very popular locally and the river swimming is a huge attraction during the summer months!
The campsite gets very busy in the summer when it is advisable to book in advance. In the school holiday periods we take bookings for arrivals or departures on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only. There is bed and breakfast available in the Mill House.
We are only a five minute drive from the historic town of Bradford-on-Avon and within easy reach of the Georgian City of Bath, Longleat House and safari park and a gentle riverside stroll to the medieval Farleigh Castle A perfect base for country walks, cycling on the Kennet and Avon Canal or just enjoying the Somerset countryside.
"The campsite is surrounded by the River Frome, which makes it a wonderfully peaceful holiday spot. The new washhouse has a very Grand Designs feel to it". (As featured in the Guardian Guide to Camping 2007)
The farm is part of Clubwifi, ensuring that everyone who wishes can access the internet. Pre paid cards can be purchased for various amounts depending on your length of stay, or you can set yourself up online.
"There are campsites whose appeal is hard to define; one so simple that it can only be described as one that insils a sense of wellbeing in the folks that camp there" As featured in Cool Camping
"If Cath Kidston did holidays(and its only a matter of time) they would be in the model of Stowford Manor Farm- except that everything here is authentically country kitsch" The Guardian 2/6/12
|Email us for more information or to book.


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- Author(s):
- Rutgers, J.
- Year:
- 2012
- Language:
- english
- Size:
- 16x24 cm
- Pages:
- 174
- 9789089520807
- Edition:
- Paperback
- 823
- Print/edition:
- First
Europa Law Publishing
European Contract Law and the Welfare StateBack
In the European Union, a debate is on-going about the Europeanization of contract law. However, its impact on the different welfare states' types, as they are developed in political science, has not been discussed elaborately. Nearly all Member States of the European Union can be characterized as a welfare state or may be post-welfare state. There are many definitions and descriptions of the welfare state. It is generally accepted that social citizenship is a common characteristic of the welfare states in the European Union; another one is that they are capitalist economies in a global economy in which a service industry prevails. This book publishes the papers of a workshop held at the Free University of Amsterdam and which aimed to explore the potential of applying the political science theory of the welfare-state-types to contract law.
About the editor
Dr. Jacobien Rutgers is associate professor of Private Law at the Free University of Amsterdam.
About European Studies in Private Law
This series hosts academic publications of outstanding quality within the domain of private law, notably the law of obligations and property. The focus is on monographs and edited books concerning uniform and comparative European private law issues from a specific perspective (viz., theory of private law, policy analysis, law & economics analysis, legal history, etcetera).
Submissions for publication are welcomed. Please contact the publisher, or the series editors directly.


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Source: Christian Post by Alex Murashko
Christian hip-hop artist Joshua "Upwordz" Huihui is well aware that not everyone accepts his genre of worship music – even when he is invited to be part of a church's Sunday service.
The 33-year-old rapper from Torrance, Calif., told The Christian Post that it could be very easy to get discouraged when some ministries are focused on warning Christians about allowing hip-hop into their lives. Much of the secular hip-hop culture doesn't hide its promotion of immoral behavior in words and actions.
However, Upwordz, who often raps the word of God on open-mic (or improvisation) nights inside clubs in Los Angeles, will be releasing his second album early next year and continues to perform what he feels God has called him to do.
Last summer, he was invited by a church in Riverside County, Calif., to perform just one song during each of the three Sunday services. After finishing his song during the first two services, and unable to get much of a response from the congregation, Upwordz admits that he was discouraged.
Then, he said that in between the second and third service a woman came up to him at the table he was selling his "The Upward Call" CDs from and began getting excited about something he wasn't quite sure about at first.
"She began pointing to my CD and said she had been looking for it for a year," Upwordz said. "She was very encouraging and saying that she appreciated my obedience to the Lord."
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He said the woman then began to cry and he asked her why. She explained that her son died from a lethal mixture of medication just several months ago.
"I said I was sorry and she said, 'no, that's okay, he's in heaven, he went to be with the Lord," Upwordz explained. " Then she said, 'I just want to let you know that 10 months before he died, he got a hold of your CD and I want to tell you that after he heard your CD he completely dedicated his life to Jesus Christ and become a strong follower.'"
Upwordz began to cry as well, only it was because of joy.
"I was just so encouraged that this made an impact and I know that I will be seeing one soul in heaven that was impacted by my rap. Even if it has been just one soul I will be faithful to this ministry," he said.
For some pastors, like youth director Aaron Fonseca of the Christian Worship Center in Manteca, Calif., having someone like Upwordz perform hip-hop is critical even if the music genre is not his own personal favorite.
Most of the youth in the community close to Fonseca's church come from the local hip-hop culture. Spontaneous graffiti art, street dancing, and rap are all part of a typical Sunday service for the youth attending.
"We do hip-hop all the time here including hip-hop expos and hip-hop conferences. We embrace the culture of hip hop, but we mesh it with the character of Christ and the prophetic," Fonseca told CP.
"I'm not really a fan of hip-hop personally, but I know it is an effective tool, and I continue to have events at my church or for my youth. I'm not looking for entertainment or [hip] beats as much as I am looking for someone that has a message that will have change the lives of a generation of kids," he explained.
When asked about whether he would encourage other pastors to include hip-hop in their church's worship offering, Fonseca said, "Yes, because they are missing out on a whole generation of people to minister to and it's not really about their preference or what they would like to hear best, but if they are a pastor, then they are called to minister to people."
"The message [style] changes, but the message of God should stay the same," he said.
Upwordz, who says he writes his lyrics while keeping in mind that he should try and lead people to Jesus, believes hip-hop is just one tool of many that God uses today.
"Who are we to say what God can or cannot do? We can't put God in a box and decide where God can or cannot be moving. Hip-hop music is a very influential form of music," Upwordz said. "As Christian rap artists we use this form of music to bring the biblical worldview to the listeners, ultimately that they would come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ."
"Today's mainstream hip-hop music is saturated with un-godliness and unholy desires, which lead today's youth away from the word of God. We bring in the truth of God's word with the tool of hip-hop music," he explained.


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psandhu necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 61 diseños de 15 diseñadores freelance.
The Sandhu Law Firm
The Sandhu Law Firm is a new firm with young attorneys and staff. The firm aims to function with a high degree of professionalism and integrity. The firm will focus on Family law, but may also move into Criminal Defense.
Our target audience is middle class men and women going through divorce issues. There is no specific age we target.
We are looking for a simple yet professional design.The logo should emphasize the word Sandhu and may or may not even include the words "law firm". The logo should be inviting to those who may not have much experience with the legal system, yet professional to not push away those clients comfortable with the system.
In short, Law Firm logos are all very boring and look the same. We are trying to create something different. Below is some guidance. .
Things to be careful with:
-Gavels, Lady Justice, Scales of Justice - Pretty much everything typically associated with law. Its okay to use them, but incorporate them in a unique way if used.
-Overt symbols of family or marriage, hand holding, wedding rings, child and parent - better to jus avoid these unless it can be done in a unique way.
Do Nots:
-Stay away from typical fonts, like operating system fonts.
-Stay away from goofy fonts
-Fonts like Bembo and Adobe Caslon are good!
-Color scheme - play with it! We like the green in the business card, but we are open to anything!
-Be unique, yet still professional!
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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A new student services and classroom building will be Daytona State College's top priority as it seeks state funding from the Florida Legislature.
DAYTONA BEACH — A new student services and classroom building will be Daytona State College's top priority as it seeks state funding from the Florida Legislature.
The board on Thursday approved its "Legislative Case Statement" that includes budget and facilities requests for the college and other issues for the legislative session that starts in March.
The facilities requests include $24 million for the new Daytona Beach campus building. The college wants to knock the old Theater Center down and build a larger multistory classroom/student center in its place.
The college's current one-story Student Activities Center on the Daytona Beach campus and nearby Theater Center are more than 46 years old.
DSC President Carol Eaton said funding for the Daytona Beach campus building will be sought "aggressively."
Daytona State is also seeking $2.1 million for renovations and remodeling throughout its campuses in Volusia and Flagler counties and $532,678 toward the new Flagler/Palm Coast Campus Classroom Building, which was awarded a larger portion of funding earlier this year.
The board on Thursday approved a contract with a construction manager, H.J. High Construction Co., for the Flagler building, and a contract with Schenkel & Shultz Architects. Staff has been meeting to discuss what needs to be in the new Flagler classroom building with plans to break ground in late summer next year and open in August 2014.
Daytona State would also seek about $1.4 million in new operational funding as well as another $171,552 for operating costs of new facilities.
Eaton told the board the legislative statement includes Daytona State and other colleges in the Florida College System supporting more creative and effective developmental/remedial education.
"Some states are trying to do away with remedial education. We feel that is shortsighted," Eaton said. "Part of our mission is to make sure we have open access.''
She also spoke about the concern state colleges have with the cost of dual enrollment where high school students take college classes while still in high school. Colleges want the state to provide more funding to continue the program.
"We support the program but the more it grows, the more the finances are very difficult for us to continue that," Eaton said.
In an unrelated matter, the board also agreed to send a letter to the presidents of the University of Central Florida, Brevard Community College, Lake-Sumter State College, Seminole State College and Valencia College to ask if Daytona State can be considered for membership into the DirectConnect program. DirectConnect allows students from certain colleges who receive associate degrees to have guaranteed admission to the University of Central Florida.
Chairman Dwight Lewis said it's important Daytona State become a part of DirectConnect so "our students have the same access" as the other colleges.
The board also received an update on the college's swimming and diving teams. Administrators decided this fall to do away with diving though the swim team remains. Mike Vitale, senior vice president of academic affairs, said the part-time diving coach resigned prior to the start of fall classes and was the third diving coach in three years. The diving team also only had five students in diving over three years. Only two divers were signed up for this fall and they remain enrolled in the college.
"We made the decision to cancel the diving program. The risk involved without a properly trained coach with students diving is not worth it," Vitale said. The diving boards will be removed in January. Some area high school teams have practiced at Daytona State but will have to find a new location.
Eaton also updated the board on taking up Gov. Rick Scott's challenge to offer bachelor degrees at a reduced cost. Daytona State has a plan geared toward graduating high school students to obtain their degree for $10,000 in three years – about a $3,000 savings at Daytona State and less than half of what it would cost at a state university.
Eaton said the plan, which would need to be approved by the Legislature, is a "terrific opportunity to reach out to high school students" to offer the same quality bachelor programs at the college "but in an accelerated format."
"When you look at the program, there are some really strong benefits for the students," Eaton said.
Mary Ann Haas, vice chairwoman of the board, said the program would "not only save money but time" for students.
In other business, student Robert Hill asked the board during public comments to reconsider a tobacco-free policy. The board voted in March against going to a tobacco-free campus. He also said he understands smokers' freedoms, "but what about the personal freedoms of non-smokers." Chairman Lewis said the issue is still being discussed and reviewed.


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Samsung Nexus S - Branded Gingerbread
Updated - Overview & Design
Editor's note: The following review is mostly adapted from the earlier reviewed Google Nexus S. With an almost identical set of hardware specifications, we focused on the battery tests and its related performance since the Samsung Nexus S uses a 4-inch S-LCD instead of Super AMOLED display on Google's iteration. For those who've read the previous Nexus S article, you may jump to the battery performance page here and an updated conclusion here.
The (S)uccessor
Super phone. Smartphone. Call it what you will, the Google-branded phones have made a huge impact in the mobile arena over the last two years. Every year, Google makes a show of its Android improvements with an actual device, starting with the T-Mobile G1 (otherwise known as the HTC Dream), followed by its very own Google Nexus One (made by HTC again).
By the end of 2010, Google has formed numerous alliances and partnerships, forged through the need for its ever growing Android platform and its hardware partners to enjoy mutual gain. This is duly reflected in its market share, growing leaps and bounds to attain second placing, challenging the once dominant Symbian OS. Within the same year, we've seen a multitude of Android devices, but only a select few such as the Samsung Galaxy S got us excited at how the hardware and software alliance is finally showing tangible results.
With all the players gathered together, Google proceeded with its next act in the Android showcase. Aided by Samsung's manufacturing arm, the Google / Samsung Nexus S was borne, bearing a striking resemblance to the Galaxy S, in and out. This should mean a similar handling experience as what we got from the Galaxy S, right up to the backwards curved chin at the bottom.
A 4-inch screen is likewise found on the Samsung Nexus S. Instead of the same Super AMOLED technology that was implemented on the Google Nexus S and Samsung Galaxy S, the Samsung Nexus S opts for an S-LCD display. This puts the Samsung Nexus S with an even thicker profile at 11.5mm, whereas the Google Nexus S came in at 10.88mm thick and the Samsung Galaxy S came in thinner at a mere 9.9mm. In reality, the difference is too negligible for one to even discern. The same can be said for the additional weight, which doesn't feel exceptionally heavier (140g) compared to the Google counterpart (129g) and the Samsung Galaxy S (118g).
Do not mistake the Nexus S as a direct clone of the Galaxy S, because there are some minute differences involved. One of the more obvious changes can be seen on the crown, which is now smooth and lacks any 3.5mm or microUSB ports. It has instead been shifted to the bottom, and the microUSB port lacks a slider cover to protect it like the Galaxy S did.
The glossy nature of the Galaxy S makes a return on the Nexus S. As such, fingerprint smudges will be a familiar sight across the device, made more prominent at the back. Removing the casing to reveal the battery is easily achieved once your fingers get a grip and hook onto the groove at the top to pry it open. Once we did, the noticeable missing element here is a microSD card slot. Fret not, because the Nexus S still comes with 16GB of internal storage, which should suffice to store your apps.
And that wraps up the aesthetic portion of the Nexus S. Given how similar it looks and feels against the Galaxy S, the burning question is – why not just purchase the Galaxy S? This is aptly answered with what you'll find underneath the device - Google Android 2.3 operating system. The details of this upgraded mobile OS can be found in the following Features page.


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As long time readers know, I am non-fond of draft grades. They are sort of silly given that players haven't played a down. And they are usually done by looking at consensus draft boards, figuring out whether players were picked higher or lower than consensus, and grading accordingly.
By that measure, the Texans usually get knocked a bit. The Texans value scheme fit and hard workers who love football higher than some franchises do, and it is reflected by their choices. The only certainty of the Texans draft is they will pick a few surprises every draft. Often those surprise/so-called-reach picks end up working out well for them. See e.g. Duane Brown.
All that being said, readers love grades which means editors love grades even if they think they are juvenile and garbage, so I will come up with my own silly grading system. And give you some homework:
Your assignment for this blog post: 1. Please name which guys in the Texans 2012 rookie class, both drafted and undrafted that you are most interested in closely following/think will do well. 2. Extra credit for showing your work: Give links that you think other fans would be interested in reading. If you are an alumni of the school that a player went to, tell your thoughts about the players. (Some of the most enthusiastic alums visiting the blog came from Alabama with DeMeco Ryans and Wisconsin with JJ Watt).
I really would like for people to do good comments to this post. It can serve as an interesting time capsule to look back at.
Post-Draft Resources.
If you would like to find additional information on any of the draft picks, I suggest the following resources in addition to the one's in the Houston Chronicle:
2. Houston Sports Talk Radio Podcasts. Sports Radio 610, Sports Talk 790, 1560 the Game.
3. Various Texans blogs: State of the Texans (a great addition to Texans sports blogs with a lot of interviews), Alan "AJ" Burge's Houston Texans Examiner, Battle Red Blog
4. Google Search (Duh). There is so much more coverage of the draft these days that many of the players the Texans drafted were coveted by other teams' fanbases. So you can find things from other newspapers and blogs that were written before the draft.
For your homework, I really do want you to share your best links about these players in the comments. If we all work together, we will get a lot of good reading material to help cope with this overly long off-season. (We really need the Astros, Rockets to be better sooner. It helps).
My Very Silly 2012 Texans Draft Grades:
I have no idea how well these rooks will play. But I am always interested to know more about them, and to know more of what the Texans were thinking when they chose particular picks.
Whitney Mercilus, Illinois, OLB (6-4, 261)
Wrote about him already here. Rick Smith in his post-draft interviews various places ( 790 / 1560 ) says with Wade's 3-4, you want to have at least 3 pass rushers.
My grade for this pick: Gold star, smiley face. Texans got the dude Wade wanted and didn't have to trade up.
DeVier Posey, Ohio St, WR (6-2, 211)
Texans trade out of the 2nd round to get multiple picks in 3rd, 4th rounds. They do not take Rueben Randle like many thought they would, nor do a lot of teams take Randle.
I think Randle went to a good situation (a team that uses wide receivers well and has competent QB play), but from what I hear, some teams passed on Randle due to work ethic + skill concerns. For whatever that's worth. I don't know the guy so I don't know. He may be the hardest worker ever.
Instead of focusing too much on who the Texans didn't get, how about the player they did get? Some people may not have projected Posey to the Texans due to character concerns, but I think that is overblown by some fans. Rick Smith has repeatedly said that he realizes not all players are choir boys, but he is looking to see whether players who have made mistakes have learned from them. And whether those character concerns will likely inhibit the ability of the player to play hard, learn the game.
Here's an interview with Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch on Posey via Sports Radio 610. Worth a listen.
"You'll be pretty impressed by his physical ability….soft spoken, intelligent guy." "One of my favorite guys I've ever covered." "Runs really nice routes." "Looks like a polished, big time player."
My grade for the pick:
Candy hearts. The ones with the nice messages instead of the sorry ones.
Brandon Brooks, Miami OH, Guard (6-5, 343)
Listed as 6-5, 343. Hello. Smith referred to him as someone who can move, add additional physicality to the offensive line.
Little known fact: His official Miami Ohio profile says that his favorite website is Economist.com
I believe the Texans have some of the best offensive line coaching in the league. It will be interesting to see what they do with someone with this sort of size and athletic skills. Offensive Coordinator, Rick Dennison talks some on the Brooks pick here.
My grade for this pick:
Very very sad Colts fans.
Let's see. Colts drafted a bunch of players on offense. The Texans have already been able to run like crazy on the Colts. Sure would be nice if Brooks could be blowing up fools in the running game, going home, reading the Economist.
Ben Jones, Georgia, Center (6-3, 303)
Rick Smith was particularly enthusiastic about this pick. Says the intent is to give the Texans more roster flexibility on game day. Jones is another one of those captain of the college team picks that the Texans like.
My grade for the pick:
Texans often take players from the south. Jones is happy to be staying in the south. Let's see if he still feels that way when attending the Texans very hot training camp.
Keshawn Martin, Michigan State, WR (5-11, 188)
Texans like rookies, particularly WRs who can contribute on special teams. What's nice about Martin is that he can do returns, but isn't such a small size that he is a liability on offense as far as blocking, being a target.
Lots of articles about this pick. This one wins the award for most stereotypical lede:
"Keshawn Martin may have to get accustomed to wearing cowboy boots or a 10-gallon hat, but the Westland John Glenn High grad hopes to become a great fit in a Houston Texans uniform."
My grade for pick:
Yee Haw! Some people see this returner as the end of Jacoby Jones as a Texan. Rick Smith is publicly saying in interviews that Jones is the current "whipping boy" for the fans and has "won us some games." Which are all the right things for him to say publicly.
Martin is the type of very productive college receiver that Walsh-coaching tree teams like to target.
Jared Crick, Nebraska, DE (6-4, 279)
I like this pick for the combination of Texans kinda-guy, value, boy I'd love to see what Wade Phillips does with this guy. Doug Farrar of Yahoo! Sports Shutdown Corner has him on his list of great 4th round values, and calls him the "Perfect marriage of player and scheme."
Rick Smith says that Crick is completely recovered from his torn pec muscle and doesn't see him being limited in camp.
Also, read his Nebraska bio. Great combo of performance + loves football + good character. One of those Texans picks like how you'd want your son to be if he were huge and you were okay with him playing football.
My grade for pick:
Some fans may not like the Texans taking as many line picks as they did, but I'm actually happy when the Texans use the draft to get "brussel sprouts" kind of picks. It may not be as flashy as some of the skill positions, but the AFC South folks shouldn't be happy that the Texans have reloaded their lines for depth, rotational purposes. There's a lot to be said for the New York Giants approach of hoarding pass rushers.
Randy Bullock Texas A&M, K (5-9, 205)
The Texans now have a kicker on the roster. He is a rookie. Scary. He won the award for the best kicker in the country so this isn't just a Aggie pick. He went to Klein high school in Houston, so you will likely know someone who knows him. My friend Courtney says he has gigantic legs not that she has seen them in an inappropriate way.
Would make sense he has giant legs. I'm just a little shorter than 5-9, and being over 200 lbs at that height is pretty thick.
My grade for pick:
Hopefully, the kicking game isn't an adventure for the Texans. In 2010, it was an issue given so many close games. Last year, the kicking game really didn't have that many opportunities to be the difference maker, but it was always a back of the head concern: "Uh oh, Texans may need to make a long kick. Oh please don't even try."
The repeated thing the Texans say about this pick is how strong Bullock's leg is. Perhaps. But they will be bringing in competition in camp even so.
Nick Mondek, Purdue, OT or OG or ? athlete (6-6, 304)
The Texans like athletic guys who's skills project to the NFL and who are willing to do whatever the team asks them to do. Mondek appears to be that guy. His story is that he started out on the defensive line but moved to offensive line after his team had that need. Very fast for a guy his size.
His official Purdue bio says he "enjoys wakeboarding, snowboarding and photography." That would be some big dude coming down the slopes. You need to be fairly agile at any size to wakeboard and snowboard. Just don't do that any more and get hurt.
In his interview with 610, he said the Texans didn't tell him how they were going to use him. Says he can longsnap. Watch the video from Hammer and Rails SB Nation site and I defy you not to like this guy.
My grade for pick:
Texans like guys at bottom of the draft that are like Swiss Army knives. Useful. Can do lots of things and will do anything that they are asked to do.
Undrafted Rookie Free Agents.
The first speech that Gary Kubiak gives the entire team each season usually includes telling them that he doesn't care how the players got to the team and where they were drafted, but that he is interested in the effort they bring and preparing like a professional. He has a long history of developing undrafted rookies, from Rod Smith with the Broncos to obviously Arian Foster with the Texans.
For these players, it is all about effort during camp, being lucky staying healthy, standing out on special teams, getting an opportunity. The drafted players have a leg up due to the draft pick invested, but if you look at the entirety of the roster, it is mostly about effort guys. Even the drafted players are often players who were not highly recruited coming out of high school or changed positions, and were self-made. JJ Watt is probably the most obvious example.
Via John McClain at Chron.com, here are the list of signed Undrafted Free Agents:
|Logan Brock
|D.J. Bryant
|James Madison
|Loni Fangupo
|Jason Ford
|Jonathan Grimes
|William & Mary
|David Hunter
|Jerrell Jackson
|Dalano Johnson
|Bowie St.
|Dwight Jones
|North Carolina
|Case Keenum
|Mario Louis
|Grambling St.
|Shawn Loiseau
|Desmond Marrow
|Davin Meggett
|Nate Menkin
|Mary Hardin-Baylor
|Rennie Moore
|Eddie Pleasant
|Tracy Robertson
|Phillip Supernaw
|Ouachita Baptist
|Cody White
|Illinois St.
|Greg Williams
Ones in particular who have been getting a lot of buzz are: Fangupo, Jones, Keenum, Loiseau, Pleasant.
Rick Smith repeatedly mentioned Pleasant in his radio interviews, though he mentioned he didn't feel comfortable saying too much about any one guy.
Think this is a very nice haul of UDFA for a team that isn't completely rebuilding. A lot of times UDFAs want to go to terrible teams with a lot of needs in order to get a better chance of making a team.
Your thoughts. You know where they go. Remember, please share any cool links to draft stuff you think other fans might like.
Bum Phillips Opera Update.
Good news. Last night was the deadline to fund the Bum Phillips Opera thing I told you about last week and it got done. Thank you to all of you who helped that happen. I really am curious to see how they put this together.
What was particularly nice in learning more about the opera was to find out more about the Bum Phillips Charities. When the artistic director approached Bum about this project, he wasn't quite sure what to make of it other than it sounding like it would be a "hoot." Bum was good with it as long as the material was handled respectfully, and figured it would be a nice way to bring more attention to his charitable foundation.
The opera is inspired by the book about Bum called, "Bum Phillips: Coach, Cowboy, Christian." I haven't read it (yet), but I understand it is a very good book. It's a self-published, and all the proceeds of it go to helping his charitable works.
Need a really cool gift (for yourself or others)? For $30, you can get a autographed copy of his book. It's hard to find in stores, though the Go Texans shop at Reliant often has it, but you can order the autographed copy through the Bum Phillips Charity website. Father's day is right around the corner though I know plenty of mom's who would like it too.


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February 21, 2013
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, along with EPW ranking member David Vitter (R-La.), Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), and Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) today sent a letter to the Secretary of Department of Energy (DOE) Steven Chu offering a rebuttal to filed comments expressing concerns about the conclusions of the NERA Economic Consulting Report to determine whether U.S. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports would be in the public interest.
In the letter, the Senators addressed critics concerns regarding LNG exports, and urged the DOE to consider the sound science and economic theory that comprised the conclusions of the NERA study.
"For the United States to be a hub of cheap energy, it is imperative to pursue government policies that allow the private sector to make every energy resource as abundant, accessible, and as versatile in its consumption as possible," the Senators wrote. "Achieving this objective requires that producers be allowed access to markets, and that consumers beallowed access to resources. Providing this access without bias for one source over another will encourage more widespread production of all energy resources. This will benefit the economy, as it will be accompanied by increased economic activity, job creation, and more widespread energy choices."
The letter continued, "The United States has been blessed with an abundance of energy resources, with natural gas being among the most prevalent. Expanding market access to producers will not only result in a wealth transfer from foreign countries to U.S. households, but it will also encourage greater exploration and production activity. This will grow the economy and create jobs. It is clear that LNG exports are in the public interest. With this in mind, we respectfully urge you to disregard comments questioning the value of the NERA Study and quickly approved the pending LNG export permits."
Click here for the full text of the letter to Secretary Chu.
"Oklahoma has been a leading force in the rapid growth of domestic energy production," said Inhofe. "This has largely been made possible by the safe and expanded use of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling unlocking resources previously believed to be off limits. Because of the energy sector, Oklahoma is near full employment with oil and gas production contributing at least $26 billion to the state economy. I remain committed to working with my colleagues to encourage increased investment in domestic production that is sure to spur job creation and economy growth our nation so desperately needs.
"Our abundance of natural gas is a game changer for our country that is bringing us to the verge of energy independence and has the potential to create millions of jobs," said Landrieu. "This study shows that we will be able to exploit our rich natural gas resources to the benefit of producers and consumers alike. I will work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to move forward on this important opportunity.
"It is impossible to ignore the long list of economic benefits that exporting LNG will bring to the Alaska and the rest of the country," said. Begich. "The NERA report makes clear that we need to take steps to bring our abundant supply of LNG to market, which means approving strategic pipeline routes and streamlining the permitting process. The President specifically mentioned these efforts in his State of the Union speech and I plan on holding him to that commitment."


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J. Cole Giving A Speech In Birmingham About His College Days!
J Cole on the Cole World World Tour in Birmingham UK - Nik
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Esteemed New Faculty and Staff on Board
A new department chair, faculty member, dean and director of advancement have joined the College of Public Health. In addition, the college has combined its biostatistics, environmental health sciences and epidemiology faculty into one department, now chaired by Mark A. James, Ph.D. We bid a fond farewell and best wishes to professor and Social & Behavioral Sciences Interim Chair R. Scott Olds, Ph.D.
Jeffrey S. Hallam, Ph.D., has been named chair of the Social & Behavioral Sciences department. Hallam comes to Kent State from the University of Mississippi, where he was a professor of health promotion in the Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management Department. He was founding director of the Center for Health Behavior Research at Ole Miss. Hallam received his undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees from The Ohio State University in physical education and health science. His primary research focus is physical activity behavior.
Tara Smith, Ph.D., joins the faculty as associate professor in the Department of Biostatistics, Environmental Health Sciences & Epidemiology. Smith most recently was associate professor of epidemiology in the College of Public Health at The University of Iowa. Her research interests include infectious diseases, bacterial ecology and antibiotic resistance. Her recent work has focused on Staphylococcus aureusas a zoonotic infection.
John R. Graham, Ph.D., has been appointed associate dean. Graham served as interim chair of Epidemiology & Biostatistics for the past year. He is an emeritus professor of clinical psychology and a 2000 Kent State Distinguished Scholar. Thomas W. Brewer, Ph.D., who was associate dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs, is returning to his role as associate professor, Social & Behavioral Sciences.
Margot McGimpsey is the new director of advancement for the college. McGimpsey concentrates upon building relationships with alumni, supporters and friends of the college to cultivate their interest in and understanding of its mission and achievements. She has an extensive background in strategic planning, project management, process improvement and technology integration in the health care industry.


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Diabetes mellitus
Since 1998 the "Diabetes Mellitus" (or "Sakharni Diabet") Journal publishes timely articles, balancing both clinical and experimental research, case reports, reviews and lectures on pressing problems of diabetology. The Journal is aimed to provide a forum to discuss etiology and pathogenesis, clinical features, modern diagnostic and treatment approaches to diabetes mellitus and its complications, as well as associated conditions.
The Journal:
- features original research articles, reflecting world diabetology development;
- issues thematic editions on specific areas (diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, etc.);
- publishes chronicle of major international congress sessions and workshops on diabetes mellitus, as well as state-of-the-art guidelines;
- is intended for scientists, diabetologists, endocrinologists and specialists of allied trade, general practitioners, family physicians and pediatricians.
Ivan I. Dedov, PhD, Professor (ORCID: 0000-0002-8175-7886)
The Diabetes Mellitus journal is currently indexed in Scopus (Elsevier), Emerging Sources Citation Index (Web of Science, Clarivate Analytics), Google Scholar, DOAJ and Russian Science Citation Index (eLibrary.ru).
Access to the content
All accepted articles in the Diabetes Mellitus journal are published in Gold Open Access (in accordance with Budapest Open Access Initiative) format with Free Full-text access to all articles via several websites (dia.endojournals.ru, www.elibrary.ru, www.cyberleninka.ru) and mobile applications for iOS® (available in AppStore). All accepted articles publish with the Creative Commons International license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) for more freely distribution and usage worlwide.
The journal is open for English and Russian language manuscripts. All English language manuscripts are published in bilingual format (with help of Russian association of endocrinologists the editorial team makes translations for all accepted english-language articles). So, the journal provide an additional readers auditory for published articles.
New version of Editorial Policies
The journal has updated its editorial policies regarding publication standards and ethical compliance.
Posted: 01.06.2019
|More Announcements...
Current Issue
Vol 23, No 1 (2020)
- Year: 2020
- Articles: 12
- URL: https://dia-endojournals.ru/dia/issue/view/1106


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Maya Christine
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I love life and people, I adore beauty and pray everyday for peace. I would like having a nice and big family, a house on the beach and an husband that loves me to the moon and back :) I am very loyal person and I like making people happy. So, I don't think it will be hard for you to conquer me and make me love you more and more :)
My Fantasies
I have a very rich imagination when it comes about fantasies! I've always dreamed about having sex on a lush beach or with a hot stranger. I have a passion for men with beard and a hot french kiss always turns me on! I love to feel your skin, and I enjoy very much being kissed to the top of my toe to my lips and back. I always like to try new things in bed because I get bored very fast. What about a hot bath with foam, some champagne, strawberries.I wanna make love with you all night long.
My Obsessions & Desires
I have many fetishes and i just like to try new things everyday. I love leather and latex, high heels, stockings and pantyhose. i love my ass to be spanked and i'd love to let you put me handcuffs ;). Other fetishes. #footfetish #joi #domination #anal
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I am a nice girl! Treat me good, and I`'ll definitely treat you better. I would love to meet nice and friendly people, I wanna keep a good vibe in my room. In open room I'll do my best to put a smile on your face. In private you, I'll always get what you want because I want you to live with me unforgettable moments. So don't be afraid to ask me kinky things, I'm open minded and I will also enjoy them.
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Life it's so beautiful, let's enjoy it together :) Share your toughts, say hello, let's talk, let's be friends, let's be lovers, let's just be. :)
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every sperm sacred.
why not you and your peeps killing people in fertility labs, then?
you not even understand stupak's amendment. hyde amendment still in effect, so no federal money going abortions.third-graders know more than you.
julie just calling out liars.deal with it, putz.
you inconsistent on what "lives" supposedly need protecting and simply lying about health care bill.simple enough, putz.


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19-21 April 2012
Rabat - Morocco
Centre d'Accueil et de Conférences (CAC)
Avenue Essanaoubar, Hay Riad Rabat
Download the Conclusions of the conference
You can submit your comments by email until 10 June 2012
Download the Conference booklet
Containing: Practical Information | Concept Note | Agenda | Biographies of Speakers
The African Conference on Measuring Well-Being and Fostering the Progress of Societies was one of a series of regional conferences being conducted in preparation for the 4th OECD World Forum on Statistics, Knowledge and Policy, to be held in New Delhi on 16 to 19 October 2012.
The African Conference gathered 350 regional policy makers, statisticians, academics and other stakeholders in order to reflect on how to measure well-being and the progress of societies, enhance the relevance of measures and analysis for addressing key policy issues, and establish frameworks for future work.
The conference was jointly organised by the OECD Development Centre and the High Commission for Planning of Morocco, in collaboration with the OECD Statistics Directorate, the Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
Bookmark this page: www.lcgcbg.live/dev/progressafrica


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NORFOLK, Va. - Navy officials are searching for answers about what may have motivated a civilian to approach a docked destroyer, struggle with security personnel, disarm a sailor, then shoot and kill someone coming to that sailor's aid.
The civilian was shot and killed by Navy security forces shortly after the encounter late Monday night aboard the USS Mahan at Naval Station Norfolk, the world's largest naval base.
The unidentified civilian was authorized to be on base, but it wasn't immediately clear for what reason or why he would want to approach the guided-missile destroyer, which shares a pier with a hospital ship, the USNS Comfort.
The Navy said the civilian was coming toward the ship's quarterdeck, which is traditionally the ceremonial entry point of a ship, when he got into a struggle with the Petty Officer of the Watch, whom he was able to disarm.
Navy officials have not released the names of the civilian or the sailor who died. No other injuries were reported from the encounter.
To get onto the base, civilians must be escorted or have identification that allows them to be there. Authorized civilians include Department of Defense employees, contractors and military family members.
Capt. Robert Clark, Naval Station Norfolk's commanding officer, said Tuesday that identification found with the civilian indicates it is unlikely he was a military dependent authorized to be on base for that reason.
Clark said the civilian was found with a TWIC card, a transportation worker's credential issued by the Transportation Security Administration to personnel such as truck drivers who require unescorted access to secure areas. But he said it was unclear what exactly the civilian's job was or when he worked on the base.
All merchant mariners are required to have a TWIC card, including employees of the Navy's Military Sealift Command, which hires civilians to crew its ships, including the USNS Comfort. The cards are valid for five years, according to the TSA.
Each base entrance is guarded, and motorists present IDs. Inspections are rare, and Clark noted that the civilian did not bring a weapon on base.
Clark said the base would review its security procedures but also said the Navy's response shows that "force protection is working."
All 13 piers have additional security forces that guard access. As part of ongoing security efforts, hand-held ID scanners were implemented this year at Navy bases in the region, including the Norfolk station.
The shooting on the Mahan comes about a month after the Navy held anti-terrorism and force protection exercises on bases across the U.S., including an active-shooter drill at Naval Station Norfolk. And it follows a September incident at the Washington Navy Yard, in which a gunman - identified as a contractor and former Navy reservist - killed 12 civilian workers before being shot to death.
The Norfolk base was briefly on lockdown after the Monday night shooting but had resumed normal operations aside from the Mahan's pier Tuesday. Counselors were made available for those who needed them, officials said. On social media, many of those who had connections to the ship or sailors aboard it changed their profile pictures to the ship's emblem.
Naval Station Norfolk covers more than 6,000 acres and is the home port for 64 ships, according to information the Navy provided in February. About 46,000 military members and 21,000 civilian government employees and contractors are assigned to the base and its ships, according to the Navy figures.


text: Investing in companies that regularly raise their payouts means fatter returns ahead. By Jeffrey R. Kosnett, Senior Editor December 30, 2011 Thanks to two catastrophic bear markets over the past dozen years, the strategy of buying stocks and holding them forever has fallen into disfavor. But that doesn't mean a buy-and-hold investing strategy is all bad; it just needs some tweaking. So in that spirit, allow us to introduce a variation that we think makes a lot of sense. Call it buy and hold and collect and grow, or BHCG for short.SEE ALSO: Our Special Report on How to Be a Better Investor The strategy is simple: You buy stocks that regularly boost their dividends and hold for the long haul. By doing so, you hitch a ride with cash-rich businesses that generate higher revenues, profits and cash flow year after year. The best of these companies are committed to boosting their dividends by double-digit percentages in all economic and market cycles. Sponsored Content BHCG stocks don't necessarily pay superhigh dividends, as does AT&T (symbol T), with its lavish 5.9% yield. But current income isn't the point. Rather, the idea is to target companies whose share prices rise steadily along with their dividend streams. If the strategy works as you expect, you earn a handsome yield based on the price of your initial purchase. Advertisement Some experienced investors believe BHCG offers the best mixture of safety and opportunity. One of them is Tom Cameron, who entered the investment business in 1953. Now head of Dividend Growth Advisors, in Ridgeland, S.C., and co-manager of Dividend Growth Trust Rising Dividend Growth Fund (ICRDX), Cameron requires any stock he buys to have annualized dividend growth of at least 10% over the previous ten years. When he talks with company bosses, Cameron says, he makes sure big dividend increases are "part of the culture." He immediately boots out any company that cuts its dividend. In 2008, Cameron, 84, dumped all of his shares of Bank of America after the company halved its quarterly payout. BofA shares traded at $28 at the time. They now fetch less than $6 (all prices and related data are through December 2). To see how dividend growth and share-price appreciation work in tandem, study McDonald's (MCD). In 2001, Mickey D's paid out 23 cents a share in dividends on a stock that averaged about $30 a share, for a yield of 0.8%. In 2002, McDonald's raised its annual dividend to 24 cents. Then the company's fortunes improved, and McDonald's decided to give more generously to its shareholders. By 2006, the rate was $1 a share. After a 15% boost in November 2011, the Golden Arches now pays at a rate of $2.80 a year. That's a 1,100% increase since 2001, or 28% annualized, the highest of any company in the Dow Jones industrial average. Dividend Growth Magic Order some McDonald's stock today and you'll pay $96 a share. That puts the current yield just shy of 3%, which isn't life-altering if you depend on dividends to supplement your income. But, remember, BHCG is a long-term plan, and the real story is the progression of the yield over time. If you paid $30 a share for McDonald's in 2001, your current yield on that original purchase works out to a lusty 9.3%. Advertisement And what does the future hold for McDonald's stock? Market volatility has been off the charts lately, and traders sometimes ignore company fundamentals. But over a decade or more, the market won't let a stock languish if a company relentlessly raises its cash payout. Over the past five years, McDonald's has generated growth in earnings and free cash flow (the source of money to pay dividends) of 15% to 20% a year. It's hard to imagine a company as large as McDonald's generating such rapid growth indefinitely. But low double-digit growth should be within reach as McDonald's continues to benefit from growing consumer spending around the globe, especially in emerging markets. Still, past performance is not always a harbinger of future results. A company can have a robust dividend-growth record but come with flaws that make it a risky investment. The most significant omen: when free cash flow doesn't support an expansive dividend policy. Rather than bottom-line earnings, free cash flow -- earnings plus depreciation and other noncash charges, minus the capital expenditures needed to maintain a business -- is the source of the money a company can use to disburse dividends. If a company promises more dividends than it generates in free cash, it needs to borrow money, starve the business or gradually liquidate itself. Meridian Bioscience (VIVO), which makes test kits to diagnose diseases, is an example of a company that is no longer able to cover its payouts. Meridian has a history of big dividend hikes -- 21% annualized over the past ten years. But it finally froze its payout rate in 2011. This once-great stock has been awful since 2008, and its prospects are gloomy with the dividend engine in the repair shop. Some big dividend raisers seem unable, however, to appease restive stockholders. Medtronic (MDT), a medical-device maker plagued by a series of legal and product-quality problems, is a superior dividend hiker, with a ten-year payout growth rate of 15% annualized. And the company generates $3 in free cash flow per dollar it pays out in dividends. Despite that, Medtronic shareholders have lost money over the past ten years. Argus Research analyst David Toung says that although Medtronic could recover, the huge dividend increases are a ploy to "maintain a shareholder base that doesn't trade in and out of the stock." The verdict: not enough yield for income investors, and not enough growth for growth investors. Advertisement If there's one risk to a BHCG strategy, it's that the universe of suitable companies is relatively small. Fund manager Cameron, for example, says he watches no more than 125 companies. Fortunately, nearly all the candidates are large and have a lot of cash and significant foreign exposure -- exactly the kind of stocks Kiplinger's believes are timely for the year ahead. You can find potential winners at U.S. Dividend Champions and Contenders, a free database. You'll see the current and year-by-year dividends for scores of quality stocks and their compound dividend growth rates. Our Dividend-Growth Stock Picks The list includes McDonald's, which needs no further description. Below are seven other dividend champs we like. Automatic Data Processing (ADP) Dividend Yield: 3.1% 10-year Dividend Growth Rate: 12.8% Years of Consecutive Dividend Increases: 37 ADP, the payroll-service king, needs little capital to grow, so it swims in cash and invests it cautiously. Its balance sheet is impeccable: ADP is one of only four U.S. nonfinancial companies with a triple-A bond rating, and the stock has had only one losing year since 2002. Advertisement Church & Dwight's (CHD) Dividend Yield: 1.5% 10-year Dividend Growth Rate: 7.8% Years of Consecutive Dividend Increases: 4 A chart of Church & Dwight's long-term stock price slopes gently upward and is as straight as they come, reflecting the steadiness of the firm's main business, the production and sale of sodium bicarbonate. Church & Dwight's flagship brand is Arm & Hammer, but its product lineup also includes Brillo, Trojan condoms and First Response pregnancy test kits. Church & Dwight has paid out dividends for years, but only recently has it gotten the dividend-growth religion. The rate has quadrupled since 2008. Colgate-Palmolive (CL) Dividend Yield: 2.6% 10-year Dividend Growth Rate: 12.4% Years of Consecutive Dividend Increases: 48 Owner of some of the world's most famous consumer brands, Colgate-Palmolive is another steady Eddie with a large and growing presence internationally. Overall, three-fourths of its sales are generated overseas. Colgate has lifted its dividend every year since 1964. Fastenal (FAST) Dividend Yield: 1.3% 10-year Dividend Growth Rate: 30.2% Years of Consecutive Dividend Increases: 9 Fastenal sells fasteners -- more than 400,000 different kinds -- and nearly 600,000 other items, including tools, blades, pipes and chains. Fastenal started paying a dividend -- at a rate of 1 cent a share -- in 1999. The rate is now 56 cents a share. IBM (IBM) Dividend Yield: 1.6% 10-year Dividend Growth Rate: 18.3% Years of Consecutive Dividend Increases: 16 IBM still makes big mainframe computers, but what drives Big Blue's growth nowadays are sales of software and services. IBM's dividends used to be measly -- 25 cents a share as recently as 1995. The payout rate is now $3 a share, and the company is clearly capable of paying more -- the annual dividend tab of $3.5 billion is less than one-fourth of IBM's free cash flow. Warren Buffett, who has always avoided investing in technology, disclosed recently that his Berkshire Hathaway had a big stake in IBM. Norfolk Southern (NSC) Dividend Yield: 2.3% 10-year Dividend Growth Rate: 21.8% Years of Consecutive Dividend Increases: 10 Speaking of Buffett, his purchase of Burlington Northern in 2010 suggests that the master thinks railroading is a pretty good business. Indeed, Norfolk Southern is booming, thanks to enormous coal exports and strong demand for other commodities. Norfolk Southern, which slashed its dividend in 2001, has since been making amends and now pledges to distribute one-third of its earnings to shareholders. Novo Nordisk (NVO) Dividend Yield: 1.2% 10-year Dividend Growth Rate: 22.3% Years of Consecutive Dividend Increases: 15 Denmark's Novo Nordisk is the world's leader in diabetes-care products, including insulin. Novo has a unique niche, generates an enormous amount of cash and carries virtually no debt. Note that Novo pays dividends only once a year, usually in the first quarter, and that those payouts are subject to a 28% Danish tax. Uncle Sam will reimburse you if you file for a foreign-tax credit. If you prefer to invest through a mutual fund, the best bet is Vanguard Dividend Growth (VDIGX), a member of the Kiplinger 25. Dividend Growth Trust Rising Dividend Growth Fund and Franklin Rising Dividend (FRDPX) also have good records, but both funds levy sales charges. They're good choices if you work with an adviser who can buy them for you without the loads. Fans of exchange-traded funds and a passive approach to stock selection should appreciate Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG). The fund charges just 0.18% a year. (For more dividend stock ideas, see VALUE ADDED: 5 Great Dividend-Paying Stocks to Buy.)


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MY RIDE- Derek Robinson: 1999 Hyundai Elantra wagon
Derek Robinson never whines about his car. He does, however, do a lot of "wining."
Owner of a local wine distributing business called the Country Vintner, Robinson spends hours in his 1999 Elantra wagon delivering wine to area restaurants from local vineyards including Jefferson, Blenheim, and White Hall.
The spacious interior was a big selling point when he purchased the car in 1999.
"It's practical," says Robinson. "I'm in my car constantly."


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The British Society for Plant Pathology (BSPP) was founded in 1981 for the study and advancement of plant pathology. The BSPP welcomes members from all over the world and from all branches of plant pathology. We support the professional interests of plant pathologists worldwide, and provide information and communicate with members via this website, a newsletter and an annual meeting. We organise regular scientific meetings, edit three international pathology journals and make funds available to members for travel, short term visiting fellowships, student bursaries and innovation projects. More...
The BSPP is responsible for editing three international peer-reviewed journals...Journals
The society provides funding for fellowships, travel and promotion...Funding
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Pomona Swap Meet - Farm Truck Fever
The Bug Hits Home
In the first Farm Truck Fever (October '06), we ventured across California and into Nevada and Utah to see whether we could still find an old truck sitting in a field or front yard to haul home and create a masterpiece. In our second chapter, The Bug Hits Home, instead of scouring the countryside searching truck by old rusty truck, we went to the Pomona Swap Meet in Pomona, California, where folks from all over the western United States converge to form the largest antique automobile swap meet on the West Coast. In our effort to provide readers with an accurate overview of the event, we attended four occasions before we compiled our story on how to search the Pomona Swap Meet for a project truck.
It's a good thing that we did decide to attend several dates before we presented this piece, because we learned that you can't predict how good the next Pomona Swap Meet will be based on the last one. Of the four meets, June 4 was the best. There were a lot of good trucks there, and the prices were reasonable. To cite a few examples, the first one that comes to mind was a yellow (original paint) '57 Ford F-100 panel truck that had Idaho plates with an asking price of $2,700. What caught our eye about this truck was that it was fully loaded. Instead of the base 223-inch inline six-cylinder with a three-speed stick, this truck originally came with a 292 V-8 backed with a Fordomatic transmission. The engine and trans were missing, but the chrome-plated Fordomatic emblem was still on the hood. Its desirable extras included a factory chrome grille and what we would imagine was rare even back in '57, a Custom Cab with matching bucket seats. Next on our list of favorites was a California original '62 Chevy shortbed Fleetside with a 283 V-8 engine and a compound four-speed for $2,500 or best offer.
One of the really neat things about the Pomona Swap Meet is that people haul vehicles in from all over the United States to offer for sale. We ran across one group of guys who were camped out around a '55 Ford fire truck they'd shipped in from Oklahoma. The short-wheelbase pumper had less than 8,000 original miles and was in absolutely flawless museum quality for only $7,500.
A bit of advice that we always like to offer to someone who's in the market for a project truck: Buy the absolute best example you can find. Of course, if you wait until you have the kind of dough necessary to buy the best truck available, you might never get started. As we were leaving the June 4 event, we were stopped by two guys selling a big-window '59 Chevy shortbed Stepside. In the morning they were asking $3,000, but at the prospect of hauling the battered truck 200 miles back to their Central California home, the price had dropped to $1,500-it's likely that anyone with $1,000 cash could have taken it home.
With the arrival of our fourth consecutive visit to the Pomona Swap Meet, we were discouraged-the quality of the trucks had progressively worsened, while the asking prices were increasingly higher. While one might take this as an indication that the availability of old trucks is drying up, which is true to a point, there's no need to panic. We have been checking out the Pomona Swap Meet scene on and off for the last 20 years, and one thing we have learned is that you can't judge the next one by looking at the last.


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Sorry, I've been really busy this year. Apologize for not updating this.
However, season is getting through its growing pains, you know the drill.
(1) Vote for who you think will take the number one seed for the 2011 WDA Tournament.
(2) Rank (from 1-9) what place you think each team will take.
Polling ends February 13th!


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The weather gurus didn�t have much good to say about the forecast.
The weather gurus didn�t have much good to say about the forecast. The word was we�d have rain and sleet topped off with snow. Nasty.
Warnings were issued to stay off the roads, if at all possible. Well, for my wife Ann and me, it wasn�t possible and turned out to be a wonderful 24 hours.
I�d bought tickets to see Delbert McClinton�s Feb. 16 show in Morehead City. We catch much of what the Morehead Center serves up and had no intention of missing this one.
We left home three hours before the show kicked off. We wanted plenty of time to have dinner at The Sanitary.
I�ve mentioned that restaurant many times on these pages because the place is woven tightly into my memories from when we first came to the area from California in 1953. We spent our first night at the Perry Park Motel in Morehead and had dinner at the Sanitary.
Who could�ve guessed I�d be writing about that first visit 60 years later?
We have eaten there a lot over these past six decades. When family visited, that�s where we fed them. In my early teen years, going to The Sanitary meant I could drive!
Unless weather was really bad, I drove Dad and Mom to and from, and that was a big deal to me. For me, driver�s education always involved hushpuppies.
I grew up but never away from this place. Married with kids, I regularly herded my little family to the restaurant. I liked the food, the surroundings, the people, and of course the view. The place has no downside in my world.
What brought on this infomercial-like column was a nostalgia attack by a book I purchased at their counter when we were leaving for the show. On Feb. 12, The Sanitary celebrated its 75th anniversary with a published compilation of its history and the folks who made that history.
Like their food, the book was delicious. When I got home I absolutely devoured it, which is appropriate given the genesis. To me, it�s a family scrapbook of history, pictures and clippings.
Naturally without any knowledge or connection to this place, most of it will fall on blind eyes but to somebody like me it was a huge treat. That whole building is packed with personal memories of a thousand dinners with family and friends, of pulling up my boat for a snack of hushpuppies and buttermilk when headed out the inlet.
The anchor to it all is John Tunnell. He�s the friendly and familiar face of the restaurant and has been greeting generations of the Gardner family for more than 60 years. He�s "family" to thousands of their loyal customers, me included.
So what might�ve been a perilous evening turned into a stellar 24 hours. We had a wonderful meal, saw old friends, bought a great book and enjoyed a rocking show.
And if that wasn�t enough, we drove home in a beautiful snowfall, which was completely gone by the next afternoon.
Otis Gardner�s column appears here weekly. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.