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NZ Ballet celebrates 60 years with 2013 line-up
Press Release – Royal New Zealand Ballet
Award-winning international and local choreographers, an icon of New Zealand dance, a collaboration with Te Radar, a tour of heartland NZ, and a five city tour to China make up the Royal New Zealand Ballet's 2013 programme: a year-long celebration of the RNZB's 60th birthday.
The line-up was revealed tonight at an event held at Premier House with distinguished guests including the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Christopher Finlayson.
Ethan Stiefel, Artistic Director of the line-up says, "I'm delighted to be with the RNZB and to celebrate its 60th birthday. I hope that audiences will share my enthusiasm for what I believe is a festive year of programming. To honour the company's significant milestone we will revisit works that have helped elevate the RNZB to its current place in people's hearts and present new works which keep us moving forward."
The 2013 season opens on 27 February with Made to Move: Three brand new dance works that celebrate the joy of dance. The triple bill will see Ethan Stiefel create his first original work for the RNZB: a spirited comedy set in a Bavarian beer hall. Former RNZB dancer, turned choreographer Andrew Simmons creates the eagerly awaited follow-up to 2010's haunting A Song in the Dark, a hit with NZ audiences and dance lovers in the UK and France during the company's 2011 tour. Lastly, award-winning Venezuelan choreographer Javier de Frutos returns to create a new piece inspired by the Pacific. In the ten years since his first work with the RNZB (Milagros), he has continued to make dance works to both critical and popular acclaim around the world, including a recent collaboration with Pet Shop Boys.
The TelstraClear Season of Swan Lake takes pride of place as the centrepiece of the 60th birthday year. Dance icon Russell Kerr's stunning production of one of the greatest of all classical ballets is the perfect synthesis of music and dance with opulent designs by the late Kristian Fredrikson. Tchaikovsky's sweeping score will be played live by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in Wellington.
The RNZB closes 2013 with a 46 centre tour of heartland New Zealand, sharing the celebration of the company's rich past and lively present. TOWER Tutus On Tour will include a selection of highlights and hits from the company's repertory including excepts from Flower Festival at Genzano, Ihi FrENZy, Through to You and Don Quixote. RNZB dancers turned choreographers Brendan Bradshaw and Catherine Eddy create a sparkling new version of Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf which will feature narration by Te Radar.
An international tour (in April) will see the company take its upcoming production of Giselle, co-produced by Ethan Stiefel and The Royal Ballet's Johan Kobborg, to China (Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Guangzhou and Suzhou).
"I'm very proud of how far the company has come in 60 years. The ever-increasing interest and support of New Zealanders of all ages is by far our greatest measure of success. Already in 2012 we have connected with over 100,000 kiwis, with the highly anticipated TelstraClear Season of Giselle still to come. I would like to thank all who have been with us on this stellar journey – especially our Friends, funders and sponsors who enable us to take dance into communities throughout New Zealand," says Amanda Skoog, Managing Director.
Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz
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LOS ANGELES (AP) - It's often the most daunting and emotionally taxing item on one's financial to-do list: Buying a home.
LOS ANGELES (AP) � It's often the most daunting and emotionally taxing item on one's financial to-do list: Buying a home.
Most people wade into homeownership for the first time in their 20s and early 30s, when they still have the bulk of their working years ahead of them and a long runway to build equity � a key asset for eventually moving up to a bigger home.
But what if you've reached midlife and still envision buying a home one day? Tackling that first home purchase after 40 can be easier in some ways than when you're just staring out in your career, but it also brings its own set of financial factors.
"It's important to consider the financial work you have left," says Eleanor Blayney, consumer advocate for the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards based in Washington D.C. "The financial hurdles you still have over the rest of your life and how homeownership and debt in particular are going to impact that."
A National Association of Realtors survey of people who bought a home between July 2011 and June 2012 showed that nearly 80 percent of first-time homebuyers were 32 years-old or younger.
In the next age bracket, those age 33-47, 36 percent were first-time buyers; between the ages of 48 to 57, only 19 percent were first-time buyers. The rates of first-time homeownership generally declined as buyers got older, according to the survey, which featured 8,500 respondents.
Even so, the last decade's economic downturn and housing crash has forced many to put off that first home purchase.
Here are some things to consider if you're over 40 and eyeing homeownership:
Good news: Being closer to retirement age than someone in their 20s and 30s can't legally be held against you by a lender when they consider you for a home loan, regardless of the loan period.
"So if somebody was to walk in today, and they're 114 years old, and they ask for a 30-year mortgage and qualify for it, we have to give it to them," says Tom Jarboe, regional manager at lender Primary Residential Mortgage Inc.
The decision on whether one qualifies for a loan hinges on the borrower's income, assets, credit history and other factors.
Banks generally look back two years to establish a borrower's income history and also look to evaluate the likelihood that the borrower will continue to make the same level of income for at least another three years.
If you're in your late 50s or early 60s and disclose that you're planning to retire within three years, a lender will evaluate your projected earnings from Social Security, retirement accounts, dividends on investments and other sources.
Most banks operate under the assumption that even a 30-year fixed mortgage will be swapped out for another loan within eight years, if not sooner. That's because many homebuyers often end up refinancing, or moving for work or due to family considerations.
But paying off a home and owning it free and clear by the time one retires is a smart play, particularly as the cost of housing is a significant expense for a person relying on a fixed income.
That can be tougher for someone who puts off that first home purchase two decades into their prime working years, assuming they haven't saved up money to make a hefty down payment � think at least 30 percent.
But it's doable.
Blayney recommends that even older borrowers who take on a 30-year mortgage take steps to pay off the loan or lower the monthly payment significantly by the time they retire.
That could mean making extra payments during the early years of the loan, or putting up more than the minimum down payment so the borrower is financing a smaller amount. A 15-year mortgage, which typically translates into lower interest, but higher monthly payments, is another route to a quicker loan payoff.
One of the biggest obstacles to homeownership is coming up with a down payment to qualify for a loan.
Federal and state housing agencies offer assistance for first-time homebuyers, including in many cases former homeowners who haven't owned a home for at least three years. You can find a list of some programs by state at www.hud.gov .
Remember though, while some loan programs allow homebuyers to make a down payment of as little as 3.5 percent of the purchase price, experts say you'll need to save enough for at least a 20 percent down payment in order to get the lowest interest rate and avoid having to pay private mortgage insurance, or PMI.
And they can come with hefty fees and restrictions.
You may want to own a home, but are you financially ready to take on the financial commitment that comes with a home loan?
Experts recommend borrowers consider the implications of buying a home in their later years, as well as taking on a large loan
"This isn't the situation where if you happen to time your purchase incorrectly when you're 25 and you buy at the top of the market, you still have most of your life left to recover financially," says Rick Sharga, executive vice president at home auction site Auction.com.
Buying a home in midlife or beyond has direct implications on retirement.
Homeownership can bring stability to one's monthly housing costs, versus rental housing, as well as tax benefits, but it also carries with it a trove of costs, including property taxes, insurance and maintenance.
A good way to evaluate all the ways buying a home, whether in cash or through financing, will affect one's retirement finances is to enlist a financial planner to go over one's retirement goals.
"You have to sharpen your pencil, sit down and do all the math," Blayney says. "There's no one answer."


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Oil Heating Apprentice
We provide oil heating training courses for experienced oil installers or anyone who would like to gain experience in the oil heating industry.
Courses include installing, commissioning and servicing of oil heating systems, tanks and boilers.
Whether you are an experience oil heating installer or new to the industry or an oil heating apprentice we have courses to suit.
Here at Nationwide Training Services have a very good reputation in the industry, some of our customers include world famous Oil and Gas companies, Edinburgh Universities, local hospitals, Government office's and training regulators . We have been established for 10 years and have been training and looking after hundreds of apprentices for the last 7 years.
We can help you become an oil heating apprentice with courses throughout Scotland including Livingston, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Lanarkshire.


text: …which is quite convenient since it's highly unpopular to annoy your neighbours. This is especially true when they are a bunch if unfriendly aliens with big spaceships and the criminal energy of a entire drug cartel. Now, take into consideration that you just left the military and have only a handful of friends and a tiny spacecraft to defend yourself; you will see why it's a wise move not to upset the neighbours. That is Galaxy on Fire in a nutshell.


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Inspiration Monday: Furniture Making
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Becky |
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4 Comments » | Published in Art and Artists, furniture | 4 Comments
O.K., I admit it. I'm on vacation, and I forgot to bring the little cord that hooks up my camera to my computer, so I'm going to post something about whatever I can find in my iPhone pictures. This narrows it down to the furniture making place I went the other day near Lincolnville Beach. It is a picturesque spread full of unbelievably beautiful handmade Shaker-inspired furniture, crafted from gorgeous wood. When we are so used to cruising around the internet or the mall in search of furniture, sometimes we lose touch with where it came from. I am lucky enough to get to go to furniture shows and meet designers and artisans because I work for Design Public, but I forget that customers don't always have those same attachments. It's so nice to visit a place like this and remember where the furniture comes from, and the traditions of craft that have been passed down for generations.
If you do get to the Penobscot Bay area this summer, you must stop by and see all of this beautiful furniture for yourself at Windsor Cabinetmakers. For more information, click here.
Hi, I'm Becky. I live in Atlanta. Besides acting as the Editorial Director here on Hatch, you can find me talking design over at Houzz. Make me happy — leave a comment!


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KOffice 2.0.0 Released
Over the last few years, the KOffice team has reworked the framework into an agile and flexible codebase. Our intention was to increase integration between the components of KOffice, decrease duplication of functionality and ease maintenance and development of new features. Furthermore, new approaches to UI design and interacting with the user have been implemented to support the new capabilities.
This is the first release -- we call it a "Platform Release" -- of a long series, much like KDE 4.0 laid the groundwork for what is now a fully mature desktop environment. The developers have so far concentrated on creating a flexible and powerful foundation that we can build on for a long time.
Targeted Audience
Our goal for now is to release a first preview of what we have accomplished. This release is mainly aimed at developers, testers and early adopters. It is not aimed at end users, and we do not recommend Linux distributions to package it as the default office suite yet. KOffice 2.0 will be useful for some users, but since it is the first release in a long series it is likely to contain bugs and incompatibilities.
It is noteworthy that KOffice 2.0 does not have all the features that KOffice 1.6 had. These features will return in the upcoming versions 2.1 and 2.2, in most cases better implemented and more efficient. Also, not all applications which were part of KOffice 1.6 made it into KOffice 2.0. The missing applications will return in 2.1 or possible 2.2.
The release team has decided that the following applications are mature enough to be part of 2.0:
The chart application KChart is available as a shape plugin, which means that charts are available in all the KOffice applications in an integrated manner. The desktop database creator Kexi and the formula shape are aimed to be available in version 2.1. Kivio, the flowchart editor, is currently without maintainer and it is not certain when or if it will be released.
Highlights of KOffice 2
KOffice 2 is a much more flexible application suite than KOffice 1 ever was. The integration between the components is much stronger, with the revolutionary Flake Shapes as the central concept. A Flake Shape can be as simple as a square or a circle or as complex as a chart or a music score. With Flake, any KOffice application can handle any shape. For instance, KWord can embed bitmap graphics, Krita can embed vector graphics and Karbon can embed charts. This flexibility does not only give KOffice unprecedented integration, but also allows new applications to be created very easily. Such applications can e.g. target special user groups like kids or certain professions.
Unified Look and Feel
All the applications of KOffice has a new GUI layout better suited to today's wider screens. The GUI consists of a workspace and a sidebar where tools can dock. Any tool can be ripped off to create its own window and later be redocked fo full flexibility. The users setup preferences are of course saved and reused the next time that KOffice is started.
Native Support for OpenDocument
The OASIS OpenDocument Format (ODF) is the ISO standard for office document interchange. ODF has been selected as the national standard for many countries around the world, and continues to grow stronger every month. KOffice uses the OpenDocument Format as its native format. This will guarantee interoperability with many other Office packages such as OpenOffice.org and MS Office. The KOffice team has representatives on the OASIS technical committee for ODF and has been a strong participant in the process of shaping ODF since
Platform Independence
All of KOffice is available on Linux with KDE or GNOME, Windows and Macintosh. Solaris will follow shortly and we expect builds for other Unix versions to become available soon after the final release. It is possible that the release of binaries for Windows and Macintosh will occur after some time if other packages that KOffice depend on need more time.
Since KOffice builds on Qt and the KDE libraries, all applications integrate well with the respective platforms and will take on the native look and feel.
New Website
At the same time as the KOffice team releases its new version, there is also a new website designed by Alexandra Leisse. It features a new look, and is built on Wordpress. We hope that it will attract more people who are not developers so that we can build up a library of templates, add-ons, and user-generated documentation and tips-and-tricks.
Congratulations on this release, I'm really looking forward to a wonderful KOffice 2.x series!
I'd also like to think you for the very honest description of development state and target audience, a lesson well learned from the KDE 4.0 release...
By Thorben Kröger at Thu, 2009/05/28 - 11:56am
Congratulations on getting KOffice 2 out!
By Luca Beltrame at Thu, 2009/05/28 - 12:12pm
Does it support MS office compatibility now?
I used Koffice 2 in beta stages and liked its simplicity and style alot. But it did not open MS office documents, which unfortunately many of my contacts,friends still use. That alone turned me off.. I hope its included now.
By narendra at Thu, 2009/05/28 - 12:39pm
MS Compatibility
No, KOffice does not have an MS Office filter and I'm fairly certain they are not planning one. As was stated, ODF is the file format KOffice has been built around. So they only solutions for MS compatibility are to either use Open Office, or find an ODF filter for MS Office and save to the ODF format.
By cirehawk at Thu, 2009/05/28 - 4:26pm
Well, actually
We do have import/export filters for many of the binary MS Office file formats -- .doc, .xls, .rtf. They're not perfect, but the .doc import filter got improved a lot during the past summer of code.
Whether we'll ever have ooxml filters depends on a couple of things: whether Microsoft will ever support ooxml (they don't right now), whether someone will get interested in it and whether anyone will ever really use that file format.
By Boudewijn Rempt at Thu, 2009/05/28 - 6:14pm
I hope you all have a fun time now that feature-freeze is lifted and you can enjoy reaping the benefits of the frameworks you've created :)
By SSJ_GZ at Thu, 2009/05/28 - 12:39pm
Congrats on a job well done. Hope you can now add all the missing parts including that scarce resource - developers!
By guhvies at Thu, 2009/05/28 - 1:15pm
Question About Dockers
I too offer congratulations on the 2.0 release. I hope the developer's "KDE4" like strategy pays off and we begin to see rapid improvements (which is indeed happening with KDE4). I do have a question about dockers though. Whenever I start a KOffice app initially, the dockers are positioned similar to the above screenshot. However, whenever I select an object in one of the dockers (a flake shape for instance), the size of the docker changes to take up the majority of the docker space. Is there a way to force the docker size to remain the same?
By cirehawk at Thu, 2009/05/28 - 4:44pm
The dockers resize according to their content. Some dockers' design might need tweaking to a smaller size. I'm sure the devs are working on this kind of stuff, but as usual patches would be appreciated ;-)
By Jos Poortvliet at Thu, 2009/05/28 - 7:29pm
Yay :)
Big, fat congratulations. Your stuff is one of the prides of our developer community.
By Eike Hein at Thu, 2009/05/28 - 10:41pm
Absolutely great. KOffice is not yet another Office B-production but an experimental lab for the future. This is a clear advantage of the open source model where developers can take the time to get it right and build an inspiring platform for the future.
I just noticed that the icons of the application are incomplete. These small visual glitsches tend to undermine the experience of users and will built a groundswell in interest to see them fixed.
By André at Thu, 2009/05/28 - 11:31pm
MSOffice support
At work, this is critical -- at least until ODF file format becomes more prevalent for business documents.
I could not open any of my word documents at work. I could open spreadsheet but formulas didn't show up.
I know this is a developer-only release. So, this is probably a feedback for devs rather than a rant at KOffice!
By Kanwar Plaha at Fri, 2009/05/29 - 2:28am
Soo.... are the kspread formulas compatible with openoffice ODF or microsoft ODF.. :p
hehe, just kiddin.
By Mr Me at Fri, 2009/05/29 - 6:49am
Well, we take the MS ODF formula namespace into account at least; kspread isn't surprised by those. Whether the formula's work, I don't know.
By Boudewijn Rempt at Fri, 2009/05/29 - 7:23am
Although i have never had a look at the source code of KOffice, i have the feeling that this is the office suite with the cleanest and most flexible code base, because it is written in an object-oriented programming language with reuse of components as a top priority. Also it uses the KDE libraries and Qt which also make the impression of being designed very well.
Congratulations to the developers! This is great work!
One remark about the first screenshot showing a kspread example: eeerr, isn't this the way you shouldn't do it? The whole invoice letter is written with kspread. Wouldn't it be better writing the letter with kword and embedding the tables as shapes of kspread? I would have expected that developers use the features they have implemented and praise :-)
By Jay at Fri, 2009/05/29 - 9:13am
Well, actually..
Tables are not yet implemented in KWord, because of lack of time.
By majewsky at Fri, 2009/05/29 - 11:58am
You're depleting my Paypal account. If you continue releasing quality software like this I'll have to put more money into it YET AGAIN.
Thanks for the software. I love you guys and gals for it.
By osh at Fri, 2009/05/29 - 11:58am
KOffice 2.0.0 Released
Well, actually, KOffice do have support for file formats like .doc and .xls --
By dim333 at Sat, 2009/06/27 - 9:47pm


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The Self-Publishing Book Expo marked its fifth anniversary Saturday at the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City with a busy day full of panels, workshops, and addresses, as well as a host of exhibitors—all dedicated to indie books.
According to Diane Mancher—who along with Karen Mender founded and created SPBE—attendance was up this year, and the show featured more exhibitors than last year.
The keynote address—"Thoughts on Self-Publishing From a Leading Traditional Publisher"—was given by Judith Curr, president and publisher of Atria Books, and the show featured 17 panels on anything and everything an indie author could hope to learn about self-publishing.
Among the highlights were sessions on book design, creating and formatting e-books, marketing and promotion, book reviews, editing services, social media, legal issues, audiobooks, and a whole lot more. Exhibitors at this year's show included Wattpad, Lulu, Kobo Writing Life, Kirkus, Bowker, Publishers Weekly, CreateSpace, BookWorks, indieBRAG, BiblioCrunch, and Nook Press.
Mancher noted that C-SPAN covered the conference this year, filming the keynote and a session titled "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: What Makes a Good Self-Published Book?"
Additionally, Mancher said that attendees and indie authors at this year's show were more educated and savvy about publishing than ever before. "This was a nice way to celebrate our fifth anniversary," Mancher said, citing the keynote address from a traditional publisher, C-SPAN's coverage, and the return of Lulu to the show as among this year's highlights.


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Be one of the first to experience the Freaking Freezing Challenge, a unique winter-themed obstacle course that challenges its participants to brave Michigan's brutal elements and goes beyond your typical obstacle course. We supply participants with the essentials – hat, gloves, and a sweatshirt, but the rest is up to you. Face the freezing Michigan weather and have fun while doing it, we challenge you!
The event will be held at Island Park, 331 Main Street in Mount Pleasant, Michigan on Saturday, February 9, 2013. This fun and daring course will challenge you to run, climb, crawl and jump your way through obstacles that are strategically placed along the course. Due to snow storm we will be extending packet pick up to Saturday morning as well!
Upon finishing, runners will be congratulated with a finisher's mug and a cold beer at the on-site after party to bask in their victory!
To register by mail:
Click Here to download
a printable pdf.
Fax to:
Mail to:
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Just when you think that the Cubs have lost every way possible they go and gives us another disaster. At this point it seems as though the only thing that is holding the Cubs back, is the Cubs themselves. Travis Wood was outstanding in this one, as he has been so often this year, and yet again, somehow, the Cubs found a way to lose. After taking a late 2-0 lead on a clutch Scott Hairston home run the wheels fell of in the eighth. With two outs and two guys on it looked like the Cubs were going to get out of it, then the wind took over. Yonder Alonso, who had the day off until the eighth inning, hit a fly ball to right field, it turned into more of a pop up in short right field because of the wind. Julio Borbon, who made a spectacular catch to retire the previous batter charged in and called off Barney, then flat-out missed the ball, that allowed the Padres to score and make it 2-1, and extended the inning. That marked the end of the day for Wood, but not the end of the misery. Shawn Camp came in and Welington Castillo completed boxed the first pitch from Camp to allow the game tying run to score, not only was it a passed ball on Castillo, but he completely dogged it while "chasing" the ball down. The Padres runner didn't break right away, and if Castillo hustles they have a great chance to get him at the plate, he didn't, and when the dust finally settled the Padres led 4-2 and the Cubs were done. Yet again, a series the Cubs should have won, ends in a split, so very frustrating.
At The Plate – The familiar issues were there once again for the Cubs as they tallied nine hits in this one but could only score twice as they were o-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Scott Hairston had the big blow for the Cubs, a two run homer in the seventh that looked like it would be the difference. Hairston finished the day going 1-for-3 with two RBI's, said home run, and a run scored. Welington Castillo at least had a solid day at the plate going 2-for-4 with a run scored.
On The Mound – For the second straight game the Cubs starting pitching was the story, or should have been the story as Travis Wood was brilliant. Wood carried a perfect game through four and two-thirds, giving up a hit to Kyle Blanks with two outs in the fifth. Wood ended up going 7.2 innings giving up three runs on four hits while walking one and striking out three, and was tagged with the loss, mind numbing. Shawn Camp was charged with an earned run, and didn't retire anyone as he walked the only batter he faced. James Russell didn't have it today either as he gave up the difference making hit in two-thirds of an inning. Carlos Marmol pitched a scoreless ninth inning, he hit a batter, and gave up a hit, but kept the Padres off the scoreboard.
Up Next – The Cubs welcome the Reds to Wrigley for a three game weekend set. Carlos Villanueva will get the ball for the Cubs in game one and the Reds will counter with Mike Leake, first pitch scheduled at 1:20 PM CST, weather permitting.
Game Highlights:
Hairston's two run homer
Castro's slick play
Barney turns a line out into a double play
Borbon's great catch
Full video recap
Castillo's error's
Thanks for reading,
– George


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The renovation of a vacant former bank into a five-story Gold's Gym in downtown Milwaukee has won more than its share of awards for Lori and Jeremy Lowell, Gold's Gym franchisees of the year in 2010, and their general contractor, Consolidated Construction Co. Inc., Appleton, WI.
Last month, Consolidated Construction won the National Eagle Award in the Associated Builders and Contractors' 2011 National Excellence in Construction competition for its renovation of the building. The company won in the general contractor/construction management category for a $4 million to $10 million renovation.
The award is the seventh for the 40,000-square-foot facility, which opened in December 2010. In addition to awards specifically for the Gold's Gym renovation, the complex of two buildings in which the gym is located, called City Center, also won the Building Owners and Managers Association of Wisconsin's 2011 Outstanding Building of the Year–Historical Award.
The Lowells have three clubs in Wisconsin and more in Virginia where they started their Gold's Gym franchise, but none are quite like this, their first urban club, Lori says.
"Because it is on five floors, and it's so unique and it's high-end and it sits on the water and it's very dramatic and dynamic, I think that is why all the awards were given," Lori says. "All of our clubs are innovative and new, but because they don't sit with that kind of complexity, it is not as recognizable."
The Lowells, who have an area development agreement with Gold's Gym International, Irving, TX, for the Milwaukee area and are slated to open four more clubs there, worked closely with their two partners on the design of the facility. Sandy Hall, owner of Taft Construction, is the group's design and lease negotiation partner while Joe Harrison is another partner who works with Lori on the front end of the business—from group fitness design and layout to hiring and staff training.
The renovation of the building, which is located in the former financial district of Milwaukee, had some special requirements and challenges that began with gutting the five floors—including a bank vault and a ballroom that had wall murals depicting the financial district in the 1920s and 1930s.
Parking in the downtown area was a concern, so Consolidated Construction opened the front of the building at street level to allow cars to enter the building into a valet staging area with six stalls.
The company put half of a basketball court on the fourth floor, knocking out the 11-foot ceiling into the fifth floor where glass walls allow guests to view the action on the court below them. The fifth floor also looks down on the river outside.
The team added a 40,000-gallon, three-lane saltwater lap pool on the third floor, but that required galvanized steel beams on the second floor to support the pool. The beams are situated high enough that pool and building mechanicals can be tucked away and people can walk underneath the pool to access the mechanicals.
The exterior of the building had to bridge the historical design of the building on one side with the modern design of the building on the other side. Consolidated Construction removed red granite panels on the exterior of the building and replaced them with composite metal panels that match the gray tones of the historic building but also the sleek shape of the concrete modern building.
The group also ran into issues such as asbestos and last-minute changes to the group fitness space that required renegotiating space with the landlord to allow for a separate wing dedicated to group fitness, Lori says.
Another challenge was the HVAC system, which became stressed during the morning and afternoon as the sun shone through the massive bank of windows.
"The cooling component has been a little stressful and has cost us a bit more than we were anticipating," Lori says.
But the stress has been worth it, she adds.
"Whenever I walk into the club, it takes my breath away," she says. "I'm insanely jealous of that club. I don't go in as much as I would like because I don't live close to it."
In addition to valet parking, a pool, cardio and strength areas, the group fitness wing and the basketball court, the club also has cardio cinema, executive and regular locker rooms, a juice bar, a group cycle room and tanning services.
Design Awards Won by Gold's Gym Milwaukee
2011 Milwaukee Mayor's Design Award: "Urbanism Redefined"
2011 Wisconsin Commercial Real Estate Women: Vision Ingenuity Award
2011 BizTimes Milwaukee, Innovation Quotient Award
2010 The Business Journal, Real Estate Award: Office Deal of the Year
2011 The Business Journal, Real Estate Award: Best Renovation – Retail/Hospitality
2011 Associated Builders & Contractors of Wisconsin Projects of Distinction: Gold Award, Restoration/Renovation
2011 Associated Builders & Contractors (National) Excellence in Construction: Eagle Award
2011 Building Owners & Managers Association of Wisconsin: The Outstanding Building of the Year - Historical


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Traditionally a PC game publisher, Paradox Interactive dons a cowboy hat and a pair of six-guns, moseying onto the console scene with Fatshark's Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West, and we've got pictures to prove it.
Lead and Gold first popped up in October, when developer Fatshark chummed the publishing waters with a video of the game in action. Europa Universalis developer Paradox Interactive took the bait, with the game's Q1 2010 release marking the company's debut on consoles, downloadable or otherwise.
"We've said all along that for the right title, we'd jump on the opportunity of going console and when Lead and Gold crossed our path, there was no turning back. The team over at Fatshark is very experienced and has done an excellent job," said Fredrik Wester, CEO of Paradox Interactive. "There's ample opportunity to roll this out on several different platforms, including PC."
Every passing moment we get closer and closer to the day when we'll be saying, "Oh great, another cowboy game." I can almost taste it!


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New rumor suggests HTC prepping 'M8 Prime'
Rumors of an "HTC M8 Ace" have been swirling over the past month or so, hinting at a plastic version of the HTC One (M8) with specs that include a 5-inch 1080p display and quad-core processor. Now it looks like we've got another M8 variant to keep track of.
A new device referred to as the "M8 Prime" has been teased by @evleaks on Twitter. However, no details about the M8 Prime have been given, so it's not yet clear how it differs from the One (M8) that's on shelves now.
So what might the "M8 Prime" be? We'll have to wait until HTC or the rumor mill reveals more details before we know for sure, but the "Prime" part of the device's codename suggests that it could be a device that's even higher-end than the One (M8). Samsung is rumored to be prepping a premium Galaxy S5 that's codenamed "KQ" and features a 2560×1440 display, so it's possible that HTC may be planning a similar handset.
What do you all think that this "M8 Prime" could be? Would you like to see HTC release a premium version of the One (M8) with a super high-res display?


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Introduction To Synthetic Lubricants & Their Applications
EP Editorial Staff | July 1, 2007
All synthetics are not alike. Selection should be based on the optimum base stock type for the application. The additive system, which also is very important, imparts unique properties to the finished synthetic lubricant. As a result, there can be major differences in performance for the same synthetic type from different suppliers. Case histories and actual field tests are the best way to select a particular synthetic fluid. There are many applications where mineral oils, because of their cost and performance, are perfectly acceptable. Synthetics are problem solvers to be used in applications where their unique properties are cost-justified under the following conditions:
- Temperature Extremes—Since synthetics contain no wax they are used at very low temperature conditions. ISO 32 PAO and ISO 32 diesters have pour points > -50 F. They also are effective at temperatures well above 200 F, whereas mineral oils should be limited to a maximum of 200 F and synthetics should be considered at temperatures as low as 180 F.
- Lower Wear—In general, synthetics provide much higher film strength and lubricity than mineral oils, especially in a high-sliding environment that occurs in worm and hypoid gears.
- Energy Savings—Some synthetics have low coefficients of friction because of their uniform molecular structure, resulting in significant energy savings in many applications.
Properties & applications of synthetics
Table I illustrates the most common synthetics and their major applications.
Polyalphaolefins (PAO)…
If only one synthetic could be selected in a plant, it would be a PAO. These are the most versatile and most widely used synthetics. They operate over a very wide temperature range, can be produced in a wide viscosity range without changing their basic properties and are compatible with most other lubricant types. Because of their nonpolarity, they have poor additive solubility and cause slight seal shrinkage. Consequently, they must be blended with a polar synthetic such as an ester, which swells seals and gives good additive solubility.
Some of the more common uses for PAOs include:
- Hot and heavily loaded gear boxes: an EP PAO is used for helical and herringbone gears, while a non-EP ISO 460 is commonly used for worm gears.
- Rotary screw air compressors: PAOs and polyalkylene glycols (PAGs) are the two most commonly used air compressor oils for extended life service.
- ISO 68 PAO is used in oil mist lubrication of rolling element pump and motor bearings.
- PAOs have H1 approval in food plants and are used in a wide range of applications.
- PAOs are not recommended for high-temperature reciprocating compressors because they can form hard deposits on exhaust valves, thus not allowing them to seat properly.
Diesters are one of the oldest synthetic types—and they are limited in the viscosity ranges produced. The most common ISO VGs are 32, 46, 68, 100 and 150. The viscosity indexes are only high for the ISO 32 while the others are in the 70- 100 range, depending on the alcohol and acid used in their manufacture.
The major performance strength for diesters is their excellent solvency minimizing deposit formation. They also have good low-temperature properties and high thermal stability and flash point.
Diesters have a low aniline number and a tendency to swell elastomeric seals. Therefore, resistant seals, such as DuPont Viton, need to be used. Diesters also can hydrolyze in a hot, high-moisture environment—something that
occurs in rotary screw air compressors.
Uses for diesters include:
- Major application in severe duty reciprocating air and hydrocarbon compressors: diesters' high thermal stability and excellent solvency will prevent carbon buildup on exhaust valves.
- The synthetic of choice in air compressors many years ago: diesters are still used, but to a limited extent because of their potential for hydrolyzation. They are blended with mineral oils to form partial synthetics used in air compression and with PAGs for air compression.
- Diesters are used extensively both in the ISO 68 and 100 viscosity grades for oil mist lubrication of rolling element pump and motor bearings.
Polyol Esters (POE)…
POEs have very high thermal stability allowing them to be used in a very high temperature environment. They also are fire resistant with high flash- and fire-point temperatures. Because they are readily biodegradable, they can be used as hydraulic fluids in environmentally sensitive areas.
The major disadvantage of POEs is their cost. They are 50% more expensive than PAOs, PAGs and diesters. Although they have a tendency to hydrolyze at hightemperature and high-moisture conditions, POEs are more stable than diesters.
Primary uses for POEs include:
- Aviation and industrial gas turbine applications where the effective operating range is -40 F to 400+ F, with primary viscosity ~27cSt.
- Extended life fluid for air compressors: rated >12,000 hours and stable at temperatures of 240 F, which is higher than the maximum temperature allowable in a rotary screw air compressor.
- Fire-resistant hydraulic fluid for underground mining, steel mills and foundries: Factory Mutual approved and MSHA certified; flash point for ISO VG 46 > 510 F and fire point >680 F.
- Environmentally friendly hydraulic fluids that are readily biodegradable and contain ashless antiwear additives.
Polyalkylene glycols (PAG)…
As discussed in the first article in this series, PAGs are quite versatile. They can be designed to produce a wide variation in water solubility by adjusting the ratio of ethylene and propylene oxide during manufacturing. They have very high viscosity indexes exceeding 250, as well as excellent polarity for metal surfaces that gives them good lubricity. PAGS don't produce deposits and can be designed to minimize hydrocarbon gas solubility. Their major weakness is compatibility with hydrocarbon lubricants like mineral oils and PAOs. They also shrink many elastomeric seals and attack certain paint types.
Some primary uses for PAGs include:
- Rotary screw and centrifugal air compressors
- Enclosed gear boxes in particular worm gears
- Fire-resistant hydraulic fluids
- Food grade products ISO VG 150 and higher needing H1 approval
- Hydrocarbon-flooded rotary screw compressors
- High-pressure ethylene compressors in HDPE production
This following list highlights several applications where synthetics provide major cost justifications. Many more applications could have been presented:
- Air Compressors
- Rotary Screw
- Reciprocating
- Hydrocarbon Compressors
- Rotary Screw
- Reciprocating
- Enclosed Gear Boxes
- Helical, Herringbone, and Spiral Bevel
- Worm
Air compression
Rotary screw compressors…
Most of today's industrial air compressors are rotary screws like that shown in Fig. 1.
In a rotary screw compressor, air is compressed, high temperatures are generated and, along with the moisture that is present, a severe oxidative environment is present for oil. The lubricant in this equipment performs four major functions: cooling, lubricating (bearings, gears and screws), sealing and corrosion prevention. This requires an oxidatively stable lubricant with high VI and good lubricity. Many OEMs have their own fluids—which are mainly synthetics. As shown in Table II, the different lubricants used can be classified based on fluid life.
The expected hours shown in Table II are OEM recommendations on expected life. Depending on the conditions, synthetics may exceed these numbers if the temperature and moisture are lower than normal.
The most common fluids used for air compressors for extended service are ISO VG 46 PAO and PAG/Ester. The esters most commonly used with PAGs are diesters and POEs that swell seals to counteract shrinkage caused by PAG.
POE gives the longest life extension for the fluid and is being used for extendedwarranty applications. Some POEs on the RPVOT test, which is a measure of the oxidative stability of a fluid, give results in excess of 3000 minutes—that's nearly double the results obtained with PAOs and PAGs. POEs can be used at temperatures up to 240+ F, which is above the shutdown temperature of an air compressor. PAO can handle temperatures up to 220 F and PAGs are lower at 200 F. PAGs have the added advantage of very high viscosity indexes that gives a thicker film at high temperatures which minimizes wear. Furthermore, they don't form deposits at high temperatures when they oxidize.
Two major cost justification areas for the use of synthetics is in fluid life extension and energy savings. Consider the following case study.
An evaluation was performed on a 300 hp compressor with a 60-gal. sump capacity operating at 180 F. Running mineral oil required change-out every 1000 hours, while a PAO greatly exceeded the OEM recommendation of an 8000-hour change by running 15,000 hours. This resulted in a 67% savings—or more than $1700—in lubricant costs in one year. (Data courtesy of Dr. Ken Hope, Chevron Phillips.)
Energy savings can be significant with air compressors. A number of studies have shown savings between 3-5% with rotary screw compressors. Combining energy savings and longer fluid life, along with less wear and better operation, synthetics make sense for air compression applications.
While reciprocating compressors (Fig. 2) are not used much in air compression today, there are still many old compressors working in the industry.
Because of high temperatures, the cylinder region in a reciprocating compressor is the most difficult area to lubricate. One major problem associated with the use of mineral oils for this application is that they form hard deposits when they oxidize and coat the exhaust valves, thus keeping the valves from seating properly. As a result, hot gas is drawn back into the cylinder to be recompressed. This dangerous condition can lead to high heat generation and a possible fire.
The lubricant of choice for reciprocating compressor applications is an ISO 100 or 150 diester with excellent solvency. Fig. 3 shows two actual exhaust valves. The valve on the left had been running for six months on diester. The valve on the right had been running four months on mineral oil. The valve on diester continued to run with no coking, saving over $10,000 in valve replacement costs.
Hydrocarbon compression Rotary screw compressors…
Non-flooded rotary screw compressors running at temperatures below 180 F can use mineral oils without major problems. Users, however, may want to turn to a synthetic like a diester or a PAO for their energy-saving potential. Flooded screw compressors with hydrocarbon gas will quickly lose their viscosity with most mineral oils and synthetics because the gas dissolves in the lubricant, thus lowering the viscosity.
PAGs are the most resistant lubricant to hydrocarbon gas dilution and are recommended for flooded screw compressors. More resistant to dilution than mineral oils, PAGs will, however, be diluted to an extent with hydrocarbon gases, a fact that must be taken into consideration in selecting the initial viscosity to arrive at the correct viscosity at the operating temperature. PAGs have the added advantage of having very high VIs.
Ethylene high-pressure reciprocating compressors…
PAGs are the lubricant of choice for high-pressure ethylene compressors because of their minimal dilution by hydrocarbon gas. The typical viscosity of PAGs used in this application is 270 cSt. The film integrity at a reasonable viscosity is maintained at very high pressures, leading to low lubricant consumption and very low wear rates.
Low-pressure hydrocarbon compressors…
Mineral oils at ISO VG at moderate temperatures have been used successfully. As conditions become more severe, though, synthetics need to be considered. Both PAGs and diesters are good alternatives. PAOs, however, are not recommended because of their tendency to form hard deposits when they oxidize.
Enclosed gearboxes Helical, herringbone and spiral bevel…
Gearboxes experience EHL lubrication through sliding and rolling motion. A key criterion in lubricating gear teeth is to have thick enough film for the high sliding and shock loads. In many cases, EP additives are effective as anti-scuffing agents and are used in many loaded gear reducers. Parallel and right angle shaft gears such as helical, herringbone and spiral bevel are lubricated normally with an ISO VG 220 with EP. Under abnormal conditions, such as high temperatures and high shock loads, an ISO VG PAO with EP is used. Although PAGs can be used, because of their incompatibility problems, PAOs are preferred. Energy savings are more diffi- cult to attain with high-efficiency gears like helicals, herringbones and spiral bevels. Normally, synthetics have shown efficiency improvements of 3% or less. Therefore, the use of synthetics for these gears is not justified by energy savings alone. A better way to justify in these applications is to take into account how dramatically gear performance is improved under difficult load or temperature conditions when synthetics are used.
Worm gears (Fig. 4) are highly inefficient. They also are good candidates for synthetics. A worm gear is a right-angle gear with non-intersecting shafts. These units consist of a steel worm and a sacrificial bronze wheel. There is very little rolling motion. Most motion is sliding—which causes the high wear and high heat. Worm gears typically can run 90 F degrees or higher than ambient temperatures. Since EP additives can attack bronze, very few EP gear oils had been used in the past. The only alternative had been to use a compounded high-viscosity mineral gear oil—such as ISO 460—containing animal fat for lubricity to protect the teeth during boundary lubrication. These types of lubricants oxidized quickly at high temperatures and didn't provide a high level of wear protection.
The two most popular synthetics used in worm applications today are ISO VG 460 PAO and PAG. Each will perform very well. Neither of these synthetics contain EP and they both provide a high film strength and score very high on the FZG test that measures scuffing of gear teeth at different load stages. Mobil SHC 634, which is an ISO 460 PAO with no EP, exceeds 13 stages, the highest level on the test. This results in very low wear rates and energy savings.
Efficiency savings in excess of 7% have been documented. Because of their lower traction coefficient (which is the internal friction in the lubricant) PAGs often provide higher efficiency savings—but PAOs do very well. Temperature drops with a synthetic can be 20-30 F degrees. While PAGs are more common in gearboxes in Europe, more are being used in the United States. A PAG, because of its greater energy efficiency, is a good choice for new gears and can be used on other gears only with the proper flushing procedures. Moreover, PAGs attack some paints. A safer choice to convert a worm gear from mineral to synthetic is to use a PAO.
The following is a case history of the conversion from mineral oil to PAO:
A major can manufacturer used double-enveloping worm gears with an average reduction ratio of 60:1. The company was using a compounded ISO 460 mineral oil. On average, the company was experiencing four gear failures per year, each costing an average of $12,500 to repair. Temperatures typically were 200 F—and in some cases got as high as 215 F. The mineral oil was replaced with an ISO 460 PAO and the failures were eliminated. In fact, to date, 18 months later, there still have been no failures in this equipment. In addition, the average temperature dropped across the worm gears by more than 20 F degrees.
Synthetics are real problem solvers. While they can work well and be cost justified, there are many applications where mineral oils will do just as well. Three applications where synthetics can improve equipment operation and provide major cost savings are air compressors, high-pressure and hot reciprocating compressors and worm gears.
Deciding which synthetic to use is very important. Each candidate will have advantages and disadvantages that need to be considered before a final decision is made.
Keep in mind that the same synthetic type from different manufacturers can give different results. Even though the base stocks may be similar, the additive package may impart different properties from one supplier to another. Make comparisons between the data sheets, but let your final decision rest on field performance. Look at case histories and, if possible, run a carefully controlled plant test where meaningful data can be collected. Even though this will not be possible in some cases, definite equipment improvements can still be observed without rigorous testing and data collection. Be sure to document this data. Since synthetics are more expensive than mineral-based oils, you will want to be very accurate in your cost justifications.
The author wishes to thank Tim Taylor of Summit and Dr. Martin Greaves of Dow Chemical for their assistance in the preparation of this article.
Contributing editor Ray Thibault is based in Cypress (Houston), TX. An STLE-Certified Lubrication Specialist and Oil Monitoring Analyst, he conducts extensive training in a number of industries. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com; or telephone: (281) 257-1526.


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This is demo store. No orders will be fulfilled.
Fabric Calculator
To use our fabric calculator, simply enter the width of your track or pole, the finished length of your curtain drop (click here) for detailed instructions on how to measure for this) and the pattern repeat of your chosen fabric (which can be found in the fabric's description).
Please be aware that this calculator is only a guide for fabric amounts but is calculated as we do in store. For fabric widths we round up from 0.3 of a width to allow for a good fullness in your finished curtains, however this might not be necessary for dress curtains.
All metre values are rounded up to the nearest metre to ensure that you will have enough fabric for your project.
If you would like a breakdown of the values or have any queries, please don't hesitate to Contact Us.
The width of your track or pole:
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Download our trends brochure to get some inspiration your next project.
Our printed dressmaking fabrics make up our seasonal ranges of fabric. These include jersey, cotton, crepe, viscose, peachskin and many others sourced worldwide to ensure the best qualities, colours and prices. We are always on the lookout for new designs to make sure your garment sewing is always on trend and something different from everywhere else.
All of our dressmaking fabrics are available in 10cm lengths meaning you can order exactly what your need for your sewing project. We also have a fully stocked haberdashery with all the sewing tools, threads, zips you need for the finishing touches.
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WASHINGTON — The White House budget office is recalculating how to apply automatic spending cuts for a handful of agencies, freeing up almost $4 billion for the Pentagon and another $1 billion or so for homeland security and NASA.
Capitol Hill aides familiar with the White House changes say the administration has identified almost $5 billion in cuts that can be restored under its reading of the arcane budget rules governing the across-the-board cuts, known as sequestration.
The calculations would restore $5 billion of the scheduled $85 billion in automatic sequestration cuts.
At issue are accounts that were cut more deeply under a full-year funding bill enacted in March than they would have been under the across-the-board cuts.
The aides required anonymity because they weren't allowed to discuss a private briefing publicly.
To sign up for free CityBusiness Daily Updates, click here.


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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- California's budget crisis and overcrowded prisons have led to a new reality for thousands of convicted felons: Parole is getting a lot easier - no more random drug tests, travel rules or requirements to check in with an officer.
Restrictions have been relaxed for nonviolent criminals like burglars, drug offenders and swindlers under a new law that aims to shrink the prison population by reducing the number of minor parole violations that send ex-cons back to prison.
About 24,000 nonviolent ex-cons are expected to qualify for less supervision. The number includes many people already on parole and those expected to be paroled over the next year.
Nonviolent offenders leaving prison will still be required to register their addresses with the prisons agency, but a state parole officer won't check up on them. Unannounced home visits and searches will be left to local law enforcement, if anyone at all.
Local law enforcement agencies and community groups are worried. They claim less supervision will lead to a spike in crime, compounding the exact problem state officials are trying to remedy.
"It's a pretty significant concern from the public safety standpoint," said Cmdr. Todd Rogers of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. "There's a really good chance these guys are going to go out and caper again."
The rules, which took effect Jan. 25, come as the state desperately tries to close a $20 billion budget gap. Nearly 11 percent of the state budget goes to prisons. Officials estimate the measures will save the state about $500 million its first full year.
The state hopes dropping the restrictions, coupled with an early release program that will free 3,000 current inmates under new rules that allow them to shave time for completing rehabilitation and vocational programs, will cut California's 167,000-inmate prison population by 6,500.
The changes will also free up state parole officers to focus on ex-prison gang members, sex offenders and violent criminals, whose 70 percent recidivism rate is more than double that of the nonviolent ex-cons.
"Our supervision will be higher on those more likely to re-offend," said California Corrections spokesman Gordon Hinkle.
With about a third of new admissions to prisons caused by parole violations, often for seemingly minor mistakes like missing meetings with parole officers, states have long grappled with how much supervision is appropriate for parolees. Arizona, Nevada and Pennsylvania, for instance, have cut supervision time for certain offenders.
California has the nation's highest rate of sending parolees back to prison, with a little more than two-thirds of all inmates having been sent to prison for violating their parole terms, said prisons expert Alison Lawrence of the National Conference of State Legislatures.
"When you see a number that high, there is a sign that something should change," Lawrence said.
Local agencies being asked to pick up the monitoring of nonviolent offenders are skeptical. Several of them, themselves struggling with budget cuts, decried the extra workload.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which is in the state's most populous county, has about 7,700 felons who will qualify for the easier restrictions. Rogers said the department will start doing what the state's parole officers used to do.
"We still want them to know that they need to behave themselves," Rogers said of the ex-cons. "Some would argue it's an unfunded mandate transferring responsibility to cities and counties."
Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said he was expecting 1,000 parolees to qualify for lighter restrictions in his largely rural area that has an unemployment rate of 17 percent.
"People are frustrated," Youngblood said. "When you mix that frustration with alcohol and nothing to do because they are unemployed, nothing good can come from that mixture when it comes to public safety."
Youngblood laid off 40 deputies last year because of budget cuts. He's going to bring in deputies on long-term sick leave to handle office duties, freeing other officers to check up on parolees.
Local law enforcement agencies also are creating programs to let inmates know about community resources that are geared to helping them find jobs, health services and housing - duties usually carried out by parole officers.
Scott H. Silverman of Second Chance, a San Diego-based nonprofit that helps former prisoners find work, said the changes simply pass responsibility to the local level.
"It's a quick fix, but it's only going to make the state feel better for about five minutes," said. "Everyone is going to get hurt on a local level."
Silverman said parolees could be emboldened by the lack of restrictions and he criticized the state for it's lack of a support network.
"They know they are really going to have to do something goofy before they will get sent back to prison," he said of the ex-cons. "We have a 70 percent recidivism rate under supervised parole. What's it going to be like when they are not supervised?"
© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Crystal Lake
Crystal Lake is one of the three lakes that have a Time Gear. The lake is guarded by Azelf.
To get to Crystal Lake, one must pass through the Crystal Cave, and at the end of Crystal Cave, there are different crystals, each in a variety of colors. When all of these crystals turn blue the Crystal Crossing will be unlocked.
Plot[edit | edit source]
Azelf, with Grovyle, is waiting; Grovyle is threatning Azelf to give up the time gear. Azelf refuses to relinquish the Time Gear, so Grovyle beats Azelf down in order to take it by force, but upon nearing the gear, the limping Azelf sets up a trap with sharp crystals pointing out of the lake. As the player and his or her partner confront Grovyle, a battle between the two parties ensue.
|This article is a stub. Please help the Azurilland Wiki by editing it.


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DETROIT (WWJ) — Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says governments are focusing too much on electric cars as the solution to fuel economy and pollution problems.
"Governments can help drive the best possible results by remaining technology neutral," he said. "This will help bring about an optimal allocation of capital, as we evaluate every technological solution, in terms of the effectiveness of dollars spent."
In a speech to the SAE World Congress, the Chrysler CEO said it makes more sense to look at all technologies, particularly improvements in current gasoline engines, along with electric vehicles.
"My fear, which I've uttered more than once, is that regulators are rushing precipitously into embracing EVs as the only technological solution."
Marchionne says electric vehicles take up less than one half of one percent of all car sales, and will likely remain a niche product for some time. He says Chrysler can't afford to sell too many EVs.
"For every 500 electric [vehicles] we produce, even after all subsidies, we will lose around 10 thousand bucks a car. And doing that on a large scale would be masochism at its extreme."
Other technological issues, Marchionne says, include limits on range, and the time it takes to recharge.
"And, to be honest, there is still a great deal of controversy as to the actual contribution that electric vehicles make in terms of reducing noxious emissions, when you factor in the materials used in the production and the source of power to charge the batteries."
The Chrysler CEO gave his thoughts at the SAE's closing banquet. He also talked about the need of the auto industry to reinvent itself for the future. That includes a need to evolve business models as emerging markets grow in importance.
On Monday, April 29, Chrysler will reveal its first quarter earnings.
Written by Jeff Gilbert.
Connect with Jeff Gilbert
Email: email@example.com
Facebook: facebook.com/carchronicles
Twitter: @jefferygilbert


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Firesky necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 87 diseños de 21 diseñadores freelance.
High-Tech Company out of Silicon Valley seeks design logo for their annual President's Club Trip in Cancun, Mexico in May, 2009
Company to be disclosed after contest is closed.
High-Tech Company out of Silicon Valley seeks design logo for their annual President's Club Trip in Cancun, Mexico. The logo should be edgy with a tropical feel. Logo will be used on all program collateral (i.e., program booklet, gift items and registration Website). Company's colors are black and red (these colors are not required but will be considered). The President's Club Trip is an all-expense paid trip awarded to the company's top sales reps and their guest. Please note the company has strict marketing standards on their company logo - for now please reference 2009 President's Club in the copy of the design and once the winner is chosen we will disclose the company name.
Fun and tropical with a sophisticated look and feel (these people are top sales reps for the company and make a very healthy annual salary).
Something that is somewhat simple to screen print or embroider onto promotional items.
Logo can include fun items like margaritas, maracas, sombreros, etc.
- No ponchos please!
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Benito Flores follow-up interview
Sunday, February 26, 2012 - 2:29 p.m.
Benito Flores previously worked for the victim and is the victim's housekeeper's live-in boyfriend. Detectives Armstrong and Murphy interviewed him at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department. The interview was recorded with the witness's knowledge and consent.
- Detective T. Armstrong
- Detective S. Murphy
- Benito Flores
Detective Murphy: I'm Detective Murphy, and this is Detective Armstrong. I think you probably recognize us by now.
Benito Flores: Yeah, you're the ones tearing up my place for no reason.
Detective Armstrong: Oh, come on, Benito. You know we wouldn't do something like that just for fun.
Benito Flores: Whatever, man.
Detective Armstrong: We just have a few things that need clearing up. But first, let's start with your name and address.
Benito Flores: Benito Flores. 594 Hathorn Road.
Detective Murphy: Benito, were you at The Roadhouse the night Philip Fontaine was killed?
Benito Flores: Yeah, man. I went there to have a couple of drinks.
Detective Murphy: How did you pay for the drinks that night? Cash? Credit card?
Benito Flores: Cash.
Detective Armstrong: How much cash did you have on you that night?
Benito Flores: I don't remember.
Detective Murphy: Well, how many drinks did you have?
Benito Flores: I don't remember.
Detective Armstrong: Guess.
Benito Flores: I don't know, man. Five? Six?
Detective Armstrong: So not a couple of drinks. Maybe half a dozen?
Benito Flores: Yeah, I was there for a while.
Detective Murphy: So, say, six drinks. That's what? $40, $50 to cover it plus tip?
Benito Flores: I guess, man
Detective Murphy: You had that much in cash with you?
Benito Flores: Yeah.
Detective Armstrong: Where'd you get it?
Benito Flores: You saying something?
Detective Murphy: Well, did you stop by an ATM? Did you cash a check? Or did you just have a lot of cash transactions that day?
Benito Flores: I don't remember.
Detective Armstrong: Try.
Benito Flores: I cashed a check.
Detective Murphy: Where did you cash it? At the bar?
Benito Flores: No, man. One of those places that do that.
Detective Murphy: What street? Where was it?
Benito Flores: I don't know. One of the ones up on University Avenue. I'm not sure.
Detective Murphy: OK. Good. We can check that. They keep records.
Benito Flores: Could've been somewhere else, man. I don't‒ I don't‒ I don't remember.
Detective Murphy: And how much was the check for?
Benito Flores: Maybe $100, $200.
Detective Murphy: Did you get the cash back in twenties or what?
Benito Flores: No, man. Benjamins.
Detective Murphy: Why would you do if you'd just have to break it later?
Benito Flores: Because it looks good.
Detective Armstrong: You mean flashy, right?
Benito Flores: Yeah, man, if you say so.
Detective Armstrong: Is that all the cash you had on you?
Benito Flores: No. So what?
Detective Murphy: Did you spend any time in the parking lot at The Roadhouse that night?
Benito Flores: Why?
Detective Armstrong: We heard you like to hang out there sometimes.
Benito Flores: And?
Detective Armstrong: And why would you want to hang out in the parking lot when it's much warmer inside?
Benito Flores: Some people like having a private conversation outside.
Detective Armstrong: Who did you want to have a private conversation with?
Benito Flores: Who says I did?
Detective Armstrong: You did just now. And a bunch of witnesses at The Roadhouse.
Benito Flores: Wasn't me.
Detective Armstrong: You weren't at the Roadhouse parking lot that night?
Benito Flores: Nope.
Detective Murphy: What were you wearing that night?
Benito Flores: What?
Detective Murphy: Well, maybe the witnesses were wrong. What were you wearing?
Benito Flores: I don't remember.
Detective Murphy: Well, were you dressed up? It was Friday night.
Benito Flores: I don't remember.
Detective Murphy: Maybe you were still in your work clothes.
Benito Flores: Come on, man. I look good when I go out.
Detective Murphy: I'm sure you do. So you if weren't in work clothes, you were dressed up?
Benito Flores: If you say so.
Detective Armstrong: Did you see Grant Fontaine when you were out?
Benito Flores: No, man. I mean, I see him sometimes when I go out, but I didn't see him that night.
Detective Armstrong: What do you and Grant talk about when you meet?
Benito Flores: Nothing you'd be interested in.
Detective Armstrong: Hm. He ever mention his father?
Benito Flores: You guys think Fontaine killed his old man?
Detective Murphy: What do you think?
Benito Flores: I think I want to know why you're searching my place then.
Detective Armstrong: That is a good question. Did Grant ever talk about his father?
Benito Flores: Yeah, man. He hated his father. He said Fontaine used to‒ didn't treat him right. He was mean to him. He hated that guy, but it‒ anyone knows that.
Detective Armstrong: What did you do for Grant Fontaine that made him so willing to share his feelings about his family?
Benito Flores: Man, I didn't do nothing for him. I just listened.
Detective Armstrong: You never did any odd jobs for him? Maybe something he didn't want to do himself?
Benito Flores: Man, is this is about drugs? Man, I told you both I don't deal.
Detective Murphy: We had to ask. You do know that Grant Fontaine has a drug problem, right?
Benito Flores: Come on, man. Everyone knows that guy's a cokehead. Don't mean I had anything to do with it.
Detective Murphy: Well, have you heard who he buys from?
Benito Flores: Why would I know that?
Detective Murphy: You're out and about in the social scene, and it seems like Grant likes to confide in you. Maybe you heard something.
Benito Flores: I don't know, man. Maybe I heard something about a guy. Kenny.
Detective Murphy: That's who Grant buys from?
Benito Flores: Could be.
Detective Armstrong: Why wasn't Raquel with you at The Roadhouse that night?
Benito Flores: What?
Detective Armstrong: It was Friday night. You went out on the town. Your girlfriend wasn't with you?
Benito Flores: She was tired.
Detective Armstrong: She told us that she left work early. Now how tired could she have been?
Benito Flores: Tired enough, all right?
Detective Armstrong: You didn't want to spend the evening with her?
Benito Flores: Look, man., She does what she does, and I do what I do.
Detective Armstrong: How do you know she was home the whole evening?
Benito Flores: Are you saying something?
Detective Armstrong: Maybe she had a little something going with Philip Fontaine. Maybe she wanted you out of the way.
Benito Flores: Look, don't talk about Raquel, OK! She stayed home.
Detective Armstrong: Are you sure?
Benito Flores: Are you saying she wasn't?
Detective Armstrong: I'm just asking questions. Do you think there might have been something between her and Philip Fontaine?
Benito Flores: I mean, Fontaine had plenty of women. He knows better than to mess with mine.
Detective Armstrong: So Raquel just didn't want to be with you that night?
Benito Flores: Don't talk about Raquel.
Detective Murphy: So did Raquel see you when you got home?
Benito Flores: Yeah.
Detective Armstrong: You weren't riding the couch that night?
Benito Flores: You saying something?
Detective Murphy: Raquel's already told us that she makes you sleep on the couch when you've been drinking.
Detective Armstrong: That's one cold woman. You always let her tell you what to do in your own house?
Benito Flores: Don't talk about Raquel, all right. It makes you look like a idiot.
Detective Armstrong: I've got to tell you, man. We just talked with Raquel, and she is really pissed at you for us searching the place. I hope you're not counting on her for any help because she is going to hang you out to dry.
Benito Flores: Man, I'm not worried about Raquel.
Detective Armstrong: Well, you're a better man than I am then. I wouldn't want to be facing that when I got home tonight. I have a feeling it's going to be the couch for you tonight.
Detective Murphy: So tell us about your relationship with Ashley Fontaine.
Benito Flores: All I know about Ashley is she was a real bitch to Raquel. And she liked Fontaine's money too and young boys, but everybody knew that. Hell, even Fontaine would've probably known if he wasn't out chasing his own tail. That's the problem with you gringos. You never know how to make up your mind. Me, I love Raquel, and she loves me.
Detective Murphy: Does Grant have a girlfriend?
Benito Flores: I don't know, man. But I'll tell you what. He and Mrs. Fontaine were tight. I'm just saying, man, that's‒ something might be there.
Detective Murphy: So you think either one of them might've killed Philip Fontaine?
Benito Flores: Probably.
Detective Murphy: Why?
Benito Flores: Why not?
Detective Murphy: You didn't have any kind of beef with Fontaine? I mean, he fired you.
Benito Flores: No, man. Beecher fired me, not Fontaine.
Detective Armstrong: When we talked to people at The Roadhouse, some of them mentioned a man matching your description who looked like he'd been in a fight.
Benito Flores: Nope. Wasn't me.
Detective Murphy: Did you see anyone like that?
Benito Flores: No.
Detective Armstrong: Did you look in the mirror?
Benito Flores: What?
Detective Armstrong: We also hear this guy spent a lot of time in the bathroom.
Benito Flores: So?
Detective Murphy: Did you see a guy like that in the bathroom?
Benito Flores: Nope.
Detective Armstrong: Is that because you were the guy?
Benito Flores: No.
Detective Murphy: Maybe that man came in while you were gone.
Benito Flores: Gone?
Detective Murphy: Well, you left The Roadhouse for a while, didn't you? Maybe the guy came in when you were gone.
Benito Flores: Wasn't me.
Detective Murphy: You didn't leave?
Benito Flores: Where would I go?
Detective Armstrong: The parking lot.
Benito Flores: Wasn't me.
Detective Armstrong: Why do you think we brought you in here again? Why do you think we searched your house?
Benito Flores: Because the Fontaines have money.
Detective Murphy: And you don't. That's why we're talking to you?
Benito Flores: It's the American way.
Detective Armstrong: So you weren't the guy at The Roadhouse with fresh cuts and bruises?
Benito Flores: Nope.
Detective Armstrong: You weren't the guy with two different outfits?
Benito Flores: Nope.
Detective Armstrong: You weren't the one flashing around a bunch of cash?
Benito Flores: No.
Detective Armstrong: All the witnesses were wrong?
Benito Flores: Sounds like it.
Detective Armstrong: And when we search your house, we're not going to find anything tying you to the crime?
Benito Flores: Nope.
Detective Murphy: For your sake, I hope that's true.
Benito Flores: Man, are we done?
Detective Murphy: For now. We'll be in touch.
Detective Armstrong: Have fun with the little woman tonight. I hope that couch is comfy.
Interview ends: 2:41 p.m.


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By MICHAEL COLLINS, Author, Saving American Manufacturing
This is part two of a two-part piece. Part one can be found here.
Apprentice Training
MAG offers apprentice training, engineering co-ops and internship programs. The company recognized the problem of retiring baby boomers and the impact it would have on its production systems, and most importantly, on its skilled trades. The company reintroduced the apprenticeship program, which at one time had been commonplace in the machine tool industry, to its skilled trade workers.
The apprentices are full-time employees of the company. They receive wages and benefits, and the company pays for their education and training. Two of the apprentice programs (The Run-Off Technician and Electrical Technician) take 8,000 hours of on-the-job training (OJT), combined with night classes to complete, and the trainees receive a Manufacturing Engineering Technology (MET) or Electrical Technology associate degree.
The master assembler position is 6,000 hours of OJT, combined with the MET associate degree. The associate degree is typically earned in 3-1/2 years. MAG's Hebron, KY operation partners with Gateway Community and Technical College to do much of the classwork. Its other U.S. facilities partner locally in a similar manner with other schools.
The apprenticeship program in Hebron is registered with the Kentucky Department of Labor division of employment standards, apprenticeship and training, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training. In addition, it is registered as part of the national apprenticeship program in accordance with the basic standards of apprenticeship established by the Secretary of Labor.
A key issue in advanced training that produces the multi-skilled people we need in manufacturing is the skill called troubleshooting. The media talks about advanced skills, problem-solving, knowledge of computers and programming, but they never tie these general problems to advanced skills. To maintain, repair, and operate today's machine tools and packaging equipment takes excellent troubleshooting skills, and I think that people acquire these kinds of skills through apprentice training.
In an Industry Week article, the president of MAG Global Services, Bill Horworth, made a point on the usefulness of apprentice programs on troubleshooting skills. He says, "To troubleshoot the product and understand why it is doing what it is doing takes a lot of skill and experience, which you don't learn in the classroom."
Mark Logan, vice president of marketing for MAG, agrees that troubleshooting is important and requires advanced skills. He says, "When it comes to diagnosing and repairing sophisticated machinery and equipment, we are dealing with a very broad skill set, ranging from precision mechanical components, electronic and electro-mechanical systems, plus computer and software programming. All of these functions interact with one another under varying operating conditions in factories around the world. As a result, classroom and theoretical training must be combined with practical on-site experience, along with mentoring by seasoned professionals. One of our most acute needs is for customer support technicians with proven on-the-job skills."
Internship Programs
MAG's internship programs are student trainee positions for people who are finishing high school, college or a master's degree. The internships are currently being used for engineering students and students seeking an associate degree. Interns receive an hourly wage and usually work 40 hours a week. In some cases, interns travel with the field service group and work overtime. The externship is a lesser non-paid program, but designed to give pre-apprentice applicants hands-on experience.
I am particularly impressed by the company's promotion of its manufacturing jobs as a career. Younger people are very wary of taking a job in an American manufacturing company because of offshoring, plant closures, and little commitment to the employee for training or a future. MAG describes future jobs in its company as a career, which means that they are envisioning a longer term arrangement and help the new employee describe a career path, while providing the necessary training and education to be successful.
Mark Logan says, "We developed and expanded our apprenticeship and other programs out of necessity. We need a pipeline of talent to backfill for current and upcoming retirements, and also to support our global expansion and need for future leaders. Our competitors face the same challenges. It is important that people in our training programs know their potential path and are motivated to have their training develop into a long-term career opportunity; for example, we currently have two of the graduated apprentices using tuition assistance towards a bachelor degree."
Since 2000, about 6 million people have lost their jobs in manufacturing, yet The Wall Street Journal and other major newspapers say that manufacturers don't want these people back — they want people with advanced skills who are problem-solvers, multi-skilled and good troubleshooters. I suggest that these kinds of people will only be available by investing in long-term training that can eventually turn into some kind of journeyman status.
The training programs described in this article and used by Penn United and MAG IA are good examples of what needs to be done in this country to meet the requirements of advanced training. Both of these companies offer apprentice training, short-term training, tuition reimbursement, customized training and skill certificates. These are comprehensive programs that include long-term training and investment. Both companies also describe their manufacturing jobs as career opportunities and are willing to make long-term commitments to the employees.
At the same time, it is clear that most Fortune 500 companies are not investing in these long-term training programs, particularly apprentice training. In a recent article in USA Today, the shift away from extensive training began after the 1980 recession as companies began to find ways to cut more costs.
I also saw this trend as a manager of a division that built automatic machines for the Fortune 500 companies. In the 1970s, many of these companies sponsored apprentice programs and invested in extensive training, but in the 1980s, most of the extensive training was dropped and many of the craftsmen began to retire. The inadequate skill training immediately resulted in more service problems on our machines because new workers were not able to operate, maintain and repair them. The most obvious service problems occurred during troubleshooting, which by definition, takes extensive and advanced training.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Department of Apprentice Training, only about 4 percent of the apprentices in its database are manufacturers. In looking into the apprentice database by states, I found very few of the Fortune 500 companies (except for the auto industry) were sponsoring apprentice-type training.
If we are going to train the new manufacturing workers to do advanced troubleshooting and have the multi-skill ability to do many jobs as a generalist, I believe it will require long-term, comprehensive training programs. I suspect that the publicly held companies will continue to view training as an expense rather than an investment. This kind of mindset is very suspicious of training programs that take years to complete, paying people for skills they attain or issuing certificates to people that make their skills transferable.
We have done enough studies to know what kind of skills and training programs are needed. Companies like Penn United and MAG Industrial Automation have already designed their curriculums and made the investment in facilities. They know what skills are needed and are already training the future manufacturing workers of America.
It is time for the large companies who have the majority of U.S. manufacturing employees to quit stalling and make the commitment to long-term training. Yes, this will probably be an investment of 3 percent of sales, and a commitment to long-term training in years, certificates for skills learned and recognizing the training as an investment, not an expense. We don't need any more "shortage of skills" surveys; it is time to act.
This is part two of a two-part piece. Part one can be found here. What's your take? Please feel free to comment below! For more information, please visit www.mpcmgt.com.
[1] Boiling Point? The skills gap in U.S. manufacturing, Deloitte Consulting LLP, the Manufacturing Institute, August 2011.


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accountability, accounting, Act, Africa, Anton Piller, Articles, Assignment, association, Attorney General, auditor, bars, board, broadcast, Budget, CA, case, Cellulant, CISAC, CMO, Collecting Society, Collective Administration, Collective Management, Committee, Communications Authority of Kenya, Companies, Constitution, Content Service Providers, Court, CSP, Directors, disciplinary, discrepancy, distribution, earners, Elani Speaks, Elections, Expenditure, Fees, financial, formula, general, hotels, Incorporation, Intellectual Property, Interactive Media Services, intermediary, internal, JB Maina, KAMP, KECOBO, Kenya Association of Music Producers, Kenya Copyright Board, Law, legal, Liberty Afrika Technologies, License, Licensing, Limited, list, manager, Mandate, matatu, MCSK, Memorandum, Music Copyright Society of Kenya, performance, Performers Rights Society of Kenya, premium rate service providers, PRiSK, public place, Regional, Regulation, resolution, Rights, Royalties, Rufftone Speaks, Safaricom, skiza, Supervision, Tamasha, WIPOCOS
Disclosure: Back in the day when this blogger was young and naive, he worked both at Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) and Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK). The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and should not be attributed to the author's past or present employers or clients.
It all started with this twitter hashtag. Actually, no – one might want to start from an earlier point in time. On February 20th 1984 a local newspaper published an article titled: "Musicians Complain of Royalties" where it was reported that musicians who were members of the then Musicians Performing Rights Society of Kenya (MPRSK) had complained that the license fees collected on their behalf by MPRSK under a pre-existing collaboration agreement with the Performers Rights Society (PRS) in London were not being paid out to MPRSK members. On March 1st 1984, Mr. S.N. Ndemange the then MCSK General Manager wrote a letter captioned "Royalty Payment" addressed to Mr. Habel Mwalumba Kifoto, one of the complaining musicians mentioned in the newspaper article, explaining that the functions of MPRSK had since been taken over by MCSK, a duly registered company limited by guarantee incorporated a year prior in 1983, that would serve as the national society of composers, authors and publishers of musical works. Shortly after, Kifoto joined MCSK as a member and later rose up the ranks to become the Chairman of the Board of Directors at MCSK, a seat he occupied until his untimely demise on July 31st 2011.


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Justin Bieber Caught Telling Racist Joke, Using 'N-Word' [NSFW VIDEO]by Thomas Chau | PopCrush
TMZ has posted a video that shows a 15-year-old Justin Bieber telling an extremely offensive joke while shooting his 2011 documentary, 'Never Say Never.' The video was originally leaked on The London Sun's website.
Warning to our readers: if you are easily offended, you may want to refrain from watching the video.
In the clip, Bieber is taped telling jokes with a group of friends. He asks: 'Why are black people afraid of chainsaws?" A friend off camera pleads with him, "Don't even say it." Bieber then tells the punchline, which includes the 'n-word' in the answer.
TMZ claims that they received the video four years ago but decided not to post it because Bieber admitted that "what he did was stupid." The site goes on to say that Bieber will be addressing the video within the next day.
The video, coincidentally, comes the same week when One Direction was also caught using racist language in a video.


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Man arrested in pizza delivery robbery in Manchester, NH
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) � Police say they have made an arrest in the robbery of a pizza delivery driver in Manchester, N.H.
The 65-year-old employee of Santoro's Pizza told police that when he knocked on the front door on an apartment to deliver a pizza on Jan. 3, the man who answered punched him the face and then took the food and the driver's wallet.
WMUR-TV reports (http://bit.ly/VuH2AF ) that police arrested 18-year-old Teyvon Stilwell of Manchester on Friday.
Authorities say they are still investigating and trying to determine if anyone else was involved.
Information from: WMUR-TV, http://wmur.com


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Sun Fin wrote:Before this I respected Anon, I didn't like their methods and agree with all their causes but I thought they were principled at least. This has done more damage to the so called small guys that they claim to protect than the big ones.
Anon is a pretty chaotic 'organization'. I'm not sure any of this should have come as a surprise, and I'm not sure what happened here may have had much to do with Anon as a whole. It depends on how the network was attacked. If it had something to do with large traffic/DDoS then it may have involved many, or if it involved a precision hack with a small number of hackers, it may have had almost nothing to do with Anon as a whole. It only takes one person to leave a single file on the PSN server.
I'll note that I don't really follow Anon, so someone who is a member, or someone who is more involved with them, may know much more about what happened than I do.


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1. Location- Hamilton, Ontario
2. Favorite Current Devil- Parise, Kovalchuk, Brodeur
3. Favorite Former Devil- Stevens, Gomez, Daneyko
4. What other teams in the NHL do you root for? Oilers/Flames/Nucks
5. Other sports you enjoy? What other sporting teams do you root for?
NFL: Philadelphia Eagles
MLB: Yankees
NBA: Kobe and LeBron


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SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. - The boardwalks are back, and so are most of the beaches, even if some are a little thinner this year.
The smell of funnel cakes, french fries and pizza will mingle with the salt air, and the screech of seagulls will be heard, but so will the thwack of hammers repairing what can be fixed and the roar of bulldozers and backhoes tearing down what can't.
Welcome to Summer 2013 at the Jersey shore, the first since Superstorm Sandy pummeled the coast and upended hundreds of thousands of lives in October.
"The Jersey shore is open for the summer and ready to receive our customers," Gov. Chris Christie said Monday at a ceremony reopening the newly rebuilt Lavallette boardwalk, three-quarters of which was destroyed by the storm. "This is going to be a really good week."
Christie cautioned that parts of the shore won't look as they did last summer, but predicted by next summer they should be back to normal.
Even in many of the places that suffered the most from Sandy, remarkable recovery and rebuilding efforts have been made to get them ready for the summer tourist season. Yet reminders of the storm's devastation are visible all around.
Denise Gottilla and her husband Daryl stuck their beach umbrella into the sand in Point Pleasant Beach earlier this month. To their right was a wood-shingled home that had been destroyed by Sandy's storm surge. To their left was concrete rubble from a pool and patio from homes that also were badly damaged. And in front of them were large piles of sand that still needed to be smoothed down before beachgoers could arrive. But she was encouraged by what she saw.
"The houses took a beating, but I'm pleased with how the beach looks," she said. "It's not as bad as I thought it would be."
While Sandy damaged or destroyed many shore rentals, there are still plenty to be had, said Randy Sinor, past president of the Ocean County Board of Realtors, who works in Ship Bottom on Long Beach island.
"On LBI, we all have 95 percent or better of our pre-Sandy inventory ready for rental," he said. "We are open, we are ready, and we have prime weeks still available. It is not too late."
Countywide, rental stock ranges from about 65 percent of what was there before Sandy to 90 percent, depending on the town, he said. Demand has been about 75 percent of what it was at this time last year.
Not all of the Jersey shore was hurt by Sandy. Famous resort towns including, Ocean City and the Wildwoods, suffered minimal damage that was quickly repaired. Those areas are girding for a potential spike in visitors this summer as vacationers seeking thrill rides look elsewhere this year.
"Our hearts go out to the areas that were affected, but we have to get the message out that a good portion of the Jersey Shore will be open, and we hope vacationers will support New Jersey's tourism economy," said John Siciliano, head of the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement Development Authority.
Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, where the Jet Star roller coaster plunged into the ocean, will have at least 18 rides open this summer, including a pendulum ride defiantly named The Super Storm. (The Jet Star was dismantled and removed last week). Funtown Pier, on the south end of Seaside's boardwalk, was too badly damaged to open this year; it will be back in 2014.
"We are 100 percent ready for visitors," Seaside Heights Mayor Bill Akers said. "Please, make your plans to come here, and have Jersey support Jersey. Keep your vacation local. If you want to help us, the best way you can do that is to come here and have your summer vacation with us."
Most of the Jersey shore's boardwalks don't have amusement rides or games; they consist of wooden or synthetic walkways carrying beachgoers from one end of the beach to the other. Belmar finished its boardwalk repairs first, in late April, Seaside Heights is not far behind, Asbury Park is done and numerous other towns have either finished or plan to do so by Friday. Even the Ortley Beach section of Toms River, which was devastated by the storm, started rebuilding its boardwalk two weeks ago and expects to have it open by June.
The beaches themselves may look fine in most places, but many are flatter than they once were, said Jon Miller, a coastal expert with Stevens Institute of Technology. He predicted the coast will remain vulnerable to future storms until much of the sand that was lost either returns naturally with the tides, or is physically put back on the beaches by heavy equipment, and beach replenishment and protective dune projects need to be carried out. He also said dangerous rip currents could appear this year in places they didn't use to be, due to the changed topography of the ocean floor.
And for all the attention on boardwalks and tourists, this summer will be marked by long, hard work for many shore residents still struggling to recover. Andrea Bowne is elevating her home near the ocean in Point Pleasant Beach, which took on 3 feet of water during the storm. Since then, she has moved from place to place, longing for the day she can go back home.
"Hopefully, they'll be done soon and we can be working on the interior all summer," she said. "I say I'm moving back in as soon as there's electric and cable. My friends say, �Uh, how about water and sewer? You plan on flushing any toilets?' And I say, �OK, that, too.' I don't even care if there's gas yet; I don't plan on cooking anything all summer!"


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Check out the latest RPG news | Podcasts | Twitch Streams
Anyone know what happened to that guy for a finish?
Margaret Thatcher is dead. Despite my intense feelings of hatred towards her, I'm gonna try and not be to crass about it. However, I do find it amusing that the hashtag on twitter #nowthatchersdead is being taken as "Now that Cher's dead" and not "Now Thatchers Dead".
also ib4 Roger Waters.
Quote from: MeshGearFox on April 08, 2013, 08:01:22 PMalso ib4 Roger Waters.Wut
Liking that collection of trash makes no sense. Proof = Mesh likes it.


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When the Arbor Day Foundation worked with the U.S. Forest Service, Davey Tree Expert Company and others to launch a suite of urban forest management software, the tool was expected to be primarily used by city foresters and other professionals.
Fast-forward several years and i-Tree has been downloaded thousands of times in more than 100 countries, with international users comprising the largest growth.
The Society of Municipal Arborists, International Society of Arboriculture and DC-based Casey Trees were also key contributors.
The latest version of the tool, 5.0, is especially equipped to help users map and manage urban trees in Australia and Canada. The i-Tree software can also be used on smartphones and tablets for the first time.
Teachers, researchers, non-profit organizations, consultants and homeowners are among the users who have relied on i-Tree to calculate energy savings and storm water interception, among other benefits.
At the Foundation, i-Tree is central to are growing partnerships with utility providers through Energy-Saving Trees, an innovative program that allows customers to secure free trees for their yards and reduce monthly electricity bills.
Participating customers are able to log-on to an interactive website that helps them select the most strategic location for tree planting.
In addition to providing approximate energy savings, the tool also estimates the tree's other benefits, including cleaner air, reduced carbon dioxide emissions and improved storm water management. Many of these benefits are felt throughout the community.
Read more about i-Tree's progress at the U.S. Department of Agriculture blog.