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Hi ishonda310,
I have been looking at you carboy fittings, may I offer a little advice on soldering pipework.
More heat and less solder. As soon as you see a silver ring appear around the fitting it's done, no need to add more solder,it makes a better looking job.
It's just that I spent 22years teaching this stuff, nice work though.
thanks, that is only the second time I have ever soldered, but at least they won't leak, lol
Looks sweet! Thanks for posting. I like the idea of having a quick release/quick connect. I got so wrapped around the axle trying to do it exactly like Graham -- he enlarges the hole and inserts a threaded fitting with lock nut -- that I totally forgot that the carboy lids are already 3/4" thread. Thanks for the head-up!
Jim, does that apply to silphos brazing too with oxy-acetylene? My fittings have a blackened look after brazing, but I got the silphos to flow ok. Copper a nice red colour. Requirement seems to be a decent enough flame (neutral - no feather) and I had most success when heating the work almost at the end of the flame, not near the tip. Mostly used no flux.
Sound good?
Anyway my plumbers delight is now soldered up .
Hi Paulus,
It sounds like the surface could be oxidising due to a lack of flux, all fluxes are used specifically to prevent oxygen getting at the joint.
An other reason for the blacking is that the flame is not quite neutral and carbonising.
Yes the small blue cone would be too hot for the small parts we us, so using the cold part of the flame would be better. An even temperature all round and apply the solder or brazing rod, if it dosen't flow all the way round use the flame to draw the solder/braze and help it flow by adding a Little extra solder.
Use plenty of flux.
Thank you Jim.
Here, the advice when brazing with silphos rod is that no flux is needed for copper only. Do you agree?
Initially my bits were bright and shiny, well sanded, but it was difficult to clean up the parts for adjacent work. And anyway I noticed that the flame cleaned up the work so I ploughed on without worrying too much about the black/grey oxide layer. This was the point where I tried a little flux which seemed to make little difference.
Mostly I tried heating the double joint layer and appeared able to draw the filler in and flow it in, but it is difficult to know how far into the joint the filler penetrates.
I noticed that if the flame wasn't big enough, I was tending to hold the small blue cone closer to push things along. Of course the metal was bubbling or boiling at this point.
But with a nice big flame and plenty of heat (not temperature), with the work bathed right in the end of the flame, the filler would flow nicely and stay shiny, no bubbling or sparking - most satisfying.
A neutral flame is when the outer cone or feather is pulled back to match the small blue inner cone - correct? Any less acetylene and the small blue cone sharpens and the flame is noisier - oxidizing. More acetylene and the cones separate - carbonizing.
For years I thought term was "carburizing" now I see this is not correct.
Also I notice at times that oxy-acetylene flames "squeak" - what causes this?
Your help and advice most appreciated Jim.
"So much to learn and so little time" - Twit Conway
Try 3/4 dielectric unions. they are used to connect 3/4 npt iron to copper plumbing. You can get them male or female, the male will attach right to the 3/4 knock out in the lid and the 3/4 sweat end will take 3/4 copper. They are 3/4 straight through so the rest is easy. Making mine now will post pics when they are done.
2002 Ford Excursion 7.3l
1983 Mercedes 300D
GL processor
You're not finished when you lose,
You're finished when you quit.
Newbie here. Was wondering how long would the distillation process be? 1 hour? 2 hours?
Could this process be scaled to say, 6000 Liters? If so, would the distillation time stay the same?
How long would the total process be from methoxide to complete distillation? 4 hours?
Other than soap, aren't there other impurities left in the Biodiesel?
Graham have been following your expliots for a long time and thankyou for all your input and advise. I do methanol recovery using a 65litre appleseed design plummed into a car radiator fitted with 2 12v electric fans, works fantastic. The recovery rate is very high. One question though, with the recoved methanol what % of it has to be remixed with new methanol. Any ideas?
Your correct with not needing flux with silphos, although if you do use flux use the correct flux for silphos. The flux for soft solder is different. also 15% silphos will flow better than a lower %. We use silphos in a/c work and it will make a very strong joint.
In step 11 of your process where you drain the bioD out to a settle tank. Could this be replaced by pumping the bioD through a filter for a period of time ?
Would this negate the need to let it settle ?
Hi Pom
Yes, you can do that. Use large sock filters and allow gravity to pull the biodiesel thru them.
Nice slow flow rate, recirculating the entire tank contents several times.
Too much pressure across the filter can allow the soft soap to extrude thru.
Rover 75 + Skoda Fabia on B100
Bicycle on G100 12,000 miles p.a. ( http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/GrahamLaming )
Hi gos
I use all my recovered methanol in the next batch and top up with new.
Rover 75 + Skoda Fabia on B100
Bicycle on G100 12,000 miles p.a. ( http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/GrahamLaming )
Hi GreenDave
Tough one to answer - similar to asking how long does it take to go from San Francisco to New York.
The more power you put into the job, the faster it will complete.
I process 80 litres, with 3kW of heating power - say 1 1/2 to 2 hours to complete distillation.
More heat input needs a bigger condenser, of course.
Should be scalable.
Rover 75 + Skoda Fabia on B100
Bicycle on G100 12,000 miles p.a. ( http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/GrahamLaming )
Hi Graham,
with the 5% pre-wash, how much water drains out with the glyc? And do you distill all the way, or just until the methanol is out, then switch carboy to distill water?
Graham et al,
I have recently run a batch using a set-up and process similar to the GL One Day Eco-System. However, my results were not quite as nice as those shown on the Eco-System site. A water test reveals that there are considerable water soluble impurities remaining -- see attached photo. I am wondering if I still have (or had) significant methanol present that has fouled my result. That said, I have several questions:
1. How do I know when to stop methanol distillation? Is it temperature based, or is there some other parameter that I need to follow?
2. What is the smell of methanol? What is the smell of pure biodiesel without methanol? My 'final' product has a slightly sweet smell that I have been associating with B100 but am now wondering if that slightly syrup-y sweet smell is not the sign of residual methanol. How to tell difference?
3. My oil titrated pretty high; ~7.65 g/L (avg. over three titrations). Could my high residual impurities be a result of such high FFA content? Or should the impurities still fall out if all the methanol is driven away?
4. I still have not been able to source the parts to make the venturi as Graham does. Could my impure fuel be a result of not using the venturi?
Thanks in advance for all your help!
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Shaun,
Hi Kevin
What method did you use to remove the soap after distillation?
Did you filter or settle under gravity? Was the biodiesel CRYSTAL clear? If it was crystal clear, and you got the result shown in your photo, then there was way too much methanol left in the biodiesel.
Traditional distilling to 90C won't remove enough methanol. The venturi will allow you to remove more methanol than simple distillation, because it promotes evaporation also, albeit in a closed loop. Traditional distillation doesn't involve evaporation as such, only boiling, and the boiling point of methanol rises as its concentration in biodiesel drops.
The venturi improves the recovery by continually recirculating the same air thru the hot biodiesel, then thru a condenser, and you can get better liberation of methanol this way.
Don't try to detect methanol by smelling - the varying aroma of biodiesel will mask low concentrations of methanol, and the smell will depend on the composition of the original oil, so if you use WVO, there will be no 'standard' smell. And, of course, as you know, sniffing methanol has health risks.
I run the venturi at 90C until methanol recovery has reduced to a drip every few seconds. That gives a consistently good level of cleaning. There WILL still be some methanol present, but it will be minimal.
Then you need to filter out the soap. This is easier if you use NaOH.
High FFA will generally result in more soap - but if the conversion was good, and methanol removal complete, you should be able to eliminate the soap easily.
Hope that helps,
Rover 75 + Skoda Fabia on B100
Bicycle on G100 12,000 miles p.a. ( http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/GrahamLaming )
well, after weeks of rebuilding the processer, pounding out a venturi out of copper fittings, I tried the one day process. The venturi just didn't have the suction that it should have, would not draw a 1/2 inch column of water over a foot, but even though I screwed it up, I though it would be good to go for pulling the vapor in the closed loop of gram's design. well it took 4 hours to get a gallon of methanol back out of the bd after I drained off the glycerol. I never got more than a drip of methanol. I ran the temps to 180 F, pump's spec's said it was good to 180 and well, the seal started leaking...all in all, I guess I'm going back to water washing and using KOH so I don't have to spend so much time with it. BD is now in the settling barrels waiting for the soap to settle to the bottom.
Is there any other way of removing the soap apart from filtering or waiting for settling to happen?
We transferred the biodiesel to a separate tank and recirculated it through a 5 micron bag filter for 2 hours. The biodiesel WAS crystal clear and a very much lighter color in the processor (clear braided recirc line) during the distillation. The next day the fuel was transferred to the settling tank for filtering. The transfer was done by the farm owner, and when I arrived later I noticed that about 6" of a clearer, lighter colored fuel than what was in the settling tank remained trapped above a closed V6. Above this clear fuel, there was about 3/4" of clear color fluid. Was this water or methanol?
I am still having difficulty finding the parts to make a venturi. It seems that the 3/4" compression fit T is only made on Graham's side of pond. Any suggestions?
I am a definite hypochondriac relative to sniffing methanol. I only ask because as I tried to troubleshoot the issues with this fuel, I tried more 5 micron filtering. After about an hour in the same room, and smelling that sweet smell, I swore I felt a bit off. Just wondering if that would point to a residual methanol issue.
Switched back to NaOH after reading about the GL One Day.
After all this, I believe it has to be one of two things that has fouled this fuel.
1.) Residual methanol. We are not using the Venturi -- anyone care to make us one? -- AND we just shot right past 90 deg C during the methanol distallation. We emptied our carboy at 90 deg C, but then just kept adding heat to 100 deg C, at which point we shut the system off. I probably took about an hour to go from 90 to 100.
2.)Poor glycerol draining. After reading several threads on this forum about not being able to achieve total glycerol drainage because of the location of the drainage on the Appleseed, I have been kind of watching for this phenomenon to see how it might mess things up. As indicated above, the fuel was crystal clear and very light while distilling methanol, but when transferred to the settling tank the fuel was light brown and a bit murky, while the bit of fuel trapped above V6 was still yellowish and clear.
Thanks again for all the help. It does totally help!
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Indian inflation fell back again in the last week of October, as energy and commodity prices continued to fall, and the impact of the global financial turmoil and credit crunch ricocheted its way across one country after another. The IMF last week forecast annual growth for India of 6.3% in 2008 while India's manufacturing expansion, which continued to weaken, still held out against the global trend, according to the latest JPMorgan global manufacturing PMI.
So, as we enter November, and a number of Indian indicators start to improve, it is certainly worth asking ourselves, has India turned the corner? Will India lead the emerging markets charge during the next global expansion?
I am not, I am sure, alone in feeling that this is a distinct possibility, and, indeed, a similar view was expressed only last week by Sharmila Whelan, senior economist at CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets.
``We do expect the Indian business cycle to be the first to bottom in Asia. And, it should, in theory, be first to emerge,'' Sharmila Whelan, senior economist at CLSA, said ``The worst will be over by mid-2009 and by 2010 you should be able to see the next investment-led business cycle taking root.''
To the two reasons Wehlan offers us as an explanation for why we should expect India to do better than most (and, perhaps of particular nore here, better than China) - the fact that Indian trade constitutes only about 32.5% percent of gross domestic product (only about half the China figure - thus India is better protected from fluctuations in global trade) and the fact that India (unlike say Russia or Brazil) will be a large net beneficiary from falling commodity prices - I would add a third, India's very favourable demographic profile, which will mean that over the next decade India can continue to draw on the benefits of a young and rapidly growing labour force at just the time when 30 years of once child per family policy starts to bite really hard on the new labour market entrant cohorts in China (for example).
Inflation Screeches To A Halt
India's inflation held near a five- month low at the end of October, seemingly validating the central bank decision to reduce interest rates to bolster economic growth. Wholesale prices were up 10.72 percent in the week to Oct. 25 from a year earlier after gaining 10.68 percent in the previous week, according to the latest data from the commerce ministry.
Of equal importance is the fact that the weekly rate of inflation (week on week) recently turned negative, as energy and commodity prices drop back, and as a result the wholesale price index has now been dropping for eight consecutive weeks after peaking in the August 30 week.
One of the reasons inflation is weakening is of course the fact that Indian GDP growth has been slowing, and the current growth rate is clearly significantly below the 7.9 per cent rate registered in the second quarter (2008 calendar year) a rate which was already notably lower than the 8.8 per cent one reported for the January to March quarter. But with countries from the US to Germany, to Russia and maybe even China (who knows at this point) falling into or near to negative growth, then even a 7% rate looks decidedly healthy to me. What was it they were saying not so long ago about "Hindu growth"? Better a tortoise than a hare in some contexts, but then again, a 7% tortoise is certainly no mean one.
It is interesting to note in passing that the IMF - in revising their forecast down to 6.3% for 2008 - stated that they consider this level to be considerably below India's potential growth. For the time being, it seems, the old "overheating" debate has become a thing of the past. These days we all love India, now don't we?
Ironically, the current global situation is also making India's measured pace of economic reform look wiser than before. At a time when Western countries are frantically nationalising banking assets, the Indian government's reluctance to sell more than 49% in its state-owned banks—which control some 70% of banking assets—now seems reassuring. In addition, India has not yet introduced full capital-account convertibility, which protects its currency, while its careful control of foreign borrowings by domestic companies limits dependence on the global financial system. Regulators have also periodically introduced curbs to slow the formation of potential asset bubbles, such as higher provisioning and prudential requirements on real-estate lending.
The Economist
"For India we have marked our forecast down to 6.3% of 2009 calendar year. That is considerably below what we consider to be India's potential growth," IMF deputy director for Asia Pacific region, Kalpana Kochhar said. "There is a specific meaning to "potential" - it is the rate at which you can grow without causing inflation. And for India we estimate that to be 7.5% to 8%. Our forecast of 6.3% would put it quite a bit below the potential,".
Obviously there are still varying forecasts, with the RBI and the central government being rather more optimistic than most, although India's central bank did reduce its growth forecast on October 24 down to 7.5 percent from 8 percent for the year to March 31. This prediction, if fulfilled, would mean the 2008/09 expansion would be the slowest in four years, but then in the midst of the largest global recession since the 1930s that doesn't sound so bad, now does it?
Interest Rates Coming Down and Monetary System Stabilising
The Reserve Bank of India cut its benchmark rate on Nov. 1 for the second time in two weeks, joining policymakers across Asia in lowering borrowing costs to shield their economies from the global financial crisis. For the first time since 1997, India's central bank on Nov. 1 deployed all three of its main tools to shore up growth after inter-bank lending rates climbed to as much as 21 percent. The move seems to have substantially improved liquidity in the financial system, and overnight call rates fell sharply.
The Reserve Bank of India lowered its benchmark repurchase rate to 7.5 percent from 8 percent. At the same time the central bank also reduced the cash reserve ratio to 5.5 percent from 6.5 percent, and and cut the amount of money lenders are required to keep in government bonds to 24 percent from 25 percent.
The RBI is also considering giving an additional 100 billion rupees ($2.1 billion) each as lines of credit to National Housing Bank and Small Industries Development Bank of India, according to Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram speaking during last week. The idea here would be to increase cash flows for mortgages and for small companies.
Rupee Rises Slightly
The rupee climbed 3.8 percent last week to close at 47.66 a dollar at the 5 p.m. in Mumbai on Friday. The increase represents the biggest weekly gain since March 1996, making the rupee currently the best performer among Asia's 10 most-active currencies outside Japan.
In addition on the foreign currency front, the Japanese Yen is also dropping back slowly against USD, which means that yen "carry" may be slowly starting to recover. A surge in USD-Yen (and hence yen carry) would be another clear sign some key emerging markets we about to start moving, in my view. As we can see from the chart - unless we have more "turmoil" to cope with moving forward - October 24 seems like it represents some kind of turning point.
Stocks Start To Tick Up Again
The Bombay Stock Exchange Sensitive Index has also rebounded, and is up 17 percent since the bottom on Oct. 27. The index added 2.4 percent on Friday. The MSCI core index for India is also up 6.74% so far this month. After all that falling over the last twelve months, it is that little upturn since the start of November (see chart below) that we would like to see consolidate and continue. Of course, this may be yet another false start, and there may be another shoe to drop, but perhaps there are reasons for just a little more optimism at this point.
And the general MSCI Emerging Markets Index also looks as if it may well have turned.
Emerging Bonds Start To Rebound Too
Emerging market bonds have also started to recover, if we look at the JPMorgan EMBI+ chart, we can see what appears to be quite a robust "bounce back". Of course for some countries (Eastern Europe, Argentina etc) the worst is still not over, but India may well be relatively insulated from too much fall-out here.
Not Much Sign Of A Rebound In Commodities Yet
On the other hand, with growth in the OECD countries likely to be bordering on negative in 2009, and Russia and China both likely to have substantial slowdowns, there are not too many signs at this point of any recovery in commodities, if we look at the Reuters-Jefferies chart.
But since India is a large net commodities importer, this is hardly bad news. Oil prices were sedentary Friday following a large scale sell-off during the week, - and this despite a forecast from the International Energy Agency that put the price of crude at $200 per barrel by 2030. Light, sweet crude for December delivery rose 27 cents to settle at $61.04 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, although the contract had dropped below $60 in earlier overnight electronic trading for the first time 19 months. This is all now a far cry from June, when oil was trading at $147.
India's Foreign Exchange Reserves Continue to Fall
India's foreign exchange reserves declined again at the end of October - for the sixth consecutive week - and fell by $5.532 billion to reach $252.883 billion for the week ended October 31. India's reserves have fallen by more than $31 billion in the past one month alone, and are now well below their $318 billion April peak. But on the other had they are still substantial and not far different from what they were 12 months ago, following a very substantial rise over the previous nine months. So if they do not fall too much further, then it isn't evident that there is any real problem at this point.
Sustained dollar selling by the Reserve Bank of India in the forex markets, huge amounts of FII outflow from the domestic equity markets, and the revaluation of the reserves have been the main factors pressurising India's reserves, but all these factors are symptomatic of the general pressure which has come to bear on "higher risk" emerging market economies as a whole as the financial turmoil and associated uncertainty have raged in the United States and Europe, and there is little real evidence of "India specific" factors at work here, indeed Indian exceptionalism would rather be in the fact that - absent commodity export dependence - India's reserves have not been taking the same sort of pounding Russia and Brazil's have.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) also said on Friday that it will lend foreign exchange - via foreign excahnge swaps - to banks with overseas operations to help them meet their lending requirements, a move that many Indian banks had been asking for, and which should help ensure adequate funding for their foreign subsidiaries. Following the central bank's announcement, banks will buy dollars from RBI at the reference rate plus three-month forward premium and will return dollars to RBI after three months, in case of three month swaps.
Additionally, the central bank has also extended a lifeline to banks for funding the swaps by allowing them to borrow through its regular liquidity adjustment facility (LAF). The LAF is the window through which it lends to or accepts money from banks, for the corresponding period at the prevailing policy rate.
Banks borrow through the LAF window by pledging government bonds. They are required to invest at least 24% of their lendable funds in government bonds; this portion of their deposits is called the statutory liquidity ratio, or SLR. In view of the tight liquidity conditions, RBI reduced the SLR by 1% to 24% on 1 November. RBI also said on Friday that if a bank did not hold enough government securities to pledge, it would consider relaxing the SLR requirement if the bank approached it.
The use of swaps helps banks obtain cheaper funds for buying dollars because they can now borrow from the central bank repo window at 7.5%. Previously banks needed to convert their rupee deposits - raised at a rather costlier 10.5-11% - into dollars.
India's Industry Resists The Global Slowdown
Despite the fact that India's industrial output plummeted to a 1.3% year on year rate in August, there are some signs that the situation may be improving. The first of these are the September performance indicators for the coal and cement sectors, the rise in which pushed up the growth in output in the core infrastructure industries to 5.1% in September. According to government data made public on Friday, coal production was up by 10.7% in September 2008 while cement production rose by 7.9%.
Core sector growth in August was just 2.3% - and the six core industries have a weight of 26.7% in the index of industrial production (IIP). On the other hand growth in electricity generation remained weakish - at 4.4% - in September. If compared with the growth rate in August this year, electricity generation was the worst performer among the six sectors, with an abysmal growth of 0.8% in August 2008. Of the six core industries (crude oil, petroleum refinery products, coal, electricity, cement and finished carbon steel), only coal and cement really registered strong growth rates in September 2008. So I guess we have to wait till mid-week now to see the complete September figures.
However, despite what may well turn out to be an improvement in September IP over the August number, it does looks very much as if activity at Indian factories fell to its lowest level in three and a half years in October as the global financial crisis and slowing export demand hit the country's manufacturing sector. The ABN AMRO Bank purchasing managers' index (PMI), based on a survey of 500 companies, slumped to a seasonally adjusted 52.2 in October, its lowest since the survey began in April 2005 and sharply below September's 57.3. A reading above 50 signals expansion while a figure below 50 suggests contraction, and the manufacturing PMIs are interesting, since they do offer us a sort of "real time" snapshot of what is actually happening.
"The outlook for the manufacturing sector appears to be bleaker in the backdrop of tough local and global economic conditions," said ABN AMRO Bank N.V. senior economist Gaurav Kapur.
So the point here would not be that Indian industry is in absolutely perfect condition (it is obvious that it isn't), but rather that, at a time when global manufacturing generally is taking a huge beating, Indian industry is hanging on in, by its fingernails, but it is hanging on in.
In comparison, the JPMorgan Global Manufacturing PMI posted 41.0, its lowest reading since data were first compiled in January 1998 and a level below the no-change mark of 50.0 for the fifth month in a row.
Output, total new orders and new export orders all contracted at the fastest rates in the survey history in October. With the exception of India, which again bucked the global trend, all of the national manufacturing surveys posted declines in output and new orders. The impact of the downshift in global market conditions also had a far-reaching effect on international trade volumes. Although new export orders fell at a slower rate than total new business, all of the national manufacturing sectors covered by the survey (including India) saw a reduction in new export orders.
"October manufacturing PMI data reinforce the stark retrenchment that the sector is currently facing, with production, total new business and new export orders all falling at record rates. The latest Output Index reading is consistent with a fall in global IP of almost 8%. The only positive from the surveys was a decline in input prices for the first time since August 2003."
David Hensley, Director of Global Economics Coordination at JPMorgan
Returning finally to India, perhaps somewhat significantly the export order index in the PMI survey contracted for the first time in the survey's history, coming in at 49.7 in October, compared with 53 in September. Manufacturers blamed poor global financial and economic conditions for the result. But this should not surprise us too much either, since India's exports grew at their slowest pace in 18 months in September. Overseas shipments, which constitute about 15 percent of the Indian economy, were up 10.4 percent (to $13.7 billion) from a year earlier, following a 27 percent gain in August. Imports also increased - by 43.3 percent to $24.4 billion, with the result that the trade deficit widened to $10.6 billion.
``The global financial and economic headwinds adversely affected foreign demand for Indian manufactured goods,'' said Gaurav Kapur, an economist at ABN Amro Bank in Mumbai. ``The growth of total incoming new work to the Indian manufacturing economy lost considerable momentum.''
So, in conclusion, I am not saying that everything in the Indian garden is simply perfect, rather I am simply pointing out that during times which are hard for everyone, India has some advantages to lean back on, and looks set to have a lot less serious downturn than many other emerging economies may experience. So to end, almost where I started, with CLSA'a Sharmla Whelan, I do expect the Indian business cycle to be the first to bottom in Asia, and I would most certainly agree that "it should, in theory, be first to emerge".

subset: commoncrawl


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i'm sure it looks pretty at sunset and feels relaxing at night. i can already feel the breeze... a select group of media had the pleasure of being toured by no less than the architect himself, conrad onglao. here he is against one of the hotel's distinct walls:
check out the lobby bar, below. can you tell where i am?? i'm in effin taguig, man!!
too chic. and if that isn't enough, there is furniture by kenneth cobonpue and wire installations by ann pamintuan. go, filipino design with a global appeal!
curious about what the bedrooms look like? here's a typical room, below. quite spacious and so efficiently designed. love that bay window bench!
the hotel is only partially open and will be completed by march. for more information, go to www.sedahotels.com


text:
Last night, the Chicago Bulls defeated the Celtics by 16 points, 97-81. In doing so, they effectively clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since the 1997-98 season — Chicago would have to lose the remainder of its games and the
HeatCeltics would have to win the rest of its schedule for that not to be the case.
Derrick Rose's play is by no means the sole reason why the Bulls are here, but when he pulls off moves like this casual floater last night, or like this absurd crossover drive through the entire Boston lineup, it's a joy to watch. The ball always seems like it's going nowhere until it goes exactly where he intended it to go. He had an easy 30 last night. Chicago is rolling now, with 17 wins in 19 games, and they'll have earned the necessary confidence to beat whoever picks up the No. 2 spot in the East. The Bulls are even with the Celtics this year, and a perfect 3-0 against the Heat. They're also 35-5 at home on the season. With four games at home in each series, the Bulls should get the corner of the glass whenever they need it.
Bulls romp over Celtics 97-81 in playoff atmosphere [Chicago Tribune]
Video via.


text:
The Match season is close to an end. Navigating through the application process hasn't been easy. Perhaps it might have been less imposing if you could research the programs in depth before the interview and maybe even before applying; haven't at least 9 out of 10 of your applications been rejected even though you checked what the program required upfront?
I am conducting a research project with the following goals:
- Improve IMG chances of getting an interview by identifying and measuring correlation strengths of a variety of application factors
- Make this information publicly available, so that future generations of IMGs are better equipped with the "what really matters" knowledge and therefore can successfully compete
- Identify what type of applicants individual programs invite for an interview
- Identify correlations between number of interviews and successful match
I realize you may not benefit from this study directly. But didn't you benefit from many free IMG resources available on the Internet (forums and newsletters – to name a few)? A group of friends has created this forum as well as provided Match/Scramble newsletter since 2005. Now I ask you to serve the IMG community by sharing your interview experience.
This will take just a few minutes of your time, but will save years for future IMGs.
Please share this with your friends, so that they can also provide invaluable input.
Share your experience:


text:
Nailya Alexander sent me notice that on Thursday night, October 14th, 47 galleries between Lexington Avenue and 8th Avenue in New York City will be open from 5-8 pm.
Nailya's exhibition Contemplating Landscape is on view through October 30th at 41 East 57th Street, suite 704 – many of you know this address as the beautiful Fuller Building, erected in 1929 (other galleries to see in this building include Howard Greenberg, Bonni Benrubi and Amador Gallery, among others, with PaceMacGill virtually across the street).
"For more information call 212/888-3550 or email firstname.lastname@example.com."


text:
international trading company | 136 West Main Street | Welland ON Canada L3C 5A2 | Tel. 905-788-3577
I have severe hearing problems - please contact me by e-mail
Searchable Data Base for visitors or business interested in
Ontario and Newfoundland-Labrador
Things to see and to do
Shopping, Investment
Rock Point Provincial Park on Lake Erie
Contact Information:Rock Point Provincial Park, P. O. Box 158, Dunnville, Ontario N1A 2X5, Canada
Tel. 905-774-6642
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Description:A great place for camping - tents, motor homes, trailers. Sandy beach. Bicycle rentals. Purchase a day pass for swimming and relaxing in wonderful nature.
Selkirk Provincial Park on Lake Erie
Contact Information:Selkirk Provincial Park, R.R.#1, Selkirk, Ontario N0A 1P0, Canada
Tel. 905-776-2600
Hosts: N/A
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/selkirk_park_ca.html
Description:If you travel along Lake Erie and need a break, stop here and purchase a day pass. Enjoy the great nature and the shallow warm water of the lake. We are both attracted by the marsh area and want to explore that with a rented boat. Elizabeth, my wife, is an animal lover and certainly she will take many pictures of birds and all the other creatures which we will discover here. Canoes and other small boats can be launched her, but you also can rent one. We will use our little tent, we do not have a motor home or a trailer. Most Provincial Parks will not offer cottages.
Point Pelee National Park on Lake Erie
Contact Information:Point Pelee National Park, 407 Robson Street, Leamington, Ontario N8H 3V4, Canada
Tel. 519-322-2365
Hosts: N/A
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/point_pelee01_ca.html
Description:Point Pelee is an attraction for all people who love nature. Bird watchers come epically in spring and fall to see the migration of birds. Another known attraction in autumn is the migration of monarch butterflies.
Ball's Falls, Conservation Area
Contact Information:N/A
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/balls_falls01_ca.html
Description:Whenever you visit the Niagara Region and its attractions in and around Niagara Falls you may be interested also in one of the hidden treasures with unspoiled nature, hiking trails and some history. All this you can find in the near by Ball's Falls Conservation Area. When you are here in October you should spend at least a few hours when Thanksgiving is celebrated in Ball's Falls. Local artist and crafts people show their work and sell it. Beautifully restored buildings from the former hamlet are filled with live.
Happy Rolph's Bird Sanctuary and Children's Petting Farm
Contact Information:Happy Rolph's Bird Sanctuary and Children's Petting Farm
2 Northrup Cres, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2M 7M3
Tel. N/A
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/happy_rolphs_ca.html
Description:You will find here not only a clean picnic area, convenient parking, but also easy to walk trails and many domestic animals which are used to visitors and which seem to be always hungry - but please obey the posted restrictions!
Byng Island
Contact Information:Grand River Conservation Authority, Ontario, 4969 Haldimand Rd. #20, Dunnville, Canada, Ontario N1A 2W3
Tel. 905-774-5755
Hosts: N/A
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/byng_island01.htm
Description:Please make reservations in time if you want to camp with a tent or a motorhome. Our web site gives you a little impression what to expect. Large swimming pool, boat rental, bird watching.
Fanshawe Pioneer Location in London
Contact Information:Fanshawe Pioneer Location, 2609 Fanshawe PARK RD. E., London, ON N5X 4A1, Phone: 519-457-1296, Fax:: 519-457-3364
Internet: http://www.itcwebdesigns.com/fanshawe_ca.html
Description:The Location shows how life was in the country side during the 19 th. century in this area. Historical buildings have been moved to this park or replicas have been built to demonstrate this. We always approached friendly interpreters in historical costumes which could explain everything. Our web site will give you a little impression what to expect.


text:
After briefly introducing you to these genealogically applicable topics in parts one and two of this series, I would now like to mention publishing. Blogs are, of course, a form of publishing, as are websites and anything placed on an Internet server or social networking site.
Soon, this Ancestors Within blog will be inaccessible to the general public. What will this mean for you as a reader? If you are one of my relatives, however distant, you can just send me an email to request future access. Proof of relationship will be required, of course. How will you provide that proof?
If you are not related to me, how will your access to this blog be of benefit to me and my family in the future? Investing my time here, and in history, over the past few years has provided many intrinsically valuable rewards for my closest relatives and myself. Now I am investing my time in the future even more than the past.
One of my other blogs is already less available to read than it once was. Perhaps that is something you find surprising though not necessarily lovely! You may not even like the new colour schemes I have chosen for my blogs. Does pink or brown appeal to you more?
Publishing for profit is a topic I find very interesting, and I intend to pursue it more seriously than I have in the past. Although I hope my blogs have already met your expectations, I would like my future writings to go beyond your expectations and provide some lovely surprises.


text:
Hello fellows,
I'm working on my first Windsor chair (Curtis Buchanan's fanback side chair design) and would like to be able to use some specialised tools other than a gouge and scraper. Specifically I'm looking for an adze, travisher and maybe an inshave as well. So if anyone of you have on of these collecting dust, I'd appreciate a message. Willingness to ship to Germany would be necessary, though. Thanks in advance.
Regards and a wonderful new year to all of you.
- David
PS: I'd have use for pole lathe tools as well, hooks, gouges and wide chisels.


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North Gaston�s conference championship clincher was a tad anticlimactic.
GASTONIA � North Gaston�s conference championship clincher was a tad anticlimactic.
The Wildcats crushed Forestview 66-12 on Thursday to improve to 5-0 in the Big South 3A Conference and secure at least a share of the league title thanks to Crest�s loss to Ashbrook.
Seven North Gaston wrestlers won by pin, two won by decision and three others picked up forfeits as the visitors rolled.
�This is where we wanted to be,� North Gaston coach Beau Norwood said. �We�re in control of our destiny.�
North Gaston and Crest each entered Thursday undefeated in the Big South, but Ashbrook handed Crest a 55-12 loss, allowing the Wildcats to clinch the regular-season title for a second straight season. The Wildcats close the regular season Wednesday at home against Crest.
Ian Machamer (120 pounds), James Barstrom (126), Eli Moody (138), Brandon Anderson (160), Collin Johnson (182), Lathan Bumgarner (195) and James Passmore (285) pinned their opponents in North Gaston�s runaway victory.
Jonathon Stinnard (145) and Ryan Carlson (recently inserted into the lineup at 170) each won by decision. Nathan Rice (113), Jordan Galyan (152) and Jesus Martell (220) won by forfeit for North Gaston, which improved to 19-4 overall.
For Forestview�s only wins, Chris Bess pinned Justin Waters at 132 and Karol Rodriguez picked up a forfeit at 106.
Ashbrook won both of its matches Thursday as it followed its win over Crest with a 60-15 victory over South Point.
Against Crest, Raekwon Armstrong (113), Jake Hendrix (132), Will Brandon (145), Zikees Pendergrass (152) and Christian Hawkins (285) delivered pins for Ashbrook. Cory Armstrong (182) won by technical fall while Parker Brandon (120) and Assael Mendoza (170) scored major decisions.
Ashbrook�s other winners against Crest were Blake Warren (decision at 160), Alex Mendez (decision at 195) and Chris Brice (forfeit at 138).
In the match against South Point, Ashbrook got pins from seven wrestlers: Brian Le (106), Armstrong (113), Parker Brandon (120), Will Brandon (145), Pendergrass (152), Mendoza (170) and Mendez (195). The Green Wave�s other winners received forfeits: Emani Burris (126), Armstrong (182) and Derek Weber (220).
For South Point, Trent Ballard (285) won by pin while Tyler Davis (132), Austin Barlowe (138) and Matt Stephens (160) won by decision.
Phillip Gardner: 704-869-1843; twitter.com/gazettephil
Wednesday�s Big South regular-season finales
Forestview at South Point
Crest at North Gaston
Ashbrook at Kings Mountain


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94 N. Main Street, Jasper, GA - (706) 253-2457
Recent editorials written by the Progress staff
A new and simpler Christmas Beyond the tension – Have a Christmas with Joy - Merry Christmas from the Progress!
Tate Depot project - The Tate Depot project has devolved into a half-funded, half thought-out plan and possible waste of $1.2 million in DOT funding.
Have confidence that recycling works - Following public criticism, we want readers to know single stream recycling is for real.
Things we're thankful for - Our little town gives us so many reasons to be thankful.
Kill Hitler or change something about yourself - If you could travel back in time what would you do?
Coat drive donations making a difference - Blankets donated in Pickens County were given away two weeks ago by Holy Spirit Ranch volunteers in an Atlanta park.
Americans take too many drugs - Red Ribbon Week just ended, but beyond the illegal drugs the Red Ribbon campaign fights to keep at bay, America is a long ways from being "drug-free." We're a country addicted to medicine.
The changing relationship of kids and bikes - Kids don't use bikes as transportation like they used to - but more sidewalks in town could change that.
Choco-lypse and the lure of the office candy bag - The office candy bag -- every Tuesday afternoon as we are proofing page after page of type and staring down yet another weekly deadline -- it calls our names.
Open government means open discussion - When parents or
property owners attend meetings, they are carrying on a noble tradition and should be given a chance to be heard.
Pickens County needs to re-align financial timeline - There is good reason to be perplexed about county spending and we don't think the practical explanation accounts for the recent 6.55 percent increase.
Ebola outbreak and U.S. national security - Whether through the virus itself spreading to our shores or by the collapse of established nations that allow terrorist groups a new stronghold, the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa is on our national security radar screens -- and for a good reason.
Something must be done to stop constant Cove Road wrecks - From a traffic point of view, it's sheer lunacy that such a steep and narrow road serves as one of two major east-west traffic arteries for Pickens County.
Little town, big event - We're proud of the way our little town pulled together to make JeepFest 2014 go off without a hitch.
Be informed to know rhetoric versus reality - Progress editor Dan Pool talks about the importance of digging below the rhetoric of news.
Rush to censorship online not in our best interests - In a democracy, just who does get to decide what is free speech and who gets to censor it in the public domain?
Drivers Education would be money well spent - Nixing the Drivers Ed program in schools was a mistake.
Botched executions are inexcusable - How hard is it for a modern country to kill someone? This is not a rhetorical question, but a practical challenge.
I paid $9.99 for a virtual Fruit Ninja - Companies like Amazon and Apple are being sued over unauthorized in-app purchases by children. One Progress staffer tells her own story.
Public probation needs strict state oversight - It was estiamated that private probation generated $40 million in revenue in the past year in Georgia.
Are we our cells? - The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling highlights how our cell phones have come to define us as people.
Kids, pets left in locked cars: A deadly summer mistake - Children and pets should never be left alone in cars, regardless of whether it's a sunny or cloudy day.
With latest Middle East crisis, it's time to cut ties in region - With all the
American military lives, time and money already
expended in Iraq, we can't see getting involved again there.
At airport tech park, failing to plan is planning to fail - Head-in-the-sand governance has left the airport project a decade down the road and nowhere close to reaching a break even point.
How to avoid the "summer slide" - The Pickens County Library's summer reading program is a great way for kids to keep their skills sharp.
Words to graduates - With graduation approaching this weekend, we've pulled some quotes from some of the best graduation speeches of our time.
Port Royal Water Park talk of the town - Here's what we've been hearing about the waterpark resort proposed for Jasper.
Vote yes on SPLOST even with misgivings - A yes vote on the sales tax will give the county some substantial dollars to remedy potholes, cracked pavement and dirt roads.
Pull an Anna Jarvis this Mother's Day - The founder of Mother's Day denounced it later for being too commercial. We see her point.
When did kids get so busy? - Parents need to keep kids activities and free time in balance.
How much rock and roll is noise pollution? - Three times now the planning commission has denied requests for venue permits becuse of the county's lack of ordinances that would provide control of noise, traffic and crowds.
In praise of KPB's environmental efficiency - We appreciate efforts of this local group who keep our corner of the world clean.
Happy Tax Day - We hate it, but every year we suck it up and pay.
Bracket Busted - Progress editor Dan Pool laments his failed Final Four bracket picks.
Common Core is common sense - National standards allow us to compare apples to apples, and Common Core allows us to do just that.
Adults should play on Team Parent - We think modern day parenting falls short on dicipline.
Does Pickens want art? - While maintaining a thriving art community here is a challenge, we think it's worth it.
Students need make up days - A week-and-a-half of missed school will negatively impact student education.
Snowpocalypse jam on the roads shows need for transportation alternatives - We blamed the ice and snow for leaving us stuck at home, but it was really the fact that in Georgia we haven't created any options other than driving.
Winter Olympics - We may not understand them, but we can enjoy the ride
Have politics really gone this low - Sending out "trackers" to video political opponents and exploit misspeech is going too far.
No, we don't know how to handle the cold - Southerns and cold is like oil and water --- they just don't mix.
News at the speed of light - The Progress editor talks about how technology has changed the way we cover news.
The Odyssey for flu shots, and what it says about healthcare - The Progress editor on the diffuculty of getting flu shots for his family.
Charles Schultz's sad little Christmas tree - Charles Schultz got it right when he said, "Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone."
Raising the minimum wage small step in the right direction - Over the dollar amount of minimum wage, A better question to ask is why so many adults are stuck in minimum wage positions?
Sidestep last-minute holiday madness: Shop local - There are plenty of places to do your Christmas shopping right here in Pickens.
Bundle up and go this winter - Don't spend your entire winter cooped up - get outside and get some exercise.
The ABCs of Thanksgiving - We can think of ways we're thankful for every letter of the alphabet.
Long-term solitary confinement: inhumane and ineffective - We agree that crimes should have appropriate consequenses, but mental torture isn't it.
Progress' readers' coat donations leave woman in tears - We love this community because Pikens is full of givers.
Why the Savannah Port project is important to North Georgia - Sometimes government gets it right, and in the case of the near billion dollar project in Savannah they do just that.
Energy drinks and soda aren't "nutrition assistance" - We support the food stamp program, but it needs a major overhaul.
Government shutdown is a hijacking of America - It is enraging that petulant government leaders in Washington have led us to a point where our natural attractions are locked
Cheering for the home team has surprising benefits - Emotional benefits abound when we identify with a local team and build connections to those around us.
Even online, think before you share - Anyone with a keyboard or cell phone can say whatever they think without facing any scrutiny in the real world.
"I Forgot My Phone" - 91 percent of American adults own a cell phone and apparently use them all
the time. Are we addicted?
No way new courthouse doesn't meet needs -- just look at it - Courthouse department heads say there is no room for future growth at courthouse? You've got to be kidding.
On JeepFest, county airport and City of Jasper civil suit - Events/festival/tourism can produce a lot of economic bang without the long-term infrastructure commitments required for commercial development.
U.S. should stay on sidelines in Syrian civil war - We need to learn from history and keep our hands out of Syria.
Abductions, school shootings and other things that probably won't happen - Has parenting gotten too paranoid?
FDA caution a benefit to health despite critics who bemoan delays - We need the
caution of the organization and approvals for new drugs in the U.S. come faster than in Europe or Canada.
Every dog should have its day - The county shelter and Pickens Animal rescue offer great animals.
Has Happiness Left the South? - If a recent study of geotagged internet postings (tweets) is true, the Duck Dynasty gang from A&E's reality television show may be among the few who are happy in their state of Louisiana.
"Learning" - it's not just for the schoolhouse - This school year remember, a child's education happens everywhere
Comments from Main Street - A story two weeks ago on vacant buildings in downtown Jasper prompted a barrage of comments both online and at our Main Street office.
A night at the symphony must be benefical - The Progress editor reflects on his night at the symphony.
Golfing while Egypt revolts may be best policy for Mid-East - It was nice to see America sit back and say, "we don't have a dog in this fight" when revolution sparked in Egypt.
Freedom and pickup trucks - Peoples' desire for freedom lies at the heart of America's Independence Day.
Paula Deen's southern fried mess - Certain racial terms now bring a firestorm of negative attention when the same phrases were regularly used in decades past with no consequences.
Use SPLOST money to spruce up Hwy 515 - We agree that roads are a top priority for the 2014 SPLOST, but we think a gateway beautification project for Hwy 515 would go a long way to improve tourism and provide a boost for our local businesses.
Views on healthcare while wearing an $800 knee brace - Editor Dan Pool came to some conclusions about healthcare after a knee injury put him in crutches.
Teens always moving ahead with social media - Today, Facetime, texting, and online photos are the way teens prefer to keep in touch. And there are some seriously cool tools to help them.
Latest scandal shows what we already knew: IRS is one big mess - IRS worker testimony revealed not so much partisan leanings as a massive dysfunctional bureaucracy run amok.
400 ppm is just a number but we need to pay attention to it - Like a bad report from the doctor, reaching a record high for CO2 is a warning we need to heed.
Internet sales tax creates fairness for Main Street -We can't see any reason that
Amazon.com with its billions in revenue shouldn't pay the same taxes as Jasper Drug Store or Coco's
Whether water park or something else, Pickens economy needs a boost - A water park may sound far fetched, but so did other big developments that are now thriving in Pickens --- and it's time we had a bood to our economy.
Thoughts on the Boston Marathon Bombing - Progress Editor Dan Pool had a lot of time to watch coverage of the Boston Marathon Bombings following a knee injury. Here are some of his observations.
75 cents worth of knowledge - Everybody is aware there is free news on the Internet...but you get what you pay for.
30 minute meals and other lies we're told - We've relegated Rachel Ray's 30-minute meal to the annals of myth, along with all those other wives' tales that have been proven wrong.
Less debt, fewer homes, fewer cars equals shaky economic foundations - Younger people have less debt, but it's not because of financial stability.
A financial refresher for Rob Jones - Following a negative comment Jones made in public regarding our reporting, we felt it was time to remind him of the financial state of the county.
A discussion of our Letters to the Editor policy - We are changing a few things about our Letters to the Editor policy in the next edition.
Be careful what you "like" on Facebook - You think you're casually approving of other friends' posts, but people can draw conclusions about your personality.
How government helped create jobs here - Because our local government got involved, 50 Pickens residents now have good paying jobs.
Legal drugs can still produce deadly outcomes - The drugs that kill more people each year are lurking in your medicine cabinet.
Cove Road unsuitable for key thoroughfare - Speed can always be a problem, but the larger problem is that Cove Road is unsuited as the major east-west county thoroughfare it has become.
Zombies versus snooty English people - Does Downtown Abbey and The Walking Dead divide your house on Sunday? Here's our thoughts on the two primetime shows.
A completely reactionary opinion on climate change - We're not saying it's scientific, but here's how we feel about climate change based on recent weather.
Keep our night skies dark - As our community grows and additional structures and businesses are built, the need for lighting is inevitable. But we have options, and it's up to us to make choices that will help preserve our amazing night skies.
Praying before public meetings comes under fire nationally - We think that prayer is okay at public meetings, as long as it is respectful of all religions.
County must really make cuts to budget this time - Everybody hates numbers, butt readers, pay close attention to this re-telling of our county's attempts at trimming the budget thus far.
Believe it or not? UFO sightings intrigue us - We enjoy the serious stuff too, but talking about UFOs is just plain fun.
Let's react wisely to school shooting - We need to be reasonable with school safety
History isn't being erased, it's just not being printed - Following a seasonal clean-up at the Progress office, our photo editor made some realizations about photographic history in the digital age.
2012 "doomsday" Mayan prophecy - Here are our thoughts on the end of the world.
Pickens Arts Community: Washing the dust off our daily lives - "Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time."
What America searched for in 2012 --- literally - Does this year's top Internet searches surprise you?
Black Friday shows our dark side - We think Thanksgiving is being perverted by earlier and earlier Black Friday shopping.
No suspension for Gordon? - NASCAR Jeff Gordon intentionally hit another racer with his car. We think NASCAR fans should be outraged.
Book Recommendations for the President as he begins a second term
Our lacking curb appeal holds back tourist economy - Jasper needs something enticing on Hwy 515 to pull passers-by into town.
Pitt's Chanel ad: Brilliant or ridiculous? - He made how much for that commercial?
A woman's curve appeal - One staff writer talks about how her own perspective about women's bodies has changed.
Ban censorship, not books - Ban Book Week as just come to an end, and we have a few thought on the matter.
More clicking, less happiness - We think the parody news site The Onion has recently called out, for real, the downside of social media sites.
Candidates' religious views matter - Political candidates should be more forthcoming about their religous view, because they shape public policy.
Are we thankful enough? - This week we want you, and us, to consider the graditude factor.
When we change recreation, let's swing for the fences - Following the termination of the county rec director, we think the department should refocus its energies and work towards building a better program.
Hunger Games passes Potter: Children forced to kill better than magical spells? - In this week's editorial we compare the popularity of the two smash young adolescent books.
School smoking ban: One vice is as bad as the other - If the board really wants to show it is serious about influencing the community's health, how about some attention to diet, exercise and healthy food choices.
More Facebook, less Hatebook - Research shows that people who make hateful, negative posts may have self-esteem issues.
Two keys to success for anyone in government - We call for all elected officials to make it easy and don't proceed until you have considered all the facts when making policy.
More enforcement of existing laws needed on Georgia lakes - After a fatal crash killed two people, we think boating laws need more enforcement.
Being spontaneous can save a vacation - One of our staff writers talks about how being flexible salvaged their vacation plans.
Stimulus did some good, but it didn't do it well - After our research on the stimulus' impact in Pickens, we came to a few conclusions about the efficiacy of the program.
Big Gulp ban an easy target and a positive move - We're fat and getting fatter. Bloomberg's proposal isn't perfect, but it sends a good message.
Thoughts on how Pickens stacks up with rest of North Ga. - Editor Dan Pool discusses Jasper from a cycling tourist's perspective.
The pay of elected officials: the highs and lows - There are obviously a lot of different opinions on how much someone should be paid for a job they are elected to do. What follows are a few thoughts about that.
Keep children's heads above water with adult attention, swimming lessons - Kids deserve to cool off in the pool, but they need to do it safely
To the PHS class of 2012 - Our editorial staff offers a few bits of advice to this year's graduating class.
Do you really want a revolution in this country? - In the face of much heated political rhetoric and talk of revolutions, we need someone to remind us that most Americans want our great country to improve, and not have rioting in the streets.
Public profanity gosh darn inappropriate - We're not models of refinement here at the paper, but we know there are times when being profane just isn't appropriate.
Drop in teen birth rate a step in right direction - Last week, however, to minimal fanfare, the Centers for Disease Control announced that the rate of teenagers giving birth has hit the lowest level since 1946, the first year teen births were tracked.
As far as we're concerned, it is a miracle - Last week the Progress featured a story about a two-year-old who emerged from a hospital virtually unscathed after being accidentally run over by his mother. For us, there is no other explanation.
Simple rules needed for wilderness areas of Georgia - Nature lovers have shown they will support parks, but the state can't ambush them when they get there with arbitrary fees.
Eastwood mania hits town - This week we have a few suggestions for the week leading up to Clint Eastwood's arrival for the filming of Trouble With the Curve in Jasper City Park.
Tourism may help local economy but our plans must be realistic - In an emperor-has-no-clothes moment, we point out Pickens still has no bona fide tourist attraction.
What kudzu should have taught us about tilapia - We think the new bill that would legalize the stocking of tilapia in Georgia ponds and domesticate the non-native fish is a recipe for disaster.
Step lightly when weighing students - For the kids' sakes the new fitness evaluation is needed at school, but if this program isn't well administered it has the potential to devastate some students and produce no benefits for those who need it.
Wake up, Nelson - Used to be when a crisis erupted in a village, someone rang a fire bell in the night to alert the populace and avert disaster. It's time someone did that at Nelson.
A government intrusion - This week we take a satirical look at the state mandate that will force kids to be weighed in school.
The problem down on Main Street: Empty buildings - While combining two fitness clubs is hardly news to rock the local economy, it is certainly poor news for Main Street merchants or anyone hoping for a vibrant downtown.
What's disgusting? - Apparently, researchers are paying more attention to what we find revolting to gain insight into psychological disorders.
Great things are going on here - Too often that which is good is overshadowed by that which is bad, but great things are happening right here in Pickens County.
Where have all the nicknames gone? - Watching simultaneously the Republican primary race, the NFL playoffs and continued coverage of military's efforts in Afghanistan, one can't help but wonder: Where have all the nicknames gone?
Iowa schmiowa - Instead of watching candidates use the Iowa Caucuses as a political launching pad when they are flawed in so many ways, we say change the presedential primary/caucus schedule to something that is more representative.
Georgia jobs should be top priority for legislature - When the legislature convenes next week, the number one focus should be on job creation for Georgia – not the budget. Budget should be a close second.
At least it's not the end of the world - We refuse to get caught up in the doomsday doldrums this year, and we hope you do the same.
To Americans in service: Merry Christmas - This holiday season, keep us mindful, dear God, of their sacrifices on our behalf.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays - Any way you say it, we welcome the seasonal pleasantries. The point we get upset is when people try to make assumptions about others based on their holiday greetings.
Junk E-mails tell all - This week we take a totally unscientific look at what Americans want.
Sell this county like a used-car salesman - County and city officials need to rethink their old M.O. and offer creative incentives to attract new businesses.
World population to hit 7 billion - Some thoughts on the history and future of popuation growth.
The disconnect in health -After meeting with the director of a local health-related non-profit, we wonder why people don't do things that are good for them when they know it would make them feel better.
What would make Pickens a certifiable great place to live? - For the fourth straight year, we look over paublished lists of the best places to live in America to see how Pickens County stacks up.
Fight "planned obsolescence" and buy for quality - It's time to invoke our elders' "keep it 'cause it works " mentality.
Welcome aboard PHS journalists - We are happy and excited to be working with journalism students and instructor Steven Wilkie on the new monthly high school newspaper The Dragon's Lair.
Stop to smell the roses (and sip the coffee) - We need to remember that life here is ripe with simple pleasures.
Some places where spending tax money is exactly what we need - Ideas on how spending local tax money up front could prove fruitful in the long run.
Debt ceiling drama a sideshow: Federal budget should be focus - The immediate problem with the political game of financial chicken in Washington is that the turmoil has bled over into our economy.
Business of sports shouldn't be ignored when assessing local parks - Pickens is missing out in the game of sports tourism dollars.
Public obsession with celebrity - Is it envy or the appeal of a human car wreck that keeps us glued?
Marketing violence to youngsters: Kids' meals with a side of gunplay and a little torture thrown in - Ultimately it's the parents responsibility to make good decisions when raising kids, but marketing companies should take a higher road and stop pimping violent films to our children.
A tragedy in one act: Money down the toilet bowl - Learn what can happen when you leave your toilet to its own devices in this first hand account from staff writer Angela Reinhardt.
Why self checkout stinks - There are essentially two kinds of people in this world, those who use self checkout and those who don't. Which one are you?
Chiseled in marble plans needed for courthouse - Why after three years of piddling around is the county still not formally into planning mode for the courthouse?
Keep mean dogs on short leashes - Even with new animal control policies here, pet owners still have responsibilities.
Ga. parks shouldn't be forgotten by families or legislators - Both inexpensive and close to home, our state parks and other outdoor recreation areas offer a wide variety of activities and places to relax and we engourage you to use them more.
Is college worth it? - The question recently posed in a national poll by a nonpartisan group is, "Is college worth it?" In our view, the answer is a resounding, "Yes".
Swimming Lessons & Common Sense Save Lives -- An average of ten people drown every day in the United States. Kids in the south deserve the chance to cool off in pools and ponds this summer, but adults have the responsibility to keep them safe.
Time to end the war in Afghanistan - America has spent over $4 billion since the death of bin Laden and six American troops have died. Now is the time to bring our men and women home.
Childhood obesity trend not slimming down - Unfortunately, the distinctly American trend of childhood obesity is not going away.
For three decades, we've been getting bigger and bigger as childhood obesity rates have alarmingly tripled.
Last week's storms prove weather warnings save lives - We're thankful that we live in a time when we have so many ways to be prepared, and we were inspired to see people in Pickens get over being "the cool guy" and actually take last week's weather forecasts seriously.
Preventing child abuse starts with adults taking action - Prevent Child Abuse Month is winding down, but there are things we can do all year long to make a difference in a child's life.
T-SPLOST: Good, bad or just ugly? - With a vote on a regional transportation SPLOST on its way in 2012, we are uncertain how this unprecedented push for state funding will pan out for Pickens.
Support your community: Enjoy weekend events - With big events going on in town this weekend we have a chance to add a little flavor to our community, year after year, by going out to enjoy them.
Keep nuclear power threats & benefits both in perspective -- In light of Japan's natural disaster, it's important to realize both the dangers and energy possibilities with nuclear power.
Pig out of town and trees officially ugly - From Buzzards to hogs to groundhogs --- Jasper, it's been a wild year.
NPR better off without federal funding - Without funding from the federal government, NPR wouldn't be beholden to politicians like Rep. Tom Graves, who uses the issue as a politicial hockey puck when its convenient.
Sober Drivers, Not Luck of the Irish Needed When Celebrating -- Thursday is Saint Patrick's Day and despite its roots in Christianity it is now widely considered a secular holiday ranked as one of the highest alcohol consumption days in the United States and one of the busiest times of year for bars and restaurants.
SPLOST a Fairer Way to Pay -- While no one supports new taxes, we hope voters will give a favorable nod to the school's sales tax referendum coming March 15th. One way or the other we have to fund education and sales tax beats property taxes in our opinion.
Sunday alcohol sales versus local control - For a conservative-controlled statehouse, proposed legislation involving Sunday alcohol sales presents quite a conundrum. Governor Nathan Deal has struck the correct tone: Sign legislation if passed by the house and senate and let local people decide for themselves if they want Sunday sales.
Facebook & kids - More young users online, but sizeable minority believe social networking not appropriate for teens.
Animal shelter the cat's meow - The Pickens County Animal Shelter is just weeks away from its grand opening on March 1, and after taking a tour of the impressive facility last week we feel praise should be given where praise is due.
Clean your plate...it does us all good - Often the latest environmental/social cause du jour comes across as some flaky idea dreamed up by a bunch of college grad students with too much time on their hands. But one of the latest ideas, now trumpeted by various pundits, relates almost solely to your kitchen. Turns out it could save you a few bucks while it's no more elaborate than your mother's old exhortations to "get what you want but want what you get" when you sit down to mealtime.
"They" shouldn't do anything to help downtown Jasper - "They" need to get busy, according to a lot of opinions relating to downtown Jasper. They need to do something to help businesses downtown, to ease parking, to slow traffic. They need to do something about the trees. They need to get rid of the water park. In our opinion, They have done enough already, and we're not being sarcastic.
Cursive may go the way of hieroglyphics, but is that a bad thing? - Although cursive handwriting is currently required of third graders in Georgia, the new Common Core Standards for English adopted by the state last summer makes no mention of it. Teachers and administrators from across Georgia will convene in March to decide whether or not to amend the standards and keep cursive as a requirement for our kids.
It's been cold, but global warming still heating up -- This winter has been unlike any in Georgia's recent history. After one ice storm and two major snows not even a month into the season it's easier than ever to discount global warming as politicized hype.
Turn off that telephone and talk to someone -- Jasper Pickens says, Seein' as Christmas Day found me on the road away from round here, I stopped midday at a handy Waffle House to place a to-go order.


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Publish Date
June 2010
This report presents national estimates of sexual activity, contraceptive use, and births among males and females 15-19 years of age in the United States in 2006-2008 from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). As previous data showed, having first sex at a younger age within the teen years is associated with more negative circumstances and consequences. Females who were younger at first sex are more likely to report it was unwanted; both females and males who were younger at first sex are more likely to accumulate higher numbers of sexual partners and have more partners within a recent time frame.
National Center for Health Statistics
Publication Type


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An accord India and France signed on 25 January in New Delhi for 36 Dassault Rafale fighters for the Indian Air Force (IAF) although initially declared an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) is now being described by Indian officials as a memorandum of understanding (MoU), preparatory to a more binding IGA.
"What was signed was an MoU and when the financial part of it [the deal] is settled, then obviously the IGA in its entirety will be concluded," S Jaishankar, the most senior civil servant in India's foreign ministry, has told reporters.
His clarification followed Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's statement that an IGA for the Rafales "has been completed, and now only a few financial issues remain" at a joint press conference with French president François Hollande in Delhi.
The French president, whose three-day Delhi visit concluded on 26 January, said the deal was a "decisive step" forward and all outstanding financial matters would be resolved in a "couple of days".
Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials said that an MoU was simply an expression of intent to buy the Rafales, whereas an IGA is a more explicit document outlining the proposed deal but without providing contractual and price details. An IGA, however, cannot be signed unless the contract price has broadly been agreed upon, officials told IHS Jane's .
The Rafale deal, worth around USD9 billion, was to have been the centrepiece of Hollande's visit to India, where he was the chief guest at the annual showcase Republic Day military parade in Delhi on 26 January. A French military contingent also joined the parade on Delhi's main boulevard in the first such participation by any foreign country.
Official sources said ongoing Rafale price consultations were constrained by India's Contract Negotiation Committee (CNC) insisting that the fighters cost less than the previous Congress Party-led federal coalition would have paid for them


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The Breadcrumb Trail
A new internet talk show speaking to artists, journalists, musicians and writers. Two cameras, one presenter, one great conversation. We're funding it this way so there's no need for ads.
- About
- Backers (39)
- Comments (2)
- Updates
I don't want to watch Jonathan Ross leering over a starlet or see David Letterman shuffle through his paces anymore. I want to make a show that's about speaking to interesting people about interesting things with no other agenda beyond that. So I'm going to. It's called The Breadcrumb Trail.
We'll film the first series of 6 episodes in London in late-August 2012 and release them free, once-a-week via Vimeo, YouTube and iTunes. To fund the show I'm looking for £2.5k in crowd funding. If we can get 63 people to put in £40 we'll have cracked it. I'll fund the extra cash required to get the production sorted.
We need money because we want to make it properly polished. That means a camera operator, a sound technician, a director and an editor. I'll be writing the scripts and presenting it too.
Guests on our wish list include journalist Suzanne Moore and musician Liam Frost. We're also going to approach Caitlin Moran, Laurie Penny, Alan Moore, Toby Young and some surprise inclusions too. If you have a suggestion for a guest, join the producers by backing the project and you can join the secret production group where your ideas will be part of the mixing pot.Visit project website
Promised of our £2,500 target
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You will be listed as a producer in the credits.195 rewards, 189 remaining
You will be listed as a producer in the credits and receive a special t-shirt to thank you for your support.197 rewards, 189 remaining
As well as the other benefits you'll get, if you fund us with more than a hundred pounds, I'll take you out to dinner and write a custom bit of work for you.17 rewards, 9 remaining


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Sampling, prototyping, and on-demand printing are some of the benefits direct-to garment inkjet printers represent. Discover how four companies have made these machines important parts of their businesses.
By Ben P. Rosenfield and Lori Leaman
The market for direct-to-garment (DTG) inkjet printers has grown steadily over the past few years. When Screen Printing first covered the technology in its September 2005 edition, only four companies offered DTG printing systems. The playing field had more than tripled nearly two years later, with offerings from 13 companies showcased in a follow-up article in Screen Printing's March 2007 issue. Now, almost two years after we last covered DTG systems, the manufacturer count is at 17.
The demand for DTG inkjet printers isn't coming solely from garment screen printers who need a solution for short runs and one-off jobs. Companies that specialize in signage, graphics, and promotional items also are getting in the game, as are entrepreneurs who set up seasonally at sports events, amusement parks, and shopping malls. The following profiles demonstrate the ways in which a variety of companies have successfully integrated garment inkjet printing into their operations.
QRST's is a company in growth mode. The Somerville, MA-based garment shop uses six- and eight-color M&R Gauntlet garment presses, a Brother GT-541 direct-to-garment inkjet printer, and, after re-cently acquiring a company called Cambridge Embroidery, a couple of Barudan single-head machines.
QRST's was founded in 1989 and purchased seven years ago by Peter Rinnig. For him, digital garment decoration represented a way to complement the shop's screen capabilities. Now, he says, it accounts for a substantial portion of his business's gross revenue.
QRST's bought the Brother GT-541 two and a half years ago. Rinnig says being an early adopter of the new technology has paid off in a variety of ways.
"It was about 8% of our gross the first year, then 10 or 10.5%, now it's at 12%," he explains. "And when you're first to market in something like that in my area, you end up with 15 or more of your competitors who don't have one and who come to you to get their digitally printed shirts. I already have it, so they don't need to buy one."
Rinnig attributes part of his success with garment inkjet printing to research. He says he made it his mission to understand from day one what would and wouldn't be possible with the digital printer. He decided on the Brother after six months of investigating, including obtaining printed samples and visiting trade shows.
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The Emerald Coast is expected to have a chilly week as it dries out from four days of heavy rain.
The Walton County Sheriff�s Office today announced a local state of emergency due to area flooding.
The issuance is for residents living in southeastern Walton County and around the Chactawhatchee River, according to a release from Walton County. Officials will continue to update information as it becomes avaliable.
Okaloosa County Emergency Management spent Tuesday morning monitoring areas around the Shoal River, but Ken Wolfe with Emergency Management said the river likely would not reach the point of needing to evacuate residents.
Original story:
The Emerald Coast is expected to have a chilly week as it dries out from four days of heavy rain.
A cold front that moved into the area Monday night could bring temperatures as low as the mid- to upper-30s.
�We�ve got cold temperatures through the rest of the week,� said Cody Lindsey, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mobile. �But the severe weather we�ve been having is expected to subside.�
Okaloosa, Walton and Santa Rosa counties saw significant rainfall throughout the weekend. The National Weather Service on Monday issued an alert warning of severe weather including widespread rain and periodic thunderstorms.
�There�s been a powerful storm front from the west and thunderstorms across the western Panhandle in association with a warm front from the Gulf,� Lindsey said. �The two systems combined produced large storms with the main impacts being heavy rainfall amounts and flooding.�
View slideshow of weather damage >>
Read more on recent weather events >>
Some areas of Okaloosa County received 3 to 5 inches by Monday morning. Those totals increased with evening rain, but no record rainfalls were reported.
Localized rainfall was predicted to be as high as 7 inches in some areas by Monday evening.
�It�s been a pretty wet period,� Lindsey said. �No records have been broken as of this year, though.�
Officials in Okaloosa County spent Monday monitoring areas prone to flooding and sent out warnings to residents living along Yellow, Shoal and Blackwater rivers.
Some roads near all of the rivers were closed early Monday due to flooding, said Ken Wolfe with Okaloosa County Emergency Management.
By late Monday, the Shoal River had reached 9.5 feet, surpassing its 8-foot flood stage.
�It has to get up to 12 fee to really start impacting homes,� said Randy McDaniel, emergency management director for Okaloosa County. �If it is still climbing at the same pace (Tuesday) ... we have a shelter that we can open.�
In Walton County, flooding was reported in multiple areas including around several bridges, Walton County Sheriff�s Office Spokeswoman Wendy Ammons said.
Santa Rosa County�s Deaton Bridge also was closed due to flooding.
The heavy rain left about 1,000 people in Okaloosa and Walton counties without power from Sunday night to early Monday, said Natalie Smith, spokeswoman with Gulf Power.
No power outages were reported in Santa Rosa County, she said.
�The outages we have had we�ve been able to take care of them really quickly,� Smith said. �We're always prepared with weather like this. Right now, we're just waiting and watching.�
Lindsey said the cold front will bring cooler temperatures that last through Sunday as well as the potential for a light freeze with temperatures in the middle and upper 20s by later in the week.
Closures by County:
Okaloosa County
Hwy. 393 at Shoal River
Hwy. 393 at Relief Bridge
Hwy. 393 at Pond Creek
Lake Ella Road at Pond Creek
Old Dorcas Road at Shoal River
County Line Road (Hwy. 393 and152-CLR)
Ellis Road
Horsecreek at Big Horse Creek
West Kelley at Big Horse Creek
Woodland Street
Santa Rosa County
Deaton Bridge
Bryant Bridge Road
Walton County
Crooked Creek/County Road 183 Bridge
Drapper Lake
McKinnon Bridge
Sherwood Road Bridge


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The Specific Operating Goals of the TWG in support of the Objectives are to:
i.Provide technical input into the execution of assessments on the current state of systems of statistics in National Accounts, Short Term Economic Indicators, International Trade in Services and Investment Statistics at the national level in each Member State to enable a clearer understanding on specific issues through the:
a.Analysing of the soundness of methodological approach to national accounting
estimation, short term economic indicators, international trade in services and
investment data compilation;
b.Identification of current available of experts in these areas;
c.Documenting of sources of data that are important in producing these
d.Engaging inter-agency collaboration for the production and
dissemination/submission of key indicators in these areas;
ii.Assist in the identification of strategies and facilitate the implementation of actions that will address data deficiencies, taking into consideration the RSWP, the minimum data set (core and encouraged) and statistics required by all collaborating institutions;
iii.Assist in the identification of technical assistance needs and matching them to the expertise available for submission to the attention of the Advisory Group on Statistics (AGS);
iv.Operate as a key technical resource in addressing any country-specific issue
in these areas;
v.Engage in practical research in the theoretical and methodological issues important to the diffusion of knowledge in these areas of statistics;
vi.Provide a forum at the national and regional level to facilitate the discussion of issues (compilation procedures, methodologies, best practices, etc.); and
vii.Propose ad hoc sub-groups necessary for work to be done in these critical areas of statistics and formulate/recommend the work to be executed by these subgroups of the TWGs, for endorsement by the AGS
Question: Are the specific objectives listed exhausive? if not, what additional objective should be included?:


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Miley Cyrus thanks fans for birthday fundraising
MILEY CYRUS has thanked fans for raising money for charity in honour of her 20th birthday.
The singer/actress reached the milestone on Friday (23Nov12), and her loyal devotees rallied round to send donations to two of Cyrus' favoured organisations instead of sending her gifts.
The star learned her fans had pledged money to the Starkey Hearing Foundation and animal charity Saving SPOT! Dog Rescue, and she has taken to her Twitter.com page to thank them for their generosity.
In a post, she writes, "Thank you to all my fans who donated to starkey hearing spot rescue dogs for my birthday. y'all topped it again best bday (sic) present by far!"
Cyrus also shared a photograph which showed her posing between birthday balloons depicting a '2' and a '0', and added, "Great night last night. Thanks to everyone who celebrated with me."
The charity donations from fans weren't the only presents Cyrus received - activists at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) adopted a pig, called Nora, in Miley's name as she transitioned from a teenager to her 20s.


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Peugeot Citroen automaker to cut 8,000 French jobs
Date created : Latest update :
France's largest auto manufacturer PSA Peugeot Citroen announced Thursday that it will be cutting 8,000 jobs from French factories following significant first quarter losses and a shrinking European market.
REUTERS - French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroen announced 8,000 job cuts and a plant closure as it struggles with mounting losses, in a move that could spark more restructuring and political tension in austerity-strapped Europe.
The Aulnay plant near Paris, which employs more than 3,000 workers, will stop making cars in 2014 as Peugeot reorganizes its under-used domestic production capacity, the company said on Thursday.
Aulnay, which builds the Citroen C3 subcompact, will become the first French car plant to close in more than two decades, challenging new Socialist President Francois Hollande's pledge to revive industrial production.
"I know how serious these measures are for the people concerned, and for our entire company," Chief Executive Philippe Varin told reporters. "But a company can't preserve jobs when it is burning 200 million euros ($245 million) a month in cash."
"Prevaricating would have put the group in great danger."
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said the government was studying the closure plan, which he called a "great shock", but stopped short of condemning it, incurring the wrath of the CGT, France's biggest industrial union.
Peugeot said another plant in the western city of Rennes will shed 1,400 workers as it shrinks in step with demand for larger cars such as the Peugeot 508 and Citroen C5. Some 3,600 non-assembly jobs will also be scrapped across the country.
Combined with France's share of 6,000 European job cuts announced last year, the latest measures will reduce Peugeot's 100,000-strong domestic workforce by close to 10 percent, excluding subcontractors and service providers.
Workers at Aulnay downed tools after the announcement, halting production. Hundreds gathered under protest banners at the main entrance to the plant, the biggest industrial employer in the depressed, multiethnic Seine-Saint Denis district northeast of Paris.
"Varin has declared war on us, and we'll give him war," said local CGT union leader Jean-Pierre Mercier.
After initially rising, shares in family-controlled Peugeot were down 1.3 percent at 1345 GMT. The stock has plunged 32 percent since Jan. 1, wiping 1.2 billion euros off the company's market value.
General Motors bought a 7 percent Peugeot stake in March to underpin the companies' planned alliance in purchasing, logistics, vehicle development and production.
Seeking to disarm the critics, Varin disclosed that a 700 million-euro ($857.5 million) loss at the core manufacturing division had dragged the group into the red. Operating cash flow is not expected to turn positive before 2015, he also said.
"Lost the Plot"
"People weren't expecting them to consume cash at such an alarming rate for such a long time," said Erich Hauser, a London-based auto analyst with Credit Suisse.
"This is a company that has run out of options," Hauser said. "Peugeot has lost the plot in European small cars, which were its traditional mainstay."
Peugeot's global sales fell 13 percent to 1.62 million light vehicles in the first six months - contrasting with a more modest 3.3 percent decline reported by Renault and a 10 percent gain for the Volkswagen brand.
Peugeot is one of the automakers most exposed to southern European markets badly hit by the region's debt crisis and lacks its German rival's export success or the support of a low-cost brand like Renault's Dacia.
Still, the French automaker's plans could prompt restructuring moves by rivals, analysts say, as the European industry battles overcapacity estimated at 20 percent.
Renault and Fiat are already reducing headcount, while GM's Opel division plans to close its Bochum plant in Germany by 2017.
"We would expect Fiat's CEO (Sergio) Marchionne to be watching today's announcement very closely," said Kristina Church of Barclays Capital.
Marchionne said last week that Fiat would be left with "one plant too many" in Italy if the auto market did not recover within 2-3 years, while predicting that it probably would.
His opposite number at Renault, Carlos Ghosn, has said the first major restructuring by a European manufacturer could open the floodgates to a rash of closures.
"The day somebody's able to restructure heavily in Europe, it's going to force all car makers to do it," Ghosn said in March.
Election Barrier
Peugeot executives had already outlined plans to close Aulnay in a document leaked to unions in June 2011, while warning that an announcement would be impossible before French elections which ended last month.
The company pledged on Thursday to convert the site for other industrial activities and transfer half its workforce to its other Paris plant in Poissy, west of the capital.
In his statement, Prime Minister Ayrault promised to ensure that Peugeot helps laid-off Aulnay workers find new jobs. The government is due to unveil a support plan for the wider auto sector on July 25.
But national CGT union leader Bernard Thibault slammed the new administration for failing to prevent the Peugeot job cuts and called the restructuring plan an "earthquake".
Social Affairs Minister Marisol Touraine said the layoffs were "unacceptable" from a company that had benefited from billions of euros in auto-sector aid during the last crisis.
The job losses at Peugeot may yet go further.
Some 2,700 workers at the Sevelnord delivery truck plant in northern France were asked in May to agree to a pay freeze, hundreds of job cuts and increased flexibility - or face closure after Fiat exits the joint venture as soon as this year.
Discussions with unions and prospective partners are "on the right track," Peugeot manufacturing chief Denis Martin said on Thursday. Future production now hangs on conditions including "the efforts that we're asking of the workforce", he added.


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Argos Home Milano Leather Swivel Chair - Light Grey
- £429.99
Colour: Grey
5 Colours available
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- Grey
- Ivory
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About this product
Where contemporary design meets comfortable living, the Milano collection is upholstered in 100% top grain Italian leather. Easy to care for, the swivel chair has foam filled seat and fibre back cushions, offering you superb relaxation.
This chair comes with a 10 year frame guarantee. We'll cover manufacturing faults on frames, feet, arms, internal springs or webbing. We can arrange a repair, replacement, exchange or refund.
Part of the Milano collection.
- Top grain leather.
- Made from 100% leather.
- Fixed seat with pocket sprung foam filling.
- Fixed cushion(s) with fibre filling.
- Free fabric swatch available on this line.
- Size H84, W104, D101cm.
- Floor to seat height: 44cm.
- Depth of seat: 58cm.
- Width of seating area between arms: 70cm.
- Height of arm rest: 64cm.
- Weight 34.5kg.
General information:
- Professional clean only.
- Plump cushions regularly to maintain shape.
- Minimal assembly - just add feet.
- Maximum individual user weight 110kg.
Packaged dimensions:
- Package size H86, W110, D88cm.
The small print
We have recently re-branded so you might receive some new Argos Home products in The Collection by Argos packaging. But don't panic, it's the same product, it just takes a little time for the previous packaging to move through our warehouses.
*Prices correct as displayed but are subject to change.
The customer and brand answers you'll see above are submitted independently. As we don't review these answers, we can't take responsibility for anything they may say. The responses from Argos colleagues are accurate at the time of publishing. For the latest info, you should check the product page.
This product comes with a minimum one year manufacturer's guarantee, unless otherwise stated in the specification above.