text:
A man on ledge, 23 miles up and no fear
Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent
@BBCAmoson Twitter
- Published
They've dubbed it the "mission to the edge of space".
The pedants will no doubt point out that Felix Baumgartner's attempt to make the highest ever skydive from 120,000ft (36.5km) is nowhere near space; and of course, they'd be right - the so-called Karman line is judged to be at about 100km (328,000ft). But this kind of misses the point.
At the altitude the Austrian daredevil intends to leap out of his capsule, the air pressure is less than 2% of what it is at sea level. He'll be jumping into a near vacuum. He's all but in space.
It's been a long road for Baumgartner. He first discussed with his sponsors Red Bull the idea of breaking Col Joe Kittinger's 52-year-old parachute mark back in 2005.
Since then, he's had to battle technical and budgetary challenges to make it happen, calling on the expertise of a top-notch team - Kittinger included - to pull him through.
The 43-year-old now needs not so much as a fair wind but next to zero wind to launch his "monster balloon" and capsule. He should realise his dream in the coming days.
"It's enormously difficult to launch a balloon this big," team meteorologist Don Day told me.
"When it comes down to launching Felix, it'll all be about wind speed and wind direction. We need calm to 3mph, from the ground up to about 250m. If it's any more than that, our launch crane cannot keep up. But right now, Tuesday's looking good."
Baumgartner will try to break four records here in Roswell, New Mexico:
Highest ever parachute jump. On 16 August 1960, the US Air Force pilot Kittinger jumped from 102,800ft (31.3km). Baumgartner will use a helium balloon with 10 times the volume to get another 18,000ft (5.5km) higher into the sky. The polyethylene envelope is an extraordinary thing. It will be 55 storeys high on lift-off, and as wide as a football field when fully inflated in the stratosphere; but the membrane itself will be just 20 microns thick. Think of the plastic bag in which you collect your dry cleaning.
First human to break the sound barrier unaided by a vehicle. Kittinger reached 614mph (988km/h) - about Mach 0.9 - on his descent. Baumgartner is expected to achieve a speed in excess of 690mph (1,110km/h) within about 40 seconds of leaving his capsule. With so little atmosphere at 120,000ft, he will drop very rapidly. Enhanced GPS (he actually carries four sat-nav systems on his body) will tell mission control just how fast he is moving. Baumgartner himself should hear tones in his helmet when he builds up to, and goes beyond, Mach 1.
Longest freefall time. Another of Kittinger's records that stands to fall. He plunged through the atmosphere for just over four-and-a-half minutes. Baumgartner hopes to better that by at least a minute. Altogether, from jumping out of the capsule to putting his feet on the ground, the Austrian should take around 10 minutes to complete the journey back to Earth. The landing in the desert is likely to be several tens of kilometres from the lift-off location at Roswell airport.
Highest manned balloon flight: The type of balloon being used for the flight would normally be deployed in unmanned scientific experiments. Some infrared and microwave telescopes, for example, have to get above the water vapour in the atmosphere or they can't see the cosmos. But no human has flown this kind of balloon (835,000 cu m/29.5 million cu ft) to the target height. Baumgartner can only claim an unofficial record in this category, however. The Federation Aeronautique Internationale, which certifies all aeronautic records, insists the pilot must be in the balloon when it returns to Earth for the mark to be endorsed. Obviously, that doesn't fit with the current project.
"We can talk about records here if you want, but I'm more concerned about the science we're doing," Joe Kittinger told me.
"Felix will be wearing the next generation of full-pressure suit; future American astronauts will be wearing this kind of suit. Felix will demonstrate that it works at 125,000ft."
Heated sun visor
Oxygen supply hose
Main parachute handle
HD camera on each leg
Suit made of layered material
Mirror to check parachute
Altitude gauge
High altitude balloon: expands with altitude
Balloon made of plastic film 0.002cm thick
Frame attaches capsule to balloon
Sliding door to exit capsule
Foam insulated shell
There is no doubting that this is a dangerous endeavour. Two people who tried to better Kittinger's records in the 1960s lost their lives in the process.
Baumgartner has very sensibly built his project up step by step. He's jumped from 71,600ft (21.8km) and 97,100ft (29.6km) - each time he's learned something new, especially how to frame his body in the dive (he'll adopt a delta position, tracking head down).
There has been a lot of discussion about what is likely to happen if and when he goes supersonic. What impact will the shock wave have passing over his body? Could it knock him into a spin, or even knock him unconscious? In fact, the project director Art Thompson thinks very little will happen. He says the skydiver might not even notice when he has gone Mach 1.
"Because we're breaking Mach above any significant air density, the pressure wave should be pretty negligible. But he could see something more significant when he comes out, but again he's likely to come out at about 92,000ft," he said. "We're figuring he'll be in Mach for 20-22 seconds."
A lot has been made, too, of the dangers inherent in operating beyond the Armstrong line. Go above 63,000ft (19km) and exposed human tissue will begin to swell; bodily fluids like saliva in mouth and water in the eyes will start to boil. Hence the need for that full-pressure suit.
Baumgartner will also be on a pure oxygen supply. There is insufficient O2 to gulp where he is going, and if there is a breach in his visor the hypoxia will put him in a deadly place.
I must say, looking at this mission, it is actually the first few thousand feet of the ascent that will have me most anxious on the day.
Baumgartner has to achieve a certain altitude (3,000ft/1km) before he can rely on the emergency abort system in his capsule.
If his fragile balloon were to tear and suddenly deflate below this height, there would not be enough time for the capsule to release itself and deploy a parachute.
And there's certainly no chance of the Austrian jumping free himself, not when he has to negotiate a narrow doorway wearing a pressure suit - however next-gen and flexible it might be.
"We start breathing when we get above 3,000ft," says Art Thompson.


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Can a cotton farmer have too much rain during a drought? Well it can cause some problems but Gene Overton, who farms near this Grady County community, says it's a good problem to have.
"We received more than 30 inches of rain here since this spring," Overton said, standing in a field of dryland cotton as tall as he is.
"We were two weeks late getting it planted due to rain and a cool spring. It kept on raining throughout the summer and kept us from applying any growth regulators to slow down the growth."
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Historically, frost has controlled growth in U.S. commercial cotton. A good frost will kill the plant about the time cotton bolls have matured.
Overton says he will have to put a growth regulator on his tall cotton crop. Also, the heavy structural growth of the plants may force him to use a cotton picker rather than the usual cotton stripper.
Due to drought conditions, a weak market and other concerns, Overton, like other cotton farmers, didn't plant as much cotton this year. He expects to harvest 400 acres.
"I planted varieties from PhytoGen, FiberMax and AllTex," he said. "I'm hoping the crop will average three-quarters of a bale per acre. It might do better. While the plants are loaded with bolls, they are so big and covered with leaves, it is hard to estimate what the final yield will be."
Other Oklahoma cotton growers, except for those in the extreme southwestern portion of the state where the drought is still severe, say if they had known there would be sufficient rain, they would have planted more cotton.
Overton also serves as the manager of the Bi-State Cotton Producers Cooperative gin here. His father, Bill, built the original cotton gin at Minco. He has been the gin manager for 13 years.
The cooperative's members planted approximately 5,000 acres of dryland cotton along with 1,500 acres of irrigated cotton, some of which has potential to yield two to three bales per acre, he said.
"We usually receive cotton to process from farmers in the Union City and Pauls Valley areas," he said. "Cotton is also transported here from the Blackwell, Okla., area, near the Kansas border."
This has been a busy year of construction at the Minco facility. They installed equipment from another cotton gin at Blackwell. The next step will be to build a building around the newly-installed equipment.
"We will be ready for harvest," he said. "I know everything will be in place and ready to roll later in October."
Also of interest on Southwest Farm Press:
Timely rains help Okla. cotton
Oklahoma Panhandle irrigators cut Ogallala Aquifer water use in half

subset: commoncrawl


text: The parks are closed and it is that time of year to take a road trip. Sure, you could go to Wisconsin or the Dakotas, but consider this: a weekend full of farm tours, small towns, rivers and lakes. Let me be your tour guide (something I am in no way qualified to do, by the way) as I point out the myriad possibilities presented by the "Eat Local Farm Tour".


text:
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text:
Patrick Toomey
|Patrick Toomey
|Junior U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania
From: January 5, 2011 – present
|Arlen Specter
|Incumbent (no successor)
|U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania's 15th District
From: January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2005
|Paul McHale
|Charlie Dent
|Kris Toomey
|Roman Catholic
Patrick ("Pat") Toomey (born November 17, 1961) is the junior Republican United States Senator from Pennsylvania and was a three-term Congressman from Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District from 1999 through 2005. In 2004, Toomey attempted to unseat the entrenched Arlen Specter from his Senate seat in the Republican primary. Despite being outspent by Specter, who as a liberal also received newspaper endorsements, Toomey lost the primary by just 2% of the vote. He served as the president of The Club for Growth from 2005–2009. In April 2009, Toomey announced that he would make a second attempt for the U.S. Senate, against thirty-year incumbent, now-Democrat Arlen Specter. Winning the republican primary by a large margin, Toomey defeated Sestak in the fall. A conservative, Toomey is pro-life and a strong advocate for limited government, tax cuts, and reduced wasteful spending. Unfortunately, Toomey is also a supporter of gun control, and co-wrote the Manchin-Toomey gun-grab bill with Democrat Joe Manchin
External links


text:
A's, Suzuki mutually excited about reunion
BALTIMORE -- Kurt Suzuki exchanged hugs with several teammates in the Oakland clubhouse prior to Friday's series opener after being traded from the Nationals.
Then, it was off to find a batting practice jersey and a suitable pair of shoes.
"It feels good," said Suzuki, who spent the first 5 1/2 seasons of his career with Oakland. "I'm shocked, to say the least. I mean, I couldn't be happier to come back where it all started and help this team get into the playoffs."
The A's acquired Suzuki from Washington for right-handed pitching prospect Dakota Bacus. Suzuki batted .222 with three home runs and 25 RBIs in 79 games for the Nationals this season.
Suzuki said he was happy with the time he spent in Washington, but was glad to be back in the green and gold.
"It's bittersweet," Suzuki said about the trade. "I wouldn't say glad for a change of scenery. I enjoyed my time there. Send to me to a place with a chance to win, and I'm all in."
Oakland manager Bob Melvin said Suzuki was a welcome addition to the clubhouse, especially with the loss of catchers John Jaso -- who could miss the rest of the season with a concussion -- and Derek Norris -- who was officially placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday, retroactive to Aug. 21, with a fractured left big toe.
Stephen Vogt was the only healthy catcher on the A's 40-man roster.
"He's terrific," Melvin said about Suzuki. "The tough part about replacing a catcher, as far along in the season as we are, is the transition period with the pitchers. So, this one is an easy one. He's knows most of our guys -- a team leader, always has been. I don't know if the front office could get a better guy for us."


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text: Amplified Speaker Packages 1984 Ford Econoline Car Audio Upgrades The 1984 Ford Econoline is a line of full-size vans and truck chassis from the Ford. Here at HifiSoundConnection.com we have a wide selection of 1984 Ford Econoline Car Audio Upgrades. These Car Audio Upgrades are made from top of the line materials by the most trusted names in the industry. Purchase your 1984 Ford Econoline Car Audio Upgrades here at HiFiSoundConnection.com for big savings and super low prices!


text:
Hugh Hendry is back with a bang after a two year hiatus with what so many have been clamoring for, for so long - another must read letter from one of the true (if completely unsung) visionary investors of our time: "I have not written to you at any great length since the winter of 2010. This is largely because not much has happened to change our views. We still see the global economy as grotesquely distorted by the presence of fixed exchange rates, the unraveling of which is creating financial anarchy, just as it did in the 1920s and 1930s. Back then the relevant fixes were around the gold standard. Today it is the dual fixed pricing regimes of the euro countries and of the dollar/renminbi peg."
In the letter the most surprising insight from the perpetual contrarian is his almost predictable contrary view of the dominant investing meme at the moment. To wit: "We are, as a result, long the debt saddled west and short the vastly over vaunted and over owned BRICs." More on this: "There is a near consensus that China will supplant America this decade. We do not believe this. We are more bullish on US growth than most. The momentous nature of recent advances in shale oil and gas extraction and America's acceptance of the unpleasantness of debt and labour price restructuring looks to us as if it is creating yet another historic turning point. By embracing his inadequacies and leaping on his luck, the strong man may have finally broken the binds that had previously held him back. We are also more pessimistic on Chinese growth than ever. This makes us bearish on most Asian stocks, bearish on industrial commodity prices, interested in some US stocks, a seller of high variance equities and deeply concerned that Japan could become the focal point of the next global leg down. On the plus side we also believe that we are much closer than before to the beginning of a bull market of perhaps 1982, if not 1932, proportions. We just need the last shoe to drop."
We will let readers combs through the narrative that shapes Hendry's most recent outlook, although one chart worth pointing out is The Eclectica boss' visual summary of the "New Economic Order" which presents precisely the tenuous relationship between the Fed and the PBOC we have been decrying for so long, and which so many commentators (ooh, ooh, the PBOC is easing any minute now... oh wait, it isn't) fail to grasp:
Yet one thing we do want to point out is how different compared to your run off the mill 2 and 20 rent collector is the Eclectica M.O. when it comes to generating Alpha (as opposed to everyone else's levered beta):
As you know, I have a proclivity to make money in a bear market. The Fund's ten-year NAV progression demonstrates this survivorship bias; when bad things have happened, we have made money. We are very robust. Last year was no exception. Despite the challenges confronting speculators, I am much relieved that we succeeded in making 12% in a rather disciplined manner, and the Fund has now posted a CAGR of almost 10% for the last nine years.
Maybe that was the easy bit. The question now is just how we can make money in the tough business of global macro investing this year. As I am sure you by now know, I am nothing but a worrier. I have, I think, a soul mate in the prolific but often misunderstood Italian soccer player Pippo Inzaghi, the second highest scorer in all European club competitions. He has 70 goals behind him but he recently noted that, "the tension is always the same...I hoped to become less agitated with time, but this is also my strength". I suspect he would have made a fine macro manager.
I meet a lot of inquisitive and extremely intelligent people in this business and I have come to think that maybe this is something of a problem. Perhaps they are just too smart. Perhaps they just try too hard. Rightly or wrongly, the highest return on intellectual capital of any endeavour in the world today comes from the management of other people's money. So it is entirely rational (especially if you have never met a hedge fund manager) to assume the industry attracts the brightest, smartest minds. The beautiful mind, if you will. But I am not aiming to outsmart George, Stan, Julian, Bruce or the others. I do not think it is logical to try and outsmart the smartest people. Instead, my weapons are irony and paradox. The joy of life is partly in the strange and unexpected. It is in the constant exclamation "Who would have thought it?"
Why did ten year treasuries yield 14% under the vice like grip of iron-man Volker but yield just 1.8% under the bookish and most definitely Weimar-like Bernanke? Why does France in 2012 flirt with the notion of electing a socialist president intent on reducing the retirement age, imposing a top rate of tax of 75% and increasing the size of the public sector? Why do we hang on the every word of elected politicians when Luxembourg's prime minister Jean Claude Junker openly admits, "When it becomes serious, you have to lie"?
You cannot make stuff like this up. It is simply too absurd.
That is perhaps a long way of saying that existentialism is alive and well in the 21st century. For, if the last ten years have taught me anything, it must be that the French philosopher Albert Camus, in his search for an understanding of the principals of ethics that can shape and form our behaviour, may have surreptitiously provided us with three basic principles for macro investing. I am perhaps doing him a gross injustice, but I would summarise as follows: God is dead, life is absurd and there are no rules. In other words, you are on your own and you must take ownership of your own destiny.
For me this has always meant being detached from the sell-side community. It is not a question of respect, it is just that I prefer not to engage in their perpetual dialogue of determining where the "flow" is. I cannot be reached by telephone. I suspect that I am one of the few CIOs who does not maintain daily correspondence with investment bankers and their specialist hedge fund sales teams. Not one buddy, not one phone call, not one instant message. I am not seeking that kind of "edge." Eclectica occupies an area outside the accepted belief system.
I attempt to cultivate my own insights and to recognise the precarious uncertainty of global macro trends. I attempt to observe such things first hand through my extensive travel (I promise no more YouTube videos), and seek to understand their significance by investigating how previous societies coped under similar circumstances. But first and foremost, I am always preoccupied with the notion that I just do not have the answer. I am not blessed with the notion of certainty. Someone once said we should think of the world as a sentence with no grammar. If we do I see my job as putting in the punctuation. But above all, my job is to make money.
In keeping with this theme, I want define the three ingredients that I believe make for an outstanding macro hedge fund manager. These are, in no stringent order:
1. Successful but contentious macro risk posturing.
2. The need to choose the asset class offering the highest probability of payout should the conviction hold true whilst offering an asymmetric loss profile should the original premise prove unfounded
3. A best in class risk technique that stop losses the narrative and responds early with loss mitigation procedures (i.e. a method of staying solvent, rational and disciplined under pressure).
I have always figured that the first is the real key. That success was simply a matter of contentious macro posturing. In other words, going long very rich risk premium or buying cheap stuff. It is my assertion that what makes a great fund manager first and foremost is the ability to establish a contentious premise outside the existing belief system and have it go on to become adopted by the broader financial community. Bruce Kovner expressed the idea more eloquently when he said, "I have the ability to imagine configurations of the world different from today and really believe it can happen. I can imagine...that the dollar can fall to 100 yen". I am sure you are nodding in agreement, except Bruce was saying this when the USDJPY was well over 200, not today's rate of 80!
That is the kind of guy I want to be when I grow up. Recall that I have the kind of imagination that can conceive of the yen trading closer to 60. Similarly, if we look back and reminisce about previous years, the Fund's 50% return in 2003 was derived from a legitimate but certainly contentious view that China's WTO entry was set to boost the cyclical "old" economy of the West and that fiat hyper-management of the financial economy could propel gold into a super bull market. To think these views were once contentious; plus ça change!
Who would'a thunk it: one just needs some imagination and creativity, the ability to visualize that which most of the other ones cant or are too lazy to do it, and just wait as the bizarro market takes over and makes the impossible not only probable, but conventionally accepted by the herd.
And a segment that all the Whitney Tilsons of the world should read:
I fear that our no longer small community has been compromised. Funds are neglecting their hard portfolio stop limits. Last year was generally very tough for long/short strategies and I commiserate with all concerned. But last year witnessed too many world class funds lose over 15% in the space of just two months. Of course today they are celebrated once again for making double digit returns in the quarter just ended yet they still languish below high water marks and their Sharpe ratios are busted.
You could probably live with that if you are a pension scheme or a large, sophisticated fund-of-fund because you have a global macro sub-sector that is typically long gamma (just look at our credit tail fund's 46% gain last year). The unfortunate thing is this group exercised its stop losses somewhere between 2009 and 2010. That is to say, they honoured the pact they had with clients. They adhered to the terms of their risk budget. I fear that owing to this nasty experience, today no one in macro is running much risk. I suspect daily VaR budgets are anchored at 50 bps or less. That is to say, I fear the financial world is in danger of harvesting a monoculture of fund returns that could prove less than robust should the global economy suffer another deflationary reversal...
Read the full letter below:


text:
Magic's in the air.
Former Charmed star Rose McGowan is engaged to Davey Detail, People reports. McGowan and Detail, an artist, have been dating for a year.
PHOTOS: The most surprising celebrity couples"Thanks for all your good wishes! Fish faces for you all," McGowan tweeted, along with a photo of her and Detail hamming it up adorably for the camera.The actress previously dated Marilyn Manson for three years and was engaged to director Robert Rodriguez in 2007.


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During the past two decades, the importance of education beyond high school in determining economic well-being has grown substantially. By the early 1990s, economists understood that, for decades, changing skill demands in the labor market have favored workers with more education. Although the large influx of college-educated workers (created by the entrance of the Baby Boom generation into the workforce in the 1970s) temporarily suppressed the wage advantage associated with postsecondary education, by the early 1980s, the large supply shift abated, and the relative wages of workers with a college education began a dramatic and persistent increase.
Though the technological and economic changes affecting the shift in labor demand are signs of a vibrant economy, they raise concerns about the economic reality faced by workers without any postsecondary education whose real wages have stagnated for the past 30 years. In response to these shifts, most policy-makers and analysts have focused on efforts to encourage high school students (and perhaps those already in the workforce) to enroll in postsecondary education. Unfortunately, policy and research on postsecondary education have tended to focus on education within four-year postsecondary institutions. Both in the arena of higher education policy and in the general perception of what postsecondary education means, two-year or sub-baccalaureate education receives little attention, and even less attention has been paid to occupationally oriented education.
At the bachelor's degree level over the last two decades, the number of college students majoring in liberal arts or academic subjects such as English, sociology or chemistry has declined both in absolute numbers and relatively while applied fields such as health, business, and education have increased. In fact, occupational fields now account for a majority of sub-baccalaureate enrollments (Bailey, Leinbach et al. forthcoming; National Center for Education Statistics 2002). What are the implications of this trend? Do occupational fields at the sub-baccalaureate level offer students good opportunities or do they lead them into educational pathways and occupations that limit their options and provide more restricted earnings potential?
Because this report is part of the National Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE), we have a particular interest in the economic returns to occupational education. Occupational programs prepare students more or less directly for work while academic programs presumably provide a broader education. Many employers want to be able to hire workers who can start work without initial extensive training. Thus, one hypothesis might be that sub-baccalaureate students who pursue a more academic program might be more easily trained whereas those in an occupational program would need less training to be immediately productive. In evaluating occupational education, we would like to know what employers pay for workers with these different types of education. If employers value the specific preparation of an occupational program, are they, at least in the relative short run, willing to pay extra? An academic education at the sub-baccalaureate level may be useful but only as preparation for completing a bachelor's degree. A wage premium for an occupational education would suggest that it would make sense for students to pursue an occupational course of study if they were not going to go beyond an associate degree.
Data are available to address many of these questions, yet higher education researchers and labor economists who analyze the returns to various levels of education have paid little attention to a sub-baccalaureate education in general and even less to an occupational sub-baccalaureate education. Many studies of the earnings effect of education simply use an "undifferentiated years of schooling" variable or categorize any person without a bachelor's degree but with education beyond high school as having "some college." Only a handful of studies have sought to estimate the economic effect of a two-year or sub-baccalaureate education, with or without a certificate or degree, and even fewer have attempted to estimate the returns for occupational students. Moreover, those few analysts who have addressed these questions have used data from the 1970s and 1980s. The higher education system, the community college role within that system, the demographics of the student population and labor force, the nature of the labor market, and the technological characteristics of jobs have all changed in the last 30 years, casting doubt on the conclusions implied by these studies.
This report presents an analysis of the economic returns to postsecondary education. It adds to the current knowledge in this area both by focusing on the returns to occupational sub-baccalaureate education and by using a newly released dataset, the National Education Longitudinal Survey of 1988 (NELS). NELS comprises a nationally represented sample of eighth grade students in 1988. To get some understanding of trends, we also conducted a similar analysis of the High School and Beyond (HS&B) dataset that is composed of students who were high school sophomores in 1980. HS&B follows this cohort of young adults until 1992, when most were in their late 20s. Both of these datasets provide detailed information with respect to investments in postsecondary education and economic outcomes from a representative sample of more than 7,000 men and women who finished high school in the early 1980s and 1990s. Our analysis is based on data on annual earnings collected eight years (NELS) and 10 years (HS&B) after scheduled high school graduation.
We also used the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Survey (BPS89) dataset, which tracks a cohort of first-time beginning students in the 1989-90 academic year for four years. With BPS89, short-term (one to two years after college) returns to education are estimated, but there are several caveats that will be explained in the following discussion. Unlike NELS and HS&B, a major advantage of this dataset is that education and work experiences of older students can be observed (27 percent of the sample are age 24 and older). However, to allow for at least one year of work experience after leaving college, we had to restrict the sample to those who completed or left college after six semesters, which is two semesters fewer than what is typically needed for a bachelor's degree. We recognize that the estimates from the restricted sample do not necessarily represent those of all first-time beginners in BPS89. Therefore, caution must be taken when reading the returns from this analysis.
In this report, we present findings from our analyses of economic benefits using the HS&B and NELS data and briefly discuss our analysis of immediate economic outcomes of special populations using BPS89. Our analyses have been designed to answer the following questions:
What are the average earnings benefits associated with sub-baccalaureate degrees?
How do the earnings of sub-baccalaureate students (those who complete degrees and those who do not) compare with the earnings of individuals who have no more than a high school diploma?
Do occupational students who earn degrees earn more than those who complete an equivalent amount of education but do not earn degrees (referred to as the sheepskin, or program, effect)?
Is the sheepskin effect stronger or weaker for occupational students than it is for academic students?
What is the effect of enrollment in a high school vocational track on the subsequent earnings of sub-baccalaureate students, and does the high school track have a different effect on the earnings of academic and occupational sub-baccalaureate students?
Is occupational education beneficial for subpopulation groups such as students who are older, students who belong to a racial-ethnic minority, or students who are academically or economically disadvantaged?
This report is structured as follows. First, we provide a brief review of the literature, with a specific focus on the returns to different aspects of occupational education. Second, we describe the datasets and the samples studied here, highlighting both educational experiences and economic outcomes. Next, we describe average earnings and employment differences among students in the NELS, HS&B and BPS89 samples who engaged in various forms of postsecondary study. Finally, we present results from a variety of multivariate models estimated to identify returns to enrollment and credentials from sub-baccalaureate programs and to answer the questions posed above.
To maintain terminological coherence with the other reports we have done on this subject, sub-baccalaureate refers to those students who began at a two-year college or those who had a less-than-bachelor's degree goal at their initial postsecondary institution. In all analyses, a college student can be either a baccalaureate (attending a four-year college) or a sub-baccalaureate. Sub-baccalaureate students are further divided into occupational and academic, based on their initial program of study. Students who did not declare a major at their first postsecondary institution are retained in the sample and identified as such. Throughout this report, when we refer to a high school graduate, we mean a student who graduated from high school but who has no postsecondary education. In most of our analyses, high school graduates are the reference category; therefore, the coefficients on educational variables can be interpreted as the earnings difference between whatever group the variable represents (say, those who completed an associate degree) and high school graduates with no postsecondary education.


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Supposedly safe money-market funds have been in the spotlight since the Reserve Primary "broke the buck" in 2008 after a bad bet on Lehman Brothers. The scrutiny only intensified after a number of commentators revealed just how exposed many money-market funds are to the problems in Europe, prompting calls for reform and greater oversight into the funds' underlying holdings.
In response, the SEC had planned to untether the $1 net asset value, allowing it to float with other investments, along with imposing capital requirements and limiting fees on redemptions. But SEC Chairwoman Mary Schapiro was stymied in her efforts last week, as a provision attached to a funding bill would require the SEC to study the situation once again.
Such a move would push any action past November's presidential election and possibly to a new SEC chairman, The Wall Street Journal noted in an editorial on Monday. The provision was added by Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R.-Mo., of the House Appropriations Committee.
The SEC's plan had met with stiff resistance from fund industry lobbying groups. Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments, noted at the Investment Company Institute's (ICI) annual conference in May that the industry and the SEC were at "loggerheads" over the issue.
During a keynote presentation, Hobson told Schapiro that the fund industry has "never dug in its heels like this," in objection to a reform proposal by the SEC. Schapiro responded in agreement: the industry is "more dug in and strident [on money-market fund reforms] than we've seen on other issues."
Adding futher confusion, Moody's is scrutinizing a number of major U.S. banks this week, including Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. The examinations are seen as a possible precursor to downgrades, throwing more turmoil into an increasingly tumultuous money-market situation.
What many investors don't know, and what commentators like Sallie Krawcheck, the controversial former head of wealth management at Bank of America and Citigroup, point out is that that as recently as last summer, the largest money funds averaged 45% of their investments in European bank paper, with one major player at just under 70%. "They don't know that, were the investments to falter, half of the top 10 money-fund providers are not large and presumably well-capitalized banks but instead asset managers that don't have anything like banks' capital resources," Krawcheck (left) noted in the Journal in February.
Nor, she continued, do money-fund investors know that the largest money-fund managers have been gaining share in the industry over time, therefore concentrating and potentially heightening the risk of a failure.
"And they don't know that, while these firms will likely go to extreme lengths to avoid 'breaking the buck,' the $1 net asset value represents an implicit, rather than explicit, guarantee. Even then, there is no certainty that firms will be successful in raising capital in a downturn since, by definition, they will be trying to do so during a market dislocation."
In a comment letter to the SEC in May, Scott Goebel, senior vice president and general counsel for the mutual fund behemoth Fidelity Investments, recognized the need for greater oversight, but urged regulators to go slow in instituting new rules.
"We believe that some minimum international standard must exist for consistent treatment and management of money-market funds under a global regulatory framework," Goebel wrote. "However, we realize that money market fund regulation has developed in different markets based on differences in relative size and maturity of national economies. It is important for regulators to recognize these differences within their jurisdictions, which may necessitate varying regulation."


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Domari: Yuruk language
Language name: Domari: Yuruk
ISO Language Name: Domari [rmt]
GRN Language Number: 9391
Language Scope: Unknown
Language State: Not Verified
ROD Dialect Code:
Audio recordings available in Domari: Yuruk
We do not currently have any recordings available in this language.
Audio/Video from other sources
Jesus Film Project films - Dom - (The Jesus Film Project)
Jesus Film Project films - Nawary - (The Jesus Film Project)
Other names for Domari: Yuruk
دومّری :یوروک
Where Domari: Yuruk is spoken
Dialects related to Domari: Yuruk
- Domari (ISO Language)
- Domari: Yuruk (Unknown)
- Domari: Barake (Dialect)
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- Domari: Koli (Unknown)
- Domari: Kurbat (Unknown)
- Domari: Kurbati (Unknown)
- Domari: Luli (Dialect)
- Domari: Marashi (Unknown)
- Domari: Maznoug (Unknown)
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- Domari: Nawar (Unknown)
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People Groups who speak Domari: Yuruk
Gypsy, Domari;
Information about Domari: Yuruk
Population: 500,000
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Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died following a battle with cancer, Vice President Nicolas Maduro said Tuesday. He was 58.
Chavez died at 4:25 p.m., Maduro said.
Chavez, who won re-election to a third six-year term in October after saying he was "totally free" of the disease, had not appeared in public since Dec. 10, when he flew to Cuba to undergo his fourth surgery since June 2011. Before leaving, he called on Venezuelans to vote for Vice President Nicolas Maduro should he be unable to complete his term, which began on Jan. 10.
According to Venezuela's constitution an election must be held within 30 days of the president's death. It's unclear whether Maduro or National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello will take over on an interim basis after the Supreme Court ruled in January that the ailing president could delay his swearing in for a new term.
Chavez returned to Caracas on Feb. 18 and went directly to a military hospital, the government said at the time.


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United Kingdom
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Click on the links to visit the recommended websites.
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Website 1
Watch a video clip about Tutankhamun who became an Egyptian pharaoh at the age of nine.
Website 2
See what Viking warriors would have worn.
Website 3
Visit a castle and meet a medieval noblewoman.
Website 4
Design a robe worthy of a Chinese emperor. (Watch the video to find out more about robes worn by Chinese emperors.)
Website 5
Find out about Moctezuma, who ruled the Aztecs 500 years ago.
Website 6
Examine a painting of a Mughal emperor and his colourful court. (Scroll down to see more views and zoom in on details.)
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Enter the Hall of Mirrors inside the Palace of Versailles. (Click on the pictures at the bottom of the screen to move to another room.)
Website 8
Watch dancers act out the parts of Columbine and Harlequin, a comic Italian play popular 300 years ago.
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Find out how to fold a large piece of paper into a samurai helmet.
Website 10
Fun facts about cowboys and the Wild West.
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Browse pictures of female athletes and sportswear from the 1920s.
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We have closed our physical store March 2020 and now just have the web site. We have a pick up location in North East Edmonton for anyone who chooses to. Once you place your order on line, you will be emailed the day, time and address when your order is ready for pick up(usualy the next day).
About In-Store Pickup
Our pick up location is 12917 – 53 Street (Kendale Truck Parts)Edmonton AB. You will be emailed when your order is ready for pick up. It usually is the following day after your order is placed.


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|Sylvania, OH
Toledo, OH
Ann Arbor, MI
Maumee, OH
Jackson, MI
|Perrysburg, OH
Ypsilanti, MI
Monroe, MI
Oregon, OH
Napoleon, OH
|Romulus, MI
Canton, MI
Bowling Green, OH
Wayne, MI
South Lyon, MI
The center of each city listed is within 44 miles of Adrian, MI.
Scroll down the page to find a list of big cities if you're booking a flight between airports, or a list of smaller surrounding towns if you're doing a road trip.
This is a list of large cities closest to Adrian, MI. A big city usually has a population of at least 200,000 and you can often fly into a major airport. If you need to book a flight, search for the nearest airport to Adrian, MI. You can also look for cities 4 hours from Adrian, MI (or 3 hours or 2 hours or 1 hour).
This is a list of smaller local towns that surround Adrian, MI. If you're planning a road trip or exploring the local area, make sure you check out some of these places to get a feel for the surrounding community. You can also search for cities 100 miles from Adrian, MI (or 50 miles or 30 miles).
Travelmath helps you find cities close to your location. You can use it to look for nearby towns and suburbs if you live in a metropolis area, or you can search for cities near any airport, zip code, or tourist landmark. You'll get a map of the local cities, including the distance and information on each town. This can help in planning a trip or just learning more about a neighboring city so you can discover new places.


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New York, NY - August 15, 2013 - TV Land has fast-tracked a project to be written by writer, producer and creator Darren Star, it was announced today by Keith Cox, Executive Vice President of Development and Original Programming for the network. This single camera comedy, which is based on the novel "Younger" by Pamela Redmond Satran, will follow the story of a suddenly-single New Jersey housewife and mother in her early 40s who, unable to restart her career, decides to lie about her age and successfully passes herself off as a twentysomething. Armed with a makeover and new resume, she wins a coveted position at the city's hottest publishing company. Pretending to be "younger" doesn't hurt in the bar scene, either, as guys line up like never before.
"Darren has brought to life some of the most dynamic and indelible characters on television today," said Cox. "We are beyond excited to work with him. Between 'Sex and the City,' 'Beverly Hills, 90210' and 'Melrose Place,' he has created some of the most iconic and beloved shows in the history of television." Darren Star and the book are represented by UTA.
TV Land also recently announced a pilot for a multi-camera sitcom, "Jennifer Falls," starring Jaime Pressly. The network's current line-up of original sitcoms airs Wednesdays at 10pm ET/PT and includes the hit series "Hot in Cleveland," "The Exes" and "The Soul Man." The series have received several awards and accolades including two 2013 Creative Arts Emmy(R) nominations: one for "Hot in Cleveland" and the other for "The Exes." All of these series star pop culture icons and fan favorites including Betty White, Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick, Jane Leeves, Kristen Johnston, Donald Faison, Wayne Knight, David Alan Basche, Kelly Stables, Cedric "The Entertainer," Niecy Nash and Wesley Jonathan. This December, TV Land will debut its newest original series, "Kirstie," which stars Kirstie Alley, Michael Richards, Rhea Perlman and Eric Petersen.
About TV Land
TV Land is the programming destination featuring the best in entertainment on all platforms for consumers in their 40s and 50s. Consisting of original programming, classic and contemporary television series acquisitions, hit movies and digital portfolio, TV Land is now seen in over 98 million U.S. Homes.
About Viacom
Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB) is home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms in more than 160 countries and territories. With approximately 700 million global subscribers, Viacom's leading brands include MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, BET, CENTRIC, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick at Nite, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV Land, Spike TV, T?3s, Paramount Channel and VIVA. Paramount Pictures, America's oldest film studio and creator of many of the most beloved motion pictures, continues today as a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. Viacom operates a large portfolio of branded digital media experiences, including many of the world's most popular properties for entertainment, community and casual online gaming.
For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom's blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.


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Desktop Virtualisation Desktop virtualisation presents many technical choices but they could turn out to be the easy bit. Licensing the software is where it all gets difficult, especially when the software is Microsoft Windows.
The problem is that Windows licensing is based on the assumption that you install software on hardware, but virtualisation abstracts the hardware away.
"Microsoft does not sell a user licence for clients accessing or running Windows. Customers often want to license Windows based on a user model that allows the user the flexibility to gain access from any device," according to a Gartner report.
Fat chance
The authors think the chances of Microsoft introducing site licensing for Windows OS are "remote".
So how is Windows licensed in a virtual environment?
If you are doing session virtualisation with Remote Desktop Services (RDS), you are in luck. There is only one instance of Windows running on the server, and all you need is a Windows Server Client Access License (CAL) supplemented either by a RDS CAL, which is a perpetual license, or by Microsoft's Premium VDI Suite, a subscription that include RDS CALs.
An RDS CAL can be per user or per device, but you cannot mix and match. Per device is great if you have many users sharing a few PCs, and per user is great is you have users with several devices; if you have both, you just have to do the sums.
One for all
That's session virtualisation. If you want to use a virtual hosted desktop, where all users have their own Windows virtual machine (VM), it gets more difficult and expensive.
You might think that Windows has to be licensed for the VM on the server, but it is not that simple. Each device that accesses that VM has to be licensed.
There are two plausible ways to do this. First, if you have a Windows PC with Software Assurance, Microsoft's subscription covering upgrades and support, then that PC is covered automatically. Second, if you have a device such as a thin client that does not run Windows natively, you can obtain a Virtual Desktop Access (VDA) licence for that device. This is subscription-only and costs about £68 per device per year.
This is not just for your main thin-client device but for each one you use. Imagine, for example, that you normally access your virtual hosted desktop from a Windows 7 PC. Then you get an Apple iPad and use a remote desktop client to access your Windows virtual desktop. Microsoft requires a VDA license for that iPad to make it legal.
Free to roam
However, if the iPad belongs to you personally, and you are the primary user of another licensed device, then you can use the iPad for free under roaming provisions.
This is just the Windows licence. If you are also using Citrix or VMWare technology, for example, further licences apply.
Few applications are as complex as Windows in licensing arrangements. Adobe, for example, licenses its desktop software per user – not per concurrent user – irrespective of whether it is running locally or on a remote VM or in a session on a terminal server.
"Microsoft's ability to move from per-device licensing will create a cascade of issues"
Microsoft Office, however, has some wrinkles. "Generally only licences obtained through the Microsoft Volume Licensing Program can be deployed to a network server for remote access," says the company's guide. In other words, you need a subscription.
Why does Microsoft make it so difficult?
"While the demand is real, we believe Microsoft's ability to move away from per-device licensing for Windows will create a cascade of issues (such as OEM agreements, revenue forecasts and profitability) for which there are no simple solutions," says Gartner.
The simple solution is to use an alternative operating system – except that for many organisations that would create another "cascade of issues".
In the meantime, it seems that Microsoft really wants you to have Windows devices and subscription licences if you are heading down the virtual desktop path. ®


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CAROLYN: She's been with this guy since she was 18. I don't think we see any big changes in her. The issue is really that he doesn't treat her well enough: He does not seem to enjoy spending time with her family (which is very important to her); he has no plans to get a job and instead continues to play poker professionally but unsuccessfully (he's apparently in debt); and he has suggested that he might like to move – despite the fact that my sister-in-law would leave behind a fantastic job. Is there a good way to frame these things that avoids indicting the boyfriend? — CONCERNED AGAIN
ANSWER: Actually, I don't think there's a good way to frame things that doesn't indict the sister, for failing to take care of herself.
In those cases, you are essentially stuck, since the problem is likely bigger than her romantic deadweight.
Still, someone close to her can declare: "I will love you and back you always, but man will I celebrate when you get your head out of your (seat cushion)." Again, a judgment call on what the sibling bond can withstand.
Email Carolyn at email@example.com, follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/carolyn.hax or chat with her online at noon Eastern time each Friday at washingtonpost.com.


text: Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - Travel to Romania from Turkey - best route Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today! Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Travel to Romania from Turkey - best route Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Romania View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message ghostJoined: 30 Jan 2003Posts: 1693Location: Saudi Arabia Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2003 4:56 pm Post subject: Travel to Romania from Turkey - best route I have a couple of weeks off and would like to travel to Romania from either Ankara or Istanbul. What would be the best way to go? Bus or train? Do you also need a visa if you are going through Bulgaria? People say that Bucharest is best avoided. Which cities would be recommended (Constanza or Brasov or other?). Any recommended bus companies or trains from Ankara or Istanbul? Thanks for any info. Back to top Mike_2003Joined: 27 Mar 2003Posts: 344Location: Bucharest, Romania Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2003 6:48 pm Post subject: Hi, The plane from Istanbul to Bucharest takes about an hour and a return trip, including taxes, is $248. One flight a day from Ataturk Airport to Otopeni. The train leaves Sirkeci in Istanbul at 11pm every evening and arrives in Bucharest the following day, late afternoon (depending on delays). Costs about $30 plus one way, depending on the type of wagon you use. There are one or two bus companies but you would have to go to the otogar to find more details. I believe it costs about $50 and takes approximately the same time as the train. You need a visa to pass through Bulgaria. UK citizens can get a free visa for Bulgaria at the border, as they can for Romania. Take care, Mike Back to top scot47Joined: 10 Jan 2003Posts: 15343 Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2003 10:45 am Post subject: trains As far as I know, a visa is no longer required of UK nationals travelling to or through Bulgaria. I recommend the sleeper from Istanbul. It is pretty basic but it is okay. Take food with you becaus.e there is no longer a restaurant car on this service. The train that leaves Istanbul Sirkeci at 23.00 has carriages for Bucharest, and also for Sofia and Belgrade. I regularly use this train. For me it is the best link between Istanbul and N.E.Bulgaria Back to top GordonJoined: 28 Jan 2003Posts: 5309Location: Japan Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2003 1:27 pm Post subject: I hitched from the Turkish/Bulgarian border through Bulgaria, to Romania. That's the cheapest way to go. Things went well until we were robbed by the police in Romania. Not in a great hurry to go back. Back to top scot47Joined: 10 Jan 2003Posts: 15343 Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2003 2:39 pm Post subject: hitch ? Hitch-hiking is risky. Don't do it. That is the advice from someone who has been a resident here for many years. And take the normal precautions when you are in busy areas. It is not a good idea to flash your cash around. Take the train. It is not expensive. It may be slow, but it is safe. Having said that, I feel safer in cities in Bulgaria and Romania than I do in Britain. Back to top AjaxJoined: 06 Sep 2003Posts: 16Location: Thailand Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2003 8:45 am Post subject: What to visit in Romania If you go to Romania you should go: - in Moldavia - for beautiful churches and monasteries - in Transilvania - Timisoara, Sibiu, Cluj - a trip in the Carphatian Mountains - the Danube Delta Avoid the sea side. It's better in the mountains. Back to top The_ProdiigyJoined: 01 Apr 2006Posts: 252 Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 2:20 pm Post subject: On the train travelling towards Coulston Hall three elderly gents strolled onto the 9:23 and were clearly relishing the business meeting in Bristol. There were a couple ( of notices prohibiting smoking in the carriage and I suppose this would have been before the enforced ban on July 1st. The conductor politely asked to see their tickets, they produced them and everyone seemed au fait with what was happening. However, a couple of them had the latest manifesto from UKIP and they thought that Romania should have become a full member of EU well prior to 2007. Bulgaria was included also on January 1st. Back to top scot47Joined: 10 Jan 2003Posts: 15343 Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 2:57 pm Post subject: I think the train leaves Sirkeci at 22.00. Back to top yaramazJoined: 05 Mar 2003Posts: 2384Location: Not where I was before Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:17 pm Post subject: We just got back from 10 days in Romania. We took the train out of Sirkeci station in Istanbul at 22:00 and got in to Bucharest around 20:00 the next day. I have known people who got in at 18:00 and others who got in at 1am the next morning. Neither of us needed visas for Bulgaria or Romania (I am Canadian, travel partner American). We got a 2 person compartment because we were heading out on a friday night after work and didn't fancy sharing with up to 4 more people. It worked out to be not much cheaper than flying (we flew back, actually, and spent longer in passport control than in the air). I think we paid 100 ytl each for the ticket and 50ytl more sor the sleeper supplement. Much more pricey than we had thought, given that it is only 50ytl all inclusive to Sofia. The flight (last minute, one way, on Tarom) was 190usd. Romania was lovely- we spent a day in Bucharest then headed up to Brasov, making it our base for the week. We were feeling a bit too lazy to go up to Southern Bucovina as planned so we just bunkered down in Brasov and took trains to towns up to 3 hours away each morning. It was wonderful. Back to top GoosoidJoined: 23 Apr 2008Posts: 7 Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:01 am Post subject: Train I am a big fan of train travel but I took the train from Istanbul to Bucharest in the last couple of weeks and I will NEVER do it again. It took about 21 hours to cover the distance and I could have run alongside it at times in Bulgaria, when it wasnt just stopped altogether. Take the bus or plane. The bus is cheaper and takes about 12 hours. Back to top scot47Joined: 10 Jan 2003Posts: 15343 Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 5:25 am Post subject: The service has deteriorated rapidly in recent years. I have started flying Istanbul-Bucharest Back to top BebsiJoined: 07 Feb 2005Posts: 958 Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 11:25 am Post subject: Travel in Romania I cannot comment on train travel between Bucharest and Istanbul as never done it, but I can say that train travel within Romania is now generally excellent. While trains are still not up to western European speeds and journey times, the rolling stock has improved massively in recent years. The Inter City trains on main lines are very modern and comfortable and are fully air-conditioned. On less busy routes, there are good Rapid trains which are also pretty comfortable, clean and (usually) have AC. Rail travel here is also pretty cheap compared with, for example, the UK and an Inter City journey from Bucharest to Sighisoara, which is more or less the equivalent of London-York, costs c. 18 euro standard class, 25 euro first class and 30 euro business class. This last has full wireless internet on board along with 220v electric sockets and the ticket price includes a meal voucher sufficient for a plate of food and a beer. Now, the Romanian roads however....... Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Romania All times are GMT Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Where to Begin----------------General DiscussionNewbie ForumCurrent Events ForumTechnology ForumOnline Teaching Forum Africa Forums----------------General Africa Forum Asia Forums----------------CambodiaChina (Job-related Posts Only)China (Off-Topic)Hong KongIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeTaiwanThailandGeneral Asia ForumVietnam Caribbean Forums----------------General Caribbean Forum Europe Forums----------------Czech RepublicFranceGermanyGreeceItalyMacedonia and the BalkansPolandRomaniaRussia & C.I.S.SpainTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomGeneral Europe Forum Latin America Forums----------------ArgentinaBrazilChileColombiaCosta RicaMexicoMexico (off-topic)PeruGeneral Latin America Forum The Middle East Forums----------------BahrainEgyptIsraelKuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesGeneral Middle East Forum North America Forums----------------General North America Forum Oceania----------------Australia/New Zealand You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. 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One of the biggest problems that larger advisory firms make is that they continue to act as it they are smaller advisory firms. Almost all of today's larger firms (let's place the cutoff as having 30 or more employees) started out as smaller firm (with less than 10 employees). That kind of rapid growth is great for owner incomes, and often creates a personal touch to client services that stays with a firm long after it's outgrown its mom-and-pop roots. At the same time, larger numbers of owners and employees can also create problems and challenges not found in smaller firms, which require solutions that smaller firms typically don't need.
For instance, communication in smaller firms isn't usually a problem. With a few employees working in one large or a couple of contiguous offices, keeping abreast of changes to procedures, how to use technology, onboarding a new client, or, well, anything new in the office is virtually automatic. In fact, trying to keep some things from becoming common knowledge is usually much more of a challenge. When you're a small firm, knowledge transfer happens quickly.
But when firms grow beyond 10 or so employees, move into larger offices, and start to form into working teams—client service, back office, financial planning, investment management, technology, marketing, compliance—communication between these factions becomes much more difficult. For instance, if the investment folks find a slick new way to navigate the CRM database, it can take weeks or months (or never) for the rest of the firm to hear about it.
It's not a crisis when a firm loses some efficiencies because folks don't get a 'How-To' tip, but when changes in financial planning assumptions don't get to everyone in investment management or someone doesn't hear about a new compliance mandate, the consequences can be more serious. The biggest fear in a larger advisory firm should be that knowledge transfer isn't happening.
To solve the knowledge transfer problem in our larger advisory clients, we created a simple tool we call Monday Morning Management (3M) meetings. Every Monday morning at the same time, everyone in the firm gets together to share knowledge, with each Monday of the month having a different agenda. For instance:
- On the first Monday of month, we talk about the firm as a whole: this month's operational goals, current projects, the latest revenue numbers, revenue growth goals (and other financial goals) for the month. Even though this is big picture stuff, you'd be surprised at the impact decisions made at every level in the firm can have on the firm's success. Getting everyone on board with what you're trying to do gets everyone pulling in the same direction.
- On the second Monday, we talk technology: new tricks, new processes, new additions, new problems and new solutions. More and more, advisory firms are tech firms, so the better everyone understands how the firm's platforms work, the more efficiently, and the more effectively, the firm will run. Perhaps the greatest benefit of Tech Monday is that the firm owners quickly get a far better understanding of the challenges their employees are facing.
- The third Monday is when we talk about operational processes and procedures. Yes, that's the boring manual (you do have a P&P manual, right?) that's supposed to be updated whenever someone changes a process or procedure, but which nobody ever updates. That's simply dangerous. If clients are being handled one way in one department and differently by another department, that's a disaster waiting to happen. The solution is to talk about any changes with everyone in the firm once a month, including what needs to be updated and who will do it.
- Finally, in the fourth Monday meeting (which we often hold over lunch), we talk about staffing issues and updates: introduce—and get feedback on—new hiring plans, changes in policies, talk about challenges or issues, introduce new employees, talk about family stuff (new babies, etc.), or send off someone who is leaving. It's a time for people to get know each other better, and for firm owners to show their appreciation for everyone's hard work.
Our 3 M meetings won't solve all the problems that arise when smaller firm grows into larger firms, but we've found they'll solve most of them, and make the remaining few far easier to deal with.


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Alterations and Maintenance.
Alterations and maintenance of trails were discussed extensively by the committee. As a result of these discussions, further guidance in determining actions considered to be "maintenance" and those considered to be an "alteration" is provided. This guidance is provided to assist designers and operators in distinguishing between the two actions. Where actions are considered an "alteration", certain technical provisions will apply. There are no obligations for following any technical provisions where the actions are considered "maintenance or repair."
Routine or periodic maintenance or repair of existing trails or trail segments is exempt from the technical and scoping provisions for accessible trails. Maintenance and repair is performed to return the trail or trail segment back to the standards or conditions to which it was originally designed and built. In outdoor environments, the ability to maintain the facility is generally more limited, occurring relatively infrequently, except in highly developed areas. This type of work is not an alteration; it does not change the original purpose, intent, or design of the trail. The act of maintenance and repair includes, but is not limited to:
- Removal of debris and vegetation such as downed trees or broken branches in the trailway, clearing trail of encroaching brush or grasses, removing rock slides, etc.
- Maintenance of trail tread such as filling of ruts and entrenchments; reshaping trail bed; repairing trail surface and washouts; installing rip rap (rock placed to retain cut and fill slopes); constructing retaining walls or cribbing to support trail tread, etc.
- Erosion control and drainage, replacing or installing necessary drainage structures such as drainage dips, water bars, or culverts; realigning sections of trail to deter erosion or avoid boggy/marshy areas, etc.
- Repair of trail and/or trailhead structures. This includes replacing deteriorated, damaged, or vandalized parts of structures such as sections of bridges, boardwalks, information kiosks, fencing, and railings; painting; removing graffiti, etc.
Where practicable and feasible, resource managers are encouraged to maximize the opportunity to improve accessibility on trails through trail maintenance and repair activities. Every time a trail is maintained, the opportunity to improve access is present.
Question 1. The committee recognized that the distinction between alterations and maintenance activities is as critical to picnic areas, campgrounds, and beaches as it is to trails. Although the previous discussion specifically refers to trails, the examples could be extrapolated to include other outdoor elements. Time constraints did not allow committee members to apply this important issue beyond trails. The committee is seeking input on how alteration and maintenance activities should be defined for picnic areas, campgrounds, and beaches, including outdoor recreation access and beach access routes.
Question 2. Section 36.211 of the ADA regulation requires the maintenance of accessible features. Unlike many buildings and interior spaces, accessible elements in the outdoor environment are subject to a variety of weather and climate conditions. Trails, for example, are often located in remote areas where there is little surveillance or supervision. Maintenance work is often performed on a seasonal basis and may be infrequent given declining budgets and workforce. In addition, outdoor elements and facilities are routinely subject to extremely heavy use and destructive vandalism. The committee is requesting information related to the effect of this requirement for accessible trails, picnic and camping facilities, and beaches.
Question 3. The committee is also interested in whether or not there should be different construction tolerances for the outdoor environment. For example, should the construction tolerances be greater with respect to trails, picnic areas, camping facilities, and beach access routes than interior accessible routes? If so, how should those tolerances be defined?
Relationship Between Use of All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and the Proposed Accessibility Guidelines for Trails
During the deliberations of the committee, some individuals expressed concern that applying the proposed accessibility guidelines to trails in the "back country" or lesser developed portions of outdoor recreation areas would make it more difficult for public land managing agencies to appropriately manage the use of all terrain vehicles (ATVs) and off highway vehicles (OHVs) in these areas. One expressed fear is that requiring land managing agencies to consider making trails in the lesser developed areas accessible according to the proposed guidelines would make it more difficult to control and restrict where these types of devices may be used.
The proposed guidelines for trails address their design, construction, and alteration in the same manner that other ADAAG guidelines address fixed facilities. They are similarly based on the dimensions and use patterns of those assistive devices commonly referenced throughout ADAAG. While in the outdoor environment it may be possible to encompass a wider variety of mobility enhancing equipment, the necessity of protecting the environment and maintaining the appropriateness of the setting might exclude certain of these, particularly all terrain (ATVs) or off highway vehicle (OHVs). That decision is reserved for the administrating agency or owner of the affected property and is beyond the scope of these guidelines.
Trails Used as Transportation Facilities (Shared Use Paths)
Many trails are used as non-motorized transportation facilities. Users may include bicyclists and skaters as well as pedestrians. The accessibility guidelines for outdoor developed areas apply to these trails. However, bicyclists and skaters have design needs which exceed the minimum guidelines for trails. A trail designed only to meet the proposed accessibility guidelines for trails may not be adequate, and possibly hazardous for bicyclists or skaters.
The primary design guide for bicycle and shared use facilities is the Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), 1999. The AASHTO Guide defines a Shared Use Path as a facility on exclusive right-of-way and minimal cross flow by motor vehicles. Users generally include bicyclists, skaters, and pedestrians. (In areas with heavy snow, shared use paths may be used by cross-country skiers or snowmobilers.) A summary of how the AASHTO Guide relates to the proposed accessibility guidelines for trails is included in the appendix. In most cases, the AASHTO Guide requires a greater level of accessibility when designing trails for pedestrians, including bicyclists and skaters.
Section-by-Section Analysis
This section of the preamble contains a summary of the proposed accessibility guidelines for trails, outdoor recreation access routes, beach access routes, and picnic and camping facilities. The text of the proposed rule follows this section.
16. Outdoor developed areas
Section 16 includes scoping and technical provisions for outdoor developed areas. Outdoor developed areas covered by this section shall comply with the applicable requirements of section 4 and the special application sections, except as modified or otherwise provided in this section. For example, where general parking is provided, the provisions of 4.1.2 (5) and 4.6 apply. In addition, special technical provisionsare provided in proposed 16.17 addressing recreational vehicle parking.
Application of Proposed Accessibility Guidelines
Proposed section 16.1 requires all areas of newly designed or newly constructed and altered portions of existing trails connecting to designated trailheads or accessible trails to comply with this section. Proposed 16.1 also requires all newly constructed and altered camping facilities, picnic areas, and beach access routes to comply with section 16. It is recognized that compliance with this section will not always result in facilities that will be accessible to all persons with disabilities. These guidelines recognize that often the natural environment will prevent full compliance with certain technical provisions.
Committee members were concerned about the application of these proposed accessibility guidelines to new and altered trails connecting to portions of existing trails. They were concerned about the development of newly constructed trails connecting to an existing trails, where it was highly unlikely that the existing portion could ever be made accessible. They were specifically concerned about newly constructed and altered trails in the "middle of nowhere." To address this concern, section 16.1 clarifies that the technical provisions apply only to newly designed and constructed trails, and altered portions of an existing trail that "connects to an accessible trail" or "designated trailhead." Where new trails connect to an existing trail that is not accessible, the technical provisions do not apply. Additionally, the technical provisions do not apply where the new or altered portion is not connected to a designated trailhead.
Proposed section 16.1.1 defines the extent of application. Departures are permitted from certain technical provisions of this section, where specified, and where at least one of four conditions is present for trails, picnic and camping facilities, and beaches. Each technical provision must be examined individually to determine whether a departure from that provision is permitted. 16.1.1 does not provide an overall exemption of the entire trail or outdoor element. When a departure is permitted, the proposed guidelines specifically provide an exception to the respective technical provision. This is essential as the outdoor environment is very different than a constructed indoor environment. Factors which influence the ability to provide fully accessible facilities such as soil, surrounding vegetation, hydrology, terrain, and surface characteristics, are fundamental to the outdoor area. Where trails are concerned, the committee recognized that without the opportunity to depart from the technical provisions, compliance may significantly alter the nature of the outdoor experience.
When the condition for departure no longer exists, the technical provisions re-apply. For example, the clear width of a trail tread may be reduced because of a significant natural feature. Once the trail passes this feature, all other technical provisions for width shall apply. This approach also applies when designing certain outdoor elements also included in this section.
The conditions that permit departures from specific technical provisions are described below.
1. Where compliance would cause substantial harm to cultural, historic, religious, or significant natural features or characteristics;
For example, a significant natural feature may include a large rock, outcrop, tree, or a water feature which would block or interfere with trail construction or would be directly or indirectly altered or destroyed by construction of the trail to the extent that the trail could not, at that point, be made accessible. This includes areas protected under Federal or State laws, such as areas with threatened or endangered species or designated wetlands that could be threatened or destroyed by full compliance with the technical provisions. It also includes areas where compliance would directly or indirectly substantially harm natural habitat or vegetation.
Significant cultural features include areas such as archaeological sites, sacred lands, burial grounds and cemeteries, Indian tribal protected sites, etc. Significant historical features include properties on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or other places of recognized historic value. Significant religious features include Indian sacred sites and other properties designated or held sacred by an organized religious belief or church.
2. Where compliance would substantially alter the nature of the setting or the purpose of the facility, or portion of the facility;
Examples include a trail intended to provide a rugged experience such as a cross country training trail with a steep grade or a challenge course with abrupt and severe changes in level. If these types of trails were flattened out or otherwise constructed to comply with the technical provisions for accessible trails, they would not provide the intended and desired level of challenge and difficulty to users. Trails that traverse over boulders and rocky outcrops, are another example. The purpose of such a trail is to provide people with the opportunity to climb the rocks. To remove the obstacles along the way or reroute the rail around the rocks would destroy the purpose of the trail. The "nature of the setting" may also be compromised by actions such as widening for the construction of an imported surfaces on a trail in a remote location or removing ground vegetation in meadows or alpine areas.
Trails and other outdoor elements such as picnic and camping areas are designed to provide a particular opportunity for the user. Throughout the discussions regarding these outdoor elements and accessibility, many committee members were concerned that complying with the technical provisions could change the nature of some recreation opportunities. Further, compliance could negatively impact the unique characteristics of the natural setting, the reasons why people choose to recreate in the outdoor rather than the indoor environment. People using primitive trails or camping areas, for example, often experience the outdoor environment in a more natural state with limited or no development. Evidence of manufactured building materials or engineered construction techniques in such a setting can change its primitive character, and therefore, the user's experience. In these settings, people are generally looking for a higher degree of challenge and risk where they can use their outdoor/survival skills. Compliance with the technical provisions, particularly those related to surface and obstacles, could destroy the "natural" or undeveloped" nature of the setting. This condition addresses these concerns.
3. Where compliance would require construction methods or materials that are prohibited by Federal, State, or local regulations or statutes;
For example, Federally designated and some State designated Wilderness Areas prohibit use of mechanized equipment, limiting construction methods to hand tools. Imported materials may be prohibited in order to maintain the integrity of the natural ecosystem. Construction methods and materials employed in designated wetlands or coastal areas are strictly limited. For traditional, historic, or other reasons, many trails are built using only the native soil for surfacing, which may not be firm and stable. Federal statutes such as the Wilderness Act and the Endangered Species Act, and the State and local statutes often impose restrictions to protect or address environmental concerns. Many aquatic features are protected under Federal or State laws. Some constructed water crossings, which would be required to provide accessibility, may not be permitted under certain laws or regulations.
"Local regulations and statutes" have been included to address conditions where "conservation easements" or "development rights" programs have prohibited or restricted construction methods and practices. For example, where land is purchased from farms, certain use restrictions may prohibit the importation of surfacing. On the other hand, local regulations or statutes may not be developed or initiated with the sole purpose of prohibiting use by people with disabilities. For example, initiating a new local regulation that arbitrarily restricts trail width to a dimension that would not allow passage of wheelchairs or other mobility devices from accessing a trail, is not permitted under this conditional departure.
4. Where compliance would not be feasible due to terrain or the prevailing construction practices.
For example, complying with the technical provisions, particularly running slope (16.2.7), in areas of steep terrain may require extensive cuts or fills that would be difficult to construct and maintain, or cause drainage and erosion problems. Also, in order to construct a trail on some steep slopes, the trail may become significantly longer causing a much greater impact on the environment. Certain soils are highly susceptible to erosion. Other soils expand and contract along with water content. If compliance requires techniques that conflict with the natural drainage or existing soil, the trail would be difficult, if not impossible to maintain. This condition may also apply where construction methods for particularly difficult terrain or an obstacle would require the use of equipment other than that typically used throughout the length of the trail. One example is requiring the use of a bulldozer to remove a rock outcropping when hand tools are commonly used.
Several of these conditions for departures are consistent with other exceptions in ADAAG and the ADA. For example, it may be impracticable in new construction to follow ADAAG where soil and terrain pose obstacles which cannot be remedied. Compliance with the provision for a firm and stable surface might conflict with the prevailing construction practices by requiring the importation of a new surfacing material that would not otherwise have been used. For example, if the prevailing construction practices would not include the importation of a new surface material and the natural surface material could not be made firm and stable, the trail may not be able to comply with that specific provision.
The term "not feasible" is used in this situation to specify what is "reasonably do-able". It does not refer to the technical feasibility or possibility of full compliance with the technical provisions. For example, it may be feasible to provide a trail with a 1:20 slope or less up a 1,500 foot tall mountain using heavy construction equipment, but the trail would be at least 5.8 miles long (rather than 2 miles long under a traditional back-country layout), and may cause inappropriate environmental and visual impacts. The intent of this conditional departure is to recognize that the effort and resources required to comply would not be disproportionately high relative to the level of access created. Although technically feasible, the effort and resources required are not "reasonable."
Trail construction practices vary greatly, from the use of volunteer labor and hand tools, to professional construction with heavy , mechanized equipment. For alterations to an existing trail, the "prevailing construction practices" are defined as the methods typically used for construction or maintenance of the trail. For new trails, it is recognized that the land manager determines the construction practices to be used on each trail. However, the "choice" of construction practices are primarily determined by the available resources (e.g. machinery, skilled operators, finances) and the environmental conditions (e.g., soil type and depth, vegetation, natural slope). The intent of this conditional departure is to ensure that compliance with the technical provisions does not require the use of construction practices which are above and beyond the skills and resources of the trail building organization. It is not intended to automatically exempt organization from the technical provisions simply because of a particular construction practice, (e.g. the use of hand tools or to suggest that hand tools should be used to avoid compliance) when more expedient methods and resources are available.


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klouisjean wrote:I have to ask, I've noticed you put oil in your smoothies, how is it? I've never actually heard of anyone adding the oils to their smoothies. All I can picture is a slightly oily smoothie haha. I just got and tried hemp seeds for the first time, and I think I will be adding that to my smoothies and salads. Also, Almond breeze now sells a Coconut Milk/Almond milk blend and it's quite delicious. That might be something you would enjoy. Have a great day
The coconut oil adds just a hint of flavor. The flax you can taste a little bit. It doesn't give it an oily texture though. The flax oil is especially good after a workout as it speeds up recovery. I need get in the habit again of using chia seeds in pre workout smoothies. I heard about the coconut/almond milk combo.... haven't tried it yet. Also.... if you do any chocolate smoothies the flax oil goes well with them.


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By Jessica Remitz
Our cats show their love for us in their own special ways—like attacking our feet when we sleep or hopping on the kitchen counter to try our dinner—but which breeds tend to be the most affectionate, sweet and friendly? We've asked an expert with the Cat Fanciers' Association to share her picks for the most lovable breeds.
One of the most ancient breeds of cat, the Abyssinian is a loving and inquisitive companion who likes knowing what their owner is up to so that they can be of assistance, said CFA spokesperson Jodell Raymond. They enjoy playtime and are social with other animals and people alike. These loyal, devoted companions know how to train their owners to get them to do their bidding, Raymond said, so don't be surprised if they let you know when it's time to play or have some dinner.
Learn more about Abyssinians.
A loyal, easy-going breed with a round, flat face and large, round eyes, Exotic cats are a loving and playful breed that enjoys nothing more than relaxing with their owners. Known to quietly sit in their owner's presence until their pet parents are ready to play, Exotics enjoy simple things like watching water drip from a faucet or chasing paper balls around the house, Raymond said.
Recognized by its short, pompom-like tail, Japanese Bobtails make affectionate and fun-loving companions. Happy, full of energy and always ready to play, Japanese Bobtails enjoy a good game of fetch and love being a part of the family. An intelligent breed that does well with children, Japanese Bobtails have also been known to play in the water every now and again.
Learn more about Japanese Bobtails.
With a wavy, curly coat and a gentle nature, LaPerm cats love being around their people and curious about their surroundings. An affectionate, active breed, LaPerms will often follow their owner's lead by relaxing when their owners are enjoying downtime and begin to play as soon as you pick up a toy. They've also been known to reach for your face with their paws and rub their faces against yours to show their affection, Raymond said.
The CFA's most popular and easily recognized breed, according to Raymond, Persians are known for their long, fluffy coats, round eyes and flat face. With a docile temperament and sweet personality, Persians are playful but never demanding and love to be near their owners observing their every move.
Learn more about Persians.
With a naturally calm demeanor, Siberians are a quiet breed that will express itself through mewing, trilling, chirping and lots of purring, Raymond said. They also seem to know when they're needed for psychological and moral support, and will seek out the person who they recognize needs their support. No matter how friendly or supportive your cat is, Raymond recommends engaging in regularly scheduled playtime to enrich the bond with your cat and allow them to look forward to spending time with you.
A sturdy breed with a naturally curly coat and whiskers, the Selkirk Rex is patient, loving and tolerant. Admirers of the breed love the touch of their silky coats, which can be long or short. When engaging in playtime with your cat, consider the way you play with them and be sure not to take it too far, especially if your cat is very energetic and easily aroused by activity. "Interactive play that involves stalking and hunting activities will bring out your cat's 'inner feline' and cut down on aggressive behavior," Raymond said. "Be sure to avoid becoming overly aggressive with your cat and if [biting and scratching] occur, stop playtime and start again when you cat has calmed down."
With an abundance of energy and mischievous nature, Sphynxes have been known to perform silly tricks for their owners in their attempts to be the center of attention, Raymond said. An extremely lovable breed, Sphynx cats will look for the nearest human lap or warm spot nearby to snuggle with their people. While they seem to prefer the company of people, they also do well with dogs and other breeds of cats.
Because of the lack of hair on their body that would normally absorb oils, the Sphynx requires periodic bathing. Finding time to groom any breed can help strengthen your bond with your pet and should be incorporated on a regular basis.
"If your cat is agreeable, you may want to fit in some grooming time with playtime," Raymond said. "A regular grooming routine can be incorporated into just about any play activity."
Another ancient breed, Siamese cats can communicate like no other breed, Raymond said, and make the quintessential "people" cat. A breed that loves to be in their owner's laps and involved activities around the home, Siamese cats are extremely vocal and have no trouble making their wishes known.
Learn more about the Siamese, and their striking coats.
A muscular breed with short, silky fur, the Tonkinese is a people-oriented breed that makes a popular companion cat. Loving, social and playful, Tonkinese are active yet happy to be a lap cat. If you're looking for ways to increase your cat's activity or encourage more positive play, Raymond recommends finding your cat's favorite toy an adding in new toys to increase activity. And they don't have to be too pricey—she says sometimes even a rolled up paper ball works best!