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The Home Instead Senior Care office in North and West Vancouver, BC provides a complete range of trusted senior in-home care for families in nearby Whistler. Our experienced CAREGivers are committed to helping seniors live safe and fulfilling lives in their homes, and our Whistler home health aides are carefully matched to the needs and personality of each senior.
Each of our CAREGivers is thoroughly screened, extensively trained, insured and bonded to give families complete confidence and peace of mind in the quality of our elder in-home care services. We tailor the home care services provided to the needs of each client, becoming a helpful part of the team caring for your senior.
Home Instead Senior Care serving Whistler provides a complete range of elder care services wherever home may be. Whether for a few hours of short-term help or long-term 24/7 senior care, Home Instead provides compassionate senior care in your absence. Here are some of the most common senior in-home care services we provide:
We make it easy to get started with a complimentary initial consultation. We can get to know each other, we'll listen carefully to your needs and concerns, we can share the experience of other local families with whom we've worked, and we'll make recommendations for service. Please call us today at 604.925.1570. We look forward to meeting you soon.
Home Instead offers free monthly newsletters with tips and advice for caregivers of elderly loved ones. (Privacy Policy)


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(Pocket-lint) - Samsung has revealed a touchscreen-touting Series 5 Ultrabook at Computex in Taipei, looking to appease those wanting a Windows 8 touch experience as well as a keyboard, and Pocket-lint has already gone fingers on.
The Samsung Series 5 Ultra Convertible - as with most of its recent notebooks - feels incredibly well built. It's using a 360-degree hinge mechanism that allows you to use it as a regular notebook, as a tablet, or as sort of a desktop monitor with the keyboard acting as a stand.
It is pretty much identical to Lenovo's Yoga, except it felt much more robust in terms of the hinge design. It took a bit of force - not excessively so, though - to rotate the screen around, which hopefully is a sign of the longevity of the hinge mechanism.
In notebook mode, the Series 5 Ultra Convertible looks just like any other Ultrabook. Samsung has added a fair few connectivity options as well, with two USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port, an HDMI port, a mini VGA port, a headset jack, a memory card reader and even an Ethernet port. There's also a screen rotation lock button and a pair of volume controls along its sides.
As far as we know, the Series 5 Ultra Convertible should launch later this year.

subset: commoncrawl


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- Sales Home
Chatfield Farms General Admission
**General Admission tickets are not available Friday - Sunday during Corn Maze (Sept. 18th - Oct. 31st). Find more information on Corn Maze here.**
Important Update: Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms is gradually re-opening to the public. We look forward to welcoming you back! But it is only with your cooperation as a visitor that we can succeed in this re-opening. Below you will find important information you will need for your first visit back!
Capacity is now limited and a timed ticket is required for entry to Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms. All ticket purchases must be made in advance either online or over the phone. No tickets will be available for purchase onsite.
Entry is located at the southeast-end of the gravel parking lot. Please show your tickets at the ticket booth located here.
View or print an updated map of the Gardens here. Physical maps will not be available onsite.
Entry will be timed in 30-minute blocks. Please arrive within 30 minutes of your selected time.
*Last entry is at 4 p.m.
*Tickets are non-refundable.
*Members: Please reserve your tickets in advance online or over the phone. You will not be able to check-in onsite. Reserve early before tickets sell out.
*Groups of 10 or more must call to receive group rates and reserve tickets.
*Tickets are not required for children 2 years old and under.


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64:40 minutes (14.8 MB)
Dr. Joyce Epstein from the National Network of Partnership Schools was the special guest on the Parent as Partners webcast on Monday April 4, 2011 at 9:00 PM EDT (GMT-4)
Joyce talked about t the National Network of Partnership Schools and how School Family and Community Partnerships support student success. Dr. Epstein explained how deliberate and measured results can be obtained by developing teams of teachers, parents and community members whose purpose is to support student success.
Jose Rodriguez joined Lorna, Peggy and Kim adding his expertise in streaming the Elluminate session on ustream.
Link to the elluminate recording: https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/jwsdetect/playback.jnlp?psid=2011-04-04.1800.M.E48372280A56C678D78541C932B6B4.vcr&sid=2008350


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Despite being taller and better-looking than his older half-brother Nicolas, Olivier Sarkozy has been snickered at by the French press and roundly derided as "the little French lover" ever since he made a half-twist can-opener splash in the tabloids for his burgeoning romance with Mary-Kate Olsen, whom some of you might recognize from her inestimable webseries. Though the 43-year-old Sarkozy is 17 years older than his paramour, he apparently carries on a family tradition of creepiness that extends all the way back to when his father had an affair with a nanny for the Sarkozy boys.
Now that bro Nick is merely the former French president and still less interesting than wife Carla Bruni, all media attention has been turned to Olivier and M-Kay, who are sort of a New York power couple because they are a) famous and b) have oodles of money in many prismatic denominations. Sarkozy's ex-wife Charlotte Bernard has called the new couple "grotesque," which, considering all those disjointed photos of M-Kay, O-Sark, and daughter of O-Sark perambulating around New York, seems like a pretty fair characterization.
French mock little lover Sarkozy [Page Six]


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The Big Chill
This story appears in the January 1998 issue of Business Start-Ups magazine. Subscribe »
No doubt about it, it's a cold world out there. But that's no problem for three brothers in Markham, Ontario. As the founders of frozen yogurt giant Yogen Früz Worldwide Inc., Aaron, Michael and Simon Serruya are heaping up cool profits the world over--in 81 countries, to be exact. In October, the brothers were named Young Entrepreneurs of the Year for Canada. And as if that weren't enough, for the second year running, these entrepreneurs have secured the number-three spot in Entrepreneur's annual Franchise 500®. So what's the scoop? Theirs is truly a story of sweet success.
Breaking The Ice
Today, Yogen Früz boasts more than 3,600 stores worldwide and 1997 sales of $360 million. That's due in part to the company's acquisition within the past three years of the Canadian franchise Paradise Juice Bar and the American chain Golden Swirl, as well as I Can't Believe It's Yogurt (ICBIY) and Bresler's Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, two American franchises that had already formed strong footholds in the international frozen fare market.
In October, Yogen Früz extended its reach even further through a merger with Integrated Brands, parent company of Swensen's Ice Cream, Heidi's Frogen Yozurt and Steve's Ice Cream--adding 400 additional stores to its skyrocketing tally. The Integrated Brands stores, which will keep their individual names, bring the Serruyas another perk and give their franchise operation a fresh angle: exclusive rights to frozen desserts from such well-known brand names as Tropicana, Betty Crocker and Yoplait.
"I don't think in our wildest dreams we ever fathomed we'd be where we are today," says Michael, 33. "It all just kind of happened, and every once in a while you look back and say `Wow!' "
All this excitement can be traced back to a dream--and a $100,000 investment from the Serruyas' father. Initially, the brothers wanted to purchase master franchise rights to Canada from one of the large, established U.S. frozen yogurt franchises. Easier said than done, remembers Aaron: "I was 19 at the time, and Mike was 20," he says. "We didn't get much respect when we went to see those franchisors."
That stumbling block set the stage for the brothers to set out on their own--and make frozen yogurt history. Michael enlisted the expertise of a leading Canadian design firm to iron out the entire Yogen Früz concept, while Aaron worked for months with a food technician perfecting their frozen yogurt flavors. A year later, in 1986, they premiered the store--and were so successful, they paid their father back within six months. By the time Simon, 27, jumped on board three years later, Yogen Früz had franchised an impressive 100 locations across Canada.
Keeping Their Cool
Through it all, these entrepreneurs haven't lost sight of what they see as key to their phenomenal growth--that franchisees play a vital role in the success of any operation. Perhaps it helps that they've seen the business from both sides, since their father was a bagel shop franchisee. "We run our business like a family business, I guess because of the way we were brought up," says Aaron, 31. "When it comes to franchising and dealing with franchisees, [we look at it as] these are people who are putting their livelihood in your hands. They've saved up enough money to get into business for the first time on their own, and they've chosen you. So for me, it's a compliment they're giving us, and making them successful is a goal I want to achieve."
Latin America and Asia continue to show the most interest in the Yogen Früz concept and are experiencing tremendous growth. Take one of Yogen Früz's franchises in Venezuela: The store is so busy, it's probably the only frozen yogurt shop in the world that offers valet parking to its patrons. "The city closed us down because of the amount of traffic [the customers] were creating," says Aaron. In response, their franchisee hired eight valets to alleviate the congestion on the crowded one-way street.
Looking ahead, the brothers expect to grow through diversification and more acquisitions. They envision a new concept for the future, one that takes co-branding to a much higher level: Imagine a shop where franchisees can house all their parent company's frozen desserts under one roof, ultimately offering a wide enough range of treats to satisfy every individual who enters the store. "As we continue to add more and more world-class brands to our family, it gives our franchisees the opportunity to pick up other concepts they can offer within their store," says Michael. "It's this whole idea of co-branding and nontraditional growth that we're seeing so strong in our industry today."
While countless fads come and go, the Serruya brothers long ago banked on the idea that frozen yogurt was here to stay. By trusting their instincts--and believing in the unlimited potential of the frozen dessert market--they've achieved what few so young have, and in such a short period of time. For three entrepreneurial brothers who dreamed of going into business together, destiny certainly has not left them out in the cold.
Contact Source
Yogen Früz Worldwide Inc., (905) 479-8762, fax: (905) 479-5235


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Wrong spell, wrong head, wrong church
The nickname of legendary New York Giants Hall of Famer Roosevelt "Rosey" Brown was misspelled in last week's 4 Better or Worse.
In last week's Mail section, the same headline ran on two different letters about Phish. The letters had different authors.
The name of the big brick church at the corner of JPA and Main was misidentified in a map that ran with our June 3 cover story. It is University Baptist Church.


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Honda Air Blade FI 2011
honda airblade 2011 color availability
Picture motorcycle Honda airblade 2011
New Honda Air Blade i
New Honda Air Blade i
But twist the throttle, and rocket off you go, pin the throttle back and it soon becomes apparent which machine you actually on. The Honda Air Blade PGM-FI really does lift its skirt and get a move on.
The 108cc liquid-cooled SOHC single-cylinder four-stroke engine, equipped with the latest on fuel injection and electronic ingestion and fuel control systems making the ride both fun and very rapid. The engine is both torquey and revvy, making the most of any available acceleration.
With its well designed and proven frame design, well-controlled suspension and perfect balanced rubber, the chassis is tight and accurate through bends. With Honda's Combi-brake technology, the stopping department not only matches this fine handling, it surpasses it.
On the fuel consumption, the Honda Air Blade i with PGM-FI uses about 15% LESS fuel then it the Honda Air Blade equipped with regular carburetor. The Honda Air blade i with PGM-FI is not only better in fuel economics, the performance is so much better, and during this all producing 80% less dangerous exhaust emissions. Honda claims that you would save per year, being a average rider, more then 1,500 Baht per year. Also Honda claims that the new improved Air Blade i engine need less service per year.
The new for 2009 Honda Air Blade i with PGM-FI (fuel injection) system comes in the color combinations; model NC110AM has "White-Red Deluxe" and "Black-Silver", and model NC110AP has the colors "Precious Golden Brown" and "Rubilize Red". The main difference between the Honda Air Blade NC110AM and NC110AP is that the NC110AM has spoke wired wheels and the NC110AP has light weight aluminum alloy wheels.
New Honda Air Blade i


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Report Ad
Expired! This ad has expired. 3u3IVvhj
$1029 Five+ bedroom Apartment for rent
- Price$0.00
Los Angeles, Los Angeles
California, USA
Sublet.com Listing ID 3373400 Rent shown is for an unfurnished unit. Units can be rented as furnished for an additional cost. The lease term for unfurnished rentals is Minimum 1 year. Lease term for furnished rentals are Minimum 1 month.Prices listed are for single bed space and subject to change at anytime.Please note prices are by the bed. For example, a two bedroom unit with four beds might cost 3,300month while the per bed price 825.00month is advertised here.CoverPark,Elevator,Garage,Gate,HighSpeed,Laundry,NightPatrol
- Posted on: 2017-07-14 07:02:28
- Classified ad views:
- Item ID: 5465561
Map location: 90024, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
Contact Seller


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Color Book Wreaths and Stationery
Snow flake patterns make pretty cool writing paper on which to write messages and notes.
This section is for those folks looking for unique and cute ways to express holiday or any day sentiments. Drop a snowflake note into a lunch pail or briefcase to suprise your favorite person when they least expect it.
Write a pleasant line or two and send a snow flake note along with a donation to a charity. Have an enlisted person serving in a hot country? Send a cool snow flake message to bolster the spirits.
The wreath holds great significant throughout history. The shape of a wreath is a circle. Circles have no beginnings or ends, wreaths for every season may signify the repetition of the four seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter.
Wreath Ornaments
Write snowflake love letters to your special friend or share Christmas and other holiday messages to hang from the rafters. Use our to decorate your wreaths. Capture life's memories, use snowflake stationery for letters of holiday cheer.


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Christer Fuglesang's space diary #8
Homewards! We have started get everything in order for the landing. It will probably be tomorrow, but absolutely no later than Saturday. (Personally I do not mind another day!) The weather is uncertain, so we might even be landing in New Mexico.
It will be great to see my family again, but otherwise I would really like to stay longer in weightlessness and enjoy the fantastic view. I have been working out on the exercise bike for half an hour a day for the last three days. It might help a little after landing. Apart from that, we 'fill up' with water one hour before landing.
We have deployed three small satellite experiments. It went well from our side, but the last one did not seem to behave as expected when it was supposed to split up in to five parts after leaving the Shuttle. We only spotted four.
Today I saw Sweden again – an even better view than yesterday. We came as close as you can get.
Middeck has started to get everything in order: get up the seats and put the exercise bike away. Soon we will have the last press conference and in an hour the last e-mail download takes place.
So, here comes a last greeting from Discovery, STS-116 and space. It has been great and HELLO to everyone who has been following our adventure!


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JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology
Volume 4, Issue 4, April 2018 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacep.2018.01.008
ReplyLimitations of Administrative Data for Examining Secondary Atrial Fibrillation
Michael J. Quon and Louise Pilote
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Statistics from Altmetric.com
** Usage data for articles will be available starting in late January 2017. Please note that data will only reflect usage on a monthly basis from December 15, 2016 forward.


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Home › Classroom Resources › Lesson Plans
Lesson Plan
Questioning: A Comprehension Strategy for Small-Group Guided Reading
|3 – 5
|Lesson Plan Type
|Standard Lesson
|Estimated Time
|Three 30- to 45-minute sessions
|Lesson Author
Bellflower, California
In this lesson, the teacher explains the difference between thin (factual) and thick (inferential) questions and then models how to compose question webs by thinking aloud while reading. Students observe how to gather information about the topic and add it to question webs in the form of answers or additional questions. Students practice composing thin and thick questions and monitor their comprehension by using question webs in small-group reading. This practice extends knowledge of the topic and engages readers in active comprehension.
Short, R.A., Kane, M., & Peeling, T. (2000). Retooling the reading lesson: Matching the right tools to the job. The Reading Teacher, 54, 284295.
Oczkus, L.D. (2003). The four reciprocal teaching strategies. In Reciprocal teaching at work: Strategies for improving reading comprehension. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
- Students who answer their own questions show improvement in reading comprehension.
- When students know prior to reading that they each need to think of a question about the text, they read with an awareness of the text's important ideas.
- With exposure to expository text, students learn how to summarize and how to use graphic organizers, such as question webs.


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Consider the Volkswagen Eos an everyday, all-season convertible. The Eos is good on gas, lively, carefree and comfortable, if more so for those riding in front.
The Eos has been substantially updated for 2012, with fresh styling front and rear, new interior appointments and more standard equipment, including HD radio and keyless unlocking and start. Yet it remains what it has been since its introduction: a good compromise between practical daily transportation and sporty, emotion-fueled sun worship.
The updated 2012 Eos comes with only one engine-transmission combination. Its 2.0-liter, 200-hp turbocharged engine, used in many VW and Audi vehicles, is economical to operate and quite powerful for its size. It's smooth and comfortable for commuting, and fun when a driver gets enthusiast. The 6-speed Direct Shift Gearbox works fine as a fully automated transmission, which it is. Yet it's also one the sportiest automatics available, and better suited to a fairly small engine than most.
At about $34,000, the 2012 Volkswagen Eos Komfort comes very well equipped, with dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats and a decent stereo with CD changer and satellite radio, three years scheduled maintenance included. The interior is nicely finished and user friendly. The Eos Lux adds leather seating and navigation, while the Executive adds larger wheels, a firmer sport suspension and premium audio. All models come with a folding hardtop that disappears under the trunk lid, the likes of which were once reserved for very expensive cars.
The top is made of glass and steel, rather than conventional fabric, and it automatically opens in 25 seconds from inside or outside the car. Like more expensive European jobs, the Eos has a pop-up roll bar that automatically deploys behind the rear seats and adds crash protection. Want a bit less sunshine? The forward portion of the top will simply slide rearward, working like a big, wide sunroof.
With the top up, the Eos is as snug, quiet and solid as the typical small coupe. It also rides comfortably, and even with the top down, it's largely free of the shake and rattles that plague some moderately priced four-seat convertibles. It handles predictably, and the sport suspension on the Executive model makes it a bit more responsive. It accommodates two with good space, and four in a pinch, though we wouldn't recommend it for four adults beyond a quick jaunt to the beach on a sunny day.
There are at least seven convertibles with lower base prices than the Eos, some substantially so. Some get better mileage; others are roomier, more powerful or more fun to drive in the purist's sense. The Chrysler 200 convertible offers the same sort of folding hardtop for a bit less cash. Yet few if any of those convertibles match the Eos for its overall combination of fun, practicality, security and convenience.
The 2012 Volkswagen Eos convertible comes in three trim levels. All are powered by 200-horspower, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. And all come with a power-retractable glass-and-steel hard top that folds itself into the trunk.
The Eos Komfort ($33,995) has vinyl upholstery, but otherwise comes very well equipped. Standard features include heated front seats with 12-way power adjustment for the driver, dual-zone automatic climate control, eight-speaker audio with a 6CD changer, Sirius satellite radio and Bluetooth connectivity, heated washer nozzles, a full complement of power amenities, a trip computer and 17-inch alloy wheels. Scheduled maintenance for three years is included in the purchase price.
The Eos Lux ($37,250) adds leather seating, burl walnut interior trim and even more features, including a GPS navigation system, a power front-passenger seat, park-distance control, rain-sensing wipers, power-folding side mirrors and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.
The Eos Executive ($39,220) upgrades with a firmer sport suspension and 18-inch wheels. Eos Executive also adds a more elaborate navigation system and VW's 600-watt Dynaudio premium sound.
The only factory option is the Technology Package ($1,185), offered only on the Lux and Executive models. It's essentially a safety package, adding bi-xenon high-intensity headlights that turn with the steering wheel, LED daytime running lights and headlight washers.
Safety equipment for all Eos models includes front impact airbags, front passenger side-impact airbags that protect both head and torso. Standard active safety features include anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and a tire-pressure monitor. Passenger protection in the Eos is enhanced by an active rollbar system. A stiff steel bar pops up behind the rear seats in a fraction of a second when sensors determine that a serious accident might occur. The rollbar works like rear roof pillars and, coupled with an extra stiff front windshield frame, helps protect passengers in a rollover.
The Volkswagen Eos is conservatively styled, but pleasant enough to look at. Its low-slung design is short and stubby in profile, almost like a toy. Styling updates for 2012 freshen the Eos's appearance without radically changing its familiar lines.
The Eos is categorized as a subcompact by the federal government. Its width and wheelbase (the distance from the center of the front wheels to the center of the rear wheels) are identical to Volkswagen's GTI and Jetta models, but bumper to bumper the Eos measures about eight inches longer than the GTI hatchback and about six inches shorter than the Jetta sedan.
With its folding hardtop up, the Eos doesn't look anything like a soft-top convertible. Its windshield has a low, sloping rake and, keeping with the coupe theme, the Eos has no middle roof pillars. The rear pillars are narrower than those on a traditional soft-top convertible. The trunk lid is expansive and flat, making room for top stowage underneath.
The 2012 Eos styling changes start in front, where a three-bar grille connects re-shaped light clusters. Each grille slat is shiny black and trimmed with a narrow chrome strip. The two-part taillights are re-shaped, too, spanning the trunk lid and rear fenders with LED elements, and no conventional bulbs. The rear bumper is smoother than before, with a single twin-tip exhaust pipe poking out under the left side.
A button on the remote key fob allows the operator to lower the roof while still walking to the car. It's a handy feature, and fun to watch the five-piece glass and metal top lower itself from outside the car. The top rises up a foot or so before the trunk lid opens and the rear window folds, and then all the pieces stack themselves and drop under the trunk lid. The process takes about 25 seconds, starting with the side windows up. Closing, in reverse order, takes about 35 seconds.
The glass portion of the roof adds value, because the forward third can simply slide back and stop. So configured, it works like a conventional, albeit very wide, sunroof. Park Distance Control does more than warn of parking obstacles hidden at bumper height. It also warns if anything will impede unobstructed operation of the top when it's opening or closing.
There's almost nothing to complain about inside the Volkswagen Eos, assuming a buyer's expectations aren't too far out of line. This convertible is a subcompact car, not a mid-size or something larger. There's plenty of room for front-seat passengers, and the back seat will work in a pinch, though it isn't a particularly friendly place. The interior design and materials are attractive, and controls are easy to learn and operate.
Improvements to the 2012 Eos interior are both cosmetic and substantive. The cosmetics include matte chrome detailing around the gauges and on the doors, with bright trim framing the window switches. The functional additions include a standard HD radio receiver and Volkswagen's Keyless Entry and Start System. An Eos owner can now open the doors or start the car without removing the key from pocket or purse.
In general, materials used inside the Eos are very good, but not fabulous. The plastics on the doors and dash are not the most visually attractive, but they're heavy and sturdy, and we'd guess they'll stand-up well under the heavy UV exposure one might expect in a convertible. The contrasting trim is an attractive silver-metallic plastic in the base model. The Lux and Executive models add a swath of genuine burl walnut along the lower edge of the dash and around the gearshift. Still, the Eos's real strength is immaculate fit and build precision. Every interior panel aligns perfectly, with tight connections and no visible gaps.
The base Eos Komfort has vinyl seating, and we'd be perfectly satisfied owning it. VW's V-Tex vinyl is sturdy and excellently grained, not particularly sticky, and presumably care-free in an open car.
The front seats are large and spacious for a relatively small car, and very comfortable. They're firm enough to grip, but comfortable over the long haul, and the side bolsters are substantial enough to keep bodies in place during reasonably aggressive driving. The standard seat heaters get very warm, and legitimately allow comfortable top-down motoring when the outside temperature is in the 50s.
Window buttons and door releases are properly placed, allowing the driver to operate them with the forearm flat on the door's armrest, no wrist contortions required. And we love the extra (fifth) window switch. It allows all four side windows to be raised or lowered simultaneously with one button.
Gauges in the Eos have big, white numbers on a black background. The tachometer sits on the left, with a coolant temperature gauge inset, while the speedometer surrounds the fuel gauge on the right. In the middle sits an LCD screen that shows direction, outside temperature and a range of vehicle and trip functions. It's very easy to read, and controlled by buttons on the right steering-wheel spoke. The left spoke has buttons for audio, phone and voice control. The wheel rim is thick and firm, with bulges at the 2 and 10 positions. The headlights operate with a radial switch on the dash, to the left of the steering column. That leaves the turn-signal stalk for cruise control functions, with wipers on the stalk on the right of the steering column.
Overall, the controls are straightforward and, as other cars grow tediously complicated, quite refreshing. Even Eos models that aren't equipped with navigation come with a large LCD touchscreen. It sits at the top of the center stack of buttons, and displays audio and climate information. Three mechanical switches on either side of the screen control band selection, tone and other audio functions. Big radial knobs in the bottom corners manage volume and manual tuning. Preset stations appear on the touchscreen.
Climate controls sit below the screen, with pushbuttons for airflow direction and fan speed and round dials for temperature adjustment on each side of the car. It makes an excellent package, with only one gripe. The LCD screen isn't shielded from sunlight, and it's neither bright enough nor glare-free enough for easy reading during mid-day drives with the top down.
Storage space inside the Eos is adequate, and not much more. The glovebox is average size. The molded bins at the bottom of the doors aren't long, but they are deep and wide and lined with rubber mats that keep items stored in them from sliding easily. That's about it for storage in front. The center console box has audio connections and a little rack to hold an MP3 player, but not much room for anything else. The cup holders are molded into the center console, one size fits all, without spring-loaded clips or anything else that might create a bit of tension on the sides of the cups.
The back seat? Well, the Eos is a subcompact, and a convertible. Access is eased by spring-loaded front seats that slide forward with one lever, but it's still a chore for adults to climb in back. A five-foot, eight-inch passenger will have a fraction of an inch of headroom to spare when the top is up, but lower limbs will feel cramped and it's a bit claustrophobic. Space occupied by the top mechanism squeezes hip room, so two people in back will be rubbing elbows, if not shoulders. With the top down, of course, there's more headroom than anyone can ask for. We can see the Eos working for four for a trip for ice cream on a summer evening, as long as the soft-serve joint isn't too far away.
The trunk provides 10.5 cubic feet of space. That's not bad at all for a small coupe or convertible, but the raw number doesn't tell the whole story. Inside the trunk sits a shroud, or a three-sided box in the middle of the load floor. It's handy, because it marks the safe space for convertible top operation. Any items that fit under the shroud won't hinder the top or be crushed when it closes, and under it there is 6.3 cubic feet of space: enough for a medium-size, carry-on type suitcase and a few odds-and-ends. The drawback? The trunk shroud divides the usable space in the trunk, even if you don't plan to lower the top. The largest item you can load in still has to fit under the shroud. The remaining space can only be occupied by smaller items on top or around its edge.
The Volkswagen Eos performs appropriately to its mission as an everyday, all-season convertible. It's comfortable for front-seat passengers, easily maneuvered, carefree, economical to operate and reasonably fun to drive. For the harder-core driving enthusiast, Volkswagen builds the GTI hatchback.
We have a soft spot for the Eos engine. This 2.0-liter four-cylinder is used in lots of VW and Audi products because it's a good one: small enough to deliver good fuel economy numbers, but fitted with a turbocharger and efficient direct fuel injection to maximize power. With 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of acceleration-producing torque, the Eos engine makes more power than many that are larger in size.
Initially, the Eos gas pedal can seem a bit touchy or quirky, with a lot of power delivery for a fairly small dip of the foot. But once the throttle is mastered, the turbo engine is quiet and quite smooth for gentle cruising. And the torque comes evenly, meaning that no matter how fast the car is traveling or how quickly the engine is already spinning, there's always a nice reserve of power when the driver stabs to gas pedal to merge or take advantage of a hole in the traffic flow.
The turbo engine is also nicely suited for more aggressive driving. At full throttle, it pulls strongly up to its redline, in satisfying, emotional fashion, and it moves the Eos with considerable zest. Indeed, the engine is strong enough that it might encourage anti-social behavior in drivers with a heavy right foot. We measured 0-60 mph sprints at 7.4 seconds with a hand-held accelerometer, and Volkswagen claims a top speed of 148.
The Eos is no longer offered with a manual transmission, but few buyers chose the manual to begin with, and the standard 6-speed automatic works quite well in this car. VW's Direct Shift Gearbox, or DSG, is different from a conventional automatic. It has clutches, like a manual, but they work automatically, without a clutch pedal. The advantages include a slight improvement in fuel economy compared to a conventional automatic and the ability to shift the transmission manually with almost the same range as a standard full manual. The Eos comes with paddles on the steering wheel for manual shifting, and a sequential up/down slot in the floor-mounted gear selector.
As an automatic, the DSG works nicely. It's more responsive than a conventional automatic typically is with a small four-cylinder engine. Shifts are quick, and crisp, without interruption in the flow of acceleration. The transmission is authoritative in its gear selection, with no dithering as it decides whether it's time to change gears or not. The drawback, compared to a conventional automatic, is that the DSG is not as smooth, particularly when coasting down to a stop. Still, we'd reckon that few drivers will notice the difference, and even fewer will care.
Cruising with the top up, the Eos feels very much like a fixed-roof coupe: solid and rattle free. There's only a little wind noise inside, and the car is generally as quiet as the typical small coupe. With the top down, the driver might notice a bit more wobble or shimmy rippling through the body, particularly on rough roads. Still, the Eos stacks up well against other moderately priced, four-place convertibles. Volkswagen has done a great job addressing the structural limitations in an open car, without adding an inordinate amount of weight.
The Eos's ride-handling balance is middle of the road, by design. The ride is quite comfortable, and only the Midwest's worst roads will upset those inside the Eos with a lot of bounce, shake or noise, even with the top down.
We like the steering feel, too. It's responsive enough, with decent feedback through the steering wheel and the right amount of boost or power assist for the speed traveled. All Eos models include electronic stability control (ESC), which helps manage potential skids by braking certain wheels individually or cutting power. It was effective on a low-friction dirt road, and unobtrusive in its operation. And the brakes are more than adequate. The pedal is a bit softer than we'd like, but with familiarity any driver can muster quick, smooth stops.
The Eos Komfort and Eos Lux are not sporting in feel, but both deliver sure, predictable handling, and both can be good fun to drive. The Eos Executive model, with lower-profile tires and a firmer suspension, is more responsive. The Eos Executive leans and sways a little less in aggressive maneuvers, but there's a payback. With its firmer suspension, the Executive transfers more energy up through the body on rough roads, and it emphasizes the convertible's flex when the top is down.
With the top up, the Eos has minor visibility issues. It feels a bit closed in, and not because the front seats aren't roomy enough. The windshield pillars are quite thick, for safety, and they stretch a long way forward from the driver's eyes. The hard top's rear pillars fill a good portion of the over-shoulder view range. The rear glass is relatively small, and its bottom edge is high. None of it would factor significantly in our buying decision, but it does have a psychological effect. We found ourselves triple-checking sight lines before changing direction.
With the top down, the visibility issues disappear. The Eos is equipped with a wind deflector that can be raised along the top edge of the windshield, and it works best when just the forward portion of the top is slid back, like a sunroof.
At 75 mph, top lowered completely into the trunk, there is quite a bit of wind swirl or buffeting inside the car. But even then there's a spot, something like a vortex of calm, around the driver's head. Roll up the side windows and the high-speed buffeting in reduced considerably while maintaining the pleasures of open motoring. There's also a folding, wire mesh contraption that can be installed over the rear seats. It does reduce the buffeting a bit, but it can't be used with rear passengers, and we wouldn't be committed enough to install it for anything other than a lengthy road trip.
In total, the Eos can extend open motoring through a broad range of temperatures. During a high-speed, top down cruise on a clear, 55-degree night, we were comfortable with a light jacket and the seat warmers turned all the way up. Blasting the heater would probably make another 10 degrees of chill tolerable. With the top up, even in bitter cold, the Eos hard top seems no different from a fixed roof.
The Volkswagen Eos is substantially updated for 2012, with minor styling changes, a simplified model line and more standard equipment. It remains a convertible for all seasons, and quite practical to boot. With its glass-and-metal folding hardtop closed, the Eos is as quiet and snug as a small coupe. When the weather warms, it's a four-seat convertible at the touch of a button. For the in-between, the forward portion of the roof slides rearward, like a big sunroof. The least expensive of three Eos trim levels comes very well equipped. All are economical to operate, comfortable (at least for front passengers), maneuverable and lively to drive.
NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent J.P. Vettraino reported from Detroit.


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How We Created Our Mirrored Console~
I had been wanting a mirrored console for our TV....but I didn't want to spend the beaucoup $$$ that those things run, so I decided I was going to have to take matters into my own hands.
First things first, I want to give credit to my friend Mandi for being the inspiration for this project with her fabulous DIY mirrored dresser. Showing it to my hubby was the way I convinced him that the ugly dresser would be a beauty when we were done. Annnnnnd, I picked Mandi's brain for a few of the details on how to make the whole project come together.
That said, this is how we created the console...
Here is the dresser as it looked when we brought it home.
We gave it a good sanding, wiped it down really well, then used spray primer, and spray painted it Rustoleum's Heirloom White.
Here is how she looked after the spraypainting. Much better. But she still needed some bling.
So I took careful measurements of each of the drawer recesses. Then I subtracted 1/8 inch from each dimension so that the mirror would fit within the recesses...and ordered the mirrors at a local glass shop.
Once the mirrors arrived, we had to drill holes in them for the new knobs. (Yes, we decided to add new hardware, and we decided that knobs would be a great way to go...) First, I measured to see where we wanted the knobs to fit on the drawers.
Then I measured where the hole would be on each mirror, and after placing a piece of painter's tape to protect the glass, I marked the spot where the hubby would drill. ( I used to work at a custom picture framing shop and had a very bad experience with a piece of glass that shattered in my hands...let's just say I have a nice scar on my hand from the stitches....and now I'm a little nervous around glass...so I sweetly
Do not attach the mirrors to the drawer before drilling...in this photo we hadn't glued the mirrors to the drawer yet, we just used the drawer as the base when we drilled the mirror.
To drill glass you need to use a diamond drill bit like this one.
And you need to keep the glass wet while you drill. That was my important roll - I sat there with a spray bottle, and sprayed the glass while the hubby drilled.
Here he is with his protective eyewear. I told him he should look into getting some geek chic glasses...I kind of like them. :-)
Two things you need to know about drilling glass...FIRST - Do not use pressure. Allow the drill to do the work on its own. If you push the drill into the glass, you will crack it. SECOND - Start drilling at a 45 degree angle and gradually work your way up to a 90 degree angle. It is NOT a fast process.
After we finished the holes (and didn't crack a single piece of glass - thank you very much.) We drilled the new holes in the drawers.
Then we simply glued the mirrors to the drawers with Mirror Mastic (sorry, I don't have a photo of that one - by this time it really late and I was a bit bleary-eyed). We just followed the directions on the Mastic tube. After letting the Mastic cure overnight, we put the knobs on, and put the drawers back in the dresser.
VOILA!! A mirrored console that I adore!
What we spent:
Dresser: $100 on our local online classifieds
Primer: $5
Spraypaint: $9
Mirror: $16
Drill Bit: $15
Mirror Mastic: $5
Knobs: $21
Grand Total: $171
What we could have spent:
I haven't found one online for less than about $500...and the one I really liked was $2000. Gulp. So we saved a bundle and no one else has one like it!


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Oakland: Zachary's Makes Good Stuffed Pizza But with a Lackluster Crust
Zachary's Chicago Pizza
5801 College Avenue, Oakland CA 94618; (map); 510-655-6385; zacharys.com; other locations in Berkeley and Solano
Getting there: Rockridge BART
Pizza style: Stuffed pizza
Oven type: Gas
The skinny: Famous East Bay spot for Chicago-style stuffed pizza
Notes: Half-baked pizzas available for pick-up. Expect long waits unless you come well before or after dinnertime
Price: 10-inch, $19.50; 12-inch, $24.55; 14-inch, $27.75
Zachary's Pizza is an East Bay icon and one of the most popular local spots for Chicago-style pizza. The lines are legendary, partly due to the fact that the pizzas take 30-40 minutes to bake, ruling out a quick turnaround.
Zachary's specializes in stuffed pizza: the pan starts with a layer of dough, followed by a hefty layer of mozzarella and toppings. Another thin layer of dough is added on top of the cheese and goodies before the thick, robust sauce covers it all. While the cheese is hearty and the sauce is rich, I found the crust at Zachary's to be a bit disappointing.
Zachary's pride and joy is the spinach and mushroom pie. Usually spinach cooks down to nothing and its presence, while nutritionally beneficial, tends to be more sparse than other toppings. Zachary's solves this problem by cramming the pizza full of spinach. The mushrooms were comparatively rare, which is too bad. When I did score one, I noticed the texture more than the taste.
The cheese was legitimately luscious. Zachary's gets high marks for the stringy "pull factor" that when achieved, makes pizza eating a joy for all the senses.
And Zachary's truly shined in the sauce department. Thick and hearty, the beautifully rich sauce was a little peppery, a tad tangy and a majorly awesome. Its robust presence dominated the pizza, in a good way. With stuffed pizza, all one sees is an ocean of sauce, surrounded be a narrow barrier of crust peeking above the sea. Deep red in color, it had a commendable presence that could not be ignored.
Sadly, the crust was unremarkable. The top part that ringed the pizza was pretty crispy, but the part supporting the mass of the pizza got lost in the shuffle. While it held its consistency fairly well, there was plenty of droopage. It seemed like the crust was merely a vehicle for the rest of the pizza, and I felt that this was a significant missed opportunity.
We also ordered a Zachary's Special, with sausage, green pepper, onion, and mushroom. A full layer of tasty sausage lined the bottom of the pie. It was rich and sweet; full-flavored. The onions got a little lost in the sauce, and the mushrooms didn't quite hold their own. But the green peppers were fresh-tasting and delicious. They added a bit of firmness that balanced out the pizza's texture. This pie was a worthy specimen.
Zachary's scores bonus points for spirit. It became employee-owned after founders Zach and Barbara retired, which makes the employees care more about the end result than they otherwise might. The walls are adorned with art created by loyal customers. Every couple of years they have an art contest, and people create works that incorporate Zachary's pizza and/or logo. The collection distracts one from the hunger that can occur while waiting for pizza.
There is significant debate on Slice about which element is most crucial to pizza-making: crust, sauce, or cheese. If you're a crust-lover like me, Zachary's may disappoint. If you view crust as simply a medium for sauce, cheese, and toppings, chances are you'll love Zachary's. I found that the lackluster crust didn't justify the huge wait or the hype. Judging by the crowds, I'm in the minority.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Buy Principles of Macroeconomics online from us today and seize the chance to find an affordable text book for college. If you are studying economics, you will certainly benefit from getting a cheap Principles of Macroeconomics copy, as written by Karl E Case, Ray C Fair and Sharon C Oster. The text book was published by Prentice Hall in 2011. If you want a 10th edition copy of this book to help you understand the underlying principles of this subject, buy it from us now. With so many affordable and discounted options available to you, it couldn't be easier to buy or rent Principles of Macroeconomics online. Sharon C Oster is the author of 'Principles of Macroeconomics (10th Edition) (Pearson Series in Economics)', published 2011 under ISBN 9780131391406 and ISBN 0131391402.[read more]
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Associated Students of Lewis & Clark (ASLC)
ASLC COVID-19 Response Task Force
Date: December 4 Location: Templeton Campus Center
Templeton Campus Center
The ASLC has formed a COVID-19 Response Task Force to communicate up-to-date information, consolidate student concerns, advocate on behalf of students, and to identify resources for students during these unprecedented times. To share your comments, questions, concerns, etc with our team email us at email@example.com or submit them anonymously here.
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Submit your anonymous comments here!


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Fully Accepted
April 3, 2013
"….knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves of sin."
Romans 6:6
Our dependence on others for value brings bondage. What is your motive for the things you are doing? Are you trying to get acceptance from God and others, or are you doing the things you do, because you know that you have been crucified with Christ, you are fully accepted, and filled with the Spirit of God?
God is your friend, the lover of your soul, the One who said He would never leave you or forsake you, the One who died for you in spite of you. He loved you even when you did not love Him back. Know that you are approved unto God, fully accepted in Jesus Christ, and unconditionally loved.
For more resources from Above & Beyond Fellowship, visit www.above.org.


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While working on existing code base, I usually come across procedures that contain Abusive use of IF and Switch statements. The procedures consist of overwhelming code, which I think require re-factoring badly. The situation gets worse when I identify that some of these are recursive as well.
But this is always a matter of debate as the code is working fine and no one wants to wake up the dragon. But, everyone accepts it is very expensive code to manage. I am wondering if are any recommendations to determine if a particular Method is a culprit and needs a revisit/rewrite , so that it can broken down or polymophized in an effective manner. Are there any Metrics (like no. of lines in procedure) that can be used to identify such segment of code. The checklist or advice to convince everyone, will be great!


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Supplier to Ship Two Apple iPhones in September
Supplier Hon Hai Is Shipping Both a High-End and Low-End Version
Apple Inc. has asked assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. to begin shipping both a new high-end and low-end iPhone in early September, people familiar with the matter said.
The shipping plans suggest consumers could soon have access to two new iPhone models, pointing to a strategy shift as Apple attempts to regain its momentum in the smartphone market. The company hasn't previously announced different iPhone models around the same time.
To Read the Full Story


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- "Well I'm always looking for good guys. Build an army. But in my work... people change. Money changes people. Not me. I'm still a hustler from these streets..."
- ―Playboy X to Niko Bellic in Deconstruction for Beginners.
- "Whassup, money?"
- ―Playboy's catchphrase.
Trey Stewart, better known as Playboy X, is a character in the Grand Theft Auto series who appears as a main character in Grand Theft Auto IV and a minor character in The Lost and Damned. He is the head of crack cocaine distribution in northern Algonquin, Liberty City.
Dwayne Forge's tutelage
Trey Stewart was born in 1983 in North Holland, Liberty City. He was once very book smart as a child (in later years he would refrain from this positive work ethic) when he was eight or nine, he became close to the neighborhood's biggest drug lord, Dwayne Forge, who treated Stewart like a son and taught him how to sell drugs. Forge states that Playboy was always a bright kid, but he had no street knowledge so he taught him the rules of the game. When Dwayne was arrested, Stewart became the head of Dwayne's business interests. Playboy X was previously a small-time dealer, also robbing people for some time before taking over the cocaine empire and bringing it to new heights.
Leadership of the business
Under Playboy's leadership and rejecting Dwayne's old-fashioned views, the empire went from being exclusively about drugs to expanding into other realms of (even legitimate) business. Still having the most success in drug sales, he became friends with Elizabeta Torres and monitored all drug deals in the city. After 2004, he stopped visiting Dwayne in prison, and being at a selfish point in his life, probably bought his yellow Patriot within a year or two of that date.
Eventually he was introduced to Niko Bellic through a heroin deal and the two began a business relationship. Playboy X also makes a brief appearance in The Lost and Damned where Playboy refuses to meet Johnny Klebitz during the party.
Expanding into other businesses, Playboy even dreamed of leaving crime behind entirely to become a legitimate real estate developer and "see my name in big, gold letters!". He also explains his resolve to give money to poor young blacks and schools after he's wealthy to atone for selling drugs to children (although his penthouse and luxury car insinuate that he's already quite wealthy). He sought to win over Yusuf Amir, a billionaire property developer from Dubai. Amir was under intense pressure to cooperate with the Mafia, who had shut down his construction site under the guise of a union strike in order to extort funds from him. X believed he could manoeuvere himself into Amir's favor by employing Niko Bellic to dispatch the mob gunmen besieging the site. Niko vacated the site in Playboy X's mission "Deconstruction for Beginners", but Amir was unresponsive. Instead of rewarding X with shares in lucrative construction contracts, he permanently closed down the construction site in memory of those who had died. It is revealed in The Ballad of Gay Tony mission "For the Man Who Has Everything" that Amir continued construction on the soon-to-be Amir Towers.
Later, Niko was sent by X to exterminate Marlon Bridges. X also gave him a Whiz Wireless Cell handset to keep and so that X could assist Niko in the job, as it requires Niko to send an MMS which his second-hand Badger phone given to him by his cousin Roman is incapable of doing as it does not have a camera.
Dwayne's release from prison and The Holland Play
Eventually Dwayne Forge is released from prison and tensions rise between him and X almost immediately. Playboy ignores Forge and attempts to distance himself from his former mentor, leaving Forge feeling bitter, heartbroken and betrayed. Playboy is still the Boss of the North Holland Hustlers, as eventually Forge retakes his former base of operations, the Triangle Club, from associates of Playboy's, the Trunchez Brothers. Playboy is furious and it is clear that the bad blood between the former partners is going to come to a head.
Playboy X has a private conversation with Niko, claiming that Forge is talking behind his back and attempting to usurp leadership from him, even though he claims he offered half of the business to Forge. Though apparently very saddened by having to kill his mentor, he offers Niko $25,000 to kill Dwayne. Subsequently, Niko is also hired by Dwayne to kill Playboy X after word hits the streets that there is a contract out on him.
If Niko chooses to kill Dwayne, Playboy has a change of heart, upset that his "father figure" was killed. Presumably in denial, he blames Niko's cold-heartedness for the betrayal and although he pays Niko the $25,000 as agreed and wishes him the best, he cuts all ties with Niko and cannot be friends with him knowing he killed Dwayne. Later, his answering machine even claims that "you don't know what you got until it's gone."
If Niko chooses to kill Playboy, he shoots his way through Playboy's penthouse and corners him in an alleyway, easily executing him by shooting him in the throat, and thus, returning control of the North Holland Hustlers gang to Forge. As a token of his appreciation, Dwayne gives Playboy's penthouse (which he reveals he had the deed to all along) to Niko.
LCPD Database Record
- Part of Dwayne Forge's crack cocaine dealing operation.
- Assumed control after Forge's conviction.
- Believed to have run the business with advice from Forge in prison.
- Reported that Stewart stopped visiting Forge at the penitentiary in 2004.
- Now believed to be head of a cocaine distribution network in North Holland.
Mission Appearances
- Blow Your Cover
- Deconstruction for Beginners (Boss)
- Photo Shoot (Boss)
- Undress to Kill (Post-mission phone call)
- The Holland Play (Boss/Can be killed)
- The Lost and Damned
- Playboy X bares a vague resemblance to the American rapper Jay-Z.
- If the player chooses to kill Playboy X, his profile on the online police database does not change to list him as deceased, but the in-car computer does list him as such.
- Playboy X's favorite radio stations are The Classics 104.1 and Beat 102.7.
- On the back of Playboy X's sweatshirt, 8-Ball's business logo can be seen. This is interesting, considering he also has Claude's clothes in his penthouse.
- Playboy may be allied or working with Armando Torres, as the all-black Cavalcade used as a weapons cache in the mission Deconstruction for Beginners is very similar to the one Armando drives in The Ballad of Gay Tony. This similarity, along with the fact that Armando sells and stores weapons in it, could imply that Playboy contacted Armando (when he said to Niko that he would be "One sec" in the mission cutscene) for the car to obtain the weapons Niko uses for the mission.
- During in-game conversations, Playboy demonstrates an extreme lack of general knowledge. When talking about Yusuf Amir, Playboy X claims that Dubai is in Africa. He says that Yusuf and he are brothers, and they are from the same part of the world, saying, "Shit, we might be cousins." Niko corrects him by saying that Dubai isn't in Africa. Playboy later claims that Jesus Christ killed John the Baptist, something that Niko also corrects him about.
- Like most characters in the game, Playboy will don a unique helmet when riding alongside the protagonist on a motorcycle. His helmet is black with a white stripe and a dark-tinted visor.
- Playboy X may be afraid or intimidated by Johnny Klebitz, as he tells Niko to "Not even look at him the wrong way." However, he tries to make an excuse by claiming that "them bikers are racist as shit."
- During Deconstruction for Beginners, if the player kills Playboy on the rooftop with a grenade or RPG, his binoculars will sometimes float.
- He shares a similarity with "The Wire" character Stringer Bell in that he wants to expand into legitimate business while Dwayne shares a similarity with "The Wire" character Avon Barksdale in that he accepts that he is a criminal and wants to continue to conduct business as he has in the past.
External Links


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Official Opinion 95-26
State Ethics Commission
Expenditures made independently of a candidate, including expenditures in favor of or opposing a candidate, are not subject to the dollar limitations and reporting and registration requirements of the Ethics in Government Act.
The State Ethics Commission has requested my opinion regarding the ability of the Commission to regulate expenditures by noncandidates, independent committees or organizations on behalf of or in opposition to specific candidates, where those expenditures are not made in coordination with the candidate. Additionally, the Commission has inquired whether such independent expenditures are subject to the dollar limitations of O.C.G.A. § 21-5-40 et seq. and whether persons or groups making such independent expenditures are also required to either register their existence or to file disclosure reports with the Secretary of State, as is required of political candidates themselves.
It is my official opinion that expenditures made independently of a candidate, including expenditures in favor of or opposing a candidate, are not subject to the dollar limitations and reporting and registration requirements of the Ethics in Government Act.
Georgia Law
In addressing these issues, it is first necessary to present a brief outline of the development and scope of the regulatory structure regarding campaign finance and disclosure in Georgia. In 1974, the General Assembly enacted the Campaign Financing Disclosure Act in order to, "[P]rovide procedures for public disclosure of contributions and expenditures made in connection with campaigns for certain State offices." 1974 Ga. Laws 155, 155-56. In doing so, the General Assembly intended to further:
[I]ts responsibility to protect the integrity of the democratic process and to insure fair elections [for state and local offices and] to institute and establish a requirement of public disclosure of campaign contributions and expenditures relative to the seeking of such offices.
Id. at 156, § 2. See also O.C.G.A. § 21-5-2.
In regulating this campaign process, the General Assembly required campaign officials to disclose contributions received and expenditures made by candidates. 1974 Ga. Laws 155, 159-60, § 6. See also O.C.G.A. § 21-5-34. The General Assembly defined a "contribution" to be:
[A] gift, subscription, loan, forgiveness of debt, advance or deposit of money or anything of value conveyed or transferred for the purpose of influencing the nomination for election or election of any person for the offices provided for [under the statute.]
1974 Ga. Laws 155, 157, § 3(c). See also O.C.G.A. § 21-5-3(6). The original definition of "expenditure" parallels this definition, stating that an expenditure is:
[A] purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value made for the purpose of influencing the nomination for election or election of any person for the offices provided for [under the statute.]
1974 Ga. Laws 155, 157, § 3(d). See also O.C.G.A. § 21-5-3(9).
In interpreting the scope of this statute and these particular definitions, the Supreme Court of Georgia recognized that if a person makes an expenditure on behalf of a candidate, such as the purchase of advertising, then this expenditure also is a "contribution" to a candidate and the recipient candidate has a duty to report the expenditure as such on his or her campaign disclosure reports, if they can reasonably do so. Fortson v. Weeks, 232 Ga. 472, 480-81 (1974).
However, in reaching this determination, the Supreme Court of Georgia also noted that while the Court construed such actions to be direct contributions to the candidate, they also represented the exercise of First Amendment protected speech by the person making the expenditure. Fortson at 481. Therefore, the Court limited the regulation of this protected expression, stating:
[A]ctivities in the exercise of First Amendment freedoms may not be harshly channeled and controlled simply by being deemed "contributions," for those activities are constitutionally protected from significant legislative chilling. Accordingly, even though we conclude that the purchase of media publicity for a candidate, the example here under consideration, is a "contribution" because it is covered by the Act's definition, we construe this Act to mean that this and other financial outlays by persons in the course of the exercise of First Amendment rights, shall be deemed to be the equivalent of a direct contribution to the candidate or his campaign committee, so that the contributor is not in violation of the Act.
Fortson at 481 (emphasis added). This indicates that under Georgia law, the restrictions on campaign contributions and expenditures were originally directed to regulating the candidate and not the regulating of a contributor who was acting to express his or her First Amendment rights.
In the intervening years, the General Assembly expanded the definitions of both "contributions" and "expenditures" to exclude the value of volunteer labor donated to a candidate from falling in either category and also to include the value of the payment of a qualifying fee for a candidate. See, e.g., 1986 Ga. Laws 957, 960-61; 1987 Ga. Laws 297 et seq. The General Assembly also provided that:
Any person who accepts contributions for, makes contributions to, or makes expenditures on behalf of candidates is subject to the same disclosure requirements of this chapter as a candidate . . . .
1986 Ga. Laws 957, 971; O.C.G.A. § 21-5-31(a). In 1990, dollar limits were adopted on contributions made by persons, partnerships, corporations and political committees. 1990 Ga. Laws 922, 924-26; O.C.G.A. § 21-5-40 et seq. The General Assembly also acted to prohibit the making of contributions by regulated entities. O.C.G.A. §§ 21-5-30(f), 21-5-30.1, 21-5-30.2.
Therefore, in relation to expenditures made by third parties or noncandidates on behalf of a candidate, the General Assembly has provided that any person accepting contributions for, making contributions to or making expenditures on behalf of candidates is subject to regulation, including dollar limitations and reporting requirements. However, that does not end the inquiry as to what these statutes mean. As demonstrated by the previous opinions of the Georgia Supreme Court, federal constitutional principles must also be factored into the interpretation of these statutes.
Federal Law
In enacting Georgia's campaign finance disclosure legislation, the General Assembly chose to model some of its provisions after the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971. 2 U.S.C. § 431 et seq. (Pub. L. No. 92-225, 86 Stat. 3) (1972). The state statute tracks to some extent the language of the federal act in defining the crucial terms of "contribution" and "expenditure." Compare 2 U.S.C. § 431(8)(A)(i) and O.C.G.A. § 21-5-3(6); 2 U.S.C. § 431(9)(A)(i) and O.C.G.A. § 21-5-3(9).
The meaning and constitutionality of the federal statute was determined in the seminal case of Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (1976). In Buckley, the Supreme Court specifically addressed what types of expenditures can be regulated under the federal statute, in light of the protection of free speech afforded by the First Amendment.
In relation to independent expenditures on behalf of a candidate, federal law regarding the reporting of campaign contributions and expenditures provided at that time:
Every person (other than a political committee or candidate) who makes contributions or expenditures, other than by contribution to a political committee or candidate, in an aggregate amount in excess of $100 within a calendar year shall file with the Commission a statement containing the information required by this section.
Buckley at 160, Opinion Appendix containing the provisions of 2 U.S.C. § 434(e) under review. Additionally, a parallel provision was included under 18 U.S.C. § 608 (Crimes and Criminal Procedure - Elections and Political Activities) which stated:
No person may make any expenditure (other than an expenditure made by or on behalf of a candidate within the meaning [of the code] relative to a clearly identified candidate during a calendar year which, when added to all other expenditures made by such person during the year advocating the election or defeat of such candidate, exceeds $1,000.
18 U.S.C. § 608(e). A "clearly identified" candidate was one whose name, photograph or likeness was used or whose identity was unambiguous. Buckley at 193, citing 18 U.S.C. § 608(e)(2)(A).
In reviewing both of these provisions, the Court concluded that in order to avoid finding these restrictions on expenditures by noncandidates unconstitutionally vague, it was necessary to interpret this provision so as to be, "limited to communications that include explicit words of advocacy of election or defeat of a candidate." Buckley at 43, 79-80. The Court also specifically held:
[I]n order to preserve the provision against invalidation on vagueness grounds § 608(e)(1) must be construed to apply only to expenditures for communications that in express terms advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate for federal office.
. . . .
. . . So long as persons and groups eschew expenditures that in express terms advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate, they are free to spend as much as they want to promote the candidate and his views.
* * * * *
To insure that the reach of § 434(e) is not impermissibly broad, we construe "expenditure" for purposes of that section in the same way we construed the terms of § 608(e) - to reach only funds used for communications that expressly advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate. . . . In summary, § 434(e), as construed, imposes independent reporting requirements on individuals and groups that are not candidates or political committees only in the following circumstances: (1) when they make contributions earmarked for political purposes or authorized or requested by a candidate or his agent, to some person other than a candidate or political committee, and (2) when they make expenditures for communications that expressly advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate.
Id. at 44, 45, 80 (emphasis added).
The Court also noted that truly independent expenditures, "may well provide little assistance to the candidate's campaign and indeed may prove counterproductive." Id. at 47. The Court noted:
The absence of prearrangement and coordination of an expenditure with the candidate or his agent not only undermines the value of the expenditure to the candidate, but also alleviates the danger that expenditures will be given as a quid pro quo for improper commitments from the candidate.
Id. As a corollary to this principle, the Court specifically also found that where expenditures were made in cooperation with or with the consent of a candidate, his agents, or an authorized committee of the candidate, then such expenditures could constitutionally be restricted under the campaign finance act. Id. at 47 n.53; 80-82.
Applying this narrow construction of "expenditures," construing it to apply only where the expenditure is made as express, coordinated advocacy of the election or defeat of a candidate, the Court found that persons or groups making such expenditures could be required to file the campaign disclosure reports required under the federal act. Id. at 60-64. The Court found that the government's interest in providing information to the voters on the source of campaign contributions for a candidate, as well as the deterrence of actual or apparent corruption and the ability to detect possible violations of the law, presented a sufficiently compelling basis for upholding the disclosure reporting requirements. Id. at 66-68.
Over the years since the Buckley decision, the Supreme Court has consistently held to these two principles. Only express, coordinated advocacy on behalf of or in opposition to a specific candidate may fall within the regulation of federal campaign laws and that, where there is such express advocacy as a part of an independent expenditure, then the person or group making the expenditure is subject to the disclosure requirements of the law. McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Comm'n, U.S. , 63 U.S.L.W. 4279, 4285 (1995); Federal Election Comm'n v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc., 479 U.S. 238, 249, 262 (1986); Federal Election Comm'n v. National Conservative Political Action Comm., 470 U.S. 480, 493-500 (1985). See also Faucher v. Federal Election Comm'n, 928 F.2d 468, 470-71 (1st Cir. 1991), cert. denied sub nom. Federal Election Comm'n v. Keefer, 502 U.S. 820 (1991); United States v. Goland, 959 F.2d 1449, 1452-53 (9th Cir. 1992), cert. denied, U.S. , 113 S. Ct. 1384 (1993); Vote Choice, Inc. v. DiStefano, 4 F.3d 26, 31-32 (1st Cir. 1993).
In Buckley, the Court also addressed the issue of dollar limitations on independent expenditures. Under Section 608(e)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended in 1974, the Congress had placed a limitation of $1,000.00 on expenditures for a clearly identified candidate by any person or association other than a political party or a campaign organization. Buckley at 39-41. The Supreme Court found such a limitation an unconstitutional restriction on the First Amendment rights of expression of such independent persons or associations. Id. at 43-57.
The Court subsequently has reaffirmed this determination in Federal Election Comm'n v. National Conservative Political Action Comm., 470 U.S. 480 (1985). In this case, the Court addressed a provision of the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act, 26 U.S.C. § 9001 et seq., which prohibited presidential candidates who received matching federal funds from also accepting contributions from independent political committees. 470 U.S. at 482-83. In striking down this prohibition, the Court again reiterated that such independent expenditures amounted to speech protected under the First Amendment. 470 U.S. at 493 (quoting Buckley, 424 U.S. at 14). The Court concluded that the Congress' restriction of this protected speech was not narrowly tailored to achieve the avowed purpose of preventing political corruption and the statute was fatally overbroad. 470 U.S. at 496-501.
Regulating Independent Expenditures under Georgia Law
Given the above and foregoing developments in the law, it is clear that Georgia law must be interpreted and applied by the State Ethics Commission in accordance not only with the statutes enacted by the General Assembly but also in harmony with the requirements of the federal constitution. This means that the terms "contribution" and "expenditure" must be interpreted and applied as outlined in Buckley and its progeny, and as recognized by the Supreme Court of Georgia in the aforementioned cases.
In doing so, it is my official opinion that under O.C.G.A. § 21-5-31, the State Ethics Commission may require persons, organizations, corporations or any other entity to comply with the campaign disclosure requirements of O.C.G.A. § 21-5-34 only where such "expenditures" fall within the constitutional definition outlined in Buckley. This means that such regulation is permissible only if these expenditures are made in conjunction or coordination with the beneficiary candidate and if the expenditures expressly advocate the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate.
Finally, it should also be remembered that while the State Ethics Commission may be limited by the aforementioned provisions from regulating truly independent expenditures, this does not eliminate a candidate's obligation under Fortson v. Weeks as outlined above. An expenditure on behalf of a candidate, even if a truly independent contribution, would still be a transfer of something of value to the candidate. This would therefore be a contribution to the candidate which should be reported as such on the candidate's disclosure reports, if the candidate knows or could reasonably discover who made this contribution. Fortson v. Weeks, 232 Ga. 472, 480-81 (1974). However, because this is the candidate's obligation, and not that of the person or entity making the independent expenditure, this contribution would not be subject to the dollar limitations of O.C.G.A. § 21-5-40 et seq.
Therefore, it is my official opinion that expenditures made independently of a candidate, including expenditures in favor of or opposing a candidate, are not subject to the dollar limitations and reporting and registration requirements of the Ethics in Government Act.
Prepared by:
Senior Assistant Attorney General


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A woman beaten by a Newark, New Jersey police officer during a routine traffic stop in October of 2004 has just been awarded $2.7 million by a jury, a monstrously high sum for an incident where no one was killed. But it is a reflection of just how awful the encounter was. So what happened?
Sara Lesende was attempting to find a parking spot for her car when the 90-lb mother of two was approached by Newark police officer Arnold Borrero. After an argument over the ticket Borrero allegedly pulled his gun out, pointed it at various bystanders, and eventually beat Lesende about the face, according to court documents from a recent case.
When a 70-year-old man tried to intervene, Borrero threatened to shoot the man. Eventually, Borerro was fired and the city settled with the 70-year-old man.
Two sources have confirmed the amount and the verdict, which was just handed down.


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He may be one of the most talented players on the planet, nominated for the Ballon d'Or and a multi-million dollar marketing sensation, but Neymar caught the eye for all the wrong reasons in New York last night at the end of a thrilling friendly between Colombia and Brazil.
Colombia took the lead when Juan Cuadrado slotted home, only for Neymar to grab a second-half equaliser with some twisting and turning before an exquisite finish into the far corner.
Unfortunately for the Santos forward, this game won't be remembered for his little dose of magic, but more for his penalty just ten minutes from time that would have given Brazil a (largely undeserved) victory.
After taking a long, peculiar and winding run-up, Brazil's number 11 somehow got so far under it that he cleared the crossbar by a good 10 to 15 yards.
See also:
Play of the day: Goalkeeper howler
Play of the day: Gayle hits record for six
Play of the day: Taison scores incredible volley
Play of the day: Barton scores from corner
Play of the day: One-legged soccer player scores incredible goal
Play of the day: Liverpool fans soaked by faulty sprinkler
Play of the day: Goalie sees red, strikes ball boy
Play of the day: The perfect corner kick
Play of the day: When goal celebrations go wrong
Play of the day: Goalie scores long distance stunner
Play of the day: Is this the worst penalty kick ever?


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Oprah Winfrey has heard this story before.
A wave of high-profile films about black people receives accolades. A heart-warming trend of greater on-screen equality is declared. Hollywood basks in its multiculturalism — and then returns to business as usual.
From the slavery odyssey "12 Years a Slave" to the day-in-a-life drama "Fruitvale Station," this fall has been a banner season for films of racial struggle told without white protagonists and largely by black directors. As one of the stars of the Civil Rights history "Lee Daniels' The Butler," Winfrey is a proud player in a rare moment for African-Americans at the movies. But she and many others have tired of celebrating occasional aberrations of what should be Hollywood's regular output.
"We've been through this before," says Winfrey. "I don't want it to be, 'Oh, gee, we had the 10 films and now it's another five years before you see another one.'"
2013 is a historical high-point for black-themed films, a culmination of Obama-era cinema. But the filmmakers and actors who made this confluence happen are resolutely against being resigned to a mere trend story, soon to be followed by another lull in diversity.
Spike Lee, whose near-annual turnout has been a steady line through the undulations of the industry, disdains black filmmakers being treated like "flavors of the year."
"Every 10 years, we have the same conversation: 'Oh, there's lots of black films being made,'" says Lee, who will release his revenge remake "Oldboy" later this month. "Then it drops off. It's not consistent."
A 'perfect storm'
Opening Nov. 29 is "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," a sweeping biopic of the South African leader starring Idris Elba. It joins a group of films that began with the Jackie Robinson drama "42" and runs through to the Langston Hughes adaptation "Black Nativity," out Nov. 27.
Ryan Coogler's "Fruitvale Station," with Michael B. Jordan as 22-year-old Oscar Grant, is a humanistic portrait of a young black man seldom seen at the movies: as a caring, generous father. The box-office hit "The Butler," with Forest Whitaker as a generations-spanning White House butler, chronicles the Civil Rights era not from the perspective of a passionate white liberal, but via the dinner table of an average black family.
Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave," based on Solomon Northup's 1853 memoir, has been nearly universally hailed as the most unblinking portrait yet of slavery, a long-overdue recalibration of Hollywood's "Gone With the Wind" point of view. In a striking review, Grantland's Wesley Morris said the film "radically shifts the perspective of the American racial historical drama from the allegorical uplift to the explanatory wallop."
"If I was an alien and landed on Earth and looked at the history of films,
I wouldn't think that there would be no slave narrative, or very little," says McQueen, the British video artist-turned filmmaker.
McQueen believes the confluence of films suits the times.
"With the unfortunate death of Trayvon Martin, with having a black president, with the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery, the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, it's sort of like this perfect storm which has occurred where, I think, people are ready to receive the film in a way maybe they haven't been before," he says.
Incremental progress
If "12 Years a Slave," starring the British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor as Northup, goes on to win the best picture Oscar (a prediction of many — though certainly not all — Academy Awards onlookers), it would be the first best picture winner directed by a black filmmaker. The best actor category, too, is full of black contenders, including Ejiofor, Whitaker, Elba and Jordan.
The Oscars (which Chris Rock once called a "million white man march") have increasingly served as celebratory breakthroughs in Hollywood's racial ceiling. For 2001, two black actors won the top acting prizes for the first time: Denzel Washington ("Training Day") and Halle Berry ("Monster's Ball"). Dual wins for Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby") and Jamie Foxx ("Ray") followed for 2004, as did the combination of Whitaker ("The Last King of Scotland") and Jennifer Hudson ("Dreamgirls") for 2006.
But those tipping points were followed by more incremental progress. The 2011 best-picture nominee "The Help" was viewed by many in the black community as the embrace of a stereotype (another story of racial injustice starring a white person).
Recently, a study at the University of Southern California in Annenberg supplied a reminder of Hollywood realities. The school analyzed the 500 top-grossing films at the U.S. box office in recent years. Last year, African-Americans represented 10.8 percent of all speaking characters. (Hispanics at 4.2 percent and Asians with 5 percent fared even worse.) Between 2007 and 2012, the 565 directors of the top 500 films included only 33 black filmmakers, and just two of them black women.
The imbalance also affects the kind of roles black actors receive. Black males are notably less likely to play romantic partners or parents, according to the study.
Most of this year's wave of films relied not on Hollywood studios for distribution, but independent distributors, and had to hunt hard for financing. Lee Daniels and the late producer Laura Ziskin sought out wealthy African-Americans to fund "The Butler."
"It's politically incorrect … to scream racism in Hollywood, in America," says Daniels. "It's time to now not do that. We've got to call it as we see it."
Starting a conversation
Change, of course, can come in spurts, and the discussion generated by the films this year has only just started. Vanity Fair's James Wolcott recently claimed the movies are provoking a national conversation on race that politicians have failed to generate. New York magazine's Frank Rich lamented that even a film such as "12 Years a Slave" can only accomplish so much outside of the movie theater.
"Dialogue is occurring," says Whitaker, who also helped produce "Fruitvale Station" and stars in "Black Nativity." "People are taking their points of view about how they see their environment, their world. All these films are engaging in that dialogue."
But Whitaker emphasized there's a long way to go, still: "People act like it's a history as opposed to recognizing it as a movement," he says.
One could look at these movies as chronological snapshots of that movement: from the 19th century Louisiana plantation of "12 Years a Slave" to the Civil Rights upheaval of 20th century Washington in "The Butler," and finally to the contemporary prejudices of "Fruitvale Station."
"They're great stories, which happen to tell the stories of black people," says Ejiofor. "I kind of have a suspicion that that's the way it should be."
2013 a banner year of quality films about the black experience
Oprah Winfrey has heard this story before.


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Robert Browning#32 on top 500 poets
» Click to list general statistics » OR, select a date :
Soliloquy Of The Spanish Cloister
Gr-r-r---there go, my heart's abhorrence!
Water your damned flower-pots, do!
If hate killed men, Brother Lawrence,
God's blood, would not mine kill you!
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It's no secret that different kids learn in different ways. However, in a 'regular' classroom set up, especially in the No Child Left Behind era of standardized testing, too often only one style of teaching can be applied and some kids don't do as well. Revere High School has taken some big steps to make sure that more students are getting what they need to learn more optimally and expand their potential. They have revised their semesters and class times, acquired iPads for every student, and placed a stronger emphasis on teacher skill rather than seniority.
The end result? Students entering high school with weaker English skills are later taking honors English. College acceptance rates have risen. Drop out rates have decreased. And Revere High School has been declared the nation's most innovative school by... Read More


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Career Opportunities
We want you to join our Team!
At D'style we create spaces where people want to be. Not only do we do that for our customers, we do that for our employees. We are proud to provide a working environment that values hard work and growth, but also encourages personality. Our world-class team strives to learn and do things better each day, while having fun along the way.


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Our design takes classic elements from the great little car brought together to make a truly unique Full Zipped Hoody. Slightly quirky, this will appeal to mini fans and rally enthusiasts alike, whilst leaving others simply wondering!
Perfect for lazy days watching motorsport DVD's or keeping out the chill fettling the car in the garage our Zipped Hoodies are of the highest quality around. Combined with our cool designs they are this years "must have" item.
Build Specification for your 33EJB Zipped Hoody:-
Made from 80% Cotton, 20% Polyester 280gsm Fabric
Authentic "33 EJB" printed white lettering on black number plate style on the front.
White rally door square with number "37" printed on the back.
Small printed replica "Monte Carlo Rally" plate above the white square.
And the caption:-
1964 Monte Carlo Rally
Paddy Hopkirk & Henry Liddon
1st overall
Mini Cooper S
A celebration of a true legend this is your chance to own, and wear a legend and rally winner!
Copyright ©
2020 Tartan Red.com


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Auslogics Registry Defrag 22.214.171.124
An extremely useful program to keep your registry as compact as possible.
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Microsoft Windows and various program access the registry a few hundred times a second. By keeping your registry optimized you improve your computer performance.
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Upon defragmenting the registry on your computer, the program prepares an HTML report with comprehensive details about registry defragmentation process.


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You are looking at 1 - 1 of 1 items :
- Western Hemisphere x
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IMF Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics : Annual Report 1998 »
Series: Balance of Payments Statistics
Author(s): International Monetary Fund. Statistics Dept.
Publisher: INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
Publication Date: 14 April 1999
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5089/9781557758071.044
Keywords: statistics, survey, balance of payments, reserve assets, current account, external debt, central bank, long-term debt, financial statistics, surveys
The IMF Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics was established in 1992 to promote accuracy and cooperation in the compilation of balance of payments statistics. Membership of the Committee, which advises the I...


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Ever since season 2 of "The Walking Dead" picked back up I've been giddy with excitement over all the happenings with our band of zombie killers. And with news today that British actor David Morrissey will be joining the cast in season 3 as "The Governor", the leader of a group of survivors that the run into Rick and the gang, well I'm just skipping around. Alright honestly I don't even know who this guy but this is the best you're going to get today. Don't forget to tip your waiter.
Christian Bale has been confirmed to be taking the lead role in a new revenge flick from "Crazy Heart" director Scott Cooper titled "Out of the Furnace". The film is set in 1986 Indiana and Bale will play a former prisoner who finds out his brother has been murdered while he was locked up. I smell prison shower scene! Not literally, I don't know what that would actually smell like. Awful I bet.
I've lost track of what's actually going on with the "Robocop" remake but it looks like "The Killing" star Joel Kinnaman has received an offer from MGM to take on the lead role of Alex Murphy, the cop turned robot.. or Robocop as you might call him. Seriously, didn't Colin Farrell already take the role? What the hell is going on here. Where am I!?
I didn't want to talk about this because I feel like there's a new casting update every day for some new horror show but here goes. Dave Annable has joined the cast of "666 Park Avenue." Please update your score cards.
A SWAT team in Florida spent over 8 hours this past Sunday in a heated stand off with a 75 year old man they thought had barricaded himself in his house. Of course heated in this case means the guy was actually just fast asleep from a mixture of alcohol and sleeping pills but it's Florida, they use different terms down there.
This guy in Florida isn't just your average run of the mill public masturbater. No he makes weird animal noises in the bushes to attract people while he's doing it. Of course if you walk over to a bush because there's weird animal noises coming from it you should probably get bit by an animal so seeing a guy go to town on himself might not be that bad.


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Russian Ship Trapped in Antarctic Ice Awaits Rescue
A Russian ship remains trapped in Antarctic ice as the crew awaits the arrival of Chinese and Australian icebreaker vessels that will try to break the ship free. Photo: Australasian Antarctic Expedition/Footloose Photography
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... BdB BdB BdB ... BdB ... the distills ADC might be stationary yourself here's the but now I was about seven dollars and above the white ... base pacing the way to Apple when the B of A ... icebreaker vessel see astray ... a vessel of Austar to see it coming else afford to get it to ... flapping a failed to break in ... we just wait it ... added any charges given its businesses that a pipe that detail petticoat ... Banka chain saws program assets ... as Reese Mideast am making the most of all time ...


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Mind-Boggling: The Numbers Behind Ruzzle's Rise (And Fall?)
It may not have a well-known developer or publisher behind it, but Ruzzle has become one of the first big mobile gaming hits of the year.
The Boggle-inspired game, available for iOS and Android, is the first self-published title from Swedish studio MAG Interactive. The numbers behind its growth are seriously impressive, but data obtained by AllThingsD suggests that, like last year's mobile sensation, Draw Something, its popularity may have already peaked.
For the uninitiated, the game works like this: Two competing players each have three minutes to swipe their fingers across a square grid of letters, finding as many words as they can and scoring points in the process. Each game is divided into three rounds, and each round ends with the ominous, perfectly calculated sound of a tick-tick-ticking 10-second countdown.
First, the good numbers: Ruzzle product manager Daniel Hasselberg said more than 100 million rounds (so, more than 33.3 million games) are played every day. With 28 million active users in January, the game has topped the iOS App Store charts in 30 countries.
Ruzzle players have spent, in aggregate, more than 10,000 years playing the game, Hasselberg added.
And according to mobile intelligence service Onavo — which uses anonymous user data from its popular data-compression app to estimate apps' market share — 7.51 percent of all iPhones in the U.S. opened the game in January, up from 1.29 percent just one month before.
To put that in perspective: The original Angry Birds, which Onavo ranks as the most popular in the series, was opened by "only" 4 percent of American iPhone owners in the same month.
However, Onavo now says that those January numbers may have been the peak for users' engagement with the app. Although it is still handily beating Zynga's similar Boggle-esque title, Scramble With Friends, the number of Ruzzle's daily active users has dropped consistently since the first week of February.
The second graph in the image below shows the trend. The purple line represents Ruzzle, and the gray line represents Scramble With Friends.
Of course, it's still possible for the developers to turn that curve around, and Hasselberg promised new features for the iOS and Android versions of the game "over the next few months."
But just two days after Ruzzle peaked, on February 5, MAG Interactive released a new game called QuizCross that's already bringing in rave user reviews. Despite its youth, the company seems to understand the M.O. of mobile: Like Ruzzle's ticking countdown, hits don't last forever.


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|August 24, 2009
|Single Sign-On To Your Online World...
|By: Jeff Cotrupe
For years Jeff Cotrupe was the analyst who "named Stratecast but never joined the firm." Those days are over: He has now joined Stratecast, a division of Frost & Sullivan, as Program Director, OSS/BSS Global Competitive Strategies. If you compete in the global communications market, Stratecast offers the critical strategic insights you need to WIN. You can connect with Jeff on all social media sites at XeeSM and follow Stratecast, F&S and Jeff on Twitter.
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