text:
On the first Friday of every month, the employees of Netflix, a Silicon Valley DVD rental company, head to a charming local movie theater for a noontime morale boost. Dressed dotcom-casual in shorts and sandals, they scarf pizza and mill around before the main attraction: a mild hazing for new recruits and an update on the company's growth figures, which so far have been impressive.
Carlos Serrao. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings: enemy number one of Blockbuster and Walmart.com.
Today, though, founder and CEO Reed Hastings has a different message to deliver. "A year and a half ago, we found out that Walmart.com doesn't want to work with us, but work on us," says Hastings, dwarfed by a huge PowerPoint projection. There have been rumors, but this is real. The world's largest corporation, with $218 billion in annual sales — more than 1,500 times the size of Netflix, in case you're curious — is gunning for an upstart that went public in May on negative earnings. Consumers love the Netflix rental model, which lets subscribers order DVDs online, receive them by mail, and keep them for as long as they want without late fees. Walmart.com likes it so much that it's launching a nearly identical service early next year. "They're printing packaging that is essentially identical to ours," Hastings informs the crowd.
Blockbuster is close behind. The nation's biggest video rental chain recently began testing an in-store subscription service that offers unlimited rentals for a fixed fee — and, Hastings says, has invested in Netflix rival DVDRentalCentral.com. "I encourage you to take them up on their offer for a free trial," he tells his staff with a smile, "and if you forget to return the discs, I understand."
Wall Street thinks it knows how this story ends — badly. Investors still remember Kozmo, Webvan, and a few pet store fiascos. Indeed, as Hastings speaks, 40 percent of all NFLX shares are being sold short. In the month that follows his presentation, Netflix stock drops from $14 to below $6. Still, Hastings is sure he's onto something. While other video-on-demand companies build businesses around broadband, Netflix is taking a half-step toward the digital future with mass-produced DVDs ($1 each) and an old-fashioned delivery mechanism: the US mail. The company has less than 2 percent of the $8 billion video rental market, but it doubled its customer base to 750,000 this year, and Hastings projects a million customers, and profitability, in 2003. Since subscribers pay up front, Netflix also has the steadiest revenue stream the industry has ever seen. "We're public now," Hastings reminds his troops, "with $90 million in the bank. For them to pull ahead will be almost unimaginable." He brings up the final PowerPoint slide: let the battle begin.
It already has. Hastings is competing not only with Walmart.com and Blockbuster but also with the pay-per-view and premium cable channels who know the same thing he does: The average video rental experience sucks. Consider Tom and Hilary, who decide to rent a movie on Friday evening. They drive to the video store looking for Kissing Jessica Stein only to find that all the copies are out. In fact, there are rarely enough copies of a modest hit film in its first few weeks of release because of a strategy known in the business as "managed dissatisfaction." Video stores don't stock large quantities of most new releases because demand is so fleeting that it's not cost-effective — they get stuck with extras. So Tom and Hilary settle for Me, Myself & Irene, and leave feeling disappointed. The movie is crap, they're too busy to return it, and then they get slapped with a $6 late fee. Not exactly a loyalty-building experience.
Netflix offers a low tech video-on-demand alternative. Jon and Alys subscribe to a $19.95 plan that allows them to rent as many movies as they want in a month, but no more than three at a time. After they watch a film and return it in a postage-paid envelope, the company mails them the next DVD from a list the couple maintain on their Netflix Web page, which offers recommendations based on their rental history. (Liked The Royal Tenenbaums? Try Ghost World.) If Netflix is out of Kissing Jessica Stein, Jon and Alys just receive the next movie on the list. On Friday, they have Donnie Darko, Piñero, and In the Bedroom on top of their DVD player. They love Donnie Darko, mail it back on Saturday, and by Tuesday, Y Tu Mamá También arrives. It's so convenient that the average Netflix customer watches five movies a month. Some subscribers rent twenty or more. (Which is a problem: Netflix loses money on postage for households that rent more than five a month.)
The convenience inspires a fervor among Netflix enthusiasts, and that's what caught the attention of Walmart.com and Blockbuster. But it's the recommendation engine that fascinates independent film producers and Hollywood studios, which see Netflix as a marketing vehicle for off-center movies that are difficult to promote through mass media. Rather than pushing the masses toward what's new — the way Hollywood does today — Netflix pushes subscribers toward titles they're likely to enjoy. Given a large enough customer base, the Netflix model could even change the way Hollywood develops movies.
Hastings sold his first company, Pure Atria Software, in 1997, for three-quarters of a billion dollars. After that, he spent a year as CEO of TechNet, the Silicon Valley lobbying organization; in 1999 he became president of the California Board of Education, where he has pushed to improve the state's notoriously underperforming public school system. That means monthly trips to Sacramento to oversee board meetings, craft motions, consider waiver requests, and review accountability standards. After one all-day assembly, he's unwinding over a latte at a Starbucks near the state capitol.
"What motivates you these days?" I ask. He lifts his mouth from his cup; a trace of foam clings to his upper lip. "The dream 20 years from now," he says, "is to have a global entertainment distribution company that provides a unique channel for film producers and studios." He nods toward the mermaid logo above my head. "Starbucks is a great example. Howard Schultz talks about building the brand one cup at a time. I'd love to be Howard Schultz. As Starbucks is for coffee, Netflix is for movies."
"But there's already a Starbucks for movies," I say. "It's called Blockbuster." He was waiting for that. "Blockbuster is the Dunkin' Donuts of movies. When Starbucks came out, Dunkin' Donuts said, 'Three fifty for a coffee just because it has steamed milk in it? That's a niche.'"
In newspaper interviews, Hastings likes to tell the story of how Netflix was born: He rented Apollo 13 from Blockbuster, forgot to return it, got socked with a $40 late fee, and realized there had to be a better way. It's a masterstroke of anecdotal marketing, in the tradition of the publicist who said eBay was built on a fondness for Pez dispensers. Ever aware of his audience, Hastings tells me that Netflix has its roots in a computer science course he took as a graduate student at Stanford. "The professor said, 'Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon filled with backup tapes,'" Hastings remembers. Moving small bits of data at light speed can be far less efficient — and more expensive — than moving that information in bulk.
Netflix opened its San Jose distribution facility in 1998, when DVD players sold for $700. VHS tapes would have reached a wider audience, Hastings realized, but they were too heavy to mail cheaply. The small number of household DVD players held Netflix back initially, but not as much as its business model: $4 per rental plus $2 total postage. "We were a typical Internet company back then," Hastings says, "an ugly financial story, with not much hope of breaking even." In late 1999, the company abandoned pay-per-view for subscriptions. Especially in the Bay Area — where overnight delivery was possible from San Jose — consumers embraced the idea of paying one fee for all the movies they wanted.
Around the same time, Bob Pisano, a former MGM executive and current CEO of the Screen Actors Guild, joined the Netflix board and set up meetings for Hastings with studio moguls like Warren Lieberfarb, president of Warner Home Video. During the next year, most of the studios signed revenue-sharing agreements that called for Netflix to buy DVDs at cost and kick back a percentage of a customer's subscription fee for every movie rented. (Blockbuster pioneered revenue sharing in the VHS era but has no such arrangement with DVDs.)
In less caffeinated moments, Hastings acknowledges that Netflix could get crushed next year. Walmart.com rolled out a test of its new service in October and plans to go national in early 2003, says spokesperson Cynthia Lin. Like Netflix, it will offer 12,000 titles, delivery by mail, three movies at a time, and no late fees. The Walmart.com twist? As usual, it's undercutting the competition: $18.86 per month.
But the entrance of Walmart.com and even Blockbuster is just as likely to expand the DVD-by-mail market as squash Hastings. So far, the biggest struggle for Netflix has been educating consumers accustomed to in-store rentals and confused by the notion of a subscription. A Blockbuster-size marketing budget would help sell customers on the idea. In anticipation of such growth, Netflix opened 10 satellite distribution centers around the country this year. If the company can hold its own over the next 12 months, Hastings will expand into videogames.
In five years, Hastings sees Netflix as a $1 billion company with 5 million customers. Along the way, he may move beyond the US Postal Service — but not until broadband penetration increases and delivery costs come down. Today, it can cost more than $30 to send a DVD-quality film over the Internet. As that figure drops, Hastings will consider going digital. "In five to ten years, we'll have some downloadables as well as DVDs," he says. "By having both, we'll offer a full service."
Hastings might see his company as the next Starbucks, but Netflix owes much of its success thus far to Amazon. Netflix doesn't just deliver DVDs, it tells subscribers which ones they'll probably like, thanks to the Netflix recommendation engine — a combination of 29,000 unique lines of code and a database of 180 million film ratings known as CineMatch. It's based on the assumption that movie viewers all watch the same narrow range of big-budget films only because they don't know any better.
When it comes to mainstream movies, huge billboards and expensive TV spots are the most efficient way to drive the masses to theaters. With off-center movies, studios spend almost nothing on promotion; mass marketing is too pricey, so they just put the film out there and hope for the best. Indie films, meanwhile, often get lost in the noise. The rental market only reinforces this pattern: The hits get promoted while the smaller films are ignored. The average video store generates 80 percent of rental activity from 200 titles. It's called Blockbuster for a reason.
CineMatch doesn't focus on the mass market; it caters to the individual. Netflix encourages subscribers to rate the movies they've viewed, and CineMatch recommends titles similar to those well liked — regardless of a film's popularity at the box office. As a result, the average renter expands his or her tastes. Seventy percent of the movies Netflix customers rent are recommended to them on the site; 80 percent of rental activity comes from 2,000 titles. This decreases demand for popular new releases, which is good for Netflix, whose revenue-sharing agreements require larger payouts for such films.
Such customization is foreign to Blockbuster, which has a massive database of rental data and no idea which films customers enjoy. But the concept is hardly unique. The ability to build one-to-one relationships with customers has been growing for years. Television audiences have been fragmenting since the introduction of cable, and Internet retailers have pushed fractionalization further along. CineMatch may not be as ambitious or as well-executed as Amazon's engine, but it's more effective, because customers are more likely to accept the suggestions. Amazon's tool has the feel of a slick Circuit City salesman engaged in the hard sell. On Netflix, the recommendations are included in the cost of a subscription, making CineMatch seem more like the geeky clerk at a small video store. He sets aside titles he knows you'll like and tells you to return them whenever.
Clearly, Netflix users are not immune to Hollywood-style marketing. Ocean's Eleven, a box office smash, is the most popular rental of the year, even on Netflix. Yet many movies on the Netflix top 100 were box office disappointments. Take Monster's Ball. It grossed only $32 million in theaters, but found new life in the Netflix after-market, becoming the site's fourth-most rented film of 2002.
Can a recommendation engine help make hits? Look at Memento, which grossed a mere $25 million at the box office before becoming the seventh-most rented movie ever on Netflix. Lantana, an Australian indie, pulled in less than $1 million in the US — about 100,000 people. As of early October, an additional 40,000 viewers had seen it through Netflix alone.
This trend has little to do with wealth or good taste or any other characteristic typically ascribed to early adopters. As the service has grown, Netflix customers have started to look more Blockbusteresque: half male, half college graduates, 69 percent with full-time jobs, 62 percent with incomes below $75,000. The real difference between Netflix and Blockbuster is access to information about a variety of films.
Already, studios have begun to recognize what this means. "Netflix offers more personalized communication," says Pat Wyatt, president of Fox Home Video, whose film Office Space is enjoying a Netflix resurgence. "The more a customer shares, the better Netflix is able to customize," Wyatt explains. "For Fox, that's great." For Paramount, it's not so good. As a Blockbuster sister company, it has no revenue-sharing arrangement with Netflix. So while Netflix stocks Paramount movies, it doesn't promote them in any way. No matter how many Mel Gibson romantic comedies you rate highly, What Women Want will never be recommended to you. The Netflix effect? What Women Want was the second-most rented film of 2001 overall but didn't even make the top 100 on Netflix.
Later this year, Netflix will introduce an upgrade of CineMatch aimed at decreasing the frequency of off-base recommendations. (Like Muriel's Wedding? You'll love Lawrence of Arabia.) It will also begin to cache 500-Gbytes' worth of rating data, which should speed up a dreadfully slow site. As the rating system improves, and audience size increases, CineMatch could start having a real impact on Hollywood. Imagine studios, with a better sense of who likes what, embracing off-center movies — and concluding that big-budget films are just a big drag on the bottom line.
Take it a step further. It's easy to see CineMatch as a tool to help studios find audiences in the direct-to-video market. But Netflix could also identify those likely to enjoy first-run films — and then send targeted emails to drive theater traffic. It could bring about a "heightened incentive to create more diverse films — even for, perish the thought, adult audiences," says Peter Bart, editor in chief of Variety.
Today's Hollywood produces films for Middle America. If our tastes truly are so homogenous, then Walmart.com and Blockbuster, which have flourished by catering to the masses, should topple Netflix. But if Middle America has been a caricature — a market of convenience — all along, then CineMatch could be a real weapon. At first glance, it seems like a small thing. So did that $3 dollop of foam on your latte.


text:
Crime Prevention:
Online Safety
The Internet has opened up a world of information and opportunity for anyone with a computer and a connection! Your safety and the safety of your children can be protected by establishing safety guidelines. You should not let your children on the information superhighway without them.
My Online Safety Rules
This document offers six basic rules that children should employ when they are on the Internet. Printout a copy of the "Online Safety Rules" acceptable use policy to share between parents and children.
Identity Theft
Electronic technology has become an everyday fact of life. We use it to communicate, to bank, to shop, to learn, to be entertained, and to be treated medically, among countless applications. Take steps to protect yourself from identity theft and to safeguard your personal information
Protecting Your Privacy
Whether you are on the Internet or an online banking program, you are often required to use a password. The worst passwords to use are the ones that come to mind first - name, spouse's name, maiden name, pets, children's name, even street addresses, etc. The best passwords mix numbers with upper and lowercase letters. A password that is not found in the dictionary is even better. There are programs that will try every word in the dictionary in an effort to crack your security.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Continuing the (newly minted) holiday celebrating all things goofy and long-legged, Hiddlemas marked its second week by having a festive parade on a carpet that happened to be red. The parade was overseen by Grand Marshall Chris Hemsworth, with a tie knot tied so tiny-ly that it made his head look like a big blonde balloon, and the reigning Nerd Princess, Natalie Portman, who wore a dress she fashioned herself from one of those car windshield sunscreen thingies. Kat Dennings rode the float sponsored by Boob Management, LLC, and the Sexy Beast Emporium float featured Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, and the sexiest beast of them all, Idris Elba.
Bringing up the rear of the parade was the godfather of Hiddlemas, Joss Whedon, who flung candy at children and then slowly strangled Stellan Skarsgard for reasons he cited as being "imperative" and "narratively justified". And of course, there was the patron saint of Hiddlemas himself, Saint Tom the Huge Dork, looking extra long-legged, if not particularly dorky, in a well fit tuxedo.
Thor: The Dark World had its world premiere in London yesterday. It's not due in the US for a couple more weeks but early reviews are out and are mostly positive thus far. I haven't seen anything from it since it was revamped to let Loki live, but what I did see before that pretty major plot change was really enjoyable. It's the silliest of all the Marvel properties—which is kind of saying something—but Thor 2 is a big improvement over Thor 1, which was the weakest link in the Marvel chain. Thor remains bland as a hero, but Hemsworth has grown as an actor and he's got more assurance and swagger in this one.
Unfortunately, he still gets creamed by Hiddles whenever Thor and Loki share the screen (which isn't often in acts one or three). I really don't mean to sound like a total Hiddlestoner, but the movie does light up when Loki is on screen. Thor gets a lot of good beats—the biggest laughs all come from Thor, sans Loki—but Hiddles can swing from sneering put-downs to blowing out a thousand years of frustration in the same breath and you totally buy both ends of the spectrum. As delightful as Loki is when he's being a bastard, it's when the chinks in his armor become visible that the movie hits its sincerest moments. Which there aren't many of because on the whole, Thor 2 is a speedy, light fantasy flick, and though it is darker than Thor 1, which was borderline camp, it's mostly a comedy.
I don't know how I missed this the first time around, because it's golden, but Chris Hemsworth taped a video message for the Beijing press conference in which he says, "Tom, don't talk too much." Saint Tom the Huge Dork—they ALL know how he can be.


text:
25 March, 2011 | (01 hr)
Sign In to access this Webcast
Organizations today understand the growing need for leaders to become proficient in conducting coaching conversations that engage and develop their talent. Learn how organizations have effectively developed coaching skills in leaders across the globe and the results they have achieved.
Growing number of leaders are aware of the importance of applying coaching skills to engage and develop their talents. However, introducing coaching practices globally is challenging.
This webcast will discuss:
- Why it is crucial that leaders at all levels learn and apply the skills necessary to conduct effective coaching conversations
- Blended learning approaches to developing the skill of coaching
- Steps to building and sustaining a coaching culture that achieves consistent results
- Case studies of LHH experiences in Asia-Pacific.
Senior Executives in Human Resources, Organization Development and Leadership/Professional Development. In addition, senior functional and operational leaders and global team heads will benefit from this program.
Vijayan P. Munusamy
Vijayan P. Munusamy is head of research, human capital, Asia-Pacifi c, for The Conference Board. He is responsible for developing research related to talent management, evidence-based human resources, strategic workforce planning, diversity and inclusion, and workforce readiness.
Previous...Full Bio
JC Heinen
JC Heinen has over 30 years of business experience consisting of both corporate and field operations. As the SVP of Lee Hecht Harrison's Global Leadership & Talent Development Practice, she is responsible for building a worldwide organization of over 900 coaches and consultants. S...Full Bio
Keisuke Otani


text:
88mph was the magic number for the DeLorean.
The Peugot-Renault-Volvo V6 in it was recently voted one of the worst motors ever, by Jalopnik readers. Along with the GM almost-a-diesel V8 and the Chrysler 2.7 liter V6
Chip H.
Steve McQueen's Highland Green "Bullitt" Mustang is a pop culture icon. But how about the automotive Omarossas? Which movie and TV cars were the worst ever?
Here's a list of possible nominees:
* "Magnum, PI" '83 Ferrari 308
One of the very few slow - and cheap - Ferraris. Though it looks fast, the 308's little V-8 produced just 205 hp - about 60 hp less than a Camry V-6 and about 200 hp less than a current Ferrari.
Now you know why Magnum was reduced to doing burnouts on the grass. The 308 may have a prancing horse on the fender - but there's a Gerbil under the hood.
You can buy a nice one these days for about $20,000 - and that ought to tell you something.
* "Smokey and the Bandit" '77 Trans-Am
A great movie - about a once-great car. There's a reason why they speeded up the film in several driving sequences to make the action at least look fast. The '77 T-top Trans-Am driven by Burt Reynolds may have been menacing in its black paint with gold trim - but all Burt had to work with was a low compression 185-hp 403 V-8 pirated from an Oldsmobile Delta 88 - and a sloshy three-speed automatic transmission.
The stunt scenes - and sound track - were done with a modifed car equipped with a much-massaged 455 Pontiac V-8 - an engine not offered in a Trans-Am since 1976 - and a real-deal 4-speed manual gearbox.
* "Charlie's Angels" '78 Mustang Cobra II
This sheetmetal cousin of the "hit me - and we die together" Pinto remains the undisputed Most Embarrassing Mustang Ever Built. It's amazing Farrah was able to chase down any criminals in this tarted-up, toothless faux muscle car. They probably slowed down - so she could catch up.
The one admirable design feature of the Mustang II was its tendency to rapidly dissolve from rust - like an old soup can left out in the yard. So few are left in existence to blight the roads.
* "Starsky & Hutch" '76 Ford Torino
This car ("Zebrathree") was an even bigger load than David Soul and Paul Michael Glazer. Like a washed-up jock in a baggy sweat suit, the customized '76 Torino was a typical mid-late '70s overweight, underpowered smog machine. Its 200-something horsepower 460 V-8 was a low performance boat anchor of an engine better at sucking gas than hauling ass.
A loud paint job and white stripes only called attention to its mediocre performance.
This unfortunate Ford was the el cheapo equivalent of a Chrysler Cordoba - only without the "rich, Corinthian leather" to class it up a little.
* "Back to the Future" '82 DeLorean
It'd be hard to get to the next stop light - let alone 1985 - in this stainless steel road toad. With a feeble Renault-sourced 2.8 liter V-6 under the hood - and all of 130 hp on tap - Doc Brown would have had to stuff a lot of bananna peels into "Mr. Fusion" to get the car to 88 mph - the "magic number" for time travel.
Even with a ""flux capacitor," Biff's old Chevy would've blown its Gullwing doors off.
* "Corvette Summer" 'Vette
Take a perfectly good mid-'70s Corvette - and ruin it with a couple hundred pounds of slapped on fiberglass pontoons, wings and oversized hood scoops. Then spray thoroughly with garish metalflake paint and prisma. Put Mark "Luke Skywalker" Hamill in the lead role - and you've got all the makings of a first-class stinker of a movie about Corvette mutilation and '70s stoner anomie.
The movie is all about finding the car after it got stolen by thieves - but the smarter move would've been to cash the insurance check and send the crooks a thank-you card.
* "Hardcastle & McCormick" Manta kit car
The music and intro were pretty cool - especially the part where the car cuts under the tractor trailor - but the VW-sourced kit car Lola GT/Lotus wasn't.
Even if it did have a Porsche engine (no one knows for sure; some say it was Corvair-powered) a fake exotic sports car is about as classy as Potomac River caviar.
You're not foolin' anyone, son. Put those gold chains away, tuck in your shirt - and buy a real car.
88mph was the magic number for the DeLorean.
The Peugot-Renault-Volvo V6 in it was recently voted one of the worst motors ever, by Jalopnik readers. Along with the GM almost-a-diesel V8 and the Chrysler 2.7 liter V6
Chip H.
One of my favorite T.V. shows of all time was Columbo. I loved his old Saab. That was a great show too.
How about the Citroen 2CV in "For Your Eyes Only", or the Renault 11 in "View To A Kill"?
Last edited by misterdecibel; 08-18-2010 at 02:29 PM.
You mean the V8-6-4-0 ?
It's in there.
Chip H.
But really the car was an engineering POS. Over 100 mph and the front end was sooo light, you thought you might go airborne. It was 335 hp. My wifes 2.8 liter, twin turbo, Volvo S80 is 285 hp. I've had that car up to 140 mph, and it hugs the road like a vacuum cleaner.
So much for the 'bad old days.'
At college (Penn State 1970) I met a guy from Georgia that had a Talladega with a Boss 429. I think the Talladega is now collectible. It drove much like my GT.
In their defense, the 335 hp rating of your Torino was under the old "gross" system, which was wildly optimistic. Using the current "net" (engine installed in the car, with full production exhaust and all accessories, normal production tune, etc.) that 335 hp rating would likely fall to around 270 hp... about the same as the Volvo, but in a much heavier, far less aerodynamic car.
My '76 Trans-Am has a modified 455 and has the power to do probably 140 or so... but I would never attempt it. The car is scary above 100, just as you describe.
But I routinely drive new cars - including economy cars - at triple digit speeds, because they are so much more stable and comfortable at such speeds!
Well, how about Columbo's car?
A man's greatest mistake is to think he is working for somebody else.
Don't forget the "Mentalist's" wheels.....
A man's greatest mistake is to think he is working for somebody else.
I have driven a Citroen DS__, more or less as pictured. It was amazingly comfortable, thanks to thick foam seats and hydropneumatic suspension. ... and pretty fast once you got it rolling, thanks to a tiny but willing engine. The brakes, operated by a button on the floor, took some getting used to, but worked very, very well.
I have also driven a Citroen SM, with the Maserati V6 engine, and a conventional brake pedal, much faster but otherwise much like the earlier model, with super-fast steering and steering range like a London taxi.
Actually, the way engines were rated changed but power dropped a little later than the rating change. The old gross h.p. rating was the bare engine with no accessories, like a water pump. The rating was also dependent on where in the power curve the rating was taken. The 426 Hemi for instance was rated at 426 h.p. but everybody was sure that Chrysler was "poor mouthing" the numbers. A few years ago, the Canadian TV show "Dream Car Garage" took several of the old time muscle motors and tested ones that were rebuilt to factory specifications. The Hemi was over 800 h.p., but the engineers took a rating at a lower engine speed.
The gross rating did not have any kind of exhaust, other than a fan pulling it out the wall, outside cooling, outside fuel supply, etc., etc., etc. The net rating had the wate pump, alternator, fuel pump and anything else that went on the engine in the car. Each small accessory had a large impact on the final numbers. Just adding a larger alternator and then adding a bunch of electrical things will decrease your fuel mileage. The big drop in engine power from lower compression was about a year after the rating change.
A lot of the increase in engine power in new cars comes from the accessories. A lot of vehicles are losing the belt driven fan for an electric one. Electric power steering, rack and pinion steering and anything else that lightens a car will increase fuel mileage and available power.
I help a friend from time to time with his race car and one major increase in power to the wheels came when he dropped the mechanical water pump and cooling fan. The water pump frees up some power and when he's doing a run down the strip, a toggle switch shuts off the fan.
Any small thing on the engine will have a greater impact on power after it goes through the drivetrain and torque multiplication. So when they added all the doodads onto an engine, it really sucked the power down.
Honk if you love Jesus.
Text if you want to meet him.
On the Hemi: I agree it was under-rated. But 800 hp is way far-fetched. 500 is believable, given the ETs of stock production Hemi cars.


text:
Meeting report: Understanding the behavioural aspects and the role of health communication in mitigating the impact of seasonal influenza
The meeting report covers health communication strategies that could be undertaken to better promote influenza prevention measures and the healthcare professionals' role in the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccination.
Risk assessment: seasonal influenza 2011-2012 in Europe
The virological influenza pattern observed was not consistent enough to make a clear prediction for the 2011-2012 season in Europe. In general, the findings on the impact of influenza in the southern hemisphere in 2011 were reassuring for Europe, and the match of the A(H3N2) viruses with the vaccine was considered good.
Narcolepsy in association with pandemic influenza vaccination – a multi-country European epidemiological investigation
This report summarises the results from two epidemiological studies conducted by the Vaccine Adverse Event Surveillance and Communication (VAESCO) Consortium undertaken in eight European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries in order to investigate a possible association between an unexpected increase in narcolepsy cases following the use of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccines. Narcolepsy is an underdiagnosed disease of widely unknown etiology.
Technical report In Brief: Narcolepsy in association with pandemic influenza vaccination
This report summarises the results from two epidemiological studies to investigate a possible association between an unexpected increase in narcolepsy cases following the use of the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccines. The studies were conducted by the Vaccine Adverse Event Surveillance and Communication (VAESCO) Consortium under the auspices of ECDC and undertaken in Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. This Technical Report In Brief accompanies the full Report 'Narcolepsy in association with pandemic influenza vaccination- A multi-country European epidemiological investigation'.
Public health guidance: Seasonal influenza vaccination of children and pregnant women
The aim of this guidance document is to provide EU/EEA Member States and EU bodies with relevant information to make an informed decision on routine vaccination of healthy children and pregnant women with seasonal influenza vaccine. The options presented in this document are based on a systematic review of the literature and the opinions of a group of independent experts.
Review of the scientific literature on drivers and barriers of seasonal influenza vaccination coverage in the EU/EEA
The report aims to provide a critical review of evidence on the barriers and drivers of seasonal influenza vaccination coverage in the EU/EEA. The report focuses on high-risk groups where high coverage of seasonal flu vaccination is most important. The 2009 Council of the European Union Recommendation on seasonal influenza vaccination encourages countries to implement measures that would increase seasonal influenza vaccination uptake to at least 75% for defined older age groups, and, if possible, for other risk groups. In support of this, the ECDC report summarises the evidence on what are the barriers and what are the drivers for seasonal influenza vaccination by each risk group
Implementation of the Council Recommendation on seasonal influenza vaccination
In support of the EU Council Recommendation of December 2009 on seasonal influenza vaccination, this technical report provides data on vaccination policies and strategies, vaccination coverage data, and data on barriers to vaccination for seasonal influenza in the EU/EEA countries.
Infant and children seasonal immunisation against influenza on a routine basis during inter-pandemic period
Annual influenza vaccination of risk groups has been common practice in Europe and elsewhere for many years. Routine influenza immunisation of healthy children has been recommended in some countries, to reduce morbidity among children with the potential additional benefit of reducing the spread of disease and thus indirectly protect adults at high risk of severe influenza.
Seasonal influenza vaccination in Europe – Vaccination recommendations and coverage rates for 2012–13
This report provides an update on seasonal influenza immunisation policies and vaccination coverage rates in EU/EEA Member States for the 2012–13 influenza season.
Expert opinion on priority risk groups for influenza vaccination
This paper identifies and describes population groups at increased risk for severe outcomes of influenza ("risk groups") and advocates vaccination for two major groups, namely a) persons in the older age group, usually 65 years and older; and b) persons with chronic medical conditions.


text:
Skip over navigation
Main menu
Skip over navigation
Terms and conditions
Resources for ages 5-11
primary students
Resources for ages 11-18
secondary students
early years
Early Years Foundation Stage; US Kindergarten
Early years
Key Stage 1&2; US Grades 1-5
Primary teachers
Key Stage 3-5; US Grades 6-12
Secondary teachers
Maths at Home
More links
Nrich Events
Donate to NRICH
Upper Secondary - Complete Article Index
The complete list our upper secondary student articles
2^n -n Numbers
3D Drawing
A Brief History of Time Measurement
A Computer Program to Find Magic Squares
A Curious Collection of Bridges
A Journey Into stemNRICH
A Knight's Journey
A Method of Defining Coefficients in the Equations of Chemical Reactions
A Probability Conundrum
A Rolling Disc - Periodic Motion
A Story about Absolutely Nothing
About Pythagorean Golden Means
AC/DC Circuits
Adding with the Abacus
All about Infinity
An Alphanumeric
An Introduction to Complex Numbers
An Introduction to Computer Programming and Mathematics
An Introduction to Differentiation
An Introduction to Galois Theory
An Introduction to Irrational Numbers
An Introduction to Magic Squares
An Introduction to Mathematical Induction
An Introduction to Mathematical Structure
An Introduction to Modular Arithmetic
An Introduction to Number Theory
An Introduction to Polar Coordinates
An Introduction to Proof by Contradiction
An Introduction to Tree Diagrams
An Introduction to Vectors
Ancient Astronomical Terms
Approximations, Euclid's Algorithm & Continued Fractions
Arclets Explained
Behind the Rules of Go
Binomial Coefficients
Card Shuffle
Choosing Questions
Conditional Probability Is Important for All Students!
Conic Sections
Continued Fractions I
Continued Fractions II
Coordinates and Descartes
Corresponding Sudokus
Cricket Ratings
Curiosity: the Journey from Novice to Expert
Curvature of Surfaces
Dancing with Maths
Decathlon: the Art of Scoring Points
Difference Dynamics Discussion
Ding Dong Bell
Divided Differences
Divisibility Tests
Drawing Doodles and Naming Knots
Elastic Maths
Euclid's Algorithm I
Euclid's Algorithm II
Euler's Formula
Euler's Formula and Topology
Evidence and Headlines
Example STEP Differential Equation Questions
Fantastic Fractals
First Order Differential Equations
Fractional Calculus I
Fractional Calculus II
Fractional Calculus III
Frieze Patterns in Cast Iron
From A Random World to a Rational Universe
From WOW to WHY?
Generic Examples: Seeing Through the Particular to the General
Genetic Intrigue
Geometry and Gravity 1
Geometry and Gravity 2
Geometry: A History from Practice to Abstraction
Getting Started with Solving Rich Tasks
Getting to Grips with Trigonometry
Going First
Golden Mathematics
Grouping Transformations
High Jumping
Hilbert's Hotel
History of Morse
History of Trigonometry - Part 2
History of Trigonometry - Part 3
How Many Elements Are There in the Cantor Set?
How Many Geometries Are There?
How the Velodrome Found Its Form
How to Sketch Graphs
How to Solve Unusual Exams Questions
I've Submitted a Solution - What Next?
Impossible Polyhedra
Impossible Sandwiches
Incircles Explained
Infinite Continued Fractions
Influenza Virus: It's All in the Packaging
Inspect Your Gadgets
Investigating Solids with Face-transitivity
Keeping it Safe and Quiet
Contact us
Meet the team
Support us
Our funders
Tech help
The NRICH Project aims to enrich the mathematical experiences of all learners. To support this aim, members of the NRICH team work in a wide range of capacities, including providing professional development for teachers wishing to embed rich mathematical tasks into everyday classroom practice.
Register for our mailing list
Copyright © 1997 - 2020. University of Cambridge. All rights reserved.
NRICH is part of the family of activities in the
Millennium Mathematics Project


text:
Virginia local chambers of commerce can be a great business asset. We help you find a local chamber near you in Virginia.
Select a Virginia city below to find a chamber of commerce for your city.
If your city is not listed below, please let us know and we will assign somebody to research chamber organizations in your town.
Don't Own a Business in Virginia?
If you own a business in another state, please find your state in our National Chamber of Commerce Directory.
Additional Resources for Entrepreneurs
Tax Tips and Resources for EntrepreneursOperating Your Startup BusinessReal Estate Decisions for EntrepreneursFranchisingSelling a BusinessStarting a Home BusinessSmall Business TechnologyBusiness Travel Business FinanceAdvice for RetailersEntrepreneurship for Scientists


text:
Three children are going to buy some plants for their birthdays. They will plant them within circular paths. How could they do this?
Start with three pairs of socks. Now mix them up so that no mismatched pair is the same as another mismatched pair. Is there more than one way to do it?
Can you fill in the empty boxes in the grid with the right shape and colour?
Some children were playing a game. Make a graph or picture to show how many ladybirds each child had.
Sort the houses in my street into different groups. Can you do it in any other ways?
The class were playing a maths game using interlocking cubes. Can you help them record what happened?
My coat has three buttons. How many ways can you find to do up all the buttons?
What can you say about the child who will be first on the playground tomorrow morning at breaktime in your school?
How could you put these three beads into bags? How many different ways can you do it? How could you record what you've done?
You'll need to work in a group on this problem. Use your sticky notes to show the answer to questions such as 'how many girls are there in your group?'.
Use the interactivities to fill in these Carroll diagrams. How do you know where to place the numbers?


text:
Does Windows 8 programming lack creativity?
Windows 8 brings a totally new user interface model with its Metro environment, which is receiving mixed response from developers and end-user customers. The tile-like UI certainly is different from the classic desktop.
Does Metro mean that software will be even more creative than in previous Windows generations? Is there an inherent flaw in software design that prevents us from getting better software and will it still exist with Windows 8?
One Size Fits All Doesn't Always Work
I learned an interesting lesson when switching from developing end-user software to designing tools for programmers. I quickly realized that one size (or model) doesn't fit all. I had to make a choice. Do I build software tools so they work exactly like everyone elses' or do I design tools with the ability to be different things to different people?
A common rule you will often see touted in the software industry is that user interfaces should always follow certain fixed rules so all software is consistant. For years, Microsoft encouraged Windows software developers to maintain a certain look and feel. Now with Windows 8, Metro once again forces a certain look and feel (no windows, full screen and flat-looking UI elements). In the early years of the personal computer, there were no such rules so programmers were, in my opinion, more likely to be creative, to come up with new and exciting ways for users to interact with their software.
True, they may have copied some things they liked that others did, but in general programmers tried to find ways to do things better than they did with previous software. An outstanding example was GEOS for the Commodore 64. The C64 was not designed for a GUI, but some exceptionally creative programmers made it possible nonetheless. A term that best describes this mindset would be "thinking outside the box". I don't feel that same freedom today, but more and more I feel the pressure to conform to so-called UI standards, even if they may not be well suited to a specific task at hand. Windows 8 and its Metro interface continues to promote this less than creative mindset, despite its intended goal to do otherwise.
How Can a Programmer Be Creative When Developing Software?
So how does a creative programmer view software development? It's like the difference between Lego blocks and a block of wood. Lego blocks are fun and initially more creative because you can create all sorts of stuff quickly that may excite yourself and others. Today's programming styles are more like using Lego blocks. But a block of wood offers more creativity. Really? Yes. While a block of wood initially is much more difficult to turn into a work of art, in the long run it offers more choices. Lego blocks will always be block shaped and the only way to get something that isn't a block is for the manufacturer to design a specific Lego object that is not a block; that is fine for a toy, but not for software. A block of wood inspires the imagination, and an experienced woodworker will allow his/her imagination to run wild and with the right skills; it is amazing what the block of wood can become -- from a work of art to a practical tool or device.
Software development should be more like working with that block of wood. Provide a skilled craftsman with the tools to turn it into anything. Will Metro encourage such creativity? Or will it encourage conformity to the point of making software development less creative? These are valid questions.
One Size Should Not Fit All
A lesson can be learned from something in nature. Water is a perfect example of something where one size can't fit all. In general when something gets colder, it also increases in density (gets heavier per cubic inch). Metal, concrete and really almost everything we can think of follows this rule. Water, though, is unique in nature. It also follows this rule, until the point of freezing where something amazing happens. It actually gets less dense (lighter). It breaks the rule. Why is this important? Because when a body of water like a lake freezes, if ice were heavier than water it would sink and in time a lake could freeze solid. Ice would sink to the bottom, then the top layer of water would begin to freeze and this would continue until all the water was frozen.
But water is different. Because ice does not sink and is lighter than water, it floats; as it gets thicker, it shields the water below from the cold and acts like an insulator. I am sure the fish in the lake appreciate this very much. Water demonstrates intelligent design, but does our software?
Can you see the point? Sometimes it is good to do things a little differently, especially when doing so improves things significantly. Similiarly, with software development, there are times to "think outside the box" so to speak, to be creative, especially when it improves the user experience and increases productivity.
Change Only Works When It Really Makes a Difference
Not all tasks are the same, so neither should all software be the same. Sometimes an old standard need not be changed simply because it works so well, while at other times something totally new may be required.
I had a customer for whom I designed some custom software. Originally it was a DOS application, but eventually I created a Windows version, too. What was interesting: The company preferred the DOS version. You don't do things exactly the same in Windows as you would in a DOS. They were so productive with the DOS version of the application, I chose to do something totally different. I wrote a Windows version which in the key areas (data entry) emulated the DOS application. It still had some Windows UI features, but where it counted acted more like its DOS cousin. It was a hybrid, not quite DOS, but not quite all Windows. Why? Productivity to the end user was more important than consistancy on a platform or having the latest UI.
Some outsiders might have thought my application looked ugly and failed to meet proper Windows standards. But this customer for years told me he has never found any software that was a good as the one I designed for him. The company still uses both versions of this software, DOS and Windows, together, to this day. In this case, I found that a hybrid approach (combining the old with the new) was better.
In some of my previous articles I proposed Windows 8 would improve with a better blend Metro and desktop motifs. It doesn't have to be one or the other (that actually lacks creativity). Rather than force software developers to pick one UI model or the other, why can't they be better blended. Windows 8 has the WinRT (Metro) and WIN32 (Desktop), so why not create a unique Blend API that merges the two together. It could follow the rules of the Windows 8 sandbox approach if necessary, but offer some more choices for long time WIN32 programmers. Why not be a little more creative!
Windows API (Desktop) is Under-Utilized
With terms like legacy, one might think that the long-time Windows API (WIN32), which is at the core of what in Windows 8 is called the desktop, is somehow obsolete, old fashioned and even flawed. Yet, to a creative programmer the Windows API is a rich environment with almost unlimited possibilities. The reality is that the Windows API and its features are under-utilized.
Let me give you some examples. In Windows there is a feature called OwnerDraw. What this means is that a number of UI elements (controls) in the operating system, such as a Listbox or Combobox can be customized so a programmer can change their appearance significantly. Another feature in the Windows API, called subclassing (also superclassing), allows a programmer to modify how a control works and responds to user input. For example, it's difficult for me to convert a normal Edit control (Text Box) to a Masked Edit control, where user input is more controlled.
Another very powerful feature in the Windows API is the DIB engine. DIB stands for Device Independent Bitmap. Basically it allows a programmer to define the format of a memory bitmap to what ever he or she prefers. It also allows a programmer direct access to the pixels of the bitmap so he or she can write extremely fast graphic routines. I learned how to leverage the Windows DIB API's and wrote my own proprietary 2D Sprite engine, which supported movement of non-rectangular objects, image flipping, frame animation and even alphablending and anti-aliasing. Now do you realize that the Windows DIB engine has existed since Windows 95 and is just as viable today on Windows 8? This means I could do advanced animation on any Windows computer from Windows 95 to Windows 8 (and it works perfectly on Windows 8).
In designing the programming tools that my business sells, I find that the most powerful thing I can offer to other programmers is the ability to tap into all those unique features found in the Windows API, so they can build software any way they want to, without limits. It is not up to me how they design their user interfaces. I want them to feel free to do whatever they feel is best for their own software. Rather than force specific user interface rules, I find it is better to provide more ways to customize an application's user interface.
Is It Possible to Support the Entire Range of Windows Versions?
Some of my peers in the programming world criticize me still supporting legacy versions of Windows -- from Windows 95 to Millennium Edition (yes, you read that right). The common mindset in software development usually is "drop the old" and "build for the new", no matter the cost. Sadly, so much time is wasted because of this that programmers have to constantly keep upgrading their skills and end up throwing away tons of good code. But isn't it more creative to find ways to keep what still works while merging it with the new?
Do you realize that since Windows 95, the Windows operating system was designed so one could easily do this ? The designers of Windows put some very smart technology into the OS from day one. No not COM. No not DirectX. But a very simple approach called DLL, or Dynamic Link Library. But what some programmers may not appreciate is that this dynamic library model has the ability to allow an application to poll the library to see whether certain APIs exist in it or not.
By using this simple technique one programmers can build applications and even their own libraries that are intelligent. This way one can build hybrid applications which can run on all versions of Windows and when it is run on a newer version, to access newer features of the operating system. This is not just theory. I have done it and I have customers who are currently developing commercial software using this technology. Sometimes the simplest solutions are better.
Microsofts GEM -- the Windows API
Does Microsoft really appreciate the true GEM they have in the Windows API (WIN32)?
The Windows development world has moved from framework to framework over the years, starting with MFC to todays .NET. Yet software doesn't get better and better, but it is getting more bloated and resource hungry and actually slower. Yet I deal with a community of programmers who are constantly digging deeper and deeper into the Windows API, producing new and exciting products and tools that push the limits of the OS, while keeping the software so small that it can fit on a floppy disk and all using the pure Windows API.
Some may want to see proof of this, so here is a good example. The developer creates programming tools that just amaze me. I would consider this programmer to be an expert when it comes to the Windows API. He is also creative and his software shows it. He has two products in particular that demonstrate this, GDImage and WinLift. GDImage is a graphic engine that is amazing, and WinLift is a skin engine. Yet these libraries are absolutely tiny by today's standards and they are "fast and fluid", too, and they both demonstrate the power of the Windows API as well as true creativity.
Software Should Emulate the Real World
Rather than be confined to a fixed set of user interface rules, software should be designed to better emulate the real world tasks they copy. A simple, yet so obvious example, is how in an application that has a video player, it is common to have button controls that emulate the buttons on a VCR player. The consistancy here is not based on platform requirements, but on real-world tasks instead.
Especially software used in a business environment, we should design software that emulates the real world tasks they copy. For example, programmers may be encouraged to only use the style of button controls that the operating system provides by default. The buttons all look the same. The only way to have buttons with different colors is to draw them yourself using ownerdraw, so programmers may simply opt for the standard looking buttons, all the same color and style.
Yet in the real world physical buttons are rarely the same, nor are they always the same color. Color is often used to make physical buttons stand out -- for a reason! It is common with machines to have one button a specific green color while another has specific red color. Color has meaning. So why don't programmers use color with button controls more often? Could it be they are fixed on UI standards and the desire to make software which looks like everyone elses?
The Power Has Been With Us All Along, But Do We Use It?
Isn't it a bit funny when you consider that many computer manufacturers tout the 3D capabilities of the video cards/chips in their computers today and that when you look at Windows 8 and its Metro-style applications that they look awfully flat by design? True, you can have 3D in Metro games, but where are all the 3D UI elements for normal applications? The real world is 3D, so why can't we use 3D more in everyday applications? That was my feeling, when my business produced it latest generation of programming tools.
Fortunately for me, the Windows API has long allowed third-party additions to the operating system, particularly OpenGL. Now OpenGL is considered obsolete when it comes to Metro. Fortunately for now, Windows 8 (with the right drivers) still supports OpenGL on the so-called legacy desktop. Because OpenGL has the ability to be used in multiple child windows (controls) at the same time in the same application, it is quite natural for me to want to design a custom control that uses OpenGL for 3D. I am not talking about a full-size single window OpenGL application. I am talking about a real custom control that provides OpenGL. I can create a form and then add multiple 3D controls where ever I need them. I even wrote my own proprietary 3D OpenGL based scripting language for the control and all using the Windows API and OpenGL API's.
But that isn't all! Once again, I used the hybrid approach. DirectX is all or nothing, but not so with OpenGL (which is why I used it). The custom control I designed is a hybrid. It combines the GDI (and even my 2D proprietary sprite engine) with OpenGL 3D. Now that is not the common approach to 3D, but yet it works great, so why not? Why not a real 3D control which you can plug into a normal Desktop application?
So whether it is 3D, animation or simply good business graphics, the power has been with us all along. Yes, the so called legacy desktop (WIN32) has always had the ability to amaze us. Don't believe it? Just for fun I installed a software OpenGL driver for the original Windows 95 and guess what? Yes, my little old custom 3D OpenGL control works perfectly on an ancient Windows 95 computer (albeit a little slowly). It also works very well on the Windows 8 consumer preview too.
All Is Not Lost!
Despite all the negativity, Metro is not the failure many would have us believe. It is something new and different, which in time will open up more possibilities, especially on tablet PC's. Also Microsoft was smart to leave us the desktop side of Windows, too, since it still is very important.
In reality, the problem is that Metro and the desktop are more like an "odd couple", with little in common. But like any good long-time marriage, the partners over time need to better blend together. The more separate they become, then the more likely they will divorce and we all know which one will suffer the most -- the desktop!
Maybe there is still hope for this unlikely marriage. Maybe the two can better appreciate the other and by the time Windows 8 is released, the two will become one. Thats my hope. Call me an optimist.
Photo Credits: StudioSmart/Shutterstock (top); Microsoft (others)
Chris Boss is an advanced Windows API programmer and developer of 10 year-old EZGUI, which is now version 5. He owns The Computer Workshop, which opened for businesses in the late 1980s. He originally developed custom software for local businesses. Now he develops programming tools for use with the PowerBasic compiler.


text:
With many still reflecting on the contributions of Steve Jobs, being at Dell World this week almost feels like living in an alternative universe.
Dell World is all about x86, Microsoft and Intel, and that may explain why Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's CEO, who spoke at the conference today, didn't say anything about tablets and only briefly mentioned mobile phones, two of Apple's core markets and Microsoft pain points.
There was probably no advantage for Ballmer to say anything at this conference about its plans in the mobile and tablet arena. You can't compete for market share with consumers who are now, as Computerworld's Jonny Evans reports, queuing up to buy an iPhone 4S "for Steve" .
Ballmer kept his talk focused on Microsoft's core technologies for users at this conference, and those are its Windows client and server.
In just about 30 minutes, Ballmer, with the help of some technical experts from Microsoft , provided a quick overview of some of the new features of the upcoming client , demonstrating its tile-like user interface, as well as an overview of some of Window Server 8's capabilities.
The only indirect reference that Ballmer made to the world today has been a truism of technology for the ages. "Disruptive innovation is part of the world that we all choose to participate in," said Ballmer.
Ballmer was talking within the context of how his company is responding to those changes.
Conference attendees where shown a Windows Server 8 running 32 virtual processors, with more than 100GBs of RAM. The developer preview of the server OS supports up to 512GBs of memory and can manage a single virtual hard disk that is 16TB in size.
One demonstrated feature was a simplified live migration, the ability to move a VM (virutal machine) from one host to another host with drag and drop speed and no intermediary set up steps.
Jeff Simons, the IS director of the Washington School Information Processing Cooperative (WSIPC) in Everett, Wash., serves 280 school districts in the state, saw the server demo and said he was particularly interested in the live migration features. He said if the migration capabilities are "truly able to pick and move" a VM it "will make high availability easier to do."
Dave Lochhead, technology director of St. Joseph School District in Missouri, said he didn't have any particular reaction to Ballmer's presentation on the upcoming Windows products.
"There are still a lot of unknowns," Lochhead said. The school district is about 80% Macintosh on the client, but uses Windows servers, he said.
Patrick Thibodeau covers SaaS and enterprise applications, outsourcing, government IT policies, data centers and IT workforce issues for Computerworld. Follow Patrick on Twitter at @DCgov or subscribe to Patrick's RSS feed . His e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com .
Read more about servers in Computerworld's Servers Topic Center.


text:
Hi folks,
Also on our sponsor list today is...........
Incy Wincy Challenge
DT have fabulous designs using some of our stamps, be sure to check them out!
AlsoThanks for stopping by!!
Have a fab day:)
Ollie is SUPER sweet!! :) I love Holland Lops! so so cute! now I need a bunny!
He looks soooo cuddly and soft!
Awwww....I love little Ollie! He's so CUTE! What a fluffy 'lil dude:)


text:
You may have noticed a link button to the right of my blog for my new instructional art video Conquer Your Acrylic Demons which is now available at Folio Academy.com. Though it has been up online for a week or two, this post marks the official launch. The video contains three hours filled with me creating an entire painting in acrylic and explaining every step along the way. I am really excited to share it with you and hope you will all take the time to check out the sample clips here. Folio Academy was recently launched by my fellow artist friends Will Terry and Wayne Andreason and it is geared to fill the gap between traditional art instruction and the dubious quality of most free art videos you may find online on sites like YouTube. All Folio Academy videos offer instruction from professional artists and illustrators who make their living creating art full time. I am proud to join this group of inspiring and accomplished artists. The online site is set up a bit like itunes in that once you purchase a video, it is yours to access and watch whenever you want, as often as you want. You can also "gift' videos to that budding artist in your life. There are instructional courses for all ages and ability levels. Please take a minute to check out Folio Academy's courses. I think you will be impressed with and interested in what you see.
Let me know what you think!


text: At Ample Electric Inc. we pride ourselves in the quality work that we deliver to our customers. We have great experience in residential, commercial, and industrial electrical installation construction. Our jobs range from small service calls to large projects in a variety of industries. We will work to provide you with personal and professional service. Ample Electric Inc. is centrally located so we are able to serve customers in the Sacramento and the surrounding areas, as well as the San Francisco Bay Area. No matter what your next electrical job may be, small or big, Ample Electric is here to serve you.


text:
Used Crown
About Crown:
Putting together the best live audio system is no easy task, but you'll have a lot more peace of mind if you know that you're building it with equipment you can trust. Crown audio is a good place to get started on that, with a selection of power amplifiers, boundary mics and other essentials that will serve as some of the most important links in your component chain. There's enough variety in the Crown lineup to cater to any venue or stage, so no matter what kind of setup you're looking for, you can get it off to a great start right here.
Driving big PA speakers takes plenty of juice - thankfully, Crown specializes in power amplifiers, so you won't have any trouble providing that. Choosing the right one is as easy as choosing the power level and features you need. For instance, if you're building a stereo setup for a small-to-midsized space, the Crown X2000 Stereo 2x450W Power Amp delivers impressive bang for your buck. On the other hand, if you're assembling a real powerhouse for a huge or outdoor venue, you might want to look into a beefier option such as the Crown XTi 6002 Power Amplifier. From the premium XTi 2 series, it's loaded with features and can put out a blistering total of 6000 watts - as long as you have the 220V outlet to power this beast.
Rounding out the Crown audio catalog are a nice range of microphones. Most of these are boundary mics, like the PCC130SW and Sound Grabber II PZM Condender Microphone, but they've also got a headset: the Crown CM311 Headworn Condenser Mic. Searching for something small for permanent installations? Check out the Crown MB3 Mini Boundary Mic or PZM10 Pressure Zone Microphone. Designed to be mounted into walls, ceilings, stages or tabletops, these little guys are perfect for making efficient use of your studio or venue space.
Whatever Crown audio gear appeals to you, there's no question that it will serve you well. There are countless live sound systems using Crown power amps and boundary mics already, and you're looking at some good opportunities to add your own to the growing list. Just take one look into the reviews and ratings in this section and you'll find all the confirmation you need that Crown has what it takes to keep your system sounding great.


text:
Subcarrier is a new live music series from the producers of the long-running series We Have Signal on Alabama Public Television. Shot and recorded at Saturn in the Avondale neighborhood of Birmingham, each episode features a different group from around the state, country, or planet that brings a unique approach to their music.
There are no upcoming episodes of this series scheduled on Alabama Public Television.
Funding for Subcarrier is provided in part by:


text: Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - International Language School in Athens Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today! Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in International Language School in Athens Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Greece View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message neveahJoined: 09 Nov 2006Posts: 35 Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 9:44 pm Post subject: International Language School in Athens The advertisement says that this school has been around for 3 years. Is this a good school or a bad school? Back to top shmmyshmmyJoined: 13 Dec 2006Posts: 4 Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2006 3:36 am Post subject: do not believe a word they say. It is a scam, they are using different names and everything. I set up a false email and resume, and their reply was exactly the same. be wary of them. Best of luck in job hunting! Back to top pirateinpanamaJoined: 04 Feb 2003Posts: 93Location: Panama City, Panama Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 7:38 pm Post subject: Exactly right! Different name, same scam. Back to top hennessymJoined: 05 Dec 2007Posts: 15Location: Australia Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 12:29 am Post subject: How do you know its a scam How do you know its a scam? Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Greece All times are GMT Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Where to Begin----------------General DiscussionNewbie ForumCurrent Events ForumTechnology ForumOnline Teaching Forum Africa Forums----------------General Africa Forum Asia Forums----------------CambodiaChina (Job-related Posts Only)China (Off-Topic)Hong KongIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeTaiwanThailandGeneral Asia ForumVietnam Caribbean Forums----------------General Caribbean Forum Europe Forums----------------Czech RepublicFranceGermanyGreeceItalyMacedonia and the BalkansPolandRomaniaRussia & C.I.S.SpainTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomGeneral Europe Forum Latin America Forums----------------ArgentinaBrazilChileColombiaCosta RicaMexicoMexico (off-topic)PeruGeneral Latin America Forum The Middle East Forums----------------BahrainEgyptIsraelKuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesGeneral Middle East Forum North America Forums----------------General North America Forum Oceania----------------Australia/New Zealand You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. Contact Dave's ESL Cafe Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved. Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group Teaching Jobs in China


text:
Let's Chat!
To encourage you, dear readers, to leave comments and "Talk to me, please!" I 'm running a contest throughout the month of January. Here's the deal...
Every comment posted will count as one entry in the contest. Doesn't get any easier than that, does it?On February 1st I'll choose one entry completely at random. The winner will receive an autographed copy of my new novel, Vineyard Mambo, which releases on March 1st. I'll send the winner their copy of Vineyard Mambo from my first shipment of books, which will hopefully arrive just a few weeks after the contest ends. If the winner lives outside the U.S. the prize will be the download version of the book.
So, what do you say? Will you chat with me in January?


text:
By The Way (BTW) offers contemporary Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare in the heart of downtown Toronto's Annex neighborhood. Since 1979, BTW h...Read More
By The Way (BTW) offers contemporary Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare in the heart of downtown Toronto's Annex neighborhood. Since 1979, BTW has continued to thrive as a unique staple at the corner of Bloor Street and Brunswick Avenue. A familiar destination for both locals and out-of-towners, BTW has grown and evolved with Canada's most cosmopolitan city, becoming a well known landmark in one of Toronto's most highly regarded and quaint neighborhoods. In addition to the independently focused shops that surround it, BTW is within walking distance of the historic University of Toronto, Royal Ontario Museum, Royal Conservatory's Koerner Hall, Tarragon Theater, Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, and the upscale Yorkville shopping district.
Whether it's Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, or Weekend Brunch, BTW is a casual fine dining eatery that creates dishes that are as exquisite as they are healthy. Daily specials are carefully created, inspired by fresh seasonal ingredients and well blended spices. In addition to world renowned ales and lagers, BTW's vast wine menu features a selection of hand-picked house wines and vintages to accompany your meal. We welcome you to experience our delightful, cozy ambiance, be it inside the restaurant itself or under the warmly lit canopy of our fantastic corner patio.


text:
Young anthem singer's racist critics could learn from his maturity (Column)
I remember the first time I was called a "spic."
Sebastien De La Cruz, an 11-year-old golden-voiced boy from San Antonio, triggered that unpleasant childhood memory. It resurfaced in response to the racist diatribes directed at him after he sang the national anthem before Game 3 of the NBA Finals this week between his city's Spurs and the Miami Heat.
Cuter than a cuddly, floppy-eared puppy, he sang the lights out of it -- not one word or refrain muffled or screwed up -- to thunderous applause. It must be said now, before I get into the ugly stuff, that I also applaud the Heat management for choosing 12-year-old Julia Dale to croon the anthem at the Finals' first two games in Miami.
High-profile singers are usually tapped for these major sporting events, and, as well as they perform, there's always a self-serving element of publicity clouding their renditions.
Though both are considered lucky charms for their respective teams, these two inspirational and vocally talented kids brought a sense of purity and innocence to the pre-game festivities. They did not appear to be plugging a new movie or album in exchange for their time.
Dale, who sang while wearing a Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade home-team white jersey, was deservedly praised online and then gushed over the following morning by the mushy-to-the-point-of irritating hosts of "Good Morning America."
De La Cruz, who wore a traditional mariachi outfit for his performance instead of his Spurs jersey, got a decidedly different response from what I call the perennial weeds among us.
"This lil Mexican snuck into the country like 4 hours ago now he singing the anthem," tweeted one poster.
"Can't believe they have the nerve to have a beaner sing the National Anthem of AMERICA," added another tweeter.
"Nine out of ten chances that kid is illegal," proffered another Rhodes scholar among us.
You get the drift, which is hardly surprising to me. Puerto Rican-born but NYC-raised, I was a little younger than De La Cruz when my divorced single mom moved us in with relatives in the South Bronx.
Of course, I knew bullies and others would test me in the neighborhood.
"You're a spic," a mean-spirited neighborhood kid told me when I first went out to the street to play and try to make new friends. To throw a monkey wrench into the preconceived thoughts of some readers, this kid was black, not white.
He apparently was the block's childhood alpha male. No other street kids came to my defense. They remained mum. Reading the tea leaves, I went back inside. I had no idea what spic meant. A relative educated me on the term "spic." Look it up. It's "a disparaging term for a Hispanic person," The American Heritage Dictionary says.
My family was Roman Catholic-bred but by no means into the "turn the other cheek" admonition. I was told in no uncertain terms to go back outside at some point and defend my family and heritage. I did what I was told.
Without exchanging a word, I went up to my insulter and clocked him in his mug. He went down. We tussled. I got the best of him, though it was a tough outing.
As often transpired back in the day, we buried the animosity and became inseparable friends after the fisticuffs. We had a bird's-eye view one day from the slope of a vacant lot and looked down as members of two rival gangs went after one another with shovels and knives. I have never witnessed personally a more bloody and violent encounter.
Unlike Dale, De la Cruz did not make "Good Morning America" or other such shows based purely on his stellar performance.
But his response to the haters is incredibly mature for his years.
"Of those that said something bad about me, I understand it's your opinion ... I'm a proud American and live in a free country," said De La Cruz, Texas-born and the son of a U.S. Navy veteran father.
"With the racist remarks, it was just people how they were raised," he added in one of several Texas media interviews. "My father and my mama told me you should never judge people how they look."
Last night before Game Four, this time accompanied to center court by San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, De La Cruz, dressed in black mariachi garb, once again "buried the rock" (in basketball slang).
Of course, an overwhelming number of righteous Americans from all walks of life expressed support for him and denounced the weeds among us.
I hope, somewhere out there, my one-time neighborhood nemesis did the same. In ways that, as adults, we can probably explain now in far more complexity and detail, the two of us found a way through adversity to form a bond of shared humanity that overcame hate and ignorance.
I would love to see these two championship-caliber teams find a way to get De La Cruz and Dale to sing the anthem as a duet, regardless of locale, before the playoffs are done. Miami. San Antonio. In the end, it doesn't really matter where. What a great message that would send, win or lose.


text:
SMU rose in the ranks of the nation's top universities in the 2013 edition of U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges, which was published online Wednesday, Sept. 12.
Among 280 institutions classified as national universities, SMU ranks 58, an increase of 4 points from last year's ranking of 62. The ranking again places SMU in the first tier of institutions in the guide's "best national universities" category. In Texas, only Rice University and the University of Texas-Austin ranked ahead of SMU. Among private national universities, SMU ranks 40.
"Although rankings alone cannot tell the full story of a university's quality, it is gratifying for SMU to achieve upward movement among the best national universities," said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. "Rankings can be a good starting point when looking at colleges and universities, but we encourage parents and students to visit the institutions they are considering to get a first-hand look at academic offerings and the total student experience."
The factors weighed in determining the rankings include measures of academic quality, such as peer assessment scores and ratings by high school counselors; graduation and retention rates; faculty resources; student selectivity; financial resources; and alumni giving.
Rankings of more than 1,400 institutions – including national universities, liberal arts colleges and regional universities and colleges – will be published in the U.S. News & World Report issue available on newsstands Tuesday, Sept. 18.


text:
Hungarian Cinema: From Coffee House to Multiplex
Wallflower, 2004 - 258 pßginas
Hungarian cinema has often been forced to tread a precarious and difficult path. Through the failed 1919 revolution to the defeat of the 1956 Uprising and its aftermath, Hungarian film-makers and their audiences have had to contend with a multiplicity of problems. In the 1960s, however, Hungary entered into a period of relative stability and increasing cultural relaxation, resulting in an astonishing growth of film-making. Innovative and groundbreaking directors such as Mikl¾s Jancs¾ ( Hungarian Rhapsody, The Red and the White), Istvßn Szab¾ ( Mephisto, Sunshine) and Mßrta Mķszaros ( Little Vilma: The Last Diary) emerged and established the reputation of Hungarian films on a global basis. This is the first book to discuss all major aspects of Hungarian cinema, including avant-garde, animation, and representations of the Gypsy and Jewish minorities.
Dentro del libro
Resultados 1-3 de 47
This type of ending – shots of the group or community coming together ,
accompanied by singing and stirring music – was typical of the period and almost
de rigueur for films depicting factory or farm life . The passage of the film from pre
Figures are frequently shot against this wide expanse , isolated and tiny , under a
blazing sun that bleaches much of the landscape and emphasises the stark white
buildings . There is little music , and the dialogue is often sparse and in ...
Again shot in black - and - white in a yet another bleak setting , Werckmeister
Harmonies is visually stunning and even more unsettling than his previous
offerings . Although this film has a much more straightforward sense of narrative
than ...
Comentarios de la gente - Escribir un comentario
Revolution Reaction and the Talkies
Quotas Foreigners and Coproductions
Derechos de autor
Otras 8 secciones no mostradas
Otras ediciones - Ver todas
Tķrminos y frases comunes
Referencias a este libro
Budapest: A Cultural History
Bob Dent
Vista de fragmentos - 2007
Cinema of the Other Europe: The Industry and Artistry of East Central ...
Dina Iordanova
Vista previa limitada - 2003


text:
Dr. Dre - Been There, Done That (1996) (Produced by Bud'da & Dr. Dre)
альбом: Dr. Dre - The Aftermath (1996)
[Hook (x2)]
I been there, and done that
You got guns? Ayo, I got straps
A million motherfuckers on the planet Earth
Talk that hard bullshit cause that's all they worth
[Verse 1: Dr. Dre]
No question, it's all about the D-O-E
So if money is the root I want the whole damn tree
Ain't tryna stick around for Illuminati
Got to buy my own island by the year 2G
Since way back, I've been collectin my fee
With the 48 tracks and the M-I-C
Got a palace in the Hills overlookin the sea
It's worth eight, but I only paid five point three
Worldwide, like the triple beam I slide
Listenin to your demo in the stretch limo
Is how I ride, cartel style, vaults stacked to the max now
A million dollar style, niggas wonder how
"Dre Day" every day
Trips to Montego Bay with more chips than Frito Lay
Floss jewels and attire, ain't nothin' flyer
Straight or illegal, it's still the root of all evil, cause
[Hook (x2)]
[Verse 2]
Young black Rockefeller, hella swiss and mozarella
Pockets sweller, gettin money like a bank teller
Cause a fool and his dough soon split
So when you come across a fool get all that you can get
Ladies, get your paper too
Don't expect for no man to support you, keep it true
Cause most niggas erase hoes that's out for the pesos
My woman's independent, makin dough by the caseloads
I'mma keep buildin', make a killin'
Kick back relax, and grow old with my millions
That's where it's at, you got drama, I got the gat
But we both black, so I don't wanna lay you flat
Instead let's get paper, while it's paper to get
Private jet, 600 Coupes, then I run Vettes
I'm livin on another level that y'all ain't been yet
Spend a mill', no sweat, water the lawn with Moet
[Hook (x2)]
[Verse 3]
This is for the millionaires, throw a stack in the air
And watch niggas start plottin, bitches start to stare
Cause game is money, and money is game
And broke niggas make the 45 flame with no shame
Now many people die over these dead green guys
Ignorance and greed take they ass by surprise
It's the root of all evil and sins
Yet and still it makes the world go around like my 20 inch rims
Moolah y'all, platinum plaques cover my walls
Grindin, diamonds shinin, without one flaw
Get the cash, the grass, the ass and bounce
Luciano in all amounts, that's all that counts, cause
[Hook (x2)]
[Outro: Dr. Dre]
Uhhh, yeah, uh
Yeah, uh, yeah, uh
That's right, ha
All these people out talkin about who they are, what they got
Heh, it don't even matter
Been there, done that
As long as you true to yourself, gotta be true to yourself
I was always told
If you don't stand for somethin you'll fall for anything, ha ha
Yeah, that's right!
The Aftermath, beatin up on your eardrums
Heh, gotta say whassup to King Tee, and my man Nationowl
They up in here, gotta say whassup to Chris the Glove
G-L-O-V-E, ha ha
Yeah, that's how it goes down, ha ha, yeah, ahh
This is how we comin, heh, yeah
This is how we comin y'all - you know what? Huh
[Hook (x2)]


text:
Quick Dry+Mid Weight 🔷🔷🔷🔹🔹
Camo, Turkish Towel, Beige
- 100% Cotton, Double Sided, Flat Woven Peshtemal
- 95x170cm/ 37"x 67"
- 450g
- Soft and Very Durable
- Dries Quickly
- Lightweight; Travels light, even when it is wet; takes up less space when storing
- Made in Turkey with high quality cotton
- Easily shakes off sand!
- Jacquard Weave
Double Sided; like two layers of towels woven together; heavier than single layer towels; Perfect for use as a Shawl and a Towel!
Use it : At the beach; in the spa, the gym, the pool or your bath; when you are travelling and you need that extra packing space, in your backpack, on your boat, in your golf bag.
Care : Machine Wash up to 40 degrees, Iron any temperature; steam or dry; Do not bleach; Tumble Dry low, Do not Dry Clean, Wash colours separately.


text:
When Paige wakes up from a week of being in a coma,...
Out Of Reach COMPLETED.2730149
- by i_love_michael_clifford
- Rating:
- Published: 19 Feb 2014
- Updated: 24 Dec 2014
- Status: In Progress
When Paige's brother, Ashton gets in a band, Paige meets Luke. Will Paige and Luke start dating? What will happen to Luke and Ashton's friendship?
Credit to Sassyas for the cover
Credit to Sassyas for the cover
Join MovellasFind out what all the buzz is about. Join now to start sharing your creativity and passion
Loading ...


text:
New Updates are available,download now.
HS Brand Logo Slider is a WordPress plugin that helps users upload logos of their, clients, affiliates, sponsors, etc. along with a tile and short description. The slider can be embedded in any post or a page that a user requires as a short code that can be placed in the editor of that particular page or post, which is made available by us. It also provides with an ability to add a link to each logo. The slider can be set up to scroll automatically, and is also responsive in nature, which means it also look great on small screen devices.
- The user is allowed to specify number of logos to be shown on different screen sizes, that could be a Desktop, Tablet, Small Desktop, or a Mobile Device
- Image can be easily uploaded using WordPress library
- Multiple sliders can be created for every page
- Easily customizable using the admin panel options
- It has the ability to link the logos to either external or internal links
- It is User friendly and easy to use
- It is a light weight plugin
- The slider can be customized according the page or a post, it gives the ability to create different sliders with different logos
- It also allows the users to hide the title and description given under the logo
- Upload the plugin folder `HS Brand Logo Slider` to the `/wp-content/plugins/` directory.
- Activate the plugin through the "Plugins -> Installed plugins -> Activate HS Brand Logo Slider" menu in WordPress.
- Find HS Brand Logo Slider Plugin in -> Admin Menu.
How to use?
To display HS Brand Logo Slider, Add Following Shortcode to your page :
Use shortcode in a PHP file :
<?php echo do_shortcode('[hs-brand]'); ?>


text:
Discover for free which first names would suit you or your baby !
Meaning of name Dragana
Etymology : Feminine form of DRAGAN
Saint :
Origin : Serbian
Rate this first name :
Gender : girl
Country :
Numbers :
Meaning of those numbers?
Share this page :
Who is she?
Dragana is a woman who appears very refined if a little haughty and who has a powerful presence. Independent and headstrong, she has bags of energy and usually gets her way without too much difficulty. Proud, and a little conceited, Dragana craves the admiration of others and is somewhat preoccupied by their opinion of her. She can be irritable and hypersensitive at times. An idealist, she seeks perfection. She leads an active lifestyle, is fully capable of shouldering her responsibilities and possesses great know-how along with fantastic organisation skills. Intensely passionate about everything that she touches, she is uncompromising at times and even can be known to express violent, explosive anger. However, what you see is exactly what you get, and with the influence of the number 1 and the letter A, she certainly doesn´t do things by halves! But one should never judge a book by its cover, she respects herself and inspires this respect in those around her and there really isn´t anything wrong with that. Deep down, she is a true altruist who cares deeply for her fellow earthlings and about fundamental human values in general. In her interactions with others, she has learnt that it seems to be much more effective to impose herself with unshakeable self-assurance than to be wishy-washy or overly sensitive. As a child, Dragana is charming, sensitive, affectionate and very keen to please her parents. Possessive and a little egocentrical, she is capable of jealousy as well as devotion. She could be a dreamer, with her head in the clouds, and will probably enjoy exploiting her artistic talent. Encourage her to participate in group activities as this will help to develop her altruistic nature.
What does she like?
Sensitivity, emotionalism and humanism are qualities that could lead her to appreciate social and community movements. She is particularly drawn towards contact with the public, foreign travel and meeting new people, as well as mystery and art. She is likely to be fascinated by religion and the world of the weird, wonderful and unexplained. Where love is concerned, she can be a sentimental and romantic soul, and as much as she aspires to professional success and independence, she harbours a dream of a cottage in the country and a heart that will keep her warm for a lifetime.
Get your free Personality test card now !!
What does she do?
Considering her numerous interests and talents, there are several possible directions that she could choose: the liberal, social, medical or paramedical professions, (especially if her birthday is the 1st, 10th, 19th or 28th or if her life Path Number is 1), professions in connection to the government (social security for example) and artistic occupations, (especially if she was born on the 6th, 15th, 24th or if her life Path Number is 6), as well as occupations in relation to travel, (especially if she was born on the 9th, 18th or 27th of the month, or if her life Path Number is 9).
Discover others girls first names : Draga Dragana Dragica
*To note: :
It sometimes happens that two different first names have the same meaning. This has nothing surprising: both first names have the same figures of numerology. It is as in astrology: two persons belonging to the same sign present the same characteristic...
Names compatibility
Test the compatibility of your names to know if your love relation is lucky to succeed. Friendship, love or passion?
Discover fast what waits for you...
Verify now if your names are compatible!
The last comments about "Dragana "
Post your comment
Your Name Horoscope !
Thanks to the numerology, we propose you daily a horoscope personalized for your first name. Love, money , Shape: discover what waits for you for today. In Bonus every day find your daily lucky figure .. Horoscope of the first names
Love :Couples: Harmony will once again reign between the two of you. Singles: Make the most of your own company, you are unlikely to meet "the one" today.
Money :Today is a perfect day to clarify your financial objectives.
Health:You're lacking in calcium and vitamin D Dragana . Get enough sunshine and eat plenty of brocolli to keep your bones healthy!
Your Lucky number : 49


text:
More than a week after elections brought anti-austerity parties to the fore in Greece, efforts to form a coalition government remained deadlocked as first one, then another of the parties were unable to broker a compromise. Now the task is in the hands of President Karolos Papoulias, who thus far has been as unsuccessful as the party leaders themselves. The result could be a departure from the euro zone for the troubled country.
Bloomberg reported Monday that Papoulias was rebuffed by Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras, who on Sunday rejected Papoulias' efforts to form a government and who has said he will not attend a meeting of party leaders called by the Greek president for late Monday.
Tsipras has said that he will not take part in a coalition government unless the leaders of Pasok and New Democracy, the other two biggest winners in the May 6 election, agree to abandon the latest austerity measures prescribed by the troika of the European Union (E.U.), European Central Bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) in exchange for a second bailout. In statements, Tsipras said, "Syriza won't betray the Greek people," and "We are being asked to agree to the destruction of Greek society."
When it was Tsipras's turn to try to form a government, he demanded that Pasok and New Democracy leaders abandon in writing their commitment to the conditions imposed by the troika. They refused.
Although last week Pasok and New Democracy reached agreement with a third, smaller, party, Democratic Left, to form a government that would last till 2014 and would keep Greece in the euro zone while renegotiating the bailout terms, the deal falls apart without Syriza and Tsipras. Democratic Left has said that in order for the agreement to succeed, Syriza must participate.
Tsipras is in favor of Greece remaining in the euro zone, but is firmly opposed to the bailout with its attached austerity, and has challenged the three parties to go ahead and try to govern without Syriza.
"The three parties that have agreed on the policy framework for a two-year government to implement the memorandum have 168 lawmakers in the new parliament," Tsipras was quoted saying. Parliament has 300 lawmakers altogether. "They have the majority so let them proceed. Their demand for Syriza to join their planned agreement is illogical."
So the push to form a government has been punted back to the Greek president. Should Papoulias be as unsuccessful as the party leaders have been, Greece will have no choice but to call new elections. That could result in an outright victory for Syriza, which has gained in the polls since Tsipras refused to compromise.
The notion of Greece remaining in the joint currency if it ditches its bailout terms is not a possibility, according to Finland's European affairs minister, Alexander Stubb.
"I think that is an impossible equation and I think in that sense it is an irresponsible statement," Stubb said Monday, according to Reuters. "We fully realize that the precondition for Greece staying in the euro zone is for it to fulfill the engagements that it has made to the IMF, to the European Central Bank and to the commission."
Talk is also growing among European central bankers of the once unthought-of possibility of a Greek exit from the euro zone. The EC is holding firm on bailout terms, despite published reports to the contrary, according to Amadeu Altafaj, E.U. spokesman, who said in a statement, "I'm not aware of any discussions within the commission to grant new provisions, new concessions in the program."
Officials are also downplaying the potential risk of a Greek exit, although the true outcome is of course unknown. No provision was made for a country to depart the currency bloc and the effects of an exit could be widespread. Despite that, the ECB officials Christian Noyer, Jens Weidmann, Patrick Honohan, Ewald Nowotny and Joerg Asmussen gathered on Monday to discuss the possibility.
"Whatever happens in Greece won't be a problem for the French financial sector," Noyer was quoted saying. "I don't know a single group that will be placed in difficulty by an extreme scenario for Greece."
Still, bond yields could surge if Greece fails to remain in the euro zone, spurring a default; capital flight and bank runs could also result, with the possibility that they could spread to other countries struggling with debt, such as Spain and Portugal. Greek bank shares had already lost up to 7% in early morning trading on Monday as the political deadlock continued, and markets and the euro were down across Europe.
Olli Rehn, E.U. economic and monetary commissioner, acknowledged that a Greek exit from the euro zone would result in some turbulence, although he also said that the euro zone is "certainly more resilient" to the possibility of a Greek departure from its currency than it was in 2008. when it would have been "massively underprepared."
He continued, "I still believe that Greece can stay in the euro and find the way to make sure that it respects its commitments. It would be much worse for Greece and Greek citizens, especially for the less well-off Greek citizens, if Greece did leave the euro than for Europe as such. Europe also would suffer, but Greece would suffer more."


text:
NEW YORK, NY - April 25, 2012 - Syndicated morning show "LIVE! with Kelly" announces the lineup of guest co-hosts who will join Kelly Ripa during the week of May 7-11, 2012.
May 7, 2012 - NFL broadcaster MICHAEL STRAHAN joins Kelly as co-host this morning and they interview actress Cameron Diaz. Plus, the latest eliminated "American Idol" contestant performs.
May 8, 2012 - MICHAEL STRAHAN is back as Kelly's co-host today. "The Colbert Report" host Stephen Colbert makes his first guest appearance on "LIVE," and the 2012 Miss USA contestants meet the hosts.
May 9, 2012 - MICHAEL STRAHAN co-hosts with Kelly again today and actor Chace Crawford previews the new film, "What to Expect When You're Expecting." Plus, pop duo Karmin performs.
May 10, 2012 - Recording artist and TV personality NICK LACHEY is Kelly's co-host today. Kelly and Nick speak with Felicity Huffman about the final episodes of the long-running ABC series, "Desperate Housewives."
May 11, 2012 - NICK LACHEY returns this morning as Kelly's co-host and they chat with "Once Upon A Time" star Ginnifer Goodwin.
"LIVE! with Kelly" is distributed in national syndication by Disney-ABC Domestic Television. Produced by WABC-TV in New York and executive produced by Michael Gelman, "LIVE! with Kelly" airs in more than 200 markets across the U.S. Visit "LIVE" on the web at www.livewithkelly.tv, on Facebook, or follow "LIVE" on Twitter @LiveKelly.


text:
Wheeler, Pacheco called up from Triple-A
PHILADELPHIA -- The Rockies placed catcher Yorvit Torrealba on the seven-day disabled list with a concussion he suffered in Sunday's 7-2 loss to the Orioles and put right-handed pitcher Jhoulys Chacin on the bereavement list.
To fill both places on the 25-man roster for Monday night's game against the Phillies, the Rockies recalled catcher and utility man Jordan Pacheco and corner infielder Ryan Wheeler from Triple-A Colorado Springs.
Chacin, who has headed to Venezuela after the death of his grandmother, is expected to return for Friday's start at Miami.
Pacheco began the year sharing first base with veteran Todd Helton, but was sent down on July 29 after hitting .229 with 10 doubles, one home run and 17 RBIs in 69 games. He saw two Major League games at catcher, but was behind the plate nine times at Colorado Springs. Pacheco spent much of his Minor League time at catcher before playing third and first at the Major League level last season, and the Rockies believe his skills translate well to the position.
"It took me a couple games to feel comfortable, but they've got a good staff down there, and it made it a little easier to get back in the groove of squatting behind the dish," said Pacheco, who hit .315 with one home run, five doubles and six RBIs at Colorado Springs. "The biggest thing is just catching the baseball. That's your main job, to receive it and keep it in front.
"As far as throwing and all that other stuff, that stuff will come."
Wheeler was a Pacific Coast League All-Star at Colorado Springs, where he hit .308 with 29 doubles, 10 home runs and 81 RBIs. He made six Major League appearances April 25-May 5, going 1-for-9 with a double.
Obtained from the D-backs during the offseason, Wheeler said his earlier time in the Majors -- spent mostly as a reserve -- taught him he needed to work on being more aggressive.
"I'm taking a few more risks at the plate," Wheeler said. "Early in the count, I'm letting it fly a little more. It paid off. I have to drive the ball, being a corner position guy. I worked on taking that 'A' swing, as opposed to always thinking, 'line drive to left field.' I was getting into swings, trying to have some fun. I hope it translates."