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what we do.
With services across marketing strategy, branding, digital, quality graphic design and web development, WISDOM is well equipped to provide marketing solutions that build your brand and engage with your target audience.
Our creative services are provided by our award winning in-house design studio. Our online services are delivered by our in-house Australian specialist web dev team.
Whatever your project is we'd love the opportunity to bring it to life.
Contact us today to discuss your project.
- Peabody Energy.
- Destination Southern Highlands.
- BHP Billiton.
- Destination Wollongong.
- Bluescope Steel.
- Wingecarribee Shire Council.
- Delta SBD.
- St George Illawarra Dragons.
- Luna Park.
- Glebe Markets.
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Let our strategic creativity transform your marketing & advertising into powerful communication.
We'll help you discover your company's marketable attributes and build a brand that you can truly be proud of.


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Weird Food Remedies for Diabetes
You know what you should eat to treat high blood sugar – but did you know these surprising supplements and foods that can help?
A diet to prevent type 2 diabetes includes lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. It's also low in sugary drinks and saturated fats. But beyond those important basics, there exist some supplements and more surprising foods that recent research has shown might help control blood sugar. Here are the latest food remedies to prevent diabetes.
Chicory Seed Extract
Scattered in the wild, chicory seeds produce a pretty purple wildflower. As an extract, the seeds have both short-term and long-term effects on blood sugar, a recent rat study done at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran found. "The study is a confirmation of the previous findings on chicory's capacity to control sugar levels in diabetes," says Azin Nowrouzi, PhD, lead researcher on the study. "Physiologically, the extract prompted a quicker release of insulin and improved insulin resistance by alleviating high blood sugar."
Robert Graham, MD, an internist and integrative medicine specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, agrees that chicory has potential as a type 2 diabetes supplement. "Chicory contains substances called inulins, which can have a certain effect on endocrine cells in your intestines that help control blood sugar," he says.
But because the Tehran University study was only in rats, both Dr. Nowrouzi and Graham point out that more research is necessary to demonstrate how the extract could control blood sugar in people. Plus, Graham says, the study did not discuss practical applications for incorporating chicory seed into a type 2 diabetes diet.
Purple Corn
Cousin to the blue variety grown in the United States, the purple corn that's native to Chile and Peru might help people with type 2 diabetes prevent diabetic nephropathy or kidney inflammation. A Korean study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology showed that compounds in purple corn called anthocyanins seem to protect against the condition. "Although purple corn won't prevent type 2 diabetes, the findings of this study are interesting in that they show it may help prevent kidney inflammation associated with uncontrolled diabetes," Graham says.
Grape Seed Extract
Grape seed extract could control blood sugar, a recent study done at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, found. Researchers gave healthy participants a high-carbohydrate meal, after which some had grape seed extract and some did not. Those who took the grape seed extract had lower blood sugar levels 15 and 30 minutes after the meal than the control group.
"Grape seed extract affects the intestinal absorption of sugar — it is a blocker of glucose in the gut," Graham explains. He tells his patients with high blood sugar to take 150 to 300 milligrams of grape seed extract a day with food.
Not only does cinnamon make almost everything taste better, it may also have a blood sugar benefit. Multiple studies have shown the powers of cinnamon as a food that controls blood sugar in normal-weight people. It could also help control sugar in obese people (who face an increased risk for type 2 diabetes), a new study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics showed.
"I tell my patients with type 2 diabetes to sprinkle as much cinnamon cassia (the type that has been shown in studies to be a food that controls blood sugar) on their food as possible," Graham says. "It does very little harm and may have benefit as a food for type 2 diabetes."
Prickly Pear Cactus
Yes, cactus. Strange as it sounds, this food is regularly eaten in the Mexican culture. Among its other medicinal powers, it could control blood sugar. In rats, prickly pear seems to increase muscle and liver uptake of sugar; these effects may make it a potential food that controls blood sugar in people, Graham says. In mice, prickly pear extract supplements have been shown to decrease food consumption and blood sugar levels, according to a study published in a recent issue of the journal Phytomedicine.
The Bottom Line on Supplements for Your Diabetes Diet
Before you try any potential supplements or foods that control blood sugar, Graham says to check in with your health care professional. Foods that control blood sugar may make your sugars go up or down, which could be dangerous if your physician isn't aware of what you're doing, he says. Plus, many type 2 diabetes supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "For all these reasons," Graham stresses, "it is really important to talk to your physician about anything you take."
TELL US: Have you tried any of these food remedies? Share your experiences in the comments. (Note: Mobile users won't be able to comment.)
For more diabetes news, follow @diabetesfacts on Twitter from the editors of @EverydayHealth.

subset: commoncrawl


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REAL ESTATE- ON THE BLOCK- Nortonsville: It makes a village
ADDRESS: 1784 Simmons Gap Road
NEIGHBORHOOD: Nortonsville
SIZE: 5.228 unfin. sq. ft.
LAND: 11 acres
CURB APPEAL: 6 out of 10
LISTED BY: Stuart Rifkin of Hasbrouck Real Estate 434-466-9515
When the current owner bought this property, the agent quipped, "You now own the town of Nortonsville." As exciting as that might sound, the heyday of this once-thriving village has long passed.
But the place is not without a certain appeal. Anyone driving along Route 810, 15 miles past Crozet, is probably out for a country cruise anyway and wouldn't mind stopping to sip some lemonade on the front porch and listen to some local lore. But lore is the only thing on offer these days.
Like many villages in the early 1900s, Nortonsville contained everything necessary for commerce and community. Along with the store there was a blacksmith shop, a barbershop, two schoolhouses, a gristmill, a doctor's office, a dental practice, a gas station, several residences, and inevitably, an undertaker. (Unfortunately, the building that was shaped like a coffin has been moved to another property.) But now all that stands is an odd mishmash of misshapen structures that could confuse even a mouse.
As beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, so it seems, does potential. Renovations began at the back of the store with the demolition of an exterior staircase and balcony. Plans to enclose this space and make an interior atrium began– and, shortly thereafter, ended.
Everything else lies in a state of entropy. But the fundamental craftsmanship and seemingly solid construction have held up well over the years. Floors and walls show no sign of water or termite damage. No light peeps through the tin sheathing covering the roof, and the doors and windows all open and shut as if installed yesterday.
The many incarnations of the place make it somewhat dicey to project how best to use all this space. From 1891 to the 1950s, the families who owned and operated the store lived either behind and above it or directly next to it. Now it shows like a warren of dusty rooms of indeterminate use.
Clustered around the store are various outbuildings, all included in the sale. Each has unique attributes that could be fitted to many uses. Because the place was recently used as a garage and junkyard, many of the structures (as well as some of the land) are chockablock with flotsam. One of the schoolhouses has been turned into a single-family residence with almost all the comforts of home– except plumbing. A trailer with composting toilet provides some convenience.
The most impressive element in the conglomeration is what the owner claims is a chestnut barn. Large, imposing, and as solid as the day it was built, it lends a majestic aura to the otherwise funky landscape. Before the chestnut blight of the early 1900s, the wood proved invaluable as a building material. Tall, straight trees with no knots gave it superior strength, and– best of all– nothing eats it. A rat-proof corn crib and several large grain bins survive intact. Downstairs, four full-sized stalls await livestock. Upstairs, a huge space keeps those hay bales dry and out of the way.
The land is mostly flat with bookend views of Brokenback (makes one think of cowpokes, eh?) and Bingham mountains. Part of the tract is in Greene County, but most of the properties on the north side of the road run traverse both counties at various points. The preacher at Bingham Methodist Church likes to say that he stands in Albemarle County to preach while his congregation sits in Greene to listen.
And that's pretty much it for Nortonsville lore.
Getting rid of the detritus surrounding the buildings might make it easier to plan future uses, but whoever takes over will have to have a big vision and an even bigger wallet.
It's going to take a village (along with a backhoe and several dump trucks) to see what can be made of Nortonsville.
Photos courtesy of the agent


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Garfield #2
The Big Kitty's comic book extravaganza continues! Garfield, Odie, and the rest of the gang bring the fun and the funny in this all-new KaBOOM! series. What wacky schemes will Garfield come up with next? How will Jon embarrass himself with the ladies this time? There's only way to find out, so buy this comic!
Cover Illustrator


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In 2010, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee began using working groups to help tackle important issues within the organization. The working groups – comprised of both internal and external industry leaders and experts – convene during a six-month period. Members are recruited by the USOPC and work together to compile a report of recommendations that is presented to the USOPC's board of directors.
To date, working groups have convened on the following topics: safe training environments, diversity inclusion and athlete career, education and life skills.
Working Group for Safe Training Environments
This working group met with the goal of developing a set of recommendations for promoting safe training environments in sport to the USOPC's board of directors and chief executive officer. The group focused on four primary objectives: addressing the significance of sexual and physical misconduct in sport, reviewing guidelines and best practices for promoting safe training environments, assessing the needs of athletes, coaches, staff, NGBs, clubs and other organizations to promote safe training environments and providing recommendations that promote safe training atmospheres and safe environments for athletes.
Read the group's recommendations to the board.
Diversity Inclusion Working Group
This group was charged with formulating diversity strategies for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Family in the United States. Incorporating greater diversity into the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movements serves several long-term goals; reaching new communities grows elite athlete and membership pipelines, revenue, audiences and leadership talent.
Read the group's recommendations to the board.
Athlete Career, Education and Life Skills Working Group
This group evaluated the role of athlete career and education development in supporting the USOPC's mission to support U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes in achieving sustained competitive excellence and preserve the Olympic ideals, and thereby inspire all Americans. During the course of its work, the group focused on three objectives: assessing the relationship between athlete career programs and competitive success, making recommendations, within existing budgets and resources, for a focused career and education strategy and presenting options for programs that may be implemented given incremental program resources.
Read the group's recommendations to the board.


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With all of the new displays recently in the 22"-24" range, it's going to take a little extra for a 20" to stand out from the pack. So Dell has loaded its latest 20" monitor, the SP2008WFP, with all kinds of extra goodies.
Among the newly announced display's best features is its built-in 2.0 mega pixel webcam. Other, more basic, features include DVI (HDCP) support, a 2ms response time, and 2000:1 contrast ratio. The SP2008WFP also sports a 1680 x 1050 widescreen resolution.
The webcam comes bundled with Dell's Webcam Manager software, which allows users to create 3D avatars, among other things. I'm not entirely sure why one would want to create a 3D avatar instead of just showing their face, but I suppose there are a few folks with ugly mugs that would prefer the feature. The software can be used to change your voice so that you sound deeper, emotional, depressed, or even "ducky," for those that want to sound like a duck. You can also add video effects, which is a feature found in many standard external USB webcams, and adjust picture settings. The webcam can also record video at a 1600x1200 resolution at up to 10fps or a 640x480 resolution (and lower) at up to 30 frames per second, and the monitor has a built-in "dual-microphone" that eliminates the need for headsets.
Among the monitors other features are four USB 2.0 ports (which appear to be along the left side of the display), a Kensington security port, and a 160 degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles.
The Dell SP2008 20" display will be available on Dell's website today for $289, according to a Dell spokesperson. Dell offers a 22" monitor for $299 with the same resolution and a 800:1 contrast ratio, but I'm a big fan of the added microphone and webcam in the latest model.


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For Release in North America: September 2012
Release Number: 318PR12
Early response to the new Cat® CT660 Vocational Truck, introduced in 2011 and on display at MINExpo 2012, has been positive. According to some of the truck's first buyers and drivers, the new heavy-duty Class 8 truck is surpassing expectations for reliability, productivity and comfort.
Kevin Medford, owner of Medford Trucking -a mining industry company in Charleston West Virginia, has bought two Cat Trucks thus far and is planning on purchasing six more in the near future. He said, "Our drivers love them, they're comfortable and have a lot of room. I believe if customers drive the truck, they will like it and they will buy it."
One of the most popular aspects of the Cat Truck, according to drivers, is the Cat CX31 automatic transmission. Jimmy Fernatt, a driver for Medford Trucking, uses the CT660 to haul coal in a mountain-top mining application. He and his fellow drivers previously were manually wrestling trucks up and down eight percent grades.
"The Cat Truck rides much more smoothly and can travel the mine haul roads five to 10 miles per hour faster," Fernatt said. The Fleet Director at Medford Trucking, Dale Medford said, "I've got a 70 year old driver. He says when he gets out of it at the end of the day, he feels no fatique at all."
With its eye-catching style, rugged components, exceptional visibility, driver comfort features and easy-to-service design, the CT660 is proving to be a natural extension of the Cat product line—a reliable, durable, fuel-efficient truck that helps customers succeed.
"Everything's worked as well as the other equipment we've bought from Caterpillar," said Mike Hitchcock, owner of Hitchcock Scrap Yard in Canton, Illinois, who purchased eight Cat Trucks to transport scrap and recyclables. Hitchcock opted to be an early adopter of the CT660 because of his experiences with the longevity and reliability of Cat equipment. Support from the local Cat Dealer was also a factor in his decision.
"They understand if we have an issue, and they react quickly," Hitchcock said.
Drivers in the Hitchcock organization are working productively in their new trucks, specifically praising the CT660's cab comfort and layout, easy-to-see instrument panel and easy-to-reach gauges and switches.
"It rides well, handles well and the turning radius is awesome," Hitchcock said. "There's nothing like it. It's just an awesome piece of equipment."
For more information about the Cat Truck, visit the Caterpillar MINExpo exhibit, booth 6229 in Central Hall, or go to DriveCat.com/testimonials.
# # #
Note to Editors: Caterpillar rolls-out products and services in each of its territories at different time intervals. Although every effort is made to ensure that product information is released only after Caterpillar has received confirmation from our dealer network, our plants, and our marketing subsidiaries that products and services are available in the relevant region, editors are kindly requested to verify with their local dealer for product availability and specifications.
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Extra costs at the new stadium could prevent Blue Bombers head coach Tim Burke from hiring an additional assistant for his coaching staff this year.
Burke told the Winnipeg Sun he'd like to add a running backs coach by the end of January, but isn't sure he can afford it.
"We'll see where the budget is on that," Burke said, Friday. "The overrun of the stadium might change things a little bit."
Burke plans to hire a defensive backs coach by the end of the month, too, and says he's getting close on that front.
But he needs someone to oversee running backs after Kyle Walters moved from special teams/running backs to assistant GM.
The Bombers have dug deep for some extras at their new facility, CEO Garth Buchko telling the Sun in October some $3 million in improvements would come out of the team's reserve fund.
Then just last month, the arms-length company that will manage the stadium, BBB Stadium, Inc. — represented by the team, city, province and U of M — revealed it's borrowing $10 million for further upgrades, including enhanced concessions, luxury suites and concert-hosting capability.
Meanwhile, Burke waits to find out what, if anything, he can offer somebody to coach Chad Simpson, Chris Garrett and Co.
"I go with the flow," he said.
Bombers spokesman Darren Cameron says budgets are set, and the football operations budget is expanded for 2013. Increases are expected in the areas of housing and food in the new location.


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9-Year-Old Boy Saves Baby's Life by Teaching Mother How to Perform CPR
When a Georgia mother's 2-month-old baby suddenly stopped breathing, there was only one thing she could think to do: Scream at the top of her lungs."I had him in my arms and still screaming over and over," recalled Susanna Rohm of Marietta. "Then I ran outside. I saw two boys playing across the street and I yelled, 'go ask your parents to call 911.'"Ethan Wilson, 10, and Rocky Hurt, 9, called 911 themselves, and then Rocky did Rohm one better: He taught her how to perform CPR.Noticing that Rohm was attempting to revive her child incorrectly, he immediately stepped in and guided her through the procedure."I told her to push on the baby's chest five to 10 times with only two fingers, tilt back the baby's head, plug the baby's nose and breathe into the baby's mouth," Rocky instructed Rohm. "He said it so confidently that I just listened to him right away," Rohm told 11Alive.Seconds later, baby Isaiah began screaming. "I told her that's a good sign because the baby's breathing," Rocky said.Paramedics soon arrive and rushed the infant to a nearby hospital where he was diagnosed with sleep apnea.Asked where they learned CPR, Rocky and Ethan said they memorized the steps illustrated on a cafeteria poster at their elementary school."We just wanted to know just in case it happened," Ethan told NBC News, "but we never knew that we'd have to do that."
Great Job, This shows any one trained in CPR can save a live!


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Revived Maritime merger proposal gets no political support
The age-old idea of merging the three Maritime provinces has been resurrected despite an overwhelming lack of political will from an array of government levels.
A trio of Conservative senators — John Wallace of New Brunswick, Mike Duffy of Prince Edward Island and Stephen Greene of Nova Scotia — are making a plea to consolidate the Maritime provinces, an idea that has intermittently reappeared over the past century.
On Tuesday, Duffy told CBC News the proposal would help revive the regional economy.
"Are there ways we can make life better for our islanders by pooling our resources, by buying cheaper? Why do we have separate people making purchases on behalf of provincial governments?" Duffy said.
But several political figures — including premiers Darrell Dexter of Nova Scotia and Robert Ghiz of P.E.I. — have denounced the idea in recent days, saying the provinces are already working co-operatively.
Donald Savoie, Canada research chair in public administration at the University of Moncton, said the fiscal challenges facing the Maritime provinces and an aging population are what have brought the idea to the floor once again.
He said the three provinces are all stomaching immense financial pressures and the concept of the Maritime Union "is in fashion."
"Whenever there's an external force that threatens us in the Maritimes, we tend to talk about the Maritime Union," said Savoie, noting that he has supported the idea for years.
"What we're witnessing all through the Maritime provinces is some pretty serious fiscal challenges and some pretty serious economic challenges. We have a fast-aging population, and I don't think we have the financial resources to maintain the status quo."
Wallace and Greene were not immediately available for comment.
Promoting economic development
New Brunswick is currently grappling with a $10-billion debt, a $356-million deficit and an unemployment rate of 11.6 per cent — the province's highest in nearly a decade.
In P.E.I., the 2012-13 deficit is projected to come in at $79.6 million, while the Nova Scotia government has promised to balance its books in its budget next spring, despite a deficit forecast for the current fiscal year of $249 million.
Savoie noted that economic development could be more efficiently promoted if the provinces merged, and it would eliminate the need to compete to attract jobs.
"I think it involves better public services, better ability to rationalize public services, and also it speaks to economic development," Savoie said in an interview from Florida on Saturday.
"I think the Maritime provinces as a unit would be better off promoting economic development than three little units vying for a new investment."
But Savoie admits the idea would be a tough sell to provincial governments.
"I think Maritimers themselves will have to provide the leadership," he said.
Calls for a Maritime Union date back nearly 150 years, when the three provinces — then the Maritime colonies — were slated to meet at the Charlottetown Conference to discuss a union. But the plan was expanded after what is now Ontario and Quebec joined the meeting.
The idea was also studied in the mid-1960s, when a commission report recommended a Maritime Union over time.
Savoie said the topic also came up in the late 1970s, when talks of Quebec leaving Canada sparked discussion about what would happen to the Maritime provinces.
With files from CBC News


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Contributed by Mike Petruzziello
Special to 21 Voices
Atlantic News, Friday, October 27, 2006
[The following article is courtesy of Atlantic News]
HAMPTON -- For the third consecutive year the Winnacunnet High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC (WHS MCJROTC) has been designated a Naval Honor School.
So what exactly does that mean you ask? Simply put -- it means that our school has one of the best MCJROTC programs in the country. How did we get to be so good? Our students did it the old fashioned way -- they worked hard and earned it!
Scoring a 96.6 percent on a comprehensive inspection of our students, instructors, administration and activities is just the beginning of the process. Add to that 17 community service activities, participation in 44 community / school events and 25 program-related trips and you begin to see the level of effort required to earn this honor.
The fact that many of these endeavors take place on weekends or outside of normal school hours speaks volumes about our students' dedication.
Earning the designation of Naval Honor School brings our school a nice letter and plaque to display. More importantly, however, our students become eligible to compete for "Honor School" nominations to attend our military service academies.
These nominations are not available to the general population and they provide our students with an opportunity that other students don't have access to.
We have received letters from the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy inviting us to nominate qualified students for these restricted nominations. In fact, last year one of our students was offered, and accepted, an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy after receiving one of these nominations.
Not content to rest on their laurels, our students continue to work hard and lead by example. Although you may never see them working, hear of their accomplishments or read about their many activities, please know that they're out there making a difference.
Even though it's early in the school year, they've been busy. To date our students have provided 20 color guards in support of their Winnacunnet classmates. Thirty students recently completed the sixteenth consecutive monthly clean-up of our section of Hampton Beach. We provide these clean-ups in coordination with the Blue Ocean Society. The Drill Team and Color Guard competed in our first drill competition of the season in Barre, MA. Students organized, planned and executed a "pot luck" supper for their fellow students and their families.
Our female color guard participated in the American Legion, Post #35 dedication of the Global War on Terrorism Monument on September 11, 2006. Sixteen students helped out as crossing guards during the annual Exeter walk for breast cancer. Somehow, they also managed to find time to climb Mt. Major and enjoy the spectacular New Hampshire fall foliage.
Our students' don't just learn about citizenship and leadership -- they live it! We're very proud of them and their accomplishments. We hope the WHS community will join us in congratulating them on their outstanding achievement.


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Render farm management software upgrade brings mobile access, augmented priority controls, and workstation management tools to render pipelines.
Los Angeles, CA – PipelineFX, makers of Qube!, the leading render farm management software for digital media creation, announced today the release of Qube! version 6.4. Along with new tools for smart farming, system supervisors can now access Qube! via their smartphones (MobileView), set priority limits for non-privileged users, and control how much of their workstation will be available to the render farm. All with what often amounts to a single click of their mouse.
"Scalability, stability, and simplicity have always been key drivers in the development of Qube!," said Richard Lewis, CEO of PipelineFX. "Qube! 6.4 breaks new ground in this space, and provides even more features and applications that will put more power into the hands of its operator."
The promotion of intelligent render farm software affords farm supervisors the power to shape the destiny of their system. An addition like QBLocker, which enables artists to easily add their workstation to the render farm at the CPU core level, or reclaim their workstation when they need all of its resources, maximizes an organization's rendering power by harnessing every available COU core hour. Qube! 6.4's new priority limits also follow this line as they give administrators the ability to limit the amount of control an artist or student has around setting task priority. Unnecessary competition between artists and render wranglers is over.
Other Key Additions Include:
- Qube! MobileView (firstreleased in July): access the render farm remotely with a free mobile app,or through a light-weight web server that creates mobile-enhanced webpages from any machine in the facility.
- Reporting Functionality: willdisplay the reasons why a job is pending, allowing for quick and easytroubleshooting.
- New Administration Tools:GUI-based worker removal with a right mouse click; MySQL Check/Repairapplied from inside the Qube! GUI; and "Studio Overrides" that let asystem admin set up GUI preferences and defaults for the entire studio.
- More Job Types: Qube 6.4adds Dynamic Allocation for Nuke & Houdini, eliminating the need formultiple start-ups or excessive data transfer times; improved Vray supportfor DBR (Distributed Bucket Rendering); as well as enhanced renderelements support, better logging, and more effective termination of 3dsMax jobs.
"We measure the value of Qube! by how well it addresses the needs of artists and studios," added Lewis. "We feel confident when we say that there's nothing ahead of Qube! 6.4 in render management, if you want more time to perfect your art or improve your bottom line."
Customers currently on subscription can download version 6.4 immediately from the PipelineFX ftp site. Please contact email@example.com to request a 6.4 license.
Source: PipelineFX


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Overall, equity funds tracked by EPFR Global posted outflows of $4.3 billion for the week ending March 7. Bond funds took in a net $6.9 billion, as money-market funds had inflows of $5.9 billion.
Despite strong U.S. stock-market performance, retail investors continue to be attracted by dividend-paying stocks. They have committed money to dividend-equity funds during 57 of the 62 weeks since the start of last year, according to EPFR Global.
The Dow Jones index has risen roughly 6% in 2012 through March 9, and the S&P 500 improved about 9%. The Nasdaq has ticked up nearly 15%, according to data compiled by T. Rowe Price. Still, the markets did have their biggest single-day loss in three months on March 6.
As for the developed markets overall, U.S.-equity funds led the way in outflows in dollar terms, with over $5 billion flowing out. Year-to-date inflows, which peaked in early February at $12.3 billion, fell below the $1 billion mark. The bulk of the redemptions came from small- and large-cap ETFs.
Canada-themes funds, however, had their best week in 2012 as oil prices remained high. High energy prices hurt investor sentiment towards Japan, prompting them to pull $443 million from equity funds focused on that country: In early 2012, net outflows now total $1.6 billion, despite a fund-group return of 12% so far this year.
Emerging Markets
At the same time, though, investors continued to move into riskier assets in early March, reports EPFR Global. They gobbled up emerging-market bond and equity funds, while also moving into high-yield and mortgage-back products. In less-risky investments, investors pulled funds from European fund groups, though retail redemptions did fall to its lowest level since mid-2Q11.
Key ETFs with a focus on India are up over 21% year to date. Their Brazilian and Russian counterparts have risen 17% and 23% respectively.
Emerging-market bond funds and global emerging-market equity funds took in over $1 billion for the week ending March 7, the research group says. In addition, mortgage-backed bond funds hit the one-year market for inflows, as high-yield bond funds experienced year-to-date inflows that were nearly three times that of their full-year total for 2011.
Geographically diversified global emerging-market equity funds had inflows of $1.3 billion in early March, and the broader category of emerging-markets equity funds tracked by EPFR Global experienced its longest inflow streak since 4Q10 (despite the first week of net redemptions by retail investors since early January).
Concerns over slowing growth in China did negatively impact some Asia-themes funds. In Latin America, Brazilian funds saw solid flows as did Chile funds.
Russia equity funds took in over $100 million for the sixth-consecutive week as oil prices remain high and the country's presidential election delivered the result nearly everyone expected. This helped EMEA equity funds extend their longest inflow streak since a seven-week run ended in early May.
Bond Fund Flows
There was no change to recent patterns during early March when it came to fixed-income funds, says EPFR Global. Investors continued to steer money into the fund groups associated with higher risk and higher returns.
Flows in 2012 hit $23 billion for high-yield products, for instance.
U.S. bond funds focusing on municipal, mortgage backed, high yield and intermediate term debt accounted for over three-quarters of the $4.1 billion this fund group absorbed for the week. Year-to-date inflows now stand at $29.5 billion versus $3.75 billion during the comparable period last year.
Also so far in 2012, U.S. money-market funds recorded outflows of $53.8 billion, as their European counterparts experienced inflows of $3.49 billion versus outflows of $61 billion and inflows of $22.5 billion during the same period last year.
Flows into balanced or lifecycle funds, which invest in both fixed income assets and equities, hit their highest level since the third week of June, the research group says.


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First JWST instrument finishes testing
A pioneering instrument for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has completed testing in the UK. MIRI is a key European contribution to the mission, which will be a space telescope with a mirror seven times bigger in area than that of the Hubble Space Telescope.
The Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) will be used by astronomers to study faint comets circling the Sun, newly born faraway planets, regions of obscured star formation, and galaxies near the edge of the Universe. It must work at extremely low temperatures, of just 7 K above absolute zero or -266° C.
A consortium of European institutes has built the main structure and optics of MIRI that focus and filter the infrared light collected by JWST's 6.5 m-diameter mirror onto extremely sensitive detectors provided by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Much of that light will be thousands of millions of years old, having been emitted by objects in the distant Universe.
The testing, which took place at the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council's RAL Space in Oxfordshire, subjected MIRI to the harsh conditions it will experience after it is launched into space on board the Webb telescope.
"It is inspiring to see MIRI working extremely well at its operating temperature after so many years in development. The test campaign has been a resounding success and the whole MIRI team can be very proud of this magnificent achievement," says Gillian Wright, the European Principal Investigator and lead of the MIRI European Science Team.
The tests ensured that all parts of the instrument function together properly. Targets inside the test chamber were used to simulate scientific observations and obtain critical performance data. Astronomers will use these during the coming years to develop software needed to calibrate the instrument after launch.
Preliminary results show that MIRI is working extremely well, and confirm that it should be able to perform all the cutting-edge science it was designed to accomplish. Peter Jakobsen, ESA JWST Project Scientist, congratulates the members of the MIRI consortium for having passed this significant milestone. "Future users of JWST and MIRI are looking forward to learning more about the detailed performance of the instrument once the test results are analysed further in the coming months. The experience gained by the MIRI test team throughout this campaign has sown the seeds for a rich scientific harvest from the JWST mission," he says.
ESA has been collaborating with NASA and the Canadian Space Agency since 1996 on the design and construction of the Webb telescope. MIRI is the first of JWST's four instruments to complete its calibration testing.
"The successful completion of this difficult test programme – involving more than 2000 individual tests – marks a major milestone for the JWST mission. MIRI will now be delivered to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to join the integration and testing of the observatory's science instrument payload, which began this year," says Matthew Greenhouse, the Integrated Science Instrument Module Project Scientist for JWST at Goddard.
"The MIRI tests have demonstrated the excellent technical progress being made on the project and we're now looking forward to completing the equivalent tests on another of JWST's scientific instruments, the Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) being developed by ESA. These European eyes will play a crucial role in the success of this remarkable international mission to uncover mysteries across the Universe", says Mark McCaughrean, head of ESA's Research & Scientific Support Department.


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|The Hero's Welcome from 2013's Soldier Ride.
On Friday, January 9th, Dolphin Research Center will host the annual Charles Evans Day for the Wounded Warrior Project, welcoming Soldier Ride when the adaptive cycling event comes through the Florida Keys. For the sixth year in a row, the cyclists and their support group will stop at DRC where upwards of 60 soldiers will enjoy a Dolphin Encounter dolphin swim free of charge, thanks to the generosity of the Charles Evans Foundation. The group is expected to arrive between 2:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The public is invited to join DRC staff and volunteers as they line up to give a hero's welcome to the participants. Admission to DRC is free for current members. Other visitors can pay general admission or become members with their donations when they get to DRC.
These soldiers are coping with life-altering injuries to body, mind and spirit, including amputations, burns, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder. To watch them leave their troubles behind on land for a joyful time swimming with dolphins inspires all who see the experience. For many of the participants, the dolphin swim further empowers them as they courageously battle the physical and psychological damages of war.
The Charles Evans Day for the Wounded Warrior Project at Dolphin Research Center is truly a community event. Before the Dolphin Encounter, they will enjoy a delicious lunch catered by La Trattoria of Key West and desserts baked by DRC volunteers. Captain Hook's Dive Shop, Marathon, loans them wetsuits and life vests. After the swim, the soldiers also receive complimentary photos and a sterling silver replica charm of Jax the dolphin's tail flukes, designed by Custom Tails jewelry.
Dolphin Research Center is committed to supporting veterans and active duty personnel from all branches of the United States military. Throughout the year, the organization provides
programs not only for the wounded warriors, but also for caregivers of the injured, family of active duty personnel, and families who have lost a loved one serving in the war.


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Sculptor Steven Posson is a practitioner of what might be called motoring performance art. His bronze figures don't actually move or make noise, but motion, speed and excitement are implicit in their forms.
The "Flying Mile" is a 6-foot long figure of Albert "Shrimp" Burns, arguably the most dramatic and popular racer of motorcycling's golden age of the nineteen-teens. A rider for both Harley-Davidson and Indian, the California native was known for his grit, daredevil style and "impish grin." At the Beverly Hills board track championship in 1921, he won the first race and crashed in the second, collecting an array of cuts, bruises and splinters. He spent the next race in the field hospital, then, his wounds dressed and bandaged, he reappeared to great applause and won the final race of the day.
Posson works in the traditional method of investment-cast bronze, also known as the lost wax process. His latest piece depicts Burns on a 1914 Indian 8-valve going for top speed on a mile dirt track, both wheels in drift, powering into the straightaway. Machines like the Indian were basically reinforced bicycles with powerful engines. They were direct drive, the throttle set wide open with just a kill button for a brake. Top speeds were around 110mph.
While the artist gives acute attention to the mechanical details, he spends even more time on the rider. "People relate to people," Posson says. If the human shape is incorrect or poorly rendered, the defect becomes a distraction, a part that doesn't quite fit.
Posson prefers the impression of speed over pure realism. The spokeless, slightly elliptical wheels evoke early racing photographs, when men were fast and shutter speeds slow. Machine and rider become an integrated form in the thrust for velocity. Slight rooster-tails trace the tires' hunt for traction, the rider's eyes fixed on the perfect line. Posson's sculpture captures the marriage of machinery, courage and dance that defines racing.
Perhaps we can establish a label for this style, one that future art historians may find descriptive. Neo-classic moto-realism? That might work. In which case, upcoming students may refer to Steven Posson as Motoangelo, an early master of the form.
Posson plans a limited edition of 10 sculptures, priced, if you have to ask, at $70,000. Potential collectors should consider that the sculpture weighs more than 500 pounds, and the marble base about 600. In cases where domestic harmony precludes the statue assuming a place of honor on the living room floor, the Flying Mile will do fine outdoors in its natural element. "Just give it a coat of wax every few years," the artist says. More info: Posson Art.


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Reaction Question
As most everyone knows these days you get a cream reaction when using Ruby Red with a silver based color. Some of them work better than others but universally it seems that any silver based transparent will yield the reaction over a copper ruby red.
I did not want to go into a list of colors that work and don't work just ask the question. What exactly is causing the reaction. Is it the copper and the silver? It is something specific to the Copper Ruby Red that is causing the reaction that is not copper?
The reason I am going down this road is that I would like to expand on the base color that causes the reaction. I have only ever found Ruby Red to react with the cream at contact site with silver. I have found colors that will react and create a red ring, or a black ring, but never a cream one.
I am curious because making a "new" base color to use instead of the Ruby Red for the reaction is my goal. I have the supplies, I have the means, I just don't know this specific chemistry going on here. Could we make a Orange/green/amber/black or a clear that would react like Ruby Red does with silver?
Last edited by Scott Novota; 06-01-2018 at 11:41 AM.
you need to go back to the periodic table of the elements and take a look at the placements of Copper, Silver, and Gold. All bunched up in a stack. There's reasons. Now read a basic chemistry book.
When I used to make copper rubies, I actually just rolled the gather into silver nitrate and cased in clear and got pretty much the same kind of reaction, sometimes blue and creamy outline. Usually blue. Silver is very influential on gold glasses making them depart from traditional wine reds to colors like motor oil, Iris gold, lots in that vein.
When silver gets added to fluorine opaques it almost inevitably turns gray and is unattractive. I do not know why that would be. I don't know what might occur if you were to overlay copper ruby frit on that. I've never tried. The gray was quite bad enough.
Silver is remarkable in that it now has been demonstrated that it can make every color in the spectrum. No other metal ( or atom) can do that. What to me is even more remarkable is how little rigorous research has been done on coloring with it. Weyl and Volf essentially dismiss it largely because it is so flaky and that scares industry off.
But as to more materials that will create a reactive chain, I doubt it beyond cadmium and lead. Look at that little section of the element chart. It's small.
Perhaps having a clear that is not oxidized cased in a silver might have an interesting effect. I don't know.
Where are we going and why am I in this basket?
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- Published
The Vatican has refused to provide information requested by the United Nations on the alleged sexual abuse of children by priests, nuns or monks.
The Vatican said the cases were the responsibility of the judicial systems of countries where abuse took place.
The UK National Secular Society accused the Vatican of hiding behind legal technicalities.
On his appointment in March, Pope Francis said dealing with sex abuse was vital for the Church's credibility.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child put a wide-ranging questionnaire to the Holy See - the city state's diplomatic entity - last July, asking for detailed information about the particulars of all sexual abuse cases notified to the Vatican since 1995.
The questions included whether priests, nuns and monks guilty of sexual crime were allowed to remain in contact with children, what legal action had been taken against them, whether the Church required clergy to report abuse to secular authorities and whether complainants were silenced.
In its response, the Holy See insisted that it was "separate and distinct" from the Roman Catholic Church, and that it was not its practice to disclose information about the religious discipline of clergy unless specifically requested to by the authorities in the country where they were serving.
It stressed that it had changed the criteria for choosing priests and revised Church law to ensure clergy were properly disciplined.
The National Secular Society criticised the Holy See's response, insisting that it operated a "firm command and control structure over the worldwide Church".
Vatican officials are due to be questioned about child abuse, among other issues, by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in January.
After taking office, Pope Francis said the Vatican needed "to act decisively as far as cases of sexual abuse are concerned, promoting, above all, measures to protect minors, help for those who have suffered such violence in the past (and) the necessary procedures against those who are guilty".
His predecessor, Benedict XVI, had promised to rid his Church of the "filth" of clerical sex abuse.
Observers said he went further than ever before in tackling the legacy of abuse, though critics said that was not far enough, accusing him of failing to protect children from paedophile priests.


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How will a Democratic takeover affect Andrew Cuomo's Albany arrangement?
Andrew Cuomo had a good thing going, in terms of his ability to make the trains run on time.
Dean Skelos, a Republican, was in charge of the Senate.
Like Sheldon Silver, his liberal counterpart in the Assembly, Skelos had firm control of his conference. But Skelos had limited leverage when dealing with the governor. That's because his party held the chamber, but only by only a narrow majority, making him reliant on Cuomo's unspoken agreement never to campaign against them, and in fact on the governor's willingness to go back on a previous promise by approving the Republican-gerrymandered Senate lines that kept the Democrats from making even bigger gains this week.
Skelos was a guy Cuomo could do business with, in other words, all while shoring up his credentials as a bipartisan pragmatist.
That working relationship seems to be near an end now, after an election that has reduced the number of Republican senators from 33 to as few as 30, in a chamber that will now have 63 seats.
It's not clear yet who will end up controlling the chamber: Four of the non-Republicans at the moment are "Independent Democrats" who aren't committed to caucus with the plain old Democrats. And newly elected Democrat Simcha Felder, who beat Republican incumbent David Storobin, has said that he'll join whichever party is in charge.
It would be overstating things to say the Senate is in a state of chaos—the standard for that was set back in 2009, when a nascent Democratic majority was hobbled by a different dissident gang of four members, three of whom turned out to be unsuited for public life altogether.
But the results-oriented Albany model Cuomo is buildling a national reputation on depends on having two strong-man interlocuters he can deal with directly, and who can keep their members in line. The governor has explicitly said that action takes precedence over debate, and he has in fact figured out that he can get a lot accomplished, for better or worse, by hammering things out with the other two leaders and then presenting the results to legislators (and the public) once they're already done deals. Impicit in all this is that action, in Cuomo's figuring, also takes precedence over party or ideology.
Effective governance. No gridlock. Not like Washington.
It's the kind of thing a guy could use to run for president.
So what now, if the Democrats take over, with their unruly caucus (maybe) and more-liberal fiscal agenda (definitely)? Does the Cuomo Express get delayed, or even derailed?
"It's something of a puzzle," David Birdsell, the dean of the School of Public Affairs at Baruch College, said of the possible change in Senate leadership and its impact on Cuomo. "On one hand, it's likely to help him get through cherished Democratic goals that he has either embraced or accepted, such as campaign reform and a minimum wage increase. On the other, he will find it much harder to continue to hold the line on spending, taxes or both."
One source close to Cuomo strongly disputed the idea that Cuomo's agenda would be affected by a Democratic takeover, asserting that the governor's fiscally moderate, socially progressive profile allows him to work with both parties. He's already proven his ability to work with the Republicans; if it's the Democrats, well, he already supports some of their major legislative goals, like campaign finance reform, raising the minimum wage and marijuana reform.
The source didn't say anything about the significant money behind Cuomo, but the source didn't have to: the governor has ways of compelling the Democrats to listen to him on things like high-earner tax rates, should it come to a fight.
Kathy Wylde, president and C.E.O. of the pro-business Partnership for New York City, said a Democratic takeover of the State Senate could be a challenge for Democrats, but not necessarily Cuomo.
If "the Democrats control both houses, they have to be more cautious," she told me in an email. "It puts a bigger burden on the business community to pay attention and mount a strong substantive case against bad bills, but for the Governor I suspect it will not make too much difference. He is good at cultivating the legislators he needs to advance his agenda."
Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf was characteristically succinct: "The governor will pursue the agenda he's outlned no matter who controls what."


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Welcome to the Gift shop at Hendrick, located in the main entrance of the Parker lobby. The Gift Shop, staffed by members of the Hendrick Medical Center Auxiliary, features a great selection of gift items, balloons, and beautiful floral arrangements by Baack's. Sundries, candy, gum and personal need items are also available.
Selections include a variety of gifts such as Swan Creek candles and melts, Snoozies foot wear, Woodwick candles, Willow Tree angels and figurines, and Michal Design Works bath and body products. Find your favorite Mud Pie baby items, Oliver & Otis T-shirts, Lottie Dottie jewelry, C. R. Gibson journals, Christian Art Gifts bible covers and Niven Morgan lotions and body butter. Unusual stuffed animals are the perfect thing to take to a child at Hendrick Children's Hospital and sure to make a little one feel better.
Profits from the sales in The Gift Shop are donated to Hendrick Medical Center and pledged by the Hendrick Medical Center Auxiliary for special projects. Donations from the Auxiliary aided in the building of the Waters Trauma Center, Project 2010, Connecting Caring Communities Friendship House and Hendrick Hospice Care Center, which opened in January 2017. Donations are also given annually to the Hendrick Bible Ministry and Children's Miracle Network.


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How a Sports Fanatic Turned His Blog Hobby Into a Career [VIDEO]
Back in 2003, when blogs were just catching on with the mainstream, college student Matthew Cerrone started a GeoCities site called MetsBlog.com to track his favorite baseball team. Fast-forward nine years and he's turned the hobby into a full-time job.
Cerrone's story offers a window into how sports fans today — with smarts, hard work and a little luck — are able to turn fandom in to a fulltime career.
So how did he do it?
After college, Cerrone worked part-time for a media relations company on the East Coast, but struggled to divert energy and attention from his Mets site.
"I was probably spending a little too much time writing MetsBlog and not enough on my actual job, such as is the case with most bloggers," he says.
He was gaining traction though. When Cerrone was offered an opportunity to do public relations work for a gubernatorial campaign — which would have meant a hiatus from his hobby that had grown into a passion — friends and family encouraged him to stick with MetsBlog instead.
By 2006, MetsBlog was attracting about a million readers per month. Cerrone approached SportsNet New York, a regional cable network that had more recently launched a content site, with a pitch: Despite his success with readers, he was having trouble gaining access with the team. Meanwhile, despite SportsNet's mainstream media bonafides, it was having trouble pulling in readers.
A partnership was formed. His part-time work was left behind, and today Cerrone oversees SportsNet New York's digital media for several other local team blogs, while still focusing on MetsBlog. Today, he says, MetsBlogs has nearly 3 million monthly readers.
Cerrone points to a number of keys to his own success, which can be applied by others seeking a similar path. First, he says, picking the right domain name is huge. Knowing how to promote work for larger audiences and form relationships with other media players is also useful.
But possibly the biggest thing, he says, is being able to constantly adjust in tools and strategy. Switching from pretending to be a mainstream news source to taking a more authentic, fandom-based approach was a critical move for MetBlog.
"Those things all combined around 2006 and 2007 to help it catch fire," Cerrone says.
Now that he's reached a level of stability, Cerrone's next plans are to revamp his personal website, launch a series of sports and social media-focused podcasts and begin writing advice for how others can replicate his blogging success. But no matter how much of an "expert" he becomes, Cerrone knows blogging will always come with a certain reputation.
"There's still that blogger skepticism that will be with us forever, and that's a good thing," he says. "As long as there's that skepticism, I'm probably doing things right."
Check out the video below to see what a day in the life of MetsBlog is like for Matthew Cerrone.
Do you think it's still possible to start a sports blog from scratch and make it a career? Let us know in the comments.


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Even though director Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class) has two upcoming sequel projects on his schedule, he's chosen to add an original film into the mix. After landing a sneak peek at the book, Vaughn put up his own money to option Lexicon, a thriller from author Max Barry that is due to hit shelves next year. Vaughn would also write (or at least co-write) a script he plans to direct if the picture goes through development. Set in a world where words can literally kill, Lexicon includes Barry's signature riffs on branding, identity and government control. Hit the jump for more on Lexicon and a recap of what else Vaughn has on his plate.
Deadline reported on Vaughn's pick up of Barry's Lexicon. The picture takes place in a contemporary setting where members of an ancient, secretive organization wield words with the power of persuasion, a power strong enough to be a deadly art. Lexicon follows the group's most gifted member, a troubled young woman who breaks her society's rule by falling in love.
Before anything will proceed with the thriller, Vaughn is tasked with directing the follow up to the hit mutant movie, X-Men: First Class. That should be an easily bankable box office with superhero fare running at a fever pitch and current it girl, Jennifer Lawrence, returning for the sequel (with hopefully a bigger role this time around). Speaking of big stars returning to their roles, Chloe Moretz is expected to make a return in some capacity as Hit-Girl in Vaughn's sequel, Kick-Ass 2. Vaughn is attached as a producer on the follow-up with Never Back Down director, Jeff Wadlow, at the helm.


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Family members and friends said their final goodbyes Thursday to four of the victims of last week's horrific Hialeah shooting.
The funerals of Italo and Samira Pisciotti, Merly Niebles and Pricilla Perez took place Thursday. The Pisciottis were laid to rest at 9:30 a.m. at Vista Memorial Gardens at 14200 Northwest 57th Avenue in Miami Lakes. Niebles and Perez were laid to rest at 2 p.m. at Dade South Memorial Park at 14200 Southwest 117th Avenue in Miami.
On Wednesday, family members paid their final respects to victim Carlos Gavilanes at a funeral at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Hialeah. His uncle, Nivardo Diaz, remembered Gavilanes as "totally devoted" to his family.
Interactive Timeline: Hialeah Shooting Rampage
"He was unbelievable," said Diaz, who recalled weekend and holiday barbecues together. "He loved being with his family. He was always the life of the party and obviously we're going to miss that about him."
Police say Pedro Vargas, 42, shot and killed six people and held two others hostages, and opened fire on police officers before he was killed by SWAT team members during a violent standoff Friday at an apartment building in the 1400 block of West 46th Street.
Vargas had set $10,000 in cash on fire before the shooting spree and standoff that lasted until early Saturday, police said.
Hialeah Shooter 'Took His Motives to The Grave': Police
Italo Pisciotti, 79, and Samira Pisciotti, 69, the husband and wife who managed the building where Vargas lived with his 83-year-old mother for the last 12 years, were killed, as were neighbor Perez, 17, her mother, Niebles and stepfather Patricio Simono, and Gavilanes, who was killed across the street.
Police haven't determined a motive in the shootings. On Wednesday, police released a 911 call from Vargas placed just hours before the shooting, in which the gunman said he was being harassed by someone using witchcraft against him.
Vargas, who police say had no criminal record, can be heard telling the dispatcher in Spanish that someone was following him and using witchcraft against him. He told the dispatcher he was suspicious of a car parked outside the apartment building that he knew did not belong to anyone living there.
Earlier Wednesday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott thanked members of the Hialeah Police Department and SWAT team for their work rescuing the hostages.
"Your heart goes out to families, the individuals that were impacted, but also I just wanted to thank you for what you did, it can't be easy to put your lives at risk," Scott told the officers. "If it wasn't for individuals like you, we wouldn't have the safety we have."
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If you are looking to move into a new home or office, then it might be difficult for you to select the right moving partner. There are a plenty of service providers when it comes to packing and transporting your valuable goods to another location. Many people prefer to pack and unpack on their own to avoid breakage and loss of property. In that case, you can hire a removalists who will load your packed goods into the vehicle, move it to your destination and unload the same at the location.
However, there are various packers and movers available in your locality providing professional packing and unpacking services. They take utmost care while handling your delicate valuables and guarantee an efficient service that would exceed your expectation. This will reduce your time and effort to a great extent and also ensure a professional service by the experts. Better Removalists Newcastle is the top service provider in the packing and moving segment that is highly recommended by hundreds of satisfied customers in Australia.
Features and Advantages of Better Removalists:
Check out the various advantages of BetterRemovalistsNewcastle over other service providers in the similar category as depicted below:
- Expertise: The firm has several years of experience in providing quality packing and moving services. The team is comprised of experts who are committed and dedicated in their particular field. Their professional yet friendly approach makes them a popular choice in their service category.
- Consultancy: You can hire them as a consultant to guide you through the entire moving process. They will provide end-to-end support that will make your relocation successful and hassle-free.
- 24X7 support: The customer service team is available round the clock and is extremely supportive and hospitable in their approach. You can get in touch with them in case you have a query and the team will ensure a prompt response and right solution for you.
- Affordability: The rates are competitive and are certainly lower than the other firms in your locality. Upon providing a valid quotation received from another moving partner, you can get a flat 5% reduction in the rates.
- Reach: The firm has the widest reach in and around Australia and is one of the most coveted movers in Newcastle. Be it interstate transportation or moving to a nearer location, Better Removalists is the best option to choose.
- Insurance: It comes with a complete support and insurance for their services. That means you will get a refund in case of any loss or damage to your goods during the packing and transportation process.
Do some research before investing and choose the best:
So, stop worrying about the relocation process and ask for a quote from the specialists? They will provide the best rates and professional opinion based on your requirements that will help you handle the entire moving procedure with ease. Don't get confused with the claims made by the various service providers and check out the website Betterremovalistsnewcastle.com.au for a better overview. Always cross check before you appoint a service provider and do some research before deciding.
You can check out the several online forums and blogs with customer reviews that will give you an idea about the quality of services by the several operators in this field. Also, check out the norms and policies the service provider follows as it will be useful for you if you select their service in the due course. Trust the best in the industry and be assured of a safe and fast transportation of your belongings.
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Company Name: Better Removalists Newcastle
Contact Person: Nickolas Brown
Email: email@example.com
Phone: 1300 766 422
Address:185B Darby Street Cooks Hill Newcastle, New South Wales 2300
Country: Australia
Website: https://www.betterremovalistsnewcastle.com.au/


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Known as one of the greatest right wingers ever to play the game and one of the most exciting offensive players of all time, Lafleur was also known as "le Demon Blond" (the Blond Demon) for his long hair, wild rushes down the ice and booming shot.
Although he is best known for his glory years with Montreal, he only ended up with the Habs because they had arranged a complicated series of deals with the California Golden Seals to get the Seals' first draft pick in 1971 and used it to pick Lafleur from the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec junior league. Scouts had been watching Lafleur as he led the Remparts to the Memorial Cup in 1971, and Montreal GM Sam Pollock was keen on ensuring Lafleur wound up in a Montreal sweater.
When Lafleur came to the Canadiens, Jean Beliveau, who'd retired that very spring, offered to give him his number 4 sweater. It was the same number Guy had worn while dominating the Quebec junior league. But daunted by the expectations that wearing that number would bring, Guy politely declined and took the number 10 shirt instead.
As a child, Lafleur was so in love with hockey that he used to sneak into the arena in his hometown of Thurso, Quebec, early on Sundays and weekday mornings to get extra ice time when no one else was around. He also slept in his hockey equipment to make his trip to the arena in the morning easier. "When I was a kid, all we saw on TV was the Canadiens, and all I wanted to be was Beliveau. We had one bleu, blanc et rouge Canadiens sweater and I fought the others for the right to wear it. I dreaded to be drafted by any other team but the Canadiens, and when they took me I was so happy. If any other team had taken me, I would have signed with the Quebec team in the other league [the Nordiques, who were then in the WHA]. But the Canadiens had the greatest tradition in hockey and it was my dream to play for them."
Lafleur joined the Montreal Canadiens the very fall he was drafted and became the first player in NHL history to score at least 50 goals and 100 points in six consecutive seasons. When asked about developing his talent from a young age up to that of a consistent 50-goal scorer, Lafleur said: "I think it was always there and it was maybe a matter of bringing it out. It was harder than I thought it would be and I had to try harder. I had to regain my confidence, maybe the most important thing. I have learned a lot to relax. I know what I can do now, and I do it."
Lafleur was a First Team all-star in all six of those consecutive 50-goal seasons and won the scoring title three times, the Hart Trophy twice and the Conn Smythe Trophy once. He has the highest career point and assist totals in Montreal history, as well as the second-highest goal total behind Rocket Richard. And when Lafleur reached the 1,000-point mark, he did it in just 720 games, the shortest time taken to hit that milestone in NHL history. After that, he concluded: "I'm not going to say that now that I have 1,000 points I can sit down and relax. I've got five or six years to go and I can shoot for more."
Sportswriter Bill Libby said that Lafleur "typifies what is best about this sport. He is an artist on skates, creating scoring plays the way a painter puts a vivid scene on a canvas with a brush. His start is explosively quick and his stride is swifter than the others. He sees where his opponents and teammates are and anticipates where they will be. He is a spectacular athlete in a spectacular sport and it is wonderful watching him work."
During his 14 years with the Canadiens, Lafleur and his teammates won the Stanley Cup five times. After Montreal won the Stanley Cup in 1978, he borrowed it for the weekend without telling anyone to show his friends back home in Thurso. Lafleur boldly displayed it on his front lawn for all his neighbors to see!
In the late 1970s, Lafleur became a television star in Canada, doing commercials for a wide range of products including Yoplait yogurt, Shasta pop, Koho hockey sticks, Bauer skates, cars and a line of school supplies. For many fans, this was a bit odd, for the chain-smoking Lafleur had always been very shy of the media during interviews. "Guy has charisma for the English and in Quebec," explained his agent, Jerry Petrie. "He's almost a Beliveau." It was also rumored that in 1976 Lafleur's game in the playoffs was affected by hearsay that there was a plot to kidnap him for ransom.
Then came a turning point in Lafleur's life. After a night of partying with teammates in 1981, he was involved in a serious car accident and later admitted it changed his life. "I decided to slow down after that," said Lafleur. "I realized that my family was more important to me than downtown night life. The crowd doesn't give a crap as long as you bring the money in. When trouble comes, it's your family that supports you."
To sum up what Lafleur meant to hockey, teammate Serge Savard said: "Guy Lafleur is the best. He was made for this game." Another Canadien, Steve Shutt, saw Lafleur in a different light. "He was strange. I mean, any guy who would be in his hockey uniform, skates tied tight, sweater on and a stick beside him at 4 o'clock for an 8 o'clock game has to be a little strange. But on the ice he played 100% on instinct and emotion."
Lafleur played 19 games at the start of the 1984-85 season but had only two goals in those games. It was then he decided to retire. In front of 18,000 fans at the Montreal Forum, he took one last skate around the ice and the crowd gave him a five-minute standing ovation. "After 13 years, I couldn't accept to be number two. I'm proud of what I did in the past and I'm proud I played for the Canadiens, especially on five Stanley Cup winners. I was in a slump and I wasn't scoring much at the time. I was frustrated."
But even when Lafleur wasn't in top form, he could still command respect from opponents and admiration from his fans. "Even when Guy wasn't at his best, when he got the puck and got into full flight," explained teammate Larry Robinson, "the fans were out of their seats when he went flying down the wing."
Brian O'Neill, NHL executive vice-president, said: "I don't believe any other player has come down in the past 12 years who could lift fans out of their seats like Rocket Richard. Guy Lafleur did that. He was a great one, and to us in the NHL, he symbolized how the game should be played. We are certainly going to miss him." Lafleur was joined in the on-ice ceremony by his parents, his wife, Lise, one of his two sons and Iva Baribeau his landlady when he played with the Quebec Remparts.
Lafleur became the sixth Canadien to have his sweater number retired after Jacques Plante, Doug Harvey, Jean Beliveau, Howie Morenz and Maurice and Henri Richard. He was in tears as team president Ronald Corey presented him with the number 10. Journalist Red Fisher commented: "Everybody knew that he represented something special as a maker of excellence on the ice. What not enough people are aware of is his decency off the ice. In all the years I've covered the Canadiens, I don't think any one of the teams had more rapport with or respect from fans in the other cities. The respect and reaction of out-of-town fans was almost surprising as if they felt that Guy belonged not only to the Canadiens but in large part to them as well."
Retiring as a player at age 33, Lafleur went into a front-office position with the Canadiens. "I'm leaving the ice, but I want everybody to know that I'll never leave the sport." But his time with the Canadiens front office was short. Lafleur called the $75,000 they were offering him "clerk's pay."
But he was right about not leaving the game. In 1988 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, but he believed he could still play and his love for the game hadn't diminished. He signed with the New York Rangers and played one year there, scoring 18 goals and getting 27 assists in 67 games, thus becoming only the second player after Gordie Howe to play in the NHL after being inducted into the Hall of Fame. He helped the Rangers to first place in the Patrick Division until a knee injury knocked him out of the lineup at mid-season. Then in 1989 Lafleur followed his good friend and coach Michel Bergeron from the Rangers to the Quebec Nordiques, reportedly turning down a $1 million offer from the L.A. Kings. "It was a very pleasant year in exile in New York," remarked Lafleur, "but now I would like to end my career in Quebec, where it began."
When it was suggested he be named co-captain of the Quebec Nordiques, Lafleur laughed. "The day you hear someone call me captain will be the day I buy a boat. Anyway, I've never been captain in 16 years in the NHL. But that didn't stop me being a leader in my own way." Two years later he retired from the ice once again and took another front-office job in Montreal. Lafleur's sage advice in his farewell speech after retiring for good with Quebec was this: "Play every game as if it is your last one."
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Reading from their new books will be Martha Ronk, The Unfamiliar Familiar, and Dennis Phillips, Desert Sequence.
Part of the presentation will be a memorial tribute to Ray DiPalma (1943-2016), whose For a Curved Surface is also one of Magra's initial offerings.
Based in Los Angeles and Tuscany, Magra Books is a series of chapbooks, printed in editions of 300 copies, featuring unique works by important writers. Each volume, typically 32 pages in length, presents writers who are up to the all-encompassing challenge of producing work that strives to make "news that stays news." Writers who are passionate about language, language that knows no borders.
Hosting the event will be Paul Vangelisti and Sean Pessin, part of Magra Book's editorial staff.


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What Can I Do with My Geography Degree?
Some things don't have a linear path. A career can be one of those things.
Finding your personal path takes work and reflection. This is especially true for disciplines that cover a wide scope of topics and perspectives, like geography. Luckily, a recent project by the Canadian Association of Geographers aims to do just that — help geography students and recent graduates shape their own path. (more…)


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It didn't go exactly as they had planned. A massive section of the 50-year-old old bridge came crashing down - not according to plan.
"On an operation of this size, of this magnitude, pieces come down of all different sizes and shapes," said Dan Kulka with Kiewit Construction. "We did not anticipate this, although it's not unusual for a big piece to come down like that."
Nobody was hurt, but work came to a halt in order for structural engineers to conduct an inspection. Once they determined the columns were sound, the chipping away continued.
As of 11 p.m. Saturday, the project was on schedule. Officials said the center and western span of the north side bridge was complete, while the eastern span was about 75 percent finished. There was no damage to the south side of the bridge.
A 10-mile stretch of the 405 Freeway between the 10 and 101 freeways was completely shut down around midnight Saturday. Overnight, workers moved mounds of dirt onto the freeway to provide a 4-foot cushion to protect it during the demolition.
Watch a live stream of the demolition work on the 405 Freeway
Crews are using a large jackhammer to break apart the bridge. Some 4 million pounds of concrete are expected to fall..
Officials said overall traffic delays weren't dramatic and drivers were mostly staying away.
"If people keep on heeding the call, they stay local, shop local, get on Metro, everything's going to be OK," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
The work is all part of the $1-billion Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project, which adds a 10-mile northbound carpool lane.
Crews have 53 hours to complete their work. If they are not done on time, a late penalty of about $360,000 will be charged to them every hour. Last year, they finished 17 hours early. Officials do not expect to do that this year, because the demolition will be more complicated.
"Last time, there were two columns we had to take down. Each of those columns weigh a million pounds. This time, it's four columns," said Metro spokesman Marc Littman. "Plus, we have to be careful particularly of one of the columns that just can't fall where it wants to...otherwise, it could damage the newly reconstructed southern half of the bridge."
Officials are vowing to stay on schedule. They hope to reopen the freeway by 5 a.m. Monday, with ramps reopening at 6 a.m., in time for the morning commute.
"It would be really Carmageddon if it was late. The financial part of it is important to us, but I think even more important to us is that we made a commitment to the people of Los Angeles to open it at 5 a.m. [Monday], and there are thousands of people in the Los Angeles basin who are relying on us to make that happen," Kiewit said.
Last year, drivers heeded warnings to stay off the roads and officials hope drivers will do the same again this year. People are being urged to eat, shop and play locally.
Car specialist Dave Kunz has your shortcuts through Carmageddon 2
There are several shortcuts through the valley and the Westside, including La Cienega Boulevard to the north and south. Sawtelle Boulevard also runs parallel to the 405 Freeway, but it ends in Westwood. The most popular and busiest will probably be Sepulveda Boulevard. The best way to get from the valley to the beaches is Topanga Canyon Boulevard.
In the valley, Burbank Boulevard is a good alternative to the 101 Freeway. Balboa Boulevard will get you from the 101 Freeway to the 118 Freeway, and Coldwater Canyon Boulevard will get you over the hill from the valley into the Westside.
Officials suggest that people traveling to and from Los Angeles International Airport use public transit and plan for longer travel times. Using the LAX FlyAway Bus is one option. Those still planning to drive to LAX can use Sepulveda and Lincoln boulevards.
Temperatures are expected to soar this weekend, which means the fire danger is high. Emergency crews say they're ready to respond to anything during Carmageddon 2. First responders are hoping most people stay off the roads so that emergency vehicles can get to a major accident or fire.
"Being able to get to those locations as quick as possible is the absolute critical factor for us," said Capt. Alicia Mathis of the Los Angeles City Fire Department.
An additional 13 fire engines and 200 firefighters will be staged on both sides of the Sepulveda Pass. There also will be five first responders on motorcycles who can get to emergencies quickly.
"Because we have so many resources in that immediate area, we are ready to respond even more so than on a regular day," said Mathis.


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http://mmajunkie.com MMAjunkie.com Radio today welcomes to the show three big winners from the recent WEC 52 card: Urijah Faber, Chad Mendes and Erik Koch.
Additionally, "The Ultimate Fighter 12" correspondent Kyle Watson discusses his semifinal fight with Aaron Wilkinson, and Bart Palaszewski discusses his upcoming WEC 53 fight with Kamal Shalorus.
MMAjunkie.com Radio airs from 12-2 p.m. ET (9-11 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book. Listen to and watch a video stream of the two-hour show at www.mmajunkie.com/radio.
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The giants upon whose shoulders we all are standing
The bathtub scene made the cut...but just barely.
The most familiar story of ancient science relates Archimedes' be-tubbed solution to a knotty problem requiring the nondestructive evaluation of a king's crown that may or may not have been solid gold. The story concludes with a naked victory lap through the streets of Syracuse by the scientist-philosopher, punctuated by his shouting "Eureka, eureka!" The Encyclopedia of Ancient Natural Scientists is dismissive about the bathtub story, noting that it has "the ring of legend." Georgia Irby-Massie doubts that it ever happened.
Irby-Massie, an assistant professor in classical studies at William and Mary, is one of the editors of the Encyclopedia, along with Paul Keyser. The work, in production at Routledge Press, contains around 2,000 entries on the leading (and lesser) lights of science from the ancient Mediterranean world. The entry on Archimedes asserts his status as "the most important scientist of antiquity," his alleged bathing habits eclipsed by accounts of his seminal contributions to modern physics, mathematics and engineering. For example, his eponymous Principle is not only a staple of elementary-school science demonstrations, but also keeps submarines at the proper depth.
Mother of invention
There's always been plenty of sources for information on Archimedes, Socrates, Aristotle and the other giants of the ancient scientific world, but how about people like Salpe of Lesbos or Andreas of Karustos?
Andreas was the personal physician to Ptolemy Philopator—the lackluster Egyptian king who lived centuries before the great geographer-astronomer Ptolemy. Andreas was mistaken for his patron and murdered in an assassination attempt, but not before he made a number of important medical discoveries, particularly in obstetrics and pharmacology. The work of classicists through a couple of millennia had not produced a single-source reference on ancient scientists, Irby-Massie said, even though more scientific texts survive antiquity than any other genre. Necessity, as Plato might say, became the mother of invention.
"Six or seven years ago, Paul and I were at a conference and we decided that what we wanted to see was an encyclopedia of ancient scientists," Irby-Massie said. She pointed out that scholarly interest in scientists of the Classical Era is growing, and the Encyclopedia will fill a niche for those wanting a brief introduction to the work of philosopher-scientists from Thales of Miletus up through the Hellenistic and late-antique scientists, including the Greek-influenced Romans.
"What we want to do is provide as complete a snapshot as possible of what there was of ancient science," Irby-Massie said. "Who was producing it, what texts were produced, what texts still survive, what the content of those texts were."
Divide and conquer
They began their task by searching through existing texts, modern and ancient. The ancients had a working habit of citing previous authorities—much as today's scholars—a handy point of reference for the encyclopedists.
"Pliny the Elder, for example, has lists and lists of people to whom he referred. Galen also has lists of physicians whom he consulted," Irby-Massie explained. "So we compiled the list of names and divided them up by category as much as we could—say, for example, Hippocratic physicians—then we went through recent scholarships looking for names of people we thought could produce articles on these groups of entries." In their matching process, they found and drafted a scholar who had recently published a book titled Plato and Science, but not all matches were so easily made.
As editors, Irby-Massie and Keyser assigned a number of entries to themselves. Irby-Massie has a background in mathematics, but it didn't cause her to limit her scope of interest. "I have written entries throughout the gamut of Greek science, she said. "Mathematicians, astronomers, astrologers, architects—lots of medical people because there are just so many more of them than there are of anything else—biologists, mechanics."
Astronomy, mathematics, engineering and other categories of science cited by Irby-Massie are more representative of today's culture than the scientific world of the ancients. The scientific process of the age was based more on reason and argument and less on empirical observation—although she cautions that Classical science was not completely based on abstractions.
"They were philosophers as well as scientists," Irby-Massie said. "They had a holistic outlook on the world and there was much less specialization. Take Archimedes, for example, who was renowned as a designer of bigger and better weapons to kill the enemy. He considered himself primarily a mathematician which meant that he considered himself a philosopher—a person who loved wisdom and knowledge for its own sake."
Awe and shock
The beliefs and discoveries of scientists in the ancient world are still capable of delivering shock and awe in the 21st Century. Irby-Massie holds thumb and index finger an inch apart as she relates that Democritus "came this close to inventing integral calculus.
"And he did it without algebra, which was unknown," she continued. "He did it all with geometry."
And then there was Zeno of Elea, famous for his mathematical paradoxes, whose precept "all is one" sounds tantalizingly Einsteinian. Was Zeno, back in the Fifth-Century B.C.E., standing near the door of relativity, if not knocking on it?
"I think he was. I really think he was. Zeno had a very unusual view of the world," Irby-Massie said. Along with Zeno and other ancients who accurately mapped the neural system or wrote about atomic structure and evolution, there were plenty of people back then who believed what Irby-Massie describes as "a lot of crazy things." People learned astronomy in order to practice astrology, for instance. The Etruscan "scientists" had bronze maps of pig livers for handy reference during acts of divination.
"One of my favorites was from Pliny the Elder, who prescribed a contraceptive that involves inserting a particular hairy spider into a piece of jewelry and wearing it around your neck," Irby-Massie said. "That doesn't sound the least bit scientific to me, and Pliny would have described it as folk magic."
Anyone tempted to dismiss some of the oddities of ancient scientists should consider the four-humor theory founded by Hippocrates around 450 B.C.E. Hippocrates and his followers believed that health was maintained through a proper balance of the body's four humors—blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm. The Hippocratic four-humor school had rivals, such as the pneumaticist school, which believed that health was determined by the flow of breath through the veins, but eventually won out. Physicians were still basing their practice on the four-humor theory well past the Age of Reason and into the Industrial Age.
"Because, I think, the four-humor theory worked to some degree," Irby-Massie said. "Hippocrates' reputation just increased over the years. But it's not just the philosophical framework of this theory. He and his students were observing the courses of disease and were writing case histories to the point where they were able to predict the course of a fever, whether a patient would come out of pneumonia, or at what point the patient would die."


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L-3 Communications, American Science and Engineering, and Smiths score contracts.
The Transportation Security Administration is dropping nearly a quarter of a billion dollars on compact, next-generation body scanners to better detect concealed explosives, such as the newfangled underwear bomb recently seized in Yemen. The imaging machines, like other upgraded systems, hide a passenger's nude body from TSA officers by displaying generic representations of appendages with suspect items flagged.
Three five-year contracts paying out a combined total of up to $245 million have been awarded to L-3 Communications Corp., American Science and Engineering Inc. and Smiths Detection, according to government databases. The procurement documents released during the past week do not disclose the number of machines purchased or name the airports where they will be stationed.
Citizens frequently bash TSA for invading privacy and holding up checkpoint lines without improving security. Agency officials said the new body scanners will provide "enhanced threat detection capabilities and increased passenger throughput."
In May, White House officials confirmed spoiling an apparent Yemeni-driven conspiracy to detonate hidden explosives that were more resilient than those worn by the failed underwear bomber on Christmas Day 2009.
The episode sparked questions about the ability of existing body scanners to spot more sophisticated combustible materials.
The procurement documents state the next-generation machines can discern both metallic and non-metallic items such as "weapons, improvised explosive device components and plastic threats."
The Homeland Security Department, which supervises TSA, is partnering with A-T Solutions on a five-year, $46 million project aimed at countering homegrown IEDs, the contractor announced on Sept. 13.
Correction and update: An earlier version of this story overstated the amount TSA is paying for new body scanners; the correct figure is $245 million. The story also has been updated to report the Smiths Detection contract, which was announced after the article was originally published.


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- $2.09 $2.99
- Published By: eXtasy Books
- Author: Zenina Masters
- Page: 60
- Word Count: 12312
- Publication Date: March 17, 2011
- Series: Nakedella #1
- Heat Level:
- Available Formats: Adobe Acrobat, Epub, Mobipocket, Mobipocket (.mobi)
- Categories: Fantasy, Erotica
Qty + -
In the land of Fairy, Folk Tales and Fables, more is going on behind the stories than meets the page. Enter the world of Nakedella, where your favorite characters from nursery rhymes have grown up and are living normal lives just like anyone else. Join Nakedella on Market Day as she does her rounds, running errands and meeting lascivious contract obligations in swift succession. Meet her at the Sprite's pond, and be with her as the Wolf eats Grandma. A fun romp for anyone who wonders what happens after the fairy tale ends.
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