text:
Derrick Sweet, author and inspirator, is giving a new round of his "A Two-Day Transformation" seminars. If you want to enroll for this seminar, you can contact email@example.com and we'll show you how to enroll. Please, do not send any information other than your name, email and willingness to enroll. You will be provided a secure-form where you can add additional information.
As reported on his website, the Life Mastery Course is a two day intensive weekend, hosted by Derrick Sweet, and only offered six times a year; in Los Angeles, California, Manhattan, New York, and Toronto, Ontario. The course has been created to help people discover the secrets to unlock their full potential. Jam packed with innovative ideas to help you create a life that is aligned with your highest intentions, this program has already impacted thousands of people to live fuller, and richer lives!
This is a "workshop" so all participants who come have agreed to work on themselves and take part in a number of exercises that have been designed to help each individual recognize any and all negative influences in their lives and then create, develop and strengthen new beliefs, habits, and perspectives that set all participants on a course of no-limit living. Many of the concepts from The Life Mastery Course have been inspired from Derrick Sweet's second book, Get the Most Out of Life, which has been endorsed by Best Selling Author, Dr. Wayne Dyer.
In Just 2 Days You Will Learn How To:
* Condition your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, expectations and habits to become aligned with your true intentions!
* Free yourself from dis-empowering beliefs with Proven Transformational Techniques that get results!
* Realize, experience and develop the power of your Higher-Self!
* Awaken a new awareness that sees through fear!
* Deepen your connection to the present moment!
* Discover how to Turn Possibilities Into Realities!
* Develop Time Mastery and free yourself from procrastination!
* Deepen your concentration and focus on the right things!
* Make better decisions that lead to better places!
* Let go of anything that holds you back!
* Achieve any goal you can possibly imagine!
* And much more!
Your Investment Includes:
A Life Mastery Course (LMC) Study Guide
A Copy Of The Life Mastery Course CD
A One Year Subscription To The Life Mastery Course Continuing Education Program
* A One Year Membership In The Life Mastery Course Group Coaching Program
A 90% Discount On Additional Life Mastery Course Training Programs
A Certificate of Completion As A Life Mastery Course Graduate
* A Learning Experience That Will Transform Your Life!


text:
11-12pm (PST) 2-3pm (EST)
Hosted by: Chris Alston and Bob Stewart
Click this link to sign up àhttp://bit.ly/MuWd5L
Farming... Seems to be what we all do at least once in our real estate career, then give up with what we think is a lack of success.
Does it really work, can it create income to reinvest in my business?
This one hour webinar with ActiveRain University will help us understand Geographic, Demographic and Phsychographic farming. From the basics to really learning how to dominate a farm. From mailing, to canvassing, to doorknocking to calling...
Join Bob and I for another action packed hour with ActiveRain University!
See you in the Rain!
-Chris (are you following me on twitter?) @chris_alston
Upcoming FREE Webinars Hosted by ActiveRain University with Chris Alston
All times are PST (Pacific Standard Time)
- 8/22/1211-12pm Understanding Farming http://bit.ly/MuWd5L
Upcoming FREE Webinars Hosted by Chris Alston Real Estate Training-Consulting-Speaking
- 8/29/12 11-12pm 10 Things You Can Do Now to grow your biz! http://bit.ly/LSu9fS
Chris Alston
Home sales and purchasing specialist
Keller Williams Realty, Cupertino
19400 Stevens Creek Blvd, Suite #200
Cupertino, CA 95014
408-850-6956 fax
Find me on:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
"I'm just going on motive and opportunity here and the fact that if the earth got swallowed by a black hole, I'd look suspiciously in your direction first."
~ Timberwolf
"I blame Castaras. You know... In general."
~ KuReshtin
"Castaras - An absolutely adorable facade that hides a truly ruthless streak."
~ The Succubus


text:
Quality Roofing and Roof Repairs in Limerick.
Once Roofing and Guttering Limerick | Roofing Specialists.
We cover all area's of Limerick with Quality Roofs and Roofing Repairs.
Once are Local Roofers providing Quality Repairs
Roofing Gutters Services in Limerick. Once Roofing have been providing professional reliable Roofers and Quality Repairs.
Located: Castlemungret, Co. Limerick, Ireland
Once Roofing and Guttering Experts in Limerick. Roofing since 1989 in all area's of Limerick City and County.
Talk to the local professionals roofers. Receive free quote.
Fully Insured and Registered Roofers in Limerick City and County.
roof repairs south dublin
Roofing Leaks fixed
Registered and Fully Insured
Work fully Guaranteed
Roofing contractors in Limerick using 100% Irish Materials and Irish Products.
Once Roofing and Guttering systems were established in 1979, since then we have been providing a professional roofing servicein Limerick. A small company which has grown and grown, with high quality workmanship. Using only the best materials. We offer a variety of services, working on jobs of all sizesin Limerick City and County.
We work on domestic and commercial jobs. We know that emergencies can happen anytime, which is why we offer a 24/7 service. With office in Limerick we cover all area's both City and County. Our company is 100% Irish owned and we buy our materials from only guaranteed Irish suppliers.
Slating, Chinmey, Roofing and Guttering Repairs in Limerick
All roofing jobs undertaken. No job too big or small. We provide a free quote.
Quality Roofing Repairs in Limerick
We regularly travel to different area's of Limerick County. Where quality roofing is needed. In Youghal to Mallow and Ballincollig to Rosscarbery.
Masters Guild Tradesmen.
All Roofing emergencyin Limerick, if you need a professional, highly skilled roofing & guttering company then look no further than Once Roofing & Guttering.
We travel all area's within Limerick to help our customers. Once Roofing and Guttering, we understand that convenience is important to our customers.
Once Roofing provide guttering services that you need. Our fully trained staff will carry out any work required, to the highest professional standards.
Lead Valley Repair, Lead Valley Replacement, Velux Windows Installation, Velux Windows Repairs, Attic Floor Insulation, Flat Roof Torch Felt.
If you have a roofing emergency, please call John professional advise and a free quote.
Contact us today for more information on any of our roofing or guttering services. We serve all of Limerick.
All leaks permanently fixed with Written Guarantee…
Find us online or at our office in Limerick City.


text:
Courtesy of the USOEC
MARQUETTE, Mich. – United States Olympic Education Center wrestlers came out on top at the All-Navy vs. USOEC Greco-Roman Wrestling Dual hosted by the USOEC tonight (Feb. 26) at Vandament Arena on Northern Michigan University's campus.
The teams started the evening facing off in six Greco-Roman matches with the USOEC edging out Navy five matches to one.
Winning for the USOEC at 55 kilograms was Arthur Carmona, Brawley, Calif. He overtook Darnell Jones, Atlanta, by technical fall 4-1, 7-0. In the 60-kg weight class, teammate Jason Chudzinski, Colonie, N.Y., defeated Justin Nolan, Inverness, Fla., 8-0, 6-0. At 66 kg, USOEC wrestler Alex Sancho, Miami, Fla., beat Dietrich Zacher, San Diego, 1-1, 5-0, 3-3. In the 74-kg weight class, teammate Anthony Carmona, Brawley, Calif., won over Adrian Rios, Liberal, Kan., 4-0, 2-0. Rounding out the five USOEC wins was Aaron Holland, Ewa Beach, Hawaii, over Jorge Mendez, Arlington, Va., 1-0, 2-0 at 84 kg.
Capturing the win for the Navy in the Greco-Roman portion of the competition was Sheldon Wilder, Durham, N.C. He defeated the USOEC's Mason Bradford, West Chapel Fla., 0-4, 7-0, 0-2 at 60 kg.
Although the USOEC athletes train exclusively in the Greco-Roman style, team members also competed in freestyle matches to allow the All-Navy team to prepare for upcoming events where they will compete in that style. The USOEC team took the win in the freestyle portion of the competition with a team score of four matches to one.
At 55 kg, Jones started the freestyle competition off strong for the Navy, defeating Ramon Moreno, Miami Lakes, Fla., by pin in the first period.
Turing the competition around for the USOEC was Mike Mioni, Phoenix, at 60 kg. He defeated Wilder 4-1, 3-2. At 66 kg, teammate Thrasher Porcher, Chuluota, Fla., won 7-0, 3-0 over Zacher.
"We're such a small team we're used to training in both Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling," said Zacher. "We enjoy training here in Marquette. It is hands down the best training we've had."
In the 74-kg weight class, the USOEC's Dillon Cowan, Havard, Ill., competed twice, winning both matches. He first defeated Mendez 5-5, 5-3. In the last match of the night, Cowan overtook Rios 6-0, 9-3.
The All-Navy team is in Marquette until March 14 preparing for the Armed Forces Wrestling Championships March 16 held on the McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey.


text:
§2351. Encouragement of free enterprise and private participation
(a) Policy of United States
The Congress of the United States recognizes the vital role of free enterprise in achieving rising levels of production and standards of living essential to economic progress and development. Accordingly, it is declared to be the policy of the United States to encourage the efforts of other countries to increase the flow of international trade, to foster private initiative and competition, to encourage the development and use of cooperatives, credit unions, and savings and loan associations, to discourage monopolistic practices, to improve the technical efficiency of their industry, agriculture, and commerce, and to strengthen free labor unions; and to encourage the contribution of United States enterprise toward economic strength of less developed friendly countries, through private trade and investment abroad, private participation in programs carried out under this chapter (including the use of private trade channels to the maximum extent practicable in carrying out such programs), and exchange of ideas and technical information on the matters covered by this subsection.
(b) Action by President to facilitate participation to maximum extent
In order to encourage and facilitate participation by private enterprise to the maximum extent practicable in achieving any of the purposes of this chapter, the President shall-
(1) make arrangements to find, and draw the attention of private enterprise to, opportunities for investment and development in less-developed friendly countries and areas;
(2) establish an effective system for obtaining adequate information with respect to the activities of, and opportunities for, nongovernmental participation in the development process, and for utilizing such information in the planning, direction, and execution of programs carried out under this chapter, and in the coordination of such programs with the ever-increasing developmental activities of nongovernmental United States institutions;
(3) accelerate a program of negotiating treaties for commerce and trade, including tax treaties, which shall include provisions to encourage and facilitate the flow of private investment to, and its equitable treatment in, friendly countries and areas participating in programs under this chapter;
(4) seek, consistent with the national interest, compliance by other countries or areas with all treaties for commerce and trade and taxes, and take all reasonable measures under this chapter or other authority to secure compliance therewith and to assist United States citizens in obtaining just compensation for losses sustained by them or payments exacted from them as a result of measures taken or imposed by any country or area thereof in violation of any such treaty;
(5) to the maximum extent practicable carry out programs of assistance through private channels and to the extent practicable in conjunction with local private or governmental participation, including loans under the authority of section 2151t of this title to any individual, corporation, or other body of persons;
(6) take appropriate steps to discourage nationalization, expropriation, confiscation, seizure of ownership or control, of private investment and discriminatory or other actions having the effect thereof, undertaken by countries receiving assistance under this chapter, which divert available resources essential to create new wealth, employment, and productivity in those countries and otherwise impair the climate for new private investment essential to the stable economic growth and development of those countries;
(7) utilize wherever practicable the services of United States private enterprise (including, but not limited to, the services of experts and consultants in technical fields such as engineering); and
(8) utilize wherever practicable the services of United States private enterprise on a cost-plus incentive fee contract basis to provide the necessary skills to develop and operate a specific project or program of assistance in a less developed friendly country or area in any case in which direct private investment is not readily encouraged, and provide where appropriate for the transfer of equity ownership in such project or program to private investors at the earliest feasible time.
(c) International Private Investment Advisory Council on Foreign Aid; establishment; composition; selection of members by Administrator; duration of service; Chairman; duties of Council; compensation; travel and other expenses; funds for payment of expenses of Council
(1) There is hereby established an International Private Investment Advisory Council on Foreign Aid to be composed of such number of leading American business specialists as may be selected, from time to time, by the Administrator of the Agency for International Development for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this subsection. The members of the Council shall serve at the pleasure of the Administrator, who shall designate one member to serve as Chairman.
(2) It shall be the duty of the Council, at the request of the Administrator, to make recommendations to the Administrator with respect to particular aspects of programs and activities under this chapter where private enterprise can play a contributing role and to act as liaison for the Administrator to involve specific private enterprises in such programs and activities.
(3) The members of the Advisory Council shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be entitled to reimbursement in accordance with section 5703 of title 5 for travel and other expenses incurred by them in the performance of their functions under this subsection.
(4) The expenses of the Advisory Council shall be paid by the Administrator from funds otherwise available under this chapter.
(d) Engineering and professional services of United States firms
It is the sense of Congress that the Agency for International Development should continue to encourage, to the maximum extent consistent with the national interest, the utilization of engineering and professional services of United States firms (including, but not limited to, any corporation, company, partnership, or other association) or by an affiliate of such United States firms in connection with capital projects financed by funds authorized under this chapter.
(e) Contracts on basis of competitive selection procedures
(1) The Congress finds that significantly greater effort must be made in carrying out programs under subchapter I of this chapter to award contracts on the basis of competitive selection procedures. All such contracts should be let on the basis of competitive selection procedures except in those limited cases in which the procurement regulations governing the agency primarily responsible for administering subchapter I of this chapter allow noncompetitive procedures to be used.
(2) Repealed.
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b) and (d), was in the original "this Act", meaning
References to Subchapter I Deemed To Include Certain Parts of Subchapter II
References to subchapter I of this chapter are deemed to include parts IV (§2346 et seq.), VI (§2348 et seq.), and VIII (§2349aa et seq.) of subchapter II of this chapter, and references to subchapter II are deemed to exclude such parts. See section 202(b) of
1981-Subsec. (e)(2).
1978-Subsec. (b)(5).
Subsec. (e).
1967-Subsec. (c)(3).
1966-Subsec. (b)(2) to (8).
Subsec. (c).
1964-Subsec. (c)(4).
Subsec. (d).
1963-Subsec. (b).
Subsec. (c).
Effective Date of 1978 Amendment
Amendment by
Delegation of Functions
For delegation of functions of President under this section, see Ex. Ord. No. 12163, Sept. 29, 1979, 44 F.R. 56673, as amended, set out as a note under section 2381 of this title.
Termination of Advisory Council
Advisory council in existence on Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period following Jan. 5, 1973, unless, in the case of a council established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such council is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a council established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided by law. See sections 3(2) and 14 of


text:
Hello stranger! This is the personal website of Manuel Strehl a.k.a Boldewyn. I write mostly about web development and topics loosely coupled to it, but there are also posts completely unrelated to this.
Please feel free to browse around here and to leave comments. For a more direct contact, you might want to follow me on Twitter.


text:
All current products and up-to-date information for our partners, architects and builders
All current products and up-to-date information for our partners, architects and builders
New Lasselsberger Ceramics tiles range already available in all retail stores
General Lasselsberger Ceramics catalogue and other materials available to download in one section
Close cooperation between all companies within our holding helps us to improve quality and to lower costs of production at the same time, resulting in the trust of the market. This huge potential makes Lasselsberger company one of the leading European ceramic tiles manufacturer.
Factory in Ufa is the most rapidly developing facility within our holding, located in a huge industrial building, containing all production process lines.
Production of our group of companies fully complies with the international quality management system ISO 9001. Ceramic tiles specifications meet the EN 14411 and GOST standards of the Russian Federation.
The Lasselsberger Group values a lot a design idea, put in our products. With the help of it our customers, including interior designers, architects and builders, could materialize their most diverse and bold projects.


text:
If you've ever spent time watching chimps at the zoo, you've probably wondered: what are they thinking? Well, the answer might be simple: could be they're fixin' to hurl a rock at your head.
One chimp in Sweden actually hides stones and other potential projectiles, and then acts casual before chucking them at visitors—behavior that suggests an unprecedented degree of primate planning and deception. His duplicity is described in the journal Public Library of Science ONE. The chimp, named Santino, had long been known to fling things at annoying onlookers. For years he's calmly gathered stones and chunks of concrete, stacking them in piles, which he visits when some human particularly irks him.
But lately Santino has gotten more cunning. For one, he's taken to concealing his arsenal beneath little heaps of hay that he carries out from his enclosure. And his attacks are also more stealthy. Santino used to pitch a fit before pitching a stone. But now he acts all nonchalant, even thoughtfully munching an apple before letting the missiles fly.
The researchers say the data show that chimps are capable of social planning and deception. Unless, of course, that's just what the chimps want us to think.


text: Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums :: View topic - Love Dave's ESL Cafe's Student 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 Love Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Culture View previous topic :: View next topic Love is not confined to age? Right! 50% [ 2 ] I don't think so! 25% [ 1 ] It all depends... 25% [ 1 ] Total Votes : 4 Author Message WillzeeJoined: 08 Dec 2003Posts: 20Location: Hong Kong Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2003 12:41 am Post subject: Love Has been erased.Last edited by Willzee on Mon Dec 15, 2003 9:06 pm; edited 3 times in total Back to top qwerJoined: 01 Dec 2003Posts: 4 Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2003 2:49 am Post subject: I have no idae Well! in my college, I know a story about love. but it is the same in your topic. The end is not very well, the female teacher marry with other man who the age is close with she. And the student's hart was broken. Now he have no girl friend. do you understand what I mean? Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Culture All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Student Forums----------------ComputersCurrent NewsCultureEnglish SchoolsFamilyFilm and CinemaFoodHealth and FitnessHelp CenterHobbiesHolidaysLearning EnglishLiteratureMaking FriendsMusicOpinionsPetsScienceSportsThe Strange and MysteriousTOEFL and Other English ExamsTravel 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 Dave's ESL Cafe is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. Banner Advertising | Bookstore / Alta Books | FAQs | Articles | Interview with Dave Copyright © 2018 Dave's ESL Cafe | All Rights Reserved | Contact Dave's ESL Cafe | Site Map Teachers College, Columbia University: Train to Teach English Here or Abroad Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group


text:
finiki, the Canadian financial wiki
Where Investors Meet For Financial Education and Empowerment
Welcome to finiki, the Canadian financial wiki, a knowledge base of financial subjects written from a Canadian perspective. finiki is a collaborative work that is primarily based on knowledge built up in Financial Wisdom Forum (FWF) discussions, and is presented in an easy-to-navigate and searchable format. In case you are wondering, the name finiki is a play on financial + wiki.
Our purpose is solely to further the education and empowerment of Canadian retail investors. You will find that finiki covers personal finance and investing, from starting out to retirement, savings, Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs), Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs), Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs), Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs), Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs), Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSPs), taxes, stocks, bonds, preferred shares, indexing, exchange traded funds (ETFs) and much more. There are currently about 210 articles on finiki.
If you are a new investor looking for help and guidance, you might want to begin your journey with Getting started.
The site is organized along major financial categories. Use the links below to explore the site contents, use our navigation page, or use the Search box if you are looking for something specific.
Financial Wisdom Forum
Do you still have unanswered questions? The discussion forum is where FWF members talk about Canadian financial matters. Individual investors can pose questions about financial matters of all kinds, help answer others' questions, and provide information that might be of interest to do-it-yourself investors. We hope this will help you to invest on your own, or at least to have more informed conversations with financial advisers.
We encourage newcomers who may have little knowledge of finance. There are no stupid questions. We were all beginners once.
We are not registered financial advisers or planners but we do have a lot of collective wisdom to share. Ultimately, many financial questions do not have a right or wrong answer, but rather a range of options. It is up to you to weigh the pros and cons in light of your specific situation.
You can visit the forum as a guest, i.e. without registering: or you can register, it is free. Only registered members can post new messages or have access to the non-financial sections. The forum is moderated and we ask members to be courteous and constructive.
Our main discussion forums are:
- Financial Planning and Building Portfolios;
- Retirement, Pensions and Peace of Mind;
- Financial News, Policy and Economics;
- Taxing Situations;
- Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More;
- Property: Owning, Renting, Managing, Investing and Mortgaging; and
- Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money.
Our sister site in the US, Bogleheads®, has a similar focus, many like-minded members, and may be of interest as well.
Contributions welcome
finiki can be read by anyone. In the spirit of wiki sites, you are invited to help to improve what is here. If you are wondering where to start? Give us some feedback or get started as an editor. Add your wisdom or correct typos. Be bold, finiki will expand and develop faster if more people pitch in and contribute.
The fine print
You can also find out more information about our privacy policy, terms of use and more about us. finiki is strictly non-commercial and free from advertising and sponsorship.
This website is run by a small, dedicated group of volunteers. If you find the wiki and forum helpful, and would like to offer support for our ongoing costs, you can make a donation.


text:
Search Finding Aids
Navigating the Finding Aids
Finding Aids by Repository
Sort Results By:
Narrow Results By:
Main Content
« First • Previous • Next • Last »
Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]
Blank, Fritz, 1942-2014
Extent: 32.8 linear feet (82 boxes)
Chef Fritz Blank (1942 August 25 – 2014 September 9) was a prominent chef, restaurateur, and gastronome during the beginnings of Philadelphia's second-wave restaurant renaissance in the 1980s. His Victus Populi collection comprises over 3,000 recipe booklets, pamphlets, and cookbooks but constitutes only a small subset of Chef Fritz Blank's enormous cookbook library that was set apart by its focus on the American consumer and home cook. Blank titled the collection Victus Populi (Latin for "Food of the People") because he saw these pamphlets as one of the best sources of historical information about purchasing, cooking, and consumption habits of the American public in the 20th century. Many of the items appear to be promotional items or product premiums, often produced using relatively inexpensive materials and, as evidenced by extensive wear-and-tear and the occasional spatter, heavily used in household kitchens.


text:
Participation in INI programmes is by invitation only. Anyone wishing to apply to participate in the associated workshop(s) should use the relevant workshop application form.
Organisers: U Frisch (Nice), HK Moffatt (Cambridge), AM Soward (University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne)
Programme Theme
Dynamo theory is the theory of spontaneous generation of magnetic fields in conducting fluids, with application to planetary, stellar and galactic systems. The theory has relevance also to the dynamics of fusion plasma. The programme will focus on two branches of dynamo theory: (1) the nature of the geodynamo operating in the liquid core of the Earth, in which buoyancy, Coriolis and Lorentz forces are of dominant importance; here the essential questions concern the division of energy between small-scale and large-scale structures, the role of (weak) viscosity and inertia, and the essential nature of the dynamo (alpha square,alpha omega , or other); (2) `fast' dynamo theory, i.e. the nature of dynamo action in the limit of very high conductivity in the sun, stars and galaxy; in these contexts turbulence plays a critical and ill-understood role; but model problems ( e.g. space periodic systems) can provide valuable insights into the stretch-twist-fold process and related mechanisms that are known to be conducive to fast dynamo action. The systems studied generally exhibit chaotic dynamics, and analogies with vortex dynamics provide a useful route for the study of fundamental mechanisms of instability and turbulence.
The following have accepted invitations to participate in the programme for the periods indicated:
Anufriev AP, 20 Sep-19 Dec; Galloway,DJ, 1 Oct-19 Dec; Arnold VI, 1 Sep-20 Dec; Hughes DW, 1 Sep-2 Oct; Bayly B, 15 Jul-2 Oct; Kambe T, 20 Sep-19 Dec; Braginskii SI, 15 Jul-30 Nov; Khesin B, 20 Sep-19 Dec; Brandenburg A, 1 Aug-30 Nov; Kimura Y, 20 Jul-19 Oct; Busse FH, 1 Oct-15 Oct; Knobloch E, 1 Jul-20 Dec; Childress S, 20 Sep-2 Oct; Krause F, 26 Oct-25 Nov; Collett P, 1 Sep-30 Oct; Loper D, 15 Jul-19 Aug; Cupal I, 1 Oct-19 Dec; Malkus WVR, 2 Jul-15 Jul; Eltayeb Ib, 15 Jul-30 Aug, 21 Sep-2 Oct; Fearn D, 15 Jul- 2 Oct; Moffatt HK, 15 Jul-19 Dec; Friedlander S, 15 Jul-30 Aug; Pegoraro F, 15 Jul-9 Sep; Frisch O, 1 Sep-30 Oct; Priest ER, 15 Jul-15 Aug; Gailitis A, 1 Oct-19 Dec; Proctor MRE, 15 Jul-20 Dec; Radler K-H, 1 Oct-19 Dec; Roberts PH, 12 Sep-26 Sep; Sokoloff S, 20 Sep-19 Dec; Soward AM, 15 Jul-19 Dec; Spiegel EA, 1 Sep-31 Oct; Vainshtein SI, 15 Jul-30 Sep; Vergassola M, 1 Sep-30 Oct; Vishik MM, 15 Jul-27 Aug; Weiss NO, 15 Jul-20 Dec; Zhang K, 15 Jul-2 Oct; Zheligovsky O, 15 Jul-19 Dec; Zheligovsky V, 15 Jul-19 Dec.
There will be a regular seminar programme throughout the period together with more concentrated series of lectures and workshops:
- 31 July: one-day workshop: The Geodynamo
- 4 September: one-day workshop: The Fast Dynamo
- 20 September--1 October: NATO Advanced Study Institute: Theory of Solar and Planetary Dynamos
Organiser: MRE Proctor, DAMTP, University of Cambridge, Silver Street, Cambridge CB3 9EW, UK. Tel: (uk) 1223 337913 Fax: (uk) 1223 337918
- 11--13 November: 3-day workshop: Solar and Stellar Dynamos
- 27 November: one-day workshop: Topology of Magnetic Fields
- 9--11 December: short course under the Cambridge Programme for Industry Flow instability, chaos and turbulence
Principal Lecturers: PA Glendinning, HK Moffatt, MRE Proctor.


text:
Raw food is good for you. Vegan food is good for the animals. But raw vegan screams boring. Plus, let's face it: Trying to make anything appetizing that is both raw and vegan isn't easy. And it's certainly not something that's on everyone's to-do list.
But if eating healthier, more nutritious foods is a path you'd like to venture down, substituting a few SAD meals with a raw vegan dish every now and then couldn't hurt. SAD stands for "Standard American Diet," our nation's daily menu of cooked meats, dairy, and processed, high-fructose-laden foods the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine believes is responsible for more than 60 percent of deaths in the U.S.
Still, there's only one problem: You want something that's good for you and tastes good to boot. Vegetarians and vegans can extoll the virtues of veggies, wheatgrass, seeds, and bean sprouts all they like, but such a limited ingredient spread can get pretty bland and boring, pretty fast.
Enter Hippocrates executive chef Ken Blue, who has more than ten years of experience whipping up healthy -- as well as flavorful and delicious -- raw vegan dishes for the students enrolled in the West Palm Beach institute's three-week signature Life Transformation Program. Part of that role means instructing people on ways to prepare equally tasty, raw vegan eats at home.
Here, Blue shows us how to make one of his favorite raw vegan snacks, a dish almost anyone can appreciate: a vegetable nori roll.
See Also:
-- Hippocrates Health Institute Serves Raw Vegan Eats in West Palm Beach
-- Hippocrates' "Sex" Salad Recipe
-- How to Grow Your Own Sprouts
"This is one of the easiest things you can make at home, and with very few ingredients," Blue told Clean Plate Charlie during a recent interview. "But just make sure you're using untoasted nori. Toasted nori means you aren't eating raw, and that means less nutrients."
Making your own sushi is also an inexpensive raw vegan snack, and it's actually a lot easier than you may think. All you need is sharp knife and a bamboo sushi mat. We found ours for less than $3 at a local Asian market, a bargain compared to all those fancy, expensive tools necessary for cooking, heating, toasting, searing, and baking foods that need to be cooked.
What You Will Need:
A sharp knife for cutting vegetables
A bamboo sushi mat
A small cup for water
4 to 6 sheets of dried nori seaweed (un-toasted)
1/2 to 1 cup julienned cucumber slivers
1/2 to 1 cup julienned carrots slivers
1/2 to 3/4 cup thin-slices avocado
2 to 3 cups sprouts (alfalfa, broccoli, clover, etc.)
Soy sauce, sushi vinegar or miso to taste (or any vegan dressing)
1 cup of water
Step 1: Place your nori sheet "shiny side" down on the bamboo mat, making sure the edge of the nori is in line with the edge of mat. Take note of the dotted horizontal cuts (seen clearly above) along the length of the sheet. Use them as markers for how far to spread your sushi "stuffing" before rolling.
Step 2: For all you 100-percent-raw vegans out there, skip this step. For those who prefer using some sticky rice, now is the time to spread a few spoonfuls within the first two rectangular sections on your nori sheet, then proceed to the next step. For a rice alternative, you can also consider using quinoa or sprouted kamut (shown above). Also, for a grain-free alternative -- but a little more flavor -- consider spreading a thin layer of hummus over the nori like you would rice.
Step 3: Place the desired amount of sliced cucumber and carrot on your nori sheet along the edge closest to you. Be sure to spread the slices out so they fill the entire width of the nori sheet (go ahead and let it spill over the edge a bit) and filling the entire space before the first dotted line on the nori sheet.
Step 4: Place sliced avocado along the top of the cucumber and carrots. Again, be sure to fill the entire space from left to right. Avocado lends the most flavor to plain vegetable rolls that don't use grains, hummus or vinegars, so make sur you have enough.
Step 5: Take a handful of sprouts and pull them apart so you can pile it across the avocado, cucumber and carrots. Sprouts may look like they take up a lot of room, but once you start rolling they compress fairly easily. If you choose not to use rice or quinoa, make sure you don't skimp on the sprouts -- or your roll will be very small and harder to roll.
Step 6: Time to roll: grab the bottom of the sushi mat and bring it up and over the pile of veggies, creating a tube. You want to go for one-half roll so that you cannot see your filling anymore, then "tuck and squeeze" it under with your hands over the sushi mat. DO NOT keep rolling, or you will end up with a bamboo sushi roll. Not too appetizing. It's important to make this "tuck" tight, so that your sushi stays together and the filling won't fall out of the middle when you slice it.
Step 7: Once you have your tuck, move the curled single roll section of the sushi back to the edge of the mat closest to you. Continue rolling. Stop when your roll looks like the photo above. You should have at least an inch left unrolled. You will need this section to "seal" your roll shut.
Step 8: You're almost done! To seal the edge of the nori paper to the roll, simply wet the unrolled portion of nori with some water (you can dab your fingers in a bowl of water and rub or sprinkle it on, or use a brush).
Step 9: Go ahead and give it a final roll against the bamboo mat to make sure everything is sealed and tight. And there you have it: your very own homemade (and raw vegan) nori sushi roll. Enjoy!
To learn more about Hippocrates Health Institute, visit the website and Facebook page, or call 888-228-1755. For additional information on the Institute's LifeTransformation Program, call a program coordinator at 800-842-2125.
We Believe Local Journalism is Critical to the Life of a City
Engaging with our readers is essential to New Times Broward-Palm Beach's mission. Make a financial contribution or sign up for a newsletter, and help us keep telling South Florida's stories with no paywalls.


text:
High-Frequency Traders' Safeguards Come Under Scrutiny
Regulators Look at Whether Firms Have Controls to Prevent Chaotic Trading
WASHINGTON—A raft of computer glitches that have plagued markets in recent years amid a burst of high-speed trading is sparking a widening crackdown by Wall Street overseers.
Regulators are focusing on the complex computer systems deployed by high-frequency trading firms, with an eye on whether the systems have adequate safeguards against chaotic trading that can destabilize markets and harm investor confidence.
To Read the Full Story


text:
The cast of Fringe teases Peter's return and a massive new threat to both universes. Joel Edgerton explains why the new Thing isn't like other prequels. Plus an awesome sneak peek at the new DC animated movie Batman: Year One!
It's spoilers all the way down!
Top image from The Avengers.
The Dark Knight Rises
A person claiming to have seen the Batcave set at Sony Studios offers this description:
It's half finished, and pretty much looks like the same set we saw in "Batman Begins". They're still completing the quarry walls but the wooden manor foundations were all there in the corner. They may add more set dressing with equipment and such but don't expect a radical redesign as most fanboys are expecting...I asked the construction guys if they were using the same blueprints/plans from "Batman Begins" to match continuity, they said no, but as the set resembled the cave from "Begins" and...while they may have had new blueprints I could see it was the same cave from seeing the foundation beams that were iconic from the first movie. Also the stage can hold water, they'll fill it when the quarry wall work is finished and they pull all the rigging lights up to illuminate the set.
It's not 100% clear how this report fits with the reports that part of the Batcave scenes are being filmed in a futuristic-looking Romanian salt mine, as that suggests a more radical redesign of the new cave than this description would indicate. Assuming this report is accurate - and that's never a safe assumption - one might assume the Batcave features a combination of more familiar elements like those from the one in Batman Begins, along with some more futuristic elements to fit what was filmed in the salt mine location. [Batman-News]
Here are two more set videos from the Los Angeles filming. [The Cineaste's Lament]
Italian actor Massi Furlan, who appeared in the most recent season finale of Criminal Minds, has filmed a small unspecified part in the movie. [Monsters and Critics]
The Avengers
Chris Evans discusses his experience filming the movie:
Yeah, it was great. It was a great experience … It couldn't have gone better. I almost should knock on some wood. It was too good. We all got along so ridiculously well; that type of stuff doesn't happen in films. It's just so lucky for a franchise that it happened on a film that we're all going to be stuck together for quite some time.
[gallery 5847127] Here are a couple promo photos spotlighting some of the green screen work. [Newsarama]
Captain America 2
Chris Evans also offers this update on the Captain America sequels:
The sequels probably won't start 'til late next year, so they're still working on the script. They really haven't told me much. They've got their hands full right now with the third "Iron Man" and trying to get "The Avengers" out.
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
Here's a synopsis for the movie from the NYCC press release:
After blazing a trail around the globe in the worldwide hit Ghost Rider, Nicolas Cage returns as Johnny Blaze in Columbia Pictures' Ghost Rider – Spirit of Vengeance. Still struggling with his curse as the devil's bounty hunter, Blaze is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect to save a young boy (Fergus Riordan) from the devil (Ciaran Hinds). At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider again, but it is the only way to protect the boy – and possibly rid himself of his curse forever. Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, the directors of the film, will be in attendance to give you a look at their vision for the film and their no-holds-barred style of directing.
The Thing
Star Joel Edgerton explains why this movie is different from other gratuitous sequels, prequels, and reboots:
I think this prequel is well-earned. Because it was so important this film stays true to the Carpenter aesthetic. Not a lot of thought goes into some remakes and sequels. I feel the studios or filmmakers randomly pluck a random, tenuous connection out of the air to create a whole movie from. I feel there was such a great set-up in the Carpenter film – what happened to the Norwegian camp? I feel this prequel opens up an episode that was waiting to be told. There's a nice familiarity to the Carpenter version, I think people will enjoy it, but at the same time it tells its own tale with a new set of characters. I don't think I'm giving away a spoiler, but in this film you get to have a sense of an origin and you get more with the [alien's] ship.
He also explains how the American and Norwegian characters work together in this movie... or not, as the case may be:
There's always a resonance in culture about paranoia of "the other" and suspicion of the other. Communism is a great parallel. I think that idea is still prevalent today. There's a serious paranoia and fear of terrorism, not knowing where the next villain is going to pop up and with what kind of violence. Particularly with this prequel, set before Carpenter's, you've got American characters set amongst these Norwegian characters, so you've got a clash of cultures and a language barrier. In Carpenter's version you've got humans versus alien and now you've got extra friction because of the language barrier.
Real Steel
Here's a quartet of interviews with star Hugh Jackman.
And here are two with boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard, who consulted on the movie's boxing.
Asked about reprising his X-Men Origins: Wolverine character, Gambit, for The Wolverine, Taylor Kitsch says there's pretty much no chance of that - as has pretty much been stated many times before by those involved in the movie - he's not ruling out eventually reprising the character in a spin-off film:
"I know if we do it, it'll probably be down the road and we'll do it hopefully a lot darker. I'd love to play him again, but it's a matter of doing it right, too. There's no point in just doing it for the sake of doing it."
Here are some photos of stars Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges on the Boston set. [Comic Book Movie]
The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn
Here's an international trailer.
Batman: Year One
Here's an awesome new clip from the upcoming animated DVD movie adapting Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's iconic Batman origin story.
The Sarah Jane Adventures
Here are some promo photos for the first episode of next week's story "The Curse of Clyde Langer." [Blogtor Who]
And here's a synopsis for both parts:
Part One
It's raining fish from the skies, and Sarah Jane's investigations lead the gang to the Museum of Culture, where the ancient god Hetocumtek may offer answers. But when Clyde acts the fool once too often, family and friends savagely turn against him, and he is thrown out of their lives!
Part Two
Clyde is alone and abandoned on the streets of London, living rough, cold and hungry. One person reaches out to him, but as they become friends, he's warned about the legendary Night Dragon. In Bannerman Road, Sky knows something's wrong – why do Sarah Jane and Rani suddenly hate Clyde?
John Noble discusses Walter's perspective on Peter's imminent return:
"[He's] always blamed himself for everything that's gone wrong. Whether he even thinks he deserves this chance [to get Peter back] is another matter. [Walter would] be very concerned about the fact that it's just another extension of his madness. It's terrifying material for Walter...How will Walter react to another person taking [Olivia's] attention? I've got all those interesting, strange things to play with - those emotions, which could potentially happen, of jealousy and anger and being off-sided because you're being ignored."
And Jasika Nicole adds that Peter won't be welcomed back with open arms:
"It's not like a 'Welcome home.' And it might even be the opposite of [that]. The transition is really difficult. There's not an immediate, 'OK, we're back to where we were before.' It takes a while. It's just a battle."
Nicole also suggests there's an even bigger threat coming up that will force the two universes to team up. Nicole suggests something from the past will return, while Lance Reddick suggests a "great character from seasons ago" will be back. [TV Line]
Here's a bunch of set photos. You can also check out a set video at the link. [SpoilerTV]
And here are some more.
Kirk Acevedo tweeted that his character FBI Agent Charlie Francis is "alive and well" and that he's "in the house", suggesting a return to the show. [@KirkAcevedo]
Game of Thrones
Here's a lengthy set video from the filming in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
The Walking Dead
Here's a behind-the-scenes video with the cast.
Here are some more promo photos for season two. [SpoilerTV]
Terra Nova
Here's a new promo and sneak peek for the next episode, "What Remains." [Terra Nova TV]
And here's another promo photo for the episode. [SpoilerTV]
Here's a promo photo for episode two, "Chuck vs. the Big Bandit." [ChuckTV]
Here's a sneak peek for episode three, "The Girl Next Door."
Here's a video interview in which Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki discuss season seven.
And here's another interview in which the pair discuss Sam's tenuous grasp on reality.
Episode nine is reportedly called "How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters (aka Influence People)", episode twelve is now called "Time after Time after Time", and the previous episode twelve title has now become the title of episode thirteen, "Amazon.com." [SpoilerTV]
Warehouse 13
Here's a brief trailer for season four.
Green Lantern: The Animated Series
Here are some images from Cartoon Network's upcoming Green Lantern cartoon, which will premiere in January 2013. [Superhero Tooniverse]
The Vampire Diaries
Here are some promo photos for next week's episode five, "The Reckoning." [SpoilerTV]
The Secret Circle
Here are some promo photos for episode five, "Slither." [SpoilerTV]
And here are some for episode six, "Wake." [SpoilerTV]
Additional reporting by Gordon Jackson and Charlie Jane Anders.


text:
Image Licensing
Royalty Free and Rights Managed Images from the World's Greatest Artists and Photographers
Photographs, Paintings, Drawing, Illustrations, and More!
Fine Art Prints
Purchase Museum Quality Prints from the World's Greatest Artists and PhotographersSTART SHOPPING
Canvas Prints, Framed Prints, Acrylic Prints, Metal Prints, Posters, and More!
Phone Cases
Purchase iPhone and Galaxy Cases from the World's Greatest Artists and PhotographersSTART SHOPPING
Start a Business
Transform Your Images Into a Flourishing Online BusinessSTART SELLING
Greeting Cards
Purchase Greeting Cards from the World's Greatest Artists and PhotographersSTART SHOPPING
Upload & Create
Transform Your Personal Photos Into Museum-Quality MasterpiecesUPLOAD NOW
Socialize & Network
Join the World's Fastest Growing Community of Photographers & Visual ArtistsMEET THE MEMBERS
Featured Artists and Photographers
Hundreds of thousands of artists and photographers sell their prints through Pixels.com Licensing.
We have identified your location as Houston, TX. If that's not correct, click here to change it.
About Pixel Commercial Licensing
Pixel Commercial Licensing is the licensing division of Pixels.com - the largest print-on-demand site in the world. On Pixels.com, you can browse through millions of images and purchase them as canvas prints, framed prints, greeting cards, iPhone cases, and more. On Pixel Commercial Licensing (i.e. http://licensingpixels.com), you can license many of those same images for use on websites, blogs, print ads, merchandise, TV commercials, and more.
We offer both royalty free and rights managed licenses from the world's greatest living artists and photographers.
Pixels.com Commercial Licensing is a division of Pixels.com - the largest online art site in the world. Watch is this video, below, to see why we have so many talented artists and photographers!
Contact - About - Privacy - Terms of Use - Licensing Agreements
Server Status OK


text:
Vocational Courses from SKILLS ACADEMY
The Skills Academy has been established with the combined vision of making India a true "Knowledge Economy" by bringing credible investment in the job related skills, and aims to provide employment opportunities to youth across the country, thus, making them job ready. They aspire to enhance workforce effectiveness by leveraging in-depth industry experience to develop innovative skills and training solutions along with a sustainable impact to the industry and society. Their vision is to build a scalable, for-profit Skills and Livelihood Development business that significantly enhances earning capacity and thereby creates social impact. They work holistically with the 3C's – Communities, Colleges and Corporates. At The Skills Academy, have designed "Science of learning" combined with an industry proven toolkit. This helps to match student aspirations with necessary skills required by the industry, build domain experts, enhance industry-academia partnerships, provide "paths to progress" through continuous education and skilling and build strong placement networks.
They have trained and placed over 500 learners in the last 8 months across geographies catering to the employment needs of a wide range of industries including Banking, BPO, Hospitality, Quick Service Restaurants, and Retail. Astric has partnered with Skills to commence the "STAR" Scheme under the National Skill Certification and Reward Scheme branded as the STAR (Standard Training Assessment & Reward) Scheme has been formulated to encourage skill development for youth by providing monetary rewards for successful completion of approved training programs. It aims to increase productivity of the existing workforce and align the training and certification to the needs of the country. To provide Monetary Awards for Skill Certification to boost employability and productivity of youth by incentivizing them for skills training. Reward candidates undergoing skill training by authorized institutions at an average monetary reward of Rs.10,000 (Rupees Ten Thousand) per candidate. Benefit 10 lakh youth at an approximate total cost of Rs.1,000 Crores.
Vocational Courses from BELTRON
The objective of signing an MOU with BELTRON was to provide training for building capacity for the officials of various government departments and individuals in various IT and non IT domains for enhancing their skills accruing direct and/or indirect benefits to all government employees identified and nominated by Bihar State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd. We proposed to impart training in the domain of Tally related Accounting, Communicative English, e-Learning, Soft Skills modules, Personality Development and various Employability Enhancement programs by class room presentations, practical demonstration, projects designing and supplying course ware which enhances the prospects and inducts special skills in individuals as well as group dynamics at our Center of Excellence Infrastructure through our skilled manpower and various technology and knowledge partners. All those government employees who wish to avail training programs are facilitated as per the Modules packages provided in the training annexures by their respective departments. Notwithstanding B.S.E.D.C Ltd. and CoE take the decision to launch new courses from time to time depending upon the requirement and market justification.The cost is borne under Government schemes which has provisions of capacity building.
Astric works as a technology cum training partner jointly with B.S.E.D.C Ltd., and has tie ups with various leading ICT, IT, Communication and knowledge partners like Hewlett Packard India Private Limited (HP), LiqVid eLearning technologies, Tally Solutions Private Limited, IMTAC ICT, Touchstone technologies Pvt. Ltd., CSM Technologies Pvt. Ltd., NComputing, Microsoft Corporation, Adobe India, SAS, Cradle Technologies Ltd., LG Electronics and many more all of which hold expertise in their respective domains to help and assist in the technology transformation and capacity building initiatives for overall development of our state Bihar.
For more information, please visit http://www.beltron.in/
Vocational Courses from NIESBUD
NIESBUD is an apex body under the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises , Government of India for coordinating and overseeing the activities of various institutions/agencies engaged in entrepreneurship development particularly in the area of small industry and small business. The Institute which is registered as a Society under Societies Registration Act, 1860 (XXI of 1860), started functioning from 6th July, 1983. The policy, direction and guidance to the Institute is provided by its Governing Council whose Chairman is the Minister of MSME.
The Executive Committee consisting of Secretary (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) as its Chairman and Director General of the Institute as its Member-Secretary, executes the policies and decisions of the Governing Council through its whole-time Director General. NIESBUD is an apex Institute in the area of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Government of India. The basic objectives for which the Institute has been established are: Promotion and Development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises including Enhancement of their Competitiveness through various activities.
We are partner Institute of National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development is a premier organisation of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, engaged in training, consultancy, research, etc. in order to promote entrepreneurship. The major activities of the Institute are Training of Trainers, Management Development Programmes, Entrepreneurship-cum-Skill Development Programmes, Entrepreneurship Development Programmes and Cluster Intervention. NIESBUD has provided training to 10,94,529 persons as of March 31, 2017 through 41,483 different training programmes since inception. This includes 4,080 international participants hailing from more than 141 countries throughout the globe.
Till now we trained over 2000 candidates in different trades coded by NIESBUD.
For more details please visit http://niesbud.nic.in
Astric Solutions is established in 2011 and registered under Small Scale Industries of Government of Bihar and National Council of Vocational Training with specialized focus on Retail, Infrastructure and ICT Solutions. We have the HP World Outlet on the Baily Road and S.P. Verma Road for retail operations in Patna. For ICT solutions, we also tie-ups with various leading ICT Giants like Tata Consultancy Services, Center for Development of Advance Computing, CDAC, Pune – An autonomous Institution under Department of IT, GOI, Siemens and HP Education Services. Astric Solutions is a sister concern of Astric Computers (I) Pvt. Ltd. established mainly with planned involvement in Software Development, G2G/E2E/G2C/B2C/B2G Solutions in mind. Web Development, Non Voice BPO operation, cloud based innovative solutions, working on big data for transformation in citizen centric service area etc.
Our prime focus remains however is towards Education and Training Domain, Capacity Building, Skill Enhancement and building Entrepreneurship Development with special focus on under privileged masses, youth employment and Women Empowerment. A core team of more than a dozen professionals, academicians and industry experts assemble daily at our office managing the activities and have been involved in training government officials for many line line departments for Government of Bihar and also for Central University of Bihar and won national award in a short span of few years.


text:
SEAL Team Six
The United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG), commonly known as DEVGRU or Devgru,[2] is a U.S. Navy component of Joint Special Operations Command. It is often referred to as SEAL Team Six, the name of its predecessor, which was officially disbanded in 1987. DEVGRU is administratively supported by Naval Special Warfare Command and operationally commanded by the Joint Special Operations Command. Most information concerning DEVGRU is classified and details of its activities are not usually commented on by either the White House or the Department of Defense.[3] Despite the official name changes, "SEAL Team Six" remains the unit's widely recognized moniker. It is sometimes referred to in the U.S. media as a Special Mission Unit.[4]
DEVGRU and its Army counterpart, Delta Force, are the United States military's premier counterterrorism units. Although DEVGRU was created as a maritime counterterrorism unit, it has become a multifunctional special operations unit with several roles that include high-risk personnel/hostage extractions and other specialized missions.
The Central Intelligence Agency's highly secretive Special Activities Division (SAD) and more specifically its elite Special Operations Group (SOG) often works with—and recruits—operators from DEVGRU.[5] The combination of these units led ultimately to the killing of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Operation Neptune Spear.[6][7]
The origins of DEVGRU are in SEAL Team Six, a unit created in the aftermath of Operation Eagle Claw.[8][9][10] During the Iran hostage crisis in 1979, Richard Marcinko was one of two U.S. Navy representatives for a Joint Chiefs of Staff task force known as the TAT (Terrorist Action Team). The purpose of the TAT was to develop a plan to free the American hostages held in Iran. In the wake of the disaster at the Desert One base in Iran, the Navy saw the need for a full-time counter-terrorist unit, and tasked Marcinko with its design and development.
Marcinko was the first commanding officer of this new unit. At the time there were two SEAL teams. Marcinko named the unit SEAL Team Six in order to confuse Soviet intelligence as to the number of actual SEAL teams in existence.[10][11][12] The unit's plankowners (founding members) were hand-picked by Marcinko from throughout the UDT/SEAL community. SEAL Team Six became the U.S. Navy's premier counter-terrorist unit. It has been compared to the U.S. Army's Delta Force.[3][9] Marcinko held the command of SEAL Team Six for three years, from 1980 to 1983, instead of the typical two-year command in the Navy at the time.[10] SEAL Team Six was formally created in October 1980, and an intense, progressive work-up training program made the unit mission-ready just six months later.[12] SEAL Team Six started with 75 shooters. According to Marcinko, the annual ammunition training allowance for the command was larger than that of the entire U.S. Marine Corps. The unit has virtually unlimited resources at its disposal.[13]
In 1987 SEAL Team Six was dissolved. A new unit named the "Naval Special Warfare Development Group" was formed, essentially as SEAL Team Six's successor.[2][14][15] Reasons for the disbanding are varied,[10] but the name SEAL Team Six is often used in reference to DEVGRU.
Operational deployments
Recruitment, selection and training
In the early stages of creating SEAL Team Six, Marcinko was given six months to get ST6 up and running, or the whole project would come to an end. This meant that there was a timing issue and Marcinko had little time to create a proper selection course, similar to that of Delta Force, and as a result hand-picked the first plankowners of the unit after assessing their Navy records and interviewing each man. It has been said that Marcinko regretted not having enough time to set up a proper selection process and course. Originally applicants only came from the east and west coast SEAL teams and the (UDTs) or under water demolition teams, before the UDTs were disbanded in 1987. Although much of the ST6/DEVGRU training pipeline is classified there are some requirements and training exercises that are public knowledge. The requirements to apply for DEVGRU states that applicants must be male and come from the SDV teams, the Navy explosive ordnance disposal teams or EODs and East and West Coast SEAL teams, be 21 years old or older, and have at least served 2 combat tours on their previous assignments. Although due to combat experience it isn't uncommon for a candidate to be in his early 30s even Marcinko's criteria for recruiting applicants was combat experience so he would know they could perform under fire; language skills were vital, as the unit would have a worldwide mandate to communicate with the local population if needed; union skills, to be able to blend in as civilians during an operation; and finally SEAL skills. Members of SEAL Team Six were selected in part because of the different specialist skills of each man.
Candidates must pass three-days of physical and psychological testing that includes a Physical Screening Test (PST) where candidates must exceed the minimum requirements and perform at their highest level possible. Candidates are then interviewed by an oral review board to deem whether the candidate is suitable to undertake the selection phase.[17] Those who pass the stringent recruitment and selection process will be selected to attend a six- to eight-month Operators Training Course. Candidates will screen with the unit's training wing known as "Green Team". The training course attrition rate is high, usually around 50 percent; during one selection course, out of the original 20 candidates, 12 completed the course.[18] All candidates are watched closely by DEVGRU instructors and evaluated on whether they are suitable to join the individual squadrons. Howard E. Wasdin, a former member of SEAL Team Six said in a recent interview that 16 applied for SEAL Team Six selection course and two were accepted.[19] Those who do not pass the selection phase are returned to their previous assignments and are able to try again in the future.[20]
Like all Special Operations Forces units that have an extremely intensive and high-risk training schedule, there can be serious injuries and deaths. SEAL Team Six/DEVGRU has lost several operators during training, including parachute accidents and close-quarters battle training accidents. It is presumed that the unit's assessment process for potential new recruits is different from what a SEAL operator experienced in his previous career, and much of the training tests the candidate's mental capacity rather than his physical condition, as he will have already completed Basic Underwater Demolitions/SEAL or the Navy EOD training pipeline.
Candidates are put through a variety of advanced training courses led by civilian or military instructors. These can include free-climbing, land warfare, communications, advanced unarmed combat techniques, defensive and offensive advanced driving, advanced diving, and Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training. All candidates must perform at the top level during selection, and the unit instructors evaluate the candidate during the training process. Selected candidates are assigned to one of the Tactical Development and Evaluation Squadrons; the others are returned to their previous units. Unlike the other regular SEAL Teams, SEAL Team Six operators were able to go to almost any of the best schools anywhere and train in whatever they wanted depending on the unit's requirements.
Like Delta Force live fire marksmanship drills with live ammunition in both long range and close quarter battle drills is also done with hostage roles being played by other students to help build the candidates trust between each other.
DEVGRU is divided into color-coded line squadrons: [21]
- Red Squadron (Assault Teams)
- Gold Squadron (Assault Teams)
- Blue Squadron (Assault Teams)
- Silver Squadron (Assault Teams)
- Black Squadron (Intelligence, Reconnaissance, & Surveillance Teams)
- EOD Squadron (Explosive Ordnance Disposal)
- Gray Squadron (Mobility Teams, Transportation/Divers)
- Technical Support Squadron (Tactical Cryptologic Support, Tactical Information Operations)
- Green Squadron (Selection/Training)
Each assault squadron is divided into three troops (commanded by lieutenant commanders) and these troops are divided into smaller teams of SEALs, often called assaulters.[22] Each line squadron also has a specific nickname. Examples include Gold Squadron's Knights, Red Squadron's Indians, Blue Squadron's Pirates, Gray Squadron's Vikings and etc. [21][23][24]
The Department of Defense tightly controls information about DEVGRU/ST6 and refuses to comment publicly on the highly secretive unit and its activities. DEVGRU/ST6 operators are granted an enormous amount of flexibility and autonomy. To conceal their identities, they rarely wear a uniform and usually wear civilian clothing both on and off duty. When military uniforms are worn, they lack markings, surnames, or branch names. Civilian hair styles and facial hair are allowed to enable the members to blend in and avoid recognition as military personnel.
Commanding officers
Command of DEVGRU is a Captain's billet. Ranks listed are the most recent if the officer is still on active duty.
- Commander Richard Marcinko – Nov 1980 to July 1983[25]
- Captain Robert A. Gormly – July 1983 to 1986[21][26]
- Captain Thomas E. Murphy – 1986 to 1987[26]
- Captain Richard T.P. Woolard – 1987 to 1990[27]
- Captain Ronald E. Yeaw – 1990 to 1992[28]
- Captain Thomas G. Moser – 1992 to 1994[29]
- Admiral Eric T. Olson – 1994 to 1997[30]
- Vice Admiral Albert M. Calland III – June 1997 to June 1999[31]
- Vice Admiral Joseph D. Kernan – June 1999 to Aug 2003[31]
- Rear Admiral Edward G. Winters, III – Aug 2003 to 2005 [32]
- Rear Admiral Brian L. Losey – 2005 to 2007[33]
- Rear Admiral Scott P. Moore – 2007 to 2009[34]
- Captain Perry F. Van Hooser [35]
Roles and responsibilities
When SEAL Team Six was first created it was devoted exclusively to counter-terrorism with a worldwide maritime responsibility; its objectives typically included targets such as ships, oil rigs, naval bases, coastal embassies, and other civilian or military bases that were accessible from the sea or inland waterways.
On certain operations small teams from SEAL Team Six were tasked with covertly infiltrating international high risk areas in order to carry out reconnaissance or security assessments of U.S. military facilities and embassies; and to give advice on improvements in order to prevent casualties in an event of a terrorist attack.
Although the unit was created as a maritime counter-terrorism unit, it has become a multi-functional special operations unit with multiple roles that include high-risk personnel/hostage extractions. Such operations include the successful rescue of Jessica Buchanan and Poul Hagen Thisted, the attempted rescue of Linda Norgrove, the successful rescue of American doctor Dilip Joseph[36] and in 1991 the successful recovery of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and his family during a coup that deposed him.
After SEAL Team Six was disbanded and renamed, the official mission of the currently operating Naval Special Warfare Development Group mission is "to provide centralized management for the test, evaluation, and development of equipment technology and TTP for NSW." [37]
DEVGRU's full mission is classified but is thought to include pre-emptive, pro-active counter-terrorist operations, counter-proliferation (efforts to prevent the spread of both conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction), as well as the elimination or recovery of high-value targets (HVTs) from unfriendly nations.[38][39] DEVGRU is one of a handful of U.S. Special Mission Units authorized to use pre-emptive actions against terrorists and their facilities.[40]
DEVGRU and the Army's Delta Force train and deploy together on counter-terrorist missions usually as part of a joint special operations task force (JSOTF).[3][12][41][42]
See also
- Joint Special Operations Command
- Delta Force
- 24th Special Tactics Squadron
- Spetsnaz
- Special Boat Service
- Navy SEALs in popular culture
- List of Navy SEALs
- List of special forces units
- ↑ http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/671462.pdf
- 1 2 von Rosenbach, Alexander (May 4, 2011). "Devgru: Bin Laden's ultimate nemesis". IHS Jane's Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis. Archived from the original on May 9, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
Devgru was established in 1987 as the successor to SEAL Team 6 (although it is still colloquially known by this name). The unit serves as the US Navy's dedicated counter-terrorism unit and is believed to consist of about 200 personnel.
- 1 2 3 Emerson, Steven (13 November 1988). "Stymied Warriors". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 March 2008.
- ↑ "In high demand, Air Force commandos must find new ways to cope with stress of duty". The Gaffney Ledger. Gaffney, South Carolina. Associated Press. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
- ↑ Waller, Douglas (3 February 2003). "The CIA's Secret Army". Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1004145-1,00.html
- ↑ "Osama bin Laden killed in CIA operation". The Washington Post. 8 May 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ↑ Naylor, Mark Mazzetti, Nicholas Kulish, Christopher Drew, Serge F. Kovaleski, Sean D.; Ismay, John (2015-06-06). "The Secret History of SEAL Team 6: Quiet Killings and Blurred Lines". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-06-06.
- ↑ Fallows, James (13 December 1981). "Iran from five American viewpoints". The New York Times.
- 1 2 Halloran, Richard (26 November 1986). "U.S. moving to expand unconventional forces". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 Marcinko, Richard (1992). Rogue Warrior. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-79593-7.
- ↑ Pfarrer, Chuck (2011). SEAL Target Geronimo: The Inside Story of the Mission to Kill Osama Bin Laden. Macmillan. p. 178. ISBN 978-1-4299-6025-0.
- 1 2 3 Gerth, Jeff; Philip Taubman (8 June 1984). "U.S. military creates secret units for use in sensitive tasks abroad". The New York Times.
- ↑ Wasdin, Howard (9 May 2011). "'SEAL Team Six' And Other Elite Squads Expanding". NPR. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ↑ "Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU)". Global Security. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ↑ Ambiner, Marc (10 October 2012). "Delta Force Gets a Name Change". The Atlantic. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ↑ Abhan, Courtney Messman (30 July 2010). "Special Warfare Development Group seeks Sailors" (PDF). Naval Station Everett Public Affairs. Northwest Navigator. p. 3. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
NSWDG is located in Virginia Beach, and is a type two sea duty cno priority one major command. The command is an elite counter terrorism unit that conducts research, and develops, tests, and evaluates current and emerging technology. This technology is related to special operations tactics and joint warfare to improve Special Forces war fighting capabilities. ... While at NSWDG, support personnel could have opportunities to earn many special qualifications, their expeditionary warfare specialist (EXW) pin, and Combat Service Support and Combat Support Naval Education Codes (NEC). Special qualifications include parachuting and fast roping, among many others. NSWDG support personnel receive special duty pay, and have some of the highest promotion rates in the Navy.
- ↑ Anderson Cooper (3 May 2011). "'This is their type of op,' ex-SEAL says". CNN.
- ↑ Pfarrer, Chuck. Warrior Soul: The Memoir of a Navy Seal. New York: Random House. pp. 325–326. ISBN 0-89141-863-6.
In one year, the operators of SEAL Six fire more bullets than entire USMC.
- ↑ "The iron will of Seal Team 6". CBS News. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
- ↑ "LCV Cities Tour: Interview with Howard Wasdin "Seal Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy Seal Sniper"". Global-report.org. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
- 1 2 3 Pfarrer, Chuck. Warrior Soul: The Memoir of a Navy Seal. New York: Random House. pp. 325–326. ISBN 0-89141-863-6.
- ↑ Owen, Mark (2012). No Easy Day. Dutton Adult. p. 37. ISBN 9780525953722.
- ↑ Combs, Cindy C; Slann, Martin W. Encyclopedia of Terrorism. Infobase Publishing. p. 289. ISBN 978-0-8160-6277-5.
- ↑ Blehm, Eric (2013). Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown. WaterBrook Press. ISBN 9780307730701.
- ↑ Marcinko, Richard (1993). Rogue Warrior. Pocket Books. ISBN 978-0671795931.
- 1 2 Mann, Don (2011). Inside SEAL Team Six: My Life and Missions with America's Elite Warriors. Little, Brown and Company. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-316-20431-6.
- ↑ Arostegui, Martin C. (1997). "Get Noriega". Twilight Warriors: Inside the World's Special Forces. Macmillan. p. 290. ISBN 978-0-312-30471-3.
- ↑ Marquis, Susan Lynn (1997). Unconventional warfare: rebuilding U.S. special operations forces. Brookings Institution Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-8157-5476-3.
- ↑ Committee on Risk-Based Approaches for Securing the DOE Nuclear Weapons Complex, National Research Council (2011). Understanding and Managing Risk in Security Systems for the DOE Nuclear Weapons Complex. National Academies Press. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-309-20884-0.
- ↑ Butler, Frank K.; John H. Hagmann; David T. Richards (2009). Tactical Management of Urban Warfare Casualties in Special Operations. Parabellum Concepts. p. 6.
- 1 2 Naylor, Sean (2006). Not a Good Day to Die: The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda. Penguin. p. 253. ISBN 978-0-425-20787-1.
- ↑ "Rear Admiral Edward G. Winters, III". United States Navy. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
- ↑ "Rear Admiral Brian L. Losey". navy.mil. United States Navy. 2014-11-18. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
- ↑ Associated Press (15 September 2008). "2 SEALs killed in Afghanistan fighting". navytimes.com. Navy Times. Retrieved 2015-10-11. (subscription required (help)).
"The deaths of SOCS Marcum and SOC Freiwald are tremendous losses for Naval Special Warfare and the United States," Capt. DeAaron Vankeuren, commanding officer of Naval Special Warfare Development Group, said in a statement.
- ↑ "Leader in Residence Program". vmi.edu. Virginia Military Institute. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
- ↑ Qadir Sediqi,"U.S. Navy SEAL killed in operation to rescue American doctor in Afghanistan". CNN. 10 December 2012
- ↑ http://jsou.socom.mil/JSOU%20Publications/2015SOFRefManual_final_cc.pdf
- ↑ Shanker, Thom; Risen, James (12 August 2002). "Rumsfeld weighs new covert acts by military units". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions". LT Michael P. Murphy USN. United States Navy. Retrieved 20 May 2008.
- ↑ U.S. Special Ops: America's Elite Forces in the 21st Century, Fred J. Pushies, MBI Publishing Company, 2003.
- ↑ Couch, Dick (2005). The Finishing School: Earning the Navy SEAL Trident. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-609-81046-4.
- ↑ Bowden, Mark (2001). Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War. Signet. ISBN 0-451-20393-3.
- Marcinko, Richard (1993). Rogue Warrior. Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-79593-7.
- Gormly, Robert A. (1999). Combat Swimmer: Memoirs of a Navy SEAL. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 0-451-19302-4.
- MacPherson, Malcolm (2006). Roberts Ridge: A Story of Courage and Sacrifice on Takur Ghar Mountain, Afghanistan. New York: Bantam Dell. ISBN 0-553-58680-7.
- Shipler, David K.; Halloran, Richard (26 November 1985). "Terror: Americans as targets". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
External links
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group.
- ShadowSpear.com Special Operations
- Naval Special Warfare Development Group at GlobalSecurity.org
- Mark Mazetti, Nicholas Kulish, Christopher Drew, Serge F. Kowalski, Seasn D. Naylor and John Ismay (June 6, 2015). "SEAL Team 6: A Secret History of Quiet Killings and Blurred Lines". The New York Times (The New York Times). According to the New York Times the article probed "the culture of a secretive Special Operations unit, which often acts with limited oversight, and situated it in the context of how today's wars are fought. It implicated the team in troubling failures, like the killing of a British aid worker it was trying to rescue from the Taliban or the deaths of innocent civilians, one a young, unarmed Afghan girl. The article also spotlighted the unit's triumphs apart from the Osama bin Laden raid, such as rescuing Pfc. Jessica Lynch in Iraq, or saving Capt. Richard Phillips from Somali pirates"
- "Inside SEAL Team 6" - An undated New York Times article describing the identity, missions, training and dangers of SEAL Team Six.


text:
I'd prune those back to just a few shoots per plant and train them up your string, trellis, etc. You should start to see a harvest your second year. Duboman... They're on their way. Mine all started breaking through the ground in the last few days. That's about a month behind last year.
Those look great. Frank, how deep did you plant them? Horizontal or vertical?Thanks!


text:
Q: First, let me make sure I understand the problem. The parent company produces medical devices and services, but before the acquisition was not involved in health care software. The company it purchased, MedCount, sells only administrative systems software to large hospitals. It is now looking for opportunities to increase revenues.
A: That is correct.
Q: Could I take a moment to jot down a few thoughts?
A: Sure, that would be fine.
Q: I would suggest using the following framework:
A: That sounds fine. So what do you want to know about the market?
Q: Well, the first hurdle would be to identify the markets the company would be interested in. Besides administration systems, what other types of medical software systems do large hospitals purchase?
A: There are many software systems, but for the sake of time, the team focused on three primary markets: administration systems, patient administration, and physician support systems.
Q: What do those systems do?
A: Patient administration includes systems like admissions and tracking. Physician support systems are more specialized, for individual physician procedures.
Q: I would like to know how large each market is and how fast each is growing. I would use secondary sources such as press releases, analyst reports, and published market studies, to obtain this information.
A: Great! That is what we did during the market study. Our information revealed the following market sizes and growth rates.
Q: From a size and growth perspective, physician support systems looks like a very attractive market. I'd like to know a little about the customers themselves. The client is currently targeting large hospitals. Approximately what percentage of the market do they represent?
A: We were unable to get an exact breakdown, but we know that these hospitals make up the vast majority of the total medical software market.
Q: That would make sense, since the more sophisticated procedures at a hospital might necessitate more advanced software solutions. I know that there have been a lot of changes in the industry as a result of managed care. I don't know much about the industry, so I would want to look at market studies and press clippings to get a better sense of the hospital market in general and any technology or software trends more specifically.
A: Okay. Let's say that you did that and were presented with this summary of market trends:
- Consolidation in the industry, with three to four large hospital networks dominating 45 percent of the market
- Cost controls instituted, particularly as these large hospital networks acquire smaller hospitals (centralization of functions being a key cost issue)
- Many hospitals seeking to consolidate their vendor base
- With regard to technology, many hospitals upgrading their older systems
Q: If hospitals are consolidating vendors, perhaps our client has an advantage in being part of a larger medical company. Maybe the client could also gain some advantages by expanding into other software segments. Are the people responsible for purchasing software at the hospital the same for all three segments?
A: Like all things, it differs by hospital, but the larger hospital networks, have tried to consolidate their purchasing not only within but also across hospitals.
Q: Is the decision maker for medical software the same as for medical instrumentation and devices?
A: In some cases, the head of purchasing influences both decisions, but the person who makes the final choice is different. Software decisions are usually made by the hospital IT function, and those for instrumentation by the medical staff.
Q: I think I have a pretty good understanding of the market for now. Let's look at competition next. We could identify all the competitors and build up the market shares using a combination of public data and estimates.
A: Well, let's assume that you don't have an infinite amount of time to look at all the competitors. You can only look at the top five competitors in each market. You are given the following data:
Q: Very interesting. The first thing I would note from the data is that the market concentrations are very different. In administrative systems, the top five competitors control 66 percent of the market and in patient administration, they control 65 percent. But in the physician support market, they control only 25 percent.
I would want to know what gross margins look like in each of these markets as well. I might turn to analyst reports and look at competitors' financial statements to deduce whether they are making money in each market.
A: Gross margins vary, of course, but the analyst reports have margins of 25 to 30 percent for administrative systems and for patient administration. For physician support, the margins tend to be higher, more like 45 to 50 percent.
Q: I see that two competitors, HTI and HCS Software Systems, have very large revenue growth in all three sectors, although they each dominate one. I would want to look at their financials, annual reports, and press releases to find out a bit more about their strategy in each of these areas.
A: You'd find that they recently entered these noncore markets. Why might they have done that?
Q: Perhaps, like our client, each had a strong position in its own segment, HTI in patient administration and HCS Software Systems in physician support. Maybe they too decided to branch out into the other segments to find additional growth.
A: That is a very good hypothesis. Let's say there is evidence in the sources you consult that supports your assertion.
Q: Well, if that were true, these two companies could be a threat not only in the other two segments, but also in our client's segment, administrative systems. It looks as if the client is slowly losing market share in its segment, since it is growing more slowly than its market.
A: Good observation.
Q: The market and competitor trends could also suggest that the client may want to enter these other markets. In particular, the physician support market looks attractive, given it has high growth and lack of a dominant competitor. The higher gross margins may provide attractive returns on the necessary investment in software development.
However, the patient administration market may also be attractive. Although it is more concentrated and offers lower margins than physician support, the client may be able to enter this segment with a smaller up-front investment. Given the trend toward upgrading existing computer systems, it may be important for MedCount to have a product offering in each of the three market segments. That should not be too difficult, since the company is already in the software industry.
A: Perhaps, but you should think a little more closely about these types of software. Are all software systems alike?
Q: Well, let me think about that for a moment. I suspect patient administration would have relatively low entry barriers. From your earlier description, these systems appear to be pretty basic, dealing primarily with admissions and patient tracking. However, the entry barriers in physician support might be higher, since these systems are more complex and there are probably multiple systems for the various physician procedures. I guess it would be harder to get into those types of systems.
A: That would make sense.
Q: Since the company might want to go into only some of the segments, I would want to know how important it is to have products in all three segments. Do we know if the competitors are marketing their products as a bundle?
A: How might you find that out?
Q: Since it would be difficult to talk to a competitor directly, I would probably target a competitor's customer, particularly one that just converted from our client's software.
A: Let's say you get an interview with a customer that recently switched to HTI. You discover that the competitor was offering it a better pricing deal and service for software products in all three segments.
Q: How were MedCount's software and service perceived in relation to those of competitors?
A: The customer thought that its administrative systems were adequate, "the old standby," but not stellar.
Q: Were there any other key reasons it switched from MedCount's system?
A: When it decided to upgrade its systems, it tried to contact MedCount, but could never get a representative to describe its options.
Q: Interesting. How did HTI perform?
A: The HTI representative had heard that the company was considering switching software vendors and provided a sales representative to pitch HTI's administrative product the next day.
Q: It definitely sounds as if there was a problem with the sales function and that customer relations need to be improved, particularly for the larger hospital chains. There also seems to be an advantage from both a marketing and sales perspective in having multiple software products. I would want to confirm those views by doing further interviews.
A: Let's say further interviews support those assumptions.
Q: Since we have already looked at the external conditions, I would like to move on to the client itself. I'd like to know more about its marketing and selling organization as well as its software development skills.
So far, we know that our client offers administrative software and that there may be a problem with sales and marketing. Could you tell me a little about the marketing department?
A: The marketing department is organized regionally. Teams are assigned to hospitals within each state or geographic region, such as New England.
Q: That could explain some of the problems with MedCount's marketing and sales. If hospital purchasing is centralized, the marketing organization may be outdated. Does the company have any teams dedicated to the four or five biggest hospital networks?
A: No, there are no dedicated teams. They talked about doing that for a while, but it conflicted with the regional structure it had in place.
Q: With regard to software, does the company feel it has any strengths or weaknesses?
A: It feels that their administrative product is very strong ("best of breed") and is the dominant technology. Also, the product is modular in design, which allows for easier upgrades. Although the company has never branched out into other market segments, the software developers believe that certain modules could be used to build the foundation for other administrative software programs. The company feels customer support is also an area in which it excels.
Q: Let's start with our client's market. The client dominates the administrative software market, which is fairly large but growing slowly, and the company appears to be slowly losing market share. Patient administration is also growing relatively slowly.
A: Both markets are relatively concentrated and appear to offer lower margins than physician support. The physician support market is large and less concentrated, and could potentially provide higher margins, but would require a larger investment. The hospital market itself is becoming more concentrated and is pushing to consolidate vendors. The purchasing agent is often the same for the three types of software.
Q: Looking at our client's competitors, two, HTI and HCS Software Systems, appear to be particularly threatening. Each has a dominant position in one segment and is branching out into other areas. They appear to be marketing their products and services as a bundle and are using service as a key point of differentiation.
The client offers only one type of system and appears to have some weaknesses in its marketing organization, particularly in marketing to the larger hospital networks, which offer the most promising market opportunities.
A: How would you recommend proceeding?
Q: The first priority should be to fix the marketing organization, particularly for the large hospital networks. MedCount will have trouble expanding into new markets if it can't defend its current position and shore up its existing customer relationships. There should be a team dedicated to each of the major chains. The client should also look at improving customer tracking so that it is clear when its customers are going to upgrade. There should also be clear contacts so that the customer can easily keep in touch with MedCount.
Next, I would recommend that the client explore entering the other market segments by leveraging its dominant position in administrative systems. At first glance, patient administration does not appear to be very attractive, with slow growth, low margins, and large, dominant competitors. There appears to be some advantage, however, in having products across the product range. I would recommend that we interview some of MedCount's existing customers to better understand their needs and future IT requirements. If the customer base is interested in one software provider for both back-office administration and patient administration functions, this segment looks promising.
If the client does decide to enter this market, it should look at the lowest-cost method of entry, either developing a product internally or acquiring a competitor. The modular design of its existing administrative software suggests internal development of the patient administration product may be the way to go, but we would need a more thorough comparison of the internal development and acquisition options, including both cost and time to market. I think that physician support offers our client an exciting growth opportunity, given its high margins, high growth, and fragmented competition. I would definitely think about an acquisition strategy, since the client may lack the technical capabilities to enter this specialized market. I would recommend going for one of the larger companies, as that would give the client a stronger position. Smaller companies would probably not offer an important enough position in the market. More research would be needed, however, for us to better understand the intricacies of the market and each potential acquisition.
A: Those are very interesting conclusions. Thank you.


text:
Liberty's No. 7 listing in the Southeast Region is the Flames' highest regional ranking since Oct. 18, 2010.
A strong sixth-place finish at Saturday's Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational helped the Liberty men's cross country team move up to a season-best No. 7 in the Southeast Region, as announced today by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Flames' regional ranking is their highest since Oct. 18, 2010, when the Flames also checked in at No. 7 in the Southeast Region. Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational champion North Carolina claims the top spot in this week's Southeast Region poll, followed by Eastern Kentucky and Virginia. High Point, which placed 10th at the Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational, drops to No. 13 in the region. Redshirt junior Josh MacDonald finished ninth overall at Virginia on Saturday, covering the undulating 8K course in a personal-best 23:59.3. His front-running effort helped the Flames place sixth out of 13 teams, 11 of which were regionally ranked, with 141 points. Liberty will now take a break from competition before sending a partial team to Charlotte, N.C., on Oct. 11 for the Royal Cross Country Challenge. Many of the top Flames and Lady Flames will not return to action until Oct. 19. That day, Liberty's men's and women's squads will square off against a bevy of nationally and regionally ranked opponents at the ISU Pre-National Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind.
USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Southeast Region Men's Cross Country Rankings 1) North Carolina 2) Eastern Kentucky 3) Virginia 4) Duke 5) N.C. State 6) Kentucky 7) Liberty 8) Furman 9) Louisville 10) Virginia Tech 11) William & Mary 12) Richmond 13) High Point 14) Wake Forest 15) Appalachian State
Like Us on Facebook
Follow Us on Twitter
Follow Us on Instagram


text:
The World According to S.J.
Posts Tagged Jay Manuel
It Gets Better
If you've been near a newspaper, tv, or the internet over the last two weeks, you've no doubt heard about the gay suicides across the United States due to bullying. Some of these kids were 13 and 15 years old. Just children. Starting puberty or starting high school. This is the most difficult time in their lives. This is the time when they start really developing their personality, discovering who they are, and carving out their identity. And to think that they felt their life was so hopeless that they had to do something as drastic as taking their own life… well, it just breaks my heart. I feel like I need to say something. Share part of my story. Something. Because what is happening CANNOT be allowed to continue. As a society, we need to be teaching love and acceptance, not hate and intolerance. The younger generation learns from our actions and behavior. We must be the example.
I would love to think that someday we'll live in a world where bullying doesn't exist, but this is the real world, and there will always be bullies. Dealing with a bully is never fun, but there is always a way. There is always hope. Hope survives, even in the darkest of times.
Growing up gay in the rural mountains of West Virginia was not easy. I did my best to hide what I was, because at that point, I myself didn't really understand it. I knew I was different, and I knew the feelings I was having were not the same ones my friends were having. In a town of 2000 people, there's no such thing as a gay role model to look up to. And there weren't gay characters on tv and in movies like there are now. So I completely understand the feelings of confusion and lonliness. And I had my share of bullies. No physical violence or anything like that. But nasty names and rude comments, yeah, I dealt with that. Personally, I used my quick wit and sarcasm to deal with bullies… to the point where the bully was then the odd man out and getting a dose of their own medicine. Is that the right thing to do? Maybe not. But that was my defense mechanism, and it worked for me.
For the gay youth out there, in the end, what I'm saying is that there is always a way to deal with what you are going through. Sarcasm and a quick wit worked for me. Maybe for others there is the support of their friends. A family that loves them. A trusted person to talk to. Something. Anything. Never give up. Suicide is not the answer. EVER.
The most important thing I can say is that yes, it does get better. So much better. Once I was honest with myself and my family and friends about who I was, things got significantly better. I had a support system. I was able to surround myself with people that liked me for me. Right now, teenagers just want to be normal, and I completely understand that. But as you get older, you'll realize that being normal is boring. Being different is amazing! Embrace your indviduality! You are special. You are amazing. You are loved. And you deserve to see all the wonderful things life has in store for you.
But if you need someone to talk to, there is help. There is hope. Contact The Trevlor Project. Call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 1-866-4-U-TREVOR
Below are some videos from people with the same message for you that I had. First up is a song/video from a dear friend of mine that she wrote for her son, but it applies to all. Listen to their words and know "It Gets Better".
Sherry McCamley – "My Beautiful Boy"
The Trevor Project – It Gets Better
Ellen Degeneres – An Important Message About Bullying
Kathy Griffin – A Special Message
Chris Colfer (Glee) – It Gets Better
Eric Himan (Singer/Songwriter), featuring Angel Adams/Jimmy Adams – It Gets Better
Jay Manuel (America's Next Top Model) – It Gets Better
Michael Urie (Ugly Betty) – It Gets Better
Tim Gunn (Project Runway) – It Gets Better
Todrick Hall – It Gets Better (song and music video)
Joel Burns – City Council from Fort Worth, Texas – Personal Story for It Gets Better
Angel Adams, Anne Hathaway, Bullying, Chris Colfer, Ellen Degeneres, Eric Himan, Gay, Gay Youth, Glee, It Gets Better, Jay Manuel, Jimmy Adams, Joel Burns, Kathy Griffin, Michael Urie, Teen Suicide, The Trevor Project, Todrick Hall


text: Recorded live in October 2010 at Old South Church in Boston, this record is an approximation of the live Caspian experience, if not quite as visceral. For instrumental bands like this, the beauty (and perhaps the crutch) of song titles is that the "meaning'' of the sounds leans so heavily on a few scant words. But a song like the especially appropriate "Last Rites'' - with its 10 minutes of disquieting guitar noise and palpable upsurges of feedback - shoulders its title well. The hallucinatory images it alludes to are lent gravity (both kinds) through the instrumentation. "The Dove'' is less dynamic, a white noise machine for the eternal sleep; while "ASA'' is a trilling track of sensory uplift in the mold of Explosions in the Sky - to whom Caspian will always and inevitably be compared. Its trebling high-pitched guitar bolts pierce its overcast veil. The gentle martial drum strokes and looping guitar riffs of "Concrescence'' accumulate meaning with each repetition but hold back on the expected catharsis. Listening to it unfold feels like staring at your own static image in the mirror, waiting for infinitesimal changes to reveal themselves. (Out now) ESSENTIAL "ASA''