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The Week at a Glance
- Brazilian prices steady
- Paraguay market unchanged, slaughter low
- Argentina's Beef exports see strong increase
- Minerva expects Brazil to resume exporting beef in Q1
- Frigorífico resumes slaughter, to generate 550 jobs in VG
- Abicalçados carries out prospective mission in France
- Colombian slaughter, meat production drops in past 3 years
- Costa Rica to export sheep leather to China
- Panama to explore business in China, possible joint slaughterhouse
- Venezuela's farmers say food shortage to worsen in 2018, note slaughter dip
Click here to read the report in Spanish
Raw/Fresh Skins
In Brazil this week, the Real closed at R$3.2610 against the US dollar, a change of 0.7% compared to the previous week's R$3.2365. Slaughter and tannery production is still low and despite the continued pressure for a price reduction, fresh hides remained stable. The exchange rate change was not favorable for Brazilian leather exports. On the sales side, there is little news. The average daily revenue of Brazilian leather exports in the first four weeks of November was only $6.8 million, down from $ 7.1 million last year.
Zebu hides traded at R$1.85/kg (with hump) and Gaucho hides at R$2.30/kg (without hump).
Again this week, Argentina's market saw slow domestic sales. Sources say that prices remain unchanged as the market enters December and the pre-holiday period.
In Uruguay, slaughter for November through the 25th was down by 6 percent, while for the year it is still up by 3.5 percent.
|Currency PTAX – USD 1.00 = R$3.2365
Wet Blue & Crust
Brazil's market remained stable but it was possible to negotiate with the major suppliers and get a discount. We have heard that in the past few days, some important global customers have offered bids for good contracts, which the Brazilian tanneries did not accept, however they are under negotiation for the next two weeks. The domestic market was unchanged from the previous week. Asian interest has perked up somewhat.
Upholstery for auto and furniture continue to maintain the industry's level of activity in Brazil. There are good negotiations for low grades and wet blue splits due to the volume available. TR1 is trading in a range of US$0.90 to 1.00 cfr, although as we mentioned, it is possible to negotiate for discounts.
In Paraguay, the market remained steady with recent weeks and prices were stable. Sources say that frigorifico slaughter is still low. TR1 traded at at 1.00/1.05, TR2 at 0.90/0.95 and TR3 at 0.80/0.85.
Buenos Aires
WEEKLY PRICES PER US$/CFR (except raw material)
|FRESH HIDES US$/Kg
|This Week
|Last Week
|This Week
|Last Week
|Grade TR1 23Kgs+
|Grade TR2 22Kgs+
|Grade TR3 21Kgs+
|Grade TR4 19Kgs+
|WET BLUE WHOLE HIDES 1.8mm+
|Grade TR1 47/52ft
|Grade TR2 47/52ft
|Grade TR3 45/50ft
|Grade TR4 45/50ft
|WET BLUE SIDES 24mm+
|Grade AB 22/26ft
|Grade C 22/26ft
|Grade D 22/26ft
|Grade E 20/26ft
|Grade F 20/26ft
|6/9 Kgs (Glove standard)
|CRUST ( UPHOLSTERY ) 0.9/1.1 mm Stucco & Buffed
|CRUST ( AUTOMOTIVE O&M ) 0.9/1.1 mm
|CRUST ( AUTOMOTIVE O&M ) 01.1/1.3 mm
|TR 01 Vacuum Dry
|TR 02 Vacuum Dry
|TR 03 Vacuum Dry
|ABC 12/14 mm 14/16 mm
|D 12/14 mm 14/16 mm
|This Week
|Last Week
|Raw hides (W/S)
|Crust for shoe upper, 1.2/1.4 mm, black dyed thru*
|Crust whole hides for upholstery 0.9/1.1 mm**
|Wet blue drop splits, average 9/11 kg, selection TR***
**Usually for full grain selections.
*The selection composition determines the price.
Prices in Uruguay
The price of fresh hides remains at the same level this week at $0.85/kg, however, sources say that it is possible to negotiate wet blue prices lower than the reference.
|Wet Blue 14/16 TR1
|Wet Blue 14/16 TR2
|Wetblue 14/16 TR3
|Crust 10/12 TR1
|Crust 10/12 Auto
|Crust 10/12 Auto (Vacuum Dry)
We remind readers that all price tables that are intended as a basis to illustrate trends. Our prices quoted do not reflect quality changes present between one and the other source. Hidenet.com recognizes that there is a variety of factors able to determine different prices for similar materials.
Beef exports see strong increase
Exports of Argentine beef in the first ten months of 2017 reached a value of approximately $1,046 million dollars, +23.3% higher than the $848 million dollars obtained between January and October 2016. Export value for the month of October 2017 was significantly higher, (+48.3%), in relation to the turnover for October of 2016.
The volume of Argentine beef exports during the first ten months of 2017 were significantly higher than the the same period of 2016. Exports volumes were up +31.1% and, in the year-on-year comparison, it is observed that export sales in October 2017 were significantly higher than those in October 2016. In a broader context, comparing the average of exports for the months of October during the years 2010 to 2017, the current year represents 71% of the average volume registered throughout the decade previous.
Minerva envisions more opportunities in Arab countries
São Paulo – Despite its relevant sales numbers to Arab countries, Brazil's Minerva believes the region holds further opportunities. At a November 28 meeting with investors in São Paulo, Minerva CCO Iain Anderson Mars mentioned Lebanon, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Libya and the United Arab Emirates as prospective targets. He also referenced non-Arab nations including Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Switzerland and South Africa.
Kuwait and Oman were described as countries where beef consumption is strong and increasing rapidly. In Lebanon, consumption is strong, but doesn't grow as fast. In Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the volumes purchased are low, but demand is going up. Libya and the UAE are places where demand's weak and its growth is sluggish.
Figures show that the Middle East was Minerva's premier export destination in the 12 months through September, having accounted for 24% of the company's foreign sales revenue. In the preceding 12 months, the rate had been 20%. Asia went from number one to two.
President Fernando Galletti de Queiroz said the amount of livestock being bred in major markets like Russia and China is going down, while supply is booming across South America. Brazil is currently the second biggest beef exporting country in the world – India's the first – but Queiroz believes it will rise to the top next year. Australia ranks third, but the United States are poised to take its spot in 2018.
Queiroz said Minerva handles 7% to 8% of global beef trade. He told investors about the company's three-pillar strategy: increasing distribution, the number of places it exports to, and the number of places it manufactures from in South America.
Minerva also plans to increase sales in the Brazilian market after diversifying operations in neighboring Mercosur with the start-up of operations in Argentina and capacity expansion in Paraguay and Uruguay. With the uptick in the country's economy, in October the meat sales already registered a significant increase, said Queiroz.
Minerva Operations Manager Luis Ricardo Luz noted that the goal is to expand by nearly 30% the number of regular customers who purchase the company's products, to around 45,000 next year. Today 35,000 customers buy meats from Minerva in every month of the year.
Minerva expects Brazil to resume exporting beef to in Q1
According to Minerva President Fernando Galletti de Queiroz, Brazil will resume exporting fresh beef to the United States in the first quarter of 2018.
The US suspended Brazilian beef exports in June after an excessive number of shipments failed USDA inspections. Queiroz said his expectations comes from discussions with the Agriculture Ministry.
Last week Russia also instituted a ban on Brazilian beef and pork, leading Minerva to supply Russia from plants outside Brazil. IN 2017, Minerva bought Mercosur-based beef plants from JBS in a $300 million deal, expanding its reach in the region outside of Brazil. The CEO did not say when the three slaughterhouses it bought from JBS in Argentina would reopen, according to a report from Reuters.
Frigorífico resumes slaughter, to generate 550 jobs in VG
Frigorífico Pantanal in Várzea Grande reopened Friday December 1st, after being closed for 7 years.
With a slaughter capacity of 750 head per day, the unit will reopen with the hiring of 550 initial employees, which can be expanded. According to owner Luiz Antônio Freitas, the unit will start operating below capacity and will increase progressively until it reaching the maximum. The expectation is to generate more jobs and start exporting. "We will start working to acquire the export licenses," he says.
The unit has been undergoing preparations for more than a year and will initially generate 550 direct jobs, with the possibility of expanding to up to 800 jobs.Freitas explains that the goal is to export to all markets and that employees have been trained to carry out halal slaughtering. "We react with a modern industry and elaborate products. We hope to bring a lot of pride to Várzea Grande and Mato Grosso, "said Freitas during the launch of the plant.
Brazilian cattle market update
Prices are firm. Difficulty in buying cattle and lengthening the slaughtering schedule are the causes for the purchase offers above the reference. In São Paulo, on Tuesday (28), the arroyo of the bullock increased 4% since the beginning of the month. In the state, purchase offers between R$1.00 and R$2.00 per arroba above the reference are common. Rio Grande do Sul has a similar scenario. Since the beginning of the month, the price has risen by 8.1%. Beef consumption is expected to rise next week.
Brazilian beef exports are expected to grow by 5% in volume by 2018. Rabobank senior analyst Adolfo Fontes told Grupo Estado on the sidelines of the 2017 Agribusiness Summit on Monday that the Russian embargo on Brazilian meat must be resolved in 60 days. If this does not happen, projections will need to be revised. In addition, he assumes that shipments of fresh beef to the United States will also resume in early 2018. "This is the key for Brazil to pursue other markets such as Mexico, Canada and Japan," Fontes said. Countries that do not yet buy from Brazil account for 40% of the global beef market. Under the same conditions, he projects that exports of pork and poultry will advance about 3% next year. "China's purchases are expected to grow again after adjustments have been made in 2017," he said. Purchases from South Korea, from Santa Catarina, should support shipments as well. "Now if Russia does not resume buying Brazilian meat until February, we will have a lot of internal price pressure," he said. Russia consumes 10% of Brazilian production. This scenario should increase the offer of fresh hides in the Brazilian market.
Brazil negotiates port use in Spain to expand exports to Africa and Europe
Beef Point
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAP), in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a meeting between logistic operators and Brazilian agribusiness sector entities with the Board of Directors of the Port of Las Palmas, in the Canary Islands, Spain. They were presented opportunities through the use of the Spanish warehouse in the re-export of Brazilian commodities to Africa and Europe.
The negotiation for use of the Spanish port resulted from the official mission by MAP Executive Secretary Eumar Novacki to Spain in October 2017 on the occasion of the visit to the Fruit fair. Novacki's official agenda included a meeting with the Las Palmas port board, which operates shipping lines for more than 30 African countries and is prepared to berth large vessels. It is also capable of storing grains, fruits, meats and machines and redistributing them to different African destinations on smaller vessels.
Evaldo da Silva Júnior, director of the Department of International Promotion of Agribusiness, said that "the existence of alternative trade routes that are already traditionally used by exporters of Brazilian agricultural products is healthy for the country.
JBS Couros presents new version of Authentic collection during US Showtime market
JBS Couros, world leader in leather processing, is at the Showtime Market, which is being held from December 3 to 6 in High Point, North Carolina, USA. It will be presenting the latest edition of its global Authentic – Deep Into Nature collection for the furniture industry, with leathers produced in Italy, South America and Asia.
This latest version of Authentic keeps the original inspiration from nature's four elements (water, air, earth and fire), emphasizing the leather's natural beauty and authenticity. "In this new edition, we are working with colors that are focused on the US market, based on a survey among people directly involved in the industry to find out what the region really wants," said Max Lapegna, commercial manager at JBS Couros.
Among its differentials, the new collection offers lighter finishes that give the leather sophistication and flexibility, alongside better leather usage, adding value to the end product. "We have around 60 years' experience developing and producing finished leathers, which means we are able to apply exclusive designs that bring together the high quality of our raw materials with industry trends, in addition to which we have a distribution platform serving not only the US but all the world's main manufacturing centers", said Lapegna.
Unlike some of the other raw materials used by the furniture industry, which have risen in cost, leather prices have remained stable. "This means we have been able to develop some competitive articles that offer high added value and are a significant alternative that can maximize our customers' results", explains Lapegna.
Based on this, JBS Couros is investing in research and development to stay ahead of the curve and develop a continuous pipeline of new ideas. "We believe in the essence of leather and want to offer consumers a sustainable as well as unique, natural and atemporal style, supplying a raw material from a guaranteed source that adds value to our customers' products", comments Lapegna.
JBS Couros produces leather in the wet blue, crust and finished product stages for the automotive, furniture and footwear and leather goods sectors. Its global business structure makes JBS as an obvious choice for companies that need high production capacity, quality and guaranteed delivery, allied with innovation, to meet an increasingly demanding market.
JBS Couros has been investing in the US furniture sector, currently the world's leading market for leather furniture, for 4 years. The business unit has a 3,500 ft² showroom in High Point, North Carolina, which is a permanent venue showcasing new products and collections. "We also have a distribution center in Hickory – NC, capable of warehousing 25,000 hides and ready to meet our customers' specific needs," concluded Lapegna. The company also owns its own tanning unit in Cactus, Texas, from where it ships high quality US leathers to its finishing units in Europe, Asia and South America.
Abicalçados carries out prospective mission in France
With a consumption of more than 400 million pairs of footwear per year – more than 6 pairs per capita and virtually all imported volume, especially from Italy – France has caught the attention of Brazilian footwear. In order to better understand the market, the retail structure and the commercial promotion model more appropriate for Brazilian footwear, the Brazilian Association of Footwear Industries (Abicalçados), through the Brazilian footwear footwear export support program, is carrying out a prospective mission to the country November 25 to December 3. Brazilian Footwear is developed in partnership with the Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments (Apex-Brasil).
Roberta Ramos, project manager at Abicalçados, says that meetings with local retail networks, distributors, public relations agencies and hotels are scheduled for the possible realization of showrooms. "In addition, a detailed study on the French market is in progress and should be delivered by the end of this year," she said.
Currently France is the third main destination of Brazilian footwear abroad, but purchases, basically, slippers, that is, are products with lower added value. "The objective is to better understand the behavior of the French consumer through study and the mission, to export footwear with higher added value, increasing the average price and taking advantage of the potential of that market more effectively," Ramos said.
Last year France imported 9 million pairs of Brazilian footwear, which generated $56 million, up 5.3% in volume and 2% in revenue compared to 2015. In the first ten months of 2017, French companies have already imported 4.5 million pieces for US $45 million, down 30.3% in volume and up 4.7% in revenue compared to the same period last year. "This disparity is due to the fact that France is gradually importing Brazilian shoes with higher added value. This year the average price of the product exported there increased from US$6.00 to US$10.00,"explains Ramos.
Abicalçados presents results of exploratory mission to China
The Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados), through Brazilian Footwear, a shoe export support program maintained in partnership with the Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments (Apex-Brasil), presented, on the 30 November, the results of its September exploratory mission to China.
Letícia Sperb Masselli, coordinator of Commercial Promotion at Abicalçados, explains that the mission, which toured the cities of Shanghai, Hangzhou and Chongqing, allowed for a mapping of local retail. What most attracted attention, however, was e-commerce, which has more than 700 million active buyers. "China consumes 25% of the world's footwear production, and much of this consumption has come via digital channels, especially through so-called cross border e-commerce," says Masselli, adding that by 2018 the country must surpass the United States and become the most "digitized" economy in the world.
On the other hand, the Chinese market requires high investments, so this presentation in the main Brazilian footwear hubs that are in search of brand engagement was very important. "As a very large market, investments for image and commercial promotion are high," she says, adding that in 2018, the goal is to build, along with partner brands and Brazilian Footwear, the most assertive strategy of insertion, which unites the online mode with offline. This is important since the Chinese consumer still highly values the physical store as a point of experience. "It's a difficult market, but it will certainly be worth the effort," she says.
With 1.4 billion people, China is the largest consumer footwear market in the world, having consumed almost 4 billion pairs last year. Since 2010, Abicalçados, through Brazilian Footwear, has participated in missions and local fairs, along with Brazilian footwear brands. Since that year, shoe exports there have increased more than 400%, jumping from $1.4 million to $6 million last year.
Colombian slaughter, meat production drops in past 3 years
Contexto Ganadero
"In 2015, between January and September, Colombia produced 619,000 tons of carcass meat, and this year it has only reached 539,000 tons," said Fedegán president José Felix Lafaurie.
A comparison of the slaughter figures reported by DANE between the periods of January to September 2015 and 2017, shows a decrease in the supply of meat, while appreciating the enormous effort of the farmers reflected in the increase of efficiency.
The comparison of the figures of bovine slaughter in the last 3 years shows a bittersweet panorama.
On the one hand, the sector offers less meat to Colombian consumers, which is a logical consequence herd decline, the lack of public policies to boost the sector, and illegal slaughter, among others. On the other hand, efficiency indicators show positive signs.
During January-September 2015, 2,953,463 head were slaughtered, but this year, slaughter decreased to 2,517,674 animals. That means slaughter dropped by about 436,000 head, which, in percentage terms, represents a fall of 17.3%.
The contraction of the sector is of such magnitude that, between these two periods, this economic activity lost about 939 billion pesos.
The impact for domestic consumption is greater due to the exports of live cattle, which went from 43,785 head to 81,396, recording an increase of 37,576 animals, that is to say 46.2 % more. Despite this, the figure for 2017 is lower than that registered in 2016 by 11,139 heads, which can be explained by the foot-and-mouth disease problems registered in the previous months of this year.
Today, cattlemen are slaughtering heavier animals. The average slaughter weight in males went from 448.9 kilograms in 2015 to 458.5 kilograms in 2017. This is a significant increase of 9.6 kilograms per animal, which represents a weight gain of 2.1%.
For females, the weight increased in greater proportion. In 2015, the average slaughter weight was 371.2 kilograms and this year it was recorded for the same period compared (January-September) of 382.6 kilograms. This represents an increase of 12.5 Kilos, equivalent to 3.2%
The shortcomings in the sector caused by the destruction of tertiary roads, especially in winter, are evident in the increase in insecurity recorded by the alarming growth of cattle rustling and carnage, and of course in the unfair competition represented by the excessive smuggling, and the the absence of public policies that have completely forgotten the issue of bovine repopulation or of improving credit conditions for the agricultural sector in general.
Export of sheep leather to China approved
The union of sheep producers confirmed that the Chinese government has already approved the protocol and the respective certification for imports of sheep leather from Costa Rica.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Sheep Association:
San José, Costa Rica, November 30, 2017. The governments of China and Costa Rica have reached an agreement so that producers of Costa Rican sheep can export leather of these animals to the Asian nation.
During the National Congress of Sheep Producers of Costa Rica 2017, which took place at the Balsa Athens Headquarters of the National Technical University (UTN-Athens), the Director of the National Animal Health Service (SENASA), Bernardo Jaén confirmed that a government delegation from the People's Republic of China visited Costa Rica two weeks ago to finalise the respective negotiations.
Panama to explore business in China, possible joint slaughterhouse
In January 2018, a delegation of businessmen from the livestock sector will be visiting the Asian country to develop new commercial alliances to increase exports of bovine meat.
Panamaamerica.com.pa reports that "…According to the president of the National Association of Cattle Ranchers (Anagan), Aquiles Acevedo, the aim of the visit is to look for new alternatives for exporting bovine meat. Acevedo explained that the Anagan will invest in livestock and raw materials, while the Chinese will provide the marketing, which is another way to export meat."
The aim of livestock producers, who will visit China along with authorities from the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA), is to create an alliance in which they invest in raw materials and livestock, and counterparts in China will develop the market. Acevedo indicated that "… one of those alternatives is the construction of a slaughterhouse under a 'Joint Venture' scheme."
"… From January to August, beef exports amounted to $12 million, according to figures from the Anagan."
Farmers say food shortage to worsen in 2018, note slaughter dip
The shortage of food in Venezuela will worsen further in 2018 due to lack of supplies, warned the agricultural union on Tuesday, which believes that only international aid would prevent a collapse.
"The scenario for 2018 is critical: If 2017 was difficult, having inventories left over from 2016 in fertilizers, seeds and agrochemicals, by 2018 we have nothing," said Aquiles Hopkins, president of the National Federation of Farmers (Fedeagro).
In a speech before the parliament, with an opposition majority, he assured that "there is not a single bag of fertilizer in the country," while the head of cattle fell from 11 million for the third time in history.
The bovine flock had only fallen to those levels "in the War of Independence and the Federal War," in the 19th century, the leader illustrated. According to Hopkins, today the agroindustrial sector barely supplies 30% of national consumption, after contributing 70% in the past.
He cited examples such as white corn, which only covered 25% of consumption in 2017, sugar (21%) and coffee (30%), support of the Venezuelan economy before the oil era.
"There is no way to recover production if there is no international aid," said the executive, who asked the parliament, which has an opposition majority, to support Fedeagro's efforts so that other countries can provide technological cooperation.
Hopkins said that such assistance implies indebtedness, which requires the support of the Legislative and the government, which he blamed for not providing enough foreign currency for the importation of raw materials.
In Venezuela, the State monopolizes dollars through strict control of exchange and also the distribution of inputs for agriculture.
The socialist government faces serious liquidity problems due to the drop in the price of crude oil – which contributes 96% of foreign exchange – and the bulky service of the external debt, which led to a drastic cut in imports.
The shortage of food has reached peaks of 80% in recent years, according to the Datanálisis firm.
Hopkins complained that the delivery of inputs privilege state enterprises, including one administered by the military, with a strong presence in the government.
"We would like to see our Navy out guarding the borders, fighting extortion, kidnapping, cattle rustling and thefts of farms, and not trying to do what it does not know how to do," he said.


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Payroll Services
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subset: commoncrawl


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His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Visit
Vancouver, B.C., to give teachings in October
Written by: Steve Wilhelm
His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be returning to Vancouver, B.C., from Oct. 20 through 23 of this year, five years after his last visit there.
His Holiness also recently visited Portland, in 2013, for a program that focused on the environment, and climate change.
Most of the fall visit to Vancouver will be educational programs sponsored by the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education, in Vancouver. Please check that site for updates.
According to that group's website, the center "Educates the heart and fosters compassion through creative learning, facilitating and applying research, and connecting people and ideas."
Here's a video about His Holiness' 2009 visit.
Here's what Victor Chan, who co-founded Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education in Vancouver, with the Dalai Lama, wrote about the upcoming 2014 visit:
"I first invited the Dalai Lama to Vancouver 10 years ago in 2004, when he had a ground-breaking dialogue with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Shirin Ebadi and others on the importance of 'educating the heart.' He came again in 2006 and 2009 under the auspices of the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education."
"In both these visits he emphasized over and over again the need to foster empathy and altruism in children and youth. The ripple effect of his message has been significant. It catalyzed a paradigm shift in the way British Columbians view education, the need to balance cognitive development with kindness, mindfulness and compassion. In his coming visit to Vancouver, the Dalai Lama will elaborate further on what he means by 'educating the heart' and its effect on our collective well-being."
The 2014 visit also will include some sort of public teaching according to Tenzin Guryme, president of the Tibetan Cultural Society of British Columbia. Please also check that site for details.
Please watch for the summer issue of Northwest Dharma News in June, because we plan to run a story with more information about the Dalai Lama's visit.


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The price of a Rubik's cube can vary a lot. You have cheap ones, expensive ones, and everything in between. If you don't know much about this puzzle, it may be difficult for you to choose between a cheap and an expensive one.
What are the differences between them? Are the expensive ones worth the price difference? Here is an article that will help you with these questions.
In the Past
In the past, there was only one good quality cube: the original Rubik's cube, invented by Rubik and produced by Winning Moves.
Cheap cubes were bad-quality knock-offs and were called "magic cube", "speed cube", etc... They were generally very bad and among the ones I tried, one was "locking up" very often (you had to realign the faces every 2-3 moves, making it impossible to apply an algorithm), one broke after a few solves and finally one had a very bad color scheme (a dark side, a dark blue side and a light blue side...).
This made people skeptical about any cubes other than the original one.
The Original Rubik's Cube at Amazon
Amazon Price: $12.99 $10.00 Buy Now
(price as of Oct 23, 2016)
Comes the Speedcubing Community...
But things have changed. In the past 10 years or so (2003 was the first World Championship after a long break), this toy has gained in popularity and more specifically the activity that consists in solving it as fast as possible called "speedcubing".
The original cube was designed as a puzzle, not as a speed puzzle and had therefore limitations to this regard. Speedcubers started to be annoyed with it as it required "modding" (sanding, lubbing, new stickers, ...) and some Asian companies started to emerge to fill the need for a better cube.
Dayan is one of these companies. Founded by a speedcuber for speedcubers, it proposes cheap cubes designed for speed. The plastic used may be of lower quality but the overall solving experience is much better (better corner cutting, adjustable spring tensions, anti-pop mechanism, ...).
Another advantage of Dayan over Winning Moves is its constant research for improvement and the frequent release of a new and improved version of its speedcube.
Dayan Panshi
Amazon Price: Buy Now
(price as of Oct 23, 2016)
Which One to Choose?
So which cube should you choose? If you want to go with speed, Dayan is a better option. If solving the cube as fast as possible is not for you, you can consider the Rubik's brand.Credit: Adragast
Part of my own collection: 2 Dayan, 1 Rubik, 1 Alpha V
Other Things to Consider
You generally have the choice between black and white (color of the plastic). This is just a matter of personal preferences. Other colors may also be available.
Some cubes are stickerless. It is more practical but be aware that they are not allowed in competitions (long story short, in some situations you can see the color of a face).
Otherwise, replacement stickers can be found online. You have the choice between stickers and tiles. Tiles are thicker and improve your gripping but they are a bit more expensive and stickers are more common.
A word about the DIY option. DIY stands for Do It Yourself. In some online shop you may be able to buy DIY sets. They were popular a while ago as they were cheaper than already built and assembled cubes and cubers didn't mind building the cube themselves (it isn't that hard and they like to adjust the tension of the springs themselves). Recently, though, already built-up cubes are more popular
More Rubik's Articles
Here are some articles about this puzzle:


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Over recent weeks, Safe MMA has been in close communication with the national governing bodies with which it works in Ireland and in the UK – the Irish Amateur Pankration Association (IAPA), the Ulster MMA Association (UAMMAA) and the United Kingdom Mixed Martial Arts Federation (UKMMAF).
Safe MMA was founded at a time in which there were no governing bodies for MMA in the region. Founded charitably as a volunteer led, non-profit, medical advisory for the MMA community, firstly in the UK and then in Ireland, Safe MMA has successfully provided athlete pre-event medical clearance, advice and record keeping services for promotions in these regions. Safe MMA now also provides these services to the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation for IMMAF championship events worldwide.
Further to this, Safe MMA's founding promotions agreed to meet a minimum standard of medical provision at events, including pre and post fight medical examinations, which became the Safe MMA minimum standard.
As the number of member promotions continues to rise and with the emergence of national governing bodies, Safe MMA would like to clarify its role in relation to advising on at-event standards:
1) Safe MMA does not inspect or sanction at-event standards
2) Over the past year national governing bodies have assumed the role of event sanctioning and inspection in all regions for promoters on a voluntary basis
3) National governing bodies have this year started to set their own medical standards for events which vary from region to region. There may develop further differences in protocol now under 3 different governments
4) As demand increases with a growing number of promoters affiliating, it is not possible for Safe MMA volunteers to monitor all events and ensure that advised onsite standards are met
Safe MMA has been meeting with representatives from the IAPA, UAMMAA and UKMMAF to review working processes and governance structures between parties; and likewise communicating with its independent stakeholders and promoters.
Safe MMA will continue to provide athlete medical clearance, athlete advice and record keeping services. It will continue to stipulate that partner promotions conduct pre and post fight medical examinations carried out by a doctor and that these along with medical suspensions are submitted to Safe MMA. However Safe MMA membership does not cover approval of onsite medical provision at events, and national governing bodies are now assuming this role.
To reflect this and to clarify the meaning of a) Safe MMA clearance and b) level of clearance, two new logos (illustrated below) are to be released for use by Safe MMA partner promotions at events:


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Animation for dice "rolls"!
ceyowenct last edited by
Loving the app so far! The one main thing that I think feels kinda bad is the fact that when you "roll", the symbols just sort of... appear. Some sort of rolling, or at least a slot-machine-like effect, would make a big difference.
Jason Hidden Achievement last edited by
@ceyowenct Thanks for the feedback! We'll add that to our list of things to look at as we're working on updates.


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Financial Aid
Who We Are
Financial Aid In-Person Services Closed Due to COVID-19.College of Alameda Financial Aid department is temporarily closed for in-person service due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We may resume full operation on Monday, January 4th. Please follow the instructions below for assistance.
Questions about your financial aid status –Send questions about your financial aid status to email@example.com with the following information: a) Full name, b) PCCD student ID number or day and month of birth, c) Phone number, mailing address, last year or term attended, or name a term of one COA course completed
To submit a document to Financial Aid – If you are submitting documents, please send a high-quality scanned document or photo. To scan, you can download Microsoft Office Lens on Google Play or the Apple App Store —or simply take a photo with your phone. Make sure you submit your documents in a safe and secure manner.
Option 1: Email email@example.com to request your documented be submitted online via Dropbox. Dropbox link will be emailed to you within 1-2 business days
Option 2:Password protect your documents and email them to firstname.lastname@example.com: Send the password in a separate email to firstname.lastname@example.com. (Note: For password protection instructions click here)
Option 3: Call 510-748-2391 or email firstname.lastname@example.com if Option 1 or Option 2 doesn't work for you
Our Services
Our office provides information about the kinds of aid available, how to apply for aid, aid you are eligible for, how and when you will receive your aid, and the terms of your aid financial. We also help you understand how to eligible for aid and the limits on how long you may receive aid.
There are three types of Federal Financial Aid: grants, loans, and work-study. A grant is free money. Loans are borrowed from the government and MUST be repaid. Work-study is a job on campus.
The FSA ID is your official Federal Student Aid ID, which you will use to log in to your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
You must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) . You can do it electronically at www.fafsa.gov. Once completed you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) via e-mail or in the mail. Please review your SAR and bring it to the Financial Aid Office in Building A-101 to check if there are any corrections to make.
Students need to send their official transcripts (from ALL non-district schools that they have attended) to the COA Financial Aid Office. In addition, about a third of the applicants will be chosen for verification and will need to submit the required documents prior to their file being processed.
Verification is proving that the income you reported on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is correct. Usually, verification is completed by submitting a photo copy of your and/or your parent's federal tax return. In addition, you will be asked to submit a Verification Worksheet to confirm your Dependent or Independent status.
No. You will be eligible for most Federal Financial Aid if you attend school half-time. However, with the Pell and SEOG Grants, your awards will be larger if you attend full-time.
Generally, grant recipients receive two checks a semester. One check comes at the beginning of the term and one check comes at the middle of the term. Loan recipients usually get two checks a year: one in Fall and one in Spring. College Work-Study students get one paycheck a month.
It depends upon your family's situation. The maximum Pell Grant would be $5,815 per year. The maximum Subsidized Stafford Loan for a first year dependent student is $3,500. Work-study allocations usually begin at $3,800 per year.
Not necessarily. Applicants for Federal Financial Aid (below the age of 24) are considered to be dependents, unless they are married, a veteran, an orphan, a ward of the court, or have dependents (usually children).
How long does it take from the time I complete my FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to when I receive my first check?
It may take at least 4-8 weeks.
Because many people are applying for financial aid. But here's a rough breakdown of the steps and the approximate timeframe for each: For you to receive your SAR after you have submitted your application online (Free Application for Federal Student Aid): 2 to 4 weeks; For COA to process your file: 4 to 6 weeks.
Call 1-800- 4-FED-AID / (800) 433-3243 (Note: If you provided an e-mail address, the SAR will be sent to you electronically.)
I have a "dead end" job and want to go back to school full time. Can I afford to quit my job and then go to school?
It might be difficult–especially in the first year. However, regardless of your income in the previous year, you will probably qualify for student loans.
Yes. Payments for student loans begin once a student leaves school for six months
(or falls below half-time enrollment for six months).
Yes & No. Students may submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student
Aid) application as early as January for the academic year that begins in the following Fall. Students that apply by March 2 will receive priority consideration for several types of Federal Financial Aid. Students that don't meet the priority deadline can still apply throughout the school year. (However, some Federal Financial Aid may no longer be available for those that apply late.) There is also a second deadline of Sept. 2 for Cal Grant consideration.
Yes. For each semester that you receive aid you will need to complete a certain number of units with a minimum GPA of at least 2.0. In addition, you need to maintain an overall completion rate of at least 67% and an overall GPA of at least 2.0. This is called maintaining "Satisfactory Academic Progress."
Provided that you maintain satisfactory academic progress, you can receive Federal Financial Aid until you exceed 150% of the published length of an eligible program. (In other words, students in 60 unit A.A./A.S. programs or planning to transfer to 4-year schools will need to complete their studies by the time they earn 90 units.) Students who exceed the maximum time-frame may petition for an extension of funding through an "appeal process."
Yes. Please make sure to visit your college Financial Aid Office 7 – 10 days after you have done so.
No. You need to complete a separate COA Application for Admission.
Financial Aid
Due to COVID-19, our campus will be closed until January 4, 2021. Financial Aid Department Staff will be working remotely. Please feel free to email us.
Monday 8:00-4:30PM
Tuesday 8:00-4:30PM
Wednesday 8:00-4:30PM
Thursday 8:00-4:30PM
Friday 8:00-4:30PM
Saturday CLOSED
Sunday CLOSED
Note: Hours are subject to change.
College of Alameda Dental Assisting Program
• College of Alameda offers a Dental Assisting Program that may require students to take the California License Exam.
• College of Alameda examination passage rates


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The purpose of Nicolet Bank is to serve customers. Real People, having Real Conversations and creating shared success.
Learn how to protect your small business.
Track your spending, pay bills, deposit checks and more.
43 branch locations throughout Wisconsin and Michigan.
Bob Atwell provides additional comments on NCBS 2nd quarter earnings release.Download Release
Insights for your financial well-being


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Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1789-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more
Libraries that Have It: Bucks-Mont courier. (Harleysville, Pa.) 1985-current
Harleysville, Pa. (1985-current)
HOLDING: Montgomery Cnty, Norristown Pub Libr, Norristown, PA
View more titles from this institution
Available as: Unspecified
Retains two weeks
Last updated: 10/1987
HOLDING: Pennsylvania Newsp Proj, Montgomery Cnty, Harrisburg, PA
View more titles from this institution
Available as: Original
- <1985:6:20-
Last updated: 09/1987


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JWR Post Race Reflection: Freestone
May 31, 2011 11:20am
The South of the Border, Jimmy Weinert Racing team came out of Freestone feeling pretty good. Some issues would cause for less than stellar results, but everyone came out of Texas healthy and feeling good heading into High Point. Here is what Jimmy and the rest of the team had to say about the weekend.


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Add a fabulous industrial vibe to your home with this gorgeous 'A' sign with battery powered LED bulbs. Perfect on its own in the bedroom, living room or hallway, and can also be used to spell out a word or phrase using the rest of the alphabet!
Dimensions: 41x5x41cm
Warning: Last items in stock!
Availability date:
28,00 €
No customer reviews for the moment.


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Owners Jeff Pfitzer and John Akers recruit 13 new real estate agents
Since opening EXIT Elite Realty in January, 2007, owners Jeff Pfitzer and John Akers have recruited over 13 new associates and obtained a total of 70 listings!
Managing Broker, John Akers attributes this success partly to the "In Your Face" DVD, and the EXIT Promo Shop training that they offer. EXIT Realty has developed enhanced training systems that equips and empowers associates with resources to achieve and surpass both their business and personal goals regardless if they are a top producer or new to the real estate industry.
Tags: EXIT Realty, real estate industry, real estate training, EXIT Elite Realty, In Your Face DVD, Jeff Pfitzer, John Akers


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Seeing quinces cannot be eaten raw, quince jelly is a lovely way to use the fruit. The natural pectin in the fruit causes it to set with out anything else.
The fruit left over will is delicious with cream or custard. Should there be too much to use, it will make a good jam for tarts or puddings.


text: You are here: Home > Videos > Course > Comfort Foods > Vegetable Noodle Grilled Sandwich Video by Tarla Dalal Vegetable Noodle Grilled Sandwich Video by Tarla Dalal Viewed 4154 times Vegetable Noodle Grilled Sandwich Video by Tarla Dalal. Noodles, sandwiches, pav bhaji... this recipe brings together all your favourite snacks into the handy format of a grilled sandwich! You will love the fusion of Indian and Chinese flavours in this innovative sandwich, which is packed with juicy veggies and cooked Hakka Noodles. Tweet Recipe Description for Vegetable Noodle Grilled Sandwich Preparation Time: 25 minsCooking Time: 30 mins Makes 6 sandwiches Show me for sandwiches Ingredients For The Noodle Stuffing3/4 cup boiled hakka noodles1 tbsp oil2 tsp garlic (lehsun) paste1/2 cup sliced spring onions whites1 1/2 cups capsicum juliennes (red , yellow and green)1 cup sliced tomatoes salt to taste1 tsp chilli powder2 tsp pav bhaji masala1/2 tsp soy sauce1 cup bean sprouts1/2 cup shredded cabbage1/4 cup chopped spring onion greensOther Ingredients12 bread slices16 tsp butter for greasing and spreading6 tbsp grated processed cheese Method For the noodle stuffingHeat the oil in a broad non-stick pan, add the garlic paste and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.Add the spring onion whites and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.Add the coloured capsicums and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.Add the tomatoes, salt, chilli powder, pav bhaji masala and soy sauce, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring ocassionally.Add the bean sprouts, cabbage and ½ cup of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minute, while stirring occasionally.Add the noodles, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring ocassionally.Switch of the flame, add the spring onion greens and mix well.Divide into 6 equal portions and keep aside.How to proceedPlace 4 bread slices on a clean, dry surface and spread 1 tsp of the butter on each bread slice.Top 2 buttered bread slices with a portion of the noodle stuffing and sprinkle 1 tbsp of cheese evenly over it.Sandwich them with the remaining 2 bread slices with the buttered-chutney side facing downwards.Again spread a little butter on the sandwiches and press it lightly.Place both the sandwiches in a greased and pre-heated sandwich griller and grill it for 4 to 5 minutes or till the sandwiches turns golden brown in colour and crisp.Repeat steps 1 to 5 to make 4 more sandwiches.Serve immediately. See step by step images of Vegetable Noodle Grilled Sandwich recipe RECIPE SOURCE : Tarla Dalal's Latest Recipes


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The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music/Safe Streets, Healthy Kids Week 1
The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music has been around for the last 110 years. It's the oldest and largest non-profit independent music school in Wisconsin. The building itself is extraordinary and sits on Prospect Avenue overlooking a beautiful view of Milwaukee's lakefront.
Inside this building, are a variety of teachers, students and staff, working hard to play an active role in our community. Literally starting from infants to teens, young adults and even retirees, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music provides a wide range music education and performance opportunities.
But what a lot of people don't know is that the Conservatory works with Milwaukee's youth both on and off of its grounds on Prospect Avenue. "Conservatory Connections" brings music programs, curriculum and classroom support to a lot of schools and community-based service organizations throughout the city.
These kids and teens get inspired to create music, and the Conservatory provides a healthy atmosphere for them to learn, work and grow into the artists/musicians they want to be.
Click the podcast below to hear from some of the youth and faculty behind The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. *This includes youth from the Classic Rock Band: Ben Keene (drums) and Louie Schurr (guitar), Instructor Matt Schroeder, and Executive Director Karen Deschere.
Learn more about the Milwaukee Public Schools Conservatory Connections Programs by clicking here.
Conservatory Student Spotlight section, here.


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After eight years of school (four years in undergrad and four years in grad), I began a thrilling new chapter in my life. On June 1st, I started as the Associate Pastor at Desert Heights Church. On June 21st, I preached my first sermon as a pastor.
The Text:
Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. But what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman." So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 4:28-5:1)
The Sermon:
Identity and Freedom from Desert Heights Church on Vimeo.


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Labor Day at The Corners!
Labor Day weekend means living up the last days of summer before heading back to school and there is nowhere better to spend it than at The Corners. Catch all our Labor Day sales just in time for school and enjoy time with the family over the long weekend. Check out all the Labor Day happenings at The Corners!
Labor Day (Monday 8/3) Hours
10am – 6 pm
Sendik's and restaurants hours may vary
Altar'd State
Buy one, get one 50% off fashion tops, buy one, get one 50% off long denim, and more!
40% off sale items, 20% off furniture and more!
Outdoor furniture sale!
Cafe Hollander
Labor Day Brunch on Monday, September 3rd
20% off 10 and 20 ride packs August 31st through September 3rd
Davids tea
Free llama tote with $40 purchase
10% off Labor Day Sale
Buy one, get one 60% off
Free People
25% off sale items
40% off all sale items
Kendra Scott
Spend $100 to save 15%, spend $150 to save 20% and spend $200+ to save 25%
L.L Bean
25% off through September 4th
Open holiday hours from 10a-5p
50% off summer favorites
Labor Day sale including grilling favorites like Sendik's fully trimmed beef tenderloins for $7.99/lb
Scout & Molly's
20% off Labor Day Sale Friday, August 31st through Monday, September 3rd
Receive a $50 gift card with full price denim purchase
Closed Monday, September 3rd
Von Maur
Wisconsin Vision


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Antique Amish Furniture
Antique Amish furniture is simple and well made. It is an excellent example of handcraftsmanship that withstands the tests of time.
How to Tell Antique from New
One of the most difficult tasks for the antique shopper is to be able to tell the difference between modern and antique Amish furniture. Since the items are still made by hand using high quality materials it can be difficult to know if a piece is old or not. Many new tables look much the same as the antique tables.
Window Shop
Don't rush into buying a piece. Shop around at several antique stores as well as specialty shops that carry Amish made furniture. Examine the furniture and compare the old and the new. Make notes of the differences that you notice. By looking at many items, both old and new, you will be more able to differentiate between the new furniture and the old.
Look for signs of wear and age on the item. This can be tricky because new furniture can be distressed; but signs of authentic wear can usually be seen. Areas that will usually show wear are:
- Corners
- Raised areas
- Carvings
- Edges
Look for signs that the wear is too perfect to be old. Natural fading and scratching of furniture finishes will be uneven and will look random.
Amish-made furniture is generally superior in craftsmanship. Newer handmade furniture will be created with modern items like wood screws. Look for signs that the furniture is made with all the same type of wood and is put together with joints rather than wood screws.
The hardware will look aged unless it has been replaced. Look for discoloration, rust, and other signs of oxidation.
Step back and take a good luck at the furniture. Make sure it is balanced and it looks right for the time in which it was supposed to be built. Be careful of items that have an older piece attached to a newer piece to make the antique look old. Because wood shrinks unevenly, the top of a table or the seat of a chair will be uneven to some extent. If it is totally even you should suspect that it is new.
Where to Buy Antique Amish Furniture
Vintage Amish furniture can be found more easily in some parts of the country than the others. Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Ohio are treasure troves of Amish handcrafted items. Generally, if you can find an area where there is an Amish community then you will find numerous shops that have these beautiful antiques as well as new items.
Dutch Valley Furniture and Antiques
Dutch Valley carries many different types of Amish items including antiques. Located in Sugar Creek Ohio, this 5,000 square foot facility may be just the place to spend a day finding just the item you are looking for.
Shrock's Amish Farm
Shrock's Amish Farm is a destination adventure. Not only is there an antique mall located on the property there are a variety of sights to see and things to do from buggy rides to Amish home tours. Shrock's is located in Berlin, Ohio.
The Internet
Of course, perhaps the most convenient and time efficient way to find Amish Antique furniture is to do an Internet search with a search engine like Google or Yahoo. eBay is another good place to start. If you are looking for a particular piece then make sure you use that in your search terms. For example, if you are looking for an Amish antique bed then you would include all terms like this: Amish+antique+bed.
Amish antiques are classic and fit beautifully in many styles of homes. Since they are so well made, they last forever and are a good choice when you love antique furniture but have children or pets. It is beautiful, durable, and a beautiful choice for your home.


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BBC Celebrates 15 Years of Outer Spacewear with Exclusive Capsule
Including an ultra-rare varsity jacket, limited to 15.
Pharrell Williams and NIGO's Billionaire Boys Club began in 2003, where the Spaceman logo would go on to become one of the most recognizable figures in streetwear. Now, BBC celebrates its 15th anniversary by delivering more "spacewear" with this exclusive collection.
In the gallery above, we see a few graphics adored over a selection of tees and a black hoodie. The back graphic on the hoodie showcases the brand's ethos that "Wealth Is of the Heart and Mind," as well as its celebratory 15-years in business. Meanwhile, on the chest, kanji is showcased to reflect the brand's Japanese roots alongside a logo of the iconic Spaceman.
The tees, which come in black and white, showcase the latter graphic on the back alongside the longitude/latitude of New York, London, and Tokyo. However, the most exclusive item, which is aptly limited to 15 pieces, is a varsity jacket highlighting each graphic from the capsule throughout the front and back. The Varsity jacket is, unlike the tees and hoodies, made for 15 recipients only.
Cop the tee and hoodie collection when it releases on December 14. In related fashion news, Extra Butter & The North Face connected for an NYC-inspired "Night Crawlers" collection.


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Anyway, you won't be able to tell from most of these photographs that my garden is in decline, because I took most of these photographs at the end of May, before the decline began. For example, when I took this photograph, Boston was still the only dog in the family. She posed with catmint and deergrass (both in the foreground), beardtongue, poppies, and silver bush lupine (all in the background to the right of her).
My narrowleaf milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis) has been blooming and attracting plenty of milkweed bugs. (We had millions of milkweed bugs even before I planted any milkweed; if anything, we actually have fewer of them now. I don't know what they were all eating before I planted milkweed, but I do see them crawling on the milkweed flowers sometimes.) This is an awkward-looking plant; on any given day, usually about half the stems are lying horizontally on the ground. Strangely, these stems intermittently perk up and stand vertically again, only to lie horizontally again the following day. I have no idea what that's about. The flowers are barely noticeable unless you walk very close, but they're kind of pretty if you do take the time to look for them.
My superb mariposa lily (Calochortus superbus) bloomed at the end of May. It produced three flowers, one at a time in rapid succession, each one lasting less than a week. Now they're all gone, and alll that's left is three seedpods. They were interesting while they lasted. They're called mariposa lilies because the markings on the petals resemble the eyes on the wings of a butterfly. "Mariposa" is the Spanish word for "butterfly."
Also at the end of May, I began finding old, dried up remains of flowers on my soap lily (Chlorogalum pomeridianum). This confused me terribly, because I never saw any fresh flowers. I checked the plant every day, and every day I saw only buds and old, dried-up flower remains. Then Susan bought me the book Wild Lilies, Irises, and Grasses: Gardening with California Monocots. The book explained that this plant blooms only at dusk, whereas I had been looking at it in broad daylight. I decided to go check on it at dusk, and right away I found it blooming.
My blue flax (Linum lewisii) is still blooming away as much as ever. This plant has definitely impressed me. (And I'm happy to say that one that sprouted from seed I scattered last fall is now almost big enough to start flowering too - next year I may have many of these!)
My smaller silver bush lupine (Lupinus albifrons) produced a single flower spike at the beginning of May, then wilted and turned brown at the end of May. My larger silver bush lupine waited until the end of May to suddenly produce a dozen flower spikes. This plant is still looking healthy; hopefully it had time to get its roots out a lot farther than my younger, smaller one did. However, the flower spikes are short lived; the bottom halves of them have already turned into seedpods now. (On the bright side, this means I'll soon be growing more of them!)
My catmint (Nepeta X faassenii 'Walker's Low') is in full bloom now and growing fast. Stardust is afraid to venture far enough out in the yard to go smell it, but she likes it plenty when I bring a sprig or two of it inside for her.
My foothill beardtongue (Penstemon heterophyllus 'Blue Springs') has just about reached the end of its blooming season now. Boston and Ganymede trampled on it and broke off most of the last few flowering stems the morning after we adopted Ganymede. But I took this picture in late May, while it was still at its peak.
My hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea) started blooming at the end of May and hasn't stopped yet.
My tiny Caraway thyme (Thymus herba-barona) that I planted in April hadn't yet bloomed a month ago, but has finished blooming now. Here's what it looked like while the flowers lasted.
My red bush monkeyflower (Mimulus puniceus) in the front yard has been blooming since late April, and now the smaller one in the back yard is also blooming. However, I couldn't get a good picture of either of them this month. They both have a lot of dried up old flowers on them, along with a few pretty new flowers at the tips of the stems.
A shrub that was apparently planted by the owners of our duplex has also started blooming. I think it's variegated Japanese burning bush (Euonymus japonicus 'Aureo-marginata').
It's supposed to be planted in full sun, but the owners planted it under the shade of the patio roof. As a result, the branches that are able to reach into the sunshine are twice as tall as the others and have yellow leaf variegation, while the parts in the shade are stunted and have no yellow on the leaves. This is the sort of monstrosity you will produce if you plant things without researching the correct conditions for them.
Here are two more shots of Boston in the garden at the end of May.
Here is Boston in the garden this morning, demonstrating why my poppies are looking so trampled lately.
And here is Ganymede running out to help her trample them. (Recognize my foothill beardtongue? See, it only has three or four blue flowers left.)
The dead-looking plant to the left of Ganymede is one of the dog-trampled willowherb branches that I tried to replant, hoping it would grow new roots. Obviously, it didn't work.
Meanwhile, my volunteer willowherb (Epilobium spp.), which I had previously thought was Fort Miller fairyfan (Clarkia williamsonii), is now as tall as I am, but it still hasn't bloomed. It's too heavy to hold up its own weight anymore, so I shoved it into the space between the fence and the house to keep it upright. One of these days, it's supposed to bloom. Maybe next month!


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Search BENLEE
Roll off Trailer Manufacturer
Roll off trailers (Roll-off dumps), Rolloff trucks, Roll off Hoists, along with Dump Trucks, Dump Trailers, Crushed Car Trailers Lugger Trucks and Roll off containers are our business. BENLEE at times has used roll off trailers for sale.
Why get a used roll off truck? Get a Super Mini Roll off truck replacement, Roll off trailer instead.
We manufacture the best roll off hoists in the business. We have shipped units from Maine to California and Alaska to Florida. Of course we ship to Canada and Mexico as well.
Canada, Mexico and other international markets are important to us for Roll off Trailers, Pups, two box roll off trailers and more. We have fleets of units in both countries and in places like Aruba, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, South Africa, Equator and more. We can help you with the weight laws by Canadian Province (SPIF laws) or by country. We are ready to support all companies in all countries with your trailer needs! For more information on trailers for the Canadian market click here. We are the manufacturer of units for the Canadian market, located about 4 miles from the Canadian/U.S. border in Michigan. We ship to Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and more. Dozens of companies in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and many other cities all run the best - a BENLEE roll off trailer, Open top Gondola scrap hauler, Pup and more! We are a roll off trailer manufacturer in Michigan that ships around the world.
We support all our products with a roll off trailer, roll off truck, Dump Truck and Lugger Truck parts operation, including an online store stocking hydraulic cylinders, sheaves, fenders, cables pulley, tarps, valves, arms, straps, winches, ratchets, tarps, rollers, etc. and Neway suspension products to Gresen and Parker hydraulic valves, Hyco, Custom, Tulsa Winch, Pioneer, Roll-Rite tarp systems, Galbreath, Galfab, Dragon, Huge Haul, Load Lugger (tm), Heil, American Roll-off, Palfinger, Steller, Converto, Accurate, DUNRIGHT, roll off parts and more. We are open Monday-Friday 6:00AM-5:00 PM EST. Also check out our Online Parts Store, open 24/7.
Lastly, we rebuild complete units and hoist systems from the ground up, meaning we do Frame Straightening, dump truck repair, truck frame repair.
For almost forty years, BENLEE has been one of the top names in the industry and manufacturers the best roll off trailers and roll off trucks. BENLEE's 32,000 square foot, 12 acre facility sits in the heart of manufacturing America in Romulus, Michigan, near Detroit. Quality is a hallmark at BENLEE and we boast five service bays, two frame straightening bays, a spare parts business and even a rental operation. Our in-house manufacturing brings together a highly experienced crew of experts that design, service sell and support the best roll off containers, roll off dumpsters, roll off dump trailers and trucks, as well as crushed car units and other specialty vehicles.
We are proud to offer top quality roll off containers and the best roll off trailer and roll off truck one can buy. Whether you are looking for a roll off dumpster or one of our roll off trucks for sale, you can rest assure that you will not only receive a high quality product but the very best in customer service. Everyone at BENLEE has firsthand experience in some end of the transportation business. We know the right questions to ask to make sure you are getting the exact product you need and will never try to oversell you. Then after we have sold you the right roll off, we offer top notch parts and service to keep your vehicles up and profitable. Our customers know they can rely on BENLEE to support them and keep their vehicles running.


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Whereas amphibians regenerate lost appendages spontaneously, mammals generally form scars over the injury site through the process of wound repair. The MRL mouse strain is an exception among mammals because it shows a spontaneous regenerative healing trait and so can be used to investigate proregenerative interventions in mammals. We report that hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is a central molecule in the process of regeneration in adult MRL mice. The degradation of HIF-1α protein, which occurs under normoxic conditions, is mediated by prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs). We used the drug 1,4-dihydrophenonthrolin-4-one-3-carboxylic acid (1,4-DPCA), a PHD inhibitor, to stabilize constitutive expression of HIF-1α protein. A locally injectable hydrogel containing 1,4-DPCA was designed to achieve controlled delivery of the drug over 4 to 10 days. Subcutaneous injection of the 1,4-DPCA/hydrogel into Swiss Webster mice that do not show a regenerative phenotype increased stable expression of HIF-1α protein over 5 days, providing a functional measure of drug release in vivo. Multiple peripheral subcutaneous injections of the 1,4-DPCA/hydrogel over a 10-day period led to regenerative wound healing in Swiss Webster mice after ear hole punch injury. Increased expression of the HIF-1α protein may provide a starting point for future studies on regeneration in mammals.
- Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science


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iLuv Dental
iLuv Dental
Welcome to iLuv Dental!
Our dental office was founded in Spring 2017. We provide state-of-the-art dental technology and services. At our dental office, our patients experience the most comfortable environment along with affordable and gentle dental care. We proudly provide general dentistry including braces, implant, cosmetic, wisdom teeth extraction, denture prosthesis, etc. Trust, Ethics and Honesty are the backbone in our practice.


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The first of the baby blue eyes (Nemophila menziesii) in our back yard opened on February 19. However, it only lasted a few days before the dogs trampled on it and broke the flower off. The next one opened around the end of February, also in the back yard, but that one was only an inch tall - the width of the flower was equal to the height and width of the entire plant - so it also only lasted a few days before a huge rainstorm submerged it entirely underwater and washed all the petals away. It wasn't until March 9 that we had multiple spring-blooming flowers open at once - a whole bunch of baby blue eyes and some arroyo lupine along the front sidewalk, and a few more baby blue eyes in the back yard. They all opened over the course of that morning, and now spring has really gotten started, with a continuous supply of flowers that should last for months.
Here are a flower and a bud of the baby blue eyes in the front yard, poking through the leaves of the arroyo lupine.
There are two spikes of arroyo lupine (Lupinus succulentus) blooming in the front yard now. I have some of this species in the back yard also, but the backyard lupines haven't started blooming. Here is the bigger of the front yard spikes. Jess at Hey Natives has a freakishly huge perennial lupine that appears to be a mutant individual of this normally annual species.
The mix of blues, purples, and whites on these flowers is incredible, and the flower spikes just keep getting bigger as more of the tiny white flowers toward the tip of the spike mature and turn blue.
Here is another shot of the baby blue eyes next to the front sidewalk, this time with the flowers fully open.
Also in the front sidewalk garden, the creeping sage (Salvia sonomensis), which produced just one flower spike last spring, has already produced four of them this spring. Some are still in bud, but here are two with the flowers open.
I have a very weak sense of smell; Susan tells me that she can tell when dinner is done cooking by waiting until she can smell it, but I hardly ever smell anything cooking unless it's burned to a crisp and smells like charcoal. Gardening books and websites frequently frustrate me with statements claiming that I can learn to identify certain families of plants (the mustard family, for example) by smelling them, or simply informing me that various species I've grown for years smell really good, when I've never noticed that they have any scent. There are very, very few plants that I've noticed any scent to - in fact, of the plants I have in our yard, I think this sage may be the only one! But the sage scent is strong enough that I can even smell it accidentally. It's nice to have at least one plant I can smell.
That completes the blue segment of Bloom Day. The next color segment consists of only one plant, but I sure am delighted by it. This Western redbud tree Cercis occidentalis) was the first plant I ever planted. Actually it was one of the first two plants I ever planted, but the other was a Douglas iris that I later re-transplanted and killed. The redbud alone survives. It produced its first buds last fall, which confused me, since it's supposed to be a spring-blooming plant. But only three or four flowers actually opened in the fall; the rest of the buds hung on all winter and are finally opening now. So this is the plant's first major bloom. Most of the flowers still haven't even opened yet, which means that the tree is going to get even more spectacular when they do.
Here is a closeup of the redbud.
And an even closer closeup. You can see that just the first couple of flowers have opened. (And no, I don't know what that bug is in the upper left corner. Can anyone identify it for me?)
Redbud silhouetted against fence.
Redbud silhouetted against compost bin (with baby blue eyes at base of bin).
This brings us to the yellow segment of Bloom Day, and also brings us to the real star of the show. Even though I personally am enthralled by the redbud, because it's the first plant I planted and is blooming for the first time, anyone who didn't know that history would surely be most drawn to the golden currant (Ribes aureum), which is either at or rapidly approaching peak bloom right now. (It's about a week ahead of the schedule it followed last year.) My pictures of it are truly inadequate to convey its grandeur. They're all at least a couple of days old, and right now, this plant is becoming more spectacular with every passing day.
The picture below is about a week old and doesn't even come close to showing how covered with yellow flowers the plant is today. But I'm working 50 hours per week, so it just hasn't been easy to find any spare moments to take new photographs. Also, I like the way this photograph shows that the yard was severely underwater last week (for reference as to the depth of the water, there's a stepping-stone in the lower right corner that is barely visible through the muck) and that the golden currant is planted directly in the muck. It's an amazingly tolerant plant; it's never complained at all about either floods or drought.
The low-growing plants surrounding it, with no flowers visible, include California aster (Symphyotrichum chilense), hairy gumplant (Grindelia hirsutula), seep monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus), meadowfoam (Limnanthes douglasii), clustered field sedge (Carex praegracilis), some cuttings of arroyo willow (Salix lasiolepis), and in the lower left corner, a goldfield (Lasthenia californica) with a tiny yellow bud beginning to open.
Here is a closeup of the golden currant.
In other news of yellow, the goldfields (Lasthenia californica) in the back yard are starting to bloom. Only two have opened so far. There are some in the front yard also, but none of those have opened yet.
And one of the buttercups (Ranunculus californicus) is about to bloom. I had two of this species last spring. One seems to have died over the winter. The other one came back, and apparently reseeded, because an additional plant came up next to it. I also bought a third plant this year. Only the one I just bought has produced a bud.
Here is another plant I just bought, also producing buds. This is an annual species that I've never tried to grow before: ribbed fringepod (Thysanocarpus radians).
You can't quite tell yet, but when these buds open, they'll be yellow. This is hairy gumplant (Grindelia hirsutula). I think I actually like its spiky buds more than I like its fully opened flowers.
That's about it for blooms today. There are some flowers I didn't photograph (blue witch nightshade, scarlet mallow, and woodland strawberry) and some buds I didn't photograph (tidy tips and Oregon sunshine), but I've certainly covered the majority of the show. Here's one last curiosity for you! I purchased the plant below at a California Native Plant Society sale last fall. It was labeled as pink honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula). Pink honeysuckle should have, as one might guess from the name, pink flowers. It took me a while to realize that these pale yellow things the plant started producing at the end of its stems over the winter were, in fact, flowers. And they're gone now - the plant bloomed from December to February and has now stopped blooming. I don't think this is the species it was labeled as being. It seems more like southern honeysuckle (Lonicera subspicata), although really neither of these species ought to bloom from December to February.
I bought a second plant later last fall that was also labeled as pink honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula). I bought this one from Annie's Annuals, and I think this one really is pink honeysuckle. It hasn't bloomed yet, so I can't verify the color of its flowers, but it seems much more viney and less shrubby than the other honeysuckle, which makes me all the more certain that the other one is not pink honeysuckle. I like the genuine pink honeysuckle much better than the mystery honeysuckle.
In addition to the flowers, I've discovered some exciting new seedlings this month. I'm hoping the seedling below is Hooker's evening-primrose (Oenothera elata ssp. hookeri), which I scattered a ton of seeds of. Can anybody verify or contradict this for me?
This seems to be fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) re-emerging from the ground after the winter.
For February Bloom Day, I showed you the osoberry (Oemleria cerasiformis) just beginning to leaf out. It's a lot leafier now! I took this photo of it during a rainstorm.
Not everything has started leafing out yet, though. The red-twig dogwood in the back yard and a second golden currant in the side yard have just barely started leafing out. The buttonbush and the ocean spray haven't started at all. Which brings me to the tale of my major garden activity this month: spring cleaning! Notice any shrubs missing in the picture below?
It had been clear for quite a while that the coffeeberry, which used to be at the middle right in the photo above, was never going to be happy in a yard as wet as this one - nor would it really have fit properly in its space if it had been happy enough to grow to full size. I had also realized last fall when I bought the ocean spray, which used to be at the middle left in the photo above, that the ideal spot for the ocean spray was right where the coffeeberry already was. The main thing that stopped me from removing the coffeeberry last fall and putting the ocean spray in its place was my concern for the checker mallow (Sidalcea malviflora) that was planted directly at the foot of the coffeeberry.
Well, the coffeeberry spent the winter looking more and more unhappy. Finally, at the end of February, I decided to just yank on its trunk and see whether I could pull it right up without any digging at all - which would, I figured, avoid disturbing the checker mallow. As it turned out, I couldn't just pull up the coffeeberry with my bare hands - but I was able to budge it enough that I went to put on gardening gloves and tried again that way. Eventually I pulled it out, bringing minimal roots and no dirt with it, which should have been very helpful for preserving the checker mallow.
I then much more carefully dug up the ocean spray and transplanted it to about two feet away from where the coffeeberry had been. I would have put it exactly where the coffeeberry had been, except that I was still trying to avoid disturbing the checker mallow.
Well, the checker mallow seems to have died anyway. It vanished a week or so after the transplant. The ocean spray will probably be fine, though I won't know for sure until it gets around to leafing out.
The spot where the ocean spray used to be is now quite bare. I want to obtain a new bush mallow and plant it there. This might be foolish of me, since I previously had a bush mallow in almost the exact same spot, and it died. However, it survived all the winter flood problems, only to die last August. Last August, our neighbors were emptying their above-ground pool into our yard once a week. This year they no longer have a pool, so if the bush mallow just can't handle summer water, it probably wouldn't get any anymore. Also, after it died I noticed that a substantial amount of mulch and debris had piled up against its crown, which I suspect had a lot to do with its demise. So I want to get a new one and be more careful to keep its crown unburied.
Anyway, on with the spring garden cleaning! A year or so ago, I planted Baltic rush (Juncus balticus) on the left side of the garden hose and common rush (Juncus effusus) on the right side of it. Both had spread out considerably since then. Both turned out to be slightly pointier than would be ideal for a plant that I have to reach through when turning the hose on and off. Both (but especially the Baltic rush) turned significantly brown over the winter, which looked ugly. Then the common rush advanced into a clump of the much smaller poverty rush (Juncus tenuis) and killed it in no time at all. It also started advancing toward numerous other tiny, vulnerable plants. Then I discovered that the Baltic rush had completely surrounded a globe gilia seedling and was closing in for the kill.
Here are the rushes, marching rapidly out into the yard to take over.
I decided I've had enough. The rushes must go! If I don't get rid of them now, I'll soon have a yard full of nothing but rushes!
I haven't finished digging them out yet. I started on it, and learned that they have gigantic rhizomes, as big around as my finger and longer than my legs. I think it might take a while to fully remove them.
My Santa Barbara sedge has been spreading into and threatening other plants in a very similar way, and I've found that it has similarly huge rhizomes. I think that one might need to go also. There's really only one grasslike plant that I like enough to be willing to let it take over half the yard if it wants to, and that's clustered field sedge (Carex praegracilis). It's so much prettier than the Santa Barbara sedge - denser, shorter, softer, fluffier, brighter green. And this month it's in bloom! Here are the clustered field sedge flowers.
This concludes this month's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. Here is one last photo, taken today, with the golden currant at the very peak of its bloom (look how much yellower it is than in those earlier pictures!) and ripped-out rushes lying on the ground where the ocean spray used to be.


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Please feel free to share growth data for yourself or your AMCer using the form at https://goo.gl/4XP2q1 . Information is being collected to plot data specifically for AMCers under the age of 2 to compare with traditional growth curves.
However, if you have info for an older AMCer over the age of 2, you can also share your info! Please feel free to submit this form as many times as you like if you have saved your AMCer's growth data over time.
We do NOT collect any personal information with this form. Please help us spread the word about this with other AMCers by sending them to the form at https://goo.gl/4XP2q1 .
Data collected through January 7, 2019 has been plotted against "traditional" growth charts from the World Health Organization. You may download the charts using the link below. Please note
- Data for "traditional" growth charts was taken from the World Health Organization at https://www.cdc.gov/
growthcharts/percentile_data_ files.htm can be found in the "Traditional Growth Chart" sheet.
- Families and individuals impacted by AMC were permitted to anonymously submit height and weight information online via a Google Form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdteW2PEcTfxMi5aFUMsjnhRtNcL7fo1NJ8yrc9MZ6oDhOPEg/viewform .
- No verification or additional quality control was performed on this data. Furthermore this information has not been reviewed by anyone in a professional medical capacity.
- Minor corrections were made to submitted data to convert measurements to consistent units (e.g. 22 and 1/2 inches changed to 22.5 inches).
- Data were plotted for AMCers by sex, age, and diagnosis against the WHO growth charts/percentiles. AMCer data are shown in black markers in the sheets: "Weight Chart – Boys", "Weight Chart – Girls", "Length Chart – Boys" and "Length Chart – Girls".
- This information is shared purely for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease and should not be treated as medical advice. AMCSI assumes no responsibility for the improper use of and self-diagnosis and/or treatment using this information. For any suspected or known illness or health concern, always consult with your physician or health care provider


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I realize that I could be susceptible to derision for the title of this piece, especially in these times, when there is almost daily bombardment from the White House and Congress to the contrary. In this very blog, I have written over the past few weeks about potentially catastrophic executive orders to destroy positive actions towards climate change, efforts—and successes—to undo stream protections, and shrinking biodiversity world-wide. These deleterious effects can be felt right here in the Southern Appalachians and Piedmont.
However, there certainly are some positive signs, trends, and actions taking place all around us that can give those concerned about environmental health and stewardship reasons to be optimistic, despite the efforts in the opposite direction by some of our government officials. Here are a few:
- Over the past three years (2014-2016), global CO2 emissions have leveled off, mostly due to decreasing levels of coal burning for electricity generation, according to the Global Carbon Budget annual report of November 2016. Leveling off is not good enough, as we must significantly decrease global emissions to keep global temperatures from increasing more than 1.5-2.0 °C (2.7-3.6 °F). However, as a U.K. professor of carbon management puts it, "This may be the turning point we have hoped for."
- Electric car maker Tesla is now the most valuable U.S. car manufacturer, overtaking Ford and GM over the past few weeks. Tesla produced only 76,000 cars in 2016, as compared to GM's 10 million and Ford's 6.7 million, but the valuation shows the optimism of investors for Tesla's potentially-revolutionary advances in electric car technology. Tesla plans to roll out its widely-anticipated Model 3 sedan later this year.
- Zunum Aero announced last week that it plans to fly electric planes, powered by batteries manufactured for electric cars, for shorter, regional flights by the early 2020s (which, admittedly, some analysts think is an overly-optimistic target).
- Almost daily one can read of an inspiring story of individuals and conservation groups making great strides to preserve more land, and to piece together corridors to connect tracts of preserved land. Just last week in the Asheville, NC area, we saw headlines celebrating the preservation of a tract of land on the edge of North Mills River, a pristine delayed-harvest trout stream between Brevard and Asheville. One of the groups was the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, partnering with Trout Unlimited, Pisgah National Forest, and conservationist Tom Oreck of Asheville.
- The bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives is now up to 36 members—18 Republicans and 18 Democrats. For a Democrat to join the Caucus, he/she must have a corresponding Republican to join. The Climate Solutions Caucus explores "policy options that address the impacts, causes, and challenges of our changing climate."
- Renewable energy—hydro-electric, wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal—accounted for 15% of U.S. electricity generation in 2016, up from about 10% in 2010.
- Speaking of renewable energy, wind power capacity is accelerating in the U.S. and abroad. In 2015, wind accounted for 41% of U.S. power capacity additions. A majority of U.S. states have utility-scale wind turbines, led by Texas, Iowa, Illinois, and California, and the S. Department of Energy projects that 48 states will have utility-scale wind by 2050. See the promising trend and projections in wind capacity in the graph below.
The positive signs and trends are out there—you just have to look for them, and not become numb because of the ubiquitous anti-environmental messages coming from the White House and Scott Pruitt. Next week I will write about what we as individuals can do in some of these areas to help continue the positive trends.


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This Casio dress, quartz movement watch comprises of silver-tone hands. It's polished stainless steel bezel, crown and case, stainless steel caseback further add to the watch elegance and style.
- Mineral Glass
- Water Resistant
- Stainless Steel Band
- Triple Fold Clasp
- Regular timekeeping :Analog: 3 hands (hour, minute, second)
- Accuracy: ±20 seconds per month
- Approx. battery life:3 years on SR626SW
- Size of Case :40 x 29 x 7.8mm
- Total Weight : 83g


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Contact Us
Merrydale Manor is an inspirational location for weddings, parties, events and much more. Arrange a visit so you can see the potential of this magnificent venue.
To book viewing, please contact us on the following details:
We are here to help during normal office hours. Alternatively, you can book an appointment by clicking the 'book an appointment' link below.


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The information contained in these pages must not be used or relied upon by private investors. We recommend that you read our 'Terms & Conditions' before browsing the site.
Please click submit to confirm that you are a consultant, institutional investor or trustee and wish to continue.
M&G Investments
This video features our residential development The Green, Crawley, and M&G Real Estate head of residential investment Alex Greaves discusses the benefits of accessing the sector for institutional investors.
The value of investments will fluctuate, which will cause prices to fall as well as rise and investors may not get back the original amount they invested.


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Laurence Fishburne is heading back to the small screen.
The former CSI star has been cast on NBC's upcoming Hannibal Lecter thriller Hannibal, TVGuide.com has confirmed. He will play FBI special agent Jack Crawford, the boss of Hugh Dancy's Will Graham, the criminal profiler who's tracking a serial killer with the help of Dr. Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen).
NBC Casts Bond Baddie as Hannibal Lecter for Upcoming Series
The series is a bit of a reimagining of Thomas Harris' novel Red Dragon, the prequel to The Silence of the Lambs.
Hannibal will premiere as a midseason replacement on NBC.


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DBX 131s Single Channel 31-Band Graphic Equalizer
Dbx 131s Single Channel 31-Band Graphic Equalizer
When the pros need an EQ, they turn to dbx. With a proven track record that spans four decades, dbx® EQs are the industry standard for touring, studios, and audio installations. With the dbx heritage of revered pro EQs, the 131s meets the needs of the most demanding sound reinforcement environments, while offering the simplicity of straightforward controls. The dbx 131s includes a single 31-band channel of 1/3-octave equalization, -12 dB input gain, switchable -6 dB or -12 dB boost/cut range, 20mm nonconductive sliders, an intuitive user interface, and output level metering. From its extended 10Hz to 50kHz frequency response and 110 dB dynamic range to the quality componentry and meticulous attention to detail, the 131s offers exceptional sound and rugged reliability that guarantees you will always sound your best. Sure to find a home in the studio, on tour and with installed sound venues, the dbx 131s is destined to take its rightful place in the lineage of great dbx signal processors that are the professional's choice in signal processing. With such affordable quality, there's no longer any excuse for compromising your sound.
- Single 31-band, 1/3-octave Constant Q frequency bands
- Switchable boost/cut ranges of ±6 or ±12dB
- 12dB per octave, 3dB down @ 50Hz low-cut filter
- Front panel bypass switch
- ±12 dB input gain range
- 4-segment LED ladders for monitoring output levels
- XLR and TRS Inputs and Outputs
- Frequency Repsonse of 50kHz
- Dynamic range of greater than 108dB
Customer reviews
It arrived on time and in pristine condition. Will use this company again
Home trials have been great. Can't wait to put it in my bass rig.
Too early to tell. However, I would have preferred for live performance to have lights in the fader switches so adjustments can be made in a darkened room.


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What Is a Less than Container Load?
Freight companies operate by shipping cargo either in individual packages or fully stocked metal containers. The back part of 18 wheelers or semis is a metal box called a container. The container can be shipped via truck, rail, or sea. A less than container load, or LCL, shipment occurs when a specific shipper consigns a truck or other cargo vessel to ship product by itself in a container that is not completely full.
Since a standard shipping container can hold dozens of pallets of cargo, the freight company typically combines the cargo from multiple requesters to fill the vessel. This helps control the cost of shipping each piece of freight. The total landed cost, or cost to move a piece of freight from one destination to the other, is directly affected by fuel costs.
The more densely packed the container, the lower the cost to move one individual piece of freight. This is affected by the cost of fuel to transport the cargo, the cost of labor to drive or transport, and the wear and tear on the vehicle. When a company chooses to ship less than container load freight, the total cost is divided by only the number of pieces shipped which, in turn, makes the cost per piece more.
Though more expensive to ship using the less than container load process, there are times when it is required. If, for example, the material is sensitive to changes in weather such as electronic devices or are perishable in the case of food items, it may be necessary to ship immediately regardless of whether the container is full. Critical customer requirements may also require a less than container load shipment.
Often super critical shipments will ship via air transportation, which is even more expensive than ground. If the product is physically large or heavy, a less than container load shipment may be a less expensive option while still getting the product to the destination on time. Ultimately, the costs for shipping a smaller container is weighed against how soon the product needs to arrive to determine what to do.
Less than carload shipments are also sometimes used. Similar to less than container load shipments, a less than carload shipment occurs when rail cars are shipped without being completely full. This most often occurs when there is livestock, such as cattle, that needs to be transported immediately but may not completely fill a rail car. In this situation, the cargo must arrive at its destination within a specified time line without regard to how full the cars are.


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During the conceptual stages of a portrait shoot, when deciding which color palette to incorporate, could less possibly be more? This brief video from Adorama TV features small home studio savant Gavin Hoey showcasing for us how to create effective portraits in studio within a limited color range.
Hoey ties his examples together using a singular color for accessories, makeup, and wardrobe throughout the video. Utilization of a single background light, positioned behind the model, plays a crucial role here as it creates a bit of separation within the punchy monotone color, ensuring you are not left overwhelmed by an overuse of the limited spectrum. Often with so many directions to take a portrait in, too easy is it to complicate things. Hoey keeps things simple but effective with color.
In another example, Hoey demonstrates the versatility of gray-colored backgrounds and how you can transform a mundane gray backdrop with the creative use of gels on set. Attaching a gel to that same background light can drastically shift the feel of your image. Owning a plethora of studio backgrounds is wonderful to keep things varied on set, but they can get relatively pricey, and difficult to store, especially once you start to purchase your favorite backdrops in additional color and textures.
Would you agree that this is a case of less is indeed more?
3 Comments
Good stuff!
Thanks for sharing my video. Very decent of you :)