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Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox announced yesterday (7/15/09) that his office was filing charges against four Michigan companies and one individual for committing foreclosure rescue fraud.
The total of 18 charges being filed stems from an undercover operation that was deployed as a result of complaints made by homeowners facing foreclosure, who were charged between $595 and $3,000 for foreclosure advice and prevention services.
Michigan law prohibits foreclosure rescue companies from making false or misleading statements and from charging for services in advance when seeking to negotiate a mortgage loan on behalf of a homeowner.
Some of the false or misleading statements made by those charged include:
- guarantees to prevent foreclosure
- falsely claiming high success rates
- assertions that foreclosure could be avoided regardless of credit score, home appraisal or debt to income ratio
Additionally, one company advised homeowners not to communicate with their mortgage company, an employee of another admitted they had no loan training, and the one individual charged also used the state seal on his business cards but did not work for the state of Michigan.
Those charged include:
- Save My Home USA, Madison Heights, MI
- Help4Homeowners, Birmingham, MI
- Payment Doctors, Livonia, MI
- Michigan Economic Reinstatement Program (MERP), Livonia, MI
- Mark Alan Foe, owner of MERP
Warnings were issued to 17 other companies citing their practices may be in violation of Michigan state law, and more information was requested about their business. They are:
- AFS Loan Modification Corp, Redondo Beach, CA
- Apply 2 Save, Inc./Apply2Save, Coeur D'Alene, ID
- Elect Group LLC, Deerfield Beach, FL
- Equity Recovery Services, Towsen, MD
- Federal Home Savers, Comniack, NY
- Financial Solution Center, Corona, CA
- Fresh Start Home Modification, Woodbury Heights, NJ
- Fresh Start Program/Fresh Start Mortgage Assistance, Fresh Start Mortgage Solutions, Mortgage Assistance Solutions, Clearwater, FL
- Hope Now Modifications, LLC, Cherry Hill Twp., NJ
- IMC Financial, Clearwater, FL
- Kirkland Young, LLC, Miami Beach, FL
- National Home Loan Assistance Program, San Diego, CA
- New Hope Loan Modification, Bellmawr, NJ
- Oceanview Investments, Oceanview Investment Services Corp., Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Peoples First Financial, San Diego, CA
- Pope & Associates Mortgage, Ontario, CA
- Savemtg.com, Galthersburg, MD
If you or someone you know has been a victim or client of one of these companies, or the victim of any type of mortgage or foreclosure rescue fraud, contact the office of your Attorney General right away for help and information.
Michigan homeowners should call (877) 765-8388. For other states, click here to find your Attorney General.


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This article refers to the overall multinational beverage manufacturer, distributor, and marketer. To view Coca-Cola bottlers, see Coca-Cola (disambiguation)
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest manufacturer, distributor, and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, KO sells concentrated forms of its beverages to bottlers who then produce, package, and sell the finished products to retailers. The Coca-Cola Company operates in over 200 countries and sells more than 400 different brands that produce over 3000 different products, including the famous Coca-Cola and Sprite lines of soft drinks. [1]
Growing consumer preference for healthier drinks and increasingly saturated markets has resulted in slowing growth rates for sales of carbonated soft drinks (abbreviated as CSD), which constitutes 78% of KO's sales. [2] KO's profits are also vulnerable to the volatile costs for the raw materials used to make drinks - the corn syrup used as a sweetener, the aluminum used in cans, and the plastic used in bottles. Furthermore, decreased consumer spending in Coke's large North American market compounds the challenge of rising costs and a weak economic environment.[3] Finally, Coca-Cola earns approximately 75% of revenue from international sales, exposing it to currency fluctuations, which are particularly adverse with a stronger U.S. Dollar (USD). [4]
Despite these challenges, Coca-Cola has remained profitable. Though the non-CSD market is growing quickly, the traditional CSD market is still large in terms of both revenues and volume and highly lucrative. The size and variety of KO's offerings in the CSD category, coupled with the unparalleled brand equity of the Coca-Cola trademark, has allowed KO to maintain its share of this important market. KO has also responded to consumers' changing tastes with new, non-CSD product launches and acquisitions such as that of Glaceau[5]. Strong international growth has also more than offset a weak domestic market.
The Coca-Cola Company produces over 400 brands of non-alcoholic beverages, including carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, such as ready-to-drink juices, coffee drinks, tea and bottled water. Under these 400+ brands, there are more than 3,000 different beverage products. [6] Most of KO's beverage portfolio is composed of CSD, though the company has been expanding into the non-CSD category in response to a shift in consumer demand and a greater emphasis on healthy options.
The remaining 23% of KO's total volume is composed of non-carbonated soft drinks, which include a variety of beverages such a fruit juices, waters, sports drinks, and teas. This non-CSD segment has been showing higher growth rates than the CSD category, resulting from higher demand for healthy alternatives to traditional CSD. [7]
The Coca-Cola Company's major non-CSD offerings (>$1 billion in annual sales) include:
77% of the Coca Cola Company's products are classified as carbonated soft drinks, making it particularly sensitive to changes in demand for CSD. [8]
Though KO has been somewhat slow to respond to this shift in consumer preferences, it has recently begun to increase its development of both diet CSD and non-CSD beverages. KO is faced with the task of balancing the risk of new innovations with the low growth rates of established brands, a predicament for manufactures throughout the beverage industry.
The Coca-Cola Company's profitability can be affected both directly and indirectly by the costs of various production inputs. KO itself is responsible for purchasing the raw materials used to make its concentrates and syrups. Variations in the prices for these goods can affect the company's total cost of production as well as its profit margins. Changes in the production costs of bottlers can also impact KO's profitability, though in a more indirect way. If the raw materials necessary for bottling become more expensive, the bottler may be forced to drastically raise prices to compensate. Such a price increase would likely hurt KO and provide a possible incentive for consumers to switch to other companies' beverages. Aluminum, corn, and PET resin are three examples of input costs that could have significant bearing on the Coca-Cola Company's profit margins. nj
KO has broad exposure to foreign currencies and actively hedges a large portion of these to avoid wide swings in earnings from currency fluctuations. Although this hedging insulates it from the potential downside of a strengthening dollar, it also limits larger gains from drastic downswings in the dollar's value.
Coca-Cola's main competitors in the U.S. are Pepsico (PEP) and Cadbury Schweppes (CSG). There are many smaller beverage companies competing domestically, and marketers of non-CSD brands sometimes possess significant shares of their specific sectors. Examples include Red Bull GmbH's Red Bull energy drink, Monster energy drink, produced by Hansen Natural (HANS), and Ferolito, Vultaggio & Son's Arizona iced tea.
For decades now, Coke and Pepsi have battled for the title of tastiest soda producer, but which company will add the best flavor to your investment portfolio? Although both companies share powerful brand names and global franchises, there are two important distinctions between Pepsico and Coca-Cola that any investor should consider before choosing between these comestible titans:
When it comes to international presence, Coca-Cola easily trumps Pepsico. Coca-Cola's larger global footprint exposes it more to international economic forces, particularly in the developing world. While this led to strong growth through much of the decade, weakness in emerging market economies could easily slow this momentum. Furthermore, because Coke generates so much of its revenue abroad, it stands to suffer from the continuing strengthening of the dollar as sales denominated in foreign currencies are suddenly worth less money back in the US. At the same time, Pepsico's heavy dependence on North America makes it much more susceptible to a slowing US economy. The company is also interested in developing a joint venture partnership for growing mangoes, similar to an operation they already have in Brazil.[11]
Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS),Pepper_Gains_Share Soft Drink Sales Down for Fifth Year in a Row, CNBC, 3/24/10]</ref> DPS manufactures both beverages and confectionery goods, and it has sold some of its trademarks in certain geographic regions to both KO and PEP. In the U.S., some of DPS's significant beverage brands are:
The company identifies itself as a beverage business, and its sole revenue source is from its beverage lines. It is a direct competitor of both KO and PEP, though its as a company is significantly smaller.
With a partnership between Starbucks, Pepsi is the undisputed owner of the U.S. ready-to-drink (i.e., canned) coffee and tea market, with 90% market share. The global market is a different story - Coca-Cola's Georgia product line owns over 30% of the international market, easily dwarfing Starbuck's 4%. However, the Pepsi-Starbucks partnership has started to exert pressure on Coca-Cola Company's international sales with the 2008 beginning of its two year expansion into new markets, including China. Coca-Cola will have to protect its sales from the new competition, which is supported both by Pepsi's distribution strength and Starbucks' brand recognition.[12]
Internationally, the Coca-Cola Company's largest competitor is, again, PepsiCo (PEP). Both companies have significant presence in the domestic market, but KO sells more beverages outside of the U.S. KO receives nearly 80% of its operating income from international sources and holds over half of the global market share for non-alcoholic beverages. PEP, meanwhile, makes only 42% of its net revenue from outside the U.S., and a large portion of PEP's income comes instead from its snack business, a market in which KO does not participate. [13]
In addition to PEP, Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) also sells beverages internationally, specifically in Australia, Mexico, and Canada. DPS's predecessor Cadbury Schweppes (CSG) had previously sold beverages in Europe, South Africa, and Hong Kong, among others, but the new company since sold its businesses in all markets except Australia and North America. DPS generates only 10% of its revenue from abroad, relfecting the company's desire to concentrate on its strongest markets. [14]
There are various other concentrate manufacturers and beverage franchisers across the world, though none hold a significant percentage of the global market, instead focusing on particular geographic regions.

subset: commoncrawl


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NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is lashing out at reports that he encouraged Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to run to succeed him.
The mayor was asked Tuesday about the reports, which cite anonymous sources. He responded: "Did you hear me say that?"
He went on to praise expected mayoral candidate City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who stood by his side. She's long been perceived to have his support for the 2013 race.
Bloomberg says if journalists want to start a fight between him and Quinn, they won't succeed.
The New York Times first reported Monday that Bloomberg suggested a mayoral bid to Clinton by phone some months ago, but Clinton wasn't interested.
Clinton aides won't confirm such a call took place or discuss her plans.


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If you have forgotten your username or password, you can request to have your username emailed to you and to reset your password. When you fill in your registered email address, you will be sent instructions on how to reset your password.
This archive is the permanent record of submissions that were ended before their adjudication process was complete. These performances are not verified or considered valid by Twin Galaxies.


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Customers who rent cars at the airport are happier with the experience, a new survey shows, and they have a new favorite rental car provider.
Consumer satisfaction increased from 2010 and is nearly as high as it was in 2006, according to a J.D. Power & Associates survey released early Tuesday. The business traveler's contentment surged, up by 15 points; the leisure traveler was up by 3 points.
Ace Rent-a-Car placed first in the satisfaction survey, scoring 793 out of 1,000 points on the satisfaction index. It was followed by Enterprise at 787, National at 768 and Hertz at 761. The industry average was 758.
The rest of the list in descending order: Alamo, Budget, Dollar, Avis, Advantage, Thrifty and Fox.
Customers are asked to rate the rental car companies on pickup and return processes; the car itself; the shuttle bus/van ride to the car rental facility; making a reservation; and costs and fees. More than 12,000 customers gave their opinions in the survey, which ran from January through September.
Stuart Greif, the vice president of the travel practice at J.D. Power, thinks technology may be able to improve customer satisfaction even more; it could, he said, tell customers how long they might have to wait for their shuttle to the rental car counter or communicate the fuel level in the gas tank to the company so customers aren't held up by companies that have to check manually or, worse, companies that require a receipt that a customer may or may not have to prove fuel was purchased.


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March night patrols aimed at motorists failing to use seat belts
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) is joining forces with state and local law enforcement this March to conduct overnight seat belt patrols. This will be the first time the state has funded a seat belt campaign to be conducted almost exclusively at night.
From March 15 to 24 teams of officers will monitor seat belt use throughout the state. Violators will be fined $85 for each person in the vehicle who is not wearing a safety restraint.
The new strategy is based on data that shows 79 percent of passenger vehicle fatalities in Rhode Island occurred between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. In those fatal crashes, nearly three-quarters of the motorists killed were not wearing their seat belts.
"Study after study has shown that wearing a seat belt is the best protection in a crash," RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said in a statement. "Drivers and passengers should be reaching for their belts as soon as they get into a vehicle, no matter what time of day it is."
This campaign will be the third enforcement effort conducted under Rhode Island's new primary seat belt law. Enacted June 30, 2011, the statute allows law enforcement to cite motorists at any time for not buckling up. Under the prior law, drivers had to be pulled over for another offense before they could be ticketed for not wearing a safety restraint.
According to the department, the Office on Highway Safety has budgeted $21,000 for state police seat belt enforcement and rollover simulator details for the federal fiscal year (10/1/11 to 9/30/12), which breaks down to about $5,526 for the 10-day enforcement period in March. The annual budget for the 38 municipal departments is $293,000, or about $77,105 for the March event.
Rhode Island has shown improvement in several key safety areas. A study conducted last year found that more than 80 percent of drivers and passengers are wearing their seat belts, the first time the state has reached that mark. This data represents an increase of 2 percentage points from 2010 and an increase of 8 percentage points in just the last four years.
Roadway deaths also have been on a downward trend both nationally and locally. A report released late last year by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) showed that the number of people killed in traffic crashes nationwide in 2010 was the lowest since 1949, and Rhode Island was one of the states leading the way with a 20 percent drop in deaths from the previous year.
"The results of these studies are encouraging, but one death is still too many," Lewis said. "Enforcement efforts like this help underscore the message that motorists should fasten their belts every time they get in a car – not just to avoid a fine, but for their safety."
Buckling up is one of the most effective precautions that drivers and passengers can take to protect themselves in a crash. According to NHTSA, seat belts saved more than 72,000 lives across the country from 2004 to 2009. Worn correctly, seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45 percent for occupants in the front seat of a passenger car, and by 60 percent for occupants in a pickup truck, SUV or van.


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The light levels were very low so it was difficult to take this photo. Flash would have startled them and it would have also spoiled the atmosphere of the photo.
hide photo detail info
location: Ho Chi Minh City | shooting date: 2002-01-01 | camera: Minolta Maxxum 7 | lens: Minolta 24-85 f3.5-4.5 | support: Tripod
SLIDESHOW OFF | 4s | 7s | 10s | 15s | 20s


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- This event has passed.
After School Cafe
May 3 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 3:00pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, repeating until May 25, 2018
After-School Cafe will begin Tuesday, October 3rd and will then be open Monday-Thursday 3-5, or 1-3 on Lisbon early out days (closed when Lisbon school is not in session). There is no fee or pre-registration required.
This program is FREE and available to Lisbon and Mount Vernon kids 9 and up (or younger kids with an older sibling). Participants can socialize, enjoy a snack, play games, or participate in crafts.
Note: If the SELCC or library is closed for any reason (weather, holiday, or staff absence) the cafe may be closed as well.


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About NIJ
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Margaret A. Zahn, ed.Temple University Press, 2009
During the past decade and a half, girls' involvement in the juvenile justice system has increased. Yet the topic remains
understudied by criminologists. The Delinquent Girl identifies and analyzes the types of girls who become delinquent, the kinds of crimes they commit and the reasons they commit
them. Contributors examine the major theories and explanations of female delinquency and consider the "gender gap" between
male and female offenders. The book also provides an overview of the research on girls' delinquency, discusses policy implications
and points to areas in which further research is needed.
Anil K. Jain, Patrick Flynn and Arun A. Ross, eds.Springer, 2008
Biometric recognition — using physical or behavioral characteristics (e.g., fingerprints, face, voice or hand geometry) to
identify an individual — is a swiftly evolving science. The Handbook of Biometrics provides an overview of the technologies, applications and implementation of biometric systems. Researchers in the field
discuss the basic concepts and traits as well as the latest advancements. The handbook is broken into three areas: individual
biometric modalities, multibiometrics, and the deployment of biometrics in government and civilian applications. It also provides
extensive bibliographies for the topical areas.
Davide Maltoni, Dario Maio, Anil K. Jain and Salil PrabhakarSpringer, 2003
Fingerprint recognition, despite its use in the forensics community for more than a century, still presents a complex and
important pattern recognition problem. The Handbook of Fingerprint Recognition covers the most recent advances and practices in the field, including sensing, feature extraction and matching, synthetic
fingerprint image generation, indexing, and multimodal systems. The authors discuss the major concepts, topics and security
methods associated with fingerprint recognition systems. The handbook also includes a DVD containing the full versions of
the FVC2002 and FVC2000 fingerprint databases and a demo version of SFinGe, software used for synthetic fingerprint image
NIJ Journal No. 261, October 2008
Back to: NIJ Journal No. 261 home.
National Institute of Justice, 810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531


text: The Brooks Colt draws upon the company's history to offer riders a shape inspired by the classic racing saddles of the '70s and '80s. A favorite among Brooks aficionados since its creation in 1979, the Colt is renowned for its strength and durability. Brooks used all-natural vegetable dyes on their full-grain leather to achieve stunning color, and secured it to their traditional steel frame with elegant, hand-hammered copper rivets.


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Pets, Pets, Pets
The poet Byron said it best: "The dew of compassion is a tear." A dedicated champion to all cats and to everyone who has ever adored one died last week. Dr. James Richards, age 58, director of the Cornell Feline Health Center, nationally recognized expert on cat care, and mentor to so many, succumbed April 24 to injuries sustained in a tragic accident two days before. The veterinary community and the pet world lost a truly compassionate teacher and friend.
Cats have healthier lives because of Dr. Richards. As the past president of the American Association of Feline Practitioners, in the 1990s he investigated why many cats were developing aggressive cancers (sarcomas) at injection sites. He helped create a task force to research the problem. The findings led to safer vaccine protocols. He was also an advisor for Alley Cat Allies, a national Trap- Neuter-Release group to manage ferals, and served on a panel for feline senior care.
Author of the ASPCA Complete Book of Cats, co-author of the Cornell Book of Cats, Dr. Richards was editor of Cornell's newsletter "CatWatch" as well where his monthly "Ask Dr. Richards" column mixed medicine and musings. In 10/ 05 when answering a letter about a cat's extra pounds, he remarked about a "portly veterinary colleague" who whispered, "You know, Jim, the only people worried about fat cats are skinny vets!" Then he went on to clarify the real dangers of feline obesity. Dr. Richards was also a comforting voice on Cornell's Pet Support Loss Hotline and 1-800-KITTY-Dr which responds to distress calls from vets and owners.
With some assistance from Cornell's spokes cats, the late Dr. Mew, a tuxedo, and now Elizabeth, a tri-color, Dr. Richards de-mystified the complexities of cat illnesses and behavior. He simplified scientific lingo without talking down to anyone. When Dr. Mew, the Health Center's cherished mascot, died at the age of 17, he offered Elizabeth the vacant feline ambassador position after she lost her job at the assisted living where his elderly mother resides. Choosing Elizabeth was so symbolic. It re- emphasized the loving bond people of all ages have with their cats.
No one could interpret the natural poetry of cats like Dr. Richards. No one was more willing to share this feline insight with others. He made it his mission to educate. Last year he launched a "Healthy Cats for Life" program to spotlight how adept cats are at hiding symptoms of sickness. This year he was in the middle of the "KNOW Heartworms" campaign to tell professionals and the public that deadly heartworm disease was often misdiagnosed or overlooked in cats. He had just been on CNN, Martha Stewart's Sirius Channel, and CBS news.
It didn't matter if you were a big mew or a small mew in the animal media. Dr. Richards would make time for you. Several wellknown members of the Cat Writers A s s o c i a t i o n (CWA) attribute their careers to his guidance and reassurance. I never had the privilege of meeting Dr. Richards although I was supposed to last Friday to learn more about feline heartworm after he taped a Ch 12 "Family Pet" show. When his publicist first invited me, I said I was a nobody so he need not meet with me. She assured me that he wanted to speak me.
In the 8/06 "Cat Watch" moved by the outpouring of sympathy upon Dr. Mew's passing, Dr. Richards wrote: "….people who love cats don't just love their own cats; they love all cats. ….Felines are "common threads" that knit us fortunate ones together, and I believe our community is a blessed lot indeed." As a role model, he often reminded us that what we do to help cats, also helps people.
All cat lovers can honor Dr. Richards' memory and perpetuate his wonderful work, by contributing to the Cornell Feline Health Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Box 13, Ithaca, NY 14853-6401.
This week "Crayon" the featured cat for adoption at Oyster Bay Town Shelter (677-5784) Miller Pl. Syosset would make someone a SUPER-loving companion. "Crayon" #269, a tortie with lots of red, was turned into the shelter when her owner died. "Fiona" #258, an older, chubby Beagle/Basset, is looking for a best buddy too. See more photos on the shelter's Petfinder site.
More Cats: "Molly" #202- a sweet tabby surrendered because of family allergies; "Heckle" & "Jeckle" #173/ 174- the mature cream cats abandoned in an empty apartment.
Dogs: "Reba"- a friendly black Pit; "Gus"- a big boned Shepherd mix.


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|December 24, 2012
|Adult onesies are becoming popular for added style and luxury in it
|no comments
The word onesies were earlier were seen confined to clothing of small children, but these could be be seen getting heard over the adult circles. All these could be called as the one piece apparel, which are among the topmost way out to make your small children additional relaxed and comfortable . However, with the same idea, onesies for adults are seen getting admired all across Australia and other places. You could see in fashion magazines and sites, celebrities too coming out in public in adult onesies with special styles and colors. You could find all these dresses at a wide range of online and physical stores. But with some escalating online shopping culture, good number of people are seen thriving on this idea .
With the growing reputation in the market, it may not be a wrong thing to claim that these dresses look more cool and trendy in the present fashion world . All these onesies are obtainable over special online and live markets that come in two dissimilar types; these take account of jumpsuit style having a hood and some classy category of adult onesies Australia. Both of these adult onesies Australia categories are amongst the most relaxed choice which could help you in giving a superior protection and comfort. These are the basic reasons, why you could see people wearing these dresses not only inside their homes but also when they are out in public places.
Others styles like the animal onesies or just the one piece jumpsuit are counted amongst the modern styles. Besides, these have extra amount of warmness and sophistication in design, which adds up a hilarious feeling. To purchase such types of onesies, you are supposed to search out in your markets a suitable dress with fine style and design . However, with lots of online stores mushrooming, you could find superior deals over these places. In fact, with these online stores, you could end up finding some of the best deals, which are complicated to find over the physical stores.
The deals over the online stores are often very reasonable along with possible the elements of comfort and ease during your shopping experience, which are difficult to find out over a number of physical stores. The internet has simply revolutionized the complete shopping world where you are simply a click away. All you need to do is to find out a competent online store and keep your shopping going for a long run. Now, you could get to see a wide range of custom onesies, that can render you some tailor made solutions for you . Hence it has just made this more admired among countless consumers all over the globe .


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BOSTON -- Any resemblance to last year is nothing more than a mocking coincidence. Let us begin there, as the Flyers again contemplate history.
Twelve months ago, they fell into an 0-3 hole against the Bruins in the second round of the playoffs; same as now. And while they do not award style points in the NHL, especially not in the springtime, the reality is that the Flyers played very well in those three losses in 2010 but have gotten thrashed in two of the three losses in 2011. The identity of the more complete team is not currently in doubt. The probability that the Flyers could pull off another miraculous comeback, playing at their current level, is approaching nil -- which is why they call them miracles, after all.
We will talk a lot about goaltending, because that is what we do. And, yes, Brian Boucher was pulled Wednesday night from the 5-1 loss in the second period -- the sixth time in 10 playoff games that the Flyers' starter was taken out of the game. It is worth a long discussion, clearly.
But the only howler Boucher allowed was the last one, when the score was already 3-0 and the Bruins were wringing the life out of the game, and the Flyers, with their neutral-zone trap. They lost this one long before Nathan Horton shot the puck through Boucher's legs and forced Flyers coach Peter Laviolette to go to his bullpen, again.
The only reason the Flyers struggled to beat Buffalo in seven games in the opening round was their goaltending. But this situation, in this series, is much more complicated than that. The Bruins, top to bottom, appear to be the sturdier and more persistent team. A Flyers team with scoring on three lines and lots of capable defensemen has begun to wilt.
Maybe they do miss defenseman Chris Pronger that much; another topic worthy of discussion. Pronger, with his mysterious series of undisclosed ailments, has played in only three games in the playoffs. They are 2-1 with him and 2-5 without him. Again, this is something that will be picked over at length, one would assume, after the season is over.
But it seems like more than that. The Flyers came out in the first period and had nothing. They had played very well in Monday night's overtime loss in Game 2 and had reason to think there might be something to build upon. But they came out flat-footed for Game 3 and the Bruins ended up scoring twice in the game's first 63 seconds.
The first was a rocket launched by Zdeno Chara, the Bruins' mammoth defenseman. The second was scored by David Krejci. Neither was remotely Boucher's fault. And one would presume that that is just what Laviolette told his goaltender during the timeout that he called right after the second goal. It was an odd scene -- the rest of the team gather around assistant coach Craig Berube, and Laviolette and Boucher conversing, alone.
The Bruins, with a lead, with their trapping style when leading, and with their emphasis in this game on hitting, just seemed to keep the Flyers from skating at all. There were none of the breathtaking rushes in transition from Game 2. There was little doubt who was going to win the game -- especially when you add in the fact that Tim Thomas is a better-than-pretty-good goaltender.
Little doubt. It really isn't like last year.


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There's a new kind of gluten-free frozen veggie burger on the market, actually four different kinds, if you count the different flavors, that celiacs and other gluten-free diners can enjoy: regular, Spicy Italian, Green Chile and Sweet Curry. The Denver-based Qrunch Foods company makes these tasty quinoa burgers which are also free of nuts, eggs, dairy, and corn and sent me a coupon for a free box to sample. Unfortunately, I could not find a store which carried the product in my area (Saratoga County in upstate New York), so they kindly shipped a package with the four flavors of their Qrunch burger to my house.
Finding a package full of dry-ice packed Qrunch burgers on my doorstep after a long day's work was a stone cold delight. I don't buy many convenience foods, but I do appreciate them for nights when a quick meal is needed (I have to watch those Detroit Tigers in the October baseball playoffs!).
That is a Sweet Curry Qrunch burger atop a cheese quesadilla, topped with the last of my garden tomatoes chopped up with celery, parsley and cukes and a dollop of herbed Greek yogurt. A bit of arugula in vinaigrette on the side, a few olives and orange slices, and that was a bodacious meal.
We've also enjoyed the other Qrunch burger flavors and I really like the way they hold their shape and texture during cooking. Some other veggie burgers we've tried, including our own homemade veggie burgers, tend to fall apart when you flip them during the sauteeing, and these Qrunch burgers stay nice and firm. Add in the nutritive powers of the quinoa with all its protein and amino acids, and you've got yourself a fantastic quick and healthy meal option.
Overall, I highly recommend this product to others. Dan and I both loved the four flavors, though the Sweet Curry remains our favorite. I still have my coupon for a free Qrunch burger which I would be happy to mail to the first person who claims it in a comment below. Just be sure there's some way I can contact you to get your shipping address. Qrunch burgers are sold in Wegman's and Whole Foods and some others which you can search on the Qrunch Foods website, so if you have access to these markets, be sure to check them out.
**Note: As written above, I received four free boxes of Qrunch burgers in the mail from the Qrunch Foods company, but was not obligated to write a review for this product. As always, my comments are completely my own.


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So long story short, The original warranty complaint was a humming grinding and popping noise coming from the car when driving. Car felt as if it was dragging. this had been going on for about a year at that point. Audi replaced the front diff as well as one of the rear wheel bearings. Took the car home as they were ordering the rest of the wheel bearings as it was determined all needed to be replaced as noise was still present but reduced at that time. The cars brakes were working properly at that time no issues.
So fast forward parts come in I drop the car off and when I pick it up car won't stop properly brake pedal extremely soft. I tell the service manager and shop foreman that brake pedal feels soft car does not feel right, they will not listen tell me nothing is wrong. end up almost getting killed on I95 on the way home. So I carefully take car to a different local Audi dealer and here is what they found.
Audi appears to have used some type of hammer or mallet to remove all of my discs to install the wheel bearings(which you are not supposed to do.) This caused the rotors to become warped and bent. So when Audi was trouble shooting the car and it was up on the lift they could see calipers would not close properly due to irregular shapes of discs. In addition to this they damaged all of the brake calipers and they would not close properly. Also it seems the power booster was damaged as well because now you can hear it every time you stop the car and now they are looking into that as well.
So not only did I almost get hurt or severely injured because of the brake issue that dealership caused we have been without our car working now for over 2 months. Audi tried to hand it back on Fri but the wife drove it and heard that power booster electronic noise and she refused to take it. She said why would I take a car back that makes that noise when a $30k car doesn't and this car never made that noise before. I can't believe Audis engineer would try to say that was normal........ In addition to this we dont know if the original drivtrain issue was ever fixed.
Could you guys at Audi please give us some help with this? I know we have someone from executive services trying to help us but it is taking way too long. This is my wifes daily driver and our second car and over 2 months out of service is a little excessive.
We avoided buying a used mclaren and went with Audi because we wanted to avoid a situation like this because we thought Audi would be more reputable and reliable and if problems arose things would be taken care of in a reasonable timely manner. This has not been the case so far and this has been dragged out in the name of cost savings with no consideration to the customer and this last instance with the brakes literally put my life at risk.
I ask that you please read my other posts that will truly give you the full story on how this has evolved and that Audi please comes up with a solution for us by the end of this week. My wife does not trust this vehicle anymore and neither do I.
Please Audi help us.


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It's appropriate that by virtue of alphabetical order Patrice Bergeron is the first of my 2011-12 season recaps for Bruins players because, in all seriousness, he is the Bruins' No. 1 player on and off the ice.
Other guys might speak more, but no Bruins player speaks more effectively than Bergeron. And his off-ice discipline is unmatched.
On the ice, he sets the perfect example and is probably the best two-way forward in the entire NHL. We'll find out next month is voters got it right and picked him to win his first Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward.
While widely considered to be the Bruins' No. 2 center, Bergeron was, based on performance and production, their top-line pivot all season. And there's no telling how Boston would've fared had Bergeron not be playing through a debilitating oblique injury against Washington in the first round of the playoffs.
Regular season: 81GP, 22-42-64, plus-36
Playoffs: 7GP, 0-2-2, even
Contract status: Signed through 2013-14 at a cap hit of $5 million per season
Regular season recap
Highlight: As it turned out, the message sent by the Bruins' April 1 victory on the road against the New York Rangers – Boston's only win against the Blueshirts in four tries this season – didn't wind up being a factor in the Bruins' abbreviated postseason. Nonetheless, in a showdown of the top two teams in the East in terms of seeding, Bergeron starred with the game-winning power play goal. He stole the puck below the goal line and then stuffed it in behind Henrik Lundqvist for a 2-1 victory. He was a plus-1 and won an astounding 17 of 19 faceoffs that night.
Lowlight: Oddly, Bergeron's worst game might've been in a 4-3 victory over Ottawa Jan. 31. He didn't record a point and was a rare minus-2 (four on the season) with just one shot on goal. He also won just nine of 24 faceoffs. Of course, Bergeron will tell you none of those individual numbers matter because Boston earned the two points. But it was a rare down evening for the Bruins' center.
Playoff recap: That oblique actually started bothering Bergeron all the way back in Game 3 of the Washington series, so that he didn't stop taking faceoffs until Game 6 is a testament to his determination. He won the two faceoffs he took in the last two games. Still, an enduring snapshot of the series loss will be Bergeron's miss of the open net early in overtime in Game 7 when he couldn't bury the rebound of Dennis Seidenberg's shot.
Grade: A. Bergeron earned every penny the Bruins threw his way in a contract extension he signed in fall 2010.
Carnac predicts … after winning the Selke Trophy in June, Bergeron becomes a fixture among the final three for that award for years to come and serves as the perfect No. 2 center once Tyler Seguin emerges as the team's No. 1.


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When I took Lucy home work gave me a bag of puppy junior Arden Grange, Lucy was eating it ok but she seems to be having trouble with the size of the kibble.
At 5-6 months with Sparky I put him onto adult food but I thnk I might keep her on puppy as shes quite small (3.9kg) & she was being fed pegigree adult wet food befor eI got her so I want to give her the best start I can.
Is there any foods around that have a really small kibble? I was thinking of the Royal canin Cavalier food as I bought that once for Sparky but it says for 10 months plus & shes only about half that.
I didnt have this problem with Sparky as he was on Naturediet when he was a pup & when he went onto dry food he was a good bit larger than she is now.
Or would I just be better to put her onto adult food with a small kibble??
Might take a trip over to maxi zoo as I think they have samples out of each food


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burda 3/2008 #116 vintage style wedding dress
Added Jul 26, 2011
San Francisco, C...
my 4 year anniversary approaches on august 2nd! i can't believe it's been 4 years already. my husband mikael is my absolute dream man. now that we have karl i don't have much time to sew, although after i'm done with my current art project i'm going to take a month off from painting and make something- anything!
i've always wanted to make my wedding dress. i originally chose a vintage vogue pattern but adding 2" to the length of the torso was going to prove too difficult. i happened to browse through my then newest issue of burda and fell in love.
issue 3/08 had a bridal pattern inspired by wallis simpson's wedding gown. it was perfect! easy to add length to the torso and skirt and easy to add width to the hips. i made a muslin first and worked out the kinks, mostly fitting through my hips. my measurements then were 34"-25"-38".
made from champagne silk shantung. i omitted the belt bc i loved the triple darts in the front and wanted to show them off.
a few more details and photos may be found here:
Material Notes
33 Comments Sign in to add a post
Jan 23, 2016, 12.38 AMby Allison Alcorn
This is beautiful! How do you get a copy of the pattern? Getting married in June! Love this!!!
Sep 12, 2015, 10.13 AMby caecilie82
Hi again. Just wanted to say a massive thanks for the pattern. My dress is now finished, has been used for purpose and the pics are up on my account if you wanted to check it out ( not as nice as yours but there though) :)
Feb 1, 2015, 06.21 PMby Tracey Trehearn
Hi. You look gorgeous and the dress is stunning. I've been looking for this pattern to wear to my vow renewal but can't find it. I've been married 30 years so wanted to wear a 1930s styled dress. Would you ever consider selling me the pattern please.? I'd be so very grateful but would of course understand if the answer is no. Best regards, Tracey
Jan 22, 2015, 05.45 PMby caecilie82
Hi thank you so much! I'd really appreciate that :) I've now sent you my email. Xx
1 Reply
Jan 23, 2015, 05.36 PMby nouvellegamine
send me your email through the message system here :)
Jan 22, 2015, 04.45 AMby caecilie82
Hi. Just love your dress, and your pics. You look terrible in love<3 I am getting married in august this year and I was hoping to use this pattern for my dress. So i was wondering if you would send it to me if still have it lying around? and if you want to share it of course.
1 Reply
Jan 22, 2015, 05.17 PMby nouvellegamine
Hi there- I'll look through my files and see if I still have it :)
Nov 10, 2013, 07.38 PMby kelly botterill
Hi, your dress is amazing. I am wanting to make my own wedding dress and love the look of yours. Do you know how I could get hold of the pattern as I can't seem to find it online.
Jun 26, 2013, 10.39 PMby MsMo001
Your wedding dress is absolutely stunning! I have been searching for this pattern for a while. If I send you an email, would you be able to send me the scanned copy you have?
1 Reply
Jun 26, 2013, 10.47 PMby nouvellegamine
sure! :)
I'll check my spam folder too. Sometimes things get lost in there.
Apr 2, 2013, 09.29 PMby adribog
OMG – I am so in love with this dress – can you please send me the pattern too??? I just emailed you also :))
Jan 22, 2013, 02.44 AMby Noel Fry
This dress is so goregous and i desperately want to make it for my wedding but cannot get ahold of this pattern anywhere….is there any way you would be willing to send it to me?
1 Reply
Jan 22, 2013, 05.53 AMby nouvellegamine
sure, I think I still have the pattern sheet scanned. Email me at email@example.com and I'll email the pages to you :)
Aug 2, 2012, 05.17 AMby dawnbarton5099
The dress is indeed beautiful! You did a fantastic job. I'm looking for a pattern for my daughter's wedding in 6 weeks and this one seems just perfect. If you would be so kind to please share the pattern again, I'd be very grateful! Thank you! BTW happy anniversary.
1 Reply
Aug 5, 2012, 04.29 PMby nouvellegamine
send me yr email address at firstname.lastname@example.com & i'll send you a scan of the pattern sheet.
May 23, 2012, 05.50 PMby carottesauvage
Hum!! love this dress!!!! pattern swap? :)
2 Replies
May 24, 2012, 03.23 PMby nouvellegamine
i scanned it a year or so ago. would you like me to email it to you?
May 24, 2012, 08.05 PMby carottesauvage
Oh thanks That would be great!
Feb 1, 2012, 10.36 PMby Vanessa Leigh
I love this pattern. Beautiful execution I love that you used the silk. You look amazing!
1 Reply
Feb 1, 2012, 10.42 PMby nouvellegamine
thank you very much!
Dec 6, 2011, 10.31 PMby melbonv
Hello You ;) Your dress is just magic… And you looked so happy together… If by any chance you find the time to scan the model for me I would the most grateful happy sewer… On this plead, All the best for your beloved and married life ;)
1 Reply
May 25, 2012, 05.11 PMby nouvellegamine
i'm so sorry, i just noticed this comment. i think Burdastyle might have been having activity issues & i missed it. Would you still like me to send you the pattern?
Aug 6, 2011, 07.54 AMby urbandon
Wonderful! My sister made her wedding dress and I think that making them makes them one hundred times more beautiful and traditional.
1 Reply
Aug 7, 2011, 12.57 AMby nouvellegamine
thank you! it definitely felt personal to make my dress, even from a commercial pattern, just like my grandma had done back in the 40s :)
Aug 3, 2011, 02.55 AMby susanne2011
Your dress is absolutely stunning, I love it so much! I have been looking for a cool dress pattern for a wedding dress for a long time and this one is absolutely fabulous. You did an awesome job.
1 Reply
Aug 3, 2011, 06.18 AMby nouvellegamine
thank you!
i don't think they have it for sale on the german website. i have the burda page itself scanned if you need it.
Aug 1, 2011, 06.47 AMby sophienissirios
This is a beautiful dress and it looks stunning on you. You look beautiful :-)
1 Reply
Aug 2, 2011, 11.28 PMby nouvellegamine
thank you :D
Jul 28, 2011, 12.47 PMby Danielle MacIndoe
It's beautiful and suits you perfectly!
1 Reply
thank you! it was really exciting to sew too :)
Jul 28, 2011, 05.15 AMby Ruffles Gazebo
the fabric you used and the way you styled this makes it look like gold in comparison to the orignal pictures! youve done a fantastic job and look amazing!
1 Reply
Jul 28, 2011, 06.00 PMby nouvellegamine
thank you :D
btw- i love your kirsten dunst icon!
Jul 27, 2011, 07.40 PMby lanternwaste33
1 Reply
thank you :)
Jul 27, 2011, 01.23 PMby Dee Durrant
Such a beautiful dress….I wish I'd had the nerve to make my own (I chickened out and got a local steamstress to make it – although it isn't my work I'll have to post pictures of it – I did design the style so maybe I'll get away with posting pics!). The colour of your material is just dreamy with your skin tone – you looked amazing!
1 Reply
Jul 28, 2011, 06.02 PMby nouvellegamine
you should post it, or if you have a blog post it on there. if you designed it i bet peple would still like to see it :)
and thank you :D
Jul 27, 2011, 06.51 AMby Ralf Schmitz
what a great dress and a lovely couple! you did a wonderful job with your weddingdress and i like it much more, than the original model looked like!
1 Reply
Jul 28, 2011, 06.01 PMby nouvellegamine
thank you so much!
Jul 27, 2011, 05.53 AMby SuseSews
Great dress. You look so beautiful in it! Even better than the model!
1 Reply
lol! thanks, it was my wedding day so i'm sure i was having a better time than the poor model ;D
Jul 27, 2011, 03.01 AMby loyl8
1 Reply
Jul 27, 2011, 03.03 AMby nouvellegamine
thank you :)
Jul 27, 2011, 02.38 AMby poppykettle
What a fabulous job – may you both have many more happy years together :)
1 Reply
Jul 27, 2011, 03.04 AMby nouvellegamine
thank you. it's been wonderful so far :D
Jul 27, 2011, 12.48 AMby gillthecat
just the NICEST wedding dress ive seen in ages stunning just more fab than fab love it too much is wonderfull
1 Reply
Jul 27, 2011, 03.10 AMby nouvellegamine
thank you so much. it was a pleasure to sew! i felt a little cinderellaish when i first put it on :)
Jul 26, 2011, 09.50 PMby Lucha Suarez
This is so beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you did an amazing job! what a dream dress!!!!!
1 Reply
Jul 27, 2011, 03.09 AMby nouvellegamine
thank you! it was a dream day :D
Jul 26, 2011, 09.30 PMby freakusbzzz
The fabric is stunning. Your dress doesn't look home made at all.
I am going to try hunt down this edition of burda so I can make the dress (not in white though).
1 Reply
Jul 27, 2011, 03.08 AMby nouvellegamine
thank you :D
if you can't find it i may be able to scan the pattern for you.
Jul 26, 2011, 09.04 PMby tamezdc
Adorable dress!
1 Reply
Jul 27, 2011, 03.08 AMby nouvellegamine
thank you!
Jul 26, 2011, 08.56 PMby domestic-divaonline
Happy Anniversary! Love your dress. Like you, I'm drawn to the tripple darts. And the champagne fabric is absolutely divine! Congratulations and thanks for sharing!
1 Reply
Jul 27, 2011, 03.06 AMby nouvellegamine
thank you :) the fabric was challenging at first to work with bc it was slippery!
Jul 26, 2011, 08.55 PMby mojo elgin
Your dress is verrry pretty! Nice job! I like the long, unbroken lines of the dress. Good idea to skip the belt.
1 Reply
Jul 27, 2011, 03.12 AMby nouvellegamine
thank you! the long silhouette felt very 1930ish!
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text:
Northrop Grumman set to sign lease with Grand Sky
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — U.S. Sen. John Hoeven says aerospace and defense technology firm Northrop Grumman is on track to sign a lease to be the anchor tenant at the Grand Sky technology park at Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Hoeven says Grand Sky will make Grand Forks a leading center for the development and operations of unmanned aerial systems.
Hoeven says he also expects an Enhanced Use Lease between Air Force officials and Grand Forks County to be signed in June to establish Grand Sky on Grand Forks Air Base. Grand Sky will occupy 217 acres of the base.
Last December, the FAA selected Grand Forks as one of six drone test sites in the nation.
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text: I just logged in and was wanted to check a log on one of my trackables. When I clicked on "Trackables (Yours)" I was re-directed to a page and asked to confirm I was "human" by typing one of those slanty letter in the box deals. I did, and another descramble box popped up. I can't get past that page. Anybody else having issues?


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Youth Sports
WFFSC squad finishes strong at tourney
A team of Warwick Fire Fighters Soccer U12 girls took second place at the recent Thanksgiving Indoor Soccer Tournament hosted by Teamworks. The squad finished 1-1-1 in tourney games and then put in a great effort in a tough championship game.
No comments on this story | Please log in to comment by clicking here


text:
Write an Android application with React.js & Firebase
Presupuesto Rp2500000-7500000 IDR
I have ongoing project building hybrid app. Skill required is Android native, react.js & firebase.
feature/module i needed :
- Audit Trail.
- Image Upload & Cached Image.
- Offline Mode Support.
- Messages/inbox system.
- In-app Purchase.
- schedule system.
- Social login google & facebook.
- Notification & Push-notification.
- Web admin
If you think you qualified with my requirements feel free to bid & explain how you will do this job also if you have example its will be make me more interest, lets talk.
4 freelancers están ofertando el promedio de Rp5177548 para este trabajo
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text:
Positivity Post-pones M.I.A.'s Upcoming Record
Her upcoming album, Matangi, was postponed at the end of 2012 after a disagreement with her label for making the record "too positive." According to an interview with Australian news-source Gold Coast, M.I.A. says that in regard to the current tone of her record, the label wants her to "darken it up a bit." Looking at her past releases, from 2005's Arular to 2010's MAYA, she's ridden the controversial war-horse by tackling subjects like the PLO and people's obsession/reliance on the internet not only as a source of information, but a source of identity. So, what could this new record have in store? Well, if her latest single "Bad Girls" is any indication, it could very well be a pimped-out party-driven extravaganza of hot cars on two wheels and colorful taste. But, isn't that something a bad girl would want to avoid?


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The University of Minnesota will offer two weeks of golf camp next summer in conjunction with Nike Golf Schools & Jr. Camps, the nation's largest junior golf camp network.
(PRWEB) December 5, 2011 – Nike Golf Schools & Junior Camps and the University of Minnesota have agreed to host two weeklong Nike Junior Golf Camps in Minneapolis during the summer of 2012.
"We are excited to align with the University of Minnesota for obvious reasons," explains Jason West, vice president of Nike Golf Schools & Junior Camps. "Minnesota has a prominent Division I golf program, a beautiful campus with its own championship golf course, and a great coaching staff led by John Carlson and Michelle Redman. We feel this could quickly become one of the best junior golf camp locations in the country."
The Nike Junior Golf Camps at University of Minnesota are scheduled for June 24 – 28 and August 12 – 16, 2012. The programs are coed for junior golfers of all ability levels, ages 10 – 18. All golf activities take place at the University's Leo Bolstad Golf Course. Overnight campers are housed in dorms on campus at the University of Minnesota. Golden Gophers head men's and women's golf coaches, John Carlson and Michelle Redman, will serve as camp co-directors with support from their assistant coaches, Tyler Stith and John Cleary. Overnight and commuter options are available for both camp weeks.
"University of Minnesota golf is proud to partner with Nike Golf Schools to offer 2 great weeks of instruction and fun in a great college camp atmosphere in the summer of 2012," says Head Men's Golf Coach, John Carlson. "Nike has been a very generous sponsor of our golf program and we are excited to continue this relationship by giving campers the ultimate golf camp experience."
About Nike Golf Schools & Junior Camps
Nike Golf Schools & Junior Camps (NGJC) is a division of US Sports Camps, Inc., America's largest sports camp network. NGJC offers junior overnight and day camps, and advanced player schools at over 80 locations nationwide. Since 1994, more than 140,000 junior golfers have participated in the camps. To learn more about Nike Golf Schools & Junior Camps, please visit www.ussportscamps.com/golf.
About the University of Minnesota Athletics
A NCAA Division I affiliate and proud member of the Big Ten Conference and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), the University of Minnesota Department Of Athletics is one of the nation's premier intercollegiate sports programs. Located in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota Athletics sponsors more than 700 student-athletes competing in 25 sports and is a consistent top-25 finisher in the annual Learfield Directors' Cup standings. Winners of 23 national championships and 176 regular season Big Ten and WCHA championships since beginning intercollegiate competition in 1876, Minnesota Athletics also boasts a proud academic tradition and has produced 101 Academic All-Americans. To learn more about University of Minnesota Athletics, please visit www.gophersports.com.
Detailed information on the Nike Golf Camps at University of Minnesota can be found online at: http://www.ussportscamps.com/golf/nike/nike-golf-camp-minnesota/


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Melissa Melton
October 17, 2012
What does it take to get your name on the no-fly list in America? Apparently you only need to be classified as a "prepper."
When 34-year-old U.S. citizen and Mississippi resident Wade Hicks boarded a military flight to visit his wife, a Navy lieutenant stationed in Okinawa, Japan, he did not think it would be a one-way trip. Stopping off in Hawaii to refuel, upon reboarding the plane, Hicks was quickly escorted back off again by armed guards. He was then taken to a secure interrogation room where Hicks was informed he would not be flying anywhere because he turned up on the no-fly list.
Hicks has since been stranded on the island state without a way home.
As seen below in a bombshell double interview on Infowars Nightly News, private investigator and founder of the Northeast Intelligence Network Douglas Hagmann revealed that Hicks not only passed through TSA screening at his original departure point in San Francisco, but he has also passed a criminal background check and an FBI screening for an enhanced concealed carry permit in his home state.
In addition, Hicks holds a TWIC card, or Transportation Worker Identification Credential, granted by none other than the TSA. Hicks has also held classified clearances as a defense contractor for the U.S. military. His passport is valid and has not been revoked.
What was it Hicks did, then, to be added to the U.S. government's no-fly list maintained by the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center?
"I asked [Hicks] 'Could you have been mistaken for a person with the same surname?'" Hagmann said. "The people who were acting on behalf of the TSA and DHS had told him his social security number, his date of birth, his name, and they said, 'No, there is no mistake, this is you, you're on this no-fly list.'"
After being asked to get off the plane, "It started out like something fairly routine," Hicks said in his interview with Infowars. "About 15-20 minutes later, two heavily armed Air Force security forces guys showed up."
It was then Hicks was told he would not be flying anywhere. There is no indication as to why Hicks was able to first fly from San Francisco to Hawaii without being notified he was supposedly on the list.
Seemingly the only "crime" Hicks has committed that would end in revocation of his ability to fly is his affiliation with the Mississippi Preparedness Project, a prepper organization. Although prepping is not illegal, the FBI has been cracking down on preppers for awhile now, with everything from spying on people who visit prepper websites to straight up stripping preppers of their Second Amendment rights.
Hicks revealed to Infowars that a supposed disabled veteran claiming to be a Navy Seal had joined his prepper group earlier in the year, but Hicks felt the man's story seemed suspicious. Through a Freedom of Information Act request, Hicks learned the man had never been in the military even though he possessed an authentic military ID. Sometime later while out driving, Hicks saw the man's car and ended up tailing him to a Mississippi Department of Homeland Security branch office where the man parked his car.
When asked if he thought his affiliation with a prepper group caused him to get detained, Hicks responded, "If it does, that's a pretty sad situation."
In the meantime, Hicks has contacted his Senator, and he has received a call back that the Senator's office is currently working to help him get home.
This is not the first time our out-of-control government has trampled someone's rights with the no-fly list. Stories of natural born U.S. citizens being barred from flight because their name mysteriously shows up on the list have become all too common.
Earlier this year, a California grad student on the list had to fly from Costa Rica to Mexico and walk across the U.S. border to get home, and a muslim man from Virginia had to get an FBI waiver after being stuck in Cairo for nearly two months before he could return to America. TSA agents even pulled an eighteen-month-old baby off a Jet Blue flight last spring for being considered a suspected terrorist on the no-fly list.
As previously reported by Infowars, the list more than doubled in 2011, and the government still refuses to release the names on the list or even any details as to how or why these people have been chosen. No one is given due process when they are added, completely bypassing the Fifth Amendment for each and every American citizen put on it.
Once you're on the no-fly list, it is unclear how to get off, either.
These kinds of egregious trespasses on our liberties are becoming an everyday occurence. The federal government is obviously prepping for something, purchasing billions of rounds of ammunition and buying dehydrated food in bulk. Apparently the average U.S. citizen who wants to prep is, instead, supposed to fear government retribution through potentially being stranded hundreds or even thousands of miles away from home every time he or she steps foot on an airplane.


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SAN GABRIEL, Calif. (AP) — Roy Rodriguez and his fire crew were fighting back a blaze in a dried-out canyon outside Los Angeles when the wind suddenly shifted.
The team found themselves trapped by the flames, on the side of a steep hill. Rodriguez scrambled his way to a trail and managed to hide under his fire shelter, letting the flames pass over the aluminum-and-silica cover. His fellow firefighters, however, never made it under their shelter. Two perished, while two others were critically injured.
Memories of that 1993 fire have come flooding back to the Los Angeles County firefighter this week as Americans mourn the deaths of 19 firefighters, who were overwhelmed Sunday near Yarnell, Ariz. Like Rodriguez, the elite Hotspot fire crew had taken cover under their shelters, but ended up dying beneath them.
Although the shelters saved his life twice, Rodriguez said he well knows the uncertain protection they provide.
"You don't want to rely on your fire shelter to get you through something," Rodriguez said. "It is a last resort. It's when all else has failed."
How well such shelters work depends on factors such as the terrain where they're used and how long the fires burn on top of them, Rodriguez said. His fallen colleagues were never able to reach an appropriate surface where they could deploy their shelters.
"They're designed to deflect radiant heat," Rodriguez said. "You do absorb some on the inside. But it all depends on where you're at, where you deploy them. You have to wait it out."
Getting through the fire also depends on staying calm as the heat and smoke rage outside, he said.
"You train for those situations. You want to try to get in them and secure yourself in under 30 seconds. Because things are happening right now and it's not time to think up another plan. You better be in that shelter and hunkered down," Rodriguez said.
"You try to think of the best but it's kinda hard with the atmosphere outside. It's hot, smoky, windy, uncomfortable to say the least. You're just hoping for the best. You go to your happy place."


text:
Europe in My Region Photo Competition
The competition wants to highlight the work that projects across Europe are doing with the help of EU funding, and explore the meaning of these projects to local communities. To enter, all you need to do is take a photo of a project receiving EU funding you know or have seen, with the plaque or billboard with funding information and the EU flag somewhere in the picture.
You can upload up to three photos on the European Commission Facebook app for a chance to win €1.000 to spend on digital camera equipment and a trip for two to Brussels in October 2013 during the European Week of Regions and Cities (7-10 October 2013).
The deadline to post your photos is 23 August 2013, 12:00pm CET. Don't forget that to participate you must be 18 and a resident of a EU country.
Four winners will be selected: one by popular vote and three by the jury. Voting begins on 26 August and ends on 6 September and any Facebook user can vote for your photo, so encourage your friends!
You can find the latest news about the photo competition on Twitter: #EUmyRegion
Published: Fri, 16/08/2013 - 11:17
Related links
Info for young people in the western balkans


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Securities Law Program Website
SEC Commissioner Troy Paredes
The implosion of the nation's financial markets over the past two years has placed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under closer scrutiny now than perhaps any other time in its 75-year history.
The trillions of dollars in play in the economy are affected by the commission's decisions, policies and forecasts for the future. No one is more aware of the SEC's enormous power and responsibility for America's economic health than its five commissioners.
"Being overconfident about your ability to understand and solve problems is itself a recipe for making the problem worse," said Commissioner Troy Paredes, who spoke about "Current Issues in Securities Regulation....a Commissioner's Perspective" on Oct. 21 at the invitation of CUA's Securities Law Program and the Securities Law Students Association.
Four of the current commissioners of the SEC, including Paredes, were sworn into office just 15 months ago. Before joining the agency, Paredes was a tenured professor at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri.
He spoke candidly to CUA students, acknowledging that it took some time to appreciate the complexity of the nation's financial system. Like most federal agencies, the SEC employs many career staff members who can offer expertise, advice and institutional memory to the commissioners at the top. Since SEC commissioners serve only five-year terms, Paredes said smart ones take advantage of staff resources, proceed cautiously, listen carefully and approach the job with humility.
"I can't see, know or predict everything. These are tough decisions. There are always good arguments for all sides," he said.
Paredes own extensive background in such subjects as executive compensation, hedge funds, the allocation of control within firms among directors, officers, and shareholders, the psychology of corporate and regulatory decision making and many other aspects of high finance appear to leave him well-equipped to take on the job of an SEC commissioner. Still, he is the first to admit that the leap from classroom theory to the real-life consequences of political power is a large one.
"What we do is no joke. These are highly significant matters," he concluded.


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You know the saying, "It's not rocket science."
You know the saying, "It's not rocket science."
Well, today's retirement planning is rocket science. It's often confusing and overly complex. There's so much you need to know.
Let me put you to the test. How much do you know about the following?
When to take your Social Security. Securian Financial Group surveyed baby boomers ages 50 to 65 about their plans for claiming Social Security retirement benefits. Only 18 percent knew how or when to go on Social Security.
The cost to have Medicare. Nearly three-fourths of boomers surveyed by Bankers Life and Casualty Co. Center for a Secure Retirement didn't know that most Americans on Medicare pay premiums, co-pays and deductibles.
Long-term care insurance. Only 14 percent of participants in the Bankers Life and Casualty survey knew that Medicare generally does not cover long-term care. Long-term-care insurance can help cover the cost of nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and in-home care.
Your company pension. Have you considered whether to take a lump-sum distribution instead of guaranteed monthly payments? Could you manage the money if you take a lump sum?
Even some people with strong financial backgrounds aren't prepared enough for their own retirement.
If anyone should have mastered the science of retirement, it would have been Stan Hinden, who spent the past 12 years of his 45-year journalism career as a financial columnist for The Washington Post. Yet Hinden, now 86, admits that he was not prepared with the breadth of knowledge he needed to handle his affairs in retirement.
After 17 years in retirement, Hinden is well-versed in many issues and shares his wisdom in the Color of Money Book Club selection for April - "How to Retire Happy: The 12 Most Important Decisions You Must Make Before You Retire" (McGraw Hill, $20).
Hinden invites you into the retirement life he and his wife of 59 years, Sara, have experienced. She suffers from Alzheimer's disease. Their personal journey is what makes this book so readable and relatable. He nicely weaves their financial decisions and dilemmas around the most important information you'll need to go over before and during your retirement.
I asked him what one piece of advice he would give someone within five years of retiring. Start working on your retirement budget now, he said.
I'll be hosting a live online discussion about "How to Retire Happy" at 9 a.m. May 2 at washingtonpost.com/discussions. Hinden will join me to answer your retirement questions. Every month, I randomly select readers to receive a copy of the featured book, which is donated by the publisher. For a chance to win a copy of this month's book club selection, send an email to email@example.com with your name and address.
Contact Michelle Singletary, a personal finance columnist at The Washington Post, at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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The sharptail grouse is a bird common to the prairies. It stays here all year round. It even has feathers on its legs to help the bird survive through the winter. You can see by their colouring that they are well camoflaged in the grass and bushes. They are more of a prairie grassland game bird. These grouse are sometimes called prairie chickens although I understand that greater and lesser prairie chickens, while very similar looking, are a separate species. They are found more in the United States while the sharptail grouse is native to both the USA and Canadian prairies. The other type of grouse common to Saskatchewan is the ruffed grouse but it lives in our woodland areas rather than our grassland prairie.
hide photo detail info
location: Saskatoon, SK | shooting date: 2009-10-11 | camera: Nikon D200 | lens: Nikon 300 AF ED IF f4 | aperture: f/4 | support: Braced
SLIDESHOW OFF | 4s | 7s | 10s | 15s | 20s


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Brad Keselowski Texas Motor Speedway Event Preview
November 3, 2009
Brad Keselowski
No. 12 Penske Dodge Charger
Texas Motor Speedway – Dickies 500
November 8, 2009
No. 12 Penske Dodge Charger News and Notes
• This Week's Charger… The No. 12 Penske Dodge team will use chassis PRS-708 during Sunday's 500-mile event. PRS-708 is a brand new car to the No. 12 Penske Dodge Charger fleet.
• Welcome Aboard... Rising star Brad Keselowski takes over the driving duties of the No. 12 Penske Dodge Charger beginning this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The 25-year-old Keselowski will drive the Penske Dodge for the three remaining races on the 2009 Cup Series schedule in preparation for the team's quest for the 2010 championship. Keselowski will continue driving duties for the No. 88 NASCAR Nationwide Series entry through the end of this season, before driving the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge for Penske Racing in the 2010 Nationwide Series.
• Media Availability… Keselowski will be available behind the No. 12 Penske Dodge hauler on Friday, November 6 at 3 p.m. CT to answer questions from members of the media.
• Back Where He Started… In 2008, Keselowski made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway, driving the No. 25 car. He started in the 37th position, but battled all day to finish inside the top-20.
• Tested and Approved… Keselowski and the No. 12 Penske Dodge team spent Monday and Tuesday testing at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the 52nd running of the Daytona 500 in February.
• Watch and Listen… The Dickies 500 will be seen live on Sunday, November 8 on the ABC television network. Race coverage is scheduled to begin at 2:30 pm ET. The event will also be heard live on PRN Radio as well as Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 128.
Brad Keselowski on driving at Texas Motor Speedway
"It sure seems like a lot has changed in one year. The team built me a brand new race car which it is pretty exciting to have a new car for my first start at Penske Racing. This is an exciting opportunity. I feel like we are going to go there and run competitively and hopefully be able to help Kurt [Busch] out at the same time. Texas [Motor Speedway] is like the other mile-and-a-half tracks, similar in a sense to Chicagoland Speedway. We have run very well here in the past. I feel pretty good about it; it's more the past success that makes me feel good here.
"I think the biggest hurdle for me is to look around and see how everything works on the No. 12 Penske Dodge team. I need to be very observant and try to understand how we do things. There are a million little things that are going to be different. The most challenging part will be adjusting to how things are done, but I feel we are all up to the task."
Roy McCauley on racing at Texas Motor Speedway
"Texas is one of the fastest places we race. You carry a lot of speed into the corners so the car has to be comfortable to drive. I am really looking forward to having Brad [Keselowski] in the car. He has proven that he has a tremendous amount of ability. He has been to Texas [Motor Speedway] before, which helps us get ahead of the curve. Our biggest hurdle is going to be trying to learn how to communicate with one another. We have a couple of test sessions under our belt together now, so I feel we will hit the ground running."
Brad Keselowski NASCAR Cup Series Career Totals
Races Wins Top-Fives Top-10s Poles Money Won
14 1 1 4 0 $1,458,800
Brad Keselowski 2009 Totals
Races Wins Top-Fives Top-10s Poles Money Won
12 1 1 4 0 $1,291,950


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August 2016 Treatment with an extended-release stimulant medication plus cognitive behavioral therapy was associated with reductions in cocaine use and in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in patients with both disorders.
November 2014 The finding from an 18-month-long clinical trial strengthens hope that pharmacotherapy can break nicotine's especially tenacious hold on people with serious mental illness such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
July 2014 Interventions that bolster self-control in childhood and early adolescence might shield ethnic and racial minority adolescents and young adults from the burden of both drug use and depressive mood.
January 2014 Study patients with HIV–hepatitis C coinfection progressed to successive degrees of severity of liver fibrosis 9 years sooner than those infected with HCV alone. Further findings from the study suggest that suppressing HIV with antiretroviral medications may slow HCV-related liver fibrosis.
October 2013
People with cannabis use disorder (CUD) are likely also to have social anxiety disorder (SAD), and comorbid SAD is associated with greater severity of cannabis-related problems. These findings highlight the importance of assessing CUD patients for SAD, as that disorder can be both a contributing cause and a consequence of CUD. Treating both disorders may be a key to helping patients recover from each.
March 2013 People who use prescription opiates nonmedically are more likely to consider suicide than those who use these medications only appropriately or not at all. A recent NIDA-supported study also disclosed that the risk for suicidal thoughts remains elevated after cessation of use.
July 2012 Intensive case management was more effective in increasing treatment engagement and reducing alcohol consumption among depressed participants than among those who were not depressed, according to a followup analysis of a substance abuse treatment study involving women on welfare.
July 2012 A modified therapeutic community program designed by NIDA-supported researchers helped Colorado offenders with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders re-enter their communities and avoid recidivism after release from prison.
April 2012 Dr. Volkow discusses NIDA's efforts to develop effective antismoking treatments for populations with persistently high rates of smoking, such as people with psychiatric disorders, high school dropouts, and Native Americans.
April 2012 Women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who abused drugs responded better to substance abuse treatment after their PTSD symptoms improved, according to a recent study, which also found that reductions in substance abuse did not ease PTSD severity


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Book Club with a Tea Tie-In
Serenity and I have been discussing a book and tea club idea. It came about from an email from The Republic of Tea about an Anna Karenina tea (Russian Caravan Rose Tea) to promote the release of the movie. They also have a tea for the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books. It would be fun to read the book together and share thoughts on both the book and the tea.
Below is a link to the Anna Karenina tea and also a link to the book. Anyone interested? I would be happy to share some of the teabags with those participating. :)
PM me if you'd like samples of TRoT's Anna Karenina black tea blend.
PM Serenity if you'd like a caffeine-free Strawberry Chocolate Red tea blend.
*OR if you already have a tea that you feel ties in to the book, please feel free to share details about that tea with us. All teas are welcome so that everyone is excited about participating!
We will begin discussing the book and tea on January 25th! Happy Reading and Tea Sipping!
This is a fantastic idea :) I'd totally be interested.
Oh I am so very excited! I will order the tea first thing tomorrow – just let me know who'd like some of the teabags and I can get them sent out. I am up for starting whenever – I already have the book. Maybe we should start in a week or two to allow time for everyone to get their books and get the tea out also?
I had an idea, let me know if you think it is a good one: for any steepsters who want to read and sip along but who can't tolerate caffeine and prefer tisanes or infusions, perhaps we might have as an alterna-tea, this from TRoT:
To me, it seems like a good pairing with the novel. I would be happy to get some of this tea and mail it out to anyone who would like to participate but needs a caffeine free choice.
If we'd rather stick to just the one tea, the Russian Rose Caravan Black, that's totes cool, all good!
Great idea, Serenity! All participants, just pm me your address if you want the Russian Caravan Black tea (caffeine) and pm Serenity if you want the Strawberry Chocolate Red tea (caffeine-free).
I love Em's idea about the read-by and discuss dates. What dates are reasonable for everyone?
Regarding Em's idea, I agree! The book club that I am in meets once per month. Hmmm I wonder if we looked at a bit over a month from now, perhaps after the holidays? What do you all think: sometime around January 10th? Or later on: around January 25th?
A date in January sounds great, shall we shoot for January 25th? That will give everyone 2 months to get through the book? And of course comments along the way are welcome also!
This is such an excellent idea! I've been meaning to read Anna Karenina for a while anyway.
Hooray! Just let either Serenity or I know if you'd like a sample of tea, or if you're using your own Anna Karenina-ish blend that's great too. :)
This sounds like fun! Count me in :)
Yay for book/tea club! Just let either Serenity or I know if you'd like a sample of tea, or if you're using your own Anna Karenina-ish blend that's great too. :)
Sounds like alot of fun! I wish I had more time in a day. Perhaps when I get less busy, I'll jump in!
I'm in! I do like the idea of having until late January to get the book read, as I'll be tied up until xmas day with xmas gigs and probably have no time to read until then. I give myself a full 2 week vacation starting xmas day, so it will be time for some serious reading.
Another tea that would be similar is the czar nicholas valentine tea at http://www.amazon.com/Tea-Czar-Nicolas-Premium-Valentine/dp/B003J8K1G8/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1353878079&sr=8-10&keywords=russian+rose+teas
Sounds like the January 25th date is a good idea for all then. I'm glad that you'll be able to participate! And the Czar Nicolas tea sounds yummy, and so perfectly matched to the reading material!
I'll order it, and if anyone wants samples, they can let me know!
Thank Terri HarpLady! I would love a sample of this!
I would love as sample of this tea. I will PM you.
I love this idea!! I'm in!:)
Yay! Just let either Serenity or I know if you'd like a sample of tea, or if you're using your own Anna Karenina-ish blend that's great too. :)


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Greg Foster needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 108 designs submitted by 17 freelance designers.
We are an internet start-up in Atlanta, Georgia. The brightwhistle name serves as an umbrella company for our various offerings. The name comes from the Georgia Tech steam whistle (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgi…he_Whistle for more info). The name isn't as much of a description of our business as it is something for us to relate to and have fun with.
Existing and potential small and medium sized business customers, channel partners, but rarely end users.
The logo will be used on our website, business cards, presentations, etc. We're looking for something that we can have fun with.
- the name can be written as brightwhistle (all one line) or listed on separate lines
- in addition to the name, we'd like the steam whistle to be incorporated (cartoon steam whistle, steam, etc.)
- we currently don't have any color or font preferences.
UPDATE August 11th
We've noticed that in the submissions that we've receieved that:
1.) we like for the steam whistle icon to be to the left (or incorporated with) the BrightWhistle text.
2.) We don't yet have a preference for BRIGHTWHISTLE, BrightWhistle, or brightwhistle.
3.) we like for the two words to be either different colors or different weight (boldness)
4.) we would like an animated steam whistle similar to (but in our own style) http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2dMD2XZzv…histle.jpg
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
Visit JoinBain to learn about a rewarding career at Bain.
Customers are the source of real growth. Bain combines in-depth customer insights with practical expertise in operations and economics to help our clients create sustainable, organic growth.
Applying an outside-in perspective and helping clients achieve growth are fundamental to our approach at Bain.
With our team of global experts, Bain brings depth of experience in the following areas:
Customer-centric businesses build a virtuous cycle we call the "customer wheel." We help companies at every stage of growth, developing custom solutions and collaborating with all levels of the organization.
Net Promoter® and NPS® are registered trademarks and Net Promoter SystemSM and Net Promoter ScoreSM are trademarks of Bain & Company, Satmetrix Systems and Fred Reichheld.
We help our clients succeed by transforming three building blocks of customer-led growth—the 3D lens through which clients solve problems and identify opportunities. We work with our clients to:
NPS® and Loyalty: We literally wrote the book on loyalty. Bain has developed proven, proprietary methods to measure the health and value of the customer relationship. We have a deep understanding of the ways that customer advocacy creates competitive advantage, producing faster organic growth at lower cost.
Bain partner and author Fred Reichheld began his groundbreaking customer loyalty research more than 30 years ago. Since then Bain has written three books on customer loyalty and has developed the Net Promoter Score℠ methodology. Net Promoter® has been adopted by leading corporations worldwide, and Bain has supported the development and implementation of NPS® at many of them. Through adoption and learning, the Net Promoter Score has morphed into a system of management. As the Net Promoter framework expands, it touches every part of a business.
Rob Markey, Fred Reichheld's colleague at Bain for over 20 years, joined him as coauthor of The Ultimate Question 2.0, published September 2011 (for more information, please visit Bain's Net Promoter System℠ site). Mr. Markey was an important reader and adviser on the first edition of the book. He leads the NPS Loyalty Forum and is the head of Bain's Global Customer Strategy and Marketing practice.
We work as an integrated part of your team, from frontline to C-suite, to deliver true results and make the changes stick.
We have a dedicated group of senior experts that we deploy around the globe to address customer strategy and marketing opportunities for a broad range of industries. Bain has completed more than 6,750 customer focused projects.
Our team
To discuss how our team can help your business achieve true results, please
From day one, we focus on predicting, measuring and managing risk associated with change
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Disclosure of the messages, as described in internal documents, came as the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development told Congress in sometimes- confrontational testimony Tuesday that his agency's program was "absolutely not" covert and was simply meant to increase the flow of information.
An AP investigation last week found that the program, known as ZunZuneo, evaded Cuba's Internet restrictions by creating a text-messaging service that could be used to organize political demonstrations. It drew tens of thousands of subscribers who were unaware it was backed by the U.S. government.
At an oversight hearing Tuesday, Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont told USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah that the program was "cockamamie" and not adequately described to Congress.
USAID, known worldwide for its humanitarian work, has repeatedly maintained it did not send out political messages under the project. Leahy asked Shah whether the project's goal was to "influence political conditions abroad by gathering information about Cuban cellphone users" or "to encourage popular opposition to the Cuban government."
"No, that is not correct," Shah said. "The purpose of the program was to support access to information and to allow people to communicate with each other," he said. "It was not for the purpose you just articulated."
But some messages sent to Cuban cellphones were sharp political satire. One early message sent on Aug. 7, 2009, took aim at the former Cuban telecommunications minister, Ramiro Valdes, who had once warned that the Internet was a "wild colt" that "should be tamed."
"Latest: Cuban dies of electrical shock from laptop. 'I told you so,' declares a satisfied Ramiro. 'Those machines are weapons of the enemy!'"
Others were marked in documents as drafts, and it was not immediately clear if they were ultimately transmitted by the service, which the government said ceased in 2012 because of a lack of funding.
Said one draft message: "THE BACKWARDS WORLD: 54% of Americans think Michael Jackson is alive and 86% of Cubans think Fidel Castro is dead." Another called Castro the "The coma-andante," a reference to Fidel's age.
"No," wrote organizers, apparently nixing that text. "Too political."
A USAID spokesman did not immediately reply to a request seeking comment Tuesday.
Last Thursday, State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said that "no political content was ever supplied by anyone working on this project or running it. It was the people — the Cuban people on the ground who were doing so."
However, Alen Lauzan Falcon, a Havana-born satirical artist based in Chile, said Tuesday that he was hired to write the political texts, though he was never told about ZunZuneo's U.S. origins.
"I don't do cultural humor," he said. "I do political humor. Everything I do is politics even if it is humor about politics."
"Obviously it has to be covert, there is no way you can do something like this in Cuba without someone paying a price," he said.
Some lawmakers in Washington have expressed support for ZunZuneo since the AP's original disclosure. The latest came at a second hearing on Tuesday, this one before a House subcommittee. Two Florida lawmakers — Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Republican Mario Diaz-Balart — said the Cuba project was successful.
Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Rep. Albio Sires, D-N.J., the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, said USAID should be applauded for giving people in Cuba a less-controlled platform to talk to each other.
But Leahy and other lawmakers questioned how thoroughly Congress was informed of the project. They've said it's been described only in broad terms and they were given no indications of the program's risks, its political nature or the extensive efforts to conceal Washington's involvement.
Shah said that Congress has been notified about this program every year since 2008 in documents outlining USAID's budget. "The fact that we are discussing it in this forum, and that it is an unclassified program, illustrates that this is not a covert effort," he said.
He said "parts of it were done discreetly" to protect the people involved. He cited a study by the Government Accountability Office into democracy promotion programs run by USAID and the State Department — including the Cuban Twitter project — that found the programs to be consistent with the law.
But the author of the GAO study, David Gootnick, told the AP this week that investigators did not examine the question of whether the programs were covert. Gootnick said the GAO's report was focused on examining the extent that USAID knew what its contractors were doing. It found that the agency was adequately monitoring the work, but "we did not ask, nor did we report, on the wisdom of conducting such activities."
Shah maintained his agency's position Tuesday that the AP's report had a number of critical inaccuracies. He said the agency operates transparently and noted that he was discussing the Cuba program in Tuesday's open congressional hearing.
Shah said USAID did not set up a Spanish company to help run ZunZuneo. But strategy documents and expense reports obtained by the AP show the project not only planned to establish the Spanish company but also listed an end-of-month expense of $12,500 for the incorporation costs. USAID has not disputed that contractors set up a shell company in the Cayman islands called MovilChat that was used to hide the program's money trail.
In a blog posted Monday, USAID said references to the use of "smart mobs" in documents "had nothing to do with Cuba nor ZunZuneo," though the two are clearly referenced.
The agency also said several CEO candidates for the network's company were told explicitly that the U.S. government was involved. Documents show the creators of ZunZuneo wanted to keep the origins of the service secret from CEO candidates. The AP contacted two of the candidates, both of whom said they'd interviewed for the job with no idea of U.S. involvement.
The program's effects could be far-reaching. Leahy said USAID employees have been contacting the oversight committee to complain that such secretive programs put them at risk because they drive perceptions that the agency is engaged in intelligence-like activities.
"We're already getting emails from USAID employees all over the world saying, 'How could they do this and put us in danger?'" Leahy said.
Leahy, whose voice at times grew angry, demanded to know whose idea it was "to undertake this program in this manner." Shah said ZunZuneo was designed in 2007 and 2008, although it launched publicly in Cuba in 2010 — shortly after Shah was confirmed as USAID's chief.
The launch came months after American contractor Alan Gross was arrested in Cuba. He was imprisoned after traveling repeatedly on a separate, clandestine USAID mission to expand Cuban Internet access using sensitive technology that only governments use.
Early Tuesday, Gross' lawyer released a statement that his client was going on a hunger strike. The ZunZuneo story was "one of the factors" Gross took into account in connection with his hunger strike, the attorney said.
"Once Alan was arrested, it is shocking that USAID would imperil his safety even further by running a covert operation in Cuba," said the lawyer, Scott Gilbert. "USAID has made one absurdly bad decision after another."


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UA Mobile: Receive UA info anywhere, anytime!
Works with
Apple iOS | Android | Windows phone | Amazon Kindle
Free! With UA Mobile, you can do so much:
- View your class schedule | See your class schedule, including instructors, meeting times and location on the campus map (with GPS).
- Springboard | Check your grades, participate in discussion boards, submit assignments and download course files.
- Faculty/staff directory | Find UA faculty and staff members easily through a search that allows one-click access to call them, send an email or find their office.
- Campus locations | As you search for buildings across campus, the app tells you your distance from it and can show you a Google Map on how to get there.
- Roo Express shuttle | See where the busses are on a real-time map.
- Student e-mail | Access your UA Gmail account.
- Libraries | The entire library catalog fits in your pocket, plus, check building hours, renew books and check your account.
- Zips Athletics | Check scores, schedules and news from Zips Athletics.
- News | Read the latest news about UA.
- Calendar | See the major events coming up on campus.
- Course catalog | Plan your classes for next semester 24-7.
- Feedback | Tell us how we can make the app better for you.
What others are saying about UA mobile
"This app looks great guys! It really is nice to have everything right at your fingertips. I love it already." - Chad
"I'm so happy you guys created this app! It's cool." - Jessica
"This app is OUTSTANDING!!! Great job!!! I'm proud to say I work at UA!!!" - Adam
Help us improve the app
We will be improving UA Mobile continuously, and your suggestions will help. Send us an idea or comment.


text:
Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime named 'Tech Entrepreneur of the Year'
Blizzard Entertainment CEO and co-founder Mike Morhaime has been crowned Ersnt & Young's 'National Entrepreneur Of The Year 2012: Technology Award' winner for his achievements at the studio. Among them is Morhaime's success in fostering an excellent and inviting culture at Blizzard, which the panel has said "truly differentiates the company." Get more details below.
Professional service firm Ersnt & Young stated that the award, "Encourages entrepreneurial activity and recognizes leaders and visionaries who demonstrate innovation, financial success and personal commitment as they create and build world-class businesses."
The Blizzard chief was voted as winner by a panel of 244 regional award recipients. Ersnt & Young's statement continues, "Morhaime was recognized for his commitment to a high standard of quality that has propelled Blizzard Entertainment to the pinnacle of the gaming industry and positioned the company as an internationally recognized leader in interactive entertainment.
"Morhaime has developed a unique cultural environment at Blizzard – one that truly differentiates the company. As a development team finishes one project, it collaborates with the executive team on the next game.
"By including the development teams in the decision making process, the company is able to foster an environment where developers are extremely passionate and motivated in their work. The development team seeks feedback from employees throughout the company, making the development of a game at Blizzard completely interactive."
Bryan Pearce, Americas director, entrepreneur of the year at Ersnt & Young said of Morhaime, "To use his words, Morhaime has unleashed his 'inner geek,' creating a cultural phenomenon that is unparalleled in the gaming industry.
"Morhaime brings a commitment to quality to his consumers and an inclusive work environment to his company, both of which have contributed to the immense success of Blizzard."
The statement also notes that Morhaime and his two co-founders started Blizzard with an initial fund of just $15,000 before the studio became the major player that it is today.
What's your view? Well deserved? Let us know below.
Thanks Player Attack.