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Online helpdesk software is used by IT departments to internally manage employee needs while externally managing client requests. Businesses use helpdesk in several ways. For one, they use helpdesk software in the cultivation of customer communities, user testing, feedback loops and business offerings for paid support. Online helpdesk software also brings unity in the customer chats, keeps them archived and are available in reading and responding to internet connected computer or Smartphones. The advantage of the software is its ability to be assessed from anywhere and on any available device. It also does not get affected when the business system or server has a failure.
When the online helpdesk software is active all the time, the customers can check on the status of requests to find out if they ought to provide more information. When fully customized, it allows businesses to apply the prevailing designs of brands while using their domains and email addresses. Features found in helpdesk software include live chat, knowledgebase, online support forums, voice or phone support, frequently asked questions, support ticketing workflow, wikis and remote support. The proper use of helpdesk software empowers the business to monitor and at the same time respond to all the customer requests within a very short time.
Multi Channel Online Helpdesk Software
When using the online helpdesk software, one way of keeping into contact with customers is by plugging live agents into the emails to automatically create tickets. When this happens, there are no chances of missing out on an email from an important client again. This is because each email is made into a ticket automatically before it is assigned to the right department. There are times when there may be multiple emails from several customers. To handle this, multiple email addresses are added, filtered, set, rerouted and streamlined to help in the support process. This will make handling emails become an easy task.
Adding a chat button on the website used is another way of using online helpdesk software. This ensures than whenever there is a customer in the line with a question, there is someone to help. Live chat is said to increase conversion rates of visitors to become regular customers by a whopping 23%. By using live chats, agents are able to see what the customer is typing even before they send the message. It allows the agents to send attachments as well as see where the visitors are from. The best part is that it allows the transfer of chats to other agents. Find out more about help desk software here.
Using Online Helpdesk Software In Voice Support And Monitoring
Online helpdesk software is used in Facebook and other social media. The ticket communications are archived in tickets. The comments and posts by customers are categorized and searched on Facebook. This can be used to surprise the customers with speed when tickets are responded to automatically whenever clients post on Facebook. At the same time, a number of unlimited profiles and wall pages can be managed within one center. It is necessary to define access to the Facebook pages through the live agents and the agents pages on Facebook need to be restricted.
When using the online helpdesk software, customers can be talked to over the phone or alternatively, pc to pc calls can be made. There is no need to have the agents being purchased for phones as calls can be received on the computer directly. Live agents can use Twillio for the integrations of voice calls and get a 1-800 number for customer care services. When there are simultaneous calls from various customers, there is no need to deal with each on a one on one basis. Instead, the conversations and chats can be kept in one ticket and answered at once. Call routing schemes can be automated with unlimited number of agents or departments.


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... right round like a spindle, baby
I recently bought a used spinning wheel from my friend Morgan. I have a drop spindle that I would say I'm adequate at best. Mostly I just haven't committed the time to it, thus creating super chunky sluggy yarn. However, over the excitement of a spinning wheel, I have devoted lots of time to it! So much fun! Morgan threw in some roving along with the wheel- check her shop, it's chalk full of awesome fiber.
I not only spun it, I plied as well!! My first time using the wheel and I have to say, I didn't do it half bad. I call this yarn Big Top because it reminds me of all the colors of a circus. It's a super bulky weight and just plain fun.
Next, I had to find a pattern for it. I came across this gem, Buttonhead on Knitty by a fellow Oregonian Lee Meredith. This hat is awesome. Trust me. I knit a lot of hats and this one rocks. First of all, the pattern is specifically made for handspun yarn. And you can use any weight of yarn. And you can make the hat slouchy, beret style or cloche fitted. AND since it uses a button closure, it can fit any size of head. Have I mentioned how much I love this pattern?? I ran out of my Big Top yarn right when it was time to do the hat band, so I used some left over pima cotton yarn I had used for a baby sunhat. It's perfect. Finished it off with sea shell buttons. I love my hat.
My next spinning endevor? SILK! My good friend Mary and I went to a little heaven on earth called the Eugene Textile Center. It was both of our first time there. What the heck were we waiting for??!! We came across silk roving and couldn't resist. It is fabulous. Feels like you're petting a cloud. I bought an ounce and spun it up. I found it more difficult to spin than wool, but I love it all the same. Since I only bought a small amount, I needed to find a project that 1- looked good with the silk and 2- was a small enough project to only require a bit of yarn.
I found Amelia by Erin Ruth on Ravelry and it's perfect. It only took me an hour to knit up, feels so good against my neck and is very flattering. It also didn't take all the silk yarn. I will definitely be making more of these collars and buying more silk. I love the color of the white silk, but I think next time I'll experiment with dyeing it.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sunday, June 12, 2005
The Last, Best Hope For Prosperity
I bought Time Magazine today for the first time since…probably since 9/11, when I bought every newspaper and magazine available with a cover story on the World Trade Center attacks. The relevance of a weekly "news magazine" these days is, after all, right up there with "Book-of-the-Month" clubs and the Sears Catalogue.
Nevertheless, I bought this new issue of Time Magazine because the front cover is titled "Home Sweet Home" (stamped in large letters, the "S" converted into a Dollar sign) with an illustration showing a man covetously hugging a house. The sub-title reads: "Why we're going gaga over real estate."
I bought it, quite simply, because this Time Magazine is as good a "cover story" kind of market-mania, surely-we-are-approaching-a-top indicator as I have ever seen.
Now, careful readers who've been asking about the promised follow-up to last Thursday's piece on internet-jewelry retailer Blue Nile will have to excuse me. As fun as it is to chronicle the bizarre public musings of Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne and his company's failure at pretty much every new venture he touts to Wall Street—the latest being a Blue Nile knockoff—the current issue of Time is both fecund and worth a good look.
So we will get back to Doctor Byrne and his false-rumor-spreading appearance at the Bear Stearns conference, eventually.
It's just that, when a Time Magazine comes along declaring "Record home prices are inflaming passions—and pocketbooks—as never before," well, as Willy Loman's wife said, attention must be paid.
After all, this is still a magazine with a circulation of something like four million, and its sole function in the world is to sell as many copies as possible before they get recycled into cat litter or something else.
Obviously, the editors of Time believe that a feel-good article about the joys of home-ownership—actually, more precisely, about the ability of average people to strike it rich by buying, flipping, or just putting down deposits on as-yet-to-be-built condos—will sell a lot of copies. Making it, of course, red meat to anyone who's seen more than one cycle on Wall Street.
So let's take a look.
Opening the "Home Sweet Home" cover of this latest Time Magazine, one finds an article titled "America's House Party" which begins with the Siren Song of all bubbles, whether the South Sea Bubble of the 1700's or the Internet Bubble of the late 1990's or the Tulip Bubble of the 1600's or the Oil & Gas Bubble of 1980: the guy who sees his friends doing it:
"I saw so many friends and colleagues getting rich," John Williams, a disc jockey from Long Beach, tells the magazine, "I wanted to get rich too." So Williams is buying houses, fixing them up and, according to the article, "flipping them for a quick profit."
Furthermore, unlike most of the Housing Bubble stories recently appearing in various newspapers and magazines, this article is a straightforward encomium to the financial rewards of buying, selling, trading or owning a house:
The stock market may be dragging, but home prices are soaring, fueling a national obsession with real estate.
Your house is now your piggy bank.
House gawking is a hobby; remodeling, both entertainment and an investment.
Folks brag about having bought their home in the '90s the way they used to brag about having bought Microsoft in the '80s.
Real estate isn't so much about nesting today as it is about nest feathering.
And—I'm not making this up—that's just in the first two paragraphs.
The article goes on, with the usual Time Magazine-ish snappy quotes from newly-minted tycoons; weirdly all-encompassing-yet-inane statements ("It's about the giddy tabulation of how many plasma TVs your house's appreciation could buy and the embarrassment of feeling too poor for your neighborhood as houses around you are torn down for McMansions…"); and, of course, simplified, happy graphics.
However, as in all manias and bubbles, lurking within the happy graphics are some potentially disconcerting statistics, if you really look at the Time Magazine charts.
They show, for example, that the number of second homes purchased in America stayed within a range of 300,000 to 400,000 a year from 1989 to 2002—then suddenly doubled to over 800,000 in 2003 and broke 1 million in 2004. Home equity loans have also spiked, at the same time that rates appear to have bottomed and are moving higher. And in several non-sexy, non-condo, non-second-home-inflated states, mmortgage foreclosure rates have tripled.
But you will not read about all that in the article itself, for Time readers presumably do not want to read about anything except how much fun this house flipping thing is.
There's a trivia "test," although it is not designed to test the reader's knowledge of issues that might have a bearing on whether they are familiar with ARMs and IOs and transaction costs—knowledge that might be useful as they toss their chips into the game.
Rather, it asks things like "Which of these entertainers has sold at least seven homes in the past 10 years?" (Answer: Courteney Cox, although why anybody would care about that is beyond me.)
More interesting than the graphics or the cute quotes, is a look at a single block in a Chicago neighborhood, detailing how the real estate boom has affected seven different houses:
House 1 has a middle aged owner who did a tear-down/rebuild on the house, and is reinvesting the equity in other properties, the profits from which "will put my kids through college."
House 2 has a long-time owner "using it as a piggy bank," via home equity loans.
House 3 is an eventual tear-down whose long-time owner hates what has happened in her neighborhood.
House 4 was sold by its previous owner after property taxes rose 1,059% in 10 years.
House 5 is being sold by its long-time owner to support her retirement.
House 6 has been flipped twice in seven years.
House 7 was inherited; the owner did a recent tear-down/rebuild.
Further on, and like the dot-com stories from the late 1990's, the article is chock-full of real-world people throwing off the shackles of benighted thinking and plowing their worldly savings into housing.
Maybe you're like Mike Oakley, 43, who has poured $100,000 into redecorating his Chicago house, figuring it is already worth $150,000 more than when he bought it. "Rather than invest in stocks," Oakley says, "invest money in your home."
You shouldn't get the impression that you can make six figures in real estate by snapping your fingers. Just ask Max Kaiser. It once took him a whole hour.
"Buildable land here [in Las Vegas] is running out. We have only one place to go, and that's up."
"We might be riding that wave," he [a General Mills operations manager considering switching to the real estate business] says. "But the wave is there. So I'm going to get on it."
And it's not just Young (and-never-seen-a-down-cycle) Turks grabbing for the gold who are being celebrated here; it's the old-timers, too:
Of course, you don't need a portfolio of condos to have made a pile. Average homeowners who bought in the '90s…are now, like modern-day Clampetts, sitting atop newly discovered gushers of wealth.
As I recall the "Beverly Hillbillies," the kids were morons and Granny was a lunatic. The only smart one in the bunch was Jed Clampett, a cagey old redneck, and he had wisely sold his "newly discovered gusher of wealth" and put the money in the bank...giving Jed the right to drive poor Mr. Drysdale insane.
Of course, nobody here in Time-land is doing anything of the sort, except a few renters, as the article notes in a brief piece called "The (Surprising) Case For Renting" appended to the end of the eight-page "America's House Party."
Yet buried within the "Case For Renting" is a cautionary paragraph containing the seeds of what will, I expect, mark the germination of the seed containing the eventual reversal in the Housing Bubble:
The Choes aren't alone in finding value in the rental market. With so many people buying homes in the past few years, landlords in certain frothy markets, like San Diego, Miami, Las Vegas and Washington, have gone begging. Not a few are collecting less rent than they are paying in mortgage expense. Their bet is that in the end, rising values will make up for their losses.
They "will make up for their losses," of course, because, as we have been told by a Las Vegas player earlier in the article, "We have only one place to go, and that's up."
Anybody who reads this article—and I mean anybody, whether they are the last remaining Communist still farming onions on a collective outside Vladivostok, or a jet-setting, highly-leveraged real estate mogul who pretends to be worth more than he is, like Donald Trump—will feel that internal sense of failure, jealousy and greed that they, too, are missing out on something more.
Gushers of wealth…nest feathering…piggy banks…getting on the wave…only one place to go, and that's up....
It's all here in Time Magazine, available on your newsstand today: The Case for Owning Real Estate in America.
You have to excuse homeowners for getting a little giddy. When they look at the rest of the economy, they see little else to be excited about. Employment has picked up, but wages haven't [not true: just last week it was reported that wages rose 6.3% last quarter, the largest first-quarter increase in years]. Inflation has risen from the grave. The stock market is crawling to get back to where it was five years ago [also not true: most stocks are higher than they were five years ago]. Savings accounts throw off barely enough interest to feed a parking meter [also not true: short rates have tripled in a year].
So people see their homes as their last, best hope for prosperity—as not just houses but also lifeboats.
Compelling, is it not?
Very nearly as compelling as a previous Time cover story on a similarly widespread investment mania that also, according to many, looked like the "last, best hope for prosperity."
You may recall that Time Magazine cover story. It was published in the fall of 1999—September 27th, to be precise. It was titled:
"Get Rich.Com: Secrets of the New Silicon Valley."
Jeff Matthews
I Am Not Making This Up
The content contained in this blog represents the opinions of Mr. Matthews. Mr. Matthews also acts as an advisor and clients advised by Mr. Matthews may hold either long or short positions in securities of various companies discussed in the blog based upon Mr. Matthews' recommendations.
33 comments:
- Foresight said...
Agreed, RE is subject to much speculation and overvaluation. What if someone was selling their home and wanted to hedge themselves for the next 2-3 months while their home was in escrow? Would you recommend shorting REITS, Homebuilders, bond funds or something else?
- Its_strange said...
i'm wondering if people in Las Vegas are playing catch with the homes ...just walking the price up....
- Its_strange said...
And i am also wondering if the home sales data is all wrong or "fixed" ...I have a few pals in the business and they think things have been declining in Bergen and Passaic counties NJ for some time now...Beats me but i smell a rat.
- The Sandman said...
Don't quite get the drift of the first couple of comments; must be something to do with the bubbles I suppose, anyway….
Having only just received and read my copy of Fortune June 6, No. 9, front cover: "Real Estate Gold Rush Inside the hot-money world of housing speculators, condo flippers, and get-rich-quick schemers. (Is it too late to get in?) - (International Edition), one wonders if one magazine follows the other, even if they are owned by the same people.
The Fortune conclusion is interesting and possibly more responsible, with the final paragrah saying things like "But even some diehard speculators…..are starting to get nervous" and "'It was like a gold rush….everyone was flipping….'". What is more fascinating is the Wall Street Banker who seems to be only now moving into the real estate market. Either's he's been asleep for the past few years, just recently got a fat bonus or more likely, can't resist that market anymore and has to get in. Another sign of a top if there ever was one.
- Its_strange said...
Jeff blogs..well when it comes to current events or political positions he ain't making it up but certainly doesn't air the whole story...what a shame
- Jeff Matthews said...
"Foresight": I personally wouldn't make plans to hedge a home sale for a two or three month period on the assumption that the housing market might suddenly seize up. Houses are not like stocks, where valuations change minute by minute or day by day. Also, shorting REITS or the homebuilders against your own home sale is not a real hedge.
(My personal experience in buying and selling homes is that the housing market always moves slower than us Wall Street types have come to expect from watching stocks all day.)
"Sandman" is dead on noting the Fortune article, and after I posted this piece I noticed Money Magazine also has a cover article on real estate: "Special Issue: Your Home," with "Why it's still your best investment."
As for "Sandman's" question about the first couple of comments that had nothing to do with this post, I have deleted them and remind readers this is not a Yahoo message board: what we value here is informed observation and information. Anyone attempting to hijack the discussion or go off-topic will be deleted.
Finally, I'll wager every person reading this blog has a personal observation or experience with the Housing Bubble, and I'd love to hear them.
- Its_strange said...
A broker pal in Saddle River NJ told me people are using the attorney review period to demand lower prices from the seller...He believes "its over" , time to work for a living
- Docuharborisbad said...
First off it's Courtney LOVE, not Courteney Cox. You were suffering from a Courteney Merge, happens to the best of us.
I know some mortgage brokers, and I'm amazed that none of them were doing it before a couple years ago. I'm further amazed that there are so MANY of them and people leaving other careers to jump into it. I'm even further amazed the creativity with which they structure loans. I'm not sure most people understand how they are buying these things.
Re: the bubble, everyone seems to be focusing on the effectson real estate prices, but what about on consumer spending? A sizable chunk of recent spending has been fueled by the torrid real estate market (people taking out home equity lines, or feeling richer because they consider their house a form of savings). If that flow putters out, it's going to hurt more than the flip and rip crowd.
- coolbreeze_23 said...
It's not Courtney Cox that married Kurt Cobain, it's Courtney Love. Courtney Cox, an actress on 'Friends', is married to David Arquette.
But back to real estate: down here in Charlotte the residential real estate market has been very restrained. We may be getting three percent annual appreciation, not too different from past years. Commercial real estate down here, on the other hand, is on a roll. All of a sudden 1031 exchanges became very popular, and it's hard to find a commercial building to 1031 into that makes sense. (A 1031 exchange permits you to sell a piece of real estate and reinvest the money without paying capital gains tax.)
We look on your real estate bubble with wonder.
- notafanofstupidity said...
selling my house...now in greenwich. greater fool theory. renting and whistling past the graveyard of mcmansions. people 5 or even 3 million $ homes should examine their logic. looking forward to when 'exotic' mortgages start adjusting upward and when the interest only payment is like having a nasty credit card debt with skyrocketing interest.
- Ed said...
On a recent trip to Miami - this was a few weekends ago - the bell hop helping me with my bags at the hotel told me that Miami real estate was a great investment and that there were good places to be had "just down the road" for just $200-300k - a steal, he assured me.
Keep in mind that just meandering around my hotel I counted, not one, not two, not three but (at least) EIGHT buildings on Collins that were for rent or sale. Not single apartments, mind you - entire buildings. Didn't look that "hot" to me! This was between 10th and 20th streets on Collins - the heart of South Beach.
I'll be hanging onto my cash for a little while yet...
- revert said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- revert said...
Comments from the 3rd hottest Real Estate market in the country (Reno, NV). I have been saying for over a year that our housing prices have gone to far too fast, yet they continue to climb. We purchased a new construction house for $370 in December of 2004, the same model now in the newer phase goes for $650! 7 months later! I notice the number of realtors here is going through the roof, every acquaintance I have who has struggled in their career is now either a real estate agent or mortgage broker. The current market is being driven by Californian's selling their overpriced homes and buying houses here for cash. People don't understand that we are leveraged to the California market, Yikes! People here don't realize that if California's market declines, ours does too. I spoke to a recruiter the other day who had 2 engineers placed for jobs here but they turned them down and took jobs in Texas because the housing wasn't affordable here. On the more fundamental side, a friend just told me rather than sell their house to buy another, they are going to rent the house because "even though they can't get the same amount of rent to cover the mortgage, the house will go up 10% a year. And that is being conservative." Look out below!
- BelowTheCrowd said...
At my local (Venice Beach) farmer's market I was approached by two rather comely and surgically-enhanced young ladies, whose pitch was that they were mortgage brokers who could easily cut my payment or allow me to cash out.
The presumption of this pair was that anybody going to an expensive farmer's market in my neighborhood:
1) Must be a homeowner (I'm not, sold more than a year ago and now renting)
2) Must have lots of equity in their home. (OK, we are 4 blocks from the beach)
3) Must be itching to get at the cash, rather than actually saving it in any form.
What was amusing to me was that the last time I saw their kind was back in 2000. Back then they were either working as "technology recruiters," or they were trying to sell you on daytrading opportunities. Their regular appearance at every possible venue in LA heralded the end.
It probably does again.
- Ed said...
This "cover" mania says to me that we are still about 6-8 months away from the first real crack in the housing market, because the magazines were about that early with the dotcoms.
- Jeff Matthews said...
For starters, I indeed screwed up: yes it was Courteney Cox who is the real estate trader highlighted in Time, but I confused her with Courtney Love, the Kurt Cobain widow.
I had no idea who Courteney Cox is, and mixed up the two. The post has been corrected.
Second, the fact that the hot markets remain the hot markets while others stagnate might be telling us that the action is increasingly speculative.
I'd like to hear more from the none-hot markets.
Finally, I agree that the "cover" does not mean things go down tomorrow: it takes time to suck in all those "greater fools."
- The Unknown Broker said...
As to heding against the real estate decline, or even speculating in either a continuing boom or a looming bust, I share this info.
Note: I do not know the outfit that is offering these "futures contracts" on housing prices. I do not know how reputable it is, and it appears to me that trading is thin. I am simply passing this on for information purposes.
- PaulT said...
One on the nightly news stations last week had a story about people joining investment clubs - to learn how to "invest" in real estate. When I heard that, I figured we had hit the peak.
- Its_strange said...
another broker from Passaic county NJ tells me sub-prime lending has stopped long ago.. ..Once again, beats me
- homebuilder said...
i'm a homebuilder/mortgage broker in the san antonio, tx market. there is no bubble here and very little speculation. prices have been rising steadily, but at a measured pace...3%-5% a year. job growth here is excellent and there are equally as excellent prospects for continued growth.
i'm amazed when i hear of the incredible increases in other markets. the closest we have in texas to a bubble market is austin, which has finally regained some of its momentum after the dotcom collapse.
- Its_strange said...
Anyone think fraud is playing a big part in the hot markets ?
- BelowTheCrowd said...
I haven't observed anything that would count as outright fraud. Mostly, what I've seen could probably be considered misrepresentation, or more properly -- failure to completely and fully inform.
Basically, I know a lot of people whose mortgage brokers, lenders and real estate agents have completely glossed over the risks of taking those more exotic ARM and IO mortgages. The inclination of everybody involved is to suggest that ongoing appreciation in the underlying investment will trump any interest rate risk associated with the particular product.
I put this in the same category as those investment houses who gave margin and options authorization to individuals who had no clue what they were getting into during the dotcom/daytrading bubble.
When it's all over, there will be myriads of class action lawsuits against lenders and mortgage brokers for failure to adequately disclose the risks of the products they pushed to unsophisticated borrowers.
- Its_strange said...
Anyone know if ARM or IO loans are concentrated in the sexy markets ? What type of loans are vacation home buyers getting ? ....just imagine all those vacation homes recently bought hitting the market in the summer of 06.....
- Kevin H. Stecyk said...
I found reference to this following quote on Bill Fleckenstein's excellent site http://www.fleckensteincapital.com/
Quote taken from:
Posted by Brandon V. on June 09, 2005 at 17:59:54:
Help! Any ideas, comments welcome.
My partner and I are in a mess with a brand new house in Las Vegas. Here are the details.
1. AUG 2004, we paid $445,000 for a Pulte model in the community of Aliante, North Las Vegas.
2. 100% financed and still owe roughly the same.
2. Payment is $3000/month.
3. Currently could only sell for about $360,000.
4. Finally found tenants to lease out for $1100/month in APR to reduce neg cash flow to $1900/month.
We are running out of cash quickly. We desperately need some ideas on how to get out of this house immediately.
- Its_strange said...
it appears after reading Kevin's post they are running out of greater fools in Las Vegas...but than again the casinos never seem to run out of them....
- Its_strange said...
Perhaps we should watch the number of new brokers joining the party and where they are ? My pals in NJ have been around for years and years and they we have way to many ...
- Jeff Matthews said...
Please, no more reprints from other web sites. These reprints simply retread unconfirmed data and contain with very little true value.
I am looking for direct knowledge from readers, and welcome all such stories, the positive and the negative.
As for mortgage brokers and possible fraud, I don't know about specific instances of fraud but I know a lawyer who has handled hundreds of closings of single and multi-family homes over many years in the New York City area, and it drives him nuts how many buyers get ripped off by mortgage brokers, who have been able to use the interest rate decline of the last decade to extract huge fees from unsuspecting buyers, who only focus on their monthly cash nut--and not on the fees coming out of the closing costs.
- jucojames said...
I have two anecdotes
1. Friends of my wife and I live in DC right above the Metro in a 680 sq ft condo they bought about 4 years ago. Their neighbor recently sold the exact same model condo for $350k to a speculator and hasn't even moved - just paying about $1200 in rent to the speculator...whose mortgage is twice that. Our friends wanted to trade up (they do need more room) and I gave them my spiel why it was a bad idea. They proceeded to go home and contact an agent (I am very persuasive apparently!). They made an offer on a bigger place below the asking price and told the seller's agent that it was their final offer. The owner's actually called our friends directly yelling at them for having the "gal to make an offer below the asking price". This experience reinforced the madness that I talked to them about and they are now staying put. I will not claim victory until they sell and begin to rent, however!
2. I am in Hershey PA and rent a condo. Talked to my landlord who paid $65k 3 years ago for my place and the place next door just sold for $90k. At that price a landlord is slightly cash flow negative monthly - so not nearly as insane as other markets but still overpriced.
Finally, per GMO the national median household income as it relates median home price is now 2 above 2 standard deviations above the long term trend. Many of the hot markets are well above that level, and would have to decline by 25% over 5 years, assuming normal income growth, to revert to the long term trend.
This type of metric places areas like Hershey PA in a position where the market will likely be flat for a while - assuming income growth is normal. Of course, flat is bad enough considering our economy's need for the housing ponzi scheme/ATM to support spending.
- DPollock said...
I work for a money management firm in southern California and such a large number of our clients are inquiring about residential real estate - another sure sign of overheating - that we set out to survey the market and provide our thoughts. The findings, which describe how we got to where we are and the beginning traces of erosion of this mirage of endless prosperity, was picked up as guest commentary at the following site for anyone who is interested. It's the antidote to Time Magazine's twaddle.
- tr8der said...
Had 2 choices when I got out of college, get a job trading options at the CBOE or sell homes for a family friend developing gated communities in Vegas. Ended up as a trader on the CBOE floor during the exciting and profitable years of 99-02.... still wonder if selling homes in Vegas would have been the more profitable move.
I've lived in TX almost all my life, not a notoriously hot housing market. Homes/Townhomes/Condos being built all over Houston. I have lived in mine for 2 yrs. and comps are now selling for 20-30% more, that doesn't sound like much to you coastal people but it's a ton for TX, no one seems to remember the 80s when housing prices fell 50% here. Austin is the really hot market, all the California buyers there think they're getting homes for half price, but they're paying all time high prices for Austin.
- J. Francis Lehman said...
*bookmarks home page*
Good stuff. A Fleck reader sent in the link to this one, and Fleck posted it in his daily Q & A.
- m j davey said...
Its funny, we are at the stage now where we are getting conflicting data points...just in this thread...i help a woman in her late 30s and she was told she had to move..she is renting in SF CA. I manage about $75k, most of which is in her IRA. She asked me a few months ago if she should take ALL this money and buy a condo in SF. I said no and she asked why. I said it wasn't a good time. So far the money is still intact but she could very well take it and succumb to a very serious pressure to act.
- Orion said...
Just a quick data set between the Seattle area and Dallas.
I just spent the last week pricing rentals in the Pacific NW. Home prices are going up (due to California echo-bubble effect), and all the residents want you to know that. I took my 3 kids to Seattle for the day to do some tourist things, and every conversation I overheard on the ferry, at the deli, or at the beach were concerning real estate. No kidding! It is as if nothing else is happening. It just reminds me of when I lived in Hawaii in the late 90s - People would go to bars to watch CNBC rather than enjoy Hawaii.
Prices are going up, yet rental rates are declining. I looked at a home in a Navy town where incomes are essentially capped by the Civil Service and military pay rates (no other industry aside from home speculation). The home is owned by a submarine officer and his wife. It's their "baby home," where they expect to return one day. There are all kinds of rules: no shoes in the house (hardwood floors), no painting of walls (designer colors), no hanging of pictures, and every conceivable disclaimer putting all the risk of the house deterioration on the tenant. It is as if they expect me to write a check every month as a testament to their brilliance in purchasing this home, and never set foot inside their wooded temple. I'm probably going to pass on this one.
We looked at more homes. Agents are starting to let loose that the owners are willing to negotiate the rock-bottom rents. I started asking agents what the problem is (I already knew, but I wanted to hear them confirm it).
First problem: Californians are buying sight-unseen and renting them out - causing a glut of rentals and a dearth of available homes for purchase.
Second problem: Military are buying rather than renting, as mid-grade enlisted are buying all the cheap houses and officers/CPOs are buying the higher end stuff.
Both of these trends are unsustainable.
I was once a USN officer, and the debt advisor for my squadron, and I can assure you that if mid-grade enlisted are buying homes, it will end in disaster.
Meanwhile, in flyover country...
Home prices in Dallas are flat, and affordable. If my town happened to be teleported to the Puget Sound region, and wages did not adjust to the new region, it would have the lowest crime rate in the entire state of Washington, and have the second highest median income (behind Bill Gates' Medina). Median home price in Highland Village, Texas: $210K (fully pimped out, and 2x as large as the median home in any decent neighborhood I visited in Washington). Homes stay on market for 90 days, and you are just happy to have a crappy offer.
You would not live in a $210K house in just about any neighborhood which could be commutable to Seattle, unless you were manufacturing meth.
It is going to end in tears. Rents are falling, prices are rising, and more idiots jump in with both feet.
asking WTF? since 1991


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Fabric Information
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Adam.isle needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 162 designs submitted by 29 freelance designers.
Hudson Shribman Recruitment
Hudson Shribman Recruitment is a specialist boutique recruitment consultancy based in London. We serve three main markets; accountancy and finance recruitment (est 1977), science and engineering (est 1996) and support services (est 2002).
We're an owner managed business, and have a friendly, responsive approach to both our clients (hiring firms) and customers (applicants for jobs).
Many of our staff have been with our business for over 5 years, and we have low staff turnover.
We punch above our weight in several markets (notably scientific recruitment), and have several blue-chip companies who we frequently recruit for. However, many of our assignments are 'one-off' recruitment campaigns for SMEs. When clients use us, they tend to come back. Our main problem is attracting in new business, and projecting a profile into the market that convinces larger companies that although we're small, we can deliver on even complex, high-profile assignments.
We work on a contingency, retained-advertised, and search and selection/ headhunt basis within hiring firms.
At Hudson Shribman we recognise that tough economic times can present opportunities as well as threats, so we're looking to come up with a new design for our logo, which could include an icon that projects a confident, professional image as we consider the next steps for our business and launching into new markets as opportunities present themselves. Versatility is key.
Currently, we target our recruitment services to HR/ personnel employees within organisations who have decision making authority on which recruitment agencies to use, and line managers with autonomy on hiring decisions. Companies employing scientists, engineers, accountants and finance professionals, and admin/ clerical staff are all existing and potentially future customers. We may expand into new markets, which could include media/ advertising, so a contemporary feel could be what we're looking for. Our market is therefore potentially huge, and varied.
We aim to develop new relationships with commercial organisations who are coming out of the recession and looking for a partner to help them hire top talent.
We're going to be using our logo/ icon on our new website, and want to incorporate it into other marketing collateral which will include email signatures, hard copy print advertising, online postings of our jobs onto websites such as http://www.monster.co.uk, http://www.totaljobs.co.uk and http://www.newscientistjobs.com and individual recruitment consultant profiles on LinkedIn.
The design will be used across our whole organization, for all of our marketing purposes. We will therefore be breaking from the past and delivering a clear message of a fresh new image for our business.
Our current 'corporate colours' are green and blue, and our new website is being designed with these colours in mind. However, we don't want to be slaves to this, and are open to consider new, eye-catching ideas.
The website address for our new site which is in development is:
There's a space of 330px X 60px for the logo
We would like something that could potentially be adapted, so whilst our 'main brand' is Hudson Shribman Recruitment, we are currently known as Hudson Shribman Scientific Recruitment in science and engineering markets.
The attached advert is indicative of what we've previously used in hard copy advertising in the New Scientist magazine. Our current logo is in the bottom right hand corner and is currently a simple blue and green.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Task Force Report's Langauge Hints At Backdoors In Software
from the but-of-course deptAfter looking over the White House intelligence task force's proposals to reform the way the US government does surveillance, we pointed out one oddity that hinted that the NSA may have been engaged in financial manipulation. Others have been combing through the report for other hints of things it might accidentally reveal, and Ed Felten (who I still think should have led the task force) has spotted another one, in how the report discusses the issue of backdoors in software. He notes that the wording is odd in the following bit:
Upon review, however, we are unaware of any vulnerability created by the US Government in generally available commercial software that puts users at risk of criminal hackers or foreign governments decrypting their data. Moreover, it appears that in the vast majority of generally used, commercially available encryption software, there is no vulnerability , or "backdoor," that makes it possible for the US Government or anyone else to achieve unauthorized access.A quick read of that might suggest that the panel did not find out about any such backdoors and that the NSA told them there were no such backdoors. But Felten notes that, especially given the NSA's almost pathological need to say things that appear to imply one thing, but which can be read to state the exact opposite, if the wording came from the NSA, it may be indicating the existence of backdoors of some kind.
[Footnote: Any cryptographic algorithm can become exploitable if implemented incorrectly or used improperly.]
He goes further to note that the lack of definitions around "generally available commercial software" and "generally used, commercially available... software" leaves open a world of unanswered questions.
Turning to the text, the most interesting feature is the difference between the first and second sentences, which have parallel structure but use different language. Here's a chart laying out the differences:
First sentence Second sentence unaware of any vulnerability in vast majority … no vulnerability vulnerability created by USG [any vulnerability] generally available commercial software generally used, commercially available … software [any software] encryption software puts users at risk of [non-USG exploit] [exploitable by USG] or anyone else decrypting data unauthorized access
This structure leaves open the possibility that there are vulnerabilities known to and exploitable by the US Government (USG). These might fall into several categories:
- vulnerabilities created by the USG that are exploitable only with the knowledge of a cryptographic key known only to the USG. An example would be the widely suspected backdoor in the NIST pseudorandom number generator standard.
- vulnerabilities created by the USG that allow access to data by means other than decryption, for example by allowing remote access to data at rest, or by causing copies of data to be sent to NSA collection points.
- vulnerabilities in software that is not generally available, such as internally developed software used by large companies to manage their data centers.
- vulnerabilities that are in non-encryption software and were not created by the USG. These would be outside the scope of both sentences.
One wonders how the people who chose those phrases would classify critical open source software such as Linux or OpenSSL. Are these "commercial software"? Even if not "commercial software", are they "commercially available"? I can see two possibilities here. Perhaps this is imprecise drafting by the panel who might have intended to cover all of the relevant software but, being less familiar with the technical community, might have missed this nuance. Or perhaps this is one of the NSA's word games, meant to leave a loophole.Some will, undoubtedly, argue that this is all nitpicking, and we should take the report at face value. However, given that nearly every time the NSA has been asked to discuss various programs, it seems to carefully parse its words in exactly this manner -- to imply one thing, while really meaning the exact opposite -- it seems that the NSA has lost the benefit of the doubt here, and it's perfectly reasonable to raise questions about what is truly meant by certain claims.
Filed Under: backdoors, ed felten, encryption, nsa, software, task force


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Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Digital Scrapbooking
I also love Shutterfly for professionally bound photo books ( glue bound) but they're a bit pricey. I'm currently working on a fantasy themed photo book for Ykaie and here are some of the pages I've finished.
27 comments:
- Alice Law said...
Oh My Oh my Anney, these are beautiful!!! How I wish I could make one for my kids! Btw, did you make the satin gown? It's gorgeous!
Have a wonderful day ahead!
- July 13, 2010 at 9:05 PM
- Jhari said...
Wow! Ang galing mo teh.
- July 14, 2010 at 12:50 AM
- claire said...
gorgeous, anney!! i love your scrapbooks!! so cuuuutee!! you really are creative.. i admire you so much :)
- July 14, 2010 at 7:19 AM
- Sera Melinda said...
Hi anney,
ur scrapbooks are awesome.
thx for sharing the links.
i'm interested to do it too, but still don't have the time to collect the pics and stuff....
btw, Ykaie looks pretty on her 'bride' gown, hihihihi.... :D
- July 14, 2010 at 1:01 PM
- Clarissa said...
I've heard from other bloggers about artscrow and shutterfly--will try one of these days.naku,meron kaya akong talent sa paggawa nyan?I love yours,Anney!^_^
- July 14, 2010 at 4:06 PM
- nicxter said...
- July 14, 2010 at 9:08 PM
- Arvin U. de la Peña said...
ang galing naman..ayos mga pagkakagawa mo..
- July 14, 2010 at 11:48 PM
- Bchai said...
Those are SOOO cute! I love the background images you used. They're so whimsical. I bet your photo books really stand out, and make for great conversation pieces (as well as gifts). Ykaie is just adorable! Good thing you've got one great model! ;)
- July 15, 2010 at 12:35 AM
- ppp said...
buti pa si ykaie nakarating na sa wonderland. bida na naman ang batang sikat. kamusta ka na ba tita
- July 15, 2010 at 8:39 PM
- Ishmael Fischer Ahab said...
Ang cute cute cute cute cute cute to infinite times. Ang ganda ng napili mong hobby ah. Parang gusto ko ring mag-ganyan. ^_^
- July 16, 2010 at 5:06 PM
- pinayrichmom said...
ganda lahat! :)
- July 16, 2010 at 5:16 PM
- LHEY said...
Bravo Sis!!! I've always wanted to do but dont exactly know where to get backgrounds and stuff, i have photoshop to manipulate them, but never knew where to get to the cutie babies background!!! Thanks for sharing! Napaka-cute ng model!!!! :))
- July 16, 2010 at 8:49 PM
- Willie a.k.a Reptoz said...
Very nice anney. I love it.
- July 16, 2010 at 10:26 PM
- eden said...
What a wonderful talent you have Anney. Wish I could learn that. Maybe someday I could spend more time sitting in front of my computer to do it. Well done! Really beautiful..Ganda ng model mo.:)
- July 17, 2010 at 1:35 PM
- iamronel.com said...
wow galing nman po skin ako rin marunong din gumawa nito
- July 17, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- ronelmarin.net said...
i got amazed on these..galing po wait link exchange po tau?
- July 17, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- ronelmarin.net said...
thanks po linked n rin po kau..:)
- July 17, 2010 at 10:05 PM
- Uncle Lee said...
Hello Anney, Wow! You are good. Outstanding! And very talented and creative too.
I love the pictures, the colours especially. And you have great looking kids there.
Sana'y maging masaya para sa'you ang buong linggo.
Ingat ka palagi, Lee.
- July 19, 2010 at 10:08 AM
- Cens World said...
These are very beautiful. You are so creative. I am amazed by your work :)
- July 19, 2010 at 8:41 PM
- supermommyjem said...
you are very creative, beautiful scrapbooks!
- July 20, 2010 at 12:48 AM
- Maria Mcclain said...
Nice blog & beautiful snaps, i will visit ur blog very often, hope u go for this website to increase visitor.Happy Blogging!!!
- July 20, 2010 at 6:05 PM
- Mommy Liz said...
ang galing galing mo naman ate Anney, as in magaling. Ako kasi di ako marunong sa mga ganyan. Wala akong dugo sa art talaga, as in zero art blood. Hay...
- July 21, 2010 at 9:15 AM
- emarbi said...
wow so cutie! hope i have a gurl also :)
- July 21, 2010 at 11:28 AM
- Shenny's mommy said...
Your daughter is very pretty. She is a lucky girl, surely she will have many many sweet memory to see all these wonderful photos you have made for her when she is a big girl.
- July 22, 2010 at 8:34 PM
- Mhar's Display said...
This is wonderfully done.
- July 23, 2010 at 9:14 AM
- JETTRO said...
ang ganda ng mga image
punta ka ng IMIKIMI.COM para malagyan mo pa ng design yung mga picture
napadaan lang nagustuhan ko yung mga image kc mahilig din ako sa mga image na ganyan.
siyanga pala invite kita bumuto thanks
- July 26, 2010 at 8:37 PM
- Mummy Moon said...
Its is very nice and your daughter looks so pretty there. You remember you intro Artscow to me, I love it too, sad to tell you Artcows doesnt ship to Malaysia any more :(
- July 29, 2010 at 12:17 AM


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Monday Morning Mirth
The happiest days are when
history herstory is being made: Kathryn Bigelow!
Congratulations Best Director Oscar Winner 2010
Take that, all ye inglorious basterds!
I have to say my eyes happily misted up along with all the Actors from The Hurt Locker.
After-show Post Deconstruct
• Was it just me or were the hosts just Not Funny…
• George Clooney looked very Not Amused all evening (but then again some folks suggested he was wearing a wig!)
• The incredibly vibrant lipstick colors on most of the actresses had me running for my sunglasses — even in HD it was pulsating
• One shoulder and ruffles of all kinds were popular but ladies, no pom-poms across the rear-ahge. Right: Vera Farmiga; Wrong: Zoe Saldana
• Winslet, Parker & Bullock: very nice
• Ms. Theron: beautiful colored dress; incomprehensible flower thingies over breasties
• Do any of the starlets ever stand up straight?
• K. Stewart: Why so grumpy?
• WTF was Sean Penn mumbling about?
• Finally & I hate to admit it, D. Moore looked like a million!


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The community forum was organized by six local groups from neighborhoods surrounding the hospital, which the State University of New York (SUNY) has been looking to sell, saying the facility is losing millions of dollars a month.
Representatives from the companies submitting bids for the hospital were supposed to speak, but SUNY requested they not appear.
Five of the proposals maintain the site as a fully-functioning hospital, while four others incorporate walk-in urgent care centers and other medical facilities as part of new mixed-use developments.
"The proposals need to be beefed up," said Jim Walden, an attorney representing several community groups. "I'd like nine hospital proposals, not five."
In particular, a proposal by the Chinese Community Accountable Care Organization was not well received.
"They appear to be focused on reducing cost," said Jeff Strabone of the Cobble Hill Association, noting a lack of experience. "They haven't created a hospital, but they appear to be innovative in management techniques."
Two LICH doctors, Tom Sorra and Doug Sebkowitz, liked the Prime Healthcare proposal. The group plans to continue medical services, it would be its 24th hospital, and it has purchased hospitals in the past that would have closed if it did not acquire them.
Residents were on the fence about a proposal by Trindade. While the group wants to keep a full-service hospital, attendees weren't thrilled with some of LICH being turned into affordable housing.
"I don't know if the Trindade group is thinking too big," Walden said. "I do give them a lot of credit for thinking outside the box."
The SUNY Board of Trustees will vote on the proposals on April 4 and a contract process will follow.
"We thought it was very important for people to see what the proposals are," Walden said.


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|Avviso spoiler: Questo articolo contiene spoiler. Leggetelo a vostro rischio e pericolo.
|Angel Batista
|Nome Completo
| Angelo Juan Marcos Batista
|Stato Personale
|Stato Civile
|Parenti Più Stretti
| Padre sconosciuto (deceduto)
Norma Batista (madre; deceduta)
Auri Batista (figlia)
Nina Batista (1°moglie - divorziato)
Maria LaGuerta (2°moglie - divorziato)
Jamie Batista (sorella)
|Stato Professionale
| Detective per la Miami Metro Police, divisione Omicidi
|Apparizioni Telefilm
|Prima Comparsa
|Ultima Comparsa
|Remember the Monsters?
|Interpretato da
|David Zayas
Originally a Detective in Miami Metro Police Department's Homicide Division, Batista advanced his way to the rank of Sergeant in the start of Season Three likely replacing the position left behind by Sergeant James Doakes after his death. Whether Detective or Sergeant, Batista always works closely with Dexter Morgan during cases, often teaming up with him for his expert advice on serial killers.
As Dexter showed more and more of his humanity, he's come to accept Angel as a close friend even if he doesn't always admit it to himself and Angel is a man who will always have your back. At a crime scene, Angel is often the human counterpart to Dexter's fascination with bloody crime scenes, offering his personal views on dealing with the killer and how they could commit such a thing while Dexter ponders the creativity (if it exists). He also somewhat butts heads with Vince Masuka and his interest in the ladies, concerned over whether or not he can keep hands off specifically with the new intern Ryan Chambers.
If Dexter and Debra Morgan are the main characters for the series, Angel follows close behind often having his own story arc which may or may not involve superior Maria LaGuerta, whom in the later seasons he forms a romantic relationship with that unfortunately ends for political gain on her part. Detective Joey Quinn takes the role of his partner after Deb's advancement to Lieutenant in Season Six and the two are given their own storyline together.
In the novel series, Batista is not a detective, but a forensic officer who works alongside Dexter. He is also referred by himself and others as "Angel no-relation" in reference to former Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.
Angel is a middle-aged, Latino man who always wears a signature goatee armed with a grin. Ever since his first appearance, he hasn't changed his facial hair though he does keep it trimmed from time to time while other times it is more pronounced. He has short, almost spiked black hair that is usually hidden under a fedora. Angel's facial expressions are one of the most powerful traits regarding his character, truly showing his range of emotions from joy and kindness to disappointment and regret. Even rage is shown clearly (though it takes a lot to piss him off) and makes him one of the more emotionally developed characters for the series.
Angel is a man that loves button-up and colorful shirts, as he's often seen wearing various Cuban inspired short-sleeved shirts at work while usually combining it with a pair of khaki pants and dress shoes. When he's first introduced however he's shown in a detective's suit, with dark blue pants and a light blue shirt with a tie, no fedora included. His subsequent appearances almost always have him in something Cuban, so what determines the suit appearance at that point is somewhat unclear. When he does wear something more formal, he usually has a suit jacket to add to the flair. It is assumed he owns a police uniform just like Captain Maria LaGuerta but only wears it when absolutely necessary, such as if he ever makes Lieutenant in the future (a position now currently held by Debra Morgan).
Batista is basically good natured, with a dry sense of humor. He is also totally honest, at the request of his beloved father on his deathbed. This later lands him in trouble, as it drives him to expose Doakes' killer instincts to internal affairs and, after having an affair with another woman, confesses his actions to his wife, who immediately ends their relationship, although it takes months for the painful separation to conclude with a divorce. After three months of being on his own, Batista turns to spiritual enlightenment to alleviate his pain.
His gut feeling regarding the death of Detective Mike Anderson lands him in a tough spot, realizing there's more to the case than what is let on but is told to back down by Lieutenant Debra Morgan as she works towards protecting Dexter's secret (of being a serial killer and having murdered Mike's killer. This event causes Angel to feel as though he's "used up" as a Detective and he begins looking into opening a restaurant, so that he may retire in relaxation with a carefree life. Unfortunately, his dream is slowly crumbling as he receives notification after notification of problems with his restaurant by health inspectors. Soon after LaGuerta's death however, he successfully establishes himself as the new Lieutenant of Homicide, whilst successfully taking care of his new restaurant.
Angel has been present since the beginning of the series, appearing at almost every crime scene and often has his own story to go alongside the main plot.
Prima StagioneModifica
During a drive with James Doakes, Doakes spots a man and a foot-chase ensues. When Angel arrives on the scene he finds the man dead. When first questioned by IAB Angel lies for Doakes saying the other man shot first. However, Angel later reveals he made a promise to his father that he would always be an honest man and tells the truth.Due to his honesty, Angel also ends up telling his wife about the one time he cheated. This leads to their separation, something he tries to keep hidden from everyone.
One night at a club Angel sees a women with a prosthetic hand, the nails painted in the same manner as the finger tips found in the refrigerated truck. This leads him to find out that the women had a customer with an amputee fetish (achrotomophilia). In an attempt to chase the lead Angel first talks with Masuka, who advises him to speak with Rudy, saying that people dealing with prosthetics frequently come across such "devotees". Unknown to him, Rudy is the real Ice Truck Killer. Later Angel gets stabbed by Rudy. During recovery, he agrees to a divorce with his wife. He also identifies the true identity of Rudy by getting a match for his prints from a Tampa Mental Hospital, leading him to the name Brian Moser.
Seconda StagioneModifica
In Season Two, Batista and the rest of the department try their best to alleviate the grief from families of the Bay Harbor Butcher victims. He becomes especially involved in one case of a man named Oscar Sota. When he talks to the man's wife in the office, he ends up having a heated and frustrating argument with her about what her husband was actually doing to be targeted by the Butcher. Feeling incredibly guilty for his previous behavior with the wife, he goes to her house and offers her a sincere apology. She begins trusting Batista and offers him greater detail on the case, telling him how Oscar hid weapons in the walls in their house.
He eventually takes an interest in Lila Tourney and, after her and Dexter's breakup, makes advances on her, which she gladly embraces. Unbeknownst to him, he's only being used by her to get close to Dexter. After fighting with Dexter, Lila takes Rohypnol and then files date rape charges against him. Batista expresses how terrified he is if the rape charge follows through, as it will likely ruin his career. After Lila is murdered by Dexter, the charges are dropped, much to Batista's relief. Dexter admits that if he was "normal", he would want to be a man like Batista.
Terza StagioneModifica
In Season Three, Batista is promoted to Sergeant and made the department's new lead case investigator to replace the now-deceased Doakes. However it appears as his life as a divorced father is beginning to take its toll on Angel, as he risks his career to get a hooker who turns out to be an undercover cop. After persistent but gentlemanly advances, Angel begins a relationship with the other officer; Barbara Gianna. He is obviously paranoid and overconscientious of the relationship, leaving her a long-winded message begging forgiveness for having to cancel dinner because of work. However, Barbara finds this hysterically funny, brings him a take-out dinner, and their relationship appears strong. One indication as to the strength of their relationship is that after she is assaulted, it is suggested that he would have tried to kill the assailant (or at the very least violently beaten him), had Dexter not intervened and subtly calmed Batista down. He attends Dexter's wedding with Barbara as his date.
Quarta StagioneModifica
Season 4 begins with Angel and Maria LaGuerta beginning a relationship (as his relationship with Barbara ended in between seasons). After breaking up, to keep their positions within the department, it is obvious that they still love each other very much. At the end of the season they are married, with Dexter signing as the witness.
Quinta StagioneModifica
Batista and LaGuerta's marriage is constantly challenged by their work disagreements. At first, Batista constantly caves in to LaGuerta's demands, but grows more and more frustrated and jealous. When a drunk police officer makes sexual remarks about LaGuerta ("she gave the best blowjobs in Miami"), Batista, also drunk, beats him up and ends up being investigated by Internal Affairs. LaGuerta teams up with the investigating officer, but that prompts Batista to be even more jealous; he starts checking her cell phone for suspicious messages and finds a rendezvous appointment in a hotel room. Outraged, he walks in on them, only to find out that it was intended to be a sting operation to apprehend a corrupt narcotics cop, in which LaGuerta agreed to participate to bail Batista out of the investigation. When LaGuerta's bad judgment call leads to the killing of their informant in the Fuentes brothers case, she pins the blame on Debra Morgan, rekindling their rivalry. Upset by LaGuerta's decision, Batista decides to stick to Debra's story and does so in his written statement; he also helps Debra when she insists on reopening the barrel girls case after LaGuerta closed it too soon – although he fails to convince LaGuerta himself. Ever since, Batista's approach towards LaGuerta's bossiness has drastically changed, as he has been "cutting her off" every time she seems to try to overpower his decision. However, in the The Big One they seem to have set their relationship back on track.
Sesta StagioneModifica
Angel and LaGuerta separated in order for her to secure the position of 'Captain' in Miami Metro Homicide however her position as Lieutenant was left open specifically for Angel by her recommendation. To her surprise, Deputy Chief Tom Matthews decided otherwise advanced Debra Morgan to Lieutenant instead. Debra broke this news to Angel, who took it with stride and congratulated her nonetheless, but was still hurt by constantly having to pay the price for LaGuerta's political battles with Matthews. Batista's partner, Joey Quinn also begins to point out that he is too soft, which infuriates him. However he manages to restrain himself, likely wanting to avoid another situation like the Lopez ordeal the previous year. His relationship is further strained when Quinn, in a drunken state, makes degrading remarks towards Jamie and is knocked out by him.
With her budding relationship with Louis Greene, Masuka's third intern, Angel attempts to scare him away during a dinner with both of them; this fails, though Angel does respect Louis' technological investigative prowess.
When Angel approaches a suspect's house, without Quinn for backup, he is knocked out with a giant wooden cross, by a hiding Travis Marshall after becoming too suspicious. Just as Travis is about to finish Angel off, Quinn arrives at the last second and saves him, forcing Travis to escape. Later, Quinn deeply apologizes for everything he's put Angel through due to him constantly drinking and arriving late to work. Angel would thank him for saving his life, but said that he can't have a partner whom he can't trust and tells Quinn that he wants to have him transferred (in reality he's only saying this to get him to shape-up). Quinn however was bitter over this and tried to fight the transfer. Angel talked to him in private and told him that even now he still acts immature and needs to grow up. Quinn tries to rectify what he has done wrong and tries to convince Angel that he will change his ways.
Settima StagioneModificaAfter Mike Anderson's murder, Batista feels burnt out as a cop and voices his desire to leave the force in pursuit of a restaurant business. Quinn helps him out, giving him $10 000 which he got from George Novikov as a bribery to lay off the Koshka Brotherhood (although he tells Angel that he inherited it from a wealthy relative). Towards the end of the season, LaGuerta arrests Dexter for the murder of Hector Estrada (unbeknownst to her, he was not dead) and Batista tries to act as an intermediary between the two (having a very close relationship with both). When evidence is revealed that LaGuerta was apparently framing Dexter all along (although in reality, Dexter set her up), Batista pleads with her to leave him alone and drop her case against him, for her own good.
Ottava StagioneModificaSix months after her death, a memorial service is held for LaGuerta. Batista, now Lieutenant after Debra leaves the police force, delivers a heartfelt eulogy in remembrance of his boss, ex-wife and good friend. Her death convinced Batista to stay in the force and devote his life to fighting crime. Batista faces a big dilemma as Lieutenant, in having to decide who will best serve as his replacement - while Quinn is a close friend, partner and boyfriend to his sister, Angie Miller has greater qualitifications and experience for the job. Eventually, he tells Quinn that he has chosen Miller as his new Sergeant, which deeply upsets him, as Batista was the one who constantly pressured Quinn to make something of his life, by taking the Sergeant's exam. It is hitherto unknown who his selection for the job is. Batista also tries to convince Debra to return to the Police Force, since the place has not been the same without her. He gives her a Detective Badge and even though Debra still does not make a definite decision, he requests that she keep it. Debra is currently considering making a return to the Force, but in contrast to Dexter, she finds it hard to reconcile with her unlawful behaviour (an accomplice and accessory to murder, as well as murder itself) with being part of the police, who are supposed to uphold the law.
Relazione con DexterModificaBatista claims to be Dexter's best friend, much to Dexter's confusion, as he has never given Batista any reason to think so. They go drinking together after Batista gets a salary bump and after Batista is black-out drunk, he ends up waking up in Dexter's apartment. Batista always places great trust in Dexter, for instance, when he wants a secret blood test, seeking a match for a criminal who beat up his then girlfriend, so that he can take revenge (he does eventually do so to a minimal extent, after Dexter subtly advises him not to do something he would regret). Batista also tells Dexter and no one else, when he is having 'intimate relations with LaGuerta' and both he and LaGuerta bring forth Dexter as a witness when they get married (telling him to keep it a secret). In Season 2, Dexter does admit that Batista is the closest thing he has to a friend and that if he was ever "normal", he would want to be a man like Batista.
- In the pilot episode, he appears to be part of the forensics team, similar to his character in the book. But for the rest of the series, he is addressed as and works as a detective.
- Angel is the last main character shown in the series, other than Dexter Morgan himself.


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Found a very colorful kite harness yesterday Sat 8/31. Colorful indeed.
Please come to the annual kite costume extravaganza to claim it.. With costume of course..and bring a few brewskis to share with everyone. If you see me borrow the harness for my joker outfit.. Please feel free to club me in the head and pry it off my waist:)


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"Ours to Fight For: American Jews in the Second World War" will be on view at Holocaust Museum Houston from July 15, 2011 to Dec. 31, 2011. Curated by the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, this exhibition invites visitors to "explore and celebrate the achievements of Jewish men and women who were part of the American war effort on and off of the battlefield. In their own voices and through their artifacts, letters and photographs, the "Greatest Generation" tells the stories of what the war was like for all of its participants and for Jews in particular.
Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
Exhibition's Web site (http://www.ourstofightfor.org) This link takes visitors to the Web site created for the exhibition. Film trailers of veterans' testimony, teacher guides and artifact exploration opportunities can be accessed through the site."All of Ours to Fight For" Resource Guide (http://www.ourstofightfor.org/resources.pdf)This resource guide contains a chronology, several glossaries and lists of textual and Internet-based items of use for students and teachers."All of Ours to Fight For" Activities Booklet (http://www.ourstofightfor.org/activities.pdf)This guide contains student activities for research, writing or group work.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM)
Special Focus on Liberation (http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/focus/liberation/)Visitors to this site can view video testimony by liberators, select an animated map about liberation, read encyclopedia articles and consider the aftermath of liberation.
U.S. Army Units/Liberation (http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10006161) This link takes visitors to a site where they can research U.S. Army divisions recognized by the USHMM and the Center of Military History as liberating units. The camp(s) liberated by each unit are identified.
Additional Sites
Go For Broke National Education Center (http://www.goforbroke.org/default.asp) Life stories of the Japanese American soldiers of WWII are used to educate the public about the responsibilities, challenges and rights of American citizenship.
VOCES Oral History Project (http://www.lib.utexas.edu/voces/) This project highlights the contributions of Latinos and Latinas of the WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War generations.
Navajo Code Talkers (http://www.navajocodetalkers.org/) The Navajo Code Talkers Association is an advocacy group which officially represents the Navajo Code Talkers regarding matters they deem of merit or great importance.
Pictures of African-Americans During World War II (http://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/ww2-pictures/#aaf) The images described in this leaflet illustrate African-American participation in World War II. The pictures were selected from the holdings of the Still Picture Branch (NNSP) of the National Archives and Records Administration.


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20438 Surnames | 134092 Records | 2751 Reunions
Dead Fred asks:Are you a Desperate Genealogist?
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Photo #68076
Last Name: Conley
First Name : Viola
Middle Name: Fay
Subject's City:
Subject's State: MI
Subject's County: Isabella
Subject's Country: United States
Date: 1921-1940
Photographer's City:
Photographer's State:
Nee: Purdey
Type** : SNAP
Comments: Viola Fay Conley (Nee: Purdey) | MI United States | 1921-1940 | Comments: Irene Mae Purdey Jones was born on December 17, 1929 to Henry Clifford and Lorna Beatrice Yats Purdey. On January 18, 1947 she married Clifford Phineas Jones and they had three children. Irene died on January 22, 1993 and is buried at the North Britton Cemetery, Mecosta County, Michigan next to her husband. Henry Clifford Purdey was born August 1, 1906 in Isabella County, Michigan. He was the fifth child born to Jay J. and Mary E. Vincent Purdey. Henry married Lorna Beatrice Yats on November 23, 1927 at the Gilmore Church of Christ in Montcalm County, Michigan and they had eight children. Henry died on October 27, 1977 and is buried next to his first wife at the Gilmore Township Cemetery in Isabella County, Michigan. Viola Fay Purdey Conley Shepard was born on January 29, 1929 to Henry Clifford and Lorna Beatrice Yats Purdey. On August 4, 1946 she married Marshall Woodrow Conley and they had five children. Viola also married Arden (Buck) Leroy Shepard but they had no children together. Viola died on January 3, 2001 and is buried in the Gilmore Township Cemetery, Isabella County, Michigan.
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The Latest Buzz-Worthy Trend? Chic Honeycomb Patterns.
Here's a trend we're sweet on: graphic honeycombs that are popping up on everything from cocktail dresses to crewneck sweaters. Geometric prints are undoubtedly a fashion mainstay, but this time around, designers are looking to the humble bumblebee as a source of inspiration. The result? Hexagonal motifs that offer a playful yet sophisticated take on the geometric trend. Read on to see which stylish ladies are wearing this buzz-worthy look.
On The Runway
This season's Queen Bee was undoubtedly Alexander McQueen's Creative Director Sarah Burton, whose S/S 13 collection was filled with beekeeper hats and ornate honeycomb dresses and jackets. Even the jewelry, such as the Tortoiseshell Bee Plexiglas Cuff ($845), referenced the hive with quirky bee embellishments. Marios Schwab did as well; the designer's chic Honeycomb Sweater ($1825) features an embroidered pattern that adds intrigue to an otherwise basic top. For a slightly less literal interpretation, look to Celine's S/S 13 runway. Creative Director Phoebe Philo's plunging v-neck dresses and tank tops were overlaid with honeycomb-style mesh for sultry appeal.
On Celebrities
Emma Stone
Though the hexagonal motif can be understated or bold, Stone opted for the latter look at the Berlin premiere of The Croods last month. The actress wore Gucci's Black Silk Dress With Hive Tulle And Puff Sleeves ($2850) from the S/S 13 collection with a sleek updo, focusing attention on her frock's dramatic honeycomb mesh yoke.
Sami Gayle
Gayle, on the other hand, opted for a subtler interpretation of the trend. While attending the Side Effects premiere in New York in January, the young actress slipped into Miu Miu's Cotton Embroidered Top ($940) and Denim Skirt ($910) from the Resort 13 collection. The skirt's honeycomb pattern—and honey-colored palette—echoed her sweet and youthful sensibilities.
Anna Paquin
At the annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards party in February, Paquin showed up in a design from Alexander McQueen's S/S 13 collection, specifically the Black Honeycomb Leaf Crepe Gown (similar styles available here). The honeycomb detailing gives a contemporary spin to a classic silhouette.
Get The Look/Clothes
If you're inspired to snag this look for yourself, there are plenty of options on the market right now. Pair a patterned top, like Diane von Furstenberg's White Raechel Honeycomb Sequin T-Shirt ($365), Exclusive For Intermix's Honeycomb Knit Double Peplum Top ($198), or Kensie's Honeycomb Knit Sweater ($88), with a pair of slim, tapered trousers or a skirt. The key is to leave the rest of your ensemble simple and streamlined, allowing the honeycomb motif to steal the spotlight. You can also try a dress, such as Derek Lam's Honeycomb-Print T-Shirt Dress ($790) or Motel's Lee Lee Dress In Honeycomb Mesh ($48), for a more polished, feminine look.
Get The Look/Accessories
You can achieve the honeycomb theme with a number of hive-inspired accents too. We suggest Jamie Joseph's Small Honeycomb Stud Earrings ($200) or Yochi's Gold Honeycomb Earrings ($48) for a touch of sparkle, or slipping on Bill Skinner's Honeycomb Necklace ($136) to jazz up a basic crewneck top. Printed Village's Honeycomb Scarf ($25) also makes a fantastic addition to your repertoire, adding visual intrigue to a neutral coat and jeans.
Alexander McQueen, Marios Schwab, and Celine runway photos, courtesy of Imax Tree; photo of Emma Stone, courtesy of StarTraks Photo.


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Hilarious Clip Of The Week: Jay Leno Prank Photo Booth! (2 Hood Chicks Try To Act Hard But Get Shook At The End)
Jay Leno prank photo booth
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Frequently asked questions
ICAC investigations
Can I be investigated if I no longer work for the public sector?
Can I give my evidence in private?
Could I be arrested and charged?
If a person who has been summoned to appear at an ICAC public inquiry or compulsory examination fails to appear, then the Commissioner may issue a warrant for their arrest. In these circumstances, the person will be arrested and delivered into the custody of the ICAC for the purpose of giving evidence.
At the conclusion of an investigation, if it is appropriate to do so, the ICAC may recommend to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions that it consider prosecution action against a person based on the available evidence.
Do I have to co-operate with the ICAC?
How can I find out whether I am under investigation?
If I resign would the ICAC stop investigating me?
Should I tell work that I am under investigation?
Will other people find out that I am being investigated?
While the ICAC takes care to maintain confidentiality, it may be unavoidable that the person whose conduct is under investigation will be identified. This may occur through the process of conducting interviews, the taking of statements, the service of notices and the taking of evidence. The ICAC may also conduct a public inquiry and publish a report on its investigation, in which case details of the investigation will be made public.


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Gloucester Stage is hosting the world premiere of a provocative play by playwright/actor Jim Frangione. Playing through Sept. 30, "The Flight of the Monarch" is a serious psychological study that is also sprinkled with humor.
No longer young, a brother and sister navigate the dark waters of the sister's secretly suicidal thoughts.
Two fine performers, Nancy E. Carroll as Sheila and J. Tucker Smith as her brother Thomas, interact expertly thanks to fine direction by Jeff Zinn and convincing dialog by Frangione. The play's dialog takes some of the extra twists and turns that can occur when a person is telling a story -- as the brother tells an odd story of a little girl collapsing on his boat.
There is sharp humor here and there during the play, and Carroll, in particular, excels in its delivery. "All my old boyfriends are dropping like flies," Sheila complains as she contemplates unpleasant aspects of aging.
Her mental state is being questioned, and she is up on assault charges for punching a cop after she accidentally rammed a shopping cart into a car.
As Thomas, Smith is appealingly natural and relaxed, which makes his occasional intense moments all the more vivid -- and he has a wonderfully expressive face.
Sheila wants to sell the old family home, but Thomas is still living there and loves the place. She pretty much bullies him into agreeing to help her end her own life, and he calls that a selfish choice.
During Act II, reasons to keep living start cropping up. Thomas finds an old letter from the mother Sheila thinks never loved her, written before the mother's death, that touchingly expresses the mother's love for her children. The siblings relax together over an old photo album, stirring positive memories. Sheila gets a call from a business she is angry with, and demands they correct a mistake. Her daughter, now out west and five months pregnant, calls, and Sheila asks her to come back east to have her baby. Things are looking up.
Frangione's play works exceptionally well in the close audience proximity of this intimate theater.
"Flight of the Monarch" continues through Sept. 30 with evening performances on Wednesday through Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. and matinees at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. There is a special Tuesday night performance on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m.
There will be free post-show discussions with the artists following the 2 p.m Sunday matinees on Sept. 17 and Sept. 24.
Single ticket prices are $32 to $42 with discounts available for Cape Ann residents, senior citizens and people 25 years old and younger.
Performances are held at Gloucester Stage, 267 Main St., Gloucester, MA. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the box office at 978-281-4433 or visit http://gloucesterstage.com/.


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2012 presidential hopeful Gary Johnson to speak at Libertarian Party convention
Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson will speak at the Libertarian Party of Colorado's "Reclaim Liberty" convention March 28-30.
The convention will also feature seminars on subjects such as self-government, news from the National Rifle Association and the Libertarian National Campaign Committee. It will be held at the Marriott Denver West.
The party's 2012 presidential candidate, Johnson will speak to the next steps the party should take to secure personal freedoms. He is also expected to tout the legalization of marijuana as major win for the expansion of individual liberties.
"People in both states (Colorado and Washington) are now free to indulge in personal marijuana use without the fear of arrest and a criminal record," Johnson said in a release. "Economic and commercial success is being touted in both states as a byproduct of this common sense drug law reform."
Johnson also intends to bring his skis with him. His non-profit organization, the Our America Initiative, is hosting a raffle in which the winner enjoys a day of skiing with the governor March 29.


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Moderators: Three Stars, dagny, pfim, netwolf
Gaucho wrote:France beat Russia 2-1.
Tomas wrote:The "small teams" (especially in the Helsinki group) continue to amaze - After losing to Latvia in regulation, Slovakia just lost to Austria 2:1 (SO). Slovaks now quite unlikely to make the QFs.
Meanwhile, Czechs quite undeservingly won 4:2 against Slovenia, mainly thanks to Pavelec.
Beveridge wrote:Makes me wonder if Russia was holding that spot figuring he would be bounced in round 1 again
canaan wrote:France also added A. Baguette to their roster.
mikey287 wrote:P4L, care to speak about goaltender Luka Gračnar from EC Salzburg?
Pens4Life wrote:mikey287 wrote:P4L, care to speak about goaltender Luka Gračnar from EC Salzburg?
What would you like to know? I think you probably saw him play,soo you have some insight in his capabilities..
Young promising goalie,maybe a little small,but very quick,agressive,smart,quick legs.. Best goalie prospect we had in last 10 years,after Kristan who wasnt good in this WC!
John Gibson,born 93' in Pittsburgh - is USA no.1 goalie in WC,what do you know about him?
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Evening classes canceled Feb. 7, 2018. Learn more.
Home | Academics | Our Schools | Conservatory of Performing Arts | Conservatory News & Features
Professors Santina Moran-Seaborne and Ed Strimlan, M.D., meet with technical theatre/design students in the Introduction to Stage Properties class to discuss the creation of their mock crime scenes.
Technical theatre/design students applied their creative stage-setting skills off stage in Point Park University's crime scene investigation house.
Students in the Introduction to Stage Properties class collaborated with forensic science students in the Development of the Death Investigation System course to create and process a mock crime scene on campus. The courses are taught by Santina Moran-Seaborne, COPA adjunct faculty member and assistant properties master of the Pittsburgh Playhouse, and Ed Strimlan, M.D., assistant professor and coordinator of the forensic science program.
"This is a great lesson for collaboration. Many of the projects we do are small group or individual projects, but this assignment is a whole class endeavor," said Moran-Seaborne. "The students had to decide as a group how to incorporate their ideas into a cohesive and believable crime."
The hands-on assignment was divided into three weeks:
Week one: Theatre students evaluated the CSI house and were given an overview about typical crime scenes from Professor Strimlan. The students drafted a props list to create scenes for a bedroom, living room and an office.
Week two: Theatre students returned to the CSI house to set up the mock scenes using hand props (anything an actor uses/has direct contact with), set props (larger or more permanent fixtures) and set dressing (what fills in the stage and makes it believably lived in).
Week three: Forensic science students processed the crime scenes.
"Theatre students have a different point of view other than pure science and are experts at thinking outside the box," said Strimlan. "They added nuances to the crime scenes that we may not have thought to add."
Kimberly Schlieper, a junior majoring in forensic science, said that she approached her analysis of the crime scenes differently.
"Working on the crime scenes designed by students in other majors allows us to be more creative since the scene is more creative."
Sophomore stage management major Layden Jenson-Bunch shared one of the most important lessons he learned from this assignment.
"As a stage manager, attention to detail is very important," he said. "Working on this project helped to sharpen my skills of paying attention to detail. Every piece matters, where it is placed and how it fits into the grand scheme of things."
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