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By Jocelyn Noveck
AP National Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- Kayt Sukel, an author who writes about neuroscience and sexuality, has given lectures around the country on the issue. And there's one word, she finds, that never fails to get her audiences squeamish.
"There's just something about the word 'vagina' that startles people -- I don't know what it is," says Sukel. "I find it especially at universities. People sit back a little bit. Sometimes they start giggling. I end up using euphemisms just to make them more comfortable, and more receptive to what I am saying. And we don't seem to have the same problems with the word 'penis.'"
In a much different setting, Judy Gold has similar experiences. The popular standup comic and actress, who last year starred in her own successful off-Broadway show, focuses her routines on being gay, Jewish, a New Yorker and a mother. Her audiences presumably know what they're getting into. Yet she, too, hears gasps in the audience when she says the V-word.
And so neither woman was particularly surprised when they heard about the recent incident in Michigan, where a lawmaker was temporarily barred from speaking in the House after using the word "vagina" during debate over anti-abortion legislation.
It all began when Lisa Brown, a Democrat, was speaking about proposed legislation requiring doctors to ensure that abortion-seekers haven't been coerced into ending their pregnancies. "I'm flattered you're all concerned about my vagina," Brown said. "But no means no." Brown believes she was censured because of the word she used, though her Republican opponents later said it was the "no means no" part, which they claimed likened the law to rape. The lawmaker denies she was doing anything of the kind.
But politics aside, there's no question in the minds of many that in 2012, for whatever reason, the V-word retains shock value -- much more than its male counterpart -- even though it is finally beginning to surface regularly in mainstream entertainment, popping up in several network TV shows as well as in much bolder references in advertising.
"I mean, you can say 'penis,'" says Gold. "You can say 'erection,' 'erectile dysfunction,' even 'vaginal probe.' But 'vagina'? Suddenly it's a dirty word. And it's the correct anatomical term!"
Can an anatomical term really be a bad word? Even the Parents Television Council, a watchdog group that tracks what it sees as objectionable content on TV, acknowledges that difficulty.
"I've got a toddler, and when you read potty-training books, they discourage the use of euphemisms for body parts," says Melissa Henson, the group's director of communications. But what troubles the PTC, she says, is "the use of this language in the context of cheap sex jokes. It's dumbed-down humor that's in no way respectful of the audience."
The PTC studied the appearance of "penis" and "vagina" in scripted shows on five networks, comparing the 2010-2011 season to 2001-2002. Not surprisingly, it found a large increase, largely in the last year or two.
The word "vagina" was used 35 times in shows on NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and CW in the 2010-2011 season, and only four times a decade earlier. In addition, the PTC found, it was used 12 times in the first two months of the 2011-2012 season on just one show, "2 Broke Girls" on CBS, which follows a couple of 20-something waitresses in Brooklyn.
As for the word "penis''? The term was used much more than its female counterpart, 30 times a decade ago, and 116 times in 2010-2011. (But that's hardly a shock: it was way back in 1982 that the young boy in "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," one of the most beloved family films of all time, called his brother "penis breath" -- and only got an order to "Sit down!" from his Mom.)
In advertising, there's been a huge shift as well the last few years, with one of the bolder examples being the "Hail to the V" ad campaign for the Summer's Eve line of feminine cleansing products. But Fleet Laboratories, which makes Summer's Eve, has had some problems determining what's fun and edgy and what goes too far. A year ago it had to withdraw one set of TV ads that showed female hands of different races forming talking vaginas -- the characterizations were seen as racially insensitive.
The recent emergence of the V-word in pop culture has not gone unnoticed -- the New York Times late last year called the current TV season "the season of the vagina." Whitney Cummings, one of the co-creators of "2 Broke Girls," quipped to the paper: "Vagina jokes paid for my house."
And yet the networks hardly seem eager to discuss the word. One executive at a major network who declined to speak for this article indicated it just wasn't worth the trouble of attracting negative attention.
Where does the squeamishness come from? Author Sutel feels sex education in schools is lacking. She says there aren't enough teachers like the one she had in 8th grade who "went around the room and made us say 'penis, vagina,' just to get used to the words."
Comedian Gold sees a darker reason -- misogyny, and the over-sexualization of women by men. "The woman has become so sexualized, and saying 'vagina' takes the sex out of it," Gold says. "Men prefer other words for that body part."
Mia Blitstein, a 34-year-old Philadelphia mother, thinks the issue may stem from our parents, whose own attitudes about sex we absorb at an early age.
"The attitudes that our parents model for us, and the words they use, are very important," says Blitstein, who says she tries to impress upon her own son that names of body parts are not dirty.
In fact, Blitstein herself is very comfortable with the V-word, a fact she attributes to her "hippie-ish" parents who even let her watch her brother's birth. When her son was born, she was so overcome that, wheeling down the hospital corridor with her newborn, she yelled out: "A person just came out of my vagina!" Some laughed. Others looked at her like she was crazy.
So what does lawmaker Brown think was the real reason for her censure? She says leadership first said the ban, which in effect only lasted a day, was about the V-word, then changed their story. She has her suspicions, though, that it's all politics. "If you watch the video, it's all Republicans sitting behind me. There's no gasp, there's no jaws hitting the ground," she told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "The fact that it came out the next day, to me it's very suspicious."
In any case, support has poured in for Brown from organizations across the country -- from the American Civil Liberties Union to the National Organization for Women and NARAL Pro-Choice America. A petition has collected more than 48,000 online signatures calling on the Republican House speaker and the majority floor leader to apologize to Brown.
And most visibly, some 3,000 people gathered by the Michigan House steps to watch a performance of "The Vagina Monologues," Eve Ensler's groundbreaking 1996 play on the vagina as a symbol of female empowerment. Ensler flew in from California to oversee the performance.
"Half of these people who are trying to regulate vaginas, they can't even say the word," she told The AP. "They can legislate it, but they can't say it?"
But perhaps the best "vagina zinger," which is what late-night host Jon Stewart called Brown's original remark, came from Stewart himself.
"What are they worried about?" he said on "The Daily Show." "Vaginas aren't like Voldemort or Beetlejuice. Invoking the name 'vagina' doesn't make them suddenly appear. Believe me, if it did, high school would have been very different for me."
Published: Wed, Jun 27, 2012


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THE SCENE Richard Lotharius, CPQ? We asked Dick to explain. "The 'Q' is for quipucamayoc," he told us. "They were America's earliest accountants." Formerly with our Miami Office, Dick is now a senior accountant with DPH&S in Lima, Peru. Fascinated by the remains of the ancient Incas, he began studying their civilization. "A visit to Machu Picchu, the famous 'lost city' of the Incas in southern Peru, made me aware of the remarkable achievements of these people," Dick said. "So I delved into the past and came up with the quipu," he added proudly, perhaps a little like a second Columbus. Dick's researching led him to the library and to the Lima Museum of Anthropology, where he discovered the ingenious accounting device of the Incas and learned how it was used. The Inca civilization, though impressive, lacked two significant accomplishments— the wheel and a system of writing. Because they had no written language, the Incas developed a special tool for keeping accounts—the quipu. "The word means 'knots' in the Inca language," Dick told us. "The quipu consisted of a main horizontal cord with many vertical strings attached to it. The attached strings were of various colors and thicknesses, for example, red to symbolize soldiers, yellow for maize. The vertical strings contained a series of knots representing a decimal system, making possible counts from zero to hundreds of thousands through the placement of knots on the strings. "The keeper of the knotted strings was called a quipucamayoc, or accountant, who verbally communicated the meaning of the quipu to the layman. Each governor of a province had his own team of quipucamayoc... usually 2 to 4 at a time to keep a system of checks and balances. They performed a complete annual inventory of everything within the state—from ponchos and pottery and maize to llamas and guinea pigs and people." Dick was particularly interested in similarities between the accounting system of the Incas and accounting today, such as the need for a system of control effectuated through accounting; a highly trained and skilled professional group to perform and interpret the accounts; a system of checks and balances; and periodic inventories. "What would have been accomplished by these first accountants," Dick wondered, "if they had discovered the wheel?" Strong man. John Dzurenko, senior assistant accountant with our Philadelphia Office, does not chew nails. He prefers chocolate almond ice cream. Yet this did not prevent him from breaking three national records as he placed first in the Eastern Shores Open Weightlifting Meet, middle-heavyweight division, in competition with five other weight lifters. John's new records: 621 xk pounds from a squat; 688 % pounds deadlift (breaking his own record); and total of 1,665 pounds. The 5'g", 198 lb. accountant plans to enter the Senior National Championships this year in Los Angeles. John started lifting to keep in shape for football. Attending Villanova University on a football scholarship, he was the 1967 National Collegiate Champion in the middle-heavyweight class and was also voted the best collegiate lifter. In May of this year he was named "Power Lifter of the Month" by Muscular Development magazine. All this, and a size 18 collar, on chocolate almond ice cream! Have you ever. . . imagined yourself in a golf tournament... with Arnold Palmer as a partner? Dougal Crowe, Honolulu principal, did. And he was. It was the Pro-Am phase of the $110,000 Hawaiian Open golf tournament held at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu recently. With a 50-1 chance, Dougal was drawn as one of Palmer's three amateur partners. "I think playing in a tournament with any pro would be inspiring, but playing with 'the king' was inspiration at its highest," Dougal said. "Yet Palmer is an easy person to be with." Overall, Dougal's performance was better than usual—he hit more good, long wood shots. The reason, he believed, was a greater concentration and extra adrenalin production. His erratic putting he blamed on the excitement. Neither Dougal nor his amateur partners were able to help tournament-weary Palmer finish in the money. "Even though Palmer wasn't playing well (his score was 79) he still thrilled me and all the gallery with his power," recalled Dougal. "Yet one of the most memorable incidents was seeing him take two shots to get out of a sand trap, just like any duffer." In addition to "Arnie's Army" of about 1,000 which followed the foursome, there was "Dougal's Army" of personal supporters—his parents, a few H&S staff members who were also on vacation for that week, friends from client offices and fellow club members. "The instant notoriety I achieved hasn't yet completely died down," Dougal said. And he doesn't really mind being called "Arnie" around his club.


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The Hutong's Summer Fayre: Fruit Punch & Rooftop FunPosted: June 10th, 2016 | Author: LumDimSum | Filed under: Charity, Upcoming Events | Tags: 9cm, Antonia Sampson Jewelry, Beijing Bikini, Beijing Postcards, candy&caviar, Caravan, Chef Reshma Khan, Cuju, Education In Sight (EIS), Fengtong Jewelry, Fresh Prints, Jing-A Brewing Co., Liuba Draws, Mantra Sunglasses, MoxiMoxi 摩西摩西, Red Star Works, RuKis, Shangrila Farms, Summer Fayre, Summer Fruit Punch, Tai Tai, Taozi Tree Yoga, Tea Journeys, The Hutong, theBeijinger, This City Art, Ubi Gallery, Yellow Pummelo, 棒奶奶果酱 Bonne Nani Fresh Fruit Jams, 燕麦小姐 Miss Muesli | No Comments »
The Hutong's Gorgeous Rooftop will host their annual Summer Fayre this Saturday, June 11!
The hutongs in Beijing are best viewed in summer when the trees are lush and green and everyone is out and about proudly sporting their Beijing "bikini" (and by everyone, I mean men with their white tanks knotted up and their beer bellies out for all to admire). Oh, the summer months in Beijing are a glorious time of year and somehow always feel far too short so you've got to savor them while you can!
The Hutong has got the right idea with their awesome annual Summer Fayre. While everyone knows that The Hutong's Christmas fayre is the jolliest of them all with their abundant pots of spiced mulled wine and effervescent holiday cheer all around, their gorgeous rooftop has never looked better than at their summer fayre packed with plenty of artisan food items and plenty of sunshine.
"Here comes the sun! Drop by our Hutong to get together, meet old friends and make new ones, and munch and sip in our cozy courtyard. To celebrate all things summer, we will be serving attendees a free glass of our secret-recipe Hutong Summer Fruit Punch. Make a toast with your ice-cold glass, taste gourmet goodies from Beijing culinary artisans and restaurateurs, savor some of the capital's best local brews, and try out some summertime jewelry and apparel." – The Hutong
Continue Reading » The Hutong's Summer Fayre: Fruit Punch & Rooftop Fun


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This chapter provides an overview of the TopLink support for Oracle Spatial, as well as demonstrates the ways to extend TopLink to support the mapping and querying of Oracle Spatial columns (
For more information about Oracle Spatial, see
This chapter includes the following sections:
TopLink provides support for direct mappings of database columns of type
MDSYS.SDO_GEOMETRY to attributes of the
oracle.spatial.geometry.JGeometry data type.
TopLink also provides support for spatial operators (see Section 112.3.3, "How to Perform Queries Using Spatial Operator Expressions") through the TopLink expression framework (see Section 110, "Introduction to TopLink Expressions"), as well as for custom object types that wrap
For information on using TopLink structure converter with application servers other than OC4J, see the relevant server documentation.
For information on configuring OC4J application server to use the TopLink structure converter, see Oracle Fusion Middleware Administration and Application Deployment Guide for Oracle Containers for Java EE
In TopLink, a
oracle.toplink.platform.database.DatabasePlatform (see Section 18.104.22.168, "Database Platforms") stores a list of structure converters.
To create a custom converter, implement the
oracle.toplink.platform.database.converters.StructConverter interface and register it on your direct-to-field mapping (see Section 27.3, "Direct-to-Field Mapping").
To use the StructConverter, do the following:
Configure the database platform (see Section 112.2.1, "How to Configure the Database Platform to Use Structure Converters").
Set up a mapping (see Section 112.2.2, "How to Set Up Mappings Using Structure Converters").
TopLink uses a database platform (see Section 184.108.40.206, "Database Platforms") to control the usage of database vendor-specific and version-specific operations such as SQL dialect, stored procedure calls, sequencing, as well as platform-specific type handling. You need to configure the platform to allow TopLink to use the advanced features of the database.
To add your structure converter to the DatabasePlatform, call
addStructConverter(StructConverter converter) method of the
DatabasePlatform. Call this method within your TopLink session (server or database) prior to the session login (see Section 89.3, "Configuring a Session Login").
Use direct-to-field mappings (see Section 27.3, "Direct-to-Field Mapping") to map your
STRUCT types. For each mapping that maps to the type defined by the structure converter, set its field type to the
STRUCT data type, as follows:
To use the
oracle.spatial.geometry.JGeometry, do the following:
Configure the database platform (see Section 112.3.1, "How to Configure the Database Platform to Use JGeometry").
Set up a mapping (see Section 112.3.2, "How to Map JGeometry Attributes").
You can query your mapped entities with expressions that use Spatial operators. For more information, see Section 112.3.3, "How to Perform Queries Using Spatial Operator Expressions".
To configure the database platform, add a structure converter in a form of the
oracle.toplink.platform.database.oracle.converters.JGeometryConverter as follows:
databasePlatform.addStructConverter(new JGeometryConverter());
You must configure this platform within your TopLink session prior to the session login (see Section 89.3, "Configuring a Session Login").
Use direct-to-field mappings (see Section 27.3, "Direct-to-Field Mapping") to map your
STRUCT types. For each mapping that maps to the type defined by the structure converter (
JGeometry), set its field type to the
STRUCT data type, as follows:
With the configured database platform, you can read and write persistent entities with
JGeometry attributes mapped to
SDO_GEOMETRY columns. With this support, you can query for these mapped entities with native SQL queries using Oracle Spatial operators (see
Spatial operators are special SQL functions supported by Oracle Database to enable querying and comparison of columns containing geometry types. The spatial operators take the following format:
<SPATIAL-OP>(geometry1, geometry2, parameters) = 'TRUE'
For more information on spatial operators, see Oracle Spatial API Documentation.
In its
oracle.toplink.expressions.spatial package, TopLink provides the expression support for the following Spatial operators:
Use the following methods of the
oracle.toplink.expressions.spatial.SpatialExpressionFactory class to build expressions that use Spatial operators:
All these methods have the following common set of parameters:
an expression (oracle.toplink.expressions.Expression) that points to
JGeometry object or an
oracle.toplink.expressions.spatial.SpatialParameters object that defines the parameters to the function call.
SpatialParameters class provides convenience methods that let you set the parameters representing the following:
minimum resolution;
maximum resolution;
query type;
String of parameters.
Example 112-1 demonstrates how to construct a Spatial operator expression, and then relate it to an existing
JGeometry with
SpatialParameters created using a
Example 112-1 Relating an Expression Using String of Spatial Parameters
SpatialParameters parameters = new SpatialParameters("MASK=ANYINTERACT QUERYTYPE=WINDOW"); Expression selectionCriteria = SpatialExpressionFactory.relate(expressionBuilder.get("geometry"), rectangle, parameters);
Example 112-2 demonstrates how to relate two expressions with
SpatialParameters constructed using convenience methods.
Example 112-2 Relating Two Expressions
SpatialParameters parameters = new SpatialParameters(); parameters.setQueryType( SpatialParameters.QueryType.WINDOW.setMask(Mask.ANYINTERACT); Expression selectionCriteria = SpatialExpressionFactory.relate(expressionBuilder1.get("geometry"), expressionBuilder2.get("geometry"), parameters);


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Releases > Annual Estimates of the Population for Counties > Release Tables > Annual Population by Location
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View FRED Help for faster help.
We will reply as soon as possible. If you have not received a response within two business days, please send your inquiry again or call (314) 444-3733.


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This year, Estonia expects to add 95MW of wind through the creation of the Aseri and Paite-Vaivina wind farms, and an extension to the largest wind farm in the Baltic States, Aulepa. But following a year of instability and unease in the renewables industry, administrative barriers remain the biggest challenge for new projects.
A gift to Estonian wind came early in 2010, when changes to its Electricity Act abolished the feed-in tariff and replaced it with a system of premiums. This gave wind energy producers a subsidy of EUR0.054/kWh for production up to 600GWh annually - compared with a previous limit of 400GWh. Last year also saw the introduction of the first regulations to allow offshore wind development.
However, later in the year, the economy ministry proposed amendments to the Electricity Act that would have cut subsidies for current and future wind farms. Neither became law, but the wind sector was spooked.
"A country that would even consider changing the rules after more than EUR500 million have been invested into its renewable energy industry destroys all confidence in the validity of its regulations and destabilises its investment climate for a long time," says Tuuliki Kasonen-Lins, general manager of the Estonian Wind Power Association.
In November, the government agreed to continue providing subsidies for up to 600GWh of wind-produced electricity a year. This agreement came as part of the national action plan, which was laid out to meet the renewables targets for 2020 set out by the EU directive.
While the national plan may have given weight to the continuance of this subsidy, it has added another concern. It states that the wind farms should supply up to 1,400GWh of wind power per year, meaning that a large chunk of this wind energy would be unsubsidised.
Last year finished with just 3% of Estonia's electricity - or around 278GWh - being generated by 140MW of wind, and only 6.9MW of new wind capacity.
Lithuania will increase wind power capacity to 200MW in 2011, according to Stasys Paulauskas, president of the Lithuanian Wind Energy Association. Last year saw the closure of the country's last nuclear power station, increasing the need for new generation. A new renewable-energy sources law, currently being discussed in parliament, should be ratified in the coming months. The law provides for 500MW of wind power generation to be constructed by 2020. Paulauskas hopes the eventual capacity will be much greater.
In 2010, Lithuania's wind power capacity reached 92MW, an increase of 62MW on the previous year. This was largely attributable to the new Benaiciu 1 wind farm, which added 34MW. Wind-generated power now provides 2% of the country's electricity.
A cross-border electricity co-operation programme in the South Baltic, Project WEBSR2, is aimed at integrating wind across the region. It is examining building large-scale offshore wind farms in Lithuanian waters to cover 1GW of the country's electricity needs.
Latvia's wind energy production lags behind its Baltic neighbours and, judging by plans for 2011, the outlook does not look much brighter. Paulis Barons, president of the Latvia Wind Energy Association (LWEA), says the government put the brakes on development of wind farms in 2010, partially due to budget cuts.
"A new law on renewable energy is currently being discussed in parliament but, given its low priority, nobody can predict what the outcome will be," he says.
If a new renewable energy act comes into force, it would define the level of state support for Latvia's wind energy sector, which in turn might encourage investors. The LWEA's long-term goal is to generate around 6% of Latvia's electricity from 300MW of wind capacity. This seems a distant target indeed.


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Benefit CosmeticsWatt's Up! Cream-to-Powder Highlighter
Shade Finder
You've got options!
Start with the foundation you currently use to find a matching shade from this brand.
A champagne cream-to-powder highlighter.
What it does:
Benefit's bestselling highlighter turns up the wattage with a delicate, champagne glow and soft-focus effect. Its smooth application and luminous sheen switches on the "wow" factor for any complexion. Apply it to cheeks and browbones, then then sculpt the complexion with the soft-glow blender to achieve the perfect gleam.
Beauty tip:
Watt's up! is a celebrity makeup artist favorite for strobing.
-Glide Benefit's watt's up! where the sun would normally touch the face to highlight: cheekbones, browbones (under the arches), down the bridge of the nose, and the cupid's bow.
-Next, sculpt with its soft glow blender to lift and contour the face.
-It can be applied solo or over existing makeup.
"Laughter is the best cosmetic, so grin & wear it!" — Jean & Jane Ford, co-founders. In 1976, former models Jean and Jane Ford opened a quirky boutique in San Francisco where they introduced the world's first "Fake-Its"…instant beauty solutions with laugh-out-loud names and creative packaging. Benefit quickly became one of the world's most beloved makeup brands and garnered a cult following among models, makeup artists, and celebrities. Now carried in over 35 countries, goodtime gals "fake it 'til they make it" with iconic bestsellers like Benetint, the POREfessional, and They're Real! mascara.
Get more information about
If you are not completely satisfied with an online purchase or gift, you may return your U.S.or Canadian purchase in stores or by mail. Restrictions apply for returns made outside the U.S.


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Science and Technology chat, from nanotechnology to the Environment.
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules


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Javed Hamim Kakar
Article Images
KABUL (Pajhwok): The Population Registration Directorate (PRD) has signed an agreement with the Independent Election Commission (IEC) on distributing identity cards to all eligible voters in a specific period of time. The agreement was signed... read more
KABUL (Pajhwok): As Saudi Arabia hosted officials from 40 Muslim countries for the maiden meeting of a counterterrorism alliance, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the gathering was a clear signal to eradicate extremism. In his keynote speech... read more
KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghanistan Embassy in India plans to celebrate the first "Indo-Afghan cultural week" in New Delhi from Wednesday. Afghan envoy to New Delhi, Dr. Shaida Ahmad Abdali, said the event scheduled for November 29 would showcase... read more
KABUK (Pajhwok): The United States (US) has termed the release of Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) leader Hafiz Saeed a "step in the wrong direction" and said a refusal to re-arrest him would damage bilateral ties and Pakistan's reputation around the world, a... read more
KABUL (Pajhwok): Deputy Chief Executive Officer Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq visited Tehran where he praised the fighters, including Afghans for their victories in Syria's war. Mohaqiq thanked the fighters, including Afghans, for their victories in the... read more
KABUL (Pajhwok): The top UN diplomat in Afghanistan on Saturday stressed the need for unified action from all Afghans to achieve the goal of ending violence against women. Today, the UN in Afghanistan marked International Day for the Elimination... read more
KABUL (Pajhwok): Deputy foreign minister and NATO's special civilian representative have discussed Heart of Asia (HoA) Istanbul Process, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said Thursday. The statement received by Pajhwok... read more
KABUL (Pajhwok): Three Georgian soldiers have been injured during a patrol around an airfield in central Afghanistan, the Defence Ministry in Tbilisi says. In the second month of their tour of duty, the servicemen were involved in the NATO-led... read more
KABUL (Pajhwok): Indonesian Ulema plan to organize a conference in cooperation with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for finding a solution to the Afghan problem. Indonesian Vice-President Mohammad Jusuf Kalla made the announcement... read more
KABUL (Pajhwok): The High Peace Council (HPC) head has said direct dialogue with the Taliban militants is the best way to put an end to the conflict in Afghanistan. Karim Khalili expressed the view while addressing an academic workshop, organised... read more


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Monday, July 20, 2015
Thrillist, and AM New York has listed Sugar Hill Market as one of the best events in NYC to attend for 2015 but many uptowners already know that! The H+B curated boutique market has had some great word of mouth and also awesome shout outs by New York Magazine, Time Out and New York Daily News in the past. This Sunday will be the first June market in the summer 2 week cycle so make sure to drop by and meet some great local artisans and designers. There will also be new artwork hanging on the gallery walls which have been popular with collectors visiting the market. Follow the SHM Instagram account for more daily updates on upcoming event: LINK
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Christiane Amanpour hosted Rev. Franklin Graham on This Week, and the right-wing evangelist joined the Birther movement.
The host asked Billy Graham's son if the controversy surrounding President Obama's birth certificate bothered him, and the Rev. -- who previously claimed Obama was "born a Muslim" -- answered that he cannot understand why the commander-in-chief has not produced a birth certificate.
"Well, the president I know has some issues to deal with here," he said. "He can solve this whole birth certificate issue pretty quickly. I don't -- I was born in a hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, and I know that my records are there. You can probably even go and find out what room my mother was in when I was born. I don't know why he can't produce that. So, I'm not -- I don't know, but it's an issue that looks like he could answer pretty quickly."
Graham also offered his thoughts on why Sarah Palin will not run for the country's highest office.
"I don't think she likes politics," he said. "I think she likes speaking on the issues and I agree with many of the issues that she brings up but I don't see her as running for president."
But Donald Trump? Now there is a man Graham could support.
"The more you listen to him, the more you say to yourself, 'you know, maybe the guy's right.'"
Video below.


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Not for Everyone
I hear you. You hate it. It's weird and different and you wouldn't wear it. Well neither would I. But there was a theme, and she did something different, my Kiki always tries something different… and I love it on her. Especially the hairpiece and the black trim and the shoes. I love it all.
And on the subject of love – looks like love is becoming serious. Walking a carpet is a statement. Johnny and Kiki are inseparable.


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Sleepy Hollow's Tom Mison & Nicole Beharie Take San Diego Comic-Con by Storm
Tom Mison and Nicole Beharie step out in style at Entertainment Weekly's 2014 Comic-Con Celebration held during 2014 Comic-Con at Float at the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego on Saturday night (July 26) in San Diego, Calif.
The Sleepy Hollow stars were joined at the party by their co-stars John Cho, Orlando Jones, Lyndie Greenwood, Katia Winter, and John Noble.
The day before, the cast hit the stage for the show's panel after stopping by a fan signing and the Sleepy Hollow Experience.
25+ pictures inside of Tom Mison, Nicole Beharie, and the rest of the Sleepy Hollow cast at Comic-Con…


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Amanda > Lilo and Shelfy
Five years ago Mean Girls was all about Lindsay Lohan. It's now 2009 and Lindsay Lohan is too busy looking for a bump while Amanda Seyfried's career is totally taking off.
Lilo was once attached to the film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's A Woman Of No Importance. Then she f-cked up and the role was said to have been snatched up by Shelf Ass Jessica Biel. Clearly the producers realised that Shelfy was not right for the part, and Variety seems to be suggesting that Lilo was trying to get back in there but according to the publication has officially lost out to Amanda, now confirmed as the lead. Now it's up to Amanda to work on the accent. She can practise with her British boyfriend.
Here are Amanda and Dominic Cooper last night in New York leaving the Kings of Leon afterparty following their show at Madison Square Garden. Sigh. Jealous. Did you go? How was it?
Photos from Splashnewsonline.com


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Fan Mail: W3FI
For this edition of Fan Mail, Denver based CO-LAB has been selected from a group of worthy submissions. If you would like to be considered, please submit to firstname.lastname@example.com a link to your website with 'Fan Mail' in the subject line. Two artists are featured each month—the next one could be you! I remember arriving at college as a bright-eyed freshman and recognizing familiar faces[…..]


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BOSTON, Mass.- Over the weekend on January 25th and 26th, the Brandeis Men's and Women's Track and Field squads competed at the non-scoring Terrier Classic, hosted by Boston University. Each squad featured a few top performances in the meet that hosted Division I, II, and III schools.
On the men's side, senior distance runner Mik Kern (Groton, N.Y./ Groton) led the way in the mile run coming in 54th overall with a time of 4:18.09, lowering his personal best and moving into second place in the UAA behind teammate Alex Kramer (No. Andover, Mass./ No. Andover). Rookie sprinter Josh Hacunda (Hopkinton, Mass./ Hopkinton) finished outside the top 100 in the 400-meter dash but his time of 51.77 seconds vaulted him into sixth in the UAA. Classmate Brian Louis (Elmont, N.Y./ Bishop Ford Central Catholic) was the men's top performer in the field, coming in 21st in the triple jump with a distance of 13.16 meters (43 feet, 2 ¼ inches). His performance moved him into second in the UAA.
On the women's side, three distance runners led the way for the Judges. Rookie Kelsey Whitaker (Kingston, Mass./ Notre Dame Acad.) had Brandeis' top finish in the 1,000-meter race as she came in 12th overall and second among other Division III runners with a time of 3:04.80. Juniors Victoria Sanford (Andover, N.Y./ Andover) and Amelia Lundkvist (So. Portland, Maine/ Cheverus) also had great days in the 1-mile run. Sanford finished 32nd overall with a time of 5:06.67 good for fourth among Division III competitors and moved into third in the University Athletic Association (UAA) with that performance. Lundkvist was 54th overall with a time of 5:13.45 that was 10th for all Division III runners and put her in fifth in the UAA. Senior sprinter Casey McGown (Clinton, Mass./ Clinton) was the Judges' top sprinter, finishing 61st overall in the 400-meter dash that placed her ninth out of Division III runners and moved her into 10th place in the UAA. In the field, senior Kim Farrington (Shirley, Mass./ Ayer) jumped 10.61 meters (34 feet, 9 ¾ inches) in the triple jump for the best performance of all Division III competitors.
Both teams return to action on Saturday February 2nd at the Tufts Stampede beginning at 10:00 a.m.


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Is it 'deja vu all over again' in Brooklyn?Nets' Wednesday loss to Heat brings many eerie parallels
That's not to say that the styles of deposed head coach Avery Johnson and interim boss P.J. Carlesimo are exactly alike, but on paper, their results pretty much are.
To wit: Under Johnson, the Nets opened the season 11-4 overall and 7-1 at home, earning Avery NBA Coach of the Month honors for October/November and bringing a lot of talk about Brooklyn being legit. However, the team then fell swiftly, losing five in a row to open December and falling to 14-14, a swoon that cost Johnson his job on Dec. 27, barely a third of the way into the schedule.
P.J. Carlesimo was given the gig on an interim basis that day, and in his first five weeks at the helm, the Nets have looked almost exactly like they did in the first five weeks of the season; after a 2-1 December start under Carlesimo, the Nets finished January with an 11-4 overall record (one that ties the best January mark in franchise history) and a 6-1 mark at Barclays Center – numbers that make Carlesimo a frontrunner for January Coach of the Month honors.
The big question, one that no one can seemingly find a straight answer to, is: How has this all happened? Prior to Wednesday's game, Miami's LeBron James chipped in his theory, intimating that the team quit on Johnson and saying:
"They're not doing anything different; they're playing with I would say more passion. They're playing more together and like they want to play for the coach. It sucks that Avery had to take the hit at them not wanting to play at a high level but that's what it looks like to me. They just picked it up in intensity level and you can tell they like to play for P.J."
Carlesimo rebutted James' comments in his pre-game press conference Wednesday night, calling his group a "Jekyll and Hyde" team, citing pacing and confidence as the biggest factors for the Nets' resurgence under his watch, and reminding everyone that "he team we had in November is the team we had in December, and the team we had in January."
The truth is, of course, that the entire team has been mostly healthy over the last month, as opposed to the December squad that lost Brook Lopez for the first six games and both Gerald Wallace and Deron Williams for one full game and most of another, so that has helped the team gel. However, harkening back to that November/December flip, there are two more somewhat eerie coincidences that may foreshadow a dark time for the Nets.
The first is schedule timing, specifically the fact that it was Brooklyn's 30-point loss to Miami on Dec. 1 that began the swoon that eventually led to Johnson's dismissal. The other, however, is that owner Mikhail Prokhorov is in Brooklyn to see the team and meet with GM Billy King this week – and the last time he was with the team was Christmas week, when the Nets had back-to-back ugly losses against Boston and Milwaukee, the latter of which cost Johnson his job 18 hours later.
Carlesimo himself was asked about Prokhorov's presence before Wednesday's game, saying that the owner had made him feel comfortable since the day he took over and joking that he didn't think the reason for Prokhorov's visit was the owner "sitting in Moscow thinking 'I have to go see P.J.'"
However, all jokes aside, all of the numbers, figures, and factoids about January matching up to those of November and early December is at best a very bizarre coincidence and at worst a premonition of a tough February, one that could be disastrous if one other stat holds up.
That stat is that the Nets are a perfect 17-0 against teams below .500, but only 10-19 against winning teams after Wednesday's loss. While that still adds up to a 27-19 record, the Nets play four of their final seven before the All-Star Break against teams above .500, then play their first three after the break against Milwaukee and Houston – teams that are currently and likely will be in the black, and teams they're currently 0-3 against – before facing Memphis and New Orleans to round out February.
Translation: If trends hold up and the Nets stay perfect against sub-.500 teams while winning a third of their games against winning squads, they'll finish February with a record somewhere around 6-6 or 7-5 – a far cry from the 11-4 marks of November/January and much closer to the 5-11 December that caused all the chaos in the first place.
As Yogi Berra would say, it's "déjà vu all over again" in Brooklyn right now, and only time will tell what lies ahead for the Nets – and whether or not Wednesday's loss was the beginning of another "Hyde" cycle or the catalyst for breaking the habit.
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroYES


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Romantics and other escape artists inevitably find their way to the gorgeous island of Virgin Gorda – and its renowned Baths -- in the British Virgin Islands. The island itself is the third largest in the archipelago and the second most populous. Of course, one of your first stops upon arriving must be The Baths. You'll find this striking rock formation at the southern end of the island. Massive granite boulders are strewn about the beach, making for quiet hideaways and private beach areas. When it's time to meet the local residents and check out the life of the island, head to Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda's main town.
Beyond The Baths, there is much to see and do on Virgin Gorda. Many quiet beaches ring the island – they're as close to a deserted beach as you may ever come. Check out Savannah Bay, Handsome Bay and Big Truck Bay. Hike from The Baths to Devil's Bay, with its tranquil swimming and snorkeling beach. Small boats can also moor here, so you might consider renting a watercraft yourself. Snorkeling fans should also check out Spring Bay, brimming with kaleidoscope coral and marine life. Out of the water, hike up Gorda Peak, home to six species of native orchids, tree frogs, soldier crabs, tropical birds and the Virgin Gorda gecko, the world's smallest lizard. And for a peek into the island's past, head to the Copper Mine – the ruins of this 19th-century mine stand in stark contrast to the turquoise sea beyond.
Virgin Gorda was tailor-made for holiday home rentals. Families and groups of friends adore the island for its legendary Baths, pristine natural environment and friendly locals. Accommodations run the gamut from huge beachfront homes to in-town studio apartments. Depending on your group's needs, you might find amenities such as a gourmet kitchen (or even a private chef!), state-of-the-art entertainment system, watersports equipment, Internet access, board games, a library, a hot tub, a private tennis court – really, the options are endless. A self-catering holiday is particularly valuable for families. You'll save money by purchasing your groceries in town, then preparing meals and eating on your own schedule.
Consider a private villa set in two acres of tropical gardens on Baraka Point – such expansive homes are wonderful choices for families celebrating a special occasion, be it a landmark birthday or a wedding. If there are kids in your group, consider a beachfront cottage where it's just a quick stroll, if that, to the water's edge – that means less schlepping of beach toys and equipment because your home-away-from-home is close by at all times. Splurge on a Mahoe Beach villa with its own sparkling pool and Jacuzzi for eight. When you're taking in the sunset from your private terrace, or watching the kids frolic on the beach below while you enjoy a cool drink, you'll realize the priceless value of a Virgin Gorda holiday rental.


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The demise of the FrontRange Express bus service between Colorado Springs and Denver wasn't unexpected, but it is still disappointing.
The service, a collaborative effort between several governmental agencies, fell victim to budget cuts in Colorado Springs. Unfortunately, financial distress among mass transit agencies has been quite common during the recession.
The American Public Transit Association reported survey results in 2011 that found 71 percent of respondents had experienced flat or decreased local funding. Almost eight of every 10 agencies have had to cut services or raise fares or were considering doing so.
It's tough all over, I get that.
But part of the justification for the $425,000 funding cut by the administration of Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach caught my eye.
Chief of Staff Laura Neumann sent an e-mail to Springs council members, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette, saying the "average annual household income (of FREX riders in 2010) was $72,000." That may be the average, but according to documents posted on city's website, some 42 percent of FREX riders make less than $50,000, so a good chunk of the service's ridership isn't what you'd call wealthy.
Furthermore, why shouldn't higher income people be encouraged to use a bus service instead of clogging Interstate 25 with individual cars? And why shouldn't they get services they find useful? They pay taxes too.
The decision was made by the Springs' new strong mayor and its first, so ultimately the justification doesn't matter. He had the power to make the decision, even if it was at odds with the wishes of the City Council.
According to the Gazette, FREX service will end Aug. 31. With rising gas prices and diminished transportation funding for road improvements, it's unfortunate to see FREX hit a dead end.


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The value of IT certifications has grown considerably over the last decade. Examine the evolution of certification trends, see the top-paying certifications and learn how decision-makers are struggling to hire certified employees.
Managers are in dire need of cybersecurity professionals with specific skills. If you're looking to advance your career, or transfer into the cyber field, now is the time to get certified.
Based on survey responses from the Global Knowledge 2019 IT Skills and Salary Report, this year's highest-paying certifications reveal a strong emphasis on particular topics, such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, networking and project management. In fact, cloud and project management dominate the top five spots.


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One of the best things about writing a blog is all the amazing people you run into out there in wide world of the web. You may remember that I recently wrote about the Mine collection from Katherine Pont. Afterwards, I was contacted by Kelly, a lucky lady that worked on that very collection. How fantastic would that have been? Kelly thought I would like to know about a new project in which she is involved call Looking Glass. Boy, would I ever! It's an online store whose new collection "encapsulates everything that is feminine, stylish, playful and sophisticated with an all round vintage appeal." I'm especially smitten with the Abigail dress, Lola dress and Nicole top. With the dollar still being buried by the pound the prices are a bit out of my range but it never hurts to look, right? But if you're in the States and have a few extra dollars to spare, they will ship to the US. Just let them know before you order and they'll give you a personalized shipping quote.
Oh, and for those of you who asked, Kelly was also kind enough to let me know that the tights used in the styling of the Mine collection are from Emilio Cavalini.


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As a non-New Yorker who's extracted his entire knowledge of the city from movies, I've always been amazed by the city's crazy weather conditions. In winter it's almost always nipple-freezing cold and the city is just an inch of snow away from the freaking ice age. On the other hand, in summer you can't even think straight without gallons of sweat running down your ass-crack. It's got to make you think of all that fluorochlorinated hydrocarbon people hair-sprayed into the atmosphere 30 years ago, messing up the ozone layer, and allegedly triggering the greenhouse effect…seems like only New York got the short end of the stick. At least this usually provides a great backdrop and a likewise great starting point for an absorbing big city tale.
1989 saw the release of Spike Lee's landmark movie Do The Right Thing (trailer). The film is an extraordinary example of Lee's early film work. It skillfully merges comedy and drama, raising awareness of social issues without coming off as preachy or succumbing to overt pathos. Encompassing a soon-to-be allstar cast including Samuel L. Jackson, Martin Lawrence, Rosie Perez, Danny Aiello, John Torturro, and Giancarlo Esposito, Lee's third feature film follows a number of Brooklyn Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood residents on a sweltering summer day, dealing with their individual yet somehow all racial bias and prejudice-based problems. Apart from amazing direction and camera work, the film features an elaborately compiled and composed costume design. It does not only mirror the current fashion zeitgeist but also subtly underlines the characters unique personalities and their relationships to one another, as well as pointing towards the smoldering tragedy about to happen.
Raf Simons x Linda Farrow – Tortoiseshell Aviators
As mentioned earlier, the film's cast features a number of soon-to-become Hollywood big names. Even the opening scene includes a familiar face and voice. Samuel L. Jackson – still far from the usual, yet known and loved for dropping f-bombs like it's hot and pointing guns in faces while reciting biblical verses – stars as the local radio station's smooth-tongued DJ Senor Lovedaddy, providing Lee's film with a suave and soulful entry. Trying to attain that level of utmost laid-backness is surely fighting a losing battle. Let's have a look at his wardrobe instead.
His flamboyant colorful style might be a bit over the top. So ditch that odd headwear and loudly patterned Hawaiian shirt in favor of his dope tortoise shell shades. The ones above, made by Raf Simons in collaboration with sunglasses specialists Linda Farrow, make for a perfect base to build that Bed Stuy outfit upon. They are available now at Up There.
Mitchell & Ness – Brooklyn Dodgers Jackie Robinson Jersey
Since Lee is known for being besides a New York Knicks, a full blown New York Yankees fan, it might at first sight seem a bit odd seeing Mookie, one of the film's lead character played by Lee himself, sporting a Brooklyn Dodgers Jackie Robinson jersey. In fact, Lee always held Robinson in the highest esteem. He even planned on making a movie about this exceptional figure in African-American sports history.
In this particular case he equipped Mookie with Robinson's jersey not only to honor a great athlete, but to exemplify both their underdog roles. As Robinson was the only black athlete playing for the Dodgers back then, Mookie is the only black guy in Sal's Famous Pizza Team. This is just one of the many critical allusions Lee has hidden throughout his film. You can pick up your jersey at Mitchell and Ness.
Dope Couture – Dope 4-Finger Ring
Radio Raheem is a massive, tough, yet rather silent guy, who seems to aimlessly wander the streets of Brooklyn blasting Public Enemy's "Fight the Power" on full volume from his boombox everywhere he goes. Despite his flashy jewelry and his rather aloof and intimidating presence – which is further underlined throughout the film by low angle shots – his down-to-earth side is later revealed. Asked by Mookie about the underlying meaning of his "LOVE" and "HATE" rings, Radio Raheem launches into a passionate speech about the eternal struggle between these two emotions and love's eventual victory over hate. Though his character appears only sporadically, it plays an important role in the film's eventual tragic developments.
As hip-hop is now considered the pinnacle of mainstream pop music and its leading artists are among the best selling and earning artists, the choice of commodities shown off have now reached a ridiculously obscene level. Flashing big-ass gold rings almost seems like a humble gesture compared to all the Maybachs, private jets, yachts, and the multi-million dollar business empire contemporary rap artists have built around their persona. However, shiny bling is still an essential staple, no doubt about that. As a matter of fact Atlanta rapper 2Chainz, known for his infatuation with jewelry, was arrested last year at New York's La Guardia Airport after officials mistook a four-finger ring found in his luggage for brass knuckles. You can pick one of these up at Dope Couture's online store.
Limoland – Multi LL Swim Shorts
The skillfull and cautious choice of color is an important cornerstone of Lee's cinematic aesthetic He is actually quoted as saying, "the look of the film should be bright…almost blinding AFROCENTRIC bright!" in the fim's production journal. In fact, to further illustrate the sizzling hot summer day the story is set upon, he ordered the buildings' facades to be painted in red and orange tones. The actors costumes have of course undergone the same careful treatment. Skimpy shorts, low cut tanktops, hues of red, orange, yellow, purple and pink, more than often seen on one single piece of garment are contrasted against more reserved outfits and color palettes distinguishing the older characters from the young.
The above shorts by Limoland are just the right choice if you want to live up to that late eighties sweltering hot summer day and give your wardrobe a distinct retro spin. Get them directly at the Limoland web shop.
American Apparel – Stripe Calf-High Socks
Hidden in shoes and under pant legs, socks are an integral yet more than often carelessly neglected outfit building block (Do I even have to stress that further?). I have to admit, when paired with shorts I tend to ditch the socks for a less awkward, more laid back boat-shoe kinda look. However, if you are up for that fresh 1989 Bed Stuy style, it's definitely do or die.
Get these classic striped calf-high socks at American Apparel's web store.
Jordan Brand – Air Jordan Spizike
One of my favourite scenes in the entire movie includes Buggin' Out (played by Giancarlo Esposito, who would later become famous as Gustavo Gus' Fring in Breaking Bad) launching into a rant, assembling his group of homies around himself and trying to act all tough, after a white and rather WASPish looking guy wearing a green Larry Bird Celtics shirt accidently steps on his brand new pair of Air Jordans, echoing the rivalry between the two NBA players. It gets even funnier after Buggin' Out goes nuts and bolts about gentrification, urging the white guy to go back to Massachusets, at which he exclaims in utter disbelief that he was actually born in Brooklyn.
Although known for being a die-hard New York Knicks fan, Lee contributed very much to Michael Jordan's popularity through his Mars Blackmon character, who appeared not just in his films, but in a number of Nike Michael Jordan TV commercials in the early nineties as well. This later led to the inception of the Spiz'ike sneaker that blends several different Jordan silhouettes, commemorating the historic relationship between the athlete and the filmmaker. You can pick up a rerelease now at Overkill.


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The Motley Fool Discussion Boards
|Previous Page
Stocks E / eBay, Inc.
|Subject: Analyst comments
|Date: 3/14/2013 11:52 AM
|Author: newsreporter
|Number: 25781 of 25884
Evercore Ups to Buy, MasterCard Increase Not Fatal
Shares of eBay (EBAY) are up $1.53, or 3%, at $52.51, after Evercore Partners's Ken Sena this morning raised his rating on the shares to Overweight from Equal Weight, and a $64 price target, up from $54, urging investors to look past Monday's somewhat disappointing February data from ChannelAdvisor, and worrisome comments yesterday from MasterCard's (MA) head of North America at a conference.
eBay shares fell 4% yesterday following those remarks from MasterCard's Chris McWilton at a Credit Suisse conference, writes Sena, in which McWilton said fee increases will pertain to eBay's PayPal unit:
All digital wallet transactions considered to be veiling transaction data from either the payment source or the merchant are subject. PayPal falls in this category. Other digital wallet transactions where payment data is stored online by the merchant (e.g., Amazon.com (AMZN)) or passed through between transaction parties (e.g., Visa's (VISA) V.Me) are not surcharged. MasterCard claims the objective of this fee increase is to address poorer network branding, data cataloging, and fee transparency.
Sena, however, thinks the hit to eBay should be "modest" as a result:
We estimate the impact of the MasterCard fee increase to be less than 50 bps of PayPal margin, even assuming a full years' worth of pro forma impact at a 50% increase. This assumes that 33% of PayPal's transaction expenses are related to MasterCard, which is roughly supported by market share data from The Nilson Report. This pegs about $600 million in MasterCard-related transaction expenses which spread across the issuer, the merchant acquirer, and MasterCard. Of this amount, we estimate that only 10% gets directed to the MasterCard network, or roughly $60 million. We show below that after assigning a range of increases to this network fee, the impact is very modest. Again, we remind investors that PayPal had knowledge of this increase at the time of its January 16th guidance update.
Sena is modeling eBay revenue of $16.6 billion in revenue and $2.88 per share in profit this year, higher than the consensus estimate for $16.35 billion and $2.75 pe share.
|Copyright 1996-2020 trademark and the "Fool" logo is a trademark of The Motley Fool, Inc. Contact Us


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McDonald's recently did the sticky price trick. Daily I drove through & got an extra large iced hazelnut for $1.99...it was 24 ounces. Then one day I drove through & ordered the same, but got 16 ounces. I pulled yesterday's cup from my car trashbag & asked "if I had been given an extra large, because this was what it looked like yesterday". With a blank look, I was told that "Yeah, we don't have an extra large anymore, but now the large is the price of the extra large. I see...an 8 ounce drop in product, for the same price. That was my last iced coffee at McD's. AND when I emailed to complain, they sent me a form letter basically stating that "We can't please all the people all the time, so tough luck."
Sticky prices
I'm old enough to remember when a piece of bubble gum was a penny. In fact, it was a penny for most of my youth--and had been a penny for a couple decades before I was born. As inflation began to heat up in the 1960s, though, the Topps company first shrank the size of a piece of gum, and then eventually had to raise the price.
I talked last week about the costs everyone faces trying to deal with unpredictable price increases and changing product sizes. This post is about some special cases.
Uncertainty cuts sales
One problem that businesses face is that customer uncertainty means some business is completely lost: A customer who has $10 in his pocket might decide not to eat at a restaurant that had charged $9-something last week, simply out of fear that the cost had gone up. Bad enough if the price had, in fact, gone up--but even worse if the price was still the same, but the customer didn't want to take the chance.
Businesses try various things to fight this. One is simply to advertise prices as a way to reduce uncertainty. Since it's hard to remember whole price lists, companies start giving whole categories of items a consistent price--creating "dollar menus," selling $5 foot-long subs, and so on.
The downside of advertising prices--and of making them easier to remember--is that it makes the prices harder to change. It's one thing if you raise the price of your hamburgers from 87 to 89 cents. It's an altogether different thing to charge $1.02 for the stuff on your dollar menu. The result is sticky prices--prices that are hard to change.
Sticky prices
That was the problem Topps had with it's one-cent bubble gum. Their only choices were to hold the line or to double the price. It's a cruel irony that the exact same inflation that pressures companies to advertise their prices to reduce the losses caused by price uncertainty, turns right around to punish them again once they do so, because advertising makes their prices sticky--making it all the harder for the seller to make the small price increases that let them stay even with inflation.
Another example would be the newspaper. The way they're sold--in machines that don't give change and at newsstands where you put down your money, grab a paper, and go--makes it convenient for people to pay an even amount. My local paper costs 50 cents, and it's just not practical for the newspaper to push the price up to the 53 or 54 cents that would bring them even with recent inflation. They probably won't even raise the price to 60 cents, although they could. I bet they'll hold the line as best they can until they simply have to make a change, and then they'll go up to 75 cents.
In general, I expect we'll see much the same from the dollar menu. Over the next few months we'll see all the same little tricks--servings will get smaller, and items with expensive ingredients will drop off the dollar menu. Pretty soon they'll quit advertising the dollar menu (making up some new alternative: "$4 feasts" perhaps). Once a minimally decent interval has passed, the dollar menu will be gone.
Someday, we will once again have a currency that holds its value. Then both prices and package sizes will be stable. I'm ready.
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I studied in London last semester (law school abroad=poor student, expensive living=must read wisebread)...and instead of having a "dollar menu" they had "cheap eats"... obviously they can't have a "pound menu"... everything there is double the price and then double the value...so 2 pounds for a burger= 4 dollars= :::sigh:::. American businesses thrive over there without discounted menu items. Subway had a two pound sub each day, it changed daily...sub of the day. One day I went with four pounds, expecting a footlong. What did they do? They had SUBS OF THE MONTH...three subs all for 2 pounds 30 pence or so. :(
My brother thinks there should be (well there is in Germany already) a robotic restaurant... your meal comes out on a mechanical device directly from the kitchen, no waiter/ess involved...lower costs...and everything on the menu is $5.00 or $1.00. Consistency here being key.


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Atari - Missle Screen Youth Pull Over Hoodie
Made with 50% Cotton and 50% Polyester "Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972, currently by Atari Interactive, a subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA (ASA).[1][2][3] The original Atari, Inc., founded in Sunnyvale, California in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney, was a pioneer in arcade games, home video game consoles, and home computers. The company's products, such as Pong and the Atari 2600, helped define the electronic entertainment industry from the 1970s to the mid-1980s." - Wikipedia SHIPPING NOTE: This item is made to order at our US facility and therefore may take 10 business days to arrive.


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Shipping & Delivery
1. Your order is usually dispatched within 48 hours after your payment is received. We will deliver your order by Parcel Force - Worldwide Express Mail Service (Online Tracking).Safe and Quick Shipping is our promise to customers,Usually,shipping will take 5-7 business days in normal condition.
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In February 1946 readers of a popular weekly magazine were introduced to exactly the sort of scene Henry Luce likely had in mind when, a decade earlier, he and poet Archibald MacLeish crafted their famous prospectus for a publication they initially pitched as "The Show-Book of the World." The still-stirring opening lines of their prospectus ran thus:
"To see life; to see the world; to eyewitness great events; to watch the faces of the poor and the gestures of the proud; to see strange things — machines, armies, multitudes, shadows in the jungle and on the moon; to see man's work — his paintings, towers and discoveries; to see things thousands of miles away. . . ."
(Fortunately for everyone involved, Luce eventually settled on a shorter, better name for his publication: LIFE.)
The energetic old fellow featured in this gallery, meanwhile, was photographed by Jack Wilkes — a native of Wales who covered WWII in Asia for LIFE. The scene was described in the Feb. 25, 1946, issue of the magazine in the following way:
Once a week during the winter a slight, bearded, 66-year-old Chinese gentleman named Wu Tang-shen solemnly pads his way down to the ice pond in the Forbidden City section of [Beijing], changes his sandals for a pair of 20th-century skates and spends a quiet Chinese afternoon cutting complicated figures on the ice. There a short while ago LIFE photographer Jack Wilkes discovered and photographed Mr. Wu while he executed his pirouettes, crosscuts, beaks and spread eagles with the ease of an accomplished figure skater of the old school.
At the age of 16 Mr. Wu cut these capers for the Empress of China and was rewarded with a pension of five taels of silvers ($4) per month for life. But the Manchu dynasty [now commonly referred to as the Qing Dynasty] unfortunately died before Mr. Wu, and now Mr. Wu works for a living as a merchant. His skating still retains its former grace, and the figures he cuts are those of Western skaters. There is no figure 8 in Chinese.
There is, alas, no record of what happened to Mr. Wu after Wilkes made his photos. LIFE never followed up on the old guy. But it's pleasant to think that he skated happily ever after, to the end of his days.


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Get Microsoft Complete for Xbox One with Accidental Damage Coverage
Microsoft Complete covers your Xbox One console, plus included controller, against accidents and mechanical or electrical breakdowns for up to three years. For covered controller and console, you get up to two replacements of a standard controller or one replacement of an Elite or Elite Series 2 controller, and one replacement of the console – no deductible required.
To extend warranty coverage for your Xbox One system, you can purchase Microsoft Complete for Xbox One with Accidental Damage Coverage at the time of your console purchase or within 45 days of console purchase. Just bring your Xbox console to a Microsoft Store* or contact a Microsoft Store sales agent.
See the Microsoft Complete Terms and Conditions for more info.
*U.S., Canada, and Australia only. No longer available in Puerto Rico.
For replacement of controllers during your Microsoft Complete coverage period, contact Xbox Support.
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Emmanuel Adebayor happy at Tottenham and confident of playing regularly
Emmanuel Adebayor says he never considered leaving Tottenham Hotspur and is relishing the competition for places.
Last Updated: 08/09/13 9:21pm
Spurs sold Gareth Bale during the transfer window but have bolstered their squad with a number of eye-catching signings and there are now a host of options for Andre Villas-Boas in attack.
Adebayor had been linked with a move elsewhere but he insists he is happy at the club and had no intention of going anywhere.
He told All Africa.com: "I decided with my manager, even before the start of the transfer window that I would not leave Tottenham and that's what I did.
"I have never thought of leaving Spurs. I am here, my family feels great here and I do not see myself in another city."
Roberto Soldado has gone straight into Tottenham's starting line-up since signing from Valencia and Erik Lamela was then bought from Roma in a club-record deal, while Jermain Defoe remains a key a part of Villas-Boas' plans.
However, Adebayor is confident that he will ultimately emerge as the first-choice striker under Villas-Boas.
He said: "Today I will not tell you that I 'm stronger than Soldado or Defoe or Lamela.
"We now have four in the attack, I do not know who ranks first, second or third but I know at the end I will be the first and it is the most important."


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Executive Master in Marketing & Sales - Financial Aid
The School assists candidates with their search for funding by supplying the necessary documentation and encouraging them to explore all scholarship and loan possibilities. SDA Bocconi provides opportunities for low-interest loans to admitted students, thanks to agreements with partner banks. Furthermore, the University provides international students with information about possible sources for financing in several countries. For further information, please visit the Università Bocconi website: - loans and funding for international students - loans and funding for domestic students For companies and institutions Companies and Institutions can fund training programs for their employees using Joint Inter-Professional Funds. These programs, which can be arranged by a single company or a group of companies, can be targeted at individuals or organizations, and can be specific to an industry sector or a geographical region. For further information go to the Inter-Professional Funds page.
Sponsor: SDA Bocconi School of Management
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STONY BROOK, NY--(Marketwire - Dec 20, 2012) - Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (
For the years ending September 30, 2012 and 2011, the company generated $1,854,694 and $968,848 in revenues from operations, respectively. The 91% increase in revenues was substantially generated from sales of our SigNature® DNA and BioMaterial Genotyping™ as a result of an increase in our customer base.
Our top two and three customers were responsible for approximately 54% and 53% of our revenues for the years ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively. In addition, two and four customers accounted for approximately 54% and 77% of total accounts receivable at September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively.
Selling, general and administrative expenses for the twelve months ended September 30, 2012 decreased 9.2% to $7,615,734 from $8,388,873 in the same period in 2011. Included within the selling, general and administrative expenses for the year ended September 30, 2012 was a noncash charge to operations of $2,012,082 for the fair value of vested options issued to officers and employees and other stock based compensation compared to $3,668,460 in 2011.
Research and development expenses increased by $163,793 for the twelve months ended September 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 from $268,876 to $432,669, primarily due to an increase in research and development activities to support our increased customer demand.
Total operating expenses decreased to $8,362,343 for the twelve months ended September 30, 2012 from $9,025,305 in the same period of 2011, or a decrease of $662,962, primarily due to decrease in stock based compensation expenses net with the increase in research and development compared to the same period last year.
Net loss for the twelve months ended September 30, 2012 was $7,150,712 compared to $10,515,124 in the same period of 2011, a net change of $3,364,412 as a result of the combination of factors described above.
Key 2012 achievements include:
We filed a number of new patents and trademarks this year, continuing to build upon our already strong intellectual property portfolio. We will continue to build our patent and trademark portfolio and we will vigorously defend our IP position and prosecute others attempting to infringe on our IP.
Working with Safe Solution, we continue to expand in Sweden. In addition to using our technology to protect jewelry stores, our DNA markers are now being used to protect armored vehicles in Stockholm and to protect copper assets located in Energy stations throughout that country.
On August 3, 2012, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) posted notice on its DLA Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS) that effective November 15, 2012, it will require the use of SigNature® DNA marking on microcircuits. This mandate specifically requires SigNature DNA marking for procurements of items falling within Federal Supply Class 5962, Electronic Microcircuits. We expect this to have a positive impact on the Company this coming fiscal year.
As announced earlier today, we received a grant from New York State Empire Development Corporation in the amount of $229,957. These funds will be used to purchase new laboratory equipment to enhance the company's DNA formulation capabilities especially in defense and law enforcement applications.
Throughout fiscal 2012, we continued to hire employees in all areas of operations and we have expanded our physical footprint to accommodate the increasing demand for our products and technology. We anticipate additional hiring and physical expansion in 2013.
We presented and exhibited at the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) Expo Americas 2012 conference in Boston in November 2012. Over 7,000 companies and individuals participated in the three day conference and expo to celebrate IFAI's 100th Anniversary. Applied DNA Sciences was awarded the IFAI 2012 ShowStoppers award (http://www.ifai.com/posts/274) for the best of the best new products at the expo.
"The Company continues to improve quarter over quarter as compared with the same quarter in the previous year," said Dr. James A. Hayward, President and CEO of Applied DNA Sciences. "The continued expansion of our customer base and product offerings have sustained that momentum and contributed to the growth in our revenues this fiscal year. Fiscal 2012 has been a year of firsts for the Company: this was the first time we generated revenues of over $1m, in fact revenues increased 91% from fiscal year 2011 and this was our first mandate from the DLA; to name a few of the most exciting ones."
Dr. Hayward commented further: "We are pleased with the ongoing success of our partnerships, expanding the breadth and depth of our product offerings introducing digitalDNA and expanding the use of smartDNA and DNANet this year. Our relationships continue to flourish and grow as we add new partners and customers. We continue to grow our revenues while managing our expenses closely."
The annual report on Form 10-K, which includes Applied DNA Sciences consolidated financial statements, is available for viewing and downloading, free of charge, through the Investor Relations section of APDN's Web site at www.adnas.com, or through the SEC's electronic data system at www.sec.gov.
About APDN
APDN is a provider of botanical-DNA based security and authentication solutions that can help protect products, brands and intellectual property of companies, governments and consumers from theft, counterfeiting, fraud and diversion. SigNature® DNA and BioMaterial Genotyping™, our principal anti-counterfeiting and product authentication solutions that essentially cannot be copied, provide a forensic chain of evidence and can be used to prosecute perpetrators.
The statements made by APDN may be forward-looking in nature. Forward-looking statements describe APDN's future plans, projections, strategies and expectations, and are based on assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of APDN. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to our short operating history, limited financial resources, limited market acceptance, market competition and various other factors detailed from time to time in APDN's SEC reports and filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on December 20, 2012 and our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. APDN undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Contact Information:
Debbie Bailey
Mitchell Miller
FCMN Contact:
Web site: http://www.adnas.com
Twitter: @APDN


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This essay was originally going to be just the one sentence: "I am an atheist because I am educated." It's laconic and full of all sorts of wonderful implications: theists are ignorant, the truth is that there are no gods, if only people could be shown that truth they would all realise it and the abuses of religion would disappear forever. There's probably a touch of smugness in there too.
As well as being an atheist, I'm a huge procrastinator and between thinking up that as an answer and actually submitting it, I thought about this further and realised that there's far more to it than the fact that I have been lucky enough to receive an education. To see why education was not a sufficient requirement for atheism I had to look no further than my own family.
I was raised as a Catholic. The church had its clutches on me until seven (although luckily only in a metaphorical sense) and for many years afterwards. Although some members of the extended family back in the old country didn't appear particularly church-going, I had always assumed that the family had been Catholic for generations, for all I knew going back for two thousand years. It was only a few years ago, decades after the pantomime when I first explicitly told my parents I was an atheist – "I'm not a Catholic.", "Yes you are.", "No, I'm not.", "Yes you are. That's what it says on your birth certificate.", "My birth certificate also says I'm not even a foot tall and only weigh a few pounds. I've grown up since then." – they reconciled themselves to my lack of faith and the whole matter was regarded as academic, I had a chat with my grandmother and found out that it's really only my mother who is religious and the reason why she was such a devoted Catholic daughter to not particularly religious parents.
My mother was an intelligent girl. Even if her parents weren't religious themselves, they recognised that she had a lot of potential and wanted the best education they could get for her. Unfortunately the best education available was at the local Catholic school. From what I gather the stereotypes of Catholic schools of the era held true there; the teachers were all nuns in habits with a deep devotion to the teachings of Rome, a strong ruler in their hand and a knowledge of how to use it to instill the fear of God into their pupils. What would otherwise have been the best education my mother could have had at the time was poisoned by these black-clad sadistic authoritarians and to this day her mind remains stunted by it.
Compared to the educational opportunities I had as a boy in the seventies in eighties, the opportunities my mother had as a girl in the fifties and sixties would have been limited. The pursuit of maths and science would not have been encouraged anywhere near as much for her as it was for me. Nevertheless, I can't help but feel a huge sense of sadness at the potential wasted when an intelligent woman tells me with all sincerity that praying to Saint Anthony will help me find lost objects, and an even larger sense of rage when she tells me that she believes in a literal eternity of hellfire, and that fear of such makes it very hard if not impossible for her to question what she was taught as a young girl.
Why am I an atheist? The reason why I believe there are no gods – at least the proximate cause – does have to do with the fact that I did receive an education. Without it I wouldn't have all the little jigsaw pieces I've used to make my model of the world, and it's this model that's given me an abiding love of the scientific process. It is most emphatically not a religion. It recognises the fact that its description of the universe is sometimes inaccurate or just plain wrong and endeavours to incrementally correct it. It acknowledges that the human brain likes to make patterns even when patterns aren't really there and tries to circumvent this tendency when it can. It does not say that the Universe is thus because I or a voice inside my head say so and nay-saying will bring forth retribution, but because I did these experiments and made these observations and that you can do them yourself to verify it or come up with your own experiments and observations if you think they'll do a better job explaining it. It's because of this that I accept what science says as a fairly good approximation of what the Universe really is like. Despite the charlatans or the misinformed, science has not found any evidence for the existence of gods and until it does I am not going to believe that there are any.
The reason why I find the above reasoning valid – the ultimate cause of my atheism – is harder to pin down. Could I just have easily followed the same path as my mother? Creating a model of the world where Catholicism – or any other theistic religion – had the answer to everything and any inconsistencies could be explained away by evil forces or just ignored for fear of divine punishment? I'd like to think that it's because I am more independently minded than her, but is that a fair assessment? Maybe it's because my education had more science lessons and fewer cruel nuns.
The seeds of cognitive dissonance would have been planted when I was about ten or so, before I had any issues with authoritarianism. Religious teaching was no more complicated then "Jesus died for your sins, God loves you, but you need to follow his rules." Science was a lot of cool facts but little explanation about how we knew these facts. I wanted to know how, if there were these monkeys that slowly turned into men, where did Adam and Eve come into the story. I did not get a satisfying answer. I did not abandon Catholicism then and there – like many I could make an accommodation between religion and science – but it was the first time I could not blindly follow religious and scientific teachings simultaneously and have to choose one over the other.
I was a fan of Jesus, but found his weekly fan club meetings were boring and pointless. Science I mostly got from books telling me – mirabile dictu – that there were beautiful spiral galaxies out there, and planets with spots on them bigger than the entire Earth or that had rings! There's stuff that blows up if you get it wet, and a gas that will poison you with one breath, but if you mix the two together you get salt! The stuff in my pencil was made of the same stuff as a diamond, just arranged in a different way! We used to be little monkeys before we changed into people! Me and my dog had the same great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather! One hundred million years ago there were these big lizards walking, swimming and flying around the place!
When I look deeply into the question, perhaps the real reason I am an atheist is because to a ten – or almost forty, for that matter – year-old boy, dinosaurs are cool. Perhaps it's not too late to tell my mother that.
Phil Hoenig


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Oh darlings, Bubbles is ever so tired. It has been a chaotic week and Bubbles just felt like the white rabbit who was late, late, late! Everything finally fell into place though and this week has some goodies you're sure to enjoy.
The new release this week is a fluffy flexi number that is ever so soft and beautiful. It's called "Twinkle Toast" (named after the lovely Toast Bard) and although Bubbles normally doesn't do a lot of "flexi" hair he thinks you'll enjoy this none the less!
(click on images for larger view)
Also this week from June 5th - 11th Bubbles shall have his Stumblebum Brigade item out at Tableau. Here it is angels, tada! Only 200 L for 4 hair colors (in a lovely choice of shades). Get it while you can you sweet things.
(Click on image for larger view)
Where to get them: slurl.com/secondlife/Tableau/65/84/27
Saturday, June 5, 2010
4 comments:
Necessity is the mother of invention.............................................................
- June 10, 2010 at 7:19 PM
- June 14, 2010 at 4:49 AM
- 千惠千惠 said...
- June 17, 2010 at 11:40 PM
Where did you purchase this product?..................................................
- June 23, 2010 at 12:41 AM
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BGTG - May 30, 2005 (SR: Struggle of Empires, Alhambra, Flowerpower)
I had a few technical challenges with this show--hopefully none of them come through in the recording. (I did the intro on my little Treo phone/PDA thingie, then pasted it into my normal Audacity recording software. I hadn't noticed that this fiddled with my normal sampling rate, which affects some CD burners. I think I fixed it, though.) By all means, let me know if something is amiss.
Note the updated sidebar, with a new poll about the IGAs and results from the previous poll. I think the latter are skewed somewhat--folks who rely on iPodder or similar software may not visit this site on the web as often, so miss out on the polling. Not that it matters greatly. I'm guessing that I've got about a 50-50 split between listeners who use podcatching software and those who prefer to download direct from this website. (The latter may appreciate my new mp3 graphics, making the downloadable shows easier to spot.)
In this show I mostly ramble on about Struggle of Empires, plus the other two games I got to play with family members. I also get to open with some feedback from Rick Thornquist about my IGA comments last time. Always love the feedback... :-)
Oh! At the very end I get to announce that I'm going to BGG.con! I'll be looking forward to it all summer. Haven't cashed in the frequent flier miles yet, or made a hotel reservation, but I sent off my pre-reg forms & check. I'll be meeting a few friends I already know there, but will also attempt to meet some new people. We'll see how I do compared to my previous experience at the Gathering!
Email Mark Johnson
Struggle of Empires


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General Motors slashed the price on the 2014 Chevy Volt Tuesday, as it tries to compete more directly with the Nissan Leaf and Toyota Prius.
The 2014 Volt will start at $34,995, a price cut of $5,000 compared to the 2013 model.
The Volt is a plug-in hybrid (GM refers to it as an extended-range electric vehicle or E-REV) with a range of about 40 miles on electric power and another 300 to 350 miles on the range-extender gas engine.
"We have made great strides in reducing costs as we gain experience with electric vehicles and their components," said Don Johnson, Chevrolet's U.S. vice president for sales and service, in a statement.
But that's not the only reason. Nissan has become very aggressive on pricing for the Leaf, an all-electric with a range of about 75 miles. Since Nissan moved Leaf production to the U.S., the price has dropped to $29,650 -- a $6,400 price reduction over the 2012 model.
And it's showing up in sales. In May, Nissan sold 2,138 Leafs, up 319 percent from the same month last year. And, this year to date, Leaf sales have more than tripled to about 11,700 through July from 3,540 in the same period last year.
GM Volt sales are, year to date, at about 11,640.
And Honda is getting into the price-slashing act. That company recently announced a low lease rate for its Fit EV, an all-electric car offered in California. The Fit EV is being offered for $259 a month for a three-year lease with no down payment, unlimited miles, and included insurance coverage.
Honda is throwing in a Leviton home charging station for the car too.
GM also has to compete with the $25,000 Prius and the more compact Prius C which retails for about $19,000.
"There's increased price competition in the market, whether it's electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles or plug-in vehicles," Michelle Malcho, a Chevrolet spokeswoman, told CNET in June.
That's when GM offered a taste of price cuts to come. In June, GM began offering a $4,000 cash-back incentive on the 2013 Volt and $5,000 the 2012 model.
GM leases many Volts too. And those deals are often more attractive to prospective buyers. For example, on a 2013 Volt with $1,300 down, leases are available for between $235 and $265 a month at dealers in Southern California.


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Murallas Reales Defensive Walls
Contact details
Avda. Martínez Catena o Avda. González Tablas, s/n
51001 Ceuta (Ceuta)
Tel.:+34 956511770
This fortress has several parapets, moats, groynes and galleries. These elements were erected in the Middle Ages, because of Ceuta's role as a border town. With the Portuguese victory two sections of the Royal Wall were built, as well as their bastions, a navigable moat and a drawbridge. Some of these bastions are still standing, like the bastions of Coraza Alta, Bandera and Mallorquines.
- Construction: Walls
- Artistic period: Medieval
- Historic period: 16th century


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Police in Milwaukee are offering a unique service: they'll let you conduct your Craigslist transactions inside the police station, to prevent you from being robbed. Handy! The idea came about after a big uptick in robberies that occurred during the hand-off of goods sold on Craigslist. Police officer Lisa Staffold explains, "The media has deemed it 'robbery by appointment' because you're posting ads, you're selling your iPhones, your iPads, your vehicles, and when you go to a meeting location, you're being robbed."
Anyone who's ever sold anything on Craigslist is familiar with the nervousness of meeting up with a stranger—or, even worse, letting them into your home. So this is a pretty smart way to do business, unless you're selling something super heavy like a couch. Of course, there are plenty of other things offered on Craigslist that you'd never dare do in a police station, so this offer does have its limits!
Craigslist-related robberies on the rise [Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel]
Image via OZaiachin/Shutterstock.