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If for any reason, you are unsatisfied with your purchase from Modern Blaze you may return it in its original condition and packaging within 30 days for a full refund. We'll even pay for return shipping!
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Our larger, heavier items will be shipped freight via a freight carrier like R+L Carriers, Estes, SAIA, FedEx or UPS Freight. These shipments are delivered curbside, a delivery appointment and an adult signature are required to receive the shipment.
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Disclaimer: We have no influence over carrier's operations and we cannot make a package within their system move any quicker. We do not issue refunds if your package is not delivered at the time you want it. If you have a deadline, please order early to avoid disappointment. If you paid for our priority shipping and the item arrived later than 7 business days we will refund you the shipping cost.
Modern Blaze is not responsible for any delivery error from the shipping company when the information we have provided is correct. If your package is lost or stolen, we will open a claim with the shipping company and it may take up to 10 days to resolve.
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If you're not satisfied with an item that you purchased from Modern Blaze, you can return it within 30 days after delivery for a full refund*, as long as the item is in its original saleable condition and packaging. Items that have been used or modified in any way may not be returned. *Exclusions to our Free Returns Policy are outlined below.
To return an item, submit your request in writing and send it to firstname.lastname@example.com. We will send you a prepaid shipping label and instructions on how to send your item back to us.
The following items may not be returned:
- Products which are eligible for parts under manufacturer warranty;
- Items that arrived damaged. In these cases, our shipping policy regarding damages applies.
- Items that have been used or modified in any way.
- Items without the original packaging (including shipping pallet, if applicable).
- Made-to-order items (please refer to the product page to check the item's eligibility for return).
- Any items shipped to Canada.
- The following brands and items are excluded and are not eligible for return: Anywhere Fireplace, Victory Heaters, fuel purchases, Amantii, Remii, Sierra Flame


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Steering 101
Information courtesy of Borgeson Universal.
Steering System Design
Often the steering system is designed late in the building process. We recommend that the steering be mocked up at the time the engine and exhaust components are installed. Positioning of the column, shafts, and u-joints with respect to the engine, exhaust and steering box early on can help in selecting the correct parts. With our wide selection of u-joints, shafts, and vibration reducers, any system can be designed or modified to result in a car that is not only safe, but a pleasure to drive. Keeping a system simple is the best course, but even a system with up to 10 u-joints can be designed as long as the proper phasing and supports are used. Remember to use a support bearing if more than two joints are used.
Shaft Support Placement
Any time more than two universal joints are used in a system, a shaft support is required to prevent the shafts from looping. In a system with 3 u-joints, one support is required. For each additional u-joint, an additional support will be needed. In a 3 joint system it is best to locate the shaft support as close to the center u-joint as possible. If one of the shafts is significantly longer than the other, it is best to locate the support on the longer shaft.
Vibration Reducer Placement
Vibration reducers can substantially reduce, and even eliminate annoying road vibration from being transmitted to the steering wheel. Location of the reducer in a system is very important in order to take full advantage of its effects. In a two joint system, the vibration reducer can be installed at either end without any loss of effectiveness. In a system with one or more shaft supports however, the vibration reducer should be located on the column side of the supports. A shaft support located on the steering column side of a vibration reducer can pick up vibration, bypass the reducer, and transmit the vibration to the steering wheel.
Shorty Columns
A great way to free up some much needed leg room in your street rod is by using a shorty column. This moves the steering column up under the dash and gives you much more leg/pedal space resulting in a much more comfortable ride.
Steering Column Length and Column Drop Size
Before determining the column length, it is important to have your seat and pedals in the final locations. Using a pie tin tacked to a wooden dowel is an excellent way to decide on steering column position and length. With one person sitting in the car and holding the "steering wheel" in position, another person can take measurements of column length and position. Keep in mind, our traditional style steering wheels are flat, while our Forty Style and Banjo wheels are dished approximately 4". This is also the perfect time to determine how much drop you'll need to put the column in a comfortable driving position. Measure from the mounting surface on the dash to the center of the steering column. This is the length of the drop you will need.
Steering Box Installation Angle
One thing frequently overlooked when building or modifying a car is the position of the steering box. Steering boxes are often positioned with the input shaft level creating a much more complex steering linkage. A great way to simplify your steering linkage is to position the steering box with the input shaft angled up toward the steering column.
Steering Ratio
The steering box ratio is the relationship between input motion and output motion. The ratio is expressed as 24:1, 22:1, 16:1, etc. For example, in a 24:1 ratio box, the pitman shaft rotates one degree for every 24 degrees of input shaft rotation. The higher the first number, the more input shaft rotation is required to get the same amount of output shaft rotation. Dividing the first number in the ratio by four, gives the number of turns lock to lock.
Pitman Arm Length
Steering speed can be adjusted by box ratio or pitman arm length. The longer the pitman arm, the quicker the steering will be. That is, a longer pitman arm means less steering wheel movement is required to produce the same amount of front wheel movement. So if you are looking to speed up or slow down the steering, changing the pitman arm is an easy way to do it.
Determine splined shaft length with two u-joints:
1. Measure the distance from the end of the column to the box/rack (Dimension C).
2. Subtract 3" from this measurement.
3. Order the next even size shaft (Dimension B).
Note: We stock stainless and polished stainless shafting in 1/4" increments up to 24"
EXAMPLE If "C" is 18" —subtract 3" (1-1/2" for each joint). "B" is 15". Order a
16" shaft and trim a total of 1" from the shaft, either from one or both ends.
Determine splined shaft length with one u-joint and u-joint/vibration reducer combination.
1. Measure the distance from the end of the column to the box/rack (Dimension C).
2. Subtract 4" from this measurement.
3. Order the next even size shaft (Dimension B).
Note: We stock stainless and polished stainless shafting in 1/4" increments up to 24"
EXAMPLE If "C" is 19" —subtract 4" (1-1/2" for a joint and 2-1/2" for the vibration reducer). "B" is 15". Order a 16" shaft and trim 1" from the shaft, either from one or both ends.
Determine splined shaft length with three or more u-joints.
1. Buy the u-joints first.
2. Install a joint on the column and one on the box/rack.
3. Use dowels or PVC pipe and mock up the system around obstacles.
4. Order the correct shaft lengths based on dowel/PVC lengths.
Rag Joint Angles of Operation
Rag joints are designed to dampen vibrations, they are not designed to accommodate an angle. If you do not have a straight connection a rag joint should NOT be used.
U-joint Angles of Operation
The Borgeson 16 series u-joints will operate smoothly up to 35°. The 16 series double u-joints will operate smoothly up to 70°. The u-joints must not be altered in any way. Pin and block style u-joints will operate at 30º smoothly.
Figure A
Splines and Irregular Shapes: the STRONGEST Method.
Detroit uses irregularly shaped shafts such as splined or a Double D configuration and inserts them into a similarly shaped hole with practically no play and then secures them by staking or clamping. Since steering failures are practically unheard of in modern production cars, one should strongly consider this method as having significant merit. Borgeson offers splined shafts and joints which give the option of easy disassembly when repairs on the vehicle become necessary. Another advantage is the ability to rotate the shaft in relation to the u-joint in small increments. This makes it easier to position the u-joints in the correct relationship to each other.
Figure B
A flat should be filed on the splined shaft where the set screw will clamp (figure A). This will prevent damage to the spline and allow for easier disassembly. Always lock the set screw with a lock nut, Loc-Tite or similar product. The shaft must be flush with the inside of the yoke (figure B), not so short that it sacrifices strength or so long that it interferes with the center workings of the joint.
Figure C
To determine the spline size of a component, measure the outside diameter and count the number of splines. If there is a flat spot on the shaft and some of the splines are missing, (figure C) count halfway around where there are splines and double that number. We need to know how many teeth are in a theoretical full circle. If you have something unusual or you're unsure about measuring the spline, make an impression of it in clay and send it to us.
Figure D
A Double D (figure D) shaft has two flats on the shaft that correspond to two flats in the female end of the u-joint. The disadvantage of this style is the lack of adjustability because the shaft can only be rotated 180°. The Double D shaft should have a dimple machined on the shaft for the set screw to clamp to (figure D).
Common practice is to use two 3/16" diameter roll pins in each yoke at right angles to each other and approximately 3/8" apart. (figure E) An even stronger connection can be made by using hardened shear pins. Pinning can be used when the shaft can be removed from the vehicle and supported properly when inserting the pins. Driving pins in while the assembly is in the car could cause damage. The major drawback to pinning is that a 3/4" diameter shaft is weakened by 30%, smaller shafts are weakened to an even greater extent. If you are considering using bolts instead of roll pins, don't. NEVER USE BOLTS! Always use roll pins. Roll pins are driven in and fit very tightly in the drilled hole. Bolts often fit loosely inside the drilled hole and repeated back and forth movement, even though very slight, can cause the bolt to work harden and fail. CAUTION: It is unsafe to pin joints to tubing!
CAUTION: Collapsibility
Every steering system should include some means of directing energy away from the driver in the event of a collision. One method of reducing the chance of this happening is to intentionally design angles into the steering system so that the force of a collision deflects the column away from the driver. A second method is to use the Borgeson telescopic intermediate shaft.
Here is a straight column WITHOUT a collapsible intermediate shaft. In the event of a collision, a vehicle without a collapsible intermediate shaft the column is forced into passenger compartment.
Solution: A
With a telescopic intermediate shaft the column slides together, compacting before it gets a chance to enter the passenger compartment.
Solution: B
Here is an example of a steering system with angular collapsibility. An angle designed into steering shaft deflects the column upward upon impact.
CAUTION: Shaft Size
BORGESON DOES NOT RECOMMEND USING LESS THAN 3/4" DIAMETER SHAFTS All Borgeson spline and DD shafts are 3/4" diameter. We will not sell a shaft with a smaller diameter due to safety considerations. A 5/8" shaft is 42% weaker than a 3/4" shaft and can be twisted with a 14" steering wheel.
Correct Phasing
Incorrect Phasing
U-Joint Orientation
When two joints are used on a shaft, the forks of the yokes closest to each other should be in line, or "in phase." Premature wear or binding can result if the u-joints are not phased properly. Sometimes if the u-joints are at a severe angle, even if they are phased correctly, a hard spot in the steering may occur for no apparent reason. If this happens, index the u-joints two or three splines in one direction. The hard spot should disappear or be minimized.
CAUTION: Do Not Use Flex Cable
Another less common (and definitely not recommended) method of getting from the column to the rack or box is to use flex cabling from a Pinto (this cable is no longer available from Ford). Ford only used these for a couple of years before switching to joints and shafts, which should tell you something. When a heavier engine is put into a larger heavier car, a flex cable is not reliable.
CAUTION: Welding
Welding joints is a common practice in racing, however, it is not a method we at Borgeson would recommend. Hairline cracks, which may be all but invisible to the unaided eye, could cause a weld to fail under severe stress. It may also be illegal in some states to weld steering system components on a car used on the street. Improper grounding can cause damage which will result in the failure of the steering. Overheating, which can occur at relatively low temperatures, can distort the yoke and melt the grease out of the needle bearings or damage the seals. This can prevent the joint from operating freely and it may fail. Cooling a weld too quickly can cause cracks, leading to sudden failure. Also, welding is a permanent connection that makes disassembly almost impossible should it become necessary. Caution: Welding on steering components is illegal in some states. Check first.
CAUTION: Keying and Set Screws
Using a key, as is done in many industrial applications, can transmit power effectively from the shaft to the joint. A key, however, is not suitable to take sudden shock (such as from a pothole or accident) which can distort or shear the key or shaft keyway. This may cause play to develop in the system or, even worse, failure. It should be noted that in industrial applications, keys are designed to shear, preventing damage to expensive components. In automotive applications a sheared key will cause extensive damage by causing a loss of control of the vehicle. Set screws should never be used to secure smooth bore joints. They should only be used as a method to prevent a splined or Double D shaft from disengaging from the joint. An indentation or flat should be made for the set screw on splined or DD shafts.
CAUTION: Corvair Steering Boxes
Corvairs were rear-engined cars; this means there was very little weight on the front tires. The steering box used in these cars was a very light duty box. It is not recommended for use in a street rod with the engine in the front. Steering gear failure could cause a severe accident.
CAUTION: Vega Steering Boxes
We recommend a maximum weight limit of 2400 lbs. for a vehicle using a Saginaw 140 (Vega) steering Box. We recommend the 525 Saginaw box for vehicles exceeding 2400 lbs.
Diagnosing Power Steering Problems
When trying to determine what is causing a problem in your power steering, keep this in mind. If the problem occurs only in one direction, the problem is probably in the box or rack. If the problem is in both directions, it is most likely the pump, dirty fluid or hoses. Be sure there are no kinks or obstructions in your power steering hoses and that they are the right inside diameter for the application.
Dirty Steering System
Before changing any single component of the steering system, inspect the cleanliness of your system. Dirty or black fluid can quickly ruin new steering components. If changing the box or rack, rub your finger on the inside of the reservoir. If it isn't clean, you must flush the pump and hoses with clean fluid before installing new components.
Bleeding Power Steering
All power steering systems are designed to be self-bleeding, but sometimes they need a little help. After installing new components, fill the reservoir and let it sit for a few minutes. Raise the front end of the vehicle and turn the wheels back and forth slowly with the engine off to allow the steering box to draw fluid. Keep the reservoir full. When the fluid level stops dropping, start the vehicle and continue turning the wheels. When the fluid level remains constant the system is fully bled. Put cardboard under the front tires while testing your steering system. The cardboard will slide on the floor and prevent wearing flat spots on the tires from excessive turning of the wheels while not moving.
Steering Box Adjustment
All Borgeson steering boxes are set at the factory to the proper specifications. Any adjustments of the box beyond that will void the warranty and cause premature wear on the steering box. Please do not try to adjust your steering box. Please contact us if you feel your steering box needs adjustment.
Power Steering Pressure
GM power steering pumps will produce up to 1,500 PSI. We recommend 1,200 PSI for steering box applications and 800– 900 PSI for Mustang rack & pinions. If a pump is generating too much pressure for the rack or box you are using, the steering will be over assisted resulting in twitchy steering at speed. This can be corrected by adjusting the pumps internal pressure valve.
Many factors influence power steering troubleshooting. Here is a list of common steering and driving complaints their causes and some suggestions to fix it.
Road Wander:
Vehicle wanders left/right without any definite input from the steering wheel requiring constant
small correction to drive straight.
•Low or unequal tire pressure.
•Steering linkage from column to box or rack loose or worn
•Front-end alignment out of specification. (Inadequate positive Caster)
•Steering box or rack worn or out of adjustment
•Steering tie rod ends worn or loose
No Recovery or Return to Center:
Vehicle fails to return to center after a turn or requires steering input to return to center.
•Binding of steering linkage or components
•Front-end alignment out of specification. (Inadequate positive Caster)
•Steering box or rack improperly adjusted.
Over-steering / Darting:
Vehicle over steers and is overly sensitive to all steering wheel input requiring constant correction.
•Excessive P/S pump pressure / miss-matched components.
•Steering linkage from column to box or rack loose or worn
•Steering box or rack worn or out of adjustment
Lost motion at steering wheel:
Excessive free play felt in the steering wheel before the wheels actually begin to turn.
•Steering linkage from column to box or rack loose or worn
•Steering box or rack worn or out of adjustment
•Steering tie rod ends worn or loose
•Steering gear loose on frame
High Steering Effort in both directions:
An abnormal amount of force is required to turn the wheels in both directions.
•Low tire pressure
•Low P/S fluid level
•Insufficient P/S pump pressure and flow
•Excessive P/S fluid temperature
•Binding of steering linkage or components
Intermittent / Loss of power steering:
After servicing the P/S system you experience either a loss of power steering or intermittent assist.
•Low P/S fluid level
•P/S Belt broken or slipping
•Air trapped in the P/S system
•Dirt or contaminants trapped in the P/S pump bypass valve
Borgeson Universal
91 Technology Park Drive
Torrington CT, 06790
Published Dec 7th, 2015

subset: commoncrawl


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After a promising start to the 2010/11 season, when their exciting young team appeared to be mounting a serious challenge for a Champions League place, Palermo hit the buffers in February, suffering what their irascible president Maurizio Zamparini called a "black-out", as they lost six matches in a row, including a devastating 7-0 home defeat to a rampant Udinese. The campaign had been going so well with the youthful talents of the Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore and Slovenian midfielder Josip Ilicic to the fore, ably supported by the attacking full-backs Federico Balzaretti and Mattia Cassani.
Described as a "phenomenon" by no less an authority than Javier Zanetti, Pastore in particular elevated himself to genuine stardom with some world-class displays, enamouring himself to the fans by scoring a hat-trick against local rivals Catania. His former manager Delio Rossi said, "Javier is not the icing on the cake, he is the key ingredient", after "El Flaco" (the skinny one) received the award for Serie A Young Footballer of the Year in 2010.
Nevertheless, the season finished on a high (of sorts), as the Rosanero defeated champions Milan to reach the Coppa Italia final, where they were unfortunate to lose 3-1 against Inter. Their disappointment was tempered by the fact that this was enough to secure qualification for the Europe League, as Inter already had a Champions League place. They also finished in a creditable eighth place in the league, though this left the fans feeling a little frustrated after the previous year, when the Sicilian club achieved its best ever position of fifth, only missing out on the Champions League by two points.
"Fabrizio Miccoli - captain courageous"
However, any displeasure from the fans was nothing compared to that expressed by the volcanic Zamparini, whose behaviour towards his managers last season was bizarre even by his own erratic standards. After the mauling by Udinese, he sacked Delio Rossi with a vicious parting shot, "He has ruined my Palermo. Rossi has destroyed this team."
His replacement, the excitable Serse Cosmi, fared little better. He barely had time to adjust his baseball cap before being given the elbow after just four games, culminating in a 4-0 defeat in the derby match against Catania. Before that game, the president had told Cosmi not to pick the captain Fabrizio Miccoli, but Cosmi effectively sealed his fate by also not selecting Pastore.
In an abrupt volte face, Zamparini then brought back the humiliated Delio Rossi, commenting, "Rossi knows this team well and he's the only one that can save us from this predicament." If the fans thought that was the end to Zamparini's eccentric deeds for the season, they would have been disillusioned when Palermo and Rossi parted company for the second time in four months, as former Chievo manager Stefano Pioli was appointed coach at the beginning of June in a bid to improve the team's defence.
"Zamparini - listen to me"
Of course, Zamparini has few equals when it comes to hiring and firing managers. Given his penchant for granting managers more than one bite at the cherry, it is difficult to calculate exactly how many he has employed since he bought Palermo in 2002. By my calculations, the total now amounts to 20, though some names appear on the list more than once, including Francesco Guidolin, who held the coaching position no fewer than four times between 2004 and 2008. Yes, that would be the same Guidolin who has just led Udinese to the Champions League. As the inimitable James Richardson once put it, Zamparini is "a man responsible for producing more pink slips than Victoria's Secret."
There's never a dull moment with El Presidente, but his outspoken, interfering approach has been a destabilising influence at the club, undermining managers and players alike. While the money he has put into Palermo undoubtedly gives him the right to have his say, it would surely be better for the club if his criticisms were made in private rather than in front of the TV cameras, as is his habit. In fairness, the "Venetian" is not completely blind to his ways, "I know I'm not an easy president. I have many faults and among these is the lack of patience."
However, as the saying goes, there are two sides to every story. While the president may sometimes put his foot in his mouth, Palermo fans should be grateful to him for also putting his hand in his pocket. After he sold Venezia football club in 2002, Zamparini purchased Palermo from former Roma chairman Franco Sensi for a reported €20 million, discovering a club with shaky finances, low gate receipts and no sponsor.
"Josip Ilicic - plenty of heart"
Since those dark days, Zamparini has guided Palermo from the depths of Serie B to the upper reaches of Serie A, injecting further funds into the club. According to a letter that he sent to the fans earlier this year, he has invested €62.45 million, a figure backed up by the accounts. In fact, the total investment was actually higher, as €4.5 million has been repaid since 2006 when there was no further need for external funding to cover losses.
In total, Zamparini has therefore invested €82.45 million into Palermo, which might not be as much as, say, Massimo Moratti has spent on Inter, but it's hardly an insignificant sum of money. Actually, as Zamparini has also provided a personal guarantee for the club's debts of a further €21.65 million, you could say that he has risked well over €100 million on the Rosanero. In other words, he may well have a big mouth, but at least he's put his money where his mouth is.
That said, his role as Palermo president has not exactly been harmful to the growth of his construction business in Sicily, which has focused on new commercial centres. In addition, it has provided a platform for his sizeable ego.
"Ezequiel Munoz - high five!"
In fairness, his achievements at Palermo do give him something to shout about, as the club has most definitely been on the rise since he took over. The club has not won any major honours in its history, though twice came close to victory in the Coppa Italia in the 70s. Indeed, in 1986 they were expelled by the football league due to financial problems, leading to a year without professional football in Palermo. The club then re-formed in Serie C2, immediately gaining promotion, though they spent most of the 90s between Serie C1 and Serie B.
However, a couple of years after Zamparini took control, Palermo were promoted to Serie A, 30 years after they had last played in the top tier. In their first season back they surprised many by finishing in an impressive sixth place, driven forward by Luca Toni's goals, but since then they have regularly finished in the top ten, including fifth place three times (though one was due to the adjustments following the Calciopoli scandal).
In that period, not only have they managed to avoid relegation battles, but have qualified for Europe on five occasions. Their best run came in the UEFA Cup of 2005/06, when they lost in the last 16 to Schalke 04. The quality of that team was emphasised by Palermo providing no fewer than four players to Italy's World Cup 2006 winning squad: Andrea Barzagli, Cristian Zaccardo, Simone Barone and Fabio Grosso, the man who scored the crucial first goal in the semi-final against Germany.
This is a pretty good record, considering Palermo's relatively limited resources. In fact, Zamparini summed up the situation fairly well in the letter to the fans, "Palermo has in the last few years an equal balance between income and expenditure, despite the mounting expenses." This is more or less true if we look at the profit and loss account of recent times. Although this show losses in four of the last six years, in the main they're relatively small and the aggregate loss over the period is only €11 million, which is not too bad in the unforgiving world of football.
However, the last two years have highlighted a major issue for Palermo, namely the importance of player sales to the club's business model. In 2009, they made a healthy profit of €18 million, which was entirely due to profit on player sales ("plusvalenze") of €48 million. However, last season, when there was effectively no profit from player sales, the club swung to a loss of €17 million.
Zamparini went on to say that Palermo brought in "negative amounts of €10 million annually compared to revenue", but it's actually worse than that with the operating loss being even higher in the last four years: 2007 €19 million, 2008 €11 million, 2009 €26 million and 2010 €15 million. So, those who accuse the president of making money from the club are barking up the wrong tree. As he explained, "The club's policy is not to make money, but to balance the budget, so it doesn't fail."
In fairness, if non-cash items are excluded, the EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxation, Depreciation and Amortisation) is invariably positive, so the club is not in desperate financial straits. In fact, in 2009 Palermo were the most profitable club in Serie A. Even with the large loss in 2010, the club still broke-even over the last two seasons with only four clubs performing better from a financial perspective: Catania, Napoli, Lazio and Livorno.
Palermo's financial prudence was in stark contrast to many of the bigger clubs, who reported enormous losses. In the last two seasons, Inter led the way with an aggregate loss of €223 million, though this helped deliver the scudetto in 2009/10. The next highest loss came from their neighbours Milan, who finished third in the league, while the fourth highest loss of €24 million was from second placed Roma. With that backdrop, for Palermo to balance their books and still finish fifth in 2009/10 was a remarkable achievement.
However, as we have seen, the only way that Palermo can operate a self-sufficient model is through player sales. This has enabled them to restrict the club's debt levels, while delivering enough profit to sustain their operations – also removing the need for Zamparini to further finance the club. In 2009, this was worth a massive €48 million, including the sales of prolific Brazilian striker Amauri to Juventus (profit €19 million), Barzagli (€9 million) and Zaccardo (€6 million) to Wolfsburg and Rinaudo to Napoli (€5 million).
In his letter to fans, Zamparini again stressed that the club had to rely on such activity to cover losses, citing the example of Edinson Cavani's move to Napoli, which produced a juicy profit of €12 million (€17 million selling price less €5 million cost), though this was actually a paid loan (€5 million) with an option to buy (€12 million, payable over four years).
"Salvatore Sirigu - packs a punch"
It should be noted that the calculation of the profit made by Palermo will not always be as straightforward as selling price less cost, because sometimes the player's previous club will also take a share of the gain, e.g. this was specifically noted in the accounts for the deal that took Danish defender Simon Kjaer to Wolfsburg in July 2010.
Nevertheless, this strategy clearly makes sense financially, not just for the profits made by selling the "assets", but also because it keeps the wage bill at a reasonable level. This was explicitly mentioned in the club's 2009 accounts, which outlined how they would sell the better known players, who were perhaps less motivated, and replace them with younger prospects – with lower wage expectations. Zamparini said that the idea was "to invest in youth with great quality", a policy that means that Palermo has become "a factory of stars" according to La Repubblica with a production line of talent.
There is little doubt that the club's scouting network has discovered some unpolished gems, such as the mercurial Pastore and the Slovenians Josip Ilicic and Armin Bacinovic. Ilicic was snapped up just four months after playing in the Slovenian second division following a brief interlude with Maribor and has made such a positive impression in Italy that La Gazzetta dello Sport was moved to describe him as "a ballerina with the physique of a boxer." However, their signings have not always proved to be so successful with the likes of Jasmin Kurtic and Joao Pedro flattering to deceive.
"Abel Hernandez - canes it"
The main problem with this modus operandi is that it makes it very difficult for Palermo to progress to the next level. As Delio Rossi noted, "If Palermo want to build something truly important, they must keep players like Kjaer and Cavani." Also, if a club opts for youth over experience, there will inevitably be dips in form. Youthful talent can be very exciting, but also inconsistent, as was seen last season when Palermo's defence usually featured the 20-year-old Argentine Ezequiel Munoz.
If the players do flourish at Palermo, the club's rigid wages policy means that it is virtually impossible to keep them, as they will find it very difficult to resist moving to clubs that can pay 3-4 times more salary. According to La Gazzetta's annual survey of player wages, Pastore's net salary is just €0.5 million, while Ilicic is on even less with €0.3 million.
Hence, it seems only a question of time before Palermo's promising young players move on. As we have seen, this does fill the club's coffers, but there is a risk that players might leave the club too soon, so they don't receive top dollar for them. The profit made on Cavani was better than a smack in the face, but he is surely worth a lot more now than the €17 million Napoli paid for him.
Another question mark against Palermo's buying and selling policy is how well it will work after the departure earlier this year of the much respected Sporting Director Walter Sabatini, who now holds a similar role at Roma.
If there were any doubts about the importance of player trading to Palermo's business, they should be dispelled by the above graph. If profit on player sales is considered as "revenue", its contribution has been striking in the past few years. In the financial annus mirabilis of 2009, the €48 million made on player sales was almost as much as the club's entire turnover of €57 million. Put another way, in the four years between 2006 and 2009, the club's profit from player sales of €92 million was more than the €91 million from gate receipts and commercial income combined.
The other striking point from the revenue trend is how little growth there has been over the past few years. In fact, since the television contract was improved in 2007, revenue has hardly grown at all, rising just 5% from €57 million to €60 million.
The reason why Palermo focus so much on making money from player sales is immediately apparent when you look at how small their revenue is. Although it is the eighth highest in Italy at €58 million (excluding player loans), it is miles behind the leading clubs. Last season, three clubs earned over €200 million (Inter €225 million, Milan €208 million and Juventus €205 million), which is at least €150 million more, while Roma generated €123 million. More worryingly for the Rosanero, their obvious competitors for European qualification (Fiorentina, Napoli and Lazio) all have significantly higher turnover.
This really places into perspective the magnitude of Palermo's task in attempting to challenge the game's elite. Back in 2007 Zamparini already bemoaned this fact, "The Champions League places will almost certainly go to the clubs taking the lion's share of the TV rights like Milan, Inter, Juve and Roma. Every other club is an outsider who might just grab fourth place one time in five."
This goes some way towards explaining Zamparini's seemingly continual quest for a better coach, "I look for quality. This is necessary to keep Palermo at the current levels just behind the 3-4 big teams." Whether this lack of stability is the best path to success is highly debatable, but the results have been better than might be expected considering Palermo's budget.
Palermo's revenue mix is fairly typical of the majority of Italian clubs with only 12% coming from match day income and an unduly high reliance on television money, though their 58% share is far from the highest in Serie A with ten other clubs having a bigger dependency. In fact, Palermo's performance is remarkably consistent across all revenue streams: eighth best for TV and commercial income, ninth best for match day.
At this point, I should explain that the revenue figures used in my Serie A Money League are lower than those used in the club's own books. The reason for the difference is that Italian accounts report gross revenue, while I have shown net income, as this is consistent with the approach used in other countries. Therefore, I have excluded the following: (a) gate receipts given to visiting clubs €1.3 million; (b) TV income given to visiting clubs €6.1 million; (c) revenue from player loans €1.4 million; (d) profit from player sales €1.2 million. Adding the €10 million adjustments to the €58.5 million in my analysis gives the €68.5 million reported in Italy.
As we were saying, television is very important to Palermo's finances, contributing a net €34 million of revenue a season. In fact, the last time that the club's revenue meaningfully rose was due to the introduction of the new TV contract in 2007, but even that was greeted with anger by Zamparini, as Palermo received a smaller percentage than before, only increasing their money because the total deal was higher: "They should be ashamed. Once again they want to favour the big clubs at the expense of the others."
When you look at the €90-100 million that Juventus, Milan and Inter have been earning from their individual deals, you can see that he might have a point. These vast differences have meant that the playing field in Italy has been anything but level, but years of protest finally led to a new collective agreement being implemented at the beginning of this season. We know that the total money guaranteed by exclusive media rights partner Infront Sports will be approximately 20% higher than before at over €1 billion a year, but it is still not certain what the impact will be on each club's revenue.
There is a complicated distribution formula, which should still favour the bigger clubs, though there is likely to be a reduction at the top end. Under the new regulations, 40% will be divided equally among the 20 Serie A clubs; 30% is based on past results (5% last season, 15% last 5 years, 10% from 1946 to the sixth season before last); and 30% is based on the population of the club's city (5%) and the number of fans (25%).
"Armin Bacinovic - the other Slovenian"
So, the larger clubs will lose out from the new arrangement, but the mid-tier clubs like Palermo should benefit. There is still a question over how the number of fans (worth 25% of the deal) will be calculated, leading to a major dispute between the larger clubs (represented by Milan, Inter, Juventus, Roma and Napoli) and the smaller clubs (represented by Palermo, Udinese, Parma, Sampdoria and Catania), even over which market research companies to use.
This issue is specifically mentioned in the latest accounts as an important factor in Palermo's future finances. The club has estimated that they will receive €34.5 million under the new arrangement, which would be a slight increase on the current €33.2 million (assuming that the allocations for away games have been excluded from this calculation). Although on the face of it that would not be too bad, it would hurt them relative to other mid-level clubs, as figures in La Repubblica suggest that the increase at other clubs would be much larger: Lazio €13 million, Udinese €10 million and Napoli €8.5 million.
Of course, the leading clubs' TV money is also boosted by distributions from the Champions League. In the 2009/10 season Inter benefited to the tune of €49 million as winners of the competition, but the other three Italian qualifiers all received over €20 million. Palermo's ventures into the far less lucrative UEFA Cup and Europa League have not produced similar riches, raising only €2.3 million for the three years 2006 to 2008, though they would also have received higher gate receipts (e.g. €0.8 million in 2007) and uplifts on sponsorship deals.
Even though Palermo's match day income of €7 million is on the low side, they are a well supported club with their 2010/11 average attendance of 25,738 being the sixth highest in Italy, only behind Inter, Milan, Napoli, Roma and Lazio, teams from much larger cities.
That said, the crowds have fallen since the 2004/05 average of 33,000. In the same period, season ticket sales have declined from 24,900 to 16,900, leading to the inevitable comment from Zamparini, "I would have expected at least 23,000 after the money I have spent."
The club attributes the decrease to a number of factors: initially, the old, uncomfortable stadium allied to the threat of violence, football scandals and the exponential growth in matches televised live. In recent times, the economic crisis has hit supporters' disposable income, especially in a region that is far from wealthy. There's also the interesting phenomenon that many Sicilians support Juventus, as they have relatives working for Fiat in Turin. For the same reason, Palermo always have a good following of away fans at games in the north of Italy.
"Tutto lo stadio"
Palermo currently play their homes games at the Stadio Renzo Barbera, named after the club's legendary chairman of the 1970s, which has a capacity of 36,349. Like almost every other Italian club, Palermo do not own their ground, but instead pay rent to the local council (€0.5 million last year), which means among other things that they have been unwilling to invest in modernising the infrastructure. Similarly, very little has been spent by the council, which is not exactly flush with cash.
A few years ago, Zamparini announced plans to build a new stadium, which he described as "necessary" for the club's future prospects, but nothing concrete has happened since. In fairness, Italy's failure to win the bids for the Euros in 2012 and 2016 have put a spanner in the works, as this would have brought in much needed revenue and government subsidies. Nevertheless, the president maintains that he would like to "make a gift of a new stadium to the city of Palermo."
In October 2010, he said that the project was ready to go, even on the financial level (estimated cost €70-100 million), but described the bureaucracy around the approval process as "exasperating". Nevertheless, he believed that construction would start within two years, though the council thought that his timings were "optimistic". The new stadium would actually have a lower capacity (around 30,000), but would be a modern facility in a new commercial centre, capable of hosting many other events like the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen.
Palermo's commercial revenue has been on a rising trend, more than doubling from €8.4 million in 2005 to €17.8 million in 2010. This is partly due to an innovative leaseback deal for the club's brand made in 2006 with Locat SpA, which brought in a gain of €30 million, booked as €3.3 million revenue each year until 2015, when the club can re-acquire the brand for a nominal fee.
Following ten years with Lotto, in 2010 the club switched to Legea as their kit supplier in a two-year deal worth €0.95 million in the first year and €1.1 million in the second. Other Italian clubs receive higher sums than Palermo: Inter – Nike €18 million, Milan – Adidas €13 million, Juventus – Nike €12 million, Roma – Kappa €5 million and Napoli – Macron €4.7 million.
After two spells without a shirt sponsor (2006-08 and 2008-09), the club finally secured a deal with online gaming company Betshop, though the company broke the agreement after one of Palermo's players failed a drug test, leading to them being replaced by Eurobet in 2010. It is not clear how much this deal is worth, though it is unlikely to be much more than €1 million a season, which would again be a lot less than other Italian clubs: Milan – Emirates €12 million, Inter – Pirelli €9 million, Juventus – BetClic €8 million, Roma – Wind €7 million, Napoli – Acqua Lete €5.5 million and Fiorentina – Mazda €4 million.
Given the club's relatively low revenue, it is probably not too startling that they have strived to control their costs, especially the wage bill, which has only risen €3 million in the last two years to €38 million. The important wages to turnover ratio has been held in a narrow range of 55-65%, which might sound a bit too close to UEFA's recommended maximum limit of 70% for comfort, but only six clubs in Serie A have a lower (better) ratio.
In the same way that Palermo have the eighth highest revenue in Italy, they also have the eight highest wage bill, though it looks utterly insignificant compared to those of the "big four", who appear to be playing in a different league altogether: Inter €234 million, Milan €172 million, Juventus €138 million and Roma €101 million. However, the accounts did note that €1.9 million was included in other expenses for jobs that have been outsourced.
Only one Palermo player earns more than €1 million net, namely Miccoli, and he receives just €1.2 million. That is why Zamparini recently advised that there was no chance of Amauri returning to the club, as "his salary is too high for us." Apparently, the Brazilian is now on more than €4 million, while Palermo could only afford €1 million.
In the past, Zamparini has argued against a salary cap, suggesting that this would only give rise to "under the table" deals, but he did propose to his fellow presidents that all clubs should cut salaries by at least 30%. Of course, he could probably reduce Palermo's wage bill by a fair bit if he stopped firing managers…
Player amortisation has grown by 50% from €14 million in 2005 to €21 million in 2010, which is pretty high, considering that the revenue is only €60 million. For the non-accountants, I should explain that amortisation is the annual cost of writing-down a player's purchase price, e.g. Kjaer was signed for €4 million on a five-year contract, but his transfer was only reflected in the profit and loss account via amortisation, which is booked evenly over the life of his contract, i.e. €0.8 million a year (€4 million divided by five years).
This increase implies that Palermo have been active in the transfer market, which is true, though that might surprise some. Although Palermo's net transfer spend in the last eight years is only €34 million, due to the frequent player sales, the gross purchases have been relatively high at €178 million. In fact, Palermo have been a buying club in every year but 2008 and even then they splashed out €44 million on new players, which happened to be more than compensated by €62 million of sales.
Indeed, in the last two years, Palermo's net spend of €16 million was only surpassed by five clubs in Serie A, though it is fair to say that this is partially due to a general slowing down of the transfer market, as the big guns became net sellers in an attempt to stem their losses.
In spite of this expenditure on new players, Palermo are in a very good debt position with only €4 million of bank loans and €8 million of loans from shareholders (essentially Zamparini). They have managed to more than halve gross debt from €25 million in 2005 to €12 million in 2010. This enviable position is a sign of the club's self-sufficiency and is in marked contrast to Milan and Inter, who have large bank debts of €164 million and €71 million respectively.
Although they do owe other football clubs €28 million for outstanding transfer fees, this is almost entirely compensated by the €21 million owed to Palermo. Indeed, much of this represents transactions between the same clubs, e.g. Juventus owe Palermo €8 million, but Palermo also owe Juventus €4 million.
In fact, Palermo have one of the strongest balance sheets in Serie A with net assets of €22 million. Their position would be even better if a real values were to be applied to their players, who are shown at net book value of €56 million in the accounts, but are worth considerably more on the transfer market – probably around €150 million, if you consider that Pastore on his own might well fetch €50 million.
Palermo's profits for the next couple of years seem assured. The 2010/11 accounts will benefit from the sales of Kjaer and Cavani, while the following financial year will almost certainly include the blockbuster sale of Pastore. All the usual suspects have made enquiries about the player that Zamparini called "the new Zidane". In the last couple of days the president said that he had received an offer of €50 million and there was only a 10% chance that the Argentine magician would stay. Pastore cost Palermo less than €5 million, so this would produce a huge profit, but it should be noted that they reportedly have to give 50% of the sale price to his former club/agent.
All of Palermo's players appear to be in the shop window. Tottenham apparently had a €10 million bid for Uruguayan forward Abel Hernandez turned down, but his agent hinted that €20 million would be enough to secure a move. Similarly, Zamparini has confirmed that he would sell Italian international Mattia Cassani to Lazio if he receives a concrete offer.
Of course, this must be a dilemma for Palermo, as such sales weaken the squad and reduce the team's chances of achieving the stated aim of qualifying for the Champions League, which would bring its own financial benefits. This may seem ridiculously ambitious for a club of this size, but bear in mind that they only missed out on qualification two years ago by the smallest of margins, while Udinese succeeded this season and they have even less money. Granted, the revised UEFA coefficients that reduced the number of Champions League places available to Italy from four to three won't make this assignment any easier, but the principle remains the same.
Qualifying for the Europa League is a praiseworthy feat, but it's a double-edged sword for clubs Like Palermo with little strength in depth. As they need to prioritise their resources on maintaining a challenge in the league, they often field under-strength sides in Europe, which leads to underwhelming performances.
"Happy days are here again"
Quite frankly, it's not an entirely straightforward exercise predicting the future of Palermo when the president is a man of so many contradictions. Last October, he was talking about meeting an Arab prince (a personal friend obviously) in order to invite more investment, but just a month later he put the club up for sale, claiming he was fed up with poor refereeing decisions.
Even when looking to attract investment, Zamparini managed to contradict himself. One moment, he was saying that he did not understand why everyone was drawn to England and Italy should be able to "involve important foreign investors in our football". The next minute, he professed himself amazed that new Roma owner Thomas Di Benedetto would want to "invest here or rather lose (money) in Italy."
The latter seems closer to his genuine view, as he has also commented that "you rarely get rich in football." Indeed, even if he did manage to locate a buyer for Palermo, with the greatest of respect it is difficult to see that anyone would pay the €80 million required for Zamparini to get his money back. Of course, a billionaire might always decide to buy the club as an expensive hobby, but they are few and far between.
"The last word has to go to Zamparini"
The reality is that Palermo's strategy of selling their best young players is unlikely to end any time soon, as it is the only way they can hope to balance their books. To be candid, it could be argued that the much maligned Zamparini has actually performed minor miracles in keeping his club in the upper echelons of Italian football on such a limited budget.
Of course, the president hasn't helped matters by placing Palermo in an almost constant state of flux with his countless managerial changes. Nor does he endear himself to the fans with his frequent, ill-advised comments, but they should probably also acknowledge him for the things he gets right, even through gritted teeth.


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Chapter 15
Jesus announces that the law of Moses is fulfilled in Him—The Nephites are the other sheep of whom He spoke in Jerusalem—Because of iniquity, the Lord's people in Jerusalem do not know of the scattered sheep of Israel. About A.D. 34.
1 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and said unto them: Behold, ye have heard the things which I ataught before I ascended to my Father; therefore, whoso remembereth these sayings of mine and bdoeth them, him will I craise up at the last day.
2 And it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he perceived that there were some among them who marveled, and wondered what he would concerning the law of Moses; for they understood not the saying that aold things had passed away, and that all things had become new.
3 And he said unto them: Marvel not that I said unto you that old things had passed away, and that all things had become anew.
4 Behold, I say unto you that the alaw is fulfilled that was given unto Moses.
5 Behold, aI am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to bfulfil the law; therefore it hath an end.
6 Behold, I do anot destroy the prophets, for as many as have not been fulfilled in me, verily I say unto you, shall all be fulfilled.
7 And because I said unto you that old things have passed away, I do not destroy that which hath been spoken concerning things which are to come.
8 For behold, the acovenant which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled; but the law which was given unto Moses hath an end in me.
9 Behold, I am the alaw, and the blight. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall clive; for unto him that dendureth to the end will I give eternal life.
10 Behold, I have given unto you the acommandments; therefore keep my commandments. And this is the law and the prophets, for they truly btestified of me.
11 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he asaid unto those twelve whom he had chosen:
12 Ye are my adisciples; and ye are a blight unto this people, who are a remnant of the house of cJoseph.
13 And behold, this is the aland of your inheritance; and the Father hath given it unto you.
14 And not at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should atell it unto your brethren at Jerusalem.
15 Neither at any time hath the Father given me commandment that I should tell unto them concerning the aother tribes of the house of Israel, whom the Father hath led away out of the land.
16 This much did the Father acommand me, that I should tell unto them:
17 That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one ashepherd.
18 And now, because of astiffneckedness and bunbelief they cunderstood not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more of the dFather concerning this thing unto them.
19 But, verily, I say unto you that the Father hath commanded me, and I tell it unto you, that ye were aseparated from among them because of their iniquity; therefore it is because of their iniquity that they know not of you.
20 And verily, I say unto you again that the other tribes hath the Father separated from them; and it is because of their iniquity that they know not of them.
21 And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said: aOther sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one bshepherd.
22 And they understood me not, for they supposed it had been the aGentiles; for they understood not that the Gentiles should be bconverted through their preaching.
23 And they understood me not that I said they shall hear my voice; and they understood me not that the aGentiles should not at any time hear my voice—that I should not manifest myself unto them save it were by the bHoly Ghost.
24 But behold, ye have both heard amy voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father hath bgiven me.


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Working Together
You're unique and your financial plan should be, too. When we meet, we'll first talk about what matters most to you. Next, we'll look at where you are now, where you want to go, and create a plan to get there. And, because life (and your priorities) can change, your plan will have built-in flexibility for the long term.
Here are some of the ways I can help you:
Balance Your Priorities
With competing demands on your money, how do you live for today and save for tomorrow? I can take a look at your entire financial picture and recommend cash flow strategies to help you balance your financial priorities. Together, we can answer question such as:
- How do I balance paying off debt and saving for the future?
- Should you save for retirement or for your kids' education?
- Is there anything I can do to pay less income tax?
Invest for the Future
A well-designed investment plan is the best way to reach your short- and long-term goals. I can help you build a plan based on sound principles and your personal priorities. Together, we can look at how to:
- Stay on track with your investment plan
- Achieve your goals with mutual funds and other investments
- Maximize your RRSP and TFSA contributions
- Make the most of a bonus, tax refund or other large sum of money
Plan Your Retirement
Did you know that retirement can now last 30 years or longer? I can help make sure you have a solid, yet flexible plan in place to handle the changes you may encounter along the way. We can explore topics such as:
- How much do I need to retire?
- Whether you can—or should—retire early
- Understanding your pension choices
- How you want to spend your time in retirement
Define Your Legacy
Your legacy is made up of the values and assets that you leave to future generations. Let me help you provide a secure future for the people and causes you care about by showing you:
- Why it's important to have both a Will and an estate plan
- Ways to transfer assets—such as the family cottage—to your beneficiaries
- How to plan for the future of your business
Implement Tax Strategies
By looking at your entire financial picture—your income, expenses, current investments and more—I can recommend strategies that will help reduce the taxes you and your family pay. Some strategies I can help with include:
- Minimizing taxes with a registered plan such as a TFSA or RRSP
- Income splitting with your spouse
- Tax-efficient ways to pass assets to your beneficiaries
Enjoy Your Retirement
If you're getting close to retirement, I can help you create a plan that's designed around how you want to spend your retirement and recommend ways to make your money last. Here are just a few of the things I can help you think through:
- Whether you have enough money to retire
- Financial steps to consider at age 65 and age 71
- The pros and cons of downsizing your home
- When to take your Canada Pension Plan (CPP)/Quebec Pension Plan (QPP)
Business Owner Planning
Business Owner Planning is a complimentary, comprehensive advice offering to help business owners make informed decisions about structuring and growing a business, preparing for the unexpected, and planning for transition. Drawing in RBC colleagues as needed for support in specific areas, I can help you assess:
- Does it make sense to incorporate or not?
- What is your business worth today?
- Where does your business fit into your retirement plan?
Contact Me
Brendan Abreu


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It's A Girl!!!!!!
Miss Deirdre Colina Gorman was born at 11:44 am on Wednesday, October 8th, 2008. She was 6 lbs 4 ounces and 19 1/2" long - perfect in every way. She is absolutely precious and she and mom are doing great. Labor was a little long for mom's taste (11 hours), but the actual delivery (post-epidural) was a breeze - about an hour of some focused, painless pushing and little Deirdre (pronounced Dear-dra) arrived on the scene, a beautiful head of dark hair and all.
You may be wondering about the sequence of events, since the last you heard - per my post last Wednesday - Bun was coming soon, but "not today!" Well - thanks to Blogger's handy-dandy scheduling feature, I wrote up that blog post on Tuesday evening about 7:30pm, scheduled it to be posted first thing on Wednesday morning, and then promptly went into labor 45 minutes later, around 8:15pm. Talk about the power of suggestion! Johnny and I panicked appropriately for a couple of minutes - me screaming about my water breaking (which, in the end, wasn't entirely true) and Johnny hopping around on one foot trying to change out of his pajamas pants into something more appropriate for an unscheduled trip to the hospital. We composed ourselves for the 25 minute ride, while I wondered why in the world I had thought it might be "fun" to go into labor the old-fashioned way (as opposed to a scheduled inducement.)
Stay tuned for plenty of pictures in the coming weeks, but enjoy these first few in the meantime. Don't you agree she's the prettiest girl on the block?
Mom and Dad are completely enamored - and are enjoying every moment of parenthood. Big Brother Darwin is pretty fascinated, too!


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Law **This is a graduate degree program - Not offered at UNA**
What can I do with this major?
Private Practice
- Counsel
- Administration
- Librarianship
- Large multi-office firms
- Medium-size firms
- Small firms
- Sole practitioners
- Legal clinics
- Other private legal services
Information / Strategies
- Acquire excellent research and writing skills.
- Obtain clerkships or internships.
- Large and medium-size firms frequently emphasize grades and class rank and value law review and moot court experience.
- Those in administration handle office management (e.g. work flow), business development, clerk and attorney recruitment, clerkship programs, finances, and human resources.
- Law librarianships may require a master's in library or information science in addition to the law degree.
- Expect to exhibit management and marketing expertise and practice profitably.
Corporate Law
- In-House Counsel:
- Transactional
- Litigatory
- Private Practice
- Any large corporation (largest number of attorneys are at corporate headquarters)
- Law firms with corporate law and related business practice areas
Information / Strategies
- Corporate office summer clerkships and entry level positions are rare.
- Usually only experienced lawyers are hired by corporations.
- Develop tolerance for bureaucratic procedure.
- An undergraduate major in business, particularly accounting or finance, is helpful.
- A joint MBA/JD degree may open additional opportunities.
Public Interest Law
- Counsel
- Legal Aid Services
- Public Defense
- Civil Rights Law
- Legal Services Corporation
- Legal aid societies
- Federal, state, and local government
- Public defender offices
- Private groups
- Nonprofit and public interest organizations, e.g. ACLU, NAACP Legal Defense Fund
- Law firms practicing public interest law
Information / Strategies
- Gain supervised work experience in an area through summer internships.
- Demonstrate a desire to help the economically disadvantaged and show an interest in law as a means of change.
- Volunteer for non-profit organizations that serve a wide range of people.
- Learn to communicate and interact with a diverse clientele.
Federal Government
- Counsel
- Most government branches have legal counsel; some of the largest employers of lawyers are:
- Department of Justice
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Central Intelligence Agency
- Federal Trade Commission
- Internal Revenue Service
- Securities and Exchange Commission
- Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps for all branches of the military
Information / Strategies
- Complete an internship program with the federal government to get a foot in the door.
- Many lawyers start as an Assistant U.S. Attorney.
- New lawyers frequently go to court and litigate sooner; experience gained here can be valuable to private firms later.
- Government work offers a variety of practice opportunities from criminal to contracts.
- High academic achievement is emphasized by State and Federal judges; Federal judges usually require top 10% or 15% class rank.
Federal Government
- Judicial Clerkships
- Federal courts of appeal and district court (trial) judges and magistrates
- Bankruptcy and administrative law judges
- State courts of appeal and trial level judges
- Federal and state court clerkships for collective judges in a court
Information / Strategies
- Clerkships can be a stepping-stone to other legal areas and provide many benefits for future career opportunities.
- For U.S. Supreme Court, applicants must be top law graduates with one to two years clerking at lower Federal Court.
- Moot Court participation in regional and national competitions is helpful.
- Law review membership, as an indication of writing ability, is highly valued and emphasized at all court levels.
State and Local Government
- Criminal Prosecution
- Civil Law
- Public Defense
- District Attorney's Office
- Attorney General's Office
- State agencies, commissions, boards, executive and legislative office staff
- Local agencies and commissions
- City and county law offices
Information / Strategies
- Take essential courses related to criminal law, criminal procedure, constitutional law, and evidence.
- Participate in a criminal clinical program.
- Obtain summer positions in a prosecutor's office or a criminal litigation office or private firms practicing criminal law.
- Civil law deals with a broad range of subjects other than criminal matters and provides for a wide variety of functions including the opportunity to work with private lawyers and public officials.
- A demonstrated interest in public issues and completion of related internships are helpful.
- Teaching
- Student Affairs (Law Schools and General Schools)
- Higher Education Administration
- Pre-Law Advising
- Law Librarianship
- General Counsel
- Law schools including departments of:
- Career Planning and Development
- Admissions
- Student Services
- Law libraries
- Business schools
- Undergraduate departments of History and Political
- Science
- Paralegal schools
- Universities and colleges including:
- Judicial Affairs Office
- Dean of Students
- Human Resources
Information / Strategies
- For teaching: Obtain several years of experience in private practice or government agency. The LLM degree and an outstanding academic record are required for law school teaching. Teaching allows for more flexibility of time and Some lawyers teach on an adjunct basis.
- For administration and student affairs, consider earning a master's degree in College Student Affairs, Higher Education Administration, or related area. As an undergraduate, participate on campus in leadership roles. In law school, secure a graduate assistantship in an office of interest, such as judicial affairs.
- For librarianships, a master's in library or information science, in addition to the law degree, is often required.
Patent, Copyright, Intellectual Property Law
- Law firms (specialized)
- Corporations
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Information / Strategies
- This highly specialized area usually requires technical, science, or engineering degrees at the undergraduate or graduate level.
- These lawyers help protect clients' clams to copyrights, inventions, software, etc.
Financial Planning, Estate Planning, Investment Banking
- Bank trust departments
- Brokerage firms
- Insurance companies
- Development offices for preparatory schools, hospitals, and universities
Information / Strategies
- Insurance "Estate Planning" positions require interest and ability in sales.
- Bank trust department positions are good for those who do not want to litigate or be confrontational.
- An undergraduate major in accounting or finance may be helpful.
Energy Law, Natural Resources and Environmental Law
- Law firms
- Corporations
- Federal agencies, especially Department of Energy
- Environmental compliance services companies
- State agencies
- Regulatory commissions
- Advocacy organizations
Information / Strategies
- This area involves rights to resources including those in the earth and dangers in production of energy as well as transportation, taxation, patents, and government regulation.
- An undergraduate major in environmental science, agriculture, engineering, or science may be good preparation.
Family and Juvenile Law
- Private practice
- Government agencies
- Nonprofit organizations
Information / Strategies
- Work with families and individuals on matters such as divorce, adoption, and juvenile justice.
Health Law
- Law firms
- Insurance companies
- Health Maintenance Organizations
- Hospitals
- Government agencies
Information / Strategies
- Represent all parties in healthcare such as hospitals, physician groups, health maintenance organizations, individual doctors, insurance companies, and individual patients.
International Law
- Public
- Private
- Governments
- International organizations
- United Nations
- World Bank
- Private firms
- Large corporations
Information / Strategies
- Fluency in another language and familiarity with other cultures will help prepare one for this field.
- Seek international experience by studying, volunteering, or working abroad.
- Intern with a firm or organization that deals with international law.
- Lobbying/Government Relations
- Elected Office
- Corporations
- Trade and professional associations
- Political action committees
- Law firms
- Public interest advocacy groups
Information / Strategies
- Clerkship or summer associate positions with law firms providing lobbying services provide good experience.
- Demonstrate an interest in politics through your undergraduate major, active campaigning, or research papers/articles.
- Obtain full-time law firm experience as a stepping stone into field.
- Acquire superior writing skills.
- Develop a pleasing personality, enthusiasm, and high energy level. Demonstrate a service-oriented attitude.
- Show ability to work with people and good communication and organizational skills.
- Learn to enlist the help of others.
- Consider earning a Master's of Public Administration.
General Information and Strategies
- Students interested in attending law school may choose any major of interest. Some undergraduate majors can help prepare students for a particular area of law, e.g., a B.S. in environmental science for a career in environmental law.
- Develop strong research and writing skills. Enhance communication skills through public speaking courses, debate team, or Toast Masters (a public speaking organization).
- Maintain a high grade point average to increase chances of gaining admission to law school.
- Join Phi Alpha Delta professional association.
- Prepare for the LSAT (Law School Admission Test) which is required by all law schools.
- Secure strong personal recommendations from professors.
- Find part-time jobs or internships in law firms or government agencies to reality test your interest in law and to gain relevant experience.
- Participate in mock trial, student government, student judiciary boards, and other related organizations.
- Completing the law degree, Juris Doctor or JD, typically takes three years of full-time coursework. After completion, one must pass a state bar examine in order to practice law.
- Many specialities exist in the practice of law such as real estate, entertainment law, tax law, education law, sport law. New specialities are always emerging. Consider your interests and skills when choosing an area of practice.


text: U.S. Geological Survey 20210422 USGS Original Product Resolution WV_FEMAR3_Southcentral_2018_D19 e1219n1846 raster digital data Reston, VA U.S. Geological Survey http://nationalmap.gov/elevation.html http://nationalmap.gov/viewer.html This is the Original Product Resolution (OPR) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) as provided to the USGS. This DEM is delivered in the original resolution, with the original spatial reference. These data may be used as the source of updates to the seamless layers of the 3D Elevation Program, which serves as the elevation layer of the National Map. These data can be used by scientists and resource managers for global change research, hydrologic modeling, resource monitoring, mapping and visualization, and many other applications. 3DEP products serve as the elevation layer of The National Map, and provides basic elevation information for earth science studies and mapping applications in the United States. The data are utilized by the scientific and resource management communities for global change research, hydrologic modeling, resource monitoring, mapping and visualization applications. This is an original source resolution DEM. The geographic area of coverage is described below in the Bounding Coordinates. Additional information for the 3DEP Products may be found on http://nationalmap.gov/elevation.html. Data may be downloaded through The National Map Viewer: http://nationalmap.gov/viewer.html. Direct links for direct access by automated services are provided in the Distribution section of this metadata. 20181117 20190416 publication date Complete As needed -81.7750966893665 -81.7618658321548 38.827591998105255 38.817438962787094 ISO 19115 Topic Category elevation NGDA Portfolio Themes Elevation 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) 3D Elevation Program 3DEP National Elevation Dataset NED Elevation Light Detection and Ranging LIDAR High Resolution Topographic Surface Topography Bare Earth Hydro-Flattened Terrain Elevation Cartography DEM Digital Elevation Model Digital Mapping Digital Terrain Model Geodata GIS Mapping Raster USGS U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System US United States None. Any downloading and use of these data signifies a user's agreement to comprehension and compliance of the USGS Standard Disclaimer. Insure all portions of metadata are read and clearly understood before using these data in order to protect both user and USGS interests. There is no guarantee or warranty concerning the accuracy of the data. Users should be aware that temporal changes may have occurred since these data were collected and that some parts of these data may no longer represent actual surface conditions. Users should not use these data for critical applications without a full awareness of its limitations. Acknowledgement of the originating agencies would be appreciated in products derived from these data. Any user who modifies the data is obligated to describe the types of modifications they perform. User specifically agrees not to misrepresent the data, nor to imply that changes made were approved or endorsed by the USGS. Please refer to http://www.usgs.gov/privacy.html for the USGS disclaimer. https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/OPR/Projects/WV_FEMAR3_Southcentral_2018_D19/WV_FEMAR3_Southcentral_B3_2018/browse/USGS_OPR_WV_FEMAR3_Southcentral_2018_D19_e1219n1846.jpg Thumbnail JPG image JPEG Acknowledgement of the originating agencies would be appreciated in products derived from these data. Please refer to the copy of the original product metadata file within the delivered folder if one was provided. Data set is considered complete for the information presented, as described in the abstract. Users are advised to read the rest of the metadata record carefully for additional details. Please refer to the copy of the original product metadata file if one was provided. Original project data were provided to the National Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) in Rolla, MO and/or Denver, CO. The data were reviewed for quality and accuracy before publication. Data are provided in the original source resolution and spatial reference. 20210422 Raster Pixel 1000 1000 1 North American Vertical Datum 19881.0metreAttribute valuesNAD83(2011) / Conus Albers29.545.5-96.023.00.00.0 The attribute summary can be found in the Data Dictionary (http://nationalmap.gov/3DEP/3dep_prodmetadata.html). A link to the 3DEP Data Dictionary describing information that is included in the spatial metadata shapefiles acquired with the DEM is provided at the end of the Metadata Information section of this document. U.S. Geological Survey mailing and physical USGS National Geospatial Program Office 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston VA 20192 USA 1-888-ASK-USGS (1-888-275-8747) Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time Zone USA Please visit http://www.usgs.gov/ask/ to contact us. Downloadable Data Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the U.S. Geological Survey, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by either regarding the utility of the data on any system, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. The USGS will warranty the delivery of this product in computer-readable format and will offer appropriate adjustment of credit when the product is determined unreadable by correctly adjusted computer peripherals, or when the physical medium is delivered in damaged condition. Requests for adjustments of credit must be made within 90 days from the date of this shipment from the ordering site. TIFF 3.1458969116210938 https://rockyweb.usgs.gov/vdelivery/Datasets/Staged/Elevation/OPR/Projects/WV_FEMAR3_Southcentral_2018_D19/WV_FEMAR3_Southcentral_B3_2018/TIFF/USGS_OPR_WV_FEMAR3_Southcentral_2018_D19_e1219n1846.tif None. No fees are applicable for obtaining the data set. 20210422 U.S. Geological Survey mailing and physical USGS National Geospatial Program Office 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive Reston VA 20192 USA 1-888-ASK-USGS (1-888-275-8747) Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Eastern Time Zone USA Please visit http://www.usgs.gov/ask/ to contact us. FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata FGDC-STD-001-1998 http://nationalmap.gov/3DEP/3dep_prodmetadata.html 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) Metadata https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/index.html?prefix=StagedProducts/Elevation/metadata/WV_FEMAR3_Southcentral_2018_D19/WV_FEMAR3_Southcentral_B3_2018


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17 Best Body Scrubs for Your Smoothest Skin YetWant to exfoliate your way to supersoft skin without turning your shower into an oil slick? These top products can help |
Image via @thebodyshop
SEE NEXT PAGE: Best Body Scrub No. 17: C. Booth Charcoal Foaming Dry Body Polish & Cleanser, $8.99
Older comments
I really want to try one of these scrubs. They all look like good products.
by Lili04 Monday, March 4, 2013 at 12:32AM Report as inappropriate
It all sounds so good. I wanna try them all.
by Zeaundra Monday, February 25, 2013 at 07:44AM Report as inappropriate
I love exfoliating products
by LittleBunny Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 10:40AM Report as inappropriate
I have tried every exfoliating product on the market some worked , some broke me out! But My sister and I have found one that has changed our lives. It's called Spa-Exfoliare Whole Body Bath Net,It's awesome. I had severe eczema all my life and had these really ugly thick patches on my feet. I never wore sandals until this summer! It is changing my life. Its such a simple tool. It caught us both by surprise. I think it's the best kept secret. I got mine from their site but my sister went to Etsy. I even had better tans this summer because my skin tone was more even. It surprised us that we couldn't find them at our local stores, but I tell everyone I know because it really works! and they don't use chemicals! I love my Bath net, you've got to check them out!
by AndeshaNoel Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 10:16AM Report as inappropriate
"Tree Hut" makes a fantastic sugar scrub in a variety of scents and it's very affordable! I recently purchased the Bath and Body works True Blue Spa Invigorating Spa Scrub, for which I paid $24.00, and I prefer the Tree Hut stuff, which is under $10.00!
by BellaFaccia Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 09:53AM Report as inappropriate
I've tried the Bath and Body Works products mentioned, and love them! Can't wait to try some of these others.
by Erin4 Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 01:12PM Report as inappropriate
i am obsessed with body scrubs i had been curious about some of these and now i know i should try them!
by rayshaviolet Saturday, December 22, 2012 at 10:31AM Report as inappropriate
I have used many of these scrubs and they are all awesome. Favorite for sure would have to be The Body Shop scrubs. All of them. Very different smells, work wonders, and a great store for the environment so I don't feel guilty!
by Lamexicana1 Friday, November 9, 2012 at 08:44PM Report as inappropriate
What about scrubs that aren't so strongly scented? I realize that most are "salt" or "sugar" scrubs, but do they actually have to smell overpoweringly salty or sugary?
by schien Sunday, November 4, 2012 at 12:33PM Report as inappropriate
Another option for people looking for a great scrub is to look on etsy or at local soap maker shops. You can get amazing scrubs that contain fewer chemicals and are a fraction of the price. You can check out my scrubs on etsy by searching Scrubxury.
by MaggB Wednesday, October 31, 2012 at 02:53PM Report as inappropriate


text:
What is osteochondroma?
Also called osteocartilaginous exostoses, osteochondroma is an overgrowth of cartilage and bone near the end of the bone near the growth plate. This type of overgrowth can occur in any bone where cartilage eventually forms bone. Most commonly, it affects the long bones in the leg, the pelvis, or scapula (shoulder blade).
Osteochondroma is the most common benign (noncancerous) bone growth. The lesion usually occurs during skeletal growth between the ages of 10 and 30 years. It affects males and females equally.
What causes osteochondroma?
While the exact cause of osteochondroma is not known, there is a genetic link, indicating that there is a form of the disorder that is inherited. There is also a noninherited form of the disorder.
What are the symptoms of osteochondroma?
The following are the most common symptoms of osteochondroma. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
- A hard, immobile, detectable mass that is painless
- Lower-than-normal-height for age
- Soreness of the adjacent muscles
- One leg or arm may be longer than the other
- Pressure or irritation with exercise
Often individuals with osteochondroma will have no symptoms at all.
The symptoms of osteochondroma may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis.
How is osteochondroma diagnosed?
In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, diagnostic procedures for osteochondroma may include the following:
- X-ray. A diagnostic test that uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film.
- Computed tomography scan (also called CT or CAT scan). A noninvasive diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to produce horizontal, or axial, images (often called slices) of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than general X-rays.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body.
Treatment for osteochondroma
Specific treatment for osteochondroma will be determined by your doctor based on:
- Your age, overall health, and medical history
- Extent of the disease
- Location of the osteochondroma
- Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, and therapies
- Expectation for the course of the disease
- Your opinion or preference
Treatment for osteochondromas varies significantly depending on the size of the overgrowth and the symptoms of the individual. Treatment may include:
- Surgery to remove the mass
- Medications to control pain
If there is no sign of bone weakening or increased overgrowth, observation only may be suggested. Careful follow-up with a doctor to monitor bone growth may be recommended.


text:
The Game, Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, P Diddy, Fabolous and more record song dedicate to Michael Brown
By Mesfin Fekadu
NEW YORK _ Rappers are making their voices heard in song and on the ground in Ferguson, Missouri, in the wake of Michael Brown's shooting death, channeling hip-hop's earlier roots when the genre worked as a voice for the oppressed and spoke out against injustice.
"It's really important to see hip-hop's role of being some grown-ups and doing some really stand-up, grown-up stuff," Public Enemy's Chuck D, one of rap's most powerful voices, said in a recent interview. "These people have actually stood up … and that has to be saluted."
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer said he's impressed with rappers such as J. Cole, who released a heartaching, tearful song called "Be Free" inspired by Brown, the unarmed 18-year-old who was shot to death by a Ferguson officer on Aug. 9.
Others in rap also have lifted their voices: Talib Kweli, like J. Cole, marched in Ferguson and spoke out about injustice; David Banner appeared on CNN; Nelly started a scholarship for teens in honour of Brown; and Lauryn Hill dedicated her song "Black Rage" _ which uses some of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things" _ to the Ferguson community.
"When the dogs bite, when the beatings, when I'm feeling sad I simply remember all these kinds of things and then I don't feel so bad," she sings.
The largest hip-hop gesture for Brown, who was an aspiring rapper, came Wednesday when the Game released the song "Don't Shoot," in which he's joined by all-stars like Diddy, Rick Ross and 2 Chainz, among others. Sales from the song will benefit the Mike Brown Memorial Fund on GoFundMe, which has raised nearly $300,000 in two weeks.
"I wanted to do my part in bringing awareness to it, so that at the end of the day that I can sleep well knowing that I used my voice correctly," the Game said in an interview Thursday.
Other black entertainers have spoken out including Kerry Washington, Jesse Williams and Spike Lee, who attended Brown's funeral on Monday. At a concert last week where he performed Marvin Gaye's seminal "What's Going On?" at the Hollywood Bowl, John Legend wore a shirt that said "don't shoot."
While a number of members of the rap community have come out in support of Ferguson _ including Russell Simmons, Killer Mike, Young Jeezy and Wiz Khalifa _ others have wondered if hip-hop's most prolific and popular stars will chime in, from Jay Z to Pharrell to Kanye West to Lil Wayne.
"I don't believe everyone has a role for this, and I also don't believe quantity takes over as quality. I think we have a quality combination in there," Chuck D said.
Though hip-hop has been criticized for glorifying sex and violence, its musicians have a history of standing up against perceived injustice, especially in the genre's early years, with songs like "Fight the Power" and "The Message." A more recent example came after Trayvon Martin's death in 2012.
Last week, T.I. released the song "New National Anthem," which he wrote after the July 2013 acquittal of George Zimmerman in the killing of 17-year-old Martin. He says he hopes to start a dialogue between the community, city leaders and police.
"This is not to divide race, colour, generation, region. This is not to incite or encourage people to go against to the police. This is to bring about change by way of creating awareness of the current status in America in these inner city areas for our young black men and young black people," the rapper said in a recent interview.
T.I. said songs like his and J. Cole's can serve as a voice for those who don't have a platform like famous rappers.
"We are the voice for those without a voice," he said. "Our messages reach the ears of people that most common men in America can't reach, and I think that has to be used to the advantage and the greater good of the masses."
AP Entertainment Writer Ryan Pearson contributed to this report.
Follow Mesfin Fekadu at twitter.com/MusicMesfin


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