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We had a great time at the 2012 Portland Bridal Show this weekend! It's always fun to meet and talk with all of the brides-to-be, and it's also a great opportunity to connect with other wedding professionals. Not to mention a chance to try out some new designs in wedding flowers! Here's a few pictures from the show:
|Our booth display at the 2012 Portland Bridal Show
|Wedding bouquets and arrangements
|More wedding bouquets and arrangements
And now for a closer look at some of those bridal bouquets, centerpieces, and boutonnieres:
If you're looking for something a little less extravagant, these cylinders are a nice option for simple wedding centerpieces. These cylinders are filled with blue glass marbles, vanda orchids, and white floating candles, but they could be done in any color with nearly any flower inside.
This hand-tied bouquet would be perfect for a beach themed wedding. Blues and lavenders are an excellent color palette for a seaside wedding. In this bouquet: blue hydrangea, lavender freesia, blue thistle, white roses, lavender lisianthus, muscari (grape hyacinth), blue delphinium, seeded eucalyptus, and sea urchins with sparkly rhinestones in the centers.
Coordinating boutonniere of thistle, lisianthus buds, and seeded eucalyptus, wrapped with periwinkle ribbon and accented with a rhinestone pin.
Keeping with the beach theme is this lantern arrangement. Inside the lantern is a battery operated pillar candle surrounded by sand, shells, and sea glass. A spray of flowers adorns the top of the lantern. Wouldn't this be lovely on a guest book table?
For a black and white wedding theme, you can do one of two things: add an accent color for the flowers to give a nice pop of contrast, or incorporate non-floral elements to create an all black and white bouquet. Either way you go, black and white is definitely a striking wedding palette. In this bouquet: white mini calla lilies, white ranunculus, white freesia, white anemones, stephanotis with black pearl centers, viburnum berries, black feathers, and some fun black and silver ting ting around the edge.


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Two tons of granite, wedged forcefully into a narrow cleft in a deep sandstone slot canyon by the sheer force of nature, manifested in the form of a single flash flood that tossed its solid massive form down the canyon like a gigantic, mighty bowling ball. If you've ever seen the (based on a true story) movie "127 Hours," in which Aron Ralston sawed his own arm off with an off-brand pocket tool, it was a chockstone like this one that did the nasty deed of trapping him there. This one seems to have been resting here for many decades, as the entire canyon above it is filled with sand held in place by its hulking mass like a naturally occurring dam.
I climbed the 10 feet or so to surmount the boulder, before continuing up-canyon to another series of them, far, far larger. This one was about 6 feet in diameter, the others about 10-15 feet. This climb was about 10 feet up, and the next was about 20 feet. I was able to secure both against falls with my climbing harness and some nylon webbing, as I was solo and a fall could have been treacherous in there. After I reached the third level of the canyon, I heard voices above me, coming from a 200 foot vertical chimney chute that descended from the surface. I looked up. "Justin!?!" Aha! It was Greg and Andrew, two guys I hiked with in Joshua Tree National Park a few months back, along with a couple of their friends. We were 3 levels up a remote and semi-technical slot canyon in the middle of nowhere, 2 hours from home, miles from civilization, way out in the desert wash systems. Not exactly a place you'd expect to run into someone you know! What a small world it can be out there!
We continued up canyon, exploring a mining adit (prospect) that had been blasted into the wall of the slot canyon, in the days before wise people had realized the true value of the desert does not lie in mineral extraction. Eventually the slot come to a conglomerate dryfall, which ascended a good 20 feet up to a 4th level. This time there was no way to secure it, and I climbed up to the top chockstone before deciding not to continue, as I would have to descend the loose, steep chute alone to return to my truck, as the others were headed back to the surface and would not have to return this way. So I made my way back down the levels of the slot, retracing my steps, past a dead sidewinder rattlesnake and a tarantula, to the truck. Then it was a simple matter of doing some minor rock crawling and trail running in the truck up a steep and rutted jeep trail back to the paved road and a quick 2-hour drive back to civilization.

subset: commoncrawl


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I returned to Lebanon in February 2016, a little over a year since my first trip there, to continue focusing on the Syrian crisis and the perspectives of some of its youngest victims.Read More
Chronicling the process behind WAR-TOYS from the perspective of toy photographer Brian McCarty.
Index of posts by category:
Instead of attempting to organize and schedule two additional sessions, Art Therapist Myra Saad (Artichoke Studio) and I decided to dedicate a full day to work with our all-girls group from the Malala Yousafzai School.Read More
On March 3rd, Art Therapist Myra Saad (Artichoke Studio) and I returned to the Kayany Foundation's Malala Yousafzai School near the eastern border of Lebanon. We worked with a mixed-gender group of children (8-12 years old) and picked up where we left off in the previous session. It had ended with the children collaboratively designing an idealized "good" city. However, when put to a vote, they decided that it would be better to construct a "bad" city first, then rebuild on top of it the next time we met.Read More
From my very first WAR-TOYS trip, I've had few opportunities to work with the same children over multiple sessions. The reasons vary from deteriorating security situations (like in Gaza) to a lack of resources and/or access. Many organizations don't have ongoing psychosocial programs in which to integrate the project, and I wasn't in a position to create temporary workshops to fill in the gaps. To do this, I needed a dedicated art therapist, NGO support, and adequate funding. Happily, this year, everything came together.Read More
On February 25th, Art Therapist Myra Saad and I spent our first day working together again with three groups of Syrian refugee children. The Kayany Foundation kindly provided use of a classroom at their Malala Yousafzai All-Girls School and organized the groups – one all-girls (ages 13-16) and two mixed gender (ages 8-12) from the neighboring Kuzbari-Rotary German School.Read More


text: Dear Diary: Sheesh! On days like today it seems that I can't get no respect. While I was conducting a bold and muscular air attack against militant Islamists in Syria, I made the error of saluting two Marines at the foot of the steps of my Marine One chopper, with a Styrofoam cup of tea still in my hand. The howls of outrage on social media must have been audible from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli. The whole business was more embarrassing even than Joe Biden's bizarre attempt to take over the Oval Office by disguising himself as a war vet and leaping over the White House fence while Michelle and I were en route to Camp David. I am surrounded by imbeciles. [ECS]


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Grainfather Conical Fermenter - Pro Edition
Product details
Take control of your fermentation by giving yeast the perfect envirmonment to optimize your beer flavor profile. The Grainfather Conical Fermenter - Pro Edition features double-walled, stainless steel construction for durability and insulation and INCLUDES the Dual Valve Tap and Digital Temperature Controller.
Dial in your fermentation temperature with the Digital Controller. Use the Dual Valve Tap to take samples and when fermentation is finished, dump or harvest your yeast from the cone and transfer your beer all with the same valve. Samples and transfers are pulled from above the sediment line allowing for clearer beer while allowing for yeast collection from the bottom of the fermenter.
The Grainfather Conical Fermenter has been designed to give you the best in fermenting performance. Featuring the Golden Angle of 60°, the optimum angle for dropping yeast to the bottom without clinging to the sides, youl have no problem getting a clearer beer faster than standard, flat-bottomed fermenters.
Dual Valve Tap
Using the same concepts used in commercial breweries, the Dual Valve Tap ensures easy sampling and transferring while retaining the ability to dump or harvest yeast for reuse.
Digital Controller
Control the fermentation temperature by accurately dialing in the ideal temperature. Also includes an option to set up to 4 fermentation profiles, each with up to 5 temperature stages.
Height - 36" (43" with Airlock)
Diameter - 14.5" (with Handles)
- 304 stainless steel double-walled fermenter.
- Integrated gentle heating: 30W, 12V heating element.
- Integrated cooling sleeve that can be hooked up to the Cooling Pump Kit or the Grainfather Glycol Chiller (coming soon).
- 60° cone angle for yeast to drop down to the bottom
- 8 Gallon Capacity.
- Wide opening for easy, hassle-free cleaning.
- Stainless steel lid with integrated silicone seal and included rubber stopper and airlock.
- Cone Plug and Seal
- 6.5power cord
- Modular system to build up your brewery to your own specifications.
Additional information
|Support Documents
|Click here for documents
|Support Documents - Instructions
|Click here for instructions


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Hugh Blandford
Published Works & Notebooks
Hugh Blandford
Published Works & Notebooks
Edited by A.J. Roycroft
50pp., Softcover large format (8" x 11")
All chessplayers have favourite studies. Here is a chance not just to add to them but to do so from the oeuvre of a talented British composer.
When Hugh Blandford passed away, his files and notebooks were acquired by A. John Roycroft. They were published in book form, and this modest production was the result. It not only has Blandford's studies, but compositions that were works in progress when he died. The discussions and essays offer a unique insight into the creative process of endgame composers.
Add To Cart


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Date: Wednesday, August 22, 2012 at 8:30 a.m.
Achieving Procurement Nirvana: Strategic Best Practices and Lessons Learned
Presentation Overview:
Learn how to read your roadmap to success on the complex procurement journey. Many states are rounding the corner on critical projects which require complex procurements. States need a clear strategic technology roadmap to progress towards consistent, unified goals. Without a great map to your destination, you may get lost and the end result is the same type of "siloed" systems we have struggled to break down the past decade. The success of the project depends upon the strength of the contract and the basis for a good contract begins with the procurement strategy. In this session we will create a roadmap to guide your procurements in the state's strategic direction, learn best practices for procurement strategies to implement a system on-schedule and within budget, and discover how to establish a procurement approach which fosters the ongoing vendor/ client relationship. We will close the session with lessons learned from state and industry partners.
Who is speaking: Tom DiMartino, Principal Consultant
Tom has over 30 years of experience in the Public Sector IT industry, specializing in large scale project management and systems procurements. He has comprehensive experience in APD development, contract negotiation, technology planning, and system implementation. Tom has a wealth of experience working in Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS), Child Support Enforcement Systems and Integrated Eligibility (TANF/SNAP/Medicaid) systems. Tom worked as Senior Procurement Consultant for the states of Connecticut, Indiana, California, Alaska and Wisconsin.
Tom has directed the Program Management Office for the State of Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Hybrid Eligibility System. He was also the lead on the agency's $300 million Enterprise Medicaid System project for the Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning.
Conference Information:
You can meet with Tom and other netlogx team members at booth number 57. Follow all of the happenings during the conference at www.mesconference.org


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The meeting was called to order at 7:03 PM by Chairman Steve Spickard. There were 11 in attendance.
The minutes from the May Meeting were read and approved.
Under old business the Needs and Priorities questionnaire which is normally processed by the CDNC, this task will be done by Chairman Steve Spickard and Secretary Sue Marion.
The Save Our Bluff Campaign was discussed. See the issues at http://www.saveourbluff.org/ Steve Spickard submitted a letter to be sent to the City Planning Department expressing the Committee's adamant belief there should be no development of the bluff. It was moved by Ted Barnwell and seconded by John Simanton that the letter with minor adjustments be sent. The motion was passed unanimously. The letter makes three points. There is potential liability to the city, developers, and real estate agents. The ground for development is unstable. The area is already in use by hundreds of folks as a nature trail. The approved letter may be seen here: http://cannonsaddition.tripod.com/savbluflet.html
The sidewalk repair list was mentioned. It can be found at: http://cannonsaddition.tripod.com/sidewk03.htm. Work will commence sometime after the first of July and before the snow falls.
The Polly Judd Park Renewable Resource Project was discussed with a slide show proposing the site below the cliff with access from 15th avenue to be the location for the disposal of Autumn leaves. Much of the area is land fill from Expo '74 construction. The possibility of changing our routine of spending thousands of dollars on leaf pick up with bins could be a thing of the past. This practice would enrich the soil and prepare it for a community garden. To learn how to compost enter: http://www.solidwaste.org
Under new business, the Cannon's Addition Steering Committee Summer retreat was discussed. All were encouraged to attend this fun and beneficial event up at Gene and Mary Bronson's home on Twin Lake, Idaho. The event will take place on June 22 from 1 to dark. For directions or a ride call Steve at 747-5745 or his cell 280-1904. To see pictures of last year's event enter http://cannonsaddition.tripod.com/twinlks.htm
Members are also invited to a City wide Community Development Pot luck on July 10th from 5 to 7 at Grant Park in the East Central Neighborhool.
Laura Mincks position as CDNC Community Development Neighborhood Coordinator was discussed. Her absense is felt. There is a need for a replacement. Secretary Sue Marion voiced her wish to become CDNC liaison as there is interest and growing knowledge of the inner workings of citizen participation and the Community Development program. John Downes expressed his concern that the incoming CDNC not circumvent the wishes of the Steering Committee as was done with the naming of Polly Judd Park years ago by an unnamed CDNC. This fact has left a deep impression on the long time active members. The fact remains that according to Laura Mincks, the secretary is not allowed to be both. Perhaps there can be an override by the Community Development Board?
The deadline for the request for work to be done in Polly Judd Park was on Sunday June 1st. Sue Marion suggested we tell the Park department that we now have the money to intall the benches and tables therefore we should be able proceed. Later that evening, Secretary Sue Marion talked to Park Board Member, Steve Corker, at the West Central Community Center. This fact was discussed and Mr. Corker said that he didn't think it would be difficult to implement a grace period, therefore allowing for this allocation to be approved. Stay tuned.
John Simanton suggested each subcommittee head make reports at each meeting.
The sign is on hold until we get the traffic construction completed at tenth and Maple
A motion to adjourn was made and passed. The meeting was adjourned at 9:00.
Submitted by Sue Marion, Secretary.
Cannon's Cyber Home -- http://cannonsaddition.tripod.com


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The Apple by Ashley Coates
Comfortably Numb by Nicole Yoder
by Nicole Yoder
CD 6 by PabloPolo
HOT! by CharlieCC
by CharlieCC
Where the two colors meet by Andrew Manley
Kiss Me by Rachmat Lianda
Three Green Curls by Emily Baldus
Dreamer by Derek Dodge
draw your fortune #7 by Cristina Cocullo
The shel by Helle Bolther
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Today we are shining a spotlight on Julia Talen! Julia is from Colorado and will be coming to the East Coast to join us for the TCS New York Marathon in November!
Why are you running for Girls on the Run NYC? I wanted to run for an organization I could feel passionate about because they have similar values to my own. I am currently getting my MSW and work with children and youth primarily. Inspiring young girls to feel empowered and strong in a society that can make it difficult to feel that way is something I hold close to my heart and bring into my practice as a social worker. The values of Girls on the Run along with my own interest in running made this organization an obvious choice for my support!
Is this your first marathon? This is my first one! Nervous but excited!
Favorite place to run? I love to run outside. I live in Denver, CO, and there are several parks in the city with trees and lakes that are fabulous running spots.
Favorite time of day to run? Morning! Especially with the summer heat!
Favorite post-run snack/meal? Banana and PB or a smoothie!
Favorite running accessory? Love my SPI-belt. Makes it easy to carry my keys and IPhone while I run.
Group or solo run? I'm a solo runner, but I love races and all the excitement of them!
What shoes do you run in? Brooks!
Favorite non-running activity? Lots...reading, hanging out with friends, hiking, and taking pictures are some of them.
Farthest distance you've run? Only 7 miles! Soon to change though!
Inspirational Quote/Words to Live By? "You are enough."
What's your Myers-Briggs? ENFP
Thanks, Julia! Good luck with training and we look forward to seeing you in November!
If you'd like to support Julie in her fundraising efforts, you can visit her virtual fundraising page here.


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Events for 21-01-2019
All Day
A Spot on The Wall
Our popular open art exhibition returns Saturday 19th January through to Wednesday 20th February 2019! A Spot on the Wall showcases an ever-changing display of work from amateur and professional artists. www.thestation.co.uk/spotFind out more »
International Textile Exhibition – Through the Seasons
The coldness of winter, the mildness of spring, the sun of summer or the shades of the fall. This year's theme 'Through the Seasons' has been interpreted by each artist in a different way, with works focusing on one season, changing seasons and even the seasons of human lives, represented through realism or abstract colour …
Continue reading "International Textile Exhibition – Through the Seasons"Find out more »


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Product code: MRI10013
Product id: 255
Flash Sale: Up to 60% OFF on all products ,hurry before the deal ends View list
Download list
Color: Red
BESTEK 1000W power inverter with dual AC outlets, can keep your digital electronics and household appliances running all the way during your trip. Convenient and compact enough, it is easy to take and use, minimize this the discomfort of the long distances with your whole family.
Power Inverter for Car with High Performance
The power inverter provides 1000 watts continuous DC to AC power and 2400 watts of peak power that can charge both low power and high power appliances charging requirement, bring car electronics into home.
Smart Power Inverter for Car
Dual 110V household outlets can deliver 1000W continuous power to keep it running for your laptop, TV, DVD players, game systems, microwaves, pumps, and other electronics.
Power Inverters with All-Round Protection
Automatic overload and low-battery shutdown features to protect your connected equipment. Built-in 3 external fuses and cooling fan, your devices can be protected from damage and keep your family away from electronic shock. A lighted power switch can intelligently tell the charging status with signals.
Portable Vehicle Power Inverter
The power splitter is sleek and slim with rugged construction, easy to carry on and store in bag or luggage, and sturdy enough to use in harsh environments lack of power, perfect for car trip, travel, camping, and working on road or in remote areas.
Kindly Note for DC to AC Power Inverter
For DC 12V car only, no applied to DC 24V.
The power inverter is recommended to use the car cigarette lighter when electrical appliances less than 150W and connect to the battery directly when less than 300W.
The car power inverter is normal for the inverter to become warm while you are using it. Avoid placing the inverter in direct sunlight or next to heat-sensitive materials.
Package List
1 x 1000W Power Inverter
2 x Battery Clamp
1 x Car Cigarette Plug
1 x User Manual
Rated Power: 1000W, Max Power: 1200W, Peak Power: 2400W
Input Voltage: DC 12V, Output Voltage: AC 110-120V
Output Waveforms: Short-Wave, Switching Power: 85% above, Circuit Mode: P.W.M
Work Temperature: -10℃~40℃
Output Interface: AC US Outlets
Dimensions: 9.4" x 2.8" x 4.7"
Weight: 1650g/3.63pounds
Color: red
Warranty: 18 months


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August 2014
So different from where they got engaged ..... Nat proposed to Jasmine in Andorra... on a ski lift !! But when it came to planning their dream wedding, both of them knew Kefalonia was the perfect place after they visited here once before in 2012.
"We instantly fell in love with the charm and easy-going life of the island. This led to us desperately searching for a way to get married on Skala beach which was never offered by the usual holiday companies. After some searching we stumbled upon My Greek Weddings website and couldn't believe our luck. From our first few emails with Teresa we instantly felt confident in putting our trust into her fantastic organisation skills. And WOW, did she deliver. The meeting a week before the wedding helped make our day so special."
"The day itself was a dream and was everything we imagined plus more. The beach ceremony was in a beautifully picked spot and the mandolin player and his guitarist gave the authentic taste we were after."
A symbolic ceremony on Skala beach with 20 close friends and family, was followed by a delicious greek meze style dinner at Kelari Taverna, high up on the hills, with an amazing view of Katelios and Skala....
"Our reception at the Kelari Teverna was
such a perfect place for us. Stunning views and fabulous food! Our
guests couldn't believe the variety and amount of food served. The
Mezze starter was gorgeous as was the main, with George the waiter
doing a fantastic job of keeping guests well watered throughout the
"The Greek band is a must have for the
reception, adding to the atmosphere in such a beautiful location, and
accompanied by Greek dancers made the evening highly entertaining.
There were many occasions where we and our guests were being taught
Greek steps and dancing the night away to the mandolin and the superb
voice of the singer."
"....we wouldn't change a thing about the day. It was perfect in every way!
.....our advice for future couples would be to not sweat the small stuff! And to hire the Greek band!
.....Our bridesmaids were wearing dresses bought from a local shop in my
home town called Xanadu. The dresses were by Tiffanys and were called
'Emma'. My dress was by Ian Stuart and was called 'Reno'. I got this
from a very popular shop in Fochabers not far from home called
Avorio. As for the best man and groom, they were in suits from Moss
Photos: Loukatos Photography
Flowers: Bosonis Art & Flower
Accommodation: San Giorgio Hotel & Nine Muses
Hair: Kaye
Makeup: Mika


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How is Boy Scouts different than Cub Scouts?
Here are some primary differences:
What are merit badges?
Merit badges can be earned by any scout of any rank, though scouts with a rank of lower than first class are generally encouraged to work primarily on rank advancement. They cover a variety of subjects, from Basketry to Family Life. The idea is to give the boy enough exposure to the topic to help him determine if he might want to pursue it as a hobby or even a career.
The process that a boy goes through to earn a merit badge is roughly as follows:
What's a Scoutmaster conference?
A Scoutmaster conference is a one-on-one conference between the Scoutmaster and a Boy Scout (but held in full view of other adults for youth protection purposes). This conference is a requirement for all rank advancements, and is held when a boy has completed all of the other requirements for that rank. A Scoutmaster conference can also be requested by a boy or by the Scoutmaster just to catch up", or if there is some sort of issue that should be addressed.
It is a boy's responsibility to request a Scoutmaster conference to be scheduled when he is ready for one. A boy is required to be in full uniform in order to have a Scoutmaster conference.
What's a Board of Review?
For all ranks except the first one (Scout), a board of review is held following a successful Scoutmaster conference. The board consists of three or four adult leaders in the troop. These adults are not registered as a Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster, and are not directly related to the scout.
The board may review, with the boy, his experience in achieving the rank, what he enjoys and what he thinks could be improved and in general try to get to know the boy a little better. A full uniform is a requirement for a board of review also.


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Reginald Lathan
The information on this microsite (upcmasterplan.usc.edu) reflects archival data last updated in 2008. For the most accurate current information on the University Village Specific Plan, please visit village.usc.edu.
Member, USC Master Plan Advisory Committee
President, ChemTrans
The cardinal and gold have been part of Reginald "Reggie" Lathan's family for generations. His daughter, a graduate of the class of 2007, is a fourth-generation Trojan. Lathan earned his undergraduate degree from USC in 1976 and went on to receive his M.B.A. from the University of Virginia. After spending five years abroad, Lathan returned to Southern California and bought the trucking company ChemTrans in 1987. He also redoubled his commitment to his alma mater. Examples of his involvement include service as a member of the Board of Trustees and as president of the USC Alumni Association. Because of his association with the university and his extensive business experience, Lathan also was asked to join the USC Master Plan Advisory Committee.
Lathan wants the master plan to continue to keep the university an open campus. He believes that the student experience at USC is enhanced by the Los Angeles urban environment. In recent years, especially since he graduated, Lathan has noticed that USC has transitioned into a community campus that encourages a free and open exchange of information with all stakeholders. He thinks that the university's relationship and readiness to work with members of the community – which is evident in the creation of the advisory committee – should remain a critical aspect of any development that USC proposes. While Lathan acknowledges that both the university and the neighborhood will change in the coming years, he believes that success will require strong dialogue, planning and vision.
"The university's reputation is enhanced by the community," Lathan said. "One of USC's greatest attributes is being so centrally located in Los Angeles and maintaining a meaningful relationship with the community. Clearly the community has benefited from USC's engagement and the master plan will help secure the future for all stakeholders."


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Eastern Conference Preview: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Perhaps the most anticipated match-up of the upcoming 2018-19 season is when the Monsters take on the Pittsburgh Penguins' AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Led by Head Coach Clark Donatelli, the Baby Pens finished the 2017-18 regular season with a 45-22-6-3 record and clinched a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the 16th season in a row. The Penguins season ended however, in the first round when they fell to the Charlotte Checkers in three games.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will make two trips to Quicken Loans Arena, while the Monsters make two stops of their own to the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. The last time these two teams played was on February 11th, 2009, where the Monsters dropped a 3-1 contest on the road to the Penguins.
When Cleveland meets Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season, there potentially could be a familiar face on the ice as former Monsters standout defenseman Stefan Elliott signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the start of free agency.


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Cost: Free {Android Market}
Version tested: 1.64
By: Beluga Inc.
Beluga is a new messaging app that was created by three former ex-Googlers. Where other apps have come close or failed, this cross-platform (iPhone and Android) app seems to be on target to perfect group messaging, or as they coin it, "pods."
- Groups are private, you choose who you want in your pod
- Completely free – messages are sent via data plan, no text messaging fees
- Push notifications
- Photo and location sharing
- Access your pods through your device OR with a web browser
- Control alert settings for each individual pod
- Ability to include friends who don't have the app (they will receive text messages and can join in on the fun)
The way these notifications are delivered to your phone perhaps needs some fine tuning. Your phone will be notified immediately when someone sends a message in any of your pods. With the Android, this could be a sound, a vibration, a blinking LED, or any combination of the three. If you happen to be a member in a very active pod, you'll find your battery draining faster than usual. Thanks to a recent update, Android users can mute notifications for one hour, mute them until 8am, or disable notifications altogether. I'm hoping this is more of a temporary solution. It would be nice to set the times when notifications come through.
Once you get started with Beluga, you'll want to create pods with friends without any specific topic. However, you'll discover that the app can be a key communication tool between your different social and professional groups. I'm a member of several pods, including one where we discuss lunchtime plans and another where we plan happy hour's. There's even a pod for us writers at Matters of Grey, discussing future topics, article reviews, and scheduling.
- Add features for web version: upload photos or at least make it so I can simply hit ENTER to send a message
- Status changes: "Available" or "Busy" – Pod members would be notified accordingly
- Widget support: Either display latest messages or display favorite pods
For being just under two months old, Beluga has already positioned itself as the next big thing in the line of "killer apps." There is buzz that it will be THE breakthrough app at SXSW 2011, which would have it follow in Twitter and Foursquare's footsteps.


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The MXL R144 ribbon microphone offers breathtaking sound for vocal and instrument recordings as well as an excellent microphone for broadcast applications. Incorporating a Figure 8 polar pattern and a 1.8-micron aluminum ribbon, the MXL R144 picks sounds from the front and back sides of the microphone with equal sensitivity while maintaining a large amount of rejection 90° off-axis. The R144 also performs brilliantly on acoustic instruments, strings, and horns and offers high SPL capability, outstanding side rejection and precise directivity.
MXL R144 Ribbon Microphone Features
MSRP: $19.99 Save: $7.04 (35%)
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What started as a simple string and pedal sales catalog has grown exponentially over the past thirty years. The early days were a time where catalogs didn't have much of a presence in the industry, but what began as a college dorm room operation grew rapidly. In 1986 we moved to a full product offering and 64-page catalog, which over the years has grown to 162 pages. Join the AMS family and get your free catalog now!
Copyright © 1996-2019 American Musical Supply, Inc. All rights reserved. American Musical Supply reserves the right to correct pricing and/or product specifications in the event of typographical errors found in our print catalog or on our website. If a product is listed at an incorrect price due to such errors or because of inaccurate information received from a supplier, American Musical Supply shall have the right to refuse or cancel any orders placed, whether or not the order has been confirmed and your credit card charged. If your credit card has already been charged for the purchase and your order is canceled, American Musical Supply will issue a credit to your credit card account in the amount of the charge.


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Mr. X Inc Recruiting Systems Administrator, VFX Coordinator, 3D Animator, Senior Pipeline TD & Lighting Artist
Systems Administrator
Job Description
Ensure IT systems operate reliably to meet needs of production,
Administration and support of Linux (CentOS primarily), Windows (Windows 7 and Server 2003/2008) and Macintosh desktop computers, involving both hardware and software troubleshooting,
Assist with maintaining health of 700+ node renderfarm. Monitor existing servers that support our pipeline,
Maintain existing network and evolving where necessary; identifying problems and proposing a solution.
Provide support to the Mr X team, troubleshooting issues as they come up on a day to day basis,
Document IT processes,
Collaborate with other members of the technical department supporting the production of feature films,
Offer input into existing technologies and always work towards making a more robust technical infrastructure. Keep up to date with applicable technology for the VFX industry,
After hours and weekend availability when required by production.
2 or more years of experience as a systems administrator in a heterogeneous environment. 70/20/10 split between Linux, Windows and Macintosh support,
Working knowledge of the M&E industry (VFX preferred),
Experience supporting (some, if not all of) Nuke, Maya, Houdini, ZBrush, Mari and other related applications in a production environment,
Independent problem-solving, self-directed personality,
Strong familiarity enterprise storage servers. Mr X uses Isilon. Understanding of Avere FXT and how the Avere works,
Strong understanding of the following networking protocols and services: Active Directory, DHCP, DNS, NFS, CIFS/Samba, PXE.
Previous use of Extreme Networks switching equipment if applicable; otherwise understanding of enterprise level switch hardware, routing, VLANs.
Able to read and understand the Python language. Bonus points if you can write Python. Python is used across our pipeline and also used for to automate systems tasks. It's great.
Understanding of Nagios, Cacti and Ganglia; more importantly knowing how to use such tools to identify and solve problems,
Familarity with the MPAA Content Security Best Practices considered a plus.
Apply here:- https://www.mrxfx.com/careers/apply/?job=3
VFX Coordinator
Mr. X Inc. is looking for a highly motivated VFX Coordinator to work on high-end feature film projects.
Job Description
Working as part of the film production team to implement practical VFX solutions.
Developing project plans and delivery schedules to ensure deadlines are met.
Coordinating animators, compositors and internal production staff to ensure efficient workflow
Working closely with editorial
Managing and logging incoming elements, footage, data, notes, etc.
Overseeing outputs and client deliveries
Maintaining project databases
Helping coordinate on set during visual effects shoots
1+ years of professional experience as a visual effects or post production coordinator for Feature Films in VFX or Animation Studio is required,
Working knowledge of feature film production and post-production pipelines,
Excellent computer skills: MS Word, Excel, Microsoft Access, MS Project,
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills are essential,
Candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and enjoys working in a fast-paced creative team environment.
Please provide both a cover letter and resume when applying.
Apply here:- https://www.mrxfx.com/careers/apply/?job=57
3D Animator
Mr. X inc. is on the lookout for enthusiastic animators that are passionate about producing hyper-realistic VFX animation. We love the work we do and always strive to exceed client expectations.
From creatures to crashes, our effects animation work on feature film and high concept TV spans the spectrum from design through final animation.
Leveraging our production workflow, the Animator, working under the direction of the Animation Lead, will develop performance and movement for creatures, objects and characters in live action film and television productions.
Create natural, realistic, polished motion using Maya.
Creatively enhance shots and push animation performance.
Engage with every stage of production including generating original concepts and designs, pre-visualization of complicated sequences and research and development.
Proactively recognize problems and troubleshoot solutions.
Able to meet deadlines.
Minimum 3 years experience creating convincing performance and motion for live action feature film and/or television series.
Strong sense of camera work and framing for full cg or previs sequences.
Possess solid proficiency animating in Maya.
Demonstrate a thorough understanding of all aspects of animation, including rigging.
Must be detail oriented, organized, have good communication skills, and be able to independently handle a variety of tasks in an efficient manner.
Apply here:- https://www.mrxfx.com/careers/apply/?job=30
Senior Pipeline TD
Job Description
Work with our head of CG and supervisors to build and maintain pipeline tools, techniques and procedures to support current projects and advance the capabilities of the facility for the future.
Come up with elegant solutions and tools to speed up workflows, alleviate bottlenecks and facilitate production.
Candidates will be required to contribute to their area of specialty (FX, Lighting, etc.) and overall back end development.
Looking for someone who is motivated, proactive and self-starting. This is both a creative and technical position.
At least 5 years of development experience, preferably in a production environment.
A solid grasp of shotgun application dev, along with developing tools for Maya, Houdini, Arnold, Vray, Mantra, RV, Nuke, Qt UI design, video/image/audio formats/compression and networking.
Experience working with the following frameworks: sqlalchemy, quicktime, opengl and opencl.
Experience with the following tools: virtualenv, apache, postgresql, alembic and compilers
Must be a problem solver with good communication skills who can bring new ideas and solutions to the table.
Functional knowledge of Linux based distributions.
Apply here:- https://www.mrxfx.com/careers/apply/?job=51
Lighting Artist
Job Description
Responsible for final 3D scene assembly and rendering of elements required to complete visual effects shots,
Engaging at every stage of production including pre-visualization of complicated sequences, look development, and research and development,
Optimize and troubleshoot lighting and rendering problems in a fast paced environment,
Working closely with CG Supervisors to determine best approach to solve 3D challenges and develop final look,
Will work closely with compositors to finish selected shots so that computer generated elements are seamlessly integrated with live-action plates.
Experience with Maya and/or Houdini as well as a firm understanding of film production / post production techniques in a production environment,
Intermediate-level compositing experience (Nuke),
Ability to problem solve and predict potential problems with assigned tasks,
Ability to manage personal as well as team milestones and deadlines,
Strong communication skills are critical. Candidate must be able to work within a team, taking direction and exercising attention to detail in a fast-paced production environment,
Experience with V-Ray and/or Mantra a plus,
Experience with Texture Painting or Look Development a plus,
Experience with 3D modeling/texturing a plus,
At least 3 years of experience lighting for Feature Films.
Apply here:- https://www.mrxfx.com/careers/apply/?job=29
Mr. X Inc Recruiting Systems Administrator, VFX Coordinator, 3D Animator, Senior Pipeline TD & Lighting Artist, Mr. X Inc, Mr. X Inc hiring, Mr. X Inc VFX, Mr. X Inc Studio, Mr. X Inc Jobs, Animation Jobs, VFX Jobs, CG Jobs, 3D Jobs, Recruiting, Recruitment, CGI, Jobs, Mr. X Inc Recruiting, Mr. X Inc Recruiting Systems Administrator, Mr. X Inc Recruiting VFX Coordinator, Mr. X Inc Recruiting 3D Animator, Mr. X Inc Recruiting Senior Pipeline TD, Mr. X Inc Recruiting Lighting Artist


text:
Woman in a Boat
Splashes of light
illumine the sunken wall
of a closed-down seaside motel. Shore lights, tinted red, flash
through rents in the window shades,
brushing faded yellow bedsheets.
The light turns, to orbit around
a woman stepping into a boat.
Knowledge is faith, says Augustine.
All the light sinks. Starfish are eating it.
They fan their arms like wings, their mouths,
barbed and fish-bright. They suck the light
with salt-sharp tongues; they are silver kites.
The woman swing the oar. It is not the light,
star-eaten, whirling, that helps her see.
Shoal water, mudcommon, circles
the shrinking rope of starfish,
their phosphorescence pearling off
the rock she rows toward, then away from.
Belief is perception, argues the woman.
She rows against the inward tide
of the black shoals. Nodding,
the woman in the boat
hums a little nothing, a song.


text:
27th Oct 2006
NaNiWriMo November
November is National Novel Writing Month! That means "Growth" is going to be updating only twice a week for the month of November, sorry about that. Don't worry, however, it's only temporary. :-)
Those who are interested in the progress of the NaNiWriMo novel can find me listed under the authorname "Enkida" - feel free to add me if you're a writer yourself!
As for WHAT two days of the week Growth will be updating on... erm, I'm going to AIM for Tuesdays and Thursdays. Due to the fact that trying to crunch out 175 pages of writing in 30 days is hard, I can't guarantee that will always be happening on time. I will try my best, though. ^__^
posted by Enkida @ 27th Oct 2006 3 comments
Beacon, 3rd Nov 2006
That's awesome! Is this your first year?
::Rushes off to add Enkida to his list::
(FYI, I'm Beacon80)
Enkida, 4th Nov 2006
Hey, yes, this is my first year doing NaNoWriMo. I actually decided to try my hand at it a few days before November started, and I regret that very deeply now because my plot is really slipshod. ^__^;
You can find my NaNoWriMo story on Fictionpress.com if you want to follow along, my authorname there is also "Enkida." :-)
Beacon, 29th Nov 2006
I see you broke 50,000 words. Congratulations!
I'm not quite there myself, but I will be.


text:
Ethnicity in Festival Landscapes: An Analysis of the Landscape of Jaialdi '95 as a Spatial Expression of Basque Ethnicity
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Yatsko, Michael S.
MetadataShow full item record
Ethnic festivals are dynamic socio-spatial phenomena in American society in which rationalized spaces are transformed into "festival space" and the cultural landscapes within the boundaries of the festivals are transfigured into festival landscapes. The landscapes of ethnic festivals generate, via a colorful assortment of cultural performances and symbols, metaphors of ethnicity and spatial expressions of social processes which influence ethnic groups. As a metaphor of ethnicity, festival landscapes have become both a tool for the ethnic boundary maintenance of ethnic groups and a form of symbolic ethnicity for many assimilated individuals. This thesis analyzes the landscape of the Basque festival, Jaialdi '95, as a tool for the ethnic boundary maintenance for the American Basque community and the Basque colony in Boise, Idaho, and as a form of symbolic ethnicity for assimilated American Basques.
- Masters Theses [19240]


text:
"The body does not consist of one member but many." + 1 Corinthians 12:14
I spent twelve weeks in southern African countries ravaged by HIV/AIDS. I saw signs of the disease everywhere - from free condoms in the bathrooms to church initiatives promoting safe sex. You'd expect as much, given the scope of the disease.
What surprised me, however, was the lack of urgency and panic. That's what you'd have here. Remember anthrax? West Nile virus? Mention a bad flu season, and people stockpile food and build bunkers. Not in Africa.
On my second trip, I came closer to understanding the African context when our group met with Paul Germond, a professor from Lesotho. He offered a rich look at the culture - from religion to health to community - highlighting the places of connection and disconnection with our North American context.
Take the word for "health." The Lesotho language has no corresponding word, for they know nothing of "individual health." A person is only healthy if the whole community is healthy, if the land is healthy.
We hear "health" and think about my cholesterol count, my weight, my heart. Germond was in the United States during the Terry Schiavo case. He was struck by the obsession, on the part of many, to keep her alive. To westerners focused on individual ambition, death is a radical end. Not so in southern Africa. They grieve the lives cut short from AIDS, but the individual is not everything. The church, the community, even the country will look different after HIV/AIDS, but it will survive.
In their culture, to die well, just as to live well, is to be honored, cared for, and, ultimately, remembered by the community. They have a word for that: buphelo, the health of the community. Our language may not have a corresponding word, but our faith does: shalom. It's more than individual peace. It's health, wholeness, harmony, bounty for all.
The witness and example of our sisters and brothers in southern Africa can deepen our faith and more - they can save us the expense of futile life support and a bunker in the back yard.
Holy One, you have made us for one another. In life as in death, may we find peace as we take our place in your body. In Jesus name we pray for this and all things, Amen.
A SALT community thanks to Jeff Kubina for this striking image. And thanks again to the ever eloquent Holly McKissick for this thought-provoking devotional!


text:
Use the form on the right to contact us.
Richmond, VA
(757) 303-6029
The Shenandoah Valley is where Duke Dog and JMU students call home. The lower right portion of this purple and gold print features I-81 which bisects the campus. Just north of the highway is South Main St. and The Quad and further towards the top of the map you'll find downtown Harrisonburg, including local favorite Clementine.
Notecard Dimensions: 4.75" x 4.75"Envelope Dimensions: 5" x 5"Paper: Acid-Free Matte
Envelope Colors Pictured: Yellow


text:
Home Policy Priorities Fund Regulation Disclosure
- Fund Regulation
- Advertising
- Broker-Dealer & Principal Underwriter Issues
- CFTC Rule 4.5
- Compliance
- Derivatives
- Disclosure
- Electronic Delivery
- Enforcement Actions
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- Financial Stability
- Fixed-Income Securities
- Investment Advisers
- International
- Municipal Securities
- Privacy
- Products
- Risk Management
- State Issues
- Valuation
- Retirement Security
- Trading & Markets
- Fund Governance
- Taxes
- ICI Comment Letters
Statement of Mary Podesta Senior Counsel – Pension Regulation
Investment Company Institute
Working Group on Fiduciary Responsibilities and Revenue Sharing Practices Before the ERISA Advisory Council
September 20, 2007
The Investment Company Institute 1 is pleased to provide its views to the ERISA Advisory Council as it considers fiduciary responsibilities and revenue sharing practices. This is the third time in four years that we have testified to the Council on improving the ERISA regulatory regime in the interests of plan participants.
November of last year was the 25th anniversary of the birth of the 401(k) plan. 2 The Institute marked the occasion with a research retrospective that demonstrates that the 401(k) plan is a success story for Americans' retirement security. 3 As of year-end 2006, 401(k) plans held $2.7 trillion in assets, an amount greater than that held by private defined benefit plans. 4 And this does not count assets that have been rolled over into IRAs. Estimates suggest about half of the $4.2 trillion in IRAs in 2006 came from 401(k) and other employer plans. The number of 401(k) plans grew from fewer than 30,000 in 1985 to around 450,000 in 2006. 5
Our research also shows that the assets of 401(k) plans are being effectively deployed to accumulate retirement wealth. Collaborative research by the ICI and the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) demonstrates that participants generally make sensible choices in allocating their investments 6 and that a full career with a 401(k) plan can produce adequate replacement rates at retirement. 7
Plan fiduciaries play an essential role in assuring that workers can rely with confidence on 401(k) plans for retirement saving. Although 401(k) participants make their own investment decisions in most plans today, fiduciaries are charged with selecting an appropriate investment menu and entering into reasonable arrangements for the provision of administrative services to the plan. Often, plans contract to receive access to plan investment options and administrative services in a full service, or "bundled," arrangement in which a service provider offers the entire range of administrative services.
ERISA imposes clear responsibilities on fiduciaries in entering into any service arrangements. Under ERISA section 404(a), the fiduciary must act prudently and for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits and defraying the "reasonable" expenses of administering the plan. Under section 408(b)(2), fiduciaries must ensure that a service contract is a reasonable arrangement for necessary services and that "no more than reasonable compensation is paid therefor." If a service arrangement does not meet these standards, section 4975(d)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code imposes an excise tax against the service provider.
As we testified in 2004, 8 effective disclosure by service providers to plan sponsors is essential to enabling plan fiduciaries to enter into and maintain reasonable 401(k) service arrangements. The purpose of disclosure should be to allow plan fiduciaries to compare service options and monitor arrangements over time. The Institute has called upon the Department of Labor to require plan fiduciaries to obtain information from service providers on the services that will be delivered, the charges the plan will incur, and the extent to which service providers receive compensation from others in connection with providing services to the plan. To assist plan fiduciaries in entering into service arrangements, the Institute and others created a disclosure tool, discussed in more detail below.
Table of Contents
Use of bundled arrangements and asset-based fees
Monitoring and reviewing services and fees over time
Meeting Plan Fiduciary Needs for Information
Department of Labor section 408(b)(2) project
The Institute's testimony today focuses on why plans may choose to obtain both investment and administrative services through a single service provider and how to meet a plan sponsor's need for information in entering into and monitoring these service arrangements.
401(k) Service Arrangements
Use of bundled arrangements and asset-based fees
While a wide variety of practices exist, many plans contract with a recordkeeper to receive both administrative services and access to an array of investment products from which plan fiduciaries construct the menu of investments offered. The recordkeeper is compensated for its services to the plan, in whole or in part, by asset-based fees (such as sub-transfer agency or distribution fees) paid in connection with the plan's investment choices. These payments to recordkeepers from investment providers commonly are called "revenue sharing." Using a single full service provider eliminates the cost to a plan sponsor of dealing with and monitoring multiple providers, and provides a single responsible party for all aspects of the arrangement. A recent survey by Deloitte Consulting and others found that 75 percent of plan sponsors used a bundled arrangement. 9
Using asset-based fees of plan investment options to defray the cost of recordkeeping and other plan administrative costs does not violate ERISA so long as a fiduciary does not use its discretion to cause itself to receive revenue sharing. 10 ERISA does not require flat charges for recordkeeping services. As the Department stated in testimony to the Working Group on July 11, "many of these arrangements may serve to reduce overall plan costs and provide plans with services and benefits not otherwise affordable."
Using asset-based fees to cover administrative services also effectively spreads the costs of acquiring necessary services over a shareholder or participant base. All mutual fund investors, whether in a 401(k) plan, IRA, or taxable account, experience "mutualization." Some costs of administering a mutual fund shareholder's account are relatively fixed, such as the costs of printing prospectuses and sending shareholder statements. Because mutual funds charge asset-based fees, shareholders with larger investments subsidize smaller accounts. Similarly, wrap fees in brokerage accounts and M&E charges in insurance products mutualize certain costs in those products.
Under the Internal Revenue Code, a 401(k) plan and its services must be available to employees on a nondiscriminatory basis. Asset-based fees allow new participants and those with lower wages or smaller accounts to participate in plans without the cost of administration falling disproportionately, as a percentage of account balance, on them.
Asset-based fee arrangements also help pay for start-up or service provider transition costs. Service providers experience significant start-up expenses in servicing a newly created plan or beginning a client relationship with an existing plan that is moving from a previous provider. To avoid the plan incurring all those expenses in the first year, asset-based fees allow the provider to recoup its expenses over several years as assets grow. Absent these arrangements, employers would be less willing to establish new plans or switch service providers.
Monitoring and reviewing services and fees over time
Plan fiduciaries should monitor and review plan service arrangements from time to time to assure that they remain reasonable arrangements. In a bundled services arrangement where a plan recordkeeper receives asset-based compensation to defray the cost of recordkeeping, one aspect of the review will involve looking at the level of fees if the plan and participant accounts grow in size.
If the growth of plan assets supports a revision of the arrangement, the plan fiduciary and service provider have a number of options. One is to lower total plan costs by replacing existing plan investments with lower-cost options or share classes. Another is to provide the plan and participants with additional services that were not originally affordable. For example, as a new plan grows, it may become possible to provide participants with access to investment advice. A third option for plan fiduciaries might be to negotiate with the recordkeeper to share some of the recordkeeper's revenue with the plan. 11 Finally, the plan fiduciary can put the service contract out for bid to determine whether other service providers might offer comparable services at a lower cost. According to one recent study, plan sponsors, on average, evaluate their recordkeeper about every four years. 12
Mutual funds in 401(k) plans
Of the $2.7 trillion in 401(k) assets at year-end 2006, $1.5 trillion, or about 55 percent, are invested in mutual funds. As a percentage of total 401(k) assets, mutual fund investment has increased significantly. In 1994 only about 27 percent of 401(k) assets were invested in mutual funds. 13
Institute research suggests that plan fiduciaries are cost conscious when selecting mutual funds for their 401(k) plans. Attached to this testimony is just-released research on the fees incurred by mutual fund investors in 401(k) plans. This research updates, with 2006 data, research we released last year, which married for the first time our extensive research on trends in mutual fund fees with our tracking of 401(k) plan holdings of mutual funds. Our research studies mutual fund fees in 401(k) plans because comparable information for other products offered in 401(k) plans is not readily available. 14
In the competitive mutual fund market, 401(k) savers tend to concentrate their assets in low-cost funds. In 2006, the average stock mutual fund had an expense ratio of 1.50 percent. This is the simple average that does not reflect investment concentration: 77 percent of stock mutual fund assets in 401(k) plans were invested in funds with a total expense ratio of less than 1.00 percent. On an asset-weighted basis, the average expense ratio incurred by all mutual fund investors in stock mutual funds was 0.88 percent. And the asset-weighted average expense ratio for 401(k) stock mutual fund investors was even lower: 0.74 percent. Similar results can be seen in each broad type of stock fund, as well as in bond funds. Overall, the asset-weighted average expense ratio across all mutual funds in 401(k) plans was 0.71 percent in 2006. These expense ratios include any revenue sharing that a fund pays to defray the cost of 401(k) plan administration.
401(k) Mutual Fund Investors Tend to Pay Lower-Than-Average Expenses
Percent of assets, 1996–2006
1The industry average expense ratio is measured as an asset-weighted average.
2The 401(k) average expense ratio is measured as a 401(k) asset-weighted average.
Note: Figures exclude mutual funds available as investment choices in variable annuities and tax-exempt mutual funds.
Sources: Investment Company Institute; Lipper; Value Line Publishing, Inc.; CDA/Wiesenberger Investment Companies Service; © CRSP University of Chicago, used with permission, all rights reserved (312.263.6400/ www.crsp.com); Primary datasource; and Strategic Insight Simfund
There are several factors that contribute to the relatively low average fund expense ratios incurred by 401(k) plan participants. Plan sponsors play a vital role in selecting and regularly evaluating the plan's investment line-up to ensure that each option's fees and expenses provide good value. Easy access to comparable and transparent mutual fund fee information helps employees in selecting investments for their accounts. 15
Because the costs of trading a mutual fund's portfolio affect total shareholder return, but are not included in fund expense ratios, the Institute also examined portfolio turnover ratios of mutual funds used in 401(k) plans. 16 Our research found that 401(k) plan participants tend to own stock mutual funds with low turnover rates. The average turnover rate in stock mutual funds held in 401(k) plans was 46 percent in 2006, which is lower than the simple average turnover rate in stock mutual funds generally (86 percent) and about the same as the industrywide asset-weighted average rate of 47 percent.
Average Portfolio Turnover Rate1 of Stock Mutual Funds
Percent of assets, 2001–2006
1The turnover rate for each fund is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the reporting period by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the fund during the reporting period.
2Average portfolio turnover rate experienced by stock mutual fund shareholders is measured as an asset-weighted average annual turnover rate based on the assets held in each fund (reported as a percentage of fund assets).
3Average portfolio turnover rate experienced by 401(k) stock mutual fund shareholders is measured as an asset-weighted average annual turnover rate based on 401(k) plan assets held in each fund (reported as a percentage of 401(k) fund assets).
Note: Figures exclude mutual funds available as investment choices in variable annuities. Stock mutual funds include hybrid funds.
Sources: Investment Company Institute and Strategic Insight Simfund
Meeting Plan Fiduciary Needs for Information
Department of Labor section 408(b)(2) project
The Institute believes that we can make certain that plan fiduciaries are equipped to enter into reasonable service arrangements by assuring that they have the information they need to make informed decisions. The Institute supports the Department's initiative to revise its section 408(b)(2) regulations to clarify the information that fiduciaries should obtain in order to enter into and monitor plan service arrangements. We urge the Department to move quickly on this project and to take a commonsense, straightforward approach.
The Department should require plan fiduciaries to obtain information from service providers to the plan on
- What services will be delivered;
- What will be charged for these services and how expenses will be allocated between the sponsor and participants;
- Whether and to what extent the service provider receives compensation from other parties in connection with providing services to the plan.
Disclosure should focus on the cost to the plan of acquiring services, not the cost to the service provider of delivering the service. ERISA does not require plan fiduciaries to assess service provider profitability, but rather to enter into contracts that provide for reasonable compensation.
A service provider that offers a number of services in a package should be required to identify each of the services but not to separately break out the fee for each of the components of the package. If a recordkeeper, for example, provides a comprehensive array of services, including maintaining participant-level accounts, providing custody, and making educational materials and other services available to participants, it should not be forced to assign prices to each component. If the plan sponsor understands the services that will be performed and the total cost of the service arrangement, it will be able to compare overall cost and quality of the bundled provider's offer with an unbundled arrangement available to the plan, and fulfill its responsibility to enter into reasonable service arrangements.
The Department should address revenue sharing disclosure by requiring that a service provider disclose to plan sponsors information about compensation it receives from other parties in connection with providing services to the plan. This information will allow the plan fiduciary to understand the total compensation a service provider receives under the arrangement. It also will bring to light any potential conflicts of interest associated with revenue sharing payments, for example, where a plan consultant receives compensation from a plan recordkeeper. The service provider that receives revenue sharing payments should be the entity required to disclose these amounts.
When services are provided to a plan by affiliates of the service provider, a plan fiduciary should understand all the services provided by the service provider and its affiliates and the aggregate compensation paid for those services. The service provider should not be required to disclose how payments within its organization might be allocated among affiliates. In economic terms, transactions between affiliates are not market transactions, and therefore the pricing of these transactions is necessarily artificial and should be of no value to plan sponsors. The reason a firm would choose to organize as a fully integrated firm rather than contract with third parties is that the firm believes it is more efficient to do so. The goal of resource allocation within an integrated firm is to allocate resources in a manner that produces the final bundled product as efficiently as possible, not to ensure that costs can be accurately tracked and allocated to the production of any one product component. In this model, any allocation of revenue, costs and profits among affiliates or business lines has nothing to do with the services provided by the respective affiliates to the plan, but instead is designed for budgeting, accounting and other purposes.
Disclosure tool
To assist plan fiduciaries in discussing service arrangements with providers and to help inform the Department's consideration of new 408(b)(2) guidance, the Institute, together with the American Benefits Council, the American Council of Life Insurers, the American Bankers Association, and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, developed a disclosure tool and submitted it to the Department in July 2006. Plan sponsors can use the tool to better understand plan services and fees and appreciate any potential conflicts of interest that might arise, and any additional compensation providers will receive, through revenue sharing. The tool was developed with significant input from the plan sponsor, service provider and consultant communities to reflect best practices used by sponsors, providers and consultants in today's marketplace.
The tool lists service- and fee-related data elements and is intended, essentially, to help plan fiduciaries satisfy their obligations under ERISA sections 404(a) and 408(b)(2) to understand what services will and will not be provided, and the fees for those services. It can be used regardless of the arrangement, whether a particular provider is offering only one service or a package of services. A service provider offering several services for a single fee would show the single fee and make clear what services are included. The tool also can be used when a plan sponsor works with a consultant in engaging providers and selecting investments and when it does not. 17
The tool takes the approach to revenue sharing disclosure discussed above. It includes a section for plan fiduciaries and service providers to discuss the extent to which a service provider receives compensation in connection with its services to the plan from other service providers or plan investment products. For payments received from unaffiliated parties, the tool recommends that plan sponsors and service providers discuss:
- Identification of the unaffiliated party
- Estimate or amount of the payment (including the estimation calculation methodology), and
- Information on the source and nature of the payment.
For payments from affiliated parties, service providers would identify the affiliate, state whether the payment received from the affiliate has any impact on the aggregate revenue received by the firm in connection with services to the plan, and provide non-proprietary information about the nature of the payment.
There is no single "reasonable" fee and service arrangement for a 401(k) plan. A plan fiduciary must consider all the services and investment options being provided, the size and characteristics of the plan, and the services and fees available from other providers. Full-service arrangements that use asset-based fees can be an effective way to deliver the services that 401(k) plans need. The key is that fiduciaries have a process to collect information, compare and monitor providers, and consider any potential conflicts the arrangements might present. The Department should act to increase transparency by requiring service providers to describe the services offered, the charges to be paid, and payments from other parties in connection with providing services to the plan. We are pleased to testify to the Council about improving 401(k) disclosure and look forward to working with the Council and the Department to continue strengthening the 401(k) system.
- The Economics of Providing 401(k) Plans: Services, Fees, and Expenses, 2006 (September 2007)
- Joint Submission to DOL by ICI, ABC, ACLI, ABA, and SIFMA on Data Elements Related to Defined Contribution Plan Fee Disclosure (July 31, 2006)
1 ICI members include 8,803 open-end investment companies (mutual funds), 671 closed-end investment companies, 457 exchange-traded funds, and four sponsors of unit investment trusts. Mutual fund members of ICI have total assets of approximately $11.140 trillion (representing 98 percent of all assets of U.S. mutual funds); these funds serve approximately 93.9 million shareholders in more than 53.8 million households.
2 On November 10, 1981, IRS issued proposed regulations under the new section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code added by Congress in 1978 that clarified the most important interpretative issues under the new law, including whether ordinary wages and salary could be deferred into the plan.
3 Holden, Brady and Hadley, 401(k) Plans: A 25-Year Retrospective, ICI Perspective, vol. 12, no. 2 (November 2006).
4 Brady and Holden, The U.S. Retirement Market, 2006, ICI Fundamentals, vol. 16, no. 3 (July 2007).
5 U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Private Pension Plan Bulletin Historical Tables (March 2007); Cerulli Associates, "Retirement Markets, 2006," Cerulli Quantitative Update (2006).
6 For example, in 2006, participants in their 20s allocated 59.7 percent of their accounts to pooled equity investments and company stock, and only 18.4 percent to GICs and other fixed-income investments. Participants in their 60s allocated 35.6 percent to GICs and other fixed-income investments. See Holden and VanDerhei, 401(k) Plan Asset Allocation, Account Balances, and Loan Activity in 2006, ICI Perspective, vol. 13, no. 1, and EBRI Issue Brief, Investment Company Institute and Employee Benefit Research Institute, August 2007. The 2006 EBRI/ICI database contains 53,931 401(k) plans with $1.228 trillion in assets and 20.0 million participants.
7 See Holden and VanDerhei, Can 401(k) Accumulations Generate Significant Income for Future Retirees? and The Influence of Automatic Enrollment, Catch-Up, and IRA Contributions on 401(k) Accumulations at Retirement, ICI Perspective and EBRI Issue Brief, Investment Company Institute and Employee Benefit Research Institute, November 2002 and July 2005, respectively.
8 See Statement of Investment Company Institute on Disclosure to Plan Sponsors and Participants Before the ERISA Advisory Council Working Group on Disclosure, September 21, 2004.
9 Deloitte Consulting, LLP, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists, Annual 401(k) Benchmarking Survey 2005/2006 Edition.
10 See Advisory Opinion 97-16A (May 23, 1997) (Aetna) and Advisory Opinion 2003-09A (June 25, 2003) (ABM-AMRO).
11 In its testimony on July 11, the Department made clear that an arrangement where a recordkeeper shares some of its revenue with the plan does not violate ERISA and plans have a number of options to address the allocation of revenue sharing proceeds.
12 Deloitte Consulting, LLP, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists, Annual 401(k) Benchmarking Survey 2005/2006 Edition.
13 Brady and Holden, The U.S. Retirement Market, 2006, supra note 4.
14 We are not aware of any similar cost analysis for other products held in 401(k) plans such as insurance company separate accounts, collective trusts, or separately managed accounts.
15 For other factors that contribute to the relatively low expense ratio incurred by 401(k) plan participants investing in mutual funds, see Holden and Hadley, The Economics of Providing 401(k) Plans: Services, Fees, and Expenses, 2006, ICI Fundamentals, vol. 16, no. 4 (September 2007).
16 The SEC requires a mutual fund to report its turnover rate, which is broadly speaking a measure of how rapidly the fund is trading the securities in its portfolio relative to total fund assets. Funds also report information on brokerage commission costs in the fund's Statement of Additional Information. Although brokerage commissions are not included in the expense ratio, a mutual fund reports its net return, which reflects all fund trading costs.
17 Using the tool is not the only way a plan fiduciary could meet its obligations under section 408(b)(2). We do not believe the Department should adopt a particular form in connection with the 408(b)(2) regulations that always must be used. A mandated form would not recognize the variety of service arrangements that might exist, would become outdated over time, and could stifle innovation in the marketplace.
Copyright © 2019 by the Investment Company Institute


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First, An Update
Well, well… Don't the devil just fool with the best-laid plans… Let's not mince words here, I am in Italy at the moment and have been for about a month… SO! What we need is some kind of a blog or something, right? For starters, let's get an old update out of the way…
As for the sketchbook that I built, I had to make a few extra modifications… I figured out pretty quick that it needed a spine reinforcement and something to protect the corners… Now, the corner thing has some pretty rad potential, cause it looks real official and fancy junk. But adding the corner pieces as a last step (or in this case, an afterthought), well, it has some aesthetic consequences. Buuuut live and learn. It'll be full soon anyway and I'll need a new one.
And there was another one of the Active and Contemplative Life sketchbooks that was in seeeeriously bad shape, even worse than the others (Ahem, as I recall I managed to drop it on the sidewalk and step on it in the same awkward movement outside of the Salsateria in Guelph, Ontario), which I also repaired. I figured I'd use a different paper for this one and dug into my unusually large* stock of Japanese papers…
And as for my nephew being crazy for Pokemon, my birthday card is case and point. I love it.
*Unusually large in that I can't EVER see myself finding a use for even half of them, and that'd be after some pretty serious trying. What did I think I'd use them for? Why did I buy so much?? I can't even guess what I thought at the time… I assume it's not just me, but why do we do this to ourselves? Why is it so easy to accumulate STUFF. Like, no-fooling, honest-to-goodness STUFF. No other definition fits. And art supplies are somehow the worst… you'd think I'd know exactly what I need and only burden myself with the essentials, wouldn't you? Nope. You should see how much goddam conte I have. I hate conte.
This entry was posted on Monday, July 6th, 2015 at 7:27 am and is filed under Books, News, Other Stuff. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


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If someone were to ask me what my proudest moment in my career has been, surprisingly it wouldn't be one of the 5 Ironman titles I've won (don't get me wrong, those are all special for a variety of reasons). It likely would be my 10th place finish at the 2013 Ironman Hawaii. I spent March-September of that year with lower tibia problems that ended with a stress fracture at Vineman 70.3. I got the "all-clear" to run basically 4 weeks before Ironman Hawaii. My longest run before the race? 9 miles. I had no business toeing the line thinking I could race my way into the top-10. Race-day came and the highlight of my race was running myself into 10th place position with a 3:04 marathon. I did something I didn't think was possible coming off of a summer filled with injured adversity.
So, here I am. In a similar position. Facing a bit of adversity and embracing in some "character building". I have to say, the challenge excites me a bit.
Looking back, I made a mistake coming off of Ironman South Africa. I didn't respect how sick I truly was (although I had been warned!). I came home and rushed to get ready for Ironman Texas. By the time I was feeling good enough to train properly I had 3 weeks to nail a training block leading into St. George 70.3 and then taper down for Ironman Texas. It sounded perfect on paper and we had a great plan laid out. Panic training at it's finest :). It took a week or so, my training numbers came along nicely and then my drive to succeed got into the way. I wanted success at Ironman Texas so bad that I pushed the envelope here and pushed the paces there. It wasn't anything crazy - I was feeling good in all of my sessions and recovering well. I toed the line in St. George feeling 100% ready and that's pretty much all she wrote.
Anyone that knows me, knows my passion for training & racing runs deep. I'd give anything to be out there putting the finishing touches on a perfect race preparation. Unfortunately, that's not in my current deck of cards. My focus for now is to get to 100% and not rush into things and make a similar mistake as I did this Spring. I can't say it's fun. I can't say I enjoy watching races go by weekend after weekend.
As athletes, our most powerful tool is our mind. As a result, this has been harder mentally than it has physically. I know my body will heal and it is feeling better each day, but mentally I'd give anything to be out there suffering through a tough workout or putting it all on the line on race day. I treat this sport at a highly professional level, and I can't help but look back and beat myself up over a few bad decisions that I am now paying the price for.
Ultimately, I know my best path to success is to now focus forward and put my energy into working on getting one step better each day. I will continue to focus on the things I am able to do and maintain a positive attitude when it's no fun. My super-star physio, Jay Dicharry, was quick to remind me the other day: "Jobs are hard. Not just sometimes. But a lot of the time. Your job is hard right now."
All we can ask is that we give our best and that's what I plan on doing. I started the season with a clear vision & race plan. My dream of Kona remains the same. I understand it's a bit of an uphill battle right now, but I plan to do everything in my power to get there in the smartest and strongest way possible.
I guess the reason I wanted to write this all out is that sometimes I feel like as professionals we get put on this pedestal as "super heroic" and "perfect." That's not the case at all. This is my journey, one that has been filled with high points, low points and in between's. I've had to be brave, I've had to take risks. Sometimes I have failed and many times I have found success. I wouldn't change any of it for the world. No regrets. Onward we march.
Thanks for reading & supporting!


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Will The iPad 2 Blend?/
The guys over at Blendtec are always up to no good. This time they're going to try to blend Apple's latest, the iPad 2. Will it blend? Check out the video right after the break.
Gadgetmac is a technology-focused publication dedicated to serve up the latest and best in-depth reviews and news.
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I am weird about my skin. Maybe not weird, but very protective. The number of products I have collected under the sink in my bathroom could fill up two pharmacies and a whole Lush store. I make sure to moisturize my skin at least three times a day, since it is so dry. I use eye-creams, lip scrubs, face masks (charcoal and mint are my favorites), and pore strips every week. But the thing I am most meticulous about is making sure my products have SPF.
This, I am the strictest on.
I was fourteen when I began Acutane. Before the medication, I tanned easily and (unfortunately) would go outside without putting sunscreen on my shoulders or face. That all changed when I started Acutane. My skin went under a severe change. Although my acne went away like magic, replaced by extremely dry skin and peeling, I burned every time I went out in the sun. My dermatologist warned me of the side effect and said that I probably won't be able to tan as easily as I once did, and instead burn.
Two years later, when I was sixteen, my mom had pieces of her skin cut out to remove cancerous cells. She had many spots on her chest and a couple areas on her face that needed to be monitored over the next few months since they looked to be cancerous as well. I was told to get checked out as well, just in case, because I was 50% more likely to develop skin cancer because my mom had it. 50%! More! Likely!
To me, this was a massive wake up call. Before, I didn't care that I burned, I wanted to have color. People always told me I looked better when I had some sun because being pale, I looked "ill" and "unhealthy." I began researching products that would help protect my skin, not just for my face but for my body as well.
Seven years later, I am proud to say, I have taken really good care of my skin. I don't tan. My lotions all have SPF. And I make sure, that if I am outside, I carry sunscreen in my bag and make sure to reapply at least every couple hours. I may be a little crazy about my skin, but it is for good reason. 50% more likely! And, now, I love my pale skin.
Last year my mom had even more cancerous cells and had to undergo chemo. However, she still goes in the sun without protection and even went into a tanning bed the other day before her week long trip to Mexico. Apparently, there is a new tanning bed on the market that is supposed to be "safe." I call it false advertising because there is no way that a bed that fakes UVA and UVB rays will be safe. While I can yell at her all I want about making sure she is making smart choices about her skin, she needs to be the one who chooses to do it. I just hope it doesn't get worse than it is.
If you're wanting to be tan or be out in the sun, just please be smart about it. Yes, the sun and the heat and the beach are all great, but what is better is that your skin is healthy. Seeing my mom go through what she did last year was hard and it's so much easier to put on sunscreen starting at a younger age, then getting skin removed when you're older. Plus, you will look so much younger when you're older without all those wrinkles and age spots!
Also, make sure that once a year you go to the dermatologist. It's so important to make sure to take care of your skin and check out any moles or other spots that are causing you some concern. 1 in 5 Americans develop some type of skin cancer in their lifetime. Let's not let that number increase.
If you're looking to be tan and not damage your skin, here are some options that will make you look darker without damaging your skin.
St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse: This baby is one of the only tanning mousse's that I have used that does not streak or turn you orange. I recommend the Express Bronzing Mousse. I'll admit, it's a bit pricey, but so worth it if you really are desperate for a tan. Leave it on for about an hour and you will get a nice glow.
Tarte's Brazilliance: Another nice (and slightly pricey) tanner. It smells kind of strange and takes a bit longer than the St. Tropez to dry, but it gives a really nice color. Don't apply it more than once a week though! You might turn a color you don't want to turn (bright orange).
If you're looking for a great sunscreen, below are a couple of my favorite products:
Tarteguard: Are you sensing a theme with my products? I love Tarte. They are so good to my very sensitive skin and their newest product is my newest obsession. Tarteguard smells really nice and isn't greasy or oily on my face. I tend to put this on before my BB Cream so I know I am protected throughout the day.
Neutrogena Dry-Touch: Again, this product isn't greasy or oily. It definitely has that sunscreen smell, but hey, it's summer that's what your skin is supposed to smell like, right?
Also, if you're in the St. Louis area, Miles Against Melanoma is a great organization that helps raise money and awareness around skin cancer! June 7th is their annual 5K race, so get involved!


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Some colleges and universities believe their efforts to switch from commercially published textbooks to open educational resources (OER) are paying off for students as well as faculty.
Higher education institutions are approaching OER in different ways, as a University Business article highlighting five schools shows. Some, like Wiley College in Texas, are moving all courses over to OER while others, such as the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, are offering competitive grants to encourage professors to adopt OER for individual courses. Schools are tapping a mix of resources that include faculty-written materials, readings available online or from the campus library, and materials acquired from organizations such as MERLOT and Lumen Learning.
In every case, though, helping students save significant money was the impetus for OER, not dissatisfaction with the quality of the traditional textbooks available for purchase. However, schools are also seeing a pedagogical bonus as faculty are able to tailor course materials more closely to their instruction.
"The notion that there will no longer be textbooks is implausible," said Edna Baehre-Kolovani, president of Tidewater Community College in Virginia. "But the reasons OER is growing are student demand and faculty interest."
On the down side, institutions are aware that creation of OER isn't a one-and-done deal and they will have to factor in a process for ongoing updates.
"OER is like a free puppy," said MJ Bishop, director of the University System of Maryland's William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation. "There are still costs of maintaining them and keeping them current."


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By: Lindley Mease and Kristen Weiss
Next month, As the world focuses its attention on the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference in December, marine scientists are hoping that policymakers will pay greater attention to the impacts climate change is having on the ocean. That we protected more ocean habitat in 2015 than in any previous year is encouraging—but we still have a long way to go to ensure the survival of marine species in the face of climate change.
Pelagic snails, like the one pictured above, may struggle to form shells in increasingly acidic waters. This snail's shell is transparent and fragile because of ocean acidification. Photocredit: NOAA, CC BY 2.0
Acidifying Waters
This month NOAA released a map showing the areas most vulnerable to ocean acidification around the globe. As fossil fuel emissions have steadily increased in the atmosphere over the past century, the ocean has been absorbing proportionately larger and larger amounts of carbon dioxide, gradually lowering the pH of the oceans. Often called "the other carbon dioxide problem," ocean acidification has already been shown to harm a number of species found in California's MPAs. Planktonic pteropods (also known as 'sea butterflies'), shellfish like abalone and oysters, and oxygen-producing phytoplankton are just a few of the organisms known to be detrimentally affected by increasing acidity. Many of these species are integral to ocean food webs (and to commercially important fish species).
While the largest sources of ocean acidification in California waters are increases in global fossil fuel emissions, there are regional and local processes that can contribute to acidification, such as climate-related changes in coastal upwelling, deposition of nitrous oxides and sulfur oxides from power plants, and nutrient and stormwater runoff that can include nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals. California's waters have already acidified by 26% during the last century, and could become up to 150% more acidic by 2100, driven by a combination of local and global forces.
Addressing climate change impacts in MPAs
The Center for Ocean Solutions (COS) has conducted research suggesting that MPAs may be some of the best places for managers to coordinate and promote strategies to address these local threats because they already tend to have management frameworks in place. MPAs can provide effective protections by serving as "sentinel sites" for monitoring and protecting species and habitats that have been identified as critically important for long-term ecosystem resilience.
To adequately protect marine species and ecosystems from ocean acidification, we need to increase our scientific understanding of acidification at multiple scales, encourage management adaptability and effective implementation of state protections under existing law. These were some of the findings of COS researchers in a 2012 comprehensive report for California policymakers that outlined the science of ocean acidification as well as the state's available legal and policy levers to take action on acidification.
Lindley Mease, a senior research analyst at the Center for Ocean Solutions, also hosted a working group on Ocean Acidification at the National Adaptation Forum last year. The group explored the potential impacts of ocean acidification, how managers and policy makers may be able to respond and adapt to these impacts, and how these actions intersect with the management of other ocean threats. This was the first session on acidification hosted at the Adaptation Forum and helped bridge the world of ocean acidification with the climate adaptation practitioner community.
Also in California, the Ocean Science Trust, as directed by the Ocean Protection Council, is supporting the West Coast Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Panel ("OAH Panel"), a comprehensive initiative currently underway to inform state and regional ocean acidification policy and management. Ali Boehm, a COS affiliated researcher and senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, co-published a recent article in Oceanography entitled, "Ocean Acidification Science Needs for Natural Resource Managers of the North American West Coast" – a key output of the OAH panel. The panel is providing guidance on potential management actions and science needs for addressing local acidification. A number of other state and regional bodies across the country are also beginning to coordinate action on acidification via existing water and air quality management frameworks under state and federal law (e.g., the Clean Water Act) to mitigate potentially significant local pollution sources.
Jamie Dunckley, former COS early career fellow and current affiliated researcher, inspects a monitoring device for the Kelp Forest Array project.
Monterey Bay paves the way for future conservation
Stretching along the entirety of California's coast, the California Marine Protected Areas network is one of the largest of its kind in the world, and has set the bar for marine protection across the country and beyond. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, part of the California MPA network, has been the focus of ongoing scientific monitoring and research for decades.
Among numerous efforts to document and understand the effects of ocean acidification along California's central coast, the Center for Ocean Solutions has worked with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute to monitor water quality in the Bay using our kelp forest array and environmental sample processors. Steve Palumbi, director of Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station, and his team at Hopkins are finding significant damage to coral reefs worldwide, which will ultimately impact the human populations that depend on them. Through a collaboration with researchers from Stanford University (including Hopkins Marine Station) and the University of Georgia, Jim Barry and Charles Boch of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, are studying the effects of ocean acidification on red abalone populations. Initial results indicate that more acidic waters reduce abalone's ability to reproduce, which could have knock-on effects for abalone predators like sea otters and other important coastal species. This local research will help inform management of both wild and farmed shellfish in Monterey Bay and beyond.
The Monterey Bay Sanctuary may serve as an exemplary area to couple resource management actions with climate-related changes in ocean conditions. A number of protected and iconic species are found in Monterey Bay, and habitat protection frameworks already exist for the sanctuary that could be adapted to address climate change impacts more directly. Already, Sanctuary staff are working to communicate to the public about the causes and impacts of ocean acidification, and working with communities to develop climate action plans.
Maintaining the health of ocean and coastal ecosystems is essential to protect the resources and ecosystem services on which people around the world rely. With any luck, the UN Climate Change Conference will acknowledge the critical role of our global ocean. At smaller scales, by actively protecting MPAs and other marine regions from local sources of pollution, we can help ensure that human and ecological communities are more resilient to global level changes now and into the future.
Lindley Mease is a senior research analyst at the Center for Ocean Solutions.
Kristen Weiss is an early career fellow in science communications at the Center for Ocean Solutions.


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Fall eco-friendly, vegan wedding/
Amanda and Tom knew they wanted their wedding to be a combination of part California, where they live, and part Nashville, the brides hometown and their wedding destination.
Amanda was involved not only in the design but the actual setup of the reception tables and centerpieces. For Tom, music was the most important focus.
The ceremony was held under an arbor on the lawn.
Afterwards the guests walked across the street to the Ambrose House for the reception.
In addition to eco-friendly plates and flatware, the entire dinner menu was vegan with gluten free cupcakes for dessert.
The couple set up a DIY photobooth in the hallway using a Polaroid camera.
This adorable table setup had the couples initials wrapped in a map. It served as a guest book and gift table. Photos of the couple as children were scattered around the table.
Adorable drawings of the couple were on the programs.
The bride's bouquet wrapped in lace.
Everyone had a great time dancing at this destination wedding in Nashville. The foam fingers were great props!
Venue: Ambrose House
Catering: Be Hive
Cupcakes: Kahns Desserts
Rentals: Liberty Party Rental
Bouquets & Boutonnieres: Events by Elaine


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|Publication Date
|RI80 Investigation of Submarine Groundwater Discharge at Holts Landing State Park, Delaware: Hydrogeologic Framework, Groundwater Level and Salinity Observations
|Andres, A.S., Michael, H.A., Russoniello, C.J., Fernandez, C., He, C., Madsen, J.A.
|OFR50 Database of Quaternary Coastal Geochronologic Information for the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts of North America (additional information for sites in Peru and Chile)
|Wehmiller, J.F., Pellerito, V.
|RI74 Locating Ground-Water Discharge Areas in Rehoboth and Indian River Bays and Indian River, Delaware Using Landsat 7 Imagery
|Wang, L.T., McKenna, T.E., DeLiberty, T.L.
|RI50 Plant Microfossils of the Calvert Formation of Delaware
|Groot, J.J.
|RI49 Results of the Coastal Sussex County, Delaware Ground-Water Quality Survey
|Andres, A.S.
|RI47 Ages of the Bethany, Beaverdam, and Omar Formations of Southern Delaware
|Groot, J.J., Ramsey, K.W., Wehmiller, J.F.
|RI43 Estimate of Direct Discharge of Fresh Ground Water to Rehoboth and Indian River Bays
|Andres, A.S.
|B16 Ground-Water Resources of the Piney Point and Cheswold Aquifers in Central Delaware as Determined by a Flow Model
|Leahy, P.P.
|B15 Digital Model of the Unconfined Aquifer in Central and Southeastern Delaware
|Johnston, R.H.
|B8 Water Resources of Sussex County, Delaware
|Rasmussen, W.C., Wilkens, R.A., Beall, R.M.


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Today's Everyday Fashion: Shoe Change/
I snapped these photos on the way out the door on Sunday. I wore the top outfit for church and dinner, and the bottom outfit for errands (Ikea means lots of walking). I love throwing an extra pair of shoes in my vehicle and switching depending on the occasion; it's a trick I use often! I'm also just a tad obsessed with polka dots lately, and I like how the bubble necklace plays off the pattern. Do you ever bring extra shoes with you?
Sweater: Old Navy, $17
Necklace: c/o Page 6 Boutique, $35Jacket: H&M, $60 (similar, similar, similar, similar)
Chinese Laundry, $150
Rings: My Stella & Dot website $39 and $69 and $39
Bracelets: My Stella & Dot website $59 and $59 and $79 and $19
Bracelets: My Stella & Dot website $59 and $59 and $79 and $19
|1. Nordstrom 2. Conversation Pieces 3. Forever 21 4. Forever 21 5. Yook