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Education Chair Ezell named to Governor's commission on early childhood education
Release Date: 8/21/2013
Dr. Glenda Ezell, chair of the Division of Education, has been selected by Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe to serve on the Arkansas Early Childhood Commission.
The three-year term began on Aug. 8, 2013, and will run through July 1, 2016.
Ezell was chosen for the new position on the commission to represent institutions of higher education. She was elected by the Arkansas Deans' Council to represent colleges and universities on the commission.
"I am very honored to be appointed by Governor Beebe to the Early Childhood Commission," Ezell said. "This is a new position created specifically for a representative from higher education. I am an advocate for early childhood education and I am pleased to have this opportunity to serve my constituents on this commission. However, most of all, I feel honored and privileged to serve the children who live in this great state."
Ezell, who earned her Ed.D. from the University of Arkansas, is a graduate of Ozarks. She returned to Ozarks in 1999 when she became the director of field experiences in the Education Division. She has served as chair of the division since 2009.


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Hello all,
My name is Gerry Owens. I'm a composer/producer with over 12 years experience. I set up Black Bag Music to deliver world-standard audio for both small & large scale developers in the games industry. I work with both in-game and trailer music on a freelance basis & provide a full audio package ranging from Music & Sound Design to Implementation.
My credits include Crysis 2 (Trailer - EA Games), Night Watch (Trailer - Fox Films) & Blood the Last Vampire (Production Music - Manga Anime)
I've attached links to examples of my work below, however more information & samples are available at http://www.blackbagmusic.com/games
If you need to either outsource audio, or require cinematic trailer music and sound design, I'd be glad to talk through your projects requirements. Please free to contact me at gerry[at]blackbagmusic.com if you have any questions or comments.
I deliver 'AAA standard' results with a scale of rates that are flexible enough to accommodate the requirements of developers working with projects ranging from smaller (Mobile, Platform, Social) to large scale (Console, MMO, FPS). I'm passionate about music & sound in the field of gaming and therefore strive to ensure that my clients requirements are not only met, but surpassed.
Thanks for taking the time to read this & I hope to hear from you in the future.
Best Regards, Gerry
Clouds & Sheep Trailer

subset: commoncrawl


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My wife and I moved here from CA about a month and a half ago as I got stationed at Quantico to attend TBS. Well now that TBS is up and running, I'm absolutely itching to get out and do some hunting. I have seen an obscene number of deer on base, and I'm just looking to get out and fill the freezer (i.e. first doe that walks by is coming home with me).
Are there any other deer hunters out here that wouldn't mind chiming in? I've got everything needed, camo, archery gear, shotgun/rifle (I know you can't shoot rifles on base)... I just don't have a stand, which might make hunting on base a bit tough.
Thanks in advance!!


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Will Snowden Cause 2014 Olympic Boycott?
Key senator has called for a boycott of the Sochi games if Snowden receives asylum in Russia.
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University Registrar
The University Registrar is responsible for facilitating the evaluation of transfer credit for new and continuing students. Working with the Admissions Office and the Academic Deans, the Director of Transfer and Transition Services and the Transfer Manager ensure that all transferable courses that meet the academic standards and policies set forth for transfer credit at SMU are applied to a student's academic record.
New Students Transferring to SMU
Continuing SMU Students
International Transfer Students
How will my credits transfer to SMU?
University Curriculum Guides for Transfer Students
Transfer courses that fulfill specific university curriculum requirements at SMU
Free-Elective Transfer Credit
For courses not taught at SMU, free-elective transfer credit may be awarded for appropriate courses completed with a grade of C- or better at regionally accredited colleges or universities that meet SMU's academic standards
If you have 50 or more transferable credit hours and a high G.P.A., find out about SMU scholarship opportunities for transfer students.


text:
"A unique system of color analysis, firmly grounded in scientific measurements
and circumscribed by the timeless principles of art. It produces a color palette unique to you, specifically designed to complement your own skin, hair and eye color." –Color Alliance
Click here to find out more!
"When we find the set that enhances you above all the others, what we have really uncovered are the exact pigments already in your skin, in your body. When you then wear the colors you already are, you look like magic because your person and your attire is sending the same wavelength of energy to the viewer." ~~Christine Scaman, 12 Blueprints


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Happy New Year!
IBM'ers in the US got Monday, January 3 as our New Year's Holiday, so if you were working today, you probably enjoyed an unusually light email load from your IBM colleagues and friends. Not to worry, the onslaught of communications will resume on Tuesday, January 4. We are all rested, refreshed, and happy to be back at work!
Pundits and analysts across the IT spectrum--those that follow technologies, those that follow sales trends, and those that follow the followers--are in general agreement that cloud computing implementations will increase in 2011. The volume of activity varies depending on who you ask, but everyone agrees that overall levels of activity will increase this year. And in particular, partners of all sizes and from all regions are expressing an increased interest in Private Cloud.
Although a private cloud can take on many flavors, the general idea is that resources in a data center are re-deployed to be more dynamic and flexible. In addition to the virtualization of hardware resources, which many organizations already do, a private cloud allows for a highly dynamic re-allocation of resources across applications.
For example, a large medical organization wanted to run a test of their new backup and recovery environment. Previously, they would have had to acquire a completely identical system to the application they were testing, for what was essentially a one-time test. With a private cloud, they can more quickly deploy an environment that mirrors their production system, run the backup test, and then redeploy the resources for a completely different purpose, probably for a different organization or team. Because a private cloud provides a higher level of systems management--which is available from IBM's Tivoli brand--redeployment of resources is faster than a traditional data center, even one with highly virtualized systems.
For many, building a private cloud seems like a good first step in cloud computing implementations. Large organizations especially continue to express security unknowns as one of their top inhibitors to a public cloud environment, so building a private cloud seems to assuage the security concerns while allowing for the flexibility that cloud offers.
IBM, along with its partners, is ready and able to assist with these private cloud implementations. We're partnering with a variety of partners who can assist you with all aspects of building private clouds, from the concept and design stage to the implementation and ongoing management. And in the first quarter, you'll see us ramp up our activities around private cloud.
Again, welcome to 2011. We look forward to a successful year together.
Cloud Partner Programs
Matching: tivoli X
Welcome to 2011: the Year of the (Private) Cloud
AmyHAnderson 1200008HXG Tags:  cloud_computing tivoli partnerworld private_cloud 4,113 Views


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I haven't got a CELTA yet, but am just finishing my Masters in Linguistics at SOAS.
I'm wondering what kind of job prospects there are for a TEFL teaching in London.
Also, as my wife is Kenyan, I am quite interested in job prospects in Kenya, particularly Nairobi or Kisumu. Does anyone have an idea of the kind of salary one could get?


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aww yiss walked to bar rode this baby home $25
aww yiss walked to bar rode this baby home $25
Gonna paint it purple gold and chrome.
outfit that ***** with some hydraulics, do this shit in style.
well that was one of my better drunken purchases. We were going to the bar and saw some dude riding this. Stopped in for a brew and was walking home 15 minutes later to see this for $25. It took up the remainder of my afternoon.
I wanted to do it purple and chrome, but I'm thinking I like these better -
I *think* they make a purple in that, which would be ideal.
Needs pegs, bro. All da homies gonna ride.
Dat shit is cool bro.
Your life seems chill af
Put a FlowMaster or NOS decal on it.
flatscreen in the front
Bumpski with a little bit of work...I'm ending up going with metallic red and black over purple and chrome, since I couldn't find the purple I wanted locally and I wanted to work on it this weekend. I've been making a list about how much I'm putting into it for reference for myself, but you guys might find it interesting too.
Bike $25
Spent 3 hours sanding her down today, needs 2 more probably. This was the roughest part.
Handlebars, stem, seat post, chain guard, cranks and cog will be black. Velspar paint $4.
Last edited by not.all.there; 04-06-2014 at 12:53 AM.
aslo another great track sounds great on full vol
It needed a chrome base first.
Half way done.
Got some more obnoxious things coming in the mail. Grips, skulls, stickers, neon for the rims. Still have to touch up the black parts and paint the rims black, but we're getting it there
Hope y'all are enjoying seeing my progress. I won't bump again until its 100% done.
Maybe buy a new chain?
On the list! I couldn't find my chain tool haha. Probably a new front tire too.


text: I like both, personally, but I am along the lines of "would never trade a Sig for an XD." To be honest, it is a matter of prefrance. There isn't much there to compare between the two as far as look, feel, etc. Two completely different guns. I think both are very accurate. Haven't heard a lot of complaints on either one. So that is a tough call. Have you shot an XD yet? I would most definetly shoot one before you go through with this.


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|Topic Review (Newest First)
I mostly sail to teach, so I try to keep my lessons as simple as possible, since those are the easiest lessons to remember:
Always coil up the spaghetti you don't need (halyards) so it doesn't tangle with the spaghetti you do need (sheets).
Is that anal, or dogmatic, or boringly consistent, or whatever?
Yes, probably so. We all have our own style, I encourage students to develop their own style once they've learned the basics. Until then, they can learn my style, or that of whichever other instructor...
I try and get my guests/crew to do as much as they are able/willing to do. Unless it's absolutely critical, or safety related, close is good enough. Sure it's mildly annoying when things aren't done the way I would, but I don't sweat it.
It's more important to me to share the joy of sailing and working on a sailboat.
Generally, I enjoy this more than sailing myself.
If conditions are right, they park the boat as well.
So, no... when it comes to sailing, I'm not anal.
But, when it comes to my work... That's another thing!
When they are on my boat, they coil lines the way that I want them coiled. Stow things the way I want them stowed. Period. Is that anal, I really don't care.
I think that Billyruffin hit it on the head. You do it your way on your boat, and ASK them how they want it done on theirs. I have had people decide how they wanted to coil and loop lines and had to make an extra circle before I could use them.
I particularly like getting to the boat after someone has secured your fenders so well to the lifelines that it takes an hour to untie the knot. My way takes seconds and it is not going anywhere.
Where I disagree is that all powerboaters are bad and sailors good. I started, and still am, a powerboater as well as sailor. I secure the powerboat, which is much smaller, the same as I do the sailboat. My tube and water ski lines are coiled so they can be released and not end in tangles. I am the same on the powerboat as on the sailboat. My slipmate is very ship shape with his SeaRay. The other side is horrible with his powerboat, and across the dock the sailboat is the least shipshape of anything in the marina.
So, yes, I probably am anal. But, when the **** hits the fan I know where it is and how it is secured. You all know that there are certain realities in the boating world.
Sailors = Cheap
SeaRay owners=xxx
I have both and I must be anal. Anybody want to venture a guess what I am? Careful, you don't know which of me will respond!
Originally Posted by TrueBlue View Post
My wife thinks so - especially with my preference for properly making up all unused running rigging lines and neatly coiling excess deck & docklines.
Although, our puppy never complained . . .
I'm not particularly anal about lines on the boat while sailing so long as they are functional in the way they are made up. However I will double check or redo dock lines everytime. The boat is my responsibility as the skipper and I make sure it is handled in a way I am at least comfortable with. When leaving the boat I just like to make sure she is put to bed in a way that makes her look good to the casual eye of passers by.
There's more anal in this thread than at Socrates' kegger.
But it is true that sailors generally have to have things "just so", because the consequences of not finding a "right way" (even if there are several "right ways") can lead to damage, injury or even danger. Stopper knots keep sheets from running out the blocks: the consequences of not doing that can be a fouled prop or a lee sheet that's missing in action when you have started coming about.
Part of this, I am sure, is the incredible variety in yachts. Every model seems to have its own little ways, and a lot of older boats have been heavily customized to the point where it is not immediately apparent what item does what job. Alex's boat, for instance, is very logical in its running rigging, but it has about twice as many control lines (all leading back to the cockpit) as most boats I'm used to , and so it is best to ask which line is which, or more importantly, "what is the colour code?" Once you know that code, however, it is as easy as any other 40 footer to sail.
I am very particular about engine care, winterizing and doing things in the right order. When I loaned my old 33 footer out, I insisted that the person taking care of the boat emulate my procedure: 1) Hang key on gear level inside engine box; 2) Open sea ****, 3) Open fuel ****, 4) Prime fuel bowl lever, 5) Run blower 4 minutes, 6) Pull choke full out and advance throttle, 7) Turn ignition key, 8) Put choke to half and reduce speed, 9) After a minute, put choke fully in and leave when ready.
I'm sure there are only a few variations on this, but I destroyed my first Atomic 4 by forgetting to open the seacock, and I rebuilt the current one and adjusted the carb and the distributor for fairly lean operation. Do it my way and the engine will run flawlessly and will start every time. Do it another way and it won't. I spent two hours "dewinterizing" this engine and the worth of that is that it fired up instantly in April after about the worst winter in 20 years. There might be a better way, but I don't know it and this way works.
Sound familiar, fellow skippers? You should see my fancy tacks!
ANAL? I'm not sure if doing things a certain way on your boat that work well as time savers, making tasks easier or making the sailing environment safer constitutes the lable or not. I suspect if there are three sailors doing the same task, there's three different ways of doing it.
I do know if a sailor does a chore that is normally preformed by his wife, even if she's not on board....he is STILL WRONG!
Type A personality
I'm not anal because I sail, I sail because I'm anal. What other sport has two competitors on an 18 mile course finishing within 15 secs after 2 hours. Where the difference between winning and losing is less than a degree of pointing or tacking 15 secs behind or ahead of a windshift? Now granted I do not race (as of yet ). But the perfection that can be found in simplicity is what drew me to sailing...Yes I am a reformed powerboater.
|Nothing I hate worse than going to the pointy end to rig a stay or make a sail change, only to find that someone has screwed everything up and I have to spend more time in a saltwater shower equipped elevator on steroids because of it. It really chaps my ass. Hence, I check everything these days, from the lay of the lines to how they're secured off.
|I'm anal and I ask that those who sail w/ me do things my way. When I sail with others, I do it their way. Reason: it everyone on board does things the same way you know what to expect. When it's dark and scary on the foredeck you really don't want to be figuring out how the last guy coiled/cleated/stowed the main haulyard. When you're stressed "patterns" of how you do things rule. Always do things the same way and the "patterns" will be your friend, not a source of confusion.
|Once or twice a season I go fishing on my friend's 32 foot sportfisherman. I have a great time, he is an absolute expert on fishing, but I cringe and shut up when I look at the seamanship. The dock lines are always the first thing that make me look askance, but its pretty much everything. I think the big reason is that he regard his boat as nothing more than transportation to his fishing spots, whereas I regard the sailing as the purpose. The difference is philosophical. I reagrd the point as the journey, he regards it as the destination. Because we are so focused on the journey -- and it does take longer -- we try to make sure everything is just so. So I guess we are all a little anal.
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Discussion in 'Pistons and NBA' started by TWOTIMESRALPHI, Jun 22, 2012.
You got it right.
An owner without $$ to spend is no different than a player who can't catch passes.
Would be interesting if the GM's were allowed to trade their owners.
Will you act or be acted upon?
Tis a good thread Ralphi. I like how everyone tears down your equation and injects their own. Now if only if......... * [am I the only one that uses asterisk to paragraph ?] The salary cap was supposed to help small market teams and equalize the playing field ? It was defeated ! But not rendered useless. The league has been fighting off King James for ~9 years. He stopped the Kobe/Laker/Boston/NYKjoke/ league. OKC/SAS/DallM are still relevent. Riles/Riles/Riles !
note: the King isn't finished writing his story. You must bow to his majestry until he ends up in LA.
He'll end up in NJ............
I predict he gets cut from the Puerto Rican team before it's all over.
subject\object...just like Nemo imagined.
What if Nash plays until age 45, Kobe/Wade for a few more years and all we see in the Finals for the next 5 years is LA/Miami
Thanks.............I have a good imagination.
I don't think so.........I hope not.
Separate names with a comma.


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Are you an Arsenal Superfan? The team arrive in Malaysia on July 11th, and we're looking for the nation's most passionate Arsenal fan to report for the official Arsenal Facebook page!
We'll be looking for the winner to post every day on Facebook, exclusively for our Malaysian fanbase, capturing the mood in the country in the build-up and throughout the tour. Anyone in Malaysia can enter but you'll need to be able to get to the Bukit Jalil Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on the 13th July to meet the Arsenal digital team, pick up your free tickets to the Malaysia XI v Arsenal match and report on the game on Facebook!
To be in with a chance of winning this unique prize we just need to know one simple thing: What makes you Arsenal's Superfan? Tell us why you think you're a Superfan and why YOU should report from Malaysia in the tour below. Entries must be written in English to be considered, and under 200 words. The winner will be announced on Facebook and contacted via email. Good luck!
Click here to read the terms and conditions.


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Undaunted by the distance from the sea in their marshlands community, Sheila and Dennis Hood established an isle of coastal tranquility through in their Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina home.
In keeping with sturdy and modest structural coastal aesthetics and in response to the local climate, the home features wide roof overhangs, simple details, and comfortable porches to catch refreshing breezes. Tabby, which was used on the home's exterior, is a mixture of crushed oyster shells that dries like concrete and was often used by early settlers because its ingredients were readily found along the coast.
The Hoods' bungalow also incorporated building materials historically found and used to construct homes in the area: corrugated-metal roof, simple wood box columns, and tabby-formed chimney and foundation piers.
Turn your own home into a seaside retreat no matter your location with tips from these South Carolina homeowners.


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drinking crown on the rocks right now.....looks alot better in the commercials
drinking crown on the rocks right now.....looks alot better in the commercials
Hurricane 40's all day
Heineken was on sale so i bought a carton.
Heineken was a refreshing brew when i was in indonesia. Bintang was alright but if i was buying from a supermarket it was the way to go (indonesia being the mexico of Australia)
You is now a mod, congratz.
Don't drink the water over there, you get fkn sick and quarantined.
Ouch metho! Can understnad why you'd never touch it again.
Drinkin' some tooheys NEW and OLD. 2 six packs...yum!
Tooheys new aint bad. Its my first choice if im buying 30 can blocks. Got a bottle of Captian Morgans Jamacian Rum. Nice and sweet
Who Heard Of A Hard Liquor Called Sauza Or Somethin Like That?..
its hornitos. and not too bad for the price.
sippin on this right now
i buy el jimador tequila... it's great for the price.
i've yet to try hornitos. i don't tend to fly through tequila like i do with scotch or gin.
bought a bottle of Broker's gin yesterday, i'll try it some time this weekend. shit's supposed to be amazing for the price.
I would kill to get my hands on one of them. Do ya drink it like this ?
stella brew cider now?
well i never..
Ugghh tequila I get the worst hang over from it! I can't stand it.
God everyone is getting in the act of cider brewing it seems.


text:
General Richard Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2001 to 2005 was misled by Bush officials into believing interrogation techniques employed in the Guanatanamo prisons were based on Army field manuals. In his new book, "Torture Team," Philippe Sands, professor at University Collge in London, reveals senior Bush administration leaders pushed through previously outlawed measures with the aid of inexperienced military officials at Guantanamo. Myers believed he was the victim of "intrigue" by top lawyers at the Department of Justice, the office of Vice President Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld's Defense Deaprtment.
The lawyers who pushed through procedures that went against the Army Manual were Alberto Gonzales, David Addington and Williams Haynes. Also involved were Doug Feith, Rumsfeld's under-secretary for policy and two assistant attorney generals, Jay Bybee and John Yoo. Bush insisted all along violations of Army procedures were the result of action on the part of junior officers.
According to Sans, as Myers "worked through the list of techniques(he) became increasingly hesitant and troubled. Haynes and Rumsfeld had been able to run rings around him." Myers was cut out of the decision making process even though he headed the armed forces. Myers said: "We never authorized torture, we just didn't, not what we would do." Larry Wilkeerson, a former army officer and chief of staff to Colin Powell at the State Department, said: "I do know that Rumsfeld had neutralised the chairman(Myers) in m any significant ways." He did it by not inviting him to meetings or letting him know about important communications.
Senate Republicans were ready to impeach President Clinton over sexual behavior, will they be prepared to initiate criminal procedures against Rumsfeld, Cheney, and Bush?


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Records: North Carolina 23-3 (11-2 ACC), Florida State 19-5 (9-4 ACC)
Rankings: North Carolina is ranked No. 14 in the AP poll and No. 17 in the coaches' poll. Florida State is No. 19 in the AP poll and No. 20 in the coaches' poll.
TV: RSN (Fox Sports Carolinas in the Chapel Hill area). Tom Werme and Chelsea Shine have the call.
Radio: Tar Heel Sports Network, a division of Learfield Communications. Walter Storholt has the call. A link to the live stream can be found at GoHeels.com.
On The Web: GoHeels.com • Twitter: @UNCWBB • @UNCWBBCoach
• North Carolina is 31-9 all-time against Florida State, including a 14-4 mark in Tallahassee.
• Carolina won the first meeting of 2013 in Chapel Hill on Jan. 31, 72-62.
• Florida State defeated Carolina in its first ACC game against the Tar Heels, but the Noles have won just six times in 36 tries since.
• Carolina leads the nation in steals (14.2 spg). The Tar Heels are seventh in points allowed per opponent possession and 11th in blocks.
• Head coach Sylvia Hatchell is currently second all-time in career coaching wins with 902. Hatchell now trails only Pat Summitt (1,098) on the all-time list after passing Jody Conradt (900) on Feb. 10.
• UNC is 7-3 this season when tied or trailing at halftime. The Tar Heels were 9-29 in those situations the previous three seasons.
• Freshman Xylina McDaniel has been named ACC Rookie of the Week a league-best five times in 2012-13, with the most recent award coming Feb. 4. She leads all ACC freshmen in scoring (12.4 ppg), rebounding (7.3 rpg), steals (2.3 spg) and blocks (1.1 bpg).
• Senior Tierra Ruffin-Pratt is averaging a team-best 14.1 points per game this season. Entering 2012-13, her career scoring average in 84 games was 6.7 ppg.
• Senior Krista Gross is sixth in the ACC in rebounding with 8.5 rpg. Entering 2012-13, her career rebounding average in 95 games was 4.4 rpg.
LAST TIME OUT: No. 14 UNC 76, Wake Forest 56
CHAPEL HILL --- No. 14 North Carolina opened on a 6-0 run and never trailed as the Tar Heels beat Wake Forest for the 10th straight time, 76-56, Thursday night at Carmichael Arena. Xylina McDaniel had 15 points and nine rebounds to lead Carolina, while Tierra Ruffin-Pratt added 13 in just nine minutes. Carolina (23-3, 11-2 ACC) used its swarming defense to stifle the Demon Deacons early, keeping the visitors from attempting a field goal for nearly three minutes to open the game. Wake had pulled within six at 22-16 before the Tar Heels went on a 17-4 run that effectively put the game away before halftime.
With the win over Boston College on Feb. 7, Sylvia Hatchell became just the third women's coach in history to reach 900 career victories. Three days later, Hatchell, who enters Sunday's game with a career record of 902-317 in 38 seasons, passed Jody Conradt for second all-time in career wins. Only Pat Summitt (1,098) has won more games as a women's coach than Hatchell, who is also the active leader in wins, three ahead of Rutgers head coach C. Vivian Stringer's 899.


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Penile implants are devices placed inside the penis to allow men with erectile dysfunction (ED) to get an erection. Penile implants are typically recommended after other treatments for ED fail.
There are two main types of penile implants, semirigid and inflatable. Each type of penile implant works differently and has various pros and cons.
The placement of penile implants requires surgery. Before choosing penile implants, make sure you understand what surgery involves, including possible risks, complications and follow-up care.
For most men, erectile dysfunction can be successfully treated with medications or use of a penis pump (vacuum constriction device). You might consider penile implants if you aren't a candidate for other treatments or you can't get an erection sufficient for sexual activity by using other methods.
Penile implants can also be used to treat severe cases of a condition that causes scarring inside the penis, leading to curved, painful erections (Peyronie's disease).
Penile implants aren't for everyone. Your doctor might caution against penile implants if you have:
Keep in mind that while penile implants allow men to get an erection, they don't increase sexual desire or sensation. Most penile implants also won't make your penis any larger than it naturally is at the time of surgery. In fact, your erect penis might be slightly shorter than it used to be.
Risks of penile implant surgery include:
An infection can occur at any time after surgery. In rare cases, an infection occurs years later. A serious infection can cause swelling of the scrotum, pus buildup and fever. Surgery to remove the implant is always necessary to treat an infection. Replacing a penile implant can be complicated and costly and can lead to buildup of scar tissue, loss of sensation in the penis and a decrease in penis length.
Initially, you'll talk to your doctor or a urologist about penile implants. During your visit, your doctor will likely:
There are two main types of penile implants:
Other special designs can provide increased length or fit a shortened penis. Some inflatable penile implants are also available with antibiotic coatings, which might help reduce the risk of infection.
When choosing which type of penile implant is right for you, consider your personal preference and your medical history. Your doctor might suggest one type of design over another based on factors including your age, risk of infection, and health conditions, injuries or medical treatments you've had in the past.
Penile implant surgery is usually done at a surgery center or hospital. Your doctor might give you medication to make you unconscious during the surgery (general anesthesia) or medication that blocks pain in the lower part of your body (spinal anesthesia).
Your doctor will give you IV antibiotics to help prevent infection. The surgery site will also be shaved immediately before surgery to reduce the risk of infection.
A tube (catheter) might be inserted into your bladder via your penis to collect urine at some point during surgery. Your surgeon will make an incision below the head of the penis, at the base of the penis or in the lower abdomen. Next, your surgeon will stretch the spongy tissue in the penis that would normally fill with blood during an erection. This tissue is inside each of the two hollow chambers called the corpora cavernosa.
Your surgeon will choose the correct size implant and place the implant cylinders inside the penis. All sizes are customized to your exact body measurements.
If your doctor is implanting a two-piece inflatable device, a pump and valve are placed inside the scrotum. For a three-piece device, your doctor will also implant a fluid reservoir under the abdominal wall through an internal incision.
Once the device is in place, your surgeon will sew the incisions closed. Penile implant surgery usually takes 45 minutes to an hour.
After penile implant surgery, you'll likely need to take medications to ease pain after surgery. Mild pain might persist for several weeks. You might also need to take antibiotics to prevent infection for one week. Your doctor might recommend keeping your penis up on your lower abdomen and pointing toward your bellybutton during the healing process to prevent downward curvature.
Your doctor will provide specific instructions about when you can resume normal activities. Most men can resume strenuous physical activity and sexual activity about four to six weeks after surgery. At this point, your doctor might recommend fully inflating and deflating inflatable penile implants twice a day to give you practice using them and stretch the area surrounding the cylinders.
Although penile implants are the most invasive and least often chosen treatment for erectile dysfunction, most men and their partners report satisfaction with the devices.
Original article: http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/penile-implants/basics/definition/prc-20013140
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|Topic Review (Newest First)
Originally Posted by Mr & Mrs Kirkley View Post
not sure who is next in line, Xena or Thor (Husky) lol. Maybe they're equals or something. Anyway thanks for the explanation.
For example, in my pack, Raven controls most the resources and really bosses the other two around and Kaiser usually defers to her but if she takes it too far, he will put her in her place. He's happy to let her have the leader position most of the time but in truth, he is the most confident leader of the group.
|Mr & Mrs Kirkley
|To answer your question Xena will be a year old in 5 days. The Husky is actually 3-4 months younger than Xena and only an inch shorter and sometimes stands up to her when she's resource guarding. If she's in her crate and he's not, he dances around it and gets her riled up. When he's in his crate and she is out, she walks up to the crate submissively with her tail wagging and ears down. I've even seen her try to clean his teeth. But when it comes to resource guarding she acts very dominant toward both dogs (never us). We are the pack leaders, but honestly not sure who is next in line, Xena or Thor (Husky) lol. Maybe they're equals or something. Anyway thanks for the explanation.
She is testing the pack order. Has nothing to do with sexuality. My spayed female is the dominant dog in my house, and will often mount and hump my intact male, in play or in excitement. My male NEVER tries to hump her, as he defers to her pack position and seniority.
Since Xena is getting older (how old is she now?), pack dynamics may be changing, with her subtly trying to move up the pack. She is still somewhat unsure about this, that is why she is only doing it when he is lying down, in a submissive position to start with. If your Husky is not challenging her for pack leadership, let the dynamics be, BUT I myself would not allow Xena to annoy the older dog, since he clearly does not enjoy her lying on him. Just as I find the humping in play inappropriate, and tell my older dog to quit it when she does it, I would tell Xena to get OFF the Husky.
|Mr & Mrs Kirkley
behavior question
Our female GSD Xena has started climbing on top of our neutered male Siberian Husky when he's laying down and lays on top of him like she thinks he's a pillow. Sometimes she sniffs his crotch. He growls at her and struggles until he gets away. I know she's not in heat because she went through her first heat 2 months ago. She didn't do this at all during her heat. It didn't start until over a month after. I'm just curious why is she suddenly treating our Husky like a pillow?
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South Bend, IN (SportsNetwork.com) - A wide-ranging building project at Notre Dame will expand the football stadium by some 4,000 seats, the school said on Wednesday.
The $400 million project is considered the largest in the 172-year history of the storied the school and will create more than 750,000 square feet in three new buildings attached to the west, east and south sides of the stadium.
"We believe the investment in these new facilities, which will house new research and teaching venues, several academic departments, a much-expanded student center, a digital media center and a variety of hospitality and programming spaces, will greatly enhance the campus experience for all those who study, live, work here and visit Notre Dame, as well as new amenities that will deliver outstanding game day experiences for Irish fans," said Notre Dame president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
Construction will begin in two years, or sooner, and will take about 33 months to complete.
The plan features three new structures attached to and serving the stadium -- a west building for student life services, including space for student organizations, a recreation center and career center; an east building for the anthropology and psychology departments and a digital media center; and a south building for the Department of Music and the Sacred Music at Notre Dame program.
Buildings for the east and west will include some 3,000 to 4,000 premium seats for the football stadium with supporting club amenities. A hospitality area also is planned for the new building on the south end of the stadium.
Current capacity for Notre Dame Stadium, built in 1930, is 80,795 and should increase to about 84,000. It was last expanded, with a superstructure around the original brickwork, in 1997.


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Groth Named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week
By: Ryan Hartwig (@RyanHartwig)
GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - For the fifth time in her standout career and the second time in 2012, Green Bay volleyball senior Brittany Groth (Oak Creek, Wis.) has been selected as the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week for the period of Sept. 17-23, the conference office announced Monday.
Groth, who also won the award on Aug. 27 this season, averaged 6.9 digs per set over the weekend as the Phoenix (8-6, 1-1 Horizon League) split its league-opening home matches against Cleveland State (L, 1-3) and Youngstown State (W, 3-2). The senior had 31 digs in each contest, pushing her season average to 5.96 digs per set - a figure that ranks third among all NCAA Division I players.
"It's very impressive the impact Brittany has made nationally and it's nice to see her get recognition for it," Phoenix head coach Debbie Kirch said. "We have a very strong defensive core and it starts with our libero. As a coach, you always want to see seniors having the best seasons of their careers - that's what it is all about. It's hard to believe, but I think there are still areas she can improve and be even better than she is right now."
With a league-leading 322 digs in 2012, Groth has increased her career total to 1,493 and is just 26 shy of tying current Phoenix assistant coach Sarah Rauen for second on Green Bay's all-time list (1,519). Groth needs 297 more digs to surpass Megan Elfering (1,789 from 2005-08) as the school's career leader.
Groth has helped the Phoenix win five of its last six matches, and seven of its last 10. After the brief homestand over the weekend, Green Bay heads back on the road for four straight, beginning at DePaul on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Phoenix then returns to Horizon League action on Friday at Milwaukee at 7 p.m.
Leah Van Zeeland made a strong case for player of the week honors with her 18-kill, 21-dig, eight-block performance in Saturday's 3-2 win over Youngstown State. All three were season highs for the Phoenix junior, while the dig and block numbers set new career bests ... Katie Mroczenski had 11 total blocks in Green Bay's two matches over the weekend, and now leads the Horizon League with 1.15 blocks per set ... Carmen Leitermann had one solo block against Cleveland State, giving her 92 for her career. The senior, currently second on the school's all-time list, needs six more solo blocks to pass Marie Kaland (97 from 1992-95) as Green Bay's career leader ... Green Bay has been one of the Horizon League's top defensive teams through the first 14 matches, ranking first in blocks (2.13/set) and digs (18.43/set) ... In addition to Groth and Mroczenski leading in a statistical category, the Phoenix has a number of other players who rank in the conference's top-10. Leitermann currently ranks third in hitting percentage (.316), Leah Poel is fifth in assists (10.06/set), Van Zeeland is seventh in service aces (14), and Lyndsay Zabkowicz (8th, 2.93/set) and Monica Anderson (10th, 2.87/set) are both in the top-10 in kills.
###For the latest and most up-to-date information on Green Bay Athletics and Green Bay Volleyball, please visit GreenBayPhoenix.com.


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Here is great one in .223.
Spikes Tactical 10.5" Complete Upper Receiver
Printable View
Here is great one in .223.
Spikes Tactical 10.5" Complete Upper Receiver
yea we forgot the pistol cal uppers--
one of those .45acp gas operated tommy gun conversions would be the cats meow!
when i hit the lotto i an getting one--LOL
I was thinking get one for the 7.62x25 SBR upper ( already had the 16 inch ), since I got shitload of ammo .
Model 1 Sales: 5.56/.223 Pistol-7 1/2 Upper
Here is the one I got from Model 1 sales. Fun toy for only $350. Comes complete. All parts stamped RR. Rock River???? Hell I dont know.
Quality, hell I dont know. Accuracy, hell I dont know.
But me and a bud took it too the range with about 3 or 4 hundred rounds of different types of ammo and it ate everything we put in it. Not one hiccup.
Perfect house clearing gun.
Plus great for starting camp fires. Damn flame will even get a pile of wet wood too blazing.
I love the little guy. :)
I really like the PWS diablo in 7.62x39 but it is pricey.


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Focus on Economic Data: The Federal Reserve and Monetary Policy, January 30, 2013
This lesson focuses on the January 30, 2013, press release by the Federal Reserve System's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) on the current Federal Reserve monetary policy actions and goals. Specifically, the lesson reports the target rate for the federal funds rate. This lesson is intended to guide students and teachers through an analysis of the actions the Federal Reserve is taking and can take in influencing prices, employment, and economic growth. Through this lesson, students will better understand the dynamics of the U.S. economy, current economic conditions, and monetary policies.
Business Cycles, Discount Rate, Federal Reserve, Federal Reserve Structure, Macroeconomic Indicators, Monetary Policy, Open Market Operations, Recession, Reserve Requirements
- Explain the meaning of the January 30, 2013, Federal Open Market Committee decision concerning the target for the federal funds rate.
- Identify the current monetary policy goals of the Federal Reserve and the factors that have recently influenced monetary policy goals.
- Explain the structure and functions of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Reserve banks, and the Federal Open Market Committee.
- Identify the monetary policy options and other tools available to the Federal Reserve to stimulate or contract the economy.
Current Key Economic Indicatorsas of November 30, -0001
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve System (Fed) meets approximately every six weeks to determine the nation's monetary policy goals and, specifically, to set the target for the federal funds rate (fed funds rate). The fed funds rate is the interest rate at which banks lend their balances at the Federal Reserve to other banks, usually overnight.
The FOMC has maintained the target federal funds rate at a range of 0 to 1/4 percent since its December 16, 2008, meeting. The fed funds rate has been kept at this historically low level due to a long period of low and often negative real GDP growth, significant numbers of non-farm employment losses, and a high unemployment rate.
This lesson focuses on the January 30, 2013, press release by the Federal Open Market Committee on the current Federal Reserve monetary policy actions and goals.
[Note: In the second semester of the 2012-2013 school year (January-May), there will be three Focus on Economic Data lessons about the Federal Reserve and Monetary Policy. In addition to reporting the most recent FOMC decision, this focus on economic data will include an introduction to the structure and functions of the Federal Reserve System, the FOMC and monetary policy tools.
Lessons about the scheduled March 20 and May 1, 2013, FOMC meetings will address more specific issues of Fed policy tools, policy options, and new Fed programs to counter recessionary pressures and the current financial market problems.
On occasion, the FOMC holds unscheduled face-to-face or conference call meetings to make more timely policy decisions in response to unusual economic events or conditions. The policy decisions made as a result of any of these unscheduled meetings will be included in the lesson about the next scheduled meeting announcement.]
- FOMC Monetary Policy press release, January 30, 2013: www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/press/monetary/20130130a.htm www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/maturityextensionprogram.htm
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System: This webpage introduces each member of the board.
Federal Reserve Resources for Educators: Here you can find links to instructional materials and tools that can increase your understanding of the Federal Reserve, economics and financial education.
Open Market Operations: This page provides the Federal Reserve's definition and examples of Open Market Operations.
National Economic Indicators: This Federal Reserve Bank education webpage explains some of the economic indicators that are used to formulate the nation's monetary policy.
Federal Reserve Consumer Information and Publications web links: This Federal Reserve site provides information, publications, and web links for consumers.
New York Fed: Open Market Operations: This page provides detailed information on open market operations.
About the FOMC: This Federal Reserve page provides detailed information on the FOMC.
Key Economic Indicatorsas of February 1, 2013
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged in December on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 1.7 percent before seasonal adjustment.
Employment and Unemployment
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 157,000 in January, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 7.9 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Retail trade, construction, health care, and wholesale trade added jobs over the month.
Real GDP
Real gross domestic product -- the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States -- decreased at an annual rate of 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012 (that is, from the third quarter to the fourth quarter), according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the third quarter, real GDP increased 3.1 percent.
Federal Reserve
To support continued progress toward maximum employment and price stability, the Committee expects that a highly accommodative stance of monetary policy will remain appropriate for a considerable time after the asset purchase program ends and the economic recovery strengthens. In particular, the Committee decided to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and currently anticipates that this exceptionally low range for the federal funds rate will be appropriate at least as long as the unemployment rate remains above 6-1/2 percent...
U.S. Monetary Policy - January 30, 2013
The Federal Reserve System is the central bank of the United States. One of the primary functions of the Federal Reserve is to implement monetary policy. For this purpose, the Federal Reserve established the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The FOMC undertakes monetary policy actions to "influence the availability and cost of money and credit to help promote national economic goals." The FOMC meets approximately every six weeks to review and recommend monetary policy goals and actions.
The nation's overall macroeconomic goals, as established by the Employment Act of 1946 (Public Law 79-304, February 20, 1946), are to "promote maximum employment, production, and purchasing power." The Fed's monetary policies are intended to help achieve these goals. The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 had previously given the Federal Reserve responsibility for establishing monetary policy.
[Teacher Note: For information about the Employment Act of 1946, see: Santoni, G.J., "The Employment Act of 1946: Some History Notes," Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, November 1986. URL: ' ]
[Teacher Note: Ask your students what they think of these national economic goals - promote maximum employment, production, and purchasing power . What do they mean? Should there be other national macroeconomic goals? For more information about the purchasing power and growth goals, see the EconEdLink "Focus on Economics Data" lesson on the CPI, real GDP growth and employment.]
Take a look at the FOMC's January 30, 2013, monetary policy announcement for a better understanding of how the Federal Reserve's actions impact the current health and future prospects for the U.S. economy
[Teacher Note: An overview of the Federal Reserve and monetary policy is included in this lesson after comments on the current FOMC monetary policy actions. For details about the FOMC, go to: www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/fomc.htm .]
Federal Open Market Committee Monetary Policy Press Release
Released: January 30, 2013
"Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in December suggests that growth in economic activity paused in recent months, in large part because of weather-related disruptions and other transitory factors. Employment has continued to expand at a moderate pace but the unemployment rate remains elevated. Household spending and business fixed investment advanced, and the housing sector has shown further improvement. Inflation has been running somewhat below the Committee's longer-run objective, apart from temporary variations that largely reflect fluctuations in energy prices. Longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable."
The first paragraph of recent FOMC announcements have begun, "Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in..." Since each announcement may signal a change in policy since the last meeting, the any economic changes since that meeting are the focus of the FOMC's policy decision. In this case, the FOMC statement began with a very different statement than previous announcements. "growth in economic activity paused in recent months, in large part because of weather-related disruptions and other transitory factors." Normally, the statement begins with a quick assessment of the strength of improvement or downturn.
The FOMC announcement went on to mention some specific factors influencing its decision. "Employment has continued to expand at a moderate pace but the unemployment rate remains elevated. Household spending and business fixed investment advanced, and the housing sector has shown further improvement. Inflation has been running somewhat below the Committee's longer-run objective, apart from temporary variations that largely reflect fluctuations in energy prices. Longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable."
Next, the FOMC provided a rational for its policy decision, based on its Congressional mandate. The focus was on slow employment growth and lack of inflationary pressure.
"Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. The Committee expects that, with appropriate policy accommodation, economic growth will proceed at a moderate pace and the unemployment rate will gradually decline toward levels the Committee judges consistent with its dual mandate. Although strains in global financial markets have eased somewhat, the Committee continues to see downside risks to the economic outlook. The Committee also anticipates that inflation over the medium term likely will run at or below its 2 percent objective."
The FOMC previously stated that the current pro-growth policies will continue until unemployment falls below 6.5 percent and inflation remains below the traditional 2.0 percent maximum goal.
What is the FOMC's current policy goal?
"To support a stronger economic recovery and to help ensure that inflation, over time, is at the rate most consistent with its dual mandate, the Committee will continue purchasing additional agency mortgage-backed securities at a pace of $40 billion per month and longer-term Treasury securities at a pace of $45 billion per month. The Committee is maintaining its existing policy of reinvesting principal payments from its holdings of agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities in agency mortgage-backed securities and of rolling over maturing Treasury securities at auction. Taken together, these actions should maintain downward pressure on longer-term interest rates, support mortgage markets, and help to make broader financial conditions more accommodative."
"The Committee will closely monitor incoming information on economic and financial developments in coming months. If the outlook for the labor market does not improve substantially, the Committee will continue its purchases of Treasury and agency mortgage-backed securities, and employ its other policy tools as appropriate, until such improvement is achieved in a context of price stability. In determining the size, pace, and composition of its asset purchases, the Committee will, as always, take appropriate account of the likely efficacy and costs of such purchases.
The FOMC has previously extended the timeline for the 0 to 1/4 percent fed funds rate target through at least the end of 2014, and more recently until unemployment and inflation limits are reached.
That policy was continued. "To support continued progress toward maximum employment and price stability, the Committee expects that a highly accommodative stance of monetary policy will remain appropriate for a considerable time after the asset purchase program ends and the economic recovery strengthens. In particular, the Committee decided to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and currently anticipates that this exceptionally low range for the federal funds rate will be appropriate at least as long as the unemployment rate remains above 6-1/2 percent, inflation between one and two years ahead is projected to be no more than a half percentage point above the Committee's 2 percent longer-run goal, and longer-term inflation expectations continue to be well anchored. In determining how long to maintain a highly accommodative stance of monetary policy, the Committee will also consider other information, including additional measures of labor market conditions, indicators of inflation pressures and inflation expectations, and readings on financial developments. When the Committee decides to begin to remove policy accommodation, it will take a balanced approach consistent with its longer-run goals of maximum employment and inflation of 2 percent.
The FOMC decision was not unanimous. One FOMC member was concerned about the impact of the accommodative policies on long-term inflation.
"Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; William C. Dudley, Vice Chairman; James Bullard; Elizabeth A. Duke; Charles L. Evans; Jerome H. Powell; Sarah Bloom Raskin; Eric S. Rosengren; Jeremy C. Stein; Daniel K. Tarullo; and Janet L. Yellen. Voting against the action was Esther L. George, who was concerned that the continued high level of monetary accommodation increased the risks of future economic and financial imbalances and, over time, could cause an increase in long-term inflation expectations."
[Teacher Note: Students can read the FOMC announcement from the FOMC webpage . It may be more interesting and effective to read it from the original source Recently, the announcements have included a press conference by the Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke. This announcement did not include a press conference. www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/press/monetary/20110126a.htm
In summary, this announcement was very similar to those of the FOMC meetings over the past two and a half, years since the end of the recession. Keep interest rates low, provide greater liquidity, and keep an eye out for any changes in economic conditions, especially any signs of inflation.
Introduction to The Federal Reserve System, the FOMC, and Monetary Policy
The Federal Reserve System was created by Congress in 1913 "to provide the nation with a safer, more flexible, and more stable monetary and financial system." It is a federal system, composed of a central, governmental agency, the Board of Governors, in Washington, D.C., and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks, located in major cities throughout the nation.
[Teacher Note: Much of the following is summarized from the Federal Reserve publication: "The Federal Reserve System: Purposes and Functions ," which is available online. Unless specified as another source, the information is from this publication.]
The Federal Reserve's duties fall into four general areas:
Conducting the nation's monetary policy by influencing monetary and credit conditions in the economy in pursuit of maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates.
Supervising and regulating banking institutions to ensure the safety and soundness of the nation's banking and financial system and to protect the credit rights of consumers.
Maintaining the stability of the financial system and containing systemic risk that may arise in financial markets.
- Providing financial services to depository institutions, the U.S. government, and foreign official institutions, including playing a major role in operating the nation's payments system.
[Teacher Note: Review the four Federal Reserve duties mentioned above. Note that monetary policy is just one duty. The others include services that are provided by the district banks. See the online version of "The Federal Reserve: Purposes & Functions" for more details. Link: www.federalreserve.gov/pf/pf.htm ]
A Brief History of Central Banks
Most developed countries have a central bank whose functions are broadly similar to those of the Federal Reserve. The oldest, Sweden's Riksbank, has existed since 1668 and the Bank of England since 1694. Napoleon I established the Banque de France in 1800, and the Bank of Canada began operations in 1935. The German Bundesbank was reestablished after World War II and is loosely modeled on the Federal Reserve. More recently, some functions of the Banque de France and the Bundesbank have been assumed by the European Central Bank, formed in 1998.
The Creation of the Federal Reserve System
During the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, financial panics plagued the nation, leading to bank failures and business bankruptcies that severely disrupted the economy. The failure of the nation's banking system to effectively provide funding to troubled depository institutions contributed significantly to the economy's vulnerability to financial panics. After the crisis of 1907, Congress established a commission and institution that would help prevent and contain financial disruptions.
Congress passed the Federal Reserve Act in "to provide for the establishment of Federal reserve banks, to furnish an elastic currency, to afford means of re-discounting commercial paper, to establish a more effective supervision of banking in the United States, and for other purposes." President Woodrow Wilson signed the act into law on December 23, 1913.
The twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks and their Branches carry out a variety of System functions, including operating a nationwide payments system, distributing the nation's currency and coin, supervising and regulating member banks and bank holding companies, and serving as banker for the U.S. Treasury. The twelve Reserve Banks are each responsible for a particular geographic area or district of the United States. Each Reserve District is identified by a number and a letter. Besides carrying out functions for the System as a whole, such as administering nationwide banking and credit policies, each Reserve Bank acts as a depository for the banks in its own District and fulfills other District responsibilities.
Find your Federal Reserve Bank district on the U.S. map, Figure 1, below. If your school is near a boundary between two banks districts, you can go to each of the districts for more detailed information about their district boundaries.
[Teacher Note: Students should be able to identify the Federal Reserve District bank that serves their school's geographic area. Federal Reserve System map .]
The Twelve Federal Reserve Districts
Fun Fact: Which state is the home to two Federal Reserve Banks? [Missouri - Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.]
Who owns the Fed?
Though its name may sound like a government-run agency, the Federal Reserve System is an independent body, created by Congress and subject to audit by the Government Accountability Office(GAO). The twelve district banks are owned by the member banking institutions. The Federal Reserve Board members and Chairman are appointed by the President and confirmed by Congress. Each district bank has its own board of directors.
The Federal Reserve's website explains: "The Federal Reserve System fulfills its public mission as an independent entity within government. It is not "owned" by anyone and is not a private, profit-making institution.
As the nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve derives its authority from the Congress of the United States. It is considered an independent central bank because its monetary policy decisions do not have to be approved by the President or anyone else in the executive or legislative branches of government, it does not receive funding appropriated by the Congress, and the terms of the members of the Board of Governors span multiple presidential and congressional terms.
However, the Federal Reserve is subject to oversight by the Congress, which often reviews the Federal Reserve's activities and can alter its responsibilities by statute. Therefore, the Federal Reserve can be more accurately described as "independent within the government" rather than "independent of government."
The 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks, which were established by the Congress as the operating arms of the nation's central banking system, are organized similarly to private corporations--possibly leading to some confusion about "ownership." For example, the Reserve Banks issue shares of stock to member banks. However, owning Reserve Bank stock is quite different from owning stock in a private company. The Reserve Banks are not operated for profit, and ownership of a certain amount of stock is, by law, a condition of membership in the System. The stock may not be sold, traded, or pledged as security for a loan; dividends are, by law, 6 percent per year. Link: www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/about_14986.htm ]
What if the Fed Makes a Profit?
on January 10, 2013, the Federal Reserve System announced, "preliminary unaudited results indicating that the Reserve Banks provided for payments of approximately $88.9 billion of their estimated 2012 net income to the U.S. Treasury. Under the Board's policy, the residual earnings of each Federal Reserve Bank are distributed to the U.S. Treasury, after providing for the costs of operations, payment of dividends, and the amount necessary to equate surplus with capital paid-in. The profits were the return from the Fed's investment portfolio - treasury securities, mortgage-backed securities, other investments, and some income from services it provides to financial institutions.
The Federal Reserve Board of Governors
The seven members of the Board of Governors are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate to serve 14-year terms of office. Members may serve only one full term, but a member who has been appointed to complete an unexpired term may be reappointed to a full term. The President designates, and the Senate confirms, two members of the Board to be Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve, for four-year terms. The current chairman of the Federal Reserve is Ben S. Bernanke, Ph.D., featured in Figure 2, below.
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)
An important component of the Federal Reserve System is the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which is made up of the members of the Board of Governors, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and presidents of four other Federal Reserve Banks, who serve on a rotating basis. The FOMC oversees open market operations, which is the main tool used by the Federal Reserve to influence money market conditions and the growth of money and credit. Traditionally, the Chairman of the Board of Governors serves as the Chairman of the FOMC.
[Teacher note: What do your students think is the rationale for the mix of voting members on the FOMC - seven FRB Governors, the NY Fed president and four other reserve bank presidents? Some have a "national" view and others represent regional views. It is important that these perspectives all be represented and that economic power not be too concentrated or too dispersed.
From the Fed webpage: "The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) consists of twelve members--the seven members of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; and four of the remaining eleven Reserve Bank presidents, who serve one-year terms on a rotating basis. The rotating seats are filled from the following four groups of Banks, one Bank president from each group: Boston, Philadelphia, and Richmond; Cleveland and Chicago; Atlanta, St. Louis, and Dallas; and Minneapolis, Kansas City, and San Francisco. Nonvoting Reserve Bank presidents attend the meetings of the Committee, participate in the discussions, and contribute to the Committee's assessment of the economy and policy options."]
Federal Reserve Policy Tools
The Federal Reserve implements monetary policy through its control over the federal funds rate, the rate at which depository institutions trade balances at the Federal Reserve. It exercises this control by influencing the demand for and supply of these balances through the following means:
- Open market operations: the purchase or sale of securities, primarily U.S. Treasury securities, in the open market to influence the level of balances that depository institutions hold at the Federal Reserve Banks. Open market operations are used to meet the goal of the target federal funds rate. Open market operations are conducted by the Domestic Trading Desk at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
- Reserve requirements: requirements regarding the percentage of certain deposits that depository institutions must hold in reserve in the form of cash or in an account at a Federal Reserve Bank.
- Contractual clearing balances: an amount that a depository institution agrees to hold at its Federal Reserve Bank in addition to any required reserve balance.
- Discount window lending (discount rate): extensions of credit to depository institutions made through the primary, secondary, or seasonal lending programs.
By trading government securities, the New York Fed affects the federal funds rate, which is the interest rate at which depository institutions lend balances to each other overnight. The Federal Open Market Committee establishes the target rate for trading in the federal funds market. The target rate is currently set at a 0 to 1/4 percent range (since December, 2008.)
Figure 3, below, shows the recent history of the target federal funds rate through current period. Notice how the target rate has normally moved up and down in a cyclical pattern. This pattern of change is strongly correlated with the business cycles, generally increasing during expansionary periods and decreasing during contractions. The fed funds rate target has been set at 0 to 1/4 percent since December 2008.
Want to know more?
For detailed information about "Open Market Operations "
For more information about the U.S. Federal Reserve System and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
For more information about the FOMC, go to "About the FOMC "
How Monetary Policy Affects the Economy
The initial link in the chain between monetary policy and the economy is the market for balances held at the Federal Reserve Banks. Depository institutions have accounts at their Reserve Banks, and they actively trade balances held in these accounts in the federal funds market at an interest rate known as the federal funds rate. The Federal Reserve exercises considerable control over the federal funds rate through its influence over the supply of and demand for balances at the Reserve Banks.
The FOMC sets the federal funds rate at a level it believes will foster financial and monetary conditions consistent with achieving its monetary policy objectives, and it adjusts that target in line with evolving economic developments. A change in the federal funds rate, or even a change in expectations about the future level of the federal funds rate, can set off a chain of events that will affect other short-term interest rates, longer-term interest rates, the foreign exchange value of the dollar, and stock prices. In turn, changes in these variables will affect households' and businesses' spending decisions, thereby affecting growth in aggregate demand and the economy.
Short-term interest rates, such as those on Treasury bills and commercial paper, are affected not only by the current level of the federal funds rate but also by expectations about the overnight federal funds rate over the duration of the short-term contract. As a result, short-term interest rates could decline if the Federal Reserve surprised market participants with a reduction in the federal funds rate, or if unfolding events convinced participants that the Federal Reserve was going to be holding the federal funds rate lower than had been anticipated. Similarly, short-term interest rates would increase if the Federal Reserve surprised market participants by announcing an increase in the federal funds rate, or if some event prompted market participants to believe that the Federal Reserve was going to be holding the federal funds rate at higher levels than had been anticipated.
Expansionary monetary policy actions: Decrease interest rates
- Reduce the target fed funds rate
- Open market operations: buy securities
- Reduce reserve requirements
Decrease the discount rate
Contractionary monetary policy actions: Increase interest rates
- Increase the target fed funds rate
- Open market operations: sell securities
- Increase reserve requirements
- Increase the discount rate
[Teacher Note: A great classroom lesson to illustrate the impact of these monetary policy options is: "Lesson 10: "Macroeconomic Stabilization Policies and Institutions," Focus: Institutions and Markets, Council for Economic Education, 2003 (also in the "Virtual Economics CD Rom.")]
Changes in short-term interest rates will influence long-term interest rates, such as those on Treasury notes, corporate bonds, fixed-rate mortgages, and auto and other consumer loans. Long-term rates are affected not only by changes in current short-term rates but also by expectations about short-term rates over the rest of the life of the long-term contract. Generally, economic news or statements by officials will have a greater impact on short-term interest rates than on longer rates because they typically have a bearing on the course of the economy and monetary policy over a shorter period; however, the impact on long rates can also be considerable because the news has clear implications for the expected course of short-term rates over a longer time period.
In the current economic environment of slow growth, high unemployment , and slow credit markets, the Fed has adopted a stimulatory policy. Given the very low level of interest rates, over the last year, the Federal Reserve has taken additional measures to open up financial markets and stimulate spending.
[Teacher Note: Students should be able to identify the intended impact when the Fed uses its various policy options and tools. If the Fed sells securities, what will happen? If the Fed reduces rates, what will happen? If the Fed increases reserve requirements, what will happen?]
During the recession, the Federal Reserve established several new programs to counter the "liquidity crisis" and the tight credit markets. These programs are intended to provide capital to different types of financial institutions "to strengthen market stability, improve the strength of financial institutions, and enhance market liquidity. Most of these special program have been ended or "wound down" in the past year.
The first of these new Fed programs was the Term Auction Facility (TAF), created to improve bank liquidity. The TAF "allows a depository institution to place a bid for an advance from its local Federal Reserve Bank at an interest rate that is determined as the result of an auction. By allowing the Federal Reserve to inject term funds through a broader range of counterparties and against a broader range of collateral than open market operations, this facility could help ensure that liquidity provisions can be disseminated efficiently even when the unsecured interbank markets are under stress."
The common thread in these Fed programs' goals is to improve the balance sheets of financial institutions by supporting the value of their assets. One of the problems with bank holding has been uncertainty about the underlying value of the securities they hold. By replacing the banks' securities, such as mortgaged-backed securities, with those with more secure values, confidence in the banks will increase. In a more stable market with more predictable asset values, more narrowing and lending should result.
Remember, the Fed has two mandates, established by the Congress with the Employment Act of 1946. They are price stability (low inflation) and full employment. These two goals are often in conflict. When the economy is growing too slowly, demand for goods/services is low, and there is no anticipation of inflation. When growth is slow or negative, unemployment tends to be higher.
When the economy is growing too quickly, the opposite tends to result, higher inflation and low unemployment. Recently, the unemployment rate has fallen to just below 8 percent, but remains well above an acceptable level. With low inflation, Fed policy can focus on growth and stimulating employment.
The Federal Reserve is charged with using monetary policies to promote growth, promote full-employment and maintain stable prices. The FOMC committed to an expansionary set of policies at the beginning of the recession in 2008 and has added additional actions since that time.
The January 30, 2013, FOMC meeting resulted in essentially the same policies as have been identified over the last couple of years - low interest rates, programs to provide banking system liquidity, and a generally stimulatory policy.
While the FOMC's initial statement was mildly optimistic, the extension of the current low fed fund rate target until unemployment drops to below 6.5 percent was recognition that the economic recovery may be a long process.
What can either the Fed, Congress, or the executive branch do to speed up the recovery?
Take a look at data about your school's regional Federal Reserve district bank. 12 regional Federal Reserve banks serve the United States.
From the Map of the Twelve Federal Reserve System Districts , students should identify the Federal Reserve district bank that serves their school's geographic area.
Students can explore their Federal Reserve district bank's web site for information about the economic health of their region and programs available to area businesses and consumers.
Discussion Questions:
- Are economic conditions in your region of the United States similar, better or worse than national economic conditions? Growth? Employment/unemployment? Price level changes?
- Are there any particular characteristics about your region that impact it's economic health - better or worse than other regions?
- What do the president and/or other leaders of your Federal Reserve Bank have say about current regional economic conditions?
What programs and information services does your Federal Reserve Bank offer to businesses, consumers or schools?
Take another look at the map of the regional Federal Reserve Banks. Do the sizes and boundaries of the twelve regions make sense to you? Remember, this map was drawn in 1913 when the population and level of economic activity of the western and southern regions was very much smaller.
[Teacher Note: Ask: Do you think the map would look different if the regions were established and the map was drawn today?]
[Note: Some Federal Reserve district banks have extensive educational resources and others do not. Go to www.federalreserveeducation.org to access these publications.]


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Washington • Congress hurried to approve legislation Friday that will end the furloughs of air traffic controllers that have delayed hundreds of flights daily, infuriating travelers and causing political headaches for lawmakers.
The House approved the measure on a 361-41 vote, a day after the Senate agreed to the bill. Friday's vote came as lawmakers prepared to leave town for a weeklong spring recess, a break that would have been less pleasant if they were confronted by constituents upset over travel delays.
Republicans accused the Obama administration of purposely furloughing controllers to pressure Congress to replace $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts known as the sequester that took effect last month at government agencies.
The White House and Democrats have argued that by law, the administration has little room to decide where the cuts fall. They want Congress to work on legislation lifting all of the cuts, which lawmakers noted have also caused reductions in Head Start preschool programs, benefits for the long-term unemployed and medical research.
White House press secretary Jay Carney said the president would sign the new bill, but he added, "The problem is this is just a Band-Aid solution."
During House debate, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had a similar complaint.
"How can we sit there and say, 'Four million Meals on Wheels for seniors, gone, but that's not important. Over 70,000 children off Head Start, but that's not important,' " Pelosi said.
The Federal Aviation Administration has furloughed the controllers as part of the governmentwide reductions. The bill would let the FAA use up to $253 million from airport improvement and other accounts to end the furloughs through the Sept. 30 end of the federal fiscal year.
In addition to restoring full staffing by controllers, the available funds can be used for other FAA operations, including preventing the closure of small airport towers around the country. The FAA had said it would shut the facilities to meet its share of the spending cuts.
The FAA said there had been at least 863 flights delayed on Wednesday "attributable to staffing reductions resulting from the furlough."
Administration officials participated in the negotiations that led to the deal and evidently registered no objections.


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Come Mr. Taliban, Tally Me Bananas
posted at 2:54 am on November 24, 2010 by Dafydd ab Hugh
Or should that be, "tell me I'm bananas?"
So Monday — the 292nd anniversary of the death of Blackbeard the pirate, but does anybody care? — the New York Times reported a curious controversy that surely is the most emblematic embarassment of the administration of Barack H. "Lucky Lefty" Obama:
For months, the secret talks unfolding between Taliban and Afghan leaders to end the war appeared to be showing promise, if only because of the appearance of a certain insurgent leader at one end of the table: Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, one of the most senior commanders in the Taliban movement.
But now, it turns out, Mr. Mansour was apparently not Mr. Mansour at all. In an episode that could have been lifted from a spy novel, United States and Afghan officials now say the Afghan man was an impostor, and high-level discussions conducted with the assistance of NATO appear to have achieved little.
Cue "Three Stooges" music: "Oh, a wiseguy, eh?"
I was not particularly startled by the fact that the Obamacle's negotiators cannot tell a Taliban from a tally-ho; with this duffer, who drills the ball into a knothole and calls it a hole in one, I expect nothing better.
But what really numbfounds me is the next line in the Times story:
"It's not him," said a Western diplomat in Kabul intimately involved in the discussions. "And we gave him a lot of money."
That is, evidently, we were under the mistaken impression that we were paying the Taliban to negotiate with us. One can only conclude that our progressive president is so desperate to show some progress (on anything!) that he's even willing to bribe our enemies to sit down and pretend to talk to us.
So upon consideration, I really can't feel all that upset about what happened over the past three months (red-faced and humiliated, sure, but not upset). When all is said, I'm actually rather grateful that all that money we've been forking over only went to a con man.
In fact, considering the alternative, I'd say we got a bargain.
Cross-posted on Big Lizards…


text:
Nov 19, 2013
Did you launch your master data management (MDM) initiative without an agency executive sponsor?
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� Best practices for launching a successful MDM initiative that delivers fast ROI
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Download this white paper today to learn from the experts how to get your agency's MDM initiatives right by avoiding the eight worst practices in master data management.


text:
From The Linux Foundation
CUPS Printing Setup Mini-HOWTO
A Tutorial from Till Kamppeter
This tutorial shows the basics of printing with CUPS, including
- Setting up local (USB, Parallel) PostScript and non-PostScript printers
- Multi-function devices
- Assigning an IP address to ethernet-connected printers
- Sharing printers in networks
- High availability - Redundant CUPS queues and servers
- Sharing printers to Windows boxes with Samba
- and more ...
Read it here ...
The document is written in HTML and the PDF is generated from the HTML source using HTMLDOC. All files needed to generate the PDF file you can download here. Run "htmldoc --batch tut.book" for directly producing the PDF or "htmldoc tut.book" to get a graphical tool to configure the PDF layout.
... and discuss about it here!
You can discuss the tutorial in linuxprinting.general.
Older Tutorial
And here is an older printing tutorial which Till has given together with Kurt Pfeifle on the Linux-Kongress 2002 in Germany. Note that this one is still based in Foomatic 2.x, but it contains some subjects not covered by the new tutorial.


text:
Renren: Rare Q1 Profit, But Analysts Hate It Anyways
China's failing Facebook Renren (RENN) reported a rare profitable quarter this week, thanks to capital gain from short-term investments and equity stake sale. The last time Renren reported net profit was the fourth quarter of 2011.
Renren reported $24.9 million revenue, down 19% from a quarter ago and 40% from a year ago. Gross margin dropped 7.2 percentage poitns to 35%. But Renren reported net profit of $36.1 million, thanks to $27.1 million gain on short-term investments and $57.1 million gain on sale of remaining stake of Nuomi.
Shares of Renren rose 7.5% in the last two trading sessions, closing the week at $3.41.
But analysts continue to dislike this stock. Renren said its second-quarter revenue would be somewhere between $21 and $23 million, lower than the consensus $27 million.
The only thing going for Renren is its $854 million cash pile, according to Deutsche Bank analysts Vivian Hao and Alan Hellawell III. They assign no value to Renren's operating business and give this stock a $2.29 price target, derived from dividing Renren's cash pile by shares outstanding.
Pacific Crest agrees. "Despite valuation support for RENN from a $985 million cash balance, we would remain on the sidelines due to low visibility into potential catalysts, particularly in the gaming market, and potential cash burn in subsequent quarters," noted analyst Cheng Cheng.


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Hotels in Rotorua
Rotorua Hotels
351 Kearoa Rd, Horohoro, Rotorua, New Zealand Rotorua - Rotorua, New Zealand
4 Barnard Rd, Rotorua, New Zealand Rotorua - Rotorua, New Zealand
31 Flemington Place, Brunswick Park, Rotorua, New Zealand Rotorua - Rotorua, New Zealand
1495 Pukuatua Street, Rotorua, 3010, New Zealand Rotorua - 3010, Rotorua, New Zealand
1140 Hinemoa St, Rotorua, New Zealand Rotorua - Rotorua, New Zealand
41 Operiana Street, Ngongotaha, Rotorua, New Zealand Rotorua - Rotorua, New Zealand
245 Fenton Street, Rotorua, 3201, New Zealand Rotorua - 3201, Rotorua, New Zealand
Rotorua has so many attractions that it is difficult to describe them all. From natural wonders to a village buried by a volcano, every visitor can find something of interest. The buried village is Te Wairoa which was destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Tarawera in 1886. The excavated site is now a living museum and village descendants serve as the guides. The tour begins in the Museum of Te Wairoa. There is much unique wildlife in New Zealand and some of it can be seen at the Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park. The park is open 24 hours so visitors can view the nocturnal animals too. EasyToBook.com offers many fine accommodations in the way of budget hotels in Rotorua near the attractions.While in Rotorua you should visit Hell's Gate which is a thermal area with hot springs, warm mineral pools, geysers and an active mud volcano. There are amazing boiling pools of mud that contain health benefitting minerals. Visitors can experience a mud bath or mask first hand at the Hells Gate Wai Ora Spa. For those who would like to understand more about the history of the city the Rotorua Museum of Art and History will do. The museum has extensive cultural and historical exhibits that describe the life and times of the Arawa and Maori cultures. These are just some of the interesting attractions close to discount hotels in Rotorua.


text:
Vows on ice
Pembroke couple renews wedding vows at Manchester Monarchs game
By PAUL FEELY
New Hampshire Union Leader | February 16. 2014 7:22PM
"It was also a bit of a mess," said Boucher, of Pembroke.
That's because Boucher and her husband of 11 years, Steve, beat out SallyAnn and Marc Trepanier of Merrimack in a doughnut eating contest Friday night for the grand prize in the "Twice as Nice on Ice" contest, sponsored by the Monarchs, WZID and Bellman Jewelers.
"We had submitted information to him prior to the game, so the vows he used were actually personalized for us, and pretty funny," said Boucher. "He did a great job. We had some friends and family there in the stands, and we could hear some people laughing and cheering."
"I consider myself a hockey widow, my husband is always going to games," said Boucher. "We talked about renewing our vows last year for our 10th anniversary, but then life happened and we never did. So this was a great chance to make it happen, and what a great spot for it."
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text:
More carbon dioxide in the atmosphere means a noisier ocean
Fenella Saunders
Carbon dioxide has gained notoriety as a "greenhouse gas"; it's one of the major waste products from human industrial activities that contribute to climate change. However, the gas that we release into the atmosphere is also absorbed into the oceans at a rate of about a million tons per hour. Seawater reacts with carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid, decreasing the pH of the oceans. This outcome has its own environmental impacts, such as damage to coral reefs and aquatic-animal respiration, but it also has a secondary consequence: It decreases the ocean's ability to absorb low-frequency sound.
Oceanographers Tatiana Ilyina and Richard Zeebe of the University of Hawaii, along with geochemist Peter Brewer of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California, report in the December 20 issue of Nature Geoscience that lowering the pH of the ocean by 0.6 units could decrease underwater low-frequency sound absorption by more than 60 percent. "Ocean acidification is not only affecting the chemistry of the ocean, but it also affects the basic physical properties," says Ilyina.
The ocean surface's average pH is currently estimated to be around 8.1, and to have dropped from about 8.2 since around 1800, before the industrial revolution took off, says Zeebe. A reduction of 0.1 units does not sound like much, but pH units are on a logarithmic scale, so a drop of one unit corresponds to a tenfold increase in acidity.
Using projections of fossil-fuel CO2 emissions over the next century from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the researchers calculated changes for seawater pH at the surface and at a depth of 1 kilometer, along with the corresponding changes in sound absorption at several frequencies below 10 kilohertz. In the IPCC's "moderate" scenario, in which CO2 emissions remain at a constant level, pH drops by about 0.6 units at the ocean's surface, and by about 0.2 to 0.4 units at depth.
The corresponding lowering of sound absorption depends on location and frequency. At a frequency of about 200 hertz, the drop ranges from about 10 to about 50 percent. Across all frequencies, the change is largest in the polar regions, because the colder water absorbs more CO2 and thus has a greater pH change.
Changes in pH can impact the deep ocean because at about 1 kilometer down, the properties of temperature and pressure combine to produce a "channel" of water in which sound can propagate for many thousands of kilometers. Whales and other marine life make use of this channel for long-range communication. Most human-made ocean noise forms at the surface, but it can reflect and refract down into this channel as well.
Although the vast majority of sound loss in the ocean is due to distance, reflections and turbulence, the pH- dependent component of the ocean's sound absorbance comes from resonance reactions in natural salts, namely boric-acid compounds and magnesium sulfate. The reaction is similar for both, but it's more straightforward in magnesium sulfate, says Brewer: "The magnesium ion and the sulfate ion are attracted to each other—in human terms it's like they're dating—and in their normal state they exist with a single water molecule between them, like a courting couple would have a chaperone. When a sound wave comes through, it tends to squeeze that group together and the water molecule pops out, so our attracted couple just touches, ever so briefly. When the sound wave passes by, the water molecule jumps back in and separates the pair. And the work done to do that robs the sound wave of some energy." The problem is that as the ocean becomes more acidic, the ionized form of borate decreases, so there is less of the salt form to resonate and absorb sound.
Brewer emphasizes that this decreased-absorption effect is confined to a relatively small range of frequencies, between about 100 hertz and 10 kilohertz. He estimates that the effect will be most strongly felt around 200 to 600 hertz, over distances of roughly 100 miles. "We're talking 40 percent of a small effect, so it isn't a lot," he says. "On the other hand, 40 percent is a big number in itself; if any species is sensitive in that range, they would notice the change in that scale."
The affected range includes a large proportion of the frequencies used by marine organisms. Also, most human-generated ocean noise is in the range of 10 hertz to 1 kilohertz, and the volume is rising: The biggest component is shipping, and the number of ships worldwide has approximately doubled over the past 40 years. The researchers calculate that there could be "acoustic hotspots" that are most sensitive to changes in sound propagation, such as areas at the more extreme latitudes that also experience a lot of shipping.
"This effect has been off the radar screen, so to come along and say 'hey, what about this' is important," says Brewer. "It means there are new ways of looking at the Earth, it means we are nowhere near to running out of things that are going to change. We're fairly far down this greenhouse-gas road, and we're nowhere near to knowing what's going to happen to us. It's a strange new world we're getting into."
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text:
by IntraLinks
Jun 17, 2013
Intralinks (ticker: IL) recently announced general availability of its new Intralinks VIA service positioned to bring enterprise capabilities to the growing world of SaaS-based collaboration and workflow. Intralinks VIA is designed for especially for firms that value enterprise-grade security and granular administration control.
IDC believes there is a strong and growing role for these services to help many organizations offer their users convenient SaaS-based sharing, while "keeping the lid" on use of consumer-grade file sync and share services.
Intralinks VIA participates in what IDC calls the Enterprise Cloud Collaboration Content (eC3) market, positioned against popular "sync and share� services like Box, Dropbox, Huddle, and Citrix Sharefile, in the broader business collaboration market, but differentiated by more robust security, controls and other necessary features for enterprise use.


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RUSSIA: Ros Agro posts profit rise in H1
Russian food firm Ros Agro which has interests in sugar and meat has posted an increase in net profits for the first half of 2014.
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