text:
New Movie Releases: 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,' 'Winnie the Pooh'
Warner Bros.
This weekend, parents and kids will have plenty to choose from with two family-friendly movies opening nationwide.
The first is, of course, the long-awaited 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,' the eighth and final movie in the wildly popular franchise. Critics are raving 'Harry's' farewell, which is sure to help position it as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, movie of the year.
Not a 'Harry Potter' fan? You could always try Disney's 'Winnie the Pooh,' which finds the lovable gang on a quest to save Christopher Robin. Either way, families are sure to be satisfied with whatever they choose to see this weekend.
Below, check out a list of the biggest movies playing in theaters now.
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2′
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes and more
Get Tickets & Showtimes
'Winnie the Pooh'
Directed by:Stephen J. Anderson, Don Hall
Starring: Featuring the voices of John Cleese, Jim Cummings, Craig Ferguson and more
Get Tickets & Showtimes
Directed by: Frank Coraci
Starring: Kevin James, Rosario Dawson
Get Tickets & Showtimes
'Horrible Bosses'
Directed by: Seth Gordon
Starring: Jason Bateman, Charie Day, Jason Sudekis, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx
Get Tickets & Showtimes
'Larry Crowne'
Directed by: Tom Hanks
Starring: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts
Get Tickets & Showtimes
'Bad Teacher'
Directed by: Jake Kasdan
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Lucy Punch, Phyllis Smith, Justin Timberlake
Get Tickets & Showtimes
'The Green Lantern'
Directed by: Martin Campbell
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard
Get Tickets & Showtimes
'mr. popper's penguins'
Directed by: Mark Waters
Starring: Jim Carrey
Get Tickets & Showtimes
'Super 8′


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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Fleischer is responding to Matt Brodie, who speculates about the future of blogging, in a way makes the future sound dull. Here's Fleischer's point:
Unless blogs have an identifiable voice, they aren't much fun to read. Anyone who has been to a faculty meeting knows that cacophony trumps harmony. And blogging might start to feel more like work. And what do you do with law profs who just want to talk about personal stuff, not law?Is the secret of blogging fun? Fun to read, fun to write. And not just fun, play. Joy.


text:
There's an old joke about a tourist in New York City who asks a traffic cop how to get to Carnegie Hall. The wise-guy cop tells the traveler it takes lots of practice to make it to Carnegie.
There's an old joke about a tourist in New York City who asks a traffic cop how to get to Carnegie Hall. The wise-guy cop tells the traveler it takes lots of practice to make it to Carnegie.
Fifteen-year-old Nicolo Bautista has taken that joke to heart. Since the seventh-grade, Bautista, a Camden-Wyoming resident who attends St. Mark's High School in New Castle County, has dedicated one hour a day, four to five days a week, to either singing or playing a music instrument after school.
Having made All State Chorus each year since he was in seventh-grade, Bautista's hard work recently paid off again, earning him a performance at the illustrious Carnegie Hall as a member of the Honors Choir in the 2014 High School Honors Performance Series today.
The High School Honors Performance Series is a prestigious concert that challenges elite students to perform at their very best. During the performance, Bautista and his peers will perform six pieces.
Leading up to the performance, Bautista and his choir mates had the opportunity to rehearse and perform under master conductors, beginning on Thursday. Specifically, Bautista will work under Dr. Lynne Gackle, professor of ensembles and associate director of choral activities at Baylor University. Gackle is a clinician, conductor and adjudicator for choral clinics, honor choirs, workshops and festivals throughout the country and abroad.
Bautista is not only a member of the school's chorus, but he's also a member of its string ensemble, concert band and jazz band. He is also an honors student in academics.
"I feel very honored to be able to perform at a place where so many great musicians have performed," he said.


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Pelosi Floor Speech Urging House Republicans to Support Bipartisan Senate Violence Against Women Act, Take Responsibility to Find Solution to Sequester
Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi took to the House floor today to call upon House Republicans to enact the bipartisan, Senate-passed Violence Against Women Act and allow consideration of the House Democratic alternative to sequestration before debilitating across-the-board cuts take effect, harm our economy, and undermine job creation. Below are the Leader's remarks:
"Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I thank the gentle lady for yielding and for her leadership as the senior Democrat on the Rules Committee. Today, we have an interesting discussion. We are debating the rule that will enable us to bring to the floor the Violence Against Women Act. As part of the debate on the rule, [Democrats] are asking to [vote] 'no' on the previous question, which will enable us also to not only vote on the Violence Against Women Act, but enact completion, to go onto voting on a proposal that the Democrats have to resolve the sequester issue.
"I'll start first though with the Violence Against Women Act. You know, as of yesterday, it was over 500 days since the Violence Against Women Act had expired. Reauthorization is long overdue. Last year, the Senate, in a bipartisan way, passed a bill that was comprehensive, that did the job. The Senate – the House Republicans resisted that. Here we are again, this year, last week, the House Republicans – the Senate, the Senate in a bipartisan way, passed 78-22, the Violence Against Women Act, which is comprehensive and does the job. That means 78 percent of the Senate voted – 78 percent of the Senate voted for this Violence Against Women Act. It means, also, that all of the women in the Senate – Democrats and Republicans alike – voted for this act. It also means that a majority of the Republicans in the Senate, a majority of the Republicans in the Senate voted for this comprehensive Violence Against Women Act.
"So, the Senate has passed it overwhelmingly with a majority of Republicans supporting it. The President stands ready to sign it. Democrats in the House support it, we have our own, we'll call upon that, [the] leadership of Gwen Moore, who has a similar bill in the House. We stand ready to support the Senate version. The Senate has passed it, we support it, the President's ready to sign it. Once again, the Republicans in the House are the obstacles to passing this legislation.
"It's a – I just, it's really hard to explain to anyone why we would say to the women of America: 'women of America step forward, we are stopping violence against women – not so fast if you're an immigrant, not so fast if you're a member of the LGBT community, not so fast if you're a Native American.' What is that? Violence against some women, but not others? And quite frankly, the groups that are excluded by the House bill are the groups that are in most need of protection against violence. So, I would hope that in the course of the debate that we will move onto on the Violence Against Women Act, that we will all open our hearts to what is needed to reduce violence in the lives of America's women.
"In the meantime, we have a procedure that is not preferable, preferable, we have asked over and over again, as the distinguished gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Van Hollen has said: this will be the third time we were asked to get a vote on a Democratic alternative. The American people want to know why – why can't we pass something to avoid sequester, sequestration? We have this proposal that is, that is fair, that does make cuts, that does produce revenue, that does not impede growth with jobs in our economy. And all we want is a vote, why can't – why do we have to beg, hat in hand, for a vote on the floor of the House in this marketplace of ideas?
"What are the Republicans afraid of? They may be afraid that it will win because it is, makes so much sense, that their Members may be attracted to vote for it, or they may not want to put their Members on record voting against something that is so balanced, that is so commonsense driven, that is a solution – a solution to sequestration. What does sequestration mean? Well, whatever it means, this is what it equals: sequestration equals unemployment, sequestration equals job loss. And we just came, we cannot have a slowing down of our economic growth, we cannot afford the, losing the 700,000 jobs – that's the low estimate that has been put forth by economists and by the Congressional Budget Office itself.
"So, all we're hoping is that on the previous question, we urge people to vote 'no' on the previous question, which means that we would then be allowed to come to the floor to take up the Violence Against Women Act and also to take up the sequestration bill. It is, really, something that deserves debate on the floor of the House. The Republican leadership has said: 'well, we voted on that last year.' Last year was another Congress. That Congress ended. How to make a law: Congress ends, a new Congress – we have an election, a new Congress begins, the Constitution says: 'bills that relate to revenue, or to appropriations must begin in the House.' So, they say: 'we did it last year;' doesn't count, 'let the Senate begin,' that's not what the Constitution says.
"So, let us take our responsibility and not be afraid of the ideas that people sent us here to discuss. We don't have to agree on every point, but we certainly should have an opportunity on the floor of the House. People across the country are talking about this. You can't turn on any media without them talking about this. The only place we can't talk about it, or get a vote on it, is on the floor of the House of Representatives.
"Just plain wrong. I urge a 'no' vote on the previous question and a 'no' vote on the Republican Violence Against Women Act, and a 'yes' vote on the bipartisan Senate bill, when we have an opportunity to vote on that.
"And with that, I yield back to the distinguished Ranking Member."


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Personal Finances
Courses listed below are $109 each (unless otherwise indicated), 24 contact hours, and 2.4 CEUs*
Finances & Investments
Please click here to access specific information regarding each course.
Keys to Successful Money Management
Personal Finance
Where Does all my Money Go?
The Analysis and Valuation of Stocks
Introduction to Stock Options
Real Estate Investing
Stocks, Bonds, and Investing: Oh, My!
New courses are added on a regular basis. Click here to search our entire catalog.
To register for our 6-week instructor-facilitated online courses you may select one of the following options:
- Click here to access our online classroom. Next select a course title or enter a title in the search bar. Then click on "Add to Cart" next to the course description. Select a start date, click continue (or Continue Shopping to add another course), and login. If you are a new student you will need to create an account. After signing in you will have the following 3 payment options:
- Purchase Now (select this option to pay immediately by credit card)
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- Once you have completed the enrollment process:
- call our office (229-245-6484) and provide us with payment information,
- Mail a check to VSU Continuing Education, 1500 N Patterson St, Valdosta GA, 31698-0435,
- Stop by our office located in the Regional Center for Continuing Education at 903 N Patterson Street, Valdosta GA.
- Once you have completed the enrollment process:
- Already Paid (If you called or sent in your registration to our office previously)
- Call our office (229-245-6484) and provide your registration and payment information.
- Stop by our office and drop off your registration and payment (Click here for registration form). We are located in the Regional Center for Continuing Education at 903 N Patterson Street, Valdosta GA and we love to meet our customers!
- Once your registration is processed we will send you an email confirmation with instructions for completing the course orientation. As you did not enroll through the Online Classroom Center you will be asked to select a payment option (Already Paid in this case). As you already paid through our office, just select "Already Paid" and you will gain access to your classroom.
Click here for a list of starting dates.
Additional online course categories:
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text:
we finished testing the Pioneer DVR-108 drive, Pioneer sent us the
DVR-A08XLA (retail version) with a new firmware
(v1.10) that
promised a lot, with lowered writing times and improved writing quality.
In this review, we mainly test the DVR-A08's writing quality with
several DVD
media and we also check whether the various negative points mentioned
in the DVR-108 review, have been fixed with the new firmware.
New readers are advised, before proceeding, to read the Pioneer
DVR-108 review that contains the full reading tests.
- What are the main differences between the DVR-108 and DVR-A08XL series?
Probably, most users have this question in mind when reading the reviews.
We have already answered this question in our Pioneer
DVR-108 review, but we will repeat it one more time for new users.
Generally speaking, the DVR-108 and DVR-A08XL drives have exactly
the same reading/writing specs and performance but not the same "hardware".
Pioneer manufactures the DVR-108 drives for other manufacturers
(OEM), while it supplies the retail version as the DVR-A08 offering
an advanced feature called "QuietDrive" technology.
According to Pioneer, "...QuietDrive features a honeycomb design
in the unit's top outer casing that reduces vibration from the drive
mechanism. Together with noise dampening firmware and the lack of an
integral fan, ambient noise from the DVR-A08XL is significantly reduced..."
Another difference is the front bezel design, which is very
well designed for the DVR-A08XL series. Lastly, the OEM version (DVR-108A)
does not include any kind of software (Recording/Authoring) nor any
DVD-R/RW media.
If you are wondering which drive you should buy, we could
say, the retail price will make your mind up for you.
The DVR-108 is already being sold on the market for a low enough price,
so the DVR-A08XL will
be priced
a little higher
(you pay for QuietDrive feature and good looking design). But you won't
notice any performance differences between the two:-)
- Specifications
The Pioneer DVR-A08 supports 16X DVD±R, 4X DVD±RW
and 4X DVD+R DL writing according to the official specifications. As
a CD recorder it supports 32X CD-R and 24X US-RW writing along with
40X CD-ROM reading. Below are the full specs for the drive:
The drive does not support Mount Rainier, as is the case with most new DVD
recorders, for either of the CD or DVD formats. It uses the well known RPC
II region control, allowing
a user to change the drive's region at most 5 times. Till now, there has been
no known way to make the drive region free.
Below are the drive's main characteristics as given by NeroInfoTool.
and DVDInfoPro:
- The Package
We received a retail Pioneer DVR-A08XLA from Pioneer.
The drive is also available with black bezel under a different
code name (DVR-A08XLB):
All retail packages include MyDVD Deluxe v5.3,
DLA (Drive Letter Access) v4.9, RecordNow! v7.2, Simple Backup v5.0
and CinePlayer software v2.0.1.
The front bezel on the drive is probably the nicest we have seen on
an ODD device, with Pioneer's logo at the center as well as the DVD-R/RW,
DVD Multi and US-RW logos. Pioneer also includes the 16X16 logo that
helps users distinguish the drive's
main writing speeds.
On the rear you can find the analogue and digital audio outputs
(SPDIF), the IDE master/slave/cs selection pins, the IDE connector and
the power input. There are even vent holes for a fan, however one is
The top of the drive includes the identification sticker with the
code number, serial number, manufacture date and place of manufacture
in China"), as well as various approvals among
other things:
The top also includes the honeycomb design in the unit's top outer casing that reduces vibration from the drive mechanism
Removing the screws and opening the drive's cover voids the drive's warranty. For reference reasons, we post the following pictures. Click on the photos for an enlarged view.
The main chipset is from NEC and its part number is NEC
D63635GM, which is used in combination with the NEC C333500:
- Installation
The device was connected to our test PC and was identified as "PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-108" under WinXP.
- Testing software
In order to perform our tests we used:


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Get Your Grill On!
This last week we finally had a taste of some real spring like weather with the sun shining and it getting warm enough to head out without a jacket! That means that grilling season is finally here! (Well, for those of us that were not willing to bundle up, get out and fire up the grill all winter long.) So dust off your barbecue, fire it up and get your grill on! Whether you are cooking for family or friends the warmer weather provides the perfect opportunity to move things outdoors, and who doesn't love to cook under open, sunny blue skies with fire! It's easy to cook an entire meal on the grill with everything from mains like juicy steaks, meat on a stick, burgers and sandwiches to sides like grilled vegetables and even desserts with grilled fruits. Below you will find a few of my favourite recipes for the grill and I am looking forward to sharing some new ones this summer! Happy grilling!
Spinach and Feta Chicken Burgers (aka Spanakopita Burgers) with Grilled Halloumi, Roasted Red Peppers and a Spinach and Feta Sauce


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Warren Niles scored 25 points and Damen Bell-Holter had 24 points and 14 rebounds as Oral Roberts defeated Sam Houston State 74-64 Thursday night.
Korey Billbury added 13 points for the Golden Eagles (15-10, 10-3 Southland), who shot 52 percent from the field and hit 22 of 27 free throws.
James Thomas and Will Bond scored 11 points apiece for Sam Houston State (13-11, 6-6), and Terrance Motley had 10. Thomas and Motley also had eight rebounds each.
The Bearkats shot 38 percent from the field while making just 7 of 24 3-point attempts and 11 of 20 free throws.
The victory gave Oral Roberts a sweep of the season series, following a 65-61 overtime victory on Jan. 19 in Huntsville, Texas.


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His cell was small with a door at each end. One door had a slot at the bottom through which his food was passed once a day. The other was a solid plate steel door with heavy steel rivets lining the outside edge. It looked massive and impenetrable. The man began marking the days on the wall as his sentence began.
After eight long years the wall was literally full of marks and he realized he'd have to begin marking on another wall. As he pondered which wall to begin marking next, he sat down with his back to the "impenetrable" door and leaned back to consider his options. As he did, the door moved about and inch and allowed a blinding shaft of light and a fresh breeze of air in.
In shock he lept from the floor and stared in unbelief and utter dismay at what had just happened and moreover; what might happen next. He held his breath as he reached out his hand and pushed. Sure enough, the door creaked open wide and he walked most quietly and happily out the door to his freedom.
So many people are like the man in the Spanish dungeon. They live their lives incarcerated behind walls of hate, anger, unforgiveness and countless other maladies not even knowing that the moment of their freedom is at hand. All they need do is look for the door.
In John 10:9 Jesus said, "I am the door; if anyone enters through me, he shall be saved and go in and out"
Liberty and freedom can be found if you go through the door.
So give it to Jesus today. Isn't it time to let go? Jesus is the door to your healing and forgiveness is the path to peace in this life and the life to come.
Mike Martin is the pastor of the Life Seed Church in Lamar Colo.


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Early in 2012, Scott's Investments added a daily Ivy Portfolio spreadsheet to track the 10 month moving average signals for two portfolios listed in Mebane Faber's book The Ivy Portfolio: How to Invest Like the Top Endowments and Avoid Bear Markets. Faber discusses 5, 10, and 20 security portfolios that have trading signals based on long-term moving averages. The Ivy Portfolio spreadsheet tracks the 5 and 10 ETF Portfolios listed in Faber's book. When a security is trading below its 10 month simple moving average, the position is listed as "Cash." When the security is trading above its 10 month simple moving average the positions is listed as "Invested."
The spreadsheet's signals update once daily (typically in the late evening) using dividend/split adjusted closing price from Yahoo Finance. The 10 month simple moving average is based on the most recent 10 months including the current month's most recent daily closing price. Even though the signals update daily, it is not an endorsement to check signals daily. It simply gives the spreadsheet more versatility for users to check at his or her leisure.
The page also displays the percentage each ETF within the Ivy 10 and Ivy 5 Portfolio is above or below the current 10 month simple moving average, using both adjusted and unadjusted data. If an ETF has paid a dividend or split within the past 10 months, then when comparing the adjusted/unadjusted data you will see differences in the percent an ETF is above/below the 10 month SMA. This could also potentially impact whether an ETF is above or below its 10 month SMA. Regardless of whether you prefer the adjusted or unadjusted data, it is important to remain consistent in your approach. My preference is to use adjusted data when evaluating signals.
The current signals based on January's closing prices are below. Despite their recent pullback, U.S. equities continue to show strength although bonds have rallied above their 10 month simple moving average.
The first table is based on adjusted historical data and the second table is based on unadjusted price data. Adjusted data is my preferred method for averaging prices; however, if you use a charting or financial site which uses unadjusted prices, you may see moving average signals closer to those in the unadjusted table:
I also provide a "Commission-Free" Ivy Portfolio spreadsheet as an added bonus. This document tracks the 10 month moving averages for four different portfolios designed for TD Ameritrade, Fidelity, Charles Schwab, and Vanguard commission-free ETF offers.
Not all ETFs in each portfolio are commission free, as each broker limits the selection of commission-free ETFs and viable ETFs may not exist in each asset class. Other restrictions and limitations may apply depending on each broker.
Below are the 10 month moving average signals (using adjusted price data) for the commission-free portfolios:
Disclosure: No positions.


text:
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The four-day Wisconsin Science Festival kicks off Thursday with more than 150 events planned around the state.
The festival is based at the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery building on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus with numerous locations all around the city.
But presentations, workshops, film, lectures and other events are planned in cities all over the state through Sunday.
Participating sites include children's museums in Eagle River, Milwaukee, La Crosse and Eau Claire, UW-Fond du Lac, and the Pewaukee Public Library.
This is the second year of the festival.


text:
By: Julie Montanaro
The Florida Highway Patrol is not yet releasing the names of the men who died in a fiery crash in Gadsden County Wednesday.
Lt. Leslie Herold says the four men killed in the wreck were from Alice, Texas. Herold says they were on their way to Davie, Florida to pick up a vehicle.
Herold says the vehicle will be examined tomorrow. He says the vehicle was so badly damaged by the impact of the crash and subsequent fire that troopers may never know why it ran off the road.
Herold says an extra fuel tank on the trailer ruptured in the crash and added fuel to the fire.
Herold says FHP is awaiting more information from the medical examiner before releasing the names of the men who died.
Gadsden County, FL - The Florida Highway Patrol is reporting that the accident occurred at 4:55 pm on Wednesday. The vehicle, a Dodge, (the model is still unknown) was towing a fifth wheel flatbed trailer and traveling eastbound on I-10. The Dodge left the roadway, continued into the woodline and collided with a tree. The vehicle caught fire, becoming fully engulfed.
Four people were killed. Notification of next of kin is pending-- so the victims' identities are not being released.
By: Bailey Myers
June 26, 2013
Gadsden County, FL - Florida Highway Patrol says one lane on I-10 was shut down between Chatahoochee and Greensborough this evening after a car ran off the road. Hours later-- crews are still on the scene.
Lt. Leslie Herold, Florida Highway Patrol: "First appearances are that the vehicle ran off the roadway for some unknown reason and into the tree line and then erupted into flames."
Only burnt pieces of metal remain of what was this vehicle and its trailer.
Still smouldering, the frame of it is too bent to identify, and the license plate too charred to decode.
One thing they do know is-- no one survived.
Lt. Leslie Herold, Florida Highway Patrol: "At this time we do not know how many folks, but we do know there are multiple fatalities."
Florida Highway Patrol responded to milemarker 170 in Gadsden County on eastbound I-10 just after five p.m. on Wednesday. An officer trying to piece the scene together believes the vehicle ran off the road and in an attempt to avoid hitting the trees directly-- someone turned the wheel.
Lt. Leslie Herold, Florida Highway Patrol: "Well there were people who stopped immediately and attempted to render aid but from what we are being told it erupted into flames almost immediately."
The passengers were stuck inside. Several rescue crews responded, but it was too late. At least one lane of eastbound traffic was blocked as police and firefighters tried to piece together how this all happened.
FHP tells us it will take some time to figure out how many people were in the vehicle and their identities.
WCTV will update you with more information as it becomes available.
Gadsden County, FL - A fatal accident occurred on I-10 this evening.
The accident happened at Mile Marker 170 in Gadsden County on the eastbound lanes between Greensboro and Chattahoochee.
The Florida Highway Patrol reports that troopers arrived on scene at 5:17pm.


text:
I liked these tips for cutting housing expenses from Consumer Credit Counseling Service www.cccsinc.org or www.cccsenespanol.org:
"Look for savings inside and outside your home – Start by evaluating some of your monthly services and determine which are absolutely necessary. Do you really need 250 channels, or could you live with basic cable or without cable at all?
- If you use your cell phone as your primary phone, consider disconnecting your land line. If you can't bear to part with your phone, cable and internet access, shop around. Many companies offer options to "bundle" these services together at a significant discount.
- Turn down the thermostat. According to a recent report by Consumer Reports, lowering the temperature by 5 or 10 degrees at night and when no one is at home can slash your energy bills by up to 20 percent per year. If you can't remember to change your thermostat, consider installing the programmable kind—they are available for as little as $30 and can add up to big savings.
- Reduce your grocery bill. By planning your meals, making a list before you shop and avoiding shopping while hungry, you can save substantially on your grocery bill. Compare prices on your staple items, buy in bulk when it is more cost effective, and avoid making more than weekly trips to the store. Watching for specials, such as "buy one, get one free" offers and using coupons can also maximize savings. Consider bringing your lunch to work—you can save $5 to $15 per day.
- Skyrocketing gas prices have taken a toll on everyone's wallet. Planning your trips to minimize driving times, carpooling, and using alternative modes of transportation when possible can all add up to savings at the pump.
Reduce Homeowners Insurance costs – Consider increasing your deductible, which can reduce your premiums, but will require you to pay more out of pocket if you make a claim. If you have more than one policy with the same insurance carrier, such as home and auto, you can typically get a 5 to 15 percent savings on your premium. You might also qualify for a discount if your home has smoke alarms, a monitored security system, or hurricane shutters.
Florida homeowners may also receive significant discounts in their insurance premiums by having a wind mitigation report. For about $150, homeowners can have a certified inspector evaluate their home's ability to withstand wind. In addition to receiving recommendations on how to better secure your home, you may be eligible for savings of hundreds of dollars or more per year. Visit www.mysafefloridahome.com for more information.
Evaluate your property taxes and explore homestead exemption – As the housing market boomed, so did the appraised value of many houses. If you think your property values are overestimated, you can request that they be reevaluated. If your appraised value is lowered, your taxes will also be reduced. Check your state's homestead exemption policy. In many states, filing for homestead exemption will reduce the taxable value of your home and may also limit your annual increases in property tax."
--source: from Consumer Credit Counseling Service www.cccsinc.org or ww.cccsenespanol.org:
The Frugal Duchess Booktique
The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store
Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues
Frugal Comic Book Connection
From Sharon Harvey Rosenberg: A Return to Frugal Living
Friday, October 12, 2007
Cutting the Land Line & Other Frugal Tips From CCCS
Posted by Frugal Duchess at 6:40 PM
1 comment:
- Leah Ingram said...
There's one more tip that I think is worthy of your very smart list: change out all of your incandescent lightbulbs for compact fluorescent lights. Sure, these bulbs cost a bit more upfront but from what I've been reading, they last 10 times as long, meaning you buy fewer bulbs over time. Also, they use less energy so even if, from time to time, you forget to turn off the lights when you leave a room, you won't be running up your electricity bill.
Leah Ingram
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
This program on physics is the last of five programs in the science se ction of the GED Connection series, which helps prepare students for t he GED exam. Physics is the study of forces that move things. Matter i s anything that takes up space or has a mass. The program features gue sts of various disciplines who explain specific applications of physic s concepts. The first segment uses the physics of roller coasters to e xplain the three laws of motion. Energy is defined as the ability to d o work; work involves moving something by using a force at a distance. Potential and kinetic energy are discussed. There are three Test Con nection" segments where the host underscores previous lessons dealing with the three laws of motion, the relationship between space flight a nd the laws of thermodynamics involving heat; and how to apply informa tion about sound waves in helping students to read charts on the GED e xam and beyond. A segment called "The Science of Sound" presents a phy sics teac
There are no upcoming air times for this episode.
Funding for GED Connection is provided in part by:


text:
CRYSTAL LAKE – What started as a modest company food drive turned into a 2,000 pound collection by one Crystal Lake company.
Gallant Building Solutions delivered 2,392 pounds of food to the Crystal Lake Food Pantry Wednesday, a number employees never imagined they could reach. The original goal was to reach 1,000 pounds.
"It was insane what came in," said Gallant Project Accountant Allison Ruckoldt, who played a large part in encouraging employees to take part in the two-week food drive. "It became clear [Monday] that we made [our goal]. And we way made it. Killed it."
Along with the 2,000 pounds of nonperishable food, Gallant employees collected $1,000 that will go to the Crystal Lake Food Pantry. Gallant President Kevin Krak said he would match whatever the company collected, and added an additional $2,392 that went to the food pantry.
The cash donations help "round out the plate," said Gallant Account Manager Ali Helland. "They might have the green beans and the rice, but might not have the meat. So they'll use the cash to get those type of items."
Helland said that the food drive was both an opportunity to help the community and a chance to bring employees closer together.
"I think it was a morale builder," she said. "People wanted to do something that they weren't going to get individual prizes for. It was just something good for the community, and that felt really good. A lot of people go without food right here in our backyard."
"It definitely brought people together, Ruckoldt said. "It was something outside of work that was almost like a stress reliever."
Gallant Building Solutions is a construction company based in Crystal Lake with clients all across North America.
The Crystal Lake Food Pantry is governed by local Christian churches and collects food supplies for Crystal Lake individuals and families in need.


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Officials at Dallas L. Winchester Senior Center recently announced that the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) awarded $15,505 in Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) tax credits to the Center, one of 217 Indiana nonprofit organizations selected in the State for participation in the program.
NAP Tax Credits may be awarded to individuals or corporations who donate a minimum of $100 (cash, check, credit card or stock). Donors receive half the amount of the gift as a credit on their Indiana Department of Revenue taxes. However, the entire amount of the gift is considered a charitable contribution. For example, a gift of $1000 to Dallas L. Winchester Senior Center results in a $500 tax credit against State of Indiana taxes. Therefore, a gift of $1000 with $500 NAP credits costs the taxpayer the same as a $500 gift without NAP credits. In essence, the taxpayer is giving the amount paid to the State of Indiana to Dallas L. Winchester Senior Center, when they receive NAP credits.
"We are very grateful for these tax credits," says Beverly Ferry, CEO of Living Well in Wabash County CoA, Inc., the agency that operates the Senior Center. "NAP credits provide a win-win for the Center and the donor."
According to Ferry, recent funding changes and challenges have become threats to the basic services offered by Living Well in Wabash County CoA, Inc. While the actual Senior Center does not receive State or Federal funds, there is a trickledown effect on the Senior Center. "Regardless of the reasons for cutbacks, what this means is the possibility of losing some of the life-sustaining services people of all ages depend on such as food, transportation, nutrition, and resources," she said.
We depend on donations to continue programs and services that reach more than 8,000 Wabash County seniors each year," added Ferry. "Our senior population is growing, which means donations are needed more than ever. The NAP credits help meet this need."
According to Ferry, seniors benefit from services offered at the Senior Center such as nutrition, exercise, lifelong learning, health insurance counseling, legal services and from the social interaction which combats loneliness—one of the primary threats facing older adults. When asked, the majority of seniors using the Senior Center cite fellowship with peers as the best reason to participate.
To purchase NAP credit from the Senior Center, please contact Maggie Wimberly at 260-563-4475. Credits are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) offers $2.5 million in tax credits annually for distribution by not-for-profit corporations. Organizations use NAP tax credits as an incentive to help them leverage more contributions from individuals and businesses for certain neighborhood-based programs and projects.
Eligible projects include affordable housing, counseling, child-care, educational assistance, emergency assistance, job training, medical care, recreational facilities, downtown rehabilitation and neighborhood commercial revitalization. All projects must benefit economically disadvantaged areas and/or persons.
The NAP program follows the state fiscal year from July 1 to June 30. The maximum tax credit award per organization per fiscal year is $40,000.00. Tax credits are distributed to donors at 50 percent of the contribution amount and are subtracted from a donor's state income tax liability. Indiana Code 6-3.1-9 established the NAP program
All activities and services of this program must be provided without regard to race, age, color, religion, sex, disability, nationality, ancestry nor status as a Veteran.


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Here is a picture of Rory, my husband, and me. We sent this out as our Christmas card. :D]
Printable View
Here is a picture of Rory, my husband, and me. We sent this out as our Christmas card. :D]
what a nice picture! I need to have somebody take a picture of my boyfriend, Paris and me. I have pics of him and Paris (that I took) and of me and Paris (that he took) but none of all 3 of us!
That's lovely, what a wonderful photo and I bet everyone loved receiving it as a Christmas card.
What a lovely photo of all of you.
A really nice pic; Rory is so calm! He has a beautiful face. I really need to get a friend to do some pics of me with the boys; I only have one and I am making a very silly face as I was whispering in Jaspar's ear and I look like a fish...! :|
Thank you, all! I've never posted a pic of myself before on the other board, so I was nervous. But I figured only the more common posters have made it over here so far, so I felt more comfortable. :)
My mother took this pic right before they left after Thanksgiving. I made her take a bunch until she got a good one because I knew I wanted a pic of the 3 of us for our Christmas card. (This was before Shiloh came home! Actually, only a week or 2 after she had left. :cry: ) So if you try to get someone to take a pic of you, make them take a ton! And use a digital so you can be sure you got a good one! :)
(I heart digital cameras. you can never take too many pictures. :D)
Rory has a great looking Mom and Dad...SO nice to put a face to the posts.... :lol:
What a nice picture! See.. we don't bite! :) Thanks for posting your happy family.
What a nice picture. Rory is adorable, he has such a sweet expression.
Thanks!! We'll have to do another family shot now that Shiloh (our service-dog-in-training-flunk-out) is back for good! :)


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An aerial survey of the coast after Hurricane Isaac found significant erosion of coastal marshes. But it may have also unveiled another ongoing problem in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes that dates back further.
An aerial survey of the coast after Hurricane Isaac found significant erosion of coastal marshes. But it may have also unveiled another ongoing problem in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes that dates back further.
Scientists observed significant areas of what's known as "brown marsh" in the Terrebonne and Barataria basins, according to a news release from the U.S. Geological Survey National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette. Brown marsh is widespread areas of dying marsh, named for the color the grass turns.
The flight last week surveyed areas from the Wax Lake Delta in the Atchaflaya Basin, just west of Terrebonne Parish, to Ship Island, Miss.
"Louisiana's coastal land loss is the greatest environmental, economic and cultural tragedy on the North American Continent, and marsh dieback exacerbates this ongoing disaster," said Phil Turnipseed, National Wetlands Research Center director. "The National Wetlands Research Center is dedicated to continuing to investigate the causes of land loss in order to provide decision makers with information that can help reduce land loss in the future."
There were previous reports of sudden marsh dieback in the spring and summer of 2012, before Isaac, according to the Geological Survey. That means areas of dieback have been increasing over time and were likely not the result of the storm.
Brown marsh can increase erosion along the coast because if the dieback is extensive enough, wetland plants will lose the root systems that hold land together. As the plants die, the elevation of the marsh sinks when the roots deteriorate, turning marsh to shallow open water.
The first major episode of marsh browning occurred around 2000 when nearly 25,000 acres of Louisiana marsh were affected. Turnipseed said the dieback that year coincided with extreme drought and one of the lowest river levels ever recorded.
Marsh browning began popping up again this summer, and Turnipseed said what's occurring this year is worse than anything seen since 2000. But what's mystifying scientists is that though river levels have been low, this has been a very rainy year in Louisiana.
Scientists want to do more aerial surveys along the coast to continue studying this year's dieback to get to the cause of the phenomenon, he said.
The cause of sudden dieback is still under debate but may be cyclical depending on climate conditions, sea level changes and other environmental factors.
"We've got to get a handle on this because it really exacerbates land loss," Turnipseed said.
Every acre of marsh counts in Louisiana. Coastal Louisiana has already lost a wetland area the size of Delaware over the last 78 years, a total of about 1,883 square miles, according to a 2011 USGS National Wetlands Research Center study.
Isaac's salty storm surge also appeared to have caused browning and destruction in the marshes east of the Mississippi River.
Damage to wetlands from Isaac's surge was substantial but not unprecedented, the aerial survey found. Damage was recorded across southeast Louisiana but was worst in areas of upper Breton Sound near the hard-hit community of Braithwaite, which experienced extensive flooding. Wetlands in the area had just recently begun to recover from damage incurred during hurricanes Katrina and Gustav, and the storm aggravated those areas.
Significant wetland damage from the storm was also observed on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain near Slidell, around the Rigolets and the mouth of the Pearl River and on the Chandeleur Islands.
Fewer trees were knocked down by Isaac than past storms. Heavy layers of accumulated organic debris and trash left behind by the surge, known as "wrack fields," were also seen covering marsh, canals and railroads. In the short term, too much debris can kill wetlands. But eventually debris decomposes and wetlands can come back.
"The before and after images from coastal flyovers reveal some of the Gulf's most biologically and economically significant landscape disappearing before our very eyes, on human time scales," said U.S. Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt. "There are many compounding factors that lead to enhanced coastal vulnerability, with hurricanes sweeping in to deliver the coup de grace."
For more information about Hurricane Isaac's impacts, visit the USGS National Wetlands Research Center's Isaac page at www.nwrc.usgs.gov/hurricane/isaac.
Nikki Buskey can be reached at 857-2205 or email@example.com.


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NEW YORK -- A positive report on U.S. consumer spending helped push stocks mostly higher Friday for the first time in three days.
The gains were modest as investors continued to cut their holdings in biotechnology stocks, some of the best performing names of 2013. Instead, the stocks that advanced the most were mostly mature, large companies such as Microsoft, Exxon and Cisco Systems.
The Dow Jones Industrial average rose 58.83 points, or 0.4 percent, to 16,323.06. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 8.58 points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,857.62. The Nasdaq composite, which includes a number of large biotech companies, rose just 4.53 points, or 0.1 percent, to 4,155.76.
The biggest gainer in the Dow was Microsoft, which rose 94 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $40.30. The company announced Thursday that it was bringing Microsoft Office to the iPad and would shift its focus away from Windows, a move that analysts liked. Satya Nadella made the announcement in his first public appearance as the new leader of Microsoft.
"We continue to view (Office on the iPad) as a massive revenue and operating profit opportunity for Microsoft," analysts at Credit Suisse said in a report Thursday.
Microsoft helped lift other large technology companies, with Cisco Systems, Intel and Oracle up roughly 1 percent or more.
In contrast to technology, biotechnology had another horrible day. Gilead Sciences, Biogen Idec and Vertex Pharmaceuticals were all down 4 percent or more.
The higher they rise, the harder they fall, investors say. Biotechnology stocks had been among the hottest sectors in the stock market for the last two years, with the S&P 500 Biotechnology index rising 74 percent in 2013 and 38 percent in 2012.
That momentum stopped dead in the month of March. The S&P 500 Biotechnology index is down 12 percent this month alone, erasing all of the sector's gains in January and February.
The sell-off in biotech echoes the pullback investors have seen speculative technology stocks, such as Twitter, Netflix and Tesla Motors. Those stocks are down between 14 percent and 20 percent this month alone.
"The high-momentum names have lost all the traction they had in the past year," said John Fox, director of research at Fenimore Asset Management.
Investors were encouraged by news that Americans increased their spending last month, a hopeful sign for an economy that has been slowed by months of severe winter weather. The Commerce Department said consumer spending inched up 0.3 percent, a hair short of economists' forecasts. Incomes rose at the same pace.
"The economy is now reaching the point where it can shake off the weather-related excuses," Doug Cote, a market strategist for ING Investment Management, wrote in an email.
Investors will now turn their attention to next week's economic data, including the March jobs report due out Friday. Economists expect the U.S. economy, thawing from the harsh winter, created 200,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate remained steady at 6.6 percent.
In other markets, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note hovered around 2.72 percent, up from 2.69 percent Thursday. The price of crude oil edged up 39 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $101.67 a barrel. Gold was little changed at $1,293.80 an ounce.


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In his March 1 Op-Ed article UC Irvine historian Jon Wiener criticized the Nixon Library's "Patriot, President, Peacemaker" exhibit for glossing over Watergate, which prompted former library docent Paul Carter to write in a letter published Wednesday:
"Wiener is apparently upset that the Watergate exhibit is not the only display at the Nixon Library. All he sees about Nixon's life is Watergate. Of Nixon's 81 years, Watergate took up 26 months. There was much more to Nixon's life and presidency than Watergate.
"Wiener fails to mention that the grand opening of the Nixon Library's 'Patriot, President, Peacemaker' exhibit was presided over by U.S. National Archivist David S. Ferriero, a President Obama appointee. If Ferriero or the Obama administration had any issue with the Nixon Library, I have no doubt they would've handled it however they saw fit. That they chose to embrace 'Patriot, President, Peacemaker' flies in the face of Wiener's allegations.
"I suspect that what really bothers Wiener is that anyone, especially the younger generation, is willing to examine Nixon and his life without the myopic single-issue lens that has clouded so many others."


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The Bills need defensive tackle Marcell Dareus.
But it will be a few more days before they give him a chance to come back.
The troubled defensive tackle failed his conditioning test at the start of camp, and won't be given a chance to re-take it until Thursday, according to Sal Paolantonio of ESPN.
"Dareus has a good heart," Bills coach Doug Marrone said. "We will get him in shape. We need him to play football for us."
The heart hasn't been a question for Dareus as much as the head this offseason, after being arrested for synthetic marijuana possession and drag racing.
But with the losses of linebacker Kiko Alonso to injury and safety Jairus Byrd to free agency, the Bills can't afford another foundation player on defense going away.
So they'll give him time, and apparently encouragement, to get himself back.


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Story highlights
- Costume designer Jill Ohanneson outfits the cast of ABC's "Revenge"
- Ohanneson: Emily and Victoria sometimes have 10 changes each per episode
- A lot of modifying takes place -- from necklines to sleeve lengths, Ohanneson said
Some fashionistas will look to the runway for inspiration as Mercedes Benz Fashion Week kicks off in New York this week. Others will simply turn on the TV.
Characters' wardrobes have been used to dictate more than just a setting or a character's frame of mind arguably since Patricia Field transformed HBO's "Sex and the City" into a live-action fashion magazine in the '90s.
But as many of the notable costume designers making their mark on fall TV will tell you, clothes and accessories have always played an integral part in the storytelling process.
Jill Ohanneson outfits the cast of ABC's "Revenge" with more than 20 years under her undoubtedly stylish belts.
Ohanneson says the key to costuming the Hamptons-set drama, which follows Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp) as she takes vengeance on the people who destroyed her family, is sticking to pieces that are "simple yet elegant."
"The clothes are really important because it shows we're not in New York (City). It shows that we're not in the South. We're not in San Francisco," Ohanneson said. "What I try to do is really place us in that particular world. That world of leisure. You know, 'Am I going to go golfing today? Am I going to go sailing today?' "
So despite what Ohanneson is drawn to on the runway, she'll stick to pieces that make sense for the show and on each actor's body.
"I will always end up pulling from runways or collections what works for my actors versus what the trend is at the moment," she said. "If my actor cannot wear that great dropped-waist dress that's happening out there right now for summer, I can't put it on her. ... I wouldn't want to send her onto the set in something that's not flattering."
Viewers will be well into fall by the time "Revenge's" second season premieres on September 30. On-screen, however, summer will just be underway. That's one reason Ohanneson stocks the wardrobe in the months leading up to production, while the weather is still warm.
"We're going to probably film summer up until, I'd say Christmas. ... Throughout the (TV) season, there are some designers I can work with that I know keep a summary feel," she said, adding she often dresses the youngest Grayson, Charlotte (Christa B. Allen), in Nanette Lepore and Trina Turk.
What else can fans expect to see?
"Not necessarily the color block, but the mixing of solids and patterns," Ohanneson said. "Textures are really important, as well as the bright colors, which work well for summer in the Hamptons."
But not every character will be rocking feel-good hues. There's "trouble in paradise" as the season premieres, she said, and viewers can expect to see that reflected in the color palette.
Even Emily, who Ohanneson routinely dressed in "spotless white" last season to embody "the ultimate Hamptons princess," might be wearing more tans, grays and denim blues.
"(I'm) keeping that darker layer on top so that it's almost an emotional layer between her and the rest of the world," she said.
Rarely dressed in white is Ashley Davenport, played by British actress Ashley Madekwe.
Madekwe, who writes about fashion on her personal blog, told CNN, "We try to make it clear that (my character is) not from the Hamptons. She's a London girl who then moved to New York, who now works in the Hamptons. I think we try to give her a little bit more edge. I'm very anti-beach attire, so there's never any of that."
And though Madekwe admires some of the pieces in Ashley Davenport's closet, she said she would never wear them off set.
"It's bad enough we have the same name, I don't want to be wearing the same clothes, as well," she said. And then there's the fact that her character is "far preppier than I am, because she has a job that kind of links her to the corporate world in some capacity and I don't."
Madekwe's character will continue to be the trendiest of all the Hamptonites on "Revenge," but her style is certainly evolving. Having been hired by Conrad Grayson at the end of last season, the actress said Ashley Davenport will pick up some higher-end pieces to reflect her new paychecks.
"I have my eyes on (Proenza Schouler's) PS11 (for Ashley) because it's kind of firm. It's almost work oriented, but it comes in so many bright colors that it's also edgy," she said told CNN before "Revenge" started filming its second season.
The PS11, with a price tag of more than $1,000, didn't make it on the show. Instead, Madekwe and costume designer Ohanneson settled on a Mulberry bag for the character.
And just as much thought goes into the male characters' outfits.
Fan favorite Nolan Ross (Gabriel Mann) showed up in the pilot episode -- costumed by Marie-Sylvie Deveau -- wearing a sailor cap and whale-printed pants.
As the purveyor of the whale cam, Nolan's sea creature-themed wardrobe was merely a coincidence, said Ohanneson, who took over as costume designer by the series' second episode.
"That's kind of his idea of, 'Yeah, I'm wearing the cool, preppy stuff.' But he doesn't quite get it right," Ohanneson added.
"We wanted to keep quirkiness to him," she said. "Keep an eccentricity to him, but not make him a caricature. ... Now that he's been spending more time around the Hamptons, he might start to pick up more information about how stuff fits."
Madeleine Stowe's character Victoria, whose plane crashed at the end of the first season finale, will also dress differently this season. That is, if she's to return.
Like Emily, Victoria would dress "a little bit darker," which works because "(Stowe) can wear black and dark red like nobody else I know," Ohanneson said.
Though, the quality and quantity of the Grayson matriarch's wardrobe will likely remain unchanged.
"In some of these episodes, both Emily and Victoria have, like, 10 changes each," Ohanneson said. "So if I'm dealing with dresses that are $3,000, for two characters that's $60,000 just for those."
That's why it's sometimes advantageous for Ohanneson to dress the characters in separates. And, of course, hold onto jeans, slacks and skirts that can be worn again or transformed.
Modifying garments is key.
"We end up dropping a lot of necklines, if a neckline is too high for somebody," Ohanneson said. "I have an incredible cutter-fitter who will take a dress we know is a perfect silhouette for Victoria, and we will make it up in a couple of different colors and different fabrications, and change the necklines and sleeve lengths."
Needles and thread come out a lot, actress Madekwe said, noting, a lot of work goes into making sure everything fits perfectly.
"(Ohanneson) likes making something (into) something new," she said. "We've turned dresses into tops. If she loves something, especially with the summer clothes going out of the stores, she'll buy it in whatever size is available, and then she'll cut it down to fit me."
So what's Madekwe excited to don this season?
"There's a Prada dress I'm really looking forward to wearing. A L'Wren Scott yellow number that I'm really looking forward to wearing," she said. "There has to be an occasion. ... But there'll always be a Hamptons cocktail party."


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ORLANDO – Troy's baseball game against Central Florida in the Wawa Weekend Classic scheduled for Sunday has been canceled due to travel curfew.
Rain forced game one of the day between Texas Tech and UConn to be pushed back three hours meaning a start time of no earlier than 5:15 p.m. for Troy and Central Florida.
The Trojans will be back in action on Tuesday night when they travel to Montgomery, Ala., to take on Alabama State. First pitch is schedule for 6 p.m. at the Wheeler-Watkins Complex.


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Talk:St. Augustine
Why was Augustine never a pagan?
Youth: Early form a Catholic Christianity (monotheistic}
Teens: Manichaeism (Dualistic)
Adult: Neoplatonism (Dualistic and sometimes monotheistic)
Paganism is polytheistic. Multiple Gods not one or two Gods, or cosmic constructs.
Moved from my talk page:
I think it is very low of you that you are vandalising my improvements on the article of Augustine, i will report you on the main page in the hope of reaching a concensus between you and other people who work via this wiki. It is my believe that you might be feeling jelous of my arguments on the You can't prove God doesn't exist talkpage. --Thomas
You listen Manichaeism as a pagan religion by calling Augustine a pagan intellectual during the time that he was a Manichaein. Manichaeism is actually a from of dualistic gnosticism and not a pagan polytheistical movement. How do you respond to this? --Thomas
Before i accept him as being born to a pagan father, i will have to know what sort of paganism his father followed. --Thomas Rival 20:50, 1 December 2008 (CST)
Father was pagan
Thomas, the first reference you provided (Catholic Encyclopedia) says this:
- "Although eminently respectable, his family was not rich, and his father, Patricius, one of the curiales of the city, was still a pagan."
Rival 20:50, 1 December 2008 (CST)
Was Augustine Catholic in his youth?
Thomas, the first reference you provided (Catholic Encyclopedia) says this:
- "Augustine received a Christian education. His mother had him signed with the cross and enrolled among the catechumens. Once, when very ill, he asked for baptism, but, all danger being soon passed, he deferred receiving the sacrament, thus yielding to a deplorable custom of the times."
- "But a great intellectual and moral crisis stifled for a time all these Christian sentiments."
Even from your obviously biased source, there is sufficient cause to doubt that Augustine was catholic, (or even christian) in his youth. Rival 20:50, 1 December 2008 (CST)


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A Marengo man died following a two-vehicle crash Monday in Caledonia, according to the Boone County Coroner's Office.
Robert D. Butzow, 75, died from chest injuries sustained after his vehicle collided with a semi near Route 173 and Caledonia Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Butzow was traveling south on Caledonia Road at around 12:30 p.m. Monday when his vehicle entered the intersection at Route 173 and was struck by the eastbound semi.
The driver of the semi was treated for minor injuries at the scene and later released.
The Boone County Sheriff's Department is still investigating the incident.
— Lawerence Synett


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This snowkiting section has been quiot... where's everyone?
I had an epic day on Saturday at Mt. Rose Meadows. Winds were 15-20 and fairly consistant for Rose. With all these continuing snow storms, we'll have snowkiting till July.
I know the water season is upon us, but its hard to pass up on all this powder. We need to organize a spring snowkite day and invite everyone to ride. Maybe include a kite demo from some various manufactures. It could be a good way to try some new bow kites and foils and have a party type event to kick off spring. Please respond with some ideas on this subject and lets put something together soon.


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Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney took a swipe at GOP rival Ron Paul and his isolationist foreign policy positions while campaigning in Iowa Wednesday, but he later told reporters he would support the outspoken Texas congressman if he were the Republican Party nominee for president.
Paul, who leans more Libertarian than Republican on many issues, leads in some polls of Iowa voters who plan to attend the Republican caucuses next Tuesday. Romney, who comes in a close second in many of those polls, had pretty much left Paul alone until now — even though some Republicans call his views too far outside the mainstream.
While stopping to chat with voters at a coffee shop that overlooked the Mississippi River as the sun rose Wednesday in Muscatine, a supporter asked Romney about his support of Israel. After first criticizing President Obama, saying he's damaged relations with an important ally, Romney than criticized Paul – but without mentioning him by name.
"The greatest threat that Israel faces, and frankly the greatest threat the world faces, is a nuclear Iran," Romney said. "One of the people running for president thinks it's OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon. I don't. I don't trust the ayatollahs. I don't trust [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad. I don't trust those who backed Hamas and Hezbollah. I'm concerned that fissile material ultimately will find its way into the hands of terrorists and ultimately create mayhem in the world."
Paul has said he would not bomb Iran to deter that nation's nuclear ambitions.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has gone so far as to say he wouldn't vote for Paul if he were to win the GOP nomination. But Romney said he would take Paul over a second-term Obama.
"I disagree with Ron Paul on a number of issues," Romney told reporters in Clinton, Iowa. "I'm sure he disagrees with me on a number of issues, and that's part of what goes on in a campaign. But relative to President Obama, I like Ron Paul."
A Paul victory in Iowa would probably not hurt Romney much, as Paul is not expected to be a serious threat through other states' presidential primaries.
Romney himself is downplaying expectations. "I don't know where it's all going to end up. I'm not predicting a win here; I'd sure like to win in every state," Romney said. "I'd just want to do well here. I'm happy we're getting an enthusiastic response... (and) I feel like it will be (a) good strong showing."


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Now, fresh out of Japan, emerges the world's only vehicle designed specifically for women - the Honda Fit "She's". It's hard to determine exactly what all its special features are (because I don't speak Japanese) but a Google translation of the She's homepage managed to clunk out the following:
* "Pink plated air conditioning display knob outlet"
* "Discharge headlights"
* "Special package for mounting navigation"
* "I align the items recommended for navigation options when mounting the dealer."
* "She's colored for rear license garnish"
* "Filled pink stitched leather-wrapped steering wheel garnish"
What this tells me, apart from the fact Google Translate is surely operated by a teenage boy and that "knob outlet" possibly shouldn't make me smile at 30, is that there's a LOT of garnish on this thing.
From pictures, I gather there's also a seat warmer, a special pink keypad, and a UV/wrinkle-blocking windshield. Plus some kind of "Plasmacluster" climate control system designed to improve passengers' skin quality. And the apostrophe in the logo is heart-shaped.
It's not the first time automakers have tried to access ladies' purses with women-only models. As Yahoo! Autos points out, in the early 1900s electric cars were marketed to women "with the pitch that their lack of hand-crank starting would avoid broken shoulders and/or death."
And in the 50s there was the snazzy Dodge La Femme, which was two-tone pink and white. The car's interiors were upholstered in tapestry dotted with pink rosebuds, and it came with a pink calfskin purse.
Best of all, the purse contained "a face-powder compact, lipstick case, cigarette case, comb, cigarette lighter and change purse" (more info here) and could be stowed away in a special compartment behind the passenger seats. Along with a rain hat.
Oh, and the driver's seat swiveled to allow skirted ladies to exit modestly. As the ad said, it really was "designed with the ladies in mind!"
Anyway, it's no longer the 1950s, and the aesthetic gender divide in Japan is arguably more blatant than it is here, so it's doubtful we'll see rows of wheeled marshmallows drifting to shore. Nonetheless, if you do feel the need for more garnish in your drive, a trip to Japan with $22k in tow says She's yours.
Debate on this article is now closed.


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By Tiernan Ray
Shares of Microsoft (MSFT) are down $2.24, or 6.3%, at $33.20, as the company's conference call with analysts proceeds following a report this afternoon of disappointing fiscal Q4 results marked by continued pressure from a weak PC market, and higher expenses, but growth in other segments of the business.
In forecasting this year, chief financial officer Amy Hood said the company will continue to feel the effect of the PC market this quarter, with revenue from computer makers that it collects, about 65% of total Windows division revenue, declining "by mid-teens" on a percentage basis. The company believes its "server and tools" division will see "high single digit" growth.
The "business division" should see a rise of "mid-single digits" in the 85% of the division that comes from companies, with the balance, from consumers, lagging because of the weak PC market, which affects sales of individual copies of products such as Microsoft Office. Online services revenue will see "low double digits" growth, based on services growth, offset by a decline in display advertising. The entertainment group, which sells the Xbox game console, will see a "low single digits" revenue decline in the pause before the new version of the machine, "Xbox One," becomes available.
Also in Q1, the company will see further impact from the "Surface RT" tablet computer. That device cost Microsoft $900 million in write-downs to inventory last quarter, reducing EPS by 7 cents. Hood said that this quarter, cost of goods sold is expected to rise by over 20%, and will "reflect Surface as well as the impact of the capital expenditures we made in fiscal 2013."
For the full year, the company expects operating expenses to be lower than originally thought, at $31.3 billion to $33.9 billion
On a positive note, the company said on the call that its "Office 365" online version of Microsoft Office is on a "run rate" of making $1.5 billion annually, which is half again as much as the $1 billion rate Microsoft claimed at the end of Q3.
Hood said the company was not giving much additional information about the massive reorganization announced a week ago, choosing instead to provide an update on that at its analyst day in September.
In one of the first notes out of the chute from the sell side this afternoon, Citigroup's Walter Pritchard, who has a Buy rating on the shares, and a $35 price target, wrote just before the call that the report was "the sloppiest quarter in memory," with revenue "sloppy all around," with both Server and Tools revenue and Business Division revenue missing his expectations.
"With double digit billings in each of these businesses [Server and Business], it is likely the transition to annuity and cloud hurt the recognized revenue here."
Even excluding the 7-cent hit from the Surface inventory adjustment, profit miss of 15 cents was driven by the above-noted revenue shortfall and higher COGs and OpEx."


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Latest News
Market Information
Stock Quote: $208.12
Change: -0.61
Updated: May 25, 2018 04:02PM
Our Company
We are organized into four business groups and each comprises several business units serving different markets.
The Aerospace group has a reputation for superior aircraft design, quality, performance, safety and reliability.
Combat Systems
The Combat Systems group is a global leader in tracked and wheeled military vehicles, weapons systems and munitions.
Information Systems and Technology provides technologies, products and services that address a wide range of secure mobile communication systems.
Marine Systems
Marine Systems designs, builds and supports submarines and surface ships for the U.S. Navy.


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May I ask one simple question: What in this wide and wonderful world is Scott Brown thinking?
Our junior senator is, as everyone in Massachusetts well knows, the Luckiest Man in America. He has an accomplished wife, a pair of smart and successful daughters, and model good looks. He was blessed in that lightning strike of a Senate campaign with an opponent that lacked any semblance of intuition about those people known as voters. In the end, a barn jacket and a pickup truck were all he needed to vote on the START treaty.
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April 24, 2012 > Kato Road Closure Begins April 30
Kato Road will be closed effective Monday, April 30, 2012, by VTA as part of the Kato Road Grade Separation Project, weather permitting.The roadway will be closed to automobiles, bicycles and pedestrians. Construction activities will include major roadway excavation, construction and installation of new BART bridge and freight railroad bridge over Kato Road. The closure will last 9 months.Dixon Landing Road should be used as primary detour route. Access to the jobsite will be maintained for local businesses and residents.


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For households or businesses , you can now control which devices are connected or disconnected to your network.
Be the chief of your own network!
- Is your network slow? Find out who is using it.
- Are your kids using your laptop? Just take a look at the Visor.
- Is the computer of your coworker running? Pinggy will tell you.
- The fastest mode, specially directed to people with no time to lose. In less than a minute, it will tell you nearly all
What's New
- Fast scan is now Light scan, gives more with less CPU and network traffic
- Slow scan is now Hard scan, don't lose a detail. Consumes more CPU and network traffic
- New history window in preferences
- New clients list in preferences
- Visor Detail window improved
- Bug fixes and memory improvements


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Dr. Pam Medows
Professor of Education & Director of Field Experience
Office Location: Euler 004
Phone: (765) 998-5145
Email: email@example.com
Specialties: science education for elementary majors
Ed. D., Elementary Education (Science Education Cognate), Ball State University, 1997
M.A.E., Elementary Education, Ball State University, 1992
B.S., Elementary Education, Indiana Wesleyan University, 1972
Why I love teaching at Taylor:
Attending a Christian university for my undergraduate work made a huge impact on my growth as a young Christian. When I made the decision to move from teaching in the K-12 arena to higher education, I only considered Christian universities. Taylor was an excellent fit for me as it balanced an excellent academic preparation with a meaningful spiritual preparation. I enjoy teaching at Taylor because it challenges me personally while allowing me to work with outstanding students.
Advice to incoming students:
Work hard but take the time to enjoy these four years – they go very fast! The friendships you will make, the knowledge you will gain, and your growth in Christ will be phenomenal!
Reading, travel


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Many of you will remember my son's cat Dusty. Kevlin called me this morning to tell me Dusty has died. They got Dusty as a kitten at their local shelter and has had him for about 12 years. Dusty was one of those one in a million fur babies. He is pictured below with his cart that he loved to pull around the house when everybody else was asleep at night.
Dusty was smart, beautiful and loving. Our whole family will miss you Dusty. Find Amy and Granny and they will keep you company. Play hard ar Rainbow Bridge and wait for us to join you one fine day!


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A London magician pleaded guilty to using his sleight-of-hand skills to pocket cash while working at a store's cheese counter.
"The defendant was previously a magician within the store and used his talent to take money with one hand and secrete it with the other," prosecutor Tom Gill said.
A small amount of cocaine was found on Gadhia when he was searched.
Defense attorney Catherine Newey said Gadhia, who lives with his parents, was left broke after helping his parents with money.
"He lives with his elderly parents and after the house was burgled they decided to install a security system and he contributed quite a significant amount in relation to that," Newey said. "He simply had no money to get the basics and was tempted by the opportunity that arose. The cash taken was of a low value and it was a very small amount of cocaine which he had for his own use."
Gadhia pleaded guilty to theft by employee and possessing a controlled drug of Class A. He is scheduled to be sentenced Monday.


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Call out fee of $100 per hour. Call 916-428-8292.
Ramp fee depends on aircraft size.
Fax Line (916)646-6747
Data was last collected by a FlightAware staff member on 2018-May-23 05:58PM.You must register or login to edit FBO information.
Jet A and 100LL airport fuel prices for all FBOs at KSMF


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DSN Process
Turn Your Ideas Into Reality
You know better than anyone else what your customers demand. All it takes is an idea for a new product or an improvement to an existing product to get Design Services Network engaged in the vision. We'll provide support from start to finish – or we'll manage a certain segment of your product's specific requirements. That flexibility to select only the services you need speeds innovation and implementation time, levels your workload and reduces total cost.
Please fill out our ONLINE REQUEST FOR QUOTATION FORM. A DSN representative will contact you within 24-48 hours.
What To Expect
Call 937.493.2747 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com to schedule a consultation. We will respond quickly to develop a detailed estimate of the design project or test plan.
All inquiries are confidential.


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Your current filters are…
RoR makes an excellent framework for off-the-beaten-path type of projects, like hacking Roombas and other robots. In this presentation, I'll demonstrate how our soon to be robot overlords will be happy when we gift them with RoR and a connection to the internet. The presentation will include working examples and demonstrations of:
The presentation will close with an argument for why hacking on fun, often eccentric, projects in your spare time is essential for staying motivated, habitual improvement, and tangential learning -- i.e., being a real pragmatic programmer.
*not included, perhaps
United States United States, Austin
23rd–25th April 2012


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Mobile business intelligence app developer Roambi wants to marry the excitement of a magazine narrative with the dryness of business intelligence data on the iPad. The goal is to tell the story behind the numbers.
How's a data head going to share the real story that the numbers tell? Here's a new tech tool, Roambi, to help iPad folks bring data to life. This software helps you marry data charts with content, graphics, and photos, and could really help businesses share the numbers story. You will still need to know how to create a compelling story, but this tool will get you closer to storifying your charts, graphs and spreadsheets.


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29 Jul 2011 08:50:11 AM
ReX vs. Jason – Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson Edition
Photographic proof that ReX tried to end Jason's baby making days.
Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson goes down tomorrow night at the Sears Centre just outside of Chicago. To help get you in the proper spirit, Doug "ReX13" Richardson and Jason Moles have returned to eloquently debate some of the more important storylines surrounding this historic event. Will Fedor go 0 for 3? If so, will the internets asplode? Are we nearing the end of women's MMA on the big stage? Who gives worse gambling advice, ReX or Jason? Do us a favor and slog through this painfully long column, then let us know your own thoughts in the comments section.Read More DIGG THIS


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A Boulder County jury on Thursday acquitted the driver of a semi trailer involved in the collision that killed a bicyclist on Valmont Road last August.
Lucio Ramirez, 46, of Denver, was found not guilty on one count of careless driving result in death.
According to officials, at 6:50 a.m. Aug. 13, Ramirez was driving a truck owned by Villa Lobos Concrete east on Valmont Road when he made a left turn into the driveway of Pioneer Sand Landscape Supplies, 6379 Valmont Road.
Randy Herndon, 62, and a coworker were bicycling west on Valmont, and Herndon collided with the rear tires of the truck. He was killed instantly.
Herndon's family could not immediately be reached Thursday afternoon.
Prosecutor Christine Rinke said she hopes drivers will exercise more caution because of this case.
"It's obviously disappointing, but the jurors worked hard for several days and that's how our system works," she said.
Ramirez's attorney Richard Tegtmeier said the jurors, who deliberated for about two hours, were attentive and meticulous during the trial.
He said Ramirez was happy with the verdict and that his heart goes out to Herndon's family.
"This has been devastating for him," Tegtmeier said. "It's been such a relief for him to have these criminal charges resolved with a not guilty verdict."
Contact Camera Staff Writer Sarah Kuta at 303-473-1106 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Amid lingering fallout from his bad Masters drop and following a rare stroll down the red carpet earlier this week, Tiger Woods can finally focus on golf again. And even though his record in The Players Championship isn't sparkling, he'll be wearing the favorite's tag when play starts at TPC Sawgrass Thursday.
Woods has one win in 15 Players appearances, back in 2001, when he was at his dominant best. Since then, he's been near the lead just once (eighth in 2009), withdrew in 2010 and 2011, and tied for 40th last year.
"It's a tricky kind of golf course," Woods said Tuesday, after a four-hole practice round. "You have to drive the ball really well, and [if] you miss these greens at all, you've got some of the weirdest little shots that you'll ever face."
Woods arrived in the area after spending Monday night in New York City with Lindsey Vonn at the punk-themed Met Gala. Admittedly not much of a fashion fan, he said he was supporting his new girlfriend, who has a perfume and makeup line she's promoting.
It's been three weeks since Woods tied for fourth at the Masters, a tournament in which he was penalized two strokes before the third round for playing a shot from the wrong position after taking an improper drop the day before. The debate over whether Woods received a fair ruling at Augusta still hasn't died down.
"Yeah, actually I am [surprised the topic has lingered]," Woods said. "I think Fred [Ridley, the Masters rules committee chairman] explained it pretty well. For some reason, evidently that wasn't accepted."
The Players marks the 300th career PGA Tour tournament for Woods, who has 77 wins. But like so many of his A-list peers (Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Dustin Johnson to name a few), he's had a hard time figuring out Pete Dye's design gem.
"Some of the years I've driven it well and not hit my irons well, and other years I've hit the ball great and not putted well, and other years I drove it awful and didn't score well," Woods said. "You've got to have all facets of your game going here."
Love is in the air
After missing 13 weeks following spinal fusion surgery, Davis Love is simply happy to be back playing, eager to compete, and hopefully pain free. That his first start post-surgery will come at the Players brings added meaning since with it he will match Ben Crenshaw's tournament record with his 28th consecutive start. Love's Players debut came in 1986; he won in 1992 and 2003.
"Obviously it was a big point in the schedule that I didn't want to miss," Love said.
What are his thoughts on making 28 consecutive Players starts?
"One, that means you're old. And two, it means you've stayed pretty competitive," said Love, who turned 49 last month. "I'm hoping that after this and the hard work I've put in, it's just going to get better for a while."
Love knew as early as 2000 that he'd eventually need the surgical procedure, which fused two disks in his back. After three sluggish tournaments to open his season (two missed cuts, plus a withdrawal) he figured the time had come. Assuming he plays this week, Love also will inch closer to the record for most Players starts; Jay Haas has played in 29.
A repeat feat?
The Players Championship has been held every year since 1974 (won by Jack Nicklaus, the only three-time champion), and Matt Kuchar will try to do something this week that's never been done. As the defending champion, he's attempting to win back-to-back Players.
"They tell me nobody's defended the title. I think it's going to be fun to at least try," said Kuchar, who also participated in a ceremony on Tuesday that unveiled his champions' portrait.
Kuchar won the Match Play Championship this season, and tied for eighth at the Masters. A former Ponte Vedra Beach resident who lives up the road in Sea Island, Ga., he now has his sights set on a repeat.
"I've been playing some good golf, it's been a nice start to my year," Kuchar said. "I think this is a great opportunity."
Course management
More than 10 inches of rain has fallen on the Stadium Course since Thursday — turning the par-3 17th into a true island for a brief stretch — but players were impressed at how quickly things have dried out. "I'm shocked with how good the course looks," said Brandt Snedeker. "You would have thought today playing out there it didn't have any rain at all. It was bone dry." This week's forecast is quite good, with no rain expected until late Sunday, and highs in the low 80s . . . Tim Finchem, commissioner of the PGA Tour, reiterated the tour's opposition to the proposed ban on anchoring put forth by the US Golf Association and the R&A. But Finchem said he'll wait for the governing bodies to complete their process before discussing publicly what the tour might do should the ban be voted in . . . There won't be a repeat this week by Kevin Na, who publicly struggled while contending at last year's Players with a preshot routine that featured hitches, glitches, and pseudo-whiffs, drawing equal parts scorn and sympathy. Na's routine has improved, for starters. But he's out with a back injury, and has been limited to just eight starts. He hasn't played since the Masters . . . Webb Simpson, Jim Furyk, Justin Rose, and Finchem were a few of the big names who put on caddie bibs Tuesday, carrying clubs and supporting their spouses in the annual tournament for the PGA Tour Wives Association, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary . . . Derek Ernst, last week's surprise winner at Quail Hollow, has received a steady stream of congratulations on his first PGA Tour victory. But the soon-to-be-22-year-old rookie is also learning that making a name for himself doesn't happen overnight. He posted a picture to his Twitter account Tuesday of his assigned locker at the Players, which features the name David Ernst.Michael Whitmer can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeWhitmer. Michael Whitmer can be reached at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeWhitmer.


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by Rishika Luthra, Media Relations Specialist, Business Wire/Toronto
In a very short span of time, the social media landscape has undergone a sea-change. For example, Twitter — a platform which was, until recently, attracting audiences who wanted to know what their favourite celebrities are doing in real-time — now boasts of an eclectic community of enthusiasts who are more aware, involved and engaged. What's more, we even witnessed Canada's first "social media election" in 2011!
There have been inevitable changes on the economic front as well. Canada's growth in 2012 will be slightly below average, according to Deputy Chief Economist Doug Porter, BMO. That said, there is no denying that, at present, Canada is a relative safe haven compared to other economies, running the lowest inflation rates internationally.
So how do you accelerate small business growth in our economic times? The first question you need to ask yourself as a small business is which area of your business do you want to be successful in? Is it lead-generation and sales? Or is it customer service? Doing a goal-definition up front is crucial because social media may be free, but your resources and time are not!
In short, defining success is the key point of measuring it, suggests a panel of social media experts who recently participated in a Social Media Week Toronto 2012 session, hosted by BMO (Bank of Montreal), in a room teeming with Canadian entrepreneurs.
Start with your customers
"Being able to identify your key customer helps determine where your message will resonate best," suggests Julie Howlett, Account Director of Global Marketing Solutions at LinkedIn Canada.
Chris Eben, a partner at The Working Group, believes in starting small, connecting with customers and doing it in a real, genuine way.
Set social media policy and guidelines
Liz Strauss, Founder of Inside-Out Thinking, strongly suggests looking to build a social media policy, regardless of the size of your business.
Identifying who is going to respond to the information you share is just as essential.
"Using Social Media platforms sans specific guidelines is another way of ensuring that things could go well out of control," warns Chris Eben.
One of the best examples of a small business that gets social media right is two-year-old Toronto-based Sprouter, a company that provides entrepreneurs everywhere with a platform to connect and engage for commentaries on small business issues, emerging technology trends and startup-related enquiries. Erin Bury, Director of Content & Communications at Sprouter, recently participated in a Social Media Week Breakfast session hosted by Business Wire Canada.
Mitigate negative publicity by being open to feedback
If you are social, you've got to be open to feedback, which could be positive or negative. Lack of answering or being "present" within your community is going to be harmful.
Remember that negative comments come from someone who wants to argue or someone who wants to be heard. The idea is to disengage with the former while genuinely engaging with the latter. The power to turn negative into positive rests in your hands.
Social media is all about engagement and the coolest tip for you is to attend events like Startup Weekend, one of the best examples of validating an idea with a relevant customer base, according to Chris.
Now that you have the mantra to bring your business up to speed, remember that being good at social media does not guarantee success. Being good at service does!


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8-25-04 - The Friday night football kickoff this week will mean a bit more to a Pilot Point teenager. Tyler Lane will watch this season from the sideline - a season some people thought he'd never see.
A bone marrow transplant gave Tyler a second chance at life - helping him beat Leukemia. And although he'll likely stay on the sidelines, he is watching the Bearcats practice, someday hoping to make a comeback as a receiver.
It's a far cry from the summer before his freshman year - not long after he was diagnosed with leukemia. When he started losing his hair from the chemotherapry, his teammates cut their hair off in a unified show of team spirit. Tyler would end up spending months at Cook Children's Hospital, in and out of intensive care.
Now, coaches call him an inspiration for his fellow teammates, while friends say he's a miracle.
Tyler is now cancer-free, his leukemia in remission. He hopes to make it back on the field in the spring in time for baseball season.


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U.S. stocks rose Friday, sending the Standard & Poor's 500 Index to the biggest rally in three weeks, after government data showed the nation added more jobs than forecast last month.
Lincoln National Corp. climbed 5.4 percent, leading a rally among life insurers as bond yields surged on bets the Federal Reserve will begin to reduce its asset buying. KeyCorp advanced as Wells Fargo & Co. said regional banks benefit more than larger rivals from new rules on capital. Tesla Motors Inc. added 4.2 percent after saying it received enough orders to double the number of electric cars in Hong Kong. Homebuilders slumped amid concern rising interest rates may curtail a housing recovery.
The S&P 500 gained 1 percent, the most since June 13, to 1,631.89 at 4 p.m. in New York. The index advanced 1.6 percent for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 147.29 points, or 1 percent, to 15,135.84. About 4.95 billion shares changed hands, 24 percent below the three-month average. U.S. markets were closed yesterday for the Independence Day holiday.
"The jobs report is pretty strong. It's a good number for equities because it's supportive for earnings growth, which is what we need," Matthew Peron, head of active equities at Northern Trust Corp. in Chicago, said by telephone. His firm manages about $810 billion. "We have to digest the backup in yields, we have to see how far do they go and get used to that level of rates."
Payrolls rose by 195,000 workers for a second straight month, the Labor Department reported today in Washington. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey projected a 165,000 gain after a previously reported 175,000 increase in May. The jobless rate stayed at 7.6 percent, while hourly earnings in the year ended in June advanced by the most since July 2011.
Fed Stimulus
Economic growth amid monetary stimulus from the Federal Reserve has helped send the S&P 500 up 141 percent from its bear-market low in 2009, including a 14 percent rally so far this year. The index has slipped 2.2 percent from its last record on May 21 after Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said the central bank could begin to reduce bond purchases should the employment market show sustainable growth.
"Part of this focus on the Fed easing is that they haven't been enthusiastic about the underlying economics," said Bruce McCain, who helps oversee more than $20 billion as chief investment strategist at the private-banking unit of KeyCorp in Cleveland. "If investors can be reassured about that, then it opens the door to a more sustainable rally."
Equities rose earlier today as European Central Bank President Mario Draghi predicted that interest rates will remain low for an extended period of time. Draghi said yesterday that key interest rates will remain at their current levels or lower for as long as necessary. The Bank of England signaled that it will leave interest rates at a record low for longer than investors had expected.
Earnings Season
Alcoa Inc. will unofficially start the second-quarter earnings season as the biggest U.S. aluminum producer will report results after the market closes on July 8.
Profits for S&P 500 stocks probably grew 1.8 percent, according to analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. That's down from a projected increase of 6.2 percent at the beginning of the quarter. Earnings are forecast to jump 5.5 percent for the third quarter and 11 percent for the final three months of this year, the data show.
"We know this is not going to be a terrific earnings season," Northern Trust's Peron said. "The focus will be on guidance - are we going to get improvement as the year continues, which is in expectation? The criticism of the market has been that it has been supported by Fed actions and now this is the time for that hand-off to happen."
Volatility Gauge
The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index, or VIX, slipped 8.1 percent today to 14.89, the lowest level since May 30. The equity volatility gauge, which moves in the opposite direction as the S&P 500 about 80 percent of the time, reached a six-month high in June and has since fallen 27 percent.
Nine of 10 S&P 500 main industries gained as financial, industrial and health-care companies rose more than 1.3 percent. JPMorgan Chase & Co. added 2.3 percent to $53.99 and Bank of America Corp. advanced 1.8 percent to $13.06.
Lincoln, the life insurer with more than $200 billion in assets, climbed 5.4 percent to $38.98. Higher interest rates can boost profits for life insurers, which invest premiums from clients in bonds and other assets to back future payouts. MetLife Inc., the largest U.S. life insurer, gained 2.7 percent to $47.52.
Regional Banks
Regional lenders rose as KeyCorp, Ohio's second-largest bank, jumped 5 percent to $12. Smaller banks face less onerous risk weightings for residential mortgages under the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision's latest set of global standards, Wells Fargo analyst Matthew Burnell wrote in a note. The capital rules are scheduled to be decided next week.
SunTrust Banks Inc. advanced 4.2 percent to $34.31, while Zions Bancorporation increased 4.3 percent to $30.97.
Tesla Motors Inc. added 4.2 percent to a record $120.09 after saying it received hundreds of orders for its new Model S sedan, enough to double the number of electric cars on Hong Kong's streets. The company, headed by billionaire Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk, has forecast it will sell 21,000 units of the Model S globally this year, with deliveries to Europe and Asia beginning in the second half.
Zoetis Inc., the animal-health company spun off from Pfizer Inc., gained 3 percent to $30.17. Bank of America boosted the stock's rating to buy.
Homebuilders Sink
An S&P index of homebuilders fell 3.4 percent to the lowest level since December as Treasury yields rose to the highest level in almost two years. All its 11 members retreated. Toll Brothers Inc. dropped 3 percent to $31.52 while Lennar Corp. slipped 4 percent to $33.93.
A Bloomberg index of real estate investment trusts that buy mortgage debt tumbled 3.9 percent for the biggest retreat since October 2011. Annaly Capital Management Inc., the largest of the companies, plunged 5.1 percent to $11.51 and American Capital Agency Corp., the second biggest, slumped 5.3 percent to $20.76.
Gold producers declined as the metal's price plunged 3.1 percent. Barrick Gold Corp., the world's largest miner of the precious metal, sank 6.3 percent to $13.76. Newmont Mining Corp. fell 4.3 percent to $27.78 for the biggest loss in the S&P 500.
Dell Inc. erased 2.1 percent to $13.03. Michael Dell and Silver Lake Management LLC won't sweeten their $24.4 billion offer to take the personal-computer maker private, people with direct knowledge of the situation said.


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It was the zombies. Always the zombies.
Yesterday, the protesters of the Occupy Wall Street movement channeled Michael Jackson in "Thriller," dressing up like zombies, complete with fake blood, stupefied stagger and an insatiable appetite for money.
It was blatant political theater of the absurd.
And it immediately reminded me of Jesus, who was a veritable pioneer in subversive, mocking protest of the Powers that Be.
Some of my fellow Christians have attempted to root these protests in the biblical texts by connecting them to social justice, and there is a good argument for that. But in truth the most direction connection in the gospels to the demonstrations on Wall Street and around the country is in Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
Much like the demonstrators, Jesus' intent was to make a public mockery of the government, and no one in his audience could have mistaken it as they laid palm fronds on the ground to celebrate his path. His entrance into Jerusalem was a slap in the face to Caesar and his Roman client rulers in the area. He entered in a triumphant procession, like a victorious general, but instead of a noble war steed, he clippity-clopped on a lowly ass. Instead of entering down the central path, he came through the back door.
It was blatant political theater of the absurd.
And then Jesus swiftly moved to more forceful, violently angry civil disobedience. He cleared the Temple. But that is an understatement. He strode through the Temple, shouted his condemnation of the robbers who extorted money from worshipers and the temple tax system that keep the poor indigent and the rich luxuriously wealthy. Then he wrecked the merchants' tables, flipping them upside down and driving out the exploitative merchants with a whip.
But this kind of political theater that subverts so directly the powers that be came with a price for Jesus. Those people who had jubilantly joined Jesus on his mocking, tongue-in-cheek triumphal entry into Jerusalem abandoned him, baffled perhaps by his actions in the Temple. His own disciples, when push come to shove, misunderstood his last most important lessons to resist retaliation, and his bedrock disciple even went so far as to lop of the ear of a Roman servant. And then they betrayed and abandoned him.
And then Rome killed him.
All because they — Rome, his disciples, the people — didn't get what Jesus was trying to say to the world.
So if anyone wonders why I often sometimes worry about the Occupy Wall Street movement, look no further than Good Friday, for it is a singular truth that calling out the rich and the powerful often ends in a crucifixion.
And they don't need any additional ammunition to justify their actions.
Connect with David Henson through Facebook here.