text:
Find & Reserve
1 Room: 1 Adult, /Room 0 Children/Room
(Age-based rates may be available)
Enter Code
Deals & Packages
Meetings & Events
Innovative spaces. Inspired experiences. Personalized services.
Our Brands
About Marriott Bonvoy
Join with your social account now
By signing up, I agree to Marriott's Terms of Use and Privacy Center.
Already a Member?


text:
Truth Dvd Presents The County C - The Dope Hole USA Documentary - Welcome To Heemmingway.Sc [User Submitted]
Truth says "The King of Carolina South shows the world how to hustle in these hard econmic times! Crackheads goin wild and hoodbox aint got nothing on Dope Hole USA"
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Add: West of Yinda Road, North of Gongye 3RD Street, Weicheng Economic Development Zone, Weifang City, Shandong Province Tel: +86-536-8375505 Mob: +86-186-6066-0902 Fax: +86-536-8985507 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Precision Stainless Steel CNC Machining Part Customized Custom Accurate Basic Info
Model NO.: TF-066
Precision Machining Parts Material: Brass
Character: Insulation
Production Process: Turning, Milling, Punching
Certification: ISO9001&SGS
Can Be Customized to Map Custom or Not: Can Be Customized to Map Custom
Specification: RoHS, Reach
Type: Electrical Terminal
Application: Conduct Electricity, Transmission of Electrical Signals, Electrical and Electronical Industry
Species: Terminal
Precision Machining Parts Shape: Rectangular
Color: Silver
Can Be Nickel Plating or Not: Can Be Nickel Plating
Precision Machining Parts Transport Package: Plastic Bags and Cartons and Wooden Case.
Origin:China (Mainland)
Precision Stainless Steel CNC Machining Part Customized Custom Accurate Product Description
Precision Stainless Steel CNC Machining Part Customized Custom Accurate
1.Fast action: We will reply your inquiry in 24 hours.
2.Professional service: Send inquiry ->make sample ->start order -> inspecation->delivery->after-sales maintenance.
3.Good quality: We have ISO 9001 & SGS Quality Management System , make sure the order quality is completely good .
4.Competitive price: We can't say our price is lowest,but we can say our price is what you need,we are factory price, base on our support,you will get more!
5.Ajustable Logo issue:
If quantity is sizeable,absolutely no problem to do OEM.
6.Fast Delivery Date:
20-30 days according to different product.
7.Fast shipment: For small quantity: TNT,DHL,EMS,or other express you require;
For large quantity: Sea shipping or air transport.
|roduct Name
|copper latting parts distributors
|Brass, Copper,Steel,Aluminum,or follow clients' requirements.
|Surface treatment
|Nickel,tin,silver and so on.
|See size chart as below,or customize as your drawing.
|Production process
|Place of origin
|Wenzhou,Zhejiang, China (Mainland)
|Plastic bags and cartons and wooden case.
|Packing dimension
|Carton(18*28*19.5),Wooden case will be customized as carton quantity.
|Trade terms
|FOB,CFR,CIF,and so on.
|Payment terms
|Delivery time
|As negotiated time.
|Transport way
|By sea,by air,by express.
Precision Stainless Steel CNC Machining Part Customized Custom Accurate FACTORY VIEW
1. Q: Do you have a catalogue? Can you send me the catalogue to have a check of all your products?
A: Yes , We have product catalogue.Please contact us on line or send an Email to sending the catalogue.
2. Q: I need your price list of all your products, do you have a price list ?
A: We do not have a price list of all of our products. Because we have so many items,and it's impossible to mark all of their price on a list.And the price are always changing because of the producing cost.If you want to check any price of our products, please feel free to contact us.We will send offer to you soon!
3. Q: I can't find the product on your catalogue, can you make this product for me?
"A: Our catalogue shows most of our products,but not all.So just let us know what product do you need,
and how many do you want.If we do not have it,we can also design and make a new mould to produce
it.For your reference,making a ordinary mould will take about 30days."
4. Q : Can you make customized products and customized packing?
A: Yes.We made a lot of customized products for our customer before.And we have many moulds for our customers already.About customized packing,we can put your Logo or other info on the packing.There is no problem.Just have to point out that ,it will cause some additional cost.
5. Q: Can you provide samples ? Are the samples free ?
"A: Yes,we can provide samples.Normally,we provide 1-3pcs free samples for test or quality checking.
But you have to pay for the shipping cos.If you need many items, or need more qty for each item,
we will charge for the samples."
6. Q: What kind of payment do you accept ? Can I pay RMB ?
"A: We accept T/T,LC and DP. Please be sure that we can receive the
same amount of the Invoice. And you can pay money In RMB. No problem."
7. Q : What about your delivery time?
"A: We have a lot of products in stock.We can send the stock products in about 4 work days.
If without stock,or stock is not enough, we will check the delivery time with you."
8. Q : How to ship my order ? Is it safe?
"A: For small package, we will send it by Express, tsuch as DHL,FedEx,,UPS,TNT,EMS.That's a
Door to Door service.
For big packages, we will send them by Air or By sea.We will use good packing and ensure
the safety.We will be responsible to any product damage caused on delivery."
9. Q : Can you provide Certificate of Origin?
A:Yes,Sure.We can offer it.And it's free.
10. Q: Can I become an Agent / Dealer of Gedele products?
"A: Welcome! But please let me know your Country/Area fisrt,We will have a check and then
talk about this.If you want any other kind of cooperation,do not hesitate to contact us."
"Any requirements or question,welcome to "Send"us an e-mail Now!!!
It's our great honor to do services for you! You also can get the FREE SAMPLES soon."
Previous: Customized Precision Steel Cutting CNC Machining Parts


text:
MAC Cosmetics' Unveils Betty & Veronica Collection Based on the Archie Icons!
MAC Cosmetics will be launching their Archie Comics collection just in time for Valentine's Day, featuring makeup products inspired by Riverdale's own Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge. Known for their critically acclaimed beauty products and collaborations with pop culture icons (including Hello Kitty, Barbie, and Wonder Woman), MAC Cosmetics' Archie Comics products will feature exclusive new shades and special edition accessories. However, the most unique feature of this collection is that the products are evenly split (like Archie's heart) to suit either the Girl-Next-Door (sweet candy shades of pink and peach) or the Sophisticated Fashionista (deep vixen tones of red and purple).
Archie Co-CEO John Goldwater talked about the collection with Robot 6 earlier this month.
It's going to bring us back into the consciousness of so many people who aren't necessarily comic book fans or graphic novel fans. MAC is known as the arbiters of modern, of cool, of hip - for us to be able to partner with them is an honor. We are thrilled they saw us in the same light as Elton John, Lady Gaga, these pop culture phenomena they partner with. They did Wonder Woman [cosmetics]. It will be in places that may not be familiar with Archie over the globe - Europe, the Far East. In places where they are aware of Archie, it's a fresh coat of paint - we're here, we're vibrant, we're important. Where Archie has no awareness, it's 'Who are they, what are Archie, Betty and Veronica all about?' We are not well known in the U.K. and other places in Europe, so this is an opportunity for us to create that awareness, that buzz.
As an easily-agitated brunette with a flare for fashion and glamour, I've always related to Veronica, however some of these Betty shades are pulling me to the sweet side...


text:
What do you think? I can't wait for this book!
What do you think? I can't wait for this book!
discussing novels and writing
a fun conversation about the books we love
Book review blog from Australia featuring young adult reviews and discussions.
Carti noi, preturi grozave
In the world of Books
"I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library."
Inainte de a sti e e viata,ea a trecut pe jumatate...
Book is just a free soul
Surviving adulthood one day at a time
Jurnalul unei violoniste indragostita de carti
"Books may well be the only true magic."
Because we love to read...


text:
Tuning shops will sometimes digitally render cars they don't have access to in order to drum up interest. Exhibit A: MEC developed these Mercedes SLS AMG renders beaten with every ugly stick in the book. Do not want.
Initially, MEC released a horror show of revisions on the SLS a while back — those would be the red, yellow and silver versions in the gallery. They didn't go over so well. So, after a universal response of "that's fugly" from the internet and potential buyers they returned to their rendering software and stylus pads to come up with something a little less vomitous.
The result? The white version above that's essentially a kitted-up version of the SLS with traditional tuner bits like a front fascia change, side skirts, and giant wheels.
We're thinking maybe tuners should just leave this car alone. [Cardisiac translated]


text:
Wild Earn Exciting Win Over Blackhawks Thursday
The Minnesota Wild won their second straight game Thursday night with a 4-3 win over Chicago at Xcel Energy Center. Marco Scandella's goal with just under two minutes left in the game was the game-winner.
Matt Cooke scored a first period goal to make the score 1-0 in favor of Minnesota, and Zach Parise's power play goal late in the second period gave the Wild a 2-0 lead.
However, the Blackhawks would get a goal with less than a minute left in the period then score two more in the third to take a 3-2 lead with just over five minutes left.
Jonas Brodin notched the tying goal at 14:21 on a power play, followed by Scandella's game winner at 18:12.
The Wild are at Columbus Friday.


text:
Good evening Loves! Here I am with another outfit, that is basically composed by items that are in the Blog Sale section. I`m that kind of person for which is not easy to get rid of her stuffs, even if are old, new or not so much on trends. So when I took a look again on the items that I`m giving to you, I`ve said to myself that this ones putted together will make quite a match ♥
But you can still enjoy shopping my items and enter the 2 giveaways that are running now on my blog:
First one, where you can win a pair of colored contact lenses Here, and the second one where you can win a $100 cupon code from Sheinside Here.
I have to go now because I`m preparing new items for you girls
Kisses, Manuella ♥
I was wearing:
Skirt: Here
Boots: Fshoes
Bag: Dasha
Sweather: Old
Watch: Guess
Bracelets: Swarovski


text:
Innovative Surprise firefighters revive heat-stricken exotic bird
SURPRISE, AZ (CBS5) - There was nothing in the fire department manual to cover something like this, so firefighters in Surprise had to wing it to save an unresponsive exotic bird after it was mistakenly locked in a pickup truck last week.
A woman had locked her keys in the truck while it was in her driveway about 2:15 p.m. Tuesday and called the fire department for help.
Firefighters found the cockatoo, named Rusty, lying flat on the bottom of its cage and breathing erratically.
The distraught bird's owner called an emergency veterinarian, and firefighters decided they had to do something on the fly in the meantime.
They applied oxygen to the bird, placed two ice packs underneath its wings, squirted it with cool water using a syringe, and fanned the bird to help cool it down.
Animal control officers soon arrived and while on the phone with an avian expert, learned they were doing exactly what was needed.
It took about 15 minutes, but the bird propped itself up and began to regain life. It was taken to a veterinarian and a few days later, firefighters learned Rusty was back to normal.


text:
GE, Siemens Fight Obama Plan to Cut MRI, X-Ray Costs
March 6 (Bloomberg) -- General Electric Co. and Siemens AG, the biggest makers of medical imaging machines, say President Barack Obama's plan to slash spending on the use of MRIs and X-rays threatens patients, and they'll lobby Congress to block it.
I'm astonished. Wait, no, that's not the right word. What's that thing that's the opposite of surprise? Never mind, it'll come to me later. The next thing you'll be telling me is that PhRMA is going to opposed Obama's proposal to cut prices of prescription drugs. What? That already happened? Who'd have thunk it? (In fairness, Tauzin has also made conciliatory noises, too.)
This is by far going to be the hardest part of health care reform. There's a multi-trillion pile of dollars on the table, and every single interest group is very very interested in maximizing their share of the pile. The AMA will argue for increased medicare and medicaid reimbursement. The nurses associations are requesting increased investment in nursing resources. The insurance lobby is trying to tilt the table in favor of insurers. In short, any organization that can make a half-way reasonable case for it will opportunistically demand higher levels of funding, and any interest that winds up on the de-funding list will scream to high heaven and work like hell to stop it. And we haven't even gotten to the internecine warfare of primary care doctors vs specialists!
The advantage of comprehensive reform is the "blank slate" opportunity to make sweeping, fundamental change. The risk is that the process is such a free-for-all, so chaotic, that it's hard to predict what the final product will actually look like, once the hard decisions are made in the mileu of all the horse-trading, uneasy bedfellows, and shifting alliances.


text:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/believe-49 ... --nfl.html
When networks stated their desires for this week's flex scheduling, FOX protected the New York Giants (8-6) and Baltimore Ravens (9-5), CBS kept a grip on the Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) and Steelers (7-7). So that left NBC, still tentatively holding the San Diego Chargers (5-9) and New York Jets (6-8). They dropped the Chargers-Jets for a chance to venture into the relatively unexplored NFL region of the Pacific Northwest.
Might not work out for NBC as well ratings wise as if they had NY or the Steelers. But they're going to get the best game of the lot.


text:
Weekends… an oasis from the five days of work and more work and even more work. And what innumerable pastimes one can pack into 48 hours! And I pack mine with 'Kitchen Time'!
Being a foodie and an avid baker, I am the happiest whisking and kneading, icing and toasting! My love for baking comes from my mother. As far back as I remember, my mid-morning tiffin boxes at school would be lovingly filled with ginger biscuits, banana bread, carrot cake, shortbread cookies, jam tarts--the list is endless. Weekends were spent baking, with both my brother and me involved (licking the dredges of the cake batter bowl was an important part of the process!) Mondays would bring a sense of excitement as the recess bell would go off, and let me tell you a couple of school girls can do a very fine job of swiping clean half a weekend's worth oven duty!
The last few months have kept me busy, what with Christmas good cheer and liqueurs being in high demand. Now that sobriety is the order of the day, I am working on flavored cupcakes and icings (present favorite Vanilla Espresso..buttery heaven). Fruits and nuts have also piqued my interest and (yea!) I've just discovered a great way to make Cashewnut and Fruit Spread. It started of as an experiment in making a fruit bar and somewhere it turned into this golden bejeweled mass pliable enough to raise a humble piece of toast to stunning heights. Isn't it grand when mistakes work out just fine. (I had my Madame Curie moment!)
Being an inveterate foodie, I am up to any cuisine, in any place, at any time. And there is no better way to start your gastronomic adventure, than with breakfast. Do not miss Prakash next to Sena Bhavan, Dadar West--the most authentic Maharashtrian breakfast you can find this side of town. The must to haves—the Sabudana Vada and the sinfully good Piyush. If you are more the egg and meat kind of person, do not and I reiterate do not miss the Kheema Ghotala at Rajasthan on SV Road at Khar. Accompanied with fluffy bread and hot sweet milky coffee seal the deal. Moving on to the next suburb, there's 'The Kejriwal' at Theobroma's at Bandra West, which most definitely warrants a mention here. Toasted Buns, topped with Cheese and Chilli crowned with a perfect sunny side up egg make this a meal to be reckoned with. With hearty meals like these, no wonder the saying goes – breakfast like a King. Dedications to lunches and dinners will be added over the next few blogs. So watch this space. But if there are any fun places for breakfast that you believe are worth a visit, give me a shout out.
Here's a snapshot of what I do on weekends, as covered by Mumbai Mirror this weekend. I hope it inspires you to follow your passion and make each weekend count. Bon appetite!
Click the picture for the full size scan or click the link below for the article on the Mumbai Mirror.


text:
Convert a Template to a Website
Budget ₹100-200 INR / hour
I have a template. Convert it to html
74 freelancers are bidding on average ₹180/hour for this job
Hi - I've read your project brief and can see that you need a template converted to website. I have 8 years experience in designing and developing websites. I would approach your project by starting with wireframes and More
Hello' It is possible to show me your design I am ready to take your project. Waiting for your response Thanks Surajit
hello, past work: [login to view URL] [login to view URL] [login to view URL] [login to view URL] More
I will do it for you FREE when started ) not need create any milestone . Let start, ok ? i'm already here :) Thanks
Hello Sir, please check my recent work [login to view URL] [login to view URL] [login to view URL] [login to view URL] [login to view URL] http://ww More
I reviewed your requirements for the Web Development. I am very experienced with WordPress/bootstrap/php , I'm very comfortable with Mobile web sector's web development needs.
Hello, we can convert your template to html. We are Professional developers with similar expertise here and posting our bid as an expression of interest and appreciate further discussion in private message board More
Thanks for taking a minute , I have 6+ year experience in Magento, Wordpress, PHP. In my team there are 15 members and all are experienced in respective platform. We have huge experience of creation custom module, Mage More
I can do this job for you at very low cost as I have a lot of experience in designing and development. I want to have long term relations with my clients that's why working at very good prices. Hope you will give me a More
PSD To HTML To WordPress Development I understood what you are looking for and yes I am ready to work on this and I am only sending my proposal to you on the behalf of required experience and skills. These are my easy More
Hi I am very good HTML Developer and have experience of converting template to HTML. Please show me your template to start work. Regards Kalpesh
Dear Sir/Mam We work on PSD to HTML/WORDPRESS/SHOPIFY/PRESTASHOP etc using bootstrap or any other framework as per your requirements. We have 5+ years of experience in web developing. We will optimize your html More
Dear, I have read the job requirements , Over the last 7 years, We have developed a wide range of websites ,Softwares and mobile Application using HTML,PHP, Word press , Android and My SQL including sites for startup More
I have read your design requirements in detail and I can assure you to complete & provide Best-in-Class Designs with timely delivery in placed bid amount. Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Flash, HTML, HTML5, CSS, More
Hello, I am an Expert and Experienced Developer. I have read your project description and its very clear to me. I am 1000% confident for the project. I have just very few questions which I want you to please clarify me More


text:
R2-D2, the helmet. Created by Philadelphia-based artist and illustrator Jenn, this a do-it-yourself original. The force is strong with this one.
Jenn "sand-papered the crap" out of an old helmet, painted it, added the extra bit, and added a ton of clear coating.
"Initially, it was the ugly duckling of helmets," Jenn told website Geekadelphia. "It looked pretty jacked up before I did my fairy godmother thing to it. It was an odd, dark maroon color and it had been used as a rental helmet, so it had sustained damage over time. Long story short, I did a lot of spray painting and clear coating."
You can read Jenn's making of right here, if you like!
The helmet's even perfect for parties. It's probably perfect for just about anything.
R2-D2 Bike Helmet [Fresh Air via The Mary Sue via Geekadelphia via Neatorama via Technabob]
(Top photo: phillyartgirl.com)
You can contact Brian Ashcraft, the author of this post, at firstname.lastname@example.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.


text:
We entertain Cal fans with a brand new halftime show at each home football game. Watch us perform on Youtube!
The Cal Band is made up of over two-hundred students, coming from a variety of academic fields.
We play for a wide array of Cal-affiliated sports teams, from the football team to the quidditch team. Go Bears!
The Cal Band is a student-run organization; our members choose the songs that we play, create the field shows that we march, and coordinate the trips that we take.


text:
The talk prior to the game was how the Mets could ride the momentum behind Jeff Francoeur's game-winner the night before if Mike Pelfrey would step up.
Jerry Manuel said he would stress upon Pelfrey the importance of the game – as if he didn't already know – and the pitcher spoke about snapping out of his funk.
In the end, that's all it was. Talk.
Pelfrey spit the bit last night in arguably one of the most important starts of his career.
"The team needed me to step up and be a lot better than I have been,'' Pelfrey said. "I take full responsibility for tonight.''
Actually, there was plenty of responsibility to go around as Pelfrey complemented perfectly the Mets' total breakdown. Four errors, three in one nightmarish sixth inning, and a sluggish offense was how the Mets responded to their most important game of the season.
Today, the Mets could have been showing signs of life only 5 1/2 games out of first. Instead, they are 7 1/2 back and floundering as they head into Philadelphia. The Phillies won't have Ryan Howard or Chase Utley, but does anybody really think that will make a difference this weekend?


text:
On February 28, 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil securities-fraud case in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (Houston Division) against Humatech, Inc., and its CEO, David G. Williams, 55, and CFO, John D. Rottweiler, 60. Humatech is a fertilizer and animal-feed additive company whose common stock trades under the ticker symbol HUMT on the OTC Bulletin Board. At the time of the alleged violations, Humatech was based in Houston, Texas. The SEC charged Williams and Rottweiler with financial fraud and other securities-law violations related to a bogus revenue-recognition scheme that materially inflated Humatech's assets and revenue from 2000 through 2002.
According to the SEC's complaint, in January and October 2000, Humatech improperly recorded two sales totaling $297,640 to Humatech Ltd., a United Kingdom distributor that Williams and Rottweiler secretly controlled. These purported sales, however, were contingent on the distributor reselling the product to a U.K. purchaser. The distributor did not resell the product, and, consequently, Humatech failed to ship the products to the U.K. Given the contingent nature of the transactions, they did not qualify for revenue recognition under generally accepted accounting principles.
As a result of the improper revenue recognition, Humatech materially overstated its revenue or assets or both in each quarterly and annual SEC report from January 31, 2000, through the quarter ended October 31, 2002. For example, the initial sale, in the amount of $277,640, represented 100% of the company's revenue for the third quarter of fiscal year 2000. And accounts receivable relating to the initial improper sale comprised approximately 63% of the company's assets in the same quarter and approximately 42% of the assets reported in Humatech's annual report for fiscal year 2000. Further, the company's SEC reports, which were also incorporated by reference in five SEC registration statements, never properly disclosed the related-party nature of the two purported sales.
On February 13 and 24, 2003, Humatech issued restatements for each reporting period from January 31, 2000, through the quarter ended October 31, 2002. The restatements reduced revenue by $277,640 in fiscal year 2000 and by $20,000 in fiscal year 2001 and wrote off related assets in those periods. Likewise, the restatements wrote off related assets for fiscal year 2002 and for the first and second quarters of fiscal year 2003. The company, however, did not disclose that, from the outset, delivery and payment on these purported sales were contingent upon resale of the product by Humatech Ltd. Instead, the amended filings falsely stated that an epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease in U.K. cattle herds interrupted ongoing delivery of the product. In reality, the foot-and-mouth epidemic, which began in February 2001, occurred over a year after the first purported sale, and none of the product had been delivered before the outbreak.
The SEC's complaint against Williams, Rottweiler, and Humatech, alleges violations of the anti-fraud, issuer-reporting, books-and-records, internal-controls, officer-certification, and lying-to-auditor provisions of the federal securities laws-specifically, Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Sections 10(b), 13(a), 13(b)(2), and 13(b)(5) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5, 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-13, 13a-14, 13b2-1, and 13b2-2 thereunder. The SEC is seeking permanent injunctive relief against each defendant and a civil money penalty, an officer-and-director bar, an accounting, and disgorgement plus prejudgment interest against Williams and Rottweiler.
SEC Complaint in this matter


text:
COPYRIGHT NICOLE FLORIAN - All the works on this blog are my original works
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
Coloring is a therapy
Coloring is a therapy.
If your granma' is bored, if your mom is a little depressed, invite them to take the colors and to let the fantasy fly away.


text:
New 3D Film: Great White Shark main content.
by AMNH on
Sightings of great white sharks have been reported at the Museum!
In the Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Theater, the new large-format film Great White Shark is now playing in 3D digital and 2D.
The film connects audiences to the life and habits of the iconic predator at the top of the oceanic food chain.
While feared and often vilified, the great white is actually misrepresented, misunderstood, and is vulnerable to extinction. The film explores the plight of sharks around the world and the fate of sharks at the hands of the planet's greatest predator of all: humans.
Travel to great white hotspots around the world, including the crystal-clear waters of Mexico's legendary Guadalupe Island; newly discovered shark territory around Stewart Island off the southernmost tip of New Zealand; the bone-chilling waters of South Africa's "flying" great whites; and the California coast near Los Angeles to see these magnificent creatures in their environment.


text:
Maybe in another couple weeks we'll see the considerable talents of area athletes come to the forefront.
But that will require, you know, games being played in normal weather and normal conditions. For now, games being played at all would be progress.
For now, it's all about maturity and toughness.
It can't be easy to keep showing up at practice day after day for what amounts to extended spring training with the outdoor fields in sorry shape. Early morning practices, late night practices … whenever gym time is available, teams are trying to get whatever work in that they can.
This would be a tricky proposition for pro athletes, let alone a bunch of teenagers who aren't always known for supreme patience.
But if you can keep your focus and get work in, having all this practice time before starting a season can be a big advantage for the first couple weeks of the season. Especially for teams with clever coaches who know how to put the practice time to good use.
Once the games start getting played, that's when toughness will come into play because, let's face it, there are going to be a lot of athletes who would rather be doing anything but playing baseball (or softball or soccer or running track) on a 45-degree day.
Sly's always been impressed by the kids who bring their A game, or something close to it, on those chilly days when you can't feel your extremities.
You don't have to be a middle linebacker to show you're tough. Fighting off an inside fastball on a cold, April day, and lining the next pitch into the gap shows the same thing.


text:
Tigers to face stiff competition in AL Central
By any objective analysis, the Detroit Tigers lived up to their preseason billing as one of the best teams in baseball last season.
And you won't find many -- if any -- objective analyses that don't list them among the best teams in baseball again this year.
By any objective analysis, the Detroit Tigers lived up to their preseason billing as one of the best teams in baseball last season.
And you won't find many -- if any -- objective analyses that don't list them among the best teams in baseball again this year.
That said, it was hard not to notice -- even while acknowledging that the Tigers played the final month with Miguel Cabrera hobbling and the division all but locked up -- that the Tigers edged the Indians by just a single game in the final standings last year. It's equally difficult to dismiss the confidence of a Royals club that had the American League's best record in the second half. And there is little doubt that the offseason efforts of the White Sox and Twins have, at the very least, improved the earnestness of their competitiveness from night to night.
Couple all of that with what has undoubtedly been a difficult spring for a reconfigured Tigers squad, which has lost starting shortstop Jose Iglesias for at least four months, primary left fielder Andy Dirks for at least two months and arguably top setup man Bruce Rondon for the season -- not to mention No. 3 starter Anibal Sanchez enduring some recent shoulder soreness -- and a conclusion can be reached:
The AL Central no longer lends itself to assumptions.
Frankly, this has been the easiest division to forecast the past two years. The Tigers, in payroll and personnel and persona, were cast as men among boys after winning the division by 15 games in 2011 and then adding Prince Fielder to their lineup. In a game replete with predictions that look laughable by year's end, they didn't dominate the division in '12 and '13, but they were that rare breed that satisfied the soothsayers. Their only disappointments came in the crapshoot that is postseason play, where they've sandwiched two AL Championship Series appearances around a World Series sweep at the hands of the Giants.
But with Fielder gone in a trade to Texas and those aforementioned injuries posing an early challenge to rookie manager Brad Ausmus, the Tigers are now a very different team. Truth be told, they might be a better team, especially in terms of run-prevention, but we won't know until we see how things unfold.
What we do know is that an Indians team that reached the Wild Card round last year has a completely different personality than it did before Terry Francona arrived, and 2014 has long been cited as the year when the young Royals, who eclipsed the .500 mark last season, plan to rise up the ranks. Maybe the moves the White Sox made to augment their offense and the Twins' big spending to restore their rotation to respectability won't fundamentally alter the division, but they do deepen it.
While the Tigers are probably still the favorites in the Central, no objective or rational mind could cite that as quite the slam-dunk it seemed a year and two years ago.
What follows is a team-by-team analysis of each AL Central club, in order of last year's finish:
Detroit Tigers
Strengths: Fresh off back-to-back Most Valuable Player Awards, Cabrera is presumably healthier after sports hernia surgery, and Justin Verlander, reigning Cy Young winner Max Scherzer and Sanchez front a rotation that could be one of the best in the game. As long as the Tigers have that core, they have a chance to go deep into the season, particularly now that they've answered the closer question mark with the signing of Joe Nathan and have improved their defense.
Weaknesses: What was once a deep, power-packed lineup now lacks balance and leans heavily right-handed with Fielder and Jhonny Peralta absent. The loss of Iglesias to shin fractures means the defensive gains in the infield won't be quite as great as projected. Meanwhile, the bullpen needs a bridge to Nathan, and the loss of Rondon complicates that search.
Spot to watch: The left side of the infield was once a source of offensive strength. Now, it's a source of questions. Rookie Nick Castellanos could be the next great Tigers hitter, but nobody knows what to expect, particularly on the defensive end, given that he only recently returned to playing third base. Couple that with the shortstop situation and the Tigers' mad scramble to patch the hole -- they've added Andrew Romine and Alex Gonzalez in recent days -- and there's no telling what to expect at that position.
Sign of trouble: Given the expected regression in run production, the Tigers will lean on their starting pitching more than ever. If the rotation shows cracks, there's not much the Tigers can do to work past them.
They'll be rolling if ...: Torii Hunter, Austin Jackson, Alex Avila and other veteran supporting hitters do their part to balance the lineup. Jackson tore up the Grapefruit League, showing signs of rejuvenation with Ian Kinsler stabilizing the top of the order. Avila looks healthier than he has in three years, so last year's strong second half might not have been an aberration.
Cleveland Indians
Strengths: The clubhouse culture Francona helped instill was a nice storyline, but the Indians' real strengths are their versatility and Francona's shrewdness in handling the daily lineups and getting the most out of his bench. The addition of right fielder David Murphy fits that framework, as does the experiment of employing Carlos Santana at third. If Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn and Asdrubal Cabrera perform closer to their career norms than they did last year, an offense that tied for fourth in the AL in runs scored could improve.
Weaknesses: Beyond Justin Masterson, there isn't anything resembling a bankable commodity in the rotation, if only because Corey Kluber, Zach McAllister and Danny Salazar have just 96 career Major League starts between them. Replacing the innings and impact left behind by the departures of Ubaldo Jimenez and Scott Kazmir is essential, and an inordinate amount of pressure will be heaped on the shoulders of the 24-year-old Salazar after his brief but electric break-in last year. The jury is still out on whether Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer, the latter of whom was sent to Triple-A, can be counted on as worthwhile depth pieces.
Spot to watch: Santana's third-base trial has been encouraging enough that the Indians don't feel he'll be a total train wreck at the hot corner, and the Indians like him there as a means of retaining flexibility at designated hitter. One-time top prospect Lonnie Chisenhall, who still has plenty to prove on both sides of the ball, will have to fight for playing time at third.
Sign of trouble: If the hamstring problems that plagued Bourn late last season (prompting surgery) and again late in spring camp remain an issue, the Indians will have a problem atop their lineup and a big question in left field because Michael Brantley will need to shift to center.
They'll be rolling if ...: Salazar's secondary stuff proves it can play in the bigs and Kluber and McAllister make good on the promise they've shown in spurts.
Kansas City Royals
Strengths: The Royals have the finer points of the game down pat. They have three reigning Gold Glove winners in Alex Gordon, Salvador Perez and Eric Hosmer, and, most important, they don't have a single defensive weakness -- that's part of what allowed them to have a better-than-expected starting staff last season. Their bullpen, anchored by underrated closer Greg Holland, is loaded with high-velocity arms and is arguably one of the best in the game. Speaking of speed, the Royals have it on the basepaths, too, as they led the Majors with 153 steals. The Royals could be a scary club if the lineup, which now features Nori Aoki and Omar Infante at the top and Gordon in a run-production spot, reaches its prescribed level.
Weaknesses: The lineup hasn't reached its prescribed level yet -- not even in the second-half surge last season, when the runs-per-game output improved only incrementally from 3.97 to 4.04. The Royals were 64-13 in games in which they scored four or more runs. They'll need more of those games, especially given the loss of Ervin Santana from a rotation that could see some regression.
Spot to watch: The rotation comes with two big questions: Can Yordano Ventura and his 100-mph fastball make a seamless transition to the bigs right from the start? And can free-agent import Jason Vargas plug the gap left behind by Santana, whose 3.24 ERA over 211 innings was instrumental in Kansas City's ascent over the .500 hump?
Sign of trouble: If Mike Moustakas, after a scorching camp, falters again, and/or Hosmer can't carry over his strong second half from 2013, it will be difficult for the Royals to put up playoff-caliber run production.
They'll be rolling if ...: Aoki and Infante come as advertised in terms of creating scoring opportunities and Gordon takes a liking to his new role as a run producer.
Minnesota Twins
Strengths: Some of Joe Mauer's offensive value was tied to his position behind the plate, but that only matters if he's healthy enough to stay on the field. The move to first base will allow Mauer to be more durable and possibly more productive overall, considering that he was limited to 113 games last year. The starting staff, which posted a 5.26 ERA last year, has nowhere to go but up, and the addition of Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes, as well as Mike Pelfrey being another year removed from Tommy John, should point it in the right direction. The Glen Perkins-led bullpen is stout, and, most important, so is a farm system that, even with Miguel Sano on the shelf, still boasts the likes of Byron Buxton, Alex Meyer and Kohl Stewart.
Weaknesses: We said the rotation was headed in the right direction. We didn't say it was elite, by any stretch of the imagination. And neither, in fact, is an offense that ranked near the bottom of the AL in average (12th), on-base percentage (11th), slugging percentage (11th) and runs per game (13th) and made no significant outside acquisitions.
Spot to watch: The Twins are hoping for a big rebound from Aaron Hicks after his rookie year yielded an adjusted OPS a ghastly 35 percentage points below the league average. And whether or not Hicks sticks, all eyes will be on Buxton as the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball begins the season in Double-A with the possibility of being called up in September, if not sooner.
Sign of trouble: If Nolasco gets hurt and can't give the Twins the prescribed 200 innings and/or Hughes' escape from the Bronx bandbox that is Yankee Stadium does not yield the intended results, well, what then? The Twins can't afford for their rotation to go backward -- or even sideward.
They'll be rolling if ...: Josh Willingham, after enduring knee issues in 2013, returns to his 2012 form and pairs with a more durable Mauer and a developing Oswaldo Arcia to give the Twins a solid middle-of-the-order attack.
Chicago White Sox
Strengths: As bad as 2013 was, it's easy to forget that in 2012, the White Sox were right in the thick of the Central race until the tail end of the season. The presence of Chris Sale, who might be the best left-handed starter in the game not named Clayton Kershaw, obviously provides a good foundation in the bid to get back to that level. The offense, which scored just 598 runs last year, should see improvement with the additions, dating back to last July, of Avisail Garcia, Jose Abreu and Adam Eaton. Even with Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn around, this will be a team largely guided by youth. And with youth comes upside.
Weaknesses: With youth also comes unpredictability, and we've yet to see if the reformed lineup translates into the ability to more consistently get on base (among AL clubs, the Sox ranked 14th in on-base percentage and last in walks). Beyond Sale and Jose Quintana, too little is known about a thin rotation that also features 24-year-old Erik Johnson, the oft-injured John Danks and Felipe Paulino. And the bullpen has to find a reliable closer after the trade of Addison Reed to Arizona.
Spot to watch: On the heels of what Yoenis Cespedes and Yasiel Puig did in their initial break-ins, the eyes naturally veer toward Abreu as he assimilates to the big league stage. The White Sox caution that his development will be a marathon, not a sprint, but the pure right-handed power he showed in camp is a source of intrigue.
Sign of trouble: Much is being asked of Eaton as he adjusts to a new club and new league, and his Major League experience to date is a small and somewhat underwhelming sample. If he starts slow, so too will the Sox.
They'll be rolling if: Garcia and Abreu prove to be the real deal. Suddenly, the Sox would have one of the most potent middle orders in the league, from a power perspective.
Maybe the Tigers' star power dictates the division and they run away with it. But one can certainly envision a scenario in which the AL Central resembles the NL Central of a season ago and a legitimate three-team race emerges between Detroit, Cleveland and Kansas City.
Favorite: Tigers
Challengers: Indians, Royals
Darkhorse: White Sox
Never say never: Twins
Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince.


text:
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The little picture
My bedroom dresser was piled with papers, cold medicine, the aftermath of a little girl playing dress up with mama's jewelry, and dust. Certainly I could manage that. As I started to sift through the debris, I took note of the little pictures upon the dresser. Like diminutive scenes, or varied landscapes in a tiny territory.
What is on your dresser?
7 comments:
- Ted and Agnes said...
What a wonderful selection of lovlies on your dresser Rx
- February 21, 2012 at 10:24 AM
- Flaming Nora said...
Currently the big picture is way too overwhelming. Teeny tiny pixie bite sized pictures are good by me!
- February 21, 2012 at 12:47 PM
- greenrabbitdesigns said...
I'd like to be a little picture person but really I'm a big picture and panic person!
Vivienne x
- February 21, 2012 at 3:08 PM
- m.e (Cathie) said...
sometimes that big picture is just o overwhelming!
I don't know what I am at the moment, big or little picture.
living one day at a time, not really focusing on further than that.
it gets like that at times.
glad you took the time to look at the little pictures & enjoy what is around you.
big hugs ♥
- February 21, 2012 at 3:13 PM
- littlechrissy said...
I'm definitely a little picture person. I live by my list book (yes I have a book for writing lists because my life seems to fall apart without them) and am attached to a myriad of little bits and pieces that would mean nothing to anyone else, but carry scraps of cherished memories for me.
I mainly have jewellery on my dresser, but my favourite thing is an antique pill box given to me by my Grandma, and inside it are some friendship pins I made her when I was in primary school. She kept them for 28 years until she died.
- February 21, 2012 at 3:30 PM
- Lindsay Jewell said...
It depends on the day. Today I'm decidedly a 'little picture' person, but I'm hoping that will all change tomorrow.
- February 21, 2012 at 6:59 PM
- Sherri B. said...
My dresser? Hahahaha, I laughed when you asked that. Well, as I was packing to leave this morning, I thought, "When are you going to clean this dresser off?" I have the same dust as you, two round vintage mirrors that need to be hung, three vintage tins with my necklaces in them, all tangled of course. Similasons eye drops that went into the suitcase and a blouse that my sweet daughter-in-law bought me 3 sizes too small (love is blind)and finally got put into a bottom drawer..for that day when I am 25 again. Ha. - I like that you stopped seeing the 'mess' and saw the beauty..those things really are all about you. xo
- February 21, 2012 at 7:54 PM


text:
Terrence J & Khloe Get On Anti-Gay Activist After He Says He Got Black Homeboys That Would Beat Em Up & Homesexualality Was A Mental Disability! They Prolly Would Get They a$$ Handed To Em" + Kourtney Sleeps With Her Lil Brother's Best Friend
Khloe & Kourtney take on Miami
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Sonoco ThermoSafe® Certis Qualified Shippers deliver ultimate protection for your temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals and biological specimens, meeting the toughest ambient profiles of any premium shipper in the industry. Certis off-the-shelf packaging solutions offer temperature protection from 2° to 8°C (36° to 46°F) and ensure that your valuable products will ship safely anywhere in the world.
Designed to meet the ISCsilver™ Ambient Temperature Profile, Certis Silver offers stringent temperature assurance for shorter, more moderate distribution environments.
About ISCsilver
The ISCsilver Ambient Temperature Profile was developed to represent less extreme climates, or express air transit, where packages are generally not as susceptible to extreme temperatures. This profile is comparable to existing ambient profiles, such as the ISTA 7E and other profiles published by suppliers.
Based on the rigorous ISCgold™ Ambient Temperature Profile, Certis Gold was developed to maintain strict temperature control under under longer, more extreme shipping and storing conditions.
About ISCgold
The ISCgold Ambient Temperature Profile is designed for international and US domestic transport and is among the most rigorous ambient profiles in the industry. It encompasses standard profiles, such as ISTA 7D and ISTA 7E, as well as over 90% of other profiles that have been published by suppliers and manufacturers over the past decade.
All standard Certis Shippers incorporate this remarkable formulation of natural vegetable-based phase change materials, resulting in strict temperature control, easy packouts, greater efficiency and packages that are smaller and lighter. PureTemp® materials are non-hazardous, environmentally friendly and available to meet a wide range of temperature requirements.
The patent-pending modular design of Certis Shippers provides plenty of flexibility for adjusting to specific needs. Standard Certis Shippers can be modified to meet customer requirements for temperature control, shipping durations and payload sizes.
For more information, or to order Certis products, contact us.


text:
SEO + Internet Marketing
Budsjett ₹600-6000 INR
My Monthly Cost For SEO is 6000 RS with freelancer fees. This monthly cost will be increased after 3 months if you perform excellent.
So Do Not Bid more than this.
Send your proposal with Monthly Plan with following detail..
- How many Back link through link building you will do weekly.
- How many guest post, article post will you post (All Content will be written by your team prior to submit any content you should send written article and guest post for client approval so quality of content should be good.)
- How many social media links will you do you will do weekly.
- How many twitter post, face book post , re tweet, face book share, face book likes, Instagram post will be done in a week.
Conditions should be follow..
1) Domain Authority 20+
2) Page Authority 20+
3) Relevant
4) Do follow links only
5) Zero spam score from back link website
6) Outgoing back links under 20
7) No back links from link farms
8) No Directory Submission will be done.
9) Only White hat SEO Techniques
10) Half Milestone will be set for selected bidder. This will be released after one month.
11) No advance payment
12) Work should be result oriented, there should progress seen on weekly report.
13) Daily, weekly and monthly report will be emailed to our project manager by the selected candidate.
Project URL will be given to selected candidate.
20 frilansere byr i snitt ₹5985 for denne jobben
Hi, Thanks for giving opportunity to work with you, Here is my Offer for you:- Services we normally offer for keyword ranking and traffic. We think it is a honest offer and make sense because payments depends Mer
Hello, We are here to build our image for that we can do your task with our best at cheaper price as compare to other. Please talk to me we won't disappoint you. You can see our recent SEO work here: http://w Mer
:: 100+ Clients with 100% satisfaction :: Hello Sir, Greetings from ZNS! How we are best? We have passed SEO Level 3 and Wordpress Exam with Good marks, So we have Good Knowledge about SEO. We have good e Mer
Hello, We shall rank your website on Top 3 position at Google first page for the chosen targeted keywords within short time duration at most competitive prices lower than all other Freelancers. In the last 5 year Mer
100% Guaranteed Result by White Hat SEO method Hello Sir, I have complete many project related to SEO/SMO/PPC Link Building & I have the ability to accomplish the goal with quality result, Google first page ranking and Mer
Hi, Thanks for your valuable time. I have 5+ years experience in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and worked with clients from various parts of the world. I will provide best SEO services: But we need know so Mer
Dear Client, I've carefully gone through your job posting. I 'm an expert Search Engine Optimizer with more than 2+ years experiences of both "On-Page" and "Off -Page" SEO. I am very much interested in your project Mer
Hi, I am new on Freelancer but I have 3+ years of experience in same work and industry. My expertise are around On-page SEO, Off-page SEO, Link building, Search engine marketing, Social Media Marketing , Display adve Mer
Hi I am expert in SEO and social media to help you to grow your online business with generate high numbers of conversions and traffic CPC with SERP And Online visibility for Your Website to increase ROI with get ra Mer
Hello, If you want your website to show up in top on search engine when people search for your services, we can help you. We are experts in White Hat and Manual SEO/Link Building services and are working on the same Mer
Dear Sir, Greetings from Toprankings I have read your job description. I will build 50 quality back links in a month. I do post on your social media pages 5 days in a week. I'm white hat linkbuilder and I will r Mer
Hi, Hope you are doing well! We are Alivenet solution. We have gone through your requirement and we are the one stop solution for your needs. We have highly experienced Digital Marketing experts. We use 100% White Mer
Greeting from Satisfaction Web Solution, We are new here and Currently working for patanjali group of Hardiwar(RamDev Baba ji ), We will show our work during chat or provide you our keyword research,meta tag optimizat Mer
Dear Prospect Hiring Manager. Thank you for giving me a chance to bid on your project. I am a serious bidder here and i have already worked on a similar project before and can deliver as u have mentioned I have c Mer


text:
Fannie Mae In Your Community
Dec 10, 2013
Although Fannie Mae is headquartered in Washington, DC, the company has a presence in many major housing markets, ready to help struggling homeowners with loans owned by Fannie Mae.
Cities like Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago are part of the Fannie Mae Mortgage Help Center Network. At these locations, delinquent homeowners with Fannie Mae loans can get in-person assistance. Fannie Mae also supports national telephone and email assistance for distressed homeowners. You can visit our Mortgage Help Network page to make your appointment online or call 866-442-9413. (Note: this assistance is only available to homeowners whose loans are owned by Fannie Mae, but other resources are available for homeowners with non-Fannie Mae loans.)
In addition, Fannie Mae participates in foreclosure prevention events around the country and holds many of its own events, called KYO Community. Homeowners with Fannie Mae-owned loans are invited to meet one-on-one with a Fannie Mae housing advisor at these events. Stacey, a homeowner in Chicago, attended KYO Community in mid-November because she "needed an advocate." She completed an online registration form and received a call back that evening to confirm her appointment. "The process was very smooth and quick," she notes.
You can search for an event in your area using our Foreclosure Prevention Events Calendar.


text:
Talk about performance!
Dance major Kelsey Hickson ('10) combines pre-med, biology, dance and community service in her routine
By Jacquelyn Walsh ('09)
Dance comes first at JMU for Kelsey Hickson ('10), a Richmond native, who has been dancing since she was 3. Hickson is a pre-med student with a major in dance and a minor in biology.
In recognition of her dance achievements, community service and academics, the School of Theatre and Dance awarded Hickson a partial tuition scholarship for the 2009-10 academic year.
The biology program also honored her with the George Warren Chappelear Jr. Scholarship for outstanding success in the program. Hickson danced in both the JMU Fall Student Dance Concert and the Contemporary Dance Ensemble Concert this past year.
As the dance and theater community service chair, Hickson served as captain of the Dance Theatre Relay for Life team.
She is also involved in Alpha Epsilon Delta, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Up 'til Dawn. Hickson studied abroad last summer with the JMU London Contemporary Dance and Performance Summer Intensive.
The rising senior, who "loves to perform," is excited about the 2010 debut of JMU's new performing arts center. "It will give JMU the opportunity to kick it up a notch in the world of performing arts."
Published: Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Last Updated: Thursday, October 20, 2016


text:
IT'S NOT unusual to stumble a bit before you hit your stride. That's how analysts are characterizing what happened in the booming biodiesel business this past December.
After a year of record industry growth in which production tripled (to 75 million gallons), the number of biodiesel plants grew to more than 50 nationwide, and the state of Minnesota passed the nation's first biodiesel mandate for B2 use, the racing industry had a bit of a charley horse. Several shipments of the soy oil-based product were "off spec," containing high levels of glycerin that can cause problems for fuel lines. They made their way into diesel engines in Minnesota at the same time the state suffered its first winter cold snap. Truckers and some farmers quickly began to report clogged fuel filters, and biodiesel was blamed.
The issue was particularly noteworthy because Minnesota had enacted the B2 mandate only months before. State officials and biodiesel makers are still trying to sort out the exact cause of the problem. Although they recognize the bruise the experience gave the burgeoning industry, most agree they will learn from it and use it to improve quality-control measures. It also delivered some valuable lessons for biodiesel users.
Buy the right blend
Last fall, price became a major factor in producer demand for richer biodiesel blends. People were choosing B20 over B5 to save money, says David Forkrud, petroleum manager at Farmers Co-op Oil, Sacred Heart, MN. "With higher prices for regular diesel, B20, at $2.40 a gallon, was cheaper than B5, which was running about $2.50 at the time.
"But then temperatures dropped way below 30 degrees and my phone started ringing off the hook," he recalls. "I was hearing the same thing from everyone — clogged fuel filters."
Forkrud says he's sure his cooperative got some of the off-spec fuel, but he is confident that processors will work hard to prevent similar problems from happening again. "I still support biodiesel and think the industry will work through these kinks in production. It's the right product to be using, just not in stronger blends during the winter months.
"We just need to learn from this experience," he continues. "We won't be recommending our customers use B20 during the winter months — just B5. Those producers who were using B5 had no problems at all, even when temperatures dropped."
Downside differences
Equipment manufacturers, and even biodiesel proponents, are quick to point out properties that make biodiesel a bit different from regular diesel. Some of these differences require changes in storage and use. The key, say fuel experts, is that the higher the level of biodiesel in the blend, the more concerned you need to be about the differences.
"With low-level blends, such as B2 and B5, you shouldn't see any noticeable difference in fuel performance or handling," says research engineer Ken Bickel, who has conducted numerous tests on biodiesel at the University of Minnesota's Center for Diesel Research. "You can start to see some noticeable difference in performance when you use blends of B20 and higher. Its solvent properties can affect rubber components like fuel hoses and pump seals over time. And it gels at temperatures slightly higher than regular diesel.
"Another short-term problem can be that, because it dissolves deposits in fuel lines and tanks, you might have clogged fuel lines or filters for awhile," Bickel continues. "But that's just a temporary thing, until the fuel system gets cleaned out. In the long run, it can be a good thing."
Bickel, who mans a biodiesel help line with colleague Kelly Strebig, notes that some of the problems farmers had this past winter with clogged fuel filters could also have been tied to draining storage tanks when regular diesel was in short supply in some parts of the state. "There is almost always going to be some crud at the bottom of a tank that will cause clogging, and in some cases, the problem was likely already in the tank before the biodiesel went in," Bickel says.
Those problems linked to biodiesel were isolated cases, he emphasizes. "The majority of biodiesel users, especially those who have been using the product for awhile, have had no problems with it," he says. "I recently talked to the operators of Eureka Recycling in St. Paul where they have been running trucks and equipment on B20 for over a year, and they've had no problems at all, even during the winter."
Follow the guidelines
There are simple ways to avoid problems with biodiesel or any fuel, Bickel says. "You just have to do your homework and find out what manufacturers recommend for their equipment, as well as store it properly," he says.
Most equipment manufacturers who have approved low-level biodiesel blends for use in their machines also offer these guidelines:
Don't leave biodiesel in engines stored for more than four months or left in storage tanks for longer than six months. Before storing machines that run on biodiesel, flush the engines or fill them with conventional diesel fuel.
Discontinue use of biodiesel in winter months because its cloud point is higher than that of conventional No. 1 and 2 diesel fuels. "If you do use it, make sure it's blended with a high-quality, winter-grade diesel fuel," Bickel says.
Because biodiesel can attract moisture, the fuel filter water trap may need to be drained more frequently, and the fuel filter may need to be changed more often, especially after you make the initial fuel change.
If you spill biodiesel fuel on painted surfaces, wipe it off immediately so that is doesn't damage the paint.
What's within the warranty
This past year, several original equipment manufacturers indirectly increased their support for biodiesel by boosting the blend percent that can be used under warranty in their equipment and vehicles. Last fall, DaimlerChrysler became the first major U.S. automaker to approve the use of B5 in a consumer vehicle — its Jeep Liberty diesel SUV.
Last month, the company upped the ante and approved the use of B20 in its 2007 model Dodge Ram pickup trucks sold to government, military and commercial fleet customers. That confidence will likely be extended to the consumer version this summer, provided that the American Society of Testing and Materials approves new standards for B20 biodiesel. According to a company spokesman, no changes were made to any truck components to accommodate the use of B20.
In 2005, John Deere began using B2 as the preferred factory-fill fuel in tractors, combines, self-propelled sprayers and other diesel-powered machines. The company, along with most other farm equipment manufacturers, allows biodiesel blends of up to 5% to be used in its machines without voiding warranties. All stipulate, though, that the biodiesel must be high quality and meet ASTM D6751 specifications (see chart).
Soybean oil
Soybeans have taken the lead in the United States in producing oil most in demand for biodiesel production. Currently 85% of U.S.-produced biodiesel comes from soybeans.
Enhancing key characteristics in the crop could improve the quality of that oil or boost its biodiesel yield. To accomplish this, two government departments — Energy and Agriculture — are joining forces to decode the DNA of the soybean, specifically looking for ways to make its oil better for biodiesel production.
The soybean is of particular interest to the Energy Department because biodiesel made from its oil has the highest energy content of any alternative fuel and is more environmentally friendly than comparable petroleum fuels because it degrades rapidly in the environment.
According to a statement released last month, the DOE's Joint Genome Institute in Walnut Creek, CA, will be the lead facility in sequencing the soy genome. To date, the institute has sequenced and released a total of 150 microbial organisms. Director Eddy Rubin says the institute is playing a key role in "translational genomics."
"That means applying the tools of DNA sequencing and molecular biology to the development of new avenues for clean energy generation and for crop improvement," Rubin says.
2005 was a year of rapid growth in both the production of biodiesel and public interest in its use:
Federal biodiesel tax incentive is extended through 2008.
U.S. biodiesel production jumps from 25 million gallons in 2005 to 75 million gallons in 2006.
53 U.S. plants now produce biodiesel; 54 more are in the planning/building stages.
Based on 2006 production levels, biodiesel adds an average 7.5 cents per bushel to the soybeans used to make it.
Celebrities, including Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Daryl Hannah and Morgan Freeman, join the biodiesel bandwagon and promote use of the fuel.
DaimlerChrysler approves the use of B5 in its Jeep Liberty diesel sport utility vehicle.
WHILE ORIGINAL equipment manufacturers are quick to note that they don't warrant fuel, most now allow the use of low biodiesel blends in their products. But those levels still vary among companies, so it pays to know before you fill up your tank.
|Many engines approved for B100; others limited to B5
|All engines approved for up to B5
|Detroit Diesel
|Approves use up to B20
|Approves use up to B5
|General Motors
|All engines approved for up to B5
|Approves use up to B20
|John Deere
|All engines approved up to B5
|Fuel-injection makers
|Approves use up to B5
|Approves use up to B5
|Approves use up to B20
|Source: National Biodiesel Board


text: To discuss my beloved team with all kinds of Steelers fans. We are the best, no trolling will affect my opinion. Sometimes I might be wrong or I might be right, is all part of the fun of being active in a forum. Been a fan since the early 70's and it's been a great ride! Let's go Steelers!!!


text:
After suffering through a moribund 2009 when investment sales, lending and leasing were largely frozen, the retail real estate industry is showing signs that the long-awaited rebound may be starting.
In September, U.S. same-store sales eked out a 0.1 percent gain—the first increase in more than a year. Growth in October, at 2.2 percent, proved even more robust, although November was weaker with a 0.3 percent decline. Meanwhile, the volume of retail investment sales transactions increased 36 percent in the third quarter compared to the second quarter, to $2.1 billion. And the volume of retail properties in distress in October remained flat with the month prior, at $34.5 billion, according to Real Capital Analytics, a New York City–based research firm.
It's not that things are good or that a robust recovery is underway, but the situation appears to be less bad than it was for most of 2009. There are the faintest glimmers of hope. And while 2010 promises to be another tough year, many industry pros think it will mark the beginning of a slow turnaround.
The industry will get the first indicator of things to come if there is continued positive same-store sales growth during the 2009 holiday shopping season. A solid holiday sales season could put the brakes on store closures and retailer bankruptcies. That, in turn, could help stop the descent in occupancies and rents and allow property values to stop falling. It remains likely that the pace of openings will be slow and even if vacancy rates at malls and shopping centers stabilize, they will likely remain at or near record highs for several quarters. Once the bottom has become clear, however, it may trigger the long awaited run of investment in distressed properties, which many believe will provide the foundation for the industry's recovery.
Unfortunately, a rebound in retail real estate is not entirely under the industry's control. What happens in the broader economy will dictate the strength and speed of the recovery. On the plus side, the economy does appear to be growing again. In the third quarter, U.S. GDP grew by an annualized rate of 2.8 percent, according to preliminary estimates from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, ending a string of four straight quarterly declines. And, according to the International Monetary Fund's World Economic Outlook, published in October, real GDP will grow by 1.3 percent in 2010.
"The economy is in recovery and it looks like we are officially out of recession, but it doesn't really [feel] like it," says David J. Lynn, managing director with ING Clarion Partners, a real estate investment management firm. "There is not a lot of good organic growth and unemployment is still going up."
What worries Lynn about the broader economy—and should be doubly troubling for retail real estate—is the unemployment rate, which many economists predict will continue to rise well into 2010. The unemployment rate recently topped 10 percent for the first time since the early 1980s and the bleakest projections are that it could keep going past 11 percent or 12 percent. And that's just the official figure. By an alternate measure of unemployment, counting jobless, discouraged workers and part-time workers that want to work full-time, the unemployment rate is above 17 percent.
The past two economic recoveries have been marked by prolonged periods where the economy continued to hemorrhage jobs long after the recovery set in. Many economists think this could be worse. If the last cycle was the "jobless recovery," this one may turn out to be the "job-loss recovery." Add to that rising energy prices and the constricted supply of consumer credit, and the retail sector still faces daunting obstacles. The problem, then, is that growth in the economy would not be marked by a strong resurgence in consumer spending, dimming the prospects for retail real estate to rebound quickly.
"We might be over-retailed as a country and that's okay when you have a zero percent savings rate and when even your pets get credit card offers. But that's changed," says Lynn. "There is less wealth to spend, there is less credit and more concern about the future."
Retailer outlook
In October, the Consumer Spending Index tracked by global consulting firm Deloitte rose for the fifth consecutive month. On the same-store sales front, ICSC projects the November/December period should post a small gain of about 1 percent. If that comes to pass, the stronger retailers might stop coughing up cash, leading to less pressure to close underperforming stores and fewer rent concession requests, says Sam Latone, co-CEO of the Shopping Center Group, an Atlanta–based retail real estate brokerage firm.
At the same time, if the holiday shopping season doesn't go well, there might be between 6,000 and 8,000 store closings in the first half of next year, according to Al Williams, principal with Excess Space Retail Services Inc., a Huntington Beach, Calif.–based real estate disposition and lease restructuring firm. However, the predictions were also dire coming into 2009, but that did not come to pass. Many space disposition specialists have been surprised that in 2009 store closings have stayed comparatively low.
Drastic cost-cutting measures and conservative merchandise orders helped many struggling retailers stay afloat. But Andy Graiser, co-president of DJM Realty LLC, a Melville, N.Y.–based real estate consulting firm, thinks retailers ultimately will need to do more. Cost cutting can be a temporary salve. In 2010, retailers will need to show an improvement in sales at to survive long-term. That's why many predict that the closings that didn't happen in 2009 could happen in 2010.
Indeed, the Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2010 report produced by the Urban Land Institute and PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts weaker retail players will continue to be weeded out. At the beginning of the recession, every retail category in the U.S. featured five to six national chains, making the field too crowded, according to Latone. With consumers' new focus on "needs, not wants," only the top two or three performers in each sector are likely to come out of this downturn, he says. What's more, we might see additional bankruptcies in the big-box sector, after the market has already absorbed the shock of the liquidations of Circuit City and Linens 'n Things.
Next page: On the upswing?
On the upswing?
All the bankruptcies, liquidations and store closings that occurred in 2009 helped drive the vacancy rate for shopping centers to a 17-year high of 10.3 percent at the end of the third quarter, according to Reis Inc., a New York City–based research firm. The vacancy rate for regional malls reached a 10-year high of 8.6 percent. The rates jumped as the year dragged on. The vacancy rate for shopping centers hit a low point of 6.7 percent in the second quarter of 2005. From there it took 11 quarters to rise a full percentage point to 7.7 percent. In contrast, the rate jumped 2.6 percent points in the eight quarters since.
If anecdotes hold true, however, that period of rapidly rising rates may already be over. Owners and brokers are reporting that demand for new retail space has increased in the past few months as healthy chains begin to take advantage of favorable market conditions. In the big-box space, for example, which has suffered a disproportionately high number of liquidations during this recession, tenants willing to sign new leases are essentially dictating their terms, says Graiser.
The recovering leasing market was also a theme during third-quarter earnings season for shopping center REITs. For example, 66 percent, or 460,000 square feet, of new leasing deals completed by New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Kimco Realty Corp. in the third quarter were in the big-box junior anchor category, according to COO David Lukes.
Still, things are far from normal. For example, a number of smaller, regional retailers might be crippled by the reorganization of lending giant CIT Group Inc. The bankrupt firm served as the primary source of factoring capital for these firms, which is used to pre-order merchandise. If, as a result of the reorganization, CIT drastically cuts back on its factoring business, many of these chains might have to close stores.
Taking all this into account, next year, absorption of retail space will likely remain negative, dropping by 6.5 million square feet according to Reis, though that would be a vast improvement over the 26.8-million-square-foot decline in absorption in 2009. The overall national vacancy rate might reach 11.7 percent. Non-mall retail vacancy might pass the 12.7 percent mark, predicts research from ING Clarion. Retail rents, which fell 3.8 percent this year in official estimates (and likely more if all the unofficial rent breaks are factored in), are projected to fall another 2.5 percent.
Self-inflicted wounds
Perhaps the biggest issue facing the commercial real estate industry remains the mountain of near-term debt maturities, including $320 billion in loans coming due in 2010, according to ING Clarion. The bigger institutional players, including publicly-traded REITs, have gotten a jump on competitors due to their ability to tap public markets for capital. But privately-held small and mid-size property owners still find securing refinancing extremely difficult. The commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) market remains dormant.
Traditional lenders, including life insurance companies, private equity funds and mortgage REITs, are limiting lending to the best quality assets belonging to the most credit-worthy clients.
A collapse in property values forms the backdrop to the troubles in the debt markets. Retail property values have already fallen by more than 40 percent since the peak of the market in 2007 according to several commercial real estate price indexes. The Emerging Trends report predicts that commercial property values will be down 50 percent from the market's peak when the bottom finally hits.
In the absence of strong leasing demand, values might continue to fall. That will likely push more owners into default if they can't come up with additional equity to put into their centers or secure extensions from lenders.
The distress has started to spread, encompassing commercial real estate assets worth $132 billion—a 122 percent increase in distressed situations from the beginning of 2009, according to ING Clarion. That includes 1,486 properties, valued at $32 billion, in the retail sector. So far, however, lenders have been avoiding dealing with the bad loans because they fear the losses they would have to recognize will wipe out whatever capital they've managed to squirrel away in the last year.
But as the volume of distress grows in 2010, banks might be forced to start working through their commercial portfolios, according to Robert Bach, senior vice president and chief economist with Grubb & Ellis, a global commercial real estate services firm. That will include putting distressed assets up for sale. Meanwhile, the banks with healthier balance sheets might opt to take write-downs on the better assets if they think their values will increase at some point in the future and begin to dispose of less than stellar properties, according to the Emerging Trends report. (See p.30 for more on the financial outlook for retail real estate.)
Next page: Opportunity ahead
The situation will likely create a substantial amount of pain for both real estate owners and lenders, but might also bring an end to the stalemate in the investment sales market. For most of this year, cash-rich buyers have stayed on the sidelines for fear of making acquisitions before prices bottom out. Once sales transactions start happening in any meaningful fashion, it ought to be easier for sellers and buyers to agree on what fair prices are. Year-to-date, investment sales in the retail sector have totaled $7.7 billion, down 66 percent compared to the same period in 2008 and down 91 percent compared to the same period in 2007, according to Real Capital Analytics. In 2008, investment in retail properties totaled $19.8 billion. By contrast, at the peak of the market in 2007, the retail sector saw $60 billion in sales.
Sales transactions will likely accelerate starting in the third quarter of next year. Recovery, however, won't come all at once and it's not likely that in 2010 the avalanche of sales activity brokers had been hoping for will materialize, in Bach's view. At best, investment sales in the retail sector might increase by 20 percent compared to the abysmally low levels of 2009. The recovery process likely will stretch through 2011 and 2012.
Opportunity ahead
By the time the third quarter of 2010 comes around, the sheer volume of distress in the commercial real estate sector might force lenders to start dealing with the bad loans. So far, many banks have taken the "pretend and extend" approach to defaulting mortgages, which has helped keep the market in a state of suspended animation. In September, for example, sales of retail properties in distressed situations accounted for only 15 percent of the overall sales transaction volume, according to Real Capital. Because banks refuse to put distressed assets up for sale in the fear of incurring unmanageable losses, investors interested in purchasing real estate properties on the cheap can't start making acquisitions—they are afraid to over-value the properties.
"We are in the initial rebound phase right now and the workout phase will be in the middle part of 2010," says Lynn. "That's when you will have sellers that will finally have to sell because there is distress at the property level and they are under water, and the banks have to realize that loss and sell the property." ING Clarion estimates that in 2010, retail properties will offer total returns of approximately 3.3 percent. In 2009, total returns on retail properties declined by 11.9 percent.
Most of the prospective buyers for commercial real estate properties (and real estate debt) will likely come in the form of publicly-traded REITs, private opportunity funds and foreign investors. In the absence of readily available debt capital, whoever has cash will benefit during this market cycle.
"Values have adjusted back to [historical levels] and interest rates are still very attractive," says Anthony M. Villasenor, senior vice president of the retail division with Voit Real Estate Services, a San Diego, Calif.-based real estate services firm. "So there's never been a better time, in our opinion, to buy commercial real estate."
In many markets, cap rates on retail properties have already moved by 200 basis points to 300 basis points from the levels seen in 2007. They should continue to rise through 2010.
But while 2010 might mark a turning point in the investment sales market, industry insiders predict the increase in activity will be moderate, ranging anywhere from 25 percent to 40 percent compared to what we have seen so far this year. It might take up to three years for the industry to clean up the aftermath of this down cycle. As Bach puts it, "Commercial real estate will have to take its lumps."


text:
Celebrating Today's Youth
August 12, 2013
On International Youth Day, we reflect on the challenges and opportunities facing youth in the developing world as they strive to create a more prosperous future.
Young people under the age of 30 constitute more than half of the world's population, with the vast majority living in the developing world. In Africa, where the current median age is 18, the number of youth ages 15 to 24 is expected to rise from 172 million to 246 million by 2020. While this profound demographic shift poses challenges, it also presents unprecedented opportunities for youth to revitalize the agricultural sector, create innovative enterprises and lead a wave of economic growth.
TechnoServe understands the urgency of engaging youth to become agents of change in their communities. Today, on International Youth Day, we celebrate the potential and achievements of young men and women around the world, including those engaged in TechnoServe's youth-oriented initiatives:
- In Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, TechnoServe is helping 15,000 rural young women and men transition to economic independence. The Strengthening Rural Youth Development Through Enterprise (STRYDE) program is an $11.5 million, four-year partnership with The MasterCard Foundation that delivers a comprehensive package of services including skills training, business development and mentoring to young people ages 18 to 30.
- The Young Women in Enterprise (YWE) program seeks to empower economically disadvantaged adolescent girls and young women in urban slums in Kenya by helping them capitalize on safe and productive economic opportunities. The program introduces girls ages 14 to 24 to entrepreneurship concepts, financial literacy, life skills and employability. In partnership with the Nike Foundation, TechnoServe has reached more than 4,000 girls through YWE since 2006, 35 percent of whom have started small businesses and 25 percent of whom have been linked to wage-paying jobs.
- The Economic Development of Tibetan Settlements (EDOTS) program is creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for Tibetans in exile in India and Nepal, with a dual focus on farmers and young people. Supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the program aims to reduce out-migration from Tibetan settlements and preserve Tibetan culture. In settlements across India, TechnoServe has targeted youth workforce development, which includes employability and skills training, business plan competitions and business accelerator support.
Related Blog Posts
Cultivating Cashew to Create Economic Growth in Benin and Mozambique
Africa is home to over half of the world's supply of cashew, a crop that is growing in demand globally as incomes rise and diets change. From planting seeds, to harvest, to processing, see how cashews from Mozambique and Benin make it to your table.
Lasting Impact Spotlight: Gloriose Uwayezu
We caught up with Gloriose Uwayezu, a rural youth empowerment program participant, for an update on her brickmaking business three years after its launch.
Youth Helping Youth in India
In Mumbai, young people are providing peer mentorship to help other youth join India's workforce and contribute to the country's economic growth.


text:
There is a lot about the Real Housewives franchise that reflect our real lives. 1. Women can be catty. 2. Women can be cruel. 3. Marriages, even the ones that seem perfect on the outside, are often messy and complicated. There is just one big thing that is missing. Leave it to RHOA diva Sheree Whitfield to call it out. She recently ranted that there aren't enough black people on Real Housewives and she's right.
Outside of the ATL-based cast, the other cities look like a cookie with no chips. You can watch an entire season without a yellow, brown, or reddish complexion popping up on the screen. Some areas, you expect a complete lack of diversity, namely Orange County. It is known to be pretty homogeneous and incredibly blonde (whether by birth or bottle). Though that excuse doesn't fly in a city like New York. This is arguably the most diverse place in the country -- so I understand why fans expect the show to reflect that in some way.
Don't these ladies know any women of color they can bring into their wicked, inner circle? All of those relationships are mostly manufactured anyway, with producers signing on a "new girl" or two every season to liven things up. Why not just hire someone with a little ethnic flair. It's guaranteed to do wonders for the show. There is a reason Real Housewives of Atlanta is the best of the bunch. Those woman are the sassiest, savviest, and funniest of the entire franchise (though New Jersey is definitely a close second). Who wouldn't love seeing Ramona Singer going head to head with someone as feisty as NeNe Leakes. Now that's TV gold.
But truth be told, just plopping a black, Latina, or Asian woman into the mix would be more fake than the show already is. It's sad, but true. That's not to say there aren't plenty of minority women who can match both their brazenness and bank accounts -- there are. However, these women probably hardly ever mingle in a diverse crowd, aside from a doorman, delivery man, random shop person. Whether you want to believe it or not, that is probably the reality of these women's lives.
Does it bother you that the Real Housewives casts are not more diverse?
Image via Bravo