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With most of the preseason in the books and fantasy drauction day looming (if it hasn't already occurred), it's time for one more update on the big fellas who'll spring, protect, and otherwise lay out the path for the "skill position" players whose names you'll be calling out between sips of Fat Tire.
This is an update to the earlier preseason update, which was an update to the mammoth team-by-team offensive line analysis from earlier this summer. If you're looking for the rankings or the teams not mentioned here (and for the most part, no news is good news), click on those links. Any more "Where are the Packers?" or "What about the Steelers?" in the comments section and Toniu Fonoti is coming over to your house to sit on you.
Indianapolis Colts
In a word: uh-oh. Center Jeff Saturday, the guy who makes that entire line tick, will miss at least six weeks with a torn MCL. Saturday is still deciding whether or not to have surgery; if he does go under the knife, he'll miss more like 10 or 11 weeks, but all indications are he'll be back by the end of the season. Complicating matters is that Saturday is in the final year of his contract. Saturday is to the Colts what Kate Jackson was to the original Charlie's Angels; the rest of the group may be a whole lot prettier, but without the brains of the operation mysteries might go unsolved. Remember, it's Saturday who makes the line calls that keep Peyton Manning's jersey clean. Peyton is already gimpy, and now he'll likely have rookie Steve Justice snapping him the ball. Hitting the panic button may be premature, but if you haven't already tweaked your Colts down a notch or two (Manning behind Tony Romo and maybe even Drew Brees; Joe Addai behind Brian Westbrook and Steven Jackson, if he wasn't there already; Reggie Wayne now in a battle with Larry Fitzgerald, Braylon Edwards, and Marcus Colston to hang on to his top-five spot amongst wideouts) it's certainly something you have to consider.
San Diego Chargers
The Bolts will already be without center Nick Hardwick for the first month of the season, and now it appears that left tackle Marcus McNeill might not be ready for the opener either. If you've been a fan of L.J. Shelton and his earlier work with a variety of poor offensive lines around the league, there's no need to worry about LaDainian Tomlinson or Philip Rivers—both of whom ended last year injured. The good news for those of you who don't (or didn't) have the first overall pick is that it's very likely you'll have an opportunity to trade for LT following what shapes up to be a slow start behind a patchwork offensive line.
New England Patriots
Maybe the Patriots aren't immune to the curse of the Super Bowl losers. Right guard Steve Neal was placed on the PUP list and will miss at least the first six weeks of the season, while swing tackle Ryan O'Callaghan is on IR and done for the year. Both of Neal's replacements are nicked up, sending the Patriots to the waiver wire where they found former Raven Mike Flynn. You might recall that the lineup New England fielded the last time it mattered didn't fare particularly well, and losing key personnel brings it down another notch. Now you've got questions about how much time Tom Brady will have to throw, making him just as risky a first-round pick as all those backs you've been picking him over. I'm getting a headache worrying about this; maybe Nick Kaczur has some more of those painkillers.
Minnesota Vikings
The rumor keeps circulating that left tackle Bryant McKinnie is facing a four-game suspension for his off-the-field transgressions. I still think that's aggressive; while McKinnie has piled up a quantity of missteps they don't feel like four games worth. Two games wouldn't surprise me, and for the first time this preseason the Vikings started acting like they'll need a backup plan by working Artis Hicks in McKinnie's spot. An extended vacation from McKinnie wouldn't help the Vikings, but since arriving in the NFL having allegedly never allowed a sack… well, let's just say there's no question that McKinnie's reputation has been blemished.
Arizona Cardinals
Center Al Johnson won't be ready for the start of the season, so Lyle Sendlein will open as Arizona's snapper. Who he'll be snapping to remains to be seen.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Justin Hartwig has been named the starting center, which is no surprise considering he was competing with Sean Mahan. Meanwhile, the $6.895 million the Steelers invested to slap the transition tag on tackle Max Starks—roughly half a mil less than it would have cost to franchise Alan Faneca—is looking like the worst investment since the U.S. 4x100 meter team all bought matching outfits to wear to the medal ceremony. Starks can't beat out Willie Colon on the right side, left tackle Marvel Smith says he's not coming back when his contract expires after the season, and through it all the Steelers were averaging less than four yards per carry in the preseason. Oh, and Ben Roethlisberger has been sacked 93 times the past two seasons. They're making it extremely difficult to maintain my faith in Santonio Holmes joining the elite fantasy wideouts this season.
Buffalo Bills
There is no end in sight to Jason Peters' holdout, and the Bills received a huge scare when his replacement, Langston Walker, banged his forearm in the preseason game against Indy. What little tackle depth Buffalo's line has could be further sapped if Matt Murphy opts not to play through a partially torn rotator cuff. It sounds as if Walker should be back by Week One, but I'm still worried we'll see the 10.5 sack Walker from Oakland circa 2006. That, obviously, does not bode well for Trent Edwards' health or Lee Evans' fantasy value.
Baltimore Ravens
Now starting at the tackles for your Baltimore Ravens… Mike Kracalik and Chad Slaughter. Jonathan Ogden is rolling over on his couch right about now. Actually, Adam Terry is back at practice, but there's still no way I'd expose Joe Flacco to playing behind this line—not if I didn't want him to end up on a couch of his own in a Baltimore psychiatrist's office mumbling about being sacked more than David Carr and Tim Couch combined. And the Ravens' line, which at one point this offseason was shaping up to be a team strength, is yet another reason to be down on Willis McGahee.
Miami Dolphins
Youth continues to be served on South Beach, as the 'Phins kicked veteran guard Steve McKinney to the curb and will roll with a lineup that includes two rookies and sports a total of nine years of experience. Tony Sporano being a former line coach, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt here. This line won't be an impediment and long-term is on track towards being a real helper.
Seattle Seahawks
It looks as if both center Chris Spencer, who is already back at practice, and right tackle Sean Locklear will both return to the starting lineup for Week One. Considering that the fill-ins shared a combined 12 games of NFL experience (with zero pro starts to their credit), that has to be viewed as good news for an offense that's already down two key receivers and looks to establish a running game on the backs of Julius Jones and Maurice Morris.
St. Louis Rams
The Rams have already put two offensive linemen on injured reserve, but the good news is both Mark Setterstrom and Brandon Gorin were expected to be backups. Still, the way this line has been ravaged by injury the past couple seasons, they're going to want all the depth they can afford; after all, Orlando Pace's surgically repaired shoulder is already sore. The key to Al Saunders' success in Kansas City wasn't necessarily all Al Saunders; Hall of Fame linemen Willie Roaf and Will Shields played a big part as well. Keep than in mind when projecting Priest Holmes-like numbers for Steven Jackson.
Chicago Bears
First Fred Miller couldn't find work; now he has the luxury of choosing between offers from the Bucs (looking to fill the gap left by Luke Petitgout) and the Bears. Oh, and Chris Williams' back injury? Turns out it was the same one that scared off all the other teams on Draft Day. Take an aging offensive line, mix in the quarterback stylings of Kyle Orton, and you've got a bevy of nine-man fronts welcoming Matt Forte to the NFL. You can do better with your third fantasy back.
San Francisco 49ers
Hey, nice Baas! As in right guard David Baas, who is off the PUP list and is expected to be available Week 1. Unfortunately, his counterpart on the left side, Adam Snyder, probably won't be due to a high ankle sprain. Paging Larry Allen… and I'm not joking. The return of Allen might slide Frank Gore back into my personal first round, but right now that seems more like Mike Nolan's wish rather than anything approaching reality.
Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta's coaching staff said they factored line play into the decision to start Matt Ryan, expressing confidence in what line coach Paul Bourdreau has cobbled together—both in their ability to pass protect and that their run-blocking acumen won't make the team one-dimensional and force Ryan to play the role of sitting duck. Key in this decision-making process was the return of a healthy Todd Weiner to the lineup at right tackle in the Falcons' last preseason game. Must… refrain… from… Weiner joke…
No updates for the following teams (remember, no news is generally good news… or at least nothing that will dramatically impact your fantasy draft board), but feel free to check out their original ranking and analysis here:
New York Giants
Cleveland Browns
New Orleans Saints
Dallas Cowboys
Green Bay Packers
Jacksonville Jaguars
Denver Broncos
Cincinnati Bengals
Tennessee Titans
Houston Texans
Philadelphia Eagles
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Washington Redskins
Carolina Panthers
New York Jets
Detroit Lions
Oakland Raiders
Kansas City Chiefs
Related Articles


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February is chocolate month, right? Well, it should be. I think it is my obligation to test out as many chocolate recipes as I can and present you with the very best. Now, personally, I have shown you some of best in some previous posts of mine like the Fudgy Cherry Cake brownies, Black and White brownies, Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins and Crock Pot Hot Chocolate. Just some of my favorites, but its always fun to try something new. So this week and I will try every week in February to come up with a new chocolate recipe.
This week is the chocolate, chocolate chip cookie. No, I did not add chocolate twice. It really is chocolaty. Now, I like chocolate just like the next person, probably even more but these are really over the top. It kind of tastes like a brownie or a truffle but has a meringue top which gives it a nice sheen and a little crunch with being moist on the inside.
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies -30 Large cookies
16oz. dark chocolate (70%) is best but use whatever you can get your hands on. -chopped.
1/4 C butter, room temp.
1 1/4 C sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8oz. dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli is perfect) but if you can only find Nestle, thats okay too. Better chocolate, better cookie.
Melt 16oz. chocolate and butter in top of double boiler over simmering water, (not boiling) stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Beat sugar and eggs in a bowl with a electric mixer until thick and smooth. Add melted chocolate and vanilla slowly to eggs. Mix well.
Add flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl, then stir into chocolate mixture.
Add chocolate chips and stir to combine. Refrigerate batter about 20 minutes. Any more than that, they get too firm.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Very important. Even if you spray your pan, they will stick because of the minimal amount of flour. Trust me! Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto prepared baking sheets. Bake in pre-heated oven 350 until tops crack, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

subset: commoncrawl


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In November I was invited to take part in The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge hosted by The True Book Addict on her festive blog. It encourages readers to pick up books with a connection to the season and will run until Twelfth Night. It was challenge made for me; I get excited by all things sparkly, snowy and ho ho ho-ey from September onwards.
I was a little disappointed however when I tapped 'Christmas' into Amazon for Kindle and got lots of rather schmaltzy rom-com or light mystery stories. I enjoyed one or two with a glass of Baileys and a packet of peanuts but, and I hope I don't offend anyone here, those stories can be rather repetitive. Frankly many are just a previous offering by the author with a switching on of fairy lights and a few snowflakes falling. Like a box of Cadbury's Roses, you devour too many and start to feel slightly nauseous.
So, having read 'Santa -a Life' by Jeremy Sear (a biography of good old St Nicholas), Dickens' A Christmas Carol (again) and A Christmas Mystery by Anne Perry, I then failed to find myself arrested by PC Hamish McBeth in A Highland Christmas by M.C.Beaton. Enough I thought. I would take a different approach and go back to the source of the magic. Childhood.
What books had I read at Christmas as a child? What books had I read to my children? Returned to year after year, these were the books that I felt would set fire to the Yule log of memory and offer me a proper reading 'challenge'. Particularly as I would have to haul myself up the loft ladder to find them.
But I had some success and much pleasure in my discoveries, which I shall now re-read for the challenge, although this might be difficult with my copy of The Penguin Book of Christmas Carols, which in Christmases of the 1970s was used to inflict many a recorder recital on my poor parents. How they tried to look proud…
Then there is my copy of The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. Not a Christmas book of course, but my favourite scene is where, desperately homesick, Mole takes Ratty back to Mole End. They make the best of the little Mole has in the larder to create a feast before they hear the 'scuffling of small feet on the gravel' – the field-mice have come a-carolling:
"It was a pretty sight, and a seasonable one, that met their eyes when they flung the door open. In the fore-court, lit by the dim rays of a horn lantern, some eight or ten little fieldmice stood in a semicircle, red worsted comforters round their throats, their fore-paws thrust deep into their pockets, their feet jigging for warmth. With bright beady eyes they glanced shyly at each other, sniggering a little, sniffing and applying coat-sleeves a good deal. As the door opened, one of the elder ones that carried the lantern was just saying, 'Now then, one, two, three!' and forthwith their shrill little voices uprose on the air, singing one of the oldtime carols that their forefathers composed in fields that were fallow and held by frost, or when snow-bound in chimney corners, and handed down to be sung in the miry street to lamp-lit windows at Yule-time."
I read the Wind in the Willows to my children and introduced them to the BBC animation of the 1980s, which I had loved even as an adult but they didn't seem to appreciate it as much as I had. Chapter titles like 'The Paper at the Gates of Dawn' and 'Dulce Domum' perhaps losing them somewhat, who knows.
Another favourite that didn't grip my children, but which I still adore, is A Child's Christmas in Wales, by Dylan Thomas. It has to be the edition illustrated by Edward Ardizzone who, it often feels to me, drew the pictures in every book I read at primary school.
"Bring out the tall tales now that we told by the fire as the gaslight bubbled like a diver. Ghosts whooed like owls in the long nights when I dared not look over my shoulder; animals lurked in the cubbyhole under the stairs where the gas meter ticked. And I remember that we went singing carols once, when there wasn't a shaving of a moon to light the flying streets."
Dylan Thomas' poetic prose.
However, I found a whole box of books that my children, now 20 and 17 had enjoyed – Santa Claus has a busy night and The Christmas Robin, both Ladybird books; Teddy's Christmas by Michelle Cartlidge; Happy Christmas Rita! by Hilda Offen in which Rita the Rescuer has to perform a daring rescue from a chimney pot:
"There was a Pop! and a shower of soot – and out shot Father Christmas! " I must have had one mince pie too many!" he said. "I'm sure I got down that chimney last year. Thank you Rescuer!"
Aaah, I know that feeling well….
Well-thumbed too is the classic Lucy & Tom's Christmas by Shirley Hughes. The beautiful illustrations are so 'real' that you can believe Lucy and Tom and the family are people you know and their world one that you inhabit. There is a Salvation Army band, tired and grumpy children on the big day and supportive grandparents. It might not be the life many of us lead in the 21st century but it is magical.
And lastly I find the book my children loved most of all – an illustrated version of The Twelve Days of Christmas. I don't know where the edition I have was bought or how long ago, but it is falling to pieces. I am not sure whether the children liked it because they could join in, or whether they liked to embarrass their parents by making them sing. Certainly a favourite family story involved my husband coming home late from his work Christmas meal rather the worse for a tipple singing 'Five Go-Old Rings' rather louder than a dozing child might want. No matter – every memory associated with it is precious.
This is the first Christmas Day my son, now 20, won't be sharing with us. He will be with his partner in London. Bittersweet – to know your children are happily fledged but no longer so eager to wake up to a stocking in their (old) bedroom.
So this is for him…


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Monday, May 20: Traders Watching Yahoo Carefully
John Shipman lists key stocks traders are following on Monday, including Yahoo, which announced it is acquiring Tumblr for $1.1 billion in cash. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the ... three stocks you're looking at ... the awesome to talk to me to go about ... their Beetel the deal right and I think what's interesting ... rather than the nitty gritty of these deals on is really what the stock's done so far even a year to date so I think with Yahoo's top was down a little bit premarket Ahmed had been off but it was down slightly from one percent ... I think the key thing the wrist Yahoo's new off with thirty percent so far this year ... and I think that's the thing with with some of these other on ... a deal so you're seeing today ... what ... we're looking at is Websense wet sense the ... killing and Internet security on company being taken out by private equity ... company ... aam ... and that stock was so what sense is so far this year is awful stalwarts of thirty percent last three months ... on and then it was similar ... with the deal with a final deal that were seen today were job ... one two cup being bought by act Avis which ... pump you may remember them as Watson Pharmaceuticals ... and that's a big deal might have bought a five billion dollars deal of stock all stock related ... aam and where chilled couples of sixty percent so far this year ... and I actually this is up fifty one percent since the last three months old and ... do what you're saying is that not a surly of buying low and selling high it looks like the ones companies now are seared by the time to sell ... so everyday so buyers will buy and sell the final insult to get a piece of which doesn't happen to you


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07-Nov-2009 -- During the travel in Algeria, after our group having successfully reached the confluence point 24N 3E in Adrar Hanet, we continued in the South of Tamanrasset through the Tassili oua-n-Ahaggar.
In this region I checked that our position was near the confluence point 22N 7E, so I decided to guide the group to try to reach also this point, so in the middle of the morning, after having crossed a lot of little sand dunes, we reached the point 22N 7E located near a little rock mountain at the border of a sand area.
At the confluence point we buried an empty bottle with inside the names of the participants, with a little vertical rock on top.


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Monday, November 5, 2012
10 comments:
- daninotes said...
LOVE that house! Drive by it everyday!Can't wait to see the inside finished :)
- November 5, 2012 at 12:52 PM
- bluehydrangea said...
I am looking at that same hardware for my new kitchen and I LOVE it!! Can't wait to see the house when you are done! Sissy
- November 5, 2012 at 1:00 PM
- Amy Mac said...
So beautiful! And, you'll soon find not having an iPhone would be like not having AC in July in the South during a heat wave. You should download Evernote ... perfect for design projects (and writing projects .... school projects .... blog ideas....books to read.....things to do ...)
- November 5, 2012 at 1:30 PM
- Lauren (The Cottage Mix) said...
How fun! That house is gorgeous. Can't believe how big your kids have gotten! They're so cute!
- November 5, 2012 at 4:18 PM
- Chelsea said...
Great pics! Can't believe how fast your kiddos are growing!
I am somehow still rocking the Blackberry Curve.. you know, the one everyone had about 5 years ago? Yeah, it's sad.
- November 9, 2012 at 7:49 AM
- Sally said...
the room that i think is a bathroom looks like its going to be AMAZING!!!
- November 12, 2012 at 11:02 PM
I spotted a Michigan State Spartan working hard on that gorgeous house. Go GREEN! ;-))))
Always enjoy your blog. Lots of good repins!
- November 16, 2012 at 4:45 AM
- Christina Westbrooks said...
I am in love with that flooring in what I believe is the bathroom(the white circles), where did you get it?
- November 19, 2012 at 12:39 PM
- Nancy said...
Oh that beach house is dreamy! is it yours? keep us updated!!!
- November 25, 2012 at 5:53 AM
- Julie Oppenheimer said...
Where is this love seat from? I love it.
- December 2, 2013 at 4:29 PM


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Marlins' bats blanked in Alvarez's bumpy start
MIAMI -- What the Marlins learned the hard way in the series is there are no easy outs against the Dodgers. Even ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw did damage with his bat along with his left arm.
Kershaw turned in yet another gem on the mound, and he jumpstarted his team's offense with an RBI single that opened the door in the Dodgers' 6-0 win over the Marlins at Marlins Park.View Full Game Coverage
MIAMI -- What the Marlins learned the hard way in the series is there are no easy outs against the Dodgers. Even ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw did damage with his bat along with his left arm.
Kershaw turned in yet another gem on the mound, and he jumpstarted his team's offense with an RBI single that opened the door in the Dodgers' 6-0 win over the Marlins at Marlins Park.View Full Game Coverage
"This whole series came down to execution," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "They made the plays and we didn't. It really just comes down to being able to make plays, and we weren't able to do that.
"Kershaw, I've seen him a lot better. He looked like his command was not there with his fastball. But at the same time, too, whenever we did get in a situation with a guy on, he executed his pitches and was able to keep us at bay."
After taking the first game of the series on Monday night, the Marlins dropped three straight to the hottest team in the league. But unlike the previous two nights, when the games were competitive, Miami didn't put up much of a threat in Thursday's matinee.
The Marlins were blanked for the 15th time, and Kershaw scattered five hits and struck out six in eight innings. With the game in hand, Brian Wilson assumed the mopup role, making his Dodgers debut in the ninth inning, striking out two while allowing a pinch-hit double to Greg Dobbs. But the veteran secured Los Angeles' 17th shutout victory.
It was Kershaw's two-out RBI single in the fourth inning that opened the scoring.
"When you're playing good teams, you've got to limit the amount of baserunners on in front of him," Redmond said. "Those guys have been around a while. They can swing the bat.
"Kershaw, he's not an out up there. He gives you a pretty good hack. You've got to get those guys in front of him out."
Henderson Alvarez endured his roughest start, giving up a season-high five earned runs, and he matched his lowest innings total of five.
The other time Alvarez threw five innings was in his first start, on July 4 at Atlanta after he was reinstated from the disabled list.
Giancarlo Stanton doubled off Kershaw with two outs in the third inning, extending the slugger's hitting streak to nine games.
The Marlins stranded runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings, at a time they were primed to break through against the left-hander.
"I was terrible the first couple of innings, I didn't have command," Kershaw said. "I didn't have great stuff today, I was a little fortunate to get those double play balls."
In the second inning, Miami had first-and-third with one out, but Kershaw retired Jeff Mathis on a fly ball to short right field, and Alvarez grounded out to third.
Miami has gone 17 straight innings without a run since Stanton's homer in the first inning on Wednesday.
"We just didn't get big hits," Mathis said. "I had a chance to drive a run in early and didn't get it done. It was a big part of the game. You've got to capitalize on those spots against a guy like that. We did a good job of getting guys on and getting them in scoring position. You've got to get those runs in. That's what it boils down to. You give [Kershaw] another life, another breath, and he does what he does."
Keeping with the theme of the first three games of the series, missed chances eventually caught up to them.
The Dodgers broke through in the fourth inning, and it was Yasiel Puig who started things off with a double high off the 13 1/2-foot wall in center field. The ball traveled more than 400 feet, and it missed leaving the park by inches.
Alvarez still was in position to work out of the jam, recording two quick outs. And with Puig on third, Miami caught a break on a breaking ball that bounced away from Mathis behind the plate. Puig dashed home, sliding head-first into a fallen Alvarez, who was covering the plate.
However, home-plate umpire Jim Reynolds ruled the pitch actually hit the foot of Skip Schumaker. So instead of a wild pitch and run scored, Puig was sent back to third, while Schumaker was awarded first base. Juan Uribe walked on four pitches, with the Marlins pitching around the veteran third baseman.
Kershaw helped himself with a single to left. Carl Crawford provided some cushion by lining a two-run double to right on which Stanton tried to make a shoestring catch.
"It's a good lineup," Mathis said. "They're swinging the bats good, and putting together good at-bats. You've got to do your best to try to keep them off you.
"Uribe has been swinging the bat good, too. You try to be careful with him. Kershaw is a good athlete. He can hit. He got a pitch in the zone. He didn't do too much with it, and he lined it into left for a hit."
The game got away from Alvarez an inning later, as the Dodgers added two more runs, again doing their damage with two outs.
Andre Ethier started a string of three consecutive two-out hits with a double to center. A.J. Ellis brought Ethier home with a double, and Schumaker added a run-scoring single, putting Miami in a five-run hole.
"We played with them this series, though," Christian Yelich said. "Today, I thought, was the only game we didn't really put up a fight. The first three games, we were in it until the end.
"I don't think we got blown out of the water this series. We didn't win it or split it, but I don't think anybody in this locker room doesn't think we couldn't play with those guys."
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. He writes a blog, called The Fish Pond. Follow him on Twitter @JoeFrisaro.


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Alphabetical Listing
Debt Structure, Market Value of Firm, and Recovery Rate
by Min Qi and Xinlei Zhao
October 2011
This paper examines the determinants of creditor recoveries from defaulted debt instruments, an important yet under-studied area in investment and risk management. First, we argue that to properly measure a debt instrument's relative position in a firm's debt structure, debt pari passu to the instrument must be taken into account. We propose a new measure of seniority and find that it is the most important determinant of recovery rates, explaining more recovery variations than the combination of all commonly used instrument-level variables, including seniority class, collateral type, and percentage above. Second, we find that firm-level variables, especially the trailing 12-month stock returns, are more critical than industry- or macroeconomic-level variables, although the latter can also help, for private firms because stock price information is not available for such firms. In contrast with earlier studies, we find that the relative contribution of the industry and macroeconomic variables varies with the sample, model specification, and especially the modeling technique used.
Any whole or partial reproduction of material in this paper should include the following citation: Min Qi and Xinlei Zhao, "Debt Structure, Market Value of Firm, and Recovery Rate" Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Economics Working Paper 2011-2, October 2011.
This Economics Working Paper (PDF) is available for viewing in Adobe's PDF format. The PDF viewer is available for download free from Adobe in versions for different platforms.


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(Reuters) - Masters champion Adam Scott fired a 10-under-par 62 to tie the Bay Hill course record and grab the clubhouse lead in the opening round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida on Thursday.
Scott, in his final tournament before he defends his green jacket at the April 10-13 Masters, took advantage of his morning tee time at the Bay Hill course in Orlando.
Wielding his long putter like a magic wand, the Australian mixed two eagles with seven birdies and a bogey to match his career low round on the PGA Tour.
He led Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano by four strokes with half the field still on the course.
"I'm really thrilled with the start today," Scott, making his first Bay Hill start since 2009, told reporters. It's maybe a little surprising.
"I don't know where it came from but the putter certainly got hot today. Today was just one of those days where the hole was a like a bucket."
World number two Scott is regarded by many as the best driver in the game, but his short game proved just as good on Thursday as he pulled away from the field.
He drained putts from at least 20 feet on five occasions, including a 30-footer from off the green at the par-four 15th, where he threaded his ball between a couple of sprinkler heads.
Scott began his round at the 10th, and made a confidence-boosting start by sinking a 20-foot birdie right off the bat.
He got up-and-down from a greenside bunker at the par-five 12th to go two under, before picking up further birdies at the 14th and 15th holes.
An eagle at the par-five 16th, where he hit a mid-iron from 200 yards to 35 feet, took him to six under, while his lone bogey came at the par-four 18th, where he hit his tee shot left and also missed the green left with his second shot.
But that proved a minor hiccup, as he roared back with a birdie at the par-four third, followed by a 20-foot eagle at the par-five fourth.
Further birdies at the par-five sixth and par-four seventh took him to 10 under. He missed a good birdie chance at his penultimate hole, before ending his day with a long two-putt par to match the course record held by Andy Bean and his boyhood idol Greg Norman.
Scott is playing just his third tournament since mid-January. He has reduced his tournament schedule over the past couple of years in order to prepare for the majors in peace and quiet.
The 33-year-old is the top-ranked player at Bay Hill in the absence of defending champion Tiger Woods, who withdrew from the event earlier this week with a bad back.
Former Masters champion Bubba Watson withdrew from Bay Hill citing allergies following an opening-round 11-over-par 83 that included an 11 at the par-five sixth and a triple-bogey seven at the par-four 18th.
Reporting By Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Frank Pingue


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Launched in an apartment in 1979, The Advisory Board Company has grown to employ over 2,000 people in eight offices, including one in India and another in the United Kingdom. As a measure of its prioritization on corporate philanthropy, the company is one of the driving forces behind A Billion + Change, a national campaign to mobilize billions of dollars of pro bono and skills-based services from corporate America by 2013. For its part, The Advisory Board Company has committed to giving 2,000 hours of pro bono service to high-performing non-profits in education and health care. The company seeks to offer strategic guidance assisting these non-profits with business and financial strategy, operational efficiency, industry research and branding.
It's also a restless company when it comes to volunteer programs. The firm aims to do good and do well, and is constantly examining its own programs and those of others to find innovative ways to make positive change both on and off the clock in education and health care.
One way that The Advisory Board Company optimizes employee engagement is by providing benefits like up to 10 days of paid leave for community service. An attractive prospect for recruiting new talent, the company originally placed these young employees at the vanguard of their corporate volunteer programs. "We used to have what we call service leaders, who tended to make a difference with hands-on work," explains Graham McLaughlin, Senior Director of The Advisory Board. "Their contribution was fantastic, and it helped us graduate to a more focused group of senior department leads that we now have who are able to utilize our unique differentiators."
The Advisory Board is obsessed with maximizing good corporate citizenship. As the company works in health care, it saw partnering with community clinics as a natural fit for the storehouse of skill sets its employees possess. The firm's work at one location became the jumping off point for a national pro bono initiative centered around other community clinics. Outside of health care, its work in education has 35 employees tutoring kids at a nearby school during lunch hour several days a week.
Yesterday, A Billion Plus Change hosted its first West coast campaign event at L.A.'s California Endowment. Leaders in policy, academia, industry and civic engagement gathered to showcase how innovative businesses are shaping the future of corporate service to tackle the major challenges of the 21st century. McLaughlin viewed this event as an opportunity to focus on how The Advisory Board Company can inspire employees towards further volunteer action while also studying best practices of other comapnies. "The purpose here is, 'here's what other firms did. Let us get your feedback and kind of buddy into the year.'"
But like a good friend, The Advisory Board isn't just going to tell A Billion + Change what it wants to hear. Indeed, the critical eye that the company directs towards its own efforts (McLaughlin measures The Advisory Board's impact as a "B+" and its CSR reporting as a "D-") will be applied to its partners in corporate social responsibility. "There are many different problems that we don't have answers for. One of the reasons I'm doing this is to ask, 'What are the answers? What are the problems?'"
"I push A Billion + Change on this a lot," says McLaughlin. While The Advisory Board recognizes the limitations of an inexperienced workforce, there are also advantages, and it's hard not to ask to what degree this youthful component informs the company's critical eye.
"We see our work in pro bono as just an extension of our everyday work in a different setting and a different context," McLaughlin states. Leveraging a highly engaged workforce is a constantly moving goalpost. The Advisory Board focuses on opportunities rather than challenges, however. "We're still thinking this through," says McLaughlin. "There really isn't a model for our business. We have a different kind of service line."
A Billion + Change has already secured nearly $1.8 billion in corporate pledges and 12 million hours of time and talent to pro bono programs. If your company would like to take the A Billion Plus Change pledge, go to www.abillionpluschange.org for more information.
And read also:
The Bottom Line of Corporate Good
Letting Employees Call the Philanthropy Shots


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The latest half-baked rumors from China are suggesting once again that Apple is preparing to kick off an iPad mini this fall, with an initial shipment of 6 million units. The supposed $249 - $299 price point would compete nicely with the lower-end Android tablets that are coming out of the woodwork, and meet upcoming Windows 8 tablets head-on. The source is apparently close to Hon Hai, the parent company of Apple's primary manufacturing partner, Foxconn.
These rumors are always especially entertaining considering how non-reactionary a company Apple has always been. They didn't release a budget netbook to meet cheap PCs head on, they released the 11-inch MacBook Air and the iPad. They didn't release a budget iPhone to meet cheap handsets head on, they kept around previous generation iPhones at increasingly lower prices.
We're reasonable certain Apple has an iPad mini in the labs, but if and when they choose release it, it will be because they've figured out a go-to-market strategy to sell hundreds of millions of them, regardless of what the Android and Windows tablet makers are doing (or not doing).
The iPod nano and iPod shuffle both addressed the lower end of the MP3 market and an iPad mini could address the lower end of the tablet market, or it could just clutter Apple's product line between iPod touch and iPad.
For now, all of this iPad mini talk is strictly in the realm of speculation; so here's the part where we ask you what you want. Have you held off on buying an iPad because of cost or size? Would an iPad mini get you to buy and Apple product when you wouldn't have otherwise?


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"With such a low threshold of the number of signatures needed it is not surprising that those wanting to prevent the city's valued and hardworking firefighters from providing emergency ambulance service may have obtained enough signatures to place the amendment on the ballot.
My recommendation and the City Council's decision to have the Fire Department provide emergency ambulance service was a good decision made after a thorough examination of the facts that the Fire Department could provide the emergency ambulance service better, faster and cheaper. I believe that citizens have confidence in their firefighters' ability to respond to emergencies. Citizens recognize that the Fire Department responds to every emergency and will provide fast, efficient, high quality ambulance service just as they do now for fire protection. Having the Fire Department provide ambulance service will end the duplication of a separate ambulance service and the Fire Department will save the taxpayer money since the ambulance service will generate revenue to help offset the reliance on taxpayer funding. Quite simply citizens realize that the Fire Department can provide the service better, faster and cheaper.
It is unfortunate that a small group of individuals continue to try to obstruct the cooperation, progress and support that exists for the city's firefighters to provide the same high quality service for emergency ambulance service as they do in fighting fires in the city of Lincoln. The cooperation continues to proceed as was evidenced by the public hearing held this week where the Lancaster County Medical Society, EMS Inc. and the city have worked out improvements on independent medical oversight. Quality care is the bottom line and the improvements to independent medical oversight show the spirit of cooperation that continues to develop for the city's firefighters to provide emergency ambulance service," said Mayor Don Wesely when he was asked to comment.


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Rasoolullah S.A.W Say Sachi Muhabbat Aur Uss Ki Alamaat by Habib ur Rahman
Rasoolullah S.A.W Say Sachi Muhabbat Aur Uss Ki Alamaat
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Dredging and construction activities are expected to begin in May as part of the Holmes Lake Restoration and Watershed Management Project. Beginning last fall, the lake level has been lowered, and the sediment will be now removed to increase the lake depth.
"We have reached a very critical part of this long-term project," said Mayor Wesely. "This is a major step as we work toward improving the lake's water quality and enhancing the park's recreational opportunities, including fishing."
An open house to present information on the project is planned for 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 27 at Gere Library, 2400 South 56th Street.
The lake project is needed because excessive amounts of sediment and nutrients have been deposited into the lake from 40 years of development and agricultural use in the 5.2-square-mile watershed. The deposits have reduced the lake's depth, water quality and fishing conditions.
Because trucking the sediment dredged from the lake is impractical, the sediment will be placed on a rarely-used hill south of the lake. After re-vegetation and landscaping, it will provide additional play field space in the park. About 330 trees in the hill area will need to be replaced. The trees are nearing the end of their life cycles, and about 500 new trees will be planted in the watershed area as well as additional shrubs, native grasses and wildflowers that will enhance wildlife habitat. Most of the trees being removed are pines, and will be made into wood chips.
"We never like to remove trees, but even without the lake renovation, the trees would need to be replaced soon because of their age," said Lynn Johnson, Parks and Recreation Director. "In deciding where to place the sediment, we looked at the cost, traffic concerns and mess associated with trucking the sediment off-site. The site chosen in the park is the best option for the overall project because it will save money and avoid transportation problems. We need to have a long-term perspective – the enhancements to Holmes Lake will benefit the public at least 50 years."
In addition to the dredging, other work at the lake and park will include shoreline shaping and stabilization; the formation of island, jetties and fishing piers; the creation of wetlands, a new trail loop with bridges; boat launch improvements; expansion of the golf club house parking lot; park lighting improvements and additional restrooms.
Holmes Lake is a 110-acre reservoir built for flood control and recreation in 1962 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Lincoln Parks and Recreation is responsible for the management of the lake and the surrounding park.
The renovation project is being conducted in two phases. Phase I of the project began two years ago and resulted in the drafting of the Holmes Lake Watershed Management Plan, developed by the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department; the Holmes Lake Watershed Council, a citizens group; and representatives of several natural resource agencies. The dredging is part of Phase II, which includes concept planning, design and construction implementation for the physical restoration of the lake basin and the surrounding parks. The estimated date of the project's completion is late 2004.
The $4.9 million cost of the project is being shared among the project partners - the City, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund is also contributing to the cost of Phase II.
Media Release


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If you believe you've been injured by your physician or other health care provider, you may be wondering if you can or should sue for medical malpractice. This article discusses the major considerations that go into deciding whether or not to start an injury claim for medical malpractice.
Despite the impressive advances in modern medicine, there is rarely ever a guarantee that a particular treatment or procedure will cure a patient's malady -- and very rarely will a health care provider give any kind of guarantee ahead of time.
Medical treatments can and do go wrong despite the medical professional's best efforts. Suggested therapies prove to be ineffective, and impossible-to-foresee complications result from routine procedures. If medical professionals were held legally liable every time the results of care were undesirable or unfortunate, the legal system would make the practice of medicine nearly impossible (at least economically untenable).
Medical malpractice occurs when the medical professional fails to provide treatment that meets the medical standard or care under the circumstances -- meaning the level and type of care that a reasonably competent and skilled health care professional, with a similar background and in the same medical community, would have provided.
If that definition sounds difficult to apply to your situation, that's because it is. In most medical malpractice cases, both sides are required to hire "expert witnesses" to tell the jury what standard of care the medical professional was required to meet and whether he or she actually did so.
These medical expert witnesses are required to be experienced in the particular field they are testifying about. Except for clear-cut cases, it is very difficult to predict ahead of time whether your doctor actually committed malpractice in the eyes of the law -- there is no easy formula because a jury must decide that question after hearing conflicting expert testimony.
Perhaps the best resource when you're still trying to figure out if you have a case is access to another doctor (or doctors) in the same field who can honestly evaluate your doctor's conduct. If, like most people, you don't have that kind of access to doctors willing to risk a defamation case, a reputable plaintiff's malpractice attorney is your next best bet.
There are a few situations where the average person knows a doctor or other medical professional did something negligent. The most common situations include:
To keep the costs of medical liability insurance down and shield medical professionals from excessive litigation, most states have special rules that apply to medical malpractice cases. By far, the rule that prevents the most cases is the shortened "statute of limitations." Depending on the state, the court may throw your case out if the alleged malpractice occurred, for example, four years ago even if you didn't find out about it until much later. The statute of limitations rules are different from state to state and vary in severity, but one thing you can count on is that you only have a few years to get to the court house. (You can find the time limit in your state here.)
Because of the nature of health care, you may be really suffering physically and emotionally after an adverse outcome in your treatment. However, the procedural requirements you have to follow before you can even begin your medical malpractice case in court trip up even inexperienced attorneys.
To make matters worse, some states require you to pay the medical professional's attorney fees if the court decides your case was frivolous. You are not required by law to hire an attorney, but if you truly believe you might have a legitimate medical malpractice case, your best bet is to consult with an experienced plaintiff's medical malpractice attorney in your area.


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Acute cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a condition caused by a member of the herpesvirus family.
Alternative Names
CMV mononucleosis; Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) is very common. The infection is spread by:
Blood transfusions
Organ transplants
Respiratory droplets
Sexual contact
Most people come into contact with CMV in their lifetime, but typically only individuals with weakened immune systems become ill from CMV infection. Some otherwise healthy people with acute CMV infection develop a mononucleosis-like syndrome.
In the U.S., CMV infection most commonly develops between ages 10 – 35. Many people are exposed to CMV early in life and do not realize it because they have no symptoms. People with a compromised immune system can have a more severe form of the disease.
CMV is a type of herpes viruses. The virus remains in your body for the rest of your life. If your immune system becomes weakened in the future, this virus may have the chance to reactivate, causing symptoms.
- Enlarged lymph nodes, especially in the neck
Fever Fatigue Loss of appetite Malaise Muscle aches
- Rash
- Sore throat
Less common symptoms include:
Chest pain Cough
- Headache
- Irregular heart beat
- Jaundice
Neck stiffness Rapid heart rate
- Sensitivity to light
- Shortness of breath
- Swollen spleen and liver
Signs and tests
Your health care provider will perform a physical exam and feel your belly area. Your liver and spleen may be tender when they are gently pressed (palpated). You may have a skin rash.
Special lab tests such as a CMV DNA serum PCR test may be done to check for substances in your blood that are produced by CMV. Other tests such as a CMV antibody test may be done to check your body's response to the CMV infection.
Other tests include:
- Blood tests for
plateletsand white blood cells Chemistry panel
- Liver function tests
Monospot test
Most patients recover in 4 – 6 weeks without medication. Rest is needed, sometimes for a month or longer to regain full activity levels. Painkillers and warm salt water gargles can help relieve symptoms.
Antiviral medications are usually not used in people with normal immune function.
Expectations (prognosis)
Fever usually goes away in 10 days, and swollen lymph glands and spleen return to normal in 4 weeks. Fatigue may linger for 2 to 3 months.
Throat infection is the most common complication. Rare complications include:
Colitis Guillain-Barré syndrome
- Neurologic complications
Pericarditisor myocarditis Pneumonia
- Rupture of spleen
Calling your health care provider
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have symptoms of acute CMV infection.
Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if you have sharp, sudden pain in your left upper abdomen. This could be a sign of a ruptured spleen, which requires emergency surgery.
CMV infection can be contagious if the infected person comes in close or intimate contact with another person. You should avoid kissing and sexual contact with an infected person.
The virus may also spread among young children in day care settings.
When planning blood transfusions or organ transplants, the CMV status of the donor can be checked to avoid passing CMV to a recipient who has not had CMV.


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Magellan SmartGPS Does the Cloud Right
Apr 22, 2013 5:00 AM PT
With smartphones and an increasing number of tablets becoming GPS-capable, it is easy to write off dedicated GPS players. So many seem stuck in the past -- days when devices needed a wired connection for updates and didn't seem to be aware of Web services they might be ideal for, like Yelp.
With a recent California ruling making it illegal to use a cellphone for navigation in a car, not to mention the decidedly horrid native GPS capability in the latest iPhone, I think it is time to revisit the dedicated GPS player. I'll use the Magellan SmartGPS as an example of the current best of class.
My product of the week is a book that kind of snuck up on me. Many of the books I read and enjoy bring a tear to my eye or a smile to my face, but Silicon Tales, an anthology of short adult fables, did that with almost every single story -- save one that's decidedly for a female audience -- and I think we all need a little harmless emotional release, particularly in these trying times.
Doing the Cloud Right
I was on a panel on cloud technology at a BlackBerry event last week in Miami, and I mentioned that one thing the company did far better than Apple was the cloud. You'd think I'd have made a powerful religious statement, given the number of people in the audience and on stage with me who responded with a collective Amen. Doing the cloud right is something many companies find is not easy. Even Apple seems to struggle here.
Ideally, particularly when it comes to a device, the cloud should be a transparent virtual interconnect. When you have to struggle with connecting to the cloud services -- when the device hangs because it can't see those services, or when the services are simply unreliable -- the cloud becomes more of a liability than an asset.
Aftermarket vs. In-Car GPS
One of the reasons aftermarket GPS systems have fallen a bit out of favor is the proliferation of phone GPS systems and native in-car GPS systems. The problem with cellphone-based systems is that the phone's screen is generally too small to be seen easily while it is on the dash. In California, the use of cellphone GPS was found to violate the law against texting while driving.
I was recently in a town car that had been arranged so I could make it through rush hour traffic to a studio, and the driver was using his phone to navigate. It was an iPhone, which made the drive far more of an adventure than I'd intended. I had to repeatedly jump in and point out the phone was taking us in exactly the opposite direction I wanted to go, and the driver's distraction nearly caused three accidents.
Currently the problem with in-car navigation is that in most cars you can't update the system, and you run the risk of the car company changing vendors. This happened to me. I have a 2004 Jaguar XKR, and the company has stopped updating maps for the car, having moved to a different system in 2007. Changing out that head unit cost nearly US$3,000.
Current-generation aftermarket GPS systems generally have cellphone voice integration for hands-free calling and often work better than aging in-car Bluetooth systems, because they are more current.
Magellan SmartGPS
This brings me to the Magellan SmartGPS system, which has both Web and smartphone components. I tested it with an iPhone 4S, but it will also work with current-generation Android-based systems. The Magellan navigation app is particularly useful on the iPhone, effectively replacing the native iPhone app that has been so problematic, and it has the same user interface and Web features as the standalone system.
The phone app can push to the GPS via Bluetooth. That means you can choose your destination on the phone and then push it to the GPS device while in proximity, or over the Web if the SmartGPS is connected to WiFi. You don't have to have an expensive tethering service for this to work, and while you are in the car, the SmartGPS gets to the Web through the Bluetooth connection. As with most current-generation smart devices, the SmartGPS can get updates over the Web, ensuring your maps are up to date. Ideally you'll get the updates while connected to your in-home WiFi service, saving data charges.
The device has a variety of widgets preloaded, including traffic updates, Yelp reviews of restaurants, and gas prices at stations in close proximity. Coupons and offers show up as well, but one initial shortcoming is that you can't pass those coupons back to the phone. It is easy to find them on the mirror service on the phone, though, and a software update to address this is coming.
The built-in notifications include red light cameras, weather and traffic alerts. There are premium notifications that range from speed traps to school zones and dangerous intersections, likely based on accident statistics.
Wrapping Up
The Magellan SmartGPS currently represents the state of the art in cloud-connected standalone GPS devices. The only initial shortcoming is that data doesn't push in both directions, but it is a minor issue and one that I understand will be corrected shortly through a software patch.
In testing, it struck me that given the massively increased interest in dash cameras, future devices in this class will likely integrate dash cameras, plus the ability to record both map and visual information in the same file. Combining the two would make the camera footage more interesting to watch, and if an accident should occur, having both pieces of data could be very helpful in determining fault.
The Magellan SmartGPS heralds a new class of connected GPS systems and devices. Soon, finding a device that isn't smart will be the harder task.
Product of the Week: Silicon Tales
When I got an email telling me of a book of Silicon Valley fairy tales, I was intrigued. I'm a big fantasy and sci-fi fan, and I figured the book was going to be something like The Dresden Files, one of my favorite series.
I wasn't even close. This is actually a book of fables set in current time. Just several short pages each, these stories often brought a tear to my eye or a smile to my face -- or both.
As fables are supposed to do, these convey an important life lesson and are tied to what appear to be real stories retold in a fantasy style. I found that in a few short words, the author could convey a depth that often is lacking in much longer books. The combination of subtle advice and whimsy really touched my soul.
I typically rush through a book because the nature of the books -- much more adventure-oriented -- drive me through the cliffhangers to the conclusion, and then I'm left wishing I'd read more slowly. It's kind of like drinking shots of good whiskey fast.
This book is more like a fine wine to be sipped and savored over time. The first chapter is a bit dry, but then each fable delivers a sip of flavor, passion and experience. Silicon Tale by Ella Price is a rare jewel that truly touched me, and I was honored to have been sent a copy to review. Oh, and it is available on Amazon Kindle, which is a requirement for me to make it a product of the week.


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The Pontiac G5 is based on the Chevrolet Cobalt coupe. General Motors makes very few changes to the exterior, merely altering the grille design, the taillights and headlights, exterior styling, and interior materials. In spite of General Motors going into receivership in 2009, this model basically remains a Chevrolet, which should go some way towards reassuring buyers looking for a used model.
While it boasts a more sophisticated appearance, the G5 is still a Chevrolet Cobalt underneath it all, and it offers a reasonable performance and ride quality. However, the Chevrolet Cobalt isn't a particularly great car, and the Pontiac G5 has inherited all the best and worst qualities. Given the choice of coupe models available, the G5 would sit pretty low on the list as it just doesn't have sufficient features to make it a desirable car to own. It offers a mediocre drive build quality.
The G5 used front drive and initially came with a choice of two engines: a 2.2-liter, four-cylinder engine or a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine. The larger engine comes standard on the GT, but Pontiac discontinued it in 2009. The one remaining engine upgrades for better fuel economy and more power. A five-speed manual transmission comes standard, but a four-speed automatic transmission offers an additional option.
The Pontiac G5 has an attractive interior and a contemporary feel due to the metallic accents on the steering wheel and doors. However this contemporary feel verges on the stark, and it uses mediocre materials; the interior looks and feels cheap. The seats do not offer a lot of comfort, and the back seat remains cramped. Although both engines provide a reasonable amount of power, and the car proves a suitable option for commuting to the office, it lacks something for driving around the countryside on twisty roads, as the steering reacts slowly and both models suffer from too much body roll.
With such an uninspiring ride, drivers cannot be surprised that the G5 gives such good fuel economy with EPA estimates of 25/37 mpg city/highway. Its sporty looking profile does make it a good choice for anyone looking for something affordable in this category, but with so much choice around, the G5 doesn't offer enough advantages.
In 2009, Pontiac dropped the more powerful GT engine, so the GT and base models use the same engine, albeit slightly more powerful and more fuel efficient. The new engine has variable valve timing, and alongside other tweaking, it has become as fuel-efficient as a Honda Civic. An optional package for the base model includes 16-inch, alloy wheels and a fancier stereo with iPod and Bluetooth compatibility.
The GT model features 17-inch, aluminum wheels, sport suspension, a Pioneer stereo, and steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls. The base model can be fitted with several of these extras. Optional extras for both models include remote vehicle start and a sunroof. The GT model offers the option of heated front seats and leather upholstery.
Unfortunately, the Pontiac G5 remains largely forgettable and unexciting to drive, especially compared to its competitors such as the Saturn Astra, Honda Civic, and VW Rabbit.
The Pontiac G5 stays virtually the same as the Chevrolet Cobalt coupe; the only real differences include the Pontiac badging, grille design, and taillights. When it first came out, it carried a competitive price tag. It scores well in crash testing, achieving three stars in side-impact tests for passengers and four stars for passengers in the back.
The base model has a reasonable amount of power and offers a relatively quiet ride. However, it doesn't offer high enough build quality in comparison with its competitors, and it uses inferior materials and bland interior styling. It provides a decent enough choice for anyone looking for an inexpensive coupe, and the styling makes it pleasant enough to look at, but other models offer greater comfort and a better build.
The model comes in two different trim levels: the base and the GT. The entry-level model includes a reasonable amount of standard equipment, including power accessories, a CD/MP3 audio system, air-conditioning, and keyless entry. The GT edition features 17-inch, alloy wheels, cruise control, and a sport suspension. Optional extras include leather upholstery and a Pioneer audio system.
2008 saw relatively few changes to the Pontiac G5. All models have satellite radio and side curtain airbags as standard features, and the GT trim gains standard stability control.
2009 Pontiac G5
Coupe, Sports
2008 Pontiac G5
The 2008 Pontiac G5 is a cheaper version of its platform cousin, the Chevrolet Cobalt coupe.
2007 Pontiac G5
The Pontiac G5 is a four-door sedan or two-door coupe and was replaced the Pontiac Sunfire in the lineup.


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We've teamed up with the The Folio Society to give away one print of the eagle owl from Birds Drawn for John Gould, by Edward Lear. To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below, and be sure to include a viable email address. (Note: Your comment may take several minutes to appear, and your email won't show up on the page.) The official rules are below. The contest ends at midnight, Friday, January 18, 2013. In the meantime, renowned naturalist David Attenborough shares the story behind the gorgeous leather-bound book. Good luck!
I first became aware of Edward Lear's bird plates in 1954. I had recently returned from filming a collecting expedition in Guyana. We brought back hummingbirds, anacondas, caiman and marmosets, but I hankered after pictures of some of the spectacular birds which I had just seen for the first time in the wild. Many of these are depicted in the prints issued by the 19th-century naturalist and publisher John Gould.
Among the first I found was one of a Toco Toucan. It was a particularly dramatic composition, and it was signed very emphatically E. Lear. It was then that I discovered that the poet whose nonsense verses I had loved as a child was also a superbly accomplished ornithological artist. From then on, I kept an eye out for more of the prints that he produced for Gould, and this became a decades-long endeavor to collect them all—a total of 80 lithographed plates, to which was later added an original drawing.
Lear's bird plates, to my eyes at least, rank among the finest of their kind, and I was pleased to have collected them all into a single volume, separated from works by lesser talents. And to know that they will now be available to a broader audience, published together for the first time, is immensely rewarding. What's more, the work undertaken by The Folio Society to reproduce not only the prints, but even an original 19th-century binding, has produced an edition worthy of this great artist. Bound in full leather, elaborately gold-blocked, it is a truly remarkable reproduction.
There could hardly be a better celebration of Lear's 200th anniversary. I am thrilled that what began as a private collection has been reproduced for a wider readership—and in a way that has so authentically captured the beauty of the original.
Birds Drawn for John Gould, by Edward Lear, is limited to just 780 copies, each signed by David Attenborough. Published by The Folio Society (2012), $1595. Place your order here.
1) Sponsors: Audubon Magazine, an operating unit of National Audubon Society, Inc., 225 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014 ("Audubon Magazine" or "Audubon"); and The Folio Society, 4 Eagle Street
London WC1R 4FS (and together with Audubon and Audubon Magazine, the "Sponsors").
2) No purchase necessary.
3) The "Birds Drawn for John Gould" ("Contest") is open from 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time ("ET") on December 28, 2012 through 11:59 p.m. ET on January 18, 2013;
4) Eligible entrants must be at least 18 years old as of December 28, 2012, a resident of the contiguous 48 United States. Employees, officers, and directors of Sponsors, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, and any and all entities directly associated with the Contest, including immediate family members and members of the same household, are not eligible to participate (collectively with Sponsor, the "Contest Entities"). Void where prohibited by law. Contest is governed by U.S. law and subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. By entering the Contest, entrants agree to accept and be bound by all the terms of these Official Rules and Regulations ("Official Rules").
5) To enter: Leave a comment by completing the "Your name", "E-mail" and "Comment" fields (the Submission") on the following article page of Audubon Magazine's website: http://www.audubonmagazine.org/articles/birds/win-edward-lear-eagle-owl-... "Homepage" field on such article field is optional and will have no effect on your chances. Email addresses submitted with any Submission must be valid. Sponsors reserve the right in their sole discretion to disqualify and remove any Submission at any time in the event it is determined Submission is offensive, inappropriate, not in keeping with Sponsor's image or if it is determined that the entrant has not otherwise complied with any portion of these Official Rules.
6) Only one entry permitted per person.
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8) One winner will each receive a print of the eagle owl Birds Drawn for John Gould, by Edward Lear, The Folio Society 2012 (Total value of all prizes: $100).
9) The winner will be selected by a random drawing conducted by The Folio Society and notified via email on or before January 31, 2013. By entering the Contest, entrant acknowledges that Audubon shall deliver entrant's name, email and postal address, if any, to the Folio Society, and entrant consents to all actions related thereto.
10) Sponsors are not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate entry information, viruses, bugs, malfunctions, or other any other errors, human or otherwise, regardless of the cause (collectively, an "Error"). In the event of any Error, Sponsors reserve the right, in their sole discretion to discontinue, suspend, cancel, or modify the Contest. In the event of cancellation, Sponsors reserve the right to judge all eligible, non-suspect entries received prior to the Error requiring such cancellation using the selection procedure outlined above. Any evidence of false or deceptive acts by an entrant, including, but not limited to, multiple Submissions or Submissions generated by script, macro or other automatic means, or failure to comply with any rules may result in the disqualification of entrant by Sponsor. No substitution or transfer of prizes or cash redemptions permitted, except at Sponsor's sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute for any reason whatsoever a prize (or portion thereof) of comparable or greater value, at their sole discretion. Sponsors do not have, nor shall have in the future, any duty or liability, direct or indirect, vicarious, contributory, or otherwise, with respect to the infringement or protection of any copyright in and to entrant's Submission. Winners are responsible for the reporting and payment of all taxes as well as any other costs and expenses associated with acceptance and use of their prize not specified herein as being awarded.
11) Contest Entities and their designees have the right, unless prohibited by law, to use entrant's name, city and state of residence, voice, picture and likeness, without compensation, notification or approval, for the purpose of advertising and publicizing the goods, services and mission of the Contest Entities and all matters related to the Contest, in any manner or medium, now or hereafter known, throughout the world in perpetuity.
12) Entrants may be required to execute any documents necessary to perfect such rights in the Sponsors. By entering this Contest and/or accepting the prize, entrant and/or winner agrees to, and hereby does, release the Contest Entities from any and all liability, loss or damage arising from or in connection with participation or attempt to participate in the Contest and/or the awarding, receipt, use or misuse of the prize or participation in any prize related activities, and claims based on publicity rights, defamation or invasion of privacy. The Contest Entities and their parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates and divisions, and their respective directors, officers, employees, attorneys, representatives and agents make no warranties, and hereby disclaim all warranties, express or implied, concerning any prize furnished or awarded in connection with the Contest, including, but not limited to, any winner's ability to claim a prize awarded in the Contest for reasons of the prize provider's bankruptcy, insolvency or failure to continue its business. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, SUCH PRIZES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AND THE CONTEST ENTITIES HEREBY DISCLAIM ALL SUCH WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND/OR NONINFRINGEMENT.
13) You may obtain the name and city of residence of winners by mailing a self-addressed stamped envelope to Lear Giveaway, c/o Audubon magazine, 225 Varick St, 7th Floor, New York, NY 11215.
National Audubon Society Privacy Policy: http://www.audubon.org/privacy-policy.


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Tshirt - Sparkle & Fade @ Urban Outfitters, Overalls - Topshop, Shoes - Schuh
I love these overalls from Topshop so much. I got them last summer and I wear them basically all the time. The elephant print is so cute! These holographic shoes are from last summer too. Unfortunately I can't wear them as much as I'd like to as they're a bit too small so I have to plan to wear them when I know I won't be walking very far.


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Monday, November 15 2004
"No.513 - Co-Ed Models"
MALE AND FEMALE FASHION MODELS GET WET - Among the challenges facing male and female fashion models in this episode is a swing across gymnastic-style rings while suspended below a helicopter hovering over water. In addition, these "model" contestants must swim against the tide through large, high-pressure tubes that when pulled out of a lake flush out the models with extreme force. Joe Rogan hosts this series in which all stunts take place under the supervision of professional Hollywood stunt coordinators. Matt Kunitz ("Real World") and David A. Hurwitz are the executive producers of this series from Endemol USA.


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December/January 1998
Volume 24, No. 2
ASIS Annual Meeting Coverage
The 1997 ASIS Annual Awards
An Information Science Manifesto
by Dagobert Soergel
Web Exclusive:
Additional Annual Meeting Coverage
Reports from Technical Sessions
The Clash of Stakeholders on the Information Superhighway: Will Public Interest and Fair Use Survive?
reported by Steve Hardin
Classification and Indexing for Image Collections: Theory and Practice
reported by Ernie Dornfeld
Digital Object Identifiers
Identifiers and Their Role in Networked Information Applications
by Clifford Lynch
Managing Access to Digital Information: Some Basic Terminology Issues
by Patrice Lyons
Report on Legal Protection for Databases by U.S. Copyright Office
From the Editor
To the Editor
Inside ASIS


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Want to Get Ahead at Work? Dress Like the Boss
People may not realize they're doing it, but they often dress like the boss. Ray Smith joins Lunch Break with a look at why both men and women do this, and how to pull it off. Photo: Rebecca Greenfield for The Wall Street Journal.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... oh ... all this well me he tried to seem more like them also the SNP five hundred companies ... play new CEO is in the first quarter this year ... I mean a lot of work and shifting so went to school simulate the big cheese and that ... means it is well cheesy Ray Smith our men's fashion columnist he's here ... right now Joinus with sin enters the fray ... look on and do you think it is just ordered in general for weak from workers to begin shifting ... the way they dressed in a late whoever their manager as ... his accomplice lot industries are just certain ones ... it's common among certain industries and it's more common than ... these like to think the evidence from ... some of the subconscious trees sometimes we ... don't wanna admit there were actually falling the Boston review we were dressed in mind but we were due to release me see them everyday recent next to them or we observe them ... and um almost it's either through osmosis to subconsciously ... um we sort of get the idea of what was supposed to ... send any interesting stories from people that you've been speaking to a different companies and and and bosses employees ... out tells about the expenses of Frank at First Data ... shore um a colleague Robinson donuts who covers the company and from what happened there is a new CEO come in earlier this year ... he's a suit and tie guy every day ... and the employees weren't ... because their former boss did not worsen sometimes every day ... suddenly a review of all the guys who were in suits and ties to start their boss ... aam and one employee was and know this and aam ... and it seemed to be a direct response to this new CEO coming in ... um it signals that he's in charge now and this is the way he's been addressed he said in its home for ... the future direction of the company and then employees literally followed suit ... though the wait ... in the just man also when although ... I may be I'm I'm this is also said that he gets harder for women to sort the Nikkei cicadas to start wearing suits but you found an example many on online fashion history of this happening with that with a female boss is that right yes and aam and two point you're absolutely right for women it might mean sir when the business to or from a jacket of some sort ... of book in this case um this has been talking about don't know ... where there was a new fashion ... editorial director ... and that she had her own style and one of her tumor reports sort of took note of that style ... aam and I don't think she did it as a ways to say that I would address to for my boss ... but she kind of admired and stand was inspired by ... the bosses mixing of dressy and casual stance ... and so this direct reports started doing similar similar ... service style with her wardrobe so sometimes it's a matter of ... morning to look just like the boss but also ... some of it is just ... like the way my boss dresses and so there could be something of a long they're putting out music to make sure that you don't need all ... in the lake and to my Ciaran exact doubt because that's probably of that date back to its cheesy that's going to be no back with a nice Christmas more the Pursell Journal


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Add your voice to TNT Magazine's UKBA Balls-Up campaign to demand the government agency changes its policies so that:
1. Every applicant receives correspondence when an application has been received
2. Advice is then sent to all applicants detailing the process system and what it means for those wanting to work or travel
3. Every applicant gets access to an emergency helpline which they can call for updates at any time, not only after six months
4. The target for processing visas for those based in the UK who are eligible to work is reduced to three months
5. A full refund is offered to applicants if their application takes longer than the target time if it is due to UKBA incompetency
6. The amount of premium service appointments is increased and a full refund is offered to applicants if the UKBA doesn't adhere to the allotted 24-hour timescale
7. Applicants wishing to extend visas to stay in the UK can do so before the 28 days before expiry deadline
If you've ever wondered how the UK government deals with visa application complaints or, more... Read More
As the leading publication for Aussies and Kiwis in the UK, TNT Magazine is throwing its full weight... Read More
London mayor Boris Johnson has written a strongly worded opinion piece calling for Australians to be... Read More
When Brendon Watkins decided to apply to permanently reside in London in November 2011, he thought... Read More
Londoner Marianne Bailey has created a petition pleading for her Japanese husband Kei Yamamoto to be... Read More
A Nigerian woman who was facing an 'administrative removal' from the UK when the Border Agency... Read More
Ever wanted to quit your job in style? Chris Holmes decided to leave his job working for the UK... Read More
The extent of how shambolic UKBA really is was revealed last week. Read More
Immigration minister Mark Harper has today been accused of potentially misleading Parliament over... Read More
Home Secretary Theresa May has announced that the UK Border Agency is to be scrapped. Read More
TNT Magazine's e-petition against UKBA has been approved by the government. The publication is... Read More
The UK Border Agency processes more postal visa applications on target than it does its premium... Read More


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If you're searching for an everlasting way to improve the quality of your smile while avoiding grinding or drilling, veneers may be the answer. Veneers are bonded directly to the surface of malformed, broken or discolored teeth, providing a polished, straight look.
Porcelain Veneers
Crafted to provide a beautiful appearance and comfortable fit, porcelain veneers are an excellent option to improve your smile. The process is relatively simple; impressions are taken of the target tooth, then those impressions are used to create a veneer. The target tooth is reduced to ensure an even fit, and then the veneer is attached with durable bonding cement. The veneers are matched with tooth color and shape to provide optimal appearance as well.
Don't go another day feeling self-conscious about your smile, call DDS Associates today at 713-797-0846 and acquire the smile you've always wanted!


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The other night, Julia and I ordered a take out pizza from very vegan-friendly Dimo's in Chicago, and while I enjoyed some cold for a satisfying, late night dinner later on, she never got to partake. We combined this lapse with our vegan-cheese-stocked fridge inventory upon returning to Portland, and easily decided on pizza for our first Dinner with Jules series. This….rustic pizza is modeled after that fateful Dimo's pie, with even more our own toppings, aka compromises on toppings. Because that's what sharing a pizza is all about, agreeing to skip on what other people think are your most repulsive topping choices, and deciding that you're both pretty good with the rest.
Most importantly, and true to the inspiration, Jules convinced me to pick up some Upton's Italian seitan crumbles (as if it was hard to do), and her custom mosaic of toppings: those herbed bites, paired with creamy mozzarella Teese (I've been a longtime fan, but I swear, it's gotten better) and our own pickled purple hot peppers – – the HO'PEPS – really make the pie.
Yeah, ho'peps. Spread the word.
You don't think that title makes it sound like you're calling me a ho, do you?
– J. Legume


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By Matthew Heimer
As savers get closer to retirement age, they tend to obsess over how to split their nest egg between stocks and bonds, since they're now more likely to be living at least in part off the income from their portfolios. In a cover story in today's Wall Street Journal Report on retirement planning, Encore contributor Anne Tergesen notes that more financial advisers are now answering this question by resorting to the "liability matching" model used by pension plans. (It's a wide-ranging article, but the relevant discussion is in section 6, "I Will Buy A Pension.")
The concept is relatively simple: Retirees should divide their portfolio into two parts, one of which contains enough money to cover 20 to 25 years of essential living expenses. That part of the portfolio should be invested with as little risk as possible, in annuities, bonds or CDs. The other part of the portfolio covers discretionary expenses, and can be invested more or less conservatively, depending on what the retiree wants to use it for and when.
If the idea of getting 25 years of living expenses out of annuities, bonds and CDs alone sounds daunting, it's worth keeping in mind that most American retirees can already add a substantial annuity-like income stream to this bucket – namely, their Social Security benefits. For a much more detailed discussion of how to fold Social Security into a bigger-picture income strategy; read MarketWatch's Robert Powell's recent column here.


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Cleft lip and palate are birth defects that affect the upper lip and the roof of the mouth.
Alternative Names
Cleft palate; Craniofacial defect
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
There are many causes of cleft lip and palate. Problems with genes passed down from one or both parents, drugs, viruses, or other toxins can all cause these birth defects. Cleft lip and palate may occur along with other syndromes or birth defects.
A cleft lip and palate can:
Affect the appearance of the face
Lead to problems with feeding and speech
Lead to ear infections
Risk factors include a family history of cleft lip or palate and other birth defects. About 1 out of 2,500 people have a cleft palate.
A child may have one or more birth defects.
A cleft lip may be just a small notch in the lip. It may also be a complete split in the lip that goes all the way to the base of the nose.
A cleft palate can be on one or both sides of the roof of the mouth. It may go the full length of the palate.
Other symptoms include:
- Change in nose shape (how much the shape changes varies)
- Poorly aligned teeth
Problems that may be present because of a cleft lip or palate are:
- Failure to gain weight
- Feeding problems
- Flow of milk through nasal passages during feeding
- Poor growth
- Repeated ear infections
- Speech difficulties
Signs and tests
A physical examination of the mouth, nose, and palate confirms a cleft lip or cleft palate. Medical tests may be done to rule out other possible health conditions.
Surgery to close the cleft lip is often done when the child is between 6 weeks and 9 months old. Surgery may be needed later in life if the problem has a big effect on the nose area. See also:
A cleft palate is usually closed within the first year of life so that the child's speech develops normally. Sometimes a prosthetic device is temporarily used to close the palate so the baby can feed and grow until surgery can be done.
Continued follow-up may be needed with speech therapists and orthodontists.
Support Groups
For additional resources and information, see
Expectations (prognosis)
Most babies will heal without problems. How your child will look after healing depends on the severity of the defect. Your child might need another surgery to fix the scar from the surgery wound.
Children who had a cleft palate repair may need to see a dentist or orthodontist. The teeth may need to be corrected as they come in.
Hearing problems are common in children with cleft lip or palate. Your child should have a hearing test early on, and it should be repeated over time.
Your child may still have problems with speech after the surgery. This is caused by muscle problems in the palate. Speech therapy will help your child.
Calling your health care provider
Cleft lip and palate is usually diagnosed at birth. Follow the health care provider's recommendations for follow-up visits. Call if problems develop between visits.
Related:Cleft lip and palate repair – discharge , Cleft lip and palate repair


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Can Having Pets Help Women Living With HIV/AIDS Cope?
January 31, 2012
A recent study found that women living with HIV/AIDS may find therapeutic benefits from owning pets.
The study of 48 women was conducted by Drs. Allison Webel and Patricia Higgins of the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Their findings were published in the January 2012 issue of Women's Health Issues.
A Case Western Reserve news release announced that the purpose of this study was to better understand how women manage their disease day to day, adhere to their medications, and take care of their overall health. One way to do that was to see how certain roles could shape people's behaviors:
During the focus groups, six predominant social roles emerged that helped and hindered these women in managing their illness: pet owner, mother/grandmother, faith believer, advocate, stigmatized patient, and employee. All roles had a positive impact except stigmatized patient, which prevented women from revealing their illness and seeking out appropriate supports.
"Much information is available about the impact of work and family roles, but little is known about other social roles that women assume," Webel said.
What they discovered about pet owners somewhat surprised them: Having a pet helped the women cope better.
"Pets -- primarily dogs -- gave these women a sense of support and pleasure," Webel said.
When discussing the effect their pets have on their lives, the women weighed in. "She's going to be right there when I'm hurting," a cat owner said. Another said: "Dogs know when you're in a bad mood ... she knows that I'm sick, and everywhere I go, she goes. She wants to protect me."
Webel speculates these findings may be applicable for women living with other chronic diseases, too.
View the video, "Furry Friends with Benefits: Staying Healthy With Pets":
More From This Resource Center
Newly Diagnosed? Words of Encouragement from HIV-Positive Women
What Every HIV-Positive Woman Should Know About GYN Care and Prevention
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Internet search results. Be careful when providing personal information! Before
adding your comment, please read TheBody.com's Comment Policy.)


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Eighttofasttocatch was just that Saturday at Laurel Park, as he ignored the rain, mud and closinghorses to win the $150,000 Maryland Million Classic and set off a joyous celebration in the winner's circle.
Owned by Arnold Heft and his wife Sylvia, Eighttofasttocatch represented the couple's longtime search for a champion.
"Though I owned the Bullets and the Capitals with Mr. Abe Pollin, we never really had a champion," said Arnold Heft, who named the horse after Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin, who wears the No. 8. "This has to be the biggest thing for my wife and me. This is my first real champion, and I'm 92 years old."
Sylvia Heft, couldn't stop smiling, and she kissed everyone who wished her congratulations.
"We've been in horseracing and sports a long time," she said. "This has to be the best day we've ever had."
A crowd of 20,907 came out on an overcast day to watch the 26th running of the Jim McKay Maryland Million Day at the races. Cool from the start, the weather turned wet late in the afternoon, and by the time of the Classic, the track surface was getting deep, though it remained fast.
Eighttofasttocatch's jockey Sheldon Russell said his horse was not bothered by rain or the wet track. And it showed as he closed the gap on the leader heading into the stretch, then kicked it up another notch when he felthorses closing in on the outside, pulling away for a 1 3/4th-length victory.
The 5-year-old Not For Love chestnut gelding, bred by Dark Hollow Farm and Herringswell Stable, finished the 1 1/8th-mile course in 1:50.65 and paid $3.60. He was trailed across the finish line by Cactus Charlie and Not Abroad, another length and a half back.
"He's run in slop and won," Russell said of his comfortable ride. "The key for him is to relax. I got him to switch off, and then he came back running. It was just about the perfect race."
Starting from the No. 5 post, Eighttofasttocatch was in ideal position for a fast break, and he had one. He shot from the gate and found himself in the lead as the first turn approached.
But that wasn't exactly what Russell wanted.
"I was a little concerned when the speed horse didn't break," Russell said. "But then the seven [Regal Warrior] went to the front, and my horse settled in. He likes to be about three lengths off the lead, and five is even better."
In the grandstands, trainer Tim Keefe had the same early discomfort. But he too relaxed when Regal Warrior took a six-length lead by the half-mile. It was a situation that didn't please Regal Warrior's jockey Jorge Chavez.
"My horse broke okay, and he drug me to the lead," Chavez said. "I tried to slow him down, but he just gave up."
Nick Petro, who rode third-place finisher Not Abroad, was pleased with the way his horse ran, and could do little but tip his hat to the winner.
"He tried real hard and finished up well, but plain and simple, we just got outrun," Petro said.
Which, in the end, was no surprise to Keefe, who won his third Million race but first Classic.
"Once the seven horse got the lead, we were sitting exactly where we wanted to be," said Keefe. "Sheldon did a great job getting him to relax and he ran his 'A' race. If I had been drawing it up before the start, this would have been exactly the way I would have done it."
Keefe noted that all trainers dream of the Kentucky Derby, but he found great satisfaction in winning Saturday on his home track.
"To me, winning here on my home track in front of the home fans is wonderful," he said. "Maryland racing has been going through some hard times, but Maryand Million Day shows just how great our sport still is."


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In the midst of the Platform A "streamlining," a source sends us the following note.
Our source, too, has heard that AOL's ad revenue will be down 25%-30% this quarter, which would be a shocking disappointment. The source may just be hearing the same rumors CNBC's David Faber is hearing, so don't take this to the bank. Also note the source's qualification about "stripping out all the padding." Even if the core sales are 25%-30% below plan, in other words, the headline number AOL reports could look much better.