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September 05, 2009
William F. Sharpe (Ph.D. '61) is one of the leading figures in Financial Economics. His dissertation at UCLA contained concepts that he would later develop into the highly-influential Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). For this contribution to his field, Sharpe shared the 1990 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.
As an undergraduate and master's student at UCLA, Sharpe was a research assistant for the late Fred Weston. He continued to take courses from Weston and work closely with him until completing his Ph.D. in Economics in 1961. "He was a major influence in my life and a great contributor to the field of Finance. It was a privilege and an honor to have known him, learned from him and worked with him over many, many years," Sharpe says.
When Sharpe was choosing a topic for his dissertation, Weston suggested he talk with Harry Markowitz who was doing research at the RAND Corporation. Markowitz provided some direction and served as his unofficial dissertation advisor. Markowitz also shared the 1990 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his work in portfolio theory.
After graduating from UCLA, Sharpe had a distinguished career at the University of Washington, the University of California at Irvine and Stanford University. He also spent time at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and the RAND Corporation. He has authored a number of influential books including the textbook Investments, which is now in its sixth edition. Sharpe also served as a consultant to top investment firms before launching his own firm, Financial Engines, Inc., which specializes in online investment advice and management.
Sharpe introduced the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) in his 1964 paper, Capital Asset Prices: A Theory of Market Equilibrium under Conditions of Risk. In finance, the CAPM is used to determine a theoretically appropriate required rate of return of an asset, given that asset's non-diversifiable risk.
Sharpe Describes the Capital Asset Pricing Model
Sharpe says an investor might think of the CAPM this way. "First, I would say to you, 'what do you think you should pay to get a dollar in bad times? Should you pay more than to get a dollar in good times?' And you would probably say, 'Yes, I think so.' If you said, 'No,' I'd say, 'Well there aren't as many dollars available in bad times so don't you think the price of scarcer goods should be higher than more plentiful goods?' And hopefully you'd see that this makes sense. So I'd try to convince you that, all things being equal, the price of a dollar in bad times should be higher so, therefore, the return on what you pay for it should be worse. You pay more to get the dollar so the return on your investment is going to be worse."
"If I can get you to that point, I'd say, 'Well, then it pretty much follows that if you put your money in something that will do really badly in bad times, you should expect not only to get more in good times, but you should expect to get more over the very long run. Markets should be such, and prices should be such and investors' behavior should be such that the expected return on an asset is greater if it does badly in bad times - than if it doesn't do so badly in bad times."
"And if you agree so far," he continues, "I'd say, 'Well, we have this measure which is sort of a short cut for indicating how badly an investment is likely to do in bad times and it's called beta (β). High beta investments are ones that do particularly badly in bad times and low beta investments are ones that don't do so badly in bad times.'"
"So, hopefully I've gotten you to the point where you agree that an investment with a high beta should have a higher expected return than an investment with a low beta. At that point, I might say, 'Well, over the long run, don't you expect that you'd do better with stocks - because terrible things could happen to you in the short run - than with bonds?'" According to Sharpe, this is the key message for investors from the Capital Asset Pricing Model.
Sharpe Ratio Combines Risk and Return
Sharpe is also known for creating the Sharpe Ratio, which is a risk-adjusted measure of investment performance. This continues to be one of the most widely-used performance measures for investment managers.
Sharpe originally called the Sharpe Ratio the Reward to Variability Ratio but other scholars insisted on naming the idea for its founder. Sharpe explains that, "It originally was intended to answer the question, if you had to rate the prospects for a portfolio with a single number, what might that number be? The idea was you don't want to just use the expected return because that doesn't include anything about risk. So the question was - How might you create a number that reflects both expected return and risk?"
"My answer was to take the expected return over and above safe investments, like a Treasury bill or money in the bank, put that in the numerator and, in the denominator, put a measure of risk (the standard deviation of the differences in these returns). The idea was that the reward is in the top. Bigger is better. Variability is in the bottom. Bigger is worse."
"The ratio produces useful numbers," he says, "but now you can do better by putting more data into a computer and letting it analyze your overall risk and return."
Putting Theory into Practice
In 1996, Sharpe and two partners founded a firm to apply principles from the field of Financial Economics to investment management. The firm, Financial Engines, Inc. now employs over 200 people and manages portfolios for employees at many Fortune 500 companies. Sharpe holds the title Director Emeritus and continues to be involved with research.
"I realized there was a sea change going on in the way people finance their retirement," he says. "It used to be that after you retired you would receive checks. When you died, your spouse would receive smaller checks. Then when your spouse died, the checks would stop. Today, we are in a brave new world of 401Ks and 403Bs in which you have to manage your retirement funds, yet many people have not learned how to plan and manage their finances for the future."
Financial Engines applies concepts such as style analysis, optimization and equilibrium theory to help clients manage their portfolios. "Style analysis is a way of building and calibrating a model of all the diverse investments that you usually find in a portfolio," Sharpe explains. "It came directly out of my research"
"The computer engines in our firm were built very much on my view of how you ought to do these things," he continues. "Since it began, the firm has done huge amounts of empirical and theoretical research and algorithm development. Now there are many techniques that go well beyond what I helped set up initially. But my legacy and philosophy are still there."
Financial Engines typically works with large firms. They provide each employee with a detailed analysis of their retirement portfolio at least once a year. "We say, 'Here's what you've got, here's how you're exposed to the markets and, if you keep doing what you're doing, here's the chance you'll have a retirement at level X or above. Here's the chance it will be at level Y or below. And, by the way, you might consider saving this much more because if you do so your prospects in retirement could be this much better.'"
The firm offers both online decision tools, and individually managed accounts for those who prefer not to make all their own investment decisions.
Sharpe's View of the Future of Financial Economics
In his recent book, Investors and Markets, Sharpe called for a new approach to the teaching and practice of Finance. "It's time to move beyond the simplifying assumption that probability distributions of economic events are normal or log-normal and that people only need to consider the mean and the standard deviation of a distribution," he says.
"I think, increasingly, we need to go beyond that - and there's no reason that we can't. You can have distributions that are as complex as you like and you can have characterizations of people's preferences that are reasonably complex. So I think practitioners should go beyond simple paradigms and I have been calling for academics teaching in business schools to do so."
Sharpe pauses when asked what area of Financial Economics he would study if he were starting his career today. "My gut reaction," he says, "is that maybe one should concentrate on some of the really tough institutional issues associated with banking and shadow banking rather than just how to create some new derivative."
"Also, I think there's a huge need to help people make financial choices," he continues. "It's what I broadly call 'lifetime finance.' How do we finance an individual's lifetime? You can approach this from a social standpoint, dealing with the design of a social security system or the design of healthcare systems. Or you can approach it from an individual standpoint. How should individuals make decisions if they have to do so? You can approach it from an education and communication standpoint. How can we help individuals make decisions either by collective education or individual counseling?"
"Then there are the behavioral aspects. How do we find out what a person's preferences really are? Right now we are beginning to learn from work in an area called neural economics, which is really fascinating. I would probably tilt my work somewhat toward the area of behavioral economics - trying to understand how people really make decisions. Then there's the much harder question - How do you help people make decisions that are truly in their best interests? You can become very philosophical about those issues."
"I think there's much to be done in the field of Financial Economics if it's regarded in a very broad sense," he says. "It's a very exciting time. There are revolutions and paradigm shifts underway. 'Would I go into the field again?' Yes, I think I would. I view Financial Economics as dealing with resources, time and uncertainty. Would I still choose to do work dealing with resource allocation, time and uncertainty? I think so."
Please click here to watch Bill Sharpe's interview at the First Meeting of Laureates in Economic Sciences at Lindau, Germany, September 1-2, 2004.


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SA Journal of Radiology
versión On-line ISSN 2078-6778
versión impresa ISSN 1027-202X
S. Afr. J. radiol. (Online) vol.18 no.1 Johannesburg oct. 2014
Multi-detector computed tomography radiation doses in the follow-up of paediatric neurosurgery patients in KwaZulu-Natal: A dosimetric audit
Christopher T. SikwilaI; Khatija AmodII; Brindley D. CupidoIII; Ali SabriIV
IDepartment of Radiology, Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
IIDepartment of Radiology, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, South Africa
IIIDepartment of Radiology, Addington Hospital, South Africa
IVDepartment of Radiology, Cypress Health Region Hospital, Canada
BACKGROUND: Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) is the preferred modality for follow-up of paediatric neurosurgery patients. Serial imaging, however, has the disadvantage of an ionising radiation burden, which may be mitigated using the 'as low as reasonably achievable' (ALARA) principle.
OBJECTIVES: The primary objectives were to determine the radiation dose exposure in paediatric patients subjected to MDCT imaging following neurosurgery and to compare these values with references in current literature. Our secondary objective was to assess the relationship between radiation dose and clinical scenario.
METHOD: Retrospective descriptive data were collected from all paediatric postsurgical patients (n = 169) between the ages of 0 and 12 years who had their first followed-up scan in the year 2010 and were followed up for six months or less. Dose-length product (DLP) and current-time product were collected from the picture archiving and communication system. Demographic data including radiology reports were collected from the hospital information system. The effective doses (ED) were calculated from the corresponding DLP using age-adjusted conversion factors. For purposes of comparison with other studies, median dosimetric values were calculated and the children were grouped into three age ranges, namely younger than 3 years, 3-7 years and 8-12 years old.
RESULTS: The highest median radiation doses were noted in patients being followed-up for intracranial abscesses (1183 mGy cm) in the 8-12 year age group, most of whom were female. The lowest radiation doses were for intracranial shunt follow-ups (447 mGy cm). Median values for DLP, ED and current-time product (mAs) were comparable to reference doses in all three age groups. However, our study showed a much broader distribution of values with higher upper limits relative to reference values. Indications for follow-up included shunts (n = 110; 65%), intracranial abscess (n = 31; 18%), subdural haematoma (n = 13; 8%) and tumour (n = 6; 4%). Head trauma only accounted for 5% of the cases.
CONCLUSION: The median radiation doses measured were comparable to values in literature and therefore deemed acceptable. The wider dose distributions of all three dosimetric parameters (DLP, ED and mAs) were attributed to inappropriate use of scan length and reference effective mAs. Adherence to recommended scan length protocols should be encouraged. Evaluation of the current use of reference effective mAs is needed and will require a separate study to determine the smallest value that can be used without compromising image quality. Further dose reductions could be achieved by omission of unenhanced scans in the follow-up of intracranial abscesses. It is recommended that diagnostic reference levels specific to South African clinical scenarios be developed to make local dosimetric audits more relevant.
Children treated for complex or chronic neurological disease such as hydrocephalus, tumours and intracranial abscess often undergo serial imaging studies with multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). The associated ionising radiation has raised concern as it is the dominant contributor to radiation dose from medical x-rays. The Department of Neurosurgery at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH) has a heavy case load as it serves the entire province of KwaZulu-Natal. Current protocols permit neurosurgeons to order computed tomography (CT) scans without prior consultation with a radiologist in order to increase efficiency in light of human resource constraints. As a result, an increase in the number of serial scans in the follow-up of paediatric patients was noted, raising concerns over excessive radiation burden due to the long-term increased risk of developing malignancies such as leukaemia, thyroid carcinomas, breast cancer as well as damage to the lens of the eye. Children and women in particular are more radiosensitive because of a higher rate of cell division in the former and radiosensitive organs being anatomically closer to the primary beam in the latter. However, there are no 'normal limits' with respect to radiation exposure to children in diagnostic imaging. Radiologists and medical physicists depend on the 'as low as reasonably achievable' (ALARA) principle and diagnostic reference levels (DRLs)1,2 to minimise the radiation exposure. South Africa has not yet developed DRLs with which we could compare our data; consequently comparisons were made with European DRLs/data sets predominantly derived from head trauma centres. The study was aimed at quantifying the radiation burden and comparing it to accepted values in literature. The outcomes would be beneficial in deciding whether to alter current paediatric protocols and establish benchmarks for future dosimetric audits.
Methods and materials
Ethical approval was obtained from the Biomedical Research and Ethics Committee of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Retrospective descriptive data was collected from all paediatric postsurgical patients (n = 169) between the ages of 0 and 12 years who had their first follow-up scan in the year 2010 and were followed up for six months or less. The 16-slice and 128-slice CT scanners used were calibrated by independent inspection bodies and dose parameters were checked and verified for accuracy to within 15% of the baseline values.
Dose-length product (DLP) and current-time product are parameters recorded by the MDCT machines used at the time of the scan and were thus collected from the picture archiving and communication system. Demographic data including radiology reports were collected from the hospital information system. The effective doses (ED) were calculated from the corresponding DLP using age-adjusted conversion factors (see Table 1) and the following equation:
For purposes of comparison with other studies, median dosimetric values were calculated and the children were grouped into three age ranges, namely younger than 3 years, 3-7 years and 8-12 years old.
The highest median radiation doses were noted in patients being followed-up for intracranial abscesses (1183 mGy cm) in the 8-12 year age group, most of whom were female. The lowest radiation doses were noted in intracranial shunt follow-ups (447 mGy cm). Median values for DLP, ED and current-time product (mAs) were comparable to reference doses in all three age groups. However, our study showed a much broader distribution of values with higher upper limits relative to reference values. Seventy-nine (47%) of those scanned were male and 90 (53%) were female. Median age was 2 years (range 1-12 years). The age distribution between the three age groups < 3, 3-7 and 8-12 years were 98 (58%), 34 (20%) and 37 (22%) respectively. The female distribution in the study was 51 (57%), 17 (19%) and 22 (24%) and male distribution 47 (59%), 17 (22%) and 15 (19%) children in the < 3, 3-7 and 8-12 year age groups respectively. Indications for follow-up included: shunt (n = 110; 65%), intracranial abscess (n = 31; 18%), subdural haematoma or SDH (n = 13; 8%), trauma (n = 8; 5%), tumour (n = 6; 4%) and other (n = 1; < 1%) (see Figure 1).
No interval change between scans was reported by the radiologist in 65 (59%) of shunt, 13 (42%) of intracranial abscess, 7 (50%) of SDH, 3 (31%) of trauma and 4 (67%) of tumour follow-ups. With respect to radiation burden attracted by an examination indication, our study showed the median DLPs (mGy cm) to be 447 (shunts), 1183 (intracranial abscess), 719 (SDH), 681 (trauma) and 591 (tumour). Sixty-eight percent of two-phase scans (i.e. with and without contrast material) were done in the 8-12 year age group, 22% in the < 3 year age group and 47% in the 3-7 year age group.
The median DLP (with range indicated in parenthesis) for the < 3, 3-7 and 8-12 year age groups were 463 (251-1461), 615 (360-1268) and 1134 (393-3111) mGy cm respectively. Associated median effective doses were 3.1 (1.7-9.8), 2.5 (1.4-5.1) and 3.6 (1.3-10.0) mSv respectively. The median current-time product for the same age groups were 122 (89-350), 137 (107-300) and 191 (123-360) mAs respectively.
Children treated for complex or chronic neurological disease often undergo serial imaging studies with MDCT. As mentioned, the associated ionising radiation has raised concern as it is the dominant contributor to radiation dose from medical x-rays. In this study, 141 (83%) of the cases were due to shunt or intracranial abscess follow-up - the latter carrying a large radiation burden due to the two-phase scans done in accordance with neurosurgery protocols. Udayasankar et al.4 recommended the use of 80 kV/80 mAs for shunt follow-up and 80 kV/90-140 mAs for follow-up of abscesses and tumours as an alternative low-dose protocol. Rybka, Staniszewska and Bieganski5 showed that as much as 70% reduction in patient doses were achieved without compromising image quality and that a low-dose protocol was feasible.
Notwithstanding the use of the reference effective mAs function on CT scanners, the upper limit of the mAs in children younger than 7 years was higher than those noted by Pages, Buls and Osteaux6 despite the median values being comparable (see Table 2). We attributed the finding to the inappropriately high reference effective mAs used on the 128-slice machine (see Table 3). Given that the mAs is directly proportional to the radiation dose, Yu, Bruesewitz, Thomas, Fletcher, Kofler and McCollough7 noted a 40% - 50% reduction in radiation dose with correct use of such AEC (automatic exposure control) systems. Radiologists have to be aware that these systems control radiation exposure relative to the required image quality (as determined by the reference effective mAs), rather than decrease radiation dose directly.8,9
The median values for DLP for the < 3 and 3-7 year age groups in our study were comparable to those obtained by Buls, Bosmans, Mommaert, Malchair, Clapuyt and Everarts8 and Freiberg, Almen, Einarsson et al.11, most likely due to the fact that their studies, like ours, included MDCT (rather than single-slice) machines as well as two-phase scans. The median DLP for the 8-12 year age group, however, was higher by a factor of 1.7-2.0. It is in this age group that we found the highest indication for intracranial abscess follow-up and consequently the most two-phase scans and greatest radiation dose burden (see Figures 1-3).
Furthermore, given that 42% of the scan follow-ups for intracranial abscess had no interval change identified on follow-up and that 22 (59%) of the children in this age group were female, targeted application of a low-dose protocol and stringent assessment of the risk-benefit ratio for each CT request would have the greatest impact on dose reduction. The DLP distribution in all three age groups were much greater than DRLs of similar studies in literature (see Table 2), attributable to the high variation in scan lengths used. Buls, Bosmans, Mommaert, Malchair, Clapuyt and Everarts8, using tube potential and pitch similar to that in this study, had upper limit values for DLP which were smaller by a factor of 2.7-7 for comparative age ranges. Calculations based on figures supplied by Buls, Bosmans, Mommaert, Malchair, Clapuyt and Everarts8 for the radiation doses expected given similar technique parameters to our study (see Table 3) suggest the scan lengths used at IALCH were greater by a factor of approximately 2-5 compared to those recommended by Shrimpton3.
ED calculations from DLP values provide for a simple method for radiologists without access to medical physicists to obtain valuable information regarding the radiation exposure associated with their scanners or protocols.12 The median ED in our study were comparable to those of Friberg, Almen, Einarsson et al.'s study for the < 3 and 3-7 year age groups; however, the 8-12 year age group had a higher dose by a factor of 1.6 due mainly to the large number of two-phase scans. The higher median ED noted in the < 3 age group compared to the 3-7 age group despite a lower DLP was also noted in the Freiberg, Almen, Einarsson et al. study, in which they attributed it to scan length discrepancies. We believe, however, that this difference is more a reflection of the higher conversion coefficients used to calculate ED in this age group.
Study limitations include non-separation of the neonatal group from the < 3 year age grouping. The calculated effective doses were all done using the 1-3 age group conversion coefficient of 0.0063 instead of the higher 0.011 of the < 1 year age group. Doses for the highly radiosensitive neonate were thus not captured and the calculated ED for the < 3 year age group in our study was therefore an underestimation of the true ED. The study represented a radiation burden from CT head scans only and is not representative of the total radiation exposure during the relevant six-month period, that is, from CT scans of other body parts or daily chest x-rays in ICU. South Africa has not developed DRLs with which we could compare our data; consequently comparisons were made with European data sets which were predominantly derived from head trauma centres.
Our results show that radical changes to the existing paediatric protocols are not necessary given that the average DLP, ED and mAs values used were within acceptable limits compared to current literature. The marked variations in dose distribution were of concern, however, and were attributed to the inappropriate selection of scan length and operator-dependent reference effective mAs. Corrective strategies should include strict adherence to recommended scan length protocols, application of the ALARA principle and evaluation of the current use of reference effective mAs (which will require a separate study to determine the smallest value that can be used without compromising image quality). Further dose reductions with respect to intracranial abscess follow-up may be achieved by omitting the pre-contrast scan. Finally, future dosimetric audits would be greatly improved if national DRLs were developed which would reflect more common clinical scenarios such as intracranial sepsis.
We gratefully acknowledge Dr William Rae (Associate Professor, Medical Physics, University of the Free State) for his invaluable insight into the development of the article.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationship(s) that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.
Authors' contributions
C.T.S. (University of KwaZulu-Natal) was the principal author, whilst K.A. (Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital), B.D.C. (Addington Hospital) and A.S. (Cypress Health Region Hospital) made conceptual contributions.
1. ICRP. Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. ICRP Publication 103. Ann ICRP. 2007;37(2-4). [ Links ]
2. ICRP. Radiological Protection and Safety in Medicine. ICRP Publication 73. Ann ICRP 1996;26(2), 1-47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0146-6453(00)89195-2 [ Links ]
3. Shrimpton PC. Assessment of patient dose in CT. NRPB- PE/1/2004. Chilton: National Radiological Protection Board; 2004. [ Links ]
4. Udayasankar UK, Braithwaite K, Arvaniti M, et al. Low-dose non-enhanced head CT protocol for follow-up evaluation of children with ventriculoperitoneal shunt: Reduction of radiation and effect on image quality. Am J Neuroradio. 2007;29:802-806. http://dx.doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.A0923 [ Links ]
5. Rybka K, Staniszewska AM, Biegahski T. Low-dose protocol for head CT in monitoring hydrocephalus in children. Med Sci Monit. 2007;13(suppl 1):147-151. PMID: 17507900 [ Links ]
6. Pages J, Buls N, Osteaux M. CT doses in children: A multicenter study. Br J Radiol. 2003;76:803-811. http://dx.doi.org/10.1259/bjr/92706933 [ Links ]
7. Yu L, Bruesewitz MR, Thomas KB, Fletcher JG, Kofler JM, McCollough CH. Optimal tube potential for radiation dose reduction in pediatric CT: Principles, clinical Implementations, and pitfalls. Radiographics. 2011;31:835-848. http://dx.doi.org/10.1148/rg.313105079 [ Links ]
8. Buls N, Bosmans H, Mommaert C, Malchair F, Clapuyt P, Everarts P. CT pediatric doses in Belgium: A multi-centre study. Brussels: Brussels Free Universities; 2010. [ Links ]
9. Lee CH, Goo JM, Lee HJ, et al. Radiation dose modulation techniques in the multidetector CT era: From basics to practice. Radiographics 2008;28:1451-1459. http://dx.doi.org/10.1148/rg.285075075 [ Links ]
10. Shrimpton PC, Hillier MC, Lewis MA, Dunn M. Dose from computed tomography (CT) examination in the UK. Br J Radiol. 2006;79:968-980. http://dx.doi.org/10.1259/bjr/93277434 [ Links ]
11. Friberg EG, Almen A, Einarsson G, et al. Doses from pediatric CT examinations and level of optimization of the scan protocols in the Nordic countries. Proceedings of the 15th Nordic Society for Radiation Protection (NSFS) conference; 2008 May 26-30; Älesund, Norway. NSFS; 2008. p. 41-50. [ Links ]
12. Thomas KE, Wang B. Age-specific effective dose for pediatric MSCT examinations at a large children's hospital using DLP conversion coefficients: A simple estimation method. Pediatr Radiol. 2008;38:645-656. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00247-008-0794-0 [ Links ]
Christopher Sikwila
PO Box 30904
Lusaka 10101
Email: email@example.com
Received: 03 Nov. 2013
Accepted: 28 Nov. 2013
Published: 09 May 2014

subset: commoncrawl


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Kuhn-Rikon Corn Zipper
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- Summary
Kernels of corn bring summer-fresh sweetness to soups, salads and salsa. They're easy to trim from the ear with this tool, which works quickly and helps protect fingers.
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If within 30 days, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value. An original receipt or gift receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. Returns with a gift receipt will be refunded in the form of a Merchandise Credit for the amount indicated on the gift receipt. Returns with original receipt will be refunded in the original form of payment, cash and check refunds over $100 will be issued as a company check (may take 14 business days from time of request).
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Rated 5 out of 5 by CulinaryCailliers from Where have you been all of my corn eating life We purchased a few of these for cookouts and gatherings and everyone loves them. No more corn stuck in your teeth and all it takes is a little practice and this will be your new favorite tool.Date published: 2017-06-13Rated 5 out of 5 by DMSoren from Handy gadget I love this handy little gadget. There's nothing like fresh corn off the cob. This corn zipper works great. Zips right through the cob. So much easier than using a knife. .Date published: 2015-07-08Rated 5 out of 5 by SonomaFun from Works Great These are very easy to use and work great. Thanks!Date published: 2013-12-08Rated 5 out of 5 by Eva1014 from Super Product The Kuhn-Rikon Corn Zipper is awesome. It is so easy to use. All the corn comes right off the cob. And there is very little splattering which makes clean up so quick and easy. I used to avoid preparing corn off the cob and now we have it very often. My husband loves it.Date published: 2013-08-18Rated 5 out of 5 by GrannyBeth from ZIP! fun to use Yes, zip!..and off the corn comes! I really was quite surprised at how effortlessly the corn came off of the cob! So easy to use - can't wait to get more corn to ZIP!Date published: 2013-08-17Rated 5 out of 5 by momcooksforeverybody from Greatest corn gadget ever I bought this to cut corn off the cob. Yes, it does that so well that EVERYBODY wants to use it to cut their corn off the cob. You don't have to have braces anymore; you just want to use it because it is fun and quick and awesomely efficient. Love it. Have had other brands and they are worthless. Kuhn-Rikon is the best, for sure.Date published: 2013-01-03Rated 5 out of 5 by MelanieMc from Excellent single tasker I'm usually a multi-tasker kitchen gadget person, but I love this tool. I'm not a big fan of eating corn off the cob and the zipper literally "zips" the corn off. So easy and convenient!Date published: 2012-08-29Rated 5 out of 5 by Gadgetgirl50 from Why Didn't I know about this This is the best utensil in my Kitchen. Every kitchen should have one.Date published: 2012-08-24


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Sioux Falls Skyforce Profile: Guard Quincy Douby
The Sioux Falls Skyforce begin their Silver Anniversary season with a new floor and facility at the Sanford Pentagon and a mostly new crew in place. The Miami Heat are the caretakers of the players and have some good stock in place.
In a shrewd maneuver, the Skyforce dealt Jarvis Varnado a piece of the Heat's championship team to the Iowa Energy for the Energy's first round NBADL draft choice. That selection is Quincy Douby who comes to the Skyforce with a distinguished list of accomplishments.
A 2006 first round draft choice from Rutgers, Douby left the Scarlet Knights as a Junior to be taken by the Sacramento Kings. With 143 NBA games over three seasons, Douby has realized which improvements were needed to log game number 144 and beyond. "My leadership skill has been improving. Just talking to the younger guys (about the game). I'm a great offensive player, great shooter and I added different aspects to my game like pick and roll, passing the ball, getting guys easier shots. I think I'm going to help out the team a lot. I'm looking forward to it."
Douby is also excited about the Heat organization's involvement with the Skyforce which helped his decision to use the D-League as his path. "I know every team around the NBA knows the staff here was the staff for the Miami Heat. So they're going to bring that same attitude, same work ethic. Miami is the team that everybody wants to be. I'm learning a lot from (Head Coach) Pat Delany and the coaching staff. It's going to be a great opportunity and a great time here."
Beyond the scope of his NBA exploits, Douby has logged some time in the NBA Development League which he quickly parlayed into a call-up to the Toronto Raptors in 2009. In the interim the playing time has included international stops in Turkey, Spain, Lebanon, Jordan with a couple of stints in China. It was January 2 of this year while playing in China that he scored 75 points in a game to set a Chinese Basketball League record. Douby says the event was not planned. "We were struggling before that game and I just saw an opportunity to help my team win. I was on fire. A lot of my shots were knocking down so I was just being aggressive. I wasn't even paying attention to the score. Then I looked up, I saw I had 69 points and I was like, 'Let me see if I can get more.' We had the game secure and a respectable lead so Coach took me out. I wound up playing 33 minutes that game and the games go for 48 minutes. If I would have stayed in the whole game I think I possibly could have scored 100."
While he is in Sioux Falls, Douby wants it known he's not just a guy who can let it fly. "I'm ready to show the improvements in my game. I want to show NBA teams I'm not just a scorer. I can do other things. I'm a combo guard. I can run a set offense, get others involved and not just look for my shot." If Douby can back up those final words, he may just get his NBA shot.


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Home > Water Fed > Hose Accessories
Barbed 1/2" to 3/8" Male Threaded Connector
Code: E3812Brand: FLOJET®
*Excludes Resin & Selected Products - value not included in order calculation - incompatible with other offers
The British Standard Pipe (BSP) is a family of standard screw thread types that has been adopted internationally for interconnecting and sealing pipe ends by mating an external (male) with an internal (female) thread and has been adopted as a standard scale used in plumbing fittings, except in the United States where NPT is the standard used.
Measuring the Outside of the Male Thread:
Measuring the Inside of the Female Thread:
Threads are tapered to ensure a water tight seal so sizes are approximate
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She can't do science if she isn't still alive...
And just... from an emotional perspective alone... she went all the way there... she made it... only to trip right before the finish line of the marathon... poor, poor Philae...
It's like the ending scene to Wall-E, only we're not guaranteed the happy Pixar ending.
Note that I'm HARDLY an emotional person. I'm normally as emotionless as the *actual* Philae (robotic, essentially).
But adorable anthropomorphic robots are my soft spot (and fluffy kittens).
After being portrayed as so optimistic, cheerful, and excited, it's so sad to see her not being able to complete her mission...
It's not uncommon to see a space probe officially anthropomorphized, having its own Twitter feed and all.
As far as xkcd's Spirit anthropomorphization, Spirit was also really sad, but at least Spirit got to complete his mission.
Apparently, there was a Chinese moon probe that had tweeted something along the lines of "Goodnight, world. Goodnight, humanity." in its last moments.
"Rosetta? Are you there? Please help me. I'm scared. I'm dying and I'm scared. Please..."
Philae Now [my "additional updated panel" to Landing]
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text: Anawalt Lumber is one of the last family-owned and operated lumber companies in Los Angeles. We pride ourselves on having just what you need at prices you can afford. Special orders are never a problem and we offer a prompt delivery service. We have friendly, knowledgeable staff, an extensive inventory and four convenient locations to serve you.


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Q) New in the Brazil and stuck in traffic because of long lines of buses and taxis on the roads. Want to try other alternative for travelling?Q) Does Brazil have metro facility? What is Metro route if I want to travel by metro? How much is Metro Fare and is it economical to travel by metro? Q) Where do I get latest updated metro fare card? What are the pass options available for metro travelling?
Metro is often termed as rapid transit. It's speed, connectivity, cost effectiveness, less time consuming nature are the foremost reasons for its popularity amongst people. Irrespective of financial status, number of commuters travel by metro. Metro has more capacity to carry people which in turn reduces traffic congestion on roads. Metro is believed to be more environmental friendly than other transportation services. The rate of carbon monoxide emission of private vehicles is almost double than that of metro.
This Brazil Metro Fare Calculator has solution for all your questions. It provides you the detailed route map available for metro and the fare per distance travelled. It also tells you the information regarding reduced fare available for senior citizens, disabled and students. It has information for variety of passes available such as daily pass, weekly pass, monthly or annual pass etc.
*Note that we only provide an approximate ESTIMATE, although the accuracy of our
fare calculations tends to be very high!


text: Crystal Morey: Baku, The Nightmare Eater By Crystal Morey Going to start the New Year off with a benevolent creature and a personal favorite, the Baku. Unlike the more devious Kappa, Baku come to the aid of those who suffer from nightmares or bad dreams, and supposedly they devour the evil spirit or creatures responsible for the disruptive visages... Baku are said to have the head and tusks of an elephant and the body of a lion (more like foo dog bodies than the larger African lion). Japanese children are told if they have a bad dream to call out for a Baku upon waking and it will come and eat it for them, turning bad fortune into good fortune. During the Edo era the kanji for Baku, or a simple image, were commonly found on pillows to ward off evil dreams. These more antiquated Baku tend to have the head of an elephant or tapir, (many older images have a more rounded trunk) with a lion's mane and paws, the body of a horse and the tail of a cow. These Baku illustrations are pulled from our upcoming Japanese Mythical Creatures book coming out next month. (Crystal Morey works for Gomineko Books and is a contributing blogger for Tattoo Artist Magazine. For more info on Gomineko Books please visit their website: www.gominekobooks.com.) Related TAM Blog posts from Crystal: Crystal Morey: The Japanese Kappas Crystal Morey: The Japanese Kirin Crystal Morey: The Japanese HiHi (Horiyoshi III VIDEO) Crystal Morey: Kyubi no Kitsune – Nine Tailed Fox


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George Nichola, WfWI-Iraq's Life Skills and Sponsorship Manager, recently shared his thoughts on the challenges Iraq's most vulnerable women face and the security situation in the month and a half since the US troop withdrawal from Iraq.
The US completed withdrawal of all military troops before the end of 2011. It was a great moment in modern Iraqi history, a step toward complete sovereignty for the Iraqi people. After the old regime was defeated by the US troops and allies, people wanted more independence in a free and democratic country where people of different religious or ethnic backgrounds could live peacefully. Day by day, this dream has been fading away, even before the US government announced the plans to withdraw troops from Iraq.
Before the withdrawal, the Iraqi people, especially women, grew concerned by what seemed like a lack of focus on doing what would be best for Iraq and its people. Because everyone was concerned about the security situation, they worried whether the withdrawal was happening too soon.
In the days after the withdrawal was complete, most of the participants in our program were very concerned about the security and safety situation. Our graduates in Karada who met to discuss how they can improve the services in their communities feel that the service needs of the local communities are not being addressed. There is no help for the elderly or those who are sick, who often have few shelters from the hot summers and rainy winters.
Baghdad and other provinces have recently witnessed a series of bloody explosions in the very poor areas; in Baghdad roughly 11 cars exploded and killed more than 55 people, many of whom were breadwinners for their families and simple workers who were just waiting for public transportation.
In Sadr City, a participant told us with a trembling voice and eyes filled with tears that her daughter was at her university when an explosion happened and some of her daughter's friends were injured and others were killed. She asked her trainer if she should let her daughter continue to go to university or keep her at home, adding " I lost my husband in an explosion in 2008 and don't want to face the same situation with one of my children." The daughter's friends were waiting with a crowd of people for public transportation in the early morning when the bomb went off. Another participant in the same group asked why the bombers are targeting gatherings of Iraqi workers and those with no connection to the conflict? This question is often asked when explosions happen. Since the US troops' withdrawal, the victims of these attacks are often poor Iraqi families who are struggling to have daily bread.
In general women are more concerned about what will happen in the coming days, as extremists on both sides will use violence that will hurt uninvolved civilians. Educated and uneducated women agree that the coming days will be more severe and more difficult. They worry whether the Iraqi army will be strong enough to protect Iraqis and how far the violence will go.


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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) The Rangers relievers got quick redemption, and Texas finally has won a postseason game at home for the first time in its 50-season history.
Elvis Andrus got the Rangers off to a running start, David Murphy led a parade of extra-base hits and the bullpen that faltered the night before held strong this time as Texas got even in the AL championship series with a 7-2 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 2 on Saturday.
The Rangers again built an early 5-0 lead – and stayed ahead this time, unlike the series opener when the Yankees had their biggest postseason comeback in the seventh inning or later. Texas snapped a 10-game postseason losing streak against New York.
The best-of-seven series now switches to Yankee Stadium for Game 3 on Monday night, when Texas will have hired ace left-hander Cliff Lee on the mound. Lee has won his last four starts in New York, including a complete game for Philadelphia in last year's World Series.
Colby Lewis limited New York to two runs over 5 2-3 innings and the bullpen rebounded from the eighth-inning debacle in Game 1 that allowed the defending World Series champion Yankees to escape with a 6-5 victory even though CC Sabathia lasted only four innings.
"That's what they have been doing for us all year. That's how we got to this point," manager Ron Washington said. "Last night, we didn't get it done. We didn't make any excuses. … I was going to give to ball back to those guys if it presented itself. It presented itself, they did a great job. I expected that."
New York's postseason winning streak over the Rangers included knocking them out of the playoffs in 1996, 1998 and 1999, Texas' only other postseason appearances.
These Rangers don't plan to be easily dismissed by the Bronx Bombers, who have won 27 World Series titles and 40 pennants.
Andrus led off the first with an infield single on a chopper that deflected off starter Phil Hughes' glove. Andrus went to second on a wild pitch, then stole third before Josh Hamilton drew a walk.
With Nelson Cruz batting and two outs, Hamilton took off for second base, and Andrus ran home when Jorge Posada threw the ball to second. The double-steal put Texas up 1-0 before Cruz's inning-ending strikeout.
"Elvis got on and basically took three bags," Lewis said.
"Opportunity seemed right, so I took a chance. That's the way we play," Washington said. "It worked. Got us going."
Murphy homered off the facade of the second deck of seats in the second for a 2-0 lead, then an inning later he and Bengie Molina had consecutive RBI doubles to make it 5-0.
Texas had lost its first seven home playoffs games, the most by any team before finally getting a victory in front of its own fans, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Five of those losses had been to New York, plus two to Tampa Bay last weekend in the first round when the Rangers had to go back to Florida for a deciding Game 5 with Lee pitching to win a postseason series for the first time ever.
Andy Pettitte pitches for the Yankees against Lee on Monday night. Manager Joe Girardi decided before this series started to swap the rotation order of Hughes and Pettitte, who will be going for his 20th postseason victory.
"Cliff Lee doesn't beat himself. And he's going to throw a lot of strikes," Girardi said. "The guy that's getting lost in this is Andy Pettitte, and he's pretty good."
After the Rangers built a 5-0 lead through four innings in Game 1 and chased Sabathia, they didn't tack on any more runs. New York then finally scored on Robinson Cano's homer in the seventh and rallied for five runs off five pitchers in the eighth.
Cano homered again Saturday, his 435-foot solo shot deep in the second deck of seats in right making it 7-2 in the sixth.
Cano also again scored the first Yankees run, leading off the fourth with a double, moving to third on a wild pitch by Lewis and scoring on an RBI single by Lance Berkman, who then got caught off base for the final out.
After a majors-best 48 come-from-behind victories in the regular season, and three more this postseason, the Yankees couldn't pull off another one against the Rangers relievers.
When Lewis was pulled with two on in the sixth and a 7-2 lead, Clay Rapada struck out pinch-hitter Marcus Thames for the final out.
The previous night, Rapada gave up an RBI single to Cano on the only pitch he threw. And Thames had a broken-bat single that sent Alex Rodriguez home with the tiebreaking run.
Reliever Alexi Ogando then allowed a couple of base runners in the seventh, but got out of that jam unscathed when he struck out Cano for the final out.
Darren Oliver, who walked the only two batters he faced Friday night, walked the leadoff hitter in the eighth. He then got a strikeout and a grounder before Darren O'Day, who allowed a two-run single on his only pitch the night before, got Thames on a grounder.
Rookie All-Star closer Neftali Feliz, who was peeking through the bullpen door waiting for his chance to pitch in the ninth, walked two before finally getting Cano out on a game-ending flyball, setting off a fireworks burst over the ballpark.
Lewis struck out six while allowing two runs and six hits in his second postseason start. The right-hander, back with his original team after the past two seasons in Japan, threw five scoreless innings in his postseason debut a week earlier against Tampa Bay.
Hughes had allowed only three hits in 15 1-3 scoreless innings his three previous games at Rangers Ballpark. In his second major league start three years ago, Hughes had 6 1-3 hitless innings before coming out of that game with a hamstring injury.
The Rangers had 10 hits, seven for extra bases, off the 24-year-old right-hander when it counted most.
Hughes was coming off seven scoreless innings in his only other postseason start, the clinching game of the AL division series over Minnesota a week earlier that the Yankees swept in three games.
After Murphy's homer in the second, rookie first baseman Mitch Moreland singled and came home on Michael Young's double.
Texas had three doubles in the third, when Cruz led off with a ball that hit on the right-field wall only inches from going over. Ian Kinsler then had a sacrifice bunt before the consecutive two-baggers by Murphy and Molina.
Cruz just missed hitting a homer again in the fifth, when he led off with a ball that hit off the top of the wall in center field. Kinsler followed with a triple into the right-field corner and Hughes was done.
Hughes struck out three – all in the first inning – with three walks while giving up seven runs.
NOTES: Hamilton is the only Rangers starter who didn't have a hit. But he walked four times, two of them intentional passes. … The three stolen bases by the Rangers in the first tied a championship series record for the most in an inning. That had been done four other times, the last by the New York Mets in the 1999 NLCS. … Texas has homered in all seven postseason games. … The last player to steal home in a postseason game was Brad Fullmer on a double steal for the Los Angeles Angels in Game 2 of the 2002 World Series.
© 2010 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.
Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.


text:
Fast and safe conveyance of wafers and solar cells
H-gantry with Bernoulli gripper OGGB
The high-speed H-gantry EXCM is fast, precise and compact.
The sensitive wafers are gently transported in combination with the Bernoulli gripper OGGB for low-contact gripping.
This process is extremely safe and is economic in its compressed air consumption.
More about the H-gantry
Optionally with commissioning service
Smooth movement into the end position: this protects not only the sensitive wafers
Standard cylinder DSBC
The DSBC with its self-adjusting pneumatic end-position cushioning PPS adapts perfectly to changes in load and speed.
- Correct cushioning reduces wear.
- Self-adjustment saves time.
Complete mounting plates for the control cabinet during wafer cutting: assembled, with all tubing and wiring fitted, checked and documented
Ready-to-install solutions
Individually created for your application.
This saves you time and installation work.
- Handling systems
- Control cabinets
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- Product modules
For fast and precise handling of wafers
High-speed handling with the tripod EXPT
- Faster than traditional Cartesian handling systems
- Little space required
- Highly dynamic with 150 picks/min
More about tripod EXPT


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HONG KONG (MarketWatch) — Asian stocks advanced Wednesday as overseas economic data sparked buying in the region's exporters, with South Korean shares outperforming the rest of the region.
South Korea's Kospi 180721, +1.05% jumped 2% to 2,024.64 for its best percentage gain so far in 2013. The benchmark, among Asia's worst performers in recent weeks, turned positive in the year to date following Wednesday's rally.
Japan's Nikkei Stock Average NIK, +0.55% rose 0.8%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 XJO, +1.20% added 0.3%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index HSI, -0.23% gained 0.7%, China's Shanghai Composite 000001, +0.47% 000001, +0.47% advanced 0.6% and Taiwan's Taiex XX:Y9999 rose 0.9%.
The strong region-wide performance followed a higher finish on Wall Street Tuesday, when merger-and-acquisition speculation, and hopes for improved economic prospects in Europe spurred U.S. stocks. Read: Staples wins if Office Depot, OfficeMax merge.
For Asia, the much stronger-than-expected improvement in German and overall euro-zone sentiment indexes "bodes well for recovery of growth later in the year, which would boost emerging-market stability and exports to the [euro-zone] bloc," said Crédit Agricole strategist Guillaume Tresca.
The European Union is South Korea's fourth-largest export destination, according to the European Commission website.
Auto major Hyundai Motor Co. 005380, -1.17% HYMTF, -6.67% gained 3.1% and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. 000270, -1.26% KIMTF, +0.00% rose 1.9%, while heavyweight Samsung Electronics Co. 005930, +1.95% SSNLF, +0.00% added 3.6%.
In Tokyo, Isuzu Motors Ltd. 7202, +0.73% ISUZY, +0.00% added 1.8%, while Toyota Motor Corp. 7203, +0.52% TM, -0.47% rose 1.7% after a Nikkei news report that it planned to raise domestic production by more than originally planned.
Also, data out Wednesday showed Japanese exports grew faster than expected in January, with shipments to China swinging back to growth, although the country's trade deficit hit a record. Read: Japan exports beat forecast, but deficit at record.
Shares of Sony Corp. 6758, +1.17% SNE, -0.11% rose 0.3% ahead of an event at which it is expected to unveil its next-generation PlayStation videogame console. Read: Sony may step up its game with PlayStation 4.
Orix Corp. 8591, +0.00% gained 2.4% after announcing a deal late Tuesday to buy asset-manager Robeco from Dutch lender Rabobank. Read: Orix to buy Robeco from Rabobank for $2.6 billion.
• MarketWatch Topics: Middle East
• | |
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• Latin American and Canadian indexes
• European indexes | Asian indexes
More on the Markets
• Global Economic Calendar
• | | Earnings Watch
• | U.S. Economic Calendar
On the Chinese mainland, property firms were recouping some ground lost in the previous session, with Poly Real Estate Group Co. 600048, +1.19% rising 1.4%. The gains came after Standard & Poor's revised its outlook for Chinese residential developers to stable from negative as sales strengthen.
Data out Wednesday showed foreign direct investment into the nation fell 7.3% in January from year-earlier levels. However, Crédit Agricole said the weak reading was largely expected, as "it takes time for businesses to make investment decisions after seeing improvement in China's growth late last year."
In Australia, banking and insurance group Suncorp Group Ltd. SUN, +1.45% US:SNMYY fell 0.9% after the firm reported a 48% rise in first-half net profit which just missed analyst forecasts. Read: Suncorp profit jumps 48% on insurance boost.
Mining giant BHP Billiton Ltd. BHP, +0.14% BHP, -1.44% declined 0.9%, after news of the retirement of Chief Executive Officer Marius Kloppers and the appointment of the firm's non-ferrous operations chief Andrew McKenzie to the role. Read: BHP Billiton CEO Marius Kloppers steps down.
The appointment means that there is "no major change to strategy expected, but perhaps a cultural change as BHP adapts to a less growth-intensive environment," said UBS metal analysts. BHP also posted a sharp drop in first half profits.
On a busy day for Australian resource-sector earnings, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. FMG, -1.04% FSUMF, -3.62% fell 5% after the iron-ore extractor reported a 40% drop in first-half net profit to $478 million and advised that it won't pay an interim dividend. Read: Fortescue posts 40% profit drop, cuts dividend.
Woodside Petroleum Ltd. WPL, +1.76% WOPEF, -0.05% advanced 3.1% after the oil-and-gas firm raised its final dividend payout and reported its annual net profit nearly doubled to $2.06 billion. Read: Woodside fiscal-year net profit almost doubles.


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Two photographs of the Ford/AAA Auto Skills competition published in Thursday's edition of The Macomb Daily were accompanied by incorrect captions.
The front-page photograph depicted the winning team, Joshua English and Michael Doell, of Oxford High School. Fitzgerald High School students Robert Kassin and Paul Page were featured in a photograph on Page A-4.
We apologize for the error.


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Our website has moved to
The Kawartha Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS)
was formed in 1975. We are a group dedicated to supporting genealogical
research in the Counties of - The City of Kawartha Lakes (formerly known as Victoria), Haliburton,
Northumberland and Peterborough through our library, regular meetings,
beginners courses, and publications. We extend a warm welcome to all those
seeking out their family roots, in our local Counties and elsewhere!
Please click on the link below.
Access to our Library Collection at de la Fosse Library is now by
Appointment Only. Please contact
Alvina Seawright or
June James to book a day
and time.
Our Branch Newsletter - "The Bulletin" -
Next issue May 2013.


text:
Finding Our Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans
In case you are new to the city, or new to the Inn, we have included a Map and Directions to help you find your way to our lodging accommodations just four blocks from the Garden District.
From I-10 (east or west), exit Business 90/Westbank Expressway, then exit Carondelet/St. Charles Avenue off-ramp. Go to the second light and turn right. Proceed approximately 1.9 miles to 4125 Saint Charles Ave.
In the event that you are having trouble locating us, here is the best solution we've found to finding your way here: bring a cell phone and call us when you get close. We'll give you more instructions as you make your way in our direction. Joe has even been known to run out on to Saint Charles Ave to flag guests down! We look forward to your arrival and will have your room ready for you to relax and make yourself at home in our inn.
Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast
4125 Saint Charles Ave
New Orleans, LA 70115-4754
Phone: (504) 269-2640 | Toll Free: (800) 490-8542
Web site: https://www.avenueinnbb.com
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


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William Cordova: Ceiba: Reconsidering Ephemeral Spaces at MDC Museum of Art + Design
Installed in the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami, William Cordova's exhibition Ceiba: Reconsidering Ephemeral Spaces shares a geopolitical bond with the building in which it is located. Now a venue for Miami-Dade College's Museum of Art and Design, the Freedom Tower's original tenant was the Miami News & Metropolis newspaper. After a period of vacancy, it served as an immigration center for Cuban refugees fleeing[…..]


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But the general idea for it is that it is a late game item which makes elves more practical since their is normally not a reason to pick elf over gnome.
Maybe it could be +X mana from outside sources, not including items
While it is true you could rush this item to be proc, but you probably would be drained early game resources, which is a fair trade off for how I imaged the item.
This should increase the characters who could use it
Nandrew wrote:I occasionally wonder what would have happened if we'd given players 100 starting mana and adjusted all the other systems to cater for that. It would definitely help with extending the item design in the way proposed. Though such a big change ...
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Baby showers have been a traditional way to revel over the birth (or a pending birth) of a child. Apart from showering the parents with gifts; it's also a smart way to teach the just-parents or would-be parents a few practical tips of parenthood. Conventional gifts in the past generally included toys, clothes, diapers and essentials along the line. With customization and advent of the internet, baby shower themes have really gone wild in terms of repertoire. Today, there is separation between baby shower themes for a girl and a boy. In the past, gifts were bestowed in the same manner regardless if the baby was a girl or a boy.
If you are planning a baby shower, it is important to look for the significant points. Do you have a creative person who can tackle the theme? What is the preference of the mommy or would-be mommy? Of course, the number of guests matter too. If you are planning to throw a baby shower for your loved one, you can start with making invitation cards.
Next in line is the debate over a color code. Of course, pink is an eternal favorite with girls but you can also use the present-day robust strokes. After you select a color, you can go about creating the right kind of look by adding food and clothes of same color. Even the specifics like ice cubes and cakes should ideally be in the same color. A few things that cannot be set in similar hue must be looked for in contrast tones and colors.
For those baby showers where the birth is still pending, you can go for a mix of blue and pink. In fact, you can also chalk out smart games where those who have graced the party have to guess the gender of the impending child. Baby shower themes for a girl come with its fair chare of balloons and crepe papers. Together with other aspects of decoration, it makes for a beautifully embellished theme party.
Guests can look to read a part of the nursery rhyme that is most liked by a would-be mother. In fact, decorating with help of books is a stylish concept on the rise. Such books may be gifted or already owned by the parents. Decoration shall be all-inclusive and cover the home arcade and the patio area equally well. If you are ready to spend a little more, you can also personalize your baby shower with a personalized camera, banners or centerpieces.


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Meet your fellow owners in our Owners Clubs
2013 and earlier-Mercedes Benz M-Class Prices Paid and Buying Experience
So far I love it. Although I already have a couple of complaints....I don't know if you've experienced this, but I live in the peninsula with LOTS of hills and when I'm going downhill at about 30-35 mph, it would suddenly jerk and downshift. Also, yesterday, I was at a stop sign and was making left and it jerked again. I think something's up with the 7 speed automatic shift (or whatever that's called). I had a 10 year old Lexus prior to this car and never had that kind of problem. My husband was also saying that when he goes 80 mph, he feels it trying to slow him down, since I don't go that fast, I haven't had that experience. Then, there's the brake pedal, it seems too low, like I have to press halfway before the brake engages. Have you noticed that? I had a couple of people test drive the car and they both mentioned the same thing (without me bringing it up). I had it serviced today for the safety recall (clamp on steering fluid) and had them check out the brakes, they said they bled it, may have had air pockets and should be working just fine, but I haven't noticed any difference. I'm still happy though and excited. I did buy the car for the looks What about you?0
Since we own a house in Arizona, we asked about buying out of state so we pay lower taxes and we were told (by the financing lady at the dealer), that you can buy out of state but when you register your car in California within 1 year of purchase from out of state, you would have to pay the taxes then, based on your address in CA.0
Same thing with me also. When it is going downhill it is Jerking(Suddenly the gare changing) and also same thing with brake we have to push little harder.
gm1120, ask the service center about those mechanical things you feel. i don't experience those things at all.
i know the vehicle has a braking sensor for safety, i wonder it that is kicking in? also, when you were on the hills, were you manually shifting, or just in normal drive? :confuse:0
It is coming in normal drive(Automatic). I didn't try manual.0
Kirstie_H Posts: 11,077Since this is the pricing discussion, please discuss ownership issues in our regular Mercedes-Benz M-class (ML320, ML350, ML500 and ML55) discussion. Thanks.
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Share your vehicle reviews0
Sierrasonic, Newmowner
I'll post my reposnse in the that other area Kristy is referring to in the above post.0
You probably already figured it out, but in my E there is a 'preference' you can change to either scan the radio or jump through presets with the steering wheel control.
Any Los Angeles buyers out there? I'm deciding between Auto Steigler and Fletcher Jones. Thoughts?0
Anthony, I spoke with the rep who walks thru the new car (who seemed :shades: very knowledgeable about the features on all the models), and apparently, the other versions had a function to switch the way the steering wheel controls function, but the new ML does not have that, yet.0
fun6889 Posts: 27Anyone out there have pricing for 06 ML350 for NJ/NYC area?0
Silver Star in Long Island City (Queens) is running a deal until July 5th that you get their employee discount, which they are claiming is the car at their "invoice" (which I do not think is their real cost). In any event, that can be a couple thousand off the sticker without any negotiation whatsoever. I went to NJ and got $2750 off the sticker. :shades:0
islander1 Posts: 1I too an looking for a ML in SOCAL. Have not been able to talk with anyone at fletcher jones. auto steigler pricng is in third place right now. Still negotiating!0
imadutchgirl Posts: 1Sorry we are in NJ!0
bobcat2099 Posts: 1I'm looking to purchase a new SUV but cannot decide whether I should buy the Lexus GX470 or the New 2006 Mercedes ML500. I've test driven both of them and they both drive well. ML 500 has lots of power and torque and rides very well. GX470 is very smooth. The price is similar too. The big differentiators are the following:
1) Gx470 has 3rd row optional seats whereas Ml500 does not
2) Cost of Maintenance - Which one is going to be more expensive?
Any other pros and cons that I should consider?
I appreciate your input//thx/bob0
mojo4 Posts: 1Just got my ML 350 & so far I'm loving it! Paid $45k (tax & lic. excl.)with appearance pkg., Ent. pkg, & sunroof. Is that a good deal? If not, what can I do now right? I'm SOL if I overpaid! :-)0
kokopellijim Posts: 1You are indeed correct. The rule changed for boats, recreationla vehicles and autos and the time requirement is now 365 days and the item cannot be brought back in at all until then otherwise it is taxed.0
opus1985 Posts: 2Hi,
I'm looking to buy an ML350 in the Philadelphia (Devon/Westchester)
area. From the postings here, I should expect $2500 or more off sticker price.
(I'm basically looking for something basic with the comfort, sunroof,
and trim packages, NAV, heated front seats and ent system.)
So far dealers are offering between $1K and $2K off MSRP.
Thanks for any advice and any dealers to focus on.
Bharat (Opus)0
budbud Posts: 2I just agreed today to buy an 06 ML350: sunroof, appearence w/chrome wheels, harmon stereo, heated seats, list is $47,035 (excl tax & fees). I'm in the northeast.
Dealer took $2,000 off the top, then $11,000 for trade-in (total of $13,000 off the $47,000).
Trade - early 99 ml320 (built 8/98), sunroof, leather, heated seats, 84,000 miles..Considering the age of the trade, I thought $13,000 off total was a good deal.
I planned to finance the balance at 4.65% for 60 months but they offered a lease.Never leased before.Not a business owner, can't write it off.
39 months at $653 with $2,836 out of pocket (includes $2,039 sales tax, regis, tags, 1st payment). They would give me a check for the $8,100 balance ($11,000 trade-in minus the $2,836). purchase price at end is $30,772.
Is this lease a good deal? Any reason I should/shouldn't do it?0
jjclan Posts: 1I have a different opinion, EUROMOTORCARS has the worst customer service that I have ever experienced. Even in dealing with the general manager to get my issues resolved as ineffective. This is truly not the type of service that one would expect from a Mercedes Dealership. I will never patronize this business again, I will take the drive to Silver Spring or Virginia to avoid this dealership. Many of my co-workers also have recieved poor customer service from this dealer. BEWARE!!!0
ML350 Premium/Ent/DVD Navi paid INVOICE at Beverly Hills MB. Which I thought was a pretty good deal. Not the best on this forum, but way better than I was being offered from FJ, Auto-Steigler and Keys.
The trick: I went to the INTERNET dept! It's a given there that you're looking up stuff on-line so the salesperson went to Edmunds and cars direct, figured out their best price and then beat it. More negotiating brought us to me paying invoice (or at least what Edmunds says is invoice).
And I am very happy with the dealership so far as well. Great service. I was seriously not even going to go there assuming they wouldn't deal as well since they're in Beverly Hills but I'm glad I did.
Anthony D.0
ML350 Premium/Ent/DVD Navi paid INVOICE at Beverly Hills MB. Which I thought was a pretty good deal. Not the best on this forum, but way better than I was being offered from FJ, Auto-Steigler and Keys.
The trick: I went to the INTERNET dept! It's a given there that you're looking up stuff on-line so the salesperson went to Edmunds and cars direct, figured out their best price and then beat it. More negotiating brought us to me paying invoice (or at least what Edmunds says is invoice).
And I am very happy with the dealership so far as well. Great service. I was seriously not even going to go there assuming they wouldn't deal as well since they're in Beverly Hills but I'm glad I did.
Anthony D.0
lorryfan Posts: 76Am interested - can you post the details, i.e miles, trim, color etc etc....
genegray Posts: 17i'm currently negotiating a deal with on an '06 ML350.
I'm trading in my '05 C240 (leased thru MB)
Dealer quoted the C240 payoff is $28,874, the negative equity is $3,874.65 (which will roll over to the new lease)
'06 ML350 (appearnce & sunroof package) MSRP $45,155
Dealer offer is $43,148
--with a 39month lease, 12000 miles/yr, $2,500 cash out of pocket and rolling the negative equity ($3,874.65), the monthly payment is $723.93 ($780.03 with tax based on 7.75% tax rate)
Dealer said these numbers are based on tier one credit(whatever that means) :confuse:
Please tell me if this is a fair/good deal0
knott36 Posts: 1Hello I am about to purchase a ml350 06 and would like to know the best deal i should be getting on this purchase the features i want are sunroof package and trim could some one tell me how to get the lowest price and how much should the lowest price be including tax, title, etc. city: Bakersfield state: California
Thank You0
We want to buy a ML 350 and I received this quote. Can you tell me if this is a good price or can be negotiated more:
Comfort, trim, entertainment, sunroof, nav, heated seats, rear side air bags, & paint fee. The MSRP is $49650 & they are quoting $46930 plus fees. This is $700 over invoice.
The second car/quote I got was for the same as above but remove the rear air bag and add trailer hitch. The MSRP is $49755 and quoting $46240 which is just below invoice.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Well we ended up buying a ML350 in Alpine rain with ash interior . We got the comfort package, trim package, entertainment package, sunroof package, DVD navigation, rear air bags & heated front seats . The MSRP was 49,650 and we got it for 45,927. Based on my other offers, this was the best we got. Plus I can't say enough good about this dealership. This was the easiest car purchase we have ever done. I have to say I was a bit scepticle as most of the dealerships we went to or talked with had a very stuffy attitude and just didn't want to deal. No questions asked here. The selling price was laid out on the table and that was it. No haggling, they wanted to sell a car and we wanted to buy one. It may not be the best some one has gotten out there, but we are comfortable with the pricing. Most of the other dealers wanted 400-700 above invoice and we got it just below invoice. Yes they made money on us though hold backs and so forth, but bottom line we liked the deal.0
szhou Posts: 2Crzyaim,
In which state did you buy your ML-350?
Anyone from Washington/Virginia area has bought 06 ML-350 below invoice price?0
edkunkel Posts: 26I seldom see parktronic sensors on M Class vehicles. Overall, the compromises I would have to make outfitting one makes me wonder ....0
mark156 Posts: 2,006Edkunkel, I have the parktronic sensors on my 2002 ML500 and want them on every vehicle I get in the future.
Parktronic makes it so easy to park. You don't even have to turn your head when backing (as long as you know you are OK to backup). I just watch the indicators on the rear ceiling. As you get close to an object, the indicator lights will illuminate. They start off in yellow and as you get closer the first red light will light up and will start beeping. The next red light gives you a solid tone which indicates that you are 12 inches away from an object. If I choose to back up a little more, I know how much room I have without looking.
It's worth every dime it costs to order this option, you will love it.
Mark2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach0
We got ours in Northern California. I drove to the Bay Area from the Sacramento area as they had the best offer...a savings of over $1100 on the best deal I could do in my area. Worth the $35 dollars in gas it took for me to get down there.0


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Over the past few months, I've been working with Kurt to evaluate LedgerSMB, a Perl-based accounting system that we thought we might be able to start using for our Perl Foundation accounting. So far, it looks promising and we're continuing our evaluation on a demo install.
I've been looking for an open source package because we want the flexibility to integrate with Act, the conference software used by many Perl events, and with our donation site. And this leads me to my next investigation. I'd really like to deploy a customer relationship management (CRM) package to allow us to better track our relationships with our donors, big and small.
I was a bit surprised to turn up next to nothing when I typed "perl CRM" into Google. In fact, all I found was someone else looking for one too.
So here's my call for help finding a Perl-based CRM. Do you know of one?
If I can't find one, I'll probably start evaluating CiviCRM since that seems popular with non-profits. I've also worked with SugarCRM and might consider that again, but it's very business-centered. In either case, any customization will be slow since I'm no PHP expert. I'd really prefer a Perl-based solution if one is out there.


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Green Smoothies ♥
Fourteen Tips + Five Recipes to Get You Started
Confession Time: While I wanted to "try" green smoothies, I really didn't expect to like them. But I do! At first, I experimented with "how much green" tastes good – me, I like "more than less" green but "not a lot". Then for the last few years, my morning routine regularly includes a green smoothie – most often, with milk to fulfill the Weight Watchers milk/calcium/protein requirement. I call it "breakfast in a glass". Green Smoothies are fast, easy and (can be) very pretty! I've collected some favorite Green Smoothie recipes here, just to inspire. And tips? You bet, lots of tips! Because in the end, for a Green Smoothie to work, it's got to suit you. Here's what works for me, let me know what works for you!
GREEN SMOOTHIE TIPS(Five Recipes That Work Below)
START WITH FRUIT The trick is to start with fruit, then add green to taste. The first smoothie, I started with a single leaf of Swiss chard – and the taste was all fruit. For the second, I used two leaves of chard, brightened with lemon juice – and this tasted decidedly bright and green and VERY alive. I loved it. The third, I used three leaves of chard, that was a bit much to my taste. You'll quickly learn how much green suits you at first. Over time, you can increase it.
WHOLE FRUIT If you can, keep to "whole" fruit (versus juice) so that you get the full benefit of fiber:calories. If need be, thin with water or milk.
FRUIT ALTERNATIVES No doubt, fruit is the source of the calories in smoothies. To switch things up, substitute cucumber for fruit (for low calories) or avocado (for richness). It's not "green" but I also love-love-love a Tomato Smoothie.
CHOOSING GREENS Especially for your first Green Smoothies, stick to tender greens like leaf lettuce, spinach and Swiss chard. Beet greens can also be tender but tend to muddy the smoothie color. Kale can be good but at least to my taste, is too earthy and green tasting. If you're in the grocery store, touch the leaves, if they're tender to the touch, they'll make great Green Smoothies.
KEEP IT BRIGHT Citrus juice is an important brightener so keep some lemons and limes on hand. I have great luck with not just the juice of a lemon or lime but the whole lemon or lime (skin sliced off, of course).
FAMILIARITY MATTERS Banana tastes "familiar" and adds creaminess. Banana is especially good when you're first starting to experiment with Green Smoothies.
WHAT KIND OF MILK? Milk of course adds creaminess too, even skim milk. Buttermilk adds a little "tang". Plant-based milks like almond milk and soy milk work too. Can you use fruit juice? Of course. But women, especially, I think, should choose milk-based smoothies for protein and calcium.
TRAIN YOUR TASTEBUDS Try to avoid adding processed sugar, teach your tastebuds to appreciate things sweetened only with fruit.
GREENS vs FRESH HERBS It takes a LOT of fresh herbs (like mint, say) to be equivalent taste-wise and color-wise of a single leaf of chard, say. So I use fresh herbs just as a flavor accent, not as the "green".
DO YOU NEED A SPECIAL HIGH-POWERED (i.e., HIGH-PRICED) BLENDER? No you don't! All my smoothies are made with a regular $25 blender from Target or the like. Yes, a lot of food bloggers are raving about their Vita-Mix blenders and maybe one day you'll decide one is worth the investment too. In the mean time? Just drink up, green smoothies are amazing! Chances are good though, that you'll want to let your blender work for its keep vs a few pulses or two. For Green Smoothies, I usually run the blender for a good minute or two.
NEED MORE CALORIES? If extra calories are important, add an egg. This may be raw food but feel free to skip the shell. :-) Since the egg is "raw", all the standard precautions apply for pregnant women, those with compromised immune systems. You cay buy pasteurized eggs, this helps.
PRETTY GREEN COLOR? NOT ALWAYS Don't be surprised when green smoothies don't always turn out a pretty green color. This from my clever cousin Barb, who makes smoothies in a Vitamix. She says, "When the smoothie looks like poop, you put it in a solid glass. When it's a pretty color, you put it in a clear glass." Light-colored fruits (think pears) will help but then again, blueberries are delicious so maybe it's time to get out a colored cup!
ONE FOR NOW, TWO FOR LATER Here's a revelation, smoothies keep! So now I make a blenderful, drink a glass and put the rest into one-cup glass jars for the fridge. Later on, a quick stir and my smoothie is good to go. There's more info about making smoothies ahead of time, Make-Ahead Smoothies.
NUTRITION NOTE When Weight Watchers launched PointsPlus in 2010, fruit servings became "free". That means that technically, if you choose, the smoothies made with just fruit and vegetables could be considered "free". But I'm choosing to calculate calories and points the way I always do, because fruit calories can add up really fast for those of us who really love fruit.
MAGIC RECIPES! If you create your own green smoothie - leave the magic recipe in a comment! And do read the comments from other readers, they are packed full of great tips and ideas.
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Makes about 8 ounces (about 1 cup)
Zest of an orange
1 whole seedless orange, cut in quarters, flesh and sections (yes, pith and all, for fiber)
1/2 banana
1 large Swiss chard leaf (ribs sliced away)
Water to thin
1 tablespoon Estonian kama (which I'm completely addicted to, but wheat germ would work too)
Blend all ingredients in the blender. Taste and adjust.
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Makes about 8 ounces (about 1 cup)
Zest of an orange
1 whole seedless orange, cut in quarters, flesh and sections (yes, pith and all, for fiber)
1/2 banana
1 Italian plum
Juice of a lemon - an important brightener
3 large Swiss chard leaves (ribs sliced away)
Blend all ingredients in the blender. Taste and adjust.
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Makes about 16 ounces (about 2 cups)
1/2 banana
Zest & juice of a lime
2 large Swiss chard leaves (center ribs sliced away)
1 small apple (4 ounces), cored but skin on
1 cup skim milk
Blend all ingredients in the blender. Taste and adjust.
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Makes about 16 ounces (about 2 cups)
1/2 banana
Zest & juice of a lemon
1 small apple (4 ounces), cored but skin on
2 Italian plums, pitted, skins on
1 cup skim milk
About 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint, leaves only
Blend all ingredients in the blender. Taste and adjust.
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 10 minutes
Makes about 24 ounces (about 3 cups)
1 banana
1 cup frozen grapes
1/2 avocado
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 handful (30g) fresh spinach, including stems
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
Blend all ingredients in the blender. Taste and adjust.
Still Hungry?
NEVER MISS A RECIPE!For 'home delivery' of new recipes from A Veggie Venture, sign up here.
Once you do, new recipes will be automatically delivered straight to your e-mail In Box.
MORE FAVORITE SMOOTHIE RECIPES~ Beet Smoothies ~
~ Strawberry Rhubarb Smoothies ~
~ Tomato Smoothie ~
~ Weight Watchers Smoothie Recipes ~
~ more drinks & smoothie recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture
~ Cantaloupe Smoothie ~
~ Mango Lassi with Fresh Mint ~
~ Mango & Beet Smoothies ~
~ more smoothie recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade, my food column


text:
I met Erin Sharoni in person before I followed her on Twitter. And let me tell you: I was intimidated. Not only is Erin beautiful, she has her act together.
Erin is an athlete, journalist, television personality, actress, seeker and so much more. But she's also kind-hearted and giving and compassionate, qualities I cherish in friends.
@OneChicklette: Your favorite qualities in a love interest
@ErinSharoni: Funny, athletic, intellectual, loves to love, empathic, tall (had to throw at least ONE superficial thing in there, c'mon…) Continue reading


text:
FAQs: MPP
If your question is not answered below or elsewhere on our site, please email us and we will get back to you.
For FAQs on the property market and buying process, please see here:
Mallorca Property Partners
Is MPP an estate agency?
How can you operate without charging a fee?
We have commision share agreements with the estate agents we work with. This is straight forward way of operating that means MPP is paid on success in finding you the right property, without adding further to the overall purchase costs.
You might read on some fee-based competitor websites that there is "no such thing as a free property finder – as they work for the agent/vendor". This is not correct – we are completely independent and do not have relationships with vendors*.
A fee-based property finders payment is also dependent on finding you the right property. So the only real difference is that they can add as much as 2.5% of the purchase price to the overall costs.
For a property purchase of €1 million, that is a hefty €25,000 for which you, the buyer, will be writing the cheque.
It is also worth noting that, unlike many companies, MPP does not take commissions from lawyers, surveyors or other professionals we might recommend. We see this as rather a questionable practice when recommending essential professional services.
* We occassionally make exceptions to this when an outstanding property opportunity is introduced to us directly by the owner. Our clients are made aware of this if we put forward one of these properties for their shortlist.
Can you recommend a lawyer or solicitor?
Buying a property abroad can be very different to buying at home. Locations, values and the buying process are less familiar, compiling a good quality shortlist more difficult, and arranging viewings more time consuming, often requiring precious time off work.
MPP is a small independent team of property finders in Mallorca. We work with a selection of tried-and-tested estate agent partners, giving us comprehensive coverage of the best properties. Our partners also include well-reputed property lawyers, architects and surveyors.
This combines with our own 10 years of experience, all of which can be applied on your behalf to find you the right property in the right location, and put you in the strongest negotiating position.
There is no cost to using our service – click below for more details. Or send us an outline search brief so we can discuss informally, with no commitment, how we can help in your Mallorca property search.
Our advice is impartial and objective. The properties we offer are chosen according to your brief, not from properties we have been contracted to sell. We will ensure you are properly advised and always aware of the salient facts.
Area choice
There is a surprising variety to both the landscape and character of different locations in Mallorca, so this is an essential focus in the early stages but one that many people don't pay enough attention to at the outset.
We work with you to identify not only the most interesting properties, but most importantly, the right location.
Our Mallorca Property Locations Guide gives some initial guidance and we discuss this in more detail when you brief us on your property requirement.
Property shortlist
The property shortlist we compile with you will be focussed and well researched, saving you hours, possibly days, viewing properties that should never have been included.
We include some of the more interesting properties currently available in our Property Highlights section. The shortlist we compile for you however will be tailored specifically to your brief.
Organised viewings
Mallorca Property Partners will arrange your viewings to fit conveniently with your your stay, so you can avoid the hassle of having to deal with lots of different estate agent contacts.
We respect the fact that you will want time to yourselves to consider the locations and properties you have seen, and that you might want time off viewings to relax and enjoy the Mallorca sunshine too!
A more productive and dynamic approach
You might be surprised how often people change their criteria as they see properties and locations in person. Being with you throughout, we learn from each viewing. Our coverage of the island and independent flexible working style allows us to adapt the property shortlist as things progress.
Guidance on offers and support in negotiations
The current economic climate makes it even more difficult to assess real values versus asking prices and even more essential to get it right.
The more information you have, the stronger the position your will be in to negotiate the best price. Our experience and knowledge of the property market in Mallorca can be invaluable in this.
No matter what country you are in, it is essential that you have a good lawyer. We have professional, multi-lingual ADDLINK legal partners in Palma. You are welcome to meet them, free of charge or commitment, at any stage.
We also offer access to a comprehensive range of other Mallorca property professionals you might need such as surveyors, architects, builders and project managers.
Our income is derived from agreements with the various estate agents we work with. We are, however, completely independent and our considerable reputation is founded on providing an objective and impartial service.
For more details on this and other frequently asked question, please see here: ADDLINK FAQs, MPP
What about architects, surveyors and the like?
We have contacts with all the different types of professional you might need when buying, constructing, renovating or managing your property. They all have good reputations and strong credentials.
Do you deal with property rentals?
No, but we may be able to help. Our sole focus is to help people to find their ideal property to buy. However we can probably point you in the right direction if you let us know your requirements.
Where we can help, is if you are looking to buy a property in Mallorca as a rental investment. Many people buy to let in Mallorca and this can be a very good investment.
Do you pay for flights?
No. While we will help in any way we practically can to make your visit enjoyable and hassle-free, we do not pay for flights. Any property company that offers this is doing it for one reason; to capture your attention throughout your stay and sell you a property.
We will not try to sell you anything. And we believe you should have plenty of time to yourselves during your stay, to enjoy your holiday and / or get to know the locations you are considering.
Does MPP arrange finance?
We can advise you on finance options and put you in touch with financial experts for more in-depth guidance as required.
The best finance route for you will depend on your circumstance and objectives. We work with financial advisors in Mallorca, and some based in the UK, allowing us to help with most financial considerations.


text:
Searching for a cheaper way to plunge into the world of LoL? With Account# 6TOXDBG3K525N you'll be still very close to highest game level - 30, but way cheaper! Invest some time to finish leveling process and enjoy the game. "Starter pack" with 17 Champions opens gates to the "Fields of Justice"! It has Unranked ELO current Season, so your ladder rank depends on how You will finish your placements! You'll definitely need some in-game stuff, account has 1517 Blue Essence to spend on those things. Unfortunately RP of this item ran out. Developers gave players Two Rune Pages, You'll start over with that. Few skins make account more "personal", this one has 2 Skins!
When you buy a game account or boost account on our site, you can choose one of more than 100 payment methods. All methods we deal with are safe, reliable and checked. We deal with any currency and support financial operations all over the world.
Our payment systems are protected and regularly checked that allows us to control and monitor all financial transactions – to keep your payments safe and secure.


text:
|No. de Modelo
|Garantía de Producto
|10 Años
|Visión general del sistema
|Tejado Plano
|Marco del Panel
|Enmarcado, Sin Marco
|Orientacion del Panel
|Carga de Viento
|Carga de Nieve
|Datos generales
|Materiales de la Estructura de Soporte
|Materiales de las Partes Pequeñas
|Acero Inoxidable
|Descargar pdf del Fabricante
UI Solar Projects Show
About Uisolar
Uisolar is one hightech enterprise specializing in the research, production and marketing of solar mounting system. The company predecessor is one mechanical factory from 2007. "Innovative, environment friendly and responsibility", Uisolar set up at March 2010.
"Quality win market, honesty cast quality". A R&D team with enthusiasm and innovative set up since the company established. Meanwhile, partnered with universities and research institutes both home and abroad to keep our products more and more better.
Our products cover residential, commercial and utility scale, and our solution meet most of roof, ground and BIPV desire. Meanwhile, our professional engineers will supply the customized solution for special demand.
Each of our products pass the mechanical properties calculation and testing before distribute, and production according to ISO9001:2000 Quality System, AS/NZS 1170 and reference some other standard for different country.
Our company combine solar technology with the nature's most abundant resource to deliver the cleanest ,most affordable and energy efficient solutions for a green future. Wish to go ahead together with you, to build up nice future.
1. Products including solar mounting system, and flexible solar panel.
2. All manufacturing procedures according to ISO9001, to keep high quality & competitive products.
3. Quality warranty, can issue the material certificate and products testing report.
4. Shorten lead time, have stock for all components to meet the fast shipment demand.
5. Standardized and customized solutions, both types available here.
6. Competitive price, OEM operation model, we can afford more competitive price.
7. Make all PV deployments, from residential to commercial scale
Our Mission
Quality Win Market, honesty cast quality.
Our Philosophy
Innovative, Environment friendly and Responsibility.
We are UI Solar ! We are your best choice !


text: I have a shop vac, and my desire is to make an easily constructed bee-vac out of itI search-engined bee-vacs, only to find that they are like cars, with either fairly easy or disgustingly intricate. What I'd like to see is THE easiest to make. They are a great tool for the beekeeper, and I have have one of my very own.


text:
(Five Grain-Apple-Cranberry Sausage Stuffing and Sweet Potato Casserole!)
(Pecan Pie Recipe straight from the Karo corn syrup bottle, 5 minutes prep time!)
|This is an awesome wreath!!
|This a great festive way to serve dips!
|This is an awesome wreath!!
|This a great festive way to serve dips!
Just love the spray painted gold gourds and pumpkins and the corn in the candle holder is brilliant!! Awesome pics for ideas, thanks for sharing them Cat!ReplyDelete
Hi I really liked your post and hope you don't mind I put a link from my blog to yours. Thank you for the inspiration.
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Product 66/274
This performance snowshoe is designed for all-terrain hikes. The light and sturdy aluminum frame offers proven ergonomics for a natural stride and optimized surface area with great snow shedding capacities, and carbon steel crampons ensure multidirectional traction on any terrain and snow condition. The 3D comfort+ harness system offers secure footing for great control in all snow conditions, and the free foot rotation on axle absorbs shocks and allows an efficient stride.
Louis Garneau - HG Women's 825 Appalaches Snowshoe Charcoal/Black - B00G3ROWH6