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A Boy's Guide to Making Really Good Choices
by Jim George
Learn More | Meet Jim George
You Have a Choice
Boy, does it ever feel great to get out of school. What a day! Justin thought to himself as he proudly unlocked the chain that protected his Huffy ZRX terrain bike. (You know the one—the black bike with the words "ZRX Extreme Racer Series" boldly stenciled on the chain guard. Yeah, that one!)
As Justin continued right on with his thinking while he backed away from the bike rack at McKinley Middle School, he couldn't help but think, Most days are okay, but today seemed like a train wreck right from the get-go. For Justin, the downward spiral started in the morning when he told his mom that he had forgotten to set his alarm clock the previous night.
Well, it was sort of the truth. Justin had meant to set his clock, but he remembered to do so only after he had gotten in bed. And because the clock was all the way across his room—all of seven feet away!—he chose to let his mom wake him as she usually did whenever he "forgot" to set his alarm. Normally this was not a big deal, except today his dad was going on an important business trip and his mother was trying to help him get away on time to catch his plane. Soooo, Justin told himself, it was really my mom's fault that I was late for school!
Justin tried hard to put the scene of his mother's disappointment behind him. At the same time, he was trying to forget the look on Mrs. Adams's face when he told her he had forgotten his English assignment and left it at home and promised to bring it tomorrow. (Actually, this was not a lie. He had "forgotten" his paper—forgotten to write it!) His mom had reminded him about it last night, as she had done for the last several days.
So what happened? Justin had gotten so involved in a video game that he completely forgot about doing his English assignment.
So now Justin was pedaling his way home on the coolest bike ever made. His mission? To dash off something to turn in tomorrow. Sure, he would get a lower grade, but something would be better than nothing, right? Even if it came with just a little lie.
But wait—hadn't Ryan mentioned something about meeting him and some of his other buddies at their secret clubhouse for a look at a new electronic game? Never mind Justin's parents had told him not to hang out with Ryan. They had explained that Ryan was older and was, according to their opinion, beginning to wrongly influence Justin's behavior.
I don't get it. What's so wrong with Ryan? Justin wondered as he pedaled along. Ryan's a neat guy. His parents buy him all those cool video games, and Justin looked up to him because he was older and knew "stuff"—lots of stuff!
So off Justin rode to join the gang at their secret clubhouse, patting himself on the back and thinking everything would be just fine. He promised himself he wouldn't stay long. Besides, who would know he had been there?
Fun in God's Word!
As we begin putting together our guide for making really good choices, you already know that life is full of choices. In fact, you have made a choice to start reading this book! Well, maybe you didn't have a choice. Maybe your mom or dad or Sunday school teacher or youth leader chose this book for you and the guys to read. So it's not really your choice. I'm sure you enjoy it more when you can make a choice about what you do. My hope is that as you continue reading, you'll enjoy this book more and more.
It's time now to see what God's Word, the Bible, says about choices. In this part of each chapter, we will look at Bible verses and answer some questions about the topics covered in the chapter. Our goal is to let God teach us about how to make really good choices. So go find a pen and be ready to write down some answers as you look up some verses in the Bible. As we go through the questions below, we are going to spell out the word C-H-O-I-C-E-S.
Yes, life is full of choices. Right now there are a lot of people in your life who are making choices for you, and that's a good thing. The people who care about you are looking out for you—like your parents, your schoolteachers, your Sunday school teacher, and many others. Now, it's true that you have no choice about where you live, where you go to school, what you study, when you must go to bed, and on it goes. But whether you make your own choices or others make them for you, there are important things involved in making choices.
Choices deal with your heart. There are lots of choices that you and boys like Justin can and will make for yourself. They are choices that deal with your heart, which then affect your attitudes and ultimately your actions. What do these verses say about your heart attitude?
- Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23).
God's command:_______________________
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart (Luke 6:45).
What happens to what you store in your heart?
Now go back to the opening story about Justin. List a few of the choices Justin was making for himself.
Do you realize how many choices you, like Justin, make by yourself every day? So just like Justin, the issue is not whether you are "allowed" to make choices—you are already making choices, with or without your parents' input and approval. Wouldn't it be great to have or develop a guide that helps you know how to make right choices? Not just good choices, or better choices, but the best choices? That's our goal in this book. So let's continue looking at the nature of choices. Next comes the letter "H":
Having a plan helps you make good choices. Your choices for today started with the plans you made yesterday. When did Justin need to make his choice about setting his alarm clock?
Think about what's happening tomorrow. Do you have a school report due? When is that big test coming? Is it tomorrow? And don't forget to ask Mom what's happening tomorrow so you can put that into your plan. List your plans for tomorrow here:
Justin's mistakes show what can happen when you don't plan ahead. List what went wrong because Justin chose to play video games instead of getting ready for his English paper. (Don't forget what happened with his alarm clock!)
Order your choices with God in mind. I think you can see by now, after looking at Justin's story, that your choices can have serious results. That's why you need to think about what God wants you to do. God wants to help if you will let Him. According to James 1:5, what is the best way to get the help you need to make really good choices?
- If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask of God...and it will be given to you (James 1:5).
What is the key to making right choices?
What does God promise to give you when you ask Him?
Speaking of right or wrong, let's review. So far in Justin's story, what were Justin's wrong choices—choices you don't want to make?
Influence affects choices. What do I mean by influence? When someone or something affects the choices you make, you are being influenced.
For example: Have you ever wanted a specific pair of shoes just because your best friend got that very same pair of shoes? Or, do you watch certain TV shows just because it's cool with the other guys at school? That's influence—your choices are shaped by what other people do.
This brings us to another fact about choices: Choices are never made without influence. You may not realize it, but you are constantly being influenced in your choosing. Your family, your friends, and, let's face it, even your own fears and pride have a strong influence on what you choose to do or not do.
With so many people and outside forces bearing down upon you, it is important for you to have as many positive influences around you as possible. Otherwise, according to 1 Corinthians 15:33, what will happen when you are around the wrong kinds of people?
- Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."
Choices have one of two results. Good choices give good results, while bad choices give bad results. Justin made a choice and had fun playing his video game—and then he made another choice to not set his alarm. Those choices gave bad results: He was late for school, and he didn't finish his English paper (which he then lied about).
But often, like Justin, maybe you don't take time to think about the results of your choices. What is one thing you could tell Justin to do that would help him make better choices with better results?
Everyone's choices are different. Ryan had asked Justin and some of the other guys to join him at a secret clubhouse. We don't know if any of the other guys' parents had a problem with Ryan's plan, but we do know Justin's parents did not want him to go. Now read this verse:
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right (Ephesians 6:1).
Why should the choices made by the other guys have no effect on Justin's choice?
Make this your guiding principle: Your choices should agree with the standards set by God and the wishes of your parents. If you choose to do something that goes against what God or your parents want you to do, would it be a good or bad choice?
Seeking advice helps you make better choices. Making really good choices requires you to ask for advice. The book of Proverbs repeatedly speaks about the folly of making choices without seeking the help of others. According to the following verse, what word is used to describe people who do not ask for advice?_______________
The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice (Proverbs 12:15).
Do you want to be wise according to the Bible's definition? If so, look at Proverbs 12:15 above and read it again. What must you do when you need to make a decision but you are not sure what choice you should make?
The Choice Is Yours
Once again read the opening story of Justin's day of making choices. Here is a list of choices Justin had to make. How can you help him make better choices about these issues?
The alarm clock:
Telling the truth:
The English assignment:
Spending time with Ryan at the secret clubhouse:
Making Really Good Choices
In this chapter we have looked into God's Word and learned about why it is important to make really good C-H-O-I-C-E-S. On this page, write out the point of each letter as it was stated in your book. (I'll get you started with "C.")
- Choices deal with your heart.
Now write out one thing you liked, learned, or want to do about the choices you need to make.
Take time now to seal your desire to make really good choices with the words of this prayer:
whom you will serve
(Joshua 24:15).
- Father God, I want to thank You for all the verses in the Bible that can help me make really good choices. As Joshua 24:15 says, my most important choice each day is to "choose" to serve You. Help me make this choice today and do what Your Word says. Amen.
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For players who retire into the media, the biggest challenge comes from telling it like it is regarding guys who currently play the game.
That challenge becomes even more, um, challenging when the player used to play with the player whose play he is criticizing.
As it relates to Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck, former Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce passes the test.
"I played with Justin Tuck and have a tremendous respect for him," Pierce said on Friday's edition of The Michael Kay Show. "But he has not been the same player emotionally, mentally or his play in the last three years. It's just the facts. He came on late last season and once Antrel Rolle and a couple of other guys said he had to pick it up, but for the most part, he's a situation, third-down, passing situation defensive end."
Pierce doesn't know why Tuck has changed as a player.
"When you watch him on Sundays, you do not see the energy, you do not see the fire he used to play with," Pierce said. "And I don't know why. I don't know if it's personal stuff going on or maybe he's physically tired."
Complicating matters for Tuck is that he currently has a shoulder injury. "For me, the guy I played with, when he was there, a lot of energy, a lot of passion, brought it each and every play, each and every snap, loved to play the game," Pierce said. "I heard him mention it last year before the run [that] he didn't know where his mind was at, or if he was into the game. His comments this week, the same thing. As much as I want to give the answer, that's really a question he has to answer."
We've got a feeling that Tuck soon will be asked the question.


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2013 and earlier Volvo XC90 Lease Questions
zamo Posts: 122residual: 26% after 48 months ($12114 at lease end)
I am in for the buyout at month 48!0
Hi zachman1. Volvo Finance's current buy rate lease money factor and residual value for a 36 month lease of a 2009 Volvo XC90 3.2 7 Passenger AWD with 12,000 miles per year are .00197 and 47%, respectively.
For November, Volvo introduced a $750 Holiday gift card on this model that is compatible with all other offers.
There also is $500 owner loyalty cash on all deals.
Volvo is providing a $4,750 cash incentive on leases of '09 XC90 3.2 models through independent banks.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum0
Hi jmcbmw. Here's Volvo Finance's current buy rate lease money factors and residual values for a 36 month lease of the 2009 XC90 with 15,000 miles per year:
XC90 5 Passenger 3.2 AWD: .00182 / 46%
XC90 7 Passenger 3.2 AWD: .00197 / 45%
XC90 5 Passenger 3.2 FWD: .00169 / 44%
XC90 7 Passenger 3.2 FWD: .00185 / 44%
Base XC90 3.2 FWD: .00004 / 41%
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum0
The loyalty money applies to XC90, XC70, V70 and S80 only. It is $2,000.- Costco money($1,000) applies to XC90, XC70 and V70. Just want to clarify. For the Costco money you need to be a Costco member as of October 31,2008. You can't just open an account and take advantage of it in another words.0
What is the invoice on the car?0
Hello Carman,
I would appreciate if you would please evaluate the following deal.
MSRP: 47,225 (Includes following options - premium, versatility, climate, metallic paint)
Sale price: 35,533
Term: 39 Months
Total out of pocket: 3,418
Customer Rebate: 1,750
Miles per year: 10,000
Purchase Option: 19,834 (i guess this is the residual?)
Cap reduction: 0
Money factor: .002708
1st Payment: 489.13
Base pmt: 498.13
Sales Tax: 8.25%
Dealer: Hassel Volvo in New York
Thanks for your help.
I'm considering leasing an 08 xc90 AWD, and I live in Denver. I have been quoted $37k on 2008 3.2 ($45k MSRP) and $41k on a v8 (MSRP $50k). I have three questions that I would appreciate any opinions on:
1) is the 3.2 too underpowered, for example for trips to the mountains. Or is it sufficient
2) I am reading so many bad things about reliability, if I buy a 2008 can expect a maintenance nightmare? Note I am thinking of getting the 3.2 because the reliability issue has scared me to the point I think I should limit my investment
3) do these purchase prices seem reasonable?
It's too bad I read all of these posts about reliability and maintenance issues because before I read them I had no reservations about this car choice.
Thank you0
patriot21 Posts: 10The price on the '08 xc90 SE is $37995.
I've gotten the $485/mo down to $457 after getting a $455 price from Lexus on an 09 RX350. Adding NAV I got $495 for RX350 & $515 on the Volvo.
I'm really not sure which to get at this point. Any suggestions?0
lmueller Posts: 28Hi,
I have read in earlier posts that Volvo is offering incentives for non-Volvo finance leases on MY2008 XC90's. It was my understanding that the figures were $9750 for 3.2 and $12000 for V8 models, as well as $4000 dealer cash and $2000 loyalty rebates. I am also a Costco member, but in looking at their promotion online, it seems to be valid on 2009 models only.
I emailed a local Volvo sales manager (my current XC90 is from his dealership) to verify these figures. He told me the numbers are as follows for independent bank leases:
3.2 Base 11/07/2008 - 11/30/2008 $4,750
3.2 Non Base 11/07/2008 - 11/30/2008 $6,000
Residual/Money Factor for 36 month lease/12K miles/year
He also mentioned that Volvo is offering special lease rates on the 08 (not combinable with the $4000 dealer cash) ranging from .00001 to .00164 depending on term and model (I have asked for specifics on this, but haven't had a reply just yet).
Do these numbers sound correct to you? My current lease of a 2006 XC90 is over in April, and I was thinking about leasing another one sooner if the deal was significantly better than what I am currently paying. ($450/mo for 7 pax FWD w/premium & versatility pkgs).
Thanks in advance for your help!0
I haved decided on purchasing a v8 xc90 2008. A dealer gave me the following lease offer through Costco.
money factor .00275
36 month lease
12,000 miles per year
$586 a month (excluding taxes), with $1500 due at signing (increased to $599 for 15k miles).
Does this sound like a good deal?0
I desperately need to get a car by the weekend! So, can someone please please help me by replying to my earlier post # 1250.
Greetingws Joy. The money factor that you were quoted is not nearly as attractive as the one that Volvo Finance is offering on the 2009 XC90 right now. This probably means that your deal is being run through an independent bank. There's nothing wrong with that, because Volvo is providing special additional cash incentives on XC90s that are leased through banks other than Volvo Finance.
Specifically, Volvo is providing a $4,750 cash incentive on non-Volvo Finance leases of this model plus an additional $750 holiday bonus cash. Add to this the likely $2,800 or so spread between this model's MSRP and dealer invoice price and you have a total of around $8,300 to play with during your negotiations. Anyhow, the point of all of this was the $11,000 discount that you were quoted looks very attractive. If you like the truck, I personally don't see any reason not to go for it.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum0
Hey Joy. Please see my previous post for an evaluation of your deal. Thanks and good luck in your negotiations this weekend.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum0
Thanks for your advise. By virtue of having good credit score, I was able to negotiate a better money factor (.002158) that lowered my monthly payments by approx $50. In fact, they threw in 'blue tooth' for free. I tried to increase the rebate but they just wouldn't budge anymore and was told that I have "maxed" out by being enrolled in the Costo program. I would have gotten much higher rebate (over $4k) had I been a prior Volvo owner. Overall, I am happy with the deal
Thanks again.
Hi Car Man,
I am thinking about getting the xc-90 3.2 with versatility (3rd row seat), climate, premium (leather int.) and convenience packages (nav system and seat back monitors).
The lease rate is $549 with $3971 down ($558 first payment, $1991 tax, $351 paperwork and $895 non-volvo bank fee) for a 48 month term. The residual value is $15,314 based on 31% of the $46,440 sticker price after add'l packages. This is based on 12K miles a month and the lease payments are based on $37,000.
I think the base price is $34,780, plus upgrades, minus rebates and incentives, gets me to $37,000.
Any thoughts on whether this is a fair deal?
I noticed a typo. The first payment in parenthesis should have been $549. Thanks, Mike0
wanapilot Posts: 8I do not know where you live. However, you will be well advised to check with Lawrance Volvo in Walnut Creek, CA. They are offering $13,000 off MSRP from their 08 XC90s (leasing only). On top of that, current Volvo owners get a $2K loyalty discount, a $750 gift card and two ski season tickets.
Too bad I am not in the market, otherwise I'll jump on it.0
Thanks, for the note. I am in the NYC area.0
Can you recap for me the final details of your deal? I'm in Suffolk County and I plan on shopping Georgetown, Hassel and probably Volvoville in Massapequa. Thanks! I'm also a Costco member so I wonder if I could add that incentive to whatever your bottom line was.0
I am looking to lease a 2008 XC90 V8, and the dealer quote me the following price, can anyone let me know if it is a good deal?
Trade in: 2006 Volvo XC90 2.5 Liter 36K mile with $16K balance with Volvo Finance,
Dealer offered:
Pay off remaining balance of the 2006 car
$0 drive off
12K Miles/year
42 Month @ $615 + tax
They said this is what they can do through the Costco program, but I have a feeling they can do better than that... any adivise will be much appreciated.0
Is it possible that you could do better leasing a 2009? I stopped at Volvoville in Massapequa New York yesterday and saw a 2008 in the showroom which was very deeply discounted, but the salesman told me that the Costco program and the lease deals only applied to the 2009 model. Also it's hard to comment on your deal without knowing the msrp of the car you're looking at as well as the price that you negotiated.0
Hi Crestonave,
The volvo I was looking at is a XC90 V80 model the MSRP is $55k, and after the negotiated prices is around $39K0
2006 Volvo XC90 2.5 Liter 36K mile with $16K balance with Volvo Finance
And what did they give you for your car?
'18 BMW 330xi; '67 Coronet R/T; '14 Town&Country Limited; '18 BMW X2. 47-car history and counting!0
they said they will pay off the balance0
They love saying that.
Yes, they will pay off the balance. They have to pay off the balance. But that doesn't mean they are giving you $16k for the car. They may, for instance, credit you $14k, pay off the balance, and add the $2k balance to your new vehicle.
'18 BMW 330xi; '67 Coronet R/T; '14 Town&Country Limited; '18 BMW X2. 47-car history and counting!0
volvomax Posts: 5,274That information is incorrect.
Costco can be used on either the 08 or 09 XC90's.
The lease incentives are greater on the 08's.0
Are you suggesting that my sales consultant told me a non-truth :mad: ????
Thanks so much for this information. Would it be possible for you to recap the lease incentives on the 2008 XC90s? This particular dealer told me that he has five in stock. I went back a bit in the forums and I didn't see any posts detailing the current incentives on 2008s.
Very much appreciate! Thanks!0
flufjet Posts: 5I have a 2006 XC90 V8 coming off lease next month. The residual is about $31,000. My dealer told me that in the current market the wholesale is around $22,000. I would like to buy the car but will not pay anything close to $31K. Is there any way to negotiate a lower buyout with Volvo finance? Thanks!0
To answer some questions...
1- Leasing is better on '09 models. Loyalty+Gift card+Costco applies to 08 and 09 models.
2- I would suggest anyone who is thinking about buying/financing an 09 XC90 to lease it first then buy it. There is so much alternative leasing money that works out alot better than financing it.
3- If your lease is with Volvo Finance and you are looking to buy your current lease vehicle, you need to go to your dealership to buy the vehicle. Volvo Finance.does not allow customers to buy their vehicles thru them. Fifth Third and US bank is another story.
4- Above applies to Southeastern market as I do not have the information for the other markets.
Hope this helps0
Thank you! Would you be able to recap the current lease deals being offered for both the 2008 and 2009 XC90 3.2 AWD? I'm interested in 36 months/15k per year. I live in NY. Thanks very much!0
This discussion has been closed.


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Available languages: English, French, Italian & Spanish
Innovation projects are commonly linked to the organisation's goals, objectives and business plan thus innovation should be part of every professional's goals. To develop and launch a successful innovation requires the collective input and participation of various team members within the organisation.
How do you encourage others to fully participate in the innovation process? What are the impacts of innovation to departments within your company?
This interactive e-learning covers the following topics


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Today, the FM students visited to the Salvatore Ferragamo headquarters, located here in Florence above the Ferragamo flagship and museum. The corporate offices are in an incredible Renaissance palace, belonging to Ferragamo since the 1940's.
We met with their Management/Merchandising team, an elegant group who carry out all of the production, from sourcing raw materials and working with the design team, to fashion shows and in-store delivery which is of course, global.
It's inspiring to see how the legacy of Salvatore is carried out and translated to RTW, something that Mr. Ferragamo did not specifically specialize in. The team still uses values and construction processes from almost century ago.
After a lovely and informative presentation, we had a coffee reception with the team and heard some wise words from Ferruccio Ferragamo, son of Salvatore, pictured below. What a privilege! We then concluded our appointment with a visit to the museum, now featuring an exhibit of Marilyn Monroe.


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Write to me in email@example.com and send a copy to email@example.com, please! Because I am not very comfortable with gmail's performance but use it because a lot of things don't work well in Hotmail.
I am open to both- paid and unpaid, but before you do write that mail let me tell you a few things-
1. I don't travel at all so no travel blogging for me.
2. I am a perfect nightmare and laughing stock of fashion conscious people and I like that because I will rather be what I am than a mannequin without a soul who thinks polishing her body makes her a goddess and others puny little laughing stock. So no beauty tips from me!
3. I am tech blind- so no tech posts from this woman!
4. I am almost allergic to blood, gore, violence, porn, excessive animal urges so… no gothic, porn etc. for this writer.
5. Last but THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT- I AM KEEN BUT NOT DESPERATE for guest posts, my twins are keeping me too busy (REALLY BUSY I MEAN IT!), but I will really love to write for other bloggers, IF THEY LIKE MY WORKS, THEY CAN SEE LOT OF MY WORKS IN MY BLOGS, RIGHT? So, before you waste (or utilize) your time by inviting me to write PLEASE CHECK OUT MY BLOGS AND THE HUGE AMOUNT OF WORKS AVAILABLE TO ALL, MULL OVER THEM, THEN WRITE TO ME, TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE ASKING FROM ME . I WILL RATHER PREFER A LONG-LASTING STEADY RELATIONSHIP, BUT IF YOU WANT ONE/TWO POSTS ITS ALRIGHT WITH ME, AS LONG AS YOU ADD MY BIO, PIC AND CONTACT WITH THE POST.
There is another thing too I will send you the post in email, in word file you will have to post it. I wont create a guest blogger id in your blog, or leave a link of my published post in your blog for reads, I am involved in half a dozen weekly prompts already! 😉
What I love to write about?
Nature in its all beauty- good, bad and ugly.
Human beings in their all colours- from sweet to monstrous.
I am a bit preachy, but not on religion, on making us a better human beings by real, followable examples, lessons.
I love to lift spirits of others but again, rationally.
I love to illustrate using my own photographs and Microsoft paintbrush, once in a millennium paint palette and actual brushes.
I love writing stories, poems and articles.
If you have an offer for me what are you waiting for?
At present I am a proud part of
Agnishatdal the Ezine:
At present I cant pay you anything money-wise but will try to share the glory of Agnishatdal (the Ezine) with all its creators. You can check out the blog agnishatdalezine.wordpress.com for further ideas, rules and things like that.
Indie Adda the open platform for Indie bloggers:
I am planning to start a guest author section in Indie Adda (wingofdreams.wordpress.com) in September, depending on the contents I get, if they are satisfactory enough!
This again will be for free (money-wise) at present but I will try to spread your name for sure. So if you have something you want to say to Indie writers, self published writers send me @email@example.com and email@example.com ALWAYS COPYRIGHT YOUR WORKS BEFORE SENDING THEM TO ME (OR ANYONE) – EVERY CREATIVE ARTIST SHOULD BE WARY OF HACKERS, PLAGIARISTS!
If you want to check out my writing skills:


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8205 Van Buren Street
Hesperia, Mi 49421
Listing Office: RE/MAX West
Disclaimer: The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Broker Reciprocity Program of SWMRIC, LLC. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than @properties are marked with the Broker Reciprocity thumbnail logo and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers.
The Michigan village of Hesperia is located in both Newaygo and Oceana counties. It has a population just falling short of 1,000. The White River runs through the community.Learn More
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|MLBPA Press Release
The Players Trusts City Clinics program is a grass-roots campaign underwritten and developed by - and featuring the active participation of - current Major Leaguers to promote the game of baseball, life skills and education to underprivileged children, ages 6-16, in select cities across the country.
The Players Trust developed the City Clinics program in partnership with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Associations Legends for Youth program. Children participating in these free City Clinics receive hands-on instruction from current and former big leaguers in areas such as base running, pitching, hitting, throwing and fielding. During each 3-hour session, City Clinics 300 attendees also will participate in a question and answer session with active and former players, and receive free T-shirts, autographs and refreshments.
Joining Fuentes, Hunter, Kendrick and Matthews at Hart Park, in Orange, CA are former players Ray Krawczyk, Tom Murphy, Blue Moon Odom and others.
City Clinics have been held in Phoenix, AZ and Philadelphia, PA and future City Clinics dates and locations will be announced as they become final.


text: All around the country, state lawmakers are trying to force insurers not to cover abortions — not just when it comes to the upcoming state exchanges or for public employees, but even in private insurance plans. The ACLU, which is suing to overturn a Kansas law banning private insurance coverage of abortion, provides this handy map to help you keep track of the damage so far. (Theirs is interactive). Conservatives: All about free markets, except when it comes to your reproductive rights.


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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
I have tried the following protocol, originally given me by David Hedley. Fuo-3 is dissolved to 1mM in DMSO and added to cells in PBS to 5uM. The cells are loaded with the dye for 120 minutes at 37 degrees then run using a fluorescein setup. Some cells have a p-glycoprotein membrane pump that will remove the dye as fast as it loads. If loading doesn't work you have to inhibit the pump with something like cyclosporin-A (3 micrograms/ml is the concentration I have been given). Unfortunately, cyclosporin may mess up the celular functions you are interested in, but there are other p-glycoprotein inhibitors avaiable. Fluo-3 only gives relative calcium concentrations since it is not ratioable and can't be standardised easily Dean R. Hewish Cell biologist and Flow Cytometrist CSIRO Division of Biomolecular Engineering Parkville, Victoria, Australia


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Professor Gingrich was lecturing again Saturday – this time on the history of the US judiciary, referencing Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt.
It was a conference call from Iowa on "how to bring the federal courts back within the constraints of the US Constitution." Fascinating stuff, if a discussion of habeas corpus, Marbury v. Madison, and 14 German saboteurs ordered executed by FDR are what turns you on.
Obviously Newt Gingrich thinks the federal judiciary is an issue worth campaigning on. Railing on "activist judges" is part of any conservative's standard operating procedure. And in Gingrich's case, it's a way of taking the political discussion somewhere other than Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
His having been paid $1.6 million by one of the now-disgraced mortgage industry giants – who cares whether he was actually "lobbying" or not? – continues to be something not just Michele Bachmann is interested in. Civil fraud charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission against Fannie's and Freddie's former chief executives, announced just hours after Bachmann's Thursday night debate attack, certainly didn't help Gingrich any.
The Monitor's Weekly news Quiz 12/11-12/16
Then there's the Wall Street Journal's long editorial on the subject Saturday. Bottom line:
"The real history lesson here may be what the Freddie episode reveals about Mr. Gingrich's political philosophy. To wit, he has a soft spot for big government when he can use it for his own political ends," the newspaper editorialized. "Mr. Gingrich would help his candidacy if he stopped defending his Freddie payday, admitted his mistake, and promised to atone as President by shrinking Fannie and Freddie and ultimately putting them out of business."
But back to the Gingrich and the courts. It's not just court-loving liberals who are critical of what the former House Speaker is proposing, which includes abolishing certain judgeships.
In the National Review Online Friday, noted conservatives Ed Whelan and Matthew Franck take turns knocking "Gingrich's Awful Proposal to Abolish Judgeships," as their exchange is titled.
"I have often said that judicial independence is something we could stand to have a lot less of," Franck writes. "But there are right ways and wrong ways to bring activist judges to heel. [Gingrich's proposal] is a very badly wrong way."
Whelan (who clerked for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and served in the Justice Department under former president George W. Bush) calls it "constitutionally unsound and politically foolish."
"This is going to be a controversial conversation," Gingrich accurately observed in his conference call Saturday.
Much can happen between now and the Iowa caucuses Jan 3. No more debates, so it's a ground game in the Hawkeye State – which is why Gingrich held another conference call there Saturday, this one with supporters and potential supporters he took questions from. And oh, by the way, repeatedly urged to become precinct captains.
How's Gingrich doing now that he's soared to front-runner status?
Some recent headlines indicate the challenges he faces: "Newt Gingrich's general election prospects look bleak" (Washington Post) "Gingrich Momentum Slows, Polls Suggest" (New York Times) "Iowa GOP governor unsure of Gingrich's discipline" (Associated Press)
"The debates have held out the alluring promise of a New Newt," National Review editor Rich Lowry wrote this week. "But beware: The Old Newt lurks."
As Republican Mark McKinnon and Democrat George Caudill point out at Newsweek's Daily Beast website, "Politics is all about momentum and timing. You want your curve headed up, not down, as you go into Election Day."
It was not good news for Gingrich that the governor of a state he hopes to do well in – Nikki Haley of South Carolina, third in the nominating contest behind Iowa and New Hampshire – just endorsed Mitt Romney.
But there's a certain healthy looseness about the Gingrich campaign, somehow lacking the desperation one feels now and then from his Republican rivals. And as his fellow debaters have learned, he can be a well-armed and highly-confident opponent.
"Most of those around President Barack Obama would still prefer to take on Gingrich rather than the better funded and organized Mitt Romney," writes Glenn Thrush at Politico.com. "But if Romney is a conventional enemy, Gingrich poses an asymmetrical threat: He's simply a more dangerous, talented and unpredictable political actor than Romney."
"Romney is playing not to lose and Newt thinks he has nothing to lose," Phil Singer, a former adviser to Hillary Clinton in 2008, told Politico. "He's facile enough to sound convincing on almost anything and has the gift of framing complex issues in their simplest terms…. He's more dangerous as a surrogate than a candidate, but he's still dangerous."


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Zen Cart Ultimate SEO URL Install Error, cannot redeclare zen_reset_cache_data_seo_urls()
Earlier I was working on a Zen Cart site and ran into an issue installing the Ultimate SEO URL add-on. The Ultimate SEO URL add-on creates more SEO(Search Engine Optimization) friendly URL's for Zen Cart. The site in question already had a previous version of the Ultimate SEO URL add-on installed and once I was finished the front-end of the site was working perfectly with the new SEO friendly URL's. The problem was when I attempted to login to the admin portion of the Zen Cart site I was receiving a "500 – Internal Server Error" message. Below I have noted information on what was done to troubleshoot the problem as well as how the problem was resolved.


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A collection of personal thoughts and experiences - mostly centered around running.
Monday, April 26, 2010
6 comments:
It was great seeing you and Kadra after your run yesterday. Something is just right in the world when that's what you've been doing! I'm sure with as gradual of an approach as you can manage, you'll be back on track before you know it.ReplyDelete
We certainly missed you Saturday at Promise Land. You did the right thing by not running. Please come back slowly. We want you healthy. Dan is certainly on the juice. I lost sight of him early on. He said you had mentioned Highland Sky or maybe the correct words are, you asked permission to run instead of helping day of. I know you do alot to help Dan everywhere. I am sure he will give you a break since you have been on the disabled list. If you do run Highland Sky, please knock down some of hte stinging nettles before I get there. So great to have you back!ReplyDelete
Don't count out OD100 if you're running pain-free in a week or two. There's a pretty solid history of great runners entering 100 milers on limited training and doing very very well. The old saying applies here: Endurance takes a long time to build up, and even longer to go away. Sure, you might not be in the best shape to win a 50k, but a steadily-paced 100 miles is a different story. I know you'll still do great out there as long as you're mentally ready to take on the distance.ReplyDelete
Either way, glad to hear you've turned the corner and are back at it...there's a long year of great races ahead!
consider: http://wnctrailrunner.wikispaces.com/bartram100ReplyDelete
Date is unsure as of this point & open to input.
I'll can put you up in NC.
@Lori: Great seeing you yesterday as well.ReplyDelete
@Rick: Yes, I did ask Lehmann for permission to run Highlands Sky. I'm going to do double duty; run, then relieve the folks at AS8. At least that's the plan now. . . We're doing trail work this weekend, so maybe I'll just use my machete to cut down all the nettles.
@Dan: Thanks for the advice. I'm not entirely sure what I'll do. I probably lost more mentally in the time off than physically. Although, I've ran(easy and short)the last 5 days and I'm still sore as can be?? Very strange. Consistent training is a huge confidence builder for me and the lack of training makes me really question my fitness. Probably shouldn't be that way, but that's just how I'm unfortunately wired. OD was a goal race to run 100 miles fast/much faster than I have previously. Simply finishing it doesn't motivate me much.
@Matt: Hmmmmm....looks pretty intriguing. Definitely keep me posted.
Missed seeing you and Kadra @ PL, but I am certainly glad to hear you have been able to get a couple miles in and are taking it smart and easy coming back into things. Beth.ReplyDelete


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6 reasons PR is so stressful
It's the seventh-most stressful job, according to one study. Here's why.
One of my more colorful bosses was a communications exec with a distinguished military background. His career included not only senior posts at the Pentagon, but also two tours of duty in Vietnam as a paratrooper. When things went wrong and I went crazy, he'd sometimes pat my shoulder, smile indulgently, and say: "It's OK. No one died."
Coming from him, it was more than a cliché, so I tried to adopt that mindset. But, let's face it, the agency life doesn't exactly promote a calm, Zen-like attitude. According to one study, PR is the seventh most stressful occupation of the year.
Stories of hellish deadlines, ridiculous expectations, and crazy hours are legion. But is public relations really more stressful than other "non-combat" occupations? Or do we just love to think so? After all, it's not life and death.
Of course, the profession offers some stress triggers that may be unique to the practice of PR, or at least more significant than other service professions.
We serve many masters. Any client service business has special demands, but foot soldiers on the front lines of media relations have to answer to clients, direct supervisor(s), and, very frequently, members of the press. The goals of these three are often in conflict, yet we need to please all of them to be successful.
We trade control for credibility. The very magic of earned coverage is that it's not within our control. The dynamic media environment in which we work only increases the risk—and the stress—of an unpredictable outcome.
PR is still poorly understood. Advertising professionals create something tangible, usually previewed by the client at key stages of production. Corporate counselors are similar to lawyers, yet attorneys aren't usually asked to guarantee results and the cost of switching is fairly high. In contrast, client expectations for the PR process, timetable, and actual publicity results are often unrealistic. And, yes, this causes stress on both sides.
It's based on billable hours. At many PR firms, you're only as good as your billability, which can change from month to month. Both factors—pressure to prove one's value, and lack of consistency—can pile on the stress.
Inside, it's a staff position, not a line position. Billable hours go away on the corporate side, but these PR officers often struggle with the notion that their job isn't always considered integral to the bottom line. Many clients tell me they feel like mini-agencies that serve different corporate divisions, yet they don't enjoy the esprit de corps of an agency. This results in the worst kind of battle fatigue.
PR is in transition. Well, what industry isn't? Yet, the rise of social media and the speed with which new platforms, strategies, and tools must be mastered and adopted is only accelerating. More opportunity, more learning curve—and more stress.
And yet love it … most of the time.
Dorothy Crenshaw is CEO and creative director of Crenshaw Communications. She has been named one of the public relations industry's 100 Most Powerful Women by PR Week. A version of this story appeared on the Crenshaw Communications blog.
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27 April 2012
The weekly WHIP: 27 April 2012
Leveson and Hunt
James and Rupert Murdoch's appearance before the Leveson Inquiry set the cat among the pigeons and the twittersphere went into a spasm hunting Jeremy Hunt. Emails between his advisor and the chief lobbyist for News International led to the adviser in question promptly resigning but Hunt maintains his own innocence.
Dennis Skinner in his own inimitable style harangued the secretary of state for culture media and sport when he appeared at the despatch box to answer the charges against him: "When posh boys are in trouble, they sack the servants".
This week's revelations appear to have dented Hunt's prospects as a future contender for leader of the Conservative Party, and even if he weathers this current furore, recent reports suggest he may not have a department for too much longer. What until recently may have been a cunning device to aid his promotion may now become an excuse to make him redundant.
Recession returns
Three years after the country formally clambered out of recession, it has slipped back in, with initial results from early 2012 showing the economy continuing to shrink. Labour politicians led by Ed Miliband attacked the government insisting the pain they are inflicting is not working.
Somewhat predictably the calls for Cameron to cutback on the cuts were countered by those on the right of his own party, suggesting more cuts were needed. Led by Liam Fox who, in his new found freedom having had to resign last year, called for a slackening of employment regulations, backed further cuts and blamed the Liberal Democrats for getting in the way of economic recovery.
Sunday Trading
Considering this is the last week of a two year parliamentary term you'd have thought the government have had all the opportunity they needed to introduce the legislation they wanted. The Olympics taking place this summer are hardly a surprise either. But in the last few days of the session, the government are using emergency legislation procedures to deregulate Sunday trading laws to maximise business when the games take place.
The Lords considered the measure this week and if all goes according to the government's plans, it will be completed on Monday. In the Lords debate the Bishop of Bath and Wells spoke out against the proposals; speaking about the need for a common day off he said: "The number of people who can share a common day of leisure forms a critical mass below which many of our voluntary institutions cannot survive".
Russell Brand
Appearing in slightly unorthodox attire Russell Brand gave evidence to the home affairs select committee this week on drug decriminalisation. If the vest, chains and hat were not to your taste, his repost to the MP asking him to hurry up as time was running out may well have been his most valuable contribution: "Time is infinite. You can't run out of time."


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SAMJ: South African Medical Journal
versión On-line ISSN 2078-5135
versión impresa ISSN 0256-9574
SAMJ, S. Afr. med. j. vol.99 no.7 Cape Town jul. 2009
Government 'shooting itself in both feet'
Chris Bateman
The government's lack of commitment to doctor recruitment and retention over 22 000 doctors left the country in the past 6 years1 is 'beyond comprehension', given its first-year wage hike offer of just 0.28 - 5% which virtually ignored juniors this May.
Dr Bandile Hadebe, chairperson of the Junior Doctors Association of South Africa (Judasa), said recruitment and retention, the major aims of the Occupation-Specific Dispensation (OSD), were being wholly subverted by negotiators.
The inclusion of interns and community service doctors in the department's April offer was 'a non-negotiable,' he averred. Little did Hadebe know then that wildcat doctor strikes (mid-April), protest marches (29 May) and a major publicity offensive would diminish the seemingly steely resolve of the new administration.
'This is a joke because you're not going to recruit anyone with the existing junior salaries. You cannot honestly say you're recruiting doctors when somebody studies for six years and takes home R8 000 - R9 000 while his cousin who starts studying two years later, graduates, works as an engineer and takes home R25 000.'
Doctors were asking for a 50% increase across all notches to bring them into line with their professional peers in the civil service and the honouring of ministerial promises to implement the OSD from 1 July 2008.
However, Izindaba sources in Treasury described this back-pay demand as 'wholly unrealistic, given the economy and our overall health care demands'. An impeccable Treasury source said a 50% increase would cost R4 billion, just under half the current spending on doctors, while back pay for just 9 months would add an extra R3 billion to the bill.
'The entire health budget is R70 billion per annum, so R7 billion would imply 10% real growth when we have none and we're not expecting any, anytime soon; it's just not possible.' He said acceding to doctor demands would mean ignoring the financial health crises in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Free State 'for starters', being unable to improve doctors' working conditions or relieve pressure on them by filling more posts.
Other vital programmes that could suffer would be the ARV rollout, child nutrition and milk powder for infants.
The health department offer at the end of May translated into (before inflation) increases of 6.8% in the first year, another 7% in the second year and an additional 'about 6%' for the third year. For the national health budget, this translated into R500 million in the first year, R1 billion in the second and R1.5 billion in the third.
As an illustration he said the average doctor (across all notches) currently earned R412 000 per annum (gross). The government offer in early June increased this to R440 000 in the first year, R465 000 in the second year and 'about R500 000' in the third (final costing outstanding at time of going to print).
In dramatic contrast to SAMA's calculations, Treasury's was that the increases tabled varied between 1% (interns) and up to 40% for 'some groups' (the source cited entry-level specialists). 'Yes hospitals are in a terrible state, doctors are overworked and understaffed, but there's no way we can, in any balanced way, do a 50% increase in one year. We'd have to borrow all the money.'
Citing KwaZulu-Natal's budget deficit of R2 billion, he said his treasury colleagues in that province, giving an orientation briefing to their new Health MEC, baldly stated: 'Basically we're insolvent'.
To address accumulated provincial debts in the three problem provinces would mean cutting all other provincial health budgets by as much as 15%, the source said. 'The doctors seem oblivious to the world recession. I understand their anger but we're expecting 0% growth this year and yet we're still budgeting for 4 - 5% spending growth. South Africa shed 200 000 jobs in the first quarter this year and the next quarter could see more. Overseas, people are voluntarily cutting salaries to keep their jobs and job sharing to try and curb job losses.'
UDF embarks on new strategy
Meanwhile the breakaway United Doctors Forum (UDF), hundreds of whose members narrowly escaped being fired for striking illegally in mid-April, were by the end of May describing a second strike as 'inevitable'. The South African Medical Association (SAMA) chose to soldier grimly on at the stalled bargaining council.
Several close to the stalled talks said that unless high-level political intervention succeeded in softening government negotiators' stance, a cross-union doctor strike with well-managed patient care was 'entirely possible'. This would be unprecedented in SAMA's history and create a virtually intolerable headache for government.
Izindaba learnt that in an attempt to change existing bargaining practice, the UDF aims to recruit doctors across unions for a 'stand-alone bargaining entity' and is now setting its sights on official recognition. It believes SAMA doctors being clustered with dentists, pharmacists and emergency service workers, and its seats on the Public Service Co-ordinated Bargaining Council (PSCBC) being per favour of nursing union Denosa, fatally weakens bargaining power.
Professor Bakani Siwele, UDF deputy chairperson and an orthopaedic surgeon at the George Mukhari Hospital near Pretoria, cites health department negotiators cynically breaking promises by their former political chiefs and the almost year-long delay in OSD implementation having ended in May's messy stalemate, as evidence for this. He believes SAMA has 'lost the plot and is too cosy' with government to achieve any significant concessions.
'We need someone else to champion our cause. Why wait until there's a strike to explain all these things (bargaining processes and legal impediments) to doctors? You have to take your constituency with you. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to deduce they (SAMA) have just been reactionary,' he charged.
Siwele said doctors needed to unite across their several unions while keeping patient care at the top of the agenda.
The UDF commanded centre stage in mid-April with a 12-day unprotected strike that paralysed usual service delivery at several hospitals and clinics in Limpopo, Gauteng and the Free State and ended with three patient deaths.
Based on petitions circulated, the UDF claims the support of 5 000 - 8 000 state doctors, but has no constitution or formal membership, while SAMA officially represents 6 000 of the estimated 14 000 state doctors (the largest recognised doctor union).
Siwele revealed that the UDF held a 'national imbizo' on 24 May to discuss the writing of a constitution, registration as a union ('to avoid victimisation of individuals') and to strategise on creating the 'stand-alone' doctor bargaining entity.
'Unity is more important than anything else. I don't know why doctors are in separate unions, they're all just vehicles that take us to the same destination We should all talk behind closed doors and not bash each other that favours the employer we want to go beyond the OSD to the real issues,' he said.
Patient deaths 'unfairly linked' UDF
Challenged on the alleged strike-related deaths, Siwele responded: 'They would have happened even if there was no strike. Suddenly because there's a strike, each and every statistic is due to the strike. That's what people do to victimise you.'
SAMA negotiators, irritated by the 'premature' strike, claimed that only their and Cosatu's intervention at ministerial level enabled the splinter group members to keep their jobs.
SAMA's lead negotiator, Professor Matt Lukhele, said it was clear that 'the difference (with government) is very big and that we will not find one another, so a political intervention is required to soften the mandate of government negotiators'.
He and his team of four (Denosa has given SAMA four of its five seats on the PSCBC, since it won an OSD settlement for nurses last year) were on 26 May busily caucusing with other public sector unions to craft a joint proposal.
Zwelinzima Vavi, President of the umbrella Cosatu, warned that a uniform civil service strike trumping the crippling 2007 one was a certainty if government did not quickly address 'the ticking time bomb', and close the negotiating gaps. Lukhele explained: 'Right now the approach is to try and manage the process before we even present at the PSCBC'.
Health department 'in clear violation'
He said the current lump sum offer to doctors in lieu of promised back payments was in 'clear violation' of a resolution to implement an OSD for doctors on 1 July last year. (Each civil service professional sector was given an OSD implementation date after the 2007 strike.) The department is also offering doctors a phased process of salary increases and a new career-pathing model.
Dr Muthei Dombo, Vice Chairperson of the South African Registrar's Association (SARA), said the UDF misunderstood the 'intricate, complex' negotiating process. The state negotiating team was granted two formal extensions by the PSCBC to properly probe the numbers of state employees in its own sectors. 'We were ready on our side. First they got an extension to November last year and then another to April this year. Government used the chaotic OSD nurse payouts to motivate for proper actuarial probes this time around. Huge mistakes were made around nursing categories and years of experience. They ended up with extra nurses and needed more money,' she explained.
Former Health Minister Barbara Hogan had demanded better accountability while the national treasury insisted on 'verifying the numbers this time'. That process was now complete.
Dombo was asked to respond to the UDF outrage at what appeared to be 'cosy' interactions between health department human resources chief Dr Percy Mahlati and Dr Pophi Ramathuba, Deputy Chair of the Public Sector Doctors Committee, during a televised SABC Masikhulume debate. The pair smiled and exchanged notes while an obviously inexperienced UDF leader made his point.
Said Dombo: 'You don't have to be spitting fire and have angry faces when you negotiate. It doesn't have to be hostile. You can have an adversarial working relationship and be cordial, even friendly.' She warned that the government's much-touted national health insurance (NHI) service would be 'totally unable to deliver' unless the public health sector was fixed first. 'It will never work if they allow the current public sector status quo to continue,' she predicted.
UDF 'has no locus standi'
Lukhele said the UDF did not have 'anything like' the number of members required to gain union representation at the PSCBC (50 000), but SAMA had nevertheless included them at caucus level as a goodwill gesture. He denied reports that the UDF 'walked out' of the PSCBC. 'They were never members we've kept them fully up to speed through the caucuses,' he added.
Professor Ralph Kirsch, SAMA President, said SAMA's position was that doctors should never put patients' lives at risk. He supported the UDF's struggle 'but not their methods'. 'The problem is two wrongs don't make a right. You have to accept that these youngsters feel deeply. I just hope they feel more deeply about their patients than their pockets.'
The doctors' issue was 'about feeling supported and valued. When your job satisfaction decreases, salary becomes more and more important. Doctors get frustrated because they see people dying and they're helpless to do anything because the equipment and support infrastructure is not there.'
Kirsch said government had reneged on every public and private sector promise it had made and was now abandoning young doctors with significant debts who 'barely come out at month's end, let alone repay their debts'. He emphasised that today's young doctors were 'no longer the children of wealthy white parents'. 'We have 35% vacancies in the public sector and if this gets any worse the consequences for South Africa are enormous.'
1. Health Professions Council of South Africa. 22 032 certificates of good standing were issued since April 1st, 2003, with 3 550 'issued over the past year'. Press statement 28 May 2009. [ Links ]


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Product Video
|Art Vinyl
Tech Specs
- Unit quantity: 3
- Colour: White
- Material: Plastic
- Display size: 32.6 x 32.6cm
- Dimensions: 38.1 x 38.1 x 2.6cm
- Weight: 1.14 Kg
Product Description
The Play & Display Mount is the first ever display mount which allows you to change the contents without taking the mount off the wall - available in a pack of three in black or white. This unique design with the original 'sponge finger' feature, gives you the flexibility to store multiple records and have your current favourite on display. With the instant quick release mechanism, the Play & Display Mount allows you to mix art and music
Sometimes one piece of cover art can capture a time, place, event or simply a piece of musical excellence. If you have that record in mind, the Play & Display Mount will celebrate the art and still allow instant access to the musical contents.
Ideal for personalising a particular space in your home or even add your own choice of record and use the Play & Display Mount as a unique gift opportunity. Some customers have even bought 9 or 12 to create a grid of Art Vinyl frames on the wall as a fantastic alternative to traditional artwork, showcasing for example the whole Led Zeppelin 200g Classic Records range above a hi-fi system which looked fantastic.


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As exceedingly well as everything went on the volleyball court for Lauren Wicinski her first two years of college, the beneath-the-surface elements of her college experience were nowhere near as rosy.
That led the former Gen-eva multi-sport standout to an emotionally draining decision to transfer from the Northern Illinois women's volleyball program and a considerably more pleasant choice of Michigan State as her next destination, a decision Wicinski finalized this weekend.
"It's been hard," Wicinski said Sunday. "Hard, emotional and stressful for sure. It's just been pretty crazy. I never thought I'd be back in this process at all."
Wicinski earned Mid-American Conference Player of the Year honors in each of her two seasons with the Huskies, becoming the first freshman in conference history to snare that award. But despite the mountains of accolades in DeKalb – including leading NIU to an NCAA tournament berth last fall as a sophomore – the 19-year-old outside hitter craved a fresh start.
The move was complicated by the Wicinski family's deep connections to NIU. Wicinski's mother, Gina, played volleyball for the Huskies, while her father, Geneva football coach Rob Wicinski, played football at NIU, and has helped several Vikings football players suit up for the Huskies.
Especially given those ties, Rob Wicinski said the family is choosing not "to sling mud," but it was clear there was friction between Wicinski and NIU coach Ray Gooden.
Wicinski said there were "many little things that built up," starting her freshman year.
"I think I put it all in there and tried as hard as I could to work though it all and figure it out but at the end of the day, I just wasn't happy, and you've got to make yourself happy," Wicinski said. "Life's too short."
In late February, NIU confirmed that Wicinski and three teammates – including Kaneland product Jess Lubic and Rosary graduate Haley Norris – opted to leave the program. Wicinski emphasized that each of the players had their own reasons for departing, and was gratified that picking Michigan State would dispel notions that her decision was connected to former NIU assistant coaches Coley Pawlikowski and Dan Pawlikowski leaving for Wisconsin, where they recently accepted positions as Badgers assistants.
Wicinski said she visited Michigan State, Wisconsin and Dayton before committing to Spartans coaches Saturday. Because NIU released her from her scholarship, Wicinski said she will be eligible to play this fall for the Spartans, also an NCAA tournament qualifier last season.
Wicinski sensed a special connection to Spartans coach Cathy George and the program, even experiencing goose bumps while watching a Michigan State highlight tape.
"That was sort of when I knew," Wicinski said.
Wicinski received good news a few weeks ago, learning that she made the prestigious U.S. Senior A2 team that will compete from June 26 to July 5 in Columbus, Ohio. While the tryout in Colorado Springs, Colo., that netted that opportunity is affiliated with the U.S. Women's National Team, Wicinski said Olympic aspirations are not at the forefront of her volleyball goals.
"I want to continue to get better as always and I hopefully after college, really want to play in Europe," Wicinski said. "Hopefully play over there. That's a main goal of mine I'd love to do, and just have fun with it, grow and learn. I still want to learn more and grow more and get better and to just do well with my new team."
An elementary education major, Wicinski is finishing up her spring semester in DeKalb before heading to Michigan this summer. She made it clear that leaving NIU was much more complex than the chance to play in the Big Ten.
"I still have a lot of good friends here that I will continue to come back and visit and possibly might come visit me," Wicinski said. "In a way it's sad to leave my friends here but I'm very excited to move forward."
Wicinski transferring to Michigan State
As exceedingly well as everything went on the volleyball court for Lauren Wicinski her first two years of college, the beneath-the-surface elements of her college experience were nowhere near as rosy.


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Peter Johansen
Peter Johansen graduated from the Danish School of Design (now the School of Design of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Denmark), faculty of furniture and spatial design, in 2004. He has received a number of grants from the Danish State Arts Foundation. In 2005, he was responsible for the design of the 'Dansk' café at the Danish Design Centre, with the 'Remove' design agency. Peter Johansen's working style often involves models and experimentation on a scale of 1/1. He draws inspiration from everyday life, from materials and from his immediate surroundings. In his own words, « I suppose I have a habit of taking notice of my surroundings ! » He describes his work as logical, as a flirtation with banality.
The son of a Norwegian father and a Swedish mother, Peter Johansen is a real mixture, a true Scandinavian.


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ASNT Learning
ASNT has a lot to offer for anyone looking to expand their knowledge about NDT technology.
ASNT Store
Our foremost resource is our bookstore where the most depth of knowledge on NDT technology can be found. The ASNT Store is the total resource store for NDT related training materials, Handbooks, study guides and a variety of publications on each of nondestructive testing's methods.
Need to find an education institution engaged in nondestructive testing or organization involved in specific NDT training, ASNT provides two ways to help you.
First there is our Directory of Educational Institutions. Find institutions offering instruction by
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See also Study for NDT Exams


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Not Just "Kill At Will" : ALEC Helps The NRA Push Guns On Campus
In 2008, in the wake of mass shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) adopted model legislation proposed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) that would have allowed any concealed carry permit holder to bring guns on college campuses.
The model legislation not only expressly permitted the carrying of concealed handguns on college campuses, but banned colleges and universities from restricting such activity. At the time, Utah was the only state in the nation that either expressly permitted guns on campus or banned public institutions from making their own restrictions.
In recent days, the media has shined a spotlight on ALEC's efforts to help the NRA promote Florida's "Kill at Will" self-defense law across the country. The NRA, reportedly a "longtime funder" of ALEC, presented the shadowy group with "proposed model legislation based on" Florida's law in August 2005. That model bill was endorsed by ALEC and distributed to its network of conservative legislative members, and similar measures were subsequently passed in more than 20 states.
Similarly, in May 2008, ALEC's Criminal Justice Task Force "unanimously adopted a model " Campus Personal Protection Act," which the NRA says was "[b]rought forth" by their lobbying arm. The model bill was adopted by ALEC 30 days later with no objection from its Board of Directors.
The model bill contains sections to repeal state laws banning valid permit holders from carrying concealed handguns on campus, and further states:
Section 3. No governing body of a college or university or postsecondary vocational technical school shall have the authority to establish rules or regulations limiting or abridging the ability of a person issued a valid concealed handgun permit recognized by this state to lawfully carry a concealed handgun on its campus. However, governing bodies of educational institutions may establish rules or regulations relating to the storage of firearms in campus dormitories.
According to a November 2008 report from the American Associate of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), "17 states attempted major reforms to campus weapon laws in 2008" ; many of those efforts predated ALEC's endorsement of model legislation. According to the advocacy group Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, bills to increase access to firearms on college campuses were introduced "in at least 23 states" during the 2011 legislative session, passing in two.
AASCU "discourages the passage of new state legislation that would overturn or weaken concealed weapons bans on campus," stating that the "the safety and security of all members of the campus community must remain paramount." Likewise, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators says that there is "no credible evidence to suggest that the presence of students carrying concealed weapons would reduce violence on our college campuses" and that "concealed carry laws have the potential to dramatically increase violence on college and university campuses."


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Lucrative Consulting Fees Reach Bigger Set
When Samuel J. Palmisano retires next month, he'll enjoy a generous goodbye present: The former International Business Machines Corp. chief will earn $20,000 for any day he spends four hours advising his longtime employer.
That means hypothetically he could pocket $400,000 a year for 20 half-days of work—twice what his predecessor, Louis V. Gerstner Jr. , makes per day under a similar consulting arrangement. Mr. Palmisano's contract is open-ended and doesn't specify the number of days he will work. Mr. Gerstner's 10-year consulting contract expires in March.
Many former executives enjoy lucrative consulting gigs at their old companies. Boards dole out these agreements to guarantee smooth leadership transitions and prevent former bosses from joining a rival, poaching staffers or filing suit against the company.
Companies have paid key former executives as consultants since at least the 1970s, and the practice gained acceptance because boards wanted continued access to those ex-officials' knowledge, according to several executive-pay attorneys.
In some cases, the deals are so generous that they go beyond the grave—such as the consulting accord for Phillip "Rick" Powell, who stepped down as CEO of First Cash Financial Services Inc. in 2005.
Under Mr. Powell's consulting contract, the operator of pawn shops and check-cashing stores was required to pay $3.5 million in consulting fees if Mr. Powell had died during 2011, the company's latest proxy said. (The 62-year-old Mr. Powell, who has been fighting U.S. charges of illegal insider trading since last year, remains alive and well.)
The controversial perquisite bothers some activist investors, especially because these deals are sometimes made when a company is nudging an executive out the door.
"Consulting agreements often are a hidden substitute for severance pay," says Brandon Rees, head of the AFL-CIO's Office of Investment. "Their questionable value will influence how shareholders vote on executive pay in the 2013 proxy season."
Consulting arrangements have fallen in popularity among CEOs over the past decade, but are gaining traction for other departing C-suite leaders, according to analyses for The Wall Street Journal.
In the five years ended Aug. 1, 16 former leaders of the nation's 1,000 biggest concerns took home at least $500,000 in consulting fees, concludes Equilar Inc., a pay-research firm. That compares with 28 retired chiefs making that much between 1996 and 2001, a previous WSJ study found.
Yet "there's a general upward trend" since 2007 in the number of consulting contracts for other senior executives, such as finance chiefs or general counsel, reports Theo Francis, an independent compensation researcher. He reviewed nearly 300 such agreements for the Journal.
Just a tiny fraction require a minimum workload—7 of 174 recently disclosed executive consulting agreements, according to a separate study by Mr. Francis. (Mr. Francis is a former Journal reporter who left the paper in 2008.)
Kimberly-Clark Corp. guarantees Jan B.C. Spencer $50,000 per quarter through mid-2014 for consulting services—and a maximum of 200 hours a year, according to a regulatory filing. The senior vice president retired in June at age 57 after more than three decades with the company, and says he chose to limit his hours because he didn't want an "onerous" obligation.
He estimates he spent nearly 50 hours counseling former colleagues this summer, such as helping a European team with planning.
Smooth transitions are a big part of the plan. Advice from a predecessor proved useful during James D. Wehr 's initial months as chief executive of insurer Phoenix Cos. Dona D. Young, his predecessor, received $300,000 for a year of consulting but was fully paid six months after she retired in 2009.
"Dona helped me transition into my new role and expand my relationships inside and outside the company,'' Mr. Wehr recalled. Thomas Johnson, Phoenix's board chairman, said Mrs. Young was especially useful in the initial months, and coached Mr. Wehr about promoting a rising star whom she had been grooming while CEO. Mrs. Young declined to comment.
It doesn't always work out, though. In early 2008, Acxiom Corp. promised to pay departing Chief Executive Charles Morgan $500,000 annually for up to three years of consulting. Mr. Morgan agreed to help his successor, John Meyer, strengthen the company's customer ties and advise on technology strategy, according to his consulting accord. But less than two months later, management stopped using Mr. Morgan's services. An Acxiom spokeswoman declines to say why. Per his accord, Mr. Morgan still collected $1.5 million. He didn't return calls seeking comment.
At Boeing Co. , Scott Carson retired in January 2010 after running its commercial airplanes unit. He earned about $1.5 million for advising Boeing no more than 75 hours a month. The two-year contract expired last March.
Mr. Carson's replacement, Jim Albaugh, "had relatively limited experience with our commercial customers," and so the former executive "provided continuity," a company spokesman says.
Mr. Carson says he attended aircraft-delivery events and accompanied colleagues to complete sales, including one in Ethiopia. But he never consulted the maximum amount per month, the retired executive says. And "in the last six months, it was nothing"—even though he received his full fee.
The transition "ended up being a bit shorter than we estimated," the Boeing spokesman explains.
Mr. Carson now chairs the board of regents for Washington State University, among other things.
A CBS Corp. finance chief who won a post-retirement consulting gig took an unusual approach after he no longer felt needed. Fredric G. Reynolds was due $100,000 a month for three months after leaving the media concern in August 2009, followed by $60,000 a month through August 2010.
Mr. Reynolds says he assisted his longtime employer with U.K. outdoor billboard deals, among other things. By early 2010, however, he stopped being busy for CBS, he recalls. "I couldn't justify doing this [consulting] through August," he says.
CBS accepted Mr. Reynolds's request, halting payments in late February, a spokesman says.
Former executives rarely cut short their consulting gigs, however.
Mr. Reynolds says boards should be more skeptical of such arrangements. "It's a way to get people to move on," he notes. "But it doesn't wind up being very productive."
On the other hand, some companies swear by their prior leader's ongoing advice. First Cash's Mr. Powell has advised it since he stepped down as CEO seven years ago. He initially got a $500,000 annual fee. Since April 2010, he has earned $700,000 a year under an arrangement that directors extended from 2014 through 2016.
First Cash continues to perform well partly thanks to his strategic involvement in areas such as management, acquisitions and store expansion, says CEO Rick Wessel.
Last month, a U.S. district judge threw out illegal insider trading charges from a June 2011 lawsuit by the Securities and Exchange Commission that accused Mr. Powell of buying 100,000 First Cash shares after learning about a stock buyback plan. A trial may still occur next year on related other charges that Mr. Powell didn't disclose his share purchase for more than a year and only after he learned about the SEC's probe.
"Mr. Powell has vehemently denied any wrongdoing,'' said Jason S. Lewis, his attorney.
Corrections & Amplifications
Dona D. Young, a former CEO of Phoenix Cos., received $300,000 for a year of consulting but was fully paid within six months after she retired in 2009. An earlier version of this article incorrectly said she consulted for six months after retiring.
Write to Joan S. Lublin at email@example.com
Copyright ©2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8


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Posted August 24, 2017 by admin
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Panorama Viewers
There are basically three types of viewers for spherical panoramas:
- Java based Viewers run on any platform that supports Java.
- Plugin based viewers require a plugin (Quicktime, Shockwave) to run and might be platform specific.
- Stand alone viewers that are executables for a specific platform.
Java based Viewers
- First and until now most versatile is PTViewer developed originally by Helmut Dersch and now maintained and enhanced by Fulvio Senore
- Panorado Applet - a free java viewer applet - "flat" view, but very fast, thus suited for larger images.
- PURE Player for Java (by ImmerVision) is a free Java viewer applet that supports cylindrical, spherical and cubic panoramic images.
- PURE Player for PRO Java (by ImmerVision) is a free Java viewer applet that supports cylindrical, spherical and cubic panoramic images. It also supports user interfaces.
There are some commercial Java based viewers. Most of them are either a PTViewer clone or less functional.
Plugin based Viewers
- Quicktime is available for Apple Macintosh and Windows. Requires panorama in QTVR movie format. (PanoCube or Pano2QTVR convert from equirectangular to .mov on Windows)
- DevalVR is a windows plugin for viewing panoramic content.
- PangeaVR is a viewer for Mac OSX only that displays both cubic QuickTime-VR panoramas in QTVR movie format and equirectangular (spherical) JPEG panoramas by Brian Greenstone. See http://www.pangeasoft.net/pano/plugin/pangeavr.html for details.
Flash or Shockwave based Viewers
- SPi-V is a very sophisticated and smooth viewer based on Macromedia Shockwave that handles panoramas completely in graphics card memory (free version with logo).
- fspp is an open source, Flash 9 based player for panoramas in equirectangular format.
- PanoSalado is an open source Flash based viewer for cubic, equirectangular (spherical), cylindrical and QTVR panoramas. It supports 2D & 3D hotspots, audio, video, and being extended via XML or directly via Actionscript (AS3). See PanoSalado's blog, download source and examples from the GoogleCode repository, and view a live example.
- PURE Player for Flash is a free Flash 9 based player that supports cylindrical, spherical and cubic panoramas.
- The Flash Panorama Player is a cross-platform viewer that displays QTVR movies as well as equirectangular (spherical) and cylindrical panoramas. Cube faces and stripes can also be handled. It supports SWF-plugins to extend its functionality (for example to integrate distorted FLV-movies as hotspots).
- krpano is a flash 9 based panorama viewer, see http://krpano.com/
Stand alone Viewers
- FSPViewer is a free hardware accelerated stand alone viewer by Fulvio Senore (Windows only).
- panoglview is an Open Source hardware accelerated stand alone viewer for Equirectangular Projection images (Windows, Linux and OS X).
panovieweris an Open Source stand-alone viewer now superceded by panoglview (Windows, Linux).
- PTViewer, the original standalone viewer created by Helmut Dersch in C for X-Windows available from one of the mirrors (Linux) or the 3.2 version in compiled Java from his page (Windows).
- Quicktime also works as a standalone viewer (Windows, Mac).
- DevalVR has a stand alone version, too (Windows).
- pvQt is a portable panoramic image viewer with 3D rotation and perspective control, requires video hardware and driver that support at least OpenGL version 1.5, 2.0 or better for full functionality.
- Panorado is a full-featured image viewer/browser supporting panoramas (JPEG & QTVR). Shareware. (Windows)
- PURE Player for Windows is a free standalone version of PURE Player viewer for Windows OS that supports cylindrical, spherical and cubic panoramas.
- PURE Player for Pocket PC is a free standalone version of PURE Player viewer for Windows Mobile 5 OS that supports cylindrical, spherical and cubic panoramas.


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Oracle Key Manager 3 centrally authorizes, secures, and manages all of your encryption keys, reducing exposure of sensitive data and ensuring reliability and security.
Dedicated encryption key management system.


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Penn State's acclaimed NU. Musical Theatre Festival will present two new works during its 2014 summer season: Sarah Hirsch and Molly Fox's musical adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher on Wednesday, June 18, at 7:00 p.m., and Michael Gruber's musical The Not So Peaceable Kingdom on Thursday, June 19, at 7:00 p.m. Individuals interested in experiencing the rehearsal process for these works may also attend any/all rehearsals, which are open to the public and take place daily Friday, June 13 through Thursday, June 19, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission to performances and rehearsals of The Fall of the House of Usher and The Not So Peaceable Kingdom is free and open to the public. All rehearsals and performances take place at the Penn State Downtown Theatre Center, 146 South Allen Street, State College.
Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher comes to life in Sarah Hirsch and Molly Fox's haunting musical adaptation. Struggling painter James Cleary receives a summons to his childhood friend Roderick Usher's mansion, to paint Roderick's portrait before he dies. Roderick and his twin sister, Madeline, allegedly suffer from a mysterious inherited illness. Roderick tells James that Madeline is far away, but James discovers her hidden in the mansion. James's discovery of a sinister vein running through the Usher line rocks the house to its foundation. The Fall of the House of Usher addresses just how far we would go to keep from losing those we love.
Michael Gruber's The Not So Peaceable Kingdom is a musical anthology of children's poems, fables, and short stories with animals as the central figures. Illuminating works by Aesop, A.A. Milne, Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, Roald Dahl, the Grimm Brothers, and many others, this program features four singers and is designed to delight children of all ages.
"We are thrilled to bring The Fall of the House of Usher and The Not So Peaceable Kingdom to our community," said Raymond Sage, artistic director of the NU. Musical Theatre Festival. "The work we do at the NU. Musical Theatre Festival is a genuinely collaborative effort in the progression of a truly American art form. I am incredibly proud of the dedication of everyone associated with our 2014 season and can't wait for our audiences to experience these remarkable new works."
For more information on the NU. Musical Theatre Festival, please visit www.numusicals.psu.edu.


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Hank Silverberg, wtop.com
FAIRFAX, Va. – There's a month to go before the general election, but something is missing from campaigns this year: all those candidate signs along highway medians.
In past elections, candidates would clog the Fairfax County medians with dozens of colorful but distracting campaign signs. But this year both parties agreed to abide by a new law banning the signs along highway medians.
The agreement comes even though there's no mechanism in place to enforce the ban.
Fairfax County had been the only county in the state not allowed to ban the signs until the general assembly gave permission last session. But there wasn't time to set penalties or enforcement rules before the 2012 election cycle, which includes a deal with the Virginia Department of Transportation to take offending signs down. So the voluntary plan was suggested.
For some folks shopping at University Plaza along Route 123, the plan was a good idea.
"They were all there so nobody paid any attention to them." says Jeff Lindsay.
Another shopper, Vicky Clewell, says the signs were ugly and she's glad they're down.
Many candidates for lesser offices used the signs to get name recognition. But Eric Wewerker, also shopping at University Plaza, says he never made a decision on how to vote from what he saw on a campaign sign.
Businesses aren't allowed to put up advertising signs on highway medians either, but many of them have ignored the new rule. On Monday, part of the Route 123 median, though free from campaign signs, was cluttered with cardboard signs from a furniture store going out of business
The new law doesn't prevent homeowners from putting up campaign signs on their lawns or other places on private property.
Follow Hank and WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)


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Peace be with all
Free shipping on all domestic orders over $109.
If having any difficulties, please call the Monastery directly to place your order (1-800-615-3753). Thank you
In Truth, In Light, In Love
Peace Be with All, in Love
From the Office of Reverend Nazirmoreh K. B. Kedem (A.B.R.D.)
Nahziryah Monastic Community
"Thank so much for your kindness. I appreciate the thought behind this, reducing my shipping cost. I will continue to order as I feel the peaceful & strength aura I have wearing the oils. Love and Peace." P. F.
"This is my second time buying from your institution. I have never seen packaging of products done so lovingly and carefully. I am also thankful for the additional information pamphlets sent with the order. I was amazed at the speed of the delivery of the order too. I am looking forward to my current order and am for sure a returning customer forever. Thank you. B. P." (VA)
"Dear Reverend Nazirmoreh, I received my order today. Thank you so much! I am delighted with the quality of the scents and the lovely and generous gift.
In love and gratitude, L. N." (KS)
Reverend Nazirmoreh K. B. Kedem, Nazir Path 970 MC 5029, Saint Joe, AR 72675
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