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Liberty News
Google names Liberty to list of 2013 top trending searches
The world's most popular search engine has provided an indicator of how fast Liberty University is growing in national prominence.
In a survey of more than 1 trillion queries, Google ranked Liberty second on its 2013 list of Top Trending Colleges and Universities. Liberty is the top ranked nonprofit university on the list.
"It is gratifying to see that so many are researching what Liberty University has to offer," said President Jerry Falwell, Jr. "It is a clear indicator that people are taking notice of Liberty's uniqueness among colleges and universities and its unprecedented growth to recently become one of the seven largest universities in the nation."
The ranking also reflects the success of Liberty's unique blend of more than 300 online and residential degree programs, world-class facilities, academic excellence, and NCAA Division I sports. The university's business model, which focuses on fiscal responsibility and teaching excellence, is redefining success in higher education as it makes quality education affordable and accessible to as many as possible. More than 90,000 students enrolled in Liberty's online programs last year, and over 12,500 enrolled as resident students. Liberty is now the largest Christian university in the world.
The Google Zeitgeist site annually ranks trending searches, analyzing them by time of year and regions of origination throughout the world. Other categories include top events and people — everything from authors, athletes, books, and blogs to tech gadgets, television shows, and video games.
"Our teams have worked hard to expand and improve Liberty's Web presence, and this ranking is evidence of that," said Matthew Zealand, Liberty's chief information officer. "We remain focused on delivering engaging content while using the latest methods to develop effective online tools and resources for a rapidly growing student population."


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On Sunday night I was happily sitting at my laptop measuring a HUGE pile of lizards when my phone rang. i looked at the caller ID and saw that it was the head of our department. I wondered why on earth he'd be calling me on a sunday night (at around 8pm), but I figured as a worst-case scenario my mother was concerned and had spoken to him or something and he was checking up on me. so I answered. He basically said:
"Hi Helen, we're about 30ms from Nelspruit, so we're going to stop for dinner and drive through. Is the gate code still XXXX?"
BAM! new worst-case scenario!
So I had to decide: do I finish measuring lizards, or clean up the houe? I decided to measure lizards, which gave me just enough time to hide my dirty laundry under my bed (it was in bags waiting for me to get around to running a load of washing), wash the dishes and call Luke in a flat panic and figure out why nobody had warned me.
Basically everyone thought that everyone else ad warned me, so I ended up sharing the house with 4 botanists for 5 days. Firstly, they ahd a caterer. So actually 3 botanists needed someone to cook and clean for them. She was very sweet and quite mediterranean, and fed me non-stop, which was nce as I'd been super-busy and not looking after myself very well. I was pretty sick for the first day or so, it deems that my body had got used to a diet of ceral and fresh fruit and proper, cooked meals were more than I could handle.
As for the botanists, there was the head of school, who is a... difficult persoon at the best of times, who has a disturbing tendency to walk around in nothing but tiny tiny shorts. And two honours students who were doing a 5-day practical exam. The students were nice, one of them is about a year oler than me and he's the kind of guy who has huge long legs and arms and tons of exuberant energy that makes me smile. The other was a woman I'd never met before who looked about my age, maybe slightly older until I found out that she's been married for almost 20 years and has 3 kids, one of whom is almost finished high-school.
They filled the houe up will all kinds of plant stuff, and then proceeded to fill the house up wth plants. On the plus sie, the caterer scrubbed the house from top to bottom, which made me feel a bit guilty seeing that I'd let it get dirty, but means that when I go home soon I won't have to spend an entire day scrubbing floors like I did last year.
In my defence, the house wasn't that bad. i always make sure that the kitchen and the bathroom and the room where my lizards stay is spotless, but the house is big and there are a lot of areas I don't use, so I let the dust accumulate because I see no point in keeping rooms clean if I never use them. I'd had a tough week, so the kitchen floor was a bit dirty and my stuff had cluttered the main living area a bit, but otherwise most people wouldn't have seen the need to scrub for a solid day.
I checked my messages a bit later and found that people had been calling and leaving messages but I didn't get any notifications. One message was the standard bi-montly mesage from my supervisor asking if I was still alive. I called him on the Monday to update him, assure hm that all my limbs were attached and complain about the invasion of botanists when he dropped the bombshell. There is a conference at the end of November and I WILL attend. I've known about the conference for a while, but I hadn't sent in an abstract and I'd assumed I might not be back rom fieldwork in time, but then I caught 40 lzards in 2 weeks and everything changed. In the meantime Luke and another friend have been qualifying as scuba divers and they'd invited me to go with them for their first ever sea-dives!
The idea of leaving here in a few weeks and going to the beach with friends I have missed to have a real breaak after working 7-days a week for 3 months was all that was keeping e going! In fact, that lead to the kind farmer's wife helping me catch lizards by trying to chase them with a leafblower (I will explain that later I hope) after she gave me a cold glass of coke and I broke down into "I just want to go HOME!" So the idea of leaving 3 months of wall-to-wall lizard work to go to a place I don't like very much to discuss lizards for another week really didn't fill me with joy.
Anyway, afer many exciting plans for how to get out of the conference (and a very accomodating Duncan, ThankS :)) I managed to agree to the conference on the understanding that I would leave early, and Jen would fetch me on the way to the coast so I could go diving anyway. my supervisor isn't happy, but as far as I'm concerned he can... you get the picture.
so today the botanists packed up, loaded their plants into their vehicle and left. And the peace and quiet return. And a rainstorm, which is why I'm not outside lstening to the frogs. There is totally a tree frog that I've been hearing and I chased him for about an hour last night but didn't manage to find him.
Friday, October 31, 2008
On Sunday night I was happily sitting at my laptop measuring a HUGE pile of lizards when my phone rang. i looked at the caller ID and saw that it was the head of our department. I wondered why on earth he'd be calling me on a sunday night (at around 8pm), but I figured as a worst-case scenario my mother was concerned and had spoken to him or something and he was checking up on me. so I answered. He basically said:
2 comments:
- SuvvyGirl said...
You're doing fieldwork. No one expects you to clean anyway. And you still haven't told us of bathtub guy with the baby bushpig :)
- 7:53 pm
- Luke said...
Bathtub guy? Bushpigs?! Helen! Have you been holding out on me?!
PS. I'm so glad that we managed to 'peer-pressure' you into coming diving ;D
- 11:29 pm

subset: commoncrawl


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The blog says that "These maps graphically display locations where surnames occurred at different periods in time. This strategy provides genealogists with a starting point for research in the birth country, when that information cannot be discovered through sources recorded in the new country of settlement. It works particularly well for less-common surnames and among families that have stayed in the same European locations for centuries".
They have a list of countries, with links to maps, including Canada, and a world-wide map. So give it a try.
Did it work for you?
The website is https://familysearch.org/blog/en/map-surname


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Our exclusive Top 100 ranking recognizes the monumental achievements of America's largest clubs.
Please click here to view the Top 100. You must have Adobe Acrobat to access this document.
Understanding the Top 100.
Welcome once again to Club Industry's Top 100, our annual listing of the largest clubs and chains in the country.
This listing serves as a benchmark, not as a hard-and-fast ranking. Participation is voluntary. While we do everything possible to ensure accuracy, we ultimately depend upon the honesty of the clubs and chains that chose to share their 2000 corporate revenue — the figure that we use to determine each club's place on the list.
Since few clubs are publicly held, we can't always access the data necessary to check questionable claims. That's why Rick Caro (chairman of Spectrum Clubs, president of Management Vision and a member of the Club Industry editorial advisory board) reviews the Top 100 prior to publication. He searches the list for omissions or errors, and we follow up on his questions.
In addition to verifying the information from participating clubs, we try to get information from non-participating clubs. Some clubs prefer privacy, and we can't always coerce them to reveal their revenue. This year, more than 20 clubs and chains declined to take part. While we respect their wishes, we know that the Top 100 isn't complete without them.
In Deserving Recognition, we acknowledge non-participating clubs that clearly belong on the Top 100. With the help of Rick Caro, we were able to estimate their corporate revenue. These estimations are rough; we report them here in order to give an idea of where these clubs belong on the Top 100.
The clubs listed in Deserving Recognition aren't the only companies missing from the Top 100 listing. The industry's major licensors/franchisors are also absent.
Last year, we began listing licensors/franchisors separately by number of locations, a practice we continue this year. Here's why. Some licensors/franchisors decline to share revenue. Others insist on adding the revenue of individual licensees/franchisees to corporate revenue, when, in fact, only the appropriate licensing/franchising fees should be included. Therefore, to be fair, we opt to list licensors/franchisors by total locations.
We believe that listing licensors/franchisors in this manner will still give readers an idea of how large these companies are in relation to each other. However, it should be noted that, like revenue, the number of licensed, franchised and owned locations is self-reported. Therefore, the figures are still subject to scrutiny.
In addition to licensors/franchisors, long-time Top 100 followers may notice some familiar names missing from the ranking. The consolidation activity of 1999 continued into 2000, and a few Top 100 staples got bought up last year. In 2000, Bally Total Fitness acquired Nautilus Plus of Oregon (Gold's Gym), Town Sports International (TSI) bought Health Development Corp. (HDC), L.A. Fitness purchased Australian Body Works, and Wellbridge bought the Bel Air Athletic Club. These acquired companies are gone from our list; however, they are reflected in the revenue reported by the buyers that appear on the Top 100.
It seems unlikely that consolidation will erase that many names from the 2002 Top 100. Unlike 1999 and 2000, 2001 has been quiet as far as acquisitions are concerned. Greenfield activity has also been light. Are these signs of an economic slowdown?


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Would you go to a Chinese restaurant for a good steak? At the same time, the Chinese restaurant wouldn't feature steaks in any of its marketing efforts. This is the basic marketing principle called "Stick to what you know." Market to what you do best, stay in your element, and don't try to be all things to all people.
Stop for a minute and take an inventory of your mission statement, which is from what all operational and marketing policies, procedures and programs originate.
I bet when you locate it and dust it off you'll find, that in many cases, your operation is something quite different today than it was when that statement was written. For some of you, the zeal and excitement was so strong at the time of the club opening that you didn't need to write down what your club was about, it was obvious.
Just a few years ago, few had heard of Pilates and you wouldn't have touched Yoga with a 10-foot pole. Indoor cycling looked too rigorous for your average member and not worth the investment or the dedication of space. You remember laughing at the rock climber when you saw it at the Club Industry show. The "20-something" membership wasn't having kids and didn't need childcare or kids programs. On the other side of this issue there was no need for Masters Swimming and other programs targeted to seniors. The market is always changing. Are you still using the same marketing plan, the same mailing lists aimed at the same demographics? Are you measuring its effectiveness or just comfortable carrying out a plan you've executed before?
Every new fiscal year you should formulate a new budget and a new marketing plan focused to maximize capture of your target market. Because you can't be all things to all people you must identify what your club is. Update your mission statement and adjust your marketing efforts to focus on the potential members whose preferences match up with your facilities and programs.
About 10 years ago I was working in North Carolina and I visited a club that had equipment that dated back to the 1960s. When we approached the owner about his need to update his club, he told us there wasn't a need even though a new club was opening soon. "These members are my friends and neighbors," the owner told us. Within a year most of those friends and neighbors left to join the new club that better met their needs. The outdated club closed a year later. The effects of ignoring a changing marketplace are not felt overnight; they are almost invisible unless you are aggressive in canvassing your members and your potential market for their likes and dislikes and adjust your marketing plan to attract new members, while adjusting your operations to maximize the retention of your existing members. Your biggest asset is not your building or equipment package, it is your membership base.
This is where member committees are of value by giving you feedback on your operation. If members are selected and managed properly, these groups can provide an excellent picture of how the club is doing and where it should be going. Before you discard any notion of member input remember that your first and most inexpensive source of new members is member referral. Marketing efforts should be updated to best address the profile of the member that your operation best suits.
So dust off your mission statement. Be committed to what you are as a club, listen to what your members have to say and focus your marketing efforts on the profile of the member that is most likely to join the kind of club you operate and adjust your operation to best meet the needs of your members for high member retention.
Frank J. Margarella is president of Premier Club Consultants Inc. in Tampa, FL. He can be reached at 813-244-5762 or via e-mail at [email protected].


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Saturday, February 25, 2012
Too narrow a focus
Yesterday, I spent considerable time answering questions. I usually start a class where a number of people show up before the scheduled start time by asking for questions. I use the phrase, "about anything in the known or unknown universe." I can take that position because the questions I get are predictable and very, very repetitive. Yesterday, I did get one question about copyright which was a breath of fresh air, I might add.
Over the years, there has been a plethora of writing by genealogists about overcoming the so-called "brickwall" problem. Part of understanding the solution is refusing to label any one research goal as a "problem." Invariably, most of the questions I receive both in and out of the classroom involve a focus on a specific individual. It is this focus that is the main contributor to the whole issue of finding genealogical information. John Donne coined a phrase that says "no man is an island." Genealogists should remember this more than attaching any sentimental or philosophical implications to the concept. Truly, in genealogy every person is connected to every other person in their social network.
Almost without exception, those researchers with a brickwall, have that condition because they have failed to put the narrow fact they are seeking into a political, social or religious context and then asked the question in a more general way, including the entire family and social, political and religious structure in the process.
One researcher yesterday had a very credible list of records she had searched looking for the death date and place of an ancestor. But when I asked what religion he had, she did not know. The ancestor was a German immigrant and she did not know if he was a Lutheran or a Catholic or some other religion. She was not very receptive when I suggested that looking at the person's children might help. In addition, her ancestor lived in the western United States in the mid- to late 1800s and she was looking for a death certificate. When that type of issue comes up, I immediately understand the problem, this person does not know the context. Death certificates were not common in most far western U.S. states until the 1900s. In addition, many of the states she mentioned were not even states at the times she was searching.
By focusing on one problem, i.e. a death date and place, she and many, many other or her fellow researchers spend an inordinate amount of time fishing in a bucket. Instead of spending more time searching for a death record, she might step back and read a little western history. Another example, from what she said, it is was apparent to me that the person she sought was following various mining activities. The locations she listed for residence in different years were mining towns. Why not look in the next chronologically important mining town for the ancestor? In the late 1800s he may have ended up in Arizona or Alaska.
Not to criticize, but to demonstrate a fundamental issue. You will always reach a point of frustration if you are looking in the wrong place, at the wrong time or even for the wrong person.
2 comments:
Or, he might have jumped ship, left his family, and tried for the big gold finds in Western Australia. In the very late 1800's the "Golden Mile" around Kalgoorlie was very attractive to miners, my grandfather among them.ReplyDelete
My new quote will now be (and attributed to James Tanner): "You will always reach a point of frustration if you are looking in the wrong place, at the wrong time or even for the wrong person."ReplyDelete
Thanks for the insight.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Crisis Support. Suicide Prevention.
Lifeline is a national charity providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
We're committed to empowering Australians to be suicide-safe through connection, compassion and hope.
Our vision is for an Australia free of suicide.
Lifeline marks World Suicide Prevention Day 2016
For over 50 years we have been helping people bounce back from crisis and empowering them to find hope.
Julian Leeser MP makes powerful inaugural speech to help prevent suicide
Lifeline Australia commends the brave Inaugural Speech delivered by Mr Julian Leeser, Member for Berowra, dedicated to his late father.


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With its magnicient clifftop castle and historic Norman church, Manorbier has much to offer tourists with an interest in the past as well as visitors who love the seaside.
Facing south-west and sheltered by the protective jut of Priest's Nose head, the beach is sandy and spacious and popular both for family use and, when the sea state is suitable, for surfing.
In August, the National Park Authority rangers take children on Beach Discovery expeditions, exploring the rockpools for the rich diversity of shore life to be found there. Nearby Swanlake Bay is also a tranquil gem, all the more peaceful because access from the coastal path is more demanding and better suited to the fit and active visitor.
Manorbier gets its name from its medieval title Maenor Pyr (or Barri), the Manor of Odo de Barri, Norman knight who was granted lands there as a reward for his war services to William the Conqueror. The first castle was a wooden motte and bailey structure, with stone walls added later. It was the birthplace in 1146 of one of Wales' best-known chroniclers of medieval life - Gerald de Barri, or Gerald the Welshman (Giraldus Cambrensis) son of a Norman noble and a Welsh princess. His writings, particulary his 'Itinerary Through Wales' were written in an informative and detailed style, and show him to have been a skilled journalist of his day, revealing fascinating facts about the lives not only of the gentry and church hierarchy (for he became a clergyman) but also of the ordinary folk. He aspired to be Bishop of St Davids, but King John repeatedly refused his requests.
The wildlife around Manorbier is varied and interesting. As well as the more common seabirds, waders sych as redshank, whimbrel, curlew and bar-tailed godwit are a regularly seen there. There are geological and archaeological features to be seen in the vicinity, such as the vertical bed formations of rock beside the beach, ancient hut platforms at Old Castle Head and an area of rare Anglo Saxon strip lynchets and fields to the east alongside the road to Lydstep and to the north-west near Manorbier Newton. A favourite walk is the 2.5-mile ramble from Manorbier to Swan Lake Bay, which offers beautiful vistas both seaward and inland.


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Will of Nehemiah Daniel, 1820
"I give and bequeath to Anny my wife all my estate during her natural life or widowhood except she should consider herself overstocked in that case she may dispose of any part thereof provided it is equally divided amongst her children and at her death my land together with all the other property to be sold except the young sorrell horse which I have given to my son Nehemiah Daniel and all the money arising from such sale together with the money I now have . . . shall be equally divided amongst my after named children, except Clara Morris and Nancy Allen which two are not to have so much as the others by fifty dollars as they have been helped to that amount more than the others and the names of my children are as follows to wit:
Clara Morris, Tempy Allen, Nancy Allen, Polly Dillard, Sally McMillion, Robert Daniel, Fanny Hains, Drucillah Daniel and Nehemiah Daniel . . ."
2 August 1820
Witnesses: Samuel Amburn, Fielding Lewis
Source: Grayson County Virginia Will Book, 1, 1796 – 1839, reel no. 9, page 193, Library of Virginia, Richmond.


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A faithful reader was guzzling beer at Mac's Tavern in Philadelphia, chilling, singing songs about shamrocks and potatoes when he spotted Billy Baldwin greasing his way through the crowd, making all the Philly gals in "Kiss Me I'm Shitfaced" T-shirts swoon.
According to Captain Joey Sweeney's spies, Billy is in town for the NCAA wrestling championship. And that's all I have to say about that.
Thanks for your continued support of Deadspin. Today is my birthday which means it's every one of your birthdays, too. So have a glorious evening celebrating our birthdays because it's a gorgeous day here in New York City.
This song goes out to me.


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- You are here:
- Home
Graduate Handbook
Introduction to Graduate Studies
This handbook is intended to assist Materials Science and Engineering graduate students during their stay at Georgia Tech and is a supplement to the material contained in the Georgia Tech General Catalog, particularly the section entitled "Information for Graduate Students." The rules and regulations in the Catalog govern all graduate students. This manual covers matters of particular concern to graduate students in Materials Science and Engineering. All such students should carefully read and follow the guidelines set out in the Catalog and this handbook.
The Director of Graduate Studies should be consulted in case of questions concerning academic requirements and procedures. Forms may be obtained from the Materials Science and Engineering Academic Office (Room 297, J Erskine Love Manufacturing Building) or from the Graduate Studies and Research Office located on the 3rd floor of the Savant Building, Room 317 and respective web sites.
MSE Handbook ( for MSE Students enrolled Fall 2016 and LATER ) HANDBOOK IS BEING REVISED AT THIS TIME. UPLOAD WILL BE ENABLED WHEN UPDATE HAS BEEN UPLOADED
For additional information about the MSE Graduate Program complete the request form or contact:
Professor Preet Singh
Professor & Associate Chair Graduate Studies
Ms. Dracy R. Blackwell
Academic Advising Manager


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Tagged: NL C
Chillin' with the Enemy
For those of us caught up in the modern technocratic lifestyle, establishing a clear line between friend and foe makes life a bit simpler (albeit unpleasant at times). When prompted for an opinion, we often don't have time to think; we must know, must be ready to jump on a topic and run. And this is where established distinctions are helpful (even if detrimental to peace — sorry!).
It's 2011 and enemies abound. In the NBA, LeBron is the antithesis of good. In politics, we have Sarah Palin. In humanity, it's Charlie Sheen.
But what do we do when our "enemies" aren't that bad at all?
Over the weekend, the St. Louis Cardinals got swept by the Milwaukee Brewers, a feat that not only caused a bit of embarrassment for me and my fellow bird fanatics, but also knocked the Cardinals out of first place all together. Am I angry? Do I want to hold my breath and take a hammer to my digits? Am I going to hurt someone?
No, of course not. It's June and the NL Central race has barely begun. But I must say, even if it does come down to St. Louis and Milwaukee in October, I will have a hard time hating on the Brewers like I do the sCrUBBIES.
On Saturday, I went to Miller Park for the very first time and I have to say: it's a beautiful place full of beautiful people genuinely enjoying our beautiful sport. Have you ever seen a sea of tailgaters for a baseball game?!? I mean, everyone was so… nice! And the park experience was so… pleasant… and the atmosphere was so… positive!
Prior to this excursion, my understanding of the Brewers organization could be summed up in three sentences: Beat you in '82. Bud Selig was a better owner than a commish. And Prince Fielder is HONGRY.
But really, after taking in the Miller Park experience I have to update my mental Rolodex. It's not every day you visit a rival ballpark and are welcomed with a smile and a handshake. And as often as I've donned my '06 WS patched Yadier Molina jersey into enemy territory, only at Miller Park was I stopped and commended on my team's run of that year. And did I mention the cheese curds!?
Oh what heaven!!!
Don't worry, dear readers, I ain't gettin' soft. I'll box a Brewer if I gotta; but in a world where negativity rules the infoway, I find it refreshing to give credit to those who are pretty cool folks.
That being said, I hope the Brewers lose every one of their games from here until the end of the season.
Hate me 'cuz you can, just don't hate me 'cuz I'm right.


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A STEADY and reliable work history, followed by a welcome retirement with an age pension to ease the financial pinch.
That's the dream but not the reality for many baby boomers who find themselves unemployed and seemingly unemployable, yet too young for a pension.
As the government raises the age at which people qualify for the age pension, more and more unemployed older people are languishing on Newstart and living below the poverty line, left behind by a rapidly changing workforce, age discrimination and a lack of jobs.
Even those still employed report pressure to quit or retire from colleagues and managers, patronising attitudes and derogatory comments, negative assumptions about their skills, learning ability or cognition based on age, limited or no opportunities for promotion or training, and working for organisations where older workers are undervalued.
In July next year the age at which Australians can access the age pension will rise from 65.5 to 66. By 2023 it will reach 67 and the government has so far refused to rule out a proposal to raise the qualifying age to 70 by 2035.
Superannuation still hasn't been around long enough to substantially help low income earners or those with broken work histories, such as women who took time out of work to care for families, the self-employed and those made redundant in their 40s and early 50s.
Recent budget proposals of $10,000 in Restart wage subsidies for employers recruiting people over 50 and funding to upskill mature age workers have failed to impress advocacy groups.
"Many professions are just too physically demanding for people as they age, not to mention how the nature of work is technologically changing, leaving many people with outdated skills," said Combined Pensioner and Superannuants Association senior policy officer Eliza Littleton.
"These blue-collar workers, tradies and people in disrupted industries who don't make it to 70 in their jobs may face well over a decade on Newstart, which is one of the lowest unemployment benefits in the OECD.
"Even now people over the age of 45 make up 50 per cent of those living on Newstart.
"This meagre payment of $38 a day is not enough to live on short term let alone long term.
"Clearly, a policy to increase the pension age to 70 without a substantive employment strategy for older people is a disastrous policy."
Workforce discrimination
Recent research by the University of South Australia's Business School shows just how tough it can be for older people to stay in, or get back into, the workforce.
In its report Work Well; Retire Well, Findings from the Work, Care, Health and Retirement: "Ageing Agenders" Project 2017, almost a third of people surveyed reported experiencing discrimination. The degree increased with age.
Some respondents said they had minimised health conditions, concealed their age or maintained a youthful appearance to counteract potential treatment based on age.
Older interviewees seeking employment described the process as challenging, frustrating and dispiriting. They reported being candidly or surreptitiously rejected through recruitment processes on the basis of their age.
Education, training and a steady working history were not guaranteed to help in the search for employment.
Jobseeker services were considered ill-equipped to assist older, highly experienced and often well-educated adults, and it was suggested that some employers or recruiters dismiss older jobseekers for fear of imminent retirement, therefore representing a risky staffing investment.


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Banks are spending billions of euros digitising back-office functions and customer services in an attempt to cut costs, increase sales, and attract and retain customers. How are they doing?
A report* by the BearingPoint Institute has given the industry a digital score card by analysing 48 European banks: the digital technology they are using and what they are doing well and badly.
We placed banks into three categories: 'digital leaders', the 'digital shy' and 'digital laggards' and three levels of digitisation: low (legacy systems are predominant and several processes are paper-based and/or performed manually), intermediate (majority of processes are automated and online), and high (they have a high degree of automation and digitisation. The internet, intranet, mobile apps and mobile phones are central to their businesses. Their work culture encourages digital innovation and continual improvement).
These banks were mainly online or 'direct' (banks without high-street branches (such as ING DiBa, the successful online banking operation of German bank ING). They've digitised much of their business. Some have even created their own technology start-ups. They encourage innovation, and their organisational structure and culture helps to support digitalisation across the business. Online technology and mobile apps etc. are integral to their business.
Major commercial banks and cooperative banks are typically in the digital mid-table. They offer a lot of different services. They're good at digitising retail banking although there's still a long way to go before they're fully digitised. Most of their processes are automated. Online technology is part of their daily business.
Regional banks and local branches of foreign banks. These banks are "passive" in their use of digital technology.
They let their customers call the shots. Why?
Possibly because of conservative work cultures but also mostly because they don't have enough cash for the most ambitious digital projects.
Still, most banks aspire to be technology trailblazers.
Almost all (95%) of banks we surveyed said that introducing innovative technology in banking gives them "first mover advantage." (see graph below).
Fine. But what are the banks doing that's innovative? Our survey suggests that there is a big gap between banks' rhetoric about digitisation and their actions.
Except for direct banks, which all consider themselves technology leaders, the majority of other bank types consider themselves as second movers (see graph below). All the banks who describe themselves as pioneers have set an active goal for digitalisation (to increase revenue and enter new markets rather than cost savings).
* BearingPoint Institute, '7 digital questions for banks', survey, 2015


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An imprisonment technique (禁錮術, kinkojutsu) used by Mui's clan. The ones who are subjected to this technique have a formula applied to them, which will prevent them from moulding chakra and from using techniques. It will also drain them of their chakra at a slow but steady rate. Mui uses this technique on the prisoners of Hōzukijō.
However, for people with high amounts of chakra, such as Naruto, they can still mould chakra and use techniques to a certain extent. The techniques used, however, will be severely hampered, and the seal will cause the user in question intense pain, as though their bodies were on fire; if too much chakra is forced out, the formula will set the victim ablaze. If the ones who have the seal on them leaves a certain radius from the applier, then it would cause the victims to burst into flames, burning them to ashes. The user can also ignite the seal at their own free will.
Being a fire technique, it cannot work in water, and the victims simply has to submerge themselves in a body of water to use chakra with ease; anyone set aflame by this technique can be saved if water is poured over them. Also, this technique only suppresses normal chakra from within one's body; when enhanced with natural energy gathered externally, one is still able to use chakra. If anyone with the seal applied were able to create a shadow clone, the clone will not bear the seal. The seal will disappear if the user dies.
- Despite being seemingly bound by the Heavenly Prison, Maroi was able to use Lightning Release: Lightning Signal Fire and Water Release: Archerfish without adverse effects. This may due to Maroi gaining favour of Mui, thus negating the sealing.
- Despite Naruto Uzumaki being branded with this technique, when he transformed into Sage Mode, he was able to leave a great distance from Mui when Gamabunta escaped the castle to rethink their strategy without Naruto bursting into flames.


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This gleaming capital city of Malaysia has everything, from glitz and glamour to the cultural and spiritual serenity. The city is divided into various districts and its main hub comprises of China town, Bukit Bintang, and KLCC. Together they are called the Golden Triangle. Culturally rich, Kuala Lumpur presents the best of past and present of Malaysia to its tourists.
Known as the cultural center of Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur can be termed as the melting pot of various cultures and ethnicities of Indian, the Malays, and the Chinese. These three diverse cultures together form the Malaysian population. With cultures so different yet so beautifully blended together, the capital city of Kuala Lumpur becomes the perfect place to experience the unity in diversity.
With the most important festivals constituting to be the public holidays of the country as a whole, Kuala Lumpur is the place where you get to see the best of celebrations and culture interspersing. With every social group, free to practice their own religion and traditions, the country enjoys exceptional communal harmony across its distance. Kuala Lumpur, being the capital city has a perfect blend of the Malay elite, that predominantly belong to the political class, the Chinese and Indian Middle class that strives for a good living through business and jobs. Almost all the citizens including the Chinese are educated and are fluent in English speaking. Chinese generation born and bought up in Malaysia speak almost all the prevalent languages frequently.
The major festivals and occasions of the city of Kuala Lumpur includes Chinese New Year, Thaipusam in Batu caves, Ramadan month, and even Valentine's day. The day of love celebrated with huge fervor in the city with malls offering special deals and discounts, and decors.
Malaysian Ringgits is the currency used in Malaysia. It is further divided into 100 sen (cents). 1 Ringgits equals 0.24 US dollars. An upper middle class income economy, Malaysia is one of the world's 13 countries to have recorded an average growth of 7 percent on an annual basis.
The city of Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas are one of the fastest growing regions of the country. Although, most of the country's political offices have been relocated to Putrajaya, the city of Kuala Lumpur still maintains its position as the thriving city in the political scenario of the country. The city of Kuala Lumpur is still the hub of the country's finance, education, insurance, real estate, business services, wholesale and retail trade. Along with these sectors, restaurants and hotels, transport, storage and communication, utilities, personal services and government services contribute to the 83% percent of the city's income and the remaining 17% comes from the construction and manufacturing sectors.
With increasing numbers of financial sector companies opening up in Kuala Lumpur, the city is touted to be the global Islamic financial sector hub of the city. Tourism also plays a very significant role in driving the economy of the city. With Kuala Lumpur being world's 6th most visited city with over 8.9 million tourists every year, the contribution of tourism is immense in driving the economy of the city and the country as a whole. The city is full of clubs, night bars, local markets, plethora of malls and other entertainment and recreational arenas to keep the tourists entertained.
Malay Peninsula states its existence in the history dated back to the 10th century, but it was in 1963 when the North Borneo British territories and Singapore were granted freedom to form Malaysia. Although within two years, Singapore was separated and Malaysia became an independent nation. Although it is still unknown who founded the city of Kuala Lumpur and named it the same, but the metropolis was once just a small hamlet of a few huts and small shops that together made it nothing more than a trivial town.
The small town of Kuala Lumpur suffered quite a lot during its early years due to many social and political problems including high number of deaths due to the then, untreatable Malaria, flood, and other diseases. Post the year 1882, Chinese came and started settling in to the commercial center of the town. Frank Swettenham, the first ever British general of the Federated Malay states (Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang) was instrumental in bringing the city out of its misery. He was the one who got the streets of the city cleaned, suggested building houses with brick to reduce the threat of fire and destruction from flood. He also preached the idea of building wider roads for reduced fire risks.
In the year 1886, with the efforts initiated by Swettenham resulted in railway starting between Klang and Kuala Lumpur which assisted in the rapid growth of the town. Kuala Lumpur further expanded with a vigorous pace during the 20th century and finally achieved the status of a 'city' due to its phenomenal growth in the rubber industry. But the city suffered various setbacks during the world war II and following the British rule. It was only after Kuala Lumpur gained independence in 1957 that it turned its focus towards tourism and began promoting it seriously for long term outcome.
The city of Kuala Lumpur is sized at 94 square miles with an elevation of 72 feet above the sea level. Even after so much of developments, the city is almost every year flooded during the rainy season. Kuala Lumpur was under the rule of the Japanese army from January 11th 1942 till August 1945. The reign ended with the surrender of SeishirÅ Itagaki following the nuclear attacks of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The federation of Malaya gained independence from the British rule in the year 1957.
There are practically only two seasons in Kuala Lumpur- Dry and Wet. With an average rainfall of 250m, it's hard to imagine very hot or extremely cold months. Malaysia as a country records humid climate throughout the year. Being in the equatorial region, the country as a whole has a tropical rainforest climate. The city of Kuala Lumpur is surrounded by Titiwangsa Mountains in the east and its west side is protected by Indonesia's Sumatra Island and therefore, the country has a tropical rainforest climate through the year.
Although the city of Kuala Lumpur experiences sunny days almost all days of the year, there are months when the rains are abundant and floods are a common scene. Come the monsoon season in the months of October to March and the city experiences rainfall as high as 290m and there's water and flooding everywhere. For a first-time tourist, it may all seem too crazy and scary but for a Kuala Lumpur resident, it is a scene of every year and the citizens are well prepared to deal with it.
The country records an average rainfall of 250cms and an average climate of 27 degrees. The weather is almost constant throughout the year with the hottest month being March with approximately 28 degrees' temperature and coldest month being January. The wettest months of the year are the month of November which experiences the maximum rainfall and the entire city is practically flooded.
Kuala Lumpur is easily reachable through air from all the major countries in the world. Being a tourist city, it observes frequent flights. The other islands of the country are easily accessible through ferry and air.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at Sepang is the main airport of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia, situated around 50kms south of the city. It operates direct flights to destinations in six continents around the world. There's another airport that served as the main airport of Kuala Lumpur until 1998 and now serves as the additional airport now, specially during the tourist season when the rush is high. This airport is the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, also known as Subang Skypark.
Within the city, it is the same scenario like most of the developed capital cities. The main mode of transportation is road and there are high end highways built all across Kuala Lumpur to facilitate daily commute of the locals and tourists. Other modes of transport frequently used are the rail and bus. However, the use of the local transport is quite low with its locals and the public prefer to take private cars and taxis as the main mode of transport in the city. Soon, the city is operating the Kuala Lumpur monorail service that will link the commuters to various key locations including airport and iconic landmarks.
Kuala Lumpur is one of the few cities of the world that has major part of its transport running entirely on Natural gas. There are designated taxi stands on the streets and the commuters can hail taxis from there. Needless to say, taxi fares are charged a bit higher from foreign tourists and therefore, it is better to know the regular fares beforehand from your hotel staff or local friends.
To enter Malaysia, tourists do not need any visa. However, the visitor's passport must be valid for another six months from the date of entering in the country. Once inside the country, the officials shall issue a social visit pass stamp on your passport. However, there are distinct bifurcations based on the nationalities that determines the duration of the visa-free entry in Malaysia. Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, and Syria citizens are granted only 14-day visa free entry.
The entire country of Malaysia is a picturesque paradise of natural beauty, warm people and gorgeous islands. Just outside the city of Kuala Lumpur is some of the country's very best attractions.
Cameron Highlands (206km)- Regarded as one of the best hill stations of Malaysia, Cameron Highlands almost equals the size of Singapore. With a tropical climate and extensive beauty, it is also one of the oldest tourism spots of Malaysia that has still fabulously retained its charm and has an added advantage of ultra-modern amenities for the visitors. For bird watchers, it's a haven as it's a protective home to various rare species of animals and birds. Drained by 8 rivers and much of it covered with forest area, the highland makes for a superb tourist place.
Langkawi Islands (413kms): One of the most picturesque and tourist friendly islands in Malaysia, the Langkawi islands is your ticket to see the unbelievable natural beauty of limestone cliffs, emerald green waters, and hidden shores. A very important reason for many tourists to visit Malaysia the Langkawi Island offers some of the best beaches in the world with rich flora and fauna and a contemporary modern infrastructure that offers all the amenities for your perfect relaxation and enjoyment. With legend woven in its history, it's a great place to visit for lush green countryside and impeccable landscapes.
Putrajaya (30kms): A planned city built on the marshland and a former oil estate, Putrajaya is a contemporary metropolitan designed with a European feel. With its very close proximity to Kuala Lumpur, it becomes a must visit attraction for all the tourists. From Putrajaya, botanical garden to Mercu Tanda, the place has lot many attractions for the visitors including the famous Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.
Whether you're looking for budget dinners or amazing fine dines, Kuala Lumpur has the best of both available for you in plethora of options. You're in special luck if you're a seafood lover. From Japanese, Chinese to Indian, Arabic, and Malay food delicacies; Kuala Lumpur gives you the best of local and international cuisine.
Famous mainly for the seafood, Kuala Lumpur is all about great food and celebratory drinks. Having an ethnic influence of the Indian cuisine, the use of spices is very varied and the diversity can be experienced across all its dishes. For the street food lovers, Kuala Lumpur is nothing less than a paradise. In Kuala Lumpur, street food is less an economical food option but more, the way of life. From the fine dine public to the backpacking tourists, the middle class or, the foodies; each and every one is in love with street food of Kuala Lumpur.
There are special juice bars open for you after that exhausting morning workout sessions to cool you off. Dare to move out of your comfort zone and try out the local delicacies of the city and we promise you'll be bowled over. Some of the recommended tryouts from our list of exotic dishes of Singapore include the Nasi Lemak, ikan bakar, Roti canai, Char siew, Hokkien mee, Cendol, and many more.
Countless bars, amazing pubs, and a nocturnal nightlife scene is what best describes the nightfall scene of the capital city of Malaysia. The swanky rooftop hotels not only give you thumping beats to let your hair down for the night but also offer an amazing view of the skyline of the city. The nightclubs of Kuala Lumpur are full of hip hop tracks and international albums that are enough to shake anyone's legs.
Find the best of all night party options in some of the elite pubs of the city such as bulldog English Pub, Beach Café Club, Zouk Club and more. The city has a vibrant nightlife scene for its tourists. Take a cultural night tour with us and you can see the best of Kuala Lumpur, its events, its nightlife and the best of crowd in their very best.
The crowd of the Kuala Lumpur is not limited to only the local youth party goers. There are expats and international tourists as well. Alcohol is an inseparable part of such places and almost every popular national, international brand are easily available at the bars to attract the tourists. Almost throughout the year, international celebrities heat up the nightlife scene of the city and are loved by the people here. However, if you want to purchase alcohol in Kuala Lumpur, you must be at least 18 years of age and should have a valid ID to prove it.
Offering a pretty comprehensive shopping scene, Kuala Lumpur is home to the best of international brands and the best fake ones too. Whether you're looking for some high-end fashion in places such as Bukit Bintang and KLCC or for the budget shopping with the delight of haggling such as in Chinatown market; Kuala Lumpur offers you ample shopping opportunities.
The commercial hub of Kuala Lumpur is a world of shopping for everyone, even for the ones who think they can control the urge to shop. A must visit place for everyone, Kuala Lumpur is a shopper's paradise and the range here can literally make anyone weak on their knees. From modern aesthetics to cultural gems, the cities have everything to make you a shopaholic.
Some of the perfect places to shop till you drop are the 9 signature malls of Kuala Lumpur that can challenge the shopping aspirations of any traveler. Whether you want to do bargain shopping or designer purchases, Malaysian tourists are sure to return with bag full of stuff and beautiful memories. From the famous Chinatown Street in Kuala Lumpur to souvenirs, arts and handicrafts, from the Megamalls of modern city to its night markets; Malaysian shopping experience in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur is in every way a perfect way to enjoy the holidays.
Bukit Bintang is the most significant place with the highest concentration of malls in the city of Kuala Lumpur. Besides the uber upmarket retailers, the market area characterizes various happening night markets selling amazing arts and crafts, counterfeit goods and other souvenirs.
Petronas towers- world's tallest twin towers iconic to the existence of the city, it has 88 floors. Until 2004, they were also the highest building in the world.
Aquaria KLCC- with over 250 different species across 5000 aquatic and land animals, this oceanarium located beneath Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre is a must visit.
Bukit Bantang- the most famous shopping district of Kuala Lumpur, it is the city's most prominent retail belt with landmark shopping centers, recreational and entertainment areas along with amazing eateries.
Bird Park- with an average of 2 lac visitors annually, the Bird park is one of the well-known attractions of the city with over 3000 birds across more than 200 species in an enclosed coop. 90% are local birds from the same geography while 10% are imported from the across the world.
Batu Caves- The Batu cave temple is dedicated to lord Murugan, the Hindu deity, and is one of the most popular Hindu shrine outside India. It is also the center of Rock Climbing development.
Petalling Street- with dozens of restaurants and food stalls, Petalling street is one of the most famous tourist attractions of Kuala Lumpur.
Genting Highlands- An entire hill dedicated to world class resorts accessible both by road and cable car, a visit to the Genting Highlands. There's a planned indoor outdoor theme park, a casino, clubs, uber luxury resorts, and the First World Hotel- the largest hotel in the world.
Rayna tours offers you the best excursions to the city of Kuala Lumpur and beyond. We have exclusively designed the best packages for Kuala Lumpur and the best of Malaysian islands to provide you with a comprehensive trip of the country. We also offer tailor made packages on request. Enjoy the gleaming city of Kuala Lumpur in its full might only with Rayna tours. We have élite short and long duration tour packages that include the superb attractions of the city. Whether it is the city sightseeing tours or the cultural night trips, package tours of days or only one-day sightseeing; Rayna offers you the best of travel options for Kuala Lumpur.
Rayna tours takes you to the best of Kuala Lumpur across all pocket ranges. The tour itinerary saves both your time and our hard-earned money without compromising on your comfort, thanks to our exclusive customization. Whether it is a 24-hour layover or a week-long luxury vacation, whatever is your schedule, we promise to give you the best packages, tailored just for you.
Our Kuala Lumpur tours ensure that you get to the best of entire city and beyond. We make sure that with the help of the detailed tour you get to explore the place like a local. From the off beaten paths to the hidden gems, we take you across the length and breadth of Kuala Lumpur. Even if you're in Kuala Lumpur on a 24-hour layover, we promise to take you to see the best of the capital city even in that short duration. From your stay, your food choices, sightseeing preferences, and your comfort, we promise to take care of everything so that you enjoy a memorable time with your loved ones.
We now also offer exclusive tailor-made packages at the most affordable rates possible. Our team is forever working towards creating interesting and exciting packages for you. Still, if you have some special requirements, feel free to let us know and we will try and customize our packages as per your needs. What makes Rayna the best tour operators in Kuala Lumpur is the extraordinary professionalism and warm cordiality that we extend to our guests.


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Description of the W. A. Baum Co. Inc W. A. Baum Clinical Sphygmomanometer Wall Unit 33, w/ Wall Clip Adult, Blue
W. A. Baum Clinical Sphygmomanometer Wall Unit 33, w/ Wall Clip
Every Baumanometer instrument is a precisely calibrated true gravity manometer.
It is guaranteed to be and to remain scientifically accurate.
The entire apparatus is guaranteed against defects in workmanship and material for a period of one year from date of purchase.
We guarantee the free replacement of the calibrated cartridge tube if it is ever broken.
These guarantees are invalid when other than genuine Baumanometer parts are used.
This product contains mercury and can not be shipped to the following states: CA, CT, IL, LA, ME, MA, NH, NY, RI, VT, and WA.
Eligible for FREE or discounted ground shipping.
Medex SKU: WAB-0820


text: Harnessing the power of the Castanea (Chestnut) tree extract, from Greece's Arcadian forest, the Castanea Arcadia collection brings you a global first in beauty. Taken from the leaves of the chesnut tree, Lupeol is a powerful natural ingredient that contains incredible antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and skin-regenerative properties, but has never before been used as an active ingredient in cosmetics before. KORRES developed an innovative molecule known as HALupeol, which encases pure Lupeol in a hyaluronic acid shell. This new molecule creates a special system that allows the active to penetrate the skin, offerring targeted wrinkle repair. Over time, you'll see enhanced skin elasticity, resilience and youthfulness. Key Ingredients: HALupeol: Proprietary active molecule with powerful anti-oxidant, wrinkle repair & wrinkle prevention properties Castanea leaf extract: Powerful antioxidant & anti-inflammatory that supports natural tissue repair Natural Hexapeptide-11: Patented the first natural polypeptide to increase skin firmness & elasticity Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract: Reduces puffiness & dark circles, brightens, tightens & firms the delicate under eye area Oat extract: Instant lifting & smoothing Argan, Jojoba, Chamomile & Apricot Oil: Rich in skin nourishing essential fatty acids to increase hydration and soothe while improving skin's texture & elasticity


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Soft robotics is a growing field, especially for soft robots mimicking simple living organisms and the so-called Bio-bots1. These Bio-bots combine soft-materials (skeleton) with muscle cells, (muscle or motor) and…
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Greg County Black Foot Soldier Lil' Lemuel Walters says Greg and Harrison County Black Foot Soldier communities are relieved at the death of thirty eight year old Longview Police Regime Racial Terrorist Jamie Ellyn Goodan.
"The psychopathy that erupted in the so called home of these two devils this morning is the same kind of hidden psychosis we deal with from these treacherous psychopaths in each encounter.
"Jamie Ellyn Goodan was never a representative of the law. She was a representative of white people. Fuck her, her husband, racial terrorist J. B. McCaleb and city terrorist, so called "mayor" Jay Dean." (Link)


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Home > String Instruments > Viola > Dominant 4125.0 Viola String Set
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The Dominant 4125.0 viola string set features a nylon core and are the popular choice with players for their similar tone and response to gut strings. Dominant are the world's most popular orchestral string and provide excellent tuning stability and produces a beautiful full sound with rich overtones.
The Dominant 4125.0 viola string set main features include:
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I'm a freelance journalist living in London. Before leaving Canada, I worked at enRoute and a couple mags you whippersnappers may not know: Toro and Saturday Night. In 2009, I co-founded the online men's magazine DailyXY, which I've edited for the past couple years. I've just given my notice there, and will be freelancing full-time. (Incidentally, I'm looking for my replacement – and an assistant editor – at DailyXY. Click through for details.)
Lately, I've been writing for some American magazines, like Details and Nylon, as well as collaborating on projects with Urban Outfitters and Google. I'm currently on contract at Winkreative, Monocle magazine's sister creative agency. To learn more about me, you can visit my personal website, follow me on Twitter or watch this video of me eating poutine.
1. How can someone grab your attention with a pitch?
PR, like everything, is about relationships. If I receive a personal note from someone I know, of course I will read it and respond. (Eventually.) Might sound crazy, but I believe that the basic rules of human decency should apply to publicists and journalists, too.
There's a flip side: If I'm receiving a note from a publicist I don't know, I'm grateful if they take a moment to personalize it, and to introduce themselves. A note that is obviously copied and pasted is very easy to ignore.
The obvious attention-grabber – and I'm sure every journalist would say this – is demonstrate that you've read the publication. If a publicist pitches to a particular section, or mentions a recent story, I will always take a moment.
I want publicists to make my job easier, not harder. Give me ideas that work.
2. What do you find most useful when dealing with public relations professionals?
I love it when publicists are super-responsive and super-available. Prompt replies to emails and requests are great.
3. What is the biggest mistake PR professionals make?
There are common mistakes, and there are big mistakes. Common mistakes are sending me inappropriate pitches, or sending me too many pitches. But big mistakes: Being rude to me. Trying to exert pressure on me to cover a product, or run a particular story.
Another mistake that I see in the vast majority of PR shops is that they're not protective enough of their own brands. A PR agency's name should tell you something – before you even hear who the client is.
My pet peeve
Follow-up calls. Please don't call me. (I actually removed my phone number from my email signature for this reason. My sister, who's had my Toronto phone for four months, still gets occasional follow-up calls from publicists. So I guess I'm okay with it now.)
As a freelancer, I'm tough to pitch, especially because I don't have a clear beat, and I'm not contributing to any particular magazines regularly. Still, if an idea inspires me, I'll pitch it. So really, it's all quite simple. Just inspire me.


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Part 102-39-Replacement of Personal Property Pursuant to the Exchange/Sale Authority
Subpart A-General
§102-39.5-What is the exchange/sale authority?
The exchange/sale authority is a statutory provision, (40 U.S.C. 503), which states in part: "In acquiring personal property, an executive agency may exchange or sell similar items and may apply the exchange allowance or proceeds of sale in whole or in part payment for the property acquired."
§102-39.10-What does this part cover?
This part covers the exchange/sale authority, and applies to all personal property owned by executive agencies worldwide. For the exchange/sale of aircraft parts and hazardous materials, you must meet the requirements in this part and in parts Part 102-33 and 101-42 of this title.
§102-39.15-How are the terms "I" and "you" used in this part?
Use of pronouns "I" and "you" throughout this part refer to executive agencies.
§102-39.20-What definitions apply to this part?
The following definitions apply to this part:
"Acquire" means to procure or otherwise obtain personal property, including by lease (sometimes known as rent).
"Combat material" means arms, ammunition, and implements of war listed in the U.S. munitions list (22 CFR part 121).
"Excess property" means any personal property under the control of any Federal agency that is no longer required for that agency's needs or responsibilities, as determined by the agency head or designee.
"Exchange" means to replace personal property by trade or trade-in with the supplier of the replacement property.
"Exchange/sale" means to exchange or sell non-excess, non-surplus personal property and apply the exchange allowance or proceeds of sale in whole or in part payment for the acquisition of similar property.
"Executive agency" means any executive department or independent establishment in the executive branch of the Government, including any wholly owned Government corporation.
"Federal agency" means any executive agency or any establishment in the legislative or judicial branch of the Government (except the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Architect of the Capitol and any activities under his/her direction).
"Historic item" means property having added value for display purposes because its historical significance is greater than its fair market value for continued use. Items that are commonly available and remain in use for their intended purpose, such as military aircraft still in use by active or reserve units, are not historic items.
"Replacement" means the process of acquiring personal property to be used in place of personal property that is still needed but:
No longer adequately performs the tasks for which it is used; or
Does not meet the agency's need as well as the personal property to be acquired.
"Service Life Extension Program (SLEP)" means the modification of a personal property item undertaken to extend the life of the item beyond that which was previously planned. SLEPs extend capital asset life by retrofit, major modification, remanufacturing, betterment, or enhancement.
"Similar" means the acquired item(s) and replaced item(s):
Are identical; or
Fall within a single Federal Supply Classification (FSC) Group of property (includes any and all forms of property within a single FSC Group); or
Are parts or containers for similar end items; or
Are designed or constructed for the same purpose (includes any and all forms of property regardless of the FSC Group to which they are assigned).
"Surplus property" means excess personal property not required for the needs of any Federal agency, as determined by GSA under Part 102-37 of this chapter.
§102-39.25-Which exchange/sale provisions are subject to deviation?
All of the provisions in this part are subject to deviation (upon presentation of adequate justification) except those mandated by statute. See the link on "Exchange/Sale" at
§102-39.30-How do I request a deviation from this part?
See Part 102-2 of this chapter (41 CFR Part 102-2) to request a deviation from the requirements of this part.
Subpart B-Exchange/Sale Considerations
§102-39.35-When should I consider using the exchange/sale authority?
You should consider using the exchange/sale authority when replacing personal property.
§102-39.40-Why should I consider using the exchange/sale authority?
You should consider using the exchange/sale authority to reduce the cost of replacement personal property. When you have personal property that is wearing out or obsolete and must be replaced, you should consider either exchanging or selling that property and using the exchange allowance or sales proceeds to offset the cost of the replacement personal property. Conversely, if you choose not to replace the property using the exchange/sale authority, you may declare it as excess and dispose of it through the normal disposal process as addressed in Part 102-36 of this chapter. Keep in mind, however, that any net proceeds from the eventual sale of that property as surplus generally must be forwarded to the miscellaneous receipts account at the United States Treasury and thus would not be available to you. You may use the exchange/sale authority in the acquisition of personal property even if the acquisition is under a services contract, as long as the property acquired under the services contract is similar to the property exchanged or sold (e.g., for a SLEP, exchange allowances or sales proceeds would be available for replacement of similar items, but not for services).
§102-39.45-When should I not use the exchange/sale authority?
You should not use the exchange/sale authority if the exchange allowance or estimated sales proceeds for the property will be unreasonably low. You must either abandon or destroy such property, or declare the property excess, in accordance with Part 102-36 of this chapter. Further, you must not use the exchange/sale authority if the transaction(s) would violate any other applicable statute or regulation.
§102-39.50-How do I determine whether to do an exchange or a sale?
You must determine whether an exchange or sale will provide the greater return for the Government. When estimating the return under each method, consider all related administrative and overhead costs.
§102-39.55-When should I offer property I am exchanging or selling under the exchange/sale authority to other Federal agencies or State Agencies for Surplus Property (SASP)?
If you have property to replace which is eligible for exchange/sale, you should first, to the maximum extent practicable, solicit:
Federal agencies known to use or distribute such property. If a Federal agency is interested in acquiring and paying for the property, you should arrange for a reimbursable transfer. Reimbursable transfers may also be conducted with the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Architect of the Capitol and any activities under the Architect's direction, the District of Columbia, and mixed-ownership Government corporations. When conducting a reimbursable transfer, you must:
Do so under terms mutually agreeable to you and the recipient.
Not require reimbursement of an amount greater than the estimated fair market value of the transferred property.
Apply the transfer proceeds in whole or part payment for property acquired to replace the transferred property; and
State Agencies for Surplus Property (SASPs) known to have an interest in acquiring such property. If a SASP is interested in acquiring the property, you should consider selling it to the SASP by negotiated sale at fixed price under the conditions specified at §102-38.125 of this title. The sales proceeds must be applied in whole or part payment for property acquired to replace the transferred property.
§102-39.60-What restrictions and prohibitions apply to the exchange/sale of personal property?
Unless a deviation is requested of and approved by GSA as addressed in Part 102-2 of this chapter and the provisions of §§102-39.25 and 102-39.30, you must not use the exchange/sale authority for:
The following FSC groups of personal property:
10 Weapons.
11 Nuclear ordnance.
42 Firefighting, rescue, and safety equipment.
44 Nuclear reactors (FSC Class 4470 only).
51 Hand tools.
54 Prefabricated structure and scaffolding (FSC Class 5410 Prefabricated and Portable Buildings, FSC Class 5411 Rigid Wall Shelters, and FSC Class 5419 Collective Modular Support System only).
68 Chemicals and chemical products, except medicinal chemicals.
84 Clothing, individual equipment, and insignia.
Note to §102-39.60(a): Under no circumstances will deviations be granted for FSC Class 1005, Guns through 30mm. Deviations are not required for Department of Defense (DoD) property in FSC Groups 10 (for classes other than FSC Class 1005), 12 and 14 for which the applicable DoD demilitarization requirements, and any other applicable regulations and statutes are met.
Materials in the National Defense Stockpile (50 U.S.C. 98-98h) or the Defense Production Act inventory (50 U.S.C. App. 2093).
Nuclear Regulatory Commission-controlled materials unless you meet the requirements of §101-42.1102-4 of this title.
Controlled substances, unless you meet the requirements of §101-42.1102-3 of this title.
Property with a condition code of scrap, as defined at FMR §102-36.40, except:
Property that had utility and value at the point in time when a determination was made to use the exchange/sale authority;
Property that was otherwise eligible for exchange/sale, but was coded as scrap due to damage (e.g., accident or natural disaster); or
Scrap gold for fine gold.
Property that was originally acquired as excess or forfeited property or from another source other than new procurement, unless such property has been in official use by the acquiring agency for at least 1 year. You may exchange or sell forfeited property in official use for less than 1 year if the head of your agency determines that a continuing valid requirement exists, but the specific item in use no longer meets that requirement, and that exchange or sale meets all other requirements of this part.
Property that is dangerous to public health or safety without first rendering such property innocuous or providing for adequate safeguards as part of the exchange/sale.
Combat material without demilitarizing it or obtaining a demilitarization waiver or other necessary clearances from the Department of Defense Demilitarization Office.
Flight Safety Critical Aircraft Parts (FSCAP) and Critical Safety Items (CSI) unless you meet the provisions of §102-33.370 of this title.
Acquisition of unauthorized replacement property.
Acquisition of replacement property that violates any:
Restriction on procurement of a commodity or commodities;
Replacement policy or standard prescribed by the President, the Congress, or the Administrator of General Services; or
Contractual obligation.
Vessels subject to 40 U.S.C. 548.
Aircraft and aircraft parts, unless there is full compliance with all exchange/sale provisions in Part 102-33 of this chapter (41 CFR Part 102-33).
§102-39.65-What conditions apply to the exchange/sale of personal property?
You may use the exchange/sale authority only if you meet all of the following conditions:
The property exchanged or sold is similar to the property acquired;
The property exchanged or sold is not excess or surplus and you have a continuing need for similar property;
The property exchanged or sold was not acquired for the principal purpose of exchange or sale;
When replacing personal property, the exchange allowance or sales proceeds from the disposition of that property may only be used to offset the cost of the replacement property, not services; and
Except for transactions involving books and periodicals in your libraries, you document the basic facts associated with each exchange/sale transaction. At a minimum, the documentation must include:
The FSC Group of the items exchanged or sold, and the items acquired;
The number of items exchanged or sold, and the number of items acquired;
The acquisition cost and exchange allowance or net sales proceeds of the items exchanged or sold, and the acquisition cost of the items acquired;
The date of the transaction(s);
The parties involved; and
A statement that the transactions comply with the requirements of this part 102-39 .
Note to §102-39.65: In acquiring items for historical preservation or display at Federal museums, you may exchange historic items in the museum property account without regard to the FSC group, provided the exchange transaction is documented and certified by the head of your agency to be in the best interests of the Government and all other provisions of this part are met. The documentation must contain a determination that the item exchanged and the item acquired are historic items.
Subpart C-Exchange/Sale Methods and Reports
§102-39.70-What are the exchange methods?
Exchange of property may be accomplished by either of the following methods:
The supplier (e.g., a Government agency, commercial or private organization, or an individual) delivers the replacement property to one of your organizational units and removes the property being replaced from that same organizational unit.
The supplier delivers the replacement property to one of your organizational units and removes the property being replaced from a different organizational unit.
§102-39.75-What are the sales methods?
You must use the methods, terms, and conditions of sale, and the forms prescribed in Part 102-38 of this title, in the sale of property being replaced, except for the provisions of §§102-38.100 through 102-38.115 of this title regarding negotiated sales. Section 3709, Revised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5), specifies the following conditions under which property being replaced can be sold by negotiation, subject to obtaining such competition as is feasible:
The reasonable value involved in the contract does not exceed $500; or
Otherwise authorized by law.
You may sell property being replaced by negotiation at fixed prices in accordance with the provisions of §§102-38.120 and 102-38.125 of this title.
§102-39.80-What are the accounting requirements for exchange allowances or proceeds of sale?
You must account for exchange allowances or proceeds of sale in accordance with the general finance and accounting rules applicable to you. Except as otherwise authorized by law, all exchange allowances or proceeds of sale under this part will be available during the fiscal year in which the property was exchanged or sold and for one fiscal year thereafter for the purchase of replacement property. Any proceeds of sale not applied to replacement purchases during this time must be deposited in the United States Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.
§102-39.85-What information am I required to report?
You must submit, within 90 calendar days after the close of each fiscal year, a summary report in a format of your choice on the exchange/sale transactions made under this part during the fiscal year (except for transactions involving books and periodicals in your libraries). The report must include:
A list by Federal Supply Classification Group of property sold under this part showing the:
Number of items sold;
Acquisition cost; and
Net proceeds.
A list by Federal Supply Classification Group of property exchanged under this part showing the:
Number of items exchanged;
Acquisition cost; and
Exchange allowance.
Submit your report electronically or by mail to the General Services Administration, Office of Travel, Transportation and Asset Management (MT), 1800 F Street, NW., Washington, DC 20405.
Report control number: 1528-GSA-AN.
If you make no transactions under this part during a fiscal year, you must submit a report stating that no transactions occurred.


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I notice this again and again, and often are growling at the crap driving before I even see what car it is, so it's not some kind of prejudice.
My theory is that the car simply attracts holier-than-thou types who think they have even more an entitlement because they have a green car. It's certainly not due to actual concern for the environment that the Prius has become a bestselling car in Japan, that's for sure. It actually seems to be more some kind of showing off, though I can't quite work out how or why.


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Biology of Ticks Volume 2
Daniel E. Sonenshine, R. Michael Roe
OUP USA, 2013 - Science - 491 pages
Biology of Ticks is the most comprehensive work on tick biology and tick-borne diseases. This second edition is a multi-authored work, featuring the research and analyses of renowned experts across the globe. Spanning two volumes, the book examines the systematics, biology, structure, ecological adaptations, evolution, genomics and the molecular processes that underpin the growth, development and survival of these important disease-transmitting parasites. Also discussed is the remarkable array of diseases transmitted (or caused) by ticks, as well as modern methods for their control. This book should serve as a modern reference for students, scientists, physicians, veterinarians and other specialists. Volume I covers the biology of the tick and features chapters on tick systematics, tick life cycles, external and internal anatomy, and others dedicated to specific organ systems, specifically, the tick integument, mouthparts and digestive system, salivary glands, waste removal, salivary glands, respiratory system, circulatory system and hemolymph, fat body, the nervous and sensory systems and reproductive systems. Volume II includes chapters on the ecology of non-nidicolous and nidicolous ticks, genetics and genomics (including the genome of the Lyme disease vector Ixodes scapularis) and immunity, including host immune responses to tick feeding and tick-host interactions, as well as the tick's innate immune system that prevents and/or controls microbial infections. Six chapters cover in depth the many diseases caused by the major tick-borne pathogens, including tick-borne protozoa, viruses, rickettsiae of all types, other types of bacteria (e.g., the Lyme disease agent) and diseases related to tick paralytic agents and toxins. The remaining chapters are devoted to tick control using vaccines, acaricides, repellents, biocontrol, and, finally, techniques for breeding ticks in order to develop tick colonies for scientific study.
From inside the book
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Selected pages
1 Ecology of Nonnidicolous Ticks
2 Ecology of Nidicolous Ticks
3 Tick Genetics Genomics and Transformation
4 TickHost Interactions
Innate Immune Responses
6 Tickborne Protozoa
7 Tickborne Viruses
8 Tickborne Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses and Rickettsia Species
10 Nonrickettsial Tickborne Bacteria and the Diseases They Cause
11 Tickinduced Paralysis and Toxicoses
12 Development of Vaccines for Control of Tick Infestations and Interruption of Pathogen Transmission
13 Acaricide Research and Development Resistance and Resistance Monitoring
14 Tick Repellent Research Methods and Development
Trapping Biocontrol Host Management and Other Alternative Strategies
16 Tick Rearing and in Vitro Feeding
9 Tickborne Rickettsioses II Anaplasmataceae
Common terms and phrases
Acari acaricide Acarol activity adult Africa Amblyomma americanum Anaplasma Anaplasma marginale Anaplasma phagocytophilum andersoni animals antigens appendiculatus Appl argasid Argasidae arthropod Babesia babesiosis bioassay Biochem Biol blood meal Boophilus microplus Borrelia burgdorferi cattle tick cells Clin clinical cycle Dermacentor variabilis diapause effects Ehrlichia Entomol factors Francischetti Fuente gene genetic genome hard ticks human Hyalomma identified immune response infection interactions Ixodes ricinus Ixodes scapularis ixodid ticks Ixodidae Kocan laboratory Labuda larvae lipocalin Lyme disease marginale mice Microbiol midgut molecular moubata nidicolous Nuttall nymphs Ornithodoros paralysis parasite Parasitol permethrin phagocytophilum proteins pyrethroid Rabbits Randolph Raoult repellent resistance Rhipicephalus Boophilus Ribeiro saliva salivary gland sanguineus sequence SFG Rickettsia soft tick Sonenshine spirochetes spotted fever strains studies Theileria tick control tick feeding tick Ixodes tick populations tick salivary gland tick species tick vector tick-borne diseases tick-borne encephalitis virus tick-borne pathogens tick-borne viruses transmission transmitted tularemia vaccines vertebrate host Wikel


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One of the reasons that I find the Count of Monte Cristo fascinating is its context. Villefort, the corrupt lawyer at the centre of the book, expresses an analysis of the French Revolution which is precise and fascinating in the light of today. He compares Robespierre and Napoleon thus:
Pause there and consider what Villefort says because what he does is express a classical doctrine which has some interest. The French lawyer discusses the roles of Napoleon Bonaparte and Robespierre: he suggests to us that both were advocates of equality. Robespierre took down a King to the level of a criminal and had Louis executed by the Guillotine. That is easy enough to understand. His words about Napoleon though are more confusing, how did Napoleon elevate the people to a level with the throne. Unbundle those words and they become the signature of plebiscitory dictatorship: the reason Bonaparte did that is that his acclamation as Emperor depended upon them. They were elevated to a throne because they created his new title.
The only difference consists in the opposite character of the equality advocated by these two men: one is the equality that elevates, the other is the equality that degrades; one brings a King in reach of the guillotine, the other elevates the people to a level with the throne. Observe... I do not mean to deny that both men were revolutionary scoundrels, and that the 9th Thermidor and 4th of April in the year 1814 were lucky days for France.
This perception on the part of Villefort of the two alternatives- Democracy and Tyranny- comes from a third perspective. Villefort is speaking here as a royalist, to other royalists. Implicit in his remarks therefore is that he likes neither alternative: both are signatures of equality and he seeks to reduce Napoleonic monarchy to Robespierran democracy. Equality though in Villefort's eyes is here opposite: I think what he means here is that Robespierre's equality is a means to execution, whereas Bonaparte's is a means to dictatorship. I think its fascinating to watch Villefort upon this dilemma both because of the interest of what he says and because it exposes how vulnerable he and we are to words. His stress on the difference between the two forms of government is lost in his stress on the same word- equality- that he uses to describe them. It reveals his argument is too clever: interestingly none of his interlocutors understand what he means. Perhaps that shows their stupidity, perhaps it demonstrates that Villefort's cleverness is really sophistry.


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By Rick Eymer
Palo Alto Online Sports
Baseball just won't be the same in the Peninsula Athletic League next season. In fact, it's likely to get a whole lot better thanks to the pending merger of the West Bay Athletic League and the PAL in baseball only.
In anticipation of the new league order, the Central Coast Section baseball committee voted to extend 'A' status to the PAL Bay Division for next year. The CCS Board of Managers likely will make it official in January.
With the addition of Menlo School and Sacred Heart Prep, the Bay Division could become a sort of super league. The Knights and Gators tied for the WBAL title this season, and both teams advanced to the quarterfinal of the CCS Division III playoffs, with Menlo reaching the title game.
"Scheduling will be a lot easier," Menlo coach Craig Schoof said. "More teams will want to play Bay teams now that we are an 'A' league."
Both the PAL Bay Division and WBAL were 'B' leagues this spring.
Five PAL Bay Division teams qualified for the CCS tournament, with Half Moon Bay and Terra Nova joining the ranks of Division III, while Burlingame played in Division II and both Carlmont and Menlo-Atherton participated in Division I playoffs.
The Ocean Division co-champions, Mills and Sequoia, both advanced to the CCS playoffs.
Menlo will even have a PAL title to defend next season. The Knights went undefeated (12-0) in frosh-soph play in the Ocean Division. Sacred Heart Prep's frosh-soph played an independent schedule.
"There was a lack of frosh-soph teams in the WBAL, so this opportunity makes their scheduling easier and creates a more competitive situation for them as well," Sacred Heart Prep coach Gregg Franceschi said. "I've looked to schedule the best teams in the area to play and that routinely includes teams from both divisions, this year was the top six in the Bay and three of the top four in the Ocean."
Menlo-Atherton suddenly will have an interesting set of geographical rivalries. The Bears and Carlmont have a rivalry that dates to the old South Peninsula Athletic League days.
With Menlo and Sacred Heart Prep just a few miles away, there's more a likelihood of students at all three schools growing up together and playing for or against each other.
"I don't see any real effects on having three teams so close together, although it will cut down on travel time and missed classes for all of us," Schoof said. "Competition is always good and the competition in this league will be intense."
Franceschi had a similar reaction.
"We've got a great rivalry with Menlo already," he said. "And most of our kids grow up playing with or against the kids from M-A, so there is a rivalry there that will continue to grow."
The new seven-team PAL Division will include Burlingame, Carlmont, Half Moon Bay, Menlo-Atherton, Menlo School, Terra Nova and Sacred Heart Prep. There will be 12 league games in round-robin order. League play begins March 13, 2014.
The new eight-team Ocean Division will have Aragon, Capuchino, El Camino, Hillsdale, Mills, Sequoia, King's Academy and Woodside. The 14-game 'B' league season begins March 18, 2014.
The new seven-team Lake Division will feature Crystal Springs, Harker, Jefferson, Pinewood, San Mateo, South San Francisco, Westmoor and will play 12 games in a round-robin format that starts March 11, 2014. The Lake will be a 'C' league for CCS purposes.
There will be two frosh-soph leagues, Bay and Ocean.
PAL commissioner Terry Stogner also has created space in the final week of the season for a 12-team PAL Tournament.
"The merger will allow for three very competitive divisions," Franceschi said. "We are very excited about the opportunity to play baseball in the PAL."
Schoof echoed those sentiments.
"This obviously makes the PAL Bay one of the top leagues in the CCS," he said. "It will be a lot of fun going out and competing against top teams every game, especially since this was not always the case in the WBAL."


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January 27, 2006 Wall Street Journal article by Steve Mollman
Also, research Tips based upon own experience for researching your family in Japan, as well as an interesting article on the origin of Japanese family names.
Nakamura (中村)family in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Fukutaro Nakamura was Born 6-6-1890 and emigrated to Brazil in 1919 aboard the ship Sanuki-maru, departing from Nagasaki, Japan on March 27, 1919, arriving to Santos on May 20th, 1919. Fukutaro traveled with the Nishimiya (西宮)family, neighbors from his home village Sekido. Fukutaro's last known address in 1933 was: Rua Nossa Senhora da Lapa 435, Sao Paulo, Brazil
There are probably over a thousand locations that can make claims to a Heishi (aka Heiki or Taira Clan) Ochiudo "fallen" connection after their demise when protecting the boy emperor at Dan no Ura in 1185.
It appears that the Tanaka (田中)and Nakamura (中村)family ancestors were in hiding in their tiny Yamaguchi mountain village (not even found on Google maps) for maybe as long as 800 years. From the hundreds of weather worn headstones in the village Ohaka, it comes as no surprise.
To support any theory of a Heike connection, even if only circumstantially, local oral legend dictates that the Tanaka and Nakamura ancestral village and a nearby village (just a 15-min. walk along a mountain path) once had two boats (Nisou Bune) from the Heike period on the mountain top that they brought with them, as well as a Heike (Jyofuku-ji) temple, a reputation for making bows and arrows, a local Kyoto Ben accent (according to local Bhuddist head) used through the mid-1900s and a host of other stories that imply a link. After all, why would farmers in the mountains of Yamaguchi Ken need or have the skill to make bows and arrows?
One particularly interesting story says that the neighboring village once had over 200 villagers prior to the arrival of the fleeing Heike Samurai in 1185 A.D., but there was some sort of conflict over the Samurai bringing their own Buddhist temple (Jyofuku-ji) temple, which differed from temple of the indigenous farmers and that this resulted in conflict.
One theory is that the Samurai did not want to risk being turned over to the Genji (Minamoto) by the local farmers and fled to the neighboring ancestral village Maruda (a 15-min. walk away).
There is somewhat of a sense of urgency in researching this village because only one elderly resident is left with any sense of the local history. Furthermore, there is construction starting to take place in the area, rendering any archaeological prospects negligible.
During the Edo era, a local Daimyo (warlord) designated an area village to produce Washi. There were many Kozo (mulberry trees) that grew in that area and this was the source of their ability to produce unique and exceptional quality Japanese paper. Even today, there are some scattered Kozo trees. Apparently, the Daimyo set a policy that nobody from the village (who knew how to make such high quality Washi) could move out of the village, and if someone else outside of the village wanted to marry someone in the village, that person had to move into the village and stay in order to protect their paper-making secret. Some of those papermaking tools are still stored in one of the old Kura (storage building, on the second floor). When asked to see the tools, the Yoshikazu and another woman were a little hesitant to show them because the owner of the storage warehouse was not there.
Sign indicating the way to Maruda (丸田)


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The year 2012 is starting to have an eerily similar feeling to 2011 for those watching the progress of Houston Dynamo striker Will Bruin.
Things fell into place quickly as Bruin flourished playing off of Brian Ching to the tune of nine goals in the first 15 matches of this year's campaign. Since then, Bruin has managed just one goal in the last 10. It's a drought that draws comparisons to a rookie season that saw him endure a near five-month goal drought.
While there may be some remnants of last season's struggles, the striker and his coach are far from pushing the panic button.
"Inside he's probably getting frustrated but he's playing well and he's one of the reasons we're doing well," head coach Dominic Kinnear told MLSsoccer.com. "If he wasn't getting chances or having a tough time there would be cause for concern. He's getting his chances, those goals were going in before and now they're not but he's still getting chances."
According to Kinnear there are a few contributing factors for Bruin's recent troubles. First, is the transition to a new system: a 4-3-3 formation. The new system, which Bruin admits he is still learning, has meant more running and defensive responsibilities with fewer chances, as he takes on a true No. 9 role of helping open up the attack.
WATCH: Bruin taps in off feed from Camargo
There is also the fact that Bruin has everyone's attention.
"He's not a secret anymore," the Dynamo boss said. "A lot of teams are crowding him out and we've changed our system a bit. It makes it a little more difficult for him but his movement is still good."
Still, Bruin knows things are not the same as they were earlier in the season. He understands that the ball does not seem to be bouncing his way or getting off his foot very well at the moment. Both he and Kinnear pointed to a missed opportunity when he made an excellent play to turn Chad Marshall in the first half Sunday only to mishit the ensuing shot.
It is the type of chance that Bruin was depositing in the back of the net two months ago.
"It's frustrating but you've got to stay positive," the sophomore striker said. "Last year, I let it get to me too much, but this year I'm just trying to have a short memory."
While things may not be going his way now, Bruin is confident that things will start to turn back around in the near future. The forward pointed to using his energy wisely when working off the ball, something he's discussed with Ching, and putting the ball on frame as points of emphasis to hone in on.
"Every forward goes through [a slump]," Bruin said. "Eventually it will come. I don't think I'm done for the year."
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.