text:
Ke$ha entered rehab on Friday to receive treatment for an eating disorder, TMZ.com reports.
"I'm a crusader for being yourself and loving yourself but I've found it hard to practice," the singer, 26, said in a statement. "I'll be unavailable for the next 30 days, seeking treatment for my eating disorder ... to learn to love myself again. Exactly as I am."
Best known for songs such as "Tik Tok" and "Die Young," Ke$ha is reportedly at Timberline Knolls rehab center near Chicago, the same place where Demi Lovato received treatment.
Ke$ha most recently collaborated on the chart-topper "Timber" with Pitbull.


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Nineties boy band groupies rejoice! The three hottest boy bands of the 1990's will be hitting the road together.
"New Kids On The Block," "98 Degrees" and "Boyz II Men" announced Tuesday on "The View" that they will be going on tour.
Joey, Jordan, Donnie, Jonathan, and Danny from "NKOTB" kicked things off by announcing they would be releasing a new album with their first single to debut next week.
But the surprises didn't end there. The group then revealed the other popular groups would be joining them on stage.
"These guys are classic, man, to have two great groups from the 90's go on tour with us, it's almost kind of like three generations - us first, then 'Boyz II Men', then '98 Degrees,'" said Jordan Knight.
Nick Lachey from "98 Degrees," who haven't toured in more than a decade, said the fans helped make his group decide to jump on board.
"The fun of performing together and being on stage together again and the fans wanting to see it happen," said Lachey.
"This is something that we wanted for a long time, we've been friends with both groups for a long time and we've been talking about putting something like this together," said Shawn Stockman of "Boyz II Men."
The groups will be hitting the road May 31. They'll perform at the BB&T Center in Sunrise on June 22.

subset: commoncrawl


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Illinois hosts Minnesota in the Big Ten opener Tuesday.
It only gets more difficult from here.
With Illinois basketball playing two Big Ten Conference games between Christmas and New Year's Day, the Illini head into a rugged conference season with the league ranked No. 1 in the RPI.
"Our goal was 12 (wins) in the non-conference,'' Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "Now, you start over right into the Big Ten.''
Before Illinois hosts Minnesota in the Big Ten opener Tuesday, let's take a look at some of the hot topics:
-- Illinois playing small ball.
With sophomore wing Joe Bertrand scoring a career-high 19 points, including 17 in the second half, while hitting all nine shots in the 78-74 loss to Missouri last week, the Illini may have more versatility in lineups. If junior forward Tyler Griffey or freshman forward Mike Shaw are unproductive, the Illini may go with a small ball lineup with Bertrand, Weber said.
"I think we can at times,'' Weber said. "If Tyler is not getting as much done or Mike Shaw, now maybe you go with Joe at the four and put people in a bind. We'll play it by ear.
"If Joe continues to play well and shoot the ball well, we can mix it up and give teams a little bit different look.''
-- Do the Illini have the grit to win close games?
With the Big Ten standings expected to be log-jammed in the middle of the pack, Illinois will face a string of close games. After several tight wins against mid-majors, Illinois failed down the stretch vs. Missouri.
"That was one of our goals with Missouri,'' Weber said. "They hadn't been in any close games. You have to have discipline at the end of games to finish up and make the plays. Up until that point, I felt pretty good about it.
"There's a lot of balance and a lot to close games. You have to find a way to make plays.''
-- Illinois guard Sam Maniscalco's left ankle.
The Illini played three games in five days, a stretch that pushed Maniscalco and his sore ankle to the limit in St. Louis against Mizzou. While Maniscalco hasn't shot it well, Weber said, the experienced point guard is the Illini's floor general.
Following a brief Christmas break, the Illini face five games in 15 days until an eight-day break. Maniscalco looked like he needed a rest vs. Missouri, when he showed some wear and tear.
"He knows he has to have mental toughness, grind it out and play with pain,'' Weber said. "It was good to get him a couple days rest. He's got to be the facilitator, got to be our leader. He can be that guy to get us into things and help with winning baskets.''
-- The strength of the Big Ten.
Ohio State entered the season as the overwhelming favorite in the league race, but the Buckeyes will get a push from a surprisingly deep conference ranked atop the conference RPI. That's a good news/bad news deal. While each win is tougher to get with a loaded league, they mean more on Selection Sunday.
Ohio State kept winning despite losing seniors David Lighty, Jon Diebler and Dallas Lauderdale from last year's team, but the Buckeyes aren't seen as unbeatable.
"They had such dominance last year,'' Weber said. "I don't think they'll be dominant but will be the class of the league.''
The Big Ten "has been a little bit of a surprise,'' he said. "We had unknowns. A lot of other people had unknowns. The unknowns seem to have been answered. You have great depth. There will be a log jam in the middle of the pack.''
John Supinie can be reached at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @JohnSupinie.
Illinois (11-2) vs. Minnesota (12-1) 6:30 p.m., Assembly Hall, Champaign (BTN, Illini Sports Network) ILLINOIS (11-2) ppg rpg F Tyler Griffey 6-8 Jr. 7.0 4.8 C Meyers Leonard 7-1 So. 13.4 8.2 G Brandon Paul 6-4 Jr. 11.3 4.4 G D.J. Richardson 6-3 Jr. 14.3 2.8 G Sam Maniscalco 6-0 Sr. 10.6 2.3 MINNESOTA (12-1) ppg rpg F Ralph Sampson III 6-11 Sr. 8.8 4.2 F Rodney Williams 6-7 Jr. 9.8 4.8 G Austin Hollins 6-4 So. 8.7 2.0 G Maverick Ahanmisi 6-2 So. 4.7 2.0 G Julian Welch 6-3 Jr. 9.9 1.8 Noteworthy: The Illini fell out of the AP and USA Today-ESPN polls. . . Illinois leads the series 69-17 vs. Minnesota all-time in games played in Champaign, where the Illini have won 27 of the last 29 against the Gophers. . . Illinois sophomore center Meyers Leonard earned Big Ten player of the week after averaging 16.5 points, 14.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 blocks while shooting 62.5 percent from the field against Cornell and Missouri last week. . . Minnesota forward Trevor Mbakwe suffered a season-ending knee injury in November in a loss to Dayton in the Old Spice Classic title game. He was a preseason all-Big Ten pick. . . Key for Illini: Find more ways to get the ball to Leonard, who must stay closer to the paint. Key for Gophers: Make them find a way to defend the athletic Williams. Key quote: "They miss Mbakwe, who would have been one of the best players in the country. '' -- Illinois coach Bruce Weber. Prediction: Illinois 70, Minnesota 63is there hasn't been much bad news on the hard wood.


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Ode to the Mustachioed
It's only Wednesday and already it has been a long week. After getting up at 5 a.m. the last two days to watch the Tokyo series, dealing with the stress of work and setting Allen in his place after his slanderous Filibuster, I finally found myself with some downtime. So I turned on my television this evening only to find that it had decided to stop working. To my utter dismay, this happened right in the middle of (daresay!) American Idol. In response, I did what any constrained adult male would do — I hit it as hard as I could, over and over and over again.
It didn't work.
So it is with ice on my swollen fists and sunglasses over my bulging bloodshot eyes that my mind meanders down that strange path somewhere between dementia, destruction and delusion, which aren't all that different really. Just ask Dubya.
Jack Morris. That's who we've been discussing the last few days. And after lobbying for him (and discrediting Allen as a Tiger fan) it appears that the more pressing matter regarding the HOF snub is actually his trademark mustache:
"…Jack Morris should get in, if for nothing else, for the unwavering sporting of the 80's p0rn mustache…over his career. That could quite possibly be a better statistic for consistency than his winning seasons."
Posted by: Tim D. |
March 26, 2008 10:42 AM on The Filibuster
Indeed, Tim. That's what I've been trying to say all along. You just said it better. Let's take a look at some other famously mustachioed Hall of Famers…
Dennis Eckersley. Like Morris, Eckersley sported this slick-styled "p0rno mustache" during his entire career. I'm not sure if the 'stache ever led to having to talk to women while naked, but something must've been working because that slider was wicked! (except that one hanger to Gibson) At his 2004 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, he was still wearing this trademark blue-collar everyday-joe 'stache that women seemed to have loved in the 70s and 80s. I tried it once. Didn't get very far with it. Maybe if I had a slider…
Goose Gossage. Another mustachioed reliever of the game who still carries on the signature 'stache years, decades past his playing career. Seems to work pretty well because Goose is still scary as ****. In childhood, I refused to collect Goose's baseball cards because I was convinced he was the devil incarnate, evil, the boogeyman… that he would sneak in my room and knock me down with high heat.
Rollie Fingers. Fingers is proof that there is always room in the starting rotation for a Civil War general. An integral part of the Charlie Finley dynasty, Rollie was paid a bonus for growing a wildly interesting mustache. Who knew he would keep it for the rest of his life — the mustache and the bonus… or that he wouldn't ever pay taxes on said bonus… or ever pay taxes at all?
Perhaps it is true that the man can't make the mustache but the mustache can definitely make the man… that is, if anyone were to ever say that. In the meantime…
Don't hate me 'cuz I'm right.


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Common Science Standards Slow to Catch On in States
Preoccupation with implementing the common core is an oft-cited obstacle
All 26 states that teamed up to help develop the Next Generation Science Standards committed to seriously consider adopting them. But nine months after the K-12 standards were finalized, only eight of those "lead state partners" have formally signed on, including California, Kentucky, and Maryland. (The District of Columbia also has adopted them.)
The national pace of adoption contrasts with that for the Common Core State Standards, which were approved in rapid succession by most states in the months after they were finalized. Proponents of the new science standards, however, emphasize that the speed of adoption across the country is on par with what they'd expected.
Some states say they're tied up with implementation of the common-core standards for mathematics and English/language arts, and are hesitant to effect more instructional change anytime soon.
In Minnesota a legislative restriction has waylaid adoption for several more years.
How widespread the standards become remains to be seen. The hope of organizers from the outset was that most states would ultimately embrace the new science standards, which emphasize science concepts and processes and ask students to apply their knowledge through scientific experiments, investigations, and engineering design.
"I think it will take a couple of years—I always thought it would take two to three years—but I'm very optimistic the majority of states will adopt," said David L. Evans, the executive director of the National Science Teachers Association, which was a partner in developing the standards.
Just last week the state board of education in Illinois voted to approve the standards, though a legislative review is required before adoption is official.
However, some non-lead states are sending signals that adoption is unlikely. For example, in South Carolina, the legislature took formal steps last summer to block adoption outright.
'Sucking Up' the Oxygen
One reason that formal action on the science standards is happening more slowly than with the common core is the lack of federal incentives, said Stephen L. Pruitt, a senior vice president at Achieve, a Washington-based research and advocacy group that oversaw the science standards' development. The federal Race to the Top program favored states that had adopted the common core or other college- and career-ready standards. There are no similar financial incentives in place for the science standards.
"We knew going into this that it would be a much slower adoption than the common core," Mr. Pruitt said. "States have their hands full.We applaud states for taking their time and doing their due diligence."
Between writing curricula, providing professional development, and preparing for the impending assessments, states—and especially teachers—do have a lot on their plates.
Brian J. Reiser, a professor of learning sciences at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., said, "I'm hearing from a lot of states, 'We want to make sure we have the common core solid under our belts and that our teachers are more comfortable and further along and then we'll jump into science.' "
Paul Cottle, a physics professor at Florida State University in Tallahassee, put it more bluntly in an email: "Common core seems to be sucking up all of the educational oxygen."
Even those states that have adopted are moving slowly with implementation.
Matt D. Krehbiel, a science education consultant for the education department in Kansas, where the standards were approved in June, said the transition to the new standards will take three to four years, and even then will be an ongoing process.
"We're really encouraging districts to take their time," he said. Among other states that have adopted, he added, "If there's a general theme, it's that folks are really encouraging a slow approach."
Though not a lead state, Florida submitted comments on early drafts of the standards and was expected to seriously consider adoption. However, Cheryl Etters, a spokeswoman for the state education department, said in an email that "due to the review of the current English/language arts and mathematics standards, the review process for the science standards has been delayed."
The state has also undergone a leadership change: Tony Bennett resigned as education commissioner last summer after a school-grading controversy from his tenure in Indiana came to light. In addition, the state board of education's vice chairman, John Padget, said at a board meeting in June that he wants to strengthen Florida's standards, but would not recommend replacing them with the Next Generation Science Standards.
In Pennsylvania, another non-lead state, a spokesman for the state department of education said there were no plans to adopt the standards.
Kathy Hrabluk, an associate superintendent in the Arizona Department of Education, said schools and districts are "now very focused in Arizona on implementation of the college- and career-ready standards. ... We're very conscious about making sure we don't completely overwhelm educators."
For some states, specific legislative or regulatory processes are holding up action on the new standards.
In Tennessee, which was a lead state, the science standards are not up for revision for another year. North Carolina's current science standards have only been in place for one year, said Beverly Vance, the section chief for science and curriculum instruction at the state education department.
"We will not be adopting [the Next Generation Science Standards] in the near future—definitely not for the 2014-15 school year," she said.
Minnesota is in the unusual position of having a formal state statute that governs the standards adoption schedule. Based on that, the state cannot revise its standards again until the 2017-18 school year, a state official said.
Little Public Debate
Interestingly, there's been less public back-and-forth so far about the content of the science standards than has been the case with the common core, even given the hot-button political issues—including the teaching of climate change and evolution—embedded in the standards.
The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a Washington-based think tank that is a staunch advocate of the common core, has been a leading critic of the science standards. But as the group's executive vice president, Michael J. Petrilli explains, its opposition is based mainly on a belief that the standards overemphasize behaviors and give short shrift to science content knowledge.
"There's not enough focus on content. ... The standards seem to go out of their way to downplay the knowledge," he said.
Last June, the group issued a report giving the science standards a C grade. The report concluded that the standards in 12 states and the District of Columbia are "clearly superior."
But Mr. Reiser of Northwestern refutes Fordham's characterization of the standards. The new science standards require "a greater attention to the content based on what decades of research says about the best way to help kids understand ideas," he said. "No one that understands the Next Generation Science Standards would say the point is to emphasize practice and not content."
Regarding the lack of resistance to the science standards, Mr. Petrilli said, "It's surprising how little noise there's been."
At the same time, Mr. Petrilli said that with the common core, "the backlash came much later. I wonder if with the science standards it's the same thing. The folks most likely to be opposed to these things haven't spoken up now, but perhaps they'll speak up a few years from now," when more states begin implementation.
But at least a few states have waylaid adoption because of concerns over the standards' content. The South Carolina General Assembly recently passed a proviso that expressly prohibits adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards. Dino Teppara, a spokesman for the education department, wrote in an email, "As the current S.C. science standards received an A- from the Fordham Foundation and are held up as a national model, many members of the General Assembly were concerned about adopting standards that were not up to the same level."
Ms. Hrabluk of the Arizona education department explained that, in response to teachers' feedback, her state is working to break up the standards, which are grouped by grades 6-8 and 9-12, into the specific objectives that will be taught at individual grade levels. In terms of adoption, she said, "the most accelerated timeline would be 2014-15, but we don't have a definitive timeline yet."
The science standards will also require the development of new assessment tools. The National Research Council released a report in December laying out a vision for the science assessments, which Ms. Hrabluk said was later than expected and has pushed back the timeline for building the tests.
Professional Development
Despite the holdups and naysayers, proponents of the science standards are confident they'll see widespread adoption down the road.
Mr. Evans from the National Science Teachers Association said he's optimistic, and sees great enthusiasm for the standards among educators.
"Science teachers everywhere are really connecting with the Next Generation Science Standards—they're looking at the new standards and looking at the research behind them and changing the way they teach," he said.
Mr. Reiser said he has been providing professional development on the science standards for teachers already, including in states such as Illinois that have not yet adopted them.
Even Mr. Petrilli anticipates the adoption numbers will rise substantially.
"If conservatives don't get organized, I think we're going to see these standards in half the states, including in states that would have been better off sticking with their standards," he said.
Vol. 33, Issue 19, Page 6Published in Print: January 29, 2014, as Common Science Standards Are Slow to Catch On in States
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A salesman rings the door bell and Little Johnny answers.
Salesman: "Can I see your dad?"
Johnny: "No, he's in the shower."
Salesman: "What about your mother? Can I see her?"
Johnny: "Nope. She's in the shower, too."
Salesman: "Do you think they'll be out soon?"
Johnny: "Doubt it. When my dad asked me for the Vaseline, I gave him super glue instead."


text:
Major regulatory change. The rise of emerging markets. Ongoing economic uncertainty. Technology-driven turbulence. Increasing consumer expectations.
These challenges offer the key to future profitability for insurers who make the right strategic, investment, organizational and operational changes. They must identify and assess new options for value creation while continuing to manage risks and meet emerging regulatory requirements.
Combining the experience of our dedicated actuarial and risk professionals and close partnerships with related practices across EY, we provide truly integrated services across all disciplines in the insurance industry.
Our deep global knowledge comes from our work with insurance companies, banks, pension funds, private equity firms, sovereign funds and local regulators and enables us to answer key challenges the industry faces.
Our global practice helps organizations around the world successfully meet these challenges. We can help you ask the right questions, set priorities and define the action plans needed to succeed in the fast-shifting insurance landscape.
Together, we help you deliver better outcomes and long-lasting results, from strategy to execution.
How we can help
Our work is grounded in an extensive understanding of the financial dynamics of businesses. Our services have been developed to address the most common client issues that we are asked to solve.
Actuarial Transformation and Offshoring
Insurers are looking to consolidate their actuarial systems as they integrate risk and finance reporting in a cost efficient way.
They are making significant investments to build their Actuarial system and process landscape for the future. These investments include improving standardization and automation, and using selective offshoring and shared service centers.
We can help companies simplify their actuarial infrastructure and achieve cost efficiency by identifying ways to streamline or offshore/outsource their actuarial and finance reporting processes and then implementing it.
Provision of analytic and modelling solutions, by using our statistical training and practical industry experience analyzing large volumes of data (across financial services and increasingly other industries).
We use our analytical competency and business experience to comprehend complex and disparate business issues, data, information, governance issues and complete scenario modelling and analysis to enhance clients' decision-making on business issues. Our analysis and modelling helps to inform:
- Strategic direction and the case for change in terms of financial and non-financial measures
- The design of transformations, including the trade-offs in design and value through the application of the actuarial investment model
- The implementation and monitoring of change through quantifications, indicators and other measures supporting performance / risk management and benefits management
- Business as usual through the application of the control cycle and embedding the appropriate measures in business reporting
Audit and Assurance
Our actuaries provide technical support for the audit of actuarial items recorded on the financial statements of insurance companies.
With the extensive experience in financial reporting gained in their audit work, the Audit and Assurance actuaries are able to provide assistance to non-audit clients as well in the technical and procedural aspects of financial reporting, including the adoption of new standards, the implementation of new systems, and the review of the accuracy and effectiveness of existing actuarial calculations and processes.
Whether driven by regulators, investors, rating agencies or internal stakeholders, the capital requirements of insurers are numerous and complex.
Firms are subject to a number of capital measures, driven by rating agencies and analysts, as well as local and international regulators. We help our clients understand and manage the numerous metrics, as well as working with them to help them form their own views on their capital needs.
Increasingly insurers are expected to run complex in-house models to calculate their capital requirements. We work with our clients to help them build, test and maintain these models as well as supporting them with the communication of the results.
Working alongside our clients, we help them manage their stakeholders, from interpreting and complying with regulatory requirements to providing board-level comfort on the quality of any in-house models.
Cyber Risk Measurement and Insurance
As companies face the uncertain impact from the escalating incidence of cyber-attacks, they look to more effectively measure and manage the financial risks resulting from a potential cyber breach.
With the emergence of standardized breach data, and increasingly more sophisticated risk measurement and management techniques; cyber risk issues are becoming preeminent to corporations and insurance underwriters. Our experienced Cyber Risk team provides integrated services to help companies with underwriting and risk financing strategies.
Financial Reporting
Significant Financial reporting change is on the way in the form of IFRS 4 Phase 2, IFRS 9 and FAS 60.
It is crucial for companies to understand the micro and macro effects of new reporting requirements, the importance of reported figures, the wider implications for strategy, operations and how to communicate new management targets to shareholders. We help companies understand and prepare efficient external and internal reporting frameworks by providing actuarial services that are part of integrated multidisciplinary approaches.
GI Reserve Review
The provision for outstanding claims liabilities is the most significant item in most general insurance companies' balance sheets, and movements in the provision from year to year can often form a significant part of the insurer's profit.
Additionally, the outstanding claims liability estimate is an integral part of the pricing process especially for long tail classes and can be an important component of an insurer's regulatory and economic capital calculations.
Whether we are providing the primary estimate of the outstanding claims estimate or reviewing the estimate as part of an external peer review engagement or audit, EY applies leading practice processes and methodologies consistently around the world to provide our clients with more accurate and more reliable estimates of their outstanding claims liabilities.
Against the backdrop of rising costs, aging populations, stressed infrastructure, constrained resources and shifting regulations, health insurers must develop new offerings and find new ways to operate.
Across diverse national health care markets, there are unprecedented risks, but also great opportunity — thanks to breakthrough advances in technology and more sophisticated use of data and analytics.
We are working with strategists and practitioners from across our practices — including life sciences, public sector health care, insurance, consumer products, engineering and advanced technology — to re-imagine health care.
Investment Advisory
In the current low yield and volatile market environment, Insurers and Pension Schemes are seeking to optimize risk adjusted return through more innovative investment, and wealth and asset managers are partnering ever closer with their investors to add value.
EY's Global Investment Advisory team specializes in working with each of these sectors to drive more value from their investment portfolio by bringing together resources with finance, actuarial, accounting, tax, quantitative, valuation and corporate finance backgrounds.
For many life assurance companies, a key risk is 'longevity risk' where for their annuity products the risk is of individuals living longer than expected.
We share knowledge of current trends and market practice to help practitioners assessing longevity risk for audit or assurance purposes or to help in many aspects of longevity risk transfer solutions for advisory clients.
Managed Services
Our Managed services assist clients executing strategies to outsource or co-source recurring labor intensive and/or non-core activities necessary for day-to-day actuarial and/or underwriting operations to EY.
Potential outsourcing and co-sourcing arrangements include, but are not limited to the following by major function:
- Product: rate filings, experience studies, administration support
- Financial reporting: performing in-force valuations, reconciliations and controls reporting
- Modeling: model maintenance, performing production runs (forecasts, ALM, CFT)
- Risk management: ongoing model validation and customer analytics
Mergers & Acquisitions
As companies revisit and optimize their portfolios, they look to acquire and consolidate more attractive businesses, and dispose of businesses in markets where they cannot compete.
With depressed valuations in many insurance markets and the shifting strategies of multinationals, the mergers and acquisitions market is poised to become more active. Our experienced Transactions Advisory Services team and our market leading actuarial transactions skills provide integrated services to help companies with valuations and post-merger integration.
Actuarial modelling is becoming increasingly crucial to business operations in a number of areas, externally for financial reporting liability reserving, solvency and regulatory capital modeling, and internally for risk management, ALM and business planning, pricing, embedded value and non-traditional modeling.
Our model advisory services cover model design and implementation, review and validation, process and governance, efficiency enhancement, as well as production etc. We assist our clients to make their models fit for purpose, effective in their support of finance and risk function requirements and scalable for future development.
Pensions and Pension Fund Advice
Companies, governments and pension fund management (trustees) are continually looking for support with their pension funds in the areas of design, cost management, risk mitigation and best-practice governance.
We provide advice in all of these areas.
Product Innovation
We assist our clients by providing market perspective on disruptive technologies, 'game changing' innovations and trends in insurance propositions to customers.
Our forward-thinking vision allows us to support our clients in taking advantage of these changes, in terms of analyzing the customer opportunities, developing new wave propositions and optimizing the pricing.
Risk Services
Risk management remains a prominent theme in global regulatory developments and within firms' own business enhancements to ensure continued business resilience and efficient allocation of capital.
We assist our clients in designing and implementing proportionate and commercially effective risk management frameworks that support better business decision-making on an ongoing basis. Our solutions include design and implementation of the risk management strategy, appetite and framework, including processes, models and tools for risk identification, measurement, mitigation and monitoring.
Recovery and Resolution Planning
In a drive to improve the resilience of insurers and reduce the impact of failure, boards and regulators are requiring recovery plans, resolution plans and increasingly improved liquidity risk management from insurers in major markets.
We are the leading adviser on these important topics, having supported the majority of global systemically important insurers, multiple internationally active insurance groups, and many large domestic insurers. As insurers consider how best to mobilize and address these issues proportionately, we can offer support to develop the plans and/or test their credibility, conduct resolvability assessments, support with operational continuity and implement improvements, using a suite of tried and tested tools, robust methodologies, and in depth regulatory experience.
Structural Optimization
A wide variety of drivers are pushing clients to consider significant changes to maximize returns, manage risk, reduce volatility and optimize the asset side of the balance sheet and their asset and liability matching.
We bring cross-practice and international know-how to these issues through a unique proposition that combines finance, risk, actuarial, accounting, tax and M&A skillsets to support clients in emerging with more efficient structures. We also advise clients on analyzing their risk adjusted return on capital and in supporting them with their Investor dialogue.
Who we are
We are a diverse team of consultants and industry professionals with a global mindset and a collaborative culture.
We understand your issues and are driven to ask better questions in the pursuit of making our clients' businesses work better.


text:
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text:
It's nearly that time of year again, but they usually shoot it near the end of October/ start of November.
I am sure someone driving by the bus will get a quick photo op of it.
angelpick wrote:
If there was no episode last sunday, it probably mean they recording the batsu ?
KyuketsukiElite wrote:
Heipo Central Police?
I went to a rakugo show with Housei yesterday. Rakugo is this traditional comedy show where a comedian tells funny stories. A bit like stand-up but they are sitting down. Housei was really funny as expected, but he started by telling a little bit about this year's No Laughing Batsu Game.
He said they had finished recording the new game two days ago (the 8th I guess) and that his butt still hurt. Then he went on to say that the batters are actually other Yoshimoto comedians, and that they have been the same people for the last 10 years. Meaning they had gotten better and better at hitting their butts. He stated again that it may not look like it hurts that much, but it really does.
Then he said this year everything had changed. Completely different he said, please look forward to it, he said. He didn't give any details, though..
Last thing he said was that Jimmy did them in yet again this year. 12 years in a row Jimmy has made them suffer with his beyond-anyone-else level of comedy.
Not that much information, but I thought I should share it.
Looking forward to this year's batsu game as always!


text:
Although the White House has indicated that they don't support CISPA, they've been agreeable to the Lieberman-Collins "Cybersecurity Act of 2012" which has practically the very same internet privacy killing language. Senator Harry Reid has signaled he favors this.
Contact your Senators and tell them to kill CISPA. This is a completely unnecessary bill that will do more harm to the internet than good and you won't be any safer.


text:
What kind of holiday doesn't need a car, bike, train, bus or boat? Correct: a paddling one.
To bring together a list of Ireland's best canoeing and kayaking locations, we went straight to the people who know: the experts (and we got top tips while we were at it).
EXPERT: Chris Scott – Outdoor Recreation Northern Ireland
Location: Lough Erne Canoe Trail, County Fermanagh
Why it's special: The maze of bays, narrow channels of slowing moving water and innumerable islands and peninsulas offer a superb venue for families or those embarking on their first canoe trip. There are brilliant wild camping opportunities and even island accommodation on Lusty Beg for that little sense of luxury.
Location: Blackwater Canoe Trail, counties Armagh and Tyrone
Why it's special: Perfect if you enjoy the relaxed pace of life, this meandering trail journeys through peaceful countryside with the jewel in the crown being the National Trust's Argory, which makes for an excellent stop along the way.
EXPERT: Charlie Horan – Go With The Flow
Location: The Barrow River, counties Kilkenny and Carlow
Why it's special: As you reflect in life on the experiences that have nourished your soul, that day you spent with your family canoeing down the Barrow river in County Carlow will always be a treasured travel memory.
EXPERT: Jim Kennedy, Atlantic Sea Kayaking
Location The Wild Atlantic Way (especially West Cork)
Why it's special The entire coast from Cork to Donegal is an incredible kayaking destination. Along that coast my favourite area must be West Cork mainly because of its geography (it's scattered with numerous islands and bays) and secondly the fact that it can be accessed all year round thanks to all of its sheltered areas.
EXPERT: Conor Smith, Irish Sea Kayaking Association
Location: Derrynane Harbour, County Kerry, including Deenish & Scariff Islands and Lambs Head.
Why it's special: From the road, this is arguably the best section of the Ring of Kerry drive. From the water, the scenery and views are even more spectacular.
Crystal clear waters at Connemara, County Galway
Location: Island Hopping, Ardmore, County Galway
Why it's special: Skip along a line of uninhabited islands with empty sandy beaches and a backdrop of the Twelve Bens and Maamturk mountains, to visit MacDara's (the patron saint of the Galway Hooker) Island and church.
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Top three canoe travel tips: Chris Scott, Outdoor Recreation Northern Ireland
1. Follow the leader: hiring a guide is ideal for those with less experience, you'll uncover hidden secrets of each canoe trail and pick up some new skills along the way.
2. Be prepared: You don't necessarily come to the island of Ireland for a sun tan; with our changeable weather you'll need to pack both the wet weather gear and sun screen.
3. Protect your camera: you'll definitely want to take plenty of pics of all the sights along the way. Make a small and wise investment in a dry bag for your camera to ensure you can take those memories home.
Top three kayak travel tips: Conor Smith, Irish Sea Kayaking Association
1. With average summertime sea temperatures less than 15.5 C or 60 F, and much cooler at other times, it is important to dress appropriately. Prone to Atlantic swell and inclement weather, choose your location wisely and in accordance with weather forecast. Pack your sun lotion too, you just never know.
2. If you're new to kayaking, a web search will provide you with a list of tour providers in different locations who will happily take you and your group and provide all necessary kit. For quick reference, information is available on the Irish Sea Kayaking Association website.
3. Don't be shocked if, at sea, you're joined by pod of dolphins as you drift along our beautiful coastline.
Fancy some more water fun in Ireland? You're in luck: we've got surfing (and windsurfing) spots galore as well as more stunning sailing ports than you can shake a stick at.
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You can tell Dún Laoghaire is a sailing hotspot even with your eyes closed. How? By listening to that soft flapping...
Ireland boasts over 3,500 miles of pristine coastline, temperate conditions, plenty of lakes, rivers and waterways....
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Earlier this year we talked about all the images we can use on our blogs without getting into trouble. But the truth remains, if you read fashion blogs, you have probably seen a copyrighted image being used, and if you have any idea about the likely hood that Vogue would grant one of us permission, well it's easy to guess that the images are probably lifted off their site. The use of copyrighted images is so commonplace, when I was at London Fashion week a few designers told me to use images of their fall collections on Style.com (not to name any names outright, but I'll give you a hint, I'm using the pic via style.com above)… even though the disclaimer on the site says:
'The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of CondéNet, Inc.'
Talk about mixed messages! Anyway… I've yet to hear of a blogger actually being busted for using images off of major sites without written consent. Why aren't the big sites sending out cease and desist orders? Well probably because of a tiny loophole many bloggers have (at times unwittingly) used.
Fair Use.
In the US (it varies in different countries) fair use is the exemption of copyright law so that people can make commentary, parody, satire, news, etc… without getting permission from the author. Bloggers often make commentaries on images, saying 'this is what I think about this trend…' putting them in the fair use category. Fair use is a tricky grey area, and is determined on a case by case basis, so Ashe Mischief's friend and law student has taken the time to explain to us what exactly is 'fair use' and how it affects our blogs…
Text by 'Lady Muscadet'
Copyright owners have the exclusive right to reproduce their works. This means that only the person or company who owns a copyrighted image can user that image or give permission for someone else to use that image. If you use a work (be it photographic, artistic, or even copy/pasting text) without the permission of the copyright holder, you may be liable for copyright infringement.
Legal principles that prevent someone who has made unauthorized use of a copyrighted work from being liable for infringement are called "infringement defenses." While there are several defenses (parody, library exception, educational purposes, etc.) the main defense that can shield many bloggers from liability when they use copyrighted images is the fair use defense. Fair use is an escape hatch that gives courts deciding infringement cases flexibility, so it it necessarily somewhat vague and is applied on a case-by-case basis. Nonetheless, there are some basic fair use rules to keep in mind.
Generally, a use will be excused as a fair use if it promotes the purpose of copyright law (encouraging production/dissemination of works of authorship) and will not undercut authors' economic incentive to create and disseminate works by seriously undermining their marketing opportunities.
What does this mean in English?
First and foremost, courts have found that to be "fair" a use has to be transformative and not just reproductive. This means that someone cannot simply start up a blog and upload all the images from the Neiman Marcus website. This would be a merely reproductive use that was not in any way transformative. If, however, you upload select photos from the Neiman Marcus website in order to comment on or criticize the store, products, or even the photograph itself, you are not longer just reproducing the work, you are transforming it. If you are using an image for the following purposes, it is most likely a transformative fair use and not copyright infringement: criticism, comment, news reporting; teaching; scholarship or research; parody.
In cases that fall into a "gray area," courts have used a four factor test to determine if a use is fair use and it can be useful to know these factors in order to get a "feel" for fair use. These are not the only factors that courts have used but they are the four main ones:
- the purpose and character of the use (are you using the photo to make money or for non-profit, educational purposes? Does your use transform the work or just reproduce it?);
- Nature of the copyrighted work (less relevant to blogging; is the work published or unpublished? The author of a piece has the right to control the first public appearance of his/her expression; is the work fact or fiction? More necessary to quote works of fact [like newspaper articles] than works of fiction);
- Amount and substantiality of the portion of the copyrighted work used (don't upload ALL the photos on the Neiman Marcus site, only what is necessary for you to make your point about a trend, etc.);
- Effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work (this is very important: if your use of the work could in any way take money away from the author of the work, it is most likely not fair use. Criticism is exempt from this. If you criticize a work and this causes people not to buy the work, that is not a problem.) (For the four factors, see Folsom v. Marsh and section 107 of the Copyright Act).
Summary and Practical Implications
- If you're using a copyrighted photo in your blog in order to criticize it or comment on it you're most likely safe under fair use ("I love/hate this;" "this is part of a bigger trend and this is what I think of it")
- Keep in mind that you may be in a precarious position if your use of the photo will make any money for you.
- If a copyright owner contacts you accusing you of copyright infringement and asks you to remove the image, you should do so immediately. As I mentioned above, fair use can be a fluid and vague area of law and, unless you're sure it's a battle you want to fight, better safe than sorry.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice to any individual or entity. Neither the author nor publisher of this post make any claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this post, and expressly disclaim liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this post. Legal information is not the same as legal advice, which is the application of law to an individual's specific circumstances. Please consult a lawyer if you want professional assurance that this information, and your interpretation of it, is accurate and appropriate to your particular situation.


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I like the "wet" product line of all lubes they make.Anonymous - April 10 2016
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PR Newswire
OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 17, 2013
OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- United States 12 Month Natural Gas Fund, LP (NYSE Arca: UNL) will re-commence the issuance of Creation Baskets to Authorized Participants effective immediately. The registration statement on Form S-1 filed by the Fund on January 10, 2013 was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on January 17, 2013. The Registration Statement registered 32,918,248 Units.
United States Commodity Funds LLC ("USCF"), the general partner of the Fund, will continue to monitor the number of Shares of the Fund that are registered and available for issuance with a view to assuring a constant supply of registered Shares available to meet creation orders.
Any forward-looking statements in this Press Release are based on expectations of USCF at this time. Whether or not actual results and developments will conform to USCF's expectations and predictions, however, is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the special considerations discussed in the Fund's currently effective prospectus, general economic, market and business conditions, changes in laws or regulations or other actions made by governmental authorities or regulatory bodies, and other world economic and political developments. The Fund and USCF undertake no duty to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Any terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the currently effective prospectus.
SOURCE United States Commodity Funds LLC


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2020 m. 2 Day Pistol August 1-2, 2020 Wallingford, CT
$ 675.00
By registering you agree to a background check. Please provide full name, current address and age of attendee during sign up if other than yourself. If you are buying multiple slots please provide full name, current address and age of others. No one under age 21 can participate in classes.
Full payment ($675) is due at registration. Cancellations more than 90 days before class date are refunded 50%. Cancellations within 90 days are non-refundable or can be applied toward another class in the calendar year if available.
The 2-Day pistol course is recommended for those that have attended shooting courses before or who have a thorough understanding of fundamentals and already have safe gun handling skills. If you are uncertain or have any questions email us.
14 students maximum
WE DO NOT KEEP STANDBY LISTS. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT AND ASK TO BE PLACED ON STANDBY FOR A SOLD OUT CLASS- Any sold out course that has cancellations or availability will be announced via social media (links at bottom of page). First to contact us will get the slot. This provides more people an opportunity to get in a class and prevents one entity from being on standby for multiple classes.
- Mindset
- medical
- combatives
- weapon setup
- safety
- fundamentals
- accuracy
- draw
- targeting
- positions
- speed
- barricades
- shooting on the move
- manipulations
- strong hand only shooting
- multiple targets
- non shooting movement
- shooting under stress
Some drills require physical exertion and an elevated heart rate. Combatives block requires moderate hands on training with others. Day one is typically 8am-4pm with a short lunch break, day two is typically 730am-3pm with no lunch break. No audio or video recording is permitted in class. Certificates are given upon completion of class.
Range Location:
316 N Branford Rd
Wallingford, CT 06492
Mandatory Gear:
- eye and ear pro
- sharpie marker
- pen/paper or phone for notes
- med kit (Dark Angel Medical)
- 700 rounds of ammo
- Serviceable gun with at least 3 magazines per
- blue gun or SIRT pistol
- quality fixed blade with kydex sheath and training blade (must have smooth edges), (click "Tribe" and look at any options from Headhunter Blades, Atienza Kali, or Sayoc Kali)
- gun maintenence kit
- seasonal clothing
- kydex or plastic holster that covers trigger guard, no SERPAs
- water/food


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7040 Hollywood Boulevard
Thursday, January 7
Sam Waterston -- who has starred in more than 350 "Law & Order" episodes -- received the 2,397th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Thursday.
"At my age, this honor sort of rates as a lifetime achievement award and couldn't have come at a better moment," said Waterston. "A) I'm alive; B) I'm working; and C) the show that got me here is up for renewal."
Local news from across Southern California
"I'm hoping that your honoring me will help the powers that be make the right decision so that next year 'Law & Order' can capture the record and fulfill Dick's (Wolf) goal of having the longest-running drama ever," he said.
"Law & Order" and the classic western "Gunsmoke" share the record with 20 seasons each of prime-time television.
Waterston, 69, joined "Law & Order" as Jack McCoy in 1994.
"It's made all sorts of things possible," he said at the ceremony. "It's directly due to 'Law & Order' that a theater put on 'Long Day's Journey Into Night' for me and my son James to do. Priceless. It's directly due to 'Law & Order' that we sold out the run. Fabulous."
"'Law & Order' kept me near home, near family and out of professional trouble. I hate to sit around. I tremble to think what trash a workaholic like me would have accepted to do if 'Law & Order' hadn't kept me busy," he said.
Waterston's star was the first star dedicated in 2010, according to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.


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Today I'm sharing with a step-by-step guide on how to make and bake gluten free bread. I know making this bread can be extremely challenging especially for folks who have never made homemade breads before. (And trust me, even with lots of gluten free baking experience, you can STILL make bread that falls!!)
To begin gluten free bread making, I suggest using a very simple starter recipe, such as Elizabeth Barbone's Easy Gluten Free Sandwich Bread. Her great recipe has a short list of easy-to-obtain ingredients, and very easy instructions. Her recipe is the one I used for this demonstration.
Ready to bake? Let's go!
Here, I have all my dry ingredients on the counter.
Visit this detailed post on how to correctly measure dry ingredients for baking.
Mix together all your dry ingredients (excluding the yeast), and whisk them together thoroughly. Whisking is very important, as it will thoroughly combine all of your gluten free flours, dry milk powder, salt, and xanthan gum. No one wants to take a big bite of xanthan gum in their bread!!
Next, you will need to heat up the recommended amount of water for the recipe. In Elizabeth's recipe it's 1 3/4 cups. I heat the water in a small measuring cup in the microwave for 1 minute and 10 seconds. You will need to use a candy/cooking thermometer to see that water is about 110 degrees. You don't want the water hotter than that or it will kill the yeast and not activate it.
Pour 1 1/2 cups of the warm water in a medium sized bowl. With the leftover 1/4 cup, add your yeast and mix together thoroughly. Set this aside. (This is called "proofing" the yeast, it's to make sure that your yeast is active and will rise!)
Now let's check back on the yeast. It should be very bubbly and active, and as you can see in the measuring cup it's "risen" significantly.
If the yeast mixture hasn't changed at all since you mixed it, you need to start over with fresh yeast and water.
Using the paddle attachment on medium speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. Mix this for 5 minutes on med-high speed.
The bread dough will look like a VERY thick cake batter or cookie dough. If you are used to making wheat breads, this will NOT resemble wheat bread dough at all.
Now we need to create a warm environment for your bread to rise. Turn on your oven to 200 degrees, once it's reached 200, turn it off immediately! If your oven doesn't automatically let you know when the oven has reached 200 degrees turn it off after about 4 minutes of heating. You do NOT want the oven to continue heating while your bread is rising, you simply want to create a warm, draft-free environment.
Now let's place the dough into our loaf pan. You can use a metal loaf pan, ceramic loaf pan, or a glass loaf pan.
Just remember if you use glass, you will need to automatically lower the temp. of your oven by 25 degrees during baking (not rising), so that you won't overbake your bread.
Spray your loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour your bread dough into the pan. Using a rubber spatula shape the dough into a loaf.
Now, take a piece of plastic wrap and spray one side of it with non-stick cooking spray. Place the sprayed-side face down, LOOSELY over your loaf pan, and place the pan in the warmed oven.
Set your kitchen timer for about 50 minutes and go wash the dishes... or play with the cats...
Okay... the bread should have risen at least an inch or two above the lip of the bread pan by now, it should look something like this:
I actually let the bread rise for slightly too long. Your goal is just to let the bread rise about 1 inch above the top of your pan. It's perfectly okay to let it rise higher, but be aware that because our gluten free bread doesn't have "wheat gluten" strands to hold it up, it may deflate slightly upon cooling after baking.
Now, take the plastic wrap off the bread and heat your oven to 350 degrees.
* If you have had trouble baking in the past, you may need to buy an oven thermometer so that you can monitor the correct temp. in your oven.
*Again, remember if you use a GLASS loaf pan, to cut the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
Place your risen loaf of bread in the preheated oven and let it bake for 45-55 minutes. If after about 30 minutes your bread seems to be over-browning, you can loosely place a sheet of aluminum foil over it. Checking the bread here, it looks fine!
Now it's been 55 minutes. Pull the bread out of the oven. Now, we need to use the candy thermometer again to make sure the bread is done. Stick the thermometer somewhere in the middle of the loaf. It should read between 200 and 210 degrees. If your bread did not reach this temperature, place it back in the oven for another 10 minutes or so.
Here's the finished loaf of bread. It did deflate slightly (see, I told you I still make mistakes!), but it's still a nicely risen loaf of bread. If you can wait (and golly it will be hard, because the aroma is heavenly!) allow your bread to cool on a cooling rack for about half on hour before slicing.
Once the bread has cooled, have at it!! If you have a bread knife, this is the best tool to slice gluten free bread.
This loaf tastes amazing and is great for sandwiches!!
As a matter of fact... I think I'll make one now! Yum!
If you have ANY questions about baking gluten free bread, please email me at gingerlemon_girl (at) yahoo (dot) com or leave me a comment below!!
Enjoy making and baking your gluten free bread!!


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For about three months, Karen Raahauge was having difficulty breathing through her nose, especially on the left side. "It kept getting progressively worse until I finally couldn't breathe at all out of my left nostril, " she said. "One of the people I work with recommended the St. Joseph Hospital Nasal & Sinus Center, so I made an appointment." Luca Vassalli, M.D., one of the physicians on staff at the Nasal & Sinus Center, suspected that a polyp might be the cause of Karen's problem.
As it turned out, he was right. "Nasal polyps are a common problem we see here, " he said. "Often we suspect them if someone has a problem breathing. Frequently, they have tried over-the-counter products or other treatments, but since polyps don't respond to decongestants, these medications aren't helpful."
In order to determine the extent of Karen's problem, Dr. Vassalli used the Nasal and Sinus Center's advanced nasal imaging system to determine whether or not a polyp was the source of the problem. He also ordered a CT scan to better determine the extent of Karen's problem. "He was so wonderful," said Karen. "Very reassuring and he explained everything to me." While there was one large polyp blocking Karen's left nostril, Dr. Vassalli also discovered there were several smaller polyps forming on the right side. Eventually, as they grew, they could cause problems as well. "Many people that are chronically congested have nasal polyps," said Dr. Vassalli. "Some develop sinus headaches, facial pain, and other allergy symptoms, but the most common problem is difficulty in breathing through the nose.
Using a fiber optic telescope, and the Center's advanced computer imaging (the Center's specialty), physicians can visualize the entire nasal cavity. In addition to polyps, they are looking for such problems as a deviated septum, allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. All interfere with normal breathing. Once Karen's problem was diagnosed, she was scheduled for outpatient surgery. The surgery takes about two hours and is done through the nose so there are no external incisions.
In addition to removing the large polyp on her left side, Dr. Vassalli also removed the smaller polyps forming on the right. "What amazed me was that there was absolutely no pain," Karen recalled. "My nose felt swollen and it was bandaged, but it certainly didn't hurt." According to Karen, after Dr. Vassalli removed the packing in her nose, "Suddenly I could breathe again! It was such a wonderful feeling." "Most patients will experience only minimal pain, if at all," said Dr. Vassalli. "There may be a little soreness and a little swelling, but they are usually very pleased with the results. They often notice the difference immediately."
In retrospect, Karen wishes she had sought help earlier. "Not only was it difficult to breathe, but it interrupted my sleep," she said. "I went around for weeks feeling tired and sluggish. I had heard stories about how painful surgery could be. That certainly wasn't my experience. I am very pleased with the way I was treated and the results of the surgery. I would recommend it to anyone."
* Nasal polyps are non-cancerous growths occurring in the nose or sinus. There is no known cause for nasal and sinus polyps. Nasal polyps often cause a blocked nose, decrease in taste and smell, a thick nasal drainage and sinusitis.


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[UPDATE: Manchester United crushed A.C. Milan 4-0 to advance to the quarter finals of the European Premier League. David Beckham entered as a substitute but did little to change the course of the game. ]
Manchester United fans have had more than just the prospect of securing a European Champions League quarterfinal place on their minds ahead of their clash with AC Milan Wednesday – a tie infused with the return "home" of one time Manchester golden boy David Beckham wearing the Italian champions' colors.
Rather than their traditional red and white however, thousands of the Manchester faithful were planning to attend wearing the green and gold that has become a symbol of an escalating rebellion against the club's deeply unpopular American owner Malcolm Glazer. Mr. Glazer, who also owns the NFL's Tampa Buccaneers, stands accused of risking United's ruin by saddling the richest soccer club in the world with nearly $1 billion of debt when he bought the club in a highly leveraged takeover in 2005.
Talk of large numbers even boycotting the opening 10 minutes were dismissed Wednesday by Manchester United manger Alex Ferguson. "The fans won't do that," he told reporters. "It is too important a game. Old Trafford will be rocking and I am sure whether they are wearing the traditional red and white or the protest green and gold scarves, the supporters will be united and speaking with one voice to get us safely through.''
But even if some fans skip the opening minutes, they're unlikely to miss any action from Mr. Beckham, who is expected to start the game on the bench in his first appearance at Old Trafford football stadium in seven years.
Nevertheless, for fans across the country - including many who instinctively bristle at the perceived arrogance of the United faithful but whose own clubs face extinction due to the huge levels of debt wracked up through overspending - the rebellion at what is arguably the world's most famous club is a sign of hope that a fight-back is possible against powerful commercial interests.
Glazer has alienated fans of the Red Devils with the sale of star players such as the Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo and soaring ticket prices. Two thirds of fans are reportedly considering not renewing their season tickets, which have gone up from their pre-takeover price of £487 ($663) to £722 ($982) this year.
The supporters are revolting?
Few are surprised then that so many are turning to the rebellion, centered around the Manchester United Supporters Trust, whose membership now stands at more than 120,000
"Manchester United is based in Salford, which is probably one of the most working class areas in the country," says Mark Hayes of Southampton Solent University, who has researched soccer fan identity and its interface between commerce and culture. "The question has to be asked: how many working class fans can now go to games? They are disenfranchised; alienated and extremely angry at the way the club is being run."
Anger also runs deep at the way Mr. Glazer has loaded the club's books with more £700m ($952m) of debt, making United's financial position a potentially precarious one.
Although most observers believe the club is too big to fail, that's certainly not the case at an increasing numbers of other burdened clubs now counting the cost of having lived beyond their means, such as Portsmouth and Crystal Palace.
In the latest reminder of the financial malaise threatening "the beautiful game" in the country of its origin, three lower league clubs were also in court Wednesday over unpaid tax revenues. Cardiff, Southend United and Chester face the prospect of liquidation.
"I think the situation is probably worse now than at any time I have known," said Gerard Krasner, a former Chairman of Leeds United, who oversaw an emergency administration to ensure the survival of debt-stricken Bournemouth AFC in 2008.
"The ones with the massive income are in the Premiership, lower down the income is not so great. They have a very small percentage of television revenue. Some of them have tried to buy success and failed and I think over the next few years we are going see some disappear."
The ripple affects of such outcomes cannot be underestimated, adds Dr. Hayes.
A fan of Southampton FC, he points to 2009 research showing that domestic abuse cases increased in the city as the club experienced a downturn on the pitch and struggled with crippling debts.
A way of life
"There is absolutely no doubt that people invest their lives in football clubs," he says. "There is a fan base which is absolutely wedded to their clubs as a manifestation of their community, especially at a time when people are leading more individual and isolated lives. The impact of losing that link is difficult to quantify but will be absolutely profound."
Even aside from smaller clubs, the delicate balancing of books in England's elite Premier League has also concerned UEFA, European soccer's governing body.
It published a report last month showing that 18 of the English' Premier League's 20 clubs owe a total of £3.4billion, more than the combined debt of the rest of Europe's top divisions.
As a solution, UEFA advocates greater ownership of clubs by supporters – a model that happens to be part of a new vision for Manchester United being put forward by a consortium of British financiers attempting to stage a £1.25 billion takeover of the club.
Dubbed "The Red Knights," their ranks include high profile Manchester United fans such as Jim O'Neill, the consortium's mastermind and the chief economist of the British arm of investment bank Goldman Sachs.
The takeover would be funded by a partnership of ultra wealthy fans as well as ordinary fans, an outcome attractive to many English rank and file supporters tired of watching as famous clubs from Manchester United to Chelsea turning into playthings or cash cows of foreign tycoons.
At the time of Glazer's takeover, Manchester United was publicly traded, allowing fans to own a piece of the action. Glazer took the club private in his takeover, so the only way he will lose control of the club is if he decides to sell -- or is forced to by mounting debt, something unlikely to be a problem for the deep-pocketed businessman any time soon.
While fan ownership of top clubs isn't uncommon in mainland European countries – Barcelona is the most high profile example – the model is rare in Britain.
Such clubs do exist however, and include FC United of Manchester, a lower league club team formed in 2005 by supporters following the Glazer takeover, which led to hundreds of supporters defecting. Still, FC United averages just over 2,000 fans per home game. FC United's estranged bigger brother averages 75,000.


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The New York Times covers research showing that marital happiness increases when the kids leave home. Contrary to popular opinion, which has suggested that parents — particularly moms — suffer depression from "empty nest syndrome", research published in November in Psychological Science found that "marital satisfaction actually improves" when the kids leave home.
But if you read closely, you realize that the research shows marital satisfaction increasing not among "parents" generally, but among women specifically — presumably, women in a heterosexual marriage. Apparently, it's not about increasing the amount of time the couple spends together; the couples spend the same amount of time together during and after the kids. "But they said the quality of that time was better."
Maybe it's just me, but I think that "the quality of time" might have something to do with this:
The arrival of children also puts a disproportionate burden of household duties on women, a common source of marital conflict. After children, housework increases three times as much for women as for men, according to studies from the Center on Population, Gender and Social Equality at the University of Maryland.


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38-40 Guest Street - Development of a retail home improvement and garden center with outdoor sale of garden supplies, erect rooftop solar panels, create off street, accessory parking for three hundred and eighty-seven vehicles and accessory loading spaces.
Yes, this is the Lowe's project that we thought was dead. Here is some more info from Dan Roan in the Mayor's Office:
Lowe's is going to the ZBA because they feel that the BRA's adequacy determination does not conform to the provisions that are stated in Article 80. Basically, they're asking the ZBA to force the BRA to reissue a new adequacy determination or if the ZBA believes that Lowe's has adequately satisfied the Article 80 requirements, simply grant relief for a conditional use.


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World Club Cricket - visit the site for more details
WCC managers post your team sheet for your upcoming match
Division 1 - Round 14 - One...
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Positive Education New Zealand Conference registrations are now closed.
|Early Bird
(closes 14 February)
(from 15 February)
(from 14 March)
FULL registration (includes full programme)
|$615 For compassionate reasons this fee will not increase, but remain at the standard rate of $565.
Free session (only)
Please register above if you can only attend the Free Session only.
This free session for Principals highlights the importance of Principal wellbeing - not only for the individuals concerned, but also for effective school leadership, and the ability to support and lead staff wellbeing. We know burnout affects those most deeply invested in their careers - for whom work is an important source of meaning – making NZ Principals at risk. This session shares strategies to protect wellbeing and avoid burnout. It will also introduce a wellbeing planning framework that supports principals to work with staff to identify and address school-level wellbeing factors.
Rātā Foundation Guest
Full registration includes the following:
- Attendance at all conference sessions Monday and Tuesday
- Notebook
- Daily catering
- Cocktails and conversation ticket Monday
5th Registration
Note: The 5th full registration from the same organisation is free. Please note that PENZ Committee reserve the right to charge a registration fee in the case of a cancellation of one of the original registered four.
Free session
- Attendance for Tuesday 9 April 8:30 - 9:30am session
Edit an existing registration
Your registration confirmation letter will include a link to edit your registration. Alternatively please contact Emma Redfern at email@example.com or phone +64 3 379 0390.
Terms & conditions
Should you need to cancel your registration, you may reassign your registration to another person. Please notify Emma Redfern (email@example.com) in writing. If you are unable to arrange a replacement, please note our policy below:
Before Monday 4 March 2019 you will incur a $100 cancellation fee. From Tuesday 5 March 2019 there will be no refund, except at the discretion of the Organising Committee. Refunds will be notified and processed within one month following the Conference.
The information supplied via the online registration process will be shared and used by Positive Education. The Privacy Act 1993 requires that, before your name and organisation details can be published in the list of delegates either for distribution to fellow delegates or any other party, you must give your consent. Unless you advise during the online registration process your name, organisation will be included on the list of delegates distributed at the conference.


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|Pink Barn .........I need one of these
|or two
|pick more flowers
|Just Beautiful , Rugs and pillows Perfect for me...
|Pink Barn .........I need one of these
|or two
|pick more flowers
|Just Beautiful , Rugs and pillows Perfect for me...
I love your inspirations and the pink barns! Your blog looks so different, what did you do? Is it still with blogger? I'm intrigued...
I can't wait to see your new place. I know it will be amazing, Tausha. I'm with you on the new start, new year and new dreams too!
I can't tell you enough times, Tausha, how much I adore seeing you post new photos on your blog. It makes me smile, centers my soul, inspires me, and I simply sigh. ♥ I am so excited about your new sunroom! I love the idea of having all of those windows. I miss the sun room we had at our lake house. The windows, the view, the sunshine....You're going to end up spending ALL of your time in yours....I guarantee it. lol Hugs to you, sweetie!
xoxo laurie
Thank you ladies, Yes it is still blogger, they have a New layouts... I like the idea of all the photos being displayed at once...
Thank you Laurie so so much !!
I'll be your neighbor and take the blue one...love your new look...picture perfect!
The new room will be awesome! Can't wait to see more! Glad you're feeling better! Hugs, Leena
Darling Tausha your wish to visit a Prairie and ride horses... so beautiful! I hope you will do that and pic a lot of flowers and serenity this new year.
A big big hug to you my sweet friend!
Hi Tausha-you are neverending inspiration from a lot of people,your style is amazing and I LOVE ♥
Your post-I have no words-LOVE!!!
Can't wait to see it!! It's going to be beautiful!!
Lately i have been using just my Galaxy Note phone, and using Instagram a lot ... The boots Are you talking about the lace up ones brown leather? If so i will go find out, i need to find my email, i bought them online.. but i will let you know.. most comfy boots, just love those!!!! I think they were $80 or somewhere around there..
I adore the barns... OMG! what floor are you using in the garage? we have a small guest house to put a new floor in and we have a garage, is yours attached? and we need ideas on floors,, are you removing the garage door, sheet rocking walls? tell me moooorrreeeeee lol
We are putting plywood down first, then wood planks on top of that ...removing garage doors and putting barn looking doors with windows on top... paneling the walls and wood shelves on one side... First we may just use the plywood floors for a little while.. going to stain them with stain and white paint... I cannot wait, one large room with bean bags and maybe one sofa or lounge bed... I cannot wait i will post pics soon.. we are going to put up sliding barn doors in the inside for hiding all shelves. that will be last.. My is attached .. I have one brick wall, but im going to put paneling on all walls white of course, i think that is from Lowes.. I think i can make the plywood floors look really cool and rustic... i have wanted a barn for so long, so this will be the closet thing to it for now....and added space... which i so need... its a large space.. we have 2 windows in there already.. but the barn doors are going to have a lot of light , either 2 sets of them or one set and extra door.. I will keep you posted!!
Ohhh, how exciting Tausha! I can't wait to see what it looks like when it's done...it will be wonderful, that's for sure:)
Hi Tausha, what happened to your blog? When I click on "Simply Me" it goes right into Instagram. It's missing your beautiful header, too. I think I like it the old way better, to be honest. I am also having a lot of trouble trying to leave this comment, not sure if it's my IPad or the new changes to your blog? Oh well, I guess I will get used to it, as long as we still get to see your gorgeous pictures and read what you write on your posts!
Your inspirations are amazing! I'm obsessed with that velvet pillow on your couch, is it a vintage rug material? Did you make it or buy? I want one :) Have a wonderful New Years and keep being awesome!! xo
Hi Ann, This is a new template for blogger... if you see the pink bard photo, that is my last post you click on it and the post is there you scroll down to bottom and leave a message.. trying something different . I am more of a photo person, and love how you can see all the photos at same time, maybe a little confusing ...lol i will see how it works..
Pastel Blonde... That pillow use to be a rug that a friend gave me , i made into a pillow, its a material like velvetish.. something.. so soft and lovely i use it every night on my leather sofa.... its huge too.. I though it was way to nice to wipe my feet on...LOL and plus i love pillows
Thanks for getting back to me, Tausha! Hope I didn't sound like I was complaining! Your pics were so pretty and I am glad you are feeling better. I wish I could get as motivated as you are. I need to clean the house so bad. Mop the kitchen and bathroom floors and clean the bathrooms, but I have no energy! Looking at your beautiful pictures makes me want to clean, though, since your house looks so amazing! Thanks!
I love old barns. Love the colors on these. You have a great inspirational room, and your sofa looks so comfortable.
I love me a pink barn...and the blue one isn't too shabby either.
I love your inspiration photos for your new year Tausha. So lovely!
Just love all the pics can't wait to see the Simply me barn. Thats going to be fun playing around in there with all your pretty! xo Val
I love the pink barn as well, I also need one lol!!!
Chris :o)
Hope you have a great 2013! Love your blog - it is beyond awesome!!
Beautiful, beautiful images. Don't you just love those barns. Happy New Year to you- I know you had a rough patch last year and I am glad your path has smoothed out- Blessigns- xo Diana


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PLEASE NOTE: I am not sure if HTML is an option. I looked through the Administration panel and did not see an option for it, and the fact that there is no BBcode leads me to believe that this is the method of BBCode/etc.
W-Agora is a fairly 'nice' bulletin board written in PHP. It allows multiple 'boards' (i.e. one with my forums and then one with yours) and has a nice administration panel.
Also, W-Agora allows users to post HTML - not everything you'd think, as things like script, frame, body, html, etc are stripped. It also strips out 'on' anything, so you'd think that you cannot execute code -- right?
No. The regex to clean out 'on'anything is like this: [code]' on([a-zA-Z])?=(.)?'[/code]
If you don't see the problem, let me explain: The filter expects that the = will come RIGHT after the On*! Therefore, if we put a space between it and the =, we do not match up against it and it will let it pass!
Example: [code]<b onMouseOver =eval('alert(/xss/)')>hi</b>[/code]
This renders both in IE & Firefox. =D
USAGE: Since W-Agora can be configured to either set all userinfo in cookies or completely rely on sessions, this is mixed. If you find a site that uses cookies, you could use this to steal them.
Shouts: digi7al64 - PrOtOn - Lockdown - WhiteAcid
Video @ http://dynxss.whiteacid.org/videos/w-agora420xss.rar :: 899kb


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Governor Lingle releases $3,448,000 for Maui Community College science buildingMaui College
UH Vice President for Administration
Russell Pang, 586-0043
Governor's Office
HONOLULU — Governor Linda Lingle has released $3,448,000 in design funds for the development of a new science building at Maui Community College (MCC). The new facility will include classrooms, offices and laboratories for various science-related programs.
Biology, physics, chemistry, zoology, biochemistry and microbiology courses currently share space, which creates challenges with experiments and other laboratory configurations. The new facility will provide space where science students and faculty can interact, as well as provide space for laboratory storage.
"The state's investment in this new facility will further promote the development of our students' science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM skills," said Governor Lingle.
"MCC is very thankful for the release of funds to design the new science building," said MCC Chancellor Clyde Sakamoto. "This new facility for Maui Community College will certainly be a benefit to the students, faculty and community at large."
The total project cost is $40,889,000. In 2005, Governor Lingle released $300,000 for planning. The design consultant is expected to be selected within the next month and design for construction is expected to be completed by summer of 2008.
For more information, visit: http://www.hawaii.gov


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Having been inspired by the increased responsiveness of the Wii MotionPlus controller, every major vendor of smartphones will begin integrating micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) gyroscopes in their new models beginning next month. Look for every smartphone vendor to include MEMS gyros in their next generation mobile phones before 2012. R.C.J.
The industry's worst-kept secret is that the first mobile handset to pack a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscope will roll next month. Analyst speculation on the vendor has ranged from Apple (with the iPhone 4G) to HTC and ST-Ericsson, but regardless of who is first, every major smartphone vendor is predicted to follow suit by 2012.
Gyroscopes will become ubiquitous in smartphones, according to analysts, because gyros can support new user interface modes, enhance the online gaming experience, perform indoor navigation by virtue of dead reckoning and enable augmented-reality applications that overlay information about a target when a phone's digital camera is pointed at it...
Full Text: http://bit.ly/NextGenLog95Jgof