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Sell Pimco Total Return?
The world's biggest bond fund is no longer one of the best.
In 1987, a young bond-fund manager named Bill Gross launched Pimco Total Return (symbol PTTRX). And the rest, as they say, is history. Today, Total Return is the largest fund on the planet, with $285 billion in assets. From its inception through December 31, it returned an annualized 8.4%, beating the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond index by an average of 1.1 percentage points per year. In the sedate world of bonds, that's serious outperformance. In all, Gross's firm now oversees a total of $1.9 trillion.
But, as is so often the case with funds, Gross's very success has made it less likely that Pimco Total Return will shine as brightly in the future. If you own it, I recommend selling it. In my view, Total Return will be hard-pressed to perform better than the average bond fund in the future.
That is not to say that I expect Total Return to be a disaster. Gross has hired dozens of people as smart as he is to help run the fund. And he doesn't show any signs of losing his touch.
That's why Harbor Bond, a lower-cost clone of Total Return's no-load class D shares (symbol PTTDX), is still a member of the Kiplinger 25. But I think my colleagues are making a mistake in keeping the fund on their recommended list. (Editor's note: We will carefully review Harbor Bond and all the other funds in the Kiplinger 25 before we present a new version of our recommended list in the May 2013 issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance. See the entire current list here.)
I'm down on Total Return for two main reasons. One has to do with the future of the bond market, the other with the the fund itself and the size of Gross's empire. The bigger problem is that Gross is managing too much money. Way too much. Probably more money than any manager has ever run before. Morningstar lists him as the manager of Pimco Total Return and various clones of Total Return, such as Harbor Bond. All told, those funds hold $325 billion. Gross also manages Pimco Low Duration (symbol PLDDX), which holds $24 billion and Pimco Total Return ETF (symbol BOND), an exchange-traded version of Total Return that contains $4 billion.
That girth means Gross is managing more money than some of the bond sectors Total Return and Co. invest in; the mutual fund alone now has roughly 20,000 holdings!
Think that doesn't make a difference? Look at how Pimco Total Return ETF, which was launched in 2012, has been beating the pants off its mutual fund cousin. In the second and third quarters, the fund returned 6.0%; the ETF, which began with $100 million in assets, returned 8.3%.
Gross is like a highly skilled boxer who is fighting with one hand tied behind his back. In the past, he could beat his peers by making big-picture calls on the bond market, as well as by investing in individual undervalued bonds. Today, the mutual fund is so immense that the bond-picking skills he and his Pimco comrades bring to bear simply can't make enough of a difference to matter.
The other problem that Gross and all bond-fund managers face is that the 30-year bull market in bonds is drawing to a close. I don't know whether it will end tomorrow or two years from now (or may even have ended already). But with the ten-year Treasury yielding only about 1.8%, it is becoming increasingly difficult to earn any more than the coupon by investing in long-term Treasuries and investment-grade corporate bonds.
Smart bond managers, including Gross, are curtailing their exposure to longer-term bonds. Instead, they're betting on making money by picking undervalued, corporate high-yield bonds, non-government-backed mortgage securities and emerging-markets debt. Pimco Total Return can turn a profit in these sectors, but smaller and more nimble funds will have a much easier time of it.
The kind of top-of-the-charts performance that we associate with Gross and Total Return is no longer a sure thing. Although Total Return performed well in 2012, returning 10.4% and placing in the top 12% of the intermediate-bond-fund category, it had a miserable 2011. That year, it earned 4.2%, which landed it in the bottom 13% of its category, according to Morningstar. The last time that Total Return ranked so poorly among its peers was, well, never.
So, my question is, why take the chance on a fund with such big question marks hanging over it when many better funds -- including some from Pimco -- are available?
Steven T. Goldberg is an investment adviser in the Washington, D.C. area.


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Officials: No 'obvious' cause in diver deaths
Officials said Monday that the equipment used by a San Jose couple who died during a scuba dive off the Monterey County coast appeared to be intact and that investigators were still searching for a cause of their deaths.
"There was no trauma, there was nothing obvious," said Eric Abma, acting sector superintendent for the state Parks and Recreation Department. "All their equipment appeared to be intact."
Emergency crews found Volodymyr Butsky, 40, and his wife, 41-year-old Marina Butsky, at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve on Friday after the couple's daughter told a park employee that her parents were overdue, Abma said.
Marina Butsky was pulled out of the water by two other divers who had spotted her unconscious and floating face down in the water. Her husband was pulled from the water by firefighters and a lifeguard who launched a boat to get to his floating body, which was about 50 feet offshore.
The Butskys were certified divers who had used a reservation system that requires divers to show a copy of their certification before diving at the reserve.
The couple was using their own equipment, which was examined by the coroner's office, Abma said.
The reserve where the Butskys died is a popular diving area about four miles south of Carmel, or about 90 miles south of San Francisco. The offshore area forms one of the richest underwater habitats in the world, with wildlife that includes seals, sea lions, sea otters and migrating gray whales, according to the state Parks and Recreation Department website.
Diving is permitted only at two coves within the park, including Whalers Cove, the area where the two divers were stricken.

subset: commoncrawl


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Carol Leonard is a midwife, a writer and a licensed beaver trapper. She was the first midwife licensed to practice legally in New Hampshire and has attended close to 1,200 babies born safely in their own homes. She was a co-founder of the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) representing all midwives in the US, Canada and Mexico. She was elected as the second president of MANA.
Carol is the author of the best-selling memoir, Lady's Hands, Lion's Heart, A Midwife's Saga, Bad Beaver Publishing, 2010.
Carol is currently building a 400-acre farm in Ellsworth, Maine with her husband, Tom Lajoie. Her blog BAD BEAVER TALES: Love and Life in Downeast Maine, chronicles their informative and funny journey building their dream homestead on 400 acres of wilderness in Downeast Maine. Carol and Tom are also raising about a hundred beavers there that they argue about on a daily basis.
These blog posts will be a collection of tales not just about Bad Beaver the place, but stories that meander around in her life, past and present—at the same time, Bad Beaver is where it all leads. As a writer friend says, "These stories from Bad Beaver are, at turns, brave, beautiful and just plain badass."


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The Astronomer Magazine is published monthly with the aim of rapid publication of observations that is not possible for the likes of the SPA and BAA. It is a bit of a dry read if you are not an active observer and there are some sample copies on their website. The good thing is that subscriptions are quite modest, particularly for the pdf version delivered by email.
It was their annual meeting at Basingstoke on Saturday and I made the long journey, almost 4 hours, on a sunny morning often driving directly at the sun. I arrived about 5 minutes late but had not missed much of the introduction by Guy Hurst with his annual report and finances.
The first speaker was Tim Haynes on the topic "The Role of the Amateur in Observation of Occultations". This was not just about Lunar occultations but also rare planetary and asteroid events. Modern technology has greatly aided this activity both in predictions and observations. Serious observations are mainly done using a video camera attached to a telescope and synchronised timing for precise measurements, although some observers still use eyeball and stopwatch.
John Murphy, a member of the local Basingstoke AS, on "A Technical Guide to SLR Photography". This was a discussion of how digital cameras are constructed and capture their photons and highlighted the differences from ccd cameras.
A 3 course dinner was provided and most delegates took advantage of this excellent meal prepared by Guy's wife and a couple of helpers. A good opportunity to get to know some of the other members.
The first speaker after lunch was Bruno Altieri all the way from Madrid. He is an ESA scietist and has worked on several major missions like Herschel, the Infra red space observatory. His current postion is Euclid Archive Scientist and he spoke about "EUCILD: A Space Mission to Map the Dark Universe. Euclid is currently under construction but will produce a massive legacy of deep images and spectra over at least half of the entire sky. Like many missions there will be huge quantities of data requiring supercomputers to store and process the images of galaxies out to red shift 2, equivalent to a dsitance of 10 billion light years. Euclid is due to launch in 2020 - these mission do take a long time.
This was followed by a presentation from Bob Mizon of the Commission for Dark Skies talking about "LED's: Bringing Back the Stars". A discussion about the benefits and threats to our views of the night sky and nocturnal wildlife.
After the tea break John Murrell (www.JohnMurrell.org.uk) spoke about the "Amateur follow up of Gaia & LSST alerts". These are now being issued at the rate of about 150 per month. An alert requires two observations of the same object by Gaia which will be 65 days apart due to its scanning method. So far the brighter of these have been around 13/14th magnitude so accessible by many amateurs. This activity is probably resticted to the relatively few keen and experienced variable star observers.
The final talk was given by Dr Mark Kidger of the ESA Herschel Science Centre about "OJ287: A Quasar with a case of Schizophrenia". This was a fascinating talk about a quasar which has its relativistic jet pointing directly towards us. Gary Poyner, who recently spoke at the LAS was in the audience and he has been one of the major observers of this object for many years. Some Finish astronomers have been developing models of the pair of black holes believed responsible for the huge energy developed by the system and have recently been able to give predictions of when the smaller black hole orbits through the accretion disk of the larger one. At this time the brightness of the object can increase by 2 magnitudes in a matter of minutes. Gary has observed it almost changing before his eyes.
The day finished at 5.45 followed by the long drive home, mostly in rain this time. Well worth the trip.


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DEW DROP neck ring
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Feminine yet striking, Dew Drop never has to shout to be heard – a quality that is the very essence of elegance. True to revolutionary Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe's design ethos, the pieces enhance the wearer and move gracefully with her body yet without overpowering the sensibilities of her style.
Please note, the pendant is sold separately.
- Item number: 3512203
- Materials: 18 kt. yellow gold
- Measurements: W: 132 mm / 5.2 inches. L: 136 mm / 5.35 inches.
- Design year: 2014
- Note: The delivery time is subject to stock availability.
- Collection: Dew Drop


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Posted on February 14, 2020 at 12:00 AM
Thank you for visiting our website! Below you will be able to find the answer to Thought experiment in quantum physics crossword clue which was last seen in New York Times, on February 14, 2020. Our website is updated regularly with the latest clues so if you would like to see more from the archive you can browse the calendar or click here for all the clues from February 14, 2020.. Since you landed on this page then you would like to know the answer to Thought experiment in quantum physics. Without losing anymore time here is the answer for the above mentioned crossword clue.
We found 1 possible solution on our database matching the query Thought experiment in quantum physics
|Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band led by Iggy Pop
|Intermediate gait
|Do thumb traveling?
|Someone who's well-off
|"Well, then ..."
|See 20-Across
|19-Across pitcher
|"No you ___!"
|Successor language to Common Brittonic
|0 on the Beaufort scale
|Billionaire philanthropist ___ Broad
|Some road trip entertainment
|Basement feature
|Former Supreme Court justice William
|(x, y), in math
|Low, low price, in an expression
|Losing money
|Message in smoke signals, maybe
|"___ So Fine," 1963 #1 hit for the Chiffons
|Deal with it
|___ Douglas-Home, 1960s British P.M.
|Corellia, to Han Solo
|Roman counterpart of the Greek goddess Selene
|"Flash Gordon" genre
|Trousers part
|Driving distractions
|No, not that!
|Very small amount
|___ Candy, friend of Wonder Woman
|Thought experiment in quantum physics
|Fourth letter in Arabic
|Kind of grass
|Apex predator of the sea
|Composer Puccini
|Automotive sponsor of "Wagon Train" in the 1950s
|"You're doomed!"
|Get tangled up
|Things with timers
|Constitutional amendment regarding states' rights
|Rebus symbol for "everything"
|Much-admired person
|1987 #1 hit with Spanish lyrics
|Kim Jong-un and others
|Uses a tissue, maybe
|Capital of Latvia
|Mideast's Gulf of ___
|Actress Anderson of old TV
|Grammy-winning metal band with a tasty-sounding name
|Georgia was once a part of it
|Social media phenomenon
|V.A. concern
|Second coming?
|Premium channel since 1980
|Nellie who circumnavigated the world
|Precious collection of Queen Victoria
|Author Ferrante of the "Neapolitan Novels"
|"Fingers crossed!"
|§, in a legal footnote: Abbr.
|Remarkable person
|Presidential monogram
|Word with sweet or snow
|Not just a "heh"
All intellectual property rights in and to the Crosswords are owned by "Los Angeles Times", including copyrighted images and trademarks. nytimescrosswordsolver.com is in no way affiliated with "New York Times, NY Times" in any way.


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Kitchen Blinds, Window Treatments & Shades
- Durable products are key in this room
- Go cordless over sinks or counters
- Faux wood blinds resist heat and moisture
- Easy to clean products are smart picks
- Top down/bottom up for flexible privacy
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Blindsgalore® Envision Roller Shades: Light Filtering Textures & Patterns
$145.70 $72.85 you save 50%
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customer reviews for kitchen
"Great Purchase"
By Robin from Butler Mo
I checked alot of places for blinds , but ended up buying them here. I received them in a short time , they was very easy to hang and the quality seems to be greatView this product
"Great Choice"
By No Longer Blindless from California
The roller shade is great. The rich fabric color has transformed our window and prompted me to order additional shades for other windows in the home. The shades were so easy to install that I installed them without the help of my husband, but with the help of my 13 yr old daughter.View this product


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DR Strings Long Necks Taper Core Medium 5-String Bass Strings
Sku #105226000000000
DR Strings
5 String Sets for Electric Bass
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DR Long Necks are just what the contemporary player ordered.
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Bass players who need a tapered core string for modern techniques will love the superior performance of DR Long Necks stainless steel strings. Players searching for increased stability in the lower registers will find great clarity and definition with DR's tapered bass strings. DR taper-cores use a single wrap around a hex core as the narrow winding passes over the bridge.
- Gauges 45-65-85-105-125
- Tapered core string for modern techniques
- Stainless steel


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Cadillac boosts price of new Escalade nearly $8,000
While Lincoln was introducing a new version of its Navigator SUV today, Cadillac was dramatically raising the price of the other popular full-size luxury SUV, the Escalade.
Cadillac plans to charge $72,690 to start for the new version of the Escalade, including a $995 destination charge. That's nearly $8,000 more than the base price of the outgoing 2014 version.
It's also a whopping $9,145 more than another one of its competitors, the 2014 Infiniti QX80, which has a starting price of $63,545 including a destination charge. Still, the Escalade's new price is nearly $11,000 less than the 2014 Lexus LX 570. It starts at $83,540 with destination. The 2015 Escalade is set to arrive at dealerships in the spring.
Cadillac says the reason behind the dramatic spike in price is that it has dropped a previously available base model, which started at $64,740, including destination. Donny Nordlicht, a Cadillac spokesman, said that model was sold only in "extremely limited" quantities and discontinued in the first month of the model year's production.
(Cars.com shows just 31 base-model 2014 Escalades available in its online inventory out of over 4,000 available).
The 2015 starting price applies to the lowest trim level, now called the Standard, which comes with a host of equipment not available on the 2014 base model.
There's no indication that the 2014 Escalade's top Platinum level is returning for 2015. Standard is now the base level, with Luxury as the midlevel offering and Premium the top tier. For the 2014 Escalade, Luxury and Premium were the first and second trim levels and started at $68,965 and $73,245, respectively, with Platinum at the top starting at $81,515 (all prices include destination).
Prices for 2015 Escalade's trim levels are not yet available, but we do have details.
The Standard trim includes Magnetic Ride Control, LED headlights and taillights, 20-inch dual seven-spoke chrome-plated aluminum wheels, a backup camera, front and rear park assist, a hands-free power liftgate, the Cadillac User Experience multimedia system, leather seats with power adjustability for the driver and front passenger, heated and cooled front seats and a heated second row, a power fold-flat third row, power adjustable pedals, a heated and power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, and adaptive remote start.
Moving to the Luxury trim adds 22-inch seven-spoke premium painted wheels with chrome inserts; the Driver Awareness Package with a Safety Alert Seat, lane departure warning and forward collision alert systems; blind spot warning; lane change assist; rear cross-traffic alert; IntelliBeam headlamps; second-row power release fold-and-tumble seats; a sunroof; and a full-color head-up display.
The Premium trim includes the Driver Assist Package with front and rear automatic braking, Automatic Collision Preparation, adaptive cruise control, illuminated exterior door handles and a rear entertainment system with a 9-inch overhead screen.
The 2015's 6.2-liter V-8 engine, standard across all trims, is up 17 horsepower for a total output of 420 horsepower, while torque increases to 460 pounds-feet, up more than 10 percent. Power is channeled through a six-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive remains standard and all-wheel drive is an option.


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Western blot analysis of extracts from HeLa cells, transfected with 100 nM SignalSilence® Control siRNA (Unconjugated) #6568 (-), SignalSilence® VASP siRNA I (+) or SignalSilence® VASP siRNA II #7658 (+), using VASP (9A2) Rabbit mAb #3132 (upper) or α-Tubulin (11H10) Rabbit mAb #2125 (lower). The VASP (9A2) Rabbit mAb confirms silencing of VASP expression, while the α-Tubulin (11H10) Rabbit mAb is used as a loading control.
Product Information
CST recommends transfection with 100 nM SignalSilence® VASP siRNA I 48 to 72 hours prior to cell lysis. For transfection procedure, follow protocol provided by the transfection reagent manufacturer. Please feel free to contact CST with any questions on use.
Each vial contains the equivalent of 100 transfections, which corresponds to a final siRNA concentration of 100 nM per transfection in a 24-well plate with a total volume of 300 μl per well.
SignalSilence® siRNA is supplied in RNAse-free water. Aliquot and store at -20ºC.
SignalSilence® VASP siRNA I from Cell Signaling Technology (CST) allows the researcher to specifically inhibit VASP expression using RNA interference, a method whereby gene expression can be selectively silenced through the delivery of double stranded RNA molecules into the cell. All SignalSilence® siRNA products from CST are rigorously tested in-house and have been shown to reduce target protein expression by western analysis.
Oligonucleotide synthesis is monitored base by base through trityl analysis to ensure appropriate coupling efficiency. The oligo is subsequently purified by affinity-solid phase extraction. The annealed RNA duplex is further analyzed by mass spectrometry to verify the exact composition of the duplex. Each lot is compared to the previous lot by mass spectrometry to ensure maximum lot-to-lot consistency.
Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) was originally characterized as a substrate of both cGMP- and cAMP-dependent kinases (PKG and PKA, or cGPK and cAPK, respectively) (1). It is now believed that VASP belongs to the Ena/VASP family of adaptor proteins linking the cytoskeletal system to the signal transduction pathways and that it functions in cytoskeletal organization, fibroblast migration, platelet activation and axon guidance (2,3). Three phosphorylation sites, Ser157, Ser239, and Thr278, have been identified. Ser239 is the major PKG phosphorylation site while Ser157 is the major PKA phosphorylation site (4). Evidence suggests that VASP phosphorylation reduces its association with actin and has a negative effect on actin polymerization (5). Phosphorylation at Ser239 of VASP is a useful marker for monitoring PKG activation and signaling (6,7).
Explore pathways + proteins related to this product.
UniProt ID: P50552
Entrez-Gene Id: 7408


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(Reuters) - New York's top state bank regulator is yet to approve Ocwen Financial Corp's recent agreements to buy two mortgage servicing firms as a result of concerns about what it says are unfair loan practices, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Ocwen recently struck deals to buy Homeward Residential Holdings Inc and the mortgage servicing unit of Residential Capital LLC. Both companies collect mortgage payments and rework troubled loans for U.S. homeowners.
The two deals would make Ocwen the biggest servicer of home loans made to borrowers with weak credit histories - also known as subprime mortgages - and the fifth largest mortgage servicer in the United States overall.
Ocwen needs the approval of Benjamin Lawsky, New York's superintendent of financial services. The company has said it expects the deals to close by early 2013.
In a review of dozens of Ocwen's loan cases, Lawsky's office found what it sees as evidence of practices it deemed abusive, the Journal said, citing people familiar with the review. (http://link.reuters.com/wut44t)
Lawsky's office is demanding that Ocwen bring on a monitor of his choice who would oversee the company's mortgage operations for two years and recommend changes in business practices, the paper said.
"We have not received from any regulator at the federal or state or any level any findings or evidence we have wrongfully foreclosed on any borrower. Further, we do everything in our power to avoid foreclosure," Paul Koches, Ocwen's general counsel, told the Journal.
Ocwen teamed up with Walter Investment Management Corp to win a bankruptcy auction for Residential Capital LLC's mortgage business with a $3 billion bid. Ocwen also agreed to buy Homeward Residential Holdings from Wilbur Ross' private equity firm for $750 million in cash and stock.
Ocwen Financial, Lawsky's office and Residential Capital could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters outside regular U.S. business hours.
(Reporting by Sakthi Prasad in BANGALORE; Editing by Daniel Magnowski)


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Company's new offerings will include rainwater harvesting products, new compact membrane system and greywater residential recycling system
Bord na Móna Environmental Products U.S., Inc., the American market subsidiary of the $550-million Bord na Móna group based in Dublin, Ireland, has announced plans to introduce a complete range of rainwater harvesting products as well a new compact membrane for residential wastewater reuse/recycling applications.
According to Shane Keaney, president of Bord na Mona Environmental Products U.S., Inc., Bord na Mona will soon begin providing a complete range of residential & commercial rainwater harvesting products. The company will offer packaged solutions directly to green-build developers, self-builders and to homeowners retrofitting rainwater recycling into their houses. It will also offer skid-mounted units and recycling components to builders and owners of commercial properties, such as schools, universities, office buildings and for industrial water reuse applications.
The company has also started offering a packaged subsurface drip irrigation solution, which incorporates an upstream filter and the required controls. Drip irrigation conserves water by distributing treated wastewater rather than using potable water and can provide the fertilizer compounds necessary for plant growth.
Already a provider of a zero-energy, high-performance residential wastewater treatment solution with its Puraflo Peat Fiber Biofilter system, and a range of decentralized wastewater treatment technologies, Bord na Mona announced that it would soon introduce its PuraMc Compact Membrane system, and is developing a greywater recycling system for the U.S. residential market. In doing so, the company will be able to offer a complete range of residential water reuse solutions and leverage its experience in offering water recycling products in European markets.
The PuraMc bioreactor has been designed to reduce the operation and maintenance requirements compared to other residential membrane systems while providing a water quality suitable for non-potable reuse applications such as toilet flushing, and irrigation. "The PuraMc Compact Membrane Bioreactor system achieves high-quality effluent that meets water reuse and stringent Total Nitrogen standards within a greatly reduced overall footprint," Keaney explained.
The PuraMc system uses ultrafiltration membranes to remove solids and pathogens from the wastewater without the need for chlorination or UV while the biological process removes constituents such as BOD, nitrogen and phosphorus. The advanced treatment is provided by the extremely small pore size of the membrane, smaller than any bacteria, creating the physical barrier that ensures the high water quality standard.
"We believe that the use of rainwater, greywater and wastewater reuse systems will increase dramatically throughout the United States over the next several years as drought restrictions expand, new water reuse regulations are introduced and a greater consumer environmental consciousness solidifies," Keaney said. "We want to be able to offer a solution that can reuse every drop of water by combining wastewater recycling with rainwater harvesting."
"It's time to forge a new contract with nature," Keaney said. "All of us have a responsibility to protect the environment we live in. The solutions being introduced today reinforce and extend our commitment to offering sustainable approaches to wastewater pollution, water conservation and clean air technologies for municipalities, communities, and homeowners."
For more information, visit www.bnm-us.com.


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This is affecting us all at work and at home. We're working hard to keep services running and focusing on the most critical. This means some services may be affected. For help, call 08085 834333.Read our latest update
17 August 2015
20 October 2015
20 October 2015
Parking, travel and streets
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Despite being located billions of kilometers away from its host star, the dwarf world formally known as a planet may harbor and interesting secret beneath its icy crust.
Scientists suspect Pluto holds a rocky core spiked with radioactive materials that are slowly breaking down, releasing enough heat in the process to melt ice and keep it liquid. The temperature on Pluto's surface is about -375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Considering Pluto's size and composition, just 100 parts per billion of radioactive potassium would be enough to maintain an ocean 60 to 105 miles in depth 120 miles beneath the surface, says planetary scientist Guillaume Robuchon, with the University of California at Santa Cruz. (Discovery News)
While scientists have yet to prove whether Pluto has an ocean, settlers brave enough to establish homes upon this Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) would probably not be interested in digging/melting through its crust in order to find out first hand for themselves.
Either way this does make Pluto a bit more interesting than its KBO friends, and could help bring some much needed attention to the dwarf world (who is usually overshadowed by other planets closer to the Sun).
Image Credit: European Southern Observatory / L. Calçada. This post originally appeared on Colony Worlds.


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Despite key losses, rotation boasts Majors' best ERA
Harang, Santana, Teheran, Wood big reasons why Atlanta sits atop NL East standings
ATLANTA -- The Braves entered this season with a rotation that included two highly regarded young hurlers who had combined for 45 career starts, one vagabond who had just joined his sixth organization in the past calendar year, and a rookie whose Major League experience consisted of the two starts he had made in September.
A little more than three weeks later, the Braves find themselves sitting atop the National League East primarily because of the splendid performance of a rotation that has started this season more impressively than any of the storied Greg Maddux/Tom Glavine/John Smoltz staffs that graced Atlanta during the 1990s.
"Our starters have carried us," Braves third baseman Chris Johnson said. "It has been amazing. We have not swung the bats as well as we had wanted to. For us to be where we're at, it is all because of the pitching staff."
So much for the impending doom that was predicted five weeks ago, when the Braves lost Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy to season-ending elbow injuries within a 24-hour span. While Medlen and Beachy are recovering from their second Tommy John surgeries, the voids they left are being filled quite capably by Ervin Santana and Aaron Harang.
While Santana and Harang have served as dependable veteran presences, Julio Teheran and Alex Wood have provided further indication that they could serve as legitimate frontline starters for years to come. As a result, the Braves have seen their rotation produce a Major League-best 1.50 ERA, despite the absences of Medlen, Beachy and Mike Minor, the proven southpaw who is expected to make his season debut next week.
This ERA is a full run better than any other Atlanta rotation has posted through a season's first 21 games dating back to 1991, when Glavine won the first of the six Cy Young Awards captured by a Braves pitcher within an eight-year span.
Beginning in 1993, the Braves enjoyed the first of the seven consecutive seasons during which their rotation included Glavine, Smoltz and Maddux. Some of those Atlanta quintets have been recognized as the finest in baseball history. But none of them produced an ERA better than 2.52 through the season's first 21 games.
"When you're on a roll, you've just got to ride the hot streak and keep it going," Harang said. "Obviously you're seeing what the other guys are doing and you want to compare to what they have done. We all want to win and that is the biggest thing."
The manner in which the rotation has formed this ERA might be even more impressive than the mark itself. The Braves have seen their starting pitcher allow two earned runs or fewer in 20 of their first 21 games. David Hale had the audacity to allow three earned runs against the Mets on April 10, during what was just his fourth career start.
The only other Major League clubs who have seen their starting pitchers surrender two earned runs or fewer at least 15 times this season are the Dodgers (17), Cardinals (16) and Brewers (16).
"Our starters have been terrific," Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "I think the pickup of Santana when Beachy and Medlen both went down within days of each other was a big piece. Our front office went out and got the best pitcher available and he's been really nice to watch pitch."
Less than 48 hours after losing both Medlen and Beachy, the Braves reacted in an authoritative manner by giving a one-year, $14.1 million deal to Santana, who had been on the verge of signing with the Blue Jays. Braves chairman and CEO Terry McGuirk reacted to this signing by saying, "We're not in a rebuilding mode, we're in a winning mode."
The Braves have extended their winning ways thanks to Harang (0.85) and Santana (0.86), who own the NL's second- and third-best ERA marks. That seemingly equates to a good return on investment from a pair of pitchers who were not a part of the organization as recently as March 11.
While Santana has lived up to expectations, Harang has vastly exceeded what anybody could have envisioned when the Braves signed him to a one-year, $1 million contract March 24, hours after the Indians had become the fifth different team to bid him adieu in a span of a year.
It seems safe to say that those five other clubs are now among those bewildered by the fact that Harang has allowed one run or fewer and completed at least six innings in each of his first five starts. After carrying a no-hit bid into the seventh inning of two of his first four outings, the 35-year-old right-hander notched a season-high 11 strikeouts in Wednesday afternoon's win over the Marlins.
"It's like they put that [Braves] 'A' on and they automatically deal," Johnson said. "It's crazy."
While Harang and Santana have benefited from pitching coach Roger McDowell's skilled ability to communicate game plans with his pitchers, McDowell's most significant influences on this rotation come in the form of Teheran and Wood, who have blossomed under his direction over the past year.
Teheran ranks 10th in the NL and fourth on his own team with a 1.80 ERA through his first five starts. He delivered a three-hit shutout against the Phillies last week and then returned to the mound Monday to limit the Marlins to one run over seven innings.
Wood has lowered his ERA to 1.54 while working eight innings and allowing just one run in both of his past two starts. The 23-year-old hurler, who is just two years removed from college, showed his moxie on Tuesday night when he notched a career-high 11 strikeouts while opposing the Marlins' Jose Fernandez, who notched 14 strikeouts over eight scoreless innings.
"We just have a lot of people motivated to pitch well and it's fun to watch," Braves catcher Gerald Laird said. "It has been a lot of fun to watch."


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a new landmark for Waddenpoort Den Oever
|Benjamin Robichon
|project team:
|Eraldo Brandimarte, Barbara Dirks
|Havenweg Den Oever
|plot size:
|3.170 m²
|floor area:
|3.217 m²
|start design:
|April 2016
There are currently two fairly small fish restaurants in the port area in Den Oever. There is also a lack of good hotels or accommodation providers in this area. A recognisable and easily accessible hotel/restaurant with good parking facilities and an attractive/unique outlook will be a useful addition to the offering for the Kop van Noord-Holland for visitors and tourism.
The new Hotel, Information Centre and Panoramic Restaurant form part of the transferium that will be the starting point of the recreational network around Den Oever. The building will fulfil a dual function, providing not only the functions offered but also serving as a landmark. The position of the building coincides with the point where the lines of sight from the A7 and Afsluitdijk intersect and lies on the (imaginary) N99-Afsluitdijk axis.
The building is to be subdivided into a number of stacked elements and platforms. Firstly, there is the base of the tower. This base is connected to the recreational transferium at ground level and fits in with the current image quality plan. In this base, there is space for an information centre and it also provides access to the Hotel and Panoramic Restaurant. The second element is the Hotel which will have approximately 45 rooms. The third element is the Panoramic Restaurant. The restaurant will look out onto the Wadden Sea – a World Heritage Site – and on a clear day, it will provide views of the Wadden Islands, the Afsluitdijk, the IJsselmeer or Markermeer and the Kop van Noord-Holland. The height of the restaurant will be approximately 20 to 25 metres in order to provide a wonderful view of the above-mentioned elements. The restaurant is also to become a beacon or landmark for the traffic travelling on the A7 from the direction of both North Holland and Friesland.
In many respects, Den Oever is an important hub for the Netherlands. The historic fishing port with its fish market is one of the biggest ports for importing prawns in Europe. The fresh fish market that is held every Saturday morning attracts not only visitors/buyers from North Holland but also tourists from the Netherlands and abroad. Den Oever lies on the busy A7 that goes from Amsterdam to Friesland, Groningen, Germany and Scandinavia On average, just under 20,000 motor vehicles use the A7 motorway every day.


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Destination Weddings
Destination weddings can be planned with ease by following our tips for finding the best destination wedding locations and our etiquette guide for inviting guests. Check out our ideas for destination wedding invitations, dresses, and favors to make planning a breeze.
Destination Wedding Etiquette
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Whether you want a destination wedding to get away from it all or to get closer to those you love most, destination weddings come with their own set of planning issues and considerations. Fortunately, we have articles and tips to address just about every destination wedding concern you can think of, from deciding between destination wedding locations to answering destination wedding etiquette questions. One of the hardest parts of planning a destination wedding may be deciding where to have it. If you're having difficulty deciding between wedding destinations, consider logistics. Figure out how long a flight it will be for most of your guests and if there are transfers required, consider choosing a closer location to home. Also determine the legal requirements for getting married abroad, and find out whether your wedding venue offers any destination wedding packages. Keep in mind, too, that creating a destination wedding guest list is slightly different than a traditional guest list -- it comes with its own set of destination wedding etiquette. Be up front with friends who may not be invited, and let those on the guest list know as soon as possible so that they can start looking into booking flights. Also check out destination wedding packages at nearby hotels in case you need to reserve a block of rooms. Once you've determined your reception location, be sure to read our article about creative ways to personalize destination weddings. From destination welcome bags full of goodies to creative exits, favor ideas, and more -- we're sure you'll find some great destination wedding ideas here.


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On this page you will find all of our Mangold perennial recipes. EAT SMARTER recipes are not only delicious, they are also healthy. We hope to inspire you with our diverse collection of recipes and beautiful food imagery. Our list view below allows you to see multiple options at a glance and let your taste buds be the judge. Enjoy these amazing Mangold perennial recipes. If you like what you eat, please share your experience with us on our community and social media pages.


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The fatigued indifference we once felt about a "Terminator 5" was replaced with unbridled, childlike glee when we heard the news that Justin Lin would be directing the film. But now that glee has wilted to sadness at word that Lin may have to back out.
Megan Ellison, everyone's favorite fundie filmmaker, wants the first of two Terminator films to go into production by the end of 2012, which would force Lin to recuse himself in deference to "Fast Six," reported Deadline.
Ellison bought the rights to the Terminator franchise for $29.5 million, and is feeling pressed for time by the fact that they revert back to James Cameron in 2018, per copyright laws. Cameron has previous said he's done with the franchise, as "the soup's already been pissed in," but apparently the returning Arnold Schwarzenegger has got him all in a lather about the project again.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
Fortunately, Lin is still eager to make the film if Ellison can just wait, and frankly, if she doesn't even have a script yet, she can't be in that big a hurry. Furthermore, it would justy make sense to shoot "T5" and "T6" at the same time, so why not wait until 2013 to start production?
We've said it before, we'll say it again: When you consider what he had to work with, Justin Lin's "Fast Five" was an eye-popping triumph. We would love to see what he could do for Teh Terminator.


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alicia (2280631) wrote:how come my selfie photos arent being posted to my fb pg??
Hala (187663036) wrote:Hello my name is Hala and I very much love the game and I am an Arab girl and I love English very much but I do not like it so much
Edz LAX (130829107) wrote:I need help. i lost my phone which i downloaded yopass apps , what im go
ing to do to reset or remove the yopass apps in my account so that i can log in yoworld to play.
please help me,
thank you.
Paigee BMM (187448797) wrote:I accidentally bought the wrong house by mistake, is there any way I can get my Money back or even switch the houses out??
Alex (152667001) wrote:So nice what yu spoke about BUT :
If it's all right, why did not you respond to Help on October 9, from my friend [removed] who was hacked and not the [removed], and now you've closed her so she can not come in, we can all go to her, but she can not because she's not Hack yourself- she is Vikitm by others! It happened on the 9th of October and all you then sent to her was the Auto reply ... and they did not do it anymore later .. She learned that she was left without everything, but Hacker went through her to others ... and someone reported her she can not play from last night, she sent you everything from your e-mail to your "Auto Response" and she's still waiting for an answer, and she's spending her money, she's playing as we did since 2009, she sent you all the data and image of the scam and the chat and everything you need and I think that you should be having fun because we still have friends here, and this is a long time and it's not fair, if someone has her, and sent her "free Million coins. Someone of the 3 people clicked on to see that it was a scam (and she sent it to you) and that one of 3 people reported it to you and you react now, and that all happened 9. Okotbra the night while she slept only 3 hours because when she returned, she did not even find her coins or Yocash~also this is happened when she is sleep,she was finish Clothing Challenge and go to sleep,wake up after 3 hours and see this...in the morning send her how is she tief..and she not know~~~~~~Now is time to her back in game and continue to explore the Hackers because anyone who can, I can get hurt, can be any one of many friends (some have been in the last 3 months) you have not solved the case Never! save him and return the normal people to the game because this is not normal. Best regards,
Jan (112077184) wrote:I have had difficulty accessing free items now I still cannot receive free items but I cannot hit account settings or help button. Currently I also cannot purchase items or engage in the auctions button ….Pls HELP...
sabrina (105095415) wrote:please help my game wont send me coins in the videos and my friends not sending me any gifts and I cant send back to them thankyou


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UK Spy Agency MI5 Named as Gay-Friendly Employer
LONDON (AP) -- Britain's domestic spy agency MI5 was named as one of the country's most gay-friendly employers Wednesday.
MI5 was ranked 62 out of 100 for being one of the best employers for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff, according to a list compiled by the equality charity Stonewall.
Ernst and Young topped the list, which is based on a confidential survey of more than 7,500 lesbian, gay and bisexual employees.
"The Security Service has worked hard in recent years to promote equality and diversity across all areas of its work," said Jonathan Evans, MI5's director general. "We are pleased to be recognized by Stonewall, but there is still more we can do."
Gay candidates weren't always welcomed into the agency in the past. Many believed their sexual preferences would leave them more vulnerable to blackmail.
Since the 2005 suicide attacks when bombers killed 52 people during London's morning rush hour, both MI5 and MI6 - Britain's foreign spy agency - have led aggressive recruiting drives for candidates from diverse ethnic and sexual backgrounds.
"Competition for a place in the Top 100 was fiercer than ever this year," Stonewall Chief Executive Ben Summerskill said.
Other employers who ranked high on the list included Britain's Home Office, Barclays and Goldman Sachs.
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Illinois at Maryland basketball game story. WITH REPORT CARD.
Illinois coach Bruce Weber didn't scream to get his points across in the locker room after the Illini's 69-61 loss to Maryland in a Big Ten-ACC Challenge game Wednesday at the Comcast Center. The first message -- "that we should have won,'' said senior forward Brian Randle -- was impossible when Randle, senior center Shaun Pruitt and junior guard Chester Frazier, the team's most experienced players, played more like newcomers they were supposed to carry. There was no denying it. "The upperclassmen didn't do what they're supposed to do tonight,'' Randle said. "They didn't set the table, didn't play right, didn't play well. These younger guys did a great job, but the three of us need to step up every game. It's a wakeup call. "It's frustrating, to be honest. We knew they were a good team. We felt they were beatable. I had a terrible game. There's no sugar-coating that. Chester didn't play well. Shaun came on a little later. The three of us, it's up to us to be an example. To not do that is hard, especially against a team that you feel you can beat.'' With Randle, Pruitt and Frazier combining for 17 points on 6-for-28 shooting, Illinois fell to 4-2 overall by losing to an ACC team for the second time this season. Illinois shot 33.3 percent from the field, 44.4 percent from the line and couldn't shake its reputation as an offense struggling to score. "Going into the season, the big question is are we going to make shots,'' Weber said. "We didn't make shots. You still have a chance to win the game. It's disappointing that we didn't play better. I'll be honest. I'm disappointed. "You can say we competed. It's a tough place to play. That's not going to get you anywhere. Then we're going to be mediocre all year. I don't want to be mediocre. We have to see if they want to be mediocre.'' The Illini host Weber State on Saturday (4 p.m., Big Ten Network), but there's no chance this weekend to grab a meaningful win. Pruitt had 10 points and eight rebounds, but the first-team preseason all-Big Ten pick was 4-for-16 from the field. Randle had two fouls before the first TV timeout and finished with seven points on 2-for-8 shooting and seven rebounds. He didn't blame the bad night on a bruised nerve in his left leg a week ago that forced him to miss most of one game and two more practices. Frazier, a Baltimore native playing before his family for the first time, didn't score and finished with four turnovers. "The upperclassmen, the focal point, the players on the media guide (cover), they're the guys who are supposed to carry you on a consistent basis,'' Weber said. "They didn't do it tonight.'' Junior guard Calvin Brock made his second start and finished with a team-high 13 points. Junior forward Rodney Alexander had 10 points and five rebounds despite playing only five minutes in the second half, presumably because of issues on defense. When the team's high-profile players falter, "it's a tough challenge,'' Brock said. "We have some many young players. It's something a lot of teams are going through.'' One of those teams is Maryland, which improved to 5-2. The Terps, who started three sophomores and a freshman, were picked to finish sixth in the ACC, and this was considered a prime chance for the Illini to win one on the road against a power conference team. "They're trying to figure it out,'' Weber said. "It's a chance to beat them. It's a chance to win a game. There's no doubt. It's a winnable game. They're a good team but not a great team. They have nice pieces. At the same time, it's disappointing that we couldn't have played better.'' Sophomore guard Eric Hayes scored a career-high 18 points to lead Maryland. Sophomore guard Greivis Vasquez, who entered with a 17.7-point average, scored five points on 2-for-14 shooting. Maryland won its first game this season against a power conference opponent. "Illinois was an NCAA tournament team last year, and I fully expect them to be there again,'' Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "We had something to prove. We had to prove that we could beat a good team, and I think that was on our minds tonight.'' A 14-4 run put Maryland ahead 53-46 with 8 minutes 24 seconds left. Illinois pulled within 62-60 with 1:15 left, but the Illini missed two free throws and four shots as Maryland pulled away. NOTES: Illinois fell to 3-6 all-time in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, including three losses to Maryland. … In two games against the Terps -- including a loss last season in Assembly Hall -- Frazier was 1-for-12 with two points. … After playing five straight games away from Assembly Hall, the Illini have six of their next seven games inside the state line. John Supinie can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. For more coverage, read Illini Talk blog at www.sj-r.com and www.pjstar.com. Illinois report card Front court: D- Forward Brian Randle made it clear that he didn't blame his bad night on an injury last week. He wore an elastic sleeve over his left calf after a bruised nerve knocked him out of one game and kept him out of two practice sessions. Center Shaun Pruitt must learn to deal with sagging defenses that keep an eye on him. Back court: C Calvin Brock is emerging as an offensive threat, but he admitted he still needs to brush up on defensive technique. Point guard Chester Frazier had a forgettable night in his first game in front of his family. Bench: B Trent Meacham, Mike Davis and Demetri McCamey provided the spark off the bench. Don't blame this ugly night of offense on these guys. Overall: D If Pruitt, Randle and Frazier play like this, it will be a long season. They've shown that so much more can be expected of them. If the Illini want to reach the NCAAs, they need a consistent level of performance from the three mainstays.


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drain(redirected from drainable)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Idioms.
1. a pipe or channel that carries off water, sewage, etc.
2. Surgery a device, such as a tube, for insertion into a wound, incision, or bodily cavity to drain off pus, etc.
3. Electronics the electrode region in a field-effect transistor into which majority carriers flow from the interelectrode conductivity channel
A channel, conduit, or pipe used to remove rain, wastewater, or sewage.
an artificial underground channel (pipe, cavity) for collecting and discharging subsoil waters and for aerating soil. Drains differ according to function (driers, collecting mains), structure, and materials. Pipes are made of such materials as earthenware, wood, and plastic. Cavities are of the mole or the slotted type, filled with gravel or fascines.
(civil engineering)
A channel which carries off surface water.
A pipe which carries off liquid sewage.
The region into which majority carriers flow in a field-effect transistor; it is comparable to the collector of a bipolar transistor and the anode of an electron tube.
1. Any pipe in a building-drainage system which carries waste water or water-borne waste.
2. Any pipe or channel for carrying waste water or storm water.
(IBM) To allow a system to complete the processing of its current work before the system becomes unavailable. E.g. draining a device before taking it off-line or telling a web server in a server farm not to accept any new requests but to finish processing any requests it has already accepted.


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Food & Drink
Exclusive: The luxury hotel rooms that don't want you to stay
By David Molko, CNN • Updated 28th January 2014
View Gallery
4 Pictures
It's a beautiful fall morning looking out over the Avenue Kléber, just a few blocks from the Arc de Triomphe.
I've checked into Room 309, a Grand Deluxe guestroom at The Peninsula Paris, on a brisk, blue-sky day that makes you want to stroll the streets with a stop at the boulangerie for a pain au chocolat, or two.
But that might prove difficult.
I'm not in Paris. I'm in Hong Kong, in an identical mock-up of the hotel's Paris rooms.
The room's large, with three-meter ceilings you might find inside a century-old Beaux Arts building.
There's a dressing room that's as big as the oval-shaped white marble bathroom next door, where the clock above the vanity is set to Paris time.
Patricia Wu reports on the Peninsula Hong Kong which is raising its guest experience to new heights.
In the bedroom, there's a stack of French magazines in a rack next to the sofa.
It does feel like I'm in the French capital, even down to the exact street views you get from the real property.
Peninsula's Paris hotel doesn't open until August, but the project team at The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels (HSH), Peninsula's parent company, designed and built this fully functioning model room back in 2011.
Test before release
This is where Peninsula tries out new ideas and technology for a full year, before releasing its designs into the world.
I'm the first journalist allowed access to see how the concept works. Such is the confidentiality surrounding these unseen rooms, I'm sworn to secrecy as a condition of my visit.
The Paris property's pictures aren't even made available to me.
This is basically a place to make mistakes, so they don't get made in the real world.
"What happens if you wake up in the middle of the night? Do you bump your knee on anything? If you're in the bathroom, does it all work?" asks Clement Kwok, CEO of HSH.
For example, the "Dior grey" carpet originally laid will never see action. When the housekeepers came in to vacuum, it grew bald patches.
The Peninsula Paris is set to open its doors August 1, 2014.
The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited
The built-in television cabinet flanked by a hidden mini-bar and built-in espresso machine (with bilingual instructions) replaces a design that featured a fireplace and an in-mirror hidden TV.
The team learned that watching TV during daylight hours was impossible, due to the glare from the mirror, which stretched up to the ceiling.
Eventually the fireplace was cut too, and the single-panel door design was revised because it was too heavy to lift.
What I see, and what will appear in Paris, are two ivory-colored panels that split and slide up and down.
Peninsula has been building these rooms at a location in Hong Kong with every new property or major renovation since the 1990s, including the construction of its tower rooms in Hong Kong (1994), and its hotels in Tokyo (2007) and Shanghai (2009).
To visit Shanghai, I just have to go next door, where the colors are richer and bolder, and the accents Art Deco, in keeping with the hotel's location on the Bund.
Tokyo's modern lines and Zen touches must be around here somewhere, though my hosts remain tight-lipped.
Rooms full of secrets
I later learn the Tokyo tester room has been demolished.
With construction in its final stages in Paris, and the Shanghai hotel open for more than three years, these rooms haven't seen as many visitors lately.
But in 2011 and 2012, the Paris mock-up would have been busy with members of management teams and special guests staying one or two nights.
Chairman Sir Michael Kadoorie, whose family opened the first Peninsula in Hong Kong 85 years ago, has stayed overnight in the Paris, Shanghai and Tokyo models.
Even couples have shared the king-sized bed.
At the end of their stay, guests are asked to fill out a questionnaire that can take hours to complete.
Every detail the same, except the location.
Courtesy The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited
Executives give their suggestions directly to the project team, or, in the case of COO Peter Borer, experiment with changes themselves onsite.
Peninsula says Borer moved around and angled different sofas, armchairs, and coffee tables until he was satisfied with the setup.
There was also debate over the look and feel of the curved bathroom in Paris and whether it was worth the wasted space (its predecessors in Shanghai and Tokyo are rectangular, though the guestrooms have a similar overall layout).
Other changes were initiated from feedback that the room didn't feel "Parisian" enough.
The color scheme was changed from beige and bronze, to grey and chrome, and the wall coverings, carpet, and some of the furniture was adjusted.
And there were lots of other small tweaks, including the addition of a built-in reading light in a floor lamp.
A world of mock-ups
Peninsula isn't the only hotel company to build and test model rooms.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts which owns St. Regis, Westin, Sheraton, and others brands, has a design lab at its U.S. headquarters that features test rooms for some of its hotel lines, though not for each new property.
And while Peninsula won't disclose how much it costs to build, test, and maintain the model rooms, its CEO says they are an investment worth making.
"The purpose of doing all of this is not to add more gold and silver into the design," Kwok explains. "It is very focused on ergonomics, which is the sheer convenience of staying in that room and whether everything works."
My Paris stroll and fresh croissants will have to wait. I head down a short hallway past some Eiffel Tower-inspired art, open a mirrored door, and step back into the Hong Kong sunshine.
The Peninsula Paris, the luxury hotel group's 10th hotel, is set to open on August 1. Peninsula is also planning properties in London and Yangon, Myanmar.
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Custom Storage
Shelving, cabinetry and racking systems are all options.
Juliet Balcony
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One thing is for sure, Hasbro, if they don't **** it up, should make a mint this year at retail. If the the three new films are good, they should send a lot of people to the toy aisles.
I think the cost of toys has finally hit a point where people are not buying a lot.
I don't see any movement with the IM or POTC stuff either. Just dead.
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Sequestration will pare millions of dollars from Colorado Medicare payments, medical research, pure lab science and doctor education in coming months, local health officials said Friday.
As a result, there could eventually be longer waiting times for elderly hospital patients, fewer childhood vaccinations, and roadblocks for groundbreaking research proposals.
Hospitals face some of the most tangible near-term problems, as the sequester cuts Medicare spending by 2 percent. The Colorado Hospital Association estimates a loss of $35 million at state hospitals in the first year if cuts remain.
With other trims of hospital spending in the Affordable Care Act, and proposals to cut rural hospital subsidies, the sequester is a direct threat to small, rural hospitals, said CHA president Steven Summer.
"There are some so dependent on Medicare and Medicaid that it could threaten their long- term viability," Summer said.
Hospitals will not turn away patients at ERs or empty out inpatient beds filled by government-pay customers. Cash flow in a $2 billion hospital system, as some of the state's largest groups have grown into, can smooth sudden changes.
But cuts to graduate medical- education programs will mean hospitals hiring fewer interns and residents who ease waiting times for underserved populations, Summer said.
Other social-service providers said it may take time for impacts to trickle down, as some federal money comes to private institutions through state or county agencies.
In other sequester cuts detailed by area officials this week:
• Federal health and medical research could be cut 5 percent, from $59 million in annual spending at the University of Colorado at Boulder and $211 million at the CU Denver and CU Anschutz campuses. Those cuts will feel even more drastic because agencies are five months into the current fiscal year, meaning all the cuts must come from the remaining seven months of spending.
• Colorado children will lose 2,240 potential vaccinations as a result of $153,000 in health cuts for shots, according to a White House summary.
• State substance-abuse programs will lose $1.3 million, the White House said.
• Public health agencies could give up 5,300 HIV tests and nearly a half-million dollars in funding for health-disaster response.
• Private institutions with federal grant funding are monitoring trims, including National Jewish Health with its immunology and respiratory work. National Jewish said it has set aside funds to "bridge" its research faculty during the uncertainty, but cuts "will be hard."
Staff writer Electa Draper contributed to this report.


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Lindenwood University hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 15 to mark the launch of its new Veterans Affairs Center. The event took place inside the facility, which is located on the lower level of the Spellmann Center on the university's St. Charles campus.
Staffed by an active-duty member of the Missouri National Guard, the center serves as a resource hub for military scholars at Lindenwood. Veterans and service members may use it to hold meetings, complete coursework, and access information about their benefits, courses, and financial aid agreements. They can also use the setting to network and socialize with fellow soldiers.
"It's more than just a room, but a one-stop shop where veterans and service members can get the answers they need in the manner they deserve," said Jann Weitzel, PhD, vice president for academic affairs and provost. "It's yet another way in which we honor our commitment to military personnel and thank them for choosing Lindenwood University as their partner in education."
The Veterans Affairs Center is open daily, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 636-627-2920 or email Corey Mack, Military Liaison, at email@example.com.


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Alrighty- so there is something to be said for my ditzy-ness, and yesterday I topped myself.
Back story: Our sink has been leaking for about 2 weeks now, and the oh so amazing Joe has been too busy to fix it. UNTIL this weekend.
Joe woke up Saturday morning and disassembled our garbage disposal to find the source of the leak. Easy enough- we had a bad gasket. So we leave the disposal unassembled, and head out for our typical grocery shopping once the girls were awake and dressed. We stopped at Lowes on our way home and spent a good hour there looking for a gasket for the garbage disposal. Seriously- we looked FOREVER for this stupid gasket. We finally found it and were on our way home. By now it was approaching lunch time. We stopped at a favorite lunch time drive thru for some food, but Lil insisted she didn't want any- she wanted Mac and cheese at home. So whatever- I will make her some when we get home. Its easy mac, takes all of about 5 minutes to make. Yeah.
So we get home, and while Joe is putting the groceries away I start the easy mac... I dump the noodles in the bowl, get a measuring cup for the water and turn on the sink. Then I notice the sink has a stopper in it, and I think, "funny- I wonder who put that there" and I REMOVE IT. As you may have already guessed, this caused a whole lot of water to run through the garbage disposal and right out into our cupboard under the sink and all over the floor of the kitchen (and my feet). CRAPITY! I then spend the next 10 minutes completely emptying all the stuff from under our sink and drying up all the water on my kitchen floor and cabinet. When I finished I took the wet towels to the laundry, and took the mop outside to wring it out, and put everything back under the sink. I get that done and UGH! My hands are super dirty and totally gross. So what do I do? I turn on the kitchen sink to wash my hands... bet you can't guess what happened...
I can be such a DIP!
A picture of Joe as a baby... Very similar facial expression to the one he gave me when I got the kitchen all wet. AGAIN.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Ah, the ditz that I am...
Alrighty- so there is something to be said for my ditzy-ness, and yesterday I topped myself.
Posted by Pam at 10:16 PM 3 comments
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
10 Things...
I saw this idea on a friends blog, and of course, had to do it myself...
10 things about me that you may not already know:
1. I have this truly insane fear of being alone (on every level). I feel more safe with my two young kids at home with me, than I do alone. I know- that makes no sense, but thats me! I am also really afraid that Joe will die first. So. Not. Cool. He is not allowed to die first.
2. I hate cleaning (See last post). I clean because I like how a clean house feels, and I like the spirit in my home when the place is clean, but I do not enjoy the work in any way what-so-ever.
3. I talk with my hands. If you ever want me to shut up (which I am sure is often!), just bind my hands. I start stammering and can't think straight with them being forced to hold still. I know- I am so weird!
4. I have had Post Pardom Depression with both my kids (and still have it). BUT- unless you know me well you would never know it. I have such a peppy personality, usually, that when I am depressed, to most people I would just seem normal!
5. I am allergic to metal. Almost all metal almost anywhere. I have pierced ears and can't wear earrings cause it causes infections within a couple hours. I get a major rash every time I shave my legs, and necklaces and watches leave rashes too. No matter the quality of the metal, if it touches my skin I will get a rash. With one exception. 14 karat gold or higher quality metals are okay on my fingers, as long as the ring is not tight. If the ring fits properly, it will leave a rash too. I even used to get a rash from belt buckles and the back of the button on my jeans...
6. I was born and raised in California. And I don't know how to surf, have been on only enough boats to count on one hand, and I HATE swimming. Whats more- I can't tan worth a darn! I go from white to red than back again...
7. I talk a lot. I know it. You probably know it too, but did you know that I am SUPER self conscious about it? I hate that I talk so much. And I wish I could catch myself doing it and shut myself up, but I don't seem to realize it until its too late.
8. I am way close with my family. Not just my siblings, but my cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. I can honestly name almost all of my second cousins as well as my first cousins once removed, and I frequently eat lunch with my first cousin twice removed(that would mean her grandparents are my great great grandparents...), and her mother (my great grandfather's sister)!
9. I like painting. I think about the time I am done painting all the rooms in my house, I may just start over and work my way back through the house!
10. I have had two warrants out for my arrest in two states at the same time. I also got pulled over once in California and was given three tickets. Yet I have never been in jail and have a perfect driving record. If you REALLY wanna know more, leave me a message and I will blog about it soon... its late and I wanna go to bed! Night all!
Posted by Pam at 10:46 PM 3 comments
Spring Fever?
Well, I must be sick. It's decided. I am definitely not in my right mind. " Why?"
You ask? Well, because! I spent all of yesterday deep cleaning my house. I mean literally ALL DAY. And do you know how far I got? Through the kitchen. Yup- just the kitchen. I reorganized my kitchen cabinets, I cleaned the cabinet doors, I went through almost a whole container of Chlorox Disinfectant Wipes. I cleaned the walls, the doors, the oven, microwave, and dishwasher inside and out... I hand scrubbed the floor, but even more intensely, I scrubbed down the baseboards, and I am not just talking around the perimeter of the room, I got down and scrubbed off the baseboards under the cabinets... ewww. I really ought to do that more often. The reason this proves I am sick is that I HATE cleaning. I really do. I try my hardest to keep the floors, counters and other surfaces pretty clean and "baby safe" ( meaning clutter free, wiped down, vacuumed, swept, mopped, etc.) but in general I let Joe do most of the deep cleaning.
Today's to do? All the Laundry and both the bathrooms. Luckily my front room doesn't need cleaning because I had the carpets cleaned late last week which forced me to deep clean that room already. So yeah- bathrooms, bedrooms and the never ending stacks of laundry. I think I caught that pesky spring cleaning bug... Oh how I hate being sick! :S
Posted by Pam at 9:03 AM 2 comments
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Stubborn is a good word for her! Independant is another good one...
Pam's version:
So last night was our Relief Society Birthday Party. I am on the Enrichment committee, so I helped plan, and decorate for it (amongst other things). Joe was running a bit late getting home last night, so I ended up taking both the girls with me to set up for the party. About 10 minutes after we got to the church Joe showed up to take Lil and Lacey home. It was about 5:45 or so.
Skip forward to the beginning of the party, at 6:30. A neighbor of mine (and Lil's preschool teacher), Tausha, showed up at the party and said, "I saw Lilia walking outside." I respond, "Oh, with Joe?" She said, "No. Just Lil." To which I respond, "Oh! Where was she?" "Across from the church trying to cross the street." I was like, WHAT!?! She then proceeded to tell me how she asked Lil if her mommy knew where she was. Lil's response? "I'm going to see mommy at the turch (that is how she pronounces church)" Tausha then asked, "Did you tell Daddy where you were going?" Lil hesitated to answer so Tausha asked, "Did you forget to tell Daddy?" And Lil replied "yeah..." So Tausha walked her the two blocks home.
Joe's version:
He gets to the church at 5:45 to pick up the kids and Lil doesn't want to leave. She says she wants to stay with momma. So to try and convince Lil that she doesn't want to stay Joe says (very sarcastically) "But you can't stay with momma, this party is for OOOOOLLLLLDDDD Ladies!"
Lilia: "I'm a lady too!"
Joe: "But you aren't an OLD lady you are a YOUNG lady..."
Lil: "No, I am old!"
Joe: "Nope- you are young, you don't want to stay with all the OLD ladies..."
This continues all the way home. Joe finally sits her down to watch a TV show while he finishes giving the dog her summer haircut (something I had started earlier that day). About half an hour later Lil's show ends and he goes to check on her. She isn't in the front room. She isn't in the kitchen. Or her bedroom. Or the garage. She isn't home. The little booger was probably headed toward the church. So he heads for the front door and opens it to find Lil and Tausha approaching the porch. Tausha said, "I asked if she asked Daddy if she could walk to the church." And Lil said, "AND YOU SAID YES, HUH DADDY?"
Poor Joe. I don't blame him. She usually sits quite content in front of the TV for half an hour. She is a very determined kid though. Just the other day she decided she was done playing at the park, and without telling me, she went back inside. I was totally freaking out looking for her in the neighborhood, and I ran inside to call Joe and there was Lil, watching the TV (Which she turned on herself). We had a nice little talk about telling Mom every time we want to go somewhere...
The perfect example of Lil's independence. I accidentally fell asleep a few months ago, and while I was snoozing Lil started a bath for herself. I woke up just in time to stop the water before it ran over the edge!
Posted by Pam at 9:02 AM 4 comments
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Posted by Pam at 2:09 PM 1 comments