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Ducks hope to extend Pacific lead vs. Kings
The Anaheim Ducks will try to move closer to their second Pacific Division title when they host the Los Angeles Kings in Sunday's battle at the Honda Center.
Anaheim enters Sunday with 55 points, giving the club an eight-point lead over Los Angeles for the division lead with 10 games to play. The only other time the Ducks won the division was in 2006-07, when the franchise also won its first and only Stanley Cup.
The Kings, however, are the defending Stanley Cup champions and enter Sunday's showdown with wins in four of five and six of their last eight meetings with the Ducks. Anaheim won the first encounter of the season with a 7-4 home win on Feb. 2, but the Kings recorded a 5-2 victory on Feb. 25 in L.A.
The clubs have split the last eight meetings in Anaheim. The season series will end Saturday when the Kings host the Ducks at Staples Center.
The Ducks won two games against Dallas when the clubs met in three straight outings last week, but the Stars claimed the finale with Friday's 3-1 win in Anaheim. It was just the fifth regulation loss on home ice for the Ducks this season, but four of those setbacks have come in Anaheim's last five tests in Orange County.
Kari Lehtonen posted 27 saves to lead the Stars to Friday's victory, while Andrew Cogliano scored the only goal of the game for the Ducks, who fell to . 14-5-0 as the host this season. Viktor Fasth surrendered all three of Dallas' goals in the first period and stopped 22 shots in the loss.
"In the first period we were running all over the place," said Anaheim head coach Bruce Boudreau. "I give Dallas' defense credit because they blocked a lot of shots. We tried to come back, but the damage was done."
The Ducks played Friday's game without leading scorer and team captain Ryan Getzlaf, who sustained a lower body injury in Wednesday's win over the Stars. The centerman leads Anaheim in both goals (13) and assists (30) in 37 games this season and is questionable for Sunday's showdown.
Also, goaltender Jonas Hiller was unable to suit up for Friday's game due to an illness and was replaced on the roster by Igor Bobkov, who has never seen action in an NHL game.
The Kings enter Sunday having won two straight and three of their last four games. L.A. has outscored the opposition by a 7-1 margin in its last two trips to the ice and is coming off Saturday's 4-1 triumph against the visiting Edmonton Oilers.
Mike Richards and Jeff Carter each scored first-period goals to back a 23-save effort from Jonathan Quick in the decisive win over the Oilers. Carter added an assist on Richards' early score to help the Kings improve to 5-1-1 over their last seven games and move past idle San Jose for the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
"We used our speed today," said Carter. "We got off to a good start and it set the tone."
Slava Voynov added a power-play goal in the win, which fellow defenseman Drew Doughty sealed it with an empty-net tally with 48.7 seconds left to play.
L.A. is beginning a brief two-game road trip on Sunday and will complete the swing Tuesday in Dallas. The Kings have lost two of their last three on the road and are 8-9-2 as the visiting club this season.


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NEW YORK (AP) - (RNN) - Kids everywhere might have a new comeback when their parents tell them they can't play video games until they finish their homework.
"Mom, I'm practicing for medical school."
Although most people might think video games are a pointless pastime, a new study by the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston discovered that high school and college students that regularly play video games were better at performing "virtual surgery" than actual physicians.
Researchers looked at high school sophomores who played two hours of video games each day and college students who played four hours to gather their data.
They compared the students' performance on a surgery simulator to a group of medical residents from the University of Texas.
The result? High school and college gamers beat out the docs.
"They did pretty much the same, but slightly better than our physicians in training," said UTMB Director of Texas Robotic Gynecology Dr. Sami Kilic in a statement. "And some of those physicians in training have already participated in actual cases."
High school students performed the best using robotic simulators, with the college gamers riding their coattails. The physicians placed last.
The groups were ranked by measuring 20 different factors used in both robotic surgery and video games, including hand-eye coordination and using the right amount of tension on controls.
Scientists also had the research groups do simulations without the robot-like system in order to test cognitive skills that involve a more hands-on approach.
This time, the physicians came out on top.
According to researchers, the study sought to look at how the next generation of doctors "might optimally prepare themselves to be the surgeons of the future."
Researchers added that most practicing physicians were not originally trained to perform surgery using robotic tools because it is a relatively new technique.
The study was presented during an event for the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists.
Copyright 2012 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


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The MLS® Home Price Index (MLS® HPI) is a tool to measure home price trends in Metro Vancouver and other major markets in the country. The MLS® HPI was developed by five of Canada's largest real estate boards – Greater Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal – and the Canadian Real Estate Association.
This MLS® HPI replaces the MLSLink Housing Price Index, which had been used by Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley REALTORS® since the mid 1990s. MLS® HPI statistics since 2005 should not be compared with previous MLSLink HPI statistics.
Visit the MLS® HPI website
Not your 'average' price
The MLS® Home Price Index is modelled on the Consumer Price Index which measures the rate of price change for a basket of goods and services including food, clothing, shelter, and transportation.
Instead of measuring goods and services, the HPI measures the change in the price of housing features. Thus, the HPI measures typical, pure price change (inflation or deflation).
The HPI benchmarks represent the price of a typical property within each market. The HPI takes into consideration what averages and medians do not – items such as lot size, age, number of rooms, etc. These features become the composite of the 'typical house' in a given area.
Each month's sales determine the current prices paid for bedrooms, bathrooms, fireplaces, etc. and apply those new values to the 'typical' house model.
Note: the three-year trend graph has been temporarily removed due to technical problems. It will return once it's fixed.


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On September 27, 2012, the Catholic and Dominican Institute
presented Church of the 2nd Vatican Council: A Work
Complete Yet Always in Progress, a lecture by Fr. Robert
Christian, OP.
Theologian Fr. Robert Christian, OP,
presented the talk, which marked the 50th anniversary of the Second
Vatican Council. He enlightened listeners with exploring the
meaning of Latin phrases such as "Ecclesia Christi subsistit in
Ecclesia Catholica" from the Vatican II document "Lumen Gentium"
and how the wording denotes both continuity and reform over the
original expression, "Ecclesia Christi est Ecclesia Catholica."
He also discussed how ecumenical dialogue furthers the
exploration of faith, making such dialogue vital to the Church's
continued growth and well-being.
Fr. Robert Christian is Professor of Theology and Vice Dean of
the Faculty of Theology at the Angelicum, Rome. He is a member of
the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission and Consultor
to the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity.
For more information about this event, call the Catholic and
Dominican Institute at 845-569-3467.


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<—-Kingston 1938 – A Dangerous Place to Live London 1939 —->
I couldn't help but be amused when I discovered this Christmas card that my Uncle Sydney used to send to his customers in Jamaica. It depicts snow – in Jamaica!!
Olga's Diary (Continued)
Dear Diary
Christmas Eve: Ruby, Dolly, Pearl and me went to midnight mass at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Mammie never forces us to go to church and we can choose whether we want to. I always want to go, I like the feeling of peace when I'm in Church. The Cathedral bells always start ringing half an hour before midnight and as they died away the Holy Trinity Choir sang "Adeste Fideles".
Father Butler preached the sermon and talked about the true meaning and spirit of Christmas and that it was a season of love and we should love one another and live happily and peacefully together. Father Butler knows my family well and I'm sure he wrote that sermon just for the Browney family. It certainly felt like it.
Christmas is a special time in Jamaica and we celebrate it in a big way. I love it, there is always so much happening and it's one of the few times, apart from family crisis, a wedding or a funeral, when my family is together.
Christmas Day: Today is such a beautiful day, warm with a little breeze and Mammie is sitting in her favourite rocking chair on the back veranda, pretending she's dozing, but I know she is watching to make sure Cassie and me lay the dining table properly for Christmas lunch.
We nearly always eat in the garden and Cassie and I are laying the huge mahogany table that's been moved from the dining room onto the lawn and has been in the family as long as I can remember. Mammie had it specially made years ago and told the craftsman it had to be big enough to hold at least twenty people because she was going to have lots of children.
Cassie and I have done a good job with the table, even if I say so myself. At each end there is a large bowl of fruit overflowing with mangoes, oranges, figs, papaw, bananas, star apples, dates, pineapple, naseberry and tamarind. Down the centre we've put sprays of green maiden hair fern with white Christmas blossoms and lots of deep crimson roses. Each place setting has been laid up with a crystal wine glass and Mammie's best silver cutlery, a Xmas cracker and a crisp white folded linen serviette in the shape of a water lily and placed in the middle of each setting. As an extra touch I've put a few tiny silver dishes of sweets, raisins and nuts on the table.
We have a real feast on Christmas Day, lots of different things to choose from. Rice and peas, cod fish and ackee, which grows in pods on a large tree, as well as the usual Christmas lunch of roast turkey, roasted plantain, sweet potatoes, calalue, cassada and yams. For pudding we'll be having boiled Jamaica plum pudding with wine sauce as well and mince pies. Oh, I do love my food. Mammie says my eyes are bigger than my belly. I have a big scar on my upper arm where Dolly threw hot porridge at me one morning at breakfast.
I remember when I was little the family were sitting down to breakfast one morning, and we normally had porridge, and there was a sideboard where the porridge was laid out in dishes. I usually examined them all to see which was the biggest one. Dolly was standing beside me and I picked up the biggest one and she picked up hers and she threw it at me and said
"Here you take this too" and the porridge hit me on my right upper arm.
I've still got the burn mark all these years later. Mammie was furious with Dolly and she got smacked and Mammie took me to the bathroom and put bicarbonate of soda on it. It stung like anything. I cried a little bit because it hurt and then Mammie took me back down to breakfast.
After that we got ready for school and Mammie gave us a coconut cake. She made them every day for us. I can see Dolly, Ruby and myself, three little tots, going off to school, crying and hugging each other all the way. We made friends quickly and never kept malice. We were always together and did everything together, went to school together, played together, when we were very little we even slept in the same bed together.
Mammie is lovely, you know, we only have to say we have a headache and she'll cuddle you.
Next to the chairs which have been stacked ready to be placed around the Christmas table is a big wicker basket which will soon be full of Christmas presents.
We have a custom at Christmas where we put everyone's name in a hat and then you pick a name from the hat and have to buy a present for that person, costing no more than 1/-. It takes a lot of imagination sometimes to find the right present for the right person.
John Canoe: In the distance I can hear the music from the John Canoe celebrations which we'll all go and join up with after lunch. John Canoe parades date back to slavery when Christmas was the only extended holiday the slaves had and it was a very special holiday for them.
Some people say John Canoe was a great African chief and loved so much by his people that in his honour a festival is held every year. Men wear "John Canoe faces", which are masks worn by the performers.
One performer will wear a sort of house on his head, some wear a cow's head, one or two of them wear the head of a horse, some of the men dress in women's clothes and all are dancing in the streets accompanied by drums, tambourines, banjos, flutes or homemade musical instruments and there is lots of noise and dancing in the streets.
The Devil carries a pitchfork and wears a cowbell attached to his backside. On his head is a cardboard cylinder which rests on a flat square piece of cardboard and his entire costume is black. He pokes people with his pitchfork and frightens, not only children, but grown ups as well, me included sometimes.
Another performer plays Belly Woman, a pregnant lady who makes her belly move in time to the music. She is very funny and another character,
Pitchy-Patchy, has the most colourful costume of all, with layered strips of brightly coloured cloth. He is very energetic doing handstands and cartwheels all the time. In the evening most of us will go to Winchester Park which will be just one mass of people, young and old, rich and poor, all determined to have a good time.
At the entrance to the park last year was a thirty foot Christmas tree brilliantly lit and flooded with coloured lights from a gigantic searchlight and there were different booths, some designed to look like English cottages, and others had comic cartoons painted on them. In each booth there are usually games of chance and lots of ways of winning prizes.
There is always a special exhibition in the flower booth where the floral creations of school children are on display and when the Browney children were small, it was our custom to display our floral designs there. It's one of my favourite booths and Maurice has told me that his floral design is on display this year. Dear Maurice, I can't wait to see it.
But the booth I'll head for first is the one with the fortune teller. I'm off to England soon, so I must find out what's in store for me.
Telegram from Rebecca Browney, Kingston, Jamaica to
Martha Ross, Paddington, England
Olga sailing on S.S Jamaica Progress arriving London 1st April 1939. Please meet her. Becky.
Dear Diary
On my way: On a crystal clear morning, the S.S Jamaica Progress steams slowly out of Kingston Harbour into the blue waters of the Caribbean, past small fishing boats, with the fringe of the coconut palms that front the Blue Mountains, gradually disappearing from view.
She passes Port Royal and what remains of the buccaneer city that an earthquake sank beneath the ocean hundreds of years ago. Overhead, in a cloudless blue sky, three long-tailed humming birds, so vivid in colour, sweep across the sky in unison and the sight of them takes my breath away.
An omen, perhaps, a sign of good luck, Olga?
<—-Kingston 1938 – A Dangerous Place to Live London 1939 —->
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Federal MP Bob Katter has held talks with maverick Queensland MP Alex Douglas, but is not saying if they will co-operate in this year's federal election.
Dr Douglas, a state MP for the Gold Coast seat of Gaven, says he is forming his own party and will make a push into federal politics with the help of billionaire Clive Palmer.
Mr Katter said they had held frank talks but declined to reveal details of what was discussed or who else attended.
"Yes, we've had meetings with these people," he told AAP on Friday.
"I wouldn't divulge ... who attended or what was discussed. I would consider that a breach of propriety.
"There was not a lot of specifics, just discussing general ground on which we agree."
When asked if the two parties could co-operate at the next election, including sharing preferences and working as a coalition, Mr Katter said it was possible.
"Certainly we are happy to work with anyone who has similar aims," he said.
"Don't forget we are our own party with a strong base and, I mean no disrespect here, we don't need any help.
"But we're happy to co-operate with like-minded people."
Mr Palmer and Dr Douglas did not respond to requests for comment.


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The Viverette-Fisher Home Page
The Complete Viverette File
A GEDCOM file of the whole Viverette/Vivrett family as of June 2000.
The Viverette Homepage at Family Origins
Find your Viverette/Vivrett/Vivrette, Hickman, Fuller, Fisher, or Baker ancestors
Thomas Fisher Family Site (under construction)
Brand new site for the descendants of Thomas Fisher of Nash County, NC
Alan Lantman's Site on the Viverettes and Related Families
Good site for Batchelors and Edwards also
Super Site for Viverette/Vivrett at Edenfield Genealogical Society
This is the super site for the Viverette/Vivrett, Fisher, and related families
Ray Viverette's Site on the Descendants of Thomas Viverette
Located at the Family Tree Maker site; click on the numbers beside names to see offspring
Ray Viverette's Site on the Descendants of James Viverette and Blessing Mann
Also located at FTM in outline form
Ray Viverette's Site on Lancelot Vivrett
FTM site; click on numbers
Ray Viverette's Site on Micajah Vivrett
FTM site; click on numbers
Ray Viverette's Site on the Descendants of Thomas Fisher
FTM site; click on numbers
Kim Bynum's Home Page on the Vivretts
Wonderful site on Tennessee Vivretts at FTM in outline form
Pridgen/Viverette Connection
Many Viverettes and Pridgens married over the years
Weaver/Viverette Connection
Obedience Viverette married William Weaver
Winstead/Viverette Connection
There are many Viverette/Winstead connections over the years.
Cynthia's Genealogy...Tennessee Vivretts
Carpenter/Vivrett Connection
Research Notes on Viverettes/Vivrett
Wills, deeds, census information, interesting facts, other documentation
Miscellaneous Sites on the Viverette Family
No need to search the Internet for the Viverette family. It's already been done at this site.
African American Viverettes
Most of these families originate out of Mississippi.
Shannon Joyner's Site on the Fishers
Shannon has researched the Fishers, Edwards, Batchelors, Joyners, Pridgens, and related families
Rosalyn Moody's Site on the Fishers
Rosalyn is a descendant of Richard Thomas Fisher
Batchelor Family
Many connections between Viverettes and Batchelors
The Viverette/Vivrett Internet Message Board
Viverette/Vivrett Message Board at GenForum
Message boards are great places to find leads and fellow researchers
Individual Family Pages
Showcase for specific families, photographs, sites built by Ray Viverette
A joint project with Edenfield Genealogical Society. Surnames include VIVERETTE, VIVRETT, VIVRETTE, FISHER, EDWARDS, BATCHELOR, CARPENTER, PRIDGEN, FULLER, PARKER, WINSTEAD, BASS, WILLIAMS, SHARPE, ROBBINS, HICKMAN, AND MANY MORE
Photo Album
Photos from the mid 1800s.
Photo Album 2
More Photos
Photo Album 3
Pictures of the Andrew Jackson Viverette Family of Nash County, NC
Photo Album 4
More of Album 3
Photo Album 5
The Christopher Columbus Viverette Family
Photo Album 6
The Family of Eliza and Andrew Jackson Batchelor
Photo Album 7
The Family of John Thomas Vivrett of Texas
Photo Album 8
The Family of William Randolph Vivrett of Texas
Photo Album 9
The Vivrett Family of Missouri
Fisher Photo Album
The Family of Thomas Fisher of Nash County, NC
Wedding Album
Virginia Viverette's Wedding Album
John and Mary Savannah King
Savannah was the granddaughter of Andrew Jackson Viverette. Her mother was the oldest daughter, William Ann Viverette Hales
Family Photo Album in Microsoft Word
You can load and copy many of the pictures from the albums above quickly.
Ulimate Family Tree Search Site
Morman Church Genealogy Search Site
Site with Multiple Search Engines
Another Site with Multiple Search Engines
Gencircles--Great Search Engine
Social Security Death Index
1880 Census at the Mormon Church site
Nationwide E-Mail Directory
White Pages/E-mail
An all-around good search engine for finding information.
This one searches other search engines.
E-Mail Addresses of Researchers
Cyndi's Genealogy Links
Gen Web Site: Halifax County, NC
Gen Web Site: Nash County, NC
Gen Web Site: Wilson County, TN
Sharkey's Genealogical Links
Genealogy on the Internet for Beginners
I put this together for people who need help as I did last year when I started all this
The page was designed by Ray Viverette. If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me below.


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Fishermen are notorious for wanting the newest gadgets and the latest lures. Each holds the promise of being the magic bait that catches a fish on every cast.
But how often do anglers pine away for the lure they had 30 years ago that was just a fish-catching machine. And dadgumit, the company quit making it. Or the ones they make today just aren't as good.
Fishermen are notorious for wanting the newest gadgets and the latest lures. Each holds the promise of being the magic bait that catches a fish on every cast.
But how often do anglers pine away for the lure they had 30 years ago that was just a fish-catching machine. And dadgumit, the company quit making it. Or the ones they make today just aren't as good.
Bill Cullerton understands how those guys feel. And he wants the people who love their Bagley Bang O Lures, Balsa Bs and other favorites to fall in love with them all over again.
"This is a retro line in the truest sense of the word," said Cullerton, president of Bagley, the Port Richey, Fla., lure company known for crank baits and minnow style jerk baits. "We're taking lures that at one point were very important in everybody's tackle box, kind of got forgotten and now we're bringing them back."
Bagley was the first American balsa wood lure manufacturer and its baits were among the hottest in the business in the 1970s and '80s. They were the brainchild of Jim Bagley, an eccentric lure manufacturer who founded the company in 1954. Among the ways he promoted his products was by flying a helicopter to bait shops and tackle shows where demonstrations were being held.
"He was very eccentric in how he did business and how he communicated with people," Cullerton said. "He was quite a showman."
Bagley's original lure was a pork rind type bait called the Black Magic Eel. But a wave of balsa wood lures was coming into the country from Scandinavia, the most famous of which was made by Rapala. Bagley jumped on the cutting edge with the Bang O Lure, a minnow style jerk bait.
"The density of balsa makes it the most buoyant material you can make a lure with," Cullerton said. "It just floats and bobs and moves in the water.
"The action of a plastic bait comes from the design and the lip contour. Naturally, if you put a plastic lure in a tank and watched it float and put a balsa lure in a tank and watched it float, you would see the difference immediately."
Jim Bagley aged and eventually sold his company. It passed through several owners' hands and deviated from its original designs.
Meanwhile, two other lives converged. Cullerton's family owned The Cullerton Co., a manufacturers' representative agency in Chicago that sold a number of outdoor product lines. Cullerton decided to sell the successful family business and get into the lure business with the profits. He guesses that hankering came from his bloodlines.
"I've always been intrigued by it and wanted to be associated with a brand that meant something," Cullerton said. "My great grandfather was a man named Bill Jameson. He made lures. He owned the Jameson Lure Company."
Jameson was a top-of-the-line manufacturer in his day and the lures are prized by collectors. Cullerton wanted to be known the same way. He decided to keep an eye out for a recognizable brand that needed rejuvenation.
But Cullerton's experience was in marketing and sales. He needed to form a partnership with someone who understood manufacturing.
Across the Atlantic in Finland, Jarmo Rapala had sold the famous lure company that his grandfather, Lauri Rapala, founded. Cullerton made contact with Rapala and flew to Finland.
The two men were like-minded and agreed that they would look for an established brand that needed a shot in the arm. They wanted a company that was respected and viable. They didn't want to start a new company.
And then Bagley came on the market. Its lures had won four Bassmaster Classics. They could be found in just about every bass fisherman's tackle box.
"Bagley was a cookie cutter of what we were looking for," Cullerton said.
Bagley's problem was that its lures weren't performing like they had when Jim Bagley owned the company. Cullerton wanted to put more quality back into the product. To do that, they looked to the past. They literally asked fishermen to pull classic Bagley lures out of their tackle boxes.
"When we bought the company, we didn't make a lure for six months," Cullerton said. "We stopped production and found lures that were 30 years old. We talked to fishermen and lure collectors and said show us your Bagleys that are really working."
Cullerton took the lures to Rapala, who understood how balsa lures are made.
"We could have taken them and redesigned them, but they wouldn't be Bagleys," Cullerton said. "We designed every lure to Jim Bagley's specifications. We were really capturing the original look of Bagley but we also wanted to recapture the action."
While Bagley is dead and they couldn't ask him for some of his design secrets, one of his chief designers and carvers is alive and kicking. Cullerton and Rapala got Lee Sisson to consult with them to ensure that the designs and actions were correct.
"It was our job not to play games," Cullerton said. "We weren't looking to cut corners in manufacturing."
Bagley's line now includes the Bang O Lure, Balsa B, Diving B, Killer B, Little Honey B, Small Fry series, and the Mullet series, a hardwood saltwater line. Cullerton believes the company has gotten the designs right and is pleased with quality control. But now it needs more volume.
"We're a small company," he said. "We have ambitions to grow and we are growing quickly. We have a hard time keeping the lures in stock.
"What we need to do now is make more lures. You can't just turn on a machine and turn out lures. There are 35 steps to making a balsa wood lure. You can't rush through the process. We tank test every lure before it goes in the box. We're not perfect, but we're really making good lures.
Nostalgia might be a part of what they do. But it's not what the company is shooting for.
"We're not trying to capture the past," Cullerton said.
"We're trying to make lures that are essential to a guy's tackle box. We're trying to make lures that are relevant to their experience on the water right now."


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Clouded leopards
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common title
Clouded leopard; Panthèr longibande (Fr); Pantera nebulosa (Sp)
scientific name
Neofelis nebulosa; Neofelis diardi (Bornean)
Subtropical/Tropical Moist Forests
IUCN: Vulnerable (VU C2a; (i)) CITES: Appendix I
Estimated 10,000
Between 11 and 20 kg
Physical Description
The base of the fur is a pale yellow to rich brown, making the darker cloud-like markings look even more distinctive.
The limbs and underbelly are marked with large black ovals, and the back of its neck is conspicuously marked with two thick black bars.
The clouded leopard is a medium-sized cat, 60 to 110 cm long and weighing between 11 and 20kg.
It does, however, have an exceptionally long tail for balancing, which can be as long as the body itself, thick with black ring markings.
The clouded leopard has a stocky build and, proportionately, the longest canine teeth of any living feline.
Well adapted to forest life, the clouded leopard also has relatively short legs and broad paws which make it excellent at climbing trees and creeping through thick forest. It can climb while hanging upside-down under branches and descend tree trunks head-first.
Priority species
Where does the clouded leopard live?
View Clouded leopard range in a larger map
Habitat and ecology
Throughout its range, the clouded leopard spends most of the time in the tropical evergreen rainforests but can also be found in dry tropical forests and mangrove swamps. It has been found at relatively high altitudes in the Himalayas.
The clouded leopard's habitat is part of the Borneo Forests region, which is a WWF global priority region.
What are the main threats to the clouded leopard?Habitat loss and defragmentation
Deforestation in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia is the most serious threat to the clouded leopard. The species natural habitat has been fragmented and decreasing at a rate of 10% per year since 1997.
Poaching and illegal wildlife trade
The clouded leopard is widely hunted for its teeth and decorative pelt, and for bones for the traditional Asian medicinal trade. Clouded leopard pelts have been reported on sale in markets in China, Burma, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal and Thailand. They have also been featured on the menu of restaurants in Thailand and China which cater to wealthy Asian tourists.
Human-leopard conflict
Like many other big cat species the clouded leopard is often killed as retaliation for killing livestock. Learn more about human-leopard conflicts.
What WWF is doing
In addition to poaching, WWF and its partners are addressing human-wildlife conflict by setting up a compensation fund for local farmers whose livestock is often killed by tigers and leopards.
WWF projects that support this work:
- Big cat protection in Bhutan
- Kayan Mentarang National Park, East Kalimantan
- Lower Mekong Dry Forests Ecoregion Action Programme
How you can help
- Adopt a clouded leopard (WWF-US) to support conservation work to protect this species.
- Spread the word! Click on the button to share this information with others via email or your favourite social networking service.


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Boat Test Videos
Content courtesy ofBeneteau's Flyer 6 Series -- really three different type of boats built on the same hull -- brings innovation in triplicate to the marketplace. The Flyer 6 SPORTdeck --- the subject of this review -- brings a decidedly non-traditional approach to the traditional bowrider concept. (Beneteau also offers a Flyer 6 center console, called the SPACEdeck, and a cuddy, called the SUNdeck.) All three versions are built on Beneteau's unique Air Step hull, Mark II, which has been well proven.
Key Features
Prices, features, designs, and equipment are subject to change. Please see your local dealer or visit the builder's website for the latest information available on this boat model.
Mission of the Flyer 6 SPORTdeck
All three boats in the Flyer 6 line are built to the high-quality standards while also keeping the boats quite simple to provide affordable entry-level runabouts. This family-oriented SPORTdeck can handle the mission of just about any bowrider, but with a hull better suited to unprotected water than many bowriders we come across.
Offshore Boating.
Americans should keep in mind that its contemporary sportboats find their bloodlines were spawned on the summer-resort lakes in the Midwest and northern New York state. Here, not only captains of industry, but also the middle class have had summer cottages and houses for nearly a century. Most the great brand names originated on these lakes from the Finger Lakes to Minnesota. But France is not known for inland lakes. With its miles of Med, Atlantic, and English Channel coast line so close to the majority of its population, little wonder that its sportboats must be able to handle far more challenging conditions.In a word, the Flyer 6 series, even though it is only 19'11" (6.07 m) long, is designed for coastal waters.
Beneteau stripped the bowrider down to it's bare elements, and then provided virtually all of the essentials for a family sportboat, but not much else in order to keep the cost to the consumer down. There is no superfluous upholstery or a kickin' sound system, just the necessary cushions, but the materials used are what we've come to expect on well-built boats.
New Thinking.
Beneteau rethought the bowrider concept with a strict emphasis on practical features for everyday boating -- like the spacious cockpit and bow, generous storage, large sun pads both fore and aft that give the boat utility. Options such as a marine toilet, electric anchor windlass and a full bow-to-stern sun shade system allow individual owners to match amenities to their specific needs.
Seaworthiness Comes First.
Underneath it all, Beneteau built a hull that provides the family a comfortable ride and gives the captain complete confidence in any reasonable sea. Beneteau's Air Step hull increases economy markedly -- significantly more efficient in our tests aboard hulls of a similar Beneteau model without AirStep.
The Hull Shape is Different
Beneteau's reinvention of the bowrider begins below the waterline. The unique hull shape helps the company fulfill its overriding concept of a safe, comfortable, family-oriented bowrider for coastal work.
Drawbacks to a Traditional Deep-V Hull
Conventional wisdom says a deep-V hull handles rough water well at higher speeds. It does, but at the cost of fuel efficiency, a propensity to roll at rest, and a balance sensitivity to lateral weight distribution. Also, when underway deep-V hulls are also known to roll a bit more in a beam sea. Over the decades, many naval architects have modified the deep-V, typically by keeping the wave-cutting, high-deadrise angle in the bow forefoot, while warping the bottom sections to flatter angles at the stern for better economy, speed and increased stability.
Beneteau's Approach
Fine Entry.
The Flyer 6 hull keeps a particularly fine entry forward. The bow is even a little concave in cross section. This very fine entry cuts smoothly through the small, steep chop that springs up in protected waters from strong winds.
Deep Forefoot.
As the waves get bigger, such as those often found in coastal waters, that convex shape lets the bow cut into each wave softly, but as it sinks deeper into each wave, the progressively wider cross section of the hull provides incrementally more buoyancy, therefore more lift.
We have run this boat offshore the Atlantic Ocean on a sloppy day and were impressed by how well she handled relatively high and steep waves at the inlet as well as the swells offshore. Notable about the time to plane was how she got on plane; feeling as if the aft end of the hull rose up onto plan. There was also less than 7% of bow rise for less than 2 seconds. Her average time to plane was 3.2 seconds.
With half a tank of gas, two people and 50 pounds of gear on board we had a test weight of 3,402 pounds and headed out to run the numbers. We recorded and average top speed of 44.7 mph at 6000 rpm while burning 19.6 gph giving us a range of 92 statute miles – calculated with a 10% reserve.
Pronounced Flare and Wide Bow
The Flyer 6's concave cross-sections forward serve another purpose, as well. It throws spray out, away from the boat. Add to that Beneteau's wide reverse chine, which deflects that spray back down toward the water to keep the deck dry.
Above and Below Buoyancy.
But the real secret is the wide bow. Think of the bow of a 20' rigid-hull inflatable. Once that big air tube hits the water, it won't sink, no mater how big the wave. The wide bow of Beneteau's Flyer 6 hull serves exactly the same purpose, providing reserve buoyancy to keep the bow above the seas -- even in six footers. In addition to the natural buoyancy of the deep forefoot, the key is also to keep that bow light. In this way, weight doesn't overcome the advantages of the hull shape.
Lightweight Hull
The hull is injection-molded
and a vacuum is pulled to complete the process. Balsa is used in the hull and no synthetic core material can equal its puncture strength versus weight. Delamination is also far less likely with a properly manufactured balsa core vs. other materials. Anywhere thru-hull fittings attach to the boat, the balsa is replaced with large solid fiberglass pads. The transom is similarly reinforced. Because a coat of vinylester resin is used below the waterline, hydrostatic water osmosis is not a danger.
Measured Weight.
Beneteau cuts fiberglass by computer, with the strands of each piece oriented to maximize strength, and then they infuse precisely the correct volume of their proprietary resin into the mold. This assures complete bonds between the balsa core and fiberglass inner and outer skins, as well as the ideal ratio of resin to fiberglass through every inch of the boat.The result is not only light, but also provides a thinner hull for its strength than PVC core -- inches saved inside the boat.
Important Bottom Shapes
Lifting Strakes.
Ridges running fore and aft on the hull, common to most deep-V designs, add horizontal running surface to help lift the boat higher out of the water and thereby increase speed and fuel economy.
Reversed Hard Chine.
Essentially this is a large lifting strake right where the hull bottom turns up into the hull side. This creates lift, mitigates rolling at slow speed or at rest, helps the boat dig into sharp turns, and deflects spray outward and down.
Up in the bow
, the Flyer 6 hull actually has a double chine -- one near the waterline and another a bit higher on the hull side. This helps widen the deck and seating above the waterline while keeping a narrower hull beneath. The double chine also adds one more chance to deflect spray outward.The aft end of the hull is considerably flatter than traditional deep-V boats, thereby increasing lift and stability.
Air Step Technology
The Step.
Cutting a step into a hull -- a sudden change in a boat's bottom, running from chine to keel, which steps the stern section of the hull up a few inches closer to the water's surface -- dates back to early twentieth-century hydrofoil race boats. Suction from the boat's forward motion draws air in through the notch created where the stepped bottom and hull side meet at the chine. That air funnels beneath the stern, allowing the entire back of the boat to ride on a theoretical cushion of air bubbles. The air cushion reduces drag, thereby increasing speed, fuel economy or both.
Drawbacks to Traditional Stepped Hulls.
But stepped hulls can be a bit tricky to run right around minimum planing speed. With the boat moving along at, say, 16 knots, someone moves aft in the boat and the resulting weight shift buries the air notch into the water a bit. Now the step isn't drawing in as much air, drag increases and the boat slows below planing speed, say to 9 knots.
Adding just a bit more power to get back above planing speed lifts the notch higher out of the water and pulls more air beneath the boat, decreasing drag and accelerating past the desired 16 knots to 20 knots or more. Traditional stepped hulls also tend to lose their drag-reducing bubbles in sharp turns.
Careful step design
and electronic engines that adjust throttle to automatically compensate as engine load changes mitigate this problem on larger boats, where one person moving about doesn't affect trim much. But a 180-pound guy changing position on a 20-foot, 3,000 lb. (1,363 kgs.) boat is going to change trim noticeably.
Drawing Air from Elsewhere
AirStep, Mark I.
In its original iteration, which we tested in 2011, Beneteau's Air Step technology gains the efficiency of a step but overcomes this medium-speed problem by drawing air beneath to the keel distribution point by means of air tubes from topside. The result, according to our side-by-side comparison of the original, clamshell-vented Air Step design and an identical but non-vented 24' (7.32 m), 4,400 lb. (1,996 kgs.) hull, was a 20% increase in fuel economy. Stunningly, the vented boat we tested, powered by a pair of 115-hp outboards, outperformed its non-vented sister ship powered by twin 140-hp outboards.
AirStep, Mark II.
With this new Flyer 6 hull, the company now draws air from the bow. That wide, convex, flared bow funnels air into 4'' wide channels cut into the hull, which run aft, to the stern. A slightly recessed pad cut into the stern traps the air beneath, decreasing drag, without the liability of that notch in the hull side to suddenly squat below the water. Further, and certainly more important, two large holes in the bottom of the boat are eliminated.
Increased Stability and Tighter Turning
Beneteau contains the air bubbles sucked below in a recessed section of boat bottom that spans most of the width of the boat, but stops before reaching the chines. This keeps direct boat-to-water contact at the outboard edge of the hull, where it adds stability and aids in sharp turns.
The Bow
A good place to begin a bowrider review is at the pointy end of the boat -- except this boat doesn't quite come to a point. Beneteau's rather unique hull shape, creates a wide, squared-off bow with deep storage beneath the seats. The bow really is as wide as most tri-hull bowriders.But unlike tri-hull boats that lose storage down low in the hull, the deep center forefoot of this Flyer 6 hull results in a centerline storage compartment deep enough to fit two wakeboards -- a trick usually seen only on conventional V-shaped hulls. Conversely a conventional V-hull, triangular in cross section from rub rail to keel, typically gives up storage space outboard, beneath bow seats.
Family Friendly Amenities
The Flyer 6 SPORTdeck's family-oriented amenities also begin in the bow. Storage here is so generous that Beneteau offers an optional marine toilet (not just a Porta-Potti) beneath the port bow seat. A privacy tent raises to turn the bow into a head. No more fast dashes to the closest marina when a little one has more to do than can be done over the stern.The standard anchor bow roller and optional anchor windlass, which is controlled by a wand, is another example of rethinking family boating. Now Dad doesn't have to use sheer muscle to pull the boat into the wind, or rely on someone else to drive the boat forward to slacken the anchor line. Anyone aboard can raise the hook.
The Helm
There really isn't much room for innovation in a 20' (6.09 m) bowrider helm, but what is here has been well thought out. Beneteau includes space for a navigation screen, engine display and a depth finder. The compass, tucked away inboard and beneath the windscreen, isn't in an ideal location, but it's completely usable without encroaching on prime space for electronics, which are viewed far more often today than a compass. The hydraulic steering wheel doesn't tilt, but it's positioned well for both sitting and standing. The ignition key, kill-cord switch and other electrical switches are outboard where they're easily reached but difficult to bump accidentally.A storage nook molded into the dash between the steering wheel and shift/throttle has an adjacent 12-volt electrical outlet.
Beam Pays.
We did find one surprise at the helm and the companion station across the boat. Thanks in part to the boat's 8'3" full beam, both seats swivel 360 degrees without hitting the inside of the cockpit combing (a problem we find on many similarly sized boats). That seems like a small thing, but the ability to swivel without first adjusting the seat comes into play when looking aft while docking, while driving during towed watersports, and even when simply turning aft at anchor to join the conversation in the cockpit.
Large, Secure Cockpit
A few surprises popped up in the cockpit, too. First is its size, it is slightly larger than many boats on the market thanks again to the 8'3" (2.51 m) full beam. Second, and more importantly for a family with small children or pets, the 32" (80 cm) average height from cockpit sole to gunnel keeps everyone safe within. The walkthrough to the transom is blocked by an upholstered seat back/gate that's stoutly made of stainless steel. It locks securely into a socket in the deck or pivots out of the way to pass through.
Sun Pad and Bench Seat.
That seat back/gate melds with the upholstered seat back of the aft bench seat, which conceals two more interesting designs. First, the bench seat bottom folds forward, doubling its width into a large sun pad. But more significantly, that entire seat is mounted far aft, actually precluding the engine from tilting all the way up, out of the water. This clever trick does mean the seat must be folded forward, into a sun pad, when storing the boat with the engine tilted up, but that's a small inconvenience when it gains useable cockpit length on a 20-foot boat. With the aft seat in its normal position, the outboard tilts up enough to run in shallow water or beach the boat.A telescoping stainless steel swim ladder fits into a recess in the swim deck in the swim deck storage. A hatch accesses a locker.
Watersports Tower and Sunshade
The optional wakeboard tower folds forward for trailering by loosening a large knob on each aft leg.Without the tower, a typical Bimini top covers from the aft bench seat forward to the windscreen. But a common complaint from boat buyers, Beneteau says, is not enough sun protection. To keep little ones shaded anywhere aboard while at anchor and docked, an additional sun awning secures to the front of the Bimini top and extends forward all the way to the bow, where supports holds it aloft.The Bimini covers the entire aft cockpit, with the sun awning stowed in a boot held against the forward Bimini support.While at anchor or docked, the sun awning zips to the front of the Bimini top, and the aluminum support attaches to the bow rail.
Certainly this boat isn't for everyone. Some will want a more plush interior. But it's hard to come away from any of Beneteau's Flyer 6 boats unimpressed. It's clear the company considered carefully its vision for a bowrider, and then executed that vision particularly well in this SPORTdeck. As mentioned above, we have taken this boat offshore off the coast of France in conditions not really appropriate for more standard low-freeboard American Midwest bred deckboats. For boaters considering coastal work or truly big lakes, the Flyer 6 SPORTdeck should be considered.Innovation reaches levels we seldom encounter aboard similarly sized boats. Given the boat's quite reasonable price, particularly when considering Beneteau's impressive construction and uncompromising choice for materials, the Flyer 6 SPORTdeck is sure to cause many people to step back and take a fresh, hard look.
Test Result Highlights
Marine Electronics
Exterior Features
Full Warranty Information on this brand coming soon!
Pricing Range: $49,445.00Prices, features, designs, and equipment are subject to change. Please see your local dealer or visit the builder's website for the latest information available on this boat model.
Test Results - Change Measurement Unit
All fuel consumption numbers are the total for all engines in the boat. Speeds are measured with Stalker ProSports radar gun or GPS. Fuel consumption (gallons per hour) measured with Floscan digital fuel-flow meter or by on-board factory-installed diagnostic instruments. Range is based on 90% of published fuel capacity. Sound levels determined using Radio Shack digital decibel meter on A scale. 68 dBA is the level of normal conversation. Time to plane is measured from start of acceleration to formation of rooster tail behind boat.


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Our well-known 62 mm 1200V dual IGBT modules with trench/fieldstop IGBT4, optimized Emitter Controlled Diode and pre-applied Thermal Interface Material are the right choice for your design.
Summary of Features:
PrimeSTACK™s available for fast development with minimum effort
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Target Applications:
This 1200V module can be combined with the dedicated Evaluation Board.
Please select a matching HV Gate Driver IC from our EiceDRIVER™ Portfolio.
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For example the 1EDI60I12AF EiceDRIVER™ compact is a fast and powerful Gate Driver suitable for your IGBT Module applications (Evalboard available).
Find an answer to your question
Technical Assistance Center (TAC)
Infineon welcomes your comments and questions.
If you have any questions concerning our products, please fill out the following form. Your inquiry will be sent to the appropriate specialist who will be in touch with you as soon as possible.
You will receive a confirmation E-mail to validate your address in our system. Any attached file to the reply which will help to support your inquiry is highly appreciated.


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Virgin's Spacecraft Clears Test Flight, and More
What's News: Sir Richard Branson's space tourism venture clears an important hurdle. NYPD release video of the 9/11 plane debris and says the wreckage is from a wing. Consumer spending rises 0.2% in March. Joanne Po reports. Photo: AP
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... Richard Branson makes wants the lean towards based Torres and this is what's news at this hour I'm WS J lifetime Thailand Co ... Sir Richard Branson space tourism venture Virgin Galactic marking me your mouse on Monday ... the first hour test flight of its rocket powered station to craft ... the development comes after years of delays and persistent engine problems ... Virgin Galactic says the carrier aircraft took off from ... them into the air and space Port ... climbed to an altitude of forty six thousand feet ... and then released this week rocket powered spacecraft ... a shift to climbed up to fifty six thousand feet and reached the velocity of one point two times the speed of sound ... after spending an estimated three hundred and fifty million dollars for two galactic hopes to start taking turns ... on the bride's experience weightlessness perhaps late this year or early twenty fourteen ... new York Police Department releasing this video of the wreckage of the plane believed to be from one of the high-tech jet liners ... that slant of the World Trade Center in the September eleven attacks ... that we say that ... the rusted metal aircraft parts from a week ... not landing here is some of which we thought ... the five foot pieces of trailing edge flaps support structure ... Boeing officials told police the park came from one of its seven sixty seven airlines ... but it's not possible to determine which might ... workers discovered the metal ... part breaks between two buildings downtown ... the economic front American's Boustani ... by two tenths of a percent ... it's like he was partly due to high heating bills ... personal income meantime gaining only two tenths of a percent as well ... the slow income growth suggests consumers may have trouble propping up the economy in coming months ... looking keep us anomaly this is about Mr upbeat and what's his aunt the beest live ...


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Recent versions of OS X, starting with Lion and continuing with Mountain Lion, have introduced some great new features for Mac users. Unfortunately, much functionality was also taken away or modified as Apple continued to fine-tune its desired OS X experience. One of the best features of previous versions of OS X that has now been greatly diminished was Spaces.
Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs demonstrating OS X Leopard's Spaces during WWDC 2007.
Spaces, introduced in 2007 as part of OS X 10.5 Leopard, was Apple's own virtual desktop implementation. It allowed users to have multiple virtual desktops that could each contain unique sets of application windows. Users could assign applications specific to each task to one of these "spaces" and then easily switch between them with a keyboard shortcut or mouse-click. In effect, Spaces gave users with a single screen, such as those using a MacBook or iMac, the ability to take advantage of some of the benefit enjoyed by those using multiple displays.
The new Mission Control.
In 2011, Apple introduced OS X 10.7 Lion and merged Spaces, along with Apple's window management feature Exposé, into a new feature called Mission Control. Mission Control aimed to present more information to the user about which applications and windows were open, and it added better support for navigation via multitouch trackpad gestures.
Unfortunately, many users quickly discovered that Mission Control lacks much of the usefulness of the now defunct Spaces. Mission Control allows for the creation of virtual desktops, but they can only be created in a horizontal sequence, moving from left to right. Spaces allowed for both horizontal and vertical desktop layouts via grids, enabling faster navigation between them.
Spaces also allowed users to "pin" certain applications to specific desktops. Mail and Twitter apps, for example, could be set to always open on a particular desktop, which a user could think of as their "Communications Space." Mission Control allows users to move applications between desktops,
but applications do not remember which space they were last located on when reopening the app.
Note: Reader Tim reminded us in the comments that Mountain Lion's Mission Control does indeed support "pinning" applications to specific desktops, although the process is less convenient than the unified menu found in Spaces and TotalSpaces. To pin an application using just Mission Control, create a virtual desktop, move the application to that desktop, then right-click on the app's dock icon, select "Options > Assign To > This Desktop." You can also assign it to "All Desktops" which will keep the app open and visible as you move between desktops.
TotalSpaces from BinaryAge.
Apple was not the first company to create a virtual desktop feature. Many builds of Linux and third-party software on both OS X and Windows introduced the concept long before Cupertino. Thankfully, third-party software companies have again stepped in to fill in the gaps that Apple left with the move to Mission Control. Our favorite is TotalSpaces from BinaryAge.
Compatible with the most recent versions of OS X, TotalSpaces installs into a user's menu bar and provides all the functionality, and more, that was once offered by Spaces. Users can configure up to 16 virtual desktops in grids of various configurations, select custom shortcuts and hotkeys for navigating the desktops, and, most importantly, assign applications to specific desktops.
TotalSpaces offers advanced configuration options.
To further customize the experience, users can change the visual effect used during the transition between virtual desktops. Apple traditionally used a "slide" animation in Spaces, which persists today in Mountain Lion's Mission Control. TotalSpaces users have five additional options, including our favorite: "Cube."
Overview Mode in TotalSpaces.
Another useful feature is the "overview" mode, which displays all desktops at once while keeping full-screen apps separated. In this mode, users can quickly identify which desktop has a certain application window and then move applications between desktops seamlessly. Again, Mission Control allows users to see all desktops at once, but only in a tiny row of icons at the top of the screen. Further, Mission Control does not allow users to drag and drop applications between inactive desktops. Only applications and windows that are open on the selected desktop can be moved to another one.
Viewing multiple desktops in Mission Control.
To illustrate, in the screenshot above, the second desktop is open and contains Google Chrome. Mission Control allows a user to move Chrome to another desktop, but not to move applications between desktops three and four, for example. In TotalSpaces, the layout of the grid is not only easier to see, but it offers complete freedom in rearranging applications and windows.
TotalSpaces makes virtual desktops addicting once again on Macs with a single display, but even those with multiple displays (the TMO production Mac has three displays) will find great benefit in being able to keep many applications open simultaneously and arranged according to task. In short, TotalSpaces not only makes virtual desktops in OS X useful again, it can also significantly increase a user's productivity.
BinaryAge offers a fully functional two-week trial of TotalSpaces so if you've upgraded to Lion or Mountain Lion and are missing Spaces, check it out. After the trial, the app is currently priced at US$15. To some, that may seem a bit high for a system utility but for once you grok what TotalSpaces offers, it will almost certainly become the most-used utility on your Mac.
TotalSpaces rekindled our love of virtual desktops in OS X. Give it a try and see if it does the same for you.


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Did you know?
Vinotherapy first originated in the wine-growing French region of Bordeaux.
The concept of vinotherapy is a relatively new trend in South Africa, but has been available in Europe for many years.
Basically this 'wine therapy' utilises the skins, seeds and stalks of grapes in various ways – treatments could include anything from facials and body embalming to massages and scrubs. The antioxidant properties of the grapes are excellent in detoxifying the body and skin, while the polyphenals (found in grape seeds) will help to fight free radicals.
Vinotherapy is South Africa, has it's own special brand of creativity. The Librisa Spa at the Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town has a special head-to-toe vinotherapy experience called the Vine Secret Vintage Experience that includes exfoliation, body wrap, massage and a facial using grapes grown in the nearby Winelands.
The Spa at Constantia Uitsig has a signature treatment called Uitsig Les Aromes Du Vin which is prepared using the age-old tradition of wine blending combined with the science of aromatherapy. The exfoliation is done using specific vine bark, sugar, cloves and juniper berries, followed by an aromatherapy massage using oils especially selected to compliment the wine. The treatment was put together by the Constantia Uitsig winemakers and the spa's therapists.
South African vinotherapy also makes use of our very own homegrown pinotage grape in its treatments. At the Serenite Wellness Centres in Century City and Franschhoek you will be able to enjoy a Pinotage Embalming Ritual or try out the Heard it Through the Grapevine package that incorporates a 60-minute pinotage facial, a 60-minute pinotage body polishing treatment, a body balancing treatment and a foot massage.
The newly re-opened Sante Winelands Hotel and Wellness Centre, set on a 160-ha wine estate in the Drakenstein Valley, offers a Pinotage and Lime Exfoliation Treatment, Pinotage Elixir hydrobath and Aromavine detoxifying Pinotage massage. A 5-star hotel and fine dining restaurant, Sommelier, are on site.
So next time you're in the Western Cape make sure you book yourself a vinotherapy treatment, and afterwards why not enjoy a glass or two of chardonnay.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
The Mount Nelson Hotel is in the heart of Cape Town. The Serenite Wellness Centres are found in Century City and Franschhoek. Constantia Uitsig is in the Cape Town suburb of Constantia.
Mount Nelson Hotel:
Tel: +27 (0) 21 483 1000
Serenite Wellness Centres:
Tel: +27 (0) 82 658 6111
Constantia Uitsig:
Tel: +27 (0) 21 794 0433
Sante Winelands Hotel and Wellness Centre:
Tel: +27 (0) 21 875 8100
Best time to visit
Any time is a good time for vinotherapy. Enquire at the individual spas for timing. Remember to book in advance.
Around the area
Visit the Cape Winelands. Start off in Constantia and then make your way to Stellenbosch or Franschhoek.
Tours to do
One must organise a wine-tasting tour at a working estate – either before or after your vinotherapy treatment.
How to get around
Self-drive is always a great option as there is so much to see and do in and around Cape Town. The winelands are also a great place for taking a long road trip.
What will it cost
Costs and treatments will vary from spa to spa. Please visit the various websites for more detail.
Length of stay
Different treatments will take a different length of time. One can also book half-day and full-day packages that combine vinotherapy and other treatments.
Where to stay
Cape Town has a wealth of accommodation on offer. Both the Mount Nelson Hotel and Constantia Uitsig are excellent accommodation options.
What to eat
Try out the health menus at the various spas – light, fresh and organic.
Best buys
Local wines and vinotherapy beauty products.


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Student Leadership & Involvement Center
Creighton University
Skutt Student Center 120 & 205
Omaha, Nebraska 68178
Voice: (402) 280-1715 Fax: (402) 280-5829
Office Hours:
Mon-Wed 8:00 am-8:00 pm
Thur-Fri 8:00 am-4:30 pm
Welcome to Creighton University's Student Leadership & Involvement Center! At Creighton, we hope to develop the whole person - mind, body, and spirit. As reiterated in our mission statement, the Student Leadership & Involvement Center "intentionally create(s) learning opportunities that teach and challenge students to develop, understand, and reflect upon their values, leadership skills, and goals." We strive to be the other education, in which students are able to discover their interests and potential, develop into mature leaders and deliver or give of themselves wholly to the world around them, both at Creighton and beyond.
Discover: Your interests, leadership potential, and new ways to engage the Creighton community
Develop: Your values, leadership skills, and goals in and outside the classroom
Deliver: By using your gifts and talents to play an active role in the Creighton, Omaha, and global community


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Digital signal processing (DSP) is concerned with the representation of the signals by a sequence of numbers or symbols and the processing of these signals. Digital signal processing and analog signal processing are subfields of signal processing. DSP includes subfields like: audio and speech signal processing, sonar and radar signal processing, sensor array processing, spectral estimation, statistical signal processing, digital image processing, signal processing for communications, biomedical signal processing, seismic data processing, etc.
Since the goal of DSP is usually to measure or filter continuous real-world analog signals, the first step is usually to convert the signal from an analog to a digital form, by using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). Often, the required output signal is another analog output signal, which requires a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). Even if this process is more complex than analog processing and has a discrete value range, the stability of digital signal processing thanks to error detection and correction and being less vulnerable to noise makes it advantageous over analog signal processing for many, though not all, applications.[1]
DSP algorithms have long been run on standard computers, on specialized processors called digital signal processors (DSPs), or on purpose-built hardware such as application-specific integrated circuit (ASICs). Today there are additional technologies used for digital signal processing including more powerful general purpose microprocessors, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal controllers (mostly for industrial apps such as motor control), and stream processors, among others.[2]
In DSP, engineers usually study digital signals in one of the following domains: time domain (one-dimensional signals), spatial domain (multidimensional signals), frequency domain, autocorrelation domain, and wavelet domains. They choose the domain in which to process a signal by making an informed guess (or by trying different possibilities) as to which domain best represents the essential characteristics of the signal. A sequence of samples from a measuring device produces a time or spatial domain representation, whereas a discrete Fourier transform produces the frequency domain information, that is the frequency spectrum. Autocorrelation is defined as the cross-correlation of the signal with itself over varying intervals of time or space.
With the increasing use of computers the usage of and need for digital signal processing has increased. In order to use an analog signal on a computer it must be digitized with an analog-to-digital converter. Sampling is usually carried out in two stages, discretization and quantization. In the discretization stage, the space of signals is partitioned into equivalence classes and quantization is carried out by replacing the signal with representative signal of the corresponding equivalence class. In the quantization stage the representative signal values are approximated by values from a finite set.
The Nyquist–Shannon sampling theorem states that a signal can be exactly reconstructed from its samples if the sampling frequency is greater than twice the highest frequency of the signal. In practice, the sampling frequency is often significantly more than twice the required bandwidth.
A digital-to-analog converter is used to convert the digital signal back to analog. The use of a digital computer is a key ingredient in digital control systems.
The most common processing approach in the time or space domain is enhancement of the input signal through a method called filtering. Filtering generally consists of some transformation of a number of surrounding samples around the current sample of the input or output signal. There are various ways to characterize filters; for example:
Most filters can be described in Z-domain (a superset of the frequency domain) by their transfer functions. A filter may also be described as a difference equation, a collection of zeroes and poles or, if it is an FIR filter, an impulse response or step response. The output of an FIR filter to any given input may be calculated by convolving the input signal with the impulse response. Filters can also be represented by block diagrams which can then be used to derive a sample processing algorithm to implement the filter using hardware instructions.
Signals are converted from time or space domain to the frequency domain usually through the Fourier transform. The Fourier transform converts the signal information to a magnitude and phase component of each frequency. Often the Fourier transform is converted to the power spectrum, which is the magnitude of each frequency component squared.
The most common purpose for analysis of signals in the frequency domain is analysis of signal properties. The engineer can study the spectrum to determine which frequencies are present in the input signal and which are missing.
Filtering, particularly in non-realtime work can also be achieved by converting to the frequency domain, applying the filter and then converting back to the time domain. This is a fast, O(n log n) operation, and can give essentially any filter shape including excellent approximations to brickwall filters.
There are some commonly used frequency domain transformations. For example, the cepstrum converts a signal to the frequency domain through Fourier transform, takes the logarithm, then applies another Fourier transform. This emphasizes the frequency components with smaller magnitude while retaining the order of magnitudes of frequency components.
Frequency domain analysis is also called spectrum- or spectral analysis.
The main applications of DSP are audio signal processing, audio compression, digital image processing, video compression, speech processing, speech recognition, digital communications, RADAR, SONAR, seismology, and biomedicine. Specific examples are speech compression and transmission in digital mobile phones, room matching equalization of sound in Hifi and sound reinforcement applications, weather forecasting, economic forecasting, seismic data processing, analysis and control of industrial processes, computer-generated animations in movies, medical imaging such as CAT scans and MRI, MP3 compression, image manipulation, high fidelity loudspeaker crossovers and equalization, and audio effects for use with electric guitar amplifiers.
Digital signal processing is often implemented using specialised microprocessors such as the DSP56000, the TMS320, or the SHARC. These often process data using fixed-point arithmetic, although some versions are available which use floating point arithmetic and are more powerful. For faster applications FPGAs[3] might be used. Beginning in 2007, multicore implementations of DSPs have started to emerge from companies including Freescale and Stream Processors, Inc. For faster applications with vast usage, ASICs might be designed specifically. For slow applications, a traditional slower processor such as a microcontroller may be adequate.
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You can help Wikipedia by making this page or section simpler.
converts analog signal to digital, then DAC returns it back to analog format after processing]]
Digital signal processing (DSP) is concerned with the processing of digital signals or analog signals after converting from analog to digital format. DSP includes subfields like: communication signals processing, radar signal processing, sensor array processing, digital image processing, etc.
DSP is usually used with real-world analog signals found in our lives, the first step is usually to convert the signal from an analog to a digital form, by using an analog to digital converter. Often, the required output signal is another real-world analog signal, which requires a digital to analog converter.
Digital signal processing algorithms can run on:[1]


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iCracked will repair your iPhone, iPad or galaxy devices wherever and whenever you want.
Relax, iCracked has you covered!
iPhone Repair in La Selva Bch, California
Looking for best iPhone repair service in La Selva Bch, California?Working in the Cell Phone industry in the UK for numerous years has given us a keen insight to many of the issues that plague iPhone users. Be it a broken iPhone screen or a malfunctioning volume button, repairs on beloved devices can cost an arm and a leg. We often get asked about repairs in La Selva Bch, California and after a lot of research and coffee (a lot of coffee) we have found the answer and have decided to share it with everyone.
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An iTech can meet you at your home, Office or even your fave Coffee shop. All you gotta do is book a repair with one of their iTechs in La Selva Bch, California]. An iTech will meet you wherever and have your iPhone repaired in 30-45 mins (which is really fast). Not only do they come to you and repair your iPhone incredibly quick but they also offer something no one else in La Selva Bch, California] does. They offer a Lifetime Warranty, that alone is a fantastic reason to use iCracked . Click the lovely button at the bottom to find out how much it will cost to repair your trusty iPhone in La Selva Bch, California.
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iCracked is so good at what they do they have been featured innumberable times in the press.


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These modifications are among those being considered in response to public comments received on the September 20, 1996 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) methodology. The Department is interested in receiving feedback on these potential modifications. Please submit any written comments as described in the NPRM and other Federal Register Notices as discussed elsewhere on this Web site.
Equity ratio
Public comments have been received that the NPRM methodology does not account for the fixed assets of an institution. One measure that could potentially consider the impact of fixed assets is the Equity ratio. The Equity ratio is equal to Net Tangible Assets/Total Assets. This ratio could be used as an indirect measure of the institution's ability to borrow. Net Tangible Assets are divided by Total Assets to account for the size of the institution. The Department is seeking feedback on whether this ratio might distinguish between zero-debt schools that have no debt because they cannot obtain a loan and zero-debt schools that have no debt by choice. Using this ratio would bring the net tangible fixed assets into the methodology to incorporate this aspect of the institution's overall financial condition.
The Equity ratio might be used to replace the Viability ratio in the methodology. The methodology could conceivably consist of the Equity ratio, the Primary Reserve ratio and the Net Income ratio. The strength factors associated with various levels of the Equity ratio would have to be determined. Whether the Equity ratio would have the same weight as the Viability ratio had in the NPRM methodology, and the weights associated with all three ratios, would have to be considered. Whether the Equity ratio would be appropriate for all sectors, or just selected sectors, is under consideration. The Department is interested in receiving feedback on this.
Strength Factors, Weighting and the "Bright Line"
Public comments have been received on many different aspects of the strength factors, weighting and bright line contained in the NPRM methodology. The strength factors are the unweighted scores found in the NPRM tables associated with various levels of each financial ratio in the methodology. The unweighted score is weighted to assign the relative importance of each ratio in the overall measure of a school's financial condition. The Department is required to assure that schools fully participating in Title IV meet minimum standards for financial responsibility. Schools with composite scores above the "bright line" would be considered to have sufficient resources to pass the standards established by the regulations. Schools with composite scores below the bright line would be given the opportunity to demonstrate financial responsibility by an alternative described in current regulations or statute, or participate through provisional certification with other protections for the Federal interest.
Financial statements from 406 private non-profit schools filed under the new FASB accounting guidelines are being examined. KPMG, who has been contracted to assist the Department in developing the regulations, found that the expected increase in wealth reflected on the financial statements from the reclassification of endowment gains was not as widespread as previously expected before these statements were available for analysis. However, KPMG found that the effect of the FASB changes was not as significant for schools without significant amounts of endowment or other resources. Therefore, KPMG has made a preliminary suggestion that the strength factors for FASB statements be reduced so they correspond to the fund accounting strength factors published in the NPRM. Additional modifications to the strength factors are also under consideration.
KPMG and the Department have examined almost 600 financial statements from proprietary schools. All of the financial statements being examined have led to further consideration of the strength factors and weighting methodology, including the treatment of net income for proprietary schools. Various modifications to the strength factors and weights are under consideration.
In the NPRM methodology, a proprietary school with a Primary Reserve ratio of 0.10 received an unweighted strength factor of 2 while a proprietary school with a Primary Reserve ratio of 0.09 received an unweighted strength factor of 1. This anomaly has been called the "cliff effect" and was present for all sectors. Various alternatives are being considered to reduce or eliminate this anomaly, such as increasing the number of strength factor categories or converting the scoring process to a linear algorithm.
Additional issues under consideration
The appropriate methodology for the final regulation is being considered in light of the magnitude of the problem addressed by the proposed financial responsibility regulation. Other financial ratios have been analyzed using financial statements, including ratios measuring: cash income; contribution income; debt burden; debt leverage; age of plant; cumulative earnings; and, debt to assets. The advantages and disadvantages of each of these ratios are being considered. Trend analysis and secondary analysis are being considered. The issues relating to the treatment of owner compensation and taxes for the proprietary sector are being considered. The potential for manipulation of the methodology is being considered. Analysis of comments and financial statements is continuing. Analysis of financial statements for closed schools is being undertaken and the results of this analysis are too preliminary to determine what effect this analysis might have on the methodology. The regulatory treatment for public schools is being considered.
All comments received to date are continually analyzed and being considered by the Department and KPMG.


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Bureau Valley Elementary Schools will hold kindergarten pre-registration from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 25 through March 1 in the elementary school buildings in Walnut and Wyanet. Parents will pre-register the children in the attendance center their child will attend.
Children who will be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1 will be eligible to attend kindergarten in the fall. The pre-registration process is very simple and only takes a few minutes for parents to complete.
Parents will also be asked to complete an information sheet. No fees will be collected until registration in August. A packet will be issued to parents containing a parent letter with a health form, dental form, lead screening verification and a vision exam form.
Kindergarten pre-registration allows the schools to have an idea of the number of kindergartners to expect next school year so that a sufficient amount of supplies and books can be ordered. Parents who are unable to pre-register their child during the scheduled times are asked to call the office to inform the school of their intent to send a child to kindergarten. School phone numbers are Bureau Valley North Elementary in Walnut 815-379-2900 and Bureau Valley Elementary in Wyanet, 815-699-2251


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Mel Odom
American artist Mel Odom has been producing award-winning art since the 1970's. His two major interests being drawing and dolls, Odom studied Fashion Illustration and Art and Design at two universities. After being named "Illustrator of the Year" by Playboy, Odom went on to publish a collection of his work titled Dreamer. His Art Deco style has adorned multiple book covers as well as magazine and album covers. In the early nineties, Odom created a fashion doll named Gene Marshall and has since concentrated on the doll which has generated thousands of dollars for charity.
- Mel Odom features in a project.


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- 1 Default modes
- 2 All-in-one solutions
- 3 Auto-Completion
- 4 Code Checker
- 5 Other tools
- 6 Debugging
- 7 See also
Default modes
There are a number of python modes for Emacs. fgallina's python.el is the python.el included in Emacs 24.2 and onwards.
All-in-one solutions
emacs-for-python is a bundle of the above modes (and more), and it's an easy way to turn Emacs into a Python IDE.
Elpy is a collection of elisp packages for Python too.
rope & ropemacs
rope is a library for refactoring and manipulating Python code. ropemacs is an Emacs interface to the rope library.
Jedi.el is a Python auto-completion package for Emacs. It aims at helping your Python coding in a non-destructive way. It also helps you to find information about Python objects, such as docstring, function arguments and code location.
Jedi is simple to install and it just works.
See screenshots and get the full documentation : http://tkf.github.io/emacs-jedi/released/
Install Jedi.el via el-get, Marmalade or MELPA (see install for more info) and add this to your Emacs configuration:
(add-hook 'python-mode-hook 'jedi:setup) (setq jedi:setup-keys t) ; optional (setq jedi:complete-on-dot t) ; optional
or call M-x jedi:setup
Code Checker
flymake is a on-the-fly syntax checker for Emacs. We can use it alongside with flyspell.
To run pep8, pylint, pyflakes and unit-tests (with nose), you can be interested in using flymake-python.
Don't forget about pylint too.
Other tools
Pymacs is an Emacs extension that enables the use of Python alongside with Emacs Lisp.
Ipdb, ipython debugger
If you call ipdb, the execution will stop and give a nice ipython-looking prompt. Just add `import ipdb; ipdb.set_trace()`
You can use the following to highlight this line, and not forget it :
; Highlight the call to ipdb
; src http://pedrokroger.com/2010/07/configuring-emacs-as-a-python-ide-2/
(defun annotate-pdb ()
(highlight-lines-matching-regexp "import ipdb")
(highlight-lines-matching-regexp "ipdb.set_trace()"))
(add-hook 'python-mode-hook 'annotate-pdb)
pdb track
If you use emacs-for-python given above, you can track your source code while debugging with pdbtrack.
A tool to use in a non-emacs terminal would be pdbpp
See also
You'll be certainly interested in :
Magit, a git interface
Emacs + git is magic : magit
Yasnippet, a template system
ELPA packages
If you're running Emacs 24, check out some ELPA packages:
- M-x list-packages
- and see flymake-pyhon-pyflakes, flymake-shell, virtualenv, abl-mode (a python TDD minor-mode), jedi (a python auto-completion for emacs), nose (easy python test-running in emacs), pyregexp, python-magic and more.


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Harry Styles doesn't know that I had his baby. All...
The Magnificent Nobody
- by Aimie7
- Rating:
- Published: 19 Aug 2014
- Updated: 23 Feb 2016
- Status: In Progress
My names Bella Swan. I was born in 105 AD and am the rarest creature alive. I am a vampire and werewolf, an angel and demon, a mermaid and witch and an elemental. This is the story of when I moved to forks.
Join MovellasFind out what all the buzz is about. Join now to start sharing your creativity and passion
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Ivy Tech Community College partners with Association for Operations Management to offer globally recognized workforce certifications
Contact: Jen Fanger
Indianapolis, IN -- Ivy Tech Community College and the Central Indiana Chapter of APICS (APICS-CIND), the Association for Operations Management, will meet tomorrow at 3 p.m. in the office of Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita to formally sign an agreement announcing their partnership in providing training for two globally recognized certifications. The partnership and training is designed to make readily available to Indiana companies the education and resources needed to improve productivity and competitiveness. Ivy Tech will offer training in both public open enrollment and custom classes across the state.
The first program, Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM), educates operations professionals on essential terminology, concepts, and strategies related to demand management, procurement and supplier planning, material requirements planning, capacity requirements planning, sales and operations planning, master scheduling, performance measurements, supplier relationships, quality control, and continuous improvement.
The second training program to be offered, Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), is a new industry recognized educational and certification program created to meet the rapidly changing needs of the supply chain management field.
"The partnership between APICS-CIND and Ivy Tech is a prime example of what Indiana institutions can do to support economic development efforts throughout our state," said Rokita, who played a role in bringing the parties together for this initiative. "These educational and certification programs are the kinds of resources that help sustain existing businesses, attract new ones, and lead to the creation of good jobs for Hoosiers."
Dave Hinko, the President of APICS-CIND, stated, "We are excited to be working together with Ivy Tech to help individuals and companies become more productive. When it comes to supporting workforce development and continuing education across the state of Indiana, Ivy Tech has the best network."
Dr. Carol D'Amico, the Executive Vice President of Ivy Tech, stated, "Professional societies and their local chapters have unique advantages when it comes to administering certification review classes. By partnering with APICS-CIND, Ivy Tech will benefit from access to certified instructors, the best review materials, and a proven track record."
APICS is the global leader and premier source of the body of knowledge in operations management, including production, inventory, supply chain, materials management, purchasing, and logistics. Since 1957, individuals and companies have relied on APICS for its superior training, internationally recognized certifications, comprehensive resources, and worldwide network of accomplished industry professionals.
Ivy Tech Community College is the state's second largest public post-secondary institution serving over 100,000 students a year. Ivy Tech has 23 campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that is aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.


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See it at the Movies
One for the Money
(Terrible crime/comedy)
Katherine Heigl stars as a rookie bounty hunter chasing her old high school sweetheart (Jason O'Mara) in what has to be one of the worst movies of the century. The plot is slow, stupid, poorly written and acted, plodding along as if the actors were making it up and rushing to reach the stupid end. I won't waste any more of your or our time.
There was no rating on this one. It's either R for Rotten or PG-13 for Pretty Grim Times 13. Some profanity and violence.
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Oscar nominees arrive for annual luncheon
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — More than 150 Oscar nominees gathered at a Beverly Hills hotel on Monday to celebrate the joy of just being nominated.
Honorees in all 24 of this year's Oscar categories — from hairstylists to A-listers — turned out for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences annual nominees luncheon.
But the festivities held in a blue-hued ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel were not without a little business — like when Oscar show co-producer Craig Zadan told prospective winners to keep it moving on the big night.
"Please get to the stage quickly, really quickly," Zadan said. "The moment you reach the microphone, the timer begins and you will have 45 seconds to speak."
Seeking to tighten a broadcast that has approached four hours in recent years, Zadan warned potential group winners to select a designated speaker "who should begin to speak immediately before the whole group has assembled onstage."
"The show is successful if the pacing of the evening feels brisk," he said to a chorus of laughter from the skeptical crowd.
Before lunch was served, nominees mingled around tables adorned with white roses and chatted about the stress of award season.
"I'm not used to this," said Julie Delpy, nominated for best adapted screenplay for "Before Midnight." ″It's hard, actually, because I don't have a structure around me with like 10 nannies. It gets really messy. I'm just hanging in there, barely."
The writer-actress added that she hadn't yet settled on her Oscar night look.
"I'm kind of nervous," she admitted. "I'm not the kind of actress that is in the gym and not eating. Some people do that, but I'm not able to. I have a kid and I'm raising him and I'm writing. So doing two hours at the gym is not something I have time to do or like to do."
Delpy then rushed over to fellow nominee and rising fashion star Lupita Nyong'o of "12 Years a Slave" and gushed as the two snapped a photo together.
Nearby, a giggling Meryl Streep chatted with Bruce Dern; Josh Gad greeted Sandra Bullock with a kiss on both cheeks; and Ethan Hawke could be seen introducing his date for the afternoon, daughter Maya Thurman Hawke, to everyone from Leonardo DiCaprio to Spike Jonze.
At one point, Bono announced that he was going to perform the nominated song "Ordinary Love" from "Mandela" on the March 2 Oscar broadcast.
When it came time for the traditional nominee class photo, everyone headed for the stage, including Cate Blanchett, who ditched her Christian Louboutin heels and ran most of the way.
Could she have been practicing for Oscar night?
Follow Jessica Herndon on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/SomeKind


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There is plenty of "Bounty on the Bay" for National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) members who attend the 11th annual Commodity Classic March 1-3 in Tampa, Fla., as producers will have opportunities to network with agribusiness leaders, attend educational sessions and increase profitability on their farms.
Commodity Classic is the combined convention and trade show of the American Soybean Association (ASA), the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). This is the first year NAWG joins Commodity Classic.
The event, now less than four months away, brings growers together with key decision-makers in the agricultural industry and farmer leaders from around the country.
"Commodity Classic provides growers the opportunity to learn about new ideas in agriculture and take advantage of them," said NCGA President Ken McCauley. "The marketing sessions help producers get a grasp on marketing this year and what to expect in the near future."
With the addition of NAWG to Commodity Classic, the nation's top three crops will be represented. Corn, soybeans and wheat account for more than two-thirds of U.S. cropland.
U.S. Farm Report host John Phipps once again will handle the emcee duties for the General Session. He will bring together McCauley, ASA President Rick Ostlie and NAWG President Dale Schuler for a candid discussion on each organization's goals for the upcoming year and how producers can promote agriculture to the American public.
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab has been invited to deliver the General Session keynote address. Ron Young, a prisoner of war during Operation Iraqi Freedom, will also share his personal story of dedication, courage and inspiration.
Country music star Collin Raye, who has had several number one hits on country music charts, will perform Saturday, March 3, at the "Evening of Entertainment," sponsored by Monsanto. Some of his hits include: "Love, Me," "In This Life," "My Kind of Girl," "I Can Still Feel You" and "That's My Story and I'm Sticking to It."
Producers can expect the Commodity Classic registration brochure to hit their mailboxes in mid-November. For more information, visit www.commodityclassic.com.