text:
Hi everyone, thinking of starting a group and gauging interest!
My idea is born from an encounter I had last night, I was minding my own business in my Cobra, clean and clear, queuing for docking at Freeport. There where a couple of anaconda's mucking about so there was a queue.
What happened??
I was in my contacts, requesting docking when I got literally mugged by someone. It happened so quick I don't know how I dies, either it was 2 weapon hits (no more) or I was rammed by something very large like an anaconda, either way I was dead before I could switch to comms! I estimate 1 1/2 seconds.
The real pain was I had just spent all my hard earned credits on Consumer Tech and was trying to get some bank roll so I could get involved in some role play piracy/bounty hunting. Now, I'm not so stupid that I didn't keep some insurance money, however I did lose 120K of cargo and have to start with 1K credits again, this has effectively ruined my Beta 1 experience.
The worst was it wasn't even a noble pirate, it was an anti-social, low down mugger. He didn't even contact me, just hit me. He had Anaconda money so my 100K cargo meant little to him, everything to me. This guy was the lowest of the low, I've literally had turds that demand more respect than this guy. (caveat, may have been an accident but how do I know??)
While at the moment I hate this guy, I'm aware of my mistakes. I was too trusting in an unregulated system, I put too much of my money in my cargo, I was not looking. This guy exploited me/the game to make a gain so I mustn't just about it, but what is the correct recourse?
My encounter leaves me with a thought, what really can I actually do about low life's like this?
Not a lot, seems the rich get richer, the exploitative exploit, the bullies bully and no one bats an eyelid.
We need a new response to these criminal threats in the 32nd Century. Therefore I am looking for recruits into the GIA
The ethos of the Galactic Intelligence Agency is to be simple, we will detect and investigate criminal activity in and around the federation, we will intimidate criminals and disrupt their activities, we will seize their assets and eliminate these threats from our sky's!
We will do this by hiding in plain site and fighting the right fight, we are a covert agency that is not afraid to head into anarchistic space and do what [it thinks] is right. While we protect the ideals of the federation we will not be accountable to the federation and any federation dealings will be denied. We will operate black projects in anarchistic systems targeting the criminal infrastructure and lack of local security to mitigate the threat to the people of the federation.
We will achieve our aims in these ways; we will conduct covert patrols and intelligence gathering in sectors in and around the federation but not be restrained by borders and other bureaucratic non-sense, we will actively share information with other security forces (For instance the Galactic Patrol of the Empire), we will eliminate threats with extreme duress and we will listen to informants and victims.
So if you wish to fight the good fight, help protect the honest gamers out there, and are up for a bit of 'good guy', light role play please leave a message.
If there's interest out there I'll push forward some. I think there may be some Federation Traders out there that are genuine good guys, have made a few bucks and are looking for a bit more adventure. This is the group for you! NPC Bounty Hunting, NPC Pirate Hunting, Combat Zone Black Ops, PvP Criminal Hunting, Federal border patrols and information gathering. Stuff you can do while you travel the federation!
One last thing : We are not interested in hunting low bounty players, or even ethical pirates (see Cmdr Freman for Pirate ethics) as long as they don't cross us. We don't aim to tangle with other security groups however given the covert nature a degree of "cross-talk" and decorum will be given. We are after BAD GUYS, particularly Players that bully or exploit.


text:
Welcome visitor you can! Sign in
No products
Prices are tax included
Check out
Condition New
$ 18.00
0 Item Items
This product is no longer in stock
Warning: Last items in stock!
Availability date:
Quick Overview:
More details
Quantity :
This product is not sold individually. You must select at least 1 quantity for this product.
Add to Cart
Essendon Bombers iTag Letter Strip for Windscreens Team Decal Official AFL
Recipient :
Name of your friend * :
E-mail address of your friend * :
* Required fields
Send or Cancel
By buying this product you can collect up to 1 loyalty point. Your cart will total 1 point that can be converted into a voucher of $ 0.20.
No customer comments for the moment.
* Required fields

subset: commoncrawl


text:
10 Park Road,
Hampton Wick,
Kingston Upon Thames,
Recommended by Trip Advisor. 27 'Execellent' reviews!
Proud to be independent, Chase Lodge is not your average hotel. A 200-year old building with oodles of character, it epitomises the cosy, old-world charm so often lacking in today's tower block, chain hotels. A former magistrates house, Chase Lodge has 12 rooms, all unique and with free wi-fi. We're a minute away from lovely walks by the River Thames and in Bushy Park (1,100 acres/300 deer). Just over the bridge is the ancient town of Kingston, with restaurants including Jamie's Italian and Carluccio's. Catch a boat to Hampton Court Palace, where 5 Kings were crowned. Chase Lodge is 30 minutes from central London and Heathrow airport. We're really friendly and welcome children, pets and romantic couples. Park directly outside or in our residents car park nearby. "A hidden gem".
Each of the 12 rooms is individually designed to a high standard with carefully chosen furniture and striking fabrics. All rooms have TV, free wireless internet access and tea/coffee making facilities. Some rooms have jacuzzi or steam room and 4 poster beds. Room rates include a full continental buffet breakfast and tax. The hotel's ideal location makes it an ideal touring centre with many places of historical and general interest within easy reach.
Children welcome from any age.
The hotel is a 5 minute walk from Hampton Wick railway station which is a direct line from Kingston, Richmond and Waterloo (approximately 30 mins). The hotel is close to A308 and Kingston Bridge. Full details of road directions on request.
- Children welcome
- Telephone
- Radio
- Television
- Tea/coffee making in bedrooms
- Licenced (table or bar)
- Continental breakfast only
- Special diets available
- Lounge for residents' use
- Laundry/valet service
- Ironing facilities
- Conference facilities
- Travel agent bookings
- Snacks/afternoon tea
- Baby listening service
- Totally non-smoking
- Central heating
- Electric shaver points
- Fishing
- Pony trekking/horse-riding
- Golf available (onsite or nearby)
- Visa/Mastercard/Switch accepted
- Dogs/pets accepted by arrangement
- WiFi or internet access
- Hairdryer
- High chairs available
- Cots available
- On street/public parking
Children welcome from any age.
Self-Assessed Accessibility Details
- Bell at main entrance
- Bedroom with non-allergenic bedding available
- Bathrooms available with:
- Separate shower unit
- Bath with shower
- Bath
- Meals for guests with special dietary requirements can be provided:
- Vegetarian
- Proprietors/staff available 24-hours
- Emergency evacuation procedures for guests with disabilities
- Staff have had disability awareness training


text:
Yung ZM Vs Swava Sevah Rap Battle Pt. 1 [Grind Time New York]
Drect reports "One of the main events from GTNY 5 at the Zoo Studios. "
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Amphenol MIL-DTL-38999 Connectors for Military, Aerospace and harsh environments. Including Series III, II, I,SJT, Aquacon, and Accessories. We have combined PCD in Series III, II, and I.
Amphenol MIL-DTL-38999 Series III, Tri-Start Connectors offer the highest performance capabilities for both general duty and severe environment applications. Meets or exceeds Series III requirements, the Tri-Start connector with standard metal shells.
Amphenol Aerospace has Extensive heat sink design knowledge and manufacturing capability. Our experienced engineering group can design a custom heat sink to fit your board or work from your CAD models, assemblies, or step files.
The MGT line of connectors is an expansion of the GT-5015 series, offering a rugged environment connector in new finishes such as Durmalon and Black Zinc Nickel for military applications.
Amphenol now offers differential twinax transition adapters in smaller sizes that provide matched impedance interconnection to PCB boards.
Amphenol Micro-D provide small interconnect solutions, exceeds the requirements of the US military standard M83513. Our connector design and custom solutions ensure exact performance in any application.
Amphenol micro connectors provide small interconnect solutions which will exceed the requirements of the US military standard M83513. PDS-228
Amphenol meets the demands for heavy duty & heavy power connectors with features that are critical to reliable interconnection in rugged environmental conditions.
Amphenol Aerospace offers the Matrix product line of MIL-DTL-26482, Series 2 connectors. The series provides a bayonet coupling connector with crimp rear insertable, rear releasable contacts.
MIL-DTL-26500, Pyle connectors have diverse use in fields such as avionics, missile systems, aircraft general-purpose application, aircraft engines and firewalls. The Amphenol/Pyle series are available in aluminum or stainless steel shells, with bayonet or threaded coupling and qualified to meet the specification of MIL-DTL-26500 classes.
The MIL-DTL-38999 Series I connector is a bayonet coupling subminiature configuration with high contact density, ideal for smaller wire gauge applications.
The MIL-DTL-38999 Series II connector is a bayonet coupling subminiature configuration with a lower profile design accomplished by using a shorter socket contact. This series is popular for instrumentation applications where space is a premium.
The Amphenol MIL-DTL-5015 Crimp Rear Release Series provides an alternative to the older MIL-C-5015 solder type. A high performance MIL-DTL-5015 provides seven mounting styles in shell size 8 to 48.
MIL-DTL-83723 provides three coupling style choices from bayonet, threaded and quick-disconnect. The versatility of this family makes it increasingly popular for panel mount, box mount and line-to-line applications in aircraft.
MIL-DTL-83723 Series III includes styles from Pyle National for severe environments and are widely used in commercial and military aerospace markets. The unique threaded coupling mechanism provides greater resistance to decoupling, tends to couple during vibration, and eliminates the need for safety wiring.
MRC Multi-Media Ruggedized connector capable of running Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0/ USB 3.0, HDMI and 10 Gigabit Ethernet when specified and designated to a specific configuration. MRC is a micro-miniature connector ideal for commercial, Industrial and Military Communication systems. MRC in High Speed Catalog
Amphenol Aerospace
40-60 Delaware Avenue
Sidney, NY 13838-1395
AUVSI XPONENTIAL Unmanned Systems
McCormick Place
Chicago, IL
April 29-May 2, 2019
Booth# 2122
Satellite Show
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
Washington, DC
May 6-9, 2019
Space Tech Expo
Exhibits and Conference
Pasadena, CA
May 21-22, 2019
Booth# 5014


text:
Chesapeake Energy dropped 800 workers from its payroll Tuesday as new management continues to throttle down from an aggressive stance that threw the company into deep debt.
The Oklahoma City-based oil and gas producer's total job cut count this year is 1,200 employees, about 10 percent of its workforce.
The move comes months after the company's embattled co-founder and former chief executive Aubrey McClendon departed amid federal scrutiny of perks and dealings and shareholder pressure over a sharp drop in cash flow and escalating debt, which peaked at $16 billion last year.
Investors erased $8 billion from Chesapeake's market value at one point last year.
"By scaling E&P support services, reducing management layers, and aligning resources with a sharpened focus on accountability and efficiency, we have created a business built to deliver a sustainable and profitable future," Doug Lawler, the company's chief executive since June, said in a letter to employees Tuesday. The company has ended its organizational restructuring for now, he wrote.
Alternative fuel: Chesapeake's role in natural gas vehicles to fade
Last month, Lawler told investors at a Barclays conference that Chesapeake would focus on balancing the company's expenditures with operational cash flow and allocate capital to only the most lucrative projects.
The company also slashed spending in half this year to $7.2 billion, a big change from a decade outspending the cash flow and building a reputation as one of the most aggressive land grabbers among U.S. producers.
In July, the country's second-largest natural gas producer sold off $1 billion in Eagle Ford and Haynesville shale assets.
Chesapeake has also chipped away at its rig count, sitting now at half its fleet from two years ago. That drop accounts for half of the fall in active rigs in the U.S., according to Raymond James.
Wall Street appears to like the shift in strategy. The company's stock price dipped less than 1 percent Tuesday but over the past year has come up 34 percent to $26.05.
Also on FuelFix:
Energy execs sweep list of Houston's top 10 highest paid


text:
Featured Events
Date Finder for Featured Events
*Please note that the 25Live Event Portal functions best with Firefox or Chrome. Internet Explorer is not recommended.
Gettysburg College welcomes the participation of people with disabilities. If you plan to attend an event and need accommodation, please contact our Office of Human Resources between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 717.337.6202 or the Department of Public Safety after hours at 717.337.6912.
All times are local for Eastern Time, USA
Please send questions/comments to firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
|Hingham, Mass.
|High School:
Yale PRs
Long Jump 7.05m
Triple Jump 13.02m
200m 22.51
100m 11.44
60m 7.23
High School PRs
Long Jump 22-10
Triple Jump 46-2
100m 10.84
200m 22.04
60m 7.10
2010-2011: Peaked at outdoor Heps with PR of 7.05m in long jump … Notched third-place finishes in long jump and triple jump at Harvard-Yale … Runner-up in long jump at UConn Invitational … Opened indoor season with win in long jump … Competed at indoor Heps in long jump … Jumped PR at Harvard-Yale-Princeton to take third … Also placed fifth at Reebok Boston Indoor Games.
High School: Competed in Nike Indoor Nationals 2010 … State champion in triple jump and 200m … Captained indoor and outdoor track teams as senior … Received awards for League Sportsmanship, Patriot League All-Star indoor and outdoor for four consecutive years and Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic … Also played baseball, basketball and football.
Personal: Calhoun College … Enjoys skiing and hiking … Went on community service trips to West Virginia and Georgia.
Why I Chose Yale: "I came to Yale because it not only gave me the chance to be an influential member of a relatively small but talented team and receive lots of coaching attention at a competitive level, but also all of the opportunities that basically only Yale can provide."


text:
5 Big Deals Now That Howard Is In Houston.
5 Big Deals getting done now that Dwight Howard left the Lakers for the Houston Rockets.
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: After Howard told LA he was heading to Houston, the NBA erupted in a number of deals. Here's the lowdown on 5 big deals that hinged on Dwight's decision.
HoopsVibe sits down with Saul Williams One-On-One
Bringing Brad to Beantown
In a move that not many saw coming, the Boston Celtics have hired former Butler Bulldog head coach Brad Stevens.
Hoopsvibe's quick call: Stevens has been a great coach at the college level, and I have a feeling he will have similar success in the NBA.
Butler, Bledsoe, Redick Trade.
NBA Trade Alert: Butler, Bledsoe, and Redick involved in 3-team trade.
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: The Clippers pick up J.J. Redick in the deal, but will need more if they want to make a run at the West.
Top 5 Ways Michael Jordan Still Makes His Money?
Kobe Bryant injury update: "feeling really strong", back shooting in the gym
Laker Nation can finally enjoy some good news for once: Kobe Bryant is shooting again.
Hoopsvibe's quick call: The Lakers need a healthy Mamba back asap.
Chris Brown Schools Gilbert Arenas 1-on-1 at BET Awards Show.
Chris Brown Schools Gilbert Arenas 1-on-1 at BET Awards Show.
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: When you're an NBA star and Chris Brown takes you to the hole in a charity game it may be time to think retirement. Maybe he was distracted by the beautiful Tatyana?
Top 10 Things NBA Ballers Do In The Off Season.
2003 NBA Draft: Best First Round Ever? (Poor Darko Edition)
Based on the early returns of the 2013 NBA Draft, Darko Milicic would be a franchise player.
HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: Poor Darko was 10 years too early.
BlockBuster Trade Sends Garnett and Pierce To Brooklyn.
Blockbuster trade sends Garnett, Pierce, and Terry to Brooklyn Nets.
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: This trade rocked the 2013 NBA Draft and makes the Brooklyn Nets a legit contender for a championship.
NBA Live 14 Desginer Interviews with HoopsVibe at E3.
1996 NBA Draft; Best First Round Ever?
The wait is over; the 2013 NBA Draft starts tonight at 7:30 EST.
HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: Does the 2013 NBA Draft class feature a potential Kobe Bryant or Allen Iverson?
1984 NBA Draft: Best First Round in NBA Draft History?
The 2013 NBA Draft is just two days away- will any first round selection in 2013 blow up like several of the first round selections of the 1984 NBA Draft did?
HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: It generally takes a couple years for any draft to pan out, but at this point it seems unlikely.
Scottie Pippen gets in fight at Nobu
Scottie Pippen knocked out a guy in the parking lot of a famous Malibu restaurant Sunday night, although no arrests have been officially made.
Hoopsvibe's quick call: Who knows what really happened - but it's never a good idea to mess with a guy who's 6'8" and 230 lbs.
Today In NBA History 1992: Shaquille O'Neal Goes #1 In NBA Draft
21 years ago tonight, Shaquille O'Neal was the first overall selection in the 1992 NBA Draft.
HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: Has there ever been a better #1 overall NBA Draft pick in history?
Doc Rivers to Clippers, but Stern to Block KG Trade?
Miami Heat Repeat!
Miami Heat surge over the San Antonio Spurs in the fourth quarter to repeat as NBA Champions.
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: They call him the King for a reason. LeBron shows up when it counts.
Today In NBA History 1987: Magic Johnson Hits "Junior Hook Shot" To Beat Celtics
26 years ago today, Magic created potentially his most memorable play.
HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: Magic made victory appear out of thin air in a critical Game 4 of the NBA Finals at the Boston Garden.
Today In NBA History 1992: Michael Jordan Hits Six Three-Pointers Vs Portland (Video)
21 years ago today, Michael Jordan had the greatest half in NBA Finals history.
HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: Doesn't it seem like Michael Jordan was involved in every great Finals moment ever?
The Bulls defeated Portland 122-89 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 3rd, 1992. Michael Jordan, who finished with a game-high 39 points, set NBA Finals records for points scored in a half (35) and three-point field goals made in one half (6).
After the sixth made three-pointer, Jordan turned to the mid court TV camera and shrugged as if to say, "I guess everything's going in." Unknowingly, his shrug created one of the most indelible images in NBA history and added further to his legacy in the process.
Remember this?
The two teams appeared headed to face each other for most of the season and comparisons were made between Clyde Drexler and Michael Jordan throughout the season. Portland came out super hot to start the game, making their first seven field goal attempts, and took an eight point lead.
Then, Michael Jordan turned it on. Portland was leading by 1 at 45-44, but then Chicago went on a 22-6 run to grab a 66-51 halftime lead and take control, ultimately winning the game by 33 points.
"I started running for the three-point line; it felt like a free throw," Jordan famously said after the game. "I set another goal … a reasonable, manageable goal that I could realistically achieve if I worked hard enough. I approached everything step by step."
In any different era, the Portland Trailblazers squads of the early 90's would've walked away with at least one ring. The Seattle Supersonics of the late 90's would later feel the same sting of a Bulls team that is considered one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history.
The Bulls would go on to win the series in six games. Michael Jordan was named Finals Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row, to go with his sixth straight regular season scoring titles.
Read More


text:
Spockcast - a Star Trek Discovery podcast
More Than Just Star Trek Discovery
We found 1 episode of Spockcast - a Star Trek Discovery podcast with the tag "forest whitaker".
Episode 25: Wakanda Forever!
February 24th, 2018 | Season 1 | 1 hr 21 mins
18 marvel movies, 30 rock, alpha centauri, altered carbon, andy serkis, angela bassett, aunt hilda, battlestar galactica, bewitched, black mirror, black panther, bubble bee, camilla, chadwick boseman, colm feore, danai gurira, daniel kaluuya, dinosaur rock, dr smith, dr who, dungeon & dragons, elizabeth mitchell, forest whitaker, gary oldman, gi joe, gilligan's island, gonzo, hasbro, heather graham, humans, i dream of jeanie, ilse von glatz, jabba the hutt, jabba's sail barge, james perfoy, jeremy irons, jim henson, john vernon, jurassic world, kermit, lauren cojan, lawrence fishburn, letitia wright, lorne greene, lost in space, lucy davis, lupita nyong'o, martin freeman, matt leblanc, matt vogel, mia kirshner, michael b jordan, michael bay, michelle gomez, micronauts, mirror universe, missy, morena baccarin, muppets, m'baku, neville page, optimus prime, ramonda, rizzo the rat, robby robertson, ryan coodler, sabrina, sarah mitich, sean of the dead, shakespearian and epic, sonic the hedgehog, sterling k brown, steve whitmire, the robot, the toys that made us, the walking dead, tim miller, transformers, war of the worlds, whiskey cavalier, winston duke
This week offer our review of Black Panther both spoiler free and with some spoilers. TNG is going to explore the Mirror Universe. Jurassic World 3 is announced in advance of the second installment. We discuss a Transformers reboot. A big change could come to The Walking Dead. Jessica Chastain could join It sequel. Dr Who and Wonder Wonder stars join Sabrina cast. Sonic the Hedgehog, Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur and Lost in Space are all getting produced. Master costumer Neville Page in the spotlight. We discuss the 18 Marvel Comic Universe movies to date. Watch List: Jabba's Sail Barge, Why Captain Jellico Is Actually Pretty Awesome and Altered Carbon.


text:
Student or Learner
Rows of four- and five- and six-story buildings razed to their foundations.
More: Tourists and Terrorists - By John Pedro Schwartz | Foreign Policy
Is this an exaggeration? Does razed to their foundations mean razed to the ground. By the way, I didn't find this expression/phrase in dictionaries.
It's not a standard phrase, but I would interpret is as having the same meaning.


text:
Home Nyarusiza Focus
Nyarusiza Focus is one of six Fields of Life partner schools in Rwanda, it is located in the Butare District.
It was the 96th partner school Fields of Life built and was completed in 2010.
At Fields of Life we are committed to the most efficient use of our resources whilst not compromising the effective delivery of projects in East Africa.
Charity No: NI: NIC 104839 ROI: 20042677 England & Wales: 1173249
Company No: NI: 30695 ROI: 352300 England & Wales: 09642193
Fields of Life 2016-2017 Annual Report
Copyright © Fields Of Life 2019.
All rights reserved


text:
Indo-French space cooperation is all set to soar to new heights with the scheduled launch of a satellite to study changes in the environment soon after the visit of French President Francois Hollande here next week.
The SARAL-Altika satellite, a joint project of the space agencies of India and France, will complement the observations of the seas made by current satellites.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has identified a launch window between February 22 and February 25 for putting the 450 kg Indo-French satellite into orbit from its spaceport at Sriharikota, official sources said here.
India's warhorse rocket, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) will put the satellite into orbit.
SARAL is short for Satellite with ARgos and ALtiKa, the two main devices on it which have been provided by French space agency CNES. Besides building the spacecraft, ISRO will launch and operate it through its life.
SARAL would be one of the very few ocean-centric satellites and a vital cog in studying sea surface heights and other aspects.
Earlier, the launch was scheduled for December last year but it had to be put off to complete a few tests and validations.
AltiKa is an Ka-band altimeter system, dedicated to accurate measurement of the rise in the sea levels.
The satellite would be useful in studying the sea state, light rainfall climatalogy, mean sea level and coastal altimetry.
The satellite would help ocean scientists gather accurate data on the rise in the sea level which could threaten the low lying and coastal areas of the country.
Liked the story?


text:
University of Vermont
Department of Physics: Condensed Matter Theory Group
PhD Student Max Graves Selected as Student Poster Competition Finalist
Path Integral Monte Carlo Study of Proximity Effects in Confined Helium-4
- 10-05-2012
- By Adrian G Del Maestro
UVM Materials Science PhD student Max Graves was selected as one of five finalists in the physical science, mathematics and engineering category at the President's Student Poster Competition on Wednesday October 3rd.
Max's poster, entitled "Path Integral Monte Carlo Study of Proximity Effects in Confined Helium-4" displays his recent numerical work on how the thermodynamic properties of Helium-4 atoms confined to localized regions of space are affected by coupling to neighboring regions at low temperatures. This study was motivated by recent experiments performed by the Gasparini group at SUNY Buffalo that showed that Helium-4 under these conditions exhibits an enhanced superfluid response as well as an excess specific heat.
Max and Prof. Del Maestro believe that these strange phenomena are due to the intrinsic indistinguishability of the bosonic Helium-4 atoms, and they plan to test their hypothesis by studying both quantum and classical atoms. For the classical distinguishable atoms, they conjecture that this exotic behavior should be absent, and that the phenomena is a macroscopic manifestion of quantum mechanics.


text:
Bridging the Sustainability Gap
Magazine: Summer 2014
- Opinion & Analysis
- Read Time: 11 min
Most mainstream investors are unconvinced that sustainability leadership translates into profits and marketplace success. Despite rising importance on the corporate agenda, sustainability —as currently understood and measured — interests only a small niche of investors. The authors argue that a "back to basics" approach for measuring sustainability's direct impact on revenue growth, productivity and risk would provide mainstream investors with the data that's critical to their decisions.


text:
California Department of Transportation
Date: March 21, 2011
District: District 11 – San Diego and Imperial Counties
Contact: Hayden Manning
Phone: 619-688-6723
Caltrans Completes Recovery Act Congestion Relief Project on Interstate 805
San Diego – Caltrans joined elected representatives and local transportation officials today to celebrate the completion of the first American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) project to be completed in the San Diego region. The $14 million Interstate 805 Southbound Auxiliary Lanes Project was primarily funded ($9 million) by the Recovery Act. "The new auxiliary lanes will bring much needed congestion relief to 130,000 motorists that travel this freeway daily and make it easier and safer for them to enter and exit the freeway," said Caltrans Director Cindy McKim. New southbound auxiliary lanes were constructed on I-805 between State Route 54 and Bonita Road. The Bonita Road undercrossing was widened and new ramp meters were installed at Sweetwater Road, Bonita Road, and the connector from westbound SR-54 to southbound I-805. California has obligated nearly $2.6 billion in Recovery Act funding to nearly 1,000 highway, local street, and job training transportation projects statewide. For more information on the Recovery Act visit http://recovery.ca.gov/
# # #


text:
stream anyone?
The Jets lose, they are out. The Texans lose on a botched 2 pt conversion attempt.
Extremely windy in Cleveland today.. Look for a lot of runs today.
Just read something disturbing for any football fans who are at all interested in astrology....Bill Belichik's chinese sign is the water dragon...considered the luckiest of all chinese astrological signs....guess what, this year will be the return of the Water Dragon ...this is Belichik's luckiest year of his life (happens every 60 years)...I have got to stop reading that stuff, now I'm depressed.
Somebody posted that video of the steeler dog mounting the cleveland browns dog. I t made me laugh so hard. Now I want to see the real browns get mauled by the real Steelers.
Here we go Steelers
Hopefully the run D shows up today
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)


text:
The A's traded former top prospect Michael Taylor on Saturday to the Chicago White Sox for minor league right-hander Jake Sanchez.
Taylor, 28, played in only 26 games for Oakland and was currently with Triple A Sacramento, where the outfielder was the RiverCats' franchise leader in games (511), at-bats (1,900), hits (521), and RBI (325).
Sanchez, 24, made nine starts and 15 appearances for Class A Kannapolis, going 5-4 with a 2.80 ERA and three saves.
Follow Darren Sabedra on Twitter at twitter.com/DarrenSabedra.


text:
They grow up so fast! Blue Ivy hits the town on a lunch date with her superstar parents, Beyonce and Jay-Z. Plus, Gwyneth Paltrow shocks in a sheer dress at the Hollywood premiere of Iron Man 3: See Us Weekly's top stories from Thursday, April 25, in the roundup!
1. Blue Ivy Looks More Grown Up Than Ever With Beyonce, Jay-Z: Pictures
Sacre Blue Ivy! Now a 15-month-old toddler, Beyonce and Jay-Z's growing little girl made her first appearance this month during a family lunch outing that was tres chic and cosmopolitan: At Szptime restaurant in Paris on Thursday, April 25.
2. Gwyneth Paltrow Skips Underwear in Sheer Dress at Iron Man 3 Premiere
Is sidebutt the new sideboob? Gwyneth Paltrow left little to the imagination when she hit the red carpet in Hollywood wearing an ultra-sheer Antonio Berardi gown — and nothing underneath.
3. Jason Aldean, Wife Jessica Ussery Separate After Cheating Scandal
They tried to make it work, but it looks like Jason Aldean and Jessica Ussery have reached their breaking point as a couple. Seven months after the married father of two was photographed making out with American Idol alum Brittany Kerr, the country crooner and his wife have separated, a source tells Us Weekly exclusively.
4. Melissa Gilbert Marries Timothy Busfield: See Her Red Wedding Dress!
The bride wore red! Nearly three months after Us Weekly broke the news of their surprise engagement, Melissa Gilbert married West Wing actor Timothy Busfield in a private ceremony in Santa Barbara. For her third trip down the aisle, the Little House on the Prairie actress chose a bold, crimson-colored gown.
5. Demi Moore Poses With Cher: See How They've Barely Aged Since 1996
Apparently there's no need to turn back time for either Cher or Demi Moore. Both women were on hand for the AFI Night at the Movies on Wednesday, April 24 — and they looked better than ever.
Sign up now for the Us Weekly newsletter to get breaking celebrity news, hot pics and more delivered straight to your inbox!
Want stories like these delivered straight to your phone? Download the Us Weekly iPhone app now!


text:
From The Will to Change:
"It is not easy for males, young or old, to reject the codes of patriarchal masculinity. Men who choose against violence ar esimultaneously choosing against patriarchy, wherther they can articulate that choice or not." (pp73)
"Ultimately, the men who choose agaisnt violence, against death, do so because they want to live fully and well, because they want to know love. These men who are true heroes, the men whose lives we need to know about, honor and remember." (pp74)


text:
Vaccination against diseases seems like a given in the modern world: an act that requires nothing more than a few trips to the doctor's office with nary another thought.
However, it wasn't too long ago — only last century — that 10 percent of children didn't live past age 1, according to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
"Not surprisingly, in an epoch before the existence of preventive methods and effective therapies, infectious diseases such as measles, diphtheria, smallpox, and pertussis topped the list of childhood killers," according to the Health Affairs journal.
Since their widespread use, vaccines have been wildly successful, "one of the greatest success stories in public health," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
The beginning
Their development started from a place of suffering. The first vaccine was against smallpox, a disease that had been around for more than 3,000 years and that killed many millions of people. In fact, it was considered "one of the world's most feared diseases," according to the World Health Organization.
There is evidence that people in China, Africa and Turkey used a form of smallpox inoculation, called variolation, more than 1,000 years ago, and efforts after that led to the English physician Edward Jenner noticing dairy workers were protected from the smallpox virus. He observed that they had already been infected with a less-dangerous but similar virus called cowpox; he tested his theory by scratching a small child with cowpox, and then doing so again with smallpox. The child had been immunized.
Thus, the world's first vaccine came about in 1790, and now smallpox no longer exists in the natural world, thanks to "a lengthy and painstaking process, which identified all cases and their contacts and ensured that they were all vaccinated," the WHO says.
The introduction of germ theory
The next major discovery came a century after Jenner's groundbreaking work when Louis Pasteur provided evidence for the germ theory of disease, which explained that many diseases are caused by organisms too small to see with the naked eye. From there, Pasteur developed the rabies vaccine, using it on humans for the first time in 1885.
From then on, developments were made more quickly. For example, the vaccine for yellow fever, a virus spread by mosquitoes, was developed in the 1930s, and it is still recommended for anyone traveling outside the United States. At the same time, other mosquito-borne diseases still kill millions every year, so the work continues.
"The middle of the 20th century was an active time for vaccine research and development," according to The History of Vaccines. "Methods for growing viruses in the laboratory led to rapid discoveries and innovations, including the creation of vaccines for polio. Researchers targeted other common childhood diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella, and vaccines for these diseases reduced the disease burden greatly."
Most people are familiar with the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella. All three vaccines became available in the 1960s and were combined in 1971, according to the Immunization Action Coalition. Another vaccine, against chickenpox, was added to the group in 2005.
The vaccine is responsible for taking the number of measles cases from 3 million to 4 million per year down to a historic low of 37 in 2004. However, the IAC points out that, in areas where people have refused to be vaccinated, the number of cases has risen in the years since then.
Vaccines today
In more recent years, a vaccine was approved in 2009 to fight the H1N1 virus (a flu strain that originated in pigs), and the HPV vaccine was developed to prevent cervical cancer, genital lesions and genital warts, and approved in 2006.
Today, diseases that can be prevented by vaccines are at or near record lows, according to the CDC, with the help of laws that require vaccination for children in schools and day cares, college students, and health care workers and patients. People immigrating to the United States are also required to get certain vaccines beforehand to help prevent the spread of dangerous diseases.
"Ironically, as vaccines have become more commonplace, they have lost some of their allure, particularly to public funding agencies," Health Affairs says. "One might argue that vaccines have worked so well that many people now take them for granted."
Sinclair Broadcasting is committed to the health and well-being of our viewers, which is why we're introducing Sinclair Cares. Every month we'll bring you information about the "Cause of the Month," including topical information, education, awareness and prevention.


text:
1. Submission
By submitting a Project Proposal on the Quarry Life Award website (http://www.quarrylifeaward.com/) you are submitting an application to participate in the HeidelbergCement's Quarry Life Awards. By doing so you agree to the Terms and Conditions and consent to be involved in the Contest subject to these Terms and Conditions, as outlined below.
2. Definitions
"Contest" means both the National Competition and International Competition for the Quarry Life Awards.
"Contestant(s)" means a person or group of persons, involved with a single proposal, taking part in the Contest.
"Financial Contribution" means financial contribution provided by HeidelbergCement to partially offset costs associated with the research phase of the Contest. The National Award Coordinator in each National Contest will be responsible for providing the amount to the Contestant. The amount will be at the discretion of HeidelbergCement.
"International Competition" means the competition as described in section 8.
"International Winners" means the selected winning Contestants (5 category winners and 1 grand prize winner, as described in section 11.2) of the International Competition.
"HeidelbergCement" means both HeidelbergCement AG (Berliner Straße 6, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany) and Cimenteries CBR Cementbedrijven N.V. 185 Chaussee de la Hulpe, Brussels 1180, Belgium.
"Jury" means either the international jury or one of the national juries, as described in section 7 of these Terms and Conditions.
"National Competition" means the competition for each country or group of countries (if applicable), as specified in section 6.
"National Winners" mean the selected winning Contestants that are ranked in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place of the National Competition.
"Prize(s)" mean(s) the monetary award given to National Winners and the International Winners.
"Project Proposals" means the initial project proposals submitted by the Contestants for the Contest (described in How to Participate).
"Project Reports" means the final project reports submitted by the Contestants whose Project Proposals were selected as a Top Five Submission for their country (as described in How to Participate).
"Quarry" or "Quarries" means any land or sites owned by HeidelbergCement or any of its subsidiaries participating in the Contest.
"Terms and Conditions" means these terms and conditions as specified herein.
"Top Five Submissions" has the meaning as defined in section 7.7.
3. Eligibility
3.1 Contestants may be either individuals or teams.
(a) Teams must choose only one National Competition, designate a primary contact person and all team members must be eligible under these Terms and Conditions.
(b) An individual must choose only one National Competition and may only enter once, either as themselves, or as a member of a team. Individuals may not enter into two contests.
3.2 Cooperation with third party foundations and non-governmental organizations is permitted, however this cooperation must be disclosed at the time of submission.
3.3 HeidelbergCement employees and HeidelbergCement's affiliates' employees are not allowed to participate.
4. Project Proposals and Project Reports
4.1 Project Proposals must be (i) able to be accomplished within the time frame of April 2016 to September 2016, (ii) be submitted for consideration by 1st March 2016 and (iii) conform to instructions How to Participate.
4.2 Project Proposals must be (i) able to be accomplished within the time frame of April 2016 to September 2016, (ii) be submitted for consideration by 1st March 2016 and (iii) conform to instructions How to Participate.
4.3 If individual(s) or teams are already working on a biodiversity project that was commissioned or commenced before the start of the contest, it may not enter the Contest with the pre-existing project. However, if that same project is subsequently expanded or developed in 2016 to include a new bio-diversity aspect, then that new aspect may be admissible to the Contest, at HeidelbergCement's sole discretion.
4.4 HeidelbergCement will review all submitted Project Proposals and Project Reports, but any submission which fails to comply with these Terms and Conditions can be disqualified at HeidelbergCement's complete discretion.
5. How to participate
5.1 "How to Participate" refers to the instructions for the Quarry Life Awards, which are available here.
5.2 While HeidelbergCement will endeavor to keep the instruction How to Participate constant for the duration of the Contest, it may become necessary to change, adapt, or remove existing rules or introduce new rules. Therefore, HeidelbergCement reserves the right to amend the instructions How to Participate as may be required from time to time. It is essential that Contestants check the instructions How to Participate prior to submission to ensure that they are in compliance.
6. National Competitions
6.1 Every Contestant may only enter one (1) National Competition.
6.2 Each participating Quarry will be declared as belonging to a specific National Competition and every Project Proposal must be in reference to a Quarry in only one (1) National Competition.
6.3 The National Competition to which the Contestant(s) submit(s) their Project Proposal is determined by which Quarry the Project Proposal is based. A Contestant's residence or nationality is irrelevant for the purposes of determining which National Competition is entered.
6.4 The National Winners will be determined by that country's National Jury.
6.5 National Competitions may incorporate several countries into one (1) competition. For the purposes of the Prizes, HeidelbergCement reserves the right to amalgamate several Quarries in different countries into one (1) National Competition. Prizes will only be given across the National Competition, and not to each country inside that National Competition.
7. Juries
7.1 It will be the task of each national Jury to decide the winners in each National Competition.
7.2 When deliberating, the Jury will refer to the "categories" and "Evaluation" as described in How to Participate, however the Jury may depart from these and reference to any matter it believes is relevant.
7.3 The national and international Juries will be appointed, overseen and where required, changed by HeidelbergCement at its complete discretion.
7.4 For each National Competition, there will be a national Jury. The national Jury members may include biodiversity experts with specific knowledge of regional habitats and species specific issues, HeidelbergCement managers for a business perspective and other individuals HeidelbergCement decides to appoint. The members of national Jury will have both local and English language skills.
7.5 For the International Competition, there will be an international Jury that will select the International Winners.
7.6 Each Jury is at liberty to select the methods and practices it wishes to follow in its deliberations. A Jury has discretion to make decisions in the way it sees fit. Guidelines and instructions will be provided to each Jury, but it is not bound to follow them.
7.7 In March 2016 each national Jury will select the top five Project Proposals that are approved for research work ("Top Five Submissions"). The Top Five Submissions will be eligible to receive a Financial Contribution toward project costs. All of the Top Five Submissions will be notified in this same month.
7.8 In November 2016, each of the Juries will award the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place to the individuals or teams who they decide have the best, second best and third best projects for the National Competition. Only submissions accepted for research work under 7.7 will be considered at this stage.
8. International Competition
8.1 In order to compete in the International Competition, the Top Five Submissions of National Contest must also submit their Project Proposal in the English language (if not already in English).
8.2 The international Jury will examine all of the Top Five Submissions accepted for research work from every National Competition. The international Jury will, before the end of December 2016, select the International Winners.
9. Communication
Only the Top Five Submissions from each country will be expressly contacted. Only the International Winners and National Winners will be directly notified. HeidelbergCement will make efforts to contact all participants to inform them whether their proposal has been successful or not.
10. Disqualification
10.1 Without limiting the generality of any other clause in these Terms and Conditions, sections 5.3, 6.2 and 6.3 are grounds on which a Contestant can be disqualified from the competition.
10.2 Contestants will receive a site specific health and safety briefing from site management before beginning any work at a Quarry. All Contestants agree to abide by the company's site specific health and safety regulations and requirements delivered in that meeting. Any Contestant not following health and safety regulations will be immediately disqualified.
10.3 Any Contestants using the Financial Contribution towards project costs for matters directly not related to the Contest will be disqualified at HeidelbergCement's discretion, and obliged to return all or part of the funds at HeidelbergCement's discretion.
10.4 Any Contestant who is disqualified cannot receive a Prize.
10.5 Any Contestant who, with in a period of one (1) year after the announcement of the Prizes is found to have had grounds for disqualification at the time of the competition can be disqualified retroactively at HeidelbergCement's sole discretion. This may include being stripped of any Prizes or other awards and being obliged to return any and all Prizes or Financial Contributions. This right of HeidelbergCement is again exercisable at its complete discretion.
11. Prizes
11.1 National Winners will receive the following cash Prizes:
1st place: €5 000
2nd place: €3 000
3rd place: €1 500
11.2 International Winners will receive the following cash Prizes in addition to any National Prize they may have already won. Prizes of €10 000 will be given in each of the following categories:
Habitat and Species Research
Biodiversity Management
Education and Raising Awareness
Beyond Quarry Borders
Student Class Project (only primary, secondary and undergraduate students are eligible)
One Grand Prize: €30 000 will be given to the overall best project.
11.3 For the purposes of awarding the "Student Project" prize all individuals must be at the undergraduate level or lower, no masters, PhD candidate or professors may work on the project. Students may receive guidance and feedback from their teachers and instructors, however, all the work must be the work of the students alone. If HeidelbergCement, in its sole discretion, believes that the project or report submitted is not the work of the students, it will be ineligible for this prize.
11.4 The National Award Coordinator will liaise with the winners to decide how the funds are to be distributed. In cases where the National Competition is in a country which does not use the Euro as the official currency, the amounts will be converted to local currency.
11.5 The prize money will be distributed within 2 months of notification to the Contestants.
12 Intellectual Property & Publication Rights
12.1 By submitting a proposal for the participation to the Contest, Contestants represent and warrant explicitly that all components of their proposal, project and final report;
(i) are original creations and
(ii) that they do not infringe on any intellectual property rights including copyrights, trademarks, know how, trade secrets or patents nor any rights of privacy or publicity of any person, or any other right of any third party. Any intellectual property infringement, misuse or plagiarism of another's work in any form or state will result in immediate disqualification and forfeiture of eligibility to receive all awards, recognition and Prizes.
(iii) All intellectual property and industrial property rights of any entries will remain with the Contestants, but the physical and electronic items submitted to HeidelbergCement will become the property of HeidelbergCement and will not be returned after the Contest. This includes any Project Proposal, Project Reports or other submissions that are disqualified for any reason under these Terms and Conditions.
(iv) By submitting a proposal, Contestants give HeidelbergCement and its affiliates an unlimited right and permission to publish, use, utilize, copy, modify, distribute, and publicly display their Project Proposal, Project Reports and other submissions (and all information included in such proposal) for any purpose, including display on the HeidelbergCement's, and its affiliates', website, without any attribution or compensation to the Contestant beyond the possibility that the Jury may award a National or International prize to the Contestant.
(v) All Contestants agree that HeidelbergCement and its affiliates may use the results of the research contained in their proposals and final research projects for HeidelbergCement's own implementation, without any attribution or compensation.
12.2 Contestants agree that all material they upload on to the website will be free from any virus', malware, spying software or any similar electronic program that is capable of causing harm to another's system or breaching privacy laws.
12.3 Contestants agree to indemnify and hold HeidelbergCement blameless for any damage caused by their uploading of any item described in 12.2, regardless of whether they knowingly or unknowingly uploaded such item.
13. Miscellaneous
13.1 HeidelbergCement reserves the right to transfer any rights or obligations under these Terms and Conditions to any wholly owned subsidiary. HeidelbergCement may transfer any or all of its discretion under these Terms and Conditions to a natural person or persons as an agent.
13.2 Regardless of where a participant is situated globally, these Terms and Conditions are subject to the Laws of Belgium and not that of the country of the National Competitions.
14. Privacy and Google Analytics
By agreeing to these terms and conditions, you also agree to our full privacy policy, which can be found at the bottom of the main page of the Quarry Life Award website. The Privacy Policy makes up part of these terms and conditions, and by agreeing to these terms and conditions you understand you consent to the adequacy of the HeidelbergCement Privacy Policy in protecting your information.
This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service from Google Inc. ("Google"). Google Analytics uses "cookies", which are text files stored on your computer that enable the analysis of the way you use the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website (including your IP address) is transmitted to a Google server in the US, where it is then stored. Google has certified its compliance with the U.S. Safe harbor program to receive and protect personal information from the EU. Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, compile reports on website activities for website operators and to provide other services associated with website and Internet usage. Where necessary, Google will also transfer this information to third parties if required to do so by law, or if third parties process this data on behalf of Google. Google will not link your IP address with other data held by Google. You may refuse to install cookies by selecting the appropriate settings in your browser; however, please be aware that if you do so you may not be able to use the full functions of this website. By agreeing to these Terms and Conditions, you consent to the processing of data collected about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes described above.


text:
Wevans467 necesitaba un nuevo diseño de botón o icono y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 22 diseños de 8 diseñadores freelance.
Butler Bargain
My name is Will Evans and I am the founder of Butlerbargain.com. We have not really launched, but have content up on our site. I am looking to start a blog/site that gives men deals on certain pieces of clothing, technology,travel deals, and other gear. The whole business will revolve around a character named "Butler Bargain". I need somebody to create this character.
Our target market is men, ages 25-45, who have income's above $50,000 USD and enjoy reading or seeing deals on the internet about clothing, travel, gear, sports, spirits, accessories, toiletries, technology, and other miscellaneous intrest men may have.
I really do not want to be to demanding as I have worked with graphic designers before and like to give them free range to be creative. The only thing I really ask is that the design be a classy white male, dressed in a suit, who appears cheerful and approachable. I will attach some file's to give to give you more aim, but please be creative. These attachments: one is of a clipart off of Microsoft Word, and the other is the former cartoon image of Askjeeves.com. So they cannot be to similar to this, but hopefully it will give you an idea of what I am looking for


text:
|how sad
|Thursday, 28 August 2014 02:57
Can you really consider FC Porto a Portuguese team. Only one player from porto was from Portugal, pathetic. No wonder our National team is on the decline. No national pride or oppurtunties.
This is a comment on "FC Porto back in the Champions League"


text:
As part of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, Upson Regional Medical Center and Board Certified physicians on its Medical Staff will offer a potentially life-saving screening for men, at no cost.
The hospital will provide free prostate and colorectal screenings Tuesday, Sept. 10, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., in the hospital's Ambulatory Care Center, which is located right off of the Main Lobby.
Last year, more than 400 men were screened, and that's important because Upson County has slightly higher prostate cancer death rates than the state or U.S.
Besides skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men, and the second leading cause of cancer death in males, behind lung cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that this year, more than 238,590 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed, and 29,720 men will die from it. About 1 out of every 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.
Local Urologist Dr. Dan Bridges said, "Screening for prostate cancer is extremely important, because it is so common in men, and is highly curable when diagnosed in early stages."
Candidates for Upson's free prostate screening should be male, age 40 or older. Men wishing to be screened will have both a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, and a digital rectal exam (DRE) with screening for occult blood performed simultaneously for all patients.
All results will be sent to each man's primary care physician for follow-up, and patients will be notified of their normal or abnormal results, said Dr. Bridges.
Preventive screenings are important, said hospital CEO David Castleberry. "We want to provide this service to the public," he said. "We believe it's important for men to come in and take care of themselves proactively."
Pre-registration for the screening is recommended. To register, call (706) 647-8111 ext. 1519.


text:
Benefits For Members
A great network, top support, mentoring, legal & tax protection, great discounts and much more!
Read More
Meet the Team
Professional or hobbyist we cater to all skill levels. Learn, network, receive great support and much more...
More Info
"Just when I think you can do no more for photographers – you do more!"Shane Young
"The Guild is a very special place! "Vitty Robinson
"To know that there is always someone there who has your back is invaluable."Christina Bennett
"I'm never leaving the Guild…you guys rock!"Mandy Byrnes
"Saved £207 on a new Mac Book Pro - A great Guild discount!"Martin Hoyle
"An organisation which is nothing but supportive and encouraging to it's members."Christina Bennett


text:
All week long for World Space Week, we will be posting exclusive excerpts from Chris Impey and Holly Henry's new book, Dreams of Other Worlds: The Amazing Story of Unmanned Space Exploration. Each day will include an excerpt from a different chapter about a different unmanned spacecraft, along with a picture of the craft that doubles as an iPhone background!
Today's excerpt is from Chapter 2, and it discusses what it was like when, in 1976, we first landed a spacecraft on Mars.
Tomorrow will bring another chapter and another adventure, so stay tuned!
The Vikings Reach Mars
On July 20, 1976, a small spacecraft emerged from a cloudless, apricot-colored Martian sky and fell toward the western Chryse Planitia, the "Golden Plain." Its heat shield glowed as it buffeted through the tenuous atmosphere.27 About four miles up, the parachutes deployed, the heat shield was jettisoned, and three landing legs unfolded like a claw. At one mile up, the retrorockets fired, and less than a minute later the Viking 1 lander decelerated to six miles per hour, reaching the surface with a slight jolt.28 It was a landmark of technological prowess, the first time humans had ever soft-landed an emissary on another planet.
The twin Viking missions were the most complex planetary probes ever designed. Their total price tag was around $1 billion, equivalent to $4 billion today after adjusting for inflation. That can be compared to the $80 million cost of Mariner 4. Mission planners were well aware of the challenges; the Soviets had previously failed four times to soft land on Mars.29 Each Viking consisted of an orbiter designed to image the planet and a lander equipped to carry out detailed experiments on the surface.30 For the most part, the hardware worked flawlessly, but there were tense moments for the engineers and scientists on the team. After ten months and 100 million miles of traveling, the Vikings reached Mars two weeks apart.
Think you know all about these missions? Take our quiz and find out!
Proud of your score? Tweet it! #WSW2013


text:
The Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit (FCSPRU) operates independently in the Hutt community of greater Wellington with its own Trust Board.
FCSPRU staff work together, and in collaboration with other groups, to carry out social and economic policy research and evaluation. In keeping with the Family Centre aim to promote equitable cultural and gender partnerships, the FCSPRU employs Maori, Samoan and Pakeha staff.
In addition, the Social Policy Research Unit has gained considerable experience of inter-disciplinary and collaborative research. Projects have been undertaken in conjunction with numerous other research groups, for example BERL (Business Economic Research Limited), Te Runanga o Ngati Porou, the Public Policy Group at Victoria University, the Department of Geography at Victoria University, and the Deprivation Index Project at Wellington School of Medicine.
The New Zealand Povery Measurement Project (NZPMP) is the flagship programme of research that has been continually funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST) since 1992 onwards in association with Associate Professor Bob Stephens of the Victoria University of Wellington School of Government. This project has provided an evidence base that has profoundly influenced social and economic policy directions in New Zealand with regard to income inequality, housing and povery reduction.
Our most recent large scale research programme, entitled EWAS (Enhancing Wellbeing in an Ageing Society), involves a partnership with the Population Studies Centre at The University of Waikato. This programme began in 2004 and is funded through to 2010. Another recently completed project involved a collaboration with the Department of Public Health of theWellington School of Medicine to develop a New Zealand Individual Deprivation Index (NZiDep). NZiDep was completed in December 2004.
The Social Policy Research Unit has been a recipient of substantial continued funding from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST) and the Health Research Council (HRC) - leading sources of independent social science research funding in New Zealand. A record of success demonstrates the ability to focus upon research questions of major importance to people in Aotearoa and to undertake high quality research. A range of government and non-government agencies have also contracted research from the SPRU.
A selection of recent research projects undertaken by the Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit are listed below. All have demonstrated the breadth of FCSPRU experience, have involved a range of research and evaluation methodologies and taken place in many different settings and communities.
New Zealand Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NZLSA) FRST (2009-2012)
This programme of research is funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology and is led jointly with researchers from the School of Psychology, Massey University in association with the New Zealand Institute for Research on Ageing (NZiRA). The specific objective of the research is to establish a nationally representative longitudinal study. The aims of the longitudinal study are to test hypotheses about the factors that contribute to the wellbeing and quality of life of older people in four key areas: Economic participation; Social and civic participation; Intergenerational transfers; and Resilience and Health.
Resilience in Vulnerable Sole Parent Families FRST, CDRP and MSD (2010 – 2011)
This research programme is funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology through the Cross Departmental Research Pool and is administered and overseen by the Ministry of Social Development. Eight Government Departments (Education, Pacific Island Affairs, Health, Justice, Te Puni Kokiri, Inland Revenue, Statistics New Zealand and Women's Affairs), the Families Commission and the Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit have collaborated together. The research seeks to identify factors that enhance or impeded successful social and economic outcomes for sole parents through eight separate work streams.
The Socio-economic Factors Associated with Food Security and Physical Activity for Māori and Pacific People HRC and Ministry of Health (2008-2009)
This project is funded by the Health Research Council and the Ministry of Health. The focus of the study is to investigate the socio-cultural factors associated with food security and physical activity for Māori and Pacific people. It takes as a central thesis the view that at least some of the differences in the distribution of nutritional status and physical activity have socio-cultural bases that are either independent of socioeconomic factors or that condition culturally specific responses to socioeconomic factors.
Building Research Capacity in the Social Sciences (BRCSS) TEC (2004
– 2009)
The BRCSS programme is funded by the Tertiary Education Commission. It involves a research and teaching partnership between senior New Zealand research leaders from seven universities and the Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit. Its task is to build New Zealand social science research capacity, particularly with doctoral and post-doctoral students, through mentoring, special enhancement programmes and involvement in well established research programmes.
Return to top of page
Enhancing Wellbeing in an Ageing Society FRST (2004 – 2009)
This programme of research is funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology and is carried out jointly in an equal partnership with the Population Studies Centre at Waikato University. It involves a major investigation into the changing demographics of ageing in New Zealand. The research will focus on the aspirations, hopes and experiences of older people 65+ and the generation coming through 40 – 64. It will also explore intergenerational transfers, work, retirement, abuse, power and agency through a large scale survey, substantial qualitative research and a number of New Zealand case studies.
Return to top of page
Briefing Document For Incoming Families Commissioners MSD (2004)
This project involved an analysis of a broad road range of literature pertaining to families to provide an informative briefing document for the incoming Family Commissioners in the newly established Families Commission. The Ministry of Social Development contracted a number of researchers to write key sections and chapters.
Return to top of page
Social Investment Research Programme MSD (2003 – 2007)
This is a joint research programme between the Ministry of Social Development and non-Government researchers. It is an innovative research programme that has been established to develop measures of wellbeing to provide an improved evidential base for social investments.
Return to top of page
Development of a long-term evaluation plan for Suicide Prevention Information
New Zealand (SPINZ) MYD (2003 – 2004)
This contract from the Ministry of Youth Development consisted of an investigation into the evaluation literature concerning suicide prevention information services, interviews with SPINZ staff and stakeholders and the development of a five year evaluation plan for the service.
Return to top of page
Investigating Poverty in New Zealand FRST (2002 – 2007)
This programme of research is funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. Five separate studies will be undertaken. These will be: household studies of income, resources and adequacy; family incomes distribution and poverty; an examination of the consumption, expenditure and budgeting practices of low income households; a continuation of the feminisation of poverty work focusing on the choices of low income single women and the constraints upon them; and an investigation of the choices of low income single men and the constraints upon their labour market participation, social networks and social capital.
Return to top of page
The Social Dynamics Underlying Impacts of Housing Crowding and Costs
Upon Health. HRC (2002 - 2004)
This research is funded by the Health Research Council. It will identify and examine the social processes underlying the impacts of accommodation crowding and costs upon the health of people living in areas of high deprivation as defined by the New Zealand Index of Deprivation. 400 households will be surveyed, and in-depth interviews conducted with 40 householders.
Return to top of page
Indicators of Deprivation. HRC (2000 - 2004)
This research was funded by the Health Research Council. It is a collaborative project with the Wellington School of Medicine of the University of Otago. It involves the research necessary to develop an individual non-occupational classification index of deprivation. The work builds on the current NZDep Small Area Index of Deprivation developed at the Wellington School of Medicine.
Return to top of page
Case Studies of the Use of Section 16 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988
with Pacific Island Offenders for the Ministry of Justice (1999)
This project involves an investigation into Pacific Island offenders' use of a support person to speak on their behalf, particularly in relation to their cultural or ethnic background, in court cases under Section 16 of the Act. The research is qualitative, largely involving investigative interviewing.
Return to top of page
The Study of Relationship Between People's Health and their
Socio-economic Environments HRC (1999 - 2002)
This research is funded by the Health Research Council. It involves a comparison of health status, access to health services and stress levels of a low income household primary sample with a control sample of the rest of the population. The project has a longitudinal element over three years as participants respond to an in-depth questionnaire each year over the period.
Return to top of page
A Network Analysis of Pathways to Accessing Mental Health Services
and their Patterns of Use
(2000 - 2002)
Research is funded by the Health Research Council. A social network analysis method has been employed to identify the individual patterns of service utilisation of a sample of service users; to investigate the ways in which each arrived at his or her particular pattern of use; to investigate the ways in which each user has brought the services he or she uses into relationship with each other; and to identify the strengths and weaknesses within the existing "system" of mental health support and service providers.
Return to top of page
Review of Lottery Grants Responsiveness to Pacific Island Cultural
Groups for the Ministry of Internal Affairs (1999)
This project consists of a review and cultural audit of the Lottery Grants Board from the perspective of responsiveness to Pacific people. It entailed a financial analysis, focus group work with Pacific applicant groups and in-depth interviews with staff.
Return to top of page
Family Start Training Programme for the Ministries of Education, Health
and Social Welfare (1998 - 2003)
This is a nation-wide joint training project carried out by the Family Centre and the Chicago, USA based Kaleidoscope Inc. It involves creating and running the training programme for the new joint Ministry Family Start project service providers. The project has been designed as an innovative early intervention approach to families at risk around the time of child birth.
Return to top of page
The Experiences and Reflections of Young New Zealanders who Attempted
Suicide Lottery Health Research (1998 - 2001)
This study involves in-depth interviews with equal numbers of Maori, Pacific Island and Pakeha young people who made a serious attempt to kill themselves. An equal number of young men and young women are selected for each cultural group. It seeks their understanding of their own experience(s), the events at that time and what might have helped them. Funding from charitable organisations has also contributed to this project.
Return to top of page
Rural Household Dynamics and Social Sustainability for the Ministry
of Agriculture (1998)
This research has been commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture (MAF). It involved an analysis of data gathered in our research on Urban to Rural Migration, as outlined above. In particular, this work is focused on the household and social aspects of the rural population being studied - that is recent migrants from urban centres to rural areas and smaller towns.
Return to top of page
Development and Maintaining of a Social Monitoring System for Hutt
City Council (1998 - 2003)
The Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit was contracted by the Hutt City Council to develop a Social Monitoring System. This involved the use of currently available data sets to provide some insights as to the quality of life of the residents of Hutt City. The final output of the project was an on-line system for Hutt City Council, and can be updated as new information arrives. The FCSPRU has been contracted to regularly update the database.
Return to top of page
National Cultural Awareness Training Course for Senior Executives in
the Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance Corporation (ACC) (1998
- 2000)
This project involved the development of a comprehensive training course for senior management staff employed by ACC. The focus has been on developing cultural awareness as a critical part of the strategy to address identified deficits in engaging Maori and Pacific Island clients appropriately.
Return to top of page
National Cultural Awareness Training Course for the Sensitive Claims
Section of the Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance Corporation
This project involved the development of a comprehensive training course for the full range of staff employed in the Sensitive Claims Units of ACC nation-wide. The focus has been on developing cultural awareness as a critical part of the strategy to address identified deficits in engaging Maori and Pacific Island clients appropriately.
Return to top of page
Maori and Incomes Project for The Ministry of Maori Development, Te
Puni Kokiri (1998)
This project involved a community based focus group study of rural and urban Maori householders. The investigation sought information on household income and expenditure patterns for low income Maori whanau.
Return to top of page
A Qualitative Investigation of Samoan Perspectives on Mental Health
and Culturally Appropriate Services HRC (1997 - 2001)
This project is funded by the Health Research Council (HRC). It involves use of focus groups with Samoan Elders and workers in the mental health field, to investigate the opinions and experiences of Samoan people, with regard to Samoan concepts of mental health and the provision of culturally based services.
Return to top of page
The 1997 Maori Option: An Assessment of Key Question and Answer Material
for The Ministry Of Maori Development, Te Puni Kokiri (1997)
This project involved focus groups with Maori in the Wellington region, in order to assess the usefulness and understandability of information about the 1997 Maori Roll option.
Return to top of page
Maori Responses to Changes in State Housing: Report prepared for The
Ministry of Maori Development, Te Puni Kokiri Social Analysis Portfolio
This project involved a literature review, a survey of 100 Maori households, and eight focus groups with Maori, to investigate participants perceptions and experiences of the reforms in the state housing sector.
Return to top of page
The Impact of Urban to Rural Migration on Low Income Households FRST
(1994 - 2002)
This project is also funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST). It involves a large scale face to face survey investigation of households that have moved to rural areas and small towns from urban areas. Four generic areas have been studied involving migration out of Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and Palmerston North. The project is now addressing Maori migration back to tribal areas. The survey work is also complemented with focus group research and the analysis of data from Statistics New Zealand Census and Supermap database.
Return to top of page
Household Studies of Income, Resources and Adequacy FRST (1993 - 2002)
This project is funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST). It is a collaborative project that we at the Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit carry out with Business Economic Research Ltd (BERL) and the Public Policy Group at Victoria University. It is known as the New Zealand Poverty Measurement Project. A major aspect involves a focus group methodology to investigate estimations of minimum adequate income by low income households, including Maori, Pacific Island, Pakeha, Sole parents, Employed, Unemployed, Rural and Urban participants. The quantitative work involves identifying the incidence, severity and make up of poverty in New Zealand. A second aspect involves a quantitative and qualitative analysis of Women and Poverty and a third aspect involves the investigation of the consumer behaviour and monetary constraints in New Zealand low income households.
Return to top of page
A review of SPRU research undertaken for FRST was carried out by a review panel comprising George Salmond (Professor and Director, Health Services Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington), Jenny Neale (Director of the MA course in Applied Social Science Research, Victoria University of Wellington) and Anne Smith (Professor and Director Children's Issues Centre, University of Otago). Comments by the panel were very favourable and included statements that the Unit has "…good research capabilities, enhanced by its strong community and cultural links, its grounding in issues of great concern and the development of social policy in New Zealand and its good record of accomplishing goals on target.", and that the Unit "…has demonstrated a capacity to organise and manage inter-disciplinary research and to deliver research outputs on specification, on budget, and on time." Return to top of page
Author(s): FC Staff; Creation Date: 31st March 2003; Last Changed: March 27 2019;
All material is copyright ©Family Centre
The Centre publishes on all areas of its work, contributing to research and
policy journals, therapeutic journals, and popular media and publications throughout
the world:
Latest Publications
Staff biographies and staff directory:


text:
Fans around the globe eagerly await tomorrow—the beginning of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Unlike any other sporting event, the World Cup captivates the entire globe with representatives from 32 countries across 6 continents. Will home country Brazil take home the coveted title? Will Spain repeat its 2010 victory? Will European powers Germany or Portugal reign supreme?
Will a different South American nation benefit from proximity to home and captivate the world?
Source Sports' Brandon Robinson gave his World Cup Preview on Arise Entertainment 360 with Lola Ogunnaike and Shannon Lanier.
MyTopSportsbooks.com posted the following odds regarding the upcoming World Cup in Brazil:
Check Them Out:
-Most goals by team?
Brazil 3/1
Argentina 7/2
Germany 9/2
Spain 13/2
–Most likely 1st round upset?
Mexico over Croatia
Chile over Netherlands
Japan over Colombia
Costa Rica over England
Ecuador over Switzerland
Bosnia over Nigeria
Ghana over Portugal
South Korea over Russia
-Most red cards by team?
Uruguay 9/1
Colombia 10/1
Italy 12/1
-1st round game to erupt in a brawl?
Spain vs Netherlands 5/1
Uruguay vs Costa Rica 8/1
Belgium vs Russia 12/1
-1st round game that competing fans brawl?
Spain vs Netherlands 5/1
Uruguay vs Costa Rica 8/1
Belgium vs Russia 12/1
-Fans from which country streak field?
England 5/1
Mexico 8/1
Brazil 10/1
-Fans from which country have largest banner in stands?
Brazil 5/1
Spain 8/1
Netherland 10/1
England 11/1
-Fans from which country create most fires?
Argentina 3/1
Brazil 5/1
England 10/1
-Who wins Golden Ball?
Neymar 6/1
Lionel Messi 7/1
Cristiano Ronaldo 9/1
Luis Suarez 25/1
-Who wins Golden Boot?
Messi 9/5
Ronaldo 27/10
Neymar 13/5
-Who wins Golden Glove Award?
Julio Cesar 7/2
Sergio Romero 9/2
Iker Casillas 6/1
Manuel Neur 6/1
-Who wins Best Young Player Award?
Paul Pogba 3/1
Thibaut Courtois 4/1
Christian Atsu 8/1
-Who wins Fair Play Trophy?
Spain 3/1
Brazil 5/1
Germany 8/1
-Which team scores the first own goal?
Iran 6/1
Algeria 7/1
Croatia 8/1
Mexico 10/1
Colombia 12/1


text:
Phil Mickelson's ten year old daughter Sophia fainted and suffered a small seizure while at school last Friday morning, while Phil was playing in the Humana Challenge in La Quinta. Poor Sophia had to spent Friday to Monday at Children's Hospital in San Diego, then had to return on the Thursday for medical tests while her dad was struggling to a 5-over-par 77 on the South Course during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open.
Amy Mickelson praised her daughters courage; "It's been a rough week, but you get through it. She's been a trouper. She's held up pretty well."
She added that she knows her husband was worried about Sophia, but would not use that as an excuse for playing poorly. He wanted to withdraw from the tournament but she insisted she had the situation handled.
"When Phil is working, he had to focus on hitting shots. That's kind of the way I've looked at our last few years. I've seen it as a positive distraction for him. But does he worry? Yes."
I guess knowing the all the facts that no one could chastise Phil for his dismal start to the season opener, who would not be worried about their daughters health. Good luck Phil, there are many tournaments, and get well Sophia.
Phil did not mention his daughter's condition after his round on Thursday, although he did make a cryptic comment when he said, "I just wasn't able to focus."
After missing the cut on Friday Phil said; "I don't feel bad about my game. I really don't. I just have to take it from the practice tee to the course, and that's easier said than done sometimes."
U-T San Diego


text:
So its been awhile. Figured id start a thread on my blazer since the forum is up and going again.
So i bought this 3-4 years ago, it was a one owner (old man owned) with 125k. Had the window sticker and all the service history too. Took a couple months to find a 4dr 2wd, mostly 4wds over in my area.
I think it was a couple weeks later i lowered 5'' front and rear and removed all the moldings
After a couple trips to the salvage yard i scored an envoy front clip, rear window and the cervinis hood. The vette wheels were new take-offs (craigslist find) 18 x 8 and 19 x 10
After awhile it wasn't low enough anymore so i started to cut it up some more.
As it sits right now. Progress is slow as im going to school and working at the same time...


text:
Neat + Organized
Go from playtime to cleanup in a snap with store-it-all bins, baskets and wall systems.
Shop by Category
- All Storage
- Storage Wall Systems
- Bookcases
- Canvas Storage
- Baskets & Buckets
- Toy Storage
- Closets & Hampers
Shop by Collection
Kids' Room Storage
Having proper storage equipment is a great way to ensure that your kids know where their toys and other items are. It also helps them learn how to clean and organize their personal space. Pottery Barn Kids offers a wide variety of storage solutions including bins, baskets and shelves that work well for kids' bedrooms and playrooms.
Toy Storage
For kids, one of the most important kinds of storage is toy storage. These toy storage boxes come in many different sizes and styles. We also offer the option to customize many of them, by choosing specific colors and even having your child's name or initials painted on the front in the font of your choice. These toy boxes and chests make it easy for kids to keep all their toys in one space, and they are low to the ground so that even little ones can easily reach into them.
Closets & Hampers
Hampers are very useful in a kid's room. They work well inside of a closet, but they also work as a primary organizational system in a room that doesn't have a closet. Hampers come in many materials, including wicker, metal and canvas. Some are freestanding while others hang from doors. Some feature multiple compartments while others have one large compartment.
Nursery & Changing Table Storage
If your children are still infants or toddlers, having changing table storage in their room is very useful. There are numerous kinds of changing table storage available. One of the most popular kinds are table runners. They feature multiple compartments, and they hang off of the changing table so that you can easily access their contents even while keeping your child on the table. There are also storage bins that are specifically designed to fit underneath or right beside a changing table.
Storage Wall Systems
Storage wall systems are a good choice for people who don't want their storage items taking up space in the middle of the room. These storage systems sit right up against the wall, and some even hang on the wall so that they don't take up any floor space at all. Some have cupboards that fully close, while others feature open shelves and cubbies that make it easy to display your child's toys and other items. They mainly come in shades of white, gray and brown.


text:
Abt Card
Designed of brushed corrosion resistant stainless steel to ensure long life in outdoor patios or lanais, this hood will remain a beautiful addition to your outdoor kitchen for many years to come. Built to deliver BEST-IN-CLASS performance, the deep 27" design can be extended to 30" with the optional wall extension. The extension creates a greater capture area to help control smoke and cooking odors. Flue covers are also available and attach to the top of the range hood shell. Flue covers come in 3 sizes to adapt to your specific design needs. Deeper flue covers are also available for hoods using the 3" wall extension.
Approximate Weight:
Approximate Dimensions:
Warranty Information:
Fill out the form below to request Better Price for this product.
Enter your zip code for a more accurate delivery estimate.


text:
Most new homes are sold with a 12-month warranty provided by the builder, although some are shorter, and others may be two years or more. As the end of the warranty period approaches, it's important to have your home inspected by a professional to ensure that anything covered under the warranty can be repaired before the warranty expires.
An unbiased third-party inspector will look at the exterior and interior of the home, as well as all major home systems. This gives you a better understanding of your home and written information to help smooth communication between you and your builder. To help the inspector provide the most thorough investigation possible, it is important to consider what items might be of specific concern to your home. Consider the following questions prior to your inspection. If any of the items pertain to your home, write down the location of the concern for the inspector:
What repairs has the builder done since your move and how satisfied are you with the results?
Have you noticed squeaks in the stairs or floors?
Have you noticed any windows that don't work properly, are fogged or are cracked?
Have you noticed any faucet leaks or roof leaks?
Have you noticed any light switches, fixtures or electrical outlets that don't work?
Are there areas of the home that are warmer or cooler than others?
Do you have problems with the shower, tub or toilet?
Are there any problems with walls, wall coverings or missing finish touches on wood or fireplaces?
For a printable pdf of these questions and information about preparing your home for an inspection, click here.


text:
by Pete Mazzaccaro
I usually don't have a hard time reaching a conclusion about what side I'm on when it comes to big issues in the news. Recent "revelations" that the NSA has been using breathtakingly thorough methods to scan the emails and phone calls of Americans without warrants is a tougher one for me to sort out.
First, I say "revelations" because anyone who has followed the news even a little bit should not at all be surprised by the details of the extensive NSA programs used to snoop on our electronic conversations. Following the hysteria of the 9/11 attacks, Congress quickly ratified the Patriot Act, which set the standards for domestic surveillance we're so surprised to learn about now.
Part of the reason there has been very little outrage about that which was learned from whistleblowing defense contractor-turned international fugitive Edward Snowden, is that our nation's leadership really is not surprised. The original Patriot Act was ratified in the house by a vote of 357 to 66. In the Senate, it was passed with a vote of 98 to 1. That lone dissenting vote was cast by former Sen. Russell Feingold of Wisconsin.
When an extension to the law was signed by President Barack Obama in 2011, extending for another four years portions of the law that kept in place the basic rules regarding domestic surveillance, no one complained.
The thing is, our whole government, Democrats and Republicans are "all in" on collecting the data on U.S. citizens. It's difficult now for card-carrying members of any party to claim ignorance or to use it as a way to contrast the governing styles of one party over another. On this matter, I don't think there's a difference between George W. Bush or Obama.
So it's difficult to drum up the pique required to get the right level of outrage over the story. I think anyone with common sense knew this was happening. I haven't at all been surprised by the scope of any of the revelations or the fact that many big technology companies assisted the government.
And finally, not only am I not surprised, I'm pretty certain that the program works. The ability to mine data with the sorts of technological tools now available has got to be turning up information the government would miss otherwise. We can't even begin to imagine, I think, what sorts of plots the NSA has learned of and thwarted. If he's to be believed, NSA director Keith Alexander told Congress that PRISM, as the surveillance program is called, has prevented "dozens" of terrorist attacks.
And the public, generally here, seems to agree. According to a recent poll by the Pew Center for the People and the Press, 56 percent of Americans say it's acceptable for the United States to spy on Americans under secret court orders. A sizeable minority – 41 percent – believe it's unacceptable. If the question is more generic – is it OK for the government to intrude on privacy rights to stop terrorism? – 62 percent say yes and only 38 percent say no.
And yet, it comes back to this: Just because it works doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. Personally, perhaps it's because of the business I'm in, I don't believe Snowden should be prosecuted for shining a light on the NSA data collection or the fact that it used corporate contractors to help out.
Despite what our government may or may not do to prevent terrorism and whether or not those methods are supported by the majority of Americans, it's important that we learn about what is happening and, hopefully, get the information we need to stop it if we believe it's gone too far. If it hasn't already.


text:
Paul loves his power auger, and so do we!
Chuck shows a little muscle!
A clean auguer is a happy auger.
Chuck, Paul, and Mirth do some prep measuring.
Paul, Maureen, and Phyllis check out Chuck's workmanship on the teeposts.
Daniel, Mirth, and Chuck assemble some baskets (while rockin' out to some old Black Sabbath tunes).
Paul and Jon, during the only 5 minutes when when they weren't digging.
Paul says he likes the sign.
First thing, we laid out the teeboxes.


text:
December 14, 2011
LOS ANGELES -- Robert D. (Bob) Beyer ('83), chairman of the UCLA Anderson Board of Visitors and Chairman, Chaparal Investments, LLC and Caroline W. Nahas, chair, UCLA Anderson Board of Visitors Nominating Committee and Managing Director, Southern California, Korn/Ferry International announced two new appointments to UCLA Anderson's Board of Visitors. They are Janice D. Chaffin, '81, Group President, Consumer Business Unit, Symantec Corporation and John T. Stankey, '91, President & CEO, AT & T Business Solutions.
Janice Chaffin ('81) Group President, Consumer Business Unit Symantec Corporation
Janice Chaffin leads every aspect of Symantec's nearly $2 billion Consumer Business Unit (CBU), which includes Symantec's premium Norton brand. Norton is the consumer security market share leader worldwide and has received more than 500 awards for its superior products under Chaffin's leadership -- twice as many as its competitors combined. Since assuming her role in 2006, Chaffin has led a focused effort to expand Norton's overall security footprint by acquiring a second brand, PC Tools, to reach more price-sensitive customers and increase penetration in emerging markets. She has also significantly grown the Norton portfolio to meet customers' needs in the post-PC era of multiple devices and exploding data with two leading businesses, Norton Data Services and Norton Live. Norton Data Services has become the largest provider of consumer cloud-based back up in the world, and Norton Live, which delivers help remotely to consumers with tech problems, has grown by double digits year-over-year since its inception in 2009. Chaffin also drove the development and rollout of Norton's eStore, which is now one of the world's largest software e-tailers.
During Chaffin's tenure, Norton customer satisfaction and loyalty have reached record highs. Symantec has received three STAR Awards from the Technology Services Industry Association, the world's largest and most influential organization for technology service and support professionals. Norton was ranked number one in customer loyalty for the software industry in the Satmetrix 2011 Net Promoter Benchmark Study. Previously, Chaffin served as Symantec's first Chief Marketing Officer and built a global, award-winning marketing operation. Before coming to Symantec, she spent 21 years at Hewlett-Packard in general management and marketing leadership roles.
Chaffin has been publicly recognized for her career accomplishments and community involvement. In 2010, she received the Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Family Online Safety Institute. She was also named Best Executive by the 2009 Annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business. Chaffin sits on the board of directors for International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT), a leader in the design, development and manufacture of gaming machines and systems products worldwide. She is also a trustee of the Montalvo Arts Center, a member of the advisory council of Illuminate Ventures and a past President of the Saratoga-Los Gatos Chapter of National Charity League, Inc. a mother-daughter volunteer organization.
Chaffin graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, San Diego. She earned a M.B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles (now known as UCLA Anderson School of Management) where she graduated as a Henry Ford Scholar.
John T. Stankey ('91), President and CEO AT&T Business Solutions
John Stankey, President and CEO, AT&T Business Solutions, is responsible for AT&T's sales, marketing and customer service operations for retail business, government and wholesale customers of AT&T worldwide. He also leads research and development, architecture and planning, engineering, network operations, information technology and corporate shared services.
Prior to this assignment, Stankey served as President and Chief Executive Officer of AT&T Operations, Inc. Stankey also has served as Group President-Telecom Operations, where he was responsible for sales, marketing, operations and network for the company's former five regional telecom units, in addition to customer care, IT, core network operations, planning and engineering, AT&T Labs, procurement and corporate real estate. Stankey's other responsibilities at AT&T have included Chief Technology Officer, Chief Information Officer, President and CEO of AT&T's Southwest Region, and President of Industry Markets.
Mr. Stankey began his career with Pacific Bell in 1985, where he held a variety of positions in sales and service, network operations, information technology, video operations, engineering, and corporate support. He served as executive director of Pacific Bell's advanced communications network and local wholesale operations before becoming vice president-Industry Markets for SBC Telecommunications in 1998.
In addition to his AT&T responsibilities, Mr. Stankey is vice chairman of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee and serves on the board of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. A native of California, Mr. Stankey earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Loyola Marymount University in 1985 and an MBA from UCLA in 1991.
About UCLA Anderson School of Management
UCLA Anderson School of Management, established in 1935, is regarded among the very best business schools in the world. UCLA Anderson faculty are ranked #1 in "intellectual capital" by BusinessWeek and are renowned for their teaching excellence and research in advancing management thinking. Each year, UCLA Anderson provides management education to more than 1,600 students enrolled in MBA, Executive MBA, Fully-Employed MBA and doctoral programs, and to more than 2,000 professional managers through executive education programs. Combining highly selective admissions, varied and innovative learning programs, and a world-wide network of 35,000 alumni, UCLA Anderson develops and prepares global leaders.