text:
Mars Is On The Horizon: What About A Legitimate College Football Playoff System?October 24, 2008
The first step to fixing any problem in life is admitting there is a problem no matter what it might be. The USA is an amazing country, having landed people on the Moon with no cure for the common cold. NASA lands highly technical and sophisticated sensory spacecraft on Mars with intent of sending people to the red planet. Still, the NCAA can't govern one of its own creations in such a way to create a legitimate undisputed national champion. The answer the college football fan is left with is the only two letters NASA and the NCAA has in common, "NAA". That's "NAA" as in no, nope, not today, not tomorrow, not any time soon.
In this season of political change, it's time the people express the importance of leaving a positive legacy more so than ones personal views. It's time for the powers that be to all come together to implement a vision now that can positively impact college football and the country forever. Just as the economy is a fabric of the USA so is sport and college football is among the most popular. So it's time for seeking change not just politically, but also for finding that sacred stately dome decree, leaving a positive legacy for the present and the future, on the way to finding the undisputed national champion of college football.
It might require some shake up. It could even mean some form of intervention for positive change, but that doesn't mean it can't be fixed. It also does not mean the people that are currently involved can or can't be involved. Change is change. It just requires that this fixable problem finally be addressed and be fixed once and for all. For this generation of sports fans and the next.
Currently the powers in college football fail to acknowledge the worst kept secret in sports, that there needs to be a legitimate college football playoff system. This has always simply boiled down to being a question about money. The NCAA stands on the sidelines as the bowl committees and the colleges work out the financial terms to play in their bowl game. More often than not the College Football Association (CFA) has worked to put the best teams in the best bowls hoping for the best possible results. This method eventually led to the creation of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) which now controls the top bowl games in the nation. For all of the good the CFA and BCS have tried to accomplish over a period of many years, these organizations have failed to put what's right before what's needed or what should be. In essence the worst kept secret in sports is the fact that college football at the Division I level needs a playoff.
There are different models and solutions out there. The solutions that seem to make the most sense can still satisfy all of the requirements for all political powers in the football world. It's important to consider these solutions as drafts open for interpretation as long as the end result is finding a true national champion instead of the mythical one that is now in place. So as long as eliminating the mythical choice is the objective, a number of options become available. Without further adieu, here are the best laid plans of mice and college football fans.
The Current BCS Model
While it's painfully obvious this plan does not work since there are usually three or more legitimate contenders for the national crown. It is however important to keep this model in mind moving forward. There are five bowls that are part of the Bowl Championship Series, they are as follows: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl, Rose Bowl Game provided by citi, FedEx Orange Bowl, and the FedEx BCS National Championship Game held in Miami, FL.
The BCS will lead you to believe as they attest on their own website that the system works through the resulting competition in these five bowl games. Was there a previous mention about a worst kept secret? If the system truly worked it would work every time until there would be an undisputed national champion. So while these bowls are great events, they still don't entirely or absolutely solve the problem. Moving forward, all of the powers involved should demand that the alien shore of a better system be reached sooner than later. Don't knock the BCS; it's been a methodical approach much in the way this is a methodical approach to get to where college football should be.
The most positive key element to the BCS is that there is some balance in keeping the number of total games down while having a system to find the National Champion, so it can't entirely be disregarded. It does however bleed into what could be on the horizon for college football.
The BCS Playoff Model
The BCS Model currently uses four traditional bowls plus the designated BCS Championship game. The BCS Playoff model would become a bracket football playoff within these bowls. For instance the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl winner could face-off against the FedEx Orange Bowl winner in a BCS semi-final championship game. The winner of both semi-finals would reach the BCS Championship game for all the marbles. While still not entirely a fair system it could create more bowl revenue and produce a lesser disputed national champion. The down fall is there are only eight teams that make the playoff. The timing could be complicated by the holidays and academic scheduling headaches for student athletes over a rushed holiday season.
Some of the next playoff models are somewhat radical in nature. These playoff models do alleviate a number of logistical issues around the holidays and still allow for a bowl system.
The 16 Team Playoff Systems
This is still a lesser perfect system that is a step in the right direction. It would allow more conference champions into the mix while eliminating a larger portion of the controversy. Only conference champions make the invite list and there are no conference championship games played ala the SEC and Big XII. This opens up a window for eight earlier bowl games that work their way down to the BCS four who will then compete for the title.
The 32 and 64 Team Playoff Systems
These feeder systems work in much the same way March Madness works, with the exception that it is over a longer period of time. These models make room for the regular season and a true playoff season. The regular season would start in middle to late August and be over by Halloween weekend. In a 32 team playoff, schools would play a maximum of 10 regular season games and probably without any byes. The first round is a legitimate playoff game with the teams who own the better records landing the higher seeds. Those teams would host home playoff games that would be held on their campus field. There is a possibility of using minor bowl sites for appointed neutral site games in a way that could still appease the current bowl powers. In the end this is still a pure playoff system. While a 32 team playoff is probably the most sensible, the 64 team playoff would obviously create more national interest, school and conference revenues.
Key Implementations for the Future
The largest and most important innovation would be the creation of a College Football Commission as a true commissioning body. It could be possible to morph the CFA into the CFC; however the rules would be different. The CFC would report directly to the NCAA, and it would be an entity created by the NCAA to oversee all football related issues as a governing body. The CFC would operate in much the same way as the NFL commissioner's office does. This would eliminate the NCAA being perceived as being out of the loop and the commission would organize college football in a way that makes the most sense for creating a national champion. It would be in charge of the integrity of the game on and off the field and leveling penalties as the NCAA has always done.
The CFC would focus on keeping schools in traditional rivalries while reorganizing conference structure. The CFC and not the school presidents would make the football schedules and new conference alignments. This would be done to keep schools from padding their schedules. The commission would probably keep three to five key rivals for schools and keep the rest of new conference formations regional. The likes of Notre Dame might be placed in a conference of traditional independents like Penn State and other regional rivals. They would however keep their rivalry with USC. So it would be possible for Air Force, Army, and Navy to keep the rivalry weather they are in the same conference or not. This is important for giving every school an opportunity to thrive and keep their identity.
So it's obvious that there might be roughly 16 to 32 conferences with up to ten teams each, assuming all schools are BCS eligible. Currently schools are either BCS schools or they are not, but they might still be considered D-I football programs. The Commission could create another division for those non-traditional BCS schools based on feedback from the school presidents. So it's possible to make all schools BCS schools, or create a relegation system, or create a lower division for some of these schools. Lower tier schools could still implement the old bowl system as well. A relegation system could have schools that fall to the bottom five to ten percent of BCS eligible programs be relegated every two seasons for a period of at least two seasons to the non-BCS division.
The reality is the more games that are played the more revenue generated. A legitimate playoff system will aid the legitimacy of the NCAA as a true football national champion becomes apparent. The CFC could also extend an olive branch in developing a true national network of qualified football professionals. This could be a way to better serve coaches and sports management administrators in their development on all levels. This could be done in a supportive main stream way that is better than anything that exist today. For some this might be perceived as an unattainable alien shore. That's probably only fear talking. Change with a purpose can be a good legacy for the present and the future of sport. The first step is admitting there's a problem.


text:
Facebook killer: police to be sued
The mother of a teenager murdered by a convicted rapist has said she will sue four police forces for failing to keep track of the man who killed her.
The mother of a teenager murdered by a convicted rapist has said she will sue four police forces for failing to keep track of the man who killed her.
Facebook killer Peter Chapman was allowed to slip away from Merseyside Police with "terrible consequences", the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said this week.
It blamed "inadequate resources" for the "poor management" of the predator who murdered 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall in October 2009 after he pretended to be a teenager when he befriended her on Facebook.
The IPCC report revealed Merseyside's Knowsley sex offender unit - tasked with monitoring Chapman - was being run by a single female police constable who was in charge of monitoring more than 60 sex offenders and was making visits alone in her own car due to a lack of resources.
Andrea Hall, 41, from Darlington, said she was going to sue the Merseyside, Cleveland, Durham and North Yorkshire forces for failing to keep track of the 32-year-old killer.
She said: "It's not about money, I have got to prove a point.
"They were in the wrong and if they had done their job properly my daughter would still be here.
"I wouldn't like to think of this happening to anybody else."
When the IPCC report was published on Wednesday, Assistant Chief Constable Andy Ward, of Merseyside Police, said the force had put in place "a number of improvements" to strengthen the management of sex offenders.
He added: "However, it is clear that, in this case, the process we had in place at that time fell short of the required standard."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Trending . . . Bold comfort
Strong colour is this year's big trend, both indoors and out. It's still a bit early for spending much time outdoors, but in the meantime, a pop of warm colour is just the thing to get in the summer frame of mind.
Blooma Moretta is a cool and colourful collection of vintage-styled sofas, chairs and rockers, in magenta pink and lime green. Made of rope, the range is comfortable, affordable and can be used indoors or outside and is now available at BQ ( diy.com) in Liffey Valley (01-6299499) and Swords (01-8708599). A two-seat sofa costs €131, the chairs are €79.95 each and the rocker is €92.


text:
©Associated Press
March 13, 2003
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Jasper Johnson scored on a tip-in with 3.8 seconds left as Southern Mississippi upset Cincinnati 63-61 in the first round of the Conference USA tournament on Wednesday night.
Greg Johnson scored 21 and Charles Gaines added 15 for the 12th-seeded Golden Eagles (13-15), who snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Bearcats.
Jason Maxiell had 17 points and 12 rebounds for fifth-seeded Cincinnati (17-11), the three-time C-USA tournament champion.
The Bearcats had won six of seven past C-USA tournament openers.
They led 35-34 at halftime and were locked at 46 seven minutes into the second half. Gaines converted a three-point play with 11:51 left to give the Eagles a 49-46 lead.
The Eagles twice pushed the lead to five, but Leonard Stokes hit a jumper from the wing with 4:15 left to forge a tie at 57.
The teams traded baskets into the final minute.
Greg Johnson sank two free throws with 54.2 seconds left to give the Eagles a 61-59 lead, but Stokes answered with a baseline turnaround with 40.6 seconds to go.
Out of timeouts, the Eagles ran a set play for Jasper Johnson, who missed a 3-pointer from the wing. Dante Stiggers ran down the loose ball in the corner and passed to Greg Johnson, who missed a one-handed shot from underneath the basket.
Jasper Johnson sneaked in from the weak side and tipped the ball in with his left hand.
Cincinnati called time out and set up a play, but Chadd Moore missed an 18-footer from the wing at the buzzer.
UAB 85, CHARLOTTE 61: Eric Bush scored 21 and Morris Finley added 17 as UAB dominated the second half.
Sidney Ball added 11 points and a career-high 11 rebounds and Gabe Kennedy scored 14 for the Blazers (17-11), who play top-seeded and eighth-ranked Marquette (23-4) in today's quarterfinals.
Curtis Nash scored 14 for Charlotte (13-16), which had won six straight tournament openers since a first-round loss to DePaul in 1996.
The 49ers led by as much as six in a see-saw first half. Charlotte had a 22-13 first-half rebounding edge but trailed by five at halftime because of 12 turnovers.
Bush and Finley scored 31 of UAB's 39 first-half points.
TULANE 74, HOUSTON 52: Brandon Spann scored 16 and Ivan Pjevcevic scored 12 on a career-high four 3-pointers for the Green Wave.
Tulane (16-14) won for the third time in six games and will play third-seeded and 20th-ranked Louisville (21-6) in today's quarterfinals.
Louis Truscott, C-USA's leading rebounder, had 18 points and 10 rebounds -- his 16th double double of the season -- for Houston (8-20), which lost for the ninth time in its past 11.
Tulane started with a 15-4 run by taking advantage of Houston's sloppy offensive execution. The Cougars, last in C-USA in turnover margin (minus 6.56), committed four turnovers in the first seven minutes.
Tulane started 8-of-12 from the field and led 22-6 by the midpoint of the first half.


text:
Parenthood Season 3 Episode 18: "My Brother's Wedding" Quotes
Baby, you're taking this way too personal. It's not personal, it's business. Your brother wants to be in a business and you want to be in this business and maybe it's not the same thing, but it's not personal. He's still your brother.Jasmine
Yeah, well you weren't being very best manly so I replaced you for the job.Crosby
Sarah: You know what a lot of people do in preparation for a wedding?
Amber: What?
Sarah: Shower.
Displaying all 3 quotes


text: This hotel is a great place to stay. It is located near to Purdue University. I stayed at this hotel in 2010 due to my business travel. I really enjoyed there, especially the swimming pool. The hotel also had free coffee in the lobby. The staffs were friendly and hospitable however they were a bit conservative. I should add that... More


text:
This resource is no longer available
Microseconds Crush Milliseconds: Flash Storage with MicroLatency
According to a recent survey, 64% of smartphone users want a site to load in less than 4 seconds. Is your organization capable of microsecond response?
In this brief video, you will learn that with microsecond response, your organization can handle up to 10x the customers with the same quality of service. See how MicroLatency with this flash storage system can help your organization get real-time access to business insights and improve customer experience.


text:
The Bachelor of Design degree program offers an integrated education linking key specialisations of design such as graphics, communication, objects, experience and spatial design, textiles, ceramics, jewellery, media and technology.
Our design students work in collaborative environment building experience in established, new and emerging technologies, and developing knowledge, skills and capacities for design thinking, systems thinking, social innovation and entrepreneurship.
Degree: Bachelor of Design (Honours)
Duration: 4 years full-time
Honours: Incorporated into the 4th year of study
- Program Overview
- Program Structure
- Studios and study areas
- Career Opportunities
- Dual Degree Options
- Scholarships
Program Overview
Our degree program will equip you to engage in design thinking and cutting-edge practices appropriate to contemporary social, cultural, ethical and environmental contexts. As a member of our vibrant community of learning at UNSW Art & Design you will be encouraged to break through new thresholds of knowledge and experience, and to develop a unique creative voice.
Throughout our program you can build your own pathway to establish yourself as a confident design professional able to engage fully with the multidimensional nature of contemporary design practice.
At UNSW Art & Design we will provide you with a deep understanding of the critical role of design in building sustainable futures. You will work with established and emerging technologies, in a collaborative atmosphere where you will develop your knowledge, skills and capacities for design thinking, systems thinking, social innovation and entrepreneurship. We guide and encourage you to adopt innovative approaches by challenging conventional applications of materials, systems, processes and technologies.
Future designers learn to combine independent thinking and imagination with practical and technical skills. You will re-imagine the boundaries of everyday life and bring new vision to objects, interactive design, graphics and communication, spatial design, media and technology, ceramics, jewellery and textiles.
Download Bachelor of Design Schema
Program Structure
During first year you will attain a thorough foundation in the conceptual thinking and technical skills that underpin design practice in blended studio environments that combine face-to-face and online teaching.
In this first year you will be introduced to the explorative and future-focussed nature of the discipline while learning the latest methods and approaches to communication, visualisation and research. Students also engage in diverse 2D, 3D and 4D (time-based) investigations that are underpinned by historical, theoretical and computer studies.
In the second and third years of the degree program our students choose their own study sequences in selected studio areas that integrate contextual studies with design practice. Students have the opportunity to work alongside design practitioners and researchers on exciting interdisciplinary design projects that address complex real-world issues.
In fourth year our students develop and deliver a major integrated studio project enabling each student to individually demonstrate their emerging design capacities and professionalism. In this year you will also undertake an internship (Professional Experience Program) with one of the faculty's extensive national and international network of high-level professional and industry partners.
Throughout your degree you will be guided by dynamic design staff with outstanding depth of international, industry-based and academic experience. We also encourage students in the program to apply for international study exchange opportunities as part of their design degree and to take advantage of extensive global network of partnerships and exchange programs we maintain with many of the leading art and design institutions nationally and internationally.
Studios and Study Areas
Responsible, ethical and sustainable design concepts are integrated in all design courses.
Our degree program features specialist studio and workshop facilities in the following areas:
- Applied object design including designing objects, furniture and lighting
- Communication, identity and branding, media and advertising
- Interactive design and computing; web design and screen interface; wearables, digital and pre-press design
- Environments and spatial design including interiors, exhibition, theatre, urban and landscape design
- Design management and creative strategy
- Graphic media studio includes visual identity design; book and magazine design; digital media; illustration; experimental typography; and letterpress printing
- Design history, theory and aesthetics
- Social innovation and entrepreneurship
- Ceramics including designing objects for the table, industry, interiors, installation and experimental design works
- Jewellery studio including design for the body, costume and fashion; designs for the table, interiors and industry; installation and experimental object design
- Textiles studio including design for the body, costume design, accessories and fashion; objects, interiors, and designing for the commercial textiles industry; installation and experimental textile art and design
Career Opportunities
UNSW's Bachelor of Design (Hons) prepares students to be dynamic design professionals and studio practitioners.
Our graduates are highly sought after across a broad range of professional design disciplines in media and technology industries, global institutions, major corporations, creative and bespoke agencies.
Graduates find employment in areas including:
- Graphics, media and digital design
- Communications, branding and advertising
- Design management and strategy
- Social innovation and entrepreneurship
- App development, data visualisation and responsive design
- Creative consultancies, design and media studios, design-led businesses
- Environmental, spatial, interior and architectural design practices
- Object, furniture and lighting design
- Film, television, online and mobile production and post-production
- Design for exhibitions, galleries and museums
- Costume, theatre and events design
- Design teaching and academia
- Jewellery and wearables design
- Packaging, illustration and publishing
- Textile, fabric and fashion design
Dual Degree Options
UNSW Art & Design offers an extensive suite of career powering dual degree options.
Our wide ranging dual degree program is inspired by the world in which our students will ultimately work – a world in which few people work alone or in just one discipline, and in which it is important to understand and master a variety of skills.
Dual degrees are not only for students with clearly chosen career interests – they offer valuable complementary sets of conceptual tools and transferable skills that potentially open more doors and create more opportunities in the ever changing creative economy. UNSW Art & Design is taking interdisciplinary art, design and media education to a new level.
UNSW Art & Design offers the following combinations of creative and professional degrees:
- Design (Honours)/Education (Secondary)
- Design (Honours)/Media PR and Advertising
- Design/Commerce (Honours)
The following Scholarships are available to Bachelor of Design students:
- UNSW Art & Design Undergraduate Award
- Vicki Olsson Scholarship for Indigenous Students
- The Ross Steele Scholarship for International Exchange in Art & Design
For more information on the Bachelor of Design course at UNSW Art & Design, please call +61 2 8936 0684 or Email us


text:
This game is not found in the database. Will it be added?
I own this AppID. Here's some information on it: It has no Steam library banner. Links to the store page and community hub redirect me to the Steam store mainpage. News however, does work, and links to http://store.steampowered.com/news/?appids=415500, it has no Steam forums page either. The games title is indeed "Racecraft Techdemo." Here's some screenshots: https://goo.gl/4NrB46
You are currently replying to another tree, would you like to make a top level comment?
In order to reply to this thread,
you must login via Steam.


text:
choose your personal experience
In a 30cm x 24cm baking dish arrange chicken breasts, potato slices, bell pepper rings, onion slices and tomato slices on top of each other.
In a saucepan add water, crushed garlic, chopped coriander, MAGGI Less Salt Chicken Stock cubes, white pepper and corn flour. Bring to boil with constant stirring and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce slightly thickens.
Pour prepared sauce into the baking dish, cover with foil and bake in a 200˚C oven for 1 hour 30 minutes or until potatoes become tender.
Pour lemon juice on top of the baked dish and garnish with chopped parsley then serve.
Per Portion of 300g
Click on the menu icon to open and browse the site menu.
You can click on it from any page.
You can change how you view the site by clicking on the List icon as shown. You
are now in the Grid view.


text:
We are Cloud ERP. Delivered.
The Experts in FinancialForce Implementations.
CLD Partners specializes in FinancialForce implementations. Launched in 2010, we became the first Professional Services Automation (PSA) partner of FinancialForce. Our expertise implementing FinancialForce in the Enterprise space is unmatched.
We constantly improve, share ideas and provide crafted solutions to our clients from our collective experience. Simply put, we are a firm hopelessly devoted to delivery. But don't take our word for it, hear it from our clients.
We specialize in the implementation of FinancialForce ERP, which provides a single cloud platform for services operations. From Hire to Retire and Lead to Cash, FinancialForce ERP streamlines the processes for people, customers, projects and financials, all built on top of the force.com platform. Learn more about FinancialForce Cloud ERP.
|Financialforce Professional Services Automation (PSA)
PSA allows you to manage your entire services organization, from Resource Management, Project Governance & Utilization to Staffing and Time/Expense Entry & Approval.
|Financialforce Accounting (FFA)
A complete accounting suite including General ledger, Accounts Receivable and Payable, and Cash Management.
|Financialforce Revenue Management and Billing
Manage revenue recognition and revenue forecasting using flexible and easy-to-define rules. Pull your services or inventory directly into the Billing Module to provide efficient, automated, and traceable invoicing.
|Financialforce Supply Chain Management (SCM)
A unified platform for CPQ, Inventory Management, Spend Control, and Proposal and Contract Management.
|Financialforce Human Capital Management (HCM)
A complete human capital management (HCM) solution on the cloud supporting the entire HR spectrum – your human resource system of record: Recruiting, Onboarding, Talent Management, Benefits, and Time & Attendance.
|FinancialForce Integrations & Migrations
The vast majority of our engagements entail some amount of data migration and/or integrations. Oracle, SAP, Great Plains, Netsuite, Workday are among the many systems CLD has interfaced with during our implementations.
"With CLD as our partner, we were able to implement FinancialForce PSA on an aggressive timeline that involved multiple integrations and a complex data migration. CLD's FinancialForce knowledge and implementation experience were key to our succesful rollout." – Rich Busch, Sr. Dir. of Professional Service Operations, Informatica
"Since selecting CLD Partners for our FinancialForce PSA implementation in 2012, the CLD team has been an integral partner in our success with the platform. CLD's FinancialForce knowledge, understanding of our business, and flexibility gives us confidence that our evolving business needs can be met effectively." – Chad Flynn, CIO, Pearl Meyer & Partners
"Everyone from CLD proved to be high-caliber and professional. Their knowledge of professional services coupled with their expertise in FinancialForce PSA was crucial for our successful rollout to 2700 users in over 20 countries." – Scott Trimmer, Principal Business Systems Analyst, PTC
"CLD's combination of technical acumen and business process modeling were key to our project's success." – Dick LeFave, CIO, Ciena Corporation
"CLD was extremely committed to the success of Greenway's PSA implementation. They were always attentive to our requests, handled complex requirements from diverse parts of our organization, and implemented successfully within a very aggressive timeline." – Tor Loege, Vice President, IT, Greenway
"CLD's experience and understanding of our business has raised our FinancialForce implementation to the next level." – Craig Thomas, CIO, Optimity Advisors
Why CLD?
Efficiency is key to our delivery and customer satisfaction. CLD brings not only process improvements but also significant assets to accelerate our engagements.
Pre-Design Training
We begin our engagements with training because experience has shown that the design workshops that follow are far more efficient and beneficial.
Best Practice Configuration
Pre-built components of our most successful configurations developed over the years, which saves significant time for implementations.
Pre-Built Assets
Numerous enhancements to base functionality including Timecard compliance, milestone management, resource searching, time off requests, service forecasting & revenue recognition.
Steve Clune CEO
Steve is responsible for leading CLD's service offering and technology vision while working with customers, partners and vendors to help position CLD in the cloud ERP space. Steve has a degree in Computer Science and since the early 1990's has been driving successful client implementations while employing new technologies in the rapidly changing IT landscape. Since 2009 Steve has specialized in delivery of FinancialForce's PSA solution and has led some of largest FinancialForce enterprise cloud ERP implementations as CLD has become a premier partner for FinancialForce.
Paul Lagarde General Counsel & COO
Paul serves as CLD's legal counsel and oversees the operations, business, and financial sides of the company. Before CLD, Paul represented corporate clients in business, commercial, and employment matters for over 18 years. Paul spoke frequently to client and business trade groups about the impact of emerging business software technologies on electronic discovery and litigation. Much of his legal practice having intersected with technology, Paul is pleased to bring his corporate and legal experience to the CLD team.
Tom Lagarde GM & VP of Sales
Tom is responsible for leading CLD's sales and business development efforts. Before co-founding CLD, Tom was one of the earliest members of Appirio's sales team. While at Appirio, a leader in the emerging cloud technology services space, he became familiar with what eventually became FinancialForce's Professional Services Automation (PSA) product. Tom and Steve Clune eventually founded CLD as the first services firm focused on the delivery of PSA. Tom has over 15 years experience in selling, managing and delivering professional services.
Joe Lyons GM & VP of Services
Joe is responsible for delivery of FinancialForce solutions by CLD's project teams. Before CLD, Joe served as CTO at Formatta Corporation, an enterprise software product company focusing on business process automation and data integration. There he oversaw the design, development and support of the product suite and also managed many customer implementations of the software. Joe has a deep background in professional services and in application delivery.
We started this firm to do good work with people we like. We're still doing just that. CLD hires the best folks and fosters a fun, collaborative, and productive environment. If you take pride in the solutions you deliver and are interested in being a part of a great cloud ERP company, contact us.
If you would like to learn more about CLD or FinancialForce, have a question about our services, or are interested in a career at CLD, please fill out the form below and a member of our team will be in touch.
Contact CLD
Phone / Email
(+1) 571-406-4610
Mailing Address
PO Box 90
Front Royal, VA 22630
Office Location
Front Royal, VA
4 Family Life Lane
Front Royal, VA 22630
Get Directions


text:
Apr 29, 2013 Ida Torres Sports 22
In what could inevitably be a big blow to its bid to host the 2020 Olympics, Tokyo could face a reprimand from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Ethics Commission after comments by Tokyo Governor Naoki Inose about Istanbul were published in The New York Times. He apparently violated Rule 14 in the conduct for bidders, which prevents bid cities from commenting on their rivals.
Inose, who often has controversial views on issues, was quoted in the Times as saying that Istanbul is less capable of hosting the games than Tokyo. He also said that Turkey doesn't have an advantage because of its large youth population over Japan's relatively aging society. He said that if the Turkish people want to live longer, they should imitate Japan's culture. "There might be a lot of young people, but if they die young, it doesn't mean much", he was quoted as saying. He also made some comments that might be construed as religious discrimination, when he said that the only thing Islamic countries have in common is Allah and that "they are fighting with each other, and they have classes." In fact, Turkey is a secular nation, even if its population is mostly Muslim. The government ministers are reportedly "surprised" with Inose's comments, given that he is a historian and social critic.
The interview was conducted by Ken Belson, a reporter on the New York Times who speaks Japanese and was part of a team that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of the earthquake and tsunami disaster of 2011. Also present in the interview, conducted during Inose's recent visit to New York, was Hiroko Tabuchi, a Japanese-born writer for the New York newspaper.
A spokesman for Tokyo 2020 said that they are reviewing the matter but fully respect the IOC guidelines for the Candidate Cities. They also have "utmost respect" for the other cities bidding for the Olympics and Paralympics Games, considering them "friendly rivals under the sublime spirit of the Olympic values, excellence, respect and friendship.". The IOC are also putting the situation under review and is expected to send a formal letter to Tokyo 2020 asking for an explanation on the interview. Let's hope a few statements will not unravel all the work and money invested into this bid.
[ via Inside the Games ]
why are all the tokyo governors idiots. Turkey is one of the most tolerant muslim nations.
Looks like Tokyo is NOT going to run out of these–idiots, bigots, whatever you are going to call them. Used to be Ishihara, now Inose.
These biggots are costing Japan dear. They need to be controlled!! Having said that – London has its won biggot – Boris Johnson – the man who would be Prime Minister!!
All the Japanese right wing asses have to be wiped by another clarification followed by another bullshit and wiped by another clarification and on and on. 🙂
I think Ken Belson of the NYT made a major translation error. The NYTimes is to blame on this one.
Translation error again? I'll post another comment to discuss what really happened.
If Inose commented on a rival city alone, that's a violation of of protocol. Are you suggesting Belson's error was that big, and that Inose didn't actually comment on Istanbul at all?
Did you read the Japanese transcript?
In order for us to fully understand what really happened. Here are two web links:
NYT article:
Issue 1 "But Islamic countries, the only thing they share in common is Allah and they are fighting with each other, and they have classes."
Tokyo gonvenor was bidding Olympic games with all out effort. He must have brought the best translator with him. The above statement came when he was trying to explain Japan represents a unique culture quoting Samuel Huntington's "Clash of civilizations" he said Japan is neither oriental and occidental. Turkey however, represent Islam in his speech context. Why the description of Japan is well put, but Turkey ended up " fighting with each other and have classes "? Is it possible that translator made serious mistake here? As I mention earlier, not likely. If Tokyo governor didn't say those words, he should do two things :
First, issue the statement about his original wording.
Second, suspend the translator's job if there is any.
Neither of the two above mentioned never happened. One can only conclude Tokyo governor Inose is as elequent and candid as his predecessor Shintaro Ishihara.
Issue 2 "I'm sure people in Turkey want to live long," he added. "And if they want to live long, they should create a culture like what we have in Japan. There might be a lot of young people, but if they die young, it doesn't mean much."
Why did NY Times use a translator/Interpretor when Ken Belson claims that he is fluent in Japansese and Hiroko Tabuchi was also present? Belson and Tabuchi worked as partners when they wrote the Pulitzer finalist article so these two work very closely. BTW, I heard that Belson's wife Harumi is Korean-Japanese, and is this true? Further, is Belson muslim himeself?
Anyway, NY Times should release the tapes since this issue has gone beyond just mis-interpretation if there was any.
I agree, a tape would be sufficient to clarify this
"Why did NY Times use a translator/Interpretor…"
Is it mentioned anywhere in this article, or anywhere else, that they used a translator/Interpretor? I don't think they used a translator. The article did mention that Belson "speaks Japanese". It also mentioned that "Hiroko Tabuchi, a Japanese-born writer" was "present in the interview". So the chance of "lost in translation" is unlikely.
"BTW, I heard that Belson's wife Harumi is Korean-Japanese, and is this true? Further, is Belson muslim himeself?"
Ok, where are you going with this?
Actually they did. NYT reports the fifth paragraph.
"For the athletes, where will be the best place to be?" Inose said through an interpreter in a recent interview in New York. "Well, compare the two countries where they have yet to build infrastructure, very sophisticated facilities. So, from time to time, like Brazil, I think it's good to have a venue for the first time. But Islamic countries, the only thing they share in common is Allah and they are fighting with each other, and they have classes."
I awfuly feel shame at Tokyo Gaverner Inose's speech as a japanese. I apologize to Turkish
people for his rudeness.Except Inose and right wingers, Ordinary Japanese love Turkey and her people very nuch, sinch year 1890's Sea accide of Erurgul Firkateyni.
I hope Turkey and Japan maintain friedship forever.
He did just come out and apologized for what he said. In the interview, Mr. Inose says that he thought the conversation reported by NYT was an after-the-interview chat, not the actual interview to be published. http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/news/20130430-OYT1T00515.htm
Are you saying that it's OK for Inose to be a bigot BEHIND the mic, but not IN FRONT of it?!
This is a typical trap by the NYT reporter, Hiroko Tabuchi.
She always makes trouble against Japan including a lot of fabrications.
Yes, it seems Hiroko Tabuchi as sold her soul, and Japaneseness, to escape Japan and a get good position in the foreign media and New York.
I can understand why she has done so. As a female journalist in Japan she would be frustrated and not get very far.
It's also true that she has willingly added more 'fuel to the flames' by fabricating stories in the past, most obviously with her article on the military prostitutes.
Ad hominem attack some, you guys? You realize that for a professional journalist, whatever he/she puts into an article, he/she is putting his/hers professional life on the line, esp. for someone from a reputable news organization, right? Ironically, politicians can lie left and right, journalists can't.
Giving Tokyo the Olympics is farcical. Japan is currently let racist groups run riot under police protection. Rallies calling for the death of Koreans occurring weekly. Japan has no anti-descrimination laws or hate-speech laws. Will Abe be able to call off his dogs for the period of the olympics.
Comments Off on JDP Startup Corner: Pros & Cons of Working with a Partner in Japan


text:
Skip to comments.Morgan Freeman: Obama Isn't First Black President
Posted on 07/06/2012 9:55:49 PM PDT by QT3.14
From NPR: "First thing that always pops into my head regarding our president is that all of the people who are setting up this barrier for him ... they just conveniently forget that Barack had a mama, and she was white very white American, Kansas, middle of America," Freeman said.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Let's see how long it takes the MSM to state it. And while there at it call ∅™ a on-call lecturer - not a law professor.
Thus not the FIRST Black President...
Well... he is the first anti-American President, the first illegal President, the first Socialist President, and the first President to have his temporal lobes removed.
Assuming Stanley Ann is actually his biological mother.
Look at, look, the Tea Partiers, who are controlling the Republican Party, stated, and whats this guys name, Mitch OConnell. Is that his, OConnell?
Mitch McConnell. Their stated policy, publicly stated, is to do whatever it takes to see to it that Obama only serves one term. Whats, what does that, what underlines that? Screw the country. Were going to whatever we do to get this black man, we can, were going to do whatever we can to get this black man outta here.
Well, it just shows the weak, dark, underside of America. Were supposed to be better than that. We really are. Thats, thats why all those people were in tears when Obama was elected president. Ah, look at what we are. Look at how, this is America. You know? And then it just sort of started turning because these people surfaced like stirring up muddy water.
Social commentary from the man marrying his step-granddaughter? How quaint.
Yep, biracial.
Obama chooses to be black. He gains more from calling himself black. he is a race hustler, just like Jackson and Sharpton.
Jimmy Carter was the first black president! Please don't flame me!
I thought that after I hit post!!!
I sometimes wonder if she really was...he is so 'covered' we know so very little...will the day come when his 'locked' up files become public???
Well, they way I heared it telled, 1 drop from papa, son you is black. Jess look at chew...
Oh good grief. Barack Obama might be a green Martian and he would still be the most absymal, destructive president in American history. As it turns out, sadly Barack Obama does use his blackness to evil racist identity ends. But there are plenty of black people who would have made reasonable Presidents. Barack Obama isn't one of them.
Always about race with these libs.
Does that make Morgan Freeman half right?
No, Bill Clinton was.
Obama Isn't First Black PresidentAs I recall Clinton was the first black president and Obama is the first illegal gay president...who doesn't know that?
Morgan Freeman sucks eggs. Great actor, not a great a thinker.
Thomas Sowell. I think he'd be an outstanding President. Unfortunately I think he's too smart to put himself through the {expletive} required to get elected.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
Research to Practice
Attention Deficits in College Transition Students
The NCTN Research to Practice Briefs are designed to disseminate emerging college transition research from a variety of sources in a user-friendly format.
Submitted by
Why are attention deficits important to address in college transition students?
It is now estimated that 4% of all American adults suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Szegedy-Maszak, 2004). The number of students entering colleges with attention deficits has been estimated at anywhere from 1% to 20%, but most frequently, researchers estimate that 1% to 5% of students transitioning to college suffer from the disorder (Richard, 1995; Jones, Kalivoda & Higbee, 1997). College transition students with attention deficits often experience debilitating problems with attention, distractibility, organization, self-regulation, and mood (Kane, Mikala, Benjamin & Barkley, 1990). These students often need extra assistance organizing their time and reviewing the material taught in class.
The increasing cognitive demands of college-transition and postsecondary education mean that students with ADHD are likelier to suffer from poor academic performance and a lack of persistence (Barkley, 1990; Fargason & Ford, 1994; Nadeau, 1995; Richard, 1995). The transition to college can cause students with attention deficits to become overwhelmed by the pressures of academic deadlines and the heavier workload, leading to confusion and frustration. If not addressed, these problems can lead to high drop-out rates for these students. Research has shown that only 5% of students with attention deficits will complete a degree program, compared to over 41% of students without such deficits (Barkely, 1990).
What are the causes of "attention deficits?"
Most researchers now agree that the causes of attention deficits stem mostly from neurobiological problems (Hallowell & Ratey, 1994). According to the most common theory, students with attention deficits have impaired functioning of certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters (Ballard et al, 1997). Most researchers believe that in individuals with attention deficits, there is a chemical imbalance in the neurotransmitters that control attention: dopamine and norepinephrine (Ballard et al, 1997; Jones et al, 1997).
What are the effects of ADHD on college transition students?
College transition students need to be able to schedule their courses, appointments, and study time; to plan and focus on assignments; and to use effective study strategies. However, students with ADHD experience difficulty structuring their time and concentrating on tasks long enough to organize, plan, study, establish a routine, and complete assignments (Jones et al, 1997; Nadeau, 1995). The prospect of even beginning a classroom assignment can be overwhelming because of their inability to organize their time and effort and to create a productive study space. (Nadeau, 1995; Willis, Hoben & Myette, 1995).
How can organizational strategies help these students?
Students with ADHD experience difficulty paying attention, shifting attention, selecting relevant information, using goal-oriented strategies, organizing, and ignoring outside stimuli (Ballard et al, 1997; Mercugliano, 1998). Consequently, material encountered in the classroom tends to be "filed in the brain" in a random fashion, leading to poor mental organization (Nadeau, 1995; Willis et al, 1995). In addition to tutoring, medication, and accommodations, teachers can help these students with ADHD by teaching them specific methods of organizing class material and information (Barkley, 1990; Kane et al, 1990; Mercugliano, 1995). It should be noted that the following strategies are useful for helping all learners become more efficient in their studies. In students with ADHD, they may make the difference between academic success and failure.
Calendars and Planners. A schedule, created by the student with the guidance of the teacher, can assist in prioritizing time and in planning a suitable course load, hours of productivity, and specific objectives (Willis et al, 1995). Students should be taught to keep a day-by-day calendar with all appointments, commitments (including personal obligations and social activities), due dates, and tests for each day of the week, and then to cross off each task as it is completed. This strategy has been shown to prevent procrastination and to increase organization and task completion (Hallowell & Ratey, 1994; Schwiebert et al, 2002).
Notebook Organization. The use of color-coded notes has been demonstrated as a successful strategy for improving organizational skills, comprehension, and retention in students with attention deficits (Hallowell & Ratey, 1994). Instructors can show students how to keep all notes organized by color in a three-ring binder with tabs to divide specific elements of class such as homework, class work, lectures, and so on (Willis et al, 1995). The instructor or individual students can choose a specific color to be dedicated to each element of class; for example, the syllabus for the course might be in the red section, homework in the green section, and class notes in the yellow section.
Note-taking Strategies. Students can be taught to organize material within these notebooks with note-taking strategies such as summarizing the reading or annotating the text and then recording the annotations in the appropriate section of the notebook (Jones et al, 1997). Students can also be taught to take notes on their own thoughts while listening to a lecture or discussion in order to improve the comprehension and retention of information (Hallowell & Ratey, 1994; Schwiebert et al, 1998). If particular students find it difficult to concentrate on listening and processing information while taking notes, they may qualify for note-taking accommodation, such as a designated note-taker (Richard, 1995). Students can review the notes taken by their note-taker after class, and then write reactions to the content in their notebook as a way to encourage engagement, comprehension, and retention of class content.
Visual Organizational Maps. Visual organizational maps such as flowcharts, clusters, lists, and outlines can help adult students with attention deficits to organize class content as well as their own ideas. Students can plug their ideas into organizational frameworks provided by the instructor and can eventually learn to generate these maps themselves (Oliver et al, 2000). For example, the teacher can provide a map that displays the various components of a narrative in order to help students structure class lectures and readings. Students can also use maps or outlines while writing papers, and the teacher can provide outlines for various paper formats (description, cause-effect, problem-solution, etc.). These maps enable the students to handle the burden of idea organization so that they can focus on idea generation. Students can gradually be taught to generate their own maps to structure both course content and their own ideas (Schwiebert et al, 1998).
Visual Manipulatives. Visual manipulatives that allow students to build models of organization with different colored shapes and different parts—such as Legos, Cuisenaire rods, or Word Shapes—can be used to organize class content, student ideas, and the structural components of assignments (Oliver et al, 2000). This multi-sensory approach involves texture, color, and movement to help students understand patterns of organization. Students often internalize the approach to the point that they no longer require the manipulatives. The structure of essays, for example, can be taught by using interlocking gears where the first gear (green for "go") represents the introductory paragraph; the next three gears (all the same color) represent the supporting paragraphs and the last gear (red for "stop") represents the conclusion (Oliver et al, 2000). After composing their essays, students can compare their work to the gears to check for appropriate structure. These models can help students understand the structure of ideas in a nonverbal way before they attempt to express those ideas in writing.
Mnemonic Devices. Mnemonic devices can assist students in remembering various strategies for academic success through cues and rhymes (Hallowell & Ratey, 1994; Schwiebert et al, 2002). The cue "CANDO" for example, can assist students in organizing course content by reminding them to Create a list of what is to be learned, Ask themselves if the list is complete, Note main ideas and details in a map, Describe each component, and Over-learn the main points. Another cue, "RAP," reminds students to Read, Ask themselves what is the main idea and what are two details, and Put them into their own words. "TOWER" can help students structure and organize their work by reminding them to Think about the content, Order the topics, Write a rough draft, Error search, and Revise and rewrite (Schwiebert et al, 2002).
Clarifying Questions. Instructors can ask students what specific steps they plan to take in achieving a particular goal, what strategies they plan to use to organize, and why they have chosen those strategies. By asking these questions, instructors can help students understand what information is most important, how to find it, conceptualize it, express and present it, and how to proceed when a goal is not reached (Oliver et al, 2000; Richard, 1995; Willis et al, 1995). Instructors are encouraged to ask students questions about personal experiences (like a movie or event) and to use clarifying questions to help them verbally structure their main points and details (Schwiebert et al, 2002). Students can also be taught to ask clarifying questions to understand the ideas expressed by their classmates and to include clarifying questions such as "Do you see what I mean?" to make sure their points are clear (Schwiebert et al, 2002).
Feedback. Students with attention deficits benefit greatly from having their progress monitored and from their instructors describing what is expected of them, whether or not they are meeting course objectives, and what approaches might be most useful to them. This feedback should also include praise for students' efforts and improvements and should encourage them to become self-observant by asking specific questions about organizational strategy use, time management, and future goals (Hallowell & Ratey, 1994). Students can also fill out feedback sheets about the verbal and written organization of one another's work during peer reviews, providing models of effective and ineffective organization of concepts (Oliver et al, 2000). Feedback sheets with specific questions that reinforce the structure and organization of information presented in class can also be filled out by students at the end of class. A discussion of these sheets that compares the organization of the questions to the notes the students took during class can also assist students in monitoring their note-taking abilities (Oliver et al, 2000).
Will these strategies help my students with attention deficits?
Teaching students organizational strategies may assist them in overcoming some of the often debilitating difficulties that attention deficits can cause. After improving both their physical and mental organizational skills, these students are more likely to reach their full potential, to experience educational success, and to persist in academic settings.
However, much more research on ways to address ADHD is needed in order to meet the needs of this growing population. Most researchers do agree that students with attention deficits need multi-modal, comprehensive interventions that address a variety of factors. It's important to note that instruction in organizational strategies is not a cure-all. Rather, it is only one of several types of interventions that may be required for students with attention deficits.
Ballard, S., Bolan, M., Burton, M., Snyder, S., Pasterczyk-Seabolt, C., & Martin, D. (1997). The neurological basis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Adolescence, 32(128), 855-862.
Barkley, R.A. (1990). Part one: Nature and Diagnosis. In R.A. Barkley (Ed.), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (pp. 3-205). New York: The Guilford Press.
Fargason, R.E., & Ford, C.V. (1994). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in adults: Diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Southern Medical Journal, 87(3), 1-12. Retrieved May 5, 2004, from EBSCO Host database.
Hallowell, E.M. & Ratey, J.J. (1994). Driven to distraction: Recognizing and coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from childhood through adulthood. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Jones, G.C, Kalivoda, K.S., & Higbee, J.L. (1997). College students with Attention Deficit Disorder. NASPA Journal, 34(4), 262-274.
Kane, R, Mikalac, C., Benjamin, S. & Barkley, R.A. (1990). Assessment and treatment of adults with ADHD. In R.A. Barkley (Ed.), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (pp. 613-654). New York: The Guilford Press.
Mercugliano, M. (1995) Neurotransmitter alterations in Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder. Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, 1, 220-226.
Nadeau, K.G. (1995). Diagnosis and assessment of ADD in postsecondary students. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 11(2-3), 3-15.
Oliver, C., Hecker, L., Klucken, J., & Westby, C. (2000). Language: The embedded curriculum in postsecondary education. Topics in Language Disorders, 21(1), 15-29.
Richard, M.M. (1995). Pathways to success for the college student with ADD: Accommodations and preferred practices. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 11(2-3), 16-30.
Schwiebert, V.L., Sealander, K.A., & Bradshaw, M.L. (1998). Preparing students with Attention Deficit Disorders for entry into the workplace and postsecondary education. Professional School Counseling, 2(1), 26-32.
Schwiebert, V.L, Sealander, K.A, & Dennison, J.L. (2002). Strategies for counselors working with high school students with Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Counseling and Development, 80(1), 1-18. Retrieved May 3, 2004, from EBSCO Host database.
Szegedy-Maszak, M. (2004, April 26). Driven to distraction. U.S. News and World Report, 136(14), 53-62.
Willis, C., Hoben, S., & Myette, P. (1995). Devising a supportive climate based on clinical vignettes of college students with Attention Deficit Disorder. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 11(2-3), 31-43.


text:
After the elimination show of X Factor two weeks ago, the judges were asked about the show itself and their thoughts on One Direction performing on the X Factor. While Demi was being honest, she also slipped in a comment about one of their competitors, The Voice.
"I think it's a great reminder to not just the contestants," Demi said about 1D performing, "but the rest of the world that specifically with this show--yes the others are doing well--but specifically with this show we've had so much success with mainstream artists."
Demi proves that she truly believes in what the X Factor is all about. "Fifth Harmony is taking off, Little Mix is huge and successful as well as One Direction," she told us. "It just goes to show that what our show is about is 'the X factor' and that we have so much talent and they're the ones you remember, their names."
And then she threw this out there: "To be honest, I can't really tell you--I have no idea of any winner from The Voice."
We get it, she backs the X Factor one-hundred percent. But do you think her last comment was necessary?
Want More? Like us on Facebook
Gallery | X Factor Top 12 Finalists!


text:
Seeking income in a low-yield world, investors may find high quality, dividend-paying stocks a desirable option. Relative to Treasuries, dividend yields are more attractive than they have been in 50 years. The table below spotlights a dozen Dividend Divas which during the past year have increased their dividends at double-digit rates, demonstrating management's confidence in their financial strength and long-term growth opportunities.
What investor wouldn't applaud a double-digit increase in their dividend paycheck given the stagnant and miniscule yields from money market funds and bonds? Even better, these growing dividend income streams should bubble well ahead of inflation in the years ahead.
This diversified group of Dividend Divas includes small companies with full-sized 4.4% dividend yields like Westwood (NYSE:WHG) to large companies with show-stopping 20+% dividend increases like Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) and Walgreen (WAG).
Among the chorus, Coach (COH) earns prima donna status for filling shareholder pocketbooks with a dazzling 50% dividend increase this past year. With strong cash flows and a relatively low dividend payout as a percentage of earnings, Coach should continue to fatten shareholder wallets with dividend increases for the foreseeable future.
While the stock market's volatility this year reminds one of a Lady Gaga concert, our unruffled Dividend Divas steadily increase their dividends year after year as many of them have done for decades. A good example is Emerson (NYSE:EMR) which recently increased their dividend a substantial 16%, marking the company's 55th consecutive year of dividend increases. Returning cash to shareholders during both good times and bad remains a core refrain of the company's value creation strategy. Management is committed to returning 50%-60% of operating cash flow to shareholders.
Strong cash flows are a hallmark of all the Dividend Divas. Given copious cash flows, Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) recently increased its annual dividend 18%, marking the firm's 46th consecutive annual dividend increase. Since becoming a public company in 1928, Hormel has paid a regular quarterly dividend without interruption, proving that it ain't over until the fat lady sings.
A key task of management is to carefully allocate a company's capital between investments in the growth of the business and distributions to shareholders. Stryker (NYSE:SYK) and United Technologies (NYSE:UTX) both have announced significant acquisitions this year to fuel future growth while still increasing their dividends at double-digit rates. Other divine Divas not only return cash to investors through dividend increases but also through substantial share repurchase programs. Becton Dickinson (NYSE:BDX), General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) and United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) have all delivered double-digit dividend increases along with billion dollar share repurchases this year.
Despite global economic challenges which leave many in the audience booing, these Dividend Divas provide long-term investors with plenty to sing about!
Disclosure: Hendershot Investments holds a long position in each stock presented. The content in this article should not be taken as investment advice or construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Ideas expressed may not be suitable for every account, depending on an individual's investment objective, risk-tolerance and financial situation. Information presented here was obtained from sources believed to be reliable but accuracy and completeness and opinions based on this information are not guaranteed. It should not be assumed that investments discussed will be profitable or will equal the performance of securities listed here or recommended in the past. All data, information and opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. Further information on companies mentioned is available upon request.


text: the End (jgraham at bronze.ucs.indiana.edu) wrote: > Hello, > I am seeing a relatively high rate of acquisition of spectinomycin > resistance in the E. coli strain I am working with (CSH20 from Miller's > old kit). It appears that all cells in a cuture are somewhat resistant, > and that 60 or so colonies will form from approximately 100 ul of > competent cells spread on a plate. > Anyone else see this ? Any relevant knowledge of mechanisms ? > Thanks much, > E-mail copies of all posts, > Jim > J. E. Graham > Biology and Chemistry Departments > Indiana University Bloomington -- Jarmo Niemi,Biochemistry,U.of Turku,jarnie at utu.fi,http://www.utu.fi/~jarnie/ "Rommel, you old fox, I_read_your_book_!" -Patton


text:
Friday news dump, folks. Delay number one:
With the rollout of President Obama's health care law plagued by technological problems, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced on Friday that the administration is extending the date for individuals to enroll in health care plans. As things stood prior to the announcement, individuals who wanted to be covered by Jan. 1 had to pick a plan by Dec. 15. That date has now been pushed back to Dec. 23, CMS spokeswoman Julie Bataille announced on a conference call. The CMS technology team and outside contractors have been racing to make fixes to the Healthcare.gov federal insurance exchange website and its related systems to meet the goal of it working smoothly for a "vast majority of users" by Nov. 30. A reason for the urgency was that they wanted the website to be able to handle the expected post-Thanksgiving surge of individuals attempting to sign up for coverage by the end of the year.
Translation: They're going to miss their November 30 deadline, which is no surprise in light of recent comments from President Obama and Secretary Sebelius. Is tacking on this extra week of breathing room even workable at the insurers' end? Meh, whatever:
@allahpundit On the call, somebody asked, and CMS spox just gave boilerplate answer about being in constant contact w insurers
— Philip Klein (@philipaklein) November 22, 2013
This tweak may end up in the same category of the president's Obamacare "fix:" Desperate and impractical. Many states are rejecting Obama's latest "keep your plan" ploy as logistically infeasible and undermining to the exchanges' risk pools. The administration is making things up as they go along and scrambling to clean up after their endless string of missed deadlines. Onto delay number two, which Katie covered this morning:
The Obama administration plans to push back by a month the second-year start of enrollment in its health program to give insurers more time to adjust to growing pains in the U.S. law, a move that may stave off higher premiums before the 2014 congressional elections. The enrollment period, previously scheduled to begin Oct. 15, 2014, will now start Nov. 15, said an official with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services who asked not to be identified because the decision isn't public. The change is important to insurers that need more time to evaluate the first year of the government-run marketplaces.
Many conservatives are correctly lambasting this ploy as a transparent effort to push back some of next year's sticker shock until after the midterm elections, but there's more to the story. I discussed the implications of the administration's announcement with Gretchen Carlson on Fox News this afternoon:
The White House can't shield Democrats from the next round of cancellation notices, nor can they block the announcement of looming rate increases. What they can do, and have done, is postpone the enrollment period itself until after the election -- so consumers won't actually confront their new costs in black-and-white until the elections are in the rearview mirror. Rate shock will be an inescapable reality, but this maneuver will deprive the media of harmed victims to profile. Everyone will know bad news is coming, but Democrats will be spared an overwhelming wave of stories about family X whose coverage was dumped, resulting in premium and deductible increases of Y amount. As I said on Fox, this scheme represents a pair of damning admissions by Team O: First, they're basically conceding that costs are going to go up -- possibly way up -- next year. If the "Affordable" Care Act were actually affordable, they'd want the new, lower rates front and center ahead of the election to showcase the law's success. Instead, they're doing everything they can do bury its results. Second, this delay gives insurers more time to assess and set rates for 2015. This strongly suggests that the current Obamacare exchange pools are indeed disproportionately skewed toward the young and sick -- a recipe for adverse selection disaster. This spring, industry actuaries will be crunching numbers and determining how much rates should rise to compensate for the legally-required influx of higher-cost customers (or to exit the exchanges altogether). The White House is hoping that 'young invincibles' will finally sign up in March or April, quelling panic among insurers, and holding down cost spikes. If the administration weren't very worried about the demographic composition of these pools, today's announced postponement wouldn't be necessary. Bottom line: This law is failing. The White House knows it, and they're pulling out all the stops to both salvage the policy mess and limit Democratic losses at the polls.


text:
January 14, 2011
Watercolor in my sketchbook…
6 comments:
- Marilyn said...
lovely, I especially like your shadow.
- 3:24 AM, January 15, 2011
- Helen Ström said...
Thanks Marily, with this one I see what I would like to try to do better next time. For me it's a little too blue and the contours of the glass are to defined. I kind of prefer the part of the stones in the light in the middle of the glass.
I have something to think about here and I have to look into the work of two artists I know. Thant's what so fantastic with drawing, when you take advantage of the occassions to progress it gets really interesting and you can keep the inspiration alive for long periods.
- 10:07 AM, January 15, 2011
- hfm said...
- 1:17 PM, January 15, 2011
- cardesin said...
Cuanto me gusta la intimidad de lo cotidiano, para hacer una gran obra no es nacesario mas que vivir la verdad de nuestras realidades mas cercanas,
Fantástica acuarela y el tema , me apasiona el contacto del artista con sus objetos, cargados de recuerdos e intensidad,
Una gran acuarela!!!
Hasta pronto!!
- 11:54 AM, January 16, 2011
- entintades said...
Beautiful work! Nice to meet you I'll follow you
- 1:02 PM, January 16, 2011
- Anais said...
Simplemente genial, Helen. De nuevo la evidencia de que lo simple puede ser muy bello
- 2:12 PM, January 17, 2011


text: Most gun owners and ammunition vendors are aware of the defeat of AB 962, the "handgun ammunition" scheme , in the NRA / CRPA Foundation funded case, Parker v. California . What many do not know about, however, is all the hard work performed by various individuals and companies in achieving that victory. Michel & Associates, P.C. has recently released a memorandum thanking all those involved. Click here to view the memorandum .


text:
Asia › Indonesia › Bali › Bali Restaurants
Matahari Cafe
Kedonganan Beach, Bali, Indonesia
Matahari Cafe Bali Reviews
61 reviews
Enjoy the atmosphere Oct 28, 2012
My friend was telling we should go to dinner in Jimbaran, Bali. She said the place was a beautiful romantic and had a very relaxed atmosphere. Jimbaran is just south of the airport and Kuta. This area was formerly a real backwater of south Bali – a small fishing village with a daily wet market that sells sea foods. It is the tourist spot after watching the sunset and having dinner by the on the beachside. The bay itself has a pleasant white colored sand beach and is good for swimming.
There are so many restaurants along the beach, we choose Matahari Restaurant. We arrived before sunset. We were getting the table facing the sea. Tables are set up right on the sand and if you sit at the lowest tables at high tide, you can even get your feet wet. It was a lovely place to watch the sunset and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere and the whole area is lit by oil torches after dark. We burrowed our feet during the dinner in the sands, listening to the lovely sounds of the never ending waves. The restaurant was good, the candles every table. We can enjoy firework, performed traditional dances and a group of musicians that goes from table to table to sing for visitors . They can sing in several languages also.
The food was fresh. We can choose whatever we want to eat from the fresh food counters and tell them how want to cook it. We ordered rice, fish, crab, and vegetable. Honestly the foods taste is average and quite expensive. The prices more expensive than at other seafood restaurants not located on a beach. The waiters friendly and cheerful.
We didn't too much enjoyed the foods, we only enjoy the sunset, music and dance performance. Spent time with friends on the beach at night is priceless more than foods taste. The romantic dinner offered was not really romantic because the place very touristy and crowded. It was a pleasant evening in terms of ambience only. If you want the best food I think not this place, don't waste your money in this place.
Some bad story from local and overseas tourists about dinner in Jimbaran , please seek for the good recommendation and demand the driver to the place you wanted for than the driver recommendation. Never trust the driver or the travel agent recommendation, sometime they got the commission from the restaurant.
Come before sunset to get the good location for sitting.
The seafood is sold by weight and so you can control the bill. Always check the prices if any extra taxes or service fees that would normally be added to the total price.
13 / 13 TravBuddies found this review helpful/trustworthy
Join TravBuddy to leave comments, meet new friends and share travel tips!


text:
Minnesota Mental Health Clinics provides comprehensive, integrated mental health services to clients in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area. Coordinated medication management services are available for our active therapy clients.
Meeting the mental health needs of clients, their families, and the community is our primary commitment.
We have a reputation of providing the highest quality of mental health services for over 33 years. Approved by the Minnesota Department of Human Services as a Licensed Rule 29 Mental Health Clinic.
We are committed to maintaining your confidentiality and safeguarding your privacy and dignity.
Services Provided
Mental health services, urgent care, outpatient services, group therapy, psychiatric services for children, adolescents and adults, adolescent and adult day treatment, family counseling.
(651) 454-0114
Participating Plans
We are a service provider for many major health plans including Blue Cross, Medica, Health Partners, Medicare, Minnesota Medical Assistance, Preferred One, United Healthcare, and Behavioral Health Care Providers.
Private Pay Accepted - Payment due at time of service.
From time to time MN Mental Health Clinics has opportunities for employment. Please read below to learn more about the current opportunities. Check back frequently for new opportunities.
MN Mental Health Clinics is an equal opportunity employer.
Minnesota Mental Health Clinics is looking for an experienced and qualified mental health practitioner as a therapist for our Groundbreakers program, a day-treatment and social skills program for children, adolescents, and young adults with Autism.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Facilitation of groups utilizing experiential, natural environment training, DBT skills, and basic ABA principles; program assessments to determine client's fitness for groups; coordination of services with other care providers; facilitating family group sessions and attending clinic meetings.
This position is full-time: 40 hours per week, daytime hours and flexible schedule. Employees will have an opportunity to see clients for individual therapy, as well as receive clinical supervision hours as a part of their position. Preferred candidate has a Master's degree in psychology or psychology-related field. Must have current Minnesota Licensure as an LGSW, LAMFT, of LPC and be working towards clinical licensure. Autism experience is highly preferred. Great benefit package available.
Mail resume and cover letter to Lauren Snyder 3450 O'Leary Lane Eagan, MN 55123, email at firstname.lastname@example.com or fax at 651-454-3492. For more information on our clinic and services visit our website www.mnmentalhealthclinics.com . We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.


text: On Tue, 2012-06-05 at 11:12 -0600, David Ahern wrote:> On 6/5/12 10:05 AM, Peter Zijlstra wrote:> > On Tue, 2012-06-05 at 18:00 +0200, Peter Zijlstra wrote:> >> On Tue, 2012-06-05 at 09:29 -0600, David Ahern wrote:> >>> I am trying find out when (ie. which commit) the pebs feature> >>> actually> >>> started working on a westmere system> >>> >> What do you mean with working? The whole cycles:pp thing is magic and> >> unrelated to 'regular' PEBS stuff.> > :p requires PEBS?On Intel it does.. On AMD you want IBS for that.Note that on Intel there's a difference between :p and :pp.From perf_event_attr: /* * precise_ip: * * 0 - SAMPLE_IP can have arbitrary skid * 1 - SAMPLE_IP must have constant skid * 2 - SAMPLE_IP requested to have 0 skid * 3 - SAMPLE_IP must have 0 skid * * See also PERF_RECORD_MISC_EXACT_IP */ precise_ip : 2, /* skid constraint */So 0 being the default (no :p) we use the regular PMI and provide the IPfrom the spot that served the exception. This can be a few instructions_after_ the instruction that triggered the event overflow.1 (:p) means constant skid, for Intel this maps to regular PEBS andreturns the IP as provided by the PEBS record. This is one instructionafter the instruction that caused the event overflow (because the PEBShardware assist triggers when we're executing the instruction thattriggered it, it needs to have already fetched the instruction andincremented the IP etc..).2 (:pp) requests 0 skid, since PEBS provides IP + 1 instruction, we needto rewind the instruction stream. In order to do this we use the LBR inconjunction with a FREEZE_LBR_ON_PMI feature from DEBUG_CTL and limitthe PEBS buffer to a single entry. So when we get the PEBS buffer fullPMI, we read the LBR, find the start of the most recent basic block (toaddress of the last branch) and decode the instruction stream until wefind the current IP. Then we know the IP that caused it is the previousone. Tada!We set the PERF_RECORD_MISC_EXACT_IP bit when the rewind worked and wecan guarantee 0 skid (+- hardware bugs, of which there are a few).3 (:ppp) would require 0 skid, but since the unwind using LBR isn't aguaranteed thing we don't implement this for Intel (or anybody else forthat matter afaik).Now not all events the Intel PMU can do are PEBS capable; in fact mostaren't. So the whole cycles thing is about mapping the regular cyclesevent to something that is PEBS capable.


text:
Gentlereaders: GPS or satellite tracking of offenders may be one of the most innovative methods of community supervision available. While far from foolproof, satellite tracking provides the incentive for many offenders to stay clear of crime and prompt many to come into compliance with the terms of their supervision. Please note, however, that tracking and strict supervision needs to be accompanied by treatment and employment services. An offender with mental health problems will not succeed without access to mental health treatment regardless as to how stringently he is supervised.
Two new articles (one has a review of the literature) are offered below.
Crime in America staff.
Http://media.csosa.gov –See Blog
Welcome to DC Public Safety–Blog, radio, television shows and transcripts on crime, criminal offenders and the criminal justice system.
We now average 228,000 requests per month.
We welcome your comments or suggestions at email@example.com or at Twitter at .
A new article on GPS-Satellite tracking is available via "DC Public Safety." It was published by the Journal of Community Corrections. Immediately preceding this article is another focusing on the cooperative role of the Metropolitan Police Department and CSOSA regarding GPS tracking. This article was published by the Journal of Offender Monitoring.
Television and radio programs on GPS tracking are available on the site.
News for DC Public Safety Radio, Television, Blog and Transcripts
Per a recent Google search, DC Public Safety is the one of the top ranked social media/podcast/radio programs for criminal justice and public safety issues.
Please link to us. Please create a permanent link to http://media.csosa.gov. We are a search engine powered service. We depend on quality links from you to help users find us. Use the link builder section of your web site (i.e., for WordPress, it's referred to as the "blogroll") or cut and paste DC" target="_blank">http://media.csosa.gov">DC Public Safety Radio, Television, Blog and Transcripts and paste into your web site.
Per Government Computer News; "DC Public Safety" is one of the ten best government web sites for state and local government ).
CSOSA's "DC Public Safety" is featured on the federal government's "Best Practices" web site. Please see .
We have one of the top ranked public safety blogs in the country per Google.
We are one of the top television programs (government and organizational category) for AOL Video, Digg.com and other rating services.


text:
For each , let be the set , and let be the discrete topology on . For each of the following subsets of , say whether it is open or closed (or neither or both) in the product topology.
Recall that
For each , let be the set , and let be the discrete topology on . For each of the following subsets of , say whether it is open or closed (or neither or both) in the product topology.
Recall that
(I would try doing the problem, it is just that I am not sure how "open" sets are defined here. I know there is a way to define "open" for an infinite Cartesian product but I just cannot find a good explanation anywhere on the internet. And I never learned topology . Perhaps you, Moo, know how "open" is defined for infinite Cartesian products).
ThePerfectHacker & Moo, thank you both for helping me (and trying to help). Here is what I understand about this problem now:
So remember that open sets in the infinite product topology is really just having all but finitely many the whole space and the rest are open. Since the individual factors are discrete, you only need to check that all but finitely many are the whole space.
e.g. in (a) the 10th coordinate has a specific value, but all other coordinates can be whatever, so this is certain open.
However, I am still struggling with this problem. Do you have any ideas on the other parts?
Thanks to Opalg [Opalg], we know this:
Take set (b). Let . If then there exists m such that f(m)=0. Then the set is an open neighbourhood of f contained in B. Therefore B is open.
It's usually more difficult to check when a set is closed. You have to look at its complement and decide whether that is open. Sometimes this is straightforward. For example, the complement of set (a) is the set of all f such that f(10)=1. That is open, so set (a) is closed as well as open.
For a slightly less easy example, look at set (c). Let . If then there exists m such that f(m)=f(m+1)=0. Then is an open neighbourhood of f containing no points of C. Therefore the complement of C is open and so C is closed.
I still do not know how to do parts (d.) and (e.)


text:
Supplier Homepage Product CNC Machining communication accessories CNC Machining Aluminum Filter Parts, Machined Filter Housing
CNC Machining Aluminum Filter Parts, Machined Filter Housing
|FOB Price:
|US $90-150 / Piece
|Min. Order:
|500 Pieces
|Min. Order
|FOB Price
|500 Pieces
|US $90-150/ Piece
|Shanghai, China
|Production Capacity:
|Payment Terms:
Request a custom order and have something just for you!Send Customized Request
Basic Info
- Surface Treatments: Spray Coating
- Trademark: RUIQI
- Specification: depend on inquiry
- HS Code: 7318160000
- Material: Aluminum
- Transport Package: Inner Box/Carton Box/Wooden Box
- Origin: Shanghai
Product Description
We have rich experience in processing the aluminum, brass filter or filter cavity, We have cooperated with DATONG mobile network, Huawei and etc. and the products are applied to telecommunication equipmen, medical devices, radar.and so on.
Meet our team leader
|Director & Engineer Director(Leo Han
|Mastering programming.
MBA Degree,With 18 years working experience of R&D, worked for some top 500 companies in the world. designed and developed the 3D printer and Obtained many patents (ZL 201120385603.X, ZL 201120386703.X, ZL201220559799.X,ZL 201220562029.X and so on).
|Production Manager(Frank Lee)
|Proficient in cnc lathe operating and programming.
Bachelors degree, with more than 10 years working experience
|QC Manager
(Joe Chen)
|with near 10 years working experence. Worked for Siemens ,Cooper etc. famous companies.
|copper alloy,zinc alloy,plastic ,Aluminum alloy etc
|According to customers' technical drawing
|Galvanization, Oxidised, Spraying,Paint,chromed,
|wooden case or according to customers' requirements.
|Processing equipments
|CNC vertical machining centre, High precision CNC lathe,Milling composite center
|Service project
|Provide product design, product processing, product assembly according to customers' demand
|Testing machine
|Height gauge, CMM,Projector,Roughness tester,Hardness tester,Film thickness gauge
|Small order is acceptable
|Business scope
|Metal parts processing ,assembly, fixtures design and manufacturing.
|Auto ,Medical equipment,Aeronautical Communication Equipment,Telecommunications,Railway track,Industrial equipment
Q: Are you trading company or manufacturer?
A: We are a manufacturer
Q: What do you need to provide a quote?
A: Please kindly send us the drawing of your product. Details below should be included,
1.Materials 2. Tolerance 3.Surface Finish 4.Quanitity
Q: How long is your delivery time?
A: Generally it is 7-15 days for samples and 30-45 days for mass production, it is depend on quantity.
Q: Do you provide samples? Is it free or extra?
A: Yes, we could offer the samples. The sample is free if the cost less than US$10
Q: What is your terms of delivery?
A: We accept FOB, CIF. You can choose the one which is the most convenient or cost effective for you.


text:
wordless wednesday :: precious mornings
Posted in hunter, wordless wednesday
I'm a redeemed child of God and the momma to four vivacious daughters. I'm passionate about finding hidden blessings in the trials of life, living it out in an honest and open way, while encouraging those around me to believe in better.
Posted in hunter, wordless wednesday
She is adorable. You have such gorgeous children, and btw I LOVE the canvas you have hanging over the bed! Such a beautiful family!
Mia recently posted..I want to be a photographer


text:
That's how long it took from when we were homestudy approved until we got The Call about our daughter. Yes! For those who don't know, we have a beautiful little baby girl, Miss R! Her surprise arrival and some issues … Continue reading
August 13, 2015
by marfmom
6 Comments


text:
Scene 34 Job Offer
Mike talks to Erina about his job and asks her about considering working there.
- Transcript
- Audio Notes
Erina: Wow, Stanley Park is such a beautiful place. Thank you so much for inviting me.
Mike: Yeah, no problem.
Erina: You're friends are very nice, too. I really have... I'm really having so much fun.
Mike: Well I'm glad you like it. I think Stanley Park is a great place.
Erina: Do you come here often?
Mike: I wish I could come here more often, but I'm usually working.
Erina: Oh, where do you work?
Mike: I work on the pizza place, just off campus.
Erina: Oh, that pizza place?
Mike: Yeah.
Erina: Oh I recognize that place a lot.
Mike: Yeah, it's a good place, and it's great because a lot of the people I work with are people from school.
Erina: Yeah I've actually been there, too. It was pretty good pizza.
Mike: Really? Yeah, I sometimes make pizza but usually what I'm doing there is taking phone calls and making pizza deliveries.
Erina: Oh that sounds fun.
Mike: Yeah, actually I was talking to my boss the other day, and he was telling me that he needs someone else to start working pretty soon. Have you ever thought of part-time work in Vancouver while you're studying?
Erina: Oh yeah, actually I have. I wanted to save up some money for me to hang out with friends because I don't really have much money these days.
Mike: Yeah, well it's... it's a pretty good job. You receive about $10 an hour, and if you're making pizza deliveries, you get tips at the door.
Erina: Oh, sounds perfect too because... I also wanted to meet many people through work, and I guess that pizza place, I can meet a lot of people from campus, too.
Mike: Yeah, it's also good because the boss is easy-going and he lets you be flexible with your schedule.
Erina: Oh that's important.
Mike: Yeah.
Erina: So if I want to apply for this job, what should I do?
Mike: Well actually the next time I work is Monday, so why don't you just come in Monday afternoon after you finish school?
Erina: Oh that sounds great. I'll do that.
just off campus
I work at a pizza place just off campus.
If something is just off campus, that means it is right outside of the the college campus. The phrase 'just off' or 'just ofj of' basically means near, or next to a boundary when discussing location. Here are a few uses:
- There is a park just off the highway.
- There is a nice cafe just off the boardwalk.
the other day
I was talking to my boss the other day.
The other day just means a fews days before. The other day can be as recent as two days before, or perhaps a week or two before. Notice the following:
- I saw a cute jacket the other day that I want to buy.
- I met Joe the other day. He says hello.
hang out with friends
I want to save money to hang out with my friends.
When you hang out with people, that means you spend time with them. English speakers 'hang out with friends' but 'spend time with family'. In general, only young people hang out with friends. Notice the following:
- My friends and I like to hang out at the mall.
- Adults almost never hang out with their friends.
The boss is very easy-going.
When someone is very easy-going, they are very understanding and not strict. An easy-going person does not get upset much. Notice the following:
- My teacher is very easy-going. He allows us to turn in work late.
- My mother is very serious, but my dad is very easy-going, so I always talk to him if I have a problem.
flexible (schedule)
He lets you be flexible with the schedule.
When something is flexible, that means it is easy to change or move. The opposite of flexible is stiff. If you have a flexible schedule, then you can change the times of the schedule with no problem.
- I have a very flexible schedule. I can work whenever I want.
- My wife is very flexible. She understands I often need to work weekends.


text:
Park County – Sheriff Fred Wegener, a father of two and a lawman with deep community roots, swallowed his tears as he detailed the bloody ending to Wednesday's hostage standoff at Platte Canyon High School.
"Unfortunately, I've lived here for 36 years, so I do know the family," Wegener said as he detailed the incident that ultimately left Emily Keyes and an unnamed shooter dead. "I have not yet gotten to talk to the family, but my prayers are with the family."
Wegener, 44, is a 1981 graduate of Platte Canyon High who was introduced to law enforcement during a six-year stint in the Air Force. He has been married to his wife June since 1988. The couple's 16-year-old son is a junior at Platte Canyon and their daughter graduated from the school last spring.
"I think what you saw is who he is," said Dave Wissel, the Park County assessor who has known fellow-Republican Wegener since they were teenagers. "When your kids are in school, that's kind of a social center, especially in a rural community. Almost all of the social activities and the community activities center around the school, so he knows all those kids."
Wegener's family moved to Park County in 1970. He was elected sheriff in 1999.
He is seeking re-election this fall and will face a Libertarian and two write-in candidates in the Nov. 7 general election.
Staff writers Carlos Illescas and Curtis Hubbard contributed to this report.
Staff writer Steve Lipsher
can be reached at 970-513-9495


text:
One of my favorite "tools" as an architect is sketching with pen and paper. I do find that in many meetings, whether with a client, contractor or friend, a quick sketch is one of the best ways for me to communicate an idea.
But beyond a basic sketch, there are 3 Tools that I use in my business that I believe greatly enhance communication and collaboration with our clients.
As we've said many times, getting our clients engaged and involved early in the design process makes for a much more successful project.
Colored Drawings
We like to use color as a way to highlight parts of our presentation. I select one or just a few drawings and spend a few minutes coloring with pencils or markers. To be honest this tool is actually helpful for both me and my clients. I use the time I spend sketching and coloring as time to think through the design. As I color I am thinking through scenarios of how our clients will use their home… For example, in the sketch below, I used color to highlight the exterior areas of our clients' house. I wanted to focus our discussion on how guests will enter their home, where they will park, where they will stay… and somehow color on the paper is much more fun to talk about – and imagine – than limitless white space around a plan.
We find that creating a 3D computer model of our projects is another tool that helps our design process immensely – both in our office and with our clients. During the initial design phase we "think" simultaneously in 2D and 3D. From sketches to drawings to models we go back and forth among all 3 as we work through ideas for your home.
Sharing these models with our clients is an excellent way to get them actively involved in the process. The "tool" part here is much more than simply a 3D model – our computer and program setup allows our clients to literally be "at the controls." Talk about engaged – in every case where we've presented a model this way the client has jumped right in and happily moved themselves around and through their home. It's as easy as moving your finger on the screen.
We often hear from our clients that they have a hard time envisioning what their house will look like when it's built. Beyond mere visual understanding, these interactive models are always a highlight and truly give our clients ownership of their design.
Before letting our clients loose with their fingers on the model, I begin our meetings with vignettes – or specific views – through the house. We select moments that illustrate important design elements, features our clients are considering, or ideas we want to introduce. A vignette gives a much greater understanding of "being in that space" and is a perfect way to focus the conversation first on small moments. With these vignettes, we're all looking at the same part of the design. I have learned that when I put 3 overall schemes down in front of clients it's hard to get the conversation going. It's overwhelming. If I want our clients to be engaged in our design process, we need to make sure they can completely understand our ideas so they're comfortable contributing. No question this makes for a much more successful project overall!
Today's post is part of the ArchiTalks series in which Bob Borson of Life of an Architect selects a theme, and a bunch of us architects (who also write a blog) post on the same day at the same time… This month our theme is "Tools." Architects and their tools should be a fun theme to read through. Please visit our friends' pages below to read their stories:
Bob Borson – Life of An Architect (@bobborson)
Jeff Echols – Architect Of The Internet (@Jeff_Echols)
The Best Tool In Your Toolbox
Lee Calisti, AIA – Think Architect (@LeeCalisti)
Lora Teagarden – L² Design, LLC (@L2DesignLLC)
The Tools That Help Make #AREsketches
Jeremiah Russell, AIA – ROGUE Architecture (@rogue_architect)
tools #architalks
Jes Stafford – MODwelling (@modarchitect)
One Essential Tool
Eric T. Faulkner – Rock Talk (@wishingrockhome)
Architools – Mind Over Matter
Rosa Sheng – Equity by Design (@EquityxDesign)
10 Power Tools to Kickstart Equitable Practice
Michele Grace Hottel – Michele Grace Hottel, Architect (@mghottel)
#ArchiTalks 17 "Tool"
Meghana Joshi – IRA Consultants, LLC (@MeghanaIRA)
Tools of an Architect #Architalks 17
Amy Kalar – ArchiMom (@AmyKalar)
ArchiTalks #17: Three Tools for Change
Brian Paletz – The Emerging Architect (@bpaletz)
Can we talk?
Michael LaValley – Evolving Architect (@archivalley)
Why An Architect's Voice Is Their Most Important Tool
Eric Wittman – intern[life] (@rico_w)
it's ok, i have a [pen]
Brinn Miracle – Architangent (@simplybrinn)
Synergy: The Value of Architects
Emily Grandstaff-Rice – Emily Grandstaff-Rice FAIA (@egrfaia)
Tools for Learning
Jarod Hall – di'velept (@divelept)
Something Old and Something New
Greg Croft – Sage Leaf Group (@croft_gregory)
Jeffrey A Pelletier – Board & Vellum (@boardandvellum)
Helpful tools found within an Architecture blog
Aaron Bowman – Product & Process (@PP_Podcast)
Sharpen Your Tools
Kyu Young Kim – Palo Alto Design Studio (@sokokyu)
Super Tool
Jared W. Smith – Architect OWL (@ArchitectOWL)
Construction: An Architect's Learning Tool
Keith Palma – Architect's Trace (@cogitatedesign)
(CTRL A) (Command-A)- Edit
6 Comments
I like this. It's a simple but effective way to describe process. The process is the most mysterious and part that is hard to get people to pay for because they don't understand it. Another great post.
Wonderful post and beautiful "tools!"
A simple and efficient process – as always, a very informative blog Marica!
I like your description of vignettes and leading the meeting with them. It sets the design conversation up by walking the client through the important moments first.


text:
ReservationsTo obtain the Reservation Request URL and access code, contact Robert Cantillo (412-268-2446).
- For efficient event planning, please make requests as early as possible. Requests are taken on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Reservation requests must be completed in full, including an Oracle charge number. There is no space rental fee.
- Dates cannot be 'held' on the Posner Center calendar. Only confirmed reservations are placed on the calendar. Reservations are confirmed via email.
- No sponsor may transfer a reservation to another organization or department, or use reserved space for any other purpose than what was originally approved.
- The Reading Room is not available unless special arrangements have been made with the University Libraries and President's Office.