text:
25% of prospective college students decide NOT TO APPLY to a given school simply because of a bad experience on the college's Website. Is your school, non-profit, business, church, or blog facing the same issues?
The Chronicle of Higher Education recently noted Bethel University (where I teach) for our exemplary work in bringing our website into the 21st Century. Bethel's Director of Web services, Michael Vedders, was instrumental in transforming our site from something, well, "horrible," to "state-of-the-art," and is quoted extensively in the article.
Having overseen the overhaul of Act One's Website, I know this process is critical for the success of any organization. Great content is not enough. Without eye-catching visuals, and crystal clear organization users can't find what they want quickly enough to stick around. Yet, I also knew how difficult and time-consuming it is to overhaul your site. Unless you're convinced that it is worth the work-hours, technology costs, and consulting fees, you will never pay the price.
Josh Keller's article in the Chronicle does a great job of spelling out what a life-or-death issue a Website overhaul can be. Noel-Levitz enrollment consulting firm discovered that "A quarter of prospective students decide not to apply to a college because of a bad experience on the college's Website." As Bethel's Michael Vedders discovered in overhauling our website, "We spend a huge amount of time in higher ed maintaining content that has little return on investment."
This is exactly what we discovered at Act One. We had AMAZING content—after all, we were founded as a screen writing organization—but no one was taking the time to read it. Web surfers hit our bewildering and, well, visually boring, front page and moved on.
I clearly remember the day we sat down as a staff and filled our white board with our "admissions funnel." It was the beginning of a year-long redesign of our process of moving prospective students from curiosity to application.
It led to profound changes in our website. Thanks to the work of CNN En Espanol Anchor AnaMaria Montero, consultant Dorsey Dunn, Act One staffers Melissa Smith, and especially Genevieve Parker, we were able to greatly increase our Web presence and site effectiveness. We even had Madison Avenue execs calling to congratulate us! (Okay, they were also Act One alumni, but it still felt good.)
Whether you are leading a college, a nonprofit, a business, or a blog seeking greater web presence, odds are that you NEED to go through this painful Website overhaul process! The Chronicle of Higher Education article, and Video Interview with Bethel's Michael Vedders below, do an excellent job of describing the "funneling" philosophy behind a website overhaul process. I highly recommend them!
Colleges Rehab Their Web Sites for Major Payoffs
Analytics tools, some colleges find, can transform ineffective pages into winners
By Josh Keller in The Chronicle of Higher Education
Colleges spend dearly to maintain vast, ever-expanding Web sites. They tweet. They blog. They podcast.
But most colleges have no idea just how much bad Web design can cost. Kafkaesque online forms and pages that nobody visits, for instance, can have disastrous effects: A quarter of prospective students decide not to apply to a college because of a bad experience on the college's Web site.
That loss (documented in a survey of 1,000 high-school seniors conducted last year by Noel-Levitz, an enrollment consulting firm) can add up to a lot of money. "Generally, higher education hasn't ever had to think about that before," says Shelby Thayer, a Web strategist at Pennsylvania State University's main campus. "How much does bad design cost us, and how much does good design save us?" As colleges do more crucial business online, "that's kind of my burning question."
For answers, a number of institutions, including Penn State, are now turning to Web analytics. Going far beyond superficial measures like counting visitors or hits on their Web sites, they track who their visitors are, what they are looking for, why they fail to find it, and—a crucial measure to gauge advertising spending—how much a successful Web visit is worth.
Many of the techniques, such as closely monitoring prospects, are standard practice on e-commerce Web sites and among for-profit colleges, but they are just gaining a foothold in most of higher education.
The Chronicle talked to officials at several colleges that have set up sophisticated analytics operations in admissions, audience tracking, and public relations. They warned that data can be misused, and collecting them can be hard because responsibility for college Web sites is often spread among departments. Plus, many goals in higher education—such as improving reputation—are not easily measured.
But the officials also said analyzing their Web data to drive online decisions brings enormous rewards. "We spend a huge amount of time in higher ed maintaining content that has little return on investment," says Michael Vedders, director of Web services at Bethel University in Minnesota. Analytics has helped Bethel spend money in the right places, he says.
Funneling Admissions
Mr. Vedders is blunt about Bethel's old Web site: It looked horrible. But more important, the site for the liberal-arts college, in St. Paul, made it difficult for prospective students to find information that would encourage them to apply.
Many private universities spend upward of $2,000 to recruit each student who enrolls, and their Web sites often form prospective students' first impressions. The critical path leading from prospect to applicant to paying student is known as the "admissions funnel," and Mr. Vedders's goal is to optimize it.
An analysis of Bethel's Web data, drawn from Google Analytics, showed Mr. Vedders that the college's funnel had some problem areas.
Video Interview/Graphics with Bethel University Director of Web Services, Michael Vedders, "Flip this Site":


text:
Product Description
2016 Under Armour AF Storm Big Logo Pants
The Under Armour AF Storm Big Logo Pants are athletic sweatpants with water-resistant fabric to keep you dry as you play. These durable knit pants are perfect for slipping on after a long day on the hill or just lounging around the house kicking the soccer ball. For all your athletic endeavors its always nice to have a comfortable pair of sweatpants to unwind in and get ready for the next adventure.
- Storm1 - Water-resistant
- Durable textued knit fabric, built to handle anything
- Signature Moisture Transport System
- Covered elastic waistband with internal dual-color drawcord
- Mesh hand pockets
- Inseam: 9"
- Be the first to review this product

subset: commoncrawl


text:
PAMPA — Lillian Shaw Chesher, 81, of Pampa died Thursday, June 28, 2012, in Amarillo.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday in First Christian Church with Dr. Jeff Knighton, pastor, and the Rev. Tom Wilson, her grandson-in-law and pastor of Crossbend Christian Church of Plano, officiating. Burial will be
in Memory Gardens Cemetery. Arrangements are by Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors of Pampa.
Mrs. Chesher was born Jan. 25, 1931, in Shamrock, Okla. She had farmed in Roberts County since 1935.
Survivors include a son, John Alvin Chesher of Pampa; a daughter, Connie L. Hunter of Hot Springs, Ark.; four grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; four brothers, Lee Roy Shaw, Vinson Shaw and Jackie Shaw, all of Pampa, and William Shaw of Marana, Ariz.; and four sisters, Mary Denham of Pampa, Geneva Thompson of Boerne, Virginia Ridgway of Mobeetie and Darlene Asencio of White Deer.
The family suggests memorials be to First Christian Church, 1633 N. Nelson St., Pampa, TX 79065, or American Arthritis Foundation, P.O. Box 96280, Washington, DC 20077.
Amarillo Globe-News, July 1, 2012


text:
help us honor your fallen hero
More than anything, we want to ensure your loved one is never forgotten. We respect and thank all men and women who have served, or are serving, in the defense of our Nation. However, this display is meant to honor those men and women who were killed or died from wounds suffered in Iraq and Afghanistan while supporting the War on Terror*.
To add your Fallen Hero:
- Download This Form and return by email or postal mail.
- Contact Us.
*Also includes countries such as Pakistan, Kuwait, Bahrain, etc.


text:
Photo: Finlay McWalter
A recent discovery in Stirling, Scotland has created quite a stir among devotees of early Scottish music.
Stirling Castle, a Renaissance palace of Stewart kings, is home to what are known as the Stirling Heads, a collection of 16th-century wood carvings that once decorated the palace of James V. One of the heads, an image of a woman, apparently has music embedded in the form of 0′s, I's, and II's.
The music itself is thought to be instrumental and, perhaps, intended for the harp.
A BBC news article gives more details and includes a sound clip of the discovered tune.


text:
Hello all,I'm using NetBSD/amd64 5.0 on a laptop to connect to the Intenet via a mobile phone (using ppp).
I find ppp to be extremely unstable. There are two major problems:1) If I dial up after a reboot, I get a connection. If I shut down the connection, then it's a pain to start the ppp connection again. I get weird connection errors.
2) My machine will spontaneously reboot while I'm using the connection. There's no warning; suddenly is just reboots. (This happens pretty often).
And I know someone running NetBSD/i386 4.0 who is having sort of similar problems.
Note: I don't know if the problem is located in ppp or the usb code. Anyone else seeing this?(No, it's not the memory chips. With an Ethernet cable connection, it's extremely stable).
-- Kind regards, Jan Danielsson
Description: OpenPGP digital signature


text:
We've trawled the Apple iTunes App Store to find the best productivity apps for business users.
The Apple iTunes app store has literally thousands of apps. But which will make the iPhone as useful as it can be?
We've trawled the app store to bring you these 10 apps that will keep you organised, on time, on track, and productive even when your laptop is not in tow.
Sharing a folder with one (or more) workstations is a simple matter of loading software and setting up the folder to synchronise.
File viewing and sharing are the icing on the Dropbox cake.
Evernote allows users to create geo-tagged voice, photo, and text notes that are then shared with workstations.
You can also access complex notes created on workstations in the field through the iPhone interface.
NEXT PAGE: Documents to go and NTRconnect
- These apps will improve your smartphone's productivity
- Documents to go and NTRconnect
- GeeTasks and Scanner Pro
- FTP on the go and BizExpense
- pTerm and TripIt


text:
Hikhikhik. . .
this is just a quick update on my birthday wishlist.
the other day when angah asked me what are on my birthday wishlist, i said none cause i don't feel like I need anything at all. BUTTTTT who am i kidding? pfffttt~
so here goes. . .
- blackberry torch!!!!! can some one please get me this phone?? pretty pleaseeeeeeee =')
- owh! a new purse! cause my current one is not cute anymore. hurm. . .
tu je. ahahaha sedih kan wishlist I?
since my birthday is during my study week, all i really wish for is that i could at least manage to get a Dean's List for this semester. tu je. so I hope that if you gorgeous people who ever read my blog, please pray for my success in this semester aite? with all your kindhearted heart, do pray for my success. thank you love! ^_^
but to anyone yang rasa macam bonus banyak hujung tahun ni nak makbulkan my wishlist tu, i alu-alukan sangat-sangat. hikhikhik. . . *okay, stop dreaming now eiza!*
that's all for now!
bubye peeps!
lots of love,
Eiza Kamarul


text:
The diversity of World War 1 propaganda posters is quite amazing. They range from excitement to despair to simply asking for help or invoking guilt. These powerful marketing tools got the population excited about the war, making men want to enlist and women to become nurses. As time passed, the message of the posters slowly darkened to asking for blood and donations and pleading people to volunteer.
Why World War 1 Propaganda Posters Make the Perfect Gifts
If you are stumped, trying to decide what to buy a grandparent or someone that was around during this time, you may want to consider World War 1 propaganda posters. All of the world's greatest powers were involved in this war that had a monumental impact on the then-future. There were central powers, allied powers and neutral countries, but no one was void of the havoc that it wreaked.
Those that survived the discontent in nearly every country will never forget those troubled times. It made them stronger, braver and more appreciative of life. These posters will bring back memories, acknowledge their strengths and open their eyes to just how far they have come. There are not many gifts that are capable of creating such a rush of feelings. For further information on these meaningful pieces, please email firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Juventus have officially handed midfielder Albin Ekdal to Cagliari in a co-ownership deal.
The 22-year-old had been co-owned by Bologna up until this summer, but returned to Turin with little chance of breaking into the starting XI.
It was today confirmed that Cagliari have signed up 50 per cent of the Swede's contract from Juve.
Ekdal joined Juventus in 2008 for €0.6m, but was loaned out to Siena for the 2009-10 campaign and then handed to Bologna in a co-ownership deal in August 2010 for €2.4m.
The two clubs were unable to reach an agreement, so Juve won Ekdal in a blind auction, paying €1.3m for the remaining half of his contract.
See the latest Serie A predictions and betting tips with Eurotips.co.uk [11]


text:
Muse track named official Olympics song
- Bang Showbiz
- 27 June 2012
Muse's new single, 'Survival' has been named official song of the London Olympics for this summer
Muse's new single, 'Survival' is the official song of the Olympics.
The British trio's new track will be played when athletes enter the stadium, in the lead up to the medal ceremony and as the theme for all international TV coverage at this year's games, held in London, which start on July 27.
The song will be unveiled tonight (27.06.12) at around 19.30 GMT on BBC Radio 1 in the UK.
The band wrote on their website: "We are very excited to announce that a Muse song, 'Survival', has been selected by the London Olympic committee to be the main official song for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
"Matt [Bellamy, lead guitarist and singer] wrote the song with the Olympics in mind. It's about total conviction and pure determination to win.
"We are honoured that the Olympics have chosen our song to officially represent the London 2012 Olympic Games across the globe."
Muse - completed by bassist Chris Wolstenholme and drummer Dominic Howard - and are set to release their sixth album, 'The 2nd Law', in September and recently released a video preview in which they showcased a dubstep influenced sound.


text:
Why Us?
- Over 25 years of experience serving the Waterloo Region
- Safe, gentle, effective chiropractic care
- Caring and friendly staff
- Unique Corrective Spinal Care which focuses on alignment and posture (*Chiropractic Biophysics (CBP) to strengthen and improve the function of your spine
- Wellness Education and Coaching
- Convenient Location with lots of parking
- Convenient fast appointments
- Custom Orthotics and Footwear
- Registered Massage Therapy
- Laser Therapy
- Shockwave Therapy
- Spinal Decompression
- Physiotherapy
We pride ourselves on our caring, compassionate approach with each and every patient. Your needs are unique to you and we will do our utmost to listen to your concerns and move you towards your health goals. Please browse our website to learn more about Dr. Hollingsworth and discover the role of your spine in your overall health and well-being. An optimally functioning spine = optimal health!
Call our office to book a consultation and detailed examination.
You can fill our our initial paperwork here.
"The Doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and the cause and prevention of disease." Thomas Edison.


text:
Woody Allen Quote
In my house I'm the boss, my wife is just the decision maker.
Similar Quotes
If you think your boss is stupid, remember: you wouldn't have a job if he was any smarter.
When my boss asked me who is the stupid one, me or him? I told him everyone knows he doesn't hire stupid people.
Retirement is great, you get to be your own boss and tell yourself to do nothing all day.
Sponsored Links
When my boss told me this is the fifth time I'm late, I smiled and thought to myself, it's Friday!!
One small decision can change your life! That's why I always let someone else make my decisions, that way if something goes wrong I have somebody to blame other than myself.
Tell your boss what you really think about him, and the truth shall set you free, from your job.
Got to work this morning and my boss told me 'have a good day', so I went home and had a great day!
My boss asked me where I see myself in 5 years. I told him if his hair keeps falling out, I'll see myself in his bald spot.
Tried going out with my girlfriend but by the time she finished putting on her makeup the weekend was over.
Taking a shower is awesome, it makes you feel nice and clean, makes you sound like a great singer, and helps you make all of life's decisions.
Sponsored Links
If my life was an action movie, my boss would be the spy trying to sabotage my mission, and my mission would be going on Facebook.
You May Also Like
Read More Funny Quotes
- Top 100 Quotes
- Beer Quotes
- Best Quotes
- Dog Quotes
- Famous Funny Quotes
- Friend Quotes
- Funny Analogies
- Funny Animal Quotes
- Funny Cat Quotes
- Funny Computer Quotes
- Funny Drinking Quotes
- Funny Lazy Quotes
- Funny Marriage Quotes
- Funny Moments
- Funny Questions
- Funny Quotes About Eating
- Funny Sayings
- Funny TV Quotes
- Funny Wife Quotes
- Funny Work Quotes
- Funny World Quotes
- Good Quotes
- Great Quotes
- Happy Quotes
- Know Quotes
- Life Quotes
- Live Quotes
- Love Quotes
- Man Quotes
- Math Quotes
- Money Quotes
- Never Quotes
- People Quotes
- Short Funny Quotes
- Sleep Quotes
- Statements
- Stupid Funny Quotes
- Think Quotes
- Time Quotes
- Tree Quotes
- Wise Quotes
- Authors


text:
What drives the demand for IT consulting, according to the study, is the shortage of IT talent in developed countries, as well as the growing sophistication of IT labour markets abroad. As a result, the offshorability of most IT consulting services to low-cost territories such as India, Eastern Europe and South America has risen.
Gaurav Gupta, country head and principal at the Everest Group, said: "As a result of globalisation, the industry is now looking at more and more specific IT consulting tasks that can be offshored."
For the study, titled "Reading the Alphabet Soup: SI, PI, ERP, etc – The Changing Drivers of IT Consulting," Everest and Bernstein did a market analysis and conducted a survey of 15 IT consulting firms, including Accenture, Atos Origin, CSC, Cognizant, EDS, Sapient, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Wipro.
Accenture | Consulting News | EDS | IT Consulting | IT Consulting News | TATA Consultancy Services
Sign in


text: Sunset at the Palms Resort - Adults Only - All Inclusive offers a private beach where you can sip a drink at the beach bar, plus you'll have access to onsite scuba diving, snorkeling, and parasailing. The outdoor pool provides fun for everyone, while guests in the mood for pampering can indulge in massages. Palm Grove, one of 4 restaurants, serves Caribbean cuisine and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 3 bars/lounges and a poolside bar are other highlights at this upscale resort, and rooms offer free minibar items and balconies.


text:
WFK channel is a healthy perpetual source of entertainment in all American households, with programs spanning from latest movie flicks to heath care.
WFK Channel, based in the USA is solely dedicated to family friendly and educational programming. With service available across the whole of the United States, the channel serves to provide its viewers with programs suitable for family members of all age. You can watch WFK Channel both with friends and family and can get equally entertained. The channel with its engrossing shows and 24 hours uninterrupted service is liked and subscribed for, by many residents across the nation.
Running in English language, the TV channel can be viewed by audiences around the world without having to subscribe. The channel streams its shows online for free public viewing.
The morning course starts with a news program of half an hour that sums up all the hot topics of the day. The news program repeats itself in the evening as well, with fresher news collected throughout the day.
All through the day, the channel hosts a series of travel shows, culinary shows, cartoon shows, family soaps, sports, etc.
The culinary shows are very engaging for cooks and food enthusiasts who can try out the recipes shown in the programs. The instructions laid out are simple and the recipes are outstanding as they are suggested by eminent cooks and chefs.
Sports buff cannot miss out on the thrilling rugby, base ball and soccer games that telecast matches live from the stadiums.
WFK channel also hosts talk shows where they interview prominent political figures, actors and entrepreneurs.
Lastly, for the aged people, the channel has a series of family serials as well as yoga and fitness programs. The programs teach exercises to keep one fit and also provide helpful tips to keep one healthy.


text:
Enter your Social Security Number in the space indicated. Providing your Social Security Number is voluntary, however we can not process your application without it.
The Vacancy Identification Number is: 761905
Human Resources Specialist (Information Systems)
All biographic information is required, except for your telephone number and the contact time.
Enter the lowest grade level you will accept.
These dates are required if you have claimed Veterans' Preference unless you have claimed derived Preference (i.e., widows, spouse, etc.)
Please use this format: (mm/dd/yyyy)
Select/enter at least one occupational specialty. The specialty code for this position is:
Select/enter at least one geographic location in which you are interested and will accept employment. The location code for this position is:
In this section indicate if you are a surplus or displaced Federal employee requesting special priority consideration under the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP).
Note: To receive consideration for CTAP or ICTAP, you must submit the necessary supporting documentation. Refer to the vacancy announcement for additional information and instructions.
1. From the descriptions below, select the response which most closely and accurately describes your experience to perform as a Human Resources Specialist (Information Systems) at the GS-09 grade level.A. I have at least one full year of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level which demonstrates experience in coordinating human resources systems initiatives, advising on the integration of human resources information systems; reporting, analyzing, interpreting and presenting human resources data; and conducting research analysis to develop and recommend automated strategies to meet the needs of an organization.
For each of the following tasks, choose the statement from the list of below that best describes your experience and/or training as it relates to your ability to perform the duties of the position. Please select only one letter for each item.A- I have not had education, training, or experience in performing this task.
2. Interpreting and evaluating data using human resources integrated systems (HRIS).
3. Serving as a liaison between the human resources (HR) and information technology
departments (IT) to provide system(s) support and analysis.
4. Partnering with IT to brainstorm technology solutions to meet the needs of both internal and external users of human resources information systems.
5. Conducting systematic studies to identify both long and short-term HR/HRIS needs and/or issues of servicing organizations.
6. Using a variety of software programs or HR integrated systems for reporting, spreadsheet development and/or database implementation.
7. Familiarity with various automated HR systems which may include recruitment/strategy, payroll processing, on boarding and case tracking.
8. Generating various data reports on HR metrics and activities.
9. Compiling recurring and/or ad hoc metrics reports.
10. Analyzing human resources data to identify trends or areas in need of improvement.
11. Providing advice and guidance to staff and customers on automated systems.
12. Skill in planning, organizing and assisting with automated systems initiatives.
13. Developing applicable standards and/or guidelines as it pertains to automated integrated system(s).
14. Serving as a technical specialist in the implementation, design, maintenance and/or operations of different automated HR information systems.
15. Formatting and integrating human resources data from a wide variety of human resources information systems/sources to develop and prepare reports or other related statistical documents.
16. Performing research of procedures, policy and regulations related to automated systems.
17. Reviewing and/or evaluating statements of work and specifications for sufficiency in relation to HR automated tools.
18. Interpreting and applying federal regulations, policies, and procedures.
19. Implementing changes/and or modifications to automated data processing systems as needed based upon new regulations, agency directives, executive orders and policies.
20. Giving formal and informal briefings on presentations on human resources programs or initiatives in relation to HR automated systems and/or initiatives.
21. Developing and maintaining effective working relationships with managers and/or employees.
22. Performing training and informational presentations to agency employees.
23. Instructing end-users and troubleshooting HRIS applications.
24. Drafting memos, advisory opinions, policies, procedures and other various correspondences.
25. Composing action plans related to human resources automated systems.
26. Creating monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reports for agency management.
27. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information included in this questionnaire is true, correct, and
provided in good faith. I understand that if I make an intentional false statement, or commit deception or fraud in this application and
its supporting materials, or in any document or interview associated with the examination process, I may be fined or
imprisoned (18 U.S.C. 1001); my eligibilities may be cancelled, I may be denied an appointment, or I may be removed and debarred from Federal service (5 C.F.R. part 731).
I understand that any information I give may be investigated. I understand that responding "NO" to this item will result in my not being considered for this position.


text:
Stanley Park - Vancouver BcI had sex with a guy in Stanley Park while laying on a fallen tree. It wasn't the intense type of experience that I often crave, however, it was still such an exciting one. There I was, laying on a fallen tree, no pants on, buck naked from the waist down, top pushed up exposing my breasts a bit, and my legs in the air... It was awesome! As he came, so did I. He had never encountered a squirter before... He loved it. I'm glad he did. I quite enjoyed looking up to the tops of the trees as we were *******, leaving our juices on the fallen tree, and being unsure if any passer's by would catch us... and if they had, I wondering what I would do. My pants were not in close range either, so I was definitely feeling very vulnerable there, but loving it still. I felt very free while doing this, yet so trapped in a state of vulnerability. I think this added to the excitement to some degree. As did the simple feeling of being bottomless while outdoors. There's just something so refreshing and nice about being naked outdoors, while in public, and getting away with it. Thankfully we never ended up getting caught lol - Would I do it again... Definitely :)
pebbles7 41-45, F 5 Responses 12 Nov 10, 2011
super hot story...would have loved to pass by and watch you...
if I had passed by...what would you have liked me to do? just watch or come close by?
lol...possibly, I would have continued watching...am sure the action would be hot enough to get me hard and rub myself ;) lol
hmmm thats a nice build up...am already liking this version...lol
Very cool, just succumbing to the need right where you are. Very HOT.
That is a good story,and defined to a tee of a perfect union of two bodies lost in the bliss of sexual feeling .:)


text:
Fearless Leader
Whether you are a new climber or a seasoned gym rat, a lot of climbers lack the self confidence to lead climb outside. As soon as you step above your bolt potential falls get bigger, elements like back stepping are introduced and let's face it, it can be really frightening. No matter how strong you get, the only way to overcome your fear of leading is by getting above your bolt.
A few days ago as I sat atop the final pitch of Humanality overlooking Ton Sai I felt elated. I was happy to have accomplished the climb and was seriously digging the beautiful view. Despite the fact that I was hanging in my harness 100 meters above the ocean with nothing but slippery foot holds, my weight angled outwards, I felt comfortable. I reflected on how much one's faith in their protection can change a climbing experience. The average (non-climber) person would probably be scared out of their mind hanging from that itty bitty anchor made out of a few bolts, slung features and old climbing rope. Our bodies instinctually flood with adrenaline when we perceive a potential danger. What separated me from an adrenaline fear-fest was knowledge that I was safe.
When I began to lead climb outside I took it very very slowly. In fact I took it so slow that I feared I would never improve my climbing because I was too timid to challenge myself on lead. I stuck to 5.9's despite the fact that I was cruising up 5.11's in the gym. What held me back was the intense fear that flooded my veins every time I made a committing move above my bolt. My brain would be much more focused on the consequences of falling than it would be on completing the moves and keeping myself safe. So how did I finally get better? I fell.
Your first substantial lead fall is always a significant one. For me it felt like an accomplishment on par with onsighting a hard climb. As soon as I realized what had happened and that everything had worked perfectly a barrier was broken. Now all it would take was more practice.
The Golden Rule
When we came to Ton Sai I was pretty comfortable leading moderate routes but anything that I thought I would fall on still scared me. Some days I would feel more bold about leading, other days I'd shirk away and top rope Kyle's routes. Despite climbing every day I still didn't feel like I was getting any better, that's when I decided to make a rule for myself: I HAD to lead SOMETHING every day. It didn't matter if it was a 10 meter class 5 or a 30 meter 6c, I had to give myself the mental practice of being above my bolt, clipping well, and watching the backstep every time we left the bungalow to climb.
Soon enough this exercise brought comfort and I increased the difficulty of my leads. Of course I also got stronger in the process and was able to climb even harder grades. As a personal accomplishment yesterday I led my first 7a (5.11d), something I wouldn't have thought possible when we arrived.
Tips for Beginning Leaders
1. Lead something every day (or every day spent climbing): Start with easy grades to get your brain used to the sensation of leading, improve your clipping and communication. Be careful not to stagnate. Find a challenging climb with clean falls and just go for it every once in a while.
2. Take it bolt by bolt: If you are feeling timid be more concerned with completing the climb than with redpointing it. Rest on your protection as necessary to keep your mental and physical stamina. After you get to the top you can lower off and try the redpoint.
3. Learn to down-climb: If you are a few feet above your bolt and feeling unsure or unstable you can always down-climb to a more comfortable position or down-climb to rest at your bolt. Not only will this save your equipment, it will improve your mental composure on a climb. If you boulder in the gym or outside ALWAYS make a point of down-climbing where you can. You will quickly see the results next time you are face to face with a scary crux and feeling a bit wobbly in the knees.
All in all climbing is an exhilarating experience, and lead climbing especially taps the chords which get your heart pumping. It's important to recognize where your comfort level is and ensure you continue to enjoy climbing. We've met a few people who don't lead over 6a, but top rope 7a. I guarantee that if they committed themselves they could be leading 7a in a matter of weeks. Learning to be comfortable on lead will open up a whole new world of routes for you and your partner. So try to lead something every day. Most importantly have fun, enjoy your surroundings and be safe.


text:
Culture Resource (Al Mawred Al Thaqafy) supports Arab artists and cultural organizations and the growth of the independent cultural sector generally through a range of diverse services and programs:
- Regranting support: Culture Resource supports young Arab artists of all genres in creating and sharing their work through the Production Awards program and provides travel and touring support through the Mawaeed program
- Cultural Management Training: This program provides training and professional development to the next generation of cultural managers in the Arab region through annual Cultural Management Training Workshops and Publications
- Capacity Building: the Abbara program is a comprehensive two-year regional initiative to build capacity in the
independent cultural sector during the transitional period by offering multiple forms of support to selected organizations.
- Imkan: A new cultural leadership training program for young cultural leaders from the Arab region. This program aims to support and strengthen the skills of Arab cultural operators to be able to play a prominent role in the current political and social transitional phase in the Arab region.
- Cultural Policy Program: Culture Resource seeks to improve the conditions for cultural expression and strengthen the infrastructure for cultural development in the Arab region through its Cultural Policy Research program
- Independent culture for Democracy: Culture Resource (Al Mawred Al Thaqafy) organized the Independent Culture for Democracy Conference with the aim to reinforce the role of independent culture sector in the phases of democratic transformation in the Arab region and to discuss the legal and political situation of the independent culture sector in different Arab countries, and how to overcome obstacles resulting from these situations.
- The Darb Al Ahmar Arts School is a project for educating children and youth between the ages of 6-18 in Cairo's Darb Al-Ahmar district in percussion, circus arts, and brass instruments, to create a new generation of young performers
- El Genaina Theater in Cairo's Al-Azhar Park is one of Cairo's most popular independent venues, attracting diverse audiences of all ages and backgrounds by presenting a range of performing artists from Egypt and around the world.
- Festivals: Culture Resource supports cultural exchange and inspiration with two biannual festivals that bring artists from around the world, the CirCairo festival of contemporary circus arts and the Spring Festival, which features the best international performing artists


text:
If you live in the Pacific Northwest we'll come to you.
If you are in the Seattle, Bellevue, Everett area we can be there within 48 hours to look at your collection. If you are located outside the greater Puget Sound area we can set up an appointment to view your items within a day or two. If you have an estate to clean out before you can sell the house we can recommend reputable contractors who can help you liquidate. We're looking for specific items, but don't throw the rest away – you'd be surprised what people want. The old adage "one mans junk is another mans treasure" is true.
Some of the items we're looking for:
- Boy Scouts, Girl Scout & Fraternal Organizations including Masons, Eastern Star, etc
- Luggage – gently used and vintage
- Leather goods
- Old pottery and glass bottles – small & large
- Old tins – coffee, tobacco, spice, etc
- Flatware, silverware, cutlery, cast iron & kitchen items
- Camping & sports equipment – gently used and vintage
- Canvas bags – army bags and backpacks
- Wood & metal boxes from utility boxes, tool boxes to jewelry & recipe boxes
- Camera, darkroom & photography equipment – including photos and old albums
- Old Holiday items – Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving
- WE LOVE to buy just about anything marked: MADE in U.S.A.
- Mission & Arts and Crafts era items
- Collections
- Art Glass, Southwest pottery and ceramics
Don't throw it away till you have someone look at your stuff, most people throw away the items that sell with the belief that only 'the furniture and jewelry' is valuable. Contact us to see if we may be buying before you start tossing money in the trash.


text:
Main Page
| Cantatas BWV 1-50
| Cantatas BWV 51-100
| Cantatas BWV 101-150
| Cantatas BWV 151-200
| Cantatas BWV 201-224
| Other Vocal BWV 225-249
| Chorales BWV 250-438
| Geistliche Lieder BWV 439-507
| Other Vocal BWV 1081-1127, BWV Anh
| Instrumental
| Chorale Melodies
| Sources
Discussions: Scores of Bach Cantatas:
Part 1
| Part 2
| Part 3
| Bach's Manuscripts:
| Part 1
| Part 2
| Scoring of Bach's Vocal Works
Scoring Tables of Bach Cantatas:
Sorted by BWV Number
| Sorted by Voice
| Abbreviations
| Search Works/Movements
Cantata BWV 97
Mvt. 1 | Mvt. 2 | Mvt. 3 | Mvt. 6 | Mvt. 7 | Mvt. 8 | Mvt. 9
Mvt. 1
Example 1a above is the beginning of the French Ouverture at the very beginning of the cantata. Listen and watch at the same time, how differently the conductors (Rilling and Harnoncourt) interpret what is in the score.
Example 1b is a fragment of the ouverture indicating the places to watch when Alice Harnoncourt (I'm almost certain she is playing) 'cuts up' any continuity that the music could and probably should have at this point and she does this at her husband's behest. She does not hold out the quarter notes to the end of their duration, but either lets the tone die out or inserts an eighth-note rest in between the quarter notes. What would Bach think of that? Well, perhaps it's all a matter of interpretation.
Example 1c illustrates the extreme difficulty of the inner voices in the opening movement. At points like this, I can not hear the inner voices in Harnoncourt's recording. They simply disappear in the wash of sound. The basses would fail as well if they did not have the basso continuo backing them up. With Harnoncourt everything here except the soprano is mushy and muffled.
Mvt. 2
Example 2 the cello phrasing with Harnoncourt is exactly what Bach wanted, but listen to the Rilling. With Rilling it is a heavy legato. Is this interpretation? Why does Rilling do this?
Mvt. 3
Example 3 In this recitative this little twist in the basso continuo underlines what the singer is singing about: he will accept whatever God gives him, in this case the prospect is anything but positive: either difficult circumstances on his trip or death as he steps downward to his end.
Mvt. 6
At the beginning of this movement, one can clearly see the evolution of the germinal motives of lying down and awakening again (the next morning or in a spiritual after-life) as these motivs will continue throughout the aria.
A close-up of the interweaving and interplay of these motifs as the instrumentalists banter with the vocalist.
Mvt. 7
The key-words here are 'unverdrossen' and 'Verhängnis' = 'plodding' and 'that which you can get hung up in and not escape because of its inevitability.' The thought translates roughly as "I will continue to plod onward to whatever the Lord has decided for me and that which he has decided for me is a fate, a destiny that is imposed upon me, possibly as a penalty or punishment for something that I have already done." Note the wildly stalking musical figure that jumps all over the place. Is it an attempt to escape or is it a determined plodding toward an inevitability.
Mvt. 8
An interesting musical contrast between Death and Life. Notice the sequence of these two events.
A rough translation of part of the text of this aria: "I'll let God worry about the time, he knows the correct time." Here Bach uses as a key-word: 'time'. He complicates the measuring of time within a measure. In a sense the vocalist and the instrumentalists have left 'the worrying about time' up to the composer and conductor, who then have to make sure that the shifting patterns of notes distributed over each measure come out properly. Two against three is just one of the complications Bach inserts into this composition.
Mvt. 9
This is a section from the chorale to illustrate how elusive, or inconsistent Harnoncourt can be. He can easily make a chorale very discontinuous because he normally observes every comma in the text as an opportunity to break the flowing, legato stream that typifies good choral singing. He also has a penchant for strong accents followed either by a premature cut-off of the note value or a severely diminished volume of the unaccented syllables.
Sources for these snippets: NBA I/34
Contributed by Thomas Braatz (March 13, 2001)
Cantata BWV 97
Terms of Use
| Privacy Policy
| Copyright Policy
© 2000-2018 Bach Cantatas Website
Back to the Top
Last update: Thursday, June 01, 2017 12:46


text:
Boring weekend ahead? Nothing interesting planned? Here are some ideas for fun, free easy things to do with your kids that can bring hours of fun.
Fun Activities to Do with Your Kids
1 Have your lunch or dinner as a picnic in the house. Set up a blanket on the floor. Move some plants nearby. Put picnic-type foods in a basket. Maybe even build a fort out of tables, chairs and blankets and eat inside the fort. After eating tell stories and sing songs.
2 Decorate the house for the next holiday, whatever it is. Get crazy and use crepe paper, ribbons, bows, balloons and homemade decorations. Make table centerpieces and decorate the chairs, too.
3 Make a pretend grocery store with real food from the cabinet. Make a cart out of a box. Use a calculator and create a checkout line. Use real bags. Help your child make a list, shop for food, and ring it up. Take it "home," unpack it and do it again. And again. And again.
4 Fill a super-large container with various types of breakfast cereals. Provide various types and sizes of cups, spoons and small containers for filling.
5 Collect rocks, leaves, sticks and flowers. Add bits of things from your "junk drawer" like bag ties, rubber bands, toothpicks and whatnot and. Make a collage.
6 Take a walk after dark. Give everyone a flashlight. Wear all white clothes so you "glow" in the dark.
7 Have a non-Easter-egg hunt using balls, Hot Wheels cars, plastic dinosaurs or large LEGOs. Take turns hiding and finding.
8 Have a treasure hunt or a scavenger hunt all around the house or yard. Make each clue a guessing game. ("I'm in a cold place and there's lots to eat all around me.")
9 Set up a beauty salon. Let the kids do hairstyles, paint fingernails, and put on make-up. Play dress up with your old clothes, hats and jewelry and put on a play.
10 Make a homemade book. Think of a story together. Take photos to demonstrate the story. Print them and glue them on paper. Tape it together into a book. If it's a nice day, make it a nature book – take close-up photos of flowers, bugs, leaves, etc. Or . . .make a home movie!
Share: What questions or topics do you want to see covered on this blog?
One Comment
This is a fantastic list that does not waste time adding the obvious like…the park. I love these ideas and have saved this post to my child bookmarks so that when my son is older, we can do these things! He is only 3 months old now, so cuddling up with a.nipple in his mouth is his favorite free thing to do right now….that & bath time! Haha


text:
Learn about the benefits and methods to make your own colloidal silver
According, to Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 24th Edition, a colloid is "A state of matter in which the matter is dispersed in or distributed throughout some medium called the dispersion medium. The matter thus dispersed is called the disperse phase of the colloid system. The particles of the disperse phase are larger than the ordinary crystalloid molecule, but not large enough to settle out under the influence of gravity."
This website is designed simply so that you can navigate and gain information quickly. We don't sell colloidal silver or generators, but do have links to those that do. Providing links to products and services at other websites does not imply an endorsement. Have fun in your adventure with colloidal silver.
Within this website colloidal silver (CS) refers to "isolated ionized silver particles sized at between .0003 - .05 microns in diameter, which, in original state, are not bound to any other elements, are suspended in a pure steam-distilled water solution, and are not stabilized in any manner through use of proteins, salts, or other substances."


text:
I look back on this past year of my life and it feels so vivid and dreamy, you know, like one of those realistic dreams you wake up from and it sticks with you all day long. That's how my life feels.
Friday night, I was casually browsing the interwebs, which I rarely give myself time to do anymore and I came across support sites for babies lost, it sent me barreling down that dark place, remembering what it felt like to lose James and Jake. Reading stories about deliveries and holding still babies.
Part of me wanted to hole myself up in a closet and be totally left alone. But the other part of me, the stronger part of me, maybe, encouraged me to go to bed and count my blessings, one. two. three.
four + five.
Each one uniquely mine.
I laid in bed and thought about Anna's hilarious laugh and her ability to act like a teenager when she's just a seven year old.
I smiled at the thought of Noah holding my hand at church and whispering to me "this is really nice time at church with my family."
I pictured myself kissing Eli's chubby cheeks and looking deep into his eyes, wondering what he has seen.
and I dreamed of two angel babies, watching over the family that loves them so much.
I drifted off to sleep. Happy. Healthy. Thankful.
I woke up to a lego trophy for "best Mom." And a baby boy with a tiny tooth set to emerge any day now and an monstrous mess of papers, laundry, food, crumbs, with my name on it.
But happy. healthy. thankful.
Nothing else matters.
Elijah turned five months old yesterday.


text:
Local Businesses
Ramble House/Creede Guide & Outfitters
116 N. Main Street
P.O. Box 116
Since 1956 Ramble House has been taking care of fishing and souvenir needs. We offer the largest selection of quality flies and lures in the area. Ramble House is home of Creede Guide and Outfitters. Our local guides specialize in guided fly fishing for beginning and intermediate fisherman. CO License #2006.
Located in: Shopping | All Businesses | Outdoor Adventures


text: On Thu, Apr 09, 1998 at 06:04:31PM +0200, Richard Braakman wrote: > I have made a list of overlaps between packages in hamm and packages > in bo, and tried to filter out the ones that are not problematic. > (For example, because they use diversions). Please, when you do this kind of surveys, include the name of the maintainer with the packages, so we could easily search for it. Thanks! -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to firstname.lastname@example.com with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact email@example.com


text:
11th > February > 2003 Archive
FalconStor changes tack with IPStor v4
FalconStor is due to announce version 4 of its storage network software IPStor today (11 Feb), yet with a complete lack of the word 'virtualisation', which has almost been airbrushed out of the picture, Stalin-style.
'World's biggest Luddite' in Telstra plasma TV row
Could it be that the man dubbed the "world's biggest Luddite" is actually tuned in and switched on to technology?
203 ADSL exchanges hit by snag
Almost one in five of BT's ADSL-enabled exchanges were knocked out yesterday following a software upgrade that went wrong.
Do it with spanners – how the Iraq cyber attack will work
UpdatedIt was recently revealed that last July President Bush had signed a secret directive covering the development of cyber warfare systems, and providing guidance on their use. We have no idea why, given that it's secret, we've heard of it, but we'll let that pass - clearly, if we're getting the components of cyber warfare in place at this juncture, then we're probably thinking about Iraq.
Microsoft deploying work-to-rule for Mac browser?
In the latest twist in the twenty five year long poker game between Apple and Microsoft, the impeccably reliable Nick de Plume of Think Secret suggests that Microsoft's Macintosh Business Unit has halted work on Internet Explorer 6 for Mac OS X.
Fresh Europe antitrust complaint aims at WinXP leveraging
The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), a serial Microsoft antagonist, has filed a fresh complaint with the European Commission, claiming that Microsoft has perpetrated "new and widespread violations of European competition law," and asking the Commission to intervene to "restore competition to the markets that Microsoft now dominates and to prevent future harm to these and other markets."
What's the World's Most Stupid Security Measure?
Human rights watchdog Privacy International has launched a quest to find the World's Most Stupid Security Measure.
Yahoo! UK! admits! scam!
Yahoo! UK & Ireland has finally come clean and admitted that some of its customers have been targeted by fraudsters.
NHS patient privacy? What patient privacy!
Up to 200,000 requests are made under by investigators under false pretences to obtain health information on British patients each year. And most attempts succeed, according to the Foundation for Information Policy Research (FIPR).
Mitnick shrugs off 'welcome back' hack attack
Web graffiti artists have welcomed Kevin Mitnick's return online in traditional hax0r-style - by defacing his company's Web site.
Oftel having a 'laugh' over new funding proposals
Plans to force ISPs to pay for the running of telecoms watchdog, Oftel, have been branded a joke by some in the industry.
Telewest-NTL merger possible: Burdick
UK cable company Telewest expects to be cash-flow positive by the fourth quarter, and a merger with NTL could be on the cards, the firm's managing director has said.
MS patents
The fact that Microsoft has been in a frenzy of patenting its web services work shouldn't surprise anyone. So has IBM, and to such an extent that Redmond is justified in regarding its own vast list of claims as defensive.
Dell ramps up Indian call centres, software development
Dell has reinforced its all-American reputation with the news of a major investment in Hyderabad, targetting export revenues of R220 crore in the first five years of operation, and also establishing a 100 seat tech support centre to deal with customers throughout the world.
Users call for anti-NTL protest
Angry NTL customers are trying to drum up support for a public demonstration of defiance against the cableco following its decision to cap its broadband service.


text:
It's no secret that tools and equipment represent a major investment for contractors and construction businesses, so it makes sense to track these assets accurately as they are loaned out and moved across multiple sites. Avoid project delays and purchasing new tools each year by cataloging your inventory with barcodes, reporting on tool usage, and making everything easy to find.
Reduce tool replacement costs with the real-time tracking and timestamp functions of Passport. By establishing a digital audit trail for all your assets, you can effortlessly track who has what equipment, when it was checked out, what tools are available/reserved, and when tools are due to be returned.
When you're in the field, manually taking inventory typically leads to inaccurate records and lost productivity. The Passport Mobile App for rugged, dedicated barcodes scanners, as well as Android and iOS devices, enables you to perform transactions and manage data while you work.
In addition to equipment tracking, Passport allows you to efficiently manage supplies and raw materials (no more spreadsheets or paperwork!). Inventory management software capabilities allow you to address inventory needs, such as purchase orders, reordering and bulk supply transfers, within the same system.
Increased accountability and control
Eliminate data entry errors
Maintain maintenance, repair and calibration schedules
Account for borrowed, damaged and misplaced equipment
Instantly know where items are located
Create custom barcodes and catalogs
Always have the right amount of consumables


text:
Strawberry Chocolate CupcakesDecember 30, 2011
awwww, what a sweet story 🙂 i love that you're supporting your husband and letting him fulfill his dreams, all while cooking up a storm! i'm glad you started this blog and i found you 🙂 i hope in 2012 we can meet up at FBFOrl!! happy new year, krissy! these look SO good. strawberry frosting is like a guilty pleasure of mine..i don't have it often, but when I do, I can't stop! ha 🙂
Oooh yummy! I love a simple chocolate cupcake, and the frosting is so pretty! Strawberries are best fresh, I think, so this would be perfect for me!
Simple chocolate cupcake is the way to go :)!
Thanks! 🙂 Can't wait to meet up in 2012!!
These look delicious! I've had a hard time before with runny strawberry buttercream, but this looks like the perfect consistency. They're so pretty too! Have a happy new year 🙂
Interesting recipe! Quick question, why do you sift in the sugar with the dry ingredients? Most of the time, sugar is a wet ingredient. Does it make a difference in this recipe? Just wondering! The cakes look wonderful 🙂
Hi Christina,
Because oil is the main "fat" in this recipe and not butter, there is no need to combine the sugar with the wet ingredients and cream the mixture. This recipe works best to combine the wet {eggs, milk, vanilla, oil} ingredients and then add the dry ingredients. Hope this helps :). Enjoy!
Thanks Maggie! Adding too much strawberry puree does make the buttercream too runny. However, I think I got just the right ratio :). Enjoy!
Good to know! Thanks 🙂
You have AMAZING frosting skills. I don't know how you make your cupcakes so pretty. I can't even frost one decent one. This recipe looks amazing and love your pics! Probably gonna make these soon.
Hi, I made these for my mother-in-laws bday, they are DEVINE!! Thanks for the recipe.
Just had a look around your blog, looks fabulous, can't wait to try the red velvet cupcakes!
So glad you liked them!!
Hi. I made these today (great, by the way) and then I posted on my blog about it with your photo and (a link back here to your blog). Then it occurred to me that I should have asked you before I nabbed your photo of the cupcakes! I hope it's ok?
No problem – As long as you state you got the picture from me and link back. Thanks for letting me know! I'm so happy you made & liked the cupcakes. Yours look great!
Thanks! Next time I hope the strawberries are bright red and I can skip the food coloring debacle! :-p (Thinking I should have skipped it anyway…lol)
I love this! Thanks for the recipe!
does olive oil really impact the flavor?
The oil doesn't really change the flavor, it mainly helps with keeping the cupcakes moist.
Can I substitute strawberries
hey I'm a freshman in high school and I love to bake, and since my friends are young like me we are all sugar crazy. I made these cupcakes and they all loved them! I added extra strawberries, but other than that they were amazing! Thanks 🙂
If I want to make just about 12 cupcakes, is it the ingredients is still the same? 😀
Hi Krissy. Your cupcakes look amazing. I would like to make them for for my daughter's birthday party this weekend. I am just double checking that for 24 cupcakes, 3 cups of butter is the correct measurement for the frosting. In comparison to other recipes on the internet, most do not use this much butter for the same amount of frosting, so before I head off to the store, I just wanted to check with you. Thank you!


text:
Every year, for well over a century, a village that is near where we live, in the wine-producing region of Haut-Poitou in western France, marks the end of the vendange with a fête des vignerons, a weekend of wine-related festivities and a celebration of traditional rural skills.
Typical of such events throughout France, these are quintessentially community celebrations, with a strong bias towards family and family values. They are also, of course, a perfectly valid excuse to let one's hair down and relax after the physical demands of yet another year's hard labour.
The festival features music, especially by local performers; handicrafts by local artisans; demonstrations of rural skills by, for example, the blacksmith and farrier; commercial exhibitions from the region's agricultural machinery suppliers; and, of course, plenty of food and wine.
The fête is held under the auspices of the local winemakers' confrérie, one of the 250 "brotherhoods" across France. For this, the highlight of their annual programme of charitable events, all the members attend, resplendent in their colourful robes and feathered hats. Once they have officially announced the fête open, it is then their annual duty to initiate three new members to their ranks – an honour that is greatly prized.
For many, however, the highlight occurs on the Saturday afternoon when, after a typically long, open-air communal lunch in the market square, the local children (roughly between the ages of four and 12) gather eagerly beside the ancient, and somewhat decrepit-looking village wine press.
In days gone by, a horse-drawn cart would duly arrive but now the animal has been replaced by a tractor. On the open-sided flat-bottomed hay cart is a large vigneron's barrel; almost as soon as the noisy machine comes to a halt, the kids clamber aboard.
Needless to say, the unwise suggestion from one well-meaning adult that they should sit down is treated with hoots of derision and promptly ignored, despite the fact that there appears to be astonishingly little to hold the children in. The "grown-ups" meanwhile (at least those for whom lunch was not too exhausting) prepare to follow on foot.
There was a slight delay this year as the tractor owner became suddenly indisposed, and another qualified driver had to be found – even though the chap had never driven this particular machine before. The substitute eventually managed noisily to engage first gear (or thereabouts) and the journey to the vineyards began.
The vines are located on slopes above the village, and can only be accessed by a slow drive up a rather steep and very rough track. The journey took almost an hour, but would have been somewhat quicker if the procession had not included local folk music and dance groups who, in appropriate garb, performed traditional songs and dances at regular stops along the way.
Eventually, the vines were reached. Several rows had been left unpicked during the preceding weeks and these were the target of the afternoon's junior vendange. The children – about 20 of them – jumped excitedly off the rickety wagon. They were each given a plastic bucket, and a pair of full-size, professional grape-cutting shears (although some of the small kids paired up and used one pair of sécateurs between them). A quick lesson on how to select the correct bunches and how to cut them was given, and then they were set free to gather their harvest.
The objective was simple – fill your bucket, dash back to the tractor, empty your grapes into the barrel, then go back and start cutting again. When the barrel was full, the still hyperactive children jumped back on to the wagon, hands, faces and clothes sticky with grape juice, their laughter infectious. The even more precarious descent to the village then began, but miraculously, everyone eventually arrived safely back at the market square and congregated around the venerable wine press.
In the meantime, several of the local men had been preparing the antique press for its sole annual operation, which in practice means sluicing it out with a hosepipe to ensure that any bird's nests, mice, spiders and other undesirables that have taken residence in the past 12 months are evicted.
The grapes were then transferred from the barrel into the press, and ancient (and none-too-clean) planks put across them to act as weights. The massive spokes used to turn the press were then inserted, and some of the more muscular and sober young farmers were co-opted to provide the traditional form of viticultural power.
Slowly the juice began to trickle from the base of the press into the pipe that would normally feed the vat below, but today it was diverted into empty plastic water bottles. When the last drop had been squeezed, this foul-looking, mucky liquid was given firstly to the children, who guzzled it with gusto, and then offered to those who, still recovering from lunch, drank it because they had no idea what it was, and then any other brave souls with a plentiful supply of Imodium at home. I was foolhardy enough to try it several years ago, and can thus vouch for the need of medication.
I write this while my head is still reeling from reports that the EU has decreed that under-12s may no longer blow up balloons or blow traditional party whistles because of health and safety risks.
Give me strength – or a large glass of that grape juice!
This article was originally published in the Telegraph Weekly World Edition
Do you have an expat tale to share? Email submissions of no more than 1,000 words to firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
April 12, 2011
Written by C.N.
New Books: Assimilation and Contemporary Culture
Below are a few more recently-released books that highlight Asian Americans, immigration, and/or other racial/ethnic groups along a variety of historical and contemporary sociological issues. A book's inclusion is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily mean a full endorsement of its contents.
These new titles explore various dimensions of cultural assimilation among Asian Americans and illustrate different ways in which Asian Americans are integrated into the rest of U.S. society and its institutions.
The New Chinese America: Class, Economy, and Social Hierarchy, by Xiaojian Zhao (Rutgers University Press)
The 1965 Immigration Act altered the lives and outlook of Chinese Americans in fundamental ways. The New Chinese America explores the historical, economic, and social foundations of the Chinese American community, in order to reveal the emergence of a new social hierarchy after 1965. In this detailed and comprehensive study of contemporary Chinese America, Xiaojian Zhao uses class analysis to illuminate the difficulties of everyday survival for poor and undocumented immigrants and analyzes the process through which social mobility occurs.
Through ethnic ties, Chinese Americans have built an economy of their own in which entrepreneurs can maintain a competitive edge given their access to low-cost labor; workers who are shut out of the mainstream job market can find work and make a living; and consumers can enjoy high quality services at a great bargain. While the growth of the ethnic economy enhances ethnic bonds by increasing mutual dependencies among different groups of Chinese Americans, it also determines the limits of possibility for various individuals depending on their socioeconomic and immigration status.
My Mom is a Fob: Earnest Advice in Broken English from Your Asian-American Mom, by Teresa Wu and Serena Wu (Perigree Trade Publishing)
Fob (noun)-derived from the acronym F.O.B. ("Fresh off the Boat"). Does your mom still make Peking duck instead of turkey on Thanksgiving, own a giant cleaver, or take twenty-four more napkins than she needs at Chipotle? Your mom may be a fob.
Through their hit blog "My Mom Is a Fob," Teresa and Serena Wu have seized ownership of this formerly derogatory term, applying it instead to the heartfelt, hilarious, and thoroughly unique ways that Asian mothers adapt to American culture, from the perspective of those who love them most: their children. Through texts, emails, phone calls, and more, My Mom Is a Fob showcases the stories of a community of Asian-American kids who know exactly what it's like to be on the receiving end of that amazing, unconditional, and sometimes misspelled love.
It's about those Asian mothers who refuse to get in the car without their sun-protective arm sheaths, the ones who send us passive-aggressive text messages "from the dog" in hopes that we'll call home, and email us unsolicited advice about everything from homosexuality to constipation. In these pages you'll find solace in the fact that thousands of moms out there are as painfully nosy, unintentionally hilarious, and endearingly fobby as yours is.
The Beautiful Generation: Asian Americans and the Cultural Economy of Fashion, by Thuy Linh Nguyen Tu (Duke University Press)
Since the 1990s, young Asian Americans including Doo-Ri Chung, Derek Lam, Thakoon Panichgul, Alexander Wang, and Jason Wu have emerged as leading fashion designers. They have won prestigious awards, been chosen to head major clothing labels, and had their designs featured in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and other fashion magazines. At the same time that these designers were rising to prominence, the fashion world was embracing Asian chic. During the 1990s, "Asian" shapes, fabrics, iconography, and colors filled couture runways and mass-market clothing racks.
In The Beautiful Generation, Thuy Linh Nguyen Tu explores the role of Asian American designers in New York's fashion industry, paying particular attention to how they relate to the garment workers who produce their goods and to Asianness as a fashionable commodity. She draws on conversations with design students, fashion curators, and fashion publicists; interviews with nearly thirty Asian American designers who have their own labels; and time spent with those designers in their shops and studios, on their factory visits, and at their fashion shows. The Beautiful Generation links the rise of Asian American designers to historical patterns of immigration, racial formation, and globalized labor, and to familial and family-like connections between designers and garment workers.
Race for Citizenship: Black Orientalism and Asian Uplift from Pre-Emancipation to Neoliberal America, by Helen Jun (New York University Press)
Helen Heran Jun explores how the history of U.S. citizenship has positioned Asian Americans and African Americans in interlocking socio-political relationships since the mid nineteenth century. Rejecting the conventional emphasis on 'inter-racial prejudice,' Jun demonstrates how a politics of inclusion has constituted a racial Other within Asian American and African American discourses of national identity.
Race for Citizenship examines three salient moments when African American and Asian American citizenship become acutely visible as related crises: the 'Negro Problem' and the 'Yellow Question' in the mid- to late 19th century; World War II-era questions around race, loyalty, and national identity in the context of internment and Jim Crow segregation; and post-Civil Rights discourses of disenfranchisement and national belonging under globalization.
Taking up a range of cultural texts—the 19th century black press, the writings of black feminist Anna Julia Cooper, Asian American novels, African American and Asian American commercial film and documentary—Jun does not seek to document signs of cross-racial identification, but instead demonstrates how the logic of citizenship compels racialized subjects to produce developmental narratives of inclusion in the effort to achieve political, economic, and social incorporation. Race for Citizenship provides a new model of comparative race studies by situating contemporary questions of differential racial formations within a long genealogy of anti-racist discourse constrained by liberal notions of inclusion.
The American Dream in Vietnamese, by Nhi T. Lieu (University of Minnesota Press)
In her research on popular culture of the Vietnamese diaspora, Nhi T. Lieu explores how people displaced by war reconstruct cultural identity in the aftermath of migration. Embracing American democratic ideals and consumer capitalism prior to arriving in the United States, postwar Vietnamese refugees endeavored to assimilate and live the American Dream. In The American Dream in Vietnamese, she claims that nowhere are these fantasies played out more vividly than in the Vietnamese American entertainment industry.
Lieu examines how live music variety shows and videos, beauty pageants, and Web sites created by and for Vietnamese Americans contributed to the shaping of their cultural identity. She shows how popular culture forms repositories for conflicting expectations of assimilation, cultural preservation, and invention, alongside gendered and classed dimensions of ethnic and diasporic identity.
The American Dream in Vietnamese demonstrates how the circulation of images manufactured by both Americans and Vietnamese immigrants serves to produce these immigrants' paradoxical desires. Within these desires and their representations, Lieu finds the dramatization of the community's struggle to define itself against the legacy of the refugee label, a classification that continues to pathologize their experiences in American society.
Author Citation
Copyright © 2001- by C.N. Le. Some rights reserved.
Suggested reference: Le, C.N. . "New Books: Assimilation and Contemporary Culture" Asian-Nation: The Landscape of Asian America. <http://www.asian-nation.org/headlines/2011/04/new-books-assimilation-contemporary-culture/> ().
Short URL: http://www.asian-nation.org/headlines/?p=1741
Translate Into Another Language


text:
"Data is more valuable than gold"
in the datacenter Darmstadt
- WAGNER Group
- Solutions
- Products
- News
- Press
- Careers
- Contact
WAGNER is your specialist for innovative and individual fire protection concepts. With the expertise and experience of around 40 years, we offer our customers a full range of fire protection solutions based on our principle "everything from one source", from planning to design, to installation and 24-hour-service. WAGNER offers an award-winning and worldwide successfully established very early fire detection and effective extinguishing technology with inert gases. Learn more about our progressive fire prevention OxyReduct® which prevents a fire from breaking out and developing.


text:
When I asked for Reader Photo Requests last week, Meredith and Joe asked to see more of my day-to-day life. Sometimes things that seem so ordinary to me might be interesting to someone else, like my neighborhood.
I love my neighborhood! It's very family-oriented and everyone always says "buenos días" when they see me walking down the street. The best part about it is the parks. Even though Cancun is a tropical tourist destination, the downtown area (where the locals live) is surprisingly low on green areas and parks. We do have some great ones, but they are few and far between throughout the city. My neighborhood is one of the few exceptions! We have a small park on every corner, along with 3 large ones.
Here are some pics of the little park by my street.Whenever I walk by and see the palm trees, I remember I'm in paradise. (Minus the brown patches of grass and the middle-school graffiti, of course.)
**I apologize for the less-than-stellar photo quality. I snapped these on my way back from work while holding my gym bag and purse.**
What's the best thing about your neighborhood?


text:
Posted by JohnDeereJimOhio on December 30, 2012 at 21:19:07 from (18.104.22.168):
In Reply to: Re: John Deere G aftermarket aluminum radiator posted by jd b puller on December 30, 2012 at 20:28:07:
I found one on eBay this is what it says, think it would be enough capacity?
Specifics and Benefits:
Stronger & Higher Capacity for Coolant than Stock UnitsMade of High Quality Full T-6061 Aluminum ConstructionDirect Bolt-On OEM Fitment or ReplacementHigh Performance Euro Spec. 3-Row Racing DesignOverall Size: 14.50" x 16.50" x 2.00"Core Size: 14.25" x 13.75" x 2.00"Inlet/Outlet: 1.25"/ 1.25"Improves cooling by 35 - 45% Temp.100% Brand New I think this would be enough, I may be getting talked into a water pump and electric fan as well I just need to figure out how to run my alternator..
Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Optional Video Title:
Optional Video Embed:
Advanced Posting Options
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.


text:
London (Dec. 11)
As a result of the recent talks between Secretary of State Byrnes and Foreign Secretary Bevin, the United States has agreed not to make any unilateral statements on Palestine without prior consultation with the British Government, it was reported here today.
An informed source said that this did not indicate any change in U.S. policy on Palestine, but was only intended to integrate the activities of both countries on the Holy Land issue.
A resolution calling on the British Government to influence the United Nations to reach a solution of the problem of displaced Jews by their absorption in Palestine and other countries, was adopted here today by the annual meeting of the Anglo-Jewish Fellowship, the British counterpart of the American Council for Judaism.
The resolution stressed that the sufferings of the displaced Jews had led to acts of violence, not in accord with the Jewish tradition, to "illegal traffic in desperate human beings and a deterioration in the relationships between Jews and non-Jews everywhere." It also appealed to the government to distinguish between political Zionism and Judaism and to refrain from using the term "Jew" in connection with acts of violence "condemned by religious Jews everywhere," in Parliamentary debates, government reports and White Papers.


text:
I love weddings where the bride and groom let their personalities shine through. Like at Nikki & Blake's wedding. And Charlene & Ron's wedding. And Liz & Ryan's wedding. Whether it's cultural heritage, favorite things, or items that speak to your relationship, anything that shares pieces of you are perfect complements to your wedding day.
So I thought I'd share photos from our wedding to show what I mean. I guess you could say I'm putting my money where my mouth is. Is that how it goes? I'm TERRIBLE with American idioms. But that's a subject for a whole other post!
Cent and I met at Disneyworld, so after we were engaged, on a trip to Disneyland, I picked up these bride and groom Mickey hats.
And had our names embroidered. A pair of Mickey ears is incomplete without your name on the back!
I DIY-ed our programs and used the monogram of sorts from our invitations on the front of our program.
In addition to honoring my heritage and doing the Filipino traditions of Cord, Veil, and Coins, we also jumped the broom.
I have a feeling that Jumping the Broom will become even more popular with the movie coming out this weekend. Back when we were planning the online resources were few and far between!
Our bridal party was awesome. Enough said.
So the groom's cake was a surprise for Cent. We had talked about it, but never really set it in stone. I had casually asked him what his favorite video game and system was…and this was brought to life:
Yes, we had a blue cake. I encourage brides to think outside of the white cake box and be bold! When Nikki told me her cake was going to be orange I was so excited. I told her mine had been blue! I totally get brides who love thinking outside the box.
Each of our tables were marked with Disney Movies instead of numbers. The head table was Lilo & Stitch. Other tables included The Lion King, Dumbo, Aladdin, and The Little Mermaid.
And below you'll see at every place setting a Martha Stewart paper pom pom. I must have made at least 200, and at the time I didn't know how I wanted to use them. I just gave bags full to our coordinator. I love that they became napkin rings. Later, the girls put them in their hair! See my tutorial here.
I'm a huge believer that your wedding should be about YOU, the bride and groom. I think that your personalities and relationship should be reflected through and through. With hints of who you were, who you are, and who you will become as a couple. There are so many way that this can be done – from the invitations to the ceremony to the favors and all the elements of the reception. And this doesn't mean that your wedding has to be grandiose, I've totally seen weddings where most of the items were DIY projects that turned out beautifully. Having DIY'ed some of the items for our wedding, I will say that DIY-ing is not for the faint of heart – it's A LOT of work! But when done right, definitely worth the effort.
So let your personalities shine!
Happy Thursday!
[All photos by Travis Hoehne]
A new series I'm participating in: Thursday Tips! Check out these posts for photography advice and be sure to visit Lauren at Every Last Detail, Jenna & Elizabeth at Little Bit Heart, Becky at Bowties and Bliss, Lauren at Love Milk and Honey, Mel at The Oceanside Bride, Colleen at Soundtrack To I Do, Shay Cochrane Photography, and Stremel Photography for more great wedding planning tips + more.
what next?
- Share this with brides you know!
- Subscribe to our new monthly e-zine: tips from the best in the industry on creating a stress-free wedding that honors your relationship and, most importantly, building a lasting wonderful marriage. Leave a comment below or click here to sign up.
- See more inside scoop with other posts on wedding advice for brides & grooms here.


text:
Welcome to TRG Gaming
A long established outfit, TRG was founded in May of 2003 on the day that Planetside was released. Since then we have developed into a fully fledged multi-gaming community, with players from all over the world enjoying a wide variety of games and play styles. From the hardcore Planetside 2 shocktroops to the more casual sandbox style games, our members enjoy the full spectrum of gaming experiences.
While Planetside 2 is still a mainstay of our organization, we do enjoy a variety of other games. Some of the other more popular games include:
All of these games, and many more, bring a diverse playerbase to our community, allowing us to interact with each other and discuss gaming and strategy in a manner that organizations centered around a single game don't experience. While some of our members stick to one or two games, many have diversified into new games recommended by another community member, and found a new passion.
Here at TRG, that is exactly what we are about; allowing you to bring your passion for gaming into a like minded community of gamers from across the globe.
As a large, and active community of several hundred players, we do have a few ground rules to become a member of :
So if you think you can meet these requirements, then I highly encourage you to sign up for a community of gamers that wants you to join them as we continue to venture into the depths of what gaming has to offer us.
TRG Gaming


text:
|econintersect .com
FREE NEWSLETTER: Econintersect sends a nightly newsletter highlighting news events of the day, and providing a summary of new articles posted on the website. Econintersect will not sell or pass your email address to others per our privacy policy. You can cancel this subscription at any time by selecting the unsubscribing link in the footer of each email.
posted on 01 September 2016
Why Americans Turn Their Backs On Religion
by Felix Richter, Statista.com
-- this post authored by Niall McCarthy
The amount of people identifying as atheists or agnostics has increased steadily in the United States in recent years.
Along with those saying their religion "is nothing in particular", they make up 23 percent of the U.S. population. Back in 2007, it was only 16 percent. Pew Research conducted a survey to find the reasons for disaffiliating among those who were raised in religious housholds. 49 percent turned their backs on religion due to a lack of belief while 20 percent disliked organized religion.
This chart shows reasons for disaffiliating among those who were raised in religious households (2016).
You will find more statistics at Statista.
Related article: God and America
>>>>> Scroll down to view and make comments <<<<<<
Click here for Historical News Post Listing
Econintersect Contributors
This Web Page by Steven Hansen ---- Copyright 2010 - 2018 Econintersect LLC - all rights reserved


text:
As promised, here is a list of presentation sources, resources, links, recommendations and examples of sex in flash fiction. Basically, this is everything that wouldn't fit on a PowerPoint slide, plus two bonus prompts. (ooh!)
I'll post the full presentation in the next few days, but in the meantime, here are some rabbit holes to fall down.
Presentation Sources:
The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction: Tips from Editors, Teachers, and Writers in the Field. ed. Tara L. Masih. Rose Metal Press, 2009.
Adrea Kore's Guest Post on Flash Fiction. F. Dot Leonora, October 7, 2016.
"Short and Sweet: Reading and Writing Flash Fiction" by Amanda Christy Brown & Katherine Schulten. The New York Times, October, 3, 2013.
'"Flash Fiction: What's It All About?" by Becky Such. The Review Review, 2015.
Example Credits:
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur. Andrew McMeel Publishing, 2015. (p. 114) –> Word Choice.
420 Characters by Lou Beach. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011. (p. 77) –> Details
Delta of Venus by Anais Nin. Harcourt Brace Jovanavich, 1977. –> Pacing and Rhythm
"A Love Story in 18 Words" by Malin James. People. Sex. Culture. February, 2017. –> Negative Space
"Mine" by Szilvia Molnar. Quick Fiction. (Out of Print). –>Imagery
Additional Resources:
On Implication by Malin James
Tell Me a (Very Short) Story: On Plot in Flash Fiction by Malin James
What You Owe the Reader by Malin James
Stories in Your Pocket: How to Write Flash Fiction by David Gaffney
Why Write Erotic Fiction by Emmanuelle de Maupassant
Flash Fiction: A List of Resources at The Review Review
FlashFiction.Net: For Readers, Writers, Editors, Publishers & Fans of (Short) Short Fiction
Recommendations & Examples:
F. Dot Leonora's Friday Flash Meme (erotic flash fiction)
Dirty Little Numbers, ed. by Lana Fox & Angela Taveres. Go Deeper Press, 2013.
The Big Book of Orgasms, ed. Rachel Kramer Bussel. Cleis Press, 2013.
The Big Book of Submission, ed. Rachel Kramer Bussel. Cleis Press, 2014.
Gotta Have It, ed. Rachel Kramer Bussel. Cleis Press, 2012.
Sudden Fiction, ed. Robert Shapard & James Thomas. Gibbs Smith, 1983.
Bonus Prompts!
- Write a piece of erotic flash fiction, no longer than 500 words, about a mundane item of clothing. No corsets, knickers or ball gags. Think trainers and pajama pants. The challenge is to make something not sexy, sexy in as few words as possible. Added points if that sexiness gives the story resonance.
- Take a tired, done-to-death trope, like the big bad alpha or the simpering sub, and turn it on it's head. Twist the lens. Find something fresh and erotic in a scenario you've basically read to death.
ps – If you write or post anything based on these prompts, let me know – I'd love to read it.


text:
According to Lambert-Beer law, when a beam of monochromatic radiation passes through any solution, the intensity of the beam reduces to some amount. Let if I0 is the intensity of incident beam and It is the intensity of transmitted beam, then the intensity of energy absorbed Ia is given by
Ia = I0 – It
Also the amount of light intensity absorbed by the sample is directly proportional to the concentration and the thickness of the absorption material. i.e.
dI/I = – acdx …..(2)
Where dI is change in intensity after travelling through the sample, dx is the thickness of the absorption sample with concentration c and a is the proportionality constant. Where minus sign indicated that there is decrease in intensity. Integration Eq. 2 between I = I0 to I = I at x = b gives
In(I/I0) = 2.303 log(I/I0) = – abc …….(3)
The amount of intensity, when passing through any sample decreases exponentially with increase in thickness of the sample and the concentration of the medium. This phenomenon of decrease in intensity with medium and concentration is called Lambert-Beer law.


text:
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn by Square Enix
Final Fantasy XIV PS3
Editorial Review
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that invites you to explore the realm of Eorzea with friends online. This highly anticipated PlayStation 3 release expands on the 2010 PC release, Final Fantasy XIV, allowing console-based Final Fantasy fans players to enjoy a true MMO experience. Game features include: a persistent and evolving world with immersive storylines, a flexible 18 choice class system, guild-based activities, PS3 quality graphics, the choice of solo or group play, and a breathtaking musical score.
The Final Fantasy MMO arrives on PS3.
18 powerful classes that can be changed on the fly.
Now Comes the Decline of the Seventh Umbral Era
The realm of Eorzea is ancient, with a conflicted history marked by cycles of prosperous "Astral," and disastrous "Umbral" eras. Past interpretations of this led many to predict that the current Astral Era would last into eternity, but now the land stands poised to enter another age of decline, a period known as the Seventh Umbral Era. On the eastern border, the Garlean Empire masses its troops for invasion, while the native beast tribes summon their deities, the otherworldly primals. The threats facing Eorzea will not easily be overcome, but overcome they must be.
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that invites players to explore the realm of Eorzea with friends from around the world. The PlayStation 3 release is an updated version of the PC game, Final Fantasy XIV, which was originally released in 2010. In it, classic Final Fantasy type themes and environments are merged with MMORPG play mechanics as you form a party and adventure with a multitude of players from across the globe. Forge friendships, mount chocobos, and board airships as you and your companions create your own unique stories in Eorzea. Set out alone or enlist the aid of friends as you undertake epic quests, battle familiar Final Fantasy monsters, and acquire unique abilities and equipment. All the classic elements from the series that you have come to know and love are waiting. Embark on the adventure of a lifetime to help reforge the fate of Eorzea.
Key Game Features
Additional Screenshots
Become a fan of VideoGamesMall.com – Your #1 Source for Video Games, Consoles & Accessories! on Facebook for the inside scoop on latest and most popular video games.


text:
After warnings from a number of sources highlighted the current pause in the offshore drilling sector, Noble Corp. (NYSE:NE) reported solid first-quarter earnings that smashed estimates. The stock wasn't so upbeat, however, trading slightly down.
The offshore driller continues to transition the fleet to a more modern one with high specification ultra-deepwater drillships and high-specification jackups. Also, Noble is in the midst of spinning off the old standard specification rigs into a new firm called Paragon Offshore via an IPO later this year.
With the company and the market in flux, the first quarter earnings report provided some interesting insights for the stock and the offshore drilling sector.
Strong margins
Noble Corp crushed analyst estimates by producing earnings per share of $0.99 for the first quarter with expectations sitting at only $0.71. The $0.28 per share earnings beat was a result of higher margins and a market that isn't nearly as weak as the analyst community expected.
The company generated contract drilling margins of 54%, up from only 50% in the fourth quarter of 2013. The gains came from improved operating efficiency with less rig downtime at only 4.5%, operating expenses held in check despite adding new rigs, and higher bonus revenue in Brazil. The combination squeezed profits much higher than expected despite a slowdown in new contracts.
Again, these numbers highlight that the slowdown in new contracts only impacts those rigs lacking contracts. The offshore drillers with modern rigs can power through the weak period with strong profits.
Environment already improving
The company was quick to point out that the pause in offshore contracts is already turning into higher customer inquiries. In addition, the strong Gulf of Mexico auction back in March was suggestive of a strong drilling market in the future. Companies don't spend $870 million on leases for 320 tracts without planning on drilling on those sites.
To that point, Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE:FCX) was a substantial winner in that auction. Noble Corp. has two ultra-deepwater drillships still under construction with delivery dates in 2014 that are going to Freeport-McMoRan. First, the Noble Sam Croft will complete construction in May and depart for the Gulf of Mexico for a contract start time of August. Second, the Noble Tom Madden will finish construction in October and depart for the Gulf of Mexico for a contract start time of next February. Both ultra-deepwater drillships are under three-year contracts for $610,000.
For its part, Freeport-McMoran was the high bidder on 20 tracts in the Central Gulf of Mexico. Considering the company spent $330 million on those assets, the company will most certainly plan on drilling on the 106,000 acres acquired.
Reluctant to order more rigs
Noble sits in the middle of the bifurcated market with a spinoff unit of 42 rigs facing obsolescence and cold stacking and a remaining unit of mostly modern rigs. Management appears bullish on the long-term aspects of the offshore drilling market, yet it is pausing to order new rigs that wouldn't complete construction until maybe 2017 at the earliest.
At the end of this year, the company will only have one jackup rig under construction. The delivery date for this rig isn't until mid-2016.
Bottom line
The key takeaways from Noble Corp's report are that the operating environment remains strong and should continue that way for rigs with contracts. The offshore drillers without contracts still face high risks of not obtaining acceptable contract terms in the short term, but operators like Freeport-McMoRan willing to spend big on new Gulf of Mexico leases suggests the future remains bullish for offshore drilling.
Mark Holder has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


text:
Oh no, the event has ended. Don't miss out again, get the latest sales via our newsletter, Facebook, Twitter or RSS feed!
|26 Jun 2014 (Thu)
|2 Jul 2014 (Wed)
Here's Guardian's latest weekly offers featuring new weekly deals, Haze preparation offers, Dengue prevention offers, Buy 2 free 1 Hoyu Cielo Hair Color and more valid till up to 2 Jul 2014
Promotion valid till 2 July 2014 unless otherwise stated.
UOB Delight Credit Card
Enjoy daily savings with UOB Delight Card
Up to 10% rebate + 10% off house brands – Terms and conditions apply.
Earn tap points when you tap your Passion Card today!
Now till 25 Jun'14. Available at selected stores, while stocks last.
Haze preparation
Be prepared: protect your family from Haze
Items listed are Face masks, for eye irritation and for nose and throat irritation
Haze Tips
Protect your health from the haze with these tips from Guardian's friendly pharmacist:
Pay attention to local air quality updates, i.e. the hourly PSI reading. Log onto www.nea.gov.sg
Minimize outdoor activities, especially outdoor sports.
At home, use an air purifier to keep the particulate levels low.
Keep air-conditioners in tip-top working condition with regular cleaning and service.
Under severe haze conditions, wear a N95 face mask when you are outdoors.
Children should minimise outdoor activities and stay indoors when PSI levels exceed 100.
Do ensure your child gets adequate rest and fluids to keep up the immune system.
Dengue Prevention Tips
Dengue prevention tips brought to you by Guardian's friendly pharmacist:
Ensure all sources of stagnant water is removed to prevent mosquito breeding.
When outdoors, make sure children are adequately protected by using a repellant.
If you or your child has been bitten by mosquitoes, look out for symptoms of Dengue below:
- High fever
- Severe headaches
- Severe body ache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Body rash
Do seek professional advice if the above symptoms are observed.
Hoyu Cielo Hair Color
Buy 2 get 1 FREE
Promotion exclusive to Guardian
Now till 16 Jul'14.
Available at selected stores, while stocks last.
Listed are
- Hoyu Cielo Hair Color Cream
- Hoyu Cielo Hair Color Mousse
- Hoyu Cielo Hair Color Milky
Some items listed are
- Antimos 2-in1 Repellant
- Hansaplast Insect Repellant Spray
- Off! Clip-on Mosquito Repellant
- Alcon Tears Naturale Free Lubricant Eye Drops
- Refresh Plus Lubricant Eye Drops
- Panadol Cough & Cold
27 Jun
Guardian Super Sale
Buy 2 get 1 – Check in-store for details.
Mix & match within your favourite beauty brands
Lowest price item is free
Promotion valid till 2 Jul'14, while stocks last.
1 day special
Tomorrow, 28 June 2014 – 1 day special at all Guardian stores
Scotts Multivitamins & Minerals
Pampers 3 for $54.50 U.P $25.90 each
Come down to Marina Square Atrium from 27th June to 29th June to Enjoy Great Deals and Fun Activities
Some items added are
- Abbott Similac Follow On Intelli Pro
- Physiogel Cleanser
- QV Cream
- Redoxon Double Action Effervescent Orange
- Guardian Japan BeautiScience DHA 800
- Guardian Japan BeautiScience Chorella Tablets
- Guardian Digital Ear Thermometer
- Guardian Blood Pressure Monitor
Other terms and conditions apply.
See ad images for price list and more details
Click on thumbnail[s] to enlarge. Sales on until 2 Jul 2014.
(Updated 27 Jun with "27 Jun Scotts 1 Day Special, Neutrogena Deep Clean, Pampers Promotion, Similac, Complete, Redoxon", "27 Jun Buy 2 Get 1 Mix n Match" and "27 Jun Buy 1 Get 1 Free Mix n Match, Best Buys Guardian Home Brand Products" images)
Get a FREE American Tourister Caravan 70cm TSA luggage (worth S$260) (with min spend) and 2-years annual fees waiver when you sign up for a HSBC Revolution credit card at www.hsbc.com.sg.


text:
What makes The Closet Stylists wardrobe specialists?
FASHION + FUNCTION = FABULOUSHaving a busy life is like running a marathon: if you don't lay the proper groundwork, you'll never get to the finish line! That's why the need for wardrobe organization has never been greater. Being able to get dressed and leave your home quickly is something we can all relate to, and if we can do it looking like we had an A-list stylist lurking in our closets, even better!
Enter The Closet Stylist, a unique service-oriented business formed in 2007 by L.A.-based Joanne Levien. By combining her love for fashion and flair for organization, Joanne knew she could have an impact on people's lives through her streamlined approach of wardrobe editing and organization.
It was this very desire to assist women and men with her personal wardrobes that this idea was born. The concept of an in-home service to organize the clutter while identifying the strengths and gaps of a client's closet was something Joanne felt passionate about. What she discovered is through the cleaning process "closet therapy" would occur. What's closet therapy? Well Joanne says it's the process of coming to terms with getting rid of negative energy in the closet. If it doesn't fit or doesn't make you feel good then get rid of it! If its something positive and you don't need it repurpose it! Joanne understood that by spending time going through a client's closet and drawers with a fine tooth comb, she would be able to create a customized style plan that add clarity and definition to each person's wardrobe.
After organizing, editing, and assessing a client's wardrobe, Joanne, the Closet Stylist then recommends what to keep, donate, sell or re-purpose. Through this process most experience what she calls "closet therapy." The final step is advising her clients how to enjoy, love and make use of what Joanne already own. By offering the following services: Closet Organizing, Wardrobe Audits, Fashion Makeovers, Personal Shopping, Re-inventing Existing Clothing, and Closet Design Consulting, Joanne makes it easy for her clients to get the most fashion value for their dollar in today's chaotic economic climate. Joanne encourages her clients to shop in their own closet (a little something Joanne refer to as 'smart shopping') and make a list of what the client needs so the client don't develop amnesia once they're in the store. You may not have control of what is going on in the world, but you DO have control of what is going on in your closet! Her motto is, "Control the clutter, don't let it control you!"
Whether your style is chic, edgy, sexy or sporty or somewhere in between, The Closet Stylist will redefine your closet to function as an extension of your lifestyle and personality. Your closet will be red-carpet ready, even if you're just running to Pilates!