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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — As we close out the dog days of summer, vacations have begun to wind down and investors are returning to the market. And while we managed to avoid the extreme volatility that has plagued stocks in recent summers, economic and political uncertainty still loom ahead, putting many investors at a crossroads as we wrap up the year.
Time to hit the books
• Do interest rates rise before elections?
• The pair trade as defensive front
• A strategy neither party can mess up
• Looking for yield in all the other places
• All that's gold, glitters
• Follow insider option action to profits
• 3 stocks for the back-to-school season
• September is a downer
MFS Investments strategist Mike Roberge discusses the continuing risks of a China slowdown, a euro breakup and the U.S. fiscal cliff with MarketWatch's Jonathan Burton.
For one, September and October are historically tough months for the market, but this fall we could see investors adopt a bullish tone if the Federal Reserve does deliver another round of quantitative easing (QE3). The picture has gotten a bit murkier, with minutes from the last Fed meeting showing support for easing, but Fed Governor James Bullard saying it may not be needed after the stronger data on unemployment and housing was recently released. Presidential elections are also very positive forces for stocks historically, and the election-year pattern has played out almost to a "T" so far this year.
Alternatively, the ominous U.S. fiscal cliff has businesses expecting drastic cuts in spending and tougher regulations, causing them to delay hiring and hold off on expanding business through research and development spending and mergers and acquisitions. And while the tone in Europe has been more cooperative in recent weeks, businesses and investors still remain wary of more bad news there, since there are still a lot of details that need to be worked out.
Now there's no doubt that investors are anxious about re-entering the market, especially in an environment where growth opportunities seem few and far between. But regardless of the uncertainty up ahead, there is still money to be made. So, as the fall back-to-school season picks up, I'd like to share three stocks that I expect to do well in this environment.
Estee Lauder's on a roll
If there's one company that really knows what it's doing, it's Estee Lauder EL, -0.02% This global cosmetics company is thriving during, and even because of, the tough economic times, in part due to what EL's chairman characterized as the "Lipstick Index." Simply put, when times are tough, women trade in expensive cosmetic procedures and upscale clothing and accessories for over-the-counter skin creams and powders and, you guessed it, lipstick. In an industry that is inversely related to the economy, business is thriving at this makeup powerhouse. And even when things do start to pick up, I still see continued strength for EL ahead.
Let's start with earnings. EL knocked one out of the park this month when it reported second-quarter earnings that exceeded investors' expectations and provided a strong outlook for the year ahead. Revenues increased 10% to $9.72 billion, and all four of its segments — skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care — showed year-over-year gains. Operating income also jumped 20%, to $1.37 billion, and the company's business in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa saw revenues grow by 11%.
Looking ahead, Estee Lauder plans to increase its gross margin in 2013 through higher prices and a more diverse product mix. It will also increase spending on global advertising and expects higher operating margins of almost 15% through cost reductions.
Estee Lauder has also done what many competitors have not; it has gained a successful market share in China. China has been the fastest growing beauty and personal-care market in the last decade, but it also has very high barriers to entry when it comes to foreign cosmetics. EL has had success in China through strong airport retail expansion and online channels. And with purchases of cosmetics at just $19 per capita in China (compared to $229 per capita in the U.S.), there is plenty of room for growth even if China does experience a slowdown.
And with a portfolio of brands that include Aramis, Clinique, M.A.C., and Aveda, as well global licenses for products under designer names like Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan, Michael Kors and Coach, I see lots of growth and opportunity ahead for Estee Lauder. The bottom line is that this cosmetics brand looks to be a great pick, both at the store and in the market.
Dick's Sporting Goods has wide appeal
Nothing spells back to school like sports equipment and apparel, and at Dick's Sporting Goods DKS, -1.92% consumers are finding all of this and more as they stock up for the fall. DKS is America's top sports footwear-and-apparel chain, with 486 stores nationwide. Dick's has tapped into the need for luxury sporting goods at reasonable prices, and in locations that have appealing layouts.
The store has also been smart about expanding. We saw the damage that growing too fast wreaked on Starbucks a few years back, and Dick's has been careful to avoid the same pitfalls associated with accelerated growth. DKS opened 36 new stores in 2011, and will open an additional 40 more by year-end in the western United States, where it does not yet have a strong presence. That's a healthy 8% growth rate, especially as many companies are holding back on expanding right now.
Dick's also stands out from its competition due to its strategic market positioning. For one, Dick's targets more affluent customers by merchandising outdoor activities like golfing, hunting and fishing. It also features select brand kiosks in its stores, like Under Armour and Nike, which take advantage of trends. And since the company does not heavily discount its products, it does not have to compete with discount machines like Wal-Mart.
DKS also exceeded second-quarter expectations, raising earnings expectations from $2.45–$2.48 per share to $2.47–$2.51. Same-store sales also increased a healthy 4%, and the company announced a solid $0.125 quarterly dividend — still better than a CD return. With its strategy of smart growth intact and a targeted customer base, I anticipate continued strength during the back-to-school season and as holiday shopping revs up.
Unilever offers a strong defense
Last up is Unilever UN, -0.07% a great defensive play in this uncertain global economy. For starters, Unilever is a British-Dutch company that has adapted quickly to the dramatic political and economic changes in the euro zone in the past few years. Companies with exposure to Europe are facing headwinds, but Unilever has been able to weather the storm well, in part due to its European roots.
Next, as the world's leading supplier of fast-moving consumer goods, Unilever has a loyal customer base that, similar to Estee Lauder, sticks with its products in times of economic weakness. And the company certainly produces its share of back-to-school goods, with operations in more than 100 countries and sales of 190 goods that are used more than two billion times a day around the world.
Look around. You probably have more Unilever brands within your reach than you know, as they include Ben & Jerry's, Good Humor, Breyers, Caress, Dove, Lipton, Q-tips, Ragu, Skippy, Vaseline and Wish-Bone, just to name a few. And let's not underestimate the value of weight-loss stalwart Slimfast and butter replacement Shedd's Spread Country Crock, and, of course, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!
Unilever reported first-half results in July that showed consistent performance despite challenges in the market. Sales grew 7% in the first half of 2012, and emerging markets saw underlying sales growth of 11.4% in the first two quarters. Earnings per share were up 6%, at 0.76 euros, with an expected 0.80 euros for the second half of 2012.
Unilever is poised to excel no matter which way the global economy goes. If we continue to see weakness, investors will load up on this safe and sustainable stock. If we see growth, Unilever will move with the market. Due to its diverse product lineup, UN is less vulnerable to seasonal changes that impact other consumer products, like the drought that is taking a toll on Procter & Gamble, Kraft Foods Inc, and General Mills.
Shares of UN will be supported by back-to-school and holiday shopping, and any progress in Europe could also give the stock a boost. In the meantime, UN's solid 2.9% dividend offers another great reason to invest.
As of this writing, Hilary Kramer does not own a position in any of the aforementioned stocks.
Hilary Kramer is the editor of three weekly investing services for individual investors GameChangers, Breakout Stocks Under $10 and High Octane Stocks.
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New Nine Inch Nails Album on the Way
With all the awards and nominations Trent Reznor has been receiving for his soundtrack work on both 'The Social Network' and 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,' it was beginning to look like the industrial-rock king had found an entire new career. But get your heads out of those holes, Nine Inch Nails fans — Reznor now says he will devote 2012 to writing a new NIN album.
In a new interview with Billboard, Reznor insists that the time is right to pen new material for what would be NIN's first album since 2008′s 'The Slip.' "My voice as a songwriter feels like it needs to speak up or at least work out a little bit to not atrophy," he explains. "I think I have something to say that feels unique to who I am right now, and that's when it tells me it's time to do something."
He adds that he thought about recording a new disc under a different name than Nine Inch Nails, but in the end decided to keep the NIN monicker alive. "At the moment it's going to live in the Nine Inch Nails column, for a few reasons," he remarks. "I enjoy the challenge of moving that kind of brand forward, that identity, shaping it to who I am now instead of who I was a few years ago when I last left off."
That said, the immediate future will see Reznor donning his soundtrack hat, as he attends the Golden Globes on Sunday. He and his writing partner Atticus Ross are nominated for Best Original Score for their work on 'Dragon Tattoo.'

subset: commoncrawl


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Summit League Women: Week 3
As we reach the third weekend of play in Summit League women's basketball, things look very familiar at the top of the standings.
South Dakota State, the defending Summit League regular season post season tournament champ, is the lone unbeaten team at 4-0. The Jackrabbits are on the road today playing at Ft. Wayne. SDSU is led by the Summit League Player of the Month Ashley Eide. The former Washington High School standout is averaging 15 points per game and has led her team in scoring eight times in 17 games this season, including five of the last six.
IUPUI and South Dakota each only have one loss. The Jaguars have the highest scoring offense in the league, thanks to a balanced attack with a trio of players averaging in double figures (DeAirra Goss – 14 points per game, Kerah Nelson – 13, and Katie Comello 10). IUPUI is off today. The Coyotes are led by Australian import Nicole Seekamp's 16 points per game. USD is also the number one team in the Summit League in rebounding, grabbing on average nine more rebounds than their opponents per game. The Coyotes are at last place Kansas City today.


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Ministry to help ex-staff of Bahrain Air
Manama, April 25, 2013
Bahrain's Labour Ministry is aiming to find employment for Bahrain Air staff who lost their jobs when the airline went into voluntary liquidation, a report said.
A total of 345 workers were affected when the company announced it would immediately suspended all operations two months ago, according to a report in the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.
The airline said the decision was taken due to massive losses as a result of unrest in 2011, which led to profitable routes being cancelled and a drop in passenger traffic through Bahrain.
The airline earlier confirmed that former staff will get 24 days' pay for every year they worked for the carrier plus leave and indemnity for foreign employees.
The legal liquidator Mourad Consultancy is handling the airline's financial responsibilities and has already paid half of the staff their dues, 40 per cent of them last month and 10 per cent last week.
The remaining 50 per cent are due to be paid once the company sells off its assets.
The Bahrain Air Trade Union (BATU) had initially been holding out for full payment of end-of-term packages, but said it reluctantly agreed to the deal because ex-employees were facing massive difficulties and urgently needed cash.
"The new development is that the Labour Ministry has started calling former staff members in to collect CVs," said BATU chairman Abdull Raoof.
"The Labour Ministry is calling about 10 employees every day to check CVs and conduct interviews to help find out the best profession suited according to each person's experience and field of expertise.
"They have been presenting them with choices but until now there are no results as they only started on Sunday.
"Those in marketing, sales and public relations will be able to find work more easily as they are not limited to the aviation sector which is very good news but I don't know what they will do with the others like the cabin crew."
Raoof welcomed ministry attempts to help those out of work to find new jobs.
"There are other employees who have been looking for work and many of them have to resort to employment agencies, but they are telling me some horrible news," he said.
"These agencies are offering work, but the salaries that they will be given are almost half as much as the company they would work in would pay.
"Also if they sign up with one of these employment agencies their contract will be with the agency not the company they will work for."
The previously reported that several cases have been filed against the airline for incurred debts exceeding BD2 million ($5.27 million).
A case was also filed against Bahrain Air last month demanding it switch its closure status from voluntary liquidation to bankruptcy, a court decision has yet to be made.
Around 22,000 people with airline tickets are expected to be refunded once the remaining staff have been compensated, however, no timeframe has been given about how long it will take. – TradeArabia News Service


text: Leeds - South African captain Graeme Smith says the current Proteas team is the best group of men he has been involved with and they are determined to become the best Test team in the world."I'm not going to try to be nice about it, we are training every day to try to be that team," Smith said on the eve of the second Test against England at Headingley."We need to walk that walk and go out to the middle and win those games to prove that to people. "Our mindset is that we would love to be holders of that title."Smith, who has captained South Africa in Test matches since 2003, was asked whether the current team was the best he had led."I think so," was his reply. "We've got most of our bases covered and as a group of men, certainly it is the best group of men that I have been around."South Africa will take the No 1 ranking from England if they win at Headingley to clinch the three-match series, following their innings and 12 runs victory in the first Test at the Oval.Smith acknowledged that there was a tight battle at the top of the rankings, with several teams in contention, all wanting to open some space between themselves and the next team. "That's the challenge for all of us, to try and get that gap. Cricket is exciting at the moment because of it. All the teams are tight and every series is exciting to watch among the top teams. "Our goal is to push forward, as is England's. If we are the team that could push forward and play consistently at the top level, that's our goal along with every other team."However, Smith's opposite number Andrew Strauss admitted that England are set on making up for the disappointment of the Oval."There's quite a steely determination to put on a better showing here this week," he said."Clearly we were disappointed with the way we played at The Oval. There were some regrets about the way we played."I've always felt, certainly when I've been with an England side, that when you've had a loss like that it drives people to really come out with something special the week after. "There have been some good examples of that in the last couple of years, and I'm expecting something similar this week."Smith's challenge is different as he seeks another top performance from his team. He said a long flight to Cape Town between Tests for the birth of his daughter Cadence had given him time for reflection. "Thirteen or fourteen hours alone allows you to put in perspective what you've been through and get yourself in a space for focusing on preparation.""We just want to win the game, you don't focus on winning by an innings or having someone score 300, those are wonderful moments as a team to be part of but we've had enough time between games to come back to earth and refocus on what we want to achieve as a team. "We understand coming to Headingley that it is a very different mindset being able to play and be successful here. "We're also very respectful of England and and we're certainly not taking anything for granted."


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Tagged: kid
In the corner of a house there's a room full of books. Big books, small books, books full of color and books full of black. No one could possibly read every book in this room full of books, surely; there are books about cooking, books about history, books about dinosaurs and books about what Sally did on holiday when she met Harry. No one could be interested in all of these books enough to read them all, cover to cover. But no one minded if no one did, because someone read some of these books and read them cover to cover. A kid.
A kid? Of course a kid, what else but a kid. Scrawny and white, all pale and shy, with dark brown hair and bespectacled eye. A kid in form, in mind and in wit, a kid whose heart and mind was lit by literature and writings, all ordered and free. For no one would push back the pages they read, and no one would pinch or say what they said, for in this room in the corner of a house this kid read alone as hushed as a mouse.
As they read alone in this room so quiet, in their mind the world was a colorful riot- what wonder, what power! What passion, what sorrow! How they smiled at the thought of what words had to follow. This is faith, this is light, this is everything right! So the kid read through each day and waited each night.
Time, though, wraps its chain onto every living soul, and as time carried on so the kid became old. Soon gone were the days that they could fill with written page- the rat race soon came forward for those of their age.
The day that it came the kid ran, feeling dread, for the world was not the way that literature had said. Right had no sway on the evil that walked, and the kid needed teaching in rules that weren't taught. The way of kindness was hollowed with every mistrust; for every step that the kid took, their faith began to rust. Every lesson took heart until the heart gave no more. The kid wandered and stumbled and never found whatever for.
You should be more like him, but less like them, they said, in a loud and righteous cry. You should worship her and him and be grateful for their time, they said with suspicion and fire in their eye. You should be strong, they said, you should be funny. You should know all this.
Why can't you be more like them? The kid asked themselves, unable to answer. Why couldn't you learn? The kid asked again, still unable to answer. Why did you turn out this way? The kid cried, over and over, still unable to answer. What good has come of all the time that you spent? They all asked, again and again, and each time the kid was unable to answer.
Until the heart had enough and took everything it had. It screamed to the kid and drove the kid mad. It chased the kid back to the room full of books. It hid from the sky, and the world, and the looks.
In this room full of books, full of memory and peace, the kid found their smile, and the heart its release. Alone in this room of accordance and dreams, together they could hope, reflect and believe. The kid's story was written and the kid had grown old, but its words can be read again, and the story re-told. Believe in this heart, wherever it may lead, the kid told themselves. Believe in all the good from the things that you read. Believe and be kind, whether you see or remain blind, for this world will forever remain empty and hollow without a song to be sung and dreams it can follow.
And with that, the kid walked into the world once, knowing nothing of strength or of love, or what for. But the words in the room that raised them remain, and what good is a hero without troubles to be slain?


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Consensus Report
Transforming Agricultural Education for a Changing World (2009)Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources
Each report is produced by a committee of experts selected by the Academy to address a particular statement of task and is subject to a rigorous, independent peer review; while the reports represent views of the committee, they also are endorsed by the Academy. Learn more on our expert consensus reports.
Many of today's major challenges -- including energy security, national security, human health, and climate change -- are closely tied to the global food and agriculture enterprise. Academic institutions with programs in agriculture are in a perfect position to foster the next generation of leaders and professionals needed to address these challenges, but many institutions have struggled to keep pace with changing times. At the request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the Farm Foundation, and the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, the National Research Council convened a committee to examine ways to effect change in undergraduate agricultural education to attract top students and prepare them for the challenges of tomorrow. The committee's report identifies nine steps institutions can take to better meet the needs of students, employers, and the broader society. For more information, please visit http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/
Key Messages
- If institutions of higher learning do not address the changes needed, their colleges and departments of agriculture may eventually become irrelevant. Their graduates will have difficulty in keeping up with the changing needs of society and in securing stable careers.
- Many of the colleges have not fully recognized that changes have also taken place in their own educational institutions
- The diverse and broader student body is generally unaware of the multi-dimensional and challenging nature of the agricultural disciplines and the exciting career opportunities open to them, despite evidence that many students have an interest in a variety of scientific, business, economic, environmental, and social issues related to food and agriculture.


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U.S. News
Maryland: Baby Boomers Unknowingly Infected With Hepatitis C
July 13, 2012
Adapted from:
Maryland health officials are working to get more people, especially baby boomers, tested for hepatitis C virus. Current guidelines call for testing those with risk factors such as previous drug use. CDC has proposed revising the guidelines to recommend HCV testing for everyone born between 1945 and 1965.
In Baltimore, the health department has hired an epidemiologist dedicated to HCV cases. Large numbers of cases have been reported by labs and health care providers, and there were not enough staffers to follow up. "It is a prevalent problem," said Evelyn Rodriguez, deputy commissioner for communicable diseases at the Baltimore City Health Department.
The new epidemiologist will make improvements in disease-tracking to determine the scope of the problem. Outbreaks will be identified to curb the spread of HCV, and residents will be educated about the virus. If the disease is detected and treated, there can be fewer life-threatening complications such as liver cancer.
One in 30 baby boomers has HCV, and most do not know it, according to CDC. Boomers account for more than 75 percent of cases and are five times more likely than other adults to be infected.
Health problems associated with HCV have been increasing for the last decade, and they are projected to grow even more rapidly in coming years if the disease is not better controlled, CDC says. The rate for successful treatment used to be less than 30 percent but is now as high as 80 percent.
CDC estimates that screening all baby boomers would reveal an additional 800,000 infected people and save 120,000 lives.
Baltimore Sun
07.06.12; Andrea K. Walker
This article was provided by CDC National Prevention Information Network. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update.
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Nationally Accredited Undergraduate and Graduate Social Work Degree Programs
U.S. News & World Report Ranks CSU Graduate Programs Among Best in the Nation. The School of Social Work appeared in U.S. News & World Report's 2015 Best Grad Schools along with other CSU Graduate programs. "These rankings are evidence of our strong faculty, academic programs and research visibility. I am confident that our reputation will only continue to grow. Congratulations to all for this tremendous succes," said President Berkman.
Visit grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools to view complete article.


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Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 1:34 am
Tomahawk Leader Message Boards
I've heard of this group. They have come to Minnesota and been met with restraining orders. There is nothing at all Christ like in what they are doing.Originally posted by Dopey Dwarf:
I was wondering if anyone heard of this group and wondering why there has not been a stop to their activities.
Aphephilia, to set the record straight, there is a difference between hating smokers/fat people and hating smoking and over eating. I for one hate no one. Hate hurts the hater the most. It can eat you up.Originally posted by aphephilia:
Hate groups are wrong...ALL hate groups, even "I Hate Smokers" groups and "I Hate Fat People" groups. .......The good ole USA, land of the free???? not anymore (if ever)
home of the brave? most definitely
I am glad that Kerry mentioned the group of Vets. The group of Vets mentioned are more than likely the Patriot Guard. The group is made up of Vets and civilians who love this Country. I have seen them mentioned in the news several times throughout WI. After reading through their website, I seen one part where they attended a funeral for a Vet and they were the only ones attending. I guess the Vet had no family left or whatever the circumstance was, either way somebody was there as it should be. They also attend Military homecomings if I remember correctly.Originally posted by Kerry Tobin:
I've heard about the group mentioned above. Fortunately there is a group of Vets that also will attend funerals as requested and sing to drown out and hide this group.
It's sad that there are people insane enough to not allow a family their time to grieve.


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AfriGeneas Genealogy and History Forum Archive
Re: Witherspoon Cemetery (Black)
In Response To: Re: Witherspoon Cemetery (Black) ()
No. I have no information on Shep. No more than he is supposed to be my great grandfather's brother. I requested a Death Certificate for Will Witherspoon, my great grandfather,and was told by Vital Records in Columbia, SC, that they did not have a death certificate on him. They said the undertaker did not submit one. Will Witherspoon is the one I am searching.
Do you have information on Shep Witherspoon? I would love to have it if you do. I have check the census and only found one Shep in Lancaster County, SC in 1880. I am asumming this is him.
Messages In This Thread


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Player32 wrote:I use PhotoBucket.com
It's free and they hold BIG pictures of mine. I'd recommend giving in a try.
... and, seeing as you offered migya a sig and he didn't take it, would you be willing to make one for Player32 now that you're free?
I'll can give u the JR dunk one, I have compressed it to 750K, I'll post it on my blog and personal mail u the address. save it on your computer from there and if u are able to post it then u have to help me post mine.
I can compress it even more but the colors will be horrible.


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Katie Holmes is dating Jamie Foxx?
Don't believe everything you read, kids — just because the "Django Unchained" star danced with Suri's mom in public in August doesn't mean anything else has been going on since then.
The rumors "are 100% not true," Foxx told "Entertainment Tonight" on Tuesday. "In fact, it's quite hilarious because we simply danced at a charity event along with a lot of other people."
PHOTOS: Hollywood backlot moments
Foxx is also good friends with Tom Cruise, Holmes' ex, whom he worked with on the 2004 movie "Collateral."
So how did the rumor start? With a story early Tuesday by InTouch magazine, which claimed multiple sources backing up the notion that Holmes, 34, and Foxx, 45, were a couple.
"Katie and Jamie have been dating for a while," one supposed insider told the mag, following up with the très quotable, "They're very 'Mission: Impossible' about their romance."
Holmes and Cruise split last summer, with their quick and quiet divorce final in August 2012.
Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner welcome second child, a baby boy
Rielle Hunter is sorry for that John Edwards affair — very, very sorry
Kris Humphries auctions off Kim Kardashian's engagement ring for $749,000
Follow Christie D'Zurilla on Twitter and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs and on Facebook facebook.com/ministryofgossip.
PHOTOS: Celebrity portraits by The Times
PHOTOS: Royal visit to New Zealand and Australia
PHOTOS: 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show


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Old Holland has been making artist colors since 1664, as one of the oldest continuously operating companies in the art supply industry. The company is known for uncompromising adherance to its techniques and standards. All color making is done by hand
Color Swatches created using heavy application/medium application/50% tint and were applied on acrylic primed canvas (7 oz) material.
Pigment PY74 is one of the most commercially important pigments of the Hansa Yellow group, considered superior to many others in its class based on both tinting strength and lightfastness. Several PY74 grades with different particle sizes are available. Grades with finer particle size are more brilliant and transparent. Pigment PY74 ranges from reddish yellow to greenish yellow, with temperature shifts from cool to warm hues. It has high tinting strength and average to slow drying time.
This Hansa Yellow has better lightfastness that other yellow monoazo pigments, particularly in the darker shades.
Hansa Yellow has no significant acute hazards, though its chronic hazards have not been well studied.
Hansa Yellows were first made in Germany just before WW1 from a series of synthetic dyestuffs called Pigment Yellow. They were intended to be a synthetic replacement for Cadmium Yellow.
Arylide, Arylide Yellow, Azo, Brilliant Yellow, Monoazo, Monolite Yellow, Permanent Yellow.
copper phthalocyanine
Phthalo Blues are pure and clean primary blues with superior covering power. They have a very high tinting strength and tend to overwhelm other pigments, but if color strength can be controlled, they make predictable mixed colors. In oil form, blues are very deep and slow drying. When mixed with other colors or if chlorine is added, Phthalo Blue quickly tends towards green. When using alone, mix with some white, as Phthalo Blue can be semi-transparent and almost black on its own. It is among the most compatible of modern colors with mineral colors and is considered more reliable than Prussian Blue, while sharing the same physical and color properties. Phthalo Blue is a good color for glazing.
Phthalo Blues are completely lightfast and stable and are permanent for all paint uses. They are currently used in inks, coatings, and many plastics due to their stability and are considered a standard pigment in printing ink and the packaging industry.
Phthalo Blues have no significant hazards, although those made before 1982 contained some PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).
Developed by chemists using the trade name Monastral Blue, the organic blue dyestuff now known as Phthalo Blue was presented as a pigment in November 1935 in London. Its discovery was accidental. The dark color was observed in a kettle where a dye was being made from a British dyestuff plant. The demand for such a pigment came from commercial printers who wanted a cyan to replace Prussian Blue.
Bocour Blue, Cyan Blue, Helio Blue, Heliogen Blue, Intense Blue, Monastral Blue, Phthalocyanine Blue, Rembrandt Blue, Thalo Blue, Winsor Blue.
Zinc White is the coolest white, and it has a cold, clean masstone and a slightly bluish tint. It has less hiding power and is more transparent than other whites. It dries slowly and is good for painting wet into wet and for glazing and scumbling. Zinc White is neither as opaque nor as heavy as Lead White, its covering power is not as good, and it takes much longer to dry. However, it does not blacken when exposed to sulfur in the air as Lead White does. It is very valuable for making tints with other colors. Unmixed Zinc White dries to a brittle and dry paint film that may crack over the years, so it is not good for frescoing. It is more transparent in acrylic form than Titanium White and is the most commonly used white with gouache. Chinese White is a version of Zinc White appropriate for opaque watercolor techniques.
Zinc White has great permanence and lightfastness.
Zinc White is moderately toxic if ingested and slightly toxic if inhaled.
Though historians are divided on who first isolated the element zinc, they agree that it was first suggested as a white pigment in 1782. Zinc White was accepted as a watercolor in 1834 and was called Chinese White due to the popularity of oriental porcelain in Europe at the time. Ten years later, a suitable oil form was produced. By the early 20th century, it had improved to the point where it was an acceptable alternative to Flake White.
Chinese White, French White, Permanent White, Silver White, Snow White, Zinc Oxide.
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I will present analytic solutions to a class of cosmological models described by a canonical scalar field minimally coupled to gravity and experiencing self interactions through a hyperbolic potential. Using models and methods of solution inspired by 2T-physics, I will show how analytic solutions can be obtained including radiation and spacial curvature. Among the analytic solutions, there are many interesting geodesically complete cyclic solutions, both singular and non-singular ones. Cyclic cosmological models provide an alternative to inflation for solving the horizon and flatness problems as well as generating scale-invariant perturbations. I will argue in favor of the geodesically complete solutions as being more attractive for constructing a more satisfactory model of cosmology. When geodesic completeness is imposed, it restricts models and their parameters to certain a parameter subspace, including some quantization conditions on parameters. I will explain the theoretical origin of our model from the point of view of 2T-gravity as well as from the point of view of the colliding branes scenario. If time permits, I will discuss how to associate solutions of the quantum Wheeler-deWitt equation with the classical analytic solutions, physical aspects of some of the cyclic solutions, and outline future directions.


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- Overall Length:7.00"
- Blade Length:3.00"
- Blade Thickness:0.13"
- Blade Material:D2
- Blade Grind:Hollow
- Finish:Stonewash
- Edge Type:Plain
- Handle Length:4.00"
- Handle Thickness:0.46"
- Handle Material:Aluminum
- Color:Blue
- Frame/Liner:Stainless Steel
- Weight:2.71 oz.
- User:Right Hand, Left Hand
- Pocket Clip:Tip-Up
- Knife Type:Manual
- Opener:Flipper
- Lock Type:Liner Lock
- Brand:Brous Blades
- Model:Bionic
- Designer:Jason Brous
- Country of Origin:USA
- Best Use:Everyday Carry
- Blade Style:Drop Point
- Product Type:Knife
The Bionic 2.0* is a stylish, high performance everyday carry knife from Jason Brous that is a joy to use. Using the flipper tab, with an optimally set detent and a smooth ball bearing pivot, the blade deploys with a sweet congratulatory snap. It sports a modified wharncliffe blade profile with hollow grinds and a groove that provides visual appeal. The Bionic folder has a nice compact size that is comfortable in hand and is outfitted with lightweight 6061 aluminum scales, milled to reflect Jason's creative talent. Stainless steel liners are nested in the scales and set apart by two barrel spacers. For EDC, the Bionic has a tip-up carry clip, which is reversible for a left hand carry option.
The Brous Blade Bionic Flipper is available in several different handle colors and blade finishes.
*Changes to the Bionic 2.0 include a refined detent and the handle no longer has notching on the top.


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text: On Aug 10, 2009, at 23:07 , Tom Elken wrote: > Summary: > IBM, SGI and Platform have some comparisons on clusters with "SMT > On" of running 1 rank for every core compared to running 2 ranks on > every core. In general, on low core-counts, like up to 32 there is > about an 8% advantage for running 2 ranks per core. At larger core > counts, IBM published a pair of results on 64 cores where the 64- > rank performance was equal to the 128-rank performance. Not all of > these applications scale linearly, so on some of them you lose > efficiency at 128 ranks compared to 64 ranks. > > Details: Results from this year are mostly on Nehalem: > http://www.spec.org/mpi2007/results/res2009q3/ (IBM) > http://www.spec.org/mpi2007/results/res2009q2/ (Platform) > http://www.spec.org/mpi2007/results/res2009q1/ (SGI) > (Intel has results with Turbo mode turned on and off > in the q2 and q3 results, for a different comparison) > > Or you can pick out the Xeon 'X5570' and 'X5560' results from the > list of all results: > http://www.spec.org/mpi2007/results/mpi2007.html > > In the result index, when > " Compute Threads Enabled" = 2x "Compute Cores Enabled", then you > know SMT is turned on. > In these cases, you can then check that when > " MPI Ranks" = " Compute Threads Enabled" then you are running 2 > ranks per core. Tom, Thanks for the neatly compiled information above. I can just add, that I have conducted a fairly detailed analysis of Nehalem compared to HarperTown in my paper An evaluation of Intel's core i7 architecture using a comparative approach presented at ISC´09. Here, I look at different aspect of the memory hierarchy of the two processors. The benefits from hyperthreading on the said 13 SPEC MPI2007 applications are also studied, although using only a single node, where the advantage is more pronounced Thanks, Håkon -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://www.beowulf.org/pipermail/beowulf/attachments/20090811/227e7fb7/attachment.html>


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Full range of traditional oil colors with good quality and good prices. All colors have excellent tinting strength, and the whites are absolutely non-yellowing. Tubes and sets.
Color Swatches created using heavy application/medium application/50% tint and were applied on acrylic primed canvas (7 oz) material.
inorganic, cadmium
cadmium zinc sulfide
Cadmium Yellow is brilliant, dense, and opaque, with good tinting strength and very high hiding power. It is the artist's principal bright yellow and is available in light, medium, and dark shades. The deeper shades appear deep orange and have the greatest tinting strength. It is slow-drying in oil form and is used in both oil and watercolor form. It cannot be mixed with copper-based pigments. A clean Cadmium Orange is created when Cadmium Yellow is mixed with Cadmium Red. Hues vary by brand. Cadmium pigments have been partially replaced by azo pigments, which are similar in lightfastness to the cadmium colors, cheaper, and non-toxic.
Cadmium Yellow is usually available in a pure grade, or in a cadmium-barium mix. This mix has the same permanence with a lower tinting strength.
Cadmium Yellow is lightfast and permanent in most forms, but like most cadmium colors, it will fade in fresco or mural painting. The deeper shades are the most permanent. The pale varieties have been known to fade with exposure to sunlight in conditions where moisture is able to penetrate the binder.
Cadmium Yellow is a known human carcinogen. It can be hazardous if chronically inhaled or ingested.
Cadmiums get their names from the Latin word cadmia meaning zinc ore calamine, and the Greek word kadmeia, meaning Cadmean earth, first found near Thebes, the city founded by the Phoenician prince Cadmus. Metallic cadmium was discovered in 1817 by Friedrich Strohmeyer. Oil colors were first made from Cadmium Yellow pigments in 1819, replacing toxic Chrome (lead) Yellows. However, their production was delayed until 1840 due to the scarcity of cadmium metals. Landscape painters, such as Claude Monet, preferred Cadmium Yellow to the less expensive Chrome Yellow because of its higher chroma and greater purity of color.
Aurora Yellow, Cadmium Primrose Yellow, Cadmium Zinc Yellow, Lemon Yellow, Primrose Yellow. Deep Cadmium Yellow is sometimes called Orient Yellow.
This Hansa Yellow ranges from reddish yellow to greenish yellow with temperature shifts from cool to warm hues. It has good tinting strength and average to slow drying time.
This Hansa Yellow has excellent lightfastness, particularly in the darker shades.
Hansa Yellow has no significant acute hazards, though its chronic hazards have not been well studied.
Hansa Yellows were first made in Germany just before WW1 from a series of synthetic dyestuffs called Pigment Yellow. They were intended to be a synthetic replacement for Cadmium Yellow.
Arylide, Arylide Yellow, Azo, Brilliant Yellow, Monoazo, Monolite Yellow, Permanent Yellow.
beta copper phthalocyanine
Phthalo Blue PB15:3 is a structural variant of Phthalo Blue PB15 that produces more greenish tones.
Phthalo Blues are completely lightfast and stable and are permanent for all paint uses. They are currently used in inks, coatings, and many plastics due to their stability and are considered a standard pigment in printing ink and the packaging industry.
Phthalo Blues have no significant hazards, although those made before 1982 contained some PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).
Developed by chemists using the trade name Monastral Blue, the organic blue dyestuff now known as Phthalo Blue was presented as a pigment in November 1935 in London. Its discovery was accidental. The dark color was observed in a kettle where a dye was being made from a British dyestuff plant. The demand for such a pigment came from commercial printers who wanted a cyan to replace Prussian Blue.
Phthalo Blue Green Shade, Winsor Blue Green Shade
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Old School BMX VP 747 Bear trap style pedals 9/16" Silver by VP
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Utah man injured by buffalo he owned in third goring in state in less than a month
GRANTSVILLE, Utah – Authorities say a Utah man was airlifted to the hospital over the weekend after being gored by a buffalo he owns, the third animal goring in the state in less than a month.
Tooele County Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Johnson tells The Salt Lake Tribune (http://bit.ly/1aXY6r5) the 65-year-old man was injured in his lower abdomen, buttocks and forehead.
Johnson says the man was taken to University Hospital in Salt Lake City on Saturday. An update on his condition wasn't immediately available.
The goring comes less than a week after a wild bull elk gored a shepherd in the mountains in eastern Utah. The elk punctured one of the man's lungs and knocked him unconscious. He was later flown to a Colorado hospital.
Last month, a zookeeper an amusement park north of Salt Lake City was gored by a wildebeest. She was treated at a trauma center and released.
Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com


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Here's the recipe: about a pound of sea scallops. Rinse them and dry them on a towel. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon peel on the towel. In a hot skillet (cast iron perfect for this) heat about a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat.
Put the scallops in and sear on one side for about 3-4 minutes. Turn and sear the other side. After 3-4 minutes add about a cup of wine. Glug glug glug glug. Don't measure! I beg you!
Keep scallops in pan for a minute more then remove to serving plate. Add about a tablespoon of butter and about a tablespoon of capers. Stir removing any bits stuck in pan. When sauce is thick, pour over scallops.
I served them with Wegman's mac & cheese (they use nutmeg) and roasted Brussels sprouts.
Have a yummy day!
Related articles
- Big flavors enhance delicate scallops (miamiherald.com)
- Pan-Seared Scallops (lovingitthin.com)


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Come join us for a long run on a different section of the course each month. We'll preview each of the 5 branches of the course as we lead up to the event in April. All group runs will meet at 7:30am unless announced otherwise.
November 23 (Friday- day after Thanksgiving)- Gooseberry section of the course. Meet at the dirt road turnoff just before the adobe home community across the Camino del Rio bridge (the new bridge on the east side of Virgin). We'll be running approximately 18 miles but this distance can easily be adapted.
December 15 (Saturday)- Virgin desert section of course (JEM/Hurricane Rim) out to Gooseberry climb and back. We'll be running approximately 25 miles, but this distance can easily be adapted. Meet at parking area just across Sheep Bridge, near the bottom of the JEM trail.
January 12 (Saturday)- Guacamole trail. Meet at the bottom of Dalton Wash road on the left hand side of Hwy 9 just past the Camino del Rio turnoff. The run from the bottom of Dalton Wash is about 19 miles out and back, but if you'd like to do less miles, drive farther up the road before starting because the Guacamole section is the most scenic.
February 23 (Saturday)- Grafton Mesa loop. Meet at Grafton cemetery (Get there by going through Rockville, crossing the river on Bridge Rd. and following it out for about 3 miles to its end.) The loop we'll be doing is about 11 miles. For more miles you can either repeat, do an out and back on Gooseberry Rd., or go check out the nearby Eagle Crags section.
March 23 (Saturday)- Flying Monkey/Smith Mesa/Virgin Desert- Meet at the Sheep Bridge rd/ Smith Mesa rd/ Hwy 9 intersection. Plan on running about 30 miles, with a fuel/water stop at the cars (and an option to cut the run short) at about mile 17.


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Killer Fish
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|"Deadly Treasure of the Piranha"
|A scheme to steal and then hide a fortune in emeralds at the bottom of a tank full of piranhas backfires as the criminals find it impossible to retrieve them...as if that took a lot of foresight. Director Dawson is AKA Antonio Margheriti. Filmed in Brazil.
|Directed by:
|Anthony (Antonio Margheriti) Dawson. Producer: Associated Film Release, ITC Entertainment Group.
|Associated Film Release, ITC Entertainment Group.
|Lee Majors, James Franciscus, Margaux Hemingway, Karen Black, Roy Brocksmith, Marisa Berenson


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Welcome to CSIR Madras Complex
Council of Scientific &
Industrial Research, established in 1942 with Corporate
Office at New Delhi, and a network of 38 national
laboratories spread over the country is a premier R&D
Organisation in India providing S & T inputs to a diverse
spectrum of economic, industrial and societal sectors. The R
& D activities covers fields from aerospace engineering to
ocean sciences, molecular biology to metallurgy, chemicals
to mining, food to petroleum & leather to environment.
In order to foster multidisciplinary research and to cater to the requirements of the southern region, five major laboratories established regional centres at Madras in a single campus which is known as CSIR MADRAS COMPLEX (CMC).
The Five Laboratories having regional centers in the Madras Complex are:
Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi.
Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CEERI), Pilani.
Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), Chandigarh.
National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur.
National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML), Jamshedpur.
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text:
A year ago, Chris Rock's "Good Hair" hit theaters, examining the historically complicated relationship many African Americans have had with their hair.
Now two new videos are rocking YouTube with the idea that times have changed: African American hair — any hair, for that matter — can be stylish, fun, beautiful or funky, and an expression of individual flair, no matter its texture, color or length.
Willow Smith, the 9-year-old daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, is pure joy as she tosses her head around in her upbeat music video "Whip My Hair," which debuted Oct. 18. In the video, Willow wears a cavalcade of hairstyles, whipping around long braids, flaunting a faux 'hawk, dancing in Afro-puffs and twists, and commanding the room in a cotton-candy-colored extravagant 'do. "Don't matter if it's long or short, do it — do it with your hair," she sings.
At the same time, the Sesame Street video "I Love My Hair" has become an Internet sensation this fall featuring an exuberant brown Muppet who joyously sings about her natural hair and all of the ways that she can wear it: in an Afro, cornrows, barrettes — "up, down and all around" — embracing individual expression and showing that hair can be fun.
In the '60s, allowing hair to go naturally into an Afro was seen as a political act of defiance. But now, as seen in the videos, the zeitgeist seems to be shifting. Outdated stereotypes seem to be losing their hold, thanks to factors as disparate as reality TV, the Internet, multiethnic families and a biracial president. Defiance as expressed in Willow Smith's video is about daring to express one's individuality, refusing to be stereotyped and changing the conversation.
Within the beauty industry there has been an explosion of individual expression. The diversity can be seen in the range of hairstyles worn by African Americans — styles that are copied by people of other ethnicities. Whether it's Beyoncé's glamour waves, Rihanna's faux-hawk and vibrant hair color, Corinne Bailey Rae's fluffy soft curls, Cassie's punk rock half-shaved head, Whoopi Goldberg's dreadlocks, Michelle Obama's conservative coif, Solange's buzz cut, Janelle Monáe's pompadour, Erykah Badu's afro, Alicia Keys' braids, Chanel Iman's super-straight locks and ballerina bun, or Halle Berry's pixie-ish crop — women are showing that hair can be beautiful in many ways.
Beverly Johnson, the super-model and businesswoman who in 1974 became the first African American model on the cover of Vogue, recalls that in the 20th century, women of color were already adopting a variety of styles. "When I was modeling, we had Pat Evans, a model who had her hair totally shaved; Joyce Wilford, who was on the cover of Seventeen [in 1971] in a tiny little afro; and you had me with my hair slicked back.
"But now I think there's even more [options] with the popularity of hair extensions and how the wig business has just taken off," says Johnson, who has the Beverly Johnson Hair Collection, a popular wig and hair extension line, as well as a line of paraben-free hair-care products.
Today's hairpieces include extensions, synthetics, myriad textures and colors. They are lightweight, inexpensive and look natural. They make it easy to change styles, and women of all ethnicities are wearing them: Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson and Raquel Welch have wig collections, too.
"You can go from a short cropped look with bangs to long, blond hair in the same day," Johnson says. "People are really in love with the whole idea of having versatility without having to cut, dye or bleach your hair. I think that it is about freedom, imagination, having fun and really entertaining yourself."
Johnson adds that more diverse hairstyles are increasingly being accepted in conservative settings. "The world is a smaller place, and we human beings are taking time to appreciate and acknowledge each other's culture," Johnson says.
Ursula Stephen, the hairstylist who shot into the spotlight when she cut Rihanna's long locks into a sleek bob, is not so sure that "acceptance" is the key word pertaining to this flurry of individuality. "I'm 50/50 on it," says Stephen, who feels that there's still more negative judgment of African American hair.
But the popularity of reality TV shows featuring people such as bikers, tattoo artists and punk rockers has helped bring once extreme styles into the mainstream. Stephen says that if you're great at what you do, there's no need to conform. "We have created our own name so that acceptance from the outside doesn't really matter anymore," she says.
When a celebrity adopts a style, it can have repercussions. The famous haircut "was a really big change for Rihanna," Stephen says. "I came from the fashion world, where it was not all about long, beautiful hair. It was about a great look — creating an illusion." But male record label heads had to be convinced that an artist could be successful, sexy and beautiful with short hair. "And when Rihanna did it, it was like, wow — you can look great without having hair down to your [rear end], and you really get to see another side of beauty."
Hairstylist and salon owner Ted Gibson, whose clients have included Zoe Saldana, Renée Zellweger, Angelina Jolie, Anne Hathaway and Monáe — relates the new hair reality to fashion.
"You don't have to go to the store and buy everything off of the rack from one designer; you can change it up," he says. "I think that this is extremely timely in the moment that we are in society, in our country and in the world in that you can be different and don't necessarily have to be cookie cutter."
So hair today can be many things: perhaps an Afro, or a bright color clipped into a ponytail; a mid-length cut with a deep side-part and waves; an updo; a razor cut. It can be deep copper or warm red-browns or two-toned hair: dark at the roots and light at the ends. It can be shaved.
Stephen says that it's ultimately about wearing any style that makes you happy. "People used to wear their hair a certain way because they had to. Now they wear their hair a certain way because they want to. I'm really all about what's fun…. My hair could be short this week and long the next.
"Once you're happy on the inside, it shows on the outside as well," she says.


text: hi ya drew On Mon, 10 Feb 2003, Drew Raines wrote: > <alvin at Maggie.Linux-Consulting.com> writes: > > > $40 el cheapo APC for each node... > > I assume you're referring to the ``Back-UPS'' line. The only thing > I've found those to be able to support on battery power is my clock > radio, which I could more easily protect with a 9-volt. yupp them junk... but there are also other equivalents at the same price range that actually works ... sustaining for about 15-20 minutes ( just got tested in the last power outage during the big storms ( a month ago all my dead ups are those APC stuff various versions/wattages > Has any one of you actually used these to sustain a PC for any > measurable length of time? I'm not sure at what market this junk > is aimed, perhaps suckers. definitely... "marketed for suckers" (was one of um too, many times over) ( but is still a good surge protector ) you cant give me an APC anymore and expect a critical server to be plugged into it and expect it to stay up during power outage ( can you can see the graveyard of dead apc's ) more importantly... yes... definitely add a ups to each and every node/PC/workstation/servers... last same thunderstorm that took out SanFrancisco also knocked out a bunch of ups ( fried um w/ lightening ) .. good thing it was his/their network/PCs and not ours.. but the $2,000-$3000 servers worked fine when one got over the panic of it all c ya alvin shutting down a PC or not as soon as the UPS goes "warning warning" is up to the user... too many brownouts, is not a good enough reason to shutdown the server before it "loses battery power"


text:
Football Coach to Plead Not Guilty in 10-year-old's Death
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A Springfield middle-school football coach plans to plead not guilty in the kidnapping and shooting death of a 10-year-old girl.
A public defender for 45-year-old Craig Michael Wood said that his client plans to contest the charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and armed criminal action in the death of fourth-grader Hailey Owens.
Wood made his first court appearance Friday morning, appearing by video from the Greene County Jail, where he is being held without bond. He spoke only briefly to answer several questions from the judge. Hailey's parents, older brother and several family members also attended.
Police say Hailey was snatched off a neighborhood street Tuesday afternoon less than two blocks from her home as she walked back from her best friend's house. Her body was found in Wood's basement.


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Trace Adkins to Host New 'Great American Hero' Show
If you know anything about Trace Adkins, you know that he is one of country music's most patriotic stars. Whether he's celebrating military accomplishments or the daily values of being an American, Adkins makes no qualms about being a proud citizen of the United States of America. So we weren't particularly surprised to learn that Adkins latest project will be hosting a Great American Country television show called 'Great American Hero.'
The show is sure to invoke some feelings of patriotism in its audience. Camera crews will follow Adkins on six stops of his Songs and Stories Tour: Easton, Penn., Bakersfield, Calif., Hyannis, Md., Grand Rapids, Mich., Philadephia, Miss., and Knoxville, Tenn. In addition to putting on a rocking performance, the multi-platinum-selling star will celebrate three hometown heroes in each city.
A hometown hero can be anyone who goes above and beyond to serve their community. Whether they go the extra mile to help people or animals in need, donate time and attention to military families, or make time for other activities that enrich their community, GAC and Adkins want to celebrate them.
GAC will be accepting nominations of hometown heroes through May 9, 2012. Filming dates are as follows:
6/14 - Easton, Penn. | State Theatre
6/29 - Bakersfield, Calif. | Rabobank Theater
7/6 - Hyannis, Mass. | Cape Cod Melody Tent
7/18 - Grand Rapids, Mich. | Devos Hall
8/3 - Philadelphia, Miss. | TBD
8/7 - Knoxville, Tenn. |TBD


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Salad Niçoise, How to Make Almond Milk, Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies & Baked Orzo with Ham and Peas
This weekend, we will officially be taking dinner outside. Salad Niçoise is a favorite once the weather gets warm — easy to make, easy to carry to the picnic table, easy to share. If you're more in the mood to grill, our beef and bacon burgers are the perfect candidate for first burger of the summer. Still chilly in your neck of the woods? A scoop of creamy baked orzo and a deep dish chocolate chip cookie is exactly what you need. And whether you're eating inside or out, definitely shake up a few jam jar cherry spritzers to go with the meal!
Open the gallery
Classic Salad Niçoise
How to Make Almond Milk at Home
Warm and Gooey Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookie
Creamy Baked Orzo with Ham, Peas, and Leeks
How to Make Harissa Paste at Home
Beef and Bacon Burgers
Roasted Beet and Turnip Galette
- Sweet & Sour Cherry Sparkler
- How to Make Sexy, Silky French Buttercream


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Bulletin Issues
Current Issue
Past issues of the Bulletin are available here, or through the ASIS&T Digital Library.
Please tell us what you think of this issue! Feedback
Bulletin, August/September 2009
Whats New?
Selected Abstracts from JASIST
Authors who choose to do so prepare and submit these summaries to the editor of the Bulletin.
From JASIST v. 60 (5)
Li, J., Zhang, P., & Cao, J. (2009). External concept support for group support systems through Web mining (1057-1070).
Study and Results: In this study, we propose an approach to build a concept space from the web to provide external concept support for GSS users. We investigate if the concept space contains qualified concepts to stimulate divergent thinking and if providing external concept support can improve group effectiveness and efficiency. The experiment results indicate that the concept space mined from the web contained qualified concepts to stimulate divergent thinking and that external concept support in GSS greatly enhanced group productivity for idea generation tasks.
Whats New? Applying web-mining algorithms to GDSS is our contribution to the GDSS literature. We empirically proved in the experiment setting that providing external concepts mined from the web can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the idea generation task.
Limitations: Providing external concept to discussion groups may restrict users thoughts. This study was conducted in a Chinese environment, and thus the methodology and results may not be directly applicable to GSS in English or other languages.
Articles in this Issue
The Information Architecture of Social Experience Design: Five Principles, Five Anti-Patterns and 96 Patterns (in Three Buckets)
The Debut of Usable, Influential Content
Gaming the Design: Using Game Design Techniques in the Realm of Investing
Lessons from the Slime Mold: How to Survive and Thrive in Ever-Changing Organizational Environments
A Reflection on the Structure and Process of the Web of Data
What's New? Selected Abstracts from JASIST


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Blue-chip conglomerate 3M (NYSE:MMM) unveiled a deal on Monday to scoop up advanced-ceramics maker Ceradyne (NASDAQ:CRDN) for $860 million.
Continue Reading Below
The $35-a-share transaction carries a 43% premium on Ceradyne's Friday closing price of $24.43.
Based in Costa Mesa, Calif., Ceradyne employs just north of 2,100 people and generates $500 million in annual sales. The company is a leader in the development and production of advanced technical ceramics used in a slew of industries, including automotive, oil and gas, solar and electronics.
However, Ceradyne's shares have been cut in half over the past 17 months due to waning demand.
"Ceradyne is a strong company with a great reputation, world-class technology in advanced ceramics, and leadership positions in the markets it serves," Chris Holmes, executive vice president of 3M's industrial and transportation business, said in a statement.
3M said it expects the transaction to close during the fourth quarter and add one cent a share to the company's bottom line in the first 12 months, excluding accounting adjustments and integration costs. The acquisition is seen hurting 3M's EPS by 5 cents in the first year after the close.
Ceradyne will be housed in 3M's energy and advanced materials division within the company's industrial and transportation business.
"This is a great fit and I know that advanced ceramics technologies have a tremendous future within 3M and can contribute to the development of unique solutions for many demanding applications," said Ceradyne CEO Joel Moskowitz.
Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS) served as 3M's exclusive financial advisor, while Citigroup (NYSE:C) advised Ceradyne.
Shares of Ceradyne surged 42.94% to $34.92 on Monday, giving them a 30% gain for the year.
3M, which is based in St. Paul, gained 0.26% to $92.66.


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"So much of who people are is expressed in their speech," dialect coach Michael Buster said. The master of many accents lent a Southern inflection to two upcoming movies: Fox Searchlight's "12 Years a Slave" and Cinemax's "Quarry."
Raised in Minnesota, Wisconsin and upstate New York with relatives from Illinois and eastern Kentucky, Buster, 56, grew up hearing what he describes as "that real hillbilly Southern sound and then the Northern sound."
He got involved in drama in high school and studied to be an actor at the Juilliard School and at the Professional Theater Training Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
PHOTOS: Hollywood backlot moments
Ear training and speech work were essential parts of his classical theater education, and he studied with dialect legends Edith Skinner and Tim Monich.
Buster acted in regional theaters, earned an MFA and eventually joined the faculty at Boston University, where he taught voice and speech to master's degree students in the theater education program. He also taught at Atlantic Theater Company, founded by David Mamet and William H. Macy, and at the University of Texas at Austin.
It was during his time in Texas that Monich recommended Buster as a dialect coach for Ethan Hawke and Vincent D'Onofrio for 1998's "The Newton Boys."
PHOTOS: Celebrities by The Times
Not long after, Buster moved to Los Angeles and started steady work as a dialect coach, working on such films as 2002's "Minority Report," 2005's "Red Eye" and 2009's "Star Trek."
Free samples: If the shooting location is the same as the script's setting, Buster interviews locals to get dialect samples. If not, he Googles it. "Now with the Internet, it's a gold mine," he said. "There are interviews, historical characters, regional churches that put their sermons online, town hall meetings. And then I do an analysis of what the sound changes are and teach it to the actor."
Alphabet soup: Each dialect has its signature sounds. "One of the first things you want to find out is: What's going on with the Rs?" Buster said. "Are they dropping their Rs? Are they rolling their Rs? Is it a real hard R in the root of their tongue, like in west Texas? Or is it just a really light R?" The letter L is also telling. "Americans have what I call a 'lazy L,'" he said. "So in some parts of the South, the L gets dropped. You see people saying 'footba'. I couldn't he'p it.' Irish has a really clear L, really forward. And the Slavic L is really thick."
Southern comfort: As the story of a free black man kidnapped and sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War United States, "12 Years a Slave" called for a variety of Southern accents. "We don't know what slaves sounded like in the 1840s, so I just used rural samples from Mississippi and Louisiana" for actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, Buster said. "And the same thing for [Michael] Fassbender — rural Louisiana. And then for Benedict [Cumberbatch], I found some real upper-class New Orleanians from the '30s. And then I also worked with Lupita Nyong'o, who's Kenyan but she did her training at Yale. So she really shifted her speech so she could do American speech."
Long-distance relationships: Buster prepped the "Quarry" cast over Skype. "There was one actress in England, and then Stellan Skarsgård was in Sweden," he said. "They were doing Memphis area [accents] — except Stellan's character was not from Memphis, so we were working on a neutral American for him, being as he's Swedish. I would work with Stellan every day before he went to shoot — over Skype."
Spare me the details: Buster can adapt the dialect to the abilities of the actor. "When they're really good, you can give them so many details, and they just snatch it up and incorporate it," he said. "When the actor doesn't quite have the ability, you just don't give them all those details." Instead, Buster will select a few key sound changes to convey the general feel. "That will give it the flavor of the dialect, so it'll still be in the ballpark," he said.
The enemy of the good: At times, the best take isn't the one with the best dialect work. In these cases, the editors can either fix it in post-production or schedule an additional dialogue recording session with the actor. But it doesn't always have to be perfect. As Buster explained, "Sometimes you make the decision: 'The acting and everything was so fine in production. Let's leave it alone.' And the thing is, if the audience is listening to the dialect, we've failed. We want it to be seamless. We want them to be involved in the story."
PHOTOS: Highest-paid media executives of 2012
ON LOCATION: People and places behind what's onscreen
PHOTOS: Celebrity production companies


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Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Happy Birthday Little Blog!
So, as it stands at the moment, I have had 20,603 hits, for 83 posts and just over 600 comments. I have had visitors from all over the world, including a group of ladies in Brazil, some cross stitchers in Israel and looking at today's stats, Brits, Irish, Aussies, Kiwis, Serbs, Canadians, Americans, Indonesians and Greeks. It just amazes me how people find the blog.
During this time I have learnt to write regularly, post up pictures and to improve my tutorial writing... well, I should have got better as we have 18 tutorials on line and counting. I have even set myself a challenge of writing a tutorial every week until Christmas and I promised to do this stone cold sober!
And what will Year 2 bring? Well, I am going to begin regular book reviews, more tutorials - let me know if there is something you would like me to tackle - and better pictures *note to self, practice more and find a use for the jar of marbles*
Finally thank you to all of you who take the time to read the blog and leave comments. I still get such a frisson of excitement when I look at the daily stats and see how many have looked, where they have come from and what they think of the blog - thank you all very much and don't be a stranger xxx
13 comments:
- Polly Polkadot said...
Happy Birthday Blog. I would never have expected to enjoy blogging, or reading blogs, so I understand all your joy! Long may it continue!
- 27 September 2011 at 11:26
- Caroline Lovis (Redneedle) said...
Happy Happy Birthday RosMadeMe! What you describe as 'witter' also constitutes, interesting, unique, useful, entertaining, gorgeous (running out of adjectives) posts that keep us all coming back. Thank you x
- 27 September 2011 at 12:15
- Stocki said...
Happy bloggy birthday! Fantastic blog that I always look forward to 'popping up'..thanks Ros :)x
- 27 September 2011 at 22:11
- Annie and Lyn said...
Happy Blog Birthday Ros!
Is that cake for real? If it is, whoever made it is very clever!
We look forward to many more years of entertaining posts.
- 28 September 2011 at 00:05
- Chrysalis said...
Many happys, Ros! I came across your blog by accident tonight and love it! You sound like a woman after my own heart, with all your WIP - not to mention that my family live in Southend! I'm going to start your lovely cable scarf as pressies for my 2DDs - and maybe a macho version for their menfolk, too? Anyway, love for now and keep up the good work. Maybe I'll bump into you when we're down in SoS sometime. Chris x
- 28 September 2011 at 04:30
- mcrafts said...
Happy Blog Birthday! I love your blog Ros :)
- 28 September 2011 at 07:29
- Pickle Lily said...
Happy Birthday Blog!
I love reading your posts and your tutorials are great!
Love Jo and Pickle-Lily x
- 28 September 2011 at 19:39
- Yarn Dependent Me said...
I lurve reading your blog....i might even get up the nerve to try a tutorial some day!
- 28 September 2011 at 20:41
- Erin_in_Boston said...
Happy Blog-birthday! Congrats on impressive stats!
I agree about the rush I get when I see my daily average "views" on the rise. A friend recently asked how I thought we could get our readership to increase and the only thing I KNOW is that I have made friends with my more frequent readers by following their posts and commenting with genuine impressions.
- 28 September 2011 at 23:27
- Wendy said...
Happy Blog Birthday Ros! It's no wonder the visitors are finding you - useful, unique content is what Google's all about these days. Well done and keep it up.
My latest post is dedicated to you - it's all about the gubbins!! x
- 29 September 2011 at 18:38
- The mum of all trades said...
Happy Blog Birthday! I love your blog, may you have many more blog birthdays.
- 29 September 2011 at 21:56
- Beth said...
Happy Blog Birthday! I'm glad I found yours and look forward to reading future posts.
- 30 September 2011 at 01:34
Just saying hello. Here from Texas
- 26 February 2012 at 20:35


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Where you live could determine how you die. This week, The Lancet published results of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010, a massive effort funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to determine what the leading causes of death are in every part of the globe. In a series of incredibly fascinating interactive infographics on IHME, you can see how data from 2010 compare with data from 1990. There is a lot of good news, though many areas are still struggling, especially in regions of Africa. Above you can see leading causes of death in various regions from 2010, and compare it to 1990 below (click to enlarge).
On SciDevNet, Andrea Rinaldi writes:
Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes have taken the place of infectious diseases and malnutrition-related childhood illnesses as the primary cause of death worldwide . . . And while life expectancy has increased worldwide . . . longer lives are coupled with disability, mostly caused by the increasing incidence of chronic disease, musculoskeletal disorders and mental health conditions . . .
The study also reveals that high blood pressure is the world's leading cause of mortality and disability - a problem affecting poorer countries as well as the more affluent, because of a surge in high-salt diets across the developing world.
And while tobacco smoking is falling in the developed world, it is rising in poorer countries.
Amid the more alarming data, there is some good news: child mortality has decreased globally, from 11.9 million in 1990 to 7.7 million in 2010, and child malnutrition has fallen. The burden of disease from unsafe water and sanitation is also down on previous years.
But while the study demonstrates progress in some important global health areas, it also underlines that much remains to be done.
For example, 100 children every hour continue to die from vaccine-preventable infections, such as rotavirus, meningitis and hepatitis B.
And preventing death among young adults, particularly men, needs urgent attention: the number of men dying because of violence, injuries, suicide and HIV/AIDS is escalating. AIDS alone remains a leading cause of disease burden and death, despite fewer new infections and the increasing availability of antiretroviral therapy, care and support.
Learn more about the study on The Lancet, and look at more data at IHME.


text: Gunnip & Company LLP, Certified Public Accountants and Consultants, is a Delaware CPA firm serving Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland with highly personalized and comprehensive accounting, tax, and business consulting services. Our team of more than 50 dedicated professionals CPAs is known throughout the region for blending the resources and proficiency of a large accounting firm with cost efficiency and personal service. Our ability to see the big picture of your particular situation combined with a sharp eye for the details has made us a trusted advisor for large multinational corporations, entrepreneurs, small businesses and individuals for more than 65 years.


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Israel News - Stay Informed, Pray Informed
On May 20th the Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW) voted down an anti-Israeli resolution pushed by Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights (SUPER-UW), which belongs to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel on campuses around the world.
The resolution called for the "University of Washington to examine its financial assets to identify its investments in companies that provide equipment or services used to directly maintain, support, or profit from the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land … that the ASUW requests the University of Washington to instruct its investment managers to divest from those companies."
In short, this was another resolution to boycott Israel, but this time it ended in a resounding "no" to such stunts, which have become increasingly popular on American campuses ever since the 2001 Durban NGO conference that labeled Israel as a racist state.
The BDS defeat at the University of Washington further indicates that students and faculty are beginning to understand that the BDS movement and NGOs that purportedly support human rights are masking an anti-Semitic agenda.
The Mike Report blog aptly highlighted the comments of University of Washington professor of sociology, Paul Burstein, "who suggested the resolution framers were less than honest as to their goals, and that their true intention was the end of Israel as a Jewish majority state … he described it as just an easy way to manipulate the students to appear to support the sponsor's twisted agenda."
The University of Washington is not the first to unveil the true nature of the BDS movement. Just a few weeks earlier, the Graduate and Professional Student Association at the University of New Mexico overturned a divestment resolution. A month before that, the Associated Students for the University of New Mexico voted down a similar motion.
BDS was also defeated at Cornell University, despite the fact that, as BackSpin blog has reported, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) tried to steal the vote.
A call to boycott Israel was also voted down 25-9 at the University of Michigan, despite threatening rhetoric used by pro-Palestinian activists. The Washington Free Beacon reported on March 21 that "Pro-Palestinian activists on the University of Michigan campus have had the cops called on them for threatening pro-Israel students and staging a sit-in over the student government's refusal to back an anti-Israel initiative to divest from the Jewish state."
Israelis are well familiar with the motto "if you can't beat 'em, cheat 'em." It characterizes the Palestinian fight against Israel.
After more than ten years of bewilderment, it seems as if the Jewish community and many others begin to realize that out-of-control anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish allegations are based on fiction designed to create hateful strife rather than love and peace.
In the wake of yet another attack against Jews in Brussels, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rightly stated that "slander and lies against the State of Israel continue to be heard on European soil even as the crimes against humanity and acts of murder being perpetrated in our region are systematically ignored. Our response to this hypocrisy is to constantly state the truth, continue a relentless fight against terrorism and build up our strength."
Does the BDS defeat on American campuses signal a meaningful awakening to its true nature? It seems like there is cause for cautious optimism.
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These look like ten excellent reasons for hope in the coming year, but I would add that we have two viable presidential candidates running for the Republican nomination who are Catholic. That's something you don't see often. In fact, I believe it's a first. And whereas Newt might be slumping in the polls, Rick Santorum is climbing rapidly. That, too, is hopeful!
Here's a link to last year's Top Ten Reasons For Hope by CatholicVote.org. Click HERE.
Also, check out what else is going on at www.catholicvote.org.


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That's one fugly box
a bit like one of those robot vacuum cleaners
<--- and look, it made me barf
Freesat, launched three years ago, hasn't quite caught the imagination in the same way as Freeview HD, but if you don't have terrestrial coverage, or you want more channels than Freeview provides, without having to go for pay TV, it's a good option. Echostar HDS-600RS Echostar's HDS-600RS includes Slingbox functionality for …
Freesat isn't Pay TV. So why are most boxes so awkward for non-Freesat?
How many button presses to go to Sky News (or what ever non-Freesat channel) and go back to Freesat mode and get BBC 1 HD?
Why can't you have a favourites list with Freesat and non-Freesat?
Does MHEG5 work on Non-Freesat channels (I know there are none in UK, but there is one in Germany and some in Ireland shortly http://www.saortv.info/satellite-saorsat/saorsat-reception/ )
Has it got Diseqc?
Does 28E have to be on Port one of Multiswitch distribution or 4 way Diseqc switch?
Alongside the lack of Unicable support (which would make life so much simpler), there are no options for advanced config, such as Diseqc, so you'll have to rely on the port one trick.
If there is anything, it's hidden very well (as, of course, is the option on the Humax to access things like Unicable).
I lost count of button presses; you have to go into the settings, installation, manual scan, and then enter the frequencies one by one - no blind scan here - to store the channels.
And you have to go back into the menu to change between freesat and non-freesat modes; although non-freesat channels are saved from 5000 onwards, you can't access both lists at the same time.
Looks fine to me. Just looks like a larger Slingbox.
I have been thinking about ditching Sky in favor of Freesat. I could of course watch Freesat with no extra charges by simply cancelling my Sky which automatically converts the card to a freesat card. The problem is that I loose the SkyHD box features such as pausing, recording etc.
So I'm in the market for a new box. This one seems alright. I have a slingbox so this would consolidate two items down to one, and perhaps even save a bit ont he leccy.
But I can pickup a regular 320GB Freesat box for 150 quid and I already have my Slingbox. So I dunno. Doesn't seem worth forking out another 150 quid just to consolidate my two devices into one.
OTOH Freesat hasn't exactly had much advertising.
Agree with the other comments - this review is lacking in a lot of detail any satellite box owner will want to know (why is it impossible to get something which understands more than 1 of the EPGs??)
... then you're not really looking for a Freesat one.
It's a platform-based service, and as such, I don't think we're ever going to see receivers for it that offer all the flexibility people will expect from a more enthusiast receiver.
Do say exactly what detail you want to know, and I'll do my best to help.
The technical reasons why you won't tend to get a multi-sat box that combines Freesat and other channels are pretty straightforward; if you're tuned to another satellite, you're not going to be able to pick up the Freesat streams with their EIT p/f info, which is used to trigger accurate recording. You'd be falling back to time based recording instead, and consequently have issues with rescheduled recordings.
For stuff on 28.2E, my suspicion is that they're never going to make it really easy for people to mix both on the same EPG or channel list, because if they do allow receivers to do that, what's the incentive for people to pay to go on the Freesat EPG.
With regard to channels with MHEG on other services, no, sorry, I didn't test that. Soarsat isn't launched (and will anyway be at a different orbital position) and likewise any German channels with MHEG will be on a different satellite, and without any apparent support for Diseqc, it would be a bit of an odd move to buy a Freesat box with the intention of tuning in to those.
As I mentioned in the review, there's not even a blind search.
A box designed for a specific platform is never, I think, going to offer all the bells and whistles that satellite enthusiasts want.
...for me, anyway, is to be able to easily watch and control my Sat/Blu/PVR/etc from anywhere in my house, from my phone or a laptop or another TV, via ethernet or wireless. If it does that well, I couldn't care less about remote access. If this device supports that with good picture quality, I like the idea (after taking a screwdriver to all the front lights of course). I see no sign the the review of that MO being considered.
And yes, you'll get much better quality than when using it remotely; eminently watchable, and without the restrictions on image quality that I referred to in the review. I did use test it that way, but there are only so many words in a review, and the remote quality was something worth commenting on.
Whether you'd want to use it like this, of course, depends; it's probably easier than putting in a separate LNB feed to a bedroom, say, but if that's the main use case, you might be better off in the long run, especially when in-home sharing of recordings in added to products from other manufacturers.
What's the right choice is going to depend on where you're starting, and what equipment you're prepared to spend money on.
> For stuff on 28.2E, my suspicion is that they're never going to make it really easy for people to mix both on the same EPG or channel list, because if they do allow receivers to do that, what's the incentive for people to pay to go on the Freesat EPG.
I suspect there's likely to be a clause in the Freesat EPG licensing conditions which prohibit manufacturers from allowing EPGs to co-exist. Enquiring gnomes wish to mine.
(WHY does Freesat want to have loock-in? What would happen if someone was to reverse engineeer the EPG and then publish the information?)
Yes, I'm primarily interested in 28.2E - for starters there's RTE and a large number of non-UK english language channels which are of interest.
Perhaps I should just give up and build a suitable HTPC?myth media box.
I think there are a couple of likely reasons for this sort of lock-down being desired by platform makers, including Freesat. As for the reverse engineering issue, that's not really a big one - Myth already has a plug-in for the Freesat EPG, so it's possible to get the programme data, and they've not been taken out back and shot.
Freesat's intended to be a self funding system, with an advanced EPG (ie series link, rescheduling, and so forth). And for that to work, it has to charge channels to go on the guide.
There's also a viewpoint (which depends on your exact interpretation of EU law, and applies more to Sky in any case, I think) that satellite receivers must not block the reception of other broadcasts that are in the clear, hence the addition of the 'non freesat' scan mode. (Annex IV, Framework Directive 2002/21/EC, itself a rewording of Art 4, Directive 95/47). But I digress...
Once you've got a function to scan for those other channels, then what do you do with them? On a box like the old Humax HDCI-2000, no problem, because there is no common EPG. They just go in the channel list.
But I suspect the reasoning for not doing that here (and indeed on Sky) is that it potentially harms your sales of EPG slots, if people know that it's pretty simple for users to add an extra channel and then view it. If you could simple scan and store in the same channel list, might not some smaller channels decide, rather than pay the EPG fees, that they'll simply explain on their website how to scan and store themselves?
There's also then the issue of the platform services, which is the enhancements like series links, auto rescheduling, and trailer booking, which are offered over and above the capabilities of the standard programme information.
Some of those thing, to work, will require that at least one of the tuners on the box is monitoring a transponder that has Freesat data streams on it, otherwise you won't get things like the accurate recording flags, or notice of rescheduled events. That, potentially, could mean either things like recording failing, or missing start or ends.
I'm not going to say this sort of issue isn't surmountable, but it requires thought, and it's still going to be confusing to some of the non-techy punters at whom platform-based services like these are aimed. You can end up with situation where end users have recording issues not because of any failing in Freesat itself, but because, for example, they happen to be watching a non--platform channel at the time when a recording was meant to start.
Readers of sites like RegHardware will probably understand why there might be issues; but many people will just see that a box has failed to record a particular thing and their view will be "Freesat is crap, because the box didn't record Doctor Who properly while I was watching XYZ", even if XYZ is on a non-Freesat transponder.
So, from a technical support/reputational point of view, I'm not saying this is the right thing to do, but I can quite see why Freesat and the makers of compatible equipment adopt the approach that they do.