text:
Save on goods sells a range of 6ft superking mattresses.
we got open coil, pocket sprung and memory foam mattresses available from stock so you can get your new mattress when you want it.
the mattresses are available with a range of different firmnesses, so you will find the mattress that is right for you at a great price for you.


text:
Mission Possible
It was hard watching the North Dakota State game last night's game against Oakland for the Summit League tourney championship. The first half was like watching players I had never seen before in the Bison uniform, they were lazy, lacking the energy and confidence we have been used to here in Fargo.
In the second half, Saul Phillip's team finally found their confidence and came back from 16 points down to take the lead on a Ben Woodside jumper with 3.3 seconds left in the game. The win gives the Bison it's first NCAA birth in the school's first year eligible. NDSU's win is the first of it's kind since 1972 when Louisiana – Lafayette made the jump to D1 tourney bid.
Congratulations to the Bison and I know former Bison coach Tim Miles is has to be beaming today. Miles, currently coaching at Colorado State, was the architect behind the Bison vision to red-shirt this year's senior when they were freshmen, ultimately planning for last nights game five years ago.
Now, I am not sure Woodside and the Bison can be this year's Steph Curry and Davidson, but I do expect them to competitive as a 12 or 13 seed. I would expect them to push whom ever they meet in the opening round.
Remember a couple seasons ago? The Bison, lead by this years starters, beat an Alando Tucker lead Wisconsin team and a Marquette team with the same three guard combo that the Golden Eagles this season. Both teams were ranked when they lost to the Bison. They also pushed a talented, but under achieving, USC team before losing by 4 points this season in a game the Woodside did not play well.
All of Fargo is happy that Woodside is getting more publicity, this kid is as fearless as he is talented and should be given a chance at the next level.
For the second time in less than, ESPN's Andy Katz wrote a blog post on the Bison.
Big Ten
I have no expectations for the Big-Ten tournament, because I have no clue which versions of teams will show up. As I write this, West Virgina is rolling over Notre Dame in the Big east tourney by 15 points.
Each Big-Ten has a "not so subtle" Jekyll and Hyde issue, with the Michigan State Spartans doing the best job at control the ugly and disgusting side of their teams play. That being said, they were embarrassed by Northwestern at MSU.
Every team had horrible loses and impressive wins and could go all the way, but I do expect MSU or Purdue to win the whole thing.
Minnesota and Michigan need to win two games to be considered a "tourney quality team". Both had great starts to the season, and both let a great opportunity to cement a return to Big-Ten "top level" competition – I expect them to be there soon.
Penn State and Northwestern are both one win away from the tourney. Both have beaten top tier Big-Ten teams and really should be given a look if they win one or not.
Big East
PITT, UConn, Louisville, Marquette, West Virginia or Villanova?
I am hoping for another UConn/PITT clash, but this is the Big East tourney, so the legend of Gerry McNamara looms heavy over the Madison Square Garden.
Syracuse has played well strong down the stretch, Notre Dame has not. PITT is almost unbeatable. Unless you are Providence – who should be a given for selection Sunday.
UConn is a first round lose away from a No. 1 seed, and Louisville needs to win the Big-East tourney to seriously be considered a No. 1 seed.
I have no idea on WVU. They are not very deep – actually, no team has a lot of quality depth in the Big East – I could be easily persuaded by good argument from a PITT or UConn expert. The Mountaineers do have stud junior De'Sean Butler who is a legit NBA prospect.
My dream is for Notre Dame to win the whole tourney, Luke Harongody deserves better than the NIT. Without the tourney Championship, I am not sure they will hear their name called on CBS this Sunday.
ACC Tourney
Just like the Big-Ten, the ACC has a quality through out the conference. You can call UNC and Duke "heavy favorites", but they have been beaten by lesser teams this season – aka Boston College – aka Tyrese Rice and Headband Bunch.
Clemson is experienced and should be tough, Wake Forrest is young, talented and capable of winning whole tourney, and then you have Floria State who came out of nowhere.
Every game will be close and I would not be surprised to see any of the top seeded teams lose in their first game or see them all advance. I know, bold prediction, but I really don't know what to expect – see Big-Ten Jekyll and Hyde effect.
UNC needs to find PG help while Ty Lawson recovers, Duke needs Kyle Singler to learn how to shot again, if WF is going to go deep Jeff Teague must play all tourney long like he did against UNC, or James Johnson needs to live up to the hype.
Clemson is very balanced, Boston College is not, and Miami is the most frustrating team in the conference, but still could get hot and ride James McClinton for a couple wins. North Carolina state should be better, Virginia Tech always gives Duke problems, and Virginia went "Wee, Wee, Wee all the way home".
Side Note– If any of the Memphis Tigers games are remotely close- the C-USA tourney is on their home court – John Calipari should have to go the rest of March without hair product.
Notre Dame has pulled back with in single digits. So you are saying there is a chance? No, I'm not.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Compare Intel® Products
View Details
No results found for
The date the product was first introduced.
Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).
A Thread, or thread of execution, is a software term for the basic ordered sequence of instructions that can be passed through or processed by a single CPU core.
Processor Base Frequency describes the rate at which the processor's transistors open and close. The processor base frequency is the operating point where TDP is defined. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.
CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.
FSB parity provides error checking on data sent on the FSB (Front Side Bus).
Thermal Design Power (TDP) represents the average power, in watts, the processor dissipates when operating at Base Frequency with all cores active under an Intel-defined, high-complexity workload. Refer to Datasheet for thermal solution requirements.
Embedded Options Available indicates products that offer extended purchase availability for intelligent systems and embedded solutions. Product certification and use condition applications can be found in the Production Release Qualification (PRQ) report. See your Intel representative for details.
Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.
Intel® processors come in four different types: a Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode.
The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.
Physical Address Extensions (PAE) is a feature that allows 32-bit processors to access a physical address space larger than 4 gigabytes.
ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.
Intel® Clear Video Technology is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture.
PCI support indicates the type of support for the Peripheral Component Interconnect standard
PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.
PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.
SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) is a high speed standard for connecting storage devices such as hard disk drives and optical drives to a motherboard.
The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.
Case Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS).
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don't.
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple "virtual" platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.
Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.
An instruction set refers to the basic set of commands and instructions that a microprocessor understands and can carry out. The value shown represents which Intel's instruction set this processor is compatible with.
Idle States (C-states) are used to save power when the processor is idle. C0 is the operational state, meaning that the CPU is doing useful work. C1 is the first idle state, C2 the second, and so on, where more power saving actions are taken for numerically higher C-states.
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.
Intel® Demand Based Switching is a power-management technology in which the applied voltage and clock speed of a microprocessor are kept at the minimum necessary levels until more processing power is required. This technology was introduced as Intel SpeedStep® Technology in the server marketplace.
Intel® Management Engine Firmware (Intel® ME FW) uses built-in platform capabilities and management and security applications to remotely manage networked computing assets out-of-band.
Intel® Quick Resume Technology Driver (QRTD) allows the Intel® Viiv™ technology-based PC to behave like a consumer electronic device with instant on/off (after initial boot, when activated) capability.
Intel® Quiet System Technology can help reduce system noise and heat through more intelligent fan speed control algorithms.
Intel® QuickAssist Technology provides security and compression acceleration capabilities used to improve performance and efficiency across the data center.
Intel® High Definition Audio (Intel® HD Audio) is capable of playing back more channels at higher quality than previous integrated audio formats. In addition, Intel® HD Audio has the technology needed to support the latest and greatest audio content.
Intel® AC97 Technology is an audio codec standard which defines a high-quality audio architecture with surround sound support for the PC. It is the predecessor to Intel® High Definition Audio.
Intel® Matrix Storage Technology provides protection, performance, and expandability for desktop and mobile platforms. Whether using one or multiple hard drives, users can take advantage of enhanced performance and lower power consumption. When using more than one drive the user can have additional protection against data loss in the event of hard drive failure. Predecessor to Intel® Rapid Storage Technology
Intel® Fast Memory Access is an updated Graphics Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) backbone architecture that improves system performance by optimizing the use of available memory bandwidth and reducing the latency of the memory accesses.
Intel® Flex Memory Access facilitates easier upgrades by allowing different memory sizes to be populated and remain in dual-channel mode.
Intel® Trusted Execution Technology for safer computing is a versatile set of hardware extensions to Intel® processors and chipsets that enhance the digital office platform with security capabilities such as measured launch and protected execution. It enables an environment where applications can run within their own space, protected from all other software on the system.
Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.
Intel ships these processors to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and the OEMs typically pre-install the processor. Intel refers to these processors as tray or OEM processors. Intel doesn't provide direct warranty support. Contact your OEM or reseller for warranty support.
Intel ships these processors to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and the OEMs typically pre-install the processor. Intel refers to these processors as tray or OEM processors. Intel doesn't provide direct warranty support. Contact your OEM or reseller for warranty support.
Our goal is to make the ARK family of tools a valuable resource for you. Please submit your comments, questions, or suggestions here. You will receive a reply within 2 business days.
Your comments have been sent. Thank you for your feedback.
Your personal information will be used to respond to this inquiry only. Your name and email address will not be added to any mailing list, and you will not receive email from Intel Corporation unless requested. Clicking 'Submit' confirms your acceptance of the Intel Terms of Use and understanding of the Intel Privacy Policy.
All information provided is subject to change at any time, without notice. Intel may make changes to manufacturing life cycle, specifications, and product descriptions at any time, without notice. The information herein is provided "as-is" and Intel does not make any representations or warranties whatsoever regarding accuracy of the information, nor on the product features, availability, functionality, or compatibility of the products listed. Please contact system vendor for more information on specific products or systems.
Intel classifications are for informational purposes only and consist of Export Control Classification Numbers (ECCN) and Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers. Any use made of Intel classifications are without recourse to Intel and shall not be construed as a representation or warranty regarding the proper ECCN or HTS. Your company as an importer and/or exporter is responsible for determining the correct classification of your transaction.
Refer to Datasheet for formal definitions of product properties and features.
‡ This feature may not be available on all computing systems. Please check with the system vendor to determine if your system delivers this feature, or reference the system specifications (motherboard, processor, chipset, power supply, HDD, graphics controller, memory, BIOS, drivers, virtual machine monitor-VMM, platform software, and/or operating system) for feature compatibility. Functionality, performance, and other benefits of this feature may vary depending on system configuration.
System and Maximum TDP is based on worst case scenarios. Actual TDP may be lower if not all I/Os for chipsets are used.
"Announced" SKUs are not yet available. Please refer to the Launch Date for market availability.
Max Turbo Frequency refers to the maximum single-core processor frequency that can be achieved with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology. See www.intel.com/technology/turboboost/ for more information.
See http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/hyper-threading/hyper-threading-technology.html?wapkw=hyper+threading for more information including details on which processors support Intel® HT Technology.
Processors that support 64-bit computing on Intel® architecture require an Intel 64 architecture-enabled BIOS.


text:
Frugal Friday~
I'm excited to share my Frugal Round-up with you. So let's get to it...
First up, Dimples and Tangles shared her fabulous dining room host chairs - and she gives us a run down of how she created them. I. Love. These.
I adore this glam master bedroom makeover from Design Dining and Diapers. So pretty! Love the touches of gold!
1. Please link directly to your post and not just to your blog.
2. Please link back the Shabby Nest (you can use the pretty button on my side bar to make it easy.) I only feature projects in my Frugal Round-up that link back to The Shabby Nest. I have passed up some great features because they didn't link back..so please use common courtesy and return the link! MWAH!!
3. Please visit other participants and leave them comments! Help them feel "the love!"


text:
(Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co's senior executives were aware of certain Autonomy Corp sales practices months before a whistleblower flagged them, prompting HP to write down the value of Autonomy, the Financial Times reported, citing email records.
HP, which bought Autonomy for $11.1 billion in 2011 only to write down its value by $8.8 billion a year later, has accused Autonomy officials of accounting fraud.
Suggestions HP may have known about some of Autonomy's practices before the whistleblower came forward could weaken its argument that the Autonomy officials concealed information.
Autonomy's practice of selling hardware to clients at a loss had been documented by auditors and a report was provided to HP after it bought the British software maker, the FT said.
HP executives were included in communications about Autonomy's hardware sales before the whistleblower brought the transactions to light, the FT said, citing several emails.
In an October 2011 email that HP Chief Executive Meg Whitman was copied on, Autonomy cited difficulties it was having in selling HP hardware, the newspaper reported.
However, HP said that while it eventually learned about the hardware sales, it knew nothing of the alleged accounting improprieties until the whistleblower came forward.
"Our investigation has shown that Autonomy often resold generic hardware at a loss in the last few days of the quarter with the sole purpose of masking its real financial performance," HP said in a statement.
"In addition, Autonomy engaged in improper transactions with certain value-added resellers to create the appearance of software licensing revenue at the end of each quarter. In some instances, these transactions were used to accelerate revenue, and on numerous occasions, these were fabricated transactions with no real end-user."
Autonomy was founded and led by British entrepreneur Mike Lynch, who has repeatedly denied HP's allegations.
Lynch said in a statement on Tuesday that the emails and documents cited by the FT showed Autonomy had been open with its auditors, Deloitte.
Deloitte told the newspaper it "categorically denies any knowledge of any accounting improprieties or misrepresentations in Autonomy's financial statements".
Lynch said: "Meg Whitman accused Autonomy of 'active concealment' but these revelations prove we were open and transparent with our auditors who continue to stand by the accounts."


text:
The Jack Ridl Visiting Writers Series of Hope College will feature poet Cornelius Eady on Monday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. at the Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
Eady is a playwright and the author of six books of poetry, and his work also appears in many journals, magazines, and anthologies. His most recent collection of poems, "Brutal Imagination," which was a National Book Award finalist in 2001, is comprised of two cycles, the first of which is narrated largely by the black kidnapper invented by Susan Smith to cover up the killing of her two small sons. Eady's poetry, including two award-winning plays, has garnered heaps of praise from critics and readers alike.
Novelist Bebe Moore Campbell has noted that "Eady fuses headlines and history with language that is a field holler, a blues shout, a hip hop rap that combusts inside the soul and keeps on burning." Eady is co-founder, with poet Toi Derricote, of Cave Canem, a summer workshop/retreat for African American poets.
The DIA Art Foundation has said that "Cornelius Eady's poems are joyous, incantatory, and experiential. [His] work is a glossary of earthly objects and human events, and his linguistic responses provide pleasure even when they are provoked by injustice, or by pain, or by loss."
The reading will be preceded by a performance by Hope College Jazz Ensemble at the Knickerbocker beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Additional information may be obtained online by visiting www.hope.edu/vws.
The Knickerbocker Theatre is located at 86 E. Eighth St.


text:
Friday 25 January
|Pocillopora (1)
This hardy, widespread and common coral can easily be identified by the presence of wart-like growths, called verrucae, which cover the colonies (3). The colonies can be fairly solid and dome-shaped, or branching with branches that are either flattened and blade-like, or fine and irregular (4). Species of Pocillopora corals vary greatly in appearance, depending on environmental conditions. For example, species situated on shallow reefs with heavy wave action are often stunted, whilst those in deep water are thin and open. The tentacles born on each polyp are usually only extended at night (3).
The polyps of Pocillopora corals are hermaphrodite; they each possess four sets of male and four sets of female gonads (3). Pocillopora can reproduce asexually as well as sexually. Unlike many corals, the coral larvae develop inside the polyps rather than in the water column. When the mature larvae are released into the water, the larvae can remain free-swimming for several weeks before settling on the substrate. They can even become partly polyp-like during this period, enabling feeding to occur before settling and commencing skeleton formation (3). Pocillopora can also successfully reproduce asexually via fragmentation (6).
Pocillopora corals are hermatypic corals, and therefore have microscopic algae (zooxanthellae) living within their tissues. Through photosynthesis, these symbiotic algae produce energy-rich molecules that the coral polyps can use as nutrition (3). In return, the coral provides the zooxanthellae with protection, and access to sunlight. The wide geographic distribution of Pocillopora corals is probably due to rafting, whereby small colonies attach to floating objects, such as pumice, where they can travel great distance to remote places (4). The polyps can also obtain nutrition by capturing tiny prey using their tentacles.
Pocillopora eydouxi is distributed widely in the Indian and Pacific Oceans (4).
Cauliflower corals occur in habitats ranging from exposed reef fronts to protected lagoons and lower reef slopes (4).
Cauliflower corals face the many threats that are impacting coral reefs globally. It is estimated that 20 percent of the world's coral reefs have already been effectively destroyed and show no immediate prospects of recovery, and 24 percent of the world's reefs are under imminent risk of collapse due to human pressures. These human impacts include poor land management practices that are releasing more sediment, nutrients and pollutants into the oceans and stressing the fragile reef ecosystem. Over fishing has 'knock-on' effects that results in the increase of macro-algae that can out-compete and smother corals, and fishing using destructive methods physically devastates the reef. A further potential threat is the increase of coral bleaching events, as a result of global climate change (5). Another potential threat is over-harvesting. Pocillopora is one of four genera that constitute the majority of the dead coral trade. Indonesia and Fiji have export quotas for this coral, but in 1997, the amount of Pocillopora traded greatly exceeded the quota, showing a failure to regulate the trade (6). However, Pocillopora is thought to be fairly resilient to collection due to their success at asexual reproduction through fragmentation (6).
Pocillopora corals are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which means that trade in this species should be carefully regulated (2). Pocillopora is one of the genera that can be fairly successively cultivated, due to its fast growth rate and the ease at which it can be propagated by fragmentation. Growing tips are collected from large colonies in the wild, and the fragments are cultivated in the sea suspended from fishing lines until large enough to be sold in the aquarium trade. Whilst the initial collection does have impact on wild populations, cultivation poses less threat than complete wild harvesting (6). Pocillopora corals will form part of the marine community in many marine protected areas (MPAs), which offer coral reefs a degree of protection, and there are many calls from non-governmental organisations for larger MPAs to ensure the persistence of these unique and fascinating ecosystems (5).
For further information on this species see Veron, J.E.N. (1986) Corals of Australia and the Indo-Pacific. Angus & Robertson Publishers, London, UK.
For further information on the conservation of coral reefs see:
This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
Image credit
© David Wachenfeld / www.ardea.com
Ardea wildlife pets environment
59 Tranquil Vale
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 208 318 1401
Link to this photo
Embed this Arkive thumbnail link ("portlet") by copying and pasting the code below.
Terms of Use - The displayed portlet may be used as a link from your website to Arkive's online content for private, scientific, conservation or educational purposes only. It may NOT be used within Apps.
Read more about
MyARKive offers the scrapbook feature to signed-up members, allowing you to organize your favourite Arkive images and videos and share them with friends.
Play the Team WILD game:
This species is featured in:
Friday 25 January
Friday 05 October
Monday 24 September


text:
Story highlights
- Florida is hiring part-time workers to respond to complaints, calls
- Officials want residents and resurgent crocodiles to co-exist
- Still, they urge steps to reduce the likelihood of problems
"Ride 'em cowboy" types need not apply.
Rather, the ideal candidate for this part-time position must be flexible, mature, a good listener and non-confrontational.
Experience, however, is not necessary. (That might be because so few people would have that kind of experience.)
The state of Florida is advertising for crocodile response agents to handle complaints from residents and, in the relatively rare event it is necessary, to capture and move crocs. Training will be provided.
The addition of more agents comes amid the encouraging rebound of the American crocodile in Florida -- an estimated 2,000 non-hatchlings, up from about 300 in the mid-1970s -- and the accompanying rise in complaint calls.
"(The crocodile) is moving back into places where they have not been seen in decades," said Lindsey Hord, crocodile response coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "That is obviously resulting in conflict."
While the vast majority of the crocs are in Everglades National Park, many live in the Florida Keys and along the Atlantic Ocean in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.
The program currently has nine agents who serve as "eyes and ears" on the crocodile population, responding to calls and patiently listening to residents unhappy with what they consider reptilian encroachment.
The job pays $25 an hour, including vehicle expenses. "It is not something you do for the money," said Hord, adding the hiring process weeds out those who do not live close to where the work will take them.
Some applicants, he told CNN, say they want to wrestle the animals. That's a no-go.
Often, the role of the team is to educate residents about not dangling incentives in front of crocodiles, such as having an unfenced dog near water or dumping yummy fish remains into a canal after a day of fishing.
Peaceful co-existence is the aim
And while some creatures are moved -- about eight or so out of an estimated 200 complaints in 2013 -- most remain because they do not meet the criteria for removal. Those that are relocated often return to their capture site.
It is unlawful to kill crocodiles in Florida.
Hord notes the creatures -- listed as threatened in Florida -- are increasingly returning to their historic ranges. The commission describes crocodiles as shy and reclusive but potentially dangerous.
Their increasing presence can be a problem when they come close to residents, including newcomers.
"It is the agency's hope that people will co-exist with crocodiles," said Hord.
"We have no objective to unilaterally remove crocodiles from anywhere. We strictly react to complaints. We don't go out looking for crocodiles," he said.
Hord spoke Wednesday with a woman who just rented a home in Broward County. She has small children and a dog. "She was just now aware there were crocodiles. She was not overly upset but concerned."
The coordinator told her there are no documented reports of crocodiles biting humans.
A bigger danger is swimming pool safety for her children. Regarding the pooch, it might be good to have a fence to keep the crocodiles and alligators -- which number about 1.3 million in Florida -- away.
"It is about putting things into context," Hord said.
'They ... sense we are something different'
Calls and complaints generally rise after a dog is killed by a crocodile, such as last year in southeast Miami. Wildlife officials encourage homeowners not to swim in potential danger zones, or allow their dogs in the water.
"Sometimes, it is hard for people to change," Hord said, pointing out Key residents accustomed to swimming and scuba diving just yards from their homes. "It is not going to go back the way it was 30 years ago."
In certain areas, if a complaint comes in and the crocodile is 9 feet long or over, hangs around an area or ends up in a swimming pool, officials move it. On its third capture, an animal will be removed from the wild and placed in a conservation park or similar facility.
Biologists have been studying whether magnets will keep crocs from returning to areas where they are not welcome. The idea is that the magnets will disrupt their sense of the Earth's magnetic field, making it harder for them to orient themselves after their release. Results so far are mixed.
Crocs, Hord said, have keen eyesight and hearing.
"They can learn very quickly to be habituated to people. They learn very quickly that people are not a threat to them if they are not."
Interestingly, when it's time for a capture, the reptiles often are wary.
"They seem to be able to sense we are something different," Hord said. "Then they disappear."
After 32 years of this type of work, Hord has fond feelings and memories for certain crocodiles.
"A lot of us were very attached," to one tagged Blue No. 9 that was shot and killed last year in Islamorada. She had been moved once after laying 27 eggs that failed to produce viable offspring. A memorial service was held on the beach.


text:
VaricoseVeinSearch.com is the premiere resource for finding varicose vein treatment doctors
in Payson, AZ.
If you are looking for doctors in Payson, Arizona that specialize in Varicose Vein Treatment and Spider Vein Removal, you've come to the right place. If you would like
more information on varicose vein treatment or have questions, please
contact a varicose vein treatment doctor.
Preventing Varicose Veins
by: Michael Russell
The heart is the primary organ that pumps blood to all parts of the body; but this is not possible without the presence of blood vessels that transport blood to all parts of the body and back to the heart. Arteries carry blood from the heart to all parts of the body, while veins carry the 'used' blood back to the heart for re-oxygenation. These vessels, like the heart, work non-stop throughout the day and throughout life and any problem that impedes the optimum functioning of these vessels definitely leads to a disease condition. Such is the case of varicose veins.Varicose veins are a common occurrence in the western world, anyone who doesn't suffer the condition, must have, at least seen someone who does. Though varicose veins do not always constitute a problem that requires urgent medical attention, they can be quite unsightly and depressing. Varicose veins often present as twisted and enlarged veins close to the skin, discoloring the part of the skin where they occur and sometimes causing pain and discomfort.Several factors have been indicted in the cause of varicose veins, such as obesity, hormonal abnormalities, pregnancy, long periods of standing or sitting, genetic or previous venous problems such as thrombophlebitis. However, to prevent varicose veins effectively it is important to understand the underlying reason for the condition.The first problem is that veins are always superficial and have less effective valves compared to the arteries; this is reasonable since they transport blood back to the heart with far less pressure compared to the arteries. However, this means that veins are more prone to valvular incompetence (i.e. failure of the valves to prevent back flow of blood). Secondly, the veins of the lower extremities have to transport blood back to the heart against the force of gravity. Transporting blood against the force of gravity exerts a greater amount of stress on the veins of the legs than any other part of the body and this is why varicose veins commonly occur in the lower extremities.Once this fact is understood, it is much easier to understand how to prevent varicose veins. Standing for a long period tends to weaken the veins of the legs while sitting for a long period or sitting with the legs crossed tends to hamper blood flow in the legs. Thus, it is important to avoid standing or sitting for a long period. If you have to sit at work, stand up every hour or so and walk around. And if your work requires you to stand for a long time, try shifting your weight from one leg to the other periodically. It is also good to rest with your legs up, once in a while; it helps take the stress of your legs.Obesity is regarded as one of the causes of varicose veins because it places much strain on the legs, maintaining average body weight reduces your chances of getting varicose veins. Also, table salt has been shown to increase water retention in the body. This increases the volume of blood the vessels have to transport and also body weight. Reducing salt intake could reduce your chances of suffering varicose veins. Walking is the best form of exercise for the legs; it helps keep the muscles toned and improves blood circulation, thus strengthening the veins against swelling and twisting. Varicose veins are not such a serious medical condition, except when it becomes complicated. If you already have the condition or you are predisposed to it, following these simple measures could greatly relieve the condition and prevent it from getting worse.Michael RussellYour Independent guide to Varicose Veins
Payson Varicose Vein Treatment, Payson Spider Vein Removal, Payson Vein Treatment, Payson Vein Removal, Arizona Varicose Vein Treatment


text:
Twitter: @BrownUPoliSci
The political science department at Brown University is a dynamic community of scholars and students investigating some of the largest, most pressing challenges of political life today. Our faculty are at the leading edge of research in all the traditional subfields of political science: American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory. We study many different regions of the world, and we engage a wide variety of methods and intellectual approaches. We have a vibrant PhD program that trains graduate students for careers in academia and advanced research. Our undergraduate major is one of the largest on campus, although most of our classes are small and allow students to work closely with faculty members. Our graduates pursue a wide range of different careers paths, including law, public service, business, education, and more.
Our faculty and students profit from the many outstanding institutes, centers, and programs at Brown that bear on the study of politics. These include the Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions, the Watson Institute for International & Public Affairs, Masters in Public Affairs Program, the Program in Urban Studies, the Center for Contemporary South Asia, the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, the Political Theory Project, the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America, Middle East Studies, Development Studies, the Population Studies and Training Center, and Africana Studies. Together we are a community of faculty, graduate students, undergraduates, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scholars at the cutting edge in the study of political life. We are diverse in approach, method, and field of study, but we work closely together to foster new understanding and creative approaches to the political challenges of our increasingly complex world.


text:
A Bluffton man accused of beating his pitbull in the parking lot of a grocery store was arrested Saturday, the Bluffton Police Department reported Thursday.
Shawn Basile, 27, was charged with two misdemeanors: one count of animal cruelty and public disorderly conduct.
Witnesses called 911 around 1:25 p.m. after reportedly seeing Basile hit the dog while the animal was inside a vehicle parked at 80 Baylor Drive. Investigators say Basile became upset when the dog urinated on his child's clothing.
Witnesses reported that the dog attempted to run away, however, Basile ran after the dog and dragged it back to the vehicle and struck it several more times, police said. Several witnesses then approached Basile and told him to stop abusing the dog. One person called 911. Basile left the parking lot after police were contacted, but was later found by officers on a nearby trail. The dog, a 3-year-old pitbull named Lucy, did not suffer any injuries as a result of the incident, police said.
Lucy was taken to the Palmetto Animal League in Okatie and was released to the custody of the shelter's Executive Director Amy Campanini.
Basile was booked and released from the Beaufort County Detention Center on his own recognizance, according to the county's online jail log.


text:
"Following offers by some incredible people it was suggested that a fund be established to assist with the current challenge to uphold franchise law with the goal to re-establish Club Physical in effected locations," the company said on its Facebook page.
It provided an account number and said any money not used to fund the legal case would be returned to donors.
The New Zealand Herald
February 19, 2013
Gym rebrand stoush heads to High Court
Ben Chapman-Smith
Club Physical in Te Atatu. A legal battle over the rebranding of three Club Physical gyms will have its first call in the High Court. Photo / Michelle Hyslop
A legal battle between the owner of a well-known gym chain and one of his franchisees who suddenly rebranded three clubs is heading to the High Court.
The development comes as upset members are given the chance to help fund the gym's legal costs.
Club Physical was running nine branches across Auckland and one in Kaitaia until 11 days ago when clubs at Westgate, Three Kings and Botany were completely overhauled and renamed as "Jolt Fitness".
Staff at those locations were fitted with new uniforms, new classes were put in place, and instructors arriving up to take their regular classes were turned away.
Many members were left baffled and angry that the gym they signed up for no longer existed.
Stuart Holder, who owned the three branches under a franchise agreement, said he rebranded the clubs to ensure their survival.
"As background, on Friday 8, February we regrettably had to take steps to end our franchise agreements with Club Physical in Westgate, Botany and Three Kings because we believed the franchisor had not been meeting its obligations to us and that this was putting the future of the clubs - your clubs - in jeopardy."
Club Physical owner Paul Richards alleged Holder had breached franchise agreements that had "years to run on them".
Late last week, Richards entered an application to the High Court seeking an injunction to block Jolt Fitness from trading.
Jolt Fitness said through a spokesperson today that it had been served with an injunction by Club Physical, which was being presented at the High Court in Auckland tomorrow.
"I can also confirm that Jolt Fitness is seeking a counter injunction against Club Physical to stop it accessing its member database," the spokesperson said.
Club Physical's legal counsel Phillip Rice said the case would get its first call at the High Court tomorrow morning but he did not expect a decision to be made immediately.
"It will be adjourned tomorrow for Jolt Fitness to file affidavits and set down for hearing some time next week," Rice said.
Meanwhile, Club Physical has launched what it called a "Fighting Fund".
"Following offers by some incredible people it was suggested that a fund be established to assist with the current challenge to uphold franchise law with the goal to re-establish Club Physical in effected locations," the company said on its Facebook page.
It provided an account number and said any money not used to fund the legal case would be returned to donors.
All members of the three gyms affected have now been transferred to Jolt Fitness.
Holder told members in an email on Friday that those who wished to cancel their Jolt Fitness memberships would be dealt with "on a case by case basis".
Club Physical said members who wanted to keep working out at Club Physical could transfer to another branch at no cost while legal proceedings were underway.
Richard Beddie, head of Fitness NZ, last week issued a general letter stating the importance of gym franchises honouring their contracts.
"We believe allowing franchise operators to break franchise agreements without due regard for contract law would be both without precedent, and more significantly, damaging for our industry."
Beddie said he has not seen the contract between Club Physical and Jolt Fitness, and therefore could not say whether it had been breached, but his main concern was for affected gym members.
"These people have joined Club Physical for a number of reasons. They may have joined for the location, which hasn't changed, but they may have joined for the classes and I understand the classes have all changed now."
Beddie said it he would be very surprised if Jolt Fitness refused to let members end their contracts.
By Ben Chapman-Smith
Brought to you by WikidFranchise.org
Risks: Call for franchise law, Disgruntled , Fear mongering, Free riding, Independence, Independence, profits go up, Ineffective marketing, No franchisor support, Rebranding usually hides real objective, Reputational risk, Social media, New Zealand, 20130219 Gym rebrand


text:
Unfortunately, this summer's Governor's School Program has to be cancelled in compliance with the University's response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Governor's School Program at The University of Virginia's College at Wise is a three week residential program for juniors and seniors in high school who have demonstrated significant effort and achievement in performance or technical theater.
Students live in college residence halls while studying and earning college credit in theater arts. The Program is sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education, The University of Virginia's College at Wise, and it completely free of charge to the student participants and their families.
Mornings are spent in classes studying acting, text analysis, theater history, design, and technical theater. The course-work is designed to engage and encourage students, but also to challenge them physically, creatively, and intellectually. So, students should come prepared to have fun working hard!
Afternoons are spent applying the coursework in rehearsals and the production of a fully realized play by William Shakespeare. Students are responsible for all performance and technical aspects of the production– when they are not in rehearsal, they are building sets, focusing lights, preparing costumes and organizing props. Students also spend time reflecting on the process through writing and daily discussions about ensemble work.
Evenings and weekends provide opportunity for social interaction, games, movies and field trips. Each year Governor's School students pack their bags and travel to Staunton Virginia to see a Shakespeare play (or two) in the only historic replica of Shakespeare's indoor theater- The Blackfriar's Playhouse- and to see what people lived like in Shakespeare's time at the Frontier Culture Museum.
Students are chaperoned by program instructors and residential counselors who live in the residence hall and dine in the cafeteria with the students. All program participants are expected to sign and uphold a student code-of-conduct.
The Governor's School at The University of Virginia's College at Wise is a regional program serving school divisions in Wise, Scott, Lee, Dickenson, Buchanan, Bland, Carroll, Giles, Grayson, Pulaski, Russell, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wythe, Floyd, Patrick Counties as well as the cities of Norton, Radford, Bristol, and Galax (21 school divisions in total). Two students in the 10th or 11th grades are selected by their school districts for participation. Students are expected to have demonstrated strong work in performance or technical theater as well as a positive attitude and strong work ethic. The program serves 24 students a summer.
The Governor's School of The University of Virginia's College at wise does not discriminate with regard to special populations including students of minority, ethnic composition, disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions, and/or handicapping conditions. The program is sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education with Wise County Schools as its fiscal agent.
If you have a media player that will play an .wmv file (windows media player should work) you can download a slide-show outlining more specifics and pictures from the program by clicking on the image of the traditional clown Pierot on the left.
You can also download a PDF presentation of Governor's School.
If you have any questions, contact Michael McNulty, Program Director at
276.328.0226 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
IFRS 2 — Employee benefit trusts in the separate financial statements of the sponsor
The IFRIC discussed the application to separate financial statements of an issue that had been submitted in connection with the amendment of SIC-12 Consolidation—Special Purpose Entities to include within its scope special purpose entities established in connection with equity compensation plans. The issue related to an employee benefit trust (or similar entity) that has been set up by a sponsoring entity specifically to facilitate the transfer of its equity instruments to its employees under a share-based payment arrangement. The trust holds shares of the sponsoring entity that are acquired by the trust from the sponsoring entity or from the market. Acquisition of those shares is funded either by the sponsoring entity or by a bank loan, usually guaranteed by the sponsoring entity. In most circumstances, the sponsoring entity controls the employee benefit trust. In some circumstances, the sponsoring entity may also have a direct control of the shares held by the trust. The issue is whether guidance should be developed on the accounting treatment for the sponsor's equity instruments held by the employee benefit trust in the sponsor's separate financial statements.
Decision not to add
November 2006
The IFRIC discussed whether the employee benefit trust should be treated as an extension of the sponsoring entity, such as a branch, or as a separate entity. The IFRIC noted that the notion of 'entity' is defined neither in the Framework nor in IAS 27 Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements. The IFRIC then discussed whether the sponsoring entity should, in its separate financial statements, account for the net investment according to IAS 27 or rather for the rights and obligations arising from the assets and liabilities of the trust. The IFRIC noted that, in some circumstances, the sponsoring entity may have direct control of the shares held by the trust. The IFRIC also noted that the guidance included in the Framework and IAS 27 does not address the accounting for the shares held by the trust in the sponsor's separate financial statements.
The IFRIC concluded that it could not reach a consensus on this matter on a timely basis, given the different types of trusts and trust arrangements that exist. The IFRIC noted that this issue related to two active projects of the IASB: the Conceptual Framework and the revision of IAS 27 Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements in the course of the Consolidation project. For these reasons, the IFRIC decided not to take the issue onto its agenda.
IFRIC reference: IFRS 2-6


text:
Baltic Adventures [Some June 2014 Translations]
June started a few days ago, which means that my rambling monthly overview of forthcoming translations is overdue. It also means that World Cup 2014 is about to start, which means that for the next month my brain will be as filled with soccer tactics and outcomes as literary ideas . . .
But sticking with the now: For the past two weeks, I've been on editorial trips to Estonia and Latvia. So rather than write up a post about forthcoming translations and a separate one about all the interesting stuff I've learned about in the Baltics, I thought I would "skin two bears with one trap" (from what I understand, this is the Estonian equivalent of "kill two birds with one stone," but a bit larger and darker . . . ) and merge my monthly overview with a bunch of observations and comments.
Since Estonia's HeadRead Literary Festival and the Estonian Literature Centre were the main impetus behind this trip—they arranged for my flight over and back, all the accommodations, tons of great meetings with authors and other literary figures, etc.—I want to take a paragraph and just give some random shout-outs.
First off, Ilvi Liive and Kerti Tergem are two of the best people you could hire as representatives for your country's literature. Always professional, super smart, incredibly helpful . . . Estonian literature wouldn't be where it is today without those two. (And don't laugh—I can name a half-dozen books that would win a couple rounds in the World Cup of Literature . . . if only Estonia's actual football team wasn't such shit.)
Also, the two translators who joined us—Matthew Hyde and Adam Cullen—are bloody brilliant and another reason I think we're going to have access to more Estonian lit over the next few years. Adam recently translated Tõnu Õnnepalu's Radio for Dalkey Archive, and is currently working on a mammoth book by Mihkel Mutt that should be out in late 2015.
Adam deserves another special shout-out for hanging out so much. He's a great guy, with fantastic stories, and I really appreciated all the time he took showing me around, explaining things, drinking maybe too much with me at the amazing NoKu . . .
Same goes for Kaisa Kaer, who is probably best well known as the Estonian translator of the Harry Potter books. (See this entry in the Estonian Wikipedia.) She was there for the late nights at NoKu, but also showed me the part of Tallinn where Stalker was filmed. (Which is especially surreal during this white night period when it gets light way, way too early in the morning.)
Finally: All the other publishers on the trip—Gesche from Pushkin Press, Philip Gwyn Jones from Scribe, Frédéric Martin from Tripode, Artur from Piper, and Job from Prometheus—were all fantastic. I could write paragraphs about all the great things about each editors and his/her respective press . . .
I'll get into some actual Estonian literature below, but for now, I just wanted to thank everyone who made this possible. OK, onto the books and the random shit.
La Grande by Juan José Saer, translated from the Spanish by Steve Dolph (Open Letter Books)
This is the third Saer book that we're bringing out—we already have two more signed on though, so don't worry—and it may well be the best. It is "grande," yet a perfect introduction to Saer's world, with characters from other books making an appearance, all the normal Saer themes being explored, and a shitload of wine being sold and consumed. It also was his final novel and feels a bit like a summing up. Great summer beach read!
For it's size, Tallinn surely is a grand city. (See what I did there? Sorry, but after hearing foreign, unintelligible—to me at least—languages for the past couple weeks, my brain is responding with terrible puns [the other day I got into an elevator made by "Schindler" which quickly became "Schindler's Lift"] and cheesy segues.) The Old City is such an interesting collection of very old buildings that are pretty well preserved . . . If ever there's a city that deserves to be referred to as looking like a "fairy tale," this one is it.
And while we were there, it was bustling with activity—the aforementioned HeadRead festival with its dozens of authors, a mini-festival of jazz music (which played very loudly over the opening ceremony of the HeadRead), and Olde Towne Days (I assume the "e"s are all supposed to be there), which was mostly people dressing up in Olde-Timey garb and doing crazy shit at the Town Hall, like playing horns out the windows and yelling "VIVA! VIVA!"
Leg over Leg, Volume 3 & 4 by Ahmad Faris al-Shidyaq, translated from the Arabic by Humphrey Davies (NYU Library of Arabic Literature)
One of the funniest parts of the Tallinn trip had to be our meals at Pegasus. Pegasus is a huge, beautiful restaurant that's part of the Estonian Writers' Union building. It's a really great place, and one that was always completely empty when our group arrived for lunch. Without fail, the waitress would come up to the table and explain that due to "how busy the kitchen was" they had a limited menu today, and instead of the twenty or so delicious-sounding things on their menu, we'd have to choose between two starters, two entrees, and one dessert, and we must order everything right away, up front. None of this made any sense, but it made for a fun guessing game . . . "Do you think we'll be able to get the chicken soup today?" "Nope, just the raw salad and the cheese plate." "OH, ESTONIA!!!!!!"
The Iceland by Sakutaro Hagiwara, translated from the Japanese by Hiroaki Sato (New Directions)
This was my first experience with the "White Nights" that impact most of Northern Europe. (And places like Iceland, which this book has fuck-all to do with.) That, mixed with the jet lag I've started to suffer in my oldering age, is really messing me up. It's just disorienting to have the sun "set" at 10:30-11:00 at night, after which it will be "dark" for approximately two hours before the pre-dawn and official 4 am sunrise. Instead of curing my seasonal affective disorder (fuck you, winter!), it's sort of driving me insane. I've been waking up most nights at 4:30 and having a hell of a time falling back asleep. But beyond that, my internal evening clock—where you can tell that you've been drinking long enough, it's probably right around midnight given that the sun set a couple hours ago—is totally useless. I love these countries, but I don't think I could live here . . . Not only would I never sleep in the summer, but the winters of no light would wreck my soul. You are all a strong people, which brings me to my next random observation . . .
Granma Nineteen and the Soviet's Secret by Ondjaki, translated from the Portuguese by Stephen Henighan (Biblioasis)
Here in Riga, Latvia (which, contrary to Upstate New York beliefs is pronounced "Ree-ga," not "RYE-ga"), we're staying at a place on Lāčplēša iela (street). "Lāčplēsis" is the name of the most famous Latvian hero, a "bear-slayer" who "kills a bear by ripping its jaws apart with his hands." According to Kaija—our resident Latvian and expert on bear slaying—a better translation of "Lāčplēsis" is "bear-ripper," "the one who rips bears." Although that didn't work out so well against the Big Bear of Mother Russia, it's best not to fuck with Latvians . . .
Plus, the bags Biblioasis gave out at BEA say "Ten Years of Fucking Amazing Books." For that reason alone you should buy and read this.
Thirst by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi, translated from the Persian by Martin E. Weir (Melville House Books)
This entry is a three-parter: First off, I really loved Dowlatabadi's Missing Soluch. And although I was less into The Colonel, which got a ton of critical acclaim, I can't wait to get my hands on this novel about the Iran-Iraq conflict and a journalist asked to fabricate a story to demoralize Iranian soldiers. One interesting note: Dowlatabadi has also written a 10-volume, 3,000-page saga about a Kurdish family. Melville should do this and bill him as the Iranian Knausgaard.
Speaking of thirst (again, apologize for my awful segues), the topic of alcoholism came up a number of times in our meetings with Estonian writers. It was most bluntly—and bleakly—presented in the talk with Peeter Sauter. He was reluctant to talk directly about the novel his was "pitching," so instead he told us a bunch of stories about his life, other writers, Estonia in general. But then things took a turn . . . "When I got divorced, I got mad. I went around town attacking women . . . drunk. I knew this was a bad thing." Amid the boozing and depression, he met a woman, and they started a relationship. Around that time, Peeter's twenty-something son came to live with him. Then, suddenly, soul-crushingly, died of a heart attack. Peeter's new book is about that.
And speaking of alcoholism, if you haven't been watching Legit, the Jim Jeffries vehicle on FXX, you must. Not only is it a very funny show—a lot of it is laugh till you hurt funny in that way that mixes situational comedy with the sharp perceptions of a stand-up comedian at the top of his game—but over the course of its two seasons, it's gotten real. It always had an undercurrent of emotional intensity—one of the main characters has MD and is paralyzed—but the second season is a heart-wrenching (to the point I can barely watch) depiction of alcoholism and how much it can ruin your life. Calling something "dark" is totally cliched, but that's the best word for Legit. It's a show that hurts in all of the best ways and way more people should be watching it.
Conversations by Cesar Aira, translated from the Spanish by Katherine Silver (New Directions)
Although I'm only halfway through it, I'm pretty sure I've talked more about Tõnu Õnnepalu's Radio with people than any other book I've read in the past couple years. Part of it is due to the fact that I'm reading it at the exact perfect time—it's all about Estonia and Livonian history and culture, and I keep running into things referenced in the book—but there's something to the narrator's voice that makes this an incredibly easy book to get into and inhabit. Basically, it's one man's recounting of his relationship with a famous Estonian singer. Not necessarily a sexual relationship—he's gay, she's married—but there is a sort of sorting out on his behalf of how a woman like this, one from humble Estonian origins but converted into an East European diva, is wedded to his own self-perceptions, especially as an Estonian who's been living in the great metropolis of Paris. It's a brilliant book and a great entryway to Baltic literature.
The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair by Joël Dicker, translated from the French by Sam Taylor (Penguin)
Given the fact that this novel has received some truly mixed reviews, and sounds to me like a pop book constructed of well-worn elements of a different age, this seems like the perfect place to talk about music in Eastern Europe. One of my long-running jokes is that Bon Jovi (and Guns 'n' Roses) exist only for Eastern European radio stations. This is a harsh truth: traditionally, the pop stations in this part of the world play some really trashy American crap. The 80s never left the Soviet Bloc!
I've been pleasantly surprised in our visits to the local cafes here in Riga. For the most part they all have been playing indie rock circa 2012—Foster the People, Grimes, Dirty Projectors—which is both a relief and a disappointment. (We've heard some Latvian rock, but mostly stuff that's more classic.) That said, on the drive home from Open Letter author Inga Ābele's gorgeous estate we heard "Two Princes" by the Spin Doctors. That's more like it, Latvija!
(Of course, the Spin Doctors played the largest festival in Rochester last year . . . Because Rochester, NY is basically Eastern Europe—always twenty years behind the time. BOOM.)
Tonight we are going to Ala, a great bar with amazing live culture beer, to listen to folk songs and karaoke. I already know how this ends.
Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch, translated from the Dutch by Sam Garrett (Random House)
Inga Ābele lives in one of the most relaxing, amazing estates I've ever been privileged to visit. I say "estate," because there's a very gorgeous modern house surrounded by three other barns and guest houses, including one that was built like a thousand years ago or something. Plus, they have a sauna next to a little pond and are only a short walk through the woods to a spring with pure, cool water. There are ostriches nearby. And peacocks. And a billion mosquitos.
While walking to the springs I stopped to read a bunch of the little signposts printed in English. Most all of them were about local flora and fauna—including some very rare ants that creeped me out—and were written in janky almost-English. "It is for the sprouting times!" Also, every single one ended with the phrase "PLANT IS SOMEWHAT POISONOUS!" in ALL–CAPS and bold.
I have so many questions about this . . . First off, the pictures on these signs made exactly none of these plant recognizable, and based on where the signs were posted, you may well have been trekking through the "SOMEWHAT POISONOUS" plant just to read about how it may poison you. Also, "somewhat"? The hell does that indicate? Like rashy poisonous or eat-it-and-die poisonous? And poisonous to what and/or whom? Birds? People? SO MANY QUESTIONS, LATVIAN SIGN WRITER!
The Antiquarian by Gustavo Faveron Patriau, translated from the Spanish by Joseph Mulligan (Black Cat)
I talked about this book on an upcoming podcast and it really might be the summer title that I'm most looking forward to. It's also an appropriate title under which to include the story of the Riga Cat House.
The real story of this cat can be found on Wikipedia with a simple search, but I want to relay Kaija's slightly embellished version (further embellished by me).
Way back in the middle ages of Latvia—aka the early 1900s—two businessmen got in a huge fight. One lied to the other, the other corrupted the first one's daughter, there were more lawsuits more complicated than those found in Bleak House, both businessmen wanted the other totally destroyed—it was like a cold war of the merchant class. As a final effort to irritate Businessman A, the other businessman, knowing how much Businessman A hated the "filthy" cats that populate the Old Town of Riga, put a statue of a pissed off, about to poop cat on top of one of his turrets and aimed the cat's asshole right at the other businessman's window. This was like nails scratching on a chalkboard. Businessman A went totally insane, petitioning the city council to make Businessman B turn the asshole away from his window . . . "It's just a cat!" "It's a cat that wants to poop on me and suck out my soul! Filthy cats!" Eventually, Businessman A's house burnt down, he died, and, out of a crippling karmic fear, Businessman B turned the cat around so it could shit on his own house, then he went and hid in the countryside and was never heard from again.
Now they sell shirts and coffee mugs and reproductions of the pooping cat. And as legend has it, if you drink Black Balsam (a regional herbal liquor that's both kind of gross and kind of amazing, and which loosely translates as "Witches Brew") under a full moon out of a pooping cat shot glass, you can control the mind of the Russian nearest to you. So, that. Rock on, Livonia!
That's it for now. Enjoy June with all its sun, soccer, and books!


text:
Worship Services
The Joy of Honoring God in Worship
Sunday School
9:30am to 10:20am
Classes for everyone in the family on a range of topics. Contact us for what classes are being offered this quarter.
Sunday Morning Worship
10:45am to 12:15
This is our time to gather together as God's family in worship, prayer and the ministry of God's Word. The first Sunday of each month we celebrate the Lord's Supper and after the service we have a "Fellowship Meal" and ask for people who want to stay after the service to eat, to bring a dish to share. We focus on honoring God and pleasing Him. After all, God is the audience of our worship. Jesus told us in part, that our worship is to be done in Spirit and in truth. Our heart must be involved with worship, it must be genuine, and it must be real. But, our worship must also be according to truth. We believe our worship promotes not only the experience of coming before God but also the true knowledge of Who we are coming before and what pleases Him.
Sunday Evening Service
6pm to 7pm
This is a more relaxed time of worship. Your whole family is still invited and depending on the evening we might spend the service talking about missionaries, hearing from a guest speaker or being encouraged by testimonies from a recent ministry event. Generally though, the service will involve a more detailed preaching or teaching of God's Word, in a less formal setting.
Wednesday Night
7pm to 8:15pm
During the middle of the week sometimes it is helpful to know there is a place where you can go to enjoy Christian fellowship as well as good teaching. Wednesday nights serve that purpose for us and our children. During the Summer months the children's program does not meet. Check the News Page for more information.
Infant through 2 year old nursery is available for Sunday School , Sunday Morning Worship and the Sunday Evening Service. While we know many families would like to stay together for worship, we do offer this for those that would like it.
Crying Room
There is a crying room adjacent to the sanctuary that may be used for feeding or calming the needs of your children during the service.


text:
While Android 4.2 Jelly Bean was only an incremental update for the mobile operating system, it introduced a ton of much-needed security improvements. As we touched upon in our exhaustive review, Google stepped up its game by implementing native security features that perform functions like scanning side-loaded apps before they're installed to run them against other known cases of malware, and offering SMS confirmation to notify the user if an application wants to send out a text message.
The addition of these features is a step in the right direction, but there were already a wealth of third-party security applications available in Google Play. Companies like Lookout, AVG, and Avast all base their livelihood on protecting Android users (and some iOS users, too) from break-ins. The plethora of third-party apps got us wondering: will Google's inclusion of its own security features render those third-party applications obsolete?
Third-party apps
Let's start with Lookout, a mobile security app with a majority of its customers using the Android platform. This app contains most of the features that Google offers natively in Android 4.2, as well as a basket full of other features that aren't available in the Android OS. There's a free and premium version of the security suite: the free version protects against malicious software, provides data backup and restoration, and helps locate the phone if it's misplaced. The premium version requires a $2.99 monthly subscription and gives you access to several other features, like the ability to remotely lock a phone from a website. But where Lookout really hopes to keep its edge against Google's native security implementations is with its Mobile Threat Network, which the company says constantly analyzes apps from Google Play and third-party markets and scans for new mobile threats that arise globally.
Lookout is confident that its Mobile Threat Network will help the company maintain its relevance even as Google increases Android's security offerings. "The effectiveness of [this] type of product is fundamentally dependent on how complete that data set is," Senior Security Project Manager Derek Halliday told Ars. "We've been looking at the apps across Google Play and alternate markets for more than a few years now and we're pretty confident that our data set is the most comprehensive out there."
The company's app checker works a lot like Android's in that it scans a database of known, harmful apps, but it also runs threats against its own curated library of blacklisted apps and sources that it has been compiling since its inception. Lookout acquires this data by "decomposing" apps and utilizing pattern matching to find other apps that might match that malicious code. "That's something we're going to be continually growing," adds Halliday. "There's a lot more that the data set can power."
Abheek Gupta, senior project manager at Lookout, elaborated on this, adding that with this source of information, the company can work faster against rising threats. "As a company with the expertise, we can actually respond to many things faster than bigger companies and platforms can," he said. "We're able to provide that quick turnaround time for features, for capabilities, for protection."
AVG, which started out by protecting desktop PCs, also offers a suite of security products for Android handsets, including a free version, a pro version priced at $9.99, and a tablet-specific edition. The company's goal has been to take its core technology from the PC side and bring it to mobile handsets. Its Android apps perform real-time scans against previously known malicious data, just like on the PC. AVG also offers a file scanner that can actually look at files stored on SD cards or that have been downloaded to the phone via e-mail or other means, and a settings scanner that looks at the user's security settings to help them choose the best options for their individual usage. Additionally, the pro version offers the ability to locate a lost or stolen device, back up and restore data, and eliminate tasks that slow down the phone.
Tony Anscombe, senior security evangelist at AVG, explained that antivirus companies have an advantage with their link scanner technologies because, although Google has its own list of malicious apps it works to actively combat, the antivirus companies actually scan things in real time. "We're not looking at blacklisting, but behavioral characteristics," Anscombe told Ars. "Google will have that blacklist of known issues and bad apps, whereas the security companies will be doing that in real time and looking at the behavior of the apps in real time."
Regardless, both companies do agree that Google's inclusion of native security features is ultimately the best thing for the consumer. "All signs point to the fact that they're actively engaged in understanding what the actual issues are in the Android ecosystem," said Halliday. "Android is a huge moving target and [Google is] doing a lot to move that platform forward. From a security standpoint, it looks like [Google is] being very attentive and reactive to the issues that are affecting most users."
It has. Back in February, Google announced its bouncer-like, server-side app scanner for the Google Play store that would attempt to stop harmful applications from making it past the approval process. The company took this same philosophy it was applying to the applications asking for entrance into the marketplace and implemented it natively into the Android code for side-loaded applications. "We want to make sure that this awesome security feature extended to all sources of applications on the device," said Hiroshi Lockheimer, vice president of engineering for Android, during a phone call with Ars. "We felt that security is a universal thing—it shouldn't be a Play-store-only feature. We wanted to protect our users across the board."
Like Lookout and AVG, Google has been accumulating background knowledge on a variety of malicious applications. "We know what sort of APKs exist and we can apply those same techniques to applications from the Web," Lockheimer explained. When an app is then side-loaded—apps like Amazon Marketplace or Swype, for instance—Google sends up the signature information to the server to determine if it's safe to install or not. And like all of the other apps featured in the Google Play store, Lockheimer mentions that the user "can decide whether they want to participate in this service or not, and it's freely available to them as long as they run 4.2."
So while third-party virus scanners offer a multitude of features that Android doesn't yet natively offer—like the ability to locate a device—is there any reason to use those apps for their virus and malware scanning abilities? Windows users, for example, don't necessarily need to install any third-party applications because Microsoft's native Security Essentials is lightweight and super easy to use. It was also, at one point, detecting 30 percent more malware than third-party companies, according to Jon Oberheide, CTO of Duo Security, which offers two-factor authentication for iOS and Android.
Oberheide believes that, as in the example of Windows, there really is no reason for Android owners to invest in a third-party mobile virus scanner, because the manufacturer—Google, in this case—is the only one that can actually hit malware where it hurts. "Lookout can only do very limited things because it doesn't have root access to super-user privileges," Oberheide told Ars. "It can only sort of hook in where it's allowed it to, whereas Google can do whatever they want. They control the platform and they can do much more comprehensive protection."
Oberheide added that although Google has had a lot of bad press for malware apps infiltrating Android handsets, the company has obviously been working on building infrastructure to prevent this from happening. Google's bouncer-like system, for instance, works well as a gatekeeper, and though it's only in its beginning stages, Google is going to actively continue to improve it to ensure that its Android users are protected from harm. Lockheimer echoed this point earlier, when he said, "We work on features that we believe are generally useful to the general public, and things that we think should belong in the platform. It was important for people to feel secure when they use their devices and feel safe when they're downloading and installing applications."
Keep in mind that any mobile operating system has its vulnerabilities; Android's have just been among the most widely publicized. Any user who is utilizing an Android handset should be aware of the perils that they can come across, but they shouldn't run scared. Google's security features are enough to protect them from common threats. On the plus side, if they're looking for a few added features that aren't yet available natively in Android—like the ability to locate the handset should it get lost or the ability to scan files downloaded via e-mail—there are certainly apps for that. Also, users who haven't yet been able to upgrade to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean can use a third-party security app in the interim and carry it over to their updated handsets in the future with all of those extra features.
In the end, just being aware of potential threats can do wonders. "Some very simple education of users can go a long way," concluded Oberheide.


text: On the south side of the main square there is a concentration of banks most of which have ATM machines. One of the best known is the French owned Societe Generale on the main Bab Agnou shopping street. Alternatively walk in the direction of the Koutoubia mosque to the adjacent Rue Moulay Ismail


text:
'Robocop' to 'The Raid 2: Hollywood promises exciting slate
From the "Robocop" reboot to the lightning-fast martial arts moves in "The Raid 2", Hollywood, with its exciting lineup of films in 2014, will offer several reasons for film buffs to throng theatres.
From the "Robocop" reboot to the lightning-fast martial arts moves in "The Raid 2", Hollywood, with its exciting lineup of films in 2014, will offer several reasons for film buffs to throng theatres.
IANS lists the 10 most-awaited Hollywood films that will hit Indian screens in the New Year:
"Robocop": While Paul Verhoeven's "Robocop" is still regarded by many as one of the best films of the 1980s, its reboot, featuring Joel Kinnaman in the lead, has already created enough buzz. Brazilian director Jose Padilha, who has an impressive resume of films like "Bus 174", "Elite Squad" and "The Enemy Within", is helming this project and his presence has already raised the expectations from the reboot.
"Godzilla": The trailer of the new "Godzilla", which teases us with a glimpse of the creature, has already left millions in awe. If the trailer is so intimidating, one can possibly imagine what the film will be like. Coming from director Gareth Edwards, who proved his mettle with his extremely successful low-budget directorial debut "Monsters", expectations are, quite naturally, high.
"The LEGO Movie": Amidst the buzz for star-studded and big-budget outings, there's always room for animated films! One such highly anticipated film is "The Lego Movie", which features an ensemble cast from DC comics in LEGO form. There's Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman and Green Lantern playing pivotal roles and the movie also features the voices of Chris Patt, Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Will Ferrell, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman. What more do you want?
"300: Rise of an Empire": The Spartans are back with a vengeance in the sequel to "300", which doesn't star any members of the principal cast, but it does possess a story that runs parallel to the events which happened in the last part. The film, loosely inspired by the Battle of Artemisium between the Persians and the Greeks, is based on a script by Zack Snyder, who was originally supposed to direct it. Noam Murro is the director.
"The Monuments Men": After Clint Eastwood, if there's one actor who turned out to be an excellent filmmaker then it must be George Clooney. He will return in his latest directorial effort "The Monuments Men" soon with a powerful cast featuring John Goodman, Matt Damon and Bill Murray. Set against the backdrop of World War II, the film will narrate the story of a battalion that went behind enemy lines to recover artistic masterpieces.
"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes": The leader of the apes, Caesar, will return in the highly ambitious sequel to the "Rise of the Planet of the Apes", which will focus on the war between humanity and the apes. The film's first teaser has already given us a glimpse of what is about to unfold in the film and it's definitely going to blow us all away.
"Guardians of the Galaxy": The tenth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be the superhero film "Guardians of the Galaxy", which features a legion of characters from the Marvel comics. With an ensemble cast of Lee Pace, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Zoe Saldana, John C. Reilly and Benicio Del Toro, this film is going to be a visual treat for not just fans of comic books but for every film lover.
"Interstellar": After "Inception" and "The Dark Knight Rises", Christopher Nolan has drawn the attention of his fans to his upcoming sci-fi film "Interstellar", which is the story of a team of space travellers who travel through a wormhole. Nolan has already piqued the curiosity of the fans with the film's first teaser.
"X-Men: Days of Future Past": After helming the first two parts in the X-Men franchise, Bryan Singer returns to continue what he had originally started. With the phenomenal success of the last outing "X-Men: The First Class" and on the basis of the first trailer of this film, we should be in for a real treat! This time we will witness an epic battle that must change the past to save the future.
"The Raid 2": In 2011, Indonesian martial arts film "The Raid: Redemption" struck gold at the box office, raking in over $15 million worldwide on an investment of a little over $1. Next year, its sequel, which looks like an even more intense project from its first trailer, is expected to thrill the audience with more action, suspense and elements of horror. It is directed by Gareth Evans.


text:
Back to Index of Legal Reports
The investigation and potential prosecution of those involved in the assassination of Rafiq Hariri, former Prime Minister of Lebanon, could become a case study in the rapid development of international criminal law. In addressing such issues on this website, the Law Library of Congress aims at making available to the members of the United States Congress, the legal community, and the public at large factual information and legal analysis reflecting the actual state of international law.
Legal Commentary: International Tribunals, National Crimes, and the Hariri Assassination
This Hariri Assassination Legal Commentary (PDF/103KB) explains some of the legal issues relevant to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon by discussing:
- the jurisdictional basis for international judicial bodies;
- examining the jurisdictional reach of mixed tribunals;
- exploring the legal nature of the February 14, 2005 bombing; and
- identifying a number of legal questions for which the final answers may shape radically the jurisdictional reach of international criminal law.
Hariri Assassination Legal Commentary (PDF/103KB)
Factual Timeline
On February 14, 2005, a huge explosion in Beirut destroyed the motorcade of Rafiq Hariri, former Prime Minister of Lebanon, killing him and a score of other people including innocent bystanders.
The next day the President of the UN Security Council issued a statement condemning the attack (external link) and requesting the Secretary-General to "follow closely the situation in Lebanon and to report urgently on the circumstances, causes and consequences of this terrorist act."
On March 24, 2005, the Security Council received the report prepared by the Mission sent to Lebanon by the Secretary-General to inquire into the terrorist act of February 14, 2005. The Mission headed by Peter FitzGerald, a Deputy Commissioner of the Irish Police, concluded in its report (external link) that the Government of Syria bears "primary responsibility for the political tension that preceded the assassination of the former Prime Minister" and recommended an international independent investigation to uncover the truth about this assassination.
On March 29, 2005, the Lebanese Government informed (external link) the Secretary-General of its approval of "the decision of the Security council concerning the establishment of an international commission of inquiry into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri."
On April 7, 2005, the Security Council adopted a resolution (external link) ordering the establishment of an international independent investigation Commission to assist the Lebanese authorities in their investigation of all aspects of the terrorist act of February 14, 2005, and help identify its "perpetrators, sponsors, organizers and accomplices."
On October 20, 2005, the Security Council received the first report dated October 19, 2005 (external link), of the International Investigation Commission headed by Commissioner Detlev Mehlis in which the Commission concluded that "there is converging evidence pointing at both Lebanese and Syrian involvement in this terrorist act" and that "the continuing investigation should be carried forward by the appropriate Lebanese judicial and security authorities." The report further concluded that the Syrian authorities have cooperated in form but not in substance with the Commission and that several Syrian officials tried to mislead the Commission by giving false or inaccurate information.
On October 31, 2005, the Security Council acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations took notice of the October 19 report and decided among other things to approve the extension of the Commission's mandate. The Security Council determined (external link) that "Syria must cooperate with the Commission fully and unconditionally" and that "the involvement of any state in this terrorist act would constitute serious violation by that state of its obligations to work to prevent and refrain from supporting terrorism."
On December 13, 2005, the Lebanese Government sent a letter (external link) to the Secretary-General requesting the Security Council to establish "a tribunal of an international character" to try those who are implicated in the assassination of the former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. The letter further requested the Security Council to expand the mandate of the International Independent Investigation Commission, or create a new one, to investigate other terrorist attacks that took place since October 1, 2004, the date of the attempted assassination of Minister Marwan Hamade.
In its resolutions adopted on December 15, 2005, and March 29, 2006, the Security Council authorized the Commission to extend its technical assistance to the Lebanese authorities in their investigations of all terrorist attacks since October 1, 2004, and requested the Secretary-General to negotiate an agreement with the Government of Lebanon for the establishment of a tribunal of an international character.
In November 2006, the United Nations and Lebanon concluded the negotiation by agreeing on a draft agreement for the establishment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The Lebanese Parliament has not authorized the ratification of the Agreement.
The Prime Minister of Lebanon sent a letter dated May 15, 2007 (external link) (within S/2007/286), to the Secretary-General informing him that "for all practical purposes the domestic route to ratification had reached a dead end, with no prospect for a meeting of parliament to complete formal ratification." The Prime Minister further requested that the Tribunal as a matter of urgency "be put into effect by the Security Council" adding that "[a] binding decision regarding the Tribunal on the part of the Security Council will be fully consistent with the importance the United Nations has attached to this matter from the outset."
In response to the letter of May 15, 2007, the U. N. Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, adopted on May 30, 2007, Resolution 1757 (external link) in which it decided that the Agreement negotiated with Lebanon "shall enter into force."
For more information on Lebanon see:
- Guide to Law Online: Lebanon
- Children's Rights: Lebanon
- Legal Research Guide: Lebanon
- Lebanon: Presidential Election and the
Conflicting Constitutional Interpretations
Last Updated: 06/09/2015


text:
Iowa, Nebraska ethanol output cut amid drought
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Ethanol plants are voluntarily slowing production as corn prices climb and supplies tighten amid a widespread drought that has generated discussion about whether more of the crop should be devoted to food production.
Ethanol production nationally has dropped by 20 percent since the beginning of the year and is at a two-year low, said Bob Dinneen, CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, a national trade group.
The production drop-off is similar in Iowa, which produces about a third of the nation's ethanol, and in Nebraska, the No. 2 ethanol producer, it's down by about 30 percent, industry officials said.
Ethanol plants in some states have temporarily halted production, including three of the 24 in Nebraska. The plants had planned to shut down for a week routine maintenance but extended that for a month, said Todd Sneller, administrator at the Nebraska Ethanol Board, a state agency responsible for developing the ethanol industry. Also, a plant in Aurora, Neb., that was supposed to start up in June has postponed its opening.
All of Iowa's 41 plants remain in operation, although they are producing less.
Some environmental and livestock groups have lobbied Congress to pressure the Environmental Protection Agency to relax its Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires the fuel industry to use about 12 billion gallons of ethanol a year. Critics say the requirement diverts too much corn from food to fuel production, increasing food prices.
The ethanol industry says cutting production would have a minimal impact on food prices but would make fuel significantly more expensive, hurting most families.
"The fact of the matter is this horrible drought has very painful supply and price implications for everybody," said Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, a trade group for the ethanol and biodiesel industries. "Our role is to pull back first and the fastest. We're already at a two-year low and where the economics take you is that the ethanol industry will bear the brunt of the rationing of available corn."
The federal government has estimated food prices could increase 3 percent to 4 percent next year. Much of the increase will be in meat and dairy products because the drought has resulted in less corn and hay available for feed.
The nation's ethanol plants were expected at the beginning of the year to make about 13.7 billion gallons this year but that could slip to 12.5 billion gallons if the industry continues to run at last week's level, Dinneen said.
The biodiesel industry, which mainly uses soybeans, remains strong. The industry made 1.1 billion gallons of the diesel fuel additive for the first time in 2011.
In Iowa, one of the nation's leading producers, 10 plants are on track to make a record 200 million gallons this year if the current pace continues.
"The watch word on biodiesel is so far, so good this year, but there certainly could be some challenges ahead," Shaw said. "We're still waiting to see what kind of soybean crop we're going to have. Rain in the next few weeks will make or break the soybean crop."
News from The Associated Press, and a taste of the great journalism produced by AP members and customers. Managed 24/7 by these editors: apne.ws/APSocial Read more ›


text:
Conagra Brands Foundation
We believe everyone has a right to healthy and nutritious food. However, this is not the reality for many, as food insecurity exists in every county of the United States.
To make an impact and raise awareness of food insecurity, the Conagra Brands Foundation engages our employees, partners with leading local and national nonprofits, and inspires others to create a world where people have access to the food they need to reach their full potential.
The Civic 50 by Points of Light Honoree
For the second consecutive year in 2020, Conagra Brands is an honoree of The Civic 50, which recognizes the 50 most community-minded companies in the nation. An initiative by Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, The Civic 50 sets the standard for corporate civic engagement and showcases how companies can use their time, skills and resources to impact their communities.
As a leading food company, Conagra Brands is deeply motivated to make a meaningful impact on the pervasive societal issue of hunger. We take a holistic approach which includes employee engagement, financial contributions and production donations.
National Partnerships
The Conagra Brands Foundation develops national partnerships with leading nonprofit organizations to leverage expertise and resources that ensure people have access to quality, wholesome food and knowledge to live healthy, active lives.
Conagra Brands partners with Feeding America and its network of 200 food banks across the U.S. Together, we increase access to innovative programs such as Hunger Free Summer and improve capacity at local food banks. A key initiative is our investment in Child Hunger Corps, a capacity-building program that evaluates community needs, ultimately expanding the impact of child hunger relief programs.
Engaging Employees
Conagra Brands and its employees care deeply about the communities in which they live and work. The Conagra Brands Foundation engages employees through a variety of programs:
- Nourish Our Community provides employees with a unique and direct way to become involved in the grant-making process while exposing a wide range of needs that exist in their communities. Employees are encouraged to nominate eligible nonprofit organizations to apply for a grant, and each request is reviewed and voted upon by a cross-functional committee of employees.
- Matching Gifts maximizes the impact of employee charitable giving. The program matches personal donations made by eligible employees, dollar for dollar, up to $1,500 per calendar year, to eligible organizations whose primary purpose falls into one of the eligible categories: Post-Secondary Education, Hunger Relief, Health and Wellness, Nutrition Education, Community Development, Environment, and Arts and Culture.
- Dollars for Doers provides grants to qualified nonprofit organizations where an eligible employee has volunteered their personal time over the course of the calendar year. Grant amounts range from $250 to $500 and are made directly to the nonprofit in recognition of employee volunteerism.
- United Way is the only campaign we conduct that encourages all U.S. employees to support their local communities. The Conagra Brands Foundation recognizes exceptional campaign results by providing an incremental contribution to the United Way in the community where the campaign was conducted.
- Scholarships:
- The Mike Harper Leadership Scholars Program provides financial assistance for employees' children who have the potential to be leaders in their chosen fields. This program is named after former Chairman and CEO Charles M. (Mike) Harper.
- The Gary and Barbara Rodkin Scholarship Fund is funded by former CEO Gary Rodkin and his wife Barbara and provides scholarships to the children of employees who are paid on an hourly basis.
Community Grants
Through our community impact grant program, the Conagra Brands Foundation continues to build upon our rich heritage of investing in the communities where Conagra Brands operates. We partner with respected community-based nonprofits that provide highly effective programs to transform people's lives.
Through the Community Impact grant process, the Conagra Brands Foundation invites U.S. based nonprofit organizations to submit one online letter of intent (LOI) annually. The LOI must strategically align with our core areas of focus which include: food access, nutrition education, cooking skills, healthy and active lifestyles and select urban agricultural programs that have a clear community focus and provide entrepreneurial skills to help individuals participate in the farm-to-fork economy. Preference is given to highly effective nonprofits with high-impact projects that occur in and near the communities where our employees live and work.
Please click the following link to access the online system to register and apply for a community grant: www.cybergrants.com/conagra/welcomepage.