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Las Vegas Magic Act: Making Russians' Money Disappear
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When Vassili Oxenuk sat down with some unhappy investors at San Francisco's Grand Hyatt last May, he noted that they were meeting in the Warfield Room. "This is a war between you and me," said the burly Russian émigré, according to one investor's notes. "I have hired guns to handle situations for me.…I can call them anytime."
Talk of guns, say his investors, was strange to hear from the previously charming graduate of a prestigious Moscow math academy who later worked in Russian intelligence. Oxenuk had started out witty and solicitous, claiming to have raised hundreds of millions of dollars in the U.S. for wealthy clients from Kazakhstan and families of some of Ukraine's political leaders. When Oxenuk promised to double their money in a year, the investors say they believed him.
However, former investors, partners, and employees told Barron's that Oxenuk revealed a tougher side when investors wanted their money back. Nearly all were afraid to speak on the record, citing their personal embarrassment over the losses, his threats, and photos of Oxenuk with assault weapons on Facebook and in a Russian business magazine.
Oxenuk, 48, denies that he has ever defrauded or threatened anyone. Guns are a hobby to him, nothing more, he says. In Skype interviews interpreted by his wife or by his secretary, the onetime spy-agency employee told Barron's that the complaints about him are likely a Soviet-style "black p.r." campaign, coordinated by ex-associates who want revenge for soured deals. Specifically, he says, they're trying to undermine an investment conference for Russian entrepreneurs he advertised as scheduled for April 1 at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort. Last Thursday, the Wynn told Barron's that no such conference was scheduled. Reached on Friday, Oxenuk said he'd changed the conference into a membership club for foreign entrepreneurs who agreed to pay him $2,000 a year for advice on how to raise money in the U.S. for their businesses. He added that 30 businesses had signed on.
The change in strategy follows some recent disputes between Oxenuk and investors. Some of his Ukrainian investors recently won a $5 million default judgment against him in Las Vegas' federal court. A year ago, other investors complained about him to the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Regulators have not accused Oxenuk of any wrongdoing. The losses alleged aren't huge. Investors say they entrusted Oxenuk with less than $10 million; a couple of hundred million dollars in stock-market capitalization has vanished from his failed public ventures. Oxenuk acknowledges some losses but argues they weren't his fault. The investor complaints, however, do underscore the risks of investing across borders with funds sent via offshore channels to unregistered advisors. Neither the SEC nor the FBI would comment for this story.
Oxenuk's tale involves some unusual events he claims have occurred, including his participation in covert operations and a beating by men in military-police gear in Moscow. Some of his autobiographical claims are unverifiable. Barron's pieced together the claims and counterclaims from interviews and documents collected everywhere from Kazakhstan to California.
VASSILI OXENUK GREW UP in a village consisting of eight cottages some 600 miles east of Moscow, near the city of Kirov. A strong performance in a math Olympiad got him into a well-respected Moscow boarding school where the Soviet Union groomed science prodigies. After training at one of Russia's military colleges, Oxenuk says he went to work in 1989 for the GRU, Russia's largest foreign-intelligence agency. Among his tasks, he told Barron's, was to arrange for scientists to help Iran with its uranium-enrichment program.
As Russia's freewheeling capitalism emerged in the 1990s, Oxenuk says he gained business skills by importing TVs and running Moscow nightclubs. To judge by a 2000 SEC filing, he also had begun to learn his way around the financial markets. That year, he took his British Virgin Islands–based company, Oxir Investments, public onto the U.S. over-the-counter market by merging it into a 77-year-old California shell company. Oxir marketed itself as a play on Russia's rousing growth and combined Oxenuk's small-time ventures in asset management, real estate, and online retailing.
Oxir wasn't much of a business. At year-end 2000, it remained a penny stock with a U.S. stock-market valuation of just $20 million. In its roughly 2½-year corporate history to that point, it had generated just $250,000 in sales, according to its filings.
The former spy's enterprise attracted some notable investors. Oxir's September 2000 annual report showed 24% of the shares held by E.C. Venture Capital, an entity controlled by Vladimir N. Kishenin, a former KGB colonel who had run the USSR's electronic intelligence program before becoming a wealthy investor during the 1990s. Oxenuk was E.C. Venture's Russian president at the time, he told Barron's.
After Oxenuk's departure from E.C. Venture, its Swiss unit gained notoriety when several European nations seized its bank accounts in a money-laundering investigation of Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. No charges were ever brought against Kuchma, Kishenin, or E.C. Venture. Barron's tried repeatedly to contact Kishenin, but was unable to reach him through available phone numbers and Internet addresses.
In November 2001, according to a Moscow police report, some men with machine guns and riot-police outfits blocked Oxenuk's car front and back, then made Oxenuk and his two bodyguards lie on the ground. After beating them, the masked cops threw a hood over Oxenuk's head and dragged him into a forest where they broke his ribs. They then robbed him of $1,500 and left him there.
A year later, Oxenuk says he was wrongly convicted of financial crimes and sentenced to seven years in prison. With the help of friends, Oxenuk says he was able to get out of prison and leave the country.
Resettled in Las Vegas in 2004, Oxenuk renewed his entrepreneurial activities. Not only was he cited in the Russian press as a U.S. stock-market expert, but he also became the exclusive distributor of Peep One and Aphrodite Love, drinks that claimed an aphrodisiac effect. His investment-advisory business offered a dozen specialized portfolios.
Oxenuk also became active in the burgeoning business of bringing foreign businesses onto the U.S. stock market by engineering their "reverse takeovers" by publicly traded shell companies. This controversial technique allows private companies to become public without going through the disclosures entailed in an initial public offering (See "Beware This Chinese Export," Aug. 28, 2010).
In 2005, Oxenuk tapped into a circle of prominent Ukrainians by meeting Eduard Lozovskyy, a businessman and politician from Lugansk, a Russian-speaking industrial center. Lozovskyy is a long-time acquaintance and associate of Oleksandr Yefremov, whose Party of the Regions held the largest bloc of seats in the national parliament. Today, Yefremov is his party's parliamentary leader.
A September 2012 stock-fraud complaint filed by Lozovskyy and his fellow investors in a Las Vegas federal court says Lozovskyy gave Oxenuk $250,000 to invest and in 2006 introduced him to his party friends. Yefremov's son sent Oxenuk $1 million, and the children of two other party leaders gave an additional $2 million, according to the complaint. In an interview with Barron's, Oxenuk claimed that the investments were made on behalf of the politicians and arrived as wire transfers from obscure offshore corporations, prompting U.S. financial institutions to freeze the accounts. The Ukrainians' Washington-based lawyer, Dmitri Dubograev, counters that Oxenuk's claim is "absurd." The money was not laundered, he says.
LOZOVSKYY'S COMPLAINT ALLEGED separately that he gave Oxenuk money to establish a publicly held presence in the U.S. for TBM Holdings, the holding company for Lozovskyy's collection of Ukrainian financial, industrial, and real-estate businesses. A registration statement was filed with the SEC in September 2007, but Lozovskyy's complaint notes that it was withdrawn a month later.
The Ukrainian investors say in their fraud complaint that Oxenuk had reported a 17% return on their $3 million for the three months ended July 2006. Then he stopped reporting. When the investors asked for an accounting, says the complaint, Oxenuk told Lozovskyy that a brokerage firm had blocked their trading accounts on suspicions of money laundering. Even after they supplied him with proof of their money's origins, they say Oxenuk kept putting them off. In 2010, says the complaint, Oxenuk told Lozovskyy that the investors would soon get double their money back because Oxenuk had gotten a piece of Kazakhstan's leading supermarket chain, SM Market.
Indeed, after a chance encounter in Las Vegas with a member of one of the country's leading families, Oxenuk had met some of Kazakhstan's richest and most powerful people, according to those who escorted him around the country. A petrochemical mogul gave him $1.5 million to invest. And Kenges Rakishev, son-in-law of a former prime minister, tapped Oxenuk to find U.S. ventures for his construction and chemical conglomerate, SAT & Co. (ticker: SATC.Kazakhstan). The press paid court. "I've lived my life as an investor surrounded by false information," Oxenuk told the Kazakh publication Business & Power in 2009. "I am a mathematician who believes only the bare facts and figures."
Kazakh investors say that Oxenuk suggested they send their money to his British Virgin Islands corporation, which he would then invest in his own name on their behalf. Other investors, in Russia and the U.S., say they got similar instructions. Oxenuk denies this method of delivery was his idea. In any event, the result is a lack of documentation about some transactions.
ANYONE WHO SEEMS TO have succeeded in the U.S. is revered in Kazakhstan, says Soledad Bayazit. A trained economist, Bayazit aspired to run a business. After meeting Oxenuk, she introduced him to the controlling shareholder of SM Market—an entrepreneur named Edgar Salduzi—and suggested that Oxenuk could raise capital for the supermarket chain with a Nasdaq stock offering. Salduzi agreed to merge the supermarkets into a U.S.-registered shell company, via a reverse takeover, while giving Oxenuk 40% of the business for his services.
As his reverse-merger activities picked up speed, Oxenuk formed the Oxenuk Equity Fund in the U.S. to invest in the deals he was assembling. He took in half a million dollars from a wealthy Russian-American and gained the attention of a group of American alumni from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology—informally known as Phystech, the prestigious alma mater of Russian Nobel laureates and computer entrepreneurs.
Oxenuk eventually talked to about a dozen Phystech grads, most of whom were working in the U.S. financial and software communities. They composed an informal network that alerted each other to business opportunities, and invested individual amounts ranging from $1,500 to $150,000 in the Oxenuk Equity Fund.
A Silicon Valley alum of Phystech who invested $120,000 in the fund—at what he was told was $5 a share—huddled with Oxenuk's aide Fedor Sannikov to appraise the fund's holdings. Sannikov came up with a value of $20 a share, counting Oxenuk Equity's purported holdings in the Kazakh conglomerate SAT & Co., a gold mine, and most importantly, the 40% share of the U.S.-listed American Retail Group (ARGB) that would result from the planned reverse-merger with SM Market. Sannikov declined to comment.
As 2011 began, Salduzi and Bayazit were adding to SM Market's stores around Kazakhstan in anticipation of a $20 million infusion—to be followed by another $80 million—that they say Oxenuk promised. They arranged a $1.2 million line of credit for Oxenuk to pay lawyers and investment bankers like John Leo, whose tiny firm Primary Capital had arranged several Chinese reverse mergers onto the U.S. stock market. On a visit to New York, Bayazit says she was dazzled when Oxenuk introduced her around the fancy Manhattan offices of an investment bank. She says he also boasted that he was a co-owner of Primary Capital.
"We were like rabbits hypnotized by the snake," Bayazit told Barron's. Oxenuk disputes her accounts and says his agreement with Leo was a share of revenues on transactions and not co-ownership.
Oxenuk never came through with the money for SM Market, even after the grocery's reverse-merger became effective in February 2011. Shares of American Retail Group floated up to $9, which valued the business at $190 million. But with just 900 shares changing hands each day, that valuation seems unreliable. As shelves ran empty in the cash-strapped Kazakh supermarkets, Bayazit and Salduzi started to get suspicious and had the impression that Oxenuk disliked their meeting lawyers, accountants, or bankers outside his presence. But in the spring of 2011, they managed to meet Primary Capital's Leo alone in Kazakhstan. They asked if Oxenuk indeed was a co-owner of the investment bank. Leo said he wasn't.
OXENUK ARRIVED LATER that day and arguments ensued. Bayazit says Oxenuk warned her and Leo that he knew where they lived. In another meeting, she says he threatened to call Moscow and bring down an army of gunmen. When recently interviewed by Barron's, Oxenuk denied making any threats and said he's being blamed for what was simply an unsuccessful business venture that occurred while he was sidelined by cancer. He claimed, in turn, that Bayazit had saddled the supermarkets with unserviceable debt by forging his signature on high-interest bank loans when he was out sick. In his June 2011 letter resigning from the American Retail Group's board, Oxenuk alleged that "materially false information regarding the company's operations has been provided to me and publicly distributed by the company." To Barron's, Bayazit denied Oxenuk's accusations.
American Retail Group's merger with the Kazakh grocer was rescinded the next month, and trading in the U.S.-listed entity dried up. When the stock last traded, on Feb. 8, just 100 shares changed hands at 31 cents.
Once the Phystech alums learned about the collapse of American Retail Group, and with it the value of their investment in Oxenuk Equity Fund, they began to question their belief in Oxenuk. Further research by the Phystech group revealed that in 2007 the SEC had revoked the registration of Oxir Investments, Oxenuk's original U.S. vehicle, after the company had gone five years without filing the required periodic reports.
That prompted last May's unhappy get-together at the Warfield Room. Oxenuk insists he did the investors no wrong and urged them to stick with the investment fund, which he would soon replenish with new reverse-merger deals. "My plan was to file a registration statement for the Oxenuk Equity Fund to become a public company," he told Barron's. "Then I would've become a very rich person myself."
Members of the Phystech group say Oxenuk alternated his blandishments with the threats about guns and hit men. The Phystech alums say the Oxenuk fiasco ruined what had been a generous funding network for start-ups. The Kazakh supermarket chain has closed, and investors in that country are considering a lawsuit. Ukrainian investors are still trying to collect their $5 million default judgment from Oxenuk.
In a court examination about his assets, Oxenuk said he was broke but did own about 10 guns, including a Kalashnikov assault rifle and a sniper rifle that he keeps under his bed. "And anybody who's trying to take it is going to deal with it," he told his examiners through an interpreter.
— Yuliya Chernova, of Dow Jones VentureWire, and Roman Anin, of Moscow's Novaya Gazeta, contributed reporting for this story.
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St. George, the patron saint of warriors, the spiritual assistant in the invisible battle with the forces of evil, is depicted on the central link of the bracelet in the form of a victorious rider striking a snake – a symbol of hellish evil. The link is made as an encolpion – a miniature reliquary. Under the lid that opens, a prayer is written to George: "A soldier of the great king of Christ, George, pray to God be saved from the temptations of the evil one and save our souls." Here, in the symbolic image of an eagle striking a huge snake, the theme of courageous opposition to evil is repeated. On the back of the clasp of the bracelet is another prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy and save us in your name for your sake." On both sides of the central image was written Psalm 90 "Living in the help of Vyshnyago", which since ancient times has been adopted to carry with you for spiritual protection.
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English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Entry 1 Reading
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Due to face to face teaching being suspended unfortunately this course is not currently available for enrolment.
We are launching a range of online courses shortly that may be of interest to you so sign up here to hear more.
We will use everyday situations like travel and transport, house and home, health and going shopping to learn new words and practice reading. This will help you to use and understand English that is often found in application forms, letters (e.g. from a child's school, doctor, job centre, or landlord) and information in public places. This could help you to find a job, join in with local groups or activities, or just feel more independent in your everyday life.
Course aim
This course will help you to feel more confident reading everyday English, with lots of practice looking at different texts. This course leads to a City & Guilds Entry 1 Reading qualification.
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- You will need to talk to a member of staff and do a short activity to make sure the course is right for you. For more information and to book an appointment please call 0300 303 3464
- This course is for people with little spoken English
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Feel more confident using my English in everyday life
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- Explain how different texts are used for different reasons (e.g. adverts, posters, news stories)
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How will I be taught?
- The WEA tutor will use a range of different teaching and learning methods and encourage you and the group to be actively involved in your learning
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English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Entry 1 Reading
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Dell Technologies to Conduct Investor Meeting April 5 in New York
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March 3, 2020


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Welcome to Classics at Skidmore!
The study of classical antiquity at Skidmore trains students to hone their analytical, creative, and literary abilities. It also prepares our majors and minors for careers in the dramatic arts, law, museum curating, medicine, publishing, editing, political science, teaching, and business—in short, a solid foundation for life after Skidmore. To study antiquity is to study ourselves. The insights of Greek and Roman thinkers, artists, and writers have shaped Western thought for the last 2,000 years, and when we read and study classical antiquity firsthand we gain a deeper and richer understanding of the human experience.
Making tragedy fun
Hands-on production and staging—including mask-making and playwriting—make Classics 222: Greek Tragedy a big hit. The importance of masks in ancient Greeks' dramatic toolbox is at the core of an exercise that Dan Curley, associate professor of classics, assigned to the 14 students in his Greek Tragedy course.
Homerathon! (a marathon reading of the Greek poet, Homer) is one of the Classics Department's most anticipated yearly events, a time for students, faculty, staff, and other friends to gather in celebration of our earliest Western poet. Coupled with our Classical World course (CC 200), the Homerathon! reminds us that the ancient art of storytelling is alive and well.


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Well, did anyone spot THIS coming?
There's a new King of Kong, and he's not a school teacher. He's a plastic surgeon.
Well, did anyone spot THIS coming?
There's a new King of Kong, and he's not a school teacher. He's a plastic surgeon.
Thanks to everyone who's followed @justonemoregame on Twitter, and RTweeted the magic message to enter our baby Galaga competition.
Last night, I placed the names into the baby bath of fortune™ – and drew one out.
To celebrate Phil Day's historic World Record, and the uploading of our exclusive article "Fighter Captured – The Phil Day story"… we imported one of Justin Whitlock's fantastic baby Galaga cabs, and asked Phil to sign it.
(Tip: Click on the photo below to ZOOM IN)
How AWESOME would that look on top of your monitor?
Here's how to enter….
In part 2, we followed Phil's climb up the score table for Galaga: Tournament in 2009. By late August, he'd claimed the world number 1, but was gutted, when the score was rejected. Eventually, he began training again, and now, as we start the thrilling conclusion…. his confidence had returned…
Friday October 2 was the last day of the school term. Phil was feeling pretty relaxed, so he decided to set up his new camera for a Friday night recording session. As always, he began by filming the inside of his cabinet, to show the dip switches were set to the correct 'tournament' settings. He waited for the machine to boot up, then put the camera on the tripod. He grabbed his next 'lucky 20c coin'– marked 'number IV' and put it in the slot.
He hadn't progressed far before two friends dropped in, asking if he'd like to drive to Canberra to catch a movie. He told them he'd be "up for it" – so they went home to get ready. As Phil approached the 1 million point mark, he asked his wife to call the friends, telling them that he was on a 'good game'. Soon, at 1.1 million, he lost two of his five lives. He lost another spaceship at 1.7 million. Two lives remaining. "You reach a point of playfulness that is relaxing and no longer a struggle with the game." he explains. "Then again, maybe I only get a good score when I'm in that mental state." Phil's friends returned, hoping the game was over. But the sound of digital warfare were still coming down the hallway. Phil had just entered another 'challenging stage'. He felt bad for his friends, and promised that if he broke the World Record, he'd 'shout' them the night at the movies. It wasn't long before the outcome was decided.
In part 1, we traced Phil Day's history with Galaga… through childhood, adolescence, his university years… Until a chance conversation led him to start competing for the world record. In part 2, he makes his claim for the number 1 spot, but things don't go always to plan…
Once Phil had achieved world number 3 in Galaga, the word spread at Braidwood Central School. Some students thought playing such an ancient game was a bit dorky, but more & more started to think it was "pretty cool". They'd leave messages on his Facebook page. Michael left this one: "Make me a Galaga shirt/badge, I don't care what, just make it and I'll wear it." At this time, he'd taken Phil's lead, and started some competitive retrogaming of his own. He was playing The Pit on MAME and soon managed world-class scores. The Pit is a pretty obscure title. It came out in 1981 – just like Galaga – and it's the predecessor to games like Dig Dug, Mr Do and Boulder Dash. Phil calls it "The most difficult video game ever."
Back in August, you may have heard about an Aussie getting the unofficial World Record for Galaga. His name is Phil Day, and there's much, much more to the story. But first, we have to go right back to the very beginning in Goulburn… a city two hours southwest of Sydney…
One day in 1979… Anthony Day & his friends went to play at the local squash courts. Accompanying them was Anthony's younger brother Phil, aged 5. Whomp, Whomp, Whomp. What was that new machine against the wall? Space Invaders. This was the era when pinball was king, and videogames had only been around a few years. But Space Invaders was far more detailed than anything they'd seen before. And – far more addictive. Five year old master Day happily watched the older boys, as they took turns obliterating the black & white aliens… Whomp, Whomp, Whomp…
Read the rest of this entry »
Australia… has a new champion.
NSW resident Phil Day is now the unofficial world record holder on Galaga. His score, of 3.44 million points is well ahead of the previous record, 2.7 million by American Andrew Laidlaw. Phil's score has yet to be verified by Twin Galaxies.


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December 13, 2013
Book Review - Sleep No More by Iris Johansen
Another Eve Duncan story. The author spins a good tale if you can suspend disbelief as to the latest freakishly talented person who helps their investigation and the rather implausible previously unknown sibling. I think that the Bonnie stories stretched on for too long and am rather glad that Bonnie's role in this story is much reduced. You can read this as a stand-alone or you can check back through the earlier stories which are held by the library. Wendy
Posted by Camden Council Library Service at Friday, December 13, 2013
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The NBA is nearing an agreement with the National Basketball Players Association on testing for human growth hormone, ESPN reported Friday.
Testing for HGH requires collecting blood samples from the players, which could begin as early as next season.
The NBA's interest in HGH screening comes after Major League Baseball's agreement with its players' union to start testing for HGH and other banned substances. The NBA was hesitant in the past to make a decision because it believed the tests were invasive and unreliable, according to ESPN.
Calls for the NBA and other professional sports leagues to begin HGH testing have come from the World Anti-Doping Agency and the U.S. Congress.
"Since the NBA agreed last year to start HGH testing -- and since professional basketball players already compete in the Olympics where they are subject to HGH testing -- there is no reason to delay HGH testing for the NBA itself," Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said in an email to ESPN. "My hope is that all our professional sports leagues implement HGH testing right away to set an example for millions of young athletes across the country who look up to them."
The number of blood tests and a schedule have yet to be worked out between the union and the league. Players currently undergo six urine tests per year for other banned substances.


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Saving Pennies or Dollars is a new semi-regular series on The Simple Dollar, inspired by a great discussion on The Simple Dollar's Facebook page concerning frugal tactics that might not really save that much money. I'm going to take some of the scenarios described by the readers there and try to break down the numbers to see if the savings is really worth the time invested.
Marshall said, Perhaps you're already done considering ideas for the segment, but I never have run the numbers on whether or not the SodaStream machine I bought for $80 will ever save me money – assuming the device lasts a long time (I don't see why it wouldn't.) One thing it does do is provide me a great variety in the flavor of soda's and less recycling/trash.
Right off the bat, the point needs to be made that it's far less expensive to drink water than it is to drink any kind of soda, whether it's SodaStream or any prepackaged soda. I can get a gallon of water from my tap for less than a cent. Not only that, it's better for me than the soda.
Now, let's look at Marshall's question. Marshall is referring to a SodaStream, which is one of several different types of household devices that mix water and a syrup to create a soda beverage for drinking. Typically, these devices require an initial investment to buy the machine, but thereafter you only need to buy replacement syrup. Once you've sunk the initial cost into the machine, the cost of the syrup and the water is somewhat less than purchasing soda at the store.
Is it a bargain? It really depends on how much soda you drink. What we first need to figure out is the "crossover point" – the point at which a SodaStream machine and the syrup necessary becomes less expensive than the equivalent amount of purchased soda from a store.
Since there are tons of variables here, I'm going to simplify by comparing Coca-Cola to the SodaStream using the "cola" mix. The same approximate numbers work for other soda-making devices and other sodas you might buy at the store.
Costs for SodaStream As mentioned in Marshall's message, you can purchase a SodaStream machine for $80. After that, you can purchase "cola" refill kits for $5. A single "cola" refill kit costs $5 and makes 12 liters of soda.
Costs for buying Coca-Cola My local store regularly offers a dozen 12 ounce cans of Coca-Cola for $3. This is 4.25 liters of soda for $3.
Cost per liter The cost per liter for SodaStream cola is $0.40. The cost per liter of Coca-Cola is $0.70. Clearly, the SodaStream is going to be cheaper over time.
How much soda do you have to drink to make up for the initial cost? You save $0.30 per liter of SodaStream cola that you drink versus Coca-Cola. The initial cost of the machine is $80. Thus, you'd have to drink 267 liters of soda to make up the initial cost.
Wow. That's a lot of soda.
To put that in perspective, a twelve ounce can of soda is 0.35 liters. You would have to drink roughly 762 cans of soda for the machine to start being worth it compared to buying Coca-Cola in the store.
Simply put, for this machine to pay off, you have to be a high-throughput soda drinker. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. You have to drink a little over two cans of soda a day for a year to get past that point.
Of course, if you drink the equivalent of three cans of soda a day for five years, a machine like the SodaStream is going to be a great bargain. But if you're drinking three cans of soda a day for five years, it's going to have a crippling impact on your health, which isn't a bargain.
In short, over a long period, a SodaStream can reduce your soda costs significantly if a lot of soda is consumed in your home. However, if a lot of soda is consumed in your home, you may end up finding that you have other expenses as a result of that consumption.


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A charity said many girls use the trick to be separated by their parents and escape a forced marriage arranged for them in their family's homeland, according to The Independent.
The revelation from Karma Nirvana, a Derby-based charity which runs a helpline for victims of forced marriages, comes after a Government warning to teachers, doctors and airport staff that school pupils who seem to be going away on holiday may in fact be heading towards an arranged marriage.
Forced marriages are especially common during the summer holidays, when there's less of a chance the child's absence will be noticed.
The Foreign Office's Forced Marriage Unit received 400 reports in the three months up to the end of August last year, though it is believed that many more cases go unreported. More than a third of those affected are under 16.
Karma Nirvana, which was set up by Jasvinder Sanghera who was disowned by her Sikh family aged 16 when she refused to marry a man in India, takes about 600 calls a month.
Charity spokesperson, Natasha Rattu said: "When youngsters ring, if they don't know exactly when it may happen, or if it's going to happen, we advise them to put a spoon in their underwear.
"When they go through security, it will highlight this object in a private area and, if 16 or over, they will be taken to a safe space where they have that one last opportunity to disclose they're being forced to marry.
"We've had people ring and say that it's helped them and got them out of a dangerous situation. It's an incredibly difficult thing to do with your family around you – but they won't be aware you have done it. It's a safe way."
The cases handled by the Forced Marriage Unit include a two-year-old victim while the oldest victim was a 71-year-old. Almost half of the 1,500 cases handled a year involve Pakistan, Bangladesh counts for 11 per cent and India eight per cent.
Sameem Ali, a Manchester city councillor, was forced into a marriage in Pakistan when she was 13, and was brought back to the UK months after she became pregnant, aged 14.
She told BBC Breakfast: "I did not know I was going to get forced into a marriage until a week before the marriage actually occurred. I had never seen the guy before. I was in the middle of nowhere and I did not know where I was."


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The Academy of Management's direction, its structure and operation, and the philosophies by which its members carry out their professional responsibilities are guided by four documents:
The AOM Strategic Plan outlines the Academy's mission and direction, in light of growth areas in membership and interest areas, as well as dramatic changes in the field of management research and education. It includes our vision, mission, values, objectives, and the four key areas of strategic intent.
The Articles of Incorporation set forth the basis for the Academy's legal operation and its not-for-profit status.
The Bylaws outline the structure and general parameters within which the Academy operates.
The Code of Ethics describes the professional goals of members and their five major responsibilities to managerial knowledge and practice, to their students and colleagues, and to the world community.
Other Policies
Related Links:
AOM Annual ReportGovernance Updates


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- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 heads of Belgian endive, root ends trimmed and discarded, leaves separated
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 cup Belgian white beer (such as Hoegaarden)
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 8 5x3x1/2-inch slices country-style bread
- Butter
- 8 thin slices country ham or prosciutto (about 8 ounces total)
- 8 ounces Belgian Chimay 'à La Bière' cheese or German Temptin cheese, thinly sliced
- 8 sour pickle spears
- Whole grain brown mustard or whole grain Dijon mustard
Recipe Preparation
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add endive leaves and sauté until almost translucent and beginning to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over and sauté until endive leaves begin to brown and edges are deep golden brown, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes. Add beer and orange juice and boil until liquid is reduced to thick glaze and coats endive leaves, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange bread on baking sheet. Spread 1 side of each bread slice lightly with butter. Turn 4 bread slices over, buttered side down. Divide ham and cheese among plain sides of 4 bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered side up.
Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 sandwiches to skillet and cook until brown on bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer sandwiches to same baking sheet, browned side up. Repeat with remaining 2 sandwiches. Bake in oven until sandwiches are brown on bottom and cheese melts, about 5 minutes.
Place 1 sandwich on each of 4 plates. Spoon endive, 2 pickles, and mustard alongside each and serve.


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Product Description
Turbo 500 Still
We are now stocking the new & improved T500.
Operating the T500 is now easier than ever thanks to the fact there is only one thermometer to keep an eye on. The new design thermometer (complete with stainless steel probe) on the T500 measures the output temperature only, as there is no need for an inlet (top) thermometer.
All you need to get started making fantastic spirits & liqueurs. You will not find a better value for money kit anywhere.
You also get 4 packs of natural botanicals and a Still Spirits - Botanical Basket For T500s so that you can experiment with making spirits using organic flavourings.
In our opinion, the T500 is the finest piece of equipment we have seen for the small producer. The quality of the alcohol is exceptional. It still benefits with treatment through the Spiritworks Filter. This increases the taste quality and removes further impurities.
This product bears the CE marking and conforms to the EU Directives.
The machine is capable of distilling 25 litres of wash in one go and is superb for essential oil extraction, fuel ethanol production or alcohol distillation (license is required in the UK).
The main reason for the exceptional quality is the water flow is controlled at all points. It's therefore essential to get a controlled water supply into the column. This is why a tap connector is used. The connector should be fitted to a tap with a screw thread or one with an aerator (after the aerator disc has been removed). Alternatively, you can purchase a 20mm BSP adapter for the flow controller which will allow you to connect it to a washing machine fitting or tap with an external (male) thread. If this can't be done, we can supply a rubber end as a final option. This needs to be ordered separately. As we said earlier, the reason the quality is so good is that we fully control the outlet water temperature by careful restriction of the water flow.
This will make 10 x 75cl bottles of 40% ABV liquor. Once the kit has been purchased each additional batch will cost approx. £2.30 a bottle.
If bought separately, the components of the T500 starter kit would cost over £605.00!
Equipment Included
- 1 x Turbo 500 Still with stainless steel lid & column
- 1 x Spiritworks Granular Carbon Filter, complete with 2x 10 Litre Buckets and all necessary fittings. (See below for details).
- 2 x 30 Litre Food Grade Plastic Buckets with Lids & Grommets & Airlocks
- 1 x Mixing Spoon or Paddle
- 1 x Hydrometer with Trial Case. (Case can be used to hold liquid, so the hydrometer can then be dropped in to take a reading)
- 1 x Thermometer
- 1 x Auto Siphon with the anti-sediment end, tap end and bucket clip (for transferring the liquor to other containers and bottling)
- 1 x Jug (Very useful for mixing Spirits & Liqueurs)
- 1 x Spirit Hydrometer (For testing the amount of Alcohol by Volume (ABV)
- 1x Large/Coarse straining bag for your botanicals.
- 1 x Classic Turbo Yeast & Carbon
- 1 x Pure Turbo Yeast
- 2 x Turbo Carbon
- 2 x Turbo Clear
- 1 x Classic Whisky (sachet)
- 1 x Classic VSOP Brandy (sachet)
- 1 x Classic Gin (sachet)
- 1 x Classic Bourbon (sachet)
- 1 x Classic Rum (sachet)
- 1 x Copper Saddles (in the column)
- 1 x 30g Ceramic Boil Enhancers
- 1 x 50ml Distilling Conditioner
- 1 x Stainless Steel Saddles (in the column)
- 1 x 100g Steriliser
- 1 x Botanicals - Orange Peel 100g
- 1 x Botanicals – Lemon Peel 100g
- 1 x Botanicals - Botanicals - Luxury Botanical Juniper 100g
- 1 x Botanicals - Coriander 100g
- Produces 95% yield at 93% purity.
- Easy to use.
- Stops producing when alcohol exhausted.
- The ultimate home distillation unit.
- Faucet Adapter for ease of water flow adjustment.
- 25 litre boiler with 2kw integrated element.
- Boil dry reset.
- Thermal cut out fuse.
- Waste discharge tap.
Spiritworks Granular Carbon Filter - Contents
- 1 x Aluminium Tube with 2 ends with washers.
- 1 x Stainless Mess Filter support.
- 2 x 10 litre buckets with lids and a tap.
- 1 x One length of the siphon tube.
- 1 x Filter Paper.
- 1 x Funnel.
- 1 x PTFE Tape.
- 1 x 1kg of Granular Carbon.
The Filter is designed to clean the alcohol after distillation and remove off flavours and smells which can happen in the process. For the filtration to work effectively it's essential the strength of the alcohol that needs treating is between 40-50% ABV. Please dilute your alcohol to be within this range before starting.
Further Information
Extracting Essential Oils: The T500 can also be used for the creation of Essential Oils. If you would like to learn more, please see the 'Guides & Videos' above.
Distillation: For information regarding the distillation of alcohol using this still in the UK please see our UK Disclaimer Page.
You'll find the 'Distillers Conditioner & Ceramic Beads' packed inside the T500 column.
Internal measurements of boiler:
- Height: 420 mm
- Max Fill Height: 345 mm
- Diameter: 295 mm
- Easy to use and does just the job!Review by Patrick
Price Quality Value
- As a beginner, this is absolutely ideal!Review by Calum
Price Quality Value
Ok not cheap but it is good value - it is very very well made and thought out and this pack has everything you need to get going. It helps having brewed before but I'd say with a bit of reading and youtubing most people would find this straightforward and enjoyable to use.
I got 93% spirit on my first use - it performed exactly as described. The instructions and lovebrewing help guides / videos give you confidence in the process. This pack does allow you to experiment once you find your feet, with the botanics basket, yeast for more interesting washes and so on.
All in all very happy with my purchase and would thoroughly recommend Lovebrewing! (Posted on 21/01/2018)
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Chapter 14 - On Retaining Youth
This book can be navigated using the chapter links to the left, or via the links found on the bottom of each page. Each page image can also be clicked on the move you quickly to the next page.
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The pieces in this issues are nicely diverse, a view into the ongoing interests and projects of each artist.
Tim Danko and Mat Tait both contribute very polished pieces that are clearly part of a larger body of work.
Tim Danko has been producing some very intriguing comics mash-ups of late, combining comics with found literature to interesting effect. This piece combines extracts from Robert Walser's prose with a comic featuring a pair of ghostly ciphers with a Dada-like effect. It's off-set by a narration strip that runs along the bottom of the pages before merging with the main comic in the final panel. It's layout is well realised and invites repeat reading and multiple interpretations. For more of Danko's unique work check out his website which also features animated comics utilising a similar approach.
Mat Tait's piece is a moody rumination on the nature of memory and regret. As always his work is clinically clean, a crisp world of inky shadows and bright whites with style to burn (and a scary, full-stop of a dog!). It's an evocative, well developed style which leaves you hoping a longer work will be forth-coming from Mat sometime soon.
Matt Hunkin's comic as interview piece 'Evil Genius', about a Wellington cartoonist Ahzan (who produces comics that can be seen at his family's Curry Takeaway) is a great watercolour comic that really isn't done justice in black and white. It has a similar feeling to some of the watercolour comics Eddie Campbell has been doing recently, and you should really check out the colour reproduction at the exhibition to really appreciate it.
Above: Karl Wills with the original artwork from 'Anal Atrocities'.
This issue also features an interview with Karl Wills by Matt Emery, focusing on Wills' mid-nineties comic-strip 'Anal Atrocities'. Wills has been keeping a fairly low profile of late, so for many of fans it's a welcome update on what Karl is working on now, and when you can expect to see more of his work in print (apparently you can expect a complete box-set of 'Jessica of the Schoolyard' from Meltdown Comics next year, along with some new comics featuring 'Connie Radar').
Prints of the artwork from this issue will be on display at The High Seas till the 8th of October. This is easily the best comics culture gallery space to be based in Auckland for some time and deserves your support. There are more great exhibitions on the way, so if you're interested in New Zealand comics this is a vital hub of Auckland's comics activity. Stop by to see the artwork and be sure to pick up an issue of Radio as Paper #3 for only $3!
For more information on Radio as Paper check out it's blogspot, and for updates on The High Seas take a peak at their website.
Below: Some photos from the Radio as Paper #3 launch.


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Why is an atheist an atheist?
I dunno. I suggest asking the person.
But that's not enough, is it? Just asking the question is the easiest thing to do. Listening to the answer…ahhh, there's the rub!
The other day my daughter was studying her French. She insisted she had sufficiently studied. Being the ever-gullible parents that we are; we thought a quiz might be in order to confirm our trust. She missed the first question. She missed the second question. It became apparent that she hadn't studied at all.
I opened my mouth and actually heard these words coming out—"Why did you say you studied?"
Can you imagine a more unintelligent question? I knew why she had said it: she hoped just saying the words would persuade her parents and she could go off to do what she really wanted to do. I wasn't asking "why" out of some inquisitive spirit, intrigued with discovering a whole new insight into the teenage mind. I was merely making an introductory statement, which was about to develop into a full-fledged dressing down. There was more rhetoric then interrogatory in the question.
Why is an atheist an atheist?
Too often that question is asked and the person has a pre-prepared solution stuck fast in their mind. Respond in a manner that does not conform to the answer key firmly lodged in that mind and you would be quite, quite wrong.
We meet a person in an interesting profession. We ask, "What made you enter that field?" We are genuinely waiting for a response. The person replies that their parent did it, or they learned of it in school, or worked as an intern for a summer…whatever they respond. We walk away with, "Huh. How fascinating. Just learned something new." We don't respond, "Naw. You went into it for the money. You are lying to yourself."
But ask an atheist why they are an atheist, and most times the person is so ready to respond to why the atheist is incorrect in her reply; they literally cannot wait for the poor person to stop talking. They will interrupt them before they are finished! "No, you are wrong!"
We ask questions as to what people do and why they do it all day long. Why go out with him? Why did you buy that particular TV? What's with the new hair style? Why did you get so angry over something so mundane? Why did you do this, do that, go here, go there?
And we take people at their face. What they say. If they indicate they fell in love because of the other person's smile, while we may not see it, do we argue with the person they are wrong?
But get into this field, and I have people everywhere almost giddy with the joy of informing me why I am an atheist, regardless of what I say. Yes, sirree!
They tell me it is because I am mad at the church. Well…I am not mad at a particular building. However, I must confess I was pretty upset with a particular person in the church. Weren't we all? I was acting up in Sunday School class, and my teacher, to my complete and utter embarrassment, took me to my father to "rat me out!" See, my father was ALSO a teacher, so this meant interrupting HIS class, and taking me out in the hall and disrupting TWO classes. I was mad at my teacher for a whole week! My deconversion process can clearly be traced back to a certain fourth-grade teacher.
They tell me it is because I am mad at God. For what? I have a lovely wife, very healthy children, a good home…aha! My garage door just broke. THAT must be it. I am angry at the very creator of life because I must go out and spend a whooping $6.97 and 1/2 an hour fixing a hinge. Surely you can see how God dealt me so wrongly, and I am justified in my anger!
They tell me it is because I want to sin. He he he. Don't they want to sin? Are they losing God, too? Is it some big secret that every human in existence wants to do something that a Christian calls "sin"? O.K. I will confess it. There are times I would like to…sin. (gasp!) I have fleeting (and some not-so fleeting) moments in which I would prefer to let loose on some internet opponent with a few well-chosen epitaphs, swear words, colorful metaphors, and apt (in my opinion) descriptions. That must be why I am an atheist. Because I wanted to justify having those reactions, while not engaging in performing them. (Most times.)
They tell me I had the wrong Christianity, the wrong Bible, the wrong beliefs, the wrong interpretation, the wrong teachers, the wrong association, the wrong prayers, the wrong faith, the wrong Jesus, the wrong hymns, pews and parking lots. I wonder sometimes how I ever managed to be a Christian for so long, doing it so wrong!
You want to know why an atheist is an atheist. Ask him. BUT (and this is the key part) that part of your brain that is already assured of the answer? You must turn it off. That part of your background which has ingrained in you a reason in stone? Ignore it. Pretend, for a moment, that you are asking why they became a dentist. Or wear those shoes. Pretend, for a moment, that you actually care about the response for what it is, not for why it is wrong.
See, people become atheists for as many and varied reasons as people do just about anything else. Yes, some do because of an emotional reaction. Some are born in atheist homes. Some because of study of science. Some for study of philosophy. Some by way of study of religion. Perhaps their own.
Some are convinced there is no god because of the various human creations of god(s), some by the troubling Problem of Suffering, some by Euthyphro.
Some are more defensive, some more offensive, some are ambivalent. Some don't even stay atheists.
Look, if you are interested in informing me why your belief system mandates that I became an atheist—fine. Have at it. Don't start off the conversation with a pleasant "Why did you become an atheist?" A more honest, "This is why you are an atheist. I know because this is what my God says." We can draw swords and duel.
But if you are interested—really interested—it may take the hard, hard work of setting aside a prejudice and genuinely listening to the response. Listening with the prejudice that the person is actually telling the truth instead.


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Guest blogged by David Edwards of Veredictum.com
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Tavis Smiley interviews former U.N. Inspector Scott Ritter who has a new book out titled "Iraq Confidential : The Untold Story of the Intelligence Conspiracy to Undermine the UN and Overthrow Saddam Hussein" (Official Site, Amazon page).
Ritter puts together the evidence of an Iraq intelligence conspiracy by connecting the dots with known facts and media reports. The Administrations of George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush are all implicated in falsifying intelligence for the purpose of creating regime change in Iraq.
Ritter alleges that the United States purposefully undermined the authority of the U.N. by voting for sanctions against Iraq that would be lifted when inspectors could verify that all weapons of mass destruction had been removed. Officials in the Bush #1 and Clinton administrations admitted that the sanctions would never be lifted regardless of the removal of Saddam's WMDs. The official policy of the United States was to impose permanent sanctions until Saddam was removed from power. The U.S. policy effectively undermined the credibility and authority of the U.N. Security Council.
Scott Ritter goes on to explain that Iraq under control of Saddam Hussein was never a direct threat to the security of the United States. All disputes could have been solved with focused diplomacy. Ritter says that no American lives needed to be lost over the fabricated threat that Iraq posed.
Ritter points out the Neo-conservative group that gained power under President Reagan as the primary driver of this conspiracy to manipulate the CIA and intelligence data about Iraq's WMD, undermine the United Nations, and the remove Saddam Hussein at all costs.
The Neocons are still in power and the conspiracy outlined by Scott Ritter continues to control U.S. foreign policy today.


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Look, bro — it's a given that we all want to get right with the Lord, but that does not mean we have to sacrifice our sexy bodies for beach season. Who's to say that the reason God put you on this Earth wasn't to be as muscly and fit as possible? I mean, you could prove yourself to be a good Christian by devoting your life to helping the poor and less fortunate, but why do that when you can instead devote your life to achieving some Jesus-on-the-cross style abs? And have you ever seen Mother Theresa in a bikini? Nuh-uh — invite her to the beach for a chill game of beach volleyball and she wouldn't even KNOW what to do with herself. I guess what I'm trying to say, man, is that maybe the Lord and JC are cool if you take sometime to focus on you by doing Push-Ups for Purity or something. Or if that's not your thing, you could do, like, a raw kale diet for Alpha and Omega or Pilates for the Virgin Mary. Just because you're giving it up for the lord does not mean you have to give up on yourself, dude.
More from Jezebel
I don't know how to respond to this so here's some cats dressed up as sushi.


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You've seen Hank Azaria's evil deformed face of Gargamel, now take a look at the live-action Smurfs, hanging out in Times Square. How do these creatures, who are three apples tall, deal with the Big Apple?
The Smurfs, which also stars Neil Patrick Harris, as a human, Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf, Jeff Foxworthy as Handy Smurf, Katy Perry as Smurfette and Alan Cumming as Gutsy, takes place in NYC. Somehow Gargamel and the Smurf Village have tumbled through a vortex and landed in New York's Central Park, so it's the Enchanted time-space continuum rule.
The Smurfs hits theaters July 29 2011.
[via USA Today]
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At Blackcircles.com, finding out the size of your tyre is easy and hassle free.
For 100% accuracy the most effective method is to take a note of the tyres currently on your car. To help you with this you can print off this handy guide to keep you right. Although the letters and numbers may look complicated, when you have done it once you will never look back.
If you would like some extra assistance then you can use our great new Quick Look tyre tools which will identify all the original sizes that came fitted to your model of car when it was fresh off the production line.
You can either enter your registration number, vehicle make and model details or your known tyre size into one of the Quick Look tools below.
Different Front and Rear sizes?
Some vehicles are fitted with different sized tyres on the front and rear axles. If this is the case, please select your front tyres from the search tool and select "Find My Tyres". You can then add your selected tyres to the basket and come back to this search page to select the rear tyre size.
Enter your registration number
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Now is the ideal time to start your new career as Administrative Customer Support Specialist. MedCerts' Administrative Customer Support Specialist program makes it possible in only 6 weeks! In that short time, you could be well on your way to becoming an Administrative Customer Support specialist with national certifications through the International Customer Service Association (ICSA) and CompTIA. Our Administrative Customer Support Specialist training will prepare you for a successful career in administrative support and customer service.
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Readers have requested that the Archivist cover the opening of Ahn'Qiraj a number of times since the reboot of this feature. The original intent was to explore it when we reached that point in our journey through the patch notes of old, but I bow to the demands of the masses on this one.
The Gates of Ahn'Qiraj was one of World of Warcraft's first attempts at a massive, server-wide world event. Ahn'Qiraj didn't simply open when it was patched in, like every other raid zone in WoW. It had to be opened by the players, and how quickly or how slowly it opened depended purely on the population's participation. The event was plagued with chains of server crashes and other such performance problems, but ask any truly old-school WoW player and they will almost certainly list this event as one of their fondest WoW memories.


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Article content
Augusta, Ga. --Well, a lot of people said it was Tiger Woods's Masters to lose.
Few could have imagined the lengths to which he'd go, to do it -- or the lengths to which the Masters rules committee would go, to ensure that he didn't. At least, not before two days of guaranteed boffo weekend TV ratings.
A day after infuriating much of golfdom by singling out a 14-year-old Chinese boy, Tianlang Guan, to pay for the slow-playing sins of all of professional golf, the green-jacketed rulers of the Augusta National Golf Club were forced to deal with a much bigger fish.
Click here for more photos of Tiger Wood's dropor click on the tab above
Tiger Woods, the world's No. 1 player and presumptive favourite to win his fifth Masters title this week, misinterpreted one of the basic rules of golf, inadvertently took an illegal drop in the 15th fairway during Friday's second round after hitting his third shot into the pond fronting the green, then signed a scorecard reflecting a lower score than would have been the case if the penalty had been applied -- and was allowed to continue playing on Saturday.
The rules committee penalized him two strokes, leaving him five back of 36-hole leader Jason Day, rather than three, but elected to waive the usual disqualification penalty for signing for a lower score, citing exceptional circumstances.
And the golf world exploded in outrage.
On the Golf Channel, commentators Brandel Chamblee and Nick Faldo called for Woods to "man up" and withdraw for the sake of the game's integrity. On Twitter, frequent Masters loser Greg Norman did the same.
Former and current players weighed in, decrying the ruling and criticizing the Masters for playing favourites.
A few, like 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, who had missed the cut on Friday, argued the other side:
"2 shot penalty for TW for wrong drop. New rule applied for trial by tv. Instead of retroactive DQ, player receives a penalty. Decent rule." And later: "Take the fact that it was Tiger out of the equation and it is a fair ruling. Since it is him the debate begins about TV ratings etc etc."
But overwhelmingly, the opposite view was written -- in block capitals, with exclamation points.
The club explained its decision as follows:
"In preparation for his fifth shot, the player dropped his ball in close proximity to where he had played his third shot in apparent conformance with Rule 26. After being prompted by a television viewer, the Rules Committee reviewed video of the shot while he was playing the 18th hole. At that moment and based on that evidence, the Committee determined he had complied with the Rules."
Satisfied that there had been no infraction, no official approached Woods to apprise him of the situation before he signed his scorecard.
"After he signed his scorecard," the statement continued, "and in a television interview subsequent to the round, the player stated that he played further from the point than where he played his third shot. Such action would constitute playing from the wrong place.
"The subsequent information provided by the player's interview after he had completed play warranted further review and discussion with him this morning. It was determined he had violated Rule 26, and he was assessed a two-stroke penalty. The penalty of disqualification was waived by the Committee under Rule 33 as the Committee had previously reviewed the information and made its initial determination prior to the finish of the player's round."
In other words, the committee had initially ruled incorrectly based on inconclusive video, after a TV viewer called to snitch, and didn't think it was fair to retroactively go back on its earlier decision, when the only reason it knew the actual circumstances was because of something Woods said to ESPN's Tom Rinaldi after signing his scorecard -- i.e. that he had dropped the ball two yards further back because his previous shot had struck the flagstick and bounced back into the water, and he didn't want a repeat.
Rule 33-7 states: "A penalty of disqualification may in exceptional individual cases be waived, modified or imposed if the Committee considers such action warranted."
Competition committee chairman Fred Ridley said that disqualification "was not even on the table" by the time Woods was summoned to explain his thinking Saturday morning. Rule 33-7 had already been applied, and Ridley said the USGA and R&A concurred with the decision.
The argument went off in a dozen different directions, including a tweet from Hall of Fame golf writer Dan Jenkins comparing the ruling to the one that cost Roberto de Vicenzo the 1968 Masters. But the situations are apples and oranges. There was no question of disqualifying de Vicenzo, because the Argentinian simply signed for a higher score than he had shot, and had to live with it.
The ruling on Woods more closely resembles a 1960 Masters ruling involving Dow Finsterwald, who was practice-putting on a green after holing out, and did so again the next day when Billy Casper told him he thought it was against the rules. Finsterwald went to an official and told him what he had done. It should have resulted in disqualification based on the previous day's scorecard, but the committee penalized him two strokes, instead.
Finsterwald ended up third, losing by two strokes to Arnold Palmer.
The Masters plays by the R&A/USGA rules of golf, but its discretion is its own.
Some further thoughts: Woods is held to a higher standard than other players because his every movement is captured on TV. If it's Hunter Mahan shooting 78, Rinaldi doesn't interview him, the "two yards" quote never comes out, and no one gives it a second thought.
A lot of those players criticizing him today have never been that thoroughly scrutinized while taking drops. Then again, rules officials didn't used to take phone calls from TV snitches during tournaments, and it's a mystery why they do so now.
The rule Woods broke, Rule 26, offers three options for dropping his ball after it caromed into the pond, two of which he appears to have melded into one. He gained no advantage from doing so. He should have lined himself up with the hole and where the ball entered the water on its backward carom off the flagstick, a slightly different angle; then he could have gone back as far on that line as he wanted, and dropped. Instead, he went two yards back from the original spot, and the rule says that if he chooses that option, he must drop "as near as possible" to the place where the first shot occurred, not two yards back of his original divot.
Still, ignorance of the rules is no excuse. Never has been. Neither has signing an incorrect scorecard.
When Tianlang Guan was assessed a one-stroke penalty for slow play on Friday, Woods said: "Rules are rules."
Except when they aren't.
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Pollen levels nearing peak for spring
This year's levels in line with area norms
Last year's mild winter and early spring bloom allowed for an early start to Last year's mild winter and early spring bloom allowed for an early start to the allergy season.
By this point last year, the Tri-state area had 16 high pollen count days, compared with only six so far this year.
"People suffering from allergies are likely seeing some symptoms," said Megan Hummel, spokeswoman for Hamilton County Environmental Services. "This week we've had a consistently high pollen count."
This year's allergy season is more in line with the typical conditions in this area, which means that this week's high pollen is likely the start of the spring pollen peak.
"Next week is about the time when we peak historically, so we're right along the lines of where we should be pollen-wise," Hummel said.
Allergies can kick in at any age, but over-the-counter medication can relieve most symptoms.
Allergy sufferers can also minimize outdoor activity in the morning, when pollen counts are highest.


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SAN ANTONIO -- Is treatment that lasts twice as long any better than some of the standard therapies in breast cancer? That's the question underlying two major trials that will headline the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium this week.
The ATLAS (Adjuvant Tamoxifen Longer Against Shorter) trial comparing 10 years of tamoxifen (Nolvadex) in estrogen receptor-positive early breast cancer to the standard 5-year regimen is slated for presentation Wednesday at the conference.
An earlier look at the trial results after some of the women had completed their second 5 years on the drug indicated a significant 12% reduction in risk of recurrence compared with results when treatment was stopped after the initial 5 years.
If the researchers report better outcomes through the second decade after diagnosis with the 10-year regimen at the conference, practice may change accordingly, meeting co-chair Carlos Arteaga, MD, told MedPage Today in an interview previewing the sessions.
"I think it's going to be a very important study presentation," Arteaga, of Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn., said. "Eighty percent of patients have ER-positive breast cancer and most of them are caught early, so this information is relevant to a huge number of individuals."
Duration of treatment -- in this case, adjuvant trastuzumab (Herceptin) in HER2-positive breast cancer -- will also get the spotlight in the HERA (Herceptin Adjuvant) trial, which compared 2 years on the targeted agent versus the traditional 1-year regimen.
Late recurrences in this setting suggested room for improvement, Arteaga noted.
But HERA results reported in October at the meeting of the European Society of Medical Oncology pointed to no difference in recurrence at 8 years of follow-up.
"That's very important because 2 years of Herceptin are doubly expensive, and questions we have are whether it's necessary -- does it provide benefit -- and, if so, is it worth the cost," Arteaga said.
One study that might help in refining use of expensive therapy is CLEOPATRA, which tested pertuzumab (Perjeta), recently approved for combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.
An analysis of biomarkers to predict response in that trial is slated for presentation at the same session on Friday as HERA.
Although it's likely to have implications for future studies rather than current practice, "it's important because if you're going to use two antibodies, that's very costly, so you want to use them when you really have to," Arteaga pointed out.
Deeper profiling of molecular findings -- going beyond estrogen and progesterone receptors and HER2 status, and beyond even the luminal A, B, etc., subtype classifications -- will be part of the discussion at the the conference, too.
Each of the subgroups are associated with actionable targets and thus may have a different optimal treatment, although the findings aren't ready for clinical practice yet, Arteaga noted.
"We're writing the book, we're writing the catalog -- we just don't know how to use it," he said. "We've never been more aware that one size doesn't fit all."


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Missouri's March madness
Spring ushers in spoonbill snaggin' season on the Lake of the Ozarks
Jason Jenkins
Jason Jenkins
Jason Jenkins
Fishing guide Anthony Ford of Warsaw, left, helps Dan Crader of Moscow Mills land a large paddlefish as Dan's son, Jake, watches. This was the father and son's first snagging trip.
In Warsaw, there's nothing bigger than opening day of snagging season. Each March 15, this little town on the upper reaches of the Lake of the Ozarks is invaded by a flotilla of anglers. They come in search of one of the largest freshwater fish in the United States, the American paddlefish, also known as the spoonbill.
Although these aquatic behemoths — with their distinctive, spatula-like snouts — can weigh 100 pounds or more, paddlefish are filter feeders, eating tiny zooplankton suspended in the water. They won't bite lures; you have to snag them.
"It's the real 'March Madness' here on the Osage River," says Anthony Ford, a full-time fishing guide from Warsaw. "Around here, snaggin' season is the deer season on the water. It's the biggest thing that happens. A lot of these businesses on the water, this is the biggest 45 days they have all year. It's the busiest you'll see these boat ramps."
Most of the year, Ford's clients visit Truman Lake and Lake of the Ozarks to fish for catfish. But from March 15 to April 30, the Southwest Electric Cooperative member fishes exclusively for spoonbills.
Each year, thousands of paddlefish fingerlings are reared at the Missouri Department of Conservation's Blind Pony Fish Hatchery.
Paddlefish are native to the Mississippi, Missouri and Osage river basins. Once abundant, the construction of dams on the Osage River flooded the fish's historical spawning areas and blocked their migration.
In an effort to maintain the species, the Missouri Department of Conservation established a stocking program in the early 1970s.
"Today, we stock Table Rock Lake with 3,000 fingerlings annually with a pulse stocking of up to 6,000 once every three years," says Trish Yasger, a fisheries biologist who oversees the department's paddlefish program. "At Lake of the Ozarks and Truman Lake, we stock 15,000 a year in each reservoir with a pulse stocking of up to 30,000 every three years or so."
The young paddlefish, which are raised at Blind Pony Fish Hatchery near Sweet Springs, reach a total length of 12 to 18 inches by the time they are stocked in the reservoirs in October.
Snagging paddlefish, a popular spring activity on the upper reaches of Lake of the Ozarks, Truman Lake and Table Rock Lake, doesn't require much tackle. The standard rigging consists of two No. 10 treble hooks and a 16-ounce lead sinker.
It takes a spoonbill about eight years before it reaches the minimum legal harvest length of 34 inches, as measured from the fish's eye to the fork of its tail. It is these fish that attract anglers during snagging season, which coincides with the annual migration that concentrates the fish. The migration is triggered by a series of natural cues, Yasger says.
"Increases in day length, water temperature and water flow are what get the fish moving," she explains. "When the water temp is 50-55 degrees and you get a jump in flow of 2-3 feet, that's when they really want to make that spawning run."
Snagging doesn't require a lot of tackle or other equipment. A 6-to-7-foot fiberglass rod, equipped with a saltwater reel, two large treble hooks and a lead sinker is the standard rig.
"You want that rod to be as stiff as a pool cue," says Ford, who has operated his business, Catfishingguide.com, for the past eight years. "As for the reels, I put line counters on all of mine. It takes the guesswork out of how many feet you have out."
Ford recommends spooling your reel with at least an 80-pound-test braided line. He prefers PowerPro's Spectra microfilament in Hi-Vis Yellow because it has the same diameter as 18-pound monofilament and the color makes it easy to see. Above a 16-ounce lead sinker, Ford ties two No. 10 treble hooks spaced 36 to 48 inches apart.
"You'll want to retie your sinkers every 20 to 30 minutes so that you don't lose them," he says, adding that he'll go through 3,000 yards — or nearly two miles — of line during a typical snagging season.
The minimum length for paddlefish on Lake of the Ozarks, Truman Lake and Table Rock Lake is 34 inches, as measured from the eye to the fork of the tail, making even the smallest legal fish too large for the average livewell. As a result, anglers tie snagged paddlefish alongside their boats using lengths of rope that leave the fish just slightly out of the water.
Successful snaggers know the key to consistently catching paddlefish lies in your willingness to work.
"If you're not pulling, you won't catch fish," Ford says. "The hide on these spoonbill is tough. You have to jerk that treble hook into them."
Good snagging form is rhythmic, resembling the motion of a pendulum. Once you feel your sinker hit the bottom, pull back forcefully on your rod in a sweeping motion. Then allow your sinker to return to the bottom and repeat, and repeat, and repeat until you snag a spoonbill.
Other recommended equipment when snagging includes gloves, a gaff to pull fish into the boat, a pair of pliers to remove hooks, a file to sharpen hooks, lengths of nylon rope to tie up fish and a knife.
While not required, an electronic fish finder takes the guesswork out of locating paddlefish. "I never put a hook in the water unless I see spoonbill on my graph," Ford says. "For those 45 days, I watch it more than the TV in my house."
Guides like Ford offer the ultimate in snagging accommodations; all you have to bring is your fishing license, food, drinks, appropriate clothing and a camera to capture the memories.
Though expensive, today's advanced electronic fish finders take the guesswork out of deciding where to snag. The arched shapes in the bottom righthand corner of the graph are paddlefish making their way upstream.
Ford's 26-foot, custom-built, triple-log pontoon boat is large enough to allow at least four anglers to fish comfortably. It's equipped with a livewell that can hold up to six paddlefish and outfitted with the latest electronics, including GPS and side-imaging sonar.
Dan Crader and his son, Jake, booked a two-day trip with Ford in 2008. It was the first spoonbill-snagging trip for the father and son from Moscow Mills.
"You work at it, but it's a lot of fun," said Jake, who was 13 at the time. "The first one I snagged, it felt like I hit a log. A 50-pounder is about all I can handle."
The Crader's trip culminated with a fish story that many would find hard to swallow — but it did happen.
After snagging only one legal spoonbill the day before, the second day of the trip saw the pair boat several nice fish in the Osage River Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks. As the morning progressed, Jake snagged into something that pulled his line tighter than a guitar string, nearly jerking the rod from his hand. When his reel's drag didn't engage, the force snapped the line.
Jake Crader, Anthony Ford and Dan Crader pose for a photo after a successful day of snagging on the Osage River Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks in April 2008. The largest fish the Craders snagged was a 77-pound female.
While Jake was convinced he had hooked a big spoonbill, the adults in the boat believed he had snagged a stump on the bottom.
However, on the next pass over the same area, Dan snagged something. It felt like a fish, only different than the others. As he reeled in his line, the unmistakable bright yellow of a length of Power Pro line broke the surface of the water.
Amazingly, it was Jake's broken line. As they pulled it in, hand over hand, they realized there was something hooked on the other end — a 77-pound spoonbill, the biggest catch of the day.
"I guess that's what you call a team effort," said Dan. "We'll definitely have to come back again next year."
For more details about paddlefish snagging regulations, get a copy of the Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations, which is available anywhere permits are sold statewide.
On March 7-8 at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Columbia, Anthony Ford will give free seminars on paddlefish snagging. For more information about Ford's guide service, call 417-299-5714 or visit www.catfishingguide.com.