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5 'balance-sheet babies' to consider
The use of financial engineering to unleash value is common in the late stages of a rally. The stocks can be tempting targets, but don't ignore valuations.
What's the stock market got going for it?
Not economic growth, certainly, with the eurozone in or near recession, Japan struggling to escape 15 years of no growth, the United States stuck in a slower-than-normal recovery and China behaving as if the government doesn't want to return to the days of 9% or 10% growth.
Not rising incomes. Not an upswing in jobs. Not rising commodity prices.
What global financial markets have going for them is cheap money, and lots of it.
So doesn't it make sense to look for stocks of companies that are positioned to get the biggest bang out of a cheap buck, yen or whatever? Doesn't it make sense to put at least a few balance-sheet babies among the stocks in your portfolio?
It makes sense, yes, but the fact that these balance-sheet stories are increasingly in favor in this market also gives me pause.
Efforts to use financial engineering to release value in a company are often found near the end of a big rally when other stories – growth, for example – are looking fully valued. I think taking a look at balance-sheet babies makes sense in this market, but even in this group I wouldn't abandon my metrics of valuation, especially since this kind of financial engineering can involve a trade-off between a company's long-term health and short-term profit for traders.
So today I'm going to give you five stocks that are both rally age indicators and – at the right price – potential stock picks.
Jim Jubak
2 kinds of balance-sheet babies
What's a balance-sheet baby?
I think there are two kinds of balance-sheet babies in the current market. In this column, I'm going to describe the two types and give you five stocks to check out, both as potential stocks to own and as indicators of where we stand in this rally.
The first type of balance-sheet baby is the offspring of the financial restructuring that uses cheap cash to avoid disaster.
Let's start with an example: Cemex (CX). The building materials company almost went under during the financial crisis because it had loaded up with debt to buy cement-maker Rinker for $14.2 billion.
Look what happened to Cemex's balance sheet as the financial crisis led to the Great Recession and the collapse of the construction sector in the United States.
Short-term debt soared from $36.2 billion in 2007 to $95.3 billion in 2008. Interest expense climbed from $10.2 billion in 2007 to $13.5 billion in 2009 to $16.6 billion in 2011.
Income before taxes plunged from $31.7 billion in 2007 to a loss of $22.8 billion in 2008.
The stock, which had traded as high as $36.29 in June 2007, bottomed at $2.92 in September 2011.
And no wonder. The company had a pile of short-term debt and was bleeding cash. Investors could only wonder if Cemex was headed toward a bankruptcy that would certainly wipe out shareholders.
Instead of bankruptcy, though, what Cemex got was a restructuring. The company was able to convert short-term debt that it would have trouble paying today into long-term debt that its lenders believed it would be able to pay tomorrow. Short-term debt fell to $7.4 billion in 2009 from $95.3 billion in 2008. Long-term debt climbed to $203.8 billion in 2009 from $162.8 billion in 2007.
Buying time
What the company had bought was time – not a guarantee that its fortunes would turn around.
But time turned out to be exactly what Cemex needed. With the recovery of the U.S. housing sector, sales of cement in the United States have climbed, even if the company's home market of Mexico and export markets in the eurozone remain weak.
Net income has gone from a $1.5 billion loss in 2011 to a $616 million loss in 2012 to a projected loss of $178 million in 2013 to a profit of $358 million in 2014.
That balance sheet turnaround at Cemex was good for a 90.4% gain in 2012. I don't expect a repeat of that in 2013; after all, the stock and the company aren't starting from anything like their former lows. I'd be very happy with 25% in 2013.
Some important things have to go right for that to happen. Volumes, especially in the United States, need to continue to recover, and price increases of 2.5% to 3% in the United States need to stick. So far, things look good, and that's one of the reasons I've made Cemex one of my 10 best picks for 2013.
Earlier in the process
You can find other balance-sheet babies that are earlier in the process than Cemex is now.
For example, MGM Resorts International (MGM) has restructured its balance sheet but is still facing skepticism about the recovery of its core Las Vegas gaming and hotel market. The stock was ahead 11.6% in 2012 and is up, through the May 8 close, 26.4% this year on good news from Las Vegas. I think there's a good chance that this member of my Jubak's Picks portfolio will outpace Cemex in 2013.
If you want to go back even further in the process, back to near where Cemex was before its restructuring, take a look at Mexican homebuilder Desarrolladora Homex (HXM in New York.)
Homex needs a financial restructuring in order to escape the trap in which the only way the company can stay in the black is to cut its revenue to the bone. Revenue collapsed between the fourth quarter of 2012, at $7.98 billion, and the first quarter of 2013, at $3.3 billion, but operating income went from a loss of $30 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 to a profit of $215 million in the first quarter of 2013. How was that possible? Homex cut its cost of generating revenue from $7.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2012 to $2.6 billion in the first quarter of 2013 by building and marketing fewer houses.
That's not, obviously, a long-term solution, and even in the near term it didn't stop the company's short-term debt from climbing to $4.7 billion in the first quarter of 2013 from $2.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2012.
The next step came on April 19. Homex announced that it had sold two prisons that it was building, for $325 million in cash. The company said it would use half that cash for working capital and the other half to pay down debt.
There's more restructuring to come, and I'd like to see some signs of a revival in the Mexican housing market before I jump on Homex. But it has the potential for a replay of the Cemex story, if things break the company's way. The New York-traded ADRs (American depositary receipts) of Homex were down 26% in 2012 and are down an additional 58% this year through May 8.
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- It's not the right time for REITs
- Asia's already begun the reboot
A different type of baby
We're further away from the darkest days of 2007-2008, and a lot of companies that were flirting with disaster then have made progress on their restructuring or completed it. But that doesn't mean investors have run out of balance-sheet babies to study. It just means that we've moved on to a different type of baby, one that's more typical of a maturing rally.
My next two balance-sheet babies aren't companies on the edge of disaster. Instead, they are companies with underleveraged balance sheets that could use cheap cash to add debt to their books in order to pay out a special dividend to shareholders or buy back stock.
Tim Hortons (THI in New York and Toronto) is a by-the-numbers example of this kind of balance-sheet baby. The company sells eight out of 10 cups of coffee sold in Canada and showed an operating profit of $181,180 per Canadian store in 2012. But its efforts to expand in the United States haven't paid off so far. Per-store operating profit in the United States was just $20,000 in 2012, according to Bloomberg.
So activist hedge fund Highfields Capital Management, which owns 4% of the company, has urged management to kill the U.S. push and use that cash, plus money it would raise by leveraging its balance sheet to something like the leverage at its peers, to either pay a big dividend or increase share buybacks.
Net debt to EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) at Tim Hortons is just 0.56. At Dunkin' Brands (DNKN), that ratio is 5.1. Goldman Sachs estimates that if Tim Hortons raised its net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio to 3, it would be able to pay either a $6.50 a share special dividend or buy back 12% of its shares.
Whether that move would be in the long-term interest of the company or shareholders is another question. The Canadian consumer is loaded up with debt right now, and that has raised fears of a slowdown in consumer spending. The Canadian net-debt-to-disposable-income ratio climbed to a record 165% in the first quarter. So Tim Hortons could be loading up with debt at just the wrong point in the business cycle. That hasn't stopped the stock from climbing 19% in 2013, however, as traders calculate the short-term benefit of this bit of financial engineering.
A fundamental advantage
Personally, I like my financial engineering mixed with little bit more of a fundamental growth story so that the company stands a better chance of avoiding a debt crisis after adding leverage.
That points me toward chemical maker LyondellBasell Industries (LYB). The company is very underleveraged, at a net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 0.3. Credit Suisse calculates that the company could raise this ratio to 1.5 or 2 without endangering its recently attained BBB investment-grade rating. I'd hope that the company would be conservative in its gearing; LyondellBasell emerged from bankruptcy only in 2010.
The fundamental story rests on low U.S. natural-gas prices. For example, when the company reported earnings for the three months ended March 31 for it olefins and polyolefin Americas unit, it showed a $121 million increase in EBITDA over the quarter that ended in December 2012. Compared with the three months ended in March 2012, EBITDA rose by $303 million. The cause? The company pointed to a price increase for products such as ethylene and to a drop in the cost of production, driven primarily by lower prices for natural-gas liquids, in the first quarter of 2013.
I expect that U.S. prices for natural gas and natural-gas liquids will remain low at least through 2014. That will give U.S.-centric producers such as LyondellBasell a cost advantage in global markets.
That's the kind of fundamental story I'd like to see to support any increase in balance sheet leverage. Right now, however, I'd call LyondellBasell pretty fully priced. I calculate a target price of $72, not all that far away from the May 8 closing price of $62.84, after the stock posted an 88.6% gain in 2012.
This puts the stock within 5% of its five-year high – not that unusual in this market, but something that gives me pause. I'd buy this combination of potential leverage and fundamental story at a lower price. For right now, though, I'll wait.
Updates to Jubak's Picks
These recent blog posts contain updates to the stocks in Jubak's market-beating portfolios.
- Mixed signals for DaVita
- A rough first quarter for Statoil
- MGM Resorts beats earnings expectations
- Yamana Gold shares suffer after earnings miss
- Citigroup has some upside for investors
Jim Jubak's column has run on MSN Money since 1997. He is the author of the book "The Jubak Picks," based on his market-beating Jubak's Picks portfolio; the writer of the Jubak's Picks blog; and the senior markets editor at MoneyShow.com. Get a free 60-day trial subscription to JAM, his premium investment letter, by using this code: MSN60 when you register at the Jubak Asset Management website.
Click here to find Jubak's most recent articles, blog posts and stock picks.
When Jim Jubak started the mutual fund he manages, Jubak Global Equity Fund (JUBAX) in 2010, he liquidated all his individual stock holdings and put the money into the fund. Find a full list of the stocks in the fund's portfolio as of the end of March here.
More from MoneyShow.com:
HOW did MSN MONEY miss telling us about TSLA or TESLA?? I could have used a 24% gain. I spotted this stock at $46/share and blew it off because every single analyst' report was negative. That's why I will no longer believe anything I see written by anybody, especially at MSN MONEY. You guys don't have a clue what's going on. If you recommend a stock and I look up and it's highlighted in red ink that pretty much tells me you are crazy. These picks today are all over the place. Canada, Mexico and UK-based Dunkin Brands. Look, surely there is value right here in America. If you were looking for it you would have found TESLA and looked like a genius. Instead, I don't think MSN MONEY should be called that. You should be called BILL GATES BLOG on HOW TO LOSE YOUR assETS LISTENING TO MY GUESSERS.
Here are some stocks that will double your money by early 2014.
TMOBILE (TMUS) selling more iPhones than anybody except Apple.
AeroVironment (AVAV) builds drones and just got contract with Ford for electric car chargers.
DISNEY (DIS) this global powerhouse is going to be a $200 stock in late 2014.
I could go on but this is supposed to be Jubak's job. Give me something I don't already know about that will make me money. No more ticker symbols in red that are already losing money by the time you publish the blog.
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[BRIEFING.COM] The stock market welcomed the new trading week with a mixed session that saw relative strength among large-cap stocks, while high-beta names underperformed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (+0.3%) and S&P 500 (-0.1%) finished near their flat lines, while the Nasdaq Composite and Russell 2000 both lost 1.1%.
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Bed & Breakfast Locanda Del Borgo is located in a charming location in the historic center of Cartoceto. The house was converted into 2 apartments built many years ago but recovered in style, taking into account the context in which... Plus d'informations
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Sonate, Op. 7 for Cello and Piano
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Title: Sonate, Op. 7 for Cello and Piano, By Fleischer, Hans, Published by Heinrichshofen, Item number: N5547
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For Immediate Release: April 24, 2012
Public Auction Set April 25
Auction Information Available on Internet
The New York State Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation said today that its first public auction of the year will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 25, 2012, at the Thruway Authority's Albany Division Facility in Selkirk, Exit 22, Route 144 (River Road).
Among the items available for sale are passenger cars, pickups and other larger trucks, vehicle diagnostic and repair tools, and spare parts. Bidders will also find an assortment of roll-up road signs, chainsaws, automotive light bars, and various types of mowers.
Detailed information about the items to be sold at this auction is available on the Thruway Authority's website at www.thruway.ny.gov/purchasing/auction. Free hard copies of the Auction Book, with this same information, may also be obtained at the Thruway Authority's Administrative Headquarters Building at 200 Southern Blvd., Albany, or by calling 518-436-2749.
For Thruway Authority items sold on the Internet, please visit www.ebay.com and click on "Community" shown on top of page, type in the User ID name: "nys-thruway-surplus" and then click "Find a Member." One must be a registered member of the E-bay community to access this information.


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On the Choice of Functional Form for Hedonic Price Functions
AbstractThis study examines how errors in measuring marginal attribute pric es vary with the form of the hedonic price function. In simulations, consumers with known utility functions bid for houses with given attributes. Various forms of the hedonic function are estimated using equilibrium housing prices. Errors in estimating marginal attribute prices are calculated by comparing each consumer's equilibrium marginal bid vector with the gradient of the hedonic function. When all attributes are observed, linear and quadratic Box-Cox forms produce lowest mean percentage errors; however, when some attributes are unobserved or are replaced by proxies, linear and linear Box-Cox functions perform best. Copyright 1988 by MIT Press.
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Bibliographic InfoArticle provided by MIT Press in its journal Review of Economics & Statistics.
Volume (Year): 70 (1988)
Issue (Month): 4 (November)
Pages: 668-75
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My skin constantly gets really greasy throughout the day, I don't overwash at all and the only thing I use is hot/cold water and occasionally Quinoderm face wash... I feel it stuck to my face and it's disgusting. It's embarrassing at work because I feel like people notice it.
Advice please?


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Andrew M. Gleason-Photographer on Facebook!
Since I'm no longer posting any of my work on tumblr, if you are/have been a fan of my work I strongly encourage that you 'like' my facebook page to keep up with all of the my latest work and castings! Share with your friends if you REALLY want to help me out.
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The sad part is that they might not be exaggerating at all.
Engel, who once called Terrelle Pryor a "college football terrorist" for accepting free tattoos, is now saying that Johnny Manziel is the NCAA's Rosa Parks.
Of course, there's only one reason Engel would ever make such a laughable comparison. Rosa Parks is an American hero who is known for taking a stand against segregation in the 1950s, risking her personal safety and well-being to demand equality for all.
Johnny Manziel, on the other hand, is a privileged college student who allegedly took some money to sign his name on some pieces of memorabilia, knowing that it was against NCAA rules and could cost him his eligibility.
Engel knew that by invoking Parks' name and making a nearly indefensible comparison, she would get attention and therefore generate web traffic to her columns.. Of course, she was right. As I type these very words, I'm playing right into her hands by giving here even the slightest bit of extra attention.
Throughout her entire column, she backpedaled from her original premise, showing exactly how Manziel is actually nothing like Parks, and their respective situations are not even remotely similar. In one sense, and in one sense only, they might be slightly similar, and Engel points that out: Manziel's case might be the tipping point that effects a change in the NCAA system, like Parks was the catalyst for change when she refused to sit in the back of the bus.
In that small way and that small way only, Manziel's situation is comparable to Parks. But Parks made a conscious choice to defy the powers that be, and she did it for the right reasons. She wanted equality for all, and was tired of literally taking a backseat to hatred and racism. Manziel, on the other hand, is just another college football player who wanted to benefit from his standing as a star football player.
In all honesty, what makes Manziel any different from former Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor, whose "crimes" ranged from taking free tattoos to accepting money for car and cell phone payments?
The only difference between Manziel's paid autograph signings and Pryor's gratis tattoo sessions is the reaction of the public. Well... that, and the reaction of Jen Engel.
Only a few years before comparing Johnny Manziel to one of the primary figures in the American civil rights movement, here's what she had to say about Pryor:
"Whatever your argument against suspending Pryor, none justifies his wanton disregard for his teammates and his school or entitles him to walk away without being nicked by a mess of his creation. Please also stop with the "he's a catalyst for change" meme. Real change begins with a guy willing to sacrifice for a larger principle, the guy standing in front of the tank at Tiananmen Square, not a guy trying to get the Chinese word for "Buckeye" tattooed onto his bicep for free."
Now that already affluent Johnny Manziel is getting $7,500 to scribble his name on a few pictures, apparently the Tiananmen Square comparison is suddenly valid. God forbid someone accept a tattoo worth a few hundred dollars. Perhaps that's too "thuggish" for Engel. A $7,500 autograph session, on the other hand, that's revolutionary, right Jen?
Engel stood by Roger Goodell's suspension of Pryor for 5 games, despite the fact that at the time, Pryor had not broken a single NFL rule, or done anything to reflect negatively on the NFL itself.
Despite the fact that they (allegedly) violated the same rules, Engel refers to Pryor as a college football terrorist, and unapologetically canonizes Manziel.
Perhaps it's that Manziel plays in Texas, where Engel is from. Perhaps it's the lighter pigmentation of his skin that makes him a more sympathetic figure. No matter what it is, it's inconsistent and unfair.
I agree that the NCAA's rules are ridiculous. I think they should change. I think the players are getting an extremely unfair shake, while the NCAA makes billions off of them.
But does that make Johnny Manziel a hero?
Hell no.


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Q: I've seen references to a Nixon's Restaurant in Fullerton. Any link to the late president?Between 1952 and 1956, Richard's brother, F. Donald, opened family restaurants in Whittier, Fullerton, and Anaheim. (There also was a Watergate Motel in Anaheim, but that's another story.) Nixon Burgers were 20 cents and the restaurants' mascot was a thrifty Scotsman. Strangely, billionaire Howard Hughes lent the chain $205,000 to (unsuccessfully) keep it out of bankruptcy. Accusations of the then-vice president favoring Hughes with government contracts dogged later campaigns, and President Nixon—wary of his brother's somewhat sketchy business practices—found him a "safe" job at the Marriott Corp. But he also wiretapped Don's phone to keep tabs on him.
Q: What were the first 'green energy' technologies invented in Orange County?A: "Wave motors," designed to harness the power of the ocean, were the rage among Southern California inventors from the 1870s to the early 1900s. Projects cropped up in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and elsewhere. Santa Ana blacksmith D.F. Spangler's 1896 version failed for the usual reason: Maintenance on a machine in unpredictable seas is far more expensive than generating power through other means. But at least Spangler made an honest effort. A number of wave motor schemes merely separated investors from their money. Seems like wave motors presaged the "green power" movement in more ways than one.
Q: Did Orange County host any of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics? A: I smell a driving tour! Venues included Cal State Fullerton's gym (handball), the Anaheim Convention Center (wrestling), Irvine's Heritage Park Aquatic Center (pentathlon and swimming), and the Coto Valley Country Club and Coto de Caza Equestrian Center (more pentathlon). The Olympic cyclists' route through Mission Viejo began at Olympiad Road near Lake Mission Viejo, turned right on Marguerite Parkway, left on Los Alisos Boulevard, left on Mustang Run, right on Crucero, left on Hidalgo, left on Vista del Lago, right on Marguerite, left on La Paz, and left on Olympiad, back to the beginning. You can stop for smoothies on the way.
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Education Researchers Identify Factors Behind Successful School Districts
Most parents attribute academic excellence to what happens in the classroom. It turns out that what goes on in the principal's and superintendent's office is just as important when it comes to student success, says a Texas A&M University professor.
That connection is not so surprising to Linda Skrla, who began her career in education as a middle school English teacher.
"From my first year in the classroom, it became obvious to me how important it was to have good school leadership," says Skrla, professor of public school administration in the Department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development.
Those early classroom experiences have directly shaped her ongoing research.
"The question has been what is going on with federal and state accountability policy and district-level leadership in school districts that have shown sustained progress in closing achievement gaps and raising achievement for all students," she says.
State accountability standards implemented in 1994 made it easier to measure student stprogress, creating opportunities for Skrla and other scholars to identify those schools and districts that are stronger in promoting student achievement.
"When my colleagues and I first started investigating school district success, there really wasn't a theory of successful school districts," Skrla says. "We now have developed a theory of what successful districts do and are working toward testing that theory to see if we can predict how districts will perform, based on how closely they're aligned with our theory."
She notes that the more successful school districts design their administrative, professional and instructional systems around student learning. This shift away from traditional models generally causes more decisions to be made at the school level.
Skrla is working on another project at the school level with colleagues Kathryn Bell McKenzie and Jim Scheurich. With funding totaling $125,000, the project is supported by the Sid W. Richardson Foundation.
"This grant focuses on Texas high schools that are doing the best job in raising achievement in math and science for African-American and Latino students," Skrla says.
The goal is to identify what these top high schools are doing so that their strategies can be replicated with struggling schools in the future.
"Our preliminary findings show that there is not a silver bullet or magic formula that these successful high schools are using to teach mathematics and science to their highly diverse student populations. They are using proven strategies that are available to all schools," she says. "The difference with these schools is that they have strong leadership, deep commitment to equity and clear instructional focus all aligned in a coherent effort to serve all of their students well."


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Amazing World Cup Moments by Fishfinger Creative Agency (more)
Mostly here to see some cool shit and maybe spread the word. Enjoy.
Amazing World Cup Moments by Fishfinger Creative Agency (more)
Bastian to the interviewer "He said you're beautiful and he's happy to win the title" / x /
(via castielscamander)
Thomas style
(Source: funsteiger)
Emmanuel Hudson distributing life
This ruined me.
(via mclementxo)
😂😭😂😂😂 lmaooooo
(Source: elcilantroo, via julithegoon)
Philipp Lahm and his Super Block during the last game of the group stage against the USA 26.06.2014
(via teaviathan)
(Source: ForGIFs.com)
Thank you Google!!!
Miro's 16th World Cup goal…
"We go forward."
Created by owlturdcomix
(via pauleanadosal)


text:
Gettin dirty on #theshortsshow #filming #nyc #sketchcomedy #comingsoon #brooklynsworst
Endangered dens #preproduction #meeting with captain stupendous. #hookah #indiefilm
Source: theshortsshow.com
The Making of Dragon Control - TSS
The planning of the Dragon Control sketch started a month before with the biggest obstacle being the actual set of the wall.
With initial ideas being set in a simple wall backdrop with the White Walker climbing over to camera.
As writing and performance changed the script to what it is now, it was clear that we had to go bigger to establish this world of The North and make it believable.
The SET
For the construction materials I used 100% foam board and styrofoam from old bounce boards left over from past projects and donated v-flat boards donated from Mr. Roberto Serrini. The frame took two days of assembly inside my office with only gaff/packing and scotch tape and one later day of painting (thanks to my boss D).
For the design of the snow look I contacted Brusan molding cloth who made a significant impact on the sketch with their donation of several rolls of their product. (Thank you Laurens)
Overall the set design, construction and painting/finalizing took just over a week of actual production.
The Costumes were also crucial to sell the characters status at first glance. I went with a simple all black concept for the actors (pants and coats) and purchased three feet of faux fur and spray painted it black for the shoulders.
The capes you see in the video were actually just black window curtains that were lying in our office unused (saving money) but I thought sold it better with those silver rings that we used to hold together. Also if you look at my legs, there is an abundance of gaff tape covering up black nike sweat pants :)
The final props needed were the weapons which were actually leftover swords and spears from TSS's first "big" budget short SOUND THE TRUMPETS from season 1. you'll see that the coincidence of my character having an actual Dragon sword was a lucky break.
We were very excited to be given the chance to film this short with the new RED EPIC X from bigapplefilms. Although we were looking to release online, we had options of cropping into a frame since the resolution we shot in was so high (5k). That camera is amazing and definitely up'd the ante again. Thank you baf.
With filming only taking a day, we had a deadline of five days to have a final version ready for launch to coincide with the new season of Game of Thrones season 3 weekend.
This burden fell heavy on the editing juggernaut Nick Snow, who was able to get picture locked within two days with most of the final tweaks falling just hours before launch on Friday the 29th.
Our post sound dept waited on standby with music and final audio tweaking. Keith Nolan of Awen Audio Design was so on the ball that I didn't even receive a text from him regarding notes or questions. As always, he delivered.
For the post VFX, we really wanted to ensure we went the extra step for creating the vastness of the north. For that, we had Mr. Daniel Dacian of bigapplefilms create an amazing open shot in After Effects which sold the initial setting immediately.
For the view of the "snow fort" on the wall, we had a mix of photoshop blending of a still image which is comprised from more than five separate actual photos I found and masking the final video overtop with color correction hopefully blending all of the inconsistencies, which it def did.This was also the reason we launched an hour later than our aim of 6pm. It was worth the extra hour of work.
Overall this was the biggest set design/valued production i've been in charge of design wise and am incredibly happy with it's final. I appreciate all the great work that was done to get it out and thank you all for sharing if you've done so already.
Here is a link to the video.
the next post will have a collection of photos from initial concept all the way to final project.
Source: theshortsshow.com
Desk job blues
My little graduate!!!
Working on new draft of next possible sketch. This one is getting weird.
Just bought the new game Breakfast Brad! It's grrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeat!
Thanksgiving 5.0


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What if VW wanted to build an M5 beater? What if VW wanted to embarrass Audi and its RS6? They couldn't do much better than offer us the Passat R GT, which elevates the concept of a VW Q-ship to its ultimate expression. With its 575-bhp twin-turbocharged powerplant, 4MOTION drivetrain and DSG gearbox, Passat R GT would undoubtedly command top status on the autobahn, but its exquisitely formed bodywork would also draw admiring looks in the world's toniest neighborhoods.
Based on a European-spec 2006 Passat with 3.2-liter V6 FSI, DSG and 4MOTION, it now sports a twin-turbocharged 3.2-liter, non-FSI V6 and modified DSG gearbox. Cloaked with new front and rear bumper fascias, side rocker panels and a rear spoiler, again drawn and developed at VW's Southern California design studio, it was painted candy white and adorned with contrasting "ghost" graphics. The Passat R GT has a "sneaky fast" elegance, punctuated by the large front intakes and dual quad exhaust pipes that form the major cues to its supercar level of performance.The Passat R GT sits on big 9x19-inch Avus forged aluminum modular wheels mounted with Michelin Pilot Sport2 radials, size 245/30-19. A KW Variant 3 coilover suspension was used for its more street-oriented adjustability, and the brakes are a Brembo street performance system comprised of 365x34mm discs with eight-piston monoblock calipers up front and 365x22mm discs at the rear.
Inside is a sporty ambience created by contrasts of black leather upholstery and white piano lacquer trim. The latest electronics and earth-shaking stereophonics are complemented by dual white Apple iPods situated within the center armrest and dual white Sony PSP units integrated in the seatbacks. It all looks very production-ready, and we'd love to see at the very least the body kit available along with the upcoming Passat 3.6L. Oh, and please add 4MOTION and DSG while you're at it. We suppose the 575 bhp is too much to ask for, but how about a turbo 3.6?


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Floyd County Board of Supervisors Meeting
May 17, 2010, 09:00 AM
The Floyd County Board of Supervisors met for workshop session at 09:00 a.m. on Monday, May 17, 2010 in the Board Room of the Floyd County Courthouse with the following in attendance: Chairman Dunkel and Supv. Staudt.; Absent: Supv. Enabnit.
Staudt/Dunkel moved to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried 2-0.
Bruce Hovden, County Assessor, the Auditor and the Board reviewed Iowa Code 427 with respect to the slough bill and an e-mail from ISAC with the position that the Board can opt to discontinue the slough bill. The Auditor and Chairman Dunkel reported on conversations with NRCS staff who were notified of today's meeting. Discussion included the work the NRCS office does in processing applications, the values, acres and classifications of property previously approved for exemption, and if the Board decides to discontinue the slough bill, ISAC's recommendation to do so by a resolution. The Board will act on this at a future date. Exemptions for taxes payable in FY11 have already been approved.
Chairman Dunkel informed the Board that Kay Wielinski does not intend to continue serving on the Mental Health Board after June 30, 2010. Other potential candidates to serve in this capacity were discussed.
Appointments to other various boards with terms ending June 30 were discussed.
The Board reviewed a proposed Social Host Ordinance for Floyd County. The Auditor reported that Norm Klemesrud, County Attorney, was provided with three sample ordinances to review as well as other information he had available on the subject. Klemesrud replied with having no issues with the recent ordinance verbiage that Mitchell County recently approved. The Board will set a date for a public hearing and first reading of the ordinance at the next regular board meeting.
The Board noted fees collected by the Clerk of Court for the month of April.
The Auditor informed the Board of her conversation with Bob Josten, Bond Attorney, regarding the Recovery Zone Bond allocation to Floyd County. Josten reported that the amount allocated to Floyd County is not likely enough to be able to work with and that we do not need to respond to the recent paperwork the county received unless the County has applicable projects for the bonds. The Auditor also contacted Tim Fox, Area Development Executive Director, who spoke with the City of Charles City but didn't believe they would have a use for the allocation. Supv Dunkel commented that the bonds are mainly directed for the Cedar Rapids area and unused allocations will be reallocated as needed.
A motion was made by Supervisor Staudt and seconded by Supervisor Dunkel to adjourn. Motion carried 2-0.
Gloria A. Carr Warren K. Dunkel, Chair
Floyd County Auditor Floyd County Board of Supervisors


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Copy and paste the embed code below to use on your website.
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Category:Big Dicks
Added On: August 20th, 2012
Uploaded By: Anonymous
Description: Sexy blonde takes a cockzilla.
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October 26th, 2012
u can shove that big cock of urs all the way into my mouth i wont care i just want those sexy lips and that big hard cock i want u to fuck me fuck my brain out of my head fuck the shit out of my ass and fuck the hell out of my wet little tight pussy
October 26th, 2012
mmmm cockzilla i wanna tale that big cock in next but im afaid that wont happen ur so fucking sexy i wanna fuck u so bad just looking at ur face gets me horny


text:
Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance > You're my summer wine.
You're my summer wine.1 Reviews
FRERARD. that's all you need to know ;)
HEY HO, LET'S GO, HEY HO.. 'STFU, you stupid alarm...' Gaaah. I really don't want to wake up. But, there's one good thing about my alarm: every morning, the Ramones wake me up, and not my stupid mom. 'Hey, are you awake?'. LynZ broke in my room. She's my stepsister and my best friend so far. My parents divorced when I was 3 and my dad committed suicide this summer, so I moved to my mom. Belleville, New Jersey. It's not a really nice or clean city, but I like it here. Even though I liked it more in LA. Anyway, it's the first day of school. I wasn't excited, cause I don't know anybody. Except LynZ. But she's not in the same class. 'I am now.' LynZ rolled her eyes. 'Let me check your...'. 'NO, LynZ, not today. It's my first day in the new school, please don't ruin it.' She suspiciously looked at me. 'I swear, I wasn't cutting yesterday.' Yes, I have problems. And LynZ is the only one who knows that I've been self harming for years now. I think she wants to help me, but she gets really annoying sometimes. 'Okay. Not today.' She smiled at me. Woow, I thought. She really trusts me. 'GIRLS, COME DOWN, I MADE YOU SOME TOASTS AND CHEESE!'. My mom sounded angry. I looked at the clock again. 'CRAP!' it was 7:30 already. I quickly put my Iron Maiden shirt on, my Nirvana hoodie and grey jeans. I ran into the bathroom and do my makeup, spiked up my hair and ran downstairs. After I ate my toast, I kissed my mom on the cheek, put my converses on and grabbed my bag. It last less than 5 minutes. While running to school, I bumped in a boy with Misfits hoodie and black hair. His hazel eyes were gorgeous. I really wanted to say hello or something, but I was late. And it was my first day. After 3 minutes, I was there. I walked in. the corridor was full of girls in colorful clothes, and boys with short hair. Everyone were staring at me. Two Barbie girls were whispering. 'Look at her clothes.'. 'Yeah, I know. She's probably like that creep Gerard.'. I looked down at the floor. Nice start, Tinkara, I said to myself. When I was walking to my classroom, I saw this guy I bumped in earlier. He was on the floor, writhing from pain. There was a group of popular kids around him. The short one was kicking him in the stomach. I really wanted to help him, but I didn't know, how.
1st September. The day me and Gerard both hate, it's not because of the school, the thing is, that Gee gets beat up every single day. So, as usual, I helped him. When he stood up, he said: 'Do you see that girl over there?'. He pointed to the new kid. She was staring at us, and I think she was worried. 'Yes.'. 'Well, you should go there and say hi to her, cause she's just like me. I hope she won't get beat up.'. I walked against her. When she saw me, she blushed. 'Umm. Hi, I'm Mikey... Emmm. Thet's my brother Gerard over there.'. 'Umm. I'm Tinkara, the new one. Is he gonna be alright?'. Tinkara. I wondered where is she from, she has such a strange name. 'Yes, I hope so... you know, you don't wanna be late on your first day...'. 'Uh, yeah. Well, bye.' She walked away to the English classroom. I walked after her, into the same classroom


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Everyone PLEASE. reblog this , it won't cost you anything and it will change peoples lives. I know it's long but it's worth watching.
Everyone PLEASE. reblog this , it won't cost you anything and it will change peoples lives. I know it's long but it's worth watching.
This needs to spread.
(via sheisdust-deactivated20121128)
I'm not 13 , I know what self harm is , I've been into hospital for it alot of times.
Been cutting for eight years making myself sick for almost ten years.
I'm not a therapist or something I was just trying to be here for people but you know some anon's still feel the need to try and pick at it , if you don't like me why follow me?.
You don't really know anything about me so just grow up , I'm not here to sort out your problems , just to give you someone to talk to about stuff , I say to people who I'm talking to you really need to see a trained therapist or someone who is qualified to help you , If you don't like what i post / say Don't follow me but don't leave anon stuff like that it's pathetic .
I'm not qualified to give advice, I never said i was , I'm not a freakin therapist just trying to be here for people who need someone to talk about , Advice is not my intention , letting people know they aren't alone and somebody is here.
One person who says I have made them feel better is worth more to me that a hundred anons I don't care what you say to me.


text:
7940 Posts in 1543 Topics by 946 members
DataObjectManager Module
SilverStripe Forums » DataObjectManager Module » Trouble with MP4's
Discuss the DataObjectManager module, and the related ImageGallery module.
Moderators: martimiz, UncleCheese, Sean, biapar, Willr, Ingo, swaiba, simon_w
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Community Member
63 Posts
Trouble with MP4's
16 October 2009 at 3:54am
Hey guys,
When I upload an MP4 video, the DOM seems to get confused sometimes and add it as audio. I have it set in the allowed file types in FLV.php and in the page I'm using the DOM on.
Any Ideas?
4085 Posts
Re: Trouble with MP4's
16 October 2009 at 6:20am
I don't see how that could happen. A file gets upgraded to the MP3 class based on its extension matching the $allowed_file_types array in the MP3 class. The only value in there is 'mp3', so I don't know how mp4 would sneak through as a false positive.
Is the file being stored in the File table with ClassName MP3?
Community Member
63 Posts
Re: Trouble with MP4's
16 October 2009 at 7:48am
It's weird, I just uploaded the same MP4 that did it earlier and I cant get the issue to duplicate. The next time it comes up I will check the class.
It would show the icon for the file as the sound icon and not let me attach it to my video DOM. ( which only allows certain file types, mp4 included ).
I will check the DB next time, I tried to duplicate it twice with no success though.
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Summary of February, 2004
I didn't blog much at all in February, 2004, just a few notes about updates to the design of the weblog, and a longer post on enterprise architecture.
During most of the month, I worked on a new design and merged my English and Swedish weblogs into one.
At the end of the month, I posted a note on Jeff Tash's cognitive "IT Roadmaps" – pretty much an alternative to the Zachman Framework – comparing them to the Tibetan Wheel of Life, inspired by a paper by David West on the system metaphor in Extreme Programming.
Också vid slutet av månaden lyssnade jag på ett radioprogram om musiken som universellt språk.


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Date of Award
Degree Type
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Work and Society
D. Wells
This dissertation analyses the issues concerning strategies for improving the working and living conditions of migrant farmworkers in the United States and Canada. By comparing the tripartite and sharecropping models in commercial agriculture, it is demonstrated that unionisation and three-way collective bargaining are efficient and proven techniques for increasing workplace standards for migrant farmworkers. The tripartitc model separates agriculture into three discernable actors: food corporations, growers and farmworkers. While some agricultural sectors are dominated by corporate entities which combine both production and processing operations, other sectors such as cucumbers and tomatoes are characterised by large processing corporations which are supplied by commercial growers. Without the presence of food corporations in collective bargaining, many growers are unable to provide for better working conditions for migrant farmworkers. The Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) has significantly established the only tripartite labour relations framework in North American agriculture. FLOC has used commercial boycotts for more than two decades, in order to pressure food corporations to participate in collective bargaining with migrant farmworkers. The union is presently conducting a national boycott of the Mt. Olive Pickle Company in North Carolina, a campaign which aims to bring the company to the bargaining table and to put an end to the sharecropping model in the state's cucumber industry.
Recommended Citation
Shimmin, Kevin, "The Tripartite Bargaining Model: The Struggle to Organise Migrant Farmworkers" (2000). Open Access Dissertations and Theses. Paper 6698.
McMaster University Library


text:
Fighting 'fetal heartbeat' bills | Tactics in Illinois labor battle
PLUS: Devastating sequester cuts on the horizon
March 18, 2013
Having trouble playing the audio? Download the audio file here.
- Danielle Norwood of WORD (Women Organized to Resist and Defend) speaks on efforts to push back new "fetal heatbeat" abortion bans, an effort by lawmakers in North Dakota, Arkansas and beyond to tear apart Roe v. Wade and effectively deny women the right to choose.
- Union organizer Jeff Bigelow analyses the recent contract victory for Illinois state workers. What were the challenges faced by the union, and how did this help shape its tactics?
- Student organizer Walter Smolarek explores the details of coming sequester cuts. From furloughs to deep cuts social programs, the devastating impact of this bipartisan attack on poor and working people is only beginning to be felt.
Questions? Comments? Let us know your thoughts!
Subscribe to our podcast – it's free!
Just click above to subscribe for free using your favorite podcatcher! You'll receive new episodes of Liberation Radio automatically as they become available.


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There are 19 results - Show results on a map Print this page
Showing 11 - 19 of 19
This Georgian coaching inn, situated in a peaceful village close to the M11, has been sympathetically restored and retains much original character. The bedrooms are well equipped and individually deco...More about The Crown House
Set in a peaceful rural location Bush Farm offers a range of comfortable well-appointed bedrooms. Lots of original features in this period house and a charming lounge is available for guests. Freshly ...More about Bush Farm Bed & Breakfast
Little Willows enjoys a peaceful location in the charming village of Thaxted. The stylish, individually designed bedrooms are most comfortable and very well equipped. Hot breakfasts are served to gues...More about Little Willows B&B
Expect a warm welcome at this small, family-run guest house, which is just a short drive from the city centre. The pleasant bedrooms are generally quite spacious and equipped with many thoughtful extr...More about Hamden Guest House
Currently the rating for this establishment is not confirmed. This may be due to a change of ownership or because it has only recently joined the AA rating scheme. ...More about The Cross Keys
This charming, authentic 17th-century coaching inn is just a short drive from Cambridge city centre. The purpose-built bedrooms are all attractively presented, comfortable and well appointed. There is...More about The Three Hills
The Red Lion Inn is a 16th-century free house pub and restaurant, set in the pretty conservation village of Hinxton and offering high quality purpose-built accommodation. In the winter guests can rela...More about The Red Lion Inn
This modern building offers accommodation in smart, spacious and well-equipped bedrooms, suitable for families and business travellers, and all with en suite bathrooms. Continental breakfast is availa...More about Days Inn Haverhill
Steepleview is a charming family run B&B in the pretty village of Thaxted and offers guests a choice of beautifully presented, well equipped and comfortable bedrooms. Breakfast is served in the well-a...More about Steepleview Bed & Breakfast


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going from "i just want to cuddle up and be cute" to "i want to rip your clothes off and pin you against the wall" takes me approximately 0.94 seconds
(via findingit30)
a drunk driver killed someone i love. i thought maybe, if i kept it up, i might hear something back…This is so beyond heart breaking, yet so extremely powerful. Never forget to tell your family, friends, and others you love them. It may be the last time you do so!
I'm sobbing.
(via findingit30)
how she slowly goes in 😍
Want so badly
(Source: everythingisdestinedtodie, via findingit30)
Glassware can get pretty expensive especially if you're in college and always getting sht faced and breaking your glasses. Start just using your empty beer bottles and turning them into your new glasses. Look dope, easy to make and cheap! Follow these 5 easy steps.
Step 1 – Grab a beer bottle preferably with thick glass such as corona bottles. Tie a string just above the label on the empty bottle
Step 2 – Keep the string tied and soak it in lighter fluid.
Step 3 – Put the string back on the bottle and hold it horizontally. Light the sting rotating the bottle so the flame spreads. You should hear the bottle crack slightly in about 10 seconds.
Step 4 – After you hear the crack, pour cold water on the string and the top of the bottle will fall off.
Step 5 – Now grab sandpaper and sand the edges of the bottle till it is smooth.
This is clever as hell
(Source: complxlifeofblackbrucewayne, via whiteskin-and-bone)
Are we going to talk about the episode where the tubby toast machine malfunctions and spews tubby toast everywhere and these fuckers party like look at them your toast machine busted ass and you're rolling around in smiley bread my entire life
This would be epic, life should be more like this!
(via dontbeasadbitch)


text:
Clare Spark is a historian, with degrees from Cornell University (B.S. '58), Harvard Graduate School of Education (M.A.T. in Science Teaching '59), and UCLA (Ph.D.'93). From 1969 through 1998 she produced hundreds of radio programs on the politics of the art world for Los Angeles Pacifica station KPFK, and was Program Director of the station from 2-81 through July 1982. (For a detailed CV focusing on academic work, see http://clarespark.com/2014/07/26/cv-as-of-2008-clare-spark-ph-d/.
Possibly her most noticed accomplishment at Pacifica is her 1971 four-hour collage-documentary, Jim Morrison: Artist in Hell, which took second place in the Major Armstrong Awards in 1972, and has served subsequent biographers of Morrison and The Doors. Collage remains her favorite form of presentation, and this website can be read as one big collage, as is her later published work in academe. (See http://clarespark.com/2012/09/16/thought-crimes/.)
Frustrated by the limitations of journalism, she took a degree in intellectual history starting in 1983. Her expanded doctoral dissertation was published by Kent State University Press in hardback in 2001 and in a paperback revised edition in 2006 as Hunting Captain Ahab: Psychological Warfare and the Melville Revival. (By psychological warfare, she means the many techniques that elites use to damage morale in autodidacts who might, in a democracy, challenge established authority.) Prior to her "mango opera" another book (a collage!) was compiled and edited by Melville's great-grandson: Enter Isabel: The Herman Melville Correspondence of Clare Spark and Paul C. Metcalf (U. of New Mexico Press, 1990). Another research interest is the career of Ralph Bunche and his changing politics from the 1930s through the 1940s, both while helping Gunnar Myrdal write An American Dilemma (publ. 1944), and then mediating the Arab-Israeli conflict for the United Nations (1947-49). A long article on Bunche and Myrdal was published as "Race, Caste, or Class? The Bunche-Myrdal Dispute Over An American Dilemma," International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society, Vol.14, No.2 (March 2001): 465-511. See also http://clarespark.com/2009/09/11/oil-politics-and-obamas-view-of-israeli-history/ for allusion to Bunche's views on the proposed Jewish state (that he apparently viewed as "national communist," i.e. Nazi-like.)
Clare's pet peeve: the "ethnocultural turn" in history (1939) that substituted a collectivist notion of "cultural history" for empirical "scientific history," e.g., the substitution of psychoanalytic conceptions such as projective identification for analysis of economic factors, such as monetary policy and taxes, class position, national and class interest, and class allegiance. The notion of scapgoating "the Other" was a strategy of conservative reformers who posited only "projection" of inner forbidden impulses to explain "prejudice" against Jews, women, and "racial" minorities. Such an entirely irrationalist orientation makes it impossible to separate irreconcilable conflicts grounded in competing material interests from those that can be compromised and resolved through mediation. Cultural studies need to take into consideration economic history and concrete social policies while mapping all the conflicts that impinge on "culture." Psychiatrists, psychoanalysts, and other therapists working in the mental health profession might benefit from collaboration with historians, political scientists, and others who reconstruct the institutional and political settings that possibly affect their assessments of mental and physical illness. Moreover, as she argues in the blog "Panic Attacks" http://clarespark.com/2009/11/16/panic-attacks-and-separation-anxiety/, "modern" institutions such as the schools and mass media, insofar as they dispense mixed-messages (e.g. there is no conflict between Truth and Order), may well cause the symptoms that mental health professionals and physicians seek to alleviate. See also http://hnn.us/articles/4533.html for a controversial article on the origins of multiculturalism as counter-Enlightenment, slightly revised here as http://clarespark.com/2009/12/12/switching-the-enlightenment-corporatist-liberalism-and-the-revision-of-american-history/.
For Clare Spark's scholarly approach to blogging, see http://clarespark.com/2009/09/01/blogging-with-a-difference/. Also http://clarespark.com/2009/09/30/blogging-with-a-difference-2/. Briefly, she has gone through the academic publishing route and found the academic presses to be as ideologically monolithic and unimaginative as the post-60s universities themselves (with the exception of Kent State UP that indulged her use of collage and gave no page limit). She will use this site to publish original work that is "outside the box" as one reader wrote to her, and always experimental in form and content. She remains a maverick and unaffiliated with any partisan political grouping. An example of original scholarship is the series on the Jungians http://clarespark.com/2010/05/10/jungians-rising/, especially the three part series on managerial psychoanalysis as exemplified in the career of Dr. Henry A. Murray. Also the Anne Hutchinson article that is too short for a book but too long for an article, but is so important to reading the regnant frame on radical protestantism that it is on the website. (If you can only read one or two sections of the Hutchinson essay, try http://clarespark.com/2009/09/29/anne-hutchinsons-red-regiment-and-the-cultural-historians-part-three/ and also part four. If you are up for the whole essay, see http://clarespark.com/2010/05/15/blog-index-to-anne-hutchinson-series/). Another article-length piece looks at the appropriation of Ernest Hemingway's life and writing to make Maoist points about U.S. foreign policy. See http://clarespark.com/2011/06/30/links-to-review-essay-on-hemingway-spy-mission-to-china/. Another short book-length series considers Hitler's own writing in explaining what he meant by the Big Lie: http://clarespark.com/2011/06/19/index-to-links-on-hitler-and-the-big-lie/. Briefly, Hitler did not consider himself a liar, but rather blamed the Jews and the German Social Democrats for deceiving the masses he hoped to rescue.
In short, she is not a news aggregator, but a historian in search of an audience of "genuine liberals" who value the marketplace of ideas. Visitors to this website should also know that the longer pieces have been vetted by major scholars in the field. This is not a site for "vanity publishing." For more, see the consistently popular blogs http://clarespark.com/2009/08/19/noam-chomskys-misrepresentation-of-walter-lippmanns-chief-ideas-on-manufacturing-consent/, or the equally revealing http://clarespark.com/2009/12/13/klara-hitlers-son-and-jewish-blood/. And for others who think the mother-son bond has been insufficiently examined, see http://clarespark.com/2009/10/23/murdered-by-the-mob-moral-mothers-and-symbolist-poets/.
To sum up, there are thousands of bloggers who stay on top of breaking news and post their often partisan or uninformed opinions. Similarly, many a public intellectual has made a reputation with grand abstractions, and the liberal anticommunists could be as irresponsible as the schematically-minded Stalinists and Maoists they rejected. This is not the way of the Yankee Doodle Society or Clare Spark's essays. They are more concerned with the individual life history, the case-study, the particular cultural artifact or genre, the particular social policy under consideration. The art historian Aby Warburg once said that "the dear God lurks in the details." How that was transmuted into "the devil is in the details" is a question for the ages. Readers of this site will find sound and thorough research and very close readings of materials. Opinions and impressions will be labeled as such.
Clare Spark is composing these blogs as a volunteer, and as her contribution to the Yankee Doodle Society. She is not paid for her history blogs. Those who have found these essays original and valuable are urged to subscribe to the blogs, and where possible, to contribute to the Society (YDS). All donations are tax-deductible.
As of today July 20, 2013, there have been 10, 089 views of About Clare Spark.


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5908 Bixby Village Drive has a Walk Score of 65 out of 100. This location is Somewhat Walkable so some errands can be accomplished on foot.
This location is in the University Park Estates neighborhood in Long Beach. Nearby parks include Marine Vista Park, Jack Nichol Park and Marina Vista Park.
Nearby schools include Tutors For Tots, Kettering Elementary School and Hill Middle School.
The closest grocery stores are Ralphs, Ralphs and High Density Inc.
Nearby coffee shops include cha FOR TEA., cha FOR TEA. and The Original Grind. Nearby restaurants include Pete's At The Beach, Beach Club Sports Bar & Grill and Sapporo Sushi.
5908 Bixby Village Drive is near California State University - Long Beach.
There are excellent bike lanes and the terrain is mostly flat. 5908 Bixby Village Drive is very bikeable, biking is convenient for most trips.


text:
Parties in Nepal fail to reach consensus on govt formation
From Shirish B Pradhan
Kathmandu, Dec 6 (PTI) Political parties in Nepal failed to reach a consensus on forming a national unity government as the week-long deadline given by President Ram Baran Yadav to complete the exercise ended today.
The talks failed as the ruling alliances UCPN-Maoist and Joint Madhesi Front and the opposition parties Nepali Congress and CPN-UML stuck to their respective stance, Nepali Congress sources said.
With the deadlock continuing the President is likely to extend the deadline by a few days to enable the political parties to sort out their differences.
The President had last week extended the deadline till tonight after the leaders of political parties said they need some more time for reaching an agreement to form the unity government.
However, despite hectic negotiation through out the week the parties failed to decide on the prime ministerial candidate.
The top leaders of the major political parties made a last ditch effort today but it failed to make any headway.
The meeting was attended by UCPN-Maoist chief Prachanda, Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and Joint Madhesi Front leader Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar.
The ruling alliance has asked the opposition parties to resolve the contentious issues of the Constitution before they could hand over power to the opposition.
"The meeting failed to reach any agreement as the Maoists were stick to their earlier stance and were not ready to quit the power before sorting out differences on the key issues of the Constitution," Nepali Congress General Secretary Prakash Man Singh said. (More) PTI SBP DDC AKJ MSA
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text:
If you have been following my blog for a while,
you may be wondering about how my son Ryan is doing these days...
Well, he is doing great.
He has been in remission for stage 3 Hodgkins Lymphoma for over a year.
We have a check up this week and
new scans will be scheduled at this appointment
so prayers are always appreciated!
On a side note...So excited that my picture of Ryan got featured on the Let's Do 52 Project at the Paint the Moon blog! You can check it out along with all the other AMAZING photos over here....http://paintthemoon.net/blog/


text:
AboutThis is the Tumblr for Cand86, a.k.a. Gwen, just a crazy girl who spends far too much time online.
This is the tumblr for my as-of-lately rarely updated blog, Pop Shot, a simpler place for me to drop off all the random thoughts in my brain and a dumping ground for every one of the amazing things I happen to find whilst meandering on the Internet- pictures, videos, songs, quotes, and websites that would otherwise languish in folders or on my browser's Favorites bar until I felt I could organize and post them "properly". Enjoy the unorganized mess!
John Labruzzo, claiming that all women are potential abortion addicts. I wish I could make as many bad analogies as the modern GOP. (via forgottenether)
How the hell can he assure me that making abortion illegal will dramatically decrease the number of abortions that take place? Please, sir, point me to just one- JUST ONE- country where criminalizing abortion has made the rates drastically lower than any country where it is legal. I'll bet you $500 that you can't.
… . you're going to have to let the others do so, too.
I don't understand people who believe it's acceptable for religious values to determine what medical services the population at large is able to receive under their insurance.
From this article, quoting Chuck Donovan of The Heritage Foundation:
""People who are insured don't want to pay for services they don't need or to which they have moral objections … Parents want to have a say over what's covered and what's not for their children."
I see.
You don't want your children- in this case- to be able to access free birth control. So rather than stopping your own children from doing so (which I'd still posit is a bad idea, but whatevs), you would like to take that option away from everybody, child and adult alike, because of your religious belief.
God forbid the Jehovah Witnesses decide to dip their feet into the legislative-influence pool, because then we might have to contend with those who would try to take away your right to receive a blood transfusion under your insurance. After all- they do not need that service, and they have moral objections to it, and by your logic, that makes it just fine and dandy for them to raise deductibles or defund coverage of the procedure your non-JW child might need.
And I'm not even touching the last paragraph of that article; I think it should go without saying that the response to "married women should just abstain if they don't want kids" ought not waste the time of a good argument- it just needs a big "Fuck you."
Today in WTF:
Under the new Arizona statute, doctors and other medical professionals would face felony charges if they could be shown to have performed abortions for the purposes of helping parents select their offspring on the basis of gender or race.
The women having such abortions would not be penalized.
State legislators have said no such law exists anywhere else in the nation.
Backers of the measure said the ban is needed to put an end to sex- and race-related discrimination that exists in Arizona and throughout the nation. They insist the issue is about bias rather than any broader stance on abortion.
"Governor Brewer believes society has a responsibility to protect its most vulnerable — the unborn — and this legislation is consistent with her strong pro-life track record," a spokesman said.
But opponents have maintained that while such abortions may be happening in other countries like China, no clear evidence can found of it occurring in Arizona.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America also said the measure may erode a woman's rights, fearing that doctors for the first time would feel compelled to ask their patients the reasons for seeking an abortion.
Ugh. You know, I'm gearing up to write a whole big, long, nuanced, and hopefully good post about sex-selective abortion in India, which I think is a massive and terrible problem. But until I finish it, may I please point this out:
Even if sex-selective abortion were rampant in the U.S- which it isn't- making it illegal would not stop it. Sex-selective abortion is ubiquitous in India … and it is illegal. Much in the same way that women who want abortions will get them regardless of legality, those who do not want female children will find a way to do so as well: before ultrasound technology and abortion availability in those countries, female babies were the victims of infanticide. Beyond ultrasounds that must be administered by doctors, there now exist methods available over the Internet for individual laypeople to use. And even when those who don't want girl children don't engage in female feticide or infanticide, they routinely give their daughters less care, medical access, and even food, than their male siblings- which leads to the deaths of more girls.
Remember when I wrote about treating the symptom and not the disease? Same applies here. People don't just naturally hate little girls and want them to not exist; they have socially-created reasons- sometimes very good reasons- for using sex-selective abortion. If Arizona had a problem- AND IT DOESN'T- but if it did, the answer would not be to ban abortion sought for those reasons, but to work hard to eliminate what it is that is making female children so unwanted.
I know that it's all a stupid anti-choice ploy and that they don't really care about sex-selective abortion. But still- the fact that so few other people point out what I have above … well:


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Huntington, WV (Sports Network) - DeAndre Kane tallied 22 points and eight assists as the Marshall Thundering Herd made easy work of the East Carolina Pirates, 77-56, in a Conference USA bout at the Cam Henderson Center.
Elijah Pittman scored 19 points for Marshall (9-9, 2-1 C-USA), which has won two of three. Dennis Tinnon logged a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, D.D. Scarver poured in 11 points, and Nigel Spikes grabbed 11 rebounds for the hosts.
For ECU (11-6, 2-2), Miguel Paul had 17 points and five assists, while Robert Sampson recorded 10 points, 17 rebounds, and four blocks. Maurice Kemp and Akeem Richmond each scored 10 points for the Pirates, who had won their previous two contests.
Marshall outshot ECU from the floor in the first half, 50 percent to 29 percent, as it went into halftime with a comfortable 43-23 advantage.
The Pirates continued the struggle from the field after the break (.364), and they never got closer than 14 points of the lead.
ECU committed 18 turnovers on the night, which turned into 24 points for Marshall.
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text:
America's most trusted seafood source
Phone: 1-(855) 654-3474
Click below to learn how to eliminate your carbon footprint on the shipment of your package!
In Stock
Price: --
Our zesty and tangy cocktail sauce is the perfect addition to any seafood meal. It goes great with shrimp, crab, scallops, calamari and all seafood. Net weight: 8 oz. *Glass canning latch jar not included.
Buying Fresh Seafood Online from Anderson Seafoods has never been so easy, or tasted so good!


text:
Mathway may be able to solve your Math homework for you. If you're stuck on a problem and want to see if your half-baked solution got you to the right answer, just enter your problem in the app and check if your solution matches. If you're really lazy, you can pay for step-by-step solutions and let the app guide you. It's much cheaper than hiring a tutor and more convenient.
More: 10 Best Math Apps


text:
By IndiaTimes | November 22, 2013, 7:20 am IST Asia
Volcano Eruption Creates New Island in Japan!
The islet is about 200 meters (660 feet) in diameter. It is just off the coast of Nishinoshima, a small, uninhabited island in the Ogasawara chain, which is also known as the Bonin Islands.


text:
Last week we (me and @michalbugno) have released BigTuna, a Continuous Integration server written in Rails 3 and using delayedjob. So what happened over the last few days?
From the moment started working together, we (me and @michalbugno) thought of setting up a CI server. Back in my day at 80beans we used Hudson. However, it's quite a monster when it comes to resource usage and we didn't need that much functionality anyway.
If you ever used pygments for syntax highlighting, you know it's a marvelous thing. What happens when you can't have Python installed on you server (like e.g. Heroku ) and yet still want to use it?
I recently needed to set up a prototype on Heroku using MongoDB. After digging into the topic for some time I finally got it working. Hence this guide.
I'm all against crappy commit messages. And I definitely support what @jkreeftmeijer posted on his blog in August. This was more of a 'for fun' thing.
I'll try to share things related to my work, which would be web development, especially Ruby, Rails, JavaScript and some git.


text:
Series starts 2/10
|Game 1: Friday, February 10th
|Recap »Boxscore »
Coverage: CSN
7:00 PM ET, February 10, 2012
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
Top Performers
Los Angeles: C. Paul 24 Pts, 4 Reb, 4 Ast, 1 Stl
Philadelphia: A. Iguodala 12 Pts, 8 Reb, 7 Ast, 1 Stl
PHILADELPHIA -- With some help from Blake Griffin, Chris Paul came up huge when the Los Angeles Clippers needed it most.
Paul had 24 points, including the game-winning 17-footer with 3.2 seconds left, Griffin added 16 points and 11 rebounds and the Clippers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 78-77 on Friday.
On the Clippers' final possession, Paul sent a pass to Griffin, but the ball bounced through his legs. Griffin went on the floor, passed back to Paul, who somehow scored over the outstretched arm of Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala who is one of the best defenders in the league.
"That almost turned out to be ugly," Paul said. "I threw the ball between Blake Griffin's legs. I thought it would be a turnover, so thank you Blake Griffin for diving for the ball. Without him, we don't win the game."
Mo Williams added 14 points, Randy Foye had 10 and Reggie Evans added a season-high 10 rebounds for the Pacific Division-leading Clippers, who improved to 16-8.
"Reggie was great for us," Griffin said.
The Clippers are still coping with the loss of veteran guard Chauncey Billups, who suffered a season-ending Achilles tear.
Foye, who starred at nearby Villanova, received his second straight start and scored four points in the fourth quarter.
But it was Paul who found a way to get it done at the end.
"Chris Paul made the big one," Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. "We tried to open up the lane a little. He's going to make the right play. That's what great players do."
Elton Brand had 12 points and 10 rebounds while Iguodala added 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists one day after being selected to the All-Star team as a reserve for the first time in his eight-year career.
Lou Williams had 11 points while Jodie Meeks and Thaddeus Young had 10 each for the Sixers, who dropped consecutive games for the first time this season.
"It's disappointing to lose two straight at home," Brand said. "We've got to regroup, go on the road and keep growing."
The Sixers completed a tough seven-game stretch with a 4-3 mark.
Philadelphia defeated Orlando, Chicago and the Los Angeles Lakers at home with a road victory against Atlanta.
The three losses came against Miami, San Antonio and the Clippers, all at home.
The Sixers have a 13-5 record at home following a favorable schedule with only nine road games thus far.
A sellout crowd of 20,539 was roaring -- the third sellout on this homestand -- and the fans were chanting "Beat LA!"
The noise reached a fever pitch following a pair of free throws by Williams with 18 seconds left, giving the Sixers a 77-76 advantage.
"We had chances," Williams said. "We kind of shots ourselves in the foot with mistakes and missed free throws."
But Paul responded with that difficult shot with 3.2 seconds left, sending the Clippers back on top 78-77.
"We had to grind it out," Del Negro said. "We didn't shoot it well, but we got out on them defensively and slowed them down."
The Sixers led by as many as 12 in the first half, but the Clippers rallied thanks to Mo Williams and got within 43-41 at halftime.
Game notes
Griffin was whistled for a technical foul with 5:39 left in the third quarter. ... Sixers C Spencer Hawes was out for the 12th time in the past 14 games with a strained left Achilles. ... Wali Jones, a member of the Sixers' 1966-67 championship team, attended the game.
Photo Wire
PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 10: Randy Foye #4 of the Los Angeles Clippers shoots against the Philadelphia 76ers on...(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Team Stat Comparison
|33-85 (.388)
|29-71 (.408)
|2-19 (.105)
|4-15 (.267)
|10-15 (.667)
|15-23 (.652)
|Rebounds (Offensive-Total)
|Fast Break Points
|Fouls (Tech/Flagrant)
|23 (1/0)
|15 (0/0)
|Largest Lead
Top Performers
Game Leaders
|C. Paul 24
|A. Iguodala 12
|B. Griffin 11
|E. Brand 10
|B. Griffin 4
|J. Holiday 8
|C. Butler 2
|L. Williams 2
|K. Martin 1
|N. Vucevic 2
|Team rosters: Los Angeles | Philadelphia
Next 5 Games
|Los Angeles
|02/11 @CHA 7:00pm
02/13 @DAL 8:30pm
02/15 WSH 10:30pm
02/16 @POR 10:30pm
02/18 SA 3:30pm
|02/11 @CLE 7:30pm
02/13 @CHA 7:00pm
02/15 @ORL 7:00pm
02/17 DAL 8:00pm
02/19 @MIN 7:00pm
|Complete Schedule: Los Angeles | Philadelphia
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text:
I have broken my arm.
It's my ruight arn and i'm having to type left-handed and it HURTS and i am humiliated and can't eat my ainsley harriet mexican rice pot without spilling it and it's all Hugh Laurie's fault.
i went to see his stupod arsing new fi8lm in newcastle because i fancvy him and i really enjoyed it and was walking back through eldon square shopping centre in a kind of daze and i stepped off an escalator and slipped over in an hilarious fashion and landed on my arm asnd have fracturedf my radius near my elbow.
i shouldn't have gone on my oewn. i shouldf have taken someone with me as a precaution against this happening. i knew that eventually my passion for Hugh Laurie wouldf culminate in some sort of severe physical injury, but i always assumedi would... like... suffer a massive allergic reaction to the tranquilizer dart his security guard wouild have to shoot at me when io tried to gethim to sign my Blackadder underpants. and then he might feel a bit guilty and visit me in hospital and i couldf hypnotise him and convince3 him to dress up as georgina from that Blackadder episode and play the piano whiler i watvhed in a state of unabashed arousal.
thid sucksd! i can't type! Hugh, you bastard!
'Vote for E.L. Wisty, or invisible nudists will come along and smash you round the face.'
(E.L. Wisty)
Twitter: @CliveLive49


text: Comments on: Crime History: St. Louis gangster slain during comeback try Back to the article » Scott McCabe • | February 16, 2013 | 12:00 am On this day, Feb. 17, in 1943, William "Dint" Colbeck, a St. Louis politician and head of the notorious Egan's Rats gang, was gunned down after trying to get back into the underworld. Colbeck had been the most powerful gangster in St. Louis during the 1920s, while also serving as the sergeant-at-arms of the St. Louis Democratic City Committee. But his empire came crashing down in 1925 when a... Web URL: http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/2521701 Share this article on Facebook or Twitter Print this article


text:
MetropoLight global illumination render uses OpenGL framebuffer for progressive display
Aug 03, 2005
MetropoLight v0.5.0 is a freeware global illumination renderer that uses the Metropolis Light Transport algorithm (a Monte Carlo method for solving the light transport problem). An OpenGL framebuffer is used to display progressive refinement of the solution during rendering. The package includes an export plug-ins for Maya 5.0, 6.0 and 6.5, as well as a 3DS scene converter.
Category: Applications •
Posted on 08/03 at 03:07 PM
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text:
NeoGeo CDZ
From XBMC Advanced Launcher Wiki Pages
NeoGeo CDZ emulator (binary files) was released as source code only. This emulator only worked with 1:1 images of the original CDs. So far this is the best Neo-Geo CD emulator.
NeoGeo CDZ emulator, is actually only able to start games into CD forms (not roms or CD iso images). It is possible to emulate CD presence using a disk image emulator like Daemon Tools. To use with NeoGeo CDZ the lite version of Daemon Tools is sufficient. With Daemon Tools we will be able to emulate NeoGeo CD presence on your system (mount), then start NeoGeo CDZ. When NeoGeo CDZ will be closed, we will stop to emulate NeoGeo CD presence (umount).
.BAT Launcher
You need first to create an .BAT script like this one :
"C:\Program Files (x86)\DAEMON Tools Lite\DTLite.exe" -mount 0,%1 ncdz.exe "C:\Program Files (x86)\DAEMON Tools Lite\DTLite.exe" -unmount 0
Save this script as freedo-launcher.bat into the same directory than the ncdz.exe application file.
Excepted the .BAT launcher script, no specific NeoGeo CDZ configuration is needed to use with XBMC.
C:\Program Files (x86)\NeoGeo_CDZ_Emulator_V20051225_win\ncdz-launcher.bat
Roms Extension


text:
Mount Olive - Teachers are on strike at the Mount
Olive school district.
Monday morning teachers went on strike, after the teachers approved a
strike last wee. The teachers' union and
school district could not agree on a new three-year contract.
The two sides are in disagreement about pay increases and health
insurance benefits. The current contract expired at the end of the 2012-2013
school year.
At this time, there is
no school until a contract has been agreed on.
A release sent out to
the parents by Patrick Murphy, Mt. Olive Superintendent stated "my hope
the strike can be resolved in a timely manner so we can get the students back
in school."
Evangelist Franklin Graham prayed on a sidewalk outside the Pentagon Thursday after his invitation to a prayer service inside was withdrawn because of comments that insulted people of other religions. More>>
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text:
Golf ClothingGolf specific clothing is designed to help you get the most out of your time on the course. Designed and created by golfers, for golfers, this clothing with offer performance benefits such as moisture-wicking and waterproofing to you keep you dry, flexible materials designed for a free and fluid golf swing, and design styles to for accessory and equipment convenient when in the middle of a round. Read on to learn how the materials, construction, design and function of golf specific clothing can benefit your game.
Shop Best Selling Golf Clothing
MaterialsThe materials you choose for your golf clothes can impact your comfort, body temperature, concentration level, range of motion, and appearance, so it is important to think about what your golf clothes are made of. Different materials will provide you with more or less comfort and performance in different situations and in different weather. Here are a few of the most common options for golf clothing.
- Cotton: Clothing made from 100% cotton material is excellent for golfing on hot summer days. This soft, natural fabric is comprised of woven threads of fibers picked from cotton plants. This hypoallergenic material will allow you to stay cool by absorbing perspiration and letting your skin breathe more easily than many man-made fabrics. It is both lightweight and hardy, and it maintains its structure and color fairly well. While this is the case, you may want to wash your cotton golf clothing at a cool or warm temperature to eliminate any potential issues with shrinking.
Cotton golf clothes come in a wide array of colors and have a tendency to be a little pricier than their man-made counterparts, but they look and feel great. To keep your cotton clothing at their best, it is helpful to iron and hang them after washing. Another tip for keeping cotton clothing wrinkle-free is to simply make sure that you buy the correct size of clothing. If you wear cotton clothing that is too big for you, there will be more creasing and it will wrinkle as you move around throughout your day.
- Polyester: Polyester fabric is made of strong, man-made plastic fibers that hold dye better and dry faster than cotton fibers. Mildew problems are very rare with polyester. It's durable, and it resists shrinking and wrinkling. These are great qualities, right? Well, there's a little more to it.
It is almost unheard of for regular golf clothing to be made of 100% polyester fibers. There are a few reasons for this. For one, it does not breath well. This means that if you perspire at all while you are out on the course, you will find the material clinging to your skin. Not very comfortable. It's also not as soft as cotton nor as comfortable.
And, polyester melts if it gets too hot. Thankfully, there isn't much reason to put it in a dryer on high or iron it at a high temperature, since it dries quickly on its own and is wrinkle resistant. But, if you were to forget about heat exposure, you could end up with holes melted into your 100% polyester golf clothes.
- Moisture Control: When we are talking about golf clothing, moisture control usually refers to the level at which different materials are able to wick perspiration away from your skin. This is important to think about, because fabrics that leave moisture on your skin can leave you feeling clammy or cold. They can also cause uncomfortable chaffing.
Luckily many golf apparel manufacturers provide clothing made of special blends of patented moisture-wicking fabrics that are more dynamic and effective than basic cotton, polyester, or poly-cotton blends alone. There are also a variety of polyester/elastane blends with mesh paneling and strategically placed zippers that offer maximum moisture control, breathability, and comfort. Besides fabric options, there are also a variety of moisture-wicking and antimicrobial treatments for moisture and odor control that can help you keep feeling fresh and confident on the course..
LayeringNo matter what time of year you golf, being smart about layering your clothes can help you stay as comfortable and protect you from the elements. During the hottest months, cotton shirt and bottoms will often suffice, perhaps with an extra cotton over shirt at hand. But, if you are expecting variations in weather—some wind or showers—make sure you wear a base that will wick moisture away from your skin. You will also want to bring extra layers that are a little warmer, more water-resistant, and more windproof to fall back on.
If you are planning a tee time during colder months, you will want to follow the same basic principal. More specifically, though, you can think about layers in terms of base layer, middle layer, and outer layer. Your base layer's job will be to pull perspiration off your skin. Besides being moisture-wicking, it should also be soft and flexible. Your middle layer (which may be the outermost layer if the weather is not wet or windy), can be a pullover or vest made of fleece, down, or a blend of high-performance athletic materials. Your outer layer is meant to keep out the harsher elements and add more warmth if the weather conditions are especially harsh. This is the layer that will need to be rain- and windproof.
HeadwearWhatever the weather, protecting yourself from wind, sun, rain, and cold can be a challenge. But, there are plenty of styles of golf headwear to help you succeed and look good doing it. Examples of golf headwear that can give you extra weather protection include caps, visors, beanies, safari hats, and bucket hats.
During warmer months, when your main concern is keeping sun off your face and out of your eyes, it's a good idea of have a visor or cap. Visors are lightweight and provide maximum breathability, and caps come in a wide variety of popular designs. Either way, you will usually want to wear something that has a moisture-wicking band. Many golfers also like visor or cap models that are dark (usually black) on the underside of their bills. This reduces glare from the sun.
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For cooler months, a cap or full-brim hat can still be good options for protecting your head from rain and less extreme temperatures. But, if you know the weather is going to be extremely cold, adding a fleece ear band or changing over to a beanie can help you keep your head in the game.
Beanies are good for cool to very cold weather, and they come in a variety of looks, ranging from simple to sporty to ornate. They are usually soft and flexible. Some will cover your ears, others will not. For the coldest weather, you will want to have a beanie made of wool. A fleece lining can add even more warmth and comfort.
EyewearWhen selecting eyewear for golf, personal style and brand preferences will play a part in what you choose, but it is also important for you to think about comfort and fit, lens color and coatings, and overall performance.
Most golf eyewear will come in an athletic wraparound style with lightweight frames and wide lenses. You will want to select eyewear that is snug enough to stay on but not so tight that it causes discomfort. Buying eyewear with soft nose and ear grips can help on both accounts.