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Manila maintains anti-corruption drive
Arroyo pleads not guilty to election fraud
Trial in Philippines massacre suspended
Philippines charge nearly 200 for massacre
Philippines mass murder charges sought
Philippine mayor faces more murder charges
Judge allows video of massacre victims
Witness kicks off massacre hearing
Official: Evidence enough against Ampatuan
Witness: Ampatuan Jr. shot convoy members
Ampatuan pleads not guilty in massacre
Philippines journos honor slain colleagues
Rebellion charges aimed at Filipino clan
Martial law set in Philippines province
Massacre investigators find buried armory
Andal Ampatuan, Sr. is the patriarch of the Ampatuan political family in Maguindanao province, on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. He was the governor of the province.
Ampatuan Sr. was already a vice mayor when President Ferdinand E. Marcos appointed him as mayor and officer-in-charge of Maganoy (now Shariff Aguak). When Corazon Aquino came into power via the 1986 EDSA People Power revolution, she replaced every locally-elected official with officers-in-charge. Ampatuan Sr. was replaced by another Ampatuan, Datu Modi who served for two years in that capacity.
During the 1988 local elections, Andal Ampatuan Sr. then served for ten years. In the 1998 elections, Andal Sr. was elected as governor.


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After its North American premiere at the 2008 Heartland Film Festival, Miramax Films' The Boy in the Striped Pajamas comes to theaters today. The movie is getting great reviews, and critics and advance audiences agree that this is a film you must see. A few choice words:
This beautifully rendered family film is told in a classic and old-fashioned style, in the best sense, providing poignant and powerful teachable moments. -Claudia Puig, USA Today (3 1/2 stars)
…the power of the story and the performances — young Butterfield amazes — is indisputable. -Peter Travers, Rolling Stone (3 stars)
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is not only about Germany during the war, although the story it tells is heartbreaking in more than one way. It is about a value system that survives like a virus. -Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times (3 1/2 stars)
I want as many people to see The Boy in the Striped Pajamas as humanly possible. -Rex Reed, The New York Observer
The movie is playing now in select cities, and opens wider on November 14. For a complete list of cities and several resources on sharing the film with groups and everyone you know, visit the In Theaters page at Heartland Truly Moving Pictures online.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas has also been chosen as a part of the FILM Project–to learn more about using the free, downloadable curriculum with your youth group, visit FILM online.
Have you seen the film? Let us know what you thought of it in the comments section below! Leave a note by Monday, November 10, and you may be chosen to receive a special movie tie-in edition of the book.

subset: commoncrawl


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New Orleans House Rental Photos and Description
Apartment, 5 Bedrooms + Convertible bed. 3 Baths, (Sleeps 8-12)
The Bearigny Suites offer luxury accommodations just steps from all the excitement New Orleans has to offer.
We are a Adult community only. (25 ) and older.We have three luxury appointed suites: The Courtyard Suite, a studio apartment with full kitchen, sleeps 2 guest. The Marigny Suite has two bedrooms,queen beds, in each room.Sleeps 4-5 Plus if needed a over sized TWIN bed, Enjoy your Queen sized ISO-COOL pillows for a good night sleep. A fully equipped kitchen, and full sized washer dryer.The Elysian Fields Suite has two bedrooms, 2 queen beds, a living area that sleeps 4-5. Plus a full sized TWIN bed. All the suites have private baths, air conditioning, cable HD TV and WIFI, as well as I-HOME recharging station. All 3 Suites reflect the charm and character of New Orleans. Each Suite name is listed under our rates and dates section. To see our actual availability, you must go to our homepage located at: www.thebearignysuite.com If the dates and Suite your inquiring about is NOT listed during the time you want to book, that means that Suite is available to book. Relax in our lush courtyard and enjoy our swim spa. The Swim -Spa is closed from July 1 thru October 15 2014 . This is due to our extreme Hot weather months, or temperatures over 85 degrees. We had decided to close the Hot-Tub swim spa early. All reservations taken after August 15,2014 and your stay is between August 15, and December 31st 2014. The Hot-Tub swim spa will NOT be available for your use. Owners decision. EFFECTIVE 2015 our Hot-Tub swin-spa will no longer be available for guest use. Owners use only. We are in the heart of the historic Foubourg Marigny neighborhood and just 3 blocks to the best dining,Frenchman street, nightlife, shopping, and culture that is New Orleans. Just a short 6 walking blocks, a 10 minute walk to the Mississippi River and #1 RTA trolley stop at the French Market. We are close to public transportation or just a short cab ride to any attraction.Walking to the Heart of the French Quarter, Bourbon St. attractions, is 12-13 blocks, a short 15-20 minutes, talking your time. Ranked by our quests as one of the best accomodations in New Orleans, we are committed to making your stay as comfortable as possible. We also live on the property grounds. The property is well lit, as well has security cameras for all's safety.
Complete your stay by meeting( Maw ) our rescue Hurricane Katrina dog. She stays indoors unless we are outdoors. She loves greeting all of our guest.
Keywords: Fully furnished suites with full kitchens,mini kitchenetts, private bath, AC and cable HD TV WI-FI, I-HOME charging stations, and access to a lush New Orleans style courtyard and swim spa, Hot-Tub is for registered guest only. NO Alcoholic beverages are allowed in Hot-Tub. Just 12-13 walking blocks, a 15 minute walk to the HEART of the French Quarter.
- Suitability:
- alternative lifestyle
- pets not allowed
- not suitable for children
- non smoking only
- Events Allowed
- Minimum Age Limit for Renters
About Matt Woerner
Steve and I are long time residents of New Orleans and have restored 3 homes in the historic Treme and Marigny neighborhoods. We met because of Hurricane Katrina and now we are happy to have this opportunity to provide our guests with a relaxed and comfortable experience in one of our country's most unique and interesting cities.
Matt Woerner purchased this house in 2008
Why Matt Woerner chose New Orleans
We first made the property our home and then opened our first suite almost two years ago. We recently acquired the property next door and expanded our accomodations to 3 suites. We are so convenietly located to all the sights, sounds, and tastes of New Orleans but the neighborhood is a relaxed, great combination.
What makes this house unique
Our quests love all the options the Bearigny Suites have to offer. From early morning jogs to the Mississippi River and through the French Quarter to taking a bike to City Park and checking out the museums. They also stroll to the Quarter for dinner, shopping, or some of the best people watching ever. The legendary Frenchman Street one of the centers of the New Orleans music scene and its just a couple of block away, catch a band and maybe even jam with Lenny Kravitz.


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Where to Get an Otoscope
As savvy shoppers, we all want to save money on our purchases. Thankfully the internet allows us to compare prices on many of the products which we use every day. Otoscopes are no different as many different retailers sell these important home medical devices and the prices can vary greatly from one store to another. So let's take a look at how you can save the most money on your otoscope purchase.
Many of the otoscope models available on our website are heavily discounted. Some of these discounts include special promotions such as free shipping. Although we would prefer you that you buy your new otoscope from us, which you may do by clicking the image to your upper right, you may also visit a specialized otoscope retailer like Otoscoped. Either way, you will find the best prices online for your home medical equipment when visiting our website.


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Trinity St. Clair in Jungle Love
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LEXINGTON, KY. (June 25, 4:15 p.m. ET) — Former recycled plastics product executive James Norman Turek has been convicted on eight counts of securities fraud and five counts of tax fraud for defrauding some 8,500 investors nationwide out of $18 million.
The annual recap of top trends and future outlook for the plastics caps & closures market features interviews with industry thought leaders and Bill Wood�s economic forecast of trends in growing end markets. You will also gain insight on trends in caps design, materials, machinery, molds & tooling and reviews of mergers & acquisitions.Learn more
This report highlights the impact of shale-based natural gas on the North American plastics market and features an in-depth analysis of production trends in the United States during 2013 and a forecast for 2014 and beyond.Learn more
This in-depth report analyzes economic and market trends, legislative/regulatory activity impacting supply and demand, business opportunities and threats, materials pricing, manufacturing technology, as well as growth strategies being implemented by thermoformed packaging companies.Learn more
January 14, 2015 - January 14, 2015Plastics in Automotive
February 4, 2015 - February 6, 2015Plastics News Executive Forum 2015More Events


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Quick Reminder, of Quelab monthly meeting's Sunday 10/30
5-6pm Board/planning Meeting: Board members meet to hashout the business details. (This is open to members)
6-7pm Public Meeting: Updates on financial stuff, and on our nonprofit status, and other space related business. (This is open to members and the interested public.)
For agenda info go here. May change up to the meeting, and will be amended with meeting notes.
After the meetings wrapup, we will have Hacknight, ($5 for non members)wherein people can see more about how we did the Haunted Lab, or get help finishing Halloween costumes/crafts, Participate in one of our previous Workshops (silicone casting Creepy jars), (Tape Ghosts), maybe even LED pumpkins. $5 materials replacement donation suggested (but not required)
Support Our Space
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Nikko Bore Sighting Equipment
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Princeton - Local Area Photos and Information
Local Area Photos | Local Business Directory | Local Real Estate | Local Employment Center
Princeton is a populated place located in Marquette County at latitude 46.289 and longitude -87.475.
The elevation is 1,237 feet. Princeton appears on the Gwinn U.S. Geological Survey Map. Marquette County is in the Eastern Time Zone (UTC -5 hours).
Marquette County: Cities & Towns | ZIP Codes | Schools | Features (airports, churches, hospitals, etc.)
BOUNDARY MAPS: | Township of Forsyth | Marquette County
Princeton - Searchable Map, Aerial Photos & Driving Directions
|BIG Map |
Driving Directions |
Data Source - USGS GNIS FID: 635461
BOUNDARY MAPS: | Township of Forsyth | Marquette County
Nearby Cities, Towns & Census Designated Places
Austin, MI
(< 0.1 mile)
Princeton, MI (< 0.1 mile)
Gwinn, MI (1.9 miles ESE)
New Swanzy, MI (2.4 miles ESE)
Plains, MI (4.1 miles NE)
Swanzy, MI
(4.9 miles ENE)
K I Sawyer, MI (5.5 miles NE)
Little Lake, MI (6.4 miles E)
Sands, MI (9.7 miles NNE)
Gentian, MI (9.9 miles N)
Nearby Neighborhoods, Subdivisions & Other Small Populated Places
Northernair Mobile Estates, MI
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Lake Haven Estates Mobile Home Park, MI (6.7 miles E)
Sands Trailer Court, MI (8.2 miles NNE)
Skandia Station, MI (14 miles ENE)
Silver Creek Estates, MI (14.9 miles NNE)


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When the award was doled out to Hale early in the ceremony, he was as joyfully surprised as those in the press room, and brought his awe-struck energy back for post-win interviews.
Emmy nomination and win marks Hale's first, as the acad offered kudos to Hale's portrayal of Gary Walsh, assistant to Vice President Selina Meyer (Julie Louis-Dreyfus).
His prominence in the category may have been elevated thanks to the return of "Arrested Development" on Netflix, as Hale -- a fan fave -- reclaimed his socially-awkward character Buster Bluth after seven years.
Hale offered gratitude to Florida-based acting school the Young Actors Theater, stating, "I'm so appreciative of them for getting the ball rolling."
The actor admitted though that the Emmy bar is set high back at home.
"My wife has an Emmy for makeup," he remarked, "so I'm just catching up to her."
© 2013 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media; Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
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Categories > Theatre > Wicked > At the Ozian Ball
Part 10 Reviews
Takes place after death of the wicked witch, takes things from book and musical. At the annual Ozian Ball everything and anything can happen. Elsie is used to being the main attraction with drunk a...
Plot: Takes place after death of the wicked witch, takes things from book and musical. At the annual Ozian Ball everything and anything can happen. Elsie is used to being the main attraction with drunk and brave men asking for her hand in marriage. But what awaits the daughter of Glinda the Good this year at the Ball?
Femslash: Gelphie, and original characters
Disclaimer: Not making ANY money off of this. Don't want to make money off of this, I just was hoping for some reviews. Its been a long time since I wrote a fanfiction, so stick with me please. I promise to try to update continually. Sorry, know there's a sequel to Wicked by Gregory Maguire and I have yet to read it! So, this fic goes with the book and the musical.
Part 1
For years, she mourned. She mourned so much she became ill and worried all of Oz. After all when the 'Wonderful Wizard of Oz left he left behind a country that had depended on his 'wisdom'. When the citizens of Oz watched him fly off in a bubble and then their beloved Hero Dorothy disappear into nothing but a pair of shoes they knew that they could only depend on her now. On Glinda the Good Witch. Though she never felt like she did any good for the longest time. She sulked, in private of course. She had to keep up her facade of happiness that her beloved Elphaba was murdered by that wretched girl Dorothy. After the 'melting' Glinda had made it a point to see the remains of her friend. A friend she had done nothing to help. Though she had promised Elphaba to let Oz believe she was truly wicked, she did not realize how much of a damper that put on her heart. Every other day here in Oz was filled with snide comments about The Wicked Witch of the West. And every time Glinda wanted to scream and yell at them, to proclaim the truth for all to hear. But those two fatal words ensured her that she could not.
Glinda sometimes hated Elphaba. Most of the times she couldn't help the tears of sorrow and regret from falling down her face and in the end messing up her makeup. All the time Glinda felt the love she had for her friend. The love she never was able to share with the green girl from Shiz. Glinda had lived her life, the best she could. Just like she promised she'd do. But that never changed the fact that in her room, alone at night she'd be left alone in the dark to deal with her demons. Demons that always resembled a face with soft skin, piercing eyes and a smile that brightened up the entire picture of that face. A smile, Glinda wished she'd just be able to see one more time. Hear that famous laugh once more, and to be able to touch the woman she'd desired since she was a collage girl one last time.
Glinda still mourned, till she day she mourned the loss of something she knew could have been great. Greater then the Wizard himself, that loss hit home for Glinda every night when she walked into her bedchambers to an empty bed. Her heart was filled with joy and love, but not the love for a lover, or a soul mate. But the love for a child, her child. Not even a year after Elphaba had been murdered Glinda found out that she was pregnant. She knew it was not Fiyero's for it had been too long since she had been with him for her to be pregnant with his child. Glinda also knew that she had, had many flings with men in the time that past after Elphaba's death. Looking for something she couldn't get from the one she wanted it from, so she looked for it in others. Ones that had the same long mane of dark hair, those same piercing eyes, and a smile that resembled hers. In the end Glinda had no idea which of the three men she had been with was the father of her child. After her first trimester she had made it a public announcement that she was with child and would be taking her duties still and putting the same care she put into them as she had before she was pregnant.
The men in Oz were not too thrilled with a woman with child being their leader, their political leader and they doubted a mother could handle what a man could. But as the years passed on Glinda proved her worth to all as their leader, and her daughter they came to love just as much as she did.
Elsie, Glinda's daughter had come to be the most eligible bachelorette in all of Oz. Every man wanted her. She was a mixture of her mother and her unknown father, (Glinda saying it was for privacy and safety to keep her father hidden from the people of Oz. For his safety.) Elsie had dirty blonde hair, the color of the desert sand. Her eyes one blue one green, and her figure strong yet slender. Powerful yet graceful, and in some amazement the young woman was already showing great amount of sorceress' power. Glinda knew for certain that she was no sorceress herself, though she had power, yes, but not as much as Elsie, or Elphaba.
Glinda was now nearing old age, and though she knew it she let no one else know it. She was still as beautiful as she had been in school. Though she was a little more plum around the edges she still held her figure and her bright smile. Now it was just passed on to her daughter. Her wonderful beautiful daughter who at this moment was infuriating her to no end.
"Elsie I swear if you do not stop playing these games I will leave you hear to rot while I attend the ball." Glinda said her voice laced with anger and frustration.
It was the night of the annual Ozian Ball and her daughter was no where to be found. The guard that had been stationed at her door had informed Glinda that the seventeen year old had not left the room. Glinda knew that the only other way out of this room was to use the balcony, which was impossible. They were up six flights. The only one able to enter that way was a ghost of a memory.
Elsie hated the annual Ozian Ball that they held in their palace. She hated that it had to be held here, and that she had to attend from the time she was a mere infant. If it wasn't some drunk fool it was some brave soul that asked for her hand in marriage at this Ball. For it was the best and most romantic time of the year to do so, to any maiden. Except for this maiden. Elsie hated going to the ball because she hated to let down so many hopeful men. She was not in love with them, so she was not going to marry them even if her mother told her that some of them would take care of her and love her till the day she died.
Elsie was also NOT in the mood for this type of Ball. This year it was a masquerade Ball. Which meant she would be unable to see the faces of those asking for her hand in marriage, or the faces of those wanting to dance with her, or staring at her from afar. She hated not knowing who was talking to her. She had learned at a young age that it was not safe. But her mother insisted that the guards would be stationed around the palace and that each guest must be invited to be even able to make their way into the Ball. Two from each family was invited, only two because now a days there were too many to invite everyone to the Ball, so only the quite wealthy and then the middle class were able to reach the inside of the palace. The others had to stay in the palace's courtyard. And await the year they would be able to join Glinda and Elsie inside the palace walls.
Elsie came out from hiding. She had been in her closet. She opened the door and looked at her mother. She was wearing a night blue dress that went down to her ankles and was strapless. Her mother had promised she would be allowed to pick her gown, and instead of picking it she had made it herself. Elsie wasn't sure why but she liked using her hands. She liked doing this for herself, and nor letting others do it for her. Though she did have help from her friend Tessa. (No pun intended)
When Elsie looked up at her mother she saw her mothers anger fall away some where and she saw admiration appear in her mother's eyes. She had to smile. She looked down at her dress and then up at her mother. Her hands gripping tightly at the dress, that opened slightly at the bottom. Elsie knew she looked nice in this color and that it matched her eyes, both of them.
"You look wonderful, dear." Glinda said with a warm smile.
Elsie looked at her mother and then down at her dress one last time. She took a deep breathe and let it out as she walked up to her mother and laced her arm with her mother's extended one. They were ready for the Ball.
As they walked down the hallway to the Ballroom Elsie felt her mother stop walking. She turned to look at her mother and saw she was putting on her mask. It was gold with three white sparkling jewels. Elsie sighed and watched as her mother took a mask out for her. It was Gold with blue diamonds along the top that matched her dress. She looked at it and ran her fingers over the mask. It would only cover her eyes, but then again the eyes were the window to a person's soul.
"Mother, its beautiful." Elsie said in a hushed whisper.
Glinda smiled and leaned down to kiss her daughters forehead. "Not as beautiful as you, my dear." Glinda said and watched as her daughter teared up. "No crying dear. A lady never cries in public." Glinda said as she stood up tall.
Elsie took her mother's example and stood up straight and wiped her two tears and took a deep breathe and with shaky hands she put the mask over her face and adjusted it. When she looked out in front of her the doors to the Ballroom were opening and she looked up at her mother and gave a wry smile and laced her arm in her mother's once again and they walked the remainder of the hall way into the Ballroom and as they stepped out into the brightly lit room all eyes turned toward them, and they soon were surrounded by echos of yells and cheers and clapping hands all around.
'Let the night begin' Elsie thought as she smiled widely for all to see as she and her mother took the first steps into the Ballroom.


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Vintage Moroccan Rug
Click thumbnails for expanded view.
- $6,600.00
- Quantity Available: 1
This luxurious minimalist rug from Morocco is decorated with a gradient allover pattern, including a color wash of mulberry and plum purple paired with striped crimson details and woolly walnut brown borders. Seemingly simple in its stark composition and limited color scheme, this nuanced vintage Moroccan rug features innumerable shades of violet, lavender and darker purples that create a beautiful graduated pattern with depth and texture. Created circa 1950, this Moroccan rug also showcases a central series of striped crimson details that decorate the center of the luxuriously textural field. This classically modern mid-century rug possesses an unadorned and beautifully colored minimalist visage enhanced by the luxurious texture of the plush Moroccan-style pile.
Nazmiyal Collection
- New York, New York
- View Storefront
- View Seller Website
- Contact Seller About This Item
- View Store Policies
Dealer Accepts:
Shipping:Negotiated with Seller
Item Details:
- Reference #
- 45676
- Quantity
- 1
- Category
- Textiles, Clothing & Accessories
- Department
- Antiques
- Type / Pattern
- abstract
- Year
- 1950
- Dimensions
- Width: 79 inches
- Height: 153 inches
- Depth: 0 inch
- Weight: 0 pound
- Condition
- Excelent
- Style
- Mid-Century Moroccan
- Material
- wool


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GE Opens New Renewable Energy Services Center in Mississippi
GE Energy unveiled its new, LEED Silver-Certified central logistics center for renewable energy components in Olive Branch during a ribbon cutting Thursday, Nov. 17.
GE's 212,880-square-foot space in Crossroads Distribution Center, 9124 Polk Lane, suite 105, distributes replacement parts for wind turbines and solar technology, keeping GE's fleet of turbines running smoothly and helping to ensure that communities throughout North and South America receive a reliable supply of clean energy.
The center – which includes sustainable features such as skylights and upgraded insulation – supports GE's goals to reduce the environmental impacts of its facilities worldwide. Fairfield, Conn.-based GE Energy is comprised of GE Power & Water, GE Energy Management and GE Oil & Gas.
Built by Industrial Developments International in 2008, the 452,743-square-foot industrial distribution warehouse that GE now occupies also houses Smiths Medical ASD Inc.
GE's logistics operation was previously located in ProLogis DeSoto Park at 8725 Nail Road, also in Olive Branch, a space that was about one-third of its new size.
This expansion supports GE's commitment to renewables, building on recent breakthroughs in wind and solar efficiency levels and an announcement to build the largest solar manufacturing facility in the U.S.


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"The blood supply nationwide is low, a frequent occurrence in the summer months," according to a news release from UAB. "With vacation and summer travel, regular collection patterns are disrupted, leaving the Alabama blood supply at below optimum levels, say blood supply officials at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the American Red Cross."
UAB and the Red Cross are holding a blood drive starting tomorrow, July 8-18, 2013.
The drive, called "Hunting for Donors," will offer a safari-style theme.
The drive will be held at UAB Hospital North Pavilion, second floor atrium, July 8-13 and at UAB Highlands Hospital July 16-18.
Organizers say all blood types are needed.
"Each donor will be entered for a chance to win an iPad or Kindle Fire HD," according to organizers.
Drive hours at the North Pavilion, 18th Street and 6th Ave. North, are:
Monday, July 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tuesday, July 9, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Wednesday, July 10, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
Thursday, July 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Friday, July 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, July 13, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Hours at UAB Highlands, 1201 11th Ave. South:
Tuesday, July 16, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Wednesday, July 17, 6:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 18, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
"Donors should bring a photo ID. Free parking is available in the North Pavilion parking deck and the UAB Highlands parking lot.
UAB is one of the largest users nationally of blood supplied by the Red Cross. Donors can give blood up to six times a year, every eight weeks. The process takes about 45 minutes; the actual blood collection usually takes less than 20 minutes.
Blood products are used during surgery, transplantation, trauma care, difficult pregnancies and cancer treatment. It is not unheard of for a single patient to require as many as 100 units.
About UAB
Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the University of Alabama at Birmingham is the state of Alabama's largest employer and an internationally renowned research university and academic health center; its professional schools and specialty patient-care programs are consistently ranked among the nation's top 50. Find more information at www.uab.edu and www.uabmedicine.org."
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Telephone: 205.933.1313
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Tucks and folds: preserving fashion's precious art of pleats
In the workshop of Gerard Lognon in Paris, members of staff known as 'plisseurs', or specialist pleaters, fold cloth with the aid of sheets of cardboard on January 14, 2014 - by Joel Saget
The art of making pleats, while crucial in the world of haute couture -- which holds six days of fashion shows in Paris next week -- has become a rarity, with less than five "plisseurs" remaining in France.
Most of them practice their craft in the heart of Paris where four generations have moulded material into a mind-boggling array of pleats since Emilie Lognon opened the workshop in 1853, passing the craft onto three male descendants.
But last summer her great grandson Gerard-George retired and without an heir to take over, the workshop was bought by Chanel which has swept up a variety of traditional craft-houses to preserve their skills.
Embroiderers, feather workers, milliners, glovemakers and bootmakers have been grouped under the subsidiary Paraffection, but the specialist workshops remain independent.
In the Lognon workshop, located in central Paris, between the Opera and Place Vendome, three plisseurs are hard at work, surrounded by paper moulds.
The workshop is steeped in history from ceiling to its parquet flooring, which is listed from the period of Louis XIV and cannot be replaced.
Gerard-George Lognon often said he added a noble touch to fabric through pleating, an art much like origami, with each different fold creating different results.
"It is like sculpting clothing," says Leopoldine Pataa, a 34-year-old pleat maker at the workshop.
One example is the sunburst pleat, perfect for flared skirts such as the famous white dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in the movie "The Seven Year Itch".
Then the soft, drapey bias pleat, reminiscent of Grecian robes, box pleat -- think cheerleader's skirt -- or the very narrow crystal pleat used on tuxedos.
Lognon invented a few of his own pleat styles, and the workshop has some 2,500 moulds used to make about 2,000 different kinds of pleats.
To make a sunburst pleat Pataa lays out one of the moulds on a large table, painstakingly sliding the material between the two cardboard layers -- resembling a large, opened fan -- before folding it once again.
The mould is then placed in a vapour oven for between two and five hours depending on the material. Once removed it needs to rest for several hours.
"For one piece, it can take a day," explains Nadine Duffat from Lemarie, another craft house in Paris that belongs to Paraffection and one of the last feather-making houses.
Some can also be made by machine.
For the haute couture collections to be unveiled from Monday the pleat makers have worked on pieces for fashion giants Chanel, Dior and Venezuelan designer Oscar Carvallo. They have also worked on ready-to-wear collections for Chanel and Hermes.
"It is a unique know-how ... a craft that is essential to haute couture and high-end ready-to-wear," said Duffat.
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This project seeks to create a better system of incapacity assessment, in collaboration with Ben Baumberg of the University of Kent.More
Demos will develop cost-effective and viable policy options on older people's housing for Kris Hopkins MP, Minister for Housing at DCLG.More
This report aims to establish an evidence-base to make the pragmatic case for migrant access to healthcare.More
This project will gather together the various existing approaches to tackling food poverty, both internationally and in the UK.More
This project aims to estimate the human, social and financial costs of cervical cancer.More
Using a precedent from social care, this report sees Demos pioneer a user-led approach to the problem of educational goal-setting, empowering pupils to become stakeholders in their development.More
Demos is hosting a new cross-party Commission on apprenticeships in the construction sector.More
This project will explore the evidence base on the different models of local banking in the UK.More
This project explores how jobs can become more rewarding in all senses, from improved productivity and pay, to enhanced job satisfaction and opportunities for progression.More
This project discusses the social, economic and political implications of a growth in the number of freelance jobs in the UK.More
Demos is building an evaluative framework for the leadership organisation UpRising.More
This project aims to pinpoint the key political and social issues that young people care about ahead of the 2015 General ElectionMore
This project will map voter sentiment ahead of the EU elections and advise voter mobilisation campaigners on how best to 'get out the vote'.More
This research will seek to explore the extent to which the Scouting movement helps impart employability skills such as team work, confidence, interpersonal skills and leadershipMore
This project explores the role of faith groups in 21st century British society – in particular, their role in progressive politics.More
This project will investigate young people's attitudes towards the EU across Europe.More
This project will examine the potential causes of underrepresentation of British Muslims in the higher professions.More
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This project will make the case for ESOL language learning and then unpack the language learning process and the implications for language assessment.
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PMG Enterprises Ltd. is entrusted by Pleiades Publishing Inc. to create and maintain this website.
Pleiades Publishing, Inc. (PPI) is a media holding group,
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journals are world–famous scientists: academicians Y.S. Osipov,
N.A. Platé, E.B. Alexandrov, Zh.I. Alferov, A.F. Andreev,
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Y.A. Zolotov, G.S. Golitsyn, V.G. Kadyshevsky, A.A. Boyarchuk,
G.P. Georgiev, Y.M. Pushcharovsky and others.
To enhance the prestige of Russian science and popularize the
achievements of Russian scientists, PPI would like to present
the System of Electronic Publications (SEP), which will enable
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auspices of the Russian Academy of Sciences. SEP makes it
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information services up to world standards. The wide
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academic institutions and libraries, as well as with individual
SEP offers the following benefits:


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Publisher's Description
The fastest way to find your own sound. MAGIX Music Maker 2014 Premium is the perfect start in the world of music production. Simply combine loops, add studio effects and record your own vocals and instruments. The program is so intuitive that you'll turn your ideas into professional sounding tracks in no time at all. Exclusive Premium Extras: The Premium version offers more instruments, sounds and an expanded functionality including studio effects, 5.1 Surround Sound mixing and advanced mastering tools. Your tracks will sound better than ever thanks to the new Auto Mastering function. The new Vocal Tune feature makes it easy to correct any imperfections in your vocal recordings. Program interface; The Music Maker principle; Create your own songs; Drag & drop loops to achieve amazing results in no time at all. Record: Connect a microphone, guitar or keyboard and create your own songs in studio quality. Mix: The mixer can hold an unlimited number of tracks and has a wide range of professional effect presets that ensure amazing results every time. Share: Save songs as MP3s, burn them to CD or share them on Soundcloud, Facebook & YouTube. New Sounds & Instruments: Your own tracks, beats and sounds. With combinable soundpools, Vita Solo Instruments and the new DN-e1 synthesizer there's no limit to how creative you can be. Magix Soundpools: Rock Pop Vol. 8 Hip Hop Vol. 15 Dance Vol. 1 Techno Vol. 16 Chillout Vol. 8 Dubstep Vol. 2 Metal Vol. 2 Deep House Vol. 1 Electro Dub Vol. 1 Movie Score Vol. 11 Virtual instruments: Power Guitar. Electric Piano. Drum Engine. Pop Brass. Vintage Organ. Jazz Drums. DN-e1 Synthesizer.
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- J.D., Columbia University School of Law, 1977; Board of Editors, Columbia Law Review
- B.A., Northwestern University, 1974
- New York
- District of Columbia
- Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- David Spears & Mónica Folch, A Bad Enforcement Policy at FINRA, New York Law Journal (Nov. 14, 2012)
tel 212-213-6991
fax 212-213-0849
David Spears
David Spears, a founding partner of Spears & Imes LLP, concentrates in white collar criminal defense, securities enforcement defense, and complex civil litigation. In all three areas, he has had extensive trial and appellate experience and achieved notable successes.
Mr. Spears spent the early years of his career working in government, including at the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., focusing on antitrust matters; as a Trial Attorney and Deputy Chief Trial Attorney in the Enforcement Division of the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C.; and as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. During his years at the SEC and the United States Attorney's Office, Mr. Spears tried a large number of cases involving a wide variety of charges.
In his more than two decades in private practice, Mr. Spears has tried many criminal and civil cases in federal and state courts and before the SEC, FINRA, and arbitration panels. Mr. Spears has also argued many cases in the United States Court of Appeals and New York State appellate courts.
Mr. Spears specializes in criminal cases involving sophisticated business and financial dealings and complex legal issues. Mr. Spears was named by Chambers & Partners as a "Leading Individual" in White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations. Chambers noted that Mr. Spears "enjoys an excellent reputation in the market for his strong white-collar expertise" and reported praise from sources that he is "tenacious with an amazing success rate" and has the "ability to anticipate problems and come up with solutions for his clients."
Mr. Spears has represented defendants in criminal cases in federal courts around the United States and in New York State court, and he has obtained dismissals and acquittals for many clients.
Notable matters include:
- Mr. Spears represented the lead defendant in a case in which 19 KPMG accountants and lawyers were charged with federal tax crimes based on their involvement with tax shelters that the government alleged to be fraudulent. In a groundbreaking ruling, the Court threw out the indictment because the government had forced KPMG to terminate the payment of legal fees for the defendants. Mr. Spears argued the motion that resulted in the order of dismissal. United States v. Stein, 495 F. Supp. 2d 330 (S.D.N.Y. 2007); United States v. Stein, 541 F.3d 130 (2d Cir. 2008).
- In a criminal jury trial in Houston, Mr. Spears and partner Christopher Dysard represented an investment banker charged with fraud for his involvement in a complex financial transaction entered into with Enron shortly before that company's demise. Following trial, the indictment against the Firm's client was thrown out on the ground that there was insufficient evidence to support a conviction.
- In a criminal jury trial in Dallas, Mr. Spears represented a corporate lawyer from a large New York City law firm who was charged with money laundering based on his handling of escrow funds from a client who was subsequently charged with fraud. The jury found our client not guilty on all the charges against him.
In addition to defending clients who were indicted, Mr. Spears has been very successful at persuading prosecutors not to bring criminal charges at all. In particular, in recent years Mr. Spears has represented many residents of European, Asian, and Middle Eastern countries who came under criminal investigation in the U.S. in connection with business activities those clients engaged in abroad that had effects in the U.S., and in all of those representations Mr. Spears successfully argued that there should be no criminal charges against the Firm's client.
Over many years Mr. Spears has represented clients in large civil cases involving complex financial and securities law issues. Many of those cases have involved hundreds of millions, or billions, of dollars in claimed damages.
- Mr. Spears, together with partner Christopher Dysard, represented a group of financial institutions, including Allstate, Bank Leumi, Bayerische Landesbank, International Finance Corporation, Société Générale, and Travelers, in a six-week jury trial in a United States District Court against a major investment bank to recover large losses related to the sale of asset-backed securities. The jury returned a verdict for the Firm's clients resulting in a judgment of $144 million, which was one of the largest jury awards in the U.S. in 2008. The defendant appealed that judgment, and Mr. Spears argued the appeal before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which affirmed the trial judgment. 646 F. Supp. 2d 385 (S.D.N.Y. 2009), aff'd, 2010 WL 2836684 (2d Cir. July 20, 2010).
- Mr. Spears represented a large German bank in a lawsuit against the portfolio manager for a CDO, alleging that the bank lost all of its large investment in the CDO, because of the portfolio manager's gross negligence and willful misconduct in managing the CDO's investment portfolio. After the Court initially dismissed the bank's case, Mr. Spears appealed the dismissal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and argued the appeal. In August 2012, the Second Circuit issued a lengthy decision reversing the dismissal and reinstating the bank's case. Bayerische Landesbank v. Aladdin Capital Management LLC, 2012 WL 3156441 (2d Cir. Aug. 6, 2012). That decision addressed important issues of diversity jurisdiction, standing, and contract and tort law as they apply to complex financial products.
- Mr. Spears has represented many defendants in cases involving residential mortgage-backed securities. He represented Angelo Mozilo of Countrywide Financial in lawsuits in the Southern District of New York alleging fraud in the sale of RMBS. Those cases were thrown out on motions to dismiss. Together with partner Charlita Mays, Mr. Spears represented a large international bank as a defendant in RMBS cases brought by the FHFA involving billions of dollars in claimed damages. Mr. Spears and partner Christopher Dysard represented a large international bank as a defendant in a case brought by a monoline insurer of RMBS involving billions of dollars in claimed damages.
- Mr. Spears and partner Charlita Mays represented the sovereign wealth fund of the Sultanate of Oman in a civil litigation arising out of that fund's involvement in an effort to acquire Dow Chemical Co.
- Mr. Spears and partner Charlita Mays represented a major monoline insurer of asset-backed securities in multiple litigations commenced by the insurer seeking to recoup over $1 billion in potential insurance losses. As a result of their efforts, the insurer suffered no loss.
- Mr. Spears, together with partners Linda Imes and Charlita Mays, represented Columbia University in a qui tam proceeding commenced against it in a United States District Court relating to Medicaid charges by a University hospital.
- Mr. Spears represented Genentech in a products liability case in New York State Court relating to the patented drug Xolair®.
Securities Enforcement Matters
Mr. Spears has represented scores of individuals and entities in investigations before, and proceedings by, the SEC, the NYSE, the NASD, and FINRA. While many of these representations have resulted in no charges being filed against the Firm's clients, Mr. Spears has also tried numerous cases against the SEC in federal and administrative courts and against FINRA before its own hearing panels.
- Mr. Spears represented an executive from a large investment bank against charges by FINRA alleging wrongdoing in the purchase and sale of auction-rate securities for corporate cash management clients. Following a two-week trial in February 2012, the FINRA Hearing Officer overseeing the case issued a lengthy decision rejecting all of FINRA's charges and exonerating the Firm's client of all charges against him. Dep't of Enforcement v. Morrison, FINRA Disc. Proceeding 2008013863702 (2012). A published article by Mr. Spears discussed important legal and policy issues raised in that proceeding. See David Spears & Mónica Folch, A Bad Enforcement Policy at FINRA, New York Law Journal (Nov. 14, 2012).
- In an investigation by FINRA, Mr. Spears represented an individual who had been in charge of due diligence for an investment fund that had more than $2 billion invested with Bernard Madoff at the time when his fraud was revealed to the public.
Professional and Other Activities
Mr. Spears is a member of the Criminal Justice Section of the American Bar Association, the New York Council of Defense Lawyers, and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. Mr. Spears also serves on the Board of Directors of the Women's Refugee Commission, and the Firm has undertaken significant pro bono representations at the request of the WRC.


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Monthly Archives: June 2010
Emergency Help Needed – Temporary power generator for shelter
Dear PAWS Supporters, Following the extremely high temperatures being experienced in Kuwait at the moment, rumours are circulating that the government plans to carry out periodic electricity cuts. We do not know at present if there is any truth in … Continue reading
Dog – Found in Mishref
Young male dog found wandering in Mishref, no apparent owner so available for immediate adoption, please contact PAWS Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post Tell a friend
Found – white Pomeranian/Maltese Female
I have taken in a small white Pomeranian/Maltese Female. She was found about two weeks ago in Salwa Block 11. I heard that a blonde woman and child were looking for a small white dog in this area a few … Continue reading
Found: Neutered male puppy, possibly German Shepherd
We found a neutered, male puppy outside our gate in Bayan this afternoon, possibly a German Shepherd. Because he's been altered and because he is extremely friendly, it is clear that he is someone's pet. We can't keep him permanently … Continue reading
Persian – Bowie & Osama – Need a New Home
15 June-2010: Success Story Cats found new family. Please see comments for details! please help – We need a new home Our Mum is moving and we can't go with her I'm Bowie – I'm three years old, and I'm … Continue reading


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Here are some of my favorite blogs in the industry:
The Target ReportAn overview for buyers and sellers of businesses in the changing and evolving printing and related industries.
Matthew Parker on FESPAPractical advice for printers from the perspective of a print buyer.
Current Articles
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A recent study said that daily distractions can cost your business more than $10 million per year. On the flipside, a strategic distraction can make you millions – even billions (ask Starbucks.) So when is it okay to be distracted, and when should you stay focused?
The $10 million figure comes from a study by harmon.ie. In a survey of employees from companies of more than 1,000 employees, daily distractions were found to waste more than $10 million each year.
Daily, often digital, distractions include a bulging email inbox or Facebook. This is a by-product of our time, when the Internet consumes us with all its offers, articles, and software solutions.
It's new in the technological sense, but distractions to a business owner are nothing new. Not in the least.
Business owners are constantly distracted. It's easy to get sidetracked by a family issue, a disagreement among your management staff, or a new product line you've discovered on the marketplace. All these distractions take you away from your plans and goals (provided you have those in place).
But there's a reason why you sometimes get distracted, and it can actually be beneficial – even profitable - to your business.
The goal of this post is to provide you with a litmus test to determine when it's okay to go down the rabbit hole, and when it's best to stay focused.Daily Distractions – Public Enemy #1First, we'll focus on the downside of daily distractions – primarily the digital ones. According to the harmon.ie survey, these were the biggest distractions in the workplace:
How many times have you ventured down the digital rabbit hole? It's ridiculously easy to get mired in an online search, or sort through your email, or drop what you're doing to answer a text.
Not only is it contributing to our collective inclination toward short-term thinking, it's costing us money in intangible ways. The Mashable article about the harmon.ie study noted that digital distractions "negatively effect individuals' ability to creatively solve problems, think deeply about work-related issues, efficiently process information and meet deadline." Ouch.
Maggie Jackson, author of the book Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age, agrees. In an article that appeared in the Harvard Business Review, she stated that all of today's distractions "foster a culture of lost threads, stunted thinking and stress."A couple of other disturbing points brought forward by Jackson:
We've created this mentality, Jackson believes, and it goes back to inventions from 150-200 years ago. "The possibility of doing two or more things at once has long intrigued us," she says, noting that we often confuse tech savvy with knowledge generation. So we get distracted. We surf, we browse, we text, we download. The Internet feeds our insatiable need for more. Strategic Distractions – Profitability Opportunity #1But hold on: Distractions aren't always the worst thing in the world. In a brilliant blog post, Adam Covati reminds us that "Twitter was a side project at Odeo. Hell, Starbucks started off selling beans and espresso makers, they had no interest in brewing coffee."
Covati is talking about a distraction from your macro-business goals. A new opportunity, for example, such as a new technology that you've discovered that could boost your profits.You get these every day. You're inundated with them, really, and they're tough to manage because many of them seem like gold-mine opportunities. I can't tell you how many small business owners I've met who ignore their core business to seek out growth opportunities in other sectors. It seldom works. Either you're stretching your own capabilities too far, or you're neglecting your business and letting processes slip. Either way, it's no good.So how do you protect yourself from the daily, digital distractions, and also choose wisely from the long-term strategic distractions? Here are some tips from Jackson, Covati and myself to ensure those distractions don't hurt your business:Handling Daily, Functional DistractionsDon't let your attention skills sabotage each other. Jackson tells us there are three types of attention: awareness, focus and planning/judgment. You need to be aware of these skills, and don't let one sabotage the other. For example, does your sense of awareness (seeing the little icon for your emails show another arrival, for example) interefere with your focus (working on a presentation)? In this case, you're wasting time not accomplishing the things you need to be focused on, and you'll ultimately be less profitable.Make sure your personal and your company culture don't foster distraction. This is an important one, and I think it really cuts to the chase. Take a good hard look at how your business day is structured, and what your workplace is like.Do you feel like things are careening out of control? Are you uncertain what you'll be doing one day from the next? Or do you have some structure – some method to your madness?If you're completely lacking a structure for your approach to tasks, then you're begging for distractions. Build in time away from the distractions. Jackson notes that you should allow for time for "reflection, problem-solving and innovation." She's right. These can be conversations with colleagues, with no digital devices allowed, or time for you to turn off the email and the phone and just think about what you're doing or work uninterrupted for a lengthy stretch on a particular project. It's important that you get unplugged during these stretches. Discerning Among the Strategic DistractionsEvery day, you are distracted from your long-term business goals by a myriad of strategic distractions. Perhaps you spy a new product on the market, or you get sucked into researching new software possibilities for your workplace. It's easy to do, and some of these can be fruitful. Some can also be extremely harmful. Here are a few tips on how to distinguish the two.Make sure the distraction is in alignment with the marketplace and your products. Let's say that in the course of doing business, you've discovered the marketplace is lacking a specific service. What if you could add it to your company's product/service line?Covati notes that not only should the marketplace be willing to buy the product, but it must also dovetail with what you're currently offering. You should be able to leverage it with your customer database.Analyze the distraction's impact on your company. Creating a new service sounds great in theory, but consider the law of unintended consequences. What will happen if you implement something new? How will it affect your current operation? Is your team ready for the new endeavor? Talk about it, research it. Don't keep this to yourself. Covati recommends talking it up with your staff, and really hammering on all the pros and cons to ensure it's worth pursuing. Do you need it? Will it make you more profitable? Is there someone out there already doing it, and can you compete?Distractions, be they digital workplace distractions or strategic business-related distractions, can both have dramatic impacts on your bottom line. They're also never going away.How you manage them will be critical to the success of your company. The key is to have a structure in place that allows you to assess whether you're plunging down the digital rabbit hole, or you're in pursuit of a key addition to your business. The winners will be determined by who can tell the difference.
Rock LaManna is the President and CEO of the LaManna Alliance. The LaManna Alliance helps printing owners and CEOs use their company financials to prioritize and choose the proper strategic transition – including mergers, acquisitions, organic growth, and exit / succession plans.
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More States Are Considering Low-Profit LLCs
At least 10 state legislatures are considering bills to authorize low-profit limited liability companies (L3Cs) – all introduced in the last two and a half months:
Arizona; Senate Bill No. 1503
Arkansas; Senate Bill No. 5
Hawaii; Senate Bill No. 674
Indiana; Senate Bill No. 501
Kentucky; House Bill No. 110
Maryland; House Bill No. 552
Montana; House Bill No. 415
New York; Senate Bill No. 3011
Oregon; House Bill No. 2745
Rhode Island; Senate Bill No. 353
These have the potential to more than double the number of states that authorize L3Cs. Currently eight states have authorized L3Cs: Illinois, Louisiana, Maine (effective July 1, 2011), Michigan, North Carolina, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming.
The L3C is a relatively new type of limited liability company, a hybrid which attempts to combine a charitable purpose with a profit-making motive. An L3C is not a nonprofit and is taxed on its profits like any other LLC. I have previously written about L3Cs, here.
Advocates of L3Cs suggest they will encourage investment by private foundations in L3C enterprises. Typical program-related investments (PRIs) made by private foundations in either for-profit or tax-exempt enterprises include equity investments and loans, on terms more favorable to the recipient than a market rate investment. The purpose of the investment must be to support the foundation's charitable purpose. L3Cs are promoted as facilitating increased investment by private foundations, because the state statutes apply to L3Cs the Internal Revenue Code requirements for the recipient of a PRI made by a private foundation. IRC § 4944(c). The idea is that because L3Cs automatically apply those standards to L3Cs, private foundations will be more willing to invest in L3Cs.
L3Cs have generated a lot of interest in the non-profit and social enterprise community, and a fair amount of commentary is becoming available. The Vermont Law Review sponsored a symposium on L3Cs and other developments in social entrepreneurship in February 2010. (Vermont was the first state to authorize L3Cs.) Articles related to the Symposium were published in a symposium edition of the Vermont Law Review, Symposium, Corporate Creativity: The Vermont L3C and Other Developments in Social Entrepreneurship, 35 Vt. L. Rev. 1 (2010).
Two articles in the symposium edition caught my eye. The first was Program-Related Investments in Practice, 35 Vt. L. Rev. 53 (2010), by Luther M. Ragin, Jr., Chief Investment officer of the F. B. Heron Foundation. Heron has been an active PRI maker since 1997, and at the end of 2009 had $21 million in outstanding PRIs, in 38 separate transactions. Heron's PRIs were made to a variety of organizations. Most were to non-profits, but 10 were equity or subordinated debt investments in limited partnerships, LLCs, and corporations.
The critical driver for Heron is not the legal form of the organization seeking capital. Heron has found that it can apply the PRI rules and reach positive decisions on PRIs to various types of for-profit entities as well as non-profits, provided the PRI serves a charitable purpose. (The two other PRI tests – no lobbying, and income from the PRI not being a significant purpose of the foundation's decision to make the investment – must also be satisfied.)
The other article in the Symposium edition that jumped out was The L3C Illusion: Why Low-Profit Limited Liability Companies Will Not Stimulate Socially Optimal Private Foundation Investment in Entrepreneurial Ventures, 35 Vt. L. Rev. 275 (2010), by J. William Callison and Allan W. Vestal. The article nicely reviews the law of private foundations and PRIs. It then examines the L3C requirements of the state LLC laws and how they attempt to match the PRI requirements. The article concludes that the statutory form does not match well with the PRI requirements and that private foundations will still need to conduct the same due diligence they would conduct before making a PRI to a non-L3C entity.
The experience of the F. B. Heron Foundation buttresses Callison and Vestal's analysis. The type of entity, and whether it is a for-profit or a non-profit, play little part in Heron's decisions about making PRIs.
The article concludes with a discussion of why L3Cs are considered harmful. First, smaller, less well-advised foundations may unduly rely on the L3C status of the recipient when making a PRI rather than on their usual due diligence, resulting in non-compliance with tax requirements and possibly endangering the foundation's charitable status. Second, in an L3C with profit-seeking participants, where the foundation makes a high-risk, low-return investment vis-à-vis the other investors, there is risk that the foundation may run afoul of the "private benefit" doctrine, which is intended to prevent tax-exempt organizations from conferring private benefit on private participants.
Callison and Vestal's conclusion is succinct: without changes to federal PRI rules there is little or no value to the L3C structure, the existence of the L3C form is a dangerous trap for the unwary, and the form should be shelved.
The article makes a strong case for the states to stop adopting the L3C form, and for the states that currently authorize the L3C form to revise their LLC laws to delete the L3C authorizations.
Will careful legal analysis and commentary take the wind out of the sails of the L3C movement? It's hard to say. Popular enthusiasms and fads take on a life of their own. And one of the drivers of the L3C movement is the laudable goal of increasing the flow of private foundation money to ventures with charitable purposes. But that goal appears to be blinding the L3C promoters and some state legislators to the legal realities – L3Cs don't and won't accomplish that goal unless and until the federal tax rules are changed, which appears unlikely.
It never ceases to amaze me that so called reputable journalistic operations tolerate the kind of hatchet jobs that this blog reflects.It is very easy to slant the news but editors and publishers should insist on some kind of journalistic standards. Yes it is true that there was one negative article out of many in the Vermont Law Review. That article was by Callison and Vestal who were the only ones not to appear at the symposium and expose themselves to review and question. Like a few others in the small group of business bar lawyers who oppose the L3C they work in the dark of night being sure they never have to face any of us who support the L3C.
The notes on the author of this blog state:" Doug Batey is a principal in the Seattle office of Stoel Rives LLP. He has a business law practice and advises companies and executives on a broad range of issues, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate, securities and commercial law, limited..." Notice he is a business lawyer. Would you go to a business lawyer to file a malpractice suit or patent your invention? Social sector law is normally practiced by nonprofit counsel and that sector normally fits within the Section of Taxation of the ABA which has opined favorably on L3Cs. Where is your standing Mr. Batey?
He also picks out Luther Ragin from the Herron Foundation who I consider a friend. I have told Mr. Herron many times that if the other 79,999 foundations in this country had a Luther Ragin I might never have bothered to create the L3C at least for foundations. But they do not so yes there is created value in a specialized vehicle for the rest of the foundations. Luther is a unique individual not an example of the majority of the sector.
Mr. Batey also hauls out the old saw about dangers to foundations but this only reflects his lack of knowledge of nonprofit law. The IRS considers foundations to be similar to sophisticated investors when it comes to PRIs. The IRS holds the foundations responsible for PRIs they make and expects them to engage in proper due diligence before making a PRI.So all of the so called risks Mr. Batey points out are ones the foundations face now and nothing in the state L3Cs laws relieves them of this duty nor should it. Size of the foundation is no excuse. The IRS would state if you cannot stand the heat stay out of the kitchen. For a Foundation to claim having been fooled by the L3C laws are akin to saying the dog ate my homework - fat chance with that one.
In so far as saying the L3C is no use without federal law change this again shows lack of legal knowledge in the area. The federal laws and regs relevant to PRIs have been on the books for over 40 years and they are clear and contain clear examples. Foundations are free to make a PRI whenever they want subject to no prior review. L3Cs are just an easier way to deal with some of the issues in the laws and provide a template for the ordinary people who wish to form a business that earns money while doing good.Of course this is another area where business lawyers are often out of step. They will always tell you to see them before forming a corporation or an LLC. They always have a few draconian examples of the people who did not. Yet millions of these entities are formed every year without lawyers and the website of every state in the union makes it easy to do so without a lawyer being needed. A large portion of the l3Cs that have been formed fit into this mold. I created the L3C for the people not the lawyers.
A federal law change will improve the PRI process not just for L3Cs but for PRIs in general. We are working with Congress to bring this about but Congress generally does not lead it reacts. So thank you Mr. Batey for making this statement. I guess every time I meet with a Congressman I can point to the fact that the business bar supports the need for a federal law.
Maybe Mr. Batey will join us at the ACD conference in June and learn what the l3C is really about.Or maybe he has the courage to call me and have a real discussion on the L3C.
Bob Lang, Creator of the L3C and Founder
Americans for Community Development
Hold June 6th - 7th 2011 for the first annual Americans for Community Development Conference entitled The "L3C A to Z" to be held in Evanston (Chicago) Illinois. Our co-producer for this conference is the Levy Entrepreneurship Center of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
This Inaugural Conference hosted by ACD will be the first ever of its kind. To this point, there has not been a conference solely dedicated to the education and networking of professionals dealing with the L3C. This conference will set the tone for further professional development opportunities held by ACD and will be the most comprehensive opportunity to understand the aspects of the L3C.
More information shortly on the ACD website. http://americansforcommunitydevelopment.org/


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The Neutral Corner
Join Robert Cassidy with ringside seats in the world of Boxing.
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Two boxing films in Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival
A pair of boxing films will anchor the eighth annual Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival this year.
"Champs," directed by Bert Marcus, explores how some of the top boxers used boxing to pull themselves out of poverty and features Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Bernard Hopkins. Additionally, the world premiere of "Maravilla" directed by Juan Pablo Cadaveira, chronicles the story of Argentine...Read more »
Patrick Day and Joe Smith win at Aviator
Junior middleweight prospect Patrick Day emerged victorious again, scoring a first-round knockout over Duane King in a scheduled six-round bout Friday night on Lou DiBella's latest Broadway Boxing card at the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn.
The Freeport native improved to 7-0-1 (4 KOs) after dropping King with a left hook 39 seconds into the bout. It's the second straight win...Read more »
HBO's Gatti-Ward docu is a must-see
An argument can be made that the essence of boxing has always been summed up in three words: Gatti vs. Ward.
The Arturo "Thunder" Gatti and "Irish" Micky Ward trilogy, perhaps the most entertaining, if not greatest saga in boxing history, was captured in a very insightful way by HBO in its documentary "Legendary Nights: The Tale of Gatti-Ward."
The Gatti-Ward trilogy, fought in...Read more »
Freeport's Patrick Day to fight June 29
From an under the radar amateur to a hot prospect, Freeport's Patrick Day is fast becoming the fighter everyone is going to want to see in a few years.
His amateur record of 75-5 is nothing to overlook. Neither is his list of awards, including the 2012 152-pound USA Boxing National Championship, the 2012 PAL National Championship and the 2012 Golden Gloves title.
Day's skills will be...Read more »
Yuri Foreman set for return
After a near two-year absence from the ring, former WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman (pictured left) makes his return.
Foreman (28-2, 8 KOs), who captured the attention of the boxing world after a strong performance against Miguel Cotto at Yankee Stadium in June, 2010, will take on Brandon Baue (12-8, 10 KOs) on Lou DiBella's card at B.B Kings Blues Club on Jan. 23.
Foreman,...Read more »
Martinez vs. Chavez Jr. on September 15
If you let Sergio Martinez tell the story, the only reason WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is in the position he's in is because of his name. Chavez Jr. is the son of former Mexican great Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.
Martinez (pictured) hasn't tried to hide his disdain for Chavez.
"It is very simple. I cannot accept the fact he is world champion," Martinez said. "The only...Read more »


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Registration is now open for YSI Commons, at INET's Plenary Conference, Berlin April 12-15.
Because of the overwhelming interest in our Plenary Conference Paradigm Lost: Rethinking Economics and Politics, we have created a parallel event, YSI Commons, especially for graduate students, post-docs, and junior faculty. Capacity is limited to 300, first come first serve, so do not delay. All you need to do is fill out a simple web form which you can find here. Read more


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No iPhone5, Just iPhone4S
There have been a lot of tittle-tattle earlier this year about Apple releasing iPhone5 together with the highly-anticipated iOS5 (I'm speaking on behalf of iOS device users when I said highly-anticipated) come fall. It's indeed just a tittle-tattle, a gossip, a speculation. Not true.
Today, (October 4 in the US) Apple held "Let's Talk iPhone" to launch iOS5 and the new iPhone variant, iPhone4S. Though I am more excited with the iOS5 for my iPhone4, and that I am not planning of getting a new phone/iPhone anytime soon, I am slightly disappointed that it's not iPhone5.
Next Film I Want To See: THELMA
Film Review by Philip Cu-Unjieng
Positioned as an underdog, against-all-odds sports film, Paul Soriano's Thelma breaks from formula and tradition, eschewing the fireworks and grandiose ending we've come to expect from films of this genre.
A Time Horizon production and distributed by Star Cinema, the Maja Salvador starrer is an inspirational, thoughtful movie that whispers its message, rather than blaring it from the rooftops. And when I refer to the film as a Maja starrer, let that be in "all caps," for she carries the film with a gutsy, winning, luminous portrayal that apparently called for dedication beyond the call of cinematic duty.
Take one stubborn, almost delinquent Ilocana barrio lass, saddle with her with more unkind twists of fortune than most soap opera heroines would encounter, and then give her the gift of speed — and you would have budding track star Thelma, as created by the pen of direk Paul.
A poor family, a poor attitude towards school, a sister who is crippled by a road accident, a mother who gets sick just as Thelma's tentative grasp for greatness is slowly taking shape, it would seem that the odds are firmly stacked against our heroine. But thanks to spunk, a sense of humor, and never-say-die attitude, Thelma would have us believe that problems and worries are best serviced with a frontal attack, and a heart that no physical world can contain.
As for the subdued resolution and ending to the film, I spoke to Paul, wondering if a more grand, even Pyrrhic victory, would have been more in keeping with films of this type. To his credit, Paul explained that he knew this would have been the obvious way out, but he had precisely avoided this, so that the audience would be left to take what they wanted from the film and apply it to their own lives, and not see the film as a mere sports story.
Thanks to the cinematography, Ilocos Norte has never looked more poetic. And thanks to Paul's deft directorial touch, there are shafts of humor (provincial teachers) and irony (the foreshadowing of the wheelchair) in Thelma's realistic character and story. She isn't some stoic automaton; but a flesh and blood creation imbued with frailties, vices and lapses of judgment. And the support cast is just as impressive: Tetchie Agbayani and John Arcilla as Thelma's parents; Jason Abalos as a fellow athlete Thelma meets in Manila; and the wonderful young actress who plays Thelma's younger sister Hannah. They all add to the depth and texture of this "quiet" film.
It's this careful balance between the sports story and the personal story (which in other hands, would have been relegated to mere back story), that makes the film a unique, rewarding, viewing experience.


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I'd like to think that, if I'm lucky enough to exceed the age of 80, with all my marbles and my more important faculties all present and correct, I'll be cut some slack in the matter of my more treasured bad habits. I'll feel that, having survived so long indulging my relatively few vices, I might as well head for the exit in a like manner.
Yom Kippur 2012 is over. The Day of Atonement didn't bring any difference in the news we could find in the printed media. Do me a favor and check your newspaper right now. Ninety percent of the pictures and the articles are about problems instead of solutions, crisis instead of chances, war instead of peace. How come? Is there nothing positive to share? Is there no hope?
When you eat, you feed not only your stomach but your cells and if those cells don't get nourished with the vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that they need, your body can start to malfunction making you experience anything from lethargic to irritable to fatigue to anxiety to depression and many more.


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From :
Ruth Louise Wendt
Aug. 28, 1920 - April 30, 2012
(Nee Pepple) Born to Eternal Life April 30, 2012 at the age of 91. Preceded in death by her parents Russel and Freida Pepple, husband Albert F. Wendt, son Kenneth Wendt and sister Elaine (Al) Lovas.
Survived by son Wayne (Laura) Wendt. Grandmother of Michelle and Michael (Anne). Great grandmother of Hannah and Alex. Further survived by nieces Darlene and Linda and nephew Ron (Julia) and other relatives and friends.
Ruth was a nurse until her retirement in 1984. She worked at Westside Hospital and the Milwaukee County Infirmary.
Visitation Thursday, May 3, 2012 at the funeral home, 10121 W. North Ave., from 4 p.m. until time of the service at 7 p.m. Private burial at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Ronald McDonald House or Luther Manor Health Care Center.
Thanks to all the staff at Luther Manor for their heartfelt care and loving support of Ruth and her family.


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A couple of weeks ago, a seasonal discourse started on Reddit, where folks post links and vote to move stories lower or higher in the site's rankings. Any one inquisitive about a Secret Santa present exchange? More than 4,500 Reddit members in 54 states joined up. They were given a Reddit user name and address, and infrequently a note from the recipient-to-be about dislikes. As gifts arrived and recipients posted footage and thank you notes online, it became clearer that Reddit has become, to these people at least, far more than simply a reports site. Erik Martin, a community boss at Reddit, recounted many Secret Santa's seemed to have pored over the history of links and comments their recipient had posted on the site for clues that would yield the ideal present concept.
Some took it a stage further and did what Martin calls "a small friendly Net stalking," looking up addresses to get recipients' real names and tracking down their mates on Facebook. Judging by notes and photographs posted by recipients, Secret Santa's did good. Many present packages included items reflecting well-liked Web subjects like bacon, narwhals and undead. Many others concerned hand-crafted copies of Reddit's mascot a little alien guy rendered in blown glass, clay, metal, beadwork, felt, paint on canvas, carved soap, yarn and more. Maybe not the best way to collect Christmas gifts for boyfriend or girlfriend, but still fun, nonetheless.


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All FastSpring stores are served securely over https using high-grade VeriSign® SSL certificates. We deploy hardware-accelerated SSL as part of our technical infrastructure to speed up the secure transactions between server and client. Hardware acceleration of SSL optimizes the most computationally expensive part of an SSL session, the handshake, where server and client agree on a number of parameters that establish the security of the connection. Hardware acceleration of SSL results in faster page load times. FastSpring stores, in addition to serving pages using SSL, are in full complliance with the PCI Data Security Standard.
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Amazon CloudFront is an easy to use, high performance content delivery service that lets you quickly and cost-effectively deliver content to your customers using a global network of edge locations in the United States, Europe and Asia.
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical naming system built on a distributed database for computers, services, or any resource connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates various information with domain names assigned to each of the participating entities. Most importantly, it translates domain names meaningful to humans into the numerical identifiers associated with networking equipment for the purpose of locating and addressing these devices worldwide.
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The Wild Christmas Reindeerby Jan Brett
Synopses & Reviews
Publisher Comments:
Little Teeka thought she had to be firm with the reindeer to get them ready for Santa's important flight, but when her bossy yelling only got their antlers tangled up, she knew she had to try something different. "Beautifully conceived and finely wrought." — Booklist (starred review) "Brett's precise, glowing illustrations, drawing on Swedish folk art, make this a beguiling Advent calendar of a book." — Kirkus Reviews "AA? sweet Christmas fantasy that shows Brett at her best." — Publishers Weekly "This tale with its humorous close-ups of stubborn reindeer and a sharp child protagonist should prove popular at story hours." — School Library Journal
Little Teeka thinks she has to be firm with the reindeer to get them ready for Santa's important flight, but when her bossy yelling only gets their antlers tangled up, Teeka soon tries another way. A "New York Times" bestseller--now in paperback! Full color.
About the Author
With over thirty four million books in print, Jan Brett is one of the nation's foremost author illustrators of children's books. Jan lives in a seacoast town in Massachusetts, close to where she grew up. During the summer her family moves to a home in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts.
As a child, Jan Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. She says, "I remember the special quiet of rainy days when I felt that I could enter the pages of my beautiful picture books. Now I try to recreate that feeling of believing that the imaginary place I'm drawing really exists. The detail in my work helps to convince me, and I hope others as well, that such places might be real."
As a student at the Boston Museum School, she spent hours in the Museum of Fine Arts. "It was overwhelming to see the room-size landscapes and towering stone sculptures, and then moments later to refocus on delicately embroidered kimonos and ancient porcelain," she says. "I'm delighted and surprised when fragments of these beautiful images come back to me in my painting."
Travel is also a constant inspiration. Together with her husband, Joe Hearne, who is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Jan visits many different countries where she researches the architecture and costumes that appear in her work. "From cave paintings to Norwegian sleighs, to Japanese gardens, I study the traditions of the many countries I visit and use them as a starting point for my children's books."
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