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Off-Strip Las Vegas Resort with Casino, Restaurants, and Spa
The sports book at LVH – Las Vegas Hotel & Casino is one of the world's largest. Dozens of TVs show all manner of sports so gamblers can bet on anything from baseball to martial arts to dog racing. The hotel complex also boasts a massive casino and an array of dining options—and it's all just one monorail stop from The Strip.
The highlight of the LVH is probably its 95,000-square-foot casino, where you'll find rows upon rows of slots and gaming tables. But the sprawling resort also contains enough restaurants, bars, and shops to satisfy a small city. These include the hotel's flagship eatery, Benihana, where you can dine on steak and lobster prepared by hibachi chefs. For a more casual meal, head to 888 Noodle Bar, which serves pan-Asian fare ranging from curry chicken to sea-bass stir-fry. You can also satisfy any late-night cravings at the Paradise Café, which serves hearty dishes such as buttermilk pancakes and french-dip sandwiches until 1 a.m.
Though it's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of activities at LVH, it's just as easy to spend all day lounging by the resort's palm-lined pool. Right next to the pool and tennis courts is the spa, which is furnished with soaking tubs and chaise lounges; entry is included with this Groupon.
Las Vegas: The Strip Past and Present
Mentioning Las Vegas usually conjures up images of spinning roulette wheels and stone-faced poker players. If that's what you're looking for, you'll want to make a beeline for the casinos lining the neon-lit Strip. But for lower-stakes gambling in a throwback Vegas atmosphere, head downtown to Fremont Street. Vintage signs and showgirls crowned with headdresses recall the days of Sinatra and Martin, but this Glitter Gulch burns much brighter today than it did in the Rat Pack era: beginning at dusk, a canopy of more than 12 million LED lights erupts in a psychedelic light and music show every hour.
Educational attractions have never been Sin City's strong suit, but the Mob Museum boasts a winning formula: bank robberies, prostitution, and money laundering. Exhibits profile legendary Mafiosi from Capone to Gotti, and mob artifacts include the bloodstained, bullet-pocked brick wall from the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Within the former federal courthouse, you can fire a Tommy gun simulator, participate in a police lineup, or enter witness protection for the rest of your life.


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Mountain BizWorks is offering a one-day business planning workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 3 at the Henderson County Building, 100 N. King St. in Hendersonville. Class fee includes all materials, instruction, and lunch.
Class fees for "Foundations in a Day" include all materials, instruction and lunch.
"Foundations in a Day" participants will learn the business planning process in an accelerated version of the time-tested Foundations business planning course. Participants will study start-up and overhead costs, profit goals, cash flow, marketing and learn about necessary licensing and record keeping. Throughout the day, attendees will also learn the requirements of entrepreneurship and receive direct, supportive feedback on business ideas. Individuals starting or operating agricultural enterprises will receive an additional industryspecifi c resource packet.
Under the umbrella of Western North Carolina rural enterprises, municipalities of all sizes serve as city centers for an assortment of business ventures exist in each community: food, agriculture, value added products, hardware stores, independent grocery stores, restaurants, small engine repair and hundreds of other businesses that make important contributions and uniquely define each rural community. Agriculture plays an important role in rural economic development. It binds communities with the land and to the cultural heritage. For this reason, Mountain BizWorks provides additional information for agricultural businesses, and encourages cross-pollination between the many different business types in each community.
For more information or to register, contact Ashley Epling at 828.253.2834, extension 27 or ashley@mountainbizworks. org. To learn more about business loans, classes and coaching from Mountain BizWorks, please visit www. mountainbizworks.org.
Outrider USA, an ultralight adventure vehicle company located in Fletcher, will be demonstrating their products at noon and 3 p.m. Saturday at Asheville's Carrier Park during the Mountain Sports Festival that runs throughout the weekend.
Each ultralight adventure vehicle is designed and built in Fletcher by Outrider USA co-owners Tom Ausherman, Daniel Rhyne and Jesse Lee. The electric drive gives riders three styles of riding to include pedal only, electric drive only or a combination of pedaling with electric assistance. Their vehicles can travel up to 100 miles with a top speed of 40 mph with zero tailpipe emissions.
The Mountain Sports Festival is a weekend music and sports festival that celebrates community, athletics and local business. To learn more about Outrider USA visit www. OutriderUSA.com or call 828-654-7555.
High Interest: May 22
Mountain BizWorks is offering a one-day business planning workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 3 at the Henderson County Building, 100 N. King St. in Hendersonville. Class fee includes all materials, instruction, and lunch.

subset: commoncrawl


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Our skilled support professionals are available 24 hours a day to assist you with any problems that you might have and provide our 99.9% uptime guarantee.
Our servers are housed in a state of the art data center with redundant switching, power and cooling technology. The data center is monitored around the clock to ensure that your sites and data stay safe, secure and most importantly, online.
Our support team consists of experienced US based administrators. Unlike most other web hosts, we have gone through great lengths to keep our support team based out of where we do business. We are available 365/24/7 for any problems you may have.
We do our best to bring the absolute best value to every dollar you spend with us without compromising the integrity or performance of our servers. Other companies may offer you the world but we are the only company that can actually deliver it.


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Starting a company can sometimes be likened to a game of chance. Coming up with the right idea at the right time, when the market is neither saturated nor in financial freefall, isn't always under the business owner's control, no matter how crack the team.
Ronen Gafni aims to enable entrepreneurs to surmount the vicissitudes of chance by turning the startup game into a real board game. FreshBiz is the result of eight years of development by Gafni, an entrepreneur who is now taking his biggest gamble yet with a product that looks not unlike the fabled Game of Life, but is far more practical.
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FreshBiz players move through various business stages, from starting a new company to trading on the stock market. Dice throws and "business opportunity" cards help them advance toward the winner's slot.
Instead of earning $200 by passing Go, players pay "toll passages" along the way (many of life's most important lessons often cause great heartache, not to mention cash, Gafni says). And you have only 90 minutes to do it. The game aims to simulate the world of business and to improve business behavior and industry acumen.
Unlike typical board games, competition is secondary to collaboration. "There can be more than one winner," Gafni explains. "So it's not about beating other people. It's about finding creative ways to make enough money to get to the winner's block. And if you collaborate, the chances are higher that everyone is going to get there."
As players move around the board, they can start new businesses whenever they land on an empty lot. It may cost $2 million to open a business, but if you pay attention, you may have the opportunity to start a company for half price — if you find a partner. Similarly, you may be able to trade stocks more profitably if you team up with someone else.
Game translates across cultures
Sounds like you'd need an MBA to succeed in FreshBiz, but Gafni insists that "you'll pick it up very fast. From the second game on, you'll be more creative about how you play."
You can buy the physical game for $50 or download an iPad version of FreshBiz for $7 so you can play against a maximum of four players in your living room or on the Web. But perhaps the best way is to join a FreshBiz workshop.
This is what Gafni has been doing for the last 18 months – running tests with real people around the world, to see how the game works and whether cultural differences matter. He has 30 facilitators (each pays $700 to buy a kit, after which they can then run as many workshops as they want) and has played the game in Israel, New York, Spain and Singapore; at banks and financial firms; and with professors and MBA graduates at New York University's entrepreneurship program.
Perhaps surprisingly, there are very few differences in game play across cultures. That's because "it's a game about our core beliefs," Gafni says. "It doesn't matter if you're in India or Italy; we all go through the same experiences. In Israel, people might scream more, while in Europe the game might be quieter. But our insights are very much the same."
Where is Gafni's favorite place to play FreshBiz? "Madrid," he says. "I don't know Spanish, but I can see how the game is going by the movements made by these top executives."
The game is so far translated into Spanish, Russian and Hebrew, in addition to English, of course. Gafni estimates 3,000 people have played the game already in more than 100 sessions.
Tel Aviv 'world tour'
FreshBiz officially hit Israel last month when Gafni held a workshop with 200 entrepreneurs and business owners at the ZOA building in Tel Aviv.
The cost to join a FreshBiz workshop varies depending on the length, from NIS 150 (about $38) for a short session to up to NIS 2,000 (a little more than $500) for a whole weekend per person. Gafni hopes that organizations will pick up the tab for their top team members.
A workshop can include anywhere from 20 to 150 players. The facilitator does some lecturing with an overhead projector, but it's mostly about sitting (or jumping) around the board.
Gafni's goal is to have one million FreshBiz'ers in three years. The iPad app is key, he says, and it will comprise more than just the game. "There will be an entire community for entrepreneurial thinkers, where they can share knowledge and opportunities. They can create events and parties" outside of the digital realm.
His own entrepreneurial path started when he began trading stocks while serving in the IDF. He built a stock portfolio worth hundreds of thousands of shekels until the global financial meltdown "It was a heavy blow for a young guy like me who was just getting started," Gafni says. "But it also taught me the philosophy of recovery from a financial crisis."
He and his wife later worked together in their own marketing consulting and branding company, where he saw "so many owners are stuck playing an old game of life and business. The world is changing around them, with technology, the economy, globalization, society – it's not the same as it used to be – but they don't know how to adapt themselves to this new game."
Gafni, 39, was inspired to create FreshBiz after he realized the new world of business looked nothing like the landscape his parents knew. "They both worked in a bank for 30 years and then got their pensions," he says. "I knew from the age of 10 that I wouldn't do that. Knowing how much I'll earn at the end of the month is boring. It's cooler not knowing!"


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This exciting initiative is brought to you by the San Diego Business Journal . This survey and recognition program is dedicated to identifying and recognizing San Diego's best employers. If you think your organization has what it takes to be honored on the tenth annual "Best Places to Work in San Diego" list, or if you simply want to learn more about this project, we invite you to explore this Web site. Click here for a snapshot of the process!
The "Best Places to Work in San Diego" program is a free county-wide program managed by the Best Companies Group. Participation in this program is free*.
* The free process applies to the standard online employee survey process. A nominal fee is charged for the use of paper surveys. Additional (optional) services are available for a fee such as customizing, language translations and the purchase of the Employee Feedback Report.
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Purchase "Best" Merchandise New Shortened EQ for 2018!New Revised Employee Survey for 2018!


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Tokyo: Lashing back at criticism from Beijing, the Dalai Lama on Tuesday said China needs to thoroughly investigate the causes of self-immolations by Tibetans and blamed "narrow-minded Communist officials" for seeing Buddhist culture as a threat.
The Dalai Lama also called on foreign media and members of Japan`s parliament to visit Tibet though such trips are severely restricted to see that what is happening there does not go ignored.
"I always ask the Chinese government, please, now, thoroughly investigate," the Tibetan Buddhist leader said. "What is the cause of these sad things?"
The Dalai Lama was speaking to a group of Japanese lawmakers that included opposition party head Shinzo Abe, an outspoken China hawk seen by many as the top contender to become the country`s next prime minister.
Eight self-immolations have been reported over six days in China`s Tibetan region, including two yesterday. China has long accused the Dalai Lama and his supporters of inspiring and even glorifying such acts, though the Dalai Lama says he opposes all violence.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei Hong launched a new salvo at the Dalai Lama yesterday, claiming he was taking Japan`s side in an ongoing territorial dispute and calling him a separatist who is aligning with Japanese right-wingers.
Chinese media said the Dalai Lama called the islands by their Japanese name during a news conference in Yokohama last Monday, but an Associated Press review of a tape of the event showed he referred to them only as "the islands."
Tibet support groups overseas say the increase in protests in recent days is meant to highlight Tibetan unhappiness with Chinese rule as the country`s leaders hand over power to younger successors at a party congress in Beijing.
The Dalai Lama has said the self-immolations are a symptom of the desperation and frustration felt by Tibetans living under the Chinese government`s hardline policies in the region, including tight restrictions on religious life.
The Dalai Lama fled to India following an abortive 1959 uprising against Chinese rule over Tibet. He denies seeking the region`s independence, saying that he wishes Tibetans to enjoy real autonomy and protection of their traditional Buddhist culture.
In his remarks today, he said China`s top leaders may not realise the severity of that frustration because "narrow-minded Communist officials" on the ground fear Tibetan Buddhist culture and may not be relaying the real situation to Beijing.
"These officials on the spot may not reply clearly to the higher authority," he said, suggesting that foreign media and lawmakers should go to Tibet to see the situation there and share it with the outside world.


text: Re section 5.8, "Fresh syntax", in the syntax-case draft: > Should we consider instead a variant of 'syntax', say 'fresh-syntax', > that applies a unique mark to its output? Should we consider > something more general, like MzScheme's 'make-syntax-introducer', > which creates a procedure that applies the same mark to a syntax > object each time it is applied? Either can be used to define > 'generate-temporaries', which can then be considered a derived > procedure. I'm not sure that either of these approaches will address the issue all that well. To illustrate, here's an example adapted from SRFI 72 and modified to run under MzScheme, using MzScheme's 'syntax-local-introduce'. (It can also be written to use 'make-syntax-introducer', which doesn't make any difference for my purposes.) (define-syntax main (lambda (stx) (let ((make-swap (lambda (x y) (with-syntax ((x (syntax-local-introduce x)) (y (syntax-local-introduce y))) (syntax-local-introduce (syntax (let ((t x)) (set! x y) (set! y t)))))))) (syntax-case stx () ((_) (with-syntax ((swap (make-swap (syntax s) (syntax t)))) (syntax (let ((s 1) (t 2)) swap (list s t))))))))) (main) ;=> (2 1) This gives the expected result. If the uses of syntax-local-introduce are removed, the result changes to (1 2), which is not what is intended. To achieve the intended result, some ability to control the marks introduced by make-swap is needed. However, doing this using procedures like syntax-local-introduce or make-syntax-introducer requires reasoning about mark introduction and cancellation, which can be tedious even in trivial cases such as the above. (Aside: this example illustrates why something like an operational description in terms of marks is needed: I don't think there's any way to reason about the above code without understanding how marks work.) I don't think a FRESH-SYNTAX form would eliminate this issue, i.e. reasoning about when and how to use FRESH-SYNTAX wouldn't be any easier. Besides, something more than FRESH-SYNTAX alone would be needed, since FRESH-SYNTAX wouldn't directly provide a way to apply fresh marks to x and y, which are already syntax objects. The overall problem is that the same marks need to be applied to more than one syntax object in a given scope. A solution using a WITH-FRESH-SYNTAX form might be more tractable, e.g.: (lambda (x y) (with-fresh-syntax ((x x) (y y)) (syntax (let ((t x)) (set! x y) (set! y t)))))))) This would transform into something equivalent to: (lambda (x y) (let ((stx-tmp (make-syntax-introducer))) (with-syntax ((x (stx-tmp x)) (y (stx-tmp y))) (stx-tmp (syntax (let ((t x)) (set! x y) (set! y t))))))) I.e. all syntax objects introduced via the WITH-FRESH-SYNTAX bindings list, or via uses of the SYNTAX form within the WITH-FRESH-SYNTAX body, would have the same fresh mark applied. I can't currently make any claim about the generality of this solution, but intuitively it seems as though something like this might be made to work. It is intended to provide semantics similar to SRFI 72's QUASISYNTAX form, but in the context of traditional syntax-case. Anton


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The 23 year-old will be out of contract in the summer, and has been in excellent goalscoring form for Arsenal after switching to his preferred central striker role and grabbing a hat-trick against Newcastle.
Walcott turned down one offer of a new deal - reported to be worth £75,000 a week - in the summer and has so far failed to reach an agreement as the player looks for terms closer to £100,000.
However, Wenger feels the continuing negotiations can see a positive conclusion to the saga.
Speaking at a press conference this morning ahead of Sunday's FA Cup third-round tie at Swansea, Wenger said: "We are talking. Yes [I am encouraged by the talks].
"It is very difficult to be predictable in this kind of situation, but I always said that our desire is there to do it as quickly as possible. We are ready to do it."
Wenger added: "I only speak for our side, and my side is that we want him to stay here.
"Of course I don't want to speak much more about that situation because it can be misinterpreted and I don't think he is only interested by money. I don't believe that."
Arsenal are expected to move in the transfer market during January, with reports of a £10 million bid tabled for Atletico Madrid striker Adrian Lopez.
Fringe players like Morocco forward Marouane Chamakh, French centre-half Sebastien Squillaci and Swiss defender Johan Djourou - who is said to be interesting German side Hannover - are all likely to be offloaded.
Wenger, though, maintains Arsenal must concentrate on the players they have in the first team now, rather than worrying about who might be coming in or going out.
"First of all we have to make sure the players who are here stay here, after we look outside," he said.
"Let's first try to finalise with Theo Walcott and after if we need something else we will go somewhere else, but our first priority is that.
"The most important players for us are those who are here. Those who are on the transfer market will not help us win the games."
Wenger added there was "no news" on the future of Andrei Arshavin, who has been linked with both Reading and Paris St Germain, but revealed he expected some departures.
"Squillaci, if he finds a club, he will certainly go. Djourou might go somewhere as well, that will be decided in the next 48 to 72 hours," said the Arsenal manager.
Wenger expects to take a full squad to Swansea.
He said: "Everybody is available because we have [Abou] Diaby and [Andre] Santos coming back into full training. They are not completely match-fit, but they are back."


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With Labor Day in our rear-view mirror, and hopefully the brutally hot weather as well, most of us are understandably looking forward to fall.
Interests may range from football to festivals, but getting ready for hunting season or casting a line in the nearest lake or river ranks high on the list for many. Native Americans called Kentucky the Happy Hunting Ground for a reason, and now more than ever, there is no shortage of people who love getting outdoors.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Henry County Local, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
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California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's rode into World Ag Expo in Tulare, Calif., two years ago the triumphant progressive victor over evil liberalism.
The Governator had just run the bumbling buffoon out of the big house in the fiefdom. He was greeted with wild cheers by his adoring San Joaquin Valley throng.
California agricultural leaders were herded into the upper room to greet and revere the conquering hero before the new governor paraded before his adoring subjects. The farming leaders were told not to ask the new king of California about agriculture because he knew little of his kingdom's leading industry.
If the governor returns to the farm show next week, there will be no need to admonish the serfs that their leader knows little of agriculture. The last two years has convinced them of that fact.
The Governator has largely ignored agriculture during his first two years in office. Agricultural leaders say he has been totally inaccessible to farmers and ranchers.
Conservatives and agriculture were willing to cut the Governator slack about his lack of knowledge of the state's No. 1 industry. They also were willing to "accept" his liberal views on social issues like homosexual rights and abortion. Anything to get rid of Gray Davis; hopefully return California to economic prosperity, and somehow neuter big government.
Even with the governor tried and failed miserably in reforming government with a passel of state ballot measures last November, agriculture and California conservatives did not want to kick sand in the former body builder's face.
However, when he shuffled his staff after the November defeat and hired Susan Kennedy, the former chief of staff of the man he kicked out of office, the sucking sound heard throughout the kingdom was every conservative gasping in unison.
If the governor returns to Tulare this year, you can bet no-question edict or not, someone is bound to ask, "What were you thinking when you hired the chief of staff of the guy you ran out of Dodge?"
Arnold is either at wits' end about how to right California economically as he promised when he ascended the throne and is willing to do most anything to get the state moving in the right direction again, or he is such a political novice that he has unloaded a gun at both feet.
I figure it was the more the latter. Let us not forget the remarkably perceptive words of Earl Williams, president of California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, "California is the fifth largest economy in the world run by Third World minds." Could he have been thinking that hiring Kennedy would some how make the liberal bumbling California legislature like him for something other than being a movie star?
If Arnold returns to Tulare, he will be greeted with the same respect and adoration of any movie star-turned governor. And he will be re-elected governor of the nation's No. 1 agricultural state because no one stands a chance against Governator.
The only man who could give him a run is "Meathead," and Rob Reiner said he will not run. He wants to devote his efforts to passing a $2.4 billion state ballot initiative guaranteeing voluntary preschool for all California 4-year-olds.
However, I refuse to give up hope that some day the California's gubernatorial race will pit the Terminator against Meathead. Oh, please let it happen within my career so once and for all California will be confirmed as the wackiest political kingdom in the whole world.
e-mail: [email protected]


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Brigham Young University
BYU's Director of Dining Services Dean Wright showed FSD around his mountain campus.
Last summer the campus flower shop was moved to a different building where this space was created. The flower shop is also run by Dining Services. For Valentine's Day 2012 the flower shop created 20,000 bouquets.


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when poop particles on your pillow contaminate your eye resulting in pink eye (conjunctivitise).
Your friend is getting sweet revenge on you for embarrassing him in front of his girlfriend so, he farts on your pillow. You have a great night's sleep, but low and behold you wake up with extremely contagious, raw goopey eyes. bam... you just contracted a stinkmatism.
by dontgetstinkeyed April 29, 2010
buy the domain for your travel site


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Teammates teased Jordan Day, a former Gardner-Webb soccer player who used up his eligibility in that sport and then wanted to try out for football. They won't be teasing him anymore.
Teammates teased Jordan Day, a former Gardner-Webb soccer player who used up his eligibility in that sport and then wanted to try out for football.
They won't be teasing him anymore.
Day, a fifth-year senior who will graduate in December, was 4-for-4 on field goals, the first of his college career, and was the hero Saturday as Gardner-Webb beat nationally ranked Richmond, 12-10, in Boiling Springs, N.C.
"I think they had some doubts," Day said. "Kickers are always picked on a little bit on a football team. I remembered that from high school (Marvin Ridge, N.C.). There was a little bit of extra picking, I would say, because I was a soccer player. They would joke with me about that. But once they saw my work ethic and that I was serious, it started to change. Saturday night definitely helped a lot."
Day was good from 39 and 27 yards in the second quarter, and then connected from 29 to give Gardner-Webb a 9-3 lead in the fourth quarter. But after Richmond scored the go-ahead touchdown with 2:06 remaining, the Bulldogs drove down close enough for Day to try again from 30 yards in the final seconds.
And with all that pressure, 25 ticks left on the clock, knowing people were still skeptical of how he would do in the clutch, Day delivered.
"It was a good feeling," he said. "The offense did a great job getting close enough for a short field goal. That made my job a little bit easier. … I would say I was more nervous for the first one. On the fourth one, I figured I had three warm-ups. I knew they would be coming to try to block it. But we had perfect timing and we executed."
That win not only gave Day a boost of confidence and his teammates a boost of confidence in him, but lifted the entire squad heading into a 7 p.m. game Saturday against Wofford (ranked No. 10 by The Sports Network and No. 8 by FCS coaches) at Gibbs Stadium.
When Day realized he would need an extra semester to graduate, he thought he might try to walk on to the football team. When he realized Gardner-Webb had no returning place-kickers, he was sure of it. So he made an early visit to see new coach Carroll McCray, who was taking over after one season at North Greenville.
"I think my first day after I was hired, back in February, he dropped by the office and said he'd like to have a shot with our football program," McCray said. "I told him, 'I don't know anything about our kicking game, but stay in touch.' … He came by the office once a week, every week, until we got settled in here and had a grasp on who we had and who we didn't have. … He's a very persistent young man."
Day got cleared to try out for the football team and immediately started practicing field goals. And while he wasn't as accurate as he wanted to be after a four-year layoff, he did discover that his range had increased dramatically.
"I was kicking field goals from about 58 yards off the tripod. That was something that was not even a possibility when I was in high school," Day said. "After four years of Division I soccer, my legs had gotten quite a bit stronger."
Day was named Big South Conference special teams player of the week. In addition to his field goals, he also averaged 40.3 yards on six punts and allowed only three total yards on returns.
"He still learns every day," McCray said. "He hasn't played much football in a long time, so everything we do, from stretching to warm-ups to pregame meal and all that is a little bit different for him. But he's really coming around and I'm very happy for him that this is starting to be a good experience for him."


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The Secret Backcountry Life Of Jeremy Jones
I met Jeremy Jones while I was living in Utah in the mid 90s. He and his buddy JP Walker were always out building jumps in the backcountry behind Brighton resort without a filmer or photographer-just having fun.
Today, Jeremy is more known for his rail riding in the city and filming huge technical jumps with MDP. This year, Jeremy and I hooked up on a pretty sick day in Tahoe. I took him out to some of my favorite backcountry spots and asked him a few questions.-Dave Downing
D. Downing: If you only had one day left in your life to snowboard-would you slide rails in Salt Lake or go ride powder?
J. Jones: I'd go heli boarding with my friends, for sure! Hitting rails is how I've contributed to the progression of this sport, and that's what I do when I'm filming my video part … but the best sensation is riding powder.
I used to see you and JP building jumps in the backcountry for fun. Has your backcountry experience changed?
Back then we were just practicing and learning. Now we're more experienced and serious. The jumps are way bigger and the decisions more calculated. It's not simply building a small kicker and chucking off it like the old days.
Everybody sees you hitting powder kickers and doing technical tricks in your movie parts-is there another side of the backcountry experience we don't see?
Yeah, just being out there with my crew without the crowds. Being able to take a run on an open powder field with nobody around, hitting a little drop, cracking a little ollie of a roller-that's the stuff we don't film, and it's the best ever.
Where's your favorite place to ride early season before filming starts.
Going out and hiking around Brighton-all the little stash runs that we know about, the cliffs and jumps we've hit for years. That's when you get your stoke and board control back.
What have you done to prepare yourself for the backcountry?
I've taken CPR and avalanche transceiver classes. I check the avalanche-conditions reports every day. I've read up on how to survive if you're stuck out there for a night or two.
Now that you have a family, do you consider the risks of being in the backcountry?
Yeah, I'm not really worried about risking getting hurt snowboarding-it's the avalanches. I need to survive and come home to my family in one piece, you know?
Your pro model with Burton is a 156 and you're six feet tall and pretty big. What's up with that?
Well, I stepped it up (laughs)-I have a Burton 159 coming out too. It's way more stable for landing and going fast in powder. It totally helps and gives you more confidence having a little bigger board in the backcountry.
You live in Utah, which has a pretty scary avalanche history. What do you do if you really want to ride, but the avy conditions are super sketchy?
I don't go out-I just take runs at the ski resort.
Yes, "freestyle" Jeremy is known to get nasty in the backcountry. Photo: Jeff Curtes


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Exciting news: We are working on the next major version Kimai 2 and invite you to read the announcement, visit the new website and participate at Github.
Time Tracking for everyone
Kimai is a free open source timetracker. It tracks work time and prints out a summary of your activities on demand.
Yearly, monthly, daily, by customer, by project, by action …
It's simplicity is its strength. Due to Kimai's web browser based interface it runs cross-platform. Likewise you can install it as a web service or as a single-user program on your local workstation.
"While there are many programs one can use for time and project tracking, they tend to be overkill for my rather simple needs. Kimai came about because I was tired to feed lame boring excel tables …"
Kimai does not have to run to do the recording. You can even quit your browser. Your time is still recording until you stop it from any web browser that has access to your installation. It is designed to hold lots of users but you can use it for a single user if you need to.
Kimai is localized in more than 15 languages, for example English, German, Dutch, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and many more. Feel free to send your self-made language files! Not all localizations are complete – we're looking for translators!
You can also send us your own skin designs.


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Mock supports mocking magic methods. This allows mock objects to replace containers or other objects that implement Python protocols.
Because magic methods are looked up differently from normal methods [1], this support has been specially implemented. This means that only specific magic methods are supported. The supported list includes almost all of them. If there are any missing that you need please let us know!
You mock magic methods by setting the method you are interested in to a function or a mock instance. If you are using a function then it must take self as the first argument [2].
>>> def __str__(self):
... return 'fooble'
>>> mock = Mock()
>>> mock.__str__ = __str__
>>> str(mock)
>>> mock = Mock()
>>> mock.__str__ = Mock()
>>> mock.__str__.return_value = 'fooble'
>>> str(mock)
>>> mock = Mock()
>>> mock.__iter__ = Mock(return_value=iter([]))
>>> list(mock)
One use case for this is for mocking objects used as context managers in a with statement:
>>> mock = Mock()
>>> mock.__enter__ = Mock(return_value='foo')
>>> mock.__exit__ = Mock(return_value=False)
>>> with mock as m:
... assert m == 'foo'
>>> mock.__enter__.assert_called_with()
>>> mock.__exit__.assert_called_with(None, None, None)
Calls to magic methods do not appear in method_calls, but they are recorded in mock_calls.
If you use the spec keyword argument to create a mock then attempting to set a magic method that isn't in the spec will raise an AttributeError.
The full list of supported magic methods is:
The following methods are supported in Python 2 but don't exist in Python 3:
The following methods are supported in Python 3 but don't exist in Python 2:
The following methods exist but are not supported as they are either in use by mock, can't be set dynamically, or can cause problems:
There are two MagicMock variants: MagicMock and NonCallableMagicMock.
MagicMock is a subclass of Mock with default implementations of most of the magic methods. You can use MagicMock without having to configure the magic methods yourself.
The constructor parameters have the same meaning as for Mock.
If you use the spec or spec_set arguments then only magic methods that exist in the spec will be created.
A non-callable version of MagicMock.
The constructor parameters have the same meaning as for MagicMock, with the exception of return_value and side_effect which have no meaning on a non-callable mock.
The magic methods are setup with MagicMock objects, so you can configure them and use them in the usual way:
>>> mock = MagicMock()
>>> mock[3] = 'fish'
>>> mock.__setitem__.assert_called_with(3, 'fish')
>>> mock.__getitem__.return_value = 'result'
>>> mock[2]
By default many of the protocol methods are required to return objects of a specific type. These methods are preconfigured with a default return value, so that they can be used without you having to do anything if you aren't interested in the return value. You can still set the return value manually if you want to change the default.
Methods and their defaults:
For example:
>>> mock = MagicMock()
>>> int(mock)
>>> len(mock)
>>> hex(mock)
>>> list(mock)
>>> object() in mock
The two equality method, __eq__ and __ne__, are special (changed in 0.7.2). They do the default equality comparison on identity, using a side effect, unless you change their return value to return something else:
>>> MagicMock() == 3
>>> MagicMock() != 3
>>> mock = MagicMock()
>>> mock.__eq__.return_value = True
>>> mock == 3
In 0.8 the __iter__ also gained special handling implemented with a side effect. The return value of MagicMock.__iter__ can be any iterable object and isn't required to be an iterator:
>>> mock = MagicMock()
>>> mock.__iter__.return_value = ['a', 'b', 'c']
>>> list(mock)
['a', 'b', 'c']
>>> list(mock)
['a', 'b', 'c']
If the return value is an iterator, then iterating over it once will consume it and subsequent iterations will result in an empty list:
>>> mock.__iter__.return_value = iter(['a', 'b', 'c'])
>>> list(mock)
['a', 'b', 'c']
>>> list(mock)
MagicMock has all of the supported magic methods configured except for some of the obscure and obsolete ones. You can still set these up if you want.
Magic methods that are supported but not setup by default in MagicMock are:
|Magic methods should be looked up on the class rather than the instance. Different versions of Python are inconsistent about applying this rule. The supported protocol methods should work with all supported versions of Python.
|The function is basically hooked up to the class, but each Mock instance is kept isolated from the others.


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Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown Law School student Republicans refused to allow to testify at a House Committee hearing on the religious exemption on contraception coverage and women's health, addressed the Democratic National Convention last night in Charlotte, North Carolina. Fluke spoke about how the outcome of November Election could impact women's rights.
Earlier this year, Fluke spoke out on the importance of the Obama Administration's rule to ensure that students attending Catholic institutions have access to contraceptive coverage under the preventive care package of the Affordable Care Act. Conservative radio show host Rush Limbaugh attacked Fluke on his radio show, calling her a "slut."
Last night, Sandra Fluke pointed out that she was silenced just as many other women are silenced every day. She stated, "Because it happened in Congress, people noticed. But it happens all the time. Many women are shut out and silenced. So while I'm honored to be standing at this podium, it easily could have been any one of you. I'm here because I spoke out, and this November, each of us must do the same."
In endorsing the Obama Administrations' policies on women's health, Fluke said "We'd have the right to choose. It's an America in which no one can charge us more than men for the exact same health insurance; in which no one can deny us affordable access to the cancer screenings that could save our lives; in which we decide when to start our families."
Fluke spoke of the sharp contrast presented by Republican policies on women's health as she described "An America in which you have a new vice president who co-sponsored a bill that would allow pregnant women to die preventable deaths in our emergency rooms. An America in which states humiliate women by forcing us to endure invasive ultrasounds we don't want and our doctors say we don't need. An America in which access to birth control is controlled by people who will never use it; in which politicians redefine rape so survivors are victimized all over again; in which someone decides which domestic violence victims deserve help, and which don't."
Media Resources: Washington Post 9/5/12; Feminist Newswire 8/13/12, 3/1/12, 2/2/12
© Feminist Majority Foundation, publisher of Ms. magazine
If you liked this story, consider making a tax-deductible donation to support Ms. magazine.
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(AP) - Some of the country's largest grocery stores are pulling some of their store-brand products off
their shelves, because of a recall of peanut butter and other nut products.
A New Mexico company, Sunland Inc., is expanding its recall of peanut butter and almond butter.
The recall now includes cashew butter, tahini and blanched and roasted peanut products.
The company sells its nuts and nut butter to large groceries and other food distributors around the country.
Last month, it recalled products under multiple brand names after salmonella illnesses were linked to
one of the brands it manufactures, Trader Joe's Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter.
The recall includes some nut butter and nut products sold at Whole Foods Market, Target,
Safeway, Fresh & Easy, Giant Food, Harry and David and several other stores.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 30 salmonella illnesses in 19 states can be
traced to the Trader Joe's peanut butter.
It says the people who were sickened reported becoming ill between June 11th and September 11th.
Almost two thirds were children under 10.
No deaths were reported.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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AbigailThemThe EyeFatal PortraitConspiracyThe Puppet MasterThe GraveyardVoodooAbigail IIGive Me Your Soul PleaseThe Spider's LullabyeHouse Of God
"Fatal Portrait" was a strong debut. It definitely proved that King was more than capable of churning out great songs even without Hank Shermann (who had composed roughly 97% of Mercyful Fate's music.) To be sure, the songs were more straightforward and less intricate. There were fewer time changes and overall, the feel was a lot less dark than Mercyful Fate's sound but King began laying the foundation for his solo career and the interwoven storylines and harmonic guitar runs became some of the staples of the King Diamond band. To compare "Fatal Portrait" today to the brilliance of King's solo material that came later is to sell the songs short. In its own right, it's actually a very solid album and songs like "Halloween" and "Charon" are some of the highlights of King's early solo career. Whereas Shermann and Denner had been playing together for years, Denner and La Rocque were still finding their footing with one another as a team when this album was recorded. Why "The Lake" was left out of the original pressing, I never understood. What a great song. My favorite track though has got to be "Haunted" - great riff, King's wailing vocal line is spine-tingling. The trilogy of "The Candle", "The Jonah" and "The Portrait" (and I suppose "Haunted" ought to connect as well), may not have the wow factor that later King creations had, but I can still come back to these songs and see them for what they are, as a great milestone in King's career as a songwriter and as a benchmark for the band itself. "Abigail" has long been considered the highlight of King's solo career, and for good reason. The storyline is epic and gripping. The songs are dark, heavy, the arrangements and the production are phenomenal. Even the cover art is amazing. "Arrival" is probably the quintessential King Diamond track. "A Mansion In Darkness" was Mikkey Dee's finest hour. The intro was creepy and really drew the listener in while the closer "Black Horsemen" would serve as the best farewell sendoff for when King Diamond (hopefully many, many years from now) finally bids us all goodbye. The guitar duo of La Rocque and Denner was immortalized on this record, they officially joined the ranks of some of the finest dual guitar combinations of all time with this album. "Fatal Portrait" may have served to show that King was definitely back in action after the Mercyful Fate split, but "Abigail" was what showed everyone just where he was going from there. Hands down, this album deserves a spot on any top ten list of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time. "Them" was a milestone as it marked the departure of Michael Denner thus making it the first album of King's career not to feature at least one guitarist from the Mercyful Fate era. But Pete Blakk was a "guitarist's guitarist" and the chemistry that he shared with La Rocque was something that Denner really couldn't lay claim to in the same fashion. As heavy as the songs on "Them" get, overall, it's a fairly progressive effort. Many of the riffs and the arrangements seemed a bit strange, maybe even a bit lacking upon the first listen. While the guitar sound is crisp, the drums sounded a bit out of place, almost as if the album had been recorded without them and they were thrown into the mix afterwards in almost a slipshod manner. But after repeated listens, I was convinced that while the songs themselves aren't better than those on "Abigail" the quality of the songwriting is actually far superior. The storyline is equally engrossing and detailed. "Them" serves as the first half of what is arguably the most iconic plot that King has ever spun for his fans. Personally, I think that the riffs and the guitar leads are just brilliant on this record. I will never forget listening to this record for the first time and being instantly hooked. I remember how I would sit there with the liner notes for the record while I listened, the little symbols used to denote whether it was Andy or Pete taking the solo. Another fantastic album cover too. "Them" was another highlight in King's career and some of those tracks have become integral staples at King Diamond shows. You can't see King live without hearing songs like "Welcome Home" and "The Invisible Guests" but the rest of the album is best enjoyed through a great set of headphones. Great stuff. "Conspiracy" was my favorite King Diamond album for many years. When I was younger, it really appealed to me. I was excited to learn about what happened in the aftermath of the events of "Them" which was a huge treat. The album had a much darker feel than its predecessor, it was infinitely heavier, the riffs were more memorable, the arrangements more straightforward. Even the production was better. So why did I change my mind about this album? Why is it that when I listen to it today, I feel like it doesn't hold up to some of King's other albums? Well, for starters, a lot of it is flash-in-the-pan when you hear it for the first time. The songs are heavy, the second half of the story is a lot more gripping than the first half - those things are true. But I don't think that "Conspiracy" has the same wherewithal that "Them" has. Sure, I can go back and listen to this record again and again. But I don't tend to notice slight little differences and tiny things that I never noticed before the way I can with "Them." The songs are good, they're memorable and they're great to listen to but they don't have the same intricacy and the same sense of layered mystique that the tracks on "Them" have. They're a lot more linear and less distinct from one another. This 1989 album was a fantastic way for King to say farewell to a decade that had seen the very best that metal had to offer the world and King himself played a role in that much larger than that of many of the others who tend to receive more credit today. But I think King was releasing more iconic material, material that defined him as an artist in the early and mid 1980's than he was at the end and maybe that's the point I've been building to. "Conspiracy" was originally heralded as the heaviest King Diamond album to date, his best since "Abigail", while for me today, it marked the end of the beginning for the King Diamond band and the start of a new era. "The Eye" to me, musically, has always had a lot more in common with "Them" than it ever had with "Conspiracy." I didn't like this record all that much when I first listened to it many years ago. Part of that may have been that the production was weak compared to "Conspiracy" - the guitar sound wasn't nearly as dark or as resonating. The drum sound was weak and took away from the overall energy of the tracks on "The Eye." While certainly sinister, the fact that the storyline on "The Eye" was based on real people and events did very little to draw fans in the way the epic plot to "Them" and "Conspiracy" had done. But again, it's a work that's capable of growing on you with time if you give it the chance to do so. I think the big problem that I had with "The Eye" was that unlike all of King's other albums, there was no defining track on "The Eye." Despite the fact that I've changed my opinion countless times regarding my favorite song from each record, no matter how many times I listened to "The Eye" not a single one seemed to rise perceptibly above the others. As a guitarist myself, I decided to look into learning how to play them anyway. In those days, long before tablature and sheet music were widely available, the only option for learning King's songs was to pick them up by ear. And so I began listening to this record over and over again attempting to pick up the riffs one by one. By the time I got to "Father Picard" I was in love with this album. Pete Blakk had always been a workhorse for King Diamond. To say that someone could hold his own opposite a guitarist like Andy is a huge honor and no one had any reservations when it came to admitting that about Pete. But here's the thing: "The Eye" made me realize that Pete Blakk was unbelievable in his own right. Up until "Conspiracy" King and Andy wrote all of the music together. But Pete Blakk's contributions to "The Eye" were fantastic. Sure, his composition style was a lot more progressive and a lot less dark than most of King's material, but Pete brought something fresh and new to the songs and that made up for the fact that they weren't as in-your-face heavy as the songs on the previous record. Maybe "The Eye" didn't produce any classics, I'll give its critics that much. But it did display a level of musicianship that previous efforts practically only hinted at in comparison. The flashes of genius on "The Eye" really make the whole thing worth it. We come now to "The Spider's Lullabye." Released in 1995, this album came five years after the one that had preceded it. A lot had happened in that five years and undoubtedly, those events played no small role in determining that "The Spider's Lullabye" would be remembered as arguably the weakest and most forgettable of King's solo career. Personally, I have zero qualms about saying straight away that in my humble opinion, "The Spider's Lullabye" IS the weakest and most forgettable record of King's solo career. I'll tell you why. When Mercyful Fate reunited in 1993 to release "In The Shadows", fans were absolutely ecstatic. 1994 was the release of a follow-up effort, "Time." To critique both works and to compare them not only to one another but also to the glory days of Mercyful Fate a decade before is something better saved for another time. But suffice it to say that King's heavy involvement in the Mercyful Fate reunion and the fact that he dedicated such time and effort to composing, recording and touring with Mercyful Fate definitely impacted "The Spider's Lullabye" negatively. I remember as though it were yesterday clenching the liner notes of my newly purchased "In The Shadows" record and reading the list of people that King wished to thank. I remember tingling with anticipation at the mention of "The Spider's Lullabye" and the names of the mysterious new members of the band. Years later, I purchased "The Spider's Lullabye" on the day of its release and literally ran home to listen to it straight away. Like any new record from King, you really can't help but be in awe of it initially, but even during a second listen, it becomes apparent that the songs themselves are critically lacking when compared to the real gems in King's discography. I think that the reliving of the Mercyful Fate days definitely had a major effect on the songwriting for King. And despite the fact that Mercyful Fate has always been, is now and forever shall be my favorite band of all time, I was a little disappointed that "The Spider's Lullabye" was such a departure for King. As a huge fan of both bands, I respect and admire both the similarities and the differences. But part of loving King's solo material is embracing some of those major differences and I honestly feel even today that "The Spider's Lullabye" was a real departure from what King Diamond has always done best. The songs are fairly weak. Some of the riffs are great but the songs themselves are pretty formulaic and they really don't knock your socks of. King's vocals are absolutely brilliant here and there, notably on "Moonlight" and the guitar leads are great throughout despite the fact that each track was mixed differently and has a different overall feel and energy to it. I had been looking forward to this mysterious 'Herb Simonsen's' debut and he didn't disappoint but it left me wondering what another record with Pete Blakk might have been like. Simonsen was more than capable (and believe it or not, I've also forged a friendship with him over the years - he's a great guy, he really is and I love talking music with him) but even though he threw himself into it with everything that he had, I don't feel like he and Andy ever developed the same ability to feed off of one another that Andy had with Pete. Herb was a great session player. He wasn't much for the grueling nature of being on the road and he wasn't keen to throw his hat into the ring as a contributing songwriter which was also okay. But "The Spider's Lullabye" should have been a much stronger effort for the amount of time that King kept us all waiting and it simply isn't really an album that compares to King's real treasures. Sorry, "The Spider's Lullabye", while not terrible, you're definitely number 19 on my list, hands down. "The Graveyard" has always reminded me of a modern, updated, souped-up version of "Them." While the production is far better (it retains the crisp guitar sound without sacrificing any of the crunch), the songs themselves aren't nearly as interesting to deconstruct and analyze. The story is also probably my least favorite of any of King's plotlines. Forgive me, I can't put my finger on why, but haunted paintings, ancient curses which result in newborn babies devouring their mothers alive, demon-possessed grandmothers who induce family murder, evil priests and psychiatrists conspiring to murder, lascivious priests who engage in unspeakable ritual murder, rape and torture, crippling arachnophobia, all of these things I can accept but I had a difficult time with King's venture into child molestation. As dark a topic as it is, I'm not certain it's something that deserves an entire concept album devoted to it. That being said, the progressive feel of the album was a big departure from "The Spider's Lullabye" and in my opinion, taking things in any direction which differed from what they had done on that album could only be seen as a good thing. Andy and Herb seemed to have much better chemistry this time around. The songs were far more complex and the layering to the tracks was a real treat. I actually really like some of the songs on this album and I think that they hold up with the best of King's catalogue. They translated to the stage well. Overall, a very enjoyable album. While not as intricate as the songs on "Them", the songs on "The Graveyard" have an energy and a flow that those on "The Eye" failed to achieve. "The Graveyard" was easily King's best album in nearly a decade. Solid effort. "Voodoo" really is a great album. The story is wonderful. Filled with colorful characters, it hearkens back to the glory days of King's creepy and intricate plots. It's extremely heavy - probably heavier than "The Graveyard." The songs are complex but they don't have that same over-thought feel to them that some of King's more composed tracks can sometimes acquire. The riffs are solid and memorable. The guitar work is brilliant. Even the cover art takes you back to the old days. The LOA house bears striking similarities to AMON that go beyond just appearance. I can't help but wonder how much of an effect the recording of "Dead Again" had on the "Voodoo" sessions. The songs on "Into The Unknown" hold up so much better individually than those on "The Graveyard" do but the songs on "Voodoo" can easily be looked at individually and I really like that about this record. I loved it the first time I heard it and I love it now. Maybe it's not exactly groundbreaking but it's very representative of King's style and coming on the heels of "The Graveyard" which was a pretty solid work in its own right, "Voodoo" still retains its luster. I really like it and I often find myself recommending this album whenever people ask me which King Diamond record they ought to listen to first. To initiate someone with "Abigail" is to break the cardinal rule of saving the best for last. "Them" might lose its appeal if not viewed from a position of heavy exposure to King's earlier work. But "Voodoo" is a good place to start - it straddles King's early feel with his modern one and that's a tough thing to do. I'll review "House Of God" to "Give Me Your Soul... Please" in my next post.


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Its story was a great picture of friendship and the magic of story-telling.
And it offered a vivid look at the social and political history of China. To compare this picture of China to the China of today was amazing.
Have you read it? Share your thoughts here.
[ add comment ] ( 8878 views )
The term graphic novel was coined by Will Eisner who is considered to be one of the most important creators in the realm of sequential art -- which essentially is what graphic novels are. Today the most prestigious award that can be won by a graphic novel the Eisner Award.
Graphic novels are no longer simply comics about super-heroes and the battle over good and evil. Today they cover all the literary genres including comedy, tragedy, romance, mystery, thrillers, science fiction, horror, fantasy and realistic fiction.
They have become a very powerful medium for storytelling and they are a great tool for reluctant readers, students learning English and those with reading challenges. They can also make historical events more accessible to people by having dramatic visuals accompanying the text.
In recent years graphic novels have become a popular medium for autobiographical stories. Blankets, by Craig Thompson, is an example of a young mans coming of age and this months selection Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Many find the combination of image and text to be very powerful. Not only biographies, but social issues, health issues and powerful stories about loss are all addressed through this medium. One of the latest trends: adapting novels into the graphic format. The Kite Runner and Ayn Rands Anthem are two examples.
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Cutting for Stone , a novel by Abraham Verghese, a book they generally liked especially its vivid picture of life in Ethiopia and a doctors world.
Put the next meeting on your calendar Octtober 19 and get ready to imagine life in the middle of a political revolution, from the experience of a child. The next selection is Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, who grew up in Iran. The format is black and white comic strips a graphic novel.
[ add comment ] ( 6215 views )
[ 1 comment ] ( 9287 views )
Welcome to Read Your Way Around the Worlds community conversation about books with roots around the world.The goal: to encourage people to read international titles that stretch their horizons whether they explore them in book groups or on their own. The Librarys international booklist is at http://www.lfpl.org/international/booklist.htm.
Whether you are part of a book club or reading solo for fun, jump in and share your responses to international books you are reading. Tell us what books you like? What sparked the best conversations or made you think? Have you had personal experiences that gave you a special perspective on a book you read?
Write a comment and we will post it.
[ add comment ] ( 4578 views )


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J. Estrada, D. Martinez, D. Leon and H. Theisel
Publication overview
Research Seminar Announcement
In the course of the Visual Computing research seminar Dr. Rhaleb Zayer from MPI Informatik Saarbrücken will give a talk with a subsequent discussion about the topic The frugal beauty of natural tessellations in the language of linear algebra.
We would like to invite everyone interested to join us. The research seminar will take place on Friday 23.11.2018, 13:15 in G29-R335.


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Now that's a look we haven't seen in a while! Rocker dad Joel Madden stepped out in Los Angeles Monday sporting an edgy, two-tone do, his dark hair styled to perfection on top and the rest of his head buzzed and bleached. The look came courtesy of Daniel Moon at the Andy Lecompte Salon in L.A.
The singer went full-on blonde in 2009, stepping out with a peroxided head of hair; two years before, he gave the two-tone look a try, calling on wife Nicole Richie's colorist at the Neil George salon for the work.
Though an unconventional look works for Madden — he is a rock star, after all — we can't decide just how we feel about the do. Tell us: What do you think of Madden's new hairstyle?


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Woman Within Global Calendar of Events
Woman Within International is a global non-profit organization to help women find their authentic self and become empowered. While we are global our events and circles are organized on a regional level. It's easy to register for our Woman Within events. Our Woman Within Weekend and Woman Within Open Circles are open to all women aged 18 and over.
- This event has passed.
Open Circle – Georgetown, KY
November 14 @ 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Are you tired of superficial connections? Interested in meeting women who want to further their personal growth from a place of authenticity? Looking for a confidential space where you can share about the things that are important to you? Then it's time to try a Woman Within Open Circle! All women 18+ are welcome. Attendance is free and there are no prerequisites. Come see what the excitement is all about!


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By: Louise Teteris, Category: At The Museum, Date: 27 Oct 2011
Notes from the Deep. A look inside the development of the Deep Oceans exhibition from a 3D Designers desk.
Deep Oceans is due to open in June 2012. We want to take you on a journey to explore the development process of this exhibition.....from our 3D Designers desk.
Our 3D Designer is totally immersed in this exhibition. Here's a sneak peek from his workspace. Look at what inspires him!
What's the story with the foam head you ask? Discover it here, with Dr Nerida Wilson.


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It's time to get your flu shot. Or is it?
The answer to that question depends on whom you ask.
The sign in the pharmacy window might suggest flu season is already here, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging everyone at least 6 months old to get a dose of prevention "as soon as possible."
But according to some infectious disease experts, the beneficial effects of a flu shot received in August or September could start to fade just as the virus kicks into high gear.
While doctors can never predict exactly when it will strike, the official start of flu season has long been October, with the number of cases typically peaking in February or even later.
Medical professionals agree that a flu vaccine loses its potency over time, a phenomenon called "waning immunity." What they don't agree on is how long the vaccine can be expected to protect a person against particular strains of the virus.
"Getting the vaccine early beats not getting the vaccine at all," said Dr. Jorge Parada, director of infection control and prevention at Loyola University Health System. "But if you get it very early, you may have your waning immunity in February, which is peak flu season. I personally see no reason to get the vaccine until October."
But to keep pace with other providers, Loyola officials decided to begin offering influenza vaccinations to patients earlier this September. The hospital is waiting to vaccinate its employees, however, until October.
"There are two sides of the coin," said Dr. Michael Jhung of the CDC's influenza division in Atlanta. "Do you vaccinate now and have that be too early … or do you wait, and find out that is too late? (If) you wait too long, you might not need the vaccine because you've already got the flu."
Influenza is a highly contagious virus that attacks the upper respiratory system. While still viewed by many as a routine part of winter, only moderately more punishing than the common cold, the flu causes 3,000 to about 49,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, according to the CDC, which based its estimate on numbers gathered between 1976 and 2007. The agency notes the "variability and unpredictability of flu" in making its estimate.
Each year, a vaccine is engineered to protect against three different strains of flu. Experts try to identify the strains most likely to spread across the U.S. They typically zero in on strains active in the Southern Hemisphere, where countries experience winter when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
"Sometimes they are spot-on, and the vaccine is very effective … and sometimes they miss," Parada said.
Last year, the seasonal flu arrived later than usual, peaking around March, and the toll it took in the U.S. was relatively mild, according to the CDC.
While the flu changes year to year, the predominant strains of the virus in the 2011-12 season were the exact same as those targeted the year before. But flu strains most likely to crop up this season are different from last year, officials say.
This year's vaccine includes a strain of the influenza A virus, which is capable of major mutations, and a strain of the influenza B virus, which mutates just enough to make people sick year after year. The cocktail also includes the same H1N1 virus first discovered in pigs in 2009.
The secret to preventing the spread of influenza, as well as some other contagious diseases, is something called "herd immunity." According to doctors, when enough people in a community are immunized, the chances for an outbreak become slim, and even those who fail to get a flu shot are protected.
"The main thing is to remind people early," said Dr. Lisa Grohskopf, medical officer in the CDC's influenza division. "(The timing) is not something we can predict with absolute certainty. That makes it difficult for us to tell people to wait."
More people have been getting influenza inoculations than at any time in the past, the CDC reports. In addition to a shot, the vaccine can be administered through a mist.
When the agency issued its first influenza advisories in the 1960s, the flu shot was recommended only for people 65 or older and those suffering from chronic diseases. That's the way it stayed until 2000, when the agency decided that healthy adults as young as 50 also should be inoculated.
A few years after that, the CDC expanded its recommendation to include all children under 2, pregnant women and day care workers. As of 2010, the CDC advisory includes everyone except babies under 6 months old.
That's good news, Parada said, but rising demand for flu vaccine has increased pressure on pharmaceutical companies to produce more of the vaccine earlier. Almost 73 million doses of vaccine had been distributed in the U.S. as of Sept. 7, according to the CDC.
The early start to vaccine campaigns in recent years could be linked to the swine flu outbreak that swept across the country in 2009, Parada said. In order to focus on the emerging outbreak, many vaccine manufacturers fast tracked production of the seasonal flu shots in the spring of that year.
Supply of the seasonal flu formula dwindled, and health professionals were forced to ration available vaccine to those most at risk.
"The CDC has been working very hard to make sure we get good (flu vaccine) production early (and) in large amounts; they have been very successful at that," Parada said.
"The flip side is now there is a lot of vaccine early in the season and people who have it want to sell it. Then you get a race to start early, which is absurd."
Many providers begin marketing the flu shot soon after shipments of the vaccine arrive.
Walgreens pharmacies around the country have been offering the vaccine since Aug. 6, said spokesman Robert Elfinger.
"Over the years, it has gotten earlier. (This year) we are able to make it available for back-to-school shopping," Elfinger said Wednesday from the company's Deerfield headquarters.
And a new swine flu strain has infected more than 300 people in the U.S. this year, according to the CDC. About 80 percent of those infected were reported in Ohio and Indiana. Only four people in Illinois have confirmed infections.
"One of the things that is driving people to get vaccinated (for the seasonal flu) earlier this year is the buzz about this swine flu outbreak," Parada said.
He added that people should be aware that the seasonal flu vaccine will not protect them from the new mutated H1N1 virus. Most victims have been farmworkers or other people exposed to pigs, and most experts say the new H1N1 virus will "burn itself out."
Parada and CDC sources agree that what is most important is that people get vaccinated for the seasonal flu, whether early, late, or hopefully right on time.


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Ice Age: Continental Drift (2D) (US - BD RA)
Gabe sits back and awaits the inevitable extinction of these beloved characters...
History's greatest heroes return for the most outrageously funny and entertaining Ice Age adventure in two million years. When Scrat's acorn antics cause a cataclysmic crack-up, Manny (Ray Romano), Sid (John Leguizamo) and Diego (Denis Leary) go where no herd has gone before - on a high-seas quest aboard a floating iceberg. But a menagerie of misfit pirates are determined to shiver their timbers and capsize their journey home. Join a boat-load of lovable new characters (voiced by Jennifer Lopez, Aziz Ansari and Peter Dinklage) for original songs, spectacular animation and heartwarming family fun. (from Fox's official synopsis)
Assuming we aren't counting Puss in Boots, Fox/Blue Sky's Ice Age series has now tied Shrek as the longest running, feature-length, theatrically released animated series, CG or otherwise. Those of us who aren't impressed with the franchise may find this fact baffling, but despite a consistent state of utter mediocrity, these films keep making money. In fact, the worldwide grosses of the series have increased with each release, right up until this latest entry, Continental Drift, which made slightly less than the previous entry, Dawn of the Dinosaurs. For whatever reason Ice Age connects with people throughout the world and this particular money-making machine shows no sign of going away or, if this film is any indication, improving upon the formula.
Continental Drift continues exploring human themes in an animalistic environment with a heavy moralistic hand. This particular feature is overwhelmed by clichés about family and parenthood. In fact, one could almost accuse this movie of snagging large contingents of its plot from Homer's The Odyssey (including some of the trials) and Finding Nemo (including the overriding theme of allowing one's child to grow up). The writers also take early efforts to return things to the status quo by separating the three main series characters from everyone else, which makes for a rather boring retread of the non-borrowed elements. They even add a new saber-toothed cat character to replay Diego's first film arc. The only thing missing is a human baby. If there's one nice thing I can say about this series' cumulative qualities, it's that the action set-pieces keep getting bigger, though not necessarily better. Stuffing pirates and massive land shifts into the Ice Age universe certainly offers the filmmakers many chances for epic scope and action. And it is also certainly epic, especially the cut-aways to Manny's family leading survivors away from a creeping land wall (which is a stunning enough image it's pretty easy to ignore the nonsense logic of the situation). I imagine this entry, just like Dawn of the Dinosaurs, was actually improved by theatrical 3D formatting.
The most (only?) interesting thing about this particular franchise is the bizarre way the creators twiddle with the historical science of the actual Ice Age. Since they already dealt with the end of the last global ice age with the second film, they had to jump the shark with the third film and include dinosaurs, which had been dead for millions of years by the time wolly mammoths and saber-toothed cats were walking the earth. Now they have a fourth film on their hands, so they went the only place they could – the slow geographical movement that turned Pangaea into the continental shapes we know and love today. They have, of course, made the process a bit more exciting to watch by speeding it up considerably, which also keeps the character's ages down to something less than millions of years old. Once again, it is the hapless saber-toothed squirrel Scrat and his Chuck Jones-inspired antics that save an Ice Age film from being an entirely mediocre experience. The scene that opens the movie, revealing that he has caused the tectonic plate shift with his acorn obsession would make a genuinely great standalone short film. I suppose it's difficult to make hundreds of millions of dollars on a short film release.
Ice Age: Continental Drift comes to Blu-ray in separate 3D and 2D releases. As per usual, at least until I win the lottery, I'm reviewing the 2D release. This full 1080p, 2.40:1 image is typically awe-inspiring, which should be expected from any $100 million CG animated feature. These films have grown a little less stylized over the years. In the beginning, they were more graphic, with harder edges and more simplified details, but the natural textures, specifically those found on fur patterns, have been heavily upgraded at this point. You can practically count the hairs on the animals this time around. My personal favourite fine detail is the sheen the saber-toothed cats' fur takes on after getting wet. The last release had some minor issues with compression noise over some of the busiest action sequences, but the only thing that holds back the clarity this time is a foggy quality to some of the scenes, which diffuses and blows out some of the brighter bits. I assume this was a stylistic choice, not a mastering error. The colour palette is pretty eclectic throughout the film (lots of creature types, lots of vegetation changes), but does feature basic scene-by-scene themes. The sea-based sequences are cooler and tend to be washed out, except for the main characters, which pop nicely by maintaining their warm qualities. Land-based scenes are more vibrant, especially the brilliant greens, and the hues change nicely depending on the time of day (yellowish for day, lavender for dusk/dawn, and bluish for night). There aren't many high contrast moments, but the black levels are still quite sharply cut against the brighter hues without any bleeding or edge enhancement issues.
This basically perfect HD video is matched by a basically perfect DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack. The dialogue tracks are consistent in terms of clarity and volume, and feature a lot of directional enhancement as characters move throughout the frame. Ambient sound is a bit softer than expected, but there are plenty of standout sequences that make solid use of the format's immersive capabilities. The sea-faring themes offer the track chances for aggressive water and wind effects, but the biggest aural moments, however, are massive land-cracking set pieces that shake with enough LFE bounce and fine surround enhancement to give a live-action disaster blockbuster a proper run for its money. Scrat's brief adventures tend to feature a more outrageous sound design, including wider directional enhancements and punchier impact noises. In the end, these scenes aren't as impactful or loud as the disaster scenes, but I enjoyed the hyperbole. John Powell's score takes the usual 'punctuation' route, giving rhythm to the jokes and action. It also fills out the lack of ambience during-dialogue heavy sequences, though it's pretty low on the track compared to the performances and incidental noises.
The extras begin with in-film options, including a Pirate Picasso colouring book app, Party with a Pirate! pop-up mode (which features Aziz Ansari as Squint the rabbit), and a sing-along option, but no commentary or solid picture in picture options. Ice Age: The Story So Far (9:30, HD) covers the first four films in the series in clip form, which offers a unique chance to watch the films improve in animation quality over the years. Under the Through a Pirate's Spyglass, you will find two featurettes: Voice Ahoy! (11:20, HD), which features interviews and behind the scenes footage with the new cast members, including interviews with directors Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier, and actors Peter Dinklage, Aziz Ansari, Alain Chabat, Rebel Wilson, Nick Frost, Kunal Nayyar, Denis Leary, and Jennifer Lopez, plus Capturing the Crew (14:40, HD) covers the research and development of the new character and prop designs, including interviews with Martino, Thurmeier, character designer Peter De Seve, writers Malcolm Berg and Jason Fuchs, producers Jon Donkin and Lori Forte, art director Nash Dunnigan, animation supervisors Nick Bruno and Jim Bresnahan, animation leads Scott Farrell, Stewart Shaw, Ken Huling, Tab Burton, Matthew Doble, Richard Fournier, Michael Richard, Jackie Tarascio, Eric Lin, Scott Carroll, and Chip Lotierzo. Granny and the Stink of the Sloths (9:10, HD) cover the film's new sloth and hyrax characters, including interviews with the usual suspects, along with story consultant Mike Reiss, and actors John Leguizamo and Wanda Sykes. Whale of a Tale (24:00, HD) is a grab bag of brief featurettes that covers the technical, scientific and thematic aspects of the continental drifts, non-speaking creature designs, and the story's mythological themes (i.e. the stuff the story rips off from Homer's They Odyssey). Scrat Got Your Tongue? (7:00, HD) explores the franchise's heroic central character Chris Wedge's work as his voice throughout the films.
The disc also features two deleted scenes presented in storyboard form (1:50, HD), The Scratist (2:10, HD), a faux-trailer that spoofs The Artist, Gutt's Sing-Along Shanty Shimmy Shake, 'We Are' extended music video, 'Chasing the Sun' music video, The Sid Shuffle, two trailers, and previews of upcoming Fox releases.
There is an inevitable conclusion to the Ice Age franchise – every major character's species goes extinct. The creators have dealt with historical science in increasingly unscientific ways, including the rapid spread of the world's land masses, so I suppose they can continue to ignore the facts for future entries, but wouldn't it be interesting to build a children's film around an extinction event? Oh wait, there are already 13 Land Before Time films and a Disney movie called Dinosaur, not to mention the soul-crushing series finale of ABC's Dinosaurs sitcom. Ice Age 5 is already in the works, so perhaps they'll just aim to run the series into the ground with increasingly technologically impressive and thematically empty films in the future. This 2D Blu-ray looks and sounds practically perfect. The extras aren't particularly impressive, but are informative enough, I suppose.
* Note: The images on this page are not representative of the Blu-ray image quality.
Review by Gabriel Powers
Banjo Member Join Date: November 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 2
What? No mention of the sign-along mode?
Gabe Powers Editor Join Date: September 2004 Location: United States Posts: 4,721
Yes. Under extras.
titanius719 Member Join Date: September 2012 Location: United States Posts: 5
Your review was great! My supervisor at DISH mentioned that the new ICE AGE film was out and I wanted to see if it was worth my time. If this is just the same as last three like you said, then I am going to sit this one out and let the kids have at it. I mean of I'll be watching the parts with Scart. But for me the appeal of them toying with history went away about half way thought the third film. I know my kids are going to love it though. Since money doesn't stretch as far as it used to, I had to stop taking them to the theaters. But now that we use Blockbuster @Home from DISH, which has over 100,000 different selections, the kids are happier then they have ever been for less than price of one ticket a month.
Some material may not be suitable for children
Disc Details
Release Date: 11th December 2012
Discs: 2
Disc Type: Blu-ray Disc
RCE: No
Video: 1080p
Aspect: 2.40:1
Anamorphic: No
Colour: Yes
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 English, DVS 2.0 English, Dolby Digital 5.1 French, Spanish
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Extras: Party with a Pirate! Mode, Ice Age: The Story So Far, Voices Ahoy!, Capturing the Crew, Granny and the Stink of the Sloths, Whale of a Tale, Scrat Got Your Tongue?, Music Videos, Sing-Alongs, Pirate Picasso App, DVD Copy, Digital Copy
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Steve Martino, Mike Thurmeier
Cast: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Wanda Sykes, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Lopez, Aziz Ansari, Peter Dinklage
Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation and Comedy
Length: 88 minutes
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Milford Post 59 assistant coach Brendan Winn remembers sharing a bus ride with Rhode Island state champion Warwick to the Northeast Regional tournament in 2001 when it was held in Bristol, Conn.
Winn was a player on Milford's Massachusetts state champion team 13 years ago.
A few days later, Winn and Milford faced the team it rode down with and went on to defeat Warwick to claim the Northeast Regional title.
On Wednesday morning, Milford is sharing a bus with this year's Rhode Island state champion, Pawtucket, to the Northeast Regional in Middletown, Conn. On Thursday morning at 9:30, Post 59 opens the tournament against none other than Pawtucket.
"This is unique to be playing this team in Game One," said Winn. "We're going to be in close quarters with the enemy."
After claiming its second straight state title by capturing the Final Eight tournament at home on Saturday, Milford (25-9) is now aiming for another regional championship.
Last summer, Post 59 closed the season by winning the Intrastate Tournament in a modified postseason format that lasted just one year.
"This is the old way back again," said Steve DiVitto, Milford's first-year manager. "I felt last year's team was well deserving. We don't make the rules."
Post 59 won the 11th state title in the program's 85-year history with a 4-2 victory over Newburyport Saturday at Fino Field.
"I couldn't be happier and more proud of this team," said DiVitto. "This is a resilient group of kids. They were 0-3 and 7-7, but they came to the ballpark ready to play every time. That served them well. Their attitude every single day and level mindset helped them turn the season around.
"This is a good group that supports each other and wants to see each other succeed. It paid off when they hoisted the (state championship) trophy."
Post 59 received some outstanding performances in the Final Eight tournament.
Matt Decina had 14 hits from the leadoff spot in the lineup. Ace pitcher Dan Avery started two games and won both, the opener against Lowell and then the state championship against Newburyport. David Sampson earned a pair of three-inning saves, both against Newburyport. And Dan Mantoni had three hits in the state championship game and won the second game pitching against Greenfield.
DiVitto is counting on more production on the mound and at the plate.
"Coach Winn has a friend from that area who has seen (Pawtucket) play so we have a decent idea what we're running into," said DiVitto. "Every team now is a state champion and well deserving. I can't worry about the other team. I'm only concerned about us being the best we can be and giving it our best."
The other teams competing for the Northeast Regional title are Vermont's Essex, New Hampshire's Dover, Maine's Bangor, and three from Connecticut including state champion Cheshire, host Cromwell, and Rocky Hill. The championship game in the double-elimination tournament is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 11, at William Pomfret Stadium.
"The guys are excited to represent the uniform, the zone (District 4), and the state as well," said DiVitto. "We're very excited to get back out on the field. We'll approach this the same way we have all season. It will be baseball on a beautiful diamond down there."
The Northeast Regional champion advances to the American Legion World Series Aug. 14-19 in Shelby, North Carolina, where the national champion will be crowned.
Winn made the all-tournament national team as a second baseman when the American Legion World Series was held in Yakima, Washington, in 2001 and Post 59 finished fifth.
"I can tell you it's a lot easier to play and less stressful than getting the team ready to play as a coach," said Winn. "But I'm excited for the kids to have this experience. They roll out the red carpet for you. We're now down to 54 teams in the country. It's a tribute to this town and the program to be one of them. It's a great feeling.
"I told them this is something they'll remember for the rest of their lives. They need to enjoy this experience. … I'm very happy and excited for these kids. They played hard and carried themselves the right way. They're being rewarded for it. This is a lot of fun."
Rick Rendell can be reached at 508-626-3987 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Portions of the tapes, recorded from 1998 to 2000 by author Doug Wead without Bush's knowledge, were aired on ABC News on Sunday and published by The New York Times. Their authenticity was verified by the media outlets but has not been independently checked by Reuters.
"I wouldn't answer the marijuana question. You know why? Because I don't want some little kid doing what I tried," Bush purportedly says on the tape.
He added: "But you got to understand, I want to be president. I want to lead. I want to set -- Do you want your little kid say, 'Hey, Daddy, President Bush tried marijuana, I think I will?'"
In the tape, Bush mocks former Vice President Al Gore -- who fought him for the presidency in 2000 -- for admitting he smoked marijuana.
White House officials did not dispute the tapes' veracity and indicated the president was disappointed by their release.
"These were casual conversations that then Gov. Bush was having with someone he thought was a friend, and that's what they are," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters travelling with Bush to Europe aboard Air Force One.
McClellan said Bush, who was governor of Texas when the tapes were made, was not aware he was being recorded and the White House found out only when contacted by the New York Times for comment.
"Look, I think that, one, the comments in the tapes speak for themselves. And two, I think that what I just said pretty much speaks for itself," McClellan said when pressed about the details.
"Those were issues that were addressed ad nauseam four years ago and they were conversations that took place more than four years ago," he said, adding that Bush had not been in contact with Wead for several years.
Wead, a former aide to Bush's father President George H.W. Bush, released portions of the tapes to coincide with the publication of his new book and told ABC he made the tapes because he believed the president was an historic figure.
"If I'd had a chance to tape record Gandhi or had conversations with Churchill, I probably would have recorded them too," he said.
He also insisted his goal was not to hurt the president's credibility and said if this were the case he would have released the tapes during the 2004 election campaign.
Asked about the tapes in an interview with CNN, the president's father said he was not aware of them and declined comment.
Sitting next to Bush was ex-President Bill Clinton, who admitted to smoking marijuana when he campaigned for the White House but said he never inhaled the illegal drug.
The two former presidents are touring areas affected by the Dec. 26 Indian Ocean tsunami.


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Elegant Lady #778 is built on a Prevost H3-45 platform, widely recognized as the finest conversion coach in the industry, and like all Liberty models, boasts the most advanced features and equipment available today.
Coach Highlights
- Volvo D13 Engine, Allison 6 Speed Transmission
- Moritz Octoplex electrical architecture
- Crestron C3 processor with Liberty Coach enhanced Crosspoint
- iPad Air interface control
- Living Room Sofa Convertible to Queen Size Bed
- Strut Launchport inductive iPad charging stations
- 32" Bedroom TV
- 60" LED Outside E-Center TV
- Exclusive KEF Speaker packages for all audio 110 volt audio
- Cutting Edge Lithium Ion Battery Technology
- Full HDMI Audio/Video utilizing HDBase-T 2-way communication
- Complete interior and exterior LED lighting package
- 4 Roof A/C systems
- Heated Flooring with 4 Zones
- Tankless Water Heater for Shower for unlimited hot water
- Approximately 32,000 miles
Below is the photo gallery we've assembled for Elegant Lady #778. To enlarge any photo, simply click on the thumbnail.
For the moment there is no video.
Our Pre-Owned Promise: A Better Than New Value
At Liberty Coach, we take great pride in building the world's finest luxury motorhomes and keeping each one in world-class condition as long as it's on the road. For the pre-owned coach buyer, that means getting a coach that has been maintained to the highest quality standards throughout its lifetime – and will continue to be for as long as you own it. That's a guarantee no other Prevost convertor can make. And your assurance that we'll do everything in our power to earn your satisfaction, year in and year out.
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AA Value, Class A Price
Customization Available
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Presenting special values from our current inventory of late model luxury motorhomes. If you don't see exactly what you're looking for, be sure to check out our complete inventory of pre-owned Liberty Coaches.
Gorgeous Bedroom Superslide layout with recent galley upgrades, 54K miles FIND OUT MORE »
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oversize kitchen and 108K miles FIND OUT MORE »
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"We're the kind of people who like to buy things new, not used. This coach made us rethink that. It's just amazing."
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Whether it's pricing or details about a specific coach, or a general question about pre-owned coaches from Liberty, we're eager to help. Complete and submit the form and one of our team members will get back to your shortly.
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Dr. Hans-Christoph Hirt, Co-Head of Hermes EOS
In the light of the emissions scandal, which broke in September 2015, and the lack of information until today who bears responsibility for it, Hermes EOS will recommend its clients to vote against the discharge of both the management and the supervisory board at Volkswagen's annual general meeting on 22 June 2016. In addition, we have initiated a request for a special audit to investigate their acts and potential breaches of duty.
In contrast to the litigation that has been brought against Volkswagen to date by a number of shareholders, the proposed special audit will focus on underlying corporate governance issues, not least the influence of the principal shareholders, the composition and effectiveness of the supervisory board and the corporate culture, as well as potential liability of the members of the management and supervisory boards.
Our initiative for a special audit follows a decade of Hermes EOS' engagement with Volkswagen.
Main concerns about the alleged acts and potential omissions of Volkswagen's management and supervisory boards in relation to the emissions scandal:
1. Management board's failure to ensure compliance with laws and regulations and to implement an effective monitoring system: We believe the management board has failed to ensure compliance with laws and regulations, as required under section 76 I German Stock Corporation Act, and failed to put in place an effective monitoring system that meets the requirements of section 91 II of the German Stock Corporation Act. Moreover, in our view, there are significant concerns about the escalation processes.
2. Supervisory board composition: We believe that Volkswagen's supervisory board lacks a sufficient level of independent members. In our view, this may have contributed to the apparent deficiencies in its monitoring of the management board. We also believe that the company's declaration regarding the German Corporate Governance Code is wrong with regard to the supervisory board's level of independence.
3. Supervisory board's monitoring of management board: We believe there have been deficiencies in the supervisory board's monitoring of the management board in breach of section 111 I German Stock Corporation Act.
4. Management board remuneration: We believe the remuneration Volkswagen paid to management board members for the financial year 2015 breaches the statutory framework set out in section 87 of the German Stock Corporation Act.
5. Capital market communication: We believe Volkswagen was late in informing the market about the emissions scandal, thus breaching section 15 of the German Securities Trading Act.
For full details of our counterproposal and the request for a special audit, please refer to the website of Volkswagen AG.
Background: Vote on discharge and special audit in the German Stock Corporation Act
In Germany, shareholders have the opportunity to vote on the so-called discharge of the management and supervisory boards for the last financial year at annual meetings. This is generally regarded as approval of the actions of boards but has no legal implications. By voting against the discharge, shareholders can formally express concerns and a lack of confidence in the boards.
Furthermore, by presenting a counterproposal on the discharge, encouraging other shareholders to oppose the discharge, a shareholder can also request a special audit to investigate the acts and potential breaches of duty by the supervisory and management boards in the last financial year.
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