text:
During the
networking event "Better CSR advice for SMEs" triple innova chaired the
introduction to the session "CSR Reporting and GRI for SME". The event held on 12th
and 13th June 2012 in Berlin was part of the European Commission's project "Networking for better Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) advice to Small
and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs)".
triple innova attended the international workshop "Practical Aspects of Social Life Cycle Assessment" in Berlin on 25th May, contributing to the subject "Social Hot Spot Analysis. Prioritising social problems along the entire value chain in order to foster sustainable product innovation" and participating in the panel discussion.
triple innova will make a contribution to the BioFach congress, which is part
of the Biofach trade fair 2012 from 15th - 18th February 2012 in Nürnberg.
triple innova supports Switzerland's leading construction
and construction services company Implenia AG in the development of its corporate
sustainability strategy. In 2011 the focus was on the application of the Global
Reporting Initiative (GRI) Guidelines for sustainability reporting and as a
result the first Implenia sustainability report will be published in mid 2012.
In November 2011 triple
innova, in its role as an Organizational Stakeholder of the Global Reporting
Initiative (GRI), participated in a GRI G4 Consultation Workshop in Frankfurt.
During the Public Comment Period of the G4 Guidelines, GRI asked their German
stakeholders to provide feedback.
In 2011 triple innova again supported NORDENIA INTERNATIONAL AG in further
developing its activities relating to sustainability management and reporting.
NORDENIA is an internationally leading company in the production and processing
of flexible packing, technical films and product components. triple innova has
been working with NORDENIA since 2009.
triple innova,
a certified training partner of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), offers certified workshops on
sustainability reporting. Four two-day training sessions took place in January,
April, September and December 2011 in Wuppertal. Further workshops will be
offered in 2012.
In 2011 triple innova once again carried out research within the EU project Observatory Nano on
the risks and opportunities facing nanotechnologies, and further developed
business tools to encourage companies to use nanotechnologies responsibly.
What changes if women hold top positions in organisations
in the environmental and technological fields? Do they deal differently with the
development and use of technologies, do they change the organisations, do they
change the environmental performance?
What changes if women are in top positions of organizations in environmental and technological fields? Do they deal differently with development and use of technologies, do they change the organizations, do they change the environmental performance?
In 2011 triple innova worked on an on-going
research project, led by the Wuppertal Institute, on product evaluation related to environmental
issues for a multi-national food supplier.
Once again in
2011, triple innova calculated C&A Europe's Carbon Footprint and supported C&A in
communicating this information for the next C&A sustainability report .
triple innova co-operated with a retail company in 2011 in order to strengthen
the involvement of its suppliers in the area of sustainability. triple innova devised
and tested a questionnaire that records the suppliers' performance in relation
to ecological and social issues in the production of consumer goods. The
activities aim to improve the transfer of information and to achieve synergies
for enhancing sustainable development through interaction and co-operation.


text:
Defining Library Value Webcast Available on YouTube
ARL has now added the LibValue: Comprehensive Approaches to Defining Library Value Webcast to the Lib-Value Webcast Series, 2013! It is available on their YouTube channel under LibValue Webcast Series, 2013. For more information on the series, check out this press release. Registration is still open for upcoming sessions - Thursday, June 13 for the webcast, LibValue: Success in Teaching and Research, with Dr. Rachel Fleming-May and Dr. Carol Tenopir!
Monday, May 20, 2013

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Monday, May 30, 2011
Straight Line Quilting
After I got the quilt top made I used my living room floor to sandwich it together. I like to use the pad under the carpet to secure my safety pins in to hold the quilt backing in place and then I pin the quilt about every 4 to 5 inches.....
Before I started quilting, I was trimming loose threads and accidentally cut into the quilt top. I had to patch the hole before I could start quilting............
This picture shows that I almost have those 143 rows of straight line quilting completed! I started in the middle and used a seam as my guideline and from that point on I moved the quilt to the left and used the edge of the sewing foot as my guide. This made my rows be approximately 1/4" apart.
It was not easy to keep it all in line, so there are some rows that are very close together for when I had to get myself back on track............
Here's the back of the quilt showing the pretty pinkness and the fabric scraps I used for the binding. I cut the binding 2.5 inches wide, ironed it in half and sewed it raw edge to raw edge on the back side first and used the blanket stitch to secure it to the front.
Here's how the quilt looks after putting it through the washer and dryer. I love how the tiny rows all puckered up....
Here's how my patched hole turned out. Hopefully it won't be as noticeable to others as it is to me!
All folded and looking pretty......
Folded the opposite way to show the bright pink backing and the striped binding.....
Again, next time I do a quilt with a lot of white in the quilt top I will use a thicker fabric to avoid the seams "popping" through the top! I'm not liking these showing at all. I trimmed threads before I sandwiched it together but I still ended up with some loose threads showing through the quilt top too. Lesson learned the hard way!
Scroll down to see who all I have linked up to this week.....
27 comments:
This is just beautiful! The straight lines I'm sure were a long process, but the end effect is absolutely stunning!ReplyDelete
Oh wow! What a fabulous quilt! So many of those straight lines! Well done for getting through them all!ReplyDelete
Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a great week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
What a great quilt! Love the bright fabrics and striped binding! And the straight line quilting looks fantastic!ReplyDelete
I saw this over at Creative Itch. I LOVE IT!!! Straight line quilting is my favorite, but yes, it can be very frustrating. You did a beautiful job on this!!!ReplyDelete
What a beautiful quilt! I love the fabrics you used and I love the look of the straight line quilting. I'm sure the baby (and mommy!) who receive this quilt will LOVE it!ReplyDelete
Saw you at Making the World Cuter (I think ;)!
I love this straight line stitching. Very good job! Love, love!ReplyDelete
Wonderful! I love all those fabrics, they're so bright and cheerful!ReplyDelete
looks awesome! are you able to quilt without a walking foot? impressive!ReplyDelete
Lovely job... You have inspired me to go ahead and give straight lines a chance on my daughters quilt. Visiting from Sugar Bee's Take a Look Tuesday.ReplyDelete
{Accuquilt Giveaway}
that looks wonderful!! I love the quilting!ReplyDelete
Gorgeous! The lines are perfectly straight, I LOVE it.ReplyDelete
Really lovely! Love love love the colours! You must have died when you cut a wee hole in it. I have done that before! Your straight lines are so... well... straight! Excellent!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 1, 2011 at 10:54 AM
This quilt is beautiful. It really is. What a great idea to quilt the long straight rows. It looks absolutley beautiful.ReplyDelete
WOW! This is beautiful! I am amazed that you finished over a weekend! Thanks for sharing!ReplyDelete
Fantastic job! I can only imagine how dizzying this must have gotten after a while!ReplyDelete
is a beautiful work ... I love the quiltingReplyDelete
Hi Oxford! I'm visiting from {Yesterday On Tuesday} I saw your link up there! I LOVE this quilt you've made it's amazing! Thank you for sharing! You can find me here: http://onestopbabygifts.blogspot.comReplyDelete
Hope you have a great day!!
Whoa! You are patient and the straight lines look really nice on this quilt.ReplyDelete
Such a beautiful quilt. You did a great job on the quilting.ReplyDelete
Beautiful. This coming fall I have decided my first quilt needs to be made. Thank you for the beautiful inspiration! Love it.ReplyDelete
Your quilt turned out beautiful! Thanks so much for posting this, while I've made a lot of patchwork toppers I'm about to "quilt" my first piece and I was lost. I think I'll use this straight line technique:@)ReplyDelete
The quilt is beautiful despite the mistakes and the wrong fabric. I love the bright colors you used. I will have to try this tecnique of straight line quilting some time. Thank you for sharing.ReplyDelete
Love your blog!! I am definitely going to be your new follower :) I would love it if you followed me to @ for-the-luv-of.blogspot.com that would be great :) I am just starting out, but I am excited to share new recipes, crafts, and makeup.. And Giving away giveaways on mineral make-up!ReplyDelete
Great quilt. I'm your newest follower.ReplyDelete
x Marnie
Amazing how you have done all of those perfectly straight lines!!! Looks great!!!ReplyDelete
Your quilt is lovely! I love the simplicity of straight line quilting. Is it difficult to pin baste on carpeting?ReplyDelete
Oh what a beautiful quilt. I love the look straight line quilting. The fabrics you used are so pretty. This is going to be a well loved quilt.ReplyDelete


text:
The second emergency situation that has embraced the use of social media is Next Generation 911 (NG911). This week the FCC announced an initiative to advance the 911 emergency calling services to include texting, data, photos and video. The objective is to enable younger people to use the means of communication that they find most effective and to improve the content of the information sent to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). Given the sometimes graphic nature of the calls we hear replayed as news, I can only imagine what kinds of photos and videos will be sent to the PSAPs. Usage guidelines are to be developed to manage the information. However, many will use the current Freedom of Information Act to attain some of the more gruesome or salacious material. Ultimately, this will be an issue decided in the courts. Because if they gain access to it, we know they will figure out a way to distribute it. The FCC clearly sees this potential problem and includes the requirement to develop a NG911 governance framework as noted in the press release issued by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.
It is ironic that as one country examines how to put restrictions on using IP communications during an emergency, another seeks to unleash it.
See you on Monday!


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Genes that confer resistance to most major classes of herbicides have been identified by academic and industry research teams, and are being introduced incrementally into major field crops, and especially corn, soybeans and cotton. A few notable, newly developed products are discussed below.
The glufosinate (brand name Liberty) resistance trait is already prevalent and expanding in Liberty Link cotton and soybeans. The EPA approved the Liberty 280 SL herbicide label allowing post-emergent use on genetically engineered, herbicide resistant (GE-HR) crops in April 2016.
But the major, new GE-HR traits expected to dramatically alter the herbicide market in the next five to 10 years are resistance to dicamba and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D).
Both 2,4-D and dicamba have been widely used for years, as shown in Figure 3B.1 below. Both are relatively high-risk herbicides just recently approved for post-emergence applications on GE-HR crops. These two herbicides will account for most of the growth in overall corn and soybean herbicide use in the next decade, as clear in the trend tables that follow later in this section.
The EPA approved a registration limited to corn and soybeans in six states for Enlist Duo in 2014, a Dow AgroSciences herbicide containing the choline salt of 2,4-D (24.4% of the formulated product), glyphosate (22.1%), and various unnamed adjuvants and surfactants (53.5%). The original Enlist Duo label was stamped "Approved" by EPA on March 31, 2015. An updated, amended label was approved by EPA on January 12, 2017 that authorizes applications in 25 additional states.
Three post-emergence labels for dicamba have now been granted. The Monsanto dicamba formulation, called XtendiMax, contains the diglycolamine (DGA) salt of dicamba. The XtendiMax label was approved by EPA on November 9, 2016. A similar herbicide, FeXapan, is manufactured by DuPont and won EPA approval on July 23, 2015.
BASF has registered Engenia, the N,N-bis-(3-aminopropyl) methylamine (BAPMA) salt formulation of dicamba. The Engenia supplemental label was approved by EPA on December 20, 2016. This BASF herbicide likely has the most effective combination of technologies designed to reduce dicamba volatilization and drift, and hence off-target crop damage.
The dicamba resistance trait was developed by the University of Nebraska in 2005. At that time, Monsanto was still downplaying the potential for glyphosate-resistant weeds to pose significant or new weed management challenges (Dill, 2005).
The company now projects that dicamba-resistant soybean seed sales in the US will account for about two-thirds of national soybean acreage by 2020. This market has been created by the need to manage glyphosate-resistant weeds.
Remarkably, Brett Begemann, Monsanto's President and COO, announced in a 2016 "Whistle Stop Tour" presentation to investors that the company would eventually convert its global, ~350 million acre GE-HR Roundup Ready platform to Roundup Ready Xtend (i.e., dual glyphosate- and dicamba-HR varieties).
He projected that dicamba would soon become the world's second largest selling herbicide, behind glyphosate.
History of Next-Gen Crops
Next-generation GE, herbicide-resistant crops have been engineered to withstand post-emergence, over-the-crop applications of various combinations of glyphosate, 2,4-D, dicamba, and glufosinate.
Glyphosate, aka Roundup, is the most heavily applied pesticide in history both in the U.S. and globally, and came on the market in 1974. The critical commercial and regulatory decisions required to usher in modern-day GE, "Roundup Ready" crops were reached in the 1980s and 1990s, well before the first GE-RR crop was planted in 1996.
Despite explosive growth in glyphosate use since 1996, there have been no important changes in in 20 years in EPA-set human exposure thresholds, or in the depth and quality of the studies supporting glyphosate uses.
The phenoxy herbicides 2,4-D and dicamba were introduced as commercial herbicides even earlier – in the mid-1940s. Their use rose for over 30 years into the early 1980s, but problems caused by drift and damage to non-target plants, trees, and vines led to efforts to curtail use. Overall use trended downward for many years, but now is rising fast because of the spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds. The key regulatory thresholds governing human exposures to these herbicides in 2017 were also set by EPA decades ago.
Glufosinate herbicides came on the market in the early 1990s, and have a markedly newer toxicological database. Use of glufosinate is increasing now, since it still controls many weeds resistant to glyphosate and other herbicides.
For a detailed look at the history of herbicide use on GE crops, see the cutting-edge Herbicide Timelines we are developing.
Impacts of Next-Gen GE-HR Crops on Herbicide Use
It is possible to project with reasonable accuracy the impact of new 2,4-D and dicamba HR crops on herbicide use because of a unique feature of the market for GE-HR technology.
Adoption and use in 2017, or any future year, will not be driven by demand from farmers, but instead is dictated by the companies via decisions they made in 2016.
The GE-HR traits in corn and soybean seed sold in 2017 reflect decisions made by the companies in 2016 regarding the volumes of different seed varieties they would grow and offer for sale in 2017.
Farmers cannot request that a GE trait be removed from a bag of seed before taking delivery.
Only a small percentage of commercial corn and soybean seed lacks any GE-HR traits, and this supply is quickly exhausted in many regions, especially for new varieties containing other desirable traits, like enhanced resistant to fungal pathogens.
Several months in advance of the fall-winter seed sale season, companies publicly announce the percentage of their commercial corn and soybean seed that will contain various combinations of new and old traits. Since farmers pay a significant premium for each GE-HR trait (usually $7.00 to $15.00 per trait per acre of seed), most farmers choose to take advantage of the traits they pay for, even if they would prefer to purchase seed with fewer, or no GE-HR traits.
In addition to announcing the percentage of the corn and soybean seed supply that will contain various GE-HR traits, the companies also provide detailed documentation to the USDA and EPA regarding the average rates of herbicide application they expect farmers to apply, as well as how many applications are likely to be made in a growing season.
With these key parameters, it is easy to estimate "rates per crop year" (average one-time rate of application multiplied by the average number of applications). Plus, herbicide product labels also specify maximum, allowed annual application rates, which sets an upper limit on legal applications per acre.
Herbicide Use on Dicamba and 2,4-D Resistant Crops
Farmers planting dicamba-resistant soybeans can apply up to 2.0 pounds of dicamba active ingredient (a.i.) in a crop year via four applications, each containing up to 0.5 pound of a.i. (see the labels cited above).
If an average 1.25 pound/acre of dicamba is applied, dicamba use on soybeans would rise from ~180,000 pounds a.i. in 2015 to ~69 million in 2020, as shown in Table 3B.1 below.
On corn and soybeans engineered to resist applications of 2,4-D, farmers will be allowed to apply up to 1.9 (corn) and 2.85 (soybeans) pounds of a.i. per acre respectively, as this EnList Duo label shows.
In corn, Dow AgroSciences projects that ~40 million acres will be planted to 2,4-D HR seeds in 2020, and these acres will be treated with 1.16 pounds of 2,4-D active ingredient (a.i.) over the crop year (see Table 3B.2). Use of 2,4-D on corn would rise from ~3 million pounds a.i. in 2011 to ~21 million 2017, and to ~50 million by 2020.
Soybean producers will plant an estimated 15 million acres of 2,4-D HR soybeans in 2017 and 38 million in 2020, based on Dow AgroSciences projections (Table 3B.3). The company projects that these acres will be sprayed with an average of 1.35 pounds a.i./acre, increasing 2,4-D use on soybeans from 5.4 million pounds a.i. in 2011 to ~25 in 2017, and ~55 million in 2020.


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In 1976, Howard Finster was sixty years of age and had lived a full, hard, life. He had worked as a plumber, a grocer, a carpenter, a bicycle repairman, and as a traveling preacher in Georgia and Alabama. He had no inkling of his impending calling to create art, so late in his life. As he was repairing an old bicycle one day, touching up some of its scratches by applying small amount of white tractor paint here and there there with his finger, he had a vision.
He suddenly felt a divine sense of calm, and a human face appeared in the paint dripping from his finger. A voice said to him, "Paint sacred art"(Turner, p. 72).
"Lord, I can't paint. I don't have no education in that," he replied (Ibid.). But Finster obeyed the voice and promptly took a dollar from his billfold and tacked it to a piece of plywood nearby. Using this as a model, he created his first "sacred painting:" George Washington, one of his childhood heroes.
This would be the first of thousands of sacred paintings that Howard Finster has created in the twenty years since. The story of this first painting contains within it hints of the essential problems which must be addressed in exploring Finster's work --- namely, the meaning of the term "sacred" as he understands it in the context of his work, and the role of commerce in the creation of Finster's brand of visionary art.
|Continue: Angels and Elvis: Mixed Iconography and the Meaning of "Sacred."
|Back to the beginning of Howard Finster: Man of Visions


text:
- Description
- Installation Instructions
- Shipping
- Returns
Walk through an enchanting bamboo forest with this stunning door mural. Put this door mural in any space for some attention-grabbing flare. Our door murals come in two sizes to accommodate any residential or commercial option.
- 3.4 mil flexible white opaque vinyl offers high opacity.
- A protective coating (lamination) is applied to all our door murals to protect the graphic from scratches and fading overtime.
- Can be wiped with a damp cloth.
- Provide good resistance to scuffing, tearing and abrasion.
- Removable pressure-sensitive acrylic adhesive bonds well to painted metal and painted plastic.
- Our door murals are cleanly removable for up to one year from most smooth surfaces (paint flecking may occur).
Recommendations: This product is designed for use on smooth, flat surfaces and should not be applied over corrugations or rivets. Prior to application, the surface(s) must be clean and dry.
Eazywallz offers FREE SHIPPING everywhere in Canada and the 48 Contiguous United States with Fedex. Please allow 5 business days for processing and printing your order. Once your order ships, an automated email will be sent to you along with a tracking Number. Fedex will have your package delivered within approximately 5 business days depending on your location. From the time the order is placed you should expect delivery within approximately 10 business days.
For rush orders, we also offer an Expedited service. For an additional $50 USD, your item will be rush processed, printed shipped. From the time the order is placed you should expect delivery within approximately 5 business days.
Ground Shipping
We use Fedex Ground for all orders sent across North America (Canada and 48 contiguous United States). This is our FREE shipping option.
From the time the order is placed you should expect delivery within approximately 10 business days.
North East Coast ... 1-3 business days
South East Coast and Midwest ... 3-4 business days
West Coast ... 4-5 business days
Expedited Shipping
We use Fedex Express for any rush order. For an additional $50 USD fee, your order will be delivered with 1-3 business days excluding printing time.
From the time the order is placed you should expect delivery within approximately 5 business days.
North East Coast ... 1-2 business days
South East Coast and Midwest ... 1-2 business days
West Coast ... 1-2 business days
International Shipping
We offer worldwide shipping and will ship to all locations served by FedEx International Shipping. Our international cost is a $75 USD flat rate per order.
Each mural is handled with extra care and packaged by hand. Rolled in bubble wrap and packaged in our sturdy cardboard tubes, we do our best to ensure your mural arrives in perfect condition!
All our wall murals and removable wallpapers are printed on-demand.
We want you to be fully satisfied with your purchase! Therefore if you are unhappy with your order, we will work with you to resolve any issue you may have had and ensure you are 💯% happy with your wall mural(s). 😃
Note that since all items are printed on-demand and to your specifications, Eazywallz Inc. does not offer refunds, exchange or returns on any of its products, except for: incorrect, damaged and defective items, within 30 days of the date of receipt.
If you wish to return your incorrect, damaged or defective item for an exchange, please contact our customer service by calling 1.877.631.3299 ext#102 or by email at email@example.com for a return authorization. Items must be returned in unused and intact condition in the original shipping package.


text:
| WMU News
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Two human resource consultants will co-present about generational differences in the workplace at the upcoming Mercantile Bank of Michigan Breakfast Speaker Series hosted by the Haworth College of Business at Western Michigan University.
Kevin Brozovich, founder and chief people officer, and Jacob Bradley, people advisor, both of HRM Innovations, will speak at 8 a.m. Friday, Nov. 17, in 2150 Schneider Hall.
The event is free and open to the public and begins with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (269) 387-6059 or at wmich.edu/business/mercantile-rsvp. Free parking is available at Fetzer Center Lot 72F.
HRM Innovations
HRM Innovations is a Kalamazoo-based human resources consulting, training and recruiting firm that specializes in helping organizations. HRM develops great workplaces by creating HR systems that lead to dynamic cultural change. The company's goal is the transform businesses, no matter the size, from being a place to work into being the place to work.
Brozovich and Bradley
Brozovich helps his clients create work environments that are great places to work for all types of individuals. He has been working the field of human resources for 28 years. Brozovich has a bachelor's degree in human resources and business management and has been SPHR certified since 2000.
Bradley has several years of human resource experience. He has a bachelor's degree in behavior analysis and a master's degree in industrial/organizational psychology. He is currently working toward his Ph.D. in psychology with a focus on industrial/organizational behavior management at WMU.
The Haworth College of Business
WMU's Haworth College of Business, one of the largest schools of business in the United States, is the academic home to more than 3,500 undergraduate students majoring in 18 specialized areas of business. An additional 500 graduate students study business administration and accountancy.
The Haworth College of Business is among an elite group of fewer than 5 percent of business schools worldwide that are accredited at both the undergraduate and graduate levels by the AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. It is among a select 1 percent of business schools worldwide that have additional specialized AACSB accreditation for their accountancy programs.
Upcoming presentations
- Jan. 26, Peter Gistelinck, president and CEO, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
- Feb. 23, Tim Lester, head coach, WMU Football
For more news, arts and events, visit wmich.edu/news.


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Monday - Thursday 8am to 5pm EST, Fridays 8am to 3pm EST.
Or use LIVE CHAT
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
With over 1,000,000 hooks in stock, it is easy to find the pegboard or slatwall hook that will work for your needs. Choose from a variety of styles and sizes of our special lexan plastic hooks or our all-wire galvanized metal hooks. These hooks are made ready to order and work very well with Azar's extensive line of pegboard displays. Choose from Pegboard, Slatwall, Drywall, Gridwall, Mini Slatwall, Ceiling or Window hooks.
Copyright 2019 Azar Displays. All Rights Reserved. All prices are in USD. Sitemap


text:
Tonight in our art + issues we will explore the ways we understand and engage with diversity in our community with UTC professors Dr. Bart Weathington, UC Foundation Professor in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and Dr. Brian O'Leary, Department Head and Associate Professor of Psychology. Free to all in the community. This is presented in partnership with The AIGA.
[image - Alma Thomas, Light Blue Nursery, 1968, acrylic, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Artist]


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Yera Allon
|Yera Allon
|Publication information
|DC Comics
|First appearance
|Posing as Shrinking Violet:
Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 2) #287 (March 1982)
True form and identity revealed:
Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 2) #305 (November 1983)
|Created by
|Paul Levitz
Keith Giffen
Pat Broderick
|In-story information
|Alter ego
|Yera Allon
|Place of origin
|Team affiliations
|Legion of Super-Heroes
|Notable aliases
|Shrinking Violet, Chameleon Girl
Yera Allon, also known as Chameleon Girl, is a fictional character, a superheroine and Legion of Super-Heroes member in the DC Universe's 30th and 31st centuries.
Pre-Zero Hour[edit]
In the original pre-Zero Hour continuity, veteran Legionnaire Colossal Boy (Gim Allon) was finally able to act upon his unrequited feelings for his teammate Shrinking Violet when the two apparently became a romantic couple. The relationship developed fairly quickly, and the two were soon married. The pairing was a surprise to almost everyone, as she had been previously linked with Duplicate Boy, a member of the Heroes of Lallor and one of the most powerful beings of the 30th century. When Duplicate Boy learned of the relationship, he tracked the couple down and proceeded to beat Colossal Boy mercilessly until he realized what no one else had yet deduced: the woman involved with Colossal Boy was not Shrinking Violet.[1]
In reality, Shrinking Violet had been kidnapped by radicals from her native planet Imsk. She was replaced in the Legion by Yera, a Durlan actress who used her native shapeshifting abilities to assume Violet's identity and mimic her shrinking powers. However, Yera was an unwitting pawn in the plot, as the radicals had told her that Violet wished to go on a secret vacation.[2] When "Violet" became involved with Colossal Boy, Legion deputy leader Element Lad and Science Police liaison Shvaughn Erin became suspicious, particularly since "Violet" was seemingly cheating on Duplicate Boy without trying to hide it. Along with Brainiac 5 and Chameleon Boy, they were able to expose Yera as an imposter, and rescue the real Violet.[3] However, the passion between Gim and Yera was genuine, and he remained with her despite the initial deception.
Shrinking Violet harbored resentment toward Yera for years, despite the fact that the Durlan had been duped herself. In the "Five Years Later" version of Legion continuity, Violet finally forgave Yera.[4]
Post-Infinite Crisis[edit]
The events of the Infinite Crisis miniseries have apparently restored a close analogue of the Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Legion to continuity, as seen in "The Lightning Saga" story arc in Justice League of America and Justice Society of America, and in the Action Comics story arc "Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes". Yera has joined the Legion and assumed the code name Chameleon Girl.[5]
However, because the events following the "Five Year Gap" have not been reincorporated into current continuity, Chameleon Girl and Shrinking Violet remain at odds with one another.
Legion Lost, volume 2[edit]
As of 2011, Yera is stranded on 21st century Earth (along with teammates Wildfire, Dawnstar, Timber Wolf, Tyroc, Tellus and Gates) on a mission to save the future.[6] Additionally, they discover that they must remain in that time period, after learning that they may have contracted a pathogen that could destroy the 31st century if they return.
- ^ Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 2, #298 (April 1983)
- ^ The real Shrinking Violet was taken captive and Yera was duped into taking her place sometime after Violet's participation in the Legion's successful efforts to protect Nullport from Khundian sabotage efforts in Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 2, #285 (March 1982), yet immediately prior to "Violet" joining the Legion Espionage Squad assembled by Chameleon Boy to spy on Khundia in the following issue.
- ^ Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 2, #304-305 (October–November 1983)
- ^ Legion of Super-Heroes vol. 4, Annual #3 (1992)
- ^ As revealed in Action Comics #861 (March 2008).
- ^ Legion Lost vol. 2, #1 (November 2011)


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→ May 2004 Contents → David Douglas Duncan → Feature
Photo Nomad
The Legend Continues
May 2004
Whenever young photographers have asked me to recommend a good book that will inspire them, I have always told them to go out and buy a copy of Yankee Nomad by David Douglas Duncan. For nearly 40 years this volume, a collection of great photographs and behind-the-scenes stories, has endured as a portrait of a great photojournalist, as well as the events and people that have made up our history of the world spanning over 60 years.
This Easter I found myself sitting across the dinner table from Duncan in his stone house in the South of France, in front of a roaring fire. Today he is 88 years old, but still has the energy and fierce determination of the Marine that he has always been.
What had brought me to Castellaras was the publication of his new book, a handsome 464-page volume that reprises the career he celebrated in "Yankee Nomad." Of course, in the intervening 37 years there have been other adventures, other wars, such as Vietnam, and new friends, such as the great artist, Pablo Picasso. Duncan added these stories and photographs to the new autobiography, which he calls Photo Nomad.
It is a very personal book that blends photographs and text to take the reader through a remarkable life.
To understand David Douglas Duncan, you have to understand that he is a U.S. Marine -- first, last, and always. He photographed American planes strafing the Okinawan jungle from a hollowed-out fuel tank slung under the belly of a P-38 during World War II. He endured the freezing cold sweeping down from Manchuria while accompanying Marines fighting in pitched battles on the hillsides of Korea, and he bunkered-in with Leathernecks as they withstood Communist assaults at the lonely outpost of Khe Sanh in Vietnam. Today, he is still proud to be a Leatherneck Lt. Colonel.
Duncan has never been afraid to take risks. He also has never been afraid to speak his mind, and will throw all his personal energy and resources behind projects he believes in. All royalties and income from his war books was donated to the wives and children of Marines who never made it home.
He was not afraid to challenge Henry Luce, the publisher of LIFE, the magazine for which he worked, when he foresaw that French policy in Indochina in the early 1950s was leading to what would become an American quagmire. Luce's pithy comment to Managing Editor Ed Thompson following that meeting in Rome became legend: "Duncan didn't fire me!"
Fifteen years later, his predications became all too true, as he shared weeks under fire with Marines at Khe Sanh. He was so outraged by what he considered to be a callous waste of young American lives that he published his own small book of photographs of the siege, titled "I Protest!"
As Duncan claims, he is genuinely the oldest living photojournalist who has the perspective of how these events have unfolded over the years and, as a result, has strong convictions about what is now playing out in today's caldrons of violence.
Duncan has always trained his lenses on the faces of human beings. Whether it is the rigid Marine on a frozen hill south of the Yalu River in North Korea -- who replies to Duncan's question, "If I were God, what would you want for Christmas?" with the answer, "Give me Tomorrow" -- or the intense gaze of artist Pablo Picasso, or the radiant beauty of actress Ava Gardner on the set of "The Barefoot Contessa," it has always been people that have fascinated him.
Friendships have always played an enormous role in his life. No matter how famous he became, he never forgot for one moment that he was Dave Duncan from Kansas City.
That openness and concern for all those he met is what opened countless of doors to him around the world. Although he was extremely critical of the Nixon administration in the 1970s, he remained a close friend of the President, whom he first met as a young Naval officer in the South Pacific. Long after Nixon left Washington in disgrace, Duncan continued to visit him at his San Clemente home.
He has always had the curiosity of a child, which is perhaps the greatest gift that a photographer can possess. He always wanted to explore the world and its treasures, and to explain them to the countless thousands who have viewed them in his photographs.
In his search to offset so much of the horror he has witnessed, he has turned to photographing the landscape surrounding his home, most notably the sunflower belt of southern France, for his book, "Sunflowers for Van Gogh."
Today, Duncan is living the kind of life that most of us would wish for ourselves, with his wife of 42 years, Sheila, and his Norwich Terrier, Yo-Yo. He follows the news events in the Mideast assiduously, and bombards the International Herald Tribune and The New York Times with Letters to the Editor. He is sometimes cantankerous. Last year he picked a fight with photographic legend Henri Cartier-Bresson by publishing photographs he had made of the maestro while having ice cream and tea together in Paris. Cartier-Bresson is notorious for protecting the privacy of his image.
In explanation, Duncan wrote, "Fifty years ago, he published "The Decisive Moment." It became THE sacred book for generations of candid photographers who accepted his theory that all subjects, at some fleeting instant, arrive at a point in time-expression-movement-geometrical composition which is IT. Fire! Then search for your next subject.
"Except...for myself -- life is a constantly flowing river of time-expression-passion-promise-tragedy...and a vast array of elements beyond any human anticipation or sense of timing or design, no matter how deft the shutter finger or sensitive the eye. Life remains static for no one.
"This is why I shoot as I do -- waiting, always waiting. For that fleeting touch of magic on the face of life itself...and it will always elude me."
© Dirck Halstead
Back to May 2004 Contents


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Hello , This letter might come to you as a surprise as we have not met before,but I believe that you would be compelled to help me after going through the contents of this letter. My name is Mr.Alfred Aktins, a divorcee, I am a white Zimbabwean of british Origin.I am a farmer,or rather I was a farmer in Zimbabwe.Basically, I was involved in tobacco cultivation,until August 2002, when the government of Robert Mugabe decided to seize all farm-land(s) owned by whites in Zimbabwe (without compensation). He (Robert Mugabe) did not stop at that; he also went on to expel all White farmers in Zimbabwe. He implored the services of his war veterans to undertake this seizure. The war veterans have been accused (correctly) of being behind the violent occupation of white- owned commercial farms in which an estimated 70,000 farm workers have been displaced. At least, eighteen white farmers and fourteen black settlers have been killed since the farm invasions began in February 2000. As at this momemt, most of us have grudgingly gone back to Europe, while some (a few) of us are still in Zimbabwe or other African countries. We have decided that we must see this problem to the end. Although we know that we are taking a great risk by staying here in Zimbabwe.At the moment, our phone lines are bugged, and all our movements are being monitored by ZimbabweÂs (Robert MugabeÂs) secret Police. Therefore email is the safest means of communication for now. We (White farmers in Zimbabwe) have taken our case to the United Nations, and even with the threats of sanctions and the subsequent sanctions from the West against the Zimbabwean Authorities, Robert Mugabe (The President of Zimbabwe) still remains adamant. He is insisting that our farm land (some of which we bought with our money and most of which We inherited from our fathers) belongs to the (his) government of Zimbabwe. Anyway, as soon as I heard the rumour about the possible seizure of Our farm land (s) and Our subsequent expulsion from Zimbabwe, I immediately sold part of my farm land and withdrew all the money I had in Zimbabwean banks (Both savings and current account). Since I could not keep the money in Zimbabwe, I used Diplomatic means to move this money (registered in safes as family valuables) out of Zimbabwe to the UK. At present, my money totalling US$18,750,000. (Eighteen million, seven hundred and fifty thousand United States Dollars) is at Securitas Cash Management Ltd,UK.However, there was a robbery recently at Securitas Cash Management Ltd,UK in February in which about $74 million dollars was carted away. For more information you can check http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/heist23. html Since the robbery incidence,Ihave lost total confidence about the safety of my money hence the need to contact you to help me secure the fund and pay it into an offshore account.Can you help me? Are you trustworthy? Can you handle this money? Are you capable of handling this money? If you can, please contact me .I also intend to discuss investment opportunities in your country after the transaction since It is now obvious to me to think about relocating to a more peaceful area. Finally, If you are ready to strike this "Deal" with me, you will retain 30% of the total amount at the end of the transaction. On receipt of your positive reply with your contact information, I will detail you further. Yours sincerely, Mr Alfred Aktins
What Is This?This Email with the Subject "PLEASE CONTACT ME NOW" was received in one of Scamdex's honeypot email accounts on Thu, 11 May 2006 11:07:12 -0700 and has been classified as a Advance Fee Fraud/419 Scam Email. The sender shows as alfred aktins <email@example.com>, although that address was probably spoofed. We recommend that you do not attempt to contact any persons or organizations referenced in this email, as you may expose yourself to scammers and, at the very least, you will be added to their email address lists for spam purposes.


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Give Lets Go a spin - it's a new offering from The-Dream. It was dropped on Wednesday, December 7th, 2011. The-Dream's rap artistry continues to improve with every release, something which is most definitely evidenced on Lets Go. His ever-expanding catalogue is definitely better for it, and we're looking forward to the next piece of the puzzle - aren't you?
Have you heard The-Dream's ROC? Check out The-Dream's profile page for the most recent info, news, songs, and mixtapes.


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Jim Rogers on bargains and excesses
For anyone interested in investing, I ran across this fascinting interview with Jim Rogers, who early in his career achieved a 4000% return in 10 years. In my opinion, he is one of the sharpest investing minds I have ever read. He has a gift for seeing the 'big picture' and macro trends. Some choice excerpts from the interview:
I continued to buy every share that comes public and I have reinvested all my dividends and sent more money to Botswana. The country has continued to develop - it's one of the most well managed, democratic, solid countries in the world. It's one of the better ones in the world as far as I'm concerned. The stock market has gone up many times. That's one that I've been very, very pleased with.[...]
Well, if you've read everything I have written and broadcast in the last five years including my latest book, which is called Adventure Capitalist, you'd know that I have explained that the bear market in stocks was beginning and the bull market in commodities was beginning. We started a commodities index fund on August 1, 1998, because I felt that a bull market in commodities was beginning and the bear market in stocks was beginning. That index fund is up 95% since then. I think you probably know what's happened to stocks since then.[...]
Just an example, you may remember Japan in 1989 and 1990 when the Japanese average was at 40,000. Well, the Japanese average today is about 9,000, up from 7,000 two months ago. The Japanese mutual fund industry has lost 95% of its assets in that period of time. That's not a typo. They have lost 95% of their assets. That's a bear market. If you have that kind of suffering and pain, that's when the system will be cleaned out and that's when you can have a new bull market in stocks. So I'm shorting the financials. I'm shorting us. I'm shorting you and me. Fanny Mae FNM -- I mean that's one of the names I mentioned; I'm shorting money managers; I'll probably be shorting some of the brokers soon. That's where the excesses are. Citibank (NYSE:C - News) will be a short -- I'm not short it at the moment -- that will be a magnificent short. Those will be the places to be.[...]
The US dollar is a terribly flawed currency. We owe over $7 trillion -- I mean I hate this -- I don't particularly like this at all but as an investor one has to invest with reality, not with what one would like. We are the largest debtor nation the world has ever seen. Our foreign debts exceed the foreign debts of every debtor nation in the world put together. The dollar has started going down but it has a long way to go before it's over. And the official policy of the US Federal Reserve is now to debase the currency. They have announced it. They have put it in their minutes. Every one of the governors has made a speech saying, "Yes, we're going to debase the currency. It is our policy. We are going to drive the value of the dollar down and the price of things up. What more do you need to know? You've got to sell dollars. It's a horribly flawed currency anyway, with unsound underpinnings. The debt is increasing at the rate of over $500 billion a year, and the Central Bank is debasing it -- out of official policy.
I hate it - it has never been good for a country to debase a currency. It has never worked in the long run. It has always been a disaster in the long run. It sometimes has worked short-term. What more do you need to know? You've got to sell dollars. The problem is, of course, that there aren't many sound currencies left in the world anymore. I own 12 or 15 currencies around the world. I look every day for a sound currency.
Everybody's learned to debase their currency, to buy votes, to beggar thy neighbor.
I read Jim Rogers'
I read Jim Rogers' Investment Biker book a few years ago. Very good stuff. He is a big fan of gold-backed money, or at least a Hayekian form of real, commodity based money.
with dollar tanking to 1.25
with dollar tanking to 1.25 to 1 euro. investor are still buying nas and dow, this is a crazy world.
I can only trust Gold now.


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Book Bliss The best 10 reads of 2012
Book Bliss The best 10 reads of 2012
Someone, somewhere declared January as National Book Blitz Month. Whether made up for marketing purposes or for real, this is a great time to get through the stack of books abandoned on your desk or to grab a few more to tear through.
|Most Hyped Book of 2012:
Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James
($30.14 for the trilogy) at Barnes & Noble
Perhaps you had your head in the sand during 2012, or maybe you had better things to do like read every single thing ever posted on Twitter or braid your eyebrows. But if you want to catch up with the biggest publishing phenomenon since Twilight, now's your chance. (Christian Grey isn't the only one aiming to please. Check out Barnes & Noble sales for satisfying savings.)
|Best Illustrative Absurdist Comedy:
How to Tell if Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You, by Matthew Inman
($14.99) at Powell's Books
I'm a big fan of the online comics blog The Oatmeal, otherwise known as Matthew Inman, mostly because he seems to live inside my twisted head. His comics are demented, dark and hysterical, and they do an amazing job of reflecting this odd Internet-driven life we lead. Also: cats. (Pounce on Powell's Books offers for a good deal or two.)
|Best Cookbook of 2012 That's Not Really a Cookbook:
An Everlasting Meal: Cooking With Economy and Grace, by Tamar Adler
($11.85) at Books-A-Million
More a rumination on food and the art of slow cooking, Adler's book elegiacally discusses eating healthfully, cooking from scratch and indulging in delicious so-good-but-so-bad-for-you meals. Although there are some recipes sprinkled throughout, this read is more a meditation on a certain cooking philosophy than a straightforward how-to. (Get 10 percent off orders of $60 or more with Books-A-Million coupons.)
|Best Book Series to Indulge Your Inner Geek:
A Song of Ice and Fire, Books 1–4, by George R. R. Martin
($20.84) at Amazon
Now that Peter Dinklage has made fantasy fiction totally cool again via his Game of Thrones character, Tyrion, everyone wants to read the books that the HBO show takes its tales from. Like a modern-day Lord of the Rings, the epic series is as addicting as it is sprawling. You won't be able to put these down, so forget about sleep or doing anything productive for the next few months. (Shield yourself from bad deals with Amazon promotions.)
| The Best Political Satire Money Can Buy:
America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't, by Stephen Colbert
($20.29) at Target
Faux-conservative politician Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report sends up all the warm and fuzzy nostalgia of America circa 1950 and satirizes the conservative movement in the process. The description promises, "Luckily, America Again will singlebookedly pull this country back from the brink." Also note: It "features everything from chapters, to page numbers, to fonts." Ha! (Target sales: We salute you!)
|Everything You Wanted to Know About Thomas Jefferson but Were Afraid to Ask:
Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, by Jon Meacham
($19.16) at Barnes & Noble
Currently sitting pretty in the number-three spot on the New York Times Best Sellers Hardcover Nonfiction list, this book, written by a Pulitzer Prize–winning author, examines the political genius of Jefferson as well as his moral and character contradictions.
|Sexiest Book About Stats, Ever:
The Signal and the Noise, by Nate Silver
($27.95) at Powell's Books
Nate Silver became every nerd's superhero during the election when he predicted with 100 percent accuracy the outcome of the 2012 race. Defying skeptics, he used his original number-crunching method of statistical analysis to prove that facts win over feeling—every time. His book, which discusses some of these arcane theories in ways we simpletons can understand, quickly shot to the number-two spot on Amazon's best-seller list the day after the election.
|Best Book Turned Into a Movie:
Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell
($8.67) at Walmart
By all accounts, you really do need to read this book in order to get a handle on the sprawling tale told in the 2012 epic movie starring Tom Hanks and Halle Berry. Released in 2004, Mitchell's book received praise for its intricate narrative (there are six sub-stories all interconnected) and earned nominations for the 2004 Man Booker Prize, Nebula Award, Arthur C. Clarke Award and others. If you can make it through the book, you can make it through the movie. (Explore a world of discounts with Walmart sales.)
|Historical Fiction With One of the Highest Awards in the Land:
Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel
($14.33) at Amazon
Mantel is one of the few people to win the prestigious Man Booker Prize twice. This time it's for a sequel to her 2009 book, Wolf Hall. Considered historical fiction, the novel follows the imaginary rendering of the stories of real-life historical figures Anne Boleyn and Thomas Cromwell.
|Best Murder-Mystery Page-Turner:
Gone Girl, by Gillian Flynn
($21.66) at Powell's Books
A small town is turned upside down when a seemingly happy wife goes missing, causing everyone to speculate about whether her husband (the epitome of an unreliable narrator) did the deed. This novel topped all the 2012 best-seller lists this year. Find out why.


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Comment are off
It is a requirement for travel to Botswana and Africa in general that guests are covered for travel, medical and cancellation insurance. We have teamed up with one of the best travel insurance companies – World Nomads. It is quick and easy to buy insurance and you are then covered automatically for the selected period of travel for any country – except your country of residence. We have personally used World Nomads for many years and their service has been excellent. To buy a policy, click on this link.
Feel free to contact us at Liquid Giraffe if you need any more guidance on travel insurance.


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10 Prom braids 2015
Today, many women prefer to create extravagant and unique hairstyles that allow looking at 100%. When it comes to special events, such as prom, for example, many ladies are striving to create a unique image and style. Even very bright dress stylish accessories required and, more importantly, the original hairstyle. Maybe that's why a lot of girls prefer styling with braids that always look attractive and bright.
We should not forget that the spectacular spit – it is half the battle. Surrounding loved elaborate hairstyles, which form complex images. So today we'll talk about the most striking final hairstyles of the season, which is created based on the spit.
Hair tail of the braid
The most attractive and seductive: French braid weaving. It is based on this technology create modern masterpieces of beauty. One of them – its tail braid. Create a fashionable hairstyle to the effect of volume, forming extravagant and vivid image. Fleece allows making the hair more luxuriant, with the result that they look more luxurious. The tail is fixed at the very top, thus creating a high braid.
Braids hair can be a variety of techniques. However, in order to braid look more complicated and unusual, experts recommend the use of sophisticated style of weaving in 4-D, or 5-Th strands. Another cunning trick: during weaving it is important to use a mousse for the hair to create a more attractive hair texture.
However, that all the tricks of creating a fashionable image does not end there. So, to make a pigtail and a fluffy volume, it is important to tighten the fingers on the sides of the hair weave. Result fixes hairspray. Thus, luxury ready-to-tail braid!
Hair braid on the side
Hair braid on the side is by far the most popular of its kind styling. It is often used for prom, because it can create the image of a princess from a fairy tale. However, there are some tricks.
To create a stylish styling, it is important to follow some rules. Before you begin the installation, carefully comb the hair and make the volume fleece on top. Now, divide the hair side parted. Then braid to the side by a classical weave three strands or with the French braid technique! Our pigtail ready, you can secure it with hair and stylish band. To hairstyle look more original, stylists recommend to supplement its rims. If you want to give your hair the elements of femininity, release a few strands of hair and curl them into curls.
photo credit: pinterest.com


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Amazon's Description of SSB on Wii U is a Little Too Helpful
We've known for some time that the Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. would be different from the 3DS version, but Nintendo's been pretty quiet about what changes we'll see. Thankfully, Amazon's spilled at least some of the beans. Looks like we're getting a stage creator utilizing the GamePad, Master and Crazy Hand challenges, and a board game mode.
- Reposted by


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Our Gap Closure Assays provide a simple, convenient format to monitor cell migration with precision and accuracy. Each of these assays provides a consistently defined area across which migratory cells can move. Migration can be monitored in real time by microscopy.
Gap Closure Assays are available in the following formats:


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in having us install a simulated convertible top on your car, please
contact us for more information.
we are now the only greater pittsburgh area licensed and authorized
installer of the webasto glassback® roof for 2005+ mustangs.
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Sunday, April 29, 2012
A Mute System, Mute the Device Not the Music
P. Mauriat Pro Jazz Saxophones by looks but I am sure once I listen to it playing side by side, then I would know the difference. There been few times I would rather hang up because the sound on background was louder and I can't hear my girlfriend's voice clear enough. Now if Cel probably used one of these E-Sax practice mute system, I can imagine how many people, not to mention neighbors would appreciate this. I have to be honest, I did not even know there was such thing but thinking of the benefit it would be to eliminate the loud noise while practicing. So, with E-sax practice mute system in place, you can even practice at night and not to worry about waking up your neighbors or hearing complains or be told to hush it. I do understand that practice makes perfect but sometimes when it is just too loud, I can't blame neighbors to complain. Besides, saxophones are real loud so this item would really be nice to have then you can practice without reserve. I believe the neat part is there are some plugs so you can record or play along with CD. I think this is real neat to have even for professional player. What really got me was to see Cel's video link playing one of Kenny G's music, and what a difference! She really played well. My girlfriend is real proud of Cel, looking back when she helped Cel when Cel feel disappointed during practice. One thing though, Cel turned out to be a great musician. I am happy for her.
A Mute System, Mute the Device Not the Music
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Product Details
- high end
- glass and metal
- hand painted
- contemporary
Product description
Part of the Liang and Eimil range.
Suitable as a side table or as a surprisingly unusual bedside table, Tate ticks all the boxes for contemporary style. The airy hexagonal frame is available in three finishes. A discerning choice for the designer who likes to be different.
Dimensions: H60 x W50 x D44cm
Questions about the Hexagonal Bedside Table in Silver and Mirrored
Do you have a question about this product?
If your question isn't answered below, drop us an email using the form on the left. We'll respond to you personally by email and may also post the answer here to help others.
We're here to help! Fire away.


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The University of Nottingham is set to save at least 25 percent on its £1.5 million to £2 million annual printing costs by centralising the management of its printing estate, under a £9.2 million managed services deal with Xerox.
The five year contract will also allow the University to reduce the amount of paper it prints, which is currently up to 80 million sheets a year, by some 30 to 40 percent.
Computerworld UK spoke to Jim Reed, the University's director of procurement, who explained that by replacing 3,700 devices with 500 multifunction devices (MFDs) and 200 desktop printers, Nottingham's staff will be able to better manage their printing requirements.
"We currently have a whole bunch of devices, copiers and personal printers, all on single contracts, on all the time, firing up huge amounts of ink-jet ink, and consuming lots of power. We are moving to MFDs on a single contract, which are all managed centrally, and all the paper and toner is from a single provider and provided on demand," said Reed.
"With 90 buildings and 7,000 staff, you can imagine the stock piling that has taken place – it's colossal. This contract is all about just-in-time consumables, a reduction in paper, achieving economies of scale and reducing our output."
Reed explained that the University will be able to reduce 10 percent of its paper output simply by deleting printing jobs that people forget to collect, through the use of swipe card technology.
"One of the things that we have identified is that a huge number of people send something to print and then go home or forget that they need it, which means that paper had been left sitting on printers without being picked up," he said.
"There is now a setting on the Xerox machines, where the machine prints a job when a member of staff swipes their identity card. So the machine is now able to recognise if you don't pick up the paper and deletes the job on the system."
He added: "At the moment this is running at 10 percent, which means that 10 percent of the printing that is being sent to the machines is actually being deleted."
The University began removing its legacy machines last week, the start of a project that is likely to last until July/August of this year. However, Reed explained that the 'crux of the complexity' was during the procurement phase, where he carried out a comprehensive audit of the University's print estate.
"The project probably took a year to tender because we spent an awful lot of time checking every last printer. We had software installed on every PC, which measured what was being printed, and we did a foot walk to catch every printer in the University," said Reed.
"We did this monitoring for about three months and we found examples of where printers had been in place for five years and had only printed about 500 sheets over that period, while other printers had done 10,000 sheets in the last year."
He added: "Until you know this detail exactly, it's tricky to dimension the project. We didn't go out to tender until we knew exactly what people were using. This allowed us to collate a huge set of requirements, because we thought if we went to market with a decent check list, we will get a decent answer back. And we have. It made it easier for us to select a supplier."
By managing the entire printing estate centrally, over the University's network, Reed was also able to introduce mobile printing for users and other functionality benefits – something Reed said was key in persuading staff of the migration.
"The University swipe cards mean that a user can now print to an MFD from home, and then can go onto campus, go into any building, swipe their card and pick up their printing before going into a meeting," explained Reed.
"We are starting to do that for mobile devices as well. So, I can print from my Blackberry to a printer and then go and pick it up. I can then scan the document back in, which is instantly emailed to me, and forward it to a supplier."
He added: "So now we have got printing from anywhere on campus to any MFD, from home to any MFD, and from mobile to any MFD. This means when people ask: Why are you taking my printer away? We can say, well you might have to walk twenty feet, but the functionality is so much better."
Reed said that this was the toughest part in achieving success with the project – getting approval from the staff who are used to using a printer on their desks.
He said: "The people aspect has been the hardest. People view a printer as a personal item, as it sits on their desk and they control it. Most people view it as you taking away something that is theirs, but we got around this due to the improvement in functionality.
"This is why a lot of universities are watching us right now, because they couldn't make that part of the project happen. The academics in their institutions said: you are not taking my printer, I'm keeping it."
He added: "The only way to deal with that is a massive communication effort, terrific support from the management, and providing them with a better answer in terms of functionality."
Computerworld UK previously reported how the University of Nottingham boosted its IT security with an analytics service from HP.
HP Security Analytics collects qualitative process information and quantitative data for a business-aligned view of the university's information security. An evidence-based threat and risk analysis enables the university to align its security initiatives in response to business goals and risks.


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This article was originally published by the Fiscal Times on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010 and the Washington Post on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010.
The landmark Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. has been a watering hole for presidents and pundits alike. But like other commercial real estate properties throughout the country affected by the mortgage crisis, the Mayflower is under water.
By Katherine Reynolds Lewis and Jonathan O'Connell
It was dubbed Washington's second best address by Harry S. Truman, and it has hosted events for every presidential inauguration since Calvin Coolidge. Franklin Roosevelt used it as a retreat to work on his 1933 inaugural address. And FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover was a lunchtime regular.
The elegant Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, a Washington landmark since 1925, was considered a hot property when Rockwood Capital of San Francisco acquired it for $260 million in March 2007. Then, practically overnight, the real estate market collapsed and credit evaporated in a historic global financial meltdown. The new hotel owners, saddled with $200 million in debt, watched as the value of the property tumbled. By August, credit agency Realpoint estimated its value at $128 million.
The Mayflower loan was underwater, the plight of hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of commercial properties across the nation that are worth less than their mortgages. If the hotel's owner couldn't find a way to restructure the debt, it could lose the property.
A staggering $1.4 trillion of commercial real estate loans will come due nationwide in the next four years, forcing borrowers such as Rockwood to refinance or default on their obligations. Trouble lingers even at doorsteps in Washington, one of the strongest markets in the country thanks to a broad employment base, a sound infrastructure and a massive government presence.
This is happening at a time when the capacity to absorb such debt has been slashed, following the bankruptcies of financial firms such as Lehman Brothers and the collapse of the commercial mortgage-backed securities issuance down to a tenth of its peak size. The thought of a string of commercial real estate defaults walloping the barely recovering economy and jeopardizing the stability of still-tottering banks is enough to keep analysts up at night.
"It's a very tricky time right now," said Geoffrey DiMeglio, director of consulting at Market Outlook, a consulting firm. "Even in a weak recovery, I don't see employment improving the fundamentals in real estate fast enough to get these properties out of default."
The Other Real Estate Crisis — Commercial Property
This article was originally published by the Fiscal Times on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010 and the Washington Post on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010.
Posted by Katherine Lewis at 2:59 PM 0 comments
Labels: best, business, debt, economy, finance, investing, real estate, The Fiscal Times, Washington Post
Are There Still Banks Too Big to Fail?
This article was originally published by the Fiscal Times on Friday, Sept. 3, 2010.
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission that federal regulators must be ready to close down the largest banks and financial institutions if they once again threaten to bring down the global financial system.
By Katherine Reynolds Lewis
Two years after Washington had to spend hundreds of billions to bail out much of Wall Street, members of a Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission said Thursday the country still has a problem with financial institutions that are "too big to fail."
Federal officials and most financial experts agree that so-called too-big-to-fail-institutions like AIG and Citigroup helped cause the crisis and were a huge drain on the Treasury and Federal Reserve.
The major financial overhaul legislation pushed through by President Obama this year put in safeguards to try to avoid a repeat of the crisis in which federal officials were forced to decide which firms would go under or be auctioned off and which had to be propped up because of their importance to the financial world. But commissioner Byron Georgiou, a skeptic, noted that the six largest financial groups in 2009 constituted 63 percent of gross domestic product, an increase over the 58 percent of GDP they represented in 2007, at the height of the housing bubble, and both up from a mere 17 percent in 1995.
"Given their increasing size, do you really believe these institutions would be allowed to fail today?" said Georgiou, a personal injury and financial fraud lawyer. "Are we really in any better shape today to avoid the bailouts that have been so criticized in the last few years?"
Posted by Katherine Lewis at 2:27 PM 0 comments
Labels: breaking news, business, Congress, debt, economy, finance, government, investing, real estate, The Fiscal Times, Washington
Could Lehman Brothers Have Been Saved?
This article was originally published by the Fiscal Times on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010.
The former CEO of Lehman Brothers testified during one of the final hearings of the commission investigating the U.S. financial crisis that federal regulators prematurely forced the firm into bankruptcy before all other options were exhausted.
By Katherine Reynolds Lewis
Just days before the two-year anniversary of Lehman Brothers' collapse, banking regulators passionately defended their handling of the crisis at a Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission hearing, while the former Lehman CEO insisted the government prematurely forced the firm into bankruptcy before all other options were exhausted.
"Lehman was forced into bankruptcy not because it neglected to act responsibly or seek solutions to the crisis, but because of a decision, based on flawed information, not to provide Lehman with the support given to each of its competitors," said Richard S. Fuld Jr., the former chairman and chief executive officer. "We had the collateral. We had the capital."
In testimony Thursday, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke countered that charge, saying it was impossible for the Fed to rescue Lehman Brothers from bankruptcy in 2008 because the Wall Street firm lacked sufficient collateral to secure a loan. Asked how the Lehman case differed from that of American International Group Inc., which received $182 billion in taxpayer aid, Bernanke said there was a fundamental difference.
AIG, as the biggest insurance company in the U.S., had valuable assets which could back up the Fed's emergency loan, he said. "The Federal Reserve will absolutely be paid back by AIG," Bernanke said.
Whether it would have been possible to save Lehman Brothers is one of the most perplexing questions to emerge from the financial meltdown that led to one of the worst recessions in U.S. history. That question clearly divided the 10 members of the commission, whose questions at each were other almost as pointed as the ones they posed to witnesses, who gave sworn testimony.
The hearings underscored a hard truth: that for all the new laws and pending regulations Congress and the Obama administration have put forth in response to the meltdown, future crises will only be averted if industry professionals and the regulators who oversee them use good judgment and pursue hints of trouble even in the face of rosy conventional wisdom.
Posted by Katherine Lewis at 12:47 PM 0 comments
Labels: breaking news, Congress, debt, economy, finance, government, investing, The Fiscal Times, Washington


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Whenever a woman is asked to describe their dream guy, most of them reply that they prefer a man who is tall and handsome. Tall men are enormously sexy. In our culture, it has now become truism that girls usually seek men who are taller than themselves. Height preference in women is similar subject for scientific study just like the men's preference for female curves. Dating a tall guy is altogether a very different experience.
Many times, this question comes in mind that whether height is a factor of consideration in matter of hearts too? Well, from a woman's perspective, it seems the answer is a definite yes. Most of the girls want a man who towered over them because it makes them feel feminine, secure and protected. It's often easier for taller men to impress girls than shorter ones. If you are wondering what is so fascinating about a good height, then here we are going to unveil the top 8 reasons why girls like tall guys.
1. They are way too attractive.
All women love a guy who has a beautiful heart and a great personality. But at first glance, it's the personality that attracts. A tall man feeling comfortable in well-fitted clothing looks like a man in-charge of the world. A perfect height adds more points to the overall appeal and enhances the personality. It has now become universal truth that men look for shorter women while on the other hand woman gravitated towards taller men. Women are creative creatures and having a good looking boyfriend really an added advantage. They just love a tall guy to gaze upon.
2. Tall guys know the best ideas of romancing.
For a woman, it is quite necessary to feel cared physically with a touch, kiss, hug or something similar. That is one of the hottest reasons why girls prefer to date tall guys. When a tall guy hugs a girl, he can hold her more firmly and the girl can easily confide in him. The girl needs to make a little more effort to give him a surprise kiss. According to a popular magazine, tall guys often shower their girlfriends with sweet forehead kisses. Somehow, the girl always ends up feeling like a baby who is being cared and pampered by men.
3. They have good hearts
Yes, you read it right. According to a research done by University of Leicester, increase in 2.5 inches in height decreases the risk of heart-related disease by 13.5 percent. This means that men who are 6 inches taller are less prone to coronary disease. Good height proves that the person is taking a balanced nutrition and belongs to best socioeconomic environment. Although, it is not applicable in all cases but true in most of them.
4. Tall hunks know how to make girls feel delicate
There is a lot of pressure on women to be delicate and ladylike. It's really not easy for them to achieve it in their everyday life. The presence of a strong guy really makes them feel feminine. The theory is simple. Taller and stronger the man is, the more delicate is the woman will feel. It is not a hidden fact that woman prefers to feel small and weak in front of their partner. Nothing can really compare the feeling of being in the arms of a tall muscular man. This is something what is a bit difficult with shorter men.
5. They make more money
Doesn't it sound crazy? But the facts say that taller men make more money. Have you ever heard the stats about the CEOs of the Fortune 500 companies? According to much-touted factoid, most of the CEOs in the list are six feet tall. They are all having a great physique and are of tall stature. Even the whopping 90pc are tall with above average height. After plenty of research done since the year 1980, it was concluded that tall men really do well in their business. So, now when it is scientifically proven. No girl would ever mind to date a handsome Richie Rich.
6. Tall guys are more authoritative
Not just tall guys know how to earn some extra cash and attract more women than shorter ones, but it is generally seen that they are more authoritative when they walk inside a room full of strangers. They have the natural feel of social dominance that makes them special and stand them out from the rest of the crowd. This is one of the reasons why taller referees are often assigned to high profile games. This proves the positive correlation between a great height and perceiving ability. They know better how to control the game. Similarly, a tall guy knows how to control the situation and make everything easy for their ladylove.
7. Their impressive masculine characteristic.
It is noted that height is a 'masculine' characteristic. Tall men often look more assertive and dominant. In evolutionary terms, larger men are more efficient in protecting their offspring. They pass on good genetic qualities to the future children. They are often awarded with the great social status. It is further concluded that height indicates a good evolutionary success. Men with a good height have a better personality than the ones who are shorter. The attraction for taller guys is mainly because of their mesmerizing personality.
8. They are best trophy boyfriends
Women are really competitive. This applies to everything hair, makeup, career, wealth, clothing and every other aspect of life. The girl often believes that dating a tall guy will really give an edge to their lives. If a guy with tall stature is their boyfriend they can easily make their girlfriends go green with envy. These days, it serves as one of the sneaky ways to boost social status too.
Well, different people have different preferences. But being a bit inclined towards men with good height is way too normal or you can also take it as most of the women are weird in the same manner.


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Mega Man Battle Network 4 Hits European Nintendo eShop for Wii U/
Oh hey, some actual Mega Man news to go on our Mega Man (and Mega Man-esque, yes) site today!
For those who dwell across the pond, good news arrived... yesterday, actually. But we just got the tip now! In any case, both versions of Mega Man Battle Network 4 were added to the Nintendo eShop for Wii U yesterday, and they go for €6.99 / £6.29 apiece.
Between this Mega May-ending post and my review of half the series in Nintendo Force magazine, I feel like I've pretty much said all I have to say about the game for now. I will say that if you've only got €6.99 / £6.29 to spend on a game for the next while, this one at least offers some unique replay value.
Thanks to Vhyper1985 for the tip, and may Mega Man & Bass be released there sooner than later so you can practice your King 2 tactics!
Source: Nintendo Life


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Pentagon: Drone pilots, cyber warriors might get medals after all
By JON HARPER | STARS AND STRIPES Published: March 20, 2014
WASHINGTON — The Defense Department will reconsider the sensitive issue of whether drone operators and cyber warriors will receive a medal for their service far away from combat areas, Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby told reporters Thursday.
Lawmakers, meanwhile, have ordered two separate reviews that look at how the military awards Purple Hearts, largely due to disagreements over whether victims killed and injured in the shootings at Fort Hood and at a recruiting center in Little Rock, Ark., should be entitled to the medal.
Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's announcement last year that a new Distinguished Warfare Medal had been created for outstanding drone pilots and cyber operators drew heavy fire from veterans, politicians and others who objected to it being ranked above the Purple Heart and other decorations earned in direct combat. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel canceled the medal soon after he took office, and said DOD would instead create a new device to affix to existing medals. But that decision is being revisited as part of an upcoming study of the military's decorations and awards system that Hagel ordered Thursday.
The "comprehensive" yearlong review, to begin June 1, will be led by acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness Jessica Wright, who will work closely with Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey, the services, and the combatant commanders, according to Kirby.
"[The study] will determine the best way to recognize servicemembers who use remote technology to directly impact combat operations, such as through cyber and remotely piloted aircraft … That's part of the review, whether or not we should have a special device to go on another ribbon or [a new] medal," Kirby said.
The review team will also look at the processes and procedures for how medals for valor are nominated in order to determine whether they can be improved, according to Kirby.
Based on his own military experience, Hagel is concerned that many acts of valor are going unrecognized for bureaucratic reasons.
"[Hagel] talked about seeing his own comrades there in Vietnam doing incredibly brave things, and that many of those things will go completely unheeded because they were never written up because of the pace and speed of war and … the constant pressure to keep going," Kirby said. "Many heroic acts never got — never got noticed, never got written up, never got submitted."
Hagel received two Purple Hearts and the Combat Infantryman Badge during his service as an Army infantry squad leader in Vietnam.
"[Hagel] believes it is imperative that DOD conduct this review as we conclude combat operations in Afghanistan," Kirby said.
Another aim of the study is to consider whether to create more uniformity among the services when it comes to recognizing valor.
"There are some awards and medals you get that are service-unique [such as the Navy Cross]. It's a fair question to ask: Do we need to look at the kinds of awards that we give, particularly for combat valor, in a more joint nature than perhaps some of them are? It doesn't mean that there will be changes, but I think [Hagel] wants to look at everything across the whole scope," Kirby said.
The services don't always use the same criteria when judging whether a combat veteran is worthy of receiving an award. The Marine Corps, in particular, has been accused of being stingy when it comes to approving medals for valor.
"[Hagel] wants to examine the degree to which the services submit and evaluate and decide on major combat awards. I think he would like to get a better sense of what discrepancies there may be between the services and do those discrepancies need to be closed. The answer may be no, but I think he wants to ask those questions," Kirby said.
Hagel realizes that the awards system will always be imperfect, regardless of what changes are made.
"It's not a science, and I don't think he's trying to make it a science. But he does think it's time, after 13 years of war, to take a fresh look at how we think about this," according to Kirby. "He recognizes that [it] will always be a subjective process. But I think he wants to have a better understanding of that process and the ways in which it may … be improved going forward."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Twitter: @JHarperStripes


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Clybourne Park
Clybourne Park – Theater Review
Who are the people in your neighborhood? In 1959, a white family moves out. In 2009, a white family moves in. In the intervening years, change overtakes a neighborhood, along with attitudes, inhabitants, and property values. Loosely inspired by Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, Bruce Norris' pitch-black comedy takes on the specter of gentrification in our communities, leaving no stone unturned in the process.
This is one of the little gems that makes living in New York and theatergoing in New York so special. This is at Playwrights Horizon. It has a cast of very talented people, none of whom you may or may not recognize, but all of whom are very, very talented. It takes place in two acts with a split of 50 years. It is probably one of the most exciting and well written statements about racism in America that you will ever see. I know that Race is a higher visibility play on Broadway got a lot of hoopla, but this is a far better written, far better acted, far more intelligent look at race. It is well written, it is well acted. The set is terrific. It is just a great piece of theatre. Five stars.


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|A Grenache with Panache
|Written by Bill Citara, BT Contributor
|May 2017
Red, white, and you: Agreeable wine for $12 or less
If you're one of those people who believe the first duty of wine is to be red, and your palate outstrips your pocketbook, you've got a problem.
Cabernet Sauvignon? Well, King Cab certainly makes some terrific wines, but the best examples (or even just good ones) can be terrifically expensive, and at our price point it's mostly industrial-grade swill that tastes like sugar- and lumber-infused grape juice.
Pinot Noir? The thinking drinking man's wine does offer a few value bottles, but there, too, prices start high and go stratospheric. Less pricey Pinots can be decent daily quaffs but lack much in the way of varietal character and that elusive, magical blend of flavor, aroma, and texture that captivates cork dorks everywhere.
Affordable Merlot typically has all the flaws of inexpensive Cabernet, except more so. Zinfandel, Syrah, Sangiovese, Malbec all have their pluses and minuses, but good luck finding one for $12 and under that doesn't have that mass-produced, vint-by-numbers sameness.
Which brings us to Grenache. Though widely planted in Europe and the essential component of Côtes-du-Rhône and the more refined Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Grenache doesn't get much love as a single-varietal wine. Except in Spain. That's not too surprising, as it's thought Grenache (or Garnacha) was first established in the northern reaches of Spain, and is still one of the country's chief red wine grapes.
Garnacha's characteristics are lush cherry-berry fruit; hints of spice, olives, and tobacco; soft tannins and acidity; and (often) higher alcohol levels. Like any wine when made on an industrial scale, it can be undistinguished and merely acceptable, but Spanish vintners have proved adept at closing the palate-pocketbook gap, something those of us on a budget can appreciate.
Start that appreciation with the 2014 Proyecto Garnacha de España La Garnacha Salveje. The title is a mouthful, and the wine is too, a lovely, elegant ode to the pleasures of Grenache, grown in vineyards all over northern Spain.
Aromas are of ripe red cherry-berry fruit with plummy overtones, hints of fresh herbs and toast from five months aging in French oak barrels. Those aromas carry over to the palate, where bright acidity and soft tannins provide perfect balance to the ripe fruit. It was the class of this month's tasting, and a wine I'd buy by the case.
If the Proyecto Garnacha was the Big Dog of the tasting, the 2013 Tres Ojos was the, well...dog. An unpleasantly earthy, mushroomy nose gave way to what tasted like grape juice steeped with fresh limes -- tart, sour, bitter. Buy another bottle of Proyecto instead.
The rest of the wines we sampled fell somewhere between those two extremes, delivering gobs of potent, ripe fruit, decent value, and accessibility if not a lot of excitement. The 2015 Borsao was typical, a full-bodied wine rich with black 'n' blue fruit, a little earthy, a little spicy, adding hints of toasty oak, olives, and tobacco.
The 2014 Castillo de Monséran fit pretty much the same bill, but with less heft, lower alcohol (13 percent as opposed to 14.5), and more pronounced acid and tannins.
Also on the lighter side was the 2014 Campo Viejo Rioja Garnacha. With its almost candied, cough syrupy fruit and overall blandly inoffensive flavor profile, it's the kind of competently made, affordably priced industrial wine that lines the shelves of grocery stores from sea to shining sea.
If you're the kind of red wine drinker who drives a nitro-fueled funny car to the store for a quart of milk, you'll like the 2015 Pallas Old Vines Garnacha. Its port-like 15.5 percent alcohol announces itself at first whiff, joined by aromas of blackberries, cassis, herbs, minerals, and toasty oak. On the palate, however, it's rather less intimidating and more refined than that, reminiscent of some old-vine Zinfandels from Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley.
Finally, with a nod to Grenache's propensity to be blended with other grapes, we come to the 2014 Clos de Nit. It's only 40 percent Grenache, with Carignan, Merlot, Tempranillo, and Cabernet Sauvignon rounding out the mix. It's a combo that expanded on Grenache's characteristic red and black fruit, adding touches of olives, tobacco, earth, and minerals, as well as a hint of Burgundian barnyard. At $10, it will make both your palate and pocketbook happy.