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A NEW YORK TIMES #1 Bestseller! In "The Black Mirror," a series of brutal murders pushes Batman's detective skills to the limit and forces him to confront one of Gotham City's oldest evils. Helpless and trapped in the deadly Mirror House, Batman must fight for his life against one of Gotham City's oldest and most powerful evils! Then, in a second story called "Hungry City," the corpse of a killer whale shows up on the floor of one of Gotham City's foremost banks. The event begins a strange and deadly mystery that will bring Batman face-to-face with the new, terrifying faces of organized crime in Gotham.
Written By: Scott Snyder Pencils: Jock Francesco Francavilla

subset: commoncrawl


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The greatest of all happiness, next to divine happiness, is to be at peace with one's immediate relations, those with whom one must live every day in the year. When people try to handle the extremely complicated machinery of human feelings without any training whatsoever, the consequent results are often disastrous. Very few persons realize that most of our happiness lies in the art of understanding the law of human behavior. That is why so many people are often "in hot water" with their friends, and, worse yet, at constant war with their own best beloved ones at home.
The basic law of right human behavior is self-reform....Whenever any trouble occurs with our friends or dear ones, we should inwardly lay the blame on ourselves for getting into an unpleasant situation and then try to get out of it as fast and as graciously as we can. It is fruitless to increase the trouble by loudly, unkindly, discourteously blaming others, even though we find that they are to blame. We can teach quick-tempered dear ones to mend their faults a hundred times better by setting a good example than we can by harsh or self-righteous words.
Most of the time, people talk and act from their own viewpoint. They seldom see, or even try to see, the other person's side. If, lacking understanding, you enter into a fight with someone, remember that each of you is as much to blame as the other, regardless of which one started the argument. "Fools argue; wise men discuss."
To have calm feeling doesn't mean that you always smile and agree with everyone no matter what they say — that you regard truth but don't want to annoy anybody with it. This is going to the extreme. Those who try in this way to please everyone, with the desire of getting praise for their good nature, do not necessarily have control of feeling....Whoever has control of feeling follows truth, shares that truth wherever he can, and avoids annoying unnecessarily anyone who would not be receptive anyway. He knows when to speak and when to be silent, but he never compromises his own ideals and inner peace. Such a man is a force for great good in this world.
We should make ourselves attractive by wearing the fine garment of genuinely courteous language. We should first of all be courteous to our immediate relatives. When one can do that, he will be habitually kind to all people. Real family happiness has its foundation on the altar of understanding and kind words. It is not necessary to agree on everything in order to show kindness. Calm silence, sincerity, and courteous words, whether one is agreeing or disagreeing with others, mark the person who knows how to behave.
If you want to be loved, start loving others who need your love....If you want others to sympathize with you, start showing sympathy to those around you. If you want to be respected, you must learn to be respectful to everyone, both young and old....Whatever you want others to be, first be that yourself; then you will find others responding in like manner to you.
Two persons who unite their lives to help each other toward divine realization are founding their marriage on the right basis: unconditional friendship.
To develop pure and unconditional love between husband and wife, parent and child, friend and friend, self and all, is the lesson we have come on earth to learn.
True marriage is a laboratory in which poisons of selfishness, bad temper, and bad behavior may be poured into the test tube of patience and neutralized and changed by the catalytic power of love and constant effort to behave nobly.
If there is a habit or quality in your mate that rouses unlovely traits in your disposition, you should realize the purpose of this circumstance: to bring to the surface those poisons hidden within you so that you may eliminate them and thus purify your nature.
The greatest thing a husband or wife can wish for the spouse is spirituality; for soul unfoldment brings out the divine qualities of understanding, patience, thoughtfulness, love. But each should remember that the desire for spiritual growth cannot be forced on the other. Live love yourself, and your goodness will inspire all your loved ones.
When the husband serves the wife, and she serves him, each with the desire to see the other happy, Christ Consciousness — God's loving Cosmic Intelligence that permeates every atom of creation — has begun to express itself through their consciousness.
When two people feel an unconditional attraction for each other, and are ready to sacrifice for one another, they are truly in love.
To wish for perfection for the loved one, and to feel pure joy in thinking of that soul, is divine love; and that is the love of true friendship.
Meditate together every morning, and especially at night....Have a little family altar where both husband and wife, and children, gather to offer deep devotion unto God and unite their souls forever in ever-joyous Cosmic Consciousness....The more you meditate together, the deeper your love for one another will grow.
"As I radiate love and goodwill to others, I will open the channel for God's love to come to me. Divine love is the magnet that draws to me all good.
- "Soul Union as the Original Purpose of Marriage," Discourse 62, The Second Coming of Christ by Paramahansa Yogananda
- "The Art of Getting Along in This World," Journey to Self-realization by Paramahansa Yogananda
- "Developing an Understanding Heart," Finding the Joy Within You by Sri Daya Mata
- "Creating Harmony in Relationships With Others," Finding the Joy Within You by Sri Daya Mata
- "Understanding One Another," Only Love by Sri Daya Mata
- "The Divine Art of Making Friends," Man's Eternal Quest by Paramahansa Yogananda
- "Be a Conqueror of Hearts," Journey to Self-realization by Paramahansa Yogananda


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When Porsha Stewart said she was blindsided by husband Kordell Stewart filing for divorce, she meant it. The 31-year-old Real Housewives of Atlanta star visited Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live Sunday, April 21 and opened up about her shocking split from the NFL star.
One week after Stewart defended her husband on the Housewives reunion special amidst allegations he was "too controlling," the 40-year-old former quarterback filed for divorce on March 22 following less than two years of marriage.
"I was totally blindsided. At the reunion I did feel some kind of way because I did want my husband there with me. I was standing strong representing for my family," Stewart explained. "But when I found out about the divorce, it was absolutely a surprise."
PHOTOS: Hellish Housewives romances
The Bravo star recalled waking up from a nap to see missed calls from her sister. "She said, 'Have you heard?' And I'm like, 'Heard what?' So I went to Twitter and the first thing I see is, 'Kordell divorcing Porsha,'" she said. "And I'm like this is just a crazy joke . . . I found out from Twitter."
She then went and confronted her husband, who was in the next room. "I asked my husband had he filed," she said. Without revealing his answer, she added, "Long story short, I just felt very disappointed and let down. When I got married, I meant it for life. I always said I would never get a divorce unless he cheated on me or something like that . . . I was heartbroken, like I am still right now."
Adding to the heartbreak? The Georgia native revealed that she and her estranged husband are actually still living in the same house. "It's a difficult, difficult situation right now," she shared. "It's something that I did not want at all. I had asked, 'Can we work this out? Can we go to counseling?' What you saw at the reunion was a wife trying her last try. When you are married, I feel like you have to put 150 percent into your marriage no matter what. And if it doesn't work, you need to be able to walk away and say, 'I tried.' No matter what."
"It ain't always gonna be easy and it ain't always gonna be a happy situation. But when you have made a vow to that man and the child that you have in your home, you owe them that," she added of her estranged husband, who is father to son Syre with an ex-girlfriend. "So I feel like, at the end of the day, it was just a betrayal that I suffered from and that's something that I'm going to have to move on with. But at least I know I put in my best."
"You're living together?" Cohen asked. "Speaking?"
"We're in the same house. I didn't say we speak," Stewart clarified. "And I didn't say I'm cooking. It ain't no eggs and bacon and ham hocks no more."


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You know when you do something that you think you are pretty good at. And then you see someone else doing it a hundred times better, and you realize that you have been sucking at it the whole time. That is how we felt when we ordered a vegetarian pizza from a small ristorante on Sicily, a few years back. The way they put topping on a pizza, mama mia, that is how it was meant to look like (and taste!). Forget about the traditional vegetariana, with a few vegetables in pretty looking patterns. These pizzas were topped with at least ten different ingredients. And instead of arranging them in plain patterns, they were stacked upon each other in a big pile. There were tomatoes, onions, spinach, olives, big chunks of garlic, artichokes, mushrooms, marinated eggplant and zucchini, big pre boiled potatoes … and a lot more. The lesson we learned from that day, don't be shy when you decorate a pizza. Just throw as many vegetables on it as you can fit.
These pizzas are inspired from that sicilian restaurant, but instead of making one giant pizza we made mini versions. It has probably been said a zillion times before, but this is a great thing to do for a party. Prepare all the ingredients and a big batch of pizza dough (you can prepare the dough the day before), then let everyone decorate their own pizza.
Regarding the dough. About a year ago we made potato pizza on a rye dough. That recipes was so good that we have been sticking with it since then. This time we used the same recipe, but switched rye for spelt flour, and it turned out just as good as the rye dough. We have tried a few different gluten free pizza doughs, but we never found one with the same elasticity as our dough. So if you have the perfect recipe for a gluten free pizza dough, please write it or link to it in the comment field, and we will try them out next time.
Vegetarian Mini Pizza
Makes around 8 – 10 small pizzas (5-inch) or 1 large
As we mentioned above you can use almost anything as topping, we have only written some suggestions. We marinate the zucchini and eggplant and make a proper tomato sauce ourselves, if you want to make it easier for yourself you can buy these things pre-made in the supermarket.
1 cup/2,4 dl lukewarm water
2 tsp instant dry yeast
2 tsp sea salt
2 1/2 cup/6 dl spelt flour (we used light)
2 tbsp olive oil
Tomato sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp capers (drained)
a pinch of dried chili
1 1/2 cup/3,6 dl of canned tomatoes
1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried oregano
salt & black pepper
4 pre boiled potatoes
250 g marinated artichoke hearts
100 g kalamata olives
1 zuchini (marinated)
1 eggplant (marinated)
4 brown mushrooms, cut in quarters
1/4 fennel, thin slices
300 g small tomatoes
2 small spring onions, divided in half
1/2 broccoli100 g goat cheese
salt & black pepper
fresh aragula, put it on after the pizza has been in the oven
Making the dough: Pour warm water in a medium size bowl. Add salt and yeast and stir around. Mix in 2 cups of flour. Gradually add more flour until the dough comes together enough for you to start kneading it. Knead for a couple of minutes, add additional flour if it sticks to your hands. Put the dough back in the bowl and drizzle it with olive oil. Work the dough until it's completely covered in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place for 1 – 2 hours.
Making the tomato sauce: Heat olive oil in a medium size pot. Add onion, garlic, and chili and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add capers and fresh tomatoes and spices and cook for 10 minutes, lower the heat and let it simmer for half an hour more under a lid.
Preheat the oven to the highest possible temperature (450-500°F). Remove the plastic cover from the dough and start working it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Make 8 to 10 small portions. Stretch and flatten the dough until you get the desired size and thickness that you prefer and move it to a baking pan covered with parchment paper. Spelt flour doesn't stretch as good as wheat flour but if you work carefully and flatten it with the palm of your hand you will get it right. Another trick is to roll them out directly on the parchment paper with a slightly floured rolling pin and then just move the parchment paper to the baking pan.
Brush the dough with 2 tbsp tomato sauce. Cover them with topping of your choice. Bake for about 10-15 min until the outer part of the topping and the edges are slightly burnt. Sprinkle with fresh goat cheese, a bit of olive oil, fresh aragula, salt and freshly grounded pepper. Serve immediately.


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MD: Abbreviation for the Latin title Medicinae Doctor, Doctor of Medicine. Sometimes written today as MD (without the period after each letter).
All medical schools in the United States and Canada award an M.D. degree, usually after 4 years undergraduate study at a college or university followed by 4 years of medical school. (Some medical schools award the M.D. after 3 years of college and/or 3 years of medical school).
In the U.K., the MBChB, the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees, are awarded after 5 years of what is analogous to a combined undergraduate-graduate course of study.


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Top Questions About Newborns Answered
This blog does not intend to provide diagnosis...
If you've got a newborn, you've probably got questions. Here, I answer the ones I get most frequently as a pediatrician.
What Can I Do About a Gassy Baby?
All babies make gas and most relieve their gas easily. Gas in infants is usually due to swallowed air, which happens a lot with all the crying that infants do. Many infants feel discomfort with gas pain. You may notice squirming, drawing up legs and crying. Parents worry about how to make babies "less gassy." Here are a few things that may help a gassy baby find some relief.
- Bicycling legs: Lay baby in his back and move his legs as if pedaling a bicycle.
- Tummy rub: Lay baby on his tummy on flat surface, then gently rub his tummy with your hand.
- Warmth: Lay a warm towel or washcloth over baby's tummy (on top of clothes), then swaddle infant.
- Feeding position: Keep baby's head and neck higher than stomach during feeding. If bottle feeding, raise the bottom of the bottle slightly to prevent air from accumulating around the nipple.
- Burp: Frequent burping during and then after feeding
- Gas relief medications: Many parents of gassy babies find probiotics, Mylicon drops and gripe waters give babies relief from gas pains.
If your baby has excessive gas pain that has not responded to some of the above remedies, talk with your doctor about your diet if breastfeeding and your baby's diet if formula feeding.
How Do I Get My Baby to Sleep at Night?
Newborn babies often do not discriminate between night and day when it comes to sleeping. They run on a 24-hour clock and need to learn early on that night time is for sleeping and eating. New parents need rest, too. Showing your baby a different routine at night so he sleeps between nighttime feedings is important. Here's how:
- Daytime: Keep shades up to let sunlight in. Lights on. Go for walks. Talk to baby. Babies generally sleep for up to 2 hours at a time during the day.
- Nighttime: Keep room dark. Use a low light—such as a nursing light—to provide minimal light for changing and feeding. When baby wakes to feed, change diaper first then swaddle well and feed, then immediately put baby on back in his sleep place when feeding ends.
Babies sleep for up to 16 hours a day in short 2-3-hour periods. Some babies will sleep through the night at 2-4 months of age. It is important to remember that every baby is different. Switching a baby's diet—such as switching from breastfeeding to formula—will not help a baby to sleep through the night.
The best way to get your baby to sleep for longer periods at night is to establish a routine early on and stick with it. Babies learn to self-soothe by being laid for sleep drowsy but not asleep. Swaddling, soothing music or sound machines can aid in sleep routines as well.
How Do I Treat Cradle Cap?
Cradle cap (called dandruff in older children and adults) is a thick white or yellow scale that appears in patches on the scalp, behind the ears and in the eyebrows. Researcher believe it is caused by overproduction of oil by glands in the skin. Cradle cap is very common in infants after about two months of age. The condition is harmless to babies but often drives parents crazy. The urge to pick at these greasy scales on the baby's scalp is a hard one to fight for most parents. Cradle cap can be managed and lessened with some easy home remedies but not cured. It generally resolves by one year of age but can recur in toddler ages for some children.
For temporary relief of cradle cap you can:
- Rub mineral oil, coconut oil or baby oil on baby's scalp, let sit for 10 minutes then shampoo and gently brush out scales with soft toothbrush or washcloth.
- Use one of many gentle cradle cap shampoos, apply and allow to sit for a few minutes before rinsing
- Talk to your doctor for extreme cases of cradle cap and cradle cap in an older child when medicated shampoos and creams can be considered.
Why Is My Baby Crying?
Crying is a baby's way of communicating. Babies cry for many reasons and most babies will cry for a total of several hours a day. Crying is distressing to parents who only want their baby to be happy and soothed. When your baby cries, look at the most common reasons for crying and try to address the problem.
Common reasons for crying are: wet or poopy, gassy, hungry, tired, hot or cold. These are generally very easy to address. But babies will sometimes cry for reasons that aren't so easy for parents to identify. Babies are very sensitive to their environment and often between the ages of 6-8 weeks of age will cry for no apparent reason. Possibly the light is too bright, the dog too loud, your voice too high, the air freshener in the house too vanilla. When you have met all your baby's needs and he is still crying, it's time to soothe him. The "5 S" technique developed by Dr. Harvey Karp is my favorite, slam-dunk method to soothe a fussy baby. The basics are sucking, swaddling, shushing, side-lying and swaying.
How Much Should I Feed My Baby?
Every baby is unique when it comes to how much and how often they eat. Breastfed babies eat every 1.5-4 hours and will often cluster some feedings especially in the evenings. Breastfed newborns are encouraged to nurse as often as they want to and for as long as they want in the first few weeks of life while milk supply is being established and mom and baby are learning together. Formula-fed babies typically take at least an ounce of formula every 2-4 hours by the time they leave the hospital. After the first few days most formula-fed babies are taking 2-3 ounces every 2-4 hours. Both formula and breastfed babies need a vitamin D supplement daily. Your pediatrician will let you know when you can stop giving vitamin D but plan on at least 4-6 months.
Some more feeding tips include:
- Start feeding BEFORE your baby cries. It is much easier to get a breastfeeding baby to latch or a bottle-feeding baby to take the bottle if they are calm. Early hunger signs are rooting, putting hand or fist to mouth, opening the mouth or sticking out the tongue and moving the head from side to side. Frantic hungry babies are hard to feed.
- Growth spurts occur around 10 days and again around 3-4 weeks, babies often eat more during these times.
- Young babies sleeping longer stretches at night will often eat more often during the day to make up for missed feedings at night. Your pediatrician will tell you when it is ok to let your baby sleep more than four hours between feedings at night.
- Consider increasing the amount of formula per bottle when your baby is not satisfied at the end of a feeding or when your baby is hungry and wanting another feeding in 1-2 hours.
How Can I Reduce the Risk of SIDS?
SIDS is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and it's something all new parents fear. In 2015 there were about 1,600 infant deaths due to SIDS in the United States and 900 infant deaths due to accidental strangulation or suffocation in the bed. Most SIDS deaths occur between one and four months of age and over 90% occur before 6 months of age. SIDS deaths have declined over the last 25 years with the largest drop of 50% after the launch of the "Back to Sleep Campaign." Ongoing research continues to improve our SIDS knowledge and prevention strategies.
Follow this list until your baby is at least 12 months of age to reduce the risk of SIDS:
1. ALWAYS put your baby to sleep in a safe sleep environment
- Place baby on back to sleep always
- Do not allow baby to sleep in your bed
- Do not allow baby to sleep with other children
- Use a crib, pack-n-play or bassinet with a firm mattress covered with a tight-fitting sheet, no pillows, no blankets, no crib bumpers, no stuffed animals, and no lovies
- Keep your baby's bed in your room until he is at least 6 months of age (AAP recommends 1 year of age)
2. No smoking
- Do not allow anyone to smoke around the baby.
- Do not have your baby in a room or car where people have recently been smoking.
3. Offer a pacifier
- Offer your baby a pacifier for sleep, you do not need to replace it if baby spits it out at night
- For breastfeeding mothers, introduce the pacifier after the baby has learned to feed.
4. Breastfeed your baby for as long as you can
5. Take your baby to all well visits and vaccinate your baby
6. Watch the temperature
- Do not let your baby get to hot
- Keep the room where your baby sleeps at a comfortable temperature
- Dress your baby in one layer more than you would normally wear. Sleep sacks work well.
Being a first-time parent can be bewildering, but don't forget: your pediatrician is just a phone call away.


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Age-adjustment minimizes the effect of a difference in age distributions when comparing rates. An age-adjusted rate is a weighted average of the age-specific (crude) rates, where the weights are the proportions of persons in the corresponding age groups of a standard population. The potential confounding effect of age is reduced when comparing age-adjusted rates computed using the same standard population.
Create a table showing incidence rates (age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard) and frequencies for malignant lung and bronchus cancer. Calculate these rates for persons age 65 and older diagnosed from 2014 through 2018 in the SEER 21 Registries. Display the rates and frequencies by sex.
When you finish this exercise, save the matrix as "rate exercise1a.sim". The saved matrix file will be used in future exercises.
Key Points
- Keep in mind that the calculation of an age-adjusted rate requires 3 types of data: case, population, and standard population. When defining the analysis cohort on the Selection Tab, choose variables carefully to ensure that the numerators match the denominators and that the standard populations are for the appropriate cohort. Follow these guidelines:
- Standard populations are the age distributions used as weights to calculate age-adjusted rates. These distributions are provided by age for a given geographic area and time period. To subset your data or display rates by age you must use an age variable that is defined in the same way in case, population, and standard population data. That is, the age variable must use the same age groups in the 3 types of data.
- In SEER*Stat, the Age Variable for age-adjusting is always an age recode variable or a user-defined version of an age recode variable. Only the age recode variable that is linked with the population and standard population data can be used. For this exercise, we use a variable with 19 age groups while others have single ages.
- Population counts are stratified by age, year, race, sex, and geographic area. To subset your data or display rates by these demographic characteristics you must use variables that are included in both the case and population files. For example, be careful not to use variables from the "Race and Age (case data only)" category of variables. SEER collects cancer case data for single ages and for more races than are defined in the populations from the U.S Census Bureau.
- Starting with the November 2018 submission, SEER released the SEER 21 Registries databases to include data from registries that joined the SEER Program in 2018. It has a more limited set of available variables than other databases and is only available for limited statistics. See Registry Groupings in SEER Data and Statistics for more information.
- SEER*Stat can report exclusion counts with the output matrix properties. In order to report exclusion counts in rate sessions, the session must be run using individual records instead of summary files. The report is available under Properties... from the Matrix menu.
Step 1: Create a New Rate Session
- Start SEER*Stat.
- From the File menu select New > Rate Session or use the on the toolbar.
Step 2: Select a Database (Data Tab)
- It is extremely important that you select the database as the first step. The other choices you will make in this session will be based on variables in the selected database. The correct database must be selected in order to see the correct list of variables in selection statements, table statements, and the dictionary editor.
- On the Data Tab select "Incidence - SEER Research Limited-Field Data, 21 Registries, Nov 2020 Sub (2000-2018)".
- When you select the SEER 21 Regs database in a rate session, a variable warning dialog will appear which indicates that the default behavior selection changed with the November 2020 databases, and that it is important to understand the intricacies of the race and ethnicity variables used to link the cases and populations in this database. A link for more information about the SEER*Stat Database Warnings is provided.
- Note that the warning has a checkbox labeled, Do not show this message in future. You can mark this checkbox before clicking OK to prevent this warning from being displayed in future sessions. If you have done so in the past, it will not be displayed now.
- Make sure the Age Variable is set to "Age recode with < year olds".
Learn More...
- The Age Variable selection on the Data Tab determines which age recode variable is available throughout the rest of the session on the statistic, selection, and table tabs, as well as in the dictionary editor.
- The only databases listed on the Data Tab are databases appropriate for rate sessions.
- See Preferences in the SEER*Stat help system for more information on the primary and secondary data locations.
Step 3: Choose the Statistics to Display (Statistic Tab)
- In the Statistics box, select Rates (Age-Adjusted). Frequencies (and populations) are automatically included in the output when rates are calculated.
- In the Parameters box:
- Make sure that the Standard Population is set to "2000 U.S. Std Population (19 age groups - Census P25-1130)".
- Make sure the Age Variable is set to "Age recode with <1 year olds"
Learn More...
- Recode variables are derived from SEER data fields when SEER*Prep creates the database. SEER*Prep creates the age recode variable based on the age at diagnosis variable (single-year ages). The groupings used in the age recode variable are determined by the age groupings in the population data. This exercise uses the age recode variable with 19 age groups (< 1 year, 1-4 years, 5-9 years, ..., 85+ years).
- To age-adjust using different age groupings, you may create a variable based on the age recode variable. That is, you can collapse the age groups in the database's age recode variable. For example, you could age-adjust using 10 year age groupings.
- If you need finer control over the age groups, you would select the age recode variable with single age groups, with one group for 85+ on the data tab.
Step 4: Understanding the Selection Tab in a Rate Session
Before you continue, please take time to consider the following:
- As discussed in other tutorials, the statements on the Selection Tab define the subset used in your analysis. However, you will notice that in a rate session these statements are separated into three boxes.
- The box at the top must be used to create selection statements based on variables that are found in all 3 types of data used to calculate age-adjusted rates. Age is the only variable used to stratify standard population, population, and case data. In this box, SEER*Stat will not allow you to create selection statements based on variables other than the age variable that is in all 3 data sources (in SEER databases this would be an age recode variable).
- The middle box must be used to select records based on variables found in both the population and case data. The label above the box is provided as a guide, "Race, Sex, Year Dx" are the variables that are not in the standard population data but are in both the case and population data.
- The third box must be used to select records based on variables that are found only in the case data. This would include cancer-specific variables such as stage at diagnosis, histology, site, etc. Be aware that there are demographic variables in case data files that are not included in the population or standard population data. These include marital status, place of birth, and alternate race, age, and date variables.
- When making selections in a rate session, make your selection in the topmost possible box. For example, never make selections based on race or age in the case only box at the bottom. To correctly calculate rates, selections based on race must be made in the middle box and age must be made in the top box.
Step 5: Defining the Analysis Cohort (Selection Tab)
Specific click-by-click instructions for creating individual selection statements were given in previous tutorials (see Frequency Exercise 1a). Use those techniques to create three selection statements. Be sure to consider each box on the Selection Tab in order as you review the Problem Statement.
- Make sure that the Malignant Behavior option is checked in the Select Only box.
- The Known Age option is checked and disabled. When calculating age-adjusted rates, all records must have values that are included in the U.S. Population and Standard Population data. Unknown age is not a valid value, so records with unknown ages are always excluded from the analysis.
- The top box is for making selections based on age at diagnosis. The problem statement specifies that the rates should be calculated for persons age 65 and older. Use the top Edit button to create a statement selecting persons age 65 and older in the top box using the age recode variable. When finished, the statement should read:
{Age at Diagnosis.Age recode with <1 year olds} = '65-69 years','70-74 years','75-79 years','80-84 years','85+ years'
- The middle box must be used to make selections based on race, sex, year of diagnosis, registry, or county. The problem statement specified that the rates be calculated for cases diagnosed from 2014-2018 in the SEER 21 Registries. The database selected on the Data Tab contains data from the SEER 21 Registries with cases diagnosed from 2000-2018. By selecting this database, you have automatically selected the correct registries. Therefore, you must make a selection based on year of diagnosis but not on registry. Use the middle Edit button to create a selection statement for cases diagnosed from 2014-2018. When finished, the statement in the middle box should read:
{Race, Sex, Year Dx.Year of diagnosis} = '2014', '2015', '2016',' 2017', '2018'
- The third box must be used to make all other selections, that is, selections based on variables that are only in the case data. Create a statement selecting lung and bronchus cancer in this box. When finished, the statement in the bottom box should read:
{Site and Morphology.Site recode ICD-O-3/WHO 2008} = ' Lung and Bronchus'
Step 6: Set Table Variables (Table Tab)
- Move to the Table Tab.
- It is important to understand the purpose of the selection and table tabs, these are often confused. Before you continue, please consider why some variables are being used on the Table Tab while others were used on the Selection Tab.
- The Selection Tab is used to reduce the number of records included in an analysis based on specific variables. In this exercise, we excluded records on the Selection Tab based on age at diagnosis, years of diagnosis, cancer site and behavior. We do not want to reduce the number of records based on sex -- we simply want to control the way in which they are displayed in the table.
- The Table Tab is used to set display variables and does not affect the number of records analyzed in any way. In this exercise the statistics are to be shown by sex. Therefore, the sex variable needs to be used as a display variable on the Table Tab.
- Select "Sex" from the "Race, Sex, Year Dx" category.
- Click Row to add "Sex" as a row variable in the Display Variables box.
Step 7: Specify a Title (Output Tab)
- Move to the Output Tab.
- Enter the following title:
- Set Display Rates as Cases Per to 100,000. SEER publications and reports typically show incidence rates expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 population at risk.
- Set the Number of Decimal Places for Rates/Trends. The output created in this sample exercise was created using a setting of 0.1.
Lung and Bronchus Cancer
Incidence Rates for SEER 21 Registries, 2014-2018
Rate Exercise 1a
Learn More...
- The number of decimal places used can be changed after the session has been executed. In a results matrix you can change this setting for a selected column of data by setting the Filter on the right mouse or Matrix menus (see Applying a Filter in the SEER*Stat help system).
Step 8: Execute SEER*Stat and View the Results
- Use the or select Execute from the Session menu. (Execute Offline is a 3rd option that is described below in the Learn More section.)
- An alert dialog will appear with a choice to execute the session using summary files or individual records. The default is to use summary files because they process faster, but no exclusion counts will be reported.
- Select "Use individual records (report exclusion counts)" to run the session without summary files. You can set this behavior as the default for every run.
- A dialog will display the progress of the job. When the job completes a new window will open containing the output table or matrix.
- Results shown in the SEER*Stat matrix window cannot be edited. You do have the ability to print the matrix, export the results to a text file, and copy-and-paste data into other applications. The Results Matrix section of the help system contains more information about the SEER*Stat matrix and its features.
- Notice that only the first line of the title (as entered on the Output Tab) appears on the title bar. The entire title will appear on printouts.
- To see the case exclusion counts, select Properties... from the Matrix menu. The report includes the total number of records read and the number of records excluded for each selection statement.
Learn More...
- If you are running SEER*Stat in client-server mode you will also have the option to Execute Offline. This feature is intended for jobs that take several minutes or longer to complete. SEER*Stat automatically sends an email message to you as soon as the execution is complete. The email message includes a link to the location of the resultant matrix.
Step 9: Save and Print the Matrix
- Use the Save As command on the File menu to save the matrix. Enter "Rate Exercise 1a" as the filename. SEER*Stat will assign the "sim" extension to indicate that this is a "SEER*Stat Rate Matrix" file.
- Use the Print command on the File menu to print the matrix. You will notice that the session information is printed along with the results matrix. The session information serves as documentation for the results. Notice that the name of the matrix file is printed at the top of each page. More information regarding the matrix options and print options are included in the SEER*Stat help system.
- Compare your results to this SEER*Stat matrix file: Exercise Matrix 1a Results.
Step 10: Using the Results in Other Software
Two methods can be used to take results from a SEER*Stat matrix and use them in another program:
- Copy data from the matrix to the Windows clipboard. In the other program, paste the contents of the clipboard to the work space. This technique would work well for programs that allow the pasting of data, including most graphing packages such as Excel and PowerPoint. More specific instructions are provided in the SEER*Stat help system.
- Export the data from the matrix to a delimited text file. Some programs, such as Excel, will allow you to open a delimited text file. In other programs, such as Joinpoint and DevCan, you must select the delimited text file as the input file. Please refer to Exporting Results in the SEER*Stat help system for instructions.


text:
Two old ladies are outside their nursing home, having a drink and a
smoke, when it starts to rain. One of the old ladies pulls out a condom,
cuts off the end, puts it over her cigarette, and continues smoking.
Maude: What in the hell is that?
Mabel: A condom. This way my cigarette doesn't get wet.
Maude: Where did you get it?
Mabel: You can get them at any drugstore .
The next day, Maude hobbles herself into the local drugstore and
announces to the pharmacist that she wants a box of condoms.
The pharmacist, obviously embarrassed, looks at her kind of strangely
(she is after all, over 80 years of age), but very delicately asks what
brand of condom she prefers.
"Doesn't matter Sonny, as long as it fits on a Camel."


text:
Back in April, one of the things I decided to do in the healing process was to take better care of my body. To not take my health for granted and to celebrate aging.
Because, you know, some people don't get to. Age, that is.
I stopped dying my hair so that I could watch the grey come in, and I actually kind of like it. It's interesting. I started getting waxed regularly, which is another story for another day. And towards the end of April, I joined Weight Watchers.
There has never been a time in my life where I needed to lose enough weight to do something like join Weight Watchers. That was part of the reason it took me so long. I didn't want to admit that I needed to do something I considered drastic.
I set a goal of 35 pounds by September 9, 2012. That's tomorrow. And unless I lose seven pounds in my sleep tonight, I didn't quite make my goal. However, I'm pretty happy with the 28 that are already gone. I even bought a two piece to take on our trip. I'm not going to look 18 again in it, but that's not the point.
The point is, I'm going to look like a 39 year old mother of two and look extremely happy in it. And I'll be praying that my boobs don't fall out of it in the pool. Because let's just get it out there that the girls haven't joined in the dieting quite as much as I had hoped they would.
Yesterday, I had to weigh my English Setter, Aja, to get a prescription filled for her. I stepped on the scale without her and then stepped on again with her. As I put her down, I realized that I was putting down all of the weight I have lost since having Colin in 2010. Losing it gradually kept me from appreciating just how much better I feel. Picking up Aja and getting to set her back down again made the weight loss pretty tangible in an instant.
The best part of finally joining Weight Watchers isn't actually the weight loss. It's that I finally feel like I've learned to eat right. I've cut out at least 80% of the sugar I used to eat, and I feel so much better. I've added back more fruit and vegetables than I've ever eaten, and cut out the carb laden snacks and dinners. I've learned to make decisions about what I eat - that everything I put in my mouth is a choice. A choice that will be in line with my desired lifestyle or out of line with it.
The past few months have been about laying down the weight I've been carrying and making decisions that are beneficial to the life I want to have. That is, of course, only a little bit about dieting, and a lot about moving forward. But I probably didn't have to tell you that, did I?
Saturday, September 08, 2012
The weight of it all
Back in April, one of the things I decided to do in the healing process was to take better care of my body. To not take my health for granted and to celebrate aging.
Labels: Feelers, Random Thoughts, The Big Four-O


text:
Home Page Chess Life Online 2011 April Yankovsky and Troff Earn Norms in Reader Memorial
|Yankovsky and Troff Earn Norms in Reader Memorial
|By Ankit Gupta
|May 17, 2011
The 5th Metropolitan Chess FIDE Invitational dedicated to Sean Christian Reader* concluded this weekend on May 15th. It was organized by Ankit Gupta and directed by Randy Hough and Michael Belcher. SM Roman Yankovsky and NM Kayden Troff both achieved IM norms with 7.0 and 6.5 out of 9.0, respectively. This is the final norm for Senior Master Roman Yankovsky, now International Master Elect, who achieved an earlier norm this year at the Berkeley International. This is NM Kayden Troff's first IM norm.
Below are two games by Yankovsky and Troff from this event.
Metropolitan Chess, Inc. hosted this International Master norm round robin tournament from May 11 to 15 of 2011. The tournament was sponsored by California Market Center, Fashion Business, Inc, Chess.com, MonRoi, LawyerFy, and Betty Bottom Showroom.
Please take a moment to visit the Metropolitan Chess, Inc website at www.metrochessla.com to keep informed of other upcoming events run by the organization.
*Sean's Fund honors the memory of Sean Christian Reader, who lost his valiant battle with leukemia on August 14th, 2006. Sean, age 12, was a nationally-ranked chess player and fought his battle with cancer as fiercely as he faced any opponent across the chessboard. Sean's Fund works with California Chess League (CYCL) to provide financial aid to those who need it to pay for chess classes and tournaments. Our deepest respect and appreciation goes to Sean Christian Reader, who loved chess, and his family in their selfless efforts to support youth chess talent and interest in the greater Southern California area.


text:
Join the South Dakota Planned Giving Council
In a community rated among the most generous in the nation, South Dakota Planned Giving Council (SDPGC) is the only local organization that brings together charitable planning professionals from all relevant specialties to learn, collaborate and inspire one another. Your membership will provide access to stellar training, targeted networking opportunities and ultimately help you lead donors and clients to more effective charitable giving.
We are affiliated with the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP), the source for education, research and advocacy for professionals who have a role in designing and implementing charitable gift planning. CGP and SDPGC collaborate to offer complementary benefits and resources for members. Together, we give members at all levels the knowledge and connections they need to thrive in their local communities, as well as the broader field of charitable giving.
Member Benefits
Membership Criteria
We offer an individual membership, which is renewed each year on your anniversary date. When you join or renew, you create a username and password that give you instant access to your member benefits.
We invite multiple members of an organization to join our organizations, although we do not offer organizational memberships or discounts on multiple individual memberships. Memberships are transferable within an organization. Read more about our transfer policy.
$150 – includes membership in both the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners and the South Dakota Planned Giving Council. JOIN NOW
If you have questions or need further information, please contact email@example.com


text:
You like the internet, right? Why not spend your summer in camo, learning to ween yourself from it.
As CRI reports, there are around 250 military-style internet addiction camps in China. In recent years, the Chinese government has been trying to "fix" internet addiction, something that is officially recognized in the country as a psychological illness. These camps provide a way for parents to get their kids offline.
Though, with stories of beatings and daring escapes, parents might want to think twice about shipping their kids off to internet addiction camps.
But, as these CFP photos show, there is plenty to do at the boot camps.
They can get pointed at. Point at me, point at me!
Push-ups are always fun, and no doubt a scientifically proven way to give up internet addiction.
You can work on your saluting. You, short kid in the front with your hand over your nose. You suck at saluting.
Or play in a band. History has shown that doing that never leads to any sort of addiction, so relax parents.
Get your brain scanned for, and I quote, "research purposes."
With so many activities, these internet addicted kids will be cured in no time!
The Redemption Road for Internet Addicted Teens [CRI]
To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft.
Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.


text:
An elderly man in Florida had owned a large farm for several years.
He had a large pond in the back. It was properly shaped for swimming, so he fixed it up nice with picnic tables, horseshoe courts, and some apple and peach trees thinking his family would enjoy it.
One evening the old farmer decided to go down to the pond, as he hadn't been there for a while, and look it over.
He grabbed a five-gallon bucket to bring back some fruit.
As he neared the pond, he heard voices shouting and laughing with glee.
As he came closer, he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny-dipping in his pond.
He made the women aware of his presence and they all went to the deep end.
One of the women shouted to him, 'we're not coming out until you leave!'
The old man frowned, 'I didn't come down here to watch you ladies swim naked or make you get out of the pond naked.'
Holding the bucket up he said, 'I'm here to feed the alligator...'
Some old men can still think fast.


text:
Sale Sold out
Regular price $10.00 USD
Regular priceUnit price per
Sale price
We like corgi butts and we cannot lie! You other humans can't deny. When a dog trots by with itty bitty legs and a bread loaf in the back, you start to giggle. Watch it wiggle! You'll laugh so hard, you'll get sore in the middle. We bet when you read this, you'll be smiling just a little. Corgi got back!
- Women's Shoe Size: 5-10.5


text:
Calling all new bloggers!!!
161 comments:
Sounds good. Thanks.ReplyDelete
Not new, but just my personal rantings and projects.
Oooh! How neat! I'd love your consideration! Thanks!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 16, 2011 at 4:14 PM
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
what a great idea ~ below is a link to a blog I started at the beginning of the year - I would love to have more people know about the participation & submission options under the "WHIMSY lines" & "WONDER lines" tabs at the top of the blogReplyDelete
Sounds Great!! I'd love to be included!ReplyDelete
Hi there!ReplyDelete
Now I hope this isn't confusing.:/
I had and old blog. (That was included in the guidebook) I now have a new one that I was hoping to have included in the guidebook. (~Pretty please~ I contacted the guidebook but I did not get a respond) :) I keep the guide book button so people that connect from my old blog may still find me. I would love love to be included. :)
My address ~ http://juliems3.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the consideration! Julie
I'm in! Thx!ReplyDelete
Chyanne M.
My daughter and I have had personal blogs for several years, but we have a NEW blog together that is 3 months old. We'd love for you to stop by. She recently moved and our blog is letters back and forth between Utah and Hawaii.ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
Outstanding - thanks for the POSSIBILITY of a break!ReplyDelete
I would love to be considered! My "Pumpkin Hollow Primtives" blog is less than a year old, and my "Sketches From the Cupboard Under the Stairs" is just over a year. You are most definitely welcome to stop by and see if either or both would work. Thanks! :)ReplyDelete
I'd love to be included.ReplyDelete
Yes please! I'd be thrilled to be considered!ReplyDelete
I'd be thrilled if you considered my blog! Thanks for the opportunity! -MeganReplyDelete
Thank you so much for the opportunity!I would love to be included if possible...ReplyDelete
That sounds like fun. I think I'm still a "newbie"ReplyDelete
What a great opportunity! I'd love to be considered as well.ReplyDelete
I'd love to be on it!ReplyDelete
I would love to be considered!ReplyDelete
Would love to be considered... : ) been a follower since I started...ReplyDelete
I'm not totally new but I don't have many followers! www.krystalskitsch.comReplyDelete
What a fun opportunity! I'd love this (:ReplyDelete
Such a great idea!ReplyDelete
I'm interested! :)ReplyDelete
so interested =)ReplyDelete
What a wonderful opportunity! I've had my blog for about 6 months now (wow-I bet it's going to learn to crawl soon!) and would love to get some more exposure. I share crafty inspiration and tutorials.ReplyDelete
Since I have run like crazy away from linky parties...Arghhhhhhh! Scary!!...Maybe this is the next best progression. :-) I still consider myself a newbie. I'm white-knuckling my way to blogdom...even though I LOVE IT!! :-]ReplyDelete
awwwh! Sounds like a party to me! I love this idea almost as much as I like pre-mixed margaritas in a bottle. And that is A LOT.ReplyDelete
Although I've been blogging for a few years, I've just started on the "trying to take it to the next level" phase.ReplyDelete
I blog about motherhood, raising 2 boys (who are just 11 months apart - ages 3 and 4) and special needs. My youngest son has a craniofacial condition called Apert Syndrome so my blogging journey began when he was born and we faced many surgeries and difficult decisions.
Anyway, I'd love to be a featured blogger! Thanks, Taryn
Pick me! Pick me!ReplyDelete
Such a sweet idea..... I have been blogging for about two months now and absolutely lovvve it... I can't believe I didn't start sooner! :) Sea MarieReplyDelete
That is just great. I blog from Sao Paulo, Brazil, and would love the opportunity to have my blog shown more internationally.ReplyDelete
I'm very interested! I started blogging about 5 months ago, so i'm still fairly new!ReplyDelete
How new is new?ReplyDelete
I am a fun craft blog- been around 2 years. WOULD LOVE to be added to the list.
Thanks for all the inspiration and ideas.
blessings to you, Dawn ll
My sisters and I started a recipe blog about 7 months ago and would love to be included!ReplyDelete
This is so nice! I started blogging when my boyfriend deployed as a way to keep him in the loop, and have since started blogging just for me. I love it.ReplyDelete
My blog is a year and a half old, so not quite new, but I would love a few more followers, so if you want to check it out to see if it would work, I would totally appreciate it!ReplyDelete
Blogging on adoption and life after!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 16, 2011 at 6:24 PM
That would be great, I would love it!ReplyDelete
Or I just started a teaching blog too.
I would love to participate. I am new, got a bit of exposure, but I WANT MORE. Trying to learn new things, get so frustrated. A lot of really great bloggers have been so helpful, but really want to get better. I'm having the time of my life.ReplyDelete
Hi! I'd love to be considered!ReplyDelete
I would love for Annie Wilcox Designs to be considered for a feature. I post a Sunday Sanctuary, Wednesday Wallpaper and a few other budget related decor post.ReplyDelete
All the best,
Oooooh! I'd love to be featured!ReplyDelete
Oh!!! Me, me, me!!!ReplyDelete
Thanks! I just started my blog on Aug. 6th!ReplyDelete
I would love to be included!ReplyDelete
I would love love love to be included! I am less than one year old and under 50 followers!ReplyDelete
I'm am such a newbie it's not even funny. Please help! www.chelsealivesabundantly.blogspot.comReplyDelete
I'm a newbie...I started my blog in January and would love to be featured...ReplyDelete
Who wouldn't be interested?? :)ReplyDelete
Would LOVE to be featured! Thanks for the offer!ReplyDelete
Hi all the way from Australia! Would love to be considered in your list. Great idea. Thanks.ReplyDelete
This would be great! Thanks!ReplyDelete
It would be AWESOME to be included! Thank you so much:)ReplyDelete
How kind! You can take a look at my blog http://busilyspinningmomma.blogspot.com if you'd like. I'd love to be considered :)ReplyDelete
I would love to be considered. I'm a teacher / mom to 3 under 3. Blogging about faith, life with twin toddlers and an infant miracle with a rare chromosomal disorder.ReplyDelete
My blog is about 7 months old.
Kristen @ www.alittlesomethingforme.com
Would love to be considered!ReplyDelete
I would love to be considered. I have been blogging for about 9 months and am really trying to build up my site. Any assistance or ideas would be great!ReplyDelete
Lyndsay, you are a doll!ReplyDelete
Oh, how I *heart* you! My sister created a blog for me a couple of years ago and I was lost and overwhelmed so it sat.ReplyDelete
I started following your blog this year to learn the ropes and have been blogging for several months now. Thanks for being my training wheels thus far! I owe you and hope to have more curb appeal soon.
You are fabulous!
Add me, add me!!! I'm new, small and really need some publicity. Love the comic by the way :)ReplyDelete
Count me in!ReplyDelete
Would love to be considered. Have a good day...errr..Night;)ReplyDelete
My newest blog endeavour is at http://alocalwander.com. My goal there is to inspire people to explore the area they live in, but also give traveler's an insider's view on what there is to when they come visiting. Any extra exposure would be great and I'd love to considered for your upcoming post!ReplyDelete
I would love to be included!ReplyDelete
I'm definitely interested!ReplyDelete
jennyigloo.blogspot.com :)
Wow, that would be fabulous! Thank you for taking the time to feature us newbies.ReplyDelete
Hi Lyndsay! I'd love you to pop on over to see if you'd like to showcase my new blog! Looking forward to it!ReplyDelete
That'd be awesome! My blog has been around for a while but I just started to post regularly about a month and a half ago, so it's technically a newbie. =)ReplyDelete
My blog {The Flourishing Foodie} is 7 months old.
I am always looking for new ways to share my recipes!
I've been blogging for over three years but just recently started another blog to focus on my crochet and sewing. I love to have you visit me and be considered. ♥ReplyDelete
Stephanie Suzanne ♥
Oops, I forgot to leave my blog address. I noticed that most are doing that.ReplyDelete
Thanks again,
Stephanie Suzanne ♥
It's 5 months since I've started my blog, so I think this post is for me :) http://bigheartmade.blogspot.com/ReplyDelete
What a nice way to make new friends!ReplyDelete
I would love to be included.
Tracie @
Yes please. I'm pretty much super newbie my blog is only about 2 months old!ReplyDelete
I would love this opportunity! http://www.clhowley.comReplyDelete
oh wow. so - i do have a couple of followers, but i wanna have more from over the sea (i'm living in europe and getting followers from other conintents is really hard). so maybe this is my chance :)ReplyDelete
ps: my blog is about DIY, cooking, crafts and my photography. the last posts are all about my holidays in prague and zurich, but i'm trying to do more cooking/DIY-stuff in september.
ps: i love your blog!
I would love to be included. I have a travel/lifestyle blog that is just a few months old.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 17, 2011 at 4:19 AM
THANKYOU so much ! Blogging can be a lonely old world sometimes when you don't really have a technological mind. I would absolutely love any help that comes my way. Sending you big smiles...ReplyDelete
my blog could use some love, I'm trying to remember to post more often.ReplyDelete
My blog is currently *just* under 1 year old (and may have passed it's official bday by the time you do your post) but only off by a few days - hopefully I can still qualify! I'm pretty small potatoes. :) Thanks for the consideration!ReplyDelete
That's a super idea Lyndsay! My blog is older and doesn't met the criteria; but I wanted to give you a pat on the back for the idea anyway!ReplyDelete
That would be fantastic if you could add my blog, Traveling Due West, to the list.ReplyDelete
Wow! That would be awesome!ReplyDelete
I started blogging in January. I'm still learning my way around the blogging world and I have some wonderful followers already but my number has stalled. My blog is bits n pieces of my life and my love for photography! Thanks for considering From City Streets to Country Roads!
This would be great! Thanks so much! - Jean MarieReplyDelete
I would love to be involved in this! I have a blog that focuses on my photography (of travels, family, the city I live in), love for design, and soon to be new baby and parenthood. I love blogging and would love to get my blog out there for others to see!ReplyDelete
xo, Anna of (Green Gable)
- AnonymousAugust 17, 2011 at 8:27 AM
Lyndsay- I would love for my blog to be included. I blog about my journey to become a jewelry artist, the fun of bead addiction, and random thoughts about life. I have tried very hard to increase my exposure through Facebook and other social media. Thanks for the opportunity to increase my reach!ReplyDelete
Would love to be included!!ReplyDelete
I am very interested! What an exciting opportunity! Thanks!ReplyDelete
This link is a favorite because it's an old letter from a man in training for the army. It's to the girl who became his wife. She then tells the story of how they met. :)
My blog is for me to share the letters & journal entries I've accumulated over the years, but it's also for anyone who wants to submit their own. I have several categories including:
Letters from War, Letters Behind Bars, Letters from Every State, Letters from Every Country (Definite works in progress...see if yours has been done yet), etc.
Anyone is welcome to contribute!
It's only been up for a little over 2 months, but I'm having lots of fun with it.
- AnonymousAugust 17, 2011 at 9:31 AM
OH Yes PLEASE!!! That would be awesome!! Thank you for a wonderful opportunity! http://mumsysrefuge.blogspot.comReplyDelete
WOW!! What a bunch of wonderful blogs that have left comments ahead of me! You are providing us with a great opportunity and we are all very grateful. Thank you so much. Let me know who you pick!ReplyDelete
Thanks again!
I'd love to be included! :) Thanks for the opportunity.
Cottage in the Oaks
I would love to be a part of this. Thanks very much!ReplyDelete
http://contestsformoi.blogspot.com - Blog is called Horseshoes
- AnonymousAugust 17, 2011 at 10:53 AM
I have subscribed to you blog and find it very helpful.ReplyDelete
Thanks, Margie
I have just started to blog again after a one year+ absence.ReplyDelete
My SIL was in need of a kidney last year and that took presidence over blogging.
I am back now and even added another blog INSPIRATIONS. My main blog is a shelter blog, Bunny Jean's Decor and More.
I have a meme call the BUNNY HOP and it is a showcase for new bloggers. A format for them to network with other new bloggers. I find that the newish blogger is more apt to make a real connection with other bloggers, not just "follow" and forget.
I have been gleaning lots of great ideas from you blog. Thanks for being there for us!
xoxo Bunny Jean
Just thought I better mention that my SIL got his new kidney and I have his picture and info on my side bar.ReplyDelete
xoxo Bunny Jean
I would love to be considered! My blog is just over year old but i could really use some help building my readership!! Thank you for this promotion!!ReplyDelete
I would love that,thank you,I would love some new readers/followers especially as I am just about to start a new Wire Wrapping Jewellery clubReplyDelete
I would love to be worked in! :)ReplyDelete
Dear lord! At comment 103 I hardly fancy my chances but if you do get this far...ReplyDelete
Sounds wonderful! My blog is here: http://www.pecklife.com/ and follows everyday life with my husband and son along with DIY projects, gardening, food, pretty things - random bits of anything lovely!ReplyDelete
Would LOVE to Bee included! Have just found my voice after years of thinking about writing. Took a change of continent to get me started but now I can't stop!!! Started on the 1st August 2011 and loving it!ReplyDelete
I would absolutely LOVE to be apart of this!!!ReplyDelete
Hi if Im not too late I would love to be included, my blog is two months old and super new!ReplyDelete
My blog is only about 3 1/2 months old, though I all ready feel like it's my extra child that I've had all of my life! Ha ha. :) Would love to be highlighted, since I'm pretty much addicted to all things blogging and love this sort of stuff!! Thanks!ReplyDelete
I would love to be included. My blog is closing in on a year old, and I would love some new bloggy friends!ReplyDelete
My blog is http://jillmadeit.blogspot.com/
Bespoke JaNik would LOVE to be included on your roll call!ReplyDelete
Man....I don't believe I'm like 111! My blog went public in May 2011 and I would love to be listed! Thank you so much!ReplyDelete
Hi Lyndsay -ReplyDelete
You are going to have your work cut out for you with over 100 comments so far.
I would love to be considered for a new blogger feature. I started in March 2011 and I feel that I have really found my voice and I am making a connection with those interested in repurposed design projects. I am most proud of the number of page views that I have in such a short amount of time (85,239 page views according to Blogger today).
Welcome to my blog for a look around:
Welcome to my Pinterest boards to see my aesthetic:
And read my 'About' to learn a small bit about me:
Thanks for considering a feature of Blue Velvet Chair.
I'm very new and would love this opportunity!!ReplyDelete
Awesome! I would love to be considered. I just started a blog on blogger but am in the process of switching it to a .com (trying to do things right) My blog is www.vintagecreations.blogspot.com and soon (hopefully) I will be at diyvintagecreations.com. Thanks, Melissa NobbsReplyDelete
Oooh! Pick me! Pick me! Thanks for thinking of us newbies. Inspiration to keep on keepin' on!ReplyDelete
Wow!! This is so sweet of you!!!ReplyDelete
I have had my blog fo a 1.5 year and would love more followers!!
I would love if you would add my blog to the list too?!
Thank you for the opportunity and for all you do for all of us bloggers!!
- Lori ThomasAugust 17, 2011 at 9:06 PM
Sounds very interestingReplyDelete
Hey there! Loving this idea of yours :) Check out my new blog filled with beautiful things I come across, that are too good to keep to myself.ReplyDelete
Hope to hear from you soon. xoxo, Lady V
My first blog ever!ReplyDelete
Quick Fix: Fast Meals and Other Household hacks
Thanks for the help!
Wow... what a great idea. It would be wonderful if you could include my Blog. I can't wait to see your featured posts - I love finding new and upcoming blogs to support! Thanks! AJReplyDelete
I'm brand new and without a single follower :o and would love the help. Thanks so muchReplyDelete
Beth Ann
What a great idea =) I would too appreciate the consideration.ReplyDelete
Thanks so much!!
- AnonymousAugust 18, 2011 at 9:29 AM
This is a great idea! Thank you.ReplyDelete
I would love to be a part of it. http://thekeirnsfamily.blogspot.comReplyDelete
This is great.ReplyDelete
Yes please!!ReplyDelete
I am so glad to run accross this post, I have started a new home decor/ crafty blog about a month ago. I would love for you to drop by a take a look....and follow of course!!!!!ReplyDelete
What a nice idea!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 18, 2011 at 3:17 PM
I would love to be included. :)ReplyDelete
Wonderful! I am a very new blogger (as in, I started yesterday). My blog is all about not wasting your single years. Thanks for the consideration! knotaboringlife.blogspot.comReplyDelete
We have a unique story with our sweet baby boy who has had 2 open heart surgeries and one more to go. I blog about random family stuff. :) But I love it!
How about my husband's blog? http://mrverdantgreen.typepad.comReplyDelete
i JUST stumbled on your blog.. i hope i am not too late. it is friday, but i believe it is the 19th, so i am not sure if i made it in time.ReplyDelete
but i would LOVE to have you check out my blog.
even better if i would be able to be featured!
i started up my blog in june/july ish of this year.
i have recently been doing a series called the abc's of hair . it's been pretty fun. i'd love if you took a peek!
thanks for letting us all join in on the fun!
{love} lauryn @ lovenotesbylauryn.blogspot.com
I hope I got this in on time! Friday is August 19th. Been blogging since Feb. of 2011.ReplyDelete
Here's my blog:
I'd love to be included!ReplyDelete
Oh no!!! I missed the deadline, but maybe I can be included also.ReplyDelete
Darn. I missed the deadline. Maybe you can still include me or do another one? :)ReplyDelete
Thanks so much,
Very nice blog. Have a nice day.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 21, 2011 at 8:10 PM
I am a rather new blogger and would love to be featured! I blog about life as a wife, mother, stay-at-home-mom, student, and Military family.ReplyDelete
I just came across this so I have missed the deadline - but would love to be considered anyway! I started blogging late last December...ReplyDelete
HausDesign blog:
this is a great idea.. thanks for he consideration. (even if I did miss the deadline!)ReplyDelete
I would love to be featured on your blog... I try to post a new creative idea every day!ReplyDelete
Wow this is a neat opportunity! My blog is... mrmrsbthemarriedlife.blogspot.comReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 22, 2011 at 10:14 AM
What an extraordinary opportunity!ReplyDelete
My blog is less than a year old, and I would love to have it featured and hopefully inspire others!
Thank you!
Mary C. Nasser
What an extraordinary opportunity!ReplyDelete
My blog is less than a year old, and I would love to have it featured and hopefully inspire others!
Thank you!
Mary C. Nasser
That's so exciting! I would LOVE to be featured. My blog is only 9 months old. (A baby!) :)ReplyDelete
Helen from Bettencourt Chase
Thank you! :)
what a wonderful idea to give us newbies a little spotlight. thanks for the opportunity!ReplyDelete
Can I still join? :)ReplyDelete
Yes. Is there still time to join? My blog was started in May 2011 and is still a work in progress. It's mostly a DIY blog, but may expand to parenting. Enjoy!ReplyDelete
Our blog is 3 months old! We would love love LOVE to be featured! we are at http://theletter4.blogspot.com/ReplyDelete
we offer a tons of free tutorials, printables hair styles, we literally have a little bit of everything!
Thank you so much for the opportunity!
If you're still taking submissions I'd love to be considered. I started blogging in June :)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 2, 2011 at 11:50 PM
I'm new to blogging and I would love to be featured! I'm a SAHM, crafter, baker, Army wife living in Germany! I like to blog about our family, my crafting and baking, and our European travels. Thank you for considering me! :)ReplyDelete
What a fantastic idea!ReplyDelete
I have been blogging now since March. I have met some wonderful peopleand can say it's changed my life. It opens up the world and gives an insight into other's lives, their homes and their innermost thoughts. I find it inspiring, emotional, controversial, artistic and so much more. I can travel the world from my desk. In short I LOVE IT. I would love to be highlighted on your site. My blog is mainly just my musings, images on our world.
Please stop by for a visit :-)
Hi my blog is not up to a year yet almsot tho, but i would be glad to be considered. It is a fashion and style blogReplyDelete
Hi my blog is not up to a year yet almsot tho, but i would be glad to be considered. It is a fashion and style blogReplyDelete
Less than one week old and about to do my fourth post tomorrow. Would be super and fabulous to be included. Mine is a sewing, baking and charity shop thrift type blog with a sprinkling of double entendre. Thanks everso. xReplyDelete
Fashion Blog: http://raggedb0nes.blogspot.co.uk/ReplyDelete
It's only a few days old, and just trying to get everything sorted first! But it will be brilliant, i hope!
http://whatcraigdid.blogspot.co.uk/ literally a newborn. appreciate advise and critique xReplyDelete
I'm new to blogging! I finally made the jump to start my own blog - www.notjustamomme.blogspot.com, although I have been contributing on a friend's blog for a year now. I would love to be included in any advice and information you can give!ReplyDelete
Thank you for the opportunity!ReplyDelete
Well, I think I'm way too late for this but I'll try anyway....I just set up my Blog a few days ago, still tweaking it....Trying to find a Button I like for it.....Thank you so very much.........ReplyDelete
Comments are how we stay connected as bloggers. Let us know how you feel and we'll return the favor...stay calm and blog on!!! And guess what? You'll never find Word Verification on our blog...it gets kind of annoying when you can't read what WV wants you to verify right?
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.


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FAO helps develop protected status for food products in Croatia
Joint project with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to develop Geographical Indication labels aims to increase market competitiveness.
Mandarins and sausages from two regions in Croatia have won protected Geographical Indication (GI) status with the help of a joint project run by FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
GI status is granted to goods that have a specific geographical origin and is an effective way to communicate quality, safety and tradition to consumers. It can support rural development by increasing market competitiveness as well as preserving cultural heritage and adding value to local products.
As a result of the FAO/EBRD project to develop GIs in Croatia, mandarins from the Neretva Valley and sausage from the Baranja region in the east of the country now bear the GI label.
Their registration "provides the opportunity to local producers to market a niche quality product more effectively and to get access to wider distribution networks and European markets" thanks to increased brand recognition, said Vedrana Jelusic Kasic, EBRD Director for Croatia, at a joint FAO/EBRD conference in Zagreb today.
With the support of the Croatian agribusiness company Agrokor and the country's Ministry of Agriculture, the project organized groups of farmers to come together to create product-specific standards, and the GIs were officially registered over the course of just three years.
With their registration, the Neretva mandarin and the Baranjski kulen (sausage) join products such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Champagne or Florida Oranges, which enjoy global recognition.
Worldwide there are approximately 10 000 registered GIs with annual trade value estimated at USD 50 billion.
The next step for Croatia is to ensure the recognition of their GIs by the European Commission so they are protected on the European market as well. The Ministry of Agriculture will oversee this process so the Neretva mandarin and Baranjski kulen can be enjoyed abroad and financial returns to farmers can grow.
"We have several regions – Slavonia, Baranja, Istria and Dalmatia – where you have different technology and different types of traditional products," said Jelena Đugum, Head of Service at the Croatian Ministry of Agriculture, "The methods of production are transferred from generation to generation and nowadays they are really typical and very good for our country, especially in the way of tourism."
The kulen was successfully registered with a protected geographical indication (PGI) in July 2012 and the mandarin achieved protected designation of origin (PDO) status, which has even stricter requirements than the PGI, in September 2013.
The recognition of these GIs goes beyond the first two products, which are expected to serve as examples in the region. Producers of similar goods in the Balkans have already initiated the GI registration process. As international recognition grows farmers will be able to hold on to tradition and culture while seeing their investments grow.


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Leading experts have joined together for the first time to call for better screening of psoriatic arthritis to help millions of people suffering from the condition.
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) causes painful joint inflammation and can cause irreversible joint damage if left untreated.
PsA tends to affect people with the skin condition psoriasis, which causes a red, scaly rash, and affects approximately two per cent of people in the UK. Around one in five go on to develop PsA usually within ten years of the initial skin problem being diagnosed.
Coming together to tackle the gaps in the treatment and diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis, expert rheumatologists, dermatologists and patient representatives from Europe and North America formed the Psoriatic Arthritis Forum, and have now made a series of recommendations to combat the condition.
The recommendations were published in the journal Arthritis Care and Research. They included:
Developing a screening tool for dermatologists and primary care doctors to identify suspected PsA patients
Raising awareness about the progression, health-related quality of life components, and other health issues associated with PsA;
Improving communication between healthcare providers and patients;
Dr Philip Helliwell, of the School of Medicine at the University of Leeds, a member of the Psoriatic Arthritis Forum, said: We believe up to 50% of psoriasis patients with psoriatic arthritis are undiagnosed, living with sore, stiff and tender joints, without understanding what is causing this pain. Our review points the way forward for effective screening and treatment, in the hope that detection rates of the condition are improved and patients enjoy a better quality of life.
In addition to better screening, experts have called for improved referrals of patients, as well as an algorithm a step-by-step procedure for primary care physicians - to be developed to help community physicians on patient evaluation and treatment decisions.
Dr Helliwell added: These recommendations serve as a guide for improving the timely diagnosis of PsA, as well as promoting global awareness of PsA. We need to develop better screening tools as a matter of urgency, as these will be cost-effective and lead to better health outcomes for thousands of people.
This effort was supported in part by the Celgene Corporation.
Further information
Dr Philip Helliwell is available for interview. Please contact Ben Jones in the University of Leeds press office on +44 (0)113 343 8059 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
A factsheet with details of the Forums findings is available.
A copy of the paper published in Arthritis Care and Research is also available.


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Down-Under Energy Opportunities: Ivor Ries
Source: Zig Lambo of The Energy Report (4/26/12)
Most investors may not have Australian resource companies on their radar screens, but that doesn't mean that there aren't some great opportunities worth pursuing Down Under. In this exclusive interview with The Energy Report, Ivor Ries, utilities and energy analyst at E.L. & C. Baillieu Stockbroking Ltd., one of Australia's oldest securities firms, describes the challenges faced by energy-related companies in his country and how they are taking advantage of the opportunities available both at home and in the U.S., Canada and South America.
Ivor Ries: Australia has historically been the quarry and energy source to emerging Asian economies. As a result, our economy is inextricably linked with the progress of China, Korea, Japan, India and the other Southeast Asian economies. Initially, we were mostly a supplier of minerals, but in recent years, the liquefied natural gas (LNG) markets have become a very large part of our economy. We have two very large LNG projects in production and a third smaller one in Darwin. Another five LNG projects are now under construction, which will more than triple Australia's LNG output over the next five or six years.
The LNG boom has its pros and cons. The investment spending is a huge boost to our economy, but it also has caused a huge shortage of contractors and manpower. The price of labor has gone through the roof in any business related to oil and gas. An unskilled laborer working on an LNG project in Australia is probably paid somewhere between two and four times as much as he or she would be elsewhere. Australia has very tight restrictions on labor coming in. At the moment, the industry is forcing the government to change that. The government recently announced it is going to reduce the visa requirements for American and Canadian oil and gas workers, so they can help plug that gap. That would be a huge relief for the industry. We have a very heavy-handed set of regulations here, and there has been a lot of media hysteria surrounding fracking, particularly in the coal-seam gas areas and a very strong campaign to have fracking stopped. Anyone running coal-seam gas or unconventional gas here has to run through a very stringent and time-consuming environmental approvals process, which probably adds two to three years to getting a project off the ground. When it comes to the cost of getting things done, everything takes longer and is more expensive than expected. That's frustrating.
TER: What's the breakdown of Australia's energy production versus its consumption of oil, gas, coal and other energy sources?
IR: The domestic market in Australia is overwhelmingly coal driven. Australia is the world's largest seaborne coal exporter, and our domestic power industry runs about 8085% off coal and to a smaller extent off hydroelectric power and gas. Cheap coal gives us very low-cost baseload power across the entire economy. A population of only 23 million (M) people is just not enough to create a significant market for gas, and that has resulted in a terrible oversupply. Until we started shipping LNG, gas prices were incredibly low. We're just now starting to see the connection between the domestic gas price and export prices. Typically, for the last five years, the price for gas on the east coast of Australia was about $3.50 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). Now we're starting to see some longer contracts being signed at about $78/MMBtu.
TER: Do LNG exports offer a big potential opportunity?
IR: Yes. In Australia, unlike the U.S., the mineral resources belong to the government. So the people who own the land do not own the minerals underneath. In the States you have the overriding royalty system where the landowner typically gets a percentage of the production. Here in Australia, the state government gets a royalty that is typically about 10%. The net cost of producing coal-seam and conventional gas is very low. There is a good network of pipelines on the east coast for moving the gas around where cash production costs, particularly from the better coal-seam gas fields, are typically less than $1/MMBtu. That's very cheap. With an LNG plant, the price is now around $1213/MMBtu. Even after the pipeline charges and the LNG plant operating costs, that is quite a big margin. In the recent years, we've had quite a lot of consolidation with global names buying up the smaller coal-seam gas players to increase their reserves and have a bigger stake in LNG.
TER: Are most Australian energy companies geographically diversified with operations in other countries?
IR: Our bigger companies here tend to be multinationals, like BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP:NYSE; BHPLF:OTCPK), Rio Tinto (RIO:NYSE; RIO:ASX) and Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (WPL:ASX). The Australian market is so small that to grow beyond a certain size, you have to become multinational in some way. The next tier down is a huge drop in terms of size. Our biggest pure domestic gas play is probably Origin Energy Ltd. (ORG:ASX). It has about a $16 billion (B) market cap.
TER: About how many energy-related public companies are there in Australia?
IR: There are a lot. Our market is a bit like Calgary in that we have a lot of really small exploration companies here. There are probably more than 250 listed energy companies on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX).
TER: You have a fairly broad range of companies in your coverage list in terms of stage of development, type of business and the price of the stock. How do you decide what companies you want to cover?
IR: Many companies are working on a lot of small things. Our chief criteria is the company has to be involved in pursuing one or more core projects where the central resource is at least 100 million barrels oil equivalent (Mboe). Otherwise, there's no point. Companies chasing smaller projects tend to burn through shareholders' capital and then ask for more. We figure if you chase a 100MMbbl target and you derisk it, you may not actually produce it, but someone will come and pay you some real money for it. So that's the first criterion. The other criterion is the quality of the management. Once we feel comfortable in that area as well, the company goes onto our coverage list. But as you can see, there are not many.
TER: What are your favorite companies right now?
IR: The ones that stand out to me at the moment are companies like Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. (KAR:ASX), which is a midsize explorer/developer with an LNG project in Australia and a huge exploration project ahead in Brazil. Molopo Energy Ltd. (MPO:ASX) and Red Fork Enegry Ltd. (RFE:ASX) are essentially American companies that happen to be listed on the ASX. Molopo has acreage in the Bakken in Saskatchewan, Canada and a project in the Wolfcamp play in the Permian Basin in Texas. It has about 25,000 net acres in Texas. We're very excited about that. Red Fork has about 75,000 net acres in the Mississippi limestone play in Oklahoma. It has been getting some good results from its early wells there. We think these stocks are all very undervalued relative to the size and quality of the land positions they have. The next 1218 months for all three will be exciting because they have a lot of wells going in and production will be ramping up. If they get a reasonable run of drilling success, their share prices will be significantly higher than they are now.
Molopo's Wolfcamp drilling areas are surrounded by a lot of very big players getting some really good results. These include EOG Resources Inc. (EOG:NYSE), El Paso Pipeline Partners L.P. (EPB:NYSE), Approach Resources Inc. (AREX:NASDAQ), ConocoPhillips (COP:NYSE), Pioneer Southwest Energy Partners L.P. (PSE:NYSE) and Devon Energy Corp. (DVN:NYSE). On some of their better wells, those guys are getting over 1.8 Mbpd from long laterals. Molopo has drilled three short lateral wells so far, and all have flowed oil. It is about to crank up production and put in somewhere between 8 and 10 wells there by year-end. Long, lateral wells will target much higher flow rates than achieved to date. As the company derisks the project, the market will really appreciate that asset.
TER: What about Red Fork?
IR: Red Fork is up in the Mississippi limestone area in Oklahoma. That's a real hotspot, and the last time I looked, there were 240 drill rigs running in the area. Red Fork is run by some very experienced oil guys out of Tulsa. It's had a couple wells on pump so far and has been getting some nice oil flows, and is about to crank that up. Red Fork has a very big land position. It will be getting a big following from the States as its production cranks up, going to somewhere between 1012 wells this year. Toward the end of the year, I wouldn't be surprised if its production was getting close to 2 Mbpd.
TER: Does that hold up or does it taper off relatively quickly?
IR: Because it has so much acreage, it will just keep drilling. I think it will eventually have more than 300 well locations that it can drill there. It will certainly be able to grow its production by just steadily increasing the footprint there. Its neighbors are getting 30-day initial production rates around 350550 bpd on pretty low-risk wells. If it can string together a whole bunch of those, we think it will then be seen as a serious company. At the moment, Australians see Red Fork as purely speculative and they haven't really bought the story yet.
I should talk about Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. for American investors. Over the years, it has looked long and hard at whether it should actually be listed in America simply because the Australian market is probably struggling to value it. It has three projects, including a huge gas condensate field discovery in a joint venture with ConocoPhillips in the Browse basin off the northern coast of West Australia. That's the Poseidon fields, which have estimates ranging anywhere between 3 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) and 15 Tcf gas, with a P50 estimate of around 7 Tcf gas, and a reasonably high condensate cut in that. It's drilling another five wells there with Conoco this year to get it to the point where it can have bankable reserves and then start going out and looking for customers. It's not really an exploration project anymore, but more of an appraisal development-type thing. It will require very big capital and a contract offtake for at least 4 million tons (Mt) LNG before that project will stand up. We're talking an $1820B capex to get that project up and going. Karoon is the junior partner in that. It originally scoped it, found it and then took it to the market, and Conoco farmed into it. Since then, it's just working it up to the point where it can start signing up customers. That's its number-one project.
The other two projects are in Brazil and Peru. In Brazil, it won five blocks in a government tender two years ago. It has spent a huge amount of money and time on 3D seismic and developed a large number of 200300 MMbbl targets there, which it will start drilling in the second half of this year. This is a very high-impact exploration program. Before it does that, Karoon is almost certainly going to farm it out to a larger player because it lacks the people and manpower to carry out a project of that size alone. Degolyer & McNaughton have done some work on this and estimate around about 900 MMbbl potential in those five Karoon blocks. So we're expecting a strong interest in it.
TER: So that amounts to about $90B in the ground, correct?
IR: Yes. These are huge targets in not terribly deep, but not shallow water, either. These are $80100M wells, and Karoon will be looking for someone to make a commitment to at least three wells and fund its back costs. Anyone coming through probably has to have a check in their pocket for $500M. That farm-out process is now almost complete with the partner announcement expected around mid-May, and drilling starting in the second half of the year. It already has a drill ship contracted so whoever buys into it is getting a fully worked-up project and it's going to get instant excitement as soon as it buys.
In Peru, Karoon has some onshore and offshore leases with potential for up to 700 Mboe. Again, it's looking for farm-in partners for that. The approval will probably come out toward the end of the year. This is a company that is chasing really big, high-impact projects. The stock is generally not held by Australian institutions. Most of the non-aligned shareholders are American pension and hedge funds and high net worth individuals.
TER: So it is definitely working in elephant country.
IR: That's right. With these sorts of companies, the only way you can value them is by applying a probability or a risk factor to the chance of success. Poseidon is definitely a project. We just don't know how big or how valuable it is. You have to apply some probability to the rest of the stuff. We end up with a valuation range of between $7.04 and $17.35/share. It is about $6 at the moment. Our midpoint value is $12.20. These are risked valuations with pretty heavy risk factors so if one of these things in Brazil, in particular, turns into a discovery, then obviously that valuation would increase very dramatically. It's a high-risk, high-reward kind of stock, not for the faint-hearted.
TER: Are there any other companies you'd like to talk about or mention?
IR: In big-cap land, Origin Energy has been a great performer over the years. Its share price is really suffering at the moment because the market is so concerned about cost blowouts on LNG projects. It's building a $20B LNG project with Conoco up in Queensland. Because other project costs are blowing out, the market is very wary, and its stock has really been sold off over the last 12 months. We think it's really an excellent company, with about $2.5B/year cash flow from its domestic operations. It's a really great business that's been one of the best performers in the Australian market for as long as it's been listed. If anyone wanted to play the big and liquid way, certainly Origin would be the standout.
TER: How would you summarize the big picture on energy investment opportunities in Australia?
IR: We think there is certainly a lot of value in Australia. Our market is somewhat thin and illiquid, so we don't have the depth of analysis. We have a lot of companies often holding U.S. assets, which actually trade at a huge discount to what they would do in their home market. If you're selective, you can find some real bargains here.
TER: Thanks again for joining us today
IR: Thank you.
Ivor Ries is a senior analyst and director of industrial research at E.L. & C. Baillieu Ltd., a long established stockbroking firm with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Bendigo and Newcastle. Ries joined the world of stockbroking in 2001 after a 22-year career in media, included reporting and commentary roles with The Age, Business Review Weekly and The Australian Financial Review. Ries joined E.L. & C. Baillieu in July 2001. The firm specializes in research and corporate advice for medium-sized industrial and resource companies and counts many of the country's major institutional investors as clients. Ries' areas of specialization are utilities, oil and gas and online media and e-commerce. A native of Queensland, Australia, Ries lives in Melbourne with his wife and daughters. He is a Brisbane Lions supporter.
Want to read more exclusive Energy Report interviews like this? Sign up for our free e-newsletter, and you'll learn when new articles have been published. To see a list of recent interviews with industry analysts and commentators, visit our Exclusive Interviews page.
1) Zig Lambo of The Energy Report conducted this interview. He personally and/or his family own shares of the following companies mentioned in this interview: None.
2) The following companies mentioned in the interview are sponsors of The Energy Report: Molopo Energy Ltd. Streetwise Reports does not accept stock in exchange for services.
3) Ivor Ries: I personally and/or my family own shares of the following companies mentioned in this interview: Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. and Molopo Energy Ltd. My employer, E.L. & C. Baillieu, has acted as broker to and earned commissions and underwriting fees from Karoon Gas Australia Ltd., Molopo Energy Ltd. and Red Fork Energy Ltd. in recent years. I personally and/or my family am not paid by any of the following companies mentioned in this interview. I was not paid by Streetwise Reports for participating in this story.


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IMF Survey : Saudi Arabia's Strong Growth Offers Chance to Tackle Jobs Challenge
July 24, 2013
- Growth outlook remains positive, oil market the main risk
- Saudi Arabia continues to play key stabilizing role in global oil market
- Reforms to focus on growth and employment while maintaining stability
Saudi Arabia's economy continues to perform well, with growth of 5.1 percent in 2012, thanks to high oil prices and output, strong private sector growth, and government spending, say IMF economists.
In its latest annual assessment of Saudi Arabia, the IMF says that while growth is likely to slow to 4 percent in 2013 as oil output declines relative to last year, activity in the private sector will remain healthy.
"The outlook for Saudi Arabia's economy remains positive," said Tim Callen, IMF mission chief for Saudi Arabia. "The country should continue to take advantage of this opportunity to create jobs, address housing shortages, develop the small and medium-sized enterprise sector, and further strengthen the fiscal position."
The main risk to the outlook stems from the oil market, although the government has prudently used the period of high oil prices to build substantial fiscal buffers, which provide plenty of scope to smooth government spending over the medium term in the event of a decline in oil prices.
Contributing globally, focusing domestically
One of the best performing of the Group of Twenty leading industrial and emerging market economies, Saudi Arabia has supported the global economy in recent years through its stabilizing role in the global oil market. Increased oil production in 2011 and 2012 helped prevent supply disturbances elsewhere from having a detrimental impact on global growth. The government has also provided significant financial support to other Middle Eastern countries.
In addition to playing an important global and regional role, the IMF report notes, Saudi Arabia also needs to focus on domestic reforms to reap the benefits and address the challenges being created by its young and growing population.
• Creating employment. A large number of young people will enter the labor market in the next decade and beyond, and creating a sufficient number of rewarding jobs for them in the private sector will be a challenge. The authorities are thus giving priority to labor market policies aimed at improving skills and raising private sector employment of Saudi workers.
• Housing an expanding population. Urbanization and population growth in Saudi Arabia have boosted demand for housing. The lack of affordable housing saw a sharp increase in rents during 2007-11, which was one of the main drivers of inflation. Efforts to expand access to housing are appropriate and could make an important contribution to inclusive growth in the future, the report says.
• Taming domestic energy consumption. With a growing population, Saudi Arabia is likely to see domestic energy consumption rise sharply in the absence of policy reforms. While acknowledging that the government is taking steps to contain the growth of domestic energy demand and explore alternative sources of energy, the report notes that the authorities may need to consider planning for an upward adjustment in domestic energy prices.
Policies to maintain stability
The report says that Saudi Arabia will need to continue to maintain macroeconomic stability as it works toward long-term development goals. Ensuring that labor market policies are carefully coordinated with macroeconomic policies will be important in this regard. The government's fiscal policy looks set to appropriately slow the pace of spending growth this year after large increases in 2011 and 2012. This will help contain demand pressures. Were signs of inflationary pressures to emerge, then either spending projects would need to be slowed or macroprudential policies tightened, or both.
Over the longer term, a reduction in the non-oil fiscal deficit is expected as infrastructure spending tapers off, but policy measures on the revenue and expenditure sides of the budget will still be needed to further strengthen the fiscal position and increase savings for future generations.
The IMF report also suggests that, from a position of strength, now is a good time to implement fiscal reforms to strengthen the budget process and ensure the quality of government spending to achieve development goals. In particular, moving to a multiyear budgeting framework that formally incorporates the impact of oil price volatility and integrates the five-year National Development Plans would help strengthen budget formulation.
Measures to promote financial development should continue in step with ongoing reforms to strengthen financial sector regulation and supervision. Saudi Arabia was among the first countries to implement Basle III capital standards for the banking system, which is well capitalized, liquid, and profitable. With the passage of the new mortgage law, a regulatory and supervisory framework is being put in place for nonbank institutions entering the market.