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Hennessy Richard with Gift Box 700ml | Extra Cognac | Hennessy
Hennessy Richard 40% alc, an Exceptional Masterpiece with Perfectly Balanced Aromas, an Extraordinary Palette of Flavours that Blends Spices, the Subtle Essence of Ripe Fruit and the Finesse of Oak, in a Hand-made Bottle by Baccarat Crystal - Hennessy
A continuing dialogue between the past and the present, a blend of the grands siècles, Richard Hennessy cannot be explained. It simply must be understood.
Created for connoisseurs of the greatest cognacs , Richard Hennessy brings together the past and the present in a blossoming encounter. This unique cognac embodies 250 years of history, talent, knowledge, expertise and Savoir-Faire.
Richard Hennessy is the embodiment of 250 years of the history, knowledge and expertise of the Hennessy Maison, with a unique blend of exceptional and rare eau-de-vie.
Each carafe is numbered and made of pure hand-blown crystal.
Its beautiful amber colour, deep and warm, foretells its undeniable strength. Its aroma fills the nose with delicate nuances of flowers, mixed spices, nutmeg and blanched fennel.
The power and depth of the aroma is echoed in the mouth, where the spices, notably pepper, play a key supporting role. Then the structure takes shape: leather notes gather, alongside nuts and candied fruits.
Rare and precious, this cognac is a product of man's mastery over time. An unparalleled range of aromas gives Richard Hennessy its unique complexity. It is structured to achieve a perfect balance, and only once it is tasted does it reveal its true meaning. Powerful and unexpected, Richard Hennessy reaches heights that approach cognac perfection.


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KB Shimmer Press Release
*Press Release sent directly from product distributor or Public Relations company.
KBShimmer Winter Polish Line Set For Release November 1st, 2013
Email: email@example.com
KBShimmer is excited to announce the addition of 22 new colors to their 3-Free glitter polish line. Owner Christy Rose says "This winter, we are set to release the largest amount of new polishes to date. We were honored to work with a great group of bloggers to create a stunning set of winter and holiday inspired polishes. These eleven polishes will release alongside additional polishes designed by KBShimmer to capture the joy, color and wonder that surrounds us all."
The blogger collection includes three glitter top coats, four sparkling jellies, two glitter creally polishes, one matte, and one shimmering cream. "We are launching eleven unique polishes that capture the feelings of winter and the winter holidays. Each blogger had a different idea, and it was so fun working with them to create a polish that told their story." says Rose.
Returning this year a charity polish. "Kringle All The Way is this year's charity polish. $4 from each bottle will be used to purchase toys for Toys For Tots. Last year we raised over $800 and we hope to top that this year!" says Rose. "In addition to several holiday and winter themed polishes, we are also excited to release our first set of multi-chrome and linear holographic polishes. We think that this release is our most exciting to date!" All 22 polishes are set for release Friday, November 1st at KBShimmer.com and will retail for $8.75 for a 15 ml bottle. KBShimmer will also be offering free priority shipping through 12/31 for all orders over $50.
Christmas Now - Crystal from Crystal's Crazy Combos – A green jelly with multi-colored squares, circles, and stars. 3 Coats Recommended
Green Hex And Glam – Kayla from Kayla Shavonne - A forest green jelly with holographic hex glitters. Best in 3 coats.
I'd Rather Be With Blue – Lisa from Cosmetic Sanctuary - A light blue is a matte polish with subtle iridescent shimmer sparkles like the snow. 2 Coats Recommended
Snow Much Fun - Victoria from The Manicurator - A light blue jelly with light blue holo glitter, white glitters in several sizes and finishes, a sprinkling of micro holographic glitter, and white snowflake glitter. 3 Coats Recommended
Merry Pinkmas – Cris from Let Them Have Polish - A light cotton candy pink polish featuring red, green and neon glitters in a variety of shapes. 2-3 Coats Recommended
Plum Tuckered Out – Sheila from Pointless Café - A rich plum color with blue shimmer. 2-3 Coats Recommended
Toast-ess With The Mostest - Valesha from Peachy Polish - A clear glitter topper loaded with glitters in shades of gold, silver and pink in circles and hex shapes to mimic champagne. 1 Coat Recommended
I Only Have Ice For You – Sarah from Chalkboard Nails - Clear top coat with shimmering white flakes and holographic glitters. 1 Coat Recommended
Strung Out- Jackie from Candy Coated Tips - A black jelly polish with circle "light" glitters in gold, silver, green, blue, red. 1-2 Coats Over Black Recommended
Sand In My Stocking – Jen The PolishAholic - A golden toned sand inspired polish with pops of orange, aqua, and holographic stars. 1 Coat Recommended
Will Yule Marry Me? – Chelsea from The Nail Network - A navy blue creally with sparkling silver holo circle and hex holo glitter. 2 Coats Recommended
KBSHIMMER– Winter 2013 COLLECTION
Kringle All The Way- 2013 Toys For Tots Charity Polish - A glitter top with circle glitters in red, green, and silver. 1 Coat Recommended
All Elf'd Up - A white creally with hex glitters and micro slices in red, green and sliver. 3 Coats Recommended
Snow Flaking Way - A deep indigo jelly base with violet and sky blue holographic glitters and sliver holographic snowflakes. 3 Coats Recommended
When The Doves Sigh - A warm gray creally filled with fuchsia circles, square and hex glitters. Turquoise, sapphire, and chrome hexes, micro slices and circles swim among micro holographic sparkles. 2 Coats Recommended
Pigment of Imagination - This multi-chrome polish shifts depending on the angle and the light, from blue, to purple, to red, and more. 1 Coat over Black or 3 Coats Alone Recommended
Myth You Lots (Holographic) - Similar in shift to Pigment of Imagination, this multi-chrome also has a linear holo! 1 Coat over Black or 3 Coats Alone Recommended
Shade Shifter - A multi-chrome polish that changes depending on light and angle from cyan, to blue, to red orange, to purple, and more. 1 Coat over Black or 3 Coats Alone Recommended
Rollin' With The Chromies (Holographic) - Similar in shift to Shade Shifter, this multi-chrome also has a linear holo! 1 Coat over Black or 3 Coats Alone Recommended
Urban Camo - A multi-chrome polish that shifts from a pretty pistachio green, to a bright green, to silver, to a soft pink almost lavender color depending on the light and viewing angle. 1 Coat over Black or 3 Coats Alone Recommended
Pretty in Punk (Holographic) - Similar in shift to Urban Camo, this multi-chrome also has a linear holo! 1 Coat over Black or 3 Coats Alone Recommended
Maybe Navy - A deep blue polish is filled with shimmering flakes. 2-3 Coats Recommended
On Sale And Shipping November 1, 2013
KBShimmer products can be found at Http://www.KBShimmer.com. For sales outside of the US visit http://www.HarlowandCo.org.
KBShimmer was founded in 2008 by the husband and wife team of Jason and Christy Rose. KBShimmer offers unique and colorful nail glitter nail polishes that are Big 3 Free, with all glitter formulas being completely free of chemicals such as toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate (DBP). KBShimmer glitter polishes feature a flat glitter grabbing brush for easy application. KBShimmer also offers a 2-free quick dry polish top coat, olive oil lotion, sugar scrubs, lip balms, cold process soaps and other skin care products.
If you would like more information about KBShimmer, contact Christy Rose by firstname.lastname@example.com or visiting Http://www.KBShimmer.com.
© 2013 KBShimmer. All rights reserved

subset: commoncrawl


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Medication Management
Our experienced team has been committed to quality improvement through innovation and alignment with our core mission. Listening and responding to the needs of our tenants and families is imperative to maintaining our commitment to quality care. One area of ongoing concern in healthcare is medication management —specifically medication errors, overuse, and thorough, quality review.
In response to this need we've come together with pharmacy experts utilizing an affiliate organization to meet our needs. Merwins Pharmacy will provide extensive benefits, with pharmacy services tailored to our processes, allowing Tealwood managed and owned properties to provide you the best care possible.
We understand that the 360 approach to healthcare is crucial for the best care delivery possible. …because the journey matters.


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Roy Blunt voted Yea (Passage) on this Legislation.
Read statements Roy Blunt made in this general time period.
Title: PLA Monitoring bill
Vote to pass a bill that would require the Secretary of Defense to keep track of companies operating within the United States that are associated with the People's Liberation Army of China.
Title: PLA Monitoring bill


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Position, set tack, done. And repeat. RIVTAC® allows joining without pre-punching in very short cycle times. Even if the component is only accessible from one side.
High-speed joining without pre-punching. With RIVTAC® tack setting for several materials.
Position, set tack, done. And repeat. RIVTAC® allows joining without pre-punching in very short cycle times. Even if the component is only accessible from one side.
Easy and quick. High-speed joining with RIVTAC® occurs in just one operation. The tack penetrates the components and joins them efficiently together without the need for pre-punching.
RIVTAC® is particularly suitable for joints of aluminium, steel, plastics, non-ferrous metals as well as for mixed joints, multiple-layer joints and hybrid joints of these materials.
There are many good reasons for using our products.
Strength and options.
Point by point.
Fast and efficient. The solution for hollow bodies, housings or components with one-side accessibility.
While one tack is set, the next is positioned. Ready for operation in 0.9 to 1.5 seconds.
Ideal for mixed, multilayer or hybrid joints, which are becoming increasingly important in the development of modern vehicle and car body designs.
The tack penetrates the materials of the components to be joined at high speed. A momentary rise in temperature in the joining zone and the resulting improved flowability causes the parent material to be displaced into the annular grooves on the shank of the tack. The result: a high form fit and – especially for higher-strength steel materials – a non-positive connection due to pressing and compression of the material.
Find out more: related downloads.
If you would like to know more, simply download the relevant brochures.
RIVTAC® Automation P
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|1664 kb / PDF
To view PDF documents, you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.


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Like so many couples who tied the knot this July, Austin Craig, 30, and Beccy Bingham Craig, 29, went on a tropical honeymoon after their ceremony, spending ten glorious days in Costa Rica. And like other newlyweds, they will return to their "normal lives"
Monday Tuesday with tans and ringed fingers. But unlike other newlyweds, when these two get back to Provo, Utah, they will be getting rid of all of their credit cards and cash and embarking on a 90-day challenge: "Married... With Bitcoin."
Coincidentally, the arbitrary number of days for their project is the current USD value of a Bitcoin.
"The goal is to find out how developed the Bitcoin ecosystem is, what needs to change, and how easy it is to use, understand, and explain," said Austin, when I interviewed the couple in June.
The cryptocurrency challenge will be well-documented. In addition to the usual self-promotion that is Facebook, Twitter, blogging, and YouTube clips, the couple will be starring in a "Life on Bitcoin" documentary. They announced their plans in June via Kickstarter. They've raised over $72,000, as well as 82 Bitcoins -- over $7,000 as of Bitcoin's current valuation -- for the documentary team that will be making a film about their attempts to get salaries, pay rent, buy groceries, get gas, eat, travel and entertain themselves, all in Bitcoin. (Meanwhile, another group of filmmakers trying to get a $100,000 for a Bitcoin documentary are struggling.)
I found living on Bitcoin for just a week in tech-forward San Francisco incredibly challenging. Doing so for three months in middle America should be quite the adventure, especially for a couple that's known each other for less than a year. They dated for just three months before getting engaged, and got married six months after that.
"It'll be stressful. We're anticipating that," said Austin. "We're hoping newlyweddedness overcomes that."
The couple has a small Bitcoin bank to start, but they are planning to get the rest of their money the old-fashioned way -- by convincing their employers to pay them in the highly volatile digital currency. All of the money raised on Kickstarter goes toward the making of the documentary -- slated for release in 2014 -- not toward their living expenses. If they can manage to get paid Bitcoin for perkiness, they'll have funds to last them much longer than three months:
Beccy works at a data center in Utah and Austin at a marketing firm. Perhaps recognizing the built-in publicity around the digital coin, both employers said they were amenable to BTC paychecks. But when I talked to the couple, they hadn't yet gotten their landlord to agree to accept the coin (Good luck with that!) nor knew where they would get groceries. "There's a sandwich shop in Provo that takes Bitcoin," said Austin.
Austin -- an actor and video consultant -- was the big push behind the couple's matrimonial publicity stunt, which generated headlines far and wide.
"I'm up for the adventure," said Beccy, who admits to not knowing much about Bitcoin before Austin proposed the project (after proposing to her).
"I want to broaden the community of people accepting Bitcoin," said Austin, who plans to evangelize and try to get other vendors to accept BTC over the course of the three months.
The couple aren't complete Bitcoin purists: they are keeping a stash of "real" money around, in case of a medical emergency. If one of them winds up rushed to a hospital, they won't have to waste time explaining Bitcoin to an intake nurse. But they are otherwise purists when it comes to only using things bought with Bitcoin. When I did my experiment, I let myself keep my US-dollar-paid smartphone plan for the week, because I needed it to be able to pay for things -- the digital currency comes in a digital wallet after all. These two plan to only use cellphones that they can get with BTC.
"The first challenge is figuring out how we're getting home from the airport," said Austin Craig when I spoke with the couple in June. "We might call my mom collect," added Beccy.


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Ok, so I think there are quite a bit of misconceptions about how much money bloggers actually make. People have weird assumptions, and I found that many assume influencers basically live the good and all we do is take photos? I mean for some that's true. And honestly, LUCKY THEM.
I thought a long time about writing this but I was never sure how to do it so that it doesn't come out the wrong way. In no way whatsoever I am here to complain, because I know I'm a shitty blogger and could probably make more money if I just tried a bit harder. I just want to share more of the insider knowledge I gained through being in the "circle". As shit as I am in blogging, obviously I am trying to be proactive about my blog so I joined quite a bit of those Facebook groups, followed girls who I thought were doing a great job in terms of their marketing and you get the drill. No matter what we do, we always need to educate ourselves and look for inspiration. But what I realised is that bloggers can more or less be categorized into two categories. The first one which motivates me massively belongs to the bloggers who kind of sacrifice their lives to do this. Maybe sacrifice is an intense word, but those girls, I mean, they really push those campaigns, have an amazing theme on their feed and sometimes will post even up to three photos per day. I mean that's a whole business going on there. Of course, not everyone in this category is gonna produce the best content, but some of the girls I know, produce literally the most beautiful images. Basically, I'M A FAN. This is called a job.
The second category, to which I kind of belong is a bit different. Us girls don't really focus on our social media as the primary thing in our lives, most of us have careers and basically, we don't blog "full time". This means we cannot produce daily content and work as much as we would like to on our blogs and social media, oh and we're crap at remembering to use those affiliate links lol. It's a shame but that's a life choice. But if you believe you can make it and make a living, then go on gurl, MAKE IT YOUR JOB.
It's not to say that girls in this category don't make money, because we do. It just works differently. We just don't get as many jobs as other girls do and our PR connections are close to non-existent.
Honestly a week ago out of desperation (and disappointment in my own blogging career), I even updated a media kit (yes we do have those) and emailed a couple of agencies with this kind of "HELLO, I'M HERE, PLEASE GIVE ME A JOB" 🙂
But unfortunately, in social media advertising, watches are the biggest market as well as huge conglomerates like L'Oréal. Some time ago I used to get at least 3 emails per week regarding sponsored posts from watch brands. That's a bit intense, trust me. But the way it works for me is, if I wouldn't buy something myself then I will also not advertise it. You guys are already getting shit loads of ads on Instagram, at least I'll try to fuck as little as I can with your decision making.
From my side, I found that I will get a couple of opportunities per month, out of which I will only do just one collaboration as the other one falls out or I decide it's just not for me. If you know me, my style is a bit specific, so I think it would be hard for any of you to imagine me working with Daniel Wellington or yet another brand of wooden watches (lol I mean who comes up with those?). Being vegan also excludes me from working with any beauty brands which are not cruelty-free or brands which sell leather items.
But what about the free stuff?
Bloggers also tend to get press packages which I mean are the most exciting things ever… if you actually get them. In order to get them, you either get "scouted" by agencies who will ask for your address and keep on sending those packages monthly or you need to be proactive and make the initial contact with the agency. I hate being pushy therefore I am honestly terrible at making the initial contact. You need a media kit with all of your stats and I feel you immediately get judged. I would also always need to add this FYI "I would appreciate if you could not include any non-vegan brands in the packages" which just sounds very pretentious?
The problem with these is that usually they are non-binding, but oh god how many times I heard about people getting those packages and then being bullied to post a photo with the crap (because sometimes it's crap).
Fun fact, I happened to receive things such as tampons, pads or fluffy red handcuffs.
Ok, the exciting part. You probably wanna know how much money I make. Don't worry, that's fine, we all love those private bits (I mean our obsession with the Kardashians proves it very well). Since I moved to London I have been using those app's/agencies through which you can get brand collaborations (more about the blogger how to's & tips in my next post so keep an eye out for this).
Moving on.
Bloggers have their own rates. There is something like a rate calculator online, which is quite fun, even just to see how much others would take for a post on Instagram. We always use these as a guidance + we always talk with each other to make our rates appropriate to our following. The rates are based on followers, likes and most importantly engagement, so if you have 200k followers but your engagement rate is like 0.9% then someone who has 50k and 9% engagement would probably have a higher rate.
So what's my rate? At the moment it's around £360, which I mean is good right? Like honestly for one photo that is amazing. But then if you consider that this is what I might make maybe each two months, then not so great. It's not gonna pay my rent, or my utility bills or my university tuition.
It's important to consider that most brands don't have budgets and they will expect you to do work for free, in exchange for some crappy hair shampoo or a pair of socks (this is not a joke). People forget that influencers are one of the best advertising mediums, and should be paid the same way an advertising agency would be paid. Especially since the advertising we do has much more value since we personally choose what we feed to you and we take care in making sure that it will be useful to our audience. Of course, not everyone has this mindset but I personally would not bother advertising something which I don't think is worthy of your purchase or interest.
And sometimes we need to do things in exchange for clothes and in all honesty at times we might take a photo and list it straight away on Depop because we are human beings and we need to make money. Even if I really like the item I received, I still might sell it, because it would be my only income that I made from spending an hour on taking photos.
For many years I also didn't believe in the value of the content I produce. I could simply not comprehend how anyone would buy something because I advertise it. I was raised in a country where being an influencer was a joke, you were laughed at, no one would treat it as a job or a career path. I also didn't have many close friends who were doing anything relevant to blogging, therefore I used to down value my rate so much. It's also because I started out in Poland where a lot of agencies still down value the effect of social media influencers. Only, after moving to London I realised what value my work actually has and step by step I learned how to properly negotiate.
I feel like this whole post was quite long and I just flooded you with my thoughts. Lately, I had a lot of these conversations with my friends and it just seemed right to put it into text. In conclusion, I would like to say, don't start blogging because of money cause that shit ain't gonna get you anywhere. There is no rule of how to blog or what to do to become successful (apart from being your authentic self). So if you want to blog, just please do it for yourself.
In the end what I value most about being able to blog is the fact that I meet so many of you even if it's just talking though DM's. Money is an important factor but in my hierarchy, it's somewhere on the bottom. We blog for the communities we create, for the people we meet and to have space for our thoughts and creativity.
Let me know your thoughts, questions and whatever's on your mind!
glasses & earrings - ebay || top - sophia antonia scott || trousers - boohoo || bag - topshop || boots - ebay
photos by my one and only @sanofficialx


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It's a Beautiful Morning
A chilly winter morning starts with a gorgeous sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean at Ocean City Maryland.
Last Light Over the Bay
That calm glorious time when the last light of the day fills the sky and reflects down onto the calm surface of Assawoman Bay, Ocean City , Maryland.
Portland Head Light
The lighthouse at Portland head, Maine, stands tall and shines bright to show mariners the way so that they can make safe passage around the rocky shoals.
Dawn Light Show Over Bar Harbor
It's mornings like this that make it worth getting up early to catch the dawn and sun rise. This is what the sky looked like over Bar Harbor, ME, at 4:42 a.m. on June 22, 2014. I could only watch in awe and wonder as the colors grew and spread across the sky and reflected on the calm waters. It felt like heaven on earth if only for a few minutes.
Setting Sun at Bodie Island Lighthouse
The still waters of the marsh reflect the colorful sky as the sun sets over the Bodie Island Lighthouse. The lighthouse is located near Nags Head on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Portland head Lighthouse
Portland Head Lighthouse
Sun Rising Behind Ocean Pier
Carolina Moon and Frisco Pier
A full moon rises over the remains of the Cape Hatteras Fishing Pier at Frisco, North Carolina. The pier was damaged in 2010 by Hurricane Earl and with each passing storm more and more of it falls into the ocean. This popular landmark is scheduled to be demolished and removed during the Fall of 2016.
Ocean City Dreaming
My spirit is lifted by the beauty of the setting sun painting the sky with a beautiful pallette of colors at the end of a cool winter day.
Dreams of a New Day
A crisp winter morning begins with the sun rising above the horizon over the Atlantic Ocean onthe beach at Ocean City, Maryland.
Autumn Red in Nova Scotia
A carpet of red bushes spreads among the glacial bolders with Peggy's Point, Nova Scotia and Saint Margaret Bay in the background.
Twilight Over Stonington Harbor
Pink Granite and Wild Iris


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OutProud serves as The National Coalition for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Youth. You can read coming out stories, find local resources, an online queer youth magazine, and more on their website.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Web Spotlight: OutProud
Posted by Queers United at 12:01 AM
Labels: gay website, gay websites, lgbt website, lgbt websites, outproud, pride, web spotlight, website
1 comment:
- ReneeG said...
Great site, thanks for sharing!
- December 11, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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U.S. Inflation Rates since 1900
|U.S. Yearly Inflation since 1900
The above chart shows the yearly rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the past 100 years. By early 2012, prices were more than 28 times higher than in 1900 -- the CPI increased from 7.9 to 226.7. Phrased differently, a dollar buys 28 times less now than a dollar bought in 1900 (see inflation calculator). While inflation has averaged only 3% for the complete period, and also 3% since 1982, such subdued inflation has clearly not always been the case. The graph shows several periods where inflation rose to 10% or more. Here's a quick summary of inflation's impact on some key areas.
The Impact of Inflation: A Dollar Buys a Lot Less Than it Used ToInflation increases the
price of the things we buy. When I first started driving, gasoline was 25 cents a gallon; now it's more than $3/gallon -- more than 10 times higher. On the other hand, salaries are also more than 10 times higher; if not, few people could afford food or housing, or gasoline. As a result, you could argue that the ultimate net impact of inflation on income and expense for working people is relatively small. (However, it can be painful since increases in salaries often lag behind inflation. In addition, unless/until tax brackets are adjusted, it pushes taxpayers into higher tax brackets). Partly for that reason, in this post I'll focus on the impact on assets. (Note: To see just how much less a dollar buys than it used to, see The Declining Value of the U.S. Dollar.)
The Rule of 72 & the Impact of Inflation on the Value of a DollarThe rule of 72 says that if inflation is N%/year, prices will double in approximately 72/N years. For example, at 3% inflation, prices will double in (72/3=) 24 years; at 12% inflation, prices will double in (72/12=) 6 years. This means that at 3% inflation, the purchasing power of a dollar will be cut in half every 24 years; since what you could buy for $100 will cost $200 24 years later, the value of the original $100 has effectively been reduced by 50% -- to $50.
Inflation Hurts Savers and Helps Debtors!As a result, inflation can be devastating to people with a lot of cash; the higher the rate of inflation, and the more dollars one holds, the more devastating is the impact. It follows (though somewhat surprisingly to some) that inflation is a boon to those with negative assets -- i.e., those who are in debt; and, the more inflation and the more debt, the bigger the benefit! If you have huge student loans that you have no idea how you will ever repay, pray for inflation. You want to repay those loans with cheaper dollars -- dollars with less purchasing power than today's dollars.
The Impact of the Rate of Inflation on BondsInflation affects conventional, non-inflation-protected, bondholders in three ways. First, the purchasing power of the periodic interest payments decreases with time. Secondly, at maturity, the principal repayment that they receive is in cheaper dollars -- dollars with less purchasing power. Finally, increasing inflation generally means higher interest rates, which in turn means lower prices for bonds they currently own.
The impact of these factors increases as inflation increases and as maturity/duration increases. To offset inflation, bond buyers generally demand higher rates for longer maturities, and when inflation is high or rising. The problem arises when inflation rates are higher than was anticipated at the time the bond was purchased. (For a more complete discussion, see posts on inflation-adjusted 10-year Treasury note returns, and why rising interest rates cause falling bond prices.)
The Impact of Inflation Rates on the Stock MarketThe conventional wisdom is that stocks are the best protection against low to moderate inflation (~0-6%); over long periods, under "normal" circumstances, the equity asset class has generally outperformed all other asset classes. At inflation rates above 6% or so, there is some evidence that natural resources, real estate and commodities (e.g., gold) perform better than equities -- in some cases much of the out-performance comes in anticipation of inflation. (See 100 Years of Inflation-Adjusted Stock Market History: note especially what happens during periods of high inflation.)
The Impact of Inflation Rates on HousingHomeowners with mortgages are debtors. As a result, the larger the (conventional, fixed rate) mortgage, and the more years remaining, the larger the benefit (see "Inflation Helps Debtors" above). In the U.S., the fact that the mortgage interest payments are tax deductible enhances that benefit.
At the same time, the value of the home is likely to appreciate at least in line with inflation (see 100 Years of Inflation-Adjusted Housing Prices), and real estate tends to outperform equities during periods of high inflation. In the U.S., the value of the gain will be enhanced by the fact that taxes on the gain are deferred until the sale, and much of the gain may be exempt from taxes. Finally, the return on investment is magnified by leverage -- the home buyer receives all of the appreciation in price even though his equity in the home is less than 100%. (See The Problem with Low Down Payment Mortgages for more on the impact of leverage).
The Impact of Inflation on Retirees & Retirement Planning...can be devastating. The tremendous spike in inflation in the late 70s had relatively little impact on my lifestyle. I was young, employed, and my accumulated savings were relatively small. However, in general, retirees are in the opposite position. They have the most cash and bonds, and therefore have the most assets at risk. In addition, many retirees have income streams that are not adjusted for inflation -- such as corporate pensions and fixed annuities. Even if the inflation rate averages only 3%, prices double in 24 years, and the purchasing power of their income will be cut in half. Inflation is one of the most critical challenges for retirees. (See How Much Will $100 be Worth in 10-20 Years?)
Retired homeowners will benefit from the appreciation in the value of their homes. However, they may not benefit as much as younger homeowners because younger homeowners tend to have more mortgage debt, and more leverage. In addition, inflation increases ongoing home ownership expenses. Retirees with significant non-inflation-adjusted fixed income may have trouble keeping up with increases in real estate taxes, insurance & home maintenance costs.
Caveat: Think Both Nominal AND Real GrowthLow to moderate inflation is generally relatively benign -- especially if planned for. However, even these levels can cause investors to significantly overestimate their performance over long periods of time. For example, a stock or real estate investment that has doubled in 24 years during a period of 3% inflation has only maintained its purchasing power. On the other hand, that would clearly be better than investment alternatives that lost purchasing power....
Related MaterialThe Declining Value of the U.S. Dollar: Graphs cumulative change in value since 1900.
How Much Will $100 be Worth in 10-20 Years? Graphs the impact of inflation rates of from 1-10% on purchasing power over the next 1-50 years.
Inflation Calculator/Spreadsheet: calculates inflation rates between any 2 years, and converts dollars to equivalent purchasing power.
100 Years of Treasury Note Real Return History -- to see inflation-adjusted treasury yields.
100 Years of Inflation-Adjusted Housing Prices -- to see inflation-adjusted housing prices.
100 Years of Inflation-Adjusted Stock Market History -- to see how the stock market reacts to inflation.
About Nominal & Real Rates of Return: discusses the difference between real & nominal returns.
Wikipedia: for a more detailed discussion of inflation and the rule of 72.
For an even more detailed discussion of inflation and the CPI, see this article.
For lists of other popular posts and an index of stock market posts, by subject area, see the sidebar to the left.
Pre-1913: Robert Shiller "Irrational Exuberance" data
1913 forward: Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items (CPIAUCNS) from the U.S. Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Copyright © 2011. Last modified: 1/26/2013
Share This ArticleBookmark this on Delicious To share via Facebook, Twitter, etc., see below.


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Finding Nemo 3D: Save Money, Watch 2D DVD in HD Instead
- Susan Ellingburg Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
- 2012 17 Sep
3D Release Date: September 14, 2012
Original Release Date: May 30, 2003
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Family
Rating: G (for general audiences)
Director: Andrew Stanton
Cast: Voices of Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, William Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush
Nine years after its release (see our original review here), Finding Nemo still has the power to charm children and adults alike. The coming-of-age story of loving and letting go, the humor, the sweetness—they're all still there. The voices—perfectly cast—are the same. So what's not to love about the 3D version of this animated classic?
Sadly, it's the 3D. When I first heard Nemo was going 3D I was excited. If any film seemed to have been made for that transformation, surely it was this one. All those glorious underwater scenes: the anemone waving gently in the current, Bruce the shark in the grip of an intense craving for fish, Nemo's brave journey into the aquarium filter... they'll be gripping in 3D! It will be like being in the water with our fishy friends... or not so much.
In fact, the best 3D moment came from the preview for the upcoming Despicable Me 2. If you're looking for eye-popping, made-you-jump, "wow" moments, find another film. The Nemo conversion is much more subtle than that (one might even call it underwhelming). Sure, Nemo's characters float gently a few rows out from the screen. Sure, the oceanscape—particularly the jellyfish field—has a little extra depth to it. But I was expecting it to be fabulous, and fabulous it most definitely was not. It wasn't even close. Honestly, it wasn't much improved from a recent viewing of the original on a friend's big screen HD television. I'd call it more 2.5D than 3D. And considering the price of movies these days, especially with the 3D upcharge, I'm not so sure it's worth it.
That being said, Finding Nemo is still the same fantastic story. Parents will still identify with Marlin (Albert Brooks, The Simpsons Movie) and his understandable but stiflingly overprotective nature. Kids and adults will feel for Nemo (Alexander Gould), whose one small, rebellious bid for freedom goes horribly wrong. And who can possibly resist Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) and her confused but goodhearted companionship? Sea turtle Crush (Andrew Stanton) and his son Squirt (Nicholas Bird) are the same chilled-out dudes (Squirt and his little turtle friends did seem to benefit from 3D-ification. Either that or they're just way cuter than I remembered). The sharks are still scary-friendly and Darla the Terrible is still just horrifying. As for the ending: I defy anyone to watch the reunion of father and son without getting a lump in their throat.
It's all still so good—and the 3D conversion certainly doesn't hurt anything and probably helps, just not as much as the hype or your assumptions might lead you to believe. If you have kids who haven't seen the movie or you just want to watch something funny, uplifting, and sweet you could certainly do worse. The film is delightful in any dimension. Just don't expect to go out for fish and chips after the show unless you want your kids (or your conscience) to chant "Fish are friends, not food." (Also, after watching fish band together to save their lives, breaking the net of a fishing boat, you'll never view Deadliest Catch the same way again).
Finding Nemo 3D is paired with a 3D short called Partysaurus Rex featuring Rex the dinosaur from Toy Story making a splash with bath toys. Any viewer who's ever been called a party-pooper will appreciate Rex's dilemma and his desire to be the life of the party instead. It's great to see Rex get a little respect for a change, and the short film introduces some fun new characters to the Toy Story pantheon. After all, we were all secretly wondering how the toys were doing in their new home after Toy Story 3, right? It's all good, clean fun in the tub.
- Drugs/Alcohol: One shark gets a bit of a rush from "smelling" blood in the water.
- Language/Profanity: Fish don't swear but there is a little name-calling.
- Sex/Nudity: A little flirtatious swimming by Nemo's parents.
- Violence: Barracuda knocks Marlin unconscious and apparently eats his wife and all the children (eggs) except Nemo (offscreen); several close calls with sharks, seagulls, and others who want to eat Marlin and Dory; Dory gets hit in the face and suffers a nosebleed (setting off a shark); emotionally intense when Nemo is scooped up in a net; the dentist's office could be scary to some children; photo shown of dead fish, we're told he was shaken to death; quite a wild scene in dentist's office with seagull; fish are almost caught by fishing boat but break the net. Mildly intense at times but shouldn't be frightening for most children.
- Spiritual Themes: The love of a father for his child overcomes the father's timid nature and turns him into a hero. Some teachable moments for kids on the importance of following rules and the consequences of disobedience. Some teachable moments for parents on knowing when to give kids a little independence.
Publication date: September 17, 2012


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Former North Kitsap star Jared Prince of the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Pelicans was named to the Class A Carolina League All-Star team. The Texas Rangers' farm hand made it as a utility outfielder.
Here's what the press release reported on Prince:
After a brutal 4-for-45 start to the season, the Washington State University product has been a constant engine in the Myrtle Beach order, batting .297 in 116 games since. The versatile offensive performer has spent 13 games or more at the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh spots in the order and currently leads Pelicans regulars in games played (128), average (.278) and RBI (67) and is tied for the team lead in hits (131), walks (45), and doubles (29). Prince leads the Carolina League in on-base percentage (.371) and is the second-hardest batter to strike out in the league with one K per 11.83 plate appearances. The Poulsbo native also has made his mark on the Carolina League in a more painful way. Prince has been hit by pitches 29 times this season, a mark that ranks second in all of Carolina League history, one behind the single-season league record set by Winston-Salem's Seth Loman last season


text: My mother asked me yesterday how I cope with speaking about Ben in my interviews on TV and on radio etc. How I was doing with holding it all together, especially in public. She told me a story about a woman she had met at a function the previous week. This woman had lost a baby 20 years ago. She told my mom that although she had other children since, and was very happy, sometimes a memory would sneak up on her, at the strangest times, when she was cleaning, or driving, and that pang would resound once again in her heart. Quite intensely, just for that moment.


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NEWTOWN, Pa., Jan. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — EPAM Systems, Inc. (NYSE:EPAM), a leading global provider of product development and software engineering solutions, today announced that UBS AG, the world's largest wealth manager, has signed a multi-year strategic framework agreement. For the past nine years, UBS and EPAM have collaborated to stay at the forefront of technology, positioning UBS as a global leader in innovative financial products and services. The agreement, which is valued at over $300M, supports the bank's strategic cost reduction program. This commitment to efficiency allows EPAM to continue to focus on innovative, end-to-end solutions, reducing time-to-market and improving ROI on technology investments.
"Over the past nine years, EPAM has become a key supplier in helping us meet our clients' expectations by working closely together with UBS, while maintaining commitments to productivity and quality of delivery," said Mike Dargan, Group Head of Information Technology, UBS. "We now look forward to evolving this valued relationship further over the coming years."
"The wave of innovation and regulatory changes in the financial services industry has created significant opportunities and challenges. Throughout our long-standing relationship with UBS, we helped them push innovation to drive growth and develop scalable platforms, leveraging our digital design and wealth management expertise and quickly respond to regulatory and market changes," said Balazs Fejes, Sr. Vice President, Co-Head of Global Business, EPAM. "For us, this multi-year agreement with a global financial services leader clearly demonstrates EPAM's capabilities in the marketplace."
The partnership between UBS and EPAM spans almost nine years, 10 countries and three continents. In addition to the many business solutions that EPAM has provided during this relationship, innovation will be a large focus throughout this multi-year deal.
About EPAM Systems
Since 1993, EPAM Systems, Inc. (NYSE:EPAM), has leveraged its core engineering expertise to become a leading global product development and digital platform engineering services company. Through its 'Engineering DNA' and innovative strategy, consulting, and design capabilities, EPAM works in collaboration with its customers to deliver innovative solutions that turn complex business challenges into real business opportunities. EPAM's global teams serve customers in over 25 countries across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. EPAM is a recognized market leader among independent research agencies and was ranked #8 in FORBES 25 Fastest Growing Public Tech Companies, as a top information technology services company on FORTUNE'S 100 Fastest Growing Companies, and as a top UK Digital Design & Build Agency. Learn more at http://www.epam.com/ and follow us on Twitter @EPAMSYSTEMS and LinkedIn.
About UBS
UBS provides financial advice and solutions to wealthy, institutional and corporate clients worldwide, as well as private clients in Switzerland. The operational structure of the Group is comprised of our Corporate Center and five business divisions: Wealth Management, Wealth Management Americas, Personal & Corporate Banking, Asset Management and the Investment Bank. UBS's strategy builds on the strengths of all of its businesses and focuses its efforts on areas in which it excels, while seeking to capitalize on the compelling growth prospects in the businesses and regions in which it operates, in order to generate attractive and sustainable returns for its shareholders. All of its businesses are capital-efficient and benefit from a strong competitive position in their targeted markets. www.ubs.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes statements which may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the accuracy of which are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied include general economic conditions and the factors discussed in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. EPAM undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities law.
CONTACT: Danielle Ruess-Saltz
Source: EPAM via GLOBE NEWSWIRE


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Story highlights
A huge swath of pumice brings an investigation
A Royal New Zealand Navy vessel gathers samples
Scientists will try to determine the volcanic source
Pumice, the lightweight stone used to smooth skin, is usually found in beauty salons, but on Thursday sailors from the Royal New Zealand Navy found nearly 10,000 square miles of the lava rock bobbing on the surface of the South Pacific Ocean.
By comparison, the state of Rhode Island comprises approximately 1,200 square miles.
Described by one sailor who witnessed it as "the weirdest thing I've seen in 18 years at sea," the sea of white rock was initially spotted by air and then relayed to a ship for further investigation, according to a statement released by the Royal New Zealand Navy.
"The lookout reported a shadow on the ocean ahead of us, so I ordered the ship's spotlight to be trained on the area … as far ahead as I could observe was a raft of pumice moving up and down with the swell," Lt. Tim Oscar said.
Pumice is typically a byproduct of lava that has cooled quickly after a volcanic eruption. The lava forms a rock so lightweight it floats on the water's surface.
"As we moved through the raft of pumice we used the spotlights to try and find the edge – but it extended as far as we could see," Oscar said after the encounter.
Officials reported the floating rock shelf to be 250 nautical miles long by 30 nautical miles wide. A nautical mile is about 6,076 feet.
"The rock looked to be sitting two feet above the surface of the waves, and lit up a brilliant white color in the spotlight. It looked exactly like the edge of an ice shelf," Oscar said, according to the statement.
Sailors said taking their ship directly into the floating pumice to gather samples for research scientists didn't put the vessel at risk because the rock was so lightweight.
Volcanologist Helen Bostock told Royal New Zealand Navy officials the rock came from an underwater volcanic eruption, and now scientists will work to determine which volcano was responsible.
According to scientists who briefed the naval officials, a volcano named Monowai has been active in the region and the pumice could be a result of recent eruptions.
Preparing for tsunami debris, wherever it may make landfall


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- On Sale
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A handsome blazer badge that brings style and sophistication to any garment it adorns. From traditional crests to authentic military and university emblems, Benson & Clegg designs are as rich in heritage as they are in quality.
Each badge features luxury gold bullion wire, silks and cottons, with the making of each one an exacting art. Every piece of wire is individually cut and placed by hand to produce a finely detailed and exquisite embroidered image.


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Tomorrow night a group of my students are coming for Shabbat dinner. I love having them over, and I generally serve a vegetarian meal with some vegan options, because it seems most of my students are vegetarians these days.
Fifteen years ago, I remember arranging Shabbat dinners for Intro students at local congregations, and we always served the same menu: challah, wine, grape juice, salad, roast chicken, and a light dessert. Obviously that one isn't going to work for my current group!
Nowadays I hold the dinner as a potluck. I provide main dishes, challah, and wine, and they bring salads, sides or desserts. I always have some dark chocolate squirreled away to supplement the desserts. I've gradually settled on a couple of main dishes that seem to please, one lacto-vegetarian, and one vegan: mac and cheese (comfort food for many people) and a nice quinoa and bean salad for the vegans. I make the quinoa dish the night before, so there's less to do on Friday.
What are your favorite dairy, vegetarian, and vegan options for Shabbat? Any recipes to share?
A reader commented via twitter that it would have been nice for me to give the recipes – true enough! If you click on the links, it will take you to the recipes I use. That reminds me: I invite any readers who are on twitter to follow me there @CoffeeShopRabbi.


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What's New
Fat Daddy Font Family by Fat Daddy Fonts
About: Inspired by an Alf Becker letter style, Fat Daddy is an extra bold, art deco font that is easy to read and sure to get noticed. Font set includes 3 versions.
Tags: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, Art Deco, Font, Fun, Retro, Special Effect, Wacky


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It's officially official.
After months of press leaks, Dropbox announced it raised $250 million at a $4 billion valuation.
Even though the company says its profitable and growing like gangbusters, it needs the money because competition is suddenly very intense.
Apple rolled out its first iteration of iCloud*. Google is preparing a cloud-based storage system. And Box.net just raised its own fat pile of funding.
To promote the funding, Forbes runs down Dropbox's incredible 3 year run to become a $4 billion company.
Some of the highlights from the story:
Apple did try to buy Dropbox, as we reported earlier. Steve Jobs made the pitch himself, telling Dropbox it was just a feature, not a product. Dropbox founder Drew Houston says he told Jobs he didn't want to sell. He wanted to build a big company.
Will.I.Am of Black Eyed Peas said he used Dropbox when he made the song, "I've Got A Feeling." Depending on how you feel about music, this could make you love Dropbox, or it could make you secretly resentful of Dropbox.
Dropbox has a deal with HTC to make it the default storage system on its phones. Considering Google is a key HTC partner this is big. Mobile is the best use case for Dropbox.
*Maybe we're missing something here, but iCloud doesn't seem to be a real competitor to Dropbox yet. You can't just toss all your files into iCloud and have them with you. Maybe it will expand in the future, but for now, it's nothing special.


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Learn About the Law
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[227 U.S. 524, 525] Mr. C. A. Fosnes for plaintiff in error.
Mr. Owen Morris for defendant in error.
Mr. Justice Van Devanter delivered the opinion of the court:
This case presents a controversy over one of the quarters of an odd- numbered section within the indemnity limits of the railroad land grant of July 4, 1866, to the state of Minnesota, which the state transferred to the Hastings & Dakota Railway Company. 14 Stat. at L. 87, chap. 168. The trial court gave judgment for the plaintiff, which was affirmed by the supreme court of the state (118 Minn. 344, 136 N. W. 852), and the defendant prosecutes this writ of error.
The facts material to the controversy are these: In 1883, after the completion of the road, the railway company filed in the local land office an indemnity selection of the tract in controversy, but neglected to comply with an existing regulation requiring that the selection be accompanied by a designation of the loss in the place limits in lieu of which the selection was made. Report Com'r G. L. O. 1879, p. 128, rule V. The selection was rejected by the local officers, but remained pending on successive appeals to the Commissioner of the General Land Office and the Secretary of the Interior until October 23, 1891, when it was finally rejected by the latter [227 U.S. 524, 526] because of that irregularity. Six days later Russell Sage, trustee, to whom the rights of the railway company under the land grant had then been assigned, filed another indemnity selection of the same tract, accompanied by a proper designation of the loss in lieu of which the selection was made, and in that connection claimed and alleged that the tract was then vacant and unappropriated. March 29, 1897, this selection was approved by the Secretary of the Interior, and the tract was certified under the grant, the certification being treated as the equivalent of a patent. 14 Stat. at L. 97, chap. 183. The plaintiff subsequently acquired the right and title of Sage, trustee, to the tract, but did so with full notice and knowledge of the occupancy and claim of the defendant.
In 1885 the defendant applied at the local land office to make a homestead entry of the tract, and the application was denied, the circumstances being such that it could not be allowed. In 1888, while the selection of 1883 was pending, he settled upon the tract with the purpose of acquiring the title by compliance with the homestead law, and continuously thereafter resided upon the tract, occupied, improved, and cultivated it, all the time asserting a claim under that law. The improvements which he made exceeded $2,000 in value, and the area which he reduced to cultivation exceeded 100 acres. Being continuous, his occupancy and claim covered the interim between the final rejection of the first indemnity selection and the filing of the second one, but he did not again apply at the local office to make a homestead entry until 1904, which was after the tract had passed beyond the jurisdiction of the Land Department by the certification under the land grant. At the time of his settlement, and continuously thereafter, he possessed all the qualifications requisite to acquire the title as a homestead claimant.
The plaintiff's title receives no support from the indemnity selection of 1883, for, as has been seen, it did not [227 U.S. 524, 527] conform to the existing regulations in an essential particular, and was finally rejected, October 23, 1891, for that reason And to avoid an extended statement and discussion respecting an indemnity withdrawal made in 1868 and still another claim to the tract, both of which were terminated on or shortly before October 23, 1891 (see H. R. Ex. Doc. 246, 50th Cong., 1st Sess.; 26 Stat. at L. 496, chap. 1040, 4, U. S. Comp. Stat. 1901, p. 1598; Re St. Paul & S. C. R. Co. 12 Land Dec. 541; St. Paul M. & M. R. Co. v. Hastings & D. R. Co. 13 Land Dec. 440), it will be assumed, without so deciding, that the defendant's claim receives no support from what he did anterior to that date.
Following the final rejection of the first selection there was an interval of six days in which the land was not only free from any claim under the land grant, but open to settlement under the homestead law. So, apart from the defendant's earlier efforts, there can be no doubt that by his residence and occupancy during that interval he initiated and acquired a homestead right. He was not disqualified by reason of what he had done before, and, of course, it was not necessary that he should go through the idle ceremony of vacating the land and then settling upon it anew. This is the view uniformly applied in the Land Department. Gentral P. R. Co. v. Doll, 8 Land Dec. 355; La Bar v. Northern P. R. Co. 17 Land Dec. 406; Vanderberg v. Hastings & D. R. Co. 26 Land Dec. 390. See also Moss v. Dowman, 176 U.S. 413 , 44 L. ed. 526, 20 Sup. Ct. Rep. 429. The second selection came after this homestead right had attached, and therefore was subordinate to it. In its facts the case is like Sjoli v. Dreschel, 199 U.S. 564 , 50 L. ed. 311, 26 Sup. Ct. Rep. 154, and Osborn v. Froyseth, 216 U.S. 571 , 54 L. ed. 619, 30 Sup. Ct. Rep. 420, and unlike Weyerhaeuser v. Hoyt, 219 U.S. 380 , 55 L. ed. 258, 31 Sup. Ct. Rep. 300, and Northern P. R. Co. v. Wass, 219 U.S. 426 , 55 L. ed. 280, 31 Sup. Ct. Rep. 321, and yet is within the principle recognized and enforced in each; viz., that, as between conflicting claims to public lands, the one whose initiation is first in time, if adequately followed up, is to be deemed first in right. The Sjoli and Osborn Cases involved con- [227 U.S. 524, 528] flicts between claims initiated by homestead settlement and claims resting upon railroad indemnity selections subsequently filed, and because the former were first in time they were held to be superior in right. The Weyerhaeuser and Wass Cases presented conflicts between railroad indemnity selections and claims initiated, one by an application to purchase under the timber and stone act, and the other by a homestead settlement, while the selections were pending, and it was held that the selections gave the better right because they were first in time.
That in point of residence, improvements, and cultivation the defendant fully complied with the homestead law is not questioned; but it is contended that he lost his claim by not asserting it in due time at the local land office. It is true that the act of May 14, 1880 (21 Stat. at L. 140, chap. 89, 3, U. S. Comp. Stat. 1901, p. 1392), in connection with Rev. Stat. 2265, fixed three months from the date of settlement as the time within which the claim should be asserted at the local land office, and that the defendant did not conform to this requirement; but that is not a matter of which advantage can be taken by one who stands in the shoes of the railway company, as does the plaintiff. The statute does not contemplate that such a default shall inexorably extinguish the settler's claim, but only that the land shall be 'awarded to the next settler in the order of time' who does so assert his claim and otherwise complies with the law. As was said by this court in Johnson v. Towsley, 13 Wall. 72, 90, 20 L. ed. 485, 489: 'We think that Congress intended to provide for the protection of the first settler by giving him three months to make his declaration, and for all other settlers by saying if this is not done within three months, anyone else who has settled on it within that time, or at any time before the first settler makes his declaration, shall have the better right.' The question has been repeatedly considered by the Secretary of the Interior in connection with railroad indemnity selections of lands covered by existing homestead settle- [227 U.S. 524, 529] ments which had not been asserted at the local office within the time prescribed, and his ruling has been that 'a failure to file an application to enter lands within three months after settlement forfeits the claim to the next settler in order of time, but such default is not one that can be taken advantage of by a railway company.' Hastings & D. R. Co. v. Arnold, 26 Land Dec. 538, 540; Missouri, K. & T. R. Co. v. Troxel, 17 Land Dec. 122, 124. We regard that ruling as resting upon a proper conception of the statute.
Had the real facts been disclosed to the Land Department, viz., that the defendant was residing upon and occupying the land in virtue of a lawful homestead settlement antedating the second indemnity selection, it would have been the duty of the secretary of the Interior to disapprove the selection, and no doubt he would have done so. But the real facts were not disclosed. On the contrary, it was claimed and alleged by the agent who acted for Sage, trustee, in making the selection, that the land was then vacant and unappropriated, and on that representation the Secretary's approval was given. Thus, the title was wrongfully obtained by one who was not entitled to it, and another who had earned the right to receive it was prevented from obtaining it when subsequently he came to assert his right before the Land Department. Whatever may have been the cause of the defendant's delay in so asserting his right, there is no suggestion that he either knew of or acquiesced in the representation that the land was vacant and unappropriated, or that he was in any wise apprised of the filing, pendency, or approval of the second selection until after the land had passed out of the jurisdiction of the Land Department by the certification under the land grant. In short, the proceeding was essentially ex parte, and he was neither heard nor given an opportunity to be heard.
In these circumstances we think it is a necessary con- [227 U.S. 524, 530] clusion that the title acquired by Sage, trustee, was held by him in trust for the defendant, and that it is now held upon a like trust by the plaintiff, who took with full notice and knowledge of the defendant's occupancy and claim. Rector v. Gibbon, 111 U.S. 276, 291 , 28 S. L. ed. 427, 432, 4 Sup. Ct. Rep. 605; Widdicombe v. Childers, 124 U.S. 400, 405 , 31 S. L. ed. 427, 430, 8 Sup. Ct. Rep. 517; Duluth & I. Range R. Co. v. Roy, 173 U.S. 587 , 43 L. ed. 820, 19 Sup. Ct. Rep. 549.
As the state courts proceeded upon the theory that the second selection gave the better right notwithstanding the defendant's claim was first in time, the judgment is reversed, and the case is remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.
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On Saturday, June 4, 2011, join CORBA and the Mount Wilson Bicycling Association for a day of trailwork on Sunset Ridge trail in the Angeles National Forest front country.
The Sunset Ridge trail is among those that was recently re-opened to the public. It is a popular hiking and mountain biking trail in the foothills above Altadena and Pasadena. It is often ridden as a loop with the Sam Merril Trail or Mt. Lowe Fireroad.
The trail has seen many days of volunteer maintenance since the station fire by several different volunteer groups, and the tread is in reasonably good shape. However, this season's ample rains and a lack of traffic on the trail have allowed the trail to become severely overgrown in many sections. Our primary focus for this trailwork day will be brush removal, with some treadwork on sections that need it.
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Millard Campground parking lot at the top of Chaney Trail in Altadena. From there we will carpool one group to the upper section of trail while another group starts at the bottom and works upwards. Be sure to wear long pants, long sleeves, and sturdy shoes, as you may be turned away if you don't meet these minimum Forest Service requirements for trail volunteers. We will have gloves and hard-hats for volunteers (required for all trailwork volunteers in the National Forest), but bring your own if you have them.
Where: Millard Parking Lot (Top of Chaney Trail in Altadena)
When: Saturday, June 4, 2011, 8:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bring: Long sleeves, long pants, sturdy shoes, water/snack or energy food, gloves and hard hats (These will be supplied if you don't have them).
Let us know: RSVP to email@example.com or on our Facebook Event
Tags: angeles national, National Trails Day forest, trailwork


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Anyone who has seen the latest James Bond film, "Skyfall," would be hard-pressed to find any traditional espionage tradecraft. More actual spying would have meant less of Daniel Craig running around in a too-tight suit chasing bad guys. When the villain — in this case a cyberterrorist played masterfully by Javier Bardem — is able to turn around and say to Bond, "Why are you doing all this running around and wasting your energy?", anyone who knows anything about real spying is tempted to yell at the screen, "Because the script is garbage and there is no espionage written into this movie!" Bond's ineptitude when faced with technology is a brilliant, if unintentional, commentary on society's lack of readiness for spying's shift into that realm.
From an intelligence perspective, the biggest threat facing America and the Western world today isn't conventional terrorism — it's the abundance of information and the increased access to it. The fail-safe? Only the conscience of the person with access. And when profit is a motive, neither a conscience nor competence can simply be taken for granted. Yet the intelligence industry is inserting profit motives everywhere — starting with hiring kids fresh off their probationary period at McDonald's.
Great Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague has announced that the country's intelligence services will give up to 100 18-year-olds a chance to try their talents as cyberspies and a career waging cyber warfare against internet criminals. Employing kids barely out of diapers to work for national spy agencies should turn out well. What could possibly go wrong if they have the "skillz," right? Maybe mummy and daddy can write them a letter of reference saying how the job with MI6 will help top-up little Pembroke's weekly allowance. They can add that he has been a responsible and mature boy ever since he was caught charging a small fortune in online pornography directly to the Bank of England through a special program he created. At least the recruitment will serve to stem the brain drain of cyberspecialists to the private sector — where they're now doing who-knows-what for who-knows-who.
Similarly, American intelligence agencies like the National Security Administration have set up cyberespionage programs like the one at the University of Tulsa which, as London's Daily Mail reports, "places 85 percent of graduates with the NSA or CIA." And the other 15 percent end up where, exactly? Freelancing? For whom exactly? For a guy like the Javier Bardem character in "Skyfall"?
There's no point finger-wagging at the intelligence industry itself because it is what it is — and that is an industry which in the public sector can pay worse than being a cashier at the local 7-Eleven. That's because you should be doing it for the sexiness and patriotism of it and not out of a small-minded desire to pay your rent. But eventually it all wears thin because you can't stand on a table at a bar and yell, "HEY LADIES, I'M THE REAL LIFE JAMES BOND! COME GET SOME OF THIS!" And the few women you are able to reel in have to pay the tab — so you decide to cash in and go private. And while no one can blame you for wanting to make a living, that's your first sellout. Where the selling out stops after that is entirely up to you and your own conscience because it's not like the CIA is going to keep track of you. For the longest time, the CIA didn't even keep track of the side-jobs their own currently employed officers were performing while still with the service.
When was the last time you heard of a former intelligence officer with valid security clearance working in the private sector facing charges of treason? It just doesn't happen. And that in itself means that presumably secure information can feasibly fall into the hands of anyone. All it would take in some cases would be for an enemy or competitor of America to name the person's price.
So what's the solution to this increased threat of access in the cyber era beyond continually developing new security that will eventually be breached? Counterintelligence education would be a good thing for everyone. And how about going "old school" and keeping critical information out of technology's reach? It's the spy equivalent of keeping money under your pillow instead of in a bank. And if you have anything top secret to transmit that can't simply be whispered into someone's ear? Try the postal service or a courier. No one ever thinks to look there these days. Go back to keeping filing cabinets, embedding information on View-Master reels and employing various other items that 18-year old hackers wouldn't recognize as being from planet Earth or learn about in an NSA employment training course.
(Rachel Marsden is a columnist, political strategist and former Fox News host who writes regularly for major publications in the U.S. and abroad. Her website can be found at: http://www.rachelmarsden.com.)


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Sayonara, iPad 2—you had a good run. On Tuesday, Apple announced that it's replacing the iPad 2 in its iPad line-up with the iPad with Retina display, finally retiring the 9.7-inch model first introduced in 2011.
Its successor, the fourth-generation iPad introduced in late 2012, boasts an A6X processor, a 5MP iSight camera, a FaceTime HD camera, support for LTE cellular networking (on Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, or T-Mobile), 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi support on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, Bluetooth 4.0, and—as the name suggests—a Retina display with 2048-by-1536 resolution. Available only in 16GB configurations with and without wireless networking, the Retina iPad retains the same $399/$529 price points as its predecessor, and provides much more bang for one's buck.
There are plenty of advantages to this upgrade for both consumers and Apple. Consumers get a faster product for the same price, as well as better support for iOS 7. Certain features unavailable on the iPad 2—AirDrop, Siri, video sharing, and more—will work just fine on the speedy fourth-generation iPad. And it also means there's now only a single iOS device without a Retina display—the iPad mini. That's no small thing when it comes to developers looking to target iOS software releases.
The elimination of the iPad 2 also standardizes a second line of iOS devices on the Lightning connector; the iPhone 4s is now the lone holdout in Apple's line-up. That gives accessory makers another reason to move away from the legacy 30-pin dock connector.
Perhaps the biggest question is how this shift will affect the bottom line for Apple's tablet offerings. The iPad 2 was, by many accounts, a popular selling chunk of the product line, and even coming in at $399, the three-year-old tablet was likely bringing in a decent profit margin. The fourth-generation iPad, on the other hand, is less than eighteen months from its launch, and though it's been superseded by last year's iPad Air, it's still probably a more expensive device to manufacture than the iPad 2 was.
That said, continuing to manufacture three-year-old technology does have its downsides, and the replacement of the iPad 2 helps bring users a newer product with a better experience.


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Liukin edged teammate Shawn Johnson for the all-around gold in women's gymnastics Friday in an intense matchup that lived up to its billing at the Beijing Games. Liukin finished with 63.325 points, a mere six-tenths ahead of Johnson, the reigning world champion who beat Liukin at the U.S. championships and Olympic trials only a few weeks ago.
Yang Yilin of China won the bronze.
"I don't think it's really set in, but I feel like this journey has been so long," Liukin said.
Made even longer by having to wait for Johnson to follow her on the floor exercise.
Liukin paced back and forth while Johnson, the final competitor, completed her performance, clapping as her teammate floated high in the air. In the end, it was Liukin who soared. When Johnson's score was posted and Liukin realized she won, tears filled her eyes. Her father and coach Valeri grabbed her in a bearhug, squeezing her tight for several minutes.
Valeri Liukin was a double gold medalist for the Soviet Union 20 years ago, but came up achingly short in a rivalry with his own teammate in the all-around.
There would be no such disappointment for his only child. "It's not possible to describe how proud I am," he said afterward.
Liukin wore a smile that lit up her face as she climbed atop the medals podium and waved to the crowd. She blinked back tears as the gold medal was placed around her neck, but let them flow when the U.S. anthem began to play.
"Standing on the podium and hearing `Olympic champion' next to my name was a dream come true," Liukin said. "Everything pays off at this very moment."
For China, it was the first view from anywhere but the gold-medal step. The Chinese won both the men's and women's team titles, and Yang Wei ran away with the men's all-around gold on Thursday.
But this was no surprise. Johnson and Liukin have been the world's two best gymnasts for two years now, and most expected the teammates would be each other's biggest competition. Johnson came in with all the momentum, winning every matchup with Liukin but one in the last few years.
It was Liukin's grace under pressure, though, that made the difference. It had to, with everything coming down to the very last event, and the last two performers.
"I gave my heart and soul out there today," Johnson said. "Nastia deserved the gold."
Long and lean, Liukin has the elegance and classic lines of her mother, a former world champion in rhythmic gymnastics. While other gymnasts tumble on the floor, their music little more than background noise, Liukin puts on a polished performance. Every wave of her arm and brush of her fingertips oozes emotion, making it easy to forget how tough those tricks in her program really are.
Valeri Liukin stood on the sidelines, pacing back and forth, barely able to watch his daughter, who flashed a big smile for the cameras after her final tumbling run.
Her score of 15.525 put her in first place, and left Johnson with a huge gap to close. It was possible she could do it. Johnson is the reigning world champion on floor, a bundle of perkiness and power. She managed such great height on her opening pass she could have dusted off a light fixture or two, yet she landed as easily and confidently as if she was stepping off a curb. Her smile grew brighter with each second, and even Liukin was anxiously clapping as she watched. Johnson was thrilled when she finished, almost running off the podium.
It was a great routine, no question. It just wasn't good enough for gold.
"I just knew that I had to give the routine of my life," Johnson said. "I was pretty far behind, but I couldn't control that. I gave a great meet today. That was probably my favorite moment, finishing on floor, because I knew I had given it my all and I couldn't change anything."
When the final mark flashed, Johnson smiled and immediately went to congratulate her teammate. Much has been made of their rivalry, with most people assuming there's no way they can be friends. But they truly are, even rooming together at these games.
Liukin is the second straight American to win the all-around crown, succeeding training partner Carly Patterson as gymnastics' greatest champion.
Liukin is the closest thing gymnastics has to royalty, her genes practically guaranteed to produce gold. If her parents had their way, she would be a pianist or anything but a gymnast. But Liukin had her own ideas, and her parents eventually relented.
"It's a feeling I don't think any father can describe," Valeri Liukin said. "I'm very proud of my baby."
"Just to know that he was so close to (the all-around gold) and didn't quite achieve it," his daughter said. "And I hope, you know, I cleared away any of those bad little memories for him. I hope that this definitely tops it. I have a few more to go, but it is an amazing accomplishment just to be here with him, out on the floor 20 years after he competed. I think it just means so much more to both of us. I don't know, just all the hard work paying off. All the injuries, tears, blood, rips -- everything."
She would have been a favorite for gold four years ago but she was too young, and she was immediately anointed as the front-runner for Beijing. But an ankle injury before the 2006 world championships hobbled her for almost a year, right about the time the younger Johnson was beginning to make her grand splash.
Once everybody's darling, Liukin learned how quickly everything can turn. When she struggled at the 2007 national championships and again in the all-around at the world championships, the criticism was fierce. She was washed up, some said. She should give up on the all-around, others said, concentrate on uneven bars and balance beam.
The harshness stung, though Liukin smiled and tried not to let on. She would let her performances speak for her.
Though the gold wasn't decided until the final routine, it was on uneven bars that Liukin made her mark.
with intricate moves that are linked together to make them even harder. But her grace and style make it look easy. When she pirouettes on the high bar, turning her body all the way around not once, not twice but three times, she looks just like a jewelry box ballerina.
And when she moves from high bar to low, she seems to float, suspended in the air.
Her only flaw was a big hop forward on her landing, but it was minor and her score of 16.65 moved her into second place behind Yang.
Though Johnson is rock solid on beam, Liukin is simply breathtaking. From the moment she puts her fingertips onto the beam and presses herself up into the splits, her long legs unfurling like the petals of a flower, every movement is performance art.
In one front somersault she lands without ever putting one of her feet on the beam, brushing it back until her leg is fully extended behind her. It's incredibly difficult -- few other people even try it -- yet she does it as easily as a cartwheel.
Liukin knew she'd done well, smiling and blowing out her breath after she climbed down from the podium. When she saw her mark -- a 16.125 that moved her into first place -- she nodded as if to say, "OK, one more to go."
Now there's nothing left to do, nothing left to prove. Her gold medal says it all.
And she could have a few more before it's done. Liukin will compete on the uneven bars, balance beam and floor event finals, hoping to catch her father's total of four medals.


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- You are here:
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Personal Property Information
All owners of taxable personal property are required, annually, to file a Personal Property Declaration Form M-15.
Code 13
Please read the following information for Code 13. If you think that you maybe eligible for this exemption, please contact the Assessor's office for an application.
The return must be signed either by the property owner or by an agent of the owner (in which case it must be notarized). "Owner" means the person who holds legal title to the personal property for which information is required regardless of who is responsible for paying the property tax. In the case of a corporation, the word "owner" includes any officer. If any other employee signs the return, notarization is required. "Agent" is defined as any person authorized by the owner to sign in his behalf.
Itemized List
Section 12-41 requires all personal property owners to file an itemized list with the Assessor annually. Residents must file in the town in which their property is located on the October 1st assessment date. Non-residents (i.e. persons with property located in a town in which they do not have a business location) must file in the town where property situs has been established under the "three month rule" (Section 12-43). Situs for a corporation property is determined under Section12-59 (and Section 12-43, if applicable).
Property of Non-Residents
Section 12-43 specifies that property of non-residents is taxable in the town where it is located for three or more of the twelve months preceding the assessment day. Even if the property has been sold, or was not located in this state on the assessment day, it must be reported if it meets the "three month rule." If property was located in more than one Connecticut town preceding the assessment date, it is taxable in the town in which it was located for the three or more months closest to the assessment day.
Assessment Estimate
It is to your advantage to provide the requested information for all categories. Otherwise, the Assessor will be forced to estimate an assessment based upon 70% of your property's fair market value. The method for determining value is the depreciated cost-in-place method. Non-residents please list all property in Section 1. Resident businesses and professional persons please note: the request for confidentiality is on the reverse side of the form.
New Assets
Any assets new or otherwise not previously listed, should be described in Section B.
Non-Resident Businesses & Leasing Companies
Non-resident businesses and leasing companies please complete Section 2 if you have disposed of or removed any of your equipment. Failure to properly report disposal will result in our assumption that it is still in the jurisdiction or had obtained situs and is taxable. The 25% penalty will be added where applicable.
Depreciated Items
All property, including items fully depreciated ("written off") for IRS purposes, must be reported. If you have no property to declare, return the M-15 to the Assessor with a full explanation.
The Assessor has the right to audit your books and records within three years of the date this return is filed. Substantial penalties are applicable if such an audit reveals that you have not reported the property as required by law (Section 12-53).
Personal Property Declaration Forms
- 2022 Personal Property Declaration Short Form (PDF)
- 2022 Personal Property Declaration Full Form (PDF)
- 2022 Farm Machinery and Exemption Application (PDF): This form is already included with the Short Form Declaration.
- 2022 Manufacturing Machinery and Equipment Exemption Application (PDF)
- 2022 Manufacturing Machinery and Equipment Exemption Itemized List (PDF): Must be included with application.


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
City of Levelland Mayor and City Council
The Levelland City Council is made up of the Mayor and four City Council members. The Mayor is elected at large for a three-year term and council members are elected to represent residents in four election districts for two-year terms. The terms are staggered so that two council members are elected each year.
Council-Manager Government
The City of Levelland's home rule Council-Manager form of government was originally adopted in 1948 and implemented in 1949. The City Council is the policy making body of the city government, exercising those powers granted by the City Charter, State law, and the State Constitution.
The City Council appoints the City Manager to handle the day-to-day administration of the City and provides the legislative leadership needed to ensure that citizens are provided with quality public services to further the orderly development of the City and to promote the safety and welfare of its residents.
The City Council normally meets on the first and third Monday of each month.


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Workshop Overview
Format and goals
- Plenary sessions: Participants will discuss general issues such as how to help students visualize important geophysical concepts, how to incorporate geophysics projects into courses, and how best to integrate geophysics concepts into courses across the geoscience curriculum, especially in departments where geophysics is not taught as a separate course.
- Demonstration sessions: Participants will share strategies for actively engaging students in the classroom and for providing effective and innovative lab and field experiences. Some of the demonstration sessions will be geared to sharing effective ways of teaching "the basics".
- Dealing effectively with the "fear factors": The mathematics and basic physics aspects of geophysics are common stumbling blocks for students. The workshop will have both presentation and discussion sessions focused on how to help students overcome these barriers.
- Working groups: All participants will be part of working groups whose tasks will be to review and ultimately test activities and assignments submitted by workshop participants.
- Teaching materials collection: All participants will contribute to development of the collection Resources for Teaching Geophysics similar to the collections Resources for Teaching Petrology, Resources for Teaching Structural Geology, Resources for Teaching Hydrogeology, and Resources for Teaching Sedimentary Geology. Workshop attendees will also participate in follow-up activities such as post-workshop online review of activities.
- Email List: A email list for workshop participants will promote discussion before and after the workshop.
Eligibility and application instructionsApplicants for this workshop must hold a faculty position at a two- or four-year college or university and either teach a geophysics course or have expertise in geophysics plus experience in integrating geophysics in a significant way into other courses in the curriculum. We welcome applications from all academic ranks. The workshop is limited to 60 participants, and the final list of participants will be established with the goal of assembling a group representing a wide range of experiences, educational environments, and specialties. Application must be made on line by February 1, 2007, and successful applicants will be notified by February 15, 2007.
On-site costs. The National Science Foundation provides funding for the operational costs of the workshop plus room, board, and workshop materials for the participants. To be supported by these funds, a participant must be either a US citizen, a permanent resident, or in the employ of a US institution. If you don't meet these requirements and are interested in participating in this workshop at your own expense, please contact the workshop conveners.
Travel. All participants or their home institutions must provide transportation to and from the workshop. The workshop will be held at the University of Michigan's Camp Davis Rocky Mountain Field Station near Jackson, Wyoming. Participants must make their own way to the field station in time for the first workshop event at 7 pm on Saturday, August 11. The workshop will be over on Wednesday evening, August 15, and participants will return home on Thursday, August 16. Those who wish to go on the optional field trip on August 16 can return home on Friday, August 17. Camp Davis is about 30 miles from Jackson Hole Airport, which is served by American, Delta, Northwest, Skywest, United, United Express, Atlantic Southeast, and Big Sky Airlines. The Camp is a four-hour drive from Salt Lake City, which may offer cheaper airfares. Alltrans, Inc. offers a shuttle service from Salt Lake City to Jackson Hole.
We will be able to offer small travel stipends to participants from institutions unable to cover travel costs. The deadline for application for travel stipends is February 22, 2007.


text: These easy recipes mean that a simple summer supper, which is both healthy and delicious, can be ready for your family in just minutes. These family friendly chicken kabobs come out juicy, flavorful, and tender every time (a far cry from the dried out grilled chicken too common in backyards across America). The trick is […]Continue reading


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Voltage Regulator for 93-00 Honda TRX300 ATV
Part #: AHA6021
List Price: $54.40Our Price: $42.43
This aftermarket voltage regulator / rectifier is a direct replacement of your OEM NOTE: This regulator is sold without a warranty and is non-returnable. The manufacturer has pre-tested it to insure the quality; however due to the many possible causes of failure (if the electrial system is not properly diagnosed and repaired) there is no warranty or return on this part.
No return on electrical items.
This part fits: (click the plus signs to expand)
- Honda (fits 16)
- TRX 300 2x4
- TRX 300FW 4x4


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"Foodtruck." Streetfood Template comes as a One-Pager HTML5 Design
Please hit the Screenshot Button for a preview of all pages and Styles.
This template is ment to be used by all Foodtruckers, Streetvendors and small food businesses around the world.
Simply imress your audience with this fully featured HTML5 slick design.
Foodtruck. Template Features :
- 150 HTML files
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- 4 Slider Concepts
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- Bootstrap 3 – newest CSS3 responsive framework
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- Really easy to customize – clean and well commented code
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- For PRO users -LESS files included
- PSD files Logically named Groups, Folders and Layers
- Detailed HowTo File
- Quick and friendly support


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Hiya, folks. Seven Shikami here, lead coder for the 7Seas Fishing Game.
With 2008 in low tide and the waves of 2009 rolling in, I figured it's a good time to sit back and take stock of the first year of 7Seas. We started this project back in March 2008, oddly enough just to have something fun to do with a 512 plot that wasn't renting on our home sim. Most of our biggest endeavors started with "It seemed like it'd be fun at the time" and this was no exception -- something fun to do which ballooned into the game we know and love today, with about 100,000 items (fish, bait, rods, etc) delivered each day.
As the months went on, we started opening up the game more and more to outside development... the newly named "OpenSeas Initiative". This has really proven to be the lifeblood of the game, the reason why it persists and grows. You, the community, are doing amazing work... beautiful new fish, innovative gadgets and gizmos, terrific fishing contests, and startlingly well developed fishing areas. We may provide the tools and the core of the game, but you guys are truly its heart!
We're very proud of the concept of "locality" in 7Seas, mini-communities that spring up around local fishing areas, with unique customs and unique events. This social aspect of it, people having favorite fishing areas and pitching in together to develop them, is absolutely wonderful and I couldn't be happier with the end results. In just nine months you've taken this game and made it your own in a huge way!
So, what do we have to look forward to in 2009? Let's see what I can sketch out for you... nearly all these things were suggestions that came directly from the community. A few good brainstorming sessions with you guys helped us steer the way towards making things you wanted and we wanted to bring you.
(Keep in mind all of this is subject to change, of course!)
The website will keep expanding. We recently added forums, so folks can discuss fishing outside of SL and keep others informed of their local fishing area news. Our list of fishing areas and customs is still growing, and we're looking into ways of automating the submission of that information in the future.
We have a new fishing rod update coming soon, which will add several new features including the much-asked for AutoDecline -- an optional a way to avoid getting those blue Accept/Decline popup boxes, letting you choose what rarity of fish you want to be prompted on and which ones should simply never show up. It'll make your fishing experience as smooth as you want it. Customs and targeted items will always break through an AutoDecline, too, so you don't have to worry about missing something you were looking for.
We'll be introducing new contest types soon, in the form of the Contest Expansion Pack. This will include our classic game AquaDash along with the much requested Bounty Hunter contest, and our new Wheel of Fish contest -- letting you pit your fish against your friend's fish to see whose is the prettiest, the fiercest, the fastest, or even the slowest or the fattest. All of these games will have trophies and plug-in support, just like our normal contest boards.
More Blueprint/Salvage craftable items are coming, including Schools of Fish, low-prim wearable "aquariums" so you can take your pets into high lag environments to show them off without causing any problems. My favorite, which I can't wait to get to work on, will be the Fishing Duel, a WEARABLE contest board that lets you challenge your friends to impromptu contests, complete with trophies, anywhere, anytime!
And of course, we'll be releasing new official 7Seas pets and prizes as we go; new friends to fish out of the waters and new things for you to collect and keep and enjoy. Jen and Meissa have plenty in the works, and will be adding them to the oceans as we go.
Now, the seas may be rocky and we do have to fit our First Lives in around all these dreams. But these things and more are in the works at 7Seas, and with your ongoing support, we can make our second year even bigger than the first!


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A portable USB fuel cell promises to charge your smartphone for up to two weeks without going near a wall socket. Lilliputian Systems says its portable fuel cell will provide juice for your smartphone a dozen times before running out — and then you just need to buy a replacement cartridge.
Most smartphones today can barely make it through a day without needing a recharge; large screens and 4G connectivity play a big role in this. So while this solution won't eliminate the need the charge your phone constantly, you will have the freedom to do so without being near a wall socket.
Lilliputian's portable fuel cell is around the size of a thick smartphone, while the replaceable cartridges inside are the size of a cigarette lighter. The fuel cell can power any gadget over its USB port, be it a smartphone, tablet or camera. Lilliputian said an iPhone could be charged up to 14 times from a single fuel cell.
Brookstone will be the first retailer to sell the portable USB fuel cell in the U.S., and the solution will be sold under its brand at locations in shopping malls and airports. Lilliputian said the U.S. Department of Transportation will also allow passengers to carry the device and replacement cartridges in their cabin luggage, so you won't run out of battery on lengthy flights.
There's no word on pricing or availability yet, besides an expected launch date by the end of this year. If an older interview with Lilliputian's Mouli Ramani is any indication, then expect the portable USB charger to cost between $150 and $200, while a fuel cell cartridge would cost between $2 and $5.
Follow Daniel Ionescu and Today @ PCWorld on Twitter


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This video created by AgingJedi on Aimbots was brought to my attention:
As a TLDR, AgingJedi, who gets submitted plenty of replays from the community for his youtube videos, speaks of how he feels helpless when he receives replays of players using aimbot aka illegal mods in the game because as always the support team won't even read the tickets they are sent in and that the automated system is clearly failing to fulfil its purpose.
While I feel AgingJedi, as for the past 2-3 years I received plenty of evidence myself. Nothing has changed and I doubt it ever will especially when it comes to the Support department.
Over a year ago the player base was promised in a statement given by the "Support's Chief guy" that they would be improving the way they handle our tickets yet here we are, still receiving the same Copy Pasted Rat-Arsed responses by underpaid people who give no shit about their job to even care to read what's being sent and are only there for the cheque at the end of the month and as for those in other departments who care they can't do anything about it because it's not their job.
I am sick and tired of listening to empty promises from the company because I don't feel like any of them were ever truly meet, as far as Wargaming statements go nowadays, I don't believe any of their words until I see it actually applied.
As for the deficient automated system, despite the numerous complaints from the community…
A sample of the biggest examples:
-From DezGamez, March 2017.
- 180 500 Views
-From MisterCro, February 2016.
- 36 440 Views.
-From MaxwellPlays, June 2016.
- 134 639 Views
-From Lord Destronov, January 2016.
- 163 400 Views.
-From Quickybaby, March 2016.
- 1 107 200 Fucking views!
…You would think that the company would at least try to improve the automated system? Of course not, not even plans of doing it were announced and if they are it will be a see to believe.
While discussing this subject with the RSR's team, Mizutayio brought a very good point, what is so depressing is that the company does have the proper tools to change things for the better but even if it's not the case it does look like it's passing over their heads. As many knows, Wargaming is opening a website for Mods (like this).
The best thing they could do is to ban all mods, write a script for honest mod makers which they could add to certified mods that then can be published on the website. The only people hurt in this process will be the illegal mod makers and users!
And yes, like the title says, you can aimbot in World of Tanks, they give no shits if you do. But I am not saying for you to, while I have absolutely no intent to insult people with special needs who require using mods to be able to play the game (There's more of them than you think and for me that's a valid reason to use them), for those who are fully articulated human beings and use these mods only for pure exploitation, I can only hope your spermatozoa festered gonococci rectum cavity gets barged in by a well-engorged prickly cactae.
Viktor K. said in an interview "We realize that World of Tanks can last forever (…) But we have to prepare for a very long winter. The winter is coming, and it will not go away." and he is very right, to be honest, it is surprising the numbers World of Tanks is pulling after all these years, yet actions -or the lack of them in this case- like these will only make that winter arrive faster!
Wargaming's -almost like- policy of wiping the dirt under the carpet can only make me think of one catch phrase:
-"Not making a decision is a BIG decision." – Negan, TWD