text:
Managerial Economics
Presupuesto $10-30 USD
I need you to write me a project about MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS
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1- Objective
2- Apple Industry
3- Economic Analysis of apple
4- COMPARISON OF apple with Samsung
5- Market Size
6- Market share of different companies
7- Change in market share of both
8- Sales of apple for last 10 years
9- Profit of apple for last 5 years
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text: Hi All, As I mentioned back in April, the Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) has arranged for the launch of two satellites as part of the Nanosatellite Launch Service 6 (NLS-6) cluster payload on the PSLV-C15 from the Indian Space Research Organization. Two satellites are part of NLS-6: AISSat-1 and TIsat-1. The launch countdown for PSLV-C15 has begun, and it is on track to launch on July 12, 2010 at 03:52:00 UTC. The window is -0/+10 min, i.e. from 03:52:00 to 04:02:00 UTC. AISSat-1 is built by SFL for the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), and it is intended to demonstrate a new maritime AIS receiver that has been developed by FFI. TIsat-1 is a 1 kg CubeSat built by students and staff at University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI). TIsat-1 uses amateur radio frequencies and has CW and data beacons. Details and frequencies can be found at http://www.spacelab.dti.supsi.ch/tiSat1.html More detail on the spacecraft can be found below from my original post. We will have an IRC discussion channel during launch and the early operations phase. Server: utias-sfl.net Port: 6667 (default) Channel: #nls6-discussion I will send out the predicted TLEs later today. 73, -Daniel, VA3KKZ On 2010-04-30 19:22, Daniel Kekez (VA3KKZ) wrote: > Hi All, > > As you may have heard, the PSLV-C15 flight has been delayed. The Indian > Space Research Organization issued the following statement: > > The launch of ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C15) > fixed for may 9, 2010 has been rescheduled. A marginal drop in > the pressure in the second stage of the vehicle was noted > during the mandatory checks carried out on the PSLV-C15 > vehicle. The new date for the launch of PSLV-C15 mission will > be decided after preliminary results of the analysis are > obtained. > > PSLV-C15 is planned to launch India's Cartosat-2B, an Algerian > satellite ALSAT-2A, two nano satellites NLS 6.1 and NLS 6.2 > from the University of Toronto, Canada, and STUDSAT, a > satellite built by students from academic institutions in > Kamataka and Andhra Pradesh. > > URL: > http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/scripts/pressreleasein.aspx?Apr29_2010 > > NLS 6.1 refers to AISSat-1 and its XPOD separation system. Similarly, > NLS 6.2 refers to TIsat-1 and its XPOD. > > Since I believe some people on this list are looking forward to > receiving TIsat-1's beacon, I'll post updates when we learn more. > > 73, > -Daniel, VA3KKZ > > > On 2010-04-26 06:36, Daniel Kekez (VA3KKZ) wrote: >> Hi All, >> >> The Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) at the University of Toronto Institute >> for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) would like to announce the delivery of >> Nanosatellite Launch Service 6 (NLS-6) cluster payload to Satish Dhawan >> Space Centre in Sriharikota (SDSC-SHAR), Andhra Pradesh, India, for >> launch on board PSLV-C15. PSLV-C15 will be launching from the First >> Launch Pad at SDSC-SHAR into 637 km sun-synchronous orbit with 10:30 >> Local-Time of Descending Node. NLS-6 shares this launch with Cartosat-2B >> primary, Alsat-2A co-primary, and STUDSAT auxiliary payload. >> >> NLS-6 is the 6th launch by SFL. The NLS-6 cluster comprises of two >> nanosatellite: AISSat-1 and TIsat-1. >> >> NLS-6 launch updates are being posted to >> http://www.utias-sfl.net/NLS-6/ >> >> >> >> About AISSat-1 >> ------------------------------ >> AISSat-1 is built by SFL for the Norwegian Defence Research >> Establishment (FFI). It is intended to demonstrate a new maritime AIS >> receiver that has been developed by FFI. The AIS receiver will be used >> to monitor ship traffic in Norwegian waters. The design of AISSat-1 is >> based on SFL Generic Nanosatellite Bus (GNB). >> >> The spacecraft has a main structure measuring 20 cm by 20 cm by 20 cm >> and it is stabilized in three-axes using reaction wheels. It has a fixed >> 46 cm long VHF payload monopole antenna for the AIS receiver and four >> UHF uplink monopole antennas for the command receiver. The downlink in >> the S-Band. AISSat-1 has an overall dimension of 80 cm by 45 cm by 37 cm >> and an overall mass of 6.5 kg. AISSat-1 will be secured to the launch >> vehicle using the XPOD GNB separation system. >> >> AISSat-1 is not an amateur satellite and, as such, has coordinated >> appropriate frequencies. Its ground segment is located at Svalbard and >> its control centre is at FFI, near Oslo, Norway. >> >> More information on the spacecraft can be found at >> http://www.utias-sfl.net/nanosatellites/AISSat-1/ >> and >> http://www.spacecentre.no/?module=Articles;action=Article.publicShow;ID=51389 >> >> >> About TIsat-1 >> ------------------------------ >> TIsat-1 is a 1 kg CubeSat of 10 cm by 10 cm by 10 cm and is built by >> students and staff at University of Applied Sciences of Southern >> Switzerland (SUPSI). The primary mission objective is to involve >> students in systems engineering, development and test with a very >> challenging project and to provide students and staff at SUPSI with >> space mission knowledge. TIsat-1 will monitor the durability of material >> probes exposed to space environment, will test a micro electromechanical >> device and will validate the redundant, fault tolerant hardware and >> firmware design of the bus. >> >> Two monopole antennas (VHF and UHF) will be deployed after separation. >> Housekeeping and payload data will be communicated to the ground as >> orbital data profiles. TIsat-1 will be secured to the launch vehicle >> using the XPOD Single separation system. >> >> TIsat-1 communicates over amateur radio frequencies, as coordinated >> through the IARU, and they have been working with radio amateurs in >> Switzerland during the spacecraft's development. They have a Morse Code >> and data beacons. More information can be found at >> http://www.spacelab.dti.supsi.ch/tiSat1.html >> >> >> >> Future Launches by SFL >> ------------------------------ >> SFL has signed its 7th launch contract with ANTRIX for NLS-7 in late >> 2010/early 2011. NLS-7 will launch the twin-satellite CanX-4 and CanX-5 >> formation flying mission. >> >> SFL will be signing its 8th launch contract for NLS-8 momentarily, for >> the launch of two astronomy nanosatellites: BRITE-Austria (CanX-3A) and >> UniBRITE (CanX-3B). NLS-8 will also launch one partner spacecraft. >> >> In addition, SFL is under discussion for NLS-9, NLS-10, and NLS-11 >> launches in 2011/2012 time frame, and would like to extend an invitation >> to spacecraft developers world-wide to join our launches. >> >> For further information, please contact: >> Freddy M. Pranajaya >> Manager, Advanced Systems Group >> UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory >> 4925 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M3H 5T6 >> +1-416-667-7890 Voice >> +1-416-667-7799 Fax >> freddyp at utias-sfl.net >> http://www.utias-sfl.net/ >> >> >> >> 73, >> -Daniel, VA3KKZ > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB at amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Home / Men's Shoes / Nike
Men's Nike Tennis Shoes - Tennis Express
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Select up to 4 products to compare, then click Compare Items Now: Compare Items Now
Everyone knows that Nike is prominently thrust into the tennis spotlight, but what most people might not understand is just how young Nike is. Born in 1972, Nike burst onto the scene and quickly became a leader in every industry that they enter. Multiple styles of shoes are by modern tennis giants such as Roger Federer, Serena Williams, and Rafael Nadal. Nike offers a wide variety of shoes and whether you need a lightweight shoe, a comfortable one, or just one to play in, they have you covered.


text:
Atlanta Hawks Sign Shelvin Mack to 10-Day Contract
Guard Becomes the 20th Gatorade Call-up in 2012-13
ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks have signed guard Shelvin
Mack to a 10-day contract, Hawks President of Basketball Operations/General
Manager Danny Ferry announced today.
In his second NBA season, Mack has played in 11 total games (two starts) with
the Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 3.6 points on .401
shooting, 1.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 13.7 minutes per game. In his seven
games (two starts) with the Wizards, he averaged 5.3 points on .400 shooting,
2.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 20.4 minutes per contest. He appeared in four
games and totaled eight minutes played with the 76ers.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound point guard from Butler most recently played with the
Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League. In 23 games (22 starts), he
averaged 20.1 points on .454 shooting, 4.3 rebounds and 7.7 assists in 40.3
minutes per game. He was selected to participate in the 2013 NBA Development
League All-Star Game.
As a rookie in 2011-12, Mack played in 64 of 66 games with the Wizards,
averaging 3.6 points on .400 shooting, 1.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 12.1
minutes per game.
Mack will wear uniform No. 8, and will be available for tonight's 7:30 p.m. game
at Philips Arena versus the Philadelphia 76ers.


text:
Everybody knows that President Obama won Tuesday's election, but less clear are the changing trends that swayed elections from California to Maine. Here's our list of the biggest winners and losers.
Same-sex marriage. History was made Tuesday. See above.
Negative campaigning. The positive tone of Obama's 2008 run was replaced by attack ads vilifying GOP opponent Mitt Romney as an out-of-touch elitist. Romney approved his share of negative ads too, but it was the Obama campaign's recognition that it couldn't win by staying positive that will be remembered by strategists.
Latinos. In 2008, Latinos made up about 7.4% of the electorate; today it's roughly 10%. Their overwhelming backing of Obama and other Democrats is widely regarded as a key factor in Tuesday's results, prompting much soul-searching by Republicans about how they can better appeal to this growing demographic.
Higher taxes. Proposition 30 demonstrated that Californians will support higher taxes even in tough economic times -- if they're paid by wealthy people. Obama's reelection demonstrates pretty much the same trend nationwide. The biggest source of new state revenue under Proposition 30 will be individuals who make more than $250,000 a year; Obama wants to hike taxes on couples who make that much.


text:
Generac RTSD200A3 200 Amp Service Entrance Rated 120/240 Single Phase RTS Transfer Switch for Generators Up To 60 kW
RTS transfer switches are designed to operate with our R-Series Digital Controllers. Available in both single and three-phase versions, these proven, open transition transfer switches are ideal for residential, commercial and light industrial applications. Both standard RTS and service entrance rated transfer switches feature NEMA 3R enclosures for indoor or outdoor use. All standard RTS and distributed load center transfer switches are UL and CUL Listed.
Offering more options than any other manufacturer, to ensure the greatest amount of customization, and in house manufacturing, to ensure seamless integration, there is a Generac transfer switch perfect for essential circuit coverage, load shedding or complete whole house systems.


text:
Elena Gann is the owner of the new restaurant, Bassa Prua, in downtown Leavenworth. The restaurant's menu will be a reflection of Gann's world travels, offering a varying cuisine found in countries and cultures around the globe.
Here, she talks to the Times about the new restaurant and what customers can expect.
Elena Gann is the owner of the new restaurant, Bassa Prua, in downtown Leavenworth. The restaurant's menu will be a reflection of Gann's world travels, offering a varying cuisine found in countries and cultures around the globe.
Here, she talks to the Times about the new restaurant and what customers can expect.
1. Elena, after years of operating Chilingos, why did you decide to open Bassa Prua in downtown Leavenworth? And tell us about the new restaurant's name.
"Opening Chilingos was the realization of a dream. After selling food to local businesses and construction sites for a few years, I needed a storefront to operate out of.
"As it grew and developed into what I have always been passionate about, global cuisine, I began to feel divided between the business I started and the business I was becoming. I was fortunate to find someone who believed they could build on cafe Chilingo and make it their own so that I could further develop the direction I was going.
"Bassa Prua is the Italian translation for the low bow of a ship. The low bow, or Bassa Prua, is the part of the ship that breaks through the water when embarking on a journey. Because it also supports the figurehead, we chose the figurehead as our logo — it supported our concept of global cuisine."
2. Bassa Prua is described as a Euro bar with global cuisine. What are the most tantalizing dishes that will be featured?
"My first five years in the military were spent in the Navy as a cook. While stationed on board the USS Simon Lake, I traveled from Italy to Spain, France, Greece, Morocco, Japan and Puerto Rico.
"Even now, 20 years later, what I remember the most was the food. My friends and I ate our way through the streets of Athens eating feta cheese tarts and gyros dripping with flavorful juices and fresh tzaziki. In Paris, there were crusty baguettes with butter and thin slices of cured meat. Morocco was flavorful rice with nuts, berries and herbs, roasted quail and spiced tea.
"When I remember those countries I visited and loved, I remember the look, smell and taste of the wonderful food they offered. For me, it was the biggest part of the experience.
"I am attempting to recreate some of those experiences by offering weekly dinners that include a menu specific to a region, as well as music and customs that may apply. Some of the weekly menus will feature items such as stuffed and roasted quail, fresh pasta made in-house with shaved truffle and duck confit and short ribs braised in locally roasted coffee and fresh figs."
3. You'll be offering organic, sustainable food from local vendors, plus gluten free, vegan, vegetarian and dairy free dishes. Why is this important to you?
"Leavenworth is a plentiful resource for fresh produce and local meat. It affords the opportunity for me and my staff to be connected with the product we provide.
"When we can go to the farmers market and interact with the people who provide our ingredients, it allows us to deepen our connection with the food we prepare. Being aware of the process by which our animals were processed encourages a deeper respect and appreciation for what we do and what others in our industry do.
"It is also just a small contribution to our community and environment that helps lighten our footprint. For health reasons, I avoid gluten whenever possible. I want others who have food allergies to be able to enjoy any meal on a special occasion without worrying.
"Many people are more conciencious about their health and lifestyle choices. The restaurant industry has a great opportunity to serve the public in a new way by making specialty items available to people with food preferences or restrictions. We continue to embrace that opportunity."
4. Every menu you create will be customized to match patrons' taste and style. How will you go about this? Can you also tell us about the wine club and tastings and cooking classes?
"To keep up with a busy dinner service, it is important to have as much preparation done as possible. Stopping midstream to recreate a menu item can be a challenge when busy.
"By offering dinner that is by reservation only, we have the ability to plan our meals very carefully. It makes it easier to make adjustments to dishes and prepare them fresh without compromising the quality or service of our other guests and take any food allergies into consideration.
"Our dinner menu will rotate weekly for the type of cuisine as well as seasonally. Our first four weeks of dinners are scheduled to be French, Spanish, Italian and Cajun.
"Our wine club will be an opportunity for members to taste different wines, pair them with foods, share recipes and entertain with them. Each quarter we will create a tasting menu that will consist of about 10 small plates of food and three mini-cocktails for one set price. Our cooking classes for children and adults will be posted online after the new year."
5. What are you most looking forward to in offering gourmet creations from all over the world?
"When people join together for a meal as friends or family, it is often to share an occasion, create a memory or celebrate. As a culture, we choose to do that with food.
"Not only does food nourish our bodies, but it is an expression of creativity, passion and skill. I look forward to taking that knowledge and elevating those moments, celebrations and coming together of hearts and minds over a meal that is spectacular, memorable and inspiring.
"To celebrate our grand opening, we plan on having a New Year's Eve masquerade ball with a multicultural theme.
"We hope that our attendees will compliment the international appetizer buffet with fantastic globally-themed costumes or masks."
— Rimsie McConiga


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Herbert Lom, the actor who played Chief Inspector Dreyfus in the Pink Panther movies and was memorably reduced to eye-twitching madness dealing with Peter Sellers' imbecilic Inspector Clouseau, has died. He was 95.
Lom died Thursday in his sleep at his London home, said the actor's son Alec
A Czech native who immigrated to England just before the start of World War II, Lom carved out a prolific career that included a starring role as the King of Siam in the original 1953 London production of "The King and I."
He also appeared in scores of films over more than 60 years, including playing a crime-gang member in "The Ladykillers" (1955), Napoleon in "War and Peace" (1956), a pirate chieftain in "Spartacus" (1960) and the title role in the Hammer Films production of "The Phantom of the Opera" (1962).
But he was "badly typecast in British films," Lom told Australia's Daily Telegraph in 1999, "and it needed an American, Blake Edwards, to take me away from endless villainous roles and into the comedy of the Pink Panther films."
Lom's first time out as the long-suffering Charles Dreyfus was in "A Shot in the Dark," the 1964 follow-up to "The Pink Panther," writer-director Edwards' 1963 hit that introduced Sellers as Jacques Clouseau.
"I was invited to have lunch at the Dorchester with Blake Edwards," Lom told the Edinburgh Evening News in 2002. "He told me he had seen me playing heavy villains and thought I was funny.
"At first I didn't take it as a compliment. But then he explained that he did not want a comic actor who would play Dreyfus for laughs."
Lom viewed his involvement in the Pink Panther films playing "a blithering idiot named Inspector Dreyfus," as a highlight of his career.
"I loved playing the part of a blabbering lunatic of a police inspector," he said. "I think people like to see the police in such trouble; they enjoy seeing the inspector reduced to an utter, twitching wreck."
The twitch was Lom's idea.
"I had a scene with Peter in my office," he told the (London) Independent in 2004. "He said something like, 'Don't worry chief, I'll settle it,' and gave me an encouraging wink. So I started winking out of nervousness and couldn't stop."
It wasn't in the script, he said, but Edwards loved it.
"But it became a problem," Lom said. "I made those films for 20 years, and after 10 years they ran out of good scripts. They used to say to me, 'Herbert, wink here, wink.' And I said, 'I'm not going to wink. You write a good scene and I won't have to wink.'"
Born Herbert Charles Angelo Kuchacevich ze Schluderpacheru in Prague on Sept. 11, 1917, Lom attended Prague University and studied acting at the Prague School of Acting. He already had been in a couple of films before leaving Czechoslovakia for England in early 1939.
After launching his career in England and serving as a radio announcer for the BBC's Czech-language section during the war, he became a British citizen.
Lom, who had signed a seven-year-contract with 20th Century Fox in the in the early '50s, was refused an entry visa by the U.S. government, he told Australia's Daily Telegraph in 1999.
"No reason was given," he said. "It was clearly political. I was judged to be a 'fellow traveler' and a victim of the anti-Communist fever at that time in America. My political inclinations were certainly leftish, but I had never been a member of the Communist Party."
A big acting break came in 1953 when he was offered the part of the King of Siam in the West End production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The King and I."
He played the king for two years and received rave reviews, including one from critic Kenneth Tynan, who wrote, "The show took Drury Lane by typhoon last night and Mr. Lom is practically an act of God."
Among Lom's later credits are the 1970s horror films "Asylum," "And Now the Screaming Starts!" and "Count Dracula" (opposite Christopher Lee) and the 1983 film "The Dead Zone."
He also wrote two novels, "Enter a Spy: The Double Life of Christopher Marlowe" (1978) and "Dr. Guillotine: The Eccentric Exploits of an Early Scientist" (1992).
Besides his son Alec, Lom is survived by another son, Nicholas; a daughter, Josephine; and seven grandchildren.


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Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
Remarks by Secretary Eric K. Shinseki
2013 VFW Annual Convention
Louisville, KY
July 23, 2013
Good morning, VFW! It's great to be with you, and good to be back in Louisville!
Commander-in-Chief John Hamilton, many thanks for that kind introduction. More importantly, John, thank you for devoting yourself for so many years to the service of Veterans. Your leadership of the VFW has been inspiring. I wish you Godspeed as you pass the mantle of leadership to Senior Vice Commander Bill Thien. And to Bill, many thanks for your service as well, and congratulations on your new responsibilities. I look forward to working with you.
Let me also acknowledge some of your other national leaders:
- Executive Director Bob Wallace, to whom I owe genuine thanks for standing with this secretary and what we are trying to accomplish on behalf of Veterans;
- Likewise, to National Adjutant Gunner Kent, and National Veterans Service Director Bill Bradshaw, my thanks for your leadership and support as well;
- Leanne Lemley, President, VFW National Ladies Auxiliary, congratulations on 100 years of the Auxiliary's devotion to Veterans and their families. Thank you for serving those who have served the Nation, and best wishes on the next 100 years;
- Let me further acknowledge a special group of Veterans—those who fought in Korea. This week marks the 60th anniversary of the signing of the armistice. Six decades ago the guns fell silent all along the DMZ. We know what the country asked of you, and how magnificently you delivered. We are all indebted to you. Let me invite all our Korean War Veterans to stand, if able, to accept our respect and admiration. Thank you.
- Other fellow Veterans, VA colleagues, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:
I am especially honored to be speaking with you once again. When I first spoke with you in 2009, I observed that the average Secretary of Veterans Affairs served about 3.5 years. So I said then that we had to move quickly to get as much done as possible in the time we had. I needed help to take on really tough issues: (1) increasing Veterans access to VA's benefits and services, (2) eliminating—not reducing or better managing—but eliminating the backlog in disability claims, and finally (3) mobilizing a national initiative to end Veterans' homelessness in this country. I asked for your assistance, and you gave it to me—and you continue to do so today. I am grateful for that support.
I'm also grateful for the opportunity to work all these initiatives alongside my friend, Chuck Hagel, from whom you heard yesterday. Chuck's credentials as a Veterans' advocate are without peer—combat Veteran, educated on the GI Bill, former-deputy administrator of VA, former-CEO of the USO, principal co-sponsor of the new 9/11 GI Bill, and a genuine American patriot. Since he assumed office last February, he and I have met multiple times to discuss issues common to both of our departments. Secretary Hagel's partnership on behalf of those who wear and have worn the uniforms of our Nation has been uplifting. I look forward to our continued collaboration in bringing our two large departments closer than ever before.
In the four-and-a-half years since January 2009, the leadership of the President, the support of the Congress, the advice and assistance of Veterans Service Organizations, like VFW, and a close partnership with Secretaries of Defense Bob Gates and Leon Panetta, and now Chuck Hagel, have enabled VA's significant achievements:
- VA's budget grew by $40 billion at a time of economic difficulty nationally and fiscal constraints across the federal government;
- Outreach and access initiatives brought in more than 940,000 new enrollees;
- For four years running now, clean financial audits have been rendered on VA's financial management system by an IG-appointed, external, independent auditor, during which material weaknesses were reduced from 4 to 1, and significant deficiencies, from 16 to 1.
- 66 new community-based outpatient clinics have been opened, as well as a medical center in Las Vegas, Nevada—the first major VA hospital in 17 years;
- More than 10,800 caregivers have been trained to care for and sustain the well-being of seriously injured Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans;
- More than a million Veteran and family member students have received educational assistance and vocational training from VA;
- An average of 113,000 Veterans a year have been laid to rest by VA's National Cemetery Administration—the number one customer-satisfaction organization in the entire country;
- Veterans' homelessness was reduced by 17 percent from 2009 to 2012, and we estimate perhaps another 10 percent reduction over the past year. We'll know the final tally as soon as our partners at HUD verify the homeless count;
- 11 million of the 22 million Veterans in this country have received at least one benefit or service from VA;
- And we fielded VBMS at all 56 VA regional offices—VBMS, Veterans Benefits Management System—a new, automated claims system. We are transitioning out of paper and into electronic processing—this is a major crossover year for disability claims processing.
The challenges of the past four-and-a-half years have been daunting, but with your help we have stayed clearly sighted on what's best for Veterans. More remains to be done, but this will always be true if you pursue continuous improvements over time—and we do.
Today, I'd like to address two issues that have been much in the news lately—mental health and the claims backlog. Some have criticized VA as being uncaring and unhelpful on both issues. Neither is correct, so let me address them both. First, mental health.
I have witnessed monumental changes in the way we wage war—greater speed, agility, precision, and stamina in all aspects of the use of force. Perhaps less noticed, among those tremendous changes, have been the Department of Defense's amazing advances in battlefield medicine, coupled with the creation of a world-class military medical evacuation system—hours to days from the battlefield to stateside medical care, rather than the weeks and months for past generations. More troops are surviving combat today because of these advances; but for some, the injuries are much more serious and complex—requiring prolonged hospitalizations—months and years of surgery, pain, recovery, uncertainty. As these patients are released from military service, the seamlessness of a warm handoff from DoD to VA assures them the continuity of care they must have. This is why the Secretary of VA and the Secretary of Defense have worked these issues personally for four-and-a-half years now. It is that important. If we get it right for these Veterans and families, we will be in a better position to get it right for everyone else.
Now, many combat Veterans also carry with them the baggage that comes with combat—PTS, post-traumatic stress—which can include nervous anxiety, increased irritability, feeling numb, suffering flashbacks, and feeling depressed. Most of us are able to work through PTS on our own, with the help of strong families and other support structures. Some, not all, of these Veterans incur the "D"—disorder. PTSD requires professional care, and people generally get better with treatment over time.
But in tough economic times, as we have experienced for the past five years, any prolonged unemployment exacerbates stress, extending the transition home for those with PTS, or the period of treatment for those with PTSD. We want to address these issues directly—and early, before complications begin a downward spiral towards job loss, depression, substance abuse, anger management, a breakdown in relationships, homelessness, and sometimes, suicide.The longest war in our history and higher survival rates have driven increased concern for the mental well-being of Servicemembers and Veterans, including the need for more sophisticated methods for identifying and treating their issues.
In the past, we often thought in terms of the "normal and healthy," on one hand, and the "mentally ill and unreliable," on the other—creating an obvious stigma against seeking help. If you were among the "normal and healthy," you didn't seek professional help for mental or emotional issues because just seeking help moved you over into the "mentally ill and unreliable" category. And once there, you had little chance of going back.
Today, we know much better than to sort people into two mutually exclusive categories based on mental health. We know that mental wellness is an issue for many people and that we all, at times, could use some professional counseling in dealing with life's difficulties. So at VA and DoD we make it easier for Veterans and Servicemembers to get treatment without being ostracized for seeking help. Bottom line: PTS, PTSD, TBI, and even depression, our Veterans are not damaged goods. What they need are jobs and education and quality healthcare—a shot at the middle class to help rebuild our economy.
Now, with the strong leadership of President Obama and the support of the Congress, we continue to improve access to mental health services. The President's budget requests between 2009 and 2014 increased VA mental health funding by nearly 57 percent. For FY 2013, VA mental health funding totaled $6.5 billion.
Mental health staff levels have increased to keep pace with Veterans' needs. A year ago, the President issued an executive order directing the hiring of 1,600 additional mental health professionals. Since then, VA has exceeded that goal by hiring over 1,660 additional clinicians. We have also hired more than 420 peer support specialists towards our year-end goal of 800.
Last month, the President hosted a national mental health summit at the White House to focus on the need to work together to demystify the issues surrounding mental health, especially overcoming the stigma associated with treatment. The White House followed up with a conference two weeks ago, focusing specifically on the mental health needs of Veterans and military families.
At VA, we know that when we identify and treat, people do get better. So to maximize our opportunities for identification and treatment, we are increasing our collaboration with local agencies and community partners. In the next two months, VA will host local mental health summits at each of our 152 VA medical centers, to broaden the dialogue between clinicians and stakeholders. The first will be held in San Francisco, tomorrow, with the remaining 151 summits occurring out through September. We are also partnering at the local level on 24 pilot projects with federally-qualified community health centers in nine states.
By partnering with local communities and other federal agencies, we intend to get the most out of our resources. By collaborating, we also seek to reduce the stigma against accessing needed mental health care that is available.
One of our most successful efforts is our Veterans Crisis Line. DoD knows it as the Military Crisis Line—same number, same trained VA mental health professionals answering the phone, 24/7, at no cost to DoD—an example of our partnering to deliver optimal care to those in crisis. Since start-up in 2007, the Veterans Crisis Line has answered over 800,000 calls from Veterans in need. Most importantly, 29,000 of those callers were rescued from suicides in progress because our mental health providers were standing by to help.
Chatting and texting appeal to those who are comfortable with technology. So, in 2009 we added an on-line chat service, and in 2011, a texting service. Since then, we've engaged almost 94,000 people in on-line chats and another 7,000 by texting. Our crisis line webpage is averaging about 37,000 visits per month. If we have Veterans who need help engaging with us, we stand a better chance of helping them before the onset of crisis.
For example, with DoD, we developed a new mobile app called the "PTSD Coach" to help Servicemembers and Veterans manage their readjustment challenges in real-time and to access to mental health assistance anonymously.
Now, the backlog. Let me be clear: No Veteran should have to wait to receive benefits that have been earned. The claims backlog is real. It is the reason I agreed to continue my service as secretary. We've said all along it would take time to solve this correctly, and we are not going to leave this for another secretary and president to wrestle with. The President wants this fixed, and we are on track to eliminate the backlog in 2015.
We started out four years ago with a plan, and we've stayed with it. First, we were determined to take care of some unfinished business—three new diseases attributed to Agent Orange exposure, primarily for Vietnam Veterans; nine new diseases associated with Gulf War Illness; and service-connected PTSD for combat Veterans from all our wars. Doing these "right things" for Veterans of previous wars was bound to increase the total number of disability claims in our system—that only stood to reason. At the same time, we predicted that the number of backlogged claims—claims older than 125 days, a standard we created to measure ourselves—was also going to increase. Again, logical. We testified to these projections three years ago in announcing those decisions to grant service connection.
It was the right thing to do then and the right thing to do now. But we also promised that we would develop an automation system that would enable us to eliminate the backlog. And we have done so. As mentioned earlier, VBMS—Veterans Benefits Management System—is now fielded to all 56 of our regional offices. We projected three years ago that the backlog would increase and then begin to recede in 2013.
And that is underway—the backlog is now declining. We are somewhat behind where we predicted we would be in backlogged claims as a percentage of the total inventory, but that percentage will shift downwards as the oldest claims leave the system. In the past 90 days alone, the backlog has dropped from roughly 600,000 to 515,000. Claims over two years old have dropped from over 42,000 to about 1,700. Claims over a year old have dropped from over 210,000 to under 175,000. By the end of this year, we expect most claims over a year old will have left our system. Today, VA has the lowest total claims inventory since August 2011. Barring any changes in entitlements, this number will continue to decline, and VA remains committed to eliminating the backlog in disability claims in 2015.
This is the 60th anniversary of the signing of the armistice in Korea. A short story from the Korean War: "Jerry" Murphy grew up in Pueblo, Colorado. After finishing high school in 1947, he went straight to college and graduated four years later. Then, as now, the Nation was at war, and so right after graduation, Jerry Murphy joined the Marine Corps. In a few short months, he was in Korea commanding a platoon in combat.
In February 1953, Murphy's platoon was held in reserve while the rest of his company attacked a heavily fortified hill. During the assault, most of the company's officers and NCOs were killed or wounded. The battered company was leaderless on the hilltop and taking more casualties.
From below, Murphy could see that something had gone wrong. He immediately seized the initiative and led his platoon up the hill. Arriving on the objective, Murphy found that the numbers of dead, dying, and wounded were significant. Rallying his fellow Marines in the midst of a raging battle, Murphy began evacuating the wounded, carrying many of them himself while organizing a withdrawal under fire. He manned a machine gun to cover the withdrawal, and then led a small group of volunteers back up the hill to recover more dead Marines. Wounded twice, he refused medical attention until he had accounted for every Marine and led his rescue party to safety.
Murphy was the last man to leave that bloody hilltop. For voluntarily risking his life to serve his fellow Marines, 2nd Lt. Jerry Murphy was awarded the Nation's highest award for valor—the Medal of Honor. But his record of service didn't end there.
Jerry Murphy went on to serve with VA for 23 years—as a counselor and director of Veteran services in New Mexico. After retiring from VA, he chose, again, to serve Veterans for another eight years as a volunteer at the Albuquerque VA Medical Center.
Upon his death in 2007, Jerry Murphy insisted on being buried, not in his dress blue uniform, but in his VA Volunteer's jacket. Jerry Murphy was first and last a selfless servant, dedicated to the well-being of others. It was his devotion to fellow Marines that led him to that hilltop in Korea. But he didn't stop serving others or being a hero when he left that hilltop—he lived the rest of his life that way. The same shared sense of humanity that drove him up that hill, time and again in search of fellow Marines, also motivated his years of service to Veterans.
VA's accomplishments will always be delivered by its good people who work hard every day to do the right things for our Nation's Veterans. We have this in common—VA and VFW—good people serving Veterans.
God bless the VFW, and all who serve and have served our Nation in uniform. And may God continue this great country of ours.
Thank you.


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ECS X58B-A Review
The Intel Core i7 has been out on the market since November of last year with just about every manufacturer having boards ready to go at launch time, with ECS being one of them. In fact, ECS was the first manufacturer to support both ATI's Crossfire and nNidia's SLI technologies. Fast forward a bit to today and we are looking at the ECS X58B-A, ECS' version of the Nehalem platform. The X58B-A comes with a host of features that look to make it stand out in the crowded X58 market with all solid capacitors, support for up to 24GB of DDR3 memory, VRD 11.1 compliance and its Qooltech II technology to offer a cooler operating environment for the operating parts and electrical components. While ECS has been known as a supplier of solid performing boards at an attractive price, shaking the OEM stereotype is something the company is looking to get away from with the X58B-A. I have no doubt that the X58B-A will offer performance that is similar to that of boards that cost much more, the key is just how well ECS is breaking the mold.
Closer Look:
The ECS X58B-A features a lot of flash on the front and back panels of the packaging, bringing the excitement level up a notch or two from the last ECS board I looked at, which was mainly white with little information. Prominently displayed on the front panel is the fact that ECS was the first to offer support for both SLI and Crossfire when it was first introduced. Features listed include all solid capacitors, CrossfireX , SLI, VRD11.1, triple channel memory and more. The rear panel goes into detail about the most important features like the Qooltech II cooling technology and M.I.B.(Motherboard intelligent BIOS).
The packaging does not open like your traditional motherboard box where you may have a front flip out panel or just an outer sleeve. ECS has made opening the package a bit exciting. The box opens up like a book with the X58B-A on the right and the accessory bundle on the left in a box held in with Velcro. In the opening between the the two sides, the artwork mirrors the Dragon theme.
With all the work done on the imagery and packaging the board has to be a bit special!


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|Appleton, Wis.
|High School:
|Appleton North
|Pole Vault
|Exercise Physiology
2013 Season (Sophomore): Competed in the pole vault and 4x400-meter relay...INDOOR: Set a personal record with a vault of 4.25 meters at the Northern Athletics Conference Indoor Championships (Feb. 23), which ranked him third in the conference...Placed fifth in the pole vault, clearing 4.00 meters, at the UW-Parkside Classic (Feb. 2)...OUTDOOR: Ranked third in the NAC and placed third at the NAC Outdoor Championships (May 3-4) in the pole vault, clearing 3.95 meters...Cleared 3.85 meters and placed second at the Wisconsin Private College Championships (Apr. 27).
2012 Season (Freshman): Competed in the pole vault...OUTDOOR: Placed second in the pol vault (3.65m) at the Ted Haydon Invitational (Mar. 31)...Finished third in the pole vault (3.75m) at the Cougar Invitational (Apr. 19-20)...Was seventh in the pole vault (3.65m) at the Northern Athletics Conference Outdoor Championships.
High School (Appleton North): Was an All-State Hockey Honor Roll student-athlete...Earned varsity letters in hockey and track & field.
Personal: Son of Terry and Karen...Has one sister, Ashley.


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Article Photos
Parasailing off Fort Myers Beach.
Parasailing: For a bird's eye view
May 28, 2009
Looking for some fun and a bit of adventure this summer? Try taking a parasailing trip in the air above Fort Myers Beach. Imagine soaring high above the shores, feeling the wind in your face and smelling the fresh, salty spray of the sea. Not only does parasailing give thrill-seekers a wild ride, but also an exhilarating one for those not afraid of heights. While some may find parasailing to be relaxing, others may enjoy the sensation of flying. Parasailing's roots can be traced back to the 1960s, when already existing parachutes were attached to a car. It was a cheaper way to teach parachuters and sky divers, raising them to a particular height and then let them free. In those days, the method was called "parascending." There are two ways to get your jollies while parasailing, either by land or by sea. Most land-based parasailing takes place by being pulled behind a Jeep, or some other sport utility vehicle, while aquatic parasailing usually involves a powerboat. Land-based parasailing has been formed into a type of competition sport in Northern Europe, especially Finland. The competitions consist of two parts, dropping a parasailer to a target and accuracy in the landing. Aquatic parasailing is primarily an amusement ride, dazzling fans across any watery coast.
Article Photos
Parasailing off Fort Myers Beach.


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5 More Ways to Store Toy Cars
Sometimes I think toy cars are like LEGO; they just keep multiplying forever until they take over your space. And, like LEGO, they can cause some serious damage if you step on one. So it's important to have a good storage system. We've rounded up some options before, but here are a few more to inspire you to get organized.
- Vintage Crate Car Storage featured at 4 EGT: Any vintage crate can take your car storage from utilitarian to aesthetically pleasing in a hurry.
- Cozy Car Caddy at Homemade by Jill: You can sew this one on your own pretty easily, and it has the advantage of being portable.
- Cargo Car Storage at Fler.cz: This Czech company makes these environmentally friendly cargo cars that are toys in themselves as well as storage for other cars. With their most recent design update, the cargo car rolls on wheels itself.
- Hanging Car Storage Shelf from What About Wood: These handmade wooden shelves in the shape of a car hold between 35 - 40 toy cars.
- Cassette Holder Car Shelf at Little Miss Alizzi: Remember when there were these things called cassettes? If you come across an old cassette storage shelf, you can make this car holder, too. We love the chalkboard back for labeling.
Got any other great ideas for keeping those cars from underfoot?
(Images: as linked above)
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