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Sun readers share their views on health care, the NRA, Rep. Baxley, the school shooting and conceptual art.
Time to put people ahead of ideology
Florida lawmakers will soon decide whether to expand Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act. I hope they put the welfare of Florida's people ahead of ideology.
Florida ranks 48th in the percentage of uninsured children. In the quality of long term care for the elderly, we rank 44th. These figures reflect inadequate medical care for the uninsured. If Florida extended Medicaid eligibility, as many as 1,270,000 residents would gain coverage.
Federal funds would cover the cost for the first three years before declining to 90 percent at the end of seven years. There would be also substantial savings through a reduced need to fund costly state programs including compensation to hospitals for treating the uninsured.
Georgetown University's nonpartisan Health Policy Institute estimated that accepting the federally funded program would come at no net cost to Florida. It would give many Floridians a chance for healthier and more productive lives.
Herb Jenkins,
NRA always defends the indefensible
Nothing like a mass killing to bring out the National Rifle Association's waterboys to try and defend the indefensible.
The contortions these people go through to shift the blame for senseless killings are truly amazing. The NRA's public relations and lobbying arms will be in full operation, pretending it's the Constitution they are defending instead of gun manufacturers.
And don't forget the rest of us who elect the officials that make all this possible. We should be ashamed of our lack of morality.
A good place to begin is to stop voting for lawmakers who are in the NRA's pocket, oppose any gun regulation, and start spouting the NRA line when there's another tragedy involving guns.
Donald Avery,
Cartoon wrongly blames the NRA
One would expect the editorial staff of The Sun to have enough self-respect to filter out and reject publishing blatant lies.
Your Dec. 18 editorial page "cartoon" put the Connecticut school shootings' blame squarely on the doorstep of the NRA. But slyly tucked into the picture are references to the Ft. Hood massacre (perpetrated by a Muslim terrorist), and the Aurora theater shooting, where the maniac perp bypassed two theaters displaying no signs referring to legally carried sidearms and selected one which displayed a gun prohibition sign in which to perform his murders in safety.
Have the decency to publish the figures that demonstrate that there have been minimal unjustifiable homicides committed by persons holding concealed or open carry permits compared to the slayings committed by criminals, mental deficients and deranged.
R.S. Tolmach,
Baxley's guns-in-schools scheme
I find state Rep. Dennis Baxley's comments of Dec. 18 offensive. So we don't do anything to limit access to semi-automatic weapons but we arm teachers with handguns? Are we proposing that teachers should have a shoot-out with a deranged person, with students in the crossfire?
Teachers with handguns won't deter an insane person. So when that doesn't work, will some suggest arming teachers with semi-automatic weapons? Where does this end?
No more putting this off. We do no service to victims of these tragedies by listening to those who wish to put off the discussion in the hope that the public forgets.
Curt DeGroff,
Making us safer
President Obama asked, "What can we do to make our people safer?" during a vigil in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 16. Good question.
Six unarmed adults died in Connecticut while trying to shield students. Perhaps therein lies the answer.
In 1987 Florida initiated a statewide licensing program for concealed permits. Since then the Department of Agriculture has issued 2.31 million licenses.
Statistics compiled since 1987 show that violent crime in Florida has actually dropped more than 50 percent since then.
Nearly 1 million firearms in the hands of citizens trained to use them to protect life and property have contributed to that reduction.
The presence of conceal-carry permit holders on high school and college campuses may be the solution. That, Mr. President, would make our children safer!
David Treadway,
Conceptual art is not an inside joke
Come on Bruce Morgan (Speaking Out, Dec. 12) stop being such a philistine when it comes to art.
Conceptual art is meant to open our awareness to new ways of seeing the world through other than the representational clich�s that date back the barbarian art of the late Pleistocene that Morgan so admired.
Conceptual art is not an inside joke that the public will never get. It is an attempt to examine the nature of art itself and the materials used in the process of creating art.
Who do you want to determine the value of art? Should it be the fat-cat Wall Street bourgeois with their "refined" tastes unloading their lavish, barely-taxed Christmas bonuses?
For me, I'll stick with those artists who are willing to challenge us to view ourselves and our environment in innovative ways.
Steve Lodle,


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Regina Cæli, 3 April 2005, Eucharistic celebration for the repose of the soul of His Holiness John Paul II - Divine Mercy Sunday
Pope John Paul II died peacefully on the evening of 2 April, 9: 37 p.m. Rome time. The last gift of the Holy Father for Divine Mercy Sunday, 3 April (also the Second Sunday of Easter), was the Regina Caeli, read by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, Substitute of the Secretariat of State, at the end of the Holy Mass celebrated that day in St Peter's Square for the deceased Pope. "I have been charged", Archbishop Sandri said, "to read you the text that was prepared in accordance with his explicit instructions by the Holy Father John Paul II. I am deeply honoured to do so, but also filled with nostalgia".

subset: commoncrawl


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Turn your favorite speakers into a wireless sound system. Logitech® Wireless Speaker Adapter for Bluetooth® audio devices uses Bluetooth wireless to stream music or other audio from your smartphone or tablet.
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You have the flexibility to use almost any pair of powered speakers you like. Attach Logitech Wireless Speaker Adapter for Bluetooth audio devices to your speakers using standard analog RCA or 3.5 mm jacks.
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The sleek styling looks good on a shelf or can be hidden away discreetly. The choice is yours.
Box Contents:
Wireless audio streamer
Power cable
RCA to 3.5 mm audio cable
User documentation


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Listings in Shoes and Entertainment
Working Ranch Cowboy Association
in Rodeo, Equestrian, Horseback Riding
To promote ranching on a National and International level and to preserve the lifestyle of the working ranch cowboy. In March of 1995, a group of people from across the western United States created the Working Ranch Cowboys Association. WRCA produces the World Championship Ranch Rodeo as a means to showcase the skills of the working ranch cowboy and to raise funds for the WRCA Foundation.
408 SW 7th Ave
Amarillo, Texas 79101
United States
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Fort Griffin Fandangle
in Play
Once started as a high school musical 75 years ago is still thrilling audiences today. Come enjoy over 250 citizen/actors as they perform, produce and stage the big show on an acre-sized amphitheater called Prairie Theater. The show combines covered wagons, buggies, railroads and the Concord Stagecoach. Contact the Albany chamber for more information.
2 Railroad Street
Albany, Texas 76430
United States
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The Pecan Grill
in American, Live Band, Buffet
The Pecan Grill, open daily for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner inside the Overton Hotel & Conference Center. Featuring innovative dishes like Sweet Tea Brined Game Hens and Chicken Fried Quail to traditional fare like the Bone-in Ribeye. Relax in the "Texas Chic" surroundings of the Pecan Grill Lounge featuring live music on the weekends or enjoy Lubbock's most decadent Sunday Brunch.
2322 Mac Davis Lane
Lubbock, Texas 79401
United States
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Alamo Drafthouse
in Movie
Offering a full restaurant, bar, and in theater dining, this unique experience will spoil you to watching a movie. Even better than watching one at home. From the bottomless popcorn to adult drinks, this place is built for those who love movies. The Alamo Drafthouse Theater box office opens 45 minutes before all scheduled show times. Patrons are welcome to enjoy drinks and appetizers before the film.
120 West Loop 289
Lubbock, Texas 79416
United States
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Outdoor Musical Texas
In this family-friendly show, set against an authentic tapestry of history, the show's fictional characters bring to life the stories, struggles and triumphs of the settlers of the Texas Panhandle in the 1800s. Song and dance abound-and a generous helping of good ol' Texas humor too-with spellbinding lighting, special fire and water effects, including the Dancing Waters of Texas! Located in Pioneer Theater.
1514 5th Avenue
Canyon, Texas 79015
United States
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Texas Play
in Night Club
United States
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Ratliff Ranch
7500 N. grandview
Odessa, Texas
United States
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The Original L.L.Bean Boot, made in Maine since 1912
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Questions? Chat with an Expert


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Madonna has issued an apology following the public backlash over her use of a racial slur in an Instagram.com post.
The pop star was bombarded with messages of outrage after posting a picture of her son Rocco sparring in a boxing ring on Friday (17Jan14) with the caption, "No one messes with Dirty Soap! Mama said knock you out! #disn**ga."
The Material Girl singer deleted the caption on Saturday (18Jan14), and later took to her Facebook.com page to post a statement of apology.
She writes, "I am sorry if I offended anyone with my use of the N word on Instagram. It was not meant as a racial slur. I am not a racist. There's no way to defend the use of the word. It was all about intention... It was used as a term of endearment toward my son who is white. I appreciate that it's a provocative word and I apologize if it gave people the wrong impression. Forgive me."


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So, what's the deal with veggie pizza?
So what's the deal with veggie pizza?
Why ruin something as perfect as pizza with fruit's less-popular and less-liked cousin, vegetables?
Vegetables aren't good — there is a reason why you have to cover them in ranch dressing and cheese to make them taste semi-edible.
I've never said, "Hey, do you know what this pizza is missing? Lawn clippings — now it will taste good!"
A pizza is a dish reserved for tons of meat, cheese, spices and whatever else you can think of to throw on it that will make your stomach hurt later.
Vegetables served on top of pizza still aren't healthy, because they're still on top of a pizza, which is one of the least-healthy meals out there.
It's almost the equivalent of wrapping an onion around a cigarette and saying it's healthier because a vegetable touched it.
I'll admit that example was exaggerated, but you get the point.
Pizza, it's delicious, not nutritious, and has everything you could want in food.
Everybody likes pizza,; everybody doesn't like vegetables.
Hidden Valley isn't a real place, and fruit is always the preferred choice.
Salad is served before the main entree for a reason and should not be placed on top of it.
There is reason why I always show up late to dinner parties; it's so I miss the salad.
I won't even discuss the "real veggie pizzas" served on crescent rolls over cream cheese because that legally isn't a pizza.
The dictionary definition of pizza has the word "savory" in it, and there is nothing savory about that train wreck of an appetizer.
Vegetables are only semi-enjoyable when you smother them in something that tastes better.
We'll go down the list — corn is only good when it is smothered in butter and salt and pepper.
It's no wonder why the Children of the Corn had so many issues; I'd go crazy if I was constantly surrounded by vegetables, too.
You've never seen those kind of issues from Strawberry Shortcake, Johnny Appleseed or Frankenberry.
I take back Frankenberry; anyone who hangs with Boo Berry and Count Chocula really can't have his life together.
Also, lettuce be honest with each other, the Veggie Tales crew could never take down an attack by the killer tomatoes, which are technically considered fruit.
That was directed to you, Bob the Tomato; you're on the wrong team. I don't care how good Archibald Asparagus is at navigating a boat, he can't escape the killer tomatoes, no one can.
Iceberg lettuce, another terrible vegetable, is bland and is insensitive to fans of the film "Titanic."
Broccoli, asparagus, carrots, peas and cauliflower all require the assistance of a more delicious dressing or substance.
Veggie pizza doesn't even contain the coolest culinary vegetable, the pumpkin.
Their seeds are great, they can be carved to look like anything, and they are worshiped by certain members of the Peanuts gang.
I don't see Linus making a trip out to an onion field every Halloween.
Try carving an onion to make it look scary. It can't be done, the whole process will just make you cry.
Also, nobody ever flavors candy or bubble gum after vegetable flavors. Cherry, green apple, peach, blue raspberry, watermelon... The list goes on, and none of those are vegetables. I certainly don't recall ever eating a carrot or broccoli Tootsie pop.
Speaking of gum, I can't get Bubblicious to respond to any of my letters for new gum flavors. I don't get why they don't think pen cap- or fingernail-flavored gum isn't a good idea.
I mean, people already chew on both of those things; now they can chew longer. I'll try sending the letter to Skoal instead. Maybe that company could turn my idea into a delicious chaw and make me billions.
By the way, vegetables, you can have the mango. They sure do look delicious, but boy, do they taste like batteries. If I wanted that sweet alkaline taste, I'd head to Radio Shack, roll up a few triple As in some
tortilla bread and save myself from having to use a stupid mango peeler.
Hawaiian pizza is my recommended substitute to replace veggie pizza.
It is covered with pineapple, a fruit, and ham, a pig.
You're combining pieces of Spongebob's house with the main character from Charlotte's Web; what a scrumptious adventure that provides fun for the whole family.
Dan Long is a sports reporter for The Spirit and Jefferson County Neighbors. He'll take the meat-lover's pizza with extra cheese, hold the nutrition.


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>News and Announcements>Garmin Forerunner Integration completed
Hi, Eric. For the most part this has been working great.
Today, for an "other" type of activity (we were skiing), I tried to make my map public, and got a pop-up which said, "unable to translate status code (100))". This is for http://www.runningahead.com/logs/db816ba95fe7403490ba401d30cb44ae/workouts/05f8aa24eccf4121b5816cdd506acaa8/map . I'm using chrome.
A second minor issue I've been seeing is that chrome doesn't seem to find the garmin control the first time, but once I reload the page it's found just fine. I'm guessing that's a chrome / garmin compatibility issue, but thought I'd mention to you just in case it's a site problem.
The default for importing maps is to make them private. Can that be changed so that the default is for public maps?
That was you that generated the error messages? I removed a couple of emails from the server saying that it's unable to find the data, but I wasn't sure why or how. I checked and was able to change the permission just now. I'm not sure what happened but please give it a try again.
Lou, (aka Mr. predawnrunner), MD, USA | Lou's Brews | firstname.lastname@example.com
That seems to have fixed this problem.
Another thing I noticed was that the importer would read my garmin for the second ski run of the day, but it didn't seem to show up "after the server processed" it. I had to export from TC and load the file to get the second run to show up.
I even tried to uncheck where it loads only newer files but that didn't seem to work either.
Thanks -- this is a great feature!
I think I've finally tracked down the problem. Garmin's data is not properly formated and I need to do some "massaging" on the server. When the server encounters a problem that it doesn't know how to handle, it just stops processing, which is what you're seeing. I should have a fix in a couple of hours.
Cool, thanks!
I downloaded all my garmin data. I only saved the last few runs and left the other ones as unsaved. Today it looks like all the unsaved runs auto saved and my mileage is way up.
I know I can just delete these and all will be fine, but I thought I'd let you know so that you could look at my training log.
Insert witty title here
ThomasRuns Blog Twitter "The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do." - [Walter Bagehot]
Eric, I thought it would only add the Garmin runs if you went in and "saved" the run to your log from the server?? Well, that's the way it was working. Now it's added all my Garmin runs to my log as "Default" so my log is all screwed up, showing about double the mileage I've actually run except the days I ran on the treadmill. Is there a way to have it not do this?? I don't want all my Garmin runs in there unless I save them to the log...
Live the Adventure. Enjoy the Journey. Be Kind. Have Faith!
Leslie Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain -------------
Trail Runner Nation
2018: Mendocino Coast 50k - April 21
an amazing likeness
I've done my best to live the right way. I get up every morning and go to work each day. (for now)


text: I bought a 1999 DR650SE last week. It has been sitting since 2003, 2010 miles, wiring harness cut through and stripped out of the bike, start / kill assemble removed, front and rear shocks modified (front shocks have air valve to add air to them?) (rear shock has a lowering link) airbox missing, exhaust system needs to be replaced, the plastic and gas tank rattled canned black complete with drips and runs. The deal is I got the bike and clean title for 500.00. Unfortunately the owner passed away in 2003 so I do not know what all the mods are. I will take and post pictures of what it now looks like. Now it is like a jigsaw puzzle and I am working through it a little at a time. I pulled off the carb, cleaned and installed an oversized jet kit, got a new airbox and did the airbox mod, the tank is a piece dented and sprayed black so i will be replacing it with an Acerbis 6.6 gal which will require a bracket mod to make it fit , removed the exhaust and am waiting for a new FMF Q-4 system, waiting for new dual sport tires. I got the new wiring harness but can not figure out the wiring layout / routing. Would someone, who has their bike apart, take a picture of the wiring harness routing and post it so I have an easier job routing and reconnecting things up or is there someone close by that I can come have a look at their bike? With the way I have it routed right now there are a few open connectors with no mate to plug into. This is my first DR650 and my hope is that I can have it running this month. Thank you for your help, Steve Barrus North Bend, WA


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Hello people, we have to make TC 2017 in few times, but before we need players!
This tourney is battle country vs country!
For this reason, i need your help peolple, then write in this post to say if u want take part on the tournament.
-Pseudo in-game
-Your country
We will make team later if we have much players of some different country.
Thanks to give answer, best regards


text: Marina Bozin was born in Siberia. 10.01.1970 . She lived and studied in St.Petersburg before emigrating to the United States in 1997. Marina works in multiple art mediums but lately has been focusing on oil painting. The themes of her painting often deal with spiritual and mystical matters.In addition to her painting, Marina also works as a freelance graphic designer and published novel, "The Glorious Journey of Beatrice." Also, THE MYCONIAN INVASION By Marina Bozin and Ken Rosen was published by Xlibris. see : themyconianinvasion.com. Galleries, dealers and individual art collectors can contact Marina by email for more information at: email@example.com:ARTMARINABOZIN.COM


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CAIRO (AP) — Dozens of disgruntled border policemen forced the closure of Egypt's main crossing point into the Gaza Strip on Friday to protest the abduction of their colleagues by suspected militants, underscoring the lawlessness and crisis of authority in the country two years since the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.
The police protest comes a day after masked gunmen ambushed two taxis at gunpoint outside the city of el-Arish, the capital of North Sinai governorate, fleeing with four border policemen working at the Rafah crossing, a riot policeman, and a military border guard. Officials have not identified a seventh captive.
The abduction is the first confirmed case in the peninsula.
In 2011, four policemen went missing and their vehicle was found torched on Feb. 4, 2011 in el-Arish city. In a recent TV interview aired on private TV network al-Balad, the wives of two of the missing men claim they were abducted by masked militants and smuggled into Gaza through underground tunnels. They claimed that the country's Interior Minister himself confirmed they are alive and in Gaza.
However, security officials told The Associated Press that the abduction theory has lost support since authorities have failed to establish communication with the abductors, more than two years after their disappearance. A military official says authorities consider the four missing.
At Rafah terminal, one of the protesting policemen said his group plans to keep the crossing closed until their colleagues are freed.
"We are not leaving until those men return. We want Sinai to be secure. We need more police and army. Sinai is under control of the jihadis. The state is absent," he said over the phone from the crossing. "We are not safe here. The police are afraid. Since the revolution until this minute, nothing has changed or improved."
He spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Authorities say the kidnappers were reacting to the alleged torture of a militant serving a life sentence in prison, and are in contact with mediators to obtain the captives' release.
It is not clear what the kidnappers want, but a security official says the police officer accused of torturing the militant has been summoned for questioning while the imprisoned militants were reportedly transferred to another prison. The police chief of North Sinai governorate, Gen. Sameh Beshadi, was quoted by daily Al-Masry Al-Youm on Friday as saying that the kidnappers want the release of militants imprisoned over a 2011 attack on a police station.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.
Ahmed Abu-Sheta, the militant who claims he was tortured until he lost his eyesight, was convicted along with others for involvement in the police station attack that left four dead. One of the kidnappers, identified by security authorities as Kamal Allam, was also sentenced to death in absentia in the same case.
The brother of Abu-Sheta denied that his family has any connection to the abduction in an interview with private-owned daily Al-Watan.
Lawlessness in the Sinai has increased after the breakdown of country's formerly powerful security forces.
Islamic militants have stepped up attacks on police stations and security convoys. Bedouin tribal gangs are involved in smuggling and other criminal activity. A flow of weapons from Libya's 2011 civil war has emboldened armed groups.
The killing of 16 Egyptian soldiers in August last year at the hands of masked militants marked a turning point in the Sinai. The military conducted several anti-militant sweeps but no attackers have been publically identified.
Lawlessness in the Sinai is also linked to political discontent. Local tribes accuse the central government of discrimination, neglect, and police brutality.
Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi has presided over the military operations but has also signaled he prefers mediation. On Thursday, he called for the "protection of the lives" of both the "abducted and the kidnappers" and said that the solutions to Sinai's problems should not be through "abductions and terrorizing citizens."
AP writer Ibrahim Barzak in Gaza contributed to this story. Ashraf Sweilam contributed to this report from southern Sinai.


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For the last 40 years, Colombia has been torn apart by a civil war between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the National Liberation Army (ELN), paramilitary groups and government forces. There is a murder every 20 minutes and millions are internally displaced. In the last three years, more than 130 Protestant church leaders and many Roman Catholic priests have been assassinated.
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GM Reports Second Quarter Net Income of $0.2 Billion
General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today announced second quarter net income attributable to common stockholders of $0.2 billion, or $0.11 per diluted share. Strong core operating performance during the quarter was offset by a pre-tax net loss from special items of $1.3 billion, or $(0.47) per diluted share, and costs of $1.2 billion pre-tax primarily for recall-related repairs, or $(0.44) per diluted share.
- EBIT-adjusted of $1.4 billion, after $1.2 billion in recall-related costs and $0.2 billion in restructuring costs
- Company records strong core operating performance in the second quarter
- Special charge of $0.4 billion for GM ignition switch compensation program
DETROIT – General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today announced second quarter net income attributable to common stockholders of $0.2 billion, or $0.11 per diluted share. Strong core operating performance during the quarter was offset by a pre-tax net loss from special items of $1.3 billion, or $(0.47) per diluted share, and costs of $1.2 billion pre-tax primarily for recall-related repairs, or $(0.44) per diluted share.
"Our underlying business performance in the first half of the year was strong as we grew our revenue on improved pricing and solid new vehicle launches," said GM CEO Mary Barra. "We remain focused on keeping our customers at the center of all we do, and executing our plan to operate profitably in every region of the world."
In the second quarter of 2013, GM's net income attributable to common stockholders was $1.2 billion, or $0.75 per diluted share, which included a net loss from special items that reduced net income by $0.2 billion, or $(0.09) per diluted share.
Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) adjusted was $1.4 billion and included the impact of $1.2 billion in recall-related costs and $0.2 billion in restructuring costs. This compares to the second quarter of 2013, when the company recorded EBIT-adjusted of $2.3 billion, which included a charge of $0.2 billion for recalls and $0.1 billion in restructuring costs.
Net revenue in the second quarter of 2014 was $39.6 billion, compared to $39.1 billion in the second quarter of 2013. In the first six months of 2014, revenue rose to $77 billion, up from $76 billion in the same period a year ago.
GM Results Overview (in billions except for per share amounts)
Net income attributable to common stockholders
Earnings per share (EPS) diluted
Impact of special items on EPS diluted
Automotive net cash flow from operating activities
Adjusted automotive free cash flow
Segment Results
- GM North America reported EBIT-adjusted of $1.4 billion which included the impact of $1.0 billion in recall-related costs in the quarter. This compared with EBIT-adjusted of $2.0 billion in the second quarter of 2013, which included the impact of $0.1 billion in recall-related costs in the quarter.
- GM Europe reported an EBIT-adjusted of $(0.3) billion, which includes $0.2 billion for restructuring costs. This compares with $(0.1) billion of EBIT-adjusted in the second quarter of 2013.
- GM International Operations reported EBIT-adjusted of $0.3 billion, compared to $0.2 billion in the second quarter of 2013.
- GM South America reported EBIT-adjusted of $(0.1) billion, compared with EBIT-adjusted of $0.1 billion in the second quarter of 2013.
- GM Financial earnings before tax was $0.3 billion for the quarter, compared to $0.3 billion in the second quarter of 2013.
Special Items
A special charge of $0.4 billion was taken for the GM ignition switch compensation program. There is no cap on this program, but this charge is the company's best estimate of the amounts that may be paid to claimants. Due to the unique nature of the program, this estimate contains significant uncertainty and it is possible the total cost could increase by approximately $0.2 billion.
As previously disclosed, going forward the company expects recall expense to normalize to a slightly higher rate than it experienced prior to this year, but not materially. The company is changing how it estimates future recall expense and will now accrue at the time of vehicle sale an amount that represents management's best estimate of future recall costs in North America. As a consequence of this change, GM is taking a $0.9 billion non-cash pre-tax special charge in the second quarter for the estimated costs of future possible recalls for up to the next 10 years on 30 million GM vehicles on the road today.
Cash Flow and Liquidity
For the quarter, automotive cash flow from operating activities was $3.6 billion and automotive free cash flow adjusted was $1.9 billion. GM ended the quarter with very strong total automotive liquidity of $38.8 billion. Automotive cash and marketable securities was $28.4 billion compared with $27.0 billion for the first quarter of 2014.
"With successful new vehicle launches, we continue to generate strong results in the U.S. and China and remain on track to be profitable in Europe by mid-decade," said Chuck Stevens, GM executive vice president and chief financial officer. "We are confident we are currently on or ahead of plan to deliver the results we promised earlier this year, excluding the effects of recalls."
General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.
# # #
Forward-Looking Statements
In this press release and in related comments by our management, our use of the words "expect," "anticipate," "possible," "potential," "target," "believe," "commit," "intend," "continue," "may," "would," "could," "should," "project," "appears," "projected," "positioned," "outlook" or similar expressions is intended to identify forward-looking statements that represent our current judgment about possible future events. We believe these judgments are reasonable, but these statements are not guarantees of any events or financial results, and our actual results may differ materially due to a variety of important factors. Among other items, such factors may include: our ability to realize production efficiencies and to achieve reductions in costs as a result of our restructuring initiatives and labor modifications; our ability to maintain quality control over our vehicles and avoid material vehicle recalls and the cost and effect on our reputation of product recalls; our ability to maintain adequate financing sources, including as required to fund our planned significant investment in new technology; our ability to successfully integrate Ally Financial's International Operations; the ability of our suppliers to timely deliver parts, components and systems; our ability to realize successful vehicle applications of new technology; overall strength and stability of our markets, particularly outside of North America and China; costs and risks associated with litigation and government investigations including those related to our recent recalls; our ability to remain competitive in Korea and our ability to continue to attract new customers, particularly for our new products. GM's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly report on Form 10-Q provides information about these and other factors, which we may revise or supplement in future reports to the SEC.


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Smartphone manufacturer HTC's recently-announced round of layoffs will not affect the development or production of the HTC Exodus, which the firm has said will be the "world's first native blockchain phone," CCN has learned.
This week, the Taiwan-based company announced that it would be laying off 1,500 employees – nearly 25 percent of its global workforce — as it seeks to streamline and consolidate its operations.
When reached for comment, a company spokesperson told CCN that the layoffs would not affect the development of the Exodus, adding:
"Today's reduction in manufacturing workforce announced by HTC is a decisive step in the realignment of resources across the organization, and will allow more flexible operations management. The Company will offer full assistance to those employees affected by the plan, which will be completed by the end of September. HTC continues to review its operations to ensure production resources align with key strategic initiatives, so that the Company can more effectively compete in its target markets while maintaining its innovative edge."
The firm, as CCN reported , earlier this year announced the development of the HTC Exodus, which it said will be the first smartphone to provide native support for blockchain applications. The phone's development is being led by "chief decentralized officer" Phil Chen, best known for helping create HTC's popular virtual reality headset line Vive.
HTC says that the Exodus will be designed specifically to support decentralized applications (dApps) and will feature a universal cryptocurrency wallet that is native to the device and protected by a secure hardware enclave.
An early mover in the smartphone industry, HTC once produced one in 10 mobile devices sold globally. However, the company quickly lost market share to Apple, Samsung, and Chinese competitors. The decline has become even more precipitous over the past 18 months. In April, the firm reported a year-on-year revenue decrease of 55.5 percent, according to
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The present round of layoffs follows last year's $1.1 billion deal with Alphabet, which moved 2,000 HTC engineers and staffers to Google .
Cryptocurrency startup Sirin Labs has also announced plans to release a blockchain-powered smartphone. Dubbed the "Finney" after cypherpunk and early Bitcoin user Hal Finney, the $1,000 device is slated to ship later this year.
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text: Fed's Lockhart Calls for Setting Timetable for Tapering QE December 5, 2013 09:00 AM Tweet TAGS: Marketing, Overseas December 18, 2014 By Bloomberg Email (Updates with labor market forecast in seventh paragraph.) Dec. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart, a backer of record stimulus, said any decision to taper bond purchases should be accompanied by a limit on the size of the program or a timetable for ending it. "If and when the FOMC arrives at a decision to wind down asset purchases, it's my view that it will be helpful to the transition process to provide as much certainty as possible about how this will be done," said Lockhart, referring to the Federal Open Market Committee, in a speech in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He doesn't vote on policy this year. The FOMC will consider scaling back $85 billion in monthly bond buying in coming months based on expected gains in the labor market, according to minutes from the committee's October meeting. The panel is scheduled to meet Dec. 17-18. The U.S. economy probably added 185,000 jobs last month, and the unemployment rate fell to 7.2 percent from 7.3 percent, according to median estimates in a Bloomberg survey of economists before a government report tomorrow. Lockhart said he is among FOMC participants who favor announcing a "total size of remaining purchases or a timetable for winding down the program." He spoke to Broward Workshop, a local business group. "I am among those who see merit in this approach as long as the economy follows roughly the path we expect," he said. "Once the decision is made, I favor providing the public as much clarity and certainty as possible about how the change will be executed." Fed Target Lockhart predicted the labor market will improve, with inflation rising toward the Fed's target. "My outlook for 2014 calls for some firming in economic activity," he said. The economy expanded at a "modest to moderate" pace from early October through mid-November, the central bank said yesterday in a survey of regional economic conditions. "I now think it is appropriate in coming meetings to put a tapering decision on the table as long as the resulting overall posture of policy preserves a high degree of accommodation," Lockhart said. A former Georgetown University professor, Lockhart has led the Atlanta Fed since 2007. His district includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. --Editors: James L Tyson, Chris Wellisz To contact the reporter on this story: Steve Matthews in Atlanta at firstname.lastname@example.com To contact the editor responsible for this story: Chris Wellisz at firstname.lastname@example.com Back to news


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CONTACT: Jill Marcellus, Gay-Straight Alliance Network
Phone: 415.375.9526 (o); 516.313.9659 (c)
Email: email@example.com
Gay-Straight Alliance Network responds to Supreme Court's decision to review Proposition 8; Interviews with diverse couples and youth available
San Francisco, CA - December 7, 2012 -The Supreme Court has decided to grant review in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the case deciding the fate of California's Proposition 8, the state constitutional amendment that denies loving, committed same-sex couples the right to marry. Proposition 8 was declared unconstitutional by District Judge Vaughn Walker in 2010, a decision subsequently upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Supporters of marriage equality, led by the American Federation for Equal Rights (AFER), will submit arguments to the Court by April, with a decision from the Court on the constitutionality of Proposition 8 expected by June 2013.
Said Carolyn Laub, Executive Director of Gay-Straight Alliance Network:
"In the ugly battle over Prop 8, students in California's Gay-Straight Alliance clubs withstood intense hostility as peers, family, and community members questioned the worth of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their freedom to love and start a family. Youth leaders across the state are disappointed by this delay, but optimistic that the Supreme Court will ultimately decide to close this painful chapter in California's history."
In light of this news, the Breakthrough Coalition, a group of organizations working in California to increase support for same-sex couples who want to make a public and lifetime commitment through marriage, has made a diverse range of same-sex couples throughout the state available for media interviews. GSA Network, as part of this coalition, also has students available to speak to the decision and its impact on California's young people. See the story of one young person, located in LA, available to speak to the media here.
Available couples include:
Additional couples are also available for interview. For more information, contact Cathy Renna (917-757-6123, email@example.com)
All couples can speak to:
About Gay-Straight Alliance Network
Gay-Straight Alliance Network (GSA Network) is a national youth leadership organization that empowers youth activists to fight homophobia and transphobia in schools by training student leaders and supporting student-led Gay-Straight Alliance clubs throughout the country. In California alone, GSA Network has brought GSA clubs to 56% of public high schools, impacting more than 1.1 million students at over 890 schools. GSA Network's youth advocates have played a key role in changing laws and policies that impact youth at the local and state level. GSA Network operates the National Association of GSA Networks, which unites 37 statewide networks of GSA clubs throughout the country. GSA Network is also the founder of the Make It Better Project, which aims to stop bullying and prevent suicide. www.gsanetwork.org
About The Breakthrough Coalition
The Breakthrough Coalition is a group of organizations working in California to increase support for same-sex couples who want to make a public and lifetime commitment through marriage. The coalition includes: API Equality Los Angeles, API Equality Northern California, California Faith for Equality, the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in the Ministry, Courage Campaign, Equality California Institute, Family Equality Council, Gay-Straight Alliance Network, Jordan Rustin Coalition, Latino Equality Alliance, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Our Family Coalition, Progressive Christians Uniting, The Labor/Community Strategy Center, UMOJA, and Vote for Equality.


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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — The parking attendant who allegedly stabbed 19-year-old Isayah Muller to death in a Bronx parking lot Tuesday afternoon was not charged Thursday, angering the victim's family.
Prosecutors said Isayah's father, Andre Muller, attacked attendants with a shovel because he believed they had stolen a $200 bottle of cologne out of his car, a graduation present for his son, Kristin Thorne reports.
While defending his father, Isayah Muller was stabbed in the chest. The family said Thursday it does not understand why no one has been charged yet.
"He had no weapon on him, why did they use a weapon on him, and kill him. He had no weapon," the victim's aunt, Elisabel Asencio, told CBS 2's Derricke Dennis.
"You don't just release anybody after you kill them and it's in self defense, I've never seen that happen in New York state," George Ascensio, the victim's uncle, said.
Andre Muller has a criminal history that seems to have ended six years ago. He has six priors totaling 11 years in prison, Dennis reported.
Some detectives wonder if the father went into some kind of rage from his past when he went after two men he thought stole expensive cologne from his car, cologne that was supposed to be his son's graduation gift, CBS 2's Pablo Guzman reports.
The grand jury will have to answer this family's question: did someone kill Isayah Muller or did someone stab him in self defense?
Muller's cousin Julio Camacho didn't want to show his face on camera, but told CBS 2 his family is not going to let this rest. They want charges filed against the attendants.
Andre Muller attended a vigil for his son just about 24 hours after watching him receive his high school diploma. Some 200 others also gathered outside the apartment of Isayah's grandparents.
"My feelings, I can't even express them in words right now," one resident said. "It wasn't his time, you know what I'm saying?"
T-shirts, candles and heartfelt messages to the beloved football player lined 10th Avenue.
"Isayah Muller was somebody's child, nephew and his death should not stay in vain," said teary-eyed family friend Eneida Lugo.
Andre Muller appeared in court to be arraigned on assault charges Wednesday with his son's blood still staining his shirt. Prosecutors told the judge that Muller was the aggressor and the parking attendant was acting in self defense.
Isayah's friends don't buy that.
"It wasn't self defense. It was murder and they need to pay dearly for what they did," Lugo said.
Andre Muller is expected to testify before a Grand Jury, which will ultimately decide if charges should be pressed against the parking attendants.
Isayah Muller's family is preparing for his funeral. Many of their family members are expected to fly in from Puerto Rico.
Muller was a superstar, leading his team at Truman High School in the Bronx to their first ever PSAL Bowl title in November. He had dreams of being in the NFL and was going to Nassau Community College in the fall.
He grabbed the attention of everyone in that championship game after running 290 yards and making an 80-yard touchdown.
What's your reaction to this tragedy? Should the person who wielded the knife face charges? Sound off in our comments section below…


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Counseling Office
Welcome to MVCC's Counseling Center
We know that going to college means big life changes, and many students often have trouble adjusting to their new surroundings and routine.
The Counseling Center serves to assist you in that transition, as well as to help you navigate the path to personal and academic success.
Counselors help all students – from teenagers to adults – adjust to college life and address any personal challenges or barriers that may get in the way. As objective listeners, counselors can help you think through important life decisions that may affect your academic career. They also can assist in defining your goals, and help you come up with a plan to get there.
Services include:
- Mediation/dispute resolution
- Stress and anxiety management
- Time management
- Brief therapy
- Referrals
- Healthy relationships
- Strengths exploration
All services are confidential and free to MVCC students. To schedule an appointment, call 315-792-5326 in Utica, 315-334-7709 in Rome, or stop by the Student Service Center in Payne Hall Room 104B in Utica, Plumley Complex A30 in Rome.
Mission of the Counseling Center:
The Counseling Center gives counsel and service to the College community by providing a genuine and unbiased environment that promotes a process of self-exploration. We assist students in their successful progress toward the completion of their individual goals.
Vision of the Counseling Center:
The Counseling Center strives to assist students with overcoming barriers to academic success. Through unbiased and objective support we believe that each student has the ability to grow and make decisions that are compatible with their goals.
Contact Information
James Maio
Associate Dean
Student Development & Transition Services
Utica Campus
Student Services Center
Phone: 315-792-5326
Rome Campus
Plumley Complex A30
Phone: 315-334-7709


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State Agencies | Online Services
MEDIA CONTACT: Erin Strouse
CITIZEN CONTACT: Amber Finkelstein
Report release of any material that impacts public health or the environment, including chemicals and petroleum products. Be prepared with as much of the following information as possible:
more >
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Phone: (614) 644-3020 ~ Contact Us
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, OH 43216-1049
Street Address: 50 West Town Street, Suite 700, Columbus, OH 43215
Report a Spill, Release or Environmental Crime
(800) 282-9378 or (614) 224-0946
John R. Kasich, Gov. | Craig W. Butler, Director | Privacy Statement | Contact | Employee Login


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The Admissions Office will then forward the application and the transcripts to the History Department.
* * *
Request three letters of recommendation (SU forms available on the History Department website) from individuals qualified to judge the applicant's ability to pursue graduate studies in history, to be sent directly to the History Department.
Submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores directly to the department at the time of application.
Complete the equivalent of an undergraduate major in history with at least 15 semester hours in history at the junior-senior level or above, including a course in research and writing, and achieve a grade-point-average of 3.0 or better in all history courses.
Students lacking this preparation must make up the deficiency and may only be admitted on a provisional basis by taking History 201, 202, 330 or 601 when appropriate. Provisionally-admitted students may take maximum of nine semester hours and maintain a cumulative grade-point-average of at least 3.0 with no grade less than "C".
Acceptance letter is generated by the Graduate Director (History) after review by Graduate History Faculty and a preliminary program of study is planned with the Graduate Director.
* * *
Upon admission to the Graduate Program, each graduate student should meet with the Graduate Director to select tentatively the student's preferred major and minor (a second minor is optional) concentration areas. These areas will provide the basis for the written and oral examinations. The four broad concentration areas are: Chesapeake Studies; Colonial and Revolutionary America; 19th and 20th Century United States; and European/World (which includes Ancient). A graduate student may not receive credit for a 500-level course in history and/or anthropology at Salisbury University that corresponds to the 400-level course or topics course (same title) that was taken for undergraduate credit at Salisbury University. In addition, each graduate student must complete History 601, Methods of Historical Research. Students admitted on probation, after completing nine hours of course work (three hours of which must be at the 600-level), will have their performance reviewed by the Graduate Director to determine if the student will be allowed to continue in the Graduate Program. By the end of the semester in which twelve hours are completed, the student must review the preliminary program of study and present any changes to the Graduate Director for approval.
* * *
Completion of the program requires a total of 30 semester hours of graduate course work and satisfactory performances on oral and written examinations. Each student must complete:
1) At least five seminar courses (15 semester hours) at the 600-level, including History 601, Methods of Historical Research. The aim of these classes is to develop skills in historical research, analysis, and writing. Furthermore, the aim of these classes is to master the historical scholarship extant in the student's chosen areas of concentration.
2) The remainder of the credit hours may be earned in the following ways:
- Completion of a thesis (up to 6 non-seminar semester hours: History 630, 631);
- Completion of additional graduate seminars (3 semester hours each);
- Completion of 500-level courses at the graduate level (3 semester hours each; students must discuss additional requirements with the instructor at the beginning of the course);
- Up to six semester hours of graduate work in history may be transferred from other institutions.
Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0; earning two grades of "C" or one grade below "C" is grounds for dismissal from the program. During the Master's Examinations, the student completes the written examination first; these responses are used as the basis for discussion in the oral examination. Any student who fails the written or oral examinations may retake the examination once, but must do so within one year of the date of the original examination.
* * *
By the beginning of the semester in which the student plans to graduate, the student must meet with faculty members in the major and minor concentration areas to develop a reading list, receive a reading list, or receive any other guidance regarding preparation for the written or oral exams at the end of that semester. The graduate student also completes the application for diploma form through the Registrar's Office (in accordance with its stated deadlines), and contacts the University Bookstore concerning commencement regalia, in accordance with its ordering deadlines.


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10 Unique Father's Day Gifts
Every dad has a unique personality and set of interests, and he deserves a unique Father's Day gift to match. This year, get him an enjoyable present that's fun and unexpected. Take a look at these 10 unique gift ideas that will show him how much he is appreciated this Father's Day.


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Lady Elkers fall to Lady Tide
A late second quarter run would propel Curwensville to a 52-24 victory over Ridgway Tuesday night at Ridgway Area High School. A Kiersten Hinton mid-range jumper had Ridgway ahead 14-13 near the midway point of the second quarter before the Lady Tide closed out the first half on an 11-2 run. Tierra Shope gave Curwensville the lead with a mid-range jumper of her own before Ciara Strickland answered with a transition hoop for the Lady Tide. Strickland led the Lady Tide with 21 points while Shope had 10 points for Curwensville. Shope split a pair of free throws before Abby Dugo would score in transition. Shauna Guy added a hoop before Strickland drained a 3-pointer for a 24-14 Curwensville lead. Jessica Kifer added a hoop for the Lady Elkers with 26 seconds left in the first half as the Lady Tide led 24-16 at halftime.


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Directors and Staff
Adrienne Asch, PhD, MS, Founding Director
Adrienne Asch was the Edward and Robin Milstein Professor of Bioethics at Yeshiva University and professor of epidemiology and population health and family and social medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Her work focused on the ethical, political, psychological and social implications of human reproduction and the family.
She had authored numerous articles and book chapters, and was the co-editor of Prenatal Testing and Disability Rights and The Double-Edged Helix: Social Implications of Genetics in a Diverse Society.
She received her doctorate in social psychology from Columbia University and was a member of the board of the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, the Clinton Task Force on Health Care Reform and the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications Policy Planning Group of the National Human Genome Research Institute. She was a board member of the Society of Jewish Ethics and the American Civil Liberties Union, a fellow at the Hastings Center and a member of the New York State Task Force on Life and the Law. Adrienne Asch passed away on November 19, 2013, after a long battle with cancer.
Edward Stein, PhD, JD, Acting Director
Ed Stein is a professor of law and director of the Gertrud Mainzer Program in Family Law, Policy and Bioethics at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. He is also the founding director of the Mainzer Program. He became acting director of the Center for Ethics during Dr. Asch's illness.
David Wasserman, JD, MA, Director of Research
David Wasserman works on issues in genetics, disability, reproduction and research ethics. Before joining the University in 2007, he was a research scholar at the Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy at the University of Maryland. He has held research fellowships at Harvard and NYU, and received research support from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Science Foundation.
Among many other publications, he co-authored Disability, Difference, Discrimination with Anita Silvers and Mary Mahowald and co-edited Quality of Life and Human Difference: Genetic Testing, Health-Care, and Disability.
Dorit Barlevy is the research and program assistant at the Center for Ethics. A graduate with distinction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dorit holds a BS in anthropology. She also earned an MA in applied ethics from Utrecht University in the Netherlands and Linkoping University in Sweden. Dorit was an international relations officer for the Israeli Medical Association (IMA) for three years. During the course of her employment at the IMA, she worked on a variety of biomedical issues such as e-health, informed consent, orphan drugs and neglected diseases, conflicts of interest due to physician ties to the pharmaceutical industry, counterfeit drugs, patient rights and autonomy, and pharmacogenomics.
William Chin is the research and administrative assistant at the Center for Ethics. He is a graduate of the City University of New York's Bernard Baruch College and holds a BA in history and political science. He interned at the office of former New York City Council member and recent New York City comptroller candidate David Yassky. William was a production assistant for www.cbsnews.com during the fall 2008 Presidential Election cycle, turning out content for the CBS News site daily. Recently, he was a development intern at the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA), where he took part in fund-raising activities for the museum before volunteering for NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's re-election campaign in the fall of 2009.


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tutorials & features
Panasonic Begins Deliveries Of New 16GB P2 Card, Featuring Higher Capacity And Lower Cost
Last Updated: June 13, 2007 3:54 pm GMT
(SECAUCUS, NJ- June 13, 2007) Panasonic announced the delivery of its new AJ-P2C016RG 16GB P2 card that doubles the storage capacity and recording time of its previous P2 solid-state memory card.
Available at a suggested list price of $900, the reusable 16GB P2 card now offers P2 camcorders recording capacity comparable to, and often exceeding, tape and disc-based systems.
P2 solid-state based acquisition can eliminate consumable media costs and the additional time required for content ingest. Unlike other disc and tape based production systems, the recording capacity of P2 based products can be continually upgraded without the need to replace the original system. Like digital photography, highly reliable solid-state P2 systems are rapidly becoming the standard tool for professional content producers throughout the world.
With a five-slot AJ-HPX2000 P2 HD camcorder, professionals can record up to 200 minutes at native 720/24pN in DVCPRO HD, 80 minutes in 1080i/720p in DVCPRO HD, and 160 minutes in DVCPRO 50 using five 16 GB P2 cards. With the newly-available, four-slot AG-HPX500 interchangeable lens P2 HD camcorder, users can record up to 160 minutes at native 720/24pN in DVCPRO HD, 128 minutes at 720P/30pN in DVCPRO HD, 64 minutes in 720p/60 in DVCPRO HD,128 minutes in DVCPRO 50 and 256 minutes in DVCPRO on four 16GB P2 cards. Users of the compact AG-HVX200 P2 HD handheld, which has two P2 card slots, can also enjoy extended recording with 32 minutes in DVCPRO HD, 64 minutes in DVCPRO 50 and 128 minutes in DVCPRO.
The new AJ-P2C016RG is a PCMCIA compatible plug-in card based on ultra-reliable, solid-state memory, integrating four high-performance SD cards like those now used in digital still cameras, and packaged in a rugged, die-cast frame that weighs only 0.099 lbs (45 grams). This convenient card has four times the capacity and four times the transfer speed of a single SD card. The P2 card is reusable, connects instantly with laptops and major non-linear editing systems, and eliminates the time-consuming task of digitizing. The re-usable P2 card is resistant to impact, vibration, shock, dust and environmental extremes including temperature changes. These PCMCIA-based cards are directly compatible with P2 decks, drives and the vast majority of laptop PCs, and can be easily connected to laptops using ExpressCard technology with simple, highly affordable third-party adapters.
The enhanced capacity 16GB P2 Card is compatible with all AG-HPX500 recorders and with AG-HVX200 camcorders with a serial number beginning with E7xxx0001. The 16GB P2 Card is also compatible with AJ-PCD20 drive beginning with the serial number E7xxx0001. Other P2 HD and P2 camcorders and products can be upgraded via a free, downloadable firmware upgrade. Visit Panasonic Broadcast's web site
for more details.
Panasonic also announced that its 32GB P2 card would be available by year-end at a price of $1,800, effectively quadrupling the storage capacity of its previous P2 card.
About Panasonic Broadcast
Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Co. is a leading supplier of broadcast and professional video products and systems. Panasonic Broadcast is a unit company of Panasonic Corporation of North America. The company is the North American headquarters of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE: MC) of Japan, and the hub of its U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. For more information on Panasonic Broadcast products, access the company's web site at
© 2018
All Rights Reserved


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Biological Control Of Twospotted Spider Mites In Strawberry
Visiting a strawberry farm to buy "pick-your-own" or "we-pick" berries has become a very popular spring time activity in SC. As this trend continues to grow, strawberry production will increase. Increased production will result in more insect and disease management problems for growers. A major pest growers will have to control is the twospotted spider mite Tetranychus utricae. Uncontrolled outbreaks of twospotted spider mites can reduce strawberry yield by more than 50%.
Presently, growers rely entirely on chemicals to control this pest. This practice is expensive, time consuming and the mite has developed varying levels of resistance to some miticides. This is environmentally risky, increases human health hazards and is harmful to beneficial insects and honey bees. This strategy also affects harvesting schedule of the crop and raises food safety issues.
As the EPA Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) removes more chemicals from the market, growers will have to adapt viable alternative control practices to manage this pest. Work conducted in Charleston County from 1998-2000 strawberry growing seasons and in Florida showed that the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis was effective in controlling and maintaining twospotted spider mites populations below damaging levels in strawberries.
This fact sheet is prepared to serve as a guide to growers for using predatory mites to control twospotted spider mites.
Twospotted Spider Mites
Twospotted spider mites are tiny and difficult to see with the naked eye. They have a yellowish or pale green color with two dark stops on both sides of their body. Spider mites live and feed on the underside of the leaf and are very difficult to control. To see spider mites in the field, growers should use a 10x or 14x magnifying hand lens.
During warm weather their feeding and multiplying activity increase significantly. Spider mites become dormant during cold weather, and females develop a reddish orange color. Their eggs are round and clear in color.
Damage Symptoms
- Stunted plant growth.
- Reduced fruit size and yield.
- Distorted and drooping leaves with yellowish or purplish discoloration that turns brown.
- Leaves may develop yellow speckling on the upper side.
Scouting Procedures
Effective control of twospotted spider mites will depend on an accurate scouting program, for both chemical or alternative measures. A good sampling program will give the grower an excellent idea of the presence and amount of spider mites in the field. Without a good scouting program, a grower might not realize that he has an of outbreak of spider mites until its too late.
At each sampling, randomly select 100 leaflets (a leaflet is one section of the strawberry leaf which has three parts), use a magnifying hand lens and inspect the underside of each leaflet for spider mites and eggs. If present, record adult spider mites and eggs as (+), if absent record as (-). Select leaves which are close to the plastic and avoid new leaves. Pay special attention to plants at the edge of the field.
Use flags to mark "hot spots" areas were there are a build up of spider mite population. It is very important to use different walking patterns each time a field is sampled (see walking patterns below). A field should be sampled at least 1 time per week.
Bare rooted transplants with leaves must be inspected for spider mites, check 100 plants from each batch of transplants. If 10% of the transplants have spider mites, make a miticide application about 3 weeks after planting. If warm weather conditions exist, start scouting fields as soon as leaves are developed.
If a release of predatory mites is made, resume sampling 2 weeks after the release. It is not unusual to just find a few predatory mites after their release. Continue weekly sampling for another 3 - 4 weeks.
Threshold/Release Decision
Counting twospotted spider mites in the field is difficult and time consuming. Researchers in Florida developed a relationship between the number of leaves infested and the density of spider mites per leaf.
Predatory Mites
Phytoseiulus persimilis, is reddish orange in color and is long legged. They are larger than the twospotted spider mite and do not have any spot on their body. The species is very mobile and aggressive in controlling spider mites.
Compatibility of Predators
Compatibility of the predator with chemicals used in strawberry production is critical. P. persimilis is compatible with several pesticides (see table) used in strawberry production. Although the predator might be compatible with a chemical caution must be exercise when predators are being used to control spider mites. Growers should use the lowest recommended application rate after a predator mite release is made. Some insecticides and fungicides are extremely poisonous to the predators. These chemicals have long residual effects and do not fit into a biological control program. For e.g. Kelthane can be used 1 week before the predators are released, but should not be used after a release of predators is made.
Ordering and Handling Predatory Mites
There are several suppliers of predatory mites. Growers should check with their extension agent for a listing of suppliers. Mites should be ordered immediately when the threshold is reached. It takes 1 week for the delivery of mites after they have been ordered.
Predatory mites should be checked for quality when they are delivered and before they are released. They are supplied either in 500 ml bottles of vermiculite or on bean leaves, each bottle contains 2000 mites.
To check mite quality, take a bottle of mites, gently rotate it for about 30 seconds, then pour about 1 tablespoon full of vermiculite in a coffee up. Allow the cup to sit, after a few minutes, mites should start crawling up the side of the cup. If after 8-10 minutes no mites appear, this indicates that the mites are not the best quality and should not be released. Do not use a foam cup to do this test. Store mites in a refrigerator at 50°F. Do not store mites for more than 8 hours before release. When mites are stored, their quality will decline.Release Procedure
Timing of the predatory mite release is very critical to ensure a quick establishment, population buildup and control of twospotted spider mites. Release will be affected by prevailing weather conditions and food supply. There must be an adequate food supply in the field to ensure the survival of predaceous mites. Mites should be released as soon as possible after they are received.
Walk down each plant row and pour about 1/4 teaspoon of vermiculite in the top of every 5th plant in each row on the bed. This is equal to about one predatory mite per plant. Empty bottles should be left in the field close to a plant. If the twospotted spider mite population is high, use a miticide which is compatible with the predatory mite to knock it back a few days before the release is made. It will take 1 individual about 3 hours to treat 1 acre.
Release should be made during early spring when average daytime temperature is above 60°F.
Do not release the mites if wind speed is greater than 3 MPH.
Do not release the mites if heavy rains are expected soon after the release.
Do not release mites if frost or a hard freeze is expected the morning following the release.
Do not release mites during the winter months.
Cost comparison of biological vs. chemical control
Under optimum conditions the cost for biological control should be a one time expenditure. The two main costs for biological control are costs of the predatory mites and labor to release them. Sometimes the cost for an application of a chemical might be required.
A conventional twospotted spider control program will require several applications of a miticide.
van de Vrie M., and J. F. Price. 1994. Manual For Biological Control of Twospotted Spider Mites on Strawberry in Florida.
Strand. L. L. 1994. Integrated Pest Management For Strawberry. Publication 3352. pp. 49-51.
Prepared by Roger Francis, Extension Agent, Charleston County and Clyde S. Gorsuch, Extension Entomologist/Professor, Department of Entomology, Soils, and Plant Sciences, Clemson University.
This information is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service is implied. Brand names of pesticides are given as a convenience and are neither an endorsement nor guarantee of the product nor a suggestion that similar products are not effective. Use pesticides only according to the directions on the label. Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed.
The Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer. Clemson University Cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture and South Carolina Counties. Issued in Furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914.


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Local home listing prices dropped 20 percent in June
Second biggest dip among 35 major metro areas
Don Bauder 4 p.m., Aug. 16
RILEY has had trouble sleeping ever since he was left in this pen, its gate locked, its concrete floor hosed off every morning. He hates the constant barking either side of him, that deep ruff-ruff bark, deep as a dungeon. He's enticed by dozens of familiar and strange smells emanating from the drain. He's confused by passers-by who peek in, murmur an apology, and don't yell at him. For them, Riley curls his backside into view: nice tight skin, nice silky coat. Then he turns, brings his pant front-and-center for an even better display: cropped ears, massive chest, wide mouth, viselike jaw, sledgehammer head, lodgepole neck. And his disposition (let's not get too carried away).
Riley's handler (I'll call him Reggie) used to praise his three-year-old, praise Riley can still hear -- You're just the best or You got game, boy, you got it, you little monster. The gashes on Riley's face and neck are still not healed. They'll be scars. And because of them, most visitors who peer in and lock eyes with Riley will turn away in fear, not get to know the real pit bull. One thing Riley can smell is fear, and fear means something worse is coming. But if you look close you can also see wonder in his green eyes: How long am I in here for? Where's Reggie?
(I'll tell you, Riley: he's moved on to bewitch another best friend.)
Riley was dumped by Reggie in a creek bed near a construction site in North County. Neighbors reported Riley and another dog running loose at the site; one construction crew tried to approach them, but the dogs were frightened and growled. Starving, Riley and his pal would creep toward the lunch wagon, unable to resist the smell of burgers on the grill. But the dogs balked at food offered from a human hand. Eventually the workers called the animal shelter, who set up a Have-a-Heart cage. Riley went in for the bait, and a door clanged shut behind him. He was wearing a brown, studded collar. No name was on it, so the shelter gave him one.
If the histories of other abandoned pit bulls (which the North County shelter sees all the time) are a guide, then Riley was probably trained by Reggie for a year to become a fighter. Such training commonly consists of both discipline and torture. It's safe to assume that Riley was short-chained to an engine block, run for hours on a treadmill at tongue-flapping speeds, and forced to sniff gunpowder, which drove him berserk as he tried to get rid of the fire. One day, after several early battles against weaker foes, Riley was put against a big pit bull (I'll call him Hurricane), 65 pounds and a lot meaner than Riley. During the prefight, refereed ritual, both dogs were washed and dried to remove the possibility of poison. They drank from a water bottle but not before the ref had each man drink the water himself.
The ref called the dogs and handlers to the wooden pit. "Face your dogs," the ref said, and Hurricane and Riley were set at their scratch lines, 14 feet apart, each dog's head and shoulders held between his handler's legs. At "Scratch!" the dogs were let go. They charged; each went for his opponent's neck, each used his front paws and chest to climb the other's maw into the snarling air. Riley fought on and bled; Hurricane fought on and bled. Neither quit. Reggie kept yelling, C'mon, Riley, get him, tear that son of a bitch to pieces. Hurricane's handler did the same. The match roared on, 15, 20, 30 minutes. Periodically, the fight was stopped and a new scratch called. Each time, the dogs raced at each other with locomotive speed. Gashed about the face and neck, Riley was weakening fast, needing sutures to staunch the blood. But he'd never quit, because that never quit is in him -- in the push of his paws, the bite of his maw, the pop of his head against the other dog's head. At 45 minutes, Reggie picked Riley up. Game over. Winner: Hurricane.
For Riley, it had all been about pleasing his master, returning to Reggie the loyalty that Reggie had bestowed on him. After all, Reggie often cuddled him and fed him raw meat for supper. And during the fight, Reggie pulled him from the pit just when he started gagging on his own blood. Now, in the pen, Riley is sniffing near his scrotum and he finds a trace of unlicked blood. Ah, the scent reminds him of how he got into this predicament -- doing what Reggie wanted him to do. But Riley also got into this because he didn't do what Reggie wanted him to do -- lay waste to every foe.
How did Riley end up afraid, angry, and allied with Reggie? Is it something in Riley or something in Reggie that's responsible for the pit bull's nature? Natured or nurtured, this dog's exploits are the stuff of legend. When bad dogs -- those who fight and maul and, on rare occasion, kill -- get into the papers, the coverage suggests that all pit bulls are a menace; of those who attack, they may kill without mercy.
In Westchester County, New York, a two-year-old pit bull named Mr. B, who had recently been abandoned, placed in an animal shelter, and adopted by a woman, "jumped off her lap, ran into the kitchen and attacked Mrs. Page [a tenant and friend of the woman's], biting her in the face.... She bled to death as she was being rushed" to a hospital. The dog had "no history of behavior problems. There was no growling, no barking. The dog jumped up and suddenly began attacking her for no reason. The dog just went nuts."
In Dallas, "American Airlines banned aggressive dogs from its planes after a pit bull escaped from its cage in the cargo hold of a Boeing 757 and...gnawed a hole in the bulkhead, damaged the cargo hold door and chewed through garden-size electrical cables." (The meal of wires did not bring the plane down.) In King City, California, "Three pit bulls were shot and killed by police after they went on a rampage, attacking and trapping a frightened woman inside her truck for nearly half an hour. No one was hurt, but the animals caused about $400 in damages to the truck and a police car, puncturing tires on both vehicles and damaging the body of the truck."


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The one thing we like most about CES (and many of the other trade shows) is that we can leave rumors behind and focus on real products. In Sony's case, the rumored Xperia Z and Xperia ZL have now transformed into actual products which will be made available globally later in Q1. As expected, Sony's official announcement of the two Andriod phones matched up pretty closely to all the rumors we've been hearing over the past month or two.
Specs of the Sony Xperia Z and Sony Xperia ZL are identical. Both devices are powered by quad-core a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor with 2GB of RAM, a 5-inch 1080×1920 pixels display, 13 MP camera sensor, 2,400 mAh battery, NFC and LTE connectivity. While the spec sheets are identical, the build of the two devices is significantly different. The Xperia Z features a carbon fiber skeletal frame (their words, not ours), a tempered glass back panel and it is water and dust resistant. The Xperia ZL on the other hand is covered in a rubbery plastic and has a dedicated camera button. Sony is also claiming that the Xperia ZL has the highest screen to size ration than any other phone on the market.
As we mentioned before, Sony plans on releasing both devices globally in Q1 of 2013. There's no indication that either device is scheduled for a U.S. launch, but we'll venture to guess that Sony and AT&T will have some variant of the two launch as an exclusive in the next few months.


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Actuate Media is a Google Certified Internet Marketing Agency in Seattle, WA specializing in SEM, SEO, Display, Mobile, Video, and Social Media advertising.
As a internet marketing agency, we deliver integrated digital marketing campaigns such as: Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Display Advertising, Social Media Advertising, Video Advertising, and more. We help our clients reach their target key performance indicators (KPIs) by analyzing campaign data and making smart internet marketing decisions, something we like to call Marketing Intelligence.
As a internet marketing agency, we deliver integrated digital marketing campaigns such as: Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Display Advertising, Social Media Advertising, Video Advertising, and more. We help our clients reach their target key performance indicators (KPIs) by analyzing campaign data and making smart internet marketing decisions, something we like to call Marketing Intelligence.
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Our founders have literally touched and influenced thousands of internet marketing campaigns for hundreds of businesses across the United States. Our team understands how competitive internet marketing is, which is why we started infusing data analysis with internet marketing. If you are looking to gain a better understanding of how your marketing dollars are spent, increasing conversions, and maximizing your return on investment, then Actuate Media is the right internet marketing agency for your business.
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When people realize they want or need something, is your business there? As a SEM Agency, Actuate Media can help your business reach these in-market shoppers quickly and efficiently through paid search engine marketing (SEM) . Each search represents an opportunity to influence your target customers' decision and preferences, let Actuate Media help position your business to make the sale and acquire new customers. Actuate Media is Google Adwords Search certified and follows Google's Adwords best practices. If you are less than satisfied with your current SEM vendor, then give Actuate Media a chance to earn your business.
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As of October 1, 2013 there were 1,114,170 people calling the province home.
This is an increase of 5,867 in the previous three months and close to 19,800 over the past year.
If you're wondering where the people are coming from, the vast majority of the population gain was due to new international migration of 3,510. There was also a natural increase of 1,720 (births minus deaths) and net interprovincial migration of 637.
It is expected that 2014 should see continued population and economic growth and by 2020 the population should reach 1.2 million.
With the population growth there is also an increase in construction activity that is predicted to continue to rise.
When one looks at the growth in retail sales and an unemployment rate that is the lowest in Canada, it is plain to see that Saskatchewan is the place to be (which is no surprise to the people who have lived here for awhile)!
Are you ready to be a part of the Saskatchewan buzz? Contact me today! I have the expertise needed to make your real estate experience a positive one.


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A House of Representatives Resolution
A Senate Document
A Hearing
A Bill or Resolution
A Debate
A Publication of a Government Commission
An Executive Department Document
A Treaty
IIf your source does not appear in this guide or for further information or examples, consult
A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Call Number: Ref LB2369 .T8 1996 ) available in the Ready Reference Collection at the Information Desk or in the Reference Collection. You can also refer to the Instruction Office's
list of resources; we specifically recommend
Ohio State University's Turbaian Citation Guide and
Gallaudet University's Guidelines page. You can also contact the SIUE
Writing Center.


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A set of events, usually beginning with a brilliant idea, that causes excitement, then chaotic tempest, and culminates with an end-product that is better than anyone ever imagined.
A director shouts on set: "Listen people, we're in the middle of a big bang boat revolution here! Quitting is not an option!"
by Katy M. September 07, 2006
buy the domain for your art vlog


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Nocona Hospitals
In Nocona we currently have one hospital and accute care centers. HospitalsCenter.com has complied reports on the following hospitals in Nocona, Texas. Choose one of the hospital listings within Nocona for more information on the medical services, patient reprots and hospital ratings at each center as well as phone numbers, contact information and directions to the hospital.
- Nocona General Hospital
100 Park Road
Nocona, TX 76255
This facility is a hosiptal district/authority run by government run acute care hospital
- Texas Hospitals


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TableTalk is a low-pressure way to practice English conversational skills, to form relationships with each other and with native speakers of English, and to have a good time. If English is your first language, come join us to get to know more of your colleagues from abroad.
We meet from 12-1 p.m. in the Foothills Cafeteria Atrium. Look for the TableTalk sign. We usually meet on the first Tuesday of a month. Check the ESL calendar for our next meeting. Reminders are also posted in the Today@UCAR Calendar.
For more information, contact Charlie Krinsky .


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Air Force Veteran Secures IT Systems with SBA's Help
Giovanni Suarez has always been entrepreneurial, but it was his military experience that made the difference when he decided to strike out on his own. He had been working for large defense contractor when he noticed the small business requirements the company needed to fulfill. That observation, coupled with his unique capabilities, industry certification, and appropriate security clearances, coalesced into the idea to start his own business-- National Information Assurance Corporation (dba NIACORP)-- offering information assurance, communications security, and operational support primarily to the federal government and national defense organizations.
As early as age six or seven, Mr. Suarez sold fruit from his grandfather's farm, cleaned cars and helped his mother sell her baked goods just to have his own money. A member of a large family, he always looked for ways to have funds of his own and was willing to work hard to accomplish his goals. His parents say that even as a young child, he was always a leader, one who took initiative, and led others to succeed. Small wonder he eventually became an entrepreneur.
But before launching off on his own in 2005, Mr. Suarez joined the U.S. Air Force in 1991 where he served active duty until 1997. There, he learned many of the technical skills he would later use in his business. Still, today, he values and appreciates more "the structure, leadership, and other hard and soft skills [military service provides that] you just don't get in an institution, college, or university." He went on to serve an additional two years on the Georgia Air National Guard.
When he left the military, he worked as an Assistant Webmaster contractor for the C-130 System Program Office at Robins AFB. Because the web-based databases had to be secured, Mr. Suarez, a natural self-starter, started buying IT security books to learn how to secure the systems. A year later he was offered a network administrator position for the F-15 System Program Office supporting the F-15 Radar Engineering Organization. "That is where I truly learned the security niche."
He found his niche in the marketplace while working on contract proposals for Raytheon, a large defense contractor. As Mr. Suarez read the small business subcontracting requirements, he realized he possesses the knowledge and skills to perform the work needed. Federal government contracts require prime contractors use small firms as subcontractors. Plus, "I also wanted to be my own boss and not depend on someone else to dictate my future and well-being of my family."
But it wasn't enough to have the technical and interpersonal skills and the drive to succeed in business; Mr. Suarez needed the infrastructure, too. "The challenges I had to overcome, because I lacked formal business experience, were the ones setting up the backbone of the company: payroll, benefits, taxes, etc. Later, I also needed help with strategies to expand my business." He largely attributes his success to his Office Manager, Mrs. Maryellen Mailhiot, who was instrumental in addressing the challenges NIACORP overcame; and to his technical staff for the outstanding performance, giving NIACORP its current reputation.
To get his business off the ground, he went to the U.S. Small Business Administration's website where he used the start-up checklists. Then, he engaged the high-quality expertise of the Certified Business Analysts at the Small Business Development Center at the University of South Florida in Tampa who helped him develop strategies and steps to put together his business. In 2005 when he decided to enter the federal marketplace, his first stop was to the Procurement Technical Assistance Center at USF's SBDC where he learned the nuts and bolts of federal government contracting as well as its nuances.
Thanks to the PTAC, NIACORP is in the SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program where he competes for federal contracts. With help from the SBA and the Small Business Development Center, Mr. Suarez has grown his business from a one-man operation in 2005 to employing 23 full-time employees and sales of nearly $2M in 2011. Still, he cautions that federal contracting and the 8(a) program don't ensure "easy money." "On the contrary, the 8(a) program has helped me more after I performed well and established a strong relationship with federal agencies with real requirements. Once the trust exists, the chance to win a sole-source contract becomes easier."
While he says starting and growing his business has been at times frustrating and tiresome, he acknowledges that some of his success is due in part to having an outstanding reputation as a diligent hard worker. He has been recognized for his good work in securing organization systems by the local chapter of The Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) and he was nominated and awarded the SBA's 2012 Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year for the South Florida District.
His aspirations and goals for his business are to "continue 'managed' growth for NIACORP and make it even more successful. I strongly believe my staff and I share the same vision to continue providing the most secure communications systems to our armed forces that exceed our national security goals."
When asked "how did you do it?" his reply is always the same: "get help from the SBA! They have always been there for me."