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Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL) is one of the world's largest Consumer Products companies by market share with commercial presence on six continents.[1] Since its 1806 founding, Colgate has grown into a multinational corporation known for its toothpaste and oral hygiene products.[2] As of 2011, the company holds a staggering 44.7% global market share with its flagship toothpaste line.[3]
Colgate's major advantages are the strength of its brand and its strong, global presence: over three quarters of its revenue comes from outside the United States. About half of sales came from rapidly growing emerging markets, with Latin America representing Colgate's single largest source of revenue in 2010.[3] Colgate's brand strength in foreign markets allows the company to command impressive market share and high profit margins. Colgate has been steadily expanding its operations throughout Latin America, Africa, and Asia, maintaining consistent positive sales growth in these regions.
Colgate has operations in North America, Latin America, Europe/South Pacific, and Greater Asia/Africa. The company divides its business into two product segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care, and Pet Nutrition.
Colgate also divides its operations into the following regions:
mkkk North America is Colgate-Palmolive's oldest geographic region and one of its most mature markets, representing roughly 20% of total net sales.[5] [5] To maintain steady growth in this market, Colgate employs three principle strategies:
Latin America represents Colgate's single largest geographical region by sales and has been the prime propeller of the company's growth over the past decade.[6] In all, Latin America represented 27% of Colgate's sales.[5] Despite the strong performance of this region in the past, analysts now fear that Colgate may be approaching a point of saturation in its Latin American region--if so, a noticeable slowdown in sales growth may be in the company's future.
The Europe/South Pacfic segment represents another of Colgate-Palmolive's more mature, slow-growing markets. Growth in this more mature market is driven primarily by rebranding and introducing new products such as Colgate Time Control, Colgate Max Fresh and Colgate Sensitive Multi-Protection toothpastes. Colgate also used its acquisition strategy to grow sales with its acquisition of GABA, a Swiss toothpaste maker, in 2003.
There are many ways to approach this proelbm starting with cost and sales analysis/trends, consumer focus groups as well as margin development. You must also understand the cultural acceptance of the process of oral hygiene and the acceptance of the brand or the non acceptance of the brand within the culture. Once the product has a perceived consumer value, see how it compares with competition and move to correct outstanding issues with product and /or pricing and packaging. You must then analyze your route to market and your distribution within the market. Expand your distribution base and your physical outlets. Insure your in store presence and merchandising is effective and your point of sale materials are well positioned. Coupled with a targeted marketing and advertising plan, you can turn any brand around. It seems difficult to think a plant for toothpaste in an market the size of China could possibly be shut down. Good approach, should be a great project. Including the fact Wes Bradely had recently been appointed CEO will see profits increase in the near future, when toothpaste adds a salty element.
Emerging markets across the globe present strong growth opportunities for Colgate-Palmolive. As populations grow wealthier in emerging markets such as Brazil, Russia, India and China, consumers are becoming ever more sophisticated shoppers. Colgate Palmolive's strong international brand presence means that it is much more highly exposed to emerging markets than its competitors. Generally, this exposure benefits Colgate--emerging markets can grow at three to four times the rate of developed markets such as the US, Western Europe and Japan, which means more profit opportunities and sales growth for Colgate. [7]
One challenge that has arisen with Colgate's rapid expansion in Latin America is the company's overdependence youhou on growth in that region. Due to fast growth in the region, Latin America alone has contributed to 40% of Colgate's organic growth over the past few years. Because of this high dependence on Latin American growth, the company is highly vulnerable to Latin American economic slowdown and market saturation. This is particularly true of Mexico, where Colgate already has an 80% market share of the toothpaste market. [8]
Another trend affecting Colgate-Palmolive is the relative strength of the dollar. Although the company is based in the US, Colgate-Palmolive generates more than two thirds of its revenue outside United States.[6] Because of this, the company is very sensitive to the strength of the dollar, with a weaker dollar generally boosting sales.[9]
Colgate has broad exposure to foreign currencies and actively hedges a large portion of these to avoid wide swings in earnings from currency fluctations. Although this heding limits the potential upside of a weakening dollar, it also insulates the company from drastic upswings in the dollar's strength.
The rise of a handful of powerful low-priced retailers has negatively impacted consumer products companies. A handful of big retailers have captured a large share of the market. These large retailers have shifted the balance of power within the supply chain. For example, Wal-Mart has exerted its power over other suppliers to their detriment in the past, such as forcing record companies to produce clean-label CDs and pulling adult magazines.[10] In addition, many retailers have pushed their own higher margin private label brands in competition with Colgate.
In the past decade, Colgate has faced competition from private label brands or "store brands" of large retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, and supermarket chains. Private label products often sell at lower price points and earn higher margins because the retailers can control the cost of their production. For example, Wal-Mart offers 5,500 products through its "Great Value" brand, which has increasingly sold as consumers feel the recession squeeze on their disposable income.[11]
Large retailers are close to the consumers, have the point of sale data on consumer behavior and are in better position to understand consumer behavior. These strengths contribute to better private label product development, which directly compete with Colgate products. Retailers also promote their own brands as they earn higher margins on them. However, Colgate continues to maintain a 44.7% market share in toothpaste and a strong brand name,[1] which will make it difficult for private labels to erode Colgate's market leadership. In addition, many analysts believe that outside of home care, Colgate's exposure to private labels is limited. [12]
Colgate-Palmolive competes in the household consumer products industry indirectly with other companies that produce similar products.
Procter & Gamble provides the broadest and biggest portfolio of products in the household and personal care industry with 24 billion-dollar brands. P&G generates approximately one and half times the revenue than its closest competitor, Unilever (UL), and possesses a higher operating margin (20.30%) than any of its competitors as well. The company invests about $2 billion a year in R&D, nearly twice that of Unilever, and equal to the combined total of its other major competitors — Avon, Clorox Company (CLX), Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL), Energizer Holdings (ENR), Henkel, Kimberly-Clark (KMB), L'Oreal, and Reckitt Benckiser.[13]
Clorox is one of P&G's main competitors, specifically the two companies compete directly in the household products market, especially in household cleaning products. Although much of the two companies' product catalogs overlap, there are significant differences that prevent Clorox from being in complete, direct competition with P&G. For example, one of the largest sectors of P&G's business is beauty products, which are not part of Clorox's product offerings.
Kimberly-Clark competes with P&G in the household products market, particularly in tissues, paper towels, diapers, and feminine products. Major K-C brands include Huggies diapers, Kotex feminine products, Scott paper towels and Kleenex tissues. Kimberly Clark sells its products to both consumers and large businesses.
L'Oreal competes with P&G in the beauty products market. L'Oreal's two biggest product categories are skincare and haircare products. Unlike diversified companies like P&G, L'Oreal is purely a beauty and cosmetics company with its product catalog centered around skincare, haircare, make-up, perfume and other beauty products. However, the beauty industry has much higher margins than certain markets that P&G is involved in, which leads to high profits for L'Oreal.


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subset: commoncrawl


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LocationHuntley, IL
14000 Automall Dr
Huntley, IL 60142
New 2018 Coachmen RV Apex Nano 193BHS
This Coachmen Apex Nano Ultra Lite travel trailer features a set of bunks, a single slide out, and all that you need to enjoy camping with family and friends!
Step inside model 193BHS and find a queen size bed turned sideways at the front of the unit. You will also like that it features a large overhead storage cabinet along the front wall.
Straight ahead through the entry door find a dinette slide out which is the perfect spot for meals and also for just sitting and hanging out.
To the left of the door enjoy the kitchen area where you can prepare light meals and snacks for your family. There is a double sink, two burner cook-top with microwave oven beneath, and refrigerator.
In the rear right corner find a set of 30" x 74" bunks that the kids will enjoy. The opposite corner offers a tub/shower, wardrobe, toilet, and vanity with sink, plus medicine cabinet overhead.
The front pass-through compartment provides ample space for all of your outdoor camping gear, and more!
Like most: Dear Steve, Thank you for being our salesperson. I am very happy that we are getting a new camper. I am also happy that we chose General RV Center as our main RV store. Without General RV Center, we would of never found "the perfect camper". I found out that we are going to Indiana! I will write it down! We will see Amish people! I just wanted to say Thank You. From, Jennifer - Art from Fenton, MI
Stock# 159879
|22 ft 1 in
|Ext Width
|7 ft 6 in
|Ext Height
|9 ft 9 in
|Hitch Weight
|406 lbs
|Gross Weight
|4600 lbs
|Dry Weight
|3500 lbs
|Fresh Water Capacity
|30 gals
|Grey Water Capacity
|30 gals
|Black Water Capacity
|30 gals
|Furnace BTU
|20000 btu
|Number Of Bunks
|Available Beds
|Refrigerator Type
|Double Door
|Refrigerator Size
|3 cu ft
|Cooktop Burners
|Number of Awnings
|LP Tank Capacity
|20 lbs.
|Water Heater Type
|13500 btu
|Cargo Deck Size
|0 ft
|Awning Info
|12' Power
|Number of LP Tanks
At Coachmen you will find a rich history of commitment from our Team Members. This commitment extends to our owners and in the pride we have for our brand. The close relationship that we share with our owners and our dealers is a quality that others have been trying to mimic over our 50 year history. Our goals and principles remain well in focus.
Coachmen RV products have been on North American roads and in North American campgrounds since 1964.
With over five decades of building Recreational Vehicles and over 600,000 RVs built and sold we know how to design and build a reliable RV with exceptional value, dependable design, practical innovation and the comforts and features you desire.
General RV Illinois is not responsible for any misprints, typos, or errors found in our website pages. Any price listed excludes sales tax, registration tags, and delivery fees. Manufacturer-provided pictures, specifications and features may be used as needed. Inventory shown may be only a partial listing of the entire inventory. Please contact us at 888-436-7578 for availability as our inventory changes rapidly. All calculated payments are an estimate only and do not constitute a commitment that financing or a specific interest rate or term is available.


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Contributed by The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook by Tracey Medeiros
These tacos are made with leftover roast from the Roasted Leg of Grass-Fed Lamb recipe (a favorite recipe from Longview Farm, Chris and Shannon Barsotti) also from The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook.
Manchego is a sheep's milk cheese made in the La Mancha region of Spain. It has a creamy texture with a slightly piquant taste. You can substitute shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or mozzarella. In addition to the cheese, serve these tacos with an assortment of toppings, such as shredded lettuce, black beans, fresh salsa, and cilantro.
Serves 6
2 tablespoons olive oil
3⁄4 cup diced red onion
Zest of 1 lime plus 2 tablespoons juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 mint leaves, thinly sliced
1 1⁄2teaspoons curry powder
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups shredded cooked lamb
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 (8-inch) whole-wheat tortillas, warmed
Shredded Manchego cheese (optional)
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, lime zest and juice, garlic, mint, curry powder, and cumin and cook until the onions are soft. Add the lamb and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the lamb filling into the tortillas and sprinkle with shredded Manchego, if desired. Serve with an assortment of toppings.


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A Beat-Sweetener Sampler
The unreliable narrator's guide to Obama's new team.
This is the season of the beat-sweetener. A beat-sweetener (some prefer the term source-greaser) is a gratuitously flattering profile that a reporter writes about a government official in the hope that it will encourage (or, at the very least, not impede) that reporter's access to the official in question. Newspapers and magazines have been full of them, and even the uninitiated may feel they've been reading a lot of dull profiles lately without knowing exactly why. My advice is to adopt a defensive-reader posture and treat all profiles of Obama's new team as guilty until proven innocent. If you encounter emollient rhetoric in the first five paragraphs, skip the rest and move on. A beat-sweetener is a meal prepared for someone other than yourself, and there's no reason you should waste precious time ingesting it.
Bloggers have lately been debating the ethics of beat-sweeteners. Atrios denounced them as an artifact of "elite pristine journalism." Matthew Yglesias bemoaned "the widespread social and professional acceptance of this kind of thing." Ezra Klein said beat-sweeteners "tend to be positive because, well, the players haven't done anything yet" and defended them as "legitimate profiles with positive side effects." Such gum-beating is symptomatic of contemporary press criticism, which tends to define everything in terms of professional ethics because that's the only normative vocabulary even upstart bloggers feel comfortable with. In so doing, these critics pronounce to be immoral what is merely second-rate. A beat-sweetener is unethical only in the attenuated sense that a passionately devoted artisanal cobbler might regard as unethical a handmade loafer with poor stitching. It's lousy craftsmanship, not an ethical lapse warranting extensive debate. It is also an unwise marketing strategy. At a time when readers are abandoning newspapers and magazines in droves, it hardly behooves reporters to bore them. What's the value of access if you have no public to share it with?
The beat-sweetener, I submit, is best regarded not in a spirit of censure but in a spirit of playful mockery. That's why, at the start of George W. Bush's presidency, I sponsored a Slate contest inviting readers to submit parody beat-sweeteners of people like Adolf Eichmann and Kim Jong-il. (Click here for the winners.) This time out, I've created a sampler of real beat-sweeteners: a chart that identifies author, subject, one or more examples of shamelessly flattering writing, one or more examples of less-flattering details that were left out, and links to less-flattering information sources that might serve as antidotes to the praise—a beat-sourer, if you will. I chose my samples carefully, knowing the beat-sweetener designation can be a little indiscriminate. For example, there have been some cavils about Anne Kornblut's Washington Post profile of White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina. It may not be the most exciting newspaper profile you'll read in 2009, but it doesn't strike me as excessively kissy-face, and I can't identify any obvious skeletons in Messina's closet that Kornblut left out. Similarly, Louise Story's recent New York Times profile of Steven Rattner, the Obama administration's unofficial car czar, smells from a distance like a beat-sweetener—Rattner is, among other things, a onetime business reporter for the Times, and he's pretty tight with Times Publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr.—but if you take the trouble to read it, you'll find a decently nuanced if unexciting character sketch, neither especially favorable nor especially unfavorable. These profiles flunked my test for an authentic beat-sweetener, which requires the conscious reader to pause, smite his forehead, and ask: "Who the hell wrote this crap? His mother?"
My beat-sweetener survey does not attempt to be comprehensive. Rather, it allows you to sample the variety of pablum that's out there and offers some explanation of how each source-greaser falls short of the usual standards. (See below.)
Profilee's position
Profiler's position
Fails to mention.....................
" Free Larry Summers," by Noam Scheiber
New Republic
"Maybe the issue isn't whether Summers plays well with others, but whether Obama's economic effort should be led by an ensemble cast or a single virtuoso performer."
Summers fervently opposed regulating derivatives when he was deputy treasury secretary; as Harvard president, Summers protected his friend Andrei Schleifer, whose financial misbehavior while heading a Harvard project in Russia later required Harvard to pay a $26.5 million settlement to the U.S. government.
" How Harvard Lost Russia," by David McClintick, Institutional Investor
" Obama's 'Super-Nerd,' " by Andrea Seabrook (profile of Peter Orszag)
National Public Radio
"That's what he really wants to do: combine caring for people with good economic decisions."
In a March 25 press briefing, Orszag replied to a question about the federal government's "spiraling debt" by saying, "I don't know what spiraling debt you're referring to."
Nominee Orszag's Jan. 13 testimony before the Senate budget committee: "The simple fact is that, over the long term, the federal budget is on an unsustainable path."
" The President's Warrior, Robert Gibbs," by Michael Scherer
"[W]hat matters most to White House reporters is that Gibbs has the President's ear and can get to the Commander in Chief when an answer is needed."
In 2004 Gibbs was spokesman for a 527 group that bankrolled an ad attacking presidential candidate Howard Dean for lacking sufficient experience to battle Osama Bin Laden.
" Robert Gibbs, The Drag on Obama," by blogger and former Dean campaign aide Jerome Armstrong
" The Gatekeeper," by Ryan Lizza (profile of Rahm Emanuel)
The New Yorker
"He is a political John McEnroe, known for both his mercurial temperament and his tactical brilliance. In the same conversation, he can be wonkish and thoughtful, blunt and profane."
Appointed to the Freddie Mac board by Bill Clinton in 2000, Emanuel collected at least $320,000 for doing essentially nothing while the federally chartered mortgage company misled stockholders about risky investments and hosted political fundraisers later found to be illegal. The board was briefed on both matters. Lizza notes only in passing that after leaving the Clinton White House, Emanuel "in less than three years earned nearly twenty million dollars" as an investment banker.
" Rahmbo's Revolving Door," by Ben Protess of ProPublica
" Savvy Players Are Big Factor in Current Success of Democrats," by Stuart Rothenberg (column praising Rep. Barney Frank, Sen. Charles Schumer, and Rahm Emanuel)
Roll Call
Massachusetts representative , New York senator , and White House chief of staff
Editor and publisher of a nonpartisan political newsletter, columnist, and self-described " frequent soundbite"
"[R]ight now, the Republicans on Capitol Hill have no match for Emanuel, Frank and Schumer, or the other talented Democrats. Taking nothing away from GOP legislators, staffers or interest groups, Democrats are simply more aggressive, better organized and more poised for the kill."
Frank wrote into the Troubled Assets Relief Program a provision targeting assistance to OneUnited, a minority-owned Massachusetts bank, and also spoke to bank regulators on its behalf. As a result, the bank received $12 million. In 2007 Schumer blocked a plan to double taxes on hedge-fund and private-equity managers.
" What They Said About Fan and Fred," Wall Street Journal editorial page
" Gates Securing a Role Under Another President," by Elisabeth Bumiller (profile of Robert Gates)
New York Times
"[T]his canny, deceptively bland Washington master of adaptation … has an authority and rapport with Mr. Obama that exceeds his low wattage in public."
As deputy to CIA Director William Casey during the Iran-Contra scandal, Gates almost certainly misrepresented to independent prosecutor Lawrence Walsh what he knew and when he knew it. Walsh declined to prosecute because "given the complex nature of the activities and Gates's apparent lack of direct participation, a jury could find the evidence left a reasonable doubt that Gates either obstructed official inquiries or that his two demonstrably incorrect statements were deliberate lies."
Final Report of the Independent Counsel For Iran/Contra Matters, Chapter 16: " Robert M. Gates"
"High-Powered and Low-Key," by Michael A. Fletcher (profile of Valerie Jarrett)
Washington Post
Senior adviser and assistant to the president for intergovernmental affairs and public liaison
"Trim and tough-minded, Jarrett speaks in tones that lend a matter-of-fact air to almost whatever she says, according to friends."
The Habitat Co., the real estate firm Jarrett joined in 1995 as executive vice president, rising in 2007 to president and CEO, managed Chicago's Grove Parc Plaza from 2001 to 2008. Here is how the Boston Globe's Binyamin Appelbaum described Grove Parc Plaza in June 2008:
"About 99 of the units are vacant, many rendered uninhabitable by unfixed problems, such as collapsed roofs and fire damage. Mice scamper through the halls. Battered mailboxes hang open. Sewage backs up into kitchen sinks. In 2006, federal inspectors graded the condition of the complex an 11 on a 100-point scale—a score so bad the buildings now face demolition."
Jarrett, then a senior adviser to Obama's campaign and still president of the Habitat Co., "declined to answer questions about Grove Parc, citing what she called a continuing duty to Habitat's former business partners."
"Globe Article Makes Hash of Housing Policy," by Matthew Schwarzfeld on Rooflines.org, a blog maintained by the nonprofit National Housing Institute. In the course of attacking the Globe piece's critique of Obama's record on tax credits for low-income housing, Schwarzfeld nonetheless concedes: "National low-income housing groups agree that Jarrett's company, Habitat Co., mismanaged Grove Parc."


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Brandi's Blog: Finding Light
Brandi's Blog: Finding Light
Last night, I cried watching a rerun of Grey's Anatomy. Don't judge.
It was the episode where social services takes away Zola while trying to determine if Meredith and Derek are fit parents. Watching that sweet baby girl playing with her 'Daddy's' badge, then watching her 'Mommy' take her, kiss her face, and hand her off to a stranger.. it was just too much.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.. it's just a TV show. (A FANTASTIC TV show!) But in all seriousness, I cannot IMAGINE losing my sweet boy. It's so easy to take for granted every hug, every smell, every laugh, every smile.
The Thomas family will be the FIRST to tell you to never, EVER take any moment.. any single second.. for granted.
Continue reading Finding Light


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Title : mask
Usage : $obj->mask(10,40,'Z');
$obj->mask($bio_location_obj, 'Z');
Function: masks a sequence region by replacing the respective part with a
custom character. If the character is omitted, 'X' in case of
protein and 'N' in case of DNA/RNA alphabet is used to mask the
sequence region.
Returns : the object it was invoked on
Args : integer for start position
integer for end position
custom character to use for masking
Bio::LocationI location for sequence region (strand NOT honored)
custom character to use for masking


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Damien Lovegrove is considered by many to be one of the worlds most influential contemporary photographers. In recent years he is best known for creating portraits that make women look fabulous. Damien Lovegrove's lighting style is legendary and his picture composition, sublime.
Damien left his role as a cameraman and lighting director at the BBC back in 1998 after 14 successful years to create the renowned Lovegrove Weddings partnership with his wife Julie. Together they shot over 400 top weddings for discerning clients worldwide. In 2008 Damien turned his hand to shooting beauty and portraiture and has since amassed a dedicated following for his distinctive art. Damien is now in the process of reinventing himself as a travel and landscape photographer. Described as a living legend Damien is on a roll with the best of his work yet to come.
In 2011 the X100 rekindled my creative soul and made me fall in love with picture taking again. The X-Pro1 followed soon after and I realised straight away that mirrorless capture was the way to go and the Fuji design DNA had the soul I was looking for in a camera system.
Photography is my life. It's my release. I love to see and capture beauty in a freely expressive way. I create all my pictures from scratch. I love to take control of the light and I direct every aspect of the shoot.
I've been a professional image-maker now for over 30 years and my photography just seems to get better and better. I owe a significant part of that success to the Fuji X cameras that fuel my passion.


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Science Friday® is produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Science Friday® and SciFri® are registered service marks of Science Friday, Inc. Site design by Pentagram; engineering by Mediapolis.
Fish oil may have some benefit for the heart. But a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute links higher blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil to a higher risk of prostate cancer. Study author Alan Kristal says the potential mechanism is unclear, but he warns that supplements can sometimes increase the risk of the very diseases they're meant to prevent.


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Crime Stoppers: Gunman robs Eagle Food Mart
Crime Stoppers: Gunman robs Eagle Food Mart
OMAHA, Neb. —
Omaha Crime Stoppers is asking for the public's help in identifying a gunman who robbed a convenience store Feb. 24.
Surveillance video from the Eagle Food Mart near 37th and Center streets showed a man pointing a shotgun at the clerk, demanding money from the register.
-- Mug shots: See who got arrested
The man threw money in a bag and shoved some of the bills into his pocket.
He was last seen heading south on foot.
Police described him as a light-skinned black male wearing a winter hat with a Nebraska "N" on the front.
Anyone with information on the case should call a detective at 402-444-5652. If you want to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward, call Crime Stoppers at 402-444-7867.


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General News
: Local News
Wausau Paper Signs Agreement to Sell
Submitted: 05/20/2013
- Wausau Paper today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its specialty paper business to a new company sponsored by KPS Capital Partners L.P. ("KPS"), a New York-based private equity firm with significant experience in the paper industry. The new company will be known as Expera Specialty Solutions, LLC ("Expera"). KPS, as previously announced, has also entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the specialty paper business of Packaging Dynamics Corporation ("Thilmany"), which operates paper mills in De Pere and Kaukauna, Wisconsin. Expera will combine the Thilmany business with Wausau Paper's specialty paper business to create a leading North American manufacturer of specialty paper products for the food packaging, industrial, and pressure-sensitive release liner segments. A collective bargaining agreement covering employees at the Mosinee, Rhinelander, and Kaukauna facilities has been negotiated and ratified. The collective bargaining agreement and the Thilmany acquisition agreement were both conditions to Wausau Paper entering into its agreement with KPS. Key highlights of the transaction are as follows: Ģ The transaction will result in net cash proceeds to Wausau Paper of approximately $110 million after settlement of transaction-related liabilities, transaction costs and taxes. Ģ Expera will acquire the assets of Wausau Paper's Rhinelander and Mosinee mills; the assets of the company's Brainerd mill are not included in the transaction. Ģ Wausau Paper will retain defined benefit pension and other post-retirement benefit obligations; however, effective with the closing of the transaction, approximately $41 million of future liability will be eliminated. Ģ Wausau Paper will not hold any equity ownership in Expera. Ģ Wausau Paper will have the opportunity to receive a contingent payment that would be equal to what the holder of a 5% equity interest in Expera would receive if certain performance thresholds and KPS liquidity events occur. Hank Newell, president and CEO of Wausau Paper, commented, "This transaction accomplishes all of our key objectives: divesting our paper business in a way that creates value for our shareholders, creating a specialty business under new ownership with the scale and product breadth to compete globally, and narrowing our focus to accelerating growth in our tissue business." The transaction has received required regulatory approval under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. Other customary conditions to closing, including third party financing, remain. The Wausau Paper sale to Expera is also conditioned upon Expera completing the acquisition of the Thilmany business. While the company expects to finalize the transaction in the second or third quarter of 2013, there can be no certainty or assurance about the timing or completion of a transaction. Mesirow Financial, Inc. and Ruder Ware, L.L.S.C. have been the financial and legal advisors to Wausau Paper.
Written By: WJFW News Team
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Post Tagged with: "stanford gsb"
Sell Your Ideas the Steve Jobs Way
Sell Your Ideas the Steve Jobs Way In his talk, Carmine Gallo demonstrates how extraordinary leaders such as Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and others communicate the vision and the value behind their service, product, or brand. Gallo addressed the Stanford GSB as part of the Mastery in Communication Initiative's Expert Speaker Series. Gallo is author of "The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs" . Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs's wildly popular presentations have set a new global gold standard—and now this step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to use his crowd-pleasing techniques in your own presentations. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs is as close as you'll ever get to having the master presenter himself speak directly in your ear. Communications expert Carmine Gallo has studied and analyzed the very best of Jobs's performances, offering point-by-point examples, tried-and-true techniques, and proven presentation secrets that work every time. With this revolutionary approach, you'll be surprised at how easy it is to sell your ideas, share your enthusiasm, and wow your audience the Steve Jobs way. "No other leader captures an audience like Steve Jobs does and, like no other book, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs captures the formula Steve uses to enthrall audiences." —Rob Enderle, The Enderle Group "Now you can learn from the best there is—both Jobs and Gallo. No matter whether you are a novice presenter or a professional speaker like me, you will read and reread this book with the same enthusiasm that people bring to their iPods." —David Meerman Scott, bestselling author of The New Rules of Marketing & PR and World Wide Rave


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tags: West 34th street Penn Station subway art, Circus of Garden Delights, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Circus of Garden Delights.
West 34th Street/Penn Station Subway tile mosaic art #3
as seen at NYC's West 34th Street stop at 8th for the A, C and E trains.
Artist: Eric Fischl, 2001.
According to the artist, this subway station artwork "depicts a commuter being drawn into the bizarre and surprising world of the circus, meeting animals, clowns, acrobats and fire-breathers on his way to work."
I have photographed tile artworks from several NYC subway stations now, so far, all are westside Manhattan subway lines, including Chambers Street (A & C trains), Houston Street (1 train), Pennsylvania "Penn" station (1, 2 & 3 trains) [subway art archives] and, my favorite subway station of all, the American Museum of Natural History station at 81st and Central Park West (B & C trains) [AMNH archives].


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By Carol Dreibelbis
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that about one-third—or 1.3 billion metric tons—of all food produced for human consumption goes to waste each year. While it is easy to recognize the enormity of this number, it is much more difficult to make sense of it in a useful way. An October 2012 study by Jean Buzby and Jeffrey Hyman of the U.S. Department of Agriculture seeks to make food waste estimates more meaningful by attaching a dollar value.
The study measures the value of food loss in the United States at the retail ("supermarkets, megastores like Walmart, and other retail outlets") and consumer ("food consumed at home and away from home") levels. Findings indicate that US$165.6 billion worth of food was lost at these levels in 2008. This translates to the loss of an average of US$1.49 worth of food per person per day—totaling about US$544 per person per year—at the retail and consumer levels. At the consumer level, alone, the average American wasted almost 10 percent of the amount spent on his or her food in 2008.
Food losses on this scale are concerning, especially when viewed in the context of a growing global population. As the study explains, "The United Nations predicts that the world population will reach 9.3 billion by 2050 and this growth will require at least a 70 percent increase in food production, net of crops used for biofuels." Considering that a reduction of food loss at the consumer and retail levels by just one percent would keep US$1.66 billion worth of food in the food supply, limiting food waste could play a major role in feeding future populations.
Food waste also places an unnecessarily heavy burden on the environment. The production, processing, storage, and transportation of food that ultimately goes to waste still consumes natural resources and other inputs, while also releasing greenhouse gases and other pollutants that stem from the food system. For example, the study points out that the production of wasted food consumes over 25 percent of all freshwater used in the U.S. and around 300 million barrels of oil.
In light of the negative externalities associated with food waste, the authors of the study hope their findings will inform and initiate action to limit food waste. They write, "Understanding where and how much food is lost and the value of this loss is important information that industry and policymakers can use to raise awareness of the issue, reduce food waste, and increase the efficiency of the farm-to-fork food system." Likewise, they note that per capita estimates may encourage consumers to be "more mindful of their daily and yearly food loss."
The monetized food loss estimates presented in this study offer consumers, food industry representatives, and policymakers a concrete and comprehendible picture of U.S. food waste at the retail and consumer levels. By enabling individuals to understand their own contribution to the loss of 1.3 billion metric tons of food each year, the authors give a face to food waste.
What do you think it will take to reduce food waste at the local, national, or international scale? Please let us know in the comments section below.
Carol Dreibelbis is a former research intern with the Worldwatch Institute's food and agriculture program.
Similar posts:
- UN Food Agency Urges Companies and Organizations to Join Global Food Waste Initiative
- FAO Says Food Waste Harms Climate, Water, Land, and Biodiversity
- Reducing Food Waste While Feeding the Hungry
- Reducing Food Waste: Making the Most of Our Abundance
- What Works: Reducing Food Waste
- Love Food, Hate Waste: UK Campaign Promotes Understanding and Preventing Food Waste
- American Wasteland: Jonathan Bloom on Why Food Waste Deserves our Attention
- World Environment Day 2013: Five Ways to Preserve Food and Prevent Waste


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Isaiah Canaan scored 26 points, Stacy Wilson added 18 and Murray State ran past Auburn 79-59 at the Charleston Classic on Thursday night.
The Racers (2-0) will play another high-speed opponent, St. John's, on Friday for a spot in the eight-team tournament's championship game Sunday.
Auburn (1-1) will go against the host school, College of Charleston, in the consolation round.
The Tigers will need lots of consoling after this one. Murray State opened a 27-10 lead over the first 11 minutes and the margin only got wider the rest of the way.
Canaan, the Racers' star guard, had outscored Auburn by himself in the first half with 20 points as Murray State led 45-19 at the break.
Things only got worse as the Tigers trailed by as many as 36 points.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Thanks for helping us sort this video!
Thanks for helping us associate the correct Pornstars to this video!
Aiutaci: queste pornostar appaiono in questo video?
Pornstar Name:
This girl is Angel Dark. Dirty girl!!!
what on earth are u guys talking about she aint that hot lol
what planet are you from?
God damn them TITs are perfect
There exes because they find out there boyfriends have put there video online lol
Totally fuckable
que panochota tan rica
best very best
I want this man to fuck my tight pussy just like that, mm what a nice cock, I could suck it & get pounded by it all day long
@Lyla: Jealous?
Eat that Pussy before you fuck it!!. Get it hot n juicy & she will fuck the shit outta you all night long. It is worth the time!!!
That pussy looked so nice. She got me really hard..
Ta buena la gata esa
hope you gaged on that penis
Gawd damn, this girl is hot!
love to pump her sweet pussy full of puppies
I mean, she was FN HOT, but the dude was really bad. Wish I had her here
So hot girl! so sweet pussy. So beatiful!
Why perfect tits? She hasnt perfect tits
dam sexy
un buen polvo nada mas no tiene nada de extraordinario es una hembra rica con una concha mejor que el culo y una lindas tetas para amasar
Yeah. She is lusty to take more in
Wats her name???
Where's the finish? All we got was his early precum.
I would love to tongue her asshole
that ain't no sexxy brandon.
Damn! she got a fine body... the kind I would loose my job for... i'd never get out of bed with this chick!
I would bang her hot ass till she cried
I like to but how
Wanna fuck me?
A real sweet looking girl - hard to believe she is a seasoned pornstar, or at least is one now. Angel Dark is her name?
definitely ha some girls, but none like her!
she really had a perfect aroma
I did her twice more.
Short dick, no condom...what a shame on both counts.
she looks like Jessica Biel...hot a sexy..great vagina!
u did her twice in ur dreams ones with right hand ones with left
I did her twice last week. Gonna do her again.
shes not angel dark shes sexxy brandon
this brunette is just too good so I wanted it to me
lol, you said "aint even" angel dark is the pwn hotness get over yourself
that was soo shitty that wasnt even a good fuck she ddint even moan really it was just bad, and she aint even hot so idk what you guys are talking about
the last ten seconds were the best.. would be nice to see her ride full frontal...
i want to get fucked i want a dick in my pussie right now
whoa! nice tan! perfect cunt!
greaaaaaattttttt wow
fuck me
Her tits are nice not surgically pushed-up like most porn stars. She probably is some MILF. Yes, she's hot. Quasi Latina dish.
her tits are not perfect they sag
yeah, by far one of the hottest women in the world.
the sexiest girl ever!
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text:
Hollywood's Favorite Flats
In Hollywood's public habitat (the red carpet), one may often find members of that animal kingdom perched on Manolos or teetering around in Louboutins. When on break from that zoo, the beautiful beasts kick off their heels and slip into something a little more comfortable-Lanvin flats. Favored by ladies like Kate, Lindsay and SJP, the shoes are as simply beautiful as they are impossible to get. Even if you have the upwards of $600 retail price, waiting lists at stockists abound. As luck would have it, Free People has created a near-perfect knock-off in a plethora of colors-for only $68. You'd have to be a dodo not to snap some up immediately.


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MANTECA - Fifteen miles south of Stockton's crowded San Joaquin Delta College campus sits a 160-acre farm, where a filly and two colts munched on grain from a bucket on a misty Thursday afternoon not far from orchards that later this year will yield more than two dozen varieties of almonds.
MANTECA - Fifteen miles south of Stockton's crowded San Joaquin Delta College campus sits a 160-acre farm, where a filly and two colts munched on grain from a bucket on a misty Thursday afternoon not far from orchards that later this year will yield more than two dozen varieties of almonds.
You probably won't see students hurrying about with backpacks, but this is Delta College property - and has been since the 1970s, when the Stockton campus was built.
Now, however, college administrators are asking whether the farm has a place in Delta's future.
Prompted by an offer from a developer, college trustees last week took a first step - albeit a tentative one - toward selling the property, though the matter is far from decided.
Terms of the offer are not public. Trustees will be briefed behind closed doors at their meeting in February.
The land, however, appears to be "very valuable," Delta President Kathy Hart said Friday. On the east is busy Highway 99; on the south is Lathrop Road, a major artery; and on the west are homes, some of which are still under construction as Manteca's urban edges creep outward.
A community college disposing of a farm that is at least occasionally used for educational purposes may prove controversial in San Joaquin County, where agriculture is the primary industry, valued at more than $2 billion a year.
"But the question we're always asking ourselves is, 'What is our business?' " Hart said. "Bottom line, is our business running a farm?"
Delta had no reason to ask that question until recently. That's because the farm has quietly run itself all of these years. Revenue from the crops pays for expenses; the college wasn't looking to unload the property.
Then came the unsolicited offer from the developer, whom Hart would not name.
"It would be irresponsible of us not to at least look at the possibility," Hart said. "We haven't done anything. There's no irreparable damage that's going to occur as a result of our looking at this. ... If (the trustees) don't want to do it, I'm fine with that."
The farm was originally intended as a location for a south county campus. Ultimately, however, the board went with a controversial plan to build in Mountain House instead. That campus opened in 2009.
As a result, the farm today has limited educational value, Hart said.
Two classrooms are nudged into a corner, but they are rarely used in this era of budget cuts.
Students involved in the college's small animal husbandry program learn how to take care of the horses, sheep and pigs, and practice showing animals for competitions with other community colleges.
Soil science students also make an occasional appearance. They'll be back in February to plant vegetables across an open plot of tilled earth.
"It's a good learning experience," said the manager of the farm, Jim Burkhard. "A lot of kids don't know their food source. It's very sad."
All in all, though, Delta's ag programs are limited, despite the county's rich farm heritage. Many students travel instead to Modesto Junior College, which has a more advanced program.
Those Delta programs that do use the farm could be relocated, Hart said. Long term, she said she envisions Delta shifting its focus from on-the-ground farming toward agribusiness, giving students important marketing and accounting skills to support the regional ag economy.
Bruce Blodgett, executive director of the San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation, said the bureau hasn't taken a formal position on the possible sale. He did say he found the idea of eliminating the farm as an educational tool to be "troubling."
"You don't learn in a classroom when it comes to agriculture," he said. "You have to get out on the ground, get your hands dirty. This is a pretty important industry for San Joaquin County, and we would hope that Delta College still sees a place for that."
Ted Simas, a former Delta trustee who lives in Manteca, called the concept of selling the farm "shortsighted."
"It's indisputable that land is more valuable than cash," he said. "God doesn't make any more of it."
Money from any sale would not be used to simply buoy the college's general fund, Hart said. The money could only go to capital projects or deferred maintenance - and the main campus in Stockton is showing its age.
Nor would any sale move forward lickety-split. State law requires the college to deem unwanted property as "surplus" and offer it first at fair market value to schools, government and nonprofit charitable organizations.
Trustees can back out at any time.
"You don't have to take anything," Hart said. "At any point in the process, you can say, 'No, we're not doing it.' "
Contact reporter Alex Breitler at (209) 546-8295 or email@example.com. Visit his blog at recordnet.com/breitlerblog.


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Plan in place to refinance school bonds
Dist. 20 board gives France authority to act.
To borrow a phrase from District 20 board and finance committee member Nate Wyatt, these are exciting times if the stars line up correctly.
What Wyatt was referring to was the board's decision Monday night to react to the refinancing of bonds at a lower interest rate if the market becomes favorable to redeem $9,285,000 of general obligation bonds.
The board passed a resolution authorizing board president Scott France to determine the redemption date if and when the market is favorable to do so.
Another resolution was approved which gives France the authority to reissue $9,425,000 in bonds.
The issuance of bonds was how the district built Gothenburg's High School and an addition to Dudley Elementary earlier this decade.
As of Jan. 1, superintendent Mike Teahon said the district will have about $9.2 million yet to pay on the bonds.
Teahon said the bonds will be reissued at a higher rate—$9.4 million—so about $140,000 is available to finance the reissuance of the bonds.
Patron savings estimated
If conditions become favorable to redeem and reissue the bonds, Wyatt said it will be exciting to save patrons a significant amount of money—a sum he estimates at $300,000.
This would be the second time the district has used a fluctuating bond market to save substantial money.
In 2005, district officials were given the green light to refinance $10,585,000 of general obligation bonds that saved approximately $1.2 million in bond costs.
District officials must now get a credit bond rating from Standard & Poor's at a cost between $8,000 and $9,000. Teahon said the rating is good for six months to a year.
With the action taken by the board, Teahon said the district can react quickly which is important because of the volatility of the bond market.
The bonds are scheduled to be paid off in 2025.
Race to the Top approved
In other action, the board approved a memorandum of understanding for the district to participate in the state's Race To The Top federal grant application.
Teahon, who's involved in the writing of the grant, said the memorandum is non binding which means the district can decide again about participation if the grant application is approved.
If granted, federal money would be spent on a statewide system to support school districts to close achievement gaps while increasing overall student achievement and improving high school graduation and college enrollment rates.
On another matter, the board heard the annual patron report for 2008-09 presented by junior high principal and curriculum director Ryan Groene and science teacher Cathy Larson.
Groene pointed out the demographics of the district, accountability and the reading, writing, math and science performances of District 20 students and results of a standardized test used which is the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.
Peformance data viewed
The principal is combining and analyzing performance data to look at trends which can be broken down by grade, subject, gender and other areas.
Conclusions drawn by Groene that he shared include that:
- Scores drop as students get older.
- Math problem-solving scores are higher but computation scores are low in all areas.
- Vocabulary and spelling can improve.
In areas that show lower scores for students, Groene said staff plans to work together in addressing areas of need.
The results can be viewed in the State of the Schools Report on the Nebraska Department of Education Web site at www.nde.com or in the superintendent's office.
Larson surveyed high school students to learn their perception of school climate. Those results were unavailable Tuesday.
Roof work commissioned
During reports, Teahon said work is being done on the roof of the Community Building because of ongoing condensation issues. Johnson Controls is doing the work at an estimated cost of $20,000.
In other business, the board:
- approved the optioning out of 11th-grader Faith Zimmerman to the Brady school district.
- recognized the Gothenburg Education Association as the bargaining agents for certified staff.
- learned that elementary enrollment is 496—up one student since the first day of school on Aug. 18—and that several fifth graders attended a Mid-Nebraska Youth Leadership Conference at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Second graders toured Stuhr Museum.
- heard that the district needs to start paying a lease fee for golf and cross-country team members to use the Wild Horse Golf course. Activities director Seth Ryker surveyed several schools to come up with an amount. Golf club board members set a $2,000 yearly lease fee.
- were informed that a preschool advisory committee continues to meet in determining how to implement a public preschool in the district.
- were told about the semester test schedule next week for junior and senior high students and learned that a year ago, 38 students were failing a class or classes compared to 21 now.
- will meet again on Monday, Jan. 11 at 5:30 p.m.
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Dear Theists *an open christmas letter*
Dear Theists *an open christmas letter*
Dear Theists,
I know you think that Christmas is the time your saviour was born. You probably read stories on why this is highly unlikely. Probably, but less likely, you even read about Christian history, and learnt how exactly Christmas, as the holiday it is nowadays, came to be.
So I will not go into that in this letter. Do not worry, I am not going to give you a lesson on your own religion. You will either be offended and or get apologetic about it. As I am not heartless enough to get you completely out of the christmas mood, I will not point out all the lies that you were taught in your christian belief system.
But as I have been recently asked, by one of you kind, what I am celebrating right now, I will tell you.
I celebrate several things at this time. Some are things that occur in nature, some are tradition.
For nature. The 21st of December is commonly accepted as Midwinter. The days become longer and the nights become short now. That means, we are entering the warmer period, the period in the year where we have more daylight. Soon we will be able to plant things, doing the garden, and enjoy time outside the house. Soon we will see the first early flowers.
Right now we are just happy that we do have food and a warm place to stay. We are happy about that especially because not so long ago it was very difficult to feed yourself through winter and we are so fortunate nowadays that we can. We are so fortunate that our houses don't let the cold in so easily, and that we have heaters. It is so much less dangerous nowadays to keep your house warm, because you do not have to make a fire which could burn our houses down.
We also have a contemplative and reflective time right now.
As the days get longer we observe how the circle of the year is always similar. How the cold and the warm days are changing in a specific rythm. We think about the food we have in our cellars. A lot of them have been grown and prepared through the warm times of the years. Through the times when plants where able to grow and bloom. Now we can eat from them, we stay alive because 9 out of 12 months the earth is carrying fruit for us.
We also think back to the times of when people had no electricity. How life seemed dead, days seemed short, and the house seemed so much colder than normal. As a sign for that we can light a red candle, the color stands for life, the flame for the light and the heat that we have and can enjoy.
When we become reflective these days, we think of the past year. What did the year teach us, what experiences did we make. How do we want to make the next year better for ourselves, our families and our friends. Did we hurt someone by mistake, and how are we going to make things better with that person?
This time is also a time of new beginning. When the holidays are over we can, once again, start making changes. Maybe we want to find another job or learn something new. Maybe we want to travel, plan a family or come to terms with people. We make our goals for the next year and we plan on how to reach those goals. Because now are the days where we actually have the time for that.
Traditionally we like to decorate our houses, we like to see friends and family. We like to eat well and exchange thoughtful gifts. We like to tell each other stories of past christmasses, about funny occurances, we like to watch a movie together or play cards. We like to give our pets special treats. We generally want to have a harmonic and nice time now, just like you, dear Theist. We cook together, and laugh, and drink, and eat, and talk.
When we decorate, we do it in a way we like it! If we like kitch, we just put a lot of glitter on our trees and we put lights on the house. If we like it more traditional, we will have a few ornaments on the tree and a plate with cookies and fruits on the table.
Did you know, dear Theist, that all the Christmas symbols have those very nice meanings? It is so wonderful. The fir tree, always green, we put it in our houses as a sign of nature that still lives, even now, as it is cold and dark outside. We decorate it with lights (to light up the dark and short days), we put baubles on the branches to show the way nature repeats it's processes through the years just like in circular motion. We sometimes but nuts and apples on the tree to show that we can feed ourselfes through these times. We keep the tree colorful in a place of the house where everyone can see it. Just to lighten up the day, to have something special at this time of the year. We like to sit close to the tree and just spend a nice quiet evening there.
Did you know that the habit of not doing laundry the 12 days after christmas has it's roots many years ago. When we did not have warm houses or driers. People thought that if you hang your laundry during those very cold days, someone will die in that family. And that was likely back then, you did not wash because stuff didn't dry properly as you had to hang it outside, and if you had to wash it was most likely bed sheets for someone who got sick. When the doctor could not reach you through the snow it was likely that you died from that. Although we can plow and dry nowadays, some people still keep this habit. But this is just a fun fact.
The main reason why we give presents at christmas time is actually the story of the wise men that came to bring Jesus gifts when he was born. So yes, the habit actually has a christian base but it became a tradition that many people don't know the root of. And even though, it is a very nice thing to think about another person and exchange a nice gift. Although we can do it all over the year, and many people do, the tradition is so people do it especially on christmas. Why wouldn't we join in. Isn't it a wonderful experience to see the childrens faces glowing when they are unpacking their presents, wonderin what is in the box and cheering because they got what they wanted to get.
Speaking of children. Christmas is so much fun for them. We can bake together, decorate cookies, build gingerbread houses, and go to town to see all the lights that are everywhere. We can tell fun stories about santa clause or saint Niclas. They are allowed to have more sweets than normally and noone is gonna teach them about bad teeth and big bellies.
You see, dear theist, we atheists have enough reasons to celebrate this time of the year. We have just as much fun with it, connect just as much emotion with it.
What we do differently is, don't include magic, the supernatural, and a boring few hours in church.
We are having a good time, just like you. And just like you we want this good time in peace and harmony and without being told that our way of celebrating is not valid.
Have nice holidays and please overeat, this is the only time in the year where you will not have a bad conscience about it
The following 4 users Like Leerob's post:4 users Like Leerob's post
Jedah (25-12-2012), Chas (25-12-2012), robotworld (26-12-2012), Impulse (26-12-2012)
RE: Dear Theists *an open christmas letter*
You need to work on tenses; you keep switching between "your" and "our" mid-sentence. As a grammar nazi, I am highly offended.
E 2 = (mc 2)2 + (pc )2
614C → 714N + e– + ̅νe
2 K(s) + 2 H2O(l) → 2 KOH(aq) + H2 (g) + 196 kJ/mol
It works, bitches.
The following 1 user Likes Phaedrus's post:1 user Likes Phaedrus's post
Starcrash (25-12-2012)
25-12-2012, 07:28 PM (This post was last modified: 25-12-2012 07:43 PM by sandman.)
RE: Dear Theists *an open christmas letter*
You are describing persons - not tenses. I'm even more offended.
The following 1 user Likes sandman's post:1 user Likes sandman's post
shelle2184 (26-12-2012)
RE: Dear Theists *an open christmas letter*
(25-12-2012 06:59 PM)Phaedrus Wrote: You need to work on tenses; you keep switching between "your" and "our" mid-sentence. As a grammar nazi, I am highly offended.We shall have to send her to the Punctuation Camps.
My girlfriend is mad at me. Perhaps I shouldn't have tried cooking a stick in her non-stick pan.
The following 2 users Like Starcrash's post:2 users Like Starcrash's post
morondog (26-12-2012), Vosur (11-02-2013)
RE: Dear Theists *an open christmas letter*
Interesting letter.
I've been an atheist for 45 years now, ever since I was born, and I love celebrating Christmas even though Christ has zero meaning for me.
But I've never put that much thought into it. I surely don't celebrate the winter solstice. Yes, I am aware the dates almost correlate, but I could hardly care less about solstices; they mean no more to me than Jesus, other than the fact that solstices are actually real and observable.
I like hanging out with family and friends, I like giving and getting presents, I like decorating with lights and trees and Frosty and Santa, and I generally like the happy spirit of the holiday - everyone's in good cheer it seems. Yeah, I know that many people aren't, but I guess I just don't have many such acquaintances, or they hide it well, so it seems like everyone's in good cheer to me.
Basically, it's just fun. Like Halloween, the holiday means nothing to me in any real sense but it's fun to do.
"Whores perform the same function as priests, but far more thoroughly." - Robert A. Heinlein
RE: Dear Theists *an open christmas letter*
Sorry, I saw the length of the post and clicked right back out. Except for this, that is.
RE: Dear Theists *an open christmas letter*
@ all grammar nazis: I may make mistakes and not see them as I am no native speaker. (I actually proofread that thing twice before posting)
@ Aseptic Skeptic: It is basically a collection of fews and opinions. I myself don't even really celebrate it. btw for the midwinter and christmas being so close to each other, there is a simple explanation. When Christianity was pushed on the "pagans" they were celebrating mid winter. To make the switch to Christianity easier and therefore more successful they simply moved it a few days and changed the name and meaning. The symbols, as we see, are still the same. (Btw they did that with many other celebrations. e.g. easter)
@ Egor: It's a letter. Did you expect it to be 2 sentences long?
The following 1 user Likes Leerob's post:1 user Likes Leerob's post
Starcrash (26-12-2012)
RE: Dear Theists *an open christmas letter*
Hey! Aussies and Kiwis and Morondog,
Happy Summer Solstice.
For me, the days and nights never change. 7am, 7pm... boring.
Thanks for the letter, Leela. I enjoyed it.
The following 2 users Like DLJ's post:2 users Like DLJ's post
morondog (26-12-2012), Leerob (26-12-2012)
RE: Dear Theists *an open christmas letter*
Jeez! And I thought I was a grammar nazi or something. Relax, guys. Or try writing an equally long and coherent post in German.
(26-12-2012 07:40 AM)DLJ Wrote: For me, the days and nights never change. 7am, 7pm... boring.
"E se non passa la tristezza con altri occhi la guarderò."
The following 2 users Like Vera's post:2 users Like Vera's post
morondog (26-12-2012), Leerob (26-12-2012)
RE: Dear Theists *an open christmas letter*
You're late.
Solstice passed.
I ate
Some duck
Seasonal Felicitations.
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text:
The U.S. House of Representatives is immersed in a fourth day of debate on a bill that would cut government spending for this fiscal year by more than $60 billion. The epic battle between Democrats and Republicans is over the country's spending priorities.
House lawmakers spent much of the past three days and nights debating and voting on 583 amendments to a bill to cut government spending. Some lawmakers began to appear tense and tired, but some, like Republican Representative Mike Pence of Indiana, were still passionate for even deeper cuts to government spending.
"We said to the American people that we would do at least a $100 billion, we have added hundreds of millions of dollars to that, let's do more, let's do 22 billion more, let's under-promise, over-deliver and set this nation back on a pathway toward fiscal responsibility and reform," he said.
Republicans swept midterm elections across the country last November, winning majority control of the House and picking up some seats in the still-Democratic controlled Senate. Many of the Republican candidates promised dramatic cuts to domestic spending.
During this week's marathon debate, Democrats have fought cuts to social programs, health care funding and funding for the Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory agencies. Democratic Representative Keith Ellison of Minnesota said many Americans are probably wondering what the debate is all about.
"What it is all about Mr. Speaker is which direction will America go in? Will we cut back and scale back vital programs that help Americans do better and move into the middle class? Will we cut back and scale back vitally needed regulations to help protect us, allow us to have clean air and clean water and important other rights," Ellison said. "Or, Mr. Speaker, will we have an America where we have labor rights, where we can organize, where we can have adequate regulations that give us the opportunity to have a decent standard of life in America."
Anna Palmer of "Congressional Quarterly" said Congress is having a hard time making budget cuts because it is more used to spending,
"For the first time in a very long time, the House of Representatives is looking at cutting funds instead of adding them, in terms of foreign aid, in terms of education and making really drastic cuts," she said.
The current temporary spending measure now in effect will expire on March 4. The House and the Senate have to agree on a spending bill to prevent a government shutdown on March 5. The U.S. government shut down in late 1994 after a showdown between then Democratic President Bill Clinton and a Republican-controlled House. Palmer said Republican leaders are wary of another shutdown.
"House Republicans have said publicly and very adamantly, frankly, that they do not want a government shutdown," she said. "They did that in 1994 and it was not a very successful political tool."
But Palmer and other analysts say the high-stakes battle over budget priorities is also risky for Democratic President Barack Obama. Democratic leaders in the Senate have said they will not accept such drastic cuts to a spending bill, and Obama has said he would veto it if it reaches his desk.


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Customer Reviews
Great flavor, but agree that it could use more of a chipotle kick and less sugar. That said, it's a very tasty blend and is versatile.
SX, Jan 23rd 2014
Could use a bit more chipotle - I prefer the Blackened Redfish, Barbecue or Fajita Magic blends over this one.
Mike A, Apr 27th 2012
The Chipotle Chili Magic goes wonderfully with pork. We frequently dredge pork chops like we would if we were blackening fish and then cook them in a George Forman Grill. Absolutely amazing.
John P, Jan 24th 2012
Love this in chile. It gives a wonderful spicy flavor to the dish. You will love it too!
Lenore J, Nov 4th 2009


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FDA approval is a ticket to market medical devices and drugs. It could soon also become a kind of "get-out-of-jail free" card for their makers, freeing them from liability for producing defective or unsafe products.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that consumers cannot sue the makers of faulty medical devices if those products have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. In another case argued last week, the court seems poised to extend similar protections to the makers of unsafe drugs.
FDA approval protects consumers from faulty products, Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in the majority opinion, because the review that precedes it "is focused on safety."
In theory, maybe. In reality:
- The FDA is inadequately funded and poorly equipped. Since 1994, it has lost 1,311 employees. Adjusted for inflation, its budget is down by nearly $300 million during that time.
- Separate reviews by the Institute of Medicine (part of the National Academies of Science), the Government Accountability Office and a scientific advisory panel established by the FDA have concluded that the agency is in urgent need of reorganization and a substantial budget increase. The advisory panel called for an increase of 150 percent over five years.
- This week, FDA head Dr. Andrew von Eisenbach said his agency needs more funding than the almost 3 percent increase recommended in President George W. Bush's budget. "I think what we do requires substantially more dollars than what has been invested in the FDA so far," he told The Wall Street Journal.
- The agency is in the middle of yet another major drug recall - this time involving the anti-clotting drug heparin. Congress is investigating the failure of FDA regulators to inspect overseas plants that make key ingredients and finished medicines sold in this country.
- A separate congressional panel is studying potential financial conflicts of interest among doctors whose research led the FDA to approve a new artificial spinal disk. That investigation has raised questions about payments from drug and device makers to doctors who recommend their products.
- Last summer, the FDA was faulted for allowing poisonous pet food into the country. In recent years, some of the agency's own drug reviewers have raised questions about drugs it allowed on the market. Among them is Vioxx, the arthritis medicine withdrawn in 2004 after studies showed it increased the risk of heart attack and stroke.
- In 2005, it was revealed that FDA officials waited four months to warn patients about potentially life-threatening problems with a medical device called an implantable defibrillator. The devices at issue in that case were made by Medtronic, the same company at the center of last week's Supreme Court ruling. So-called pre-marketing approval is based on tests involving relatively small numbers of patients; unforeseen risks often emerge when drugs and medical devices are in widespread use. In other cases, as with the faulty defibrillators, design shortcomings only become apparent later.
Before President George W. Bush took office, the FDA supported allowing patients to sue. In a 1997 filing, an agency lawyer wrote that "even the most thorough regulation of a product such as a critical medical device may fail to identify problems."
Blocking lawsuits will prevent problems from coming to light, but it won't prevent them from occurring. Even though problems are supposed to be reported to the FDA, that doesn't always happen.
Congress can, and must, clarify the right of patients to seek damages when injured by faulty products. It also must increase significantly the FDA's budget so it can do the job we all expect of it. Until that happens, consumers should take FDA approval with a large grain of salt.
Copyright © 2008 St. Louis Post-Dispatch L.L.C.


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Mario and pals have new cat-like abilities in "Super Mario 3D World." (Nintendo)Link
Play as Princess Peach in "Super Mario 3D World." (Nintendo)Link
Clear tubes are a mode of transport in "Super Mario 3D World." (Nintendo)Link
Princess Peach in cat-mode in "Super Mario 3D World." (Nintendo)Link
Mario is ready to pounce in "Super Mario 3D World." (Nintendo)Link
Shadows will play tricks with the gamer in "Super Mario 3D World." (Nintendo)Link
A scene of Mario and pals as cats in "Super Mario 3D World." (Nintendo)Link
Travel via dinosaur-like creatures as Luigi in "Super Mario 3D World." (Nintendo)Link
Bowser is back, and he's kidnapped a Sprixie in "Super Mario 3D World." (Nintendo)Link
Bowser has a hot rod in "Super Mario 3D World." (Nintendo)Link
Link can transform into an art object in "The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds." (Nintendo)Link
Link brings art to life in "The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds." (Nintendo)Link
As an art object, Link can travel in the walls in "The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds." (Nintendo)Link
The look is old-fashioned, but "The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds" is anything but. (Nintendo)Link
A battle scene in "The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds." (Nintendo)Link
This month saw the release of two high-end home video game consoles from Sony and Microsoft. But competitor and long-standing game powerhouse Nintendo has a surprisingly effective countermove: cats.
Yes, cats.
The Italian caricatures of Mario and Luigi, who may be the closest thing the video game medium has to a Mickey and Minnie when it comes to brand awareness, have returned in the Wii U exclusive "Super Mario 3D World," now with the ability to morph into feline form. It's one tweak among many, and it turns out that putting paws on the plumbers more than livens up a trusty formula.
Mario and Luigi now chase rabbits, climb trees and attack enemies with claws out, a number of seemingly small design changes that when taken as a whole results in one of the more inventive Mario adventures.
Like the best of Nintendo's work, "Super Mario 3D World" is familiar — to a point. Along with handheld title "The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds," Nintendo this holiday season has allowed weirdness and experimentation to goofily trump tradition.
While all gaming attention is turned toward faster, more connected game machines such as the PS4 and the Xbox One, Nintendo has reimagined its two largest brands, each making the case that eccentrically cute game design can be more impressive than any of the latest tech.
Players have seen Mario and pals in raccoon form before, but never before as a cat. They meow, they scale walls and, in one of the most meticulously designed major games of 2013, they interact with nearly every aspect of the world, here once again in fully roamable 3D rather than the side-scrolling, 2D view of yore.
Curious if they can throw a snowball, jump on an ice skate, scurry up a wall or escape peril by bounding up trees, the answer is most always yes. Ten hours into "Super Mario 3D World" and I was still asking myself the following question: Hey, I wonder if I can do this?
Does it always make sense? Gleefully no.
One doesn't need to know why old Mario foes such as the mushroom-shaped Goombas have suddenly grown tails and now have the ability to make a sound sort of like a purr, or why never-say-die Mario foil Bowser now has a Hot Rod that can be bested by exploding soccer balls.
Another welcome change: The often-kidnapped Princess Peach is, after a long hiatus, once again a playable character, and the former damsel in distress can out-jump her potbellied male peers. This will come in especially handy when playing with others. Up to four at once can join, and since "3D World" has a competitive underbelly in multiplayer mode, don't be surprised to see Peach floating to safety while Mario or Luigi jump into the void.
The 3DS-exclusive "A Link Between Worlds" takes a similar everything-old-can-be-torn-up-and-made-new-again approach. Here, Nintendo's fantasy-action hero Link can turn into a painting to explore caverns, dungeons and forests as a movable art object on the wall. Link's primary weapon is still a sword, but by allowing Link to transform into a stenciled image of himself the mood of game shifts. Never before has a "Zelda" title felt as much like a puzzle game, as dungeons exist less to be raided than solved.
While "A Link Between Worlds" is a sequel to 1992's "A Link to the Past," and bears a similar, bird's-eye view of the landscape, it works as a nostalgia-eschewing stand-alone title. The kingdom and the princess are in peril, but Nintendo often uses story more as a device than a necessity. "A Link Between Worlds" is largely about giving players a full set of gadgets — a rod that sends Link spinning into the air, a switch-flipping boomerang, a Batman-like grappling hook — and finding the places where they can be used.
Perhaps its greatest asset is pace. A dungeon may need one or two go-rounds, but there's not so much a strict order in completing them. If one simply wants to wander the kingdom and chat with a helpful witch, a magical beast who lost her children or a half-man, half-bee, one can do that. There's multiple little stories for players to discover in the game, and it's not uncommon to be stuck on one puzzle for 30 or 60 minutes. Players will have to think themselves out of a fix rather than slash their way out of one.
Each game is delightful in its own way, but there's more importance riding on "3D World." When it was released last Friday it instantly became the flagship title for the Wii U system, which Nintendo has admitted has been underperforming in the marketplace.
As a console showcase, "3D World" utilizes the Wii U's touchscreen-like controller to enhance the game in little spots throughout. Some are fun but gimmicky, such as the ability to blow into the controller's microphone and knock lil' Goombas off a ledge, and other times the controller's screen simply becomes a better way to navigate thoroughly tricky terrain, making it more a matter of convenience.
But such technical details are almost beside the point, as there is no Mario game quite like this. Ultimately, it's no small feat what Nintendo has accomplished, which is to take two franchises that date to the mid-'80s and make them relevant to the here and meow, err, now.
– Todd Martens | @toddmartens | @LATHeroComplex
Review: Sony's PlayStation 4 console is connected, communal
Review: Microsoft's Xbox One wants to speak to more than gamers
'Arkham' games review: 'Blackgate' simplicity bests 'Origins'
'Assassin's Creed' writer: 11 women who need their own games
Neil Gaiman's ghostly game 'Wayward Manor' prizes puzzles
IndieCade: A look at some of the year's most exciting games
'Pikmin 3′ review: Nintendo's alien world of discovery
'The Legend of Zelda': Eiji Aonuma plots series' future


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|Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange
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Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
Annual or perennial herb from rhizomes, submersed or emergent, sometimes dioecious or plants with some unisexual flowers
Stem short, erect, ± scapose
Leaves basal or cauline, alternate, generally narrowly cylindric; sheath open, generally liguled
Inflorescence: spike or raceme (terminal) or flowers solitary in axils; bracts 0
Flower: perianth parts generally 6 in 2 whorls (except 01 in Lilaea ), free, greenish; stamens generally 1, 3, or 6, filament short, ± fused to inner perianth parts, anthers elongate, dehiscing outward; pistil 1 (simple) or seemingly so (ovaries 3, 4, or 6, fused to central axis, each with 1 chamber and 1 style), ovule 1 per chamber, style short and plumose or long and thread-like
Fruit: follicle or nutlet
Genera in family: 5 genera, ± 20 species: temp and circumboreal.
Perennial from rhizomes in CA, terrestrial or aquatic
Stem erect, short, obscure
Leaves basal, ± tufted; sheath membranous; ligule entire to 2-lobed
Inflorescence: raceme, scapose, narrowly cylindric, glabrous; pedicels short
Flower bisexual; perianth parts 36, generally green, inner surface concave; stamens (1)36, subsessile, anthers wide; ovaries 3 or 6 (if 6, 3 sometimes sterile), 1-chambered, ± fused to central axis, style short, stigma papillate
Fruit: follicles 36, separating from axis
Seed 1, linear, ± flat or angled
Species in genus: ± 12 species: temp and circumboreal
Etymology: (Greek: 3-pointed, from fruits of some)
TOXIC when fresh from cyanogenic compounds.
Perennial from spreading to ascending rhizomes, < 3(4.56) dm
Leaf < 20 cm, ± 1 mm wide, subcylindric, ± fleshy; ligule 0.51.5 mm, 2-lobed
Inflorescences 2 or more per plant, > leaves; pedicels < 5 mm, ascending
Flower: perianth parts generally 6, ± 1.5 mm; stamens generally 6; fertile ovaries 6
Fruits 6 per flower, < 5 mm, oblong-ovoid, falling from axis
Chromosomes: 2n=48,96
Ecology: Salt marshes, alkaline meadows, seeps, mudflats, stream and lake margins
Elevation: < 2500 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, s High Sierra Nevada, Central Coast, South Coast, Great Basin Floristic Province, Mojave Desert
Distribution outside California: to Canada, Colorado, Baja California
Plant < 3(4.5) dm
Ecology: Uncommon. Salt marshes
Elevation: < 5 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Baja California
Horticultural information: WET, saline to fresh water margins and mud; SUN: 4, 5, 15, 16, 17, 24.


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Doing smart things for our customers and the right thing for our planet is what PSE is all about. We're advancing clean technology and energy efficiency to build a better future. More
Protecting habitat, clearing trails, restoring stream banks and planting trees. We want to make our region a better place. More
PSE has worked for decades to enhance Washington's fish populations and mitigate the impacts of PSE hydropower operations on fish. More
We retrofit our energy facilities and modify our power lines to protect our avian friends. More


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I'm not sure if I ma posting this in the right place but please move it if I have put it in the wrong section.
When I bought my first bento and sushi mat from Japan Centre the other day I also bought some of this http://www.japancentre.com/?cmd=itm&cid=114&id=1842 ramen noodle soup because it was on sale.
Now although there are basic pictures on the back all the cooking instructions are in japanese and I don't know how much water to use. Has anyone had these before? Do you know how to make them and could you let me know?
Yours, being really dumb
Rachael :p
They are pretty well all the same, use 400ml of water.
Boil water, immerse noodle in boiling water, reduce heat to medium or less.
Sprinkle the soup base in the liquid, stir not shaken :)
Add veggies and or COOKED meat, continue cooking for two to three minutes.
I like to add a raw egg in the last couple minute.
Put a lid on the pot for the last couple minutes to cook the egg yolk.
Hope it works for you.
What Balifly said. :) Although I do cook the noodles in a bit more water. I use some of the cooking water for the soup, pouring it into the bowl, and mixing in the soup powder or liquid or whatever. Then I add the cooked noodles and whatever else. The amount of time you cook the noodles depends on the type, but it's usually around 2-3 minutes after coming to a boil.
The Big Onigiri.
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