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Anna's Magic Ball® Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Anna Van Vloten'
Height: 18 inches
Spread: 18 inches
Hardiness Zone: 3a
Other Names: Eastern White Cedar
Brand: Proven Winners
A spectacular dwarf evergreen shrub with very fine-textured yellow juvenile foliage that turns gold in winter; forms a compact ball shape without pruning; ideal for home garden use and in rock gardens; best with some sun, protect from drying winds
Ornamental Features
Anna's Magic Ball® Arborvitae is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the garden for its ornamental globe-shaped form. It has attractive yellow evergreen foliage. The ferny sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and turn gold in the fall, which persists throughout the winter.
Landscape Attributes
Anna's Magic Ball® Arborvitae is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Anna's Magic Ball® Arborvitae is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Planting & Growing
Anna's Magic Ball® Arborvitae will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.

subset: commoncrawl


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text: About Trout Unlimited Trout Unlimited is a national organization with 300,000 members and supporters organized into over 400 chapters and councils nationwide. These dedicated grassroots volunteers are matched by a respected staff of organizers, lawyers, policy experts, and scientists, who work out of more than 45 offices across the country. Our mission is to conserve, protect, and restore North America's cold-water fisheries and their watersheds. Position Summary TU is seeking an Aquatic Resources Field Technician (up to 2 vacancies). The anticipated employment date range is April through October 2018 with possibility of extension or re-hire (pending funding). The position will require overnight travel and will work on average 20 hours per week, not to exceed 40 hours per week. Some weekend and evening work will be required. The technician will assist TU staff with projects aimed to restore aquatic connectivity, in-stream habitat, and promote the long term values associated with aquatic restoration. The ideal candidate will be motivated and have some background knowledge in the areas of stream ecology, fisheries science, and fluvial geomorphology. Project duties will primarily include field data collection using survey equipment (e.g., laser level, total station, etc.). Other duties will include various biological assessments, and possible assistance in project designs, construction oversight, and project monitoring. Additionally, position duties will involve assistance in grant writing and reporting, community education and outreach. Project work areas are primarily located in Northern Michigan (Lower Peninsula) with possibilities in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Duties and Responsibilities Conduct a variety of stream surveys including geomorphic assessments, aquatic organism passage assessments and biological assessments Assist in project implementation and on-site construction Assist in project budgeting and reporting Assist in grant writing Coordinate education and outreach efforts with project partners and general public Attend project planning meetings as necessary Assist in the planning, training and coordination of volunteer-based programs *This is not an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities. Qualifications Working towards or completed a B.S. in a field related to fisheries management, aquatic ecology, watershed management, geomorphology, or biological systems engineering. Experience using surveyor's equipment (e.g., laser level, total station, etc.). Experience in biological assessments (e.g., macroinvertebrates, fish, habitat, etc.). Experience in data entry using Microsoft Excel and Access. A working knowledge of principles and practices of fisheries and aquatic resource management. Ability to work independently and in a team setting. Good written and oral communication skills. Experience with ESRI GIS software preferred. Ability to work in rugged terrain often transporting heavier field equipment. Passion for protecting and restoring trout populations and their watersheds. How to Apply Please send a letter of interest, resume and 3 professional references to Jeremy Geist, Trout Unlimited's Great Lakes Restoration Manager at firstname.lastname@example.com. TU is an Equal Employment Opportunity & Affirmative Action Employer pursuant to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act & Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistant Act. TU hires staff without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or disability.


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The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration continue to hear from taxpayers who have received unsolicited calls from individuals demanding payment while fraudulently claiming to be from the IRS. Based on the 90,000 complaints that TIGTA has received through its telephone hotline, to date, TIGTA has identified approximately 1,100 victims who have lost an estimated $5 million from these scams.
"There are clear warning signs about these scams, which continue at high levels throughout the nation," said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. "Taxpayers should remember their first contact with the IRS will not be a call from out of the blue, but through official correspondence sent through the mail. A big red flag for these scams are angry, threatening calls from people who say they are from the IRS and urging immediate payment. This is not how we operate. People should hang up immediately and contact TIGTA or the IRS."
Additionally, it is important for taxpayers to know that the IRS:
- Never asks for credit card, debit card or prepaid card information over the telephone.
- Never insists that taxpayers use a specific payment method to pay tax obligations
- Never requests immediate payment over the telephone and will not take enforcement action immediately following a phone conversation. Taxpayers usually receive prior notification of IRS enforcement action involving IRS tax liens or levies.
Potential phone scam victims may be told that they owe money that must be paid immediately to the IRS or they are entitled to big refunds. When unsuccessful the first time, sometimes phone scammers call back trying a new strategy.
Other characteristics of these scams include:
- Scammers use fake names and IRS badge numbers. They generally use common names and surnames to identify themselves.
- Scammers may be able to recite the last four digits of a victim's Social Security number.
- Scammers spoof the IRS toll-free number on caller ID to make it appear that it's the IRS calling.
- Scammers sometimes send bogus IRS emails to some victims to support their bogus calls.
- Victims hear background noise of other calls being conducted to mimic a call site.
- After threatening victims with jail time or driver's license revocation, scammers hang up and others soon call back pretending to be from the local police or DMV, and the caller ID supports their claim.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, here's what you should do:
- If you know you owe taxes or you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040. The IRS employees at that line can help you with a payment issue, if there really is such an issue.
- If you know you don't owe taxes or have no reason to think that you owe any taxes (for example, you've never received a bill or the caller made some bogus threats as described above), then call and report the incident to TIGTA at 1.800.366.4484.
- If you've been targeted by this scam, you should also contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their "FTC Complaint Assistant" at FTC.gov. Please add "IRS Telephone Scam" to the comments of your complaint.
Taxpayers should be aware that there are other unrelated scams (such as a lottery sweepstakes) and solicitations (such as debt relief) that fraudulently claim to be from the IRS.
The IRS encourages taxpayers to be vigilant against phone and email scams that use the IRS as a lure. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. The IRS also does not ask for PINs, passwords or similar confidential access information for credit card, bank or other financial accounts. Recipients should not open any attachments or click on any links contained in the message. Instead, forward the e-mail to [email protected].
For more information or to report a scam, go to www.irs.gov and type "scam" in the search box.
More information on how to report phishing scams involving the IRS is available on the genuine IRS website, IRS.gov.


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text:
There are tons of cam models out there, but few are as sexy and beautiful as Monique from CamWithHer.com as you can see in the slideshow above. We particularly like the photos she took of herself, which gives you a glimpse of how much fun she can have with the camera. The schoolgirl pic is also a classic, and you can see she likes to sport all sorts of lingerie.
Check out the video below and you'll get a great preview of what you can enjoy if you decide to look up and interact with Monique at Cam With Her! Enjoy . . .
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text:
Good morning.
Our early headlines:
-- Killing Continues In Syria, Two Western Journalists Among Victims.
-- Protests Continue In Afghanistan Over Quran Burnings; Some Killed.
-- Obama Administration To Propose Cut In Corporate Tax Rate.
-- Massey Mine Boss Charged In Deadly Coal Mine Explosion.
-- Obama Sings Again: Belts A Bit Of 'Sweet Home Chicago'.
Other top stories:
-- "Nuclear Inspectors Say Their Mission To Iran Has Failed."( The New York Times)
Related: In a statement, inspectors say "intensive efforts were made to reach agreement on a document facilitating the clarification of unresolved issues in connection with Iran's nuclear program, particularly those relating to possible military dimensions. Unfortunately, agreement was not reached on this document."
-- "Greek Lawmakers Rush To Adopt Promised Austerity."( The Associated Press)
-- Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum Will Be Main Attractions At Tonight's GOP Debate. ( Politico)
-- "Peugeot Is In Talks With General Motors on Possible Alliance; Shares Surge." ( Bloomberg News)
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
- Do the following:
- Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter while participating in astronomy activities, and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
- Explain first aid for injuries or illnesses such as heat and cold reactions, dehydration, bites and stings, and damage to your eyes that could occur during observation.
- Describe the proper clothing and other precautions for safely making observations at night and in cold weather. Then explain how to safely observe the Sun, objects near the Sun, and the Moon.
- Explain what light pollution is and how it and air pollution affect astronomy.
- With the aid of diagrams (or real telescopes if available), do each
of the following:
- Explain why binoculars and telescopes are important astronomical tools. Demonstrate or explain how these tools are used.
- Describe the similarities and differences of several types of astronomical telescopes, including at least one that observes light beyond the visible part of the spectrum (i.e., radio, X-ray, ultraviolet, or infrared).
- Explain the purposes of at least three instruments used with astronomical telescopes.
- Describe the proper care and storage of telescopes and binoculars both at home and in the field.
- Do the following:
- Identify in the sky at least 10 constellations, at least four of which are in the zodiac.
- Identify at least eight conspicuous stars, five of which are of magnitude 1 or brighter.
- Make two sketches of the Big Dipper. In one sketch, show the Big Dipper's orientation in the early evening sky. In another sketch, show its position several hours later. In both sketches, show the North Star and the horizon. Record the date and time each sketch was made.
- Explain what we see when we look at the Milky Way.
- Do the following:
- List the names of the five most visible planets. Explain which ones can appear in phases similar to lunar phases and which ones cannot, and explain why.
- Using the Internet (with your parent's permission), books, and other resources, find out when each of the five most visible planets that you identified in requirement 5a will be observable in the evening sky during the next 12 months, then compile this information in the form of a chart or table.
- Describe the motion of the planets across the sky.
- Observe a planet and describe what you saw.
- Do the following:
- Sketch the face of the Moon and indicate at least five seas and five craters. Label these landmarks.
- Sketch the phase and the daily position of the Moon at the same hour and place, for four days in a row. Include landmarks on the horizon such as hills, trees, and buildings. Explain the changes you observe.
- List the factors that keep the Moon in orbit around Earth.
- With the aid of diagrams, explain the relative positions of the Sun, Earth, and the Moon at the times of lunar and solar eclipses, and at the times of new, first-quarter, full, and last-quarter phases of the Moon.
- Do the following:
- Describe the composition of the Sun, its relationship to other stars, and some effects of its radiation on Earth's weather and communications.
- Define sunspots and describe some of the effects they may have on solar radiation.
- Identify at least one red star, one blue star, and one yellow star (other than the Sun). Explain the meaning of these colors.
- With your counselor's approval and guidance, do ONE of the following:
- Visit a planetarium or astronomical observatory. Submit a written
report, a scrapbook, or a video presentation afterward to your counselor
that includes the following information:
- Activities occurring there
- Exhibits and displays you saw
- Telescopes and instruments being used
- Celestial objects you observed.
- Plan and participate in a three-hour observation session that includes using binoculars or a telescope. List the celestial objects you want to observe, and find each on a star chart or in a guidebook. Prepare an observing log or notebook. Show your plan, charts, and log or notebook to your counselor before making your observations. Review your log or notebook with your counselor afterward.
- Plan and host a star party for your Scout troop or other group such as your class at school. Use binoculars or a telescope to show and explain celestial objects to the group.
- Help an astronomy club in your community hold a star party that is open to the public.
- Personally take a series of photographs or digital images of the movement of the Moon, a planet, an asteroid , meteor, or a comet. In your visual display, label each image and include the date and time it was taken. Show all positions on a star chart or map. Show your display at school or at a troop meeting. Explain the changes you observed.
- Visit a planetarium or astronomical observatory. Submit a written
report, a scrapbook, or a video presentation afterward to your counselor
that includes the following information:
- Find out about three career opportunities in astronomy. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.
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text:
- Do the following:
- Explain four features of the free enterprise system in the United States. Tell its benefits and responsibilities. Describe the difference between freedom and license. Tell how the Scout Oath and Law apply to business and free enterprise.
- Describe the Industrial Revolution: Tell about the major developments that marked the start of the modern industrial era in the United States. Tell about five people who had a great influence on business or industry in the United States. Tell what each did.
- Do the following:
- Visit a bank or credit union. Talk with one of the officers or staff. Chart the organization of the financial institution. Show its relationship with other banks, business and industry.
- Explain how changes in interest rates, taxes, and government spending affect the flow of money into or out of business and industry.
- Explain how a proprietorship or partnership gets its capital. Discuss and explain four ways a corporation gets its capital.
- Explain the place of profit in business.
- Name five kinds of insurance useful to business. Describe their purposes.
- Do the following:
- Pick two or more stocks from the financial pages of a newspaper. Request the annual report or prospectus from one of the companies by writing, or visit its Web site (with your parent's permission) to view the annual report online. Explain how a company's annual report and prospectus can be used to help you manage your investments.
- Pretend to have bought $1,000 worth of the stocks from the company you wrote to in requirement 3a. Explain how you "bought" the stocks. Tell why you decided to "buy" stock in this company. Keep a weekly record for three months of the market value of your stocks. Show any dividends declared.
- Do ONE of the following:
- Draw an organizational chart of a typical central labor council.
- Describe automation, union shop, open shop, collective-bargaining agreements, shop steward, business agent, and union counselor.
- Explain the part played by four federal or state agencies in labor relations.
- Run a small business involving a product or service for at least
three months. First find out the need for it. For example: a newspaper
route, lawn mowing, sales of things you have made or grown. Keep records
showing the costs, income, and profit or loss.
Report:- How service, friendliness, hard work, and salesmanship helped build your business.
- The benefits you and others received because you were in business.
Comparable 4-H, FFA, or Junior Achievement projects may be used for requirement 5.
- Do ONE of the following:
- Make an oral presentation to your Scout troop about an e-commerce company. Tell about the benefits and pitfalls of doing business online, and explain the differences between a retailer and an e-commerce company. In your presentation, explain the similarities a retailer and an e-commerce company might share.
- Choose three products from your local grocery store or mall and tell your merit badge counselor how the packaging could be improved upon so that it has less impact on the environment.
- Gather information from news sources and books about a current business leader. Write a two-page biography about this person or make a short presentation to your counselor. Focus on how this person became a successful business leader.
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[Blocked Image: http://www.planearium.de/sp-studio/forum/images/contest028.jpg]
We had contests about every other continent before, so this is the final one about our trip around the world. Because Australia and Antarctica are smaller (or to be accurate: less populated) you can choose one of them to make it easier for you. Or maybe you can combine both of them in one picture? Use your imagination!
Examples of possible topics: Landscape, wildlife, history, culture, famous places, celebrities, compare the differences...
If you are new: Register a nickname by clicking on the REGISTER button in the menu on top of this page. Then you can upload your picture to the contest gallery. The pictures will all show up on December 16, before this they are hidden. Then everybody can vote.
- The picture must be created at sp-studio.de and submitted here till December 15th, 11:59 PM (GMT+1).
No editing with additional software! No effects, color change, zooming. Just SP-Studio pictures.
You are allowed to rotate the picture. - Add a fitting English title & description (optional). You can link to reference pictures. No text like "VOTE!!!".
- If you upload more than one picture for a contest the newest counts and the others are deleted.
- When the voting starts registered users can rate the pictures (1-5 stars) until january 3rd.
- Vote fair! Don't manipulate results by telling friends to give you 5 stars and others 1 star or you will be banned.
1st place: Make a wish for a new SP-Studio item and I will draw and include it.
1st to 5th place: You win your own User Gallery. If you already have one you can upload 30 more files to it now.
Janina's Choice: I might pick one additional person, if I think he/she deserves a user gallery. The score doesn't matter.
Good luck!


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When it comes to testing women for cervical cancer, the nation sure could be doing a better job.
Too many women who don't need them are getting regular Pap tests. Other women who could benefit from the tests aren't getting them, often those are women without health insurance.
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that about 60 percent of women who've had total hysterectomies are still being tested for cervical cancer, despite not having cervixes anymore.
That statistic sent Reuters health and science correspondent Sharon Begley right up the wall. "Angry that 1/3 of US med $$ goes to useless 'care'? Get ready 2 scream: 60% of women w/hysterectomy keep having Paps," she yelled on Twitter.
The current consensus is that Pap tests shouldn't be ordered for women younger than 21. Generally speaking, women 21 to 65 should get a Pap test every three years.
For most women 30 to 65, the interval for testing can be extended to five years, if they're also getting a test for the human papillomavirus, a risk factor for cervical cancer.
After 65, screening isn't recommended for women except under special circumstances, such as a high risk for cervical cancer.
And testing isn't recommended for women who've had a hysterectomy and have no history of cervical cancer or worrisome test results. About 90 percent of hysterectomies aren't done for reasons having to do with cancer, by the way.
Inappropriate screening can lead to false alarms that spur anxiety and additional medical tests and procedures.
Two studies published in the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report focus on opposite ends of the screening spectrum.
Guidelines about screening for cervical cancer in younger women do seem to be helping some, but there's a lot of work left to do.
Fewer women under 21 are getting screened. Some 48 percent of women 18-21 reported in 2010 that they hadn't ever had Pap test compared with 26 percent in 2000. But the percentage of women 21 to 30 never having been screened also rose — to 10 percent in 2010 from about 7 percent in 2000.
In 2010, about two-thirds of women 65 and older who hadn't had a hysterectomy reported having a recent Pap test. That's down from nearly three-quarters in 2000, but it's not a huge improvement.
"Although recommendations have resulted in reductions in screening posthysterectomy and of those aged ≥65 years, many women still are being screened who will not benefit from it," the researchers wrote.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
This is MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.
And I'm Renee Montagne.
Even as talk grows louder about a possible truce, intense air assaults went back and forth over the Israeli and Gaza border today. More Palestinians were killed overnight, pushing the death toll for days of fighting to over 100 for Palestinians and three Israelis.
Still, the push for a diplomatic solution is ramping up. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives in the region today. And in Cairo, Egypt's new Islamist leadership is now serving as a mediator between the Israelis and Gaza's Hamas-led government.
NPR's Leila Fadel is in Cairo.
Good morning.
LEILA FADEL, BYLINE: Good morning.
MONTAGNE: So tell us what each side wants, and if there is much sign of progress toward a deal between the two sides, now that there's so much talk of a deal.
FADEL: Well, basically, the two sides really want very different guarantees in order for the ceasefire or a truce deal to be met. Hamas is saying there can be no deal unless the Gaza blockade is lifted. The 1.7 million people that live in the Gaza Strip have been living under a blockade for years now. And the Israelis are saying: We're not going to agree to a ceasefire until the rockets stop.
So - and both sides are asking for completely different things, but Egyptian officials that we've spoken to here in Cairo are expressing hope, or they're saying they're encouraging signs that a deal is near. But it's really unclear what has actually been agreed upon, especially since the head of Hamas, yesterday - Khaled Meshaal - said that the only way they'll agree to any ceasefire deal is an immediate lifting to the blockade and the end to the assassinations of their leaders by Israeli forces. And this is something that Israel has been unwilling to do.
MONTAGNE: And today, a delegation of Arab foreign ministers is headed to the Gaza Strip. What's the significance of that trip?
FADEL: Well, the interesting thing about the Israeli offensive and, really, a punishing Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip this time, versus four years ago in 2008, is that the Arab world is backing Hamas in a way that they never have in the past - at least vocally. As soon as this conflict began, we saw the prime minister of Egypt go to Gaza and now a delegation of Arab foreign ministers go to Gaza to show solidarity with the Palestinians and Hamas. A lot of Arab leaders in the past were hesitant to engage with Hamas. A lot of those leaders were Western-friendly dictators that no longer are in power.
MONTAGNE: Well, as you've just suggested, the regional reaction may be changing regarding Gaza. But how are these newly elected Arab governments dealing with popular sentiment in their own countries?
FADEL: This is a really heated issue in the Arab world. Many residents in many of these countries feel sympathy with the Palestinians, feel sympathy with the images that they're seeing coming out Gaza of really so many civilians being killed during this offensive. And they're turning to their governments and saying stand up for them.
So, for the first time, the Arab public sentiment actually matters due to these Arab revolts that swept through the region over the last two years. And because of that, Arab governments feel they have to answer to their people. At the same time, these governments still want a relationship with the United States and have to still cater to their Western allies and - in Egypt, at least - the peace treaty that's signed with Israel.
MONTAGNE: And just funny, as we mentioned this morning, the White House announced Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be travelling to Jerusalem and meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. What could come of that?
FADEL: At this point, it's really unclear. Here, obviously, all of this diplomatic wrangling is to bring an end of the violence immediately. You have many Palestinians feeling they're hostage to the violence that's going on right now. And so it's in everybody's interest that this ends, because it could be a very destabilizing thing for the region. I assume that in those talks, there will be discussion of how to get to a ceasefire. Israel has talked about a ground invasion, and that's something that really, internationally, people don't want.
At the same time, most people are waiting for the U.S. to really calm the situation. Egyptian officials here say it's on the shoulders of the United States to get Israel to cease violence on their side, that the only person that can really influence Israel in a major way is the United States. So I think everybody's watching for what the outcome of that trip may be.
MONTAGNE: Leila, thanks very much.
FADEL: Thank you.
MONTAGNE: NPR's Leila Fadel, speaking to us from Cairo. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text:
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All of our vehicles are leased from Van Leasing CVC.


text:
Women's diets often fall short in vital minerals and vitamins for a variety of reasons.
Here are six nutrients that women are often deficient in, either because they lose too much of a nutrient, don't get enough of a nutrient, or both.
Why you need it: Calcium builds teeth and bones, curbs premenstrual syndrome, helps maintain normal blood pressure, and may protect against colon cancer. It is also needed for muscle contraction, hormones and enzymes, and nervous system function, according to the American Dietetic Association. Nearly all of the body's calcium is stored in the teeth and bones.
Women's risk for bone loss rises at menopause with waning levels of estrogen, a hormone that helps keep calcium in your bones. Getting adequate calcium, vitamin D, and exercise as a child and teen can lessen the impact of bone loss later in life, the National Osteoporosis Foundation says.
What you need: 1,000 mg a day for women of childbearing age; 1,200 mg a day after menopause.
The problem: More than three out of four women don't get the recommended amount of calcium, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), part of the National Institutes of Health. Many weight-conscious women forgo dairy products, calcium's richest source. Even when women include dairy products in their diet, however, the amount of calcium they absorb can be affected by age, pregnancy, and the amount of vitamin D they consume, the ODS says. The amount of calcium you absorb declines with age. Although some plant-based foods, such as spinach and collard greens, contain significant amounts of calcium, this source of calcium may not be absorbed as well as the calcium found in dairy products.
The remedy: Choose more dairy foods. A cup of low-fat yogurt, milk, or cottage cheese provides about 300 mg of calcium. Good nondairy choices include kale, turnip greens, almonds, dried figs, and fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals and fruit juices. Weight-bearing exercise like brisk walking prevents calcium loss from bones. Research has shown that for women at risk for fractures, taking calcium and vitamin D supplements alone after menopause is not enough to protect against fractures. Additional medicines may be necessary. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables and regular weight-bearing exercise are essential to bone health for women of all ages.
Vitamin D
Why you need it: Vitamin D helps the body maintain normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood, and helps form and maintain strong bones, the ODS says. It also may help maintain a healthy immune system and help healthy cell growth and development. It helps prevent rickets, a condition in children that weakens the bones. There is also evidence that vitamin D may help prevent falls by improving muscle strength.
What you need: 200 IU a day for women up to age 50, 400 IU for ages 51 to 70, and 600 IU for those 71 and older. For women older than 60 and for women with additional risk factors for osteoporosis or a low intake of calcium and vitamin D, 600 to 800 IU may be needed.
The problem: The primary source of vitamin D is your body; your body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays. But getting vitamin D this way may be difficult for some women. People who are 50 and older don't make vitamin D as efficiently as younger people; people who live in northern climates may not get enough sun exposure, particularly during the winter months; people who don't spend time outdoors are unable to make vitamin D. Vitamin D levels also have declined because of widespread sunscreen use. Sunscreen blocks the ultraviolet rays that can damage the skin -- but these same rays cause the body to produce vitamin D.
The remedy: Get 10 to 15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure at least two times a week on the face, arms, hands, or back, the ODS says. After that time, you should protect yourself with a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Fortified foods are another source of vitamin D, the ODS says. A cup of skim milk provides about 200 IU of vitamin D; the vitamin is also found in eggs, salmon, and organ meats. A supplement can supply vitamin D, too. Women should begin taking vitamin D supplements as teens and continue throughout life.
Why you need it: Iron is used to help the blood carry oxygen throughout the body. If you don't get enough iron in your diet, you may feel fatigued. Too much iron, however, can be fatal.
What you need: 18 mg a day for menstruating women; 27 mg a day for pregnant women; 9 mg a day for women who are breast-feeding; and 8 mg day for women after menopause.
The problem: Iron deficiency is usually a problem only for women who have not gone through menopause; women mainly lose iron from menstrual bleeding. Iron levels may also fall if you:
Don't eat iron-fortified foods, plant foods that contain iron (such as lentils or beans), or red meat, fish, or poultry
Use aspirin, which causes microscopic bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract
Don't get enough vitamin A; this vitamin helps the body use stored iron
Iron deficiency develops gradually. Anemia from iron deficiency may be caused by too little iron in the diet, inadequate absorption of iron, or excessive blood loss, the ODS says. The type of iron you eat influences how well you absorb iron. Heme iron, which comes from meat, is absorbed efficiently. Nonheme iron, which is found in rice, corn, black beans, soybeans, and wheat, is not absorbed as completely. Absorption of this type of iron also is affected by other foods in the diet.
The remedy: You absorb iron best from meat and fish, so adding grilled chicken to a salad is a plus. Nonmeat eaters can opt for iron-rich combos. Try kale or beet greens tossed with raisins, nosh on dried apricots and nuts, and lace enriched cereals with blackstrap molasses. To boost absorption, combine iron-rich foods with orange juice and other foods that contain vitamin C. Don't take an iron supplement without a doctor's guidance, because excess iron can harm the heart, liver, and other organs.
Why you need it: Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin. It helps make red blood cells, prevent birth defects such as neural tube defects and spina bifida, and lower homocysteine levels.
What you need: 400 micrograms a day; 500 micrograms a day for women who are pregnant; 600 micrograms a day for women who are breastfeeding.
The problem: Although many foods are now fortified with folate, certain medical conditions and medications may increase the need for this B vitamin, the ODS says. (Folate is the form of this vitamin found naturally in food; folic acid is the form found in dietary supplements and fortified foods.) Medical conditions that increase the need for folate include pregnancy and breast-feeding; alcohol abuse; kidney dialysis; liver disease; and anemia. Medications that interfere with folate include drugs to treat epilepsy, diabetes, colitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Barbiturates also may interfere with folate.
The remedy: Dark greens provide the highest amounts of folate. A cup of cooked spinach provides 200 micrograms. Other foods rich in this B vitamin include navy beans, oranges, and fortified grains. Ask your doctor about supplements.
Vitamin C
Why you need it: To help make connective tissues, strengthen blood vessels and gums, and boost infection-fighting cells.
What you need: 75 mg per day; 85 mg a day for pregnant women; 120 mg day for women who are breast-feeding; and an additional 35 mg for smokers.
The problem: Many busy women find it tough to eat enough fruits and vegetables, as recommended by USDA dietary guidelines.
The remedy: Think fresh and raw, then plan ahead to include citrus fruits and dark veggies for every meal and snack. On the run, grab salads and fruit bowls that feature cantaloupe, papaya, kiwi, green peppers, or broccoli.
Why you need it: Magnesium helps produce the energy in your cells, keep your muscles and nerves working, keep heart rhythm steady, keep your immune system healthy, and build bone, the ODS says. It regulates blood pressure and blood sugar.
What you need: Women need 310 to 320 mg; 350 to 360 mg if pregnant.
The problem: Americans tend to fall 100 mg short. That may tip the scales against bone strength. Processed food junkies miss out on magnesium.
The remedy: Switch to whole, fresh, nutrient-dense foods. Trade iceberg lettuce for spinach (a half cup provides 65 mg); chips for nuts (an ounce of almonds provides 86 mg), and white bread for bran (134 mg per slice).


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SAA named Best Airline in Africa in a global Customer Satisfaction Survey
Wirtschaft, Tourismus
05. September 2013
Johannesburg, 18 June 2013. South African Airways (SAA) has been named the Best Airline in Africa in a global customer satisfaction survey. The announcement was made during the Skytrax World Airline Awards ceremony hosted at the 50th International Paris Air Show earlier today.
The Skytrax World Airline Awards are regarded as the most prestigious accolades for the world airline industry and provide global benchmark of airline excellence. This year is SAA's eleventh consecutive year of winning the Best Airline in Africa award; making South Africa's national flag carrier the most awarded airline on the continent.
Each year, Skytrax, an independent aviation research organisation, conducts a customer satisfaction survey among 18-million business and leisure air travellers from 160 countries to decide the award winners. The survey covers over 200 airlines, from the largest international airlines to smaller domestic carriers.
Over a 10-month period, air travellers complete an online survey questionnaire about their experience with airlines on the ground and onboard. The survey measures passenger satisfaction across 41 key performance indicators of airline front-line product and service including check-in, boarding, onboard seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, food, beverages, inflight entertainment and staff service.
"We are delighted that customers from across the world have, for 11 years in a row, voted us the Best Airline in Africa. It is a remarkable achievement that resonates with our vision, which is to be 'Africa's leading world-class airline'. We also acknowledge that a fundamental cultural mind-set change towards an efficient service-driven organisation is required in what is an extremely competitive industry. Hence, and in line with our long term turnaround strategy, exceptional operational and customer service will be SAA's DNA forthwith," said Suretha Cruse, Customer Service Executive at SAA.
SAA wins on average one award every month, having scooped six accolades since the beginning of 2013.
February 2013
- SAA retained its 4 Star Skytrax Rating for the 11th consecutive year;
- SAA was awarded the On-time Performance Service Award by Flightstats as the winner in the Middle East and Africa category;
- SAA Cargo received the African Cargo Airline of the Year Award from STAT Times, which is an international award for excellence;
April 2013
- SAA was awarded as the Top Performing Airline at the SA Tourism 4th Annual Ubuntu Awards;
June 2013
- SAA was awarded the Sunday Times Generation X Coolest Domestic Airline; and
- SAA won the Skytrax Award for Best Airline in Africa, at the Skytrax World Airline Awards Ceremony.
About SAA
South African Airways (SAA) is the leading carrier in Africa, serving 26 destinations across the continent, as well as major destinations within South Africa and internationally from its Johannesburg hub. It is a member of the largest international airline network, Star Alliance. SAA's core business is the provision of passenger airline and cargo transport services together with related services, which are provided through SAA and its four wholly owned subsidiaries: SAA Technical; Mango its low cost carrier; Air Chefs, the catering entity of SAA and South African Travel Centre (SATC). SAA is the winner of the 'Best Airline in Africa' Award in the regional category for eleven consecutive years Mango and SAA hold the number one and number two successive spots as South Africa's most on – time airlines.
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According to the Nurture Replenish Skincare survey, red lipstick is disgraceful after the age of 59. Moreover, results showed that women over 45 years old consider 59 is the appropriate age to steer away not only from wearing red lipstick, but also from high heels and tight clothes. (source)
Did you read the poll survey results reported on Yahoo recently- the one where a survey of women over 45 years of age, said that wearing red lipstick over age 59 was disgraceful? You can read the report HERE, and while many people react angrily about the news, I suspect the main point is missed:
that this survey reported the opinion of older women about other older women. Opinions about dignity and what's proper formed the consensus that at age 59, it is best to "go natural," to stop fighting the clock, and stop wearing body conscious clothing, bold prints, and bold colors- in essence, go invisible.
That is what SOME women think. Some. But you and I happen to know a lot of other women, some who are older than 59, who don't subscribe to that point of view. Quite the contrary- there are loads of stylish women who not only wear red lipstick, they wear it, or intend to wear it well into their 70's. Or beyond.
Which is good news for me- a forty-something somebody who loves her red lippy. So I thought I'd post some of my favorite images of "REAL WOMEN" who rock red lipstick, mini skirts and tight clothes, even though according to the poll, they shouldn't. But looking at the riot of color, and style, I'm thinking that they make a good argument on "DOING THE DON'TS."
Bold + Beautiful: Vix, Melanie, Krista, Serene, Helga, Kitty + Sylvia Rule As Rule Makers and Breakers. |
Random Fashion Rules for Women Age 59 + Older:
WEAR CLOTHES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD. Figure flattering, curve hugging or loose-y and goosey- just wear what puts a smile on your face.
WEAR BOLD COLORS AND PRINTS: Make an entrance and command attention and embrace your style and age by enjoying brights that make you feel beautiful.
STAY UP TO DATE, YET REMAIN TRUE TO YOURSELF: If you want to follow a trend, go ahead. If you want to stick to mom jeans, bedazzled sweaters or biker chic leather jackets, and it makes you feel good, stick with what you like. If you want to play, have fun with fashion and wear a tutu as a skirt at age 60, rock it. Sartorial septuagenarian (and undisputed fashion designer extraordinaire) Vivienne Westwood, has been known to wear platform shoes and body con clothing. IN HER SEVENTIES. WITH HER 25 YEARS HER JUNIOR HUSBAND. AND ROCKS IT. Proving that as long as your dress reflects yourself, and you rock, you just can't go wrong.
WEAR RED LIPSTICK: If red lipstick is your thing, wear it, no matter your age. Or its equivalent, which is whatever thing is that makes YOU feel like you: purple eyeshadow, a sequin top, platform shoes, ugly sweaters, short shorts or long flowing dresses. Celebrate yourself and your style however you see fit!
Cathartic Color: Catherine, Lissy, Judith, Shelley + Ally Revitalize in Vivid Color |
Gracefully Disgraceful: Desiree is the Poster Child on How to Wear What Not to Wear. She Rocks. And Wears Red Lippy.
Getting older doesn't have to mean giving up your fashion flair. In fact, let me make a case FOR tight tops, mini skirts, bright colors and red lipstick by saying REAL WOMEN WEAR RED LIPSTICK. At age 59. And skinny minis, and maxi skirts, and clashing prints, and short hair, or long hair, or anything else they feel like wearing, because it makes them feel good. And the people I most love to watch are people who dress with character and panache, often times are breaking the rules while making a big, bold and beautiful fashion statement.
So, go ahead and wear red lipstick. Real women (of all ages) do.
What fashion rules do you like to make, or break? Share them in the comments. Like what you see? Please SHARE this post! | ||||
Style 360: Dusk Devi, Sarah, Sacramento, Mrs Allnut, Helga, Adrienne, Shelley + LV Show Us Style From Front to Back |


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The Independent Investor: Sour Grapes
As the G20 conference gets under way today in Korea, I expect the currency war will escalate now that the U.S. Federal Reserve has launched the second round of quantitative easing. As the dollar continues to decline, our trading partners are getting back a little of their own and they don't like it.
Over the last week or so, the Fed's QE II announcement has been greeted by a chorus of howls from all over the world. Germany's finance minister called U.S. policies "clueless" while Chinese officials quickly added their own criticism.
"As long as the world exercises no restraint in issuing global currencies such as the dollar, then the occurrence of another crisis is inevitable," stated Xia Bin, an adviser to China's central bank.
Brazil's finance minster, Guido Mantega, went further when he said, "Everybody wants the U.S. economy to recover, but it does no good at all to just throw dollars from a helicopter."
Those are just a few choice criticisms but there were many more from nations throughout the world accusing the U.S. of everything from currency manipulation to exporting inflation. They may be right but that doesn't mean we are wrong.
For decades, the U.S. has been running a major trade deficit with our international trading partners. All these countries that are squawking about QE II have been major beneficiaries of a monumental trading imbalance with the U.S. both now and in the past. In Latin America, for example, Brazil, among others, has benefited mightily by keeping its own currency artificially low and exporting huge quantities to the U.S. China is another master of currency manipulation and has followed a weak currency/high export policy for years. Germany is also enjoying booming exports, trade surpluses, low debt and an unemployment is expected to fall to 1990s levels thanks to a weak euro.
So after carrying the weight of the rest of the world's exports for years, the U.S. is fighting back and well it should. It is our nation and not any of the above countries, which is suffering a high unemployment rate, a slow growth recovery, huge trade deficits and a record debt load. We are simply following the same prescription both Japan and Europe followed after WWII, which Latin America followed after their Lost Decade of the 1980s. China's economic miracle is founded and continues to grow along these same economic principles.
Now that America has decided to play the same game, cries of "foul" echo across the world. It is true that America's actions will cause problems for economies around the world. Right now it makes a lot of economic sense for foreigners to borrow in dollars where interest rates are at rock bottom and then invest that money in building plants and equipment back home where interest rates and local currencies are higher. Of course, their governments already hold huge dollar reserves in the form of U.S. Treasury bonds. Foreign central banks fear that all this additional dollar borrowing may cause inflation in their own countries.
You might ask how critics can take the moral high ground and point a finger when for years they have been doing the same thing to us and acting as if America was their own private export market. Nations, however, are not individuals; which brings to mind a quote of Thomas Jefferson, one of our founding fathers:
"Money, not morality, is the principle commerce of civilized nations."
Bill Schmick is an independent investor with Berkshire Money Management. (See "About" for more information.) None of the information presented in any of these articles is intended to be and should not be construed as an endorsement of BMM or a solicitation to become a client of BMM. The reader should not assume that any strategies, or specific investments discussed are employed, bought, sold or held by BMM. Direct your inquiries to Bill at 1-888-232-6072 (toll free) or e-mail him at email@example.com. Visit www.afewdollarsmore.com for more of Bill's insights.
Tags: currency, trade, deficit, G20 |
@theMarket: Marking Time
This coming week will be a humdinger for the markets. The Federal Reserve is expected to begin a second round of quantitative easing and voters will deliver their verdict on the economy in mid-term elections. Both events will have ramifications for investors and stock markets worldwide.
The Fed's decision to further stimulate the economy via a second round of quantitative easing (QE II) has already been priced into the market, in my opinion, but the impact of the mid-term elections has not. If the Republicans gain a majority in the House and additional seats in the Senate, as many political pundits predict, then the markets have reason to rally in the months, if not weeks ahead.
For me, the question is when, not if, the markets will gain more ground. Stocks (and some commodities) are somewhat overbought right now and looking for an excuse to pull back. Maybe the election results will precipitate a "sell-on-the-news" reaction in the very short term. The question I ask is whether the lame-duck Congress will give investors an added excuse to sell?
Most readers are aware that the Bush tax cuts are scheduled to expire in 2010. Will Congress act to extend those cuts before the end of the year? If it does (by extending the tax cuts for many, if not all, Americans), then the markets could see substantial gains. On the other hand, if nothing is done and the tax cuts are allowed to expire than we may be in for a period of uncertainty.
Since I have been attending Charles Schwab's yearly investor conference in Boston this week, it was a good opportunity to take the pulse of the best and brightest on Wall Street as they shared their views of the market and economy. Clearly, just about everyone I talked to is bullish. Not once did I hear the term "double-dip recession," and for the most part, just about everyone was looking for strong markets between now and at least the second quarter of 2011.
In addition, no one likes bonds, especially U.S. Treasury bonds. "Bubble" was the term most often used when describing the $70 trillion investors have stashed away in the bond market. Most argue that the perceived safety that investors see in bonds is an illusion. The investment team from Gameco Investors Inc. headed by famed value investor Mario Gabelli argued that bonds are "in the ninth inning of a 30-year run" providing holders with little yield, no growth prospects and a mountain of interest rate risk. In addition, "Money markets are also not as safe as you think," said Gabelli.
He points out that the $2.8 trillion in money-market funds has a great deal of dollar risk in the form of depreciation, inflation and debasement, besides offering little in the way of yield or growth.
Currency wars was also a leading topic of discussion with most participants believing the battle between nations to keep their currencies weak will continue. The prognosis for the greenback is more weakness ahead as America attempts to export its way to greater growth. As a result, U.S. companies that export are in vogue, especially technology stocks.
Gold, precious metals and commodities in general was an area of heated arguments, with some dismissing the recent run ups as irresponsible speculation while others read the price moves as a rationale answer to declining currencies and the inevitable rise in inflation that lurks just around the corner.
Emerging markets are once again in favor as an area for long-term investment. Bulls point to the increasing percentage of global GDP (49 percent) represented by these fast-growing economies as opposed to what they consider is an underrepresented share of the world's stock market capitalization (only 31 percent).
In the minus column, financial stocks stood out as an area that won't regain its pre-2008 luster anytime soon, neither will consumer discretionary stocks. In both cases, these sectors suffer from the deleveraging that is under way among American consumers. Banks, whose major business is making loans to customers, will experience low growth since Americans are trying to reduce, not increase, their debt as a percentage of their personal income. Consumers are reducing that debt by cutting back on their discretionary spending.
All in all the tone was upbeat at the conference and it felt that business was beginning to get back to normal after several years of strife. Whether that is a good thing when discussing the financial services sector is a matter of opinion.
Bill Schmick is an independent investor with Berkshire Money Management. (See "About" for more information.) None of the information presented in any of these articles is intended to be and should not be construed as an endorsement of BMM or a solicitation to become a client of BMM. The reader should not assume that any strategies, or specific investments discussed are employed, bought, sold or held by BMM. Direct your inquiries to Bill at 1-888-232-6072 (toll free) or e-mail him at firstname.lastname@example.com. Visit www.afewdollarsmore.com for more of Bill's insights.
Tags: recession, currency, bonds, forecast |
@theMarket: Third-Quarter Earnings Reveal Two Economies
With one quarter of the companies in the S&P 500 already reporting, third quarter earnings have been a positive surprise. Eighty-six percent have exceeded earnings estimates and 67 percent have posted higher revenue numbers. What the numbers don't say is that most of those gains have come from overseas.
The revenue number is where we should focus our attention. Higher earnings can be achieved by simply continuing to cut costs (by firing workers, for example). However, looking at the revenue numbers gives us a clear understanding of where the growth is coming from. Not much of it is coming from the home front. A lot of that growth is coming from higher sales in Asia and other emerging markets.
Since the bottom of the recent recession here in America, the majority of firms in the S&P 500 have been exporting their way into profitability. This quarter was no different. Take United Parcel Services; it is one of the companies that investors consider a good barometer of the global economy because it delivers products everywhere. UPS showed a 3.5 percent increase in growth versus last year here at home while their international growth was 13.7 percent. Many other companies are experiencing the same phenomenon.
Clearly, the falling dollar has helped exports as has the increasing strength in emerging market economies, particularly in Asia. And this weekend all eyes will be focused on the latest round of G20 talks in Seoul, where the ongoing battle to "beggar they neighbor" will continue. We can expect currencies to be one of the main topics of conversation since our own U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has already fired the first broadside. In an open letter he has asked members to "refrain from exchange rate policies designed to achieve competitive advantage by either weakening their currency or preventing appreciation of undervalued currency."
In last week's column, "The Coming Currency War," I explained how the world's governments are using their currencies to increase exports at the expense of their neighbors. Clearly, U.S. third-quarter earnings underscore how our own policies have aided and abetted U.S. companies in exporting more. This makes Secretary Geithner's request look a bit suspect in my opinion. It will be interesting to see the response of other governments.
I mentioned last week that I was waiting for commodities, specifically gold and silver, to pull back. I expected that pullback to be sharp, and it has been. After hitting a high of $1,380 an ounce, gold dropped as low as $1,317 an ounce in what felt like a blink of the eye. Silver also had a commensurate move downward. As expected, a rise in the dollar was the catalyst for that pullback. Traders will wait until they see the results of this weekend's G20 meet before going back into precious metals or other commodities.
There is always the risk that some new policy initiative could strengthen the dollar and thus continue the commodity sell-off. It could happen, but I wouldn't hold my breath. There are few new policy alternatives on the table in Washington to revive the economy so my bet is that after a brief period of strength, the dollar will resume its decline, gold and other commodities will continue higher and so will the stock market. Under that scenario, we are back to buying the dips. Invest accordingly.
Tags: currency, global economy, dollar |
The Independent Investor: The Coming Currency War
The International Monetary Fund and its members were in no mood to agree on a unified policy of currency movements at their weekend meeting in Toronto. Finger pointing and veiled threats of retaliation were hurled at China from both American and European members, among others. Underneath all the rhetoric, I fear we are in a race to the bottom as countries vie to reduce the value of their own currencies while demanding that others strengthen theirs.
Back in early 2009, in several columns, I speculated that just about every country in the world would try to export their way out of recession. In order to do that, each country would endeavor to keep their currency as cheap as they could, thereby reducing the prices of their exports. It's also a fact that some countries (Brazil, India, China) weathered the world recession far better than others. Critics argue that part of the reason that occurred was that these countries contrived to keep their currencies artificially low and continued to export as much as they could.
Unfortunately, today the world still grabbles with high unemployment and an economic recovery that is anemic at best. As deficits mount and governments scramble to increase the pace of growth, each country is vying to take an increasing share of a shrinking global economic pie. It is the real cause of this war of words which could soon take on a much more concrete form of expression.
China, due to its size and economic prowess, has been singled out as the main culprit in this on-going currency manipulation. Over the weekend, the Chinese resisted demands to strengthen their currency. They argued that they were already beginning to do so, but "gradually". They warned that if their currency, the yuan, did not remain stable, it would bring disaster to China and the world.
This was seen by the United States as just more stonewalling. Unfortunately, lawmakers are meeting this week to consider punitive measures against China for undervaluing their currency. Called the "Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act," the legislation is intended to make it harder for the Commerce Department to ignore taking retaliatory actions against Chinese exports that are judged to be benefiting from a weak currency. The passage of such a bill could easily ignite a trade war where we levy duties or outright ban Chinese import A, while China retaliates by doing the same to U.S. import B.
To date, the White House has been able to short circuit any Commerce Department recommendations for any trade embargos that Congress has demanded. People such as U.S. Treasurer Tim Geithner have chosen a less strident approach in convincing other nations to compromise on the currency question. But if this bill passes the landscape could change quickly. It is just this kind of protectionist legislation that extended and prolonged our own Great Depression and that of the rest of the world in the 1930s.
However, before we cast all the blame on China, consider this: many other countries (including our own) are participating in this currency race to the bottom. The Japanese, for example, over the past month have continually intervened to slow the rise of the yen, which is hurting their exports. So far the price tag for that intervention has cost them 2 trillion yen.
Here at home, the Federal Reserve's announcement in September that a second tranche of quantitative easing (QE II) is in the works has shaved 7 percent off the greenback's value in less than three weeks. Last Friday, the Brazilians spent billions to weaken their own currency, the real, and over in Europe the Swiss have been doing the same for months. The euro, thanks to the PIGS (Portugal-Italy-Greece-Spain) crisis, has had its own ups and downs.
Since the dollar is still the world's main reserve currency and it is dropping in value (as is every other currency at the same time) it makes sense that commodities have suddenly caught fire. Since commodities are denominated in U.S. dollars, their value continues to rise as the dollar declines. In a currency war where paper currencies become increasingly suspect and valueless, proxies will appear. This is what I believe is driving the price of gold to new highs. As long as world players insist on growing at the expense of their neighbors, you can expect commodities to continue to rise.
Tags: currency |


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Water Views from the Figge Collection
Henry David Thoreau, 31 August – 1 September 1851, Journal
The devoutly reverent tenor of Henry David Thoreau's (1817-1862) musings illustrate the indelible hold that water has exercised over the imagination of artists and poets. An agent of both physical and spiritual reflection, water not only highlights the natural beauty of the external environment but also stimulates introspective contemplation which in turn directs the mind to higher truths. Illuminative and illuminating, water is infused with symbolic meaning and serves as a tool for spiritual insight in receptive individuals.
The reflective properties of water however are but few of the many metaphors that have been used in the arts and common parlance to provide meaning to abstract concepts. We compare the passage of time with the course of river, the crash of a wave with destructive power, the endless expanse of the ocean with eternity and the transparencey of pure water with spiritual purity. Flexible and ever-changing, capable on the one hand of washing lands with abundance and on the one hand threatening civilization with ruin, water has not surprisingly provided meaning and inspiration to artists across geographies, cultures and history.
The exhibition Water Views from the Figge Collection explores and celebrates in a variety of media the beauty and diversity of water. Paintings of tumbling rivers and tranquil lakes, views of picturesque coves and harbors, or scenes of surf crashing on craggy shorelines invite us to take pause and reflect upon ourselves and our surroundings. Drawn from the Figge's collection of European, American and Japanese paintings and works on paper, this exhibition offers a broad survey of water imagery and explores the cultural perceptions imbedded in them. Not to be regarded as mere transcriptions of the natural world, seascapes and landscapes are views of the land and sea that have been carefully selected and manipulated in accordance to prevailing ideological attitudes about mankind and nature. Thus, Waugh's and Edward Moran's naturalistic studies of coasts bombarded with majestic waves revel in the interplay between water, light, the wind and earth and emphasize the power and potentially destructive nature of the sea but also allude to the importance of the sea coast for trade and the dangers associated with travel, as can be seen by the wreckage of a ship in Moran's painting. The more intimate and muted marshes and lakes of Homer D. Martin, and Bruce Crane on the other hand offer refuge to the beholder and do not betray the distress and turmoil introduced by the increasingly industrialized world they inhabited. Similarly, the light-drenched elegiac scenes of calm Italian waters of George Loring Brown and Thomas Moran on the provide Old World refuge from the ills of modern society while the seaside, resort scenes of Signac and Stevens present nature as an amenity and offer respite from the chaos of urban life.
The selection of paintings and works of paper in Water Views underscores the beauty and strength of Figge's permanent collection and allows us to celebrate its significance. The exhibition also offers ample opportunities to reflect upon the role of the Mississippi in this community.This exhibition continues through August 21, 2011
Sponsored by Chris and Mary Rayburn
Edward Moran, Marine, n.d., oil on canvas, 1925.0187
Maxime Emile Louis Maufra, Antifer, 1895, watercolor, 1938.0809
Paul Signac, Les Andelys, 1923, watercolor, 1938.0811


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Gift Plan vs. Gifts HD 2 vs. mGifts: Gift planning apps for iPhone shootout!
T'is the season to give gifts -- to scramble and fret and hope not to forget sizes and colors and tastes and flavors and entire people on your nice (or naughty) list. Sure gift giving is a year-round chore blessing, but especially in December, especially in our hyper-commercialized culture, keeping track of who you need to give to and what seems especially important. Luckily the App Store has a bunch of gift planning apps to help you out. Gift Plan, Gifts HD, and mGifts can keep you organized and cut down on stress through the holidays, and any time really, but which is the best for you?
Gift Plan vs. Gifts HD 2 vs. mGifts: User interface & design
Upon first launching Gift Plan you'll be asked if you want to import contacts from Facebook and/or your iPhone contacts. It'll aggregate a list for you and then you can choose which to import and which to skip. Some events will already be standard and set up for you such as Christmas, Valentine's Day, and birthdays.
Gift Plan has 5 main sections inside the app that consist of calendar, ideas, occasions, shopping, and more. The calendar section will let you tab through months and will highlight any upcoming events you need to buy gifts for. Tapping on a day that contains an event will allow you to view all the people you need to buy for. Tapping on their name will take them to their contact page where you can see any upcoming events they're involved in and what gifts you still have left to purchase for them.
The ideas tab in Gift Plan allows you to add ideas as you think of them. If you decide later that you'd like to add something from your ideas list to your shopping list you can tap on the shopping basket. If you've already purchased it you can tap on the gift box to save it as purchased already.
The occasions tab is probably where most users will spend their time as it gives you easy access to anything inside Gift Plan. All of your events will be listed in one place with a number counting down to it next to it. Tapping on it expands the list to show you members of that event that you are buying for. Tapping into any one of them brings you to their contact card. The shopping tab functions much like the ideas tab but only pulls in items that you'd decided to purchase. The last tab, which is the more tab contains app settings for notifications and the ability to enable or disable a passcode in case you have any prying eyes in your household.
Gifts HD 2 utilizes a side menu that can be swiped away or pulled out. While in any section, swiping to the right will pull out the main menu. From there you can go in any of the events that you have created. The one thing I instantly noticed is that the events section is at the very bottom of the main navigation. This is rather odd to me as this is where you will spend most of your time while using Gift HD 2.
While inside an event you can view a quick view of all your contacts with a quick summary of your budget, how much you have spent on any one person, how many items you've purchased, and how many you still have left to buy. Along the bottom menu you can access some general event settings, view the calendar which shows how many days you have remaining along with your budget for that list, and pull up a calculator within Gifts HD 2. Above events in the main menu you can search for gifts, track contacts, jump into settings, view reports based on store and finances, submit feedback, and unlock premium features.
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To add a contact to an event you can tap the plus sign in the upper right hand corner of any event and you'll be asked to fill out some basic details about that contact. Gifts HD 2 also allows you to import contacts from your iPhone contacts at any time too so you don't have to fill out everything manually if you don't want to.
mGifts doesn't have as pretty of an interface as Gift Plan and Gifts HD 2 but what it lacks in aesthetic appeal it makes up for in ease of use. While it took me a little to get used to how Gift Plan and Gifts HD 2 actually worked, I was able to easily pick up mGifts and start adding things right away with little to no learning curve.
Your main menu will consist of all the events you've got programmed within mGifts. From here you can delete events, edit them, and add or remove users. Tapping into any event will allow you to view the people within those events and add gifts for them. Along the bottom you'll be able to toggle between a few different views - people, gifts, stores, and groups. I particularly like the stores view in mGifts since it allows you another way to shop while you're out and about. If you see you're near a specific store and you've got some things to pick up, it makes it easy to know what you have left at that specific place.
Once you've gotten items listed for a person inside of mGifts you can tap on their name to view the status of your gifts. You can classify them as need, purchased, wrapped, shipped, ideas, and archived. The archive feature is nice as it lets you know what you've purchased for people in the past so you don't end up getting something similar later on down the road. From here you can also share your gifts with anyone as well as edit the contact or add notes.
While Gift Plan and Gifts HD 2 have more attractive interfaces than mGifts, it doesn't mean it doesn't still have a very useable interface. Gifts HD 2's interface is extremely laggy at times and I experienced quite a few crashes once my lists started getting large. Gift Plan and mGifts continued to chug along just fine.
If I had to choose between the two, Gift Plan has the most attractive interface without sacrificing usability.
Gift Plan vs. Gifts HD 2 vs. mGifts: Adding & organizing people to buy for
Gift Plan integrates with both your native iPhone contacts and Facebook. The best part is you don't have to import every single contact. Gift Plan will first scan for contacts and then add only the ones you choose. You can jump into settings at any time in order to add more contacts or delete people from your current list.
Gift Plan also allows you to add people to events via the manage contacts setting at any time. Once you've added them to an event, they'll always show up there, even through recurring years, unless you remove them. One step further, Gift Plan shows custom contact cards with pictures that allow you to enter all kinds of info about that person including what they like, what sizes they wear, what you've already bought.
Gifts HD 2 will allow you to quick add any contact you like on the go but also has an individual setting for managing contacts as well. From the main menu you can choose tracked contacts and view all the contact you are currently tracking within the app.
Gifts HD 2 supports importing contacts from your iPhone but that's it at the current time. Once you select import you'll have to go through your contact list in order to choose them one by one. There is no search or letter bar on the side to skip through either. If you've got a lot of contacts, this can make initial setup rather daunting.
mGifts unfortunately doesn't import any contact from your Address Book or any other service which means you'll have to manually add contacts. You can do this under any event or from settings. To add a contact the only information that is required is their name. You can add their birthday if you'd like along with any notes and a photo if you'd like but it isn't required.
When it comes to managing contacts and best organizing them, Gift Plan integrates with the most services and allows you to make changes more efficiently than both Gifts HD 2 and mGifts. Its killer feature is being able to add ideas, sizes, and more to individual contact cards which makes it a feature no other gift app has yet to offer.
Gift Plan vs. Gifts HD 2 vs. mGifts: Managing events & budgets
Gift Plan makes it super easy to manage events via the occasions tab. Here is where you'll live when inside the app. You can quickly scroll through all your events and expand and collapse them in just a tap. Inside of each you'll see a list of each person you're buying for. To add or edit events inside Gift Plan, you can hop into settings. You can drag the events in the order you'd like them to show up as well as choose a color and change date settings. You can also choose to make the event recurring on a yearly basis or you can turn the recurring feature off.
While Gift Plan doesn't have a specific budget feature, it still makes it easy to track what you're spending on any given event via the shopping tab. Each event will be itemized and a grand total of everything you plan on buying is given next to the event's title. If you want to know how much you're spending on a specific person, you can view their contact contact card and see what you're buying for that person individually under the shopping section.
Gifts HD 2 allows you to create events directly from the main menu. It's actually the first thing you have to do before you can go any further. The one thing I do really like about Gifts HD 2 is the ability to create lists based on groups. For instance, I have two Christmas lists, one for family and one for friends. From here you can create users and a specific budget for each. If you'd like to set a budget for the entire event you can do so by tapping on the calendar icon within an event and putting in a budget amount.
One thing that Gifts HD 2 really focuses on is budget and finances. From the main menu you can click on reports and see a breakdown of what you've already spent, what you have remaining to spend, and more. Gifts HD 2 will also allow you to break down budgets and charts between events. If you've got a separate event for both family and friends for a holiday, you can easily set separate budgets on an individual and event level.
mGifts allows you to add events from the main event screen. After adding them you can edit some attributes about the specific event including the date, people that are included, and any notes or photos you'd like to attach. Unfortunately there isn't currently a way to set an overall budget for an event. It'll be based off of what you input per user.
From the main event screen you can see what your budget is for that event based off the budget you set for each person. Tapping into the event will show the different groups and the people in them. From here you can add items, check them off as you buy them, and change the status on them. Any changes you make will instantly be reflected in the overall events page summary.
If your biggest concern is staying under budget this holiday season, Gifts HD 2 is the best option. If event handling and being able to store information such as ideas and clothing sizes is more important, Gift Plan is where it's at.
Gift Plan vs. Gifts HD 2 vs. mGifts: Cross-platform support and syncing
Gift Plan does not currently offer an iPad counterpart. It also doesn't have any kind of cloud syncing that allows you to sign in and out from one device. This was a big let down for me because Gift Plan is absolutely gorgeous and I can only image how beautiful it would look on iPad. It's something I'm hoping they will work on in the future.
Gifts HD 2 allows you to use either your Facebook, Twitter, or email credentials to create an account. From here your events, people, and gifts will be synced. They also offer an iPad counterpart which I think is actually a better implementation than the iPhone version. The only thing I've noticed is that sync can be rather laggy. A few times I even had to log out and log back in since it didn't load my events. Syncing definitely needs some refinements in the future but it does work.
mGifts supports iCloud syncing which means once in enabled in settings your gifts will be available from any supported device. mGifts also has an iPad counterpart which looks and feels exactly the same as the iPhone version. Once downloaded, just pop into settings and turn on iCloud sync and your items will populate on your iPad as well.
When it comes to sync, Gifts HD 2 and mGifts both have workable solutions but mGifts syncing functions much better than Gifts HD 2's.
Gift Plan vs. Gifts HD 2 vs. mGifts: Pricing
Gift Plan is currently priced at $2.99 and that'll only get you the iPhone version since that's the only one Glasshouse offers. For most users, it's a small price to pay for what the app offers. It's the only one that offers data input such as sizes.
Gifts HD 2 is completely free and is a universal download for both iPhone and iPad. There is a little catch though that isn't really explained very well by MacSpots. You can only store so many lists and gifts unless you decide to go premium via an in-app purchase for $2.99. I got the message to purchase the premium version after adding about 5 or 6 gifts. If you are aiming towards Gifts HD 2, I'd plan on spending the $2.99 to have the ability to add unlimited amounts of events, people, and gifts.
mGifts is priced at $2.99 and is also a universal download for both iPhone and iPad. There aren't any additional in-app purchases to worry about and that'll get you all the features mGifts has to offer.
Considering Gift Plan, Gifts HD 2, and mGifts are all moderately priced, I wouldn't take price to be a determining factor. Decide what app you'd like to use based on the feature set and what is more important to you when shopping for friends and family.
Tie between all three.
Gift Plan vs. Gifts HD 2 vs. mGifts: The bottom line
Gifts HD 2 has both an iPhone and iPad interface, and a much better interface than mGifts, but it's slower and less stable, and in the end that makes mGifts the better (if not as pretty) choice for those who want to sync their gift lists to all their iOS devices.
Gift Plan is the best looking, and offers the most detailed, most customizable information. If you don't need an iPad version or syncing, and plan to track all your shopping straight from your iPad, go with Gift Plan.
Gift Plan - $2.99 - Download Now
Gifts HD 2 - Free - Download Now
mGifts - $0.99 - Download Now
iMore senior editor from 2011 to 2015.


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In today's technological world, part of being a professional means representing yourself and networking online. That's where LinkedIn comes in. LinkedIn is a social media platform focused on business-oriented social networking. It is a great way to manage your professional identity and build your connections. But, there are a few tips to being successful on LinkedIn. Here are the three things to think about when connecting online:
Fill out your profile—The first step to succeeding is to fully fill out your profile. Include your at least your last three positions, companies and a bulleted list of your responsibilities. Add a professional headshot and include a personal website. Don't forget to include your education, awards and volunteering experience.
Join groups—LinkedIn is an online networking and continuing education platform. That means, LinkedIn suggests groups, articles, companies and jobs that best fit you to learn more. Search for groups in your field and join a few to learn tips and tricks of the trade.
Act as in real-life—Don't confuse networking in LinkedIn as different in real life. You would never just go up to someone and say, "Hey! Let's connect." Cultivate a more gentle greeting. When you want to connect with someone, send them a message introducing yourself and stating why you're interested in connecting.


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In the event that you wish to cancel an order for an item which you have paid for prior to its coming into bullion, in consequence of a price fluctuation, the cancellation charge will be 2.5% of the total order value, plus any consequential loss owing to the fluctuation in the price of the metal.
The right to cancel any order once accepted under Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 of the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 does not apply. This is because the price of all goods that we sell is dependent upon fluctuations in the financial markets that are beyond our control. If any customer wishes to cancel an accepted order, Hatton Garden Metals would be happy to buy this back from the customer. For further price information about current rates to sell metals/coins please visit our sell gold page.
Bullion Grade coins are our most popular and sought after coins amongst investors focused on buying at the lowest prices. Retaining their gold value perfectly, these coins are mixed dates and circulated. Coins that are bullion grade show wear consistent with the heritage of the coin, and are the best value coins that you can buy for their weight and purity.
Any coin rated higher than bullion grade will show less surface scratching than expected for a coin of its minted year, will have fewer knocks to the surface. These coins may have been in protective packaging for some time during their circulation and must be considered aesthetically better than bullion grade. Most likely these coins will be later minted years or very good quality older coins.
These coins are essentially as good as new, little to no surface scratches beautiful in quality and no knock or noticeable scuff marks. Coins rated at this point in our scale are most likely to have been capsuled or contained within packaging for the majority of their circulation. Just a little lower than the official rating of Mint Condition as they will have been handled more frequently than mint coins, however please note these coins have still been in circulation.
These coins are mint condition, fresh of the press and perfectly preserved from print to packaging. Please note that Mint Stock, does not mean untouched by hands- but this condition coin ranking is as good as a gold coin comes to perfection.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Will Santa's sleigh be late?
A record number of Americans took to the Web to order holiday gifts after retailers flooded their inboxes with offers of extra discounts, free shipping and easy returns. But a storm bringing heavy winds and snow to much of the Midwest on Thursday — the heaviest shipping day of the year — could mean that some packages might not make it under the tree in time for Christmas. That's a headache for retailers, shippers and customers alike who already were experiencing problems because of the surge in shipping this year.
So far, no major disruptions have been reported. Wal-Mart, the No. 2 online retailer behind Amazon.com, said no orders have been delayed. GSI Commerce, which handles online shipping for 70 retailers including Aeropostale and Godiva, said they are monitoring the situation hour-by-hour and so far, deliveries are being made on time. By the time the storm hits the Northeast on Friday, it should be a wintry mix of rain and snow — nothing bad enough to delay deliveries.
Still, the storm's timing couldn't be worse for the world's largest package delivery company, UPS. Thursday is the Atlanta-based company's busiest day of the year. Before the storm shut down service in some areas, it expected to move 28 million packages on Thursday, nearly double an average day.
Both UPS and smaller rival FedEx Corp., which is based in Memphis, Tenn., have extensive contingency plans for blizzards and other inclement weather, including scores of meteorologists on staff to redirect planes and trucks and planes at the ready to replace others that can't take off. The storm led UPS to halt all pickups and deliveries in some parts of Iowa and Nebraska. It had to re-route packages destined for the Des Moines airport, from which many shipments are then moved by truck to their final destinations across the Plains states. Instead, it's moving those shipments out of its hub in Louisville, Ky., until the skies and roads clear, and expects most of the delays to be worked out this weekend.
Even before the storm hit, shipping delays were irking some. Ronni Kenoian, a 24-year-old consumer marketing manager, ordered a $150 bracelet set for her mother-in-law on Dec. 4 at Alex and Ani, a jewelry company based in Cranston, R.I. She expected it to arrive within seven to 10 business days. Her credit card was charged but Kenoian said she received no tracking number for the package. With no sign of the bracelet after a week, she phoned and emailed the company but her messages went unanswered. She tried to send a post on social media website Twitter and got a response to send her order number to the company, which she did. Still, nothing.
Finally, on Monday evening, she got word that her package would arrive Tuesday, two weeks after placing her order. She also received a coupon for 15 percent off her next online purchase. But the damage had been done.
"On a scale of 1 to 10 of how frustrated I am, I'm like a 12," she said. "I will never, ever order from their website again."
Alex and Ani CEO Giovanni Feroce said the delay is a result of the growing company trying to satisfy a major surge in demand: orders more than tripled this year to $3.3 million from $672,000 last year. Alex and Ani had boosted promotions too, offering free shipping and 10 to 15 percent off on four key days throughout the season, compared with just one day, Cyber Monday, last year.
"Although it is statistically impossible to get close to 50,000 orders perfect since Cyber Monday, we will always do our best to do just that," Feroce said in an interview.
Almost all retailers offered more free shipping this year. Nine out of 10 retailers planned to offer free holiday shipping, according to Shop.org, which is part of trade group The National Retail Federation.
And free shipping wasn't just an incentive for early shoppers. More than 46 percent of the major online retailers emailed their subscribers on Monday Dec. 17, a.k.a. free shipping day, with offers to ship gifts free with no minimum purchase. Fewer than 10 percent made that offer last year, according to marketing software company Responsys.
That spurred shoppers to spend more — online shopping is expected to have risen 17 percent this holiday season to a record $43.4 billion, according to comScore. But with that increase came logistical problems, and not just at small retailers. Karla Neville, 31, who works in national event marketing in New York, was enticed by Gap's offer of 30 percent off everything. She ordered a sweater, belt and tie for her husband from Banana Republic's website, which is owned by Gap Inc.
Gap separated the order into two and sent the sweater and tie by FedEx and the belt by UPS. Neville never received the belt, discovering online that the UPS package had been returned to Gap for reasons unknown. She doesn't want the belt anymore, just a refund.
"I no longer feel confident that if they re-ship it I will get it in time," she said.
Gap spokeswoman Edie Kissko said that the company sometimes sends items separately depending upon what part of the country the order is shipped from and its destination, a common retail practice known as "split shipping." Gap did not comment on the specific incident.
When shipping goes wrong, all is not lost. Good customer service can save a bad experience.
Charles Hansen III, 49, a consultant in Falls Church, Va., tried to buy a salad spinner from a secondary seller on Amazon's Marketplace, but it came crushed in the mail. He dreaded contacting the seller through the online Web form required, but the seller ended up getting right back in touch with him and sent him a new salad spinner within a few days. He didn't even have to send back the crushed one.
"I was apprehensive. I thought 'Oh, great,' especially when I got to the Amazon website and had to go through this cumbersome process," Hansen said. "But I was pleasantly surprised. If it had wound up being a bad experience I could see doing a lot less online next year — but it turned out very well."