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Title: Hot Summer's Night: Blue Diamond Fever
Summary: During NML, he saved her from certain death and she thanked him with a concussion and a hasty exit. Eight months later, she's found a way to make amends. Sequel to Cold Winter's Night.
Rating: T for violence and mild adult themes
Infringements: All recognizable characters belong to DC Comics, not DC Luder.
Author's Note: My sincerest apologies for once again falling off of the face of the Earth. While I catch up on the Series of Three, I humbly offer this to you.
A/N 2: References made to Catwoman Volume 2 #72 and assorted NML fun.
"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it."
Russell Baker
The first of August was the start of Gotham City's eighth month as a shining new city.
As a result of the year of erosion known as No Man's Land, the metropolis had all but vanished beneath earthquake rubble and the aftermath of endless gang activity. After realizing their error, the government had welcomed us back to civilization with open, and relatively forced, arms. Billions of dollars worth of materials and thousands of construction workers had been brought in from private and federal sources to resurrect Gotham's corpse. It had seemed impossible, but within a few months, the skyline towered over freshly paved streets, the MTA train systems were put back together and civilization brought the pulse back to the streets I had always loved.
Having lived in Gotham before, during and after the earthquake, it had still been an adjustment to seeing its sleeker self. The new skyscrapers had worked their way up to the heavens once more, although with more modern designs and features. The streets and avenues had been revitalized with black pavement and sharp contrasting markers, signs and crosswalks. The parks that had been ruptured and overgrown were treated with loving and detailed landscaping. Everything starting over, starting anew.
Every day, it seemed as if life was in fast forward, racing along back to normalcy.
However, Gotham wasn't Gotham without a dark cloud looming over it.
When No Man's Land had been declared, rather than transporting the hundreds of Arkham inmates to neighboring facilities, the guards had unlocked the doors before abandoning their posts. The time Gotham had spent on her own and cut off from civilization had been bad enough, let alone the added chaos of the criminally insane running free. The struggle to simply survive had put some of their heinous efforts at bay, but it hadn't taken long for hostages to turn to body counts.
My kind of crime had always been of the pillage variety, not the stabbing, filleting and killing kind.
By the time the city was reunited with the United States, the interim police force and masked vigilantes had managed to put away most of the heavy hitters and second class inmates. Even still, unspeakable acts had occurred and gone unpunished, innocents turned guilty, all for the gain of power and the need to survive. A few of the nobodies had hightailed it out of the city at first chance, some had no doubt perished amidst the gang violence or rampant disease and starvation. Whoever had remained had gone into hiding, waiting for the opportune moment to pluck the ripest fruit.
Not that I wasn't doing the same thing.
There had been a silver lining in the dark cloud…
When things had taken a turn for the worse following the earthquake, I had made my decision and left Gotham. It hadn't been the first time I had turned my back on the city I loved, but it had still been painful. Taking my most valuable belongings and my collection of passports with me, I had found myself a new home in Manhattan. I had spent my days perusing museums, sampling fine cuisine and preparing to get back to "work". Granted, the Big Apple was no Gotham, but it was about as close I was going to get.
All it really lacked was that something special. A tall, dark and handsome something dressed like a bat…
I had nearly put Gotham behind me when I had made a curious find while trying to steal an emerald the size of my fist. Regrettably, the gem had been a fake, turning out to be a device activated upon my attempted theft. My mouth had gaped when it delivered a message in the computerized tone of Oracle, "The Boss needs you to meet him in Gotham. You should be at Robinson Central Station's main lobby in twelve hours. If you don't show it will be assumed that you couldn't get in."
In the midst of his battles in the wreckage of Gotham, he had managed to track me down, had planted a fake gem that he knew I would go after and then had brazenly commanded for me to return. I would not have believed it to be possible, but there it had sat, securely in its display waiting for me. It had been fruitless to dwell on the matter for any significant amount of time as he was the world's greatest detective, there was no hiding from him.
He knew everything. He knew me. And he knew I would be unable to resist such a boldly placed challenge.
The challenge he had left for me had started an itch. The itch had evolved into an undeniable urge to sneak up on him in the middle of No Man's Land. That urge had turned into an burning desire to clock him in his square jaw for ruining my fun, for making me follow his order and for tugging at my ego.
Given that I had been enjoying my little place in Manhattan, I had not taken any thought to chart out my inevitable return to Gotham. There had been all of the time in the world to do so, especially since at the time No Man's Land seemed to be delaying any hopes of rebuilding. But with a twelve hour deadline, there had not been a moment to spare for coming up with a plan, let along putting it into action.
Damn him.
The flight to the Gotham County airport, the only surviving air strip after the earthquake, had been in the luxury of first class. Even still, I had been edgy and tense despite the complimentary champagne and plush leather seats. A flight attendant had asked if I was all right but I had warded him off by claiming to be a nervous flier. He had reassured me with a warm smile that we would safely land and that he would be nearby if I had needed anything. I should have asked him if he would have been willing to help me avoid land and water mines while crossing the Gotham River but I had held my tongue.
Once on the ground, I had collected my baggage, locked up some of my belongings in a locker and then rented a car under the name Ivana Katz. It hadn't been long after that I was racing up the interstate, closing in on Gotham City. The tension had grown to a relatively unbearable level, causing me to switch radio stations sporadically while speeding down the left lane without mercy. For those fifteen minutes, my mind had been solely focused on all that could go right and wrong while breaking into No Man's Land. It had been as I entered the former city limits that the rational mind gave in to memories, signaled just as the city skyline was no where in view.
A year earlier, Wayne, Hart and Citibank Towers would have been competing with one another to reach the clouds. The bridges would have been bustling with traffic, angry honks from commuters, dump trucks and taxis alike. Train cars packed full would have been leaving and entering the city on an endless loop. During the day, the city would have been cast in a slight haze, at night basked in an electric glow.
It had been dusk. And there had been nothing.
The interstate had offered detours back towards civilization, with all exits towards Gotham cut off with cement barricades topped with razor wire. It had taken an additional forty minutes to work my way through detours, turnarounds and backed up exits before I had made it to my destination. Namely, the on-ramp for what had once been the Westward Bridge.
With no human eyes even remotely nearby, I had changed into my guise, the suit greeting me like an old friend. With the added degree of difficulty, I had brought along a waterproof backpack of climbing gear, basic medical kit along with dehydrated food and water sterilizing tablets. Even though survivors had carried on during my absence, I had doubted they would be willing to share their limited supplies with a little old cat thief.
Regrettably, the safest way in had been through the river. A river marked with mines, bodies that had long since passed the stage of being a floater and of course decades of pollution. Outfitted with flippers, goggles and an oxygen re-breather, I had jumped into the murky abyss. The smell itself had been enough cause me to gag, but I had put my frustration to practical use, keen on doing anything to beat his challenge of meeting him within twelve hours.
Crawl stroking through liquid hell just to wipe that half-smirk off of his face with my claws…
Reaching the other side, I had enjoyed a momentary break sitting atop of a vacant and disabled dump truck. In the twenty minutes I had spent catching my breath, I had studied the barren patch of street and tattered buildings that had previously made up the Hudson Circle. Once upon a time, it had been known as "Hell's Circle" given its infamous traffic nightmares any given hour of the day. The only sign of life I had bore witness to was a pair of pigeons fighting over some miniscule bit of garbage.
The victor took to the skies, leaving the loser alone on the barren street.
I had made it into Gotham in one piece, smelly and disgusting, but intact. Next on the agenda had been to try to get to Robinson Central Station without falling prey to the terrain or what lurked in its crevices. Coming back to the city had naturally roused ancient memories, both good and bad. Seeing my home in ruin had been all too painful to bare initially, forcing me to emotionally vacate long before physically leaving it all behind.
My favorite perches were no longer in existence, the diamond district was buried beneath hundreds of tons of collapsed buildings and the eerie silence was as unnerving as the lack of activity. Darkness had always been a comfortable cloak but I had fond myself welcoming the daylight, even if my guise had me sticking out like the proverbial sore thumb.
Making my way to Robinson Central had proven to be more difficult than navigating the river of a million horrors. The news had reported on how the gangs were practically feral, fervently protecting heir territories with a battery of weaponry that had seemed to be medieval compared to the semi-automatics that had once empowered the criminals of Gotham. I had no interest in proving the media right or wrong and simply focused on moving quickly and quietly.
Thankfully, the only turf war I had come across had been the birds.
After ten and a half hours of living hell, I had finally stepped into the former crossties of Gotham, the building as silent as an empty church. As expected, he had been ready and waiting, wasting no time in getting to the point. I had used my anger at his challenge to fuel my efforts, but upon finally seeing him inn the flesh, it had all but dissipated. He had looked haggard, jaw dark with stubble, eyes painfully tired, even beneath the cowl's lenses. I had listened intently as he said he needed me to steal information that would be vital to saving Gotham.
Curiosity damned, I had asked, "Why not get them yourself?"
My anger had returned tenfold when he had replied, "They're in Manhattan."
I had laughed for a moment before immediately lunging at him, vowing to kill him for making me fight my way back into Gotham only to have to do it all over again. While evading my assaults, he had defended his actions, claiming that he had been unable to risk anyone learning about the discs he had needed and that he had wanted to be sure that I had been capable of getting through the barricades.
Still enraged, I had lashed out at him with the whip, shocked when he held his arm out to be ensnared by the tail, grabbing on and dragging me to him. What had been even more surprising had been when he had gripped me by the forearms, saying that he needed me before leaning forward and kissing me.
I had never been able to stay mad at him for long.
Deciding to be a good girl, I had played along. I had left Gotham mere hours after arriving, booked a hotel room near the airport simply to shower off the sludge and then found the next flight back to JFK. It had been my only mission in life, obtaining the information he had asked for, something he had only asked of me.
And then, like a good little kitty, I had returned home, back through the barricades, the murky river, and the tattered streets. Upon delivering the discs, I had told Batman that I intended to make the most out of returning to Gotham. He had in turn promised to hunt me down if he caught me stealing anything. There had been the most minute playful hint to his voice, something that had me grinning while walking out on him.
Even with Gotham in ruins, there had been the promise of some fun.
Unfortunately, it had not come to pass as expected. He had been entirely too busy fighting the gangs, battling with the Arkham inmates and even with the former GCPD to play a game of Bat and Cat. I had treated myself to a few gems that I had been able to unearth from the rubble in the museums, but most everything of true value had been destroyed or not worth risking life and limb crawling through unstable debris. In fact, the next time I had actually spent time with him had been the night we had both jumped into an icy reservoir to save two young women from drowning.
I had joked, while nearly succumbing to severe hypothermia, that being good never paid as well as being bad.
Despite the fact that he had been nearly as frigid as I had been, Batman had managed to carry me to one of his bunkers, bringing life back to my body with warm IV fluids and thermal blankets. He had tended to me before worrying about his own health, cranking the heat in the cramped quarters before disrobing and crawling into the narrow bed, rubbing my arms and legs to bring me out of near lethal shock. Most of the night had been a painful blur, but I had a distinct recollection of falling asleep in his arms.
Upon waking in utter darkness hours later, I had taken advantage of the situation, using our nude states and lowered inhibitions to seduce him. It had been an opportunity that would have never presented itself again, something I had dreamt of for years and yet something I had never thought of actually coming true. We had teased and taunted one another for so long, a physically and painfully tense courtship that had never climaxed.
That was until that cold winter's night.
Although I had wanted nothing more than to stay with him in those pre-dawn hours, I had bailed. I had taken advantage of his post-coitus reduced defenses to render him unconscious, slamming his brow directly into the metal frame of the bed. I had taken a moment to check his vitals and position him so that he wouldn't fall onto the floor. Still in the dark, I had collected the damp remnants of my costume and donned them hastily. With a pillowcase in hand, I had felt my way over to the small storage shelf, taking all of the bottled water and food rations along with the medical supplies.
Before leaving, I had returned bedside and kissed his cheek, "Thanks for everything, stud."
I had also scrawled a message on the frost covered door, telling him that next time I would bring my whip if he brought the cuffs. An apology of sorts.
For what little had remained of No Man's Land, I had managed to avoid him. Again, he had bigger problems to worry about, like the Joker kidnapping babies, cops killing other cops and Lex Luthor trying to claim Gotham for his own. Revenge for a little theft and mild head trauma had no room on his busy schedule of saving every life he could.
But that was all in the past.
Gotham was well on her way back to her new-old self. The streets were alive with actual people and not with leery-eyed ghosts of the human race. Lights, horn honks and the chatter of trains on tracks brought the feel of the city as much as the new buildings. With one of my former penthouses having been in a building owned by Wayne's real estate holdings, I wasn't in a government sub-leased condo. I spent Gotham's first year back in civilization doing most of the repairs myself, finally seeking out a contractor to get the electricity to work in the left side of my home.
But I was home.
I was even more at home when August first came to pass, marking the grand re-opening of the Museum of Natural History. The loss of priceless exhibits had countless of personal collectors and other facilities offering items on loan. Given my nature, I loathed the animal displays and dinosaurs were of no interest to me. However, the mineral science exhibit had caught my interest, especially after I learned that the Blue Diamond necklace was going to be on display for the month of August.
Nine rare blue diamonds that clocked out at nearly six carats were fixed in to a necklace made up of two hundred and forty-three colorless diamonds. It had been crafted as a "consolation" gift from the South African diamond magnate Thomas Cullinan to his wife. He had promised to find her the largest diamond in the world, but when he had unearthed the over three-thousand carat Cullinan Diamond at the turn of the last century, he had given it to England's King Edward VII.
As an apology, he had devised the Blue Diamond necklace and given it to her.
After both had passed, it had gone from one family member to another before finally finding its way to the National Gem Gallery, which had donated ten exhibits to the Natural History Museum's Mineralogy wing. I had helped myself to a few treasures during No Man's Land, but it had been some time since I had actually put my skills to the test. And with twenty-five million dollars worth of shiny sitting in a display case, I simply couldn't resist.
With all of the modifications put into the reconstruction of the museum, I was forced to alter my typical approach. Simple motion sensors had been upgraded to pressure detectors on the floors, doors and windows. Ventilation systems were now outfitted with audio monitoring microphones, eager to pick up the sound of someone moving through on their hands and knees. Even though the exhibits themselves were cushioned by juicy insurance policies, each display had visual and thermographic cameras studying them and their surroundings, along with armed guards.
I attended the opening gala, decked out in my own diamond necklace and low-dipping black Vera Wang gown. The guards on duty for the event were scheduled to remain overnight, keeping the millions of dollars worth of gems safe from the likes of me. I chatted up each of them, learning that all four were formerly from Blackgate, taking on better paying and less dangerous work at their wives' requests.
Despite their obedience, each treated themselves to a gander down my cleavage.
I allowed it, as it left them oblivious to the fact that it allowed me to place trackers on all of them.
Rather than backtrack home only to return to the museum, I lingered late at the gathering, acting tipsy and causing two of the guards to squabble over who would call me a cab. Reggie won over Thomas, more than happy to guide me to the main entrance, promising to help me get home safe. Halfway there, I grabbed him by the tie, latched my lips onto his and forced him to back-peddle into the woman's bathroom. Even for a former Blackgate guard, he was easily caught off guard and unable to regroup before my next onslaught.
Namely a tranquilizer to his awfully firm buttocks.
When he collapsed to the white tiled floor, I bent over and retrieved the tracer from his lapel, "Nighty night, Reggie."
Dragging him into an empty stall, I used his own cuffs to secure him to the toilet, even though I would be long gone with the necklace before he came to. Upon arriving earlier that evening, I had hid my gear bag in the empty garbage can of the stall marked Out of Service. While the handsome guard snored softly, I retrieved the bag and shut the door in order to conceal his limp form. I changed quickly from the gown to my leggings, boots and fitted tunic, letting my handheld warm up and zero in on the remaining three guards.
Cowl in place, I packed my previous wardrobe in the small gear bag before securing it around my shoulders.
Before leaving, I glanced at myself in the mirror and smiled.
It was going to be a good night.
Next: Don't Be Gentle


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Drug Testing and Marriage Equality Standing for a Decent Australia, working with the Facts
Drug Testing
ACOSS applauds the decision of the Opposition Labor Party to oppose the Federal Government proposal to introduce drug testing for people needing social security support. The Opposition joins the Australian Greens in opposing this proposal.
Dr Cassandra Goldie, CEO of ACOSS said:
"The proposal of the Federal Government to introduce mandatory drug testing is plain wrong. Health experts don't support it, health workers don't support it, community organisations don't support it, and it's because it won't work and offends basic rights. The evidence is clear. The Federal Government drug testing proposal will make things worse for people in the community who may be dealing with a drug addiction. It would also further stigmatise and demean people who are relying on social security and have a right to receive support when they need it. We thank the Opposition and the Australian Greens for taking this stand.
"We now urge the members of the Crossbench in the Parliament to follow suit, and firmly reject the drug testing proposal.
"ACOSS calls on the Federal Government to abandon this proposal, and work with us on addressing the real issues facing people currently relying on social security: lack of enough income and decently paid work opportunities, and the real issues facing people in the community dealing with a drug addiction: lack of services and supports.
"ACOSS will continue to work with the Federal Government and the Australian Parliament on policies that will work. Mandatory drug testing is not one of them."
Marriage Equality
ACOSS again urges the Australian Parliament to deliver a free vote on marriage equality and to vote yes. ACOSS also applauds all those across Australian society who continue to campaign for marriage equality through a parliamentary vote.
Cassandra Goldie, ACOSS CEO, said: "Ëach day, people directly affected by the denial of the human right to marry the person you love, are forced to keep sharing their intimate stories of pain, distress, love and hope. We will continue to do so as we build the unstoppable force for change. Staff in our own organisation, Board members and across our membership are directly affected. As an individual and through my family and friends, I am directly affected. We thank the tireless efforts of the groundswell of politicians and people campaigning in support of this essential change. Across Australia, people campaigning for marriage equality through a parliamentary vote are acting in love and support for their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, children, friends, neighbours, communities and the decency of Australian society. ACOSS applauds all those working to finally deliver marriage equality for Australia.
"The facts are that, as long as loving same sex relationships are invalidated through the failure to recognise marriage equality, those of us affected remain virtual second class citizens. As long as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people continue to suffer discrimination in the workplace, in our schools and in the streets through bullying, harassment and violence, those affected remain on the margins of society. As long as our diverse community continues to experience higher rates of suicide, elevated rates of mental health issues and poorer health outcomes, we will be prevented from reaching our full potential as individuals and as a society.
"The time for change is now. A vote in the Australian Parliament for marriage equality is the only way."

subset: commoncrawl


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I remember being called aquot;teachera#39;s petaquot; in third grade but in the new neighborhood, I became a terror. I guess if it had ... The fact that I am a practicing dentist today is a Listening to Dr. Becker that morning gave me the confidence to know I could create a happy life in dentistry. That was all ... fuel I needed. I am School Daze 41.
|The Art of the Examination
|Barry Polansky
|- 2002
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Originally posted by Mikeraphone
I hope my post didn't kill this thread
Originally posted by MR BOB
contact these guys with what you said, more than likely they would find it interesting enough to do a show on it.
hopefully a live one, over a couple of nights, they might even interview you for the show
[edit on 4-5-2009 by MR BOB]
Originally posted by foxhoundone
In Western Kabbalistic Tradition, Persephone and Hades are first encountered on the path between Malkuth and Yesod with Hecate as guardian of their Mystery. Pluto/Hades in his dark glory (the Black Sun or shadow-self) and Persephone as Queen of the Underworld, ruling death and rebirth (the bright-self) are to be encountered on the path between Yesod and Tippareth. These two paths lead to the "hidden riches" within the individual. The paths form part of an ongoing series of confrontations which are resolved in the process of attaining internal balance. This balance is to be found in the dance of energy which is poised at the knife edge between the forces of darkness and light, a manifestation of the power of Pluto.
Am looking forword to get my teeth into "jewish occult"
Fact or fiction or fantasy ??


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August 12, 2010
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is projecting a record corn crop in Indiana for the second consecutive year, pushing production beyond 1 billion bushels for the first time. It also forecasts a record crop nationally. The production will enable U.S. farmers to meet worldwide demands for grain in food and for ethanol blends in gasoline to fuel cars.
"If you like to eat and drive your car, this is good news," Purdue agricultural economist Chris Hurt said Thursday (Aug. 12) during a panel discussion at the Indiana State Fair after the release of the USDA's "Crop Production Report" for August. The report is the first indicator of expected production for 2010.
The USDA forecast Indiana farmers to produce 1.03 billion bushels of corn, up from 933 million last year, on average yields of 173 bushels per acre, up 5 bushels. The USDA forecast a record 13.4 bushels of corn nationally, up 2 percent from last year. Yields are expected to hit 165 bushels per acre, up slightly from last year's record of 164.7. "We're going to have a lot of corn out there," said Greg Preston, director of the National Agricultural Statistics Service office in Indiana.
Soybean production nationally is expected at 3.4 billion bushels, an increase of 2 percent from 2009, on yields of 44 bushels per acre, which is unchanged from last year's record. "Records are just popping up all over the place," Preston said. While the report forecasts Indiana's soybean crop to drop to 259 million bushels from 266 million last year, soybean farmers did not benefit from early spring plantings as much as did farmers who planted corn. The expected yield is unchanged from last year at 49 bushels per acre.
But soybean crops could improve, depending on how they develop into early September, Hurt said. Concerns over heavy spring rains, sweltering heat and humidity have not hurt Indiana's crop production, primarily because of corn farmers' jump in planning in early April. At the beginning of May, corn planting set a record pace at 71 percent, surpassing the previous record in 2004. By mid-May, corn planting was 12 days ahead of the five-year average.
Planting of soybeans also moved at a record pace in late April, but weather for most of May slowed progress. The early spring planting is turning out to be crucial to global food supply, Hurt said. "If we didn't have that three weeks of early April planting, the world would be in a world of trouble for food and fuel," he said.
Sixty-three percent of Indiana's corn crop was rated good to excellent as of August 1. A week later, 65 percent of it fell into that rating. Sixty-four percent of soybeans had that rating August 1 and 65 percent a week later. The report did not indicate a "big price driver" either higher or lower, Hurt said.
But Indiana farmers now will find planting more wheat attractive because of drought conditions in Russia, among the largest exporters of the crop, and in parts of Europe, Hurt said. That is an opportunity for farmers to take advantage of both world demand and high prices. "We're going to see interest in wheat like we've never seen before," he said.
The report shows that Indiana farmers are responsive to world food supply demand, said Joe Kelsay, Indiana State Department of Agriculture director. "We have the safest, most abundant and most affordable food supply," he said. Jay Akridge, Glenn W. Sample Dean of Purdue Agriculture, moderated the panel discussion.
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We all want more free traffic to our websites and in this video, I share a simple strategy for ranking your content high on Google…
Sadly, people make SEO out to be more complicated then it really is.
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Delma Doherty, GWQ Committee Member, recently represented the group at the ACU Brisbane Scholarships and Awards Ceremony on 23rd May 2017. Delma reports the award winners are both wonderful enthusiastic young women.
The Indigenous Women's Award, given to the indigenous female student with the highest GPA in either year 3 or 4 of their education degree, was awarded to Brianna Corbyn. Brianna is from Ipswich.
Joanne Mulligan, from Roma, was the recipient of the Rural Women's Award. The Rural Women's Award is given to a female student from a regional or rural area in Queensland in her final year of her education degree.


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Manhattan office vacancy hit 11.1% at the close of 2004 thanks to roughly 30 million sq. ft. of absorption, reports real estate brokerage Cushman & Wakefield. In 2003, by comparison, 20 million sq. ft. of office space was leased—or 9 million sq. ft. fewer than the bulk of 2004.
The news wasn't quite as good for the downtown market, however, where vacancy increased from 12.7% to 14.2% between the end of 2003 and 2004. "We were well aware of a few significant blocks of office space set to become available downtown. But the vacancy rate rise this quarter only gives a portion of the complete picture," says Ken Krasnow, executive managing director at Cushman & Wakefield.
"Businesses leased 500,000 sq. ft. more office space downtown this year than last year, indicating that demand continues to pick up, which we see as a positive for the overall health of the market."
In midtown, office vacancy fell from 11.9% to 10.1% over the course of 2004. Financial services firms led the charge in midtown, where rents average nearly $15 per sq. ft. higher than downtown.
"Financial services ran away with available space this year, leasing about 1.5 million sq. ft. in the fourth quarter alone for a total of 4.1 million sq. ft. in 2004," says Krasnow.
He believes that financial services firms will drive roughly one-third of the leasing market for office space while law firms should fuel "significant leasing" demand in the near term.


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Pakistan student Orphir was expelled from school on March 17th, 2011.
Before that he was a sophomore studying the MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery) programme in Changsha Medical University, a privately-run college in Hunan province. The school informed that he was dismissed for failing 8 courses and frequently breaking the school rules, since he incited other students to transfer and put in for a transfer without permission.
Orphir considered the statement as excuse. "The real reason is that they expelled me as a warning to other international students, so that they dare not ask for their rights." Orphir said.
In fact, a good few international students have ever planted ideas of transferring to other universities as they were discontented with school teaching and management. Much more importantly, the Ministry of Education of PRC never approved Changsha Medical University as qualified university to enroll these international students, according to the guideline "Provisional Regulation on Quality Control Standard of English-Taught Medical Undergraduate Education for International Students in China" issued in 2007. Orphir and his classmates were misled by education agents to study in China.
Based on the investigation by Southern Weekly, except for Changsha Medical University, at least 6 universities have enrolled international students to English-taught MBBS program, but they were not in the list of qualified universities either.
An anonymous insider commented that since English-taught MBBS programmes in these universities are not in conformity with their promotional information and are not recognized by official educational accrediting bodies in China, India and other countries, such programmes could be called "diploma mills", although the universities themselves are qualified.
Hailing from Rawalpindi, a northeastern city of Pakistan, Orphir has aimed to be a doctor since his childhood. He finally found the chance, when he read the advertisement of an education agent saying that "Want to take medical course in China? We provide the most economical MBBS programme". The advertisement was published in the country's most popular Urdu newspaper The Daily Jang in Oct 2009.
Such commercials are not rare. It becomes trendy for Pakistan and Indian students to pursue MBBS in China. "We even spend less in China than in Pakistan for study." Orphir said.
According to data released by the Ministry of Education, medicine is the second most popular major chosen by international students coming to China, following language learning programme. The number of international medical students is increasing year by year. The phenomenon even drew Indian media's attention. India Times covered a report "Doctors, Made in China" telling the story about it. That report also concerned about the quality of education, worrying that some schools would lower the threshold of admission and impair the quality.
Unfortunately, all Orphir's experience has corroborated the doubt. He applied to the education agent called NRZ International Consultant in Pakistan, and received an offer from Changsha Medical University unconditionally on the next day. He was not required to prepare any certificate of Chinese or English proficiency, although he was enrolled by an English-taught programme.
Looking back to this, Orphir said he was deeply hurt by the agent's concealment and deception. For example, the agent didn't tell him that Changsha Medical University is a non-governmental school. And the advertisement even noted that it took only three hours to drive from Changsha to Hong Kong, which should be at least ten hours actually.
Not only that, Orphir was deluded by the key fact that the school was ineligible to enroll international students for MBBS study.
As early as 2007, the Ministry of Education laid down regulation to rectify the messed situation of MBBS programme management at universities. Despite that the provincial department of education originally should have right to approve the qualification, but the ministry directly restricted scale of enrollment and identified 30 universities to admit international students for English-taught MBBS programme instead. The number has risen to 49 in 2011. Changsha Medical University is not on the list of any year.
Ms. Yang, Section Chief of International Exchanges Division in Changsha Medical University said the school was "qualified" to enroll international students with the approval of the Department of Education in Hunan Province (which in fact has no authority to approve MBBS programmes).
What's more, she added, the MBBS programme was Chinese-taught. "But considering the international students, it is impossible that all courses are taught in Chinese."
However, international students in Changsha Medical University told Southern Weekly that "all the medical courses are taught totally in English."
In accordance with regulation by Ministry of Education, universities not on the list should not recruit international students to MBBS programme, but they could have Chinese-taught programme and take in international medical students. In addition, some vague wordings such as "Bilingual teaching" are forbidden in school promotion.
Meanwhile, taking advantage of equivocal statements, a fair number of education agents in Pakistan solicit students openly to MBBS programme in unqualified schools like Changsha Medical University. International students are consequently deceived as unacquainted with education policies in China.
The agent deceived Orphir as well. Orphir even didn't know that he was in the first batch of Pakistan students to Changsha Medical University until he entered school. Before coming to China, Orphir once called a Pakistan student at school, introduced by the agent. He told Orphir, "I'm a senior here. The school is very good." When Orphir met that "senior" in Changsha, he found that the "senior" was his classmate as a fact, who merely came earlier a few days.
Orphir asked him angrily, "Why did you lie to me?" "If not, how could you come?" Orphir's classmate answered, on the side of agent.
A barrage of absurd things happened to Orphir after he got the "offer".
For example, Orphir should begin his programme in September 2009. However, the formalities like visa process postponed his schedule. Orphir arrived at Changsha on January 1st 2010 when he missed most courses in the semester, but the agent told him it was all right. In the end, Orphir had to take final exams after few classes and failed two courses out of four.
One of his classmates registered even later than Orphir. And lots of international students arrived in November or December.
After registration, Orphir was required to pay 4600 dollars as one-year expense, "But it should be 2000 dollars as the advertisement noted. "Orphir complained, because he was attracted by the low expense at first. But now he had to pay more than doubled.
The Pakistan agent Raheel Tariq collected 4600 dollars expense directly. Indications point out that International Exchanges Division of Changsha Medical University is keeping a closer relation with Raheel than ordinary education agent. Raheel is called "coordinator" in English-version website of the university. (But his name and title has been deleted from the website after the Chinese version of this report published.)
Some student once read the agreement between the university and Raheel, saying that the university would pay 10% of the tuition as commission to Raheel.
In fact, most schools with illegal enrollment rely much on foreign education agents. Director of General Office in Luzhou Medical College ever wrote in a published paper, "Foreign education agents could assist to international students' teaching and management." "It is very necessary and helpful."
The condition of teaching quality seemed worrying as well. Orphir memorized that a Chinese lady "Dr. Sunny" taught him Physiology in the second semester. Then he found that the courses of Microbiology, Parasitology, Immunology and Clinical Anatomy were also taught by Dr. Sunny in the third semester. The matter has not finished yet. In the fourth semester, Dr. Sunny appeared again in the class of Pathology, and she would teach Pathophysiology in following days. In other word, there was only one teacher, who taught 7 major subjects of Clinical Medicine MBBS and instructed laboratory practice of all these subjects at the same time.
"They just toy with our future!" Orphir said.
Such situation was denied by Ms. Yang, Section Chief of International Exchanges Division in Changsha Medical University, but she refused to provide a name list of teachers in MBBS programme.
Orphir therefore hoped to transfer to another university, out of much discontent against the school. He applied for admission to Central South University, which is approved by the Ministry of Education. But for his transfer application without permission, Changsha Medical University gave Orphir disciplinary probation. After that, Orphir had to write a statement promising he wouldn't transfer any more.
In the third semester, when Orphir's father stayed in hospital to cure diabetes, Orphir asked for leave to take care of his father in Pakistan. He returned to Changsha in November 2010 and continued study. Nevertheless when Orphir finished final exams, teachers refused to mark his exam papers for the reason that Orphir was absent for a long time. Orphir failed those courses in the third semester.
After expelling Orphir, the school convened a meeting of all the international students and declared, "Orphir will not be the last one to be expelled." Ms. Yang, Section Chief of International Exchanges Division in Changsha Medical University told Southern Weekly, "There are some troubles in managing these Pakistan students. It is not a punishment to expel Orphir but means to teach other students."
Orphir's case is not the only one. A good lot of international students who studied the illegal MBBS programme in China have complained to China's University and College Admission System, an officially recognized organization. "Some of them found that the diploma was not approbated in their countries. Some others realized that their schools were ineligible to have MBBS programme before graduation. They usually asked us for help to transfer, but it is quite difficult in China." Consultant of CUCAS Ms Liu said.
Southern Weekly called some universities with MBBS programme in the name of enquiring related information. It revealed that several unqualified universities have enrolled international medical students since 2007, like Hebei North University, Jinggangshan University, Yichun University, North China Coal Medical University, Changjiang University, Luzhou Medical College and so on. The number of enrollment varied from tens to hundreds in each school every year. The illegal enrollment not only brings tidy economic profits but also promotes "international brand" of these schools.
Orphir once asked the agent whether the diploma would be recognized in Pakistan, and got a reply saying "Yes because it is recognized by World Health Organization (WHO)."
However, WHO reminds in its official website that "the WHO has no authority to grant any form of recognition or accreditation to schools of medicine or other training institutions. Such a procedure remains the exclusive prerogative of the national government concerned."
The list of universities to have MBBS programme approved by Ministry of Education would be sent to embassies or consulates every year. Since 2007, Medical Council of Indiaannounced that students could only enter eligible universities in accordance with the list provided by Chinese government.
Meanwhile, most countries like Pakistan haven't enacted similar regulation, which cause the ineligible MBBS programme recruited many Pakistan students. Besides, a few students come from Cameroon, Sudan, Burundi, Afghanistan and other Asian and African states.
"Beyond all doubt, they are vulnerable groups in China." Head of CUCAS Zheng Tianying said. "Coming from developing countries, they can hardly bear the expenses in China. Even if they found it a trap, seldom could solve the problem."
Nowadays in China, there is a special organization held by education departments to identify the qualification of foreign universities for Chinese students. But on the other hand, supervision on managing international students in China still has much vacancy. Embassies and consultants haven't taken the responsibility to verify whether the schools or the programmes are approved by Ministry of Education.
Orphir finally went back to Pakistan because his visa had been canceled after expelled. He felt unwilling to leave. But Orphir comforted himself, "I'm lucky to be expelled actually. Otherwise who knows what diploma I would get if I stayed here for 3 more years."
"China is great and Chinese people are nice. I wish to come back." Orphir said, "But I will never ask help for deceitful agent, and will never enter such school."(Originally printed in Southern Weekly [in Chinese], March 31st, 2011. Written by Fang Kecheng.)


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Open Thread: Talk About What Matters Most to You
Discuss and debate the issues that mean the most to you.
You know that saying "Fake it till you make it?" It's kinda great, right? It carried me through some tough times (hello, early sobriety). It taught me it was OK (healthy, even) to pretend I felt however it was I wanted to feel. Like, if I wanted to appear self-confident, I'd have to ACT self-confident, even if I didn't feel that way AT ALL. That perfect little pearly nugget of life wisdom suggests that by just pretending to be something you want to be, you're training yourself to feel that way, like strengthening a muscle or learning how to sew.
My problem, when it comes to handy mantras, is that they're like vitamins; I almost NEVER keep using them on a daily basis. And one of the reasons I think I always manage to conveniently forget my aforementioned mantra is that while it sounds awesome in theory, in reality it feels kind of ... hollow and inauthentic, constantly pretending to be something you're not. Which inevitably ends up making me feel worse about myself, not better. I don't want to PRETEND to be happy; I want the genuine article, thanks very much. Anyway, I think lots of us are faking it, pretty much all the time, in various areas of our lives. Which areas of my life am I pretending more than actually being, and is that helping or hindering me? I think I fake it in my love life (or my lack of one). I pretend it doesn't bother me that I'm totally, utterly, completely single, or that it doesn't make me feel somehow damaged that I haven't been in a serious long-term relationship in 8 years. I'll try to justify it, rationalize it, to both myself and others -- "but I've totally dated, and had flings, and had mini-relationships, NBD."
Occasionally I'll even act like I'm having fun doing the whole OKCupid merry-go-round. I try to convince myself it's fun, because people seem to want to believe it's fun -- that there's some upside to continually trying to sell yourself to strangers with Peter Pan syndrome who feel they have every right to put you right back on the shelf if you don't quite fit. But when I'm real about it, and honest with myself, it's glaringly clear -- DATING IS NOT FUCKING FUN. It would be great if I found it fun -- I'd love that, I really would. But, I don't. Let me off the merry-go-round; I'm exhausted and want to go home.
Anyway, what things are YOU faking in your life -- either consciously ("till you make it") or unconsciously (to protect yourself and others)? Let's hear it, if you please.


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Beware the over simplification of statistics, especially when carried by the right wing press in the middle of TUC conference. The Telegraph is one of many which carries the result of Office of National Statistics research into public and private sector pay. "Myth of the underpaid public sector worker" it screams following up with a report entitled "The trouble with the public sector is bone-idle staff". Nice.
According to the research described as "the first comprehensive analysis of the pay divide by Britain's national statistician", the average weekly salary for public sector workers in April last year was £539, compared with £465 in the private sector and their pensions are better too.
Yet reference to ONS figures collected over many years for public and private sector pay rises show that neither has significantly outstripped the other over a time frame or ten, twenty or even thirty years.
How can that be so? Unless public sector pay has always been better (and no-one seems to be arguing that) how can this disparity be explained?
Consider the simplistic example below
You work in a small office next door to another small office. You are paid £30,000 (significantly more than the public sector average). The other person in your office is paid £20,000 (approaching half of public sector workers earn this figure or less). The office next door also has two people undertaking the same tasks for the same pay. The average pay in each office is £25,000.
One day it is decided that your co-worker should move next door – even though they will continue to work with you in the same way. Despite a few problems, work continues unabated until you are summoned by management to be told that you are uneconomic because average pay in your office has risen to £30,000 (from £25,000) whilst average pay in the next door office has fallen from £25,000 to £23,333. Your pay hasn't increased but your office average has at the same time as that of the next door office has reduced.
A more complex version of this is at play when changes in relative public/private earnings are considered. Over the past few decades a whole range of catering, care, cleaning and other work has been contracted out. And as the example above illustrates, as soon as you transfer low paid staff from public to private sector you increase the relative pay averages in the former.
Even though they are hardly over-paid, many professionals in public service receive more than the average wage. So the immediate effect of increasing the proportion of teachers, nurses and police in the public sector workforce is to increase public sector pay relative to private sector pay.
Of course there are still some care workers, cleaners and catering staff directly employed in the public sector. And on average their pay is better than in the private sector (but very often below the Living Wage). Some also benefit by making contributions along with the employer to modest pension schemes. (The benefit is of course shared as these are precisely the schemes which will in the future limit the payout from the public purse for elderly benefits.) Paying above poverty wages for these workers does increase the public sector pay bill – but would we have it any other way?
And there's a final factor. Although the introduction of the minimum wage should have seen a bit significant jump in private sector earnings it has been at least offset by the clustering of minimum wage pay in certain professions – retail and hospitality being the largest. The consequence, along with the weakening of the manufacturing sector is a growing army of low paid private sector workers anchoring private sector pay and significantly increasing wage inequality.
It would be so much more straight-forward of course if we could compare like with like. But which private sector profession would we choose to compare to the pay of a teacher or a nurse such that we could elicit meaningful results?
No-one has come up with an answer to that, because it is not that simple.
Dave Moxham - STUC
The blog of the 'There is a Better Way' campaign by STUC staff about policy issues that are, or should be, in the news and guest contributors on issues of social justice. Written from a STUC perspective, contributions will often cover areas where there is yet no settled STUC policy and go into areas in more detail than our formal decisions. We welcome debate and we don't expect everyone to agree with us, but we will remove any comments that are offensive, irrelevant or otherwise annoy.
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Lies, damned lies - and extracting simple messages from complex statistics
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Damn Memories
It's been nearly 5 months, I have "mostly" got over you. But it seems like I'm still in a midst, trying to figure out what to do with my future? Will I continue to work as a peasant, trying hard to study abroad or find a new job. Gosh, I be talking strong on daytime and be weak at night, it's the fear of love, the fear to embrace the past memories, wish i could be an asexual, to focus on my career. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA


text: Moira Koch is a VP at Maia Strategy Group, where she leads consumer packaged goods engagements with an emphasis on retail insights. Prior to joining Maia Strategy Group, she was responsible for developing and launching Bluebeards Original, a premium line of Men's beard care products sold in retail stores nationwide. She also has acted as a channel strategy consultant at MarketBridge (formerly Oxford Associates). Koch holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Virginia and an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania. Her latest whitepaper "How Mobile Technology is Changing the Retail Environment" is available here.


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To take a further step in strategic corporate development, imm-network GmbH is sold at 100% to the Turkish group of companies SAY. Thus imm-network GmbH rely on own production units for illuminated advertising and furniture / shop fitting. Read more about the transaction in our official information letter.
The ERP system Navision Dynamics will be gradually introduced in all operational areas.
To further expand and optimize customer care - in the long term very important market Italy - imm-network Italia S.r.l. was founded. We hereby considered the long-term positive development in that market and will continue to pursue this path by this independent company.
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DAIMLER AG has selected imm-network GmbH again for the implementation of the Mercedes-Benz new brand image. We are proud and thank the customer for the repeated trust. In the last 7 years, we were able to prove our efficiency already through the successful implementation of more than 1,000 locations with the previous corporate design image. We look forward to this new task.
For the company SEAT, the headquarters and main production plants in Spain are refitted with the new image. After the successful Implementation, the supplying of international group locations was also attributed to us.
Since early 2012, our financial accounting and controlling is working successfully with the new ERP system Navision Dynamics.
The FIAT Group reduced its number of suppliers and imm-network GmbH could have assert itself as one of two suppliers for external rebranding imm-network GmbH under care market volume was growing by about 50%. This included the German market, as the most important market in Europe, as well as Austria, the Netherlands and Scandinavia.
In all these new countries, as well as the already supplied countries in Eastern Europe and the UK (a total of 17 markets), the logistically challenging project to convert all Chrysler / Jeep dealers to Lancia / Jeep dealers started.
The web-based project management system pos-ition.net was completely redesigned and significant enhancements were added to the service package:
SCIT "Supply Chain Inbound Tool" and HIT "Horizontal integration tool" based on a built-in configurator.
imm-network GmbH managed the Chevron / Texaco UK prototype development and subsequent delivery of over 50 stations in the UK for the sister company Hexagon Europe GmbH.
After being rewarded the conversion of all CITROEN dealerships worldwide (except France) with the new external signage, the sister company visotec-imm GmbH wass founded. In the core project time until 2014, up to 3,500 dealers have to be equipped.
imm-network GmbH moved from Ettlingen to Schutterwald (Offenburg).
We provided the web-based project management for the Italian truck manufacturer IVECO to support the supply chain via our project management system pos-ition.net for the supply of CI elements (contracted externally). We were additionally responsible for the conversion of IVECO dealerships in Germany as a project management unit.
imm-network GmbH assumed the back-office and project management for the sister company Hexagon Europe GmbH. The first project implemented was the supply of SHELL petrol stations in several European countries. Annual Project volume: about 200 installations.
The Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart was equipped by us with the new stadium corporate signage.
Mitsubishi Fuso was integrated as a new brand in the Daimler project. We supplied and installed these elements worldwide in direct coordination with the German and Japanese responsibles.
For the Hypo Alpe Adria Bank, we were chosen as the general contractor for the implementation of the new external signage.
We managed the entire supply chain with various producers and service providers in Europe with the main focus on Austria and the Adriatic region. We handled the very complex logistics via our web-based project management system pos-ition.net.
The areas to source were significantly expanded for the FIAT project. The regions of the Near and Middle East, the UK and worldwide delivery of logos (e.g.: India, China and Latin America) were added.
Daimler AG and its brands Mercedes-Benz, Smart and Maybach launched the rebranding of their network with imm-network GmbH as general contractor.
General Motors Europe commissioned imm-network GmbH with the conversion of all dealerships in conjunction with the introduction of the corporate brand CHEVROLET throughout Europe and the Near and Middle East. Approximately 1,500 dealerships had to be rebranded within only 4 months.
This was a tailor-made task for imm-network GmbH.
imm-network GmbH was awarded the main supplier for all car dealerships of the FIAT group in Eastern Europe.
We are the general contractor for the complete external signage of the Fiat dealer network.
imm-network GmbH was the chosen project management company for the rebranding of all Lamborghini dealers worldwide with the new corporate design.
General Motors Europe entrusted imm-network GmbH as a general contractor with the branding of the European DAEWOO dealer network in over 35 countries with 1,200 locations.
Nomination of the management of imm-network GmbH as Entrepreneur of the Year 2001
Finalist Entrepreneur 2001
Certification according to DIN EN ISO 9001:1994
The master contract Bosch Car Service was extended to the French market. imm-network sas (France) opened.
The Company's and self-developed web-based project management system pos-ition.net went online.
imm-network GmbH was the inventor of this project management methodology and sets new industry standards.
Bosch Car Service awarded imm-network GmbH the order to implement the new external signage in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
We executed the complete conversion of more than 8000 agencies for Allianz AG with outdoor Signage, displays and furniture throughout Germany. With the help of our own software, we were able to create the window labels with a 3D real-time configurator.
From two employees initially, the staff growed to seven employees until the end of the year 1999.
Start of the project BOSCH CAR SERVICE
As the first project we started with "Cineshops" for Philip Morris GmbH. We manufactured and supplied the turnkey shop-in-shop kiosk "Cineshop".
We developed a web-based software for the European market that plays commercials.
Establishment of the imm-network GmbH


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Pownal Rd PID 878975 POWNAL RD
|Property TypeVacant Land
Awesome Waterview 4.7 Acre parcel of land Ready to build your Dream Mini-Farm for Horse or Winery within 10 mins of City center. Situated on the edge of PEI'S fastest growing Town of Stratford. Less than 5 mins to beautiful Beach & Fox Meadows Golf Course,Sobey's, Tim Hortons, State of the Art Town Hall with Gym & inside Walking track and 4 churches . Ideal property for Dream home, Equestrian or Hobby farm. Soil & Southern exposure give the property the possibility of a Winery hobby farm. Located in a Popular area of estate like properties built over the last 20 yrs. NOTE: Lot is Surveyed,pinned & Perc tested for Category 2 for Septic System (id:18065)
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With all the fires here in SoCal you'd think it was the end of the world. Luckily, for most of us, it is not the end. But let me tell you what should end: world surfing titles being decided anywhere but Hawaii.
Have these, ahem…surfing companies lost their edge in the never-ending quest for double digit growth? It seems their Indiana Jones-type airlift adventures and king of the hill hard goods acquisitions may have blurred their original vision. DISCUSS!
When you peel the tape off of the pin line it becomes clear that two forces drive world professional competitive surfing: The ASP, which administers the tour, and the surf-garment industry, which funds it. Those two forces need to get together and change things. From this point forward every men's WCT championships needs to be decided in Hawaii. Deciding a men's surfing championship in Brazil or Spain or California or anywhere other than Oahu's North Shore is like determining a championship hot dog eating contest in Somalia. It's like playing the World Series at the local YMCA. It's like contesting the State of Origin rugby fest at a Melbourne bowls club. It's like holding the US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach...oh, wait, errr... sorry 'bout that.
C'mon people, let's not lose our focus.
Look, we all know Hawaii possesses the world's most challenging and perfect big waves in the world. To determine your championship anywhere other than in these conditions is beyond ignorant; it's criminal. It's not much of a stretch to think that the ASP's Brodie Carr and Rabbit Bartholomew agree with me--although they have not confirmed this.
So, how do we make it happen?
First off, we need two (not one) TWO! World Tour events in Hawaii. We need an event at Sunset Beach, and an event at Pipeline. The Pipeline event exists. The Sunset WCT does not. Kelly Slater, holder of eight World Titles, has never won at Sunset Beach. Why? Because more often than not he hasn't been asked to compete out there. Sunset Beach is missing from the WCT and that is tragic. Arguably the most difficult, powerful, and unnerving wave on the planet in our own backyard and the world's best aren't asked to lay it on the line. That's absurd. There isn't even a wave on tour that requires a board bigger than 7'0″. Let's make things right. Let's give the tour Sunset Beach.
Somebody over at Abercrombie & Fitch or Hollister or wherever needs to deliver the goods. These billion-dollar companies need to step up for pro surfing. I know, I know, many of them have given huge amounts of sponsorship dollars back into the sport. Yippee. We'll have a parade later. The bottom line is that with all they've done, it is not enough. End of story. If our world title is being decided in Brazilian beachbreak instead of 12′ Sunset Beach West peak bombs than the so-called surf companies have failed us. Nice cargo pants. Nice sandals. Nice watches. Complete failure. Our world champion, their world champion, decided at a blown-out beachbreak.
Bruce Raymond to the courtesy phone. Bruce Raymond to the courtesy phone.
Fiscally we know the corpos are healthy enough. But are they still core? Do they still care? Is competitive surfing still a top priority? Have these, ahem...surfing companies lost their edge in the never-ending quest for double digit growth? It seems their Indiana Jones-type airlift adventures and king of the hill hard goods acquisitions may have blurred their original vision. To quote one of their '80s-era ad campaigns: "If you can't rock 'n' roll, don't f–king come." I don't know about you, but when championships are being finalized in beachbreaks...well, it smells more like perfume than surf wax around here.
So, simple enough, one of the industry giants sees the light and throws a million bucks (give or take a couple hundred thousand) at Sunset Beach and we get another event added and, in combination with the Pipeline event, we are getting closer to the goal at hand. Now we (read Al Hunt) must break out the abacus and do some tweaking to the ratings system. You've seen this sort of number manipulation lately if you follow NASCAR or the PGA tour. Each of these sports has an end-of-season showdown. To accomplish this, to guarantee a Hawaiian showdown, the ASP would back weight the last two WCT Hawaiian events (the Hollister Sunset Beach Pro and the Billabong Pipeline Masters): Either points-and-a-half or double points. I haven't done the math, but they'll figure it out. It's not brain surgery. This would ensure greatness for surfing's competitive realm and put the act of riding the world's most challenging waves at the forefront of what the ASP WCT is all about.
It just dawned on me how absurd it is that I even have to write this Op-Ed. A world surfing champion that is decided each and every year, no matter what, on Oahu's North Shore in the most challenging and life-threatening surf. Duh.
If you were given the responsibility of driving the culture of world competitive surfing isn't this what you would do? Of course it is. Why wouldn't you?
<script LANGUAGE= "javaScript" SRC="http://simpolls.sourceinterlinkmedia.com/surfermag/3689730035/poll.js?linkback=">


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Honors & Awards
Various opportunities exist for Geosciences majors to develop leadership skills and receive stipends. Majors within the department can extend and enrich their knowledge by working as laboratory assistants in the introductory and middle level courses, and earn a stipend in the process. Students are named as Senior Fellows on the basis of academic achievement, service to the department and leadership ability; Fellowship includes a stipend. The summer research of many geoscience majors is supported financially by Anderson Grants awarded by the Denison Undergraduate Research Foundation.
Departmental Fellows
Departmental Fellows are selected because of their past academic achievement, contributions to the Geosciences program, and their enthusiasm for the geological sciences. Fellows assume a leadership role within the department and will help organize, promote, and support departmental events.
T.F. Bates Geology Student Research Award
Thomas F. Bates graduated in Geology from Denison University in 1939. He continued his study at Columbia University earning a Ph.D. in 1944. Dr. Bates went on to a distinguished teaching, research, and administrative career in the geosciences at Pennsylvania State University. Over the years, he has maintained a strong interest in the geoscience program at Denison and has recently supported our research program with generous gifts. We, as a Department, are extremely grateful for both his interest and his financial support. In particular, we are pleased that Dr. Bates can directly support the research of talented geoscience majors.
Kirtley F. Mather Award
The Kirtley F. Mather Award is the highest achievement award given by the Department. The most visible feature of the award is the engraved plaque that hangs in the hall. The Kirtley F. Mather Geology Prize was first awarded in 1981. It was done so to create a memorial, in perpetuity, to Dr. Kirtley F. Mather, nationally recognized scholar, understanding father and devoted husband. It is given to an outstanding Geosciences student.
LaMoreaux Award
Given to cover travel, tuition and lodging expenses for field camp. The criteria for selection, listed in order of importance is, 1) Potential for contribution to the science of geology or innovation in its practical application; 2) Academic achievement; 3) Financial need.
Frank J. Wright Scholarship
Frank J. Wright was Professor and Head of the Department of Geology and Geography at Denison from 1924 to 1949. Professor Wright was an inspiring and demanding teacher who had a strong influence on his students. Many of them went on to achieve prominence during their careers. Several of Dr. Wright's students and colleagues came together and established an endowed scholarship fund in his name for the Geosciences Department (then Geology and Geography) in 1991. We, as a Department, are extremely grateful for their generous gifts and for the help this endowed fund provides for present and future geoscience majors.
Frederick T. Holden Scholarship
Fred Holden went on from Denison (Class of '37) to earn his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago and to become the Chief Geologist of EXXON, Inc. His contributions to the profession were many and varied, including a classic paper concerning the Black Hand Sandstone. Dr. Holden's generosity has allowed us to use the interest from an endowment to support field trips and to award scholarships to particularly deserving majors.
Richard H. & Marian N. Mahard Earth Science Teaching Award
Through an illustrious 40-year career teaching at Denison, Dr. Mahard inspired countless students, always espousing the importance of a firm understanding of geologic and geographic principles for an educated citizenry. This award honors his outstanding teaching career and the careful consideration of real-world issues that he promoted. This award was established in 2000.


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Description of Paganitzu
Paganitzu and Chagunitzu is a pair of fun action/puzzle games programmed by Keith Schuler. In both games, your goal is to help a hapless hero go through rooms of puzzles and traps to find treasure and a way out. You will need to push objects, deal with hostile animals like snakes and spiders, and navigate puzzling maps.
Both games are fun, easy to learn, and are a nice combination of reflexes and brain-teasing puzzles. If you enjoy the likes of Chip's Challenge but want a bit more action, both of these underdogs are well worth your time. Both games even include some hidden rooms and treasures, built-in hints, and even funny animated sequences. Two thumbs up!
Some interesting information about the games' history in the designer's own words:
I started working on video games when I was about eight years old, using a TRS-80 Color Computer. Over the years I got a few minor things published in magazines, the most significant being a game called Castle Zhagwhar. My first few PC creations were board games. During high school, before I could drive, I created Chagunitzu, successor to Castle Zhagwhar. Scott Miller liked it and had me create the sequel, Paganitzu, for Apogee.
Review By HOTUD
Can be bought online at 3D Realms.
External links
Captures and Snapshots
Comments and reviews
hottie 2016-08-19 1 point
I had this game when it was first released to play on my Atari 5200 if I recall correctly. big loved it from the first move! I was in the process of moving so I had my older brother hold onto my game and system. He loved to play Paganitzu as much as I did. When I settled into my new place and called him to get my game back he asked if he could keep it a while longer. Being kind hearted as I am of course the answer was yes. Needless to say I never got my game or system back again. I didn't care so much about the system it was the game I wanted back more than anything else. I was heartbroken things upgraded so fast I never found it again until now. I am thrilled to play my most favorite game ever made! I will be sharing the info with my brother because I am still so kindhearted. I want to say Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, for putting the game back out in the world again. You made me a happy woman again. Cya round.
DuLac 2016-07-03 0 point
Quite right! It's awesome.
Always was, still is. Still? It always was.
What is passes the test of time. As Paganitzu did.
J.H. 2016-03-27 0 point
Oh what a classic this game was. Maybe not the most popular, but it's one crazy logic based strategy game. Reminds me of TIM (The Incredible Machine) for the problem solving style, but the graphics and style of this game is very different. That level where you start in the dark was a major doozy.
Bob 2015-01-19 0 point DOS version
I just want the game file, not a loader, unloader, zipper, unzipper . . ya know?
amgine 2013-04-25 0 point DOS version
the second and third ones are way harder but this is still fun :)
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Share your gamer memories, help others to run the game or comment anything you'd like. If you have trouble to run Paganitzu, read the abandonware guide first!
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Here at Town & Country we offer a wide range of services. We are full service hair salon offering men's, women's, & children's haircuts. Shampoo, style, up dos, colors, perms, highlights, & foils. We also offer waxing, manicures, pedicures, massage therapy & tanning.
Lisa Camp is our Managing Cosmetologist and has been licensed cosmetologist for 13 years. Tiffany Sullivan is another one of our...
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This place is awesome! I have never been unsatisfied when I left! Tiffany Sullivan Harris is great!!!!!
5 star
Town & Country Beauty Salon can be found at Al Highway 68 14468. The following is offered: Salons. The entry is present with us since Sep 9, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Crossville there are 4 other Salons. An overview can be found here.


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Agents Julie Ching and Dennis Yates were always available to answer any questions and took the time to explain my every concern. I had a medical problem at the time and they took over and helped my two daughters with getting the place ready for the sale, like they were a part of the family. Both Julie and Dennis are very professional sales people with excellent knowledge of the real estate market. They did a wonderful job of staging the house and were always available to answer any concern I had.
‐ Pauline Amarino, 'Iolani Subdivision (July 13, 2015)
I have an inactive real estate license, and my original intention was to sell our home myself. My wife and I were encouraged by Ching and Yates to reconsider; they assured us that we would be more successful and get a higher selling price quicker if we followed their marketing plan as prepared by them. We decided to go that way, and the results were amazing! We went from MLS to escrow in just two weeks with a much higher closing price than we would have ever thought possible. Their marketing plan and property preparation advice were KEY to our success. Their professionalism and experience were evident every step of the way, and their services exceeded our expectations in every way!
‐ Eric and Sue Draughon, Kilohana Street (July 08, 2015)
Julie and Dennis were very professional; they made us feel that they were truly acting on our behalf with our best interests a priority.
‐ Phil Steel, North Kona (July 13, 2015)


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Zealous Vitality Inc. was created to help people achieve optimal muscular and soft tissue health.
As a result of buying a Marathon Stick in Hawaii (where my wife ran her first marathon), I decided to tell everyone I knew about this amazing product!
My name is Ken Zelez and I distribute The Stick! I am an Athletic Director @ Centennial High School in Calgary Alberta, Canada. In addition to managing the athletic program @ Centennial, I also teach Sports Medicine and Physical Education. I have coached almost every school sport, concentrating on Basketball. I have taken numerous coaching courses as well as sports medicine related courses. I have a Bachelors Degree is Physical Education and a Degree in The Master's of Teaching Program at the University of Calgary.
I started to experiment with The Stick on my wife and myself. I also introduced this amazing product to my Sports Medicine students who in turn showed our athletes the benefits of using The Stick. I then had my Sr. Boys ( two -time Provincial contenders) basketball team use it everyday in practice for warm-ups and cool-downs. After being convinced that this tool was awesome for all aspects of soft tissue health, I decided to present The Stick to my colleagues. My wife and I also roll out our 6 year old twins legs' at night before they go to bed. As a result, I decided to make it my business to let everyone know how this simple to use tool can change their muscular health and daily performance! I have learned that it is just not athletes that need to use The Stick, but everyone should have one to help take care of their own personal well-being.
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The combination of salty and sweet with just a touch of spicy cinnamon makes this Pumpkin Spice Snack Mix perfect for fall! Last fall my husband and I went on a road trip to Arizona for a blogging conference. I wanted to make a snack mix to bring along with us. I had looked at … [Read more...]
Valentine's Day Fruit Kabobs
Surprise your little Valentines with these Valentine's Day Fruit Kabobs for breakfast or an after school treat! Can you believe Valentine's Day is only a month away? We are still working through all the candy from our Christmas stockings! (Actually, to be totally honest, we … [Read more...]
Copycat Apple Pie Lara Bars
Start the new year off right with these delicious copycat Apple Pie Lara Bars. They are made with delicious whole foods and naturally sweet! I am so excited about how well these turned out. You might remember I mentioned them in my Baked Apple Chips post. I'm happy to … [Read more...]
Candy Cane Pretzel Bites
The combination of salty and sweet is what keeps you coming back for more of these Candy Cane Pretzel Bites! They are the perfect treat for holiday parties. I sing in our local Symphony Chorus and we just began rehearsals for our Christmas concert. To kick off the new concert … [Read more...]
Graham Cracker Crunch: a Valentine's Day treat
Crunchy layers of graham crackers, buttery toffee and chocolate come together to make a delicious treat for any holiday. Graham Cracker Crunch is a perfect sweet treat! Is anyone else "partied out" now that the Christmas and New Year celebrations are done? I love the holidays, … [Read more...]
Warm Swiss Sweet Onion Dip
Warm Swiss Sweet Onion Dip is a simple 3 ingredient appetizer that keeps you coming back for more! Tonight we went to my husband's work Christmas party. I think it's pretty cool that they actually invited the whole family to tag along! For the last several years he wasn't even … [Read more...]
Apple Bacon Crack
There's a very popular thing floating around Pinterest and other social media called Bacon Crack. I've seen a few different recipes for it, but decided to try the most popular one I could find, with just a couple small changes. It gets its name from the idea that you crack it … [Read more...]
Pulled Pork Nachos
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of LLOYD'S® Barbeque Company, LLC.. All opinions are 100% mine. Football season just started, and with it comes the insatiable desire to SNACK. There are the usual favorites: wings, potato skins, nachos and assorted cold cuts, … [Read more...]
Chewy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Look at me. Two healthy recipes in a row! It's almost like I'm trying to lose weight and forcing you to come along on the journey with me! ;) Don't worry, there will still be ample opportunity for me to create and share junk with you. But don't let the fact that these oatmeal … [Read more...]
Easy Popcorn Balls for Family Movie Night
"This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Universal Pictures, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #BoxtrollsFamilyNite http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV" Growing up, we always had popcorn balls at Christmas. I have fond … [Read more...]
Day 345: Piña Colada Fruit Dip
Only four ingredients go into this easy pina colada fruit dip that's great for summer picnics and BBQ's! Bonus: It takes maybe five minutes to throw together. Choose your favorite fruits for dipping and people will be asking you for the recipe! … [Read more...]
Day 240: Ferrero Rocher Brownie Bites with Caramel Icing
Oh man, I've been looking forward to this one since I pinned it. My absolute favorite candy in the whole world is Ferrero Rocher. The thin wafer outside crunches and you get that delicious gooey chocolate inside. Mmmm, they are SO good. When I saw a brownie recipe using these … [Read more...]


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Authorities in Nigeria say at least 68 people have been killed in fighting between security forces and members of a radical Muslim sect in the north.
A military spokesman said Boko Haram began clashing with security forces Thursday in the cities of Damaturu and Maiduguri, where witnesses have reported hearing gunshots and explosions.
A purported Boko Haram spokesman says the group launched attacks in the cities to avenge the killing of Boko Haram members killed by the security forces in 2009.
The dead include four security agents killed by a roadside bomb Thursday in Damaturu.
Boko Haram has been blamed for dozens of attacks over the past year, as part of a campaign to implement strict Sharia law across the central African country's northern sector.
The shadowy group has claimed responsibility for only some of the attacks, including a suicide bombing at a United Nations building in the capital, Abuja, that left at least two dozen people dead.


text: Rosemary Sheridan Moeller, age 88, of Oak Park, IL, Asheville, NC and St. Augustine, FL. Passed away Nov. 25, 2008, beloved wife of the late John G. Moeller; loving mother of Mary Lou (Martin) Noll, John G. Moeller Jr., Philip (Agatha) Moeller and the late Barbara Elizabeth Moeller; devoted grandmother of Cassie Noll and Rosemary (William) Reardon, Tracy (Brett)SanFratello, Brian and Kelly Moeller, and Jennifer and Jessica Moeller; great-grandmother of Kylie and Sydney SanFratello and William "Liam" Reardon; dear sister of the late Anabel Sheridan, the late Philip Sheridan and the late John J. (the lateBenita) Sheridan; fond aunt of Christine Sheridan Foster.


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This Incrediwear Wrist Brace can help accelerate recovery and alleviate paincaused by the following conditions:
Carpal tunnel
Joint pain
Arthritis & tendonitis
Sports injuries
Tired & aching muscles
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This Incrediwear Wrist Brace can help accelerate recovery and alleviate paincaused by the following conditions:
Our revolutionary therapeutic fabric Wrist Brace is infused with circulation enhancing natural elements, germanium and carbon. These elements are activated by your body heat and dramatically increase blood flow to your skin and muscles, which reducespain, stiffness, swelling & fatigue.
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Measurethe circumference of your wrist to choose the right size for your Wrist Brace.
Your Incrediwear Brace is easy to clean. Wash warm or cold, tumble dry low. Do not bleach, iron or dry clean.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary. If symptoms persist or worsen please consult your doctor.


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By Maurice Tierney
Look up Joe Breeze and you'll find one of the originators of mountain biking. The man is credited with building the first 10 purpose-built mountain bikes in the world. And while the Breezer brand has been around for 35 years, Breeze has spent the last decade or so making the transportation bikes that make the world a better place. But since Breezer's acquisition by Advanced Sports, Inc. a couple years ago, Breeze is now free to get back into designing some sweet mountain bikes. Good for us.
Me, I was looking for a hardtail to conquer some of the extensive climbing around the West Coast office. What better choice than a bike that was born here?
Out of the box
Born here yes, but constructed in Taiwan with the latest in carbon fiber frame making technology. So much for the idea of Breeze making me a bike in his Marin County garage.
One thing I like about carbon fiber is its sculptability. You can design some real purty shapes into a bike frame. The Breezer's shape looks like a steel or aluminum frame with the hard edges smoothed out. The tubes flow together well, and the colors and graphics are right. But there are some details that separate the Cloud 9 frame from the rest of the molds.
Most noticeable are the Breeze-in rear dropouts. Breeze did not invent these, but he has been a proponent of them. Minimal dropout material means that the seatstays can be longer, and subsequently absorb more shock for a smoother ride. This theory is also enhanced by the (Marketspeak alert) "Apex Force Transfer" caliper mounting, which puts the rear brake caliper on the chainstay instead of the seatstay. This is good because the chainstay is a more solid tube and the seatstay gets to be thinner and even more compliant.
But the heart of the frame is the bottom bracket junction. Key is the choice of the BB92 press-in bottom bracket, which allowed Breeze to draw up a design with short, 439mm chainstays and still allow room for the front derailleur and a wide knobby tire. You'll also notice that the non-drive chainstay is a lot thicker than the drive side, or should I say the drive side is thinner to allow good chainline and fit everything together. Then there's the direct mount front derailleur, allowing for a curved seat tube. Last but not least? A tapered head tube for front-end rigidity.
This carbon fiber frame is a really nice example of what can be done with the stuff. But further inspection reveals what it takes to keep a complete carbon bike under $3,000. Lesser parts than you'd find on say, a $3,000 steel or aluminum bike. While the drivetrain is a nice mix of Shimano XT and SLX 10-speed, the fork is a lower end Rock Shox Recon, sans thru-axle. (This rider vowed not to go back to conventional QRs after so much time riding modern thru-axled forks). The cockpit is composed of ASI's housebranded Oval parts. Nothing wrong with the stuff, but the narrow saddle had to go for something wider, and the standard riser handlebar was swapped for something more alternative: first a Jones bar, and then a 26"-wide Groovy Luv Handles handlebar with a 21.5˚bend. Google that.
The Ride
I have about 225 miles on this test sled; the last 11 of which were a techy toodle through the Tamarancho Boy Scout Camp, near Joe Breeze's home in Fairfax, CA. The Cloud 9 has seen it all: long climbs, fast descents, tight switchbacks and rocks. I gotta say, my overall impression of this bike has been very positive. I did many thousands of feet of climbing on this bike; this hardtail put the power down.
Descending was great too, no fear of speed here as stability was good. I really felt the frame absorbed shock well, especially at 30 mph fire road speeds, and it didn't hurt to have the big wheels helping smooth out the stutters either. The Recon fork was adequate yet noisy upon rebound. On long descents the M575 brakes reached their limits, sending my hands into a death grip and putting the fear of a higher being into my 230lbs. body. Probably fine for a lighter person.
In tight singletrack, the Cloud 9 handled as well as anything. The 71˚ head angle and fork offset of 45mm are again, pretty standard numbers for a 29er—they work well and bring no surprises. Tight switchbacks were rolled through quickly, always a good test of a bike's turning ability, and the Breezer tackled obstacles with flying colors.
On the carvy stuff the Cloud 9 flowed like water from turn to turn. The 12" bottom bracket height put me in a nicely balanced place— carvy handling without too many pedal strikes.
But again, in gnarly slow speed rock sections the limits of the parts spec were felt, as the fork's conventional quick release was just not up to the task in this day and age. Oh well…
Final Thoughts
I really like this bike. I feel it has lot to offer. Ride quality, good looks, and a legacy going back to the beginnings of the sport. But honestly, for my money, I'm going to look for a steel or aluminum frame with a better parts selection rather than face upgrades down the road. Breezer is promising an upgraded fork for 2012 so keep a lookout.
Rider stats
- Age: 53
- Height: 6'4"
- Weight: 230lbs.
- Inseam: 34"
Bike stats
- Country of origin: Taiwan
- Price: $2,999
- Weight: 26.7lbs.
- Sizes available: S, M, L (tested), XL
- Contact: www.breezerbikes.com
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Tag Archives: Tessa Thompson
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A researcher ( Natalie Portman ) joins an endeavor that heads toward the supposed X-Area, a secretive and wild place . The gathering's main goal is to proceed with the administration's examinations , however what had all the earmarks of being ordinary work is a terrifying knowledge for all. (more…)


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To calculate mileage for IRS tax reimbursement, multiply the total amount of miles driven for business purposes by the IRS's current standard mileage rate, according to TurboTax. The mileage rate changes and varies according to the miles driven for business, for charitable organizations, and for either moving or medical purposes.Continue Reading
Another method of calculating mileage for IRS tax reimbursement is to calculate the cost of using a vehicle for business purposes, notes the IRS. With this method, you must keep receipts for automobile licenses, depreciation, insurance, lease payments, registration fees, parking fees and all other related automobile expenses. The tax reimbursement is based only on money you spend for business purposes and not for personal purposes.
If your employer doesn't offer business mileage reimbursement, you are allowed to declare all of your business expenses on Schedule A when filing your taxes, states TurboTax. When using this method, you must lower your reported business expense by 2 percent of your adjusted gross income, as of 2015.
It's good to check into an employer mileage reimbursement or allowance plan to make sure it's efficient, recommends TurboTax. The IRS qualifies reimbursement and allowance plans as efficient as long as you have to report business automobile expenses and return any extra reimbursements within a reasonable amount of time.Learn more about Financial Calculations


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HERE are six things making news in business and finance today.
1. SYDNEY — The Australian dollar has rallied again greenback amid uncertainty about US President Donald Trump. The local currency was trading at 74.45 US cents at 0700 AEDT on Thursday, up from 73.79 US cents on Wednesday.
2. SYDNEY — Meanwhile the Australian share market is set to open higher, despite choppy trading on Wall Street overnight. At 0700 AEDT on Thursday, the local SPI 200 futures contract was up 14 points at 5,743 points.
3. WASHINGTON — US president-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, says he favours maintaining current sanctions against Russia for now, and that NATO allies are right to be alarmed by Moscow's growing aggression..
4. WASHINGTON — Volkswagen AG has agreed to a $US4.3 billion ($A5.8 billion) settlement to resolve the US government's civil and criminal investigations into the German automaker's diesel emissions cheating, two sources said.
5. ROME — Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni is in good condition following a heart procedure at a Rome hospital and is expected to be back at work soon, officials say..
6. BERN — The president of German soccer club Bayern Munich, Uli Hoeness, feels that he has not lost any respect among his peers but has become more humble and less outspoken after serving time in prison for tax evasion.