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We've noted before that the number of new foreclosures and short sales coming on the market for sale slowed in recent months. A major reason for this slowdown was likely the temporary foreclosure moratoriums that some major financial institutions instituted, as opposed to some sort of wholesale improvement in the financial situations of Twin Cities homeowners.
Now that many of those moratoriums have expired we've been waiting for some signs of whether or not foreclosures will resume their robust pace. It looks like we've got it now, unfortunately.
The Minnesota Home Ownership Center (MNHOC) keeps tabs on some very valuable pre-foreclosure data in the Twin Cities. When notice of pre-foreclosure is posted, MNHOC tracks it. They posted a blog recently highlighting a nasty trend in the data from recent months. Take a look:
2,814 pre-foreclosure notices in January up to 4,368 in May.
And we can't blame this on typical seasonal changes as foreclosure cycles are fairly unaffected by the shifts between winter and spring.
Considering the significant job losses we've seen in the last 12 months, stagnant wages and the still-not-yet-totally-finished-resetting ARMs this isn't necessarily surprising. But it certainly isn't welcome news. Expect foreclosures and short sales to be a significant part of the Twin Cities housing market for the next 18-24 months, and likely longer.
Hat-tip to Aaron Dickinson.


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Dubai Museum – Love It Recommend It
Disappearing tombs, ancient civilizations where the worlds biggest clubs are today, fashion from 3000 b.c, divers who would risk their lives 50 times a day – some of the amazing things we saw here!
This week we went to Dubai Museum… Yes. The same one that is just 10 minutes from home. Can't believe we've lived in this country FOR YEARS! And never been.
Best, most, awesome thing about the experience was that it cost us AED6!!!! 6. SIX! Six!!!! (Shock)
We LOVED the experience. Learned so, so much about the history of the lovely city we live in. Renewed respect for the Emarati community and all those who built this city from literally – NOTHING!
Look through the pictures and you'll know why we Love it and Recommend it!
Sid's new living room

subset: commoncrawl


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We're happy to announce the release and immediate availability of our first player rack extension for Reason, the ST100 Strumming Machine. Yes, starting with Reason version 10.1, as the name of the rack extension implies, you will be able to play strums on any instrument in your rack. Check out the product page for more information!
Orkestrial Obersounds ReFill
In need of some new sounds for the Oberon Synthesizer? Take a look at Quixotic Sound Design's new insane Orkestrial Obersounds ReFill which features 300 device patches, including polysynths, monosynths, percussive sounds, FX, pads, plucks and sequenced sounds.
Behringer BCR2000 remote mapping for the Volt SL1
Russel James Dionne, one of our Volt SL-1 users has kindly shared with the community his remote mapping file for the Behringer BCR2000 desktop controller.
Download the file in the Support section!
Black Friday sale on LeSpace
Zvork participates in the Black Friday sales at the Propellerhead Software Shop by offering a 60% discount on its rhythmic spatialised multi-delay Rack Extension, LeSpace:
- 6 independent delay lines.
- feedback matrix.
- echo sequencing for each line.
Originally priced at 39$ / €, the plugin is offered at 15 $ / € until november 28. The plugin is exclusively available for Propellerhead Software's Reason DAW and on both Windows and MacOS.
Jump to the LeSpace shop page for more product information.
Noxious price drops to 39 $ / €
Following the success of our Noxious end of summer sales 2017, we decided to permanently drop its price to only 39 $/€! And remember, if you haven't done so, you can get a free 30 day trial of the Noxious Rack Extension at the Propellerhead Shop.
Oberon 2 is out!
We're very happy to announce that the new major release for Oberon 2 is now available in the Propellerhead Shop.
Based on an optimized additive engine, Oberon 2 now builds on the recent 2.5 version of Propellerhead's Rack Extension SDK to add new powerful sound design features. The synthesizer still features an architecture of two editable filters fed by two additive spectrum sequence oscillators, with bend and morph capabilities, modulated by two LFO's and three multi-point editable envelopes through a six entry modulation matrix.
Sample loading
Now, users can import up to two simultaneous audio samples of any format supported by Reason into one of the two user wave sequences. Audio samples are analyzed into a sequence of evolving partial spectrums which can then be played by the oscillators. Play complete samples, single cycle wave forms or freeze onto a specific time. Either way, this opens up new possibilities combined with Oberon's morph and filtering capabilities.
Wave modifiers
Even without audio samples, Oberon's sound design process has been greatly improved. The introduction of two modifiers on top of the existing user drawable wave form sequences lets you modulate these wave forms in a non destructive way. Each modifier shares the same list of possible operators such as FM, sync, clipping, bit reduction or analog sounding filtering. Since each wave form of the original two step sequence has its unique two modifiers, morphing between a FM wave form and an analog sounding synced wave is now possible.
Enhanced envelopes
Oberon's 16 point curve based envelopes where already powerful but their loop section was constrained to begin at the first point. With version 2, the start of the sustain loop can be anywhere on the envelope curve. Even the release section now has a separate loop option. Combined with an improved user interface for envelope editing, such as quantize on all four sections, giving movement to your sound is easier than ever.
Workflow enhancements
The latest Rack Extension SDK features let us improve the user interface, especially the main editing display. Each curve type features more templates, quicker functions, sorted menus in a more compact form, leaving more space for the curve display. The modulation matrix has migrated to this central display, giving the interface a less cluttered feel. The two LFO's now gained a delay and rise parameter for more subtle modulations. For those of you who wish to integrate Oberon inside Blamsof's Polymodular system, we've added a new audio output mode for more compatibility.
Available for Reason 9.2 and above
This version is available only for owners of Reason 9.2 and above at 99$ / 99€ or as a paid upgrade for existing Oberon license owners at 20$ / 20€. Oberon is also available as a bundle with the Noxious additive synthesizer and LeSpace multi-delay at a lower combined price.
Oberon 2 is coming!
We are officially announcing that a major upgrade to Oberon is in the pipeline. This will be a paid upgrade and will benefit from the new Reason SDK. This implies it will be available only to Reason 9.2+ owners but offers a number of new features:
- Sample loading,
- Wave modifiers with FM,
- LFO delay & rise,
- Numerous GUI improvements,
- PolyCV audio output mode
In the meantime, you can still buy Oberon at a lower price of 79$/€ before the upgrade comes out!
End of Summer Sales 2016
Back to work after some refreshing and inspiring summer vacations? Now's the time to get back composing and be creative. To help you out, we've dropped the prices of our audio rack extension lineup for Propellerhead Software's Reason by up to 60% until september 5th!!
- Oberon is at 49 €/$ instead of the usual 99 €/$
- Noxious is at 25 €/$ instead of 59 €/$
- LeSpace is at only 19 €/$ instead of 39 €/$
Jump to the Propellerhead Shop until it's too late.
How to map the Volt SL-1 to physical controllers?
A number of you have had the issue of trying to map physical controllers either through MIDI or Remote to the Volt SL-1 control knobs only to discover that this has to be done for every control of every set. Each time, the current set is changed, the controls are no longer mapped. How frustrating, and we understand. Now why is this necessary? How more illogical can this be? Why the heck have we made it so complicated?
Well, it is due to how remote / MIDI mapping works in Reason and / or how rack extension GUI works. The mapping of knobs to MIDI controllers (or remote controllers) is in fact a misunderstanding. You are in fact mapping device properties to MIDI controllers, not the physical UI knob. A RE knob (button, fader, etc.) is itself mapped to that same property. The Volt SL-1 works by switching the properties mapped to each control knob when you switch sets. But the MIDI mapping still remains linked to the same property, which is no longer mapped to the control knob.
Why do we do this, that is, change the properties linked to each knob, instead of keeping the same properties for each control knob and just change the value of that property when we change sets? Well, that's because the RE SDK doesn't allow us to do this. A RE engine cannot change the values of its properties, unless they are purely visual feedbacks like meters or blinking lights. In a nutshell, the RE engine can't modify properties that the user can modify at the same time. I can't really go into much detail as this would break the NDA every RE developer has signed with the Props.
Another point to understand is that for a certain number of physical MIDI controllers, what you are asking won't be perfect too because if we changed sets on the Volt SL-1, in some way, your physical MIDI knobs should rotate to the correct position. Unless you have alpha dials with a LCD display, this won't be practical.
The besk workaround we've found, is to use 2 Volt SL-1s. The first one is used for the basic set transitions, and can be considered like your usual SL-1. The second one is an "offset" controller that will remain on the same set all the time. This one you can map to your MIDI Controllers. Then, on the back panels, you just have to merge the CV control outputs of the first SL-1 with the second one in bipolar mode, for each controls you are using, and then use that signal as usual. Your MIDI controller can then be used to offset the control values (not replace them). It creates a whole lot of cable clutter, but it works.
Since we don't want you to loose time on this, a ready-made combinator is available to download with this particular setup.
Oberon & Noxious support PolyCV
Oberon and Noxious have just been updated to respectively version 1.1 and 1.6 with full support for Blamsoft's PolyCV polyphonic CV protocol. Now you can control Oberon or Noxious with external Rack Extension devices that support this protocol and send polyphonic note commands across CV cables.
If you have a doubt on what version you are working with and need support for PolyCV, just check the back panels and a visible "PolyCV" logo should be just under the gate and CV outputs in the "Sequencer Control" sections.
Oberon users will also be treated with a new user wave interpolation mode that enhances the possibilities of the user drawable wave forms by providing two different new interpolation methods between the start and end waves for both Wave 1 and Wave 2. Some new cool patches are also included that demonstrate this. You should also check out this video tutorial that also gives a small presentation of the feature.
On top of that 8 new Pitch CV outputs for each 8 separate audio outputs have been added to help out those of you who use Oberon in a modular setup.


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the support to take action. Learn about our research platform.
A strategic focus on talent is critical to success. Learn how we can help you make the right investments.
Attract and retain the patients you aspire to serve by offering the care network, access, and experience they need. See a list of our capabilities below or visit the Optum website for more information about our comprehensive approach to health care operations.
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The Daily Briefing
Takeaways for providers
Topics: Health Policy, Market Trends, Strategy
There was a time—a very, very long time—when working in health care made you the most fascinating person at any cocktail party.
When the political battle over the Affordable Care Act consumed Washington, D.C., and captured the nation's attention.
That time has passed.
In last night's State of the Union, President Obama scarcely mentioned the ACA, his signature policy accomplishment—a marked departure from previous years.
And for health reporters, the lack of a health care story was the story.
"State of the Union address barely mentions health care reform law," Jen Haberkorn wrote in Politico. "Obama Largely Avoids Health Care In State Of The Union," was the title on Sam Baker's story in The Hill.
(Since providers are being pushed to be accountable, the Daily Briefing will strive for accountability too; yesterday's preview had anticipated a bigger role for health care in last night's speech.)
Writing on the Washington Post's "Wonkblog," Sarah Kliff put the lack of health care reform mentions in perspective: Neither the president nor his rival Republicans have much to gain politically from revisiting a much-debated issue. They also don't have much new to say.
What Obama did say Whether word counts are revealing or mere Kremlinology, there were still several takeaways for health care providers from last night's address.
For example, the president noted his ongoing focus to streamline the federal government, with a continued push to reduce unnecessary or outdated rules. Simplifying the regulatory environment would have significant implications for health care, given the raft of restrictions facing providers on a daily basis.
That effort may get a boost from the president's newest cabinet member: Jeff Zients, who took the helm at the White House Office of Management and Budget last week.
The nation's first Chief Performance Officer—and the Advisory Board's former CEO—Zients oversaw a government-wide initiative in 2011 to roll back unnecessary regulations. CMS in October discussed the initiative's impact on the health care sector, with respect to new spending and what providers are now allowed to do.
What's nextMeanwhile, health care's dimmed national prominence may be only temporary.
The presidential campaign will keep the Affordable Care Act in the political conversation. Providers' work to shift their strategy and accomodate the federal health reform law continues to receive plenty of attention.
And two months from tomorrow, the Supreme Court kicks off its three days of hearings over the Affordable Care Act's constitutionality.
So plan your end-of-March social calendar accordingly. You may not be the most interesting person in the world, but you'll probably be the most interesting person at that weekend's cocktail parties.
January 1, 2011
Research Report
| Health Care Advisory Board
Step-by-step examination of the process hospitals and health systems should take to finance the transition to a new payment model, assemble the accountable care delivery system, and reconfigure operations to transform care.
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January 25, 2012
Daily Briefing
President Obama in his State of the Union address on Tuesday spent little time discussing health care and the federal health reform law.
January 24, 2012
Daily Briefing
With President Obama slated to deliver his fourth—and possibly final—State of the Union at 9 p.m. ET, all signs point to a speech that skimps on health reform and focuses on the broader economy.


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Filed Under History of Medicine, News
Dengue Fever
The mosquito Aedes aegypti feeding on a human host
The first record of a case of probable dengue fever is in a Chinese medical encyclopedia from the Jin Dynasty (265-420 CE) which referred to a water poison associated with flying insects.
The primary vector, A. aegypti, spread out of Africa in the 15th to 19th centuries due in part to increased globalization secondary to the slave trade. There have been descriptions of epidemics in the 17th century, but the most plausible early reports of dengue epidemics are from 1779 and 1780, when an epidemic swept across Asia, Africa and North America. From that time until 1940, epidemics were infrequent. In 1906, transmission by the Aedes mosquitoes was confirmed, and in 1907 dengue was the second disease (after yellow fever) that was shown to be caused by a virus. Further investigations by John Burton Cleland and Joseph Franklin Siler completed the basic understanding of dengue transmission. The marked spread of dengue during and after the Second World War has been attributed to ecologic disruption. The same trends also led to the spread of different serotypes of the disease to new areas, and to the emergence of dengue hemorrhagic fever. This severe form of the disease was first reported in the Philippines in 1953; by the 1970s, it had become a major cause of child mortality and had emerged in the Pacific and the Americas. Dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome were first noted in Central and South America in 1981, as DENV-2 was contracted by people who had previously been infected with DENV-1 several years earlier.
The origins of the Spanish word dengue are not certain, but it is possibly derived from dinga in the Swahili phrase Ka-dinga pepo, which describes the disease as being caused by an evil spirit. Slaves in the West Indies having contracted dengue were said to have the posture and gait of a dandy, and the disease was known as dandy fever. The term break-bone fever was applied by physician and United States Founding Father, Benjamin Rush, in a 1789 report of the 1780 epidemic in Philadelphia. In the report title he uses the more formal term bilious remitting fever. It was called break-bone fever because it sometimes causes severe joint and muscle pain, that feels like bones are breaking. The term dengue fever came into general use only after 1828. Other historical terms include breakheart fever and la dengue. Terms for severe disease include infectious thrombocytopenic purpura and Philippine, Thai, or Singapore hemorrhagic fever.
Figure 1. Average annual number of dengue fever (DF) and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) cases reported to WHO and average annual number of countries reporting dengue (Source: World Health Organization).
Possible factors for dengue fever spread include:
1. Unplanned urban overpopulation of areas leading to inadequate housing and public health systems (water, sewerage and waste management)
2. Poor vector control, e.g., stagnant pools of water for mosquito breeding
3. Climate change and viral evolution (increased virus transmission has been linked to El Nino conditions)
Increased international travel (recreational, business or military) to endemic areas
All of these factors must be addressed to control the spread of dengue. Unplanned urbanization is believed to have had the largest impact on disease amplification in individual countries, whereas travel is believed to have had the largest impact on global spread.
Short, well explained video about dengue fever and a vaccine
Sanofi Pasteur dengue vaccine candidate clinical trials
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Most accurate 2D & 3D Ultrasonic Anemometer with no moving parts. From Gill Instruments,
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Bone needs three conditions to grow: cells, signal, and a scaffold. In a bone defect site there are usually enough cells and signal (growth factor proteins) present, but a scaffold is often lacking. The most effective bone scaffolds are osteoconductive, meaning that bone grows directly on the material surface without an intervening fibrous tissue layer.
Beta Tricalcium Phosphate (ß-TCP) is well established as an osteoconductive material. A contributing factor is that ß-TCP acquires a biological carbonate apatite surface soon after implantation. Only hydroxyapatite (HA) is more stable in the presence of water which leads all other calcium phosphates to eventually transform into HA. It has been shown that the transformation of a ß-TCP surface to apatite starts almost immediately after exposure to simulated body fluid (SBF) which mimics the ion composition and concentration found in in vivo conditions. A positive correlation between the acquisition of an apatite surface in SBF with bone growth has been shown. This transformation results in a natural, bone apatite surface; unlike the highly crystalline surface of sintered HA. And a bone-like carbonated apatite surface has been shown to favor bone growth and remodeling.
In addition to having osteoconductive properties, Cytophil beta -TCP particles have macro-pores in the size range of about 5 to 300 microns. Properly sized pores that allow cell infiltration stimulate bone forming cells (osteoblasts) to grow bone, even if the scaffold surface is not inherently osteoconductive. For example, bone will grow in the pores of porous Teflon and polyethylene implants even though these materials are not even wetted by water. The ideal pore size for such bone growth is about 100 to 400 microns. In Cytophil beta-TCP the majority of the macro-pores are in the optimum size range for bone ingrowth.
In addition to the specific chemical/physical effects discussed above, calcium phosphates have been shown to directly induce osteogenic differentiation of stem cells via an adenosine signaling pathway. This is a further mechanism by which TCP promotes bone healing.
Cytophil beta- TCP also has extensive micro-porosity. Micro-pores are not accessible to cells, but they readily take up liquids. Liquid uptake helps handling by making the particle mass more cohesive. Thin liquids like saline help hold particles together by capillary action, while blood containing liquids additionally help cohesion by gelling and clotting. The table shows typical water uptake values for Cytophil beta TCP:
As well as helping handling properties, remodeling is also enhanced since the micro-pores help to facilitate the breakup of the particles over time.


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Dear Editor,
Disappointed for the Iowa Veterans Home
Recently, I was part of a small group who gave testimony to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee regarding serious concerns about the Home's Commandant. We were there for only one reason -- we care deeply about the veterans/residents and staff at the IVH. Now, the Governor charges us with being politically motivated and having only hear-say information that bears no further investigation. He is WRONG on all counts!
Using the great power of his "bully pulpit", he immediately defended the Commandant who has been widely criticized for establishing a "bully platform" of his own in running the IVH.
Governor Branstad ignores calls to suspend the Commandant and investigate. Instead, he seems to be absolving himself of responsibility by his constant claim that the IVH residents are getting the best of care. THAT is true, but not because of the IVH administration he so blindly defends; it is true because that care comes from the loving hands and hearts of those who we spoke up for last week in Des Moines. But it can't go on forever and it doesn't address the bad actions and behavior of the Commandant. It is the veterans who ultimately pay for all this.
With the appointment of Jodi Tymeson, it's a perfect time to clear the air. It's also time to hear from Veterans Organizations on this. Your fellow veterans need you to stand up for them and demand a State Government Oversight Committee investigation! The need is NOW!
Kenneth Briggs, Ch. Lt. Col. USAF, Ret.
Clive, Iowa


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Pumped-up Kyle Lafferty can't wait to leave his mark on Euro 2016 stage
Big Kyle insists he feels sharper than he did in the qualifiers despite his knock in Slovakia
Kyle Lafferty has told Northern Ireland fans he is fit and ready to explode into action in the Euro 2016 finals.
The Fermanagh ace may not have played much club football over the past 12 months, but going into the country's first major tournament for 30 years he insists that physically he feels better than he did during the successful qualifying campaign and that he is stronger than he has been for over a year.
It's a big statement that will bring some comfort and joy to the tens of thousands of supporters who over the next few days will start arriving in France for the football adventure of a lifetime. There were worries when Lafferty went down with a knock to his calf and had to be substituted during Saturday's 0-0 friendly draw in Slovakia but it turned out that was only a precautionary measure.
More: We'll do the Northern Ireland proud, vows veteran Chris Baird
A wise move from manager Michael O'Neill, who knows how crucial the Norwich City striker will be to Northern Ireland in their opening Group C clash with Poland on Sunday in Nice and matches against Ukraine and World champions Germany to come.
"I got a kick in my calf in the first-half and it tightened up a bit," revealed Lafferty, who finished the season on loan at Championship outfit Birmingham City.
"It was too sore to continue, but it was just a precaution that I came off.
"The Poland game is too important to take any chances.
"In terms of my fitness I haven't felt as good as this for a long time - probably a year.
"I'm probably chasing balls at the moment that Michael doesn't want me to chase.
"At the back of my mind, I've wanted to get as many minutes under my belt as I could heading into the tournament.
"I wanted to be 100 per cent fit going into the opening group game with Poland in Nice and I believe I've achieved that.
"I feel good and sharper than I did in the qualifiers."
More: Chris Baird: Even in the bad times I never wanted to quit Northern Ireland
Against Slovakia, O'Neill, as he has been doing for most of the pre-Euro 2016 friendlies, opted for a 3-5-2 formation with Lafferty and Jamie Ward in attack.
Lafferty says the players are happy to play in that system or the 4-3-3/4-5-1 shape used during the qualifiers.
"We're ready to go whatever shape or formation the manager decides to go with," said the ex-Rangers star.
"When wee Wardy (Jamie Ward) is up front with me, if things aren't going our way, he can drop into a wide area and we can go to 4-5-1 again. We have options.
"I think Michael knows what he's doing and we'll be ready. Slovakia was a difficult game and we have to take the positives from that."
Lafferty feels that Saturday's scoreless draw in Trnava was the ideal test before Northern Ireland's clash in Nice, adding that Poland won't cause as much danger as Slovakia.
More: Paddy McNair is in awe of boyhood Northern Ireland heroes Steven Davis and Aaron Hughes
"When we spoke about Slovakia and how they play, we suspected they might cause us more problems than Poland," said the Kesh man.
"We knew if we could get a result, it would leave us in good stead heading into our opening group game.
"Getting a positive result in Trnava gives us massive confidence going into the Poland game. We would have liked to have won the game, but to get a draw against a good Slovakian team was a good achievement.
"Slovakia having us on the back foot but not breaking us down will give us a lot of belief from a defensive point of view.
"I honestly don't think Poland will cause us as many problems. I think Slovakia have a very good team and to keep them scoreless and get a result is a big plus for us.
"The important thing is we got a very good workout and all came through the game unscathed.
"We picked up a few knocks, but we'll be fine for Sunday. We're all looking forward to the opening game of the campaign."
Lafferty, who netted seven goals during qualifying, is relishing Sunday's encounter with Poland but states that it won't be the end of the world - or tournament - if they lose.
"It's an important game for us and we're all looking forward to it," he said.
"I'm sure the adrenaline will kick in and take us through that game.
"It's the country's first appearance at a European Championship. There's great belief in the camp and we believe we can get a result against Poland and in the other two games we play.
More: Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson backing Northern Ireland to make Euro 2016 splash - Paddy McNair
"If we don't get a result against Poland, we still have two games to pick up points.
"I think we're capable of frustrating teams and hitting them on the break.
"We have shown we can score goals, so we won't press the panic button if we don't pick up a result against Poland and get the tournament off on the right foot."
Many Northern Ireland fans believe Lafferty is best on his own in attack.
Competition for attacking places is certainly fierce if O'Neill sticks someone beside him.
Ward's busy style often sets the tone for Northern Ireland but Conor Washington's lively displays in recent internationals mean he has a chance to start with Lafferty as well.
Will Grigg and Josh Magennis are likely to be on the bench, but O'Neill has stated that he will have no hesitation in sending them on if he feels they can play an important role for the team.
Belfast Telegraph


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When it comes to grid reliability or limited access to affordable electricity, we often find ourselves discussing the plight of those in Africa or other developing nations. Here in America, we've got lots of energy, lots of electrical sockets, and lots of devices to plug into them. Only when a storm knocks out the power do we stop to think about how much harder our lives would be without this luxury.
Although America may have fairly reliable electrical grid, it doesn't always mean we can afford that power. Recent statistics show that the average electricity bill in the U.S. has grown to $163 per month, and many are desperate for ways to reduce their consumption. A few years ago, San Francisco-based company Fenix International developed the ReadySet Solar Kit to help solve Africans' energy problems. Now, Americans are begging them to bring it home.
We've featured lots of off-grid charging devices in the past, from solar-powered generators to camping pots that can juice up your phone. They're all awesome, but they share a common limitation–there's usually only one way they can gather energy. The ReadySet Solar kit, on the other hand, can charge from a variety of different sources including solar panels, bicycle generators, micro-wind turbines, and more.
"We designed the ReadySet with an open standard input (bind posts and banana plugs) so that it will work with alternative sources of power generation," write the designers. "We also chose open standard outputs (12v Car Lighter Adapter and 5v USB) so that hardware developers can create new applications, including anything from UV water purifiers to Vaccine Refrigerators."
The device has been successful in Africa, and the company thought using a Kickstarter campaign to make it available in the U.S. would be a great way to gather funding necessary to further their philanthropic work. The campaign has already blasted through its $20,000 goal, but there's still time to get in on the action.


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When a world class pianist plays with a world class guitarist the result is something very special to hear. That's just what we have in our latest release, Artist Series: Roger Kellaway – Ballads – With Bruce Forman on Guitar (CD16017).
Roger, of course, is one of the world's greatest jazz pianists. Critics regularly call him things like "the most awesome jazz pianist quite possibly anywhere on earth", and his work has earned him a Grammy, an Academy Award, and most recently the Prix du Jazz Classique (the French "Grammy"). He also wrote the closing theme of TV's "All In The Family", among a huge list of credits.
Bruce has been an important part of the international jazz scene for over three decades, playing on scores of recordings and playing in top venues. His brilliant solo guitar performance for the soundtrack of Clint Eastwood's film Million Dollar Baby, helped earn it an Academy Award nomination for Best Score, and the award for Best Picture.
So you can see how the collaboration of these two consummate musicians could only yield a brilliant disc. In this case, the groove is mellow, the songs (all named for ladies, by the way) are classics, and the whole thing is…well… just plain great. You can hear an Audio Preview here.


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(20 cocktail serves)
This is a tasty and easy-to-achieve passaround to serve with drinks. You will see potatoes labeled "Gourmet" at the supermarket, which is a brand rather than a variety. They are graded small but are not "new" potatoes as they are available nearly all year round. Generally they are waxy.
10 "Gourmet" potatoes (washed, small, evenly-sized) potatoes
pinch of salt 10 anchovy fillets (drained)
200g cream cheese (cut into chunks) 1
clove garlic (peeled & crushed)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped chives plus extra for garnish
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped chives plus extra for garnish
- Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and cut a very thin slice off each roundedside, so when they are served they dont tip over.
- Make a hollow on cut side of each potato. A melon baller is the best implement to use to do this, but you could manage with a teaspoon.
- Place potatoes in a saucepan with cold water just to cover, and add pinch of salt. Cover saucepan with a lid and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are just tender. Dont allow them to overcook.
Drain gently, so as not to break the potatoes. Spread potatoes onto paper towels to cool.
To make Anchovy Paste:
- Place anchovies, cream cheese, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper into a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
- Process mixture for about 30 seconds or till just combined.
- Transfer mixture to a bowl, add chives and mix together.
- Season cut side of potato half with salt and pepper, and then fill with Anchovy Paste to form a generous mound. Garnish with chives.
- Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for up to a day. If storing allow potatoes to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.


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- Electronics & Navigation
- Fish Finders & GPS
- Humminbird Helix 9 Chirp GPS G2N Combo
Humminbird Helix 9 Chirp GPS G2N Combo
Product Description
HELIX 9 Chirp GPS G2N
The HELIX 9 CHIRP GPS G2N features a large 9" display with LED backlight and CHIRP 2D digital sonar. Includes GPS chartplotting with built-in Bluetooth, Ethernet networking capabilities, AutoChart Live with depth, vegetation and bottom hardness mapping, and unit cover.
*Optional 50 kHz transducers available for extreme deepwater use and to obtain 1000 watts.
Broad Band Chrip
Exclusive Multi-Range Chirp -- View low, mid and high Chirp ranges, either individually or all at once
360 Imaging
360 Imaging - We have you surrounded. 360 Imaging allows you to isolate your sweep, see 5 preset views or see all around you.
HD Radar
In darkness and fog, busy channels and treacherous weather, situational awareness is the name of the game.
Get an at-a-glance view of fuel consumption, engine performance and other vessel data.
Autochart Live
Make a map where there is no map. Our patent pending AutoChart Live allows you to create digital, detailed maps live and on the water. You can also use it to enhance your existing charts.
Take wireless control of your Humminbird with our new Bluetooth Remote and Dongle.
i-Pilot Link
i-Pilot Link is an integrated GPS Trolling System available on select Minn Kota Ulterra, Terrova and PowerDrive V2 motors which enable your motor and Humminbird to communicate.
Dual Card Slots
Dual SD Card Slots -- Use one slot for advanced cartography and the other to save screenshots, sonar recordings and waypoints.
Rig up the ultimate fishing system. Use our 5-Port Ethernet switch to link together multiple Humminbird head units or share transducers.
- Basemap: Yes
- Card Format: Micro SD
- Cartography - Preloaded: No
- Cartography Brand: Humminbird/Navionics
- Cartography Type: Humminbird/Navionics Gold/Hotmaps
- Frequency: 83/200
- Included Transducer: XNT-9-20-T
- Internal/External Antenna: Internal
- Resolution (VxH): 800 x 480
- Screen Size: 9'
- Touchscreen: No
- Transducer Type: Transom Mount
- Box Dimensions: 10"H x 12"W x 20"L WT: 12 lbs


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Great Eastern Cutlery
If you're looking for a high-quality traditional pocketknife, Great Eastern Cutlery is a smart choice.
Great Eastern Cutlery, located in Titusville, Pennsylvania, produces rock-solid, highly collectable and premium-quality usable pocketknives. Respected for their American craftsmanship and traditional hands-on manufacturing, these are classic-style knives handled in exotic hardwoods, North American cattle bone and genuine stag, mated to blades of high-carbon and stainless steel.
Though Great Eastern Cutlery has been around only since 2006, it's quickly earned a reputation for producing the very best pocket knives in the industry -- the quality speaks for itself. If you buy a Great Eastern knife, you will be pleased.
Owned by Bill Howard, chief designer at Queen Cutlery for many years, Great Eastern Cutlery brings 60 years of industry leadership to its products -- in other words, you can trust these guys to turn out top-quality knives. So if the tang stamp says Tidioute Cutlery, Northfield Un-X-LD, Farm & Field Tool, or Great Eastern Cutlery, rest assured that it's one of the best made-in-USA knives you can buy.
Click here to learn more about GEC's brands like Tidioute and Northfield.
As you consider your next (or your first) Great Eastern Cutlery knife, you might enjoy some links...
- Why choose a Great Eastern Cutlery knife?
- How to maintain a carbon-steel knife
- How does a Great Eastern Cutlery knife compare to a Benchmade?
- What does that six-digit code mean on the blade of my Great Eastern Cutlery knife?
- What is Great eastern Cutlery making now?
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Junior NTR-Mohanlal starrer Janatha Garage mints Rs 50 crore in opening weekend
Chennai: Actor Jr NTR-starrer Telugu action drama Janatha Garage, which also stars Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, has raked in an estimated Rs 50 crore from the opening weekend worldwide.
"The film, in its four-day weekend, managed to collect a share of Rs 50 crore. Despite mixed response from the critics and the rains in Hyderabad, the film performed exceptionally well at the box office," trade analyst Trinath told IANS.
Directed by Siva Koratala, the film also stars Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Nithya Menen.
In the US, the film grossed $1.4 million from its opening weekend, shared Trinath.
Trinath had earlier predicted that the film would rake in over Rs 50 crore through the weekend.
"The film is expected to gross over Rs 50 crore in the opening weekend. Since it released on a Thursday, it has very good chances of shining through the weekend at the box-office," he said.
The film was made on a budget of Rs 50 crore.
With inputs from IANS
Updated Date: Sep 05, 2016 17:52 PM


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(CNN) -- A decision on who is eligible to run for president in Haiti has been postponed until Friday, leaving hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean and the other presidential hopefuls in limbo, said Berto Dorce, Jean's lawyer.
Haiti's election commission was scheduled to make a decision Tuesday night.
Jean's eligibility was under question after claims that he has not lived in Haiti for five consecutive years before the election, a mandate in the nation's Constitution.
Jean's lawyer said his client meets that criteria.
"His candidacy has been contested and we went to court and proved that he is legally entitled to run for president," Dorce said. "Jean's position is pretty strong. He should be on the list."
Dorce said Jean has been paying taxes in Haiti, which makes him eligible.
"Wyclef has been a shareholder of the local TV corporation called Telemax, and was paying taxes at least for five years; this was sufficient for the Justice of the Peace to issue a certificate of residence for Mr. Wyclef and confirm his residency," Dorce said.
Jean announced August 5 on "Larry King Live" amid fanfare that he had filled out the paperwork to run for president.
But since then, Jean's announcement has met with some criticism.
Pras, who once performed alongside Jean and Lauryn Hill in the '90s group The Fugees, said he supported Jean's opponent.
Actor Sean Penn, who has lived in Port-au-Prince for months helping displaced Haitians, also questioned whether the Haitian-born musician could make moves to lead the devastated nation.
And now, Jean said he has received multiple death threats.
"We have been getting threats since last night telling me if I know what's good for me, I would get out [of] the country," Jean wrote in an e-mail to CNN late Tuesday.
Jean's lawyer also talked about the alleged threats.
"Wyclef has been repeatedly getting anonymous threats from people who are saying that he should think twice before running for the president. We cannot tell who are sending these threats, but the closer the announcement, the more threats Jean is getting," Dorce said.
CNN's Soledad O'Brien contributed to this report.


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Why are rewards so massively unbalanced in favor of shareholders and top management? And why is it that the top managers of floundering firms, or even firms that go belly up under their stewardship, nevertheless receive massive compensation packages?
These and other provocative questions are posed by IESE's Rafael Andreu and Josep M. Rosanas, who proffer their "Manifesto for Better Management" in the latest IESE management magazine.
How we compensate workers needs a complete rethink, they say. To do this, companies may need to abandon contemporary financial theory to some degree, along with its primary objective of maximizing shareholder value.
Under the theme of "Restoring the Human Side of Business," the magazine features thought-provoking articles to move the business world toward a more humanistic model of management.
Claudia Peus (TUM School of Management in Munich) highlights humanistic leadership principles, while Michael Pirson (Fordham University Schools of Business) and Shann Turnbull (International Institute for Self-Governance) make a bold proposal for "network governance," which they say would prevent power abuse and allow for greater cooperation among all stakeholders.
There are also columns by IESE's Domènec Melé and Harvard's Rosabeth Moss Kanter, who both call for a new way of doing "humanistic business."
Following Facebook's recent IPO, IESE's Miguel Cantillo and Nicholas Corbishley discuss what companies can hope to gain from going public.
IESE's Marta Elvira, Carlos Rodríguez Lluesma and Núria Mas identify best practices and business opportunities in the management of care services to cope with the aging populations of industrialized countries.
Antonio Urcelay, president of Toys "R" Us Europe, discusses the challenges of his sector, including outsourcing to China, the rise of emerging markets, e-commerce, and the role and responsibility of management.
A case study on Kola Real considers the Latin American cola maker's chances of becoming a top multinational in a soft-drink market dominated by Coca-Cola.
And David McNeill, of Transport for London, talks about the logistics of moving millions of visitors during the upcoming London 2012 Summer Games in July.
Finally, IESE's Brian Leggett revisits Dickens' classic works to think afresh about the scandal of child labor on the recent occasion of the World Day Against Child Labour on June 12.
IESE Insight is a quarterly research-based magazine, published in separate English and Spanish editions. Its premium content is linked to articles from the IESE Insight knowledge portal, which contains research and teaching materials, opinion articles, business indices, audiovisual materials and an extensive database of more than 20,000 scholarly references.


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Support Our Partner Organizations
Partnering with some of the most inspiring organizations, GEMS is committed to creating a world where girls are not for sale.
The "A World For Girls" Campaign focuses on empowering girls and changing the world that our girls are growing up in. We are dedicated to creating a world in which girls are empowered, respected, and valued.
Whether it is a local group working in small communities or a large international organization, we want to work together. We seek out and work with partners who really get it. Partners who are as passionate as we are about creating a world where girls are safe from violence and are provided with the critical educational and economic opportunities they need in order to thrive.
A World For Girls gives you concrete steps to support women and girls such as investing in young people, promoting educational equity, eliminating poverty, advocating for equal pay, supporting empowerment and ending gender-based violence–all measures that can prevent commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking.
Each of our partners provides valuable expertise of meaningful ways we can all help make a difference. All of them inspire us every day. Will you join us?
Check out our partners to find out way to get involved and help us create A World For Girls!
Click here for A World For Girls toolkit and resources.


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For August, 2007
I am a 60 year old woman who has recently been diagnosed with hypertension, high cholesterol, and congestive heart disease. My doctor prescribed medications that will help lower my blood pressure, lower my cholesterol, and hopefully prevent any heart or blood vessel damage. However, she said I need to make some lifestyle changes such as eating a healthier diet, exercising more, and reducing stress. I find this very overwhelming since I've become accustomed to cooking a certain way and not really exercising that much because my husband does most of the chores around the house. My doctor does not seem to understand this though. Is there any information available that will help me deal with these health problems and communicate better with my doctor?
The Area Office on Aging offers the evidence-based Healthy U Program to older adults in your situation. The Healthy U Program is a six-week workshop designed to teach older citizens practical skills for living a healthier life with an ongoing health condition. These conditions include heart disease, lung disease, arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, and emphysema. Throughout the duration of this program, you will learn relaxation techniques, appropriate exercise plans, proper medication usage, and improving your communication with your family, friends and doctor. You will also receive some ideas about healthier meals and ways to monitor salt, cholesterol, and fat intake. Currently, the Healthy U Program is offered at the following senior centers: Maumee Senior Center, Erie County Senior Center, Wood County Senior Center, and Paulding County Senior Center. For more information, please contact the Area Office on Aging at 419-725-6969.
I am a 72 year old man living alone. I have three children who live in North Carolina, California, and Florida so I do not have the opportunity to see them very often. My wife died of cancer last year. Every Saturday morning I go fishing with an old friend. The time we spend fishing together is nice, but he has a family of his own and watches his grandchildren throughout the week. Other than my fishing buddy, I really have no one else to talk with. Ever since my wife died, I have been losing more and more sleep, my appetite has decreased, and nothing I do anymore makes me happy. Lately, I have been feeling guilty about feeling lonely and somehow it is my fault. I know if I keep going on like this my health will get worse and worse. Is there anyone I can talk to about what I am experiencing? Who can I contact for help?
There are several resources that are available throughout Northwest Ohio that can help you. The first person you could contact is your primary physician. It is important that he/she is aware of this information. They will be able to discuss the matters with you, identify any problems, and develop solutions. The second resource you could contact is the Lutheran Social Services' Living with Hope Program for counseling services, which can be reached at 419-243-9178. The third resource you could contact is your county mental health board for counseling service. For a telephone number for your county office, please contact the Area Office on Aging at 419-382-0624. Whichever option you choose, please remember that there is help available and you are not alone in this.
I am a 60 year old man who moved to Toledo from Pittsburgh about four months ago. Every morning I go for a short jog at the local high school track. On Saturday morning I go to the Wolf Creek YMCA and swim several laps. In Pittsburgh I was involved with a Senior Olympics program in the spring. It was a great opportunity to exercise, compete, and meet new people. Is there a program similar to this in Toledo? Since I am new here I was hoping to meet some new friends and find people to play basketball and volleyball with on a regular basis.
The Area Office on Aging sponsors the 50+ Sports Classic every June. It was held at St. Francis de Sales High School last year. The event includes track and field events, basketball, ping pong, volleyball, golf, and many more. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are given out for each event. There are also age groups for each event so the competition is fair. Participants in the past have been very satisfied with the organization and judging. They also have thoroughly enjoyed the social aspect of the event. For more information regarding the 50+ Sports Classic, please contact Justin Moor at 419-725-6969.
My mother is 85 years old and lives alone in Holland. She moved into her current apartment about 15 years ago when my father died. For those 15 years she managed very well. She used to work outside in her garden and flower beds until last year when she feel and broke her hip. She has trouble walking now and I am worried she might fall and not be able to reach for the phone. Is there a fall call-button system or emergency system that I can get for my mother?
The Area Office on Aging provides the Emergency Response System to older adults that are at risk for falling. The button can either be placed around the neck or around the wrist. In the event of a fall, your mother would only need to press the button and her emergency contact would be called. The Emergency Response System costs about $35 a month. For further information regarding this system, please contact the Area Office on Aging at 419-382-0624.
This past spring I participated in the Healthy U Program held at the Maumee Senior Center. I was diagnosed with diabetes ten years ago and suffered from a stroke last year. The Healthy U Program taught me how to deal with the daily challenges of my conditions. I learned about relaxation techniques and ways to overcome the frustration with the paralysis from my stroke. All in all, the Healthy U Program was very beneficial to me and I want to help others with long-tern conditions like myself. Is there any way I can do this?
Yes, there is definitely a way you can accomplish this. The Healthy U Program is accepting volunteers like yourself to lead the next Healthy U Program at your senior center. The Program is dependent on people like you who want to pass on what you have learned. To become a leader, you will need to attend a leader training program for a week. After the completion of this training you will be able to co-lead a Healthy U Program workshop. You will also receive a $150 stipend for each program you lead. For more detailed information, please contact Justin Moor at 419-725-6969.


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Originally posted by dbates
reply to post by schrodingers dog
But you're tying popularity to success as if they were the same thing. While it's true that popularity is one measure of success it's not the end all marker.
Originally posted by dbates
This is what makes the McCain/Palin ticket stronger. Instead of having two Senators, it's a Senator and a Governor. It's no secret that Governors are better equipped to be President. Everyone knows it. Just look at history.
Gov. Palin's only major interview since joining the Republican ticket so far went to People magazine, which accompanied the candidate and her family backstage at the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio, on the day of the announcement. The magazine noted her "ruby-red peep toe platform heels that showed off a pink, French-style pedicure." It asked whether Gov. Palin's husband would become a "full-time Mr. Mom." People had eased the way for its exclusive by sending a team to Alaska a month before to do a piece on how the governor juggles career and family.
This year isn't the first time politicians have taken advantage of the softer side of the press.
"Four years ago, we were in the White House with Laura Bush, doing an interview. The Bushes quickly saw the value of a celebrity newsmagazine in an election year," said Linda Bell Blue, the executive producer of CBS'"Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider." "We were doing a story on the dog."
Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
"She's their Goddess", her critics say.
I can't remember ever being so excited and inspired by a political speech!
Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
I have seen it here on ATS and other places. Google it.
Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
"She's their Goddess", her critics say. "
Originally posted by Dronetek
The fact is, Obama has a shady past and lots of shady friends.
Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
So, you think she's the GOP's Margaret Thatcher instead of the GOP's Obama?
Originally posted by FlyersFan
That's not even remotely the same as the cult following of
Obama. She doesn't get the halo treatment. She gets the
sexist treatment.
Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
according to her "followers", she can do no wrong.
I understand you can't see the similarities, but it takes a bit of an open mind to see it objectively.
Originally posted by Open_Minded Skeptic
All I ever see is the same tired names, over and over... Ayers, Rezko and Wright.
Ayers was a member of The Weathermen, a rather nasty group from the 60's,
he is clearly no longer a fugitive (if indeed he ever was),
Obama's "link" to him is VERY tenuous,
And Rezko? Yeah, he's been convicted of some crimes... so what?
So, pending credible evidence that Obama's property deal with Rezko was illegal, another Obamyth to be ignored.
As far as Wright goes, … Obama went to this guy's church and may adhere to some or many of his philosophies does not mean he (Obama) adheres to or is influenced by all of them.
I have seen no credible evidence that Obama is a racist.
Sarah Palin, the new Republican vice-presidential candidate, almost seems like an "angel sent down from Heaven," especially when compared to the Democratic candidate Barack Obama, who in my opinion, is a tool of the devil.
They erupted at every mention of her name before she took the stage. And they gave her a thunderous welcome when she emerged.
"An outstanding choice," praised Focus on the Family founder James Dobson.
"Grand slam home run," gushed former presidential candidate Gary Bauer.
"Ecstatic," said Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention.
And, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch added, "I had tears in my eyes."


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We have featured quite a few different Kinect hacks here at Geeky Gadgets, the latest one is from programmer Ryan Challinor, and it is designed to let a DJ uses gestures to control the pitch on music tracks.
Have a look at the video of it in action below, and Ryan also explains in the video how the hack works and how you can get it up and running for yourself.
Synapse is an app for Mac and Windows that allows you to easily use your Kinect to control Ableton Live, Quartz Composer, Max/MSP/Jitter, and any other application that can receive OSC events.
You can find out more information on Synapse for Kinect over at Synapse.
Source Make
Filed Under: Cool Mods, Gadgets News


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In over 60 countries during the last decade, poorly-stored ammunition stockpiles have inadvertently exploded. Thousands of people have died, and the livelihoods of entire communities were disrupted. Unsecured or poorly-monitored national ammunition stockpiles also lead to massive diversion into illicit markets. Diverted conventional ammunition is increasingly used to make improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The General Assembly has requested the United Nations to develop guidelines for adequate ammunition management. In response, the UN SaferGuard Programme has been established. It oversees the dissemination of International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG): detailed standards for voluntary use by countries that wish to improve the safety and security of their ammunition storage sites.
The first version of the IATG was completed in 2011.
IATG version 2 has been launched with new modules available! Access them here
The International Ammunition Technical Guidelines are being used to support ammunition stockpile management efforts in 86 countries by national authorities and through our partners. Find out more on our new "who uses the IATG?" page.
IATG implementation support toolkit
"One area that deserves far more attention is ammunition...
Cutting ammunition flows has an immediate impact on the intensity of armed activity.
In situations where there is high risk to civilian populations, this should be a priority."
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressing the UN Security Council on the issue of small arms and light weapons, 13 May 2015
The International Ammuntion Technical Guidelines and the IATG Implementation Support Software are maintained by the United Nations. Technical and financial support has been provided by the Governments of Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, the Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Serbia, Singapore, Switzerland, the United States of America, and the European Union.


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It's so rare these days to hear any good news about the BlackBerry ecosystem. As one of my colleagues put it in conversation yesterday, RIM seems to be circling the drain on its way out, potentially leaving space in the mobile market for Microsoft's Windows Phone to assume third place by default. But today brings some good news from RIM for BlackBerry users.
RIM announced the public beta of BlackBerry Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365. What this means is that if you're using, or planning to move to, Office 365, you'll now be able to continue using your BlackBerry devices with that service as well. RIM will host the service (which I know will give some businesses shivers, considering the recent BlackBerry outage), and it will feature a web-based console to allow administration of BlackBerry devices from anywhere.
BlackBerry Business Cloud Services will let BlackBerry users whose accounts reside on Office 365 have access to all the mail and calendar information they've come to expect. The service also includes the BlackBerry Balance feature, which was introduced earlier this year and let's administrators apply policy controls to segregate work and personal data on BlackBerry smartphones.
Although BlackBerry phones might be plummeting in mindshare and usage among consumers, many businesses still rely on them—and with good reasons. They still offer an unmatched email experience with excellent administrative control and security. Which is why this collaboration with Microsoft and Office 365 could be a good move all around.
You can read more about BlackBerry Business Cloud Services on RIM's website. To get into the current public beta, you have to have an Office 365 account, but it's sufficient to sign up for a trial account. Remember, this is a beta, which means you certainly don't want to be rolling it out to your production environment; however, participating does give you the chance to give RIM your feedback and shape the features and experience of the final product.


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BATAVIA, Ohio (AdAge.com) -- Procter & Gamble Co. has shifted North American communications planning duties for its Gillette men's grooming business to Aegis Group's Carat from Publicis Groupe's Starcom Mediavest Group in a major win for Carat and rare P&G loss for SMG.
Gillette spent $170 million on measured media last year on men's products, but the communications-planning assignment also covers other areas of marketing, including promotions, shopper marketing and other trade programs that likely at least double that figure.
Omnicom Group's BBDO Worldwide continues to handle creative duties on Gillette, and as "brand agency leader" for male grooming under P&G's relatively new agency management and compensation structure BBDO had a hand in making the move from one rival holding company to another. A BBDO spokesman said he was unaware of the move or the details.
Digital capability and male experience
"We were looking for digital capability and male experience" in making the move from SMG to Carat, P&G spokesman Damon Jones said. The move includes blades and razors, shave preparations, antiperspirants, body wash and hair care.
For SMG, which has dominated P&G's communications-planning work, it's a surprising and significant loss. SMG won most of the communications-planning assignment and all of the high-profile beauty and grooming business when the account was created in 2004. It then picked up the Gillette business when P&G acquired that business in 2005.
SMG continues to handle media buying for Gillette along with other P&G brands in the U.S.
Lead agency is in charge
For Carat, which was the junior partner in the 2004 planning assignment, the account is a big coup. Carat won the smaller and arguably less-glamorous pieces of the account in 2004, including paper products, pet food and Pringles.
Carat was a surprise winner at the time, as it was new to P&G's roster, but it also had trouble holding onto what it won subsequently. P&G sold off some -- as in the case of Folgers and the coffee business last year -- or otherwise moved its accounts, as with Pringles. The latter moved to WPP's Mediacom after WPP sibling Grey Global Group became brand agency leader.
Under the BAL system, which Gillette and Pringles use, the lead agency is in charge of compensating and choosing others down the line, though P&G continues to have a hand in both areas via annual reviews and final say on assignment shifts.
The move comes as Gillette has lost some share in the past year in its core blade and razor business and considerably more share in other areas, such as shave preparations, in both cases to Energizer Holdings' Schick and Edge, respectively. Edge's gains came on a repositioning and heavy promotional spending by SC Johnson prior to selling the brand to Energizer earlier this year.
IRI data for the 52 weeks ending Nov. 1 show a 0.8-point loss for Gillette men's products in the cartridge segment and 0.4-point loss in razor handles, though a person familiar with the matter said the brand had lost only 0.2 points in razors in all-channel data including Walmart.
The brand also has been overshadowed or beaten in other segments by Unilever's Degree and Axe, including deodorant, body wash and hair care in recent years.
Axe outsells Gillette in hair care
In hair care, Axe is outselling Gillette by nearly three to one, with sales of $34.2 million to Gillette's $12.6 million in the 52 weeks ended Nov. 1, according to Information Resources Inc., despite Gillette getting a head start on Axe in the U.S. The data doesn't include Walmart, club or dollar stores.
In cases where Gillette has been having the most trouble -- hair care and shave prep -- it's been beaten by overtly sexual advertising, either by Unilever's Axe or by Edge, whose ads took on a decidedly Axe-like look in its repositioning last year.
~ ~ ~
Contributing: Nat Ives and Michael Bush


text: Are you an un-enrolled voter who belongs to no political party? Why? I ask because I am seriously thinking of leaving my party and I have been thinking deeply about what that entails and what I will do without a party. Is it possible to not be frustrated and angry and left with a feeling of powerlessness---of not belonging to the system---as I view most un-enrolled citizens being?


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In our never-ending quest to understand The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. (NYSE: WWY), today we'll take a peek at the Chicago gum king's fourth-quarter and full-year 1999 results.
After a bumpy start to the year, the company ended up spitting out overall year-over-year sales growth of 3% and net earnings growth of 4%, excluding a one-time gain from a property sale last year. Those rates of growth are not going to set any land-speed records, but they are more or less consistent with the numbers that the business has put up over the past few years as the international economy has swung around like Tarzan on a jungle vine.
However, the outlook for higher short-term growth appears to be brighter than it was a year ago. Springboarding the company into the new year was an 8% rise in Q4 sales, the highest growth rate for the final quarter in the past three years. Unfortunately, a higher tax bite prevented much of that revenue growth from translating into higher profits, which rose by only 4% during the period. Still, an 11% jump in quarterly U.S. sales was a nice way to end the year and raises our hopes that a higher level of earnings growth may be in store for 2000.
The future level of earnings growth is always a big-time concern for investors, regardless of whether the company in question is a well-established leader in a relatively static industry like gum or a whiz-kid upstart in a fast-changing, emerging business like broadband networking. As any darned Fool can tell you, earnings growth is what really matters in the long run. It's practically a universal truth that the firms that can successfully grow their earnings the fastest will end up fetching the highest multiples and are worth the most in the marketplace.
(Uh, oh. Hear that sound? That's the noise of a Wise myth about to fall down.)
We dug out the following nugget of insight from a dusty, old, forgotten 1994 issue of Outstanding Investor Digest that was buried under some cobwebs and a heap of Chalupa wrappers in the bowels of the Fool HQ library. Hopefully, the folks at OID won't mind too much if we share it here. It came from an investor named Warren Buffett, who happens to run a company by the name of Berkshire Hathaway (perhaps you have heard of him):
"We're willing to buy companies that aren't going to grow at all -- assuming we get enough for our money when we do it.... If you were to put $1 million in a savings account, would you rather have one that paid you 10% a year and never changed or one that paid you 2% a year and increased 10% a year? You can work out the math."
What Buffett is referring to here is the idea of selecting high-returning businesses, not just high-growth businesses. He continues:
"But you can certainly have a situation where there's absolutely no growth in a business and it's a much better investment than some company that's going to grow at very substantial rates -- particularly if they're going to need capital in order to grow.... And generally, financial analysts don't apply adequate weight to the difference between those."
This second part alludes to the desirability of companies where much more cash is regularly flowing out of the business than is flowing in. Both parts of the above quote are interesting in their own right and carry a great deal of relevancy in the case of a company like Wrigley
Even though its returns have been falling in the past few years (which is our main cause of concern from an investing perspective, by the way), Wrigley still boasts an enviable return on invested capital. By our calculations, the firm's annual ROIC is in the 23% to 24% range, easily above its estimated all-equity cost of capital of 11% and Drip Port's own required return on investor capital of 15.5%. Additionally, it's above the mean 12.5% ROIC of the S&P 500 in 1998, according to numbers crunched by analyst Michael Mauboussin and his colleagues at Credit Suisse First Boston. So, the high-return shoe seems to fit.
Further, Wrigley has a well-established capital efficiency track record. We'll have to wait until the year-end financial report is filed with the SEC to see exactly how much money was chewed up in capital expenditures in 1999, but we have a pretty good idea that the figure was not unusually large. Wrigley has a knack of investing roughly half of its annual earnings back into the business every year to keep things going and expand into new markets while paying the remaining half out to shareholders in the form of dividends.
Interestingly, since 75% of the firm's shareholders (Note: that's different from 75% of all shares) participate in the Drip plan, a fairly decent chunk of those dividends immediately head right back into company's coffers as Drippers buy more shares. So, Wrigley's business is pretty much a self-supporting cash generator that doesn't need to raise any capital at all in order to grow. Think of it as a corporate Chia Pet, only with less-annoying TV commercials.
Given the wide moat around the firm's gum business, we feel pretty confident that Wrigley's cash flows will be higher 10 years from now than they were this year. We don't see the industry changing too much in the next decade, nor do we see demand for gum slackening off for some unknown reason or some upstart charging in and stealing a portion of Wrigley's estimated 50% share of the global market. And even if we are dead wrong and there is zero earnings growth over the next decade, the company still might represent a pretty compelling investment possibility from our vantage point. We'll try to examine that scenario in more detail and other aspects of the Wrigley investment case in future columns.
Wrigley's Earnings Wrap-Up
Brian Graney chews up the Chicago gum king's fourth-quarter and full-year 1999 results.
In our never-ending quest to understand The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. (NYSE: WWY), today we'll take a peek at the Chicago gum king's fourth-quarter and full-year 1999 results.
Article Info
- Feb 4, 2000 at 12:00AM
- Other
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What Does a Business Psychologist Do?
A business psychologist studies a unique branch of psychology and does not have the same responsibilities as a traditional psychologist. They do not normally see individual "patients" but an entire company can be their "patient". They work alongside the Human Capital function (HR) but are more focused on the well-being of the employees, while an HR specialist has more of a legal and financial focus. From this perspective, one could consider the consultation that Gables performs as Stage Development Psychology.
Business psychologists study the workplace and employees to learn how to best motivate employees as well as improve conditions and therefore make the business run smoothly and successfully. They counsel clients, usually the business owners, in order to enhance work performance through improved practices in hiring, employee feedback, training and management. At Gables, we also align the complexity of the role with the complexity of the person, from a social-emotional and cognitive complexity perspective.
There are two kinds of business psychologists: a researcher, and an advisor. It is possible to work on both sides of the field.
As a researcher, you run studies on how to optimize the workplace. You can gather data needed to study your theories from:
- Questionnaires
- Focus Groups
- Interviews
- Surveys
- Case Studies
The research side for a business psychologist can be done at the work place, an independent office, or even a University where they might also be on faculty. As faculty, they would be responsible for lectures and mentorship in addition to their research tasks of: grant writing, research, and publication.
As advisors, we take the theories proven by research and advise on how to run your company. We can help find problems within a company and devise a plan on how to correct the issue, or create a bespoke Development or training program for the employees. We can even determine the best way to physically set up the office. Some of the specific things they can do are:
- Talent Management
- Talent Development from a Complexity Perspective
- Role Complexity Alignment
- Training
- Leadership Development
- Human-Machine Interaction
- Employee Interaction and Morale
- Design of Work Environment
In addition to these specific areas, we can also evaluate the business and its practices to make sure they are in line with the core principals of the business. If they do not line up, then we can put together a plan of action on how to realign the practices or see if the core principals needs to be modified to fit the current business model in place.
Finally, if your employees require growth in their thinking in order to grow your business and their acumen, then we would be happy to enrol them on the Four Leaders Programme already devised by Gables.


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HOWELL, Mich. (AP) - A Livingston County man has been sentenced to at least 15 years in prison for sexually abusing his then-12-year-old son.
The Tyrone Township father pleaded guilty last month to 14 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He was sentenced Thursday to a minimum of 15 years and maximum of 75 years in prison.
He also was sentenced on two counts of distributing obscene matter to children and one count each of third-degree child abuse and failing to send a child to school.
The man was arrested after his son passed a note during dinner to a neighbor saying he was being abused.
A message seeking comment was left for the man's attorney.
The Associated Press is not publishing the father's name to protect the identity of his son.


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As a Kirby owner, you will want to make sure you sign-up for our monthly newsletter to receive coupons, cleaning tips, and more.
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If you have questions or concerns regarding your experience with The Kirby Company or an independent Distributor of Kirby vacuum products, we encourage you to contact us at 1-800-494-8586. We welcome the opportunity to assist with the resolution of your concerns.
However, you may contact the DSA with any inquiries regarding the Kirby Company's conduct or the conduct of any of its independent Distributors by clicking on its logo.
To learn more about Direct Sales, visit the DSA's Direct Selling 411 website.


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Frank Lampard has started life as a New York City FC player with an apology to the people of the city.
The 36-year-old was officially unveiled on Thursday after agreeing to join Manchester City's MLS franchise.
But before he could soak in his new start in the Big Apple he was forced to say sorry for actions over a decade ago.
Angry news reports in the US appeared centering around distasteful behaviour following the 9/11 disaster 13 years ago.
However Lampard moved to set the record straight on his drunken antics in front of American tourists in London with some of his Blues team-mates in 2001.
"I categorically did not set out to insult anyone or behave badly in front of the Americans and this is an excellent chance to say that. I'm very sensitive to the issue and the tragedy," he said.
"I have some regrets. I was naive and a young boy at the time. I was out on a day I shouldn't have been.
"I've tried in the last 13 years at Chelsea to be a good man, not just a good footballer but a good man off the pitch."
Lampard will back up his words with a visit to the 9/11 memorial in New York to pay his respects while he is concluding a two-year deal.
He explained: "It is very important to pay respect."


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The individuals who go via trains are certain to find out about the Indian Railways PNR status and PNR number. The PNR number is a 10-digit number gave on the upper left-hand corner of the ticket and stands for the Personal Name Record. When you book your ticket, a considerable measure of points of interest like the travelers' name, age, location, source and destination stations, date of trip, name of the train, versatile number, and so forth are given. In light of every one of these subtle elements the PNR number is produced.
The booking of trains begins 120 days before the train's flight, and is conceivable up to 4 hours before takeoff, until the last diagrams are readied. In light of the immense surge of travelers, you may not generally get seats accessible on your favored train. In such cases, you are either placed in RAC or Waiting List, where you will get your ticket affirmed if any cancelations are made. Under RAC, or Reservation against Cancelation, you will be given a side billet where you can sit and travel. With a specific end goal to enquire the present status of your reservation you have to cite the PNR number.
In the wake of profiting your PNR number, you need to give this number in every one of your dealings with the railroads, be it a train enquiry, checking of train timings, train schedule, seat accessibility, mentor and seat number or cancelation of your tickets. You can book for a most extreme of 6 travelers under the same PNR, if they have the same source and destination stations. In the event that you are occupying Tatkal tickets, a greatest of 4 travelers are occupied under the same PNR.
The PNR status check should be possible by various ways. The call focuses of Indian Railways are open 24 hours a day for help. You can make a call to the without toll numbers to converse with the client care authority, or check your PNR status through IVRS. Cell telephones can be utilized to send a SMS containing your PNR number in the obliged configuration to 139, to get all subtle elements on your handset. A few PDA applications have been produced that give all components with respect to tickets and prepares on your telephones so that you can get to know the status of your PNR every time.
The booking counters at railroad stations additionally can be of extraordinary help in checking the status of your ticket. Be that as it may, the least demanding and most favored technique is the online status check. The sites of Indian Railways, IRCTC, and numerous other travel and tourism locales offer to check your PNR status at whatever point you require. In the event that cancelations have been done, the status of your ticket continues evolving. Until the last diagram is readied, there are chances for your ticket status to get redesigned. In this way, stay informed concerning the Indian Railways PNR status and has a cheerful trip.


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New River Valley Real Estate: 305 Windsor Street
Opportunity is knocking in this main level Radford VA home. Come on over and let yourself get swept away by the serene ambiance of the screened porch. Relish in the main level floor plan complete with beautiful hardwood floors, durable tile, ceiling fans, multi panel doors, central HVAC and big window views. Slip your shoes off and kick back in the soothing family room. Generously sized kitchen offers an abundance of cabinet and counter space, an appliance package, room to dine and double door access to the inviting screened porch. Three main level bedrooms including a master suite with private bath and a spa tub. Nice laundry room to help keep things tidy. One car garage plus ample parking. Beauty, Warmth and Value await the lucky buyer. Make your appointment today. View Floorplan
You don't have to just visit; you can live here and enjoy Virginia's growing economy and vacation-like lifestyle! With easy access to I-81 you can appreciate a prime example of why New River Valley VA is such a desired place to live and play. This Radford VA home is just steps to shopping, nightlife, VA Tech and recreational activities.
Desi Sowers has distinguished herself as a leader in the New River Valley real estate market. Desi assists buyers looking for New River Valley real estate for sale and aggressively markets New River Valley homes for sale.
Desi brings with her a keen eye for the details of buying or selling a New River Valley home and seemingly boundless determination and energy, which is why her clients benefit from her unique brand of real estate service. Rooted in Tradition, Focused on the Future – Desi Sowers will help make the most of your New River Valley real estate experience. Give her a call today, 540-320-1328, and discover the difference she can make during your family's move.
|View the Tour


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Originally built in 1931 in Belgium as a "Zeilogger" or sailing fishing ship
The 120 feet ( 37m ) long "Insulinde" proved to be a vessel which combined grace and speed and was subsequently put to good use as a "packer" racing fresh catches from the Icelandic fishing grounds to the great coastal cities of Europe. Following a period of mixed use and some neglect the "Insulinde" was completely restored in Enkhuizen , Holland in 1987 and fitted with 9 two person cabins, including a couple of well-proven honeymoon suites. The ship, while not luxurious, is most comfortable and very well maintained. About 30 to 80 passengers make day trips, wedding and private parties, and smaller groups of 12-14 enjoy fully inclusive live-aboard mini-cruises to exclusive destinations. Safety has a high priority, and the ship is certified with the Dutch Shipping Inspection for worldwide voyaging with passengers.
Adapted from an article by Wanda Young & Ken Bravo


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You're in :
/ online-store
/ clothing
/ Riding Gear
/ all-collections
/ men
/ Heated One-Touch Programmable 12V Jacket Liner
95% polyester, 5% nylon outer shell. Polyester body and sleeve lining and cotton/polyester fleece neck lining. Stretch expansion panels on sides, sleeves, and back shoulders offer greater range of motion and reduce bulk. Includes re-chargeable wireless One-Touch Wrist Controller that allows rider to program heat settings for all One-Touch Programmable Heated Gear. Includes Charger Cable, Garment Receiver inside the jacket, and Battery Connecting Harness. Seven large heating panels (two chest, two back, two sleeve, and one collar) feature safe infrared technology that generates immediate heat to penetrate the body for deep warmth. Coaxial plugs on the both sleeves connect to the Heated One-Touch Programmable Glove Liner (sold separately). Can also be worn with the Heated One-Touch Programmable Pant Liner and Sock Liner for full-body warmth (both sold separately). Woven label on left chest and built-in storage pocket for easy packing.
This item is not instore but is available to order.


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Full Menu
Joseph Swensen has tended to follow a pleasing formula in his Scottish Chamber Orchestra recordings for Linn, linking a major violin concerto with thoughtful and interesting couplings of the same composer's output. The approach has reaped dividends with Mendelssohn, Brahms and Prokofiev so far, and here Swensen turns his attention to Dvorak.
The call to arms with which Dvorak's Violin Concerto opens is noticeably crisper than normal, almost excessively so; this is no doubt due to the reduced instrumental forces (but not volume) of a chamber orchestra. Furthermore vibrato is at a premium; the timbre is reedy. This approach is epitomised by the violinist in his initial response to the tutti but not throughout, the performance settling as the movement takes shape. Swensen's pianissimo moments are particularly memorable, working to especially good effect in a beautifully intimate Adagio, relaxed in tempo but pushing on where appropriate. Here there is plenty of vibrato, but Swensen stops short of over-indulging, and when the open-air theme of the finale enters that Swensen is totally in tune with Dvorak's folksy sensibilities is engagingly apparent.
There's a strong sense of Dvorak's heritage, too, in the Czech Suite, where the Scottish Chamber Orchestra's strings are languid in the 'Preludium'. There is a nice lilt to the following 'Polka', the violins just occasionally losing touch with each other in the second subject, and the 'Romance' is appealing in its intimacy. Two shorter works complete the programme, a sensitively rendered Nocturne in string orchestra form and, to end on an upbeat note, a lightly bouncy Waltz. Swensen brings many good things to these carefully prepared performances, with excellent playing from the orchestra, and the recorded sound is exceptionally good.


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|Reviews for Touch
| sweetmaiden chapter 1 . 4/12/2006
This is another good fic on Langrisser 5! _ hehe..didn't think Sigma is playful in that way...
All in all, I think you really have a unique style of writing. Keep on writing puleaasee?
| Oso Tothim chapter 1 . 6/13/2004
Excellent job, Mr. De Fanel! Bravo Bravissimo! I think your other stories are excellent as well, particularly the first one: Going home.


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Mason Plumlee had a game-saving block against LeBron James as the Brooklyn Nets barely edged out the Miami Heat 88-87 on Tuesday night to sweep the season series 4-0.
LeBron thought he was fouled on the play, but replay clearly shows that Plums got his hand on the ball first which would make it a clean block. LeBron might have a point about Joe Johnson though, who appeared to touch him just as he was taking off. In that type of situation, that's not a call that's made most of the time anyway.
If Rashard Lewis took the layup opportunity he had just before the play, the Heat would have won the game. So there is that.


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Smile (Smile #1)
|Raina Telgemeier
|Raina Telgemeier
"I so enjoyed reading "Smile," I couldn't put it down. It's excellent!" -- Lynn Johnston, creator of "For Better or For Worse" "Raina perfectly captures the small, everyday surprises, dramas, and embarrassments that make up adolescence... A joy to read." -- Gene Yang, National Book Award Winner for "American Born Chinese" "Irresistible, funny and touching." -- "Kirkus Reviews" "It hits home partly because there is nothing else out there like it." -- "The New York Times Book Review" "
Raina Telgemeier grew up in San Francisco, then moved to New York City, where she earned an illustration degree at the School of Visual Arts. She is the creator of SMILE, a critically acclaimed graphic memoir based on her childhood, which was a NEW YORK TIMES bestseller and winner of the Will Eisner Award for Best Publication for Teens, and received a BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Honor. Raina also adapted and illustrated The Baby-sitters Club graphic novels, which were selected for YALSA's Great Graphic Novels for Teens list and BOOKLIST's Top 10 Graphic Novels for Youth list. Her new graphic novel for Scholastic is titled DRAMA. Raina lives in Astoria, New York, with her husband, Dave Roman. To learn more, visit her online at www.goRaina.com.


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Pop music's eternal appeal can be found in one instance out of many: "This Magic Moment," a 1960 song by The Drifters. "Everything I want I have/Whenever I hold you tight." The emotion expressed in that line doesn't simply overlook politics but, through the calm deliberation of personal sentiment, transcends politics. This artistic strategy is itself a political act (even if subconscious). Such transcendence was once commonly understood and implicitly endorsed by the way African-Americans embraced soaring European violins and swirling piano flourishes in the same era in which they waged the civil rights struggle. Amiri Baraka explained what was special–and forceful–in pop when he described how it began to "flow just as many Afro-American artists and intellectuals had reached a more resolute and practical understanding." Social historians seldom deal with the part of the black experience that transmutes the daily ordeal of segregation, oppression and hardship into salvific forms, but it is a truth that any worthwhile pop-music scholar must confront.
Few have attempted this insight into the paradox of pop, a music that manages to be at once soothing and revolutionary, as well as Arthur Kempton in Boogaloo: The Quintessence of American Popular Music. Moving through the history of black pop from the earliest blues recordings to contemporary hip-hop, Kempton's opening chapters are unusually satisfying as a selective chronology that is also a tribute to artists who struggled with social obstacles more difficult than an elusive muse. There's romance in Kempton's tale, but like the gospel and r&b that inspire him, this cultural appreciation is informed by an awareness that even the most intimate feelings can reflect some larger social meaning. His book is distinguished by a fan's deep understanding, and by an unusual familiarity with the culture's lingua franca. Even the best white scholars of black pop–Charles Shaar Murray, Peter Guralnick, Gerri Hirshey–have displayed a journalistic formality in their accounts. Kempton, by contrast, has dared inhale the culture's thought and attitude in authentic dialect and phrases: "upsouth," "grown children" (aged offspring still under parental authority), "country and uncool," "stealing from the building fund," "a rock in a weary land."
Kempton views black pop history as a self-conscious movement rather than a happy accident with sociological aftershocks, the standard notion of stingy pop critics who present black musicians as unsophisticated folk lacking social awareness. As he points out, black popular music, from blues to gospel, from soul to hip-hop, has consistently drawn upon the experiences, longings and vision of outsiders–or, as he calls them, "outcastes." Moving in on a restricted, hostile, supposedly democratic society with powerful tales of their innermost feelings, "outcastes" like Bessie Smith, Mahalia Jackson and Sam Cooke have not only changed popular perceptions of black folks around the world; they have also transformed our perception of what America could be. Boogaloo is best when Kempton writes about these outcastes, who changed their circumstances and improved the lives of people who bore witness to their struggle.
The story of black music in the twentieth century is, in large part, a story of the Great Migration from the South. The early twentieth-century migrants, Kempton observes, "usually came hopeful, preferring to believe that in their new place social acceptance was a promise social acceptability would guarantee, and so were attracted to the culture of optimism they found in the churches strivers had made." Politics, music and the church were the pillars of black social progress. The line between the secular and sacred forms of expression was often hard to identify: Many of Kempton's subjects, from Thomas Dorsey to Sam Cooke, frequently alternated between gospel and blues. Kempton's description of this ambivalence is a crucial addition to contemporary cultural understanding. He cites the


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Robert Harris has no need to hedge his bets for the launch of his new financial thriller
Best-selling author Robert Harris seems set for another stunning success with his new novel, The Fear Index, his first truly contemporary thriller after a string of historical ones taking in Imperial Rome, Hitler, Stalin, code-breaking and Tony Blair.
The Fear Factor, due out from Hutchinson in September, is set in the dizzy world of high finance and competing hedge funds. Already the film rights have been sold to Fox and Harris is shortly to begin work on the screenplay.
And researching the novel – Harris was a Newsnight and Panorama reporter before becoming a Fleet Street columnist – gave him a totally new insight into the lives of high flying hedge fund managers.
"It was an absolutely eye-opener for me – to go into these hedge funds and find that the people working there were all PhDs," 54-year-old Harris, who lives in Kintbury, tells The Bookseller.
"I felt I was at the cutting edge and I felt, I may be wrong, that nowhere in fiction – either in films or in novels – has anyone really written about how the financial world is ticking."
"Of course there have been novels set in hedge funds, but no novel that shows it as it really is – which is so dependent on science, physicists and mathematicians and computer programmers."
His central character is Geneva-based Dr Alex Hoffman, a former CERN physicist turned spectacularly successful hedge fund manager who develops a secret system of computer algorithms to trade on the world's financial markets – and attempts made to destroy him.
He describes The Fear Index as a sort of 21st century Frankenstein or "gothic realism", as he prefers.
"The gothic novel is generally about the hinterland between human beings and the other, the supernatural," he explains. "But our hinterland, in quite a realistic way, is now between being human and being a machine.


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Salsbury Industries provides a wide variety of locking mailboxes designed to provide a safe and secure mail storage environment.
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Which came first, the footstool or the egg? The designers at thecityfarmgirl answer unhesitatingly, "The egg." These eggs, given time and proper care, grow into 12-inch or 17-inch footstools. They're made of felt and are available in a variety of colors.
Link -via NotCot | Photo: Kara Kersten Design
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Expensive. I'd rather use a real chicken, especially the one named Maceo. :P
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Hi Alex, alex bodnaru wrote:
hi wolfgang,
I will drop a mail here when I get an accepted notice for libpgjava into main.just please let me see your free libpgjava for me to test, even before being accepted.
OK - I will put it on my download location: http://www.home.uos.de/wbaer/downloads/ this evening (version will be 7.4.7-2). As we know new queue processing takes some time - I am not sure that this version targeted at main will make it into sarge actually. After sarge I intend to switch this package to the jdbc driver 8.0 from upstream to support the upcoming 8.0 packages of postgresql. I don't know when I will find the time to package this new 8.0 driver for an upload to experimental. But I will keep you informed. Regards, Wolfgang