text:
All of QRS's PNOmation Player Piano Systems are designed to complement the life of your piano. Since you will more than likely own the piano for a long time or want to sell it at a reasonable value you'll want to know that the player inside compliments its life. There are three things to look at in that respect - the components - are they built to tolerances and with materials that can handle the various climates and conditions while being played over a long period of time, the manufacturers history of offering an upgrade path to the latest technology without an expensive replacement, the manufactures history in the business and the music library. QRS's PNOmation is the only system that since its introduction has been offering a migration path to the latest technology. Its use of the finest components allow the customer the confidence to move forward with an upgrade with knowledge that the rest of the system remains solid. QRS's use of longer fully encased solenoids with Teflon impregnated solenoid plungers delivers much more accurate control over the range of motion. They also resist corrosion and are self-lubricating. A lost motion cap on the bottom insures proper throw, that without can never guarantee you are delivering the dynamic called for. Next is dynamics - a longer plunger and solenoid delivers more accurately the dynamic called out for in the music. This dynamic can be of the new standard HD MIDI or the old MIDI. QRS supports both.
Controller technology traditionally has referred to the Box that hangs on the piano where you insert your media. The problem is the only people that love those boxes are the people who design them. After all who wants a box hanging under their grand piano? QRS has seen the writing on the wall for some time now and completely migrated to an embedded web app system. While our competitors are selling CDs and Floppies or falsely relying on an internet connection to stream music, we have taken the bold step to include all of our content on board. No hiccups in playback, easy to navigate, easy to control all aspects of your player system -with a simple touch screen user interface. No reliance on a network connection to the outside world and instant purchases of your content. Don't be fooled by competitors who also sell Apple products as an interface have the following issues we do not. They force the use of ITunes - so now a PC or Mac is required - your player music is mixed with your regular music - another thing to think about and plan around, the music has to be transmitted from the device (iPad or iPhone) to the piano – it's not on the piano - so you have to be in range - on the same network ... and the stream cannot be interrupted. Then of course you want to be able to control all aspects of your pianos performance - which is simply not doable with the built in media player; we mean all aspects not just a speaker and piano adjustment - from record to solenoid alignments. And last but not least we do not lock you into one brand of product – any Wi-Fi enabled device will control your piano. Really it's that simple.
The best record technologies sense the movement of the keys continuously. This means they see the entire movement of the key up and down. That data can then be used to set trigger points and assign controller values. Leaving the most accurate recording possible. The sensors also need to be non-evasive, in other words nothing affects the touch of the key, there is no mechanical link to cause potential noise or breakage. Adding weight to the key is a way to add sensors but they modify the touch of the action and action repairs become a problem. There are several types of recording technologies currently used are hall effect, flag, tft, optic - flag being the most popular and cheapest is used by the Japanese and some Korean knock offs of an early Gulbransen strip. TFT has a mechanical element to it and has been shown to be inaccurate. The only real solution is an optical sensor - but even these have issues unless you are able to filter out the noise from lights, smoke, radios and adjoining sensors. QRS's patents speak to this capability - without it the setup of an optic sensor is much too delicate a procedure and prone to hot notes, false triggers and erroneous events. PNOscan is by far the best product ever produced for recording a performance on an acoustic piano. Recently long distance learning has been pushed. Off the shelf products accessories make it happen. These products are available to QRS. QRS's systems are compatible if this is the direction you want to go.
The music library should be a huge factor in your buying decision. It is not only the quantity of music but most importantly the quality, artists and variety. QRS has been in the player piano content business for over 112 years. In the days of the old roll player pianos QRS was the largest and most recognized music company in the world analogous to today's Sony's and BMI's. QRS has the largest and most famous player piano music library in the world. Many of the greatest artists of the 20th century recorded for the QRS Music Roll Company. We still make rolls today. The best of these recordings are available to you today on PNOmation IIs player systems. QRS does not stop there, it has patented music technologies that ensure their leadership well into the next 20 years. Their QRS SyncAlong technologies allow your piano to play along with the popular music you love today in audio or video form. Nobody else has the SyncAlong capabilities that QRS does, QRS's competitors answers to our offerings are at best convoluted and of questionable quality requiring the end user -you - to do most of the work. QRS has 4 times as much SyncAlong type content than its competitors. The competitors treat it as more of a "me too" sales item than serious content for the consumer. Our competitors solution is a CD and a 3.5 inch floppy, and others require you to download several files, use ITunes, merge the two with an app... the others simply do not have an answer. All that said QRS still pursues artists for recording and continues to produce solo and performance content that is relevant to today's music consumer.
All recordings in this series are solo piano performances derived from the famous QRS piano roll library archives. QRS has been manufacturing piano rolls since 1900 and has over 5,000 master recordings and 45,000 music rolls in its archives. In 1912, the invention of the QRS Marking Piano enabled QRS to begin manufacturing rolls played by the original artists and thus begin amassing a library of legendary performances by great artists such as Fats Waller, J. Lawrence Cook, Liberace and many others. Now you can discover the legend and the fun firsthand with some of the most popular selections from these classic performances that we've converted to Digital Content.
Fats Waller, J. Lawrence Cook, Liberace, George Gershwin, Emily Rose Shaffer, Rudy Martin, Frank Miline, Marian McPartland, Dick Watson, Hi Babit, Roger Williams, Victor Arden, Pete Wendling, Zez Confrey, Ferrante & Teicher, Max Kortlander, Phil Ohman, Scott Joplin, Eddie Duchin, Carmen Cavallero, Art Tatum, Jelly Roll Morton, Floyd Cramer, Fats Domino, Peter duchin, William Bolcom, Eubie Blake, Jo Ann Castle, Charles Strouse, George Shearing, Erroll Garner, James P Johnson, Max Morath, Peter Nero, Brian A Williams, Bob Berkman...
Our Performance Series are recordings live solo piano performances. They are of full expression that are full of expression and showcase the talents of accomplished piano artist such as Joe Augustine, Charles Czarnecki, Mike Jones, Larry Kass, Ken Kaufman and many others recorded live in the QRS recording studios in New York.
George Gershwin, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Josef Lhevinne, Mike Jones, Emily rose Shaffer, Michael T Jones, Robert Redd, Jan Vayne, Joe Augustine, Ken kaufman, Valerie Tryon, Charles Czarnecki, Cecil La fontaine, Gunther Danziger, Hugo van Neck, Mingshan Kong, Christopher T. Sierzchula, , Hofmann, Horowitz, Percy Bigham, Prokofiev, Leif Hanisdal, Robert Finley, Christopher Bolton, Barnabas Fekete, Thomas Wakefield, John Nauman, Jim Beishline, Dave Bourne, Dai Buell, Lora Danziger, Artur Schnabel, Frederick Lamond, Mischa Levitsky, Max Pauer, Olga Samarof, Alfred Reisenauer, Elly Ney, Miecyslaw Munz, Harold Bauer, Wilhelm Backhaus, Moriz Rosenthal, Igor Stravinski, Ernst von Bohnanyi, Wilhelm Backhauf, Vladimir de Pachmann, Walter Gieseking, Larry Kass, Ivan Docenko, Charles Cooper, Felix Arndt, Aurelio Giorni, Robert Armbruster, Fanny Weiland, Eleanore Shaw, Marguerit Bolazy, Fritz Kreizler, Bob Geresti, Russell Messina, Marcos Lizama, Timothy O'Neill, Joe Brancato, Martijn Schok, Bob Berkman, Stanton Lanier, Willie Simmonds...
The Tribute Series is a new series to QRS and have quickly become some of the most popular solo piano offerings in our library. Tribute series content are performances faithful to the original recordings. In the belief that some performances are so good they just can't be improved upon. The Tribute Series pays homage to the performances of original artists by painstakingly transcribing and recreating these performances note for note.
Norah Jones, Jim Brickman, Elton John, Billy Joel, Lang Lang, Cole Porter, Frank Sinatra, Oscar Peterson, Johnny Mathis, Beatles, Barry Manilow, Dave Grusin, Newell Oler...
Concert Series piano feature studio piano performances accompanied by live musical insturmentation. You will hear live bands, combos, vocalists and prestigious orchestras such as Stuttgart, London, Prague, Vienna and many others accompanying your pianos performance.
Joe Augustine, Judy Carmichael, Lisa Webb, Jim Martinez, Claudia Hoca, Pat & Mike Junkroski, Excell Players, , Mingshan Kong, Thomas Wakefield, John Nauman, Suzanne Kinton, Sunshine Quartet, London Philharmonic, Lobo Rangers, John Little, Jim Ehinger, Jerry Stawski, Michael Civisca & Michael T Jones, Luigi Babrizio and His Orchestra, Joe Augustine, Guerry Boger, Andrea Passario, Sam Bozeman, Pierre Hudson Duo, Ed Vodicka Trio, Sal Andolina, Joel Benefiel, Marley North, Josephine Beavers, Sharon Jones, Dennis Eiland, Barnabas Fekete...
Only PNOmation offers you patented SyncAlong audio capabilities. With SyncAlong MP3, your piano plays along with original audio recordings from today's most popular artists. From Billy Joel to Louie Armstrong from the Musical Chicago to the Sound of Music, you hear the original recording and your piano plays along.
Over 160 and growing the largest SyncAlong library in the business:
Elvis, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Sarah McLachlan, Taylor Swift, Neil Sedaka, Seal Soul, Glenn Miller, Abba, Amy Winehouse, Beatles, Ray Charles, Michael Bolton, Beach Boys, Johnny Cash, Josh Groban, Tchaikovsky, Garth Brooks, Priests, John Denver, Patsy Cline, toby Kieth, Ton Bennett, Willie Nelson, Jim Brickman, Kenny G, George Strait, Cole Porter, Shania Twain, Sinatra, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Billy Joel, Jimmy Buffett, Charles Aznavour, Andreal Bocelli, Streisand, Enya, Il divo, Dean Martin, John Tesh, Robbie Williams, Chris Botti, Michael Buble, Ken Burns Jazz, Nat King Cole, Bobby Darin, Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Krall, Misc. Soundtracks, Hannah Montana, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Coldplay, Celine Dion...
SyncAlong DVDs are another powerful means of enjoying your PNOmation system. With SyncAlong DVD, your piano plays along with original digital video recordings from some of today's most popular artists. Watch Diana Krall, Billy Joel, John Tesh, Elton John, Barry Manlow and even some full length movies while your piano plays along.
Performance DVDs feature live performances recorded specificaly for PNOmation in cooperation with major piano artists. Marta Lledo, Pianotainment and much more.
Educational and Sing Along DVDs are also availabile. Scott "The Piano Guy" Houston and more.
In order to create the lowest smoothest playing pianissimos and most powerful fortissimos with consistency of tone, the hammer selection is critical. A hammer, especially on a player system, must be able to endure the striking of its strings millions of times. The worlds best hammers use the world's finest virgin felt, and do not contain any chemicals, lacquers, staples or other artificial hardeners or reinforcing agents. Underfelt is used where appropriate for the proper shaping of the top felt. The hammers we use have the highest quality wool where the density and fineness of the fiber is strictly controlled , and the fine wooden moldings are consistent through out. Since we know going in that all Story and Clark pianos will be player pianos, our hammer selection is specified to meet tough commercial use standards.
Piano wire quality is largely defined by striking a balance between its tension (requiring wire of greater tensile strength or a larger diameter) and tonal quality (which requires a smaller string diameter). Its tensile strength is measured and/or commonly referred to as its breaking point/stress rate at a certain diameter,. The stress rate is determined by the content of a material, its alloy properties and the quality and speed of wire drawing. Also important is that the strings complement the environment and use. So the string manufacturer that optimizes stress rate relative to string diameter will produce a consistent tone over the years. QRS specifies string manufacturers that use corrosion protection as well as have a history of market leadership in supplying and developing the finest strings.
The scale, string, and hammer combination specified for the Story & Clark piano delivers a wonderful warm tone vs. the brighter harsher tones common among some Asian imports. The bass string length combined with the quality of the string determines the amount of bass you hear out of the piano. Out unique scale maximizes the combination of string and length.
The strings vibrating energy is converted into sound waves through the bridge of the piano and amplified by the soundboard. Spruce is used because it has a fine, straight grain, is strong and resilient and it has been known over history to faithfully reproduce the sound you want better than any other material. Technology is quickly changing though and Story and Clark continues to change with it. We utilize the new Story and Clark StoryTone II soundboard in our Heritage Series Pianos while we maintain "for now" a more traditional approach with our Story and Clark Signature Series pianos. The Signature Series continue to use Solid Spruce soundboards from Canadian producer Bulduc or the German equivalent.
The bridge transmits the vibrations of the strings to the soundboard. Through the use of bridge pins and down bearing on the soundboard the energy of the string is transmitted and then converted into sound. Bridges need to be very strong to accept the pressure to maximize sound transmission and avoid splitting. We specify maple or beech for its strength. The bridges in our Signature series pianos are also vertically laminated and capped adding to their strength and reliability over time. Cantilevered bass end used on some of our signature series scales allow for a greater speaking length and enhanced tone.
For the purposes of a Story & Clark Reproducing piano that are meant to be played and reproduce the most demanding performances the artist must be able to feel the music through his fingers as well as audibly. It is there so the piano can deliver the performance they are pushing for but also play it and others back the way the original artist anticipated. The material used must be strong , quiet and responsive over the extensive amount of use it gets. The keys must be weighted and balanced, the use of the finest buckskin and/or synthetics available today.
The most critical part in terms of what can go wrong in a piano. They are very expensive to repair and or replace. They hold the tuning pins witch in turn hold the string and all of the pressure required in place. Story & Clark uses a multilaminated pinblock . This type of Pinblock is denser and the most impervious to moisture, hence perform well in most climates. This is necessary for staying in tune relative to the amount of use it gets via the player piano and the environments that they are placed in. The Pinblock is 16 ply sawn winter cut rock maple laminated multi directionally to insure a tight fit and smother tuning.
Over time Sand-Cast plates manufactured with traditional techniques and virgin iron ore have been shown to deliver a much warmer tone, strength and reliability. We feel that tone is important hence we continue to use these techniques and monitor progress with others.


text:
Puzzle Levels
Puzzle Categories
Download a FREE Solution for your puzzles!
Click Image to Enlarge
Write your own review! Request the FREE solution for this item!
Deja Vu
Product Information
|Disassemble and Reassemble the Puzzle
|Level 7 - Challenging
|Puzzle Master
|Puzzle Master Wood Puzzles
|3 in x 3 in x 2 in / 7.5 cm x 7.5 cm x 5 cm
|Cardboard and Plastic Box
Product Description
Customer Reviews |Write your own review!
Disclaimer: These reviews are written by our customers. Puzzle Master makes every attempt to keep these posts informative and relevant. If you find a post objectionable or inappropriate, please let us know by sending an email to firstname.lastname@example.com
On Tuesday July 17th Victor wrote,
Really nice looking puzzle, good quality and nice to have on a desk or a shelf. The solution can be surprising and is not easy to find if you don't know the "trick". I would have appreciate more space inside it to store things but oh well...
On Sunday February 22nd Shaggy wrote,
I like this puzzle more than other similar. By looking at the two pieces, you can easily deduct that they cannot be taken apart by pushing them away from each other upwards and downwards. Then, you might come up with the idea how the two pieces should be separated, but still, you will find one obstacle on the way. And as it is hidden and you have no idea how to overcome it, you will soon be banging your head on the puzzle. For me, it was a real "deja vu" solving this one, because I have already got another puzzle with the same idea. So, this one fulfilled its mission, at least for me. Without solving similar puzzles, the provided difficulty would be too much for you if this is your first puzzle of the kind.
On Thursday December 4th George wrote,
Quite difficult as it involves a magnetic catch. Mine is quite stiff and hard to dislodge, most people I've handed this to can't figure it out.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
With ICQ Instant Messenger you can video/audio chat, send email, SMS and wireless-pager messages, as well as transfer files and URLs. If you're away from your personal computer you can still chat with friends and contacts, even where the ICQ client is not installed, by using the web-based ICQ2Go that works from any computer.
You can customize your ICQ to be exactly what you need and always up-to-date by adding shortcuts to your favorite features in order to launch them directly from your ICQ. This means that you can send your friends & contacts greeting cards and invitations to games, multi chats, video sessions, and more directly from your client and/or the message window. In the message window you can also choose to display your photo or one of ICQ's unique, animated devils.
ICQ Open Xtraz are web based applications developed by ICQ users for enriching your ICQ experience. Now you can create, download, use and share with friends fun and useful applications such as music, games, gadgets and tools. Add as many as you like! You can find the list of Xtraz for download on the Xtraz Gallery.
We don't have any change log information yet for version 10.0.35828.0 of ICQ. Sometimes publishers take a little while to make this information available, so please check back in a few days to see if it has been updated.
Can you help?
If you have any change log info you can share with us, we'd love to hear from you! Head over to our Contact page and let us know.


text:
Your browser is not currently set to accept cookies. Please update your preferences or check to make sure you don't have another program set to block cookies.
There are items in your cart not related to this team store. You can check out with the existing items in your cart or empty your cart to continue shopping this page.
The Dynasty line is built from the ice up for our most demanding players. We spent serious research time in our frozen lab isolating muscle groups in the shoulder and torso that generate the most accurate and powerful shots. We took that science and created a Dynasty advantage in righty and lefty versions, similar to the patented Axy-Sym technology of the Dynasty stick. This is a base-layer shirt for the serious athlete who wants a serious advantage.
Shipping Rates
-UPS does not deliver on weekends or holidays
-In-stock orders are not guaranteed to ship the same day they are received. All orders received for in-stock items will be shipped within 1 business day.
-Warrior reserves the right to hold any order for suspected fraud.
Free for all orders over $99 with promo code. Normally $7.99 for orders under $99
-2-5 business days once shipped
-48 contiguous United States
Custom order items delivery vary based on product. Shipping lead times will be communicated in order confirmation e-mail.
-*Rates are based on "ship to" address zip code and calculated during the checkout process.
-Priority: 2 business days once shipped
-Express:1 business day once shipped
-Only available for in-stock items. Items that are not eligible for Express Shipping will be noted in the shopping cart.
This site is for orders shipping to addresses within the United States (and territories). We are unable to accept international orders at this time.
Warrior is happy to ship purchases to APO/FPO addresses. All packages sent to these locations will ship via the US Postal Service.
Warrior's moisture management liner/technology that helps wick moisture away from your body.
Chillwave Technology keeps you cool when it gets hot. The fabric works with your sweat to create a cooling sensation and wicks away sweat to keep you light and dry. Chillwave also reflects UV rays to help regulate your body temperature.
No reviews found for the Dynasty LS Top Right Handed
Use Promo Code "SHIPSFREE" to claim free ground shipping on those orders over $100
We pride ourselves on providing unmatched customer service. Just give us a call and we will be happy to help. Because getting your gear shouldn't cost you.
We make sure you are covered against defects for 30 days. One of the best warranties in the business.


text:
Canon 30D
Posted 21 February 2006 - 12:09 AM
"Journalism is what someone else does not want printed, everything else is public relations."
"I was born not knowing, and have only had a little time to change that here and there.
Posted 21 February 2006 - 05:02 AM
Posted 21 February 2006 - 05:08 AM
Here's a link
Canon 30D at PMA
all photographs posted © Todd C Mintz
Posted 21 February 2006 - 05:36 AM
Mike Oelrich
Canon EOS 40D in Seatool housing, 100mm macro, Tokina 10-17, INON Z-240s.
Posted 21 February 2006 - 07:18 AM
Perhaps the bright side is the new 17-55mm f2.8 lens. Not quite an L series lens but should be a nice addition over the 17-85.
Posted 21 February 2006 - 10:33 AM
I don't see this camera as offering much to the underwater photographer that the 20D doesn't already. Sure the screen is nice. But will housing manufacturers really bother with a new housing? Maybe they will if it can be accomodated with just a new backplate? But I don't think it will command much of the market. The 20D or the 5D are better choices as there are already (some) housings for both.
One positive of this underwhelming offering is that maybe it means Canon have something big up their sleeves? A 1DS MK3 perhaps? Or maybe 1DS Mk2n at least?
Alexander Mustard - www.amustard.com - www.magic-filters.com
Nikon D5 (Subal housing). Nikon D850 (Subal housing). Olympus EM10-Mk3 (Nauticam housing).
Posted 21 February 2006 - 10:48 AM
Posted 21 February 2006 - 11:09 AM
Hopefully it will drop into a 5D enclosure with no modifications. It would be a good backup camera for half the price... [crosses fingers]
According to the specs on Canon site the body size the same as the 20D just a bit deeper:
Dimensions :
5D 152 x 113 x 75mm
30D 144 x 105.5 x 73.5mm
20D 144 x 105.5 x 71.5mm
I think as Alex said a new back plate will be in order. I asked Blake at Aquatica what it would take to go from the 20d to 30d last month. His reply was that "As long as the new Canon camera is not alot bigger than the 20D,we should be fast to the market, we currently use the same casting shell for the Nikon D70,Canon 20d,Canon 5d and soon the Nikon D200." The 30D can now be added to that list. I am sure others will be doing the same.
Posted 21 February 2006 - 11:12 AM
It was obviously coming, but I expected more from the specs. Maybe the improvements over the 20D might be beneath the skin?
Nope, not much new there either. Check out the specs here:
The green asterisks mark new features. Very few green asterisks. Even fewer that an underwater photographer would care about. Maybe Canon decided that the current pixel count was adequate for the target population and wasn't worth the increase in noise additional pixes would add.
Mike Oelrich
Canon EOS 40D in Seatool housing, 100mm macro, Tokina 10-17, INON Z-240s.
Posted 21 February 2006 - 11:34 AM
Posted 21 February 2006 - 02:27 PM
There were those lamenting the lack of spot metering in the 20D, now it's a 3.5% center spot on the 30D.
People wanted 1/2 or 1/3 stop ISO increases instead of the full stop on the 20D, it's there on the 30D.
Complaints about the small size of the LCD, especially after the release of the 5D, can no longer be applied to the 30D.
Additionally, the frame rate is selectable from 3fps or 5fps, and the RAW buffer has increased to 11.
To top it off, Canon included the 'Soft-touch electromagnetic release' shutter that is standard on its pro bodies.
All at the price almost $500 less than the closest competitor, the D200. Is an additional 2MP worth it? Your choice.
~Matt Segal
Posted 21 February 2006 - 03:02 PM
I share your point of view. The 20D just got better, called 30D. And the new price is great too. I donât think 30D is a must-upgrade for every 20D owner, but people buying a new Canon DSLR in this range in the Canon line-up now simply get a better camera for an attractive price.
What more to expect from 20Dâs successor? Bigger sensor size or significant higher pixel count (> 12MP)? That would lead into 5Dâs market space â¦
IMO, from a topside shooterâs point of view, the 30D is a decent new camera. Only downside is that we underwater shooters expect major upgradings before investing into a new housing.
To me, the 17-55 IS USM release is interesting as it is the first bright EF-S zoom with f2.8. I think there is no more doubt that Canon will stick to EF-S / 1.6 crop in the 30D class for quite a while in the future (some rumourer predicted larger sensor for 30D). However, this lens would be very tempting to me if I would have an EF-S compatible camera.
Posted 21 February 2006 - 03:32 PM
20d-30d is the same as 70-70s
But maybe Canon dont need to doit att all.
I mean they have the canon 5d now that is out and working just great and they have canon 1ds mkii with 16 MP.
So if one must come out with a new model thats nikon, funny but true.
Nikon have a d2x with 12MP. Thats all.
And with that d2x is competing with the Canon 1ds mkii & 5d...
I just have read a German photo magazin. they compare Nikon d200 with Canon 20D, what can i say....
I am a nikon user and still will be in the near future but lets talk serious, Canon have not the need to come out with a Nikon killer.. they just do it the way they like and as i see they do it right..
Posted 21 February 2006 - 03:43 PM
Posted 21 February 2006 - 07:09 PM
I do find all the disappointment in this camera release amusing, after all, Canon did fix just about everything that was asked for when the 20D came out.
Very bold statement, Matt
At the risk of amusing you further:
I look at it like this. Sure, Canon fixed the user-friendliness things people bitched about a year and a half ago when the camera came out. However, in all that time, they made no apparent attempt to improve image noise response, dynamic range, etc. -- the things one would hope that a year and a half of time in a supposedly rapidly advancing field might address. I'm not heartbroken by the lack of extra pixels because it might show a conscious decision to favor noise response over extra dots, but I think it not out of the realm of realistic expectation that some form of better processor or sensor advance might have been possible -- i.e. a better quality 8MP image. Yes, lowering the price is a nice touch and perhaps the comparison to the D200 is a bit specious. However, the fact they introduced a brand new model that is supposed to carry the prosumer torch for another year and a half with no improvement in image quality is still a little disheartening. At least to me.
Oh, and I note that they apparently didn't address the biggest complaint I've seen here -- the viewfinder doesn't appear to have grown any. Now that would have been a nice touch . . .
Mike Oelrich
Canon EOS 40D in Seatool housing, 100mm macro, Tokina 10-17, INON Z-240s.
Posted 21 February 2006 - 07:10 PM
Don't all of you guys plan on keeping your cameras for that many clicks?
Need to read more specs tomorrow, and I'm sure Ikelite will be able to house easily. Will likely also drive 20D prices down a bit more making great bargains for back up bodies to existing 20D users.
Posted 21 February 2006 - 08:25 PM
At the risk of amusing you further
I always like a good laugh
Sure, Canon fixed the user-friendliness things people bitched about a year and a half ago when the camera came out. I'm not heartbroken by the lack of extra pixels because it might show a conscious decision to favor noise response over extra dots, but I think it not out of the realm of realistic expectation that some form of better processor or sensor advance might have been possible -- i.e. a better quality 8MP image.
I may be mistaken, but I recall some users (not necessarily on this board) switching to Nikon over the lack of spot metering. Now, when it's finally been added, it seems as if people could care less. I, for one, have no inherent need for it, but I really do envy the boost of the buffer from 5 RAW photos to 11 RAW photos. At that size, you're guaranteed a minimum of 2.2sec full burst @ 5fps, and more with a fast CF card (I'd fathom one could shoot nearly 3sec full burst, but the truth in that will come soon). Absolutely fantastic for non-u/w shooting (sports, action, wildlife, whatever).
Keep in mind also that Canon is not pricing this as the 'brand new model.' From what I gather, it's roughly $100 more than the (pre-time-of-30D-release)-new-20D price (that is, as of two days ago), not at all unreasonable for a camera with said upgrades. I can't say I have any need whatsoever to buy a 30D, but I see this as an indication, as a few others have mentioned in this thread, that those at Canon have a few more items up their sleeves that they're keeping quiet.
You have to look at it realistically - they aren't going to sell themselves short by undercutting sales of a higher-valued camera. I do agree about the viewfinder, but it seems that would have required more of a major body change. I'm sure it'll all become clear within the next year or so
~Matt Segal
Posted 21 February 2006 - 08:55 PM
When the D200 was compared to the 5D, Nikon users were saying "Let's compare them, it's only a few megapixels difference."
Now the tables are turned a bit as the difference between 8 and 10 megapixels is even less.
Canon has improved upon the parts of their camera that could be considered inferior to the D200 and done it in short order. This camera will ship less than 3 months after the D200 started shipping. First time DSLR buyers will have a hard time deciding between the two.
I think the improvements make this a very good "competitor" to the D200 and at less cost to the consumer. Progress is good for us all.
Now as for the sensor performance - just because a few websites say that the camera uses the same sensor as the 20D, don't be too sure that the image quality will be the same, or even that the claim is true. The sensor fab may have improved considerably since the 20D was released.
Dual Ikelite Strobes
Photo site - www.reefpix.org
Posted 22 February 2006 - 06:38 AM
Only thing I'd have wished for in the 30D was a bit more "quasi-weather sealing" as Nikon claims on their D200. But of yet I haven't heard form anyone letting their D200 get splashed by a Tiger Shark at Tiger Beach on the swim step
Any volunteers on Eric / James upcoming trip?
All still incredible tools we have available to us at lower and lower costs....
Posted 22 February 2006 - 09:24 AM
...Now the tables are turned a bit as the difference between 8 and 10 megapixels is even less. . . Now as for the sensor performance - just because a few websites say that the camera uses the same sensor as the 20D, don't be too sure that the image quality will be the same, or even that the claim is true. The sensor fab may have improved considerably since the 20D was released.
Frankly, I think the 20D sensor is GREAT, and even if the 30D does use the same one, that's not a terrible thing! For almost all purposes, the 20D's (and now 30D's) 8 megapixels are more than sufficient. I've actually seen some outstanding uw photos taken by people like David Haas -- and some stunning "large prints" (e.g., 11x16 inch) -- with the old Digital Rebel! The 20D is a significant advance over that camera's sensor, and it really is a fantastic camera. In fact (despite the fact that I myself fell victim to pixel envy and spend my next 10 years' photo budget for a 1DsMkII), the 20D is the camera I use 95% of the time above water, and I've been delighted with what it can do!
It seems that the 30D really could have called it a 20D-N or something similar -- not a major new release but simply an improved version of the 20D. If I were buying a brand new camera and housing, I'd undoubtedly go with the 30D, as it clearly has some not-insignificant enhancements over the 20D. But I agree that for those who already own a 20D, upgrading makes little sense. If you're truly using the 20D to its full potential, you'll be getting outstanding photos that should more than suffice until a more dramatically altered model comes out in a couple of years.
Bruce Yates
Lumix GX8 in Nauticam, Canon 5DMkII in Aquatica, 1DsMkII in Seacam, G15 in RecSea...Inon Z240's...too many lenses
"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damned fool about it." WC Fields


text:
mandatory fields
Subscribe to UIA Newsletters
Be among the first to know about the best offers, discounts and hot deals on UIA flights!
I'm interested in flights from
English may be used alongside with your preferred language.
Subscribe to special offers
Be among the first to know about discounts and promotions on UIA flights!


text:
Accessibility tools
Service tools
Language selector
Navigation path
Left navigation
Additional tools
Brussels, 25 July 2007
The EU ensures access to air transport for persons with reduced mobility
Tomorrow new rules will enter into force to offer the disabled and the elderly access to air transport comparable to that of any other passengers flying from airports in the European Union. The Commission believes that these measures will provide an effective response to the needs of a large and – with Europe's demographic ageing – growing section of the population.
"The phasing-in of these rules, starting tomorrow, will put an end to discrimination and give disabled and elderly passengers the help they need", says Jacques Barrot, Vice President of the European Commission in charge of transport.
Around 10% of the EU population is affected by reduced mobility – these are mainly disabled and elderly people, while others are unable to walk long distances as often required in modern airports. Most airlines and airports make genuine efforts to offer the necessary assistance. However, not all of them provide comprehensive assistance, free of charge.
These problems are addressed by Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006, adopted by the Parliament and the Council on 5 July 2006, which provides for persons with reduced mobility to travel by plane without difficulty. The Regulation's provisions cover three areas; those covering the first area are entering into force tomorrow.
For flights from airports in the EU, the Regulation prohibits the refusal by airlines and tour operators to carry passengers, or to take bookings, on the basis of reduced mobility. Exceptions can be made only for duly justified safety reasons. This should put an end to (generally unintended) instances of discrimination.
As from 26 July 2008, airports will have to provide a specific set of services for persons with reduced mobility.
On flights from EU airports, airlines will be obliged to provide certain services, such as the carrying of wheelchairs or guide dogs, free of charge. These rules will also enter into force on 26 July 2008.
The EU's Member States, for their part, have to set up enforcement bodies responsible for ensuring that the Regulation is applied on their territory. Some Member States (see list) have already given the Commission the details of the body responsible, while others – Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and Romania – have indicated that they intend to designate their enforcement bodies shortly.
Any person affected by a disability or by reduced mobility who considers that
these rights have not been respected can bring the matter to the attention of
the management of the airport or the airline in question. In case of an
unsatisfactory response, a complaint can be made to the national enforcement
body designated by the Member State.
Side Bar


text:
Based on a Harris Poll survey of 1,178 U.S. youth ages 8 to 18 who play video games, about 8.5% are addicted1. Douglas Gentile, an assistant professor of psychology at Iowa State University, said:
"This is the first study to tell us the national prevalence of pathological play among youth gamers, and it is almost 1 in 10" 1.
Parents should understand the harmful consequences of this unbalanced behavior, and decide with their children appropriate limits for time spent playing these types of games. If they keep current, keep checking, and keep communicating, parents can ensure video games provide a safe and fun outlet for children.
Keep Current
Online gaming is a technology that connects players together over some form of computer network, typically the Internet. There are many kinds of online games and simulations. Some children may play for excessive amounts of time, to the extent that they are physically and socially harmed. According to the American Psychiatric Association, children that played violent video games have significantly higher feelings of aggression and differences in brain activity during both cognitive motor activity and resting periods 2 This same study reported these children have more trouble paying attention in school, poorer grades in school, more health problems, are more likely to feel "addicted," and even steal to support their habit 2.
Keep Communicating
Explaining the negative consequences of investing excessive time and resources into a virtual world at the expense of neglecting the real world is the first step in protecting children from the effects of online gaming addiction.
Determine, with your children, a reasonable limit for the amount of time they can spend playing games, and/or establish a curfew. Also, encourage your child to add variety into their day by investing their time and efforts into activities that are socially engaging, physically active, or mentally active.
Keep Checking
Typically, the children who are most likely to become addicted to online gaming are those who feel socially uncomfortable, neglected, or lonely. Determine activities that can replace gaming time with other fun activities that provide opportunities for achievement and success.
1 LiveScience.com. (2009, April 20). Some Children Really Are Addicted to Video Games. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/health/090420-children-video-games-addicted.html
2 American Psychiatric Association. (2010, May 24). [News Release] retrieved from


text:
Reach more buyers. Increase conversions. Turn insights into ROI. Monetize your digital properties. We can help you achieve the best return on your digital marketing investment.
Use our knowledge to improve your business: get our latest research, case studies, and insights sent straight to your inbox.
Target millions of highly qualified consumers across all the right sites.
Leverage our thinking and solutions to deliver meaningful results.
Influence online users with high-impact creative and persuasive content.
Target online consumers locally to drive traffic to your stores.


text:
Validation of your TV Licence was successful
Brand CELESTRON
Item no. 00758728
Model C71256
Check stock in your local store:
We offer standard delivery in 3 – 5 working days and deliver anywhere in South Africa.
For a limited time only, delivery will cost R50 - online purchases only. Anything, anywhere for just R50*.
*An additional R50 delivery fee will be applied per additional large item purchased.
Please note that if your order is made up of multiple items there is a possibility of a split delivery. This is due to items being stocked in different distribution sites.
If you have any questions about purchasing online, or require more information on split delivery, please contact our online customer care centre at firstname.lastname@example.com or call us on 0861 426 323


text:
Issue link: http://dc.ee.ubm-us.com/i/107816
My Opinion On .... Richard Nass, Brand Director, email@example.com Follow us on: Manufacturing Coming Home manufacturing in the US is making a comeback. It has to be true — it said so in my local newspaper. Actually, a similar story has been reported in lots of places, including a recent study released by the McKinsey Global Institute. That study is titled, "The next era of global growth and innovation." Propelling this comeback is an increased need to reduce the duration between the time that a product is designed and the time that it appears on the shelves. While much of the design has always occurred in the US, there was generally a lag before the product hit manufacture, which often occurred in a faraway place like China or India. While we like to think we live and work in an ever-shrinking world (and we do), there's still some amount of time to transfer information. And depending on the size of the run, it may or may not make fiscal sense, especially as manufacturing in the US is gaining momentum. Part of this shift to the US has to do with the fact that labor costs in places like China are on the rise. There are also uncertain and potentially rising tariffs, fluctuating currency exchange rates, and fuel costs that have turned sharply upward in the past 24 months. Mix all those facts together, and when you ask why manufacturing is making a comeback domestically, the question becomes, "Why not?" Wal-Mart recently announced that it would be buying an additional $50 billion worth of US-made products over the next decade. That sounds like a pretty good indicator to me. The company plans to increase orders for items like paper and sporting goods, which it already buys domestically, and bring back production of some textiles, furniture, and higher-end appliances. The latter item surprises me the most, as the US seems to have lost the appliance battle, but time will tell. A defining statement in the McKinsey report sums it up: "As long as companies and countries understand the evolving nature of manufacturing and act on the powerful trends shaping the global competitive environment, they can thrive in this promising future." It's generally acknowledged that manufacturing tends to rise as an economy grows, with emphasized growth coming out of the recession like the one of a few years back. Sustaining that growth, and by how much, is dependent on a bunch of factors. They include the availability of low-cost and/or highly skilled labor; having and/or building the proper infrastructure, meaning efficient transportation of resources/materials and of goods produced; and access to the technology that's required to manufacture goods in this new world. There's also a difference between manufacturing complex products as opposed to more simple goods. A nice benefit of the increase in manufacturing is the service industries that get pulled along in tow. Depending on your definition, this could include the research and development activities, sales and marketing jobs, and certainly customer support. The final piece of this puzzle lies with investment. Will the proper level of investment be made to fully secure the manufacturing growth in the US? If the promises made by both parties in the recent election hold true, the investment will be there. Where it comes from specifically is still to be determined, but it likely (hopefully?) will materialize. Design News | february 2013 | www.d esign n ews.com –12–


text:
Mitchell Harper is a San Antonio native but has moved to South Beloit and runs for the Illinois Jets AAU track team. Harper will compete in the AAU Junior Nationals Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa, from July 28 through Aug. 2.
South Beloit's Mitchell Harper is getting his first taste of national success in AAU track with the Illinois Jets.
The 14-year-old, who was born in San Antonio, qualified for the AAU Junior Olympic Nationals two weeks ago.
"Illinois is great and I really like the people out here and it's nice here," Harper said. "The Jets have helped me a lot. It's just like a big ol' family.
"This is my first year doing club track at this level and it's pretty cool to make it to junior nationals in the first year to see what it's like."
Harper is one of 10 Illinois Jets who made it to junior nationals after qualifying in the regional at Northern Illinois University.
"Mitchell Harper is a very impressive young man and made it his first year in three events and that's very rare," Jets vice president and team manager Monique Jones said.
Harper ran a 12.2 seconds in the 100 and also qualified in the long jump and 200.
The Jets are coached by DuWayne Jones, who is also the president of the team and Monique Jones' husband. Their daughter, Patrice, is one of the top four qualifiers in the long jump, and also qualified in the 200 and 400 dashes. Their son, DuWayne Patriq Jones, is in the top 20 in the 400.
Breanna Pierson and Isabella Warneke of South Beloit, Jalen Anderson and Phairra Jones of Roscoe, Jayvious Johnson of Machesney Park, Anthony and Christopher Charleston of Rockford also qualified for nationals.
The Jets program began in 2009.
"We were the coaches of the Rockford Fire and my husband really wanted to take the program to a little bit more of an aggressive level of traveling," Monique Jones said. "With the support of the Park District they're kind of our umbrella for our not-for-profit status.
"We have support from local coaches that volunteer to help us, so we can't take all the credit for how well the kids are doing."
The AAU Junior Olympic Nationals will be in Des Moines, Iowa, from July 28 through Aug. 2.
Pierson is in her second year with the program and looks to improve on her first national appearance from last summer.
"I was pretty excited about my time this year in the 400 hurdles," she said. "But I want it to go down once I get to Iowa and get a PR."
Joey Baskerville: 815-987-1353; firstname.lastname@example.com; @Baskerville_JS


text: Battery-operated automatic mist dispenser holds a can of special concentrated aerosol insecticide; sprays once every 15 minutes around the clock. Result: A continuous airborne "barrier" more effective in keeping flies out than regular manual spraying. Works well in enclosed areas such as milking parlors, workshops. Less effective in open spaces, but some report it definitely helps keep down flies in barn. One sprayer handles 6,000 cu. ft. of enclosed area. One can of insecticide lasts about a month. The Pyrethrin insecticide is approved for use in food processing rooms. Uses 2 size D batteries. Comes with one can of insecticide.


text:
CREDIT STUDENTS earn credits toward an AA degree, certificate, or for transfer to a university.
NONCREDIT STUDENTS take classes to increase literacy, access higher education and employment, and strengthen self-sufficiency.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS are credit students from foreign countries who have obtained F-1 visas to study in the United States.
1100 N. Grand Ave., Walnut, CA 91789 Phone: 909.274.7500 • TTY: 909.594.3447 For emergencies, call Public Safety: 909.274.4555 Ι Text-A-Tip: 909.274.9560
Copyright © 1989-
All college-printed materials and Web info are available in alternative formats upon request. Contact Disabled Student Programs & Services: 909.274.4290 or TTY 909.594.3447.
The 504/508 ADA Coordinators are located in Bldg. 4–230 and can be contacted at 909.274.4225.


text:
About Us
Customer Service
Contact Us
View Cart
Toll Free 877-315-7942 (Mon-Fri 10:00am-5:30pm Eastern)
Sports Pennants & Banners
MLB Baseball Pennants
College NCAA Pennants
NFL Football Pennants
NBA Basketball Pennants
NHL Hockey Pennants
Arena Football Pennants
NASCAR Pennants & Banners
Kentucky Derby Pennants & Banners
Motivational Posters & Inspirational Posters
Motivational & Inspirational Sports Posters
Old School Athletics Motivational Prints
NASCAR Motivational Posters
Motivational Golf Posters
Military, Patriotic & Civic Pride
Landscapes & Lighthouses
Family, Friends, & Animals
Sports Posters & Prints
C Poster Special Deal
Baseball Posters
Basketball Posters
Football Posters
Hockey Posters
Golf Posters & Prints
Soccer Posters
NASCAR Posters
College / NCAA Posters
Vintage Cycling and Modern Cycling Photos, Prints and Posters
Extreme Sports Posters
Fishing Posters
Olympic Sports Posters
Lacrosse Posters
Rowing & Kayaking
Dance & Ballet
Gymnastics Posters
Swim & Dive
Horse Racing
Boxing Posters
Bruce Lee & Martial Arts Posters
Nike & Reebok Posters
Running and Track Posters
Tennis Posters, Photos & Art Prints
Women's Sport Posters
Wrestling Posters
Hunting Poster
Billiards, Pool & Poker Prints
Bowling Posters
Sports Photo Plaques & Sports Coins
Baseball Plaques
Basketball Plaques
Football Plaques
Hockey Plaques
NASCAR Plaques
Boxing Plaques
Sports Venues: Panoramics and Aerial View Prints
Rob Arra Stadium Panoramics
Panoramic College Stadium and Arena Prints from The Rick Anderson Photography Collection
Mike Smith Aerial Views
Golf Course Poster Prints
Blakeway Panoramic Photography Collection
NASCAR Racetrack Poster Prints
Blakeway Panoramic Photography Collection
NCAA Panoramic Stadium & Arena Prints
Blakeway Photography Collection
The Stonehouse Golf Collection
Churchill Downs Horse Racing Track Poster Prints
Sky Box Sports Murals
American League MLB Ballpark Sports Murals
National League MLB Ballpark Sports Murals
NASCAR Racing Murals
Sports Flags, Sports Banners, Sports Signs and Sports Clocks
Baseball Flags & Banners
Basketball Flags & Banners
Football Flags, Banners & Signs
Hockey Flags & Banners
NASCAR Flags & Banners
NCAA Flags & Banners
Sports Blankets & Sports Bedding
NFL Football Blankets
MLB Baseball Blankets
NHL Hockey Blankets
NBA Basketball Blankets
NCAA College Blankets
NASCAR Racing Blankets
Sports Blankets for the Kids
Sports Outdoor Section
Big Boy Chairs
Sphere Chairs
Shop By Player
Shop By Baseball Player
Shop by Football Player
Shop By Hockey Player
Shop By Basketball Player
Champions' Corner
2011 NFL Champion
2010 MLB Champion
2009-2010 NBA Champion
2010 NHL Stanley Cup champions "Chicago Blackhawks"
2010 NFL Champion
2009 MLB Champion
Framing Options
Special Handling
Engraved Name
Holiday Specials
NFL Holiday Stockings
Earn Cash - Affiliates
Sports Posters & Prints
College / NCAA Posters
/ Duke Garden Flag
Sports Posters
College / NCAA Posters
/ Duke Garden Flag
NCAA Shop
/ Duke Garden Flag
Duke Garden Flag
Item #
Regular Price
Sale Price
Measures 11"x15"
These garden flags are a great way to show who your favorite team is, and also makes a great gift! They are a perky addition to any yard or garden area. They are made of a sturdy polyester material and feature bright eye-catching graphics.
Pole not included.
Made by WinCraft. Officially licensed by the NFL.
Ships via USPS Priority Mail.
Duke University Collegiate Lithograph Plaque
Duke University Alumnus Framed Lithograph
Duke University Lithograph
Duke University Pennant 17 1/2 x 40 1/2
Duke University Traditions Pennant 13 x 32
Duke Bedroom Set
Duke Blue Devils Sidelines Full/Queen Comforter
Duke Blue Devils Sidelines Twin Comforter
Duke Blue Devils Sidelines Pillow Sham
Duke Blue Devils Sidelines Toss Pillow
Duke Blue Devils Shower Curtain
Duke Blue Devils Home Field Advantage Throw
Duke Blue Devils Tapestry Throw
Duke Vertical Banner Flag
Duke Round Wall Clock
Duke Locker Room Sign
Duke Street Sign
Duke Full-Size Replica Helmet
Duke Blue Devils Dynasty Banner
Duke Blue Devils Logo Poster
Framed School Logo Duke Blue Devils Photograph
Developed by Solid Cactus
About Us
Privacy Policy
Site Map
Contact Us
View Cart
Copyright © 2008 SportsWall.com. All rights reserved.


text:
Never pay for erotic massage again! No Hassle. No Strings.
It is actually free to look for over million nearby fuck buddies in Berrow
Some massage studios are fronts for prostitution as well as the phrase "massage parlor Berrow" in addition has become a euphemism for a brothel Berrow, to the irritation of expert masseurs.
In 1894 the British Medical Association (BMA) asked to the teaching and training of massage parlours in Berrow, and discovered that prostitution was generally related to un-skilled employees and debt, frequently operating with solid skills. In reaction, valid massage employees created the Society of Trained Masseuses (today called the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy), with the emphasis on high educational requirements as well as a health-related product for massage training.
In Great Britain, prostitution itself is legal but actions like managing a brothel or possessing and pimping will not be. On the other hand, the regulations aren't always rigorously applied. Several brothels in towns like Manchester and London run through legitimate companies which are certified as "Berrow Massage Parlours" and run under that title.
But lets discuss about sexual intercourse. Do you actually need to visit erotic massage parlour for getting some? The answer is no. In case you be a part of us using the variety previously mentioned you will get to chat with naughty gals which are here for one thing - sexual intercourse and lots of it. So what are you wating for - join now? It is truly free!
Some escorts links below:


text:
Brass hardware makes a bold statement. This is not hardware for the faint at heart, but for someone who wants to create a dramatic look of elegance in the kitchen, bathroom or other space. Brass cabinet hardware offers the homeowner a fabulous way to spruce up any space dramatically and quickly.
The right brass knob or brass pull is a popular choice with homeowners today because of its beautiful polish, look and durability. Brass hardware offers a large range of décor options. A polished brass handle shines with its sparkling yellow hue and its bright appeal. This look is best with dark wood cabinetry and with a traditional design throughout the kitchen. In contrast, antique brass hardware has a subdued look with its matte finish and its brownish tones. A brass cabinet pull of this type creates a look of antique elegance in the kitchen space.
Brass hardware offers a huge range of décor options, from the shiny modern brass knob to the matte, antique brass pull. Brass hardware guarantees a dramatic look for any space, and a durable type of hardware. Manufactured by such leading companies as Top Knobs, Berenson, Decorite, Liberty and more, these brass hardware collections are built for beauty and durability. Go bold with brass hardware and imagine the possibilities!


text:
Fall in love with this romantic set of cabinet hardware from Top Knobs. Normandy, a unique collection of cabinet knobs, drawer pulls and backplates, combines charming designs with prominent features for a well-rounded look that's out of this world. From T knobs to ring pulls, delve into this enchanting collection to find out.
Anyway you look at them, birdcage cabinet knobs are delightful. The spacious, spiraling design conjures images of lighthearted romance and sweet singing birds. Of course, the Top Knobs Normandy collection has other beautiful options if this is not your cup of tea. Speaking of which, T knobs are a popular choice for both homeowners and businesses. Combing the best of both worlds, T knobs borrow features from cabinet knobs and pulls for a stellar effect. Need something more traditional? Round knobs are classic, and you can't go wrong with that. Combined with the right finish, our Top Knobs round knobs can be somewhat breathtaking.
The cabinet pulls in this Top Knobs collection are far more pronounced and imposing. With solid bar pulls, elegant bail pulls and stately ring pulls, you can set a truly sophisticated tone for your décor. Ring pulls are petite in size, but these create a definite assertion of your discerning taste. Bail and bar pulls are larger drawer pulls and will have that much more impact on your room's atmosphere. Matching backplates only amplify the phenomenal effect.
The only thing more attractive than the appealing designs highlighted throughout this collection is the impressive array of finishes. From patina rouge to an oil rubbed bronze that's almost chocolate in coloring and consistency to the alluring Tuscan bronze, the Top Knobs Normandy Series offers you a palette that is as rich in flavor as it is in design. So order your own slice of decorative delight today, and discover why these really are the Top Knobs.


text:
As Congress enacted the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 and regulators wrote rules to implement the changes it mandated in over-the-counter derivatives trading, companies have been lobbying long and hard to protect their ability to use such derivatives to hedge their risks. And while they won the battle, they may have lost the war.
As the Dodd-Frank rules and other regulatory changes take effect for dealers, the cost of using OTC derivatives is expected to rise, a development that could push corporates to alter the way they hedge in spite of the exemption they won from many Dodd-Frank rules.
Traditionally, corporates have gone directly to their dealers—their banks—to put on over-the-counter (OTC) trades to hedge such exposures as foreign-exchange and interest-rate risk. Such bilateral trades with dealers usually weren't cleared. Companies use OTC derivatives rather than exchange-traded products because one of their key goals is to achieve a structure that closely replicates the time frame and cash flows of the risk being hedged so that the derivative transaction qualifies for hedge accounting.
In the wake of the financial crisis, Congress enacted Dodd-Frank to increase the transparency and stability of the derivatives market by requiring that derivatives market participants clear their trades and report more information about them. Companies that qualify as corporate end users—nonfinancial companies that use derivatives to mitigate their risks rather than to speculate—are exempt from many of Dodd-Frank's provisions, including the requirement to clear trades.
But Dodd-Frank and other regulatory changes, such as Basel III, the new global regulatory framework on bank capital requirements, will make it more expensive for dealers to trade OTC derivatives. Dealers are expected to pass those cost increases on to their customers.
And the question isn't whether using OTC swaps will be more expensive, but when the cost will rise and by how much, according to Luke Zubrod, a partner at Chatham Financial, a financial risk management advisory firm. One of the factors boosting dealers' costs is Basel III, which will require them to allocate more capital for uncleared trades, such as those they do with corporate end users, Zubrod said. "They'll get that capital by increasing the transaction price."
And after a bank does a derivative trade with a corporate end user, it usually turns around and does an offsetting trade with another dealer to hand off that risk. While dealers typically collateralize those offsetting transactions, "they don't tend to over-collateralize their interbank transactions with initial margin," Zubrod said. "New rules will probably mandate them to post initial margin when they transact with each other, and if they clear the trades they transact with each other, they'll have to post margin. So that will increase the funding they have to have in place for a transaction with an end user," he said.
In the meantime, prices have begun to rise for one type of derivative, said Jiro Okochi, CEO of Reval, which provides treasury and risk management technology solutions. "Some of our clients are seeing some of the impact already on longer-dated cross-currency swaps. It seems like banks are starting to widen out the offer spread on some of those, especially longer out. It implies some banks are building in a spread to cover capital costs."
In addition, it's possible that U.S. banking regulators, led by the Federal Reserve, could decide that banks must require margin from their customers, including corporate end users. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission decided that end users didn't need to post margin, but some banking regulators have sounded a different note. It's not clear when U.S. banking regulators will make a decision on this as they are awaiting a report from a global working group on this topic.
Currently only a minority of corporate end users post collateral, said Greg Hart, managing director and head of corporate rates origination at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch. "They do that for a couple of reasons: to manage their overall counterparty exposure, to lower the cost of dealing, as it becomes less expensive if they're posting cash collateral against their derivative trades. And some companies are finding it opens up capacity as well if they happen to be large users," Hart said.
"If bank regulators were to impose bilateral margin requirements, I think it would dramatically impact how corporates use the derivative market," Hart said. "Certainly it would significantly increase the costs of doing transactions for the vast majority of clients."
In fact, a study commissioned by the Business Roundtable in 2010 concluded that a 3% margin requirement would force publicly traded non-financial companies to put up an average of $269 million in collateral, or roughly 15% of the cash held on the balance sheet, according to Tom Deas, chairman of the National Association of Corporate Treasurers and treasurer and vice president at FMC Corp., a Philadelphia-based chemical company. If companies have to set aside money to post margin on derivatives trades, it will subtract from the money they have to reinvest in their businesses, he said.
Posting margin would also force end users to deal with daily margin calls, making the process of hedging that much more complex. "The back-room requirements for meeting a daily margin call on derivatives are not something we're equipped to do," Deas said. "We would have to be allowed a transition period to develop the systems to do a mark-to-market and provide for these daily settlements."
Though, while it's possible banking regulators will impose a margin requirement on end users' uncleared trades, the proposal that regulators are considering "allows for margin to be posted only when the market value exceeds some threshold," said Luke Zubrod of Chatham. That would mean the margin required would still be lower than that required for cleared trades, he said. "With clearing, you're over-collateralizing—collateralizing 100% of the market to market value, plus initial margin, which is essentially an over-collateralization," Zubrod said.
Dodd-Frank also imposes a number of new reporting and recordkeeping requirements, and companies face the administrative expenses involved in preparing to comply with those. "There's documentation that has to be completed to continue hedging, and there's costs associated with that," said Glenn Crotty, managing director and head of corporate FX sales at Bank of America.
At this point, U.S. regulators are still writing and implementing many of the rules required by Dodd-Frank, making it hard to assess the final state of play for corporate end users or how much costs might rise on OTC derivatives.
"There's a lack of certainty in the market as to how a lot of the rules will evolve, especially as it relates to the capital and margining rules. There is also a lack of clarity around how those costs will actually affect the banks and how that could translate to higher costs for the client," said B of A's Hart. That uncertainty "has been the biggest driver impacting clients' decisions," he said, suggesting that customers are being "a little more conservative" about implementing hedging plans.
Corporate end users have many alternatives to consider in the face of rising swap spreads, said Edward Heitin, a partner at PwC. "While they can certainly continue to trade over-the-counter bilaterally with their swap dealers, if the increased spreads are too great, they can explore trading their derivatives on exchanges and swap execution facilities (SEFs), and clearing their derivatives through clearing organizations as ways to keep their costs down," he said.
Heitin expects that some end users will decide posting collateral is the way to go, in part because it will get them better pricing from their swap dealer. And while it's possible to post collateral on a bilateral trade, "if an end user were to go that route, they should strongly consider clearing through a clearing organization, which has the added benefit of reducing credit risk," he said.
Posting collateral wouldn't seem to pose a problem for the large U.S. companies currently holding sizable amounts of short-term cash.
"There may be certain end users, cash-rich corporates, who look and say, 'I don't care about margin requirements, I have lots of cash sitting there, why not put it into a margin account and lower my transaction costs on derivatives,'" Chatham's Zubrod said.
Heitin notes that for all of the high-profile companies who are sitting on a lot of cash, there are many more companies that are not. Furthermore, he said that "the companies without a lot of cash tend to also be the companies that don't regularly use the full spectrum of services their banks offer, which in turn may have an impact on how their banks both evaluate the overall relationship and price the services the company does use." That means the spread differential between a collateralized and a non-collateralized swap could end up being greater for companies that do not have a lot of cash. These same companies that may notice a significantly wider spread, Heitin said, "frequently don't have the liquidity, infrastructure and systems that allow them to simply say, 'OK, I'll post collateral.' Accordingly they will have to explore all of the execution and clearing options available to them."
With the prospect of higher costs and possible margin requirements for OTC trades, there has been talk that users might switch to exchange-traded futures products, a concept known as "futurization." Some exchanges have rolled out new products that target corporate end users and their needs.
Eris Exchange offers a flexible version of its interest-rate swap futures contracts that Kevin Wolf, the exchange's chief business and product development officer, said can provide companies with the customization they get with over-the-counter derivatives. "You can set the dates on your Eris contract to be as flexible as an OTC contract," Wolf said, adding the other important element is that our contracts can be held to maturity."
"In interest rate-swaps, we expect the market to migrate to futures because cleared trades are going to be unwieldy given all of the new regulations," Wolf said. "Though many corporate treasurers are not familiar with futures, it's a very large, well-tested framework and it's not going to be hard to migrate to that environment."
Chicago's CME Group rolled out deliverable interest-rate swap futures. The contracts are available in two-, five-, 10- and 30-year maturities, and upon expiration, they deliver a cleared interest-rate swap. "It looks just like the bond futures except the underlying instrument isn't the off-the-run Treasury, it's an interest-rate swap," said Sean Owens, director of fixed-income research and consulting at Woodbine Associates, a capital markets research and consulting company.
"What the exchanges and swap execution facilities (SEF) are basically trying to do is to create sufficient liquidity so you can get what are effectively tailored derivatives, but available on an exchange or SEF," says PwC's Heitin. "I believe that over time, even the exchange and SEF environment will become liquid enough so that many swaps will be available that match the risks that our end users are looking to hedge. The question is whether the exchanges and SEFs have sufficient liquidity in those swaps today."
Chatham Financial's Zubrod said the new futures products are more likely to be used by financial firms that employ derivatives to speculate than corporate end users, noting that financial firms "are already posting margin, which might be one of the key drawbacks for nonfinancial users in using futures." He pointed to hedge accounting considerations as a barrier that will discourage many companies from using exchange-traded derivatives. "Futures are generally not going to perfectly match the risk the corporate is hedging, and that may result in accounting ineffectiveness," said Zubrod.
Fine-tuning OTC trades
Rather than struggle with the accounting implications of exchange-traded products, companies might try to fine-tune the way they use OTC products to lessen the impact of price changes.
Basel III capital requirements are more onerous for longer-term trades, so users "may shorten the term of their transactions," Zubrod said. "Every year you add on increases the capital charge, so as you get out to 10 years, you're going to really be feeling it."
Sean Owens of Woodbine predicted that some companies might use "a combination of cleared and uncleared swaps" to try to meet hedge accounting requirements while minimizing their costs.
"You could take a customized swap and replicate it with a cleared swap and a basis swap," Owens said. "The two together would give you that customized set of dates to hedge the risk you want to hedge."
PwC's Heitin said he thinks many corporate treasurers would be "receptive" to exploring alternative transactions that can accomplish the same thing as the more routine hedges they have historically put on. But substituting a combination of exchange-traded and OTC swaps for a single OTC swap may lead to operational, administrative and hedge accounting complexities and costs.
Tom Deas of NACT argued that if manufacturers face higher hedging costs, some might decide to relocate their production. "If entering into currency swaps or derivatives that it has traditionally entered into to hedge a stream of exports to a foreign country would no longer be economic, unfortunately the U.S.-based manufacturer might have to consider moving its production overseas to match its costs with its revenues," he said.
Companies may find a friendlier version of the derivatives regulations in other countries, said Deas, pictured at right, "The extraterritoriality reach of these rules is still to be worked out. It may be that multinational [companies] would find a way to locate their derivative activities in respect of their foreign operations in a jurisdiction that's more favorable to them. [For example] "Europeans have been much more clear about the end-user exemption for margining," he said.
There's also the possibility that companies simply pull back from hedging. "I think you're going to find that margin requirements and pricing requirements are going to pressure end users into considering how much they need to consume the service," said Donald Lamson, a partner and head of the financial institutions advisory and financial regulatory group at the law firm of Shearman & Sterling. "At an increased price, how do you maintain volumes?"
Banking Relationships
Deloitte's Sinha pointed out that because companies generally transact OTC derivatives with their banks, the trades are part of a broader relationship that includes the company's credit facilities, which could influence way both end users and their banks respond to changing regulations and higher costs.
Companies "rely on these banks not just for hedging–they rely on these banks for foreign exchange services, payments services, letters of credit," Sinha said. "It's more relationship-oriented. If costs go up, is that going to be a sufficient disincentive for the entire relationship?
And for the banks, trading OTC derivatives with customers is a "high-margin business," Sinha said. "Banks may come up with their own response if they see the market moving away from them."
But there's another provision of Dodd-Frank that may end up separating derivatives trades from the rest of the business that a company does with its banks in coming years. Shearman & Sterling's Lamson points to Section 716 of Dodd-Frank, which says banks can't transact equity and commodity swaps but have to do such trades in an affiliate, a provision known as the swaps push out. Earlier this year, banks won more time to deal with this provision of Dodd-Frank, with the deadline pushed back to mid-2015.
The swaps push out provision doesn't apply to interest-rate and foreign-exchange swaps, which make up the bulk of banks' derivatives business. But Lamson said that once the swaps push out takes effect, it may make sense for banks to put all their swaps transactions in a subsidiary. The cost of funding the transactions in a subsidiary would be higher, but from a management perspective, there are advantages to having all the derivatives business in a single place. He notes that after Reg R mandated a securities push out, a lot of banks moved their securities operations into subsidiaries.
If the swaps business ends up in a subsidiary, that will be another factor boosting the cost of transactions for corporate end users, Lamson said, "because the bank customer is now a customer of a registered swap dealer that is separately capitalized."
It would also sever the swaps transactions from the rest of a company's relationship with the bank. "So the price that swap dealer offers cannot take into account that customer's other relationship with the bank," Lamson said. "You have to price it on a standalone basis instead of taking into account the multiple other relationships that exist with the bank."
As the regulatory landscape around derivatives trading changes, companies need to reassess many aspects of their use of derivatives.
"One challenge will be how do [companies] evaluate those choices, particularly when the pros and cons compete with each other," said Chatham's Zubrod. "They may need to invest in new technology tools or just re-envision their analytical processes for the merits of examining the new choices that will emerge."
If companies are thinking about using exchange-traded swaps or clearing their trades with a clearinghouse, PwC's Heitin says, "they have to make sure as an end user they have the infrastructure, systems and liquidity available in order to effectively execute and clear in these alternative environments."
Of course, companies may already need certain upgrades to their infrastructure and systems in response to the Dodd-Frank recordkeeping and reporting requirements that will directly affect end users, he says. "So when evaluating the costs and benefits of trading on an exchange and clearing through a clearing organization, end users needs to consider which of the incremental costs are truly incremental, versus which are costs the end user was going to incur anyway, even if they were going to trade bilaterally the way they always have."
Reporting on Inter-affiliate Trades
Among the issues that remain cloudy for companies that trade over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives is the extent to which they must comply with new reporting requirements when it comes to trades that occur between different units of the company.
Some large corporates have their business units put on OTC derivatives trades with a subsidiary of the company, perhaps the treasury or an in-house bank. That unit consolidates the inter-affiliate trades and then transacts with the market, thus saving on transaction costs. Dodd-Frank ramps up reporting and recordkeeping on derivative trades, but it's assumed that when companies are trading with their dealers, the reporting responsibility will fall on the dealers. Will companies have to follow the real-time reporting rules for those trades done within the company?
"This is a major issue," said Tom Deas, chairman of the National Association of Corporate Treasurers and vice president and treasurer at FMC, a Philadelphia-based chemical company. He argues that requiring corporate end users to report on inter-affiliate trades is "inconsistent with the overall intent of exempting end users from some of these more onerous requirements." Companies have been discussing the need for an exemption with the CFTC's Division of Clearing and Risk and "we're hopeful we'll be heard by them," he said.
Jiro Okochi, CEO of Reval, said that "the noise level on inter-affiliate swaps is picking up." A Fortune 100 company recently told him that it was going to stop grouping its subsidiaries' swaps "to avoid the headache of reporting," said Okochi, pictured at right.
That decision "would mean more transaction costs, but less reporting costs," he said.
Read the March Special Report on Hedging and Forex.
Dollar's Swings Could Continue
Make Your Technology — Along with Your Payments Bank — Work for You
Beyond the Banks: What Derivative Regulation means for the corporate world


text:
0 Members and 1 Lonely Barbarian are spying on this topic.
It'll sure be a refreshing experience, playing this game that is!Should we post our characters here after GM approval?
My first postings may be delayed due to a death in the family. I'll return as soon as I can.
What do we need to keep the game rolling?
Page created in 2.681 seconds with 28 queries.


text:
We recently supported a Group team member on his battle for a title at the Classic Touring Car Racing Club Pre 2005 Championship....READ MORE
Servicing and MOT Parts
Vehicles must pass a MOT check in order to operate legally on Britain's roadways. The Ministry of Transportation sets strict limits on emissions and other requirements, and passing a VOSA MOT check is mandatory. Service providers must stock the right parts to ensure that vehicles that fail the check can be repaired. These include a wide range of components, from fuel filters to EGR valves, mufflers, catalytic converters, ignition system components and numerous others. Of course, the MOT checklist goes a great deal further than just the emissions system, and includes the fuel system, seat belts, towbars, door condition, mirrors, overall vehicle body, brakes, tyres, bonnet and latch, wipers and washers, and other areas. At Quickco, we ensure that you have all the parts necessary to help customers pass the MOT check. From seatbelts to glow plugs to body panels and wiper motors, we stock OE and OEM replacement parts to ensure quality, performance and proper fit with every installation.


text:
- Showtimes
- Details
About This Theater
This Theater Offers
Online Ticketing
Purchase your tickets and reserve your seats ahead of time on MovieTickets.com.
Accepts Promo Codes
This theater accepts MovieTickets.com promotional codes.
Ticket Redemption Options
Retrieve at Theater
Pick up your tickets at the theater box office before show time. Check your confirmation email for details.
Theater Age Policy
Child Tickets: 3-11.
Senior Tickets: Seniors 62 and up.
Not all ticket types are available for all performances.


text:
Butler County President Judge Thomas Doerr has issued an order to station indefinitely a deputy sheriff in the county commissioners' offices.
Doerr said on Monday, "The atmosphere within the fifth floor (of the Butler County Government Center, where the commissioners' offices are located) has become increasing volatile to the point where I believe it could potentially lead to a breach of the peace."
Doerr said this opinion is based on information he gathered while reading reports related to the commissioners' business in the Butler Eagle, seeing the public meetings that are broadcast and hearing from court house personnel.
"The commissioners, the staff and potentially the public have become confrontational. I honestly believe someone could lose their temper and become violent," Doerr said.
"Not that it will happen, but there is that potential. And I believe its my obligation, that if I believe that could happen, to take active steps to make sure it does not happen."
By state law, a county's president judge is responsible for security in the court house.
Doerr said he did not meet with the commissioners prior to making this decision.
Doerr, who notes his order is to "be implemented as soon as practical," said it's likely the deputy will take the new station no earlier than Monday.
He said it is hoped that the deputy will have access to a computer to do paperwork while in the commissioners' office.


text:
Fenner Town Court
Fenner Town Court
3151 Fenner East Road
Cazenovia, NY 13035-9775
The Town of Fenner is located in Madison County, New York. The Fenner Town Court handles all speeding tickets [NY VTL § 1180], cell phone tickets, failure to yield / move over, lane change tickets, failure to signal, following too close, uninsured, aggravated unlicensed operation, and all other moving violations as well as automobile crimes.Tips on what to do if given a speeding ticket
The first thing you should if given a ticket in Madison County, NY is read the ticket carefully. There are detailed instructions to understand so that you do not accidently plead guilty as charged or end up with a license suspension. Time is always of the essence when you receive a speeding ticket in New York. Before you do anything call us right now 24 / 7 for a free consultation on our toll free traffic ticket defense hotline at 1-877-99-No-Tix (1-877-996-6849).
Do not wait or ignore the ticket! Failure to timely respond to the ticket will result in a suspension of your New York State driver's license or NYS driving privileges. In some cases you could be found guilty in absentia. Convictions will trigger insurance premium increases and surcharges in addition to hundreds more in NYS DMV assessments. With our office all of this can be avoided. This can be avoided by contesting your speeding ticket and hiring the right lawyer. Call us now toll free on our traffic ticket defense hotline at 1-877-99-No-Tix (1-877-996-6849).Speeding ticket fines
The most common traffic ticket issued in New York State is speeding, NY VTL § 1180. There are huge swings in the fine amounts for speeding. It all depends on the speed and sub section of speed that a motorist is found guilty of, as well as whether there are recent speeding convictions on your driving record. Speeding ticket fines and surcharges range from as little as $138.00 - $2,343.00.What can be done to fight a speeding ticket
There are a lot of ways to fight a speeding or traffic ticket. To find out more the easiest thing to do is call us right now 24 / 7 for a free consultation on our toll free traffic ticket defense hotline at 1-877-99-No-Tix (1-877-996-6849).Can a speeding ticket be beaten?
Yes, absolutely. However, there are usually better ways to go about fighting a speeding or traffic ticket rather than get it dismissed. We can consult you on all of your options. Call us now toll free on our traffic ticket defense hotline at 1-877-99-No-Tix (1-877-996-6849).What about my driver's license? My insurance Rates?
Speeding ticket and other moving violation convictions can cause your driver's license to be revoked or suspended. Your insurance can be increased by thousands when you are convicted of a speeding ticket, even just one. However, we can avoid that. Call us now toll free on our traffic ticket defense hotline at 1-877-99-No-Tix (1-877-996-6849) to find out what we can do for you!
Save time . . .You will not have to come to court.
Save money . . .We offer our service at a level that makes it cheaper the retain us then send it in with a guilty plea.
Call now for a free telephone consultation on our traffic ticket defense hotline at 1-877-99-No-Tix (1-877-996-6849)
Our law office offers convenience, ease, and certitude of a positive outcome. We will represent you in any court in the State of New York. we get your court appearance waived so you do not have to take time off. We give you piece of mind by giving you a money back guarantee.
Call us toll free at 1-877-99-NO-TIX (1-877-996-6849) or e-mail. We need your name, the name of the court, the charge(s), and if a speeding ticket the speed limit and the speed charged. You can e-mail us, scan and e-mail the ticket, or fax it to us at 914-777-2999. Don't wait, do it today!