text:
Hello Tomahawk. 1964 THS graduate just returned from a family visit in Hatchet Creek. While there I noticted that the Leader had a web site. Just now getting around to looking at it. Nice job Leader staff. I'll be a frequent visitor.
Ken Krueger < email@example.com >
Sacramento, CA USA - Wednesday, April 19, 2000 at 15:27:49 (EDT)
Kaspar Ondrej < email@example.com >
Nechanice, CZ Czech republic - Monday, April 17, 2000 at 16:52:51 (EDT)
I stopped in a couple years ago and did not put my email in . I've spent summers up in the Northwoods since I was a baby and now bring my kids up. My brother and I stormed Lake Allis two years ago and partied with Chuck and Maryanne from Rivers Edge. Will be back in a few months. Love you all-my favorite place in the world!
John Russell, Jr. < firstname.lastname@example.com >
Elmhurst, IL USA - Tuesday, April 11, 2000 at 21:36:19 (EDT)
Hello everybody in Tomahawk, WI.!!! I just want everybody to know that Dana Tassler, Sara Adams, and Stacy Schiltz are good friends of mine and that they are tearing up Sunny Southern California. Take it easy.
Timothy McCoy < firstname.lastname@example.com >
Carlsbad, CA USA - Sunday, April 02, 2000 at 23:41:26 (EDT)
Surfing the internet and what a surprise to find the Tomahawk Leader on the internet. It certainly something that you all can be proud of as it is one of the best I haveseen. Wanchese is a small fishing village located on the Outer Banks. We have a stained glass studio and gift shop named NICK-E. It is our retirement endeavor and very enjoyable. It was nice to read about things in Tomahawk and see names that I remember. I imagine that they are children and Grandchildren of the people I knew. Keep up the good work and I will be back to your cite again soon.
Robert Nick < email@example.com >
Wanchese , NC USA - Wednesday, March 29, 2000 at 21:08:27 (EST)
Wow, I really can't believe that I've been away from Tomahawk for almost nine years! Just got out of the Marines but am staying out here for a while. Hope to hear from anyone that I spent my crazy, drunken teenage years with!
Dana Tassler < email@example.com >
Carlsbad, CA USA - Tuesday, March 21, 2000 at 23:23:04 (EST)
Greetings! Anybody on line from the Class of '72? Only 2 years left until our 30th! Working on it? Would appreciate hearing from you all! AKA Zachary Taylor
Pam Boykin < firstname.lastname@example.com >
Louisville, KY USA - Sunday, March 19, 2000 at 18:47:01 (EST)
Geetings from LALA Land (LA, CA). I was born and raised in Tomahawk. Graduated from THS in'57 and moved away to go to college. I have many fond memories and good friends in the area. I brought my wife to Tomahawk several years ago for a short visit and she loved it. So we are coming back this summer for Yesterfest to renew aquaintences. Look forward to a GT.
Bill Amend < firstname.lastname@example.com >
San Pedro, CA USA - Saturday, March 11, 2000 at 13:31:30 (EST)
Hello from K-Town! Been fishin up on the river for 20 + years. Hope to get up this weekend and fish scoopbay,if you don't get to much snow Jake
jake < email@example.com >
kenosha, wi USA - Thursday, March 09, 2000 at 11:36:01 (EST)
Hello Tomahawk. What a wonderful way to find out what is going on in my favorite Northwoods city. My Dad (Hank Mitchell) loved living up north - fishing and hunting. He passed away 2 years ago & I still miss him greatly. My Mom is alive and well, working at the Community Bank - so if you go in there - say hi to Bernice from Barb. Thanks for the wonderful access to this quiet little place Mom now calls home.
Barb (Mitchell) Ackeret < firstname.lastname@example.com >
Saukville, WI USA - Monday, February 28, 2000 at 08:19:25 (EST)
Hello Tomahawk, I am in chicago showing my sister your homepage we are both from there and our father is a resident,I am visiting and I am getting ready to go back up north in gods country. Have a great day and thanks for the page
Michael Hanke < saintmichael4u >
chippewa falls, wi USA - Monday, February 21, 2000 at 12:27:02 (EST)
To Chuck Crass, When is the next class reunion for the class of 1947? Hi Sambo are you out there? Contact The greatest hunter in the Northwoods at email@example.com Blair Thompson
Blair Thompson < email@example.com >
St Pete , FL USA - Sunday, February 20, 2000 at 16:56:27 (EST)
Hello everybody!!! I thought I schould write you guys. I had a great time in Tomahawk. Maybe I'll be back in summer.
Marcel Alesi < firstname.lastname@example.com >
Gruibingen, Germany - Friday, February 18, 2000 at 08:43:15 (EST)
My wife's maden name is Raab. Her ancestors settled in Tomahawk, from Austria, and her father moved to the 'big city' of Detroit to find fame and fortune. He started as a cabbie and ended up an owner of a grinding shop. John is now 82 and hasn't slowed down yet. We visited there in the early 80's and loved the place... Later think spring!!!
Fred Buike < email@example.com >
Shelby Twp, mi USA - Friday, February 18, 2000 at 00:42:26 (EST)
My wife's maden name is Raab. Her ancestors settled in Tomahawk, from Austria,and her father moved to the 'big city' of Detroit to find fame and fortune. He started as a cabbie and ended up an owner of a grinding shop. John is mow 82 and hasn't slowed down yet. We visited there in the early 80's and loved the place... Later think spring!!!
Fred Buike < firstname.lastname@example.com >
Shelby Twp, mi USA - Friday, February 18, 2000 at 00:41:57 (EST)
Hi from a Hatchet Creek "gonna be"! 4 more years as a snowbird before I can come to stay. Meanwhile, any friends/neighbors from the Rapel Rd area on Nokomis....drop me a line. Can't start too soon gettin' acquainted with my new neighbors to be. C'mon Spring......PLEEEEEEZ !
Jim Kindler < email@example.com >
Waukesha, WI USA - Wednesday, February 16, 2000 at 20:50:17 (EST)
Like many others who signed I'm a native of Tomahawk. I decided to move south 4 years ago. And although I have been able to enjoy the warm weather of AZ and TX I may be deemed insane becuase I miss the snow and cold in Tomahawk.
Stacy Schiltz < firstname.lastname@example.com >
Houston, TX USA - Tuesday, February 15, 2000 at 22:51:07 (EST)
Wonder how many of my classmates are still with us on planet earth?
Maxine Thompson Lemke < email@example.com >
Inverness, FL USA - Monday, February 14, 2000 at 18:56:33 (EST)
Love the website! It's great to keep up on the events in Tomahawk where I still have friends & family. I grew up in Tomahawk, graduated in '95, and now reside in sunny So. CA. Please feel free to e-mail me!
Sara D. Adams < email@example.com >
San Diego, CA USA - Thursday, February 10, 2000 at 16:14:00 (EST)
Well, man. I couldn't even get it right the second time. Here's that E-Mail address again in case anyone's interested.
Elaine Gill Wheeler < susie2q47 >
Hutto, TX USA - Monday, February 07, 2000 at 16:58:32 (EST)
Well, guess I'll join the club of others who didn't know how to enter their E-Mail address. Let's try it this time and hope I did it right. Bye!
Elaine Gill Wheeler < email@example.com >
Hutto, TX USA - Saturday, February 05, 2000 at 17:23:28 (EST)
Hi, y'all! We just got on line and I'm green as grass about this, but the first place I wanted to see was the Tomahawk Leader. Then I found the guestbook. What a great idea! Maybe I can rattle the woods and shake out some of the class of '65 and thereabouts. How about you, Lee Ann, Phyllis, Hal, Jerry, and all you "Bradley kids". Would love to hear from any/all of you. Like I said, I'm really green at this, but I'll learn. Love reading about Tomahawk. Now I can keep in touch. In case anyone wonders, Hutto is just outside Austin.
Elaine Gill Wheeler < susie2q >
Hutto, TX USA - Saturday, February 05, 2000 at 17:21:22 (EST)
Just wanted to say hello to all my friends and family back home!! Hope your living it up on the snowmobile trails!! I know I would be!! Hope everyone has a good year and I will hopefully get some vacation time to see you all soon!!
Sonia Reichelt < firstname.lastname@example.com >
Fairborn, OH USA - Tuesday, February 01, 2000 at 08:57:23 (EST)
Just want to say hi to everyone I knew there. Drop a line to me sometime.
Kathy Jackson < firstname.lastname@example.com >
S. Gardiner, ME USA - Monday, January 31, 2000 at 18:47:33 (EST)
I've noted the ice depth on the trails report, but can someone tell me what the water/ice level in on Lake Nokomis. Last spring/summer/fall it ranged from well into the boat houses to as much as 4-6 feet down. Was the water low before it froze over? Were weedbeds along the shore exposed before cold weather? I'm curious about the likely effect upon my friend Mel Miller's dock. His place is on Rapel Rd. just across the lake from the dam. Thanks.
Robert J.Doolittle < firstname.lastname@example.com >
Tulsa, OK USA - Thursday, January 27, 2000 at 20:28:21 (EST)
What a great web site and perfect way for those of us out of state to keep up with what's going on in the Home Town. Hi Alexis & Cody!
Lori Pierce
Oklahoma City , OK USA - Thursday, January 27, 2000 at 15:40:38 (EST)
I'm another one of those "spent all my childhood summers... and now I bring my own daughter..." Although our family place is in Irma, Tomahawk is my favorite. It will probably be another 20 years, but I'll be up there to live permanently when I retire. I couldn't live without the peace of mind Wisconsin gives me "North of the Tension Zone" Help Girls Grow Strong -- Buy Girl Scout Cookies!!!!! (I have an earlier listing in the Guestbook, but I now have a new e-mail address.)
Laura Stream Wijkowski < firstname.lastname@example.com >
Chickasha, OK USA - Wednesday, January 26, 2000 at 19:27:16 (EST)
Member of High School graduation class of 1941. Hi to classmates. You can contact me at above e-mail address. Best Wishes Maxine
Maxine Thompson Lemke < email@example.com >
Inverness, FL USA - Tuesday, January 18, 2000 at 11:53:17 (EST)
Greetings from the Valley of the Sun- have lived here in Arizona for six years, moved from Chicago to Tripoli and now here - Graduated from Tripoli High in l943 - Would love to hear from old friends and classmates!!
Agnes H. Hegber (Mantyla) < firstname.lastname@example.com >
Glendale, Az USA - Saturday, January 15, 2000 at 16:11:40 (EST)
From the valley of the sun - am looking for old friends and neighbors - have lived here for six years and moved from Chicago to Tripoli and now Arizona. Was born and raised in Tripoli and attended schools there - graduating in l943.Write me!!!
Agnes H. Hegber (Mantyla) < firstname.lastname@example.com >
Glendale , Az USA - Saturday, January 15, 2000 at 16:06:46 (EST)
Happy New Year!! All is good here. Hope everything went smoothly wherever you are. Have a peaceful Y2K!!
Josh Karl < email@example.com >
Omaha, NE USA - Saturday, January 01, 2000 at 04:46:35 (EST)
Guestbook Page 5
The new Guestbook. Feel free to post messages to say hi, update friends, etc.
1 post • Page 1 of 1
1 post • Page 1 of 1
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests


text:
Best Of :: People & Places
Drop by any courtroom on Temple Street and you'll hear stories as old as the Bible and characters who'll remind you of the kids you went to school with, because all our actions in life were predicted long ago by the way we responded to temptation, anger and fear as children. Go to Department 30 before noon to see the parade of just-arrested suspects brought before a magistrate to enter their pleas from inside what resembles a giant terrarium. Or visit Judge Marsha Revel's court in Department 128, where a stream of people appear and bring the judge up to date on their progress in recovery programs, or explain how they are making restitution to the victims they crashed into while driving drunk. Listen to their promises and excuses, and wonder what you'd say if you stood in their shoes. Finally, there are the courtrooms of the ninth floor, which you must pass through a metal detector to enter, even though you've already passed through one in the lobby. Their most compelling moments are not the kind you see on TV shows, where a witness breaks down or a lawyer miraculously produces a lost fingerprint. Instead, it's those quiet moments when a sad judge tries to talk an accused felon out of acting as his own attorney. The defendant, dressed in bright-orange or somber blue overalls, is almost jubilantly confident in his ability to defend himself. The judge says everything he or she can to dissuade the prisoner, knowing that it is useless to try but that at least the accused will feel hope for a little while longer. Criminal Courts Building, 210 W. Temple St., dwntwn.; Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-
4 p.m. (Check for furlough closures.)—Steven Mikulan
You could live here for 25 years and easily miss the most charming, are-we-really-in-L.A.? scenic drive imaginable. We almost did. Red Rock Canyon is a geographic marvel tucked just off the beaten path in Old Topanga Canyon. It's practically a secret, yet it's L.A.'s own miniature of Arizona or Utah, with its huge, iron-tinged boulders and red sandstone river walls carved by eons of rain and wind. It's a very easy, thoroughly relaxing drive from the belching, stinking city. If you go shortly after a rain, the crystal-clear and seasonal creek will be up and running, alongside a dirt road that ends at Red Rock Canyon Park. The tiny picnic area is one of the most delightful places in L.A. County. Bring your own food and beverages, plus blankets to spread on the litter-free ground, because there are no kiosks, concessions or taco trucks — thank Christ. A trailhead leading into spectacular sandstone formations is situated right near the picnic area, but it took us years just to explore Red Rock in our car, so we'll have to work up our energy for the four-hour hike in the upcoming decade. The very leafy drive into Red Rock Canyon takes you along quiet, insanely charming Old Topanga Canyon Road, an idyllic community of woodland homes and cabins set among California live oak, pine and native sage. Gulp in the air and get drunk on it. Red Rock Canyon Park, 23601 W. Red Rock Road, Old Topanga, lamountains.com.—Jill Stewart
I collect deities, and there is no better place for affordable small, colorful statues of Krishna, Radha, Ganesh, etc. than the gift shop inside the Hare Krishna Temple in Culver City. While the clothing here is beautiful and more then a bit pricey, there are all kinds of other, affordable finds. Good incense and Ayurvedic soaps share shelves with real kohl eyeliner priced at only $2. Even better, when you're done shopping you can feast on the downstairs all-you-can-eat vegetarian buffet for a mere 7 bucks. 3764 Watseka Ave., # 1, Culver City. (310) 836-1269.—Elizabeth Bernheim
The Whittier Narrows Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary has 419 acres of wilderness, featuring trails that weave through dense, dry brush alongside the San Gabriel River. With 300 species of birds, bird watching is a favorite pastime. Mountain lions and bobcats have also been seen roaming, and deep inside the sanctuary, the solitude of the desert can be a liberating experience. With all the paw prints pressed into the sand around you, you have the feeling of never quite being alone. Nearby, the Nature Center Museum has collections of archaeology, botany, history, birds, bugs and reptiles. It occasionally hosts free lectures and hayrides. Unfortunately, part of the area is marred by transmission towers and power lines, and signs advertising Mobil and Shell Oil are visible on the horizon. Even so, this is a quiet, relaxing place, completely free of charge. That much, at least, is the way natures supposed to be. 1000 N. Durfee Ave., El Monte. (626) 575-2253.—Todd Krainin
That might be your lost copy of Wall of Voodoo's Seven Days in Sammystown on the wall of the spankin' new elevator that leads to the even spankier new Trader Joe's on Sunset and Crescent Heights. The company has long made each of its stores reflect its neighborhood — TV production murals at the Studio City outlet, for example. But they went the extra mile down Dead Man's Curve to make this new Sunset Strip store reflect the rock & roll history of its street. Inside, colorful giant guitar picks with likenesses of Frank Zappa and Iggy Pop grace the walls. But the best part is the elevator — actually, there are two of 'em — covered with actual rock-album covers you can ogle and even stroke as you ride the three stories from the parking garage. Wait — that has to be my Blondie Eat to the Beat cover! 8000 W. Sunset Blvd., L. A. (323) 822-7663, traderjoes.com.—Libby Molyneaux
When out-of-towners visit, give them a quick, entirely free, tour of the Sunset Strip and surrounding areas in West Hollywood filled with dead celebrity haunts. Peer at the gorgeous, historic Chateau Marmont on Sunset Boulevard, where you can startle people with the grand announcement that John Belushi died there from a drug overdose in 1982. Everyone always wants to know what killed him. Correct answer: "a speedball," which is a toxic mix of cocaine and heroin. Things go downhill as you drive west on Sunset to the Viper Room, where, in 1993, young River Phoenix also died from a speedball overdose, on the dirty sidewalk outside the famed club once co-owned by Johnny Depp. Then head east and turn down Holloway Drive. Near leafy Alta Loma Road, at 8569 Holloway, you can announce that Sal Mineo, co-star of Rebel Without a Cause, was murdered outside his apartment there in 1976. A man stabbed the actor to death when Mineo was just 37. End the tour on Santa Monica Boulevard at Barney's Beanery, the friendly, old-time roadhouse where rockers Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin were reportedly regulars. Have a bowl of chili and relax while catching a baseball game on one of the Beanery's decent TVs. Chateau Marmont, 8221 W. Sunset Blvd. L.A.; Viper Room, 8852 W. Sunset Blvd., W.Hlywd; 8569 Holloway Drive, W.Hlywd.; Barney's Beanery, 8447 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Hlywd.—Patrick Range McDonald
God only knows when it will reopen for business following the devastating Station Fire, but the little Astronomical Museum atop Mount Wilson is not only an unexpected educational stop-off in the San Gabriel Mountains, but a portal into the way the galaxy looked to astronomers in the 1930s and '40s. Built in 1936, its bare-bones displays mostly consist of photographs of the solar system taken at the time, and as such, it's kind of like thumbing through a very old astronomy textbook – the kind that would dramatically feature a colorized photo of Saturn on the cover. However, since the free-admission museum's 1997 renovation, updated captions accompany the exhibits, which also include bits of machinery used in the transportation and construction of the nearby observatory's 60- and 100-inch telescopes. There's also a small auditorium for lectures. If this all seems like a rather long way to go look at some obsolete astronomy exhibits or to hear a lecture, blame it on the original land-lease agreement, which required the new Mount Wilson Observatory grounds to be open to the public during daylight hours – apparently to satisfy the tourist-hungry requirements of the observatory's landlord, the Mount Wilson Hotel and Toll Road Company. The hotel and its restaurant are long gone, so pack a picnic lunch for the afternoon. There are plenty of tables near the parking lot. Take the Angeles Crest Highway north from La Cañada-Flintridge to Red Box Road, then turn off to reach the observatory. (626) 440-9016, mtwilson.edu. Open daily from the first weekend in April to the last weekend in November from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., weather permitting.—Steven Mikulan
Disclosure: The CHP will be displeased to see this published, so please obey the 45 mph speed limit and approach this triple-gulp car ride with caution: Begin in Chatsworth at the Topanga Canyon exit of the 118 freeway with your windows rolled down, heading south, foot off the gas pedal. As you accelerate down the mountain (watch your speed or the motorcycle cops hiding inside the Indian Hills Mobile Home Village will) at about ¼ of a mile, gaze up to the left (east) and take in the magnificent, boulder-embedded Stoney Point Park (gulp 1) — the site of an ancient Indian village — where climbing pros and novices attempt their skills at bouldering, rappelling and downright foolishness. Look right (west) to spot a tiny black hole carved into the Santa Susana Mountains, which is a railroad tunnel built in 1904 (gulp 2). Coast onward (traffic light, hopefully) with the wind blowing in your hair, and pull over. Sit a spell and contemplate the beauty of these historic landmarks you might not have noticed (gulp 3) had you been in a hurry. Stoney Point Park, 11000 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Chatsworth. (818) 883-8531.—Heidi Dvorak
Walking down Manchester Avenue near Inglewood, a street lined with car-accessory stores, gas stations and the occasional strip joint, you'll come upon an out-of-place wedding chapel that invites investigation. Always Forever Yours Wedding Chapel is nothing fancy, to be sure, with its ceremonies advertised for "as low as $49." But there's more on offer for that 1970s-era price: It includes the minister, flowers, photos and certificates of marriage. In a metropolis where weddings can easily run $20,000, it's an intriguing place. The Rev. Don Johnson has been proprietor of Always Forever Yours since 1977, and he's learned some tricks to keep overhead lean. He picks up his marriage licenses at the county building in Beverly Hills, for instance, a place that requires little waiting time. According to the reverend, who delivers his information without irony, not that many people in Beverly Hills want to get married, but for those who do, the Rev. Johnson will preside over your vows, no matter your religion, location or time of day. He has administered vows in record stores, at motorcycle clubs and at the Greystone Mansion. But his most in-demand service is marrying people in jail. It seems that love does indeed conquer all. 2115 W. Manchester Ave., L.A. (323) 758-8443.—Juliette Akinyi Ochieng
The best way to truly experience the work of great architects is to step inside the home they've designed for themselves. Unfortunately, Schindler's home was left unfurnished, and the best view most of us will get of Charles and Ray Eames' place is with a nose pressed up to the window. But tucked into the shore of the Silver Lake Reservoir is Richard Neutra's residence and studio, the Neutra VDL Research House, an elegant stack of glass and beams, its signature louvers plunging down into an entryway pond. For $10 — all of it contributing to the ongoing renovation — you can see it much like it was when Neutra lived and worked here, beginning in 1932. (A renovation after a 1963 fire was completed by Neutra's son Dion.) Every Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Cal Poly Pomona students give 30-minute tours. Take the last one of the day and position yourself upstairs to catch the afternoon light on the penthouse reflecting pool, which appears to fade imperceptibly into the water of the reservoir beyond. 2300 Silver Lake Blvd., L.A. (323) 644-5480, neutra-vdl.org.—Alissa Walker
You could always take one of those Hollywood tours past James Dean's L.A. haunts, but one of the most beautiful and enjoyable ways to commune with the spirit of the young actor who died too soon is to drive to the Griffith Observatory in Griffith Park, which was an important location for Dean's best and most influential film, Rebel Without a Cause. The homage is a three-parter. First, as you walk toward the famed observatory and look to the right, you'll see a white slab of concrete with a bust of James Dean sitting on it. The actor commissioned artist Kenneth Kendall to create the sculpture just before his death, and Kendall coincidentally began work on the piece the September 30, 1955, night Dean fatally crashed his Porsche 550 Spyder in Northern California. The bust depicts the inner torture Dean's characters often endured, and it's situated away from the observatory crowds so you can have a moment of silence with your thoughts. From there, walk to the front, eastern side of the observatory, where you'll see a small parking lot. Against a white wall, with a beautiful view of downtown L.A., is where Dean's character, Jim Stark, took part in the famous knife-fight scene in Rebel. No plaque dedicates the site to the actor, but movie history happened exactly at this spot. Few people make it over here, so again, it's quiet and uncrowded. Finally, head into the observatory itself, where Dean's Rebel alter ego actually watched the planetarium show in the 1955 film. Griffith Observatory, Griffith Park. Tues.-Fri., noon-10 p.m.; weekends, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
—Patrick Range McDonald
Ever since its grand opening in July, the Pavilions in West Hollywood has turned into something more than a supermarket — it's where hot gays and lesbians go to mingle in WeHo. While the old Pavilions had more of a laid-back neighborhood feel, this sleekly designed and reasonably priced market's new interior decor features soft lighting — essential for any good pickup joint. And the pickup scene is highly charged: Whether you're selecting apples and peaches near the front, picking out cookies in back or standing in line for a custom-made sandwich next to the in-house Starbucks counter, it seems impossible not to meet someone and strike up a friendly conversation about fresh meat. It almost feels like a trendy nightclub, if not for that plastic bag of bok choy you're clutching. Pavilions is open 24/7, and it's a fun spot to shop — for more than just groceries. Pavilions, 8969 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Hlywd. Open daily, 24 hours.—Patrick Range McDonald

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Guitarist, Mid 40's, seeks band, NOT METAL, Belper
Reply to this ad
To reply to existing ads or post one of your own, you need to be logged in. Log in here, or if you're not already a member, sign up free.
Thousands of musicians use Join My Band, the UK's biggest free musicians classifieds to find band members every day, so why not try it yourself?
Latest Featured Ads
- Drummer Wanted (Glasgow)
- Vocal & Performance Coaching - free your voice! (London)
- Guitarist and bassist (North wales)
- Bass/Backing Vocals for Established Band (Greater Manchester & Cheshire)
- Drummer Wanted - Punk / Rock (Sheffield)
Looking for band members?
Advertise on Join My Band for FREE and find musicians in your area!Place a Free Ad


text:
The 2013 Bridal Fair is THIS Saturday!
We keep telling you, one place, one day, everything you need. We really mean that!
Ruth's Flowers and Townsquare Media once again bring you the best way to plan your 2013 wedding in the Ark-La-Tex, the 2013 Bridal Fair is this Saturday at the Four States Entertainment Center.
Be there from 10:00a.m. until 3:00p.m. to find everything and everyone you might need or want to help you create the perfect wedding day. From caterers to clothiers, limousines to light fixtures, if it has to do with nuptials, it will be there this Saturday.
Save your self $3 per ticket by purchasing in advance, just click here.
Don't forget to register wherever you see a place to do so, many of our vendors will be giving away door prizes.
We'll see you this Saturday at the 2013 Bridal Fair!


text:
iCAN Children's Native Plant Art Exhibit
Date: Saturday, December 7, 2013
- Friday, January 31, 2014
Time: 2:00PM - 4:00PM
Location: The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden: Blaksley Library
* Open Tuesdays and Sundays, December 10 – January 28:
- 2:00pm – 4:00pm
- Exhibit free with paid Garden admission
- Closed December 24
This exhibit, curated from a semester-long, art project with the iCAN Visual Arts Program at Adams, is the pilot project for a collaboration between iCAN and the Garden. Beginning with a field to the Garden in mid-September, iCAN teaching artists incorporated an art lesson focused on native plants into the fall, 2013 program curriculum for the entire 2nd grade. Each student toured the garden collected natural materials, and drew their favorite species in their sketchbooks. They returned to the iCAN Art Studio to create a special piece of art under the creative direction of iCAN Teaching Artist, Magda Barnes and Art Assistant, Katie Acheson-Wolford. This reception and exhibit will showcase their work for their families and our community to join in celebration.
For more information, please email Nina Dunbar, or call (805) 682-4726 ext. 151


text:
No official word yet from either President Obama or Tiger Woods about their round of golf on Sunday, but their host is talking.
"We had a big day today," Jim Crane, who owns The Floridian as well as the Houston Astros, told MLB.com, the Major League Baseball website. Crane was the fourth along with Obama, Woods and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk.
"Well, when you get to play with the President and Tiger Woods in the same round, that's one that doesn't happen every day and it might not happen again," Crane said. "It was a lot of fun. The President was very cordial, and Tiger had a lot of fun and hit some great shots. We had a lot of fun."
Crane said he was impressed with Obama's game.
"[Obama] played well today," Crane said. "He made some good shots and had some pars, and I think he shot in the 80s.
"The weather was nice and we had fun," Crane added. "I think [Obama] really enjoyed his visit and we really enjoyed having him in The Floridian, and hopefully we'll have him back some day."
Crane is close to a scratch golfer, but he apparently didn't discuss his own showing with MLB.com. Regardless of how he played on Sunday, he's had a pretty good couple of weeks on the course.
Two weeks ago, he played with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus in a big charity event at The Floridian. And last week, he teamed with PGA Tour player Kevin Streelman to tie for third in the pro-am competition at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
"I've had a pretty big week the last couple of weeks," he said, in quite the understatement.
Crane, in case you're wondering, hosted a big fundraiser for Obama last spring in Houston. He bought the Astros last last year, and had purchased The Floridian from former owner Wayne Huizenga in 2010.
Crane also played with Obama on Saturday, with instructor Butch Harmon accompanying the group.


text:
By ,
Published January 13, 2015
A former New York jail guard impregnated by an inmate convicted of killing two police officers has lost custody of her baby.
According to court records, Nancy Gonzalez lost her parental rights after the inmate's relatives plied her with alcohol at two meetings over the summer.
The Daily News says Ronell Wilson's family wanted Gonzalez to testify about the baby at his sentencing hearing in an effort to help him avoid the death penalty. Gonzalez was prohibited from drinking as a condition of her bail.
Wilson has been sentenced to death by lethal injection in the officers' slayings during a buy-and-bust in 2003.
Gonzalez has pleaded guilty to charges she had sex behind bars with Wilson. She faces up to 16 months in prison.


text:
Well here is how things break down for me. Accepted : Temple, Pitt, Wake, University of MinnesotaWL: GW, BU, Vanderbilt, William & MaryRejected: Penn, Georgetown, NorthwesternWhat would you do?
Thanks Big Daddy! Next time I need an unqualified opinion, I know to whom I will turn. The choice is not that simple. Wake is also in the top tier and the name seems to carry more weight despite the fact that they are lower in the rankings.


text:
XL Airways France expands its Airbus fleet following the delivery of its first brand new A330-300 from the manufacturer's headquarters in Toulouse, France.
Operated under a leasing agreement with GECAS, the aircraft is powered by GE CF6-80E engines. XL Airways France will fly its new A330-300, configured in a single-class layout with 408 seats, to destinations in the French Caribbean starting in December 2012.
This brand new aircraft will join the Airbus fleet already operated by XL Airways France, comprising two A330-200s and one A320.
"The entry into service of our first A330-300 is a great day for XL Airways France and our passengers. With this brand new aircraft, we will open additional routes as part of the expansion of our business in the French Caribbean," commented Laurent Magnin," Chief Executive Officer XL Airways France. "This new Airbus aircraft will support our continued growth thanks to its superior fuel efficiency, capacity and range benefitting both our charter and scheduled flight operations." he added.
"We are delighted to welcome XL Airways France as the latest operator of our best selling A330-300 aircraft," said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. "Once again this delivery highlights the success of the A330 as the most popular aircraft in its class, offering the lowest operating costs, proven high reliability and a great in-flight experience."
The A330 is one of the most widely-used widebody aircraft in service today. Airbus has recorded over 1,200 orders for the various versions of the aircraft, with more than 900 delivered to 120 customers and operators worldwide. In addition to passenger and freighter aircraft, the A330 is also available in VIP and military transport / tanker variants.


text:
If you get criticism or negative feedback, instead of protecting your self with excuses or explanations. Try to tell your self , "there is some truth in what you say, and there is a reason behind, why you say so". Take the feedback with you and value it later…
Tag Archives: Floorball coach books
Floorball – Celebrate with the team or with me?
If you listen to some interviews depending of the outcome you most likely will hear a difference. Many times a negative floorball result or performance is explained with external factors (referee, unlucky, away game etc), or wage internal factors, we tried, but today we did not manage to live up fully to our capability. Success on the other hand is most likely described with own successful performance and skills or a team members successful performance and is most likely quite precis. Do you recognize it?
"The linesman scored the goal. No-one knows if that shot went over the line and you must be 100% sure" /José Mourinho
Giving Feedback
Giving feedback or in explaining your floorball teams performance, the following aspects should be consired.
Internal or external factors? Internal could be your own effort and skills. External can be referee, floor, surface weather, unlucky and so on.
Stable over time or just "one timer"
Control over the situation, who was in charge.
Floorball Teams/players that are explaining their failures or success with external causes, as "one timers", that where out of control for the team/player, will most likely end up in a really bad negative trend.
On the other hand floorball teams/players explaining their success with internal cause (their own effort, skills etc.), stability over time (we/I can and will be able to do it again) and we did it because we acted according to the game plan or as we have practiced (control), will have better chances to perform well next time as well.
Here you as floorball coach have an important role, because how you explain the results (cause, stability and control), will also affect the degree of how much your floorball team members will explain the results in this way, and also how they act during the game. The same principle can be applied on feedback during a floorball match.
Feedback during the floorball match
Your feedback during a floorball match can mostly be divided in three categories,
– Positive/negative reinforcement
– Technical instructions
– General encouragement
How are you acting in your coach role during a match?
-In the half-time Mourinho told me that "I want more intensity from your side, you are not the Milito I know, you are just walking around" – After that I scored two goals. /Diego Milito
How to celebrate a floorball goal?
What about the feedback between the players during a match? If you look at celebrations after a goal, how is the goal scorer acting? Running away from the team, or to the team members? Was the goal his or the teams, how is his/her reactions, ME or WE?
Feedback to the team or individuals?
There can also be difference if you are talking about team or individuals when you are explaining or giving feedback on the performance. Will you strengthen the floorball team or individuals in the team? In floorball teams with low team spirit or in a losing team, it tends to be more individual aspect in explaining the results and in teams with good team spirit and communication within the team, the team approach is more common, for both victories as losses, we win as a team, we lose as a team.
Finally a sentence about the most common reason for feedback from the coach or the team members, mistakes. "Everyone makes mistakes, but to get upset and also show it, makes the mistake complete" (Look, it was me who did it…)
Floorball – Hard days will always come, but never last?
What other people think of you is none of your business (I think Mourinho could have said that), Leadership is about having an unshakeable faith in your goals, vision and in your power to make positive things to happen together with your floorball team, these are also the things, good leaders are able to feed back to the team, to give more energy and keep a clear direction.
Just remember that hard days will always come, but never last, but strong people always do. Hard times are just opportunities to learn for the future!
Hard times build great leaders and floorball players. During the hard times and pressure, your leadership ability and skills are tested. Are you, or can you always be in control of things?
"If everything is under control, you are going too slow" /Mario Andretti, race driver
"The only thing that we cannot control is our supporters" / José Mourinho
"Pain is temporary. Quitting last forever". /Lance Armstrong
Great leaders and teams create castles of the stones others throw at them, but it's impossible to build a castle of success on a foundation of excuses.
Floorball – Feedback to all players, from striker to waterboy
Social loafing
In order to avoid social loafing (social loafing = I'm not important, nobody will recognize if I don't do my best), it's important that you give feedback to all of your players, so they know you see them, and they feel they are unique, important and meaningful for the team's success. This is especially important for the players with less "glamorous" roles, left or right defensemen (compared to a striker), hardworking defensive players or the substitutes (Waterboy).
See each individual performance
So you need to ensure you see each and every individual performance, and are able to give feedback, so the players can't fall in to the trap of social loafing, they feel that you see them all the time and therefore the value of their performance will increase, you are showing them every player is important for the teams success. Like the small thing in the corner, when you played defense, so the opponents where not able to get in the front of the goal…
Floorball matches and practices
This is of course applicable for both floorball games and practices. Look at José Mourinho during the games, he is taking notes and writing in his small notebook through the whole game. It's impossible to remember everything from the floorball game or practice… Your notes will help you when you want to give correct feedback after a floorball game or practice to each player, and the message will be stronger if you can refer to the the game situations correctly. Individual meetings with each floorball player will be a helpful method to avoid social loafing.
Feedback Guidelines
– Do it directly if it's possible
– Be precise (use examples from the game and practice)
– React on one action or behavior (not person)
– Use I messaging, I feel… I can see…
– Keep it short
– Use silence (silence makes the player(s) reflect and think)
– Open up for a solution, (how do you feel? How could you do this differently?)
– Ending, (OK, like you said… …could that be the way you try to do it the next time?)
"Give feedback to your best players, otherwise they won't be best in the long run, but give feedback also to the low performing players, so they know, that you know…" /Swedish hockey coach
"Guys you need to take more shots, they have also a bad goalie!" /Swedish hockey coach
After each game, Mourinho congratulates all his players on the pitch and bench, starting with his captain. And he does so by hugging them and/or touching their heads, not many managers has this kind of close rapport with their players.
Floorball – See the opportunities – feedback and evaluation
There is a clear connection between, quickly getting rid of your previous negative thoughts related to your performance and your next performance in the next floorball drill, practice or game. Have you "driven of the road" in to the ditch, you will face two options, to stay in the ditch and complain about your situation and feeling pity of yourself. Or you can immediately start the actions to get you back on road again, get your focus back on the original plan (what and how).
The ones, who are good at this, refocusing, will avoid unnecessary energy leakages and be able to keep their self-confidence. Many times the players will continue to get negative thoughts after a mistake. What if I will fail again? What if I get injured? What if I will not be successful? All this can be changed to, what if I will have fun again? What if I'm good? What if I will be successful? This is something you can visualize for your players and guide their thinking in the right direction.
Think of, or look up some videos with José Mourinho in a press conference after a game, how does he act, what does he say after a win or after a loss? Is there a difference in his behaviour?
Floorball – Teamwork for results
Floorball – Taking care of the results
Usually you only see the hard results, your score in the football game, your position in the league and so on. Many times you forget to see the progress and results in the "soft" parts, like working together (teamwork), better communication, team spirit etc. The majority of coaches are judged purely on results and in many cases, purely on immediate success rather on their performance level connected to the pre-requisites.
Even if it's the hard results that will count in floorball, but the soft results will make the right prerequisites for the hard results!
Floorball – Conflict handling – Relationship vs Performance / results
It's easy to sacrifice relationships, when you are only hunting for results, the same goes for conflict handling.
On the Y-scale you have relationship and on the X-scale the performance. Depending on the size of the conflict or if you value relationship or performance higher there are some different ways to solve a conflict.
Avoidance – If there is a minor conflict, your players will forget it soon and it will not affect the performance nor the relationship.
Adjust/accept – You value the relationship higher than the performance and accept to adjust and give the other part right.
Compromise – Lose – Lose situation, none of the parts in the conflict will get their wanted solution and need to give up something. Example. A wants A as a solution B wants D as a solution, but you end up with C…
Bulldozer – You value the performance/results higher and are ready to sacrifice the relationship, you decide!
Consensus – Win-Win discussion, was it a misunderstanding from the beginning? Find a way to a win-win situation through guiding the dialogue.
Floorball – Team Spirit inside the team
The size of the floorball team will have a great impact on the team spirit, it's harder to get a good team spirit within larger teams. In floorball teams with good team spirit the team members also tend to take greater responsibility of the negative results.
The team spirit will also most likely increase if your floorball players make great efforts or sacrifices during a floorball game. Increased team spirit will end up in greater attendance on floorball practices and more sacrifices from the players for the team during games, they will also more easily respect the team norms, like coming in time.
The level of team spirit will also affect the demand on leader behavior, task oriented (low team spirit) or relation oriented (high team spirit). High team spirit is most of the times connected to more democratic leadership.
Players in the starting formation tend to feel higher team spirit than substitutes in a losing team, but in a successful team difference is less visible between substitutes and starting formation.
In addition for clear common goals, communication and roles within the team, there are some additional things to consider regarding building up team spirit.
– Pride for the team and what the team is doing
– Team identity which will start from the game jerseys
Avoid sub-groups within the floorball team, make all of your players to know each other, this can be done through solving tasks together or with regularly meetings with the team and teambuilding activities.
When you genuinely help or support others they will do the same for you. When your players are there fully for each other, they will support each other, no matter what. One of the players supporting another will next time receive genuine support back. It's somehow build into our system, if you get support or get something, you want to give something back. You show respect and you get respect back. You show appreciation and you get appreciation.
This is of course why shops have their demonstrations of food for example, you taste, and you feel immediately you need to do something back (at least most of us), buy the product. Try to transfer this thinking and acting into your team. You can go back and look for the Champions League games Inter played during 2010 when they won. They were there for each other all the time, and of course not only on the football field.
Extra ordinary relationships will give extra ordinary results.
Floorball – Do we use the same system?
Misunderstandings create conflicts
A consequence of bad listening is conflicts. Did you know that over 90% of all conflicts starts from a misunderstanding, we did not listen to the sender careful enough, or the opposite, and we did not secure that we had the same picture with some questions, have I understood you correctly if I interpret what you said like this… We can still have different opinions about the issue, but at least we know that.
Do we use the same system
Think of 1-2-2 set up in floorball, how would you describe it? Depending on your age, geographical location, values, competence, experience and so on you will describe it in a certain way. Do you think you and I would have the same picture? What if you were on a seminar with 100 floorball coaches, you probably could find someone with same thinking, but otherwise you would get many different views of 1-2-2, everything from extremely defensive set up to extremely offensive and everything in between. So if you would attend at seminar like this, and got the opportunity to talk about 1-2-2 with everyone, you would need to be really present in your listening and check with questions that you have understood correctly. What great learning experience or source for conflicts (same topic, but different pictures = misunderstanding = conflict)
Think of following situation. You have been signed to lead a football team and explain for the team that you want to use the 2-2-1 set up, and immediately get the response, "good we know that system, it's the same as our previous coach used". This could be a major pitfall, if you think you and your players and the previous floorball coach had the same picture of how to play 2-2-1. Instead you could start asking questions to understand how they did play in general, offensive, defensive, you might find similarities to your thinking, but you would also find differences in both why, what and how.
See you or send me an e-mail?
Another part that will affect our communication is, how you perceive things around you. By seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting or smelling?How do you perceive things? If you don't have the answer, you can think of, how you say good bye, or end up a phone call, or you are maybe only sending text messages (sms and e-mail). I myself usually end up with "bye, see you" (even if it's a phone call or I know that the next meeting will be a phone call as well). I want to see and hear things. So why am I writing about this, because it's a very important part in communication and reaching your players with your message. I usually talk in pictures, I try to create an image of my message at least in my leadership role, risking therefore to lose some of my audience, who don't primarily perceive things visually, therefore it's important to try to mix your message (See – hear – feel – taste – smell) if it's a large team/group you are talking to or try to adjust your message to the individual receiver, to be able to do that you need of course to know your floorball players well.


text:
The South Madison Coalition of the Elderly is a nonprofit agency providing social services for older adults.
We strive to preserve and improve the life satisfaction of older adults in a number of ways by:
- bringing together individuals in the community who have a concern for the needs of older adults.
- coordinating and establishing programs that will help older adults prepare for and live creatively in their retirement years.
- focusing the attention and energies of the community on the needs of older adults.
- identifying the needs of older adults and advocating for their resolution.
Mission Impact
Mary's family: "Your organization made it possible for our family to survive day to day and manage a difficult time. Without all your knowledge and support, I cannot imagine what we would have done."
Harriet: "I cannot thank you enough for all you have done for me. With the extra money you helped me get, I will be able to buy food and meals that I could not get in the past. All your help has made a difference in my life."
Bertha's daughter: "My mother's case manager has been my family's guardian angel. She is the one I know I can turn to with every question, problem, and dilemma. Your case manager never once has let me down; when she says she will do something, she always comes through and far exceeds her duties."


text:
For admission to The Medical Center, it is helpful to bring certain documents and information. This may include:
- Personal Identification (driver's license, birth certificate, etc.)
- Insurance card(s)
- Medicare card
- List of current medications (prescription and over-the-counter)
- List of allergies
- Copy of living will or advanced directive
- Contact information for local closest relative
Personal items to bring:
- Robe
- Slippers
- Comfortable clothes and shoes
- Book or magazine
- Hairbrush, comb, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste
- Items such as contact lenses, eyeglasses, hearing aids, dentures, and prostheses
About medications:
The hospital will provide all the medications you need during your stay. You still need to bring a list of medications you normally take (prescription and over-the-counter).
Please don't bring:
- Jewelry
- Large amounts of cash
- Other valuables


text: These photographs are images of a unique museum collection. The Museum of Broken Relationships originally began as a project in Croatia by Zagreb based artists Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić now tours internationally. While many may destroy the painful mementos of a failed relationship, the museum seeks to transform the impulse into a creative one. The museum points out other rituals such as funerals, marriages, and even graduation farewells while break-up do not have a formal ceremony. In a way the museum offers one to assist with the emotional impact of an ended reltionship. For this reason, the museum encourages people to donate personal belongings to be exhibited as "their love legacy as a sort of a ritual, a solemn ceremony."


text:
VIDEO: Michael Jordan recorded his famous "double-nickel" game in 1995
Michael Jordan didn't leave baseball. Baseball left him.
Twenty years ago, on Aug. 12, 1994, the owners and players of Major League Baseball tested the patience and allegiance of America's sports fans with yet another full stop – the eighth work stoppage since 1972, at that point.
Little did they or anyone else know that they inadvertently were doing a great service to the NBA. The MLB strike that brought that sport to its knees, grinding to a halt some of the most exciting team and individual seasons ever, helped propel Jordan out of baseball's minor leagues and back into uniform with the Chicago Bulls. Once restored to his primary athletic pursuit, Jordan won three more NBA championships in perhaps the most successful comeback in pro sports history and establishing his legacy as the league's GOAT.
All because the baseball guys couldn't sort things out in fewer than 232 days.
It was bad enough that the summer game threw itself into winter just as pennant races and statistical chases were heating up. The Montreal Expos were both MLB and the National League's best team (74-40) on Aug. 12 in their best chance yet at a World Series. In the American League, the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians all had legitimate shots at 100 wins.
San Diego's Tony Gwynn was hitting .394 in the latest, greatest shot at .400 since Ted Williams did it in 1941. San Francisco third baseman Matt Williams was going after Roger Maris' record of 61 from 1961 four years before Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa staged their performance-enhanced show. Frank Thomas crammed a full season (38 home runs, 101 RBI, 106 runs, .353 BA and 1.217 on-base plus slugging percentage) into two-thirds of the schedule.
Meanwhile, that Jordan guy was plugging along with the Class AA Birmingham Barons in the Southern League. Showing up early, staying late, humbling himself in search of a new (or at least renewed) skill set. Jordan was riding a bus – admittedly a spiffy luxurious one, paid for by revenues he helped generate – and struggling to keep his batting average above .200 for the Barons when the big leaguers walked out. He was 31 years old, spending his days and nights with a crew of recent high school and college kids.
And from many accounts, he was having the time of his life. One of them, anyway.
"When MJ was with us, it was kind of a whirlwind," said Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona, who was the Barons' skipper in 1994. "It had all the makings of turning into a circus, but it never did. I think that was mainly because of the way Michael handled things. He respected the game of baseball so much. He was so eager to learn, even the lingo and how the guys talked. And he understood … what the players weren't making and how hard they had worked just to get to the Double A level."
Francona recalled how coachable Jordan was that summer in a video for the Barons' Web site earlier this season. "I think it's kind of fashionable to maybe come down on MJ for playing baseball. … And I always wanted to be very protective of him because of how respectful he was of the game."
Jordan's so-called dalliance with baseball – or his exile, if you bought into rumors that the NBA had considered an investigation into and possible suspension for Jordan's gambling associations – was driven in part by his late father, James, and his love of that sport. And it might have continued if only the big leaguers had found labor peace more quickly.
Jordan had batted .202 in 127 games for Birmingham, with 17 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 51 RBI and 30 stolen bases in 48 tries. He committed 11 errors in the outfield. But he went to the Arizona Fall League, where he batted .252 as his long, loping swing evened out and he learned to protect his rather large strike zone.
Jordan reported to spring training a week early in February 1995 ready to resume his grand crossover. Only, the MLB strike persisted. Jordan did not want to cross the players' picket lines, nor was he willing to be considered as a "replacement player" simply as a way for the owners to sell tickets. (The Barons had shattered their home attendance record, drawing 467, 867 fans at Regions Park and even more (517,318) on the road.)
So on March 10, with no end in sight to the strike, Jordan announced his retirement from baseball.
On March 18, Jordan faxed his now-famous "I'm back" statement, announcing his return to the NBA. He played for Chicago the next day, scoring 19 points on 7-of-28 shooting at Indiana.
Baseball reached a collective bargaining agreement to resume on April 2. Three nights later, Jordan scored 37 points in a 108-101 victory at New Jersey. The Bulls got eliminated by Orlando from the Eastern Conference playoffs, but roared back for a second three-peat of championships. With a renewed, more teammate-oriented Jordan leading them.
"I don't know if baseball took away from his legacy, but the coming back was so dramatic," Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf told the Chicago Sun-Times in 2013. "[That] caused him to spend the next summer working out like a madman, bringing in players from all over the country to play with him. And if you remember the next season, we were 72-10. He was on a mission to prove something. Maybe playing baseball contributed to that."


text:
fare forward
I'm in a bit of a bind. With this new year hurtling by so fast it's taking my breath away and this song going round in my mind, I need to decide what I'm going to commit to over this next year, and beyond, to make myself happy. The kind of intrinsic happiness that comes from doing something that you love and that leaves you with the sense of a day well lived. Something beyond the daily contentment of family: something entirely personal. These last years have been so full of parenting that this kind of decision was, more or less, redundant. Now, before another birthday comes, I feel I need to make that choice and get going. But making the choice between different options is where I come unstuck.
There are many things I love and that fire me up. Some of those things - art, making, photography - are more simple pleasures. They don't cause me too many problems. But the writing that I know is what I really need to commit to is where the fear lives. It's words that have always held me and exercised me and filled my secret corners. The trouble is, I'm not at my happiest whilst lost in words. It's too deep a descent into the world of the hidden, and the excavation of words and meaning is hard. I'm distracted - preoccupied - often lost. It's like being back in the forest and choosing the path that looks the most impenetrable. It may be that I have to exchange the comfort of a gentle, immediate form of happiness for the sort that comes when something hard has been achieved. When fears are faced down and seen off.
There's a small circle of blue breaking through the dense clouds that have suddenly taken away the promise of spring. Enough to make a sailor a pair of trousers my grandmother would say with satisfaction; knowing it was likely that the day would turn out well after all. I have most of this day in front of me and I won't make it better by indulging in yet more circular thought. I think I know what I've got to do.


text:
Product Groups
Getting Started
Keep track of products you're interested in, view trading data and access all your contracts in a single location.
Intraday Data
Subscription Based Data
Learn why traders use futures, how to trade futures, and what steps you should take to get started.
The PPI measures the change in the price of goods purchased and sold by producers. PPI for manufactured goods consists of a producer price index and purchaser price index. The industrial producer price index reflects the trend and level of prices change when the products are sold for the first time. The industrial purchaser price index reflects the trend and level of prices change for the products purchased by the industrial enterprises as intermediate inputs.
It is a leading indicator of consumer inflation - when producers pay and charge more for goods the higher costs are usually passed on to the consumer.
The PPI measures the industrial products price changes for the domestic market. Unlike most other countries, China only produces a comparison with the same month in the previous year but not with the previous month. The PPI covers all manufacturing activities. The prices include excise taxes but exclude VAT. The industry breakdown for the PPI follows China's Industrial Classification of the National Economy. The data include a 38 industry breakdown and are not adjusted for seasonality. They are available by the 20th of the month following the reference month and are published in the daily NBS paper "China Information".
The statistical survey of industrial producer prices covers prices for over 11,000 products from 1702 subclasses, 191 groups; and the statistical surveys of industrial purchaser prices cover prices for over 6,000 industrial products from over 900 subclasses. Industrial producer prices are collected from combined surveys of key businesses and typical businesses. Starting from 2011, the key businesses are those with their turnover from primary activities over 20 million yuan, and the typical businesses are those with less than 20 million yuan. The surveys cover about 60,000 industrial enterprises in over 400 cities across the country.
CME Group is the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace. The company is comprised of four Designated Contract Markets (DCMs). Further information on each exchange's rules and product listings can be found by clicking on the links to CME, CBOT, NYMEX and COMEX.
CME Group / Chicago HQ
Phone: +1 312 930 1000
Toll Free (US Only): +1 866 716 7274
© 2019 CME Group Inc. All rights reserved.
Careers | Site Map | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms of Use | Modern Slavery Act Transparency Statement


text:
About the Author
- I am an online content editor for Successful Farming/Agriculture.com and Living the Country Life, but my full-time job is raising three boys on a small farm in south-central Iowa.
Please read the forum guidelines. Please post, reply, read, and view our tutorials to learn all about our new forums and features.
Latest Comments


text:
Story highlights
- Two-time MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner to retire at the end of this season
- The Australian says he no longer enjoys the motorsport as much as he did
- The Honda rider tops practice ahead of Sunday's Le Mans Grand Prix in France
- Seven-time title winner Valentino Rossi aims to stay in the sport for another two years
Motorcycling star Casey Stoner may have announced his attention to retire from the sport on Thursday, but his apparent lack of motivation to continue racing was not apparent 24 hours later as he topped practice for this weekend's Le Mans Grand Prix.
The two-time MotoGP world champion says he has grown tired of the discipline after five years competing in the elite division, and will bow out at the end of this season -- which still has 15 of the 18 races remaining
"I will be finishing my career at the end of this season in MotoGP, and go forward in different things in my life," the 26-year-old Australian told a pre-practice news conference.
"After so many years of doing this sport which I love, and which myself and my family made so many sacrifices for, after so many years of trying to get to where we have gotten to at this point, this sport has changed a lot and it has changed to the point where I am not enjoying it.
"There are a lot of things that have disappointed me, and also a lot of things I have loved about this sport, but unfortunately the balance has gone in the wrong direction."
The Honda rider leads the 2012 world championship after two wins from three races.
"It would be nice if I could say I would stay one more year," he said. "But then where does it stop? So we decided to finish everything as we are now."
Stoner set a time of one minute 33.74 seconds around the French circuit on Friday, over two-tenths of a second quicker than Spanish teammate Dani Pedrosa.
Pedrosa's compatriot and 2010 world champion Jorge Lorenzo, who is one point behind Stoner in the standings, was almost four-tenths of a second adrift in third position for Yamaha.
Seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi was well down the order in ninth, having struggled for form since switching from Yamaha to Ducati for the 2011 season.
But despite his recent poor form, the legendary Italian dismissed rumors he was considering retirement and said he wanted to continue in the sport for at least another two seasons.
"For me it's very difficult to understand where the news starts because I never speak about my retirement," the 33-year-old said. "I want to race in MotoGP for the next two years for sure."


text:
Types of Replication
Microsoft SQL Server provides the following types of replication for use in distributed applications:
Transactional replication. For more information, see Transactional Replication.
Merge replication. For more information, see Merge Replication.
Snapshot replication. For more information, see Snapshot Replication.
The type of replication you choose for an application depends on many factors, including the physical replication environment, the type and quantity of data to be replicated, and whether the data is updated at the Subscriber. The physical environment includes the number and location of computers involved in replication and whether these computers are clients (workstations, laptops, or handheld devices) or servers.
Each type of replication typically begins with an initial synchronization of the published objects between the Publisher and Subscribers. This initial synchronization can be performed by replication with a snapshot, which is a copy of all of the objects and data specified by a publication. After the snapshot is created, it is delivered to the Subscribers. For some applications, snapshot replication is all that is required. For other types of applications, it is important that subsequent data changes flow to the Subscriber incrementally over time. Some applications also require that changes flow from the Subscriber back to the Publisher. Transactional replication and merge replication provide options for these types of applications.
Data changes are not tracked for snapshot replication; each time a snapshot is applied, it completely overwrites the existing data. Transactional replication tracks changes through the SQL Server transaction log, and merge replication tracks changes through triggers and metadata tables.
See Also
Send feedback about:
Loading feedback...


text:
August 15, 2011
Alex Boisvert
Theme: Why That Blankity-Blank … — Each theme answer is a made-up two-word phrase where they first word ends in a long E sound, and the second is the same word but with the long E sound dropped.
Theme answers:
- 17A: Meat used in place of a puck? (HOCKEY HOCK).
- 39A: Surcharge for a cab ride? (TAXI TAX).
- 61A: Davy Jones at an abbey? (MONKEE MONK).
- 11D: Intimidator on the bovine playground? (BULLY BULL).
- 35D: Short-term Arizona State employee? (TEMPE TEMP).
I started right off with a mistake at 1-Across, misspelling HAWG as HOGG (1A: Big Harley, in slang). D'oh! Other than that, I didn't really have any trouble. It was smooth going from start to finish. Great clues today include:
- 20A: John Williams quintet? (OSCARS). I don't know if this is right, but in my head John Williams is the guy who did the music for the Star Wars movies. To Wikipedia! …. Woo-hoo! Love it when I'm right about stuff like that. Or about anything really.
- 51A: Comfortably rewarding (CUSHY).
- 50D: Skating maneuver (CAMEL). A little on the tough side for Tuesday, but I like it.
- 56D: Where most people live (ASIA). I love it when the puzzle forces us out of our little American view of the world.
Crosswordese 101 Round-up:
Everything — 1A: Big Harley, in slang (HAWG); 5A: "Marching Along" autobiographer (SOUSA); 10A: "Mamma Mia!" group (ABBA); 14A: Soap Box Derby state (OHIO); 15A: Hearth debris (ASHES); 16A: Off-peak period (LULL); 17A: Meat used in place of a puck? (HOCKEY HOCK); 19A: Untidy type (SLOB); 20A: John Williams quintet? (OSCARS); 21A: Fridge sound (HUM); 22A: '70s Olympics name (OLGA); 23A: Fab Four member (STARR); 24A: Prepare beans, Mexican-style (REFRY); 26A: Scary fly (TSE-TSE); 30A: Place for care instructions (LABEL); 33A: Mouse catchers (CATS); 36A: Expected (DUE); 37A: Professor's goal (TENURE); 38A: Corrida cry (OLÉ); 39A: Surcharge for a cab ride? (TAXI TAX); 41A: English __ (LIT); 42A: Drum heard in Westerns (TOMTOM); 44A: Actress Basinger (KIM); 45A: Bar brews (ALES); 46A: Mar. parade celeb (ST. PAT); 47A: Presario PC brand (COMPAQ); 49A: Significant period (EPOCH); 51A: Comfortably rewarding (CUSHY); 55A: Dinner and a movie, say (DATE); 57A: D-backs, on scoreboards (ARI); 59A: Gillette razor named for its blade count (TRAC II); 60A: One with a password (USER); 61A: Davy Jones at an abbey? (MONKEE MONK); 63A: Gimlet garnish (LIME); 64A: Game show host (EMCEE); 65A: Throw in a chip (ANTE); 66A: SoCal force (LAPD); 67A: Country singer Rimes (LEANN); 68A: Tabloid loch (NESS); 1D: Hostess snack cakes (HO-HOS); 2D: "__ of golden daffodils": Wordsworth (A HOST); 3D: Neopagan religion (WICCA); 4D: Some Soap Box Derby entrants (GO-KARTS); 5D: Articulates (SAYS); 6D: __Kosh B'Gosh (OSH); 7D: "Rats!" ("UH-OH!"); 8D: Out of harm's way (SECURE); 9D: Invitation on a rep's button (ASK ME); 10D: Losing candidate (ALSO-RAN); 11D: Intimidator on the bovine playground? (BULLY BULL); 12D: Online journal (BLOG); 13D: Jessica of "Sin City" (ALBA); 18D: Slips up (ERRS); 25D: Show off one's muscles (FLEX); 27D: Dutch cheese (EDAM); 28D: Prom duds (TUX); 29D: Bulova competitor (SEIKO); 31D: 14-Across's Great Lake (ERIE); 32D: Tennis net grazers (LETS); 33D: Summer cabin beds (COTS); 34D: Boatloads (A LOT); 35D: Short-term Arizona State employee? (TEMPE TEMP); 37D: Pack (down) (TAMP); 39D: Four-legged Oz visitor (TOTO); 40D: Comical Conway (TIM); 43D: Like a pencil point (TAPERED); 45D: Sea-dwelling superhero (AQUAMAN); 47D: Car trim (CHROME); 48D: Farmland division (ACRE); 50D: Skating maneuver (CAMEL); 52D: Teatime snack (SCONE); 53D: Help for the clueless (HINTS); 54D: "Omigosh!" ("YIKES!"); 55D: Boring (DULL); 56D: Where most people live (ASIA); 58D: Bygone Peruvian (INCA); 59D: Not-so-little kid (TEEN); 62D: Barbie's guy (KEN).


text:
Want to capture quality leads for your business and services online?
We have 2900+ designs for sale in our online gallery at a very affordable prices. We provide CTA (call to action) as well as lead generating form landing page designs so you get a variety of options to choose from.
Check out our latest lead generating landing page designs below for capturing quality leads online:
Professional and affordable life insurance coverage CTA landing page design
Continue reading Latest creative lead gen landing pages for capturing leads


text:
Sale Date Ended
Sale Date Ended
Page Views : 259
Leading SAFe - SAFe Agilist (SA) Certification Workshop
Phalguna Ramaraju, SAFe SPC, CSP, CSPO, CSM, PMI-ACP, PMP
Phalguna Ramaraju is a consulting Agile Coach with over 30 years of experience in the IT industry, with the last 10 years in coaching and training 100's of Agile teams at large enterprises in their software development environments. He has been working as a consulting Scrum Coach / Agile Coach for large organizations in implementing Scrum and Kanban along with Agile engineering practices with real-time implementation of Agile framework models like Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe), Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS), and custom scaling of Scrum. He has wide-intensive experience in coaching and comes from strong programming experience combined with solid leadership experience at various senior levels. Phalguna is a pioneer in Agile trainings, and has trained over couple of thousands of participants in the last few years including corporate as well public batches.
Phalguna Ramaraju holds the following certifications to his credit:
SAFe Program Consultant (SPC) by Scaled Agile Academy
Certified Scrum Professional (CSP) by Scrum Alliance
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) Scrum Alliance
Certified Scrum Master (CSM) Scrum Alliance
PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® by PMI
Project Management Professional (PMP®) by PMI
Scaling Agile / Scrum practices beyond certain number of teams in any enterprise needs a more disciplined coordination in addressing the complexity and variability related challenges in Software Development effort. SAFe tackles these usual tough issues in Agile like architecture, integration, funding, governance and roles at scale. Scaled Agile Framework® is a proven, publicly available framework for applying Lean-Agile practices at enterprise scale. It is field-tested framework and enterprise-friendly.
SAFe Agilist (SA) certification validates your knowledge in applying the Scaled Agile Framework, Lean Thinking, and Product Development Flow principles in an enterprise context so you can lead the adoption of the Scaled Agile Framework. After attending this workshop, you will be eligible to appear for certification exam as a SAFe (SA).
This is a two-day course which will help you gain the knowledge necessary to contribute to the Enterprise Lean | Agile Transformation by leveraging the Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe) and its underlying principles of Lean thinking, and Product Development Flow. You will leave with an understanding of how the principles and practices of the Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe), topics include:
Introducing the Scaled Agile Framework
Embracing Lean and Agile Values
Understanding SAFe Principles
Implementing the Agile Release Train
Experiencing Release Planning
Executing and Releasing Value
Building an Agile Portfolio
Leading the Lean-Agile Enterprise
Who can benefit from this course?
Project managers, Directors, Product managers, Program management personnel, Architects will benefit with the knowledge of bringing the best possible Agility and continuous improvement and Lean leadership skills.
If you are a Project Manager, Delivery Manager, Development Manager, QA Manager, Support Manager, Operations Manager, Technical Manager, Project Manager, Program Manager, Portfolio Manager, People Manager, Business Leader, Executive at any level, Scrum Master, Agile Project Manager, A leader coaching Scrum teams, Agile change agent with responsibility of leading a Lean-Agile change initiative in a large software enterprise, this SAFe Agilist (SA) certification program helps you provide with the knowledge and certification to readily start contributing to your organization's vision of transforming to Lean-Agile at various levels.
Workshop Duration:
Two (2) day course workshop.
* 5+ years of experience in software development, testing, business analysis, product or project experience.
* Experience in Agile flavors like Scrum / Kanban / XP
What will you take away as participant?
* Understand a holistic view of how Agility can be achieved in an organization-wide context - Enterprise Portfolio to Team level agility.
* Learn and apply Lean Agile and Product Development Flow principles for Agility - to improve productivity, employee engagement, time to market, and quality.
* Apply the Scaled Agile Framework based on real-world examples, and insights.
* Understand the leadership skills and framework related knowledge necessary for an enterprise transformation based on the information and examples presented, and additional recommended readings and resources.
* Gain the insights into the Lean Leadership skill most effective in unlocking the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers and begin applying them in your context.
What Credentials do you get?
* Attend the two-day Leading SAFe (SAFe Agilist) course
* Take the SA exam
* You will take online course feedback survey
* Upon passing the exam, you will be able to use SAFe Agilist (SA) credential. You will receive Scaled Agile Academy membership for one year, also get access to the private SA member area, related downloads, and invitations to special events like webinars and so on.
Course Agenda details for the 2-day course:
1: Introduction to the Scaled Agile Framework®
A detailed overview of Scaled Agile Framework for enterprise; Understanding of SAFe; Know how to implement SAFe
2: Embracing Lean and Agile Values
An overview of Lean Software Development and Product Development Flow; Embrace Lean thinking; Embrace Agile values
3: Understanding SAFe® Principles
Understand Core Principles of SAFe and applying them in the context of Large scale Agile development in the Enterprise context and related Business Benefits. Sysems thinking; Understanding economics of product development flow.
4: Implementing an Agile Release Train
Introduction to Agile Release Trains; Organize an Agile Release Train; Organize Agile teams and key Agile Release Train roles; Understand the Release Planning process
5: Experiencing Release Planning
Create Release Plans (PI Planning), Review, Commit release plans with full of activities that provide detailed understanding of PI Planning process;
Building the Architectural Runway; Execution the Program Increment, Releasing.
6: Executing and Releasing Value
Execution of the Program Increment; Roadmap; Release Value; related events and steps.
7: Building an Agile Portfolio
Agile transformational patterns for Strategy and Investment Funding, Program Management, and Governance - Scaling to the Portfolio, Understand the Business overview, Strategic Themes, Value Streams, Budgeting & Forecasting, and Responsibilities of Program Portfolio Management.
8: Leading the Lean Agile Enterprise
Lean Leadership Foundation, Applying the principles of Lean-Agile Leadership in motivating the knowledge workers and embracing the Agile Manifesto.


text:
Reviewed by Katie C. (age 8)
I like this book because it was funny. He had a lot of ideas about how he would be better than Anthony. I thought the Mom was nice.
I would recommend this book to my friends because it is funny. My friends like to sharpen pencils like the little boy in this story.


text:
Fast computation of Discrete Fourier Transforms using the Cooley-Tuckey algorithm. Time complexity is O(n log n) in the size of the input.
This uses a naive divide-and-conquer algorithm, the absolute performance is about 50x slower than FFTW in estimate mode.
isPowerOfTwo :: Int -> BoolSource
Check if an
Int is a power of two.
fft3d :: Mode -> Array DIM3 Complex -> Array DIM3 ComplexSource
Compute the DFT of a 3d array. Array dimensions must be powers of two else
fft2d :: Mode -> Array DIM2 Complex -> Array DIM2 ComplexSource
Compute the DFT of a matrix. Array dimensions must be powers of two else


text: WASDE: Higher Cotton Stocks Estimated July 11, 2013 06:05 AM Tweet TAGS: Marketing, Overseas December 18, 2014 By AgWeb.com Editors Email COTTON: The month's U.S. cotton estimates include slightly higher ending stocks in 2012/13 and 2013/14 resulting from a reduction in the current season export estimate, which reflects the recent pace of shipments. Forecast production for 2013/14 remains at 13.5 million bales, the same as last month; however, estimates of planted area, harvested area, and average yield have been updated to reflect recent information. The 2013/14 projections of domestic mill use and exports are unchanged from last month. The forecast range for the marketing-year average price received by producers is lowered 3 cents on each end to 70 to 90 cents per pound. Projections of world cotton stocks are also raised in both 2012/13 and 2013/14 due to a combination of higher production and lower consumption. For 2012/13, production is raised in Australia, while consumption is reduced in Pakistan and India, but is raised in Vietnam – these adjustments reflect recent data revisions. For 2013/14, production is raised in India due to favorable early season weather conditions, while forecast consumption is lowered in Pakistan and Russia. The balance sheet for China is unchanged this month and assumes continuation of current policies regulating the national reserve acquisition and release prices. .................................. Coverage, Analysis of the July 11 USDA Reports See all of the report data, coverage and analysis of the July 11 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates and Crop Production reports. Back to news


text:
Welcome to the Wiltshire OPC website
We hope our site will make your searching easy and help you to interact with the OPCs.
It is our wish that this site should take on a community feel and become your first port of call for Wiltshire genealogy. Like all major projects it will take time to achieve all we would like to but please keep calling back and checking on our progress.
Please note that the webmaster does not have any information on parishes which do not yet have an OPCs.


text:
Salty … with sweetness and a smooth finish.
That's the regional flavor of Tidewater oysters as they're now being touted in a new Virginia Oyster Trail campaign launched Tuesday by Gov. Terry McAuliffe, part of his long-term effort to build a "new Virginia economy."
The campaign is meant to connect Chesapeake Bay oysters with the watermen who harvest or farm them, the raw bars and restaurants that sell them, and the Virginia wines that can pair with them, the governor's office said.
"Virginia produces the best oysters in the world and, as the oyster industry continues to grow, we want to let it be known that Virginia is also the Oyster Capital of the East...


text:
The Home of Fashion Film and Live Fashion Broadcasting
Report by Lou Stoppard on 23 February 2013.
There was both 'less is more' and 'more is more' at work on the Pucci runway. Less clothing, but more embellishments. So hemlines, whether on skirts or micro shorts, skimmed the thigh and dipped at the back, while lingerie-like dresses came decorated to the max with suede applique, collages and embroidery.
11. See CLOSE Up, Emilio Pucci @EmilioPucci @EmilioPucci_JP #EmilioPucci the Fall Winter 2013_14 collection #mila http://t.co/38hvawPA9x
Rock chicks sixties style at Pucci. Loved the pastels oversized coats. And the thigh boots. Oh My. #swagger #MFW
The beautiful entrance to #Pucci #followthebuyers http://t.co/zzau8ffUNZ
Thought your Saturday was busy? Check out backstage at Pucci #mfw http://t.co/hRA0oVh7VP http://t.co/NMo4QBSFb3
3. See CLOSE Up, Emilio Pucci @EmilioPucci @EmilioPucci_JP #EmilioPucci the Fall Winter 2013_14 collection #milan http://t.co/gPQkPsxyTm
Peter Dundas makes Pucci the party girl label while Rita ora looks on http://t.co/BcPRybo5RY
The finale of the @pucci show. http://t.co/8awnNDh23s
I think Peter Dundas has finally found his personal intersection with Pucci. It's nice to see Pucci look like Pucci. #mfw #wsjfashion
Love the hair and make up at Pucci #MFW @ELLEUK
Back to the @EmilioPucci Sixties - cape coats, pea coats, blunt fringes and thigh-high boots #mfw
All the girls have glorious heavy sixties fringes at Pucci. I'm a fan.
Spotted: Rita Ora at Emilio Pucci #mfw
Last show of the #mfw day is @EmilioPucci
Photo: Fairly amazing ceiling at the venue for Pucci. Complete with fitting harpsichord backing music. #mfw http://t.co/tDp4R8B7e0
In fevered anticipation to see Pucci's "playful and unapologetically optimistic" vision for Autumn. #MFW
Off to Pucci...bring us the glamour, Peter Dundas! #MFW
Wigging out backstage at Emilio Pucci (my favourite look yet may I add). Pics to follow shortly... #mfw http://t.co/OUWWHgjTiS
Backstage bij #EmilioPucci, @MAC_Victor_C working his magic #MFW My backstage-buddy of today!
-2 hours to the Emilio Pucci #FW13 Fashion Show. Enjoy the live streaming on http://t.co/Z286jKtCzr #MFW http://t.co/rpZelLXceE
We're going all Marianne Faithfully at #Pucci #followthebuyers #mfw http://t.co/cXHgjZSFMu
#Gypset is a trendy word and it applies to #Pucci #mfw. -SG
@RitaOra & @caradelevingne at the Emilio Pucci show tonight. http://t.co/nqlXLoKGHU
In the final show of #MFW day 4, @EmilioPucci showcased pastel pop fur, feather embellishments and lots of sparkle!
15. See CLOSE Up, Emilio Pucci @EmilioPucci @EmilioPucci_JP #EmilioPucci the Fall Winter 2013_14 collection #mila http://t.co/fNgWbD7bvb
#MFW Worst case scenario 4)eating a cheeky choc gelato on route to @EmilioPucci u "bump" Peter Dundas's white jeans http://t.co/lxY3gc4xkP


text:
People working for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) who owned stock in companies under investigation were more likely to sell shares than other investors in the months before the agency announced it was taking enforcement actions, according to a new academic paper.
SEC employees holding shares of five firms, including JPMorgan Chase & Co. and General Electric Co., in 2010 and 2011 sold stock in 62 percent of the trades they initiated, compared with 50 percent among all the investors who traded those shares in that period, Emory University accounting professor Shivaram Rajgopal reports in the paper.
Rajgopal, who plans to present the work today at a University of Virginia accounting seminar, said in a telephone interview that while the analysis doesn't prove misconduct, it points out a suspicious pattern.
"It does suggest it is likely, or probable, that something is going on," he said.
The records, obtained from the SEC under a Freedom of Information Act request by Rajgopal and his co-author, Roger M. White, a doctoral student at Georgia State University, don't identify individuals.
The limitation means the researchers couldn't tell if an individual trader made or lost money in a transaction. They also couldn't discern if those trading worked in jobs where they might have advance knowledge of actions that could push stock prices lower.
Rajgopal and White analyzed records of 7,200 trades from 2009 to 2011. Since 2009, most of the SEC's 4,000 employees have had to report their investments and trades to the agency.
"All we can do is show some statistical, circumstantial smoke, and we don't know if there is really a fire," Rajgopal said. Still, he added, "It's not clear why we should find this pattern by sheer chance."
John Nester, an SEC spokesman, declined to comment on the study.
Rajgopal is the Schaefer Chaired Professor in Accounting at Emory's Goizueta Business School. He earned his Ph.D in accounting at the University of Iowa and taught at the University of Washington before joining Emory in 2010. His published research has focused on accounting quality, executive compensation, and financial reporting. In 2008 and in 2012 he shared the Glen McLaughlin Prize for research in accounting and ethics, administered by the University of Oklahoma.
'Interesting Questions'
Brad Barber, a finance professor at the University of California-Davis School of Management who wasn't involved in Rajgopal's study, cautioned that the paper is in preliminary form and hasn't yet been through the academic review process.
"It nonetheless raises interesting questions if proven to be accurate," Barber said.
Beginning in August 2010, the SEC's ethics rules prohibited employees from buying or selling shares of companies under investigation and generally required them to obtain permission before trading. The rules forbid them from trading in any financial company directly regulated by the SEC, such as a bank-owned broker-dealer. The rules also generally require workers to hold any stock they buy while working at the SEC for six months before selling the shares.
The agency said in January it is reviewing the holdings of about 3,400 employees after some of its New York staff was found to own securities prohibited by ethics rules.
Enforcement Actions
The trades involving the five companies were one part of Rajgopal's and White's study. According to the data, SEC employees made 87 trades in shares of JPMorgan, General Electric, Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., and Johnson & Johnson in the 90 days before the SEC announced the companies had paid to settle enforcement claims.
In the case of Bank of America, for example, the researchers examined trades in the three months before the firm agreed to pay $150 million on Feb. 4, 2010 to settle claims it misled shareholders about bonuses and losses while acquiring Merrill Lynch & Co.
In the month before the cases became public, more than 70 percent of the employee trades were sell orders. Buy and sell orders from all investors in those companies were evenly divided in those time periods, the researchers found.
Some of the employees' sales could have been motivated by a need to comply with the ethics rules on prohibited stocks, Rajgopal said. "But if that is the case, you still have to wonder about the timing," he said.
Beating the Market
For the broader analysis of the 7,200 trades, the researchers modeled a portfolio based on the SEC employees' investment decisions and found their stock trades beat a market index by as much as 16 percent from August 2009 to December 2011. They measured the one-year return for each transaction.
The profits generally didn't come from picking stocks, with the researchers finding that SEC employees "appear unable to capture gains in their buy portfolios." Instead, almost all of the excess return stemmed from selling shares that later declined in value relative to the broader market, they wrote.
That finding indicates employees may have sold shares in companies they knew were under a non-public SEC investigation, the authors write.
"They do manage to get out before bad news hits the market," Rajgopal said.


text:
The Biggest Pop Hits of 2011 – In One Mash Up
It's hard to encapsulate an entire year's worth of music into less than five minutes, but a DJ in Germany pretty much did just that. The DJ, going by simply (and appropriately) Mashup Germany, mashed up 29 songs into four minutes and eight seconds of pure pop bliss.
The track and its accompanying video features predominantly American pop acts as well as European and American DJs. The video opens with a shot from Taio Cruz's 'Hangover,' then flashes to Brit songbird Adele's 'Rolling in the Deep,' then a quick glimpse at David Guetta and Usher's megahit 'Without You,' followed by the video's credits in a city scape. In case you don't recognize the next shot of a somewhat nerdy guy pushing a boulder, it's a shot from a video by DJ Avicii called 'Levels.' The video then flashes briefly to Rihanna's 'We Found Love,' Jennifer Lopez's YouTube hit 'On the Floor,' then to brief bits of more DJ tracks.
Britney Spears hit 'Til the World Ends' is next up, followed by some fro and crotch shots of LMFAO's latest smash, 'Sexy and I Know It.' Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera's hit 'Moves Like Jagger' comes through, separated from David Guetta, Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida's hit 'Where Them Girls At' by LMFAO's "shake that" lyric from 'Party Rock Anthem.' Taio Cruz's 'Hangover' returns, breaking into Jason Derulo's 'Don't Wanna Go Home' — then it's back to Britney, back to LMFAO, back to Maroon 5, back to David Guetta and Usher … phew!
The next seamless portion mixes Enrique Iglesias' 'Tonight (I'm Loving You),' Pitbull's first No. 1 'Give Me Everything' featuring Ne-Yo, a frenetic beat and scantily clad club chicks.
It would take days to go into full detail of the entire track and video, so for now here's the track list that DJ Mashup Germany provided — and a link to download the full mix. A fun fact? Much of the track is riddled with "What the f—?!" The lyric is courtesy of Sak Noel's 'Loca People,' which is predominantly featured in the mix.
Taio Cruz – 'Hangover'
LMFAO – 'Party Rock Anthem'
Adele – 'Rolling in the Deep'
David Guetta feat. Usher – 'Without You'
David Guetta feat. Sia – 'Titanium'
Snoop Dogg – 'Sweat'
Bruno Mars – 'Grenade'
Avicii – 'Levels'
Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris – 'We Found Love'
Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull – 'On the Floor'
Swedish House Mafia – 'Miami 2 Ibiza'
Martin Solveig feat. Dragonette – 'Hello'
Aura Dione – 'Geronimo'
Sak Noel – 'Loca People'
DJ Antoine – 'Welcome to St. Tropez'
Britney Spears – 'Til the World Ends'
LMFAO – 'Sexy and I Know It'
Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera – 'Moves Like Jagger'
David Guetta feat. Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj – 'Where Dem Girls At'
Jason Derulo – 'Don't Wanna Go Home'
Enrique Iglesias – 'Tonight'
Pitbull feat. Neyo – 'Give Me Everything'
Alexandra Stan – 'Mr. Saxobeat'
Mono & Nikitaman – 'Dezibel'
Black Eyed Peas – 'Just Can't Get Enough'
Rihanna – 'S&M'
Foster the People – 'Pumped Up Kicks'
Coldplay – 'Paradise'
Lady Gaga – 'Judas'
Watch Mashup Germany 'Top of the Pops 2011′ Video