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Herman could hardly believe what he was hearing and Herman was used to incredible stories. As a younger man in Russia he had experienced a terrible throat infection that was quickly
rendering him mute. Day by day, his friends and family became increasingly uncomfortable with his voice devolving into series of croaks and sputters. He spent days in prayer for the health of his voice and throat but nothing seemed to happen. His family and friends prayed for him, as well. The thought of a monastic like
Herman becoming mute was more than a little frightening--a learned man of prayer and words without a voice seemed especially tragic. Yet, it still seemed as if his prayers remained unanswered. As days passed, Herman's prayers became increasingly wordless and more and more desperate. One night he prayed before retiring for the night and felt an unmistakably odd sensation of hopeless desperation and faint, white-hot hope. Moving his lips in silence, he prayed: "Thy will be done." As he slept, a vision of the virgin Mary came to him and touched his ailing throat. A brief flash of pain and relief surged through him and he awoke with a start. "Was that a dream?" he asked himself aloud. In surprise, he heard his own voice and gratefulness flooded through his body. He had been miraculously healed. It was incredible--truly hard to believe.
Yet, Herman could not believe that other men claiming the yoke of Christ would mistreat the Aleutian people so cruelly. They had arrived and insisted that they convert to their particular doctrinal position upon penalty of death. This was especially tragic for Herman since he had been sent as a missionary to Alaska from Russia to bring the Aleutian people the faith they were now being asked to suffer for. He had arrived with other missionaries to live and make room for a monastery among the Aleuts. They had been welcomed tentatively at first but had proven their love and compassion for the Aleuts and had become welcome dwellers in the often unforgiving wilds of Alaska. Regrettably, some of Herman's companions had gone back to Russia for a variety of reasons. Others had been martyred. Herman had stayed and made himself a more permanent resident. He had experimented in the Alaskan soil and found a way to grow a garden. Now, only Herman remained as Orthodox monastic at the New Valaam monastery. His brothers and colleagues were now Aleutian converts. It was these men that were now in the grips of the others and facing martyrdom. It was one of these men who was telling him the incredible story.
"They threatened us with torture," said the escapee, "and then they followed through and started cutting off our fingers and toes one by on." Herman shook his head sadly. "They insisted that we could go free if we'd only 'convert,' but Peter kept insisting that he was already a Christian," continued the escapee. At the mention of Peter's name, Herman called up the image of his dear brother in his mind.
"What did they do to Peter?" asked Herman.
"They... they..." stuttered the escapee,"...they killed him because he refused to say anything but 'I already am a Christian.'" A bright light seemed to shine in Herman's eyes at this statement. He nodded vigorously and walked swiftly to the iconostasis of the monastery.
Kneeling in prayer, he crossed himself and cried out loudly in a mixture of joy and sorrow: "Pray for us new martyr Peter." His brother and sisters followed in his footsteps as they reflected upon the faithful death of their brother at the hands of the misguided.
Years later, Herman called for the Acts of the Apostles to be read so that he might hear them at his death. One of the men he had guided to the Faith read the whole of the book in Herman's hearing and then turned to see if Herman needed anything else. Herman smiled and embraced his friend and colleague. Then, he died in the arms of his beloved friend. It was many weeks before a priest could come to officiate a funeral for Herman--he had remained alone as a missionary in the New World and found faith, hope, and love in the forbidding Alaskan wilderness.


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|wispy cardigan made by mamatronic
the best part is that we all did them while watching one of our favorite shows - downton abbey. i think it's safe to say we all love it and it just made this kal that much more fun to have downton gossip to dish which spurred many other wonderful and very special conversations in our ravelry group. new friendships were made and existing ones were made stronger. a lot of new techniques were learned and a few of us recovered from our boo boos (myself included) and we all managed to come out of it with brand new lovelies to show off.
to say i luv you all is an understatement. the wonderful and caring group of ladies in our rav group have such a special place in my heart. i look forward to going on there everyday and chatting and seeing what you are all up to and doing this post is my little way of saying thank you! thank you for being you, for being brave, for being strong, for staying up late with me, for loving downton as much as i do, for loving knitting as much as i do and for being such a welcoming group of gals. i also have lots of AWESOME prizes to give away next week too! so now....enough of my gushing...here's your hard work ladies!
|1. magrathea 2. frederick & anne scarf - both made by this handmade life
|1. rustling leaves beret made by kpbailey 2. caroline made by kcmomof2 3. nola cloche made by northernheather 4. sideways grande cloche made by expecting sam 5. escargot made by sewsable 6. lucy hat made by mootastic1 7. regina made by rashooray 8. brattleboro hat made by jenny makes stuff 9. copenhagen hat made by 9crafty11
|downton cowl made by kpbailey
|1. imogen cowl made by schatzi knits 2. cladonia made by svenna 3. cladonia made by culabrat
|1. regina made by ummashin 2. downton cowl made by carambole 3. rustling leaves beret made by girl like the sea
|ethereal made by mrscattel
|1. stripe study shawl made by rncurlysue 2. artemis cowl made by jannamaria 3. downton cowl made by juniper grace 4. faraway so close made by mootastic1 5. pretty triangle scarf made by corrinemb 6. drop stitch cowl made by jackiemcmahan
|downton girl made by celtic cast on
|1. shallows made by jpknitknot 2.gramps made by expecting sam 3. fishtail wristwarmers made by emsmomma 4. quill made by kirstyl
|regina made by pajfrun
|1. wintered wheat mitts made by avasmom2007 2. ringwood gloves made by quiteamuzing 3. peacock eye fingerless mitts made by avasmom2007 4. regina made by lilpixie124 5. waiting for winter mittens made by knitterlydesigns 6. wintered wheat mitts made by nidhikansal 7. crochet lace fingerless mitts made by therapsdia 8. knitted neck scarf made by sewknittystar 9. socks made by minervas 10.. victorian cabled wristlets made by lauranh
|1. downton cowl made by 2. downton cowl made by urbanizer
|1. doily made by cnuland 2. a little something made by kcmomof2 3. stockholm scarf made by mudpunch 4. downton cowl made by trishaclap 5. downton cowl made by ackirebecci
|grace lace beret made by arika
you can follow along with all things downton abbey knit along here:

subset: commoncrawl


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Adult Fun!
Senior Social Services
905 Avenue C
Katy, Texas 77493
Katy offers an extensive variety of activities geared toward seniors. This September's calendar alone offers group walking, Bridge, piano lessons, Rummikubs, Dominoes, water aquatics, line dancing, Pinochle, an Astros game, Mah-jong, art and painting classes, crocheting, ceramics, jewelry making, a trip to Colorado, a trip to New Braunfels, Bunko, and Bingo. Wow! There is no time to get bored!


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The date has been set for one of our tastiest traditions at SEFS, so mark your calendars for Wednesday, October 2, and the Welcome Back Salmon BBQ!
Each year as the Fall Quarter gets under way, we gather for an afternoon of grilling and gabbing in the Anderson Courtyard from 4 to 6 p.m. We'll cart in loads of fresh salmon from Yakama Nusux, the Yakama Nation tribal fishing company, and grill maestro Luke Rogers will once again direct the cooking crew. You can watch the fish sizzle over alder wood from Pack Forest as your mouth waters and nostrils flare with delight. It's a feast for your senses, and a great time to catch up with friends and colleagues after the summer.
All SEFS students, staff, faculty and alumni are invited, as are significant others and children. As always, SEFS will be providing beer, soda, baked beans and corn on the cob. But the rest of the meal is a potluck, so please bring an appetizer, side dish or dessert to share!
Also, if you're able to assist with set-up or clean-up, please contact Nevada Smith to make sure we have enough help before and after the event. We'll start getting ready at 2 p.m., and we'll begin taking everything down at 6 p.m. If you can spare a few minutes at either end, that would be tremendous!


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According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a significant severe weather outbreak is expected across much of Central Kentucky this afternoon and evening.
"It cannont be stressed enough that there is a significant threat for severe and tornadic thunderstorms this afternoon and evening," according to the NWS. Please stay abreast of the current situation, as quick action will be needed since any thunderstorms this afternoon will pose a significant threat to life and property."
According to the NWS, "a strong low pressure system over Missouri will continue to develop and move towards Ohio. This is currently pushing a warm front across the region, bringing with it widespread showers and thunderstorms throughout Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana. These storms through the noon hour will be capable of producing large hail and frequent cloud-to-ground lightning and brief heavy rain fall. This warm front will push north of the region by midday and we will see a lull in precipitation."
The storms will begin, according to the NWS, "most likely around the I-65 corridor during the early afternoon hours. Roughly around 2 to 4 p.m."
Those storms will produce large hail, damaging winds and some tornadoes, possibly long-track and very damaging tornadoes, as well.
According to the NWS, the storms will reach South Central Kentucky and the Bluegrass region after 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., and will still remain severe or tornadic.
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Scooters like the new 125cc Vivacity Sixties from Peugeot are enjoying a resurgence in popularity as motorists seek alternative transport in the face of spiralling fuel costs. In May this year the cost of petrol and diesel hit an all-time high, with drivers paying around 20p per litre (90 pence per gallon) more than this time last year*. According to the AA, a driver spending £30 a week on petrol is currently getting around 34.6 fewer miles than a year ago, which is equivalent to almost two days commuting by car (the average journey to work being nine miles).
As a consequence many drivers are having to limit both their fuel spend and mileage to balance their weekly budgets, with figures suggesting that 29% of UK motorists have had to drive less. Meanwhile others are turning to two wheels to help ease the financial pressure of the daily commute and sales of scooters rose by almost 20% up to the end of July.**
With its tan seat, retro chrome mirrors and classic lines, Peugeot's Vivacity Sixties brings a dash of retro style to the daily commute; and its modern 125cc, four-stroke motor emits 30% less CO2 than most small cars, making it kinder to the environment too. Currently on offer at £1799, a saving of £400 on the suggested selling price of £2199, and covered by a 2-year warranty, the Vivacity Sixties offers motorists another incentive to switch from four wheels to two (Please remember this is a limited time offer which may have ended). For further information on the complete range, call 01202 810100 or visit peugeotscooters.co.uk.
Editor's Notes:
* Source: www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/news/high-fuel-prices-drivers-limit-fuel-spend.html
** Source: www.mcia.co.uk.


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Welcome back to patch 5.4 This time I will be going over the Bronze tanking "challenge" in the proving grounds. The proving grounds are a new feature in patch 5.4 that will serve as a tool to help new players increase their skill without putting other people through their lack of ability.
This video is a mix of live commentated stuff and some post commentary analysis. Since its bronze its exceedingly simple.
You can find me on the following social networks (anook/twitter preferred):
Twitter: http://twitter.com/bellulargaming


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A responsible supply chain isn't just the right thing to do for people and the planet — it's also good for business.
We're committed to minimizing our environmental impact and improving the lives of all people who make our products. We expect the highest ethical standards throughout our supply chain and promote meaningful social change at supplier sites and nearby communities.
Our Responsible Supply Chain Program works with suppliers to uphold the standards of our Supplier Code of Conduct, based on worker input, local laws and our core values.
We work with multiple stakeholders to help make conflict free sourcing available for everyone while supporting the miners and communities who depend on mining for their well being.
Our ultimate vision is to create a world where everyone has access to clean energy; this includes not only Google, but our suppliers and their communities - from mine to manufacturing.
We carefully evaluate how workers are being protected from chemical exposures through effective engineering controls, administrative procedures, and personal protective equipment.
Daydream View uses just 301 grams of materials for both the headset and controller.
Google Home has a total of 42% post-consumer recycled plastic for external enclosure and speaker housing.
Our Responsible Supply Chain Program works with over 500 suppliers globally who provide hardware products and services.
Through direct engagement with the people who build our products, we gain valuable understanding of working conditions that influence our program design.
Supplier Code of Conduct
We created the Google Supplier Code of Conduct to ensure that our high standards for protecting workers and the environment are upheld by every supplier involved in our operations. It builds upon Google's core values and beliefs as well as our internal employee Code of Conduct, safety standards, environmental standards, and contract requirements.View policy
Conflict Minerals Policy
Most electronics contain tantalum, tin, tungsten and/or gold. These metals can be sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and adjoining countries where a decades-long civil war is being waged and where various groups are fighting to control the mineral trade. We believe it is essential to establish in-region conflict-free sources of these metals to protect human rights.View report View policy
Supply Chain Report
We work with more than 500 suppliers worldwide to manufacture hardware components for our data centers, consumer devices, and other related products. We are committed to ethical and fair treatment for workers, safe and healthy workplaces and a smaller environmental footprint.View report
Modern Slavery Statement
"Modern slavery" -- recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for compelled labor or commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or coercion -- is estimated to involve as many as 46 million victims today. We are committed to ensuring that modern slavery is not taking place in our supply chains and business operations, and have developed programs and processes to accomplish exactly that.View statement View Policy


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Measurements: 34a-26-36
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Firefox 10, I select print .html to file, input doc.pdf and it generates .pdf file.
At the first time I get good document.
At the second time, the intervals between letters are wide.
Third time - all words are compressed to one character cell.
Question: What is the cause of this troubles with fonts?
Firefox 10, font mechanism of eCS 2.1?


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Tancredo's Mesa County Mischief
Didn't see this one coming.
For some weeks now, there has been a state House race in Mesa County that has been a reportorial feast for The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. The paper has done a great job detailing how the Republican candidate for the seat has a checkered employment and financial past.
GOP heavyweights have been in a knot about the Jared Wright situation. Some are pressuring Wright to withdraw so they can appoint a Republican candidate without so much baggage. They've even launched robo calls asking people to call on Wright to get out. As you may recall, this is the Laura Bradford seat.
All of that is intriguing, but here's the part that's surprising. Conservative immigration firebrand Tom Tancredo has entered the fray, and the former U.S. congressman is urging people to support Wright. He is featured in a robo call singing Wright's praises.
This is the same guy who went nuclear on Dan Maes in 2010, trying to force the pathetic GOP candidate out of the governor's race because of Maes' many shortcomings, some of them admittedly entertaining. Who could forget Maes's contention that Denver's B-cycle bike sharing program was turning the city into a "United Nations community"? It was hard to keep track of the number of tin foil hat jokes that incident provoked.
Read more…


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Chicago offered a peek and a taste Tuesday of an upcoming $26.2 million makeover of the international terminal at O'Hare International Airport.
The city and its redevelopment contractor promised "sophisticated world-class dining and retail,'' yet they served up what seems more like higher-end food-on-the-go and the usual duty-free shopping along with several uniquely Chicago offerings.
A total of 15 new dining and retail brands are in the plan. Changes include a new food court and a spa offering massages and salon services, plus new passenger amenities ranging from a streamlined security checkpoint to updated restrooms and plenty of electrical outlets for passengers to charge cell phones and other devices.
Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises will make its debut at an airport with four restaurants when the O'Hare International Terminal 5 overhaul, led by Westfield Concession Management, rolls out in phases next year.
The city awarded Westfield, a major developer of shopping malls and airport concessions, a 25-year contract last year to manage concessions in Terminal 5. Elsewhere at the airport, some retail enhancements have been made in the domestic terminals in recent years, although comprehensive reviews of concessions at both O'Hare and Midway Airport are under way, city aviation officials said.
Chef Rick Bayless, who already operates two popular Mexican restaurants in O'Hare's domestic terminals, will open Tortas Frontera in Terminal 5, featuring a menu with ingredients gathered from local farms.
Jewelry and other luxury items will be sold by designers Michael Kors, Salvatore Ferragamo, Emporio Armani and Bvlgari, according to Westfield, which operates concessions at 10 U.S. airports.
The upgrades mark the first overhaul of Terminal 5 since it opened in 1993.
"This is a day that is long overdue for O'Hare International Airport and specifically for Terminal 5," Chicago Aviation Commissioner Rosemarie Andolino said at an event previewing the new food, beverage and retail offerings.
One of the city's major goals for the project is to maximize revenues to the city to the tune of at least $4.8 million a year, Andolino said.
Currently, 95 percent of the dining and retail options in Terminal 5 are located before passengers pass through the security checkpoint, creating a disincentive for passengers to buy food before boarding planes. That will change dramatically under the plan being carried out by Westfield, said Dominic Lowe, the company's executive vice president.
In addition, the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint in Terminal 5 will be redesigned to improve efficiency, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.
All departing passengers will flow through a duty-free store, operated by Dufry, after clearing the new security checkpoint, officials said.
Andolino singled out the terminal's restrooms as among the worst aspects of the 19-year-old facility, saying the modernization will result in washrooms that are similar to those found in luxury hotels.
She said the project will fulfill Mayor Rahm Emanuel's "vision to transform the terminal into a world-class experience.''
While the Terminal 5 redevelopment probably will be a welcome improvement to most international travelers, it's doubtful the outcome will match the adventures that the most discriminating and elite travelers enjoy at world-class airports in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. In the 2012 passenger satisfaction survey of the world's top airports conducted by Skytrax, no U.S. airports placed in the top 20.
Airports in Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong, Amsterdam and Beijing were the top five in the Skytrax survey. But travelers on layovers also rave about the Ferrari World theme park next to Abu Dhabi International Airport and the over-the-top lounges at Dubai International Airport, which is not far from a mall that features an indoor ski hill.
Still, "I think you have to give a lot of credit to Rosie (Andolino) for what she has done here at Terminal 5,'' said Aaron Gellman, an airport and airline expert at Northwestern University. "I think this is going to be the best they can do with one of the lousiest buildings in the airline industry firmament.''
Asked why Terminal 5 is so bad, Gellman said the facility is uncomfortable and poorly laid out.
"You ever come in at the end gate? You don't want to, because of the long walk and there are no moving walkways,'' Gellman said.
Guests who enjoyed the free feeding frenzy at the terminal Tuesday offered no complaints.
"The spa services and the other improvements are definitely going to step it up,'' said Jessica Roy, a sales manager with Chicago-based Orbitz travel service.
Twenty-four of the 50 airlines that serve O'Hare operate in Terminal 5, according to the Aviation Department. But of the more than 67 million passengers who passed through O'Hare in 2011, only slightly more than 1 million used Terminal 5, according to department figures.
Chicago Aviation Partners, the company that previously had the Terminal 5 contract, filed a lawsuit last year contending that Westfield was selected through a bidding process that violated state law and that Westfield will shortchange the city by tens of millions of dollars. The suit is still in the courts.
Twitter @jhilkevitch


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South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences
versão On-line ISSN 2222-3436
versão impressa ISSN 1015-8812
S. Afr. j. econ. manag. sci. vol.15 no.3 Pretoria Jan. 2012
Corruption and multinational companies' Entry Modes - do linguistic and historical ties matter?
Mariene GrandeI; Aurora AC TeixeiraII
IFaculdade de Economia, Universidade do Porto
IICEF. UP, Faculdade de Economia, Universidade do Porto; INESC Porto; OBEGEF
The literature on FDI entry modes and corruption tends to convey the idea that corruption leads to a choice between low equity modes, i.e. joint ventures with local partners, and non-equity modes, namely exports and contracting, in order to avoid contact with corrupt state officials. Recently, some studies have argued that despite corruption, linguistic and historical ties between home and host countries lead MNCs to prefer high-equity modes. Focusing on a rather unexplored setting, the African countries, most specifically the Portuguese-speaking ones (PALOP - Países Africanos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa), which include countries where levels of corruption are very high (e.g., Guinea-Bissau and Angola), high (e.g., Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe), and intermediate (e.g., Cape Verde), maintaining also close linguistic and historical ties with Portugal, we found that the FDI entry mode is associated with the less corrupt markets. Thus, our results do not support the recent contention that cultural and historical links are likely to perform a mediating role, by fostering foreign direct investment, in supporting African countries to overcome the dismal growth some have been facing in the last few decades. On the contrary, our findings highlight the pressing need for these countries to combat corruption if higher economic growth via FDI attraction is envisioned.
Key words: corruption, emerging economies, entry mode
1 Introduction
Africa is becoming the new frontier for emerging-market investors (Santiso, 2007). An analysis by The Economist (2011) finds that over the last decade, no fewer than six of the world's ten fastest-growing economies are in sub-saharan Africa, including Angola in first place in the ranking and Mozambique in eighth. This evolution of formerly underdeveloped markets makes it increasingly more difficult for foreign investors to ignore these markets, despite their (justified) reputation as a tough place for business owing to political uncertainty, corruption, weak infrastructure and consistent regulation (The Economist, 2010).
Multinational companies (MNCs) are in-creaseingly influenced by institutional instability, perceived risk and uncertainty in their process of investing in emerging economies (Uhlenbruck, Rodriguez, Doh & Eden, 2006). In corrupt and risky contexts, there is evidence that firms prefer joint ventures to wholly-owned subsidiaries (Rodriguez, Uhlenbruck & Eden, 2005; Uhlenbruck et al., 2006; Straub, 2007; Javorcik & Wei, 2009; Demirbag, McGuinness & Altay, 2010). Regardless of whether firms face petty bureaucratic or high-level political corruption (Straub, 2007) and of the level of the pervasiveness and arbitrariness of corruption (Rodriguez et al., 2005; Uhlenbruck et al., 2006), existing empirical studies suggest that corruption influences the entry mode, particularly in the choice of non-equity modes or partnering.
According to some more recent studies (e.g., Cuervo-Cazurra, 2008; Demirbag et al., 2010; Jimenez, Durban & De la Fuente, 2011), the growing attractiveness of emergent regions allied to strong cultural and historical ties between home and some host countries have progressively led to a higher propensity for FDI despite the existence of corruption.
Studies that analyse the relationship between corruption and its impact on the MNCs' choice of entry mode have focused mainly on Eastern Europe (Javorcik & Wei, 2009) and Asia (Demirbag et al., 2010), or provide a general overview based on cross-country compositions (Uhlenbruck et al., 2006; Straub, 2007). Similar analyses focusing on African countries have been rather neglected in this regard.
Aiming to test the role of corruption in the firms' choice of entry mode in contexts where there are significant historical and cultural linkages, our analysis is focused on the Portuguese MNCs investing in the PAL OP, a set of countries characterised by levels of corruption which are very high (e.g., Guinea-Bissau, and Angola), high (e.g., Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe) and intermediate (e.g., Cape Verde) (Transparency International, 2009). Given the close ties between Portugal and the PALOP based on linguistic and historical factors, and following the reasoning of Cuervo-Cazurra (2008), Demirbag et al. (2010) and Jiménez et al. (2011), it would be scientifically pertinent to analyse the extent to which the PALOP's corruption levels influence the entry modes of Portuguese MNCs in these countries. To this end, a direct questionnaire was built and applied to 562 Portuguese firms that have internationalised to the PALOP, from which we obtained 147 responses representing 334 firm-market observations. The empirical analysis undertaken contributes to the lack of literature on corruption and the MNCs' entry modes by analysing an under-explored context, the PALOP countries.
This paper is structured as follows. In Section 2 we review the literature on the theories and determinants of MNCs' entry modes and on corruption, broadening the analysis of existing articles on the impact of corruption on MNCs' entry modes. Section 3 details the study's methodological considerations: data gathering procedures, questionnaire, target firms (Portuguese firms that have internationalised to the PALOP), and the specification of the econometric model which aims to quantify the net impact of corruption on entry mode choice. In Section 4, the results of the econometric estimations are discussed and, finally, Conclusions summarises the main points of the research.
2 Corruption and MNC entry modes - literature review
International entry modes represent the third most-researched field in international management, being directly related to the international activity of MNCs (Canabal & White, 2008). Entry modes vary largely in their scale of entry (Peng, 2009), and are generally divided into two categories: equity and non-equity (Tian, 2007).
Equity entry modes include joint ventures and wholly-owned subsidiaries. The former consist in a sharing arrangement between a foreign MNC and a local firm, where resources, risk and operational control are divided between the partners (Julian, 2005), whereas the latter may involve both greenfield investments, which include establishing a new firm, and acquisitions of already existing firms (Razin & Sadka, 2007). Equity modes require a very high resource commitment, i.e. the scale of entry, because direct establishment takes place in the foreign market (Hill & Jones, 2009).
Non-equity modes include exports and contractual agreements like licensing, franchising, turnkey projects and R&D contracts. In this case, the scale of entry is lower because relations with the foreign market do not imply direct establishment (Peng, 2009).
A MNC's choice of market entry mode depends on several determinants. It is thus important to review the theories on FDI and MNCs that intend to explain why firms become involved in several types of internationali-sation processes. In general, the highly diversified theoretical approaches (e.g. early studies on FDI; the neoclassical trade theory; ownership (O), location (L) and internalization (I) framework - cf. Faeth, 2009), do not directly and explicitly aim to explain MNC entry modes but they focus instead on highlighting key determinants of foreign direct investment.1
By adapting the existing theoretical approaches to FDI and internationalisation, we intend to provide a distinct approach, mixing existing contributions with Transaction Cost Analysis (TCA) and Dunning's Eclectic Paradigm or OLI model. The latter is an integrated internationalisation model that draws inspiration from three different strands of business theory, namely competitive theory, in terms of ownership of strategic assets, international business theory, in terms of location advantages, and finally, TCA, in terms of internalisation issues. According to Dunning's Eclectic Paradigm, only by integrating the three perspectives can the international activities of MNCs be fully understood (Aspelund & Butsko, 2010) and their choice of entry mode rationalised (cf. Figure 1).
Based on the firms' abilities, it may be possible to connect the firm's competences, skills and assets from the resource-based theory (Hill & Jones, 2009) to Dunning's Eclectic Paradigm or the OLI framework (Luo, 1999). Accordingly, to take advantage of firm-specific assets (Madok, 1998; Sreenivas & Pangarkar, 2000), such as technology-intensive resources (Sun, 1999; Javorcik & Wei, 2009) and inventive/R&D-intensive activities (Bhaumik & Gelb, 2005; Chung, 2009), the most common entry mode is the establishment of wholly-owned subsidiaries (WOS). This is justified on the basis that firm-specific resources and activities need a high level of control (Edwards & Buckley, 1998; Chen & Hu, 2002), which would not be possible in a joint venture (JV), where knowledge has to be transferred to the partner (Chiao, Lo & Yo, 2010; Yiu & Makino, 2002; Martin & Salomon, 2003). Therefore, we put forward that:
Hypothesis 1: The higher the MNC's R&D intensity, the higher the likelihood of entry via FDI.
In line with Garcia and Fernandez (2009), who found a positive correlation between service-providing companies and entry through FDI, we maintain that service-related companies, as opposed to manufacturing ones, would be more inclined to opt for the FDI entry mode, given the nature of services -- immaterial, often information-intensive; hard to separate production from consumption; consumer-intensive, hard to store or transport (Toivonen & Tuominen, 2009).
Hypothesis 2: MNCs from the services sector are more likely to enter a foreign host country through FDI rather than through other nonequity modes.
MNCs with accumulated experience in inter-nationalisation are less likely to rely on the support of a joint venture partner, because they already have the required know-how to conduct business abroad (Mutinelli and Piscitello, 1998). In contrast, when MNCs do not have any experience, JVs can be used to complement internal R&D resources and to exchange knowledge on an inter-firm basis (Mutinelli & Piscitello, 1998). Consequently, we put forward that:
Hypothesis 3: The higher the MNCs ' international experience, the more likely the choice for FDI entry modes.
Although some studies did not find a statistically significant relationship between firm size and entry mode choices (Evans, 2002; Esperança, Hill & Valente, 2006), Demirbag et al. (2010) found that the larger the size of the operation, measured by the number of employees, the more likely the foreign investor will choose wholly-owned subsidiaries to enter a foreign market. According to Mutinelli and Piscitello (1998), small firms with a lack of resources, experience and information face a high level of uncertainty, which can be mitigated by lower levels of involvement in the host market, such as, for example, through non-equity modes. On the contrary, larger firms, usually possessing a higher amount of valuable tangible or intangible assets, may attract opportunistic joint venture partners or intermediaries, which may lead them to establish on their own. To test this argument, we put forward that:
Hypothesis 4: The larger the MNC, the more likely it will opt for FDI entry modes.
Besides the fact that most of the studies in this literature stream did not obtain a statistically significant correlation between the openness of the host economy and a specific entry mode (e.g. Javorcik & Wei, 2009), there are studies that suggest a positive correlation between openness and FDI (Chang & Rosenzweig, 2001). They argue that trade barriers (i.e. a low level of economic openness) should lead to a lower share of exports in the market, and consequently, the market share of imports in a host country can be seen as a factor that encourages high resource-commitment modes. Therefore, we put forward that:
Hypothesis 5: The more open the host economy, the more likely the MNC's choice for FDI entry modes.
Some studies on the determinants of MNCs' entry modes find a positive correlation between the host market size and FDI inflows. Cuervo-Cazurra (2008) obtained high levels of correlation among the variables related to the characteristics of a country (such as GDP and population). In line with these results, Uhlenbruck et al. (2006), when analysing 220 telecommunication projects in 64 emerging economies, also controlled for GDP per capita and obtained a positive correlation with FDI inflows. Accordingly, we put forward that:
Hypothesis 6: The larger the host market, the more likely the MNC will opt for FDI entry modes.
Cultural distance is a dominant determinant of entry mode choice. According to Chen and Hu (2002:196) "[c]ulture is shared values and beliefs. Cultural distance is the difference in these values and beliefs shared between home and host countries. Large cultural distances lead to high transaction costs for multinationals investing overseas".
Studies focusing on FDI flows and/or entry mode choices often obtain a statistically significant correlation when it comes to culture-measuring variables. Cornelius (2005) attempted to shed some light on the quality of governance practices in a large sample of countries and the extent to which that quality could offset perceived weaknesses in the institutional framework in which companies operate. And indeed the perceptions of the quality of corporate governance appear to be consistent with his assumptions. Most importantly, though, he identified important outliers, suggesting that other factors such as political, cultural and historical roots also play an important role. Moreover, Strange, Filatotchev, Lien & Piesse (2009), when examining the FDI location strategies of firms from Taiwan in a rapidly emerging market (China), found that the efficacy of firms' external linkages varies according to the strength of the cultural and historical ties between the location of the foreign affiliate and the home country.
Hypothesis 7: When the home and host country share linguistic and historical ties, the more likely foreign investors are to enter via FDI rather than through non-equity modes.
Jiménez et al. (2011) aimed to analyse the impact of political risk variables in the location strategy of Spanish Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) in Europe. In this study, they collected evidence on the relevance of lower political constraints to attract investments. However, the results also highlighted the importance of cultural and geographical proximity, which may serve to overcome obstacles derived from higher corruption or lower economic freedom levels. In line with these findings, which suggest that the effect of cultural links may exceed the impact of other determinants, such as corruption, Cuervo-Cazurra (2008), when controlling for cultural similarities, found a positive correlation between a common language in host and home countries and FDI inflows, even when there is corruption in the host country. The findings of Demirbag et al. (2010) confirmed this correlation, when analysing 104 Turkish MNCs which invest in the culturally close Republics of Central Asia. They found that even in the presence of corruption, foreign MNCs reveal a preference for high levels of involvement in the host market, which they enter by means of wholly-owned subsidiaries. Thus, we put forward that:
Hypothesis 8: The higher the importance MNCs attribute to institutionally-related factors (e.g. legal restrictions and political stability), the higher its FDI propensity tends to be.
Since corruption is one of the most pervasive political problems worldwide, there has been considerable empirical research on its causes and effects in recent years (Frischmann, 2010; Goel & Nelson, 2010).2 The World Bank has estimated that more than 1 trillion USD is paid in bribes each year and that countries that fight corruption, improve governance and the rule of law, potentially increase per capita incomes by 400 per cent (Dreher, Kotsogiannis & McCorriston, 2007).
A large amount of research on the impact of corruption on the MNCs' choice of entry mode has found that corruption discourages the establishment of wholly-owned subsidiaries (WOS). The analysis by Uhlenbruck et al. (2006) of 220 telecommunications development projects in 64 emerging economies found that firms adapt to the pressures of corruption via short-term contracting and joint ventures, avoiding WOS. Javorcik and Wei (2009) studied how entry modes were affected by the extent of corruption in 22 Eastern and Central European countries and found that corruption reduces inward FDI and shifts the ownership structure towards joint ventures, to avoid excessive transaction costs related to corrupt government officials. Rodriguez et al. (2005) confirm this tendency arguing that, in the presence of both arbitrary and pervasive corruption, MNCs tend to enter by means of non-equity modes or joint ventures to avoid direct contact with corrupt government officials and to achieve legitimacy through networking activities. Furthermore, Demirbag et al. (2010), when analysing 104 Turkish MNCs investing in Central Asian countries, found that corruption generally leads to entry through joint ventures with local partners. An analysis of 231 entries by Dutch MNEs in 48 countries by Slangen and van Tulder (2009) offers support for these findings, arguing that MNCs often choose joint ventures over WOS to protect themselves from external uncertainties. This assumption is supported by Straub (2007) who state that countries with high political corruption are most frequently entered via non-equity modes.
However, not all empirical studies have found a clear-cut negative relationship between corruption and entry through WOS. For example, Taylor, Zou and Osland (2000) and Ahmed, Mohamad, Tan and Johnson (2002) argue that MNCs tend to opt for high control modes (WOS) when the risk of doing business in the host country is high. Henisz (2000) also found that in the presence of political risks, MNCs tend to choose WOSs to protect themselves from potentially manipulative joint venture partners. Another approach by Li and Rugman (2007) showed that MNCs prefer to enter markets with high uncertainty levels through WOSs because they contribute to reducing uncertainty. Therefore, we put forward that:
Hypothesis 9: The higher the host country's corruption level, the more likely foreign investors will opt for entry through non-equity modes.
3 Methodological considerations
Similarly to other studies which analyze the role of the several determinants of the MNCs' choice of entry mode (e.g. Uhlenbruck et al., 2006; Straub, 2007; Slangen & van Tulder, 2009), our study makes use of a multivariate econometric model, more specifically, a logistic regression to assess how corruption affects the firms' entry modes in countries characterised by widespread levels of corruption (the PALOP), and which maintain historical and linguistic affinities with the MNCs' home country (Portugal).
Based on the literature, the MNCs' choice of entry mode depends on four main groups of determinants, namely on the three dimensions of Dunning's Eclectic Paradigm (or OLI model) and the institutional approach.
Our 'dependent' variable, MNC entry mode, is a dummy which assumes the value 1 in cases where the firm opts for entry (in a given market) through FDI and 0 otherwise (nonequity modes).3
Given the nature of the dependent variable (binary), the empirical assessment of the MNCs' FDI propensity is based on the estimation of the general logistic regression, which in turn is based on the existing literature on the determinants of entry modes, surveyed in Section 2. In order to obtain a more straightforward interpretation of the logistic coefficients, a rearrangement of the logistic model's equation has to be considered, and it is rewritten in terms of the odds of an event occurring. Writing the logistic model in terms of the log odds, we obtain the following logit model:
The logistic coefficient can be interpreted as a change in the log odds associated with a one-unit change in the independent variable. Then, e raised to the power β is the factor by which the odds change when the ith independent variable increases by one unit. If β is positive, this factor will be greater than 1, which means that the odds are increased; if β is negative, the factor will be less than one, which means that the odds are decreased. When β is 0, the factor equals 1, which leaves the odds unchanged. In the case where the estimate of β emerges as positive and significant for the conventional levels of statistical significance (that is, 1 per cent, 5 per cent or 10 per cent), this means that, on average, all other factors remaining constant, the 'preferred' entry mode by Portuguese MNCs in countries/markets with higher perceived corruption levels is FDI, which would be in line with Hypothesis 9.
The descriptive statistics of the variables model and the matrix of correlations are presented in Table 1. The estimates of the β are given in Table 2.
Our unit of analysis is not the firm or the market but rather the firm and the market - the same firm can internationalise to a single country or to all the (5) countries (Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, and Sao Tome Principe) in analysis.
The population surveyed included all (562) the Portuguese firms that have internationalised to the 5 PALOP countries, according to AICEP Portugal Global (a government business entity focused on FDI and the inter-nationalisation of Portuguese companies).4
A direct email questionnaire was built and sent to all these firms. Questions covered not only the firms' main characteristics but also aspects regarding their entry modes in each market under analysis (depending on whether they had in fact entered) and their perceptions of some key institutional factors (specifically, the importance of legal restrictions, linguistic and historical ties, and the impact of corruption in the choice of entry mode).
Around a quarter of the surveyed firms answered the questionnaire and, considering that 65 per cent had internationalised to more than one PALOP country, 321 valid responses were obtained.
The descriptive results (cf. Table 1) based on the survey's sample suggest that the Portuguese MNCs' 'propensity' for FDI as the 'preferred' entry mode in PALOP countries is positively and significantly related to firm size and the importance attributed to legal restrictions and political stability. That is, in a bivariate statistical analysis, larger MNCs and those that perceive legal restrictions and political stability as key factors when choosing their entry mode, tend on average to opt for equity-based entry modes (i.e. FDI), instead of exports and/or contracting. In contrast, firms with higher international experience, as measured by the number of countries to which they have internationalised or the number of years since they first internationalised, tend to opt for non-equity entry modes, namely exports.
Regarding the relationship between the independent variables, the results show that the years of internationalisation experience and number of countries to which the firm has internationalised are positively and significantly related, revealing that firms which have internationalised to a larger number of countries tend to have started their internationalisation processes much earlier. Given this high correlation, it was advisable to estimate the 'theoretical' model using one of the two proxies of internationalisation experience. Thus, we estimated Model I (cf. Table 2) using 'number of countries in which the firm is present' as the proxy for internationalization experience, whereas in Model II, the 'number of years of internationalisation experience' was used.
Although some correlations between the independent variables are strong (namely, between the corruption perception index and the openness indicator - see Table 1), these are not high enough to undermine the estimation of the proposed model.
4 Econometric results
According to the goodness-of-fit measures (Hosmer & Lameshow test and percentage corrected), the two estimated models represent 'reality' quite well. Table 2 presents the results of our logistic estimates.
Considering the results related to the control variables included in our models, statistical evidence was not found to sustain a correlation between the MNCs' R&D intensity and a specific entry mode (i.e. Hypothesis 1 is not corroborated). In contrast, sector dimension emerged as a statistically significant variable. Thus, our results support Hypothesis 2. Specifically, estimates indicate that MNCs from the Services sector tend to present an odds for FDI 3 times higher (e1.194=3.301) than that of their Manufacturing counterparts.
Quite unexpectedly, and in contrast to the literature (e.g., Mutinelli & Piscitello, 1998; Chiao et al., 2010), Hypothesis 3 was not supported. The international experience of Portuguese MNCs is negatively related with the (log odds of) FDI 'propensity', meaning that firms with higher international experience tend to enter the PALOP markets mainly by way of exports. As noted by Slangen and van Tulder (2009) in their study, this may be due to the fact that MNCs tend to enter new markets by the same method/mode with which they entered other markets previously - i.e. when a firm has experience in entering markets via exports, it is more likely that subsequent internationalisation processes will take the same path.
As expected, the larger Portuguese MNCs tend, on average, ceteris paribus, to choose FDI as their preferred entry mode in the PALOP. Thus, Hypothesis 4 is corroborated, which reflects the finding of Demirbag et al. (2010) that the higher the number of employees (in their case, as a proxy for the size of operation), the more likely the foreign investor will choose an equity entry mode.
In contrast to some of the existing literature (e.g. Javorcik & Wei, 2009) where the economy's openness does not appear to have a statistically significant effect on the choice of entry mode, in this study, the country's openness indicator emerges as quite relevant. The estimate coefficient of market openness, which stands as a proxy for the host countries' reception of trade and commerce, reveals that, on average, all other factors remaining constant, markets which are relatively more open (reflecting lower transaction costs) tend to be associated with FDI modes of entry. Summing up, Hypothesis 5 holds.
The location dimension received median support from our data. Indeed the size of the market, proxied by the host country's GDP per capita, emerged as negatively and significantly related with FDI propensity, which contradicts Hypothesis 6. This suggests that, on average, Portuguese MNCs entering larger markets tend to fall back on non-equity modes (namely exports). Such results contradict findings in the existing literature (Horstmann & Markusen, 1996; Eicher & Kang, 2005), which in general claim that the larger the market size the higher the probability of entering via high equity modes. Cultural proximity (Hypothesis 7), reflected by the proportion of MNCs that stated that linguistic and historical ties between home and host country were important or very important in the decision to enter the market, failed to emerge as significant.
The estimations put forward highlight the crucial role of institutional factors (Hypothesis 8) in explaining the MNCs' entry modes. Indeed, legal restrictions and, most importantly, the host country's level of corruption are statistically significant elements related with the MNC's choice of entry mode. In effect, the Portuguese MNCs that perceive legal restrictions as very important in their choices regarding the entry mode in the PALOP tend, on average, to have a higher propensity for FDI entry modes.
Finally, the estimations support Hypothesis 9, indicating a positive correlation between the CPI (transparency index) and an FDI entry. This means that, controlling for all the other factors which are likely to affect entry mode choices, Portuguese MNCs tend to opt for direct investment in the more transparent/less corrupted markets. Thus, our results are in line with the general tendency conveyed in the literature (e.g., Rodriguez et al., 2005; Uhlenbruck et al., 2006; Straub, 2007; Paul & Wooster, 2008), which contends that MNCs should prefer non-equity entry modes in corrupt contexts.
5 Conclusions
The present paper intended to analyse how Portuguese MNCs' choice of the most appropriate entry mode is affected by the level of corruption in host countries, namely with regard to the PALOP countries.
Based on a multivariate econometric model, we found that services and larger firms have a preference for high-equity entry modes, which contrasts with the size dimension in the study of Esperança et al.'s (2006), and may be explained by the fact that they analyzed a set of different host countries. While Esperança et al. (2006) focused on Portuguese MNCs which invest in Spain, our study analysed firms from the same home country but which have internationalised to emerging African countries with very different characteristics, namely the levels of corruption, political restrictions, and economic and political instability. These and other factors, such as physical proximity, may explain why the results point in different directions.
Additionally, we found that the openness of the host market favours entry via FDI, which is somewhat surprising, since this determinant did not appear to have a statistically significant effect in previous studies focusing on other (central and eastern European) emerging markets like, for exemple, Javorcik and Wei (2009). Also in contrast with the existing literature (e.g. Horstmann and Markusen, 1996), the host market size emerged as negatively related to the equity mode propensity, such that a (Portuguese) MNC is more likely to enter via exports in larger (PALOP) markets. Finally, we found that international experience is not, as would be expected, associated with high equity modes. As noted by Slangen and van Tulder (2009), this may be due to the fact that MNCs tend to enter new markets by the same method/mode with which they entered other markets previously - i.e. firms with experience in entering markets via exports are more likely to follow the same path in subsequent internationalisation processes.
In line with prior studies that point out the firms' general preference for non-equity modes when entering corrupt markets (e.g. Rodriguez et al., 2005; Uhlenbruck et al., 2006; Straub, 2007; Paul & Wooster, 2008), our results show that, on average, Portuguese firms opt for nonequity modes, most specifically exports, when entering more corrupted countries. Recall that, according to Uhlenbruck et al. (2006), MNCs use non-equity modes as an adaptive strategy because this entry mode provides an opportunity to participate in economies where corruption is high while avoiding some of the costs related to corruption. Non-equity modes also enable the MNCs to avoid direct contact with corrupt practices, such as bribes (Rodriguez et al., 2005). Apart from bribes and extra taxes, direct establishment in a corrupt market may affect the MNCs' investment through their interaction with corrupt state officials. This increases the risk of expropriation and reduces the informational advantage a firm entering via FDI may have (Straub, 2007).
Based on these results, we failed to corroborate the arguments put forward in the studies mentioned previously. Indeed, despite the fact that the vast majority of the firms (about 90 per cent of our sample) underlined the importance of cultural ties with the PALOP countries, perceived corruption emerged negatively and significantly correlated with the FDI propensity. In other words, the PALOP countries characterised by a lower level of perceived corruption tend to be the most successful in attracting foreign direct investment. Thus, we have shown that in the PALOP too, high levels of institutional quality tend to foster economic growth and development through its positive effects on FDI attraction.
Summing up, our findings highlight that, despite the existence of strong cultural ties between home (Portugal) and host countries (PALOP), corruption stands as a critical obstacle to foreign direct investment. Recall that, with the exception of Cape Verde, all the other PALOP countries present very low levels of transparency (with a CPI below 3 out a maximum of 10). Given the perceived widespread corruption among the PALOP, our findings reflect a rather troubling scenario for these countries' prospects for future growth.
Our study clearly emphasises that historical and cultural ties are not sufficient to overcome the costs of institutional weaknesses, namely the perceived widespread corruption. We draw on Lawal's (2007) words when she maintains that corruption has been an impediment to the true and real development of African society. Thus, in order to benefit from the potential benefits of foreign capital, which contributes to economic development and integration in the global economy (Shrestha, Smith & Evans, 2010), African countries in general, and the PALOP in particular, should implement serious measures to combat corruption, building a strong political system that inspires confidence and attracts foreign investors.
1 In an earlier research proposal from the authors (Grande and Teixeira, 2011) these literature approaches are surveyed and presented with further detail and scope. Although in this paper no empirical tests are pursued, the authors provide an in-depth account of the determinants of MNC's entry mode choices according to each theoretical approach (Transaction Cost Approach, Ecletic Paradigm - Ownership, Location, Internalisation, Institutional) which help to support/rationalise Figure 1.
2 There are many definitions of this phenomenon (Detzer, 2010). However, there is relative consensus among authors (Dey, 1989; Mauro, 1998; Treisman, 2000; Dietrich, 2010; Reiter & Steensma , 2010) that corruption refers to acts in which the power of public office is used for personal gain in a manner that contravenes the rules of the game (Jain, 2002).
3 We opted to compare FDI versus non-equity modes instead of considering each entry mode (acquisition, greenfield investment, joint venture, etc.) given that the majority of the firms surveyed had very few observations for each specific equity-entry mode.
4 The original database had 653 firms but 46 firms claimed they did not have any presence in the PALOP countries, and in 45 cases the email did not reached the recipient. Thus, our 'effective' population is 562 firms.
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Accepted: November 2011


text:
Apple, O2 to release PAYG iPhones this month
Pre-pay details announced
O2 will release the iPhone 3G on a pay-as-you-go tariff on 16 September, the carrier has just announced.
The 8GB version of the phone will cost £350 - just £50 less than the 16GB model. It'll be sold by O2, Carphone Warehouse and Apple.
O2 said that the purchase price includes a year's unlimited browsing - an "excessive usage" policy still applies - after which buyers will have to cough up £10 a month for it. Or upgrade to the next iPhone, if the line continues to be refreshed annually.
Apple's iPhone 3G: on PAYG next month
Unlimited Wi-Fi is included for the first 12 months after activation too.
The handset will come with a SIM initially linked to O2's Favourite Place tariff, which is pitched at callers using their mobile from a given location - they get free calls to other O2 mobiles and UK landlines.
O2 said buyers will be able to switch tariffs - if they don't, their call time will depend on how much they top up their account each month: 500 minutes if they pay £10-14; £15-29 a month yields 1000 minutes; spending more than £30 gives unlimited minutes.
Related Review
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Kiss Kiss!
Regular readers will know that I absolutely love any type of lip care product and am obsessed with buying new lip balms to try! My first ever lip balm – The Body Shop Satsuma. What's yours?
So I was so excited to try this kit from Bliss, a all-in-one 'spa' for the lips! These products CAN be purchased separately but you save money by buying the kit:
The Bliss kit comes in a really nice box which is great for gifting. On the back there is information about the products and they sit in the base which acts like a stand…
There are 4 steps in this regime:
All of these products are full size.
Step 1- Refresh
Step 2 – Sugar Lip Scrub
Step 3 – Rejuvenate
Step 4 – Replenish
First off is the Fabulips Foaming Lip Cleanser. How fun! This product is like their famous Oxygen Mask. It goes on as a sheer pink gel and bubble up.
I am all for lip cleansers; they don't taste funky and work quickly to remove gunk and oil from the lips.
Now, for the product on my lips shot which is….slightly wrong. Shut up. Don't you want to see how it works?!
10 seconds later:
This product is wonderful – it really does lift lip colour with minimal force which means the lips won't dry out so easily. It's kinda a indulgent product but I LOVE it.
Then comes the sugar lip scrub – this contains walnut shell and has a really nice texture too:
Once again this is a great product. I prefer this a lot more than Lush's Sugar Lip Scrub which I felt dried easily and dragged on my lips – it also made the driest parts of my lip bleed whereas the bliss product has a really nourishing emollient base that meant the sugar just glided without being too abrasive. It smells of vanilla and I detect a hint of orange.
I also like this product a lot one of the better lip scrubs I have used for sure. It contains shea and cocoa butter to and vitamin A, C and E. The beads like to stay on so you might need to wipe it with a damp cloth.
Fabulips Instant Lip Plumper:
This product with a plastic applicator is plumping – it gives a bit of a tingle to the lips and a bit of hydration. My lips did look fuller and glossy although this still isn't my main concern. It plumps for about 30 mins – enough time for you to pull, I'm sure. So for me, this isn't a product I would buy if it wasn't in the ready put together kit.
The final product is the softening lip balm:
There's nothing spectacular looking about the lip balm. It's just white in a traditional type plastic stick.
However; it is really really really lovely textured. It is super creamy, soft and thick. It has that richness I like with lipbalms, that really hydrate and is slightly thick without feeling too oily. It is so nice texture wise even if it isn't anything fancy to look at! Really like it. It might squish up if you press to hard on it though.
Here are the finished lips:
Kiss me! No actually – who wants to kiss a load of lip balm? Not most men I know.
Soooo let's talk real talk.
Is this Lip Treatment Kit essential? Well, do you really need a George Foreman grill? No. But does it makes things a bit more streamlined? Yeah! Does it add nice grill marks to your chicken? Yeah!
I don't know where I'm going with that but listen; it might be a while before I have the energy to use all 4 products together again, but I will certainly use the scrub whenever I get flaky, I will carry the lip balm with me, and use the foaming lip cleanser when I do swatches. That is my favourite product of the set and I do recommend this cool kit if you are into lip care.
You can buy the kit here for £39.
*PR Sample


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$9 99
Roaming Fortress takes you back to Manatalopia, many years after their mighty fortresses fell and the Manatalopian Knights were forced from their lands. Brutalized by the merciless Goblin Horde, the Knights searched for hope in the borderlands of their fallen kingdom. Domesticating a herd of wild Burdenbeasts, the Knights realized they may have found the secret to reclaiming the lost Kingdom of Manatalopia. The time has come for you to command your own Roaming Fortress and bring the fight to the enemy!
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What's New in Roaming Fortress
Version 1.0.5: Release notes were unavailable when this listing was updated.
Requirements for Roaming FortressOS X 10.5 or later
Similar Software
Suggest other similar software


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Galt, CAHome Menu
City Meetings
City Council Meetings and Committee/Commission Meetings located in one convenient location. All meetings are open to the public. If you have any questions, please contact the City Clerk's Office.
Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting
- Date: 03/13/2019 7:00 PM
- Location: City Council Chambers
380 Civic Drive
Galt, California 95632
Minutes:03132019Return to full list >>
Monday, January 22, 2018


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PASADENA, Calif. — Scientists are closing in on what could be a major discovery for the Mars Exploration Rover program.
NASA's Opportunity rover appears to have hit a scientific jackpot sitting in a crater at the Meridiani Planum on Mars. Expectations are running high here at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory that the spacecraft should be able to deliver on the holy grail of Mars research: Where's the water, and could life have ever existed on the Red Planet?
In front of the Opportunity rover is just that — an opportunity to discover a new Mars, one unlike any seen by previous landers.
Images from Opportunity were displayed Tuesday at a morning press briefing. A sweeping look at the unusual rock outcropping near Opportunity was captured by the rover's panoramic camera. Those pictures show layered rocks. But are they the result of volcanic ash deposits, or sediments laid down by wind or water?
Intriguing outcrop
Meridiani Planum is rife with deposits of a mineral called crystalline hematite, which usually forms in the presence of liquid water. Thanks to the robot, scientists have the tools to examine on-the-spot surface layers rich in hematite and an underlying geological feature of light-colored layered rock.
The small crater in which the robot rover now rests appears to have exposures of both, with soil that could contain hematite and an exposed outcropping of the lighter rock layer.
Speculation that such an outcrop could be limestone would give scientists the eureka they've been looking for — clear evidence of water. With water comes the prospect for biology.
"It's going to be fascinating beyond words to get up close and personal with this thing," Cornell University's Steve Squyres, the principal investigator for rover science, said Tuesday. The expedition could be "the coolest geologic field trip in human history," he said.
Opportunity has tested the three scientific sensing instruments on its robotic arm that will be used for up-close examination of rocks and soil: the microscopic imager, the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer for determining what elements are present, and a Mössbauer spectrometer for identifying iron-containing minerals. All are in perfect health.
But the hardware that could offer the first telltale inspection of hematite and the outcrop's composition is the mini-thermal emission spectrometer, or Mini-TES.
This instrument sees infrared radiation emitted by objects. It can be used from where Opportunity now rests on the lander deck. That device can determine from afar the mineral composition of Martian surface features, permitting scientists to study select rocks and soil patches in detail.
Intense debate
Mini-TES data acquisition will begin tomorrow, Squyres said. Release of what that instrument finds will take a few days.
The layered outcrop in view of Opportunity has already prompted intense debate.
"If volcanic, all bets are off for liquid water," at the site, said Andrew Knoll, a rover science team member from Harvard University. "If sedimentary, then I think you need liquid water. I wouldn't think these are wind-borne deposits. It says nothing, necessarily, about the duration of that water."
Whether there has been persistent water at Meridiani Planum remains to be seen, Knoll said. "But certainly what we see in front of us today makes no strong claims for longstanding persistence of water," he added.
"We have high hopes that acquiring Mini-TES data on the outcrop is going to help us in revealing what the material is," Squyres said. The best Mini-TES data will come from the device being placed much closer to the outcrop, during the heat of the day, he told Space.com.
"We're probably going to get tantalizing hints from a distance. But the beauty of it is that we can go there. We can drive to this outcrop, and we're going to beat on it with everything we've got," Squyres said.
Step-by-step agenda
Following its Saturday night landing, Opportunity's checkout has certified health of the rover, as well as its suite of scientific instruments. Engineers are going through a methodical, step-by-step agenda of readying the rover to wheel itself straight off its lander deck.
But due to the problems with the twin Spirit rover, sitting on the opposite side of Mars, driving Opportunity may be slow going.
Steady progress is being made in getting Opportunity's wheels "down and dirty," said Jim Erickson, JPL's Opportunity mission manager. "We're going to get off the lander when it's time to get off the lander," he said.
A glitch in a heater unit, apparently within one joint of Opportunity's robotic arm, is causing a bit of a problem, having a mind of its own, Erickson said. "But, overall, I'm very happy with the rover's condition," he told Space.com.
Great care is being exercised in first understanding the problem that crippled the Spirit rover, with lessons learned being applied to Opportunity's egress and operations at Meridiani Planum.
Spectacular landscape
"We're looking out across a pretty spectacular landscape," said Cornell's Jim Bell, lead scientist for the panoramic cameras on Spirit and Opportunity. "It's going to be a wonderful area for geologists to explore with the rover," he said at a news briefing shortly after Opportunity landed.
The color view shows dark soil that brightened where it was compacted by the rolling spacecraft, and an outcropping of bedrock on the inside slope of the 66-foot (20-meter) crater in which the rover sits.
With the instruments on the rover and just the rocks and soil within the small crater, Opportunity should allow scientists to determine which of several theories about the region's past environment is right, said Doug Ming, rover science team member from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Those theories include the idea that the hematite may have formed in a long-lasting lake or in a volcanic environment, he said.
Astrobiology research at Meridiani Planum is also possible, said Joy Crisp, rover project scientist. Hydrothermal activity found within this region could mean an environment existed that was favorable for life, she told Space.com. "Life does form in extreme environments here on the earth. But it's easier to envision life getting started in a place where it was more favorable," she added.
Ray Arvidson, deputy principal investigator from Washington University in St. Louis, said the hematite and other minerals found at Meridiani Planum may offer exciting clues as to past life on Mars.
"If we can pin down either there was hot water or low temperature percolating through this stuff, and we can demonstrate this through the minerals in association with the hematite … then the potential for astrobiology goes way up," Arvidson concluded.
© 2013 Space.com. All rights reserved. More from Space.com.


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The SN 10: These scientists defy limits to tackle big problems
Scientific disciplines, as we know them, are a fairly recent invention. As late as the 18th century, both amateur and professional scientists let their intellect range unfettered. The great Renaissance painter Leonardo da Vinci explored architecture, engineering, geology, botany and more. He is credited with inventing the helicopter, a diving suit and painting the Mona Lisa.
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Mr. JallyLeave a message
|Payment Type:
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|Min. Order:
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Basic Info
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Material: Plastic
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Condition: New
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Pet house PTC Heat Pad is for providing heat to your pet.
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P.T.C heating film is a smart heating film that controls the
Product Description
Our innovative heating pads are one of the most efficient and reliable tools for providing heat to reptile and amphibian enclosures.Reptiles and amphibians are cold-blooded and in their natural habitat they often use surfaces heated by the sun to warm up.Our heating pad for reptiles is a terrarium substrate heater that simulates these surfaces heated by the sun. They are ideal 24-hour heat source for reptile and amphibian species and essential as a nighttime heat source for many desert species. Our reptile Far Infrared Heating Pad can be permanently stick to the terrarium, forming a solid bond for optimal heat transfer.Durable.flexible.waterproof. anti-chew and corrosion resistant property lead to longer service life.Quality is absolutely guaranteed. OEM service is available. Our products have also been designed to meet CE,RoHS, Ul, ETL standards.
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Enable admin/root access (Managed or Fully Managed)
If you need root (i.e. sudo or substitute/super user) access to your Managed or Fully Managed Server, you can enable it. You might need this kind of access to install applications or make high-level changes to your server's configuration.
- From the My Servers control panel, click Settings.
- Next to Admin Access, click Change.
- Make sure Enable your admin (root and sudo) access permission is selected.
- Click Save, and then click OK.


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At The Arran Banner, we endeavour to ensure all our reports are fair and accurate and comply with the Editors' Code of Practice set by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). However, we realise that mistakes happen from time to time.
If you think we have made a significant mistake and you wish to discuss this with us, please let us know as soon as possible by any of the three methods: emailing email@example.com; telephoning the chief reporter on 01770 302142 or write to the Group Editor at Wyvex Media, Crannog Lane, Lochavullin estate, Oban, PA34 4HB. We will try to resolve your issue in a timeous, reasonable and amicable manner. However, if you are unsatisfied with our response, you can contact IPSO, which will investigate the matter.


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Powering math on mobile devices.
The Mathletics interfaces for students is mobile-friendly and can be accessed on most tablet-sized devices. Due to their smaller screens, we do not recommend using smartphones to access Mathletics.
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We understand that sometimes you're not in a wifi-friendly area or in a classroom with limited wifi bandwidth. The Mathletics tablet app for students has a great offline mode – no internet required! As long as you have logged in online at least once, you can use Mathletics offline on your tablet. All your results and data will automatically sync to your account when the internet is next available. Now there is no limit to where you can take your Mathletics!


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Make your zero-turn mower an even more versatile and flexible partner. Husqvarna offers an extensive range of protective clothing, spare parts and other accessories that fit your mission.
High performance, steel fabricated cutting decks provide increased strength to handle heavy cutting applications. Available in 54", 60" & 72" sizes, depending on zero turn model purchased.
Double/Triple collection bins available for selected zero turn models. Collection bin features a quick attach design and wheel weights for secure balance. A "full bin" indicator provides added convenience. Available in a double bin (211 litre capacity) or triple bin (317 litre capacity) design, subject to model selected.
The high performance triple bag collection system features a simplified latch system and pivoting lower frame that make the collector removeable in minutes. Available on selected models only.
For cutting the grass into fine clippings that return to the grass as mulch, creating a greener, healthier lawn. Various types available to suit applicable deck size.
A simple pull of the lever temporarily closes off the cutting deck's discharge opening when mowing along sidewalks, roads, flower beds etc. ensuring added efficiency and property protection while mowing.
ROPS to reduce the risk of accidents in case the mower should roll. Mounted directly to the chassis. Safety belt included.
Drive kit for collection system.