text:
Human beings sometimes crack, as the U.S. Army staff sergeant did at 3 a.m. Sunday when he allegedly left his base outside Kandahar and began killing Afghan civilians in an apparent spasm of rage and frustration. But nations shouldn't crack. Even under the stress of a war that some days seems to be going horribly wrong, nations should move carefully so they don't leave more chaos and dead bodies in their wake.
Some of the recent events in Afghanistan show the American military mission at its worst: urinating on enemy dead; accidentally burning Korans; a crazed soldier allegedly massacring civilians. We can say that most U.S. troops did nothing of the sort and that such disruptions are rare. But this doesn't change the reality that, in these moments, we see how war can degrade decent men and nations.
The question for policymakers isn't the nature of war but how to end it. And here, the gut reactions of this week are likely to be misleading — in the sense that they could prompt hasty decisions that bring more loss of civilian life. A retreat under fire is dangerous in any case, but especially a pell-mell retreat that abandons previous strategies for withdrawal.
That's why Newt Gingrich's sudden conclusion that the war isn't "doable" is especially unfortunate. What did he think was possible here? If he was looking to force the Taliban to a USS Missouri-style surrender, he's in the wrong century.
President Obama has already said that he intends to "responsibly wind down this war," as he put it Tuesday. He has agreed with NATO allies to transfer the lead combat role to the Afghans by the middle of next year and withdraw most foreign troops by the end of 2014. It's a plan framed by both the United States and its most important partners. It's not something for Americans to discard under duress because they're angry, aggrieved or even ashamed by recent events.
The U.S. strategy has been to shape the Afghanistan we will leave behind after 2014. Almost certainly, that country will be a mess. But as we discovered in Iraq, there's a difference between the out-of-control, homicidal mess of 2006 and the more controlled mess of 2011, when the last U.S. troops finally departed. The civil war that so many feared hasn't yet happened.
As in Iraq, the United States hopes to create conditions that can contain the disorder. That may sound like a fool's errand, given Afghanistan's bloody history, but it's based on some sensible ideas: Build a good enough Afghan army to hold Kabul and maintain contact with the provinces; negotiate political power-sharing with the Taliban that can avert civil war; and work with Afghanistan's neighbors to build a firewall that can keep the inevitable violence there from destabilizing the region.
That's a hard strategy to pull off — and even harder after Sunday's massacre — but not an impossible one. It still looks better than the alternatives, which are guaranteed versions of civil war, partition or both. The administration also hopes to maintain a counterterrorism force in Afghanistan that can prevent al-Qaeda from regaining a safe haven. That's a platform worth fighting for, although the Iraq example isn't encouraging about the likelihood of a residual troop presence.
When one thinks about how to end the war in Afghanistan, it's useful to consider the culture of our adversaries. The Pashtuns are good at starting wars, but they also have rituals for stopping them. The core idea is what the Pashtuns call "nanawatay," in which one of the combatants figuratively goes into the house of the other to settle the feud. A stable settlement is one with the balance of honor that Obama often describes with the phrase "mutual interest and mutual respect."
Obama's special representative for the region, Marc Grossman, has been holding secret talks with the Taliban for more than a year. Until Sunday, that process seemed to be going in the right direction, toward the Taliban opening an office in Qatar and beginning real peace talks. This track will undoubtedly be harder after Sunday's rampage, which has given the Taliban's hard-liners new arguments for resisting negotiations.
Grossman has also been talking with neighboring countries about building a structure to keep a future Afghanistan from disintegrating. This regional framework still seems possible, even if the talks with the Taliban prove fruitless.
The diplomatic options are uncertain, like U.S. military operations on the ground. But they are part of a withdrawal strategy that looks well-reasoned even after Sunday's disaster in Kandahar.


text:
Twins bring aggressive strategy into Meetings
MINNEAPOLIS -- Unlike in recent years, the Twins head to Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings already having made two major splashes via free agency this offseason.
The Twins bolstered their rotation by agreeing to sign right-handers Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes to the two largest free-agent contracts in franchise history. Nolasco is reportedly set to earn $49 million over four years, while Hughes agreed on a three-year, $24 million deal.
MINNEAPOLIS -- Unlike in recent years, the Twins head to Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings already having made two major splashes via free agency this offseason.
The Twins bolstered their rotation by agreeing to sign right-handers Ricky Nolasco and Phil Hughes to the two largest free-agent contracts in franchise history. Nolasco is reportedly set to earn $49 million over four years, while Hughes agreed on a three-year, $24 million deal.
So while the Twins made two major moves in a week's span, they still have work to do at the Winter Meetings, which are being held from Dec. 9-12 at The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Twins lost 96 games for a second straight year in 2013, and know adding just two players isn't going to reverse their fortunes overnight.
"We are going to have to go out and look, take every avenue possible to supplement this roster," Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. "There are multiple reasons we are where we are. Just look at the diamond. We're striking out too much. We aren't hitting for average. We aren't hitting for power. So we have a lot of things to fix. Not just one thing."
Despite agreeing to sign Nolasco and Hughes, the Twins could look to add another starting pitcher and are still on the lookout for a veteran catcher now that Joe Mauer moved to first base because of the concussion he suffered in August.
The Twins committed a combined $73 million to Nolasco and Hughes but still have payroll to work with, as they have roughly $75 million-$78 million in payroll commitments for next season. The Twins opened the 2013 campaign with an $82 million payroll and averaged a payroll of more than $100 million in their first three seasons at Target Field.
But the Twins have largely accomplished their main offseason goal of improving the rotation, as they've been aggressive in free agency with Nolasco and Hughes.
Nolasco was the first to agree to sign on the day before Thanksgiving before Hughes agreed to sign with the club just three days later. Both pitchers are expected to give a big boost to a rotation that finished with the worst ERA and the fewest strikeouts in the Majors in 2013.
Nolasco and Hughes are set to join a rotation that already includes Kevin Correia and Samuel Deduno with the fifth spot up in the air. The Twins could opt to fill it from within with pitchers such as Vance Worley, Scott Diamond and Kyle Gibson competing for a spot or add another starting pitcher.
The Twins still reportedly have interest in bringing back right-hander Mike Pelfrey, who said he'd like to return to Minnesota at the end of the season. And they've also been linked to former Twins left-hander Johan Santana, and could afford to take a risk after adding Nolasco and Hughes to the rotation.
Minnesota is also in the market for a backstop, and the club reportedly had discussions with former Twins catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who signed with the Red Sox. The Twins have some depth at the position with Josmil Pinto, Ryan Doumit and Chris Herrmann on the roster, but only Pinto projects as a starter and might need more seasoning defensively before he's ready to take over full time.
It could add up to a busy Winter Meetings for the Twins, who were also active at this point in the offseason last year -- but with trades and not free agency. The Twins traded Denard Span to the Nationals for top pitching prospect Alex Meyer in the week leading up to the Winter Meetings before dealing Ben Revere to the Phillies for Worley and prospect Trevor May on the last day of the Meetings.
Meyer and May, who both last pitched in the Arizona Fall League, could crack the rotation at some point this season, but they are both slated to open the year at Triple-A Rochester. Meyer, ranked as the club's No. 3 prospect by MLB.com, posted a 3.31 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 70 innings at Double-A New Britain, missing time with a shoulder strain. And May, ranked as the club's No. 7 prospect, had a 4.51 ERA with 159 strikeouts in 151 2/3 innings at Double-A.
The Twins haven't been as aggressive with trades this offseason, only acquiring left-hander Kris Johnson from the Pirates for reliever Duke Welker. But they could be more active on that front at the Winter Meetings with every club's general manager in attendance.
Either way, it should be an interesting week for the Twins, who have already proved they're serious about turning it around after three straight years with 95-plus losses.
Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Bollinger Beat, and follow him on Twitter @RhettBollinger.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Optus continues WBA negotiations with NBN Co
- 30 November, 2011 11:15
Despite the expected release of NBN Co's Standard Form of Access Agreement today, Optus has confirmed it is still in negotiations with the company to address what it views as unresolved issues in the draft version of the agreement.
NBN Co last week released the fifth and final draft of its wholesale broadband agreement (WBA) for review by industry, under which the National Broadband Network (NBN) wholesaler will supply services to customers and will "declare" the products and services under the Competition and Consumer Act.
A spokesperson for the number two telco told Computerworld Australia, that Optus was still in ongoing discussions with NBN Co around the details of the agreement.
"While some progress has been made on the WBA, certain issues are still to be resolved such as regulatory oversight and service assurance levels," the spokesperson said.
The telco's outgoing government and corporate affairs head, Maha Krishnapillai, initially said Optus would wait for "more clarity" and a confirmed WBA before publishing the details of its retail NBN pricing.
However, due to the process taking "longer than initially envisaged", the telco released its NBN mainland pricing for consumers only on a month to month basis.
"While there are still some issues to work through, we're negotiating in good faith and are hopeful we will come to a resolution as it is in all parties' interests to reach an agreement," the spokesperson said at the time.
Krishnapillai has since been appointed to a newly created role with Australia Post's retail division to grow its telco arm following his last day with Optus on 30 November.
Follow Chloe Herrick on Twitter: @chloe_CW
Follow Computerworld Australia on Twitter: @ComputerworldAU


text:
City of BelmontHome Menu
The Clerk's office is responsible for maintaining a wide variety of vital permanent city records, including City Council minutes, resolutions, and keeps track of the indexing and filing of actions taken by the City Council. The Clerk's Office is responsible for posting agendas, managing Council packet production and distribution, and Council minute preparation.
The Clerk's office responds to requests for public record information, certifies and distributes ordinances and resolutions as appropriate and/or legally required, publishes and posts legal notices, processes claims and lawsuits and is responsible for the maintenance and distribution of the Belmont Municipal Code.
The City Clerk serves as the filing officer for the Campaign Expenditure Statements required for candidates in municipal elections, and Statements of Economic Interests filed by public officials and designated employees. The City Clerk serves as Clerk of the Council, administers municipal elections, and maintains rosters, agendas, minutes, attendance records, and applications and oaths for the City's commissions. The City Clerk is the custodian of the City seal.
The City Clerk is elected to a 4-year term and holds a full-time salaried position. To contact the City Clerk's Office, call (650) 595-7413 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Vision, Mission & Values
Thomas University will be a national leader in innovative teaching and interactive technology that engages students in creative problem-solving for the Information Age.
Thomas University is the school of choice for students in undergraduate and graduate programs to prepare for successful careers and responsible leadership in a rapidly changing and complex world. The faculty and staff value students' individual strengths, capabilities, and will to succeed, providing the means by which they will achieve personal and professional transformation.
Thomas University values...
…dynamic learning environments that engage students in their intellectual and personal development;
…rigorous intellectual studies that require creativity, discipline and personal responsibility;
…diversity and its use as a learning tool to teach that the world is a better place when respect for the individual is central to our relationship with others;
…community involvement, including cultural and artistic experiences, that enriches the lives of our students, as well as their fellow citizens;
…individual attention to all students;
…a lifetime connection with our students.


text:
Dual Cab 4x2
Core Dual Cab 4x4
Core Plus Dual Cab 4x4
Dual Cab 4x2
Core Dual Cab 4x4
Core Plus Dual Cab 4x4
Keeping your Volkswagen running at the top of its game costs a lot less than you think.
Get a five year unlimited kilometre warranty with your new car. Your rights under this warranty are provided in addition to, and in some cases overlap with, consumer guarantees under Australian Consumer Law and do not limit or replace them.Warranty Terms & Conditions
Every vehicle needs to be regularly serviced, but your new Volkswagen only needs servicing once a year.View Pricing Guide
One year of free 24-hour roadside assistance, emergency accommodation, rental vehicle and towing as well as household emergency assistance.Learn More
130 Kingston Drive,
Arundel QLD 4215
Cnr High & Nind Street,
Southport QLD 4215


text:
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
195 Little Albany Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08903-2681
Neonatal sepsis is a bacterial infection in the blood. It is found in infants during the first month of life. This may become a serious condition. If you suspect your infant has this condition, contact your baby's doctor right away.
Early-onset sepsis develops in the first 2-3 days after birth. Late-onset sepsis develops within 3-7 days after birth.
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
Neonatal sepsis is caused by bacteria. The infant may come in contact with bacteria during pregnancy, birth, or from the environment after birth.
Early-onset sepsis is caused by an infection from the mother. It may pass to the infant from the placenta or birth canal during birth. Antibiotics may be given to high risk mothers during labor. This may prevent early-onset bacterial sepsis in some infants.
Late-onset sepsis is caused by bacteria from the healthcare environment.
Infant boys have a higher risk for neonatal sepsis. Other factors that may increase your infant's chance of neonatal sepsis include:
Pregnancy conditions or mother's health issues that increase your infant's chance of neonatal sepsis include:
In most cases of early-onset sepsis, symptoms are present within 24 hours of birth. In almost all cases, symptoms will be present within 48 hours of birth. If your infant has any one of these symptoms, especially in first week, contact your doctor.
It is important for your doctor to evaluate any fever in your infant.
You will be asked about your infant's symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done.
Your baby's bodily fluids and tissues may be tested. This can be done with:
Images may be taken of your baby's chest and/or abdomen. This can be done with x-rays.
Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for your infant. Treatment depends on how severe the condition is. If sepsis is suspected, your infant will be hospitalized while you wait for test results.
Treatment may last 2-21 days. Mild symptoms may be monitored without antibiotics. Your infant will be sent home when tests show there are no bacteria. Sepsis that is confirmed with a culture test is treated for 7-21 days. Treatment will depend on the location of the infection and may include:
Antibiotics may have to be given through an IV.
IV fluids will help support your infant until the infection clears. It may include fluids, glucose, and electrolytes.
Your infant may need oxygen therapy. In more severe cases, a ventilator may be used to support breathing.
To reduce your infant's chance of getting neonatal sepsis, your doctor may take the following steps:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Health Canada
Sick Kids—The Hospital for Sick Children
Early-onset neonatal sepsis. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T901439/Early-onset-neonatal-sepsis. Updated August 11, 2016. Accessed September 26, 2016.
Late-onset neonatal sepsis. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T116619/Late-onset-neonatal-sepsis. Updated August 11, 2016. Accessed September 26, 2016.
Neonatal sepsis (sepsis neonatorum). The Merck Manual Professional Edition website. Available at:
http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/pediatrics/infections_in_neonates/neonatal_sepsis.html. Updated May 2013. Accessed September 15, 2015.
Last reviewed September 2018 by Kari Kassir, MD Last Updated: 9/30/2013


text:
Thai Barbecue Chicken with Cilantro
I did use the one tablespoon of sugar the recipe called for, which might surprise some people who know I'm a fan of the South Beach Diet. But come on; we're talking about one tablespoon of sugar for eight chicken thighs, and it's being used in a marinade so most of the sugar won't even be eaten. You can certainly use Splenda, but I thought the caramelizing of the sugar might be important here.
This was so delicious and such an interesting flavor for so few ingredients. My version didn't get as delightfully browned as Ed's did, but I thought it still looked pretty good. Surprisingly for me, I followed the recipe pretty closely, but I did add extra chopped cilantro on top when I ate it.
Thai Barbecue Chicken
(Makes 8 servings; recipe very slightly adapted from Is It Edible)
8 chicken thighs, fat well trimmed and only minimal amount of skin left on
Marinade Ingredients:
3 T soy sauce (I use Kikkoman)
3 T sherry
1 tsp. garlic puree (also called ground garlic)
2 T (or more) finely minced cilantro (plus additional chopped cilantro for garnish if desired)
1 T sugar or Splenda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper (preferably white pepper)
South Beach Suggestions:
South Beach recommends boneless chicken breasts, so if I was on phase one I would have used those instead of thighs and subbed Splenda for the sugar. I ate this with Cucumbers Caesar, but maybe it should have been Wake Up Your Mouth Thai Cucumber Salad! For phase two or three, I think this would taste amazing paired with My Favorite Herb Salad.


text:
Artist's description:
A collage of roof tiles and wall stones, immersed in the lush green of a small Dalmatian vineyard. And a house with no roof!
Most of my images are available in a range of sizes and on different kinds of photographic and fine art paper, including Inkjet Pro Fine Art Paper 320gsm, Inkjet Hahnemuele Bright White Rag Paper 310gsm, Inkjet Canson Rag Photographique Paper 310gsm, and Inkjet Hahnemuele Museum Etching Paper 350gsm. Please ask me if you wish to place a special order and I will do my best to fulfil your wishes. Please note that prints on fine art paper will be shipped flat to avoid damage to the extra sensitive print, which may slightly increase the shipping cost. I will provide you with a special shipping quote prior to your placing the order if applicable.
Materials used:
Fuji Lustre Professional Archive Paper
Village roofs (2012)
Photograph by Leonarda Kovacic
- Photograph on Paper
- From a limited edition of 25
- Size: 12 x 16 in (unframed) / 12 x 16 in (actual image size)
- Signed and numbered on the back
- Style: Photorealistic
- Subject: Architecture and cityscapes
- Hurry only 1 left in stock
This artwork is sold by Leonarda Kovacic from Australia


text:
By Rob Glidden
Staff Writer
Southington Community Cultural Arts (SCCA) is matching up artists with local businesses to decorate bikes that will eventually be on display in the Apple Harvest Festival parade.
The organization is in the midst of a capital campaign to raise enough funds to convert the vacant Gura Building into a new arts center. The building was leased to the town last year and the terms of the arrangement gave the group 18 months to raise the necessary funds.
"We can't get over how well it's going," said Town Councilor Dawn Miceli, who has been at the forefront of the effort. "It's amazing to have individuals come up and ask how they can help. Amazing, but not surprising. The Southington community can be counted on to step up for a good cause."
SCCA president Mary DeCroce said the idea came from similar parades in other areas, including the "ducks on parade" event in Bristol. Artist Kyle Haines, who participated in the Bristol parade, suggested the bike theme for Southington's event.
"I had been thinking of doing apples for Southington, but then he had the idea of using donated bikes," DeCroce said.
The group enjoyed the recycling aspect of this idea and has begun soliciting used bikes from the community. The Police Department donated over a dozen that had been sitting in its evidence room.
"The interest in this has been unbelievable already," Miceli said. "There are a lot of artists interested. It's a lot of fun and something different for the town."
Businesses who are interested in participating will be paired up with a local artist to help come up with a design for their bike. Once completed, the mobile works of art will be displayed together at the Apple Harvest.
Those who attended the SCCA's April reception at the Governor's Mansion saw some early examples of the bikes, including one covered entirely with yarn. This event was viewed as a major success and has led to a number of donations from local organizations and businesses. The group is also expected to receive a $257,000 grant from the state.
"It's been great and I'm so excited," DeCroce said. "We got a lot out of that Governor's Mansion event. The grants and donations keep coming in."


text:
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: December 16Nubatones Ramallah, PALESTINE
Later Event: January 15Ramitabla @ GOLDENFEST 2017 NYC
Rami plays the doumbek (aka darbuka or tabla) worldwide for recordings, theatre, and performances with groups including Alsarah & the Nubatones, Zikrayat, Cafe Antarsia Ensemble, and at many of NYC's bellydance parties and cultural institutions. Rami plays and teaches both arabic and turkish style on the doumbek and offers regular classes in NYC. Rami sources and tunes amazing egyptian and domestic drums at the Raquy Drum Store
2018 Tour Dates:
May - August 2018
Europe/ MidEast/ US& CANADA WEST
Details at Events Page
more details at events or bandsintown
Listen to MANARA
New Video with DÜM
Check calendar above for Updates


text:
Check In
Ash and the group have finally made their way to the city of Trovitopolis, which should lead them right to Trovita Island and the next Orange League gym! Everything seems normal until the earth cracks right beneath their feet and they find themselves in the sewer underground, and not alone. There seems to be some sort of a "monster" living there that has been terrorizing the town. Will Ash, Misty and Tracey be able to find it, before it finds them?


text:
Poptastic MySpace Music launches, without indies
Big splash for Big Music
MySpace Music, the ambitious new joint venture between the major record labels and News Corporation, has finally gone live. Don't let the name mislead you - the only thing it has in common with the scrappy ethos of the original "MySpace" is the name.
Executives have said they want the service to be "the new MTV", and the launch offering certainly lives up to those low ambitions.
The major labels are equity owners in the joint venture - and are pumping in exclusive content. Meanwhile, no independent label has yet to strike a deal with MSM, either independently or through the indies' rights licensing body Merlin. Merlin chief Charles Caldas drew attention to the disparity between the reality and earlier comments by MySpace chief Chris DeWolfe that "indie bands are really the heart of MySpace".
Digital distributor Orchard has licensed some indie material to MSM, but it's a limited selection of repertory. Merlin's members can claim nine per cent of the US market - about on a par with EMI, the smallest of the Big Four.
But MySpace Music needs the indies far more than it thinks. As one music blog points out, it looks like a money laundering operation by the shareholders.
"The four major labels are part of huge companies that also own stake in movie production companies, clothing lines, airlines, car companies..." writes Tripwire editor Derek Evers. "So when they give you a song for free that is being paid for by advertisers, it will inevitably shrink the pool of what is made available, promoted and advertised."
"In essence, the major labels have found a way to pay themselves."
Evers concludes, sarcastically:
"If MySpace becomes the MTV of the internet, can someone show me where to find the MySpace of the internet?"
As we reported recently, the exclusion of independents from MySpace has already raised competition concerns. Digital distribution ventures don't need to have a dominant market share to draw the attention of regulators - merely the prospect that they might. ®
Sponsored: What next after Netezza?


text:
Nadine McGough
Latest News
Online Overseas Subscription – Click for details
A dilemma. Imagine you are, or know a card collector who lives outside the UK, who would be really interested to join us, were it not for the high cost of the overseas subscription? If only there was a way to reduce this cost. And now there is!
CSGB October 2019 Auction – Now accepting bids
Anyone want to buy a large cricket collection. Only joking! That is what I wrote on the Saturday afternoon of the 3rd Ashes Test. As you will know, England managed a magnificent 67 all out in their 1st innings, with only Root and Bairstow out to goo
New Handbook of Felts & Leathers – Available Now!
The Handbook is divided into two parts and provides comprehensive listings and illustrations of known 'Felt' and 'Leather' Designs issued by Tobacco and Trading Companies in North America, Canada & Great Britain between 1910 and 1915.
CSGB August 2019 Auction – Bidding now Closed
Oh to be in England now that summer's there! Writing this in mid-June, it is not very warm and the rain is affecting the cricket World Cup with 3 games abandoned so far. I shouldn't grumble, it has given me the chance to get the auction listing


text:
EV / EBITDA equals a company's enterprise value divided by earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization.
Enterprise Value to EBITDA, or EV / EBITDA, is a measure of the cost of a stock which is more frequently valid for comparisons across companies than the price to earnings ratio. Like the P/E ratio, the EV / EBITDA ratio is a measure of how expensive a stock is. It measures the price (in the form of enterprise value) an investor pays for the benefit of the company's cash flow (in the form of EBITDA).
EV/EBITDA values can vary depending on how EBITDA is calculated. EBITDA can vary due to differences in acounting of depreciation and amortization which can be acounted at different rates over time.
Unlike P/E ratios, however, EV / EBITDA ratios can be used to compare a wide variety of companies.
P/E ratios can be an invalid way of comparing different companies for several reasons which are accounted for in EV / EBITDA. Among them:
EV / EBITDA is capital structure neutral
P/E ratios are impacted by a company's choice of capital structure - companies which raise money via debt will have lower P/Es (and therefore look cheaper) than companies that raise an equivalent amount of money by issuing shares, even though the two companies might have equivalent enterprise values (For example, if a company with debt were to raise money by issuing shares of stock, and then used the money to pay off the debt, this company's P/E ratio would shoot up because of the increased number of shares - although nothing about the fundamental value of the business has changed).
This makes it difficult to use P/E ratios to compare different companies with different amounts of leverage.
EV / EBITDA is unaffected by capital structure as enterprise value includes the value of debt, and EBITDA is available to all investors (debt and equity) as it excludes interest payments on that debt.
EV / EBITDA controls for different levels of capital expenditure required in different industries
For companies in industries which require big upfront investments or infrastructure (such as cable companies) and long gestation periods, EBITDA can be a more appropriate measure of the business's underlying profit potential since it excludes the cost of these investments.
Additionally, looking at cashflows prior to capital expenditures may provide a better estimate of 'optimal value', as the capital expenditures may be unwise or earn substandard returns.
EV / EBITDA is a better measure of a company's takeover value
EBITDA can indicate how attractive a leveraged buyout candidate the firm would be. In LBOs, the key factor is cash generated by the firm prior to discretionary expenditures, as it's this cash the buyer will use to pay off the loans he or she used to purchase the company, and EBITDA is the measure of cash flows from operations that can be used to support debt payment at least in the short term.


text:
Lebanon hosts Level 1 coaches course
Nearly 25 people – 23 males and 2 females –successfully took part in the course, and were awarded the Volleyball Cooperation Programme Certificate.
Course director Mr. Youssef Al Helbawi from Syria ran the course with and course coordinator Mr. Emile Jabbour from Lebanon.
Helbawi expressed his delight with the course held in Lebanon and views it as a good model for any other course. He also declared that Level 2 should be held as a follow up course.
Helbawi added that the participants created a very good team work by helping each other facing any difficulties in the preparation for the practical and written exams coming up with a promising feedback aiming to improve their coaching skills and knowledge of the game.
The closing ceremony was attended by the President of the Lebanese Olympic Committee and Lebanese Volleyball Federation Mr. Jean Hammam and the Secretary General Mr. Waleed Kassouf.


text:
Megaupload's Demise a Boon for Movie Studios
Shutting down major piracy websites can mean more online revenue for movie studios, a new study has found. WSJ's Benjamin Fritz has exclusive details on The News Hub. Photo: AP.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the ... study shows shutting down ... men uploads while ... slightly to a jump in revenues for movie studios ... the story ... will Street gentle Ben Fritz joins us from family tells I'm ... I'm Ben thanks for being map ... Alyssa made all quotes from late they say they want involved in ... Paris a pass on Timken dot com says but some ... this probably tells about it says that for mobile discovery not in a couple who did very well easily treated if they get in and helping the rich it would use IRIS Bartley ... is the first lady to look at ... the back of a major fire tightening than with the pound was told in countries ... that failed in rental to meet the morning ... jumped to ten percent but the otherwise it expected to happen ... and that choose to ... look at the Chinese and Irish whip late ... and some growth in revenue for the movie studio's ... know what's interesting is this difference from last Sunday's front ... yes there's never been a study that ... actually look at it that the shutdown ... of what should I or shouldn't I be pleased with the impact of laws ... and that was that the earth he actually goes to lower the sale to music and you know be ... able to ... demonstrate that they can go the other way that it can actually shop in flight he can actually help to do so more of the beast suggesting this'll be used by law will make this long Forstmann officials to go around some closing down of the suspected sites ... actually this is the only to ... bolster the argument to the ocean from government to claim ... that are the people are to the park illegally gambling in streaming content that they would otherwise by this is not an entirely different audience not cheating is simple ... if they wanted they would pay for the graphic get a free and ... not surely not everybody uses it like that at least a portion of the audience I once brought some numbers that the real story data set this up on megaupload time this lifetime Kohl's to ... movies digital sales of movies from Tuesday his inquest Into jumped to fifteen thousand three hundred from an expected forty seven on drugs ... so basically three times as much ... to fast and over ... yes it's a big jump noted toe-to-toe again over the next year with a relatively small numbers in the rain kinda thing a big jump in significant ... advantage goes to show that ... they really are a ... number of people were illegally downloading screening who are willing to pay ... for not to pay ... double free prison at prices less so on this um but this little of this of some wrinkle saying it doesn't include DVD sales all theatrical box office and an ... extended eighteen weeks after the closing of my tablets and could it be that I'm not the study is unloading it so we can actually see whether the stains out ... yes the baby off the cliff at the Luxor election more research unethical for a longer term ... the the the the the first time in all a good return in time ... but whether or not there's a long-term impact on consumer behavior whether or not they tried calling in renting and then maybe they go back to pirate the upper and upper new website popped up ... in that remains to be seen ... it's interesting ... what did this time study come from them ... with the Micra factory data will play college Nordea Mellon University we should note that that that that they got ... to permit Center at Carnegie Mellon which are cheap funding the NPA which is to tweak of the movie studio's ... Nowal with people again on the research correctly ... that the Fed ... in direct role in gathering the data and that totally committed to keep in mind ... to write stuff right we were interesting some coal mines was pipeline thank you my much and threats ...


text:
What ya gotta have:
- a length of Chalk Cloth a bit longer than you table
- a good pair of scissors
- some double stick tape
- white pencil
- a random book or box
I love chalkcloth! I use it on my lunch bags on etsy! The tablecloth is a great idea!
I would definitely do this on the kids' table at Christmas...it stops the squabbles about where they sit, and keep them at the table, hopefully, for just a little longer!
I would totally use this on the kids' table this Christmas...it would stop the squabbles about who's sitting where and keep them entertained for a bit longer too!
Hi Kelly,
isn't this just lovely! And it's not just for kids either :-) I wouldn't mind using it myself. I've been following you - invisibly - for a while now and I think that you just make gorgeous stuff! Would you like to hop over to the Netherlands, I mean my blog? I've got something for you!
Hugs, Ira
Oh I like this, what a great idea! I'd use it for my childrens' birthday party teas. How cool is that, getting to draw on the table with your friends... (off to put this on calendar for when dreaded birthday parties have to be organized..;-)...)
What a fun idea! I love it! :)
Wow, this looks like so much fun, I love it! Thanks for another great idea, I'll be linking.
I LOVE this so much! I would use this all the time. It would be fun to draw place settings on and this would help my 3 yr old when she is setting the table.
LOVE the idea...I'm going to use it during the joyschool class I teach to 10 three year olds!
What a neat idea! Is there double sided sticky tape that doesn't hurt the finish on tables? Did the tape come off easily afterwards?
LOVE this idea. So cute! And how much fun? Can you wash the chalk cloth? Or is it just "wipe clean" like oil cloth. I'm just wandering what would happen if you had a major spill at the table. How does it clean up?
Astrid... the double stick tape did not hurt my table, but PLEASE try in out on underside first.
Melissa... yes, chalk cloth is like oilcloth you need to whip clean.
everyone... thanks for the love!
I'm interested in using chalkcloth to cover an unsightly table top. Does is feel like oilcloth or like a chalkboard or something in between? Thanks!
It's not shiny like oilcloth, it has a mat finish and is heavier like the vinyl found at the local fabric store, it's really fun!
This looks really fun. Is the fabric too stiff to have it drape over the table like a traditional tablecloth?
Kenneth, you are correct! It's just a bit to thick and has little drape to it so that's why I just did the topper.
If you make something like this take a pic and show it off.
Great! I love it! I have used the chalkcloth for my food photography for awhile now and really love using it! An example-


text:
About lumatrix
The people that committed violence here are the criminals.
The stupid offender did nothing violent. For his non-violent crime the UK police probably broke down one or two doors, frightened women and children then forced the offender into a van, took him to the police station then took him to court.
In the court he was forced into a dock, tried, found guilty then taken away by force again and imprisoned forcibly for probably sixteen and a half months.(UK prisoners commonly only serve half their sentence - the reason and this is hilarious - the jails are all too full.)
So who are the violent ones here? Never mind morality judge on the harm done.
No No No You all don't get it. It does NOT mean YOU or any individual will be able to use this law. It's only for THEM to use it against you. Here's the scenario - You are accused of a crime - the police come, they assault you, they kidnap you and they put you in jail. New evidence is found you are cleared and found to be innocent. Does anyone then go and arrest the policemen that assaulted you, kidnapped you and then falsely imprisoned you? No of course not - they were only doing their job - right - right that's what the concentration camp guard said. The Stones were right 'all police are criminals'. It's a requirement of their job - they believe in violence. Similarly the powers that be - the MPAA etc or their lackeys will be the ONLY people installing root kits.
Well pick-pockets do of course. I'm pretty sure it must have been a thief that invented them. Let's see - I'm a man - I have something like 8-10 pockets in trousers, shirts, jackets that I wear - I know - I'll put all my precious stuff together
in one place where it can all get stolen/lost/thrown in the trash at once - Brilliant. Instead of spreading the plastic and the notes around different pockets and putting the vital stuff next to my even MORE VITAL organs where I can feel anybody trying to interfere with it.
Hahaha - you have to fall over laughing. At Ł100 a gig which generally last 3-5 hours INCLUDING transport time the STRUGGLING 19 year old is getting Ł20 an hour. 4 gigs a week gives the national average wage. No, the people struggling are the amateurs who cannot get a gig, cannot land any work and filesharing is not even an option with their work. You all need to get real.


text:
You'll love the look of this Victorian Double Dresser with its carved base, drawer fronts, feet and corners, then finished with antiqued hardware, creating the look of a collectible. You'll have three smaller top drawers and four larger drawers below for plenty of space for all of her clothes. The shapely mirror is fully framed with a heavily carved frame that serpentine's its way around the glass. This combo presents itself as a wonderful addition to either bed in this collection.
The 1386 Victorian Dresser and Mirror by Homelegance at AHFA in the area. Product availability may vary. Contact us for the most current availability on this product.
Welcome to story book land with this Victorian youth bedroom collection. A whimsical feel is captured with the attention to detail throughout this collection. Detailed carvings on all drawer fronts, posts, front corners,legs and arches, draw your senses in and with its antiqued hardware and finish the look is complete. Your Princess will love the many pieces she has to choose from in this collection, you'll have no problem filling your castle.
The 1386 collection is a great option if you are looking for Traditional furniture in the area.
These images are representative of this group as a whole and may differ from this item.
This item has been tagged as: Dresser, Bedroom Dresser, Dresser Chest, Chest of Drawers, Dresser Set, Dresser and Mirror, Bedroom Furniture, Bedroom Storage, Bureau, Clothing Storage, Linen Storage, Bedroom Cabinet, Chiffonier, Bedroom Closet, Highboy, Wardrobe, Vanity, Vanity with Hutch, Make - Up Table, Make Up Table with Hutch, Dresser to Sit At, Vanity Dressers, Large Commode
Nothing on this page may be copied or reproduced without explicit permission.


text: Ladders and access equipment It is vital that access equipment from ladders, mobile access towers, to timber access boards are capable of supporting the correct loads in line with its intended use. In the UK, portable access equipment should comply with the appropriate specification, such as BS 2037 covering aluminium ladders, steps, trestles and lightweight stagings, or BS EN 131 covering ladders and step ladders constructed from aluminium, steel, plastics or timber, BS 1129 for timber ladders, step ladders, trestles and lightweight stagings, BS EN 1004 for mobile access towers, BS EN 14975 for loft ladders, BS EN 14183 for step stools, or PAS 250 for low-level work platforms. The HSE recommends that all portable ladders and step ladders on construction sites meet the requirements of BS 2037 Class 1 or BS EN 131. BSI offers Kitemark certification on all of these standards. Rigorous testing includes rung, stile and component connection strength, drop testing on loft ladder hinges, overall deflection of mobile access towers, and stability of low level work platforms. Testing can be undertaken both at our testing facilities and/or at the manufacturer's premises. Our testing can also involve working closely with clients, and testing new products at the developmental stage. List of standards for ladders and access equipment: BS 1129Portable timber ladders, steps, trestles, and stagings BS 2037Portable aluminium ladders, steps and trestles BS EN 131 Ladders BS EN 14975Loft ladders. Requirements, marking and testing BS 2482Timber scaffold boards BS EN 1004Mobile access and working towers made of prefabricated materials BS EN 14183Step stools PAS 250Low-level work platforms with one working platform and side protection for use by one person with a maximum working height of less than 2.5m


text: Marisa teaches a MELT class at Lifetime Sky, a star diamond location of Lifetime Fitness in Manhattan. Class is open to club members and is geared towards Broadway/Off-Broadway performers providing an opportunity to recover and recharge between their matinee and evening shows. No experience required, click here for more info about the MELT Method. If you are interested in trying a MELT class and checking out the Lifetime Sky Club, click here to request a guest pass.


text:
Amazing Value Tokai Firebird Electric Guitar
Very Rare and Totally Awesome
Buy with Confidence, We Are An Official Tokai UK Dealer.
Never heard of Tokai guitars before? Don't let that put you off. "Tokai
Gakki Co., Ltd.,", or as it is more commonly known, "Tokai Guitars
Company", is a Japanese guitar manufacturer founded in 1947.
Having been
played by the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Walsh, Billy Gibbons of
ZZ Top and Robert Fripp of King Crimson, Tokai have developed a
reputation for building high quality replicas of famous guitars for a
much lower price, and this guitar is no exception
Delivered by Free fully insured courier.


text:
Swedish Supremes Unmoved by Unprecedented Contact in Homeschool Case
Staff Attorney Michael Donnelly is director of international affairs for HSLDA. He and his wife homeschool.
Swedish Supreme Court records reviewed by Johansson family attorney and President of the Nordic Committee for Human Rights Ruby Harrold-Claesson reveal that an extraordinary outpouring of global support failed to influence the Swedish High Court to further investigate the tragic story of Dominic Johansson. His parents have lost permanent custody of their son because Swedish courts had terminated their parental rights, something the U.S. Supreme Court has called the family court equivalent of the death penalty.
Court documents show that thousands from all over the world sent emails and other messages to the Swedish Supreme Court on behalf of Annie and Christer Johansson. Nevertheless, that court slammed the door on any hopes the parents have of seeing their child again for years when they refused to consider the appeal in a curt opinion on April 25, 2013. HSLDA wrote about this here.
"Heads in the Sand"
Harrold-Claesson says she is skeptical about the Swedish Supreme Court's quick dismissal of the case.
"I'm not aware of any cases that have resulted in this much contact to the Court ever," she said. "There are strong legal and ethical reasons why the Supreme Court should hear this case. It's unconscionable that they would stick their heads in the sand and ignore the fact that one of the judges in the appeals court was chief justice in the county administrative court that decided that Domenic should be taken into—and be kept in—state custody, had already been involved in this case, and that he was part of a court that allowed the State municipality to introduce new evidence but did not allow the Johanssons to do the same. This case shows, beyond the shadow of a doubt, it seems that only the government gets due process in Sweden—not individual citizens."
Michael Farris, chairman of and founder of HSLDA, is determined to keep fighting for the Johanssons.
"It is very concerning that the Swedish court system has slammed the door on the Johanssons, but we will not give up," said Farris. "We are evaluating legal measures, but the immediate need is to find a way to reunite this family as soon as possible. We are exploring all options on how this could happen."
The Johansson have had nearly a dozen court hearings regarding their son in at least three court systems in and outside of Sweden. In 2010, the European Court of Human Rights denied their application despite the fact the European Convention of Human Rights guarantees the right of protection to families and the right to leave one's country. The Johanssons were prevented from leaving when their son was taken from them on June 25, 2009 off a Turkish airliner as they were relocating to minister to orphans in Annie's home country of India.
Obstacles to Justice
Two applications to the European Court of Human rights have been declared inadmissible, under the "pretext," according to Harrold-Claesson, that the Johanssons had not exhausted all their domestic remedies. However, according to the appeal submitted by Alliance Defending Freedom's Senior Legal Counsel Roger Kiska, HSLDA Director for International Affairs Mike Donnelly and Harrold-Claesson, who won a case against Sweden in the European Court in April 2012, this simply isn't true.
"We find it very strange that of the forty-nine judges in the European Court, it was a German judge, in a one-judge-decision, who declared the Johanssons application inadmissible." Harrold-Claesson also blamed a Swedish bureaucrat at the European Court as being an obstacle.
"There is a Swedish court administrator who has been called a 'gate keeper'," explained Harrold-Claesson. "It appears that this person does their best to makes sure that cases that could embarrass Sweden don't get much traction. Justice should be objective and not discriminate on the basis of nationality, but the ECHR has not been good to my clients. The actions of the Swedish courts are indefensible—they are just rubber-stamping what the bureaucrats have done. The lack of justice in this case is deplorable. The ECHR should be a viable last resort for people whose human rights have been violated, but it has turned a blind eye to the violations committed against this family."
Kiska also expressed great frustration with the situation.
"It is disgraceful that a self-styled democratic nation would tolerate this kind of abrogation of basic human rights," he said. "Domenic and his parents have a basic human right to be together. The facts of this case in no way support even a minimal separation of this family but Swedish authorities—courts and bureaucrats both—have allowed this family to be separated with no contact for years. The harm to the child and his parents is incalculable—the violence to basic human rights is staggering."
Why the Silence?
Donnelly wondered why other liberty-loving groups and governments were silent about this case.
"Where are the groups who stand for liberty and against government oppression? Where are other free governments who will call on Sweden to address this issue? This is not an isolated case, even though it is somewhat unique in its origination as a homeschooling persecution case. This kind of behavior by a government bureaucracy simply cannot be tolerated," he said.
"Unfortunately, more and more governments are intruding into families seeking to displace parents as primary decision makers. For example, English and Scottish policy makers, citing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, are considering legislation to appoint permanent government overseers for every child. The Swedish government has also cited the UNCRC justifying its actions in the Johansson case. Free peoples will lose their right to make basic decisions about their children if action isn't taken to stand up to these kinds of acts."
| More Information
For more information about the case and how you can support the family please visit our Johansson homepage.


text:
Climate Change and Sustainability
On Wednesday the 22nd of July I attended a Sustainable Workshop at the Australian Museum.
In the future I would like to run workshops for kids about the environment and climate change. So I went along to help out Steve Vogel with one of his workshops at the museum. It was a small group and it was great to see that this group of kids had a broad knowledge about climate change.
The workshop started out with discussions about climate change which was a lot of fun. We then went into the climate change exhibition where Steve gave a detailed explanation on each different section. The kids were really enthusiastic and asked a lot of interesting questions. When we got to the section where we had to dance to generate power to light up the disco ball was hilarious. The faster we danced the more power we made, so there were some interesting dance floor moves!
After we used up all our energy Steve took us back into the conference room to make sustainable cleaning products. The only ingredients we used were bi-carb soda, vinegar and water. I made a window cleaner so now my parents have me cleaning every window in the house!
Chemicals have a bad impact on our environment and our health, so using natural products is better for the environment and us. Making a simple change from harsh products to natural products is an easy transition. If all households made this easy change together it would make a big difference to the environment.
I do as many things as I can to help the environment and I am always looking for new ways that I can help the environment even if it's a small change. For example I play football (soccer) for two teams, I train four nights a week and play Saturday and Sunday. Last season I kept all the used tape and made a ball. The tape ball ended up bigger than a tennis ball and was heading for landfill. So for every kid that plays a sport that uses tape on their shoes and socks also has a tape ball and all these tape balls just end up in landfill.
This season I bought a pair of boots that has elastic to hold down the tongue and a pair of sock holders. The sock holders are made of material and Velcro and are reusable. Usually I would use a roll of tape a week. Over a season I would use close to 18 rolls of tape. There are 26 players in total for the two teams I play in. So, 26 players multiplied by 18 roles of tape equals 468 roles of tape. This tape can only be used once and ends up as landfill. If all 26 players made the same change and didn't need to buy tape this would mean less landfill and less carbon in the atmosphere from the production to make the tape and transportation from the factory to stores. Parents win as well as they save money because they don't have to buy tape.
Overconsumption is a big issue, we need to think differently about the things we use and buy to make sure we have a planet that is healthy and sustainable.
Remember "Habits made today will help life tomorrow."


text:
Hi folks,
I wanted to get your opinion around following situation:-
I have an object with a name nmsArray<CrossConnect>[] ,array of CrossConnect type object. CrossConnect object has some 15 attributes and corresponding getters and setters.
This array need to be passed to a private method createRoute(someObj<CrossConnect>[]), which as of now uses only 2 attributes out of 15 of the CrossConnect object for some computation.
Now I have to create an object of CrossConnect type, add that to nmsArray[] and pass it into private method createRoute(someObj<CrossConnect>[]){}.
Question is should we populate only those 2 objects in CrossConnect Object which needs to be used in createRoute(..) method, or does it make sense to populate(instatiate them) all the attributes of CrossConnect object with an idea that other attributes apart from those 2 may be used in future. Assuming there is no memory constraint with the application and no time critcality, would it be a good idea to go about instantiating all the attributes of an object irrespective of their usage pattern.