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On a whim, we decided to try out Max Brenner for dinner while we were in Greenbelt. We wanted to see if the bald man really meant business when he said that "chocolate is not just for dessert anymore."
the Suckao vat
Artisan breads for sale in the adjoining store
Different variants of chocolate sponge balls
Bread pudding
Mushroom Beef Burger (their best-seller)
D: I tend to order the safest items on the menu and this time, I'm absolutely glad I did so. This enormous burger was impossible to eat normally but the patty was worth the effort. I think the mushrooms helped tremendously in keeping the meat moist and juicy.The onion rings and fries were pretty lousy though so they remained untouched. Overall, I think the patty, the mozzarella and the bread held it together for a solid dish.
Max Brenner Chocolate Burger (caramelized onions in chocolate sauce)
P: This would have been ten times better if they only cooked the patty remotely well, meaning not burnt and not hard as a rock. It's hard to get past how awful the patty was. It was so thick which is usually a good thing, but not when you can't even slice it with a knife without exerting effort. Oh and the chocolate combination? Not the best in the world but interesting, I suppose. It was hard to enjoy anything else when the main component of the dish was ruined.
Chocolate chip cookies (P98 for 2)
These were nice and crumbly but were sorely lacking in chocolate chunks. Not bad, though.
A few days ago, we were both overcome by an intense need for S'mores. That's pretty hard to come by at one in the morning though so we improvised by raiding a few convenience stores in the village.
Our haul: Mark's Mallows, Max Mallows (so imaginative with the names, guys), graham crackers, Meiji and Safari chocolate bars
We wanted to make some floats too so root beer and vanilla ice cream were in order.
The general concept of S'mores is pretty simple but we needed to work out the details of assembling our version. We went with a marshmallow per square and a chocolate block on the other side.
We popped it into the microwave for 40 seconds...
The marshmallows ballooned to double their size so we needed to deflate them and smear them on the crackers. It would've been better if we snapped the crackers into individual squares since they're pretty hard to work with. Prepare to get messy!
There you have it! Our midnight treat turned out pretty well! Cheap, easy and delicious!


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Buchholz goes four gritty innings with sore shoulder
Red Sox righty allows unearned run while working at 80 percent capacity
ST. LOUIS -- Right-hander Clay Buchholz said the Red Sox haven't seen the last of him this October, despite a sore shoulder that limited him to four innings Sunday night and made him a real question mark for the Game 4 start.
"I don't know," Buchholz said after he and five Boston relievers preserved a 4-2 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, tying the best-of-seven series at two games apiece. "They allowed me to start tonight so if it goes to a Game 7 or something, I'm going to try and prepare to help out any way I can."
The Cards stranded five baserunners and scored a run on a Carlos Beltran single during those three innings. Buchholz said he wasn't trying to fool the St. Louis hitters.
"I felt pretty good," he said. "But never at one time did I try to overpower anybody. I just got the ball and threw the pitch. It was hard enough in itself to do for me because I'm usually at max effort trying to throw as hard as I can. It was a good experience for me to have to go through something like that. At the same time, I don't want to do it again. I want to be completely healthy next time."
Buchholz said he began to feel tenderness in his shoulder during his last start in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against the Tigers. In that one, he worked five innings, allowing two runs on four hits as the Red Sox won, 5-2, and wrapped up the pennant and a berth in the World Series.
Buchholz was originally pegged to pitch Game 3 of the World Series, but to give him an extra day, Boston manager John Farrell moved up Jake Peavy, who made the start against the Cardinals on Saturday night. If Farrell remains true to his current rotation, it'll be Jon Lester, John Lackey and Peavy in the final three games if the Series goes the duration.
Buchholz might be part of an "all hands on deck" situation in Game 7, if at all.
He thanked the Red Sox medical staff for working overtime to get him ready for Sunday night's start.
"Everything goes to the medical staff and trainers," Buchholz said. "It's been a constant workload for them the last five or six days. My lat has been sore. All the stiffness and soreness was running a couple of other places. All the tugging and pulling they had to do on it made other things sore. It's been tough mentally going through that, but being able to go out there and start this game tonight, keep the team in it and help us win, that's big."
Buchholz claimed he felt so good that he would have been out there to pitch the bottom of the fifth if the offensive situation didn't warrant it. He had only thrown 66 pitches at the time.
"I wasn't feeling any stiffness or soreness before I came out," he said. "In fact, right now I feel fine. I was definitely going out in the fifth if [catcher] David Ross hit into a double play right there."
Ross, in fact, struck out and Farrell went to the bench for pinch-hitter Mike Carp, who grounded out to end the inning.
Buchholz had evidently given his club everything he had. A hundred percent effort of 80 percent capacity is better than nothing.
"He probably wasn't up to par with his command and his [velocity] was down, but his ball was really moving," Ross said. "That was big for us, having him go out there and give us some innings. He was a little under the weather and not feeling great, but Buch gave us a pretty gritty performance."


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In 1937, LIFE magazine launched the career of an up-and-coming starlet in a multiple-page photo spread that, overnight, made "Cynthia" a household name. In very short order she became an A-list celebrity; was given her own television talk show and starred on the silver screen; was sent jewels and dresses by top fashion houses; was briefly engaged to one of radio's biggest stars; and became one of the most recognizable faces in the fashion world.
There was just one minor catch: Cynthia was a mannequin. Not a mannequin in the way a runway model is a mannequin. But a mannequin mannequin. A made-of-plaster mannequin.
Cynthia's story begins in a small Midwestern town in the early part of the 20th century. Her creator, Lester Gaba, was a Hannibal, Missouri, shopkeeper's son with dreams of a grand life in the big city. He achieved it through his uncanny skill at one of the Great Depression's quirkier national crazes — soap sculpting. Buoyed by the fame he earned as a soap sculptor, Gaba moved first to Chicago, then to New York City in 1932, where he went into fashion and retail and pioneered the design of department-store windows. (One story has it that moved to New York to be close to his reputed lover, the stage and film director Vincent Minnelli.)
Only years before Gaba came on the scene, mannequins were often still ponderously heavy, relatively unrealistic creations of wax. They melted in the summer heat, and even sometimes bore frightening rictus grins of real human teeth. Upper-class women preferred to see how their clothes looked by having them modeled on young, human women. Gaba was one of a wave of pioneers making modern mannequins that combined style with realism — his so-called "Gaba Girls."
Gaba boasted that his mannequins were nearly indistinguishable from well-dressed human women, and pointed out that his creations had charming imperfections just as real women did, such as freckles and different-sized feet.
But the undisputed magnum opus of Gaba's career came in the form of a 5' 6", 100-pound doll he dubbed Cynthia. He brought her with him to nightclubs and social events. She became something of a New York nightlife fixture. Meanwhile, the country's finest stores lavished Cynthia with attention — and free gifts of dresses, shoes, furs and jewelry. Saks Fifth Avenue even issued her a credit card.
Once she achieved a certain level of fame, gossip columnists began writing about Cynthia as if she were a living, breathing socialite. When partygoers tried to engage the mannequin in conversation, Gaba begged off by claiming she was suffering from a touch of laryngitis.
But, as with the fame that sometimes descends on flesh-and-blood humans, Cynthia's was not to last. Her time in the spotlight proved fleeting, and the next decade saw her begin to fade from public view. In 1942, Gaba was inducted into the army. He sent Cynthia to stay with his mother in Missouri. Though the rest of the nation had moved on to other fads, Gaba insisted that Cynthia be treated like a celebrity, and instructed his mother to take the mannequin to the beauty parlor regularly.
Cynthia's current whereabouts, if she's still in one piece (or multiple pieces) are today a mystery. Ultimately, she even remained an enigma to the man who had lavished so much of his talent and his time on her. Years later Gaba admitted to the New York Times' Gay Talese that, in the end, "Cynthia never made any sense." To this day, there's no satisfactory answer to the question of why a plaster, unsmiling mannequin once thoroughly seized the American popular imagination. Maybe, just maybe, we're all dummies.


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Beautiful Tribute, Ugly Game
How do you blow a 6 run lead? Just ask the Phillies. No doubt, it was an emotional day for all of us in Phillies-land, as Harry Kalas was remembered before the game and pictures and video of Harry were shown in the park between innings.
His three sons threw out the first pitch and Kane Kalas sung the National Anthem. There were numerous salutes to Harry around the park, including the memorial outside the 3rd base gate at the Mike Schmidt statue. Schmidt was also in attendance at the game and caught one of the pitches from Harry's sons as did John Kruk and Jimmy Rollins.
With all the emotions flying about, it just made you wish even more that the Phillies could have pulled this one out for Harry. I suppose it was just not meant to be.
The game began for me with multiple bad omens, which I happily ignored as the Phillies jumped to a 5 run lead in the first inning. I was hit in the head twice before the game even started, and not by a baseball.
A man above me in the handicapped section actually dropped his 4-foot metal walking brace on my head; what he could have been doing up there to make this happen, I have NO idea. One minute, I am in my seat reading, the next minute, I am almost knocked unconscious. After I regained some semblance of lucidity, I handed the metal rod of death up to him; he said he was sorry and that was that. No one even came over to see if I was ok. Unbelievable.
The game began for me with multiple bad omens, which I happily ignored as the Phillies jumped to a 5 run lead in the first inning. I was hit in the head twice before the game even started, and not by a baseball.
As I rubbed my head, now nursing a major headache, another foreign object whacked me in the back of the head, in the same spot! I looked up and saw a Comcast employee winding up one of those 1 inch thick TV cables, which is what got me the second time. This jerk did not even blink; he said nothing, pulled the cable away and left! As you may imagine, I was quite woozy at this point. I just sat there dazed and confused and, seriously, you won't believe what happened next. Some idiot looking for his seat backed up into my row and stood on my foot while he looked around. He did not move until I lifted my leg and physically removed him from my foot! I got a very lame, "oh, sorry" as he wandered off. Clearly, this was not my day.
The game finally began and the Phillies jumped off to 5 run lead with a Chase Utley 3-run homer and a Chris Coste 2-run double. Perhaps these bad omens were just some sick cosmic joke? By the 4th inning, the Phils had a 6-run lead. How could they possible blow this, especially on Harry's day? Well, I'll tell you how; pitching and managing. Cole Hamels began to self-destruct in the 5th inning, giving up a 2-run home run to the Padres Scott Hairston. He also allowed 2 more hits and a walk in that inning and was due to bat 2nd in the line-up. So, did Charlie Manuel remove the tiring Hamels for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 5th? Nope. And then he sent Hamels back out for the 6th inning where, as I fully expected, he continued to give the game away; another 2-run home run, just like that. Now the score is 7-5.
The offense slept through the next few innings as the pen held the Padres down, but then came the 8th inning. Ryan Madson, who based on last year, appears to be a VERY slow starter, gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk, blowing the save and giving the Padres an 8-7 lead. This was a disaster and man, did my head really hurt after that. Greg Dobbs gave us a little hope as he led off the 8th with a single; Rollins bunted him over but then Shane Victorino popped out. Utley tried to play hero by whacking a single into left field, but then 3rd base coach, Sam Perlozzo, killed the rally by sending the VERY slow Dobbs home, where he was promptly tagged out.
Matt Stairs ended the game in the 9th by striking out looking, but to his defense, the last 2 called strikes did not look to be anywhere near the strike zone.
So besides my getting beat up at the game, another Phillies fan had a very similar day; before the game and before the Kalas boys threw their first pitch, an elderly man was invited onto the field to throw a pitch as well. Just as the announcer told the crowd that this 82-year old man was very brave for attempting to walk out onto the field, obviously because of his health, at that exact moment, this poor guy tripped on the yellow rope the grounds crew laid down for their pre-game preparations and fell flat onto the ground, losing his shoe in the process.
A very scary moment for all of us as we watched him lay there, but he was able to get up with assistance and did still throw the ball, which went about 2 feet. It was really something to see him even attempt this after such a terrible fall. Kudos to that fan for toughing it out! I do hope is okay. Sorry, I did not catch his name in all the craziness, but I wish him well.
This was a very sad day for the Phillies and their fans all around. Spirits were lifted though for a while during the 7th inning stretch when all 44,984 people in attendance were invited to sing along to "High Hopes" with Harry Kalas one last time. The video played on PhanaVision as we all joined in. It was a beautiful tribute, as I am sure the memorial service will be today as well.
As promised, here is the photo album from the Harry Kalas tribute on Friday and the game. There are two pictures that I think you should all see; Jimmy Rollins was holding Harry's favorite white shoes and Chase Utley held his blue jacket while Kane Kalas sung the National Anthem. I think those shots really sum up the week.
Photos by Jenn
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World of Warcraft is an online game where players from around the world assume the roles of heroic fantasy characters and explore a virtual world full of mystery, magic, and endless adventure. So, what is this game? Among other things, World of Warcraft is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game.
World of Warcraft is set in the same high-fantasy universe as the previous Warcraft games, and it builds on and expands a legacy of more than fifteen years of epic storytelling. Azeroth is a world of swords and sorcery. Its lands are home to a vast number of races and cultures, led by kings, chieftains, lords, ladies, archdruids, and everything in between. Some of Azeroth's people share bonds of friendship reaching back thousands of years; others are sworn enemies with long histories of bitter hatred. Among all these different kingdoms, cultures, tribes, and territories, two major power blocs are locked in a struggle for dominance.
World of Warcraft thrusts you into a central role of an ever-changing story. You and your friends will be active participants in events that are steeped in the rich lore of this fantasy universe. Fight for either the Alliance or the Horde, and experience a fully-realized fantasy world.
Legion Developer Q&A Friday, July 29
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Key Terror Leader Captured in Iraq; Security Focus in Baghdad Expands
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2006 - Iraqi and coalition forces captured a key al Qaeda operative and some 70 more terror suspects in Iraq during a series of 25 raids in and around Baghdad Sept. 12, a senior Multinational Force Iraq spokesman told reporters in Baghdad today.
The raids netted a personal associate of Abu Ayyoub al-Masri, Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said. Masri took control of al Qaeda in Iraq after a U.S.-led air strike killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in early June.
While not revealing the detainee's name, Caldwell called him "the leader of assassination, kidnapping and IED (improvised explosive device) cells in Baghdad." He "is known to have directly participated in numerous terrorist acts" and to have contributed to sectarian violence throughout the city, Caldwell said.
In addition, the detainee played a key operational role in terrorist activities leading up to and during operations in Fallujah in November 2004, he said.
The Sept. 12 raids, which also netted dozens of other terror suspects and multiple weapons caches, is part of an ongoing effort to help secure Baghdad during Operation Together Forward, Caldwell told reporters.
Iraqi and coalition forces have been focusing on five specific neighborhoods that were experiencing the most sectarian violence. During the past two weeks, more than 150 focused operations resulted in 66 terrorists killed and 830 terror suspects detained, Caldwell said.
The focus expanded today into the Shaab and Ur neighborhoods, he said.
This approach appears to be working in the focus areas, where violence is down, Caldwell said.
However, he acknowledged that violence in other parts of Baghdad experienced a "spike" yesterday and noted that terrorist death squads "are clearly targeting civilians outside the focus areas."
"Overall, Baghdad's level of sectarian violence has been reduced," he said, "but remains above the levels of violence we saw before the Golden Mosque bombing in Samarra in late February."
Iraqi and coalition forces are working together to help bring these levels down, particularly with Ramadan just 10 days away. "As we approach Ramadan, we know there is generally an increase in violence, and the government of Iraq has ongoing plans to address this," Caldwell said.
[Web Version: http://www.defenselink.mil/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=861]


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Hotel's Boonville Location Charms Guests
Situated in the beautiful and culturally vibrant Missouri River town of Boonville, our hotel's location just three miles from downtown allows guests to experience the area easily and comfortably. The Holiday Inn Express® Boonville hotel is just off I-70 at exit 101; we're a few miles from major local businesses and attractions and 25 miles from the University of Missouri Columbia.
Fun attractions abound in Boonville, Missouri. The hotel's location near Main Street puts guests near great shopping and restaurants. Your family can enjoy a living history tour of the town, see the Clydesdales at Warm Springs Ranch during the months of April through October or go biking along the scenic 225-mile Katy Trail.The Hail Ridge Golf Course and Les Bourgeois Vineyards and Winery are nearby.
Corporate travelers can work conveniently in Boonville with our hotel's free high-speed, wireless Internet access and 24-hour Business Center. Our hotel's location off I-70 makes it easy to get to Boonville businesses for meetings. We are directly next door to Caterpillar and Arby's restaurant.
After a full day, you'll love relaxing in the whirlpool tub. You can wake up every morning with the free, hot Express Start Breakfast Bar and our world-famous cinnamon rolls. If you're traveling to Boonville, Missouri, our hotel's hospitality and prime location are just what you need!
- Pillow Menu
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Heated indoor pool and whirlpool on site with wheelchair assisted devices. Patio available. No food or drinks allowed in the pool area. We do not have a lifeguard on site.
Health & Fitness
Complimentary Fitness Center
Complimentary use of fitness center. Fitness Center equipment updated in December 2015 to include one treadmill, one elipital bicycle and one stationary bicycle. Flat screen t.v.'s on all fitness equipment.
Hours of Operation: 12:00 AM to 12:59 PM
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2419 Mid America Industrial Drive
Boonville, Missouri 65233
United States
Check In: 3:00 PM
Check Out: 11:00 AM
Check-in Age: 18
Parking + -
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- Public Spaces Renovated in: 2017
- Guest Rooms Renovated in: 2010
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Whenever I have a problem involving artwork, I will turn to attorney Matt Erskine, who has a boutique firm in Worcester, Mass. So of course, I asked him to weigh in on the "Canyon" controversy. Here is what he has to say:
The Art Advisory Panel is not to Blame in the Sonnabend Fiasco
Matthew F. Erskine, JD
Janet Novack's 7/22/2012 Forbes Magazine post "The Art Advisory Panel has Its Head in the Clouds" is an excellent articulation of many of the comments I have seen and heard from the art, estate planning and appraisal industries since the Sunday New York Times article. [I need to remind my friend Matt, that my esteemed editor broke this story quite a while ago and the NYT is just catching up - PJR] It is not the Advisory Board, but the Sonnabend's professional advisers that have their heads in the clouds. The ownership and control of artwork is usually a trigger for an audit, especially if the object is subject to a welter of conflicting laws, such as "Canyon" is. The fact that "Canyon" could not be sold was apparent well before Mrs. Sonnabend's death, as she could keep "Canyon" only so long as it was on public display at the MET, where it hangs today. Taking the position that "Canyon" is valueless is on its face ridiculous. The MET obviously values it enough to give it some of its very limited wall space for display. People now pay $25 per person per day to see it at the MET. How much do you think they would pay for a "Canyon" after this battle? So, what is the "real" lesson of the one track planning in the Sonnabend case?
The lesson is that Scenario Planning, in the face of possible reactions by the IRS, is necessary to give owners of art and collectibles options. Scenario Planning is apt for planning for artwork and collectibles because it allows the owner, and their advisers, to answer the feed-forward question "what could possibly happen?" and then take steps to avoid risks and seize opportunities. The owners, and their families, have alternative plans when the primary plan fails to cope with negative situations. (For a more in depth discussion of using Scenario Planning see "Scenario Planning Option For Clients' Estates". Here is a simplistic example:
1. Prior to her death, Mrs. Sonnabend revises her estate planning documents so that the piece "Canyon" goes to her heirs, but if they disclaim, "Canyon" is donated to the MET. The Personal Representative is also given authority to abandon, modify or destroy "Canyon" in the settlement of the estate.
2. The Estate applies for a valuation of "Canyon" to the art Advisory Board. The Board comes back with a decision that "Canyon" 's fair market value is $65 Million, the family now has the following options:
a. Keep "Canyon", and pay the taxes, because ownership of this (now very famous) artwork is worth it to them,
b. Disclaim their interest in "Canyon" in favor of the MET, and takes the full $65 Million as a charitable deduction in the estate ,
c. Have the Personal Representative go to the MET, saw the eagle off the painting, leave the eagle on the floor, and get a new appraisal for the modified artwork, or
d. Have the Personal Representative takes "Canyon" out into the front steps of the MET and burn it in protest of estate taxes, and show it as a loss incurred in the administration of the estate.
Although the last two suggestions seem outlandish, they are no more outlandish than the plan to get the IRS, and the Courts, to accept that the ownership of such a major work by a renowned artist is worthless just because you cannot sell it. Also, there is a lot of chutzpah to argue in this day and age of the 99% that that the "rich" can inherit something for free!
For many owners of artwork or decorative collectibles, scenario planning works well for individual or a small number of items. In the Sonnabend estate, where there is over $1 billion in artwork alone, there is a need to simplify the complexity of the many different items (and their tax, provenance and valuation issues) by aggregating them both on the basis of the tax status of the owner and the item, and also by the needs and goals of the owner. So, do not blame the Art Advisory Board for valuing "Canyon" at $65 million, blame the Sonnabend advisers, who have baited the Panel by claiming the work is valueless, and not given the family options to avoid this tax in the first place.
-Matthew F. Erskine is principal of The Erskine Company LLC, a strategic advisory firm located in Worcester, Massachusetts, that offers expertise in the management of unique family assets, including multi-million dollar family businesses, numismatics collections, fine art and Americana collections, commercial and residential real estate holdings, and family compounds. Be sure to check out their blog.
Given time Matt would have come up with a much better plan then burning the artwork, satisfying as that might be. It was Matt who came up with the best suggestion when I was wrestling with the "midmill dilemma".
You can follow me on twitter @peterreillycpa.


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How to
Use the Activities
Inquiry Question
Between 1820 and 1865, the routes followed by American traders and armies through the mountains pulled New Mexico and the Southwest away from their 200-year-old Spanish traditions and towards a new kind of society coming not from Mexico City but from the United States. This change had profound effects not only on New Mexico, but also on the United States. The following exercises will help students demonstrate their understanding of these changes.
Activity 1: Geography and Manifest Destiny
Activity 2: "Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way..."1
Activity 3: Close to Home
¹George Berkeley, On the Prospect of Planting Arts and Learning in America (1752); cited in John Bartlett, Familiar Quotations: A Collection of Passages, Phrases and Proverbs Traced to Their Sources in Ancient and Modern literature (1855; 15th ed., Boston: Little Brown, 1980), 330.


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Dumping the old engine for a bigger, badder one? Why not learn to paint your engine compartment
We got caught up in a mad dash to ditch the farm-tractor inline-six the Rambler was delivered with in favor of a proper V-8 and decided to fog the engine compartment flat black. And while flat black is almost universally cool, there was really nothing wrong with the factory Barbados Blue we painted over. So while the Rambler awaits what will be its third engine, we decided to restore the engine compartment to its original hue.
Unlike a body-on-frame design, unibody cars announce their presence boldly, with tall, broad shock towers often accompanied by firewall bracing. The effect is a more intimate relationship between the engine itself and the car's chassis, the balance of which is struck by matching the engine compartment to the car's exterior color. Simply speaking, our shiny blue-and-aluminum 360 won't show as well in a flat black hole, so back to Barbados Blue we go. Enough with the aesthetic musings, here's how we got it done.
Things to ConsiderAlthough painting an engine compartment is not as big an undertaking as respraying an entire car, the planning and prep work involved are the same. You need to consider the following factors: How good do you want it to look, and how long do you want it to last? Since we are in it for the long haul with the Rambler, we decided to do the best job possible. We chose to spray 2K (or two-part) products in a two-stage process.
Two-stage means the color coat and clearcoat are applied in two separate steps. In a single-stage process, the color coat also serves as the topcoat, as it's designed to dry to a more glossy finish. These paints can give excellent results that will last a long time, but we prefer the extra layer of protection that a two-stage clearcoat provides.
A 2K product refers to a material that requires a catalyst, usually called an activator, which enables the paint to cure after application. As opposed to 1K products, usually spray-can products, lacquers, and materials that only require thinning before spraying, 2K products are moisture resistant and will protect your sheetmetal better.
The safest thing to paint over is factory paint. You can be fairly confident that it was applied properly, and therefore, you may only have to scuff it lightly and paint right over it-no primer needed. However, if you are unsure of the quality of the work you'll be painting over, we recommend using a sealer. Sealer does exactly what the name implies: It serves as a barrier between what was and what will be. It provides a clean, stable area to prime and paint over that will be unaffected by anything that lies below. Because of our dodgy flat-black assault, we decided to err on the side of caution and use a sealer. We also chose urethane products because they tend to be more durable than acrylic enamels. Once those decisions were made, our plan fell into place. Here are the steps we took: clean and degrease, sand, seal, prime, and paint.
The crossmember then got a liberal coat of Eastwood Rust Encapsulator and was allowed 24 hours to dry. We decided to leave the crossmember black, so it got sprayed with VHT's satin black enamel from an aerosol can.
Next, we sanded the entire engine compartment with 320-grit wet/dry paper wrapped around a rubber sanding block. There's no need to sand down to bare metal, but it is important to sand everything that will be painted.
This gives the new paint a textured surface to stick to-note the darker, unsanded areas above the steering column in the accompanying photo.
During this process, some rust bubbles were unearthed in the area under where the battery tray had been. The rust didn't stand a chance against an 80-grit disc followed by several passes with a red Scotch-Brite disc. Then, the edges were feathered by hand with 320-grit paper.
Any areas of bare metal must be treated with an etching primer or a dedicated direct-to-metal primer before proceeding. For this project, we sprayed any bare metal spots with a couple of light coats of SEM's Self Etching Primer.
Next, we masked and covered the car. We also took the time to cover the adjacent cars-you'd be surprised how far overspray can travel. Then, the entire engine compartment was blasted off with compressed air followed by a dousing of Eastwood PRE cleaner and paint-prep solution. Even though this is just an engine compartment, dirt and dust will still look ugly embedded in its new paint.
Proper mixing of all materials is crucial or funny things will happen to your paint job over time. Follow the directions on the can closely, or better yet, follow the procedures on the product's technical data sheet if you have access to it. DuPont's 2840S sealer is a two-part urethane that must be mixed with an activator at a 2:1 ratio. Be sure to stir the mixture thoroughly and strain as you pour it into the paint cup.
Check the air pressure before spraying. Most HVLP (high volume, low pressure) guns are designed to work with about 8-10 psi at the gun cap. Accounting for the pressure drop through the gun, this equals about 26-28 psi at the heel (i.e., inlet) of the gun. We used a "cheater valve" regulator on the air fitting; however, if you plan on doing a lot of spraying, a wall-mounted regulator to connect your air hose into is preferable. They provide more consistent air pressure and, since they often incorporate a filter and water separator, that air is clean and dry.
The sealer was applied in one full-wet coat. Since it dries quickly, it can be topcoated in less than an hour. If it's allowed to dry for more than four hours, however, it will need to be scuff-sanded before being painted over.
The primer is also a two-part product. DuPont's V-4904S Primer-Filler gets mixed in a 3:1 ratio with a temperature-dependent activator-the mid-temperature activator in this case, since it was about 70 degrees F.
The primer can be applied in relatively thick coats to fill and smooth sand scratches and other small surface imperfections. The Rambler received three medium-wet coats with about 6-8 minutes flash time between each coat. The primer also dries quickly and is ready to sand within one hour. DuPont recommends scuffing this primer with 500- or 600-grit paper before topcoating.
To prep for the color coat, the entire engine compartment was blown out again with compressed air and wiped thoroughly with an adhesive remover and then a tack cloth.
We purchased the AMC Barbados Blue custom-mixed from the paint store using AMC factory paint chips we scored on eBay. If you've got factory paint but don't know its name or number, check eBay. We found a ton of paint-chip listings-even for oddball applications like Citroen, Vauxhall, and Rover. After mixing the paint with an activator, it was ready to spray. We switched to a smaller spray gun to ensure we'd be able to get behind and around the steering column, brake lines, and wiring harness. To apply the basecoat, spray enough material in medium-wet coats until coverage is complete-usually 2-3 coats will do the trick. Allow about 8-10 minutes of flash time between coats.
We shot the clear as soon as the basecoat was dry-after about 30 minutes. We chose DuPont's HC2300S clear, which was mixed in a 4:1 ratio with a medium-temperature activator. Only two medium-wet coats were needed, applied five minutes apart, before the engine compartment was finished. The 2300S dries very quickly and can be polished after only two hours. While we won't be buffing out the Rambler's engine compartment, the clearcoat was dry to the touch and ready to be unmasked by the time we were finished cleaning the paint gun.
The Learning Curve
This is a good project for beginners. The prep and procedure are all the same as a for full-blown paint job, but the stakes are much lower, and therefore there is more room for trial-and-error learning. Here are two things we learned while doing this project.
|Paint And Prices
|DuPont 2840S primer-sealer, 1 gal.
|DuPont 2805S activator, 1 qt.
|DuPont V-4904S 2K UltraProductive primer-filler, 1 gal.
|DuPont V-4975S activator, 1 qt.
|Nason basecoat, 1/2 gal.
|Nason activator, 1 qt.
|DuPont HC2300S clear, 1 gal.
|DuPont HC2305S activator, 1 qt.
|3M 320-grit wet or dry sandpaper, 100 ct.
|Sharpe air regulator
|Inline air filter
All materials purchased at Annex Automotive and Industrial Finishes in Los Angeles; 323/934-3177.
|the eastwood company
|powerbuilt tools/alltrade
|pottstown, pa
|long beach, ca


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What If... you could cleanly cut a deck into four random packets and the face card of each packet changes into an ace?
What If...you have a signed selection vanish from the deck then pick up the card box at the fingertips of an empty hand and simply shake out the signed selection?
What If...you could table the four aces and without any painting or the aces touching the deck a signed selected card appears in the middle of the aces?
What If...you could perform an incredibly clean cards across with no palming?
What If...you have a very funny and commercial "cut to the high card" routine in your repertoire?
What If...you had a new incredibly fair appearing card force?
And What If...all of these routines relied on a single new move that is as easy as dropping cards? (You have occasionally dropped cards, haven't you?)
Running Time: approximately 56 mins
Do you own this product? Write a review.


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Ferrari and Montezemolo in the IHT and the NYT
Maranello, 14 May – A long article about Ferrari and Chairman Luca di Montezemolo appeared in today's edition of the "International Herald Tribune" and will also be published tomorrow in the business section of the prestigious "New York Times". Liz Alderman, chief business correspondent in Europe, explains Ferrari, the models, the company's and the Chairman's success, who transformed Ferrari in 20 years into a symbolic icon of "Made in Italy" and luxury all over the world. Alderman visited the Ferrari Works in Maranello some days ago, to enter "the heart of Ferrari-land, a seductive, mysterious place, that at times seems to defy logic, or at least the economics of conventional automotive industry." "It is a place of sonorous engines and sinuous curves, where engineers don't merely tune up engines, they literally tune them, like pianos, to produce that libidinous Ferrari vroom."
Liz Aldermann visited the Works accompanied by Chairman Luca di Montezemolo, who describes how as a man with inexhaustible energy, involved in every single aspect of the company "appears in every part of the company, goes in and out the prototypes, chats with employees while passing the caffè area, suggests how to showcase the products in the shop," and strongly defends the brand's exclusivity: "We always produce less than demand; we don't sell cars, we sell dreams." An exclusivity, as the journalist underlines, typical for big fashion houses such as Hermes and even if some analyst would like Ferrari to increase its sales, Montezemolo replies, that maybe "in 10 to 15 years we might arrive at about 10,000 cars" while the results confirm his statement as Liz Aldermann underlines, considering that "the FF's production scheduled for this year sold out within weeks" and the results for 2010 and the first quarter of 2011 are exceptional.
Going through Luca di Montezemolo's career, who has been Ferrari Chairman since 1991, Liz Alderman notices that he succeeded in re-launching the brand and "turning a mountain of debt into profit" in the early 1990s, increasing the number of markets and transferring lots of technology from the race track to the road. At the same time he re-launched the Scuderia Ferrari taking the team back to the top in Formula 1, confirmed by the titles won, turning the team into the most successful of the last 12 years. Also thanks to his management of what is the icon of "Made in Italy" Montezemolo "is nothing short of a hero in his country", often topping "political polls, when Italians are asked who they would like to see run for Prime Minister". The American journalist also asked him about the problems in Italy, with Montezemolo replying: "Italy today is like a boxer in a corner. We have to get back in the centre of the ring." Furthermore the Ferrari Chairman has always been convinced that the country has the resources as well as the excellence to make it.
"Today," the Ferrari Chairman said, "the largest industry in Italy is politics, the state is present everywhere. This means less of a free market, more corruption and less meritocracy." Asked if he might run for public office he said: "I don't believe in a one-man show. I'm more of a team-spirit guy", concluding saying that at the end of the day "I am married to Ferrari."


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Keys to Making Smart Decisions in the New Year
December means people are looking ahead to the new year and planning a fresh start, including a career leap. Noreena Hertz, author of "Eyes Wide Open," discusses. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
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Medical Credit Fund raises additional USD 17 million for healthcare impact investment in Africa
12 September 2016
WASHINGTON - Today, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC, the U.S. Government's development finance institution), Calvert Foundation (an impact investing organization), a private foundation and a Dutch private family office announced the closing of a USD 17.45 million agreement to expand the Medical Credit Fund (MCF). This new injection will allow the fund to further catalyze healthcare investments and achieve greater impact on healthcare for underserved populations in sub-Saharan Africa. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) helped to catalyze this transaction by initially providing a USD 1 million foreign exchange and first-loss grant.
Since 2010, MCF has been working to provide access to credit for small and medium-sized healthcare enterprises in Africa. So far, more than USD 16 million in loans has been disbursed, leading to quality improvement at about 70% of the facilities.
While MCF will continue to cater to the needs of these health SMEs, the expansion will allow the fund to simultaneously meet the demand for larger and more flexible loans. It can now facilitate loans of up to USD 2.5 million – a significant step up from its previous USD 350,000 ceiling. Also, MCF can now finance not only healthcare providers but also other players in the healthcare sector such as medical education institutions or suppliers of medicines and equipment. Finally, the expansion will enable MCF to explore new partnerships in other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. As part of the mission to enhance affordable quality healthcare services for underserved populations, the loans are connected to an elaborate clinical and business improvement program offered in collaboration with PharmAccess and local technical assistance partners. This increases the impact of investments considerably.
OPIC, one of MCF's first investors, has expanded their commitment to the fund. "Medical Credit Fund has truly been exceptional in their contribution to development by expanding the healthcare that is provided to low-income patients in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda," said Elizabeth L. Littlefield, OPIC's President and CEO. "OPIC is pleased to support Medical Credit Fund as they continue to provide financing to small and medium-sized healthcare clinics throughout Sub-Saharan Africa."
Calvert Foundation was also on board as one of the first investors in 2012. "We are thrilled to begin the next chapter of our relationship with MCF," says Beth Bafford, Investments Director at Calvert Foundation. "Over the years, MCF has delivered proof of the power and impact of credit for businesses working in underserved or overlooked sectors. Their unique mix of capital, business and clinical support has yielded tremendous results. This new financing will also allow them to diversify outside of clinics to meet the needs they see evolving across medical education, supplies, devices, and distribution."
Although it delivers more than half of healthcare services, the private healthcare sector in Africa is chronically underfunded. Dr. Wisdom Amegbletor, CEO of New Crystal Health Services Limited, a chain of hospitals in Ghana, attests to the difficulty in obtaining capital. "Banks in Ghana shy away from the health sector and if they decide to lend to you they do so at cut throat interest rates. With MCF's assistance I obtained a loan from uniBank which went into procuring badly needed supplies. It is refreshing to know that MCF is expanding its loan sizes and also seeking to cover the whole health value chain."
USAID recognizes the importance of appropriate financial products and services to catalyze healthcare investment. Agnes Dasewicz, Acting Director of USAID's Office of Private Capital and Microenterprise, affirms, "Blended finance models have significant potential. The innovative MCF model has increased investor confidence in the region. Many more local and regional stakeholders invest in the healthcare sector, enabling firms to have access to working capital as well as to make investments in equipment and facilities to provide affordable, high-quality services to clients in sub-Saharan Africa."
Building on a strong foundation
Since starting operations in late 2010, MCF has made considerable headway in showing that health SMEs are bankable and that investing in the private healthcare sector pays. Its risk reduction and risk sharing model has been successful in attracting banks into the healthcare sector. The on average 97% repayment performance makes for an attractive portfolio. Now, banks regularly take the lead in seeking collaboration and are starting to take an increasingly large share of the risk in loan agreements with MCF.
Up to end of July 2016, MCF and its African partner banks disbursed more than USD 16 million in loans to over 650 healthcare providers. In collaboration with PharmAccess and technical assistance partners, it has trained more than 950 health SME staff members on both business performance and clinical performance, using the SafeCare standards. About 70% of healthcare providers show improvement in terms of quality of service delivery after their second SafeCare assessment.
"We have built strong partnerships, established more efficient processes and disbursed hundreds of loans to healthcare providers who were able to improve the quality of their services as a result. This track record would not have been possible without the commitment of our donors and investors, who recognized the business potential as well as the social importance of investing in the private healthcare sector. We are very proud to be taking this next step and look forward to achieving even more impact together," said Managing Director of the Medical Credit Fund Monique Dolfing-Vogelenzang.
Catalytic capital
In 2012, MCF raised USD 10.6 million from OPIC and four leading international foundations. This was made possible by, among others, the Dutch government, and the U.S. Agency for International Development through the G20 SME Finance Challenge, which provided first loss and technical assistance grants to the fund. For every $1 in first loss grant capital, MCF was able to raise up to $7 in debt financing initially. The MCF was then able to leverage this grant further through this second round of financing.
In 2015, MCF started preparing for the expansion thanks to the support of the Dutch Good Growth Fund's Seed Capital & Business Development (SCBD) program and Pfizer Foundation. Pfizer Foundation provided seed capital and SCBD provided a blended investment. This, in combination with a loan from Calvert Foundation, allowed MCF to reduce the investment risk for its follow on investors. Although the expansion builds on the experience and processes developed over the last five years, it also required the testing of innovative financing schemes for health SMEs, the development of an expanded pipeline and additional management capacity. Together, the grant, blended investment and loan had a catalytic effect on operations and on securing this next round of financing.
OPIC is the U.S. Government's development finance institution. It mobilizes private capital to help solve critical development challenges and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy. Because OPIC works with the U.S. private sector, it helps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets catalyzing revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, guarantees, political risk insurance, and support for private equity investment funds.
Calvert Foundation is a nonprofit impact investing organization that provides the opportunity for investors to achieve financial returns while empowering people living in low-income communities around the world. A pioneer in the impact investment field, Calvert Foundation creates a win-win by improving the lives of both those who receive investment dollars and the investors who support them. Calvert Foundation investors have created thousands of jobs, classroom seats, and business opportunities for low-income communities through their Community Investment Notes.
Medical Credit Fund, initiated by the PharmAccess Group with support from Dutch private donors and the Dutch government, is a Netherlands based social impact fund that enables Health SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa to access affordable finance in order to improve the quality of healthcare. By reducing the unknown risks of investing in smaller scale healthcare providers, it catalyzes financing that enables healthcare providers to invest in quality enhancement and expansion of their facility. The finance program is combined with technical support on quality improvement and business planning, delivered by PharmAccess and its partners. In 2010 MCF won the G20 SME Finance Challenge award, which was presented to its chairman by President Obama during the summit in Seoul. In 2014 it also received the OPIC Impact Award for Access to Finance.
USAID is the lead U.S. Government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential. USAID's work with the private sector includes developing more strategic relationships with private investors focused at the nexus of business opportunities and development priorities. USAID's Office of Private Capital and Microenterprise engages investors and reduces business risks primarily through direct transaction support and investment partnership facilitation. http://www.usaid.gov


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This tyre has been designed to offer a comfortable ride quality without compromising on the traction. Variable Draft Groove technology results in a quieter ride while enhancing the tyre tread life.
Ideal for- Highway drives and city use
Key Features & Benefits
- Aero wing design makes for a comfortable ride quality
- Waffle groove design helps in noise reduction and improves braking efficiency
- Variable draft groove technology enhances the tyre tread life
- 5 rib asymmetric design makes for confident wet and dry grip
- Width215
215 is the width in millimetres of the tyres cross section.
- Aspect Ratio60
60 is the Aspect Ratio, it is the ratio of the sidewall height to the cross section width.
- ConstructionR
Radial construction. R stands for radial-ply construction.
- Rim16
16 inches, stands for the diameter of the wheel that the tyre is designed to fit.


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There really wasn't much paladin-specific information provided in the MoP media event – at least, not the sort of crunchy, math-y sort of information I usually blog about. However, there was a lot of talk about the new LFR loot system they're going to put in place, and a lot of controversy/outcry/confusion on the part of the players. I worked out a little bit of the math during an e-mail conversation with Anafielle, and we decided it was interesting enough to turn into a blog post after all.
I think the system is good, it just wasn't explained very well at first. And there's still some confusion, even on Blizzard's part it seems, about whether your roll is truly independent of other players or not. But for the moment, let's assume it is (either system works, really – I'll touch on that again at the end).
The most common complaint I've seen in the past few days is that players feel like they'll have less control over what they win. "But if item X drops," they say, "I only have to roll against the other people that need it, and not the people who don't need it." The flaw in this logic is that "if item X drops" encapsulates a whole bunch of RNG that isn't in their favor. That statement self-selects a small subset of the possible scenarios (e.g., that item X has dropped) and compares that subset to the entirety of the new system, which isn't a fair comparison.
In other words, you don't have control in LFR, you have the illusion of control. If it were a guild run, and you could guarantee that "next time item X drops, it's my turn," then you'd have control. If you're alone in an LFR, the expectation is that all 24 other people in the raid are after gear, and all of them that can roll on your item will. Unless you're participating in trading cabals, you don't have any more control over what drops and whether or not you win it than you do in a completely random system.
To show this, let's compare the systems. The correct way to do that is as follows:
Current system:
chance_to_win_X = (chance_X_drops) / (num_players_rolling_on_X)
Consider that most items have a ~15-35% drop rate, so let's use 25% as a baseline for item X to drop from the boss. Note that this is after all of the combinatorics involved in the drop happening (i.e., did it drop once, did multiples drop, etc.). Let's say that 4 other players in the raid are rolling on the item as well. That means you'll have a one in five chance (20%) of winning the item if it does drop.
Your net chance of winning a specific item in the current system is (0.25)/5 = 0.05 = 5%. And it gets worse – far worse – if more people roll. Have 8 people roll and you're down to around 3%. Have a Vanquisher token (10 rollers in an average 25-man group) and it's down to 2.5%.
Your net chance of winning any item (i.e. not just item X, but item Y or Z from the same boss as well) is a lot more complicated, because it depends on several details about the boss's loot table. How many items does he drop? How many of those items can you actually use? What is the individual probability of each drop (i.e. on a tier table, Vanquisher is 40% but Conqueror/Protector are each 30%)? And it's complicated further by the fact that the loot table is usually split in two to prevent 4 of the same item from dropping. So for example, if the boss drops 4 items, 2 are from one loot table and 2 are from another. Bosses that drop tier generally have one table for the 3 tier tokens, and one table for non-tier drops.
So let's make some assumptions. We'll say the boss can only drop 2 different items you can use, which seems reasonable for DS after quickly browsing a few drop tables on wowhead. Let's also assume those two items are on separate tables – maybe one is a tier token, and the other is an off-set item like a ring, bracers, etc. That makes the two item rolls independent, which means your chance of winning either or both of the two items is (1-(1-0.05)^2) = 0.0975 = 9.75%.
That might look confusing, but it's actually quite simple. You have a 5% chance to win one drop, and a 95% (1-0.05=0.95) chance to not win that one drop. The chance of winning one, the other, or both drops is just 100% minus the chance that you lose both drops (because there are only four possible outcomes: win+win, win+lose, lose+win, and lose+lose). The chance that you lose both drops is 0.95^2, so the chance that you win anything is 1-0.95^2 = 0.0975 = 9.75%.
New LFR system:
chance_to_win_X = (chance_you_roll_high_enough) / (num_usable_drops)
Let's say the boss drops 2 items you can use, and assume they're equally probable. Let's also say that Blizzard sets the roll threshold at 90 (i.e., you have to roll 91 or higher to win an item – a 10% chance to win). You have a (0.1)/2 = 0.05 = 5% chance of winning the exact item you want. But you have a 10% chance of winning at least one item that you need.
I've simplified things a bit here by assuming all items are equally probable – in other words, if there are 3 usable items the boss drops, each has a 33.3% chance (repeating, of course) to be the one you get. That isn't necessarily the case. They could have some items be more common than others by weighting things differently (i.e. tier token is 40% chance, each of two off-set items is 30%). But that doesn't really change much, apart from making specific items more or less likely. It doesn't change the average.
Also note that we've made up a lot of these numbers – they could make it a 15% chance to get any item (increasing your odds for both overall and for single items), and they could distribute loot such that there's 3 or more items you'll want off of a given boss (decreasing your odds for a single item – but this becomes less likely in a tier with more bosses, it was much worse in Firelands and Dragon Soul than it was in T11 or will be in T14).
Declaration of Independence
I said in the beginning that it doesn't matter whether your roll is truly independent of other players. Here's why:
In the new system, your chance of winning is the chance you roll high enough divided by the number of useful items that boss drops for your class. Now, they could set "chance_of_rolling_high_enough" to an arbitrary value, like 10%. That's what I did in my example. Then you're truly independent of other players, because you could all win one item, or nobody could, or anything in-between.
What happens if instead, the system performs a /roll for each player and just awards items to the top 4? Well, it means that instead of rolling to beat a certain arbitrary threshold, you're rolling to beat 21 other players. In other words, you need to be in the top 4 out of 25, or in the top 4/25 = 0.16 = 16%. It doesn't matter who those players are, either, because they're all rolling automatically. So if they did implement that system, it would be no different on a personal level than just setting the bar arbitrarily at 84 in the independent system. You're not really competing against the other players for anything, because statistically it will always work out such that you'll have a 4 in 25 chance to win once you average over many boss kills. The only difference is that the variance in the number of items awarded goes to zero. In other words, there's always 4 items awarded rather than randomly fluctuating between 0 and 25 with an average of 4.
Until we know the percentages, we won't know for sure which system truly gives you faster loot accrual. But it's far more likely that your chance of winning items will increase with the new system. And more importantly, it will be much more consistent, because it won't be as subject to group composition. No more zoning into LFR and groaning because there are 5 DPS DKS, 3 Ret paladins, and 4 Warriors all trying to get a two-hander.
The "extra bonus roll" stuff looks interesting too – it's basically a way to weight the dice in your favor for a particular boss, which has some neat strategic implications. If you're really after item X, you can load your dice for that particular item. Sort of nifty.
Given that the new system streamlines the looting process, eliminates loot drama from LFR, and adds the ability to use loaded dice on certain bosses (something that would be abysmal to implement in the old system), I'm on-board. Especially since the only cost is the illusion of control.


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Is the tide finally turning?
The Labor Department recently reported that the number of Americans quitting their jobs has begun to rise. Although the number is still quite low, it is a tentative sign that labor market mobility, which had petrified during the recession, has started to recover. Employers trusting a stagnant economy to keep top talent from leaving would do well to pay attention.
One particular demographic poised to jump is Generation X. At just 46 million in the U.S., Gen X is small compared to the 78 million Boomers and 70 million Millennials, but they wield a disproportionate amount of influence.
Born between 1965 and 1978, they are the bench strength for leadership, the skill bearers and knowledge experts that corporations will rely on to gain competitive advantage in the coming decades. Approaching or already in their prime of their careers, they are ready and willing to lead.
Yet their career progress has been threatened by leapfrogging Millennials and blocked by Boomers, who are postponing retirement to bulk up recession-ravaged 401(k)s. They had been promised the keys to the kingdom but are now in danger of turning into the Prince Charles of the American workforce: perpetual heirs apparent.
Unlike Prince Charles, though, Gen X'ers don't plan to stick around and hope for the crown. A recent survey from the Center for Talent Innovation (CTI) shows that 37% have "one foot out the door" and are looking to leave their current employers within the next three years.
With promotions only a scant possibility, what can employers do to keep their talent engaged and on board? Here are five options:
- Develop corporate chameleons. "Once I've learned my job, I like to move on," says one Xer interviewed for the CTI report. "I need something new to keep things fresh." To prevent Xers from feeling stalled and browning out, companies are rotating promising employees through different functions on a regular schedule. A Sibson Consulting survey (PDF) shows that more than half of Fortune 500 companies say they've begun shuffling potential leaders around to give them broad experience.
- Let them learn. "I really like my company. It's a great fit," says another Xer. "But having said that, if it's the right thing, I'd jump. I won't stop learning or growing just to have a job." That's why even in the middle of a recession, smart companies are maintaining their tuition-reimbursement programs, as well as instituting mentoring and sponsorship programs that pair Boomer managers with Gen Xers.
- Bring them out of the shadows. Mentoring and sponsorship programs serve another purpose: They match mid-level managers with senior-level executives who can provide opportunities to enrich their career experience. Placing Xers in charge of high-visibility projects is also a way to spotlight their abilities.
- Test their wings. Many Xers would agree with one of their cohort who declares, "I have an entrepreneurial spirit that won't shut up." With many having been brought up as latchkey kids, Gen X is highly self-reliant; today, 70 percent of Xers surveyed by CTI prefer to work independently, and 34 percent aspire to be an entrepreneur. Why not let them test their wings with a company-sponsored venture than risk having them fly the coop?
- Promote partnerships. It's easy for Xers to demonize Boomer managers as intransigent dinosaurs and Gen Y subordinates as self-aggrandizing upstarts. Break down the barriers through inter-generational partnerships and teams. Each cohort has its own strengths and gifts; sharing them will enhance everyone's abilities.
Although Gen X has been overshadowed by the demographic behemoths bracketing them, no company can afford to ignore them. Until recently, economic constraints have kept them in their current jobs. But as the recession loosens its grip, well-qualified Xers will soon have many suitors vying for their abilities and ambitions.
Smart organizations will seek to understand what motivates them in order to sustain, retain, realize, and maximize their potential.
This post originally appeared at Harvard Business Review.


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Colocasia "Black Coral" Elephant ear plant
- $8.99
- Product Code:2
- Availability:In Stock
Plants for sale are Colocasia "Black Coral" " As with all my plants they are grown from tissue culture to be exact disease free copies of the mother plant. Plants for sale are between 5-16" they grow fast. Black Coral is a clump forming 3.5-4' t..
Plants for sale are Colocasia "Black Coral" " As with all my plants they are grown from tissue culture to be exact disease free copies of the mother plant. Plants for sale are between 5-16" they grow fast. Black Coral is a clump forming 3.5-4' tall Colocasia with glossy, jet black leavesn. Heavy corrugation in the leaves give this plant a distinct affect. We recommend using Bio Spectrum organic fertilizer located in our store. Ships to the continental United States only.
For detailed growing instructions please visit:
How to grow Colocasia,
Colocasia soil requirements and planting instructions, Mix together the following: 50 percent potting soil; 20 percent peat moss; 20 percent orchid bark with charcoal; 10 percent shredded sphagnum moss and a handful of perlite. Place this mixture in a pots, beds or garden and plant your alocasia. Proper site preparation ensures years of growth and once established they will not require weed control. Strong growth will Soil Ph should be around 5.6-7.0 light conditions, When making a site selection keep your plant in an area that has bright indirect light, but not direct sunlight. Plants will produce large fragrant flowers. Colocasia plant care, If using drip irrigation allow soil to dry slightly between waterings. Do not over water any members of the Colocasia family. Colocasia fertilizer, this heavy feeder every three weeks during the warmer months with a one half-strength fertilizer with a balanced N-P-K ratio or 20-20-20. Colocasia pests and disease, Pests or diseases are few and far between. When planting to avoid crown rot, stem rot and other fungal diseases keep your alocasia fairly dry. Colocasia are also referred to as Giant taro, Ape plant, Elephant Ear, Ape flower, Elephant's Ear Plant, Night-scented Lily, New Guinea Shield, and Taro. Colocasia are benerally grown from side shoots vs seeds. There are hundreds of varieties of Colocasia. Florida Hill Nursery is your internet source for buying rare plants and fruit trees. Our online Plant selection ensures the best selection of internet plants available. Ceck out our wide selection of other tropical plants, subtropical plants and norther temperate climate plants. Buy 1 plant or tree and recieve free shipping on the next three plants or trees using *best way shipping. Our online selection of rainforest tropicals and fruit trees can add a piece of the tropics to your back yard, greenhouse, patio or garden.


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Huge turnout for Giants parade up Market
Huge turnout as World Series champs parade along Market
With adoring roars from the crowd and beaming grins from the players, the Giants World Series victory parade strutted up Market Street on Wednesday, ending up in front of City Hall, where the team was handed the key to the city - and the hearts of its fans.
Parents, college kids, toddlers, office workers and admirers of all stripes bundled up to avoid the chill, blew horns, clapped, high-fived and screamed themselves hoarse as the ballplayers and marchers passed by. You could hear the din of the estimated 1 million-plus people almost all the way to Detroit.
The coinciding of Halloween with the parade day produced an ocean of holiday getups, with Giants regalia slung over the usual witch and ghoul costumes. Even fashionistas might have winked at the mash-ups, given that the Giants team colors are appropriately spooky orange and black.
"It's awesome!" 9-year-old Jenna Wieking yelled as her father hoisted her to his shoulders for her first look at such a huge parade. "There are so many fans so close! So many people!"
Like thousands of others, her family made a long drive in - she's from Davis - to give the team a big hurrah for beating the Detroit Tigers on Sunday to snatch baseball's biggest crown.
"We're so super-excited to see this," said her mother, Julie Wieking, 41. "We don't have any favorite players - we like them all."
In many places along the Market Street route, fans stood 20 to 50 deep to catch a glimpse of their baseball heroes. Hordes held signs - some asking Marco Scutaro to the prom, others boasting that they had skipped school or work to be there.
It was a lucky day, with city officials reporting little trouble beyond 22 arrests - mostly for drunk and disorderly offenses - and the rain staying away until evening.
Those at the street-side barriers with the best views arrived in the early hours of the morning, and some came from as far away as San Diego and Hawaii.
Steve Solidarias, 40, drove from San Jose to get a front-row spot at 4 a.m., and as the last player passed by his cheers faded into a tired grin.
He'd had no food or drink or bathroom break in about seven hours. "It was worth it," he said.
Players had fun
The players seemed to be enjoying the parade as much as anyone. They tooled up Market in open convertibles with their families, waving, taking videos and pictures with their cell phones and smiling ear to ear.
Brandon Crawford, a Mountain View native, lifelong Giants fan and the team's rising star shortstop, said he was living the dream.
"When I was growing up, I wanted to be in a World Series with the Giants," he said. "To be here is awesome."
Two-time World Series champion Tim Lincecum said the 2012 ride gave him chills, brought back memories of the team's triumphant parade up Market in 2010 and sparked a few tears.
"This is better than the first time," he said. "We enjoyed it last time, but this time it's better."
It was not a good day to be short, though. If there was any complaint to be made, it was that the players rode in cars this time instead of the faux cable cars used in 2010. The cable cars were higher and made it easier for the packed crowds to see the players.
At Civic Center Plaza, where a jam-packed gathering roared as the parade cars arrived, celebrities and normal folk alike were star-struck. "Beach Blanket Babylon" star Tammy Nelson kicked things off by singing "San Francisco," and at 1:51 p.m. the players took the stage.
Speech time
Team President Larry Baer told the throngs: "What do you say we make a habit of meeting like this every late October!" They screamed approval.
Mayor Ed Lee, wearing a Giants cap, swapped out the orange coat he had on in the parade and yelled into the microphone: "Let's go Giants!" He presented the team with a key to the city and a golden broom to memorialize the sweep of the Tigers.
Also on stage was Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom - mayor when the Giants won in 2010 - Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, former Secretary of State George Shultz and former Mayors Willie Brown and Frank Jordan. Willie Mays and other baseball legends sat alongside.
Relief pitcher Sergio Romo drew big cheers when he noted that the team's mix-and-match spread of personalities and origins reflected that of its hometown.
"Look at the diversity ... the different faces from different places, the different strokes," he said. "We all had one, how do you say, dream ... You should be proud. ... I am very proud."
The congratulatory ceremony ended at 3 p.m. with Tony Bennett crooning, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." The crowd sang along, and streams of confetti exploded in the air as his final notes subsided.
Giants officials and police estimated attendance at the day's festivities was slightly more than 2010's count of 1 million people.
Transit systems crowded
Even before the sun came up, the Bay Area's transportation network of buses, trains and ferries was bursting at the seams with the much-bigger-than-normal crowds. BART and Caltrain were both on track to set daily ridership records.
The only mode that was semi-normal was the freeways, which chugged along at heavy-commute speed.
The crush didn't seem to bother anyone - even though some had to wait for several packed buses or train cars to go by before they could get on. Crowds spontaneously broke into chants of "Let's go Giants" as they stood shoulder to shoulder, and everyone next to anyone became instantly chatty pals.
"It's always crowded, but, wow, not like this," Kim Allian, 27, said as she rode BART in to the city from her Pleasant Hill home. The car was so crammed she couldn't move in any direction.
"What a wonderful thing," Allian said, "to see everyone from all over the Bay Area coming together like this to celebrate."
Parade by the numbers
1 million
Number of revelers
1.7 Miles of parade route
$1 million
Cost of the parade
56% Increase in Muni Metro subway ridership over an average day
2 News helicopters that hovered overhead
1 1/2 Tons of confetti spewed onto Market Street along the route
12 Public Works staff with leaf blowers
40 Public Works staff sweeping parade route
1 Broom to the city presented by Mayor Ed Lee to the Giants
140 Portable toilets
22 Arrests, including 13 for public drunkenness
59 People treated at city's alternate care site; most were intoxicated
7 Lost children reunited with parents
46 Hyatt Regency hotel rooms with guests standing on balconies, 11:30 a.m.
$10 Cost of an orange and gold Mohawk wig sold on Market Street
Sources: Giants, BART, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, Department of Public Works, San Francisco Police and Fire departments, Federal Aviation Administration, Red Cross
San Francisco Chronicle staff writers John King, Will Kane, Vivian Ho, Ellen Huet, Christopher Yee and Carl Nolte contributed to this report. Demian Bulwa, Kevin Fagan, Justin Berton and Jill Tucker are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. E-mail: email@example.com, email@example.com, email@example.com, email@example.com


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Why Kerry?Comments
Ezra asks a question I think of a lot of Democrats are asking now and were asking in early 2009–Does Barack Obama want Mitch McConnell to be Majority Leader? Obama has always had a political blind spot when it comes to cabinet appointments. He has tended toward well-known political leaders for important positions, even if that means pulling them out of their states where they could extend the Democratic advantage and do more good. Janet Napolitano and Kathleen Sebelius were major political leaders in difficult states for Democrats. It's completely unclear whether their ability as administrators in a cabinet position proved to me more valuable than running for the Senate in their respective states, but I am doubtful. Democrats managed to hold onto Hillary Clinton's and Ken Salazar's seats in the Senate, but with the latter it was only because the Tea Party took over the Colorado Republican Party and ran an insane person.
And now Obama is doing it again by floating John Kerry's name out for Secretary of Defense or Secretary of State. The upshot of this is that Scott Brown will probably return to the Senate. With 2014 looking like a tough year for Democrats in the Senate (hard races to win combined with expected lower turnout among Democratic base voters), why make it easier for Republicans to control the Senate?
I'm a bit more understanding of why you would do this for John Kerry than I would be for others. He is an old liberal lion who was the presidential candidate in 2004. If he wants the job that bad, maybe he has the right to demand it. Certainly he's well-qualified. But he can probably do more good in his existing role in the Senate than in the Cabinet.


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You forget how beautifully ornate snowflakes can be until you see them up close, in full detail. This photo series from Andrew Osokin shows how stunningly gorgeous each snowflake is. They look unreal.
Andrew Osokin used a macro lens to capture all the little designs of the snowflakes. Some of them look so impossibly fragile, like they're defying some law of gravity or something. And the prettier they get, the more fragile they look. Check out more snowflake pictures at Osokin's LensArt site here. [LensArt via Laughing Squid]


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AUGUSTA, Ga. – Felled by a walk-off bloop single to left, the Georgia College baseball team (25-16, 15-8 PBC) dropped a 10-9 decision at Augusta State University (13-31, 4-23 PBC) Sunday.
A two-run shot off the bat of rightfielder Bryce Williams (Manhattan, Kan.) in the top of the eighth gave GC a 9-8 lead, and momentum. The Jaguars answered with one in the bottom half to tie, eventually taking the game via the pinch hit single by Brack Barton in the ninth.
Williams finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored as the lone multi-hit performer for the Bobcats. Centerfielder Patrick Daugherty (Kennesaw, Ga.) drove in three as part of his 1-for-3 afternoon.
The three outfield spots for GC went a combined 5-for-10, scoring six runs and driving in five, as leftfielder Josh Young (Lake Havasu City, Ariz.) was 1-for-3 with two runs scored.
Reliever Zack Hula (Kennesaw, Ga.) dropped to 2-1 on the season with his 3 2/3 innings, allowing a pair of earned runs.
The Bobcats still picked up the series victory thanks to yesterday's doubleheader sweep, as GC has now won six Peach Belt Conference (PBC) series on the year.
The loss drops GC to 15-8 in conference play, still atop the PBC West with a .652 win percentage. That mark ranks third in the league overall as well.
The Bobcats are back in action Wednesday, April 18 at 6 p.m., hosting Toccoa Falls College at John Kurtz Field.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.


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Tiger Woods is back to No. 1 in the world with a game that looks as good as it ever has.
Woods tied a PGA Tour record Monday by winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the eighth time. He never let anyone closer than two shots in the final round at Bay Hill, closing with a 2-under 70 for a two-shot victory over Justin Rose.
Next up is the Masters in two weeks, when Woods will try to end his five-year drought in the majors.
Rickie Fowler tried to stay with Woods until hitting two shots into the water on the 16th and making a triple bogey.
Woods tied the tour record of eight wins in a single tournament. Sam Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open eight times.