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Japan Business Services
Changes to Japan's corporate governance framework – including "JSOX" and convergence of "JGAAP" and IFRS – present some of the biggest challenges to Japanese businesses today. These changes are more than a technical compliance issue. They will demand both a shift in Board–level mindset and significant investment.
Our Japan Business Services can help. We are a global network of bilingual professionals dedicated to providing personalized service for our Japanese clients around the world. The team is made up of experienced men and women with in-depth knowledge of both the Americas and Japanese corporate environments, gained through hands-on experience of serving major clients.
Our Japan Business Services is an integrated part of the wider EY firm. That means we can deliver the full range of solutions you'd expect from a professional services organization – assurance, tax, transactions and advisory – quickly and seamlessly. Ultimately, we provide our clients with that vital link back to Japan, matching our clients' needs with the capabilities of the global EY organization.


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Faced with powerful retailers and rising commodity prices, many packaged-meat companies have found the current operating environment challenging. Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) has been one of the exceptions, as evidenced by its outstanding financial track record.
It has raised its annual dividend for the past 48 years, and has remained profitable and free cash flow positive during the past 10 years. Recent trends have been even more encouraging, with Hormel Foods growing its EPS by a five-year CAGR of 11% from 2009 to 2013.
What's unique about this food company, and how does it match up to peers such as Kraft Foods (UNKNOWN:KRFT.DL) and Post Holdings (NYSE:POST)?
The right products
While companies in the packaged-meat industry have typically focused on raw-meat products, Hormel has increasingly focused its attention on innovative, value-added product lines. These include product offerings such as pepperoni snack packages, premium hams, convenience bacon, deli meats, assorted meat party trays, and refrigerated entrees. The numbers speak for themselves, with more than 30 of Hormel's products being among the top two best sellers in their respective categories.
One notable example was Hormel's Rev Wraps, a line of high-protein, on-the-go snacks made of cheese and ham. In less than four months following nationwide distribution, Hormel reached the $30 million sales mark for Rev Wraps. Success didn't come by chance, as Hormel had done relevant background research and found that 37% of consumers have their meals on the move. Similarly, Hormel introduced two-ounce mini dipping cups for its refrigerated guacamole products so that its customers can have their favorite guacamole on the go.
Capitalizing on consumer trends is key to the development of new products, and Kraft Foods is no exception. It was the pioneer of the liquid-water enhancer category with MiO in March 2011. MiO comes in three different variations: Original, Energy, and Fit. MiO Fit is a zero-calorie sports drink minus sugar and artificial coloring, while MiO Energy has added Vitamin B and caffeine to give consumers an extra boost. As more consumers have their meals consumed away from home and office, the convenience of the products offered by both Hormel and Kraft should gain greater popularity.
More importantly, new products don't fall from the sky. Both Hormel and Kraft have invested significantly in innovation and advertising. In the food industry's version of the Oscars, Progressive Grocer magazine's 2013 Editors Picks, only 123 winners were picked from submissions, with seven of Hormel's new products being awarded. After crossing the $2 billion mark for sales from new products in 2012, Hormel isn't resting on its laurels. Instead, it has set another ambitious target of $3 billion in new product revenue contribution by 2016.
In Kraft's case, it used to spread its advertising spend across too many new products. Kraft did a study of 2009 product launches and discovered that the best-selling products were exactly the same ones on which it spent the most advertising dollars. As a result, Kraft started to identify Tier-1 products, and increased spending for each of them by fivefold to approximately $25 million per launch. MiO Fit, introduced in 2013, was one such successful case study of focused advertising spend.
The right deal
In January 2013, Hormel completed the acquisition of the Skippy peanut butter business. Apart from adding another value-added non-meat protein brand to its portfolio, this deal allows Hormel to significantly expand its geographical presence.
Skippy boasts a wide geographical footprint, with its products being sold in 30 countries on five continents, while Hormel is primarily a domestic business with its international business segment accounting for about 5% of fiscal 2013 sales. At the product level, Hormel can capitalize on Skippy's distribution network spanning more than 100 Chinese cities, to expand its product and brand presence in China.
Another food company that has transformed itself with acquisitions is Post Holdings. Suffering from the long-term secular decline in cereal consumption, Post Holdings has engaged itself in eight M&A deals in the last 12 months, including the most recent purchase of processed egg producer Michael Foods, to diversify its operations.
While Post Holdings used to derive 100% of its revenues from cereal sales, it will become a diversified consumer-food company, with cereal making up only about a quarter of its pro forma sales. With the addition of Michael Foods, Post Holdings will also be the domestic market leader in egg and refrigerated potato products.
Both Hormel and Post Holdings have leveraged on their M&A strategies to be stronger companies in the competitive food industry.
Foolish final thoughts
In fiscal 2013, Hormel grew its sales and diluted EPS by 6% and 5%, respectively, to $8.8 billion and $1.95, which represented new historical highs for the company. This shouldn't come as a surprise given that Hormel has positioned itself for success in the food industry by focusing on the right products and the right deals.

subset: commoncrawl


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Slideshow with audio and narration delving into the attraction of Urban Exploration. This piece accompanied a San Francisco Chronicle article on the subject.
To commemorate the centennial of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, I re-shot George Lawrence's landmark photograph, "San Francisco in Ruins."


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2004 INFINITI QX56 Reviews and Ratings
Utility 4D AWD
Expert Reviews
The 2004 Infiniti QX56 is an all-new, from frame rails to roof rack, full-size SUV that's as big and as luxurious as the Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade. It is by far the biggest vehicle Nissan's Infiniti luxury division has ever sold. The Infiniti QX56 has nothing in common with the much smaller Pathfinder-class Infiniti QX4, which is expected to be discontinued.
The QX56 is the most powerful, quietest, most luxurious, most spacious, most completely featured and stylish vehicle in its class. It's also the most utilitarian, boasting the most cargo and towing capacity.
Want more? How about also being the most competitively priced? And at least as fuel efficient?
If all this sounds too good to be true, for once, it isn't.
Infiniti offers one model of its new full-size SUV. You need only choose between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. The engine is a 315-horsepower 5.6-liter V8, and the transmission is a five-speed automatic. The Infiniti QX56 is expected to retail for $50,500 when it goes on sale early this year (2004).
It's telling to note there are but four factory options: a middle split bench seat in place of the standard two captain's chairs (no charge), a DVD-based entertainment system, a power sunroof and a Smart Vision package comprising a rearview video monitor and adaptive cruise control. Everything else usually expected in a luxury vehicle is standard, plus a few items that appear if at all as options on other car makers' entries in the field.
Leather-trimmed upholstery is standard. Xenon HID headlights are standard along with LED tail lights and brake lights, which light up quicker and brighter, the hope being this will more quickly grab the attention of following drivers. Two more pluses on the list of standard features are the power liftgate and backup warning system.
Standard wheels are 18-inch chromium aluminum alloy, with 20-inch wheels optional. Skid plates protecting the transfer case, oil pan and fuel tank on the four-wheel-drive edition are yet another plus for the few who will actually dare to venture off the paved way. The four-wheel-drive system features low range. The QX56 comes with a full-size spare tire.
Safety features include the latest generation front airbags that deploy at different rates depending on crash severity and occupant seatbelt use and front-seat side airbags. Also standard are full-cabin side curtain airbags.
The QX56 may be the best tool this side of an 18-wheeler for clearing slower traffic out of the left lane. Spying one in a rearview mirror closing rapidly will inspire most drivers to err on the side of survival and get out of the way.
It's not any one aspect but the combination. Perhaps if the grille weren't visually surrounded by expanses of metal. Or if the headlights were taller. Or if the breather vent embedded in the bumper were smaller. Perhaps. Perhaps. But as assembled, the QX56's front end embodies massiveness.
The side view broadcasts a similar message. Here, for once, and for this message, the more tire the better. Where the popular practice among stylists is to wrap ever thinner tires around ever bigger wheels, with an eye to communicating sportiness, in this class, where mass and perceived hauling capability is the measure, tires that look like they belong on a truck are preferred. And the QX56 delivers.
Squared off, clearly defined, barrel-like fender blisters add heft to the quarter panels. The arched roof over the passenger compartment puzzles, especially as it pushes the D-pillar (bearing the Infiniti trademark, if somewhat awkwardly angled, door handle) rearward, shrinking and reshaping the rear quarter windows in conflict with the somewhat organic outline of the front and rear door windows. The running boards are more cosmetic than functional, but manage to pull bodywork down below the midline of the wheels, again adding to the impression of mass.
There's enough of a trace of stamped-in relief in the liftgate to confirm lineage with the predecessor QX4, but the focus in the QX56's rearview is more on stance than was the case in that smaller, lighter-looking SUV. And here, too, the QX56 succeeds. Substantial tires (there they are again), widely spaced, beneath a body that starts out broad at the lower reaches and then gradually tapers in towards the top speaks to solidity, to roadhugging stability.
If the exterior of the Infiniti QX56 is a totem to mass, the interior says, roomy. In almost every measure by the tape, the QX bests the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator, its most direct competition. The Infiniti beats the Cadillac and Lincoln by more than three inches in second-row legroom, and in most measurements it beats them by at least an inch. Only the Cadillac consistently betters the Infiniti in occupant space, and then generally by fractions of inch. Expansive window glass adds to the feeling of spaciousness in the QX56, even when it's not there. Be forewarned, though, that the optional sunroof reduces front seat headroom by more than an inch (as it does in most vehicles).
All seats are trimmed in leather; the shift knob is so gloved and the steering wheel is wrapped in leather accented by wood rim-inserts. Front seats are almost plush, nicely bolstered with adjustable inboard armrests, and heated. Second-row bucket seats are less plush, but still adequately bolstered with adjustable inboard armrests, and heated.
Grab handles on the inside of the A-pillars and above the rear side doors offer assistance to shorter and less agile passengers getting in and out. Second-row seats tilt forward with little effort for access to the third row, which is more bench-like with barely adequate bottom cushions. Step-in height is comfortable, imparting a feeling of climbing up into the Infiniti.
The dashboard is uncluttered, with broad expanses of pleasantly textured surfaces. There's no seam for the passenger SRS airbag, no Infiniti logo or label. The hood over the instrument cluster is topped with a satin finish, minimizing glare. In other words, nothing looks cheap; in fact, quite the contrary. Buttons and knobs return the expected tactile feel.
The center stack, holding the stereo, climate and navigation system control heads, is inset in a metallic looking frame housing large, adjustable airflow vents. Unfortunately, these center vents cannot be closed, always allowing some air to flow any time the climate control system is running; same for the vents at the ends of the dash. Inset in the top is the navigation system LCD display, which also reports vital data about audio and climate control settings; watch for dust and other detritus to collect in the front of the opening. The clock, an Infiniti-signature analog unit, is tucked away down at the bottom of the center stack, almost out of sight and therefore almost out of mind. Too bad, as it's a classic visual.
Instruments are of the floating luminescence type, which militates for leaving headlights in automatic mode as the always-lighted gauges can lead even an attentive driver into thinking the lights are on when they are not. The ignition key slot is in the dash, where it by right ought to be. Real-looking, light-colored wood covers the center console.
The front windows have one-touch, auto-up/down power; a plus is that the rear door windows do, too. Another plus are power rear quarter windows. The brake and accelerator pedals are power-adjustable, and their placement is included in the memories for driver's seat and heated outside mirrors settings. Each front seat occupant may choose an individual temperature setting, and rear seat passengers have their own rheostat. The 265-watt stereo includes a subwoofer among its 10 speakers.
There's plentiful storage, with fixed map pockets in the doors, front and rear. The back of the driver's seat boasts a hinged magazine holder. Eight cup holders let everybody sip a latte on the way to the concert. A modest amount of hidden storage space resides beneath the cargo floor behind the rear seat. Ordering the entertainment system parks a DVD player in the front center console, slashing that space by about one-third.
Collapsing the rear and middle seats and folding the front passenger seat back down actually makes enough room for an eight-foot step ladder when the time comes to finish that do-it-yourself remodel job.
From the driver's seat, the Infiniti QX56 doesn't feel as large as it is. Without a regular check in the rearview mirror, a driver might forget just how much there is back there. No, it's clearly not a car, but neither does it drive like the big body-on-frame truck that it is.
There's a modicum of body lean in corners. Understeer, where the QX wants to go straight when the driver wants it to turn, is the default dynamic when a corner is entered at too high a rate of speed. But until understeer arrives, steering feels precise, with good variable assist.
Acceleration, given the almost 3 tons of vehicle, passengers and cargo, is less than sparkling, but at least it's accompanied by appropriate, big-V8 exhaust sounds.
Braking is solid and linear, with good, manageable pedal feel. The antilock brake system (ABS) is barely felt when called upon, and knowing electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist are standing by is comforting. Only when the Q is seriously pushed or the road conditions turn slushy does the electronic stability control system intervene, and then with little excitement or imbalance.
Very little tire and road noise invades the cabin, thanks mostly to abundant sound-deadening material. Some wind noise is unavoidable, given the roof rack complete with cross rails, but it's reasonably muted.
No opportunity presented itself to explore the QX's four-wheel drive, with ultra-low ranges for 1st, 2nd and Reverse gears. But previous experience with four-wheel-drive Nissans invites the assumption it will handily subdue any terrain short of Rubicon-level grades, rocks and boulders.
The 2004 Infiniti QX56 is and does everything Nissan wants the new full-size SUV from its luxury division to be and to do. It raises the bar in dimensions and styling, outside and inside, and in power and drivetrain. None in its price class touch its off-road capability.
Driven the way and where a vehicle this size is intended to be driven, it's surprisingly and refreshingly responsive and surefooted.
In sum, the QX56 comes out of the gate as a contender the competition had best be prepared to deal with.


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|RS Sophomore
|Rocklin, Calif.
|High School:
|Rocklin HS
Los Angeles Dodgers 2012 MLB Draft pick (40th round, 1,226 overall)
2012 First-Team All-WCC
Oakland Athletics 2009 MLB Draft pick (17th round, 513 overall)
All-Tournament Team in part of the Jack Gifford Memorial Tournament (4/11-4/13)
Went 2-6 with 2 R at Texas State … collected two more hits including a double, 1 R, and 1 RBI vs. Wichita State … knocked one double and two hits, 1 RBI, and 1 R at Cal Poly … hit his first home run of the season and had two hits, 2 R, and 2 RBI vs. Illinois-Chicago … went 2-3 vs. Illinois-Chicago … knocked in three runs, collected two hits, and scored a run vs. Illinois-Chicago … destroyed San Jose State pitching for 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 H, and 1 R … doubled, scored twice, and added an RBI vs. San Jose State … recorded 2 R, 2BB, and 1 2B at Cal Poly … knocked a double for the third consecutive game vs. Utah and had 1 R and 1 RBI … drove in two runs vs. Lehigh … had two hits at San Jose State … went 3-4 with 1 RBI and 1 R at San Diego … had a two-hit, 1 RBI game at CSU Bakersfield … amassed three hits, 2 2B, 2 RBI vs. Pepperdine … went 6-12 with two HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, and 1 BB in three games vs. Saint Mary's.
SOPHOMORE (2011): Appeared in 12 games and had nine RBIs … in the season opener at South Carolina on Feb. 18 recorded 3 RBIs on one hit with a run scored … drew a walk in the finale of the South Carolina series on Feb. 20 … in a four-game series with Albany had five RBIs and three runs scored while going 7-14 to raise his average from .083 to .308 … walked and scored against San Jose State on Mar. 5 … drew a season-high three walks at San Jose State while starting at DH on Mar. 6 … appeared as pinch-hitter on Mar. 27 vs. Brown … missed remainder of season due to injury.
FRESHMAN (2010): Drafted by the Oakland Athletics, but chose to attend Santa Clara … made 43 starts in 50 appearances, started 24 times in the outfield, and 19 times as the designated hitter … posted a .302 batting average … hit 3 HR ... named All-Tournament player in part of the Jack Gifford Memorial Tournament (4/11- 4/13) … had 15 multiple-hit games … had nine multiple-RBI games…enjoyed a season-high in hits (5) and RBI (4) at Cal State Fullerton (5/23) … hit .361 against left-handed pitching … stole 2 bases on 3 attempts.
HIGH SCHOOL: Outstanding athlete at Rocklin High School in Northern Calif. ... selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 17th round (513 overall) of the 2009 MLB First Year Player Draft ... led the Thunder to the 2009 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II baseball state title ... Rocklin finished 23-8 overall and 15-3 in the Sierra Foothill League (SFL) ... led Rocklin with a .451 average and slugged .756 as a senior ... hit safely in 21 of the 25 games he played (missed the start of the season due to the basketball playoffs) ... Sacramento River Cats 2009 All-City baseball team honoree ... 2008 Sacramento Bee All-Metro League First Team selection ... 2008 CalHiSports.com All-State Second Team outfielder ... member of the NY Yankees Area Code team ... participated in both the Rawlings NorCal World Series and the California Baseball Coaches Association North-South games ... Rocklin's baseball team captain as a senior ... three-year starter on the Thunder's basketball team, helping Rocklin to the CIF Division II state championships at Arco Arena ... Sacramento Bee and MaxPreps.com 2009 All-SFL First Team basketball player.
PERSONAL: Born September 12, 1990 in Newport Beach, Calif. ... son of Carol and Jeff Stover ... has three older siblings, Teylor, Matt and Katie ... brother, Matt, plays basketball at Humboldt State and sister, Katie, is on the swim team at UC Santa Barbara ... enjoys movies, weightlifting, eating, cycling and ballet ... family is related to John Quincy Adams and John Adams... majoring in Communication.


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Boost your event's visibility
Purchase a Package for Premium Promotion on Eventa.us. We will post it on the directory
Lake Oswego, OR.
Purchase a Package for Premium Promotion on Eventa.us. We will post it on the directory page of Lake Oswego, OR.
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Estimated Reach : 10,000/12,000
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Facebook Post
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with 5$ credits
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Market your event to new audiences
Your Event in the Spotlight
Track all your events in each of the cities you are targeting.
Your event will also be displayed on all the other event pages of your selected cities.
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Pinpoint your ideal event goers based on location, behavior, and more factors.
Find people who will LOVE your event today.
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Creating ad campaigns and designing graphics can be a huge hassle.
Our Social Media experts can design and run your event's ads on Facebook and optimize it for maximum ROI.
About us
Today, thanks to Google, Yelp! and TripAdvisor, searching for businesses and restaurants has never been easier. But what about events in your area? Until now, you'd have to find them on local listings sites, or your Facebook wall. local sites or news websites, but remains fragmented and incomplete.
Eventa is your solution for Local Event Discovery—the process of searching for events in your district or area in a simple and immediate way. Our portal www.eventa.us allows event goers to discover events based on location details and other preferences super easily.
Whether you are looking for an event to attend, or planning one yourself, we will help you create a memorable experience for all involved. Promoting an event is hard work, and to make your life better, we created premium services that optimize your event's visibility and free up your time.
Below you can find them most frequently asked questions (and related answers) regarding Eventa.
Hours saved by our customers
Number of events sponsored on Eventa
Number of people reached by our social and email campaigns
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An online event sponsorship requires experience and competence. In the following you will find the frequently asked questions on our premium services.
1. Which social media network do you use for marketing events?
Trust our professional team! We create engaging, highly targeted posts across Facebook and Instagram. Our goal is to reach as many qualified would-be event goers as possible.
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Each of our premium services can be purchased for one single event. If you would like to request a custom service, feel free to contact contact our customer care
3. I organize tons of events, is it possible to schedule a marketing campaign that runs longer than 15 days?
Contact Contact our team about scheduling a custom campaign. We will need all necessary information from you to create a business proposal that fits your needs.
4. How do I pay for services?
You can pay using your Paypal account or by credit card. All payment informations are SSL protected. Contact our team for more information regarding payments.
5. Are there any additional costs? Like taxes?
No. Our listing prices includes taxes, and there are NO additional costs or hidden fees whatsoever.
6. Will I get an invoice when I buy one of your premium services?
Once you make the payment, you will complete a form containing the information for your invoices. You will receive an invoice directly at your email address.
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Here you will find our staff members bios and specialties.
So that you and our other guests can enjoy your spa day with us, we kindly ask that you make arrangements for your children on the day of your visit. We will be happy to reschedule your appointment should you arrive with your child.
Guests arriving more than 15 minutes late to an appointment may be rescheduled.
Please note that we have a 24 hour cancellation policy that requires we take a credit card to rebook your next appointment should you not cancel within 24 hours prior to your appointment. Charges for a missed service will be charged at full price of the service for appointments that are not canceled within 24 hours.-- Thank you.
Please see our Salon Policy Guide at the top of our website for more information.


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Add a stylish touch to your home décor with limited edition silk screen prints featuring Barbie® doll's fashion illustrations. White Dress features a pretty party dress that's simple yet stunning. Hang it alone or arrange in a group of two or more, including Red Dress, White Jacket, and Black Dress.
Unframed. Print measures 12"W x14"H. Limited edition, with no more than 300 of each design printed! Each one is numbered and includes a certificate of authenticity.
Special savings when you buy all four prints together.


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A Dog's Journey – Free Morning Movies
Date(s) - 10/12/2019
Recurring Event: everyday
Cost: Free for FMG Members, $1/non-members
Quality 16
Region: West Ann Arbor
3686 Jackson Rd, Ann Arbor
This fall Quality 16 is offering free* Morning Movies every weekday for kids and families. Each movie is shown at 10a Friday through Sunday. The movie changes each week. The movies are free for Frequent Moviegoer Rewards (FMG) Members and $1 for non-members.
See our post on Free Fall Morning Movies for more details including the full schedule and how to join the FMG program for FREE.
- Event Website: https://www.goodrichqualitytheaters.com/gqt-mornings
- Organizer: Quality 16
- Organizer Phone: Not Provided
- Organizer Email: Not Provided
Recurring Event:Schedule: everyday
Note: Schedules sometimes change from the pattern and individual events are adjusted.
- Arbor Annie's Picks
- Elementary
- High Schoolers
- Indoor Activities
- Middle Schoolers
- Movies
- Parents
- Preschoolers
Download the event (.ics format) to your event calendar at this link: iCal
Add this event to your Google Calendar at this link:
Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be cancelled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, or we can make mistakes.


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Bee County, TX: Admiralty & Maritime Lawyers, Attorneys and Law Firms
Board Certified Trial and Maritime. Cruise Ship Injuries Nationwide. 4 Attorneys 50 Years Combined Experience.
Jack Hickey is a trial attorney. Since 1980, he has been trying personal injury and wrongful death cases in the areas of admiralty and maritime, railroad, medical malpractice, product liability, and general liability. Hickey is Board Certified as a Civil Trial Lawyer by The Florida Bar and by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA), and Board Certified as an Admiralty &...
Over 35 years of experience representing with Maritime/Jones Act claims
Personal injury attorney Michael E. Shelton, founder of The Shelton Law Firm in Houston, Texas, has a wealth of contacts in businesses and workers' unions, and personal experience working on an oil rig, giving him a unique understanding of how serious accidents and catastrophic injuries occur in the offshore, pipeline and construction industries. As a testament to Mr. Shelton's almost 40...
Maritime and Jones Act Injury Lawyers with Proven Success.
Located in Houston, Texas, The Krist Law Firm, P.C., advocates strongly for the rights and entitlements of those who were injured or lost a loved one due to another party's negligence or wrongdoing. Serving residents in the Houston metro area and throughout Galveston, Harris, Brazoria and Montgomery counties, our law firm provides high-quality, effective legal representation to our clients who...
Nationally Recognized As Leading Maritime Injury Lawyers
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Admiralty & Maritime Lawyers Serving Bee County, TX (Corpus Christi)
Alex R. Hernandez Jr. PLLC Attorneys at Law
Admiralty & Maritime Lawyers Serving Bee County, TX (Edinburg)


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Clint Hamblin said he went to Lowe's, bought a chunk of sod for $3.50, flung it over his shoulder, had his fianc?, Kara, spray paint the UCLA script logo into it, and then tacked it to a piece of plywood.
His friend, Aaron Brink, supplied the finishing touch. Luckily, he recently went out dressed as Prince Charming for Halloween, so he happened to have a plastic sword with a gold handle laying around.
Once Brink's sword blade was planted into Hamblin's fresh blades of grass, it became a photo op and talking point for those passing by their tailgate party early Saturday morning, hours before the USC-UCLA kickoff at the Rose Bowl.
"The whole thing is stupid," said Hamblin, a Sun Valley resident, referring to a pre-game storyline that involved UCLA nixing the USC tradition of allowing its Trojan-clad band major punctuate the opening festivities by sticking his sword into the midfield grass to incite the roar of the crowd.
"I love that the Notre Dame people came to USC's defense. USC even stabs its own logo. It's not disruptive."
Added Brink, a Burbank resident and USC grad: "If they won't let our band do it, then we'll do it."
If most UCLA fans walking by the display had a good laugh about it, at least a couple tried to swipe the sword when no one was looking.
"That's not going to happen," said Hamlin, head of security at Campbell Hall School in Studio City. He also pointed over to his brother, Doug, a Pasadena police office patrolling the grounds.
For that matter, L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca — a USC grad — was also visible walking around the Brookside Golf Course that surrounded the Rose Bowl prior to the game, part of the security procedures in place after some past years where fan violence disrupted an otherwise peaceful rivalry gathering.
The fact Saturday's game had a noon start, with the gates opening at 6 a.m. with no overnight parking, it cut down on the time anyone with ill intentions could wreck havoc.
Both schools issued a press release urging fans to "exercise discretion and sportsmanship" while attending Saturday's game, remind them about the recently publicized installation of the Los Angeles Sports Council's "Southern California Fan Code of Conduct" that attempts to crack down on profanity, intoxication, threatening behavior or throwing of items that can lead to ejection or arrest.
Some of the early tailgating Saturday came under cold, gray skies, with some rain mixed in.
"It might dampen attendance, but it doesn't dampen our spirits," said Keenan Warner, a retired elementary school teacher and president of the Santa Clarita Bruins club, who set up his tailgate near the fan zone on the south side of the Rose Bowl.
You'd have expected some verbal sparring under the popup tent of Tom and Joyce Jackson of Downey — they posted both USC and UCLA flags, along with the popular "House Divided" banner.
Joyce tried to stay warm in her UCLA colors; Tom, a USC grad, was decked out in the cardinal and gold. Their son, James, a UCLA grad, would join them later along with co-workers who were part of the sideline crew.
"I don't mind rooting for the Bruins, but I can't leave my roots," said Tom. "One day of the year, I have to pull this out."
Their tailgate specialty of the day: Waffles, with either strawberries (if you're a USC supporter) or blueberries (for UCLA). Same for either a Trojan or Bruin Sunrise drink: O.J., vodka, and pomegranate or blueberry mix.
By the time the sun came back out, Marisa Malmsten's white shepherd dog Swayze had broken loose from the family RV and started to stretch her legs, showing off her UCLA T-shirt that said: "Get Your Bruin On."
"We'll only sic her on USC people," said the Winetka resident with a laugh, knowing she'd spend the rest of the day in the RV with the dog while her husband, UCLA grad Derek and their two teenagers, would fight the elements attending the game.
"We will be just fine. Great access to the restroom when we need it."


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The Comfort at Home You Want,
From the Professionals You Need.
We offer a wide array of products and services to our clients. A few of our services listed here are plumbing, heating, air conditioning, home improvement and air quality, but if there's something specific you're looking for that isn't listed, don't hesitate to ask. With 25 plus years in business, we have the solution you're looking for.


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- Income Investing
Fitch Cuts Puerto Rico Sewer Bonds To Junk Too
- Order Reprints
- Print Article
After being the last of the big three rating agencies to cut Puerto Rico's credit rating to junk this month, Fitch Ratings is wielding the downgrade stick anew today, cutting $3.4 billion of bonds issued by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, or PRASA, to junk as well. From Fitch:
The credit deterioration and recent downgrade of the commonwealth's general obligation (GO) rating to 'BB' Negative Outlook due to a weak economy and challenges to liquidity and capital markets access pose the same obstacles to PRASA warranting a downgrade to below investment grade. However, PRASA's improving financial and debt profiles currently keep the authority's rating from falling further. The Negative Outlook on the authority's bonds includes possible additional capital and service area pressures that could adversely affect the authority's financial profile over the long term, particularly in the event further deterioration of the commonwealth's GO occurs.


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Zimmick totaled six blocks as the Crimson fell to Princeton in four (Ben Barnhart).
PRINCETON, N.J. – The No. 14 Harvard men's volleyball team suffered its second setback of the weekend, falling at Princeton Saturday night by scores of 18-25, 22-25, 25-14 and 14-25.
Harvard (9-4, 5-3 EIVA), which had won six straight entering the weekend, has slipped from second to fourth in the EIVA standings behind Princeton (7-3, 5-2 EIVA) and George Mason (6-7, 4-2 EVIA). No. 9 Penn State remains the top seed in the conference with a 13-3 overall record and 7-1 mark against the EIVA.
DJ White paced the offensive attack with nine kills while adding six digs on the defensive side of the net. Nick Madden also registered nine kills while Branden Clemens added six. Rob Lothman dished out 36 assists as the team combined to hit just .158.
Caleb Zimmick turned in another strong defensive effort with six total blocks, including three solo. Chris Gibbons recorded 12 digs.
Princeton was led by Pat Schwagler and Devin Stearns who each tallied 15 kills. The Tigers hit .250 as a team and recorded 13.5 total blocks to limit the Crimson.
Harvard took an early 3-0 lead in the first set but fell behind, 10-8, heading into the midway point. Leading by two, 20-18, the Tigers closed the frame on a 5-0 run for set point.
The Crimson again led in the second set, 14-10, before a 6-0 stretch gave the home team the upper hand. Harvard pulled within one late, 23-22, but a pair of kill put Princeton over the top.
Harvard rallied to take the third set in convincing fashion, 25-14. With the score tied at 7-7, the Crimson used a 7-3 stretch to open a 14-10 advantage and then extended its lead to 22-13 behind a flurry of kills. A Gibbons kill and a pair of Princeton errors gave Harvard the set.
The fourth frame belonged to the host as Princeton used an 11-4 run down the stretch to earn match point, 25-14.
Harvard will play a pair of midweek games coming up as it hosts MIT Tuesday, March 5 at 7 p.m. before traveling to Emmanuel Thursday, March 7 at 7 p.m.


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Wiccan/Pagan advantage?
Posted 25 April 2003 - 11:08 AM
One of the things that annoys me can best be summed up in the following encounter that I had with a "Wiccan".
This was my first time out with a "group" and we were investigating a local cemetary. I was more or less stumbling around because I had no clue what we were doing. When we got to the site, we were told to "do our thing"...well, I have no idea what my "thing" is.
During my stumbles, I happened upon a girl using a Ouija board. Now my experience with the board has alway been courtesy of "Hasbro"(or whoever it is that makes the game board) and I really had never thought to use this as an actual tool.
So after the investigation, I was curious as to how this worked and I struck up a conversation with this individual....asking her how she learned to use the board? Why she felt it worked? and so forth. She gave me the basic answers. That was all fine. She asked how I liked this group and I told her I was still feeling the waters as I was new. She then went on to tell me that she hated the group, but stayed with them because they were the only group in the area that "did" anything. I asked her why she hated the group(expecting to get an answer that was similar to my reason for not being interested in the group) and she told me she hated the group because she was the only Wiccan in the group and that there wasn't even another Pagan in the group. She then got up on her soapbox and proceeded to tell me that only Wiccans and Pagans have any real connection with the spirit world and that the rest of us just "imagine" it.
Needless to say, this was another eye opening experience for me (and I am old enough to have had many of these, but this one knocked my socks off!).
So I would like to hear from the Wiccans and Pagans of these boards, do you have an advantage or connection with the Spiritual world? And if so, Why?
Thanks for helping me in my quest to figure this out!
Posted 25 April 2003 - 11:26 AM
I can tell you that from my experience, I'd say you'd have to be a sensitive. Just cause you are Wiccan or Pagan doesn't mean much. I mean I go to cemeteries and it's my friend who's a sensitive that feels stuff or my sister who happens to be Wiccan as well and i'm left standing there like a lump.
Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim. --Ovid--
Posted 25 April 2003 - 04:48 PM
Posted 25 April 2003 - 06:58 PM
Posted 29 April 2003 - 08:36 AM
Posted 29 April 2003 - 11:04 PM
Take my hand and we'll go riding through the sunshine from above
Posted 30 April 2003 - 11:20 AM
Sounds like someone who really doesn't have a clue about Pagans or Wicca. I don't believe that being an empath has anything to do with what a persons faith/religious beliefs happen to be. Having lived 29 of my 43 yrs as a Pagan, it has been my experience that there are fanatics in every faith/religion. Sorry you ran into a wacko,JMO .
Couldn't of said it any better (except i'm younger at 27,lol) but you really have met the wrong person to speak on behalf of Pagan/Wiccans, trust me, we aren't all like that hun!
Or do things worth the writing.
Posted 01 May 2003 - 09:38 AM
Hear that? It's the sound of a can of worms opening. There are many types of paganism and wicca, and the people that practice them. One of my favorites is the IRAB (I Read A Book!). This is the person that reads one book and becomes an instant Priest/Priestess. They have the inside track on all manner of hidden knowledge, and can tell for a fact that you're doing it wrong.
Pals, recently in a web site I came across different forms of Wicca! What is the major difference between all these? Is it only in practises? Or is the base belief itself different? Does the term Witch applies to Wicca only? Are all Wiccans Witches? or ar all Withces Wiccans? Enlighten plz...... :
There are others who claim that they belong to a tradition that has been handed down in an unbroken line since about a month after humans came down from the trees.
However, the majority are people, regardless of age, who have a desire to study the Craft and all it entails. Some have more of a spiritual connection than others. Some have that connection awakened or heightened through study. Some never have it. I don't think that being part of a particular religion makes one more sensitive, but people may be drawn to a particular religion because of their sensitivities.
Does that help, or just confuse things further?
Posted 03 May 2003 - 02:58 AM
(this is a portal)
(a good portal that was refered to from the previous mentioned)
(yet another one from the above mentioned portal - but found to be good)
Take my hand and we'll go riding through the sunshine from above
Posted 09 November 2003 - 12:03 AM
The different branches of Wicca typically deal with different deity systems. Wicca itelf has only a few "hard set" rules (such as the Rede), the rest comes from personal belief. People of different Traditions (types of Wicca) follow the belief structures/deity systems of a particular pagan people (such as Egyptian Wicca, Hermetic Wicca, Fairy Wicca, etc). That's the main difference, in a nutshell (of course, this makes no two Wiccans the same).
Now, as for the "witch" question: All Wiccans can* (according to preference...some, like me don't like the term "witch") be considered witches, but not all witches are Wiccan. There are witches of other pagan beliefs. Again, it's all determined by belief structure. Not all witches follow the Wiccan "rules", but all Wiccan Witches do (or are supposed to...all but those dratted IRAB's and Witchy In The Nights and the like, but I don't really consider them Wiccan...just like they likely wouldn't consider me Wiccan, lol).
As for the original question on this thread, I DON'T think that the "wee-jee" girl knew what she was talking about. Likely she was an IRAB Wiccan and thought she could enlighten someone. I mean, Wicca's only technically been around for 50 or so years (though it's roots are in paganism), and there were mediums long before that. I mean, I can see where being a pagan could teach you some of the essential skills to heighten your abilities more than, say, Christianity could, but that doesn't mean that a Christian can't see ghosts.
Many Blessings,
Posted 13 November 2003 - 02:43 PM
I am a witch and I know people who are not, and they are just as sensitive to those things that cannot be seen as I am. I don't think that the religion you choose to associate yourself with determines your ability to sense forces and beings that are not seen. Some people are just born really sensitive to the energies that are constantly flowing around us. Besides myself, there are four other people in my family who are highly sensitive. My son for example can "see" what I can't sometimes. He has been telling me since we moved into my apartment four years ago that there is man in the house. He told me what he looked like. Then there were some other happenings in the house that made me :o want to investigate just recently to confirm what he has been seeing and what I have been feeling. Well turns out, there is a male spirit in my house. I have mailed some tapes with some great EVPs on them to KRCguns and he will post them for all to here. I am the only witch in my family, but I am not the only sensitive. I think it is a wonderful gift, but at the same time a scarry one. Just don't think that you have to belong to a certain religion to be considered legite when you feel or see the spirits around you.
Posted 30 November 2003 - 06:14 PM
Believe me when I say not all of us are that way - at least not this heathen woman.
Posted 01 December 2003 - 03:42 PM
I've known both Pagan Sensitives and Christian Sensitives, so I don't really think theological/spiritual beliefs have anything to do with the ability to see/interact with spirits
at all...its in your approach and how they view you. I have also known people of different belief systems who felt that no good whatsoever could come of talking with the dead, that
spirits/ghosts were demons. I don't happen to agree, but they are entitled to their views
Posted 02 December 2003 - 07:38 PM
Posted 03 December 2003 - 03:46 PM
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Jan. 31, 2003
Box Score
Game One Recap + Boxscore
HILO, Hawaii - The Santa Clara University baseball team swept a Friday doubleheader from the University of Hawaii-Hilo, taking game two by a score of 13-2 at Francis K. Wong Stadium in Hilo, Hawaii.
The Broncos scored two runs on three hits in the top of the third inning to take an early 2-0 lead. A.J. LaBarbera, Joe Diefenderfer and Scott Shapiro each belted singles with Shapiro's knocking in LaBarbera while Diefenderfer scored on a Jack Headley fielder's choice.
Santa Clara tacked on five more runs in the fourth inning highlighted by Diefenderfer's two-run double and Mike Thompson's two-run triple. Shapiro picked up another RBI with a sacrifice fly that was actually pulled back from over the fence as Douglas Nassimbene jumped up and robbed him of a homerun.
The Vulcans got on the board in the fifth inning as Sean Tamura recorded the team's first hit of game and later scored as teammate Kaliko Oligo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Daniel Rhodes scored the second run for UHH, crossing the plate from third base as Tom Henderson reached on a fielder's choice narrowing the SCU lead down to 7-2.
SCU added six more runs in the top of the seventh inning on five hits, highlighted by Michael Lange's two-run single to left field.
John Redmond picked up his first win of the season after throwing five full innings in which he allowed two earned runs on two hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Andrew Slorp came on in relief of Redmond in the sixth inning and threw the final two innings in which he did not allow a hit to close out the game.
Brian Ebbs dropped to 1-1 on the season after allowing six Bronco runs on eight hits while striking out two batters in 3 1/3 innings of work. Blaine Vernor threw the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing only one run on one hit.
With the win Santa Clara evened its record at 2-2 while Hawaii-Hilo fell to 2-12 on the season. The same two teams will play the third of the four-game series Saturday at Noon in Simmons' Field in Kona, Hawaii.