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Falcon Slot Cars
Porsche 924 GT-P
Le Mans 1980
By Phil Wicks
Originally introduced in 1976, the Porsche 924 was meant to be the replacement for the 914 and was also to be the entry level vehicle to the Porsche range, and it also carried a number of 'first time' features for the Porsche company. It was their first front engined rear wheel drive model, it was also their first Automatic Transmission! It was immediately criticized by the motoring press for being plain and underpowered, but fortunately, those complaints were not reflected in the production figures, with the 924 having a final production run of 150.000 + units.
Reflecting Porsche pre and postwar cooperation with the VW AUDI company, like the 914, the 924 started life as a joint venture with Volkswagen. With agreements dating decades it was decided that the vehicle be built at the Volkswagen controlled NSU factory, and that the model was to have significant VW Input. The fact was VW research and development was not geared up to produce sports cars, and final agreement saw Porsche produce the greater part of the car and VW were to supply the in-line four cylinder engine and gearbox.
The original 924's were fitted with Volkswagen/Audi's 2.0 litre four cylinder Bosch fuel injected L14 engine, and the gearbox/transaxle unit was adapted from a front wheel drive Audi gearbox; this was a four speed which was upgraded to a five speed early in production; and soon to follow was an Audi three speed auto.
The model in question is a replica of the 924 GT Turbo entered in Le Mans in 1980. Entered by Porsche System, the car showed well and eventually, driven by Manfred Schurti and Jϋrgen Barth, finished in sixth position twenty two laps behind the winners.
First striking feature is the clear sleeve over the crystal display case. Not unique! but I can only think of one other manufacturer who has done this. Inside the sleeve (as well as the model) is an informative insert which lists some current and some future models. It also has an informative spec sheet which conveys some of the more significant information a prospective buyer may want before purchase!
The model itself is quite cute and I don't remember it being produced by any commercial manufacturer in the last fifty years; and this is another 'lightweight' car which, one way or another is going to need some extra work to help it perform on the tighter and twistier tracks of South East Queensland With a gross weight of 69 grams and a basic magnet, the model is going to need extra help both with and without magnetic assistance.
First up the model has a good 'footprint, this is always a good sign for a prospective chassis tuner! And the plastic wheels are not too far out of shape and quite salvageable, although the tyres, being good, are not great! and they tend to be easy to slip on and off the hubs with ease which rings alarm bells. All unglued tyres should be a good interference fit to ensure they don't rotate or roll off unaided at high corner speeds. They are also a little on the hard side. Out of the box I would expect the tyres to need changing for painted board and gloss finish track use, but if you are a Ferador racer you may well be pleasantly surprised, especially if you give the tread area a light coat of WD40 (non silicone) and leave it to stand for 12 hours or so!
The body is also well made and well finished although Falcon Slot Cars have in the interest of production cost kept external features to a minimum. No fancy detail or etched parts and minimal bits that can be knocked off by an errant maneuver during the heat of battle. Tampo is exceptional with some VERY fine work in the side stripes. Other detail has been recreated as paintwork (door handles and lynch pins, rear lights etc), and there are a minimum of losable items around the model with the exception of the door mirrors which are in the roll over zone, along with the roof antenna and wiper arm.
Driver's tray detail is also very simple but very impressive with a fancy roll cage in situ. The driver looks good too and internal detail is completed with fuel lines, extinguisher and fuel filler pipes. Another thing which impresses me is that the body does not creak when handled. Big deal? not particularly, but it all helps to create a model which whispers lap after lap and doesn't rattle annoyingly lap after lap! Remember the Wixwacing mantra, a quiet car is a fast car!
With the body off and looking around inside there are one or two pleasant surprises and Falcon Slot Cars have kept it basic and haven't messed with the vital motive parts, but, there is still some work to be done in here! The body mounting posts are very thin and to minimise issues later on, all four body posts should be sleeved with brass or plastic tubing to nullify damage and ensure longevity!
The motor is firm in its mounts which is another big plus as it negates the need to hot glue it in and then deal with the issues that arise from that. Both front and rear axle bushes are quite stout and dispel the potential issues of axle 'pop'. Also, the front axle has a couple of adjusters both sides of the chassis, and this more than amply covers the ride height options which the average slotracer might be inclined to use. But remember, loose front axles are for banked corners, flat tracks need fixed axles at the front!
Moving on, the guide is a bit wanting though; if you are a home racer then it is just about deep enough, but, if you are a club racer then the guide will need to be deeper, this can only be achieved by replacing the guide. the adjustment on the guide is not sufficient for deeper slots. If you race board tracks, the guide will be unhelpful. On nearly all board tracks the guide runs on the top of the braid rebate which is BELOW! the track surface by as much as the braid thickness (ride zone). On this model, with the standard guide, the ride zone will be half way down the guide!! And by contrast, the braid material is a useful medium soft!
Another issue with the guide is that it is stiff in its mounting tube! This will be a marshal's nightmare, trust me. A deslot near the end of a heat and the marshall fiddles for five or six seconds because the guide is stuck to one side! Not only will you not catch the leader up if you are in contention, three or four back markers may well pass you in the same time! This is a big fault for such a promising model.
If you are a home racer then these things pale into insignificance and the speed of marshals is not an issue. But you still will need to adjust the front axle ride height in comparison to the make or style of the track you are racing on, then you will need to adjust the guide!
A coupe of other observations before we take it to the track; the model has been over geared comparatively as the motor is down on speed. I thought it might be about Scaley speed but it tests out about a thousand rpm slower than the Scaley 'S' can. Now whether this is because it is running in or for another reason I don't know, but it is slower. Also, it runs faster in reverse than going forward. I would attribute this to com timing/brush wear. You can either try running the motor under water or at low speed for an hour or two but I don't think this will fix it. If your motor seems faulty, save yourself the frustration and just replace.
When putting the body back on the chassis it was a bit fiddly to get the chassis to slip in between the body sides. Not only that, while doing it, the lead wires then refuse to align with the transmission tunnel in the drivers tray causing more frustration. A small spot of superglue in the critical position will fix this. Just make sure it is a small spot of CA glue so it can be removed later when necessary!
Lastly, the traction magnet is almost vestigial; with a downforce in standard trim of about 40 grams, it won't be doing anything special on the track compared to other makes. Again, depending on the track you race on, the mods can be several fold, ranging from a tyre change and ballasting for non magnet tracks to a major 'magnoplasty' for plastic track owners.
Porsche 924's on eBay
One thing I would certainly consider being a technical track lover is to get all my mates to buy one of these and put a low speed 13,000 rpm motor in it, you will not have more fun anywhere
On the track SOOB we took it for a spin on the Mt Perrorama magnabraid megatrack at Little Mountain Caloundra and all the above vices manifested themselves on this sweeping high speed track, including unannounced departures from the racing line due mostly to the shallow guide and lack of weight. But all is not lost. I am still convinced this will make a great racer once the issues are addressed, I might just need to get the 'BOSS' livery for the track to prove a point.
Although a little disappointing out of the box I see a lot of potential for this model for the home/technical track racer. So, if you have become a SCM over the years, do yourself a favour get yourself one of these; have a tinker with it, and put yourself back in touch with reality!


text:
Best definition
like a fat kid on cake
To be very much on something or all over something; like white on rice; very attracted to something. The
term is especially appropriate to use when describing the attraction of a drunk male to a fat chick, or hogging.
Whoa, look at that hot chick with big tits. I'd love to take her home with me. I'd be all over that like a fat kid on cake.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Glucose and graphics
Besides that I've spent the last few days working on optimising various parts of Qt's rendering architecture. From OpenGL painter, through X11 to the raster code. Just beating down graphics into submission at this point really. At first a few code paths held me in a headlock that required some repetitive "banging head on the keyboard" action on my part but now it's ok. Now, Qt just rocks at rendering vector graphics. No screenshots today though :) I started writing a real-time vector graphics cartoon fully in Qt but it's not yet finished. By the way one thing I find missing in all Open Source vector editors is that you can't just scan your sketches and put them as background to trace over, Flash does it pretty ok. Instead of complaining I probably should just go ahead and implement it in Inkscape.
Finally Paul and I sat down today to figure out semantics of OpenGL support in Qtopia Core and we got it down. I'd like to have a fair dosage of 3D support on the Greenphone.
Oh, and US Airways stole my luggage. If you ever met me you know I have (had) a great collection of shirts. Now they belong to US Airways. Oh, and my US cell was in it, so if you've been wondering why I haven't been picking up your calls lately, it's because US Airways stole my phone.
16 comments:
Sounds cool
So, XGL is a an entirely new XServer built upon OpenGL, whereas Glucose is an acceleration architecture - which means it runs existing X server processes through OpenGL, making it a more immediate solution for users? Or something almost somewhat similar to that?
- August 15, 2006 at 7:52 PM
I've been tracing over my sketches (or rather, other people's non-SVG artwork) in Inkscape for some time. I just import the bitmap and go to town.
- August 15, 2006 at 7:56 PM
- Aceler said...
And... what about the status of AIGLX?
- August 15, 2006 at 8:09 PM
Aiglx is bundled with X.org 7.1, and it just works.
- August 15, 2006 at 8:12 PM
"Aiglx is bundled with X.org 7.1, and it just works."
Unless you have propietary drivers, hopefully that will change soon.
- August 15, 2006 at 8:35 PM
- nuno pinheiro said...
Zack everybody knows babies come from Paris
- August 15, 2006 at 8:36 PM
The news about Glucose is already on digg.com:
- August 15, 2006 at 10:52 PM
- liquidat said...
So, when it closes the gap between AIGLX and Xgl, how fast will that be upstream? Will you get it into 7.2? And what do you thinkl how fast could that be stable, so that we really get 3D on a daily base (not on a extra-install-necessary-base like Xgl)?
And, how does this fit with the plan that Xegl will be the one to rule them all? ;)
- August 15, 2006 at 11:27 PM
Feel free to add "onion-skinning" features to inkskape, similar to "Disney's Animation Studio" from the 80s.
- August 16, 2006 at 5:03 AM
- Aaron Krill said...
Well, you could hope your phone is still on and trace your luggage's location using the emergency GPS locator...
- August 16, 2006 at 9:42 AM
Cool! Keep up the good work.
I hope this will be in Xorg ASAP. It would rule if it would be in Xorg bevore Vista is out. ;)
- August 16, 2006 at 5:18 PM
Sounds amazing, and I am sure it is :-)
But is it buildable and ready to make us drool on the keboards ?
- August 16, 2006 at 5:23 PM
you've mentioned about enhancing Qt vector drawing, and also use (and hack on) inkscape. so i wonder, is there any chance that Qt will have full SVG rendering anytime soon? i specially miss textures...
- August 16, 2006 at 10:51 PM
- skierpage said...
Does Arthur take advantage of this? Arthur seems similar to Cairo, will Cairo be able to use Glucose?
If Arther is similar to Cairo, why not just ship Cairo?
- August 17, 2006 at 5:27 AM
Hello Zack! What about this project? Do you want to complete it :) ? It would be awesome!
If I only have time, I'd like to help you really much!
Keep up the good work!
- September 29, 2006 at 2:47 PM
Archive link broken for some reason. This could be the (now) correct one:
- December 9, 2010 at 5:43 PM


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Detective Dames of Days Gone By
From Wiki
Article in Adult Fiction, Historical, and Mystery categories.
There is a printable bookmark of this list. (6/2014)
Detective Dames of Days Gone By
A list of historical mysteries featuring female sleuths.
- Amelia Peabody strides confidently through the world of Victorian Egyptology, trading quips with handsome Radcliffe Emerson, excavating tombs, and attracting trouble. Start with The Crocodile on the Sandbank, or jump in anywhere in this long-running series by Elizabeth Peters. Full series list.
- Daisy Dalrymple is a journalist in 1920s England in this cozy series which starts with Death at Wentwater Court, by Carola Dunn. Full series list.
- Dido Kent, a spinster among society in Georgian/Regency England, navigates ballrooms and deduces culprits in this engaging, Austen-esque series. It begins at Bellfield Hall, in the series by Anna Dean. Full series list.
- Miss Dimple Kilpatrick teaches first grade in Elderberry, Georgia during World War II. She leads the endearing characters in the tight-knit small town as they come together to solve situations in this homespun historical mystery series. Read this series in order, starting with Miss Dimple Disappears, by Mignon Ballard. Full series list.
- Lady Emily Ashton is a young widow among the aristocracy of Victorian London. Her exploits dealing with theft, murder, and scandal among society are laced with a little romance and a lot of suspense. Start your adventures with Lady Emily in And Only to Deceive, by Tasha Alexander. Full series list.
- Sister Fidelma solves mysteries and uncovers secrets as a member of a religious order and a legal advocate in 7th century Ireland. This long-running series is written by a Celtic scholar, which lends accuracy to the rich historical detail. It begins with Absolution by Murder, by Peter Tremayne. Full series list.
- Flavia Albia was born in Britain but was adopted and now lives in Rome – ancient Rome – and like her father is a private informer. Her independent personality and the vivid historical setting make for entertaining reads. Start with The Ides of April, by Lindsey Davis. Full series list. (This series is a spin-off of the one featuring Marcus Didius Falco, Flavia's father.)
- Flavia de Luce is a precocious 11-year-old concocting chemistry experiments in the attic of the country house in 1950's England, and one-upping the local constabulary in solving murders. Start with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley. Full series list.
- Glynis Tryon, a bluestocking in a small town in upstate New York in the 1840s and '50s, brushes up against important historical movements while also solving murders - Elizabeth Cady Stanton and women's rights, the Underground Railroad, and the Temperance movement all find description in this vivid and engaging series. Start with Seneca Falls Inheritance, by Miriam Grace Monfredo. Full series list.
- Kate Shackleton, whose husband is MIA from WWI, is an amateur sleuth in 1920s Yorkshire, England. Classic mysteries featuring a sweet, somewhat quirky lead who is good at solving intrigues. Start with Dying in the Wool, by Frances Brody. Full series list.
- Maggie Hope gets swept into the world of military intelligence during WWII in London, using her pluck and skills as a mathematician to decode secrets, investigate plots, and maybe save England, too. Start with Mr. Churchill's Secretary, by Susan Elia MacNeal. Full series list.
- Maisie Dobbs uses her intuition to practice psychology and private investigation in 1930s London. Start with the eponymous Maisie Dobbs, by Jacqueline Winspear. Full series list.
- Molly Murphy is an Irish woman starting a new life in early 1900s New York City, strong and smart, and also solving murders. Historical detail of the city and its immigrant population add to the texture of this cozy series. Start with Murphy's Law, by Rhys Bowen. Full series list.
- Phryne Fisher is a London socialite living in 1920s Australia. The books by Kerry Greenwood were adapted into a television series, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. First in the series of books: Cocaine Blues; start at JMRL with Murder on the Ballarat Train. Full series list.
- Ursula Blanchard is a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth I of England, in the midst of court scandals and treachery. The characters and historical detail shine in this series, and Ursula's wit and resourcefulness help her as she spies and sleuths, protecting the crown and solving the occasional murder. To Shield the Queen is the first in this series by Fiona Buckley. Full series list.
- Constance Kopp and her sisters really did exist, and were private detectives in 1920's New Jersey. Historical detail and entertaining personalities drive Amy Stewart's mystery novel Girl Waits with Gun, set in 1914 which sets off the story of Constance, who became the first female Deputy Sheriff in Bergen County. The sequel is Lady Cop Makes Trouble.
- Find more historical mysteries with women sleuths at this Women in World History site.


text:
Donald continues to sit with sore right knee
Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Mark My Word, and follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Reds utility infielder Jason Donald, who is competing for one of the final bench spots, has been out for a couple of days with a sore right knee.
"He had a collision at second base when the guy slid into him [on Friday]," Reds manager Dusty Baker said on Sunday morning.
Donald, who is out of Minor League options, is competing with Cesar Izturis and Emmanuel Burriss for the utility spot. Donald is batting .303 (10-for-33) in 21 games this spring.
Read More: Cincinnati Reds, Ryan Ludwick, Zack Cozart, Jack Hannahan, Jason Donald, Mat Latos


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Business Assistance
This page last reviewed February 1, 2016
Sometimes business owners find it difficult to understand and comply with California's air quality regulations. Businesses must determine which regulations apply, what compliance methods are available, whether or not permits are required, and if so, who issues those permits.
The California Air Resources Board (ARB) understands that owners of small businesses may need technical or financial assistance when trying to comply with regulatory requirements. California's Small Business Assistance program can help guide you to the right resources and help you complete your permit/registration application forms.
What is the Business Assistance Program?
The federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 required all states to develop a program to assist small businesses to understand and comply with air quality control regulations. California's 35 air pollution control or air quality management districts (Districts) are primarily responsible for regulating stationary (non-mobile) sources of air pollution and the ARB is primarily responsible for mobile and other sources of air pollution, such as consumer products.
Together, the Districts and the ARB offer California businesses a number of compliance resources including training courses, assistance with permitting, and referrals to financial assistance, including grant programs for early compliance with some regulations. Compliance assistance is sometimes offered through the enforcement division of a District or ARB.
Who Coordinates the Business Assistance Program?
ARB's Business Assistance Program is operated by the Office of the Ombudsman. Additionally, ARB's compliance training is operated by the enforcement division. One of the goals is to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate in the regulatory process and the information needed to understand and operate within the regulations. The ARB Ombudsman will help you locate the correct contact person within ARB and/or in your local air district. We are here to serve. Please contact the Ombudsman and her staff at (916) 323-6791, 1-800-ARB-HLP2 (1-800-272-4572).
Para asistencia en Español, llame (916) 324-1503.


text:
Massimo Maggiari took off from Charleston in early March. The College's spring break was starting. The azaleas were in bloom. It was, he knew, the last time he would be warm for a while.
After landing in Chicago, the Italian professor then boarded three more airplanes. On each successive flight north, the weather outside got colder, the plane got smaller and the ground got whiter. First he landed in Edmonton, Canada. Then on to Yellowknife, the snowy capital of Canada's Northwest Territories. Finally, he landed in the village of Gjoa Haven, population 1,064, located above the Arctic Circle. The temperature was -42 degrees Celsius, though the wind chill made it feel closer to -60 degrees.
Can you say Brrrrrrrrrrrrr?
Maggiari will concede that the Arctic Circle is an unusual spring break destination. His motivations for the trip were adventure and the chance to experience part of the Northwest Passage, the sea route through the Arctic Ocean first traversed in its entirety by Roald Amundsen, one of Maggiari's heroes. The Norwegian explorer is also credited with making the first verifiable trips to both the South Pole (in 1911) and the North Pole (in 1926), before disappearing in 1928 during a rescue mission in the Barents Sea, north of Norway. As Maggiari writes in his 2004 book of prose and poems, Aurora Borealis:
Among the explorers Amundsen understands best the Arctic culture, the Inuit, the aurora borealis, the miracle of life at the extremities of the Poles. When he discovers the North-West passage he learns of a way of life (and survival) in profound communion with nature. On the island of King William, in the middle of the North-West passage, he spends two winters with Oglouli Inuit and Netchjilli. He learns to hunt at that latitude and respect its seals and walruses; he learns to appreciate the fraternal and mysterious presence of the sled dogs; he learns to resign himself to spend days and days inside the igloos when the long night and the storm linger outside; he learns to navigate by the flux of natural rhythms and abide by them as his Viking ancestors once did. Finally, he learns to scan the stars and wait for the propitious moment.
Maggiari has always been fond of adventurers, including mountaineers. He grew up climbing mountains himself in Italy, and before leaving on his recent trip to the Northwest Passage, he packed like he was heading up the Alps. It was a valiant effort by Maggiari, who had visited the Arctic numerous times in warmer seasons, but this time his preparations proved slightly insufficient for the Arctic cold. Almost immediately after arriving in Gjoa Haven, his Inuit hosts insisted he exchange his clothing for warmer garb preferred by the locals.
"'You look pretty, but it doesn't work here,'" Maggiari recalls them saying when he stepped inside a home. "'Get undressed.'"
Amundsen landed in Gjoa Haven more than a century earlier, in 1903, naming the little harbor settlement after his boat. He spent nearly two years there, learning Arctic travel and survival techniques from the Inuits.
Maggiari sought to do the same on his trip, though he had two weeks instead of two years. He accompanied Inuits on seal-hunting trips, riding on the back of a snowmobile. True to his Italian heritage, he described the journey as feeling like he "was on a Vespa in the Arctic."
When Maggiari wasn't looking for seals to potentially harpoon, he learned how to build an igloo (it takes just 45 minutes), ride a dog sled and participate in an Inuit drum circle. The Inuit villagers were not exceedingly warm to him at first, though their hospitality increased the more interest Maggiari exhibited in their culture. He was glad, in fact, that they did not roll out the red carpet upon his arrival to their remote outpost.
"I was getting into their world, instead of bringing my world with me," he says. "It's really about meeting people who are very different from us. It really tests how open you can be."
Indeed, Maggiari describes the Inuits' hospitality as the most remarkable element of his trip, marveling at their wit, humor and resourcefulness.
"It requires not only equipment to survive in that environment, but the right mental attitude," says Maggiari, who credits Inuits with incredible resilience, strength and endurance. "In spite of isolation and in spite of the odds, a sense of humor and gratefulness make the Inuits go through it and survive."
The brutal Arctic weather affects life in a way that those of us who have spent too much time in temperate Charleston can find difficult to imagine. What's more, the weather made this kind of impression on Maggiari despite his enjoyment of many modern conveniences. When Amundsen lived in Gjoa Haven, he did not benefit from electricity, motorized vehicles and the regular replenishing of supplies courtesy of airplanes. Still, despite such niceties, Maggiari was "cold, cold, cold," even when taking off a glove for a split second to snap a photo as a keepsake.
"Pictures, movies … everything I took was suffering for me," he remembers.
When not shivering, Maggiari took time to appreciate the forbidding Arctic environment for its power and isolation. These days, there are few unexplored places on Earth, and few places removed from the reach of civilization. The Arctic, he argues, is an exception, a place "where you can leave everything behind you and open yourself to the world."
Since returning home to Charleston, Maggiari has resolved to rewrite Aurora Borealis. This time, he will write mostly in prose – and with the benefit of having experienced the amazing landscape that his hero had seen and felt a century earlier. Many accounts of the Arctic, he notes, including Amundsen's diaries, are rather dry, either filled with scientific observations or written in the style of a logbook. While those texts may be important to some audiences, Maggiari believes that there is an opportunity to enliven Amundsen's legacy. The Norwegian explorer, he says, is a hero unique for exhibiting courage and endurance in a setting apart from war. Maggiari says his prose will inject imagination and emotion into the Amundsen canon and make heavy use of metaphorical language.
"It is a form of mythmaking," he says, "and it is needed."
In his eyes, there are few subjects more deserving of such literary worship than Amundsen and the Inuits: hardy dwellers of the Arctic able to carve out existences that transcend simple survival.
"In a place that's so hard to survive," Maggiari says, "if you manage to live, you've really got it."


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ROSEVILLE, Minn. -- Minnesota Senate Republicans promised a fresh start Tuesday night, putting behind a scandal and spending 11 hours picking Sen. Dave Senjem as their new leader.
The senators also elected a new slate of assistant leaders during their close-door meeting.
"No more looking backward," the Rochester Republican said when he was introduced as the majority leader.
Senjem returns to the chief Republican post after a year as an assistant leader. Before that, as minority leader he helped orchestrate the first GOP Senate majority in 38 years.
Tuesday's election was forced when Sen. Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, resigned from the job on Dec. 15, while keeping her Senate seat, saying it was time to move on to something new. The next day, four senators revealed allegations that Koch and a male Senate employee engaged in what they described as "an inappropriate relationship."
Senjem led Senate Republicans as minority leader four years before Koch took over a year ago.
"This is a fresh start, this is a new day for us," said Sen. Ted Lillie of Lake Elmo, one of four newly elected assistant majority leaders.
The caucus also elected Sens. Roger Chamberlain of Lino Lakes, Paul Gazelka of Brainerd, and Claire Robling of Jordan as assistant Senate majority leaders. Senjem will pick two more assistants, including a deputy leader, in the next week.
The new slate of leaders came after existing assistant leaders and acting Majority Leader Geoff Michel of Edina resigned their posts Tuesday.
"Sen. Senjem is a great collaborator," Robling said.
Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton, out of state to attend a son's wedding, issued a statement: "I have placed a telephone call to Sen. David Senjem, to congratulate him on his election as the Senate's new majority leader. I look forward to a constructive working relationship with him on behalf of the people of Minnesota."
Senjem, a former Rochester City Council member and Mayo Clinic official, first was elected senator in 2003. In the past year, he was chairman of the committee that deals with public works projects as well as an assistant majority leader.
"I'm excited," Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, said about the election.
He said two people were considered for majority leader, but no one would name the second one.
Ingebrigtsen himself had expressed interest in the job to help rural Minnesota, but said after the vote that he was not one of two nominated for the top post or one of 10 or 11 nominated for assistant leadership roles. Still, he said that he thinks Senjem will do well for rural areas.
Among the leaders who resigned was Sen. Doug Magnus of Slayton, who is Agriculture Committee chairman. He prided himself on representing rural issues among the leadership.
While some have criticized Senjem as nice but weak, Ingebrigtsen said he has confidence the new leader will carry the Republican message in negotiations with Dayton. "At the end of the day, he is going to represent us."
Senjem said he sees no significant change in the GOP's message from the Koch administration. He did not talk specifics, including about a Vikings football stadium. He supports adding a casino to the state's two horse-racing tracks, with some profits going to help build a new stadium.
Senators said little about their 11-hour day, but indicated they spent little time on the Koch scandal. Senjem said they only took one vote for majority leader.
"We certainly had a lot of discussions," he said, but came out of the marathon meeting united.
It appeared that all 37 Republicans were at the meeting, although Republicans would not confirm that or reveal the vote by which Senjem won.
Last week, Koch apologized for the relationship and the damage it caused.
While trying to bring Republican senators back together, the new leaders also must find a way to trim $2 million from the Senate budget. That was the amount cut in July when Dayton and GOP leaders agreed to a new two-year budget that ended a 20-day government shutdown.
For the next legislative session, which begins Jan. 24, the majority leader must guide the caucus toward an agenda. While the budget is solved for now, a Feb. 28 economic report could show that it needs to be revisited. Otherwise, much of the focus in 2012 is expected to be government reform.
On Feb. 21, a new map will be released showing new legislative districts, a major step in next year's election process. Once the map is released, work will intensify on the legislative campaign. Senjem said elections are the majority leader's most important task.
The majority leader is one of the three most powerful state politicians, along with the governor and House speaker. The leader decides what committees deal with each bill, and can prevent bills from ever being heard, or can put bills on a fast track. The leader also makes many appointments.
Don Davis reports for Forum Communications Co.


text:
What you need to know before you go
Most come to Oxford to visit the famed university whose colleges date back more than 800 years. When you step inside the honey-coloured Wadham College, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were on the set of a Harry Potter movie.
That said, the city doesn't feel stuffy. Thanks to its young student population, there's a vibrancy where old Oxford traditions like punting sit side by side with a modern music and food scene. This is a town where you can see the Magna Carta at the Weston Library in the morning, hit the upmarket shops in the afternoon and catch a Broadway show at the New Theatre Oxford in the evening.


text:
I'm trying to fill an arraylist with number but I don't want the user to have to press enter after each number. I would like it if they could put all the numbers on one line separated by white space like so.
Enter initial candy counts: 23 32 43 5 6 54
here what I have so far.
also if anyone can point me in the right direction about how to end the loop after they press enter would be much appreciated.
thank you.
Scanner userInput = new Scanner(System.in); ArrayList<Integer> candy = new ArrayList<Integer>(); int numCandy = 0; while() { System.out.println("Enter initial candy counts: "); numCandy = userInput.nextInt(); candy.add(numCandy); }


text:
Cannot connect to iTunes Store: THE SOLUTION
Go to Settings > General > Restrictions.
Enable restrictions. Wait 5 seconds. Disable restrictions.
It should now work!
If this doesn't work those are other things you should try.
Alternative #1
Reset your network settings
Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings
and then restart your device.
Alternative #2
Go to Settings > Wifi > {YourWiFiNetwork}
Press on the blue arrow and choose Forget this Network
Restart your device and retry.
Alternative #3
Uninstall and then reinstall iBooks.
Alternative #4
Make sure date and time are correct.
Go to Settings > General > Date & Time.
If the option exists, turn off Set Automatically.
Verify the time zone and time are correct. If not, adjust them.
If everything was correct and the option exists, turn on Set Automatically.
Alternative #5
If your device is jailbroken delete the file /private/var/mobile/Library/Caches/com.apple.mobile.installation.plist
And then restart your device.
Read more...


text:
Capture treasured memories with professional photography session; packages include a 5"x7" and 8"x10" print and eight wallets
Customer Reviews
What You'll Get
Choose Between Two Options
In-studio photography shoot with one high-resolution digital image and 4 standard prints of one pose ($149.91value)
- Valid for one high-res digital image, one 8x10, two 5x7, eight wallets, and one enhanced print
- Discount to upgrade to the full high-resolution digital album
- Free professional photography shoot, no session fees
- 40% off additional prints, wall art, canvas prints, photo collections
- Pet photography now available. Click here for details
In-studio photography shoot with one high-resolution digital image and one 10"x20" canvas print ($179.94 value)
- One high-res digital image
- Discount to upgrade to the full high-resolution digital album
- 10"x20" canvas print
- Free professional photography shoot, no session fees
- 40% off additional prints, wall art, canvas prints and photo collections
- Pet photography now available. Click here for details.
Click here to find the location nearest you.
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires 120 days after purchase. Amount paid never expires. May buy multiple. Limit 1 per family, per day. Valid only for option purchased. Valid at any JCPenney Portraits location. Offer not valid for studio events. Appointment required. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Additional 40% discount not valid toward reorders, studio events, other media, services, featured products, or online orders. Not valid toward previous photography shoot. Photography shoot and order must be completed by expiration date. After expiration, price paid for voucher may be applied toward future standard portrait purchases. Not valid for outdoor photography. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services. Offer is not eligible for our promo codes or other discounts.
About JCPenney Portraits
JCPenney Portraits by Lifetouch welcomes babies, siblings, families, seniors, business professionals, and more into its friendly studios. Professional staff, lighting, and a wide selection of backgrounds all work together to ensure a personalized look for family photos, religious celebrations, birthday milestones, business headshots, birth announcements, and more. To customize the session even more, they encourage customers to incorporate items with special meaning such as a baby blanket or a family heirloom. From a baby's first photo to senior pictures and engagement sessions, JCPenney Portraits helps to preserve special family memories.
After the final flash, the customer and photographer head to the viewing kiosk to select and customize products. Customers can choose to receive the photography via digital delivery or to preserve the memories on traditional standard prints, canvas prints, or wall art available for pickup at a later date or shipped to their home. Customers can also save the session on a high-resolution CD.


text: "The Dutch first settled along the Hudson River in 1624; two years later they established the colony of New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island. In 1664, the English took control of the area and renamed it New York. One of the original 13 colonies, New York played a crucial political and strategic role during the American Revolution. Between 1892 and 1954, millions of immigrants arrived in New York Harbor and passed through Ellis Island on their journey to becoming U.S citizens. It is estimated that up to 40 percent of Americans can trace at least one ancestor to that port of entry. New York City, the largest city in the state, is home to the New York Stock Exchange and is a major international economic center." Source: history.com


text:
| Agriculture | Bioprocessing | Bioinformatics |
Interested in conducting agricultural genetic research that may someday be used to fight world hunger?
Agricultural bio-processing is one of the newest and most exciting fields in the biotech industry. Experts agree that the future of farming in the 21st century will be shaped by agricultural bio-processing technology. Today, agriculture bio-processing technicians are conducting groundbreaking research on genetic technology and developing methods to increase agricultural output.
Interested in helping save lives, making companies more profitable, and determining the future of medicine?
Bioprocessing affects almost every aspect of our daily lives. The food we eat, the water we drink, the environment in which we live, the medicine and vitamins that keep us healthy, and even our makeup or cologne are all influenced by technology developed through bioprocesses.
Bioprocessing is an interdisciplinary specialty that draws on several scientific fields including: engineering, physics, chemistry, mathematics, biochemistry, biology, and, of course, biotechnology. Recent developments in bioprocessing have enabled companies to produce and distribute life saving medicines to the people who need them most. Continued medical advancement strongly depends on further development of bioprocessing technologies.
Interested in working with sophisticated computer equipment, analyzing biological data and creating genetic databases?
The field of biology has progressively transitioned from a bench-based skill to a computer-based science. The bioinformatics sector represents the technological future of the biotech industry. Utilizing sophisticated computer equipment for gathering and analyzing biological information, bioinformatics holds the promise of significant advancements in health care. The sector will grow exponentially over the next decade and provide us new intelligence about our genetic structure, how our genes shape who we are, and how we function. This tremendous growth has created a need for workers at all levels, from basic tasks like creating and maintaining databases that hold biological data to more advanced occupations the demand for computational and biological expertise continues to grow.


text:
REPUBLIC A local man has been charged with vehicular assault after two of his passengers were injured in a crash Thursday morning about 25 miles east of town.
Mark A. Tilley, 50, of Republic, was eastbound when his 1998 Subaru Legacy four-door went onto the eastbound shoulder and landed in a creek at about 11:47 a.m., the Washington State Patrol reported Friday.
Tilley was transported to Providence Mount Carmel Hospital in Colville for superficial injuries, the report said, noting Tilley was not wearing a seatbelt.
His passengers were also taken to regional hospitals.
Passenger, Francis J. Tilley, 73, of Republic, was transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, where she was being treated for several fractured bones, including a broken leg, Washington State Patrol Trooper Jason Davis said.
The report did not indicate if she was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Passenger Christy A. Stevens, 27, of Colville, also suffered minor injuries, and was transported to Mount Carmel Hospital, the report said. She was not wearing a seatbelt.
Authorities believe drugs may have been a contributing factor in the crash, the report said.
"We did write a search warrant for blood," Davis said of obtaining a sample from Mark Tilley. "He was arrested for vehicular assault."


text:
NASA Image Shows North Korea in the Dark
North Korea has a population of around 24 million people but a photo released by NASA reveals that at night the country is almost completely dark compared to its neighbors China and South Korea. WSJ's Monika Vosough reports. (Photo: NASA)
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... typical NHS ... North Korea ... a state organized event and capsules ... unite the country of twenty four million people ... cheers and desolate place of black coal between an action like China ... and South Korea ... Pyongyang the city of three million people as a famous back ... this image released by NASA of this year was captured the astronaut aboard the International space station ... it shows no Koreans lack of electrical infrastructure and shortage of power ... the hermit Kingdom shuts down at lunch percent of its electric car at night ... to conserve its limited supplies ... according to the International Energy Agency ... Americans used about eighteen times more energy per person in two thousand and eleven ... and North Koreans South Koreans used about fourteen times more and a cheaper pair sent ... the Prius been grappling with an energy shortage since the nineties ... when the Soviet Union collapsed and inexpensive fuel stop stalling and ... NASA's new image reveals how little progress North Korea has made in the last two decades ... this photo was taken in two thousand and twelve and this one twenty years ago ... both showing Australia and the doc ...


text:
Chairman's Letter
February 28, 2013
To Our Shareholders, Associates and Members:
I am addressing you today not only as your Chairman, but also as your Chief Executive Officer. As you know, we announced in January that Lou D'Ambrosio, our CEO for the past two years, was stepping down due to family health matters. I want to thank Lou for his service to Sears Holdings and wish the best to him and his family. Our Board of Directors asked me to step into the CEO role in order to sharpen our strategy, to continue the momentum of our transformation, and to accelerate the progress we have made. I greatly appreciate their trust.
I am proud of our associates for the resilience they showed over the past year. We entered 2012 prepared to answer questions some had about the future of our company. After reporting poor results for 2011, culminating in a very poor fourth quarter, we declared that we would take significant actions in 2012 to restore confidence in and financial stability to the company, while, at the same time, remaining focused on transforming Sears Holdings and creating long-term value for our shareholders.
We completed the separation of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. in October, raising $446.5 million for Sears Holdings. This transaction allowed those shareholders who exercised their rights and continue to hold stock in the separated business to share in the results of that business. Those who sold their rights or related shares were able to realize value without reducing their stake in Sears Holdings. Separating the management of these businesses from Sears Holdings allows them to pursue their own strategic opportunities in a more focused manner and brings our Business Unit structure to life outside of the Sears Holdings portfolio.
We distributed nearly half of our ownership in Sears Canada in 2012, while retaining 51% ownership of the outstanding shares. The performance of Sears Canada continued to be disappointing in 2012, significantly below what we believe the potential is for that business. With increased competition in Canada we know that we have to accelerate the pace of improvement as well as be aware of other potential means of creating value from our interest in this business.
Our Sears and Kmart Apparel businesses both improved in 2012, helped by declining cotton prices, improved assortments and better inventory management. Both Sears and Kmart Apparel are significant users of our store real estate, and improving the productivity of each business is essential to our goal of using our company's assets effectively.
Last month, we announced that we would be developing two new apparel lines in a collaboration between SHOP YOUR WAY, our social commerce platform, and our Kmart format. We have a long heritage of building celebrity brands, both at Sears and Kmart. We chose to partner with Nicki Minaj (shopyourway.com/nickiminaj) and Adam Levine (shopyourway.com/adamlevine) for this collaboration because of their creativity, their global appeal and their strong interest in developing their clothing brands in a unique and innovative manner.
We managed our inventory much more effectively in 2012. Our peak inventory and average inventory balances were significantly below prior years, allowing us to demonstrate more financial flexibility and a margin of safety to our vendors. We expect to make further progress in 2013, and have a number of work streams designed to improve our productivity and lower our financial risk. Adapting our supply chain to buy what Members want, when they want it, rather than accumulating inventory which depends upon promotional pricing to sell, is key to the Membership model I will discuss later.
We also contributed more than $500 million to our domestic pension plan in 2012, with a voluntary $203 million contribution allowing us to offer lump sum elections to approximately 86,000 eligible pension plan participants with pension benefits of roughly $2 billion in aggregate. This allowed a significant number of our pension participants to elect a one-time payment instead of a multi-year payment, and reduced the number of go-forward pension plan participants by about one-third. Our legacy pension plan funding obligation remains a drag on our financial flexibility.
Finally, we demonstrated that the operating performance of the company, while still significantly below what it should be, was not on a continued downward trajectory. We have managed our fixed expenses closely and have continued to close stores that are unable to produce acceptable financial results. As we have said before, almost all of our store closings are cash flow positive as we convert net inventory (gross inventory less payables) into cash, receive proceeds from select real estate transactions and relieve ourselves of lease obligations. I will address store closings later in the letter. Our asset base and financial foundation remain strong.
Sears Holdings is becoming a Membership company. Members of our SHOP YOUR WAY Rewards program have recently exceeded 60% of our transactions and sales. Members buy more, spend more and visit us more often. It starts with us. All of our associates should be engaged Members, and we invite all of our customers and shareholders to join our SHOP YOUR WAY Member community at shopyourway.com.
SHOP YOUR WAY is more than just a typical loyalty program. It is a comprehensive platform that transforms customer transactions into relationships and allows us to know our Members better and to serve them better as well. It includes the rewards program, our shopyourway.com social shopping platform, our SHOP YOUR WAY Max free shipping platform and a variety of other applications and components. Collectively, these elements change the way we do business both inside and outside the company.
In 2012, we continued to build SHOP YOUR WAY into a social and engaging platform that enables our Members to enjoy their shopping experience in store with their friends and family and also online at shopyourway.com. This social commerce platform learns from our Members' interactions to make their experiences more personalized and relevant. We're also building capabilities to enable our Members to directly communicate with associates via the Member Assist feature in the SHOP YOUR WAY mobile app.
We have created capabilities that make SHOP YOUR WAY Membership an even more rewarding experience. Members can participate in dozens of sweepstakes, where they can earn a chance to win points and great prizes. Since inception, Members have won millions of points, great products and experiences including Dream Kitchen Makeovers and trips to special concerts and destinations. In addition, we built a Member-only coupon experience where Members can find coupons, load them to their Membership account and redeem them in any channel they prefer. The experience is simple, hassle free and completely digital.
The transformation to a Membership company is not a quick one, and it is not inexpensive. Since launching SHOP YOUR WAY Rewards in late 2009, we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in our technology platform, in our associates and in the rewards we have made available to our Members. We are deepening the engagement of our associates behind the program and the attitudes and values of a Membership company will pervade our culture.
When we started this journey three years ago, the number of Members, the capabilities of our company, the number of associates involved and the dollars invested were relatively small for a company of our size. It was easy for many to ignore. Now, as the platform has evolved, there is no part of our company that is not being significantly impacted by it.
We are living in a hyper-connected world. Customers are looking for convenience and they are more networked than ever. They want to get what they want, when they want it and where they want it—on their own terms.
They are visiting stores to talk to expert associates and get advice, they are researching online, and they are making purchases and comparing products through their mobile devices. An integrated store, online and mobile experience is not a "nice to have" anymore. Companies that are not innovating and are not connected across their channels to provide a seamless experience are becoming less and less relevant to their customers.
To win the game, we have to change the game. We not only need to adapt, we need to lead and stay ahead of the curve. Our strategy to transform the company has remained consistent in the face of this change.
Our focus continues to be on our core customers, our Members, and finding ways to provide them value and convenience through Integrated Retail and our SHOP YOUR WAY Membership platform. We have invested significantly in our online ecommerce platforms, our Membership rewards program and the technology needed to support these initiatives.
In 2012, we rolled out tablets and mobile devices to Sears stores across the country. The tablets are equipped to help our store associates provide a better overall shopping experience for our Members. Our associates can use tablets to look at product specifications, compare products side-by-side and search for inventory if it isn't readily available at the store. More information about products, inventory, pricing and reviews, is now available at their fingertips, which means Members can have more confidence in their product selection.
Recently we introduced mobile checkout at many Sears stores, which speeds up the checkout process for Members. When Members are ready to buy, our associates can use a credit or debit card to complete check out on the tablet without having to go to a register, and then email our Member a digital receipt. It provides a complete end-to-end digital experience.
In addition to our efforts to leverage technology in our stores, we continue to broaden the assortment online so our Members now have access to more than 60 million items in the Sears Marketplace on Sears.com and shopyourway.com via the web, their mobile device or our in-store terminals and tablets.
We also have designed other experiences that provide seamless and convenient integrated experiences for our Members. Building on our Buy Online Pick Up In Store and Ready in 5 promise, we developed a Return/Exchange in 5 capability that allows Members to fill out the product return information online. Members simply drop off or exchange the item they want to return at our Merchandise Pick Up area within 5 minutes or less.
We built the capability for our Members to make layaway payments online and have the items from their layaway shipped directly to their homes when their contract has been completed. Integrating the experiences and the information that drive people's shopping decisions is at the heart of our transformation.
The retail industry is complex and changing rapidly. But, it's not just retail. Many industries are going through a transformation driven by information technology—financial services, newspapers and magazines, books, music, movies, healthcare, you name it.
As anybody can now see from the events surrounding JCPenney, Best Buy, Toys "R" Us, Staples, Barnes & Noble and others, the retail landscape is fundamentally shifting. In our case, observers have mistakenly concluded that our issues were primarily related to underinvesting in our stores. This ignores the significant investment that the retailers cited above and many others have made in their stores without relieving themselves of what I believe are the more fundamental issues facing the retail industry today. If it were just about store investment, then Best Buy would be thriving after the demise of Circuit City, Barnes & Noble would be thriving after the demise of Borders and other retailers who made significant store investments would be thriving instead of struggling to chart a new course.
In reality, and as I have discussed in prior shareholder letters, the progression of the Internet and mobile technology is fundamentally reshaping many industries, with retail being one of the largest. Increased price transparency, better customer-level information and analytics, faster supply chains and the advent of social networking and social media are all contributing to making running a large retail organization more complex.
There has been a significant amount of turnover at the highest levels of retail leadership and it only seems to be increasing. Changes at the CEO or President level of Safeway, Toys "R" Us, Staples, JCPenney, Best Buy and others are signs that the talent needed to transform companies in the retail industry today and the persistence required to see transformations through are not easy to come by. I believe that we are seeing an enormous shift in the type of talent that will be running retail enterprises in the future, similar to the shift that Google brought to the advertising business and that quants brought to financial services. It isn't that the qualities required to be a successful executive in retail in the past are no longer valuable. Instead, additional skills are required to adapt to the speed, creativity, analytics and experiences that customers require in their shopping as new competitors emerge to excite and educate them, and to disrupt the status quo.
As this process plays out, I would expect to see significant levels of management turnover as companies try new ideas and new types of capabilities and organizational structures. I believe that Sears Holdings has been early in pursuing these ideas and that some of the turnover we have experienced is a product of this change. But if we don't change, and if our talent can't adapt to that change, we won't be successful. This is just as true for many others in our industry and other industries as well. We aim to make Sears Holdings a great place to work for those who are excited about learning and trying new things.
We are rebuilding Sears Holdings' culture with an acute focus on creating "wow" experiences for our Members and putting Members First. We will embrace feedback at every point where a Member comes in contact with the company. We know we do many things well. We are going to be proactive in reaching out to those who have great experiences with us and rewarding them for letting us know and for allowing us to publicize them.
Having said that, we realize that one bad experience has the potential to impact hundreds, if not thousands, of our Members. If we interact (not just transact) with Members one billion times per year and 99% of those interactions are good ones, that still leaves 10 million interactions that are disappointing. In almost any business, 99% positive against 1% negative would be an outstanding achievement. But, in today's world of social media, and given our size, 10 million negative interactions translate into 30,000 per day. That's just staggering. This makes us an easy target for those seeking negative things to publicize.
We want our reputation for providing great service back and we intend to earn it. Our associates are embracing the idea that we want to know who our Members are, that we want to serve them well and that we want to know how we're doing every day. This means that we will use technology and training to encourage and embrace feedback to improve and make it much more transparent to everyone, thereby increasing accountability at the store and associate level. We know we won't get everything right, but we expect to fix things when we do things wrong and get more things right day after day. Increasing transparency, both internally and externally, through digital tools can be very powerful. This letter includes suggestions from associates at all levels, which I solicited through our internal enterprise social network.
Sears Holdings generated the highest EBITDA in its history in 2006, six years ago. Since then, there have been several significant changes to our portfolio. We no longer own our Hometown and Outlet Stores business; our Sears Hardware stores were combined into the Hometown and Outlet Stores business; Orchard Supply Hardware is a separate company; our ownership interest in Sears Canada is at 51%; and The Great Indoors format no longer exists.
Since 2006, we have closed just over 300 Sears Full-line and Kmart stores, or 13% of the Sears Full-line and Kmart stores we operated at that time, with about half of these store closings coming in our last fiscal year. Obviously, this is disappointing to us because in most cases we were unable to take low performing stores and make them successful. However, there are several benefits that come with closing poorly performing stores.
First, we no longer suffer the operating losses of the money-losing stores. Second, in most cases, we are no longer penalized by the rating agencies for the lease expense (or obligation) associated with those stores. Third, we are usually able to generate significant cash from the net inventory invested in the stores, as the net inventory proceeds typically exceed the severance and closing costs. Fourth, we are able to realize the value of the real estate in situations where we own the stores or where the lease terms are attractive to third parties.
Now, let's look at the stores we have closed to see how much profit they contributed in 2006, our peak operating earnings year. While we have closed just over 300 domestic stores since 2006, we have retained most of the stores that contributed significantly to our profitability in that year. We calculate that the amount of EBITDA that the closed stores generated in 2006 was a little more than $100 million of the $3.2 billion in domestic Adjusted EBITDA that the company had in 2006. Through a combination of net inventory and real estate proceeds, we estimate that we have generated roughly $1 billion in value from these stores. While we closed these stores at different times over the past six years, if you combined their performance for the twelve months prior to the start of the process to close each store, they generated an EBITDA loss of over $50 million in aggregate.
While commentators have suggested that we have underinvested in our stores, the data shows that in most cases, stores that were losing money in 2006 or were marginally profitable did not improve over the past six years. Let's assume we had invested $3 million in each of these 300 stores in an attempt to resuscitate them. Had we done this, and had they not improved, we would have thrown $1 billion of good money after bad. Instead, we were able to receive almost $1 billion in proceeds, which is not a bad result given the circumstances.
As we have explained previously, we have invested selectively in our better performing stores without throwing good money after bad in our poor performing stores. Perhaps we would have been better off in hindsight simply closing the poor performing stores rather than trying to fix them, but we were able to preserve some jobs for many more years while we gave the associates and stores time to try to improve their performance.
As we look ahead into 2013, we will continue to transform into a Member-focused company with Integrated Retail playing a key role in helping deliver "wow" experiences to our Members. As a company, our mission is to serve, delight and engage our Members while they shop their way.
We will continue to focus our investment on innovation related to Integrated Retail and our Membership Program, so we can create deeper relationships with Members and continue to adapt in how we deliver information, products and services to them. We intend to leverage our strengths—our social and ecommerce online platforms, our stores and our knowledgeable associates, and our robust supply chain capabilities—to deliver a truly differentiated and integrated experience for our Members.
In our stores, we will continue to invest heavily in technology and will continue training our associates on how to use the technology to serve our Members better. We will deploy the latest technology to more stores so our associates are equipped with the tools to make shopping easier and more informed for our Members. One of the areas we will be working on is to make SHOP YOUR WAY a much bigger part of the store experience. This includes pricing for Members only and training for our associates, so they can explain the exclusive benefits to the Members and their friends and family.
On our online sites, we will be working to further increase the amount of products in our Marketplace, and we plan on doing it in partnership with our Members. They can add items from their favorite brands and retailers to shopyourway.com, so we can build an eco-system that promotes collaboration and engagement. We will also continue to improve our product assortments and continue to offer exceptional values of owned brands, trusted brands and exclusive offerings.
When you combine the capabilities of our stores with the broad assortment we have available online, it will help bring an endless aisle of products from our Marketplace to our Members and start to blur the four walls of our stores. If our Members can't find the items they need in a store, they can order through the terminals or tablets in store and have them delivered to their homes. We will leverage our supply chain capabilities to find the inventory across all our locations, including our stores and our warehouses, and get it shipped to our Members as quickly as possible. We have the assets to establish a market leading two-day, next-day and same-day capability, by leveraging select current store locations and our warehouses to serve as Market Delivery Centers. The same breadth of assortment will also be available for purchase online and can be picked up in store same day.
While we invest in these key strategic areas, we will also look at other areas to become more efficient and repurpose resources consistent with the mission we have outlined. We will invest our resources where we can create competitive advantage and look at areas much more openly where we have not been able to compete effectively. We will also continue to work on LEAN initiatives to streamline the operational processes and systems, and at the same time continue to test and learn with technologies such as Digital Signs and RFID, so our associates can spend less time in the backroom and more time on the floor serving Members.
As we look ahead, we know we still have a lot of work to do. It will not be easy at times, but we will take bold actions to get through it. We have knowledgeable and experienced associates who have been with the company for many years. And we also have new associates who bring fresh and innovative ideas on how to transform the business to cater to our Members. With this right mix of engaged associates, who are all aligned to our mission, committed to winning, and excited about the possibilities, we will all work together to position the company to compete effectively in the 21st Century. I want to thank our associates for their passion, our customers and Members for their business and feedback, and our shareholders for their support, all of which is crucial to our transformation.
Edward S. Lampert
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements contained in this letter contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that use words and phrases such as the company "believes," "continue," "expects," "intends," "plans," "transform," "going to be" and similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "may," and "could" are generally forward-looking in nature and not historical facts and are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of our management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: our ability to offer merchandise and services that our customers want, including our proprietary brand products; our ability to complete liquidity generating initiatives on terms that are acceptable to us and to successfully implement initiatives to otherwise improve our liquidity through inventory management and other actions; competitive conditions in the retail and related services industries; worldwide economic conditions and business uncertainty, including the availability of consumer and commercial credit, changes in consumer confidence and spending, the impact of rising fuel prices, and changes in vendor relationships, including the impact of increases in the cost of raw materials experienced by certain of our vendors; vendors' lack of willingness to provide acceptable payment terms or otherwise restricting financing to purchase inventory or services; potential limitations on our access to credit markets due to changes in our credit ratings and other factors; the impact of seasonal buying patterns, including seasonal fluctuations due to weather conditions, which are difficult to forecast with certainty; our dependence on sources outside the United States for significant amounts of our merchandise; our extensive reliance on computer systems to process transactions, summarize results and manage our business, which may be subject to disruptions or security breaches; our reliance on third parties to provide us with services in connection with the administration of certain aspects of our business; impairment charges for goodwill and intangible assets or fixed-asset impairment for long-lived assets; our ability to attract, motivate and retain key executives and other associates; possible conflicts of interest involving affiliates or our Chairman and CEO; our ability to protect or preserve the image of our brands; the outcome of pending and/or future legal proceedings, including product liability claims and proceedings with respect to which the parties have reached a preliminary settlement; and the timing and amount of required pension plan funding; and other risks, uncertainties and factors discussed in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We intend the forward-looking statements to speak only as of the time made and do not undertake to update or revise them as more information becomes available.
Adjusted EBITDA


text:
The talk only lasted a few minutes, so we had plenty of time afterwards to run around the ruins.
A couple of technical questions that sprang to mind:
- How would you set up a server to push files over Bluetooth? (There are loads of ways you could use this - maps of the local area at transport hubs, sharing the schedule at conferences, random photo of the day at home, etc.)
- Can you make audio files navigable? That is, make it easy to go to the part of audio file that is about a given exhibit by typing in the exhibit's number? (This problem reminds me of Cliff Schmidt's talk about the Talking Book Device at ApacheCon EU 2008.)


text:
The cost of war does not end with the conflict!
In October of 2007 I submitted this article to the New York Times Opinion Section in hopes they would reprint it to let all Americans know that there is a cost to every war that those that wage war do want exposed to the American people. It is a cost that should enrage everyone and is passed down to our children and grandchildren. The burden I wrote about then has more than doubled since it was written. Here is that article:
A dead U.S. soldier costs less than a disabled one.
It is an unfortunate truth—a callous statement—but a reality of the hidden costs of the occupation of Iraq; an occupation that has destroyed lives and families and cost over $450 billion in American treasure thus far.


text:
Get Started with SAP Cloud Platform Rapid Application Development by Mendix
You will learn
- How to set up your environment to use SAP Cloud Platform Rapid Application Development
- How to open SAP Cloud Platform Rapid Application Development
You can build business applications for the SAP Cloud Platform Cloud Foundry environment using SAP Cloud Platform Rapid Application Development by Mendix, without needing to write code.
In this tutorial, you will set up your SAP Cloud Platform account so you can use SAP Cloud Platform Rapid Application Development to build applications to be deployed on SAP Cloud Platform.
This tutorial is applicable whether you have a productive or trial Neo environment, but assumes that you are using a trial Cloud Foundry environment.
The Mendix Desktop Modeler, for building your application, is available for Windows platforms only.
Go to https://account.hana.ondemand.com/cockpit and log into your SAP Cloud Platform account.
If you do not already have a Cloud Foundry environment, go to Home | Cloud Foundry Trial.
Choose a region for your Cloud Foundry environment, and then choose OK.
You will automatically be assigned a subaccount, an organization within your subaccount, and a space within your organization.
Then choose Go to Space.
For more information about creating a Cloud Foundry environment, see Get a Trial Space on the Cloud Foundry Instance.
Go back to your Neo account. In the trial landscape, choose Home | Neo Trial.
Choose Services (left-side navigation tree), and then find the SAP Cloud Platform RAD, by Mendix tile. You can filter the services by entering
Mendix in the search field at the top right.
Choose the tile, and then from the SAP Cloud Platform RAD by Mendix service screen, choose Open Development Portal.
This opens the registration page.
Choose to Sign in.
Choose to sign in with SAP.
Choose your SAP Cloud Platform region from the drop-down and click Select region.
This will redirect you to SAP Cloud Platform's login page. Enter your SAP Cloud Platform credentials and sign in.
Choose Authorize.
Choose Confirm.
Enter your name and a password, and choose Create.
Select an option or choose to Skip this step.
Now you're in the Mendix development portal.
You need to set up an environment for your SAP app. An environment points to the Cloud Foundry environment that you want to deploy to.
You can do this now, or you can do this when you are ready to deploy. When you deploy, you will be prompted to create an environment. Environments are created for each project.
In the development portal home page, choose Create App.
If not already selected, choose SAP Apps to see the SAP-related templates.
Choose the Fiori Blank template, and choose View Details.
Choose Use this app.
Enter a name, and choose Create App.
Enter your SAP Cloud Platform credentials, select a region, and choose Sign In.
Choose the Cloud Foundry environment you want to deploy to, and choose Create.
The environment is created. To see it, go to Environments.
To start working on your app, choose Edit App.
You build apps using the Mendix Desktop Modeler, which is an application installed on your desktop. If you don't have the modeler, install it by going to the app store.
- You have access to an SAP Cloud Platform account. If you don't have an account, you can open a trial one. See the tutorial or documentation.
- You are using a Windows desktop.


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In 1 Peter 5, Peter writes to the elders:
Shepherd God's flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but freely, according to God's ⌊will⌋; not for the money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory (vv.2-4).
Yes, he's writing to the elders of the church. And I think church leaders should take that pretty seriously. But this also speaks to me so much as a parent!
While reading these few verses, I couldn't help but consider:
- … how much am I "lording over" my children, using stronger language than necessary, just because I am older?
- … how often do I ask them to do things I don't do? What kind of example am I being?
- … do I see my children as nuisances sometimes, or as sweet sheep "entrusted" to me to provide for and love?
These three sweet miracles have been entrusted to me by God. They're not always going to be good. I'm not always going to behave perfectly. But can I step back for one minute when I am angry and think … these are my sheep. Am I a tender shepherd?


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This privacy statement together with any other documents expressly incorporated in it, covers any personal data collected when you use this website.
This website is operated by Q Pootle 5 Ltd. For the purpose of the Data Protection Act 1998 ("Act") Q Pootle 5 Ltd is a data controller which means that we retain control over all of the personal data that is collected on this website. No personal data collected by Q Pootle 5 Ltd through this website is sold or released to anyone about visitors to this site or customers of Q Pootle 5 Ltd without prior consent. In other words, no information is released to anyone unless you have given permission first.
Q Pootle 5 Ltd does not attempt to collect personal data from children. If children do send personal data to Q Pootle 5 Ltd, such as writing our guestbook, sending emails etc, the information is deleted but please do note that Q Pootle 5 Ltd cannot always determine that a user is a child.
Personal data that may be collected
Q Pootle 5 Ltd may collect the following personal data from you during your visit to the website:
- Personal data that you provide by filling in forms on this website, including personal data provided at the time of registering: first name, last name, date of birth, password, country, email, favourite website, about, avatar (image), favourite film, favourite book, favourite music, favourite TV show, favourite game, favourite character, newsletter (email address);
- Personal data you provide when reporting a problem with this website or requesting technical support;
- Personal data you provide if you contact Q Pootle 5 Ltd for any other reason;
- Details of your visits to this website including traffic data, location data, and other communications data and the resources that you access;
- Information about your browser version, operating system and screen resolution.
This website uses cookies. Cookies are small text files placed on your computer by websites you visit. Websites use cookies to improve their efficiency, as well as to provide information to website owners and, potentially, third parties. This table explains the cookies Q Pootle 5 Ltd and any third parties place on your computer and the reasons for placing them.
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These cookies are used to collect information about how visitors use our site. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the site. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the site, where visitors have come from to the site and the pages they visited.
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Most web browsers give users some control of cookies through browser settings. To find out more about cookies visit www.allaboutcookies.org.
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All personal data you provide is stored on secure servers.
Where you are given or you choose a password for access to certain parts of this website, you are responsible for keeping it confidential. You must not share a password with anyone.
Internet risks
Unfortunately, transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Q Pootle 5 Ltd cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to this website. For that reason, any transmission is at your own risk. It is recommended that you use anti-virus, firewall and/or other security protections according to your own analysis of your security requirements. Once your personal data is received, strict procedures and security features are used to try to prevent unauthorised access.
How your personal data is used
Q Pootle 5 Ltd may use personal data held about you in the following ways:
- To provide you with information, products or services you request or it considers may interest you, where you have consented to be contacted for such purposes;
- To encourage and allow you to participate in interactive features on its website, when you choose to do so;
- To provide you with information about goods and services which may be of interest contacting you by post or telephone;
- If you are an existing customer of Q Pootle 5 to contact you by electronic means (e-mail or SMS) with information about goods and services similar to Q Pootle 5;
- If you are a new user to contact you by electronic means only if you have consented to this;
If you do not want to be contacted in these ways please tick the relevant box situated on the form on which your data is collected.
How your personal data may be disclosed
Q Pootle 5 Ltd may disclose your personal data to any member of its group (which means its subsidiaries, ultimate holding company and its subsidiaries).
Q Pootle 5 Ltd may disclose your personal data to third parties:
- If it sells or buys any business or assets, in which case it may disclose your personal data to the prospective seller or buyer;
- If it or substantially all of its assets are acquired by a third party, in which case personal data held by it about its customers will be one of the transferred assets;
- If it has to disclose or share your personal data to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce or apply the terms of any other agreement, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Q Pootle 5 Ltd, its customers, or others. This includes exchanging personal data with other companies and organisations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction.
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Our Rustic Collection is an instant classic. Rustic wood millwork utilizes the technologies of today to build the 'log and timber' wood products that have been in architecture for centuries. Because our products are not kiln dried, each item in our Rustic
- Authentic detail and craftsmanship
- Hand-crafted from the finest woods
- Rough and smooth options available
- Perfect for interior or exterior use
- California residents see Prop 65 WARNINGS


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Peter David Readies The End of X-FACTOR
#260 cover.It's official: Peter David is bringing X-Factor to a close with issue #262 in September.
Announced Sunday afternoon during Marvel's X-Men panel at C2E2 in Chicago, the news isn't completely unexpected. In March, the publisher solicited a six-part arc titled "The End of X-Factor" starting with June's X-Factor #257, but observers wondered if that might not be meant entirely literally, or possibly was a prelude to a relaunch with a new #1. But it is indeed the end of X-Factor for at least the foreseeable future, and the conclusion to David's run that started with 2004's Madrox miniseries.
David told Newsarama that following the current "Hell on Earth War" storyline, which brings several long-building plotlines to a head and ends in May with issue #256, the story had approached a natural conclusion.
"It was basically decided that the 'Hell on Earth War' was as major a storyline as we were going to do," David said. "I'd been building toward it for so long that it simply seemed a logical culmination to the entire series. So we decided to wrap it up. It's been going for 10 years, after all."
And David is making it clear that while his recovery is ongoing, the decision to end X-Factor wasn't affected by the stroke he suffered in late December,
"My stroke has absolutely nothing to do with it," the writer said. "It was something we'd been discussing long before the end of December."
Following "Hell on Earth War," which was first teased by David back in 1998's Incredible Hulk #467, the writer said there will be a few remaining threads that he'll be giving closure to in his final arc.X-Factor #259
cover."I've been teasing the Longshot/Shatterstar connection for a while and it seems time to wrap that up," David said. "And I want to leave all the characters in good places. They deserve that."
In contrast to "Hell on Earth War" — a large-scale event featuring battling Hell Lords and the inevitable cataclysm that ensues from such a thing — "The End of X-Factor" will be a quieter affair, illustrated by Neil Edwards, returning to the series, and Marvel newcomer Carmen Carnero.
"It's a series of small stories focusing on the individual characters and crises going on in their lives," David said. "Each issue focuses on one (or two) of them at a time."
Current X-Factor series editor Jordan D. White praised the unique place the book has had within the X-titles, and Marvel's larger publishing line.
"Peter has really worked wonders with this book," White said to Newsarama. "He's made a little piece of the X-Universe all his own, from the beginnings as a noir/detective story, to the more recent supernatural bent. The book has always felt distinct and unique."
X-Factor has featured both characters from David's original run on the series in the '90s — like Multiple Man, Strong Guy, Wolfsbane, Polaris and Quicksilver — plus various X-folks like Longshot, Monet, former X-Forcers Shatterstar, Rictor and Siryn; along with more surprising choices like Layla Miller (introduced during House of M), Darwin (first seen in X-Men: Deadly Genesis) and Jim Starlin cosmic creation Pip the Troll; with the ensemble functioning as a detective agency rather than a traditional superhero team.
"He's breathed new life into characters that had been, in some cases, abandoned or forgotten… or even a few who never really felt quite real to me until Peter got his hands on them," White said.
"It's such a rich assortment of characters to have been exploring," David said, adding that he'll miss spending time in their heads. "I wouldn't have been on it for so long if it wasn't special."
"The End of X-Factor" doesn't mean the end of David's storied time at Marvel, as he's got an as-yet unrevealed new project at the publisher in the works.
"I hope everyone will turn out for it," David said.More from Newsarama:
- SPIDER MAN 2099 Collides with SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN's Present
- Charles Soule Joins THUNDERBOLTS in Time for INFINITY
- C2E2 2013: Marvel: From NOW! to INFINITY Panel - LIVE!