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Swimming Pool Blog
by Mark Garcia August 20, 2013
Solar Heater Sizing Guide
Second in our series on sizing a heater to your pool, we now look at my favorite heating option, solar pool heating.
In sizing a solar pool heater to a pool, we consider pool size, in area and gallons, your desired temperature gain, and other environmental factors such as wind and sun exposure.
Solar pool heaters work well in all parts of North America, and in fact, many solar pool heater manufacturers are based in Canada, where solar pool heating is very popular.
But not all houses or yards lend themselves to solar heaters, because you need a good amount of space, which has unobstructed sun, for 4-6 hours per day.
Solar panels can be placed on a sunny roof of the house, garage or shed or a rack or shade structure can be built facing the sun. For smaller above ground pools, they can simply be laid on the ground next to the pool.
Here are the factors to look at when sizing a solar pool heater.
Pool Size
They say, that you should have half of the pool surface area, in solar panels. The surface area of your pool is found when you multiply length x width of your pool. For example, a 16x32' pool would have 16'x32'=512 square feet of surface area. Round pools use the formula of pi x radius squared. For a 24' round pool, it's 3.14 x144=452 sq. ft.
Panels are modular, in that you connect them together. You can use panels that are 4'x10' in size (40 sq. ft.) or the longer 4'x20' panels (80 sq. ft.). The more panels you connect together, the more heat you can generate.
Here's a solar panel sizing chart that you can use, based on installing roughly enough solar panels to equal half of the pool surface areas.
For homes without optimum sun exposure or roof space for solar panels, consider these options.
- Build a Pergola style structure on the sunny side of the pool.
- Build a solar rack with lumber, into a sunny hillside.
- Build a solar rack, in any sunny area, within 100 ft. of pump.
Solar Pool Heater Sizing: Other Factors
Inground or Above Ground? Above ground oval pools, without a deep end, have as much surface area as an equally sized inground pool, but without a deep end, there is much less water to heat. However, above ground pools have more heat loss through the sides or walls of the pool, which is reduced on inground pools. So, it may equal out.
Windy or Calm? As with all of our pool heater types, we ask how much your pool receives. Pools in coastal or mountain areas, or other windy areas may think about adding an extra solar panel to compensate for the wind's heat theft. Using a cover, or installing windblocks of fences or hedges can help reduce the problem.
Manual or Automatic? Solar pool heaters can be operated with a solar controller, which increases performance and efficiency. It does this by bypassing the solar panels when conditions are not optimum for heating - during cloudy or rainy periods. Sensors monitor the temperature of the water and of the panels, and an automatic valve sends water to the solar panels when the sun is shining. A thermostat allows you to set a desired temperature for your pool.
Most above ground pools don't install a solar controller, although they could. I always recommend the solar controller to anyone with a larger solar system, because it really maximizes heat output and makes it ... automatic! Without a controller, many heat gains are offset by heat losses during cloudy, rainy, windy periods of the day.
Those without a controller may want to add additional panels to offset the heat losses, or plan to monitor it closely.
Covered or Uncovered? A covered pool retains 70% or more of the heat put into it, much of which can be lost in cool, overnight hours. If you plan to cover the pool, consistently, you could install fewer solar panels than is recommended in the chart above.
Solar blankets, Liquid Solar Blankets or automatic pool covers will reduce the demand on the solar heater, and allow you to install fewer solar panels or heat the pool in less than optimum sun exposure conditions.
Sunny or Obstructed? The best conditions for solar are panels facing in a southerly direction, receiving 5-7 hours of unobstructed sun per day. That's not always possible, so if you have less, you could install more panels to compensate.
You can also place panels in different areas, they don't all have to be all installed one array. They can be on different roof areas, or some panels can be rack mounted and others roof mounted. And they don't need to be right next to the equipment either. You can run pipe underground to and from your solar panels.
The great thing about solar pool heating is that you can always add more panels. Another great thing is the free heat and no maintenance that these systems give. In just about anyplace in America where the sun shines, you can add 10-20 degrees to your pool with a solar pool heater.
Thanks for Reading!
Mark Garcia


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All Girl
HOT MILFs - Hot Moms - MILF DVD Movies - Fucking Your Friend's Mom
So you have always had a crush on your friend's really hot mom. Well, now you can have sex with a MILF without ruining your friendship. These hot soccer moms love sex with younger guys. Their husbands are just not cutting it anymore and what is a MILF to do? These MILFs use that experience to her advantage to seduce the young guys in the neighborhood. Do you think they are complaining? Hell no. These hot moms love anal sex and take huge cum loads on their face. Hell, they'll even take a big steamy facial of cum and then bake you some cookies for the ride home. If a hot MILF is what you'd like you've come to the right place.

subset: commoncrawl


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BOSTON, Mass. – Highlighted by a career-first no-hitter by sophomore pitcher Tyler Kane (Wilbraham, Mass.), members of the UMass Boston baseball team are staying extremely busy this summer. Almost every player from this year's roster is playing on various summer league teams all over the country.
Kane's no-no, which he threw earlier this month, shows that the Beacons are working harder than ever to get ready for the upcoming season. As a member of the Wilbraham Funeral Home team of the Tri-County League, Kane allowed just one walk and one hit batter, and also struck out six in the process to bump his record to 2-0. Following that showing, Kane had allowed just one hit in 12 complete innings of work.
"Summer ball is where players develop and get better. Teams that plan on competing for championships use summer ball as a stepping stone towards a title. The main goal over the summer is getting quality reps in and getting physically stronger as a team. I am excited with the number of quality leagues UMass Boston Baseball is represented in across the country. So far most of the players are off to a great start," said UMass Boston head coach Brendan Eygabroat.
Here is a complete list of the Beacons that are playing in the various summer leagues.
Valley League
Jamill Moquette – Winchester Royals
Will Barrack – Winchester Royals
Futures Collegiate Baseball League
Jeff Thomas – Pittsfield Suns
Prospect League
Daniel Heefner –Terre Haute Rex
Myrtle Beach Collegiate
Matt Consiglio –Ghost Crabs
Hawaiian Collegiate League
Tom Cole
Connecticut Collegiate Baseball League
Michael Boughton
Tyler Kapushinski –Tobacco Valley Renegades
Tyler Kirwan – Syracuse Salt Cats
Intercity League
Ryan Augustine – Watertown Reds
Kyle Thebado – Watertown Reds
Ryan Manning – Watertown Reds
Patrick Noble – Medford Americans
Park League
Taylor Kapulka – ADSL
Charles LaPaglia – Grossman
Yawkey League
Patrick Noble – Alabrandies
Greg Dubela – Stoneham Sabres
American Legion
Patrick Austin – Torrington
Steve Roche – Worcester
Mike Capobianco
Harlan Zeerip –New Milford
Tri-County League
Tyler Kane -Wilbraham
Todd Ezold
Kyle Szatrowski
Matt Dziok
CT Tri State League
Bryan Failla – Torrington Rebels
North Shore League
Lucas Ilges - Beverly
Travel Ball
Luke Fischetti – CNY Thunder
Tomas Martinez – Miami Chiefs
Patrick Murphy


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PHILADELPHIA - The idea, still, is a stretch. The fantasy is fleeting. The numbers taunt.
All Ryne Sandberg knew as the Phillies dragged a four-game winning back to Citizens Bank Park Friday was that there was one way, just one, for them to yet make anything of this season.
'Well, we hope to continue to do what we have done the last four days,' he said. 'It starts with pitching and defense, and it's having base runners and timely hitting.'
So, the Phillies did, extending their winning streak to five Friday with a 6-2 victory over the Washington Nationals. With two games remaining before the All-Star break, that left them at 42-51, eight games out of first place in a weak National League East.
A.J. Burnett (6-8) went 7 2/3 innings, striking out six, then left to a warm ovation from a crowd of 30,094. He threw 66 of his 108 pitches for strikes and went at least six innings for his 10th consecutive start.
Jimmy Rollins hit two home runs, a two-run shot in the third and a solo effort in the sixth. And Domonic Brown laced a two-run double to continue to show mild offensive improvement.
All of a sudden …'Just continue going down that path,' Sandberg said. 'I think the guys on the team gained strides in that department. So continue with that.'
One path Sandberg swayed from was in center field, where he started three-time All-Star Grady Sizemore over Ben Revere. Sizemore was making his Phillies debut after a short audition in Allentown, that after playing the first 52 games of the season with the Boston Red Sox. Sizemore went 1-for-4 with a run scored.
Since he decided to rest Revere, not Brown, Sandberg had his hunch proven correct in the second. After Marlon Byrd and Cody Asche collected one-out singles, Brown ripped the double into the right-center gap, providing a 2-0 lead. Brown has hit safely in four of his last five games.
The Phillies doubled their lead in the third when Sizemore led off with a single to right and Rollins pulled a Jordan Zimmermann pitch into the right field seats. The Phils had little trouble from Zimmermann (6-5), who lasted 3 1-3 innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs before leaving with an undisclosed injury.
Cameron Rupp touched reliever Craig Stammen with a double to left-center in the sixth, scoring. A relay throw from shortstop Danny Espinosa via left fielder Bryce Harper, however, beat Brown to the plate, ending the inning.
Harper would follow with a home run in the top of the seventh, but Rollins would float his 11th homer of the season into the front rows of the right field seats in the bottom of the inning.
Ken Giles replaced Burnett with two on and two out in the eighth, but was met with a Ryan Zimmerman double into the left-field corner that scored Jayson Werth. Giles, however, coaxed Harper into a foul popup to Rupp, ending the threat, and then worked a scoreless ninth.
Home runs.Good pitching.Solid base running.
And, suddenly, a reason to watch a team that, as recently as last Sunday, was 12 games out of first place.
'Yes, it was talked about – fighting and hanging in there and staying positive, but also fighting through it,' Sandberg said. 'And when I look back at the games, I think everybody fed off of everybody and it was a different guy each day or a couple of different guys.
'So that is good going forward.'


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Snaps Freebie
I don't know why, but the last few years I have had this love of magnets. I've made all kinds of them. These are some of the most unusual and easiest. These are huge snaps from Walmart that I simply separated glued to magnets. As an ex-seamstress I just love them. They are so unusual, which is always a plus, and they are reminiscent of all the wonderful years I was able to sew and boy did I make EVERYTHING! :) Aren't they cute? FYI...this was my valentine from my husband this year. It was so funny...I had recently discussed finances with him and then he surprised me with his handmade valentine with a disclaimer at the bottom: "No family funds were used in the making of this valentine!" He's the kind who loves to buy you two cards for every occasion, so that made this very intimate, an inside joke, and so funny! Now don't you want to make yourself some adorable snap magnets?
For today's gift I decided to give you a set of these fabulous snaps to use in your digital scrapbooking as well as the tut for the magnets. I cannot wait to use them! I haven't seen anyone else using them yet. :) If you are enjoying my gifts and posts, please consider purchasing one of my kits to help support this blog so I can continue giving them to you. I've given over 1,200 free kits now and I need your help. God bless you!
Download here for 24 hours, then available in my store. If you can't find it, e-mail me. Check out my TERMS OF USE here.The password is jesuschristislord.Digifree CraftCrave CraftCrave


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Salad Factory
- Ocean Block, New Orleans St.
- 1904 Coastal Highway #5
- Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
- Phone: (302) 226-8561
- Visit Website
The Salad Factory has been serving healthy meals to Dewey Beach, and surrounding areas, since 2000. Their quality food has been awarded the "best salad downstate" by Delaware Today Magazine on more than one occasion. With 17 "pre-designed" salads, 16 complimenting dressings, 11 uniquely crafted wraps, refreshing smoothies, and now a wide array of breakfast options, The Salad Factory truly has something for everyone. Food can be tasty and healthy at the same time. So, stop in to fuel your body with the proper ingredients to get you where you need to be.


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Weekly Genealogy Blogging Prompt
Week #14: Talk about the different types of technology you use in your genealogy research. Whether it's a new search engine, a special application, or anything else "2.0," let readers know what you're working with, and how it's working for you.
Flickr--yes, this is a photo sharing site, but I couldn't live without it! I have family and friends in two continents, six states and this the main way I share photos with them. I upload photos here more than facebook. I especially like the "leave a comment" feature that I use to "tag" and identify individuals in group photograhs. My relatives can comment on the photographs and assist in the identification process or just add their two-cents worth! Here is one photo that my father chimed in on. I have quite a few faces to identify as you can see!
Facebook (fb)
- "Friend" fellow genealogists and keep up with their status updates
- Follow multiple blogs on the fb application, Networked Blogs
- Become of "fan" of genealogy related sites or "join" a group to stay up-date-with your favorite applications/groups/software. Here are just a few groups/pages on fb that I follow:
- Geneabloggers--Thanks Thomas MacEntee and gang! They are a wonderful support for both veteran and newbie bloggers. I love the weekly blog post ideas for inspiration!
- Legacy Family Tree--My genealogy software
- Clooz--Organizational software that I use. It is an electric filing cabinet that assists you with search and retrieval of important facts that you have found during the ancestor hunt. Clooz shows you the relationship between documents, whereas, genealogical software (i.e., Legacy, Family Tree, etc.) shows the relationship between people.
- Facebook Friends of the National Archives
- National Genealogical Society
- Post a status message when your blog gets updated. Your followers will be alerted and follow the link to read it. The reverse is also possible as long as the people that you are following do likewise. I was creating the post manually, until I discovered....
- I use this service to automate a Twitter post from my blog when it gets updated. This is easy and there is a tutorial! I don't have to remember to log into Twitter to "advertise" that I updated my blog.
- I also use this service to set up a keyword search. Periodically, Tweet Later will search ALL of the tweets for the specific Key Word(s) that you request. The results will be sent to you in your email inbox (it can get to be a long list depending on what you search on). You can search on "genealogy," specific genealogical organizations or particular people's names. This is a huge time saver because you don't have to constantly stay on Twitter to monitor status posts for something you are interested in. Also, you will learn about posts of people that you may not be currently be following (but you may decide to follow them after you discover that they are posting information on a topic that interests you!). Tutorial is here.
- I use this application to organize the Twitter people that I am following. Not everyone that I follow has posts on genealogy, so I set up groups in Tweet Deck. One group is titled, "genealogy." I have another group of "close friends" another on "librarians." This way, my twitter posts are organized according to subject (more or less). This is a much more efficient way to read Twitter than by logging into the Internet version of Twitter.
- TweetDeck has now integrated with FaceBook and one of your groups is automatically your Facebook friends. It is so nice to be able to scan that column for the latest status posts from your fb friends. You don't have to login to fb either!
Ancestry.com--I have been a full subscriber for many years and I couldn't live without it!
Footnote.com--Great new site and I love the social networking aspect! A big bonus...they are uploading Texas birth and death certificates and I am saving them just as fast as they appear online! You can create your own pages and link your own uploaded information with Footnote content. See this page on my great-great grandfather.
iGoogle (How I organize my RSS feeds)
- The only thing I will say about this fabulous application is to read an earlier post that I created on this application!
Well, I could go on a bit more, but since this is my first blog post in about 6-weeks, I'll call it a night and publish this entry!!!


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Next time you feel unwell, there is a good chance you will see one of our members at your local general practice. This is because the College represents 90% of the New Zealand GP workforce.
General practitioners (GPs) see it all; the widest variety of conditions and the greatest range of severity in patients of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds. They are medical detectives, trained to figure out what might be going wrong, how to treat it and who you should see. GPs can:
Once upon a time, a typical general practice would have one family doctor, operating out of their home, who would treat an entire family for a lifetime. Nowadays, practices come in many different sizes staffed with multiple GPs and other health professionals.
Where hospital doctors often focus on just one part of your body, a GP looks at your whole body, your background, and the environment you live in when diagnosing illnesses and prescribing treatments. This is known as holistic healthcare.
Some GP practices offer a patient portal service, which allows you to interact with your GP practice through a secure website. Depending on the practice, you can use their portal to book appointments, monitor your health records, email your doctor or request a repeat prescription.
Find out more about patient portals.
General Practitioner
General practitioner (GP) is the term for doctors who have completed six years of medical school, then two years of hospital and community training and passed three years of the General Practice Education Programme (GPEP). After eleven years of training, exams and practise, a GP can become vocationally registered and become a Fellow of the College.
Doctors who are training through the College in the three year GPEP programme (having already completed medical school and worked for a couple of years in a hospital) are called registrars. They will work in a GP practice under supervision.
Resident Medical Officers (prevocational training)
Doctors who have completed medical school and are working within a hospital and community scenario learning about patient care. Those interested in becoming a GP will apply to the GPEP programme at the College.
Nurse practitioners
Experienced registered nurses who have completed additional study and training in one area of practice; most are able to prescribe medicine.
Registered nurses
Registered nurses must complete three years of university study and practical experience (mostly in hospitals).
A practice nurse is a registered nurse that works in a GP practice. Practice nurses work in assessing and helping to treat patients, as well as having a strong education and teaching role.
Enrolled nurses
Enrolled nurses are also trained nurses but their training is to a less detailed and comprehensive level than that of registered nurses.
Medical students
These students aren't doctors yet. They spend six years in medical school and cover a broad spectrum of different topics including general practice.
Nursing students
Nursing students may also spend time training in a general practice.
All students are supervised when seeing patients


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I have been waiting to make these cupcakes for several months now. Being fiercely proud of my Irish heritage (and also a huge fan of Guinness), I knew that I had to make these for the international holiday of my people, St. Patrick's Day!
My friend Ashley made these cupcakes a few years back, and the first thing I noticed was how unbelievably moist the beer makes the cupcake. Baking with beer is nothing new, but the combination of chocolate and smooth, malty Guinness is just amazing. I revisited the recipe on Smitten Kitchen and decided to give them a whirl.
The original (and many subsequent) recipe calls for a chocolate whiskey ganache, but since I was making these for coworkers, I figured I'd leave the Jameson for our happy hour. Even with just Guinness and Bailey's, by the time these were devoured, my coworkers had dubbed them "boozecakes". Next time, I'll definitely fill these with ganache, and decide whether or not I want my recipients to be hammered.
Being a huge nerd, I decorated these things like crazy. And also listened to "The Wild Rover" on repeat.
I wonder what other treats I can make with beer and liquor?
Mmm. The Bailey's in the frosting is just enough to give it a kick, but you can hardly taste the Guinness in the cake batter.
Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Frosting
For the cupcakes (adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Food Network)
1 bottle Guinness
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
Baking Temperature: 350 degrees
Baking Time: 17 minutes
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Bring Guinness and butter to a simmer in large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
- Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in a large bowl.
- Add Guinness-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat until just combined.
- Add flour mixture and beat on slow speed.
- Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.
- Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely before frosting.
For the frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 to 4 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream
1 tablespoon milk
- Place the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until creamy.
- Gradually add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes after each), until the icing is thick enough to be of good consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar.
- After all sugar has been added, add Bailey's and milk and blend until just combined.


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Extracurricular activities allow our students to pursue passions and interests that fall outside the normal curriculum. These activities can include special interest clubs, arts, music and athletics. Our school is proud to offer a variety of extracurricular opportunities that enhance our students' learning experiences.
There are no classes for CBE students on Friday, Sept 20 because it's a system-wide non-instructional day. Have a great weekend! #yycbe #WeAreCBE https://t.co/Nd6m5GpNxi
RT @UsihChristopher: Student voice in action! Today at the System Leaders meeting with principals, AP's & directors, we heard directly from student reps re: well-being, achievement & equity strategies captured in this Venn diagram developed by CBE students. So proud of our students! #WeAreCBE https://t.co/i20ZAAQAzR
We are excited to announce Dr. Freda Miller School as the name of the new second elementary school in the community of Evergreen https://t.co/B2FWVSnrIK #WeAreCBE #yycbe https://t.co/8O9ewlNREi
Did you know that you need to subscribe to receive commercial electronic messages on school topics such as student fees, picture days, field trips and fun lunches? https://t.co/uLaiO1tarB #yycbe #WeAreCBE https://t.co/gdQJMdpGmK
Congratulations to CBE alumni Jeremy Bryant and Andrew Hall, founders of @MealshareTeam @MealshareYYC on receiving the Governor General's Meritorious Service Cross (Civil Division) https://t.co/hze2nowYrd


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Web Site Hosting
A/I Collective gives you the possibility to publish your own web site.
The criteria for participating and enjoying the services offered by our servers are sharing our principles of anti-fascism, anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-militarism that foster this project. Your website must share the non-commercial approach we support. You can peek at the websites hosted on our servers looking at our hosted sites page: mind you, it's long and full of junk as well as most interesting stuff!
Your site will generally be visible as a subdirectory of autistici.org or inventati.org (e.g.: www.autistici.org/mysite or www.inventati.org/yoursite) and you'll be given a login name and password to upload via WebDAV. your files.
If your prefer, you can host a domain of your own choosing (but you will have to purchase it from a commercial provider).
When you ask for your website please notify us if you are going to need a MySQL database and/or PHP support.
You will find a lot of useful information on how to run a website on A/I servers in our howtos and manuals:
- How to host your own domain on A/I servers
- How to use webdav to update and upload your site
- A very short reminder about webmasters' privacy and webusers' data
- Some very frequently asked questions on sites hosted on A/I
- How to activate statistics on your site
- Technical notes on A/I hosted websites
- Howto add A/I banners to your A/I hosted website
An email account on our servers has to be connected to each site for technical communications and news on the web hosting services. So, if you don't have one, you will have to open a mailbox account as well as request website hosting.
Very important note about server security
If you are planning to install in your website CMSs such as Drupal, b2evolution, Wordpress and the like, first of all ask yourself if it wouldn't suit you best to open a blog on our blogging platform Noblogs.org; after that, if you've really decided that a CMS is the best choice for your site, we recommend you to regularly update this software, carefully checking if new versions have come out.
This is utterly important for your and every other user's security, since in older versions there may be bugs which could be easily exploited to access the server and make a mess.
Since you're not the only one using our servers, but you're sharing a space, we think it is absolutely necessary that everyone be responsible for what they install in the servers, because our boxes are self-managed and based on shared participation and responsibility.
In the website of the CMS you've chosen there will certainly be instructions about how to update your software: usually it's just a question of replacing some old files with new ones, leaving contents as they are.
Now that you have read all about our web hosting service, go on and ask us to open your website but remember that this project lives on exclusively thanks to our users donations!
Please be sure to check out our help page and the above mentioned manuals for any problem you might encounter (webdav access, database, web statistics, domain registration included especially).JavaScript license information


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As the Chicago Blackhawks celebrated their Stanley Cup victory over the Boston Bruins in a rally in Chicago today, I headed to the corner of Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street with thousands of my closest friends to catch a glimpse of the NHL champions during their victory parade.
Thinking about how much success the franchise has had over the past few years—two championships in four seasons after not winning one since 1961—made me realize how far the team has come. It also made me think about how organizations that commit to excellence, embrace their pasts and are humble in the process can accomplish pie-in-the-sky goals quickly if they bring in the right talent and give those people the opportunity to shine.
Back in 2006, I entered a contest and won a pair of tickets to a Blackhawks game. I was happy to win, but going to see the Hawks was no great treat then. I don't even think the United Center was half-full for the game, and the mighty roar that you hear during the national anthem at Blackhawks games today was at best unenthused and disinterested. The franchise was clearly in disarray. A once proud Original Six team made the playoffs only one time in the 10 years prior to that year. On top of that, ownership at the time seemed out of touch.
Although every professional franchise I know of televises home games, the Hawks refused. When the owner, Bill Wirtz, died in 2007, there was a quote in his obituary in the Chicago Tribune that stated his philosophy on not televising the games: "When you think about the season reservation holder [first], you can never go wrong."
With all due respect, he did go wrong. The team became an afterthought.
Shortly after Wirtz's son, Rocky, took over, the team began televising home games. The team also brought back former star players who had been estranged from the team, like Bobby Hull, as ambassadors, and drafted stars like Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.
The team also hired John McDonough, formerly of the Chicago Cubs, as its president. And the Hawks went on a complete roster and image makeover, becoming a fan-friendly organization that does it with class. Perhaps it's not the first time it has been done, but I've never heard of a team take out a full-page ad in the city of the opposing team, in this case Boston, thanking the other team and city. Now that's gracious.
As the Hawks revel in their recent victory over the Bruins, I can't help but think back to how far the team has come, and how they achieved their One Goal. If your business is stagnating, perhaps it's time to change things up, too. Bring in the talent to do it, and give them the green light to be creative. You may not have people throw parades for you, but you and your organization might achieve your biggest goals, no matter how impossible they seem.
James Tehrani is Workforce's assistant managing editor. Comment below or email email@example.com. Follow Tehrani on Twitter at @WorkforceJames.


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I bought one of these military shirts this Summer and I'm still trying to figure out how to wear it. After I saw this gentleman at Pitti a few days ago I remembered I also had a photo of Robert R. wearing this same style.
After looking at the two images I now realize my shirt is too long. I need to shorten the length of my shirt to be in line with my wrist at the hip.
I think this is one of those truly versatile and inexpensive items that should be in everyones wardrobe.


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Wednesday Word
Deglaze (Cooking Technique)
If you watch any cooking television programs, or thumbed through recipes you've most likely heard or seen the word "deglaze". This is referring to adding a bit of water, broth, wine, vinegar, or other liquid to a hot pan that has brown bits stuck to the bottom, often from searing meat or sautéing vegetables. (more…)


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Cherokee Unisex Workwear Drawstring Pant - Hunter
A classic, relaxed staple for everyday wear, the Unisex Workwear Drawstring pant is one of our most popular unisex styles. With a side cargo pocket, concealed cell phone pocket, and back patch pocket, there is enough room to store all of your essentials. These pants feature a drawstring waist for adjustable closure, and they sit just above the hips.
Pair with any Cherokee Workwear top (unisex styles recommended for best match).
Material and Sizing
65% Polyester / 35% Cotton Poplin with Soil Release
Inseam 31"
Cherokee Family Brands
Cherokee Workwear Scrubs are part of the Strategic family of brands which are known and loved by healthcare professionals, parents and students. Cherokee Brand scrubs are ranked highest by scrubs-wearing professionals for comfort, durability, fit and style.
Easy returns on all non-embroidered items!
Returns Policy
You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the 'Complete Orders' link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.
We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.
When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.
Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.


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The Quality LED Floodlighting (QLF) Series of floodlights features six flood optics and four lumen packages to provide solutions equivalent to traditional 70W to 250W HID luminaires, offering up to 56% energy savings over floodlights using traditional HID sources. For additional energy savings during off-peak hours, the floodlights are compatible with the company's Dynadimmer, a smart standalone control system offering three pre-programmed dimming profiles and a customizable option that can be tailored to a user's specific application.
Philips Wide-Lite
For more information, visit www.lighting.philips.com.
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- Training Events
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|District of Columbia Summary of Med Spa Laws
District of Columbia Frequently Asked Medical Aesthetic Legal Questions
The District of Columbia medical spa legal summary breaks down the laws governing non-invasive medical aesthetics in the state.
Who can own a med spa?
Who can inject Botox and fillers?
Who can fire a laser?
Are Botox parties legal?
See below to find your medical spa legal questions and Join AmSpa Today for your answers.
AmSpa Basic members have access to the answers to over 60 legal questions.
AmSpa Plus! members have access to all of the Basic answers plus 25 additional legal issues.
Find answers to more medical spa legal questions, as well as business best-practices to keep you profitable, at an AmSpa Medical Spa & Aesthetic Boot Camp near you!
Disclaimer: The information and answers contained in these frequently asked questions provide a general guide to certain laws that apply to "medical spas" in this particular state. The information on this site is for general reference only and accuracy cannot be guaranteed, as medical spa legalities and regulations change very frequently. This information is not intended to provide legal advice, and it should not be relied upon as legal advice. This information is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Readers: You should not act upon this information without seeking knowledgeable legal counsel that takes the laws of your jurisdiction into account. All uses of the content of this site, other than personal uses, are prohibited.
AmSpa Basic FAQ
Login to see answers to over 60 District of Columbia medical aesthetic legal issues including these Frequently Asked Questions.
Not an AmSpaBasic member? Sign up today!
Which procedures at medical spas constitute medical treatment?
Medical spas were developed to offer certain aesthetic skin care procedures >>Read More
Who can own a medical spa?
Under District of Columbia law, a med spa may be owned by >>Read More
If I'm not a doctor, can I employ a "Medical Director" to provide medical services for my medical spa?
A business owned by a non-physician >>Read More
If I'm not a doctor can I share in the profits of a medical spa?
As a general rule, non-physicians >>Read More
Can a nurse, physician assistant or nurse practitioner take a commission for administering laser treatments or injectables like Botox?
A nurse, physician assistant (PA), or nurse practitioner (NP) may >>Read More
Do I have to be a doctor to own medical spa equipment, like lasers, or real estate?
An unlicensed person or entity may >>Read More
Do I need to charge sales tax on procedures like Botox?
Prescription and non-prescription medicines, drugs, and medical devices furnished >>Read More
Are Botox parties legal?
District of Columbia law does not >>Read More
Who can legally fire a laser under District of Columbia law?
In District of Columbia, firing of lasers >>Read More
Who can legally inject Botox under District of Columbia law?
District of Columbia considers the injection of Botox >>Read More
Does a physician need to be on site during laser and intense pulse light (IPL) devices?
The level of physician supervision will depend >>Read More
What kind of physician supervision is needed for a registered nurse (RN) in a medical spa?
Registered nurses only require >>Read More
Does a physician have to examine every new patient before the patient is treated at a med spa?
A physician is >>Read More
Does a medical spa need to obtain a license to operate?
A medical spa is considered to be a >>Read More
Can a medical spa offer discounts through Groupon or other similar social networking websites?
While District of Columbia law does not >>Read More
What type of records are medical spas required to keep of their patients?
Medical spas are >>Read More
Can a med spa text or email patients to convey confidential medical information?
HIPAA allows covered health care providers >>Read More
If a patient posted a message or a review on a medical spa's social media page, can and how should the medical spa respond?
When communicating on social media, a medical spa should always >>Read More
Is it legal to purchase drugs like Botox and fillers from overseas? From Canada, Europe, or Asia?
Generally >>Read More
Can a chiropractor or dentist serve as a medical director?
The definition of >>Read More
Who can legally perform the following treatments: microneedling; lasers/light-emitting devices; dermaplaning; Coolsculpting; permanent makeup?
Under District of Columbia law, >>Read More
ADDITIONAL AmSpaPLUS! FAQ
Find answers to more than 25 additional District of Columbia medical aesthetic legal issues including the basic Frequently Asked Questions listed below. Login to see all 85+ questions!
Not an AmSpaPlus member? Sign up today!
What type of entity may own a medical spa?
In District of Columbia, a medical spa may be owned by >>Read More
Can medical spas sell retail products i.e. skin creams?
Medical practices are >>Read More
Do medical spas have to charge sales tax on retail products?
Any medical practice that sells retail products must >>Read More
Does a physician have to be physically present while a nurse practitioner is performing services in a medical spa?
Physician supervision is >>Read More
Do physicians have to be physically present when a PA is performing services in a medical spa?
Physician supervision >>Read More
Can a PA perform cosmetic procedures such as operate lasers, inject Botox, and perform microdermabrasion?
A PA can perform a cosmetic procedure if >>Read More
Can an aesthetician, cosmetologist, electrologist or vocational nurses use lasers or intense light devices?
Under District of Columbia law, firing of lasers >>Read More
Who can perform microdermabrasion?
In District of Columbia, microdermabrasion >>Read More
Can a physician use a picture album containing patient photos?
A physician may use a patient photo if >>Read More
May a physician leave a message on a patient's answering machine? Verify an appointment with a family member or spouse?
When leaving a message on the patient's answering machine, the physician should >>Read More
Are lasers subject to OSHA requirements?
OSHA requires: (1) lasers to be >>Read More
What administrative requirements are provided in the HIPAA Security and Privacy Rules?
A med spa or physician covered by HIPAA must >>Read More
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SuperStream and XBRL
SuperStream is an initiative which is designed to simplify, and speed up, the exchange of superannuation data in Australia. It uses XBRL to define the reports needed for member registration, member contributions and rollovers between superannuation providers.
More information about SuperStream is available via the ATO Superstream web site:
SuperStream Taxonomies
There are two sets of taxonomies related to SuperStream in the current SBR taxonomy.
The first set are in the sprstrm sub-directory of the sbr_au_reports directory. The taxonomies in this set comprise the member registration, member contribution, government contribution amendment, initiate rollover and member rollover taxonomies.
XBRL Messenger provides the following sample applications for these taxonomies
- CreateMemberRolloverRequest
- ReadMemberRegistration
- ValidateSuperStreamInstance
The second set of SuperStream related taxonomies are in the ato sub-directory of the sbr_au_reports directory. These relate to interactions between superannuation funds, payroll companies and ATO. They include Fund Validation Services (fvsg, fvsl, fvsu), Employer Lookup (etic), SuperMatch (smat2) and SuperTic (stic).
XBRL Messenger provides the CreateSTICLookupRequest sample application to demonstrate how to use the SuperTic taxonomy.
Fujitsu's other SBR/SuperStream product - ebMS3 Messenger - includes sample code for how most of the above transactions can be invoked with ebMS3 Messenger. For more details of ebMS3 Messenger visit the Fujitsu ebMS3 Messenger web site.


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Give to T'chiyah
Thank you so much for making this community possible. We are blessed with your support to be growing, thriving, and innovating.
You may make a one-time donation online below, or a monthly gift at this link.
If you would like to contribute by check (preferred as it saves us a processing fee) please mail to:
Congregation T'chiyah c/o Treasurer
15000 W. 10 Mile Rd., Oak Park, MI 48237
Please note that Detroit Jews for Justice and Congregation T'chiyah donations are separate. If you would like to donate to DJJ, please do so here.


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It's a wrap! The Spring 2013 men's shows are over and Haute Couture is getting into full swing. Here's a look at the most notable men's shows to close out Spring 2013 in Paris (previous recap, click here).
Luxe sportswear and debonair summer suiting made for a sophisticated, laid back collection of neutral and vibrant yellow separates. It being Hermes, leather, crocodile, and lambskin were also woven into the summery collection.
Alexander Wang
If it ain't broke don't fix it seems to be Wang's motto, and with good reason. Sticking to his sporty minimalist signature, the designer showed an entirely black and white collection (with the exception of a few touches of red). Standouts included tailored cropped-over-the-knee pants, fitted leather jackets, leather accented tops, and colorblocked sweaters.
Pink tops, gold lame suiting, and baby blue patterned suits may be niche, but there will be widespread appeal to the trim cut suits and tailored shorts shown in this season's Lanvin collection.
Dior Homme
Fitted, buttoned up, austerely tailored, and heavy on navy, this season's Dior Homme show went in a naval direction. Red served as a welcome accent color, including on the laces of dark hued shoes.
Images: WWD


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How many baserunners can the Blue Jays leave on base in extra innings, and still expect to win? Moreover, how can the Jays hammer Huston Street for a couple of bombs in the ninth, and then politely hand the home side a 5-4 victory?
Or, alternately, tell us what you know about maps, South Africa, "US America" and "The Iraq".
Other questions
-Quien es mas macho? Matt Stairs es mas macho!
-So, about Lyle Overbay's hand...does it only hurt when he grounds out? Because that was a pretty frickin' monstrous shot in the ninth.
-The Globe and Mail has two baseball beat reporters. Understanding that maybe the national fishwrap didn't want to send them out to the coast, after having blown their travel budget on Blair's Barry Bonds BonanzaTM, would it kill one of them to update their eight-days-stale blog?


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Founded in 1993, Downing Events is a premier event management company in Colorado. Our reputation for conducting events of the highest standard has been recognized by clients nationwide who seek safe, well planned, managed and executed events. We have successfully managed events ranging in size from a few hundred to over a hundred thousand.
Downing Events has managed hundreds of athletic events including the Race for the Cure, Littleton Stride, Home Run for the Homeless, Run to the Shrine and many more. Downing Events has managed many holiday ice rinks, permanent ice systems, and constructed several temporary ice systems. During the summer we manage numerous outdoor film series. Downing Events is one of the pioneers in developing film series to help shopping centers drive customer traffic and assist clients with branding initiatives.
Our clients find that our expertise and knowledge are essential to successfully conducting an event, and that our management experience has a direct impact on both the financial success of the event, and the experience of each attendee.
From triathlons to centuries, Downing Events can produce any athletic event with precision and style.
Downing Events is one of the pioneers in developing film series to help drive customer traffic.
Skating rink provides a competitive advantage and make your location a destination.


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Owen Sound
Owen Sound is a city in Grey County. It has a population of approximately 21,000 people.
Get in[edit]
There are two main highways that enter into Owen Sound's East Side; Highway 26, which leads (driving east) to Meaford, and Highway 6-10, which leads (driving south) to Chatsworth. At Chatsworth, Highway 6-10 splits, and Highway 10 leads into Markdale. Owen Sound is within three hours of Toronto, Hamilton, Orillia and Barrie. Nearby popular destinations include Sauble Beach, Wasaga Beach, Village at Blue Mountain & Collingwood, Tobermory, and Horseshoe Valley.
Get around[edit]
Owen Sound provides a city bus transit system that runs every half hour on weekdays, every hour on weekends. The fare is $2.00 for adults, $1.25 for students and seniors. Too, there are numerous taxi companies in the city ($7 for travel on east side, $6 for west, $5 for downtown, generally). Traffic is generally light and roads are well maintained if you choose to drive, with plenty of parking spots. The downtown is a comfortable size to discover on foot, with most of the shopping clustered within several blocks of the center of town.
See[edit][add listing]
Do[edit][add listing]
Photographic Journeys Hiking and Cycling Journeys Fall Colour Journeys and Touring Cultural and Art based Journeys Scenic Journeys Experiential Journeys Market Touring Camping in summer/fall/winter Tipi Camping
Buy[edit][add listing]
Owen Sound has many family owned businesses in its downtown area (eg. Fulfords, Buzzas, Nancy Lees). However, most of the large, commercial stores are located on 16th Street East, including the Heritage Place Shopping Center. This area is continuously expanding; a Boston Pizza opened in late 2006 and the new Harvey's/Swiss Chalet is now open.
Eat[edit][add listing]
A wide away of fast food and chain restaurants are available.
Drink[edit][add listing]
Sleep[edit][add listing]
Get out[edit]


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Five decades ago, while debating an offensive against Gaza militants, Israel's founding prime minister, David Ben Gurion, is said to have discounted United Nations intervention with a now famous Hebrew quip: "oom shmoom."
Rough translation: "UN is nothing."
In the face of an international uproar over the May 31 Israeli commando raid of a Gaza aid flotilla that left nine Turks dead, a similar disdain for the global community has resurfaced here.
IN PICTURES: The Gaza flotilla and the aftermath of the Israeli naval raid
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's complaint of an "international offensive of hypocrisy" against Israel has been echoed by political rivals and many ordinary Israelis.
"If it wasn't this ship, tomorrow it would be something else," says Dror Epstein, a Tel Aviv lawyer. "It doesn't matter what we do."
Indeed, Israel's recent growing isolation is strengthening the belief that international criticism is mostly hyperbole linked to centuries of anti-Jewish persecution – and something that can be discounted. Though it is unclear how prevalent the belief is among decision makers, analysts note that a feeling of isolation could boost support for provocative and unilateral policies.
"When the world confuses a jihadist lynch mob for peace activists, Israelis nod their head and say, 'We recognize this as a Jewish moment,' " says Yossi Klein Halevi, a fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, a Jewish research and education facility in Jerusalem.
"Almost every Israeli, regardless of the way they feel about the operation, knows that this [flotilla raid] is not a moral failing of Israel," says Mr. Klein Halevi. "And yet Israelis see the world entering a spasm of moral outrage that we don't see being expressed over Darfur." He adds that Israelis angrily reject world opinion as inherently biased.
Not enough force used?
In a poll of Israeli Jews after the flotilla raid, 61 percent said Israel should not adjust its tactics to curry favor with the international community, according to Princeton, N.J.-based Pechter Middle East Polls. Eighty-five percent of the 500 polled said that Israel either did not use enough force or used the right amount of force.
Some 56 percent said that Israel should resist calls for an international investigation of the raid.
In contrast, a Jerusalem Report poll four months ago found Israelis evenly split over the question of whether the response to international isolation should be to renew negotiations with the Palestinians.
Alon Liel, a former director general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, says that in the recent past, the prospect of international isolation prompted former Israeli prime ministers Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert to make concessions to the Palestinians.
The same pressure is less likely to influence cabinet ministers in the current government, such as conservative Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, he adds.
"Their approach is: 'No matter what we do the world will hate us,' " he says. "So far, I see the Israeli siege mentality affecting the government."
The sense that Israel faces international critics bent on undermining its legitimacy is more than a conservative perspective. It spans Israel's left-right political divide.
"It is a sentiment that exists today more than in the past, because the trend is de-legitimizing Israel and isolating Israel internationally," says Yossi Alpher, co-editor of Bitterlemons.org, an Israeli-Palestinian opinion forum.
"Where it becomes dangerous is when decisions are made and when it obscures the fixable causes of this delegitimization campaign. There are causes which are treatable and there are causes which are not," he says.
Israel still needs the US
Still, the "deck stacked against us" view is offset by a recognition among policy makers that Israel needs the international community, particularly the US and Europe to solve many of its foreign challenges.
In contrast to Israel's solo decision in 1981 to bomb an Iraqi nuclear reactor, Israel currently portrays Iran's nuclear ambitions as a problem for world powers.
The recognition today that the Jewish state can't embark on pre-emptive wars and occupy foreign territory to silence militants on its borders has prompted Israeli governments to accept UN forces to maintain stability in Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, Mr. Alpher says. "We have to work with the world," says Alpher. "We don't have [other] solutions because we don't want to reoccupy."
Israel was more isolated in the 1970s, when it lacked diplomatic relations with key countries such as Egypt, China, and India, says Ephraim Inbar, the head of the Begin Sadat Center at Bar Ilan University and the author of a study of "outcast" nations.
The relative isolation is what prompted Israel to order a unilateral strike on an Iraq, and a 1976 raid in Entebbe, Uganda, to rescue a hijacked plane. "Jewish history is conducive to this reluctant acceptance that we are not liked," he says. That said, Inbar says that Israel's foreign policy is characterized by realpolitik. "We understand the importance of the US and the relative unimportance of UN resolution."
The Israeli response to the global outcry over the flotilla raid may also be shaped by US public opinion. A Ramussen poll shows that 49 percent of likely US voters blamed the flotilla clash on pro-Palestinian activists. Only 19 percent blamed it on Israel.
History of UN resentment
Israeli resentment is most acute toward the United Nations. The UN Human Rights Council has already commissioned an inquiry into the flotilla violence. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu earlier this week balked at an offer by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to form an international committee to investigate the raid. Instead, Netanyahu is reportedly coordinating the establishment of an Israeli commission of inquiry with the US.
"We will be prepared to appear and give all the facts," Netanyahu said in a speech Wednesday. He said that he would be willing to testify, as would Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi, the Israeli military's chief of staff.
Last year, a UN Human Rights inquiry headed by South African Judge Richard Goldstone accused Israel of war crimes during its Gaza offensive, which left about 1,400 Palestinians dead. Israel's government sees the Goldstone report as an effort to limit its ability to fight militant groups on its borders.
"There has been a structural problem in the UN for many years which leads to situations where Israel is put in the chair of the accused for alleged crimes which it never committed, while countries which are involved in massive human rights abuses are never cited," says Dore Gold, a Israeli UN Ambassador during Netanyahu's first term in office
"I don't think one has to be exasperated about what the international community says. Israel has to make its case," he says.
Israel made its greatest strides toward breaking its isolation during the Oslo peace process with the Palestinians in the 1990s – a period in which Israel established diplomatic ties with dozens of countries. It was also a period in which the Jewish state was willing to take the greatest risks for a peace, argues Klein Halevi.
"This idea either that we don't care about being pariahs or we revel in it is a misreading of the Israeli psyche… it goes against a key Zionist motif which is restoring the Jewish people to the community of nations," he says.
"The more Israelis sense they are being unfairly judged, and being held to a standard no country is being held to, the more Israelis freeze up."
Related stories:
- Never mind the 'Freedom Flotilla.' Is Israel's Gaza blockade legal
- Turkey-Israel crisis: Why the formerly obscure IHH is playing a key role
- Israel news coverage
IN PICTURES: The Gaza flotilla and the aftermath of the Israeli naval raid


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WASHINGTON — America's trade deficit mushroomed to an all-time high of $43.1 billion in January, as sales of foreign-made goods hovered near record levels.
The trade gap reported by the Commerce Department on Wednesday was 0.9 percent larger than the $42.7 billion deficit registered in December.
January's trade deficit swelled as the value of imported goods and services eclipsed the value of U.S. exports.
Imports of goods and services came to $132 billion in January, the second-highest level on record. Still, that represented a tiny 0.5 percent dip from the record level of imports seen in December. The economic rebound in the United States has fed demand for foreign-made goods.
Exports, meanwhile, totaled $89 billion in January, representing a 1.2 percent decrease from December. That largely reflected weaker demand for U.S. food products. Exports of meat and poultry in January plunged by 40 percent to $379 million, the lowest level since November 1993, as the first case of mad cow disease in the United States stalled beef exports to many countries.
The latest snapshot of trade activity comes as tensions have grown over global trade and the migration of jobs in the United States to other countries.
President Bush on Tuesday promoted trade as crucial to economic growth and renewed a warning against "economic isolationists" who question free-trade deals. The charge of economic isolationism was aimed at presumptive Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.
The Massachusetts senator supported the North American Free Trade Agreement and world trade deals. On the campaign, he has said he would place all trade deals under a 120-day review and wants labor and environmental standards in new agreements. He also would require companies to provide notice before moving jobs to other countries.
Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan last week said that a weaker U.S. dollar should eventually help narrow the country's swollen trade deficits. He also repeated a warning that "creeping protectionism" could hurt the flexibility of the global economy — something that has played a key role in helping the United States and other countries weather economic hard times.
America's politically sensitive trade deficit with China expanded to $11.5 billion in January, up from $9.9 billion in December.
U.S. manufacturers contend that China is deliberately undervaluing it currency, the yuan, by as much as 40 percent, giving that country a big trade advantage when competing with U.S. companies and contributing to the loss of U.S. jobs.
The Bush administration has been pressing Beijing to stop linking its currency to the dollar and let the value of the yuan be set in open markets.
The U.S. trade deficit with Japan, meanwhile, narrowed to $5.3 billion in January, compared with $5.7 billion the month before. U.S. exports to the country, valued at $4 billion, marked the lowest level in a year.
America's trade deficit with Mexico of $3 billion in January was the lowest since December 2002. The United States' trade gap with Canada widened in January to $5.2 billion, up from $4.4 billion in December.
The United States' trade deficit with oil-producing nations, including Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, grew to $4.7 billion in January, the highest level since April 2003. The average price per barrel of imported crude oil in January, meanwhile, climbed to $28.55, the highest since March 2003.
© 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Helpful Tips and Advice for Caring Pet Owners, sponsored by CANIDAE Natural Pet Food Company.
Mobile? Subscribe here.
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Algonquin Hotel Cat Makes Guests Feel Right at Home
By Julia Williams
When I'm traveling, the thing I miss most about "home" is spending time with my cats. If I've had a difficult day, nothing brings me back into balance quicker than a good petting session. When I need some affection, I have three felines who are happy to give it, provided they get some back. Needless to say, I get very homesick for my cats when I am away, and I'm sure many cat owners feel the same – which is why, if you ever find yourself in New York City, you simply must stay at the Algonquin Hotel!
This landmark hotel has many claims to fame, but is known the world over for their famous feline resident: a gorgeous Ragdoll cat named Matilda. This PURRsonable feline is always on hand to make sure that any hotel guest who needs some kitty love, shall have it. Now that's what I call five-star hospitality!
The oldest operating hotel in New York City, the Algonquin has kept a "resident cat" since the 1930s. The story goes that one stormy night, a bedraggled cat wandered into the hotel seeking food and shelter. The hotel's owner at the time, known to be a very gracious host, felt sorry for the cat and welcomed it into the hotel.
That first hotel cat was an orange tabby initially called Rusty. Hotel lore claims that actor John Barrymore, who was starring in Hamlet on Broadway, thought the cat needed a more theatrical name. Thus, the cat was rechristened Hamlet, and a tradition was born. Since then, all of the male Algonquin hotel cats are called Hamlet, and the females are named Matilda.
The current Matilda is the ninth Algonquin hotel cat. A former show cat, Matilda is the first purebred feline to reside at the hotel. She became their newest kitty concierge in 1997 at the tender age of two, and has endeared herself to the guests ever since. The Ragdoll is an American cat breed best known for its docile temperament and affectionate nature. These qualities make them a perfect hotel cat, and the ever-friendly Matilda does her breed proud.
Other than the kitchen and dining areas, Matilda has the run of the hotel and is frequently spotted snoozing at the front desk. However, her favorite place to hang out is her personal chaise lounge in the lobby, where she can oversee the comings and goings of the guests and get chin rubs from them.
Around check-in time, Matilda can be found by the luggage cart, where she likes to sniff all incoming baggage and greet the arriving guests. She has become quite popular over the years and receives mail weekly from all over the world. She even has her own email address, and has been the subject of countless stories. Once, when her cat collar was stolen, the tale of the "Algonquin Cat-Burglary" was the talk of the city.
Each year, the Algonquin Hotel throws Matilda a birthday bash as befits a New York celebrity. Perhaps the most memorable one, according to the hotel's website, was her seventh birthday. With 150 of her closest friends in attendance, Matilda "jumped on her cake and ran out of the room, leaving a trail of paw prints." Although she didn't display much appreciation for her birthday party that year, the gatherings serve as a way for the hotel to raise a substantial sum for cat charities.
The Algonquin hotel cat has been memorialized in a children's book and a 24-karat gold pendant. The hotel's bar even has a cocktail named after Matilda. Want to know more about this famous feline? You can watch a short video, Meet Matilda, the Algonquin Hotel Cat, on the Cat Channel website.
Read more articles by Julia Williams
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Orientation check
You Got To Put The Steel To Em'
Let me try a different pic.
That one came out the right orientation. I think I didn't have the first pic the right orientation before uploading.
Thanks for the tests! An nice Catch~
You Got To Put The Steel To Em'


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This is a list of all the jobs currently available. To view the details of a position, simply click on the [more] link.
Oak Beauty LLC
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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Tuesday's session are Walt Disney Co., Groupon Inc., and Athenahealth Inc.
Walt Disney DIS, +0.38% is projected to report second-quarter earnings of 96 cents a share, according to a consensus survey by FactSet.
Groupon GRPN, +1.38% is forecast to post a loss of 3 cents a share in the first quarter. Analysts at Sterne Agee rate the stock at a buy with a price target of $12. "We think Groupon remains an interesting turnaround story," said Arvind Bhatia in a report.
TripAdvisor TRIP, -1.09% is expected to report first-quarter earnings of 55 cents a share. "We believe that a generally positive read-across from Expedia along with ongoing efforts by TripAdvisor to improve meta-search monetization bode well for the latter's 1Q results," analyst Naved Khan at Cantor Fitzgerald said in a report.
CBOE Holdings Inc. CBOE, -3.48% is likely to post first-quarter earnings of 56 cents a share.
DirecTV DTV, -0.16% is projected report first-quarter earnings of $1.51 a share.
Electronic Arts Inc. EA, +0.14% is forecast to post fourth-quarter earnings of 11 cents a share.
First Solar Inc. FSLR, +2.36% is expected to report earnings of 52 cents share in the first quarter.
Office Depot Inc. ODP, +1.20% is likely to post earnings of 3 cents a share in the first quarter.
Pioneer Natural Resources Co. PXD, +3.90% is forecast to post earnings of $1.06 a share in the first quarter.
Potbelly Corp. PBPB, -2.23% is expected to break even in the first quarter.
Whole Foods Market Inc. US:WFM is projected to report earnings of 41 cents a share in the second quarter.
Activision Blizzard Inc. ATVI, +0.90% is forecast to report first-quarter earnings of 10 cents a share.
Athenahealth shares gored by Einhorn at Ira Sohn
Athenahealth, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Humana Inc., and Monsanto Co. are also expected to be in the spotlight after they received attention from high-profile investors at the Ira Sohn Investment Conference on Monday.
Shares of Athenahealth US:ATHN dropped more than 12% in after-hours activity Monday after Greenlight Capital's David Einhorn revealed his short position in the stock and said it could fall by as much as 80%.
Pershing Square Management's Bill Ackman characterized Freddie Mac FMCC, +7.46% and Fannie Mae FNMA, +7.56% as essential to the U.S. mortgage market and pointed out that they are in a low-risk business where they are the only ones that provide that service. Freddie and Fannie have improved since the financial crisis and are now guaranteeing safer loans, he added. Shares of Freddie jumped 6.3% and Fannie rallied 3%.
Discuss key earnings announcements before and after results come in. Learn more
Humana Inc., WellPoint Inc., and Monsanto Co. were Larry Robbins pick for his presentation. Glenview Capital's Robbins said the worst is behind for health maintenance organizations like Humana HUM, +2.35% and WellPoint US:WLP and many of their headwinds are likely to turn into tailwinds in the future. He also pointed out that Monsanto US:MON has an oligopoly on seeds, and of all the options to feed the world, genetically modified organisms may be the least evil. Humana shares closed up 1.1% WellPoint gained 1.6% and Monsanto advanced 2.4%.
Jeffrey Gundlach of DoubleLine Capital, meanwhile, told investors to short the SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF XHB, -0.11% given a bleak outlook on the housing market and an equally weak outlook on the job market.
After Monday's closing bell, American International Group Inc. AIG, +0.93% said its first-quarter profit fell to $1.09 a share from $1.49 a share a year ago. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had projected $1.06 a share. Shares of AIG fell 1.8% in after hours.
Anadarko Petroleum Corp. US:APC late Monday reported adjusted first-quarter earnings of $1.26 a share, better than the $1.15 a share forecast by analysts. The figure does not include $4 billion in expenses to settle fraud claims stemming from its 2006 acquisition of Tronox Inc.
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