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Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
SiTF PPPO & Academy
Tuesday, 25 March 2014 at 09:00 - Thursday, 27 March 2014 at 17:00 (Singapore Standard Time Singapore Time)
Event Details
This hands-on training course provides
an excellent introduction to the Scrum Framework, and as such it is appropriate for anyone implementing or working alongside a timebox-based Agile team.
In addition to ScrumMasters, Product Owners, Developers and Testers, other roles that would benefit from this course include Product Managers and Analysts, Project Managers, Team Leads, Architects, Functional Managers, CIOs, and CTOs.
One of the largest and fastest-growing Agile methodologies, Scrum is a simple project management framework that has a small set of interrelated practices and principles, is not overly prescriptive, and is able to produce productivity gains for software development teams almost immediately.
Delivered by Rally's world-renowned Certified Scrum Trainers, this course shares time-tested techniques for managing product backlogs, planning releases and iterations (sprints), and tracking and reporting progress. Participants will learn how to effectively plan and run daily Scrum meetings, sprint planning meetings, sprint reviews, retrospectives, and more.
Upon completion of the course and a post-course online evaluation, participants are registered as Certified ScrumMasters (CSMs). Registration includes a two-year membership in the Scrum Alliance, where valuable ScrumMaster material and information are available.
Participants of this course will be eligible to apply for 14 PDU's toward their continuing education requirements with PMI (Project Management Institute) for a 2-day class or 21 PDU's for a 3-day class.
Class registration includes a copy of course materials for personal use along with initial certification and exam fee. Continental breakfast, lunch and snack items are served daily including beverages.
After this course, attendees will be able to:
- Describe how the Scrum Framework is based on empirical process and Lean, and how Scrum relates to the values and principles of the Agile Manifesto.
- Identify the three Scrum roles and their responsibilities and describe why these roles form the Scrum Team; explore impact on other roles.
- Understand how the ScrumMaster protects, guides, and serves the team while also acting as a change agent.
- Identify and know how to effectively facilitate Scrum ceremonies: Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, and Sprint Demo/ Review/Retrospective, Release Planning.
- Identify and understand the value of Scrum Artifacts: Product Backlog, Product Increment and Definition of Done, Sprint Backlog, Burndown Charts.
- Understand how to lead teams effectively in a large-scale environment. Know what roles and artifacts are added.
- Identify common organizational obstacles to Scrum and Agile adoption and understand how the ScrumMaster can help navigate those obstacles.
Day One
- Agile and Scrum Overview
- Scrum Roles
- Planning Releases and Sprints
Day Two
- Executing Releases and Sprints
- Closing Releases and Sprints
- Practicing
Day Three [available for selected classes only]
- Case Studies
- Team Leadership
- Facilitation
* Ask about support for citizens or permanent residents of Singapore.
Contact email@example.com for more information.
This Infocomm Productivity session is
brought to you by Productivity and Productisation Programme Office (PPPO),
an initiatives of:
When & Where
One Raffles Quay
Level 25 North Tower
Tuesday, 25 March 2014 at 09:00 - Thursday, 27 March 2014 at 17:00 (Singapore Standard Time Singapore Time)
Add to my calendar


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Update from Chico
Our Transforming Course Design Project is moving forward almost exactly as planned. This update covers four areas of change: the development of an online resource shared by all sections of our first-year seminar, UNIV 101; the delivery of multiple training workshops to assist instructors and Peer Mentors in the use of technologies required by the redesigned course (the online Vista classroom; the newly introduced clickers; the combined google pages and PhotoShop Elements program used to construct digital portfolios); the construction of a community Vista space for instructors; the convening of multiple student focus groups for vision conversations around issues of technology that affect students' adaptation to college life.
Read more at our project blog (also accessible from the campus project listings on the Home page).

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to Set the Table! My name is Rachael and I'm here to help you set your table with beautiful, healthy, delicious food your family and friends will love. More importantly, I'm here to encourage you to welcome everyone to your table. Talk. Listen. Laugh. Eat. Be kind.
All in Thanksgiving


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Access current and reliable information about William Rader in Cleveland at USA People Search. Whether you're seeking William Rader's email address, phone number, or address; you can find it all here. Start by browsing a comprehensive list of everyone named Rader living in Cleveland, and you can filter it down from there.
USA-People-Search.com presents search results in an easy-to-follow format that makes locating the right William Rader in Cleveland faster and easier. All our information is systematically organized into different sections - name/aliases, age, location, and possible relatives - helping you quickly scan the lists of people with the last name Rader. After you discover the right William Rader, you can examine the Details page to get more information.
To improve your search for William Rader, enter all the information you have into the search fields. Anything you have, from previous addresses to a middle name, can help you locate William faster. When you find the right William Rader, sign up with USA-People-Search.com to collect more information.
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'allows you to toggle between Skype and landline calls'
'Look and feel of the system seems a tad cheap.'
'fairly poor resolution'
'No Skype support'
'the small screen shows only two contact names at a time and lacks color.'
'11b will slow down 11g WLANs'
'Once you enter the menu system, you can't exit by pressing the hang-up button like you can on regular cell phones'
'Pros. - Excellent range. - Nice design, small, cool blue LCD. - Works with any SIP provider. '
'When on a call the handset modulates the power output to sustain an ideal RF signal level at the base.'
'Unfortunately, the F1000G's feature set still supports only 64 and 128 bit WEP wireless encryption, instead of the more secure WPA and WPA2.'
'Very poor quality'
'The F1000's ring tones are particularly horrendous; you only have six to choose from, and they're all set to pitches that frighten both humans and dogs.'
ReviewGist helps you find the best products to buy by making sense of online reviews.
We are currently aggregating 376,500 reviews
covering over 29,474 products.
© 2019 ReviewGist.com. All Rights Reserved.


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Science Friday® is produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Science Friday® and SciFri® are registered service marks of Science Friday, Inc. Site design by Pentagram; engineering by Mediapolis.
Researchers report that growing cherry tomatoes in salty water can make them tastier and richer in antioxidants. Using diluted seawater to irrigate the tomato plants, the researchers believe, puts an environmental stress on the plants that causes them to produce higher levels of compounds such as vitamin C, vitamin E, dihydrolipoic acid, and chlorogenic acid in an attempt to cope with the stressful conditions. Happily for humans, those same compounds are thought to have healthful effects when consumed, and some of them improve the flavor of the tomatoes as well.
We'll talk with one of the authors of a paper on the work to be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The researchers say the work could encourage the use of slightly brackish water in tomato agriculture, extending precious supplies of fresh water.


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Military Historical Society of Australia
- Federal Secretary Military Historical Society of Australia PO Box 5030 GARRAN ACT 2605
- Military Historical Society of Australia
Approximate Membership
- 400
Membership Cost
- $35 for corresponding members, $40 for Institutional Members, slightly higher for Branch members
- Sabretache. The Journal and Proceedings of The Military Historical Society of Australia
- 1957
The Military Historical Society of Australia was founded in Melbourne in 1957. Its aims are the encouragement and pursuit of study and research in military history, customs, traditions, dress, arms, equipment and kindred matters; the promotion of public interest and knowledge in these subjects, and the preservation of historical military objects with particular reference to the armed forces of Australia.
You can join the society as a corresponding member or you may choose to join one of the regional branches which provide the opportunity to attend local meetings and network with others who have similar interests. Branches offer a varied program of meetings and events, often including guest speakers. Another opportunity to network amongst society members at a national level, whether corresponding or branch members, is through the biennial conferences, hosted in rotation by the regional branches. All members of the society receive Sabretache, the society's journal.
Membership of the Society has a number of benefits besides the Sabretache subscription. Members can
- Enjoy members' rates at the Society's biennial conference
- Enter the biennial Sabretache Writers' Prize
- join and receive the Society's interests register
- post notices on the members notice page on the website and in Sabretache, and send out notices/information/requests for assistance via the Secretary's econtact list
- take advantage of discounts/services offered by a number of businesses listed on the websites members services page,
- join the Society's mailing list where you can generate or join in discussions on military matters,
- submit articles to Sabretache.
For membership details, including location of branches and membership rates, please contact the Federal Secretary at email@example.com
- Location:


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I called it 'coffee defeat' and took myself home to whip up what I know and love: Turmeric Home Brew Coffee
If you told yourself you could have anything you want, would you just totally go-to-town on cake, cookies, pizza and all the bad foods? I can hear you say YES, 1000% I would lose control!
In this recipe, I use fats of nuts, oils, coconut cream and flakes that naturally clench taste buds and make for a highly satisfying and nourishing dessert.
By occasionally colouring outside the lines we can sustain long-term habits and behaviours. We're missing the point when all we focus on is food groups, calorie counting, and proportion control.
A homemade batch of cookies with the perfect balance of savoury-sweet! An easy whip of tahini-caramel and chocolate nibs defying the all original choc-chip cookie.
The more our lives and eating habits are in balance, the more often we are in the right place in the right time, accelerating and capturing positive, meaningful coincidences.


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BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's girls' varsity softball team routed county rival Pocomoke, 19-4, last Friday in the season opener for both teams.
Featuring a veteran line-up with nine returning players from last year's team including six starters, the future looks bright for the Seahawks as they embark on the 2013 campaign. Decatur got off to a fast start last week, beating Pocomoke, 19-4, in the home opener. Senior Jessica Iacona was the winning pitcher, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out five. Iacona also helped her own cause at the plate with two hits and an RBI.
The Seahawks got offensive contributions from up and down the line-up with just about everybody getting in on the action. Emma Ditzel had two hits including a home run and three RBIs. Jessica Bunting had two hits and three RBIs, while Beth Laque had two hits and two runs batted in. Lauren Laque also contributed with two hits and an RBI. After the break of the holiday weekend, the Seahawks get back in action on Tuesday with another home game against Washington.


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I've been making my way through the Bhagavad Gita. I bought it a few years back but just couldn't connect with it. This time is different.
I'm fascinated by the fact that Krishna, Lord of Compassion, ...How to say it?
The scandal in the book seems intentional. "The God who is Compassion" also advises Arjuna to do battle and kill his enemy and ultimately reveals in a vision of his "Terrible Form" of Cosmic Devourer: "Now I am become Death. Destroyer of Worlds." Arjuna begs him to return to his previous form, the form he knew of Krishna (the Compassionate).
I love that these are here together. I love how the author presents the whole picture - or just... how it's viewpoint allows for more than the surface truth.


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Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
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Alot of Season 1 was baby stuff as was Survivor Borneo Season 1!
rewatching season one but I'm all over the place looking for episodes, I had links bookmarked to the websites that have all the seasons but have since wiped all my folders clean so if someone can help me find those links I'd appeciate it.
Quote from: puddin on December 28, 2008, 06:44:34 PMrewatching season one but I'm all over the place looking for episodes, I had links bookmarked to the websites that have all the seasons but have since wiped all my folders clean so if someone can help me find those links I'd appeciate it.Puddin, you can watch all TAR season here (I did it): http://www.tarwaddict.net/videos.htm or here: http://www.agroovysite.com/tv-series/the-amazing-race It was quite a challenge for me to watch Season 1. Because I became a TAR fan by watching Season 9. After that, I watched Seasons 10 to 12. But despite that, it has memorable moments and memorable teams: Frank & Margarita, Momily (To think they could've eliminated the Guidos if they had chosen to do the Detour), Kevin & Drew, first break-up (Lenny & Karyn)
I liked K/D and the guidos better on season 1 than in all-stars, it was as if they'd had a role reversal
Actually, I hated the Guidos in S1, especially for the airport stuff with Momily. Didn't like that at all. But I have to admit after seeing them in All-Stars, they're really great guys. Plus, who could not love that toast to evil in TAR1? That was tremendous. I loved TAR1 because it really set the table for the rest of the seasons. Plus, there were moments that were actually music-free. Kevin & Drew gave us some great moments. And who could forget, LEN-NEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
Really the only real problem with season 1 I had, is that I really, really missed Phil. But the locations starting with the very first leg all the way to the next to last episode (I did think the last episode was weak with almost nothing in NY city before the final task).
As a native alaskan I have no problem with the amount of time the show has spent in that state, but one of my biggest complaionts about the finale leg (of all but season 112 and 13) is that due to equilizers mid leg, it makes it easier for any team to win. And that leg was the worst offender out of all final legs. They should have ended it in alaska.
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One of our resident reviewers proved you can go home again by getting some action from Jean Jennings. No, not like that. Austin went back to his old Automobile boss and picked up a gig driving an Impala solely on E85 from Michigan to the Coors brewery in Golden, where they not only brew beer, but manufacture ethanol. And then, y'know, he drank some beer. Because if there are two things Austins know how to do well, it's grow top-quality Blue Spruce, Norway Spruce and Canaan Fir trees and consume alcohol.
2006 Chevrolet Impala E85: Hopped up on Ethanol [Automobile]
Sometimes A Guv's Gotta Do What A Guv's Gotta Do: Michigan Guv Granholm Creates Incentive Program For 1,000 BioFuel Pumps By 2008 [Internal]


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I am reading the Kleidman-Liebeck book ("The subgroup structure of the finite classical groups") which is about the Aschbacher classification of maximal subgroups of the classical almost simple groups. But thinking just about natural actions of classical groups I got stuck in the following problem.
Consider the group $GL(n,q)$ of invertible $\mathbb{F}_q$-linear maps $\mathbb{F}_q^n \to \mathbb{F}_q^n$, where $n$ is a positive integer and $q=p^k$ is a prime power. This group acts on $V := \mathbb{F}_q^n$ in the natural way, and this action is $\mathbb{F}_q$-linear, in particular it is $\mathbb{F}_p$-linear. $\mathbb{F}_p$-linearity yields an injective homomorphism $GL(n,q) \to GL(nk,p)$, and I will identify $GL(n,q)$ with a subgroup of $GL(nk,p)$ by means of this homomorphism. Let $W$ be a proper $\mathbb{F}_p$-subspace of $V$, and let $H$ be the stabilizer of $W$ in $GL(nk,p)$, i.e. the set of invertible $\mathbb{F}_p$-linear transformations $f$ of $V$ such that $f(W)=W$.
Since $GL(n,q)$ acts transitively on non-zero vectors, $L := H \cap GL(n,q)$ is a proper subgroup of $GL(n,q)$, so it is contained in a maximal subgroup of $GL(n,q)$ which belongs to one of the Aschbacher classes. Which one?
If $W$ spans a proper $\mathbb{F}_q$-subspace of $V$ then $L$ is of parabolic type (class $\mathcal{C}_1$).
What happens if $\langle W \rangle_{\mathbb{F}_q} = V$? My guess is that in this case $L$ falls in class $\mathcal{C}_5$ (subfield stabilizers), but unfortunately I do not know enough about the linear groups to know how to think about this or where to look at.
I have been thinking about this and I asked people, but the question does not seem easy. This is just to say that I hope it is not trivial for experts, in which case I apologize.


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Cyber-Criminals Plan Massive Trojan Attack on 30 Banks
Banks beware: A large-scale coordinated Trojan attack to launch fraudulent wire transfers may be headed your way. And it has nothing to do with the recent wave of denial-of-service attacks.
A group of cybercriminals appear to be actively recruiting up to 100 botmasters to participate in a complicated man-in-the-middle hijacking scam using a variant of the Gozi Trojan, RSA's FraudAction research team said in a blog post yesterday. The team put together the warning after weeks of monitoring underground chatter.
As many as 30 financial institutions in the United States may be targeted in this "blitzkrieg-like" series, said Mor Ahuvia, a cyber-crime communications specialist at RSA FraudAction. It's possible these well-known and high-profile institutions were selected, not because of "anti-American motives," but simply because American banks are less likely to have deployed two-factor authentication for private banking consumers, Ahuvia said. European banks generally require all consumers to use two-factor for wire transfers, making it harder to launch a man-in-the-middle session hijacking attack.
"A cyber gang has recently communicated its plans to launch a Trojan attack spree on 30 American banks as part of a large-scale orchestrated crimeware campaign," Ahuvia said.
Potential targets and relevant law enforcement agencies have already been notified, RSA said.
RSA FraudAction was not sure how far along the recruitment campaign has gone, or when the attacks are expected. While it's possible revealing the gang's plans may cause the criminals to scuttle their operation, it may just cause the group to modify the attack.
"There are so many Trojans available and so many points of failure in security that could go wrong, that they'd still have some chance of success," Ahuvia said.
Anatomy of the Attack
The proposed cyber-attack consists of several parts. The first part involves infecting victim computers with the variant of the Gozi Trojan, which RSA has dubbed Gozi Prinimalka, Once the computer has been compromised, it will communicate with the botmaster's computer, which has a "virtual machine syncing module," capable of duplicating the victim's PC settings, such as the time zone, screen resolution, cookies, browser type, and installed software IDs, into a virtual machine, RSA said.
When the attacker accesses victim accounts using the cloned system, the virtual machine appears to be a legitimate system using the last-known IP address for the victim's computer, RSA said. This cloning module would make it easy for the attackers to log in and initiate wire transfers. The attackers also plan to use VoIP phone flooding software to prevent victims from receiving confirmation calls or texts verifying online account transfers and activity, RSA said.
The recruits have to make an initial investment in hardware and agree to training on how to deploy the Gozi Trojan, Ahuvia wrote. They will receive executable files, but not the compilers used to create the Trojan. In return, the new partners in this venture will receive a cut of the profits.
Trojan Behind Previous Attacks
The Trojan is not as well known as others, such as SpyEye or Citadel, nor is it as widely available, Ahuvia said. Its relative obscurity means antivirus and security tools are less likely to flag it as malicious.
RSA has linked the Gozi Trojan to previous attacks responsible for more than $5 million in losses in the United States in 2008. The researchers have linked the Trojan to a group called the HangUp Team, and speculated the same group was behind this latest campaign.
The way the attack is structured, it is very likely the targeted institutions won't even realize they'd been affected till at least a month or two after the attacks. "The gang will set a pre-scheduled D-day to launch its spree, and attempt to cash out as many compromised accounts as possible before its operations are ground to a halt by security systems," Ahuvia said.


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I am trying to measure the concentration of a Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) inside a liquid using Gas Chromatography (GC). The liquid contains particles that cannot be sent to a GC, so I am using the head-space method (allowing the organic compound to evaporate into the gas above the liquid--- see this link:http://www.chem.agilent.com/Library/applications/5990-3285EN.pdf)--
I let the contents of the liquid equilibrate with the air in the vial at 50 C-- and then I use the air as feed for the GC. However, the concentration in the air is rather small ~ 10-20 ppm. Is there a technique that can be used to increase the concentration of the VOC's?
I have wanted to use a smaller vial to collect my liquid, but the liquid splashes about and contaminates the cap of the vial, which makes me scared to inject a needle into it as I may wreck the needle.
I tried to repeat the experiment with the vial at a higher temperature ~70 C. This lead to the needle clogging. I am unsure of the cause of the needle clogging but I suspect it may have something to do with water evaporating and taking some of the polymer particles with it. Once in the needle, the particles could get dry and solidify.


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Protests continue to sweep across India after the gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on a bus in Delhi on December 16.
The extreme brutality of the assault, in which six men raped the victim, beat her with a metal rod damaging her intestines, before dumping her and her male friend near a highway, has prompted massive protests in India.
Large parts of New Delhi and public transport in the nation's capital were shut down on Monday in an effort to clamp down on protests, according to the Wall Street Journal. Officials continued to enforce a law banning groups of more than four people congregating together but large throngs of protestors gathered near India Gate.
Of the thousands of protestors gathered at India Gate, some 200 broke away and started moving towards the "high security zone in Raisina Hills" which holds some of India's most important political buildings including the parliament, the prime minister's office and the official residence of the president of India, according to The Indian Express. Protestors included members of All India Students' Association (AISA), and All India Democratic Womens' Association (AIDWA).
Protestors have been demonstrating against what is widely considered as apathy on part of politicians, and the failure on the part of authorities to protect women. Rapes have become so pervasive in Delhi (which includes the Indian capital New Delhi) that it has been dubbed the rape capital of India. From the WSJ:
"This year, some politicians have said a majority of rape cases actually involve consensual sex. Others have suggested reducing the legal age of marriage — currently 18 for women and 21 for men — as a way of dealing with the problem.
These comments have caused anger among activists who say they show a broader culture in which rape is not taken seriously. Many rape cases, they say, are not even reported due to pressure from families not to talk about them."
The National Crime Records Bureau of India shows that 24,206 cases of "rape" were reported in India in 2011, with a low conviction rate of 26.4 percent. This doesn't include "crime against women" which covers molestation, kidnapping, and sexual harassment, which saw 228,650 cases reported in 2011, with a conviction rate of 26.9 percent. Moreover, in a country where rape is still taboo, a large number of rapes go unreported.
Latest figures suggest that a woman is raped every 20 minutes and that rapes in Delhi are up 16 percent to 661 cases this year.
One of the biggest criticisms leveled against the Indian police, is that they often file rape cases under one of the less severe offenses such as sexual harassment or "eve-teasing."
Earlier this year Tehelka, an investigative weekly publication, published a series that highlighted the misogyny prevalent in Delhi's police force. Tehelka journalists went undercover and spoke with policemen about rape and found that many blamed the victim for the assault, claimed it was most likely consensual or about money.
And many politicians share these views. Following the Delhi attack, a Congress party official said women shouldn't be on the street at night. From the Indian Express: "Do we roam in streets at midnight as we got Independence at midnight? It would have been better if the girl did not travel by a private bus at that time," the PCC President, who is also the state Transport Minister, told reporters here. The outrage following his comments however made him quickly backtrack and apologize.
A three member committee headed by former Chief Justice of India J S Verma is looking to review existing laws to provide quicker and more severe punishment in "cases of aggravated sexual assault". The panel has 30 days to submit its report to the government.
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill of 2012 waiting to be approved by Parliament since December 4 has widened the scope of rape, from The New Indian Express:
"While earlier, the definition of rape under the Indian Penal Code was sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent, courts have confined it to penile penetration of the vagina. The new amendment though brings under the ambit of this offense penetration of 'vagina, anus, urethra or mouth with any part of the body including the penis, or any other object for a sexual purpose'."
So far four men have been arrested and two others detained. As protests continue, the 23-year old victim continues to be in critical condition in New Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital. Meanwhile, gang rapes continue across the country, with another assault reported on an 18-year-old in the north-eastern Indian state of Meghalaya.


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A Nervy Approach to Retirement Saving
Forget your 401(k) plan. The big money today is building nest eggs on everything from show horses to rock bands.
RICK KAHLER can't explain the mysteries of string theory, speak Mandarin or quote long passages from the Odyssey, but after buying and selling hundreds of properties for 30 years, he has a virtual Ph.D. in real estate.
That's why the South Dakota native felt quite comfortable some years ago when he made what the rest of us might think of as an obscure investment, plunking down $7,500 to acquire a tax-lien certificate on a piece of property in his hometown of Rapid City. The certificate gave Kahler the right to the delinquent taxes on the property, plus interest, if the city collected them. He'd get the whole place if the owner defaulted. County records included a photo of a sturdy looking house and showed there were no other liens or mortgages.
Months later, the deed arrived in the mail, and the property was his. So he decided to drive over and check the place out. That's when he noticed something was amiss. There was no roof or windows, not even a front door to knock on. In fact, there was no a house at all. Kahler had bought himself a vacant lot. The dwelling had burned down years before.
Kahler, now a financial adviser who manages $195 million in client funds, recounts the story with a chuckle, but this particular flop wasn't just for any investment. He had planned to use this, actually, to help him retire. Indeed, while many Americans rely on their savings or 401(k) plans to see them through their golden years, high-end folks are falling in love with another option—something called the self-directed individual retirement account.
The idea is simple enough: Invest in anything you want, but put the investment into a special IRA, so it isn't taxed until retirement. Suddenly, if you have enough wealth to get into alternative investing, the possibilities become almost limitless for setting up your future. If dressage horses are your thing, go ahead and invest in them. Sunflower farms? Sure. A heli-skiing business? No problem. And it doesn't even have to be thrilling stuff. A lot of people are staking their retirements, at least in part, on everything from self-storage facilities to rental properties.
How many people are doing this isn't exactly known because it's not formally tracked. The Securities and Exchange Commission last year estimated that about 2 percent of all IRAs are self-directed, which works out to more than $100 billion. Clearly, it's seen some crazy growth. In 2005, Millennium Trust Co., an Oak Brook, Ill., firm that is one of largest custodians of self-directed IRAs, handled about $733 million in assets; today, it administers $6.1 billion. Similarly, another big player, Pensco Trust, in San Francisco, is handling $10.3 billion in assets after acquiring another trust company to take advantage of industry expansion. Five years ago, it was $1.5 billion.
But while numbers like that are certainly impressive, some experts are expressing serious reservations about the skyrocketing growth of self-directed IRAs (we'll call them SD-IRAs from now on—maybe it will catch on). That is because many parts of this business aren't regulated. Indeed, critics say it's called "self" for a reason. The accounts are administered by specialized custodians and trust banks rather than mainstream banks and brokerages. The administrators make sure you've got all your paperwork in order and provide annual valuations, but that's about it: They don't identify, recommend or vet investments. That job is solely up to the person whose name is on the account—in your case, that would be, uh, you.
" The idea is to invest in anything you want and use a special IRA that avoids early taxation. "
One option, of course, is to hire someone with the expertise to do the due diligence when investing in alternative assets. Most of the people who successfully invest in SD-IRAs, however, seem to prefer to go it alone. Perhaps they possess specific expertise thanks to a lifelong career or hobby. Or maybe they're tight with an entrepreneur or two, or three. Others just like learning new things and doing the homework. What these folks all have in common is that they see the do-it-yourself approach to alternative investing as a positive. It's a chance to achieve wide diversification, be truly hands-on and exploit opportunities to earn above-average returns. It's all about self-reliance. Ralph Waldo Emerson would love it.
As flexible as these accounts are, the law that created them back in 1974, the Employee Retirement Income Securities Act, does exclude some types of investments. The rules enforced by the Internal Revenue Service mostly are intended to prohibit self-dealing or stuffing an account with things that might be considered more than just an investment. Art and other collectables such as antiques and stamps are no-nos. Life insurance, tangible personal property and booze—sorry, no wine cellars—are also verboten. You can buy a yacht with an SD-IRA, but only if it's used in a legitimate charter business, and only if you keep your topsiders off it. Another important area that's out of bounds: your family. There's no helping the kids with a down payment on a house or cousin Joey with his scheme to open a disco car wash. You also can't borrow from an SD-IRA or use the assets as collateral. Otherwise, feel free to get creative.
The recent growth in self-directed retirement accounts mirrors the broadening popularity of alternative investments of all kinds. Institutional investors have been using alternatives for years, of course, often putting up to a quarter of their assets in private equity, hedge funds, real estate and private partnerships. In a study last year entitled "The Mainstreaming of Alternative Investments," McKinsey & Co. noted that the trend has been catching on in retail accounts, too, leading to an expansion of 14 percent a year in managed alternative assets "despite a very public flame out during the crisis" in 2008. Globally, alternative assets under management shot up to $6.5 trillion in 2011, from $2.9 trillion in 2005, the report says.
To a degree, the trend has been fueled by disappointment with Wall Street's usual offerings. Joseph Mara, 62, a financial adviser in Palm Beach, Fla., is a case in point. He got interested in alternatives after souring on stocks and bonds. He opened his first self-directed account in 2011 for a portion of his seven-figure retirements savings. "I don't have to tell you how disappointed we all have been with traditional assets in the past decade or so," Mara says. His first foray involved a Las Vegas-based fantasy camp that lets would-be musicians jam with real rock 'n' rollers like Dave Navarro, Jon Bon Jovi and Roger Daltrey. Mara says he pored over the camp's financial statements carefully and did his own analysis of what it would take to expand the business before agreeing to invest $200,000. He now expects his private-partnership interest in the camp to yield 12 to 15 percent annually over its anticipated five-year life span. At his age, he says, he can't tie up all of his dough in long-term deals. Yet he was so pleased with his first venture that he is now planning a second, a $100,000 investment in a private company that offers corporate training and development.
Howard Sontag, a former tax lawyer at Lazard Freres & Co. and now the chief executive of Sontag Advisory in New York, says he steers affluent clients into self-directed accounts to take advantage of the tax benefits when they invest in high-yielding alternatives such as middle-market leveraged-loan funds, which can spin off huge flows of cash—at returns of 10 percent or more—with minimum investments of $500,000 or so. Occasionally, wealthier clients from Wall Street firms use SD-IRAs to hold private-equity interests, which are often acquired at low valuations and can be illiquid for years.
" "I did lie awake the first month wondering, 'What I have gotten myself into?' " "
Then there are the truly unorthodox investors, like Rajeev Kotyan, 43, a partner in the financial firm NUA Advisors, in Lexington, Mass. As a money pro, Kotyan fully understands the appeal of something like a Standard & Poor's 500 index fund as well as the importance of portfolio diversification. Even so, he's invested 70 percent of his own retirement savings into alternative assets in an SD-IRA. He started out buying real estate, but when a friend, a farmer in California, mentioned how difficult it was to get financing for dairy cows, Kotyan had an inspiration: He'd front cash for the cows using funds from his IRA; the farmer would lease them back with an option to buy after five years. Kotyan studied animal husbandry, the milk market and how to gain title on a cow, but let his buddy handle the heifers. "I did lie awake for the first month wondering, 'What have I gotten myself into?'" Kotyan says. But he says the arrangement worked well and the—pause for dramatic effect—moo-lah was marvelous: He ended up earning a 20 percent return tax-free.
Kotyan also invested in competitive dressage horses. At first, "I didn't even know what dressage meant," he says. But a horse handler at a farm in New Jersey told him a story that piqued his interest: Americans were willing to pay hefty premiums for high-quality competitors from Europe. Kotyan says he went to work investigating every aspect of the sport, in which horses and their riders perform a sort of equestrian ballet. "One of my first surprises was finding out that horses have passports with photos," he says. He teamed up with the horse handler, forming a private partnership that acquired successful dressage horses in Europe—with names like Whitney and Franziskana—and then brought them to the U.S. Elaborate measures had to be taken to prove the identity and health of the horses, including samples of blood and tissue. In essence, the two investors flipped horses, buying them in Europe, importing them and then selling them for what turned out to be big profits in 2008 and 2009. While prices for dressage horses sometimes reach several hundred thousand dollars, Kotyan and his partner limited their downside risk by keeping their acquisitions below $40,000. The venture delivered about a 35 percent return for his self-directed account.
The fees paid to the custodians of SD-IRAs are generally much steeper than in traditional accounts. Millennium Trust charges $50 to open an account, a $300 annual fee no matter the size of the account, a $125 holding fee per asset or security and a $250 transaction fee for real-estate investments bought for the accounts, according to T. Scott McCartan, the firm's chief executive. Not only does income from the assets remain in the account, but the expenses needed to maintain the assets—such as upkeep on rental properties, taxes and management fees—must come from the IRA too. As with any trust arrangement, investors aren't allowed to comingle their personal funds with the trust's funds. That's why advisers urge that investors keep a cash cushion in their accounts, particularly when they invest in real estate.
Proponents of SD-IRAs believe they benefit society because they help lubricate entrepreneurial activity and provide more options for investors. Although corporate lobbyists might think otherwise, some experts say there's no good reason why tax law should push retirement savings only into things like publicly traded stocks or mutual funds. That said, self-directed accounts can be an attractive vehicle for fraud because they are meant for long-term investments, and there's a tax penalty for early withdrawal. This can make investors in these accounts more passive as well as provide cover for "a fraud promoter to perpetrate a fraud longer," according to an investor alert issued by the SEC in 2011. What's more, because alternative assets often involve no prospectuses and are unregistered, there is little if any oversight by regulators—until it is too late and a con artist has made off with an investor's retirement money. Other potential problems include price gouging and, of course, illiquidity. When investors need to sell some of these assets, there may not be a ready market for them.
"By itself, the idea of a self-directed IRA is not a problem," says Joseph Borg, director of the Alabama Securities Commission. "But you can put all sorts of junk in there. We have a lot of issues with them. One of the biggest is that people just assume that the custodian is looking out for them. The fraudsters love it." Regulators add that con artists sometimes deliberately push people to open SD-IRAs when selling them bogus investments because of the lack of scrutiny of the whole field.
Such problems, however, haven't deterred investors like Dick Eschleman, a 73-year-old semiretired investor in Sonoma, Calif. A decade ago, he got fed up with Wall Street and dumped all of the mutual funds in his IRA. Instead, he began using the funds to make subprime loans on prefabricated houses. The switch, Eschleman says, enabled him to turn the $200,000 he started with in the account into nearly $1 million. Eschleman says his returns now average 15 percent a year—even after accounting for some loans that inevitably go bad. The activity has transformed his retirement and given him something to do that he enjoys and finds fulfilling. "When everything works out, and you check things out yourself, you can do very well," he says.
Copyright ©2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8


text: The New integrated outdoor power systems by Ventev are ruggedized, pre-assembled power solutions designed specifically for the Oil & Gas, Utility and Railroad industries remote monitoring and control needs in both land based and offshore operations. These pre-engineered systems provide clean, steady DC power to a variety of monitoring and telemetry applications. Each plug and play power system is pre-assembled and shipped complete for rapid installation. Rustproof enclosures are compliant to UL and NEC specifications and allow complete integration of electronics equipment with power into a single enclosure.


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SIMI VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 28th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Sarah Baxter of Simi Valley High School (Simi Valley, Calif.) as its 2012-13 Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. Baxter was surprised with the news at school by Allyson Felix , who earned Gatorade National Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year and Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year honors in 2003.
"When I received the award, it was a really significant moment for me, so it felt great to surprise Sarah with the news and invite her into one of the most prestigious legacy programs in high school sports," said Felix, a three-time Summer Games athlete. "Gatorade has been on the sidelines fueling athletic performance for years, so to be recognized by a brand that understands the game and truly helps athletes perform is a huge honor for these kids."
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the racecourse, distinguishes Baxter as the nation's best high school girls cross country runner. A national advisory panel comprised of sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select Baxter from nearly more than 212,000 high school girls cross country runners nationwide. Baxter is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at a special ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.
The 5-foot-6 junior raced to her second consecutive Nike Cross Nationals championship this past season with a time of 19:17. The state's two-time returning Gatorade Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, Baxter was unbeaten on the season and captured the Division 1 state championship in a course record 16:40. She also broke course records at the Mt. SAC Invitational, the Woodbridge Invitational, the Marmonte League Championships and the Southern Section Championships.
Baxter has maintained a 3.15 GPA in the classroom. She has volunteered locally at a charity thrift store and on behalf of the American Legion Auxiliary.
" Sarah Baxter 's season was just for the ages," said Steve Underwood , DyeStat.com editor for Runnerspace.com. "Many of the greatest prep harriers of all time have been Californians—like Julia Stamps , Amber Trotter , Jordan Hasay and more—and you can argue now that Sarah tops them all. You can't get much better in the Golden State than setting course records at Mt. SAC and Woodward Park (state meet). And on a day where times went out the window, Sarah defended her NXN title against the best field of the season."
Baxter will begin her senior year of high school this fall.
"Without question, Sarah is deserving of recognition as the nation's best high school girls cross country runner based on her statistics on the course and the impact her accomplishments have had on Simi Valley's success," said Gatorade Vice President, Brand Marketing Morgan Flatley . "But she is also a shining example to peers and aspiring young athletes of what a leader and a student-athlete should be. She represents everything we hope for in a Gatorade Player of the Year recipient."
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
Former notable Gatorade National Players of the Year include:
Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning
WNBA all-time leading scorer and rebounder Lisa Leslie
NFL all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith
American Mile Record -holder Alan Webb
For more information on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of former winners, and future announcement dates, visit the Gatorade Player of the Year Web site at http://www.gatorade.com/poy, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GatoradePOY or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gatorade.
SOURCE The Gatorade Company
PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1yXaL)


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Your Healthy Breast Checklist
Making these 10 recommendations part of your lifestyle today may help protect you against breast cancer.
10 Tips for Breast Health
Even though heart disease is the number one killer of women, breast cancer is the disease that continues to scare us the most. Research shows that 90% of women hugely overestimate their chances of getting it—most guess that their risk is nearly 50%, which is more than three times the actual likelihood of 14%. To ease your fears, we've sorted through the latest findings and consulted cancer experts and researchers to determine how you can lower your odds even further. "If a woman implements a variety of strategies, she can significantly impact her overall risk," says Marisa C. Weiss, M.D., an oncologist in Philadelphia and founder and president of breastcancer.org. Plus, most of these anticancer strategies keep you healthier overall, so put them on your must-do list today.
1. Get moving. High levels of estrogen are strongly linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, but regular exercise reduces the amount of the hormone in your body. Dedicating as little as an hour and 20 minutes per week to physical activity slashes your risk of developing the disease by 18%, according to research from the University of Southern California/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles. But more is better, says study author Leslie Bernstein, Ph.D. "I recommend that women get at least three to four hours weekly (about 30 minutes a day) to reduce their risk by 30% to 40%."
2. Maintain your weight. A recent study of 44,000 postmenopausal women found that those who gained more than 60 pounds after age 18 tripled their risk of getting breast cancer compared with those who gained 20 pounds or less. Even more worrisome: Weight gain was associated with an increased likelihood of developing a faster-spreading cancer. Having a body mass index (BMI) over 25 seems to increase the amount of estrogen in the body as well as insulin levels, which has also been implicated in breast cancer. Don't know your BMI? Calculate it at cdc.gov/bmi.
3. Veg out. Carotenoids, the antioxidants in brightly colored produce, fight cell damage by eliminating cancer-causing substances, says cancer researcher Archana Jaiswal McEligot, Ph.D, an associate professor of health sciences at California State University at Fullerton. And fiber found in fruits and vegetables may defeat cancer cells by regulating insulin and fighting inflammation, which has recently been linked to everything from Alzheimer's and arthritis to heart disease and cancer. Strive for seven servings of fruits and veggies daily. Dark green, leafy vegetables like kale and spinach, and cruciferous types, such as broccoli, are most beneficial. The lycopene in tomatoes also has a protective effect—surprisingly, processed tomato sauce and ketchup contain more of the antioxidant than the raw fruit.
4. Eat healthy fats. Omega-3 fatty acids decrease the strength of estrogen in the breast tissue, and they also subdue inflammation, says Christine Horner, M.D., author of Waking the Warrior Goddess: Dr. Christine Horner's Program to Protect Against and Fight Breast Cancer (Basic Health). Boost your daily intake by sprinkling 2 to 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed on cereal, yogurt, or veggies daily. (As an added bonus, flaxseed also contains phytochemicals called lignans, which are thought to help thwart the growth of tumor-feeding blood vessels and reduce fat cells' production of estrogen.) Olive oil, too, should be a regular in your kitchen—people who consume this and other Mediterranean diet staples tend to have lower rates of breast cancer.
More Tips
5. Be a "teatotaler." Antioxidant-rich green tea offers a potential triple threat against breast cancer, says Dr. Horner: It may decrease the production of estrogen, may help prevent the hormone from settling in the breast, and may shut off the blood supply to tumors. Some studies show that women who drink the most green tea have the lowest likelihood of getting the disease. If the preventive prescription of 6 to 10 cups daily sounds daunting, you can take a green tea extract supplement (available online or at health food stores). If you're brewing green tea, opt for an organic version to avoid pesticides.
6. Think twice about HRT. "It appears that taking combination hormone replacement therapy—estrogen and progesterone—for five years or longer is associated with a small but real increased risk of developing breast cancer," says Dr. Weiss. Women who have had a hysterectomy have the option of taking estrogen alone. That's a benefit, since a recent study found that while estrogen on its own does up women's risk, it takes 20 years to do so. Talk to your doctor to determine the best regimen for you; there are a variety of alternative ways to control menopausal symptoms, and other drugs that yield the bone-preserving benefits of estrogen.
7. Restrain yourself at happy hour. Research has identified a connection between alcohol consumption and breast cancer, probably because alcohol increases hormone levels. If you drink more than a modest amount (it's best to have five or fewer cocktails weekly) and also have low levels of folate, you may be particularly at risk, says Mary B. Daly, M.D., director of the family risk assessment program at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Research shows that folate—a B vitamin found in beans, oranges, leafy vegetables, and enriched breads and cereals—helps to regulate normal DNA function. Damaged DNA is implicated in the start of cancer.
More Tips
8. Spice up your life. Turmeric, an ingredient in curry powder, contains the powerful phytochemical curcumin, which preliminary studies have shown fights inflammation and inhibits tumor cell growth, says Bharat B. Aggarwal, Ph.D, a professor of cancer research at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Statistics comparing breast cancer incidence in Americans and Indians, who consume a curry-rich diet, is also telling: Recent data counts 101 new cases per 100,000 people in the U.S., versus just 19 per 100,000 in Indians. If you don't like this spice, Aggarwal suggests a 500-milligram curcumin supplement (which you can buy online or at a health food store). If you're on a blood thinner, such as Coumadin, beware of this supplement since curcumin further reduces clot formation.
9. Breastfeed your babies. An analysis of 47 studies in the journal the Lancet found that women who nursed for at least 15 months over their lifetime reduced their breast cancer risk by about 4%. The reason? "It could be because breastfeeding reduces a woman's total number of menstrual cycles—and that means less exposure to estrogen," says Lisa C. Richardson, M.D., a medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "It's a small benefit—but it is a benefit."
10. Study your family tree. "Knowing your history on both your mother's and father's side is very important," says Dr. Weiss. "If you find out you're at increased risk—meaning you have two or more close relatives who have had breast and/or ovarian cancer, especially if the cancer was diagnosed before age 50—there are definite measures you can take." Some women get tested to find out if they have mutated BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes; others take the drug tamoxifen; and others (if risk is very high) have surgery to remove the breasts and ovaries.
Facts and Tips
Breast Health by the Numbers
- 71: Percentage of breast cancer patients under 45 who find their cancer through self-exams.
- 80: Percentage of breast lumps and abnormalities that are not malignant.
- 1-2: Number of mammograms out of 1,000 that detect breast cancers.
- 1: Percentage of women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their 40s.
- 40: Age to begin mammograms if you are at average risk of breast cancer.


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|Search Results (40 videos found)
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Story of a middle-class white-collar worker who finds the way to succeed in business, making his wife and family happy and enjoying affluence.
Genre: Ephemeral
Keywords: Business;Occupations: Clerical;
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Popularity (downloads): 146
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Business produces Mother's pen, the bread on the breakfast table, and the pop-up toaster into which the bread goes.
Genre: Ephemeral
Keywords: Economics;Free enterprise;
Duration: 00:09:47
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Key speakers on business films from the 20th annual conference of the Public Relations Society of America.
Genre: Ephemeral
Keywords: Motion pictures: Sponsored;
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|Doc Searls: The Independence Revolution: How Self-Forming Markets are Changing Business, Technology, and Everything Else
Genre: Educational
Keywords: SILS; UNC-CH; ibiblio; Doc Searls; Searls; Doc; Markets; Technology; Business; Internet; Economics;
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United Fruit's paternalistic vision of Central America and its banana business.
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Distance from Wagener, SC to Mount Carmel, SC
Driving distance between Wagener, SC and Mount Carmel, SC is 96.99 miles (or 156.08 kilometers). If you drove an average car (using about 3.6 gallons of gas per mile), the gas would cost you around $, since you would need about gallons of fuel.
Leaving from Wagener, SC you would reach Mount Carmel, SC in about 1 hour 49 mins if you keep an average speed of miles per hour, assuming you don't make any breaks or get stuck in traffic.


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NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Mar 21, 2013) - Nuvilex, Inc. (
Over the past month, Stock House Group, an investment relations firm specializing in research, content development and market awareness, has laid out a series of articles that outline how the living cell encapsulation or "Cell-in-a-Box" technology at Nuvilex can dramatically change the treatments we use for many serious, debilitating, and even fatal diseases.
From the company's clinical trials with patients suffering from advanced, inoperable, pancreatic cancer to its work in diabetes studies to create a type of "artificial pancreas" in order to eliminate the need for daily insulin requirements, to its potential to revive the excitement surrounding the use of stem cells and even to its move into the medical marijuana space which will initially focus on pancreatic cancer and cancers of the brain, Nuvilex has invested a lot of capital and time into its technology. This is time and money that has a value and price tag to a larger biotechnology or pharmaceutical company.
The fact that the company has completed two independent cancer trials and is prepping for a late-stage trial, could quite possibly leave Nuvilex sitting at just the right place, at just the right time. Earlier this year at JPMorgan's annual healthcare conference in San Francisco, Bloomberg stated in an article that the days of the big deals in the industry are back. More than 400 companies attended the conference to make their presentations, schedule one-on-one meetings and to get a sense of available and competing assets.
Continue reading the rest of this article at www.stockhousegroup.com/features
About Stock House Group
Stock House Group is a full service Investment Relations firm specializing in Awareness, Research, and Content Development. The firm offers a platform to CEOs to develop their story through the press, Research Reports, and CEO Interviews. At the same time, we're building a library of Research to assist Investors in their due diligence on micro, small and large cap stocks.
Contact Information:
Stock House Group


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There's a funeral a Riverrun as Robb Stark bids farewell to his Grandfather. It's a sombre scene, tinged with an element of comedy as Edmure Tully (Catelyn Stark's Brother) attempts, unsuccessfully, to light his father's funeral pyre with a flaming arrow, before his uncle, Bryndon steps in a and completes the job with ease. Edmure [...] Read more »
Game of Thrones S03 E02 – Dark Wings Dark Words
This episode opens with Brandon Stark running through woodland hunting the three eyed raven. He's dreaming obviously, since Bran lost the use of his legs in Season 1. He awakes with a start to find himself back at camp with Hodor, Osha and Rickon. He tries to tell them about his dream and the strange [...] Read more »
Pedro Pascal Cast as the Red Viper of Dorne – Oberyn Martell
Oberyn Martell enters the fray in season 4. Also known as the Red Viper he is Dornish Prince who comes to King's Landing as part of the deal struck by Tyrion in Season 2 which saw Princess Myrcella dispatched to Dorne, ostensibly to keep her safe from the oncoming war. In the books Oberyn arrives [...] Read more »
Game of Thrones S03 E01 Valar Dohaeris
The third season of Game of Thrones encompasses the events of the first part of A Storm of Swords, the third book in George RR Martin's ASOIF series. Episode 1 Valar Dohaeris (a high Valyrian phrase meaning "All Men Must Serve") follows on from the final episode of Season 2 Valar Morhulis (again high Valyrian [...] Read more »
Game of Thrones S02 E10 Valar Morghulis
S02 E10 VALAR MORGHULIS. The season two finale, Valar Morghulis, picks up after last week's exciting battle for Kings Landing, which saw the rout of Stannis Baratheon's army after Tywin Lannister took them from behind (so to speak) following Tyrion's valiant efforts to defend the city walls. This is very much a wrap up episode [...] Read more »
Game of Thrones S02 E09 Blackwater
S02 EP09 – BLACKWATER – This is the episode the fans of the books have all been waiting for – Blackwater. Penned by none other than George RR Martin himself this is the epic battle scene that the whole of the second season has been working towards. The focus is entirely within Kings Landing this [...] Read more »
Game of Thrones S02 E08 – The Prince of Winterfell
S02 E08 – THE PRINCE OF WINTERFELL. Theon Greyjoy is the new prince of Winterfell. Having taken the great castle of Winterfell with only twenty men, his sister Asha arrives from Deepwood Motte, but not with the army of five hundred men he needs to keep his prize. Asha thinks him a fool and she [...] Read more »
Game of Thrones S02 E07 – A Man Without Honor
The hunt is on for the Stark boys after Theon awakes to find them absconded with the Wilding Osha and Hodor. He finds it very difficult to believe that the guards he had posted let them escape – a cripple, a halfwit and a girl. Frustration and a growing sense disrepect from his own ranks [...] Read more »
Game Of Throne S02 E06 – The Old Gods And The New
S02 E06 – THE OLD GODS AND THE NEW: The episode opens with a shocking turn of events and the extent of Theon's treachery is revealed. After sending some men to seize control of the Torrhen Square, a province under the protection of Winterfell, Theon knew that the Starks would have had no choice but [...] Read more »
Game of Thrones S02 E05 The Ghost of Harrenhal
Melisandre gave birth a creature of darkness at the end of last weeks episode – quite literally and less than four minutes into the start of the Ghost of Harrenhal do we find out why. Stannis knows he is hopelessly overpowered by Renly's army, and given that he thinks there is only one course open [...] Read more »


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Selected as Party of the Day on June 11th!
School's Out pool party
Party Recap
more details: http://crissyscrafts.blogspot.com/2012/06/schools-out-pool-party.html
We had our Annual End of the School Year Pool Party to celebrate another awesome school year! I had the great opportunity to work with Holly from Mimi's Doll house. Her Pool Party Collection was so inspiring! Brittany from Edibles Details created the cupcake toppers to match with the printable. She did an amazing job! The kids enjoyed a pool side lunch that included a whole wheat turkey sandwich, juice, chips and veggies. The dessert table included beach ball cake balls, flip flop cake pops, popsicles pops, life savers, pool noodles(twizzler), rafters(wafers), inner tubes(gummy candy), beach balls(gum balls, snow cones cupcakes and fruity beach ball. We also had a snow cone station where the kids made their own snow cones. They played water ballon fight and find the prize ball where the kids had to find the lucky ball among 200 balls floating in the pool. The kids took home a beach bucket with flip flops, beach ball, funky sunglasses and a water gun. It was a hot and fun day!
Styling, food and Photography by Crissy's Crafts
Pool Party printable Collection by Mimi's Doll House
cupcake toppers from Edible Details
5 comments
Kimberly C wrote:
I love this!!!! Kim
Marquita C wrote:
So cute! Where did you find those sandwich boxes?
To leave a comment Log in -or- Join the party


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I do not have one of these and was just trolling around in the Ken Block section because they looked cool and saw that these come with gyro's. Why??? Is this to try and help you straighten it out while drifting?
drift assist ....
Isn't that kinda cheating? Wouldn't it be more fun to learn how to drift? Mind you, it is easier when you can actually feel the cars inputs and udjust. Going by sight alone might be awefully diffcult.
Ima cwboy a steel hrse I ride.Wanted dead or alive
Hi they don't come fitted with a gyro.
slash revo vxl x4 rally x2 ped 2wd slash vxl rus
Revo 3.3
Ken Block Rally VXL
Associated RC10r5
Yeah, thats what I meant. There is never any feel so it is much harder to do. So does the gyro mess with your servo inputs to prevent spinouts or how does it work?
Ima cwboy a steel hrse I ride.Wanted dead or alive
it tries to keep the car straight.
slash revo vxl x4 rally x2 ped 2wd slash vxl rus
A gyro, "damps" or reduces unwanted movement, movement that you didn't input with the transmitter. It senses uncommanded angular direction changes, and reduces the chassis angular movement by sending a signal to the steering servo to counteract the unintended angular change.
(I work in the R/C helicopter industry, and we have been using gyros for along time)
Revo 3.3
Ken Block Rally VXL
Associated RC10r5
yea, i have a gryo on my trex450, I t does this with just the steering servo???
A heading lock gyro does even more than just damp unintended movement, it corrects the unintended movement! For example if your car started to spin out, but you weren't making a command with the transmitter, the gyro would instruct the servo to turn far enough to keep the car going straight.
Revo 3.3
Ken Block Rally VXL
Associated RC10r5
i just picked up a e sky gyro on eBay part #EK2-0704. I want to use it on top speed runs and kinda like a drift trainer..turning down the sensitivity as my skills get better. Where is a good place to Mount the gyro
kb rally + gyro = AWESOME snagged a futaba g190 (i believe its the same guts with hpi drift assist but half the price!!!) in ebay for 20 bucks. installed it and wow what a difference controlled donuts and prolonged drift. installed the gyro at the rear body post got it from the rally forum. will post a video soon
revo converted mmm 2200
slash 4x4
kb rally
I like the gyro it works best on minimal settings.
mine is still on order but when it gets here i will mount 3 bits of velcro on the chassis front middle and rear. just to see what works best. as a heli has it mounted in the middle.
slash revo vxl x4 rally x2 ped 2wd slash vxl rus
the velcro is just for quick tests. as i want to be able to move it quick. also i want to try and find out if it can be driven in a sort of normal way with the gyro
slash revo vxl x4 rally x2 ped 2wd slash vxl rus
Velcro should be fine for testing. the gyro doesn't weigh much. I noticed the rustler guys mount the gyro up front between the front suspension. I cant go straight in reverse for more than a couple feet before it spins around and starts going straight. It doesn't bother me much. I'm not sure if its because of the rear location or i just need to dial back the sensitivity. Still testing...........
its a 25 x 25 x 10mm 7.2G High Voltage Fan for Car ESC from hobbypartz.com. I wish there was a way to set up a temp switch.
how did you attach the fans to the motor/esc? is there a heat sink on the motor?? looks like it, but hard to tell in the pic.
i have a integy motor heat sink w/fan I used a futuba splitter to power the two fans off of the receiver
thanks, I will be looking into a set up like that for mine. looks nice! Also, do you notice any shortened run time with both fans runnin, or loss in power?
yes the runtime has been shortened but im not sure by how much. im using the stock battery.Im going to install a switch next. some situations you really dont need the fan.
best place for the gyro was near the front. so i have mounted it in line with the servo. and on full gain. it will make anyone look a pro. it is strange for me as i can drift. so i was thinking all the time is it me or the drift assist doing all the hard work. on a smooth surface i have no need for it. but on a uneven surface it comes in handy. i paid £7 for the hpi copy or is that a futaba g190 copy. lol
slash revo vxl x4 rally x2 ped 2wd slash vxl rus
can we get some pics? i thought about making a small mount that sits above the front shocks. i would like to see how you set yours up. I agree with you turok its not really a necessity but its nice to have it when you need want to drive it hard. ive noticed anything above 3/4 turn it over compensates and starts wagging tail....it looks sick especially when your running down another car.
I have a fubata G-190. I made a Mounting bracket that fits into the rear Body mounts and the gyro sits just above the rear
shocks and just in front of The rear Axles. From my readings I think this is the best place.
Well mounted it, but did not finish the sealed box for the gyro... Let a buddy drive it. He managed to find a puddle and got the
Wet. It ended up shorting and burnt out my steering servo. Gyro still good, note to self... Waterproof the gyro!
I was wondering if anyone else is running the Futaba GYC430 gyro?
Hi everyone...
Can i use any gyro, from helis?
Or must be a specific type of gyros??
I have one more question. Could a gyro be useful in low traction track situations? Situations where i tend to spin my vehicles oit if I'm not very careful? And what about just plain offroading? I think of times when i hit a root or something and the truck bounces and veers off course.
460, straightpipes, buried throttle, nuff said :D


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Sandham family mincemeat
A real treat. Associate food editor, Barney Desmazery, has had this recipe in his family for 100 years
Nutrition and extra info
- Easily halved
Nutrition: per tablespoon
- kcal0
- fat4g
- saturates0g
- carbs13g
- sugars12g
- fibre0g
- protein0g
- salt0.02g
- 1 Bramley apple
Bramley applebram-lee app-el
A large, flattish cooking apple, green in appearance but sometimes with specks of red. The flesh…
- 300g raisin
- 300g currant
- 300g shredded suet (we used suet that includes sustainable palm oil in the ingredients)
- 250g dark muscovado sugar
- 85g mixed chopped peel
- grating nutmeg
One of the most useful of spices for both sweet and savoury…
- pinch mixed spice
- grated zest and juice 1 lemon
Oval in shape, with a pronouced bulge on one end, lemons are one of the most versatile fruits…
- 100ml whisky
Whisky usually means an ethanol-based spirit produced in Scotland. Ethanol is an intoxicating…
- 4 fresh bay leaves
Peel and grate the apple and set aside. Mix all the ingredients except the apple, whisky and bay leaves in the order they are listed.
Stir through the apple, then add the whisky once all the other ingredients are completely combined.
Pack the mincemeat into sterilised jars.
Tuck a bay leaf into each jar to scent the mincemeat, then seal. Leave for 2 weeks before using. Will keep for 6 months.
Recipe Tip
Sterilising jarsAs you can make the mincemeat so far in advance, it's important to sterilise the jars. The easiest way to do this is to run them through the hot cycle of your dishwasher. Alternatively, wash the jars in hot, soapy water, rinse well and put in a low oven to dry. Make sure you leave the jars to cool completely before filling with mincemeat or the suet will melt.


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GREATER NOIDA, India, October 23 – Sebastien Vettel has pledged to keep pushing until the very end as he aims to secure an amazing fourth straight drivers' and constructors' title double at this week's Indian Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old Red Bull ace, who enjoys a 90-point lead over his nearest challenger Fernando Alonso, needs only to finish among the top five on Sunday to wrap up the drivers' championship.
While Vettel would become the youngest man to win four in a row — with Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher the only others to do it — the constructors' title is also significant.
With a whopping 148-point lead, Red Bull only have to maintain a 129-point gap to seal their fourth consecutive team championship, the best run since Ferrari dominated the last decade.
Vettel is on the best run of his career after winning the last five grands prix, and he also triumphed at the Buddh International Circuit on New Delhi's outskirts in 2011 and 2012.
But despite his unstoppable form, the young German is not taking anything for granted.
"It looks very good at this stage, but it's not over before it's over," said Vettel. "We obviously have a very, very good gap but we will still keep pushing."
History will also spur the determined Vettel as victories in India, Abu Dhabi, America and the year's finale in Brazil would make him the first man to win nine straight races in a season.
He would also equal Schumacher's 2004 record of 13 victories in one year. Italy's Alberto Ascari won nine straight for Ferrari, but his feat was spread over two seasons in 1952 and 1953.
Vettel's absolute dominance may have earned him unsporting boos and taken the suspense out of F1 this season, but his coronation could be good news for India.
With the Indian Grand Prix missing from next season's schedule, a world title win could bring extra crowds and excitement and help ensure it returns in 2015.
"It is great news for India that the coronation of Vettel will take place here," said India's first F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan. "It is one more reason for fans to come to the circuit."
While Vettel's winning streak owes much to his Red Bull car, he has showed tenacity and guile — and when needed, blistering pace — to maintain his iron grip on the title.
The only way Vettel can be denied is if he fails to win a point in the remaining four races — provided Ferrari's Alonso wins at least three of them and finishes second in the other.
However, the Spaniard, a two-time champion in 2005 and 2006 when driving a Renault, is under no illusion that he can engineer a dramatic turnaround.
Asked after the last race, in Japan, if the fight was still on, Alonso said: "I don't think so. We will keep doing the best possible, but it's a matter of time."
Lewis Hamilton, fourth in the standings behind Kimi Raikkonen and out of the reckoning this season, said he was willing to bet that Vettel would win the last four races.
"I am willing to put money on it," said Hamilton. "Why not? He's just walking it."
Vettel said he looked forward to racing at the Buddh circuit again, watched by an estimated crowd of around 50,000.
"So far everything has always gone perfectly for us in India," he said. "There is also a very nice trophy at the end of the race — so it would be great to hold one again this year.
"It is not an easy track, because of a few complicated rhythm-breakers that are in there. So, to drive a perfect lap around the Buddh circuit, you need a good driving instinct."
Behind Vettel and Red Bull, the battle for number two in the constructors' championship is more competitive with Mercedes 10 points behind second-placed Ferrari, and Lotus a further 23 points back.


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- Apparel
- Bags
- Home
- Jewelry
- Tech
- Wallart
- Quotes
'Home is Where Your Mom is' Mother Daughter Quotes White Mug
'You Are Somebody's Reason to Smile' Quote White Mug
My mom was surprised this morning when I handed her a cup of coffee using this mug. She smiled and kissed me. Im sure she loved it!
The print was made meticulously.The color doesn't fade away and a great artistic concept. Great color combination too.
You have a great team here. Everyone is responsible and assist me very well in exchanging my orders. As well as throughout the transaction until I got the package.
I like the shape of this mug. Unlike with other mugs I have, this has a straight shape that doesn't spill easily, the wide bottom has the support to have a better balance on its own.


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'Some Assembly Required' started by Andrew2, Dec 14, 2005.
Something a little different.A V-Max powered dual sport
boing!..... instant boner!
You are sick & should get help
That is without a doubt the ugliest fuel tank I have ever seen.
I love the rest of it though, nicely put together & obviously a lot of work. Nothing exceeds like excess!
Still has the stock frame and shaft drive too it looks like. :huh
I'm sure it's a interesting ride if nothing else.
Sensational !!!!
I can wait 'til I finish my Goldwing 1800 Dakar replica
Pezz :)
Looks to me like a touratech tank for a BM 650 Dakar
golly,i just bought a second GS
and there sits two vmaxs that i will never ride again
who's project is this,i would let mine go to a good home.
Motorcycle people are all fuckin crazy.....good on whoever owns it, hope ya enjoy it. Ya must have a very understanding wife "sorry honey no new fridge this month, I need to have some Max Duro stickers made up".
Dr Big
Africa Twin
I stole these two off this site:
Andrew, where was the photo of the V-MAX DS taken?
Great photos too BTW.
Dayumn! That's the nicest AT I've ever seen. Also like the (640 Raylle?) rear tanks on the DRBig.
Sorry but I have no idea. These are just photos I've found on the net and thought were interesting.It must be European judging by the size of the number plate though.
I might put a couple more up if any ones interested.
Ducati powered


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Click To Enlarge
Use this American made Christmas table topper over a tablecloth or on it's own! These familiar icons of the Christmas season, snowmen, reindeer and twinkling stars above the snowy pines, decorate this wonderful lace table topper. 100% polyester. 42" x 42" square. Machine wash cold, gentle. Made in the USA.
- Item #: 5HLWW4242WW


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Out of stock
16-19" Silver Dainty Crystal Dangle Chain
Our 16-19" Silver Dainty Crystal Dangle Chain combines delicate dangles with eye-catching clear Crystals to cast sparkling shimmer on any look. Wear this Chain with one of your favorite silver Living Lockets®, or, wear it simply on its own in a layered look. This Chain features 4 different lengths for added versatility, too!
Product Information
- Compatible with all Living Locket bails
- Features Cubic Zirconia Crystals on 8 individual dangles
- Lobster claw closure
- Adjustable 16-19" length
- Material: brass
- Metal finish: silver


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Student or Learner
Iam tendering this letter as evidence of my interest in the MSc Urban Managementand Development with specialization in Urban Land Development schedule to startin 2013 at your august institution, xxxx. Asa graduate from the xx university with a BSc in Land Economy, I possess skills andin-depth knowledge in specialized fields of Property Valuation, EstateManagement and Land Administration. I realized however that, my goal lies inthe field of Land Administration.Myinternship with the xxx arouses my interest more in the field of Land Developmentand Administration because of the numerous land related conflicts which the xxxas part of its land management faces. I stayed on voluntarily after myinternship for a formal training in land administration to acquaint with theday to day land management which echoed my desire to contribute in putting ourland resource to its highest and best use. My voluntarily period enhanced myskills in teamwork which I exhibited during field exercises as rent demandexercises as well as my communication skills.This experience also attests of my capacityof integration and adaptation which is essential when studying in a nobleinstitution like the Institute of Housing and Urban Development, with different ideologies and culturalbackgrounds offered by its students. My current job with the xxxx which involvesundertaking valuations for various purposes enhanced my knowledge regardingland development especially with regards to compensation issues. Thehigh reputation of the university of xxx regarding urban development andmanagement especially land development would help sharpen my theoretical knowledgebased on its education and advisory models as well as my practical skills fromits evidence backed research models. It is also my desire to benefit from thepractical and professional knowledge regarding urban land development from yourpool of professional associations as the international and local alumniassociations as well as from the partnership institutions and also help in individualagainst public land use.Duringmy first degree, I researched into Estate Management Practices of PublicEducational Institutions in which I found out that the educational lands aredeveloped and managed poorly and hence the need to holistically andprofessionally manage their realties.Alsoas part of my professional development as a first year trainee professionalsurveyor of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors, I researched into DevelopmentControl and Hostel Development and Appraising the Stamp Duty Process towardsEffective Land Administration and Improved Revenue Generation. I found out inthe former that, the hostels are developed without the acquisition of planningand building permits. This puts the life of occupiers at risk in the events offire outbreaks and diseases due to poor facilities. In the latter the study revealedthat, the stamp duty process takes unduly long period which increases cost ofprocessing land related documents. My three theses reflect my commitment to improvingon the land development system in the country.I am sure that my deep concern in landmanagement and willingness to make a progress, combined with practicalknowledge and worth of experience in land administration make me a very goodcandidate and will add diversity to this masters degree programme.MOTIVATION LETTER
please i need help with this letter of motivation


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U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Female Franchise Sales Directors Paid Less Than Males, Federal Agency Charged
CLEVELAND — Health Management Group, Inc. (HMG) of Akron, Ohio will pay $260,000 to settle a sex discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.
The EEOC's suit charged that Krishna McCollins and Donna Davidson, both directors of franchise development, were paid less than a male who performed substantially equal work for HMG. Such sex-based wage discrimination violates the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The lawsuit, EEOC v. HMG, et al., Civil Action No. 5:09CV01762, was filed by the EEOC in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, Akron, after the agency first attempted to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.
In addition to monetary relief, the consent decree settling the suit provides for training for all of HMG's employees, managers, and supervisors on employee rights and employers' obligations under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII and requires HMG to post an anti-discrimination notice to all employees. The decree also requires that HMG revamp its non-discrimination policies; implement discrimination complaint procedures; maintain records regarding complaints of discrimination received by HMG representatives; promote manager and supervisor accountability with regard to HMG's anti-discrimination policies; and provide annual reports to the EEOC during the decree's 30-month term.
"The EEOC will not tolerate discriminatory pay practices," said Debra Lawrence, regional attorney for the EEOC's Philadelphia District. "We are proud to announce this settlement, which comes in the wake of Equal Pay Day, an annual event which promotes public awareness of the continuing gender wage gap." Equal Pay Day, which occurs on April 17, marks the end of the extra period of time that woman must work on the average in order to earn what a man did the year before.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.


text:
You have no items in your shopping cart.
The remarkably lightweight KD 8 Basketball Shoe is like a seatbelt for your foot—flexible and comfortable, providing instant support and lockdown at critical moments.
Ultralight, Flexible Support
The tightly woven, single-layer Flyweave upper offers lightweight support and lockdown. Some areas are more flexible while others are thicker and stronger, delivering stability for sharp cuts and comfort for long sprints.
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Redesigned to enhance your sense of control, the full-length, visible Zoom Air unit offers ultra-low-profile cushioning with added flexibility and bounce.
Dynamic Lockdown
Super-strong, ultralight Flywire cables integrate with the laces for dynamic support, loosening and tightening with your foot's natural motion.
More Details
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Special Price £72.00


text:
Congratulations to Your Move Games (Rob Dougherty, Darwin Kastle,
and Dave Humpherys) for winning Pro Tour-Washington D.C.!
San Diego's Game Empire shows off their second-place trophies.
On Day 3, the Top 4 teams face of in a single-elimination finals Team
Rochester Draft.
Finals: Your Move Games def Game Empire (Draft
Semifinals: Game Empire def. THL (Draft
Semifinals: Your Move Games def. Antarctica (Draft
communication with Game Empire
On Day 2, the Top 32 teams will compete in Team Rochester Draft. Before
each of the five rounds, teams will be paired by their Swiss standings
and will draft against their opposing teams. Thirty minutes will be allotted
for deck construction.
Day 1 of Pro Tour - Washington D.C. features six rounds of Urza block
sealed deck, with new decks opened before the first, third, and fifth
© 1995-2003 Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Wizards is headquartered in Renton, Washington, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057.


text:
Reward Points
Earn one (1) point for every dollar* spent at Punch Brand.
Points can be used for future purchases. Simply log into your account to view your points!
NOTE: You must have an acccount at punchbrand.com to receive points. If you checkout as a guest, you will not receive any points.
The more you shop, the more you save!
Points can cover the entire amount of an order or a partial amount. Each product on the site will show the amount of points earned if the product is purchase and the amount of points required to pay for the product. Upon checkout, simply enter the amount of points you want to redeem.
*Excluding sales tax and shipping charges. Program subject to change or be discontinued without notice. Gift certificates and points are not redeemable for cash and are not transferable.


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lovely jars of lemon confit at the July 2011 MPLS Swappers food swap
I've been busy lately with the MPLS Swappers. What's that, you ask? The MPLS Swappers gathers once per month to trade food we made, foraged, and grew ourselves, share knowledge with like-minded foodies, and build a community and culture of home food production in an urban environment.
Inspired by the BK Swappers and ATX Swappers (founded in part by the fairy swapmother Kate Payne), I decided to start a food swap up here in Minneapolis. And thus, late last year, the MPLS Swappers were born. We had our first food swap in March and the new of swaps has been spreading like wildfire across the Twin Cities. I've since gathered two friends to help plan the swaps, Swell Vegan blogger A-K Thordin and grassroots organizer Mandy Ellerton. We now throw monthly food swaps for 40 participants, and are excited about the many ways we can grow as an organization and as a community of like-minded individuals.
Local press in Minneapolis has been eating up news of the swap as fast as we're eating up our jams and cookies, and we're getting featured all over the place. Most recently, Minnesota Monthly featured us on the glossy pages of our magazine in a great article entitled "Ready, Set, Swap". Writer Gregory Scott did a great job of describing his experiences at a swap, the motivations of participants and the larger cultural interest in food swapping, as well as profiling me and my interest in starting the organization. And it even features a great photo of me (see below)!
The August issue is now available online and at newstands around Minnesota. Click here to read the article online!
To top it off, we are also featured in a short video by swapper and Minnesota Monthly intern Morgan Mercer. She attended the July food swap with her video camera, interviewing people between swapping her homemade cheese. It really captures the energy and spirit of the swaps, and features me narrating the whole thing, so you get to witness my overly enthusiastic personality. Thanks to the wonder of YouTube, I'm able to share it right here on the blog. So, check it out!
Pretty awesome, right? I love our food swap and our swappers!
Mandy, A-K, and I are giddy to see how all this publicity increases the awareness and interest in our swap. We're hoping to facilitate the creation of additional food swaps in the Twin Cities area and larger Minnesota. We'll see what happens! And next month we're going to appear in another prominent Twin Cities magazine, so stay tuned.
Just wanted to let you all know what else I've been up to lately, and why I've been a bit distant on the blog here. But don't worry! The MPLS Swappers will not keep me from sharing tasty recipes here at my Affairs of Living home.
Keep up-to-date with the latest news from the MPLS Swappers...
- Facebook Fan Page
- Twitter: @MPLSswappers -> Use #MPLSswappers to tag your Food Swap Tweets, and have a tweet up!
- Sign up for our free newsletter through Mailchimp!
- Flickr group -> If you're on Flickr, join the group and upload your swap photos to share!
- E-mail: email@example.com


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ALTON — After many years of trying, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department has finally acquired a boat ramp on the state's largest lake.
The recent purchase of a private marina at the southern tip of Alton Bay creates the first state-owned and controlled public boat ramp with parking on Lake Winnipesaukee.
Fish and Game officials say the facility includes an existing boat launch with paved parking for vehicles and trailers, along with several docks that will allow for shore bank fishing.
"All around, it looked like a great opportunity," New Hampshire Fish and Game Executive Director Glenn Normandeau said of the $1 million acquisition.
Downing's Landing is located near the junction of Route 11 and Route 28-A in Alton Bay. It was owned and operated by four generations of Downing family members, most recently by Jonathan and Nancy Downing.
Downing's Landing appealed to the state because it already contains the necessary components on site, Normandeau said. When the state built a ramp on Winnisquam Lake in Laconia four years ago, it used free land from the city, but still spent about $1.7 million to build the facility, he said.
"Here, we've got a ramp that basically we can start using tomorrow for $1 million," he said.
The purchase is being funded from two sources, according to Normandeau. One pot of money is boat registration fees, which yield $5 a piece for a Fish and Game's Public Boat Access Program. Maintenance of the department's 134 public boat ramps is funded by the registration fees.
The state will also use federal dollars from the Sport Fish Restoration Act, derived from a marine gas tax.
The boat launch may be temporarily closed while officials determine if maintenance and repairs are necessary. Normandeau said the department plans to reopen it by the winter ice fishing season. The site would also, theoretically, be open to snowmobile riders.
"I would expect that we would see winter use on it this winter, assuming we see safe ice," Normandeau said.
Fish and Game also plans to evaluate the parking configuration to maximize space before boating season. The owners have indicated they're able to fit about 40 cars and boat trailers in the existing lot.
Parking could pose a challenge if the state-owned public boat launch brings a large number of new boaters to the area. The town of Alton already operates a public boat launch on Route 11, but boaters are prohibited from parking trailers there. Some boaters wind up parking vehicles and gear on Letter S Road, about three quarters of a mile away from the parking lot at Downing's Landing.
"The reality is any ramp we have has limits as to what it can hold," Normandeau said, "and that will be the case with this."
The site also contains a wharf and buildings, which could ultimately house a pair of conservation officers there, as well as Fish and Game boats.
"I think certainly it's nice that finally the state will have access to the biggest lake in New Hampshire, which they haven't had in the past," said Bruce Wright, general manager at Irwin Marine, which has locations in Laconia, Hudson and Alton Bay.
Alton Town Administrator Russell Bailey declined to comment on the purchase, indicating he hasn't discussed it with local selectmen.
"We don't know how they're going to run it," Bailey said.
N.H. buys marina in Alton to open first state-owned public boat launch
ALTON — After many years of trying, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department has finally acquired a boat ramp on the state's largest lake.


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ryanbed necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 12 diseños de 7 diseñadores freelance.
We are a startup company based in NY that is launching an online marketplace for "sneakerheads"
Twenty-something adults & sneaker enthusiasts, hiphop fans
We're looking for a somewhat minimal (white background) but elegant homepage design - similar to http://www.etsy.com. We don't want it to look to cluttered and also the sneaker listings need to be the focus of the page.
1) main logo should say "getsneaks"
2) we're going to want a header with "Buy" "Sell" "Community" "Blog" and "Follow us on twitter" buttons, as well as a search bar. Have "Register | Sign in" buttons seperately from the other buttons.
3) Please have a header near the top with "Your online marketplace to buy and sell sneakers"
4) we'd also like a small banner saying:
We just opened! 1st month special: no fees at all
List items for free, and no sales fees either! Until January 21, 2009.
5) We'd like sample sneaker listings as the body of the page - in two categories.. one for "Featured kicks" with 6-8 products below it (make this like the Handpicked items category on etsy.com homepage) and another category for "Recently Listed Items"
6) We'd also like a small box somewhere where users can sign up for an e-mail newsletter like on etsy.com. And another small box with Facebook, Twitter buttons
7) We also need links for About Us, Contact Us, Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
If all goes well, we'd like you to do our product page too!! (which we'll pay extra for)


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Debbie's Filk FAQ Index
Welcome to Debbie Ridpath Ohi's Filk FAQ! If you stumbled here accidentally and aren't sure what this is all about, feel free to read What Is Filk? first.
To see which Filk FAQ entries are the newest, please visit the Filk FAQ Blog.
Entries by Category
Click on a category below to view a list of all entries within that category.
- Basics (18)
- Business: recording and marketing (2)
- Community (8)
- Conventions (18)
- Miscellaneous (3)
- Performance (9)
- Site updates and news (1)
Entries by Tag
Click on a tag below to view a list of all entries within that category.
- Accompaniment (1)
Entries by Title
Click on an entry title below to view the full text of that entry.
- Any advice for instrumental accompanists?
- Any advice on choosing a guitar?
- Any stage etiquette tips for performers?
- Any tips for shy or nervous filkers?
- Any tips on how to make friends at filk conventions?
- How can I become the sort of performer that musicians want to accompany?
- How can I get the most out of a filk convention?
- How did filk get started?
- How do I contribute something to the Interfilk auction or Fan Fund?
- How do I get a concert?
- How do I get a turn in the filk circle?
- How do I make people WANT to stay and listen to me perform?
- How do I record a CD on a small budget?
- How does a good concom work with a Guest?
- How does one get to be invited to Germany as a guest at Filkcontinental?
- How should/shouldn't I be marketing my CDs?
- I'd love to have (instrumentalist name) play along on my song. What's the right/wrong way of asking them?
- I'm going to my first OVFF! Any tips?
- Is it ok to perform a spoken word piece in open filk? Any performance tips?
- What are 'The Sams'/UK Filk Awards?
- What are 'one shots'?
- What are 'two-fers'?
- What are the Pegasus Awards?
- What are the differences between the different filk conventions?
- What if I have no musical ability?
- What is "filk"?
- What is 'Frank Hayes disease'?
- What is 'found filk'?
- What is 'ose'?
- What is Interfilk?
- What is a "filkhog"? How can I avoid being one?
- What is a 'BNF'?
- What is a 'follower'?
- What is a Listener Guest Of Honor?
- What is a Toastmaster?
- What is an "Interfilk wench"?
- What is the Filk Hall Of Fame?
- What is the filk community?
- What makes a good Guest Of Honor?
- What's it like to attend a filk convention for the first time?
- What's the 'Filk Film Project'? Where can I see it?
- What's the best way to handle mistakes in the middle of a performance?
- What's the difference between a 'bardic' and a 'chaos' circle?
- Where can I find filk conventions?
- Where can I find more info about British filk?
- Where can I find out more info about German filk?
- Where can I find recorded samples of filk online?
- Who are the volunteers behind British filk fandom?
- Why doesn't the filk community notice/appreciate me?
- Why haven't you updated the Filk FAQ recently?