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Ottawa police raided at least six marijuana dispensaries across the city in a coordinated operation on Friday morning.
by Jacquie Miller, Joanne Laucius, Blair Crawford November 4, 2016
This article originally appeared in the Ottawa Citizen
The raids appeared to be targeted. The locations are all part of a B.C-based chain that began opening dispensaries in town this summer under the names Green Tree, WeeMedical and CannaGreen. Police raided CannaGreen on St. Joseph Boulevard; three Green Tree Medical Dispensary locations, one on Preston Street, one on Montreal Road and one on Bank Street; and two WeeMedical Dispensary locations on Rideau Street and on St. Laurent Boulevard.
Police have been investigating the dispensaries for months. They also sent letters to the landlords of dispensaries, warning that action could be taken if illegal activities continued. One landlord evicted a CannaGreeen shop on Roydon Place earlier this week.
At least five police officers were at the Wee Medical Dispensary Society on Rideau just east of Nelson Street, next to the Somerset West Community Health Centre. Some officers were videotaping the scene, while others were loading cannabis cookies into plastic bags.
At least one employee, a female, was taken into custody in handcuffs.
Several customers inside the store were released by police.
Police moved in on the CannaGreen at 2288 St Joseph Blvd. in Orleans in the morning and were seen leading a man out in handcuffs. Other officers in black jackets and black balaclavas entered the shop carrying cardboard boxes and satchels.
Later, two more officers arrived with battering rams and pry bars and could be heard pounding on something metallic inside. The store's smoked glass windows prevented anyone seeing inside from the sidewalk.
A steady flow of customers arrived throughout the morning to find the store's front door locked.
Raphael Riche, 22, was one. He stopped by for "a bit of leaf" for recreational use. Riche came to Orleans after he found the police had already shut down his regular shop on Montreal Road.
"I could say it's for medical use – to help my insomnia, my back – but why bother," he said. "It's going to be legal in a few months … I'll go see one of my buddies. Maybe he can help me out instead."
Another customer, who would not give his name, said he uses marijuana to control his multiple sclerosis symptoms. He'd been told to try the drug by his sister, who uses it to control the pain of her Stage 4 breast cancer. Her doctors had prescribed morphine, but she refused and used marijuana instead.
"Morphine is so addictive," said the 50-year-old man. "What's the worst that can happen with marijuana? You wake up surrounded by Mars bars wrappers."
The man said he used CannaGreen's edible products and found the shop clean and professional.
"What am I going to do now? I'm not going to go to my sister and ask her for some."
Another customer, Justin 22, uses marijuana to control anxiety, but came to CannaGreen Friday because he's applied for a job.
Police descended on the Green Tree dispensary at 352 Preston St. in the morning. It was a quiet raid, with some customers turning away from the door only after they noticed the officers inside.
"Is this a bust?" said one man in his 20s, who declined to give his name. "Isn't this legal?"
Meanwhile, shortly before 11 a.m. more officers moved in carrying tools, and loud banging could be heard from inside.
At about 11:20, officers packed up three cardboard boxes, locked up the dispensary and left.
A woman who answered the phone at the WeeMedical Dispensary Society in Vancouver said the company's principal, Justin Liu, was in Ottawa Friday but "did not want to be connected to any reporters."
Liu's voicemail was full.
Police had warned they were investigating the shops, and on Friday they moved in.
Police have faced pressure from some residents and city councillors to close the shops. But other Ottawans support the dispensaries or believe it's a waste of money to close them since the federal government has promised to legalize recreational pot. Public complaints were one factor police said they considered when "prioritizing" investigations by the drug unit against the dispensaries.
The shops operated by the B.C-based chain are similar. They are sparsely decorated, featuring cases filled with dried weed, cannabis-laced cookies, candy and pop, and an ATM. Staff generally refuse to comment and say they aren't allowed to reveal the names of the managers or owners.


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The Nigeria Hype Awards 2018 Nominees' Party was held at Rhapsody's Lounge (Circle Mall) on Wednesday, 31st January 2018.
The party was fun and it featured various nominees and non-nominees.
DJ Consequence also gave everyone good jams which got everyone grooving hard.
You all should anticipate the grand finale scheduled to hold 17th March, 2018.
Check out more photos from the nominees' party below:

subset: commoncrawl


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Staunton Choral Society
Hello, and thank you for visiting the official site of the Staunton Choral Society!
After a very successful Spring season we are ready to begin practices for Fall/Christmas Season! Rehearsals begin Monday, August 20th at 7:00 pm. Dues are $30.00*. We can't wait to begin another fantastic year of music! New and returning singers welcome.
Rehearsals are Monday night 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, Staunton.
*Cut off for signup is September 24th.
Our Upcoming Performances:
December 1, 2018
Calvary United Methodist Church
Stuarts Draft, Va.
December 2, 2018
Christ Lutheran Church
Staunton, Va.
December 1, 2018
Calvary United Methodist Church
Stuarts Draft, Va.
December 2, 2018
Christ Lutheran Church
Staunton, Va.
Support Us
Support the Choral Society is as simple as buying anything on amazon.com! If you use the link, smile.amazon.com, 0.5% of the price of eligible items will be donated to the Staunton Choral Society.
The Staunton Choral Society is a 501(c)3 organization, Contributions are tax deductible
My Small Business, LLC.
The Staunton Choral Society is one of the oldest performing arts groups in the Staunton/Augusta county area. Our singers are non-auditioned volunteers who sing for the love of producing beautiful music. Our director is Raymond Hebert.
New members are always welcome. If you love to sing and would like to join us please send us a message from this website or email us at:


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Wilmslow Hockey Club have just completed their most successful season in the club's history which saw the Mens 1s, 2s and 3s and Ladies 3s teams all achieving promotion which they all did by winning their respective leagues.
The culmination of the season was marked by nominations for two England Hockey awards - the Mens 1s were up for Team of the Year and their coach Rob Turner, was nominated as coach of the year.
Martin Stocker said "Unfortunately we did not win - we were up against the elite clubs and coaches so just to get there was a great achievement for us."
The club, represented by President Steve Kinsella and Chairman Bruce McLennan together with members of the Mens 1s, attended the awards gala dinner on Saturday, 20th May, in Leicester. Over 500 people gathered from the UK hockey community, including many of the Women's Olympic Gold medal winners from Rio, for the ceremony which showcased the achievements of the club on the national stage and underlines how far Wilmslow Hockey Club has come in the last few years.
Martin Stocker said "Unfortunately we did not win - we were up against the elite clubs and coaches so just to get there was a great achievement for us."
President Steve Kinsella said "Wilmslow Hockey Club has gone from strength to strength over the last few years, culminating in these nominations for the prestigious England Hockey awards. Coming on top of four of our teams winning promotion this season, with the Men's 1s promoted to North Division 1, the highest league position in the club's history, and thriving Ladies and Junior sections, we are delighted to see the club's progress recognised by England Hockey."


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Ever since I was a little girl, I have appreciated time spent with my elders and the wisdom that they bestowed upon me. My grandmother taught me the importance of being involved in the community and the value of building relationships with those with more life experience than me. During school breaks, I accompanied her to the senior living facility near our home, and we visited with the residents. Whether it was playing a game of bingo, reading poetry or simply chatting about life in general, I always had an incredible time and made new friends.
Some educational institutions now recognize the importance of the lessons that my grandmother instilled in me as a child. These schools have partnered with senior living facilities and paired students with elders. The advantages of bridging the gap between the younger and the older generations are truly immeasurable and life-changing. Here are just a few examples.
*Improving Reading and Language Skills
The older a person is the longer her list of beloved books. It's great to get book recommendations from your elders. Reading together is even better. Younger children can benefit from reading with their elders, because they can practice and be given a helpful hand if something difficult comes along.
Being a pen pal with an elderly friend is another great way to improve your language skills. You can swap stories about the past, present or future, creating a beautiful new friendship and story together in the process.
One of my favorite programs is the Speaking Exchange project. This project virtually connects students in Brazil with senior citizens in the U.S. over video chat to practice their English skills. The power of technology and the internet make possible this amazing opportunity to develop relationships across the globe.
*Tech-Savvier Elders
Despite the opportunities technology offers, computers and smartphones can be quite frustrating to our elders, many of whom have never used these types of devices before. Younger generations have grown up using these technologies, so it's second nature to them. Elders can learn a thing or two from children and young adults when it comes to computers and smartphones. Basic skills kids can teach their elders include creating an email account, sending emails and practicing typing and texting skills. Once they've gained these skills, they can then be exposed to the wealth of information that the internet provides -- but more importantly, they can connect with family and friends on different social media sites.
Overall, helping our elders become savvier with technology is beneficial not only because it helps them keep up with these changing times but also because it connects them to others in ways that seemed impossible in their days.
*New Friendships
The great thing about friendship is that it comes in all shapes sizes. It's not unconventional for young people to befriend elders. In fact, it is one of the sweetest types of friendships to have. One of my favorite examples is that of 4-year-old Norah Wood and 82-year-old Dan Peterson. The two met in a grocery, and Norah decided she wanted to include the man in their family activities. Peterson, who had been in a deep depression since losing his wife, was touched. Despite their large age gap, they found friendship in each other. This young girl helped a heartbroken elderly man to begin to heal.
There are many practical advantages to helping out at senior living facilities and speaking with elders, but the simple enjoyment of one another's company is perhaps the best perk of all.


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Physician Sales & Service
The University of Pittsburgh Supplier Management Department is pleased to announce the addition of Physician Sales & Service (PSS) to the "PantherBuy" platform. As a current University-Wide Contracted Supplier, PSS is already providing competitive pricing and excellent service to the University research and laboratory communities. The addition of PantherBuy functionality will help this versatile distribution partner provide the University user community with a complete solution for purchasing their products.
Physician Sales and Service is a national distributor of medical supplies, equipment, and pharmaceutical products to end-users including physicians, medical clinics, surgery centers, Veterinarians, home health care, alternate site healthcare locations, research and laboratory facilities. They carry over 200,000 different medical products representing more than 1,000 major manufacturers. With their large local distribution center located in Leetsdale, PA, PSS offers the University next day delivery on all in-stock items.
Since its inception in 1983, Physician Sales & Service has experienced internal growth and strategic acquisitions which has led them to become a leader in the market segments it serves in the alternate site care marketplace. PSS strategic advantages include a focused approach to customer service, a consultative sales force, unique arrangements with product manufacturers, innovative systems and a culture of performance.
The University contract with Physician Sales & Service has an Account Executive, Ray DeSanto, assigned to the University account on a permanent basis. Please feel free to contact Ray directly at firstname.lastname@example.com on his cell phone at (412) 292-5678.
For additional information regarding PSS products, please visit their website at https://www.pssd.com/ or call their Customer Service Office in Leetsdale, PA, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm EST, at (800) 472-2791.


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Tips For Online Shopping For Digital Cameras
Factors to Consider in Online Designer Shopping for Gifts Rakshabandhan will be the festival which is marked from the tying of a rakhi by the sister around the wrist of her brother. And resume it brother in return offers a gift to his sister and vows for caring for her. In this festival visit link sister shower love on her brother who intentions to be with her in the thicks and thins which are linked to her sisters life. The custom of celebrating Raksha Bandhan started in ancestral period as well as today people ponder over it must to express their affection in traditional manner. Every year mostly within the month of August, around the auspicious day of Shravana Purnima, the festival of Rakshabandhan is celebrated. If you are looking to produce an online purchase then you should simply find the products you have an interest to buy and after that search for a site that gives these codes by using a simple search, then simply obtain the latest offers and deals you can avail. These are also called promo codes or coupon codes and are issued free of charge and it is possible to have used them prior to the discount voucher codes are valid. The good thing about looking at any local stores is that you could hand-pick a specific thing as outlined by your choice. Before making an investment, you might have real individuals to inform you of the merchandise. You can ask them how durable it really is, or if someone is here time for complain after buying it. Additionally, if the purchase actually is an oversight (in the event the bathroom tap broke soon after you installed it, or days after) it is possible to resume a store and ask for an alternative. Better yet, you can urge them to supply you with a money-back. Kitchen is a place which is the home on most from the appliances. Refrigerators are becoming necessity and will go for every kitchen. There are wide research being invest refrigerators which has resulted in the roll-out of ice free freezers and ice dispensers. Now, we are able to keep vegetables, fruits and baked food fresh for time period. The design and style of refrigerator has additionally improved. You can see styles other than top freezer mount design, alongside, bottom mount and also the combination of the two, French door model are becoming very well liked. 1. Online shopping is fun, practical and easy The twenty-first century can be best described for its latest developments, technological improvements and advancements. People have become so busy within their lives which they hardly find time to eat. People who would not have the time and energy to shop for home necessities and clothes can take assistance from internet shopping as its quite simple, practical and adventurous.


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: discuss this album in russian :
|Buy this album or selected songs in MP3 on
|Buy this CD on
a-ha is:
Magne FURUHOLMEN: Keyboards, Vocals
Morten HARKET: Lead Vocals
Pal WAAKTAAR: Guitars, Vocals
Additional players
Per HILLESTAD: Drums
Jorun "JB" BOGEBERG: Bass
JD STEELE, Jevetta STEELE, Kethy WILSON: Backing Vocals
Album Produced by: David Z and A-HA
Album Mixed by: Rod HUI with Pal WAAKTAAR
Album Engineered by: David Z, Brian POER, David FRIEDLANDER, Jamey STAUB and Svere HENRIKSEN
Total Running Time: 49:37
Record label: Warner Bros. Records/WEA International
Copyright © 1997-2015. Alexei Varlamov. a-ha.ru. All rights reserved.


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Click here to read/download Issue 1 of the SHARE Integration Magazine...
Welcome back to the SHARE Network!
ICMC Europe is delighted to announce the publication of a new edition of the SHARE Magazine, and a renewed programme of SHARE Network activities for 2018-19! During the coming two years, SHARE Integration will engage with a wide variety of actors at European, national and local level, continuing our work in building partnerships for refugee inclusion in local communities across Europe.
This edition brings you:
- An introduction from the ICMC Europe Team, detailing the unprecedented expansion of refugee resettlement in Europe and the crucial role of SHARE can play in making the 50,000 programme a reality;
- An introduction to SHARE Integration objectives and activities, and to the 11 SHARE Integration partners, based in 9 European countries, who will take the programme forward;
- A report from the SHARE Seminar: Pre-Departure Processing & Cultural Orientation, held on May 3-4 in Istanbul in partnership with the Dutch government's Centralised Agency for Reception (COA);
- A special feature on new resettlement countries, highlighting the Estonian experience of resettlement and community-building since 2015;
- An introduction to the SHARE Settlement & Integration Roster, an innovative new framework for training and capacity-building to support new resettlement actors and programmes;
- Spotlight feature on the success of civil society cooperation to receive and integrate resettled refugees in Portugal;
- Reflections from Filmon, former SHARE Resettlement Ambassador resettled to Belgium in 2011 and now living and working in Antwerp.
As ever, we welcome your comments, feedback and input. Write to us at email@example.com
If you wish to subscribe to future issues of the magazine and be informed about SHARE Integration activities, please subscribe here


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BEAUTIFUL BRICK HOME WITH EASY IN LAW POTENTIAL... 3 +1 bed – 2 full bath on a premium 54 ft wide mature lot. Completely redone from the studs out (6 years ago) including; New windows, New doors, New roof, New electrical, New plumbing, New flooring and New kitchen. The main floor features an eat in kitchen and large open concept living room/ dining room with great light and plenty of space for family gatherings. Up a few steps are 3 generous bed rooms and 4 piece bath. The lower level is completely above grade with level walk out to your private backyard and boasts a big living RM and REC RM combo with gas fireplace; providing the perfect space and separation for an IN LAW setup. The basement adds an extra bed room, 3 piece bath and storage space. Other extras include new furnace and A/C 4 year's old, large detached garage/shed, parking for up to 7 cars and a nice covered front poach. In an Excellent location with easy access to downtown Grimsby, QEW, schools, parks and minutes' walk to the lake. RSA
50 Somewhat Walkable
20 Minimal Transit
Notice! Information contained herein has been obtained from sources deemed reliable. While we have no reason to doubt its accuracy we regret that we cannot guarantee it. All information subject to change and/or withdrawal without notice.
Copyright © 2019 James Turner. All rights reserved.
Website Designed and Supported by i2bGlobal
Please report any technical problems with this site to firstname.lastname@example.com
MLS®, Multiple Listing Service®, and all related graphics are trademarks of The Canadian Real Estate Association.
REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and all related graphics are trademarks of REALTOR® Canada Inc. a corporation owned by The Canadian Real Estate Association and the National Association of REALTORS®.


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2019 EMEA information coming soon.
As partners in the information security community we have all been challenged in 2018 with the onslaught of DDoS and phishing campaigns with payloads that have included credential stealing malware, destructive malware and ransomware. In addition, to the evolving threat landscape, we are challenged with supporting our corporate strategies that look to leverage advancing technology and services that expand our perimeter boundaries and place a greater demand for protecting the information that our customers and fellow employees entrust us with. From a governance perspective, we are seeing increased government and industry regulations and our corporate boards are demanding greater visibility into our programs. These challenges are expanding the responsibilities placed upon us as security professionals and requiring us to ensure we are following best practices.
that allow for strategic and solution-oriented discussion
by over three dozen senior executive FS-ISAC members
and sharing designed specifically for financial services institutions
including case studies and best practices
for Premier and above members. All meals and events during the conference are included
The 2019 FS-ISAC Annual Summit will be held at the Walt Disney Swan and Dolpin Resort in Orlando, Florida.
complimentary passes
complimentary passes
complimentary passes
We all have a common goal and that is to protect our company brand and the data that has been entrusted to us. Come join us as there is "Strength in Sharing."


text: Hi Guys, I'm hoping that someone can help me as this is driving me nuts. I need to write a quick 'n' dirty application that can look a PDF files in a directory and output the page dimensions for each document (we're testing that they are all A4). While Apple seems to have delivered a useful framework in 10.4, PDF Kit, I'm damned if I can find a method in either PDFDocument or PDFPage that will return the page dimensions of the PDFDocument object. The PDFDocument object has an instance method called "documentAttributes" but that only seems to return information about the author, etc. (5 keys in all). There is a boundsForBox method for PDFPage that will return an instance of NSRect (depending upon which of the constant values specified you use, and I'm not sure what each of them is meant to do) but I have no idea how to translate an NSRect struct into something like 21.0 x 29.7cm. Any ideas? Regards, Kelmon


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Now in its 7th edition, Formwork for Concrete is a reference for designers and builders of formwork on material properties, design data, and construction suggestions. For architects and engineers, it adds guidance on structural design details related to effective formwork; for novices, fundamentals of form design and construction.
The 7th edition, revised in accordance with Guide to Formwork for Concrete (ACI 347R-04), includes new material not available in prior editions on single-sided wall forms, insulating concrete forms, pressure formulas with coefficients for differing weights and mix chemistries, inflated forming methods, and has expanded text on multistory shoring systems. This is the most comprehensive and authoritative formwork reference you can buy! Published by the American Concrete Institute.
1. Introduction
2. General Objectives in Formwork Building
3. Overall Planning
4. Materials, Accessories, Proprietary Products
5. Loads and Pressures
6. Form Design
7. Design Tables
8. Formwork Drawings
9. Building and Erecting the Formwork
10. Using the Forms
11. Formwork for Architectural Concrete
12. Shells, Domes, Folded Plates
13. Mass Concrete
14. Tunnels and Shafts
15. Special Techniques in Concrete Construction
Guide to Formwork for Concrete, ACI 347-04
ACI 318-03 Code and Commentary-Chapter 6, Formwork, Embedded Pipes, and Construction Joints (Replaced with ACI 318-08 version)
OSHA Regulations, Subpart Q-Concrete and Masonry Construction
Metric Conversion Factors


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Bet there will be a lot of claims from East Devon! Shame it starts only in 2019.
"Householders who receive poor service from their telecoms provider are to get automatic compensation, the regulator Ofcom has announced.
From 2019 they will get £8 a day if a fault is not fixed, paid as a refund through their bill.
This is less than the £10 that was proposed when Ofcom began its consultation earlier this year.
Providers will also have to pay £5 a day if their broadband or landline is not working on the day it was promised.
If an engineer misses an appointment, they will have to give £25 in compensation.
Ofcom has estimated as many as 2.6 million people could benefit from the new rules. …"


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Cart is empty
The Ian, Baby Angel Pin has antique gold feather wings and golden flowing trousers. The heart says "Love" and we have added the birthstone for October for the "o".
In the comments section (it's under the shipping section of the order form), please specify birth month. If no birth month is noted, angel pin will be shipped without birthstone.
Actual size - 1 1/2 inches
Order yours now.
Ian Angel Pin
Price $16.95
CRYSTAL HALOS are no longer available. The manufacturer of the halos has discontinued production. ANY ANGEL shown with a crystal halo will be shipped with a golden halo instead.


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Here's my wrap up for the 2014 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, hosted by Historical Tapestry.
This challenge is remarkably easy because you don't have to pre-select books, just read anything in the genre, post reviews, and read others' reviews.
Here are levels readers can aspire to:
20th century reader - 2 books
Victorian reader - 5 books
Renaissance Reader - 10 books
Medieval - 15 books
Ancient History - 25 books
I made it to Medieval in 2013 and 2014, which seems to be the right level for me.
- Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, by Anne Rice
- People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks
- Longbourn, by Jo Baker
- Stella Bain, by Anita Shreve
- Crossing Purgatory, by Gary Schanbacher
- The Museum of Extraordinary Things, by Alice Hoffman
- The Eight, by Katherine Neville
- The Gondola Maker, by Laura Morelli
- The Sibyl, by Par Lagerkvist
- The Invention of Wings, by Tracy Chevalier
- A Hundred Summers, by Beatriz Williams
- East of Eden, by John Steinbeck
- The Daylight Gate, by Jeanette Winterson
- A Conspiracy of Paper, by David Liss
- Highland River, Neil Gunn
- Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon
- Written in My Heart's Own Blood, by Diana Gabaldon
- Ragtime, by E.L. Doctorow
- The Taste of Sorrow, by Jude Morgan


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Before Ella was born, Dan and I swore to maintain our minimalistic attitudes as parents. No way were we going to be the people with toys strewn about the house and way too many clothes for one baby to wear. Oops! One of my favorite things about being a mom is getting a new toy for Ella and watching her face light up when she goes to figure it out. Of course, most of the time, once the novelty has worn out and she's "figured it out," I'm not quite as pleased. But since I was completely clueless about what toys a baby might play with at her age, I thought a post about what she got a lot of use from might be helpful for anyone creating a baby registry or shopping for a young babe.
Best Ages: 6 weeks – … (we still use it with Ella and she is 5 Months)
The very first toy that Ella ever became interested in was her Baby Einstein play mat. This thing was an absolute life-saver because for the first time, I could put her down and even walk away for a moment (usually with the video monitor clutched tightly in my hand), and she could entertain herself! We have this one:
but I'm sure she would have been excited to bat at any of the other THOUSANDS of play mats just like this one. It helped her with hand eye coordination and was so funny to watch as she realized that she was the one making the dog's bell jingle. We spent countless hours on this mat, singing songs, batting at the hangers and just giving the frog the stink-eye. Well worth it to own one, in my opinion. As she got a little older and became more engaged with it, I could even sneak in a shower (albeit a five minute one, but that is a HUGE accomplishment for a mother of a newborn, if you ask me). She doesn't get QUITE the same kick out of it these days, but she will still lay on it, roll around and indulge her dear old mom from time to time.
Fisher Price Crawling Snail
Best Ages: 6 Weeks – … (we still use this with Ella)
Oh my goodness, you guys. THIS. SNAIL.
We bought this snail at Kohl's on a whim with a coupon, but it could not have been a smarter buy. When we first picked it up, she was about six weeks old and basically just liked the lights and music. When she was on her back, if we positioned it correctly, she could hit it with her arm and make it go herself. This has continued to evolve all the way through now, where she hits it while trying to sit up, reaches for it during tummy time and still loves hitting it while lying on her back. She never seems to get sick of it, and we haven't even had to replace the batteries yet!
VTECH Crawl and Learn Ball
Best Ages: 4months and up
We also have this ball for on the floor, but I think Ella will get a LOT more use out of it once she starts crawling, because it moves around on its own.
She still gets use out of it, even though she isn't mobile quite yet. She sits up and sort of uses it to prop herself up and she can also bat at it and make it go off when she is lying on her back. It plays a ton of songs and has lots of things to grab and push. My friend's eight month old son came over one day and he absolutely loved it.
Teepee Ring Hanger (this name is completely made up)
Best Ages: 2months and up
Dan actually made this toy for Ella after seeing something similar on Pinterest, courtesy of our friend, Cassie. Ella has always liked just staring at the ring as it swings by her face, but as her dexterity has increased, she has begun to love batting, grabbing and manipulating the ring and its individual beads (aka: putting them in her mouth).
Right now, Ella is really into two kinds of books: the kind she can jam in her mouth and the kind where she can turn the page. With her second preference in mind, MY favorite kind is a board book with sturdy pages she doesn't rip.
We love this one:
And this one:
Ella was able to hold her head up relatively early. We were so excited to see how strong she is, but she easily became frustrated by the fact that she couldn't yet sit up and look around. We considered a Bumbo seat, but in the end, got an Inglesina High Chair that attaches to the counter or table.
It's been great for having her sit with us as we make food, clean the kitchen or just hang out in that room. We got a few toys to put in front of her while she sits there, but her favorite is THIS genius contraption, the Sassy Wonder Wheel:
She loves whipping the wheel around and watching all the colors spin in front of her. Of course, as many parents will probably also acknowledge, she seems to be MOST fascinated by ordinary kitchen items we place in front of her. So far the biggest hits have been an empty pie tin, a miniature metal funnel, wax paper and a Tupperware tub with a lemon inside.
We have taken a few road trips with Miss Ella Jo, but aside from that, I frequently pack her along with me to run errands, so it was crucial to me that she enjoy her car seat. These items have really helped with that:
A Baby Mirror
Best Ages: Six Weeks and Up
We originally got this mirror for us, of course. So we could see Ella while driving. But as soon as she discovered how much she enjoyed looking at herself in the mirror, it became our saving grace in the car. The second we clicked the car seat into the base, she would begin smiling at herself and staring at the reflective surface. Keeps her busy for entire car trips sometimes!
A Car Seat/Stroller Arch
Best Ages: 3Months and Up
These just provide something fun to look at, bat it and pull while stuck in a car seat.
A Bottle With Some Stuff In It
Best Ages: 3Months and Up
When Ella started grabbing things with two hands, this idea for a homemade toy came to me instantaneously. She loves the noises, bright colors and easy to grab aspects of this bottle. Literally all I did was pour some bells and beads into an empty Diet Coke bottle, then tie a ribbon around it. It provides way more fun for her than I ever could have imagined. And it was cheap, to boot!
Johnny Jump Up
Best Ages: Whenever baby can hold her head up without assistance
Though I think technically you are supposed to wait until the baby can sit up to put her in one of these things, we opted to put her in there sooner and just build a little blanket fortress around her to make sure she didn't fall over. This is by far her favorite toy: sometimes she stays in there for up to an hour at a time. It's a great solution for when I need to get work done or when I'm cooking dinner. All she really needs is a little encouragement, and she's a bouncing fool. I like ours because it comes with a musical mat that makes it even more fun for Ella to jump.
Those are just a few of Ella's favorite things for the first five months of life. Of course, we spend plenty of time doing things that don't require buying any toys at all, and sometimes, those playtimes are the best. But it is absolutely astounding how many toys are available for her age group! Any other spectacular items out there we've been missing out on?


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New electronic toll system for trucks in Slovenia
On 1 April 2018 the Republic of Slovenia will introduce a free-flow electronic tolling system for all vehicles with a permissible maximum weight of over 3.5 tonnes.
All vehicles of this type will have to be equipped with a new DarsGo unit. The system will not be compatible with existing Dars cards and ABC tags.
New devices can be registered and purchased at DarsGo services, selected rest areas and border-crossings.
Remember! Existing discounts awarded after topping up a Dars card in the pre-pay system will no longer be honoured after 1 April.


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Andrew has a monkey pillow that he uses to kick back and watch a movie with. That is it intended purpose. Ainsley has decided its intended purpose is that of a tackle dummy. For some unknown reason, Ainsley went up to this poor, innocent monkey and started attacking him. I blame it on pent up aggression from her brother using her as a tackle dummy. Since she can't yet catch him, she can the monkey and therefore he bears the brunt of her release.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Monkey Business
Posted by Our Shields' Story at 3:32 PM
3 comments:
- Scott, Sara, and Sydney Nickson said...
How cute! She is getting to be such a big girl!
- March 26, 2009 at 9:05 PM
- Susan said...
Cute, Cute!! I miss her!
- March 29, 2009 at 9:24 PM
- Amanda said...
I can't believe how big our babies are getting! Garyn hasn't started walking yet, but he's so close. We are in the midst of planning the first birthday party! Hope you guys are doing well. We miss you!
- April 2, 2009 at 12:24 AM
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Winter is a real pooo of a time. I very very very much dislike it. However, it is pretty good for crafting, because really, who want to go outside when its wet and cold.
So here is my latest finished project. A quilted and knitted baby blanket.
So here is my latest finished project. A quilted and knitted baby blanket.
I you follow me on instagram you may remember seeing this sad looking thing....
My originaly intention of using the yarn was to make some really fluffy and comfy slipper boots, but as you can see it just didn't work out, and lately if something I'm knitting or crocheting isn't looking nice, I stop, unravel and move onto something else. There is nothing worse than working on something ugly during this ugly time of year.
So I hand knitted the backing of the blanket and quilted it along with the top and batting rather than a backing fabric.
This measures 35x35" finished, so it is a perfect, thick and warm blankie.


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Welcome to my blog, which will accompany me on my journey to run a 1/2 marathon in 2012. If you'll follow my road to the half, you'll most likely see struggles and victories, pain, laughter & smiles and some pictures of the places I run to.
Most of my friends will have a hard time believing I'm really going back to running after 15+ years of a running hiatus. Why? It's really simple: because I can. I'm getting my life back – and that means going after things I really want. I just needed a little push. That push came after I fell over a pothole at the 2011 Austin Challenge 5k walk. Yes, you can actually fall during a walk (even though I'm trying to think of it as an attempt to reenact Superman). Anyhow, my surgeon told me to stay off the road bike for the next 2 months (I've got a shoulder injury).
Seeing that I do not enjoy going to the gym – AT ALL – I was looking for an alternative, when some friends of mine talked about the Austin Half Marathon on FB. That was all the incentive I needed to get started. I already had the running gear (I bought a running top and pants in Philly and told my friend Geoff that I would no longer have a reason not to run after returning from the Philly Challenge). Oh well, it took awhile, but there won't be any excuses from now on 😉
I started running a short 2,1k loop around the block yesterday. OK, so the time of 16 minutes is not worth bragging about, and it won't result in a rookie of the year award, but I'm proud that I got out there on a Sunday morning in less than enticing weather conditions with some pains and lots of bruises… and grateful that I was able to breathe normally for most of the distance.
I can't wait to see what adventures I'll run into and to share the reasons why I'm running. Here's to whatever tomorrow will bring. Game On!


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Watersports Activities in Tanjung Benoa
- Feel your adrenaline levels surge during a 3-hour water sports experience in Tanjung Benoa from Kuta. Over the course of an hour, you'll experience four exhilarating water sports under the guidance of an instructor. Soar to dizzying heights during a parasailing session; feel blasts of sea breeze on a banana boat; glide over crashing waves on a Jet Ski; and ride in an inflated donut ring towed by a high-speed boat. On this small-group tour, limited to 15 people, round-trip transfers from Bali hotels are included.
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Heel spurs are a bone growth that extends from the heel bone, particularly on the bottom front of the heel bone and sometimes slightly to the side. Usually, a heel spur forms where the plantar fascia ligament attaches to the bottom of the heel bone. Those who overuse, or put heavy stress on the plantar fascia, are at risk of developing heel spurs.
Heel spurs can be caused by several things. Anything that can cause the body to rebuild itself can lead to a bone spur. A heel spur is a natural reaction of the body to correct a weakness by building extra bone. One of the most common causes for the development of heel spurs is the wearing of shoes that are too tight. That?s why more women suffer from heel spurs more than men. Athletes who tend to stress their feet a lot, people are overweight who have more pressure on their lower extremities and the elderly also tend to suffer more from heel spurs.
Heel spurs often cause no symptoms. But heel spurs can be associated with intermittent or chronic pain, especially while walking, jogging, or running, if inflammation develops at the point of the spur formation. In general, the cause of the pain is not the heel spur itself but the soft-tissue injury associated with it. Many people describe the pain of heel spurs and plantar fasciitis as a knife or pin sticking into the bottom of their feet when they first stand up in the morning, a pain that later turns into a dull ache. They often complain that the sharp pain returns after they stand up after sitting for a prolonged period of time.
Heel spurs and plantar fasciitis are diagnosed based on the history of pain and tenderness localized to these areas. They are specifically identified when there is point tenderness at the bottom of the heel, which makes it difficult to walk barefoot on tile or wood floors. X-ray examination of the foot is used to identify the bony prominence (spur) of the heel bone (calcaneus).
Non Surgical Treatment
Perform some exercises. Exercises that strengthen and lengthen your plantar fascia can also be very helpful for heel spurs. Try some of the following activities. Calf stretch. Place your hands on a wall. Extend 1 foot (0.3 m) behind you with your knee straight and place the other foot in front of you with the knee bent. Push your hips toward the wall and hold the stretch for 10 seconds. You should feel a pull in your calf muscles. Repeat the stretch 20 times for each foot. Plantar fascia stretch, Perform this exercise in the morning before you've done any standing or walking. Cross your injured foot over the knee of your other leg. Grasp your toes and gently pull them toward you. If you can't reach your toes, then wrap a towel around them and pull on the towel. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat 20 times for each foot.
Surgical Treatment
Surgery is used a very small percentage of the time. It is usually considered after trying non-surgical treatments for at least a year. Plantar fascia release surgery is use to relax the plantar fascia. This surgery is commonly paired with tarsal tunnel release surgery. Surgery is successful for the majority of people.


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Sarina Finkelstein was born in Columbia, Missouri but now lives in New York City. She received a MFA in Photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York, NY and a BFA in Photography and Art History from Washington University in Saint Louis, MO. Her photographs have appeared in The Sunday Telegraph Seven Magazine, Esquire (NL), GOOD, Mass Appeal, Absolute, Town & Country, Food Arts, Market Watch, New York Post, Time Out NY, and Time Out NY Kids. Her work has also been featured in slideshows on the Telegraph, TIME and GOOD websites and on Conscientious blog. Sarina was selected for the 2010 Review Santa Fe, has been a guest speaker for the Professional Women's Photographers (PWP) and a featured photographer in PWP magazine, as well as a speaker and award recipient at the 2004 Society for Photographic Education National Conference.
This works is from her series, The New 49ers, of which she writes, 'In the midst of the recession, I have been driven to document the struggles of ordinary people against extraordinary odds. They are the new wave of gold prospectors that have re-emerged in California, 150 years since the original Gold Rush, united by a passionate and desperate search for gold to support them until the job market improves. The miners here—recent layoffs, veterans, retirees, ex-convicts and freelancers—are dependent on the income they derive from prospecting. Selling an ounce of gold at its now all-time high market rate of $1200+/oz. provides them with hope for survival.


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Fair Labor Standards Act I webinar
Common issues that arise in FLSA claims
By Tim O'Toole
The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) will present FLSA I on Wednesday, July 2, 2014, at 10:00 AM CDT.
The first step in addressing the onslaught of wage and hour claims is to understand the federal law behind those claims. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has seen increasing attention from plaintiffs' attorneys and from the federal government in recent years. We will explain, in a two-part discussion, some of the more common issues that arise in FLSA claims. Our first program will include discussion of:
- What is the Fair Labor Standards Act?
- Recent class and collective action developments under the FLSA
- What does the FLSA require employers to do?
- Minimum wage requirements under the FLSA
- Payment for all time worked
- Training time issues
- Travel time issues
- Waiting time issues
- Rest and meal periods
- Working off the clock
Howard M. Kastrinsky is a Partner in King & Ballow and is the Head of the firm's Employment and Discrimination Section.
Mr. Kastrinsky received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his law degree from the University of North Carolina, where he graduated with honors. He was a member of the University of North Carolina Law Review and Order of the Coif. Mr. Kastrinsky is a former trial attorney for the National Labor Relations Board.
Mr. Kastrinsky regularly speaks on subjects including discrimination laws, the Family & Medical Leave Act, Wage and Hour Law, sexual harassment and union organizing. He has written several publications for King & Ballow on the Family & Medical Leave Act, National Labor Relations Board procedures, and the National Labor Relations Act. Mr. Kastrinsky is a Contributing Editor to The Developing Labor Law and a contributor to Employment Relations Today and to InsideCounsel.com. Mr. Kastrinsky's practice concentrates in all phases of employment and labor law.
DISCLAIMER: The material on this alert and upcoming webinar has been prepared by King & Ballow Law Offices, located at 315 Union Street, Nashville, TN 37201 and 6540 Lusk Boulevard, San Diego, California 92121, and may be considered advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. The material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING pursuant to Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct 7.3.
Mason contractors registered for Masonry Certification will receive 1.00 credits in the Ethics and Business Practices discipline upon completion of this course.
Register for FLSA I at www.masoncontractors.org/live.
2014 Live Webinar Season PassThe Live Webinar Season Pass gives you and your entire company year-round access to all live and on demand recorded webinars for the calendar year. Sign up today for as little as $300.00.
Visit www.masoncontractors.org/live for more information and to view a full schedule of MCAA's Live Webinar Series.
About the Author
Tim O'Toole is the Director of Marketing for the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA). He has a Masters in Business Administration from Webster University and has worked in the masonry industry since 2003.


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The Dark Side of the Deal To most investors, mergers are the stock market's equivalent of catnip. Takeover bids typically provide a nice boost to investors' portfolios and confirm their stock-picking smarts. And to hear the executives orchestrating them tell it, they always produce greater profits at the combined company down the road. Business publications and newspapers, including The Times, celebrate the deals with breathless tales of how they came together, complete with photographs of smiling executives shaking hands in front of a crowd.
This year, with the stock market moving sideways, buyouts and the gains they generate are prized all the more. There have been a lot of them, too. This year, according to Thomson Financial, the first quarter's combinations were valued at $308.2 billion, up 17 percent from the value of deals announced in the same period in 2004. If this activity continues, 2005 will be the fourth-largest year in deal size.
And yet, for all the profit and promise that mergers seem to hold, the truth about companies combining their operations is a darker one. Academic research suggests that few mergers add up to significantly more prosperous or successful companies and also that acquisitions during buyout booms, like the one we are in now, are more likely to fail than those made in other periods. And when one company acquires another using its own stock as currency, as commonly happens today, shareholders' stakes in the acquiring firm typically decline.
What's worse, there is a disturbing trend among some of the most aggressive corporate acquirers to use deals to mask deteriorating financial results at their companies and to reap outsize executive pay. The complexity of folding companies into one another makes it more difficult, whether by accident or by design, for investors to fathom what's really going on. Because mergers require the extensive use of estimates on matters like job cuts and asset write-offs, for example, deals represent an opportunity for management to throw everyday expenses into the merger cost bucket and make operating results look better than they actually are. It's probably no coincidence that some of the biggest frauds in recent years have involved serial deal makers like Tyco International, Waste Management and WorldCom. (Long before a jury found him guilty of securities fraud in federal court in March, Bernard J. Ebbers, the chief executive of WorldCom, entertained himself and his friends aboard his 118-foot yacht called the Aquasition.)
Perhaps the biggest downside to mergers, however, is their human toll. Deals that combine companies are becoming a bigger factor behind large-scale layoffs across the nation.Continue reading the main story
Some Bad Unions of the Recent Past
Robert F. Bruner, professor of business administration at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, has compiled a list of colossal merger failures in a new book, "Deals From Hell." High up on his roster is the Sony-Columbia Pictures merger in 1989, which cost $4.8 billion initially but ultimately resulted in a $2.7 billion write-off in 1994. Also on the list is the 1991 deal in which AT&T bought National Cash Register for $7.5 billion. Five years later, AT&T spun off NCR for $3.4 billion, for a loss of $4.1 billion. Another entry is the December 1994 purchase of Snapple Beverage by Quaker Oats for $1.7 billion, a deal that eventually produced a $1.5 billion loss. In late 1998 Mattel acquired the Learning Company, an educational software firm, for $3.8 billion in stock. Just over a year later, Mattel sold it for a loss.
But the champion of all failed mergers, even years later, remains the AOL-Time Warner combination, announced in January 2000 just as the technology stock bubble was about to burst. Time Warner's chief executive, Jerry Levin, called the deal a "transforming transaction" -- an accurate assessment, as it would turn out, if not precisely in the way he hoped. The deal resulted in a $200 billion loss in stock-market value and a $54 billion write-down in the worth of the combined company's assets.
What's more, in merging with AOL, Time Warner inherited accounting irregularities that attracted the attention of the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission. In December, the company agreed to pay $510 million to settle with the S.E.C. (neither admitting nor denying wrongdoing) and also to enter into a deferred-prosecution agreement with the Justice Department. Prosecutors said they would put off bringing criminal securities-fraud charges against the America Online unit as long as Time Warner adopted measures to correct past problems and engaged an independent monitor to oversee AOL's financial operations for two years.
"The AOL/Time Warner transaction dwarfs other deals from hell in almost all respects," Bruner writes. "It leads the field in meltdown in value. The executive firings and resignations, the civil litigation, criminal investigation and the erasure of AOL from the corporation's name reveal a remarkable wipeout of the vision of the deal's architects."
What Does It Profit a C.E.O.?
Given all the forces that seem to be lined up in opposition to mergers, it may be a bit surprising that the deals keep on coming. But there are people for whom they make perfect sense: the executives and the Wall Street bankers behind them. There are several reasons for this -- for example, acquisitions enable companies to show earnings growth that rising stock prices, and therefore investors, require -- but the most compelling case for mergers may simply be the immense wealth that they generate.
Executives began reaping big rewards from deals during the 1980's, when so-called golden parachutes were introduced. (Today those payouts look positively quaint.) Back then, shareholders viewed large payouts to managers at a company subject to takeover as a way to induce entrenched executives to consider a change in control there. Those inducements then became embedded in every executive's employment contract, growing to the gargantuan levels of today.
The actual numbers associated with some of the bigger deals can be staggering. James Kilts, the chief executive of Gillette Company, stands to make $165 million from merging that venerable Boston company with the Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble. That payout was so large that Joseph F. Turley, the company's former president, and Joseph E. Mullaney, a former vice chairman of Gillette's board, deplored the merger in an open letter to Gillette's directors. "Thousands of Gillette's employees will soon receive pink slips," they wrote. "Their 'leader' will receive $170 million."
While the Gillette pay stands out, it is by no means a singular occurrence. In April, Toys "R" Us disclosed that 21 current and former officers and directors could receive more than $170 million for selling the toy retailer to an investment group that includes Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Company and Bain Capital, two buyout firms, and Vornado Realty Trust, a real-estate investment trust. The $6.6 billion deal will result in a $63 million payout to John H. Eyler Jr., the toy retailer's chairman and chief executive officer who has been with the company since 2000. That includes some $30 million in stock options, $7.1 million in restricted stock, an $11 million cash severance if he leaves after the deal closes, $7 million in deferred compensation and $7.5 million to pay taxes generated by the payout.
Last year, AXA, the French insurer, bid $1.5 billion for the MONY Group, a United States financial services company. In that deal, top MONY executives were set to receive $90 million in severance and other payments, but enraged MONY shareholders threatened to vote against the merger. Only then did the executives agree to forego about $7 million.
"Shareholders have to ask sometimes, Was this executive team motivated to do this deal only because they knew this pot of gold was waiting for them at the end of the rainbow?" Pat McGurn, special counsel at Institutional Shareholder Services, an investor advisory firm in Rockville, Md., says. "In some cases, it does border on what could be considered corporate waste."
Unfortunately, shareholders find out how much of a merger's costs will wind up in the pockets of one or both company's executives only after the deals are announced. And because uncovering the payouts requires digging through complex corporate filings, some shareholders never learn about them at all. Michael S. Kesner, principal in charge of the executive compensation practice at Deloitte Consulting, says it is not uncommon for payouts to management to reach 8 percent of a merger's total cost.
How to Justify a Merger: It's All About the Growth -- Really
"I speak with senior executives in the course of my research," Robert Bruner, the Darden business school professor, told me. "They all tell stories about how they are charged with maintaining earnings growth. They can only get 5 to 6 percent growth organically, yet the C.E.O. has set a target that is much more ambitious, and they must make up the difference by acquisitions." Bruner is critical of this process, which he calls financial cosmetics. "It invites the creation of growth for appearance rather than growth that creates wealth for investors and society," he says.
Indeed, shareholders who own stock in companies that make a lot of acquisitions -- serial acquirers -- should consider whether the deals are being cooked up by executives concerned about a slowdown in growth inside their operations. (Of course, shareholders who expect rising stock prices are not without guilt themselves. As James A. Fanto, a professor at Brooklyn Law School, wrote in a study of mergers he conducted in 2000, "It is not too strong an expression to say that investors have become addicted to these transactions.")
"The only thing people get paid for these days is growth, not running a company well," Jack Ciesielski, editor of The Analyst's Accounting Observer in Baltimore, says. "The cult of growth will always encourage companies to buy other companies to paper over the valleys in their earnings patterns."
Perhaps the best -- or worst -- examples of acquisitions performed for earnings expediency were those made by Tyco International, a conglomerate, during the years it was run by L. Dennis Kozlowski. Founded in 1960 as a technology company, Tyco soon became a manufacturer of industrial products. By the late 1990's, however, it had begun promising investors that it would produce reliable earnings growth in excess of 20 percent a year. Kozlowski, who became chief executive in 1992, wanted to pattern his company after General Electric, which had produced remarkably steady earnings gains for years. Today Tyco has operations in fire and security services, health-care products and electronic components.
In 2002, Kozlowski and an associate were accused of stock fraud and of looting the company of $600 million (a figure later reduced to $150 million). After an earlier mistrial, he is currently on trial for the second time in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan.
Whether or not Kozlowski is found guilty of fraud -- at the time this article went to press, the trial was winding down -- his acquisition record certainly turned out to be flawed. Since he left Tyco, the company has registered $9 billion in losses and impaired assets.
Kozlowski, however, received more than $330 million in stock sales and other compensation in his last three years running Tyco. A good bit of his compensation was based on achieving certain financial results. Tyco cleared most, if not all, of these hurdles, at least in part because of its many acquisitions. For example, in 2001, according to Tyco's regulatory filings, Kozlowski received a cash bonus of $4 million, based on the company's 39 percent increase in net income, before nonrecurring items, and on its 31.3 percent increase in operating cash flow. That year, the company made more than 10 acquisitions that contributed to both net income and cash flow.
The Bigger the Company, the More the C.E.O. Gets (Never Mind How the Company's Doing)
An academic study from 2000 examined the relationship between chief-executive compensation and mergers in the banking world. Richard T. Bliss, a professor at Babson College in Massachusetts, and Richard J. Rosen, then a professor at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, studied bank mergers that occurred from 1986 to 1995. They found that these deals had a positive effect on the size of executive compensation and that even when an acquiring bank's stock declined following a merger, the compensation paid to the chiefs running the institutions grew significantly enough to offset any losses to their stockholdings.
"The net result is that even mergers which reduce shareholder value can be in a manager's private interest," Bliss and Rosen concluded.
Their study found that more than three-quarters of the mergers in the sample led to a 10 percent or greater boost in executive compensation. The median change in compensation following a merger, the study showed, was an increase of between 20 and 30 percent of a chief executive's premerger pay.
Bliss and Rosen also compared increases in chief executive compensation at banks where assets grew organically with those at institutions that grew, more quickly, by acquisition. For every $1 million in new assets a bank acquires through a merger, the study found, its chief executive received an increase in total compensation of $54, on average. For every $1 million in assets grown organically at a bank, its chief executive received an average $30 rise in compensation.
But those are numbers from the mid-1990's and are probably a fraction of the riches that executives receive in mergers today. Exhibit A is James Kilts's $165 million in the Gillette-Procter & Gamble deal. Eric Kraus, a spokesman for Gillette, says that the merger is a "historic opportunity" for both shareholders and employees, and he adds that Kilts "has taken a chronically underperforming company to an industry leader. . . . If the company didn't do well during his tenure as chairman, then he also wouldn't have done well, because his compensation is tied directly to performance." After the merger, according to Kraus, Kilts has agreed to keep the combined company's stock for at least 18 months.
Lucien Bebchuk, a professor of law, economics and finance and director of the program on corporate governance at Harvard Law School, recently wrote a book with Jesse Fried on executive compensation titled "Pay Without Performance." In it, he argues that when acquisitions enter the mix, top executives often get away with larger amounts of "gratuitous payments" than might otherwise be possible. One reason for this, he says, is that the gains typically made by the shareholders of a target company may lull them into complacency about outsize payments to top executives. In other words, since everyone is getting a little richer in the transaction, the fact that a couple of executives are getting a lot richer is less bothersome.
In addition, Bebchuk claims, after a firm is acquired, its directors often step down. As a result, they have less reason to be worried about confronting angry shareholders.
Why More Critics Don't Ask About the Payoffs for the Execs
It does seem odd that few large shareholders have objected to the skyrocketing payouts to top executives in these deals. One that did was the California-based CalPERS, the nation's largest public pension fund, which last year took exception to the $16.5 billion merger of two health insurance companies, Anthem, based in Indianapolis, and WellPoint Health Networks, in California.
Because the merger triggered certain changes in the employment contracts of the top executives at both companies, they received bonuses, severance payments and vested stock options totaling some $200 million. Leonard D. Schaeffer, WellPoint's chief executive, was entitled to $47 million in severance, stock options and enhanced retirement benefits.
CalPERS criticized the payments. "All this is doing is putting more money in the pockets of management, not putting money back into the company to assure the long-term value shareowners require," Rob Feckner, head of CalPERS Investment Committee, said last June. CalPERS voted against the merger, but to no avail. The deal closed in November, creating the largest health insurer in the United States, now known as WellPoint Inc.
Such sweet deals for executives are exceedingly common. Last summer, for example, when Harrah's announced that it would acquire Caesars Entertainment for $5.2 billion, one of those who hit the jackpot in the deal was Wallace R. Barr, Caesars' chief executive. Under change-in-control provisions of his contract, Barr received almost $20 million. And if he resigned from Caesars "for good reason" after the two companies merged, the contract stated, he would be entitled to an additional $6.6 million. The merger is expected to close by the end of June. (Barr declined to comment.)
Another combination from last summer involved two banks, Wachovia and SouthTrust. Under the terms of the $14.7 billion deal, Wallace D. Malone Jr., the chief executive of SouthTrust, stood to receive $59 million in stock, options and termination awards over the next five years if he left the bank. His annual pension was approximately $3.8 million. He remains vice chairman at Wachovia. A spokeswoman for the bank and Malone declined to comment.
The single biggest factor behind these eye-popping numbers are stock options, which typically vest over a period of years but in a merger can be cashed in immediately. The 21 former officers and directors at Toys "R" Us, for example, are sharing $65 million in proceeds from the vesting of their options. (A spokeswoman for Toys "R" Us notes that Eyler has never sold a share of the company's stock since he took over as C.E.O. five years ago and that most of the directors have taken their pay in company stock. Thus, she says, the interests of the executives and directors are aligned with those of shareholders.)
But executives also receive other goodies in one lump sum following a merger. First they get a hefty multiple of their average base pay -- usually 2.99 times the amount. (Any more than that and a federal tax kicks in.) Corporate executives involved in a merger may also receive enhanced retirement benefits, like a crediting of their service to age 65, even if they are nowhere near that. Another common merger perquisite for top executives is the continuation of medical and life insurance benefits and allowances for financial counseling and outplacement counseling. Reimbursement of all legal fees can also be a part of a contract.
One apparent drawback to these enormous payments is the enormous tax bill they generate for executives. Happily for them, however, their contracts almost always require the companies to pay those bills. Enter the so-called excise tax gross-up provisions, which can be so colossal that, according to one pay expert, a major merger was scuttled not long ago because the cost of covering executives' tax bills generated by the deal exceeded $100 million. And while most companies claim that executive compensation is based on performance, supposedly aligning managers' goals with shareholders' interests, many of these huge payouts are triggered regardless of whether the executives performed well or not in the years before the deal.
"While much attention is focused on the failure of many mergers and acquisitions to create lasting shareholder value, less attention is paid to company performance leading up to the transaction," Tim Ranzetta, president of Equilar, a compensation analysis firm in San Mateo, Calif., says. "It is not uncommon to see opportunistic transactions take place following a large drop in the target company's stock price or periods of chronic underperformance. It would seem illogical in situations like this that target executives would be 'rewarded' with a severance payout that can often approach three times their annual salary and bonus."
One reason that shareholder outrage about these payments has been muted may be that few people, beyond the executives themselves and maybe the company's compensation committee, know how costly these pay deals are. Even with all the scrutiny of corporate governance in recent years, a full tally of what executives will earn under a change of control is undisclosed until the deal is struck.
Experts say that many compensation committees do not even understand the size of these pay packages because they do not routinely ask their consultants for detailed lists of the various pay components.
"Sometimes I think the boards themselves are shocked at what they've done, the astronomical dollar levels they've paid out," Pat McGurn of Institutional Shareholder Services says. "That's why we encourage companies to do exactly this scenario -- what would happen tomorrow if you triggered the C.E.O. payout? Shareholders should force directors to sit down and have that 'holy cow' conversation."
Does the Urge to Merge Ever Cease?
What may be most troubling about the lavish benefits and perquisites paid to executives is that they are doled out even as lower-level employees at the merging companies lose their jobs. "One of the sine qua nons of a merger is that there is going to be some condensing of the operations," John Challenger, C.E.O. of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an outplacement firm in Chicago, told me. "So job cuts are automatic."
For most executives that do deals, it is necessary to eliminate jobs after combining the companies' operations in order to clear the performance hurdles that investors demand. For example, the promise of the Hewlett-Packard and Compaq merger in 2002 was annual savings of $2.5 billion in operating costs; the company says it wound up saving more than $3 billion (ahead of schedule too). But those savings resulted ultimately in the loss of 17,900 jobs.
According to Challenger's firm, merger activity accounted for the elimination of almost 77,000 jobs in the first quarter of 2005, or 27 percent of the total cuts that were announced. Merger-related cuts in the first quarter were 17 percent higher than they were in all of 2004. Industries registering the largest job losses so far this year are telecommunications, defense and consumer goods.
The disparity between the way top managers and their lower-level colleagues are treated in a merger has the potential to create a backlash. "I worry about merger-related job cuts," Robert Bruner says. But he adds that workers who have lost their jobs because of mergers have so far been able to find other jobs.
Merger manias do, of course, fizzle out. As is true of so many parts of the economy, they are cyclical. "Merger waves seem to come up every 20 or 30 years or so," Richard Sylla, professor of business history at the Stern School of Business at N.Y.U., says. "The great merger wave from 1898 to 1902 was when U.S. Steel was created. In the 1920's there were a lot of public utilities merging, and then we had another wave in the 1960's, which was the conglomerate merger wave." The current one, which began in the early 1980's, is the fourth such American fever of the last century or so.
In the 1960's, a combination of rising interest rates and investors' realizing that conglomerates were not necessarily the recipe for business success undermined that mania. The junk-bond-fed boom in the late 1980's ended when Michael Milken, at Drexel Burnham Lambert, drew prosecutorial scrutiny to his control of that part of the bond market. And sometimes government puts a stop to mergers: in the early 1900's, the government cracked down on a big railroad merger, Sylla notes, and in the 1930's regulations curtailed the mergers of public-utility holding companies.
What might end today's fever? "Rising interest rates and falling stock markets" could curb mergers, Bruner says. "And either self-regulatory systems of accounting and industry watchdogs as well as government regulators may challenge practices that have grown aggressive during the height of the boom."
Till then, however, we can count on more mergers, more money paid to executives and fewer jobs for everyone else.
Gretchen Morgenson is a reporter and business columnist for The Times.Continue reading the main story


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Hello and welcome,
I wanted to share with you a giveaway over at A Vintage Journey. All you need to do is visit the the link HERE. Then visit all of the blogs of the Creative Guides by clicking on their name to be transported to each of the Secret Santa posts and leave a comment.
Go back to A Vintage Journey and leave a link-up on the linky to your post where you have mentioned the Giveaway!
So easy, come join us!
This is one of the giveaways. If they receive enough links there will be another two prizes.
Another giveaway right here......
Also....... A HUGE welcome to all my new (VIP) followers!!! Thanks for joining me.
Don't forget to pop back as I will have a prize up for grabs once my blog reaches 100 followers. It currently stands at 95 so not long to go. All you need to do if you want to join is click on the side button 'Join This Site' and follow the prompts. You will need to be a follower on my blog to be in the running for the prize. All will be revealed once I reach 100.
Thanks for visiting today!!


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Back Together? Billie Lourd Spends Day at Disneyland with Ex-Boyfriend Austen Rydell
What better way to kick off the week than with a visit to the happiest place on earth. Billie Lourd spent Sunday afternoon at Disneyland Anaheim, California. The Scream Queens star was joined by actor Austen Rydell and a group of friends for the fun outing. Of course, the actress, 25, documented the day on social media, posting a slew of photos to her Instagram account. In the photos, Lourd is seen posing along Rydell, even sitting on his shoulders in one snap. Staying true to the theme, Lourd donned a red denim outfit with a pair of mouse ears to see Mickey. She also obliged when fans asked her for photos throughout the day. Lourd and Rydell, who previously dated in early 2016, have been spending a lot of time together over the past few months. In October, the two were spotted kissing ou


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Or a sink or two? The double sink in my bathroom at the retreat and the lovely view.
Last night now and home tomorrow. Just right as I am aching to get home now. It has been an amazing week and my batteries are charged.
Lucky you, lucky you, Jen. Isn't fabulous what a retreat can do !!!
It does look like a wonderful place to have a retreat.
Looks like you've had an amazing week.


text: Third of seven parts "We've been blessed," said Wally Ruston, a popular bartender at Club LaSalle at LaSalle Grill in downtown South Bend. At the upscale establishment, business has remained steady. "Our product is pretty much the best. ... At the end of the day, we're doing pretty well." His advice "It was kind of prescient," Ruston said of the introduction of the $5 martini at Club LaSalle last fall. Although the concept didn't come out of an edict to develop a lower-cost drink, the 4-ounce martinis have been selling well. Recipes for the concoctions are based on old-fashioned martinis from a century ago. "It's a real fun thing," Ruston said. It might not save you a lot of money, but it will enhance your experience, Ruston says of this tip: When ordering mixed drinks, "branch out a little. Be a little unpredictable," he said. "When you buy cocktails, try some of the old, original classics, the good ones, not the sugary ones. Try a Pegu Club cocktail (a gin and orange liqueur drink said to have originated from the Pegu Club in Burma) or a Corpse Reviver (good for when your energy is lacking.) You can get a Cosmopolitan anytime anywhere." Another tip? Buy wine by the bottle rather than the glass. Above all, Ruston says Americans should not stop going out. "Have dinner, drinks," he said. "Put money into the economy. Keep the ball rolling." -- Staff writer Kim Kilbride


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I am so sad. Crushed. Defeated by the world. *can't you hear the melancholy violin playing?* Deluded by my own apparent intelligence and facing my sure extinction due to the ignorance which pervades my very existence.
See, I have been awarded the Rockin' Girl Blogger award twice now, and can't figure out how to actually go GET it and bring it to my blog! Please, won't you help?? Can't someone out there have pity on my poor, defenseless pseudo-brain and tell me what to do??
Begging for my life (but being thankful, nonetheless)~


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Connecthings is the European leader of the Internet of Public Things. They transform cities of all sizes into world-class smart cities by connecting the physical world with the digital world. When Laetitia started the company in 2007, she had a strong vision and intuition that smartphones would be a promising bridge to connect the passive, physical world of street furniture, bus stops, shop windows, etc. to relevant digital content, delivering that content to a specific individual, at a specific location, at a specific point in time. Put simply, Connecthings facilitates the implementation of a wide range of mobile services through their proprietary networks of intelligent beacons; typically deploying iBeacon, NFC, and QR code technologies as a combined package at points of presence throughout a city. This is how the magic works: they make the invisible, visible, and the unconnected, connected.
Connecthings is based in Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Milan, Rio de Janeiro.
Prior to Connecthings, Laetitia worked for mobile operators, solution providers and major device manufacturers. In 1999 she managed the implementation of the first Mobile internet gateway for Orange. In 2001, she founded a consultancy company to provide operational support in mobile value added services implementation. Her vision of the mobile internet and the internet of things took Laetitia to found Connecthings in 2007.
In 2011, Women Business Mentoring Initiative selected Laetitia to enter the WBMI mentoring program. Today, Laetitia is proud to be part of WBMI as a mentor.
Laetitia is an engineer and is member of INRIA board. Public science and technology institution established in 1967, Inria is the only public research body fully dedicated to computational sciences. Combining computer sciences with mathematics, Inria's 3,449 researchers strive to invent the digital technologies of the future.
2.1. Connect
The Street as an Urban Nervous System.
11.00 to 12.15


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A CHARITY is launching a new 'puppy socialising' scheme to help transform the lives of deaf people.
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is appealing for volunteers in Fareham to help to train puppies.
Tony Lewry has been volunteer for four years and he said: 'Volunteering is so rewarding and it can be a roller coaster of emotions but I wouldn't change a thing.'
Volunteering Manager at the charity Victoria Leedham said: 'We are delighted to be launching our puppy socialising scheme.
'The new project will enable the charity to train more puppies to change the lives of deaf people.'
For information visit hearingdogs.org.uk/puppysocialising


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On Friday, the New York Daily News broke the news that "The head investigator for the state Board of Elections probed the 2014 fundraising efforts by (New York City) Mayor de Blasio and his team on behalf of the (New York State) Senate Democrats and found enough 'willful and flagrant' violations to warrant a criminal referral to the Manhattan DA's office."
The story has attracted virtually no national establishment press attention. The New York Times, which seems to have sensed the gravity of the matter in the nick of time, ran an excuse-making pre-emptive Thursday story which appeared on the front page of Friday's print edition. After the Daily News reported the criminal referral recommendation, the Times returned to the matter on Friday evening — and placed their coverage on Page A17 of its Saturday print edition.


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Manipal Hospitals to tap IBM's Watson for superior cancer care
IBM claims that the Watson platform can offer a diagnosis based on over 15 million pages of medical content and patient data from across the world
More From Money »
Manipal Hospitals, India's third largest hospital chain, will use International Business Machines Corp.'s cognitive computing platform Watson to help its doctors offer better cancer care and treatment, marking the first-of-its kind partnership where a new-age technology will be used to address a social issue in the country.
Both Manipal Hospitals and IBM believe that the partnership will offer the best possible treatment for cancer, a disease that kills nearly 700,000 people every year in the country.
Considering India has only one oncologist for 1,600 patients, compared to one for 100 patients in the US, assistance from an intelligent technology platform like Watson could cut down the time to treat cancer patients.
"This is a watershed moment not just for IBM in India but for the healthcare sector in the country," said Vanitha Narayanan, managing director of IBM India Pvt. Ltd. "Simply because it is the first time cognitive computing is being used in healthcare in the country."
Under the five-year partnership between billionaire Ranjan Pai-owned Manipal and IBM, beginning next summer, a cancer patient at a Manipal hospital will have the choice of getting treated by either an oncologist directly or being put under Watson-assisted evidence-based treatment.
IBM claims that Watson can offer a diagnosis based on over 15 million pages of medical content and patient data from across the world, making it an "able humble assistant to doctors".
A patient's medical records will be scanned and, based on historical patient records, a doctor will be able to offer diagnosis, using an iPad.
Manipal is expected to announce a pricing for Watson-assisted treatment early next year.
"We don't want to make it the Rolls Royce or Mercedes of cancer treatment," said Ajay Bakshi, managing director and chief executive officer at Manipal Health Enterprises, which manages 16 hospitals in the country under the Manipal Hospitals brand. "We are still in the midst of working out the pricing for this service, but for sure, it will be very affordable."
"For cancer patients, this partnership aims to offer the best and most affordable treatment as cancer is one of the most complex diseases and many a time a second or third opinion is needed. Using Watson, our doctors can rely on diagnosis based on millions of texts of medical content," Bakshi said.
For IBM and Manipal, as the service is being offered under "software as a service" model, the partnership could lead to an increase in revenue, though managements of both companies declined to quantify the revenue uptick.
IBM has been struggling to generate more money from Watson, although the management at the New York-based tech giant expects to generate at least $10 billion in business from selling its supercomputing system to clients.
One of the reasons, according to some experts, behind IBM's struggle to monetize Watson, is that there are not many reference case studies.
"At this point in time, the market is still in its infancy and service providers need to start educating the market on the implications," said Thomas Reuner, managing director at IT outsourcing firm HfS Research.
Although the government is yet to formulate a policy on patient safety records, Manipal said that it will own the patient's medical records and Watson will only use the records to offer better diagnosis.
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- Roads sector: Toll collections set to surge, but risks loom for developers


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My Asphalt 8 Airborne walkthrough guide aims to walk you all the way through to season 9 without spending a dime of real money and without grinding until your fingers bleed, sound good?
- Play to game chicago tribune sudoku.
Note: I've decided to publish this guide as a work in progress. So as I complete each season I will add to it. This allows you to follow along and also provide your own tips and tricks in the comments below.
Thanks: I'd like to say a big thank you to TouchArcade member Bullwinkle. His strategy advice in regards to early car purchases was most helpful in producing this guide.
Thanks 2: I'd also like to say a big thank you to YouTube member Elite Hectorx. His videos really helped me to learn the fastest routes around the different tracks.
Asphalt 8 Airborne is one of the most popular arcade racers on mobile. If you don't already have it on your iPhone, Android or Windows device, then you can grab it here:
To get through to season 9 with as little grinding as possible means learning the shortest routes around each track, and purchasing only the cars that you really need to make progress.
We won't be completing every single event in each series of the bat, but only those which allow us to open new events and stages without wasting credits. Later in the game when we have more credits and better cars we will return to complete the events that will help us to unlock season 9.
The aim of this guide is not to unlock every single car, that will take an age! But it will get you through to season 9 without spending on in-app purchases and with minimal grinding. Once you have reached season 9 the amount of credits awarded for each event is significantly higher than in the early seasons, making it much easier to rack up credits and purchase the cars that you desire or require.
I'd recommend playing everyday so that you get the daily credits bonus. This awards you up to 100% extra credits for your first race of the day. Even if don't have time to play each day, just boot it up to avoid loosing the bonus as it takes 5 days to build it up to 100%.
Right, let's get started!


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QEC FAST-NU, Peshawar has completed the 2nd Cycle of Self Assessment Process for BS Electrical Engineering. Assessment Team Visit for the said program held on Saturday 2nd January, 2016.
Following were Assessment Team Members;
1. Col. (R) Ashfaq Ahmed, Chairman, Department of Electrical Engineering, CECOS University, Peshawar.
2. Mr. Khalil Ullah, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, FAST-NU, Peshawar.
During the visit Assessment Team evaluated the program by using HEC's prescribed checklist and rubric. They visited departmental facilities like labs, library and classrooms. They also interviewed faculty members of the department and students of BS program.


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When purchasing the tickets, kindly choose the part of the production
you would like to see: The Devilish
Triptych or Margareta, A Theatre Gospel.When purchasing your tickets online, kindly click at the performance Master and Margareta to open the field
with two titles: The Devilish Triptych or Margareta,
A Theatre Gospel. Choose the part you would like to see. In case you decide
to see both parts of the performance, kindly purchase your tickets for another date
The novel Master and Margareta is one of the most
recognisable Russian masterpieces of the 20th century, standing at the
peak of the literary oeuvre of Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov. It is a story,
presented in three parts and many chapters. If it were a dramatic text, it
would be a so called »station drama«,more characteristic of expressionism. In his work Bulgakov drew substantially
on (literary) history – he found his central motifs in the characters of Jesus
and Pontius Pilates, quoted Pushkin many times, and quite obviously, referred to
Faustus in his dynamics Devil – Artist – Margareta. An interesting fact about
this novel is that it was presented more frequently on puppet theatre rather than
on drama theatre stages around the world.
Matija Solce is a travelling puppeteer, actor, musician and stage
director who has earned his PhD degree at the Academy of Performing Arts (DAMU)
in Prague. His performances from the suitcase and accordion have taken him
around the world where he has performed for diverse audiences. In his
performances he expands the concept of »puppet theatre« into the concept of
»object theatre«. In this case a marionette can be an object, a sound, an
actor, or a viewer, a movement or ultimately – a marionette itself.
Stage director and playwright Mirjana
Medojević graduated from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Cetinje (Montenegro)
and continued her education at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and
Television in Ljubljana, under the mentorship of Tomi Janežič. She presented her
master production Crime and Punishment in the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre.
Visual artist and set designer Tomáš
Žižka is predominantly devoting himself to site-specific theatre in non-traditional
theatre spaces as well as to the implementation of theatre in different spatial
and social contexts. He is a founder of the site-specific programme at the
Academy of Performing Arts (DAMU) in Prague, where he teaches set design.


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- Transportation
- Warehousing
- Food Logistics
- Manufacturing Support Services
- Resources
Columbian Logistics Network is pleased to announce that we will present
an educational session at the Food Defense Conference, held on June
29th through June 30th. The conference, which will be held in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, is a two-day event focused on safe and secure food supply. Product Integrity Manager, Ryan Skruch, will be presenting.
For more information, please click here.


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How To Lose Belly Fat?
How To Lose Belly Fat? Losing tummy fat takes a lot of will and discipline. If there are exercises, weight loss diet programs and strict routines then there are other lazy ways to flatten your tummy. These ways may be tried at any time of the day without following any strict rules and regulations.
How To Lose Belly Fat for women?
Top 7 Ways to Burn Belly Fat Fast in 1 month, you can follow here.
Standing Up Straight:
How To Lose Belly Fat is the best way to make your body slimmer. Standing up straight may make you look thinner. Pushing in your belly to your spine and repeating this at least 10 times may improve the posture and impact the belly by flattening it. This exercise is called Belly Ins. Sit upright on the bed with the knees bent and feet on the ground. Roll and reach out to the knees on both the sides. Do 8 reps.
Reduce Unwanted Foods And Cravings:
Eat less carbs and remove soda drinks. Try to add more and baked, grilled and boiled food. Add more veggies to the diet. Due to the fibrous properties of veggies they are a great addition to the diet. Say no to junk food. Cut down your meals. Instead of having a long gap between two meals, divide the meals into three equal and balanced parts. Use smaller plates. This will ensure you are aware of how much you are eating at one time.
Consume Plenty Of Water:
Beat hunger with a glass of water. This gives a feeling that you are full. Water hydrates the body and refrains you from eating extra. Eat atleast two liters of water every day. If you work out, then add a liter more.
Plan Your Meals In Advance:
Planning meals in advance helps you prepare the ingredients well in advance. It also stops you from eating extra without knowledge. It also helps reduce the time of preparation.
Dress up in Belly Flattening Fashions:
Choose fabrics wisely and dress up in lose clothing. Pick woven fabric which gives enough space and gap to make you look thinner. Try wearing smaller patterns. Bigger patterns may make your tummy bulge in the prominent areas and make it look awkward. Go for shapewear under your dresses.
DIY Body Wrap:
Mash papaya and mix with olive oil. Apply to the body and use a cling wrap to wrap tightly around the belly and thigh areas. Remove in 45 minutes. This detoxifies the body and makes it firmer in the tummy areas. Very prominent in the spas, it is really expensive there. It also helps in the reduction of cellulite.
Eat Slowly:
How To Lose Belly Fat want to follow 1st in Food matters. But how you eat the food also matters. Eat slowly and relish every bite of the food. This gives a fair estimate of how much more you want to eat.


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Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
Shares of video advertising specialist TubeMogul (NASDAQ:TUBE) fell as much as 26% on Friday after the company issued guidance for the current quarter and the full year that fell well short of Wall Street's expectations.
So what:
In a research note, RBC Capital attributed the stock market's reaction to an "expectations miss" rather than "fundamentals." That's clear enough in the following table, particularly on guidance for the full year:
Consensus estimate
Q1 2015 Revenue
$28 million-$30 million
$32 million
Q1 2015 Adjusted EBITDA
($5 million) – ($3 million)
($3 million)
2015 Revenue
$142 million-$152 million
$154 million
2015 Adjusted EBITDA
($19 million) – ($9 million)
($17 million)
Now what:
RBC Capital declared itself "Buyers (sic) of this 28% correction," and, given the magnitude of the decline, that might ordinarily be my inclination as well. However, investors ought to keep in mind that this is a speculative name. Programmatic video advertising is certainly a growth area, but TubeMogul's path to profitability remains cloudy. As one analyst told The Wall Street Journal:
The people in the space understand the nature of the business and they know that the unknowns are known, whereas the average institutional investor is really flying blind. ... The bigger problem with ad tech in general is that because it's evolving so quickly it's hard to know what's really going on.
As such, TubeMogul is anything but a high-visibility investment. Caveat emptor.
Alex Dumortier, CFA has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Hong Kong Financial Secretary Warns Economy is Facing its "worst time in 20 years"
Hong Kong's financial secretary John Tsang Chun-wah warned recently that the city's economy is facing its "worst time in 20 years". In the past half a decade, growth has more than halved to close to 2.5 percent. With Brexit chills, some analysts fear a contraction.
The writing has been on the wall since the global financial crisis. Yet, critical decisions have been delayed.
Growth engines fading
Hong Kong's old growth drivers remain necessary but are no longer enough. In the past, export-led growth fueled Asia's tigers, including Hong Kong. Today, advanced West can no longer absorb Asian imports, and China's growth is decelerating.
Last spring, concerns about Hong Kong's economy led some ratings agencies to downgrade their outlook to negative, after similar action on China. But while the mainland can still rely on catch-up growth and rising living standards, Hong Kong's aging economy must do with slower growth, stagnant living standards and income polarization.
Divisive, Illiberal and Calculating' Theresa May to be UK Prime Minister
"It is simply inconceivable that...May should be crowned prime minister without even having won an election in her own party, let alone the country"
news/2016/07/11/divisive- illiberal-and-calculating- theresa-may-be-crowned-uk- prime-minister
#WebOfDenial: Senators to Call Out Big Oil's Blockade of Climate Action
Senators condemn industry's "massive campaign to deceive the public about climate change"
news/2016/07/11/webofdenial- senators-call-out-big-oils- blockade-climate-action
Republicans Back Exxon's Right To Be A Climate Denier
The latest development in a now tit-for-tat battle over the so-called 'web of denial' that fossil fuel companies are increasingly being accused of spinning over decades, in order to delay action on climate change.
Draft Republican Platform Calls for Annexation of Area C of West Bank
The so-called two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has always been a distraction to buy time for the Israelis to annex most of the West Bank, and will be tangled up in the unexamined question of controlling access to scarce water resources.