text:
In 2011 we won an award for Best New Community Project. Join genealogists worldwide (and our relatives and friends) who have found a simple way to make a big difference.
20 May 2012
Genealogists for Families: a Milestone
The Genealogists for Families project is less than eight months old, but today we reached a significant milestone.
Through the non-profit organisation Kiva, the Genealogists for Families team has now loaned a total of $15,000 to low-income borrowers without access to traditional banks. We have helped over 1,000 individuals to expand their small businesses so they can support their families, educate their children or install windows, running water etc in their homes.
(Postscript, 18 May 2013: It is only one year since I wrote this, but the total amount loaned by our team has now reached a staggering $57,000+. That's because we have over 260 members who keep re-lending the same $25 each time it is repaid.)
The graph above shows the wide variety of small businesses that our loans are currently supporting. It does not include loans that have already been fully repaid. (Repeatedly lending the same $25 does so much more good than a one-time donation to charity!)
Please join the Genealogists for Families team - we are really making a difference! For a limited time, new members can make a free trial loan. It costs you nothing because it is sponsored by an anonymous donor.
You may be also interested in a series of articles in which team members write about their family history research interests and how these are linked to their experiences with Kiva.
9 comments:
Proud to be involved in such a super project.ReplyDelete
What a wonderful achievement.ReplyDelete
Amazing achievement in just 8 months!ReplyDelete
Wow! That's an amazing testament to the group and those who contribute to easing the poverty of the poor folk who require (relatively) so little to make their lives more productive and secure.ReplyDelete
Well done, folks!
Brilliant achievement!ReplyDelete
Wow well done! Honoured to be a new part of the team.ReplyDelete
Thank you all for your comments, and for being such active and supportive members of the team. Did you see Pauleen's great article today on her blog Family history across the Seas?ReplyDelete
Excellent idea--but then to actually put it into successful action -- now there's the accomplishment. congratulations!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Linda. Getting the project up and running took more of my time than I expected, but it has been very satisfying on many levels.Delete
If you want to comment but cannot do so because of restrictions designed to block spam, please email me at the address shown in the sidebar.


text:
GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) are foods that have been created through crossbreeding, mutagenesis or genetic engineering. In the past 20 years GMO's have made their way into many of the food on our shelves, here's a list of top foods ...Read More
There's a plethora of organic food items available. But, is organic a good choice? Buy and bite with more confidence after you've sunk your teeth into these substantial organic facts. First, what does organic mean? • No synthetic pesticides or ...Read More
From fish to apples, corn to potatoes, we Canadians interact with GMOs everyday. Yet, some countries have mandatory labeling while others completely ban GMOs. Whether you are GMO savvy, or new to the topic, discover more about GMOs. What are ...Read More

subset: commoncrawl


text:
As nations dither on climate change, big cities step up
MEXICO CITY — Global megacities such as Mexico City, Seoul, Paris and Los Angeles are more populous than scores of countries, and devour huge amounts of energy, but they've carried no weight in United Nations climate change talks.
Until now.
Next week, when envoys come together in Cancun for a follow-up session to last year's rancorous U.N. climate talks in Copenhagen, Mexico City's mayor will be on hand to trumpet how the world's great cities are finding ways to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions blamed for higher global temperatures.
Few expect the Cancun meeting to make progress toward an agreement on emissions reductions, which scientists say are critical to heading off extreme weather, crop failures and rising sea levels. But as nations dither, hundreds of cities are pledging to rein in emissions, slash energy usage, and turn to renewable energy sources.
Mayors say they see greater urgency than national leaders do.
"When there is a flood, a drought, torrential rains, those who show their face before the citizens and must offer a response are the mayors. So they are the ones who are most worried by the risks," said Marta Delgado, the environmental secretary for Mexico City.
"We're leading the way," Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told a gathering of 135 mayors who met in Mexico City in anticipation of the Cancun session. "The national governments have tried to run away from their responsibility."
Organized by Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, the World Mayors Summit on Climate became a forum not only for the initiatives cities have taken to reduce emissions but also for the frustrations the urban leaders feel at being locked out of financing for broader, deeper programs.
"Cities play an absolutely strategic role in the fight against climate change," said David Cadman, who heads Local Governments for Sustainability, a group that counts 1,200 cities, towns, counties and associations among its members.
Urban areas consume as much as 60 percent of global energy production and emit 70 percent of greenhouse gases, Cadman said. Cities now house half of the world's population but will contain two-thirds of its population by mid-century, he said.
Mayors control policies on transportation, water and solid waste management, street lighting and the energy efficiency of buildings, noted Mexico City's Delgado.
Still, mayors were left on the sidelines of the Copenhagen summit last November.
"Copenhagen was a fiasco. There was no real outcome," Kadir Topbas, the mayor of Istanbul, told his colleagues, who came from Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. "The planet is giving us very bad signals."
Topbas said his city, which straddles the narrow Bosphorus Strait that connects the Black Sea with the Mediterranean, is thinking of radical energy solutions for its 11 million residents, including harnessing currents in the strait to produce electricity.
Mentioning his own initiatives, Villaraigosa said Los Angeles is replacing 144,000 streetlights with efficient LED lamps, ditching diesel trucks, recycling 65 percent of its garbage and moving to become "the electric vehicle capital of the United States by the end of 2011."
"The potential of cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is enormous," said Cassam Uteem, former president of the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius.
As owners of utilities and providers of key services, he said, "cities can help change citizen behavior toward energy consumption."
Mexico City, one of the world's biggest metropolises with well over 20 million people, has cut greenhouse gas emissions by 4 percent in the past two years.
Ebrard was nominated by his fellow mayors, including those of Buenos Aires, Bogota, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Paris and Vancouver, to represent them at the Cancun gathering, which may bring as many as 30,000 people to the coastal resort through Dec. 10.
Environmental advocates watch the activism of cities with interest even as they press for a legally binding global agreement to combat climate change.
"Some of the folks (from cities) are positioning this as, 'Well, if the international process can't deliver, then we'll replace it,'" said Jake Schmidt, the international climate policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council, a New York-based advocacy group.
Schmidt said country leaders eventually would respond to steps by the larger cities: "Each of these local processes do encourage national leaders to take action."
But some city leaders say the lack of national and global agreement keeps their hands tied on large projects, blocking financing from development banks.
"There is, theoretically, all this money out there, but they struggle to get their hands on it," said Ian Neilson, the deputy mayor of Cape Town, the second most populous city in South Africa behind Johannesburg, referring to his fellow mayors.
Neilson said the lack of an international agreement prevents his city from carrying out plans to build a wind farm. "We in South Africa cannot access European credits without this mechanism in place," he said.
Businesses see risk, opportunity in climate change
Is climate change to blame for bigger ocean waves?
Wind energy can power much of East Coast, study says
Russian fires prompt Kremlin to make u-turn and embrace climate change
Check out this McClatchy blog: Mexico Unmasked


text:
A Christmas party hosted by a Midtown Shopping Center business owner for an estimated 800 school children and their families brought abundant food, gifts and joy to Cesar Chavez Academy in East Palo Alto on Wednesday evening.
The party was thrown by Ani Safavi, owner of Como Esta? Taqueria in Palo Alto, and Moms Against Poverty, a Burlingame nonprofit organization headed by Iranian and Iranian-American women.
Approximately 91 percent of the school's students live below the poverty line.
Paulina Salazar brought her daughter, Katherine, 8, a student at Cesar Chavez, and two young friends.
"I love it. It is so fun for the kids," she said, watching third-grader Filiberto Zaragoza's eyes light up as he unwrapped a LEGO jet airplane kit.
"It feels good. Palo Alto seems like they think we have low schools and a low community. That people come to see us and don't feel in danger, that's good. I live here, and it's been really good," she said of the community.
This isn't the first year that Safavi and Moms Against Poverty have teamed up for charity.
Last year Safavi approached the group about doing a toy and food giveaway at the taqueria. In only 10 days, they amassed 400 toys and put together bags of food for the families. But they found that many people did not have transportation to get to Palo Alto, so this year the party was brought to East Palo Alto, she said.
The dinner and gift-giving included Santa Claus, music and a twinkling tree. Children who depend on school meal programs for two out of three daily meals were able to take food home after the party, school Principal Amika Guillaume said.
Safavi used her restaurant on Middlefield Road to cook dozens of chickens and hams and gallons of beans for the party.
"I have been in the restaurant business in Palo Alto for 25 years. I have a passion for food and children. I have been successful, so I thought, 'Why not use my business as an anchor to help the community?'" she said.
Midtown residents and the restaurant's customers filled the colorful donation boxes Safavi placed at the restaurant's entrance and in the indoor seating area. The Burlingame Fire Department donated 10 bags of toys this year, she said.
Rob Steele, zoo director of the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo, donated 170 toys through the City of Palo Alto's Toys for Kids drive.
"I think it's fantastic," he said of the effort.
Between 20 and 30 volunteers spent last Saturday and Sunday wrapping 900 gifts, Safavi said. On Wednesday morning, her car was filled to the roof with wrapped gifts. Safavi forgot about them when she went to drive her son to school.
"He had to hide under the presents," she said.
East Palo Alto police officers handed out the gifts -- a way to help put the officers in a positive light, she said. A mass of children crowded around the officers as they tossed age-appropriate gifts to each recipient.
Guillaume said the party and toy/food giveaway fills an enormous gap. Most students rely on breakfast, lunch and two snacks provided by the school each day for most of their nutrition. With the holiday break, the students will not be fed at school. The bags of rolls, meats and fresh oranges and bananas will help fill that gap during the break, she said.
At the party, colorful red and green tablecloths adorned a sea of round tables like giant polka dots. Each had a centerpiece assigning the seated families as a team. Each bore the name of a college or university: Team SCU, Team Vassar, Team Chapman, Team UCSC -- hopeful and encouraging reminders that the students can fulfill their dreams and the community is behind them.
"You feel close to yourself and to everyone," volunteer Negin Lotfi said, dishing out slabs of ham and roasted chicken.
Moms Against Poverty helps needy children in the United States through its Helping Hand Project to provide food, clothing and educational assistance. Overseas, Moms Against Poverty provides food and shelter, has opened orphanages, provided medical care and education to help break the cycle of poverty among the neediest in Sierra Leone, Iran, Cambodia, Afghanistan, cofounder Delfarib Fanaie said.
Already, Fanaie and Guillaume are strategizing how to be better organized for the onslaught next year.
For Safavi, the opportunity to open her kitchen and her heart was a great gift, she said.
"Just to see them happy for that moment. It may not resolve the situation permanently, but it's wonderful to see the community so excited. It's a wonderful way to create an anchor," she said.


text:
Request Information Contact a Representative Apply Now Request a Tour
Why KCOM? : Preparing for D.O. Program Admission : Preparing for M.S. Program Admission : Visit KCOM : Accreditation
Preparing for M.S. Program Admission
General Admissions Requirements : Biomedical Sciences Program Requirements : Application Checklist : Fact Sheet
Admission to the Biomedical Sciences program is available during each academic year to individuals who meet the requirements and complete the application checklist.


text:
Can you feel it? The clocks have shifted forward, the days are longer and it's light into the evening a little later. Like a rhythmic clock that chimes every season on the season, my body begins to crave greens and lighter foods.
I turn my gaze to the garden, snow-covered though it may still be, and begin to dream about what will be if it's a good Maine summer – the signs of green, the burgeoning vines of peas and green beans, the warm, juicy tomatoes.
This garden musing doesn't last long before I'm thinking about how to do a little gardening even with the cold temperatures and snow. Planting seeds in my indoor makeshift window boxes and the mini-greenhouse out in the garden is the obvious first. The early shoots are beginning to appear even as snow falls and freezing rain keeps us indoors. The seeds know it's time and are popping up one by one.
So as I wait for my homegrown micro-greens to fill out enough to snip with a tiny pair of scissors (because someone might not be patient enough to wait for a full-blown row of baby greens; as a matter of fact, I'm quite sure this is how micro greens began – due to impatience rather than culinary trendiness), we'll buy more kale and spinach. Add it to smoothies, eat it in salads and cook it in myriad ways – because that's what our bodies crave.
And we'll pair it with bright, light-tasting meals that are astringent and sour and pair well with dark and bitter greens.
Meanwhile, before those golden days of greens from the garden arrive – and they will – I console myself with just the dreaming.
3 chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally; about 6 to 8 ounces each
2 tablespoons canola oil (maybe more)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup corn meal
2 tablespoons capers
3/4 cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 tablespoons at the beginning and 2 tablespoons to finish)
1/4 cup white wine
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice; juice from about 1 lemon
2 tablespoons water
Several grinds of fresh black pepper
Beat the egg in a large flat bowl or sided platter. Combine the Parmesan cheese and cornmeal on a plate. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, dredge the chicken breasts in the egg and then the cheese and cornmeal mixture. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and gently place some of the chicken in the pan.
You will need to do them in two or three batches; it's better for there to be a little space between the the pieces rather than to crowd them in the pan. After 3 to 5 minutes on one side, turn and pan-fry 3 to 5 minutes on the other side. Transfer to a clean platter. Repeat as necessary, adding more oil if needed.
When the chicken is done, wipe out the pan and return it to the stove over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter, the capers and olives, and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the white wine and bring to a simmer. Reduce by half. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, water, pepper and butter, and whisk gently until the butter is incorporated.
Taste for salt and then spoon over the chicken breasts. Serve immediately.
Servings: Four to six
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks; about 4 potatoes
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for the potato water
Several grinds of fresh white pepper (black pepper is OK if you don't mind seeing the specks of black)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
In a large stock pot, cover the potatoes and garlic with salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and run through a ricer into a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, reserving some milk. With a hand mixer or potato masher, mix the potatoes until ingredients are just incorporated. Add more milk and salt if needed.
Servings: Four to six
It's important for safety reasons to have the spinach as dry as possible before adding it to the hot pan.
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 tablespoons pinenuts
2 tablespoons minced garlic, about 2 cloves of garlic
18 ounces spinach, ribbed, cleaned and dried thoroughly
Sea salt a pinch or two
Several grinds of fresh black pepper
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and the pinenuts. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula until the nuts are lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic for another 30 seconds or so, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat and add the spinach, salt and pepper, turning into the nuts and garlic with tongs. When the spinach has reduced by half in volume, but still has some leaves that are not wilted, remove from pan immediately and serve.
Servings: Four to six
Anne Mahle of Rockland is the author of "At Home, At Sea." She can be reached at: [email protected]
Nation & World
Newly released federal data shows largest drug companies flooded nation with 76 billion opioid pills
Northern Forecaster
Falmouth adopts multi-faceted opioid action plan
Our View: 'Extreme heat' on tap for Maine summers
Local & State
Do you have a winning vision of Portland's future? Make your case by Monday.
Mystery overheating may be due to cooling fan


text:
Fox News Daytime Calls Out Fox News Primetime For Damaging Public Debate
Blog ››› ››› EMILY ARROWOOD
Fox News' America's Newsroom criticized a Hannity segment for "cross[ing] the line" of "civil society" after a frequent Hannity guest yelled for his female debate opponent to "know your role and shut your mouth." The daytime program wondered if this type of behavior -- not far from standard fare on Hannity and other Fox primetime programming -- damages the nation's ability to have serious discussions.
Radio host and frequent Hannity guest Bill Cunningham appeared on the June 20 edition of Hannity to debate Fox contributor Tamara Holder on the merits of claims that Attorney General Eric Holder mislead Congress while under oath. Out of the gate, Cunningham told Tamara Holder she was "one of the stooges of the left," pointing his finger at her while loudly shouting, "Sign the petition, Tamara! To call for the resignation of the chief law enforcement officer of this nation because he lied under oath when he criminalized journalism. And you know he did it but you refuse to do what's right." Holder replied that, "your finger does not prove your point," pointing back at Cunningham:
CUNNINGHAM: Whose finger's in my face right now?
HOLDER: Mine, because I'm telling you to shut up.
CUNNINGHAM: Wait a minute. You shut up. Know your role and shut your mouth.
HOLDER: My role as a woman?
CUNNINGHAM: Yeah. Yeah.
HOLDER: What is your obsession with stooges? Aren't stooges like little elves?
CUNNINGHAM: I'm sitting next to you. I'm sitting next to you. And you're a liberal stooge and an excuse-monger for the Obama administration.
HOLDER: Never mind. I --
CUNNINGHAM: What are you going to cry?
HOLDER: No! I'm not going to cry.
CUNNINGHAM: You're not going to cry?
The next morning, America's Newsroom dedicated a segment to whether Cunningham's behavior "crossed the line," concluding that conduct like this on Hannity stifled important public debate on national issues. Host Martha MacCallum appeared speechless after playing an excerpt of Cunningham's comments, asking, "Is this what we've come to? Is this civil society?"
Fox contributors Juan Williams and Mary Katherine Ham agreed that Cunningham's conduct was unacceptable, as Williams asserted, "He not only crossed the line, he obliterated the line ... I think it shut down the conversation. That doesn't help."
MacCallum shared the concern that personal attacks like Cunningham's damage the nation's ability to communicate, wondering, "What does this say, sort of, about our ability to communicate and you know, have a serious, respectful discussion on these things these days?" Williams replied, "What it does is, it makes it very difficult then to cross lines to have reasoned conversation."
Bill Cunningham has been crossing the line for years, and yet Fox continues to host him during primetime. Among his most egregious claims, Cunningham has declared President Obama "to be the beast. Six-six-six," and said that under the Obama administration "women are going to sell their bodies for pennies." He claimed the poor are in poverty "because they lack values, ethics, and morals" and advocated "beat[ing]" the hell outta" the homeless. Still, a Nexis transcript search finds Hannity has hosted Cunningham eight times so far in 2013.
- Posted In
- Diversity & Discrimination, Gender, Government
- Network/Outlet
- Fox News Channel
- Person
- Juan Williams, Bill Cunningham, Martha MacCallum
- Show/Publication
- America's Newsroom, Hannity
Instructions for signing up and claiming your comment history are located here.
Updated rules for commenting are here.


text:
Student Resources
Diabetes is a popular research topic for high school, college, and graduate-level students, as well as professionals in the field.
We've gathered together resources we believe will assist you in your efforts to locate reliable, scientifically verified information and data about diabetes.
How to Reference Our Site
The proper way to reference diabetes.org in your school reports and professional articles.
Resources for School Projects
If you are looking for additional resources for your research project, consider visiting these reliable sources.
History of Diabetes Timeline
Visit our interactive timeline, constructed in honor of the Association's 75th Anniversary.


text:
Time to brainstorm some extra adventure objectives!Adventure Objective Table (2d6)
2 .......... rescue princess/maiden in distress
3 .......... kill traitor/spy
4 .......... find hermit/sage
5 .......... recover magic item
6 .......... slay bandit lord
7 .......... recover treasure
8 .......... rescue village hostages
9 .......... destroy evil temple/shrine
10 .......... find lost/kidnapped person
11 .......... find disease cure
12 .......... kill sworn enemy
Defend poor village from savage marauders (The Magnificent Seven).
Find out what slaughtered an earlier band of mercenaries in a remote, inhospitable part of the world (Predator).
Hunt an enemy ship and try to capture it as a prize. (Master and Commander). I figure AFF needs some more nautical adventure material.
Anyone else have some great ideas for more adventure hooks?


text:
Tonight Everton will take on the Major League Soccer All-Star team. Here's how Toffeeweb previews the match:
The BIG game… in a small stadium… in a soccer backwater that is Sandy, Utah (near Salt Lake City), United States of America. That's the venue for this season's MLS All-Star game against Everton, the prestigious match that will finally answer the question on the lips of all US soccer fans: "Who is Everton?"
The MLS has had great success in its All-Star game, winning all five of its matches against big-time clubs. The five victims are Fulham, Chelsea, Celtic (Scotland), West Ham and Chivas (Mexico). Here are the results against British opposition:
2005 MLS All-Stars 4-1 Fulham
2006 MLS All-Stars 1-0 Chelsea
2007 MLS All-Stars 2-0 Glasgow Celtic
2008 MLS All-Stars 3-2 West Ham United
It helps, of course, that this is just a pre-season tune-up match for the opposition.
Everton has experienced its usual off-season — watching the competition purchase big-name players while we try to hold on to our own stars.
Everton thought it had a deal to purchase Kyle Naughton, a promising 20 year-old right back from Sheffield United in the second-tier English division, but Tottenham snatched him up at the last minute. Now we're apparently inquring about the Tottenham right back Naughton will likely displace.
We tried to buy a Stephane Mbia, a quality midfielder from Rennes in France, but he opted for French giants Marseille. Next, we reportedly targeted Lorik Cana, the Marseille midfielder Mbia will supplant, but he opted to play for Sunderland, of all teams.
Our only acquisition so far, other than on loan, is Anton Peterlin, an obscure American midfielder who plays for the Ventura County Fusion. The Fusion is not even an MLS team. Our great manager Davey Moyes says that Peterlin is a useful player, and given Moyes' record, he may end up contributing. Still it's not enough to make an Evertonian's heart go "Wooaaahh."
The real drama for Everton concerns the attempts of Manchester City (the new Chelsea when it comes to splashing the cash) to sign Joleon Lescott, our star defender. With money apparently no object, City may well get its man. The money we receive may enable us finally to have an impact in the transfer market, if there's anyone left to buy.
Business as usual for Everton, then. But perhaps it will also be business as usual when the season starts and we take on big-spending wannabes like Tottenham and Manchester City. If not, there's still Sunderland.
In the meantime, the faithful can enjoy Everton first-ever appearance on ESPN.
UPDATE: We can also enjoy blasts from the past like this Lee Carsley goal against the Shite:


text:
Joy Of Groovy
Published in: Development, Groovy, LanguagePosted by yighu on 07/29/09
In my work and my volunteer, I need to do a lot of scripting for all kinds of things such as system administration, data migration etc. I have used shell script, perl and many other tools on and off for a long time before. Scripting with Groovy brings me much joy and fun.
Groovy brings the full Java language and its own flavors to your finger tips while you are typing and thinking your tasks and you can do a lot of things very easily and much simpler than other scripting. Here I will put up a few examples that demonstrate a few tricks that can simplify a lot of daily scripting work:
- File Manipulation
- Configuration
- Database Access
- Logging
Suppose you want to create a file and put stuff in it. This is how you do it:
def file=new File("test.txt")
do this: file.append("line 1\n") file.append("line 2\n")
Now the file has 2 lines.
Later some where, you want to do something with the data in the file, for example email the data to some one, this is how you get the content for the file: def content=file.txt()
Suppose you want to write a method, for example log(String text). The log method basically append what ever text into a log file.
binding['writer']=new File("log.txt")
def log(String text){ writer.append(text+"\n") }
Now suppose, instead of putting the log into a log file, I want to put the log into a database table for easy to search or may be for data warehousing purpose, you can easily change the above log method without touching the rest of your code.
def log(String text){ sql.execute("insert into usertrace(id,description) value(?,?)",[nextid(),text]) }
where nextid() is simply a method that return you the next id of table usertrace.
Now what is sql here? Before I talk sql, I need to touch the groovy configuration a bit.
The ConfigSlurper is a cool thing.
You might have been used to manipulate the java Property class which you need to load the property file and then use getter method to fetch the string property you want. The groovy way is much simpler.
In this code, MyConfig.groovy is a groovy class which contains name/value pairs, one of them is called sql like this:
This is how you get the property sql.
binding['cfg']=new ConfigSlurper().parse(new File('MyConfig.groovy').toURL()) binding['sql']=cfg.sql
Notice that the new variable sql is an object, not just a String as in Java Property file. Then you can execute the method of the object sql, like we did in the above log method.
Have fun so far! As you explore Groovy, you will discover them more.


text:
Used Cars Gainesville FL
Comments are closed.
Follow Us
Getting approved with Bad Credit or No Credit has never been easier! Bad Credit auto loans in Gainesville, FL, are what we do at Paul West Used Cars. Our easy, in-house, buy-here-pay-here financing starts by filling out this online auto loan application. We will be in touch shortly!
Mon - Fri: 9 am - 6 pm Saturday: 9 am - 3 pm Sunday: Closed
Paul West Used Cars, Gainesville FL


text:
SANTA BARBARA,Calif. – For the second straight season Stacey Schmidt was honored as a First Team All-West Region selection and she wasn't the lone UC Santa Barbara women's volleyball player honored. Fellow senior Chelsey Lowe was also named a First Team All-West Region selecton as UCSB placed two players on the First Team for the third consecutive season.
Schmidt, a senior from Huntington Beach, Calif., averaged 2.93 kills per set and 0.91 blocks per set this season while hitting .278. She was named to the All-Big West First Team for the third straight season. Schmidt becomes the eighth Gaucho to be named to the All-West Region First Team more than once in her career.
"What an accomplishment for Stacey to be rewarded back-to-back," UCSB head coach Kathy Gregory said. "Overall her game improved from last year as she was able to play the back row and become a defensive player. That made her all-around game so important for us. As a captain and a leader, Stacey really withstood the pressure and always competed at a high level."
Lowe set a school record with her 652 total digs, for an average of 5.30 per set. That total placed her among the top 30 liberos in the nation. The Yorba Linda, Calif. native finished her career ranked in the school's top-10 in total digs and she was named to the All-Big West First Team as well. She is the first back row player to be honored as an All-West Region First Team selection since Kristin Nelson in 2004.
"This is a remarkable award because it is very difficult for a libero to be selected but no one could deny her superior play this season," Gregory said. "With her high digs per set average, as well as her ability to pass all over the court for our freshman setter, Chelsey brought an inspirational attitude and effort and that was instrumental in our never-say-die attitude throughout the year."
UCSB, which finished the season 19-12 overall and in second place in the Big West, has had multiple selections on the All-West Region First Team for three straight years now. In 2009 Rebecca Saraceno and Dana Vargas were picked; last season Vargas and Schmidt were chosen.


text:
Three Indian-Americans and their associate have been charged by federal regulator in an insider trading scheme where they reaped USD 12 million in illegal profits by trading in shares of a discount clothing chain. US Securities and Exchange Commission alleged that Saleem Khan was routinely tipped by his friend Roshanlal Chaganlal, who was a director in the finance department at Ross headquarters in California.
Khan used the confidential information to illegally trade on more than 40 occasions ahead of the company's public release of financial results. The SEC's complaint charges Khan, Chaganlal, Mendonsa, and Akbari with violating the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws. The complaint seeks permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement of illicit profits plus interest, financial penalties and an officer-and-director bar against Chaganlal.
Besides trading in his own brokerage account, Khan traded in his brother-in-law's account as well as an account belonging to another acquaintance. Khan also tipped his work colleagues Ranjan Mendonsa and Ammar Akbari so they too could trade in Ross stock options based on the nonpublic information. The insider trading resulted in collective profits of more than 12 million dollars, the SEC said.
The SEC further alleged that at the outset of the scheme, Chaganlal gave USD 17,000 to Khan for the purpose of insider trading in Ross securities using the brother-in-law's account. Khan later funnelled USD 1,30,000 of the generated trading profits back to Chaganlal by using third-party intermediaries. According to the SEC's complaint filed in federal court in San Francisco, Khan separately made approximately USD 4,50,000 in illicit profits by insider trading in stock options of a software company ahead of its 2012 acquisition by Oracle.
The SEC alleges that the serial insider trading involving Ross securities began in August 2009 and continued until December 2012, when Chaganlal was terminated by the company. He had access to confidential sales figures on an internal webpage limited to a relatively small group of Ross employees. Chaganlal regularly communicated the confidential details
to Khan so he could trade ahead of impending monthly sales announcements by Ross.
Khan generated USD 5.4 million in profits, and USD 6 million in profits in his brother-in-law's account. Khan's supervisor Mendonsa made approximately USD 8,00,000 in insider trading profits based on the nonpublic information that Khan in turn tipped to him.


text:
By Julie Edgar
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Lisa Zamosky
Latest Prevention & Wellness News
May 31, 2013 -- Major joint replacement surgery costs $128,000 at a hospital in San Francisco and $59,000 at one in Chicago. Post-heart attack care ranges from $34,000 in a Little Rock facility to $81,000 in a Miami hospital.
The wide variation in pricing among U.S. hospitals became public when the federal government recently released prices charged by more than 3,000 hospitals. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said it released the data to fulfill a mandate of the Affordable Care Act to bring more transparency to hospital pricing practices.
Yet, do these numbers really help people save money and make more informed health care choices?
WebMD went to a health care economist, the American Hospital Association (AHA), and the HHS for answers.
What does the information on hospital pricing show?
The HHS data shows the prices hospitals in different markets charged in 2011 for the 100 most common inpatient services for Medicare patients. It also shows what the government paid to the hospitals for those services. The numbers are rarely the same.
Medicare sets a fixed payment rate for the overall type of service or treatment, such as joint replacement surgery, as opposed to the number of times a doctor sees a patient or the number of procedures a patient receives during one hospital stay. This is known as paying by episode. The rate it pays varies by hospital. Things affecting that rate include the number of low-income or sicker people the hospital serves and whether the hospital is an educational teaching facility.
Why is there such a big cost difference for the same services?
Hospital rates are based on a number of factors, according to the American Hospital Association, including:
- Scope of services provided
- Whether the hospital serves a large portion of poorer and sicker patients
- Community reputation of the hospital
The difference in costs between one hospital and another is a "byproduct" of the marketplace, says the AHA.
Caroline Steinberg, the AHA's vice president of trends analysis, believes the focus should shift from pricing to what hospitals actually collect for their services. Medicare and private insurer payments to hospitals are typically far lower than the stated cost. Medicare sets the rate of reimbursement, even though it adjusts the rates according to factors like the number of poorer people the hospital serves, Steinberg says.
But economist William Custer, PhD, director of health services research at the Institute of Health Administration at Georgia State University, says these factors can't explain the cost variations.
"Hospitals have historically set prices based on their own methodology. One hospital can set prices three times greater than another; there's no real pattern," says Custer. "If we had a healthy health services market, you would expect those prices to be much closer aligned."
What does the publication of hospital pricing mean for the average person?
The bottom line: not much. The charges made public are for Medicare patients, and Medicare pays standard amounts for care. If you're covered by Medicare, the deductibles and co-insurance you pay for hospitalization are also set amounts.
For people who carry private insurance -- a PPO or HMO -- the pricing may also not be relevant to what they pay for inpatient care as long as they're in-network. That's because hospitals charge private insurers a rate they negotiate between themselves. Very few people have traditional insurance plans in which they pay the difference between what the hospital charges for a service and what the insurer will pay.
There are still other rates for people without health insurance. They need to negotiate with the hospital themselves. Knowing what Medicare pays is a good place to start negotiations.
If they aren't going to be paid what they charge, why do hospitals even set prices?
The hospital charges, theoretically, reflect the cost of providing a service. Some insured people have higher out-of-pocket costs that could be affected by the rate a particular hospital charges, and uninsured people might be able to use the data to get a baseline cost for an inpatient procedure, according to an HHS spokesperson.
The release of the pricing data was intended to get people to ask providers about the cost of their own health care, according to HHS. Ultimately, the agency believes that having the information will empower people and pressure health providers to make procedures more affordable.
Will this practice be the same when the Affordable Care Act takes effect?
As the government tries to drive down costs of health care, insurance companies will be under greater pressure to get better rates in hospitals, says Custer.
"Insurers may be squeezed a bit between consumers and providers," he says.
Under the Affordable Care Act, hospitals will follow the lead of the Medicare pricing system, billing for episodes rather than services. And rates may be capped for the episode, depending on whether it's stroke care or internal bleeding, for example.
That's a positive, says Custer. "Right now, we pay for each service," he says. "If we begin to pay for an episode of care and weigh payment on the quality of care provided, providers will be given incentive to give only care that is necessary and to identify the most appropriate services.''
So, how should ordinary people choose a hospital if they need one?
Think quality rather than cost.
Pricing varies for reasons other than the actual cost of the services provided, anyway, so you're better off looking at quality-of-care information, says Custer.
That's not easy information to gather these days. But some of that data are available in the "Hospital Compare'' section of the Department of Health and Human Services web site.
SLIDESHOWSee Slideshow
"Consumers are going to have to do a lot more to make choices," he says.
The American Academy of Family Physicians says in a statement that people need both pricing and quality-of-care data to make informed choices. "That would allow patients to have a conversation with their primary care physician and then make the best decision for their individual needs," the statement reads.
If you're not on Medicare, will you be able to find out how much a service will cost you?
That's questionable. HHS is providing $87 million in grants to states to set up data review centers, with the goal of improving health pricing oversight and transparency.
The Rate Review Grant Program would provide states with the money to collect, analyze, and publish health pricing and medical claims reimbursement information.
Also, there's a movement underway, mostly led by large employers, to gain greater price transparency from health care providers. Today, many firms that provide employee health benefits, and most insurers, offer a pricing tool to help people determine their medical costs before they go for care. The goal in part is to encourage people to become better health care consumers by comparing providers on price vs. quality.
Steinberg of the AHA says the organization supports the drive for greater transparency and accountability. She says insurance companies should make pricing data available to their subscribers so they can go online and find out exactly what their financial obligation is -- the rates negotiated by their carrier and their copays.
"That needs to come from the payers,'' Steinberg says. "We're supportive of all stakeholders coming together and providing meaningful information to consumers.''
SOURCES: William S. Custer, PhD, director, Health Services Research, Institute of Health Administration, Georgia State University. Caroline Steinberg, vice president, trends analysis, American Hospital Association. Kathryn Ceja, office of communications, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
©2013 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Runners have yet another tool to keep track of their soaring pulse rates while they exercise. The Scosche myTrek is an arm band with a bluetooth-enabled pulse monitor that'll send your workout stats to your iPhone or iPod touch.
When you hit the pavement, you'll wear your iOS device on one arm and the heart rate monitor on the other. The monitor will track your pulse rate, while the iPhone's GPS will track your workout distance and time. Combined, you'll get a nice summary of your daily workout.
And if you're one of those types who burns their ear drums with motivational music, the pulse monitor band even includes controls for your iPhone's music player. Comfort and convenience comes with a price tag — the myTrek pulse monitor costs a hefty $130. [Scosche]
You can keep up with Kelly Hodgkins, the author of this post, on Twitter, Google + or Facebook.


text:
Mandelbrot and Julia: A surprising relationship
My students's honours projects revealed a surprising relation between Mandelbrot and Julia sets, illustrated in the video. As is well known, each point on the Mandelbrot set generates a corresponding Julia set, and moving the point on Mandelbrot causes the corresponding Julia to vary in a characteristic way. Also as is well known, the Mandelbrot set contains reduced images of itself, and similarly the Julia set contains reduced images of itself. Here is what surprised me: moving a point about the reduced Mandelbrot set causes the reduced Julia set to vary, in exactly the same characteristic style as moving a point about the full Mandelbrot causes the full Julia to vary. This only becomes apparent when using a real-time interactive application such as Mandelbrot Maps. Is this fact well known? (I've spotted at least one other YouTube video illustrating the fact, so I'm not the only one to discover it.)
The video above was produced by my student, Alasdair Corbett, whose version of Mandelbrot Maps for Android phones and tablets is available from Google Play (formerly Android Market). Alasdair is using the Google Play rating system as part of the evaluation for his honours project, and I encourage you to download the app and rate it. (Not to mention that it's great fun to use.) We believe Alasdair's project is the only Android app that permits real-time interaction showing the relation between Mandelbrot and Julia.
If you don't have an Android device available, you can see the same effect using Iain Parris and Edward Mallia's web app. (But it's not as much fun without a touch screen!)
<< Home
mandelbrot adds the start value at each iteration, while julia set will be added (generally) with a constant.
so they are almost the samething.
so they are almost the samething.
This fact seems obvious to me, if you look at a flag and wave it about; what you see changes. If you make a tiny flag and look at it with a microscope and wave it about, you get the same effect, it's just a case of scale.Post a Comment
<< Home


text:
Radio stations, websites and television stations all over the globe are offering chances for advanced screenings of The Bounty Hunter. Below is a list of ones we have found so far. If you know of more, please leave a comment here (with link):
Canada | Boston | Washington, DC | Virginia Beach, VA | New Orleans | Norfolk, VA | Tampa, FL | Las Vegas, NV | Phoenix, AZ | Philadelphia | Columbus, OH | Columbus, OH 2 | BAFTA/LA | Cleveland, OH | Miami, FL | Buffalo, NY | Raleigh/Durham, NC | Austin, TX | Dallas, TX
Australian The Bounty Hunter Contest – Win a Sony "Bloggie" camera!! (The promotion is open to all residents of Australia 13 years of age or over.)
Borgata Nightlife Rewards members can win TWO tickets to the New York City premiere of The Bounty Hunter. Read more…
Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) have a chance to win TWO tickets to the New York City premiere of The Bounty Hunter. Read more…
Additional production photos from The Bounty Hunter have been added to the gallery.
Watch Craig Ferguson and Gerry on ScreenWeek.it as they answer questions about How To Train Your Dragon:
Download wallpaper of Gerry's character, Stoick the Vast, from the official How To Train Your Dragon website!


text:
International Assessments
HQT Monitoring
Advanced Courses Online
NCES Reports
Grants Forecast
Head Start Reauthorization
Quote to Note
Upcoming Events
International Assessments
The latest results from two international assessments in reading, math, and science show the same trend: American students are performing at the same, moderate level as they did on previous assessments, while other nations and jurisdictions are improving. Therefore, U.S. worldwide rankings continue to slide. On the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), an assessment of fourth-grade reading literacy involving 45 education systems (38 countries, five Canadian provinces, and separate English- and French-speaking systems in Belgium), U.S. fourth-graders scored higher (540) than their peers worldwide (500) on a 1,000-point scale. Furthermore, compared to the international average, a higher percentage of U.S. fourth-graders attained each achievement benchmark: 96% versus 94% reached the "low" standard, 82% versus 76% "intermediate," 47% versus 41% "high," and 12% versus 7% "advanced." Yet, there was no measurable difference in scores for U.S. students between 2001 (the first administration of PIRLS) and 2006, even as eight participantsled by Russia, which gained 37 points for a top score of 565increased their scores over the same period. In 2001, the U.S. scored higher than 23 education systems, lower than three, and not significantly different from eight. In 2006, the U.S. was higher than 22 systems, lower than 10 (including three Canadian provinces), and not significantly different from 12. On the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), an assessment of 15-year-old students in math and science literacy involving 57 education systems (30 industrial countries and 27 other systems), U.S. 15-year-olds scored slightly lower than their peers worldwide in science (489 versus 500) but far lower in math (474 versus 498) on a 1,000-point scale. Moreover, comparing the performance of high achieving students, U.S. 15-year-olds scored higher than their peers worldwide in science (628 versus 622) but lower in math (593 versus 615). Yet, there was little measurable difference for U.S. students between 2003 (the last administration of PISA) and 2006, allowing some participants to bypass the U.S. In 2006 mathpaced by Finland's 548the U.S. scored higher than 20 education systems, lower than 31, and not significantly different from five. In 2006 sciencepaced by Finland's 563the U.S. was higher than 22 systems, lower than 22, and not significantly different from 12. (The U.S. was also supposed to receive reading scores, but the results were invalidated because of a printing error.) FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pirls/ and http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/. (For Secretary Spellings' statements on the PIRLS and PISA results, see http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/11/11282007.html and http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/12/12042007.html.)
Also: Regarding high achieving students, girls swept grand prizes in the individual and team divisions of the Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology for the first time since the competition was begun in 1998. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.siemens-foundation.org/en/competition.htm.
HQT Monitoring
The Department has started posting the most recent (2007-10) Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) and Improving Teacher Quality State Grants (Title II, Part A) monitoring reports online. These reports review the progress of states in meeting No Child Left Behind's HQT requirements (having 100% of students taught by a teacher who holds at least a bachelor's degree, has obtained full state certification, and has demonstrated knowledge in the core academic subject he or she teaches) and using No Child Left Behind's Title II, Part A funds to prepare, retain, and recruit quality teachers and principals so that all children will achieve to a high academic achievement standard and to their full potential. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/hqt07/.
Advanced Courses Online
During a live webcast on December 12 (3:00-4:00 p.m. ET), a panel of national education leaders and experts in online learning will discuss "Connecting Students to Advanced Courses Online," the latest guide in the Department's "Innovations in Education" series. The publication, to be released that day, is for school leaders who are inexperienced with online education but who might be interested in using it to expand student access to Advanced Placement (AP) and other advanced coursework. Case studies of six online providersColorado Online Learning, Florida Virtual School, Iowa Online Advanced Placement Academy, Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth, Michigan Virtual High School, and Virtual High Schoolprovide practical and proven approaches to local online learning challenges. TO REGISTER, PLEASE GO TO http://www.visualwebcaster.com/US_Dept_Edu/42740/reg.html. (Note: Copies of the guide will be available for download in PDF format prior to the webcast and may be ordered from ED PUBS [at 1-877-4ED-PUBS or http://www.edpubs.org/, publication ID: ED003948P] following the webcast.)
Also: The Department's Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative has announced digital workshops for teachers of American Indian and Alaska Native students. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.t2tweb.us/nativeamerican/.
NCES Reports
More insight from the Department's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES):
"Numbers and Rates of Public High School Dropouts: School Year 2004-05" (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2008305). Across 49 states, approximately 540,000 students dropped out of public high schools during the 2004-05 academic year, producing an overall annual dropout rate of 3.9%. Consistent with past NCES analyses, dropout rates were higher for males (4.4%) than females (3.4%), higher for Native American students (6.7%) than other racial/ethnic groups, and highest in large cities, regardless of region.
"Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2007" (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2008021). Nationwide, the victimization rate of students ages 12-18 at school declined from 144 incidents per 1,000 students to 57 per 1,000 in 2005. And, between 2003 and 2005, the percentage of students reporting theft declined slightly, from 4% to 3%. On the other hand, over the same period, there was no measurable drop in the percentage of students reporting violent crime and serious violent crime, while alcohol, drugs, and weapons still pose problems within schools.
"Characteristics of Minority-Serving Institutions and Minority Undergraduates Enrolled in These Institutions" (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2008156). The U.S.'s 1,254 minority-serving institutions (MSIs), which account for less than one-third of all degree-granting institutions, enrolled almost 60% of the nation's 4.7 million minority undergraduates in 2004. Disaggregated further, Hispanic-serving MSIs accounted for 27% of minority students enrolled, and the majority of students in Hispanic- and black-serving MSIs were enrolled in public two-year institutions.
Grants Forecast
Be sure to review the FY 2008 Grants Forecast (as of November 30) at http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html, which lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the Department has invited or expects to invite applications for awards and provides actual or estimated dates for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are in the form of chartsorganized by program officeand will be updated regularly through July 2008. (Note: This document is advisory only and not an official application notice of the U.S. Department of Education.)
Head Start Reauthorization
Congress has passed, and President Bush is expected to sign, the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act (H.R. 1429). The bill, among other items, strengthens accountability requirements for grantees, encourages teachers to earn a bachelor's degree, and expands eligibility by raising household income limits. Head Start currently serves more than 900,000 American children. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://edlabor.house.gov/publications/
Quote to Note
"The results of [international assessments] indicate that our strong commitment to academic excellence is more important than ever.... While we're seeing progress under No Child Left Behind, we can do better. If we want to sustain America's position as an economic power and innovative leader, our students must master [academic] fundamentals.... Clearly, as the world becomes flatter, it's becoming more competitive. We need to do better than simply keep pace."
|Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings (11/28/07)
Upcoming Events
The National Mathematics Advisory Panel's eleventh meeting is December 14 and 15 in Baltimore. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/.
Coming Up Taller Awards (http://www.cominguptaller.org/), sponsored by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, focus national attention on exemplary programs fostering the creative and intellectual development of America's youth. Fifteen awards of $10,000 are presented each year, providing recognition and contributing to continued work. Applications must be postmarked by January 31, 2008.
Next week, the Department will be exhibiting at the Association for Career and Technical Education's Annual Convention and Career Technology Expo in Las Vegas (December 13-15). If you are attending this event, please stop by the Department's booth.
Credits, Subscribe & Unsubscribe
Please feel free to contact the Office of Communications and Outreach with any questions:
Director, Intergovernmental AffairsRogers Johnson, (202) 401-0026, firstname.lastname@example.com
Program AnalystAdam Honeysett, (202) 401-3003, firstname.lastname@example.com
To be added or removed from distribution, or submit comments (we welcome your feedback!), please contact Adam Honeysett. Or, visit http://www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/edreview/index.html.
This newsletter contains hypertext links to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user's convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.


text:
Curated Cocktails with Eureka!
Posted by cafpress on:
MCASB Presents Curated Cocktails
October 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31, 5:30-7:30 pm
Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (MCASB) offers music, art, and cocktails on Thursday evenings in October.
MCASB partners with a rotating selection of local mixologists each Thursday in October to offer unique $5 signature cocktails. Visitors can enjoy music from DJ Empty Priest and guided tours of the current exhibitions: Call For Entries and Bloom Projects: Ro Snell, All that is left.


text:
petsupplies.com > Pet Supplies Brands > Royal > Item # P00142
promotional discount applied.
Cart total will reflect savings.
Sometimes, manufacturers require that products be advertised only at their suggested prices.
When we choose to sell these items for less, we display the sale price only in the cart. To see the price, click Add to Cart.
In Stock.
Usually Ships within 24 hours.
Quantity discount will reflect in cart.
One-time delivery
Save time with Auto Ship
Deliver Every:
2 Weeks
3 Weeks
4 Weeks
5 Weeks
6 Weeks
7 Weeks
8 Weeks
1 Month
2 Months
3 Months
6 Months
Free Shipping!
Product Summary:
Prescription items are
Please note:
We are not a licensed pharmacy.
This prescription product or therapeutic food is fulfilled by VetSource, a licensed pharmacy in all 50 US states. VetSource only ships to the 50 US states.
To order prescription products or therapeutic foods from VetSource you must have an existing, valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Prescription requests are subject to a Drug Utilization Review by a licensed pharmacist at VetSource for patient safety.
All prescription products (excluding therapeutic food) are FDA approved, or EPA licensed, to be sold in the US.
Prescription products cannot be returned
Royal Canin Urinary Mod Cal Dry Cat Food
Starting from: $24.79
Product Reviews by Customers


text: Nintendo's 2DS Pokémon X & Y bundles are the saddest bundles of them all. No special colors or decals — just the standard blue 2DS with Pokémon Y at Toys"R"Us or the red with Pokémon X at Target for $149.99. The games come pre-installed, so you don't even get a pretty case. What a festive way to say "here's your damn Pokémon." Both bundles will be in their respective stores December 6.


text:
MIDDLESEX, UK--(Marketwire - Jan 31, 2013) -
BRITISH SKY BROADCASTING GROUP PLC Unaudited results for the six months ended 31 December 2012 GOOD PROGRESS ON STRATEGY DELIVERING STRONG FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE Adjusted results (GBP) Reported results (GBP) Half year 2012/13 2011/12 Variance 2012/13 2011/12 Variance Revenue 3,533m 3,364m +5% 3,533m 3,364m +5% EBITDA 813m 772m +5% 845m 803m +5% Operating profit 647m 601m +8% 679m 632m +7% Earnings per share 28.3p 24.0p +18% 29.7p 25.3p +17% (basic) Dividend per share 11.00p 9.20p +20% 11.00p 9.20p +20% Further strong financial performance and increased returns to shareholders * Revenue up 5% to GBP3,533m * Adjusted operating profit up 8% to GBP647m * Adjusted basic earnings per share up 18% to 28.3 pence * Interim dividend up 20% to 11.0 pence Multi-product strategy delivering good operational growth * Subscription product growth of 615,000 in Q2 * Total subscription product base of 29.5 million, up 10% year on year * Triple-play penetration of 33%, up 4pp year on year * 88,000 new customers added in Q2 to reach 10.74 million, up 271,000 year on year * ARPU of GBP568, up GBP24 year on year Customers responding positively to our content and products * New services driving increased viewing - weekly On Demand downloads up 150% in Q2; Sky Go users increased 46% year on year to reach 3.1 million * Standout performance from Sky Sports - record audiences for Ryder Cup and US Open tennis, and over 9 million viewers to first season of Sky Sports F1 channel Continued excellent progress in cost initiatives and efficiency improvements * Adjusted other operating costs as percentage of sales reduced by 200 basis points Results highlights Customer Metrics (unaudited) As at As at Annual Quarterly Growth 31-Dec-12 31-Dec-11 Growth to 31-Dec-12 Products ('000s) TV (DTH and NOW TV) 10,358 10,253 +105 +50 HD 4,561 4,063 +498 +93 Multiroom 2,467 2,350 +117 +44 Broadband 4,235 3,651 +584 +132 Telephony 4,022 3,407 +615 +134 Line rental 3,870 3,106 +764 +162 Paid-for subscription 29,513 26,830 +2,683 +615 products Connected Sky+HD boxes 1,715 442 +1,273 +460 Sky Go unique users 3,066 2,107 +959 +298 Total Customers 10,742 10,471 +271 +88 Paid-for products per customer 2.7 2.6Other metrics Customers taking each of TV, broadband & talk 33% 29% ARPU (2) GBP568 GBP544 +GBP24 +18 Churn (2) 10.3% 9.6% An additional KPI summary table containing further detailed disclosure can be found in Schedule 1. Business Performance (1)(unaudited) GBP'millions 6 months to 6 months to 31-Dec-11 31-Dec-12 Movement Revenue 3,533 3,364 +5% Adjusted operating profit 647 601 +8% % Adjusted operating profit margin 18.3% 17.9% +40bps Adjusted profit before tax 610 564 +8% Adjusted basic earnings per 28.3 24.0 +18% share (3) (1) A reconciliation of adjusted operating profit and adjusted EBITDA to reported measures as well as cash generated from operations to adjusted free cash flow is set out in Appendix 2. (2) Quarterly annualised. (3) Adjusted basic EPS is calculated from adjusted profit for the period. A reconciliation of reported profit to adjusted profit is set out in note 4 to the condensed consolidated interim financial statements. Jeremy Darroch, Chief Executive, commented:"We have delivered another good performance in the first half with strong progress across the board. In what remains a tough consumer environment, our broadly-based growth strategy is working well. Good product growth in the quarter means that our total base of subscription products has grown by 10% year on year."During the half, we have invested in providing the best service to our customers while continuing to drive greater operational efficiency. We strengthened our content offering, extended our leadership in customer technology and continued to lead the industry in customer service."As a result, more households are joining Sky, our existing customers are staying loyal and they are choosing to spend more with us. In particular, we have seen a strong response to new services like On Demand and Sky Go which increase customer satisfaction and loyalty and will provide important sources of future growth."Together with our continued focus on cost control and efficiencies, this has delivered another excellent financial performance and increased returns to shareholders. We grew earnings per share by 18% in the first half and have increased the interim dividend by a further 20% to 11 pence."Although we expect the consumer environment in 2013 to remain challenging, we have a strong set of plans for the year ahead. We will keep getting better on screen, further improve our products and services for customers and maintain our focus on efficiency. The business is in good shape to continue to deliver for customers and shareholders." SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE The business performed well in the first half as we invested in providing the best possible service to customers while further improving the efficiency of our operations. We continued to get better on screen with new rights deals and original commissions; we maintained our leadership in customer technology with rapid adoption of new products that enhance the viewing experience and make it easier for customers to access our content when and where they choose; and we continued to improve the quality and efficiency of our customer service operations. This approach delivered a good operating performance and strong financial results. In a tough economic environment, more customers are taking more products and spending more money with Sky. In the three months to 31 December 2012, we added 615,000 new products, taking the total base to 29.5 million, up 10% year-on-year. Meanwhile, we added 88,000 new customers to reach a total of 10.7 million. In TV, we added 50,000 new customers in the quarter. Of these, 25,000 are subscribers to our new internet TV service NOW TV, which benefited from our first above-the-line marketing campaign in the autumn. We are set to launch sport on NOW TV later this year following beta testing which started in December. Customers now take an average of 2.7 products from us. This increased penetration of products, combined with a price rise in September, our first for two years, grew ARPU to GBP568, a GBP24 increase on the previo us year. Quarterly annualised churn was 10.3%. We delivered another strong quarter in home communications as we continue to outpace the rest of the market. Over the quarter, we added 132,000 new broadband customers, of which 38,000 were new standalone customers, to take our total customer base to 4.2 million. Meanwhile, our telephony customer base passed the four-million mark for the first time with the addition of 134,000 customers. As a result, we closed the quarter with 3.6 million triple-play customers, up 17% on last year. With 33% triple-play penetration, we see good headroom for futher growth with over six million TV customers yet to switch their communications services to Sky. Our operating performance converted into a good financial performance for the first half. The combination of 5% revenue growth and good cost control delivered an 8% improvement in adjusted operating profit of GBP647 million, and expanded the adjusted operating margin to 18.3%. Adjusted basic earnings per share grew by 18% to 28.3 pence. On the back of the strong financial performance, the Directors have declared an interim dividend of 11.00 pence per share, an increase of 20% year on year. Getting better on screen We made good progress on screen in the quarter as we continue to strengthen our content business. We continue to see new record audience figures across our channel portfolio, we are bringing outstanding new talent to Sky with new commissions, and we are seeing ever-increasing levels of customer satisfaction. Within this, Sky Sports delivered a standout performance. Viewing was up 9% in the quarter, building on a year that has seen record audiences in key events including the Ryder Cup and US Open tennis. In its debut season, the Sky Sports F1 channel reached more than nine million viewers while Sky Sports on Sky Go, our mobile TV service, continues to grow in popularity, registering a record 234,000 unique users for live coverage of the Manchester derby in December. We have made good progress in securing our portfolio of sports rights. We have signed 21 deals in the last 12 months meaning that 90% of our sports rights are now secured for the next three years. Today we have announced three brand new deals for live rugby union which will give viewers live coverage of Ireland's Guinness Series together with France and Italy's Autumn Internationals. We also have an outstanding series of events coming up on Sky Sports this year including the Ashes home and away, the Lions' tour to Australia and the Masters from Augusta - a fantastic line-up for customers. Meanwhile, our Sky Movies experience continues to get better. Our Sky Movies 007 channel, which launched in October and ran initially for one month, was a huge success attracting more than 5 million viewers. With an increasing number of our movies customers now with connected set-top boxes, we are also seeing a strong response to the choice we offer through our On Demand service. Total movie downloads across all platforms doubled year on year to over 30 million in Q2 boosted by Sky Movies 007. We further strengthened our movies offering with the announcement today of a new multi-year agreement with Sony. This follows two other major renewals, with Warner Bros and NBCUniversal, in the first half. Our portfolio of entertainment channels is resonating strongly, with Sky Living, Sky Atlantic and Sky 1 all in the top five 'must have' pay channels for customers. The success of our strategy to grow investment in original British content has delivered a 70% increase in hours of original-commissioned programming in the first half compared to last year. We also saw 13 returning series in the half including'Strikeback' and 'Spy'. We are putting a growing focus on original drama with some outstanding talent set to appear on Sky channels over the coming year including Dominic Cooper, Vanessa Redgrave and Idris Elba. As well as bringing customers a better choice of television, we will seek to monetise this growing content pipeline through our international programme sales and production company, which we acquired in the summer and rebranded as Sky Vision in October. Extending leadership in customer technology We strengthened our leadership in customer technology over the quarter with growing take-up and usage of On Demand and Sky Go, services that add value for customers by offering more choice and flexibility in the way they can access Sky's content. The proportion of Sky households with fully-connected HD set-top boxes continues to grow. Just under half a million boxes (460,000) were activated in the quarter, taking the total number of connected boxes to 1.7 million. We expect to maintain good growth in this area in 2013. The growth in the number of connected boxes, combined with the launch of Catch Up TV and the addition of BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and Demand Five, drove a marked increase in the usage of our On Demand service. Average weekly downloads more than doubled in the quarter from 1.8 million to 4.4 million by the end of December - more than four times the number of downloads 12 months earlier - with Sky content accounting for more than 50% of the downloads. The growth in connected boxes also led to an increase in the number of transactions through Sky Store, with total movie transactions surpassing 3 million in the quarter, up 25% year on year. We continue to expand the availability of Sky Go, extending it to an additional 17 Android devices including the best-selling Samsung Galaxy S3 and the HTC One. This roll-out to new devices, combined with the addition of more live and on demand entertainment content, helped the service to reach 3.1 million unique users in the quarter, up 46% year on year. Stand-out successes in the quarter included 'An Idiot Abroad' Season 3 which attracted more than 850,000 on-demand views across the series. We will start to monetise this success in 2013 with the launch of Sky Go Extra, which, for an additional GBP5 a month, offers customers the added flexibility of registering up to four devices per account (two more than currently) and downloading content to watch offline. We are also developing new ways to distribute our content to customers with NOW TV, our new internet TV service. We continued to build awareness of the service, which currently provides access to Sky Movies, with the launch of a new marketing campaign in the quarter, registering 25,000 monthly pass customers at the end of December. We plan to develop NOW TV further with the launch of Sky Sports later this year, following a beta test of the service which started in December. Under the new offer, customers will get unlimited access for a 24-hour period to the full range of sports that we offer over all six Sky Sports channels for just GBP9.99. Improving service delivery and operational efficiency Greater operational efficiency across the organisation continues to deliver the dual benefits of improved customer service and cost savings for the business. The improvements are driving greater customer satisfaction and at the same time give us increased capacity to invest more in the areas where customers see most value. Market-leading customer service remained a key area of focus in the quarter. Over 70% of our customers now have our most reliable Sky+HD box, driving down annualised service rates by almost 90% versus four years ago. This has contributed to the lowest level of service visits in eight years, despite a 41% increase in the number of customers over that period. Improvements in service reliability have also led to a 15% reduction year on year in total calls to our contact centres. Meanwhile, improvements in our customer website have helped drive a 50% year-on-year increase in automated transactions. We expect to see further reductions in customer interactions following the introduction of our new 'Sky Hub' router in October, which provides additional capabilities to diagnose and fix faults remotely. As part of our drive to improve further the efficiency and effectiveness of our home service operation, we have agreed a deal to bring around 700 engineers that work for our outsource partner, AVC, in-house as Sky employees later in 2013. This will give us one integrated nationwide team of engineers all working under a single set of processes. We have also this month opened a new contact centre in Ireland where we are creating 900 new jobs to help us better serve our Irish customers. Our initiatives on service delivery helped Sky to come top in Ofcom's Customer Service Satisfaction survey in December 2012 across all three of fixed telephony, broadband and pay TV. We also received recognition of our leading service from the consumer group, uSwitch, winning four awards for best technical support, best customer service, most recommended broadband and best pay TV provider. Broader Contribution In December, we announced that Olympic gold medalist Jessica Ennis has become one of our inspirational ambassadors for Sky Sports Living for Sport, our free initiative to help improve confidence and attitudes to learning among secondary school children through sports participation. The project is reaching more young people than ever with over 1,000 schools taking part since September, a four-fold increase over the same time last year. Sky Skills Studios, our free learning experience for young people to go behind the scenes at Sky, has received over 3,500 visitors since launch in September. It is getting great feedback from teachers and children alike, and we expect to reach over 10,000 young people across the year. We also continue to invest in the Arts, both on air and in the community. The first of our Sky Arts Ignition Series where we collaborate with major arts organisations and artists to create new works, Sky Arts Ignition: Doug Aitken - The Source, continued at Tate Liverpool attracting over 50,000 visitors by the time it closed in mid January.We have just announced the second of our Sky Arts Ignition Series projects, the development of an exhibition called Sky Arts Ignition: Memory Palace in partnership with the V&A which will open to the public in June. DETAILED FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE We continue to deliver a strong financial performance. First half revenue growth of 5% and good discipline in keeping adjusted other operating costs flat helped to deliver adjusted operating profit growth of 8% to GBP647 million, and adjusted basic earnings per share of 28.3p, up 18%. Unless otherwise stated, all figures and growth rates included below exclude exceptional items. Exceptional items are discussed on page 9 and in Appendix 2. Revenue Group revenue increased by 5% to GBP3,533 million (2012: GBP3,364 millio n), with growth in both retail and wholesale operations more than offsetting reductions in the more cyclical businesses in advertising and pubs and clubs. Retail subscription revenue grew by 5% to GBP2,907 million (2012: GBP2,7 64 million), reflecting continued product and customer growth and the benefit of price increases which came into effect in September. The strong performance in retail more than offsets a first half decline in Sky Business revenues (pubs and clubs) which continue to face cyclical headwinds; although recent performance has shown signs of recovery. We delivered a strong performance in wholesale subscription revenue which increased by 14% to GBP194 million (2012: GBP170 million) as we continue to benefit from greater take-up of our premium channels and their HD versions on other platforms, together with the launch and success of our dedicated Formula 1 channel. Advertising revenue improved on the previous quarter to be down just 3% for the period at GBP215 million (2012: GBP222 million). We continued to increase our market share to reach 21%, with the majority of this growth underpinned by increased ratings for our media partner channels, with whom we share revenue upside. Installation, hardware and service revenue of GBP47 million was lower year-on-year (2012: GBP51 million) due to lower acquisition volumes and our work on product reliability and right-first-time installation rates. Other revenue increased by 8% to GBP170 million (2012: GBP157 million) d ue to continued strong performance from Sky Bet which saw an increase in unique users in the period, and the international programme sales revenue generated by Sky Vision. Direct Costs Programming costs increased by GBP113 million (10%) to GBP1,222 million (2012: GBP1,109 million) in line with our expectations. Sports accounted for GBP48 million of the increase which was predominantly due to the inclusion of Formula 1 and Ryder Cup rights not in the prior year together with the England and Sri Lankan cricket tours to India and Australia respectively. Movie costs increased GBP23 million year-on-year and included investment in expanded rights agreements to support new product offerings such as Sky Go Extra. Entertainment accounted for GBP3 0 million of the increase as we continued to invest in new and exclusive UK-commissioned content across our channel portfolio. Our work on network efficiency within our communications business resulted in excellent operating leverage in direct network costs, up only 4% to GBP348 million (2012: GBP336 million) despite a 19% increase in home communications products. Other Operating Costs We continued to focus on costs and once again delivered a strong performance, holding other operating costs flat in absolute terms year-on-year and generating a 200 basis point reduction of costs as a percentage of sales. Marketing costs were flat at GBP541 million (2012: GBP541 million) with lower cost route-to-market sales and lower acquisition volumes offsetting the cost of Sky+ and On Demand campaigns in the period and the marketing support for the launch of NOW TV. Subscriber management and supply chain costs were also held flat at GBP323 million (2012: GBP323 million) as we continue to benefit from lower service and repair costs as a result of deeper penetration of our most reliable Sky+HD box. We also generated savings from receiving fewer calls into the call centres as we focus on getting it right first time together with increased utilisation of the online self-help options. Transmission, technology and fixed network costs were down 1% at GBP193 million (2012: GBP194 million) as favourable renegotiation of supplier contracts offset the modest incremental cost of the Formula 1 channel transmission. Administration costs were held flat at GBP259 million (2012: GBP260 million). Exceptional Items Reported operating profit of GBP679 million includes an exceptional gain of GBP32 million within direct network costs relating to a credit note received from BT following an Ofcom determination which requires BT to repay monies to Sky for overcharged-for Ethernet services (backhaul) between 2006/07 and 2009/10. Ofcom's determination may be appealed in the Competition Appeal Tribunal. Subject to the outcome of any such appeal, we intend to ensure that our customers benefit from this decision by spending the majority of this on a one-time basis in customer-facing areas of the business in the second half of the year. Reported profit after tax of GBP487 million (2012: GBP441 million) includes an GBP8 million charge relating to the tax effect on exceptional items andgenerated reported basic earnings per share of 29.7 pence (2012: 25.3 pence). Please refer to Appendix 2 for a detailed reconciliation of reported and adjusted numbers. Cash generated from operations Adjusted free cash flow was 3% lower at GBP482 million (2012: GBP495 million) reflecting growth in adjusted EBITDA, lower interest and tax payments and lower capital expenditure, offset by a negative working capital variance as a result of increased commissioning of entertainment content and scheduling of payments for renewed sports rights deals. Capital expenditure of GBP207 million (2012: GBP237 million), was lower in the first half due to phasing in the comparative year; specifically, the autumn 2011 completion of the fit-out of Sky Studios and the acceleration of our exchange roll-out programme. Net debt increased to GBP1,201 million (2012: GBP615 million) primarily as a result of the approved share buy-back and 2011/12 final dividend. During the period, the Group took advantage of historically low pricing to raise $800 million from the issuance of guaranteed notes, maturing in November 2022 and with a 3.125% coupon. The Group's liquidity and headroom remain comfortable. For a reconciliation of net debt see Appendix 2. Distribution to Shareholders The Directors have declared an interim dividend of 11.00 pence per share (2012: 9.20p) representing an increase of 20% and the ninth consecutive year of an increase in the interim dividend for shareholders. As previously stated, our intention is to maintain a policy of paying out 50% of full year adjusted earnings as dividends with the final dividend payment typically forming the higher proportion of the total dividend. The ex-dividend date will be 27 March 2013 and the dividend will be paid on 23 April 2013 to shareholders of record on 2 April 2013. At the Company's AGM on 1 November 2012, Sky received shareholder approval to return a further GBP500 million of capital to shareholders via a share buy-back programme. For the six months to 31 December 2012, the Company repurchased for cancellation 54.8 million shares for total consideration of GBP414 million, partly pursuant to the GBP750 million authority approved at the 2011 AGM and partly under the new GBP500 million share buy-back programme. The closing share count at the end of the quarter was 1,620 million. CORPORATE Board changes The Company announces that Tom Mockridge resigned as a non-executive director and Chase Carey has been appointed a non-executive director of the Company on 30 January 2013. Mr Carey is currently the Deputy Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of News Corporation and serves on the supervisory board of Sky Deutschland AG. He was formerly President and Chief Executive Officer of DIRECTV, Inc and served on the Board of BSkyB as a non-executive director of Sky from 13 February 2003 to 10 February 2009. Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) On 8 August 2012, the Competition Appeal Tribunal (the "CAT") issued its judgment in the appeals against Ofcom's decision to impose wholesale must-offer obligations on Sky (the "Pay TV Judgment"). The CAT found that Ofcom's core competition concerns were unfounded and that accordingly Sky's appeal must be allowed. In November 2012, BT submitted a request to the CAT for permission to appeal the Pay TV Judgment to the Court of Appeal. If denied by the CAT, BT can apply to the Court of Appeal directly for permission. The CAT has listed an oral hearing for 6 February 2013 to determine how to dispose of the case, including dealing with setting aside the wholesale must-offer ("WMO") obligations, the monies paid by relevant wholesale customers into escrow on an interim basis (being the difference between the maximum price Sky may charge for Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 under the WMO obligations and Sky's rate card prices for the channels) and costs. The CAT will also determine the effect (if any) of any ongoing appeal by BT. At 31 December 2012, GBP27 million of cash is being held in the escrow account. Enquiries: Analysts/Investors: Edward Steel Tel: 020 7032 2093 Lang Messer Tel: 020 7032 2657 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Press: Alice Macandrew Tel: 020 7705 3000 Stephen Gaynor Tel: 020 7705 3000 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com There will be a presentation for analysts and investors at 9.00 a.m (GMT) at Allen & Overy, One Bishops Square, London, E1 6AD. CEO, Jeremy Darroch and CFO, Andrew Griffith, will present. Participants should register by contacting Camilla Regan on +44 20 7251 3801 or at email@example.com . There will be a separate conference call for US analysts and investors at 10.00 a.m. (EST). To register for this please contact Dana Diver at Taylor Rafferty on +1 212 889 4350. Alternatively you may register online by using the following link http://invite.taylor-rafferty.com/_bskyb/2013Q2CC/Default.htm . A live webcast of the UK and US call will be available to analysts and investors via the BSkyB website at http://www.sky.com/corporate . Replays will be subsequently available. Schedule 1 - KPI Summary All figures (000) FY10/11 FY11/12 FY12/13 unless stated Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Total 10,150 10,223 10,294 10,371 10,471 10,549 10,606 10,654 10,742 customers 10,096 10,147 10,187 10,213 10,253 10,268 10,288 10,308 10,333 Television NOW TV - - - - - - - - 25 Sky+HD 3,497 3,686 3,822 3,925 4,063 4,222 4,343 4,468 4,561 Multi- room 2,219 2,237 2,250 2,295 2,350 2,378 2,402 2,423 2,467 Broad- band 3,006 3,161 3,335 3,485 3,651 3,863 4,001 4,103 4,235 Tele- phony 2,757 2,916 3,101 3,248 3,407 3,627 3,768 3,888 4,022 Line 2,215 2,444 2,680 2,892 3,106 3,376 3,563 3,708 3,870 Rental Total paid-for 23,790 24,591 25,375 26,058 26,830 27,734 28,365 28,898 29,513 subscription products Connected 204 442 604 995 1,255 1,715 HD boxes Sky Go 1,625 2,107 2,607 2,740 2,768 3,066 unique users Total 27,887 29,379 30,945 32,100 32,921 34,294 Products Other metrics Triple- play % 24% 26% 27% 28% 29% 31% 32% 33% 33% ARPU(GBP)GBP536 GBP537 GBP538 GBP535 GBP544 GBP546 GBP548 GBP550 GBP568 Churn 9.5% 10.4% 10.4% 11.1% 9.6% 10.1% 9.9% 10.9% 10.3% Fixed Network Metrics On-net base 2,659 2,856 3,045 3,205 3,403 3,636 3,778 3,882 4,031 MPF base 1,247 1,435 1,686 1,869 2,146 2,423 2,588 2,762 2,926 SMPF base 1,412 1,421 1,359 1,336 1,257 1,213 1,190 1,120 1,105 MPF % 47% 50% 55% 58% 63% 67% 69% 71% 73% SMPF % 53% 50% 45% 42% 37% 33% 31% 29% 27% Off-net base 347 305 290 280 248 227 223 221 204 Total 3,006 3,161 3,335 3,485 3,651 3,863 4,001 4,103 4,235 Broadband On-net % 88% 90% 91% 92% 93% 94% 94% 95% 95% Total no. of LLU 1,434 1,549 1,577 1,732 1,907 1,964 1,965 2,036 2,108 exchanges Related Party Transactions Details of transactions with related parties during the six month period to 31 December 2012 are provided in Appendix 1. Principal risks and uncertainties A summary of the Group's principal risks and uncertainties is provided in Appendix 3. Responsibility statement The directors confirm that to the best of their knowledge: * The unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 as adopted by the EU. * The interim management report includes a fair review of the information required by DTR 4.2.7R and DTR 4.2.8R of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules. The directors of British Sky Broadcasting Group plc are listed on pages 40-41 of the 2012 Annual Report. At the Company's AGM on 1 November 2012 Jacques Nasser retired from the Board and on 30 January 2013 Tom Mockridge retired from the Board. On 16 November 2012 Dave Lewis was appointed to the Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director and on 30 January 2013 Chase Carey was appointed to the Board as a Non-Executive Director. By order of the Board Jeremy Darroch Chief Executive Officer Use of measures not defined under IFRS This press release contains certain information on the Group's financial position, results and cash flows that have been derived from measures calculated in accordance with IFRS. This information should not be read in isolation from the related IFRS measures. Forward looking statements This document contains certain forward looking statements with respect to the Group's financial condition, results of operations and business, and our strategy, plans and objectives for the Group. These statements include, without limitation, those that express forecasts, expectations and projections, such as forecasts, expectations and projections in relation to new products and services, the potential for growth of free-to-air and pay television, fixed line telephony, broadband and bandwidth requirements, advertising growth, DTH and OTT customer growth, On Demand (previously Anytime+), NOW TV, Sky Go, Sky+HD and other services penetration, revenue, administration costs and other costs, advertising growth, churn, profit, cash flow, products and our broadband network footprint, content, wholesale, marketing and capital expenditure and proposals for returning capital to shareholders. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward looking statements are reasonable, these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied or forecast in the forward looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, those risks that are highlighted in the document in Appendix 3 -"Principal risks and uncertainties." All forward looking statements in this document are based on information known to the Group on the date hereof. The Group undertakes no obligation publicly to update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Glossary of Terms A glossary of terms is included within the Annual Report and on our corporate investor relations web page at http://corporate.sky.com/ investors/glossary. Copies of the Annual Report are available from the British Sky Broadcasting Group plc web page at www.sky.com/corporate and in hard copy from the Company Secretary, British Sky Broadcasting Group plc, Grant Way, Isleworth, Middlesex TW7 5QD. Click on or paste the following link into your web browser to view associated PDF document. http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/7521W_-2013-1-30.pdf This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange END
Contact Information:


text:
City of Dana PointHome Menu
City Council Meetings, Agendas, & Minutes
If you are looking for agendas and minutes prior to 2016, please first click on the appropriate meeting in the list. Links to the all related documentation are kept within each meeting's detail page.
Have an Event? Submit Your Event Online


text:
I'm camped on the playa in Baja - so no need to deflate, pack-up and travel at the end of my session.
Thus, I've been leaving my kite(s) inflated overnight or even for several days (under cover protected from sun). I do release some pressure to reduce stress on the material.
Anyone know a good reason I should not be doing this? If so, please enlighten me!
Gracias, Rob


text:
Robot cars will probably take control over your car whether you want it to or not.
Actually, robots will take over the world whether or not we want it. And I'm not saying that because I've watched Terminator too many times.
Computer scientists pretty much take this as a given. And it starts with technology like this.
We're talking about automated intersection controllers. Sure, sounds like a great idea for improved road safety and traffic efficiency, but isn't this why man created trains?
Maybe that's the future of cars, each one like a train compartment.
See how the robo-cars will work here.
Related post: More evidence that robots are poised to take control!
A high school student from Texas won a $100,000 science scholarship for developing a computer algorithm that helps robots avoid obstacles.
One of the applications for this? Driverless cars, of course!


text:
This is a sample registry
Marissa & Steve
Marissa Ochoa and Steve Sherman's Honeymoon Registry
|This is a sample registry
"Well Wishes" From Our Family & Friends
|"Have fun and enjoy! We love you!"
- Tim and Liz
|"Ciao, much love to you both, have a great time."
- Heather and Lillie
|"May you always be blessed wtih love and joy! A lifetime of happiness awaits you! We love you so much!"
- Justin and Sidia
|"We're so happy to welcome Steve into our family! Wishing you two and Austin a lifetime of joyful memories. Have an unforgettable, romantic honeymoon in Italy. Your trip to Rome will be memorable, as ours was; we'll compare notes!"
- Mom and Dad Ochoa
|"The weddling was magical! We are so thrilled to have Marissa in our family, and look forward to the future. We wish you both and your precious Austin all the love and happiness in the years to come. We love you all."
- Larry and Mom
|"I'm so happy that you asked me to be apart of your Wedding! Everything was so much fun! I can't wait for you guys to go on your honeymoon and to see all the fun pictures you are infamous for taking. Love you both!!"
- Lani and Paul Hsieh
|"Bon voyage...for a happy life together!"
- Erika
|"Congratulations on your wedding day."
- Nancy and Don Jennings
|"Congratulations! We are so happy for the both of you and send warm wishes for many more years and beautiful memories together. We hope you have wonderful time in Italy!"
- Kristin and Travis
|"Congratulations and enjoy!"
- Scott and Katie Fader
|"Congratulations! Wishing you a lifetime of love, joy and romance!!!"
- Melissa Justus
|"Thank you for allowing me to share in your special day with you. I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness. Congratulations!!!"
- Love, Stephanie
|"May the Lord continue to bless you abundantly throughout your lives together!"
- With His Blessings, Kathleen Johnson
|"Happy Wedding! Hope you have a wonderful day!"
- Nick and Sarah Farmer
|"We wish you a relaxing honeymoon filled with unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime moments!"
- Julie &Art Laubach
|"We're very happy for you both and we're praying for blessings on your marriage and many happy years together!"
- Andy and Carrie Johnsen
|"Best wishes to you both for a wonderful new life together! May it be filled with laughter, surprises, and adventure."
- Martina
|"Wishing you a lifetime of love, happiness and contentment together. We are looking forward to celebrating your special day."
- Christine &Joel Biggs
|"Best of luck to you both as you "officially" start your lives together! We are so happy for the two of you and Austin too!"
- Brad, Dana, Jake, Eve, &Carson
|"Wishing you a lifetime of happiness. You deserve it. Have a fantastic time in Italy!"
- Liza and Jason Milanes
|"Congratulations! Hope you guys have a fabulous honeymoon!
P.S. Start saving your pennies because I can't wait to get married so I can set up this same honeymoon wish thing! It's brilliant! lol xoxo"
- Stanley
|"Congratulations you two!
That walking tour of the Vatican is great, but we highly recommend you get one of the personal guides waiting outside, that was the highlight of our visit there. Visit the catacombes too, fascinating!"
- Glenn and Ina
|"Looking forward to meeting Austin and the rest of Marissa"s family."
- Uncle George
|"May you have many happy years together filled with God's richest blessings!"
- Maria &Gerry de Ocampo
|"Much happiness in your new life together. Italy....the most beautiful and romantic place to spend your honeymoon."
- Brigitte Haines
- Thom, Denise, Owen, Gemma &Ruby
|"Congrats! We wish for you both an incredible adventure in Italy and for the many more to follow in the future. Love,"
- Steve and Winnie Elliott
|"I am soooo... happy for you! Enjoy this trip of a lifetime!"
- Erika
|"I hope your life together is filled with happiness and love. Best Wishes!!"
- Christina Serafine
|"Wish you all the happiness in the world!
And love that you are going to Rome. So romantic! You are going to have a blast! So many places to go, so much food to taste!
Hope you have an amazing day!
Cannot wait to share it with you both!
Lots of love!"
- Antonio
Thank You for visiting our honeymoon bridal registry and wedding website. We decided to use this honeymoon bridal registry to allow us to pre plan all the wonderful things we want to do on our dream honeymoon. If you have any questions about how our honeymoon bridal registry works, please contact a honeymoon registry specialist at 858-433-1506 and they can help with our wedding registry list. Again, Thank You so much for using our honeymoon bridal registry and wedding website. Most of all, thank you for being part of our wedding and helping us have the romantic honeymoon and wedding we've always imagined.
This is a sample registry
Items cannot be purchased from a sample registry.
If you're looking for a specific couple please search for them here.


text:
Moustakas' home run in extra innings blasts Royals past Astros
HOUSTON (AP) — Mike Moustakas homered in the 11th inning to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 6-4 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night.
Moustakas has been off to a tough start this season and was hitting .098 before his solo shot to the seats in right field off Jerome Williams (0-1) to lead off the 11th.
A small group of Royals fans stood and yelled 'Moooooose' as he rounded the bases after his first homer this year.
Jarrod Dyson singled and added an insurance run on a fielder's choice.
Danny Duffy (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win and Greg Holland allowed a hit and a walk in a scoreless 11th for his fifth save.
Jason Castro and Marc Krauss both had two-run home runs for the Astros. Heralded Houston prospect George Springer made his major league debut, batting second and playing right field.
The 24-year-old, who hit 37 homers combined in Double-A and Triple-A last season, singled and walked, but struck out with one out and a runner on first in the 11th.