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Over the course of popular music history, there have been those bands/artists who have seemingly appeared from nowhere, and immediately been attributed the tag of 'overnight sensation'. But rarely is their journey to popular recognition the result of an instant recipe for success. Most of those artists who have a song played on the radio, or a video played on television, or who appear in a newspaper article, or the cover of a magazine, have done the hard yards. I'd venture to say that was particularly true of the majority of Australian bands/artists who managed to crack the music charts back in the 70s and 80s. Australia didn't produce too many 'manufactured' acts in those days. I can't say for certain why. Maybe there just wasn't the financial clout, or entertainment infrastructure to regularly pre-fabricate acts, but perhaps another factor was that the live music scene in Australia was absolutely thriving during that period. If a record label was looking for the next 'big thing', they often didn't have to look further than which band/singer was consistently packing out venues. One band who had racked up the frequent gigging points during the early 80s, and had built a rock solid reputation as being a kickass live act, were Allniters.
Allniters first started causing a stir during 1980, as one of the resident acts at the Sussex Hotel in downtown Sydney. The Sussex had a reputation for being the hub of Sydney's mod scene, which meant that all the cutting edge music styles emanating from the U.K. scene in particular, had a presence at the Sussex. During the late 70s ska music had experienced a resurgence in Britain, driven by the rise to prominence of acts like Selector, The Specials, The Beat, Bad Manners, and Madness, who were at the vanguard of the 2 Tone or Bluebeat movements, a sub-genre of ska, which fused elements of straight ska, reggae, rock steady, Calypso-style, punk rock, and pop. The 2 Tone scene came to be classified later as the second wave of ska. It was only reasonable to expect any stylistic 'wave' originating in Britain, to eventually wash up on the shores of Australia. Allniters were one of the first high profile band's on the Australian scene to adopt the ska style as the basis for their music.
At the heart of Allniters was guitarist Martin Fabok, and it was around him that a fluid line-up of musicians swirled during the band's formative days. Among the earliest Allniter affiliates were Ted Ayers (sax), Mark Taylor (keyboards), Peter Hill-Travis (vocals), Brett Pattinson (vocals), Stuart Crysell (guitar, ex-Bedhogs), Graham Hood (bass), and Dave Betts (drums). Allniters played their first gig at the Sussex during September of 1980, and they were soon regulars on the Hotel's entertainment roster. The line-up remained a little haphazard, with the numbers and personnel varying from gig to gig, but Fabok, Hill-Travis, and Pattinson were more regular attendees than most. Above all else, Allniters was a vehicle to have fun, with most of the group's members having other interests and employment commitments during the early days. Though I'm not sure any were of the pugilistic persuasion, that would have been required to have dealt with the fights that regularly broke out between rival factions within the Sussex crowd - skinheads, mods, rude boys, surfers and the like - it's likely hotel security and the local constabulary had no shortage of work in controlling reigning in the unruly elements.
In August of '81, Allniters released their debut single, 'She Made A Monkey Out Of Me', via the independent Green label, followed in 1982 by another single, 'You Shouldn't Stay Out Late'. Neither single made an impact on the charts, but Allniters continued to enhance their reputation as a live act, including providing support for The Clash on their 1981 tour. During 1982, several Allniters including Martin Fabok, Stuart Crysell, Mark Taylor and Dave Betts, formed a studio based dub-reggae group called The Igniters. The Igniters also featured INXS member Kirk Pengilly on saxophone, and they recorded a self-titled EP on the Green label later in 1982. During the same period, Allniters bassist Graham Hood left to join The Johnnys (see earlier post), replaced by Perry Andronos. When Allniters resumed business as usual, the line-up had altered to feature Fabok, Hill-Travis, Pattinson, Ayers, Taylor, Crysell and Andronos, along with key addition Julie Conway (vocals), Stephan Luke (trombone), and Dave Lennon (drums). I'm guessing there was also an Allniters mini-bus required at that point to move the band between venues.
Allniters then signed to the Powderworks label (home of Midnight Oil), with a distribution link through RCA. In April of '83, they released the single 'Hold On', the catchy song embodying the very essence of the Allniters' bouncy 2 Tone sound (it brings to mind something that Cat Empire would do). 'Hold On' managed to get a grip on the fringes of the national top forty nationally (#40), though it's Sydney performance (#15) would be indicative of Allniters' popularity in their home town. In September '83, Allniters released a cover of 'Montego Bay', previously a smash hit in 1970 for Bobby Bloom (US#8/UK#3/OZ#9). Allniters imbued the song with their own fun-flavoured style. The back cover of the single even featured a mock post-card from the band's saxophonist Ted Ayers to his parents. It read in part - "Having a great holiday. We just recorded our single and maxi-album at EMI. Hope you like it". The post-card was addressed to 'Mr. & Mrs. A.L. Niter, 23 Bluebeat St., Skasville, Sydney'. The EMI reference is a bit of a mystery, given Allniters were aligned to RCA. 'Montego Bay' tapped into the mood of the approaching Australian summer, and sunned itself at #19 nationally late in '83. I first scored a copy of the song via its inclusion on the compilation album '1983 Summer Breaks'. The performance of 'Montego Bay' around various areas of Australia, is a classic illustration of just how regionalised the music scene still was at that time - Sydney (#3), Melbourne (#15), Brisbane (#8), Adelaide (#19), Perth (#24).
As Australians were starting to return from a holiday in 'Montego Bay', Allniters released their debut album 'D-D-D-Dance' during December of '83. The album boasted an alluring fusion of musical styles, encompassing ska, reggae, dub, and straight up melodic pop, and garnered favourable reviews all-round. It was the perfect album to pop on the turntable on a lazy, hazy summer's day. The third single 'Love And Affection', was a breezy, laid-back slice of Calypso style music, and delivered Allniters a #45 hit nationally, with Sydney once more leading the way (#21). The album 'D-D-D-Dance', produced by Martin Armiger (worked with Paul Kelly, Stephen Cummings), went on to spend 22 weeks inside the charts, and peaked at #18 early in '84.
During 1984, several of the band members oscillated between Allniter duties and the studio-based Igniters' project. The Igniters, which also had a fluctuating line-up, released another EP during 1984, featuring the single 'On The Road Again'. But Allniters was still a going concern, and released two more singles during the year, 'Screaming Dreaming' (OZ#84) during August, and 'I Saw You First' during December. By January of '85, Allniters had called it a night, at least temporarily. Several members, including Crysell, Ayers, and Taylor, formed a new band called Castles In Spain, along with Nicholas Conroy, Cameron Giles, and John MacKay. But Allniter's sabbatical was a short one, and by July of '85 the band had reformed, albeit with yet another revamped line-up. Allniters, circa mid '85, featured Martin Fabok (guitar), Julie Conway (vocals), Peter Hill-Travis (vocals), Brett Pattinson (vocals/percussion), Stephan Luke (trombone), Peter Bolke (bass), Ralph Franke (saxophone), Mark Fuccilli (saxophone), Dale Pandit (drums), and Mark Tanner (guitar). Over the next year or so, Allniters remained a live act only, and by February '86 the revolving door was once more activated. Founding member Martin Fabok had departed, and the new playing roster featured Hill-Travis, Pattinson, Conway, Franke, along with new recruits Michael Allen (keyboards), Troy Duncomb (bass), Mickey Marnie (guitar), and Simon Knapman (drums). The dynamic of Allniters must have changed also during that period, with no regular horn section in tow.
Allniters then signed to Mushroom Records, but recorded just one more single. 'All That Easy' was produced by Mental As Anything's Martin Plaza, but only managed to ease to #76 nationally during August of '87. Soon after, Allniters disbanded and would remain on long term hiatus for the next twelve years. Following the warmly received 1997 compilation release, 'The Very Best Of', in 1999 Allniters resurfaced with yet another line-up, which featured several 80s era members - Fabok, Andronos, Conway, Hill-Travis and Pattinson - alongside new vocalist Jane Vasilkov (AKA Miss Velvet Vass). Over the course of 99/00 Allniters toured regularly, and recorded a new album, 'Another Fine Mess' (on the Sound System label), before splitting once more. During 2004, Allniters once more saw the light of day, albeit briefly, as the support act on UB40's Australian tour.
They may have only come into fame's focus for a fleeting moment, before being consigned once more to pop's periphery, but in that apparent blink of an eye, the Allniters left no-one in doubt as to the genuineness of their musical credentials.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Let's Spend Allnite At Montego Bay
Posted by A. FlockOfSeagulls AKA Rhys Jones at 12:11 AM
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Sponsors of biosimilar products continue to look for ways to accelerate biosimilar drug development in their race to the marketplace. To streamline biosimilar drug development more quickly, newer approaches have dealt with trial design in addition to protocol optimization and additional, non-traditional ways to identify patients more quickly. We developed two tools that have accelerated the biosimilar drug development process and these are discussed further in this webinar.
- Evidence Driven Design for Protocol Optimization
- Infosario Design
This webinar is the fourth in the series of presentations for the companies targeting global biosimilars development and registration in the Western markets. In our previous webinars, attendees learned about pharmaceutical development and analytical characterization of biosimilars, selection of reference product, regulatory requirements and how to optimize clinical development.


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According to Careeronestop.org, those working in geriatric care as a home health care aid or a personal care aid, can expect to see wages or salaries ranging from $14,200 to $25,600 per year on a national average in 2009. Those choosing to care for our seasoned citizens as a licensed vocational nurse or a licensed practical nurse saw a pay range of $28,300 to $53,600 annually. Other healthcare and technical professionals in elder care will saw wage ranges in 2009 from $22,900 to $91,200 annually, depending on the demand for their field.
Careeronestop.org: Personal Care Aid Wages
Careeronestop.org: LVN and LPN wages
Careeronestop.org: healthcare Practitioners and Other Technical Workers
How much do you want?
Not much. Nurses and care workers tend to get minimum wage - just like in the hotel industry.
Copyright 2020, Wired Ivy, LLC


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"...our bride and groom with their very special first dance..."
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Wedding First Dance
Posted by Your Daily Dose of Laughter at 6:31 AM
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New-car sales have bounced back since the recession to levels not seen since 2007, and a significant portion of that rebound is due to a record number of vehicles being leased.
Twenty-six percent of new vehicles in the second quarter were leased, Experian Automotive data show. That is nearly double the level during the depths of the recession in 2009 and well above the pre-recession record of 21 percent.
Industry analysts cite several factors for leasing's growth, including: an abundance of low-cost capital to finance leases; a tendency for consumers to focus on monthly payments; high resale value on used cars, which lowers the overall cost of the lease.
Luxury vs. mainstream
Leasing has long been a staple of the luxury market and currently accounts for about 45 percent of luxury vehicle sales, says Tom Libby, an analyst with IHS Automotive. Now, though, it is also widely touted by mainstream brands like Toyota, Honda, Chevrolet and Ford.
"A major driver is that the manufacturers and finance sources have expanded leasing beyond the luxury market into non-luxury categories," Libby said. "One reason for that is that the domestic companies have become more competitive in the non-luxury segments like compact and midsize cars. The Asian manufacturers have expanded their leasing operations into these non-luxury categories to help them maintain sales leadership."
Manufacturers and dealers promote leases, most of which are for 36 months, because it brings customers back sooner than if they buy and gives them first crack at another lease or sale, Libby said.
Another driver is that the luxury market is "moving downstream" with entry-level models that start around $30,000, such as the Mercedes-Benz CLA, Audi A3 and BMW 318 sedan, he said. Nearly 80 percent of those compact luxury sedans are leased, and a low monthly payment is the lure.
"They're promoting a low monthly payment, and the price (of the vehicle) becomes very much secondary," Libby said.
Lease vs. loan
But while leasing continues to grow, a decades-old debate about whether it is financially beneficial compared to buying a vehicle continues to rage.
Eva Rosenberg, a federally licensed tax specialist and publisher of TaxMama.com, a website that answers tax-related questions, says luxury vehicles are the "only area where leasing tends to make economic sense" and only if car expenses can be deducted as a business expense.
"When it comes to higher priced vehicles, you can pretty much deduct most of your payment on your tax return if you're using your vehicle for business. Owning means you can deduct only a very small part of the cost," she said.
For example, the business depreciation limit on a passenger car bought in 2014 is $3,160 the first year and $5,100 the second — even if the monthly payments on the car are $10,000 per year. Fully depreciating a car bought for business could take 19 years under current IRS regulations.
In comparison, with a leased vehicle, "If you use it 90 percent for business, you can deduct 90 percent of the (monthly) payment," said Rosenberg, author of "Small Business Taxes Made Easy" and other books on tax issues. Even then, she added, leasing isn't a slam-dunk as the smarter choice.
"Does Warren Buffett lease?" she asked. Buffett owns; he recently traded a 2006 Cadillac DTS for a 2014 Cadillac XTS.
"Smart people who are not living for show buy their stuff because it makes more sense. People who are trying to put up a big front (tend to) lease. When you look at the reality of what we've been through these last few years, you find that a great many of the people who lease are living beyond their means, and that needs to stop."
Equity vs. reality
Business considerations aside, she concedes that leasing can be a viable option for someone who has little money to put down on a new car or can't afford the monthly payments of a loan.
"Leasing becomes attractive when you can get some of these really low leases for like $200 a month or less. Those are good for someone in the first couple of years of driving, and that has to be more affordable than making monthly payments on a $30,000 car," she said.
For example, Experian Automotive says the average lease payment on a Honda Civic is $247 per month, compared to $357 for the average loan payment.
"For some people, considering the high price of a new car, that may be the only way they're going to be able to afford it," Rosenberg said.
Libby concurs, saying, "You're basically able to afford a vehicle that you would otherwise not be able to afford. The downside is that you don't own it. At the end of a lease you have nothing, whereas with a loan you have at least some equity, hopefully."
Long-term, Rosenberg suggests that buying a late-model used vehicle would be better because at some point the car payments will end.
"I'm really a fan of not leasing wherever possible. My philosophy is, if you want payments for the rest of your life, please, lease. If you want to free yourself of debt and build equity, buy the stupid thing, whatever it is," Rosenberg said.
Tax change coming to Illinois
Leasing will get a boost in Illinois Jan. 1 when a new law lowers the sales tax on leased vehicles. Currently, Illinois residents who lease pay sales tax on the entire capitalized cost. As a result, only 14 percent of new vehicles are currently leased in Illinois, according to Experian Automotive.
Starting Jan. 1, sales tax will apply only to the monthly lease payments in Illinois, a significantly lower amount that dealers expect will make leasing more attractive. With that change, Texas will be the only state that still taxes the full capitalized cost of a leased vehicle.


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Tuesday, April 10, 2012
This Sector Is Trading Below "End of the World" Prices
John Williams – Unemployment Rate at a Staggering 22.2%
from KingWorldNews:
John Williams, of Shadowstats, notes that manipulated government statistics are not changing the fact that the true SGS Unemployment Measure now sits at a staggering 22.2%. Williams also demonstrates that despite the hype from Wall Street about a recovery, parts of the economy remain collapsed. Here is what Williams had to say about the situation: "Adding the SGS estimate of excluded long-term discouraged workers back into the total unemployed and labor force, unemployment—more in line with common experience as estimated by the SGS-Alternate Unemployment Measure—notched lower to 22.2% in March from 22.4% in February."
An Internet Bubble Survivor That Could Double
Many of the hottest stocks from 1999 were underfunded ideas. When the bubble popped in early 2000, many tech companies with weak financials went bankrupt. The crash served as a stress test for tech companies. Those that survived generally had sound financials and better business models.
One of those survivors looks ready to move much higher. Its shares [2] are still 85% below their all-time highs, but they've caught the attention of traders: Shares are up more than 1,100% in the past three years.
Being noticed by traders is critical to a stock's success. No matter what the fundamentals show, the only thing that moves a stock price higher is increased demand for the stock. If traders never notice a company, the stock price will at best move in line with the market [3]. #-ad_banner-#
To find stocks that traders want to own, I look at a simple screen to see which stocks have had the biggest gains in the past 26 weeks. A number of studies have shown that the biggest winners from the past 26 weeks are likely to outperform in the next six months.
This week I found a company that makes equipment needed to clean machines used to make circuit boards. It's a high tech survivor with long-standing customer relationships that could deliver steady sales in the future.
FASII appears to be undervalued based on earnings [4]. Analysts have been raising their estimates in the past few days after a great earnings report in March. They now expect the company to report earnings of 41 cents per share this year. The stock market is trading with an average price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of about 13. FSII is growing much faster than the market and should support a higher than average P/E ratio. Yet based on next year's earnings, the P/E ratio is only about 11. If FSII traded at 15 times earnings, a small and reasonable premium to the market for a company with earnings expected to grow by 94% this year, the stock would be trading at $6.15.
For next year, analysts think that FSII could earn 68 cents per share. At a P/E ratio of 15, that level of earnings gives us a price target [5] of $10.20 for long-term investors, a gain of about 120% from recent trading levels.
In addition to fundamentals, the chart of FSII also says it's a buy. Relative strength [6] is high and momentum indicators such as MACD [7] are bullish [8].
Potential rewards are so high because FSII has disappointed investors in the past. They have a long history of sales but have only been profitable for the past two years. The company seems to have turned a corner to steady profits, but traders need to manage risk on this trade, just as they do on any other trade.
The daily chart shows that FSII would break below its lower Bollinger Band with a close below $4.20. Risk is limited to less than 10%, and the potential gains are three times that level in the short-term and more than ten times that level in the long-term.
The Foreclosure Crisis in America is far from over
Despite what mainstream media calls a recovering economy, the reality is Americans are still losing their house to foreclosure. The foreclosure crisis is far from over and it is apparent as Main St. continues to struggle.The government and the banks ARE the problem , These bunch of corporate prestitutes who in a very sleazy way allow poverty, indignity of people, blood shed swells of UNNEEDED wars to continue. They are the CANCER oF HUMANITY . Stop going to these institutions, stop using banks. Stop buying into their evil, corrupt schemes and let the 'communities' help themselves. Get the government out of our lives and let the constitution be what we go by, not the UN and international law. Just stop participating in the corruption and 'they' the institutions will have nobody but fools to loan to.
A Primer On Palladium
In comparison to platinum, palladium shares similar chemical properties but is less dense and has a lower melting point.
Uses of Palladium
With this in mind, it is important to take a look at the various uses of the metal. The unique composition of palladium makes it ideal for the auto industry, dentistry, electronics and fuel cell production. However, the most important use of palladium by far is the auto industry. Used in catalytic converters, the auto industry accounted for over 60% of the demand in 2010. To put this in perspective,about 80 million vehicles will be produced in 2011 and on average each catalytic converter requires about 1/20th of an ounce of palladium or platinum. Jewelry and industrial use, which comprises of dentistry and electronics, are the next highest users with approximately 29 and 7% of the demand in 2010 respectively.
Supply and Demand
Because Russia controls roughly 50% of the worldwide palladium pricing, and South Africa around 30%, palladium prices can be quite volatile. Between 2005 and 2011, palladium has gone from a low of about $168 per ounce to approximately $858 per ounce, settling around $630 per ounce as of Dec. 29, 2011.
Demand has also contributed to this volatility. With China's auto industry booming this could put a strain on supplies. Furthermore, the size of Russia's stockpile is a state secret so it is unknown how much supply they will export in future years.
Palladium Investing
There are a variety of ways an investor can gain exposure to this metal, whether through physical palladium, palladium futures, palladium miners or palladium exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Many miners are engaged in mining a variety of metals however, and since palladium is so rare it only makes up a small portion of a miners output. Nevertheless there are a few pure play mining companies that an investor can invest in.
As for palladium ETFs, the ETFS Physical Palladium Shares (ARCA:PALL) holds physical palladium and moves in tandem with the market price.
Lastly, palladium futures can be used to gain exposure. They are traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) and are available over 15 months, starting at the current month, then the next two following months before going onto the quarterly cycle of March, June, September and December.
Sample Futures Contract
A sample palladium futures contract is shown in this table:
Palladium Contract Specifications
Ticker Symbol
Open Outcry: PA (NYMEX)
Contract Size
100 troy ounces
Deliverable Grades
In fulfillment of each contract, the seller must deliver 100 troy ounces (±7%) of palladium, not less than .9995 fineness and with no single piece weighing less than 10 ounces. Each contract unit may consist of ingots or plates, each incised with the lot or bar number, weight, grade, name or logo of the assayer and symbol identifying the metal.
Contract Months
All months
Trading Hours
NYMEX Open Outcry: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. EST
CME Globex Electronic: Sunday-Friday 6 p.m.-5:15 p.m. EST
Last Trading Day
Third to last business day of the contract month. Trading terminates at the close of business on the third business day prior to the end of the delivery month.
Last Delivery Day
Last business day of the contract month
Price Quote
U.S. dollars and cents per troy ounce
Tick Size
NYMEX: 5 cents per troy ounce ($5 per contract)
Palladium Futures Contract in Detail
Every commodity has its own ticker symbol, margin requirements and contract value so it is important to know how to read the ticker. A palladium quote would look like this for example:
This would be like saying Palladium (PA) 2009 (9) January (F) at $650 per ounce.
Using the information in the chart above, the palladium contract equals the equivalent of 100 ounces multiplied by the $650, so: $650 x 100 ounces = $65,000
Metals are traded based on margin and this rate can change based on the volatility of the market. Typically if the margin rate increases, the price of palladium will drop and vice versa. The leverage gives speculators a higher risk return investment.
Palladium trades on the NYMEX and the Tokyo Commodities Exchange (TOCOM), each have their own contract size and minimum price fluctuation.
Change in Price
Each metal has its own contract size so the change in price can differ from other metals. For palladium, every 10 cent move is equal to $5, or 100 cent move the equivalent to $50. This is demonstrated below:
Buy Price
Sell Price
Total Value
Palladium Contract Price (100 cents move = $50)
$100 or $5,000
The Bottom Line
Palladium is one of the rarest metals on earth and is often neglected in favor of its more popular brother, platinum. However because of its unique qualities it is being used more and more in the auto industry, and as it is cheaper than platinum and comes from a limited number of sources, prices should rise in tandem. With this in mind, if traders and investors want exposure to this precious metal they can start looking at specific stocks, futures and ETFs.
This Growing Company is Giving 2 Giants a Run for their Money
Whenever you hear that a company is a "growth-through-acquisition story," you should be cautious. Investors tend to shun these types of stocks, as acquisitions bring plenty of risk. The acquired company may not generate the revenue growth that management had been banking on, or hoped-for cost cuts or other synergies may simply never materialize.
But a knee-jerk dismissal of these types of companies is a mistake, and investors instead need to differentiate between the two types of deal-making.
[block:block=16]Some companies do deals just to grow larger, while others do them to fill holes in their business model. It's this latter focus that actually can yield major gains, and where you should be focusing.
Filling in the gaps in its platform has been the key driver for Toronto-based MDC Partners (Nasdaq: MDCA [2]), North America's third-largest advertising agency behind Omnicom (NYSE: OMC [3]) and Interpublic (NYSE: IPG [4]). Publicis, WPP and Havas are also larger than MDC, but are domiciled in Europe. (Please note that many investors mistakenly look up MDC Holdings (NYSE: MDC [5]), which is a home builder.)
MDC Partners went through a solid growth spurt before the economy headed south in 2009. (Sales rose from $247 million in 2004 to $583 million in 2008.) The company was able to snag a number of key accounts from the industry's bigger players by a tight focus on online media advertising. Yet management realized that further gains would be hard to come by as MDC lacked several key services and offerings that clients expect from an ad agency. MDC has recently completed several small deals to round its platform, but those deals have soured investors who shun deal-making companies.
Yet MDC is now in a position to again take share from rivals and also generate more sales from existing customers. The company is on track for more than $1 billion in sales this year, which finally puts its name in discussions when Fortune 500 companies are looking to award major accounts.
Despite the company's newfound heft, shares are off 22% in the past six months, even as Interpublic and Omnicom's stocks have risen more than 35% in that time frame.
As a result, MDC is now the most inexpensive stock in the group -- but it is also the fastest-growing. While Interpublic and Omnicom are expected to boost sales 3% this year, MDC's sales are expected to rise in the low teens to around $1.06 billion.
Sure, the company has done some minor acquisitions in the last few quarters (and just announced another one this week), but the bulk of that growth is coming from new client wins. In just the first quarter of 2012, MDC landed new accounts with Arby's and Applebee's, as well as Target's (NYSE: TGT [6]) grocery business. Equally important, the company's broadened suite of offerings is enabling MDC to move deeper into client account relationships, which is boosting pricing and profit margins.
The company expects to generate 10.5% profit margins in 2012, roughly 100 basis points higher than in 2011. That's leading to an estimated $1.45 a share in free cash flow, which works out to a free cash flow yield of more than 13% ($1.45 FCF / $11 stock price = 13%).
This helps support an annual dividend of $0.56 per share (good for a 5.4% dividend yield).
I had been waiting to see how MDC's quarterly results looked, but management just pre-announced solid projections for the first quarter and the full year. Look for first-quarter sales to rise roughly 7% from a year-ago to around $233 million, and full-year sales to rise more than 10% to around $1.06 billion. Though the company is expected to be unprofitable on a GAAP basis due to a high level of amortization, cash flow should be quite strong, as noted above.
Strong top and bottom-line momentum, a robust dividend, and low valuations help explain why I'm adding this company to my $100,000 Real-Money Portfolio [7].
The Downside Protection --> Ad agencies derive a high degree of recurring revenue thanks to multi-year contracts, so a fall-off in business is unlikely unless the U.S. economy hits a big air pocket. Meanwhile, shares are washed out, trading near a two-year low and sporting a double-digit free cash flow yield. It's hard to see this stock falling much below $10.
Upside Triggers --> Management understands that the recent spate of acquisitions must help bolster the bottom line as well as the top line. The company has been rightly criticized for neglecting free cash flow in the past as it invests in acquired businesses and extends its broad sales platform. Management's 2012 free cash flow [8] targets show that it gets the message. Assuming few new major acquisitions this year, you should expect to see free cash flow surge even higher in 2013 as the era of internal investments winds down.
This is also a play on GDP growth. As the U.S. economy creates 200,000 jobs each month, corporations will respond by boosting spending on advertising. A handy rule of thumb is that ad spending moves at two to three times the direction of GDP growth, so MDC should see a 5% to 10% boost to growth, even before assuming any further market share gains that come from the company's recently expanded service offerings.
Bob Chapman - The Financial Survival - 09 April 2012
Bob Chapman - The Financial Survival - 09 April 2012 : today was a good day for Gold , Gold is in fact up while the DOW is down quite unusual , despite the government trying its best to keep gold and silver prices down says Bob Chapman
This Watch-Maker Could Deliver A +34% Return
Fashion stocks can be notoriously tricky to trade, but shares of this stylish watch, jewelry and apparel maker appear to offer a solid profit-making opportunity.
Driven by strong fundamentals, this stock is already up nearly 73% year-to-date. Just this past April 2nd trading week, shares hit an all-time high, while bullishly emerging from a rounded bottom basing pattern. With no overhead resistance is in sight, the stock looks poised to move higher.
On April 3rd, Fossil (Nasdaq: FOSL) became part of the S&P 500 Index ($SPX). The watch retailer replaced Medco Health Solutions, which was acquired by Express Scripts (Nasdaq: ESRX). Its placement in the S&P gives Fossil increased prominence, but what's really driving the stock is its aggressive international marketing.
The company has made large capital investments in developing areas and is now reaping the rewards. It is experiencing strong demand in regions like Asia and Europe, where fourth-quarter net sales increased nearly 19% and 16%, respectively.
Further propelling international growth is the recently completed acquisition of competitor Skagen designs. Skagen, a Nevada-based watch, jewelry, sunglasses and clock maker was acquired for $231.7 million. The company was attractive to Fossil because of its well-established presence in Europe, the Middle East and Eastern Asia. The purchase should help Fossil further leverage the European and Asia markets.
Fossil owns more than 390 stores worldwide. Over the 2012 year, the company plans to open 70 to 75 new stores in both the U.S. and internationally. As Fossil continues to expand across the globe, its growing brand presence should continue to drive profit growth.
Traders certainly seem convinced.
As the two-year chart below shows, Fossil was on a strong uptrend from June 2010 through July 2011. Over that time, the stock rose over $100, from a low of $33.86 to a high of $134.98.
Peaking at this level, shares proceed to fall dramatically. In four short weeks, the stock lost nearly half its value, sinking to a low of $69.57 before finding support. The Major uptrend line was broken in the process.
Knocking against support, the stock struggled to regain ground, rising to a high of $110.74, only to fall back, touching a low of $76.72 in late December 2011.
During this trading activity, a rounded bottom basing pattern formed. Note the gradually decreasing volume trend during the fall and early winter of 2011 and the dramatic increase of volume in February when the shares broke $110 resistance in January 2012.
Since that time the shares has formed an Intermediate-term uptrend line and Fossil has been on a tear.
This holiday-shortened April 2nd trading week, the stock went through resistance, hitting a new all-time high near $138. With no historical resistance in sight, shares could move much higher.
The strong technical outlook is supported by solid fundamentals.
In mid-February, the watch-maker reported upbeat fourth-quarter and full-year results.
Driven by double-digit sales growth across all major brands, products, and geographies, fourth-quarter revenue increased 18.5% to $830.8 million, from $701.1 million in the year-ago period.
Due to increased sales of watches and leather goods, full year 2011 revenue increased 26.4% to $2.6 billion, from $2 billion a year earlier.
For the full 2012 year, analysts project revenue will increase 16.5% to $3 billion and gain a further 15.2%, to $3.5 billion, by 2013.
The earnings picture is similar.
Driven by strong product demand, fourth-quarter earnings surged 28% to $1.87 per share, from $1.46 in the comparable year-ago period.
Due to success with its lifestyle and multi-brand watch business segments, full-year 2011 earnings were up 16% to $4.61 per share, from $3.77 per share a year earlier. A favorable currency exchange, combined with a lower outstanding share count, created by an ongoing stock repurchase program, also helped fuel the gain.
For the full 2012 year, the company expects earnings will be in a range of $5.40 to $5.50 per share, representing at least a 17% increase from $4.61 last year. By full-year 2013, analysts expect earnings to increase an additional 22% to $6.68.
Given the strong fundamental outlook, supported by bullish technicals, I plan to go long on the watch maker.
Risks to consider: Fossil is currently at an all-time high and could peter out from here. Although the high-end retailer is currently doing well in a tough retail environment, watches, jewelry and accessories are discretionary items. Cost-conscious consumers could move on to the next hot brand. As such, I will enter the position with caution. I will place a buy-on-stop order just above psychological resistance of $140, at $141.74. This means if the stock does not hit or go above $141.74, I will not enter the position.
With no historical resistance in sight, my target is $189.39, well under round-number resistance at $200. My stop-loss is $109.89, just under $110 support. The risk to reward ratio is approximately 1.40:1.


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The mikroExpert 3 Kit for PIC is a ready-to-use hardware & software bundle to get you started in developing a PIC-based device while programming in C.
The bundle consists of the following items at a discount:
EasyPIC PRO v7 contains many on-board modules for all kinds of development. These include an Ethernet connector, USB device connector, RS232, USB-UART, piezo buzzer, and I2C EEPROM. There also are sockets for adding a GLCD with Touch Panel, 2×16-character LCD, DS1820 digital temperature sensor, and LM35 analog temperature sensor. (All but the LM35 are included in this kit. You can add an LM35 as an option at the bottom of this page.)
Note: Use of the Ethernet port requires a microcontroller with Ethernet capability, such as the PIC18F87J60. Use of the USB Device connector requires a microcontroller with USB capability, such as the PIC18F87J50. At the bottom of this page, you can purchase CPU modules with those microcontrollers.
The board has three mikroBUS expansion sockets and features nine Input/Output PORT groups with IDC10 headers, buttons and LEDs.
No external programming hardware is required, for the board contains a built-in mikroProg fast USB 2.0 programmer and hardware debugger. The board also has an RJ12 ICD connector if you want to use your own PIC programmer instead.
There are more than 160 accessory boards you can find among the mikroElektronika Accessory Boards category and its subcategories that contain add-ons that plug into the IDC10 and mikroBUS interface on the EasyPIC PRO board.
The included DVD-ROM contains example software both as ready-to-load compiled code and as source code. The source codes provide detailed explanatory comments. Note that some demos require optional hardware.
Each compiler license includes free upgrades and tech support for the lifetime of the product. The software features a Live Update service so you can get new features and improvements instantly.
The compiler is designed to be smart and efficient, so you can rely on it to do the hard work. It features four levels of optimizations that can reduce your code size up to 20 percent. Standard header files are included that make it easy to port your code from other C compilers.
Please review the mikroC Order Page for a detailed list of features, documentation, and a downloadable demo version.


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Past Festivals
Past Event
What Makes a Book Worth Publishing?
What happens when artistic ideals clash with harsh realities? At this special event, industry experts discuss the writing and publishing of novels today and announce the winner of the 2013 Writer's Retreat Competition.
The panel includes the bestselling crime novelist Elizabeth Haynes, the literary agent Kate Shaw, the writer and creative writing tutor Greg Mosse, the literary reviewer Pam McIlroy (AKA @Pamreader) and the publisher Candida Lacey.
- Year
- 2013
- When
- Wed 15 May, 6pm
- Tickets
- £8


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Sometimes you just get tired of walking. You start to think about nothing else but the soreness of your feet and how wonderful it would be if someone else would just carry you the rest of the way to your destination.
It turns out that, based on this video anyway, dogs have similar thoughts as well. This tuckered canine begged his companion for a piggy back ride and got one. Completing the moment was the carried dog spying another doggy on a leash and then staring at the other dog as if to say, "You know they'll just carry you if you ask, right?"


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Posted: May 12, 2018
The Urbandale Girls Soccer Team moved to 8-4 on the season with a pair of victories on Saturday in their own classic.
The J-Hawks beat Council Bluffs, TJ 1-0 and then Bishop Heelan 3-0.
Urbandale is back at Frerichs Field on Tuesday, May 15, for a matchup with Valley and on Thursday, May 17, for a matchup with DM East. Both matches begin at 7:30pm.


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I am especially thankful for everything we have accomplished together, and I'm eager to continue our work in 2015 to make our families and community even stronger for the future.
A few weeks ago, we had an important victory when Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the state-wide ban on hydrofracking, the controversial process using a mix of chemicals and water to blast drill for underground natural gas supplies.
The governor's decision is a victory for all of us fighting to prevent the contamination of our food and drinking water from this dangerous practice.
Now there is a bigger and more immediate threat to our communities in southern Queens and Rockaway, including the beaches and waterways that we depend on for recreation and economic development.
This threat is the Liberty LNG Port Ambrose project proposed for a site just off the coast of Jones Beach in Long Island. The plan is to build a deep water port to import unstable and dangerous liquefied natural gas (LNG) through our communities and waterways.
Port Ambrose was originally proposed for a site off the coast of New Jersey under the name Port Liberty. Due to the potential risks posed by this highly flammable material, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie stepped up and vetoed the project in 2011, soon after Hurricane Irene.
In 2013, the project was renamed Port Ambrose and the location moved closer to Long Island. At the time, I joined hundreds of opponents to the project to tell the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), the federal agencies in charge of oversight for the project, that I opposed Port Ambrose and that one public hearing for such an important issue was unacceptable.
A new Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project was released on December 8, triggering a public comment period that ends on February 17. Once again, only two public hearings were scheduled: one at the JFK Airport Hilton on January 7 and one the following day in New Jersey.
Our families in southern Queens and Rockaway have a right to be heard. For this reason, I have once again called on MARAD and USCG to hold public hearings in all affected coastal communities in the region – not just one hearing per state.
LNG is highly unstable, flammable, and poses a high risk of explosion. Our first responders and the Coast Guard do not have the resources to face the increased risk of accident or even terrorist threat to the facility, which will be just miles from JFK Airport and the New York Harbor.
Port Ambrose may be planned for waters off the coast of Long Island, but we all know that the risks don't stop at the Nassau County line.
I have urged Governor Cuomo to follow the lead of our neighbors in New Jersey and immediately veto the Port Ambrose project. The safety of our local families and the security of our waters are too valuable to give up for a project that will bring little benefit to our local economies.
In the two years since Sandy, we have worked tirelessly together to rebuild stronger than ever; the dangers posed by the Port Ambrose project are a threat to that progress. I will continue to fight for our recovery, but most importantly, to protect our communities and the waters we love from any and all potential risk.
Phillip Goldfeder represents the 23rd District in the Assembly.


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Indian Ordinance Factories has announced a result for the recruitment to the posts Chargeman (Mechanical & Electrical Engg) on 20 Feb, 2014 [Friday]. Candidates who were applied and given written examination can Download IOF Chargeman Result 2014-2015 from the official website whose link is mention below. IOF has declared Chargeman (Elect & Mech Engg) Merit List 2015 to know the number of qualified candidates in written examination. Download IOF Elect & Mech Merilt List 2015 to check their result if candidates roll no present in the merit list then they qualify exam and called for counseling.
Applicants can go through the official website www.iofindia.gov.in to know their result and also know about latest and upcoming notification published on the official website. A huge number of candidates participated in the written examination but only qualified/passed candidates called for counseling process. People are advised to keep in the touch regularly with the official website to know more information about the upcoming notification like IOF Chargeman Counseling Letter Download 2015, Download IOF Provisional List 2015 and IOF Final Result 2015.
Download IOF Mech/Elect Chargeman Result 2015:
The application form was filled in the month of July/Aug, 2014 for the recruitment to the posts 'Chargeman' [ Mechanical, Information Technology, Civil, Electrical, Chemical, Electronics, Automobile, Metallurgy, Leather Technology, Clothing Technology, and other Non- Technical ] Trade in Indian Ordnance Factories. Number of candidates were passed in the examination in the recruitment and wants to download their IOF Counseling Letter 2015 for the above post mention above except Mechanical and Electrical. If any candidates can forget their registration number then they can download their counseling letter by using registered E-mail ID or Mobile Number.
Download IOF Chargeman Result 2015 from the link mention below. Candidates can also Download IOF Counseling Letter (Available soon) for counseling process and documents verification. Applicants who qualified in the written examination may be selected finally after the counseling process. The IOF Mech & Elect Final Result 2015 will be announced soon by the Indian Ordinance Factory & update on this page. Candidates can check their result in the result list their name, roll number, registration number and marks will be mention.
Download Mechanical Merit List 2015
List-I : Click Here
List-II : Click Here
Download Electrical Merit List 2015
List-I : Click Here
List-II : Click Here
Download: IOF Chargeman Elect & Mech Result 2015
Download: IOF Chargeman Counseling Letter 2015
Official website: Applicants can go through the official website www.iofindia.gov.in to know their electrical & Mechanical Engg post result and also know more information about the upcoming update like IOF Counseling Letter/Result.


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Each year, September 15 to October 15 is designated as Hispanic Heritage Month. PBS LearningMedia has a range of digital resources you can use to teach your class about the histories and cultures of Hispanic Americans in recognition of this month-long celebration, including the story of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus and his ties to Spain.
Columbus's explorations are well-known. In 1492, as he was sailing for Spain, he decided to take a westerly course across the Atlantic Ocean in search of an alternative route to the Indies. It was then when he inadvertently "discovered" a new continent. This set of primary resources from the Library of Congress provides a window into this time period, as well as a teacher's guide with historical context and teaching suggestions.
These materials can help your students evaluate the influence of Spanish explorers versus English, French and Portuguese. Students will also get to research the biographies of Hispanic explorers like Ponce de Leon, Hernando Cortes, Francisco Pizarro and Hernando Coronado. READ MORE: http://to.pbs.org/1uRnJQG


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NEW YORK, New York - The Big Apple has lost out on its bid to host a new headquarters for growing online retail giant Amazon.
The company on Thursday said it was withdrawing its plan to build a second headquarters, which it was calling HQ2, in New York City, because of political opposition.
Many U.S. tech firms, such as Facebook, Google and Amazon, have established headquarters in Ireland due to tax incentives offered by the government there. To site its new operation in New York involved the company seeking tax breaks, which local politicians were not prepared to allow.
Amazon said it was disappointed with the decision to pull the plug.
"After much thought and deliberation, we've decided not to move forward with our plans to build a headquarters for Amazon in Long Island City, Queens. For Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term. While polls show that 70% of New Yorkers support our plans and investment, a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City," Amazon said in a statement published on Thursday.
"We are disappointed to have reached this conclusion, we love New York, its incomparable dynamism, people, and culture, and particularly the community of Long Island City, where we have gotten to know so many optimistic, forward-leaning community leaders, small business owners, and residents. There are currently over 5,000 Amazon employees in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island, and we plan to continue growing these teams."
"We are deeply grateful to Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio, and their staffs, who so enthusiastically and graciously invited us to build in New York City and supported us during the process," Amazon said. "Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio have worked tirelessly on behalf of New Yorkers to encourage local investment and job creation, and we can't speak positively enough about all their efforts. The steadfast commitment and dedication that these leaders have demonstrated to the communities they represent inspired us from the very beginning and is one of the big reasons our decision was so difficult."
"We do not intend to reopen the HQ2 search at this time. We will proceed as planned in Northern Virginia and Nashville, and we will continue to hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the U.S. and Canada," the Amazon statement said.


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Avengers T-Shirts, Gifts & Merch
TruffleShuffle-ers, assemble! Formed to fight the foes no single hero could withstand, Marvel's Avengers are the most powerful team of Superheroes in the world! With an ever-shifting line-up, the group began in the '60s with the teaming of Thor, Iron Man, Ant Man, Wasp and Hulk, as they united to thwart the Asgardian menace Loki, and since have recruited super-beings, adventurers and crime fighters like Captain America, Black Widow, Spider-Man, Wolverine and recently, everyone's favourite antihero and merc with a mouth, Deadpool! Our comic book print Avengers accessories and of course, colour-pop vintage-inspired Avengers T-Shirts, make the perfect tribute to the Earth's No.1 team - or why not show your admiration for your favourite member with a tee emblazoned with their design? Looking for merch related to specific movies? Click to check out our Avengers: Endgame or Avengers Infinity War goodies.
- Gender
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- Sort By(Best Selling)
30% Off
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35% Off
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|This article is about a/an carrier mecha in Hikari Sentai Maskman.
- For the show with the same name, see Turboranger. For the Sentai team see Turborangers. For the PR team see Turbo Rangers.
Turbo Ranger (ターボランジャー Tāboranjā, pronounced "Turbo Runger"): A carrier mecha in the shape of a gigantic sportscar that carries the component mecha of the Great Five, or alternately the Land Galaxy. It is armed with missiles shaped and colored like the Masky Fighter and can be piloted from the cockpit of the Masky Fighter Strange! The Dark Underground Castle or summoned remotely from its' hangar behind a waterfall. Ep. 3: The First Step into the Unknown
Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai
Years later, Turbo Ranger appeared as part of an army of robots, animals, jets, machines and vehicles belonging to the first 25 red heroes. As anticipated by Soukichi Banba (Big One), they were led by Akira Shinmei (AoRenger) and Chief Counsellor Naoyuki Miura to help fight Lost Highness Rakushaasa. Hyakujuu Sentai Gaoranger vs. Super Sentai
- When the Turbo Ranger launched from the hangar they used footage of the Niagara Falls as the facade. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiFP8P1BcvU
- Strangely, the team with a similar name to the Maskman carrier shares the usage of a motif of a flying car, but it is the Red's mecha in their case.


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So, mission being accomplished? I'd say yes. My primary, personal mission on this trip was to experience the beauty and goodness of God in the people and places I'd encounter. That has happened, without a doubt. You've seen a small sample of pictures of some of those places and people. It has been an enriching trip, in which I have felt very alive. As I mentioned to some of you, this feels like a trip that is designed for me on so many levels.
My secondary mission has been the academic one...the mission that logistically and financially has made the first mission possible. :) I came here to discover the "emerging" Church in this part of the world...the ways the Church is seeking to be relevant to its culture and the new trends in its methods, practices, language, and values that reflect such efforts by the church. I wanted to know of it, celebrate it, learn from it, and share it with others.
Well...I'm finding it everywhere, having talked with numerous pastors and with several young Christian leaders. Certaintly, like in the U.S., not all of the churches see the need for such re-invention, and maybe even consider that to be a dangerous road to travel down, for many reasons. With much still to observe, the mid-trip conclusion and opinion is this: there is in fact an emerging church here, but its primary values are relational and humanitarian.
It seems to me that many churches in the U.S. understand relevancy in terms of being cool, or hip, or attractive. To make a generalization, the Church here in Peru & Bolivia thinks of being relevant as partially about offering relationship and community to a generation that wants connection, wants to be known, and maybe even needs to know they can be authentic and be loved for who they are, in light of a lot of brokenness here (much of it family-related, it seems).
The other half of relevancy seems to be humanitarian...to be "relevant" is to be in tune with the needs and hurts of the culture--both individuals as well as the greater social, economic, political systems--and to seek as churches to assist with such needs. These churches have what many in the U.S would call a "missional" understanding of themselves--they exist to better their communities by expressing the love of Christ in practical, tangible ways.
So is there an "emerging church" here? Yes. On a small scale, but gaining momentum. Is it identical to the U.S.? I don't think so. It will be interesting to explore in more depth why this is. Maybe it is as simple as the fact that the needs are different here, because this is a completely different world. Maybe because poverty and broken relationships are more visible here, a relevant church works to meet such needs, rather than worrying about things like worship music style, or trying to show that being Christian is "cool."
The invitation to live for God's kingdom and mission transcends "coolness." I believe God loves creation deeply, and invites us to anticipate with our lives the ways God will one day fully heal and restore the world. There is so much brokenness in the world--whether that means large-scale systemic issues that need the masses to unite to bring God's justice and goodness in a widespread way, or more individual brokenness, like the way your neighbor is broken because he or she has experienced abandonment, belittling, abuse, and as a result lives imprisoned by fear, self-hatred, loneliness, or just boredom from not having a greater mission of which to be a part. A relevant church seeks to join in how God is setting things right, here and now. Are our communities better off because churches are in them? Yikes...what a convincting question.
All that to say...I'm learning a lot, and still have much more to learn and process, as I think more deeply about what all these conversations and observations mean and more practically as to the "so what" of all this. I'm learning a lot...but where do I go from here?
Some pictures of the past week in Bolivia below, which by the way, I had some small issues getting into the country. Bolivia is upset with the U.S. right now, something regarding the refuge we've given to an ex-president of Bolivia who is in trouble here. So I had to buy a Visa for $100 to get in...something only Americans have to do.
This is a shot of Lake Titicaca...I spent most of Wednesday driving through the countryside of Bolivia, the shores of this HUGE lake, and through the charming little lake town of Copacabana. This picture does not do the scene justice. This is some of the most beautiful countryside I've ever seen, with the lake, the mountains, and the countless small farms along the way.
I was in La Paz Wednesday to Friday...breathtaking city as you drive in...it's all layed out in a canyon, with the entire city being on steep hills, save the main drag through town at the bottom. Nice time here...from the quaint markets in the streets that would drive Wal-Mart and Safeway lovers crazy, to waitresses wanting pictures with me (I'm a hottie down here, it seems), to random acts of kindness, like Jorge buying me some indigenous fruit and walking with me for several blocks and sharing some insights about the local culture.
This is in an old Franciscan monestary, next to the city's main square and cathedral.
Here are Raul and Damaris, a couple I spent the afternoon with discussing matters relevant to my exploration. They work at a seminary here and are also youth workers in their church.
So now I'm in Santa Cruz, in the tropical section of Bolivia (been in the mountains most of my trip) having arrived on Saturday, and having a great time. Through the wonder of networking, I've already made some great connections, attended a pretty special church on Sunday (more on that at a later time), and even played some soccer yesterday....finally...the return of "Sneaky Matthew" (for those that know that reference).
This is Joanna, my new "little sister." She is even more adorable in person. I'm staying with an incredible family here, who speaks basically no English. Yet it's amazing how much my Spanish is improving and has improved over the last month...the language barrier continues to lessen.
That's all for now...will be in Santa Cruz for the next few days.
Peace and farewell.


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Event Timings
|Joaquin Barrier (Siege)
|max 10 players
|max 10 players
|Team Arena (MCC3)
|3v3(min) to 10v10(max) (3 Chars)
|Team Arena (MCC1)
|3v3(min) to 10v10(max) (1 char)
|Joaquin Barrier (Defense)
Event Mission: Joaquin Barrier (Siege)
Time: 1400hrs
Take down 5 Red Colonies and a boss in a hard-hitting seige. Gather your power and slash your way through waves of monsters to claim your treasure chests!
Event Mission: Gold
Time: 1600hrs
Protect your colony from waves of monsters. First wave throws 4 mini-bosses your way. Wave two spawns a horde of Treasure Mermen. Use detection on the Mermen in order to summon the mission boss. Defeat the mission boss and a Red Colony will appear at the end of a hallway. Destroy it and choose one of the treasure chests for your reward.
Event Mission: Team Arena (MCC3)
Time: 2000hrs
Yellow Team at one end of a corridor filled map, Blue Team at the other end. Advance to the other base, killing monsters and making your team stronger. Each player has a full team of three characters. Take the other base and win. Read more on Team Arena here.
Event Mission: Invasion
Time: 2200hrs
Granado Espada's take on Tower Defense. Defend your colony from waves of monsters and accumulate points for every kill. Head over to the Point Shop to purchase boosts such as Colony Health, random buffs for everyone, turrets, mercenary soldiers and even monster extermination.
Event Mission: Team Arena (MCC1)
Time: 2300hrs
A simplified version of the Team Arena (MCC3). You can only use 1 character to participate in this mission. All monsters in weakened by 50% and buffs sold at 50% discount. Read more on Team Arena here.
Event Mission: Occupation
Time: 0000hrs
Plow through trap formations, defeat Dr. Fran Mothein and destroy the enemy colony.
Event Mission: Infiltration
Time: 0100hrs
Make your way to the center of a Prison to face the powerful Diablo. Each room contains a new wave of uglies just waiting for you.
Event Mission: Joaquin Barrier (Defense)
Time: 0200hrs
Defend the Joaquin Base against an endless onslaught of monsters.


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Gazebo Ideas. Published at Friday, December 16th 2016, 15:18:58 PM by Elfreda Abisamra.
Patio is one of the most beautiful areas in any home. You can make it more beautiful by building gazebo by using some simple Patio gazebo plan. Forming a gazebo in the patio is very easy. Patio gazebos really add a touch of elegance to your patio and will impress any guest who turned their eyes to it. To find the right gazebo is not easy thing to do. You should shop around to find the gazebo that matches to your interior. But, if you're willing to spend your time to find the right gazebo, the patio will be great.
A Patio gazebo is located or built into your patio. Patio gazebo is a little more expensive than standard gazebo, but it has significant benefits. Patio gazebo adds a lot of privacy for your patio. Depending on the design of the gazebo, it may be necessary to modify your patio. For this reason, you must take careful consideration into account of your gazebo construction. First, it is important for you to decide where you want to put the gazebo in your patio. The corner is a great place to put your gazebo because it will leave room to enjoy your patio. If you have a large patio, so you have more flexibility to put your gazebo. It is important for you to fit the style of your gazebo with patio, home, and plants.
Patio gazebo is common to be placed on the upper of patio, but if you really want to ensure the stability of the gazebo, you must consider cutting post hole in your patio. Before you decide whether or not to buy a patio gazebo, decide whether a desk is large enough to put gazebo on without disturbing the whole scheme of your patio. That's all about Patio gazebo.
Tags: 9x9. outdoor. good. small. wooden. cute.
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LACOMBE — There may never be another Allan Cup like it. That's both a rave review and the hope and the plan.
You'd never know that there was anything wrong with this picture if you experienced the ballistic success of the hosting by the Lacombe Generals team that made it into their 10th final — fifth in a row — in their 12th Allan Cup appearance here Saturday night. Since 2008 they've been in every Allan Cup but 2012. In many ways they've become the Allan Cup.
It was a scene to remember and to cherish as the Generals filled a 2,000-seat arena to capacity with hundreds of fans also leaning on the rails circling the rink and an overflow crowd watching on big screens in the adjoining curling club transformed into a Brier Patch-style Molson's Hockey House.
It was a happening. There were old-fashioned rural style turkey suppers between games, bands following the night games, delightful mini chuckwagon races featuring minor hockey players replacing horses between periods, five-figure 50-50s and a not only the arena but downtown decorated for the occasion.
"We pulled together 19 great people to be on the committee to make this happen, 120 volunteers and unbelievable local sponsors. It's not one person. A community made this happen," said event chairman Steve Christie. "We needed to cover close to $400,000 in expenses and there might end up being some left over with the sellouts once the dust settles."
Usually after a success like this there's a euphoric cry to do it again. Not here — not this year.
"After next year in Hamilton-Dundas, I don't think we'll ever see another tournament. I think we'll go back to series play," said Generals general manager Jeff McInnis. "I said it in our Hockey Canada meeting here. This Allan Cup in Lacombe feels like we have built a Hollywood set. It looks unbelievably sharp. It feels great. It looks sustainable. But it's not.
"After next year I don't think we'll ever see another tournament. I think we'll go back to series play like there was for the Allan Cup for 77 of the first 111 years of its existence," continued McInnis.
There was a day, a long time ago, back when the Toronto Maple Leafs were winning Stanley Cups, when the Allan Cup was bigger than the Memorial Cup.
Senior hockey was huge in small centres. Some teams were famous from coast to coast. Ask your grandfather.
There were teams like the Kitchener-Waterloo Flying Dutchmen, Whitby Dunlops, Belleville McFarlands, Brantford Alexanders, Galt Terriers, Port Arthur Bearcats, Kenora Thistles, Sherbrooke Beavers, Cornerbrook Royals, Charlottetown Islanders, Penticton Vees, Trail Smoke Eaters, Kimberly Dynamiters, Nelson Maple Leafs, St. Boniface Mohawks, Saskatoon Quakers, Yorkton Terriers, Drumheller Miners, Red Deer Rustlers, Ponoka Stampeders and Lacombe Rockets.
The Allan Cup has been presented to the senior hockey champion of Canada dating back to 1909 and been won by teams from every province. But times change.
"When I started 20 years ago there were 47 teams that declared for Allan Cup play. This year there were 12," said McInnis.
The Allan Cup is a six-team tournament. Defending champion Stoney Creek Generals from Ontario, Haut Madawaska Panthers from New Brunswick and Manitoba's South East Prairie Thunder were eliminated throughout the week.
That left the Rosetown Red Wings, Innisfail Eagles and Lacombe Generals still alive going into Friday evening. They're all members of the four-team regional league along with the Stony Plain Eagles.
This was a week to celebrate the history of the host franchise that won three Allan Cups as the Bentley Generals before moving into Lacombe.
"Twenty years ago some friends of mine were starting this senior hockey team in Bentley," said McInnis. "I joined them my first year out of college at SAIT when I moved back home and started work in the area. It was the Generals second year and I think I was smitten by the pizza, beer and by the camaraderie.
"My love for that small, one horse town of only a few hundred people where everybody chipped in, was incredible," said the player of six seasons who was so captivated by it all that he became general manager.
The Bentley rink had a capacity of 350. But they were stuffing it with 700 or 800 people.
"When we started, the Stony Plain Eagles were at a level we could only aspire to. But we got better and better. The word started getting out that we had a pretty fun situation and environment building there. We started getting some good players coming back from playing in Europe and the minors who were starting jobs and families and wanted to come and play for us. The key to building a good senior league team is to find players on the way out of their careers. In our fifth season we actually swept Stony Plain in a playoff series and went to our first Allan Cup."
Their volunteer coach was Brian Sutter, former Jack Adams Trophy winner as Coach of the Year in the NHL who enjoyed being with players who wanted to keep playing for the love of the game.
"In the summer of 2006 a few of us players went out to his farm and convinced him to give it a try. He was a big shot in the arm for us. He brought some credibility. The public loved the Sutter name and the NHL thing that came with it. But mostly we needed a coach. Brian gave us a passion and that Sutter intensity. We won our first Allan Cup in 2009 in Steinbach, Manitoba in overtime with Brian," said McInnis.
They also had the two brothers of Edmonton Oilers legend Ryan Smyth, Kevin and Jared.
"There was a novelty to being in Bentley. We broke some hearts in Bentley when we moved here but they understood it.
"We were kind of like a kid moving away from home. It was time. Those same fans came with us everywhere we played whether it was to Powell River, B.C. to Newfoundland.
"We sort of outgrew Bentley. It was kind of sad because it was such a romantic story with such a small town. But Lacombe, geographically because it was a 15-minute drive away and historically because of the Rockets, was the obvious place to go.
"I put my tie on and went to the council in Lacombe and told them that we were kind of dying in Bentley and that we were looking for a home and would they have us? They voted and said 'Yeah, we want you.'
"Lacombe was perfect. It has the fans. It has the volunteers. It has the businesses to be sponsors. Our situation in Lacombe is just wonderful. Our arena is perfect for our brand. The city has just dumped $15 million into the thing," he said of dressing rooms, a new ice plant, an expanded new lobby and even a new roof.
For the Allan Cup volunteers painted the rink in Generals colors and a sponsor donated a large video board.
It was a sensational show. But don't expect it to be duplicated or replicated.
There will be one more Allan Cup in this format next year in Hamilton-Dundas. But if Hockey Canada listens, that will be it.
"It'll be like a sequel to your favorite movie that you wish they never made. If your impression of the Allan Cup was this, you're going to say 'Oh no,'" said McInnis. "Donnie Robertson, a real good guy who runs the team in Dundas said 'It won't be like this next year.'
"They'll have games in quarter-full rinks in Hamilton and Dundas, held simultaneously so you can't watch all the games. It'll be lost in the populace in Southern Ontario where it just can't be a big deal. There will be no show built around it. Just the games.
"Dundas is championing the same thing we're championing which is to change the format," McInnis said of a best-of-five Allan Cup final with, say, the first two games in the West and the rest of the series in the East one year and reverse it the next.
They held a meeting here to convince Hockey Canada to get rid of the borders.
"We need to have teams declare and decide which teams meet in each series to start and go from there.
"The problem is that we're not on the top of Hockey Canada's 'To Do' list. We are at the very bottom. We need the ability for the participants decide how to run it.
They're not interested in going outlaw.
"We want to play for the Allan Cup. That's why we do this. That 111-year-old Sterling silver beat-up old trophy that has seen more championship parades and celebrations than you can imagine."
E-mail: email@example.com
On Twitter: @ByTerryJones


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Three penguins on an ice floe and seals, in a similar motif in the rankings after that.
There are two different fishes that run their way through the sea.There are two special symbols to keep you entertained. Here is the tail fin of the Orca in UK, which acts as a Scatter. But also the Wild; drawn as an ancient; golden Symbol;is always welcomed by the player on the reels.
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Wilhelm Kaulbach
From Conservapedia
Wilhelm Kaulbach (1805 – 1874) was a German painter and illustrator. His work was a beauty-loving art.
The Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, 1846.
Some works
- "Die Hunnenschlacht" (1834, frescoe at the Neues Museum, Berlin)
- "Die Zerstörung von Jerusalem" ("The Destruction of Jerusalem", 1846, Neune Pinakothek, München)
- "Kaiser Otto III In Der Gruft Karls Des Grossen" (1859, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nürnberg). [1]
Hirszenberg's painting (The Wandering Jew) is considered the second Jewish example of a Wandering Jew painting, after the 1876 self-portrait Ahasuerus by his mentor Maurycy Gottlieb. Avraham Ronen suggests Gottlieb's painting was a response to Wilhelm von Kaulbach's antisemitic The Destruction of Jerusalem, wherein a Wandering Jew figure is tormented by raging demons. [2] Also: [3]


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Legal Disclaimer
All rights reserved. Website www.adacta-group.com and all information available on the website is the property of Adacta programska oprema d.o.o. Any rewriting, copying or distribution of any website content for commercial purposes is prohibited. All materials posted on the web site www.adacta-group.com, are informative.
The company Adacta programska oprema d.o.o. reserves the right to make changes without prior notice. We apologize for any errors. You use the web site at your own risk.
The company Adacta programska oprema d.o.o. is not responsible for any damage caused by the use of the website (this also applies to content outside the domain adacta-group.com). The company also assumes no liability with respect to the smooth operation of the site.


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There are so many different forms of art that can be appreciated besides photography. One of those art forms is carpentry. My boss, Daniel Maxam, who is the Assistant Athletic Director for Facility Management at Liberty University, is also a skilled carpenter who has just started his own business, Simply Wooden.
"I have always had a love for building since I was a child," said Dan on his business' Facebook page. Dan saw that there was a demand for pallet furniture, or furniture made from wood from reclaimed pallets. This furniture is unique because of its distressed look and heirloom-like appearance. Dan started to build some of this furniture and offering it on Craigslist. After some success selling his pieces on the site, he "finally started a small side business to follow [his] passion," Simply Wooden and has expanded from only using reclaimed pallet wood to also using cedar, red oak, pressure-treated decking and reclaimed barn wood.
Today, two of my coworkers and I assisted Dan with taking apart an old barn to collect more materials for his furniture. We worked on it for 2 and a half hours and got a trailer load of wood over to his house. Hopefully we'll get to see some of the furniture he makes with it! Some photos of the process are on the bottom and pictures of some of his work is in the slideshow gallery.
Check out his Facebook page for Simply Wooden here.


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One of the significant challenges we face on a day-to-day basis is working with others, often from different cultures and with different personalities. SYIS Workshops are designed to enhance the knowledge, attitudes and skills of Christian workers in how we relate to family, co-workers, friends as well as those from other cultures. SYIS is highly interactive. We will work, share, and practice skills together in pairs, small groups, and as a whole group. The best methods of adult education are utilized so that maximum learning takes place.
The cost is £590 (or £395 non-residential) and more information is available from Carolyn Davey on email@example.com


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After not too long ago buying a house outdoors of Las Vegas, I had this superior yard with a grill and a pool that was wayyyy too quiet. One of many different major nativity outdoor decoration choices are those which have lighted outlines, and are fabulous at evening, though not much to have a look at through the day. A local craft store gives a number of totally different collage type decorations created from wood and material. The ornamental exterior lights are consideration getters and bejewel the scenic view of your own home.
So in case you do need one thing particular to put out in your yard as decorations and art at Christmas time, you'll be able to all the time find a approach to efficiently do it. Outdoor aviaries, equivalent to this $6,558.ninety five model sold by might be another thought for a cat cage.
The Massive dimension is going to be good for the place we're going to place it and you'll read all about our Nativity Scene beneath.. We had been very glad that we went ahead and bought the Massive Complete Outdoor Nativity Set especially when we realized that we might save money this manner.
This standard size Outdoor Nativity Set would look great in front of a home or perhaps in a small garden space. Outdoor Coaching and Growth has developed considerably up to now thirty years and is now extra on observe with present tutorial design and training theories. OTD is transferable: testimonials by previous individuals help the utility of experience-based mostly coaching, and limited analysis studies substantiate that new studying does present up within the office. Here are a variety of Halloween yard decoration photos to offer you some ideas to attract from and create your personal outdoor designs. Solar Powered Highlight: Because we try to scale back our carbon footprint, we've got gotten some solar powered spot lights for our yard and used one to mild up our Christmas Nativity.
Taking viewers across America and all over the world on unparalleled outdoor adventures since 1993, Outdoor Channel is America's leader in outdoor TV. Devoted to the outdoor way of life and conservation, the unbiased cable community features the biggest celebrities in the outdoor industry and provides a complete spectrum of riveting hunting, fishing, shooting, and journey entertainment.


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Check out this line-up of BET-C sessions!
Keynote by Dr. Jeffrey Sprague
Professor of Special Education and Director of the University of Oregon Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior
- Integrated Models of Prevention and Treatment: Positive Behavior Supports and Restorative Practices (*BCBA)
- Blending School-wide Positive Behavior Support with Restorative Practices in the Classroom (*BCBA)
- The Millennial Generation: Trends, Theories, and Treatment
- How to Engage Families and Schools
- K12 Implementer's Perspective on Preparing for a Successful Tier 1 Rollout
- Advanced PBIS Insights for School Leaders and Policy Makers
- Slut: A New Play about a Destructive Word
- Improbable to Unstoppable
- What's Love Got To Do With It – The Heart of PBIS
- Caught on Camera: Using PBIS Video Effectively
- STEM is for Everyone: What's Missing for Girls and Other Underrepresented Groups?
- Will It Blend?
- Supporting Students At-Risk: Check-In, Check-Out (CICO), Families And Diversity (*BCBA)
- Culturally Responsive PBIS for Equitable Schools
- The Art Digital Teaching
- Empowering Schools to be No Place for Hate
- The powerful impact of families & diversity in school-based decision-making
- PBIS: Preventing Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (*BCBA)
- Using SWPBIS to Help Schools Become more Trauma Sensitive
- What I Wouldn't do for STEAM
- A Collaborative Approach to End the School-to-Prison Pipeline
*BCBA/BCaBA attendees may earn up to 6 Type 2 CEU credits by attending presentations indicated above with BCBA.
Look for presentation materials to be uploaded on the bet-c.org/materials page prior to the conference. Download, share, network and learn! @BETconf


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Saturday July 26thAfter a one-year break, the Milwaukie summer parade is back! The theme of this year's parade is Old Time Milwaukie. It will start at 10:30 a.m. at the old Southgate Theater site and end up at the Waldorf School parking lot. Please come watch the parade. Some fantastic floats and mascots will be part of the parade this year. Following the parade there is a poetry picnic at the Scott Park amphitheater from 12:30-2:00pm with activities for kids! At the Waldorf school there will be family games and a couple food vendors. All participants in the games receive a free snow cone!! Later that evening come down to the riverfront for live music with The Touchables and more! Fireworks will start around dusk. The event is free, and all people are welcome to join the procession. For information on how to participate, volunteer, or donate to the event please contact Tamara Huber or Alicia Hamilton .
- 10:30am: Parade
- 12:30 - 2pm: Family Field Games and food vendors at Waldorf School
- 12:30 - 2pm: Poetry Picnic and children's activities at Scott Park (by the Library)
- 6pm - dusk: Live music on the riverfront
- Dusk: FIREWORKS!


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by Tom Nelson
The Mac refurb store is experiencing quite a bit of low stock, with limited numbers of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models in stock. Mac minis are missing, though I would expect stock to be replenished before the winter holidays.
Even with the low stock, there are still some good deals to be found
Image courtesy of Apple
Deals of the Week
We haven't had many 12-inch MacBooks pop up in our deals list, but this week, a 2016 model with 1.3 GHz M7 processor, 8 GB RAM, and 512 GB flash storage made its way into our list. Small, lightweight, and with enough storage so you don't need to worry about bringing along an external drive.
Our second deal is one we've seen here before: a 2014 27-inch Retina iMac with a 4.0 GHz Quad-Core i7 processor. This is the top of the line, at least when it comes to processor performance, in the iMac lineup. The only models that can top this one come with large PCIe flash storage, and they tend to cost quite a bit more. The combination of the fast processor and a Fusion drive should meet most advanced users' needs, without requiring them to take out a bank loan.


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Surf excel Children's Festival – kids play games without boundaries
Through the Surf Excel Children's festival we invite parents to bring their children and encourage them to play games and learn together. They do get dirty but in the process explore their creativity and experience life. They learn how to share, make friends and have fun together.
Surf Excel Children's festival has been on this journey since the last 5 years across major cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. Leading newspapers like Times of India and Anand Bazar Patrika have associated with us in this festival.


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When you're in Page, Arizona, this is a side trip you shouldn't miss. It is about a 10 minute drive from Page, just off highway 89.
From the parking area, we hiked for about a 3/4 mile downhill on sandy and rocky surfaces. Throughout the hike all you can see is the vast expanse of the flat desert. The trail has some steep ups and downs and some deep sand. Even those in the worst of shape, though, can make it if you take your time.
You'll end up unexpectedly in a crater with dramatic views. From the rim of the canyon, you can see the beautiful Horseshoe bend. Horseshoe Bend is another of Mother Nature's creation in a world of sandstone and slick rock, and one of the wonderful formations in the west.
She's our daughter, joining us in this trip
The cliffs are very steep with no guard rails, and it is a bit scary at the edge. Below is the Colorado river meandering around a huge sandstone bluff. As the river flows, it sparkles and shines in different shades of green and blue. As the Colorado river cut through layers of red rock, the 270 degree horseshoe bend was formed.


text: Unless you designed your kitchen from scratch, with a custom layout and cabinets, its probably not perfect for your needs. But new cabinets can quickly eat up a small remodeling budget, and re-designing the kitchen isnt usually an option if you rent. I wont even get into the environmental impact of trashing old cabinets and producing new ones. Fortunately there are a lot of clever DIY ways to make the most of your current kitchen cabinets. July 30, 2017 Home Projects 0 Photo via: housebeautiful.com


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While watching the battle rounds of THE VOICE with some friends, we were sometimes at a disagreement over which singer was superior. I always won but that doesn't mean I was always right. Listening is in the ear of the beholder. In these reality competitions, sometimes the eye.
I was listening for dynamics, enunciation, good phrasing and singing off the page. Some people would call it soul, or tone and the judges often called it "in the pocket." Randy Jackson used to call it "the 'It' factor." I'll break it down on my personal technical level.
Singing with dynamics is easy to comprehend. The singer gets louder and softer while singing phrases. It adds a contour to the phrase or even the entire song. In this instance I was listening for more inner dynamics. More than within a phrase but, including within a word. If they were singing a vowel on a whole note or a note held for a while, I was listening if they did anything with that note. If they held note at the same volume, I was bored. If they got loud or soft on it, they piqued my interest. One of them evolved the diphthong and that was cool. A diphthong is a vowel which has two vowel sounds such as in the word "eye." A trained singer would sing it sort of like "ahhye" or maybe "ahhhh." "E" is a harsh sound and can cause a singer to lower their soft palate and raise the tongue. What is bad about that is it diminishes a clear, full and open tone. An untrained or maybe a country singer would sing, "ah-eee." Try it yourself. Sing the letter "i" and notice how quickly you want to sing an "ee" and raise the tongue. That's a diphthong.
A second dynamic I listen for is what they do with repeated words. Let's say you fell and broke your leg. You would yell for help. If no one answers, you yell a little louder. No answer? You yell LOUDER. Try it (but softly in case someone hears you). The same thing would happen as you lose hope. You yell "HELP!" Then maybe "help . . . " then "hel . . . " So when one of the singers sang "I love you, I really do love you, yes, I love you." each repetition about love needed to be different every time.
Poor enunciation is, well, singing without consonants. A singer can't be understood and what is the purpose for singing if it is not to share words? In other words, wi ou onso an , ou an' e un erstoo. I zone out on singers who make me work to understand them. If they mumble their lyrics, clearly they are not important to them, why should I listen then?
Phrasing is when a singer takes a breath. It is the commas of the musical line. Some singers can be artistic with this such as Adam Lambert who while competing on American Idol would sing long phrases without taking a breath. I loved that. Others, take lots, of breaths, all over, the, place. For me the worse sin-(breath)-gers are the ones who take breaths in the mid-(breath)-dle of words. Those of you who go to church, listen the next time a soloist sings the song "Ave Maria." Many soloists will sing "A (breath) ve, Mareeee (breath) eee (breath) ya." Cracks me up every time.
Singing off the page is a simple concept. It is nice when a singer adds a run but often, the run is just ornamentation and has nothing to do with the lyric. Too much meaningless ornamentation can be tiresome. I prefer singers who throw in bent notes. These are also known as crushes, scoops, gliss or blues notes. They are notes that are just slightly off pitch but resolve to the correct pitch. It is very satisfying.
Another factor is something called entasis where the singer is just slightly off the beat. This isn't the same as dragging because they only do it on a few beats every few bars. It is a way of accenting words and saying to the listener that these words are important so I am giving them a little more time. Jazz pianist great Erroll Garner was a master at playing off the beat and he would often do it for a whole song. Our brains crave the unpredictability of entasis. Just listen to any MIDI file where the notes are quantized perfectly on the beats and you'll hear how boring perfectly-on-the-beat music can be.
A great performance is often filled with purposeful uncertainty. Those musicians who can do that are called artists. With music, as with all things, your mileage may vary. How perfect is that?


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What is Marfan syndrome?
Marfan syndrome is a disorder that affects connective tissue. Connective tissue supports many parts of your body. You can think of it as a type of "glue" between cells.
Marfan syndrome can affect many parts of the body, such as:
- Skeleton.
- Heart and blood vessels.
- Eyes.
- Skin.
- Nervous system.
- Lungs.
It is usually passed from parent to child through the genes.
Who gets Marfan syndrome?
Marfan syndrome is passed down from your parents. You have a 50 percent of getting the disease if one of your parents has it. Men, women, and children can have Marfan syndrome. It is found in people of all races and ethnic backgrounds.
What are the symptoms of Marfan syndrome?
Marfan syndrome affects people in different ways. Some people have only mild symptoms, and others have severe problems. Most of the time, the symptoms get worse as the person gets older. It affects many parts of the body, including the:
- Skeleton. People with Marfan syndrome are often very tall, thin, and loose jointed. They may have:
- Bones in the arms, legs, fingers, and toes that are longer than normal.
- A long, narrow face.
- Crowded teeth because the roof of the mouth is arched.
- A breastbone that sticks out or caves in.
- A curved backbone.
- Flat feet.
- Heart and blood vessels. Most people with Marfan syndrome have problems with the heart and blood vessels, such as:
- A weak part in the vessel that carries blood from the heart. This can make the blood vessel tear or break.
- Heart valves that leak, causing a "heart murmur." Large leaks may cause:
- Shortness of breath.
- Tiredness.
- Very fast or uneven heart rate.
- Eyes. Some people with Marfan syndrome have problems with the eyes, such as:
- Nearsightedness.
- Glaucoma (high pressure within the eye) at a young age.
- Cataracts (the eye's lens becomes cloudy).
- A shift in one or both lenses of the eye.
- A detached retina.
- Skin. Many people with Marfan syndrome have:
- Stretch marks on the skin. These are not a health problem.
- A hernia (part of an organ that pushes out of its space).
- Nervous system. When people with Marfan get older, the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord may weaken and stretch. This affects the bones in the lower spine. Symptoms of this problem include:
- Pain in the stomach area.
- Painful, numb, or weak legs.
- Lungs. People with Marfan syndrome do not usually have problems with their lungs. If there are symptoms, they include:
- Stiff air sacs in the lungs.
- A collapsed lung if the air sacs become stretched or swollen.
- Snoring or not breathing for short periods while sleeping.
What causes Marfan syndrome?
Connective tissue is made of many kinds of protein. Marfan syndrome is caused by a problem with a gene that makes one of these proteins.
Is there a test for Marfan syndrome?
There is no single test for Marfan syndrome. Your doctor may use many tools to see if you have the disease:
- Medical history (whether you have had any symptoms).
- Family history (any family members who have Marfan syndrome or who died at a young age from heart problems).
- A physical exam, including the length of the bones in the arms and legs.
- An eye exam.
- Heart tests.
How is Marfan syndrome treated?
There is no cure for Marfan syndrome, but treatment can help. You should see your doctor on a regular basis to treat or even prevent some problems.
- Skeleton.
- Get a yearly exam of the spine and breastbone.
- Use a back brace.
- Have surgery for serious back problems.
- Heart and blood vessels.
- Get regular checkups and heart tests.
- See a doctor or go to an emergency room for pain in the chest, back, or stomach area.
- Wear a medical alert bracelet.
- Take medicine for heart valve problems.
- Have surgery to replace a valve or repair the blood vessel from the heart if the problem is severe.
- Eyes.
- Get yearly eye exams.
- Wear eyeglasses or contact lenses.
- Have surgery if needed.
- Lungs.
- Do not smoke (because it can hurt your lungs).
- See a doctor if you have any problems breathing during sleep.
- Nervous system: Take medicine for back pain.
Pregnancy. Women with Marfan syndrome can have healthy babies. But pregnancy is high risk, since it stresses the heart. If you are planning to become pregnant, talk to your doctor about whether you should have surgery to reduce this risk. If you are already pregnant, see your doctor right away to prevent problems with your heart.
Who treats Marfan syndrome?
You may need special kinds of doctors to treat Marfan syndrome. Your health care team may include:
- Family doctor or pediatrician.
- Cardiologist, a doctor who treats heart problems.
- Orthopaedist, a doctor who treats bone problems.
- Ophthalmologist, a doctor who treats eye problems.
- Geneticist, a doctor who specializes in genetic diseases.
Living with Marfan syndrome
Advances in medicine now make it possible for people with Marfan syndrome to live about as long as the average person. However, the disease can cause strong emotions, such as anger and fear. You may also be worried that you children will have the disease. Children with Marfan syndrome might find it hard that they can't play some sports.
Women with Marfan syndrome can have healthy babies. But pregnancy is high risk, since it stresses the heart. If you are planning to become pregnant, talk to your doctor about whether you should have surgery to reduce this risk. If you are already pregnant, see your doctor right away to prevent problems with your heart.
Ways to help live with the disease include:
- Get proper medical care and correct information.
- Find strong social support.
- Eat a balanced diet and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Get medium levels of exercise to keep the skeleton and heart healthy. You should not play contact or competitive sports. You should also not do exercises where you tighten the muscles without moving them ("planks" are an example).
- Get genetic counseling, which may help you learn about the disease and the risk of passing it on to your children.