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DFS moves to factory reconditioning to improve speed of the repair cycle for out Telemetry Control Unit (TCU) products
Beginning on January 1, 2014 we will begin a reconditioning process that's designed to improve the speed of the repair cycle for damaged TCU products. The reconditioning of a TCU product during the repair cycle involves what we refer to as the "board-set" component. The board-set is located inside the black anodized enclosure and attached to the faceplate. The only portions of a board-set visible to a user are the HOA switches, connector seats and LCD. Your TCU product will be returned in the original enclosure and faceplate with serial numbers, and internal radio when applicable.
This approach will streamline the repair cycle. Our goal is to return your TCU product within seven (7) days of receipt. The reconditioning process will eliminate delays associated with troubleshooting undertaken to determine and/or locate the failure and ultimately the component repair.
The current flat-rate repair charge will remain in place, but we are extending the TCU repair warranty to one (1) year for parts & labor. Each factory reconditioned board-set undergoes rigorous inspection and testing to ensure that all factory specifications and high-quality standards are met. Rest assured that reconditioned TCU products will always include the latest firmware and hardware upgrades that are available for the original unit.
-- posted

subset: commoncrawl


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Below is an open letter to the radio industry: Published Labor Day 2016
As a radio professional, regardless of your title, market size, level of influence or years left until retirement, this is for you. As the media landscape continues to rapidly evolve, radio's ongoing vibrancy in a mobile world will be hard fought, just as it has been for every generation dating back to Marconi. The talent, dedication and passion for radio that exists in our industry will serve us well. In fact, together, we represent the proverbial "cavalry."
With the arrival of another football season, the words of Coach Lou Holtz ring out, "In this world you're either growing or you're dying so get in motion and grow."
Yet, according to PWC's annual Entertainment & Media Outlook report, radio revenue is projected to grow just .84% per year between 2016 and 2020 ($17.8 billion to $18.4). That level of growth won't even keep up with inflation.
According to Coach Mike Ditka, "In life, you get what you tolerate."
Radio must focus on sustainable growth, which means as dollars shift between media each year (more for Facebook, less for print), we need to be winning dollars not from radio stations across the street, but from other media, specifically print, local TV and Pandora.
If the experts are predicting, .84% avg. annual growth, we can do better. Radio's aim should be $20 billion in annual revenue by 2022 (#20×22), which can't be achieved by cannibalizing ourselves (avg. annual growth of 2.05%). Some might say this is not ambitious enough, but let's add the first $2 billion in revenue and grow from there.
In order for this growth target to happen, radio needs to rediscover its swagger. This includes continually telling a compelling story to our own industry, to our listeners who have ever increasing media choices and most importantly to the advertising and financial communities. Right now, in the midst of the key Sept/Oct/Nov PPM ratings and fall diary book, is the perfect time to start.
In fact, this Labor Day provides an opportunity for those of us who work to create and monetize the power of radio to stop and consider the unique competitive advantages of our medium and double down on bringing them to life for advertisers and listeners. At the end of the day, the most important story is the one you tell yourself. Are your beliefs moving radio forward or holding radio back?
Every quarter hour of every day, radio delivers "Can't Miss Moments" that audiences tune in to hear and advertisers pay to be part of.
(1) Radio has an actively engaged audience, which efficiently generates results for advertisers. You don't hear it the first time, it's gone. In a world of 8 second attention spans, radio stands out. Take TV, which is much more passive in part because there's a digital safety net. Viewers can be less engaged knowing they can pause and rewind to catch anything they missed, not to mention the ability to skip ads altogether. In a similar way, digital platforms freely acknowledge that 50% of impressions never get seen by human eyes. For the other 50% of digital ads, they are viewed in the midst of display and pop up/pre roll clutter.
In addition, the lack of a safety net in radio, works to benefit on-air talent as they broadcast live without a "second take" and always have to be at their best. Unlike TV, which records and edits many shows until they are just right, (Stephen Colbert's premiere on CBS made headlines because it almost didn't make it on–air with all of the edits), radio benefits from a more relatable experience as both talent and audience know it's the broadcast equivalent of a 2 minute drill in football.
(2) This authenticity strengthens radio's relationship between the audience and the on-air talent. These one to one connections help raise money for well deserving charities and drive response to an advertiser's call to action. In addition, radio's core audience is full time employed, which means they have more income to spend with advertisers and are active mobile consumers visiting retailers.
(3) As these relationships drive more tune-ins and avg. daily cume, the ability to increase the size of the audience without adding incremental delivery costs is a tremendous competitive advantage compared to digital platforms. In fact, not being burdened by these variable bandwidth costs helps radio make money and ensure healthy margins, as other ad supported digital audio platforms can't turn a profit despite significant audience growth.
Radio is the 800 pound gorilla of audio and will continue to lead the industry forward as we deliver "Can't Miss Moments" on the way to #20×22.
As President and COO of DMR/Interactive, I have the privilege of working with radio groups across markets and formats. Each day we help build and strengthen the relationship between radio and the listeners who matter most.
The passion that listeners have for radio's "Can't Miss Moments" can inspire an industry wide conversation that is strategically shared internally and with the advertising and financial communities.
Join the conversation or start one of your own. Use hashtag #20×22 and contribute your thoughts. You can also email firstname.lastname@example.com and together we'll continue to create a vibrant future.
Andrew Curran


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Transformational Travel with Michael Bennett
Interview by Everett Potter I met Michael Bennett of Muddy Shoe Adventures at the Adventure Travel World Summit in Ireland two years ago. He had lots to say about something called "transformational travel," so I thought it best to have him explain what this movement is all about. EP: What
George Butterfield Celebrates 50 Years of Adventure Travel
By Amiee White Beazley George Butterfield, who turned 77 in February, has been at the helm of Butterfield & Robinson since its inception. Born in Canada and raised in Bermuda, George practiced law in Toronto before dedicating himself full-time to the business of biking and walking in 1969. He still
Everett Potter on Dave's Travel Corner
It's not often that the tables are turned and I'm the subject of an interview, rather than the person crafting and asking the questions. But David Thompson, who pens the well-regarded Dave's Travel Corner, was in the driver's seat this time. Here's my interview with him …
The Interview: Rafa Mayer, Say Hueque
Interview by Everett Potter Planning a trip to Patagonia or the wilds of Chile? Chances are you've come across Say Hueque, Argentina's leading adventure travel company. Founded by Rafa Mayer, it offers everything from guided weekend tours to Iguazu falls to 16 days adventures to the high deserts of Argentina,
The Interview: Rumit Mehta of Immersion Journeys
By Everett Potter (Photos copyright Rumit Mehta/Immersion Journeys) This month, we're offering a giveaway to Ghana's Zaina Lodge in partnership with Immersion Journeys. I met the company's founder, Rumit Mehta, a few years ago at the Adventure Travel World Summit and was struck by his friendliness, knowledge and passion for
The Interview: Maria Elena Malpezzi-Price of ExperiencePlus!
Interview by Everett Potter This month, we're giving away an amazing bike trip in Italy with ExperiencePlus! (you can enter here). Rick Price and Paola Malpezzi-Price founded the company that would become ExperiencePlus! in 1972, an eternity ago in the world of adventure travel. Italy was and is their
The Interview: Hannah Ellis on Dylan Thomas and Wales
By Monique Burns Poet Dylan Thomas will be forever associated with Wales. Well-known works like "Fern Hill" and "A Child's Christmas in Wales" drew on the hummocky hills and moon-shaped bays of south Wales, and celebrated the offbeat characters who frequented its lively pubs. In Swansea, discover his birthplace at
The Interview: Rob Rankin of Vagabond Tours of Ireland
Ireland will welcome the Adventure Travel World Summit 2014 in Killarney in October, a gathering of some 600 plus tour operators, destination specialists, journalists and others in the world of adventure travel. I will be attending but I had a chance this week to ask Rob Rankin, founder and owner
The Interview: John Gobbels of Medjet Assist
So you're going on vacation? Got travel insurance? Check. How about air medical transport coverage? Huh? You're entitled to be confused. Many of us take out a travel insurance policy when we're putting down many thousands of dollars on a vacation trip. But air medical transport coverage? We turned to
The Interview: Brian Sharples of HomeAway
EPTR's David McKay Wilson recently stopped by HomeAway's international headquarters in Austin, TX. to speak with Brian Sharples, 53, the CEO and co-founder of the company with listings for 890,000 vacation rentals in 191 countries. Sharples, just back from a ski vacation in Aspen, talked about the company's growth


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TP-Link®ShowcasesA Simpler, More Connected Life at CES Booth No. 30526
Play with Team Dignitas Gamers, Connect with TP-Link's Latest Routers & Control Smart Home Offerings
TP-Link®, a leading global provider of consumer and business networking products, today announced it will be showcasing at this year's CESeverything you need to create a simpler, more enjoyable, connected life. See TP-Link's latest networking routers and modern smart home accessories atbooth #30526 in South Hall 3 of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
TP-Link will also introduce Deco, a new line of Whole-Home Wi-Fi Systemsthat address the need for faster and more reliable Internet connections, due to the growing number of connected devices throughout the home.
• The Deco M5 Router uses the latest Wi-Fi mesh technology to provide seamless wireless connectivity throughout every room in your home.
• The Deco M5 PlusRouter with Powerlineis the most advanced version that featuresbuilt-in Powerline technology. This router is the first Whole-Home Wi-Fi System that incorporates both Wi-Fi and powerline technologies into one small form factor, providing an even stronger connection for wireless devices across the home.
"With consumer demands on the rise, OEMs and technology providers must collaborate effectively to address the challenge of managing network performance," said GopiSirineni, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "TP-Link Deco, armed with our advanced Qualcomm ® Wi-Fi solutions, is equipped to help ensure consumers will have an easy to use, more seamless connectivity experience than ever before."
In addition toshowcasing TP-Link Deco and its full range of smart home accessories, TP-Link will introducetwo new networking products at the show; the AC2300 Wireless MU-MIMO Gigabit Routerand the RE650 AC2600 Wi-Fi Range Extender with MU-MIMO.
• The AC2300 Wireless MU-MIMO Gigabit Router allows you to watch 4K movies and enjoy high-speed gaming with fast Wave 2 Wi-Fi. This powerful router can talk to many devices at once, placing each on the best Wi-Fi band to maximize performance. It even allows users to prioritize games, movies and other content or assign bandwidth to the devices you use most.
• The RE650 AC2600 Wi-Fi Range Extender expands powerful Wi-Fi across your home, eliminating dead zones, drop outs and spotty signals. The RE650 works with any Wi-Fi router, access point or modem router to boost extended Wi-Fi coverage and performance to devices at all corners of your home.
"Building upon TP-Link's 20-year networking heritage, we continue to innovate and introduce a host of new and exciting networking and smart home products, the latest of which we are proud to showcase at this year's CES," said Lewis Wu, executive vice president of TP-Link USA. "Our ultimate goal is to provide whole-home networking solutions that work together to bring you Wi-Fi that works perfectly in every room and smart products that let you run your home exactly how you want."
During the show, TP-Link will host tons of interactive and fun activities on-site that showcase how consumers can connect, control and expand seamless connectivity across your home. Beyond product demos, there will be an opportunity to play against Team Dignitas gamers, Ellektrikk, PTERODACTYLSFTW, Xpecial and Keane. The booth will also feature a coffee bar to keep visitors caffeinated, a photo booth where you can take memorable snapshots and the LA Kings mascot, Bailey, who is expected to stop-by for a visit with fans. The full schedule of events is available at www.tp-link.us/CES.
All of TP-Link's home networking and smart home solutions will be on display at the TP-Link booth #30526 in South Hall 3 throughout CES, from Jan. 5-8 in Las Vegas.


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Beats are the backbone of your tracks, driving the music and maintaining the pace, but there's no joy in endless repetition. This is where drum fills come in, adding variation and frequently indicating to the listener that a musical change is on the way. Of course, you could program your own drum fills, but if you want a selection of pre-rolled, err, rolls and fills, in the form of drum fill samples, then read on.
Drum Fill Samples. Download.
The instant drum fill samples are divided into nine tempo-themed folders. All the samples are supplied as WAV files so can be imported directly into your DAW or sampler of choice. Because they're royalty-free, you're welcome to use the samples in your music in any way you like – all we ask is that you don't re-distribute them. The instant drum fill samples are supplied in a zip file, so you'll need to extract them before you can see them. Enjoy!


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The course develops models of the economic behavior of consumers, firms, and government. The topics include: supply and demand, competitive equilibrium and the role of prices in resource allocation, non-competitive market structures, game theory and strategy, externalities, public goods and public policy.
Lecture Hours: 3.00 Lab Hours: 0Total Hours: 3.00


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Into Dorkness, more like it.
I got to see the long awaited Star Trek: Into Darkness this weekend and not only thoroughly enjoyed the movie itself (Trekkies, argue all you want-it delivered wholly on an entertainment level, even if it didn't entirely follow precious plot lines). While Gene Roddenberry's technology driven future flashed across the screen with the signature JJ Abrams light flares, many movie-goers may have been focused on the slightly altered communicators or Chris Pine's corn-fed face. I, however, was enthralled with the wardrobe. Not normally overly interested in fashion or wardrobe when it comes to films (or in real life, for that matter), I was surprised at how much the costumes caught my attention. Spoilers ahead, I guess?


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Kilkenny Student Flying High at Red Bull Flugtag
Kilkenny student Jack Healy and his team hit the heights at the 100th Red Bull Flugtag last Sunday (May 29), soaring high on their hand-made plane.
Dun Laoghaire harbour played home to the event where, after a delayed start due to bad weather, Red Bull report that over 100,000 spectators turned out to cheer the countries most colourful and inventive flyers.
Red Bull Flugtag ("Flying day" in German) is an event where competitors build home-made, human-powered inventive and downright crazy flying machines which are subsequently launched from a 30 ft. pier into the sea. The teams are then judged on creativity, showmanship and distance flown.
The plane researched, designed and manufactured by Kilkenny Product and Design student at DIT Jack Healy and his team of Nial O'Loughlin (Dublin) and Henry Daly (Wexford), the plane was flown by another team member, Robert McKenna (Dublin). And all during a week which happened to coincide with their college exams.
Following a week of sleep deprivation, a lot of plane building, not much study, and few traffic jams walking their plane from Monkstown to Dun Laoghaire harbour; the boys, sponsored by Spirit Radio, despite terrible weather and tailwinds flew the furthest distance of 12 meters. They placed in 3rd position overall and won tandem parachute jumps or €1000.
Parachute jump it is!


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Admission Requirements
Doctoral Student Admission Process
Doctoral students admitted into the Finance & Financial Accounting Concentration of the Freeman School PhD Program will be admitted every other year (odd years) in order to synchronize the program with the Economic Analysis and Policy Doctoral Program offered by the Economics Department.
- PhD 2021 Application
- Application Deadline: February 1, 2021
- All completed applications will be reviewed after February 1, 2021
- Final admission decisions will be made in April 2021
Application Requirements
- Online Application Form ($125 application fee)
- Resume (uploaded online)
- Three Essays (uploaded online)
- Why Tulane? [500-700 words]
- Why a PhD? [500-700 words]
- Do you have "grit"? [500-700 words]
- Two Letters of Recommendation (submitted online from faculty members that address an applicant's research and teaching potential)
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college (transcripts uploaded online)
- GMAT Score Report or GRE Score Report (uploaded online)
- TOEFL/IELTS/PTE Score Report (uploaded online)
- A TOEFL of 100 or higher and a GMAT score in the 90th percentile or higher is desired, but there may be exceptions to this if a candidate is exceptionally strong on other dimensions.
- Personal interviews are required for all final candidates for admission. Selected candidates will be contacted early in the spring semester for an interview appointment.
- Preparation in business, economics, mathematics, and statistics are highly desirable. If a student is judged to have the aptitude and ability and does not have the necessary preparation, then successful completion of the calculus sequence (through multivariate at a minimum), linear algebra, and probability and statistics are required before matriculation.
In addition, international students are required to submit a course by course transcript evaluation if educated outside of the United States.
Our preferred evaluators are:
- Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) - www.ece.org
- Educational Perspective- www.edperspective.org
- One Earth Evaluators- www.oneearthevaluations.org
- World Education Service (WES) - www.wes.org
- SpanTran - www.spantran.com


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North America: 866-534-6662
Europe: +49 (0)151 42 41 8453
Dealer Login
Ultratec continues to develop practical products by introducing the Power Fog Industrial 9D Fog Machine. It is built with our 1400 Watt Heat Exchanger and is rotated 90 degrees in the stainless steel chassis. The Power Fog Industrial 9D also has a standard 2-Channel DMX control Interface. This machine was created to eliminate the challenges associated when installing fog effects under stages, or in close and confined spaces. Simply rotate the machine into the desired position. There are rubber feet and plastic glides already fixed to the machine for stability. The Power Fog Industrial 9D is also used extensively in the Low Smoke Generators to decrease the size and allow for greater flexibility. An Optional Show Control or Timer/ Duration Remote are available.
The Power Fog Industrial 9D has our standard One-Year Warranty on all parts and service and a Lifetime Warranty on the heat exchanger.
CLF-4005 Power Relay Box 110V
CLF-4590 Show Control Remote
CXP-4139PIN PowerShowStage Fogger Remote 5-PIN


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- Home
- Government
- Departments
- Police
- Community Resources
- Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence is defined by a pattern of abusive behaviors used to establish and maintain power and control over another person. This abuse can affect intimate partners in a current or past relationship, as well as family members from different households, or those living in the same household.
The violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, financial, or psychological.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, place of residence or socioeconomic status. It occurs in all communities.
To support those victimized by domestic violence and/or sexual assault, the Bristol Police Department has partnered with the Women's Resource Center of Newport and Bristol County (WRCNBC) to provide free and confidential advocacy. The Law Enforcement Advocate (LEA), who is employed by the WRCNBC through grant funding, offers crisis intervention, support information and resources according to each person's individual needs.
The LEA is also available to accompany victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to report crimes at police departments, or accompany the victim to the hospital for medical treatment related to crime.
Contact Information
If you would like to confidentially speak with the Law Enforcement Advocate, please contact:
Laurie W.
Women's Resource Center
624 Main Street
Warren, RI 02885
Direct: (401) 236-8358
WRCNBC Office: (401) 846-5263
24 Hour Hotline: (800) 494-8100
For additional information , programs and resources, including safety planning, you may also visit then Women's Resource Center of Newport and Bristol County's website at http://www.wrcnbc.org/
Response Procedure
When a law enforcement officer responds to a domestic violence situation and has probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed, the officer shall arrest and take into custody the alleged perpetrator of the crime.
The alleged perpetrator will be brought before a bail commissioner or another officer of the court. A No-Contact Order (NCO) will be issued. The NCO means that the defendant may not contact you in person, by telephone, or by mail.
On the next business day, the defendant will be arraigned before a judge. The judge will schedule a second hearing (pretrial conference), usually within a few weeks, at which the defendant may change his/her plea to guilty, not guilty, or no contest (nolo contendere).
Temporary Restraining Order
A temporary restraining order (TRO) is also available to victims of domestic violence at the Family or District Court (located at the Garrahy Complex in Providence) whether or not there has been an arrest.
A person may apply for a TRO if he/she has been a victim of physical violence or is in fear for their physical safety. If a TRO is approved, the perpetrator is served with the TRO and is not allowed to have any contact with the victim. A violation is an arrestable offence.
Some people choose to have both a NCO and a TRO because a TRO can offer added protection by giving temporary custody of children to the victim; by ordering the perpetrator to pay temporary child support; and/or by ordering the perpetrator to vacate the home, if shared with the victim.


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Bad Honnef, Germany (PRWEB) June 26, 2012
The aim of the Repository for Information in the Natural Sciences is to provide reliable information on various areas of scientific interest in a format that can be digested easily. The information is presented in the simplest words and terms possible and that can be easily searched for within the website. The site is managed by TriScience.com which is a newly established organization targeting dissemination of scientific and related information in an understandable way.
The section Acid contains scientific information about acids, its kinds, and naming acidic substances. While there are three basic definitions for acids, the Arrhenius, the BrØnsted-Lowry, and the Lewis definitions, acids are named according to their anions, with the ionic suffix typically dropped and replaced with a new one. After inclusion of the two new categories, this section contains ten categories including Chromatography, Compounds, Diet, Enzyme, Fatty, Glucose, Lipid, Metabolism, Residues and Sequence.
The newly published category Chromatography covers the process of separating a mixture and passing it in a solution or suspension or as a vapor through a specific medium and focuses on chromatography of acids. The process of chromatography can be analytical or preparative. Analytical chromatography is normally used to measure the relative proportions of analytes in a specific mixture while preparative chromatography is usually used to separate the different components of a specific mixture. The category currently contains ca. 150 articles including one on a novel application of Onyx TM monolithic column for simultaneous determination of salicylic acid and triamcinolone acetonide by sequential injection chromatography and another covering a quantitative method for the determination of cyclopropenoid fatty acids in cottonseed, cottonseed meal, and cottonseed oil Gossypium hirsutum by high-performance liquid chromatography.
The new Acidic Compounds category contains information on this group of molecules that form a usually corrosive substance that reacts with alkalis and metals. Acidic compounds can be divided into two categories: the inorganic acids and the organic acids. Inorganic acids include mineral (hydrogen halides, halogen oxoacids, and fluorosulfuric acid, among others) acids, while organic acids includes sulfonic (ethanesulfonic, methanesulfonic, benzenesulfonic, and polystyrene sulfonic acids), carboxylic (acetic, formic, citric, gluconic, lactic, oxalic, and tartaric acids), vinylogous carboxylic (ascorbic acid and Meldrum's acid), and the neuclic acids (deoxyribonucleic and ribonucleic acids, known as DNA and RNA). The category currently contains ca. 300 articles including one on correlation between the level of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant capacity in cooked-with-rice and vegetable soybean Glycine max varieties. Another article covers activation of fibrinolysis nattokinase induced by dipicolinic acid and related compounds
The repository groups information in the natural sciences according to interrelated sections and categories that will help readers understand the context of whatever topic is searched information on. It is composed of eleven sections which are subdivided into up to ten categories. Each unit contains a definition composed in an understandable way. Each item in these sections and categories contains up to twenty clickable tags.
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/6/prweb9637014.htm.
|Source: PRWeb
Copyright©2012 Vocus, Inc.
All rights reserved


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Up your barbecue game with these cheffy touches
With summer upon us, it's time to wipe the dust off the barbecue, top up the tan and get cooking al fresco
We all love a good BBQ but let's face it, truly mastering the art can be a challenge. So I'm going to show you how to be king of the grill with some cheffy flourishes.
First things first, choose your BBQ wisely. Gas is convenient but traditional charcoal imparts a wonderful, slightly smoky flavour and should be used over its modern counterpart Every. Single. Time!
It does require patience, so light your coals, kick back and only start cooking when flames are no more and your coal is grey.
1. Add wood for incredible flavour
Across the pond our American friends have been barbecuing over wood for centuries, which gently smokes the meat, imparting incredible flavour. Pick up some apple or cherry wood, soak it in water, place it on your coals and keep the lid shut for a whole new world of flavour.
2. Marinade, marinade, marinade
This is a fundamental factor in the success of the BBQ. Simple marinades like this work really well, or if you're feeling adventurous spend a little longer with one like this. Put the time in in advance and you'll reap the rewards on the big day!
3. Make up a herb marinating brush
Why not slather your meat or veg in your marinade using a herb brush? Tie a big bunch of rosemary together with a little string and baste continuously to subtly flavour your meat whilst cooking
4. Cook 'indirectly'
Push your coals to one side and put the meat on the other, pop the lid on and leave to cook gently. This allows your BBQ to behave like a smoky oven through long and slow cooking. This will take your food to new levels, trust me!
5. Pre-cook your chicken and sausages
If you find yourself with burnt skin but raw meat every time, pre-cook your chicken or sausages in your oven and finish them on the barbie. This will guarantee success, but maybe don't let your mates in on the secret.
6. Don't neglect the sides
Big platters of delicious sides bring the BBQ together so make sure you get them right. Wrap potatoes in tin foil with the same butter used here and cook 'indirectly' (see above) until soft alongside the sweetcorn. A classic coleslaw and a tomato and mozzarella salad always goes down a storm.
7. Keep the lid on
Fire thrives in oxygen so once you've started cooking, close your vents and pop on the lid to prevent fats causing flames and turning your garden party into a fire show.
8. Create BBQ 'beer can chicken'
Simply pop an open can of beer up a whole chicken's backside, sit upright on the BBQ and cook indirectly with the lid closed for about an hour for something truly unique!
9. Grab yourself a meat thermometer
Answer those 'is it done yet?' questions with science. Simply probe with a meat thermometer – aim for above 70 degrees C for chicken and sausages, 60oC for medium beef or 56oC for medium rare.
10. Brush a very thin layer of mayo onto fish to stop it sticking
Emulsified fats (ie mayo) form a thin layer on the fish surface during cooking and prevent your favourite fish from sticking.
11. Surprise with seafood and shellfish
Pop your mussels straight onto the BBQ, wait until they open and drizzle in a simple garlic butter for a seafood special. Alternatively slice squid, griddle quickly and in less than a minute they'll have curled up and will be perfect to eat.
12. BBQ your fresh fruit for dessert
Chargrilled fruit such as pineapple and peaches are wonderful brushed with a mixture of lime juice and sugar; sweet, sticky and unctuous.


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28 February 2018
We widen our porduct portfolio with a new representative
German manufacturer of Machining Centers of the highest precision and specialist in individual projects that meet all the expectations of our customers.
Complex, highly accurate components require machines with a high degree of process relevance to enable flexible and economical production. Machine tools from BURKHARDT+WEBER are designed in premium quality with high performance, tightest tolerances and an extremely sturdy construction. A wide variety of special equipment reduces your process times and increases flexibility with regard to component geometries.
125 years of experience in machine tool manufacturing and over 50 years of experience in building machining centres for sophisticated machining of steel and cast parts, in-house development and production of all key components by BW itself and highly skilled specialists yield the premium quality typical of BW.
The priority is always the optimum process solution. Reduction in the number of clamping operations, 5-side machining, integration of necessary technologies – all with the goal of quickly providing you with workpieces ready for installation.


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FHZ1000pc / FHZ1300pc
The FHZ1000pc and FHZ1300pc are both products made by the german company ELV.
Both devices are ment to be interfaces to connect your computer to your FS20 based home automation devices.
There are two distinct differences between the devices.
The FHZ1000pc has a USB connection and must be connected to the computer to gain it's power. It does not have any stored memory and is in simple speaking terms just a receiver and transmitter (a modem).
It can be used to control FS20 devices, FHT 80b devices and HMS100 devices.
The FHZ1300pc comes in 2 variants:
1. FHZ1300pc, sold by Conrad. This is basicallly the FHZ1000pc rebranded to Conrad with updated hardware on the inside.
2. FHZ1300pc+WLAN, sold by both Conrad and ELV. This is a FHZ device with a CF-slot to fit a wlan module. You can buy this device in 2 options, both fitted or not fitted with the wlan module. This can be easy as the device can be externally powered and stored somewhere in your home and it does not have to be directly attached to your PC.
The difference between the FHZ1000pc and FHZ1300pc(+WLAN) is the documented option of the fhz1300pc(+WLAN) to use KS-series devices. KS-300 or KS-555 (Weather station devices).
The CUL device is a product created by www.busware.de. This is a flexible transmitting and receiving device for the 868MHz or 433MHz band. This device can be programmed by uploading a firmware into it, and therefor allowing it to talk different protocols on the transceiving range.
Its sending and receiving ranges can be altered by attaching a different type of antenna. By default it comes supplied with a simple wire, but it can be replaced by a 1/4 (868MHz datasheet) or 1/2 (868Mhz datasheet) wave antenna. Note: They are also available in 433MHz variants.
The CUL device can do everything the FHZ1x00pc series can. And has some extra abilities as well. The device is capable of handling EM1000 series sensors as well. It seems to support ESA2000 protocols as well, but it's current state is unstable according to the writer of FHEM. FHEM is a linux based program for controling your home from a pc.
Forumsmember Kroonen also pointed me out that he was able to get s555th (datasheet) devices working on his CUL. In his case he used FHEM as Home Automation software on his server. This is a nice thing to know as these little s555th devices only cost € 7,99 per unit at Conrad.
This device is basically the same as the CUL device, except for 3 major changes and a minor one.
minor change: The device comes with a different atmel chip, bigger and more powerful
Major changes:
- It has the option for an onboard microSD slot
- It has a network interface card so you can hook it up somewhere in your network. Not directly attached to your server.
- It has an Onewire interface and the firmware has basic onewire support
Images: (click for very high-res imagery)
- Showing the MicroSD slot on the back fo the device (this isn't shown on the Busware.de site)
- Showing the CUNO with a 1/4 antenna, a HF shield on the shipset, RJ45 connector, Mini USB and the Onewire connector in black.
- Showing the CUNO partially assembled in it's gray cover. Top cover can be seen on the far left.
A size comparison between the FHZ1000pc, CUNO and a SD card for size reference.
Compatibility matrix
- CUL/CUNO devices are loaded with CULfw: http://www.koeniglich.de/culfw/culfw.html
- FHT series information: http://fhz4linux.info/tiki-index.php?pa ... c+Controls
- CUL/CUNO can receive AND send radiatorvalve controls to the FHT8v as well.
- CUL/CUNO can directly receive FHT80TF-2 window/door sensor information.
- EM-series hardware addressing limitation: 4 devices only per device category. (http://groups.google.com/group/fhem-use ... d9788b3478)
- s555th is a Temperature/Humidity sensor sold by Conrad for € 7,99
- s555th has a hardware addressing limitation of 8 devices! (http://www.produktinfo.conrad.com/daten ... _fr_nl.pdf)
FS20, HMS, FHT, KS, WS, EM, ESA; What are you talking about?
These are different protocols and different device series. Some more information about the device specifics, including pictures and datasheets will follow in a separate forums posting.


text:
|Table of Contents
So you've downloaded the latest version of the Opmantek Virtual Appliance from https://opmantek.com/network-tools-download/ and now you want to set it up and take it for a test drive to see how NMIS and the Opmantek networking modules can help you administer your network. No problem. Easy.
- Import the OVA (Open Virtual Appliance Format) or OVF file into VMware, Virtualbox,...
- Start up the new VM, optionally set a static IP address
- Access NMIS and the other Opmantek applications in your browser
Using the OVA
All Opmantek Virtual Appliance releases since January 2018 are published as a single "ova" file (Open Virtual Appliance), which encapsulates all necessary data in a single archive.
The import instructions below can be used to deploy the Opmantek Virtual Appliance straight from that one downloaded file.
How to import the Virtual Appliance into your virtualization infrastructure
There are several options for VMware software.
We do not support OVA import to ESXi directly or via vCenter using a browser.
We require the VMware OVF Tool if importing to ESXi directly or via vCenter:
- https://www.vmware.com/support/developer/ovf/
- We assume you have it installed and know where it is.
1. Importing the OVA file directly to ESXi using VMware ovftool
You can import the OVA file directly into ESXi using VMware ovftool, from the PC or server you run ovftool.
Remember to set the Virtual Machine name you like, the datastore you want, the network you want, and point it at the server you want to deploy to.
Run the command like this:
ovftool --name="NMIS9" -dm="thin" -ds=datastore_name-number -nw="network_name-number" Opmantek-20200708-VM9-Centos7.2003-3-64bit.ova vi://user:escaped_password@host_ip_address
2. Importing the OVA file to an ESXi Datacenter via vCenter using VMware ovftool
- Numerous attempts were made to import this OVA using the VMware vSphere HTML5 Client, with Chrome, Chromium and Firefox as browser:
- Every attempt timed out.
- We have yet to experience a failed import of this OVF using VMware commandline tool ovftool:
- For this reason VMware commandline tool ovftool is recommended for importing OVAs' via VMware vCenter
You can import the OVA file into a VMware ESXi Datacenter via VMware vCenter using VMware ovftool, from the PC or server you run ovftool.
Remember to set the Virtual Machine name you like, the datastore you want, the network you want, and point it at the server you want to deploy to.
Run commands like this:
In this example the VMware vCenter 6.5 install has created:
FQDN 'photon-machine' with
user '
sso domain name '
vsphere.localdomain', and
sso password '
which must be escaped when used in this context using ovftool:
escaped password: '
- VMware ovftool option that should be determined appropriate to this use case for this OVA import:
- -ds="datastore_name-number"
- Required if the selected Datacenter has more than one datastore
- -nw="network_name-number"
- Required if the selected Datacenter has more than one network
- -dm
Specify the disk format. You can specify the following formats:
seSparse(vSphere target)
eagerZeroedThick(vSphere target)
thin(vSphere target)
thick(vSphere target)
- -ds="datastore_name-number"
Determine the Datacenter name:
Determine the Datacenter available options:
Determine the Datacenter host IP or FQDN:
Import Opmantek-20200708-VM9-Centos7.2003-3-64bit.ova which is in the current directory, in this example using vSphere option --diskMode=thin:
3. Importing the OVA using a VMware Desktop Application: VMware Fusion (for Mac), VMware Workstation Pro or VMware Workstation Player
These VMware Desktop products will import directly from an OVF/OVA file so you can just start up the software and select "File → Open" and select the OVA file for import.
VMware Fusion 11
Even though, there are no caveats in relation to importing the Virtual Appliance using VMware Fusion,
it is important to remind users to grant permission to VMware Fusion to fully execute on OSX, specially after installing it.
The following message is displayed while running the VM without the permission granted.
The permission should be granted on System Preferences > Security & Privacy
4. Upgrade the Virtual machine hardware version (optional)
The Opmantek Virtual Appliance ships with the virtual machine hardware version set very low for maximum compatibility, but you may want to upgrade the hardware version to a higher level (to leverage performance benefits, remove memory limitations, etc.) as described on the VMware website
VirtualBox will import directly from an OVF/OVA file so you can just start up VirtualBox and select "Import Appliance..."
Browse to where you unzipped the file and select the ovf file
Select the file, you should see a screen something like this:
It should be safe to Import. The import process may take a couple of minutes to complete, just enough time to grab a cup of coffee I'd say.
If you have any trouble the VirtualBox documentation is here: https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch01.html#ovf
If your Virtualbox host is Linux and your VMs are stored on XFS or Ext4 file systems, then it is absolutely necessary that you enable the "Host I/O Cache" for all virtual disk controllers after importing the OVF file, or you run the risk of file system corruption in your guest. On one of our test systems (Linux kernel 3.14.23, Virtualbox 4.3.14) the VM wouldn't even fully get through the first boot before the virtual disks got corrupted - but with Host I/O Cache on everything is fine.
Below is an example of how to enable Host I/O Cache using VirtualBox:
CentOS 7 on VirtualBox
It's now highly unlikely that VirtualBox users will find themselves at the dracut emergency shell prompt when first booting our vm that runs CentOS 7.
We continue to provide this information in case needed:
When faced with this obstacle reboot the vm selecting the rescue kernel.
After it boots login as normal and try the try the following dacut command.
|Code Block
dracut -f /boot/<kernel_image> <kernel_name>
If the command completes successfully reboot the vm normally. Be aware that future kernel updates may require this maneuver be done again.
Other Hypervisors
To use OVF/OVA files with other virtualisation systems like KVM you may have to convert the OVF file to a native format; Two well-known tools for this purpose are virt-v2v (available in CentOS6/RHEL) and virt-convert (in Debian).
The Windows Hyper-V technology does not fully support the OVF industry standard. Microsoft documents a complex and somewhat limited procedure on their page about converting OVF files to Hyper-V. There are third-party conversion tools available that simplify this deployment scenario, for example StarWind's free V2V Converter which worked well in our tests.
Debian - Customizing Network Settings
The Debian team has an excellent wiki page dedicated to customizing the network configuration; this page is available in several languages:
CentOS - Start up the VM and set a custom IP Address, DNS... (optional)
At this point the VM has DHCP enabled, and therefore it will receive a dynamic IP address suitable for your environment. The easiest way to access the VM at that point is from the virtualization software terminal. So go ahead and boot the VM. After the VM is finished booting you will be welcomed by a login prompt. First, log in using the default credentials.
If it's desirable to customize the network settings we offer the following options:
- Option #1 - Manual configuration
The VM appliance is a normal CentOS 7 system, hence all the mechanisms for network configuration in CentOS are available.
Most specifically you'll be interested in the files
- Option #2 - Use our example network configuration files
Root's home directory contains 2 example network configurations, one for static IP's and one for DHCP. Copy the one you require to
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/and edit it to suit:
Code Block
cp ifcfg-ens192.static /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/<interface_name>
Be sure to verify the following settings:
- NAME; the interface name as found with the ip address command
- DEVICE; the interface name as found with the ip address command
Next restart the network service for the setting to take affect. In our testing the DHCP address was still present, and the static IP assigned as a secondary (this can be seen with the 'ip address' command). The DHCP address can be removed by using the 'ip address command del' command or be rebooting the system.
|Code Block
TYPE=Ethernet IPADDR=192.168.10.201 NETMASK=255.255.255.0 BROADCAST=192.168.10.255 GATEWAY=192.168.10.51 PROXY_METHOD=none BROWSER_ONLY=no BOOTPROTO=static DEFROUTE=yes IPV4_FAILURE_FATAL=no IPV6INIT=yes IPV6_AUTOCONF=yes IPV6_DEFROUTE=yes IPV6_FAILURE_FATAL=no IPV6_ADDR_GEN_MODE=stable-privacy NAME=enp0s3 UUID=9099afe7-6dd6-4aec-bd93-8950b67ab8f5 DEVICE=enp0s3 ONBOOT=yes DNS1=192.168.10.80 DNS2=18.104.22.168
Set Up Firewall (optional)
Please note that by default the Opmantek VM Appliance does NOT have a firewall active. If you would like local firewalling on your VM, you can easily enable that:
The standard iptables tools are installed, and all you would have to do, is enter your desired rules in
/etc/sysconfig/iptables, followed by
service iptables restart AND a final one-off run of
chkconfig iptables on. The
service call enables your firewall rules, while the
chkconfig call enables activation of the firewall rules on boot. Until and unless the
chkconfig step is taken, your firewall rules won't persist when the VM is rebooted. Besides this, somewhat low-level, method of configuring an iptables firewall there are also various user-friendly frontends available for installation with
Accessing the Application Modules on the VM
By default the VM boots with DHCP enabled, and once you determine the hostname or IP address of the VM you can access it a web browser using a URL like:
http://nmis.domain.com/ or http://192.168.1.42/
NOTE - If you do not know the IP address of your install run the command ifconfig and use the IP address next to inet addr. Running the command hostname will give you the host name of the VM.
You will be presented with the following screen.
All the module names are clickable and link to the respective applications; but you can also navigate directly to NMIS, Open-AudIT or any of the other Opmantek applications.
Simply open your favourite web browser and navigate to:
- NMIS8 Virtual Appliance:
http://<vm ip address>/nmis8for NMIS,
http://<vm ip address>/open-auditfor Open-AudIT Community,
- or
http://<vm ip address>/omkfor the list of all Opmantek applications.
- NMIS9 Virtual Appliance:
http://<vm ip address>/nmis9for NMIS,
- or
http://<vm ip address>/omkfor the list of all Opmantek applications.
The default access credentials are username "nmis", password "nm1888" (more info regarding credentials can be found on this page).
Example NMIS log in page:
Once you've got either the NMIS dashboard or one of the Opmantek application dashboards open, you can also navigate between modules using the "Modules" and "NMIS Modules" menus, respectively.
Once you have Access you will likely want to start configuring NMIS and the nodes you want to manage. Continue below to the NMIS Setup and Configuration quick start guide to learn how.
NMIS8 Setup and Configuration
NMIS8 - A Quick Getting Started Guide
NMIS9 Documentation
Secure Access with https
The VM ships with support for secure https access enabled, and you can use https instead of http in any of the URLs mentioned above.
However, the included certificate-key pair is the same for all VM downloads, and it is a self-signed certificate (for "opmantek.local"): this will cause your browser to display security warnings.
If you want to use https access operationally it is highly recommended that you replace this shared default key-certificate pair with your own (or use an automated certification authority like https://letsencrypt.org/ for example).
Application Module Licensing
The first step to using a module is knowing how to open it, the next is to get a license for it. This process is simple and painless: all products on the appliance (except opFlow) now support free licenses (which are not time-limited but limited to 20 nodes). For these applications the initial dialog offers the generation of such a free license; for opFlow the licensing dialog offers guidance for obtaining a trial or a full license. Example screen shot of activating free Open-AudIT trial below:
You can also use the "opLicensing" module (reachable at
http://<vm ip address>/omk/opLicense or from the Modules menu) to manage your licenses comfortably (including the ability to download previously purchased licenses from the Opmantek website). More info about opLicensing can be found here.
Exploring and Configuring Application Modules
All modules on the Virtual Appliance come with their configuration set to very minimal but safe defaults; to explore the full functionality available you will very likely have to make config modifications to suit your environment. These configuration options are all documented on this site, the Opmantek Community Wiki, in the per-application section (or "Application Space"); certain common, shared aspects are discussed in the "opCommon" space.
For all recent Opmantek applications you'll find links to the respective sections of Wiki in the "Help" menu (usually under "Online Documentation"); there's also an online version check on the welcome/landing page, and on each application's "About" page which helps with keeping your modules up to date.
If the command completes succesfully reboot the vm normally. Be aware that future kernel updates may require this manourvrer be done again.


text:
So to speak. As someone who has upon occasion pondered the make-up of fiction for academic purposes and has a fascination with the writing process, I was quick to place a copy of Diana Wynne Jones's Reflections on order, not least because she is also one of my favourite fantasy authors. As an added bonus, this also means the opportunity to read Neil Gaiman's Foreword to the collection of papers – a treat in itself, given he knew Diana Wynne Jones personally and the wording of his contribution to the pieces reflects this in tone. It is also poignant, given the anthology was compiled from existing manuscripts in the knowledge that Diana was terminally ill. Her Preface confirms she envisaged them as an opportunity for readers and students alike to reflect upon both her "ideas and convictions about writing for children, writing, and fantasy generally", in addition to providing useful material charting "the creative process itself". In this, she is entirely successful.
The contents of the collection range from literary criticism related to the shape of the narrative in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and a review of Mervyn Peake's Boy in Darkness to anecdotes concerning reading tours and information concerning the origins of, amongst others, Fire and Hemlock and The Merlin Conspiracy. There are also hints for developing writers concerning characterisation and one of the last ever interviews conducted with the author prior to her death. Any one of these makes the book worth reading for anyone even remotely familiar with Diana Wynne Jones' works or of a creative bent personally, as I've already stated previously.
For me, one of the things which struck me most whilst making my way through the various contributions was how strongly the author's personality came across within her descriptions of the "two kinds" of writing required within speculative fiction (i.e. writing for children and for adults and the differences between the two) and "Answers to Some Questions", to cite merely two examples within the entirety of the text. I was also fascinated by the biographical detail within the section entitled "Something About the Author", given it was apparent from the brief autobiographical hints apparent within her The Time of the Ghost (US version here, for one) that Diana Wynne Jones had had what might be termed a somewhat unusual childhood.
As a fan of this author's works in general, this is a welcome addition to my collection and I was glad of the opportunity to familiarise myself with additional material from her; previously unpublished in a number of cases. I'm only sad that it emphasises the fact that there will be nothing further to add to the collection and that those who value the significance of Diana Wynne Jones' writing to the field of speculative fiction (such that she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the World Fantasy Association in 2007) will not be afforded the opportunity for additional examples of her offbeat sense of humour, original plotlines and quirky characterisation.


text:
Charlie Munger at the 2002 Wesco Annual Meeting
By Whitney Tilson
Berkshire's competitive advantages in reinsurance
"I do think we get some advantage in reinsurance because people trust our willingness and ability to pay, so it's not a commodity. I think we have some special talents. That being said, I think it's dangerous to rely on special talents -- it's better to own lots of monopolistic businesses with unregulated prices. But that's not the world today. We have made money exercising our talents and will continue to do so."
"I'm glad we have insurance, though it's not a no-brainer, I'm warning you. We have to be smart to make this work."
Outlook for Berkshire's insurance operations
"The overall result is that we're going to do pretty well -- meaning in the top 10% [of the industry] -- because we do different things. In New Jersey, when they capped rates, we said we were going to withdraw from the market, and we did. We're one of the only corporations in America to run off its derivative book. We had hoped to sell it, but that didn't work out. We're willing to do some unpleasant things."
"Generally speaking, we're mildly optimistic about our insurance operations." [This is Mungerspeak for "I'm quite enthusiastic about our insurance operations."]
Berkshire's future outlook
"It's a finite and very competitive world. All large aggregations of capital eventually find it hell on earth to grow and thus find a lower rate of return."
"Personally, I think Berkshire will be a lot bigger and stronger than it is. Whether the stock will be a good investment from today's price is another question. The one thing we've always guaranteed is that the future will be a lot worse than the past."
Types of businesses Berkshire buys
"A lot of things we do are fairly basic. Bricks have been around since Babylon. Their consumption is regular and predictable. Our brickyards dominate their region."
"We tend to buy things -- a lot of things -- where we don't know exactly what will happen, but the outcome will be decent."
Would Berkshire ever invest in Level 3?
"We have the same problem as everyone else: it's very hard to predict the future [of Level 3]. Could we invest in it? Sure, it's conceivable. After all, we're in the electricity distribution business in the UK and the generating and distribution business in Iowa. We have a history when things are really horrible of wading in when no-one else will."
Berkshire's culture
"Berkshire's culture could go on for a long, long time because we've decentralized power to people who deserve it."
"For many of our shareholders, our stock is all they own, and we're acutely aware of that. Our culture [of conservatism] runs pretty deep."
Share price
"We don't like our stocks [Berkshire and Wesco] to get too high -- only deservedly high -- so we tend to throw deserved bits of cold water on them. For example, in the prospectus for the Berkshire B shares, we said we wouldn't advise anyone to buy our stock. People bought it anyway, but we tried to dampen it."
Share buybacks
"If only you people thought a lot less of us, there would be more opportunity to buy back Wesco and Berkshire shares."
"Berkshire owns bonds in two ways:
1) Through our insurance operations. Mainly mortgage backed, with some government and a little junk.
2) Through our finance subsidiary. Interesting little things. I call it the 'miscellaneous Warren Buffett account.' As long as he's doing it, I'm OK with it. We've made a few hundred million [dollars] with little risk or fuss."
Comments on Wesco
"Wesco's insurance operations are decent, but small."
"Wesco's business has come up some in the past year or two."
Berkshire's insurance accounting
"Generally speaking, we think we're more conservative than most insurers. Nevertheless, in certain periods, we've discovered that our reserves were not adequate. But over time, we'll not only try to be more conservative, we will be."
Will Berkshire be in the S&P 500?
"If Berkshire were owned by institutions, it would already be in the S&P 500. But Berkshire's loyal shareholders would cause a price spike if it were added to the S&P 500 [because of all the index funds that would have to buy the stock], which would be an embarrassment. Sooner or later it will be in, but not tomorrow."
History of Buffett's investing philosophy
"Warren Buffett came to investing at the knee of Ben Graham, who ran a Geiger counter over the detritus of the 1930s. Stocks were ridiculously cheap. Graham bought companies that were quite mediocre on average, but made 20% when their stock bounced."
"Warren trained under this system and made money, so he was slower to come to the idea I learned that the best way to make money is to buy great businesses that earn high returns on capital over long periods of time."
"We're applying Graham's basic ideas, but now we're trying to find undervalued GREAT companies. That concept was foreign to Ben Graham."
"Warren would have morphed into a great investor without Ben Graham. He is a greater investor than Graham was. Warren would have been great had he never met anyone else. He would have excelled at any field that required a high IQ, quantitative skills and risk taking. He wouldn't have done well at ballet though."
Differences between Buffett, Munger and Simpson
"Not very much."
[Lou Simpson, who manages GEICO's investment portfolio, was in the audience, so Munger asked him to address this question. He said:] "The big difference between you and Warren and my situation is the difference is size. We're $2.5 billion, whereas you and Warren are many times more, so we have an advantage in looking at smaller situations. If we find a $200-$250 million position, we can invest and make a difference."
Munger: "It does make a difference. Maybe Lou is just smarter. His returns have been better [over the past few years]."
Gen Re
"Gen Re misguessed its reserves -- almost every insurer in America did -- which is why we took a big loss."
"Gen Re always tried to do it right [reserve properly]. Losses crept up on everybody. You'd think that under Berkshire, their reserving, which was always very good, would be more conservative, consistent with Berkshire's culture."
"At Warren's level, we operate through the CEO of Gen Re, who has to tinker with the culture. It's a good culture, but with the world so tough, we need to improve it a bit."
Munger's role in the purchase of Gen Re
"That thing was very far along before I ever heard of it. There will be more of this as the years go on."
"Finova is a run-off situation. It's not going to run off as well as it would have before 9/11 happened, but it will work out fine. We'll make hundreds of millions. It's a blip in the history of Berkshire."
American Express
"American Express has had some things that didn't work out. Am I satisfied by what we know at American Express? Yes. We never expected them to handle their investments the way we'd handle ours. But we're big boys. We're not depressed about American Express."
"[Our investment in] USG obviously hasn't worked out very well. It wasn't just asbestos -- the market for wallboard went to hell. We missed that too. What can I say? It reminds me of a story about a man who had a wife and three kids. He conceived an illegitimate child with a woman he'd just met. When asked why he did it, he said, 'It seemed like a good idea at the time.'"
Becoming a good investor
"If you're going to be an investor, you're going to make some investments where you don't have all the experience you need. But if you keep trying to get a little better over time, you'll start to make investments that are virtually certain to have a good outcome. The keys are discipline, hard work and practice. It's like playing golf -- you have to work on it."
Investing mental models
"You need a different checklist and different mental models for different companies. I can never make it easy by saying, 'Here are three things.' You have to derive it yourself to ingrain it in your head for the rest of your life."
Circle of competence
"There are a lot of things we pass on. We have three baskets: in, out and too tough. A lot of stuff goes into the 'too tough' basket. We can't do that if it's a problem at a Berkshire subsidiary company, but if we don't own it, we just pass."
"I don't know how people cope [trying to figure everything out]."
"We have to have a special insight, or we'll put it in the 'too tough' basket. All of you have to look for a special area of competency and focus on that."
Buying into stock declines
"Over many decades, our usual practice is that if [the stock of] something we like goes down, we buy more and more. Sometimes something happens, you realize you're wrong, and you get out. But if you develop correct confidence in your judgment, buy more and take advantage of stock prices."
Freddie Mac
"We held that stock for a great many years, and of course made a great deal of money."
"Warren and I get nervous with vast amounts of leverage unless we're 100% confident that risk-taking won't creep into the culture."
"It reminds me of a guy running a company who fired his top producer. The guy asked him, 'Why are you firing me? I'm your top producer.' To which he responded, 'You make me nervous. I'm a rich old man. Why should I be nervous?"
"At present, Lloyd's is greatly improved. Lloyd's had become a sewer. Ethics became terrible, easy money, three-hour lunches with drinks... The culture got quite bad and it degenerated into huge underwriting losses."
"It's way better now, but not totally reformed. The jury's still out."
"Most of the bonds Berkshire buys, Warren picks. He doesn't need Moody's, nor does he look at their rating. But he believes Moody's provides a useful service."
Influence of board members (or lack thereof)
"Joe Rosenfeld -- a marvelous human being and great friiend -- was asked to be on the board of Northwestern Bell. He said it was the last thing they ever asked him. That's typical. Sometimes a CEO asks for advise when a board has expertise, but they generally make their own decisions and use their staff. Averaged out, the CEO decides what he wants to do and the board says yes."
"We have very little influence [on the boards Warren and I serve on]. There's an occasional exception if someone has very high regard for us."
Risks of financial institutions
"The beauty of a financial institution is that there are a lot of ways to go to hell in a bucket. You can push credit too far, do a dumb acquisition, leverage yourself excessively -- it's not just derivatives [that can bring about your downfall]."
Consumer credit
"My method for a nation growing is Germany after World War II -- no consumer credit, but high growth."
"In the U.S. today, we push consumer credit harder year after year. There are occasional blow-ups like Providian. Could we have a big national blow-up? Yes. It tends to be self-correcting."
"Once you get used to growing each year by goosing consumer credit 5%, what do you do when you've reached the limit?"
"I don't like it. I don't like thinking up ads to get people to use their credit card more. But it's not illegal and maybe the world's even better for it. It's not my temperament though."
The wealth effect
"The wealth effect is the extent to which consumer spending is goosed upward due to increases in stock prices. Of course it exists, but to what extent? I made a speech a while back in which I said that the wealth effect is greater than economists believe. I still say this."
"The wealth effect is one driver of economic assumption, but not the only one. The government in two years has gone from back-to-back surpluses to increasing spending 10% each year. Also, the decline in interest rates has led to an increase in housing values, which makes people feel richer. So, there are countervailing effects."
"Look at Borsheim's. When Level 3 [a widely held stock in Omaha] crashed 97%, there was a big effect [on Borsheim's sales]. There are also more homes for sale [in Omaha]."
"So many people try to predict macroeconomic factors by looking at only one factor. You need to look at all the factors."
Risk of the unexpected
"A lot of things happen that you can't predict. Who would have predicted the war on terrorism, government spending increasing 10% each of the past two years, etc.?"
"We try to run our companies so there's no chance of going back to Go. I think we're way more aware of that possibility [the risk of going back to Go], but that's no guarantee [that it can't happen to us]. In our insurance underwriting, we put in more clauses [limiting our risk] and are more aware of aggregate risks."
Expect the unexpected (Japan example)
"Warren has said that over 40 years, a lot of surprising things will happen."
"What's interesting in Japan is that every life insurance company is essentially insolvent because they promised to pay 3%. Who'd have thought that this could lead to insolvency, but interest rates went to zero and stayed there for years. They tried to invest in equities, but got negative returns. Can you imagine 13 years with negative equity returns and interest rates below 1%?"
"Is it inconceivable that it could ever happen here? I don't think so. Strange things happen."
Wall Street's ethics (or lack thereof)
"Generally speaking, ethics on Wall Street have been imperfect throughout my lifetime. In the old days, brokers would sell old ladies very conservative utility stocks with a big mark-up."
"Underwriting standards were better then. Now, what can be sold, will be sold. It's terrible."
"With First Boston, under the Mellons, there are just some things they wouldn't do."
"It's always hard. Some guy needs to pay his kid's tuition and at the end of the month, let's say he's behind on his quota and there's Suzi's account. Lo and behold, there's some activity."
"The ethics of Wall Street will always average out to mediocre at best."
"I don't think you get a lot of credit in life for not committing adultery with the Virgin Mary."
"Analysts as shills were always present, but it reached extremes in the dot-com boom because there was so much money at stake. Wall Street firms can't make money trading stocks for two cents per share, but can make so much money doing deals."
"If you set up incentives to reward A, and then say you want B, you'll give people schizophrenia."
"This doesn't mean there aren't some wonderful, intelligent people on Wall Street -- there are, like those in this room -- but everyone I know has to fight their own firm [to do the right thing]."
Critique of legal and accounting firms
"I think there's plenty wrong with the legal profession. Plenty of law firms take business they shouldn't. Accounting has this problem in spades. All have clients they shouldn't have. All the leading law and accounting firms aren't quick enough to decline or kick out bad clients."
"Too many law and accounting firms get roped into shady things. For example, tax shelters, with their contingency fees and secrecy, are a total abomination. The troubles are contagious -- they spread."
"Lawyers have gotten away with murder. The rule of thumb now is to defend anyone, using any means, and not get sued. This is changing however. Now, people are being more careful. This tendency to pull back is good."
"I never have the least interest in defending miscreants and helping them misbehave. But the general view is that it's wonderful what Johnny Cochran did."
"They say the second-happiest day for a defense lawyer is winning an acquittal of an innocent man."
"Originally, there were interest rate swaps. If you did them naked, you could lose or make an enormous amount. But there wasn't enough money for traders, so they adopted mark-to-market accounting. Everyone caved, adopted loose [accounting] standards and created exotic derivatives linked to theoretical models. As a result, all kinds of earnings, blessed by accountants, are not really being earned. When you reach for the money, it melts away. It was never there."
"The accountants have written 800 pages of rules on this."
"If you're the least bit venal, you can do what Enron did. Even if you're not, your employees will still [get you in trouble with derivatives]."
"It [accounting for derivatives] is just disgusting. It is a sewer, and if I'm right, there will be hell to pay in due course. All of you will have to prepare to deal with a blow-up of derivative books. To me, it's always been obvious it [the accounting for derivatives] is ridiculous."
"It's a crazy idea for people who are already rich -- like Berkshire -- to be in this business. It's a crazy business for big banks to be in."
[On this topic, here's an excerpt from the 5/20/02 Business Week:
"Critics say FASB's nitpicking hit bottom with Financial Accounting Standard No. 133, which governs accounting for financial derivatives and hedging. Launched in 1992, the standard is based on a simple principle: Futures, swaps, options, and other derivatives should be carried on books at their market value. But revaluing derivatives every quarter can create wide and unpredictable swings in corporate earnings. To avoid that, FASB carved out exceptions for hedging deals, forward contracts for materials, insurance policies, and other special cases. 'The exceptions are legitimate,' says FASB member John M. 'Neel' Foster, 'but once you start down that path, it's hard to stop.' The result: FAS 133 and its supporting documents weigh in at 800 pages--and it's still a work in progress."]
Fooling oneself
"The ethos of not fooling yourself is one of the best ethoses you could possibly have. It's powerful because it's so rare."
Mental models
"Generally speaking, you need to have appropriate mental models and a checklist to go through each of them. If 2-3 items are not on the checklist, and you're a pilot, you might crash."
"It [this approach] is perfectly obvious. But how many of you were taught to think this way at university?"
[One person in a room of perhaps 200 raised his hand and, when asked which university he attended, said "MIT."]
Munger snorted and said: "This wasn't rehearsed. This underscores the importance of science. If you have kids or grandkids, make them take science [classes]. Can you imagine the kind of nonsense we'd get from the head of the poetry department at Amherst?"
Personal computer use
"Do I use a computer? Not so far. I just had a computer installed, but so far it's dark. I don't every type. As for the future? We'll see."
"I'm a big follower of Thomas Hunt Morgan [in 1933, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine]. While at Cal Tech, he banned the Frieden calculator, which everyone used for all sorts of calculations. Why? I walk along the river and pick up gold. So why should I do placer mining? I'm willing to do placer mining if need be, but I'm hoping to go to my grave without doing so."
"Organized common (or uncommon) sense -- very basic knowledge -- is an enormously powerful tool. There are huge dangers with computers. People calculate too much and think too little."
Importance of science
"I think scientific literacy is terribly important…Habits of the mind formed from science are so valuable."
"I once spoke at one of New York's great Catholic girls schools, and they require every student to take physics."
"Even if you're not a scientist, you can pick up on the big ideas like thermodynamics. A lot of people haven't bothered to learn thermodynamics, and that's a big mistake. I recall a utility that invested in a scheme to create energy from seawater. [Anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of science would know that] this violates the laws of thermodynamics."
Inner-city schools
"Center-city school systems are a disaster. The schools are dealt a difficult hand, but many schools have shown not an impossible one."
"There's a lot wrong [with American universities]. I'd remove 3/4 of the faculty -- everything but the hard sciences. But nobody's going to do that, so we'll have to live with the defects. It's amazing how wrongheaded [the teaching is]. There is fatal disconnectedness. You have these squirrelly people in each department who don't see the big picture."
"This doesn't just happen in academia. Companies can get balkanized. Look at what happened at Arthur Andersen and Enron. They weren't all bad people, but their cultures were dysfunctional. It's easy to create such a culture, in which you have good people but terrible results. Many areas of government are dysfunctional. Universities are complicit. They don't feel guilty about the product they're producing."
"We have the best universities in the world. They are strong in the hard sciences, but if you go to business, law, sociology…"
Terrorism risk and immigration policy
"Our handling of the terrorism risk has been insanely sloppy. Can you imagine that someone with an Arabic name, who was Arabic looking, took lessons on flying big jets in which he didn't want to learn how to take off or land, and no-one asked any questions?! But it's the human condition. It's what bureaucracies do."
"I would be in favor of foolproof national identity cards, and wouldn't worry about due process with immigrants -- I'd really be more rigorous. But we're a democracy, and we'll muddle through."
"Canada's [immigration policies are] worse. They should have a banner that says, 'Welcome Terrorists!'"
"It's sad that we need an event like 9/11 to wake up."
"Ice Age [only available in the UK; will be published in the U.S. later this year] is one of the best books I've ever read. I've spent thousands of dollars buying copies for my friends. If you don't like Ice Age, then you have some limitations."
"I also recommend How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe's Poorest Nation Created Our World and Everything in It. It's amazing how one million poor people with a lousy climate and no resources had such a large and constructive influence on the world. I tried to figure it out and couldn't. This professor did that. It's a wonderful book."


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VA Palo Alto Health Care System
It's A Blessing To Be A Blessing
Note: Specialist Valdez was on the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center for many months while recovering from a devastating illness that left her in a coma. Her rehabilitation was arduous, but she never quit smiling. It was on the Polytrauma Unit where she met Doc and this story was part of her rehabilitation.
"Without the Korean War, there would be no South Korea," says Don "Doc" Barker, who is a Korean War Veteran. He joined the Navy as a Corpsman and later served as a platoon corpsman with the Marines rifle company during the Korean War. He spent six months in the 3rd Battalion 1st Marine Regiment. He now helps many Veterans, wounded or not with all sorts of different things, whether it be a brain injury, blindness or amputation. He has no preference and always lends his hands.
While in the service, Doc dealt with severe injuries at a rapid pace. He stated that while working during the Korean War, he and his coworkers would have so many patients that they would have to re-use their gloves. He expressed that during that time they would see patients come in and out, one right after another; assessed, triaged, and treated. They would place their soiled gloves into a bucket of zephirine chloride to be sterilized and used again.
Recently at VAPAHCS, a video was presented about the Korean War. Times have definitely changed. Doc was in Korea amidst the "battle," and I served there about 60 years later. Veterans that are still around from the Korean War are dealing with injuries and illnesses different from what Veterans are dealing with these days. After talking with Doc, he has shown me that change is inevitable. Many things have remained unchanged but of course, some have changed.
One thing that has not changed are his memories. Doc says, "It's a blessing to be a blessing." I was fortunate to be able to share stories with him and see the joy in his eyes as he recalled those memories. He brought over a whole scrapbook and told me stories for almost every single picture.
A true blessing it is for me, actually, to write this little story about Don "Doc" Barker, a joyous and spirited man who has endured many things and shares his experiences with others. It was a blessing and honor to have shared these little experiences and memories with this man.
As I walk the streets or the halls of VAPAHCS, I try to smile and even shake Veterans' hands and thank them for their service, because without them I think of how different our lives would be. Have the courage to do the same.


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I'm finally resurfacing after a gorgeous two week holiday in Hawaii with my family. We returned last Thursday night, and I've been catching up on a bunch of other things (sleep and laundry. My life, let me show you the glamour), but I did unpack quickly and photographed the stuff I bought over there on the weekend. I'm going to split my posts into four: a food one, a make up one, a places to see/eat one, and a places to shop one.
I went to Sephora, and I went to the outlets, but I have to start with the most important post: food you can't buy here.
One of my favourite things to do overseas is wander around in big supermarkets and look at all the food they have. Different breakfast cereals, different cookies, different ice cream, different chocolates and lollies. It's heaven. I don't buy everything, but I do love to see what their favourite flavour combinations are and what the varieties are like. I went over to Hawaii with a short list of a few grocery items I wanted to bring back with me and I found most of them. Some couldn't be brought back, so they were photographed for instagram and promptly consumed by my husband and I.
Here's what I did bring back though!


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Greetings, and thank you for visiting the Rider Boot Company!
We are a small, family owned business based in Richmond, Virginia providing classic men's boots in unique and desirable leathers designed to be enjoyed for a lifetime. Our (hopefully!) trademark boot will be the 3 eyelet Chukka, presented in numerous ways, including both a classic dress last and a more rounded sport last, in desirable upper materials – especially Genuine Shell Cordovan – and appropriate sole treatments. We also look forward to presenting fantastic options in both Captoe and Wingtip boots – both mid and tall shaft. Our goal is quality, not quantity, and a unique (if tiny) place in a market dominated by low wage manufacturing and high cost advertising. 'Rider' boots are produced by Calzaturificio Cortina in Northern Italy, and our leathers are sourced from tanneries in the United States, Italy and France. All boots are detailed with double, triple or Sestrere rubber soles, as well as Tirolese (or Storm) welts on certain models. Durability is always the goal, while choosing lasts that are neither too clunky or too sharp.
Thank you for viewing our first collection, and please contact me for any further information regarding our boots!
Ron Rider
June, 2008


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December 04, 2018 10:45 AM
(WHEC) - The country will observe a National Day of Mourning Wednesday in remembrance of former President George H.W. Bush.
All post offices will be closed. The U.S. Postal Service says there will be no residential or business deliveries and collection of mail from collection boxes will be limited.
Post offices will only deliver priority express mail and some packages to avoid setbacks during the busy holiday season, post office officials say.
Regular post office hours will resume Thursday.
Created: December 04, 2018 10:45 AM
Copyright 2018 - WHEC-TV, LLC A Hubbard Broadcasting Company
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Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; NSPS for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (Renewal), 80928-80929 [2011-33130]Download as PDF
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2011)] [Notices] [Pages 80928-80929] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2011-33130] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OECA-2011-0225; FRL-9509-7] Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; NSPS for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (Renewal) AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR which is abstracted below describes the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost. DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before January 26, 2012. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number EPA-HQ- OECA-2011-0225, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), or by email to firstname.lastname@example.com, or by mail to: EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Environmental Protection Agency, Enforcement and Compliance Docket and Information Center, Mail Code 2822IT, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB at: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Learia Williams, Monitoring, Assistance, and Media Programs Division, Office of Compliance, Mail Code 2227A, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-4113; fax number: (202) 564-0050; email address: firstname.lastname@example.com. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. On May 9, 2011 (76 FR 26900), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to both EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice. EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under docket ID number EPA-HQ-OECA-2011-0225, which is available for public viewing online at http://www.regulations.gov, in person viewing at the Enforcement and Compliance Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Enforcement and Compliance Docket is (202) 566-1752. Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at http://www.regulations.gov, to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select ``docket search,'' then key in the docket ID number identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing at http://www.regulations.gov, as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov. Title: NSPS for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (Renewal). ICR Numbers: EPA ICR Number 1557.08, OMB Control Number 2060-0220. ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2011. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may [[Page 80929]] continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Numbers for EPA regulations, listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR chapter 15, are identified on the form and/or instrument, if applicable. Abstract: The New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills were proposed on May 30, 1991, promulgated on May 12, 1996, and amended on June 16, 1998 (63 FR 32753), February 24, 1999 (64 FR 9262), and April 10, 2000 (65 FR 18909). These standards apply to municipal solid waste landfills for which construction, modification, or reconstruction commences either on or after May 30, 1991. The rule requires the installation of properly designed emission control equipment and the proper operation and maintenance of this equipment. These standards rely on the capture and reduction of methane, carbon dioxide, and non-methane organic gas compound emissions by combustion devices (boilers, internal combustion engines, or flares). Owners and operators of the affected facilities described must make initial reports when a source becomes subject to the standards. Respondents should conduct and report on performance tests, report on annual or periodic emission rates, report on design plans, report on equipment removal and closure, as well as maintain records of the reports, system design, performance tests, monitoring, exceedances, plot map, and well locations. Any owner or operator subject to the provisions of this part must maintain a file of the applicable reporting and recordkeeping requirements for at least five years following the collection of such measurements, maintenance reports, and records. All reports are sent to the delegated state or local authority. In the event that there is no such delegated authority, the reports are sent directly to the EPA regional office. This information is being collected to assure compliance with 40 CFR part 60, subpart WWW, as authorized in sections 112 and 114(a) of the Clean Air Act. The required information consists of emissions data and other information that have been determined to be private. Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 17 hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements which have subsequently changed; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information. Respondents/Affected Entities: Municipal solid waste landfills. Estimated Number of Respondents: 183. Frequency of Response: Initially, occasionally, and annually. Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 3,971. Estimated Total Annual Cost: $434,255, which includes $380,261 in labor costs, $32,400 capital/startup costs, and $21,594 operation and maintenance (O&M) costs. Changes in the Estimates: The adjustment increase in burden from the most recently approved ICR is due to an increase in the number of new sources. Consultations with the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) and trade association revealed that there are approximately 183 sources subject to the rule, as compared to the previous ICR with 175 sources. Also, we have used the most updated labor rates. Because there are new sources with reporting requirements, both capital/startup costs and operation and maintenance (O&M) costs of monitoring the equipment are incurred. Dated: December 20, 2011. John Moses, Director, Collection Strategies Division. [FR Doc. 2011-33130 Filed 12-23-11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


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My investment advisory firm recently had a state examination. One of the items mentioned in the state's findings was our practice of occasionally discounting or waiving our quarterly fee for certain clients. We did this in the past for long-time clients whose accounts had little or no activity in the quarter. Why would the state have a problem if we charge clients less than what we could charge them?
— B.H., via e-mail
The state likely has a problem with you tying your fee in some respects to the client's activity level. I believe such a practice runs counter to the whole idea of fee-based advisory services. If the fee is tied to the activity in the account, then (theoretically) the advisor has a financial incentive to increase the activity, or maintain it at a certain level to keep the advisory fee as agreed, as opposed to executing transactions solely in a client's best interest. An advisor's management fee typically covers not only active management, but also monitoring of the account regardless of the number of transactions.
Also, how would you determine what level of activity warranted a particular discount? Would one trade during the quarter cause you to charge the full fee? What about 10 trades? Unless you had a specific written procedure, the decision to discount your fee would be too subjective, which could in turn disadvantage certain clients depending on who made the determination to discount or waive the fee.
Another reason the state might be concerned with the practice is that it could look like you're reimbursing clients for losses in an account or compensating them for a referral (assuming your state requires solicitors to be registered). In short, there's any number of reasons why the state might take issue with the practice, and I'd suggest you stick with your fee schedule. If you think you're charging clients too much, revise your fee schedule.
My RIA provides advisory services to several small banks, trust companies and insurance companies in California, although our home state is Oregon. I've been told that, since we have more than five clients in the state, we have to register there. I've also been told that, since our clients are not individuals, we don't have to register. A third person, however, has told us that since we rent conference room space in an executive office suite to meet with clients, we have to register regardless of the number of clients we have. Can you shed some light on this?
— N.P., Oregon
The California Corporations Code, Section 25202, states that you do not have to register if you do not have a place of business in this state and during the preceding 12-month period if you had fewer than six resident clients. Section 25202 specifically excludes banks, trust companies and insurance companies (among others) from the definition of "client." So while it's true that you wouldn't have to register because of the type of clients you have, the fact that you meet with clients at an executive office space in the state would probably be seen as a "place of business" and require registration.
While I could not find a definition of "place of business" in the state law, Rule 222-1 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 defines "place of business" of an investment advisor as an office at which the investment advisor regularly provides investment advisory services, solicits, meets with or otherwise communicates with clients. It is also defined as any other location that is held out to the general public as a place where the investment advisor does the same.
Alan J. Foxman is an attorney with the law offices
of Rita G. Dew, P.A., and a senior consultant with
National Compliance Services in Delray Beach, Fla.
Contact him at this email address.


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Here is Key's dilemma and question:
For example, I started a fantasy book with a society dominated by civilized werewolves and vampires. Here's where I hit a cultural dilemma. As I was writing, my characters were naturally white, as that is the race that has dominated the genre I have read and seen on television (from Lord of the Rings to Goosebumps to Stephen King). Sometime into it, I realized that this was a little off: if I was truly 'writing what I know', wouldn't all my characters be black since that's what I've grown up around? Wouldn't I incorporate all of the cultural nuances from the black community, much like Harry Potter taught us about current British culture? Shouldn't I?Myers says (and this is in an independent blog post unrelated to Key's post)
Maybe I should. But I didn't want to, because I didn't want that to define my book. I wanted it to be seen as a good story, and nothing else. Some of us may have ambitions of writing the next Great American Novel. But that means something different than the Great African American Novel or the Great Asian American Novel.
So, where does this lead me?
It seems to me that diversity is a good medium. Some of my characters will be white, some black, etc, etc. The only thing about that is, it's not really much different than any other successful/popular white author. They virtually all include diversity at some point. The challenge for me is incorporating my minority perspective into my writing without isolating the general public (as that is my desired audience, NOT solely the black community). This could be done by having black main characters, but with a 'supporting cast' typical of what the average American is used to. Or having a strong minority character.
In the end, I just want to write good horror stories which scare the crap out of you, whether you're white, black, or purple. But do I have a greater responsibility than that, as a minority? What are your thoughts?
But there is also a theoretical question, which is the more interesting. If a character in a novel is not described as being fat, is he fat nevertheless? Could he possibly be fat if the novel never says so? Obesity is treated as extraordinary, a distinguishing characteristic, but what if it is not? What if it is as unexceptional, as unworthy of comment, as teeth and nails? Obesity is extraordinary only from a specific point of view, and where it is "central," then, the novelist is testifying to his ideology.Which echoes an earlier observation made by Key.
One of my group-mates had a critique of the passage, stating that '…wasn't something that helped the white residents sleep at night…' was a strange thought, assuming the main character himself was white. I found that a little odd, as I didn't really give any indication that the main character was white. Granted, I hadn't given much indication that he was black, either (except, maybe, for the very passage you've just read). It reminded me that in America we tend to assume that characters are the standard white male or female unless stated otherwise. Even I, an African American, have this automatic view after growing up reading literature by white authors.Myers' answer is
A female character in fiction has undergone an abortion if and only if the abortion is inscribed in the fiction. Perhaps the mere fact of reporting or describing an abortion makes it seem "central" to a critic for whom abortions should not be so; perhaps a prescriptive criticism will emerge that urges novelists to write about abortion (and also obesity, while they're at it) more nonchalantly. They must write about it at all, though, to write about it with small concern; and the mere inclusion of it—the plain fact that the novelist decided to speak of it instead of remaining silent—will be significant. What is excluded from fiction signifies nothing, because it might as well not exist. Nothing outside the language of a novel is true about the men and women who are sentenced to live within it and nowhere else.Advocates and ideologues everywhere want to read into a text all sorts of things that either explicitly were not in the mind of the author or for which there is no evidence of such intent on the part of the author. They do not want to take Sir Thomas More's counsel, "It will mean what the words say!" More than that, once they have read into a text what they want (or read out of it what they don't want), they then wish to hold the author accountable for their interpretation. A childish perspective but too prevalent.
I think the only answer to Key's question is that he has no obligation to any other party than his own conscience and muse. There is no right way to write, just as there is no gain-saying exactly what ought to be added or removed to make a passage attractive or effective. What is your story and to whom are you telling it? You as a writer: not you as someone else's placeholder for some arbitrary identity - sex, age, orientation, income, religion, class, nationality, race, education, marital status, etc. All of these are pertinent contextual elements, influencers of an individual author's development, but have nothing to do with what they actually choose to say or do.
Homophily (the study of the tendency of individuals to associate and bond with similar others) is a recent field but extremely pertinent in network theory with enormous application (such as NSA surveillance). What is emerging is the commonsense perspective that we all define ourselves differently and the critical attributes of self-identification change over time. At twenty, perhaps my most conscious self-identification is that I am male, or am attending Princeton, or am passionate about archaeology. At forty, perhaps my most conscious self-identification might be that I am Christian or that I am a father, or am a partner at a law firm. I am both the same and different at every stage, much like a river.
If we are all just a churning portfolio of attributes which evolve over time, do we at any given point in time have a particular obligation to profile that attribute? I would say, in response to Key's question, no! No obligation to anyone else, we are answerable only to our own moral conscience regardless of the expectations of others. People always expect more of other people, and regrettably, they usually expect more than they themselves are willing to do.