John R. Lampe is Professor of History at the University of Maryland, College Park and Senior Scholar at Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. He spoke at an EES noon discussion on March 8, 2006. The following is a summary of his presentation. Meeting Report 321.
Back from a February visit to Belgrade, I concluded that simply situating Serbia between one rock—Kosovo—and one hard place—the European Union—will not suffice. A number of rocks and hard places need to be identified. Start with Mladic and Montenegro as well as Kosovo and the European Union, then add a dispirited public, a troubled economy and a discouraged electorate, suspicious of all political parties. And they feed off each other. Both Bosnia's suit against Serbia in The Hague's International Court and anniversary dates of the NATO bombing campaign were also impending, even before the demonstrations that followed the death of Slobodan Milosevic. Yet their limited extent and impact is one positive sign.
Another positive sign is the persistent importance of independent media. It survives amid unregulated and politically controlled radio and television (over 1,200 stations) and a shrinking number of newspaper readers, now barely 700,000. Still, Radio B-92 has added a television station after barely surviving the Milosevic era. Together their radio and television networks reach 90 percent of the population and it ranks second in news ratings. The newspaper Politika ranks third behind two tabloids in circulation, and some of the credit for its newly independent coverage goes to its new editor, Liljana Smajilovic. Danas continues its independent way and its editor, Radomir Licina, also serves as Board President for the Southeast European Media Organization, which produces a most useful annual handbook on 14 member medias.
But rocks and hard places predominate, starting with the divided political spectrum. The tattered remnants of the 18-party coalition that overthrew the Milosevic regime in 2000 has lost a great deal of its public standing. According to a survey in Politika on the fifth anniversary of the overthrow last October 5, only 20 percent of Serbs believed that the 12 original goals of the coalition had been even partly realized, while 40 percent felt themselves worse off economically.
Turning first to the two parties whose reconciliation would best serve those original goals, we find the Democrats of President Boris Tadic and the Democratic Party of Serbia of Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica still bitterly divided. The Democrats continue to abstain from most parliamentary deliberations in the absence of a judicial house-cleaning but have gained little by their abstention. The slow moving Kostunica has not been able to use the greater power of his office and his alliance with the economic reformers of G-17 Plus to advance a promising program that remains largely on paper. Tadic remains the more persuasive public speaker and presence, but speaks without a heart-felt conviction in what he says and without the reputation for energy in what he does for which the assassinated Zoran Djindjic is now remembered.
Kostunica, for his part, cannot set aside the earlier rivalry with Djindjic to reconcile with the Democrats. He also seems to have drawn closer to conservative clerics in the Serbian Orthodox Church and moved away from Miroljub Labus and the G-17 Plus team that is heading Serbia's negotiations with the EU. One observer called this initially hopeful party "a casualty of the Kostunica government." The party's own recent rally as a separate political force may have been cut short by a financial scandal involving Labus's son-in-law, apparently reducing its share of the vote from 15 to 10 percent in two recent local elections.
A more portentous financial scandal is now threatening to cut down the third party that was presumed to be stepping in to replace G-17 Plus as a major power broker. Bogoljub Karic and his three brothers are all currently out of Serbia and refusing to appear in court to answer for a series of charges—the evasion of 7.7 million Deutch Marks in taxes for 1999-2001 being the most serious. The timing of these charges, coming before parliamentary elections, suggests some political motivation. Nevertheless, the reminder to the public that this family has grown immensely wealthy since the Milosevic regime seems to be sticking. Prospects for Karic's Movement for the Strength of Serbia (which is well-financed and has access to the family-owned and most watched station in Serbia, TV Pink) to win the 30-40 places in the next Parliament now appear highly unlikely.
Few of their supporters will be attracted to the core of southern provincial backers of the post-Milosevic Serbian Socialist Party, but many would be inclined to join the Radical Party or to abstain. As a Vreme article of February 6 suggests, the wider risk of abstention is likely to help the Radical Party, which can play off the prevailing feelings of victimization by the Western world as well as the spate of financial scandals. The most widely publicized of these scandals was the "suitcase affair," wherein police found 100,000 euros in a suitcase passed to or through the hands of a little-qualified vice governor of the National Bank, newly appointed by a new governor who the accused had assisted in a real estate deal. "Svi su lopovi" (they are all thieves) is a widely repeated refrain, and it seems to encourage abstention.
What sort of Radical Party, with their new slogan of "realistic" from the last presidential election, could we expect: no significant oversight from Vojislav Seselj buried in the judicial depths of the Hague process, but also no significant shift toward economic realism or international accommodation. The party seems attractive to the several hundred thousand refugees in the Vojvodina and south of Belgrade as well as the small town disadvantaged. Its leader, Tomislav Nikolic, has received much international coverage for calling Kosovo "occupied territory," which suggests a refusal to negotiate and a readiness for military action that is not the general Serbian sentiment, let alone the official Serbian position from either the president or the prime minister's office. The next ranking Radical leaders, the new mayor of Novi Sad, Maja Gorkovic, and the unsuccessful young candidate for mayor of Belgrade, Aleksandar Vucic, claim to identify with the European right and are trying to sound more accommodating than their previous statements suggest. In public opinion polls that do place them ahead of all other parties, the Radicals' 30 percent share still does not constitute the majority sometimes assumed by foreign observers. But following their course of defiant isolationism remains a temptation for larger numbers.
Serbia's crucial course is the pathway to the European Union and the fates of both Mladic and Montenegro are relevant here. Tanja Miscevic, the Director of Serbia's EU Integration Office, received the same clear message on her February visit to Brussels that has since been formally delivered by Commissioner Olli Rehn: Serbia must deliver General Radko Mladic to the ICTY in The Hague by one last deadline, then fixed at the end of March, and since moved to the end of April. Otherwise the country faces a suspension of talks for a Stability and Association Agreement. The psychological impact on Serbia's real but fragile support for membership, Miscevic worries, would be severe if this were to be postponed. Therefore, the president, the prime minister and the defense minister are agreed on the need to follow through with the arrest of Mladic. In addition, I heard the unanimous judgment that there would be no public demonstrations or media protests of any significance after the Mladic handover. He is now seen more as a Bosnian Serb figure than a Serbian hero, while public support for EU membership still stands at 64 percent, after a ten-point drop from early 2005. Support for EU membership also comes from the Serbian Orthodox Church, encouraged by Greek colleagues on the basis of their country's long experience with membership and by consultations with Bulgarian and Romanian Orthodox leaders as well.
Nor is the likely separation from Montenegro, as the famous referendum is now set for May 21, seen as an obstacle to the EU process or a setback for Serbia in general. The latest poll in Serbia shows 68 percent in favor of separation. There are already two separate visa regimes, two separate currencies and a set of customs duties and border delays in place between the only two entities in Southeastern Europe without a bilateral free trade agreement between them. The joint ministries maintained by the two are sparsely staffed and accomplishing little—"a snail on a double track" as the Belgrade Ekonomist put it last year. The idea of creating a Union of Independent States is attracting no support in Belgrade either. But, as British analyst Judy Batt told Politika on February 6, Serbian leaders seem to have no Plan B if the referendum falls below the 55 percent of those voting in favor or 50 percent of those eligible.
Assuming a successful Mladic hand-over and some agreement on Kosovo and Montenegro as well for the moment, I call attention to an economic picture that is surely troubled but less hopeless for EU membership or domestic prospects than too much of public opinion believes. First, the troubles: the main new problem is accelerating inflation through 2005, some 17 percent for the year as a result of unexpectedly higher prices for fruits and vegetables as well as for oil. Pensioners and those forced to live off one individual income were already unable in 2004 to cover minimal monthly expenses. Unemployment, even including unrecorded part-time jobs, still approaches 20 percent, and the trade deficit approached 5 billion euros for 2005. Corrupt cases of voucher privatization, claims for restitution to original owners, and a set of customs and administrative barriers still hinder foreign investors. (As for such barriers, ask Vlade Divac, the former NBA star about his experience with the Arandjelovac bottling plant and now the Novosti press complex).
But there are some positive signs: Direct foreign investment doubled in 2005 to 1.6 billion euros and the average monthly wage has more than doubled to $260. A value added tax of 18 percent was introduced with less dispute than expected and, along with a 10 percent flat tax for income, is cutting into the grey economy. The amount of time needed to open a new business has been cut down from 51 to 15 days. The World Bank's annual survey of the business climate shows Serbia moving up from the bottom in 2000 to pass Croatia, if not Slovenia and Bulgaria.
There is also the recent three-year agreement with the International Monetary Fund, not only providing $797 million in new credit but also eliminating $700 million of past debt to the Paris Club of official lenders. The deal awaits a final decision on Montenegro's independence, which is another reason for Serbian discomfort if the separation fails.
On the negative side, Serbia's economy still includes criminal networks operating more freely across Balkan borders than any legal business. Details abound in the new Vreme Atlas of Organized Crime and in Jurgen Roth's Weltwoche article based on a German intelligence report. But at least there is a new Special Prosecutor for Organized Crime, Slobodan Radovanovic, who has promised to use the tax laws in a manner familiar to observers of the American experience with Al Capone in the 1930s to bring major figures to trial. That still leaves the cleansing of a judicial system still too dependent on long-standing or politically motivated (or criminally intimidated) judges, but a recent proposal to elect judges de novo may offer some hope.
For Serbia's body politic to concentrate on turning these judicial and economic corners, as it must for EU accession, it must first address the Mladic, Montenegro and, hardest of all, Kosovo issues. Prime Minister Kostunica's close consultation these days with the conservative Orthodox clerics who are the strongest opponents of any concessions on Kosovo is cause for concern.
President Tadic's special representative on Kosovo, the respected historian and recent Ambassador to Greece Dusan Batakovic, began our discussion of the issue by calling Kai Eide's UN report on Kosovo, the basis for the current talks, "the most realistic report ever done" on the present situation there. He shared its assumption of a continued EU and US military presence (Point 81) and a High Representative with Bonn-like powers for inter-ethnic issues (Point 83). He spoke of a readiness on the Serbian side to grant "95 percent of what the Kosovars want," including economic sovereignty and parallel access to international financial organizations. I took the liberty of pointing out that from the international as well as from the Kosovar side, the word "independence" would have to appear in the final settlement. Dr. Batakovic then spelled out three "conditional" needs that the Serbian side regarded as essential in light of its interests as well as upholding the standards stressed in the Eide report: (1) new competencies for the Serb municipalities in Kosovo, perhaps on the Presevo example for Albanians in Serbia; (2) "horizontal links" between those municipalities, but substantive rather than territorial links, on the pattern of the Ohrid Agreement, for the area north of the Ibar River; and (3) continuing links for health services and education to Belgrade, in the absence of any such professionals left in the Serb communities, and for the judiciary across Kosovo, external training to help establish its independence of local political pressure.
This Belgrade connection—Serbian powers plus Bonn powers—would of course be the hardest point for the Kosovar side to swallow, but only massive international assistance could compensate for communities struggling to survive without such a connection, especially south of the Ibar River. In the longer run, given an unemployment rate of 96 percent, Serbs in Kosovo would also need job opportunities outside the Serb enclaves. How such mobility could be compatible with the current lack of legal order and judicial independence, plus a 60 to 70 percent rate of unemployment on the Kosovar side, is hard to envisage. Hence my speculation (not shared by Dr. Batakovic, anyone else I met in Belgrade or anyone on the international side these days) is that the least bad solution might still be what they all say is off the table: partition at the Ibar River, allowing the Serb communities to the south to move there rather than to Serbia and leaving only the religious sites in the south to be protected, as they would have to be, by an EU military presence. The easier task of honoring that protection would of course advance what could be a less conditionally independent Kosova's candidacy for membership in the European Union.
For now, we may still hope that both sides will understand that an agreement that they reach between them, rather than one that the international community imposes, will be regarded as more legitimate in the long run. In the short run, there is concern about the recent choice of General Agim Ceku to be Kosovar Prime Minister, given his exclusively military record, first as a Yugoslav National Army officer, then as a commander in Croatia's Operation Storm in 1995 and finally as commander in chief first of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and now of a Kosova Protection Corps, where KLA members are hugely represented. His selection has caused understandable anxiety in Belgrade. The choice of an uncompromising military leader raises legitimate questions about the readiness of the Kosovar side to negotiate at all. Especially in light of the Serbian Interior Ministry's long-standing charges against Ceku for war crimes, one wonders if the Kosovar is intent on provoking the Serbian side into refusing to negotiate and forcing an internationally imposed solution on maximalist Kosovar terms. Or does the choice of Ceku promise the one leader who could force through Kosovar acceptance of a genuine compromise?
While the Serbian side counters with the genuine threat of a sweeping Radical victory in the next elections if Kosovo's formal separation is simply imposed, the threat of Serbian military action sometimes raised by the Kosovar side does not seem real. Radical supporters have no militias ready for war, and no youth organization of the sort promising to explode on the Kosovar side. Serbia's army is neither ready nor preparing for war, and its units stationed near the Kosovo border are under tight control of an increasingly responsible Ministry of Defense.
To conclude, there is another positive sign from Serbia from the Defense Ministry and its army, which has been strapped financially and burdened by a large number of older officers and non-coms with no language or other skills, many from the 10,000 from other republics of the former Yugoslavia who joined the 55,000 in Serbia and Montenegro. In a meeting at the Economic and Social Policy Institute (formerly named the G-17 Institute), I heard better news from both the Institute's Srdjan Gligorijevic and the former assistant minister of defense, Pavle Jankovic, that there are a growing number of officers, some from conviction and more for survival, who are welcoming increased cooperation with NATO. Such projects quadrupled between 2002 and 2004. They have included year-long training for Serbian officers in Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and Greece, the destruction of 4,000 Manual Portable Weapons Systems (hand-held and far from weapons of mass destruction), a variety of new training now including peace-keeping on the British model, several visits by a contingent from the National Defense University, and a US Army officer in a year's program at Belgrade's Defense Academy. What's going on here? I submit that it is the spread of the same understanding that Serbia needs a modern army connected to European standards which accounts for public opinion polls favoring membership in Partnership for Peace by 70 percent. (The NATO number drops off to 40 percent, because of the bombing in 1999 rather than anything else). Handing over General Mladic, to which the current Defense Minister Zoran Stankovic is openly committed, will only isolate the hold-overs even more.
As for the Serbian public, its principal challenges remain a demeaning sense of isolation and the "black pessimism" that the late Zoran Djindjic worried about overwhelming this otherwise "merry people." At least the European Commission authorized visa relief for students in 2004 and for professionals in 2005, but it has yet to be implemented. Only 3 percent of the current student generation has ever visited an EU country (and only 30 percent has ever been outside Serbia). The EU's promise to move ahead on full implementation of visa relief needs attention this year, not in 2007 as recently announced. Serbia's public also needs to be reminded that the EU has already provided 1.7 billion euros in assistance prior to an Association Agreement. Serbs need to learn more about EU membership in general, the real gains and obligations rather than the threats of arbitrary compliance that circulate too widely. Most of all, Serbs need to move away from the temptations of denial and unique victimization that stand in the way of the hard adjustments that remain from the burdens of both the late Communist decades and the Milosevic era. To meet these challenges and avoid the bottomless pit of renewed isolation, Serbia's political leaders must do their part. They would do well to recall the words of Zoran Djindjic, "ako ne uspemo, jedini razlog je mi sami" (if we do not succeed, the only reason is we ourselves).
But the West must do its part as well. As Judy Batt concludes in her prudent Chaillot Paper of August 2005, "Serbia matters. With a population of 7.5 million, it is by far the largest country in the western Balkans, and as such is of crucial importance for the stability of the while region. While the Serbs want to ‘join Europe,' they still do not fully trust it, and the feeling is reciprocated. Both sides need to work to overcome their mutual incomprehension." Let me add the United States to that European side and hope that we play our part as well, so that better and not worse days lie ahead for Serbia, and therefore for all of Southeastern Europe.


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Category: Business Planning
What is the greatest success tip for a small business? What tip or tool could be the difference between success and failure? Charles Nagel joins Jim Blasingame to identify the value in aggregating various financial indicators and reports so that they can be tracked and managed.
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What is the primary reason small businesses fail? Ed Abel and Jim Blasingame reveal the single greatest reason small businesses fail, plus what to do to make sure you don't become stricken with this preventable affliction.
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domain: finance


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A webinar examining the shifting pattern of Central American migration between 2011 and 2014 and expectations for 2015, why inflows in this period present a particularly acute policy challenge, and how states, localities, the U.S. government, and other countries in the region are responding to the crisis.
Marking the release of the MPI-IOM 12th Issue in Brief, this event in Bangkok examined the emerging trends in women’s labor migration in the Asia-Pacific region, and the related opportunities and challenges.
Part of a series exploring issues likely to be addressed by the new National Integration Plan, this webinar, with perspectives from the cities of New York and Seattle and others delves into possible recommendations on federal coordination of local government immigrant integration initiatives, including language access.
Part of a series exploring recommendations likely to be addressed by the new National Integration Plan, this webinar, with perspectives from MPI, the WE Global Network, and Lutheran Immigrant and Refugee Services, examines the role of economic development initiatives and refugee resettlement programs/infrastructure in immigrant integration.
Part of a series exploring issues likely to be addressed by the new National Integration Plan, this webinar, with perspectives from MPI, the National Partnership for New Americans, and the National Skills Coalition, looks at the role of adult education and English language and skills training in the immigrant integration process.
A report release examining PIAAC data on the skills of U.S. immigrant adults and how these skills are related to key immigrant integration outcomes such as employment, income, access to training, and health.
Discussion on new Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) report with PPIC Research Fellows; Bruce A. Morrison, Former U.S. Congressman from Connecticut (1983-1991) and Chair of the Immigration Subcommittee; and Marc Rosenblum, MPI Senior Policy Analyst.
The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Migration Policy Institute, and the Indian Council for Overseas Employment hosted a panel discussion with business leaders and experts in innovation who were joined by Indian Ambassador to the United States Meera Shankar. This panel discussion was held in association with maximum INDIA--A festival of Indian arts and culture at the Kennedy Center.
MPI report release with authors MPI's Donald Kerwin, Margie McHugh, and Doris Meissner who engage in a discussion with Eva Millona, Executive Director, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition; and Juan P. Osuna, Acting Director, Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Department of Justice, on what the U.S. administration can do to fix immigration policy absent congressional action.
MPI Report release with authors MPI's Randy Capps and Muzaffar Chishti examining step localities are taking in enforcing immigration law and the possible impacts on communities. Jerry Gonzalez, Executive Director, Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, and Captain LeRoy Kirkegard, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, provided comments.
Report release and discussion on the impacts of low-skilled immigration on the U.S. economy, with author Harry Holzer, Professor, Georgetown Public Policy Institute; Darrell M. West, Vice President and Director of Governance Studies, and Founding Director, Center for Technology Innovation, Brookings Institution; and MPI's Demetrios G. Papademetriou, Doris Meissner, and Michael Fix.

domain: sociology


Aernouts, Swallow win South Africa 70.3
Written by: Timothy Carlson
Date: Sun Jan 20 2013
The race was marred by two deaths – race officials announced that two age groupers, ages 29 and 37, suffered fatal cardiac respiratory arrest during the swim leg. According to Ironman 70.3 South Africa spokesman Michael Flanagan, water safety personnel attempted to resuscitate the athletes on scene and in the medical tent before they were transported to nearby St. Dominic’s hospital, where they failed to respond to specialized medical procedures and were pronounced dead. The names of the victims are being withheld pending notification of the families.
Aernouts combined a 12th-best 26:45 swim, a race-best 2:15:39 bike split and a race-fastest 1:17:21 run to finish in 4:03:53 with a 2 minutes 30 seconds margin over runner-up Ronnie Schildknecht of Switzerland and 6:47 over 2006 ITU World Champion and 3rd place finisher Tim Don of Great Britain.
Marko Albert of Estonia led the men out of the swim with a 23:43 split, followed by Mark Threlfall of Great Britain (23:45), Axel Zeebroek of Belgium (23:50), Kyle Leto of the U.S. (23:56), Will Clarke of Great Britain (24:19). Former duathlon World Champion Aernouts was 12th with a 26:45 split.
Albert maintained his lead until midway through the bike leg when Aernouts steamed by on his way to a race-best 2:15:39 split that gave the Belgian the lead at T2. Ronnie Schildknecht of Switzerland, who emerged from the swim just 3 seconds back of Aernouts, also put on the afterburners with a 2nd-best 2:17:46 bike split that brought him to the transition in 2nd, 2 minutes down. Albert, after a 2:21:36 bike split, was 3rd to T2, 30 seconds back of Schildknecht and two minutes ahead of Don, who was 4th into T2 with a 24:58 swim and a 2:22:00 bike.
Aernouts maintained his lead with a race-fastest 1:17:21 run which was 26 seconds better than Schildknecht’s 2nd-best split and brought him to the finish in 4:03:53 with a 2:30 margin of victory over his Swiss rival. Don’s 4th-best 1:19:31 run brought the UK star past Albert to take the final spot on the podium, 4:17 back of Schildknecht. Albert held on to 4th place with a 1:22:54 run that held off 5th place William Clarke and his 3rd-best 1:18:41 run by a margin of 1:36.
Aernouts was delighted with his first win of 2013. “I came out of the water with the second group, together with athletes that had always been stronger than me in previous years,” he said in a release by his sponsor Uplace. “That gave me a boost for the bike leg [where] I tried to move up as fast as possible. When I had the lead, I moved ahead of the rest. The half marathon was hard work, but I managed to complete a pretty constant race.” Aernouts said he was inspired by the recent birth of a daughter: “Perhaps the saying is true and Paulien’s birth did make me fly,” he said.
Jodie Swallow completed a three-peat as the UK star won this event in 2011 and 2012. Swallow combined a race-best 25:11 swim, a 2nd-fastest 2:38:05 bike split and a 2nd-best 1:26:56 run to finish in 4:34:30 with a 9:08 margin over runner-up and fellow UK triathlete Susie Hignett and 9:49 over last year’s runner-up Lucie Zelenkova Reed of the Czech Republic.
Swallow took control of the race from the start with her race-best 25:10 swim which gave her a 1:29 advantage over Reed, 1:36 over Maria Czesnik of Poland, 4:10 over Dianne McEwan of South Africa, 4:12 over Hignett and 5:41 over Natasha Gorrie of South Africa.
Swallow’s 2nd-best 2:38:05 bike split was 3 minutes faster than Hignett and Reed but surrendered 3:56 to Gorrie’s race-fastest 2:34:09 bike split. At the transition, Swallow had a 2:45 lead on Gorrie, 4:30 on Reed, 6:36 on Dianne McEwan, 6:50 on Jeannie Seymour and 7:31 on Hignett.
Swallow then held off her closest contenders with a 1:26:56 run which was 53 seconds faster than Hignett, 5:04 better than Reed, 8:45 better than Gorrie and 6:30 better than Seymour. Swallow finished in 4:34:30 with a comfortable 9:08 margin on Hignett and 9:49 on Reed. Gorrie took 4th, 1:08 behind Reed.
Tine Deckers of Belgium, who had finished 2nd and 3rd at this race in previous years, gained much pre-race attention as she was 14 weeks pregnant and hoping to have one last excellent finish before the anticipated birth of her child this summer. But Deckers lost her goggles 200 meters into the swim and she withdrew. “Some might be able to continue without goggles, but I can’t, especially in this ocean swim. It is a pity. This was my only chance to race during my pregnancy. I really wanted get the strong result I know I had in me today.”
Buffalo City, South Africa
January 20, 2013
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.
1. Bart Aernouts (BEL) 4:03:53
2. Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI) 4:06:23
3. Tim Don (GBR) 4:10:40
4. Marko Albert (EST) 4:12:11
5. William Clarke (GBR) 4:13:47
6. Cyril Viennot (FRA) 4:16:09
7. Kyle Buckingham (RSA) 4:17:09 * M30-34
8. Mark Threlfall (GBR) 4:17:57
9. Kent Horner (RSA) 4:18:17
10. Swen Sundberg (GER) 4:19:54
11. Kyle Leto (USA) 4:20:04
12. Stephen Bayliss (GBR) 4:24:54
1. Jodie Swallow (GBR) 4:34:29
2. Susie Hignett (GBR) 4:43:38
3. Lucie Zelenkova Reed (CZE) 4:44:19
4. Natasha Gorrie (RSA) 4:45:27
5. Jeannie Seymour (RSA) 4:48:11
6. Dianne McEwan (RSA) 4:49:33
7. Camilla Lindholm (SWE) 4:51:59
8. Annah Watkinson (RSA) 4:54:26 * F30-34
9. Kathrin Walther (GER) 5:07:32
10. Lauren Dougall (RSA) 5:07:45 * F25-29
Belgian Uplace Team Pro Bart Aernouts had a solid 2012 season and started his 2013 account with a win at 70.3 South Africa. He is currently getting ready for the Abu Dhabi Triathlon and we had a few words with him. 2.24.13
Ronnie Schildknecht of Switzerland won his 8th Ironman title with an 8:11:24 finish and Vermont mother of three Jessie Donavan won her 3rd Ironman title by 6:02 over Jodie Swallow at Ironman South Africa. 4.14.13
Marino Vanhoenacker combined a race-best bike split and 2nd-best run to top Ronnie Schildknecht by 6:31; Jodie Swallow dominates the field to repeat her 2011 victory at Ironman 70.3 South Africa. 1.22.12
Frederik Van Lierde used a monster bike split in tough conditions to win the 2011 Spec-Savers Ironman 70.3 South Africa. Jodie Swallow, the current World Champion at that distance, started her 2011 season with another title. 1.23.11


text: Background: Although hand dermatitis (HD) represents a frequent occupational issue for many health professionals, little is known about the prevalence and distribution of HD among veterinarians, particularly in Australia. Aim: We utilized a previously validated questionnaire survey to examine a cross-section of veterinarians from Queensland, Australia, to determine the prevalence of HD and its associated factors. Method: We conducted a questionnaire-based survey of HD, which was mailed to 1094 veterinarians registered with the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland during 2006 (64.0% response rate). Results: The overall prevalence rate of HD during this study was 15.9%. HD prevalence was significantly higher in those with current allergic disease (P < 0.001), among female veterinarians (P < 0.001), and those reporting latex allergy in the past 12 months (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Overall, this study suggests that HD may be more prevalent among veterinarians in Queensland than among their counterparts studied elsewhere. Veterinary practices may need to consider making non-latex gloves available or avoiding latex products wherever possible, particularly for their female staff. The importance of HD to the veterinary profession is predicted to increase as females begin to make up a greater proportion of registered veterinarians as result of a demographic shift.

domain: literature


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- RICHARD GLADE will lecture on "Recognition, Purification and Realization," how the events of everyday life can be a path to your potential, at Golden Braid Books, 151 S. 500 East, on Monday, May 4, from 7-8 p.m. Call 322-0404.
- PAUL NEEDHAM, Scheide Librarian at Princeton University, will conduct a one-day workshop titled "Why Preserve Old Buildings?" The event will be at The Salt Palace, Room 150 G, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6. Registration is $50 at the door. Call Randy Silverman at 585-6782.- THE LEAGUE OF UTAH WRITERS will sponsor two workshops this week.
One will be "Publishing Your Own Works" at the Holladay Library, 2150 East 4800 South, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6. Carl McGavin of Alexander Digital Publishing and Patti Adams of Jordan River Publishing will address the group. Call 272-7301 or 943-6571 for details.
The second is on Thursday, May 7, 7 p.m. at the South Jordan Library, 10300 S. Beckstead Lane. JoAnn Jolley, editor at Covenant Communications, will direct the session. Call 280-1545.
- DAVID KRANES, popular University of Utah playwright and fiction writer, will read from new work on Wednesday, May 6, 7 p.m. at Waking Owl Books, 208 S. 1300 East. Call 582-7323.
- BARNES & NOBLE BOOKS has slated several events this week. Watch for: Ramon Smullin signing "The Father Is Not the Son" at the Fort Union store, 7-9 p.m. on Friday, May 8; Ann E. Cannon signing "What's a Mother to Do?" at Fort Union, 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, May 9; and Toni Sorensen Brown signing "Happy Mother's Day - Wake Me When It's Over" at the Sandy store from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, May 9.
- JACK MILES, author of "God: A Biography" will deliver the annual Sterling M. McMurrin Lecture on Religion in the Gould Auditorium of the Marriott Library on the University of Utah campus, Thursday, May 7, 7:30 p.m. Miles is director of the Humanities Center at Claremont Graduate School. He will speak on "Global Requiem? Religion and the World Ecology Class." The lecture is free and open to the public. Call 581-6775 for details.
- THE CITY ART READING SERIES continues this week. On Thursday, May 7, 7:30 p.m. at the Mount Tabor Lutheran Church, 175 S. 700 East, Leslie Norris, the BYU poet in residence, and Neil Hollands, recipient of the 1998 Mayor's Award in Literature, will read from their works. Call 277-1510 for details.
- JEAN B. BOYCE, will sign copies of her book of verse, "Just Ask Mom," at Barnes & Noble in Sugarhouse on Friday, May 8, 6:30 p.m. and at Borders in the Crossroads Mall, noon-2 p.m., on Saturday, May 9.
- JUDY DYKMAN and COLLEEN WHITLEY will present a slide show and sign their book "The Silver Queen" from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, at the Utah State Historical Society, 300 S. 455 West. Call 533-3545.
- COVENANT COMMUNICATIONS has several signings for Mother's Day. On Saturday, May 9, Kitty de Ruyter ("A Mother's Love") and Michele Ashman Bell ("An Unexpeced Love") will be at Seagull Book on Redwood Road from noon to 2 p.m., then later at Deseret Book on Fort Union from 3-5 p.m.
- TODD F. COPE, author of "The Shift," will sign copies of his book from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, at the Orem Media Play Store, 130 E. 1300 South. Call 798-7891.
- ROY WEBB, author of "If We Had a Boat," will offer a reading and book-signing session at the Roost Bookstore, 85 W. Main in Torrey, Wayne County, on Saturday, May 9, 7 p.m. Call 488-4112 for information.
- THE UTAH STATE POETRY SOCIETY is offering scholarships to the summer Writers at Work Conference in Park City for students, age 16-24. Deadline is May 15. Send three titled poems, 30 lines or less, typed with no identification to Marilyn Johnson, 5706 Cottonwood Lane, Salt Lake City, UT 84117. On a separete cover sheet include your name, address, phone number, age, titles of poems and reasons for applying. There should also be a signing statement verifying that the poetry is your own work. For more information call 943-4211.

domain: library


text:
Heating oil prices rise and fall for a selection of factors. With oil's stature as a high-demand global product comes the opportunity that major variations in rate could have a considerable economic effect.
Why Do Heating Oil Prices Rise And Fall?
Retail heating oil prices are mostly influenced by crude oil costs and the level of fuel supply about demand. Solid and also enhancing need for fuel and other oil products in the USA and the rest of the globe could place extreme stress on readily available materials. Oil is a product, and also thus, it tends to see bigger variations in price than even more stable investments such as stocks as well as bonds. OPEC, or the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, is the main influence of variations in oil costs.
It can be irritating to see your house heating oil prices differ from year to year, specifically when it pertains to attempting to predict the expense. There are numerous reasons why they vary, with 3 mostly driving elements. There are situations when residence heating oil prices alter significantly. The reasons are beyond the control of any individual, though. Given dealers and also consumers have adequate supply and temperature levels don't go down or probably crude oil costs are steady, after that it would certainly suggest that market prices will be consistent.
Elements That Affect Heating Oil Prices
Heating oil seems like an easy system on the surface area, but there are several regional as well as worldwide pressures at play when it comes to establishing the price you pay.That heating oil is a product of crude oil makes its production, distribution and also intake greatly reliant on the rate of crude oil. When crude oil costs are steady, residence heating oil prices have a tendency to gradually rise in the winter season months when demand is highest possible.
Just like any type of commodity, the supply affects the cost of oil. An ample supply means the price per barrel drops. When supply is reduced, the cost per barrel increases. The supply levels differ relying on present manufacturing and current need. In the not as well far-off past, a tiny supply disruption would send out oil prices skyward.Crude oil rates are also unbelievably sensitive, altering quickly in feedback to news cycles, plan modifications, and also changes worldwide's markets, and price decreases as well as spikes could send out global exchanges into a tizzy.
How You Can Discover The Most Effective Heating Oil Prices
Does it make sense to pre-buy your house heating oil? You could not manage particular outside forces that impact the rate of oil-- like the price of crude oil or geopolitical agitation in oil-producing countries, there is much you can do to pay a reduced price for heating oil. Now's a great time to be on heating oil as prices have actually dropped significantly over the last few years.
If you take a little time to go shopping about for the ideal service and heating oil prices, you might conserve a couple of hundred bucks on your home heating this winter season. According to this write-up, oil costs are incredibly low as well as so loading your heating oil storage tank will certainly be less costly than you may have experienced in previous years. Heating oil is at its lowest price in the last ten years.
The Best Ways To Allocate Changing Heating Oil Prices
Is there such point as satisfaction when it comes to heating oil costs? A budget plan might be the answer. Enrolling in a budget plan with your oil dealership is a great way to expand your oil bill right into 10 to 12 month-to-month payments, making oil expenses extra like a normal energy. This makes your winter season energy repayments foreseeable, constant, as well as far more convenient as your heating bill will certainly never increase, regardless of just how icy the temperatures obtain outside.
Our heating oil budget plan program means that rather of having to pay all of your home heating costs in the wintertime, you'll pay the reduced, estimated amount each month, which makes your heating expenditures a lot less complicated to handle. Will the oil market go up this winter months?
Verdict On Heating Oil Prices
A typical house owner in our location that makes use of 800 gallons of fuel a year will spend approximately $800 a month, from November/December with March/April, to spend for it. Heating costs can pile up in winter months when you pay for each heating oil delivery as you get it, because you are paying the mass of your home heating costs throughout the chilly months. We offer leading quality heating fuel at affordable costs, and we know it's vital to get a great oil rate, but it's additionally sensible to make your buying choice on various other factors aside from rate alone.
Also servicing these zip codes in Menemsha: 02552


Tribune News Service
Faridabad, December 2
A tussle is going on between the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) and the Sports Department for about two months over the transfer of a newly built indoor stadium. With formal inauguration of the stadium pending, it has not been put to use due to delay in transfer.
Sports Department officials said the stadium would be taken over only after completion of finishing work like electrical fittings, washrooms and accessories. On the other hand, HSVP officials said the stadium was fully ready and no work was pending.
“We have written to the Sports Department, but there has not been any response so far,” said Rajeev Sharma, Superintending Engineer, HSVP. He said the stadium was ready since September 20. After Assembly elections delayed inauguration, the HSVP took up the matter in the first week of November.
Vinod Bala, District Sports Officer, said the stadium would be taken over as soon as finishing work was completed as the stadium was fully air-conditioned. She said the Sports Department was awaiting its formal inauguration.
Transfer of the newly laid astro-turf hockey ground was also pending. An amount of Rs 7 crore was spent on it. While sports officials wanted it to be completed with proper drainage, HSVP officials claimed that it was ready as per specifications.
The foundation stone of this indoor stadium was laid in the mid-1990s. The project was revived in 2012 and handed over to the HSVP. The project was completed at a cost Rs 25 crore in September. The stadium would host boxing, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, wrestling, softball, weightlifting and skating events.
Educational institutions have been closed since March 16
505 cases per million in country as against global average o...
Tourists are coming with rapid test report, which is not per...
Pass to be generated through Cova app


text:
The original Rattlesnake Pasta recipe was created by Uno’s. This dish is similar to the original version, but adds a little intrigue. It is usually served over penne pasta and is made with two tablespoons of butter and chopped chicken. It has three main ingredients: penne, butter and chicken. This recipe calls for a fried rattlesnake.
The ingredients are all fresh. The tomatoes and jalapenos should be chopped or diced. The butter paste is made with flour, heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Then, you’ll add the spices and whisk them in to make a creamy sauce. Next, add the cooked pasta and season with salt to taste. If you want a little extra heat, you can add a slice of hot pepper.
Once the mixture is blended, add the sliced or diced jalapenos. To make the sauce, you’ll need half-and-half and flour. You’ll also need about 3/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese. This dish tastes best when accompanied by a cold beer. The best way to prepare it is to consult with the chef at the restaurant to find out how to make the most authentic version.
The original recipe can be made at home with a few tweaks. Using a flour paste will help to prevent it from getting too thick. Instead of using all of the butter and flour, you’ll use just a tablespoon of it. You can even substitute a quarter-cup of butter for the half-cup. Then add an egg and mix it all together. You’ll be ready to serve the Rattlesnake Pasta at your next gathering.
The main ingredients for this dish are jalapenos, a fried red pepper, and a tomato paste. This dish is best eaten when it’s served hot. It’s a spicy, cheesy dish that’s sure to please. It can be served with a side of slaw. When you’re feeling adventurous, try the rattlesnake pasta at your local eatery.
The recipe has 150-plus items on its menu. You’ll find a wide range of comfort food, American, and Mexican-style dishes. You’ll also find a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan options. Whether you’re hungry for a delicious meal for yourself or your family, the 54th Street Grill & Bar is the perfect place to grab a bite. You can visit the restaurant Sunday through Saturday from 11:00 AM to 11:59 PM.
The recipe has been adapted for the restaurant’s menu by incorporating the best ingredients from various regions. The melted butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese are added, and the whole thing is a spicy, tasty dish that can be enjoyed by everyone. The full menu at 54th Street Grill & Bar is ideal for a family meal or a special occasion. You can find a large variety of comfort foods, American favorites, and Mexican dishes.
The recipes at the 54th Street Grill & Bar vary from location to location, but there are common elements in all of them. The full menu is filled with tasty American and Mexican fare, and a variety of delicious options. The hours of operation are 11:00 AM to 11:59 PM Sunday to Saturday. The restaurant offers a wide variety of comfort food, Mexican and American cuisine, and healthy options.
For this authentic Rattlesnake pasta, diced or sliced jalapenos are added. The recipe is made with half, milk, and parmesan cheese. The spices are added to the cook’s sauce. Onions and peppers are added to the sauce after the sauce has been prepared. The ingredients are mixed with a fork and whisked in a pan.

domain: food


text:
The glittering coastal city of Perth has experienced some of the most dramatic climate-change-driven shifts in weather recorded around the world. Australia has warmed 1.4°C since 1910, there has been a 28% decline in rainfall in Perth in the past 50 years, and as a consequence the area’s fire risk has risen dramatically.
The city is an alarming poster child for the kinds of impacts the changing climate can have on Australia, a notoriously arid and tempestuous continent.
With this in mind, researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) are looking for volunteer citizen scientists to help them piece together part of Australia’s longest daily weather record from Perth, a project spanning the period from 1830 until today.
The researchers are focusing on Perth’s oldest weather records, including some already published observations covering 1830 to 1875. Citizen scientists can by going to the Zooniverse website and transcribing records from 1880 to 1900 to join the historical observations with the Bureau of Meteorology’s records starting in 1897.
“Knowing more about our past climate can help us better prepare for future extreme events – which are predicted to increase in frequency and severity due to climate change,” says ANU’s Dr Joëlle Gergis, lead researcher of Climate History Australia.
Caitlin Howlett, the project’s citizen science officer, notes that the Bureau of Meteorology’s weather records only go back just over a century. “Our research aims to extend the daily weather record back as far as possible so we can understand more about Australia’s pre-industrial climate.”
Most historical weather data recovery efforts have focused on south-eastern Australia, which means recovering historical observations from Perth – on the shores of the Indian Ocean at the opposite end of the country – is a priority.
“Recovering 19th-century observations from southwestern Australia is important as it is a globally recognised climate change hot spot,” says Gergis.
For Howlett, the project’s significance lies not only in the potential to better understand climate and weather interactions, but also because citizen science like this can bridge the gap between generational knowledge bases.
“This project has the ability to cross generations,” she explains. “Young people might not normally be engaged in something like history or historical science, whereas this climate change research will give them a lead in into understanding more about their history and how understanding that is really important.
“And then, we’ve got the older generations who have so much knowledge to share, and this project gives them an opportunity to share what they know from the past, so that they can help with future challenges.”
To get started, volunteers can visit the citizen science platform, Zooniverse.

domain: news


text:
To the Editor:
My heart broke as I watched the reports from Newtown. I cried when I listened to a teacher talk about how she made sure, as she listened to the gunshots, to take each child’s face in her hands and tell him or her directly, “I love you.” This is what she wanted her children to hear as they waited to die.
As I wrote that last line I thought to myself, I probably should say students. However, the first thing I wrote is what came to my mind. Children. For most teachers, our students are our children. And I know, without a doubt, that if a gunman came into my school and started shooting, I would hide them, put myself in front of them, do whatever I had to do to protect them and keep them safe, even if that meant I might die. And I know that almost every teacher would do the same.
Could you say the same about the people you work with? Would you hide them? Protect them? Do you even think that it’s a possibility that an employee or a client of yours is going to come into your workplace and start killing everyone?
And yet I go to school every day, knowing that within my school are the mentally ill students, the angry students, the apathetic students, the students who are socially isolated, the students who are being bullied by their classmates, the students who for some reason feel picked on … the students who potentially could reach their limit one day and decide to bring a gun to school.
And I teach them. I also teach the child whose father is stalking his mother after a bitter divorce. I teach the child who writes in her journal about her older sister coming into her room at night and molesting her. I teach the child whose parents are in jail for the murder of his brother. I teach the child who is trying so hard to not do drugs, even though he goes home nightly and sees mom and dad using them. Even in Hunterdon, I teach these children, and many more who come to school with similar baggage. I do my best to try to get them to care about the work that we’re doing in school, and to show them that I care about them as people, even though their world is falling apart at home.
And when that gunman comes into my room, I will hide my children in the corner, barricade them with desks and chairs and whatever else I can find to protect them with. I will look each one of them in the eyes and tell them that I love them, that they are all special, that they are valued. And I will put myself in front of them and take the bullet for them. Because that is what I do.
I am a teacher.
MICHELE BERNHARD, TEACHER
HUNTERDON CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL


text:
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The second day of testimony got underway Friday morning in the trial for a man accused of shooting and killing a Twin Cities Police officer.
On the night before he’s accused of gunning down Officer Scott Patrick last July 30, Brian Fitch Sr. made a chilling statement to his girlfriend.READ MORE: Robbinsdale City Council Member Tyler Kline Charged With DWI, Fleeing Police
Taya Moran told jurors Fitch said to her, “if he ever got pulled over he would shoot the cop.”
He was angry with her for giving police his cell number a few days earlier after the two had argued. There was an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
Moran also described a gun Fitch showed her — a pistol with a laser sight. That would match the gun he had in his possession when he was arrested.
Defense attorney Lori Traub asked Moran if she and Fitch were using meth that night. Moran answered “Yes.”
Earlier in the day, Officer Jake Peterson produced the photo lineups shown to two women who witnessed the shooting. Both gave detailed descriptions of his getaway car, but neither could pick Fitch out.
That car was later abandoned behind a home on South Robert Street in St. Paul. Officer Chu Yang found it poorly concealed under a blue tarp, telling jurors, “it just didn’t fit in.”
The timeline of when Fitch arrived at that home on Robert Street is being called into question.
Officer Patrick was shot at 12:20 p.m., yet three residents at that home all testified that Fitch was there shortly after high noon.READ MORE: Sheriff Seeks Owner Of Burnt Snowmobile Found On Central Minnesota Lake
Fitch offered $800 for the use of a friend’s mother’s SUV. He was in that vehicle when he was finally cornered by police and taken into custody after a wild shootout.
The trial opened up Thursday with video of the final moments of Officer Patrick’s life.
After their brief opening statements in the St. Cloud courtroom, prosecutors wasted no time showing the jury the most shocking piece of evidence: two dash cam videos that captured the sight and sounds of Patrick’s killing.
More than a dozen of his family and friends were there on Thursday and were silent while the dash cam video played. Fitch remained expressionless, but could be seen rocking back and forth at times.
The video shows Patrick driving near Dodd Road and Smith Avenue in Mendota Heights, and stopping a car that police say Fitch was driving. In the video, Patrick did not seem in a hurry, and did not seem worried about the stop.
Just 11 seconds after Patrick got out of his squad, a gun came out of the other vehicle’s window, and Patrick was shot and killed.
As soon as the shots were fired, the car sped off. Patrick was hit in the right thigh, then the stomach, then the right side of the head.
Seconds later, witnesses rushed to help. Prosecutors called several eyewitnesses to the stand. Each one described a white male speeding from the scene in the green Pontiac.MORE NEWS: Teen Arrested In Robbinsdale After Fleeing Police In Stolen Car
Police later caught Fitch in St. Paul after a day-long manhunt.

domain: law


text:
Main Stone: One 3mm Round Stone Max Ring Width: 8.5mm Band Width: Min: 1.4mmMax: 2.8mm.This unique infinity heart knot not ring is the perfect way to celebrate true love. It can be personalised with any birthstone and the metal of your choice. Add a custom base engraving for a heartfelt personal touch. It makes a truly special gift for any occasion!
1. Ring size comparison in different countries (Conversion Table)
2. How to measure your finger size and how to find the right ring size?
Please print this Sizing Tool (click). You have two choices with this tool. The first, please put your existing ring onto the circles and find your size. Alternatively, scissor out the measuring bar on the right of the paper and use it to measure your finger size. Please follow the instructions in the above PDF document. Neatie recommends that you can use both two methods to make the result more accurate.
When buying jewellery as a gift, buy something that can be worn every day. Diamond stud earrings are an excellent choice as they go with anything. Watches are also a very utilitarian option, just make sure it's classy but casual enough that she could wear it to work. Neutral colors are also an excellent choice.

domain: design


text:
The great myth regarding cheating the video poker machines or beating typically the slots is merely that: a myth. Winning at slots may be possible, but a person must always take into account that the odds in addition to statistics are not in your favour.
This can be the sad fact of playing typically the slots. However, along with so many optimistic things about the particular slots-one of these people being the jackpots, payouts, winners, in addition to happy gamblers-there is usually no reason why you shouldn’t try your current luck and participate in the slots on the web.
Don’t be fooled by the con guys and gimmicks claiming that you can win thousands of dollars inside mere minutes by playing the slot machine games. There is Slot Gacor or set of guidelines that will assure that you may win if an individual buy a book or perhaps strategy set. Hitting and luck are not for selling.
When you decide that you want to enjoy online slots, an individual should know that you have always con-men on the market who want to be able to prey on you and your desire to locate thrill and amusement. Winning some money is always a great benefit, too.
The most important thing to keep in mind is the particular idea that when a person play, you happen to be in the mercy regarding the RNG (random number generator) of the machine. Be it online slots or even land based traditional slots, the equipment is definitely the only issue determining if an individual are a slots winner or loser. Getting a system intended for some odd quantity of dollars or paying a slot machine games “expert” for the or her insight may be some sort of quicker approach to lose your money. It would be easiest better off playing random slots and even crossing your fingertips.
There is no sure open fire way to beat the slots. Playing with the following tips that most people already know inside mind can assist your chances or perhaps bigger wins, though. For instance , when a person play slots online, go ahead in addition to bet max whenever you can. In case you win, you’ll receive the biggest payout.
Trying to beat the video poker machines online is probably just as hard as trying in order to beat them in a traditional gambling establishment. If you stroll into any casino hall and look around, you’ll easily see the security protects, the cameras, the particular cocktail waitresses, and even just about just about every single person with an identification label tag watching a person and what a person do. The challenging computer systems over the casino will keep an eye on your actions (if they are illegal, much more so).
Whenever you play spots online or any type of additional online casino game, you will discover that you happen to be working together with even even more secure and challenging gaming software. Whenever you play, you are playing as truthfully as you would certainly within a traditional gambling establishment. If you try to be able to cheat or enjoy any illegal game titles with the gambling establishment online, you will be simply cheating oneself. Likewise, you is going to be cheating oneself.
If you happen to be playing for fun and entertainment, you are going to win. If you happen to be playing slots on-line for added cash, an individual will win. In case, however, you are playing online slots in order to win thousands immediately, you will lose. Beginners luck is an additional myth and hardly safe to riding on for an extended period of moment. Play slots on the internet for fun and never expect that cheating will help the odds or defeating the slots is guaranteed.
Elizabeth Tudor is a fully developed and experienced poker gambler. Currently the lady could be a gambling consultant and an post writer for http://www.OnlinePokerLabs.com site, helping other players for making their own gambling experience a lot more pleasant and successful.

domain: entertainment


text:
Working in an international enterprise means growing with exciting projects and multiple opportunities in a great network. We are currently looking for a Pricing Administrator To manage the pricing tables used for invoicing customers and forecasting sales.
• Manage and maintain accurate pricing records for customers in QAD
• Review incoming pricing and validate any discrepancies with marketing group
• Track and maintain pricing accruals and pricing retro for financial reporting.
• Analyze and identify opportunities and risks of pricing
• Validate sell prices in fast track
• Compile and report productivity for corporate financial reporting
• Accounts receivable factoring activities
• Accounts receivable past due collections
• Accounts receivable account analysis when necessary
• Accounts receivable backup
• Accounts payable backup
• Any other tasks as deemed necessary
Administrative, Analytical, Being Thorough, Calculations, Communication, Computer, Customer Service, Locating Missing Documents/Information, Microsoft Office, Multitasking, Organizational, Reporting, Data entry; accounts receivable; accounts payable
Associates Degree; 3-5 years experience
SMR USA is located in St. Clair County, which is known as the Blue Water Area because its eastern and southern boundaries are formed by the waters of Lake Huron, the St. Clair River, and Lake St. Clair. The St. Clair River forms the natural boundary between the United States and Canada.

domain: geography


text:
Use the map to find out how to reach us.
The company Sasso Gomme in Tortolì, close to Arbatax, in the province of Ogliastra has the best tyres on the market at very competitive prices.
114, V. Virgilio
08048 - Tortoli' (OG)
Tel: 0782623255 - Fax: 0782 623255


text:
What Is Warren Buffett Teaching Our Kids?
A new generation of Warren Buffetts may conquer the world thanks to The Hub Network's "Secret Millionaires Club," featuring animated host Warren Buffett. What are our kids learning about money from The Oracle of Omaha, and does he take his own advice?
1 Thing Investors Are Missing About Huntington Bancshares
Huntington Bancshares is a regional outfit that faces stiff competition from Fifth Third Bancorp, PNC, Wells Fargo, and JPMorgan Chase, but the data shows that it is poised to deliver solid results for years to come.
Where the Money Is: December 3
The biggest stories from Tuesday’s world of finance.
Is Taper Terror Sinking the Dow?
Yesterday’s good economic news could be pressuring the Dow today


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Gilberts commit $11 million to fight vision loss for neurofibromatosis type 1 patients
Author: Sherri Welch
Published On: 04/11/2019
- Couple commits $11 million to fund development of treatments for neurofibromatosis type 1, which afflicts their son
- Grant will fund research into therapies aimed at repairing or replacing optic nerves damaged by the disease
- Brings total couple has donated to fight the disease to $64 million
Quicken Loans Inc. founder and Chairman Dan Gilbert and his wife, Jennifer, committed another $11 million to fund development of treatments for neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).
The latest grant, made through the couple's Detroit-based Gilbert Family Foundation, will fund research as part of the Vision Restoration Initiative aimed at developing innovative therapies to repair or replace optic nerves damaged by the disease.
It follows a $12 million pledge from the couple in December to fund gene therapy research aimed at finding a cure for the disease that afflicts their son Nick.
With those commitments, the Gilberts and their foundation have funded a total of $64 million to date in the fight against NF1.
To read more click here.

domain: medical


text:
Guest Post: National Social Work Month
March 25, 2019
In March, we celebrate that fact that every day, some 682,000 social workers across the nation act as advocates, champions and leaders who make our society a better place to live.
By sharing my story I choose to help elevate the profession and the conversation about the importance of social workers.
My Call to Social Work
Catie J. Mielcarz, LCSW
It was the second semester of my junior year when I enrolled in my first sociology course. After nearly three years of working towards a pre-law degree, I found myself seeking something different. One sociology course led to another, and another. I was then granted an opportunity to mentor students at a school in a nearby town, known for its high crime and poverty rates. It was after just a few weeks of building relationships with the students that I realized I wanted to make a change in my career path. The students I worked with, whom many considered to be “troubled”, opened my eyes to the true beauty of each individual. These young students affirmed my belief that every person is capable, deserving of happiness and worthy of love.
My life in social work has brought me to one of the world’s largest correctional institutions, several schools and alternative education programs, many in areas which are deemed to be “dangerous”, and with residents whom may be seen by many as the same. Throughout my years as a social worker, I have been honored, humbled and proud to advocate for those who are unjustly assigned negative labels, and to be a support to those who need someone to believe in them the most.
"I became a social worker because I believe in the resiliency of each individual. With the understanding that each person's path is unique, I became a social worker, above all, because every person deserves to feel empowered."
National Professional Social Work Month is an opportunity for social workers across the country and their allies to turn the spotlight on the profession and highlight the important contributions they make to society.
Resources from the National Association of Social Workers
- Since the first social work class was offered in 1898 at Columbia University, social workers have led the way developing private and charitable organizations to serve people in need. Social workers continue to address the needs of society and bring our nation’s social problems to the public’s attention.
[Link to: Social Work History]
- One benefit of a social work degree is that the job possibilities are endless. Sometimes it pays to think outside the box!
[Link to: Outside the Lines: Maximizing the flexibility of a social work degree]


|Publication number||US4514636 A|
|Application number||US 06/640,538|
|Publication date||Apr 30, 1985|
|Filing date||Aug 13, 1984|
|Priority date||Sep 14, 1979|
|Publication number||06640538, 640538, US 4514636 A, US 4514636A, US-A-4514636, US4514636 A, US4514636A|
|Inventors||Monroe L. King|
|Original Assignee||Eaton Corporation|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (18), Non-Patent Citations (24), Referenced by (26), Classifications (15), Legal Events (6)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser No. 523,908, filed Aug. 16, 1983, now abandoned; and a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 185,075, filed Sept. 8, 1980, now abandoned; which was a division of U.S. Ser. No. 75,401, filed Sept. 14, 1979, and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,762, issued Apr. 14, 1981.
In many applications where articles are treated within a vacuum chamber it is desirable to control the temperature of the article. One such application is ion implantation of semiconductor wafers wherein a high energy ion beam is directed onto a semiconductor wafer which also results in heating of the wafer. Heating of the wafer in any ion implant process has a number of undesirable effects including damage to the photoresist layer which can out gas and shrink thereby destroying the desired precise pattern intended on the wafer by use of the photoresist. Early implantation systems relied upon heat removal from the silicon wafer by radiation effect only. Absence of gas molecules in the vacuum system such as typically 7×10-7 Torr virtually eliminates conductive paths for heat flow. As beam powers in ion implantation systems have increased radiation cooling alone was no longer sufficient, and there have been attempts to make intimate contact with the silicon wafer for increased conduction. One method that has been attempted is the use of a thermally conductive conformat (soft pliable material) pressed mechanically to the back of the silicon slice hopefully to establish as many point contacts between the wafer and conformat for conduction to a support member. Although significant temperature depression has been realized with the use of a conformat, problems of repeatability, thermal non-uniformity and expensive maintenance have been experienced.
The object of the present invention is a method and apparatus which will provide proper thermal conduction between an article and a support member in a vacuum environment and which will overcome the shortcomings of the prior techniques.
Briefly stated, the invention to be described in greater detail below is directed to method and apparatus for conducting heat between an article being treated and a mounting member. In accordance with the present invention a gas under pressure is introduced between the article and the mounting member and provides sufficient conductivity to allow temperature control of the wafer.
Conductivity of a gas versus pressure is relatively flat from approximately 3,000 psi to 5/760 of an atmosphere at which level conductivity decays rapidly. Experimentation has shown that gas between a silicon wafer and a flat plate in the pressure range of about 0.5 to 2 Torr has a very low diffusion rate into the void of the vacuum system while at the same time providing sufficient thermal conductivity to maintain the temperature of the wafer at appropriate levels.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention the wafer is clamped against the support member which both limits the excess flow of gas as well as produces a small path length for thermal conduction.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a seal can be provided between the wafer and the support member adjacent the periphery of the wafer thereby further limiting the escape of the gas into the vacuum chamber.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a perusal of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference refer to similar structural elements in each of the several views.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one application of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of an ion implantation system incorporating the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic elevational sectional view of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 2 taken along line 22 in the direction of the arrows.
FIG. 4 is a schematic elevational view, partially broken away, illustrating a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a graph showing thermal conductance plotted versus gas pressure for nitrogen gas.
FIG. 6 is a graph of temperature plotted versus ion beam power showing for the temperature of a silicon wafer in an ion implantation system both for an uncooled wafer and a wafer cooled in accordance with the present invention with nitrogen gas at two different pressure levels.
While the present invention is applicable to provide thermal conductivity for controlling the temperature of an article in a vacuum for numerous possible applications, it is especially applicable for cooling a semiconductor wafer in an ion implantation system. Accordingly the invention will be described below with respect to such an ion implantation system.
Referring now to the drawings particularly with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is schematically illustrated an ion implantation system wherein ions from a source 11 connected to a high voltage power supply 12 are generated for projection through an accelerator column 13 along a beam line 14 to an end station 15 wherein the ions are directed against a semiconductor wafer. The source 11, column 13, beam line 14, and end station 15 contained within a vacuum envelope 17 are maintained under high vacuum by vacuum pumping devices 16. The ion implantation system is typically operated at about the level 7×10-7 Torr when the ion beam is directed against the wafer.
FIG. 2 better illustrates the elements of the ion implantation system. Ions from the source 11 are redirected by an analysing magnet 21 before being directed through the accelerator column 13 and after which pass through a triplet quadruple lens 22 and scanners 23. At the end station 15 wafers 24 from an imput cassette 25 are directed to an inlet station 26 through a vacuum lock 27 and into the high vacuum chamber 17 to the treating station 28 where the wafer 24 is exposed to the ion beam. From the treating station the wafer passes through a vacuum lock 29 to an output cassette 31 at the outlet station 32.
FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the structure and movement of the wafer from the input cassette 25 to the output cassette 31. As shown in FIG. 3 the wafer from cassette 25 passes through a first gate valve 33 to a wafer stop 34 at which time the gate valve 33 is closed and the vacuum lock 27 reduced to an intermediate vacuum pressure. Then a second gate valve 35 is opened and the wafer fed by gravity onto a target block or support plate or member 36 at a stop 40 at the treating station 28. Typically, the wafer is clamped to the target block 36 which is then tilted by a swing arm 37 for application of the appropriate ion dosage. The target block 36 is then swung down so that the wafer is released from the clamp and moves by gravity on through the third open gate valve 38 to a stop 39 in vacuum lock 29. Gate valve 38 is then closed and a fourth gate valve 41 opened whereby the wafer is fed by gravity to the output cassette 31.
FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the positioning and clamping of the wafer 24 on the target block 36 which may be cooled via a cooling system such as freon circulated through internal passageways 36" from a coolant recirculation system 42. The wafer 24 is clamped to the target block 36 by a clamp 43 that is centrally apertured at 43' to pass the ion beam and that engages the wafer 24 adjacent its periphery.
Gas under pressure of about 0.5 to 2.0 Torr is fed through a channel 36' to the interface between the wafer 24 and the target block 36 and provides the thermal conductivity for transferring heat from the wafer to the cooled target block. A gas with a high thermal conductivity such as, nitrogen, neon, helium or hydrogen (which are arranged in ascending order of conductivity at 360° K.) is directed from a source 44 through a regulator 45 and leak valve 46 to the channel 36'. It has been found that an opening at the end of the chanel 36' of approximatley 10 to 20 thousanths inch diameter is sufficient to provide the appropriate gas for maintaining a 3" wafer 24 at the desired temperature.
FIG. 5 shows a graph of thermal conductance plotted versus gas pressure for nitrogen. It will be seen that the thermal conductivity remains high to approximately 5 Torr where it begins to fall off dramatically. Use of gas in the range of 0.5 to 2.0 Torr provides the appropriate thermal conductivity for conducting heat away from the wafer. FIG. 6 shows a graph plotting temperature of a wafer against ion beam power and shows the effectiveness of the use of nitrogen gas at 0.8 Torr and 1.5 Torr.
While it has not been found necessary for successful utilization of the present invention, a seal can be provided between the wafer 24 and the target block 36 adjacent the periphery wafer 24 by an "O" ring 47.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that selection of the particular operating gas and pressure will depend upon the efficiency and nature of the particular system operation.
Additionally it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this invention can be utilized for temperature control of wafers in other treating processes. A typical applicable process would be plasma etching of semiconductor wafers in a planar etching system, well known in the art and ion beam milling and electron beam annealing.
Other modifications and alternative configurations can be utilized in accordance with the present invention which is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
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|U.S. Classification||250/443.1, 250/492.2, 257/E21.334|
|International Classification||C30B31/22, C30B23/06, C23C14/54, H01L21/265|
|Cooperative Classification||C30B23/06, C23C14/541, C30B31/22, H01L21/265|
|European Classification||C30B23/06, C30B31/22, C23C14/54B, H01L21/265|
|Sep 27, 1988||RR||Request for reexamination filed|
Effective date: 19880809
|Sep 29, 1988||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Nov 14, 1989||B1||Reexamination certificate first reexamination|
|Sep 24, 1992||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8
|Sep 27, 1996||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 12
|May 8, 2000||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC., MASSACHUSETTS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:EATON CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:010785/0133
Effective date: 20000508


text:
During the season we are supplied with fruit by one of the vineyard workers from organic estate Rossignol Trapet in Gevrey. We never know what he is going to bring, it depends upon the time of the season, and how kind the weather has been to his crops. He turns up in the evening, and we will take whatever he has. We usually have several deliveries of vine peaches 'peches des vignes', wild strawberries, cherries, and at the end of the summer and early autumn, beautiful plums.
For our regular supplies, we go to Dijon Market. Francoise, of Gout et Saveurs, is the largest organic stall on the market. Although she is a wholesaler, her sources of supply are excellent, and she chooses only the best quality fruit and vegetables. We also have the advantage that during the season she will deliver, which makes our shopping trips a little lighter. However, wherever we can, we will buy from the farmers. Their produce comes out of the ground one day, and it is on the market the next. They take great pride in what they sell, and the flavours are entirely natural, not tainted by any form of chemical preparation, or storage process between gathering and selling. In addition to seasonal fruit and vegetables, we can usually also get a good selection of fresh herbs apart from those that we grow ourselves, although there is also a stall on the market that sells nothing but herbs, and which satisfies the rest of our requirements.
What we really like, is the way that the produce changes with the seasons, and that it is all local. As the year progresses, our future blogs will follow the introduction of new seasonal products to our suppliers stalls.

domain: agronomy


text:
Norwegian Rolls Out New Agent Booking Tool
Norwegian Cruise Line introduced a new booking engine, designed exclusively for travel agents. The new booking tool gives travel agents the ability to complete all aspects of a cruise reservation online, including being able to book multiple staterooms simultaneously and attach multiple promotional codes to each reservation. Independent air information, land packages, shore excursions, and onboard entertainment and dining reservations (only on the Epic) also can be added to a guest’s booking.
The new booking platform also allows agents to submit special requests. Additionally, the tool gives agents quick access to agency information and offers a quick search feature on all screens that includes an option to search for guests’ Latitude Rewards numbers. Other features include the option to send cruise travel kits to alternate addresses, the ability to copy reservations and reinstate bookings.
Holland America Unveils New Marketing and Sales Tools
Holland America Line added a variety of new marketing, sales and training tools for travel agents to its online portal, Travel Agent Headquarters. Among the new tools are new marketing direct mail and email pieces.
Oceania Designs Beverage Packages for 2012
Oceania Cruises will introduce two new beverage packages on sailings beginning in 2012. The House Wine and Beer option is priced at $29.95 per guest, per day and includes house wine by the glass and beer with lunch and dinner in any dining venue or via room service. The Open Bar option is priced at $49.95 per guest, per day and includes beer and premium house wine by the glass and most beverages on the bar menu. The beverage package prices include gratuities and can be pre-booked online on purchased onboard.
Royal Caribbean Debuts Specialty Dining Packages
Royal Caribbean International debuted seven new dining packages enabling guests to more affordably dine at the line’s numerous specialty restaurants on select ships. The packages range in price from $50 to $120 per guest and save passengers at least 25% compared to the sum of the individual restaurants’ cover charges. Aboard Oasis and Allure of the Seas, guests have the choice of three dining packages, while those onboard the Radiance of the Seas have two choices and guests on the Splendour of the Seas have one option. Packages can be pre-reserved online or onboard ship.
New Leadership, Ship Arrival Date at Costa
Ruben Perez officially assumed his position as general manager at Costa Cruises, N.A., following the retirement of Maurice Zarmati as president and CEO of the North American office at the end of November. Perez is responsible for the day-to-day management of all operations. At the same time, Scott Knutson has been promoted to vice president of sales and marketing and is responsible for travel agent relations. Also, Costa Fascinosa, the 16th ship in the Costa Cruises fleet, is scheduled to debut May 2, 2012 on the first of two mini-cruises, which will bring the ship to Savona, Italy for a naming event on May 6.
Wind Surf Finishes First Phase of Makeover
Windstar Cruises’ Wind Surf yacht has completed the first phase of its refurbishment, which encompassed the updating of all staterooms, suites, bridge suites and corridors. Staterooms now feature leather headboards, arm chairs, linen wall coverings, new lighting features and more, while suites were additionally outfitted with new furniture that converts to lounging, dining or accommodating a third guest. Corridors were completely renovated from floor to ceiling. The second phase of refurbishment is slated for fall 2012 and will focus on public spaces.
CRUISE ITINERARY NEWS
Carnival Inspiration Takes Over Catalina Cruises
Carnival Inspiration launched year-round three- and four-day cruises from Long Beach, Calif. The three-day cruises depart Fridays and visit Ensenada, while the four-day cruises depart Mondays and visit Ensenada and Catalina Island. The Carnival Inspiration replaces the Carnival Paradise on this itinerary.
Princess Details 2012 Canada, New England Season
Princess Cruises will offer two ships (the Caribbean Princess and Emerald Princess) sailing 11 voyages on three itineraries to Canada and New England in 2012. The three options are a weeklong roundtrip sailing from New York; a 10-day, one-way voyage between New York and Quebec City, featuring an overnight stay in the city; and a 12-night Canada & Colonial America cruise from Quebec to Ft. Lauderdale.
American Cruise Lines Offers Lewis and Clark Theme Cruises
American Cruise Lines will offer Lewis and Clark theme cruises aboard its Queen of the West paddle wheeler that operates on the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest. Available this April, between Portland, Ore. and Clarkston, Wash., the itinerary will follow in the footsteps of the explorers’ expedition. Onboard lecturers and entertainers will bring the story of the expedition to life.
Crystal Cruises Opens All of 2013 for Booking
Crystal Cruises opened its entire 2013 list of sailings for bookings, with all itineraries featuring a “Book Now” fare offering guests the best prices for bookings made by Feb. 28 or June 30, 2012 (depending on cruise departure date). Highlights of the 64 itineraries on offer include an increase in shorter cruises, a larger ship in Northern Europe, 16 maiden calls, a 74-day World Cruise with focus on South America, 25% more port days, cruises without any days at sea, and an increase in New England/Canada itineraries.
Norwegian Announces Summer 2013-14 Sailings
Norwegian announced its summer deployment for the 2013/14 season, including the addition of a third ship in Alaska, the Norwegian Sun, sailing seven-day, open-jaw itineraries between Vancouver, British Columbia and Whittier, Alaska. The line’s summer deployment also features four ships sailing in Europe, along with two ships cruising to Bermuda and one running quick Bahamas “Getaways.”
Scenic Cruises to Launch Rebuilt Ship in Russia
Scenic Cruises will launch the completely rebuilt Scenic Tsar in Russia in May 2012, offering 15-day sailings between St. Petersburg and Moscow.
Variety Cruises Announces New Itineraries
Variety Cruises will add four new itineraries in 2012, including Arabian Journey, debuting in November, exploring the Arabian Gulf and Omani Coast. Also new: Romantic Rivieras, which sails the French and Italian coasts starting in June; Treasures of South Italy and Malta, beginning in September; and The Adriatic Odyssey, which visits Corfu, Dubrovnik and Montenegro, starting in July. Also new in 2012, the 223-foot Variety Voyager mega yacht with 36 cabins, debuting in spring, and the three-masted sail cruiser Panorama II with 25 cabins, debuting in June.
Holland America Deploys Ship in Asia in 2013
Holland America Line will deploy its Volendam to Asia in 2013, with a series of 14-day itineraries between Singapore and Hong Kong; Kobe (Osaka) and Hong Kong; and a roundtrip out of Kobe. Ports in Vietnam, South Korea, Thailand, and Cambodia will be included. In total, the ship will sail nine voyages, sailing from December 2012 through April 2013.
Norwegian Rolls Out New Agent Booking Tool

domain: travel