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In the renovated gardener's cottage that serves as her home office, Hannah Storm tosses around a film pitch about a Colombian soccer player with her business partner Carmen Belmont. Suddenly the conversation switches to Christmas. There are, after all, only ten shopping days left. And then, just as quickly, the talk switches back to the soccer player, who Storm considers "one of the best strikers in the world."
As they come to a consensus—Carmen will follow up with the soccer player, an assistant will follow up on the gifts—Storm strides into the outer room, where she meets with visitors and flashes one of her brilliant smiles. Though she says she's exhausted after a grueling eight-day workweek that included a quick trip to Indianapolis to interview Colts quarterback Andrew Luck for her ESPN show, SportsCenter, she appears anything but. Already today—ostensibly her day off—she spent the morning shooting a sizzle reel for her company Brainstormin' Productions. Later, she'll return calls and review tapes in preparation for tomorrow's live, three-hour show at ESPN headquarters in Bristol. As she settles down into one of two chic mid-century chairs, the assistant sneaks up the stairs with a bunch of shopping bags. "She's hiding Christmas presents," Storm says, without missing a beat. Behind her the phones ring; outside a man waits for instructions about a small carpentry project.
Storm, who changed her name from Storen years ago, remains unflappable, taking each question, each interruption in stride. Relaxed and affable, she exudes an aura of confidence, coupled with an easy approachability. It's a winning formula; one that has served her well in her nearly thirty-year broadcast career. Along the way she endured years of gender bias and discrimination, while doggedly pursuing her dream. She rose to the top of her field, becoming one of an elite group of sportscasters—those who cover such marquee events as Wimbledon, the Super Bowl and even the Olympics—at a time when women were considered window dressing in the world of network sports. Today, she not only coanchors ESPN's flagship show, she runs her own production company and oversees a foundation, all while raising a family of three teenage girls. Looking back, she says she didn't set out to be a trailblazer. "I wanted to be a sportscaster," she says, shrugging her shoulders. "The more people said I couldn't do it, the more I wanted to do it."
Her Game Face
Indeed, as a child growing up, Storm lived a peripatetic, sports-filled life. Her father, a career Marine, helped nationalize Toys for Tots in 1961. He left the armed services in 1963 to take a job in ticket sales for the Chicago Zephyrs (now the Washington Wizards). He worked his way up to the front office, and went on to become a successful sports executive and even, briefly, the commissioner for the American Basketball Association. Her mother had played college basketball. "We moved all the time to accommodate the mercurial nature of what my father did," she recalls. "Basketball is what I mostly remember. We'd go to all the games, and my mom would be yelling at the refs for making lousy calls."
Storm ran track and field in high school and even lettered in cheerleading but did not pursue athletics in college. "I was a pretty good high jumper, but where are you going to go with that?" she says. As a little girl she loved being in the spotlight. But she had been born with a port-wine stain—a vascular birthmark—under her left eye and though she was never ashamed of it, she says, it did make her self-conscious. In her sophomore year she decided to try out for a role in the school play. And then something remarkable happened. "I discovered stage makeup. My world shifted a little. I realized this thing on my face wasn't going to get in my way. I really could do anything I wanted to do."
At Notre Dame, her father's alma mater, Storm majored in political science. She briefly flirted with the idea of pursuing an acting career when she graduated, but she chose TV broadcasting instead. Since sports were in her blood, a sportscasting job was the natural next step. "I'm a big believer in doing something you're passionate about," she says. She credits her dad with instilling in her the optimistic belief that she could do anything she set her mind to. She worked part-time at the college radio station and did internships during summer vacations. When she graduated in 1983, her brother presented her with a framed triptych of herself as a young girl with a brass plaque that reads, "Hannah L. Storen, Ready for the World."
Ironically, it was the world that wasn't quite ready for Hannah L. Storen. "I couldn't get a job," she says, and even now, all these years later, there is a note of astonishment in her voice. "The executives all said the same thing, and mind you, they had no trepidation about saying it, 'We can't hire a woman. It's too big a risk. Why don't you go write features?'"
Instead of giving up, she decided to focus her attention on radio. She spent hours reading the trades, following up on the want ads, writing letters and sending out résumés and audition tapes. "Don't forget, that was in the days of snail mail," she says. "It was time-consuming and expensive!" Her determination paid off, and she landed a job working the midnight shift at a heavy metal rock station in Corpus Christi. "It was awesome," she says. "I love music. I'd dance around the studio." It was there that she changed her name to Storm (C101's Storm by the Sea was the station's late-night catchphrase).
As much as she liked the job, Storm had no intention of abandoning her dream. She continued to knock on doors. The rejections continued to pile up. One day, following yet another lead, she appeared unannounced in the lobby of a Houston station, where she handed her résumé to a surprised program director. He called her two days later and offered her a job as the drive-time sports announcer and weekend DJ. She also covered the Astros and Rockets for Home Sports Entertainment, her first on-air gig. "It was the time of big hair, big shoulders and big nails," she says. Even then, no agent would touch her.
She persevered, and in 1988 she got a break when a start-up TV station in Charlotte took a look at her demo and decided it would be fun to hire "a girl." "It was a gimmick," she says. "But I didn't let that bother me." Her beat? Nascar and basketball. "I had the basketball part covered. But I had no clue about Nascar." Fortunately, she says, that was in the sport's early days before it had become a household name, and the drivers were hungry for media coverage. "They had a vested interest in teaching me how to cover their sport properly," she says. "I knew nothing. I started with the wheels."
That was the year the Charlotte Hornets played their inaugural season in the NBA. Storm remembers covering one of the first games, when Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls came to town. "Michael was from North Carolina, and there was a lot of excitement around that game," she says. The Hornets prevailed, beating the Bulls 103 to 101 at the buzzer. For Storm, it was an important moment for another reason: "I never cared much for the going into the locker room part of the job," she says. "I just remember how Michael treated me with such respect. He handled being covered by a woman with so much class. He really set the tone for the other players in the NBA."
During those early years, Storm said, the station often got complaints about her, particularly the way she dressed. "I've always had to deal with a certain level of misogynistic behavior," she says. "People who felt threatened and didn't want me to succeed. They'd say things like, 'Did your daddy get you the job? Do you really like sports?' Once they got a glimpse of how hard I worked and how much I knew, they backed off."
It was about a year later, in 1989, that Storm's mother called from her home in Houston to relay a perplexing message. "She said, 'Someone from Sea and Sand wants to speak to you.' I thought, 'Cool, it must be a beach-sports station.'"
It was, of course, the then-fledgling cable network CNN. The powers that be were looking to replace Dan Patrick, who had gone to ESPN. They wanted to know whether she would be interested in coming in for an interview. And, oh by the way, would she mind taking a quiz? (What's the difference between the National and American leagues? How many teams are in the Pac 10?). Storm aced the test, not surprisingly, and she became the first female host of CNN Sports Tonight. It was there that she met her future husband, Dan Hicks, now with NBC Sports. "He didn't have to take the test," she says with a pointed expression. "None of the men they hired at CNN Sports had to take the test. But I just understood it was more of a generational thing. The athletes themselves were young and more comfortable with a woman."
Storm moved to the anchor desk at NBC Sports in 1992, where she covered the Olympics, the World Series, Wimbledon and Notre Dame football. In 2002, CBS News tapped her to become the cohost of its Early Show. While there she got to interview everyone from John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to Dolly Parton, Ben Affleck and "every great chef on the planet." She points to a photograph in which she and Hicks are flanked by George and Laura Bush. "One year I had an opportunity to do the play-by-play at the girl's softball game at the White House," she says. "The President took my daughters and me into the Oval Office and we just hung out." She smiles at the memory. "I tried very hard to be chill. I said to my girls, 'Do you realize where we are? We are in the Oval Office just hanging out.' I feel like Forrest Gump because I got to do all these crazy things."
Into Overtime
In 2008, when Storm left her job at CBS, the first thing she did, the first thing, she says, is arrange to buy back the rights to her name. "Newscasters are restricted from endorsing a charity," she explains. "CBS owned all the rights to my name per my contract, and they were kind enough to let me buy them back for $1 when I left." The second thing she did was set up the Hannah Storm Foundation, which raises awareness and provides treatment for children with debilitating and disfiguring birthmarks. The foundation also underwrites a journalism internship at Notre Dame and provides a scholarship fund for the Diocese of Bridgeport. At the same time, she launched her film company, Brainstormin' Productions. "I really wanted to build something of my own," she says.
"I never wanted my fate in someone else's hands."
So when ESPN asked her to return to TV to cohost SportsCenter, she jumped at the chance—with one caveat: She had to be allowed to continue her foundation and production work on her own time.
The anchor job is demanding, and requires prep nearly 24–7. Throughout the day and evening, she alternates among TV, radio and social media to stay on top of everything that's going on in the sports world. She wakes up between 4 and 4:30 a.m. and "hits the ground running with a very big cup of coffee." She commutes an hour and fifteen minutes by car to Bristol. She writes all her own scripts for interviews and highlights, but has to be prepared for breaking news. She's on from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. five days a week. "It's not an easy show to do," she says. "In the beginning I was very comfortable with the sports realm, but traffic- and format-wise it was a lot to wrap my head around. Now, at this point, I'm very comfortable with the format." She drew on her newscasting experience at the Early Show, where she learned to be a deft interviewer and think on her feet. "I had to prepare for any variety of subjects," she says. "It dovetailed nicely with my return to sports."
For the mother of three, the job is gratifying for a number of reasons. "It's amazing that I get to anchor a sports show at this stage of my career," she says. "It's neat for me to have so many women say they're there [at ESPN] because of me. I'm a big advocate of women in my field. I think sports is a lot richer for it." In addition to her daily anchor duties, she hosts ESPN's Sports Saturday on ABC, the Sunday morning edition of SportsCenter during the NFL season and her popular Face-to-Face series, which she conceived last year. The series incorporates a long-form interview format that is rare in network sports. "It evolved from my passion about giving athletes a chance to tell their story in their own words face-to-face," says Storm. "They are complex, a fact that often gets lost in a Twitter-feed world."
She still routinely cohosts such big-ticket events as the NBA Finals, the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, the Super Bowl and the annual Tournament of Roses Parade for ABC. Somehow, she still manages to find time for her passions: her foundation and her production company.
Growing up, she says, her mom always made sure they were doing some kind of community service. The family volunteered at the holidays, attended an inner-city parish and worked in soup kitchens. "Even though we moved around a lot I was always very cognizant of the world outside my own little world," Storm notes. "I always wanted to have some kind of positive impact. It's part of my DNA."
Though she rarely goes out in public without makeup or sunglasses ("It invites too many questions. People always want to know why I have a black eye"), she is not shy about telling her story when it will help alleviate the stigmatism of vascular birthmarks.
She discovered the power of her celebrity when she was working at CBS. The executives wanted the anchors to build a deeper connection with their audience, and they asked them to reveal something personal about themselves. It was then that Storm first appeared on national TV without her makeup. The response was overwhelmingly positive. She went on to interview doctors and showcase the latest surgical procedures. "There is so much that can be done now," she says. "But for most people the cost is prohibitive."
To date the Hannah Storm Foundation has raised more than $350,000 for twenty-one surgeries on kids from four different countries. "It's slow and steady. The vast majority of celebrity foundations go under in five years. It's a process," she continues with a smile, "We're in it for the long haul."
As for Brainstormin' Productions, it takes up whatever free time she has on any given day. Once she's off the air at noon, she's on the phone, writing e-mails or in the studio editing. She and her business partner Carmen are always on the hunt for the next great thing. Not surprisingly, she set the bar high. The company's 2010 documentary Unmatched, about the rivalry between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova aired to great critical acclaim on ESPN's 30 for 30 series. The film earned Storm a Gracie Award in 2011. Now, the projects she's most excited about are the Journeys & Victories series for espnW, which profiles female athletes who have overcome great challenges—both personal and professional—to achieve their goals; and a documentary about the WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes for ESPN's Nine for IX series, in celebration of Title IX's fortieth anniversary.
"I'm fascinated by the process of storytelling," she says. "What's inspirational, what's going to touch people? I love putting the pieces together. All that behind-the-scenes creating is just as interesting to me as what goes on in front of the camera."
She pauses to take a sip of water and stares at the bookshelves, which doubles as a display case for her many awards and cherished memorabilia. There are five Gracies, several signed game balls—including a Texas A&M football and a red, white and blue basketball, the iconic ABA ball designed by her father. There's a framed pair of Phoenix Suns tickets with her picture on them interviewing Charles Barkley and Kevin Johnson, and a photo of Storm and her husband with the Bushes in the White House.
"Whether it's a profile of [Nascar driver] Jimmie Johnson or [Green Bay Packer] Aaron Rodgers, or a feature-length film about Martina and Chris, I think, 'Wow, this is an interesting person,'" she says. "I find it fascinating to find out what makes them tick."
Editor's note: As this issue was going to press Hannah suffered serious burns to her hands, face and neck when her gas grill exploded. We are thrilled to report that she is recovering well and in true Storm form, returned to television just weeks after the accident.


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Event 17 of FTOPS XI was a widely-anticipated one – the $322 6-max No-Limit Hold 'em with rebuys event. A fast, furious and aggressive game with thousands of rebuys and add-ons meant the $1,000,000 guarantee was busted by over $100,000.
The final table was an exceptionally tough one as UFMan2 had won both the $750k guaranteed and the $1m guaranteed in the last six months. Also, Daniel "imabigkidnow" Kelly had a victory in FTOPS X.
Eventually, UFMan2 got heads-up with jordankickz at a 3-1 chip deficit. He closed the gap significantly before doubling up with a straight. He then got his chips in with JJ which held up against jordankickz's AQ. He won $245,696.40.

subset: commoncrawl


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Been lazy to blog this few days. Favorite blogs aren't updating either. How come? Seems like everyone's been lazy.
Parents-in-law bought us chocolates the other day. Been munching them for the past week. Everytime I take one out of the fridge, I kept thinking the fats I am solidating inside me. My biological clock had been pretty much active this few days. Woke up super late and did 15-30 minutes exercise while the monkey is still sound asleep.
Here's my thrifty Thursday finds for this week.
Amazing idea. If only my instagram have nicer picture to be booked like these


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"This quickstart series contained the information and techniques that can't be found anywhere else and an equal split between workflows came up with by Dave Cardwell and those invented by Wayne Robson. Before this we already released 5 parts, links can be found on the bottom of this page. In the coming weeks more exclusive tutorials will be available for everyone for free viewing and download. So, stay tuned."http://www.cgarena.com/freestuff/tutorials/mudbox/mudbox2009/index6.html
Quickstart Series – Part 6
Written June 18th, 2008
Categories: Articles, Modeling, Mudbox, Offsite
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Categories: Articles, Modeling, Mudbox, Offsite
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This is not on MrBluesummers.com


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Need mortgage help? Browse our list of FAQs, give us a call or fill out the Contact Form and someone will get in touch with you as soon as possible!
Prequalification for a home loan is a simpler process than getting preapproved and yet still demonstrates you are serious about buying a home to both realtors and sellers. At Trulend Mortgage, most of our customers choose to pre-qualify for a home loan because it allows you to begin shopping sooner for your dream home.
Getting preapproved for a home loan requires more documentation, verification and time than a mortgage prequalification process.
You can contact us for a free consultation or use our complimentary mortgage calculator to help determine.
Most loans require documents that verify employment, income and assets. See our home loan documentation checklist and tips.
You are entitled to order (every 12 months) a free copy of your credit report from each of the major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) through AnnualCreditReport.com. This website is the only one that is government authorized to provide you with free copies of your credit report.
You can also contact the credit agencies directly if you need to dispute information in your report, place a fraud alert or security freeze on your credit file, or have other questions:
There's no fixed amount. In fact, many first-time homebuyer plans require as little as 3.% down. We're here to help tailor a loan program that fits your needs and financial resources. You should also know that for down payments of less than 20% on conventional loans, private mortgage insurance (PMI) will be required.
If you make a downpayment of less than 20% or are refinancing your first mortgage with less than 20% equity, you will be required to have PMI. This insurance premium is typically included in your monthly mortgage payment.
Rates are based on a variety of factors such as the loan purpose, your credit history and ability to repay, the value of the collateral and the loan amount.
A fixed-rate mortgage is typical for homebuyers who plan on staying in the home for more than seven years. A fixed-rate mortgage offers predictable payments and long-term protection against rising interest rates. An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) is attractive to homebuyers who plan on staying in the home for seven years or less. With an ARM, your monthly payments have the potential to fluctuate each time your interest rate changes.
A rate lock "locks in" your interest rate for a period of time. Rate locks are typically available for 30, 45, or 60 days, in which your rate will not change. A floating rate moves up and down with the rest of the market. Please note, the interest rate on your Loan Estimate is not a guarantee. If there are changes in your application—including your loan amount, credit score, or verified income—your rate and terms will most likely change too. In those situations, you will receive a revised Loan Estimate.
The option to refinance a mortgage is attractive to homeowners who are interested in paying off high-interest-rate debt, shortening their length of repayment term or lowering their monthly mortgage payment.
Here's when you should consider refinancing your mortgage:
Typically, yes. However, depending on your circumstances, an appraisal may not be required.
If you're interested in remodeling or repairing a home, you will not need to take a second mortgage or come up with additional capital. You will be able to begin construction on the new home immediately after closing on a loan. Learn more about construction and renovation loans.


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JBT Japan is set to sponsor the upcoming edition of ATMOsphere Japan, the annual Tokyo-based conference that takes place at the Tokyo Conference Center Shinagawa on February 10, which will analyze the status of the market for natural refrigerants-based technologies and opportunities in the fast-growing Japanese market.
With natural refrigerants – and especially CO2 – a global trend now, the event will discuss the move by a number of major Japanese food producers away from Freon and into CO2, according to Mr. Per Friberg, JBT's Regional Sales Director for South East Asia & Japan.
"JBT is actively participating in this market with our CO2 ready JBT Frigoscandia freezers and experience in EU market, and will be participating in the ATMOsphere conference as a Bronze sponsor and promote our CO2 ready freezers," he said.
Mr. Tetsuya Arai, JBT's Sales Manager for Japan, added: "Natural refrigerants, especially refrigeration and refrigeration facilities using CO2 as refrigerants, are now been a global trend, and JBT is actively contributing to protecting the global environment through our CO2 ready JBT Frigoscandia freezers."


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- Biomedical Research (2013) Volume 24, Issue 1
Levels of Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Amino transferase (AST) and Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) in Hypertension.
Akash Gupta1*, Meenakshi Panthari1, Naved Ahmad1, S. Nagtilak, S. Nandwani2
1Department of Biochemistry, Subharti Medical College, Meerut, U.P. 250005, India
2Department of Medicine, Subharti Medical College, Meerut, U.P., India
- *Corresponding Author:
- Akash Gupta
Department of Biochemistry
Subharti Medical College
Meerut, U.P. 250005
Hypertension is very common in our country. The aim of our study was to find the levels of liver enzymes ALT, AST and GGT in normotensive pre hypertensive and hypertensive individuals. Patients were categorized into three groups – Group 1 Normotensive or Controls (n= 80), Group 2 Pre Hypertensive (n=64) and Group 3 Hypertensive (n=76). Values of ALT, AST and GGT were with in the normal reference range in all the three groups. No significant relation was found between ALT, AST and GGT in normal, pre hypertensive and hypertensive individuals.
ALT, AST, GGT, B.P, Pre Hypertension, Hypertension
Hypertension (HTN) is very common in our country. The prevalence of HTN in Indian males is 36% and 37% in females. [1] Based on the results of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) U.S.A[2], HTN is defined as systolic B.P. >140 mm Hg and diastolic B.P. > 90 mm Hg. HTN increases with age, obesity, high salt intake, alcohol consumption, smoking, psychological stress and low level of physical activity. Recent classification adapted from Chobanian et al [3] recommends criteria for defining normal B.P. pre hypertension, HTN and isolated systolic HTN is as follows – Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) constitute a group of enzymes that catalyzes inter conversion of amino acid to 2- oxoacid. Activity of ALT and AST increases in, alcoholic hepatitis, hepatic cirrhosis, infectious disease of liver, ascites and portal hypertension. [4] Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) is a peptidase enzyme which catalyses hydrolytic cleavage of peptides to form amino acid or small peptides. [5-7] GGT levels increases in intra hepatic biliary obstruction, post hepatic biliary obstruction and fatty liver, due to alcohol consumption. [6, 8-10] Many studies [11-15] have found increased levels of ALT, AST & GGT due to Alcohol and HTN. But no study has found the effect of HTN on levels of liver enzymes. So we excluded alcohol in our study to find weather only HTN is responsible for increase in the levels of these enzymes or not.
Material and Methods
After obtaining ethical clearance, patients were selected from medicine O.P.D of CSS hospital associated with Subharti medical college, Meerut, U.P. Total no of cases were 220 (group 1 n=80, group 2 n=64, group 3 n=76).
Patients having diabetes, acute or chronic liver disease, renal or respiratory disease, alcoholics, patients on any medicine, which can increase liver enzymes, were not included in study.
Patients were categorized into three groups-
Group 1- Normotensive – Systolic B.P. < 120 mm Hg, Diastolic B.P. < 80 mm Hg
Group 2- Pre hypertensive – Systolic B.P. 120-139 mm Hg, Diastolic B.P. 80-89 mm Hg
Group 3- Hypertensive – Systolic B.P. >140 mm Hg, Diastolic B.P. > 90 mm Hg
Serum ALT, AST and GGT enzymes levels of these patients were estimated on Vitros 250 auto analyzer by reflectance spectrophotometry using dry slide from Ortho Clinical diagnostics (part of Johnson and Johnson Company U.S.A)
Results were expressed as mean ± SD. Data was analyzed by unpaired student t test.
Mean ± SD of B.P. in mm Hg for Group 1 was 109.5 ± 7.1 (systolic B.P.) & 73.4 ± 6.8 (diastolic B.P.), for group 2 was 128.9 ± 7.9 (systolic B.P.) & 82.3 ± 5.2 (diastolic B.P.) and group 3 was 148.8 ± 7.6 (systolic B.P.) & 96.2 ± 5.9 (diastolic B.P) respectively.
Mean ± SD of ALT in U/L for Group 1 was 27.8 ± 2.2, for Group 2 was 31.1 ± 11.8 and for Group 3 was 29.8 ± 12.7 respectively. Mean ± SD of AST in U/L for Group 1 was 28.8 ± 4.9, for Group 2 was 32.9 ± 14.4 and for group 3 was 33.1 ± 10.3 respectively. Mean ± SD of GGT in U/L for Group 1 was 27.1 ± 5.6, for Group 2 was 29.1 ± 13.4 and Group 3 was 28.3 ± 11.1 respectively. (Table)
Values of ALT, AST & GGT were with in the normal reference range in all the three groups. No significant relation was found between ALT, AST & GGT and hypertension.
In our present hospital based study we estimated the values of ALT, AST & GGT in individuals categorized into three groups. We found the values of all these three enzymes were with in the given normal reference range. The values of Group 2 were slightly higher than Group 3, but no reason could be found for this increase. Patients in our study were using following antihypertensive medicines; atenolol, amlodipine, enalapril or their combinations. None of these cause elevation of liver enzymes.
Values were analyzed statistically by unpaired student t test. Levels were not significant statistically when compared between group 2 & 3. P value was > 0.01.
Yamada Y, Ishikaki M et al [11] in their study reported prevalence and incidence of HTN as well as B.P. were higher in subjects with serum GGT level > 50 U/L then those with normal levels.
Yamada Y, Ikai E et al [12] reported in their study that prevalence of HTN and levels of B.P. were positively correlated with the level of the serum GGT in both male and female drinkers and non drinkers.
Severio Stranges et al [13] reported in their study that ALT, AST & GGT have been associated with HTN. They found GGT as a marker of alcohol consumption. Mean values of age, anthropometric measures, B.P. and GGT were significantly higher in hypertensives.
Severio Stranges et al [13] reported in their study that ALT, AST & GGT have been associated with HTN. They found GGT as a marker of alcohol consumption. Mean values of age, anthropometric measures, B.P. and GGT were significantly higher in hypertensives.
Lee D.T, Gross M et al [14] reported that there is increase in GGT levels in alcoholics and hypertensive patients and showed that elevated GGT could be predictor for hypertension in drinkers.
Bernard M. Y et al [15] reported that ALT, AST and GGT level were elevated in patients of HTN. Van Barneveld et al [16] reported in a study of 38 yr old Dutch male GGT was not associated with systolic or diastolic B.P.
In our study no significant relation was found between liver enzymes (ALT, AST & GGT) and HTN. In above mentioned studies all the patients were alcoholics while in our study the patients were non alcoholic. This could be the cause of normal level of liver enzymes in hypertensive patients of our study.
Over past 20 years many cross sectional and fewer longitudinal investigations have reported [11-14, 17, 18] positive association of GGT with B.P. During last decade frequency of alcohol consumption has been focus of several investigations assessing alcohol blood pressure relationship [19-21]. However till date studies have provided contrast findings. In order to understand complex interaction between liver enzymes HTN and alcohol there is a need for large well constructed prospective study to elucidate the association between above factors.
- Gupta R. Trends in hypertension epidemiology in India. Journal of Human Hypertension 2004; 18:73-78.
- Anthony S.Fauci. Hypertensive vascular disease: In:Harrison's Text book of Internal Medicine, 17th ed, McGraw Hill 2008, vol 2, pp 1549-1562.
- Chobanian A.V, et al. 7th report of joint national committee on prevention detection, evaluation & treatment of high blood pressure. JNC 7th report JAMA 2003; 289(19):2560-2572.
- Dufor D.R, et al. Diagnosis & monitoring of hepatic injury, recommendations after use of lab test in screening diagnosis & monitoring. Cli Chem 2000; 46:2050-2068.
- Tate S.S, Meister A. Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase from kidney. Meth Enzymol 1985; 113:400-419.
- Goldberg D.M. Structural, Functional & Clinical aspect of Gamma glutamyl transferase. CRC Crit Rev Cli Lab Sci 1980; 12:1-58.
- Whitefield J.B. Gamma glutamyl transferase. Crit Rev Cli Lib Sci 2001; 38:263-365.
- Meister A. The gamma glutamyl cycle, disease associated with specific enzymes deficiency. Ann Inter Med 1974; 81(20):247-253.
- Lum G, Gambino S.R. Serum GGT activity as indicator of disease of liver, pancreas or bone. Cli Chem 1972; 18(4):358-362.
- Kaplan M.M, et al. Biochemical basis for serum enzyme abnormalities in alcoholic liver disease. NIAAA 1985; pp 186.
- Yamada Y, et al. Alcohol, high blood pressure & serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase level. Hypertension 1991; 18:819-26.
- Yamada Y, et al. The relationship between serum GGT level & hypertension: common in drinkers & non drinkers. Hypertension 1991; 18:295-301.
- Severio Stranges, et al. Body fat distribution, liver enzymes and risk of hypertension. Hypertension 2005;46:1186-1189.
- Lee D.T, Gross M, Jacob D. Gamma glutamyl transferase, alcohol & blood pressure- a four year follow up study. AEP J 2001; 12(2):92-96.
- Bernard M.Y, et al. Gamma glutamyl transferase level in development of hypertension in Hong Kong Chinese.Clinica Chimica Acta 2011; 412(15-16):1326-1331.
- Van Berneveld, et al. Fat distribution and gamma glutamyl transferase in relation to serum lipids and blood pressure in 38 years Old Dutch males. Eur J Clin Nutri 1989; 43(12):809-818.
- Ikai E, et al. Serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase level and blood pressure in non drinkers, a possible pathogenic role of fatty liver in obesity related hypertension. J Hum Hypertense 1994; 8:95-100.
- Miura K, et al. serum gamma glutamyl transferase level in predicting hypertension among male drinkers. J Hum Hypertense 1994; 8:445-449.
- Klatsky A.L, Freidman G.D, et al. Alcohol consumption and blood pressure: Keiser Permanente multi phasic health examination data. N Eng J Med 1977; 296:1194-2000.
- Murray R.R, Cornett J.E, et al. Alcohol volume, drinking pattern and cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality: is mere u shaped function? Am J Epidemiol 2000; 155:242-248.
- Seppa K, Slianaukee P, et al. Drinkers pattern and blood pressure Am J Hypertension 1994; 2;240-254


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Atlus Japan has been quiet. Aside from a on-paper-only list of Nintendo 3DS games and Trauma Team we haven't heard much from the head office.
Perhaps, one of their internal teams is developing Devil Hunter. Atlus trademarked the term in Japan this past June. The listing just showed up in the trademark database today. Devil Hunter kind of sounds like a Megaten spinoff, like Devil Survivor or Soul Hackers (pictured), doesn't it?
In addition to Devil Hunter, Atlus Japan also trademarked Gungnir and Radiant Historia. We're still waiting for news on those.


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A warehouse fire broke out in Oakland, California out on December 2, taking the lives of more than 30 people. The warehouse, referred to as the "Ghostship", was a work-live that was home to more than two dozen people. Dance parties were frequently held are the warehouse in ...Read More
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Insurance companies aren't as a whole, evil entities. However, there are certainly times when they should be paying the claims they promised to pay ...View More
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Memorandum of Agreement for LiDAR data-sharing signed by Partner State Universities and Higher Education Institutions
- Posted by Di-Ann Suarez
- on 15 July 2017
- 0 Comments
Last July 15, 2017, the Chancellors and Representatives from the 15 partner State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Secretary Fortunato dela Pena of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for LiDAR data-sharing. The MOA signing ceremony took place in the main stage of the World Trade Center during the last day of the National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) celebration of the Department of Science and Technology. The Philippine Center for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) in coordination with the Phil-LiDAR Program conducted the preparations for the event.
The fifteen partner SUCs/ HEIs were:
1. University of the Philippines Los Banos
2. Central Luzon State University
3. University of the Philippines Baguio
4. Ateneo de Naga University
5. Isabela State University
6. MAPUA University
7. Mariano Marcos State University
1. University of the Philippines Cebu
2. Visayas State University
3. University of San Carlos
1. Ateneo de Zamboanga University
2. University of the Philippines Mindanao
3. Central Mindanao University
4. CARAGA State University
5. Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology
The program began with the Philippine National Anthem followed by the invocation. Usec. Guevara gave the Welcome Message and Opening Remarks focusing on the importance of LiDAR data-sharing for the benefit of stakeholders especially in the localities covered by the LiDAR-based output maps. She also hoped that in the future, LiDAR applications would be maximized and used to its highest potential.
After the message of Usec. Guevara, Dr. Enrico C. Paringit and Dr. Ariel C. Blanco each presented the progress and accomplishments of the Phil-LiDAR 1 and 2 Programs, respectively. For the Phil-LiDAR 1 Program, data acquisition, data pre-processing, data validation, flood modeling and mapping, and data archiving and distribution are underway to reach the program targets for the purposes of disaster risk reduction, planning, and exposure assessment. For the Phil-LiDAR 2 Program, agricultural, renewable energy, coastal, forest, and hydrological resource maps have been generated and made available to both national and local stakeholders.
The Keynote Speech was delivered by none other than Sec. Fortunato dela Pena of the Department of Science and Technology. He expressed the usefulness of LiDAR data and the capacities to be derived from LiDAR technology towards the development of communities and nation-building. He went on to commend the Program Leaders of both programs for their efforts and vision in making the program outputs into a reality.
The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) then took place with the Chancellors and representatives from the 15 partner state universities and colleges (SUCs) and higher education institutions (HEIs) signing the MOA, thereby making it legal to use the LiDAR data for the academe to help Filipino citizens and other stakeholders across the country.
The response from the partner SUCs and HEIs was delivered by Dr. Vea from the MAPUA University. He acknowledged the presence of the other representatives from DOST, SUCs and HEIs, and the Phil-LiDAR 1 and 2 Programs. He further mentioned the need for the initiative to institutionalize LiDAR for the purposes of sustainability and to maximize opportunities that will improve LiDAR usage in the Philippines.
Last but not the least, the Closing Remarks was given by Executive Director Carlos Primo David of DOST-PCIEERD. He raised the issue of data-sharing and that the MOA is a step towards realizing the goal of bringing science and technology indeed closer to the people. He also recognized the hard work put in by the Phil-LiDAR 1 and 2 Programs, and he hopes that this will be the beginning of more scientific and innovative proposals looking forward.


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Software description
DAEMON Tools Lite 10.10 Portable software provides easy tools for creating disk image files and simulating virtual CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray drives. Finally, DAEMON Tools Lite Portable can be considered a professional tool for the Windows operating system, which is recognized as one of the best optical disk emulators in its industry.
Download DAEMON Tools Lite 10.10 Portable is a light version of three Lite, Pro, and Ultra versions, with fewer features than two other versions. The main purpose of this release is to provide soft software for Mount and create a virtual drive for executing image files.
DAEMON Tools Lite 10.10 Portable lets you convert physical CD / DVD and Blu-Ray discs to virtual discs. These virtual disks are called "image". You can use these images for multiple purposes. You can create up to four virtual drives and use them to mount and unmount your images. Also, be sure your virtual drives are displayed like a real drive on Windows.
- Create and edit image files.
- Create bootleg discs.
- Mount and create a virtual drive for executing image files.
- Build a virtual drive to run games.
- Supports most image formats.
- Managing Imagery.
- Compatibility with a variety of operating systems including Windows 10, 8 and 7.
Virtual drive for executing the image file.
Software details


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In January 2015 Daryl Pappin walked with Jonathan Kimberley, John McBride, Akio Matsui, Dan Rosendahl, Emma Rosendahl, and Olive Rosendahl at Lake Garnpung. This walk inspired Pappin to investigate and document the concept of 'art as experience.'
The Willandra Wisdom Walk is a new initiative of Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area in NSW. The inaugural Willandra Wisdom Walk is an official part of Unmapping the End of the World which is a major project for Mildura Palimpsest Biennale #10, 2015.
Daryl Pappin (Mutthi Mutthi) is an emerging photographer whose first images document the development of the Willandra Wisdom Walk. Pappin works at Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area as the Community Projects Officer and is a key leader in the development of the Willandra Wisdom Walk.


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|Chet Ramey
|Readline-4.2 available for FTP
|Mon, 9 Apr 2001 14:06:52 -0400
The first public release of the GNU Readline library, version 4.2, is now available for FTP with the URLs ftp://ftp.cwru.edu/pub/bash/readline-4.2.tar.gz ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/readline/readline-4.2.tar.gz and from the usual GNU mirror sites. This distribution is essentially a standalone version of the readline library that appears in Bash-2.05 together with an `autoconf' framework. The documentation has been updated and is current. Postscript, DVI, and Info versions of the Readline and History manuals are included. A list of changes in this release is appended to this announcement. GNU Readline is a library which provides programs with an input facility including command-line editing and history. Editing commands similar to both emacs and vi are included. The GNU History library, which provides facilities for managing a list of previously-typed command lines and an interactive command line recall facility similar to that provided by csh, is also present. The history library is built as part of the readline library as well as separately. Diffs from readline-4.1 are available with the URLs ftp://ftp.cwru.edu/pub/bash/readline-4.1-4.2.diff.gz ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/readline/readline-4.1-4.2.diff.gz The diffs should be applied using `patch -p1 patch-file' from within a readline-4.1 source directory. Please send readline bug reports to address@hidden +========== CHANGES ==========+ This document details the changes between this version, readline-4.2, and the previous version, readline-4.1. 1. Changes to Readline a. When setting the terminal attributes on systems using `struct termio', readline waits for output to drain before changing the attributes. b. A fix was made to the history word tokenization code to avoid attempts to dereference a null pointer. c. Readline now defaults rl_terminal_name to $TERM if the calling application has left it unset, and tries to initialize with the resultant value. d. Instead of calling (*rl_getc_function)() directly to get input in certain places, readline now calls rl_read_key() consistently. e. Fixed a bug in the completion code that allowed a backslash to quote a single quote inside a single-quoted string. f. rl_prompt is no longer assigned directly from the argument to readline(), but uses memory allocated by readline. This allows constant strings to be passed to readline without problems arising when the prompt processing code wants to modify the string. g. Fixed a bug that caused non-interactive history searches to return the wrong line when performing multiple searches backward for the same string. h. Many variables, function arguments, and function return values are now declared `const' where appropriate, to improve behavior when linking with C++ code. i. The control character detection code now works better on systems where `char' is unsigned by default. j. The vi-mode numeric argument is now capped at 999999, just like emacs mode. k. The Function, CPFunction, CPPFunction, and VFunction typedefs have been replaced with a set of specific prototyped typedefs, though they are still in the readline header files for backwards compatibility. m. Nearly all of the (undocumented) internal global variables in the library now have an _rl_ prefix -- there were a number that did not, like screenheight, screenwidth, alphabetic, etc. n. The ding() convenience function has been renamed to rl_ding(), though the old function is still defined for backwards compatibility. o. The completion convenience functions filename_completion_function, username_completion_function, and completion_matches now have an rl_ prefix, though the old names are still defined for backwards compatibility. p. The functions shared by readline and bash (linkage is satisfied from bash when compiling with bash, and internally otherwise) now have an sh_ prefix. q. Changed the shared library creation procedure on Linux and BSD/OS 4.x so that the `soname' contains only the major version number rather than the major and minor numbers. r. Fixed a redisplay bug that occurred when the prompt spanned more than one physical line and contained invisible characters. s. Added a missing `includedir' variable to the Makefile. t. When installing the shared libraries, make sure symbolic links are relative. u. Added configure test so that it can set `${MAKE}' appropriately. v. Fixed a bug in rl_forward that could cause the point to be set to before the beginning of the line in vi mode. w. Fixed a bug in the callback read-char interface to make it work when a readline function pushes some input onto the input stream with rl_execute_next (like the incremental search functions). x. Fixed a file descriptor leak in the history file manipulation code that was tripped when attempting to truncate a non-regular file (like /dev/null). y. Changes to make all of the exported readline functions declared in readline.h have an rl_ prefix (rltty_set_default_bindings is now rl_tty_set_default_bindings, crlf is now rl_crlf, etc.) z. The formatted documentation included in the base readline distribution is no longer removed on a `make distclean'. aa. Some changes were made to avoid gcc warnings with -Wall. bb. rl_get_keymap_by_name now finds keymaps case-insensitively, so `set keymap EMACS' works. cc. The history file writing and truncation functions now return a useful status on error. dd. Fixed a bug that could cause applications to dereference a NULL pointer if a NULL second argument was passed to history_expand(). ee. If a hook function assigned to rl_event_hook sets rl_done to a non-zero value, rl_read_key() now immediately returns '\n' (which is assumed to be bound to accept-line). 2. New Features in Readline a. The blink timeout for paren matching is now settable by applications, via the rl_set_paren_blink_timeout() function. b. _rl_executing_macro has been renamed to rl_executing_macro, which means it's now part of the public interface. c. Readline has a new variable, rl_readline_state, which is a bitmap that encapsulates the current state of the library; intended for use by callbacks and hook functions. d. rlfe has a new -l option to log input and output (-a appends to logfile), a new -n option to set the readline application name, and -v and -h options for version and help information. e. rlfe can now perform filename completion for the inferior process if the OS has a /proc/<PID>/cwd that can be read with readlink(2) to get the inferior's current working directory. f. A new file, rltypedefs.h, contains the new typedefs for function pointers and is installed by `make install'. g. New application-callable function rl_set_prompt(const char *prompt): expands its prompt string argument and sets rl_prompt to the result. h. New application-callable function rl_set_screen_size(int rows, int cols): public method for applications to set readline's idea of the screen dimensions. i. The history example program (examples/histexamp.c) is now built as one of the examples. j. The documentation has been updated to cover nearly all of the public functions and variables declared in readline.h. k. New function, rl_get_screen_size (int *rows, int *columns), returns readline's idea of the screen dimensions. l. The timeout in rl_gather_tyi (readline keyboard input polling function) is now settable via a function (rl_set_keyboard_input_timeout()). m. Renamed the max_input_history variable to history_max_entries; the old variable is maintained for backwards compatibility. n. The list of characters that separate words for the history tokenizer is now settable with a variable: history_word_delimiters. The default value is as before. o. There is a new history.3 manual page documenting the history library. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- ``The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne.'' - Chaucer ( ``Discere est Dolere'' -- chet) Chet Ramey, CWRU address@hidden http://cnswww.cns.cwru.edu/~chet/
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JUST KIDDING one more update before the break (I actually straight up forgot that I had to get this page in first).
For real this time xD Gonna have a mini page next week and then we'll continue on 8/30. Thanks for reading and see you then!
Galebound © Madeleine Ethridge
RSS | Comic Profile | ComicFury | Top


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This week sees the launch of our latest project, Every Soldier has a Story. Every Soldier aims to add a dose of individuality and creativity to learning about the ancient Greeks, their warfare, and their pottery.
The animation for the project will be called Hoplites! Greeks at War. It will feature major episodes in a hoplite's life, based on this vase that shows scenes of hoplites training:
(Eubean lekanis vase, Ure Museum, 56.8.8)
A short film will accompany the animation and everyone has a chance to be in it. Based on the idea that the hoplite in the animation represents an 'every-soldier', people are invited to imagine who their version of the hoplite is: who he lives with, what he likes to do, what he thinks of the war he's fighting in – whatever you want. A collection of one-line responses will be brought together in the short film and will form part of an exhibition at the Ure Museum this autumn, celebrating the release of the Hoplites! animation.
To make your Every Soldier contribution, download the activity sheet from the Every Soldier page:
http://www.panoply.org.uk/everysoldier.html. It's fun and easy and takes as long as you like – from 5 minutes to 50. The project page has all the info you'll need, along with further drawing and story-boarding activities.
We'll be taking the Every Soldier activities to all sorts of groups and organisations over the next few months to get them involved and get them thinking. Contact us if you're in the London area and would like to arrange a workshop. In the meantime, download the activity sheet and start creating your hoplite's story.


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That Which You Do not Know About Nutrition and Food Might Be Charging To A Lot More Than You Think
Eat it shortly. Vitamin C degrades shortly when uncovered to air, so it is essential to eat cantaloupe pretty quickly after chopping, says Dr. Erdman. That is in considerably essential when the fruit is lower into small objects, which considerably will enhance the quantity of air to which it is exposed. Analysis discovered that cantaloupe cubes misplaced 25% of their vitamin C content material material and 10-15% of their carotenoids after being exposed to air for six days. Read more from Dave Treadstone at – your drivers license teaching guide with evaluations, information' and tips on numerous on-line driving programs and coaching guides, including defensive driving, teen driver ed, DMV pattern checks, visitors college, driver improvement, how one can drive or journey extra safely, and a complete lot extra. Mausoleum smells are from the decomposition course of, which occurs naturally as the body undergoes the decaying process. Morticians steadily name … Read the rest


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Search Results
We have found 1 items matching your search query.
INVIYA® - Indorama Industries Limited
DLF IT PARK PARKING, Phase - I, Manimajra, Chandigarh, Indiadistance: 8,753 Kilometers 0172-4919400
INVIYA® – The new freedom fibre™, is all about Freedom of Movement. INVIYA® spandex is the most technologically advanced, hi-tech polymer fibre which is redefining the fa


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New success in the design and manufacture of a process plant for the food industry in Spain
Brief video of the manufacturing process of a food processing plant, carried out at our factory in record time, thanks to all SACOME team.
We have done a great job!
With this new food processing plant, once again, our background and great capacity in the design and manufacture of our Tubular Heat Exchangers, Process Plants and Pressure Vessels for the Food Industry are highlighted. It is worth stressing our flexibility and adaptation to the new scenarios and opportunities for facing new challenges.


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This fence was falling apart but fortunately the fence posts were still in good shape.
Often fence repairs are required and when completed can add several more years to the fence's life. Boards come loose or are damaged by pets or vandals. Fence posts rot out at the bottom and need to be replaced.
Low estimate for materials and labor:
- Redwood fence boards
- 2×4 redwood
- Misc screws and nails
- Labor 4 hours
High estimate for materials and labor:
- Redwood fence boards
- 2×4 redwood
- Misc screws and nails
- Labor 6 hours
If you are a contractor or a handyman, how much would this job cost in your area?
Low Price: $450
Consensus Price: $475
High Price: $650
Submitted by: jude312 Haverhill, MA USA (Monday, June 27, 2011)
How much should it cost for labor only to install 8 sections of vinyl fencing. I have all the materials.Thanks, Judie
Low Price: $550
Consensus Price: $650
High Price: $750
Submitted by: jessiejess Houston, TX USA (Monday, March 05, 2012)
Need an estimate to paint approx 200ft of wooden outdoor fence. Estimate for labor only.
Low Price for labor only: $300
Consensus Price for labor only: $450
High Price for labor only: $600
Submitted by: scottua9 san diego, CA USA (Sunday, August 05, 2012)
Did some work as a favor. Just wondering if I was to charge how much to ask for labor only. 80 ft fence 6 foot wide sections 8 feet tall. Each section has 6 foot tall cedar pickets picture framed top 2 feet is dadoed doubled up privacy lattice detail.
Low Price for labor only: $400
Consensus Price for labor only: $500
High Price for labor only: $700
Estimate calculates it would take 2 days to complete so total labor price could be anywhere from $400 to $700.
Submitted by: jwoosley Sierra Madre, CA USA (Sunday, February 26, 2012)
Install redwood dog eared fence for approximately 320 feet. I have all materials
Low Price for labor only: $600
Consensus Price for labor only: $900
High Price for labor only: $1200
Hurricane Sandy Fence Damage
Submitted by: Chrisnj201 – Budget: 250 Wood-Ridge, NJ USA (Saturday, November 24, 2012)
I have all the pieces to my fence which are all over my backyard. Since there hurricane it has been a mess for me just getting my home back to normal. My fence has literally been raped by hurricane sandy lol. Not such a big job just needs to be put back into place. If you can have someone contact me regarding this issue I would highly appreciate it. Thank you


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The notion of a faculty brain drain at Berkeley turns out to have a lot in common with Mark Twain's prematurely rumored death: Reports are greatly exaggerated.
Though the last few years of economic and other stresses have attracted swarms of competing schools with glittering offers for Berkeley's talent — salary raises, new labs, directorships, free college for the kids — the numbers show that most faculty who consider moving choose to stay right here.
Berkeley has won 88 percent of the 33 retention cases settled during the 2010-11 academic year, up from 72 percent of 50 settled the year before, according to Janet Broughton, philosophy professor and vice provost for the faculty.
"So the number of retention battles is decreasing, and our success in retaining faculty is increasing," she says. Seven cases still pending from last year could shift the numbers a bit, but not the conclusion:
There's something about Berkeley that keeps its faculty here.
Why we are here
Economics professor Shachar Kariv: "This place is different." Read more…
Chemistry professor Richmond Sarpong: "Berkeley is the best place to do chemistry in the world." Read more…
Professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering Berend Smit: I can do my best research here. Read more…
Anthropology professor and Graduate Division Associate Dean Rosemary Joyce: "The graduate students at Berkeley are without peer." Read more…
History professor James Vernon: This is "the only place I'd want to be in the U.S." Read more…
Interviews with a sampling of professors who faced the difficult decision over the past few years reveal different versions of the same story. Ultimately, it's not about money; it's about the place, about the qualities of Berkeley that can't be replicated anywhere else. Above all, they speak of the quality of the students and the intellectual rapport they share with colleagues.
Carla Hesse, who has won all but two of the 30 to 40 retention cases she's handled since becoming social sciences dean in 2008, says the bottom line comes down to one thing: "Do they think this is the place where they can do their best work?"
For environmental geochemist Gary Sposito, a College of Natural Resources/College of Engineering professor who has kept an "offers not welcome" sign out since considering but declining a very attractive one from a private university some years ago, the decision came down to factors that are relatively immune to outside forces like a recession, state funding cuts — and hungry, well-financed competitors.
One is Berkeley's public status. "It's the idea that you're contributing to the public good. We have a mandate to do that, and it's a very important aspect of why we are here — to make a difference in the lives of the people of the state of California," he elaborates.
The other is "the uniquely high quality of faculty and students and the intellectual companionship that goes with that," he says.
Sposito uses his longtime collaboration with English professor and former U.S. poet laureate Robert Hass as an example. They have been co-teaching Introduction to Environmental Studies for 10 years, and the class has grown richer with each iteration because "each of us has grown richer in our own discipline because of the class," Sposito says. "It would be impossible to create that experience anywhere else."
And even if such relationships could be built elsewhere, faculty here already have them, Sposito points out. "It's like Laurie (Cindy Williams) says in American Graffiti: 'You know, It doesn't make sense to leave a home to look for a home, to give up a life to find a new life, to say goodbye to friends you love just to find new friends.' "
In his own case, he adds, having Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the campus's doorstep is a huge plus for a scientist. He is a faculty senior scientist in the Earth Sciences Division there.
Similar themes emerge among faculty who considered offers over the past few years (see separate profiles of each).
Broughton raises another point that works in Berkeley's favor: "I think we're more egalitarian, more horizontal, than many other leading universities nationally and internationally." It's not unusual to find assistant professors, full professors, undergrads and graduate students all participating in the same intellectual inquiry at Berkeley, and faculty find it easy to move across disciplinary boundaries, she adds.
The 600-pound gorilla in the middle of all these stories is money. No one wants to leave or stay because of it. But it also can't be ignored. Berkeley faculty salaries traditionally have lagged behind the market, leaving faculty vulnerable to offers from private universities with deep pockets.
"Salary and research money for faculty is one ubiquitous factor," says chemistry dean Richard Mathies, whose college sees two to three retention cases a year. Twenty-five of chemistry's 60 faculty have considered offers in the last seven years, he says: "When you're a top-ranked department, everybody wants to hire your faculty."
Only three of the professors whose cases he's handled left, and all moved to new paths in life: top administrative positions in two cases, and a university with a medical school, something Berkeley couldn't offer, in the third.
To help level the playing field, Berkeley may provide faculty members with raises, housing assistance and either research funding or a lab upgrade. But in the end, Mathies says, his faculty stayed because of their work here, the quality of the graduate students on their research teams, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab — and an appreciation of life in the Bay Area.
"The joke is we like to have people go back East to consider working at Yale in January," he says. "That takes care of that."
Berkeley has taken a few crucial steps to make its faculty less vulnerable to the market, before situations ever develop into a full-blown retention case.
Spouse and partner issues are part of that picture.
"Many of our faculty are in dual-career households now — far more than you'd have seen several decades ago," Broughton observes. "That means life is complicated."
Under Broughton's predecessor, Sheldon Zedeck, Berkeley created a campus "concierge" position to work with faculty recruits and those facing retention decisions on issues like making career contacts, understanding the local real estate market or vetting child-care options. A back-up care program for dependents is now available to all ladder-rank faculty.
On the salary side, the Targeted Decoupling Initiative was launched to provide raises for high-achieving faculty whose salaries lag the market in their fields. It will provide $1.5 million for special raises over the next three years, starting in July.
"We aim to be competitive. We also aim to be equitable," says Broughton. The raises will help smooth out what she calls the inevitable salary differences that result between faculty who receive retention increases and "equally outstanding faculty, who haven't entertained an outside offer."
So far this year, Berkeley is nine-for-nine in retention case wins. Ten other cases are working, and the year is still young. Retention cases will never go away, no matter what the economy or the state Legislature does, Broughton says.
"Of course outside institutions approach our faculty. They're terrific."


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On this page:
What's Included
Your tank water heater installation includes:
Professional water heater recommendations
Confused about which water heater to choose? Don't worry, we can help. Our plumbers will recommend a water heater for your home based on your family's hot water needs and budget.
Upfront pricing
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Cost to install a tank water heater in Phoenix
Factors that affect your water heater installation cost
- The size of the water heater: The bigger the tank (in gallons), the more expensive it will be. The plumber you hire will help you choose the size you need for your Phoenix home.
- Fuel type: Gas water heaters are typically more expensive to install than electric water heaters. However, gas water heaters are cheaper to operate than electric water heaters.
- The efficiency of the water heater: A water heater's energy efficiency is measured by its Energy Factor (EF). The higher the EF, the more efficient the water heater and the more expensive it will be upfront. That said, a water heater with a high EF will use less energy, which will cut down your energy bills.
- Installation factors: If your water heater is in a hard-to-access location, or the plumber needs to add a gas line or modify you home's plumbing, then the cost to install your tank water heater will be greater.
Learn more about these cost factors by reading our blog article, "How Much Does it Cost to Install a Tank Water Heater in Phoenix?"
How Scheduling Works
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Contact us
Schedule an appointment online or give us a call (602) 280-1793.
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We're flexible—we do our best to work around your schedule.
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When our plumber is 30 minutes away, they'll give you a call to let you know they're on their way.
Our service area in Arizona
We serve Glendale, Peoria, Scottsdale, Mesa, Gilbert, Tempe, Chandler, Carefree, Cave Creek, Avondale, Surprise, Sun City, Paradise Valley, Queen Creek & Phoenix.


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Red Hat Training
A Red Hat training course is available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Chapter 15. TigerVNC
TigerVNC (Tiger Virtual Network Computing) is a system for graphical desktop sharing which allows you to remotely control other computers.
TigerVNC works on the client-server principle: a server shares its output (
vncserver) and a client (
vncviewer) connects to the server.
15.1. VNC Server
vncserver is a utility which starts a VNC (Virtual Network Computing) desktop. It runs Xvnc with appropriate options and starts a window manager on the VNC desktop.
vncserver allows users to run separate sessions in parallel on a machine which can then be accessed by any number of clients from anywhere.
15.1.1. Installing VNC Server
To install the TigerVNC server, run the following command as
yum install tigervnc-server
15.1.2. Configuring VNC Server
The VNC server can be configured to start a display for one or more users, provided that accounts for the users exist on the system, with optional parameters such as for display settings, network address and port, and security settings.
Procedure 15.1. Configuring a VNC Display for a Single User
- Specify the user name and the display number by editing
/etc/sysconfig/vncserversand adding a line in the following format:
VNCSERVERS="display_number:user"The VNC user names must correspond to users of the system.
Example 15.1. Setting the Display Number for a UserFor example, to configure display number
3for user
joe, open the configuration file for editing:
vi /etc/sysconfig/vncserversAdd a line as follows:
VNCSERVERS="3:joe"Save and close the file.In the example above, display number 3 and the user joe are set. Do not use 0 as the display number since the main X display of a workstation is usually indicated as 0.
Procedure 15.2. Configuring a VNC Display for Multiple Users
- To set a VNC display for more than one user, specify the user names and display numbers by editing
/etc/sysconfig/vncserversand adding a line in the following format:
VNCSERVERS="display_number:user display_number:user"The VNC user names must correspond to users of the system.
Example 15.2. Setting the Display Numbers for Two UsersFor example, to configure two users, open the configuration file for editing:
vi /etc/sysconfig/vncserversAdd a line as follows:
VNCSERVERS="3:joe 4:jill"
Procedure 15.3. Configuring VNC Display Arguments
- Specify additional settings in the
/etc/sysconfig/vncserversfile by adding arguments using the VNCSERVERARGS directive as follows:
VNCSERVERS="display_number:user display_number:user" VNCSERVERARGS[display_number]="arguments"
Table 15.1. Frequently Used VNC Server Parameters
VNCSERVERARGS Definition -geometry specifies the size of the VNC desktop to be created, default is 1024x768. -nolisten tcp prevents connections to your VNC server through TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) -localhost prevents remote VNC clients from connecting except when doing so through a secure tunnelSee the
Xvnc(1)man page for further options.
Example 15.3. Setting vncserver ArgumentsFollowing on from the example above, to add arguments for two users, edit the
/etc/sysconfig/vncserversfile as follows:
VNCSERVERS="3:joe 4:jill" VNCSERVERARGS[1]="-geometry 800x600 -nolisten tcp -localhost" VNCSERVERARGS[2]="-geometry 1920×1080 -nolisten tcp -localhost"
Procedure 15.4. Configuring VNC User Passwords
- To set the VNC password for all users defined in the
/etc/sysconfig/vncserversfile, enter the following command as
~]#To set the VNC password individually for a user:
vncpasswdPassword: Verify:
su - user~]$
vncpasswdPassword: Verify:
ImportantThe stored password is not encrypted; anyone who has access to the password file can find the plain-text password.
15.1.3. Starting VNC Server
In order to start a VNC desktop, the
vncserver utility is used. It is a Perl script which simplifies the process of starting an Xvnc server. It runs Xvnc with appropriate options and starts a window manager on the VNC desktop. There are three ways to start
- You can allow
vncserverto choose the first available display number, start Xvnc with that display number, and start the default window manager in the Xvnc session. All these steps are provided by one command:
~]$You will be prompted to enter a VNC password the first time the command is run if no VNC password has been set.
- Alternately, you can specify a specific display number:
vncserver :display_number
vncserverattempts to start Xvnc with that display number and exits if the display number is not available.For example:
vncserver :20
- Alternately, to start VNC server with displays for the users configured in the
/etc/sysconfig/vncserversconfiguration file, as
service vncserver startYou can enable the
vncserverservice automatically at system start. Every time you log in,
vncserveris automatically started. As
root, run
chkconfig vncserver on
15.1.4. Terminating a VNC Session
Similarly to enabling the
vncserver service, you can disable the automatic start of the service at system start:
chkconfig vncserver off
Or, when your system is running, you can stop the service by issuing the following command as
service vncserver stop
To terminate a specific display, terminate
vncserver using the
-kill option along with the display number.
Example 15.4. Terminating a Specific Display
For example, to terminate display number 2, run:
vncserver -kill :2
Example 15.5. Terminating an Xvnc process
If it is not possible to terminate the VNC service or display, terminate the Xvnc session using the process ID (PID). To view the processes, enter:
service vncserver status
Xvnc (pid 4290 4189) is running...
To terminate process
4290, enter as
kill -s 15 4290


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"Loving After Lifetimes of All This," an exhibition at the Center for Craft, Creativity & Design in Asheville, North Carolina, includes works by a dozen artists and cooperatives that straddle the lines between contemporary fine art installation, craft, and social practice work. The show's enigmatic title reflects its themes, which explore the intersection of self-care, survival, and apprenticeship within the creative practices found in historically disadvantaged populations.
The dynamic and diverse works on view incorporate weaving, quilting, ceramics, and woodworking combined with video, photography, archival materials, and performance, creating hybrid expressions that intertwine the historical and the contemporary. Curated by Danny Orendorff, curator-in-residence and interim programs director at Charlotte Street Foundation in Kansas City, Missouri, Loving's participating artists include Gina Adams, Tanya Aguiñiga, Natalie M. Ball, Jonathan D. Barnett, NedRa Bonds, Sonya Clark, matthew Dehaemers, Christopher Leitch, Judith G. Levy, Ramekon O'Arwisters, Tina Takemoto, and Temporary Services.
Takemoto's installation of cut paper, carved wood, paint, and video features a number of individual works that combine to illuminate the artist's archival research into the life of Jiro Onuma, a homosexual Japanese-American who employed a number of survival strategies to cope with his day-to-day incarceration in a World War II internment camp in Utah.
Onuma admired the muscular men pictured in bodybuilding magazines, such as Physical Culture Magazine. Using only simple materials like wood , paper, and lemon juice that might have been available to those in the camps Takemoto has recreated exercise equipment and even the homoerotic imagery from the magazines in the form of images realized in "invisible ink" and revealed with a candle's flame.
The highlight of Takemoto's installation is the video Looking for Jiro, which features the artist in a baker's outfit similar to the one Onuma may have worn while working in the camp's kitchen. Footage of Takemoto dancing and lip-synching to a cover of Madonna's "Hung Up" is intercut with vintage footage of midcentury musclemen and official U.S. propaganda films about the camps. The overall effect is a loving and joyous celebration of personal expression in an environment defined by hardship and injustice.
In a show packed with strong work, the other highlight for me was Judith G. Levy's series The Last Descendants, which presents made-up archival research of fictional characters, demonstrating the dynamic relationship between historical facts and legendary truths, which necessarily combine and clash in all examinations of the obscured and vanished stories that tell the tales of long-ago lives.
In Last Descendants: Huckleberry Finn and Last Descendants: The Lone Ranger, Levy presents elaborate family trees and video interviews with contemporary "descendants" of these literary heroes, illuminating their book-bound legends while raising new questions from a contemporary perspective: Was Huckleberry Finn really the son of a slave? What was the Ranger really hiding behind that iconic black mask?
The show is dominated by textile works—most involving cooperative communities, demonstrating how traditional work leads to a sharing of values across generational, racial, and class boundaries.
Temporary Services's installation is the exhibition's most unique, and it's placement near the gallery's front door invites viewers to literally reach out and touch it. Temporary Services is a Situationist-inspired art collective whose well known Library Project is a selection of 100 artist's books surreptitiously added to the collection of the Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago. A smaller display of books at the CCCD in Asheville are hung from the ceiling with monofilament—viewers are encouraged to wander into the literary mobile and flip through the books' contents. Iithe perfect way to wade into the rest of this layered and thoughtful exhibition.
"Loving After Lifetimes of All This" is on view at the Center for Craft, Creativity & Design in Asheville, North Carolina, through May 23.
Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist, and intermedia artist in Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com


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EL CAJON -- One of two robbers who held up a 24-hour taco shop in El Cajon Thursday fired a gunshot at a witness, but missed, police said.
The suspects were armed with a knife and a handgun as they demanded money from the cash register at Sombrero Mexican Food at the corner of West Main and South Pierce streets shortly before 10 p.m. Thursday, El Cajon police Lt. Royal Bates said.
A witness who was inside the eatery called 911 to report the robbery as it was underway and followed the suspects as they ran out of the business, prompting one to open fire. Bates said the dispatcher was still on the line with the witness and heard the gunshot.
The witness, who was not injured, apparently backed off as the robbers sped away in a newer model black BMW sedan and headed west on Interstate 8, according to the lieutenant. Officers arrived shortly afterward.
Bates said the robbery was captured on surveillance video, which was under review.
Both suspects were described as Hispanic men in their mid-20s, about 5-foot-8 and of medium build. The knife-wielding man had a goatee and was wearing a bulky green jacket. The other had a mustache and was wearing a dark jacket.
Anyone with information on the robbery was asked to call police at 619-579-3311, or Crime Stoppers' anonymous tip line at 888-580-8477.


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The BelGioioso story began over a century ago when the great-grandfather of BelGioioso President, Errico Auricchio, founded a cheese company based on a philosophy of excellence. In 1979, Errico moved his family from Italy to America with the goal of continuing his great-grandfather's legacy. He wanted to craft the best Italian cheeses in the United States. BelGioioso's commitment to tradition and excellence carries with it the value of knowing how to make Italian cheeses just as they were long ago from recipes passed down by generations. As the company has grown, the passion for tradition and quality has never diminished. Tradition, selection of ingredients, location and artisan inspiration are cardinal pillars that make BelGioioso cheesemakers the greatest interpreters of the best Italian cheeses in the US.
Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure that the product information presented on our website is accurate, but you should always consult product labels for the most accurate and up to date information. We assume no liability for inaccuracies or misstatements about products.


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Spoonflower team member Michelle shows us how to sew up a quick pencil case using one of her favorite cut & sew kits from our recent design challenge. Pick your favorite kit, learn how to install a zipper, and fill your new handmade pencil case with back to school goodies!
This tutorial shows you how to create a pencil case using one of my favorite designs from the top ten Pencil Case Cut & Sews from our recent design challenge. Even if you are a little nervous about installing a zipper, these bags sew up fast and easy! I taught students how to whip up these sweet bags in a class our community crafting space, The Greenhouse, this past Tuesday. Even the most apprehensive students walked away with an adorable bag. If you're nearby, check out the schedule for more fun classes in the Greenhouse!
Once you learn to make a lined zippered bag, you will be dreaming up all of the possibilities– from coin purses to large zippered tote bags!
• Your pencil case cut & sew pattern
(I used Heidi Kenney's pencil pouch printed on Linen Cotton Canvas. You can find lots of ready-to-sew pencil case kits in the Spoonflower marketplace, or design your own!)
• Scissors
• Matching thread
• Ruler
• Fabric Marker
• 12" Zipper
• Zipper foot for your sewing machine*
*If you don't have a zipper foot, don't fret! This can be done with a regular presser foot as long as you go slowly.
How To:
Mark seam allowances at ¼".
1. Cut out all four pieces.
2. Place your outer fabric face up, and your zipper face down aligning the top edges.
3. Place your lining fabric on top face down.
4. Using your zipper foot, sew close to the zipper teeth. Don't sew too close! It is better to stitch a little farther away at first and go back and re-stitch than to have to pick out stitches when your zipper won't open! This can be a little tricky– don't worry if it takes a few tries.
Repeat steps 2-4 for the other side.
5. Open your fabric so that the wrong sides are together. Make sure your zipper moves up and down. Iron the zipper on a low heat setting. The hardest part is over!
6. Unzip the zipper two thirds of the way. This is very important! You will not be able to turn your bag right side out unless you unzip it!
7. Placing right sides together, stitch all the way around the edge with a ¼" seam allowance. Leave a 3" gap on the long edge of the lining pieces.
8. Clip your corners and notch the curved pieces.
9. Turn your bag using the gap you left in the lining. It will be tricky, but it can be done! Use a point turner, bone folder or large, blunt knitting needle to push the corners out.
10. Iron the seams.
11. Stitch the gap in the lining closed. I like to do this by machine because it is inside the bag, but you can hand stitch it for a neater finish.
12. Push the lining down into the outer bag.
Fill with all of your back to school goodies and admire your new pencil pouch! For more nifty back to school tutorials, be sure to check out our Pinterest board.
Need more DIY projects? Check out our Back to School DIYs roundup for 41 awesome projects to get your creativity flowing!
About Our Guest Author
Michelle heads up the customer service team in Berlin. She is a maker of things, and learner of new crafting skills.


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VoxPremium goes live 16th July, 2007
At long last, after months of preparation and hard work by the Voxalot team, we have just launched a new brand, new look and feel web site and the VoxPremium family of products. We will continue to offer a free service to those members who want to use the basic functions, called VoxBasic. VoxPremium members will have access to the advanced functions such as web call back, call forwarding and SIP registrations. The feature comparison table provides a comparison between a VoxBasic and VoxPremium accounts, along with the annual subscription fee. VoxPremium will be available in three different packages: VoxLite, VoxPro and VoxExtreme.
A VoxPremium subscription will give you Web Call Back, Call Forwarding and enable you to have up to 10 providers registered against your VSPs in order to enable in-bounds and DID registrations. An annual subscription to VoxPremium will range from US$15 to US$40. Members will be able to purchase VoxPremium in US dollars, Euros or Australian dollars via credit card or PayPal. This table can be located on the new site at:
Feature Comparison Table
Post launch all members who wish to continue to use the advanced features will have two weeks (until July 30th) to upgrade their account to VoxPremium. After which all accounts that have not been upgraded will be set to VoxBasic.
If you have not already done so, check out our new brand and web site, I am sure you will agree with us that it is a great improvement from the old site. Thank you for your continued support.
The Voxalot Team
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CMU Playlists
Playlist: Archeo
By CMU Editorial | Published on Thursday 27 October 2011
Born in Bombay, neo-pop soloist Archeo had a fairly international upbringing, living in Hong Kong and Nigeria before settling in London while still a child. Finding himself drawn to the studio throughout three distracted years at University, he siphoned a passion for 90s and noughties pop songwriting into a set of early demos, later founding his own label, Music Mantra.
He's now poised to release his first official single, 'Mr General', a slick, acerbic slice of synth-driven R&B, on 28 Nov. Having enlisted Steve Osbourne (Suede, New Order) to produce the track, Archeo is now working with the likes of Fabien Waltmann (Will Young, No Doubt) and Ant Whiting (MIA, Paloma Faith) on a debut album. Despite his eclectic stylistic tastes, which encompass everyone from James Brown to Elvis, he remains somewhat of a purist when it comes to pop.
"I've not crossed over from anything and I'm not coming from any niche", he says. "I make pop music. Pop to me is a constantly changing landscape, and I'm proud to be part of that tradition".
And speaking of traditions as pre-eminent as pop itself, Archeo has come up with a Powers Of Ten playlist, which finds him splicing together a set of his best-loved tunes.
Click here to listen to Archeo's playlist in Spotify, and then read on to find out more about his choices.
01 Pearl Jam – Even Flow
Great song, though I still think the 'MTV Unplugged' performance of this is better.
02 Kanye West – Celebration
I love the combination of sample work and Kanye's robotic production.
03 The Cool Kids – Swimsuits
This song has such an irresistible groove. I'm not into the chorus so much, but the verses make my face scrunch up!
04 Lenny Kravitz – Black Girl
A beautiful song. I have always respected Lenny's bold use of effects, turning what could have been an ordinary throwback song into something fresh and of its time.
05 Pete Philly – Ocean
I just came across this guy, because my producer Mr Waltmann put me onto him. The beat makes me want to slap myself.
06 Britney Spears – Toxic
This might just be the perfect 'pop' song. What more can I say?
07 Pharrell feat Nelly – Baby
Just for the lyrics "I heard you like red lobster".
08 Jay-Z & Kanye West – Gotta Have It
A nice sample and reminds me of Timbaland circa 'Indian Flute'.
09 Rick James – Mary Jane
I love the part when Rick chops up his vocals. I also love Ja Rule and J Lo's 'I'm Real', which samples this track.
10 Rihanna – Photographs
I think that Rihanna's 'Rated R' album was actually ahead of its time. 'Photographs' has production that really appeals to me, with its use of organic instrumentation and futuristic beats.


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Adrian Boulding has left a comment on yesterday's blog that is rather better than the blog itself.
As I am on the last day of my holiday in Paris, I will blog the comment and add a few thoughts of my own- with thanks to Adrian!
Now that DB schemes are fully mature, the most important thing is how they are invested. Our system is fundamentally out of balance with the trustees choosing the investments and the employer then picking up the consequences with higher contributions
OK, I know the trustees have to consult with the employer before deciding their investment strategy, but if you check the TPR guidance pages they are crystal clear on this – the trustees must choose the investments that they think are in the best interests of the members and they have no duty or responsibility to follow the employer's wishes.
The consequence of this out of balance structure is that the only lever the employer can pull is to reduce benefits for future accrual, or occasionally for existing benefits by devices like RPI to CPI switches.
And pulling on this lever will be much more socially acceptable if the succession of stories around unaffordable deficits and only a 50/50 chance of getting your benefits in full continue to dominate the media.
Like many others I am gobsmacked by the level of DB transfer values. My roundtable on them this week produced a case with a multiple of 54! Rather than stop this profligate spending on transfer values employers seem happy to see it continue, perhaps because they'll pay this high price now to get off the hook of a DB benefit where they pay the future cost but the trustees are the ones taking the decisions that are driving those costs.
What Adrian is saying is radical, and he is not the only one.
The consequence of Royal Mail's pension trustees flight to caution
The Trustees of Royal Mail's old DB pension plan delivered a risk-free pension scheme to the employer. It is almost entirely invested in gilts and the cost for future accrual has jumped to 52% of salary.
One has to ask where the risk has gone; the Royal Mail's answer is that there is no budget for future accrual in the old plan, or in the CWU's proposed new DB plan, there is only an appetite to pay a cash balance on retirement.
There is a new risk, the risk that the employer's already weak covenant will be weakened further by a strike by the very workers in whose interests the trustees disabled the old DB plan.
History may record, that the reckless conservatism of the Royal Mail trustees wrecked not just the future accrual of their members but their employment prospects. Royal Mail shareholders may rue the day they let the scheme's trustees loose on such a fantastical investment strategy. In all this, the only winners are those with deferred pensions with the Royal Mail!
The (potential) consequence of the USS Trustee's flight to caution
We have the Pension Protection Fund, a defensively invested superfund that is fast approaching self-sufficiency. the vast majority of members who enter the PPF receive a modest reduction in their benefits and often gain better commutation and early retirement factors. I am not saying the PPF is to wished for, but it is very far from the nightmare scenario, that many imagine it.
As Adrian points out, the media headlines of 3m having a 50/50 chance of getting their benefits are not helping confidence in pensions. What is worse is that there is virtually no publicity the other way, the PPF stands behind those 3m, it is working well and should be providing those in schemes with weak covenants with a degree of security.
I know of no other aspect of work, where the prospect of a 10% decrease in salary is so demonised. We all live with the daily prospect of redundancy or dismissal, many of our jobs have been downgraded and millions of us are now on considerably lower real wages than we were ten years ago.
To suppose that pensions are somehow exempt from the pressures that impact wages and indeed the creation and retention of jobs, is to ignore the realities of employment!
How University UK could work with the UCU
We must learn to live with some risk or we will all end up in the mess that Royal Mail is getting itself in.
As for Universities UK, it has two options, either to accept the consequences of the trustees' proposed shift to a more conservative investment strategy (a loss of future accrual + weakening of current benefits) or it can look again at what the USS pension scheme is trying to do.
I can only suppose that the consequences of the measures suggested in the Financial Times this weekend.
Since then, Josephine Cumbo has posted a further article in which Bill Galvin – the CEO of the USS management company, complains he is piggy in the middle between the unions (calling for a growth orientated investment approach) and "others" suggesting the fund is over-invested in equities. It's hard not to feel sorry for Bill – his trustees and their advisers want a risk-free scheme just as the Royal Mail Trustees did.
The Union wants to see its members continue to accrue. The Union is accusing the scheme of wilfully driving these cuts by refusing to take a long-term view on investments.
And that will mean looking at increasing not decreasing the scheme's investments to growth assets and abandoning TEST 1 and the scheme's goal of being self-sufficient.
The University employers (University UK) have to take back control of the investment strategy if they are to avoid the consequences of the benefit cuts – made inevitable by the trustees' proposed shift to bonds.
But – and this goes to the heart of what Adrian is saying, the employers have no such lever.
They cannot allow the USS to go the way of the Royal Mail Pension Scheme.
The USS employers have to work with the unions to put pressure on the trustees to abandon aspirations of self-sufficiency, increase rather than decrease exposure to growth assets and accept that there will be volatility in valuation results in the meantime.
It sounds a bizarre twist in UK industrial relations, but the interests of unions and employers, have never been so aligned, as in this current pension crisis.


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Here's something I don't normally have the chance to do – I get to write a blog!
Which one of our children was an absolute model baby in the hospital? One who didn't cry and spent most of her time with her mom in the room, and not in the nursery? (And who within an hour of getting home couldn't stop crying? – Mom)
This is none other than our dear high-descant, mandolin-fiddle-and-piano-playing blonde Taylor. (She was born with lots of blonde hair!) Her 19th birthday was Friday, April 8th. What a delight it was to celebrate with this sunshiny young lady. Grandpa even came with a special homemade chili as a treat!
Heading to the hospital to deliver Taylor seemed like just a few days ago. What a gift she is to Kris and I.
Happy 19th Birthday, Taylor!
-Dad for TGF


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White Pine Canyon Village
White Pine Canyon Village is located minutes from downtown Park City at the mouth of White Pine Canyon. Perfectly situated on 4.2 forested acres on a private cul-de-sac at Canyons Resort, the townhomes are situated between Hole #13 and #14 of the Canyons Golf Course and take in expansive views of Iron Mountain, Quarry Mountain, and the Canyons Resort Mountains. The townhomes are within walking distance to the Canyons Cabriolet and mere minutes from Historic Main Street, the town's two world-class ski resorts, the bobsled luge at Utah Olympic Park, and the abundance of year-round activity that Park City offers. Salt Lake International Airport is a mere 35 minutes away, so getting to and from White Pine is a breeze.
White Pine Canyon Village offers:
ranging in size from 1,750 sf to 2,700 sf
offering 3 bed and 3/4 bath options
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