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A merchant account is necessary for any business to accept credit and debit cards either online or on location. Credit card terminals and other electronic payment forms, such as websites or virtual terminals, interact with your merchant account. In turn, your merchant account is connected directly to your bank account where the funds are deposited. Every payment made with a credit card involves the transfer of funds to a merchant account. If you want to accept credit card payments, you will need either a merchant account of your own or the services of a third-party payment processor.
Most merchant account providers have per transaction fees, monthly support fees and monthly minimum fees. At Cardservice International, we pride ourselves on transparency. In most cases, there should never be any upfront costs to setup a merchant account. You are charged a small percentage fee and a pre-authorization fee per transaction. Our rate is a low standard of 1.59%* for swiped transactions. In most cases, there should never be any upfront costs to setup a merchant account.Most merchant account providers have per transaction fees, monthly support fees and monthly minimum fees. At Cardservice International, we pride ourselves on transparency. For a complete explanation of rates, please fill out our 5-minute application.
Our merchant account application takes about 5 minutes to fill out and most applications are approved within 1 to 2 business days. A representative will contact you after the application has been submitted to answer any questions you have and to explain the next steps in the process. If you would like to speak to a representative now, please call us at 1-855-202-7144 or send us message here.
As one of the world's largest processors, Cardservice International has a well-earned reputation for providing the best in payment security. The First Data Transarmor® solution makes customer information practically impossible to steal. Learn more about Transarmor®.
Absolutely. Regardless of what your business model looks like right now, you will probably want to expand into the world of ecommerce soon. Through Cardservice International, even small businesses without a shopping website can accept credit cards with our free virtual terminal. It comes included with our internet merchant accounts.
If you do plan on opening a virtual store, you will need an online shopping cart - software that allows your customers to collect items from your website and check out. Every internet merchant account from Cardservice International comes complete with our secure payment gateway and integration API software that allows your account to connect with most shopping cart software and services. Learn more about ecommerce options.
Make sure you have thought about what your needs will be. Do you only want to accept cards? Or will you need a machine with a check reader to make sure that you don't accept unfunded checks? In addition, you should consider what data options are available to you (phone, internet, wireless). Finally, make sure that your machine is backed up by a strong credit card security system. First Data Independent Sales has options that other processors do not. Learn about the Transarmor® Solution and EMV. We also back all of our machines with a lifetime warranty for as long as your merchant account remains active. Learn about our warranty.
If you want to accept checks in-store, you will need a credit card machine. Fortunately, any credit card machine purchased through Cardservice International comes with a lifetime warranty for as long as you maintain your merchant account. That means you never have to pay for repairs or replacements. Ever. Learn about the warranty here.


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Dispatches from HiE
Opening up the applications for stevia sweeteners
It started with beverages, but with intense work being carried out by the food industry on other applications for stevia sweeteners novel products are coming to market in the US, and in other global markets with regulatory approval - from yoghurts, to mints and other confectionery, and novelty ice creams.
Elizabeth Fay and Henry Hussell of Cargill give a rundown of the kinds of products now on the market using stevia and new ones emerging the end of the pipeline, after some 28,000 hours have been spent by the company's R&D personnel integrating it into new matrices. As for the how it works alongside other ingredients in Cargill's portfolio, it's proving to be a particularly good partner to erythritol.

subset: commoncrawl


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Tahoe/Truckee region plugs into electric bike movement
Tahoe Magazine
Tahoe Magazine: Summer 2014
This story is among several published this week in the 2014 Summer edition of Tahoe Magazine, a joint publication of the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza, Lake Tahoe Action, Sierra Sun and Tahoe Daily Tribune. Starting this Thursday, look for a hard copy at hundreds of newsstands located throughout the Truckee/Tahoe region.
Learn more about Pedego Electric Bikes at pedegolaketahoe.com or at its South Lake Tahoe store at 4087 Lake Tahoe Blvd.
As a former employee of Nike, Casey Metkovich is no stranger to "aha" moments. After all, he was on the design team that introduced the air pocket into the famed sneakers in the 1980s.
Now, Metkovich is chasing down another growing industry — albeit one that's a lot better for the environment. The former Huntington Beach resident now owns the Pedego electric bike dealership in South Lake Tahoe.
"When I first saw these bikes, I immediately thought of Lake Tahoe," Metkovich said.
Electric bikes are a fast-growing segment of the bicycle industry. In Europe, e-bikes have been met with growing demand from commuters.
And the American market is beginning to catch on. With Lake Tahoe's environmental concerns, the speedy two-wheelers make sense for visitors and locals alike.
"The League is really excited that there are shops around Tahoe renting electric bicycles," said League to Save Lake Tahoe deputy director Jesse Patterson. "One of our main campaigns is combating pollution, which means we have spent a lot of time pushing for funding for bike paths and alternative transportation, and promoting policies that help make Tahoe more walkable and bikeable."
Though electric bicycles have been around since the early 1900s, they just started making appearances in Lake Tahoe in the last few years. South Lake Tahoe's Pedego dealership opened in late summer 2013. Metkovich expects the business to grow in coming years and hopes the bikes make a positive impact in the area.
"The neat thing I saw with the company was the chance for growth and innovation in an environmentally friendly way," Metkovich said, as he unloaded a pair of Pedego's beefy Trail Tracker bikes from the company van at a nearby trail. "The biggest thing I want people to know is that Tahoe is getting more and more bike-friendly, and there's another way to get after it."
The first thing one notices about the Trail Tracker is the extra large tires and a disposition that screams all-terrain. The battery pack occupies a subtle slot over the back wheel. The motor is built into the hub. Immediately after the bikes hit the pavement, onlookers start to inquire.
After asking a few questions, a pair of older dog-walkers watched Metkovich zip off silently. On the seat, the electric power does not replace pedaling. It adds enough punch that most hills fail to take your breath away. All in all, the ride is smooth. But is it smooth enough to reduce the number of gasoline vehicle miles people drive around Lake Tahoe? Can it reduce the amount of pollutants that enter the clear, blue waters?
E-bikes are not the first attempt at replacing gasoline with electricity in Lake Tahoe. Several area businesses have installed and promoted electric car charging stations. Nevada-based energy company NV Energy has touted efficiency of electric cars at several local schools. Agencies often encourage visitors and locals to take up new, cleaner ways to get around.
"The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency supports the use of alternative forms of transportation that can reduce carbon emissions in the Tahoe Basin, including biking, walking, public transportation, electric bicycles and electric cars," TRPA spokeswoman Kristi Boosman said.
At this point, it's unclear exactly how many pounds of carbon dioxide the e-bikes will save from the atmosphere and how much pollution they will stop from entering the lake. But Metkovich insists the bikes are great for Tahoe for other reasons. The biggest being they're really fun.
Metkovich has a big idea for summer of 2014. He wants to establish a series of stops around the lake, where e-bike riders can exchange batteries. Instead of driving around the lake, people could ride e-bikes.
Metkovich hopes this will speak to the new Lake Tahoe visitor: one who values having a good time outside, and one who cares about the environment.
"People come here for aspects of the environment," Metkovich said, surveying a new stretch of bike trail near Round Hill Beach. "They come here to experience the mountains. In the spring, summer and fall, it's all about the lake. These bikes are merely means to enjoy all this."
Dylan Silver, a former reporter for the Tahoe Daily Tribune, is a freelance writer and photographer who lives at Lake Tahoe's South Shore.
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From Moodlerooms, our Moodle host*:
"Moodle is an online course management system that is delivered as a software package. Designed using pedagogical principles, Moodle provides a flexible environment for learning communities and is designed to support a social constructionist framework of education. With it's robust set of teaching and learning tools, Moodle has become the most widely-used open source LMS in the world. As such, Moodle has a diverse and thriving user community of developers, teachers and students driving the rapid innovation of open-source LMS.
Moodle, as a package is freely available for anyone to download; however, Moodle users must host, support and maintain the software themselves. That's where Moodlerooms comes in.
Moodlerooms is a Moodle partner that provides enterprise-services wrapped around Moodle to deliver the most reliable and sustainable learning management options possible. As a Moodle Partner, we contribute development, testing, community support and 10% of our revenue back to support the continued evolution of the open-source Moodle project. In return, Moodlerooms benefits from priority access to upgrades and patches to ensure our clients are always on the most stable and secure code base."
Source: http://www.moodlerooms.com/resources/moodle-resources/
* A "host" is a company that provides servers, upgrades, and maintenance on software the college has purchased.


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Professional Candle Making Supplies Since 1972
Mango-Papaya Fragrance Oil
A fruity blend of mango and papaya with sensual accords of guava for a stimulating fragrance.
- Good for Paraffins and Natural Waxes
- Skin Safe
- Phthalates Free
- Diffuser Compatible
Product Description
People Who Bought This Item Also Bought
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To see shipping costs, proceed to checkout to get up-to-date rates. Orders are shipped by UPS or FedEx. View the Shipping Information page for more details.


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60-Year-Old Woman Ends Up In Jail After a Fight Over Lube
Sometimes, when the hot rod is leaving the garage, you have to grease up the gears a bit to make her purr. Especially if your chosen hot rod is a 60-year-old woman. But, before you get out the lube, make sure you're both on the same page about what you're going to use and who's going to participate, otherwise someone could end up in jail.
On May 30, Barbara Hall, 60, of Port St. Lucie, FL, was arrested for assaulting her 45-year-old boyfriend with a bottle of olive oil. The olive oil was for use as a lubricant during their sexual encounter. Save the tossing salad jokes. According to the police report, Hall, wanting the full lube experience, also asked if her boyfriend had also brought the Pam. Pam, in her mind, being a non-fat cooking spray.
Unfortunately, to Hall's boyfriend, Pam was a recent conquest. His guilty conscience made him forget about the spray Pam and instead, he fessed up about the girl Pam. The responding police officer wrote in his report, "He admitted to having sex with Pam recently on her boat when he and Barbara were 'broke up,' which started an argument between them."
The fight turned violent when Hall threw her drink at the man and then started to strike him. The report says he restrained her (despite her slipperiness), but she threw the bottle of olive oil and a flashlight at him. He had some red marks and lacerations when the police arrived, but refused treatment and didn't want to press charges.
At that point, poor Barbara Hall was all lubed up with no where to go but the back of a police car.


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WE NEED HELP! — BlogRadioLive Archiveby isiah
blogradiolive - web, blog, tech, sports, weather & news live 24/7
1 (3 marks)
Founded in late 2003 and heartquartered in France, we are non-profit and independant.
We believe in the open web, think internet services should be sustainable, build for the long term.
While we are re-launching the service, we only accept new members through invitation.


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Fresh off hit sets at Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits festivals, Texas-based band Electric Touch is in the midst of a national tour and is gearing up to shoot a new music video for their upbeat dance-y single "Don't Stop" off their new EP (October release). We chatted with the rockers about their music fest experiences, late-night food habits… and who uses the most hair product. Meet Shane Lawlor, Christopher Leigh and Isaac Strycker of Electric Touch.
How did your shows at Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits go? What were the most interesting things you learned at these shows?
Christopher: The most interesting thing I learned was figuring out how I ended up with a tattoo during our weekend at Lollapalooza. Apparently I have a matching tattoo with someone.
Isaac: Both shows were amazing! So completely inspired by the energy of the crowds and by the interactivity of the festivals. Between the two shows I really began to understand the idea of getting back what you give as a performer. The more we all channel the emotion of the music, and put our hearts into the performance, the more the audience feels that connection and gives it back to us on stage. The synergy created is really beautiful.
Tell us a little bit about your new single "Don't Stop" dropping in October. What was the driving inspiration behind this song?
Shane: Lyrically, the song is a Sunday morning reflection of a Saturday night in which you've met a person who makes you forget everything else and takes you to a place so special, you never want it to stop. Everybody has been there and felt the lust take over. Nothing else matters anymore, you're hooked. The music video is largely performance based--we want people to see the band playing so it can be like a live show for people who haven't seen us in person yet.
Isaac: "Don't Stop" is a pretty classic falling in love or lust story--you can be the judge of which it is. I think everyone can relate to it on some level. I hope the video is an exhilarating ride through the passion and fleetingness of the themes in the song that elaborates the story line and drops us back off at the beginning wanting more.
What would our audience be most intrigued to learn about Electric Touch as a band?
Shane: As well as performing at pretty much every U.S. festival over the past three years we also supported Bon Jovi, The Bravery, Panic At The Disco, Heart, PJ Harvey, The Airborne Toxic Event and are hard at work gaining the attention of every music lover in America. Our songs are stories about the human condition presented in glorious technicolor rock and roll. Tales from the street, the dance floor, episodes from real life to a backdrop of guitars--we're basically the best band you've never heard of... until now.
Christopher: Electric Touch is a rock-n-roll band made up of five inclusive individuals from interesting backgrounds from all around the world. Internally, it's an international phenomenon we have yet to define & there seems to be no intentions to do so.
Who uses the most hair product in the band?
Shane: Ha! I had better watch what I say. No comment... Ask Louis.
Christopher: These curls are natural baby.
Isaac: I use a little product, but I've found that sleeping on it in just the right way is the key to getting it the shape I want. That and messing with it constantly.
What are your favorite late-night bites?
Christopher: Surprisingly, breakfast is my favorite late-night food. Eggs, bacon, toast... maybe it's my profession as we normally get home so late that the sun is already coming up.
Shane: Ice cream makes the world go around.
Isaac: Austin restaurants and food trailers including: East Side King (serves delicious and reasonably priced Asian fusion dishes) Kebabalicious gyros, and Stoney's pizza.
What are your favorite late-night pairings?
Shane: A bucket load of Raisinets washed down with a gallon-size vanilla malt shake. (Portions may vary)
Christopher: Ice-cream & root beer
Isaac: Ice-cold sake with Hamachi.
What are your favorite things to eat between two buns?
Shane: I'm a big fan of veggie hotdogs wrapped in bacon w/ caramelized onion, melted cheese and a little Dijon on a toasted bun.
Christopher: Fresh peanut butter, raspberry jelly, bananas & honey
Isaac: Pork Belly sandwich from East Side King, YUM.
Pictured above: Isaac Strycker with Questlove at Lollapalooza


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Long past are the times of "knock, knock! Who's there?" while a person's at your front door. Thanks to generation like networked doorbell cameras and digital peepholes, you don't want to race from the kitchen to the front door to look who's outside. Virtual peepholes assist you to see who is there at a look via a digital display by way of your door. And far flung doorbell cameras permit you to reach to your cellphone or smartphone while the doorbell earrings to look a photo or stay streaming video out of your doorbell digicam.
When deciding on the fine video doorbell for you domestic, you'll want to evaluate your door answering desires. First, do you just want to look who is there while you're at domestic, or do you want to "answer" the door while you're away as well? In case you simply want to check whilst you're at domestic, a digital peephole viewer that mounts on your door to offer you a big, extensive-attitude view of who's on your step may be the way to go. Another at-domestic solution is a smartphone system that jewelry and suggests you on your handset who is on the door.
If you want to look who's journeying your home when you're away, improve to a wireless-enabled video doorbell. These internet-related doorbells let you see who's there, and they're additionally often movement-activated so we can capture and save video of traffic, even folks who do not emerge as ringing the bell. The very last decision is whether or not to go along with a battery-operated or stressed solution.With all of these factors in mind, we determined the first-rate, maximum exceptionally rated and reviewed doorbell cameras plus a digital peephole viewer to cover each video doorbell state of affairs. Take a look at out our alternatives under.
Tired of having to peep through a small hole at your the front door to look who's outdoor? The brinno virtual peephole viewer can do it for you. One faucet displays the view on a 2.7-inch tft liquid crystal display panel — an awful lot greater viewing place than you'd see through your peephole. Zoom the show to amplify the center of the photo and get a higher view of your visitor's face. You could go from a fairly huge, 95-diploma region of view to a zoomed-in, narrower 60-diploma perspective of view.
The brinno digital peephole suits any door among 1.38 and 2.24 inches thick. To install, truly replace your modern peephole with the one in the package, connect the display mounting bracket and pop at the show. Aa batteries strength the tool for about 1,500 peeps. While the batteries run low, the brinno peephole viewer alerts you with a blinking crimson light.Seeing that this is a door-set up solution, you may still want to visit the display panel at the door to see who's there. But it beats peering through a narrow peephole, and at $75, it's less than ½ the fee of the other video doorbell solutions on our pinnacle choices list.


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Russian parents protest Elton John show
A parents group has asked President Vladimir Putin to cancel the upcoming concert.
MOSCOW - A Russian parents' committee has asked President Vladimir Putin to cancel a planned concert by gay musician Elton John, saying he intended to violate a ban on "homosexual propaganda".
In an open letter to Putin, the local parents' group in central Ural region was reported by media as saying: "The singer intends to come out in support of local sodomites and break the current Russian law, directed at protecting children."
Critics say the law banning gay "propaganda" among minors - which has prompted calls for a boycott of Russia's hosting of the 2014 Winter Olympics - is discriminatory, barring people from being open about their sexual orientation.
The law is part of a broader attempt by Putin to win over Russians in the mostly conservative country following protests against his rule among urban and often middle class voters over his return to the Kremlin last May.
The parents' committee was unavailable for comment despite repeated phone calls.
Sir Elton John, who reminisced in an interview earlier this month with the Guardian newspaper of having sex on a Moscow rooftop with a translator during his 1979 Soviet Union tour, said he wanted to perform in Russia to support the gay community.
"As a gay man, I can't leave those people on their own without going over there and supporting them. I don't know what's going to happen, but I've got to go," he said in the interview.
John will perform on 6 December in Moscow and 7 December in Kazan.
One of the world's most prominent gay celebrities, he lives with his partner David Furnish, with whom he is in a civil union, and is bringing up two children.
He has campaigned for gay rights in Britain and in Ukraine where he was denied the right in 2009 to adopt a child because of his age and marital status.
Reuters received no comment from John despite an email request.
Performers Madonna and Lady Gaga criticised the law in concerts in St Petersburg last year, leading Moscow to implement a harsher visa regimes for performers coming to Russia.
US singer Cher turned down an invitation to perform at the Winter Games in Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi because of the anti-gay propaganda, saying the decision was a "no brainer".
Human rights groups say the new law has fuelled hate crimes against homosexuals.
Homosexuality was decriminalized after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, but polls by the independent Levada Centre show a majority of Russians approve of the new legislation and nearly 40 percent believe gay people need treatment.


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Thank you so much everyone who replied yesterday and those who emailed me. It was lovely waking up and knowing I've been gone but not yet forgotten, at least by some of you :-)
I promised I would complain today. Thinking about it, maybe we should all set aside one day to complain per week. Some weeks we might realize we have little to complain about. Other weeks we might need to add an extra day to the roster. But seriously, complaining is not one of my strong suits. I am generally the person who is pretty laid back, eats my steak that might be a little too done, smiles and says "have a good day" to the grumpy-puss cashier who seems to be having a bad day. I generally don't make someone's bad day my own. I move on.
As I mentioned, I am participating in Christmas in Williamsburg and have been working toward that goal all summer by designing at least 8 new samplers. I thought I would send at least 6 of them as patterns to be sold there. But of course, they needed framing, so a friend suggested Hobby Lobby, which I have to say has the best prices out there PLUS they lace the needlework, no staples, no sticky board. It seemed like a good thing. I tried them out with a piece I stitched for a friend's birthday and a piece I had stitched for my daughter's graduation last year and they did an excellent job. See how nice? Excuse the glass glare:
So off I trotted with two friends and six pieces very early in October and was instantly met with a roadblock. The framing manager was not pleased to see my six pieces. Two pieces on my last visit was fine but six was simply over the top. He explained they can lace no more than one piece per week which begs the question, "what if there are other needlework pieces ahead of mine?" I didn't ask that question as I didn't think of it until now. Imagine if all the needle-workers in Tucson decided to bring their pieces in at the same time! It could be years and years before a piece could get to the top to be framed. People would have to write in their wills and remind their loved ones to pick up their heirloom in 10 years.
I digress,but he strongly cautioned me to leave a couple and take the others elsewhere. I've never known a business to refuse business but I took him at his word and chose two to take elsewhere, left two with him and on his advise decided to bring two back for framing when I picked up the first two. Confused yet?
I picked up one about 2 weeks later (nice job too) but the second piece I left was having problems with frame size so there was a delay to order another frame. Still, I left the other two that were on delay the first time I was there. I even took a photo of each as they lay on the framing table as I was so pleased with the frames chosen, no thanks to me but to my friend with the good eye for frames.
Pretty nice don't you think?
Another two weeks pass and I received a call that one of my pieces is ready so back into the car for a long drive across town to pick up a piece that turned out to be framed way too close to the border. It was wrapped in plastic and I noticed the top border was a bit iffy but I didn't notice the side borders until I was at a stop light half way home. The poor sampler had no room to breathe with the frame squeezing her so close. I could almost hear her gasping for air.
Well, I knew I would be picking up the last two pieces in about a week so instead of making the long hike back, I decided to return it when I picked up the last two which was yesterday. I was pretty excited and when I walked in the same manager greeted me happily and I explained the problem. He was not pleased. A big chill dropped over his usually friendly personality. I'd gotten to know him, hey we were on a first name basis, we had chatted at length each time I was there and suddenly I'm "Ms Thorpe". Okay, maybe he forgot my first name, I can grant him that though it was spelled out in big letters on the order form. At least he had my last name correct and perhaps the seriousness he was feeling was cause enough to use last names.
I think he knew something I didn't know which was the fact that my last two pieces were framed even worse than the one I was returning. See that one at the top? The birds heads were covered! That might be okay for a Halloween piece where severed heads are expected but not for my piece. The second had two stitching rows of the flowered border covered by the framing. Sigh. In what world is it okay to cover half a piece of artwork with the frame? I exaggerate, it wasn't half but it still looked shitty.
He brought them out, slowly I might add, as if he were stepping up to the guillotine. Hey, I've worked customer service in my youth, I know people can be nasty. And as a nurse, I've worked with people who are so ill they haven't a nice bone left in their body or the strength to be polite. I have always said people need to work a customer service job at least once in their life and they will never treat a waitress, a cashier, a phone operator or anyone else with disrespect again. That's one reason I never do and I generally never take a mistake personally, and I never think someone is out to get me because my order was wrong.
I understand it is not fun to say you have made a mistake but guess what? He didn't say that! Instead I had to convince him this was a serious problem and then be told it was going to take at least 30 minutes to re-write the order. Fine. I still wasn't upset, I'd say I was frustrated but I really just wanted to ask, what is your problem buddy?
So off I went to leave him alone to re-write the order, nothing worse than someone breathing down your neck, so I had fun actually gathering up some supplies I needed and even bought a bow maker which looks like fun. Anyone ever use one? Do they work as well as the bows shown on the box?
After more than 30 mins I returned, still not done so I disappeared again. 15 mins later he was done. I asked him "Do you not see what the problem was?" I was truly concerned he thought I was making a mountain out of a molehill. Yeah, he saw the problem, "now look, these frames are bigger so they will cost you more". I think he enjoyed telling me that. I told him "I really don't think I will be paying the extra, I don't think I should." He caved, "yes, I agree." The chill remained. I am so not looking forward to returning to pick these pieces up.
So, I will be writing Hobby Lobby. I can overlook a lot but the big chill feeling that somehow I was causing him problems for no reason is something I can't let go. And I will stick with the other framer who had my two pieces done in 10 days, no muss, no fuss. This is just a warning for those who go to Hobby Lobby for framing, my experience is probably not likely to happen to others but it has been a huge waste of time and gas and because of this I will not be sending any of my new designs to Christmas in Williamsburg this year.
And on the bright side, at least I wasn't this guy:
Uh-oh, I hope I didn't jinx it, he still has 3 of my pieces, anything is possible.


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The regular meeting of the PrairieCat Administrative Council. This group is elected by the PrairieCat consortium to oversee the governance of the group and bring recommendations to the Delegates Assembly.
Categories: LLSAP
This event is sponsored by PrairieCat.Event listed by: Reaching Across Illinois Library System
Last day to cancel registrations is: 7/12/2013
Questions? Please contact PrairieCat Staff.
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Tulipa 'full house'
Pronunciation: Tew-li-pa
Family: Liliaceae
Common Name: Full house tulip
Plant Type:
- bulb, tuber, corm
Height to: 20"
USDA Hardiness Zones:
- -30 to -40ºF ZONE 3
- -20 to -30ºF ZONE 4
- -10 to -20ºF ZONE 5
- 0 to -10ºF ZONE 6
- 10 to 0ºF ZONE 7
Sun Exposure:
- part sun
- full sun
Bloom Season:
- mid spring
Bloom Description: Full house tulip produces single, cup shaped, bright red flowers with white edges
Soil Type: Full house tulip prefers fertile, well drained, neutral to slightly acidic soil
Pests and Diseases: Full house tulip is susceptible to root and bulb rots in wet or poorly drained soil, gray mold, slugs, snails, aphids, and nematodes
Propagation: Sow seed of species in containers in cold greenhouse or frame in autumn (it may take 4-7 years for flowers to be produced). Separate offsets of species and cultivars in summer, replant and grow on.
Notes for Identification: Full house tulip is a bulbous perennial with lance-shaped leaves. Full house tulip care: most tulips require a long winter and thrive in zone 4-6. In zone 7-8 fewer are adaptable and in 9-10 they should be grown as annuals or chilled for the winter. Bulbs must be pre-cooled at 40-45 degrees f for 8 to 10 weeks before planting. Remove faded flowers but don't cut back stems or foliage until they are brown. Tulips need these to create energy for next years blooms. In warmer zones plant in shaded part of the garden. Fertilize tulip bulbs when the foliage pushes through the soil in spring with a general low-nitrogen fertilizer. Bulb planting depth: 8" to base of the bulbgroup: triumph - midseasonfull house tulip is: deciduoushabit: clump-forming, erectyears to maturity: 1-2 years (depending on bulb size)toxicity: eating may cause severe discomfort and may cause a skin allergy. Source: various resources including the american horticultural society a to z encyclopedia of garden plants and the usda
USDA Heat Zones (days above 86ºF):
- Less then 1 day ZONE 1
- 1 to 7 days ZONE 2
- 7 to 14 days ZONE 3
- 14 to 30 days ZONE 4
- 30 to 45 days ZONE 5
- 45 to 60 days ZONE 6
- 60 to 90 days ZONE 7
Submitted by: Guest
Seed photo: 0
Seed Label: 0
Located in: Bulbs, Tubers, Corms


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From Somalia to Pittsburgh: Bantu refugees find cause to celebrate new lives in America
Post Gazette
Sunday, December 02, 2012
By Ervin Dyer
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The women gather in brightly colored fabrics. The men, many in suits and ties, test the sound equipment and ask the women to hush the babies and children. A council of elders sits on stage. It is a Sunday afternoon at the University of Pittsburgh's O'Hara Student Center, and Pittsburgh's Somali Bantus are having their first community celebration.
This is a coming-out party -- a chance to rejoice both in who they are and in who they can become. It is a time filled with traditional songs that resonate in the sweet cadences of their homeland. There is rousing dance. Rice and sambusa, a stuffed meat pastry, fill hungry stomachs.
It is a time also to recognize the tireless volunteers who have helped the largely agrarian Somali Bantu families ease into the rush of urban life and to acknowledge those in their community who have crossed the waters into American citizenship.
Roughly 40 families, some 200 Somali Bantus, now call Pittsburgh home. Their roots here go back only about eight years, when three families came to Pittsburgh from among the 14,000 who were a part of the largest single effort to resettle a mistreated ethnic minority in the United States. They've spread throughout the area, but mostly in patches in Lawrenceville and the North Side. Recently, 10 Somali Bantu families, because of economic struggles and changes in policy at the Pittsburgh Housing Authority, have been pushed into Northview Heights.
For the past year and a half, in the tradition of urban sociologists William Foote Whyte, Elliot Liebow and Elijah Anderson, I've been observing this community. I've immersed myself into the lives of 10 Somali Bantu fathers in an attempt to offer an ethnographic peek into how they're assimilating into the American mainstream. I've visited their homes, attended cultural celebrations and weddings, watched movies with them, helped young kids with homework, participated in community meetings.
All of this takes place in Northview Heights, a dense, low-income housing project in the far north corner of Pittsburgh. Left behind by urban renewal and shifting jobs markets, Northview Heights is beset with social dislocations. It is a racially segregated place (nearly all black) where census figures show most residents are jobless, living in single female-headed households and welfare-dependent.
In Somalia, the majority of Pittsburgh's Bantus lived in the fertile Jubba Valley, mostly as subsistence farmers and herders. Yet, somehow, the urban dystopia of Northview Heights is a place both familiar and foreign to them.
They recognize the racial segregation. In the Horn of Africa, Bantu people, actually a mesh of ethnic groups, were racialized from the time of slavery, marked by their dark skin, wide noses and "hard hair." These distinctions marginalized Bantus and turned them into a separated and persecuted minority. Even behind the walls and the squalor of the refugee camps of Kenya, where the Bantus fled to escape Somalia's 1991 civil war and drought, they were pushed to the bottom of the social ladder.
In this respect, Bantus have much in common with the other residents of Northview Heights, a community walled in by security gates that went up several years ago in an effort to reduce drugs, crime and violence. In a land of plenty, Northview Heights residents have little. Even its one elementary school closed in August.
"It is Africa here," confided one Somali Bantu during a recent conversation, referencing the jobless men on the corner, the wide expanses of barren land and the crowd of black faces.
Despite their common experiences, the Bantus remain outsiders at Northview Heights. They are set apart by their language, dress and religion -- they are Muslim. These differences mark them for harassment and violence.
Given these conditions, how can Somali Bantus enhance their lot in life?
My early observations brought to mind urban scholar Elijah Anderson's book, "Cosmopolitan Canopy: Race and Civility in Everyday Life." Mr. Anderson describes two orientations that African-Americans deploy to get by. One is being ethnocentric, relying on friendships, kinships and shared culture. Mr. Anderson called this being "ethno." The other is simultaneously being "cosmo," or cosmopolitan, embodying a broader range of associations and values beyond one's ethnic circles. I began to see that two of my chief Somali Bantu informants embodied these orientations.
Mr. H is a small, always smiling father of seven. He has some English-language training but prefers to speak his first tongue: Kizigawa. His friendships are mostly among Somali Bantus and groups that help African immigrants. He has worked in a laundry and janitorial services. His community role is circumscribed; he will host meetings but shies away from formal leadership. His use of technology is limited to entertainment; mostly this involves watching movies on TV. His greatest concern is that his youngest daughters, all born in America, are losing their cultural roots. One day he nearly cried when he revealed that they often cannot understand him when he addresses them in Kizagawa; he needs the older children to translate.
Mr. A is more cosmopolitan. A married father of four, he has some formal education in the United States and has completed some community-college classes. His English is fluent, and he uses it to maintain a wide array of associations, including activists in other immigrant organizations, faith leaders, women who assist with housing and settlement issues, and connections at Pitt, such as a tutoring group and a recently named Rhodes Scholar. He is a master at technology, using Facebook and email to sustain new relationships. He aspires to bigger things. He's employed now at a big-box store but has worked for a major airline as a customer service representative. His greatest concern is giving his children "as many models of success as possible."
Mr. H and Mr. A offer windows into how Somali Bantus in Pittsburgh are finding ways to overcome poverty and adjust to both American and urban life. Their early successes are worthy of celebration.
38 dead in Somali clan violence
East African Community defers Somalia's request to join
- Sabahi
Call to give asylum-seekers a chance to contribute
- Australian
At least 26 killed in Somali clan battles
Somaliland rises from the rubb
Somali Music
Somali Map
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text: Dedicated to those too lazy to read. Sometimes it's nice to just watch a ride report. Embed your own video's or something amazing you stumbled across on youtube. But keep it about dual sport/adventure motorcycles. If someone posts a sport bike vid I'm going to barf! Unless of course it's a bullet bike riding off road.... I'll start posting some of my own, but I hope you'll all join in. The Alpha and Omega Worlds Most Powerful Bike


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Morgan Verkamp, Experienced False Claims Act Litigators
Named "Whistleblower Lawyers of the Year" for 2010 by Taxpayers Against Fraud, we are experienced litigators who bring qui tam cases under the False Claims Act, the IRS whistleblower law, and other federal and state laws for people who report fraud or abuse of the taxpayers by government contractors.
Our lawyers have been deeply involved in these cases for 20 years, with extensive trial and appellate experience. We practice nationwide representing clients knowledgeable about fraud in the health care, military procurement, and pharmaceutical sectors, among others. Courts have published nearly three dozen decisions in our qui tam cases, and our clients, sometimes working with the government and sometimes not, have recovered more than a half-billion dollars for the taxpayers.
On June 1, 2011, the First Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals recognized the importance of applying the False Claims Act to kickbacks paid to doctors, and on January 31, 2011 the Ohio Medicaid Managed Care company CareSource paid $26 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations brought by our clients.
We have earned Martindale Hubbell's highest "AV Preeminent" rating for ability and integrity, as well as a national reputation for capable representation of qui tam whistleblowers. We are accustomed to working with government lawyers and investigators, and regularly work with teams of knowledgeable experts and co-counsel to take on the largest government contractors. Founding partner Frederick Morgan worked in the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. before entering private practice. Our "cases" page describes some of our current and past engagements, which range from detailed metallurgical analysis of critical aircraft parts to teasing apart complex financial arrangements in health care and pharmaceutical companies.
Our lawyers have spoken at False Claims Act seminars dozens of times, have published several law review and periodical articles regarding the Act, and are regularly consulted by journalists and others working to understand the False Claims Act or a particular case. In February 2008, one of our clients testified before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee as the sole whistleblower witness chosen to speak in favor of the False Claims Corrections Act of 2008, most of which became law. We also were asked to prepare a brief to the United States Supreme Court on behalf of the Senator who most strongly supports the False Claims Act.
While most of our practice is in the area of the False Claims Act, we are experienced in other areas of complex litigation, including commercial disputes, maritime personal injury, civil rights, legal malpractice, and franchise issues.


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Liberty News
Spring Break missions trips touch hearts, lives
|Liberty University freshman Ali Hagopian helps at a school in Bosnia during Spring Break.
A total of 101 Liberty University students and 10 faculty and staff members spent Spring Break (March 14-18) helping others around the world by getting involved with the missions opportunities offered by Light Ministries, the short-term ministry department of Liberty's Center for Global Ministries.
This year, Spring Break campaigns included Bosnia, the Czech Republic, Haiti, Slovenia, countries in west Asia, countries of the Pacific Rim, and the Amazon region in Brazil. Students were given a chance to assist in medical clinics, youth ministry, food distribution, extreme sports ministry, teaching English as a second language and service projects.
Freshman Ali Hagopian was part of the Light team that visited war-torn Bosnia where they ministered to cultural Muslims by working with a humanitarian team who organized food distribution to needy families, carnivals for children that promoted health education, as well as school visits to teach English.
"This trip impacted me in ways I cannot explain," she said. "God is doing amazing things in Bosnia and just being there for a short time, I was able to see God working. … I didn't know what to expect, I thought it was going to be like any other missions trip — you go some place, spend a few days sharing Jesus and then come home — but this trip was so much more than that. I was able to really build relationships with the people," she said.
Dr. Ed Smither, director of the M.A. program in intercultural studies at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, led the trip. He said he was most impacted by the daily struggles of Bosnians, especially those who were refugees during the war and now struggle with unemployment and limited opportunities.
"I was reminded in a very tangible way about ministry in the way of Jesus — proclaiming good news with our lips but also caring for the real human needs of the poor, broken and lonely," he said. "Part of our ministry was simply listening to the life stories of those who have suffered greatly and many who have simply been forgotten."
Hagopian said the trip was a very humbling experience for her due to the generosity and hospitality of the families they visited.
Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, led the trip. He said he was most impacted by the daily struggles of Bosnians, especially those who were refugees during the war and now struggle with unemployment and limited opportunities.
|The Bosnia team teaches English at an elementary school.
"To see how little each family had and how much they were willing to offer a stranger in their house was mind blowing. These people are some of the most welcoming and kind souls I have ever met in my entire life. … It was so sad to hear the stories of war, but at the same time so encouraging to see the hope they had been given," she said.
In January, Light Ministries led trips to East Asia and India. Light will lead several more trips in May, to Asia Minor, Ethiopia, France and North Africa, India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
In the past 20 years, Light has conducted more than 220 international evangelistic campaigns involving more than 6,900 students and ministering to more than 3 million people all over the world.
The Center for Global Ministries also offers missions opportunities for high school students through Xtreme Impact and missions internships for college students through LU Abroad. The center also provides missionary mentors for college students through its Next Steps program.


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hi all,
I m student of java and so far i have developed small assignments in java. now i want to make a full application with database connectivity, for that i use eclipse windowBuilder to design front-end. I have created JPanels but don't know how exactly bind them together and how to switch different JPanels in JFrame. Plz anyone suggest me how i should get started with GUI's of my application.
Thanks in advance


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Jake G - Do You Believe In True Love? [User Submitted]
HeadNodMusic Artist "Jake G" Hits You With That Real
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soundcloud.com/headnodmusic email@example.com
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A gay priest in New Jersey has been suspended over his continued support of gay groups and, he says, for expressing support for a woman who was fired from a Catholic high school for marrying her partner.
The Rev. Warren Hall was fired last year as a chaplain at Seton Hall University after posting support online for a group that promotes marriage equality. He was later appointed to a parish in Hoboken, but Hall said Newark Archbishop John Myers suspended him Wednesday.
Newark Archdiocese spokesman James Goodness said that Warren is "not allowed to function as a priest in any way" and that all priests promise "reverence and obedience" to their bishops and support of church teachings.
Attorneys for Kate Drumgoole say Paramus Catholic High School violated the state's anti-discrimination law when it fired her as dean of guidance and head coach of the basketball team in January after learning she was married to a woman. The school said Drumgoole was fired because she's in a same-sex marriage — not because she's gay. A judge last week denied the school's request to dismiss the lawsuit.
Myers said in a statement Wednesday that he supported Paramus Catholic's decision because Drumgoole's same-sex marriage could "create confusion and uncertainty in the moral formation" of students.
Hall told the Religion News Service that his support of Drumgoole was one of the reasons he was suspended.
Hall said last year that he was fired from the Seton Hall job because of a photo he posted on his Facebook page supporting the NOH8 Campaign, an organization that promotes "marriage, gender and human quality." He then publicly announced that he is gay and has kept his vow of celibacy.
Goodness said at the time that Hall was removed from Seton Hall because his assignment was ending but that the social media post was an "area of conflict" because of the group's advocacy for same-sex marriage. The problem was resolved when Hall removed the post from his page, Goodness said.
Photo Credit: Getty Images


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Helping To Support A Quality Athletic Program
The Purple & Gold Club Inc. was founded in the early 1970's by Defiance community members who wanted to provide extra support for all the student-athletes at Defiance College. Since its inception, the club has continually grown and now exceeds 175 members. The club serves to provide both financial assistance and personal support for the entire athletic department. For nearly 41 years, the supporters of the Purple & Gold Club have made Defiance College a better experience for all of the student-athletes.
What Can You Do?
You can play a BIG PART in Yellow Jacket athletics by becoming an active member of the organization while enjoying the special privileges at one of the four membership levels.
Providing A Quality Experience For All Defiance College Student Athletes


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If Rochester Mayor Thomas Richards wins re-election this year, it won't be because he has become a slick politician. His unwillingness to gloss over difficult facts is entirely too rare among elected officials.
This quality was evident in the State of the City address he delivered Monday. While clearly upbeat about the city's progress and future prospects, the mayor was refreshingly blunt about the challenges it faces.
"This is a unique time in the history of our city," he said. "We are seeing a fundamental change in our circumstances. The old politics of making promises and ignoring obvious realities are over. We need a new politics of governing for our city, and we need to begin to remake our city…"
Mr. Richards titled his speech, "Rochester, a City Transformed." But those who imagine he delivered a self-congratulatory litany of achievements in office should take the time to read his remarks.
Many of the changes he describes were not widely welcomed. Rochester, a city built for 330,000 people, now has 210,000 residents. Eastman Kodak Co., once the employer of more than 60,000 people here, now has fewer than 3,500 on its local payroll.
Meanwhile, the city struggles with one of the highest rates of childhood poverty anywhere in the country and a school system unable to graduate even half of its students. These and other local factors, combined with the burden of state mandates, have produced year after year of staggering budget gaps.
"So there is no doubt that we are a city being transformed," Mr. Richards told his listeners. "I say these things, some of which are hard to hear, not to scare or discourage you, but in the firm belief that if we are to take charge of our future, we need to understand and be honest about our present."
A willingness to speak plainly about hard facts is necessary but not sufficient to lead the city. The ability to plan for the future and get things done is essential too. The mayor demonstrates these qualities as well-and contrary to what some believe, his focus is not limited to downtown.
Many people who look at what Rochester is up against fall into despair. Not the mayor. He has a different view: "We decide-you and I-which way (the city's) transformation will go from here."
5/10/13 (c) 2013 Rochester Business Journal. To obtain permission to reprint this article, call 585-546-8303 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Comment a faire l'avortement sans risque avec le misoprostol
If you give us your email we can send you our press releases. These are usually only sent during campaigns. Read more »
In some countries, you might find that the Women on Web website is censored. Here you can read about several ways you… Read more »


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In between Cinco de Mayo parties and the Super Moon this Saturday, will come two minutes when a great many folks will pause, pay attention and cheer: The 138th Kentucky Derby. So don your best hat, make a bet and grab a mint julep (your Cinco de Mayo maragarita will wait) -- here's what you need to know.
How to watch: The Derby will air on NBC. Post time (starting time) is 6.24 p.m. ET, but pre-race coverage begins at 4 p.m. and will the wrap-up will last through 7 p.m. (And if you want to put the event on your 2013 calendar, know that the race is always the first Saturday in May.)
U.S. & World
Who's hot: Bodemeister, trained by three-time Derby winner Bob Baffert, is the current favorite to win with 4-1 odds (which will keep shifting up to race time). The horse is named after Baffert's 7-year-old son Bode; jockey Mike Smith will ride. Union Rags is currently ranked second odds-on favorite at 9-2 in the field of 20 horses. KentuckyDerby.com has a great feature allowing you to click individual jockey silks and pull up profiles of their horses if you want see whom else you can bet on.
Other celebrity draws: Mary J. Blige is scheduled to sing the National Anthem (around 5:10 p.m.), and Eli Manning, who is hosting "Saturday Night Live," is slated to do an interview with Bob Costas sometime during the coverage.
The big picture: The race, staged at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., caps a two-week-long festival of events including the Kentucky Oaks race, Thunder Over Louisville (the largest fireworks display in the U.S.), Great Steamboat Race and the Pegasus Parade (the festival's oldest and founding event featuring floats, marching bands and equestrians – the 2012 Grand Marshall was Cyndi Lauper).
Some trivia to share at your party: The Derby is open to 3-year-old thoroughbred horses and run over a one-and-a-quarter mile track. The purse for the Derby is $2.2 million, with $1.5 million going to the winner. For jockeys, the Kentucky Derby limits their weight (including equipment) to a maximum of 126 lb. In contrast, the average racehorse weighs around 1,200 lb.
Who is where: Kentucky Derby spectators can choose many different vantage points and venues around the track with the two most famous areas being:
The Infield – Often compared to Bourbon Street during New Orleans' Mardi Gras, the Infield has a no-holds-barred party atmosphere. Up to 80,000 revelers pack the area to mingle, drink and listen to live performances. Attire is casual and entry is offered at general admission prices. For all the raucous behavior, it should be noted that spectators in the Infield have a limited view of the race.
Millionaires Row – These expensive box seats located on the fourth and sixth floors of the spectator stand host the rich and famous each year (Queen Elizabeth II attended the Derby in 2007). Seating is available in groups of 2, 4, 6 or 8 per table and the venues offer excellent vantage points to watch the race along with the chance to rub shoulders with attending celebrities.
Dress circle: What you wear is as important as where you watch the race. The Kentucky Derby is an anything goes cavalcade of outsize hats, colorful suits (even for the men!) and eye-grabbing accessories. The general rule of dressing for the Derby is to choose your dress or suit and then match or create your hat with your outfit. Seersucker or khaki is the traditional choice for men when choosing a suit. But as fashion has evolved in everyday life, Derby fashion has followed with attending gentlemen often sporting head-to-toe ensembles in primary or pastel colors. Colorful ties, hats and accessories (such as sunglasses and suspenders) are the way to go for men who want to make a statement without looking like an extra from the "Wizard of Oz."
About those hats: Wearing a hat is believed to bring good luck. In the past, the tradition of donning fashionable headgear belonged to the female attendees, but today men have also taken to topping off their outfits with a matching hat. In the Infield, hats fall more into the zany and outrageous categories, while classic and elegant styles are the norm up in Millionaires Row. Traditionally women opt for wide-brimmed, "Southern Belle" versions, many of which are decorated with feathers, flowers and bows. Look for Kate Middleton's influence in the form of "fascinators," small delicate hats or headpieces often adorned with feathers.
What the jockeys are wearing: The wearing of silk jerseys by jockeys originated in 18th century England as a way of distinguishing which horse belonged to which owner during races. Today, silks can be multi-colored or patterned, and are matched to the horses headgear or mask.
One more tradition: When the horses are led onto the track for the Derby post parade, the band strikes up "My Old Kentucky Home" by Stephen Foster, with attendees breaking into accompanying song.
OK, this part gets its own full section.
The mint julep has been associated with the Kentucky Derby since 1938, when Churchill Downs began promoting the drink. The alcoholic beverage is thought to have originated in the Southern United States in the 18th century and each year around 120,000 are served over the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby.
Derby tradition has the beverage served in a silver or pewter cup, but the majority of juleps available at the race today are dispensed in a tall old-fashioned or highball glasses.
The cocktail is a staple at Churchill Downs year round and is usually concocted with the following ingredients: 3 oz. ounces Bourbon whiskey, 4 to 6 sprigs of fresh mint, simple sugar syrup to taste. Mix and pour over crushed ice. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
Variations include the use of granulated sugar instead of simple syrup. The granulated sugar is muddled with the mint and a small amount of Bourbon before being strained and then mixed with crushed ice and the remaining Bourbon.
For more party recipes, head to our sister site Daily Candy.


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Posts Tagged 'assault weapons'
Speechless and heartbroken
I really wish that my first post back after a rotten week at work that took my time away from writing and breathing and sanity did not have to touch on a tragedy as painful, destructive, and avoidable as the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting, a terrorist attack that targeted the already marginalized, the already vulnerable, the already oppressed LGBT community.
More than 100 people were killed or wounded early this morning by a radicalized excuse for a man whose pathetically easy access to gas-powered rifles of mass destruction was the real root cause of this senseless public health emergency. Yes, it's a fact that we don't take mental health seriously; yes, it's a fact that radicalized Islamic terrorism is a real threat facing the entire world; however, there is no argument that ease of access to guns is the real problem here.
I'll ignore for a moment the despicable reactions across social media, news comment sections, and out of the mouths of our moron politicians and focus entirely on this country's gun fascination… its gun obsession… its apparent desire to bring back some chauvinistic Wild West fantasy that never existed.
It is my belief that the Second Amendment should have been altered when it was first written to state that the right to keep and bear arms applies only to citizens actively serving in militias. Since it doesn't say that, and since case law has seemed to state that people have a right to own guns for any reason, it is not feasible at this point to ban guns outright. There are just too many out there. As a result, the process of buying a gun should be as difficult as possible to stem the embarrassing numbers of firearm homicides, accidents, and suicides in this country, numbers that disgracefully dwarf most other industrialized nations. Thorough background checks, training, psychological testing, and the closing of loopholes are all minimums for the gun purchase requirements I believe should exist.
Why is life, especially for those who love to bloviate about its so-called sanctity, less important than the anachronistic Second Amendment? Why are there so many people in this country who believe that killing with a firearm is a right so sacrosanct, perhaps bestowed by God, that it has no room for limit, common sense, or change of any kind? I have asked anyone who is connected to me on social media and feels this way to just unfriend or block me and save us both the pain and trouble the next time dozens more innocent people are cut down for no reason.
Can you hear my frustration? Can you hear my anguish?
What in the world is wrong with us? Why does nothing ever change?


text: I have a small collection of mainly World War I medals, Trios, Pairs singletons, 14 Star Trios and other groups to mainly Black Watch soldiers. There are also some EVII Long Service Medals. The regiments represented are Black Watch, Royal Scots, Seaforths, KOSB, HLI, scottish rifles, Argylls and some Canadian. Anyone interested may email me at firstname.lastname@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com and I would be happy to send you a list via email. At this time I would prefer to sell the entire lot, failing that I would welcome sensible offers on individual groups.


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It's been a long winter, but soon the weather will warm up and we'll be able to shed our coats and enjoy the spring season. With April Vacation Week just around the corner, don't miss a moment of spring's sunshine by exploring all the activities …Continue Reading Making the Most of a Long-Awaited Massachusetts Spring
Well, the weather is finally starting to get into the spring of things, and with (slightly) warmer temperatures comes outdoor fun! Massachusetts has plenty to offer someone looking to enjoy the great outdoors in springtime. "Methinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my …Continue Reading Our Top Picks: Embracing Spring in Massachusetts
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Boiler Repair Kitts Green
Has your boiler given up on you? Or is a replacement part required to bring your boiler back to life? Whatever the issue you are experiencing with your boiler Boilers Worcester specialise in boiler repair Kitts Green.
Boiler repairs come in different shapes and sizes. Instead of purchasing your home a brand new boiler a boiler repair Kitts Green can save you a lot of money. It really is a frustrating time when your boiler turns faulty, no matter how new your boiler is or how well you look after it sometimes they become faulty due to how much they do. A boiler heats up your home and produces hot water, if your boiler is failing to work how it should be then a boiler repair is required.
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Asian millionaires are leaving behind wealth managers and others who seek to handle their funds for them as instead they take the reins themselves. They've lost confidence in not just private banks but also investment products amid low returns since the market woes of 2008, and instead would rather rely on their own acumen to keep and grow their money.
So said a Bloomberg report on Wednesday, which said that money managers at banks in Asia only had control over 4% of client funds. That, according to a Boston Consulting Group report in June, was down from 7% in 2006. Europe, on the other hand, relies on money managers to handle 23% of its wealth, up from 18% in 2006.
Report co-author Peter Damisch, a Zurich-based BCG partner and managing director, was quoted saying about the decline, "Asia's wealthy lost a lot of trust in their private banks and private bankers during the 2008 financial crisis."
That's bad news for large wealth management firms that have expanded in Asia even as the wealthy are pulling away from them. Profits are down on a steadily falling pool of assets under management just as companies have spent considerable funds in an effort to attract larger clients and more AUM.
For HSBC Holdings, it has translated to lower earnings in 2011 than it had in 2007, despite the fact that its private bank managed 25% more assets in the Asia-Pacific region in 2011 than it did in 2007. Its annual reports have revealed that the private bank's net operating income for local operations in 2007 was $748 million on $26.7 billion in assets. However, in 2011, its net operating income for local operations dropped despite a rise in AUM to $33.5 billion, coming in at only $712 million.
So HSBC's private bank took in 25% less in 2011, excluding expenses, than it did in 2007, for earnings of $2.10 for every $100 in assets that it managed in the region.
Akbar Shah, head of Southeast Asia and Australia for Citigroup's private-banking unit, said in the report that the Asia-Pacific region's accumulation of wealth is one reason the high net worth want to control their own funds.
He was quoted saying, "The culture of Asia is such that clients are far more hands-on. Many of them have made a lot of money in the real estate markets in Asia, and these are hands-on markets," he added. "Nobody can tell you—you need a feel for it."
Another reason cited by Enrico Mattoli, who heads investment products and services for the richest clients of UBS AG's Asia-Pacific wealth management unit, is the desire for high returns.
Many Asian millionaires are self-made; they are not the beneficiaries of a wealthy lineage. And after having grown their own fortunes, they have an appetite for aggressive growth, according to a March report by Standard Chartered and Scorpio Partnership—looking for annual returns of at least 12% over the next 10 years, according to the report's survey results that spanned nine different Asian markets that included including China, India, Singapore and Hong Kong. Before the financial meltdown in 2008, private bankers' Asian clients, according to Liew Nam Soon, a Singapore-based partner at Ernst & Young, were sold products with high fees and commissions attached. Among those products were derivatives with high returns as long as stock prices rose; once stocks fell, the derivatives sank.
Shah said that historically, Citigroup's private bank's annual returns have averaged between 8% and 12% since the mid-1980s, when adjusted for inflation. Neither Citigroup nor its competitors UBS and Credit Suisse provide private bank revenue according to geography.
Charles Bok, CEO of the Singapore unit of Reyl & Cie, a Swiss wealth manager, said in the report that banks are less profitable because HNW Asian clients negotiate with money managers to lower their fees. Since the private bankers advise multiple customers and are not solely responsible for client portfolios, the HNW have the upper hand in the negotiations. BCG estimates that ROA for private banks in Asia in 2011 was 65 basis points; in Europe private banks took in 73 basis points.
Millionaires look on wealth managers with reserve. Asian millionaire Easaw Thomas, who lives in Singapore and handles most of his own money, was quoted saying, "There is a disparity between banks' income requirements and clients' interest. My general impression, after many rounds of disappointing performance, is that private bankers cannot be your lifeline."
Thomas, who has used private banks since the 1980s, "grew up with little money in the house but after making money in real estate, allows wealth managers to handle less than 10% of his fortune and does not give his bankers full discretion over what they do manage. "They are essentially like secretaries who help facilitate a trade that you may want to make," he said in the report. "I want complete control."
Another HNW Singaporean, Clinton Ang, manages nearly $80 million for himself and three siblings, and said after firing two bankers and cutting the amount of family money handled by professionals to under 5%. Three years ago he used money managers for 25%. He was quoted saying, "I am very open to private banks for their propositions, but I want them to be relevant. We felt we could do better ourselves."
Ang also said that he asks bankers whether they themselves have invested in the products they recommend, adding, "They need to be joint stakeholders. Otherwise it'll be like selling me a vitamin that you don't take yourself."


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Export 34 results:Author [ Title] Type Year
Filters: Author is Gonçalo Cardoso [Clear All Filters]
ROMDST - An Optimal Design Support Tool for Remote, Resilient, and Reliable Microgrids, Phase II - Final Report. 2018..
"Rural electrification and capacity expansion with an integrated modeling approach." Renewable Energy 115 (2018) 509-520..
"Security-Constrained Design of Isolated Multi-Energy Microgrids." IEEE Transactions on Power Systems 33.3 (2017) 2452 - 2462. LBNL-2001061..
"Smart buildings with electric vehicle interconnection as buffer for local renewables?." Researching the Intelligent City: Key Challenges of Integrating Urban Energy and Mobility Systems Research Symposium. Berlin, Germany : LBNL, 2011. LBNL-4921E..
"A Stochastic Optimal Power Flow for Scheduling Flexible Resources in Microgrids Operation." Applied Energy Nov 2018 (2018)..
"Stochastic Programming of Vehicle to Building Interactions with Uncertainty in PEVs Driving for a Medium Office Building." 39th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society . Vienna, Austria, 2013. LBNL-6416E..
"Value Streams in Microgrids: A Literature Review." Applied Energy 162 (2016) 980-989. LBNL-1003608..
"Web-Based Economic and Environmental Optimization of Microgrids." 2012 IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference. Washington Marriott Wardman Park, Washington D.C., USA, 2012. LBNL-6354E..


text:
Okay, so my plan really starts on Sunday, so it really should be called "Menu Plan Sunday". It just sounds so much better when you say "Menu Plan Monday". Don't you think? Whatever. Hockey is ramping up, fall is here, the busy season is among us. This usually means Mom runs around like a chicken with her head cut off. Jon had his first set of 2 scrimmages this morning beginning at 7:40 AM. Yes, I said AM. Yes, it is Sunday. 7:40 is actually not early when you are talking about hockey and ice time schedules. You want early? How about having to be at the rink at 5:30 AM? Thank goodness the rink is 5 minutes from our house and that is where we usually play or have practice.
Jon goes Wednesday morning to get this current cast off. Thank God. If you have any idea how bad hockey equipment smells, then you know what his cast smells like. No, I am not getting my nose up real close like and smelling it. I can smell it from the other side of the room. Okay, so it isn't that bad. But, if you sit close enough to him on the couch you can detect an odd odor coming from his area. Hopefully he won't have to get a new cast. That will all really depend on what the x-rays show. At the very least, if he does have to get a new cast, at least it won't stink right away. Give him a few weeks to stink it up really good.
Somehow this chatter isn't getting me any closer to my menu plan. Sorry. The 2 glasses of Cabernet I had probably aren't helping matters. They did help me relax. 🙂 So, simple is my theme this week. No complicated or "new" menu items. Can't handle it this week. Will I bake? Proabably b/c I have to get my sweet fix and I ran out of my Trader Joe's Chocolate Meringue Cookies and TJ's is too far away. Also, my Edy's Slow-Churned Pumpkin Ice Cream is almost gone. Yeah, I could get more. Wal-Mart up the street carries it. Do I really need it? Ask me tomorrow. Today my sweet treat was a Heath Bar. YUM! I haven't had one since last Halloween. I had the full-size baby too! I considered having half after lunch and then half after dinner and then reasoned with myself that I deserved the whole thing (went to the gym this AM) and that if I ate all the calories right then after lunch, I had a better chance of burning them off the rest of the day. Like my reasoning? Works for me.
Here we go:
Sunday ~ Burgers (with mushroom, bacon & cheddar), sweet potato fries, broccoli & salad
Monday ~ Grilled Garlic & Dill Salmon, brown rice or quinoa, roasted brussel sprouts for moi, mixed veggies for the picky ones
Tuesday ~ Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts, spaghetti squash, sauteed snow peas in sesame oil & salad
Wednesday ~ out with Inlaws for FIL's b-day
Thursday ~ Apricot Glazed Pork Loin, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Brussel Sprouts & Salad
Friday ~ Homemade Pizza with Fenster's Crust (topped with veggies for me & pepperoni for the kids & DH), steamed carrots & salad.
Saturday ~ Sweet & Sour Chicken with broccoli & brown rice.
Baked Goodies
Work on creating a Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread or Muffin
Chocolate Crinkles
Some kind of Coffee Cake for Jon
bagels from Pamela's Mix
Pamela's Bread (baking right now..YUM)
Don't forget to check out GF Goodness for more GF menu plans. Thanks Cheryl for hosting. 🙂 Also, you can check out Org Junkie for even more menu plans, GF and not GF.
Filed under: Family, Gluten-Free, Gluten-free Products | Tagged: Gluten-Free, menu plan | 2 Comments »


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Stylish and versatile.
Compact Cars
Editor: New Car Test Drive
$19,770 Base Price MSRP
$23,325 As Tested MSRP
Model Lineup: "Nissan Juke S ($19,770), S AWD ($21,420); Juke SV ($21,080), SV AWD ($23,230); Juke SL ($23,400), SL AWD ($25,550)"
Standard Engine: 1.6-liter dual-overhead cam 16-valve turbocharged I4
Engine Options: 188-hp 1.6-liter I4
Standard Transmission: 6-speed manual
Transmission Options: 6-speed manual; CVT continuously variable transmission
Basic Warranty: "3 years/36,000 miles"
Assembled In: "Oppama, Japan"
Model Tested MSRP: "Nissan Juke SV FWD ($21,080)"
Standard Equipment: "manually adjusted front seats with Suede-Tricot cloth upholstery, automatic air conditioning, I-CON system with sport and economy modes, six-speaker audio with single CD, XM satellite radio with three-month subscription, auxiliary input and Bluetooth connectivity, power windows, mirrors and locks, proximity key with pushbutton start, cruise control, leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel with audio controls, overhead map lights, one 12-volt power point, 60/40 fold-flat rear seat, cargo light, rear privacy glass, 17-inch alloy wheels"
Options As Tested: "Sport Package ($1,310) includes rear-spoiler, Gunmetal wheels and stainless-steel exhaust finisher; carpeted floor mats ($175)"
Standard Safety Equipment: "front-impact airbags, front passenger side-impact airbags, full-cabin head-protection curtains, vehicle dynamic control (VDC), anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), tire-pressure monitor"
Optional Safety Equipment: rearview cameraDestination Charge: $760
The Juke was introduced as a 2011 model, so the 2012 Juke is unchanged. The Juke is built on Nissan's global B platform, proven with familiar cars like the Versa hatchback and sedan.
The 2012 Nissan Juke is offered in three trim levels, with front- or all-wheel drive, and it's available with high-end features like a Rockford-Fosgate powered subwoofer and navigation with XM traffic reporting.
The name Juke is supposed to suggest flitting around town, as a boxer might juke around the ring, and the Nissan Juke does just that. Juke's styling is aggressively quirky. It's built on a short, 96-inch wheelbase, making it agile for juking around town.
Juke's steering is responsive, and it sticks nicely to pavement on winding roads. Yet its short wheelbase, suspension tuning and relatively large 17-inch wheels combine for a ride the calls out every undulation. It's not sharp or harsh so much as bouncy. When you're driving the Juke over bumps you're fully aware you're in a tight little car.
Juke's 1.6-liter turbocharged direct-injection engine generates a lot of power for its diminutive size, giving it peppy performance. The engine delivers 188 horsepower, 177 pound-feet of torque and brisk acceleration.
The continuously variable transmission, or CVT, is one of the best examples of this technology to date. It can be used like an automatic, shifted into Drive and forgotten, or shifted manually with six speed ranges that sharpen performance. A 6-speed manual gearbox is available for models with front-wheel drive. The manual transmission wrings out the quickest acceleration and best fuel economy, but we found it also emphasizes torque steer and the raucous quality of the engine.
All-wheel drive (AWD) gives the Juke all-season capability though it reduces fuel economy slightly. Juke AWD only comes with the CVT.
Fuel economy ratings for all Jukes are lower than those of the competition. The Juke gets an EPA-estimated 27/32 mpg City/Highway with front-wheel drive and the CVT or 25/31 mpg with the manual transmission. With all-wheel drive, Juke is rated 25/30 mpg. Premium gasoline is recommended.
The Juke seats five, though there isn't much legroom in the back seats. The rear seat is split 60/40 and folds flat. And that's the best configuration: using the Juke as a two-seater with a lot of cargo space.
We found the front seats comfortable while driving about. The fabric is sporty in the Juke SV, while the leather in the Juke SL is impressive. The center console design is inspired by a motorcycle gas tank, and its hard plastic trim is painted a glossy silver or deep metallic red. It's distinctive, and cool.
The Juke competes in one of the fastest growing chunks of the new vehicle market. Juke front-wheel-drive models go head to head with the Kia Soul, while Juke AWD squares off with the Suzuki SX4, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The stylish Juke can also be compared with the more expensive Mini Cooper Countryman ALL4."
"The 2012 Nissan Juke is available in eight variants, with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive and a 6-speed manual or CVT automatic. All Jukes are powered by a 188-horspepower, 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
Juke S ($19,770) comes with the CVT, cloth upholstery, air conditioning, power windows, power locks and mirrors, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels and a six-speaker stereo with single CD, XM satellite radio hardware, auxiliary input jack and Bluetooth connectivity. The Juke S AWD ($21,430) adds the all-wheel drive system, which comes with the CVT in all trim levels.
Juke SV ($21,080) and SV AWD ($23,230) upgrade with a more plush fabric upholstery, power moonroof, rear privacy glass, automatic temperature control, proximity key with pushbutton ignition, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and the integrated control (I-CON) system with Sport, Normal and Eco modes for programming engine, transmission and steering response . The front-drive SV comes with the 6-speed manual, though the CVT ($500) is available. The optional navigation package ($800) includes a five-inch screen, upgraded speakers with a powered subwoofer and a USB connection.
Juke SL ($23,400) and SL AWD ($25,550) include the navigation package, and include leather upholstery, heated front seats, a rearview camera and foglights. The front-drive SL comes with the manual or CVT ($500). Options include a Chrome Package ($540), Interior Illumination Package ($490) and a Sport Package ($1,310), which adds a rear spoiler, stainless steel exhaust finisher and Gunmetal wheels.
Safety equipment on all Jukes includes front-impact airbags, front passenger side-impact airbags, full cabin head protection curtains, Nissan's Vehicle Dynamic Control, or stability control, antilock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), and a tire-pressure monitor. The rearview camera is available only on the SL."
Walk Around
"Pretty, the Nissan Juke isn't, but it certainly shouts for attention. We'd call it cute, in an ugly duckling sort of way. It's a functional, practical package in a compact vehicle that stands out in the crowd.
The Juke is a small vehicle, with about the same footprint as the subcompact Ford Fiesta. Juke is substantially shorter in length than the subcompact Nissan Versa, though the Juke is slightly wider. Juke's exterior dimensions closely match similarly conceived crossovers like the Kia Soul and Mini Cooper Countryman.
There are lots of trendy themes in this so-called sport cross. From the side, especially the window outlines, the Juke appears to have borrowed from the reverse-wedge Soul. There's a family resemblance to the Nissan Murano and Infiniti FX, and from some angles you can also see the Infiniti G sedan. The Juke's taillights borrow their boomerang shape from the Nissan 370Z sports car. The camouflaged rear door handles, which we like, might fool you into thinking Juke is a two-door. There's a raked windshield, high beltline and broad shoulders.
The Juke also has design cues that shout originality. Its nose is full of circles, namely the big round headlights inspired by rally lights, and fog lights in the air dam. Nissan calls the amber running lights and turn signals integrated, but we'd argue that definition. They're slapped onto the tops of the fenders like barnacles.
Hyper-aggressive edged fender flares outline big wheel arches and suggest room for monster tires, making the standard 17-inch wheels look small. The 12-spoke wheels are fancy (not a bad thing) for a little car, but still lost in the cavern. The conspicuously high ground clearance adds to this effect.
The Juke looks best in the metallic charcoal brown, with gold specs in the paint catching the sun. There's also a nice metallic blue, and four different shades of gray. The optional Gunmetal finish wheels emphasize the somber effect, while the optional chrome package counteracts it."
"The Juke offers more comfort and space inside than its compact exterior suggests. It's stylish (and dare we say a bit unusual), but its unique design features don't come at the expense of easy operation or practical function. Its overall finish is decent.
The weak link inside is the plastics. The door panels and dash covering are hard, scratchy and hollow-sounding. They're sturdy, and probably durable, but you can do better in this price range when it comes to appearance and pleasant surface feel. The decorative trim is even harder plastic, though it's painted deep and glossy in either silver or candy-apple red depending on the color scheme, and it looks terrific.
The seating position is high, and that affords good forward visibility. There's also a good view in the mirror through the rear glass. If it looks like it should be pinched, there's no problem. It can get a bit noisy in the Juke, especially when it's powerful little engine is working hard, but the standard audio system is up to the task, masking the noise at fairly low volume without sounding tinny.
The gear-shift is set fairly high, rally car style, and the seats are comfortable in either grade of fabric or the superb optional leather. The fabric looks best in dark charcoal, and the leather in a rich brown. There's good bolstering that does its best to keep the driver's body in place, but the suspension allows a lot of upper body sway, or head toss, as it used to be called in the older Jeep Cherokees.
The gauges behind the steering wheel are good: black faces, white lettering, red needles, with brushed aluminum-like rings around the speedometer and tach. A range of useful information can be displayed in a little window between them. We like this feature, until recently reserved for much more expensive vehicles, but there's a problem in the Juke. In order to scroll for info, you have to reach buttons near the display, sort of like the trip-odo reset buttons most drivers are familiar with. That means either sticking your right arm between the steering-wheel spokes or wrapping it around the wheel while you're driving. The Juke isn't the only car with this poor design, but a scroll button on one of the spokes would sure be helpful.
The center stack is nice and big and wide, more like a square with rounded corners. At the top sits the audio system, or the optional navigation package and its 5-inch screen. All the buttons, knobs and dials allow simple, low-distraction function. Below are the climate controls on base models, or the I-CON (for integrated controls) system on all other Juke models. Think of I-CON as a central command center and display, adopting different display colors and functions depending on how it's used. In climate mode, the display shows the interior temperature settings, and the buttons control air-flow preferences. In D-Mode, the buttons change the three driving modes (Econ, Normal or Sport), while the display shows engine- and drive-related information.
The small screen shows turbo boost or g forces measured by the on-board accelerometer in Sport mode, and engine torque in Normal. It took a while to figure out what was showing in Eco mode. Our best guess is that it tells you how far your foot is down on the gas pedal, and it's useless. You don't need to take your eyes off the road and refocus them on a small screen down at the bottom of the center stack to know that.
We played with the navigation a bit, and we liked the way it gives ample notice before a turn. It wasn't challenged much, to be sure, because our route kept us on one highway, and a waterway, which the navigation lady who lives in the center stack couldn't see. Stay on the road for 28 miles, she said, as the ferry pulled away from the dock and headed 28 miles across the water.
Nissan says the center console was inspired by a motorcycle gas tank. Fair enough. It's awfully pretty, and it adds shape and contour to the car's interior, as opposed to the more typical, long box with levers and crannies on it. The Juke's console is a shapely tube, painted that rich, glossy finish. It begins at the bottom of the wide center stack, where the shift lever rises out the top. From there ii flows down and back and narrows, with a long black E-brake lever on the left and two cupholders and a coin holder on the right, before ending with an open bin between the seatbacks.
The Juke is a 5-seater, and the back seat works fine for kids into their early teens. Not surprisingly, there isn't much legroom in the rear seat, only 32.1 inches. Three people back here will be squeezed in every direction but up, and maybe up. too, if any of the three are taller than six feet.
With the rear seat up, there is 10.5 cubic feet of cargo space, comparable to a fairly small trunk. When the 60/40 rear seat is folded flat, which it does with one motion, there's a lot more room for stuff: 35.9 cubic feet. That's plenty of boxes or luggage, and slightly more room than you'll get in Nissan's Versa hatchback. On the other hand, there's quite bit less space in the Juke than in the comparable Kia Soul (50.4 cubic feet), and less than what's available is some compact five-door sedans like the Ford Focus (44.4).
When it comes to storage, front-drive Jukes add a secret stash that isn't available in all-wheel-drive models. There's an extra bin under the load floor, with a couple of cubic feet of empty space that's occupied by running gear and suspension attachments on AWD Jukes."
Driving Impressions
"The Nissan Juke is a fun car to drive, in a jaunty, engaging way. Its modestly-sized engine is strong, made more powerful and efficient with direct gasoline injection, and acceleration is good. Its ride is fairly compliant but a bit bouncy, and that translates to some side-to-side body movement. Yet its steering response can be sharp, and it sticks to the pavement nicely. The NISMO performance-tuned variant, expected for 2013, offers genuine promise for enthusiast drivers.
The 1.6-liter turbocharged engine isn't new, but this is its first use in the United States. It accelerates convincingly up to 6400 rpm, where the rev limiter gently chokes the engine. Nissan claims that the full 177 foot-pounds of torque is available at 2000 rpm, and we trust they have charts from an engine dynamometer that say so. But there's a lot lost in the translation to the seat of a driver's pants, for example through the transmission. All we know is that when you floor it and watch the tach climb, you feel the strongest surge at about 3500 rpm. And when you floor it in a high gear at 2000 rpm, it feels like the torque stayed back there on the dyno bench.
This discrepancy is more pronounced with the CVT automatic. The six-speed manual still delivers the best acceleration, once you have the right gear. Yet the manual has its drawbacks. For one thing, there's torque steer (a sideways tug on the steering wheel) that doesn't exist with the CVT model under hard acceleration. For another, there's more noise, vibration and harshness in the Juke when a driver is working up and down through the gears with the manual.
We're still impressed by the responsiveness of the CVT. Technically, a CVT does not shift in steps like a conventional transmission, because its power transfer ratio varies constantly, keeping an optimum level for the engine and road speed. Yet the Juke CVT has six defined ranges, like speeds, and each can be selected manually. That makes a big difference in a small, lively car.
In a vehicle with a relatively short wheelbase, the cabin is going to feel the bumps more. In the Juke, you maybe feel them a little bit more than that. They're not sharp or harsh, but they are plentiful, and that translates into something the feels like sway or movement of the body. We'd call it a bit of flop more than discomfort. And still the Juke steers nicely in most circumstances, with accuracy and quick response, and It hugs every bit of the road. Its tires have a nice, large footprint for a car its size, and that has something to do with it.
The I-CON system, standard in all but the base Juke S, gives you three modes: Sport, Normal and Eco. Each mode changes the settings for steering effort and throttle (how much power for a given dip of the pedal). There's a noticeable performance difference between modes, especially with the CVT automatic, because with it I-CON changes the transmission's behavior as well.
Sport mode makes the gas pedal more responsive to movement, changes ranges in transmission more readily and makes the steering feel sharper. In Eco mode, the gas pedal is less responsive, the transmission works to optimize fuel economy rather than acceleration, and the sharp cornering gets duller. Don't expect immediate acceleration on a freeway in Eco mode, although you could hum along at 65 mph with the cruise control set, no worries. And if you're lightfooting it around town, Eco mode is great.
We didn't have a chance to test the traction in ice and snow, but we like the way the all-wheel drive works. Experience suggests that it will be a boon in sloppy conditions. The Juke's all-wheel drive is torque vectoring, meaning that it not only shifts power between the front and rear wheels, but also between the left or right wheels, as needed. This system can actually help rotate the vehicle through a curve and keep it tracking on the path determined by the steering.
There are paybacks with the all-wheel drive, of course. The Juke AWD has a smaller fuel tank than FWD models, because the all-wheel-drive mechanicals occupy some of the space used by the standard gas tank (11.8 gallons vs. the front-drive model's 13.2-gallon tank). Thus, the all-wheel-drive models have a shorter range.
They also get lower mileage. The AWD Juke is government-rated at 25 mpg City and 30 Highway, which is about what we got; closer to 25, actually, in the real world. That's not bad for all-wheel drive, and comparable to the similarly capable Mini Cooper Countryman. The FWD Juke is rated at 27 City, 32 Highway with the CVT. That's less than Nissan's Versa hatchback (28/34 mpg), and substantially less than one of Juke's obvious competitors, the Kia Soul (29/36)."
"The Nissan Juke is a cross between a sporty compact and a tiny SUV. Juke is charming, unique and engaging, and it accelerates in lively fashion. Its ride quality can be a little disconcerting, depending on where you drive. If mileage is a crucial consideration, a buyer can do better for less. The Juke will play well with those who put a premium on shout-out styling and visceral excitement. Those who put a premium on refinement and smooth ride might look elsewhere.
Sam Moses reported from Vancouver, British Columbia; with J.P. Vettraino reporting from Detroit."
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