Jennifer Hegarty Assoc. AIA of Boscawen and Watershed Studio Architecture in White River Junction, Vt. won the "emerging professionals" award for this redevelopment concept for a building in Franklin.(COURTESY)

HONORABLE MENTION AND PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD: RESIDENTIAL Stone Fence Farm, Salisbury. Architect: Bonin Architects & Associates, New London. Photographer: John W. Hession, Dorchester.

HONORABLE MENTION Private Residence, Sunapee. Architect: Cowan Goudreau Architects, Concord. Photographer: Duene Cowan, Cowan Goudreau Architects, Concord.

RICK AND DUFFY MONAHON AWARD FOR DESIGN EXCELLENCE IN ARCHITECTURAL RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION Colony Hall Renovation, MacDowell Colony, Peterborough. Architect: Sheldon Pennoyer Architects, Concord, NH Photographer: Sheldon Pennoyer AIA, Concord.

MERIT AWARD Bush Center & Ketchum Library, University of New England, Biddeford, Maine. Architect: JSA Inc., Portsmouth. Photographer: Rob Karosis, Rollinsford.

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD: COMMERCIAL Smuttynose Brewery, Hampton. McHenry Architecture PLLC, Portsmouth. Photographer: David J. Murray, Clear Eye Photo, New Castle.

HONORABLE MENTION Meservey Hall Renovation and Addition, New Hampton School, New Hampton. Architect: Samyn DElia Architects, PA, Ashland. Photographer: Joseph St. Pierre Photography, Concord.

MERIT AWARD Clearview Lake Retreat, Lake Winnepocket. Architect: Bonin Architects & Associates PLLC, New London. Photographer: John. W. Hession, Dorchester.

MERIT AWARDIDEXX Synergy Center, Westbrook, Maine.Architect: Lavallee Brensinger Architects, Manchester. Photographer: Siri Blanchette/Blind Dog Photo Associates, Portsmouth.

HONOR AWARD Anderson Hall Performing Arts Center Addition and Renovation, Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro. Architect: Scott Simons Architects, Portland, Maine. Photographer: Robert Benson Photography, Hartford, Conn.

The rest is here:
AIA names winners of 2015 Excellence in Design Awards

When it comes to investing, it can be easy to bury our noses in balance sheets, cash flow statements, and analyst ratings while trying to divine the next homerun stock. In the process, we often forget that companies are real, tangible things run by real people.

What a business looks like on paper matters up to a point. However, there is no substitute to knowing who is actually running the companies that we own. Over the years, a few CEOs have demonstrated their ability to focus on what really matters and translated their unique vision into profitable investments for shareholders.

Below, Motley Fool contributors highlight three such leaders and what made them stand apart. Read on to see why Elon Musk of Tesla ,Howard Schultz of Starbucks , and Robert Iger of Disney have been true architects of success for their companies.

Tim Beyers (Disney) : In March, Disney will celebrate 10 years with Bob Iger at the helm.

Plenty has changed since the dark days of 2005. Back then, the late Roy Disney had been leading a campaign to " Save Disney " from Michael Eisner, a long-tenured but controversial mogul. Iger stepped in to replace Eisner as CEO, kicking off one of the most transformative decades in Disney's 92-year history.

DIS data by YCharts

Iger deserves much of the credit for these gains. After all, he and his team are the ones who convinced the board at Disney to spend nearly $16 billion to acquire Pixar Animation (2006), Marvel Entertainment (2009), and Lucasfilm (2012), effectively securing a top position in young boys entertainment after years of appealing mostly to girls. Consumer products sales are up materially as a result -- from $2.215 billion in fiscal 2005 to $3.985 billion in fiscal 2014, according to datasupplied by S&P Capital IQ .

Disney is also spending less and doing more at the box office. Operating margin in the Studio Entertainment Group is up from 2.76% in fiscal 2005 to 21.28% last year on the strength of two Marvel movies . Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy combined for over $1.48 billion in global box office receipts and nearly $400 million in estimated gross profit.

Mix in a profitable Interactive Division producing hit games such as Disney Infinity , a dominant and growing Parks group , and strong Cable results from the likes of ESPN, and you have the makings of one of the most impressive media empires in the world.

Not bad for a business that, just ten years ago, needed saving. Iger has done that and more.

Excerpt from:
Architects of Success: 3 Leaders Who Started With a Vision and Built an Empire

No home is complete without siding. This protective layer serves as a coat of arms against the elements and defines the aesthetic look of your home. Siding installations are also one of the most common renovation projects across the country, increasing your property's value and overall longevity.

Contact our siding installation contractors to get siding prices in your area and free estimates.

Like most remodeling options, the available selection of siding types has evolved over the years. Theres traditional hardwood siding, a frequent addition to homes spanning from over a century ago. Engineered wood siding is an eco-friendly variation of this, as is fiber cement, which is stronger and straighter than its traditional counterpart. Siding materials vary from clapboard to stone to stucco, addressing a myriad of homeowner needs in relation to appearance, quality, price, and durability.

Whether its replacing a window, refacing a fireplace, or installing paving stones, you need to know about pricing, timing, and your options. CalFinder has written articles on the various home topics.

CalFinders siding installers understand the specificity of every home, ensuring that your siding is installed without cracks, dents, or other imperfections. Weve personally checked the work of each contractor, requiring adherence to high standards in quality and customer service. Our independent, third party screening system involves an in-depth check of current license and insurance, personal interviews with 10 previous clients, and ongoing monitoring for complete customer satisfaction.

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Siding installation - Home Improvement Ideas, Pictures ...

Even in a part of the world where tangled alliances are as common as sweet tea, one would be hard-pressed to find a country where the same few sweltering square miles house the sprawling operations hub for a huge U.S.-led air war and provide plush sanctuary to the likes of the Taliban and Hamas, both deemed terrorist groups by Washington.

Perched on a tiny peninsula protruding into the Persian Gulf, Qatar is dwarfed by neighbors such as Saudi Arabia, but has displayed outsize foreign policy ambitions, with the ripple effects of its immense natural gas wealth being felt from the mosque minaret to the executive suite, and on battlegrounds from Libya to Syria and beyond.

The emirate's goal may have been to heighten its influence and prestige by extending a cordial hand to all, but falconry-loving Qatar has lately seen its wings clipped, facing bruising rebukes from its powerful neighbors and Egypt over its long-standing support of Islamist groups, some of them militant ones.

Qatari officials used to have a favorite phrase, that the emirate was punching above its weight. Now the watchwords may be more along the lines of quiet retrenchment.

Amid what had become a rapidly deepening diplomatic isolation in the region, Qatar has scrambled to get back in the good graces of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and to mend fences with Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country and its traditional intellectual center.

The emirate has made symbolic steps such as the never formally acknowledged ejection of seven Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood figures, who departed in September for Turkey. It has also moved to stem the flow of funds from wealthy private donors to extremist militantgroups, some via what had heretofore been lightly regulated charities.

Neighbors Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which had withdrawn their ambassadors in a highly public sign of strong displeasure, announced two months ago that they would send their envoys back.

Egyptian officials suggest that President Abdel Fattah Sisi, who was infuriated by Qatar's support for toppled Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, may soon be ready to resume high-level contacts. The likelihood of rapprochement increased recently after Qatar acceded to Cairo's demands to shut down the Brotherhood-boosting Egyptian arm of the emirate's flagship broadcaster Al Jazeera, itself conceived as a projection of Qatari power and prestige, but whose influence has waned in recent years.

Despite conciliatory gestures, however, analysts say Qatar has not wavered in its core belief that political Islam the view that austere Muslim teachings should guide all aspects of society remains the prime long-term force in the region.

Qatar has faced Western pressure over material support it has provided for some radical factions battling Syrian President Bashar Assad, including Al Qaeda-linked Al Nusra Front, and for siding with a self-proclaimed but not internationally recognized Libyan government aligned with Islamist militias from the western city of Misurata.

More:
Qatar's ties to militants complicate relations with U.S., neighbors

Even in a part of the world where tangled alliances are as common as sweet tea, one would be hard-pressed to find a country where the same few sweltering square miles house the sprawling operations hub for a huge U.S.-led air war and provide plush sanctuary to the likes of the Taliban and Hamas, both deemed terrorist groups by Washington.

Perched on a tiny peninsula protruding into the Persian Gulf, Qatar is dwarfed by neighbors such as Saudi Arabia, but has displayed outsize foreign policy ambitions, with the ripple effects of its immense natural gas wealth being felt from the mosque minaret to the executive suite, and on battlegrounds from Libya to Syria and beyond.

The emirate's goal may have been to heighten its influence and prestige by extending a cordial hand to all, but falconry-loving Qatar has lately seen its wings clipped, facing bruising rebukes from its powerful neighbors and Egypt over its long-standing support of Islamist groups, some of them militant ones.

Qatari officials used to have a favorite phrase, that the emirate was punching above its weight. Now the watchwords may be more along the lines of quiet retrenchment.

Amid what had become a rapidly deepening diplomatic isolation in the region, Qatar has scrambled to get back in the good graces of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and to mend fences with Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country and its traditional intellectual center.

The emirate has made symbolic steps such as the never formally acknowledged ejection of seven Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood figures, who departed in September for Turkey. It has also moved to stem the flow of funds from wealthy private donors to extremist militantgroups, some via what had heretofore been lightly regulated charities.

Neighbors Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which had withdrawn their ambassadors in a highly public sign of strong displeasure, announced two months ago that they would send their envoys back.

Egyptian officials suggest that President Abdel Fattah Sisi, who was infuriated by Qatar's support for toppled Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, may soon be ready to resume high-level contacts. The likelihood of rapprochement increased recently after Qatar acceded to Cairo's demands to shut down the Brotherhood-boosting Egyptian arm of the emirate's flagship broadcaster Al Jazeera, itself conceived as a projection of Qatari power and prestige, but whose influence has waned in recent years.

Despite conciliatory gestures, however, analysts say Qatar has not wavered in its core belief that political Islam the view that austere Muslim teachings should guide all aspects of society remains the prime long-term force in the region.

Qatar has faced Western pressure over material support it has provided for some radical factions battling Syrian President Bashar Assad, including Al Qaeda-linked Al Nusra Front, and for siding with a self-proclaimed but not internationally recognized Libyan government aligned with Islamist militias from the western city of Misurata.

See the original post here:
Qatar's ties to militants complicate relations with US, neighbors

A Career in Roofing (JTJS1Revised2015)
In this story we discover what the career prospects are like and what the job entails in the roofing Industry in New Zealand.

By: Dave Mason

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A Career in Roofing (JTJS1Revised2015) - Video

Metal Roofing Round Hill VA
This video is Metal Roofing Round Hill VA by Alpha Metal Roofing. I will be adding more text as to what this video pertains soon, Please check us out online ...

By: Alpha Rain Metal Roofing

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Metal Roofing Round Hill VA - Video

ARCM Roofing Highlands Ranch Roofing Contractor - 303-306-8334
We are excited to announce, drone technology has been introduced to the ARCM team! Each drone is equipped with a digital camera to provide clients with a high quality overview of every inch...

By: ARCM Roofing Inc.

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ARCM Roofing Highlands Ranch Roofing Contractor - 303-306-8334 - Video

Slate roofing project carried out by D C Roofing Blackpool
Slate roofing project carried out by D C Roofing Blackpool https://twitter.com/blackpoolroofer https://www.facebook.com/rooferblackpool http://www.blackpoolroofer.com/

By: David Pearce

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Slate roofing project carried out by D&C Roofing Blackpool - Video

"It's very comparable to last year and within a few hundred people, so overall we feel good about the event," St. Peter said. "It's a much different event than TwinsFest back at the Metrodome. We have the capacity to add more people, but I always worry about that at Target Field because it doesn't necessarily accrue to the fans their experience there. But we were pleased with the support we received this weekend from our fan base."

St. Peter said the event will continue to be held at Target Field next year, but the Twins will potentially explore other options after that, as the new Minnesota Vikings stadium on the former site of the Metrodome will be built by then.

"We are happy at Target Field," St. Peter said. "We have received positive feedback for the most part from our fans, and particularly from our season-ticket holders. It's only the second year we've done it here and we're committed to Target Field again next year, but we intend to certainly evaluate this heading into next year's event."

More than 60 current, former and future Twins players were in attendance over the three days at TwinsFest with Torii Hunter being perhaps the most popular player. But fans were also excited about top prospects Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano, and had a chance to interact and get autographs from other popular players such as Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier, Ervin Santana and Glen Perkins, as well as new manager and Hall of Famer Paul Molitor.

Twins embrace fans' support on Day 2 of TwinsFest

Paul Molitor, Terry Ryan, Torii Hunter, Ervin Santana, Mike Pelfrey, Ricky Nolasco and Dick Bremer interact with fans on Day 2 of TwinsFest

"He's an incredibly popular part of our franchise," St. Peter said about Hunter. "It's a special time for our fans to have access to not only Torii, but our entire roster, including guys who are hopefully going to be a part of our future, such as the Buxtons and the Sanos."

St. Peter said he also sensed more optimism from fans at TwinsFest, but he was quick to point out the club has to prove it on the field after its struggles over the last four years.

"I think the core fan base is excited and has higher expectations than perhaps a year ago. But that said, I understand a lot of fans are going to take a wait-and-see approach. We need to get it done on the field. The Paul Molitor hiring and a couple additions this offseason and the understanding is that it's as deep as it's been in a long time; I think people generally think we have a bright future."

See the article here:
Fans show support, optimism at Target Field TwinsFest