The future for backyard decks has never looked better. Finally, a lifetime paver deck that does not require maintenance or replacing is available at a price that competes with a traditional cedar or composite deck.

Sault Ste Marie, ON (PRWEB) March 09, 2012

"The Paverdeck system is a game-changer that simply exceeds all other decking systems currently in the marketplace, said John Naccarato, president of Evolutiondeck Inc. The galvanized steel platform is designed to last at least 60 years and supports a wide range of stone or concrete pavers, readily available at any budget. Customers want affordability and confidence in their deck investment, which drove us to develop a more affordable concrete paver deck.

When you factor in the lifespan of the Paverdeck system, this type deck is actually less expensive than any traditional deck, and will hold its value over time because it does not need replacing, said Joe Severini, Evolutiondeck Vice President. The Paverdeck system is made with recycled steel content, is the only deck with a zero-carbon footprint during use, and is itself 100 percent recyclable. The Paverdeck system has the potential to save millions of acres of forests and will never see a landfill or incinerator.

Concrete or stone pavers can be applied in any pattern to provide a truly distinctive look at any budget, and generally concrete pavers come with a lifetime warranty. Concrete, stone and steel are the only materials with a proven history of surviving decades of exposure to the sun and weather note the Coliseum in Rome is over 1900 years old with walls made from stone held together with iron clamps. Backed with the industrys only 30-year structural warranty, there is not a traditional or composite/PVC deck that can outlast or outperform a Paverdeck.

Evolutiondeck Inc., an engineering company founded in 2007, has roots from the automotive and steel industries, and manufactures the Paverdeck system for custom and DIY installations. Material kits are available online or from regional dealers. For more information about the Paverdeck system, visit http://www.paverdeck.com, http://www.facebook/paverdeck, or contact mail(at)paverdeck(dot)com. Paverdeck is a registered trademark under license to Evolutiondeck Inc.

John Naccarato Evolutiondeck Inc. 1-800-725-5228 1 Email Information

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Lifetime No-Maintenance Paverdeck Redefines the Standard in Decking - Now Available at a Cost to Compete with ...

A Texas jury has cleared the way for US authorities to go after $330m in stolen investor funds sitting in frozen foreign bank accounts controlled by Allen Stanford, the convicted pyramid schemer.

The jury found on Thursday there was sufficient evidence the money in 29 accounts in Switzerland, Britain and Canada was some of the more than $7bn he stole from investors over 20 years.

Stanford, 61,was found guilty by the jury on Tuesday on 13 of 14 fraud-related counts, including swindling $7bn from about 30,000 investors around the world.

Stanford is due to be sentenced in his home state on Texas on June 14. Hecould face up to 20 years in prison on the most serious charges but could be looking at a life behind bars if the judge orders the sentences to run consecutively.

Stanford has spent the past three years in jail after being deemed a flight risk shortly after his February 2009 arrest.

Hisattorneys, Robert Scardino and Ali Fazel, said they plan to appeal his conviction after he is sentenced.

"Our client spent almost nine months in a mental facility in North Carolina before the trial. We had 30 days with a competent client,"Scardino said.

The trial was delayed after Stanford was declared incompetent in January 2011 due to an anti-anxiety drug addiction he developed in jail.

Prosecutors say Stanford ran a Ponzi scheme for 20 years in which he used the money from investors who bought certificates of deposit, or CDs, from his bank in the Caribbean island nation of Antigua to fund a string of failed businesses, bribe regulators and support his personal spending habits.

As a dual citizen of the US and the Caribbean country of Antigua and Barbuda, Stanford was known for his largesse, especially on the two paradise islands.

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US can go after stolen investor funds

Will Johnson (Centro-matic, South San Gabriel), Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Gob Iron, Uncle Tupelo), Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket, Monsters of Folk), and Anders Parker (Varnaline, Gob Iron)

JAY FARRAR, WILL JOHNSON, ANDERS PARKER AND YIM YAMES PAY HOMAGE TO WOODY GUTHRIE ON "NEW MULTITUDES" OUT FEBRUARY 28

Like a cadre of musical brothers finally coalescing after years on the road apart, Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Gob Iron, Uncle Tupelo), Will Johnson (Centro-matic, South San Gabriel), Anders Parker (Varnaline, Gob Iron) and Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket, Monsters of Folk) gratefully deliver New Multitudes, an intimate interpretation of American icon and musical legend Woody Guthrie's previously unrecorded lyrics.

Set to coincide with the centennial celebration of Woody Guthrie's birth year, New Multitudes will be released February 28 on Rounder Records as a 12 track release and a 23 track deluxe, limited edition. The limited edition features original Guthrie lyric sheets, the 12 track release, and 11 additional compositions recorded by Farrar and Parker. The album will also be available on vinyl.

Under the invitation of Nora Guthrie, Woody's daughter, to tour the Guthrie archives, each of the four songwriters were offered the chance to plumb and mine the plethora of notebooks, scratch pads, napkins, etc. for anything that might inspire them to lend their voices and give the words new life.

"These guys worked on an amazing group of lyrics" says Nora. "Much of it was culled from Woody's times in L.A. Lyric wise, it's a part of the story that is still mostly unknown. From Woody's experiences on LA's skid row to his later years in Topanga Canyon, they are uniquely intimate, and relate two distinctly emotional periods in his life."

The spirit of Guthrie may have been involved in more ways than one, as all four songwriters mentioned the immediate connection to the songs they chose, or as they would suggest, "chose them." The writing came together quickly, as if the mischief muse who originally penned them latched himself to each writer's grey matter upon first contact.

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SUTC and extras - New Multitudes - Jay Farrar - Wilco mega post - clearing the decks

Kendall Marshall had 20 points and 10 assists, and No. 6 North Carolina beat No. 4 Duke 88-70 on Saturday night to win the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title.

Tyler Zeller had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Harrison Barnes added 16 points for the Tar Heels (14-2, 27-4). They never trailed, and for the second straight year they rolled in a winner-take-all season finale with the ACC tournament's top seed on the line.

North Carolina shot 54.5 percent, built a 45-28 rebounding advantage and sent Duke to its deepest halftime deficit ever at Cameron Indoor Stadium - 24 points - while winning its seventh straight since last month's loss to the Blue Devils.

Mason Plumlee had 17 points, brother Miles Plumlee added 16 points and 11 rebounds and freshman Austin Rivers - the hero of that last meeting - had 15 points for the Blue Devils (13-3. 26-5).

Syracuse (17-1, 30-1) matched the Big East record for victories - Connecticut also won 17 conference games in 1995-96 - and the Orange also finished the regular season with 30 wins for the first time in coach Jim Boeheim's 36-year tenure.

No. 7 Missouri 81, Texas Tech 59: Kim English scored 20 points, Marcus Denman added 17 and Missouri hit a season-best 16 3-pointers to beat Texas Tech.

Denmon scored all his points in the second half, going 5 of 8 from 3-point range in the half, and Ricardo Ratliffe finished with 13 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.

The Tigers (14-3 Big 12, 27-4) slowly pulled away in the second half with 12 of their 3s coming after halftime. The win gave Missouri a school record for wins in the regular season.

No. 8 Marquette 83, No. 11 Georgetown 69: Jae Crowder had 26 points and 14 rebounds in his final home game, helping Marquette beat Georgetown and clinch the No. 2 seed in the Big East tournament.

Fellow senior Darius Johnson-Odom added 17 points for the Golden Eagles (14-4, 25-6). Marquette was 33 of 45 from the free throw line.

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North Carolina decks Duke to win ACC title

MK Remodeling, which has built hundreds of decks, says choosing the right contractor for a project is the most important consideration.

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) March 01, 2012

According to Mike Krakovitz, owner of MK Remodeling, Inc., in Philadelphia, the average lifespan of a wood deck thats been maintained properly is more than 20 years. And composite decks, which require little maintenance, last even longer. Nevertheless, it is estimated that there are millions of decks in the U.S. that are beyond their lifespan and could, in fact, be dangerous.

Krakovitz says the most important consideration when adding or replacing a deck is the hiring of a good contractor. Its critical that people use licensed and insured contractors, he says. And having a contractor who, for example, is factory certified by the manufacturer should also be a consideration. Krakovitzs company is factory certified by a number of composite wood decking manufacturers, such as Trex, TimberTech, and many others.

While Krakovitz installs both wood and composite decks, he says that more and more, people are choosing composites. There are pros and cons to both, he says. Some people, for example, really want the natural, earthy appearance of traditional wood decks. Others like the environmentally friendly idea of composites, which are made from a combination of recycled wood and recycled plastic. And, in fact, some composites come in finishes that mimic wood surfaces.

While composites are generally more expensive than wood, says Krakovitz, They offer significant advantages in many instances. They dont require any special treatments and are relatively easy to maintain.

In sum, whatever type of deck a customer chooses, they should always ask for references and insist on a detailed quote specifying exactly what the contractor is going to do. MK Remodeling has been in business since 2000. But Mike, himself, has been in the construction business for more than 40 years and says he has built upwards of 500 to 600 decks. A customer may be able to get a lower quote, says Krakovitz. But theres usually a reason for that.

To find out more about MK Remodeling, please visit http://www.mksremodeling.com.

About MK Remodeling, Inc.

MK Remodeling, Inc., is a family owned and operated remodeling and restoration company with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. They offer design-build services for additions, kitchens, bathrooms, decks, along with insurance restoration and emergency services for water, fire, and wind damage, and much more. Mike Krakovits, Sr., has more than 40 years experience and has received numerous awards and commendations for his work. He is partners with his son, Michael, who gave up a career as a teacher to become involved in the construction business. His other son, Dan, plans to join the familys business after graduating college. MK Remodeling proudly serves Delaware, Chester, and Montgomery Counties.

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Top Philadelphia Deck Builder, MK Remodeling, Announces Tips for Contemporary Deck Construction

A record-setting effort by junior guard Jordan Miller highlighted Pitt-Johnstowns 85-75 victory over visiting Seton Hill University on Tuesday night in an opening-round West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference mens basketball tournament contest at the Sports Center.

Miller hit four of six 3-pointers to finish with 19 points and in the process surpassed the Mountain Cat single-season record for 3-point field goals of 89 previously set in 1999-2000 by Josue Nieves.

This is special, considering all the great shooters that have come through this school, said the Central Cambria graduate, who also moved within 11 points of 1,000 for his career. Im very fortunate to have had great teammates who find me.

The seventh-seeded Mountain Cats (15-13) advanced to the tournament quarterfinals Thursday against the Charleston-Bluefield State winner at the Charleston Civic Center.

We played well from start to finish, said Pitt-Johnstown coach Bob Rukavina. We shared the ball and played with a lot of defensive intensity.

Junior guard Nick Novak scored a game-high 26 for the Mountain Cats, who also got

16 points from Patrick Grubbs.

The 10th-seeded Griffins (11-16) were paced by senior guard Chris Giles with 20 points. Matt Miller added 18 and Andrew Cressler 17 for Seton Hill.

Seton Hill led briefly at 8-5 in the first five minutes on a 3-pointer by David Windsor, but Millers 3-pointer that snapped a 10-10 tie at the 12:31 mark ignited a 10-2 Mountain Cat run capped off by Novaks bucket.

Millers third trey with 2:01 left in the half gave the Mountain Cats a 32-22 edge before Cressler responded with back-to-back 3-pointers. Pitt-

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Pitt-Johnstown decks Seton Hill in WVIAC tilt

New Level Partners, training and development design experts, converted the Dental Decks Part II (the flashcard company) to a digital flash card tool used by Dental students around the globe.

Princeton, New Jersey (PRWEB) February 28, 2012

New Level Partners, a Princeton, New Jersey based Learning and Development Solutions provider, created a digital solution for the Dental Decks Part II product. The transformation enables dental students to prepare for their Dental Board Exams by accessing the study cards via laptop browser or iPad tablet.

“Dental Decks has successfully launched our new digital study cards for our Decks Part II product. We were looking for a digital solution, and New Level Partners’ experience and technical expertise was a great match for Decks. We recently released the interactive, online Decks Part II, and the immediate adoption and student feedback has been extremely positive,” states James R. Lozier, D.D.S. President of Dental Decks, Inc., the flashcard company.

The Dental Decks Flashcards were launched in 1992 and are considered to be one of the simplest and most effective study methods available. The original and long standing paper product includes over 1400 comprehensive flashcards. New Level Partners converted the cards along with high resolution graphics to enhance study recognition, word search capability and book marking for ease of use.

“The New Level Partners development team created a dynamic, portable option for students to study for their Dental Boards. The portability of the digital Decks II enables students to study anywhere at any time from either their laptop or tablet. Dr. Lozier has an outstanding product with proven success. The benefits of the new digital decks and the instant online purchasing capabilities bring the Deck’s business into this age of online learning technology,” states Nancy M. Langton, President of New Level Partners, LLC.

About New Level Partners

New Level Partners (NLP), founded in 2001, specializes in training solutions for the Property and Casualty Insurance Industry. NLP designs, develops and delivers customized and interactive training programs, both instructor-led and web-based. A wide range of instructional design tools and technologies ensure NLP’s programs are the most interactive and effective on the market.

###

Dana Johnston
New Level Partners
(703) 609-6440
Email Information

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New Level Partners LLC Transforms Dental Decks Flash Cards to a Digital Version

The weekend of February 26, 2012, Real Skateboards released another round of fresh products for spring 2012 including a limited edition item. Once I heard about the product release I had to go and check things out for myself. Here's a rundown on what I found:

About the New Boards

There were quite a few great skate decks in the company's product drop. The Hood Watch line of skate decks features graphics that were made for pro skaters Justin Brock, Peter Ramondetta and J.T Aultz. Each of the decks varies in size. The small decks start at lengths of 31.25 inches and cap out at widths of 31.75 inches. The large decks all max out at 32 inches. Additional skate deck lines that were released include the Known Associates II and Sun Burns. You can check out each one for yourself online.

About the Limited Edition Item

In my opinion, the limited edition item is truly special because it comes from the heart. I know that may sound sappy, but it's true. The item was originally created as a memento exclusively for the Real Skateboards team. It consists of a Real Since Day One DVD that has been packaged inside a wood veneer box. The boxed edition includes a photo book and an autographed Gabe Morford print. The company later decided to make a few available to the public though the Actions Realized website and Ebay. You can pick one up for roughly $50. What makes it all the more heartwarming is that proceeds from the sale of the limited edition set will go towards the Johnny Kicks Cancer Foundation.

About the Cause

The Johnny Kicks Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization that has been working towards a cure for childhood leukemia since 2009. If you have some time, you should check out its website. A word of warning though, the foundation's back story will tear at your soul. At least it did mine. The organization was created in the memory of a young skater by the name of Johnny Romano, who succumbed to cancer in the fall of 2008.

Killeen Gonzalez has a history of following the sport and interviewing pro skaters.

More from this contributor:

Pro Skateboarders Celebrating a Birthday in March

Closure of the Skateboard Museum in Germany a Possibility

Tony Hawk Fans Have Chance to Win Meeting With Pro Skater

Billabong's Financial Woes Impacts Surfing Community

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Real Skateboards Releases New Boards and Limited Edition Item

Embattled drilling technology developer Coretrack will be looking for opportunities to either merge with or buy other companies once it picks up the pieces from losing its key asset.

Chief executive Bernie Kelly said $11 million of Globe Drill equipment would be auctioned off in four to six weeks as part of its moves to wind down the subsidiary.

Coretrack is selling off the assets after inventor Warren Strange private company's Strange Investments terminated a licence agreement for the experimental GT3000 drill rig Globe Drill had been developing.

The company, chaired by former WA Liberal leader Matt Birney, has sued Strange Investments for damages and lost earnings.

Mr Kelly said Coretrack was also preparing to vacate its leased Bibra Lake headquarters.

He said the sell-off would leave the company in a position to consider merger or acquisition proposals.

In the meantime, Coretrack would be focusing on commercialising its remaining technology, a core sample testing device.

The investment group that controls the company's biggest shareholding yesterday moved to shore up Coretrack's financial position ahead of the asset sales.

Cygnet Capital took over $2 million worth of Coretrack-issued convertible notes that were due to expire yesterday and extended them for another two years.

"I basically see it as a bank loan," Mr Kelly said. Coretrack had about $3 million in the bank, he said.

The company's share price has fluctuated dramatically since the loss of the drill rig became known earlier this month.

Yesterday they recovered by 5 per cent to close at 2¢.

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Coretrack clears decks after losing key asset

Restaurateurs along Main Street have less than a month to decide whether they want to join the smorgasbord of dining decks on the street.

City Hall has set a March 23 deadline for restaurants to file applications to be allowed to set up a dining deck. The deadline applies to restaurants that have not had decks before and those that are renewing permits.

At most, officials will approve 12 dining decks in 2012. Permits were issued last year to nine restaurants covering the 2011 and 2012 seasons, lasting from May 1 until Oct. 30 each year.

If all nine of the restaurants already holding permits build dining decks this year, City Hall would have three permits available to newcomers. Only eight dining decks will be allowed to remain standing during the Park City Kimball Arts Festival, however, meaning that some would need to be removed during the early August event.

Staffers must approve a permit allowing the deck itself while the Park City Council must agree to a lease that allows a deck to occupy space on a public roadway.

Francisco Astorga, the City Hall planner who is handling the applications, said midweek he had not heard chatter that there will be additional restaurants seeking approvals to set up dining decks.

The 2012 season will be the third in which City Hall allows the dining decks, which are built atop the street and jut out a few feet from the sidewalk.

"I think they were successful last year, using a space that was underutilized," Astorga said, adding, "People enjoy dining outdoors. They will look for restaurants that offer such amenities."

Main Street leaders lobbied City Hall to allow the decks as Park City continued to suffer amid the recession. Main Street sees the decks as an enticement for diners and as a means to keep the street competitive with other shopping, dining and entertainment districts. The decks are oftentimes packed.

Alison Butz, the executive director of the Historic Park City Alliance, a business group that represents Main Street and nearby streets, said she planned to send the City Hall application for the decks to restaurants this week. Butz said she does not anticipate each of the 12 permits will be taken this year.

Butz said the decks have become popular in the two years they have been on Main Street, mentioning that diners like to people watch as they eat their meals.

"You're seeing more people outside of the buildings," she said, adding, "To see more people on the street adds to that vibrant nature."

For more information, contact Astorga at City Hall. His phone number is 615-5064. His e-mail address is fastorga@parkcity.org.

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Main Street dining decks: up to 12 will be approved this year