Travel photo of the day: Alaska's snow-covered spruce

Gretchen Griswold / UGC

Snow-covered black spruce north of the Yukon, Alaska.

Gretchen Griswold, of San Diego, Calif., recently decided to fulfill her dream of seeing the aurora borealis, the glow of stars and color that is otherwise known as the northern lights. She traveled to Alaska in March with her sister-in-law and encountered this snow-covered landscape north of the Yukon.

PhotoBlog: Northern lights make for must-see TV

"We hired a guide to take us up to the Arctic Circle and the drive took us through ghostly landscapes of frozen trees and tundra," Griswold told TODAY.com. "As we drove, I was awed by the vista presented by these trees and asked the guide to pull off the road so we could walk (or really, stomp through knee-deep snow) a little so we could get a better vantage point."?

Griswold said it was -23 degrees, with an estimated -20 degree wind chill, when she took the photo. "It was a quick drill to capture the scene," she said.?

If you have photos you'd like to share,?submit them?for a chance to be featured in our reader photo gallery.

In the meantime, be sure to check out this week's?It's a Snap?gallery and vote for your favorite photo.

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Clavier's Lessons for Angel Investing (Summary by Nick Wyman ...

Despite flawless 72 degree weather outside, the Wittemyer Courtroom was standing room only for Silicon Flatirons? annual entrepreneurship conference.??The Mile High Tech Entrepreneurship Conference: Angel Financing ? Understanding the Early Outside Money In?drew a sell-out crowd to hear some of the nation?s foremost authorities discuss angel investment.

A conference highlight came from the keynote address by?Jeff Clavier, whom Foundry Group?s Jason Mendelson introduced as one of the original super angels.? Clavier?s keynote, ?So you want to be an angel?? covered the promises and pitfalls of becoming an early stage investor.?? This post captures some of the key takeaways.

Clavier started by encouraging attendees to pay attention to the following basic considerations before jumping into angel investing:

• You must be?accredited
• You don?t do it to make money
• You don?t do it because it?s cool
• You do it because supporting innovation and entrepreneurs is a passion

Still qualify? Great, but you?re not nearly ready to start investing yet. Clavier recommends first doing your homework: attending conferences, speaking with experienced angels, reading lots of blogs, and getting up to speed on relevant books like Do More Faster.

Clavier recommends developing an investment thesis that will be the basis for your future deal sourcing and screening. Be careful to consider the sectors, types of startups, locations and company profiles that fit your experience and investment objectives. Take note that the vast majority of angel investments are within one day?s travel. This is a perfectly reasonable limitation as coordination and communication become more difficult as distance increases.

Clavier suggests that investors next think about allocation. Typically, Clavier suggests creating an account with $100K to $1M to be invested in $10K to $25K slots over the next three years. Remember, this is an account full of money you may never see again so you have to take your time, diversify your risk and, above all, love the process.

The tricky part isn?t just finding the best deals, it?s getting a seat at the table. In order to attract good deals, you must understand and articulate your value as an investor. Figure out what, beyond capital, you bring to the equation. Hangout with entrepreneurs and build your reputation. Create a personal brand using tools like social media to connect with and support the overall ecosystem. Know what value you can add, and then offer to help and hustle your way into the best deals. Alternatively, if you are fortunate enough to befriend an experienced angel, ask to shadow their investments and learn from them with the aim of cultivating your own unique set of value propositions.

Deal sourcing not a problem? You?ll still need to decide where to invest. This is where your carefully crafted investment thesis comes into play. ?If you do random shit, it?s shit,? Clavier warns. Make sure to use your investment thesis as an absolute filter and unless you like the founders, are passionate about the product, and love the deal, don?t invest.

Assuming that you still want to be an angel investor, that you?ve learned everything you can, met with everyone you can, allocated money to invest, weighed deals against your investment thesis, done your due diligence and finally found a deal that makes sense for you, it?s then time to close.

Angel rounds will usually (hopefully) have a lead investor who handles the negotiation on terms/price, completes the lion?s share of diligence, and, if applicable, joins the board. For your part, it?s important that you understand the differences between an equity round and a?convertible note. Additionally, be sure the deal terms are standard and won?t scare away future investors, who may be crucial to the venture?s ultimate success. (Clavier plugged?seriesseed.com?as a great resource for market term sheets.) The deal should be clean and done with ?reputable lawyers representing both sides. Clavier cautions that even the best of companies, when encumbered by poorly conceived investment terms, can be doomed to fail.

Congratulations, you?re an investor! Now what? First and foremost, remember ?it?s not your company, it?s theirs.? You invested in the team and you have to let them steer the ship. Any information and reporting you expect should have been contracted beforehand (Clavier suggests a monthly email from the CEO that outlines progress and identifies the current challenges facing the company). Know where you can add value and let the founders, executives and other investors do the rest. Beyond assisting where appropriate, enjoy the ride. If you get worried, which is perfectly natural at times, compare notes with your lead or co-investors who have more experience dealing with similar situations.

There it is. Time to start from the beginning and repeat as necessary. Be sure to learn from your mistakes and those of the others who have come before you. Define and stick to your investment thesis, develop your value proposition as an investor and be a champion for yourself, your portfolio companies and the ecosystem as a whole. Help when you can and be a supporter from the sidelines when you can?t. And don?t forget, ?If you don?t love it, don?t do it. Liking isn?t enough.?

?Nick Wyman is a Boulder angel investor who will graduate from Leeds MBA in spring 2012.

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Wisconsin voters see Romney as eventual nominee

[ [ [['beyond the incredible personal tragedy', 3]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/stand-ground-laws-not-just-gop-policy-records-053103956.html', '[Related: \?Stand your ground\? laws not just GOP policy\, records show]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Afghan security forces and police killed three', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/H9BcJE', '[Related: Bales\' wife on his alleged shooting: \'He would not do that\']', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['looking for fireworks between the opposing camps', 16]], 'http://yhoo.it/GSvEsj', '[RELATED:\?It?s going to be a circus\?: Activists begin protests outside Supreme Court]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 8]], 'http://yhoo.it/GE6jSh', '[RELATED: Obama\?s health care law passed 2 years ago, but where are we now\?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Witnesses said the gunman pulled up on a black scooter', 7]], 'http://yhoo.it/GzwOIW', '[Related: New York police tighten security at Jewish sites]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['test Zimmerman for alcohol or drugs', 11]], 'http://yhoo.it/Gzn6VF', '[Related: White House says Trayvon Martin is local issue]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['This is as serious of a tornado', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/tornadoes-touch-down-in-texas-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120403/trucksdallas.jpg', '630', ' ', 'Reuters', ], [ [['Oikos University', 8]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/deadly-oakland-university-shooting-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120402/shooting.jpg', '450', ' ', 'REUTERS/Reuters TV/KNTV/Handout', ], [ [['Trayvon Martin decked the Neighborhood', 7]], 'http://yhoo.it/GUovUP', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/2/61/261d2c36bccf0971c2734a4d4398aa5a.jpeg', '512', ' ', 'AP/David Goldman', ], [ [['Can you create commerce in order to regulate it', 9]], 'http://yhoo.it/GSgtu8', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/7/78/778e2416573870cd705774e92403447d.jpeg', '630', ' ', 'AP/Charles Dharapak', ], [ [['associated with such a small earthquake', 4]], 'http://yhoo.it/GTco9z', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/0/b4/0b493c1a47b6e3f97f8f48a2b251d7d4.jpeg', '630', ' ', 'AP Photo/Carrie Antlfinger', ], [ [['Fox News host Geraldo Rivera sparked outrage', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GKMVTk', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/2/7c/27c7367bc512d233ae1790b320a5e92c.jpeg', '630', ' ', 'AP Photo/John Minchillo', ], [ [['The charges signed against Bales include', 1]], 'http://yhoo.it/wZT5zV', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/7/a0/7a07c51b2aa0f39b1a23355046d13870.jpeg', '512', ' ', 'AP Photo/DVIDS\, Spc\. Ryan Hallock\, File', ], [ [['George Zimmerman, if I had a son', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/thousands-protest-fla-teen-death-1332387124-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/03/22/d761a49f3fcc99080a0f6a70670053cd-jpg_150905.jpg', '500', ' ', 'AP Photo/John Minchillo', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

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Bomb kills Afghan police officer

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Afghan police say a motorcycle bomb has killed one police officer and wounded two others in a southern city.

Kandahar provincial police chief Gen. Abdul Razaq says the motorcycle was parked outside a police station in Kandahar city when it exploded on Monday.

The governor in the northern Baghlan province says twin bomb blasts in the city of New Baghlan on Monday wounded 23 people, including eight police officers. Governor Abdul Majid said the bombs exploded near a market selling computer equipment.

Associated Press

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It Makes Total Sense That the Bankers Who Destroyed Our Economy Are Now Trading Bitcoin [Bitcoin]

At its core, Bitcoin is worthless. That people continue to trade the invented digital currency is understandable because it's possible to turn a quick, risky buck. It's more gambling than economics. So of course the financial professionals who leveled the global economy love it. More »

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Legal Fiction: Chapter 2 | Criminal Law & Psychology Blog

A job is a funny thing. You probably don?t like yours but does that matter? You gotta have one, right? Harry Cohen understood this. He was a senior associate at the firm Chelsea Hale had worked in and he understood just how frustrating it can be to play a game you don?t want to play. Yet it wasn?t until Chelsea Hale?s death that he decided to stop.

The turning point for him started on the morning after. He had been putting in long hours on an upcoming deal and had heard nothing of her passing until he walked into his office. The first clue was his secretary Ann, who wasn?t wearing her usual smile but rather, a look of restrained urgency. ?Did you hear?!? she asked softly. It was clear she was trying to sound somber but the gossip in her couldn?t resist a conversation. Harry had almost walked right by her; this caused him to stop in his place. ?Hear? Hear what?? he quizzed.

?Ms. Hale ? she took her own life yesterday.?

?Chelsea??

?Yea. Yesterday. She jumped off the Brooks Mauer Fields building, over at 50^th St. Almost fell on some tourists, they said.?

Harry was immediately skeptical. ?They said? Who?s they??

?The news. I?m surprised you didn?t see it anywhere. It was on all the stations last night.?

?I was buried work last night, reviewing those merger filings. Didn?t even get out of my office until 2 A.M.? Harry groaned.

He was tempted to stick around and find out more but he had a policy against lingering in the hall too long lest one of the partners see him and try to throw more work on him. ?I?m gonna get settled in,? he added, pointing to his office, ?but I want to hear more about this.? Ann knew exactly what that meant. What it did not mean was to follow him into his office. The young associates and assistants had a system for looking busy and avoiding the stern reprimands of the partners?a system known as GChat. This was where most of the office gossip was dished around.

Once he settled in, Harry started getting up to date on all the buzz. Yet, the word on Chelsea?s death had one feature about it that stuck out like a sore thumb: it was inconsistent. Details varied wildly from person to person. Such is gossip, right? But even the news accounts didn?t make sense to Harry. What was she doing at Brooks Mauer? As far as Harry knew, she wasn?t working on any case with them. How would anyone other than an employee get access to their balcony? He?d been to their buildings a few times for depositions and remembered that the floors above 50 required a keycard to access. Since the balcony was quite a ways above the 50^th floor, she couldn?t have gotten up their without some help.

More to the point, why would she take her own life and in that way? Harry didn?t work all that much with Chelsea but she never showed any signs of depression. To the contrary, she was a fighter, a self-proclaimed ?confident woman? and he couldn?t imagine her doing something she?d once called ?weak? in a lunch meeting with some associates.

Nothing added up to Harry and he found himself growing increasingly frustrated with other office workers? willingness to accept what they were hearing as true. Maybe this was it. Maybe this was the sign he needed to go from white shoe to gum shoe. In college, Harry was torn between pursuing a career in journalism or going to law school. After his friend was mugged in an alley, he made up his mind. He was gonna go off and become a prosecutor. Better late than never, right? He was probably too late for journalism but working as a prosecutor wasn?t outside his reach. Maybe this could be an ?audition? of sorts. He could discover the truth behind Chelsea?s death and show his talents for solving crime. The only thing was, he?d have to commit to this right here and right now or it?d never happen. Inertia is a powerful force?especially when accompanied by a large paycheck. Before he could talk himself out of it, he walked into his boss? office.

There was a moment of silence then Harry made his declaration. ?Sir, this is my two weeks notice. I?m quitting.?

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Stricken cruise ship repaired, heading to Malaysia

FILE - The Maltese registered cruise ship , Azamara Quest, sails through the Suez canal, Egypt, in this April 30, 2010 file photo from the Red sea towards the Mediterranean sea on its way to Athens. The fire on the Azamara Quest started late Friday, March 30, 2012 a day after the ship left Manila for Sandakan, Malaysia, and was immediately put out, said coast guard spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Algier Ricafrente. Five crew members were injured. (AP Photo/File)

FILE - The Maltese registered cruise ship , Azamara Quest, sails through the Suez canal, Egypt, in this April 30, 2010 file photo from the Red sea towards the Mediterranean sea on its way to Athens. The fire on the Azamara Quest started late Friday, March 30, 2012 a day after the ship left Manila for Sandakan, Malaysia, and was immediately put out, said coast guard spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Algier Ricafrente. Five crew members were injured. (AP Photo/File)

MANILA, Philippines (AP) ? A cruise ship with 1,000 people on board that drifted in southern Philippine waters for 24 hours after being disabled by a fire was headed toward Malaysia after repairs, the Philippine coast guard said Saturday.

The Azamara Quest informed the coast guard late Saturday that its power and propulsion had been restored and it was moving slowly toward Sandakan, its next destination after it left Manila Thursday, spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Algier Ricafrente said.

Azamara Club Cruises, the ship's operator, said in a statement Saturday night that the ship was sailing at 3 to 6 knots (5.6-11 kilometers or 3.5-6.9 miles per hour) and was expected to reach Sandakan "within 24 to 48 hours."

It said company president Larry Pimentel will meet personally with the passengers and crew in Sandakan.

The company said the rest of the cruise would be canceled. It said it will fully refund the passengers as a "gesture of goodwill" and provide each guest with a future cruise certificate for the amount paid for the aborted voyage.

A coast guard vessel sent to assist the cruise liner reported that it had sighted the ship from about 9 kilometers (5 nautical miles) away and was approaching it.

The ship's captain had earlier sent an email to the coast guard saying that it needed no assistance and that everything was "under control."

The ship had been drifting since a fire broke out Friday night. The flames engulfed one of the ship's engine rooms but were quickly extinguished, Azamara Club Cruises said. Five crew suffered smoke inhalation, including one who was seriously injured and needed hospital care.

It was the latest in a series of accidents hitting luxury cruise liners since January, when the Costa Concordia capsized off the coast of Italy, killing 32 people.

The Azamara Quest has 590 passengers and 411 crew members. Operator Azamara Club Cruises is part of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

The stricken ship drifted Saturday in the Sulu Sea about 130 kilometers (70 nautical miles) south of the Philippines' Tubbataha Reef, Ricafrente said. The area lies between the Philippines and the island of Borneo, which is divided between Malaysia and Indonesia.

The vessel had left Hong Kong on Monday for what was supposed to be a 17-day Southeast Asian cruise. The ship made a port call in Manila and left for Sandakan on Thursday. It was scheduled to make several stops in Indonesia before arriving in Singapore on April 12.

The ship's senior physician, Oliver Gilles, said that the crew member who was in serious condition suffered "prolonged heat and smoke exposure."

There were no information about the nationalities of the passengers and crew. British media said they included Britons and Americans.

Ricafrente said that no distress call was received and there would be an investigation.

Engineers had earlier Saturday restored electricity in the ship to re-establish air conditioning, running water, plumbing, refrigeration and food preparation, the company said.

A month after 32 people died when the Costa Concordia ran aground and capsized off the western coast of Italy, a fire on the Costra Allegra left that ship without power and adrift in waters known to be prowled by pirates in the Indian Ocean for three days.

Both Costa ships are part of Costa Crociere, SpA, a subsidiary of Carnival Corp., the world's largest cruise operator.

___

Online: http://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/about-azamara/travel-alerts

Associated Press

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