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Senator Charles Grassley
Q & A: Keeping Farm Payments Focused on Family Farms
Q. What is the Rural America Preservation Act?
A. The Rural America Preservation Act is legislation I've sponsored to help restore the government farm program to its original intent by making sure program payments are targeted at small- and medium-sized farmers who need assistance getting through tough economic times that are due to circumstances beyond a farmer's control. I introduced the bill with Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota. The legislation would limit the total amount of farm-program payments that a single farmer could receive to $125,000. The payment-limit breakdown for an individual farmer would be 1) a cap of $20,000 on direct payments, which are based on a farmer's acres and yields, as well as a set payment rate; 2) a cap of $30,000 on counter-cyclical payments, which are available to farmers when the market price of the commodity they produce is less than a target price set by the federal government; and 3) a cap of $75,000 total on gains a farmer can receive from repaying a marketing assistance loan, loan deficiency payments, and gains realized from the use of a commodity certificate issued by the Commodity Credit Corporation.
Our bipartisan bill also would close a loophole that some non-farmers have exploited to improperly receive farm payments. It does so by narrowing the guidelines used to define who is considered actively engaged in farming. The evidence of non-farmers' abusing this loophole is astounding. Both the Government Accountability Office and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Payment Limit Commission have pinpointed this as a critical area of concern. Closing this eligibility loophole is important to maintaining support from non-farm state members of Congress for the farm program. In order to help alleviate this problem, the bill would create a measurable standard of active, personal labor and management for the Department of Agriculture to use in determining if people requesting farm program payments are indeed farmers, or if they are just trying to game the system.
Q. Why are these changes necessary?
A. To ensure that farmers are able to provide a safe, affordable and abundant food supply, it's important to get the farm safety net back to its original intent. The federal farm programs were meant to help small- and medium-sized farmers weather the bumps associated with farming. The importance of providing a food supply is clear at every family's dinner table. Without a reliable and affordable food supply, desperation results. If a mom or a dad wasn't able to feed their kids for three days, they would do just about anything to feed them. If we lose the safety net that allows family farmers to weather the storm, then that safe, affordable and abundant food supply might just go away. To keep this safety net in place, we need to change the way farm program payments are distributed. Unfortunately, under current policies 10 percent of the biggest farmers in the U.S. receive more than 70 percent of farm payments, and some payments go to non-farmers. If left as is, the distribution system that pays out the lion's share of federal dollars to the largest and wealthiest farming operations will spell the beginning of the end of the farm safety net.
The trend in farm program payments going to big farmers also has a negative impact on the next generation of farmers. We need to keep young people in farming, so they're ready to take the lead when the older generation of farmers turn over the reins. When 70 percent of farm payments go to 10 percent of farmers, it puts upward pressure on land prices and cash-rent arrangements, making it a lot harder for smaller and beginning farmers to buy ground or afford to rent land. This makes it difficult to get a foothold in farming and leads to big farmers getting even bigger.
It's time to enact legitimate, reasonable farm program payment limits that tighten eligibility requirements and help those that the farm program was created for in the first place. The Grassley-Johnson bill would go a long way toward getting the farm program refocused on providing needed assistance to small- and medium-sized farmers.


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Let say you are within WiFiPlus coverage area, but still you cannot get access WiFiPlus. There might be a few reasons why you may have a problem accessing WiFiPlus.
i. Maybe You Are Not within WiFiPlus Zone area or receive poor coverage.
• Solution : Check carefully if you are in within Wifiplus zone area. You can refer to WiFiPlus Celcom Zone.
On your device, please scan WiFi network manually to find CelcomWiFi+ .
ii. Maybe Your WiFi network connection setting on your smartphone is disabled.
• Solution : Please enable WiFi connection on your device settings.
iii. You are connected to other WiFi Network
• Solution : Please check you are correctly connected to CelcomWiFi+ in your wireless network setting. If it is incorrect, please select CelcomWiFi+ to connect.
iv. You are Within WiFiPlus Zone area, but CelcomWiFi+ is not visible.
• Solution : Try to restart you phone. If problem still continue, the problem may be caused by hardware failure. Please call to Celcom Customer Service 1300111000 for further assistance.

subset: commoncrawl


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Illegal Workers Cost More Than What They Are Worth
Australian employers are now encouraged to use the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) service as part of a national campaign designed to educate employers about the importance of legal workers.
The participating organizations in the campaign are the National Farmers Federation, Australian Workers Union, Horticulture Australia Council and the Australian Industry Group.
Whether you are an employer illegally hiring foreign workers, or an employee illegally working in Australia, there will be serious consequences. For example, employers will "face fines of up to $13 200 and two years' imprisonment while companies face fines of up to $66 000 per illegal worker," says newsroom.immi.gov.au. The Fair Work Ombudsman campaign is to spread light on the subject specifically in the horticulture industry because a huge number of the backpackers in Australia occupy this field, and " it was crucial for the industry complies with immigration requirements in its employment practices," Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) spokesman said.
In short, if you plan to go to Australia to work, make sure your visa status allows you to as your employer is highly likely to check your visa entitlement.
VEVO, being an online system for organisations to check visa holder entitlements, appears to be of a great help to confirm workers' eligibility. It is mostly used by labour supply companies and employers, education providers, or other organizations that need to check whether the person is permanently or temporarily in Australia. In addition, visa holders can also take advantage of the system as they can see details regarding their visas.
For more information on how to use VEVO, visit www.immi.gov.au .


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Many of us are guilty of starting the new year with a list of fabulous resolutions, only to forget about them two weeks later. Treat yourself to one of these gifts and follow our tips for sticking to your New Year's resolutions until at least March:
For Fitness Goals
If you struggle to exercise consistently, it might help to invest in a Fitbit or other device to track your progress and challenge yourself to new goals. Plus, get that pair of sneakers or sports leggings you've been eyeing. Invest in better water bottles, headphones, water-resistant armbands and other workout accessories. If you're feeling a tad intimidated by the gym, try at-home fitness equipment or workout videos. You'll feel motivated to exercise when you have all the right pieces.
For Self-Care
It's important to take care of yourself for a happy and healthy new year—physically, emotionally, professionally, romantically and everything in between. Treat yourself to a bouquet of flowers to brighten your spaces, and make time for little indulgences like face masks or monthly massages. Sign up for a yoga or Pilates class, and don't feel guilty about taking rest days. More than looking and feeling nice, you'll experience health benefits like emotional health improvement, better memory, easier focus and greater relaxation.
For a Refreshed Beauty Routine
Focus on finding the right products for your beauty and skincare routines to look and feel your best this year. If you're slacking on keeping your makeup brushes clean, get an instant-dry cleanser to make the task way less tedious. Give your dreaded shaving routine an upgrade with more luxurious razors, shaving creams and fragrant leg oils. If you want to focus on protecting your complexion, go for makeup with SPF or anti-aging skincare products.
For Easier Reading
Don't let heavy books deter you from reading more, and instead give yourself a Kindle or iPad and sign up for an audiobooks account. They're especially great for staying entertained during a long commute to and from work. Challenge yourself to read or listen to a couple chapters of your book every night instead of heading straight for Netflix. After a few nights you'll be just as hooked to the books and you are the T.V.
For Better Organization
Never underestimate the power of the written note! Gift yourself a journal or planner to keep up with your to-do lists and busy calendar. You'll feel more in control when you take the time to write out everything you need to remember. Find a jewelry display stand to keep your necklaces and bracelets from getting tangled. Store knick knacks and books on trendy floating shelves to clear surfaces and take advantage of empty wall space. Have fun with storage boxes and DIY hacks in your home and office for a calm and collected environment.
See how long you can make it this year with these gifts to help you make small changes and maintaining long-term goals.


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Executives of the biggest U.S. investment banks met British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne seeking to maintain London's status as a premier financial hub after U.K voters decided to split from the European Union.
The gathering in which Osborne sought to highlight the U.K.'s comparative strengths included Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s Michael Sherwood, Robert Rooney of Morgan Stanley, Alex Wilmot-Sitwell of Bank of America, Bill Winters of Standard Chartered Plc and JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s Viswas Raghavan.
The government and industry shared "a common aim to help London retain its position as the leading international finance center," according to a joint statement. "Britain's decision to leave the EU clearly presents economic challenges, which we are determined to work together to meet."
The London meeting underscored the risk of job losses in the industry, which employs more than 2 million in the U.K. JPMorgan may relocate "a few thousand" employees if the country's divorce settlement with the European Union hurts banks, Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon told Italy's Il Sole-24 Ore.
Eighty-seven percent of U.S. investment banks' EU staff are located in the U.K., which is also home to 78 percent of the region's capital markets activity, according to New Financial, a think tank.


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Bollinger band reading : side way range bound.
MACD Histrogram : turned downward, buyer reducing position.
Support : 3100, 3070, 3050, 3020 level.
Resistance : 3150, 3200, 3250, 3270 level.
Comment :
FCPO closed recorded loss with higher volume transacted while soy oil last Friday closed little higher and currently registering loss.
Concern over possible U.S. debt default and both cargo surveyors reported improved but slowing down export data lead market to trade in negative zone through out the day.
Daily chart formed a down doji bar candle closed nearer to middle Bollinger band level after market opened lower, continue to moved downward towards the end of 1st session followed by 2nd half range bound movement recovered portion of the intraday losses.
Chart reading suggesting a side way range bound market development testing support and resistance level with the immediate term of negative sentiment.
When to buy : buy at support or weakness with quick cut loss and profit target.
When to sell : sell at resistant or strength with quick cut loss and profit target.


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Here is a question that's often put to Vietnam's most senior PADI Course Director: Jeremy Stein.
What makes the PADI Instructor Development Courses (IDCs) with you, and Rainbow Divers so special?
Unlike other Instructor Trainers, we are not primarily financially focused, nor solely focused on keeping a 100% pass ratio. We have a vested interest in producing top quality Instructors for the Dive Industry, and do in fact, offer all new Instructors we train an employment position with us.
We are not 'churning and burning'. We extend our IDCs beyond the PADI course program and include many proven teaching methods/materials, some of which have been deleted in the new curriculum but we feel still add huge value.
Of course we teach all the new standards, but there are outstanding 'old-school' values and methods which we also include to benefit our Candidates.
This really isn't a course where you just tick the boxes and get the Candidates to pass; it's about preparing them to conduct themselves as a confident and competent PADI Instructor in the 'real world'.
For further information about our comprehensive PADI IDCs in Vietnam visit this page or email: firstname.lastname@example.com
The next IDC in Vietnam is 10th June and then in September.
To keep up to date with the latest news from Rainbow Divers, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.


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You are obviously interested in studying Law otherwise you wouldn't be on this page!
Then the question is, why UCT? We have not only a wonderfully diverse student body but an outstanding group of academics which believes that our LLB is among the best in South Africa, and recognized as such throughout the world.
We enable you to use legal materials effectively, we teach you to assess, interpret and apply the law and, most importantly, we equip you with the historical, comparative and jurisprudential background that is essential for a critical understanding of law and legal institutions.
Indications are that the majority of you will become advocates and attorneys; about a quarter of you will undergird the financial & commercial sectors; 11% will provide legal services to Government and the rest will serve the values of justice in academic life and non governmental organizations.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: 021 650 3086
Postal Address:
Faculty of Law
University of Cape Town
Private Bag X3
7701 South Africa


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S: Brent Michael Stammen - 2010
BC: Created By: Caylee L. Billenstein
FC: Brent Michael | Stammen
2: The Younger Years
3: Boys are God's way of telling you that your house is too neat.
4: Growing Up
6: Growing Stronger | Getting Bigger
7: Smile
9: Sports
10: Birthdays | celebrate
11: A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip!
12: K-5th
13: School Days | Field Day | Christmas Play | Kickball | Square Dancing | Weather Station | Talent Shows | Letter People | Jesse Bear | Theme Days
14: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~Philippians 4:13 | 2010
15: Senior | Year
20: Determination: "I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward." | Teamwork: "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising everytime we fall." | Opportunity: "The pessimist see difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist see the opportunity in every difficulty." | Generosity: "The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves." | Leadership: "Tell me and I forget; show me and I remember; involve me and I understand." | Success: "Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it." | Effort: "No dreamer is ever too small; no dream is ever too big."
21: Courage: "With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity." | Progress: "If there is no struggle, there is no progress." | Dreams: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." | Honesty: "Honesty is the first book in the book of wisdom." | Change: "No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies you the right to grow." | Kindness: "Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness."
23: 3 | Love Always


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A way of introducing anti-viral drugs into the body has been found by scientists in the US, it has been reported.
Described as a "molecular condom", researchers have developed a liquid that can be inserted into a woman's vagina which turns into a gel coating, the BBC reports.
When it comes into contact with semen, the gel then turns back into a liquid, releasing the anti-virals.
Dr Patrick Kiser, part of the research team from the University of Utah, said: "We're shooting for a microbicide delivery system that would be used once a day or once a month."
The researchers are hoping that the gel will not cause any further infections or have any negative side-effects.
Currently there is a global effort underway to develop substances which could help protect women against HIV, either on their own or by being applied to a condom.
There are 63,500 adults in the UK presently living with Aids, 20,100 of which are unaware they have the affliction, according to international Aids charity Avert.
© Adfero Ltd


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Nigeria Dangote Refinery Project under construction will be Africa's biggest oil refinery, where 46 XCMG cranes operate at the same time for the project. Despite the high dust environment, XCMG cranes still perform well, making contribution to the hoisting of the project.
Brunei PMB Petrochemical Project is the largest industrial investment project in Brunei. On Pulau Muara Besar where the average temperature is up to 30 degree centigrade, 20 XCMG cranes still complete various hoisting tasks while providing a cool environment for operators, thus receiving high recognition from clients.
In Philippines Refinery Project, 14 XCMG rough terrain wheeled cranes and nearly 20 sets of XCMG complete hoisting equipment almost take over the whole project. The superior maneuverability and hoisting performance of the rough terrain wheeled cranes have won high praise from clients.
In the net rack body hoisting for Indonesia Kabaena Nickel Reduction Project, the construction party specially designated 4 XCMG cranes to complete hoisting together. Under the instruction of outstanding commanders and experienced operators, XCMG cranes hoisted the net rack to a given place firmly with superior performance.
In the construction of Qatar Doha-Doohan Highway Project, 9 busy XCMG cranes are used in only one construction point, and there are 660 sets of XCMG equipment engaged in the main stadium venue under construction for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
In the world's largest cement production base in Egypt, 12 XCMG cranes hold the lifting arms high to easily complete various hoisting moves of high difficulty with super long arms, superior hoisting performance and stability.
In the Israeli port of Ashdod, 9 XCMG crawler cranes were hoisting steadily in wind and waves. With their reliable performance, not only a breakwater is constructed successfully but also a golden scenery line is formed in the port.


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I hope your Sunday is one of rest and beauty.
I have an urgent prayer request on arise 2 write.
Hi there, Mrs. Rabe-
I came across your blog from a comment you had left on Rhonda's blog about simple living.
I love your flower pictures, they turned out beautifully! (Both the flowers and the pictures!)
Based on your blog, I thought you might be interested in another blog I'm involved with. Maria's Country Kitchen (www.mariascountrykitchen.com) is a simple living blog dedicated to home cooking and organic gardening practices.
Take a look around and join the Facebook page (link on the site) if you're interested. There's a great group of women there engaged in conversation!
beautiful post...and indeed you have a budding photographer...
flower pictures are my favorites....enjoy your time at Longwood Gardens...we are having a rainy day today in the Pacific Northwet...


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ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at email@example.com.
- Miller, Audrey Jakub
- 1 Arizona State University
- 1 Creviston, Christopher
- 1 Gardner, Joshua T
- 1 Hill, Gary
- 1 Rockmaker, Jody
- 1 Spring, Robert
- 1 English
- audio/mpeg
- 1 application/pdf
- Sound
- 1 Doctoral Dissertation
- 1 Public
- 1 Bassoon
- 1 Clarinet
- 1 Music
- 1 Recording guide
- 1 Saxophone
- Dwarf Galaxies as Laboratories of Protogalaxy Physics: Canonical Star Formation Laws at Low Metallicity
- Evolutionary Genetics of CORL Proteins
- Social Skills and Executive Functioning in Children with PCDH-19
- Deep Domain Fusion for Adaptive Image Classification
- Software Defined Pulse-Doppler Radar for Over-The-Air Applications: The Joint Radar-Communications Experiment
Four new duets by different composers were commissioned for this project that utilize the clarinet and bass clarinet with tenor saxophone and bassoon. The pieces are Three Southwest Landscapes by Dan Caputo, Gestures by Michael Lanci, Connotations and Denotations by Jeffery Brooks, and Lyddimy by Thomas Breadon, Jr. The present document includes background information and a performance guide for each of the pieces. The guide gives recommendations to aid musicians wishing to perform these works. Also included are transcripts of interviews conducted with each composer and performer, as well as full scores of each piece. In addition to the document …
- Contributors
- Miller, Audrey Jakub, Spring, Robert, Gardner, Joshua T, et al.
- Created Date
- 2014


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Associate Membership (corporate) is available to for-profit organisations that support the aims and objectives of CHF
Thank you for your interest in joining CHF!
Subscribe to our newsletter 'Consumers Shaping Health' to keep up to date with what we're doing and how you can best make your voice heard. You can also elect to hear from us on upcoming opportunities and events.


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Recently I have been meeting more and more clients who have come to me to resolve their automobile accident claim after they have already tried doing it on their own. In every case, they had gone into it thinking "why pay a lawyer for something I can do on my own?" In every case, they had done things to materially damage their case, and ultimately their settlements. For those that had already settled their cases but decided to consult with us anyway, it was clear that the amount they lost on handling their case on their own, far exceeded what would have been paid out on contingency to our law firm.
This stuff isn't as easy as it looks – certainly not anymore. Sure, maybe fifteen years ago you could have been rear ended, had some back pains, and collected a nice payday. Those days are long gone. Get rear ended these days and the insurance adjuster will tell you to take a hot shower and in other cases, tell you that there was no biomechanical way that you were really injured (this means that their computer says you are not really hurt).
Property Damage
Either your car is damaged and needs to be repaired, or, it is so badly damaged that it is a total loss. If you follow the insurance company, they may steer you in the direction of using their body shop which may put used parts on your car and fix your car for as cheap as possible. If your car is a total loss, while figuring out its value is not rocket science, there are other ways to get more money for your vehicle depending on what was in the car at the time of the accident, as well as recent repairs. Just recently we were able to get an additional $2,000 for a client whose car had been destroyed as a result of recent repairs he had done on the vehicle even though the insurance company did not include this in their calculation. And no, we do not charge you any money to handle your property damage claim! It is part of our service to you.
Don't leave money on the table!
Bodily Injury
You were hurt in your accident. But do you really know how to present your medical bills to the insurance company to be properly paid for your bills? If you think you can go to a few doctors, submit your bills, and have the insurance company pay you, think again. The insurance company uses their own valuations when deciding how much your treatments are worth, regardless of what you paid or what you were charged. As personal injury attorneys, we know how to argue the valuation of your medical bills so they are you properly reimbursed for your medical bills.
Also, what are you going to do if do not have health insurance? Unless you have the finances to pay medical providers upfront (and no, they are not cheap) you're not going to be able to recover from your injuries using professionals. Fortunately, with an attorney, we have access to professional medical providers who will treat your injuries at no upfront charge to you. These doctors work on a "lien" meaning that they only get paid when your case settles. These are things that you generally cannot do on your own.
Don't assume that because you have a police report which is on your side, or if the facts seems obvious, that you've won the case. Many adjusters, especially some of the nastier ones, will fight you tooth and nail. Especially when they know you're not an attorney, they can be more inclined to either fight you on who was at fault. They will frustrate you, wear you down, and ultimately throw a low-ball figure at you. Think they are legally obligated to pay you just because you think you're right? Think again. Especially since you are not an attorney, they have no issue pushing you to file a lawsuit because more than likely, you don't know how to file a lawsuit nor will you want to incur the expense and stress of filing one.
Using a lawyer can help your negotiating position. If the opposing party does not want to accept fault, we can file a lawsuit for you, invest our time in the complexities of civil litigation, and reach a result that you may not have had you tried a case on your own. Unlike on TV where you can file a lawsuit on Monday and have your trial wrapped up by Wednesday of the same week, the reality is that lawsuits can take over a year to resolve, with hundreds of papers being exchanged between attorneys in the interim. This stuff isn't as easy as it looks.
These are just a few of the many reasons why it is to your benefit to have an attorney represent you if you are injured in a motorvehicle accident. Given the pressure on adjusters to save money for their insurance company, the complexities of medical treatments and reports, and the law involved in arguing the vehicle code, don't assume that it's easy. Give us a call for your free consultation so you can focus on getting better while we focus on getting what you deserve! After all, this stuff isn't as easy as it looks!


text: Snacks\\n__Kettle Brand Baked Sea Salt Potato Chips__ *(120 calories, 3 g fat per 20 chips)*\\n\\nThese chips have 67 percent less fat than nonbaked varieties. Plus, they pass the grease test: no wiping messy fingers on your jeans!\\n__Snyder's of Hanover Restaurant Style Tortillas__ *(130 calories, 5 g fat per 1 oz)*\\n\\nPanelists praised this winner for being light and salty. What they didn't know: A serving has a mere 120 mg sodium.\\n__EatSmart Naturals Garden Veggie Crisps__ *(140 calories, 6 g fat per 21 chips)*\\n\\nThese were dubbed \\"wicked crunchy\\" by a snack lover, but their nutrition stats are practically angelic: EatSmart has fewer than 1 g saturated fat per serving.\\n__Pop Secret 94% Fat Free Butter__ *(75 calories, 0 g fat per 5 cups)*\\n\\n\\"It tastes like movie-theater popcorn,\\" a nibbler said. \\"All I need is a chick flick and my Snuggie!\\" Hmm, not a bad idea.\\n__Triscuit Original__ *(120 calories, 4 g fat per 6 crackers)*\\n\\nWith a \\"hearty texture and a wheaty taste,\\" plus 3 g fiber, Triscuits are all they're cracked up to be.\\n__Tribe Hummus Classic__ *(60 calories, 5 g fat per 2 tbsp)*\\n\\nGive peas a chance. Chickpeas, we mean. Eating about 1/2 cup daily of the high-fiber legumes can help you slim by cutting your intake of fatty foods. And in hummus form, chickpeas make a perfect party dip.\\n__Wildwood Organic Salsa Mild__ *(10 calories, 0 g fat per 2 tbsp)*\\n\\nHere's the secret about salsa: Most varieties are naturally low-cal. The trickier task is finding one with less than 150 mg sodium. Voilà!\\n__Earnest Eats Choco Peanut Butter Baked Whole Food Bar__ *(230 calories, 10 g fat per bar)*\\n\\nTo help muscles recover post-sweat, reach for a bar with at least 5 g protein. And if it tastes like a cookie, as this one does, even better. \\"It seems like a decadent treat,\\" a snacker said.\\n__Planters NUT-rition Heart Healthy Bars__ *(160 calories, 8 g fat per bar)*\\n\\nHunks of fruit and peanuts made this bar a victor. \\"It seems like it would have a lot of protein because of the nuts,\\" a tester said. Props to that smart sampler: This bar has 5 g.\\n__Nature's Path Organic Honey Oat Crunch Flax Plus Granola Bar__ *(190 calories, 7 g fat per 2 bars)*\\n\\nHi, honey! Our panel loved the sweet flavor. And the flaxseeds were a welcome surprise. Besides adding crunch, flax offers heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats.\\n__Kay's Naturals Cinnamon Toast Protein Pretzel Sticks__ *(120 calories, 3.5 g fat per 1.2 oz)*\\n\\nThese high-protein sticks (12 g) won over the group with their sweet cinnamon. \\"They remind me of French toast,\\" one devotee said.\\n__Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value Cranberry & Nut Trail Mix__ *(150 calories, 11 g fat per 1/3 cup)*\\n\\nAll sorts of good stuff (whole nuts, plump berries) were in the mix, but there were no \\"frivolous additions,\\" a tester noticed. That's because our experts nixed any versions with sugary candy and honey-roasted nuts.\\n\\n \\n__[How We Chose the HFA Winners](/fooddiet/2012/06/healthy-food-awards-criteria)__ \\n \\n__[Your Healthy Food Awards Shopping List](/fooddiet/2012/06/healthy-food-awards-shopping-list)__


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My Body-Mine ($15.95, 324 pages, ISBN: 978-1-60381-534-5), by Blakely Bennett, is the final episode in the My Body erotic suspense trilogy. In Books 1 and 2 Jane abandons her mundane existence as a successful businesswoman and willingly becomes the financially-dependent sexual plaything of two charismatic men, only to discover that their exhilarating game poses unforeseen dangers to both her body and her mind. In Book 3 she discovers what she truly desires from life and love.
Join Blakely's blog tour on July 29.
Check out the spread on the entire Trilogy in Bewitching Book Tours Magazine, pp. 64-66.
** Click the Cover Image to Order Online **
** Buy it in Kindle, Nook, or in other eBook formats on Smashwords **
** Buy the audiobook version of My Body-His on Amazon, iTunes, or Audible.com **
5 Stars: "After the first two books I was emotionally invested in the characters and wondered what would become of Jane's future. I had a hard time putting this book down to go about my life. This book did not disappoint. I absolutely loved the ending–the perfect ending for an emotional roller-coaster journey. " Read more ….
–Risque Reviews
"MY BODY-MINE is a great end to a really fantastic trilogy! I am truly a fan of Blakely Bennett's imaginative and emotional work. I am excited to see what she has in store for her readers next!" Read more….
–Bookie Nookie Reviews
Jane has accepted that her relationship with her husband Luke, who drew her in to the dark side of BDSM, is over. She has taken refuge at the home of Luke's powerful friend Marcello and his submissive, Janice. With Marcello's patience exhausted, Jane must either submit to his demands or move on from his household and his support. Ultimately, she signs a six month contract of sexual servitude but, as Marcello and Jane grow closer, Janice feels neglected and jealous, creating tension in their normally easy daily rhythm.
In an effort to help Jane, her best friend Parker introduces her to Chase, a confident and flirtatious man who lacks the arrogance of either Luke or Marcello. Jane's rapport with Chase is lighthearted and subtle, allowing her to gain a new perspective on men. She is intensely attracted to Chase but does not feel free to consider him as more than a friend.
Once Jane gets a real picture of Marcello's extremes, she knows what she must do. Her feelings about Luke and Marcello and her own sexuality must be resolved before she can find true love with a man who appreciates everything she has to offer. Can she possibly find the kink she has come to desire without the full-time submission?
"I experienced a mix of emotions upon completing My Body-Mine," says Blakely. "I accomplished my goal, which was in itself gratifying. I also felt sad to say goodbye to Jane, my protagonist. The most interest part of the journey to becoming an author has been meeting people who think my novels are true and my characters are real. I'm flattered that they feel the stories so deeply that they believe the My Body Trilogy is based on actual events."
Blakely Bennett has been residing in the great Northwest for over seven years. She graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a degree in psychology, which accounts for her interest in crafting the personalities, struggles, and motivations of her characters. Click here to find Blakely on the Web.
Keep reading for an excerpt:
"You don't get it," I said. "I don't have any desire to see Luke again. I just wanted to see the house. I expected it to be occupied by different people, not by all our furniture and belongings." I really wanted the conversation to be over, but I still had questions. "And Janice? Did you talk to her? Resolve anything? Do you know what she thinks about you and us?"
"No, and yes."
"You can't keep shutting me out. I did what you recommended and talked with her. What's going on with you is affecting my relationship with her and the comfort level in this house."
"I realize that, but the situation isn't easily remedied."
"Well, it might help if I understood the situation. What is going on? Is she right about your feelings for me?"
Staring into his glass, he said, "It's not uncommon when a Dom brings a new sub into the house that she tends to get more attention for a while."
"You're going to speak to me in generalities?"
"What is it you want to hear?" He kept his eyes on the bottom of the glass.
"The truth would be good." But as the words came out I wished I could take them back.
"I'm in love with you." He sighed and sank back against the couch.
His answer, although not unexpected, knocked the wind out of me. "And obsessed?" I heard myself say, my voice nearly inaudible.
"A bit."
"And Janice?"
"I love her but it's different. And right now—"
"So she was right then."
"What do you plan to do?" I felt anger and confusion in equal measure.
Marcello placed his glass on the end table next to him and said, "This is one of those situations that just takes time."
"Janice didn't sound particularly patient," I said.
"She'll be visiting one of my good friends next weekend."
"That's the solution?"
"The immediate one, yes."
The silence stretched between us. I felt pain in my heart. I knew very well how it felt to love someone more than they loved you. I had loved Luke more than he loved me, more than I even loved myself, and it had cost us both way too much. And now somehow I'd become the withholder, sandwiched between Janice and Marcello's relationship.
Marcello loved me? I still couldn't wrap my mind around that. It left me to wonder if his love stemmed from my refusal—or my inability—to surrender. A man like Marcello wasn't used to be being denied. I knew I could never love another person as much I had loved Luke or that I even sought to.
Keeping the thoughts to myself, I said, "I honestly don't see how sending her away will help but I'm not Janice." Sliding over to the corner of the couch so I sat close enough to touch Marcello's arm I said, "What is it you want from me, Marcello? And please don't say 'everything.' "
He chuckled but the light didn't reach his eyes. "Di dare amore una possibilità."
"Which means?"
"To give love a chance."
"That takes time," I said.
"Yes, and that we have. Come sleep with me tonight."
"Wouldn't it be better if you came to my—"
"Get ready for bed and come to me." He lifted the tumbler of scotch and drained the contents. As he glowered over me, I felt his palpable sadness.
"Okay," I said and rose up to kiss his full lips.
Heading to my room I wondered why he seemed so sad.


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Imagining the Worst: Ladislav Fuks' Contributions to Holocaust Fiction
Lautenschlager, Michael Allen
MetadataShow full item record
Ladislav Fuks' works are under-recognized in English-speaking academic discourse. He is a valuable contributor not only to the Holocaust Literature genre, but also to film and literature in general. His two English-translated works, Mr. Theodore Mundstock and The Cremator, as well as the film adaptation of The Cremator, examine the role imagination can play in art that addresses atrocity, allowing for a heightened subjective impact on the audience. I critically and comparatively examine Fuks' work to establish his value to literature and Holocaust art. In the first chapter, I frame my argument with questions of art's abilities to represent atrocity and provide relevant background information relating to Fuks' and his experience in wartime Prague. In Chapter Two, I closely read Mr. Theodore Mundstock, concentrating specifically on Fuks' use of metaphor, presentation of incredulity, and commentary on the imagination's capabilities in confronting terror. Chapter Three compares Mr. Theodore Mundstock to the â Momikâ section of David Grossman's See Under: Love, focusing on similarities between the title characters. Chapter Four examines Fuks' use of the grotesque in The Cremator and its film adaptation. Chapter Five compares Fuks' works to Aharon Appelfeld's novel Badenheim 1939, emphasizing each author's reliance on the audience's retrospective prescience, which provides a significant psychological impact and avoids contributing to the over-saturation of Holocaust information on the public. I conclude that Fuks should be more highly regarded and widely recognized both academically and in popular culture, as he exhibits similar features as other, more celebrated Holocaust writers, and his innovative contributions defend the value of literature in representing atrocity.
- Masters Theses [19412]


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LONDON (Reuters) - A remote farmhouse that appeared in the cult British film "Withnail and I" is to be sold at auction next month.
Sleddale Hall, near Sharp in the Lake District area of northwest England, was used as "Uncle Monty's cottage" in the film about the drunken escapades of two out-of-work actors in the 1960s who head to the country to escape London.
The building, which has been unoccupied for many years, is only accessible by a dirt track, is two miles from the nearest public road and lies a mile from the nearest inhabited house.
It is listed for sale with a guide price of over 145,000 pounds ($210,100).
Built from stone and local slate probably in the 18th century, Sleddale Hall was used for many exterior shots but little of the inside was used for filming.
"Withnail is an iconic film and there may be a few eccentrics out there who would be interested in owning a piece of film history," said Paul Mooney from auctioneers Savills.
"Sleddale Hall will certainly garner a bit more public interest than a house of this type normally would."
Water company United Utilities, which currently owns the farmhouse, said it hoped it would be bought by someone who would restore it.
"It would make a lovely family home," said Edward Holt, a senior land agent with United Utilities.
Reporting by Michael Holden


text:
Aug 23, 2016
This weeks news in World of Warcraft including pre legion talk
and hype. Also Milkshake on Helium
Belle | Remedyz | Secretsauce | Ennvee
We are a World of Warcraft Podcast for the players BY the players. We bring you in depth Casual Gaming, Raiding, PVP, Patch Updates and our Race and Class Perspective. Of course we also throw in some smack talk and a healthy Alliance/Horde Rivalry to keep you wondering...what side should I choose?
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text:
How to Human and the Thin Margin Stretch Goal Challenge
As I write this, How to Human is in it's final few hours. It's well past our very small goal of $500. We had a tough time with stretch goals on this one as we have so little financial room on the project. We have already made a set of digital downloads (screen desktops, phone lock screens, icons).
We did add a fairly unique stretch goal for this campaign already – we decided to open source the art if we hit $4K. What does this mean exactly? Well if any game developer out there wants to use any of the images from How to Human, they are free to do so. They don't have to pay us even if their project is "for profit." The only limitations are that they have to credit Ali who did the art and they can't use the name Dr. Blobbleplop when referring to his image (names/characters are hard to open up like this). We hope that this is a good resource for other game designers both analog and digital who might not have access to art like we did.
We hit that $4K goal this morning. So with just 5 hours left, I wanted to make a new stretch goal. Which brings me to the story to how Jordan and I spent this last weekend. The two of us, along with JR Honeycutt of "DFW Nerdnight" fame went to Dreamation – a great smallish game convention in Morristown NJ. Somewhere along the way, and very unplanned, we had an idea for a "game jam" type of game. At about 5pm, we decided to jump in and actually design the game with the goal of running it at 10pm.
The idea was to design an RPG you could play in the elevator at cons. It ended up as an experimental RPG dragon slaying adventure. When players entered the elevator, they would see a large image of a Dragon, along with 4 character sheets on the wall. Your EM (Elevator Master) would then quickly tell you the story. "The Dragon will be eating the convention at 11pm and it's up to all of us to deal enough damage to the dragon to defeat it before then." The Riders/Adventurers would then pick one of the character classes, and choose which of the actions on the character sheet to take. A roll would be made which would result in some amount of damage to the dragon based on the choices of all of the party members. If all went well, the convention goers would defeat the dragon by 11pm.
Jordan took the reigns on the art – making 4 characters and a poster sized dragon that was just awesome. JR and I worked on the abilities and how to handle combat. We knew we had to both teach the game and play the game in the time that it takes to ride an elevator – which was limiting, but also a great challenge. We were done at 9pm with an hour to spare, so JR and I took the "Otis" dragon poster that Jordan had made around the con letting folks know that we would be running the game in the middle elevator from 10pm to 11.
The end result was ridiculous and ridiculously fun. The players loved it at a level that far exceeded our hopes. Elevators are an odd place to play a game. Usually even talking in an elevator is uncomfortable, so to take folks from uncomfort to a team-based RPG adventure in such a short time really tickled our players. We had a line the whole time and players coming out of the elevators had great big smiles on their faces.
JR was the EM in the elevator and decided to give extra damage bonuses to the LARPers who had weapons. This resulted in one of the early parties returning like this for their second trip.
It created this fantastic moment in time that I won't soon forget and that I think those players will be talking about for years.
What does that have to do with the Year of Kickstarting Dangerously? Well, as our final stretch goal for How to Human, we're going to include a free PDF download of "Level Up, the Elevator RPG con game" complete with all of Jordan's awesome art. This project so "fits" the idea of what How to Human is, that I'm super happy to include it as a stretch goal.
I set the stretch goal at $5000 (about $800 will be needed in the last 4 hours to get there). I would have made it easier, but it will take Jordan a good bit of time to take the work we did at the show and turn it into something more polished. The goal is going to be challenging, and it will ONLY be achieved if there is actual demand for a crazy con elevator game.
If a campaign has very thin margins, you have to think outside the norm to create stretch goals. Don't make the mistake of killing your margin by including lots of free stuff and hope to "make it up in volume" unless you really have your numbers down solid. For this campaign, we had to avoid free physical stuff at all costs, and in the end, I think we came up with some very thematic and appropriate stretch goals.
Other Campaign Updates
– Meeple Playing Cards: First set of files off to the printer. We expect a good bit of back and forth here, but we're right on time.
Next Up: Miskatonic and Meeple Action!
Fallout: Pushing Meeples Over the Line
Last weekend was a tough one here. The Meeple deck was well below it's $6200 goal and my hopes were pretty low. I had a tough call to make – should I put in money to help it over the line?
As I discussed last week, this is called "Straw-Man" money as you have to coordinate it through someone else because you can't use your own Amazon account. It gets done all the time, and while it does ring of dishonesty, under some circumstances I find it hard to blame folks who do it as long as they still have the capability to deliver the project. KS can still be about dream fulfillment, and the idea of getting close and not making it is a soul crusher.
If a person needs to spend a few weekend nights with Netflix and ramen instead of going out for dinner and a movie but gets to make a product, then who am I to call that sacrifice anything other than dedication to their idea?
This is the call I was having to make. I already have an underfund goal, so I didn't expect the Meeple Deck to make money out of the gate, but was I willing to go deeper in pocket if I had to? I decided yes and no. I was willing to give up something to help make the project fund, but I was not willing for that to be cash. I looked around my office and found this..
It's a really nice original painting done for a CCG I worked on years ago. It's by a very well known Games Workshop artist named Adrian Smith and it's killer. I own a fair bit of art from my time in the industry and this is one of the better pieces I have. Adrian's drawings tend to go for $150-$200 and his paintings like this are easily in the $600-$800+ range (his big cover paintings are much much more expensive). I told myself that this is what I would give up to have the meeple deck fund. I figured I should be able to easily sell it for $500 on ebay if I had to sell it quickly, so that was the maximum I was willing to put in.
I was contacted by a reader of the blog who asked if I would swap funding with her. Each of us funding the other's project at $22. After looking at her game, I did it right away. I really like the type of game she had made, so I was all good with this swap and don't consider it anything other than supporting another creator.
Then I asked my friend to put in what I thought would be the first $100. I wasn't proud of this, but I love this project.
Important to note here – I had not given up. In fact, my hustle increased to a ludicrous level that final weekend. Other than zipping out to see Frozen with my family, I don't think I left my office for anything other than sleep and meals. I probably tried a dozen ideas. Some worked a little, some worked not at all. I was gaining momentum, but it still looked like I was going to be short – by more than $500. Then I tried one more idea – give stuff away.
High quality playing cards require a minimum printing of 2500 decks. The decks left over after fulfilling KS pledges is really where my profit lies. At my funding level I was going to have a LOT of decks left. Most of my work that last weekend had been to get new backers. For this tactic, I decided to used those decks as an incentive to get current backers to up their pledge – 1 free deck with order of six, 3 free decks with an order of 12. The only out-of-pocket cost to me would be shipping as the printing was a sunk cost. I would only notice those decks not being around when/if I was very close to selling out of the entire run – a point I don't expect to get to for 18 months or more.
The result was strong and immediate. Pledges were very strong in the minutes after the update. I had my friend take out the $100 he put in (it was only in for about 4 hours or so I think). We funded with a few hours left and ended up a few hundred over what was needed with NO straw-man money.
In the final days, I noticed quite a few 1-deck backers becoming 2-deck backers. My assumption is a lot of folks really did want to help so they personally stretched themselves. After the campaign was a few hundred dollars over what was needed to fund, many of those backers lowered their pledge back to the lower amounts. I want to use this space to thank those folks – it means a lot that you were willing to help us make this project and I'm glad you got to back off your levels to something that more accurately reflects your wants.
Odd side-note. After the campaign was over, I looked at the painting and realized what it now represented to me – a thing that I am willing to sell so that I can make something else. I put it on Ebay this morning. I'll use the money on whatever the next project is I do – either to lower the goal or just make it cooler.
How to Human Update:
244 backers, $2400 (goal: $500)
If the Meeple Deck was an odd campaign, the How to Human one is from another galaxy. Due to the compressed time-line, we had no time to think about "stretch goals" or even put down a plan for updates where we leak out information over time. As it is, this campaign has no financial room for stretch goals unless we move from high quality Print on Demand (POD) to traditional printing. That would mean either lowering the quality, taking a HUGE inventory position, or printing overseas (which has it's own complications).
We've also got some publisher interest in the game – so we'll have to see how that plays out. As this is a game we have no intention of making available at retail, a publisher could be nice, but it would be one more complication for what was supposed to be a one-off "event" product.
Trying to keep with the larger event/purpose of the project, we're using updates to interview other microgame creators and trying to pull back the veil a little as to what it takes to make a project like these. We also want to point out things that digital designers can learn from working on analog projects.
If I could change one thing about this campaign though, it would be to shorten it. I think small games feel more right with short campaigns. They are impulse purchase decisions at their core, not ones that should require 30 days of info for potential backers.
Next Up: The Fame Game
Final Push – Bailiff, break out the Right Guard
Final 28 hours of the Meeple Playing Card KS campaign. How does it look? 83% there, and I'm 90% towards a coronary.
There is sort of a general assumption with a Kickstarter project – you get a 1/3rd your backers in the first few days. 1/3rd in the slow middle, and `1/3rd in the final push. I can't rely on this for the Meeple deck for two reasons.
1) Total number of backers is low at about 205. The final push 1/3rd assumption is based in a lot of ways on getting your current backers to get real "viral" and that requires a certain density of backers to create compelling social noise. 200-ish could too few for that.
2) Because this is a re-launched campaign, it got an artificially fast start. I got most of the backers from the first launch to jump on very early in this campaign. Expecting an end with the same vigor is probably misplaced hope.
Most of the stats on Kickstarter programs say that if you get to 50% of the target, you almost always make it. This campaign might buck that trend, which in a lot of ways makes it more interesting to me. It brings up some interesting questions. The two I've been dealing with today are "Straw-Man money" and "what WON'T I do to make my campaign hit it's goal?"
What I'm Not Willing to Do
When your campaign is close, it's easy to get tempted to do things that you find annoying when other people do them. Because I knew marketing would suffer by trying to do 12 campaigns in a year, I really feel this pressure today. One of the things that normally bugs me is when other campaigns ask me to do a "cross-pitch." In almost all of those offers, it's someone I don't know with a very small campaign asking for help from a very successful campaign. Often those small campaigns are for really inferior products.
I've been asked probably 100 times for a cross-promotion on previous campaigns, and I've done it exactly twice. In those two cases, I felt like the project I was asked to cross-promote was both really good (something I would/did back), and appropriate for the folks who likely backed whatever I was doing at the time. And both times, the person who asked didn't do it with a form letter that was obviously spammed to every other project in the category.
Today I was tempted to be that guy and send out 50 form emails to anyone who has ever done a playing card release. I decided not to go that route (I just couldn't be 'that guy'). But I did cross promote to two previous groups that I had personally sold too: The backers of the Miskatonic School for Girls, and Castle Dice games. I owed both of those groups an update on expansions anyway and I felt like since it was me again, it wasn't too spammy.
I also requested a shout out from one very well known playing card creator/group called Uusi. I not only backed their awesome Pagan cards when they came out, but after sharing it on Facebook, so did one of my sisters. Their campaign was a real motivator for us, and as our styles couldn't be more different, I felt like they wouldn't look at us as any sort of competitor. I have no idea if they've shared the link, but I didn't feel bad asking.
Straw-Man Money?
The tougher question that comes up now though regards "Straw-Man" money. KS has a policy that you can't contribute to your own campaign. But it is a very common practice for folks to do this through a friend or relative. Some folks put this Straw-Man money into their campaigns at the beginning in hopes of getting a big boost that feeds on itself, and later they take the money out. Check out this graph:
This project had a $10K goal. And amazingly, on day 1 a single person dropped $10K into the campaign… odd that… Then after the campaign had reached a level of success that allowed it, and just 8 days before the end, that backer left and took the $10K with him/her. That at least LOOKS a lot like Straw-Man money.
The other main use of Straw-Man money is to get a campaign to "just fund." This is very common in certain areas of KS – just look at how many 100% funded kids books there are on KS. This is a pretty logical thing to do because not everyone running a KS campaign needs every single dollar to make their project a reality. Some people use KS just as a way to get some pre-sales on a project they are going to release anyway. Some folks use KS as a way to raise "all the money they can't afford to put in themselves" as well.
For the Meeple Deck, I have an Underfund Goal (a goal amount that won't totally cover all of my expenses). I didn't do that as a marketing trick, but because I fully expect to sell a lot of these decks at gaming conventions and I'm fortunate to be in a situation where I can invest a couple thousand dollars in inventory. So, should I put in a few hundred more dollars to make it fund? eek…
In 27 hours, I may come face-to-face with the Straw-Man decision to get the project funded. Right now, I'm torn. I've got a lot on my plate and having one less thing to produce this year wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen. This year isn't about going 12-for-12 on my Kickstarters – it's about trying hard. But over the course of trying hard on this one, I think I'm falling in love with the idea somewhat irrationatly. I really really like these cards.
I have two more tricks up my sleeve that I'm going to try out before the end of the campaign and hopefully, they will eliminate the need for me to even make the call. I did make a promise to myself to be totally honest on this blog, so whatever happens, you'll find the truth here.
Next Up: Fallout


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WITCH were the most popular Zambian rock band of the 1970, fusing influences that ranged from the Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple as well as traditional African rhythms, they spearheaded a new genre dubbed Zamrock. Releasing the first Zambian pop album in 1973, followed by another four, WITCH dominated the Zambian charts during their five year lifespan. Largely unknown outside their home country, they finally got the exposure they deserved when Now Again Records reissued their whole catalog in 2012. Lead singer and sole original suriving member Emmanuel "Jagari" Chanda has since played outside Africa and began a collaboration with Jacco Gardner in 2016 which will be showcased on a European Tour in September 2017. Joining Jagari onstage to play songs from their 5 album catalog will be Jacco Gardner on bass, Jay Whitefield (Whitefield Brothers, Poets of Rhythm) on lead guitar, Patrick Mwondela ("Disco" WITCH) on keys, Nic Mauskoviç (Jacco Gardner Band, Eerie Wanda, The Mauskoviç Dance Band, Altin Gün) on drums and Stefan Lilov (L'Eclair) on rhythm guitar.
14 Rue Saint-Denis
75001 Paris


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Moving Made Simple — Kind of!posted by Andrea | 11/15/2010
Moving is hard work!
Believe it or not, I've really NEVER moved before. I lived in the same house from birth until college; and even then, I was just 20 minutes away so I never really had to move.
Then we got married and hardly had anything to move 🙂
So, even though I would consider myself a very organized person, I still feel somewhat overwhelmed and disorganized at the thought of moving ALL our stuff to our new house in about 6 weeks.
And to make things even more complicated, we are moving on December 26!
Consequently, over the next 6 weeks I have
- 10 Pies, desserts, and snacks to make {for the parties listed below}
- 9 Rooms/areas to pack up
- 8 {x5} gifts to buy
- 7 Christmas parties
- 6 Birthday parties
- 5 Church/School/Community programs
- 4 Basketball games to attend — my husband coaches
- 3 Thanksgiving parties
- 2 Blogs to maintain {I'll tell you about the other one in a few weeks!}
- AND everything else I do on a weekly basis!
Yup, I'll be busy!
Normally, I would prefer to take 1 week to pack, move, unpack, and be done with it all. Unfortunately, due to my jam-packed schedule, I won't have that luxury.
So, I'm taking my own advice!
I'm simplifying the entire moving process, starting small, and doing a few things each week to get us just a little closer to our moving day!
Here are a few things I accomplished this weekend:
1. Washed all our winter gear — coats, hats, gloves, scarves, etc. — and tossed anything we don't need.
2. Washed and boxed up extra bedding, towels, etc. {yes, I did A LOT of laundry this weekend}
3. Baked a bunch of goodies for all our holiday parties and put them in labeled freezer containers.
4. Went through all our files — I rekindled my friendship with our recycle bin and shredder!
5. Posted a bunch of stuff on Craigslist — and already sold most of it!! See my tips for selling on Craigslist.
6. Cleaned out the freezer and pantry— I think we'll be eating a lot of canned and frozen food!
7. Donated another load of things to the local thrift store.
This picture is from my previous purge.
8. Packed up all our books — we won't have time to read anyway!
9. Emptied out the bathroom cabinets — impressive, isn't it??
10. Made about 52 phone calls to transfer our insurance, schedule a meeting with the title company, work out the last minute details with our Realtor, etc. etc. etc.
Not bad for one weekend.
And I didn't even feel overwhelmed. In fact, the whole process was sort-of enjoyable.
I did these projects in short increments, between other activities, so I never felt bogged down or overwhelmed. When I started to feel restless, I stopped and came back later. {Hint, hint — this method works great for large organizing projects too!}
Are you a veteran mover?
If so, share your stress-free moving tips with me — pretty please!!
- Labels:: moving
Leave a comment
25 comments
Kim N11/24/2010
Hi! I'm a first time reader and followed you from a link-up on moneysavingmom.com. I've enjoyed your site so far! Here's my deal… I've moved 10 times in 10 years! My husband and I bought our first house about a year ago, and hopefully we'll stay here awhile. (: Here's my moving tips:
I agree with the need to be very detailed in labeling boxes. In addition, try to pack everything you possibly can into boxes. I know it seems pointless to have a couple of huge boxes with just a few pillows or lamp shades, but it makes it so much easier to pack the moving van (or whatever vehicles you are using) when you have as few loose items as possible. It also minimizes the damage and dirtiness to your things.
Rummage up as many old towels and blankets as you can. Borrow some from a family member or friend if need be. As a last resort, splurge on the pads they rent at the moving van store. Your furniture will thank you and you'll be saving yourself money by keeping your furniture in good condition.
Watch for holiday sales on paper goods and stock up on enough paper plates, plastic utensils, and cups to last a week or so. Then, you can pack up most kitchen items several days before the move, have time to shelf paper your new kitchen cabinets (if necessary), come up with a good organization plan for where everything should go, & finally get everything unpacked. The paper goods are a huge timesaver and convenience!
Pack one or two boxes with last minute supplies including cleaners, rags, lightbulbs, packing tape, scissors or box cutter, first aid kit, permanent marker, trash bags, etc. Along with your vacuum, broom, and mop, this box(es) should be the last thing to leave your old place and the first to arrive at your new house. Take them with you in your vehicle instead of throwing them on the moving van.
Lastly, if you have some family and friends who have volunteered to help you move (assuming you're doing it yourself & not hiring a moving company), then do not actually help unload the boxes from the truck. Plan on standing just outside the truck or at the front door to your house and directing traffic. You can quickly read the box labels or take note of the furniture and send your helpers to the right room in your house. This will save you time and sanity later when everything arrived in the right room. It's frustrating to finally find that "missing" box of kitchen essentials stacked in the corner of your bedroom!
Good luck on moving day!
Andrea Reply:
November 24th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Kim, thank you so much for your expert advice.
I was thinking about how and when I would pack up our kitchen stuff — and I NEVER thought about paper plates. I will stock up on Thanksgiving plates the day after!
And I appreciate your advice to pack everything in boxes. I was wondering if it is really worth it to have so many boxes…but you're right. They stack better and will be easier to move, unpack, etc.
I do already have a box of cleaning supplies that will be on the very back of the truck…along with the vacuum! And our family is helping us move so I'm planning to direct traffic during the "move-in" process!
Thanks again!
I am so glad I found this site. I am on the same timeline as you. We are purchasing our first home and I am moving for essentially the first time (besides the move from my parent's home). My husbands and our 4 teens have lived in this rental for 15 years! So we have a lot of junk. Fortunately it is only a few blocks away and not across country. However the holidays and it being a first purchase do add some stress. And I home educate, so that adds an extra element. We are also losing a garage, so we won't have storage space, not sure yet how we'll deal with that.
I'm glad I found your site. I look forward to your posts and will view you as a partner in moving. I've only got one box packed. Move in date is 12/19! Yikes, I've got to get busy!
Andrea Reply:
November 24th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Wow Kim, it sounds like we will both be VERY busy this next month. Maybe we can keep each other on track and organized!!
And congrats on purchasing your first home. How exciting!!!
I would suggest reading all the other comments for this post (if you haven't already)…they offer great advice from seasoned movers.
Also, I am taking this opportunity to purge as much as I possibly can. Everything we don't need, use, or love is GONE. I have made several trips to the thrift store, and it will be worth my efforts when I don't have to waste more energy packing, moving, and unpacking
Good luck!
Kim Reply:
November 24th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
So glad I am already a purger! I also read somewhere to assign each room a color and buy those dots and put them on boxes so that you can automatically know which room to take a box too.
And I also plan on buying another newspaper end. We get these for the kids for school and for wrapping gifts from the local newsprinter for $5. They last FOREVER. They are the ends that they can't print on and will be perfect for packing. You don't want to use printed newspaper because the ink can damage your items.
I love all the other tips here. Especially about saving the cleaning supplies for last and the home decor!
I have a question. I am moving in a couple weeks. But unlike you, it is just across the lane. Literally. How much should I pack for that? I have never moved a household. My mom still lives where I was born and this is where we moved when we got married 4 years ago.
Andrea Reply:
November 20th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Congrats on moving!! I know how stressful it can be…but hopefully it will be worth all your effort!
Honestly, I would tell you to move everything you want, need, use, and love. As you go through your things to pack, simply toss out anything you don't want to bring with you and pack up the rest.
It will probably seem like a lot of "stuff" but if you'll need it again after you move, there's really no sense in getting rid of it…and then buying it new again after you move.
Feel free to contact me with more questions…and I'll try to be as helpful as I can. This is the first time I'm moving too so it's kind of a "learn-as-I-go" process!!!
Good luck!
New to your site as well. I have moved 12 times in 20 years and the best tip I have is to not only label your boxes but number every one of them. Then on a sheet of paper have your numbered items listed so you know exactly what boxes are missing, if any. Cross them off as you open. Make a couple of copies (kept in two different places) in case you lose them in the chaos of moving.
You can make a spreadsheet with the number, contents and room it belongs in.
Andrea Reply:
November 24th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Terri, thanks for the great tips.
I was already labeling my boxes but thanks to your tip, I have started numbering them too!! (I never thought of this!) I'm sure it will make our move less stressful!
Joslin Reply:
November 26th, 2010 at 1:40 am
Just found your blog recently…I learned to make a detailed numbered list a few moves ago from a super organized neighbor who had been through her share of moves too! On my list I put the box number, then the room, then general details of what's inside. I kept this list in a notebook which included other important info for our move as well-that way everything was in one place. Then when you are unpacking and want something specific you can easily find the box without opening all of them before you are ready to. This is also helpful before the move if you have packed something that you end up needing!
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oh amanda11/16/2010
When you were listing all the things you had to do I thought you were going to end with "a partridge in a pear tree!!" 🙂
I'm like you, I lived in the same house until I got married. But since I've been married–I've lived in 5 states and who knows how many houses. Sadly, I don't have any tips except GET RID OF STUFF SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO PACK IT.
You are off to a great start! I echo the above response! Label all boxes by room! (I'm sure you already know this:) ). Also, have some of your most favorite decors / kitchen dishes "close by" for when you unpack! It will make it feel like home right away!!
Betsy (Eco-novice)11/16/2010
Your new home is SO gorgeous. I am truly jealous. 4 moves in 3 years. My advice — if you aren't sure whether to keep or toss, toss. Label everything, the more detail the better. Have different colored labels for different rooms/areas (or a little circle sticker at least beside the label). Leave as little as humanly possible for the last day. Pack up your kitchen at least 2 days before moving.
P.S. I hate eating down my food storage.
Yes, I agree with everyone so far….
1. Label your boxes
2. Have a few decorations ready to go when you move in
3. Take baby steps
4. Have fun!
Good luck…I can't wait to see more pictures of your new house…and follow your new blog!!!
I am new to your site and love it. Although I am not moving I am in the process of decluttering and organzing my home. I have way to much stuff. I look at it as baby steps. I have already taken a few trips to Goodwill. I have a lot more to go. I especailly love your simple steps to staying organized. I printed it out and will be placing in my refrigerator. I also love the picture of your filing cabinet. I have a filing cabinet by my bills and papers sit around for a long time before they go in it. It will be nice to have an orgaized cabinet like yours. One of my goals for next year is to keep the house clean and organized. With a site like yours I think it is possible. Thanks!!!
You are crazy…. I am already feeling overwhelmed with the thought of moving states in the next month. And I don't have near as much stuff as you do. HELP!!!
Label EVERY box – Top and one side. Put a detailed list on the inside (top) of the box with the contents.
For instance:
Top and Side of box says:
Summer Stuff (Can unpack later/put in storage room)
List inside: Suits, towels, goggles, sunscreeen etc.
In my first 14 years of marriage – moved 9 times. Last move has lasted 15 years a total RECORD! :O)


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Life Insurance
Insure Your Life for Your Loved Ones
Life insurance is one of the most important insurance policy types that we offer. This insurance is designed to protect your family in the event of your death, offering financial protection that ensures that they're taken care of. We'll assist you in identifying the type of life insurance that's best for the needs of both you and your loved ones. In general, there are three basic types of life insurance to choose from: term life, whole life and universal life.
Each of these has their own benefits, which is why it's essential that you contact us to further discuss which option is best for you. Life insurance is typically used to offset high funeral costs as well as any other issues that can occur in this situation. If the policy is large enough, it can be placed into an inheritance or used as income for those that were dependent on you.
If you have already sought assistance in financial planning for the future, life insurance should certainly be considered. Our financial experts will sit down with you to iron out the details and answer any questions you may have, which further helps to determine the life insurance policy that will best meet your needs. Once you've found the policy that you prefer, you can have peace of mind knowing that your family is well taken care of.


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When in casino – Tips to boost your chances in Live roulette
Live roulette is one of the most popular forms of online gambling, not least because they usually have extremely attractive dealers hosting the games. While many people play roulette for fun only, a lot of gamblers are interested how to play live casino to make money. As with many casino games, roulette involves a lot of luck, but that doesn't mean it's not possible to increase your chances of winning.
Employ a betting system
No matter if you're playing for fun or for profit, always use a system instead of betting blindly. There are quite a few popular systems for playing roulette, with one of the easiest being the Martingale System due to its simplicity. It simply involves betting on "black" or "red" and doubling your stakes each time you lose, so you only need one win to recover all of your previous losses.
Practice first
Before starting to place actual bets at live roulette games, find an online platform that will allow you to play for free in the beginning. Get comfortable with the game and experiment with different types of games and bets. That way, you will know your strong and weak areas and will therefore make fewer mistakes.
Manage your bankrolling
Serious gamblers need to manage their bankroll carefully. Your bankroll will also dictate which table limits you play at, and the kinds of bets you make. The general idea is to bet exactly 2.5 percent of your bankroll each bet, so if you can win 51 percent of your bets you'll show a profit.
European roulette is easier
While many players prefer the American game, it's actually easier to win the European style game. European roulette has slightly better odds because there is only one "zero" instead of the two zeros you see on American tables.
Quit when you're ahead
This necessitates setting yourself a target first. It's important to do so because without a target you won't know when to quit. You should aim to boost your bankroll by just a little in each session, and so if your bankroll is $1,000, you should target a $100 profit. If you manage to reach this, quit playing and come back tomorrow! In line with this, you should also set yourself a loss target. If you lose more than $100 in a session, don't chase your losses. Quit and come back later, refreshed, and hopefully you'll have better luck.
Don't bet while drunk
You can lose more than you bargained for when you drink and play roulette. Alcohol clouds your judgment and when you've got money in play you might be more apt to make stupid bets.
Take advantage of bonuses
Most online roulette sites will offer new players tempting bonuses to sign up. This is a big difference from land based casinos that never offer bonuses. Some casinos will match your initial deposit up to an amount of $500, which means you get twice as many bets for your money. So make your first deposit a big one to ensure you get more free chances.


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Class List > Homemaking Arts > Chair Caning: 7-Step Process
Chair Caning: 7-Step Process
Instructor: Verne and Doris Ramsey
This full day class is taught by Vern Ramsey.
The chair caning class consists of the basic 7 step method of caning a chair. We will go through each step starting with removing the old cane, lacing the new cane from hole to hole, tying off each step and then finish with the binder cane that completes the chair.
Materials to bring:
Chair to be caned
Small bucket (ice cream bucket is ok)
Side cutters or scissors
Large towel to set chair on
Small sponge or cloth
A few snapper clothes pins or bag ties
Upcoming Classes...


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A nearly century-old theater and movie house in suburban Philadelphia is being reborn as a craft beer pub and restaurant.
The (Doylestown) Intelligencer reports that a local developer is revamping Quakertown's Palace Theater into the Quakertown Brewing Co.
Co-owner Alicia DeMarco says the restaurant will offer beer brewed on the premises along with pub fare from local farms.
"We want to focus on bringing that money back into Quakertown," she told the paper.
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
"I see a lot of untapped potential with Quakertown Borough and I think, with this Gateway project, it's a perfect jumping off point with the revitalization efforts in downtown Quakertown."
The Palace Theater was built in 1922 and hosted vaudeville shows and later silent movies followed by talkies. It became an appliance store in the 1970s but has been vacant for the past few years.
As part of the new brewery, silent films will be projected onto a 20-foot back wall.
DeMarco says she hopes for a grand opening in spring 2015.


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Ok, I need your help.
Before I go any further, I'm sure those of you who really know me, are wondering how in the world I can make such under statements?
Of COURSE I have issues!
Of COURSE I need help!
Anyway, I'm serious now...pay attention!! :-)
So, here's the thing. How do you "break up" with a company? I mean, what do you say, when they ask you WHY you're leaving them? That's the hardest thing for me to answer.
Case in point. For a few months now, we've tossed around the idea of switching security companies. We have had the OTHER company for the 12 years we've lived in this house. Never had to use them (really). In fact, we hardly even activate the thing unless we're all gone from the house.
Fast forwarding to yesterday. This guy comes by and gives us a pretty good sales pitch about ANOTHER company. Long story short, we decided to go with them. However, I will say that I wasn't too happy about the technician being in the area and "had time" to come on by and install the new equipment last night. Do you know he didn't leave here until after 10:30pm? ARGH!!
ANYWAY...today I had to call the OTHER company and "break up" with them. And of course they asked me why we were canceling our service. They went on and on about how they've been our security provider for the past 12 years and how the hate to see us leave. (well, we hate when your rates go up too...but you don't hear us whining...to you.) We've gotten the letters over the years telling us about the "slight" increase in charges. And we adjust accordingly.
Why can't they do that?
Why do they make you feel so bad about leaving them?
And WHY do you offer me a better rate or better service AFTER I tell you that we're "quitting" you?
So, are ya'll honest and tell them exactly why you're leaving? Do you tell them that you're going with another company? HELP???
4 years ago


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Originally published May 19, 2012 at 7:00 PM | Page modified May 20, 2012 at 1:26 AM
My best bets of summer: Michael Upchurch
Best bets for summer 2012, from Seattle Times arts writer Michael Upchurch.
Michael Upchurch | Seattle Times arts writer
Seattle International Dance Festival: Beyond the Threshold (June 1-10): This annual dance fest inevitably presents major talents, both local and from abroad, in the intimate settings of Raisbeck Hall on Cornish College of the Arts' Denny Triangle campus. Free outdoor shows on nearby Westlake Avenue are also a draw (206-552-0694 or www.seattleidf.org).
Northwest New Works (June 8-17): At On the Boards' yearly showcase of experimental fare in dance, music and theater, you can sometimes catch brilliant talents on the rise. This year's dance offerings look especially strong (206-217-9888 or www.ontheboards.org).
Seattle Chamber Music Society Summer Festival (July 2-29): Local classical-music lovers know just what a stellar event this is, as top-notch talents — often the principal players from North America's finest orchestras — get together for four weeks and deliver dazzling performances of classic chamber works at Benaroya's recital hall (206-283-8808 or www.seattlechambermusic.org).
"The Planets — An HD Odyssey" (July 2 and 14): The Seattle Symphony takes inspiration from "2001: A Space Odyssey" in these Benaroya Hall performances of works by R. Strauss, Ligeti and Holst as high-definition footage from NASA's solar-system explorations is projected above the orchestra (206-215-4747 or www.seattlesymphony.org).
Michael Upchurch: email@example.com


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Winning Customers and Seizing Sales Opportunities
proALPHA in Sales and Marketing ─ Your Benefits
The success of a business deal not only depends on the price and quality of a product. It is also crucial to address customers with topics that matter to them. This requires efficient customer relationship management and streamlined sales processes. You can effortlessly achieve both with proALPHA and strengthen your position as a reliable business partner by creating quotation costings fast and confirming feasible delivery dates. Full control of sales planning and forecasts are key success factors, too.
Gain Proficiency in proALPHA ERP
Learn how to handle proALPHA ERP efficiently and professionally right from the start. The training provided by the proALPHA Academy maximizes the benefits you gain from the system.
Modules for Sales and Marketing
Sales and marketing processes can be consistently mapped and efficiently controlled with a proALPHA solution that is fully integrated into the ERP system. CRM supports you in customer acquisition, and the product configurator allows sales employees to design a product together with the customer. Thanks to the deep integration of cost accounting, all data are readily available and can be analyzed in detail by means of multidimensional income accounting and powerful BI tools.
Making Use of New Trends and Technologies in Sales
proALPHA evaluates new technologies and trends on an ongoing basis. Not everything that is new and trendy already suits the needs of small and mid-sized enterprises. This is true for digital transformation, mobility, and user experience, for example. proALPHA therefore first checks how innovations can be put into practice in a profitable way before adding them to its portfolio. Read more about:
Industry Solutions
Powerful software equipped with special functions for a variety of industries:
Professional Consulting to Improve Data Quality and Reporting
Reliable forecasts have to draw on accurate up-to-date information. The central database of proALPHA and accurate master data provide the basis for this. proALPHA will advise you on how to achieve and maintain high data quality and introduce you to the analyses and KPIs that are best suited for marketing and sales in your industry. Further information on consulting services:
- Data Quality
- Business Intelligence
Latest News, Events and Expert Information on Your Division
Want to Learn More?
Hands-On Experience
proALPHA provides optimum support for its users by offering comprehensive training, professional customer service, and informative customer portals. This ensures that you are always up-to-date and make full use of your ERP system.
proALPHA works in various partnerships to optimally fulfill the requirements of its users and to stay one step ahead of its competitors by encouraging innovation. Its technology partners contribute to achieving this goal with their cutting-edge solutions. The cooperation with selected partners allows proALPHA to offer services that go beyond the core processes of small and mid-sized enterprises and require specialist knowledge. By working together with leading research institutes proALPHA is well-prepared for future innovations and trends.
Information Materials
Do you want to learn more about proALPHA's industry-specific portfolio and the functionalities of its comprehensive ERP solution? Feel free to request your brochure, white paper or edition of the customer magazine by e-mail. You will receive the documents in a ZIP file.
Used by H2O
proALPHA is a proven ERP solution on which many customers rely. H2O has streamlined its sales processes by creating full documentation.


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This site contains basic and helpful guides to, and information about, the GNU/Linux computer Operating System, with a bias toward the Debian distribution.
The guides are intended for those new to GNU/Linux and are more a collection
of helpful practical notes than an attempt to offer a comprehensive user
guide. This site is intentionally simple so as to be readily accessable
to browsers such as lynx.
Why Choose Debian GNU/Linux?
Talking Freedom: Free Software or Ease of Use?
In Praise of the Console: Do You Really Need X?
Using Debian GNU/Linux
Lynx Friendly!
Notes on Installing Debian GNU/Linux
Ethernet Configuration: Debian
Simple LAN: Debian
Beginning Emacs
Simple dotemacs file
Using VM - A Mail User Agent for Emacs
Linux Guides and Documentation
Free Software Foundation


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I'm very sorry for your loss of a beloved pet and an esteemed colleague.{{{SG and SGSpouse}}}I look forward to seeing you post again when your heart has begun to heal and you've got your mojo back. I guess it sounds strange, but I'm fond of you and the others who post here.PS--I think we'll overlap in NYC--I'll be there 11/4-11, my husband joining me over the final weekend. We're going to the Django Reinhardt festival at Birdland on Saturday night 11/10. The festival is 11/6-11 if you have the heart for good music in an intimate and historic venue for jazz lovers.http://www.djangobirdland.com
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Reader Placements
Placements – home and away
Reader training is not just about going to course sessions and doing assignments. An equally important part of the learning on the course is the learning and development done in a "placement" context – preaching, leading worship and being involved in a range of activities in church and community. In their training readers operate in two placements – their home church and a short-term external placement at another church.
Requirements for placements vary slightly between diocese but in most cases the external placement is about 10 weeks long. In many dioceses the external placement usually begins on Palm Sunday or thereabouts so that trainees experience Easter in another church than the one they are used to.
It is important to note that his may need some planning in terms of releasing trainees from their home church commitments for that period. During their external placement, trainees will meet up with a supervisor in that church (usually the incumbent, though again this can be shared with or delegated to someone else in the ministry team).
At the end of the external placement the supervisor for that placement is asked to complete a report on the trainee, including a "skills scan" of how they have functioned in preaching and leading worship. This report feeds into the end of year reporting process – which includes the report from the home church incumbent/supervisor that is part of the portfolio assessment for the Discipleship & Ministry module in January of the first year.
Information from both home and external placement reports is put together with assessment of the trainee's learning on the course modules – this forms the basis for a report which the Director of Studies writes for the Bishop, checking whether the trainee is on track for continuing in training and being licensed the following year.
A similar report for the Bishop is produced at the end of the 2nd year, again with input from the incumbent/supervisor in the form of an end of year report on how they feel the trainee has developed in that final year.