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Friday, July 06, 2007
Camera Obscura - Walking Out On A Movie
George Romero says his new "Diary of the Dead" is a whole new take on the zombie epic he has created. I love Romero soooooo much.
Let me ask you, have you ever paid for a movie and left it long before it was over?
I have admitted many times that I will watch almost any movie --- almost. I've even taken a movie which challenged my endurance or shocked me silly to movie parties, seeing how long it would take for the movie to 'clear the room.'
There was an article, which I found here at MetaFilter, about movies that prompted walkouts.
So, some of my own personal 'walkout' stories.
Once, while a student at MTSU during a summer session, I paid 50 cents for a ticket to see "The Sound of Music". I had never seen it and went to the student center to watch it. It was done out of overwhelming boredom and fear of the dorm roommate I had, who carried a gun and drank tequila by the bottle while smoking some weird mixture of pot and prescription sedatives. So I figured what the hey. The movie had to be better. I left after about 15 minutes. I found it excruciating. I ended up sitting in the dark, on a bench outside the dorm, wondering if I would ever get back into my room or if my roommate might shoot me if I came in before he was passed out. Suffice to say I left not only the movie, but MTSU.
When I was around 18, some friends and I paid money to see "Xanadu" with Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly, all rollerblading and disco dancing like mad to the music of Electric Light Orchestra. I get queasy just thinking of the movie and I really think we must have been drunk to even go into to watch this crap. We wanted to leave, but started having too much fun loudly deriding the movie. The theatre sold godawful soybean-ish cheeseburgers and, drunk and hungry, I went to buy one.
For some reason I cannot recall, a scene made me so irritated I actually threw the burger at the screen. It stuck and then slowly slid down Gene Kelly's rollerblading legs. I remain utterly embarrassed by my actions, as I have never been so disrespectful to a movie screen before or since that moment. But in my heart, I still think my impromptu review was accurate.
A few weeks later, a friend and I went to see "Raging Bull". I was mesmerized by it, but for some reason it utterly freaked out my friend. With about a half an hour or less to go, he jumped up and said "We're getting out of here now!!!! NOW!!" and he bolted out the door. I reluctantly followed and he refused to ever talk about what bothered him and I have no idea to this day what dug into my friend. I went back the next night and watched it again, alone.
A few years Later, I took my girlfriend at the time to see "Brazil" when it came out. Again, I was mesmerized and apparently the movie sent her straight to Hell. And again, with less than half and hour to go, she starts loudly weeping and runs out of the theatre. I sat there for a minute NOT wanting to leave this movie for a second, but since she was so freaked, I did leave. But on my way to find her, I realized I liked the movie more than I liked dating her. (I know, I'm evil.) She was sobbing in the lobby and she said the movie reminded her too much of some recurring nightmares she had. I did my best to calm her down for a minute or so, but eventually (again, to my embarrassment) told her to stay put and I went back in to watch the rest of the movie. That was pretty much the end of our relationship.
As a paid movie critic, I never, ever walked out of a movie. A bad review, like a praiseworthy one, can often write itself. But some sure made me squirm like mad. Case in point - "Steel Magnolias". I get hives just thinking about that movie. My nasty reviews of it brought endless hate mail. But I realized hate mail and stalkers were better than that movie. And no, I'm not linking to that movie.
At home, there have been a few really cheesy Grade Z horror or sci-fi knockoffs I have fast forwarded through, but usually if I start it I will finish it. One that failed to keep me to the end recently was called "Seven Swords" by Tsui Hark. I had read some great pre-release press about this epic kung-fu movie, backed by the Weinsteins, and was really looking forward to watching it. So a few weeks ago I got the DVD and reluctantly shut it down after the first hour. It was just so convoluted and boring, despite a big budget and some OK acting. Even the worst of the old Sir Run Run Shaw movies were better.
My favorite walkout story though arrived courtesy of Andy Warhol and his "Flesh For Frankenstein" in 3-D.
This 1973 X-rated (now R-rated) movie showed up in a Morristown theatre in the early 1980s, just after some huge business for the movie theatre from the "Friday The 13th" in 3-D and "Jaws 3-D" movies. I nearly wrecked my car when I saw on the movie marquee: Andy Warhol's Frankenstein in 3-D.
I told some friends we HAD to go watch the movie, if only to see the audience get totally freaked. So we go into the first show on a Friday and the house was packed to the rafters -- including lots of parents and kids. I was almost hysterical with laughter even before the movie started, just imagining what this movie would do to the audience.
Within the first ten minutes, the spooked crowd started leaving, most of them visibly shaken by the Weirdness on the screen. 20 minutes in and the crowd was cut to less than half it's size. The "oh my Gods!" from customers made me wonder if the manager would shut the movie down before it ended. About 40 minutes into the movie, the deranged doctor F. is caught by his assistant, Otto, having sex with a female corpse. The room went deadly silent, and the doc yells at Otto the immortal line: "To know life, Otto, you must f**k death in the gall bladder!"
Boom!! A sonic blast occurred as the crowd fled at high speed, leaving only myself and my two friends behind as we laughed until we cried. We stayed and watched the whole movie, laughing the movie and the terrified crowd. The movie got yanked the next day. Oh, yes, that was much fun.
If you have a movie walkout story to share --- have at it!
4 comments:
I made it all the way through Brazil, but I pretty much had the same reaction as your former girlfriend. It didn't help that I watched it on Y2K Eve.ReplyDelete
Joe -ReplyDelete
The Sound of Music? Really? It seems like it's such your cup of tea. Singing nuns, girls named Liesl, Brigitta and Gretl and Nazis! What more do you want from a picture show, really?
I walked out of "Deadtime Stories." Not because I was scared, but because it sucked most heinously. I also walked out of "Billy Madison" only to later become a HUGE fan of the flick on video. I guess I just wasn't in the mood for random appearances of a giant penguin.
OMG! Kelvis! I just said the same thing to Joe! I mean, singing nuns and Nazi Hitler Youth! I got to watch it once with a guy from Austria, and he pointed out all the inconsistencies in the film (e.g., there is no way Julie Andrews could have been spinning around on that mountain one minute than be skipping down to the abbey a half hour later--the house is not on a lake).ReplyDelete
SofM is one of the few musicals I can stand. Odd.
Well Kelvis and The Ed. -- if Sound of Music had been more like, say, Ilsa, She-Wolf of the S.S. .....ReplyDelete
Christy - There was NEVER a tepid or lukewarm reaction to Brazil, it was either love or hate. As for that ex -- she went on to be very happily married and has a couple of kids too. So I'm glad the event was not more than she could overcome!


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Death: Still alive and drawing anthropomorphic mice.
Comments: David Petersen is an American author and illustrator best known for creating the Mouse Guard series. Petersen holds a degree in fine arts from Eastern Michigan University. He has won the Russ Manning Award for Best Newcomer as well as two Eisners for his work on Mouse Guard.
Petersen writes a blog named David Petersen's Blog, and a website named Dave Petersen Artwork. He has a website to promote Mouse Guard named, unsurprisingly enough, Mouse Guard. He can also be found on Twitter.
My reviews of David Petersen's books:
Mouse Guard: Fall 1152
Other books by David Petersen that I have read but not reviewed:
Short fiction by David Petersen appearing in works that I have reviewed:
Authors - P Authors A-Z Home

subset: commoncrawl


text:
CFP: Empathy and Emotions in Morality, Communication, and Human Life
Submissions due August 15, 2018
Video Webinar: Thursday September 6, 2018, 10am-2pm EST
Please join us by free video teleconference Sept. 6, or in person locally in Troy NY
Co-sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and
the Department of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame
Keynote speakers:
Michael Slote, UST Professor of Ethics and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Miami
September 6 schedule (Eastern Time Zone):
10.00am-10.25am: Narvaez talk
10.25am-10.40am: Narvaez discussion
10.40am-10.45am: 5 minute break
10.45am-11.10am: Snow talk
11.10am-11.25am: Snow discussion
11.25am-11.30am: 5 minute break
11.30am-11.55am: Slote talk
11.55am-12.10pm: Slote discussion
12.10pm-12.30pm: 20 minute break
12.30pm-12.55pm: Frazer talk
12.55pm-1.10pm: Frazer discussion
1.10pm-1.15pm: 5 minute break
1.15pm-1.40pm: Carlo talk
1.40pm-1.55pm: Carlo discussion
The teleconference is organized by the following questions:
Local live viewing of the webinar will be hosted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), STS Department at the Student Union Building, Ellsworth Meeting Room #3602, 15th Street, Troy NY; please RSVP using the registration button below. Webinar will be freely available by Zoom video conference, and video audience will be invited to ask questions during discussion.
We welcome submissions related to the above questions, as well as experienced commentators for keynote speakers (paper submission optional for commentators). Papers should be no longer than 3000 words, and prepared for blind review. All submissions should be made via e-mail attachment, due August 15, 11PM (EST). Please include the following information on a cover page in a separate file:
1. Title of paper
2. Abstract (250 words max.)
3. Author's name
4. Author's institutional affiliation
5. Author's email address
6. Please indicate whether you would be willing to serve as a commentator on the work of a keynote speaker, and specify which speaker(s).
The paper and cover page should be sent in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt., or .rtf format to the Program Chair, Christopher Caulfield: email@example.com
Darcia Narvaez, Professor of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame
Nancy E. Snow, Director of the Institute for the Study of Human Flourishing and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oklahoma
Michael Slote, UST Professor of Ethics and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Miami
Michael Frazer, Lecturer in Political and Social Theory in the School of Politics, Philosophy, Language, and Communication Studies at the University of East Anglia, UK
Gustavo Carlo, Millsap Professor of Diversity at the Department of Human Development and Family Science at the University of Missouri
Zoom (similar to Skype) is free for individuals to download and use; please visit www.zoom.us and "sign-up" to register your account with Zoom and download the software. Users will need a high speed internet connection suitable for video teleconference.
Please click the link below tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 6, any time between 10 AM- 2 PM (EST) to join the webinar:
September 5, 2018
video link for webinar is available:


text:
Some time after my last case study on B in Alberta (who now reads friendlier blogs, haha!), I am ready to do a second case study on a different financial situation.
In their early 30s, the A family is starting their investment journey a little later than myself. But I readily admit I am a financial nerd who started early and was determined not to live the cash-strapped lifestyle I was raised in.
Both of the A's are relatively new to Canada. With less than 10 years in this country each, they are absolutely killing it! These are the kind of ambitious migrants that every country should want!
Scoring Big in Toronto: The Goal & Current Situation
The A's are getting ready for their first child, so they are wanting a second opinion on their financial journey as big changes are coming their way.
They have three main goals:
- Retire in 25 years with an annual dividend income of $100,000 in today's dollars;
- Pay for their children's university education (likely two kids); and
- Explore adequate insurance to take care of the family in the worst scenario.
The A's are earning a very solid income, combined at over $190,000 per year. Mr. A is older and more experienced in his profession and earns a little over $100,000 per year. Mrs. A earns somewhat less, but her compensation is growing more rapidly and will meet Mr. A's in the coming years.
One of the concerns the A's have is if they will be able to meet their goals working in Canada. Jobs in their field in the U.S. pay more so they are tempted to move down into Trump-land to reap those financial rewards.
Right now, the A's are worth a bit less than $200,000. Here's the breakdown...
His RRSP (Work Plan): $55,000
His RRSP (Self-directed): $61,000
Her RRSP (Work Plan): $19,000
His Self-directed TFSA: $24,000
Her Self-directed TFSA: $34,000
Vehicle: $6,000
Total Assets: $199,000
Car Loan: $6,000 at 2.99 percent
Total Debt: $6,000
Current Net Worth: $193,000
Both of the A's benefit from a matching RRSP workplace plan. They contribute 6 percent of their gross salary, the employer puts in 6 percent. Although the workplace plans only offer expensive, crappy life insurance company mutual funds, the dollar-for-dollar match makes it worthwhile to contribute.
In their workplace plans, the plan managers don't like the employees making them work too hard, so tinkering and making changes to asset allocation is frowned on.
The A's have 70 percent of their workplace portfolios in stocks and 30 percent in Canadian bonds, re-balancing about once per year. The stock portion is evenly divided into U.S. stocks, International stocks, and Canadian stocks in a classic Couch Potato approach.
In addition to their workplace plans, the A's try to save $2,500 a month in their personal accounts (TFSAs and RRSP). Most months they are able to hit their savings target.
In Mrs. A's self-directed TFSA, she holds a classic 60-40 portfolio using low-cost ETFs. In both of Mr. A's self-directed accounts, he runs the Dual Momentum strategy.
Broken down into dollars per asset, they invest $108,000 in buy-and-hold strategies and another $85,000 in the Dual Momentum strategy.
That's roughly $24,000 each in U.S. stocks, International stocks, and Canadian stocks with $36,000 in bonds. The DM signal is currently in U.S. stocks, so another $85,000 is sitting there.
The A's are currently renters in super-expensive Toronto. In preparation for the coming kids, they recently moved to a bigger 2 bedroom 1,500 sq.ft. condo in a great neighbourhood that's just 20 minutes from work. The rent on this place is $2,500 monthly.
Renting in Toronto is a great move! At just $2,500 a month, including property tax, condo fees, insurance, and maintenance costs, the A's are getting the place for a steal. Ownership would easily cost an extra $1,000 a month and the downpayment would drain their liquid assets.
If I Was in Their Shoes
The A's are both high earners who have avoided making any big financial mistakes. They wisely did not get sucked into buying an overpriced property during Toronto's real estate boom. They also have no significant debts.
However, there is a big financial squeeze coming and, despite their apparently reasonable path, the A's need a big financial reality check.
Given their gross income of $190,000, the A's have a tax bill of approximately $45,000 each year in Ontario. They also contribute $11,500 in workplace RRSP plans (matched equally by their employers). That leaves them with a net income of $133,500 to work with each year.
One of A's misconceptions is to focus on dividend income as a goal. Dividends are only a portion of total investment returns. Instead, look to total assets and withdrawal rates.
If a retiree wanted to be extremely cautious, they should have 30 times their annual spending in productive investment assets. At the age the A's are targeting for retirement, even 25 times annual spending is prudent. Especially if they live in Canada and expect to benefit from CPP and OAS.
Using this more sound methodology, if we allow for a tax rate of 15 percent, the A's will need $3.0 - $3.5 million in productive assets when they retire to realize a net income of $100,000 a year. However, as I will show later, this amount is way too high considering their total financial timeline.
Given their current assets, the A's will need to save at least $4,000 every month for 25 years to hit their retirement goal. After the combined gross workplace RRSP savings of $1,900 per month, they should be putting another $2,100 in their personal accounts every month to achieve their income objective.
While they appear to be doing well at their current savings rate of $2,500 a month, the problem is coming. Kids reduce income and raise expenses. Chances are Mrs. A may go part-time or even take a few years off when the bambinos are not yet in school.
This means they need to maximize the savings now! Before kids are in the picture reducing family income and increasing family expenses. Don't forget, at their household income levels the A family is not going to see those potentially big Canada Child Benefit cheques.
They will also need to save around $60,000 in 20 years to pay for education costs for both future kids. This means once the first kid comes they will need to save $1,500 per year in a family RESP to pay for their kids education. That number does not include the government's CESG grant.
I believe it's important for kids to have skin in the game for their own education. Plan to cover tuition costs and maybe some extras, but encourage them to work part-time to pay for their fun money. Also, kids education savings should always and only come after your own retirement security.
Step 1: Sell the Rolls-Royce
The vehicle is a real killer in the A family budget. Despite having just one car and driving a mere 10,000 km per year, they spend $100 a month on parking, $480 on insurance, $150 on gas, $300 a month on loan repayments, and at least $100 on other maintenance.
Adding this all up, they spend at least $13,500 a year on this vehicle. That's more than $1.30 per km! If they sold the car and invested the savings, they would be $700,000 richer in 25 years. The A's are not driving a Rolls, but it may as well be one at this cost!
It may be slightly less convenient, but selling the car and buying two decent used commuter bikes is a must. For longer trips there's always Uber or car rentals. Remember, they are living near downtown Toronto.
Even considering some Uber or car rental costs over the year, selling the car should increase their savings by over $1,000 a month in a single step.
Step 2: Cut Down the Daily Spending
Next order of business is to take a hard look at the other daily spending categories. It is way too high and this is very evident by their pitiful savings rate relative to their monthly net income of $11,100.
We know their rent is $2,500 a month. They also pay an extra $100 for hydro and probably $20 for tenant insurance bringing their total housing costs to $2,620 per month. I'm fine with that if it's close to work, avoids the need for a vehicle, and is a comfortable place to live.
But, there should be no reason why the A's would spend more than $2,500 a month on groceries, cell phones, internet, entertainment, clothing, workplace benefits, and vacations.
To get these costs down, dump the cable bill, look at TekSavvy for internet and use Netflix, get data-lite cell phone plans from Public or Freedom Mobile, use older cell phones and electronics, start shopping at Walmart and No-Frills, stop eating and drinking away from home, and shrink the closets and buy clothes only at consignment stores.
Also, examine those workplace extended health/dental benefit plans. It often does not make sense for both spouses to contribute their own plan. Instead, choose the better plan and contribute to one plan only. Have the spouse with the worse plan opt out. This can save $50 to $100 per month in premiums.
With some simple optimization—including the car sale—the A's should be able to save somewhere between $5,000 and $6,000 per month in addition to their workplace RRSP contributions and still enjoy a great lifestyle.
Lets not forget the added benefit of getting in better shape from those bicycle miles!
Step 3: Create an Emergency Plan
With a kid coming in the future, the A's need to put away a cash cushion as soon as they can. If the first child is coming quick, make this a priority and hold off on new personal investment contributions!
I would recommend they maintain a balance around $5,000 in their chequing account and open a High Interest Savings Account, rapidly stashing another $10,000 there.
It will take a few months to get there at an optimized savings rate, but having a cushion that covers several months of expenses is very smart considering a youngster is coming.
Kids mean time away from work for mom (and maybe dad), unexpected expenses, and a little more nerves all around. The last thing the A's should worry about during this stressful time is money in the bank.
Once baby fixtures are provided for, new kid care expenses are reduced, and things are back to normal, they can get rid of or shrink the HISA and maintain a total cash balance of $10,000. This should cover about 2 months of hard expenses.
Now would also be a great time to apply for a personal line of credit at a bank. I would aim for a $25,000 unsecured line of credit. The line of credit plus the enlarged chequing account should cover six months of bare-bones expenses.
As with all emergency funds, don't use the line of credit unless it's absolutely necessary! It should only be touched if both of the A's lose their job or a similar big financial shock comes.
The $35,000 cushion will buy time to adjust to a new lifestyle in the wake of new economic realities. This could mean downgrading the house, job hunting, moving for a new job if needed, or similar measures.
Step 4: Obtain a Life Insurance Policy
Considering a little one is coming, now is the time to take a good look at life/AD&D insurance.
The life insurance industry is full of snakes and potholes, so the goal is to keep this very simple.
Life insurance is only a fail-safe to cover modest family expenses if the worst case scenario happens; the goal is not to make sure that if you die your family will live in the Hamptons eating Caspian caviar!
You should also try self-insure as soon as you can. More money in your bank account, less profits for the insurance companies.
That means saving, investing, and buying a shorter duration term policy only. I'll repeat that, buy a shorter duration term life policy only. Do not buy a whole life, universal life, term-to-100, or a similar fancy and expensive plan.
Right now the A's are already self-insured to the tune of $190,000. This level of assets will generate $6,500 a year for life with an extremely low likelihood of depletion.
Both of the A's also have workplace life insurance plans. Each individual plan will provide a $150,000 benefit to the employee in case of death.
Given that an upper middle class Canadian family will spend about $75,000 per year, we should aim to cover about half that number with each adult's policy until the youngest child is 20. The remaining adult can work at least part-time and both of the A's have good earning power.
To generate an income of $40,000 a year for 20 years, they would need to invest about $500,000. Given their current access to $6,500 per year and the $150,000 workplace plan, they should each obtain a life insurance policy for approximately $300,000.
Obtain a 10 year term life policy to keep premiums down. In 10 years time when the policy is up, the A's are likely to have close to $1 million in their investment accounts and will no longer need extra life insurance coverage.
Shop around for the best rates—there are many life insurance companies! A 10 year term life policy of $300,000 for a non-smoker should cost about $20 to $25 per month.
Step 5: Maximize Tax Advantaged Accounts
Although Mrs. A has her TFSA maxed, Mr. A still has contribution room in his TFSA. Both have some room in their RRSPs since their combined employer-employee contribution is just 12 percent of gross income and allowable RRSP amount is 18 percent of gross income.
Given the high income that Mr. and Mrs. A earn, they should both maximize their RRSPs accounts first. Mrs. A can draw on her RRSP a little when she is at home with the kids if there is an opportunity to do that at a low tax rate.
If Mrs. A is planning on staying home for a few years, Mr. A should contribute to a spousal RRSP benefiting Mrs. A. He gets the tax refund at his high tax rates now, she pulls the money out a few years later at her low stay-at-home mom tax rate. Win-win! She can use this money for TFSA contributions or other investment savings.
Of course the TFSAs should be kept topped up as well. With both Mr. and Mrs. A working hard and earning big dollars right now, they should save nearly $6,000 per month in their personal accounts.
Even after building the emergency account, in roughly a year's time they should both have full RRSPs and full TFSAs. Hopefully they can achieve this before the first kid comes into the picture and incomes take a hit.
Step 6: Pry Into the Workplace RRSP Accounts
Given the workplace RRSP plans have very crappy investment options, it is worth Mr. and Mrs. A's time to take a very close look at optimizing these plans.
First of all, make sure the plans are invested in the lowest cost mutual funds available for their target asset classes. Every year ask the plan manager for a complete list of funds including the total management expense ratios (MER) for each fund.
Next, research if you can move money from your workplace RRSP to your personal RRSP/LIRA account. Although the plan managers don't like it and may put up a fuss and talk circles around the question, at the end of the day many plans actually allow you to do this. Read the fine print if necessary!
Usually a transfer fee of $100 to $300 per transfer will be charged by the plan manager. Given the cost, you should only transfer money out of your workplace plan and into your personal RRSP/LIRA once every year or two.
Always try to manage your own money if you can. You can buy ETFs for 10 basis points per year, so don't calmly sit back and let your RRSP plan managers soak you for 150 to 300 basis points per year!
Step 7: Open a Non-Registered Investment Account
Although this may be a year away depending on the children situation, when the registered accounts are full the A's will need to open a non-registered investment account to keep saving money.
When this happens, take a very careful look at your family income and expenses. The highest income spouse (probably Mr. A) should pay all of the household expenses, including incomes taxes and registered account contributions for the lower income spouse.
In turn, the lower income spouse should save as much of their gross income as possible and put it into the non-registered investment account. Investment money contributed by the lower income spouse will be taxed at the rate of the lower income spouse.
This is very important since investments in a non-registered account are likely to generate taxable income such as dividends and capital gains. It is much better to pay these taxes at the lower income spouse's level.
Step 8: Evaluate the Investment Strategy
Take a close look at the investment strategy across all of the accounts and make sure the overall picture reflects what you want. Enough bonds and safe things, enough stocks, adequate diversification across markets, and not too much home country bias.
I am a big fan of using two unique investment strategies with a roughly equal amount of money in each strategy. This can help your portfolio experience a different sequence of returns, especially providing benefits in poor stock market conditions.
Many models (CAPE, Tobin's Q, Hussman's MA-CAPE, Research Affiliates, P/S, Market Cap/GDP, etc.) are expecting gross annual returns of 3 percent or less for the next 10 years on buy-and-hold portfolios.
These models could all be wrong, but it is pretty safe to say that the returns for a buy-and-hold portfolio are not going to be very high for some time. While far from guaranteed, a large exposure to an alternative investment strategy could drastically change expected returns for investors.
Right now the A's are fairly balanced across two strategies. This should become more balanced as the remaining room in the registered accounts is filled. My main change would be to reduce the exposure to Canadian stocks to maybe 10 percent of the Couch Potato portfolios.
After the First Child
I don't know exactly how far away from children the A's are, but one thing is clear: their financial situation will probably change drastically.
I expect that children will add at least $500 a month in expenses for the first child and another $250 a month for each additional child. This doesn't include education savings or kids activities.
Diapers and baby wipes, baby clothes and double the laundry, a crib and changing table, stroller and baby carrier, baby food and formula do not fall from heaven.
Baby things are not cheap brand new, but almost everything can be purchased used on Kijiji or Craiglist, at consignment stores, or through mom groups and swaps and other informal things. It's very important not to go crazy with this stuff; kids grow out of things extremely fast!
If daycare is involved, this will cost at least $1,000 a month if Mrs. A works part-time and double that if Mrs. A works full-time. That assumes after-tax numbers since childcare expenses are tax deductible.
Scenario 1: Taking Maximum EI Benefits & A Part-time Job
I think the most likely scenario, one that many couples take with more than one child, is that Mrs. A stays home and collects the maximum EI parental benefits for the first year, returns to work earning at least $55,000 until the second child comes, then collects EI again for a year, and finally changes to less than full-time employment.
In this scenario, their gross household income will drop by around $50,000 per year and they will probably lose one employer RRSP match and maybe the better workplace extended health/dental benefit plan.
On the bright side, taxes will decrease and cushion some of the blow. Using a very rough calculation, the A family gross income will shrink to about $140,000 per year. Their tax bill will drop to about $32,000 per year and the workplace RRSP contributions will fall to $6,500 per year.
This means the net income that the A's will be able to work with drops from $11,100 per month to $8,400 per month.
To be on the cautious side, we'll assume that Mrs. A will continue to earn a lower salary when the kids are in school full-time, but will get a better job with RRSP matching plan. Daycare expenses at this point will not be necessary.
After the kids are in high school or off to college, we will assume Mrs. A will go back to full-time work and earn $80,000 a year with a workplace RRSP matching plan. This salary number assumes Mrs. A keeps her skills adequately fresh in the child-raising years so she is very employable.
Scenario 2: Stay-at-home Mom With No Part-time Job
If Mrs. A doesn't go back to work for the entire time their kids are growing up and in school, things will be quite a bit tighter financially for the A family.
Family income will drop to around $115,000 per year after including moderate CCB payments. Taxes will drop to $26,000 and workplace RRSP contributions will be at $6,500.
The net income for the A family will be around $6,900 per month. Expenses will still increase because of the kids, but daycare expenses will not be a factor.
Given the long period away from work, when Mrs. A returns to work full-time after the kids are finished school we'll assume her gross income will be $40,000 with no workplace RRSP matching plan.
Scenario 3: Go Back to Work Full-time
If Mrs. A goes back to work as soon as possible after each child comes into the picture, the family income will be very high. It is likely that the workplace RRSP matches on both incomes will stay.
Taxes and expenses will also be very high. Net daycare costs will be enormous and the overall family expenses are likely to increase because things are that much busier. There will also be after-school care for $1,000 a month when the kids are in school.
The household net income will likely stay around $11,100 a month with two years of reduced income in the EI parental leave periods.
Future Financial Budgets
Scenario 1
If the A's optimize their spending how I suggest in the above steps, they will be spending a little over $5,000 per month as a couple not including taxes and workplace RRSP contributions.
It is conceivable to estimate their monthly household spending will jump to $7,000 in this scenario including part-time daycare cost while their net monthly income will be around $8,400.
They will be able to save just $1,400 a month minus $125 for RESP contributions. Not only is that less than the required $2,100 goal, they are also going to miss the second RRSP matching program.
Once the kids are in school and daycare expenses are eliminated, their income would allow for around $2,400 per month in personal savings, less $125 for the RESP.
Plugging that into our handy calculator and assuming the first child comes in a year, the A's financial situation will be as follows if they follow my steps and keep their spending in line:
End of Year 1 (baby comes): $290,000
End of Year 7 (kids in school): $625,000 + $17,000 RESP
End of Year 18 (college starts): $1,800,000 + $65,000 RESP
End of Year 25 (retirement): $3,500,000
The rough projection of $3.5 million in investable assets at retirement age will generate an annual withdrawal capacity of $120,000 to $140,000 per year.
This will be much higher than my recommended budget of $60,000 to $65,000 per year as a couple, allowing room for sabbaticals, an earlier retirement, or a more luxurious retirement.
Scenario 2
If the A's optimize their spending how I suggest in the above steps, they will be spending a little over $5,000 per month as a couple not including taxes and workplace RRSP contributions.
It is conceivable to estimate their monthly spending will increase to $6,000 in this scenario as no daycare will be required.
Their available monthly income will be around $6,900. This means they will be able to save $900 a month in addition to the workplace RRSP, less $125 for RESP contributions.
Plugging that into our handy calculator and assuming the first child comes in a year, the A's financial situation will be as follows if they follow my steps and keep their spending in line:
End of Year 1 (baby comes): $290,000
End of Year 7 (kids in school): $590,000 + $17,000 RESP
End of Year 18 (college starts): $1,400,000 + $65,000 RESP
End of Year 25 (retirement): $2,600,000
The rough projection of $2.6 million in investable assets at retirement age will generate an annual withdrawal capacity of $90,000 to $100,000 per year.
This again is quite a bit higher than my recommended budget of $60,000 to $65,000 per year as a couple.
Scenario 3
If the A's optimize their spending how I suggest in the above steps, they will be spending a little over $5,000 per month as a couple not including taxes and workplace RRSP contributions.
Once the kids enter the picture, it is conceivable to estimate their monthly spending will jump to $8,500 in this scenario including daycare costs. Their available monthly income will be around $11,100 except for the first years of children during parental leave time.
On the personal side, they will be able to save $2,600 a month minus $125 for RESP contributions.
Once the kids are in school and reduced after-school care costs come in, their income would allow for around $3,600 per month in personal savings, less $125 for the RESP.
Plugging that into our handy calculator and assuming the first child comes in a year, the A's financial situation will be as follows if they follow my steps and keep their spending in line:
End of Year 1 (baby comes): $290,000
End of Year 7 (kids in school): $750,000 + $17,000 RESP
End of Year 18 (college starts): $2,400,000 + $65,000 RESP
End of Year 25 (retirement): $4,400,000
The rough projection of $4.4 million in investable assets at retirement age will generate an annual withdrawal capacity of $150,000 to $175,000 per year.
This will be effectively double my recommended budget of $60,000 to $65,000 per year as a couple on an after-tax basis. This means their lifestyle in retirement would be much more luxurious than their former lifestyle, which obviously doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Scenario 3 could be an "over-saving" situation, but again it allows for earlier retirement, sabbaticals, job loss situations, etc.
Some Notes on These Scenarios
These are just rough calculations using an assumed long term investment return net of inflation. Within periods the returns will of course be very different.
I shared these three scenarios as they are related to common options that families choose when they start raising children. The facts show household income often takes a dip—usually because mom makes less—and household expenses increase.
I also assume that current salaries will keep pace with inflation and there are no periods of job loss.
If Spending Stays the Way It Currently Is
Although the A family looks like they are doing fine on paper right now and might be tempted not to change a darn thing about their lifestyle, here is the big wake up call.
Right now, the A's are spending more than a whopping $8,600 per month as a couple! Once kids come into the picture, if they don't change their lifestyle, the household expenses will jump to $11,500 or more when both children are in daycare.
They won't earn even a net income of $9,500 a month when Mrs. A is on parental leave, resulting in net spending which is higher than income.
This means they will be forced to deplete savings in the years Mrs. A can't work full-time and they will be stretched to the absolute maximum when Mrs. A does go back to work full-time.
Near absentee parenting will be the routine. Both parents working full-time, both kids in daycare, then after-school care, then after-school activities.
Welcome to a lifestyle of two vehicles, more consumer crap than a condo can handle, whirlwind weekends of insanity, excess take-out and restaurant eating, flabby "dad-bod" and "mom-bod", and fat kids who are spoiled and entitled. Insufferable North American suburbia...
I'll say that this chart is optimistic. The financial picture could even be worse when they are forced to move to the suburbs, own two vehicles, and I've barely scratched the surface on potential spoiled kid expenses.
If they don't make the necessary spending corrections, during the entire time they are raising their future children the A family will be treading financial water, maybe going into debt, they won't be able to retire early (if ever at their current lifestyle!), and they will certainly be stressed out.
If this bad news isn't enough, the data tells us this financial tightrope lifestyle drastically increases the potential of a very nasty event: divorce. Not only does divorce have the potential to destroy their family and their relationship with the kids, it will also sink them both financially.
While both Mr. A and Mrs. A are earning very healthy salaries, they are spending way too much money with their current lifestyle. It's not sustainable. The real problems will begin to surface when kids enter the picture.
The easiest spending reduction is getting rid of their vehicle. It's an unnecessary luxury that is costing them an enormous amount of future wealth.
Their discretionary spending is also way too high, I don't know where the money goes (and the A's might not either), but the numbers say they are burning around $5,000 a month on groceries, clothes, entertainment, electronics, phone plans, vacations, and other lifestyle items.
The A's should immediately start building an emergency plan. This means funding a savings account and establishing a personal line of credit plan. The plan should be in place before the first child comes.
After the emergency plan is in place, the focus should return to filling their registered accounts. Be tax smart and use Spousal RRSPs, finishing topping those TFSAs, and invest in a balanced approach across two unique investment strategies.
Rethink the goal of $100,000 in spending money each year in retirement. This is much higher than it needs to be. The only way to achieve this level of spending sustainably is if the A family salaries get quite a bit higher than their current level. Trying to get there could mean significant family sacrifices.
Spending in retirement will realistically land somewhere between $60,000 and $70,000 for a relatively luxurious lifestyle. That requires $1.5 to $2.1 million in investment assets backstopped by CPP and OAS.
If they can get their spending down to a reasonable level, the A's have the flexibility to achieve a fantastic, family friendly lifestyle. They could have a full-time stay-at-home parent, save enough for retirement, help their kids with their education, and live very stress-free.
Reader thoughts on these case studies are always welcome in the comment section!
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A healthy roasted butternut squash soup with garbanzo bean for a kids-approved delicious meal! Quick and easy to prepare and perfect for any occasion! So smooth and creamy, yet healthy too!
This velvety smooth butternut squash and garbanzo bean soup tastes as good as it looks! Loaded with vegetables and protein, it is a light meal in itself or serve it up with a piece of warm hearty whole grain bread and salad to make a very satisfying meal.
I love roasting vegetables, particularly butternut squash. Roasting the butternut squash instead of boiling it releases a lovely rich flavor. You can roast them with any type of herb such as sage, rosemary, oregano or parsley together with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.
The roasted butternut squash soup is delicious as is or used as a base for your own creations. To make it more wholesome, I like to add cooked quinoa, lentils or baby spinach and garnish with some fresh cream, pumpkin seeds or pine-nuts. To make it kids-friendly, my son likes it with macaroni or alphabet pasta, grated parmesan and even peas or corn pieces. He also likes it drizzled with a little (or a lot!) of maple syrup or honey. I also use it as a base for pasta sauces. This soup freezes well, so I always make extra batches to freeze and use it whenever I need a quick soup or sauce for any type of meal. The possibilities are endless!
There's something about homemade butternut squash soup that's so cozy and comforting during the winter. It's the perfect soup to warm your soul!
|Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Olive oil (spray bottle)
- 2 lbs or a medium size butternut squash (washed, peeled and diced into ½ inch or 1.5cm cubes)
- ½ cup garbanzo beans (chickpeas) from a can
- 4 cups water
- ½ cup of cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon mushroom seasoning or 1 block of vegetable bouillon
- Pre-heat oven to 450 F or 230 C
- On a baking tray lined with baking paper, spray on or drizzle olive oil evenly
- Layout diced butternut squash in single layer making sure not to over crowd them and spray or drizzle with a little olive oil then season with pinch of salt and pepper
- Roast in oven at 450 F until tender (approximately 15 minutes)
- Transfer roasted butternut squash into a pot
- Add garbanzo beans, water, cream, salt, mushroom seasoning or vegetable stock and bring to boil
- Transfer to blender and puree until smooth
- Serve in a bowl with some fresh cream, shredded herbs and bread.
Preferred vegetable stock powder: Po Lo Ku Shitake Mushroom Seasoning.
Preferred vegetable stock cubes: Rapunzel Vegetable Bouillon (vegan, no salt added).


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Your House May Be Taken Away By A Ham Sandwich
Richard F. Kessler, Esq.
In-house Counsel and Special Consultant to BP Investigative Agency (BPIA)
Recently some courts have so watered down the requirements to enforce foreclosure that today even a ham sandwich can take your home. With a new wave of foreclosures just around the corner after the New Year, more and more courts have come to realize that enforcement of the legal rights of mortgage debtors will render many mortgages unenforceable. These judges act as if compliance with foreclosure laws could lead to the collapse of the banking system.
In a surge of conservative judicial activism, unlike anything ever seen before, judges who strictly construe the right of eminent domain (the right for the government to take your property) have assisted banks in seizing homes when the homeowner failed to make payments absent any showing that the bank was entitled to receive the payments allegedly in default. The court grants the bank foreclosure even if the defaulted payments were due and owing to someone else. Under this theory, if my neighbor fails to make car payments to the dealer who financed the vehicle, a judge will allow me to seize the car.
continue below for 11 defenses a homeowner should consider, what is going wrong in some of our courts, and how to fix this mess…
[ipaper docId=76176836 access_key=key-1q6hexl71ohqksdde5ux height=600 width=600 /]© 2010-19 FORECLOSURE FRAUD | by DinSFLA. All rights reserved.


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Contra AMORIS LÆTITIA on Conscience & Sin
Seeking What is True and Good (see Veritatis Splendor, 62-64)
Rejoice, a light has dawned for all nations, all peoples. We must follow Jesus by a radical conversion of life – by repenting of sin, by growth in virtue, and by growth in love through faith. Then we become Christ's light for all to see 🙂
Rejoice, the Gospels have brought us the Good News about Jesus so that our lives may never more be lived in darkness, in doubt as to who we are, how much we are loved, and what our destiny is.
But also "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand." There are two kinds of darkness in our world (a) those who unknowingly live untruthful and immoral lives and (b) those who live in the darkness of refusal. Unlike the people in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali—who walked in darkness because the light had not yet come—we Christians can only live in darkness by our own refusal to walk in the light.
Forming our Conscience
A great way to live in the light is to have a conscience that is formed. One's conscience has enormous dignity because it discerns God's objective Truth. It can be erroneous however, because people can mistake their own subjective opinions as truth (a subjective error about a moral good). Possibly this is because of ignorance, or error of judgment that is not that person's fault. Even so, that wrong choice of conscience doesn't cease to be evil i.e., a disorder in relation to Gods objective Truth
The point isn't that conscience can be wrong - it is that we can be in a position where we are in good standing with God (or not). We can get things badly wrong and remain in a state of grace. Also, we can get things badly wrong and be in a grave state of sin. What is the difference? How do we walk in the light? When do we err into darkness?
According to Saint JPII the difference is the concern we have for seeking what is true and good. If we have that concern, our conscience becomes better formed and our judgments better informed, by Truth. If we don't care about seeking what is good and true our conscience becomes gradually almost blind from being accustomed to sin. This can lead us to choosing some things that are so evil, that our choosing them means what we want is fundamentally disordered, and nothing will mitigate from that (Catechism, 1761).
There you have it: darkness, or turning our gaze to lovingly to Christ who is our light. On this point, Saint JPII quotes "If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light. If the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!" Mt 6:22-23. Then Saint JPII says that these words of Jesus represent a call to form our conscience, to make the object of continuous conversion to what is true and to what is good! 🙂yah!!!


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2716 Avenue Q #7 is a $1,068, 11,520 square foot, 2 bedroom, 1.0 bath home located in Galveston, TX.
|Interior Features
Pets - Not Allowed
Bedroom Description - 2 Bedrooms Down
Bedroom Description - All Bedrooms Down
|Cooling Types
Cool System - Central Electric
|Heating Types
Central Electric
|Exterior Features
Restrictions - Unknown
|Land Type
Lot Desciption - Other
Public Sewer
|Property Type
|Property Sub Type
Multi-Family Detached
Style 36
Style 49
|Architectural Style
|Year Built
|School District
22 - galveston
|Elementary School
gisd open enroll
|Middle School
gisd open enroll
|High School
ball high school
Galveston Outlots
© Copyright 2019 Houston Realtors Information Service, Inc. - Certain information contained herein is derived from information which is the property of, and copyrighted by, Houston Realtors Information Service, Inc. All information should be verified by the recipient and none is guaranteed as accurate. Data last updated 12/14/2019 at 10:24pm MST. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither Krueger Real Estate nor any listing broker shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, or misprints, and they shall be held totally harmless from any damages arising from reliance upon this data. This data is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties they may be interested in purchasing.


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Complete the form below to create your account. You must fill in your name, email address and a password, and your telephone number.
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Posted by B. G. Hearns on September 30, 2019 at 5:45pm — 2 Comments
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Joan Bakewell
'I am one of the oldest people I know,' writes Joan Bakewell in her new book, Stop the Clocks. 'My generation is dying off, moving over to make way for the next.'
This is not a statement made with any hint of bitterness or regret: as one of Britain's most distinguished journalists and broadcasters, Baroness Bakewell of Stockport knows she has little cause to feel short-changed by life. But, at 82, she inevitably finds her thoughts turning to her own mortality and, beyond that, her legacy.
'Legacy was the working title, actually,' says Bakewell of Stop the Clocks, an engaging mix of memoir, social history and commentary covering eight decades of dizzying change. 'When you're my age, you start to wonder what the world will be like when you're gone, and whether you'll have left any trace. What echoes do we leave behind? What thoughts?'
Weekend wonders if we're inevitably more drawn to nostalgic revelries as we get older. 'Well there's more of it to look back on,' she points out. 'And more time to do it.'
Does she think age brings genuine wisdom? 'It brings a sort of restfulness of mind, which allows you to give up on things like ambition and jealousy,' she says. 'And that makes it slightly easier to live with yourself, I think. So you feel you've got wiser, even though other people might think you're just stuck in a rut.'
Not that Bakewell is ready to roll over quite yet: while her TV career may have faded ('It's difficult for a broadcaster to take on someone who's over 80, because they might not last,' she laughs), she still writes regularly for newspapers, says she's got several more books in her, and is active as a Labour peer in the House of Lords.
In Stop the Clocks, Bakewell writes that 'time has always haunted me'. 'When I was little, my parents would go out to New Year's Eve parties, and I would watch the ticking of the clock, thinking "time is now passing from one year to the other",' she tells Weekend. 'It would make me absolutely frantic with terror, that this year would never happen again. I don't know whether it was because I was a child during the war, and we might be obliterated at any moment, but I've always been fearful of time. In all sorts of ways, it really obsesses me.'
Born in Stockport in 1933, Joan Dawson Rowlands was head girl at her local state grammar school, before winning a scholarship to Cambridge. At home, she had a difficult relationship with her mother, who displayed 'barely suppressed jealousy' of the freedoms her daughter enjoyed. 'She developed a tremendous depressive illness at a time when nobody knew what that meant,' says Bakewell. 'Now, they would give her tablets. She was just very unhappy, and we didn't know how to make her happy.'
On graduating, Bakewell followed the well-trod path from Cambridge to the BBC, getting her break as a radio and television journalist by 'talking myself into jobs that didn't yet exist'. She was one of the presenters of the groundbreaking 60s arts programme Late Night Line-Up – it was during this period the humourist Frank Muir famously dubbed her 'the thinking man's crumpet', a tag she's been trying to shake off ever since – before becoming Newsnight's first arts correspondent. It's perhaps surprising, then, to find her stating she's 'never had what people call a career'.
'With a career, you go up a ladder and you become a boring executive, going to lots of meetings' she explains. 'I never wanted to sit in meetings. I remember discussing this with David Attenborough: when he was Controller of BBC2, he was being touted as a future Director General. He said to me, "In my diary, I have 22 meetings a week. I can't stand it." So he went back to his animals.'
Pursuing her own singular passions brought Bakewell into the orbit of some 'extraordinary' people, from Bette Davis to Nelson Mandela, who granted her the first British interview after his release from prison; there were other rewards, too, including the CBE, then a damehood and, in 2008, a peerage – the same year Gordon Brown appointed her as his government's champion for older people.
Not that there haven't been bumps in the road along the way – including losing her Newsnight job after 20 years, without so much as a word from the BBC. She sympathises with Tom Jones' recent, equally undignified exit from The Voice, but remains a staunch defender of her most regular employer (even after the Newsnight debacle, she continued presenting the ethical debate show Heart of the Matter for another 12 years).
She is no stranger to controversy, either. In 2001, Bakewell found herself facing a possible charge of blasphemous libel over her BBC2 series Taboo, a personal exploration of taste and decency that pushed at the boundaries of what is acceptable on television. More famously, in the 1960s she had a seven-year affair with Harold Pinter, while both of them were married (she to Michael Bakewell, the father of her two children).
She wrote about the affair – which formed the basis of Pinter's play The Betrayal – at length in her 2004 autobiography The Centre of the Bed, and revisits it in Stop the Clocks. 'Do you think I've done it alright?' she asks, a little anxiously. 'It's not seedy, is it? I tried to do it quite tactfully.'
In the book's final chapter, On Death, Bakewell reflects that, while our passing is inevitable, the question is 'how to deal with it'. So how does she deal with it?
'My strategy is to look forward. If there's a day ahead, it will be just as full as any other day in your life. I still make plans. But I don't have that sense that young people have of the years rolling forward,' she says wistfully. 'That must be just wonderful.'
Bakewell – who divorced her second husband, the writer and director Jack Emery, in 2001 – wrote Stop the Clocks in a small country cottage, where she was 'utterly happy', walking by the stream and enjoying the garden. 'I think as you get older, nature is suddenly more wonderful,' she reflects. 'When the flowers come into bud, you think "Well I won't be seeing this for many more years".'
She finds she enjoys her own company more than she thought she would. 'I've usually been a very busy, gregarious person,' she says. 'I've probably led rather a noisy life, and I'm enjoying my own company. Which is good because, when you're my age, you're going to have a lot of it.'
Published in Waitrose Weekend, February 4, 2016
(c) Waitrose Weekend


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Zimmer Aaos '16-Trade Show Exhibit by Ian Pfeil & Dan Rutkowski
Ian Pfeil & Dan Rutkowski Designs The Zimmer Aaos '16 Trade Show Exhibit
Ian Pfeil & Dan Rutkowski, the thinktank behind the awarded project Zimmer AAOS '16 by Ian Pfeil & Dan Rutkowski explicates, Our design incorporates both custom and rental elements to create an efficient, custom space. We utilize our proprietary inter-space system for a lightweight cost-effective exhibit skeleton. We created custom illuminated display counters for Zimmer to use for years to come. We utilized motorized screens to present the most dynamic messaging attendees had seen..
Zimmer Aaos '16-Trade Show Exhibit by Ian Pfeil & Dan Rutkowski Images:
End of the article, click here to go back to previous page, or alternatively go back to DZGN Design Blog homepage.


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Earlier this year my daughter woke up with a large pimple on her chin. It was the kind that would make any pre-teen or teen self-conscious. Before she showed me, she placed a Band-Aid over it.
"What happened?" I asked. Embarrassed and anxious, she peeled it off. I immediately understood why she'd gone to great lengths to conceal it.
"You can't go to school with a Band-Aid on your chin?" I continued. "Yes, I can," she swiftly replied. "And I will until it's gone."
I had naively dabbed some lotion, my dermatologist prescribed to me for acne problems, on the problem area. After a few days I noticed my daughter's skin drying. I had committed the biggest SIN in skincare: don't use adult products on young skin.
I then turned to my Instagram followers for advice. Toothpaste was the most common remedy many people offered. I'd heard it a lot growing up, but it too is not recommended. Our next stop was the pharmacy. Maybe it was time Janah developed a skincare routine, I thought. I bought a few over the counter products, relying on the sales person to give her a skin analysis; again, another mistake.
My daughter and I were then contacted by De La Mer Spa, in Dubai, offering her an opportunity to get a skin analysis and for her to learn more about looking after her skin. Before that I'd never thought about seeking professional advice. After all, she was just 11 at the time.
Janah had clogged pours, blackheads and pigmentation issues. Once she met with therapist, Samantha Gayle, we both began to learn how to care for young skin. She had her first facial and extractions before she was given the Nimue Teen Skincare range to use on her skin over the summer.
She noticed an immediate change in her skin. Brighter, balance and the clogged pores were no longer a problem. It's a testament to Janah's commitment that we saw the results so quickly.
It has been 4 months since she started using the products and what a difference it has made not only to her skin but also her confidence. She is now showing her younger sister how to cleanse her skin to prevent major breakout.
Together with Del a Mer Spa we've launched a Teen Skin Care Campaign across the United Arab Emirates help your child better understand their skin and what to do before they develop acne.
The market is saturated with product that can harm your skin rather than help it. Information online isn't always as helpful, and it can be confusing, too.
It's important to always seek professional advice before using any product. Throughout this experience, Janah and I have learned that developing a good skincare routine early will help her manage any acne problems in the future.


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half-breed(redirected from Half Breed)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical.
Related to Half Breed: Cher
1. Offensive a person whose parents are of different races, esp the offspring of a White person and an American Indian
2. of, relating to, or designating offspring of people or animals of different races or breeds
the offspring produced from interracial marriages. In anthropology, half-breeds usually occupy an intermediate position between the mixed races. In America the offspring of a white person and an American Indian are called half-breeds.


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|Marco Orsini
Doctorate in Medicine, University of Federal Fluminense, Center for Medical Sciences
|Neurologist with Post-Doctorate (PhD) in Brain Mapping by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Doutorade in Neurology from Universidade Federal Fluminense - UFF. Professor of Master and Doctorate Programs in Rehabilitation Sciences and Applied Health Sciences - Universidade Severino Sombra and Centro Universitário Augusto Motta - UNISUAM. Researcher at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Expertise: Neuromuscular Diseases, Pain, Botulinum Toxin Type A in neurological disorders and Demential Syndromes. Has more than 230 published in scientific journals in national and international journals. Reference in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Charcot Marie-Toth diseases and Post-Polio Syndrome. Editorial Member of Neurology International, Archives of Neuropsychiatry and American Medical Journal. Referre of Neuromuscular Disorders, Journal of Neurological Sciences and other journals.
|Research Interest
|Medicine Neurology Motor Neuron Diseases.


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Chicago's magnificent White City will soon be fading into memory. As the grand Exposition of 1893 reaches its final day, the metropolis is rocked by the public assassination of its popular mayor. In the chaos that ensues, another murder--the savage slaughter of a Pinkerton agent posing as a prostitute in a seedy slum alleyway--goes virtually unnoticed . . . except by police inspector Alastair Ransom.
An avenging angel haunted by the ghosts and mistakes of his past, Ransom... More Description
An avenging angel haunted by the ghosts and mistakes of his past, Ransom called the slain detective, Nell Hartigan, "friend"--and his unorthodox inquiries into her murder are pointing him toward a fiend who's targeting the city's most unremarkable and disposable citizens. But in a great urban slaughterhouse, where foul corruption festers in every dark corner, Ransom will find himself accused of the one crime he did not commit . . . and facing the final judgment of the hangman's noose.


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Explore Our Hotel
Modern Hotel in Andover Massachusetts
The Holiday Inn Express Andover Lawrence hotel is conveniently located just 30 miles north of Boston with quick access to I-495, I-93 and Route 114. Newly renovated in 2017, guests will enjoy new guest rooms equipped with mini-refrigerators, Keurig coffee makers and comfortable bedding. Many room types offer sofa beds. During your Andover vacation, you can enjoy choice hotel amenities like free high-speed Wi-Fi, parking and our complimentary hot breakfast buffet. Enjoy 24-hour access to our fitness center, business center and market. For those bringing along your pets, you will enjoy our proximity to Harold Parker State Park.
Our location also makes conducting business at companies like Raytheon, FedEX and New Balance, very easy. Nearby local educational facilities include Merrimack College, UMass Lowell, Brooks School and Phillips Academy. Leisure guests will find that our Merrimack Valley hotel has a wide variety of vacation activities. dive into the history of Salem and Concord, enjoy family fun at Canobie Lake Park ,relax on the North Shore beaches or head to downtown Boston for a sporting event. Book your reservations today and take advantage of our great Andover Lawrence hotel deals and rates.
- Black-out Shades
- Rollaway Bed/Cot Available
- Crib Available
- Iron/Ironing Board
- Separate Hanging Closet
- In-Room Heating and A/C Controls
- Extra Bedding Available
- Sofa Bed/Sleeper Couch
Bathroom/Personal Care
- Private Bathroom
- Bathroom Amenities Available
- Hair Dryer
- Bathtub
- Separate/Walk-in Shower
In-Room Features
- Mini Refrigerator
- Coffee Maker
- Flat-screen TV
- Work Desk with Lamp
- Desk-level Electrical Outlet
- Cable/Satellite
- Premium Channels
- Phone with Voicemail
- Power Converter Available
- Electrical Adapters Available
Added Value
- Connecting Rooms Available
- Complimentary Coffee/Tea Supplies
- Full Breakfast Included
- Breakfast Buffet Included
- Continental Breakfast Included
- Complimentary Coffee in Lobby
- Kids Eat Free
Business Services
- On-Site Business Center
- Printer
- Copier
- Office supplies available
Internet Access
- Free High-Speed Internet in all Rooms
- Wireless Internet service is free for all IHG® Rewards Club members
Health & Fitness
Complimentary Fitness Center
Work off the day's stress in our newly renovated fitness center. Treadmills, Bicycle and Elliptical available for your convenience. Also enjoy our free weights, resistance bands, exercise ball, and abmats.
Fitness Center Type: LIMITED
- Treadmill
- Elliptical Machines
- Free Weights
- Stationary Bicycle
Last Renovation of Fitness Center Equipment: 2017
Housekeeping & Laundry
- Daily Housekeeping
Added Value
- Wake Up Calls
Hotel Details
224 Winthrop Avenue
Lawrence, Massachusetts 01843
United States
Check In: 3:00 pm
Check Out: 11:00 am
Check-in Age: 21
Parking + -
- Complimentary Self Parking Available
Accessibility + -
- null
- Guest Rooms
- Lifts
- Public Restrooms
- Registration Desk
- Exercise Facility
- Business Centre
- Number of Accessible Meeting Rooms: 0
Accessible Hotel Areas
- Registration Area
- Registration Area
- Accessible Guest Rooms
- Business Centre
- Exercise Facility
Hotel Areas with Accessible Routes from Accessible Public Entrance
- Accessible Self Parking
- Van Accessible Self Parking
- Ramp Access
- Portable Bathtub Seats
- Closed Caption TVs
- Telephone with TDD
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Guest Rooms
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Public Spaces
- Communication Kits with Visual Alarms
Provided by Hotel
Pet Policy + -
- Pets Allowed
- Guide Dogs Allowed
- Pet Walking Area On-site
- Pet Fee per Night: 25 USD
- Holiday Inn Express Andover North Lawrence is dog and cat friendly and makes certain you will not have to leave Fido at home. Pet Fee: 25 Dollars Pet Pet Per Night Limit 2 dogs.
Facility + -
- Smoke-Free Facility
- Number of Floors: 5
- Total Number of Rooms: 123
- Number of Non-Smoking Rooms: 123
- Number of Accessible Rooms: 7
- Connecting Rooms Available
- All guest rooms and public spaces have been completely renovated.
- Public Spaces Renovated in: 2017
- Guest Rooms Renovated in: 2017
Languages + -
- English
- Spanish
Credit Cards + -
- American Express
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Diners Club
- Carte Blanche
- Discover


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Palmer Park
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Future Events
- No events -
Past Events
Saturday, August 12, 2017 from 1-4pm
@Palmer Park
Detroit's First SLUTwalk sister March from D.C. And NY In response to the Brock Turners, Constable Micheal Sanguinetti and current President the SlutWalk was born and continues to grow. In Detroit we have had ENOUGH of victim blaming, of slut-shaming, sexual profiling and policing. We want to smash patriarchy! Consent is mandatory! No means No. Silence is not permission. Women's wardrobe no matter how revealing is not consent or asking for it. We stand together to say "slut" does not have to be accepted as a word used against us to harm us but we have a stake in the language used to describe us, it is something we can challenge, it can be stripped of it's power. This event is a completely inclusive space. This event has zero tolerance for hateful language, racism , ableism, fat-shaming, transphobia, xenophobia or any other form of bigotry. Furthermore, we recognize that shaming, oppression, assault, and violence have disproportionately impacted marginalized groups, including women of color and transgender people thus, we are actively working to center these groups at our event. We deeply value the voices of marginalized groups and have a strong desire to find a common ground amount all of our intersections. No more sexual violence No more victim blaming No more derogatory labels No more gender inequality Details to be announced 🔊 Speakers: Co-host: -Hollaback Detroit: https://www.facebook.com/hollabackdetroit/, -----Michigan for choice , -Women's March of Michigan https://www.facebook.comwomensmarchonwashingtonmichigan/, -Taking Back Orange 🍊 https://m.facebook.com/porchlightprotest/ #SlutWalkDetroit #SlutWalk #Stopshaming #Mdpan #HollabackDetroit #Rapeculture #Victimblaming #womensmarchmi #Waronwomen Contact us if you wanna help sponser, speak or co-host


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Eyelash Extension Classes
Classes are taught by Mimi Kennedy, an Esthetician of over 16 years. Mimi has been doing Eyelash Extension for more than 12 years. Classes are for beginning lash artists. All students of this class will have the opportunity to stay in touch with Mimi for ongoing assistance if need be. Our eyelash courses are hands on. You will be working on live models and will have a chance to experience eyelash extension yourself. This is not a class where you work on a mannequin head the whole time. We also like to keep our classes small so you get the personalized attention you deserve.
1/2 Day Class
Monday, May 22nd @ 12PM
$400 or $700 Private
$150 deposit or pay in full
*lash kit not included (+$150)
1 Day Class
Monday, June 4th @ 10AM
$600 or $900 Private
$150 deposit or pay in full
*lash kit not included (+$150)
2 Day Class
Monday, June 11th @ 10AM
$1,200 or $1,800 Private
$250 deposit or pay in full
*Lash Kit Includes:
Cosmetic travel case | Set of eyelash extension tweezers | Scissors | Micropore tape | Transpore tape | Glue rings | Lash tray | Microbrushes | Mascara wands | Glue | Primer | Cleanser | Remover | Small usb fan | Small glass cup for tweezer cleansing | Lash extension hairs | Mannequin head | Eye pads
Call 770-352-4730 to reserve your spot today!


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- Title
- Updating the international research agenda for sport injury prevention
- Creator
- Finch, Caroline
- Date
- 2011
- Type
- Text; Editorial; Journal article
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/54036
- Identifier
- vital:5462
- Identifier
- http://doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2011-040103
- Identifier
- Abstract
- The International Olympic Committee's World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport, the third in a series of triennial international conferences, was held in Monaco in April 2011. This conference is now the leading research event for many sports injury prevention and sports medicine researchers, and was well attended by over 940 delegates from 85 countries. A particularly pleasing part of the programme was the large emphasis of a number of sessions (including a keynote, several symposia and proffered papers) on the primary prevention of sports injuries, particularly issues relating to the delivery, implementation and uptake of preventive measures in this important context of injury. Abstracts from this meeting have been published in the April Injury Prevention and Health Promotion issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine (http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/45/4.toc) and online presentations are available for viewing at the conference website (http://www.ioc-preventionconference.org/).
- Relation
- Injury Prevention Vol. 17, no. 4 (August 2011 2011), p. 217-218; http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
- Rights
- Copyright BMJ Group
- Rights
- Open Access
- Subject
- 1117 Public Health and Health Services; 1701 Psychology
- Full Text
- Reviewed
- Hits: 511
- Visitors: 535
- Downloads: 70
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Over time, the performance of an ac system is actually going to decrease in effectiveness. Pieces wear down and therefore will not function as effectively as they must. Other pieces might break, causing the system to function harder in order to keep up with the home owner's wants. In some cases, the home owner may well not possibly discover this because their own expense grows gradually with time.
A property owner who gets in touch with an HVAC service for aid could have their entire air conditioning system checked out to make certain it really is functioning as hard as it should be. The professional they get in touch with can make sure things are all working correctly and also that the system will be as productive as is possible. If perhaps there is nearly anything that is destroyed, it may be replaced quickly. This should be done annually so the whole system remains in good shape. For the best outcomes, an individual needs to have this done prior to when they have to use the air conditioner so that if there are any kind of issues, they're managed prior to when the unit really is essential.
If perhaps you'd like to save a little money on your current charges, contact a specialist for Air conditioning repair now. They can be sure that your system is definitely working properly so you save the maximum amount of cash as well as will not need to worry about anything breaking when you need it the most.


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Welcome to Phill's Ballroom Dance Studio
Celebrating over 40 years making us the oldest social dance studio in Orange County.
Rated as one of TOP THREE Dance Studios in Orange.
Wedding Dance Lessons
Getting Married? Our Wedding Dance Programs will help you look amazing for your special dance. You will learn the basics or we will put together a custom choreography for you.
Private Dance Lessons
Private dance lessons are the fastest way to obtain your dancing goals. We will design this program to suit your needs and desires; you can choose the most popular social dances or you can pick and choose the dances of your choice.
Group Lessons
Private group dance lessons are a fun way to learn dancing with your friends, family, co-workers, singles groups and wedding parties.
Private Same Sex Lessons
At Phill's Ballroom Dance Studio, we are dedicated to personalizing dance lessons that meet the needs of Orange County's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender community.
When I made the decision to leave a nationally known dance studio that I was employed by for 10 years and open my own private independent dance studio, my goal was to be the best studio not the largest. I have strived to give the best lessons possible at the lowest tuition rate in the area. Over the years I have done this and have continued to work toward my goal and recently received the following email giving Phill's Ballroom Dance Studio the honor of being rated one of the top three dance studios in Orange.
Thank You!!!
In appreciation for your selfless service, we are offering active/non-active military personnel and first responders a 10% discount for the remainder of 2019.


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SPECTRE, the latest James Bond film starring Daniel Craig and the second to be helmed by Skyfall director Sam Mendes, is slated for a November 6th release and the producers are amping up the social media promotion for the film. Today: we visit the streets of Rome to get our first look at a car chase between the Aston Martin DB10 and the Jaguar C-X75 .
A video posted on the Bond website features Director Sam Mendes, actor Dave Bautista (Mr. Hinx), Special Effects Supervisor Chris Corbould, Stunt Coordinator Gary Powell, and Action Vehicles Technical Coordinator Neil Layton.
"I love the idea of this fantastic car being in a one-on-one battle with another incredible car from Jaguar, which is similarly extraordinary actually," says Sam Mendes. "So it's a cat-and-mouse game through the night time streets of Rome, at great speed, between two of the fastest cars in the world."
"It's amazing. It's one of those scenes that's going to be very iconic," adds Dave Bautista. "Just with the two cars racing through the streets of Rome – I mean, how often do you see that? It's one of those things you only see in a James Bond film.
Check out the video below.%embed1%


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Welcome aboard our ship. Bay Cove Inn is "docked" at the starting point of the Garden Route, enjoy the voyage…….
Bay Cove Inn is an affordable accommodation establishment offering discount travel based on a nautical theme.
We are situated in the cosy, quiet part of Jeffreys Bay, just 150 m from Albatross beach and a mere 900m walk along the coast line to Super Tubes Beach where the Billabong competition is held, whilst the city centre of Jeffreys Bay is 2km from the Bay Cove Inn. The Kabeljouws Estuary is also a mere 800m away from us and here numerous local and migratory birds can be viewed.
The owners of Bay Cove Inn, having lived in the area, will also be in the position to advise you regarding your further travels arrangements be it within the Eastern Cape towards Port Elizabeth or further down the Garden Route towards Knysna or Cape Town. Bay Cove Inn also offers a multitude of local activities including horse riding, safari parks, shell hunting or surfing.
Our establishment is securely walled with safe off-street covered parking bays for 7 vehicles and lock-up parking for trailers and 5 vehicles behind secure electrical gates.
The coastal town of Jeffreys Bay is situated just off the N2 Highway, about an hour's drive south west of Port Elizabeth. Jeffreys Bay is one of the five most famous surfing destinations in the world and hosts the annual Billabong Pro WCT surfing event at Supertubes during July. Spectators and surfers from all over the world flock to this event, which can be viewed live over the internet and various television channels. Boneyards, SuperTubes, Impossibles, Tubes, Point, and Kitchen Windows are all famous surf spots located in Jeffreys whilst the world famous ALBATROSS BEACH is directly in front of Bay Cove Inn.
We pride ourselves on our cleanliness, respect for guests, friendly atmosphere and efficient service. Bay Cove Inn looks forward to welcoming you aboard our "Sailing Ship".


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The term "time immemorial" originally referred to the time before Richard I became King of England in July 1189. more...
December 7 , 1941 : Japanese bombers attack Pearl Harbor. more...
Learn something new every day
More Info... by email
Equity interest is the percentage of ownership in a property. When referring to equity interest in a home, it is the portion of the home value that the owner has vested in the home. The equity in the home is its value or market value, minus any mortgage balance that the homeowner has outstanding on the property.
Equity typically becomes a relevant factor in a couple of situations. One of the primary situations is when the homeowner wants to take money out of the home. In order to take the money or equity interest they have out of the home, homeowners can establish an equity line of credit, an equity loan or do a cash out refinance of the first mortgage. Generally, lenders will not loan the homeowner 100 percent of the equity interest, but rather a percentage of the home's equity.
Another primary situation when equity interest becomes a factor is when the homeowner wants to sell the home. The equity interest affects the amount of a profit the seller will walk away with at the end of the sales transaction.
For example, a home is selling for $200,000 US Dollars (USD). The home seller has a current mortgage balance of $150,000 USD. Technically, the equity in the home is $50,000 USD, which is the sales price of the home minus the outstanding mortgage balance. If the home seller has to pay real estate agent commissions or other fees then this will reduce the seller's equity interest or profit amount.
There are several ways that the equity in a home can increase or decrease. One of the ways that equity in a home increases is when the market value of the property rises. Another way to increase the equity interest in a property is to pay down the principal balance of the mortgage(s) on the home.
One of the ways to decrease the equity in a property is when the market value of the home decreases. The equity can also decrease if the homeowner encumbers the property with additional liens, lines of credit or mortgages on the property. A high mortgage on a property translates to less equity interest for the homeowner.
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!


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Join us for a weekend (January 24-25, 2020) of great music, fun and camaraderie at the Brown County Inn. There will be fantastic performers, ukulele workshops for beginners as well as the advanced player, evening concerts, open mics, strum-alongs and lots and lots of jamming. Only 250 tickets will be sold.
The Brown County Inn has been a mainstay in scenic Brown County, Indiana since it opened in 1974. The 65,000 square foot hotel, restaurant, and bar became a gathering place for visitors and local families alike.
As of March 1, 2019 all rooms are booked. Call to get on the waiting list
Book your room now!
call 1-800-772-5249
Other Nearby Hotels
Your ticket will include access to all concerts, open mics, and workshops. Sorry no refunds
Tickets on sale NOW!! Only 250 tickets will be sold, so get them ASAP!
Sorry, No refunds
This page will be growing as we get more performers/teachers.
This list is subject to change, so please stop by often to see who else may be coming
Last updated March 8, 2019
Aldrine Guerrero is an ukulele player from the island of Kauai. Originally from the Philippines; Aldrine takes styles of old and new, and mixes in his own formula of playful but yet mature sounds.
Aldrine's vocals are quite unique and his play style of ukulele is described as "Hawaiian jam style meets 8-bit video games" He is also a multi instrumentalist that range from clarinets and saxophones to guitar and bass. Guerrero also composes original music.
Released 2 full length albums ('Suite 409' and 'I'm a dreamer') and two EP's ('Space suits' and 'The four strings of Christmas') Guerrero has played for national and international audiences including US, Canada, Thailand, Japan, and Korea. His ukulele work has been featured in radio, television, and a major animated film (Hotel Transylvania) Aldrine also keeps a steady social network using twitter (2000+ followers) Facebook (4500+ friends) and YouTube (29,000+ subscribers)
Guerrero is also the head instructor at ukuleleunderground.com with over a million hits each month, Ukulele Underground has a massive library of ukulele tutorials and the largest online ukulele forum. Ukulele Underground's forum currently has over 1 million posts from over 75,000 members (3900+ active)
Pull up a chair and relax. Put on Aldrine's music and drink it in… It always goes down smooth.
Aaron Nakamura
Ben Carr
Ben Carr is a Southern Vermont based musician focused on performance and education of drum set, percussion, and 'ukulele. He performs solo and also fronts his own band, the Ben Carr Music Project, and is a member of blues guitarist Sunny Lowdown's band. He has also appeared with many NE regional bands, including R&B/jazz artist Patty Carpenter, the Americana roots group the Milkhouse Heaters, and the original Vermont reggae outfit Mo Ambesa. In addition to these groups, Ben has shared the stage with Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, Trumystic, Carlos Averhoff, Eugene Uman, Lou Erlanger, Ayizan Sannon, Page McConnell and Mike Gordon, Lil' Rev, Gerald Ross, Stu Fuchs, Jim Beloff, and many more.
Ben's music combines his early years of growing up in SE Pennsylvania with his time spent living in New Orleans and Vermont. From this melting pot of rhythms, ideals, life experience and love comes a truly original style of music which reflects these influences and can be heard within his compositions. Ben's 6th studio album, Uke+Drums=Love, combines his two musical passions and will be released in summer 2019.
He is also a graduate of the James Hill Ukulele Initiative and as an educator, Ben's philosophy is to bring joy and fulfillment to all musical encounters. Ben's goal in every teaching interaction is to facilitate the enjoyment, appreciation, and understanding of the language of music.
Matt Lindahl
Narciso "Seeso" Lobo
He is a craftsman songwriter and infectious performer, bursting with earnestness, humor, and heart. Fueled by a love of story and character, his songs are tactile and immediate, able to coax the listener from laughter to tears and back again with each passing rhyme.
Seeso had almost given up on music, having played every Chicago dive bar in half a dozen bands. After the loss of his girl and his guitar, he happened upon a humble ukulele in Chicago's legendary Old Town School of Folk Music and bought it on the spot—it just felt right. Wanting to share this newfound joy with the world, Seeso began to upload ukulele videos online. Before he knew it, "Thank You for Leaving Me (When I was Down)" became the first original ukulele song to be featured on the front page of YouTube and has since garnered over 1.3 million views.
The ukulele had saved his musical life. Today, Seeso is a generous and lively "human jukebox" jam leader and featured performer/instructor in ukulele festivals across the country. His unconventional "Pop Rocks" (pop, R&B, and hip-hop rhythm) workshops have been enthusiastically welcomed. He is an unofficial leader of the online ukulele community and a member of the ukuleleunderground.com team.
Music from the heart. We follow our paths by listening to each other as we throw melody's to each other to chase. This journey started by a chance viewing of a street busker in Belgium while we were on tour with the Flea Bitten Dawgs. We heard this man playing a Shruti Box. The sound haunted Thom till we returned stateside and he could find one. With both Lee and Thom having a strong foundation in improvisational music helped us find our musical path. The results are Shruti Nadis! Our main focus is doing music for yoga sessions, meditation, and ecstatic dance. The instruments we use are, shruti box, ukulele, dulcimer, bells, hand percussion, overtone singing, chanting, djemba, tri-bongo's, cymbal, agogo's, cowbells, and many other rhythm instruments.
Petey Mac (beginner's workshop and strum-alongs)
After playing many instruments since childhood Pete found the ukulele nine years ago and his life was forever changed. The ukulele brings together his two passions, the love of people and the love of music. For the past 3 years he has brought his joy of teaching and arranging music to hundreds of beginners.Pete utilizes group singalongs to encourage and motivate players to have the self confidence to be themselves and to play in public.
General Schedule for 2019
This is the 2019 schedule. Should give you an idea of what 2020 will look like. Stay tuned as this will be updated as we get closer to the event.
- 10am – 3pm MAINLAND UKES will be open (90 W Washington St in Nashville)
- 3:30pm – Meet and greet in the pool area
- Concerts in the banquet room
- 6:45 – 7:15 – Ukester Brown
- 7:15 – 8:00 – Devin Scott
- Ukulele performances in the Corn Crib Lounge
- 8:30 – Sarah Flint
- 9:15 – Jonathan Piercy
- 10:00 – Yoppi
- 10:45 – Heidi Kline & Friends
- ~8:30pm – Open mic in the banquet room after the concerts
- 10:00 am – Yoga with Heidi Kline, and Shruti Nadis in the Woodland room
- 10am – 3pm – MAINLAND UKES will be open (90 W Washington St in Nashville)
- 11:00 am – "Beginner's workshop" Pete McCarty in the banquet room
- 12:30 pm – "Easy pickings'" 2 finger picking. Devin Scott in the banquet room
- 2:00 pm – "Percussion workshop" Lee Kram in the Woodland room
- 3:00 pm – "Reggae and Calypso for Ukulele" Stu Fuchs in the banquet room
- 3:30 pm – "Songwriter workshop" Throckmorton Uke Band in the Woodland room
- 4:30 pm – Ukester Brown
- Concerts in the banquet room
- 6:45 – Narciso Lobo and Brown County Family Band
- 7:15 – Mike Hind
- 8:00 – Stu Fuchs
- Ukulele performances in the Corn Crib lounge
- 8:30 – Bhatman
- 9:15 – Meghan Martin
- 10:00 – Thumb's up
- 10:45 – Throckmorton Uke Band
- ~8:30 pm – Open mic following the concerts
- 11 am – 3 pm – MAINLAND UKES will be open (90 W Washington St in Nashville)


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Linda Carroll
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has been working as psychotherapist for 35 years, a teacher, and a Board Certified Life Coach.
I am the author of the highly-acclaimed book, Love Cycles: The Five Essential Stages of Lasting Love, which has been translated into four languages. My new book, LoveSkills, will be published in February of 2020.
To reach as many people as possible about the steps to true intimacy, I frequently present my "Love Cycles" program at the renowned Rancho la Puerta wellness retreat and other venues across the country. I also speak about relationship issues on radio programs and podcasts, and I write for many online magazines.
The deepest meaning of being human has always fascinated me. Throughout my adult life, I've studied psychology, poetry, philosophy, spirituality and literature, and I've come to understand how those realms intertwine and enrich one another. Additionally, I have found that my own everyday challenges—maintaining a loving, long-term relationship, raising children, developing my career, facing illness, and grieving the loss of people I love—have been my most valuable teachers. The very experiences that have brought me my greatest joys and pain have been the sources of my greatest life lessons.
Like anyone with whom I work, my own life has been filled with complexity. My calling is to use that complexity to help my clients claim their own stories and find their own paths.
I would welcome the opportunity to help you discover your next growth path, and to help you to safely and wisely reach your heart's destination.
In celebration of my new book, LoveSkills, which will be published on February 14, 2020, I am offering a week-long couples revitalization class, an extension of the Love Cycles program. Click HERE for details.
Just One at a Time
Please consider supporting Just One at a Time, a non-profit initiative bringing humanitarian aid and hope to the most vulnerable people in Mexican border towns. Click HERE for more information.
I offer on-on-one for couples and individuals, both by phone and via Skype. Sessions can be scheduled one at a time or in reduced-rate packages. This is designed to help you work with the lifelong patterns that get in the way, in addition to learning the skills to help you flourish, to discover, and to follow your dreams.
Whether your issue feels small or overwhelming, I can help you develop strategies to help you resolve it. When challenges are long-term and can't readily be changed, I will help you better manage and accept them. Together, we'll work to increase your well-being, problem-solving abilities, and self-compassion.
I know how fragile the ties that hold us together can feel. Frequently, I see couples who think they want out of the relationship, when what they really want is a way out of their pain and a set of tools for rediscovering intimacy and joy. I can help you to discover what you truly want in your intimate partnership.
Upcoming and ongoing events, scheduled throughout the year, include Workshops for Couples, Workshops for Women, and Special Guests. Popular and effective, they include The Love Cycles Couples Course and the Summer and Winter Retreats. Most of these take place in or near Corvallis in Central OR.


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Thomas Aveling built his first steam roller in 1865, the company making more steam rollers than all other makers combined output during their production period.
Click Here for a view of the early Aveling & Porter steam roller built for Liverpool in 1867 and also of a typical 15 ton roller built in 1899. This latter was the basic three wheel design which evolved over the last years of the nineteenth century and became the format to which the majority of steam rollers were subsequently made by all manufacturers.
Introduced petrol and paraffin rollers into their product range in 1904, followed by diesel rollers in 1927.
Formed in 1934 as a merger of the above two companies. The rampant horse surmounting "Invicta" taken from the coat of arms of Kent is still used by them, the meaning "Unconquered", appropriate to the company's production of rollers, also describing the phrase still used today - "like a steam roller".
Click Here for a typical example of a single cylinder Aveling-Barford motor roller.
Steam rollers were introduced in 1887, oil engined rollers in 1920. The company were the second largest producers of steam rollers.
Click Here for a picture of one of the first Fowler produced steam rollers.
Made a large number of both steam and motor rollers until closure in 1975, merging to form Aveling Marshall but the roller production was transferred to Grantham.
Produced conventional steam rollers until 1923 when the versatile 'Advance' type steam roller was designed especially for modern road materials. Diesel rollers were produced from the mid 1930s up to closure in 1982. Further rollers were made under the same trade name by B.S.P. International, Ipswich.
Click Here for a picture of the Wallis "Advance" design of steam roller introduced in 1923 and also a typical footpath or cricket pitch motor roller.
Began making steam rollers in 1872, motor rollers around 1905. They closed in 1976, the roller business was continued by Atkinson's of Clitheroe for a short time and then that too shut down.
Only steam powered rollers were produced up to their closure in 1929. Their single crank compound design was unique in the U.K. but was copied by Ruthermeyer in Germany.
Steam rollers were also made by Allchin, Robey, Tasker, McLaren, Clayton & Shuttleworth, Ruston Proctor, Ruston & Hornsby and Garrett. The firm of Stothert & Pitt only made motor rollers and there were several other manufacturers of small motor rollers.


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Tian de Courgette (Provencal Zucchini Gratin)
- 2 pounds zucchini, chopped
- Salt
- 3 tablespoons rice
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- ½ cup whole milk or half and half
- ½ cup grated Parmesan or Gru yere Cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Place the zucchini in a bowl, sprinkle with about a teaspoon of salt and set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring two cups of water to the boil in a sauce pan, add the rice and cook until rice is tender, about 17 minutes. Drain the rice.
- Drain and rinse the zucchini. Spread it on paper towel and pat it to dry. Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Add onion and saute over a medium heat until the onion is translucent. Add zucchini and saute another two minutes. Remove from heat.
- Mix eggs, cooked rice, garlic and milk together in a bowl. Stir in the onion and zucchini. Add cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a four-cup shallow baking dish. Spoon in the zucchini mixture. Place in oven and bake 30 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned on top.
Like this recipe?