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Welcome to this weeks Letter from America, but before we start the article, a quick update on A K Advisory Limited. As we have reported this is just one company contacting Eze Group clients, saying they can get their money back for a £725 upfront fee, one of our readers has informed us of the "ESCROW" account and the name of the recipient that it should be paid into, these are the details.
The BACS account is a Lloyds TSB account, Number 37871668, Sort Code 77-13-11, Name of account holder Mr Connor Baker.
This company along with all the others is a fraud, do not pay them anything, you will not get your money back.
Now for todays Letter from America.
It is unlikely Arizona Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, quoted below, will bother to read the reports from some of the 80 Platinum members who have been financially devastated because they believed in timeshare programs they say did not exist. Today's Inside Timeshare describes some of the members financially devastated. We hope timeshare members will recognize how ARDA ROC lobbyists spent some of members' $5 million in annual $3 to $10 opt-out "donations" and recognize that this organization is not the voice of 1.8 million timeshare members. The comments below from lobbyists and pro-industry lawmakers are appalling.
At least the Arizona Attorney General's Office and Howard Fischer, a journalist for the Daily Courier, understand. What chance does the consumer have if ARDA and the developers will not even heed the advice of an Attorney General. As we have previously explained, there are many ways to dodge a rescission period. Tuesday's Secret Shopper explained how easy it is to bait and switch the unsuspecting. Just how out of touch can those in authority be. Imagine how you would react if you learned minutes after the rescission period that you experienced fraud, reading,
"the timeshare industry's top lobbyist told ConsumerAffairs in January, admitting that points have no resale value while claiming that consumers don't mind this because the value comes from the experience.
From The Daily Courier
Lobbied by the industry, state lawmakers are not going to help those who bought timeshares get out from under what is often a lifetime obligation.
"We're disappointed that the timeshare industry killed a lot of the pro-consumer parts of this bill," said Katie Connor, spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office.
"They've got a lobbying presence here and around the country," added Amanda Rusing who lobbies for the office. "It was very disappointing to have to remove all of the stronger, pro-consumer provisions."
Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, said the legislation, which now awaits a roll-call vote, does include some additional requirements for what needs to be disclosed to prospective buyers.
"At some point, these are adults that come to a meeting of the minds and want to sign a contract," Ugenti-Rita said, saying that buyers have some responsibility to know exactly what they are signing.
While the industry claims that "points" are no different than a deed, simply with more flexibility, consumers have noted that points appear to have no intrinsic value because they can't be resold, making memberships that were purchased for hundreds of thousands of dollars essentially worthless on the resale market.
"Their value comes from using it," the timeshare industry's top lobbyist told ConsumerAffairs in January, admitting that points have no resale value while claiming that consumers don't mind this because the value comes from the experience.
According to ARDA lobbyist Don Isaacson:
But the bottom line said (ARDA lobbyist) Isaacson, is that the state should not step in to protect people who didn't bother to understand the nature of the deal.
"You read the documents," said Isaacson. "And unless there is fraud, you are bound to that particular purchase."
Anyway, Isaacson argued that too much is being made of the issue.
Timeshare Insider
Save the Date! Our next Platinum 80 Protest is May 17 – 20
Two Locations:
Friday, May 17 near the Florida DBPR Office
Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19 near Disney World
You don't need to be Platinum to Join Us!
Protesting Unfair and Deceptive Timeshare Sales Practices
By Platinum Protest Organizers
Friday, April 19, 2019
When we protested in March in Las Vegas, where we represented 70 Diamond Resorts Platinum members alleging that we had been intentionally targeted for our loyalty and deliberately up-sold into insolvency. Since then we have grown to 80 Platinum members, many similar if not identical complaints. We believed in programs to pay maintenance fees that do not exist. Others say they were told if they purchased additional points, they would be able to sell points. According to Diamond, we are all confused. We are all educated professionals.
As reported at a legislative workshop in Tallahassee, Florida March 12,
Victoria Butler, from the Florida Attorney General's Department of Consumer Protection, reported a figure of 1,500 to 1,600 complaints in recent years, with about 50% involving senior citizens. She said the majority of complaints were in regard to the initial sales presentation.
Ms Butler stated that the Florida timeshare division engaged only 42 complaints, the majority concerning resale. This fits with our members reporting that all timeshare complaints they submitted, DBPR responded, "Verbal representations are difficult to prove."
Based on these numbers, a sales agent can say anything to sell points. At least let the consumer know they should not believe a word a sales agent says. Reading the contract doesn't always help. Members are often not allowed onto a booking site until after the rescission period has passed.
The status of 80 Platinum member complaints:
- 26 Resolved their Diamond dispute so won't be protesting. Resolved doesn't mean people didn't lose a lot of money,
- 21 Unresolved,
- 9 Foreclosed with one senior Navy veteran filing for bankruptcy,
- 18 Unknown outcome because we don't call to find out what happened,
- 4 Relinquished which meant they lost everything.
- 2 In litigation.
Diamond points sell for around $4 a point. Platinum members own a minimum of 50,000 points. In 2018 maintenance fees had increased to $8,631. Out of the 80 Platinum complaints, 42 members report that they were told of maintenance fees relief programs that they later learned did not exist and 16 specifically say they were told they could pay maintenance fees at $.30 per point.
Only Platinum loyalty members can pay maintenance fees at $.04 per points so if a member turned in 50,000 points, redeemed at $.04 per point, it would mean they would be credited $2,000 towards a maintenance fee bill of $8,631 with no points left to travel. Members report that when they file a complaint, the hospitality agent responds describing a legitimate 30/30 program that offers travel discounts. This program has nothing to do with paying maintenance fees at $.30 per point.
Inside Timeshare told us they do not link prior articles if the complaint has been resolved, but given Platinum complaints are increasing, they said they would allow us to link articles published by 14 of the 80 Platinum members even though some have resolved. They resolved, but not without endless rebuttals and regulatory filings. When you read our 130-page summary report – reports from educated professions who don't know each other, all reporting similar to identical complaints, it's unlikely a reader would conclude all our reports are falsehoods.
We have added the Lusk family to our list of 81, even though they did not submit their complaint through Inside Timeshare. Their experience was published in USA Today. As reported by Rebekah L Sander for the Arizona Republic, Frank and Betty Lusk are retired Christian missionaries, nearly 90 years old. Annual maintenance fees are $19,000.
He told the Lusks buying another $150,000 timeshare with 10 per cent down was "life insurance" that would resolve any debts they had with the resort when they died, a promise they repeatedly questioned, Betty said. The timeshare contract they received is not life insurance and does not pay off debts upon death.
Following are 14 articles submitted by our Platinum 80 members:
Article 1 published April 12, 2019 Platinum member #80
The timeshare member is single, over 70 years old. From 2015 to 2018 the member was ping-ponged back and forth seven timeshare times told, "You should not have bought Hawaii points," and then "You should not have bought US Mainland points," until up-sold into insolvency. The member has lost their entire retirement savings that were worth almost $400,000. The member also suffered tax consequences due to liquidating a retirement asset.
Since we published the article, the family learned she was only switched back and forth five times over six transactions. These histories can be a nightmare to piece together, worse than your worst tax return.
Article 2 was published by Consumer Affairs March 29, 2019 Platinum #57/80
The FBI website is tricky. One of our three FBI helpers helped Diane through the intricacies of the FBI filing website IC3.gov. It starts off confusing asking if you want to report Terrorism, Missing child or Internet Crime.
Diane's father had asked Diamond to take back a fully paid timeshare when he was 85 years old. They said no. He was sold five additional contracts between the ages of 85 to 88.
Diamond Resorts still can't explain why it sold $250,000 worth of timeshare points to an 88-year-old
In late December, Diane Burkhart sent a complaint to the FBI describing how her 88-year-old father agreed to purchase $250,000 worth of timeshare points over the course of 18 months, from 2016 until late 2017. In 2018, he was diagnosed with dementia. He is now 89 and living in a nursing home, Burkhart says. His wife passed away last May.
Article 3 is by Platinum Protestor Patty Boyak Valentine's Day 2019 #28/80
Patty's Las Vegas sales agent was recorded defrauding a disabled veteran in 2017. That family was interviewed January 2018, at which time they provided to Inside Timeshare a copy of the highly disturbing recording. An interview Inside Timeshare conducted with the couple was sent to Diamond's attorney. The dispute was swiftly resolved, but instead of firing this agent, Patty met him October 2018. He introduced himself as a Platinum Specialist. Patty purchased her last contract from him. Just recently Inside Timeshare has heard from a third member sold by the same agent, the husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and English is his wife's second language. The family is financially devastated.
The very first complaint Inside Timeshare received in 2016 was about being told buying additional points would relive maintenance fees.
At their last stay at a Diamond Resorts International resort in August 2015, Sylvia Saldana said that a sales agent tried to convince them to purchase another 10,000 points in order to achieve platinum level, which is 50,000 points (Remember they owned 30,000 points). The sales agent explained that by being platinum, it would allow the couple to pay their maintenance fees with their points, as only platinum members are allowed to use their points to pay maintenance fees, Sylvia Saldana said. https://insidetimeshare.com/fridays-letter-from-america-on-thursday/
Patty's Miracle Mile Protest in March article (pictured above)
Article 4 was submitted by a 100% disabled Army veteran. He was issued a 1099C for $170,000. His is one of now 21 complaints directed against the same sales agent. At least following the advice we provided to his CPA, he successfully disputed the phantom income.
This former Diamond member says DRI sales agent Rick Casper, working out of Polo Towers in Las Vegas, told him to buy more Diamond vacation points to eliminate maintenance fees. He and his wife wanted to talk to someone at DRI because they were struggling to pay maintenance fees on the 50,000 DRI points they already owned. This member is a 100% disabled Vietnam veteran, having been exposed to Agent Orange. The former member did not contact us to complain about Diamond Resorts. He wanted to know if there was anything that could be done about 1099. I did ask why he purchased additional timeshare points from Rick Casper, given Inside Timeshare has received 11 identical complaints about the same Las Vegas sales agent over an 18 month period.
In 2016 we went to Las Vegas and stayed at Diamond's Cancun resort and met with Rick Casper. Mr Casper said if we upgraded, we would be able to cover maintenance fees. However, maintenance fees increased after the upgrade to $16,000 a year. After five hours, my blood sugar was at 400. I was recovering from congestive heart failure. Rick Casper said it would cost us $198,000, $2500 a month in payments for the next 10 years but after ten years we would have no maintenance fees and no loan payment. Rick Casper said, "Then the little people will be paying for your vacation." He said it would take a year to a year and a half to set up but he would personally handle it. He said since we were only paying $3, he had a guy that could sell points for much more than that and the proceeds would pay for the maintenance fees. I ended up paying a company in Branson MO $1500 to get out of this, but now the IRS has issued us a 1099 which has to be claimed as income. It's for around $170,000. I'm now 71 years old. I would have been better off foreclosing.
Article 5 is by Gad Liebmann and his wife Noreen. They have been protesting outside Daytona for a year. They have had to stop protesting because Noreen was injured in a fall. They are both Army veterans and have many foster children.
One of the Diamond sales agents told them they should be greeters at Walmart to help pay maintenance fees. Their complaint is identical to Sheilah Brust's complain. Sheilah and Gad were sold by the same agent. Sheilah attended a presentation as a Secret Shopper and was told this agent was a problem at Wyndham.
Article 6 is Sheilah's article. The article is called "Sheilah's Pencil Pitch"
Sheilah is in possession of her "Pencil Pitch" which clearly states $8,631 minus $8,631 = 0 on the first page. There is an arrow and "save" written on the paper. At first, DBPR dismissed Sheilah with, "We don't know if you were given this paper or you took it." Sheilah was astonished. The last Sheilah heard from the reviewer is that she didn't understand the program either until Diamond's attorney explained it. That alone should have been grounds for dismissal. Here's the first page of the pencil pitch. Sheilah was impressed her agent could write this upside down.
Article 7 is by Angela Simmons Sandstede. Her dad is one of those switched back and forth between Hawaii and US Mainland programs like the single female described in Article 1.
Roy is a retired letter carrier and Navy veteran, up-sold to $2.700 a month in loan payments. He had been charging loan payments to credit cards. The family had to retain a bankruptcy attorney. They are in their 70s. They had maintained a high credit score before this.
Roy's YouTube and March 6, 2018 article:
Article 8 This PhD trained the sales force for Perkin Elmer.
They are caregivers for two grandchildren, one autistic, one Down's syndrome. They relinquished, losing everything.
Article 9 Filipino seniors with a previous high credit score foreclosed.
Article 10 – An executive VP posted one rental ad on RedWeek, despite hundreds of ads to rent on RedWeek.
Their account was suspended and it was demanded she pay $2,400 a month in loan payments and a $23,000 annual maintenance fee while her account was suspended.
Article 11- These seniors are foreclosed, the husband has Bell's palsy
We were told "We are real estate agents. You can write off the interest paid and closing costs on these contracts because it is like real estate." They said the proof was because they have real estate licenses. They are licensed real estate agents, but what they told us was not true. Our accountant said we were not allowed to take any deductions. We were told we had to buy that day so we could not talk to our accountant.
Article 12 This family did not know until they returned home they had purchased $142,000 in timeshare points, $17,000 charged to a Barclaycard.
Their attorney gave up. They submitted this article for comment and resolved their dispute that day. He is a Gulf War veteran, on 25 meds. She has had two knee replacements and a double mastectomy.
Article 13 A 21 year Army veteran, taught biological, chemical and nuclear defence at colleges.
Today we thank Samuel Melendez who spent 21 years in the army training soldiers, working with colleges, teaching chemical, biological and nuclear defence. When a military family is forced into foreclosure because they were lied to about being able to sell back points or finance at a lower rate, they don't just lose their money. This can jeopardize their security clearance and their job.
Article 14, A Coast Guard veteran, relinquished so lost all.
Rick Casper told us we should contact him when we needed to sell points because he had people that would buy them. This was the only reason we upgraded from 30,000 points to 50,000 points. When we contacted Rick earlier this year, we learned from Dan Percy (Rick Casper's immediate boss) that we could not have been told that and we might be able to sell them through a resale third party. We never heard a response from Rick Casper."
"In addition, we asked Rick about combining our seven previous contracts into one contract covering all 50,000 points. Rick Casper (allegedly) advised us not to do so as it would be easier to sell smaller quantities of points and inferred he could do so easier having contracts in increments, as when someone wants to upgrade from Gold to Platinum requiring only 20,000 additional points."
"The thought of being able to sell was a relief."
These are only a few of the Platinum complaints. We have heard from exactly 700 families as of today. We wish there were only a few bad apples, but Inside Timeshare says they have received multiple repeat offender complaints.
St. Louis BBB report warning consumers about timeshare
Don't Fall for Deception Pressure and Traps Disguised as Vacations
We hope you can join us on May 17 – 20! We will publish exact locations soon.
Our Mission Statement
We seek to provide timeshare members with a way to proactively address membership concerns; to advocate for timeshare reform; to obtain greater disclosure from the company; to advocate for a viable secondary market; to educate prospective buyers.
That is it for this week, we look forward to hearing your report on the protests next month and for those who cannot attend we will be there in spirit.
Inside Timeshare would also like to share this little gem from Mahatma Gandhi, it is for Irene Parker, who as we know is under attack from the industry big guns, you have our support Irene.
Have a great Easter weekend and join us again next week for more news and views on the murky world of the timeshare industry.


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Jan 6, 2013
A Continentalist in Paris: Skating at the Grand Palais / The English Bookshop
After our earlier abortive attempt, we finally took up our skating session at the Grand Palais. We anticipated large crowds and made a point of getting there for opening time at 10 am. With our pre-booked online tickets we didn't actually have to wait too long to get in, but the line for buying tickets on the day was vaguely shocking. It's a shame that it will close on January 6, because the setting is amazing. It's housed in the neve (la nef) of the building, a space topped by huge steel and glass vaulted dome. It's usually used to exhibit specially commissioned artworks, which my mother says have been pretty breathtaking in the past. bragging about how chill and tantrum-free she is, T had a glorious meltdown when I tried to help her take off her skates. She almost kicked a little boy in her efforts to get the skates off her feet more quickly, leading me to hiss at her to be careful, which in turn caused her to go from petulant whining to screaming for her daddy to come and hug her. My sisters and mother alternated watching her so I could get in a few rounds, but ultimately I spent most of the time sitting on the warming benches in the company of many more families with tantruming children. My favorite was the mother who'd put her highly reluctant four-year-old in a full skating outfit with the teeniest figure skating shoes and chastized her husband (I presume) for all the things he'd been permitting the child to do which would damage the kid's "form" - or the figure skates. T cheered up as soon as the rest of the family was off the ice, and we headed to the English Bookshop near Place de la Concorde. The store is part of the W. H. Smith franchise, which for me conjures up the image of a halogen-lit newsagent selling magazines, Ribena, "crisps," and the top-20 bestsellers at every larger train station in the UK. I was pleasantly surprised that this store instead exudes old-fashioned Gemuetlichkeit. It's spread across two floors with a great selection of contemporary fiction, classics, and non-fiction (as well as local and international magazines and stationery) and a dedicated kids' section on the second floor. Word of warning: this contains a huge number of book-related toys, so stuffed animal book characters, calenders, stationery, and other "I want that!" merchandise abounds. Lynne (spouse of Dick) Cheney's Our 50 States. I think she chose it because it's illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser, whose drawings she knows and loves from Fancy Nancy, and it turned out to be a treasure trove of accessible (and, from what I could see, non-partisan) information on the past and present of each united state. I didn't buy anything this time around since the books are - unsurprisingly - more expensive than through online retail, but the whole experience reminded me of how lovely "real" bookshops can be. Sister 1 says she and her friends will sometimes just come to the store to sit down and read, and the atmosphere is definitely inviting. The second floor also has a good selection of British and American treats on offer, including my beloved Reese's peanut butter cups. T was true to her roots by going for a pack of Cadbury chocolate buttons. My mother and I did giggle at the table of diet books prominently positioned right by the entrance - oh, January.
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Having some legal questions? We have compiled answers to some general legal questions. To understand more about your rights and the solution to your legal problem, talk to us at 6294 1010 or drop us an email: firstname.lastname@example.com.
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What Brexit could mean for Premier League, England national team
A day from now I'll find out if I'm still European.
A referendum on June 23 will offer Brits the chance to leave the European Union and break the ties that bind us to the Continent. But more is at stake Thursday than my own national identity crisis. The British electorate holds in its hands, among other things, the future of the world's biggest soccer league.
There are around 200 European players in the English Premier League and hundreds more in the three pro soccer leagues that sit below the top flight—in comparison, the NBA boasts only about 100 international players. Those numbers include Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard (from Belgium), Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea (Spain), and Arsenal midfielder Mesut Özil (Germany). Most of these Europeans come from one of the EU's 28 member states, and have the right to live and work anywhere within the union without the need for work permits.
David Beckham voting for Britain to remain in Brexit referendum
The EPL has flourished in this open-borders environment. Over the 2014-15 season, it pulled in $4.8 billion in revenue, more than twice that of the next two biggest soccer leagues combined, Germany's Bundesliga ($2.6 billion) and Spain's La Liga ($2.1 billion).
In 2015-16, domestic and international TV rights alone brought the EPL $2.5 billion, and next season that will jump to $3.9 billion.
But all is not right with English soccer. While the Premier League has soared, the national team has stalled. In 1996, England reached the semifinals of the European Championship. Since then it has gone no further than the quarterfinals of either that or the World Cup. Twice England failed to escape the group stage of a major tournament. Once it failed to even qualify. In that same time period, three of our most ancient enemies, France, Germany, and Spain, won both the European Championship and the World Cup.
GALLERY: Leicester City's incredible title run
Leicester City's Top Moments of 2015-16
Perhaps that will all change at this summer's European Championship. England was the only team to qualify with a perfect record (10–0–0), but on June 11 opened with a 1–1 tie against Russia (ranked No. 29 in the world by FIFA, or 19th out of the 24 teams at Euro 2016). Last Thursday it relied on an injury-time goal to win 2–1 against Wales (No. 26 in the world, 16th at Euros), and it closed group play Monday with a 0–0 draw against Slovakia (24/15). Or perhaps 2016 will be yet another painful chapter in English soccer history.
"Vote leave, take back control," urges the campaign for Brexit, tapping into fears of lost independence, and laying the blame for British woes at the feet of the European Parliament. In soccer terms, foreign players are accused of taking jobs and opportunities from homegrown talent.
If you were ever unsure of how dangerous stoking xenophobia can be, consider the brutal murder of British MP Jo Cox last Thursday. Appearing in court two days later, her alleged killer, Thomas Mair, gave his name as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain." Or consider the soccer violence that has made headlines almost every day of Euro 2016 so far.
Despite Euro group finish, England's form not a cause for concern
In May 2015, the British Government tightened up work permit rules in order to reduce the number of international players in the UK. At the time, Greg Dyke, chairman of England's Football Association, explained that the new rules would "make it far tougher for those who don't meet the quality standard to get to play in Britain." What the FA couldn't do, until now, was prevent the influx of EU citizens; a vote for Brexit would do just that.
However, no one really knows what effect that might have. Access to the international talent pool raises the standard of play in the EPL, and foreign players bring with them foreign fans, sponsorship deals, merchandise sales, and TV money. The league is too big and powerful to simply disappear if that lifeblood is constricted, but it could lose its place at the top, out-competed by leagues that still have access to Europe, such as the Bundesliga and La Liga.
"We, in the UK, must be in Europe from a business perspective," said Richard Scudamore, CEO of the EPL, last October.
On Tuesday, former English soccer player and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham threw his support behind the Remain campaign. "For our children and their children we should be facing the problems of the world together and not alone," he wrote on his social media channels.
Besides, if English players are being shunned by the EPL, that is a sign of a lack of English talent, not foreign bias. Spain has three times more soccer coaches than England; Germany has twice as many. (Based on UEFA coaching statistics from 2013, and adjusting for the size of each country's under-20 population.) Better youth soccer development programs, not fears about immigrant workers, make a far more convincing case for why Germany and Spain won the last two World Cups.
Raising the drawbridge that connects Great Britain to Europe, just like building bigger castle walls, will almost certainly work to keep more foreigners out. But isolation won't make English soccer great again.


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The cornerstone of our design process lies in our attention to detail and dedication to excellence. Our home packages include detailed floor plans and exterior elevations featuring numerous elements that add a unique look to the home, which offers the home builder a refreshing alternative to today's typical suburban home.
Take a few moments to wander through our website. We offer French and European style designs as well as Timber Frame & Cabin style, Craftsman style, Additional Home Designs and custom home designs.
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PUTRI S, HEVEA NOGROWATY (2007) PENERAPAN BALANCED SCORE CARD DALAM PENILAIAN KINERJA PERUSAHAAN DAERAH AIR MINUM (PDAM) KOTA MALANG. Other thesis, University of Muhammadiyah Malang.
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This research was conducted at the Regional Water Company (PDAM) Malang is located on Canal Street Lake Sentani 100 Malang. This type of research is case study research. According to Kartini and Kartono (1990: 254) case study is exploratory and analytical methods of study that very carefully and intensively about the state of a unit (unity), social, personal or a person, a family, an institution, cultural group or community. The purpose of this study was to determine the financial performance of Regional Water Company (PDAM) Malang when viewed from four perspectives in the balanced scorecard is the financial perspective, customer perspective, internal business process perspective and the perspective of learning and growing. Benchmarks for determining that said the company's performance is to use the analysis of time series and cross section that is evaluating the company's performance by comparing the results of ratio analysis of each perspective in a single period with the results of ratio analysis of other periods in the same company in 2003, 2004, and 2005. From the measurement of performance management that are applied in the analysis of balanced scorecard in Malang PDAM it from each perspective found that the result is the analysis of financial perspective Malang PDAM healthy it is seen indicators that have been measured, as has been seen that companies are trying to increase profits and while maintaining liquidity to stay safe in the survival of the company, the customer perspective performance overall unhealthy it looks at indicators of customer retention and on time delivery company that tends to fall but companies are still getting new customers and the company has been able to provide the best service to customers looking with increasingly smaller number of complaint ratio indicators, the performance of the overall internal business perspective this healthy look at two indicators of cycle time and idle capacity that companies tend to fall from year to year and the measurement of learning and growth perspective to the analysis of balanced scorecard Malang PDAM declared unhealthy this is indicated by three indicators of employee productivity, employee turnover, and employee training that fluctuates and tends to decrease from year to year. Of the four perspectives that exist can be seen that the overall performance of PDAM of Malang to say healthy.
|Item Type:
|Thesis (Other)
|H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
|Faculty of Economics > Department of Management (61201)
|Depositing User:
|Rayi Tegar Pamungkas
|Date Deposited:
|30 Jun 2012 02:28
|Last Modified:
|30 Jun 2012 02:28
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Select the icon with the message bubble and a pencil. You can then edit the text message invite.
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Photography Classes in Pearsall TX
Are you looking to learn about photography in Pearsall TX? No matter if you are a hobbyist, professional, or beginner, the most effective approach to improving your photography technique is through hands-on classes with skilled instructors.
Texas has many recognized and accredited photography schools. Photography classes cover subjects like portrait capture, exposure and composition, lighting, posing and unposing, and other photography fundamentals. Becoming an expert photographer can result in a lifelong hobby or successful professional career.
There are many Photography Classes in Pearsall TX:
- Photography 101 in Pearsall
- Digital Photography Classes in Pearsall
- Nature Photography Classes in Pearsall
- Editorial Photography Classes in Pearsall
- Studio Photography Classes in Pearsall
Pearsall TX Photography Classes
San Antonio College
1300 San Pedro Ave
San Antonio, Texas 78212-4299
Phone: (210) 486-0000
54.28 miles away
St Philip's College
1801 Martin Luther King Dr
San Antonio, Texas 78203-2098
Phone: (210) 486-2000
54.57 miles away
The Art Institute of San Antonio
10000 IH-10 W Ste 200
San Antonio, Texas 78230
Phone: (210) 338-7320
56.47 miles away
Texas State University-San Marcos
601 University Dr
San Marcos, Texas 78666
Phone: (512) 245-2111
99.76 miles away
Saint Edward's University
3001 S Congress Ave
Austin, Texas 78704-6489
Phone: (512) 448-8400
124.40 miles away
Austin Community College District
5930 Middle Fiskville Rd
Austin, Texas 78752
Phone: (512) 223-7000
130.95 miles away
The Art Institute of Austin
101 W. Louis Henna Blvd Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78728
Phone: (512) 691-1707
140.68 miles away


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Mounting opposition
Congress | Conservative lawmakers vow to block an international disabilities treaty that could affect U.S. sovereignty, homeschooling, and the promotion of abortion
by J.C. Derrick
Posted 9/27/12, 11:21 am
WASHINGTON—Opposition is growing for a seemingly benign treaty that has conservatives on Capitol Hill calling it a serious threat to U.S. sovereignty.
A group of 36 Republican senators have banded together to rebuff any efforts to pass the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) before the end of the upcoming post-election, lame duck session of Congress. This effectively throws the decision to the 113th Congress, which takes office in January, since treaty ratification requires two-thirds approval (67 votes) in the Senate.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., attempted to pass the treaty by unanimous consent before Congress left for recess last week, but the effort failed when Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, swooped in to object to the surprise move.
Lee held up a letter, signed by the 36 senators, explaining why the group would be opposing any treaty consideration before the end of the year (download a pdf of the letter). "It is very important to make sure that we have a full understanding of what these treaties mean," Lee said.
Article 6 Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution guarantees any treaty ratified by the Senate will become the "supreme law of the land." This raises concerns that the CRPD would hand over decisions for Americans with disabilities to un-elected bureaucrats.
The CRPD has also drawn the ire of 50 Republican House members who last week petitioned the Senate not to approve the treaty. (Download a PDF of the letter.)
"We remain convinced that the risks to the United States posed by the Disabilities Convention far outweigh any potential benefits that could be realized by U.S. ratification," the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Senate leaders Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
The CRPD passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 13-6, in July with the support of 10 Democrats and three Republicans. More than 115 countries have already ratified the treaty, which has drawn support from prominent Republicans, including Sen. John McCain, former President George H.W. Bush, and former Sen. Bob Dole. Proponents say it would give American citizens more rights when traveling abroad.
But opponents argue the treaty would strip parents of the right to decide what's in the best interest of their children, including the choice to educate them at home. Home School Legal Defense Association founder Michael Farris told me the treaty gives homeschoolers serious reason to be concerned: "We're giving away the sovereignty of the family, as well as giving away the sovereignty of America." (See "Undue influence," Aug. 14.)
Among its other issues, the CRPD doesn't define "disability," which it says is an "evolving concept." It also includes the phrase "sexual and reproductive health," language that some claim includes the right to an abortion. The Vatican has already refused to sign the treaty on the grounds that it may be used to promote abortion.
J.C. Derrick
J.C. is WORLD's deputy chief content officer and WORLD Radio's managing editor based in Dallas. Follow J.C. on Twitter @jcderrick1.


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Fall Line Freeway to open in Milledgeville | News
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has completed a 3.5 mile roadway in the Milledgeville area. It's part of the Fall Line Freeway project that runs from Columbus to Augusta. But the new road will connect Central Georgia drivers to a number of frequently traveled places.
GDOT District Communications Officer, Kyle Collins, said, "Additional access from State Route 112 on the south side of Milledgeville, that's Vinson Highway, to hop on Fall Line Freeway to get to Highway 441, and also continue on the Fall Line Freeway to get to Ivey, to Gordon, Wilkinson County, to get to Macon, Columbus."
Collins said the state also hopes the Fall Line Freeway will help reduce some of the large truck traffic through downtown Milledgeville.
"Obviously, it's not going to eliminate all of it because those are still state routes, you know, that trucks can drive through," Collins said. "But we think they would prefer, you know, if they were coming from Washington County or Wilkinson County, to bypass downtown Milledgeville to come through this roadway because it's a 65 mile per hour speed limit."
Collins said the new road should cut down commute times from 10-30 minutes depending where you're traveling to.
"You know, our number one job is to help out the public, make it safer for them to get from point A to point B," said Collins. "Whether it's their morning commute, or like we said before, whether it's for economic development, so trucks can get where they need to go and if we can cut 10 or 15 minutes down on their commute time, then that's going to save folks a lot of money over time."
The 3.5 mile portion of the Fall Line Freeway opens Tuesday January 19th. in Milledgeville, The next section of the Fall Line Freeway will be a 9.1 mile stretch near the Wilkinson and Baldwin areas, due to open in October.


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Apria settles with MassHealth
LAKE FOREST, Calif. – Apria Healthcare has agreed to pay more than $750,000 to settle allegations that it billed Massachusetts residents for services already covered by MassHealth, the state's Medicaid program.
Under the settlement announced Aug. 9, Apria has agreed to pay $99,008 in restitution and $665,934 in penalties to settle allegations that the company improperly billed consumers between December 2011 and April 2017, according to Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey.
Despite the settlement, Apria denies it violated any state laws.
"We are pleased to have resolved this matter with the Massachusetts Attorney General," said Raoul Smyth, Apria's executive vice president and general counsel, in a statement. "Although Apria denies that it has violated any Massachusetts laws, this resolution reflects Apria's desire to put this matter behind it so that it can continue to focus on the needs of patients."
Apria says it addressed the processes that were the focus of the Attorney General's investigation long before this settlement was reached.


text: So this afternoon I'm leaving on a jet plane to go out west for two and half weeks. I'll be hiking, rock climbing, relaxing and drinking some brews. I'm not bringing my computer and probably won't have access to internet most of the time anyway, so I probably won't be writing blog posts. I'm sure issues with my mental health will arise and I'll do some Instagram posts about what's going on and some adventures. So if you would like to keep on my adventures please follow me on Instagram ! My username is sylvmarcia – thanks ! Enjoy the next few weeks.


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I am not averse to taking the annual trip down memory lane that late December brings. 2015 was a solid year – when looking back at the last couple of years, or maybe even further back, this was the first year where I seemed to really be able to gain my bearings and feel in almost complete control, and where the decisions that kept me up at night were either really dumb and narcissistic, or not really that big and serious in the grand scheme of things.
I kicked off the new year with a solo trip back to the States, my first since 2013. And there was snow! (My friends and family were also there, but I mean, really , it was mostly about the snow). I danced my face off at a music festival in Shoreham on one glorious summer weekend. Jon and I spent 24 hours in Istanbul and nine days in Oman to visit friends and dip a toe into the Middle East and shop in the night market and learn how to really wear a headscarf (that was more me, not Jon). We took a tour of Parliament in London and a tour of the vineyards of Sussex to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary. We did our first themed "couples" costume, which was pretty damn awesome. We saw The Decemberists and Chvrches live, separately, and a drag show about Margaret Thatcher getting lost in SoHo in the 80s. I read 33 books and cut my long ass hair off and got obsessed with Snapchat, but not with blogging or taking pictures with my DSLR. It was a year of lots of normalcy and general bougie personal happiness, and it was nice to find contentment in that.
Here's to hoping 2016 is a good one. I know my fingers are crossed!


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26° Brewing is proud to announce that distribution is now underway.
Use the map below to find your 26° Brewing favorites, located all across South Florida.
Be sure to look for Captain Ron Hefeweizen and soon, IPA1A, Tri-County Common Lager, and Ziko's Rage Imperial Stout.
What? Your favorite watering hole doesn't have the tasty Captain Ron? Let you bartender know they can get it through Gold Coast Distributing.


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This North African getaway is a melting pot of culture, archeology, and dynamic landscapes. Tunisia is ideally perched along the Mediterranean Sea and its charming local atmosphere is certainly well manifested in Tunis the capital and its suburban districts. Spring is an excellent time of the year to visit because days are warm and sunny, but not overbearingly hot, the high summer season is yet to get into gear so one can enjoy more of an intimate experience and better accommodations for less cost.
Tunis Airport is easy to reach from many African, Middle Eastern and European capitals. The country's safety is quite good compared to some of its neighbors and the culture is easily embraced by foreigners as it has elements from Europe, North Africa and Arabia. Transportation in Tunis is good via buses, taxis and a regional train.
Spring travelers will revel in this destinations two best outdoor features: the city's Medina and the coastal villages. The Medina is the heart of the old city, its narrow and partially covered streets are full of smells of spice, colorful fabrics and leather goods. A quintessential local experience is to stop in a cafe and sip mint tea or coffee and people watch. The streets wander and one can explore all kinds of market goods, produce and visit the historic central Zitouna Mosque at designated times.
The Bar al Bab gate (Port of France) is a downtown landmark that yields the Medina and showcases the modern city. Here there are stylish restaurants, good hotels, wide boulevards and museums to explore. The wide Belvedere Park in town is in full bloom with the combination of warmer days and spring rains.
The coastal towns are really just suburbs of Tunis, so they can be easily reached in 15 to 20 minutes from the city center on the affordable TGM light rail train. They include the historic ruins of Carthage, and panoramic cities of La Goulette and Sidi Bou Said. Each of these areas hosts its own particular beachfront, which is often more scenic rock and bluffs rather than sand. Sidi Bou Said on a sunny spring day is unforgettable, with its signature blue and white houses and various cafe's overlooking the Mediterranean Sea from high cliff seats.


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Katsunari Takayama Vs Shin Ono
When we talk about our favourite fighters we are very open in talking about out admiration of Japan's Katsunari Takayama, a man we are massive fans of for his mentality to fight tough foes on a regular basis.
Of course when you fight tough opponents regularly you don't always look great and that was certainly true when Takayama took on fellow Japanese fighter Shin Ono on May 7th 2014. In fact if anything Takayama looked frustrated at times, seemed to miss an awful lot and appeared to struggle a bit with the size, movement and southpaw stance of Ono, though did come out on top with a clear decision win.
Ono may be unknown to many fight fans though is a capable fighter and a former OPBF Light Flyweight champion. This was his first world title bout though he had proven his ability somewhat by taking wins over Yu Kimura, Xiong Zhao Zhong and Omari Kimweri. From this performance we wouldn't be shocked to see Ono competing at the world level again somewhere down the line and with his tricky style and long arms he really could be a handful for many fighters in the 105lb or 108lb divisions. The one he perhaps lacks however is world class experience, something he gained here in a big way.
Interesting the next fight of Ono's comes just a couple of days before Takayama fights in a world title unification bout. On this performance Takayama will struggle with his upcoming bout, though we don't think this was the best of Takayama.
Here we include some of the best, most interesting, most exciting or most eye catching videos from around the Asian boxing world.
December 2019


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Sacramento writers interested in some recoverable format humor and comedy to master might become in the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. If you're searching for regarding meetings your past Sacramento area, there's the local chapter in Placerville. Anyone might email the address, SCBWI, CA North/Central, V.O. Box 487, Placerville CA 95667.
No matter how good your memory is, for anyone who is hit along with a great idea for a poem, don't test your memory because you well your investment inspiration and one good poem will be lost around the globe forever.
Now, I'm not here completely wrong one way or another that Betsy is clairvoyant. I don't know if is actually talking to spirits or herself. I simply know that she is a really nice woman who was willing to schedule an appointment me. She is a showman and holds an audience in the palm of her hand. Plus, she lets you experience some things that, after being tricks, are the ones you should really experience one self.
The factor that you should do is rest with your fiance and discuss the space and general feel which you like your vows to come with. You wouldn't want to upward there, we have spent so many hours writing ones vows, and watch that one you took a more humorous light-hearted approach, while the other took a very deep program. You also don't want to find one person's vows surely paragraph whilst other's could be a page. Lifeless discussing some parameters for writing up a business plan your own wedding vows with your fiance, you will also want to debate any other concerns that you will have about the vows.
Talking with someone always helps, whether it's a friend or maybe professional. A person don't talk with a friend, ensure it's someone who can be non-judgemental, someone that can just listen. We sometimes don't necessarily want advice, we would like to be heard. Of course, if you're going any major life change, results in major stress, you could consult an authority. You'd be surprised that with only one or two visits, discovered that help you to see things more clearly.
Many writers hate selling themselves-they're afraid to put themselves out there and they've never sold anything in their lives. But if you're fascinated with making a full time income as a writer, you have to put yourself out there. Market yourself, your ideas, along with writing skills to everyone you come in contact with. You never know who is should retain a writer, so reach out in as several ways not too hard. Publish a blog, put together a website site, offer that idea, and continuously market your writing.
As human beings, we're goal-oriented. In want to measure their best life, to grow the best business to be their best self, goals are relevant. And goals are fun, besides.


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Oct 18, 2007
The latest free content update Turbine is whipping up for its MMO Lord of the Rings Online releases this month (on October 25) - and it's a hefty one.
In addition to continuing the epic storyline the developer's cleverly intertwined with Tolkien's narrative, Book 11: Defenders of Eriador features 11 skill updates for the Minstrel and Lore-master character classes, new raid and high-level world content, Monster Play enhancements and - deep breath - player housing.
"Just imagine retreating to your own private hobbit-hole after a hard day's burgling, or inviting your friends over for some pipeweed and a chat in your stately elven-dwelling", says Turbine.
Book 11 also marks the first appearance of Gollum in the game, along with the fire-snorting Balrog. More details on the updatehere.Courtesy of CVG