text:
AntiguaFalmouth Harbour
St. Johns
Palm Beach
Elbow Cay
Grand Bahama
Great Exuma
Harbour Island
Marsh Harbour
New Providence
Cable Beach
Paradise Island
Stocking Island
BelizeAmbergris Caye
Belize City
Caye Caulker
San Ignacio
British Virgin IslandsAnegada
Jost Van Dyke
Virgin Gorda
Cayman IslandsCayman Brac
Grand Cayman
Little Cayman
Dominican RepublicBoca Chica
Casa de Campo
Puerto Plata
Punta Cana
Santo Domingo
Grand Anse
Saint George's
GuadeloupePoint a Pitre
JamaicaBlue mountains
Montego Bay
Ocho Rios
Port Antonio
Rose Hall
Runaway Bay
Treasure Beach
MartiniqueFort de France
Chichen itza
Isla Mujeres
La Gloria
Riviera Maya
Playa del Carmen
Puerto Morelos
Xpu Ha
Yucatan Peninsula
Puerto RicoAguadilla
La Parguera
Palmas del Mar
San Juan
St. Kitts
St. LuciaCastries
Rodney Bay
Vieux Fort
St. Martin
Sint. Maarten
Turks and CaicosGrand Turk
US Virgin IslandsSt. Croix
St. John
St. Thomas
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Whether or not you would be best served renting a car in Akumal will depend on the intensity of the sightseeing you plan on doing. Most of the best sites are about 20 minutes or more away, so if visiting them on a flexible schedule is important to you, renting a car will be your best option.
Renting a car in Akumal is not difficult, nor is it terribly expensive, but that doesn't mean it is the right choice for everyone. Those staying in all inclusive resorts, or who don't plan on doing too much traveling can and should plan to use local buses, collectivos, and taxis rather than rent a car not only to save money, but to save sanity as well. Why? Local police officers can pick a rental car out in the crowd very easily, and will look for any excuse to pull you over. When the do, they will often insinuate that you should bribe them out of giving you a ticket, which is illegal. It makes for a very uncomfortable situation for many tourists, so if this is something you don't think you can handle you'll need to be extra careful to follow all local driving laws carefully including following the posted speed limit exactly and wearing your seat belt. It is also highly recommended that tourists purchase rental insurance in the full amount because if you are in an accident here you are guilty until proven innocent and could be fined heftily.
Aside from the difficulties with local law enforcement, there is nothing to discourage tourists who crave independence from procuring a rental. The type of car you rent will be entirely up to you based on your needs and preferences. If you're traveling with a small party and don't have need for extra amenities or comforts, by all means choose an economy model to save money. If you're going to be exploring a lot of the recommended natural attractions in the area, off-roading will likely be common and you should aim for a sports utility vehicle that is equipped for handling rugged roads. In some places, it makes more sense to rent a golf cart from your resort and use that mini vehicle to zip around the property. If you're unsure which type of vehicle if best for you, ask the operator of the rental car agency and they will be happy to steer you in the right direction.
Akumal Guide Car Rentals happens to be the only rental service our listing information includes. If you want more information, you can call them at (984) 875-9115, or visit them in the heart of Akumal.
You should also speak to a representative about their requirements for renting a car. Requirements and restrictions vary by agency. Some places will rent to those under the age of 25 while others will not, and the type of license you need varies as well. In most cases, your driver's license from home will do just fine, but in others you'll need an International Driver's License. Since there is no blanket set of regulations, you must ask questions to ensure that you don't run into any road blocks.
You will also be able to pick up a rental from Cancun (click here for more information on that). Your most cost efficient option will be to rent from the Cancun International Airport since it will save you the expense of hiring someone to driver. Renting from you resort will almost always cost the most. On average, you'll spend between $20 and $105(USD) a day on a rental, depending on the type of vehicle, when you rent, and who you rent from. This does not include the added insurance which is highly recommended. You can also rent bicycles for quick jaunts about town for about $8(USD) a day, golf carts for around $40(USD) a day, and Harley-Davidson motorcycles for $150(USD) a day.
Individual companies can charge very different rates so it can be worth your time to shop around. The low rates in the tables are typically only available from the least expensive agencies during the off season. The high end of the range is what you might need to pay at one of the busier agencies during the high season.
|Rental Type
|Low Rate
|High Rate
|Economy Car
|$ 20.00
|$ 30.00
|Compact Car
|$ 32.00
|$ 42.00
|Mid Size Car
|$ 40.00
|$ 80.00
|Light SUV
|$ 92.00
|$ 125.00
|Mini Van
|$ 95.00
|$ 135.00
|Rental Type
|Low Rate
|High Rate
|Economy Car
|$ 120.00
|$ 180.00
|Compact Car
|$ 192.00
|$ 252.00
|Mid Size Car
|$ 240.00
|$ 480.00
|Light SUV
|$ 552.00
|$ 750.00
|Mini Van
|$ 570.00
|$ 810.00
As mentioned previously, it is extremely important that you adhere closely to local driving laws, and especially make sure to stick to the posted speed limit. In general, this will mean that you are not keeping up with traffic, but it is better to go a little slower and ensure that you don't get pulled over. The posted speed limit changes frequently, so keep your eyes peeled for signs, and if possible have a passenger do the same.
...ask a local resident for direction...
The main highway to Akumal from Cancun is paved, well-marked, and maintained, and most roads in town are the same. On occasion you may come across a road that is not in the best condition, and if you're out searching for natural attractions there may be times you encounter dirt roads as well. One of the most difficult things you'll discover about driving in this part of the country is that the maps do not always match up with the existing roads. Some towns even have different names assigned to them. The best thing to do is to ask a local resident for direction rather than rely on a map.
While you may find there to be plenty of gas stations up and down the main roads, not all of them will always have gas. It is in your best interest to keep your gas tank above half a tank in case you run into a long stretch of road where you can't find a place to fill up.
Pemex Xpu-Ha happens to be the one gas station we were able to get we have information on. Visit this location in Xpu Ha, 6.3 mi. northeast of Akumal.
Driving most definitely is not for everyone in Akumal, but those who crave independence and are willing to stick very closely to local laws, there should be no reason not to make this your main mode of transport.
Help us improve! We welcome your corrections and suggestions.


text:
Tokyo Star Bank and Sony Bank Rank Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Mortgage Servicers
TOKYO: 25 February 2014 — Customers with higher satisfaction with their mortgage servicer are less likely to consider refinancing their mortgage, and are more likely to use their mortgage bank as their primary bank and increase their use of its services, according to the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2014 Japan Mortgage Satisfaction Study (Servicer)SM released today.
The inaugural study measures customer satisfaction with the mortgage servicing experience. Overall customer satisfaction with mortgage servicers is based on three factors (in order of importance): billing and payment process; contact; and facility.
When satisfaction increases, not only does the percentage of customers who consider refinancing decrease, customers also tend to use time deposits, investment trusts, credit card loans, and other non-mortgage services," said Ryutaro Nakao, manager at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Tokyo. "In the current period of low interest rates, financial institutions face a critical challenge of preventing customer defection through refinancing."
The study finds that overall 34 percent of customers have considered refinancing their mortgage during the past year. Among customers who have had their mortgages for six years or longer, 40 percent have considered refinancing. Overall satisfaction scores for full-service and self-directed banks are based on a 1,000-point scale.
- When satisfaction increases, not only does the percentage of customers who definitely would use the lender as long as possible in the future, customers also tend to recommend the lender's services to others in fact.
- More than one-half (52%) of all mortgage customers received information from their lender about products, services, and campaigns after obtaining their mortgages. The percentage decreases as the number of years after origination of the mortgage increases.
- Overall mortgage servicer satisfaction with self-directed banks averages 674 while satisfaction with full-service banks averages 550.
- While satisfaction with nearly all full-service banks and self-directed banks decreases after customers obtain their mortgages, satisfaction with Sony Bank, SBI Sumishin Net Bank, and Shinsei Bank increases after origination.
Study Rankings
Mortgage lenders are classified into one of two segments: full-service banks and self-directed banks.
Full-Service Bank Segment
Tokyo Star Bank ranks highest in the Full-Service Bank Segment with a score of 606. Tokyo Star Bank performs particularly well in the billing and payment process factor. Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank ranks second (597) and performs particularly well in the facility factor, while Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ ranks third (573) and performs particularly well in the contact factor.
Self-Directed Bank Segment
Sony Bank ranks highest in the Self-Directed Bank Segment with a score of 724. Sony Bank performs particularly well in the billing and payment process, and contact factors. SBI Sumishin Net Bank ranks second (700).
The J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2014 Japan Mortgage Satisfaction Study (Servicer) is based on responses from 10,189 men and women age 20 and older who have had their mortgages for at least one year. The Internet study was fielded in December 2013.
About J.D. Power Asia Pacific
J.D. Power Asia Pacific has offices in Tokyo, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai and Bangkok that conduct customer satisfaction research and provide consulting services in the automotive, information technology and finance industries. Together, the five offices bring the language of customer satisfaction to consumers and businesses in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand. Information regarding J.D. Power Asia Pacific and its products can be accessed through the Internet at japan.jdpower.com.
About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules http://www.jdpower.com/about/index.htm
About McGraw Hill Financial www.mhfi.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Day's Theme: The Creative Process and Technology Assessment
- 8:30 AM | Registration/Administrative Continental Breakfast
- 9:00 AM | Session 1: Welcome and Opening Remarks:
Prof. Moshe Zviran, Vice Dean Faculty of Management, Tel Aviv University
Course Directors:Introduction to Program Structure
Review of required assignments
- 9:30 AM | Session 2: Opening Keynote Address –"Life Science Technology; The challenging landscape, from concept to commercialization"
Introduction: Benny Zeevi, M.D. Managing General Partner
DFJ Tel Aviv Venture Partners,Peter J. Fitzgerald, MD, PhD, FACC, Director, Center for Cardiovascular Technology,Stanford University
- 10:10 AM | Coffee break
- 10:20 AM | Session 3: The Persuasive Pitch, Part 1: Introduction of course participants
Benny Zeevi, M.D. Managing General Partner, DFJ Tel Aviv Venture Partners
David Frank, Managing Director MEDX Associates LLC – "Making YOUR Pitch Persuasive"
Brent Ahrens, General Partner, Canaan Partners
Ellen Lubman, Senior Vice President with Kadmon Pharmaceuticals
In order to give participants a chance to learn more about their colleagues in the course, and as the first part of our special focus on presentations, we are asking each participant to prepare to deliver a 3 minute presentation, using 2-4 power point slides, to introduce yourself and your company to the group.
- 12:10 | Coffee break
- 12:20 | Session 4: Project, Product or Company?: Assessment and Qualification of Technologies as a Basis for a StartupThe successful translation of discoveries from the lab to the market is the greatest challenge facing an entrepreneur. Many companies are formed on technologies emanating from university laboratories and spinouts from major corporations as well as life science companies themselves. Many healthcare innovations fall because they neither integrate with existing clinical practice nor are successful in creating new ones. Forming a company around a technology is relatively easy. Staffing and capitalizing it is another story. Savvy employees, astute venture capitalist and selective prospective strategic partners know that companies without technological critical mass sufficient to bring a series of product to the market are unsustainable. This session will provide tools and a contextual framework as to how technologies can be assessed by academic founders, top industry executives, CSOs, Incubators and VCs so that they can orient and characterize their business for capitalization and partnering.Moderator: Benny Zeevi, M.D., Managing General Partner, DFJ Tel Aviv Venture PartnersBrent Ahrens, General Partner, Canaan PartnersDavid Frank, Managing Director MEDX Associates LLCTamara Mansfeld, Director, Strategy & Portfolio Management, PfizerEd Saltzman, President DefinedHealth
- 2:00 PM | Networking Luncheon
- 2:45 | Session 5: Lessons learned from our experience: A panel of life science CEOs and Entrepreneurs In this session we will have several US and Israeli CEOs in life sciences sharing their experience.Specifically addressing issues: Building a management team, financing, collaborations, dealing with the board, working with cross-border teams and moreModerators: Ruti Alon, General Partner, Pitango Venture Capital FundAvner Halprin, CEO, Early SenseUdi Cohen, CEO BiocontrolAscher Shmulewitz, M.D., President MedegenesisFrank L. Douglas, Ph.D., M.D. President & CEO, Austen BioInnovation Institute in AkronBill Gerhart, Former CEO, Elevation PharmaOri Hadomi, CEO Mazor RoboticsEd Saltzman, President DefinedHealth
- 4:00 PM | Coffee break
- 4:15 | Session 6: Keynote Address Corie Chung- Bar Dea, Director of Strategy, Designit"Innovation Strategy"
- 5:00 PM | Session 7: Market Analysis and Competitive Analysis – Essentials of Marketing in Biotechnology and Medical Devices This session will focus on Market analysis, Clinical state of the art and product positioning: assessment of different applications for the same product (choosing the right application from commercial point of view), Determination of subgroup of patients most appropriate for the product, Competitive analysis, Importance of opinion leaders, patients groups, patients organization, Selling strategy, and Relationship Marketing: To build mutually satisfying long-term relationships with key customers in order to acquire and retain their businessModerator: Brent Ahrens, General Partner, Canaan PartnersDavid Frank, Managing Director MEDX Associates LLCYael Glassman, VP Marketing and Business Development, SensibleMike Berman, medical device investor/entrepreneur, Former President of the Cardiology business of Boston ScientificRobert Barzelay, Marketing Consultants, Global StrategistsBill Gerhart, Former CEO, Elevation Pharma – CEO view
- 6:15 | Coffee Break
- 6:30 – 7:00 PM | Session 8 : Licensing, Partnering and Strategic Alliances the Pharma perspective Ellen Lubman, Senior Vice President with Kadmon Pharmaceuticals
- 7:00 – 7:45 | CEO Experiences… Bill Gerhart, Former CEO, Elevation Pharma
Day's Theme: The Creative Process and Technology Assessment
- 8:30 AM | Continental Breakfast
- 9:00 AM | Session 9: Biotechnology and Medical device Regulatory Planning, Clinical Development and the Implications for Strategy and Financing: From Proof of Concept to Marketing Success. Designing and conducting clinical trials
This session provides an abbreviated view of the overall process and specific insight into planning for FDA regulations in light of strategy, financial needs, and the concerns of prospective partners and investors. Entrepreneurs need to understand that there is an increasing need to perform clinical studies to support medical device safety and performance claims. They also need to have a basic understanding of the activities, resources and costs associated with the design and conduct of clinical studies. The failure to incorporate an effective clinical strategy into new project planning can lead to significant project and funding delays or, worse, the failure of the project. This session will provide an overview of the increasing need for device clinical study data; key activities, resource needs and costs; and planning for the successful design and conduct of medical device clinical studies for acceptance in the United States and Europe, even when these studies are conducted outside of these regulatory jurisdictions.Moderator: Benny Zeevi, M.D. Managing General Partner, DFJ Tel Aviv Venture PartnersSusan Alpert, PhD, MD, Former Senior Vice President, Chief Regulatory Officer of Medtronic, FormerVice President of Regulatory Sciences for C.R. Bard, Inc, previously worked at FDA where she held a variety of positions in the Centers dealing with drugs, devices and radiological health, and foods, including six years as the Director of the Office of Device Evaluation.Udi Cohen, CEO Biocontrol – The experience of a CEO in conducting multinational clinical trial
- 10:20 AM | Coffee break
- 10:30 AM |Session 10: Keynote Lecture Patrick Flochel, Partner, Global Pharmaceutical Sector Leader, Global Life Sciences Centre, EY"New business models in Life Sciences"
- 11:45 | Robert Barzelay, Marketing Consultants, Global Strategists – Marketing *** Session 11: Emerging Markets – Opportunities for Life Science companies The growth of biotechnology and other health related industries in Brazil, China and India is taking place at a stunning pace. While this fact might appear to be a competitive threat to Israeli entrepreneurs, it is in fact an opportunity. Companies in these countries are eager to collaborate with Israeli companies. This session will describe the status of activity in the three most rapidly advancing countries and will also describe how Israeli firms can do business in these same countries. Moderator: Stephen M. Sammut, Senior Fellow, Health Care Systems and Entrepreneurial Programs, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Venture Partner, Burrill & Company Gad Berdugo, Managing Director and Head of Life Sciences and Healthcare at Tegris Advisors, Formerly Founder of Explorium Capital and Former Director and Sector Leader for global healthcare investment research at LazardDavid Frank, Managing Director MEDX Associates LLCPatrick Flochel, Partner, Global Pharmaceutical Sector Leader, Global Life Sciences Centre, EY Pablo Halpern, CEO Atche Medical, Brazil- Opportunities in the Life Sciences MarketGil Kerbs, New Product Development Marketing manager, Covidien
- 1:00 PM | Session 12: Keynote lecture:Dr. Jeremy Levin, Former President & CEO Teva Pharmaceutical"The role of the company in society"
- 1:45 | Networking Luncheon
- 2:30 PM | Session 13: Capitalization of a life science Venture –Value inflection Points, Milestones and Capital Requirements, Alternative financing, Terms etc. Financing a life science venture is challenging. When meeting with investors and prospective strategic partners, entrepreneurs will often hear questions that ask: Where are you in the value chain?" How does your business model reflect this?" "How do you describe your milestones and how are you managing towards them?" How do your milestones tie-in with your value inflection points?" This session will consist of a brief overview of typical value inflection points for each type of product, classical and alternative ways of financing, terms of financing rounds and more.Moderator: Brent Ahrens, General Partner, Canaan PartnersMike Berman, medical device investor/entrepreneur, past President of the Cardiology business of Boston ScientificBenny Zeevi, M.D. Managing General Partner, DFJ Tel Aviv Venture PartnersJohn R. Lieberman, CPA/PFS Managing Director Perelson Weiner LLP Gad Berdugo, Managing Director and Head of Life Sciences and Healthcare at Tegris Advisors, Formerly Founder of Explorium Capital and Former Director and Sector Leader for global healthcare investment research at LazardDr. Ayal Shenhav, Shenhav & Co – Crowd funding for life sciences companiesHanan Haviv, Partner, Herzog, Fox & Neeman
- 4:00 | Session 14: Case study
Yotam Levin, MD, MBA,CEO, Nanopass
Optimizing business models for a drug delivery Company
- 5:00 PM | Coffee break
- 5:15 | Session 15: Intellectual Capital ManagementThe goal of the session is to provide information and insight into the specific issues confronting investigators, entrepreneurs, investors and their patent attorneys. The session will address the formation of specific IP strategy and execution and using intellectual capital for competitive advantage. Content includes major issues confronting companies with US and filings in other jurisdictions related to biotechnology, e.g., patent ownership, non-obviousness rulings, the scope of what can be patented.. A VC will also provide an investor viewpoint.Moderator: Steve M. Sammut, Senior Fellow, Wharton Health Care Systems and EntrepreneurshipBrian Hopkins, Member, Mintz Levin – IP ManagementJohn R. Lieberman, CPA/PFS Managing Director Perelson WeinerMedical device executiveBrent Ahrens, General Partner, Canaan Partners – The VC perspective
- 6:30 PM | Session 16: Incorporating Reimbursement in the Company Development Strategy Moderator: Brent Ahrens, General Partner, Canaan PartnersReggie Williams, Vice President, Avalere HealthMike Berman, medical device investor/entrepreneur, past President of the Cardiology business of Boston Scientific
- 8:00 PM | End of the day…
- 8:30 AM | Continental Breakfast
- 9:00 AM | Session 17: Biopharmaceutical and Medical Device Licensing, Partnering and Strategic Alliances Format: Brief lectures, panel discussion, Q&A Major practical issues in formulation of partnering goals and managing different types of strategic alliances, preparation for positioning for partnering, identifying and qualifying prospective partners, making the approach, negotiation, closing the deal, with special emphasis on how to design alliances and avoid many potential problems and complications in managing these relationship.Moderator: Benny Zeevi, M.D. Managing General Partner, DFJ Tel Aviv Venture Partners David Frank, Managing Director MEDX Associates LLCEd Saltzman, President DefinedHealthMike Berman, medical device investor/entrepreneur, Former President of the Cardiology business of Boston ScientificMaya Racine – Netser, Adv, Partner, Head, technology licensing group in the High Tech Practice , Herzog, Fox & Neeman
Discussion and Q&A
- 11:00 AM | Bio – Break
- 11:30 AM | Session 18: Healthcare IT and Digital Health Quality and efficient healthcare delivery is highly depended on information and communication, anytime anywhere.Despite Healthcare Delivery Industry having much to gain from Information and Communication Technologies; it is the slowest from all industries in the adoption. HCIT investment will only be successful if the fit between IT and clinical processes will be close to matching, which will be reflected by the acceptance or rejection of end users. The emergence of new, disruptive technologies plays a crucial role in closing the capability gap and gaining more acceptances from the main users. The latest innovations are changing not only how the medical care is organised, practiced and delivered but are also redefining host of other qualities including changing patient-physician model and facilitating the emergence of new industry players within the value chain.Mobile devices and services are transforming the way people all over the globe live, work, play and now also revolutionize the way they receive medical care. Mobile devices are the most personal technology that consumers and healthcare providers own, and allow consumers to be introduced to new services quickly and intuitively and establish personal preferences. Digital health enables health and wellness to be delivered through mass personalization anywhere and anytime, in the comfort of patients' own homes and during daily routines. Many new players are entering the mobile health industry; it is highly fragmented market worth several billion of dollars. The adoption and deployment of mHealth requires new regulatory clarity, standards and interoperability of devices and software, new viable business models, consumers and provider's cultural changes and proven evidence –based outcome measures, clinically and economically.The potential applications of HCIT technologies and digital health, it's role in global health, new business models, the use of social media by pharma and medical device companies as well as by healthcare providers and insurance companies and regulatory issues will be discussed. Moderator and introduction: Benny Zeevi, M.D. Managing General Partner, DFJ Tel Aviv Venture Partners Patrick Flochel, Partner, Global Pharmaceutical Sector Leader, Global Life Sciences Centre, EYMichal Geva, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, TriVenturesYael Glassman, VP Marketing and Business Development, SensibleSusan Alpert, PhD, MD, Former Senior Vice President, Chief Regulatory Officer of Medtronic, FormerVice President of Regulatory Sciences for C.R. Bard, Inc., previously worked at FDA-
Are Digital and Mobile Health Tools Medical Devices? Who's Opinion Counts?
- 2:00 PM | Luncheon
- 2:45 PM | Session 18 – continue
- 3:30 PM | Coffee break
- 3:45 – 4:30 PM | Session 19: Case StudyMarketing case studyRobert Barzelay, Marketing Consultants, Global Strategists
- 4:30 – 5:30 PM | Case study- American Well Yael Glassman, VP Marketing and Business Development, SensibleBenny Zeevi, M.D. Managing General Partner, DFJ Tel Aviv Venture Partners
- 5:30 – 6:00 PM | Bio Break
- 6:00 PM | The Persuasive Pitch, Part 2: Presentations WorkshopModerators: Steve M. Sammut, Senior Fellow, Wharton Health Care Systems and EntrepreneurshipBrent Ahrens, General Partner, Canaan PartnersBenny Zeevi, M.D. Managing General Partner, DFJ Tel Aviv Venture Partners David Frank, Managing Director MEDX Associates LLCEllen Lubman, Senior Vice President with Kadmon PharmaceuticalsEd Saltzman, President DefinedHealthThree to five participants will present revised versions of their introductions from Sunday before a panel of VCs and experts, and will receive feedback on both the content and spoken aspects of their presentations.
- 7:00 | Program AdjournmentSession 22: Teams gather for "Take-aways Exercise"Each participant will receive at registration a work-sheet to record for each session one major lesson or "take-away." Teams will gather to discuss, compare notes, and develop one major take away for three sessions that will be assigned. Participants will have reviewed take-aways from Days 1 and 2 at the end of each day.


text:
It's here finally! I have finished the overhaul of our bed-frame! This was the first piece of furniture I have ever attempted to revamp, so as you already know it took several weeks and lots of patience. But in the end it has been completely worth it!
Here is a reminder of the before (after I had already stripped all the nastiness off):
Here is a reminder of the before (after I had already stripped all the nastiness off):
Ladies and possibly some Gentlemen, may I present to you my good as new Minty Fresh bed-frame!
When I first bought the color I was super excited, then I got home and I immediately second guessed my decision. But since you can't return paint I decided to just go with my original instinct, and I am so glad that I did. I absolutely LOVE how this turned out! I used Behr Premium Plus in satin enamel and the color is Mint Frappe.
My sister-in-law came over today and she thought that I had bought a brand new bed-frame! I would say that is a job well done :)
If you missed the first two parts of this series, you can find them right here: Part 1, Part 2
p.s. just ignore that the bed isn't made :) I decided to take pictures while doing laundry.


text:
The State of Minnesota faces significant economic, social and technological policy challenges in the next biennium and beyond that will influence its direction, goals and priorities for information technology. The following factors are areas of concern, but also of opportunity, for the State of Minnesota, and for Minnesota IT Services going forward.
Technology advances quickly, priorities shift, and new challenges constantly emerge. To be successful in achieving its mission of continuous improvement, efficiency, reliability and capability in information technology, the State of Minnesota will need to look beyond the imperatives of the moment and plan for the future. The purpose of this section is to share the early warning signs arising from our management of the state's technology portfolio, as well as to identify areas in which investment and strategy will be required to meet the intent of the law. MNIT's commitment remains to work, wherever possible, within the granted authority and partnerships to address them systematically.
The vast majority of cybersecurity priorities in this plan address shortcomings in executive branch defenses that have accrued from years of underinvestment. We are seeing increasing cyber-attacks on both state and federal government, and these attacks are growing in frequency and sophistication. Citizens expect government leaders to protect their data, regardless of whether it is in the custody of state or local government, other branches, constitutional offices, or higher education institutions. Citizens also expect government leaders to collaborate to use taxpayer resources judiciously, particularly in costly and high-risk areas like cybersecurity. As Minnesota IT Services works to build the cybersecurity capabilities that citizens expect, we also see an opportunity to extend these services and share threat intelligence with other government entities. We are calling this future opportunity the Minnesota Government Information Sharing and Analysis Organization, and we hope to begin its planning and development over the next five years. Given the cost of cybersecurity solutions, extremely high demand for talent and expanding threat landscape, the success of all Minnesota government entities will be incumbent on how well we share resources, tools, talent and information to address threats and protect the people of our state.
It is critical that Minnesota IT Services' leaders, state agency partners, and policymakers examine the impact of continued operations with aging legacy IT systems. These discussions must include the impact of aging IT systems on business operations and efficiency, information security, and the ability of state government to engage effectively with Minnesotans in the digital age.
In our efforts to build and manage the State of Minnesota's technology portfolio, Minnesota IT Services has found a substantial gap in agency technology environments, precipitated by disproportionate and disparate IT investments made by various agencies over the past few decades. Such discrepancies leave some state IT operations underfunded and thus unable to provide the most efficient and effective solution for Minnesotans. Of particular concern is the age of legacy systems and infrastructure in Minnesota, including some major systems upon which the public depends. A large amount of state IT equipment has completed normal life cycles and carries security and business continuity risks to operate. These assets need to be refreshed in order to maintain effectiveness and provide further efficiencies for state government. As systems reach the end of life or as new technologies that can improve government services become cost effective, the state will need to refresh and reinvest.
Before investing in modernization, Minnesota must fully understand the scale and scope of where this is occurring. Today we finally have the data points necessary to begin to understand the breadth and depth of the full problem. It is important for all state leaders to recognize that modernization will carry significant costs.
As IT leaders, we hope to lead the state in investing strategically and wisely to ensure critical services are delivered, while constantly watching for opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce overall costs.
Minnesota has an opportunity to not only upgrade technology, but to revisit the whole process of how government conducts business and to find new ways to leverage existing technology and strategies to solve broader problems in our state.
Building our technology workforce and finding innovative solutions to carry out the business of the state are key to Minnesota's success going forward. In the coming years, Minnesota will face major challenges to retain its quality workforce and attract new staff. The State of Minnesota also faces a major wave of retirements of highly proficient technical specialists in the near future. There are more jobs for skilled workers in the tech sector in our state than there are the people to fill them.
As we strive to build an agile and equitable workforce environment that attracts talented people and builds strong information technology careers, Minnesota must develop a recruiting model to train talent from entry level up and meet the challenge of a significant shift in our state workforce created by the retirement bubble.


text:
This title was unavoidable. ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I have long referred to it as our Gestapo. And that was before Trump. Under Obama, 2.7 million were deported, and horror stories abounded. But at least there were some restraints. Now ICE is totally out of control.
As in the case of law enforcement generally, ICE has an unfortunate tendency to attract the wrong sort — who get their jollies abusing people. And it's reported that "morale" in ICE ranks has soared under Trump, with the "shackles" now off. When his travel order came out, ICE men were emboldened to enforce it with sickening excess. Many victims legally entitled to be here were treated brutally and denied entry by ICE pricks.* ("And some, I assume, are good people.")
Now the administration has issued new deportation guidelines. The idea of deporting all undocumented residents was always considered, well, crazy, at least if you have brains and human decency. Alas, those are not hallmarks of the Trump administration. The new guidelines target not only those having committed crimes, but even minor traffic offenses. And — get this — people merely "SUSPECTED" of offenses. (By who? On what basis?) How can that square with the 14th amendment, which says all "persons" (not just citizens) are entitled to due process of law. A noble assertion of what used to be America's fundamental values.
But in practice, ICE men now seem free to seek out and grab not just "bad hombres" but anybody. Like Ramiro Martinez-Chacon of Hudson, (formerly from violence-wracked El Salvador), in the U.S. since 2002, minding his own business at home on February 7 when some ICE men came, handcuffed him, and dragged him away, in front of his children, who are U.S. citizens. His sole transgression was being here. This story is being repeated all over the country.
I get it that undocumented residents don't have a legal right to be here. But many of them were brought as children and have lived their whole lives here. And many have minor children who are citizens. Don't those kids have a basic human right to live with their parents? Deporting those parents is an extremely cruel, stupid, shamefully pointless policy that harms American children!
And the great majority of these people make a positive contribution to our country. It's actually only thanks to them that our population and workforce isn't shrinking. Not only do they do a lot of needed jobs, but by spending money in our economy, they actually support a lot of other jobs held by citizens. It's been estimated that spending by undocumented residents comprises 5% of our economy. They also contribute taxes (while not being entitled to many benefits). Booting them out makes America and its citizens worse off.
But economics or rationality have nothing to do with Trump's policy. He's simply pandering to those who just hate living beside people who don't look or talk like them. And he's furthermore whipped up those prejudices by harping on crimes by undocumented people. When in fact studies show they commit fewer crimes on average than U.S. citizens. As should be expected, since the potential penalty (deportation) is more severe.
It's also ridiculous to say other countries are exporting undesirables to America. To the contrary, anyone undertaking all the risks, difficulties, and challenges of such migration must possess the kinds of personal qualities that make them an asset to whatever community they join. I want them here.
Better than ignorant, hate-filled Trump supporters.
* And not just Muslims. Click here.
Tags: immigration


text:
The nembutsu is the single path free of hindrances. Why is this? To practicers who have realized shinjin, the gods of the heavens and earth bow in homage, and maras and nonbuddhists present no obstruction. No evil act can bring about karmic results, nor can any good act equal the nembutsu. (The Tanni Sho, 7; CWS, p. 665)
I have twelve different English translations of The Tanni Sho on my bookshelves. Five of them translate the Japanese phrase nembutsusha wa in ways that are consistent with the quote that I have used for the title of this post. Seven of them differ in a way that conveys the idea that it is the person of nembutsu that is the 'unimpeded single path'.
These two ways of translating the phrase concerned have very different emphases. Is it the nembutsu itself that is the 'unimpeded single path' or is it the person who says the nembutsu that has that status? I resolve this question in two ways.
The first is the source of the translation. I have the view that translation work is best done by a group of scholarly, well-qualified people working collaboratively to come to the most reliable result. This is because a group of that kind has a range of personal insights derived from their individual experience of life, along with a set of different educational backgrounds and skills. A collaborative effort is, indeed, a time-honoured practice within the Buddha Dharma.
For example, one teacher, Gotama Buddha, spent forty-five years teaching a vast number of people in groups, and in private exchanges with individuals who later reported what he said to them. Nevertheless, the canon of scripture derived from his teachings was decided by five-hundred enlightened followers. Later Buddhist councils, right up to the twelfth century in Burma, reviewed these teachings and simultaneously settled doctrinal disputes.
Shinran Shonin recorded his teaching himself, for posterity. But, when it comes to interpreting his teaching for ordinary people like us, I think it is still important for this work to be done by learned people in small or larger groups. Usually, the group is led by an editor of some kind. In the case of the first Buddhist council it was Gotama's disciple Ananda.
Language is not necessarily as reliable as it seems. Shinran cherished a passage from Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, which includes these words:
Hence, words may indeed have meaning, but the meaning is not the words. (CWS, p. 241)
That is one of the reasons why I think that sacred texts need to be interpreted and rendered in ways that reflect careful collaborative processes. It is important to translate sacred texts and interpret the related doctrines in that way because they are drawn from collective experience. Shinran's teaching was derived from a vast tradition handed down through enlightened teachers for about 1,500 years from the time of Gotama Buddha.
Consistent with my perspective on this matter is my conclusion that one of the most trustworthy translations of The Tanni Sho is that produced by the Ryukoku Translation Centre in 1962 and in several later editions. In this translation the opening sentence of The Tanni Sho, Chapter 7 (Nembutsusha wa muge no Ichido nari), reads
The Nembutsu is the unimpeded Single Path.
A footnote adds:
Nembutsusha, literally, 'those who practice the nembutsu'. However, 'sha' in Chinese does not have a literal meaning except to show that the antecedent (Nembutsu) is the subject. In Shinran's time, this form was used even in Japanese. Therefore, 'Nembutsusha' in this case is to be translated as 'The Nembutsu is …' (p. 30)
Whether we take the modern literal interpretation, or the more accurate historical original has significance for us because it influences how we understand the working of Other Power, which is the Primal Vow (CWS, p. 57). Because I think it is also in keeping with the full range of Shinran's own writings, I prefer the translation 'The nembutsu is the single path free of hindrances.'
The remaining four translations in my possession, which follow the same translation as the Ryukoku Translation Centre, are:
The Shinshu Seiten, The Holy Scripture of Shinshu, The Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii, 1955
Tanni Sho: Passages Deploring Deviations of Faith, tr. Shojun Bando and Harlod Stewart, ETS, 105, II
A Record in Lament of Divergences, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha
Great Living, Kemmyo Taira Sato, Three Wheels Temple, London, England.


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Stephanie & Chris ~ Engaged!
Los Angeles, California
I am so sorry I have been missing but Art and I both have been so sick these past couple of weeks. I guess we've been throwing the flu back and forth between us :/ It's my turn again, right now.
Until I feel better, the next couple of posts I'll just go straight to the good stuff...images :)
Happy mid week, everyone.
I loved how they went from totally casual to super elegant!


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David H. Brooks, a former military contractor who was found guilty of insider trading and fraudulently enriching himself through company funds, died on Thursday in prison in Danbury, Conn. He was 61.
A spokesman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed the death. A lawyer for Mr. Brooks's children, Judd Burstein, said the cause was being investigated.
Mr. Brooks was the founder and former chief executive of DHB Industries, one of the largest makers of bullet-resistant vests and other body armor used by the military and law enforcement. The company originally had its headquarters in Westbury, N.Y. It now operates as Point Blank Enterprises and is based in Pompano Beach, Fla.
Mr. Brooks was serving a 17-year sentence after being convicted in 2010 for his role in what prosecutors described as a $200 million fraud.
During an eight-month trial, spectators were riveted by testimony detailing Mr. Brooks's lavish lifestyle, which had captured the attention of the tabloids when he threw what was rumored to be a $10 million bat mitzvah party for his daughter featuring the rapper 50 Cent and the rock group Aerosmith.
His company was said to have paid him more than $6 million in personal expenses, some of it used to pay for prostitutes for his employees, plastic surgery for his wife, a burial plot for his mother and a $100,000 jewel-encrusted belt buckle.
Prosecutors also accused him of funneling money from the company to support a thoroughbred horse-racing business.
Mr. Brooks was accused of misleading investors about the company's finances. He made $185 million by selling his shares when they were at a record high, prosecutors said.
The case attracted a great deal of publicity, leading Mr. Brooks's lawyers press, unsuccessfully, for a mistrial. "The accumulation of titillating and scandalous evidence has become a centerpiece of the trial and has incurably prejudiced the jury," they argued.
Mr. Brooks was found guilty by a federal jury on 17 counts, including insider trading and securities fraud. He was sentenced in 2013 and was appealing his sentence at the time of his death, Mr. Burstein said.
Mr. Brooks resigned from the company in 2006. Born in Brooklyn, he graduated from New York University with a business degree.
He is survived by his brother, Jeffrey, and his three children, Andrew, Elizabeth and Victoria. His marriage ended in divorce.


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FLORISSANT, MO. (KTVI) – A suspect has been arrested for the Wednesday, December 5th robbery of the St. Louis Community Credit Union located on Graham Road in Florissant. Police have arrested Ronald D. Oliver, 32, of North St. Louis County.
Oliver is charged with Robbery First Degree and has had his bond set at $100,000.
Oliver is currently in the St. Louis County Jail in Clayton.
No one was injured in the robbery.


text:
[1] K.Srinivasan, "Digital measurement of voltageflicker" IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery,Vol. 6, No.4, pp. 1593-1598, Oct. 1991.[2] M.T.Chen, "Digital Algorithms forMeasurement of Voltage Flicker", IEE
Proceedings: Generation, Transmission andDistribution, Vol. 144, No. 2, pp.175-180,March.1997.[3] C.S.Chen, H.J.Chuang, C.T.Hsu and S.M.Tseng, "Stochastic Voltage Flicker Analysisand its Mitigation for Steel Industrial PowerSystems", IEEE Porto Power Tech.Conference, Vol. 1, Porto, Portugal, Sept.2001.[4] P.K. Dash, A.K. Pradhan, G. Panda,"Frequency estimation of distorted powersystem signals using extended complexKalman filter", IEEE Transactions on PowerDelivery, vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 761-766, July.1999.[5] S.A. Solaiman, M.E. El-Hawary,"Measurement of voltage flicker magnitudeand frequency in a power system for powerquality analysis", Electrical PowerComponents and Systems, Vol. 27, No. 12, pp.1289-1297, November. 1999.[6] S.A. Soliman, G.S. Christensen, D.H. Kelly,K.M. EL-Naggar, "Least absolute value basedon linear programming algorithm formeasurement of power system frequency froma distorted bus voltage signal", ElectricalPower Components and Systems, Vol. 20, No.6, pp.549-568, November. 1992.[7] C. Ming-Tang, A.P. SakisMeliopoulos,"Wavelet-based algorithm for voltage flickeranalysis", IEEE Ninth InternationalConference on Harmonics and Quality ofPower, Vol. 2, pp. 732-738, Oct. 2000.[8] H. Shyh-Jier, L. Chen-Wen, "Enhancement ofdigital equivalent voltage flicker measurementvia continuous wavelet transform", IEEETransactions on Power Delivery, vol. 19, No.2, pp. 663-670, April. 2004.[9] M. M. Eusuff, K. Lansey, F. Pasha,"Shuffledfrog-leaping algorithm: a memetic metaheuristicfor discrete optimization,",Engineering Optimization, vol. 38, no. 2,pp.129–154, March. 2006.[10] E. Atashpaz-Gargari, C. Lucas, "Imperialistcompetitive algorithm: An algorithm foroptimization inspired by imperialisticcompetition", IEEE Congress on EvolutionaryComputation, pp. 4661-4667, CEC, Sep 2007.[11] Wael M. AL-Hasawi, Khaled M. EL-Naggar"A Genetic Based Algorithm for Voltage
Energy Systems Journal, Vol.26, 2004,pp.593-596.[12] A.K. Al-Othman, K. M. El-Nagger, "Voltageflicker measurement using particle swarmoptimization technique for power qualityassessment", IEEE Electro-technicalConference, MELECON 2006pp. 1077-1082,May 2006.


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Reader comment on item: Finding Allah in Unlikely Places
Submitted by Abu Nudnik (Canada), Sep 13, 2006 at 15:44
Mr. Chaudry: the extent of your certainty that these products' logos, which resemble the name Allah, are placed there deliberately, is the extent to which you are paranoid. Paranoia is a serious mental illness characterized by an unshakeable conviction; the inablitiy to even entertain the possibility that you could be wrong, is paranoia.
Let me put it into religious terminology: by pretending you can see into the minds of people other than yourself you are arrogating an omniscience that belongs only to God. Thus your letter here is blasphemy.
Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".
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text:
The most disturbing fact to come out of the news of sexual harassment by Harvey Weinstein is that his company required employees to agree to keep his deplorable actions a secret, said former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson recently.
"Once again we have the revelation that for 30 years a powerful man has harassed women and the companies they run have enabled it, covered it up, and shut up the victims," Carlson, who said she's been a Christian for as "long as she can remember," told The Lily. "This happens in all industries and it must stop. Most disturbing is that fact that this company required employees to agree to secrecy before they were even hired. Women who are brave enough to complain about harassment are forced to sign confidentiality agreements. So, the harassers are free to harass again, sometimes for decades, and the women are forever silenced."
The Lily introduced its interview story with Carlson this way:
After 11 years with Fox News, host Gretchen Carlson was dismissed from the network in June 2016. Two weeks after being fired, Carlson made headlines when she sued then-Fox News chief Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. The suit prompted an internal investigation of Ailes's interactions with women throughout the company.
The controversy quickly mounted.
Just weeks after the Carlson filing, Ailes was out of a job, though he left with a princely sum. Later in the summer, Carlson secured a $20 million settlement from Fox News's parent company, 21st Century Fox, as well as an apology.
Carlson continues to speak out about her experiences at the network and this week, her new book, "Be Fierce," was released.
When asked about her efforts to empower women, Carlson said she is donating all proceeds from the book to her "Gift of Courage" fund. Also, as part of her foundation's work, she is partnering with the All In Together Campaign, a nonpartisan women's civic leadership organization, on the Gretchen Carlson Leadership Initiative to empower and train underserved women to get involved in civic and political leadership — and to have a voice, she told The Lily. "I've always believed that when women's voices are heard, on an equal footing, whether that's in local communities or the halls of Congress, change can happen. The GCLI will hold workshops in nine cities across the country in 2017–18 and also offer women in lower socioeconomic statuses helpful counseling on domestic violence and sexual harassment."


text:
Dick's Auto Body
location on Google Maps.
in new tab.
on social media.
The auto sales staff is comprised of Dick Bunce, Rick Bunce, and Quint Ekstrom. Bob Bunce works with vehicle prep, getting our inventory ready for sale. Our quality used car inventory has been fully serviced and always comes with a bumper-to-bumper warranty. If you don't see what you are looking for, let us know what model, color, options, and mileage vehicle you want, and we will locate it for you. Our auto body staff members pictured from left to right include, Rick, Scott, Jake, Dick, Todd, Jesse, and Mike. They have each graduated from the Auto Body Repair and Refinish program. Each person has completed ASE Master Collision and Refinish certification. Our staff is well trained and committed to providing our customers with a high quality repair.


text:
The contract between Jo Anne Spiese and myself to publish "The Witches' Prayerbook" has been signed as of today and work will begin on my end as soon as I've received her manuscript.
Regarding the first book of "Selkies' Skins" we are still waiting on the print cover art for release. Ebook will be released around the same time. Currently regarding the audio version, Illya Leonov has finished Chapter Seven and is working on Chapter 8. At the rate he works I expect to be proofing that very soon.


text:
Last week was an exciting week here at the shop, we had the pleasure of hosting Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably. The shop overflowed with color and the students excitment was more than inspiring. Kaffe and Brandon taught both knitting and patchwork, but this was the first time that Kaffe had taught the Bordered Diamond Class from his new book "Simple Shapes Spectacular Quilts". (Bordered Diamonds appears as the top right hand photo on the cover of the book).
Kaffe was so excited, and you could really feel the energy radiating from the classroom, so I thought you might like to see the compisitions that were accomplished, every one has it's own personality, take a peek...
Hope you all enjoyed this serious dose of color, have a great weekend!
Happy sewing,
Carolyn and everyone here at the Stitchin' Post


text:
Jaden Smith Is So Depressed He May Have Failed His Driving Test He's Leaving LA (VIDEO)
Actor Jaden Smith was at the DMV on Wednesday and live-streamed his thoughts on Instagram. While in his car, he said: "It's going to be so funny to tell my dad that I failed straight up."
It looks like he may have failed his driver's license test.
He then rambles on about other things including leaving LA: "Everybody follow your heart, you know what I'm saying? Do exactly what you want to do, be the you that you want to be. I'm about to move out of L.A. There's a lot of bad things here. Create the life you want for yourself. Don't try to be somebody else."
Well, if he did fail his test, he should practice some more and take another one. It's not the end of the world Jaden! So melodramatic.
Press play to watch the video below.


text:
IBM stock closed out 2009 by hitting a 10-year high. Will it surge again this year? Toni Sacconaghi, senior research analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein, shared his insights.
"IBM has executed exceptionally well and 2010 can be another good year," Sacconaghi told CNBC.
"If we think back to the last decade, in 2000, IBM earned $4.5 in earnings and they're going to do $11 in earnings this year. IBM's almost tripled earnings over the last decade [while] the S&P is up only about 50 to 60 percent."
Sacconaghi has an "outperform" rating on IBM , with a price target of $148. And while IBM is not a growth stock, he said it is a very stable earnings deliverer.
"And ultimately, we think it can continue to do that," he said. "So the model we have for IBM is 10 or 12 percent EPS growth, 2 percent dividend, and the stock is trading at a 20 percent discount to the market and we think that's very attractive."
- Watch Sacconaghi's Previous Appearance on CNBC (Sept. 8, 2009)
More Tech Market Views:
- Google Smartphone Can't 'Out-Apple' iPhone: Strategist
- Tech Sector's Secular Growth Will Continue: Market Pro
CNBC Data Pages:
- Dow 30 Stocks—In Real Time
- Track the DJ Technology Index Here
- Where's the US Dollar Today?
CNBC Slideshows:
IBM Competes With:
Sanford Bernstein owns shares of IBM. Sanford Bernstein also provided non-investment banking securities related services to IBM during the past 12 months.


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About Elizabeth Lee
NYS Licensed Outdoor Guide
NYS Licensed Guide #5047
Photographer, Journalist and Teacher
B.A. in Visual and Environmental Studies from Harvard University
Currently at Plattsburgh State University, Professional Science Master's in Environmental Science
NYS Outdoor Guides Association
NYS Outdoor Writers Association
In May 2015 I joined the staff of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum as the Ecology Programs Director. I teach lake ecology and continue to share my love for the Champlain Basin and the Adirondacks from the water. I continue to lead private hiking and paddling trips by special arrangement and during the Museum's quiet months.


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10/16/2017: 2017 Annual Holiday Drive for Homeless Children
|Event Date
Make this holiday season merry and bright for homeless families!
Starting October 15th through December we will collect items for our Annual Holiday Gift Drive. All donations will go to benefit families in our programs during the holiday season and beyond.
Check out our HFI Gift Drive Requested Items for ideas on what gifts families would love to give this year!
In mid-December, we will open our "Wonderland Boutique" with all of your gifts where parents come to select gifts for their children. Parents are able to "shop" specifically for their children and make their holiday season one to celebrate.
We request that all unwrapped and new gifts, checks, and gift cards be delivered to 919 Eastern Avenue, Malden on or before Friday, December 8 to allow families ample time to prepare for the holidays. Depending upon staff availability, we may also be able to pick up items at your location.
For more information or to schedule a pick up or drop off, please contact Patty Kelly at (781) 322-9119 x115 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
919 Eastern Avenue
Malden, MA 02148
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|Brian Kendrick
|Ring name(s)
|Brian Kendrick[1]
The Brian Kendrick[2]
Leonardo Spanky[1]
Spanky[1]<br /
|Billed height
|5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2][3]
|Billed weight
|184 lb (83 kg)[2][3]
|May 29, 1979 [4]
Fairfax, Virginia, US[4]
|Orlando, Florida[1]
|Billed from
|Venice, California[5]
Olympia, Washington[2]
Orlando, Florida[3]
|Trained by
|Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy[6]
NWA Southwest Wrestling School
William Regal[7]
|October 1999[1]
Brian David Kendrick[1] (born May 29, 1979)[4] is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He is best known for working for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), both under his real name and as "The" Brian Kendrick.
Kendrick has wrestled for numerous promotions in his career. While situated in these promotions, he has won various championships, both in tag team and singles competition. He was the last ever MCW Southern Light Heavyweight Champion, a title he held three times,[8] and also won the MCW Southern Tag Team Championship with American Dragon.[9] In addition, Kendrick was the first NWA International Junior Heavyweight Champion.[10]
During his time in WWE, Kendrick and his tag team partner Paul London became the longest reigning WWE Tag Team Champions since the title's inception.[11] Together they also held the World Tag Team Championship for a brief period.
Kendrick was born in Fairfax, Virginia, and is the son of Barbara Kendrick and the oldest of three children—a brother named Neal and a sister named Shannon.[7][12] He later moved to Olympia, Washington where he attended North Thurston High School in Lacey, Washington.[1][7][12] During his senior year, he worked as a dishwasher in a pizza parlor while saving money to attend wrestling school.
While growing up, Kendrick's favorite wrestlers included Ultimate Warrior, Blue Blazer and Koko B. Ware.[13] He was also a fan of Shawn Michaels, who trained him, and Chris Jericho.[13] He was very good friends with Lance Cade and Bryan Danielson, both of whom he trained with.[13]
In 1999, he moved to Texas to begin training at the NWA Southwest wrestling school and later attended the Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy.[7] It was there that Kendrick adopted the ring name Spanky,[4][1] a nickname he was given due to his method of staying awake during long drives on the indy circuit.[14] He made his professional wrestling debut on October 8, 1999 in a match with American Dragon that ended in a 10 minute time limit draw.[7]
In February 2000, Kendrick signed a developmental deal with the World Wrestling Federation, spending a year in the company's "farm territory", Memphis Championship Wrestling (MCW), before the promotion closed and Kendrick was released from his contract.[4][7] Kendrick won his first Championship in MCW when he defeated American Dragon for the MCW Southern Light Heavyweight Championship on September 22.[8] He later teamed with American Dragon to win the MCW Southern Tag Team Championship, on December 1, becoming a double champion.[9] The tag team disbanded after they lost the Championships to The Dupps.[9] On December 30, however, the Southern Light Heavyweight title was declared vacant after a match that Kendrick had with Derrick King.[8] In a match for the vacant championship, Kendrick regained the title after beating King, on January 6, 2001.[8] He later dropped it to Tyler Gates, before regaining it on May 11.[8] On June 1, however, Spanky was stripped of the title and it was abandoned, making Spanky the last ever MCW Southern Light Heavyweight Champion.[8] He also holds the record for most reigns, with three.[8]
In October 2001, Kendrick wrestled American Dragon in the first round of the King Of the Indies Tournament 2001, but lost.[15] The crowd, however, gave both men a standing ovation after the match.[1] On February 23, 2002, Kendrick wrestled on the premiere show of Ring of Honor (ROH), winning the match to gain an ROH contract.[16] While in ROH, Kendrick competed in several other promotions such as Heartland Wrestling Association and All Pro Wrestling, before leaving for Japan in June to compete in Pro Wrestling Zero-One (Zero1).[4] There, he wrestled under the ring name Leonardo Spanky, a gimmick proposed by Shinya Hashimoto due to Kendrick's resemblance to Leonardo DiCaprio.[17] On June 29, he became the first NWA International Junior Heavyweight Champion in company history.[10][18] He dropped the title to Low Ki a few months later.[19]
In late 2002, Kendrick signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) but was unable to compete until he completed his time in the independent circuit.[4] He made his WWE debut on the January 9, 2003 edition of Velocity under the gimmick of a mascot representing the local sports team of the town in which he was competing.[20] He continued wearing masks for several weeks, each time competing under a different identity.[21][22][23] After acting as a telegram deliverer for Big Show to Undertaker, and getting a Last Ride for his troubles, he showed up the following week and began a series of events trying to impress the then General Manager of Smackdown! Stephanie McMahon in order to earn a contract for the WWE. His first major storyline within WWE came on the May 1, 2003 episode of SmackDown!. He reverted to his former "Spanky" ring name after he interrupted a promo by John Cena.[24] The two feuded over their similar hip hop gimmicks, until May 22 when Cena defeated Spanky in a match.[25] On October 30, Spanky began teaming with Paul London until January 13, 2004 when Kendrick left WWE to return to Zero1.[17][26][27]
After leaving WWE, Kendrick wrestled in different independent promotions. He returned to Zero1 as "Spanky" and was quickly pushed to capture the NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Championship. This occurred with partner Low Ki on February 19, 2004, when they defeated Dick Togo and Ikuto Hidaka.[28] They lost the championship to Tatsuhito Takaiwa and Tomohiro Ishii a few months later.[29] Kendrick gained a new tag team partner in Kaz Hayashi, on September 19, 2004, and won back the championships.[29] They held onto the titles until March 2005, when they dropped them to Hidaka and Minoru Fujita.[29] Although he lost the tag titles in March, Kendrick, as Spanky, received a singles push, and won the Zero-One United States Heavyweight Championship that same month.[30][31] Alex Shelley defeated him for the title in September 2005.[32]
Kendrick had a brief stint in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in November 2004, where he defeated Kaz, Matt Sydal and Amazing Red, in a four-way match.[1] He then returned to ROH, as well as debuting on its sister promotion Full Impact Pro (FIP) on December 17, 2004, winning the first ever Florida Rumble.[1][33] On February 25, Kendrick lost a match to fellow WWE alumnus, James Gibson.[34] Throughout the match, the crowd chanted "Welcome Back!" and "SmackDown! Sucks!", and both men received a standing ovation after the match.[34] During his time in ROH, Kendrick was booked as a mid-carder, consistently having matches late on the card.[35] Kendrick also competed in the Trios Tournament, but lost in the first round with his team members, Gibson and Nigel McGuinness.[36] He unsuccessfully competed for several titles such as the ROH Pure Championship, ROH World Championship and ROH World Tag Team Championship.[37][38][39] In July 2005, Kendrick announced that he had resigned with World Wrestling Entertainment, and would be returning there after he had fulfilled his obligations on the Independent circuit.[1] In FIP, Kendrick won the FIP Tag Team Championship with Sal Rinauro on August 6, 2005,[40] but lost it to The Heartbreak Express less than a month later, shortly before he returned to WWE.[1]
In July 2005, Kendrick announced that after he had fulfilled his obligations on the independent circuit, he would return to WWE. He made his return during a live event on August 22, 2005, losing in a Fatal Four-Way match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.[4] He then reformed a tag team with his former partner Paul London on the September 30 edition of Velocity.[41] On December 16, the pair remade their image, wearing theatrical masks to the ring with matching vests and shorts.[42] They were quickly elevated into the WWE Tag Team Championship picture, receiving a non-title match against WWE Tag Team Champions MNM on the February 10, 2006 edition of SmackDown!, which London and Kendrick lost.[43] On April 7, they faced MNM again, picking up a win in a non-title match.[44] Their storyline feud continued, as London and Kendrick continued their winning streak over the champions, including singles victories for both Kendrick and London on MNM members Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury, respectively.[45][46][47] London and Kendrick won the WWE Tag Team Title at Judgment Day, thus defeating MNM six times in a row in singles and tag team matches altogether.[48]
Their first main competition for the titles came when K. C. James and Idol Stevens defeated the champions in a non-title match, in early August, igniting a storyline feud between the two teams.[49] During the rivalry, WWE Diva Ashley Massaro began accompanying London and Kendrick to the ring, acting as a valet to the team while combating the actions of James and Stevens' manager Michelle McCool.[50]
On October 14, London and Kendrick became the longest reigning WWE Tag Team Champions of all time, surpassing MNM's previous record of 145 days.[51][52][53] Despite this, they were still booked as the underdogs in their feuds, and this was shown when they began a losing streak to the team of William Regal and Dave Taylor. Regal defeated both in singles matches[54][55] and on the December 8 episode of SmackDown!, Kendrick and London lost a non-title tag team match to the duo, although Kendrick beat Taylor on the December 9 episode of Velocity.[56] London and Kendrick had a scheduled title defense at Armageddon, against Regal and Taylor.[57] Before the pay-per-view, the match changed into a Fatal Four Way tag team ladder match with London and Kendrick defending their titles against Regal and Taylor, MNM, and The Hardys.[57] London and Kendrick won the match and retained the titles.[57]
On February 2, 2007, London and Kendrick suffered a non-title loss to the rookie team Deuce 'n Domino.[58] In a title match at No Way Out, London and Kendrick retained the championship.[59] London and Kendrick, however, dropped the championship to them on the April 20 edition of SmackDown!, ending their reign at 331 days (SmackDown! was recorded on April 17).[60][61] In the storyline, London missed a moonsault from the ring apron to the floor during the title match, injuring his ribs, leaving Kendrick to battle Deuce 'n Domino alone.[62] London and Kendrick unsuccessfully competed for the title on June 1 in a triple threat tag team match, which also involved Regal and Taylor,[63] and lost a rematch on June 15 in a standard tag team match.[64]
Kendrick, along with London, was drafted to the Raw brand on June 17, 2007 during the Supplemental Draft.[65] They won their debut match on Raw against The World's Greatest Tag Team on June 18.[66] They were soon established as a threat to the tag titles, and on the September 3 edition of Raw, they won a number one contender's match for Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch's World Tag Team Championship.[67] Kendrick and London then worked a feud with Cade and Murdoch, and at a house show on September 5, they defeated Cade and Murdoch to win the titles,[68] only to lose it back to Cade and Murdoch three days later.[69][70] London and Kendrick continued to feud with Cade and Murdoch and lost to the Tag Team champions at Unforgiven.[71] For the rest of 2007, London and Kendrick mainly competed on Heat or in tag title bouts,[72][73] until London got injured in late 2007.[74] As a result, Kendrick was mainly used as a jobber on Raw, until London returned at the start of February 2008, although Kendrick still won sometimes on Heat.[75]
In his next storyline, Kendrick abandoned London during a handicap match with Umaga.[76] This abandonment resulted in Umaga performing the Samoan Spike on London, allowing Umaga to pick up the win over the duo. London and Kendrick still teamed together with no apparent dissension rising between the former tag team champions.[77] After defeating Charlie Haas and Robbie McAllister on Heat, London and Kendrick said they were ready to win the World Tag Team Championship. London and Kendrick beat the champions Hardcore Holly and Cody Rhodes next week on Heat in a non-title match. However, they failed to win the World Tag Team Titles on Raw after Holly pinned London.
As part of the 2008 WWE Supplemental Draft, Kendrick was drafted back to the SmackDown brand while London stayed on Raw, thus ending the team.[78] He made his return to the brand on the July 18, 2008 airing of SmackDown! as a major heel, with new ring attire defeating Jimmy Wang Yang with the help of his new bodyguard, Ezekiel,[79] who was later given a surname and became Ezekiel Jackson.[80] Kendrick was later given the name "The Brian Kendrick". On the August 22 edition of SmackDown, Kendrick won a 10 man battle royal to qualify for the WWE Championship Scramble match at Unforgiven.[81] Kendrick failed to win the title at the event, though he did have the longest reign as "interim" champion, which is not officially recognized per the pre-match stipulation.[82] He later teamed with Jackson on many occasions, becoming number one contenders to the WWE Tag Team Championship held by Carlito and Primo, but they never managed to win the championship.
On April 15, 2009, Kendrick was separated from Jackson as he was drafted back to the Raw brand as part of the 2009 Supplemental Draft while Jackson was drafted to the ECW brand.[83] He wrestled his redebut match on Raw on the April 27 episode, when he lost to Kofi Kingston. He won his first match on Raw after defeating Carlito on the May 11 episode before declaring his intention to win the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship; in the following weeks, Kendrick tried several unsuccessful pairings. In his final match, he was defeated by Jerry Lawler. On July 30, 2009, Kendrick was released from his WWE contract.[84]
Kendrick debuted at the Royal Rumble, being eliminated by Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP). Kendrick was drafted from Raw to SmackDown after being defeated by Porter. Kendrick qualified for the SmackDown & Raw Elimination Chambers, but failed to win on both occasions being deeated by R-Truth(SD) & Kofi Kingston (R). Kendrick then attempted qualify for Money in the Bank, but was chokeslammed by Kane mid-match. Kendrick started a long-term feud with Kane, facing him at almost every pay-per-view.
Kendrick signed with Dragon Gate USA on August 6, 2009.[85] His first match for the company, a losing effort against Cima at Untouchable, aired on pay-per-view edited down to only the highlights of the match.[86][87] On August 28 he made his return to Pro Wrestling Guerrilla at Speed of Sound where he, wrestling as a heel, defeated Bryan Danielson after a low blow.[88] Afterwards he formed an alliance with PWG World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks and started a feud with El Generico, Colt Cabana and the PWG World Champion Kenny Omega. On December 19 Ring of Honor announced that Kendrick would be making his return to the company on February 13, 2010, at the 8th Anniversary Show.[89] At the event Kendrick was defeated by Roderick Strong.[90]
On January 30, 2010, at PWG's Kurt Russellmania the Young Bucks decided that Kendrick didn't fit in with them and turned on him, only for him to be saved by his old tag team partner Paul London. Later in the night, Kendrick and London defeated the Young Bucks, now renamed Generation Me, in a non-title match.[91]
Kendrick was scheduled to make his first independent UK appearance for Pro Wrestling 101, based in Doncaster & Sheffield, on March, 14's 'Unstoppable' event wrestling El Ligero. However, Brian didn't make his flight for several reasons and Ligero instead faced British wrestler, Lionheart.
On January 17, 2010 at Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)'s pay-per-view Genesis, Kendrick made his redebut for the promotion using his real name, Brian Kendrick, losing to Amazing Red in a match for the TNA X Division Championship ,using a similar gimmick to The Brian Kendrick gimmick used in WWE.[92]
|Brian Kendrick
|File:Brian Kendrick in Belfast for Raw Wrestlemania Revenge
|Ring name(s)
|Brian Kendrick
The Brian Kendrick[1]
Leonardo Spanky
|Billed height
|5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[1]
|Billed weight
|184 lb (83 kg)[1]
|May 29, 1979[2][3]
Fairfax, Virginia, US [3]
|Orlando, Florida[4]
|Billed from
|Orlando, Florida
Olympia, Washington[1]
|Trained by
|Shawn Michaels Wrestling Academy[5]
NWA Southwest Wrestling School
William Regal[6]
|October 8, 1999
Brian David Kendrick[4] (born May 29, 1979)[2][3] is an American professional wrestler best known for his time with the WWE as Brian Kendrick and The Brian Kendrick. currently working for Total Nonstop action wrestling


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Get ready for some poetry, my friends. I have another England trip report post today!
In our last installment, we explored the beautiful ruins of Tintern Abbey in Wales and stopped for a delicious tea at the White Monk Tea Rooms.
What brought me to Tintern was my love of Wordsworth's poem, Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, on Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour, July 13, 1798. It's not a very elegant title, is it? But the poem itself is gorgeous...and perhaps Wordsworth wanted to ensure that we had our geography right when we read it, so there could be no mistake what surroundings inspired the stanzas.
With that in mind, I couldn't just stay at Tintern Abbey or in the town. I had to get a few miles above it and visit (or revisit, if the poem itself counts as a first visit) the banks of the Wye where Wordsworth must have walked as he composed those lines. And instead of interspersing my photos with my words in this post, I thought I'd caption them with Wordsworth's words!
(I should offer an apology first - I typed the poem in sentences and not in its original structure with proper lines and capitalization and punctuation. I didn't want any of you poetry buffs out there to be shocked. ;) )
Five years have past; five summers, with the length of five long winters!
And again I hear these waters, rolling from their mountain-springs with a soft inland murmur.
Once again do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs, that on a wild secluded scene impress thoughts of more deep seclusion...
...and connect the landscape with the quiet of the sky.
The day is come when I again repose here, under this dark sycamore, and view these plots of cottage-ground, these orchard-tufts, which at this season, with their unripe fruits, are clad in one green hue, and lose themselves mid groves and copses.
Once again I see these hedgerows - hardly hedgerows - little lines of sportive wood run wild...
...pastoral farms, green to the very door, and wreaths of smoke, sent up in silence, from among the trees!
With some uncertain notice, as might seem of vagrant dwellers in the houseless woods, or of some Hermit's cave where by his fire the Hermit sits alone.
These beauteous forms, through a long absence, have not been to me as is a landscape to a blind man's eye. But oft in distant rooms and 'mid the din of towns and cities, I have owed to them, in hours of weariness, sensations sweet...
....felt in the blood and felt along the heart and passing even into my purer mind, with tranquil restoration -- feelings too of unremembered pleasure: such, perhaps, as have no slight or trivial influence on that best portion of a good man's life, his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.
Nor less, I trust, to them I may have owed another gift, of aspect more sublime; that blessed mood, in which the burthen of the mystery, in which the heavy and the weary weight of all this unintelligible world, is lightened...
While with an eye made quiet by the power of harmony, and the deep power of joy, we see into the life of things.
That's not the entire poem, but if you would like "the heavy and the weary weight of all this unintelligible world" to be lightened, then do go and read the rest. :)
It was lovely wandering in the woods - I was hoping to find an overlook of the Abbey called Devil's Pulpit, but I got very turned around and never found it. :( I should've printed out a better map beforehand - I only had a tiny thing in a little book the hotel loaned me. After about an hour, I decided it'd be best to turn back; it was very quiet up in the trails, and it would be getting dark soon. Wild and secluded was right!
But it was still a very fun hike!
Crossing the river again back by the Abbey...
My poetic thoughts soon turned to more practical ones...I was hungry and cold after all that walking!
I headed to the Wye Valley Hotel and Restaurant, which had a cozy dining room (with fireplaces on either end!) that was open late and was right next to my hotel. I kinda wish I had stayed here - my hotel had an awful smell that I was glad to escape!
A roast beef sandwich and some 'chips.' YUM.


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Ticket Distribution and Entering the Sale
Why are tickets distributed the morning of the sale starting at 7:00 a.m.?
Free admission tickets are distributed prior to the sale for crowd management and security purposes. Our sale is not a large rush of people when the doors open. Ticketing ensures that everyone has a chance to visit the sale floor in a calm and organized manner.
We have successfully used this ticketing system since the second year of our dress sale, and it ensures a fun and safe day for all customers.
When and where do I get the tickets?
Tickets will be distributed beginning at 7:00 a.m. from the front of the church facing Rochester Road. Two types of tickets will be issued to enter the sale:
- The regular admission ticket will get you into the main sale area, which includes everything except bridal dresses.
- The second admission ticket is for bridal dresses only, as they are in a separate area of the sale. If you are interested in a bridal dress, you must obtain two tickets at the entrance.
Both tickets will be issued from a single distribution point.
Once you obtain an admission ticket, that guarantees your spot in line. You are free to go until the indoor waiting area opens at 8:00 a.m. Most customers will visit nearby stores or eateries to get breakfast. Starbucks Coffee, Sheetz, Dunkin Donuts, Walmart, and other retailers are all within a three mile drive of the church.
All ticketed customers must return to the church no later than 8:30 a.m. for announcements.
Do I have to pay for an admission ticket? Is there a fee to get in?
No. Admission tickets are completely free of charge and are solely issued for crowd management and security reasons. There is no obligation to purchase a dress if you take a ticket.
Are tickets issued on a first come, first served basis?
Yes. If you are first in the ticket line before 7:00 a.m., get ticket 1, and arrive back at the church before 8:30 a.m., you are guaranteed to be the first to enter the sale area. If you get ticket 125, you are guaranteed to be 125th in line, and so on. Ticket numbers will be verified prior to entering the sale floor.
My mother/father/boyfriend/sister/friend is coming with me to the sale, but is not getting a dress. Does he or she still need a ticket?
Yes. EVERY PERSON 12 years of age and older who wants to enter the sale floor must obtain an admission ticket at the church entrance, even if that person is not buying a dress.
For example, if a mother comes to the sale with her daughter, and the mother wants to accompany her daughter in the sale area, both must have an admission ticket.
Any person without a ticket is welcome to wait in the indoor seating area, but will not be able to enter the sale floor until the numbers of all ticketed customers are called. If you are unsure whether or not you want to enter the sale area, we strongly recommend getting an admission ticket just in case.
To be fair to all customers attending the sale, there are no exceptions to this policy.
How early does the ticket line form?
The ticket line starts to form at different times year to year and is heavily dependent on weather conditions. In some years, the ticket line has started to form prior to 5:00 a.m. No worries through if you can't make it that early. Tickets will be handed out throughout the morning, and dresses will be available for purchase throughout the duration of the sale.
How do ticket numbers get called?
Beginning at 8:00 a.m., a large indoor waiting area will open. All customers will be asked to return to the church no later than 8:30 a.m. Starting at 9:00 a.m., ticket numbers will be called in groups of approximately 25 to 50 at a time to enter the sale floor. This will continue until all ticket numbers have been called.
I'm coming to the sale with family or friends. Can one person in the group come to the church early in the morning and get tickets for everyone else?
No. Sale volunteers will distribute one ticket per one person in line. One customer may not take additional tickets for others in a group who are not present in the ticket line. Each person who wishes to enter the sale must be physically present at the church in the designated line to obtain a ticket.
I want to enter the sale at the same time with a big group of friends. Can you guarantee we enter the sale floor together?
The only way we can guarantee this is if all members of a group arrive at the church together and get tickets at the same time in sequential order.
How long is the wait to enter the sale?
The wait time varies year to year. Unless you have tickets 1-50, there will be a wait to enter the sale, but the process moves forward quickly. You will be waiting in a heated Sanctuary with comfortable upholstered pews.
Don't panic if you get a high numbered ticket. There are a lot of dresses. Expect to have to wait and come prepared with something to keep you busy!
Are restrooms available prior to the doors opening at 8:00 a.m.?
No. For security reasons, restrooms will not be available at the church prior to 8:00 a.m. An extremely limited number of restrooms will be available after 8:00 a.m. once the indoor waiting area opens.
Shopping for a Dress
How are dresses organized?
All dresses are organized on racks by size. Sizes of dresses on the racks are clearly identified with printed signs.
What sizes of dresses do you have?
We have many sizes of dresses available for purchase, regular and plus sizes.
Do you have bridal dresses?
Yes. Please check back to our website and social media pages for updates on the exact number of bridal dresses we have available closer to the sale date.
Bridal dresses will be in a separate area of the sale which requires a second admission ticket to enter. If you are interested in a bridal dress, be sure to ask for a second ticket at the entrance to the church.
How many dresses do you have?
Please check our Facebook page, Twitter page, or this website for updates on dress counts, which will be taken closer to the sale date.
For our 2017 sale, we had:
- 1,418 prom dresses, most of which were brand new
- 130 bridal dresses, all brand new
- 501 cocktail or homecoming dresses
- 206 mother of the bride dresses and formal cruise wear
Are your dresses new or used?
A large percentage of our prom dresses are brand new, many with original sale tags still attached. There are some dresses that are used or "gently worn." All dresses, new and used, are of high quality and individually inspected and sorted prior to the sale.
Do you have fitting rooms?
Yes. We convert all Sunday School rooms, most restrooms, preschool rooms and nurseries into several dressing areas within those rooms complete with mirrors, chairs and racks. Well over fifty dressing areas are available for customers to try on dresses.
We ask that you do not take more than three dresses into a fitting room at one time. Once you know you do not want a dress, hand it to the dressing room attendant who will have it hung back on the racks.
Can you provide minor alterations on site?
Yes. Seamstresses will be available on site for minor alterations and free consultations.
What methods of payment do you accept?
Cranberry Community United Presbyterian Church accepts cash, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. We are unable to accept any American Express cards, personal checks, or money orders.
Do you have parking on site?
Yes. Free parking is available on site on a first-come, first served basis.
Is parking free?
Is there overflow parking?
Yes. Additional overflow parking is located a short five-minute walk (0.2 miles) away at Haine Elementary School.
1516 Haine School Road
Cranberry Township, PA 16066-6621
A wheelchair accessible concrete sidewalk and signalized pedestrian crosswalk across Rochester Road connects the school parking lot directly to the church.
Can I park on the surrounding streets instead?
No. Parking on streets bordering the church property, such as Rochester Road and Hamstead Lane, is prohibited by Cranberry Township ordinance. We ask that all customers use the Haine Elementary School lot for overflow parking. Generally speaking, on-street parking outside of a designated marked space is illegal in Cranberry Township and may result in a citation from local police and/or towing at owner's expense.
Customers with Disabilities
Is the sale and the church wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The church is wheelchair accessible. An elevator is available upon request. If you require assistance to participate in our sale due to a disability, please ask any sale coordinator or staff member in a bright pink or red shirt the day of the sale.
Do you have handicapped parking?
Yes. Handicapped parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis near the front of the church facing Rochester Road. Additional handicapped parking and a drop-off area is located in the rear of the church.
Do you have wheelchair accessible restrooms?
Yes. ADA accessible restrooms are located on the first floor of the church between the old and new greeting areas, as well as next to the cashier lines in the sale area.


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Benefits Provided
The widows and children of New Hampshire police officers and firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty are remembered every year during the Holiday season and each child is remembered every year on their birthday. And, when the children complete high school, they are eligible for a four-year college scholarship!
The Hundred Club of New Hampshire, Inc. is a tax exempt entity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Tax ID: 02-6015912.
©2019 Hundred Club of NH, Inc.
©2019 Hundred Club of NH, Inc.


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I have wanted to comment on women having to register for the draft for a while, and now I am finally getting around to it. On this matter, all I can say is: thank you, feminists!
In years of railing on the internet against feminism, against modernism, against materialism, and in favor of a traditional kin-based patriarchal social structure, I have accomplished only a little, mainly changing the minds of a handful of people who may have been readers of one of my previous two blogs. But feminists, in their inability to consider any long-term consequences of their political agenda, have accomplished what I could not; they have assured an almost immediate return to marriage and natalism in the event of a war requiring conscription.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of feminists, men will be in a position to call all the shots if there is ever a draft for a war; every young woman will suddenly realize that she has an immediate desire to become pregnant as soon as possible because the alternative is the risk of getting killed in battle or taken prisoner by an enemy that has not had the, er, benefit of HR's sexual harassment training. There is zero possibility that our current economic set-up of subsidizing single motherhood will be sustainable if suddenly the majority of 18-29 year-old women decide to become pregnant at the same time; the sheer weight of that economic burden would collapse the system.
Most women know that they are utterly unsuited for fighting in a war (as opposed to serving as nurses or the like) and would only be in the way, endangering the lives of the other soldiers. Women aren't stupid and have a higher sense of self-preservation that you might suspect by looking at feminist talking heads.
But really, can you even imagine someone like Lena Dunham, Anita Sarkeesian, or Lindy West fighting in a war? Regardless of what they may say, it is not now nor has it ever been one of feminism's goals to establish actual parity of responsibility between men and women. Were there to be a war with a female draft requirement, young women would instantly know whom to blame for this—feminism, which would be revealed as the anti-family, female-supremacist failure that it really is. And young women would also quite clearly see where safety lies – in marriage and motherhood.
Which is what I have been saying for years now.
So now I say:
Thank you feminists, for achieving what I could not: our assured eventual return to a kin-based patriarchal social structure which is the source of safety and well-being for women and children. You have my deepest gratitude.
Great job, feminists!


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Roger Sherman ~ Founder and Patriot
Roger Sherman
1721 - 1793
Representative of Connecticut to the Continental Congress
Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Signer of the Continental Association, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution
(He was the only person to sign all four documents)
Roger Sherman was born in Massachusetts, but moved with his family, by foot, to New Milford, Connecticut in 1743. He and his brother opened the towns first store. Despite his lack of formal education, he was admitted to the Bar of Litchfield, Connecticut in 1754, during which he wrote A Caveat Against Injustice and was chosen to represent New Milford in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1755 to 1758 and from 1760 to 1761. In 1766 he was elected to the Governor's Council of the Connecticut General Assembly, where he served until 1785. In 1784 he was elected Mayor of New Haven, which office he held until his death. Additionally, he taught religion at Yale College.
Sherman is responsible for setting up the House of Representatives (representative government) and the Senate (equal representation for the states) in the US Constitution.